RTHK: US sanctions Ethiopia over Tigray crackdown The US government said it was imposing wide-ranging restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia over its actions in Tigray, as well as barring current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean government officials it deems responsible for the crisis. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Sunday the new actions by the United States are to press for a resolution of the crisis: "The time for action from the international community is now." Thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands more forced from their homes in the Tigray region since November after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks on Ethiopian forces. Ethiopian troops and soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea have been accused of massacres and killings in their fight against the rebel group. The Ethiopian government's efforts to crush the TPLF rebellion have unleashed an ethnic witch hunt across the country, according to a Reuters investigation this month, which found Tigrayans have been arrested, harassed, sacked or suspended from their jobs, or had their bank accounts temporarily frozen. Blinken said the United States would continue humanitarian assistance and certain other critical aid to Ethiopia and would continue its existing broad restrictions on assistance to Eritrea. Blinken said the United States may withhold visas as well for "members of the security forces, or other individuals to include Amhara regional and irregular forces and members" of the TPLF it deems "responsible for, or complicit in, undermining resolution of the crisis in Tigray." He also warned that should those responsible for undermining a resolution of the crisis in Tigray fail to reverse course, they should anticipate further actions from the United States and the international community. Blinken said the parties "have taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities or pursue a peaceful resolution of the political crisis." Ethiopia says it is committed to investigating human rights violations and both Ethiopia and Eritrea have promised a withdrawal of Eritrean troops. The United Nations has said that war crimes may have been committed by all parties involved in the conflict. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Colorado School of Public Health receives grant to address kidney disease among women in Guatemala Dr. Jaime Butler-Dawson, from the Center for Health, Work, & Environment (CHWE) within the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH), has received a Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health. The three-year K01 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will provides support to examine the environmental determinants of kidney injury in female sugarcane workers and female community members in Guatemala. Dr. Butler-Dawson is a research instructor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) at the ColoradoSPH and is a founding member of the Climate, Work and Health Initiative. Her new study is part of CHWE's efforts to identify and prevent exposures that may contribute to the epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) in Central America. The research will be informed by Dr. Butler-Dawson's interdisciplinary mentorship team which includes Drs. John Adgate, Lee Newman, and Katherine James, from the EOH Department at the ColoradoSPH; Richard Johnson, in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center; and James Crooks, in the Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and Department of Biomedical Research at National Jewish Health. Training during the grant will provide Dr. Butler-Dawson with a further background in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, leadership training, and modeling multiple concurrent environmental stressors. CKDu has been well-described in males in the current literature. "Females, however, have rarely been studied and their impacts from the disease remain unknown," explains Butler-Dawson. "The information gained from this study will address this knowledge gap and describe the epidemic in females and their specific exposures and risk factors." Dr. Butler-Dawson was the lead author of two recent papers examining occupational and non-occupational risk factors for kidney injury among male sugarcane workers in Guatemala. These studies found that exposures to metals may contribute to kidney toxicity in workers even at lower levels of exposure. "Given the potentially high exposures in Guatemalan women from in-home cooking, their communities, and agricultural sources, this is an ideal population to explore airborne pollutant exposures and kidney injury," says Butler-Dawson. "The goal of this study is to improve the health of this vulnerable population by identifying and reducing exposures that contribute to CKDu." Dr. Butler-Dawson will be working with Pantaleon, one of Latin America's largest agribusinesses. Thanks to this collaboration, there is a unique opportunity to disseminate study findings beyond research publications to reach international businesses and community organizations. ### About the Center for Health, Work & Environment The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health is one of six Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health and houses the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center, one of 18 centers of its kind supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Main offices for the Center are located at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The Center team works with faculty, students, and community partners on numerous projects in occupational and environmental health, safety, and well-being. About the Colorado School of Public Health The Colorado School of Public Health is the first and only accredited school of public health in the Rocky Mountain Region, attracting top tier faculty and students from across the country, and providing a vital contribution towards ensuring our region's health and well-being. Collaboratively formed in 2008 by the University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado, the Colorado School of Public Health provides training, innovative research and community service to actively address public health issues including chronic disease, access to health care, environmental threats, emerging infectious diseases, and costly injuries. Learn more and follow Colorado SPH's updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The Charger Blog Honoring graduating members of the Universitys LGBTQ+ community and celebrating their accomplishments as Chargers, the Universitys first Lavender Graduation marked the start of a new tradition. By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications The Lavender Ceremony honored graduating members of the Universitys LGBTQ+ community. Throughout his time at the University of New Haven, Daniel Stott 21 was an active member of the Universitys LGBTQ+ community. Dedicated to fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging for everyone in the University community, he served as a source of support to his fellow Chargers. A student ambassador in the Universitys Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) program and a member of the Universitys People Rejoicing In Diversity Everywhere (PRIDE) executive board, Stott recently spoke to his fellow graduates as part of the Universitys inaugural Lavender Graduation. The event honored graduating LGBTQ+ students and celebrated their achievements. Somewhere along the way, a spark lit in me, said Stott, who earned degrees in criminal justice and national security. I began to realize my purpose and to be a model for queer success and confidence. It helped me to be visible for those who couldnt. Continue to live your authentic lives As part of the ceremony, Andrew McDonald, an associate justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, shared his own story. He told students that, when he was in college, there were no LGBTQ+ groups to offer support or a sense of belonging. He said that, as a closeted gay man, when he was in law school, he did not know if he would have a future in the field since there were no judges who were out at that time. Justice Andrew McDonald spoke to students as part of the Universitys inaugural Lavender Ceremony. Justice McDonald kept his sexual identity a secret when he started his career. He went on to become a partner in a law firm, and, eventually, the first openly gay member of Connecticuts highest court. He looked back on the challenging legislative fight for marriage equality in Connecticut. He says that, although there has been significant progress, there is much more work to be done. It was through those battles that society began to change, he explained. Because of advocacy and hard work, societys approval has grown. A lot of what we take for granted today is because of long-fought battles. Continue to live your authentic lives, and I have no doubt that progress will continue." This event really shows the power of community and of gathering Beth Bye, commissioner for the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, also joined the program to reflect on the progress that has been made. She credited Justice McDonald and Mike Lawlor, J.D., an associate professor of criminal justice at the University and a former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives who led the push for legislation that made Connecticut the second state in the country to pass a law allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions. Commissioner Beth Bye delivered her remarks virtually. Discussing the importance of sharing ones story, Commissioner Bye shared her own with students. She and her wife were the first gay couple to be married in Connecticut, and she says that sharing her story has been healing. She encouraged students to think about their own stories. This event really shows the power of community and of gathering, said Commissioner Bye, who spoke to students virtually. It gives you a sense of belonging, which is so important. That sense of being other is so powerful, and it can affect us in the classroom and in other activities. Celebrations like this, where youre celebrating exactly who you are, are so important. Your stories matter. You matter. Each of us has the ability to spread knowledge and kindness Dylan Kohere 21 also spoke as part of the ceremony. After he was barred from joining the ROTC Program following former President Donald Trumps ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, he became a plaintiff in the first lawsuit against the ban. My community had my back every step of the way, said Kohere, a criminal justice major. When I started my time at the University, I didnt know about intersectionality. My exposure to diverse students gave me a much more holistic view of the world. I have all of you to thank for the person I have grown into. I cannot wait to see the amazing things well accomplish in the world. In addressing his fellow members of the Class of 2021, Michael Calabrese 21 said that the University community made him feel loved every day. He encouraged graduates to continue to make a difference in the world after they leave the University. Each person here possesses the inner strength to create a world that is better and brighter, said Calabrese, a sport management major. All that we have endured through our entire lives speaks volumes to the strength each of us holds. Each of has the ability to spread knowledge and kindness and to make the world a better place. You are uniquely you The ceremony, which was held as a hybrid event with guests attending virtually and in person at the Universitys Bucknall Theater, enabled students to celebrate and support each other as a community. Graduates were called to the stage, and Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH, a public health professor and the Universitys assistant provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion, presented them with lavender cords they wore on Commencement Day. Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH, presented cords to graduates. The Lavender Graduation marks the start of a new University tradition, and it will be held every year to honor graduating members of the Universitys LGBTQ+ community. The students we celebrate this evening have accomplished so much, and their achievements are only surpassed by the limitless potential and the passion they have to make their mark on the world as agents of change and advocates for others, said President Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D. In her concluding remarks, Carrie Robinson, director of the Universitys Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion, urged students to celebrate everything they have overcome to reach this point in their lives. She acknowledged that their journey hasnt been easy, but she urged them to celebrate who they are and to share that with the world. Now you get to make a more just and equitable world, she said. We see things as we make them. The gift of our queerness is that we can redefine what it means to be essential in America. Make your queerness essential to your lives. Dont diminish your queerness. Dont diminish yourselves. You are uniquely you. The "North America Hand Sanitiser Market Report and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. North America Hand Sanitiser Market to be Driven by the Growth of the Online Distribution Channels and Increasing Focus on Hygiene in the Forecast Period of 2021-2026 The new report titled, 'North America Hand Sanitiser Market Report and Forecast 2021-2026', gives an in-depth analysis of the North America hand sanitiser market assessing the market based on its segments like products, formulations, distribution channels, end uses, and major regions. The report tracks the latest trends in the industry and studies their impact on the overall market. It also assesses the market dynamics, covering the key demand and price indicators, along with analysing the market based on the SWOT and Porter's Five Forces models. The key highlights of the report include: Market Overview (2016-2026) Historical CAGR (2016-2020): 11% Historical Market Size (2020): USD 3 billion The North America hand sanitiser market was being driven by the increased awareness regarding hygiene among consumers and higher living standards in countries like the United States. Right after the COVID-19 pandemic turned dominant over the healthcare industry in the region, online retailing emerged as the foremost contributors to the sales of hand sanitiser. The consumer, amid stock hoarding, approached online platforms that not only met consumer's demand but also facilitated the idea of minimal social exposure. However, with the increase in demand for sanitisers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail prices skyrocketed, following scarcity in supply and mostly retailers going out of stock. As a result, many online stores like E-Bay in some countries of the region banned the sales of hand sanitisers claiming prices on some listings labelled so high as to be illegal. However, with government efforts to keep the prices in check and meet the growing demand for the product, the market witnessed a robust growth in 2020. Story continues Industry Definition and Major Segments Hand sanitisers are antimicrobial agents that destroy or permanently inactivate at least 99.9% of bacteria when applied to the hands. Viruses, fungi, and bacteria constitute types of microorganisms. Hand sanitisers are often used in workplaces where there is a chance of spreading infection-causing pathogens, such as the healthcare setting. Among these, while the alcoholic segment is sub-divided into ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and n-propanol, the non-alcoholic segment is further divided into benzalkonium chloride, triclosan, and others, based on type. On the basis of distribution channel, market is divided into: Hypermarket and Supermarket Departmental Stores Drugstores Online Others The market is divided based on end use into: Hospitals Household Hotel/Restaurants Others The regional markets for the product include: United States Canada Market Trends Hand sanitisers have become increasingly popular as more people pay attention to their health and hygiene as a result of infectious diseases like COVID-19. Sanitiser's popularity stems from the fact that it takes less time to use than hand soap, is antibacterial, is portable, and is gentle on the skin. The increasing use of the commodity by the people employed in hazardous environments such as sewage cleaning, mining, garbage disposal, and others is expected to drive up demand. Furthermore, parents are constantly prioritising their children's health and hygiene. As a result, increased sanitiser use would significantly contribute to the market growth in the coming years. Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Report Coverage - Key Segmentation and Scope 3 Report Description 4 Key Assumptions 5 Executive Summary 6 Snapshot 7 Industry Opportunities and Challenges 8 North America Hand Sanitiser Market Analysis 9 Regional Analysis 10 Market Dynamics 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Competitive Landscape 13 Industry Events and Developments List of Figures and Tables Companies Mentioned The Procter & Gamble Company Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Unilever PLC Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ixkdrp View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005329/en/ Contacts ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Bringing high-volume battery manufacturing expertise to leadership team QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE: QS, or "QuantumScape") today announced the appointment of Celina Mikolajczak as Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering. In this role, Mikolajczak will lead the transition of the companys tools and manufacturing processes from research and development to production. One of her primary projects will be helping deploy high-throughput continuous-flow processes at QS-0, QuantumScapes pre-pilot line facility in San Jose. QS-0 will feature a high-automation line capable of building over 200,000 cells per year for use in electric test vehicles. "Im delighted to join QuantumScape at this time in its journey," said Mikolajczak. "Having served on QuantumScapes board of directors, I have seen first-hand the depth of its technology and team. I look forward to now working directly with the team to help bring this technology into mass production. I cant think of a more inspiring project I could be working on right now." Mikolajczak has a strong background leading highly sophisticated cell engineering and battery manufacturing functions for prominent organizations, including Tesla Motors and Uber. She joins QuantumScape from Panasonic Energy of North America, where she played an integral role in scaling some of the leading battery technologies fueling todays electric vehicle revolution as VP of Engineering & Battery Technology. "We are thrilled to have a leader of Celinas caliber join the company to help industrialize our technology," said Jagdeep Singh, CEO and co-founder of QuantumScape. "Celina is not only a battery technology expert, having spent virtually her entire career at leading battery-related companies, but has a profound understanding of what it takes to scale up battery production. Theres no better person I can think of to run manufacturing engineering at this stage in our growth." Story continues Mikolajczak joins Clayton Patch, who recently started as Vice President of Manufacturing. Patch has extensive experience with high-volume process-oriented manufacturing, having run fab operations and advanced development at Micron Technology, Inc. and IM Flash a joint venture between Micron Technology and Intel Corporation. As part of the transition to the companys leadership team, Mikolajczak is resigning her seat on the QuantumScape Board of Directors, effective immediately. About QuantumScape Corporation QuantumScape is a leader in developing next-generation solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. The companys mission is to revolutionize energy storage to enable a sustainable future. For more information, please visit www.quantumscape.com. Forward-Looking Statements The information in this press release includes a "forward-looking statement" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, including, without limitation, regarding the development, timeline and performance of QuantumScapes products and technology are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside QuantumScapes control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to the following: (i) QuantumScape faces significant barriers in its attempts to scale and complete development of its solid-state battery cell and related manufacturing processes, and development may not be successful, (ii) QuantumScape may encounter substantial delays in the development, manufacture, regulatory approval, and launch of QuantumScape solid-state battery cells and building out of QS-0, which could prevent QuantumScape from commercializing products on a timely basis, if at all, and (iii) QuantumScape may be unable to adequately control the costs of manufacturing its solid-state separator and battery cells. QuantumScape cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information about factors that could materially affect QuantumScape is set forth under the "Risk Factors" section in the QuantumScapes Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7, 2021 and available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, QuantumScape disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. Should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and projections could different materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005348/en/ Contacts For Investors John Saager, CFA Head of Investor Relations ir@quantumscape.com For Media media@quantumscape.com MarketWatch There are plenty of reasons why rolling retirement assets from one account to another makes sense, but there are also plenty of questions to ask and answer before making that decision. Investors may decide to move money from one retirement plan to another because theyre switching jobs, or because they found a better investment opportunity in another account. Retirement tip of the week: Wondering if you should roll over an old 401(k) plan or merge a few different retirement accounts? Truxton Trust - Sabino Recovery Tombstone Truxton Trust Advises Sabino Recovery on Debt Financing for Management Buyout Truxton Trust Advises Sabino Recovery on Debt Financing for Management Buyout NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Truxton Trust Company is pleased to announce its role as lead lender and senior debt placement agent to Sabino Recovery, a provider of trauma and addiction residential treatment programs in Tucson, Arizona. The financing is comprised of a senior secured loan facility and Truxton is serving as the lead lender. Sabinos management team used the proceeds to buy out the previous majority ownership group and to support their exponential growth. Truxton Trust Company provides capital solutions to high-growth companies, family-owned businesses, and financial sponsors. Sabino CEO Thomas Isbell said, "As Partners of Sabino Recovery, we are thrilled to have the support of Truxton Trust in our vision for the company. We strive to enhance the treatment process for all residents past, present, and future by utilizing our diverse skill sets, leadership approaches, and exceptional staff." About Truxton Trust Truxton Trust Company is a provider of private banking, wealth management, trust, and family office services for wealthy individuals, their families, and their business interests. Serving clients across the world, Truxtons vastly experienced team of professionals provides customized solutions to its clients complex financial needs. Founded in 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee, Truxton Trust upholds its original guiding principle: do the right thing. Truxton Trust Company is a subsidiary of financial holding company, Truxton Corporation (OTCPK: TRUX). For more information, visit truxtontrust.com. About Sabino Recovery Located in Tucson, Arizona, Sabino Recovery offers world-class trauma and addiction residential treatment programs, focused on individualized care in a private and comfortable setting. Sabino Recovery prides itself in its expertise at identifying and treating trauma and addictions through viewing the entire person, not just the symptoms. Its clinically sophisticated team collaborates with each person to create a personalized treatment plan tailored to their specific presenting circumstances. Sabino Recoverys integrative model provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals to transcend their maladaptive patterns of behavior to reconnect with their authentic self. For more information, visit sabinorecovery.com. Story continues Media Relations Investor Relations Tamara Schoeplein Andrew May 615-515-1714 615-515-1707 tamara.schoeplein@truxtontrust.com andrew.may@truxtontrust.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f6e3dc0b-80e9-4d83-9b26-41a30216f7bc NEW YORK, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fiber Optic Cables Market Procurement Research Report The Global Fiber Optic Cables has been added to SpendEdge's offering. The Fiber Optic Cables market is expected to grow by USD 2 billion, at a CAGR of over 7% by 2024. Request a Free Sample Report to Know More Telecom operators are replacing copper wires with optical fiber cables to enable transmission of larger volumes of data. This is serving as one of the major spend growth drivers in the fiber optic cables market. Leading telecommunication providers are exploring their bandwidth to install 5G networks which is contributing to the demand growth in the fiber optic cables market. The report also offers information on the upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. Download Our Free Sample Report Fiber Optic Cables Market in India: Key Price Trends According to the fiber optic cables price trends, higher anti-dumping duties imposed by the governments in countries such as China, the US, France, Germany, and India will increase the price of exported fiber optic cables. The steady increase in crude oil prices will drive the prices of raw materials such as optical fiber, PE, PVC, steel, and aluminum. This will propel fiber optic cables suppliers' manufacturing costs. Insights Offered in this Fiber Optic Cables Market Report Top fiber optic cables suppliers and their cost structures Top fiber optic cables suppliers in the US and their cost structures Fiber optic cables market spend analysis in the US Fiber optic cables price trends, and forecasts Cost drivers influencing the fiber optic cables prices Explore more about market opportunities: Enquire about the report before purchasing Some of the top Fiber Optic Cables suppliers listed in this report: This Fiber Optic Cables procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Corning Inc. Prysmian Spa FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co. Ltd. HENGTONG GROUP Co. Ltd. Hangzhou Futong Communication Technology Co. Ltd. Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. Regional Analysis Story continues Further breakdown of the market segmentation at requested regions. Market Player Information Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players, vendor segmentation, and vendor offerings. Know the strategies adopted by vendors during the COVID-19 Recovery Phase. Speak to our Analyst for a Customized Report Related Reports on Telecom and Networking Market: Network Infrastructure - Sourcing and Procurement Market Intelligence Report: This network infrastructure market intelligence report offers an analysis of the procurement best practices and helps buyers gain detailed insights into the category pricing strategies. Network Outsourcing Services - Sourcing and Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The global network outsourcing services market is expected to witness category spend growth of over USD 3 billion between 2018-2023, with spend momentum accelerating at a CAGR of 6.62% during the forecast period. Telecom Tower - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: A targeted strategic approach to telecom tower sourcing can unlock several opportunities for buyers. Still, we see that buyers have a pre-dominantly transaction-based approach towards the category and miss out on cost-saving opportunities in the absence of actionable intelligence on telecom tower procurement market. To access the definite purchasing guide on the Fiber Optic Cables that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Fiber Optic Cables TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo Contact SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us Report: www.spendedge.com/report/fiber-optic-cables-procurement-market-intelligence-report SpendEdge Logo (PRNewsfoto/SpendEdge) Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usd-2-billion-growth-expected-in-fiber-optic-cables-market-with-an-accelerating-cagr-of-7-amid-covid-19-spread-spendedge-301297299.html SOURCE SpendEdge Most of the people signed up for RAHD clinics this week are ages 12 to 15, Chamberlin said. The local health district is offering the Pfizer vaccine exclusively at clinics for those getting their first doses and is using Moderna for those 16 and up who already had their first vaccine of the same brand, Chamberlin said. School officials are working with the health district and pharmacies to schedule vaccination clinics for students before the year ends. In addition, by mid-June, the health district will move away from clinics out in the community and offer vaccines daily at each health department. Details are still being worked out, but the health department clinics probably will schedule most appointments with time for a few walk-ins, Chamberlin said. Vicki Lindberg of Stafford County said, It is encouraging to see things moving forward, and I am looking forward to the future. Hers is a multigenerational home that includes her husband, his father and the couples two sons, one an adult and the other 14. Because of her father-in-laws age and health, we have made vaccinations a priority at home, she said. It just took off, she said. Shields opened Creative Kids Preschool in 2008. She had homeschooled three of her four children and discovered her passion for working with little kids when she had a job as a paraprofessional at the kindergarten her youngest child attended. They are just awesome, Shields said of the 35 age group. They are becoming independent, yet they still love to be with you and they love to learn. Her husband, Mike, suggested she open her own preschool, and the couple went door to door handing out flyers and recruiting families. Shields had five students in her first class, which she held in the afternoons after working at Conway Elementary School in the mornings. By the next year, she had two full classes, one for 3- and 4-year-olds and one for 4- and 5-year-olds and had quit her job to run the preschool full time. After the first year, its been all word-of-mouth, Shields said. Then in March 2020, her kids left for spring break and never returned. It was shocking, Shields said. I never got to say goodbye. I thought, what am I going to do? If the aggression continues we expect conditions to become worse, mayor Yahya Sarraj told Al-Jazeera TV. The U.N. has warned that the territorys sole power station is at risk of running out of fuel, and Sarraj said Gaza was also low on spare parts. Gaza already experiences daily power outages for between eight and 12 hours and tap water is undrinkable. Mohammed Thabet, a spokesman for the the territorys electricity distribution company, said it has fuel to supply Gaza with electricity for two or three days. Airstrikes have damaged supply lines and the companys staff cannot reach areas that were hit because of continued Israeli shelling, he added. The war broke out last Monday, when the Hamas militant group fired long-range rockets at Jerusalem after weeks of clashes in the holy city between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police. The protests were focused on the heavy-handed policing of a flashpoint sacred site during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers. Since then, the Israeli military has launched hundreds of airstrikes that it says are targeting Hamas militant infrastructure. Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired more than 3,100 rockets into Israel. Virginias unemployment rate continues to drop as the COVID-19-pandemic slowly recedes, but the job market still has some major issues along with an overall economy that is in flux. While the number of people who were reported as employed in Virginia jumped by more than 4,600 in April, the states labor force also decreased by 12,422 to 4,225,614. The overall outlook from the Virginias April jobs report was somewhat downbeat, said Joseph Mengedoth, a regional economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Virginias unemployment rate stood at 4.7 percent in April, down 0.4 percent from March. That was well below the national jobless rate of 6.1 percent. While thats a sign that hiring is improving in Virginia, the stats also indicate that lots of people are staying out of the workforce, either because they remain worried about the risks of catching COVID-19 or they cant find jobs that match the skills or hours demanded by employers. We hear a lot about the need for workers, Mengedoth said, he added that many of those employers also say they are struggling to find the right workers to fill jobs. According to Holding, Wehrbein was offered a biotechnology lab experience last summer, but had to adapt to a field-based corn breeding project due to the pandemic. The project involved the first crosses between a series of colored maize lines, various sweet corn lines and various popcorn lines with the goal of making novel-colored and more nutritious popcorns and sweet corns. I gave Caleb considerable freedom and it was marvelous to see the way he took the mantle and showed professionalism and intellectual input in the first summer of this project, Holding said. He developed an informative instructional video of this work, which is serving as a brief introduction to basic corn breeding technique for undergraduates and is being used in genetics teaching. Following his junior year, Wehrbein was awarded the Milton E. Mohr Scholarship Award, which recognizes outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in the sciences of biotechnology and engineering based on their academic performance and potential for accomplishment in their specific field. Wehrbein is continuing work on research projects this summer and has already committed with the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture to begin work towards a doctorate this fall. Wehrbein graduated from PHS in 2017 with honors. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Meyer estimates damages at more than $200,000. I dont know what theyre going to be able to salvage out of that house, Meyer said. Theres so much heat, smoke and water damage. Potter, who works for the Metropolitan Utilities District in Omaha, had his work laptop at home along with three monitors. He had his personal laptop and three, 3-D printers. Meyer also said he didnt think furniture in the house could be saved. I know some of that stuff can be replaced, Potter said. We have a lot of pictures that are digital that we can get reprinted. But there were keepsakes from his wifes mother, who died 12 years ago. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I dont know whether or not they made it, Potter said. There are other things that wont be saved including decorations for the wedding of their daughter, Ivy Luedtke. Potter said Ivy and her husband, Trevor Litz, were married privately, but were planning a bigger wedding. They got married in front of a few people two years ago, but this was for everyone else, Potter said. Afghan government forces clashed with Taliban militants in a provincial capital about 120 kilometers from Kabul, officials and witnesses said on May 24. Violence has been on the rise in Afghanistan since U.S. forces began their final pullout on May 1, as the militants press on with a campaign to seize new territory. Fierce fighting erupted late on May 23 on the edge of Mihtarlam, a city of around 140,000 people and the capital of the eastern province of Laghman. Militants attacked the central prison before they were pushed back by security forces. At one point Defense Minister Yasin Zia took personal charge in the field, officials said. "With the arrival of reinforcements, the enemy has sustained heavy blows," Zia, a former army chief of staff, said in a video message. Local councilors Gulzar Sangarwal and Atiqullah Abdul Rahimzai also said that some 100 security officials had been arrested over negligence of their duties and transferred to Kabul after the Taliban attacked Mihtarlam. According to a spokesman for the provincial governor, the deputy of the National Directorate of Security secret service was among the 100 officials arrested after the attack was repelled. The ministry said at least 50 Taliban fighters were killed in overnight fighting. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the militants captured 37 security checkpoints on the outskirts of Mihtarlam. Casualty figures and battlefield gains can rarely be independently verified in Afghanistan and both sides frequently exaggerate their successes and minimize losses. The attack on Mihtarlam comes as the Taliban pushes on in efforts to capture more territory. Militants have recently seized the districts of Nerkh and Jalraiz in the province of Wardak, just 40 kilometers from Kabul. Wardak has long been used by the Taliban as a gateway to reach the capital and launch deadly attacks. The Taliban also captured Burka in the northern province of Baghlan earlier this month after government troops withdrew from the area. Militants also attacked a military facility in the Guzargah-e Noor district of Baghlan late on May 24, killing at least eight soldiers and wounding at least seven, officials said. The withdrawal of foreign troops after two decades, due to be completed by September 11, leaves Afghanistan to a potentially bleak future amid rising attacks by Taliban militants. The Islamic State group is also active in the country. With reporting by AFP and dpa Amnesty International has warned that 20 years of hard-won progress by Afghanistans women and girls are under threat as intra-Afghan peace talks are at an impasse and international troops prepare to withdraw from the war-torn country later this year. Afghanistan is drifting towards an outcome that threatens to undo more than twenty years of progress for women and girls, Yamini Mishra, the London-based human rights groups Asia-Pacific director, said in a statement on May 24. Now is the time for the Afghan government and its international partners to unequivocally commit and work to ensure that womens rights and two decades of achievement are not traded off in the peace talks with the Taliban. Amnesty International noted that there has been limited involvement of women in the peace talks launched in Qatar in September 2020 between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The 21-member Afghan government team included only four women, with no women represented in the Taliban delegation. One woman was part of the 16-member government delegation attending a Moscow international peace conference in March. No new date has been announced for another high-level peace conference, initially set to be held in Istanbul in April. Mishra urged the Afghan government to ensure inclusive and meaningful participation of women in the negotiations. The significant under-representation and frequent side-lining of women throughout these talks is indicative of how far there is still to go. These negotiations will shape the future for women and girls in Afghanistan and their voices must be heard, she said. Amnesty International noted that womens rights have improved significantly since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in 2001. There are now 3.3 million girls in education, and women have become lawyers, doctors, judges, teachers, engineers, athletes, politicians, journalists, business owners, police officers, and members of the military. Violence has continued unabated across Afghanistan ahead of a full withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops planned for September 11. After the pullout, there are fears that the Taliban will overrun Afghanistans battered security forces, which have relied heavily on the alliances air support, intelligence, and logistics to keep the insurgents at bay. With the purchase of every $7 phone call and overpriced pack of ramen noodles, people held at the El Paso County jail are chipping away at the Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The slogan on her T-shirt read Only God Can Judge Me. But on Friday evening, six men and six women brought Judgment Day to Detra Farries: Guilty on all counts. After a nearly month-long trial, Farries, 33, was convicted one year and one day after the death of Allen Lew Rose, the Colorado Springs tow-truck driver who was dragged for more than a mile behind Farries SUV on Feb. 23, 2011. Jurors deliberated for about 9 hours over two days. Roses widow, Renee Rose, was comforted by supporters and court personnel after hearing the verdict. Their two children werent present. Afterward, Renee Rose joined mourners at a roadside memorial at the site where Roses body came loose It's crunch time at the General Assembly, with many bills to go. As usual, Colorado Politics is on top of the need-to-know news in the bustling statehouse. You can read about the first few months of legislature's doings in this link, and below you'll find the latest updates of the final months: What were trying to do here is address how people view concentrates and better educate folks. The fact that the pending legislation was introduced at all and would impose a bit more responsibility on marijuana sales suggests the Democrats are starting to get it. They just might be coming around to the realization that parents are more worried about their children than they are wowed by the nonstop pot party down at the Capitol. A former aide to U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn sued the Colorado Republican and his congressional office Thursday, alleging the congressman was "willing to sacrifice the health and safety of his employees" by disregarding safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as the virus infected Lamborn and multiple staff members. Acquisition Who will pay for the cyber EO mandates? Tucked inside President Joe Biden's cybersecurity executive order is a plan to modernize and streamline federal procurement policy, which experts said lacked critical funding and resources to adequately implement within its ambitious timeframe. The order in part seeks to overhaul a current patchwork of regulations and guidelines for the private sector and commercial marketplace around federal contractor cybersecurity requirements. This plan will require agencies and contractors to address numerous issues at once under short timeframes, from developing standards for software supply chain security to removing barriers to sharing threat information. While private sector leaders expressed enthusiasm for improving cybersecurity requirements governmentwide as outlined in the order, they said the new policies may also yield duplicative, burdensome requirements and potential pitfalls in areas like information-sharing. Megan Petersen, senior director and counsel at Information Technology Industry Council, said federal agencies will "almost certainly" need additional appropriations in order to implement a new multi-sector cybersecurity standard. "On the whole, federal agencies have woefully underinvested in modern and secure technologies instead relying on legacy systems that may be incapable of complying with cybersecurity best practices," Petersen said. "Many agencies have also neglected developing mature data and access management policies and procedures, or they exist largely on paper." The cybersecurity policy goals outlined within the order will also require "significant investments in modern, commercial technologies and the adoption of commercial best practices across government agencies," Petersen added. The White House released discretionary budget requests for fiscal 2022 in April which featured a $750 million reserve for federal IT enhancements. However, the administration has not provided additional details on how those funds would be spent. But even with that reserve, the government remains unequipped in its mission to overhaul cybersecurity and procurement policy across the board, according to Matthew Cornelius, executive director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation and a former senior advisor for technology and cybersecurity policy at the Office of Management and Budget. "Given the timing of the cybersecurity executive order, it seems unreasonable to expect that the forthcoming President's Budget will have any resources directly tied to agency implementation," he said, describing the issue as an "unfortunate and unforced error." "Even if there is some $750 million for the cybersecurity 'reserve fund' mentioned in the previously released 'skinny budget,' that money is not going to help the entire executive branch accomplish the several dozen objectives outlined in the executive order," he added. "That said, there is plenty of support in Congress for providing robust, necessary cybersecurity funding." Should Congress choose to appropriate additional funding to support the cybersecurity order, the government would still be forced to grapple with tight deadlines amid a sea change for daily operations in most agencies. In one example, the order outlines a 60-day deadline for the Office of Management and Budget to review the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement contract requirements, then provide recommendations for requirements and language in contracts with IT and OT service providers in consultation with agency leaders. In another, the Secretary of Commerce has just 30 days to solicit input from the government and private sector to develop criteria which can be used to assess software security and evaluate various security practices. Some experts said coordination between sectors will effectively determine whether the Biden administration can successfully reform government cybersecurity practices in such short notice, at a time when both the federal government and industries are increasingly becoming the target of major cyberattacks. "This executive order lays out a lot of different rules and responsibilities for government agencies in very short time frames, so in order to be successful, we have to find a way to be more successful than we are today," said Alan Chvotkin, partner at Nicholas Liu LLP and former executive vice president and counsel of the Professional Services Council (PSC). "It will start with meaningful outreach to the private sector, government contractors and the commercial marketplace to see what kind of short-term and longer-term solutions we can find." David Wennergren, CEO of the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), said that while industry is "eager" to work with the government to develop consistent cybersecurity approaches which leverage best practices from across the private sector, he noted "collaborating with industry will be crucial to the success of this work." Wennergren added: "Changes in technology, to include moving to the cloud, IT modernization, operating in a virtual world, mobile solutions and the rapid adoption of new technologies all require that government collaborate with industry to understand best practices and new approaches, like zero trust." Industry leaders said they were excited about the prospect of collaborating between sectors to establish new rules and regulatory structures. The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) has already formed an internal task force to respond to the executive order and provide feedback throughout the implementation process. "Coordination between public and private actors and coordination across the public sector will be equally important to achieving the executive order's goal of increasing cyber fortifications," said Corbin Evans, principal director for strategic programs at NDIA. "This order has a lot of aspirational goals that are going to require a lot of work by the regulators to successfully implement." The Office of Management and Budget declined to provide comment on the question of additional funding to support the implementation of the executive order. This article first appeared on FCW, a GCN sibling publication. To accommodate its bat population, Kevin Cavallin, a volunteer at the Iowa Wildlife Center, said the center built makeshift dwellings using portable greenhouses to house them over the winter months. As you can imagine, its been a task taking care of two seasons worth of bats, Cavallin said. According to its website, a study by the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that the risk of passing SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, on to North American bats was low. In late fall, we were given the greenlight to release some of our 2019 bats, Cavallin said. It was welcome news, as some of the bats had started reproducing in captivity, meaning even more bats for which to care. Most of the bats brought to the Iowa Wildlife Center are recovered from homes all across Iowa. One of the bats released on Wednesday was recovered from a church in Des Moines in 2019. Big brown bats, the species of bat released at Grays Lake park on Wednesday, are termed crevice-dwelling bats and type that are typically found in homes, taking up residency where there is easy access to water and moderate temperatures. People find them where they shouldnt be, or their cats find them or their dogs find them, Ehresman said. Bahena Riveras defense lawyers made the case Friday that the confession was false and coerced as a result of sleep deprivation and harsh interrogation techniques. They played videos for jurors showing their client sleeping during the 11-hour interrogation. Investigators initially searched Bahena Riveras car on Aug. 20, 2018, after he gave his consent and submitted to the interrogation. Criminalist Amy Johnson testified that investigators initially overlooked the blood stain on the trunks rubber seal, but found it during an additional search two days later. Scott said that stain was the first match for Tibbetts DNA. Later analysis of blood found on the trunks liner also was a match for Tibbetts, whose DNA had been collected from one of her water bottles during the investigation into her disappearance and from her body when it was discovered in the field, she said. Other blood spots found in the trunk and on several items in it did not have enough material to compare for DNA purposes, she said. Members of the jury of 15 people, including three alternates, appeared to pay close attention during the DNA testimony, with at least three jotting notes in their court-issued notebooks. Other uses for the $7 million the city received have included $465,000 for economic development programs to help small businesses with rent, e-commerce and personal protection equipment, Adkins said. The city focusing on helping our residents and businesses weather the storm of the pandemic was the purpose of these funds, said Danville City Manager Ken Larking. We were happy to be able to help people that were experiencing the negative impact of the pandemic and also happy that the federal government provided these resources to our community and gave us the flexibility to use the funds in ways that made the most sense at the local level. About $300,000 to $400,000 was used to purchase medical equipment for first responders, and about $200,000 was spent for upgrading virtual meeting capabilities for Danville City Council, Adkins said. County response As for Pittsylvania County, it received a total of $10.5 million in CARES Act money. Pittsylvania County government allocated all of its CARES Act funds, said county spokesperson Caleb Ayers. Im not sure of the exact amount that has been spent so far. Many projects that are utilizing CARES Act funds are still happening, so it is hard to say. [May 24, 2021] Teleperformance Earns Acclaim from Frost & Sullivan for Dominating the Colombian Contact Center Outsourcing Market TP employs a mix of innovation, analytics, and processes to help potential and existing clients improve their main key project indicators SAO PAULO, May 24, 2021 /CNW/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the Latin American contact center outsourcing services market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Teleperformance (TP) with the 2020 Latin American Company of the Year Award. TP is an established yet growing company, with more than 26 years of experience in the local Colombian market. In addition to offering high-quality customer experience services to clients in several industry verticals, TP facilitates their digital transformation by demonstrating how the customer experience can be digital, automated, and intelligent. TP supports its clients in their digital transformation journey with a range of solutions, and additional, over the past two years the company has studied closely the customer behavior and companies needs according to their industry to offer solutions that have transformed the way of making business. Teleperformance, for the 2020, has transformed significantly and going from traditionally working on site, to a hybrid model in which most of its employees are working in the Work at Home (WAH) Model. This has allowed to the entire company to have a sustained growth and not only in the main cities, also offering job opportunities for all our Colombian people with no limit and covering the entire national territory. Teleperformance is a 42000 employees' company with more than 37000 people working from home in over 200 cities across the county. "As part of TP Colombia's BizDev vision, throughout the solutioning, the company has been working on Digital Business Transformation deploying proprietary digital platforms that enable transformations, for both internal ad client processes," said Juan Manuel Gonzalez Industry Analyst. "For example, the company is intensively implementing robotic process automation (RPA) solutions to enhance back-office process feasibility, generate significant efficiencies, automate front-office interactions, reduce costs, and ultimately help clients become more competitive. Additionally, TP Colombia is implementing global best practices in areas such as cybersecurity, dynamic self-management tools, and face and voice recognition technologies to improve access control systems." Throughout 2018 and 2019, TP Colombia launched seven contact center sites, grew from 7,000 full-time employees (FTEs) to 20,000, opened the first site in a Tier II city (Tunja), hired 1,500 bilingual agents, and added more than 30 new client logos. For 2020, TP Colombia experienced one of its biggest transformations. After launching a new site in Barranquilla earlier that year opening with the goals of reaching new cities, but the main challenge was related the COVID19 pandemic, TP changed the traditional work from its facilities to the current model, becoming the leader in the industry with the fastest adaptability, and aiming all the efforts in the wellbeing for their employees and clients. The company not only focuses on exporting services but talent and innovation as well. TP Colombia is keenly aware of its role in the growth and development of the country through the creation of job opportunities and will thus be continue expanding to smaller cities. "TP Colombia's high-touch, high-tech approach has allowed it to acquire new customers and retain existing ones year after year," noted Gonzalez. "The company has developed a command center, where its workforce management (WFM) team manages and controls different operations in real time. Remarkably, the TP WFM team recently created several innovative applications to provide its agents and employees with the means to perform real-time swaps of their shifts, follow up on their metrics, and reduce potential attrition and lack of shift adherence. This commitment to the customer and employee experience is expected to help the company continue dominating the Colombian BPO market in the long term." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Kristen Moore P: 210.247.3823 E: kristen.moore@frost.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teleperformance-earns-acclaim-from-frost--sullivan-for-dominating-the-colombian-contact-center-outsourcing-market-301297224.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] Police said they found Donald Bernard Lowery Jr. injured with what appeared to be a gunshot wound at the On Your Way Mart at 880 E. 12th St. around 10:52 p.m. and began CPR. Forsyth County Emergency Services personnel responded, continued life saving measures, and transported Lowery to the hospital, where he died as a result of his wounds. Lowery was 35 years old, and lived on Pleasant Street. Police investigations show that Lowery arrived at the store to shop for something, and that while he was sitting in his car two males approached him. At some point one of the two men pulled a gun and fired several rounds at Lowery, striking him. The two males then ran away on foot from the store. Police said their gun crime reduction unit and detectives with the department's criminal investigations division came to the scene to assume control of the investigation. The investigation is in the early stages, police said, adding that they would not be immediately releasing any more details. This is the 13th homicide to occur in 2021 in Winston-Salem, compared to seven homicides for the same time period during 2020. In North Carolina, PBMs are not currently required to be licensed to operate within the state, and there are no oversight measures from the Department of Insurance. Senate Bill 257, Medication Cost Transparency Act, which is being considered in the General Assembly, would implement some oversight measures and allow the Department of Insurance to audit PBMs that operate in North Carolina. Other pharmacy bills considered by the General Assembly this session include House Bill 512/Senate Bill 575, which would allow pharmacists to have limited prescriptive authority for certain classes of medications, and House Bill 96, which would allow pharmacists to administer injectable drugs, such as insulin. North Carolina is one of three states in the country that does not currently allow pharmacists to administer such medications. Allowing pharmacists to offer those services would streamline patient care and potentially bring in additional revenue. But for some pharmacies, its already too late. Massengill watched three of his friends close or sell their pharmacies in neighboring Alamance County just in the past year. Yall better not let this place close, he tells the other pharmacists regularly. Rep. Paul Gosar called them peaceful patriots. Tucker Carlson said they were solid Americans. Sen. Ron Johnson described them as people that love this country. If you cant trust guys like that, who can you trust? So what is all this noise about forming a congressional commission to investigate? Do we really need that? Theres nothing to see here. Isnt it time we moved on? Or if youre determined to have an inquiry, how about Benghazi? We havent done that lately, and were so close to proving that Hillary Clinton personally murdered the U.S. ambassador. We could also investigate the massive fraud of the 2020 election. Or the way liberals canceled Dr. Seuss and neutered Mr. Potato Head. But as to Jan. 6, what is there to say? Nothing happened, and theres no reason to investigate it. Its not like we Republicans are scared of an investigation, you understand. Its not like we think that would tie us to what happened in January. Not that anything happened, but if it had, wed have had nothing to do with it. Were not scared. Do we look scared? How can you be scared when nothing happened? For some mysterious reason, people keep insisting it was more than nothing. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The survey notes that elected officials may choose to not accept all or part of the raise. And not all state officials have taken them in the past. Gianforte, a multimillionaire and high-tech entrepreneur, has said he will donate his entire salary to various philanthropies in the state. A spokeswoman for the governor said Friday he will donate the salary on a quarterly basis and expected an announcement to be made soon on where the first allocation will go. There are 69 people impacted by this survey. The Department of Administration said Friday it did not immediately know if any official has declined the increase. According to the survey, the governor is to be paid $122,693 as of July 1, which is $4,296 more than what was set in 2019. The salary for the Montana governor ranked third out of the five states as of June 2020. Idahos governor topped the list with $138,302, followed by North Dakota with $135,364 and by Montana with $118,397. South Dakotas salary for the top executive was $116,400 and Wyomings governor was paid $105,000. That set the average at $122,693. Donnette Beckett "Together Decatur" Columnist and Food/Drink Reporter Together Decatur columnist and food and drink reporter for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois. Follow Donnette Beckett Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today MOUNT ZION Don Holeman would keep going, but after 60 years of serving on the Mount Zion Township Cemetery board, he decided to give it up to others. Im 83 years old, and its just time for me to leave, he said. My interests are still there, but my body wont keep up. Along with contributing to the board and the decisions about the grounds, Holeman said he enjoyed tending to the area. Im an outside person, and theres a lot of history over there, he said about the cemetery. But it takes me longer to do stuff than what it used to. The job of taking care of the cemetery wasnt left solely up to Holeman. He put his family to work as well. His children and grandchildren as well as his father before him were sextons, or the caretakers of the cemetery grounds. We were taught how to pick up the flowers and clean off the gravestones, said daughter Debbie Alexander. And back then, the graves were dug by hand. The experience provided the Holeman children a respect for families, especially during a difficult time. You pull over, you stop, theres so much more to the heart of a funeral, Alexander said. We were raised to be respectful and care for the graves. The work ethic Holeman has shown his children has spread to other avenues of life, his daughter said. Hes instilled in us a level of hard work and respect for our community that is modeled, Alexander said. His actions speak louder than his words. The Holeman family understands death is a part of life. Through their generational commitment to the cemetery, they have been taught the appropriate and sympathetic way to accept death. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} It was a topic that was a part of our lives and our faith as well, Alexander said. Holeman joined the cemetery board in 1973 after working the grounds for 12 years. Bryan Smith, director of the Township Districts of Illinois, honored Holeman during a recent township meeting. The two have known each other for more than 15 years. Smith credits Holeman for helping cemetery trustees financially throughout Illinois. Its him who got the ball rolling, Smith said. I see the fruits of that all over the state. During the special meeting, Holeman was presented with a street sign honoring his work. A Mr. Caretaker sign was given to him to post on his Mount Zion property. The township also dedicated the week of May 17 through 23 as Don Holeman Week. Since his retirement from PPG, Holeman has kept busy with volunteer work at local sporting events, Good Samaritan Inn, Macon County Conservation District and assisting the family when his help is needed. He gets up and goes to work every single day, Alexander said. Hes still very active. One of his favorite places to visit is the Holy Family Catholic School, where his daughter is the principal. These kids are so innocent, Holeman said. It puts a smile on their faces. Holeman has had health issues that slow him down momentarily. The doctors say he has way more than nine lives, Alexander said. Working in the cemetery can be backbreaking and heartbreaking. Whatever loss it is, its always a devastating loss, Alexander said. He wants to leave it in a very honorable way. PHOTOS: Inside Decatur's Greenwood Cemetery Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Vileta said he and an FBI agent tried to manage the 11-hour interview by taking frequent breaks so they could be briefed on Bahena Riveras statements, but that it was difficult. On cross-examination, Vileta recounted looking into Mollie Tibbetts boyfriend and other men who came under scrutiny for various reasons before Bahena Rivera came on their radar. That included a reserve deputy who lived on the property adjacent to where Tibbetts body was found, Vileta said. Tipsters told police that the man had a torture room in his basement and had previously harmed women and children, Vileta acknowledged. Investigators went to the mans house, did not find such a room and never formally interviewed him, he said. Seeking to rebut suggestions that someone else could have been responsible for Tibbetts' death, prosecutor Scott Brown raised his voice to a shout as he asked Vileta whether anyone else had confessed or been linked to the death of Tibbetts by blood evidence. Vileta said only Rivera. That person is the man seated here to my right, would you agree? Brown said, pointing at Bahena Rivera. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Being Virginians, we often date our history from 1607, the founding of Jamestown. There are those, such as The New York Times, who believe it should be dated from 1619, when the first Africans arrived involuntarily. That has stirred up much controversy but both of those dates overlook another date, one that we werent taught in school. That date is 1587. In that year, 20 years before Jamestown and the same year that the English were founding their ill-fated Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, the first Filipinos (and one Japanese boy who was somehow part of the crew) landed in what today we call California. That date marks the first documented Asian contact with the future continental United States. Its natural to look at history through our own lens we grow up learning lots of American history and not so much Canadian history, for instance. But the American history weve learned often comes with filters of its own that leave out lots of details such as the fact that Filipinos were in California long before John Smith was in Virginia. Its a push that has occurred up and down the chain. It has been driven by national and international brands that have been on the search to find more global suppliers. Consolidation has certainly had its impact on the dairy markets. You may remember when we began to see Suiza and Deans Foods begin to gobble up plants and ultimately merge into a single organization of Deans, and now thats part of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the University of Wisconsin-Madisons Mark Stephenson commented during the May 19 Hoards Dairyman DairyLivestream. They were motivated to do that because they saw the consolidation occurring in the retail segment. So, they felt the need to become bigger bottlers and processors. Of course, then you had co-ops looking at that and thinking, If were going to be supplying milk to these processors, we need to have milk suppliers across the country as well, he continued. The consolidation has aligned with changes on dairies as well. In particular, farms that have had the opportunity to embrace economies of scale and grow have done so as well. Does that change co-op effectiveness? As farms have grown and changed it has spurred the question, do co-ops still matter? FarmFirsts Jeff Lyon would argue that while their role has changed in some cases, they are still very much relevant. Part of it is a persons thoughts and beliefs in cooperative business regardless of the changes in the sizes of operations, he explained. I come from a strong background of cooperative business and belief in it. Its part of farmers working together to get stuff done. In our case, its supplying different people and processors, with milk. For Lyon, that cooperative mindset extends beyond the size of the farm to what the co-op can do to help each type optimize their markets and succeed. Its a belief in the cooperative business model as being a successful model, and its proven to be very successful regardless of the size of operation, he concluded. To watch the recording of the May 19 DairyLivestream, go to the link above. The program recording is now also available as an audio-only podcast. Click here to listen or download. An ongoing series of events The next broadcast of DairyLivestream will be on Wednesday, June 2 at 11 a.m. CDT. Each episode is designed for panelists to answer over 30 minutes of audience questions. If you havent joined a DairyLivestream broadcast yet, register here. Registering once registers you for all future events. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021 May 20, 2021 Dollar references are in AUD unless otherwise noted. Zip Co Limited (ASX: Z1P) ("Zip" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has agreed to acquire the remaining shares of European "Buy Now Pay Later" ("BNPL") provider Twisto Payments a.s. ("Twisto") and has also entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining shares of UAE-based BNPL leader Spotii Holdings Ltd ("Spotii"). The transactions align with Zip's global expansion plans and the rapidly accelerating global BNPL opportunity. As demonstrated through the acquisition of QuadPay, where annual transactions have soared by over 200% post acquisition, Zip is building its playbook in successfully identifying, completing, and integrating strategic acquisitions. Twisto and Spotii are now well-positioned to leverage the benefits of this competency and the synergies of a truly global payments organisation. Twisto and Spotii are integrated into Zips global Single Merchant Interface (SMI), which provides merchants instant access to 11 countries across five continents. Summary Following Zips successful expansion to the US and the UK, the Company is now extending its BNPL operations to Europe and the Middle East. Europe is a $1.1 trillion annual eCommerce market 1 and Twistos license can be passported to all 27 member states of the EU. Spotii was founded in 2020 and operates in the Middle East, one of the fastest-growing global eCommerce regions. These strategic transactions will enable Zip to respond to the increased demand from merchants for a single global BNPL solution across multiple markets with a consistent global service quality. Zip has adopted a similar approach to Quadpay, which proved to be highly successful. By initially making low-risk minority investments, Zip is well placed to validate cultural fit and management alignment, stress test the business plan and identify synergies, and plan for integration. Zip expects to complete the Spotii acquisition in Q3 CY21 and the Twisto acquisition in Q4 CY21. The acquisitions2 have a combined enterprise value of ~$180 million3 with transaction consideration of ~$160 million, reflecting Zips current equity interests in both companies, to be funded with either cash and/or shares at Zips discretion. Twisto Acquisition Story continues The decision to acquire Twisto marks an important step in Zips European strategy. The acquisition will complement Zip's UK presence, which launched earlier this year, and provides a gateway to one of the largest eCommerce markets globally. The strategic rationale of the transaction includes: Access to 27 European Union (EU) countries: the EU is the worlds second-largest eCommerce market with $1.1 trillion annual volume. Twisto holds a European Payment Institution license, enabling the provision of payments services across all EU member states subject to regulatory consents. Exceptional product suite: Twistos advanced product offering aligns with Zips digital wallet strategy, with the issue of virtual cards, short and long-term instalments, an account-based revolving credit line, integrations into Apple Pay and Google Pay and the ability to pay bills via the Twisto app. Strong growth : over 1 million customers have transacted on the platform, with an annual run-rate of $12 million revenue and $230 million TTV 4 , and 14,000 merchants. Flagship merchants in the region include Delivery Hero, Pizza Hut, Gap, New Balance, Yves Rocher and Under Armour. A robust pipeline of sizable merchants is developing for late 2021 on the back of a recently executed regional partnership with global fintech leader PayU. Technology ready for rapid scaling : the in-house credit and fraud scoring engine known as "Nikita" analyses 500+ factors in milliseconds and is highly transferable to new growth markets with limited access to traditional credit data. Cultural alignment and management team: Twistos founding team has been with the company since inception and is strongly aligned with Zips culture and vision and is excited to be part of the Zip team, leading its European growth strategy. Zip will purchase the remaining shares5 in Twisto that Zip does not already own for an amount of ~89 million6 (~$140 million). The completion of the acquisition is expected to occur in Q4 CY217. Refer to disclosures lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange for further information about the material terms of the Twisto acquisition. Twisto Founder and Chief Executive Officer Michal Smida said: "We're excited to join the global Zip team to take advantage of the significant European opportunity and to continue to develop innovative BNPL solutions. There is a massive opportunity in Europe as BNPL follows the global trend with a shift away from the unfriendly world of credit cards. With Twistos existing operations in Central Europe, we are uniquely positioned to tackle the $1.1 trillion European eCommerce market. Being part of Zips global platform will allow us to accelerate growth, expand to new markets, win global merchants operating in Europe, leverage global partnerships already in place and broaden our product offering. We share the same ethos - striving relentlessly to deliver the best omnichannel payments experience to both customers and merchants." Zip Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Larry Diamond said: "The acquisition of Twisto shows our commitment to global growth and follows our Coalition of Founders model, where we back strong founders with a shared vision and deep cultural alignment in our quest for global payments coverage. We are very much looking forward to adding this strategic geography to our growing footprint and fulfilling global merchant demand. We have been impressed by the Twisto team, their deep customer focus and product set and look forward to working closely with them to deliver on the opportunities we jointly have in front of us." Spotii Acquisition The acquisition of Spotii establishes Zip as a leading player in the Middle East, with Spotii operational in the UAE and KSA, and poised to expand further. The strategic rationale of the transaction includes: Fast-growing : the Middle East is one of the fastest-growing eCommerce regions globally, with online spend increasing at 25% annually 8 . Early traction: founded in 2020, Spotii has shown early traction with 650 merchants already integrated into the platform, including flagship regional brands such as Jashanmal and Danube Home. Total transaction volume has grown at an average of 90%+ month-on-month since inception. Proprietary risk engine : Spotiis proprietary risk algorithm has allowed the company to grow rapidly while maintaining low loss rates, and allowing it to integrate across a broad spectrum of industry verticals in a market with limited access to centralised third-party data sources. Strong founding team: Spotii founders Anuscha Iqbal and Ziyaad Ahmed have over 30 years combined experience in payments, private equity, asset management and investment banking. Under the acquisition, Zip will purchase the remaining shares in Spotii9 that Zip does not already own for an amount of ~USD$16 million10 (~$21 million), implying an enterprise value of ~USD$20 million (~$26 million). The completion of the acquisition is expected to occur in Q3 CY2111. Refer to disclosures lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange for further information about the material terms of the Spotii acquisition. Anuscha Ahmed, Spotiis Co-Founder and CEO, said: "Since founding Spotii in early 2020, weve seen significant uptake of the platform by merchants and customers, highlighting the appetite and need for BNPL solutions in the MENA region. Joining forces with Zip a global leader in the BNPL space will enable us to drive further growth by tapping into the companys advanced technology and expertise. For merchants, it means greater access to customers outside the MENA region, while BNPL customers in the regional markets will have greater access to international merchants. Ultimately, it highlights the Middle East as a growing region for eCommerce and BNPL offerings." Zip Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Larry Diamond said: "The Spotii acquisition is an important step in Zips global expansion and international strategy, with Ecommerce in the Middle East on a significant upward trajectory. We have been working with Spotii since our initial investment in December 2020 to broaden our understanding of the BNPL opportunity in the region and have a number of exciting global merchants we are looking forward to activating in the coming months. We also believe there is a large untapped opportunity to bring BNPL to emerging markets where cash on delivery remains a significant merchant challenge, and where the digitisation of retail accelerates." This release was approved by the Chief Executive Officer on behalf of the Board. Advisors ZIP Legal advisors: Arnold Bloch Leibler, DLA Piper Twisto Legal advisor: Schoenherr (Robert Bachner) Financial advisor: Royal Park Partners (Aman Behzad) Spotii Legal advisor: Legalintro About Zip ASX-listed Zip Co Limited (Z1P: ASX) is a leading player in the digital retail finance and payments industry. The company offers point-of-sale credit and digital payment services to the retail, home, health, automotive and travel industries. Zip has operations across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA. Zip also owns Pocketbook, a leading personal financial management tool. Zip is focused on offering transparent, responsible and fairly priced consumer and SME products. Zips platform is entirely digital and leverages big data in its proprietary fraud and credit-decisioning technology to deliver real-time responses. Zip is managed by a team with over 100 years experience in retail finance and payments and is a licensed and regulated credit provider. For more information, visit: www.zip.co Twisto Overview Founded in 2013 by Michal Smida and his founding team who remain with the company, Twisto has processed more than 15 million transactions for over 1 million customers since inception. The company is a leading regional player in Central and Eastern Europe, with core markets of Poland and the Czech Republic. Twisto has developed a unique omnichannel credit platform, giving customers full control and freedom to pay over short and longer-term instalments. Twisto is also a principal member of MasterCard with a primary issuing license and partnered with Marqeta to offer card solutions across Europe. Twisto previously raised equity from leading European VCs and banks, including ING Bank, UNIQA Ventures, Elevator Ventures (Raiffeisen Bank), Finch Capital, Kaya (formerly Enern) and Velocity Capital Fintech Ventures. Mike Laven, CEO of Currency Cloud, is acting as a Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Spotii Overview Spotii is a leading BNPL provider operating in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and was founded in 2020 by Anuscha Iqbal and Ziyaad Ahmed. Spotii was launched with the mission to empower a new generation of consumers to enjoy more today by accessing credit and payment solutions that are simple and fair. Spotii primarily operates in the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, targeting a regional retail market of roughly $250 billion. The company is integrated to 650+ merchants and has over 40,000+ customers on the platform. 1National ecommerce associations, Statista 2Via its wholly owned subsidiary Zip UK Holdings Limited for both Twisto and Spotii 3Subject to certain prescribed net debt, working capital and other completion adjustments, and excluding any deferred consideration component. 4Based on Aprils monthly performance 5Comprising 89.94% of the issued capital of Twisto as at the date of this announcement. 6Subject to certain prescribed net debt, working capital and other completion adjustments. 7Subject to satisfaction or waiver of prescribed conditions precedent (refer to disclosures lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange for further information). 8Bain and Company, E-commerce in MENA 9Comprising 78.26% of the issued capital of Spotii as at the date of this announcement. 10Subject to certain prescribed net debt, working capital and other completion adjustments. 11 Subject to satisfaction or waiver of prescribed conditions precedent (refer to disclosures lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange for further information). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210523005030/en/ Contacts Angela Nibbs quadpay@maven-pr.com An advertisement, purportedly by a US-based company Landomus Realty Ventures Inc, published in several editions of a national newspaper, created a buzz on social media on Monday morning. The advertisement, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the company would like to invest $500 billion in equity in various infra projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) and non-NIP projects. It also said the company has a concrete plan to make India "pandemic free". However, digital footprints of firm's past records cast a doubt on its track record and business promises. The advertisement was published in the name of Landomus Realty Ventures Inc, USA, but the company is also registered with Registrar of Companies, Bangalore. India Today TV visited the registered address of the firm in Bengaluru, but did not find its offices at the location. People from nearby offices also failed to identify the company. As per the corporate papers, the company was registered in US on February 2, 2017. However, it was registered in India in July 2015. The Indian firm has not filed its annual returns. While its current website doesn't provide much information about its business activities, an archived version of its website shows that the company was involved in the business of land banking. "Land Banking is the practice of aggregating land parcels at strategic locations for future sale or development and there by realizing high appreciation of investment," an archived page of Landomus Realty website from year 2018, which has since been deleted, read. Another archived page of the website which has also been removed now claimed that Landomus Realty offered a target compound annual growth rate of 34.93 per cent to its investors in their plans to raise $25,000,000. Also read: Newspaper ad seeking PM Modi's permission to invest $500 bn in India raises eyebrows According to domain registration data, the current website of Landomus USA has been registered by Karnataka-based United Land Bank (ULB). Archived digital records suggest that ULB was founded by S Pradeep Kumar, the chairman of Landomus Group and the man behind the newspaper advertisement. ULB acted as a consultant and facilitator to procure land and properties in Bengaluru and Mysore. "ULB's founders are now taking the firm global offering to serve as a facilitator for NRIs (non-resident Indians) and foreign nationals of Indian origin looking to investment in Bangalore's lucrative real estate market," an archived page from its website from 2017 said. The website is defunct now. The company also does not have any physical presence at its Bengaluru address. There is evidence to show that the website of UBL was live between years 2010 to 2018. Back then, Kumar called himself a property market expert who had "played a crucial role in the success of many a number of giant real estate projects in the city of Bangalore". However, its project page did not identify any known projects. Earlier today, BusinessToday.In reached out to Invest India, the investment facilitation agency under the Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal Trade, to inquire if it had been approached by Landomus Realty. A representative from Invest India said they were not aware of the company and would update BusinessToday.In if the company approaches. Also read: Cadila aims to increase monthly production of COVID-19 vaccine candidate to 30 mn Islamabad, May 24 (PTI) The Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Monday clarified that an official's spouse, who was reported by the Pakistani media to have been tested positive for the coronavirus, has tested 'negative' for COVID on RT-PCR conducted on arrival here and in Lahore. 'In response to media reports that the spouse of an official of the Indian High Commission tested + for Covid on RAT, it is clarified that said individual has tested NEGATIVE for Covid on RT-PCR, conducted on arrival in Islamabad. RT-PCR in Lahore, as per reports, was also NEGATIVE, the Indian High Commission tweeted. Earlier, Pakistan asked 12 officials of the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Islamabad to quarantine, along with their family members and drivers, after one of them reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus since their arrival from India last week, the Foreign Office said. A group of 12 officials and their family members crossed over to Pakistan through the Wagah Border on May 22, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Sunday. All 12 passengers carried negative Polymerase Chain Reaction COVID-19 reports but they were re-tested in line with the laid down COVID-19 safety protocols in Pakistan. 'The wife of an official tested positive on a rapid antigen test conducted by Pakistani health officials,' the spokesperson said. Pakistan's top body on the pandemic, National Command and Control Centre (NCOC), reviewed the case and advised all 12 officials, their family members and drivers to undergo the mandatory quarantine. 'The Indian High Commission has been advised to strictly follow the guidelines provided by the NCOC,' the official said. The Express Tribune newspaper quoted diplomatic sources as saying that as per the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed between the two countries, if a member of the diplomatic staff or their associates tested positive for COVID-19, they will be quarantined in the same country instead of being sent back. 'Pakistani authorities have acted in accordance with the law,' they added. The coronavirus has so far killed 20,308 people in Pakistan, along with 903,599 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to official data released on Monday. PTI SH IND ZH AKJ ZH ZH Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai Kabul [Afghanistan], May 24 (ANI): Amid the US drawdown from Afghanistan, former president Hamid Karzai in an interview to a German publication has explained how Pakistan 'would like' Afghanistan to break off relations with India and exert strategic influence in the country through the Taliban. While speaking with Der Spiegel, Karzai said the Pakistani offensive is in full swing right now and there is fighting going on. "Pakistan actually would like Afghanistan to break off relations with India. That is impossible. If we give in to this, we would give up our sovereignty and independence. If we want to send our police or our army or our boys and girls to India for training because it is good for our country, we should do so," the former president said. "Pakistan wants to exert strategic influence in Afghanistan through the Taliban. This traces back to fears related to the legacy of British colonial rule in the region," he added. Karzai said that Pakistan must know that it cannot win by force as dominating Afghanistan from the outside has never worked. "It didn't work for the British, it didn't work for the Soviets, and it didn't work for the United States, even with all of its resources. And the Pakistanis will not succeed either," he said while asking Pakistan to be reasonable and begin a civilized relationship between our two neighbours. He also revealed how he realized early into my tenure as president that this war is not our conflict, and we Afghans are just being used against each other. "After September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US, Washington took the historic opportunity to pursue its global ambitions in Afghanistan. Just look at our position on the map. Afghanistan is the most strategically important place in today's global contest for supremacy. At the same time, Pakistan started using the Taliban to further its own agenda in Afghanistan." Karzai hoped that the Taliban will stand up to foreign influences where necessary. "My appeal to Afghans, including the Taliban, is that we come together and finally take our fate into our own hands against all foreign powers." Afghanistan has seen a spike in the incidents of violence in recent weeks, leading to casualties of Afghan security forces and civilians. US withdrawal is underway and set to complete by September 11. According to a report, heavy clashes is continuing in the five provinces including Baghlan, Helmand, Kunduz, Kandahar and Laghman, over the last few weeks. (ANI) After evading arrest for nearly three weeks, Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar was arrested on Sunday in connection with the murder of a fellow Indian wrestler. The Delhi Police's Crime Branch will be handed over the case related to the Chhatrasal Stadium brawl that led to the death of a 23-year-old wrestler. India's Olympic wrestling medallist Sushil Kumar sits inside a vehicle after he was arrested by police over alleged involvement in the murder of a fellow wrestler in New Delhi on May 23, 2021. (Photo by DINESH JOSHI/AFP via Getty Images) Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar and his associate Ajay Kumar (back) in the custody of Delhi Police Special cell on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Accused wrestler Sushil Kumar and Ajay leave at Delhi Police special cell Office to be produced in Rohini Court, in connection with the killing of the wrestler on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Accused wrestler Sushil Kumar and Ajay leave at Delhi Police special cell Office to be produced in Rohini Court, in connection with the killing of the wrestler on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar and his associate Ajay Kumar (back) in the custody of Delhi Police Special cell on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) The case relates to the May 4 incident at the stadium in which wrestler Sagar Rana died and two of his friends, Sonu and Amit Kumar, were injured after they were allegedly assaulted by Sushil Kumar and other wrestlers. Sushil Kumar left the city as soon as he got to know about the wrestler's death, the police said, adding that multiple teams were formed to trace him and his aide but he kept changing his location regularly. Several teams, including the Crime Branch and four teams of the Special cell, conducted raids in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Punjab, another official said. REACTION: Railways To Suspend Sushil Kumar Arrested In Murder Case MAIN CONSPIRATOR?: Decoding The Criminal Case Against The Olympic Medallist The Delhi Police had announced a reward of Rs one lakh for information leading to the arrest of Sushil Kumar, who had since been on the run. Another reward of Rs 50,000 was announced for Ajay Kumar's arrest. On Sunday morning, we got source-based input that Sushil Kumar, along with his associate, was on the way to collect cash from one of his friends in West Delhi when he was caught by a team of special cell from Mundka, a police officer said. Accused wrestler Sushil Kumar and Ajay leave at Delhi Police special cell Office to be produced in Rohini Court, in connection with the killing of the wrestler on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) A team of Special Cell leaves Delhi Police special cell Office to produced arrested wrestler Sushil Kumar and Ajay in Rohini Court, in connection with the killing of the wrestler on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Accused wrestler Sushil Kumar and Ajay leave at Delhi Police special cell Office to be produced in Rohini Court, in connection with the killing of the wrestler on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Accused wrestler Sushil Kumar and Ajay leave at Delhi Police special cell Office to be produced in Rohini Court, in connection with the killing of the wrestler on May 23, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Police are also probing the link between Sushil Kumar and alleged gangster Kala Jatheri, whose nephew Sonu was also injured in the brawl, and the exact motive behind the incident, the officials said. Chhatrasal Stadium Murder: Escape, Exposure and a Pin - How Sushil was Caught Sushil Kumar, S Sreesanth and Other Indian Athletes Who Had Run-ins With the Law Earlier, a Delhi court had refused to grant anticipatory bail to the two-time Olympic medallist, saying he was prima facie the main conspirator and allegations against him were serious in nature. Story continues The Delhi Police filed an FIR in the case under sections 302 (murder), 308 (culpable homicide), 365 (kidnapping), 325 (causing grievous hurt), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case was also registered under sections 188 (Disobedience to order by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC and various sections under the Arms Act. Kumar is seen as the face of Indian wrestling even at the age of 37. He won a silver medal in the 2012 Olympics and a bronze in the 2008 Games. The raw audio of a 75-minute phone call between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Obama era State Department attorney Cliff Johnson in August 2011 gives credence to claims made by the whistleblower organisation that a rogue former employee was behind the leak of unredacted classified State Department cables. The audio, which was released by the investigative journalism website Project Veritas, was tweeted out by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. The call between Assange and Johnson indicates that the WikiLeaks boss wanted to minimise any harm that could be caused by unredacted material being disseminated. He told Johnson that the US State Department could organise for an emissary to come to the site where he was under house arrest in London at the time and collect information about the five locations on the Web where the encrypted file in question was being kept along with an encryption key. This is the raw, unedited audio of the over one hour long Assange phone call warning the @StateDept (again) of publication risks, and requesting them to aid in harm minimization. Primary source material. https://t.co/iUTHKBhOZ0 Edward Snowden (@Snowden) December 16, 2020 Assange accused the rogue employee of wanting to destroy WikiLeaks reputation by releasing the material without any redactions and much before WikiLeaks did. He warned Johnson that the encrypted material which he said was in a mass of files could be released by the rogue employee within hours or a week. Assange said he had tried to take legal action in Germany where the rogue employee was but had no standing to do so as WikiLeaks did not own the cables. He urged Johnson to act through the US Government, suggesting that an approach to the rogue employee could have beneficial effects. Johnson argued that releasing material either way through the rogue employee or WikiLeaks - was all the same, but Assange did not agree. He argued that while WikiLeaks put out material because of its ideological orientation and only after sanitising it on the advice of its media partners, the rogue employee had only one motive, to damage the reputation of WikiLeaks. Assange, one of Australia's best known hackers, was involved in attacks on several American government organisations in the 1980s, at a time when he went by the moniker Mendax. He is currently incarcerated in Belmarsh prison in the UK, awaiting a verdict from a hearing held earlier this year to decide whether the UK will extradite him to the US to face espionage charges there over publishing classified information that was leaked to WikiLeaks by an American soldier, then known as Bradley Manning, but now, after gender reassignment surgery, known as Chelsea Manning. That verdict will be announced in January 2021. The new US president Joe Biden is due to be sworn in on the 20th of that month. Stacker has assembled a list of 25 actors who have directed at least one movie with an IMDb user rating over 6.5 and a Metascore of over 65. MINNEAPOLIS Members of George Floyds family, and others who lost loved ones to police encounters, joined activists and citizens in Minneapolis for a march that was one of several events planned nationwide to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyds death. Hundreds of people gathered for the rally Sunday in front of the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis where former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted last month in Floyds death. Many carried signs with pictures of Floyd, Philando Castile and other Black men killed by police. Amid chants of no justice, no peace! and Say his name, Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter watched alongside a dozen of Floyds family members as speakers called for justice for families of Black men slain by police. It has been a long year. It has been a painful year, Floyds sister Bridgett told the crowd on Sunday. It has been very frustrating for me and my family for our lives to change in the blink of an eye I still dont know why. A family of six was not at home early Sunday morning when a fire caused extensive damage to the home they were renting at the 3000 block of Prospect Avenue. That didnt keep neighbor Leslie Caesar from experiencing many tense and frantic moments as she dashed over to her friends house in fear that the woman and her five children might be inside. I saw these flames going out. It was like something exploding, Caesar said. I did not know if they were in there. It turned out that Yolanda Dillard, who lived at the house with her four girls and a boy, was not at home, nor were her children. Caesar said Dillard showed up while firefighters were still working the scene of the fire, which was reported around 2:23 a.m. Caesar said Dillard had been visiting a sister, so was not at home. Ricky McCutchen, a battalion chief with the Winston-Salem Fire Department, said when his firefighting forces showed up, flames were coming out the right side of the house. It had extensive damage, McCuthchen said, adding that the house could possibly be repaired with major work. Arnita Miles, community activist and former Winston-Salem police officer, accused Tonya McDaniel, a Forsyth County commissioner, of misappropriating about $47,000 in grant money meant for the Winston-Salem NAACP and pocketing it into a personal bank account. No criminal charges have been filed. Blueprint NC, a nonprofit, said it gave the grant money based on an application made on behalf of the local NAACP, but the past president of the chapter said he was never aware that a grant request had been made and he never saw any of that money come through the Winston-Salem NAACP. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel held two competency hearings for Roof: one before the start of his trial, and one before its sentencing phase, to determine if Roof could act as his own attorney for that portion of the trial. His appellate team wrote that the court errantly found Roof competent, despite the fact that "every defense expert agreed Roof suffered a delusional belief he would be rescued by the victors of a race-war, which prevented him from understanding the threat of execution was real." Representing himself for sentencing, Roof successfully prevented jurors from hearing mitigating evidence about his mental health, "under the delusion," his attorneys wrote, that "he would be rescued from prison by white-nationalists but only, bizarrely, if he kept his mental-impairments out of the public record." In that part of the trial, the self-avowed white supremacist neither fought for his life nor explained his actions, saying only that "anyone who hates anything in their mind has a good reason for it." This, his attorneys wrote, resulted in "a complete breakdown" of any possible defense, with jurors being "left in the dark" about any details from Roof's past that could have possibly been used to mitigate the government's "inflammatory case for death." Having been forced to withdraw his statement questioning the efficacy of allopathy medicines, yoga guru Ramdev on Monday asked the Indian Medical Association (IMA) if allopathy offered permanent relief for ailments such as hypertension and diabetes. In an 'open letter' posted on his Twitter handle, Ramdev posed 25 questions to IMA, which had objected to his video clip running down allopathy treatment for COVID-19. He asked if allopathy offered permanent relief from hypertension (BP) and type-1 and 2 diabetes. "Does the pharma industry have permanent treatment for thyroid, arthritis, colitis and asthma?" he asked. Ramdev went on to ask if allopathy had medicines for fatty liver and liver cirrhosis. "Like you found a cure for TB and chicken pox, look for treatments for liver ailments. After All, allopathy is now 200 years old." He further asked what non-surgical cure does the pharma industry have for heart blockage. "What treatment is there for cholesterol." "Does the pharma industry have treatment for migraine?", or treatment for constipation and bloating amnesia without any side effects, he said. The yoga guru went on to list modern day ailments such as Parkinson's disease and asked if allopathy had any painless cure to treat infertility as well as to reverse ageing and increase hemoglobin. "Doctors should not fall ill at all if allopathy is all powerful and 'sarvagun sampanna' (having all good qualities)," he remarked. On Sunday, Ramdev was forced to withdraw a statement made in a viral video clip in which he is heard saying that "lakhs have died from taking allopathic medicines for COVID-19." He is also heard questioning some of the medicines being used to treat Covid-19. The remarks were met with vociferous protests from the doctors' association, following which Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked him to withdraw the "extremely unfortunate" statement. Also Read: Health Minister asks Ramdev to withdraw objectionable statement on allopathy His characterization of the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol as a largely peaceful demonstration protesting the election outcome has been taken up by a few congressional Republicans willing to exceed the boundaries of human understanding. It is, however, testimony to the power Trump has asserted over the party. Hes its most dominant figure whose favor is sought eagerly by leadership and who remains a favorite of many Republican voters as the 2024 presidential candidate. Hes given every indication he intends to play a major, if not dominant, role in the 2022 midterm congressional elections, raising money and endorsing candidates. If Republicans, already in striking distance of the majority in the House and in a deadlocked 50-50 Senate, regain control, Trump will emerge stronger than ever, potentially even unassailable. Unless the American Renewal group can break that hold, it will go the way of other third party movements. This country is steeped in the two-party tradition and has consistently rejected all efforts to turn away from it, no matter the circumstances. There is no question of the sincerity of the group nor any doubt they recognize the danger in clinging to a cult-like figure such as Trump has become. The task on which theyve embarked may be the equivalent of a moon shot but its one worth taking. Its left the launch pad successfully into the unknown. Godspeed. Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University in New Jersey. You can reach him at cgolden1937@gmail. Winston-Salem Dangerous CRT In President Bidens inauguration speech he argued advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our government. At first glance this language seems benign, with the noble intent of inclusivity. Yet, at closer inspection, the president uses two words differently for a distinct reason; a reason rooted in critical race theory (CRT): equity and equal opportunity. Equal opportunity is the belief that all Americans should have an equal chance at success. This view takes into account that the government and society will have open doors to all citizens willing to work hard to succeed. CRT posits that it isnt enough simply to have equal opportunity, but that the results must be equal themselves, hence, equity. This notion flies afoul of the American tradition of freedom to achieve the American Dream a dream that cannot exist if the outcomes must be predetermined and equal. Proponents of CRT say its merely teaching a historical account of a racist past. However, its much more than that. Its a dangerous theory that seeks to indoctrinate our students to believe our nation is systemically racist and that the only remedy is equity. The better remedy is the truth. Govt-and-politics editor's pick topical alert top story 'We can do better' After flub at Capitol, Nebraskans say state flag should be changed FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star Jack Sokolik holds his proposal for a new Nebraska state flag outside the north steps of the state capitol on Friday. Jack Sokolik has, to put it lightly, never been a fan of Nebraska's state flag. The "seal on a bed sheet" design what flag enthusiasts call an SOB makes Nebraska's banner nearly indistinguishable from 28 other states that have similar flags. That's strike one for many. The state seal that's centered on the flag, is "fine for a seal, if a little busy for my liking," Sokolik said, even if it seems to forget it's representing the Cornhusker State. A train barrels down the tracks below a mountain range while a steamboat chugs up the Missouri River, meaning the land depicted on the other side is that of Iowa. "I personally don't want Iowa on my state's flag," Sokolik said. Strike two. The third strike is the seal's self-proclamation as "The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska" which is featured more prominently than the state's motto: "Equality before the law." "It's a big middle finger when it comes to good design," Sokolik said. But Sokolik, a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from Omaha majoring in social sciences education, didn't think about how the flag could be better until recently. In 2017, after the state flag was unceremoniously hung upside down at the Capitol building for 10 straight days, then-Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha suggested Nebraskans submit their own designs. FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star The state flag of Nebraska flies below the stars and stripes across the street from the state Capitol on Friday. Harr's resolution didn't go anywhere, mirroring the fate of a 2002 call for a task force to reexamine Nebraska's flag after the North American Vexillological Association slotted it 71st of 72 United States and Canadian flags in a 2001 ranking. The attention drawn to the issue inspired Sokolik and others to begin thinking about how the state's flag could be improved upon. To date, more than 50 designs have been uploaded to a vexillology site dedicated to Nebraska's state flag. Dave Ellis, a Nebraska expatriate living in Iowa, said he has long been frustrated Iowans' flag is more unique and recognizable than that of its neighbor to the west. "It drives me insane that their flag is better than ours," said Ellis, a parks and recreation director in Cherokee, Iowa. "I love my home state, but its flag just isn't anything that stands out." So like Sokolik, Ellis took a deep dive into vexillology, the study of flags, to begin learning what distinguished good banners from bad ones. Over the next two years, and 123 iterations, he began to develop what he calls the "Goldenrod," a flag steeped in symbolism that sought to adhere to what Ellis said was the most important of the rules for flag-designing. Courtesy image Dave Ellis developed what he calls the "Goldenrod," a flag steeped in symbolism that sought to adhere to what Ellis said was the most important of the rules for flag-designing. "It's simple enough that a second-grader can draw it from memory," the Grand Island native said. "It's simple enough that a second-grader can draw it from memory," the Grand Island native said. Senators lower state flag bill The Legislative Council's executive board on Wednesday rejected Sen. Burke Harr's proposal to form a task force to consider creation of a new state flag for Nebraska. Unlike the existing blue flag with a yellow seal, the Goldenrod features a golden field to represent the state's cornfields as well as the gold-painted Union Pacific locomotives that cross the state. A single white star symbolizes Nebraska's unicameral form of government the only of its kind in the country and the state's decision to reject slavery when it came into the Union as the 37th state. Centered on the same spot as the 37th star on the U.S. flag, the blue border reminds Nebraskans of the Ogallala aquifer below their feet, while a red circle encompassing the star symbolizes the shape of fields irrigated by a center pivot. Finally, a blue bar running horizontally represents Nebraska's role in connecting east to west. Ellis said he understands his design might be too far of a departure from the current state flag, but he believes bolder is better, pointing to bright colors and iconic design of Colorado's flag. "Flags are a form of art, and you're never going to get 100% agreement on whether art is good or bad," he said. "I do believe bold is what gets people to recognize you." Courtesy photo More than 4,000 people attended a reception at the state Capitol for the first official display of the state flag on Jan. 1, 1926. Like Ellis, Sokolik didn't make any headway at first, but immersed himself in "the very dorky interest" of vexillology. "I think everybody, even if they might not want to admit it, has some affinity to flags and flag designs," Sokolik said. "They are a unique thing in culture, the doorways to a society, and are powerful symbols of a place." Think the palmetto tree and crescent moon of South Carolina's flag, the red sun symbol of the indigenous Zia people on a field of gold that represents New Mexico, or the yellow stars of the Big Dipper and North Star on a field of deep blue that signals Alaska's spot on the globe. Sokolik's design seeks to honor the design of the current flag by maintaining the blue field and golden circle. Instead of the Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, the roundel of his flag is intended to represent a golden train wheel, while the negative spaces of the wheel conjure up an image of a windmill. Surrounding the roundel are 8 stars, one each for Nebraska's 8 indigenous tribes, as well as for the 8 original counties when the state was still a territory. Finally, white and red streamers on one edge call back to the French influence over the region and Nebraska's history as part of the Louisiana territory. Both designs are unique and would signal a vast upgrade from the current flag, their creators say, and dispel notions of Nebraska as a "flyover state." Ellis has opened up on online shop to sell his flag, as well as stickers and magnets, too, in what he said is an effort to create some buzz for the design. After finishing his design and having a prototype printed, Sokolik has informally gathered signatures both on UNL's campus as well as community events like the Battle of the Joshes in April to gauge interest. Both amateur vexillologists say they hope Nebraskans start thinking more about how a new flag could become a powerful tool for how the state presents itself to the rest of the country and the world. "We can do better, we can always do better," Sokolik said. "Change is good," Ellis said. "The current flag is uninspiring, and I want people to see that and call for something better." Senators lower state flag bill The Legislative Council's executive board on Wednesday rejected Sen. Burke Harr's proposal to form a task force to consider creation of a new state flag for Nebraska. Top Journal Star photos for May Related Police say three Lincoln men have been arrested on an 18-year-old woman's report that they held her captive for five days and sexually assaulted her. Officer Erin Spilker said Talon Dennis, 22; Ricky Ossler, 24; and Gianni Phillips, 23, all were taken to jail on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault and false imprisonment. On Friday afternoon, officers went to a Lincoln hospital on the teenager's report. Spilker said the teen said she had met a man on social media May 16 and went to his apartment the next day, where Dennis and Ossler were. Spilker said she told police they physically assaulted her and that she woke to being sexually assaulted by both. She believes they drugged her. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The teen said she eventually was able to get away when they left the apartment Friday. Police served a search warrant early Saturday at an apartment in the 400 block of Fletcher Avenue and arrested Dennis and Ossler, who were roommates. They arrested the third man, Phillips, after a search of his residence in the 1600 block of Prospect Street. The teenager had run away May 13 and was reported missing. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Lincoln has better-than-average chances of seeing more rain Monday as well as on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the best chance of severe storms is on Wednesday, when nearly all of the state is in a slight risk for severe weather. Police are still investigating, Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said Thursday. He didnt want to talk specifically about the cases We dont want to tip anyone off but he would outline how the department has handled similar cases of suspicious drones. They canvass the neighborhood, looking for victims, witnesses and suspects. They also return to the area at about the same time as the reported sightings to see if they can spot the drone or, better yet, the drone operator. When we get reports of drones, obviously were not just going to be in the area; were going to be looking up, looking for lights. The potential law violations arent entirely clear, because theres nothing in the municipal code prohibiting flying a drone in a neighborhood. But it is illegal to operate a drone in a careless or reckless manner that could endanger the life or property of another person. And flying a drone so close to a window or roof as Rice reported sounds careless and reckless, Bonkiewicz said. Wed also investigate it as a disturbing the peace case as well, if youre flying it around windows. Charles C. Hagemeister, a Nebraska-born Army medic who was decorated with the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War for dashing through enemy fire multiple times to save the lives of wounded soldiers, has died in Leavenworth, Kansas. He was 74. Born in Lincoln in 1946, Hagemeister was the youngest of four children and graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School. He quit the University of Nebraska-Lincoln after a year of school and was working in a warehouse when he was drafted into the Army in 1966. Hagemeister, then a specialist fourth class, served as a medic with the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). The battalion was operating in Vietnams Binh Dinh province on March 20, 1967, when his platoon was surrounded on three sides in a graveyard and attacked by North Vietnamese troops, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Two soldiers went down immediately. Hagemeister raced through heavy fire to treat them. He looked around and realized that he would have to lead because the platoon leader was dead and most of the rest were either killed or wounded. Authorities on Sunday were lowering the lake at Walnut Creek Recreation Area in an effort to find a missing 11-year-old boy. Ryan Larsen, who is on the autism spectrum, has been missing since Monday. Authorities and volunteers have searched the sprawling park for days, hopeful of finding him there because he was familiar with the area. But on Saturday night, divers concluded their preliminary search of the lake, according to the La Vista Police Department. La Vista police said the lower lake level will give searchers, either by diving, boat or from the air, a better visual sense of whats along the shore. The lake has lots of debris, such as tree limbs and tires, that has made the water search difficult. More than half a dozen agencies have provided divers, police said. The lake was to be lowered a few feet, according to the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District. Search teams, first responders and volunteers from more than 15 area law enforcement agencies and fire departments have joined the effort to find Ryan. La Vista police have also enlisted the help of the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and a private consultant in the search. Matthews said the pig roast in the park went well, with people enjoying typical picnic food, including roast pork. After a series of speakers, the group headed over to the union hall to leave copies of the Watkins flyers and the heads of three pigs. Everything was beautiful, we were grilling out, and it was just a typical cookout, Matthews said. We wanted to finish up by dropping off the pig heads and the flyers at the union doors. None of the protesters who were arrested were injured, Matthews said. Everyone was out of jail by 4 a.m., he said. An Omaha police spokesman said that about 8:50 p.m., a crowd of 40 to 50 people left the grounds of the park and marched a short distance to the union hall near 134th Street and West Center Road. Several social media posts show some marchers carrying real heads of pigs. The pig heads and some of the unions flyers criticizing Watkins were left outside the union hall. Members of the group spoke over megaphones for about 20 minutes to the crowd outside the hall, police said. Social media video shows several police cruisers pulling into the north parking lot during a speech. Protesters appear to line the sidewalk as police stand by their cruisers. The pilot project for delivering COVID-19 vaccines through drones in Telangana is likely to begin in next 2-3 weeks, with a total of 10,000 vials to be delivered from a central location to primary health centres. The trials are likely to be completed within 24 days from their start, with seven consortiums delivering vaccines, medicines and blood from district headquarters in Vikarabad to health centres within 15 km radius, Mint quoted S Vijay, COO of Skye Air Mobility, which is part of one of the consortium conducting trials, as saying. The Centre had earlier granted permission to Telangana government's 'Medicine from the Sky' project to use drones for experimental delivery of COVID-19 vaccine. World Economic Forum, Niti Aayog and Healthnet Global are also collaborating for the project. Also read: RDIF, Panacea Biotec partner to produce Sputnik V in India Beside Skye Air Mobility, BlueDart, Med-Express and Dunzo are also part of the consortium. Each consortium will get six days to complete the trials, while two consortium will conduct trials at any given time. "Blood and vaccines will comprise 1.5 kg, while the cold box (for vaccine storage), dry ice and a data logger (to record temperature) will weigh another 1.5 kg," Vijay was quoted as saying. A drone cannot carry more than 3 kg of weight during the trials. The entire flight log for trials will have to be submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and every consortium will need to have a safety expert to monitor operations, Vijay said. Also read: Market cap on BSE hits record high of $3 trillion Federal funding for conversion of U.S. 275 into a four-lane expressway between Norfolk and Wisner heads the list of three projects proposed by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry for designated federal community project funding. Fortenberry has requested $83 million in designated federal funding for the vital link in the Nebraska Department of Transportation's ongoing construction of a long-awaited expressway connecting Norfolk with Fremont. Congress recently approved the new community project system to replace what used to be described as congressional earmarking. The earlier system was abused by a few members and abandoned for a decade after it was turned into a political weapon in 2011. Other projects on Fortenberry's list are $40 million in federal funding for expansion of agricultural research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to include creation of a national center for resilient and regenerative precision agriculture and $750,000 for the Arbor Day Foundation's community forestry program. The new process that allows members of Congress to designate federal funding for projects in their states or congressional districts "will be carefully monitored with safeguards so that funds are judiciously and ethically allocated," Fortenberry said. Hailing "a return to normalcy," Gov. Pete Ricketts on Monday announced the end of a range of COVID-19 restrictions, withdrew the state from the enhanced federal pandemic unemployment insurance program and declared an end to his ongoing coronavirus briefings. But Ricketts continued to encourage Nebraskans to get COVID-19 vaccinations, noting that they can save lives and prevent hospitalization. His decision to end the extra $300 in weekly coronavirus unemployment benefits June 19 will place Nebraska in company with about two dozen other states. Answering a question at his news conference, the governor said he believes the extra benefit acts as "a disincentive for some people to go back to work." Ricketts canceled a number of previous COVID-19 executive orders and all directed health measures while urging Nebraskans to make their own personal decisions about whether to continue to wear a mask. A new executive order will prohibit masks from being mandated in state government code agency office buildings. Under that order, state employees who have been working remotely because of the pandemic will return to in-person work arrangements. Instead of the Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, the roundel of his flag is intended to represent a golden train wheel, while the negative spaces of the wheel conjure up an image of a windmill. Surrounding the roundel are 8 stars, one each for Nebraska's 8 indigenous tribes, as well as for the 8 original counties when the state was still a territory. Finally, white and red streamers on one edge call back to the French influence over the region and Nebraska's history as part of the Louisiana territory. Both designs are unique and would signal a vast upgrade from the current flag, their creators say, and dispel notions of Nebraska as a "flyover state." Ellis has opened up on online shop to sell his flag, as well as stickers and magnets, too, in what he said is an effort to create some buzz for the design. After finishing his design and having a prototype printed, Sokolik has informally gathered signatures both on UNL's campus as well as community events like the Battle of the Joshes in April to gauge interest. Both amateur vexillologists say they hope Nebraskans start thinking more about how a new flag could become a powerful tool for how the state presents itself to the rest of the country and the world. Ryanairs CEO Michael OLeary described the move as a case of state-sponsored hijacking state-sponsored piracy. WHY DID BELARUS DO IT? To arrest Pratasevich, a 26-year-old activist and journalist who left Belarus in 2019 and faced charges there of inciting riots. He was a blogger and co-founder and editor of Nexta, a popular channel on the Telegram messaging app that was a key factor in organizing protests in Belarus after a presidential election in August 2020. Lukashenko, who has run the nation of 9.3 million with an iron fist for over a quarter century, was declared the winner by landslide, but the opposition and some election workers say the vote was rigged. Months of protests followed, representing the strongest challenge to Lukashenko's rule since he took over in 1994 following the demise of the Soviet Union. The Belarusian authorities have unleashed a brutal crackdown on demonstrations. More than 34,000 people have been arrested since August, including opposition activists, and thousands have been beaten and abused by police to try to stem the protests. How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island, by Egill Bjarnason (Penguin) How has small Iceland been able to play such a big role in the world? The confluence of geology, fish and rugged explorers seems to have infused Icelanders with their durable, modest, optimistic and confident character and produced an outsized number of achievers among them Nobel Prize and Academy Award winners. However, that cool Icelandic confidence backfired when Icelandic bankers in the early 2000s financial crash brought shock and shame. But not for long: Iceland is leading the way again, this time with the highest rate of women working full time. Author Egill Bjarnason in How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island views his home island with combination of the wry humor of Bill Bryson, the pointed observations of Anthony Bourdain and the meanderings of a mildly befuddled history professor. Yes, 31 Icelandic bankers were sentenced to jail terms for crimes in the early 2000s global financial crash, but as the author points out, the nation learned some unexpected lessons from its shame. Just two of the bankers were women, who assess risk more conservatively than the men, according to a study the author quotes. Three of the 27 potential voter fraud cases identified by the Wisconsin Elections Commission out of 3.3 million votes cast in the November election have been found to be in Wisconsins nine southeastern-most counties. Take advantage of this great offer! Just $5 gives you full access for 5 months to exclusive content from The Journal Times and journaltimes.com. The incredible deal won't last lo Zero were in Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, Washington, Ozaukee or Jefferson counties. One was linked to the Town of Beloit in Rock County, one was in Brookfield in Waukesha County, and one was found in Whitefish Bay in Milwaukee County. Those 27 cases were first reported by the Associated Press on Friday, and more information is expected to be revealed about the alleged frauds this week. On Monday (May 24), we will be posting additional reports as part of the meeting materials for our June 2 commission meeting, WEC spokesman Reid Magney said in an email Saturday. These reports will cover all referrals made since last September, and they include several elections (in addition to the Nov. 3 presidential election). Were also planning to put out a news release sometime on Monday about the reports. He said, while it was extremely hard work, he learned fast and he also realized it wasnt his passion. Learning fast is the best way to find your true passion, he said. Quoting Steve Jobs, Maalouf said you can never connect the dots looking forward in life. You can only connect them looking backwards. He said he is fortunate that he found his passion working in health care. Hard work works. Working hard is what successful people do, he said. In Japan, when a piece of pottery breaks, they repair it by filling the cracks with gold, he said. They do this because the cracks and the flaws are seen as a unique piece of the objects history. And, its something that adds to its beauty. A year ago, he was admitted into Harvard Business School and recently graduated. Acknowledging he wasnt always a great student, he said he was terrified because of his insecurities, he was way out of his league. However, he learned that almost everyone in his class had similar stories. When you do run into adversity, dont be too hard on yourself because the flaws and challenges you may have are all just a unique part of your story that will connect one day to get you where you want to go, he said. The Journal Times recently published a commentary by Libby Sobic of the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty about education. I am grateful for the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Racine Unified School District Board of Education. First and foremost, we want to celebrate the work of all our employees over the past 14 months. Since the day schools closed last March, our staff members have put students first. Whether standing outside in the rain and snow distributing meals, or driving to homes to bring hotspots and homework, to learning how to teach virtually and then learning how to teach remote and in-person students simultaneously, our educators and support staff have gone above and beyond. Nothing has been easy or perfect but our team has demonstrated grit, determination and love for our students and families. School choice Racine families have many school choices. Whether they choose private, parochial, public or charter, we know that when families have the opportunity to research and select a school that they believe is best for their child, their child is more likely to be successful. Palmers complaint bounced from an administrative law judge who ruled against him to the Wisconsin Labor and Industrial Review Commission which ruled in his favor and held Cree failed to meet its burden under state law to show that his convictions substantially relate to the circumstances of the Applications Specialist job. The LIRC held that Palmers convictions related specifically to violence against women in domestic situations with him, not with women in general and should not have been taken into account when the hiring decision was made simply because there will be women in the same building as him. Up the legal ladder it went. The LIRC decision was overturned by the Racine County Circuit Court and then to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals which reinstated the LIRC finding of discrimination. Now it goes to the state Supreme Court. There are competing interests and arguments 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 US pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna have said that they will not sell coronavirus vaccines directly to Delhi, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He said that the vaccine makers have made it clear that they will deal with the central government. This development comes amid closure of multiple vaccine centres in Delhi for 18-44 years due to shortage of doses/ "We've spoken to Pfizer and Moderna for vaccines, and both the manufacturers have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said they will deal with the central government. We appeal to the centre to import vaccines and distribute to the states," said CM Kejriwal. Punjab too had said a day earlier that Moderna refused to sell vaccines to the state directly. Amarinder Singh government reportedly reached out to all manufacturers looking to purchase directly. CM Kejriwal on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the supply of vaccine doses for Delhi. He said Delhi requires around 80 lakh doses every month but received only 16 lakh in May. Kejriwal said that the share has been reduced further to 8 lakh doses in June. "The centre should speak to international vaccine manufacturers, buy from them and distribute to states. States and union territories are fighting with each other," he said in the letter. The Chief Minister further said that international vaccine manufacturers must be given permission to manufacture in India. He added that countries that have stocked more than required should release some of its vaccines to India. CM Kejriwal suggested that all vaccine makers in India should be ordered to manufacture Bharat Biotech's Covaxin with 24 hours to ramp up stocks. Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Moderna writes to Punjab govt, says it deals only with Centre Also read: COVID-19 vaccines: States facing inelastic supply curve, Centre should place orders, says SBI Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Two convicted murderers who fought Nebraska officials in court for years for the right to marry each other will never have the chance to wed after one of their deaths earlier this year. The death of 40-year-old Nicole Wetherell in February also ended the court case she and Paul Gillpatrick, 49, had waged since 2014 before any precedent could be established. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed their case Wednesday before deciding the state's appeal, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Gillpatrick and Wetherell had been engaged since 2011, but officials consistently denied their request to marry because the corrections department was unwilling to transport either of them to the others prison for a wedding ceremony, or allow them to marry via video. Gillpatrick, who is in a Lincoln prison, was sentenced in 2010 to 55 to 90 years for second-degree murder. Wetherell was serving a life sentence at a prison in York for first-degree murder. The two met through a mutual friend in the 1990s. Wetherell died Feb. 26 with an undisclosed medical condition, officials said. A U.S. District Judge ruled in the couple's favor in 2019, but that decision was put on hold while the state appealed. Slovak journalists: We stand by our Belarusan colleagues Free media are a guarantee of freedom and democracy. 24. maj 2021 o 14:34 SME.SK In reaction to recent developments in Belarus, the editors-in-chief of major Slovak media, and the Association of Print and Digital Media, have issued this joint declaration: Our colleague Roman Pratasevic was forcibly removed from an airplane under the pretence of a bomb scare. The Belarusan dictator Alexander Lukashenka wished his arrest so much, that he ordered a fighter jet to divert the commercial flight on route to Vilnius to Minsk. Pratasevic now faces the threat of torture, imprisonment, and possible death penalty. Only because he wanted to write truthfully about Belarus. Clanok pokracuje pod video reklamou The biggest independent news portal in Belarus tut.by dared to be critical of Lukashenka. And he just shut them down. Their website, visited by over three million Belarusans, was blocked. Many reporters ended up in jail. Five journalists are missing. Free media are a guarantee of freedom and democracy. That is why autocrats try to silence them. We, too, remember, what it is like. That is why today, we stand by our Belarusan colleagues and ask the representatives of Slovakia and the European Union, to do everything in their power to protect and save them. Planning for the 16th annual Driftless Area Art Festival is moving forward, according to festival co-chair Anita Tegen. The festival is set for Sept. 18-19 in Soldiers Grove. Well be closely following the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, as we make final decisions on the event, she said. Seventy-one artists have already been selected by a jury of artists, and Tegen said that the committee is inviting and accepting applications. Nine or 10 culinary artists will offer locally sourced food and beverages. Four musical groups will perform, including Saturdays artists Scott Kerry Guthrie and the Acoustic DOGS in the morning and Patchouli in the afternoon. Sunday morning will feature Kickapoo Joy Juice, with the Sap Suckers performing in the afternoon. The leader of the Diocese of La Crosse has asked Catholic priest Father James Altman to resign amid continued controversial rhetoric over politics and the pandemic, Altman says. Altman announced the news during his sermon Sunday, which was recorded and posted to YouTube later in the day, stating that his lawyer is challenging Bishop William Callahans request. As the Bishop has stated to me: I am ineffective. So for the record dear family, Bishop Callahan has asked me to resign as pastor as of this past Friday, two days ago, because I am divisive and ineffective, Altman said. Audible no sounds from the crowd can be heard during the video. In response my canon lawyer asked for clarification, Altman continued, asked for the justification and a chance to review what was in my file that suggested I was so divisive and ineffective. And I say all this only because, Im no expert on canon law, but understand only that while we are contesting Bishops request and we are he could in theory appoint a parish administrator whilst I remain a pastor without duties until the appeal goes through Rome, which could take up to a year or more. Patent demographics: The Senate has passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., to the Endless Frontier Act (S. 1260), to require the collection of demographic information, submitted voluntarily, by patent inventors. Tillis said the information obtained would help to create more intellectual property, to create more patents, and to get more people engaged in the patents and intellectual property system. The vote, on May 19, was 71 yeas to 27 nays. Nays: Johnson R-WI; yeas: Funding technology programs: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., to the Endless Frontier Act (S. 1260), that would have used unspent funds authorized by coronavirus relief laws to fund implementation of the Act. Scott said that given the trillions of dollars of recently incurred federal debt and higher inflation, we need to be fiscally responsible in every use of taxpayer dollars. An amendment opponent, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said redirecting the funds would take money away from broadband and, eventually, it could take money away from things like aerospace, manufacturing, and money that is there for the people who have been impacted by the downturn who no longer have jobs and need to be retrained and skilled. The vote, on May 19, was 47 yeas to 50 nays. Yeas: Johnson R-WI; nays: Baldwin D-WI All the IFSC codes of Syndicate Bank will be disabled from July 1 because of its merger with Canara Bank. Syndicate Bank's customers will now have to use the new IFSC codes for their bank branch. "This is to inform that after merger of Syndicate Bank with Canara Bank, all eSyndicate IFSC codes starting with SYNB have been changed. All the IFSC starting with SYNB will be disabled with effect from 01.07.2021," Canara Bank said on its website. "We request you to inform the remitters (senders) to use only your new IFSC code starting with "CNRB" while sending NEFT/RTGS/IMPS, from now itself," the bank added. Also read: Newspaper ad seeking PM Modi's permission to invest $500 bn in India raises eyebrows IFSC or Indian Financial System Code is an alpha-numeric code that uniquely identifies a bank-branch for online fund transfer through NEFT, RTGS and IMPS. It's a 11-digit code with the first four alpha characters representing the bank, and the last six characters representing the branch. The fifth character is zero. In 2019, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced merger of Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank as part of the Centre's plan to consolidate 10 state-owned banks to four mega banks to make them more competitive. The merger came into effect from April 1, 2020. Earlier in February, Indian Bank had informed that branch codes and IFSC codes of erstwhile Allahabad Bank branches would change because of its merger with the former. The bank had said new IFSC codes would be effective from February 15, 2021. Also read: Pfizer, Moderna won't sell COVID-19 vaccines directly to Delhi Asked if the Landshark should be fined and, if not, if she would lift fines on other businesses, the governor said the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has specifically not gone forward and penalized businesses that are trying to do the right thing. It's those that have flouted and put people's safety at risk that are the most concerning. Later Monday, the Ingham County Health Department reported having received a complaint about a party at the Landshark exceeding six guests, but said it decided against enforcement action because non-critical restaurant complaints are initially treated as education/consultation for the owner/manager." The matter is considered resolved given conversation with the owner, and the owners assurance that parties will be limited to no more than six guests in the future, spokeswoman Amanda Darche said. "There is no history of similar complaints with the Landshark." Republicans in the GOP-led Legislature said Whitmer should rescind fines that were levied on businesses. They previously complained that the six-person limit keeps large families from eating together. Fiame's election win was seen as a milestone not only for Samoa, which is conservative and Christian, but also for the South Pacific, which has had few female leaders. An advocate for womens equality, Fiame, who was born in 1957, broke new ground during her campaign by going on the road and robustly criticizing the incumbent. She has pledged to stop a $100 million port development backed by Beijing, calling the project excessive for a nation that's already heavily in debt to China, according to news broadcaster RNZ. Fiame said she intends to maintain good relations with China but has more pressing needs to address, RNZ reported. Last month's election initially ended in a 25-25 tie between Fiame's FAST Party and Tuilaepas HRP Party, with one independent candidate. The independent candidate chose to go with Fiame, but meanwhile, the electoral commissioner appointed another HRP candidate, saying it was required to conform to gender quotas. That made it 26-26. The head of state then stepped in to announce fresh elections to break the tie. Those elections in the nation of 200,000 were scheduled to be held last week. But Fiames party appealed and the Supreme Court ruled against both the appointed candidate and the plans for the new elections, restoring the FAST Party to a 26-25 majority. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Hill, a longtime neighborhood bar in Ephrata, is closing next week as its owner looks to leave the restaurant industry. The last day for the Hill is Saturday, May 29, ending a 19-year run for owner Jon Speros, who had been looking to sell the restaurant for several years. Even though we weathered the pandemic storm, this past year was a very hard year and was the deciding factor to move on, Speros wrote in a post on the restaurants Facebook page. Speros, who owns the restaurant property at 415 E. Main St., had been trying to sell it together with the restaurant liquor license, but recently made a deal to sell just the license to Sheetz for a new store in East Hempfield Township. A state liquor control board listing shows a pending transfer for the license at 2149 State Road, which would be next to Lancaster Medical Center now being built by Penn State Health. A Sheetz spokesman said construction began last month on the store which is slated to open in September. While Speros is selling the liquor license, he will be maintaining The Hill as a turnkey restaurant he hopes to lease to someone else. As for himself, Speros said he has already started applying for new jobs that wont require working nights and weekends. I just want to work a normal job and try to live a normal life, he said. When Randy Kreider tells people that his familys 78-acre farm is only a few hundred feet from the Lancaster city limits, he gets raised eyebrows. They're like, Oh, theres a farm in there? Kreider said. A proposal to build a new 1,200-bed county prison on the sprawling property, next to Greenwood Cemetery and just south of the city, is the latest attempt to develop this well-situated land where others, at least over the past 50 years, failed. It remains an open question why builders never got to this land just a seven-minute drive from Penn Square and zoned for residential use. That the land is tucked away behind a cemetery, out of sight and out of mind, may have played a role. But interviews with Kreider, local officials and real estate professionals suggest a number of factors, including limited road access, the prohibitive cost of building infrastructure like sewers, the quality of the soil for large-scale construction and, at least for the past 15 years, a family reluctant to sell. One thing is certain: its not the first time builders have had their eyes on the land. Over the last 50 years, developers and local officials proposed new residential developments, an industrial park and an incinerator, newspaper archives show. Its not any run-of-the-mill farm, either. The property, a peninsula surrounded by the Conestoga River on three sides, features vistas of the river and undisturbed land with lots of wildlife, Kreider said. The family has farmed, hunted and kayaked on the property since his parents, Clyde and Shirley, bought it in 2006 for $1 million. The family also owns and operates Washington Boro-based Kreider Mulch, a regional producer and wholesaler of mulch. It is kind of interesting that a beautiful piece of land like that is still available in Lancaster County, said Christine Sable, a commercial real estate broker in Lancaster and owner of Sable Commercial Realty. It would seem like a very prime site for homes or residential, just because views of the river command a fairly high price these days. County Commissioner Ray DAgostino, who is a member of the search committee for a new prison site, said engineers would go through various studies to make sure the land is suitable for the construction of a 45-acre prison complex. The studies would take place during a three-month period that would start when commissioners approve the deal. The vote is scheduled for a Wednesday public meeting. The county will then have 18 months to secure required zoning changes from Lancaster Township before buying the land from the Kreiders. No design or engineering plans have started yet, said County Engineer Mark Lauriello at a May 20 County Prison Board meeting. Its too early in the process to estimate what the projects total cost will be, according to officials, but DAgostino said earlier this month in a public meeting it could run between $100 million and $150 million. DAgostino said hell be keeping a close eye on what engineers find when it comes to the propertys geology and how ground underneath the lands topsoil could affect building. The commissioner said he was aware that at nearby Sunnyside peninsula, other big plans for development had been complicated by limestone-heavy earth, which can cause sinkholes and other construction headaches. The area and limestone, I think, it has to be top of mind, DAgostino said. An appraisal conducted in February by the Lancaster firm Snyder Appraisal Associates used soil survey data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its report. It estimated that only about 27 acres of the property has soil favorable for building homes with 7-foot-deep basements. The USDA has classified about 40 acres as very limited for buildings with basements, according to the appraisal. But Greg Snyder, founder and president at Snyder Appraisal, said his firm used the USDA soil data as another way to compare other similar farmland properties, and may not be an accurate picture of the actual ground conditions. Snyder Appraisal valued the property at $3.3 million in February. One appraisal conducted in September by Lemoyne-based RSR Appraisers & Analysts estimated the propertys value at $2.4 million. The county paid $9,100 total for the two appraisals, according to DAgostino. The $3 million price tag for the property falls between the two real estate appraisals LNP | LancasterOnline obtained from the county through a public records request. The hope is that any rocky areas found on the property wont be so big as to threaten the project, DAgostino said. Obviously, were hoping that it won't be a significant factor as we move forward. Behind the bigger footprint In a presentation of the proposal for a new county prison earlier this month, officials said they started the search process by coming up with a set of criteria for what the prison site would need and used geographic analysis software to identify tracts that matched. DAgostino said the county zeroed in on the Kreider property because it met the most needs. A new prison on the site would disturb few neighbors in the secluded spot on the Conestoga River, and its less than two miles away from the courthouse, county officials said. Land next to the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center in Sunnyside did not emerge from the countys geographic analysis of sites. DAgostino said a new prison wouldnt fit near the youth center. The countys proposal calls for a prison with a much larger footprint. The current county prisons high-rise design has a capacity of 1,085 beds on a 5-acre piece of land. Correctional facilities are now built wide, rather than tall, county officials said earlier this month in a public meeting. With that in mind, county officials said they want to build on land with at least 55 acres. Lancaster County Prison Warden Cheryl Steberger said at the May 5 meeting that prison officials have asked for the facility to be large enough to accommodate more beds than are needed. A prison designed for at least 1,200 beds would provide more room for support programs and classes, like for drug and alcohol treatment, she said. The current county prison population has hovered close to 700, according to Steberger. Jean Bickmire of Have a Heart for Persons in the Criminal Justice System, a local advocacy group, said at the May 5 county commissioners meeting that she hopes officials will consider designs for outdoor recreation areas, something incarcerated people at the current prison dont all have, she said. Before the Kreiders bought the property in 2006, the family had rented the land from previous owners, Kreider said. The occasional developer has reached out to the family about a possible residential development project over the years, but none of those solicitations interested the family, Kreider said. In addition to harvesting tomatoes, corn and soy beans from the land, the Kreider family has also used the property as a private park of sorts for hunting and enjoying nature, Kreider said. Its such a unique property if you like outdoors and hunting and seeing wildlife, Kreider said. Infrastructure development concerns The geology of the land may be a factor for engineers to consider, but it wouldnt necessarily explain why a residential development never made it to the property, Sable said. When developers and home builders run into difficult terrain, Sable said, they can use different building techniques to make it work. Even if its more expensive, theyll build homes on slabs instead of with basements, she said. But the cost to turn vacant land into a residential subdivision has become very expensive, Sable said. It means possibly building new roads, sewers, water lines and street lights, and other improvements, she said. Sewer and water lines are nearby, but they dont run into the property, Kreider said. Its just so expensive to develop land, I can see why maybe investors would pass over any piece of ground that didnt support enough dwelling units to make their bottom line work, said Tom Weik, a broker, manager and realtor at Kingsway Realty in Lancaster. Another obstacle for potential residential developments could be limited road access, Kreider said. Currently, motorists get onto the property from Willow Street Pike (Route 222). If the county decides to build another access point for vehicles, Kreider said, there is a suitable area to build a bridge east of the property, across the Conestoga River. The county will perform a traffic impact study as part of planning the site, DAgostino said, but robust road access is less of a concern for a prison. Its different when youre looking at a prison as opposed to many different homes that have traffic all the time in and out, DAgostino said. A real estate professional first approached the family about the countys interest in buying their property for a new prison around 2008, Kreider said, but nothing came of it. Then last fall, county officials approached the family with the same idea, he said. This wasnt something we were looking to sell, Kreider said. The county approached us. But Kreider said the prison seems like a good use of the property. Public ownership will make it more likely that more land near the Conestoga River could become parkland for the public, he said. Lancaster County Central Park is directly east on the other side of the river. And Kreider likes the idea of helping to create a replacement for the notorious prison facilities on East King Street, he said. Kreider said he has hired part-time workers with criminal backgrounds to work on the farm, and their stories of the poor conditions in the county prison have stayed with him. I dont think we necessarily have to build a Taj Mahal for the prisoner, but there could be better accommodations for prison workers and visitors, Kreider said. Everybody in prison needs a visitor, right? I was genuinely stunned by what I viewed as a wildly out of touch May 17 op-ed by Rich Manieri (Theres value in hard work, whether you like it or not.) Manieri begins by telling us that his mom repeatedly secured jobs for him when he first entered the workforce. Then, with zero self-awareness, Manieri ends his piece by patting himself on the back for depositing the paychecks from these jobs like an adult. Manieri laments that Americans dont understand the value of a hard days work. But its Manieri who seemingly doesnt understand how the pandemic has impacted families. How does Manieri propose that parents maintain in-person jobs when their children are constantly being sent home to learn online because of COVID-19 outbreaks in their schools? Women especially women of color are overrepresented on unemployment rolls right now. And unemployment rolls dont even show the full picture, because millions of women have dropped out of the workforce entirely. This isnt because women dont understand the value of a hard days work. The reality is that women have shouldered most of the child care work, the work of virtual schooling, and the economic fallout during the pandemic just like Manieris mom shouldered most of the work of securing him employment as a teenager. Manieri felt he had every right to the employment opportunities secured for him by someone else. Why doesnt he feel that Americans should be fairly compensated for being forced to leave their jobs to care for their children during a pandemic? Rachel Rank Conoy Township Lopez Obrador Insists United States Stop Funding Bankers Election Coalition, Now! May 23, 2021 (EIRNS)Five days ago, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador demanded the U.S. government respond to the May 7 diplomatic protest sent by the Mexican government over the State Departments Agency for International Development (USAID) funding of Mexicans against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI). That NGO (its funding notwithstanding) is running the opposition to Lopez Obradors government in the June 6, midterm Congressional elections, on behalf of the international financiers. President Lopez Obrador referenced the promise from an official with the USAID program at the U.S. Embassy that it would review the charge, but reported that they are taking a long time.... Lets hope that by this week they stop these payments. Associated Press reported that afternoon that the State Department responded to the news agency that it does not comment on diplomatic correspondence. Lopez Obrador increased the pressure in his May 20 morning press conference: We are not going to allow any interventionist attitude. Mexico is not a colony. It is not a protectorate. Mexico is a free, independent and sovereign country.... We will continue denouncing [foreign intervention into our elections] until the United States government gives us a clear answer for why they are giving money to this opposition group.... That violates our Constitution. No foreign government can go around giving money to opposition groups, or to political groups in our country. I am awaiting an answer from the United States government.... We are in the midst of elections, and those who are carrying out election-related activities continue to receive money. Lopez Obrador described how MCCI founder Claudio X. Gonzalez, Jr. had pulled together the leaders of all conservative parties, businessmen, and mainstream media editors, all of whom consistently attack his government. He described these leaders as the advocates of the free market, who argue that the government serves to guarantee order and make it easy for investors, national or foreign. Thats why, whenever there is a crisis and the banks or financial institutions go into bankruptcy, they bail them out with the public budget.... For that, they do use the state. When it comes to funding programs for the poor, for the needy, for the people, this they call populism or paternalism. A journalist from El Centinela Informa media website asked the President for permission to play an audio feed from Gonzalez, in which the Mexicans against Corruption founder was explaining to a group of youths just two weeks ago that MCCIs goal in the midterm elections is to end Lopez Obradors ability to govern. That is what USAID is funding: Gonzalez further said that the government coalition must not win even a simple majority in the Chamber of Deputies on June 6. That way, the government will not be able to make any legal change in any law, never mind a change in the Constitution. Furthermore, the budget, which is the prerogative of the Chamber of Deputies, would be in the hands of the opposition. A start-up company has a tool that it says can recreate lip sync - matching a speakers lip movements with pre-recorded audio - in films. The artificial intelligence, or AI, tool may change how film producers replace recorded speech in a movie with speech recorded in another language. This process is known as dubbing. Start-up Flawless AI, co-founded by film director Scott Mann, has a tool that it says can recreate lip sync without changing the performance of the actors. The tool studies how actors move their mouths. It then changes the movements to sync with the replaced, or dubbed, words in different languages. The result could be that Tom Hanks looks like he can speak Japanese or Jack Nicholson looks like he can speak French. The idea for the tool came to Mann when he saw how dubbing affected his 2015 film "Heist," starring Robert De Niro. "I hate dubbing as it stands," Mann told Reuters. He went on to describe the problems that dubbing can create. "You have to change so many things to try and catch sync. You're changing words filmmakers and performers have thought about so deeply. They're thrown out to find a different word that fits, but it never really does." Mann decided to do something about this issue. After some research, he discovered a paper written by Christian Theobalt of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Germany. The paper lays out a new method that uses artificial intelligence to recreate human visual effects. The tool worked to translate a De Niro scene in "Heist." Man said the tool was able to take an 'ooh' sound from De Niro 20 minutes earlier and place that in a different moment in the film." He added, "It measures at the same time and blends it so that the performance is the same, but it's a different mouth movement." Blend is a term that means to mix something, often with good results. Flawless AI is now working with producers and studios to use the technology after filming is complete. The first films using this tool are around a year away. Mann believes this technology will help to remove foreign-language categories at award shows. It could create a more open film industry with a real global stage. "From a filmmaking point of view, you're going to see the rise of a much more diverse range of stars," he said. Eventually, Mann hopes the technology's use will be widely accepted. "When it's a common thing, we're not going to think about it anymore and we'll just enjoy the movies," he said. Im John Russell. Rollo Ross reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story lip-sync n. to pretend to sing (recorded words) translate v. to change words from one language into another language scene n. a part of a play, movie, story, etc., in which a particular action or activity occurs category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way diverse adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other range n. a group or collection of different things or people Doctors in India are fighting a fungus that is infecting COVID-19 patients and those who have recovered from the new coronavirus. The dangerous infection, called mucormycosis, is rare. But doctors say its sudden increase could make Indias fight against COVID-19 even more difficult. India has reported almost 27 million cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began. Almost half of that number has been recorded in the past two months. The Health Ministry on Monday reported 4,454 new deaths in the last 24 hours. That brings Indias total to over 303,720. India also reported 240,842 new infections Monday. Indias vaccination drive has also slowed recently. Many states say they do not have enough vaccines. India is the worlds largest vaccine-producing country. But it has fully vaccinated just 3.8 percent of its almost 1.4 billion people. Experts say new infections in India may finally be slowing. But there are some early signs that mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, is becoming a serious concern. Mucormycosis is caused by exposure to the mucor mold, which is found in soil, air and even in the nose of humans. It spreads through the lungs and damages the face. Sometimes, doctors have to remove an eye to prevent the infection from reaching the brain. On Saturday, federal minister Sadananda Gowda said nearly 9,000 cases had been reported in India. The quick rise has led to a shortage of Amphotericin B, the drug used to treat the condition. Local media have said more than 250 have died from infections. Mucormycosis infections can cause death at a high rate. The fungus was present in India before the pandemic. It is not contagious, but the high number of cases in the last month has surprised and worried doctors. Ambrish Mithal is a doctor with Max Healthcare, a private group of hospitals in India. It is a new challenge and things are looking bleak, he said. Mithal said black fungus often infects patients with weakened defense against infection and existing health conditions, especially diabetes. High and unnecessary usage of steroid drugs can also lead to infection. Earlier I used to come across just a few cases every year but the current infection rate is frightening, Mithal said. Indias large cities have seen signs of improvement in recent days. But the virus has hit the countrys rural areas where most Indians live and where health care is limited. Now heath experts are worried that common medications, including steroids, are increasing the infection rate of mucormycosis. SK Pandey is a medical officer at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh state. He said inexperienced doctors were giving steroids to patients in rural areas without considering all the possibilities. This has led to increase in black fungus cases in smaller cities where the patient has not even been hospitalized, he said. Indias Health Ministry on Thursday asked states to follow the spread of the condition and declared it an epidemic. All medical centers must report the cases to a federal network. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called the disease a new challenge. Im Jill Robbins. Sheikh Saaliq reported this story for the Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fungus n. any of a group of living things, such as mushroom and molds, that behave like plants but do not have flowers or leaves expose v. to cause (someone) to experience something or to be influenced or affected by something mold n. a soft substance that grows on the surface of damp or rotting things contagious n. having a sickness that can be passed to someone else by touching challenge n. a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do bleak adj. not hopeful or encouraging epidemic n. a situation in which a disease spreads quickly and affects a large number of people Lewiston, ID (83501) Today Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 57F. W winds shifting to SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 57F. W winds shifting to SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. A total of 87,055 Indians have returned back home from Singapore since May last year as part of the Vande Bharat Mission repatriation flights, the Indian High Commission here has said. Among the reasons the Indians had to return home were job loss, family compulsion and death in family due to COVID -19 pandemic that has impacted the entire world since last year. From May last year to May 18, 629 Vande Bharat flights have ferried 87,055 passengers," the Indian High Commission in Singapore said in a statement. A separate joint statement by three different ministries of the Singapore government has said that on an average 180 Indians are flying back daily to India as part of the Vande Bharat Mission flights, Channel News Asia reported. There is an average of about 180 departing passengers on these flights back to India and about 25 arrivals to Singapore each day, the report said, citing the statement issued by the Transport, Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Manpower Ministries. Vande Bharat is a programme by the Indian government to repatriate Indian nationals from around the world amidst the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Singapore has so far reported 61,799 cases of coronavirus while the deaths caused due to it stands at 32, according to John Hopkins University. Also read: Canada extends ban on India flights till June 21 Foodbank of Santa Barbara County collecting cookware as well as food in Saturday drive-through event This time last year, California was in Chicken Little mode, warning that the fiscal sky was falling. Today, the states so flush that Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes to spend big on college savings accounts for children. But its not clear that his plan is the best way to do that, or if it even needs to exist, since it duplicates programs already there. Under the plan proposed last week, the state would create savings accounts for low-income, public K-12 students with an initial deposit of at least $500. Families could add to it until its time for the tot to go to college. That would cost around $2 billion all money from COVID-inspired federal stimulus and help 3.8 million students initially. Starting the year after, the newly created entity, the California Opportunity Fund, would deposit $500 to every first-grader in a public school whos considered low-income or is in an English-language learning program. Foster youth and students experiencing homeless would get an additional $500. Estimates peg the annual cost at around $170 million in state money. This is an opportunity to address generational poverty. This is an opportunity to stretch a college-going mind, Newsom said. Birth or first grade? Helping low-income families out with college savings accounts is one way to address the racial wealth chasm in the U.S., where the typical white family possesses eight times the wealth of Black families and five times the wealth of Latino families. Its also consistent with Newsoms goal to increase the percentage of adult Californians with college degrees by 2030 from less than 50% to 70%. Because college savings programs are relatively new, its hard to say for sure whether such programs boost college enrollment, a federal analysis last year said. However, it highlighted a 2017 paper that found that Boston students given college savings accounts in middle school or high school were slightly more likely to enroll in a four-year university than a community college. Overall, low income families dont participate in college-savings accounts, the most popular being 529 plans. In a 2016 report, the Federal reserve calculated that just .3% of low-income families had such 529 plans. +5 Can California make the post-COVID economy more equal? In a CalMatters and Milken Institute event, experts explored the economic disparities highlighted by the pandemic and how state policies can foster a more equitable post-COVID future of work. Newsom touted research from the Washington University in St. Louis tracking about 1,300 Oklahoma families with newborns who received at least $1,000 through a college savings study. Researchers have been following those families since 2008, finding that the students are more hopeful about the future, have fewer behavioral problems, have a more positive academic self-concept, and have stronger math skills. The findings align with Newsoms message that these programs promote a college-going culture at home. But that research stresses such programs need to be universal and start at birth. The governors proposal is neither: It kicks in once children are in first grade and only if theyre determined to be low-income. His plan also excludes students in private schools, which enrolled 7% of the states K-12 learners last year. Newsoms office wouldnt say why his plan focused on first graders rather than newborns. We would like to see all children included because childrens economic conditions change over time, said Margaret Clancy, a director of the Oklahoma experiment. Still, her teams research shows that the biggest gains go to low-income students, so targeting kids in those families as Newsoms plan proposes is a positive, she said. Even if students families dont contribute any money to the accounts beyond what the state doles out, wealth can build over time. According to the Oklahoma program researchers, the initial $1,000 placed into a childs account in 2007 grew to $1,900 by 2019, though the value dropped to $700 early on during the Great Recession. The later a child receives the money, however, the less time the moneys impact can have on improving the odds a child goes to college such as creating higher expectations about pursuing a degree, increasing optimism, and influencing families to save more money for college. A later deposit also means fewer years for the account to gain interest. Newsoms plan ensures the money tied to a student doesnt count against their financial aid eligibility. The point is to supplement, not supplant, a students cost of attending college with funds that would not otherwise be supported by their financial aid package, said Chris Ferguson of the governors Department of Finance. The funds in the accounts would be exempt from state taxes. But that policy opens the door for some recipients who are low-income when theyre young to be better-off by the time theyre ready to attend college, and so far theres no language to determine whether students still need the money down the line. Already existing programs The city of Oakland runs two child savings accounts one that kicks in for newborns and other when children are in kindergarten. The Brilliant Baby program limits eligibility to families who receive some kind of state or federal subsidy for low-income households. Newsom already helped establish a savings account program a decade ago in San Francisco when he was mayor of the city. Additionally, the state two years ago approved $25 million in one-time funds to open a child savings account for every child born after 2020. That program is expected to begin operations this year but the money realistically cant last for more than a couple of years. So its not totally surprising that the chief advisory group to the Legislature calls Newsoms proposal redundant. In comments shared with CalMatters, the Legislative Analysts Office wrote that the state could just add money to that program rather than creating a new one. Having one college savings account rather than two would be easier for families to navigate, thus encouraging program utilization, the advisory group wrote. Having a statewide program reduces the chance of families losing out on money initially promised to them compared to some of the roughly dozen local college savings programs. Glendale Unified School District received a state grant to seed $50 for every first grader last year. But students can only access the money for college purposes if they graduate from a Glendale Unified high school. Newsoms current proposal would allow students to use their accrued savings at any college in the U.S. thats eligible for federal financial aid the only constraint is that the money would have to be used by the time the child turns 35. Phil Ting, budget chair in the Assembly, likes Newsoms college savings plan but thinks theres enough money to fund it and supersize the states financial aid program. Students need financial aid support now and the cost of college forces many to drop out. For existing students and Newsoms own goal of increasing Californians with college degrees by 2030 starting college savings accounts now doesnt do a lot. Newsoms May budget proposal didnt do much to broaden the states financial aid program, even though the Legislature is keen on significantly expanding how many students are eligible for state financial aid and increasing the aid they get. But those conversations are still ongoing and it takes both legislators and the governor to pass a budget. There are also limits to how the state can use its newfound bounty. The federal stimulus expires in 2024, so money from that pot has to be put to use sooner rather than later. Were trying to figure out how to responsibly use one-time dollars in ways that can have maximum impact, said Lande Ajose, higher-education advisor for Gov. Newsom. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Robert Nichols is the state senator for Senate District 3. First elected in 2006, Nichols represents 19 counties, including much of East Texas and part of Montgomery County. He can be reached at 699-4988 or toll-free at (800) 959-8633. His email address is robert.nichols@senate.texas.gov. Madison is simply happy that I have someone to play it with, especially during virtual school, which she did not enjoy. The digital connection has been an advantage for their relationships longevity, as well, as Benau moved back to California after the school year ended but now she and Madison can continue getting together each Wednesday. Allegra Lewis, who coordinates the School Friends program for BBBS, said theyre looking this summer to allow Bigs and Littles more flexibility on when they get together. Now, they meet once a week for 30 to 45 minutes at the same time as other matches, with BBBS staff coordinating the Zoom breakout rooms for individual matches. On the school side of the effort, Wright Middle School counselor Laurel Ravelo said the virtual world has made it more difficult to remind students that its their day to get together, because she cant go around and tap them on their shoulders to remind them. This is nothing new. Surveys across the country have shown similar support for natural assets. Here at home, we have a chance this year to lock the 30-year-old program in place if the Legislature approves long-term authorization with guaranteed funding. Gov. Tony Evers has proposed reauthorizing the program for 10 years at $70 million a year. Will the Legislature go along? Well see. There is hope, thanks to bipartisan support, especially in the Assembly, where lawmakers like Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton, and others have emerged as champions. The program was kicked around in the last decade, with funding cuts from a high mark of $86 million annually to $33 million, and long-term authorization eliminated. Former Gov. Scott Walker proposed abolishing it completely, but his Republican colleagues in the Legislature thought better of that. Now, with importance of these resources ever more apparent, legislators have a chance to do good for state residents today and in the future. Some claim we have set aside enough land and water resources and should spend no more. That ignores the vast payback we get from these lands, whether its aspen logs headed for a paper mill, natural flood abatement, protected source water for our cities and any number of other real, calculable benefits. WASHINGTON (AP) Ecologist Rolf Peterson remembers driving remote stretches of road in Michigans Upper Peninsula and seeing areas strewn with deer carcasses. But that changed after gray wolves arrived in the region from Canada and Minnesota. When wolves moved in during the 1990s and 2000s, the deer-vehicle collisions went way down, said the Michigan Tech researcher. Recently, another team of scientists has gathered data about road collisions and wolf movements in Wisconsin to quantify how the arrival wolves there affected the frequency of deer-auto collisions. They found it created what scientists call a landscape of fear." In a pretty short period of time, once wolves colonize a county, deer vehicle collisions go down about 24%, said Dominic Parker, a natural resources economist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and co-author of their new study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Both thinning of the deer population by wolves and behavior changes in fearful deer are factors in the drop-off, Parker said. A rural Potosi man drowned after swimming into the Mississippi River to retrieve an item on Saturday afternoon, the Grant County Sheriffs Office reported. At about 3:25 p.m., authorities responded to a 911 call reporting a possible drowning on the Mississippi about a mile north of the Potosi Point, Sheriff Nate Dreckman said in a report. Emergency responders learned that Mitchell Hochhausen, 63, and his wife, Beth, were swimming with two of their grandchildren on a sand beach island on the east side of the river channel when Mitchell Hochhausen swam out into the river to retrieve an item that had floated away from them, Dreckman said. Witnesses said Hochhausen had turned around to swim back in, but was unable to make it back to shallower water and went under the surface before someone could get to him in a boat. He was in about six feet of water at the time, Dreckman said. Rescuers searched using side-scan sonar and were able to locate Hochhausen and he was recovered shortly before 7:30 p.m. and pronounced dead at the boat landing by the Grant County Coroner, Dreckman said. Schnell and his wife own a bakery and coffee shop, Windsor Breads, that he said has been doing well. When he ran the numbers, it made more financial sense for him to quit teaching and work at the bakery full time. I know numbers, and the numbers tell you this is just the wrong field to stay in right now. he said. I can do better running my own business, with less stress, than I can trying to teach. And the number of people that Ive talked to that have said, Yeah, if I had a similar deal Id be out of teaching, too, is quite high. Next generation? Several other teachers in his district are leaving this year, too. In Mukwonago, Graham knows of three other teachers who are retiring after this year. As a mentor to younger teachers, though, she said shes hopeful that the stresses of pandemic teaching wont drive as many out as some have feared. Most of the young teachers Ive talked to are still looking ahead, and theyre looking at this as a blip year, they arent saying, I quit, she said. Webber, likewise, is relatively optimistic about the teachers who remain. Milky Way not unusual, astronomers find The first detailed cross-section of a galaxy broadly similar to the Milky Way, published today, reveals that our galaxy evolved gradually, instead of being the result of a violent mash-up. The finding throws the origin story of our home into doubt. The galaxy, dubbed UGC 10738, turns out to have distinct 'thick' and 'thin' discs similar to those of the Milky Way. This suggests, contrary to previous theories, that such structures are not the result of a rare long-ago collision with a smaller galaxy. They appear to be the product of more peaceful change. And that is a game-changer. It means that our spiral galaxy home isn't the product of a freak accident. Instead, it is typical. The finding was made by a team led by Nicholas Scott and Jesse van de Sande, from Australia's ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) and the University of Sydney. "Our observations indicate that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs didn't come about because of a gigantic mash-up, but a sort-of 'default' path of galaxy formation and evolution," said Dr Scott. "From these results we think galaxies with the Milky Way's particular structures and properties could be described as the 'normal' ones." This conclusion - published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters- has two profound implications. "It was thought that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs formed after a rare violent merger, and so probably wouldn't be found in other spiral galaxies," said Dr Scott. "Our research shows that's probably wrong, and it evolved 'naturally' without catastrophic interventions. This means Milky Way-type galaxies are probably very common. "It also means we can use existing very detailed observations of the Milky Way as tools to better analyse much more distant galaxies which, for obvious reasons, we can't see as well." The research shows that UGC 10738, like the Milky Way, has a thick disc consisting mainly of ancient stars - identified by their low ratio of iron to hydrogen and helium. Its thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metal. (The Sun is a thin disc star and comprises about 1.5% elements heavier than helium. Thick disc stars have three to 10 times less.) Although such discs have been previously observed in other galaxies, it was impossible to tell whether they hosted the same type of star distribution - and therefore similar origins. Scott, van de Sande and colleagues solved this problem by using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe UGC 10738, situated 320 million light years away. The galaxy is angled "edge on", so looking at it offered effectively a cross-section of its structure. "Using an instrument called the multi-unit spectroscopic explorer, or MUSE, we were able to assess the metal ratios of the stars in its thick and thin discs," explained Dr van de Sande. "They were pretty much the same as those in the Milky Way - ancient stars in the thick disc, younger stars in the thin one. We're looking at some other galaxies to make sure, but that's pretty strong evidence that the two galaxies evolved in the same way." Dr Scott said UGC 10738's edge-on orientation meant it was simple to see which type of stars were in each disc. "It's a bit like telling apart short people from tall people," he said. "It you try to do it from overhead it's impossible, but it if you look from the side it's relatively easy." Co-author Professor Ken Freeman from the Australian National University said, "This is an important step forward in understanding how disk galaxies assembled long ago. We know a lot about how the Milky Way formed, but there was always the worry that the Milky Way is not a typical spiral galaxy. Now we can see that the Milky Way's formation is fairly typical of how other disk galaxies were assembled". ASTRO 3D director, Professor Lisa Kewley, added: "This work shows how the Milky Way fits into the much bigger puzzle of how spiral galaxies formed across 13 billion years of cosmic time." Other co-authors are based at Macquarie University in Australia and Germany's Max-Planck-Institut fur Extraterrestrische Physik. ### This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. India's Cadila Healthcare to triple monthly production of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate to as many as 30 million doses. Headquartered in Ahmedabad, Cadila is aiming to increase production of ZyCoV-D in four to five months from 10 million now, said Managing Director Sharvil Patel. The company is aiming to submit the emergency use application by June. "We still think we should be able to submit (the vaccine for emergency use authorisation) in May," Patel said on Monday. The company will use both in-house capacity as well as third-party manufacturers to boost production, he said. ZyCoV-D is a DNA plasmid vaccine, which uses a portion of the genetic code -- DNA or RNA -- in the virus to stimulate an immune response. It is undergoing late-stage trials in nearly 30,000 adults after being found safe and immunogenic in earlier studies. It is meant to be given in three doses but Cadila is also doing trials on a two-dose regimen, Patel said previously. The virus has killed nearly 100,000 Indians in May alone according to official figures, although experts say actual numbers are likely many times higher. India's COVID-19 death toll surged past 300,000 on Monday, health ministry data showed. India is also facing a shortage of vaccines. Weekly vaccinations have fallen from a peak of nearly 25 million doses in early April to about 9 million. The government has pledged to make 2.67 billion doses available this year. (With Reuters inputs) Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Bharat Biotech to seek emergency use listing from WHO for Covaxin Also read: COVID-19 vaccination drive: Serum Institute disassociates itself from its executive's remarks Wisconsins municipal clerks have referred nearly 30 people to prosecutors for voting illegally in the presidential election out of 3.3 million votes cast, according to data from the state Elections Commission, undermining former President Donald Trumps claims that rampant voter fraud cost him the state. The commission released a report Monday that found clerks referred 11 people to prosecutors for violations during the November election. Ten referrals were for voting twice, either by voting in different municipalities or by voting both in-person and by absentee ballot. One person in Columbia County was referred to prosecutors for voting as a felon. The Associated Press obtained documents from the commission last week that found 16 people in La Crosse County were referred to prosecutors for registering to vote using a UPS store as their address for the November election bringing the total to 27. The last report, issued following the spring 2019 election when turnout was 1.2 million, found 15 cases of suspected fraud. Trump has repeatedly claimed that fraud related to absentee voting cost him the election. Republicans in multiple states have introduced legislation to make voting more difficult. The charges on the list reflect the lead charge the person is facing. Use of electronic monitoring is approved in bond court by Cook County judges who weigh the public safety risk of those charged and their flight risk for returning back to court. Chief Judge Timothy Evans, a supporter of criminal justice reform measures that boost and protect the rights of defendants, says while murder charges, for example, are serious, at least one study has shown the vast majority of those charged, even with violent crimes, are not charged with another crime while awaiting the resolution of their cases on pretrial release. Even after a person is accused of a crime, in the U.S. legal system, under our Constitution, every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, Evans wrote to us in a statement. While a case is pending, under the law, judges must impose the least restrictive pretrial conditions possible that ensure the defendants return to court and protect public safety. Jail is the most restrictive condition, depriving the accused of liberty, as well as access to jobs, education, family and the ability to aid in their defense. He attributed the recent increase in electronic monitoring cases in part to the need to empty the jail as much as possible during the coronavirus pandemic. Rep. Paul Gosar called them peaceful patriots. Tucker Carlson said they were solid Americans. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin described them as people that love this country. If you cant trust guys like that, who can you trust? So what is all this noise about forming a congressional commission to investigate? Do we really need that? Nothing to see here. Isnt it time we moved on? Or if youre determined to have an inquiry, how about Benghazi? We havent done that lately, and were so close to proving that Hillary Clinton personally murdered the U.S. ambassador. We could also investigate the massive fraud of the 2020 election. Or the way liberals canceled Dr. Seuss and neutered Mr. Potato Head. But as to Jan. 6, what is there to say? Nothing happened, and theres no reason to investigate it. Its not like we Republicans are scared of an investigation, you understand. Its not like we think that would tie us to what happened in January. Not that anything happened, but if it had, wed have had nothing to do with it. Were not scared. Do we look scared? How can you be scared when nothing happened? For some mysterious reason, people keep insisting it was more than nothing. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Larsen later called witness Melissa Hawker, whose sister testified last week about being Kriegers friend and going into her bedroom after the murder to see if anything was missing. Hawker said she had seen Thompson twice with the family members who lived at the house where Thompson said they had washed the blood off but she said the home was on Elba Avenue. Taylor testified the house was between Burley and Declo. Search warrants had been issued and police used metal detectors and a backhoe but never found the knife. Roark also went over a statement by Greeley, Colorado, law enforcement agencies stating they had so many bodies show up there that police would need more details to confirm the truth of statements made by former witness and prison inmate Carlos Tena, who said he was with Rodriguez when he murdered a man there. Tena also said Rodriguez was involved in murders in Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Tena had testified that Rodriguez had told him on several occasions that hed killed Krieger and that federal agents were investigating him in the case. Thompson also is a mandolin player, and it was a chat at the Floyd Country Store with banjo player Andy Buckman of Rocky Mount that set Thompson on the path that would lead to the documentary. Buckman told him that his father-in-law, Matt Hubbard of Horsepasture, had lived in Rock Castle as a boy. In 2017, Thompson, Buckman and Hubbard and a friend hiked to the area. Hubbard told them about Rock Castle. It was a remarkable experience. Hes so great on camera. Its such a remark community, Thompson said. Ive got one specific thing that I want to see one more time, and that is an old chestnut log that was laying on the ground when I was about 5 or 6 years old, Hubbard says on the film, shown also on the trailer. The camera follows him across a creek, up a mountain and, finally, at the log, almost as big around as he is tall. According to the Blue Ridge Park Foundations website, the families of Rock Castle lived along a 6-mile stretch of Rock Castle Creek. The community had two stores, three mills, a school house, a former distillery and nearby churches. Several families owned battery-powered radios, and one person put in a waterwheel-powered Delco-Light generating plant to provide light and a way to recharge radio batteries. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Thirteen people were hurt and a 14-year-old girl killed after several people began shooting at an illegal concert in South Carolina over the weekend, authorities said. Investigators said a fight started just before the gunfire in a North Charleston neighborhood around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. They havent figured out how many people were shooting, North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess said. The girl killed was identified Monday as Ronjanae Smith by the Charleston County Coroner's Office. Burgess prayed with her family before talking to reporters Sunday at the lot where someone had set up a small makeshift stage as well as a bar and food tables where drinks and snacks were being sold. The whole purpose of it was making money, but they made money at the cost of a life, Burgess said. The illegal concert was publicized with flyers that promised security. Burgess said investigators are still sorting out if that security fired any shots. No arrests have been made. Individuals were angry with each other and they didnt care who got hit, was all Burgess would say about the reason for the shootings. Michigan restaurants and bars remain subject to capacity limits and social distancing requirements. Current orders require six people or fewer at tables and distances of 6 feet (1.83 meters) between tables. Whitmer, who received her second vaccination dose April 29, is considered fully vaccinated. But she is not the first public official to draw criticism for defying pandemic-related rules. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who won plaudits for issuing the first statewide stay-at-home order in the U.S. back in March, 2020, later drew criticism after he broke the state rules. Newsom and his wife were caught dining with 10 others at the posh French Laundry restaurant in Napa in early November with lobbyists and others from numerous different households, sitting close together, mask-less. Newsom quickly apologized, saying he made a bad mistake but noting the gathering was outdoors. Within days, photos emerged showing the group in a room that was enclosed on three sides with a sliding glass door on the other, maybe meeting the technical definition of outdoors, but perhaps not the spirit. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The poll traced Trumps negatives to his personality exaggerating, bragging, bullying, lying. The big problem is the Big Lie Trumps claim he won the election and it was stolen from him. Carters poll asked if voters agree or disagree that Donald Trump actually won the 2020 election. Most Republicans, 64%, agreed. But 23% disagreed. Democrats disagreed by 93%-6%. Most important, Independents disagreed by 61%-27%, more than 2-to-1. This isnt the only bad poll for Trump. The Washington Post reported that the National Republican Congressional Committees recent polling in core battleground districts found that Trumps unfavorable ratings were 15 points higher than his favorable ones . Nearly twice as many voters had a strongly unfavorable view of the former president as had a strongly favorable one. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who has stood up to Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, said NRCC staffers left out that finding when they briefed a party retreat in April. Republican leaders are in denial about the election, the Jan. 6 riot and, now, Trumps polls. If his poll numbers keep going down, will Republicans go down with him? Gary Pearce was a reporter and editor at The News & Observer, a political consultant and an adviser to Gov. Jim Hunt (1976-1984 and 1992-2000). He blogs about politics and public policy at www.NewDayforNC.com. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Newborns who experience seizures after birth are at risk of developing long term chronic conditions, such as developmental delays, cerebral palsy or epilepsy. Which is why all of these babies receive medication to treat the electrical brain disturbances right away. While some babies only receive antiseizure medicine for a few days at the hospital, others are sent home with antiseizure medicine for months longer out of concern that seizures may reoccur. But according to a new multicenter study, continuing this treatment after the neonatal seizures stop may not be necessary. Babies who stayed on antiseizure medications after going home weren't any less likely to develop epilepsy or to have developmental delays than those who discontinued the medicines before leaving hospital, suggest findings in JAMA Neurology. "There is wide variability in how different hospitals and physicians manage care for newborns with seizures," says senior author Renee Shellhaas, M.D., M.S., pediatric neurologist at University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Although neonatal seizures usually resolve within 72 hours, longer term medication is often prescribed out of caution, according to co-principal investigator and lead author for the study, Hannah C. Glass, MDCM, MAS. "Our findings suggest that staying on antiseizure medication after leaving the hospital doesn't protect babies from continued seizures or prevent epilepsy and it does not change developmental outcomes," says Glass, a pediatric neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital. The study involved about 300 babies born at nine different centers over a three-year period who all developed seizures in their first days to weeks after birth. Two-thirds of babies stayed on medication after discharge from the hospitalaveraging four months of treatment. But a third had antiseizure medicine discontinued before they went homeafter just a few days of treatment. Thirteen percent of babies developed epilepsy but there were no associations with medication duration. Overmedication risks Among the biggest concerns for longer term use of antiseizure medicine is that it may expose babies to potentially neurotoxic effects, which research indicates may be associated with lower cognitive scores. The most commonly used medication for neonatal seizures is phenobarbital, which slows down brain activity but causes sedation. Newborns who are prescribed this kind of medication for seizures may also have more trouble waking up to feed and engaging in other types of activities important to growth and development. "We really need to balance the risks of continued medication with benefits to babies' health," Shellhaas says. "If it's not necessary, then keeping them on medicine could do more harm than good." "Most of the babies in this study went home on antiseizure medications, which suggests we need to re-think standard practice," adds Glass. "We've never had such robust data from multiple centers to support this type of change for newborns with seizures." Previous small, single-center studies have also suggested that early discontinuation of antiseizure medication isn't harmful. More than 16,000 newborns in the U.S. experience neonatal seizures each year, with nearly half developing long-term health problems, according to nonprofit organization PCORI, which supported the new study. Shellhaas, Glass and their colleagues will continue to follow this cohort of infants up to school age to assess development, including sensory processing, IQ and potential learning disabilities through research supported by the National Institutes of Health. "We want to continue to track these children to watch for any subtle differences that may emerge over time," Shellhaas says. "We hope this research will help drive decisions about caring for newborns with seizures and help us improve their outcomes over the course of their lives." More information: "Safety of Early Discontinuation of Antiseizure Medication After Acute Symptomatic Neonatal Seizures," JAMA Neurology, DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2021.1437 Journal information: Archives of Neurology "Safety of Early Discontinuation of Antiseizure Medication After Acute Symptomatic Neonatal Seizures," Highlights The crypto crash has seen multiple dips recently. WazirX CEO Nischa Shetty says no need to worry. Crypto trading remains legal in the country. It has been an interesting month for the crypto market. There was a lot of positive sentiment in the first week of May, ahead of Elon Musk's Saturday Night Live appearance, which helped Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies touch a new high. There was a dip in the second week after Tesla's decision to not accept Bitcoin as payment, following some correction before the slide that came on May 19. All the major cryptocurrencies went down on the mentioned date, wiping off close to $1 trillion from the crypto market. This wasn't the first time when the crypto market saw a dip but, a graph this ugly was unheard of, leading to some panic among investors especially those who had just bought crypto coins. "If it was for the first time, I would say that you should always be concerned. But, if you see the history of cryptocurrency, there have been multiple dips of 10 to 20 per cent in Bitcoin. This usually affects other cryptocurrencies as well. Something that's new is probably a 100 per cent of 80 per cent dip. Surprisingly, crypto has always emerged stronger," Nischal Shetty CEO and Founder WazirX, told India Today Tech in an exclusive conversation. The recent crash once again exposed the fact that cryto market remains to be highly volatile. It might have come as surprise for new investors but, those who have been following Bitcoin over the past decade would have seen similar days. Nischal explained that recent buyers seem worried because the crypto market has been on an upward trajectory over the last 12 months. "We have witnessed many ups and downs over the past decade. The current dip might be new to investors who have hopped on the bandwagon in the last one year but, others must have seen similar trends before," he said. Crypto to be classified as digital asset The recent dip came at the back of China's latest crackdown on cryptocurrency. The neighbouring country has decided to ban financial and payment institutions from providing cryptocurrency services. Three state-backed organisations, including the National Internet Finance Association of China, the China Banking Association and the Payment and Clearing Association of China issued a warning on social media. They told the investors that they will have no protection if they were to incur any losses from crypto-currency investment transactions. The panic among investors makes sense as the Indian government has been planning strict action against cryptocurrencies as well. It had proposed a bill earlier this year with a suggestion to impose a ban on all cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and Dogecoin. However, crypto trading remains legal as of now. "There is a lot of confusion in India right now. The thing is that there are no regulations in the country yet. When people hear that, they get scared. The fact is that a lot of things on the internet are unregulated. These included services like Ola and uber, even e-commerce is un-regulated," Nischal said. Recent reports have suggested that the government may drop the idea of a complete ban and put cryptocurrencies under digital asset which will take them closer to Gold or real estate. Investors need to be careful Even though crypto trading remains legal, it is un-regulated in the country, which puts a lot of onus on the investors to ensure that their money remains safe. Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency that truly exploded but, since then a lot of other coins have emerged. Some of them like Ethereum and Ripple have been around for long while, others like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu coin were just created for fun. "New investors have this misconception that just because there is a crypto, it will be valuable. Think of it like a website. If someone is running a website, doesn't mean that it will be the next billion dollar company. Anyone can create a cryptocurrency," Nischal said. He added that the challenge is to build a community around a cryptocurrency because that's how it gets its value. For example, the internet is valuable only because it has so many people on it. Take away the people and Facebook will be worth nothing. He warned that in the next few months there might be products that allow you to create a crypto with just a click. "The onus of researching before investing in the market is on the investors in an un-regulated market. The investors should study a crypto before putting money in it," Nischal added. How to identify right crypto? Investing in crypto is like investing in stocks. A lot of it is about speculating and following the trends. The difference between the two is that cryptocurrencies are far more volatile. Nischal believes that these three factors will help investors choose the right crypto -- The investors need to check the network behind a crypto. That's not straightforward but there are ways to research that. -- You need to check the people behind it. -- Third thing is that there is more risk involved in a coin that is new compared to a Bitcoin which has existed for eight-ten years. Just like any other investment, it is important to decide your risk profile and maintain a portfolio accordingly. "That's what most investors do they dedicate 10 per cent of their portfolio to the crypto which is new, some part comes towards crypto created in last 12 to 18 months that have stood the test of time and about 50 per cent of your investment should go towards coins that are already established," Nischal said. Issues with banking partners A problem lot of investors are facing is the inability to execute timely orders on exchange platforms. Most banks are not willing to work with crypto exchange platforms which has restricted their ability. The UPI transactions still don't work on these apps while deposits and withdrawals are often stopped. "Banks are not giving us the option to accept deposits in the right way and if the banking system doesn't support crypto platforms, how they can work properly. Right now, we have to integrate a new bank to the platform every week because the existing bank stops working. This directly affects the users," Nischal explained. The lack of infrastructure Users have also been hit because of the lack of proper infrastructure for crypto trading. Most platforms, including WazirX, go down as soon as there is a huge dip or rise in the crypto market. Nischal says that is because of the unprecedented traffic witnessed by the platforms in the last few months and dependency on older technology. "Coinbase is a $70billion company. They also went down on the day when there was crypto crash. Why did they go down? The entire crypto and financial sector hasn't seen this kind of traffic before. Lot of us are still using the technology that was made for the traditional sector. I will give it a few more years before we don't hear of a crypto exchange platform going down," he said. Another issue that has come to light is that tokens are often found at higher than global price soon after they are listed. It recently happened with the Shiba Inu Coin. The token worth $0.00002 or INR 0.0016 when it was listed on WazirX but the price shown was INR 3. A lot of users ended up buying the token on the listed price before it came down to the actual cost. This led to losses. "The problem what happened when we listed Shiba Inu coin is that we didn't anticipate that the demand for a coin like that will be so high. That was a misjudgement on our part. It took us about one to two hours to invite more sellers. In that period, the price shot up," Nischal explained. The platform has announced a WRX Airdrop program where it will compensate the investors over the next four months. It also plans to change the listing method to ensure that this isn't repeated. "Going forward, we will give sellers one hour time to list their tokens before we open the orders. This is something we have nothing done before. Also, investors will get a pop-up telling them that this is a new token and there might be some volatility," Nischal concluded. A health worker holds a vial of the AstraZeneca vaccine. A 39-year-old British woman died in a Cypriot hospital after a blood clotting incident after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the official Cyprus News Agency said Monday. Charalambos Charilaou, spokesperson for the state health services, told CNA that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would investigate the death. The woman, treated at Nicosia General Hospital's intensive care unit, received the first dose of the vaccine on May 6 in the resort town of Paphos on the western coast of the Mediterranean island. The woman, who was not named, suffered symptoms days later. According to the Cyprus Mail newspaper, the woman suffered a brain haemorrhage and was in a coma before she died. Cyprus health authorities have opened an investigation to see if the "serious thrombotic episode" was linked to the AstraZeneca jab. Four other cases of "mild" blood clotting incidentsthree of which occurred after an AstraZeneca shot and one after a Pfizer jabare also being investigated by Cyprus. Some countries have restricted or dropped AstraZeneca shots from national vaccine campaigns over very rare blood clots, though the EMA says the benefits outweigh the risks. The scientific body overseeing Britain's coronavirus vaccination programme has recommended that under-40s be offered an alternative to AstraZeneca jabs. AstraZeneca is the backbone of the vaccination rollout in Cyprus, where family doctors are allowed to administer the jab to anybody aged over 20. But many people booking online to get the vaccine have snubbed AstraZeneca and opted for other shots. According to Our World in Data figures, Cyprus is ranked third in the European Union for vaccinations per population, administering 57.54 doses per 100 people. Nearly 49 percent of Cyprus' adult population has received a COVID-19 vaccine shot, and 21 percent are fully vaccinated. Total infections since the pandemic in March 2020 started is 71,911 and 354 people have died. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain China on Monday dismissed as "totally untrue" reports that three researchers in Wuhan went to hospital with an illness shortly before the coronavirus emerged in the city and spread around the globe. Since infecting its first victims in the central Chinese city in late 2019, the pathogen has afflicted almost every country in the world, killing more than 3.4 million people and pummelling national economies. Beijing has always fiercely fought the theory that it could have escaped from one of its laboratories. Citing a US intelligence report, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the trio from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were affected as early as November 2019, suffering from "symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illness". China disclosed the existence of an outbreak of pneumonia cases in Wuhan to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. Asked about the reports on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described them as "totally untrue". He told reporters that, according to a statement from the institute, it "had not been exposed to COVID-19 before December 30, 2019, and a "zero-infection" record is kept among its staff and graduate students so far". The coronavirus was, however, taken to the lab for study, according to Chinese authorities. The theory that the killer virus leaked from a Chinese lab was fuelled by, among others, the administration of former US president Donald Trump. But in March, after a four-week stay in Wuhan, a joint study by the WHO and Chinese experts deemed such an explanation "extremely unlikely". Experts favor the generally accepted theory of the natural transmission of the virus from an animalprobably a batto humans, through another animal that has not yet been identified. Some believe, however, that WHO specialists did not have enough space to work freely during their investigation in Wuhan. 2021 AFP Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain One in five women experience pain during intercourse. The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the bible of American psychiatrists, lists it under "genito-pelvic pain or penetration disorder." However, this type of pain is not purely psychological. Provoked vestibulodynia is a condition experienced by approximately 8% of women in North America. It is characterized by severe pain at the vaginal opening during sexual intercourse or when inserting tampons. To reduce the burning sensation, many women apply lidocaine, an anesthetic cream. A new study of 108 couples found cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for couples to be more effective than lidocaine. The study was conducted by Sophie Bergeron, professor in the Psychology Department in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Universite de Montreal, director of the UdeM Sexual Health Laboratory and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Intimate Relationships and Sexual Wellbeing, and Natalie O. Rosen of Dalhousie University. Marc Steben and Marie-Helene Mayrand of Universite de Montreal, Marie-Pier Vaillancourt-Morel of Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, Serena Corsini-Munt of the University of Ottawa, and Isabelle Delisle also contributed to the study, which has just been published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Unclear causation The causes of provoked vestibulodynia have yet to be determined. There is a lengthy list of risk factors, including biomedical factors such as repeated infections causing inflammation in the vulvar area (cystitis, vaginal infections), the use of certain oral contraceptives, genetic predisposition, marital factors, and depression and anxiety. Abnormalities in the pelvic floor muscles are also associated with provoked vestibulodynia, but it is not known whether they are a consequence of the pain or its cause. Similarly, it is unclear whether anxiety is a cause or a result, but it has been found that the higher the level of anxiety, the greater the pain. "Psychological intervention is recommended because once pain sets in, it has such a negative impact on sexuality and on the relationship that it becomes very important to break the vicious cycle of fear and avoidance," says Sophie Bergeron. "The pain often leads to loss of desire in women and frustration in both partners. This is a real problem; it's not imaginary." Few validated treatments Couple therapy is commonly offered by psychologists and sexologists. In the case of provoked vestibulodynia, the partner plays a critical role and can help alleviate the problem or aggravate it. It is therefore every important to include the partner in the intervention. However, some interventions were not previously supported by evidence. Now for the first time, a randomized clinical trial has compared the efficacy of couple CBT and lidocaine. Therapy was found to be more effective than lidocaine application in reducing women's fear of pain, sexual distress and alarm, and in improving their sexual experience. After six months, the women were twice as satisfied with their sex lives and their partners three times as satisfied. Nature of the sessions The couples attended acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) sessions for 12 weeks. "Acceptance means that instead of trying to get a person to change their thinking, we encourage them to accept it," Bergeron explains. "We practice cognitive defusion, a technique that creates a psychological distance between the person and his or her thoughts. At the beginning of the therapy, the women define themselves by their genito-pelvic pain. The therapy helps them reduce the hold those thoughts have over them. We also try to break the sexuality = pain association and replace it with new associations, such as sexuality = pleasure with my partner, intimacy with my partner." The therapy also looks at sexual motivations. What is it about sexuality that is important to the couple? "We try to explore other aspects of sexuality that are pleasurable," she says. "In terms of behavior, we can help them expand their repertoire of sexual activities that don't cause pain. Generally, it's vaginal penetration that's painful, so we try not to always focus on that." Finally, the therapy works on the couple's emotional regulation. "When one partner reacts to a painful experience with anger or frustration, it only makes the problem worse. We help the couple manage their emotional relationship. We get the partner to be more empathetic to the woman's experience of pain and the woman to be more empathetic to her partner's frustration. We help them see themselves as a united team." The importance of the partner in therapy According to Sophie Bergeron, the partner's involvement "helps alleviate the woman's pain because she is no longer alone with her pain." Both partners report they understand the problem and the other's experience better, and they are relieved to be able to work together to improve the situation. At the end of the therapy, couples report satisfaction with having reclaimed their sexuality in a non-threatening way by refocusing on pleasurable experiences rather than allowing the pain to take control. This treatment could well be effective for other types of genito-pelvic pain as well. Explore further Study looks at psychological solution for the problem of painful sex More information: Sophie Bergeron et al, Cognitive-behavioral couple therapy versus lidocaine for provoked vestibulodynia: A randomized clinical trial., Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2021). DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000631 Journal information: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Sophie Bergeron et al, Cognitive-behavioral couple therapy versus lidocaine for provoked vestibulodynia: A randomized clinical trial.,(2021). DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000631 Graphical Abstract SynLeGG utilizes MultiSEp gene expression clusters to partition CRISPR essentiality scores (top) and mutations from whole exome sequencing (bottom), in order to predict candidate genetic dependency relationships, including synthetic lethality. Credit: Nucleic Acids Research (2021). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab338 In a groundbreaking first, research led by Queen's University Belfast has found thousands of "Achilles Heels' or 'cancer vulnerabilities' in an analysis of more than 700 different cancer cell types. In the future, this could lead to new ways to stop cancer cells in their tracks by using existing drugs, as well as proposing new targets for drug development. These drugs could even be used to combat cancers that are resistant to the current standard treatments. The research has been published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. To conduct their study, the researchers created a computer program called "MultiSEp' that analyzes large and complex datasets. Dr. Ian Overton, senior lecturer from the Patrick G Johnston Center for Cancer Research (PGJCCR) at Queen's University, said: "Understanding the molecular fingerprints of cancer can pinpoint ways to target drugs precisely to those patients where they will be most effective. Our work makes a step towards more effective and personalized cancer treatments, ultimately saving lives. "We make our results available on the "Synthetic Lethality with Genetics and Genomics' web server, opening a window to share these rich resources with researchers across the scientific communityin order to accelerate progress in cancer research globally." Cancers usually have many mutations which can cause genetic weak spots or "Achilles Heels." For example, cancers frequently become more dangerous by mutating to stop some protective genes called tumor suppressorsleaving the tumor reliant upon a back-up gene. Hitting the back-up gene with a 'chemical hammer," can therefore kill the cancer cells. This new program has identified thousands of back-up genes in more than 700 different kinds of cancer cell types, providing the intelligence to design more effective treatments in the war against cancer. Dr. Simon McDade, senior lecturer from the PGJCCR at Queen's University, said: "This research represents an important resource for researchers worldwide to extract invaluable data from functional genomics screens, that has potential to translate to significant benefits for cancer patients in the long term, but also, for researchers around the world to easily and more efficiently analyze genetic data." Mark Wappett, PGJCCR honorary lecturer at Queen's University and Head of Bioinformatics at Almac Discovery, who led the research, said: "Our results provide the wider scientific community access to key datasets generated by cutting edge technologies, and a toolkit with which to analyze this data. "Ultimately, we hope that, by increasing the reach of this data we can expedite more targeted and effective cancer treatments." Explore further New computational method detects disrupted pathways in cancer More information: Mark Wappett et al, SynLeGG: analysis and visualization of multiomics data for discovery of cancer 'Achilles Heels' and gene function relationships, Nucleic Acids Research (2021). Mark Wappett et al, SynLeGG: analysis and visualization of multiomics data for discovery of cancer 'Achilles Heels' and gene function relationships,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab338 The results of MultiSEp are available at www.overton-lab.uk/synlegg Journal information: Nucleic Acids Research The circle-shaped objects in the image above are cobalt-porphyrin-phospholipid (CoPoP) nanoparticles decorated with flu proteins. Credit: University at Buffalo. An experimental flu vaccine consisting of billions of tiny spherical sacs that carry infection-fighting proteins throughout the body has proven effective in preclinical studies. Described in a study published May 24 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the vaccine has the potential to: Improve the effectiveness of seasonal flu vaccines, which typically work 40-60% of the time, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Take less time to produce large quantities because, unlike most seasonal flu vaccines, it is not created in embryonated chicken eggs. Use smaller doses, thereby increasing vaccine supplies, which can be critical given the unpredictable nature of influenza. "The results are very encouraging", says the study's senior author, Jonathan Lovell, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering at the University at Buffalo. "Typically, flu vaccines contain either deactivated microbes that cause influenza, or they are based on weakened forms of the disease. The vaccine we're developing is a recombinant protein nanoparticle vaccine that stimulates a strong immune response," Lovell says. Key to the vaccine's success is a liposome Lovell and colleagues created called cobalt-porphyrin-phospholipid, or CoPoP. These tiny spherical sacs, which are small enough to be considered nanoparticles, form the backbone of what is known pharmaceutical parlance as a vaccine platform, which is any underlying technology used to develop multiple vaccines. (While not part of this study, the platform is being utilized in clinical trials in South Korea as a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. This is a partnership between UB spinoff company POP Biotechnologies, co-founded by Lovell, and South Korean biotech company EuBiologics. POP Biotechnologies is also working with Scripps Research to study the platform in a possible HIV vaccine.) Alone, these liposomes do not fight disease. But they possess a special talent. They spontaneously convert virus proteins that prompt immune responses into a more potent nanoparticle format. "This conversion is advantageous because the dissolved proteins attach to the surface of the liposomes, where the proteins enhance the immune system's response to disease," says senior author Matthew Miller, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and biomedical sciences at McMaster University In the study, the researchers introduced a group of proteins known as hemagglutinin to the CoPop liposomes. One particular hemagglutinin, known as trimeric H3 HA, triggered a strong immune response in mice. "The nanoparticles carry the trimeric H3 HA to the body's immune cells, and they provoke those immune cells to respond more vigorously to the flu," says lead author Zachary Sia, a Ph.D. candidate in Lovell's lab. In experiments involving flu virus strain H3N2, blood serum from vaccinated mice was injected into non-vaccinated mice. The injection provided protection against H3N2. In experiments with ferrets involving a more modern H3N2 strain, the vaccine reduced the amount of virus in the animals' upper respiratory system. Even with doses as low as 2 nanograms, the vaccine provided a similar level of protection that vaccines with doses typically measured in micrograms, or roughly 1,000 times more. "The dose-sparing effect is important because it means we could create many more doses using less materials" says senior co-author Bruce Davidson, Ph.D., research associate professor of anesthesiology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB. "Simply put, CoPoP likely will provide greater immune protection with less hemagglutinin than current vaccines." The vaccine platform is also versatile. Researchers were able to simultaneously bind 10 recombinant proteins representing distinct influenza virus strains to generate a highly multivalent nanoparticle. A 5 nanogram dose in mice offered protection against the H5N1 flu strain, more commonly known as bird flu, a virus that epidemiologists say has the potential to trigger a pandemic. Explore further Intranasal influenza vaccine enhances immune response and offers broad protection, researchers find More information: Zachary R. Sia el al., "A liposome-displayed hemagglutinin vaccine platform protects mice and ferrets from heterologous influenza virus challenge," PNAS (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Zachary R. Sia el al., "A liposome-displayed hemagglutinin vaccine platform protects mice and ferrets from heterologous influenza virus challenge,"(2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2025759118 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Multi-factorial metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities in obesity, independently or in combination, seems to be the critical biological link of obesity, cancer and racial/gender health disparities. However, the specific cross-talk between these factors remain elusive. Because of the extraordinary relevance in understanding the relationship between obesity-associated inflammation and comorbidities with cancer development, progression and intervention, three new papers emphasizing different aspects of the obesity and cancer connection can be found in the latest online issue of Obesity. "We highlighted in the review the contribution of alteration of metabolic factors such as lipids, insulin and leptin in obesity on the modulation of immunosuppressive and pro-oncogenic capabilities of myeloid cells, as key players in the chronic inflammation, which is a feature in obesity and cancer. Also, although the maintenance of a healthy weight is an essential principle to prevent cancer, obesitywithin the context of a certain metabolic and inflammatory phenotype that remains to be definedseems to be advantageous for the anti-cancer immunotherapy, a clinically and scientifically fascinating observation recently published," said Maria D. Sanchez-Pino, MSc., Ph.D., assistant professor of research at the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, member of the Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology and Department of Genetics at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, and corresponding author of the paper titled "Obesity-associated Myeloid Immunosuppressive Cells, Key Players in Cancer Risk and Response to Immunotherapy". "Deciphering the molecular mechanisms by which obesity-associated metabolic factors activate or enhance the function of Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC) and immunosuppressive macrophages will allow us to identify biomarkers for prognosis and therapeutic responses, as well as, to discover potential targets for pharmacological therapies, and then, possibly disrupt the pathophysiologic inflammatory link between obesity and cancer." Co-authors of Sanchez-Pino's paper include Justin Brown of the Louisiana State University (LSU) Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., and member of the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center of the LSU Health Science Center. Augusto Ochoa of the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center from LSU Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine in New Orleans, and Linda Anne Gilmore of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, also contributed to the review. Brown also described in his study titled "Obesity and Cancer Risk in White and Black Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study" that meaningful differences in the predictive associations of obesity and cancer risk are explained by race and sex. In his prospective cohort study of 18,296 Caucasian and African-American adults with cancer, the body mass index and waist circumference were not positively associated with cancer risk in Black men. However, among White men and White and Black women, a larger body mass index and waist circumference were associated with a higher risk of cancer. Other authors of the study include Shengping Yang, Emily Mire, and Peter Katzmarzyk from the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, and Xiacheng Wu, who is also part of the School of Public Health/Louisiana Tumor Registry, and Lucio Miele, Jovanny Zabaleta and Augusto Ochoa of the School of Medicine, LSU in New Orleans. Brown also participated in the symposium titled "Hitting A TripleDiabetes, Obesity, and the Emerging Links to Cancer Risk," during ObesityWeek 2019 in Las Vegas. During the symposium, experts discussed the state-of-the-science and highlighted research gaps with the mechanistic link between diabetes, obesity and cancer. The researchers and clinicians settled that because the prevalence of obesity and diabetes increases, which in turn amplify the risk of malignances, clinical and public health interventions are urgently needed. Researchers explained that identifying how to disrupt the linkages among obesity, diabetes and cancer can transform the health and wellness of society; such a discovery would represent a "grand slam" for public health and medicine. The papers, titled "Obesity and Cancer Risk in White and Black Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study" and "The Triple Health Threat: Diabetes, Obesity and CancerEpidemiology, Disparities, Mechanisms and Interventions" will be published in the June 2021 print issue. The third paper, "Obesity-associated Myeloid Immunosuppressive Cells, Key Players in Cancer Risk and Response to Immunotherapy" is already online. More information: "Obesity and Cancer Risk in White and Black Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study" Obesity (2021). "Obesity and Cancer Risk in White and Black Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study"(2021). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.23163 "The Triple Health Threat: Diabetes, Obesity and CancerEpidemiology, Disparities, Mechanisms and Interventions" Obesity (2021). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.23161 "ObesityAssociated Myeloid Immunosuppressive Cells, Key Players in Cancer Risk and Response to Immunotherapy" Obesity (2021). DOI: 10.1002/oby.23108 Journal information: Obesity Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A Washington University study has found higher incidence of prescription opioid use among recovering COVID-19 patients, suggesting doctors are using the potent painkillers to treat the lingering effects of the virusand leading the study's main author to caution against such a trend. The study was released last month in the journal Nature. Its main finding showed that individuals recovering from COVID-19 had an increased risk of death over the following six months, when compared with the general population. The study involved records of more than 87,000 patients who had tested positive for COVID-19, and nearly 5 million control patients in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care databases. But more recently, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University and senior author of the study, has been trying to alert health care providers of one particular finding: For every 1,000 patients, there were about nine more opioid prescriptions in the group of patients who previously had COVID-19 than in the general public. "That, to us, raised alarms," Al-Aly said. The study did not look at the conditions for which doctors prescribed the medications, and Al-Aly acknowledged that further research will be needed on that point. He noted that joint and muscle pain are among the symptoms reported by people with "long COVID," who experience the lingering and sometimes serious effects of COVID-19 for weeks or months after the initial infection. In the Washington University study, the researchers found higher incidence of mental health conditions, along with respiratory, nervous system, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal conditions. Nine opioid prescriptions per 1,000 patients may seem like a small number, Al-Aly said, but, "given the sheer enormity of this pandemic, this is not a small number of people." In Missouri, nearly 595,000 people have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to state data. Nationwide, the known case count exceeds 32.8 million. Al-Aly said that the long-term effects of COVID-19 are real, and those patients' pain should not be ignored. "We're not saying we should not be treating or addressing pain," Al-Aly said. "All we're saying is that we should, to the extent possible, explore alternatives that do not have an addictive potential." Tylenol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used, in some cases. Al-Aly said some patients also benefit from physical therapy, but not all. Al-Aly said health systems and governments need to be prepared to treat the unknown number of people in the U.S. who are suffering from long COVID. One approach has been the establishment of post-COVID clinics, such as the one the Washington University School of Medicine opened in October. "This is not just a respiratory infection that you nurse for a week, or two, or three ... and goes away," Al-Aly said. "Long COVID is a multifaceted disease. The burden is likely to be substantial, and health systems should be prepared." 2021 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Glioma of the left parietal lobe. CT scan with contrast enhancement. Credit: Mikhail Kalinin/CC BY-SA 3.0 Brain tumor cells with a certain common mutation reprogram invading immune cells. This leads to the paralysis of the body's immune defense against the tumor in the brain. Researchers from Heidelberg, Mannheim and Freiburg discovered this mechanism, and at the same time, identified a way of reactivating the paralyzed immune system to fight the tumor. These results confirm that therapeutic vaccines or immunotherapies are more effective against brain tumors if active substances are simultaneously used to promote the suppressed immune system. Diffuse gliomas are usually incurable brain tumors that spread in the brain and are difficult to completely remove by surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy often only have a limited effect too. Oncologists are thus urgently trying to find innovative treatment approaches to fight the gliomas using the immune systemby means of therapeutic vaccines or immunotherapies. Gliomas do not consist entirely of cancer cells: Up to 50 percent of the tumor mass is made up of microglia cellsthe brain's own phagocytesand of macrophages that enter the tumor through the blood vessels. Macrophages are also scavenger cells, but they are not effective in fighting tumor cells. "If we are to make progress in developing immunotherapies or therapeutic vaccines, we need to understand exactly how the immune environment behaves during tumor development. Moreover, we were interested in whether special genetic features of the gliomas have a particular influence on the function of the glioma-associated immune cells," explained Michael Platten, director of the Department of Neurology of University Medicine Mannheim, head of division at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and director of the current study. Scientists from Platten's division have now teamed up with Marco Prinz, medical director of the Institute of Neuropathology in Freiburg, and his working group to publish a molecular "status analysis" of the glioma-associated immune cells. To do so, they specifically studied the RNA and protein profiles of individual microglia cells and macrophages. Using tumor models in mice, they were also able to demonstrate the development of the immune environment over the course of the disease. Metabolic product of the glioma cells paralyzes immune cells in the brain The researchers were particularly interested in tumors with what is known as an IDH mutation, which is found in around 70 percent of all low-grade gliomas. These tumor cells have an identical mutation that leads to a particular protein building block being exchanged in the IDH enzyme. As a result of the IDH mutation, the glioma cells release the cancer-promoting metabolic product (R)-2-HG, which, as the researchers discovered, affects the invading macrophages. These scavenger cells are reprogrammed as it were, blocking an immune response against the tumor: they release messenger substances that suppress the immune system and inhibit T cell activityresearcher refer to this as "immune paralysis." "Ultimately, the IDH mutation enables the gliomas to protect themselves against the human immune system," explained Mirco Friedrich, DKFZ researcher and physician at Heidelberg University Hospital, one of the lead authors of the current publication. The researchers were subsequently able to decipher the molecular mechanism by which (R)-2-HG reprograms the macrophages: The cancer-promoting metabolic product interferes with the amino acid metabolism of the scavenger cells. This leads to activation of a central immune system regulatory molecule, aryl hydrocarbon receptor. The activated receptor causes immunosuppression of the macrophages. Reactivating the paralyzed immune system In view of this central role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, the researchers specifically deactivated the function of this key molecule. To do so, they used a specific substance co-developed by DKFZ and Bayer. They combined this substance with a special immunotherapy, known as an immune checkpoint inhibitor. This immunotherapy is normally ineffective, but the combination rendered it effective in an animal model and prolonged the lives of the mice with IDH-mutant tumors. "For the first time, we have thus demonstrated that the 'paralyzed' glioma-associated scavenger cells can be specifically reactivated by drugs in IDH-mutant gliomas," Mirco Friedrich remarked. "The work is a good example of how single cell studies can lead to a treatment mechanism," added Roman Sankowski from Freiburg University Hospital. As Lukas Bunse, a physician at DKFZ and Mannheim University Medicine, explained, "We were recently able to prove in an early clinical study that a therapeutic vaccination against IDH-mutant diffuse gliomas triggers the desired immune response in the study subjects. Our current studies now demonstrate how to sidestep the immunosuppressive environment in the brain and improve the effectiveness of this vaccine even further. This is an encouraging result showing that the immune system can help fight this currently almost incurable disease more effectively." Clinical studies will now be conducted to reveal whether this treatment strategy is a promising option for glioma patients. The study is reported in Nature Cancer. More information: Tryptophan metabolism drives dynamic immunosuppressive myeloid states in IDH-mutant gliomas, Nature Cancer, DOI: 10.1038/s43018-021-00201-z , www.nature.com/articles/s43018-021-00201-z Journal information: Nature Cancer Tryptophan metabolism drives dynamic immunosuppressive myeloid states in IDH-mutant gliomas, Credit: CC0 Public Domain Breast cancer screening took a sizeable hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests new research that showed that the number of screening mammograms completed in a large group of women living in Washington State plummeted by nearly half. Published today in JAMA Network Open, the study found the steepest drop-offs among women of color and those living in rural communities. "Detecting breast cancer at an early stage dramatically increases the chances that treatment will be successful," said lead study author Ofer Amram, an assistant professor in the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine whose research focuses on health inequities. "Our study findings suggest that health care providers need to double down on efforts to maintain prevention services and reach out to these underserved populations, who faced considerable health disparities even before the pandemic." The study was conducted by researchers at Washington State University Health Sciences Spokane in partnership with MultiCare, a not-for-profit health care system that encompasses 230 clinics and eight hospitals across Washington state. The research team used medical record data from MultiCare patients who had screening mammograms completed between April and December of 2019 and during the same months in 2020, after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020 The researchers saw the number of completed screening mammograms across Washington state fall from 55,678 in 2019 to 27,522 in 2020, a 49% decrease. When they analyzed the data by race, they saw a similar decrease in screening of 49% for white women but observed significantly larger decreases in non-white women. For example, breast cancer screening declined by 64% in Hispanic women and 61% in American Indian and Alaska Native women. The researchers also looked at geographical location and found that screening mammograms in rural women were reduced by almost 59%, whereas the number of mammograms completed in urban women fell by about 50%. Additionally, the research team analyzed the data by insurance type and found that compared to women who were on commercial or government-run health insurance plans, screening reductions were greater in women using Medicaid or who self-paid for treatment, which Amram said are indicators of lower socioeconomic status. "We know that the COVID-19 virus has had disproportionate impacts on certain populations, including racial and ethnic minority groups," said Pablo Monsivais, senior author on the study and an associate professor in the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. "What our study adds is that some of the secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are also disproportionately impacting those populations, so it's a double whammy." While previous studies have looked at missed cancer screening during the pandemic, Monsivais said this study is the first to examine racial and socioeconomic differences, specifically. The research team's goal is to find ways to eliminate barriers to cancer screening, which would help reduce cancer-related health disparities. Their next step is to conduct a follow-up study to identify which social and economic factors interfered with access to cancer screening during the pandemic. In addition to breast cancer, that study will also look at missed colon cancer and lung cancer screening in both women and men. Factors that may have played a role in reduced cancer screening include job loss, loss of employer-provided health insurance, and caregiver stress due to school- or daycare closures or other circumstances. Fear of contracting COVID-19 may have also played into this, said study co-author Jeanne Robison, an oncology nurse practitioner and lead researcher on this project with MultiCare Cancer and Blood Specialty Centers in Spokane, Washington. "One of the things we have seen this past year is that women who were pretty good about keeping up with screening remained fearful about going in even after health care facilities had opened back up for routine screening," Robison said. "I've had to talk some of my patients into coming in, however, because even when protocols were in place to safely offer breast cancer screening, there remained a perceived risk." A drop in primary care visits during the pandemic may have also been a factor, she said, as primary care providers often play a key role in reminding women of the timing and importance of breast cancer screening. And although increased access to virtual visits may have mitigated this drop, there may have been barriers to virtual care delivery that disproportionally impacted certain groups of people, which the researchers' follow-up study will help determine. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Switzerland signed a deal with the World Health Organization on Monday to host a global repository for viruses with pandemic potential to bolster international defences against emerging threats. The BioHub laboratory will store and analyse pathogens from across the globe and enhance the rapid sharing of information between labs around the world. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would be a "reliable, safe, and transparent mechanism for member states to voluntarily share pathogens and clinical samples". The memorandum of understanding was signed at the WHO's headquarters in Geneva, as the UN health agency kicked off its annual main assembly of member states. The facility will be hosted at the Swiss defence ministry's biological safety laboratories in the lakeside town of Spiez. "Close international collaboration to ensure the timely sharing of epidemiological and clinical data as well as biological materials is of utmost importance," Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset told the World Health Assembly. "We hope to contribute to the establishment of an international exchange system for SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging pathogens." Currently, most pathogen sharing is done between individual countries in an ad hoc way, which can be slow and leave some states out of the loop. The BioHub will allow the WHO's 194 member states to share biological materials with the facility under pre-agreed conditions to ensure timeliness and predictability when responding to potential outbreaks. "The COVID-19 pandemic and other outbreaks and epidemics have underscored the importance of rapidly sharing pathogens to help the global scientific community assess the risk and develop counter-measures such as diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines," said Tedros. "The BioHub system is an important step towards facilitating this flow of information." A pilot scheme using the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 will test whether it is feasible to share biological materials with manufacturers for the development of medical products for even allocation among countries. "Following results from the pilot project, the BioHub will expand from SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, to other pathogens, and connect partners with other repositories and laboratory networks in 2022," the WHO said in a statement. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Prosecutors seek 16 and 18 years behind bars for ex-policemen for planning terror attack RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 17:37 24/05/2021 MOSCOW, May 24 (RAPSI) Public prosecutors have moved to sentence former police officers of the Krasnodar Directorate of the Interior Ministry Maxim Kotomanov and Dmitry Krasilnikov to 16 and 18 years in a maximum security penal colony charged with planning to send letters with poisonous substances to diplomatic missions, the press service of the Second Western District Military Court inform RAPSI. Prosecutors ask the court to sentence Kotomanov to 18 years and Krasilnikov to 16 years in a strict regime penal colony; Kotomanov, additionally, is requested to be fined 1.5 million rubles (about $20,000 at the current exchange rate), according to press secretary Irina Zhirnova. It is expected that the sentence will be made public on Tuesday. According to the court's database, the defendants are accused of illegal circulation of potent substances, attempted attack on persons or institutions that enjoy international protection, attempted smuggling of poisonous substances, attempted terrorist act and the creation of a terrorist community. Investigators allege that the former police officers planned to send letters with a poisonous substance based on mercury to employees of diplomatic missions of foreign states. A health worker administers second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, left, at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 24, 2021. Credit: Government Spokesman Office via AP Thailand placed barbed wire and checkpoints in several southern villages along the Malaysian border Monday after identifying a cluster of infections with a coronavirus variant that's believed to spread faster. The lockdown came as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sought to assure people that his government could manage a recent surge as it is set to start a national vaccination campaign next month. "Please understand that we can manage this," Prayuth said as he received the second dose of his coronavirus vaccine. Also Monday, the agency managing Thailand's coronavirus response reported 2,713 new cases and 30 more deaths. It raised the nation's totals to 132,213 cases and 806 deaths, the overwhelming majority of them occurring since April 1. Bangkok reported 951 of the new cases, mostly bunched in inner districts of the capital, said Apisamai Srirangsan, a deputy spokeswoman for the COVID-19 response center. Many of the cases in Bangkok have been in prisons and housing barracks for construction workers. In Thailand's far southern Narathiwat province, security forces sought to isolate about a dozen villages where the variant first discovered in South Africa was detected last week. The person infected with the variant is believed to have crossed the border from Malaysia, which is also experiencing a coronavirus surge. A health worker administers a dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to a woman at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 24, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit A health worker administers the second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, center left, at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 24, 2021. Credit: Government Spokesman Office via AP Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, center, checks blood pressure before receiving second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 24, 2021. Credit: Government Spokesman Office via AP A health worker administers a dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to a person at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 24, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit Health workers administer shots of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for Thai citizens at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, May 24, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit Thailand previously said it had found its first cases of the virus variant discovered in India, among infected construction workers in Bangkok. And a health official said last week 87% of recent cases in Thailand were from a variant identified in Britain. Health officials worry the variants are more contagious and that some vaccines are not as effective against the variants. The largest infection cluster was found in Narathiwat's Takbai district, where proactive testing was ordered, according to Narathiwat Provincial Public Health Office. It ordered a complete lockdown on the entire district, and in affected villages from May 23 until further notice. Thailand will begin its national vaccination campaign on June 7 and hopes to vaccinate 70% of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. It has administered 2.91 million doses so far, using the vaccines from AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac. Health officials have called on the government to diversify its vaccine procurement. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Old-school advertising tactics on Twitter. Despite their widespread reputation as a "safer" alternative to cigarettes, e-cigarettes (also known as electronic cigarettes or vapes) are far from harmless, particularly for adolescents, whose developing brains may suffer lifelong adverse effects from nicotine-containing products. Yet vaping and e-cigarettes are widely promoted on social media by the industry and influencers, using advertising tactics that were outlawed for tobacco in Australia in the 1980s for traditional media. This blatant promotion is not tolerated offline, so why is it happening on social media? On Twitter, YouTube and Instagram, e-cigarettes are frequently depicted as a safe and healthy alternative to cigarettes. This is at odds with the opinion of health authorities such as the Office of the Surgeon General, the Federal Health Department and the World Health Organization (WHO). There is substantial evidence e-cigarettes have adverse health effects but because they are relatively new (they were first introduced to the US market in 2007) their long-term effects are less clear. Yet e-cigarettes are touted online as a harmless recreational activity. Vape juice (which may or may not contain nicotine) is available in flavors such as gummy bear, chocolate treat and cherry crush, while social media influencers demonstrate fun vaping tricks or ways to customize e-cigarette devices. There are even online vaping communities offering social support and connectedness. There is no Australian federal legislation that directly applies to e-cigarettes. Instead, several laws relating to poisons, therapeutic goods and tobacco apply. Across Australian states and territories, it is illegal to sell nicotine-containing e-cigarettes but users can legally import them through a "personal importation scheme" if they have a doctor's prescription. Those that do not contain nicotine can be sold in some parts of Australia, provided there are no therapeutic claims. Our research found that despite Australia's restrictions, the internet is facilitating peoples' access to nicotine and vaping products. An estimated three-quarters of e-cigarette purchases are done online. Where on the web is vaping promoted? To find this content, all you need is a smart phone and a few relevant hashtags such as product names, or related terms such as: #vape, #vapelife, #vapesale and #ejuice. Twitter image promotion. Images from Instagram, Twitter and TikTok display a mixture of modern advertising techniques and advertising tropes used for decades by the tobacco industry. There are images of scantily dressed women with e-cigarettes, details of tempting vape juice flavors, and discount offers. The scope of this content is alarming. This promotion, coupled with the product diversity and allure, ease of online purchase and lack of appropriate age verification, supports the growth of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people. Young people are the biggest users of social media, and they are being directly targeted. E-cigarette use has been described as an "epidemic among youth". In Australia, since 2013, the lifetime use of e-cigarettes has significantly increaseddoubling in 14-17 year olds (4.3% to 9.6%) and almost tripling in those aged 18-24 (7.9% to 26.1%), while rates of cigarette smoking have declined. This increased e-cigarette uptake by young Australians is particularly worrying. While promotion and advertising of this product are tightly regulated offline, with age restrictions that are relatively easy to enforce, posing as an adult online is often simply a matter of ticking a box. Despite the dangers of e-cigarettes, many adolescents have positive opinions about them. Surveys have revealed young people consider e-cigarettes to be a healthier and less addictive alternative to cigarettes, with fewer harmful chemicals and fewer health risks from second-hand vapor. Tobacco companies have a tradition of infiltrating youth-friendly media. Almost all Australians aged between 18 and 29 use social media, for more than 100 minutes a day on average. The high visibility of e-cigarettes available on social media can foster awareness, encourage experimentation and uptake, and change social norms around vaping. Social media platforms do have their own policies on tobacco advertising. Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram stipulate: "Advertisements must not promote electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, or any other products that simulate smoking." This policy has now been extended to all private sales, trades, transfers or gifting of tobacco products. Any brand that posts content related to the sale or transfer of these products must restrict it to adults 18 years or older. Whether this is even possible on social media is still open to question. Vape juice advertising on TikTok. Twitter's policy on paid advertising "prohibits the promotion of tobacco products, accessories and brands globally." But this does not extend to the content of individual accounts. TikTok's advertising policy states: "Ad creatives and landing page must not display or promote tobacco, tobacco-related products such as cigars, tobacco pipes, rolling papers, or e-cigarettes." But on social media, where "influencer" content is king, the boundaries between truly organic content and paid product placements is blurred. In 2012, Australia tried to counter this emerging online situation by introducing legislation making it an offense to advertise or promote tobacco products on the internet, unless compliant with existing advertising laws. But that legislation doesn't ban online sales of tobacco products, including vaping products, and can do very little about advertisements from overseas websites. It is unclear whether health authorities and regulators are aware of the scale and explicitness of e-cigarette content on social media. It seems clear that more should be done to counter it. Australia, along with close to 170 other countries, is a signatory to the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control , which calls on nations to outlaw all advertising for tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Action is required. Australia, and other nations from which this content originates, need to prioritize public health. There needs to be improved surveillance, monitoring and the curtailing of content that glamourises e-cigarettes, as well as improved age verification practices. Explore further Use of e-cigarettes plus tobacco cigarettes linked to higher risk of respiratory symptoms This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The official would not offer specifics as to what those tangible ways are, but already donor nations are being asked to look at potential new contributions to reconstruct damage done to civilian infrastructure in Gaza. The official said one aim of Blinken's talks would be to try to reintegrate Fatah to some extent into a leadership role in Gaza, where it has been locked out of power since losing elections in 2006. The official said that could help create conditions for more stability. The Biden administration had been taken to task for its early response to the violence, including from Democratic allies in Congress who were demanding it take a tougher line on Israel and its response to rocket attacks from Palestinian militant groups in Gaza. The administration has defended its response by saying it engaged in intense, but quiet, high-level diplomacy to support a cease-fire, which was ultimately arranged last week after Egyptian mediation. Blinken said Sunday that the behind-the-scenes effort led by Biden paid off, securing a truce after 11 days. For more than 20 years the American public has been inundated with local, state and federal governments lauding collaboration as a means of dealing with natural resource, environmental, wilderness and endangered species issues. It was an easy, albeit false, premise to sell to the public namely that local stakeholders would sit down and come up with bottom up, not top down solutions that would become policy. But we now see the truth and, unfortunately, are reaping the bitter fruits collaboration has sown. Make no mistake, collaboration strategy was devised by economic sectors primarily dependent upon the utilization of public resources for their profits. And while Republican governors and presidents initiated that strategy, it was willingly embraced by Democrat politicians as a means of dodging the tough decisions for the political expediency of kicking the can down the road to collaboratives. The classic example is the Healthy Forests Initiative devised by former timber lobbyist Mark Rey, who was appointed by President Bush to oversee our national forests. The timber industry knew it would be tough for conservationists to argue against healthy forests, since who doesnt want a healthy forest? As a single mother putting myself through school, I used the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed my children. However, SNAP benefits are limited, which often forced me to buy cheaper foods instead of nutritious, fresh produce. Then, I found the Double SNAP Dollars program (DSD), allowing me to double my SNAP benefits (up to $20) for produce at local farmers markets. I was able to afford nutritious food and support my local farmers. Access to DSD had long-lasting benefits for my family. My youngest, exposed early to these foods thanks to Double SNAP Dollars cant get enough fruits and vegetables; while my oldest, who was not exposed early in life to these foods, wants little to do with them. House Bill 235, introduced in the 2021 Montana Legislature, wouldve provided $95,000 in state funding to expand DSD to new communities, and reach more families like mine. Gov. Greg Gianfortes decision to veto HB235, despite bipartisan support and passing the Legislature, is disappointing. The governor missed an opportunity to support struggling Montana farmers and families. Members of the council met Monday in the high school auditorium with Wayne Kerly, council president, presiding. Members voted to recognize youth of the month after the motion was made by Huffman. Jim Jacumin spoke to the council concerning the future of Hildebran. He said there is a possibility that the city of Hickory might in the future try to annex Hildebran. Among us Morgantonians: J. Gordon Queen H.L. McAulay, local Bell telephone manager, presented yours truly with the very first new directory the other day. Friend McAulay has been presenting this writer with the first directory for several years now, and we thank him very much. The other new directories will be mailed from the first to the middle of the month. Heres something to think about: last year, 16,713 directories were distributed in the Morganton exchange area. This year, 17,860 directories are going out, an increase of 1,147 over the 1970 edition, which is a sure sign of growth. Theres more. An addition costing $392,000 is being built in Morganton to the Southern Bell building. When the equipment is installed, the cost will be more than $400,000. The growth of our telephone company leads us to believe the Bell heads are sure that Morganton will grow whether we like it or not, and we like it. The book read like a diary. The club met monthly at different peoples homes. Each entry started with the date, the name of the person in whose house they were meeting and a list of new members, if any joined that meeting. It appears the club had an initiation ritual for new members. Two entries record how new members were required to write an essay on a particular theme, attend the meeting dressed up in a costume related to the theme and read their essay to the group. One time, new members were asked to dress as old maids and read their essays entitled, Why I Never Want to Marry. I would love to know what women in the 40s and 50s would have given as reasons for not wanting to get married, but no mention was made of the content of the essays. I asked Joe how the club got started. The earliest reference I could find to it in the newspaper clippings was 1941. He didnt know, but reflected on the circumstances they faced at that time. These folks all went through the (Great) Depression, then they went through World War II and rationing, and everybody lost somebody, but here they made an effort to come together and keep going, he said. Following late March of 2020, I wasnt quite sure what was going to happen with the bookstore, Shores said. We did launch the e-commerce site and the community just consistently showed up for us and supported us through online orders. When we reopened the doors late last summer to let shoppers back in, even on a limited basis, the community just continued to show up for us and support us. Tauni Giaque, manager of The Venue at Carbon City, feels fortunate to have steady business after opening the venue with her family at the beginning of the pandemic. Its taken less tweaking, Giaque said. They can have everyone inside now instead of having to split up the party. Less of the brides feel the need to wear a mask down the aisle or to require guests to do that, but some of them still are. I would say it really does boil down to the stress factor on our part Its definitely taken a lot of stress away from a lot of our brides. Even though the mandate has allowed businesses to reopen to full capacity, some owners are suffering from lack of staff. Gretchen Whisnant, co-owner of Blue 42, has adjusted her business to best help her staff and customers stay safe. Montanans' goodwill This weekend I am in Montana to prepare for a family reunion honoring by grandfather, Dr. Charles Clapp, who was president of the School of Mines now Montana Technological University in Butte from 1918 until 1921. While driving west on I-90 after a short tour of your outstanding city and campus Saturday, I witnessed what could have been a serious accident. The subsequent response to the incident by local law enforcement and the Montana Highway Patrol was extremely professional. A tractor trailor ahead of me abruptly swerved off the westbound lanes at high speed then traversed the median, the eastbound lanes, another median, and the parallel service road before being stopped by the railroad embankment. As I called in the incident two other drivers who witnessed the accident stopped and sought to assist the driver who miraculously climbed out of the driver cabin. Captain Pierce of the Anaconda Police Department arrived on the scene within ten minutes along with members of his command, followed by an ambulance and medical personnel as well as a Highway Patrol officer. After clearing the scene Captain Pierce drove me back to my vehicle on the other side of the highway. The deal drew opposition from many of the companys journalists in an unusual spate of employee activism. They set up rallies, tried to find local buyers and begged for a rescue in their own newspapers. They had rooted for a higher bid from hotel mogul Stewart Bainum in the belief that it would be better for local journalism, although that never came to fruition. They lobbied Tribune's No. 2 investor, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, to vote no and scuttle the deal. In a blog post, the president of the union representing Tribune journalists lamented that Tribune's shareholders had let everyone down by approving the deal, but said the union would continue to hold Alden Global Capital accountable. Confusion arose earlier in the day when a spokeswoman for Soon-Shiong said he abstained from the vote. According to Tribunes April 20 proxy statement, which states that approval of the deal required the votes of at least two-thirds of shares not owned by Alden, an abstain vote counted the same as an against vote. dbsjeyaraj.com - 23 May 2021 by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated 30 years ago by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) at a place called Sriperumbhudur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu on May 21st 1991. Rajiv Ratna Gandhi who was Indias Prime minister from 31st October 1984 to December 2nd 1989 was not serving as premier at the time of his demise.. An election campaign was underway then to elect a new Lok Sabha or Parliament. The Congress led by Rajiv was the front runner in that race at that time. Rajiv as he was generally known was in Sriperumbudur to address a propaganda meeting in support of Congress party candidate Ms. Maragatham Chandrasekhar. The 46 year old Indian ex premier was then immersed in a hectic political campaign to win the Indian Parliamentary elections. It was then that a Sri lankan Tamil girl known by the name of Dhanu got close to Rajiv Gandhi and tried to give him a sandalwood garland. When a Policewoman tried to shoo her off, Rajic restrained her and told the cop to let the girl come near. The be spectacled girl in an orange and green churidar then came near and bent down respectfully to touch Rajivs feet. She set off a concealed explosive device that was strapped to her body. Rajiv Gandhi, the assailant Dhanu and at least 18 others were killed in the blast instantly. 42 were seriously injured. A few of the injured also succumbed to their wounds in hospital later on.The human bomb assassination that was soon to become a hallmark of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organization rocked India and shocked the world. In a singular decisive act the LTTE had murdered on Tamil Nadu soil a former Indian prime minister hailing from Indias most famous political first family. Rajivs mother Indira Gandhi had been Prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and 1980 to 1984. Rajivs maternal Grandfather Pandit Jawarhalal Nehru became Independent Indias first prime minister in 1947 and remained at the helm for 17 years until his death in 1964. Rajivs great grandfather Pandit Motilal Nehru was a leading lawyer who played a prominent role in the Indian freedom struggle against Britain. Rajivs father Feroze Gandhi (No relative of Mahatma Gandhi) was a Lok Sabha MP from 1952 till his demise in 1960. Yet , the LTTE led by its ruthless supremo Thiruvengadam Veluppillai Prabhakaran had absolutely no qualms about daring to assassinate a person of Rajiv Gandhis political stature in India. As is typical of Prabhakaran and the LTTE, the assassination was perceived as a militaristic feat alone without much thought about its political fall-out or possible repercussions . The tigers were absolutely unconcerned about resultant effects affecting the Sri Lankan Tamil people. In the immediate aftermath of the assassination , I wrote an article for the Indian newsmagazine Frontline , in which I observed that if the LTTE was indeed responsible for the assassination then the losers in the long run would be the Tamil people. Subsequently it was proved conclusively that the LTTE was indeed responsible. The consequences of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination continued to be felt by the Tamil people in general and the LTTE in particular right up to the shores of Nandhikkadal lagoon in May 2009. The politico-military chutzpah of the LTTE in deploying an assassination squad across the seas to eliminate a former and potential future prime minister of the regional super power on his home turf, raised many an eyebrow after Rajiv Gandhi was murdered. The Rajiv Gandhi assassination committed on Indian soil was an act of international terrorism that placed the LTTE on the index of global terrorists. Many security affairs analysts have in the past evinced great interest in how this assassination was executed and who was directly responsible. The decision and overall plan to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi was taken by LTTE leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran and tiger intelligence chief Shanmugalingam Sivashankar alias Pottu Ammaan.The actual assassin who blew up her explosive laden body belt was the girl called Dhanu. One-eyed Jack The key LTTE operative who devised the assassination plot and directly oversaw its execution at field level was an intelligence wing member of the LTTE who used two nom de guerres. One name was Raghuvaran.The other was Sivarasan. Since he had lost an eye, he was frequently called by his comrades at arms and colleagues as Ottraikkannan (One eyed person). Sections of the Indian English media referred to him as one eyed Jack, evoking memories of the classic western movie directed by Marlon Brando who also starred in the lead role. Sivarasan was specifically selected and assigned the task of killing Rajiv Gandhi by Prabhakaran and Pottu Ammaan. After an intense 90 day manhunt , Indian law enforcement officials surrounded the house in which Sivarasan along with some other LTTE cadres was staying in. It was a house in the Bangalore (now Bengaluru) suburb of Konanakunte in Karnataka state. Sivarasan and the others consumed cyanide and killed themselves before they could be captured alive. Ironically Sivarasan who masterminded Rajivs murder committed suicide on August 20th which was the date of Rajiv Gandhis birth. In the aftermath of the assassination, there was much interest in India and elsewhere about Dhanu the human bomb and one eyed Sivarasan the mastermind behind the killing. The questions echoing in the minds of many people were Who was this Sivarasan? and What was his real name and background? I was then editing Senthamarai a Tamil weekly in Toronto. I was able to compile a brief life-sketch of the one-eyed mastermind through telephone interviews with close relatives, schoolmates, former residents of his hometown Uduppiddy and ex-comrades of Sivarasan from various militant groups . The article written in Tamil was first published in Senthamarai. Subsequently I wrote an article in English along the same lines for Frontlinein English which caused a sensation in India. This resulted in Indian security officials approaching me through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police(RCMP) for an interview on the subject. I respectfully declined saying that I had written all what I knew openly under my byline and that I did not want to go beyond my journalistic brief. The RCMP accepted my position and there was no interview with Indian officials. I shall now in this article focus on the mastermind behind the Rajiv Gandhi assassination relying to a great extent upon the piece I wrote 29 years ago on One eyed Sivarasan The one eyed man known as Sivarasan who masterminded the Rajiv Gandhi assassination used many aliases such as Sivarajan, Rajan, Rajah, Arumai, Aravinth, Raghuvaran, Raghu and Raghu-appah. His real name however was Chandrasekharam pillai Packiachandran. He hailed from Udupiddy, a town about 32 km from Jaffna city and about 3 km inland from coastal Valvettithurai the hometown of Prabhakaran and cradle of Tamil armed militancy. Chandrasekharampillai Packiachandran. Packiachandrans father was Chandrasekharam Pillai, a teacher of English at the Udupiddy American Mission School, a leading educational institution in the area. Chandrasekharam Pillai was a native of Udupiddy and lived in the northern part of the town near the Veerapathirar Temple. The familys postal address was Verapathira Koyiladdy Vadakku or Veerapathiran Temple, North Area). Packiachandrans mother Sivapackiyam was originally from Nunaavil in the Chavakachcheri area of Jaffna peninsula. Packiachandran was named after his parents, taking Packia from his mothers name, Sivapakiam, and the Chandranfrom his fathers Chandrasekharam. Packiyachandran was born in 1958, the year of the first major anti-Tamil pogrom in Sri Lanka. He was the eldest child and had three brothers and two sisters, all younger to him. Young Packiachandran was inculcated with Tamil nationalist feelings at a very tender age by his father. Chandrasekharam Pillai, although an English scholar, was a staunch supporter of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi(ITAK) known as the Federal Party in English. In later years when the ITAK atogether with the All Ceylon Tamil Congress(ACTC) formed the Tamil United Liberation Front(TULF), Chandrasekharampillai began supporting the TULF. Packiyachandran was a clever student while studying at the Uduppiddy American Mission College. He had an aptitude for languages and passed his General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) examination with flying colours. He was studying for the GCE Advanced Level which may have enabled him to enter the university, when suddenly his father died in late 1977.Being the eldest child, he had to bear the family burden and dropped out of school. The family paid a large amount of money to an agent from Udupiddy who promised Packiachandran a lucrative job in west Asia. The agent defaulted and the young man became extremely frustrated. He then entered government service as a worker attached to the Electricity Board. He served as an Electricity Board employee in Trincomalee and Batticaloa in the Eastern Province for some time. While working in the East, Packiachandran was once arrested for distributing leaflets containing pro-Tamil Eelam views. While in custody, he scribbled Long Live Tamil Eelam slogans on the walls of his cell and his plate. He was severely assaulted for this and had to be hospitalized. Later, in Jaffna, he was arrested once again for posting Tamil Eelam posters and was detained at the Jaffna Fort Camp prison. When the large-scale anti-Tamil violence occurred in July 1983, Packiachandran was apparently locked up inside the Dutch Fort. He was released shortly afterwards and promptly joined the ranks of the newly emerging Tamil militant groups. First Choice was TELO not LTTE Strange as it may seem, Packichandrans first choice among militant outfits was the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and not the LTTE. Packiyachandran joined TELO and left for India in October 1983. He is said to have received military training at a camp near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. He was then posted to the propaganda wing of TELO and interacted with a lot of students in Tamil Nadu as well as Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Fluent in English, Packiachandran also had a smattering of Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi and was able to speak Tamil with a Tamil Nadu accent if and when necessary. While in the TELO, Packiachandran was closely associated with the groups Valvettithurai component. Unlike most Udupiddy youth, Packiachandran had great rapport with the VVT group. His political mentor within the TELO was Mano Master who was also from Valvettithurai. Soon problems arose within the TELO and a large number of Valvettithurai youth led by Mano Master broke away, left South India and returned to Sri Lanka in late 1984. Packiyachandran or Sivarasan was one of them. Back in Sri Lanka, Mano Master continued to function with the TELO label, claiming he was the rightful heir to the Thangathurai-Kuttimani tradition, Packiachandran, while still sympathetic, no longer functioned within the Mano Master led faction of TELO. Subsequently Mano Master was killed by Ravindran alias Pandithar, the then LTTE leader. With Mano Masters death, Valvettithurai became the sole monopoly of the LTTE. TELO militants from VVT either dropped out of militancy, or joined the LTTE. Packiyachandran, along with other ex-TELO militants like Sathi, Ramesh, Rangan and Babu, joined the LTTE. His new LTTE nom-de guerre was Raghuvaran but he also used the name Raghu at times. He functioned for a long time within the political wing and was responsible for the collection of funds from Udupiddy and adjacent areas. Later Raghu was moved to the military wing. Injured in May 1987 In May 1987, Raghuvaran was injured in a clash with the Sri Lankan armed forces near the Jaffna Fort. This was the time when the army launched operation liberation in which the Vadamaratchy region of Jaffna peninsula was re-captured by the armed forces. Among other injuries, Raghuvarans left eye was also affected. The Indo Lanka agreement was signed by Indian Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan president JR Jayawardene on July 29th 1987. This paved the way for Indian troops to be stationed in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka under the nomenclature of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). A very large number of injured tiger cadres were taken to India aboard Indian aircraft for medical treatment. Raghuvaran too was taken in an Indian helicopter to Tamil Nadu. He received treatment for his eye injury at the Aravind eye hospital in Madurai. Despite treatment he lost his left eye permanenty. Thereafter he wore a plastic eye. In order to cover up his left eye Raghuvaran began to wear tinted glasses most of the time. Still this did not deter his comrades from referring to him in lighter vein as Otraikkannan or one eyed person. When the confrontation with the Indian army began in October 1987, Raghu is said to have shifted from the peninsula into the Eastern province. He came back to the North in early 1988 and functioned under the Vadamarachchi commander Ruthrapathy Sridhar alias Major James of Valvettithurai.On one occasion, Major James launched a successful attack on an IPKF sentry post. The first rocket-propelled grenade was fired by Packiyachandran alias Raghuvaran. Later, when Major James was summoned by LTTE supremo Prabhakaran to the jungles of the Wanni for consultations, Raghu functioned for about a month as acting Vadamarachchi commander. Kandasamy Pathmanabha Thereafter Raghuvaran was transferred from the military wing to to the LTTE intelligence wing that functioned under Pottu Ammaan. He was promoted as Captain and given a new nom de guerre Sivarasan. Capt . Sivarasan of the LTTE intelligence division was entrusted with specific assignments to be undertaken clandestinely in India. Among these were the expansion of the LTTE intelligence network in India and the setting up of safe houses in Tamil Nadu. More importantly he was tasked with an assassination assignment. The target was Kandasamy Pathmanabha alias Naabhaa a.k. a. Ranjan who was the Secretary General of the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF). A plot to assassinate Padmanabha on Indian soil was devised by Sivarasan in consultation with Pottu Amman. This entailed the deployment of a spy in Chennai to monitor EPRLF movements. Sivarasan was entrusted with the selection and stationing of this spy in the Kodambakkam area of Chennai where the EPRLF had an office. The spy Suthenthirarajah alias Sinna Santhan was handpicked by Sivarasan who also handled him. The spy did his work well and provided accurate info. On June 19th 1990 an LTTE hit squad including Kiruban and One eyed Sivarasan stormed into an apartment in Zacharaiyah colony, Choolaimedhu and killed Padmanabha and 12 others. These included former North Eastern provincial council finance minister Kirubakaran and EPRLF Jaffna District MP Yogasangari. The hit squad members along with the spy Sinna Santhan were successful in making a getaway back to Sri Lanka after hi-jacking a vehicle to reach the coast. The assassination of Padmanabha and 12 other EPRLF members was the first operation of this type to be undertaken by the LTTE outside Sri Lanka. It was a blatant act of terrorism committed on Indian soil by the tigers. The LTTE hierarchy however was elated by the successful assassination. Sivarasan was personally congratulated and praised by Prabhakaran and Pottu Ammaan. The LTTE leadership was confident that one eyes Sivarasan was capable of planning and executing major operations in India. The Padmanabha assassination also whetted the LTTE appetite for more assassinations on Indian soil. Without any thought about potential consequences, Prabhakaran and Pottu Ammaan decided to assign Sivarasan the task of masterminding the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The groundwork required for the diabolical plot began to be laid by Sivarasan. Unlike the Padmanabha assassination where firearms and grenades were used, another new method was to be used to kill Rajiv Gandhi. The idea was to make a mystery of the assailant so that blame would not be attached to the LTTE.For this the would be assassin had to be within close proximity to Rajiv Gandhi.Opportunities to gain easy access to Rajiv became available with the announcement of fresh elections to the Indian parliament. Conspircy Hatched in Sri Lanka A broad conspiracy to murder Rajiv Gandhi was hatched in Northern Sri Lanka by tiger supremo Prabhakaran , Intelligence chief Pottu Ammaan, LTTE womans intelligence unit head Akhila and Sivarasan who was also entrusted the responsibility of executing the assassination on Indian soil. He was given full authority by the LTTE hierarchy to devise the assassination scheme and deploy necessary personnel required.LTTE operatives and key supporters in India were instructed to obey all orders issued by Sivarasan. He was also given an ample amount of gold biscuits to be cashed in India to cover expenses incurred.Sivarasan n arrived in India with his team , planned out the details of the assassination and on that fateful May 21st , Rajiv Gandhi was killed. The Rajiv assassination came at a time when influential journalists in Chennai were trying hard to bring about rapprochement between Rajiv and the LTTE. The well-known Tamil poet Kasi Anandan (Kathamuthu Sivanandan) had met Rajiv Gandhi in March that year. The London based financial consultant Arjuna Sittambalam had met Rajiv some days weeks . Both were regarded as pro-tiger emissaries. It appeared that the stage was being set for some kind of political reconciliation. The Indian establishment at that time was more angry with Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa for booting out the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) than the LTTE which fought the Indian army. Earlier Rajiv had told DMK stalwart Murasoli Maran that he was prepared to discuss even a de-facto Eelam with the LTTE if necessary. Maran was the trusted confidante and nephew of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham(DMK)chief Kalainjer M. Karunanidhi. Kalainjer (artiste) was chief minister of Tamil Nadu when Rajiv conveyed this to Maran. Against this backdrop I felt then that the LTTE would not have committed this murder. I wrote an article then for Frontline in which I argued the pros and cons of the assassination. It was overwhelmingly against the chances of the Tigers being responsible. Yet I ended the piece with the line that if the LTTE was indeed responsible the ultimate losers would be the Sri Lankan Tamils. Krishnakumar alias Col Kittu Sathasivampillai Krishnakumar alias Col Kittu was then living in London. The former Jaffna commander of the Tigers was then head of the LTTE international secretariat. Kittu argued passionately with me that the Tigers were not responsible for the killing. He seemed to sincerely believe then that his movement was not responsible. It was Kittu acting at the behest of his leader who was instrumental in sending emissaries to meet Rajiv Gandhi. He was doing so because Velupillai Prabakharan had ordered him to do so. I was in close contact with Kittu those days and played a minor role in these efforts to reconcile with Rajiv Gandhi and by extension with India. Though I had been critical of Rajiv Gandhi and the IPKF earlier the wisdom of hindsight had made me realise that the Sri Lankan Tamils could not afford to be alienated from India in the long-term. Alas! All those hopes and the efforts, of those Indian Journalists who in association with Kittu arranged the meetings with Rajiv, were dashed when it became clearly established that the Tigers were responsible for the killing. What happened thereafter was a progressive estrangement between Mother India and her Eelam Tamil children. The people of Tamil Nadu in particular were hurt and angry then at the LTTE. Jayalalitha Jayaram swept the polls in Tamil Nadu in 1991. The DMK regarded as being partisan towards the LTTE was vanquished. Only its leader Karunanidhi managed to scrape through with an 800-vote lead in the Chennai harbour constituency. Jayalalitha followed a hard, strict policy towards Tamil refugees in the state. Even educational opportunities were restricted. Harassment became the order of the day. Thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils who preferred to live in Tamil Nadu because of the Tamil ethos reluctantly relocated to the West.It was ironic that the same Jayalalithaa who cracked the whip then was hailed by some clowns in the Tamil Diaspora as the mother of Tamil Eelam. More importantly the Indian public mood changed. India had welcomed Tamil refugees in 1983 and looked after them. Now they were made to feel unwelcome. Sri Lankan Tamils were regarded as having abused Indian hospitality. The LTTE was officially banned. Whatever the protests and pressures by the pro-LTTE lobby in Tamil Nadu and whatever the extent of emotional sympathy for the Tamils of Sri Lanka in Tamil Nadu there is always a Lakshmana Rekha that India would not cross in the case of Sri Lanka. The killing of Rajiv Gandhi by the LTTE plays a big part in demarcating this rekha or line. Thunbiyal Sambhavam The LTTE had a golden opportunity to salvage the situation a little in April 2002 when Prabakharan held his famous news conference in Kilinochchi. When Indian journalists raised the issue of Rajiv Gandhis assassination, the LTTE leader could have been apologetic. Some remorse could have been displayed. This could have demonstrated that the killing was regretted and the Tigers were sorry. Instead Anton Balasingham called it a thunbiyal sambhavam (tragic incident) and asked journalists not to dig into it while Prabhakaran maintained silence. This perhaps made the situation worse. The killing of Rajiv Gandhi was arguably the single most harmful act inflicted upon themselves by the Tigers until the Mullivaaikkal military debacle. Not only the Tigers but all Sri Lankan Tamils by extension were affected. I was in Jaffna when the IPKF-LTTE fighting began on October 10, 1987. I saw the atrocities and civilian killings first hand. When I returned to Colombo and exposed these in The Island I was arrested and detained on the fourth floor. I was also charged in courts but ultimately cleared by courts of any alleged offence. It was this matter and consequent harassment that followed, which made me leave Sri Lanka at the time. There was a time when my relationship with the Indian High Commission people in Colombo was excellent. I was the Hindu correspondent for Sri Lanka then. Other Indian journalists used to call me the blue-eyed boy of the IHC. Yet my relationship soured because I criticised the IPKF, some aspects of the Indo-Lanka accord and Rajiv Gandhi. I was even fired by the The Hindu for trying to expose IPKF rapes. I was for some time very bitter about Rajiv Gandhi and the Indian role in Sri Lanka. But time changes things. Rajivs assassination was a shock. However much one may be critical of a person no decent human being would want that person to die or worse still be killed in this gruesome fashion. Rajiv was the great grandson of Mothilal Nehru, the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru and the son of Indira and Feroze Gandhi. He belonged to what was modern Indias greatest political dynasty. Yet he was reluctant to enter politics. It was the plane accident that killed his brother Sanjay, which made Rajiv enter politics. Otherwise he would have been quite content to be flying planes. His mothers assassination catapulted him into the Prime Ministers seat.it is a historic irony that the man interested in politics got killed when flying a plane thus compelling the brother who was a professional flyer to be reluctantly thrust into politics which ultimately killed him. Rajiv was Indias Darling I was in India covering the momentous election of Dec 1984 when Rajiv Gandhi won with a landslide. It was the biggest margin of victory enjoyed by the Congress till then. With his handsome features and attractive smile Rajiv was Indias darling. He brought modern methods into politics. Initially Rajiv with Arun Nehru and Arun Singh formed a trio at the helm. The three Ps they were called (Pilotwalla, Polishwalla and Paintwalla). After Rajiv Gandhi became premier he brought about two praiseworthy political settlements in the domestic sphere. One was the pact with Punjab Sikhs and the other the accord with Assamese student activists. It was in the wake of these agreements that he accelerated efforts to resolve the Sri Lankan crisis. He was a man in a hurry and people in a hurry often make mistakes. He removed veteran Gopalswamy Parthasarathy and sent the high flying Romesh Bhandari as his special envoy to Colombo. Rajiv made a significant departure from his mothers strategy when he brought in the militants for talks. Indira and GP had kept the militants out and relied on the TULF alone for negotiations. Five militant groups were kept on par with the TULF at the 1985 Thimphu talks. Being in a hurry, the originally envisaged extended time frame of the staggered ceasefire was telescoped into a short duration. The talks failed but not due to this reason alone. Later Rajiv got into a huff with foreign secretary AP Venkateshwaran which led to the latters resignation. This was a great loss as APV was fully cognizant with the Lankan issues. Then came Natwar Singh, P. Chidamparam and even Dinesh Singh as emissaries. In Colombo it was High Commissioner Jyotindra Nath Dixit who did the spade work ably assisted by First Secretaries Hardeep and Lakshmi Puri. The Indian air drop that prevented Jaffna peninsula being overrun by the Lankan Army in 1987 was a matter of touch and go. Had Sri Lanka resisted the air drop of supplies by India things may have been different. India was not taking any chances and had made preparations for such an eventuality. De-facto Eelam Possible Even if a de jure Eelam had not come into being a de facto Eelam like that of Turkish Cyprus may have been possible. But the crafty Junius Richard Jayawardene knew when to bow his head. Jayewardene did this and New Delhi was happy. Negotiations were on and soon came the Indo-Lanka accord. It had its short comings but could have been improved if allowed to work. This was not to be. Rajiv won the worlds admiration and respect when he went to Colombo to sign the accord. The Tamils on the whole were happy then. I remember writing a piece Why Tamil eyes are smiling for the Island then. Rajiv had a nasty experience when a naval rating took a swipe at him with his rifle during the guard of honour. Rajiv saw it from the corner of his eye and deftly sidestepped taking the blow on his shoulder instead of head. When Rajiv returned President Venkatraman defied convention and came to the airport to receive him. The hazards of waging peace said Venkatraman aptly describing the situation. If that blow was fatal Indo-Lanka history may have been different. Then came the war with the LTTE. A confident Rajiv said It will be a short, swift strike. Our boys will be back home soon. How wrong he was! The IPKF-LTTE war dragged on. Tamil civilians suffered and many harboured deep antipathy towards India. Finally India was outsmarted when the LTTE aligned with President Premadasa to drive the third party out. Soon after Rajiv himself lost elections. The Bofors scandal had raised its head. Had Rajiv lived longer this issue itself may have been detrimental to his image. But that was not to be. The explosion at Sriperumbhudoor changed all that and the course of history. With the passage of time, my thoughts about the Indian role and Rajiv Gandhi too began to change. Looking at the predicament of the Tamils, I now feel that the Indo-Lanka accord with all its shortcomings would have been much better for the Tamils in particular and Sri Lanka in general if it had been allowed full implementation at the time it was signed. Indo-Lanka Accord The Indo-Lanka accord has provisions that changed Sri Lanka for the better. The accord recognized the reality of Sri Lanka being a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation and not a mono-ethnic, mono-religious entity as proclaimed by majoritarian hardliners .Likewise it negated the two nation theory of the Tamil ultra-nationalists. It also acknowledged the North-East to be the historic habitat of the Tamils and Muslims. The accord did not refer to the North and East being the homeland of the Tamils or being exclusively for Tamils and Muslims. The accord also brought about the temporary North-East merger subject to a referendum in the East. It afforded Official language status to Tamil. More importantly it brought about a scheme of devolution. The Provincial Councils were introduced because of the Indo-Lanka pact. The provincial powers had to be reduced due to the tricky situation of getting it past the Supreme Court without a referendum being stipulated. The final SC decision was five to four with three of those Judges voting in favour coming from the minority communities. The Indians had plans of enhancing devolution on a staggered basis. They had obtained an assurance in writing from JR Jayewardene to that effect. One of the changes envisaged was doing away with the concurrent list of powers or reducing it to a minimum. The 13th Amendment and its creation, the Provincial council have many flaws but it is the only political arrangement that addresses Tamil concerns reasonably in 73 years of post-independence politics in Sri Lanka. Pragmatic politics decrees that the attainable in the hand is worth two desirables in the bush. I remember the past vividly when former Indian High Commissioner JN Dixit, Political Secretary Hardeep Singh Puri and Information Secretary Lakshmi Puri were trying to convince me in discussions that the Indo-Lanka accord was the best possible deal that the Tamils could have obtained at that time. Historically it was the highest quantum of Tamil rights recognized by the Sinhala dominated state. Lets work it out and improve it further they would say. But I would have none of it then. Appapillai Amirthalingam Appapillai Amirthalingam and I were engaged in a heated argument once about the Indo-Lanka accord. I remember him repeating again and again, I am telling you from experience. The Sinhala state will never accept our rights without outside intervention. We need India to help us. If the Indian army goes off before our rights are ensured our people particularly those in the East and Wanni will be finished. Appapillai Amirthalingam & Sonia Gandhi Belatedly I realise the wisdom in those views. I too wanted the Indians out then. I was happy when the NE Provincial Council was dissolved. But what has happened now? After years of strife and sacrifice the Tamil people have not achieved anything tangible. It is with this mindset therefore that I think of Rajiv Gandhi nowadays. Though critical of Rajiv then, I realise now that he was trying to do the right thing by the Tamils and Sri Lanka. N. Ram the former Editor-in-chief of The Hindu was to tell me once that Rajiv Gandhi despite his blunders was genuinely sincere in trying to resolve the ethnic problem in Lanka. Other Indian journalists have also told me that Rajiv really felt sorry for the Tamils and wanted to usher in a fair deal for them. I also subscribe to these sentiments now. Sometimes we appreciate the value of things only after their loss or upon the verge of losing them. The 13th Constitutional Amendment is an example. Unless some urgent course correction is done by responsible sections the India-sponsored amendment and the political arrangements set in place face the danger of being irretrievably lost. Sri Lankan Tamil politicians who dream of a silk verti may lose even the cotton verti they are clad in now. It is in this bleak political environment that my thoughts dwell on Rajiv Gandhi and his vulnerable political legacy in Sri Lanka. Sonia Gandhis Letter Former Opposition Leader Appapillai Amirthalingams younger son Dr. Bhageerathan once told me of a letter written by Sonia Gandhi to his mother Mangaiyarkkarasi Amirthalingam. In that letter, Sonia had said her husband (Rajiv) and Mangaiyarkkarasis husband (Amirthalingam) had both lost their lives because they wanted the Tamils of Sri Lanka to live with equal rights and justice. Rajiv Gandhi born: May 21 The date of Rajiv Gandhis death has poignant significance for me personally. May 21st is the date of my birth. My birth and his death, which happened thirty seven years later, are inter-twined in my consciousness. Rajivs memory looms large on each birthday. Some people who wish me regularly on my birthday remind me of this. I think of him very often on my birthday. It is hard to believe that thirty years have passed since Rajivs death. Rajivs Political Legacy Let us remember Rajiv Gandhi on his 30th death anniversary as the man who wanted to usher in a fair deal for Sri Lankans in general and Tamils in particular. Let us commemorate him with the acknowledgement that the accord he signed on July 29, 1987 remains the best possible settlement to the Tamil national question ever made so far. Let us also hope and strive to ensure that Rajivs political legacy in Sri Lanka which is the 13th Amendment will endure the trials of time. (This is an enhanced version of an Article written for the DBS Jeyaraj Column in the Daily Mirror of May 22nd 2021". ) Owl rescue centres across South Africa regularly remove baby owls also known as owlets from cellular towers because of the danger to both the owls and the mobile operator technicians. Owl Rescue Centre recently announced that they rescued two baby owls from a cellular tower in Meyerton. Many people questioned why its necessary to remove the owls from the towers. After all, the owls went to a lot of trouble to carefully select a suitable home to rear their young. Danelle Murray, founder of Owl Rescue Centre based in Hartbeespoort, explained they never remove birds from their natural territory. However, in the case of cellular towers, it is better to remove and relocate owls to a safer environment. Murray said cellphone towers are a favourite nesting site for owls. The parents initially enter the tower at the topmost point of the structure through a pigeonhole or top door, that is often left open. The female makes her way down the tower all the way to the bottom to lay her eggs on the ground. The only way out is through the top pigeonhole, which is 15m to 30m back up the tapering column. The male hunts and provides food for the female and the baby owls. This scenario works fine, until things start to change and a risk develops for the family, she said. There are regular maintenance and upgrades at mobile towers which are done by network technicians from the mobile operators or sub-contractors. When these technicians see an owl family, they typically phone the Owl Rescue Centre. For people to work inside these towers when there are owls nesting poses a risk to the owls and to the technicians, she said. The technicians can accidentally step on an owlet when they enter the tower, or drop equipment down the tower that may fall on the owls. An upset parent can also attack a technician and cause them to fall or sustain injuries. The owls often sit on the step ladder inside a pitch-black tower. The technician may unknowingly place his hand on the owl while climbing up, which could prompt a reaction from the owl to grab and claw, Murray explained. If a technician had to get injured while performing his tasks or worse, fall down the tower the liability to the cellular company is huge. For safety reasons, technicians are not allowed to enter towers if any owls are found inside. The cellular companies have strict policies regarding wildlife nesting inside their towers. As part of these policies, technicians must immediately contact a designated, permitted, and experienced wildlife rescue entity for assistance if they see an owl inside a tower. Several contractors have access to these towers. This creates risks because of superstition, persecution, and trade of the owls. These owls are extremely vulnerable in this situation, she said. Another problem is that baby owls need to develop muscle strength to fly, which is a challenge in the narrow and tapering towers. Some, with a bit of luck, develop the skill to climb up the ladder and cables and make it out the top, but not all of them are this fortunate, Murray said. In the numerous rescues we have done inside these towers we found carcasses and remains of perished owlets. Now read: South African criminals are now burning down cellphone towers instead of just stealing from them The budget speech by Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to Parliament on 18 May 2021 had journalists scratching their heads. What did the Minister mean when he went off-script and said that our research and our survey of 10 000 people indicated that the market was not ready for a 50 MW threshold above which a generation licence is required, and that a 10 MW threshold would do? An article in Engineering News quoted Minister Mantashe as having said: There has been a lot of noise about this, but our research and our survey of 10 000 people showed overwhelming support for our move. The majority in the market say they are not ready for 50 MW. The issue of debating between 10 MW and 50 MW is an academic one. The reality is the market is not ready for 50 MW. This statement, however, stands in stark contrast to the stated public positions of business, industry, mining and labour associations representing over 25 000 companies in South Africa, and their workforces totalling literally hundreds of thousands of employees. Business Unity South Africa (Busa), the National Employers Association of South Africa (NEASA), the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Eskom, the Energy Intensive User Group (EIUG), the Minerals Council of South Africa (MCSA), the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of South Africa, and many other bodies, have all come out in support of raising the threshold above which a generation licence is required to 50 MW, and even higher. A further article in Engineering News reports that Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali, speaking on SAfm radio, lent support to calls for a raising in the licence-exemption threshold to 50 MW, and appealed to Minister Mantashe to listen sometimes to those in the industry who have indicated that a 50 MW threshold would be more appropriate. I think those are people who know better, they are involved in the industry, they want to invest, and we see no reason why government should not allow them to do that, Ntshalintshali is reported to have said. When queried about the research and the survey referred to by Minister Mantashe, including when and by whom the survey was conducted, the target audience, the questions, the statistics and the demographics of responses and respondents, there was a sudden back-track from the Ministers communication officials at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). The Ministers remark with regards the 10 000 responses refers to comments received by the DMRE in response to the Schedule 2 amendment of the Electricity Regulation Act Gazetted on 23 April 2021. Receipt of such comments by the Department is standard and for internal use only, clarified DMRE. An article in Business Day on 19 May 2021 subsequently reported this about-turn in its headline entitled: Mantashe now says survey of 10 000 didnt happen with regard to embedded generation. But the media, affected parties and the public were left wondering as to what the Minister actually meant, and where on earth did the 10 000+ responses in response to the somewhat obscure and technical notice published in the Government Gazette on 23 April 2021 actually come from? DMRE officials were rather coy on this, and the intrigue surrounding the matter deepened as further investigation by EE Business Intelligence has revealed a murky and more dangerous side to this unfolding narrative. Dear South Africa It has now been established that the 10 000+ responses referred to by Minister Mantashe (which actually totals some 16 000+ responses now) emanate from a somewhat dodgy website platform and company originally known as Dear South Africa, started by one Rob Hutchinson. After initially establishing Dear South Africa and its website in a private limited liability company, Rob Hutchinson explains that a need arose for a not-for-profit company (NPC), with three directors, to access about R1-million of grant funding from a UK-based donor. Hutchinson therefor teamed up with Ted Blom, a well-known energy commentator in the media, and Sandra Dickson, who ran an advocacy website called Dear Cape Town. Once established, the money from the UK donor was duly transferred into the DearSA NPC entitys bank account. However, the not-for-profit entity appears to have been something of a front for the business activities of Hutchinsons private limited liability company, which owned the real website assets, brands, trademarks and domains, and did the actual work of DearSA NPC. This, no doubt, resulted in some clear conflicts of interest. It is not surprising, therefore, that things turned sour, and there was something akin to the proverbial fallout among thieves. The business of Dear South Africa, under the cloak of not-for-profit, populist, participatory democracy, soon descended into acrimonious disputes and litigation surrounding access to the money. Reports in Media24, Independent Online and MyBroadband in February 2021 give further details of the sordid saga. In the meantime, the DearSA NPC entity appears to have disintegrated after Blom and Dickson fired Hutchinson, and the UK donor demanded its money back. This was apparently followed by litigation to unblock the frozen bank account, which finally resulted in a recent court order for the liquidation of the DearSA NPC. At this point, according to Hutchinson, it was found that the money in the bank account had disappeared. The so-called survey It turns out that 10 000+ responses to the so-called survey referred to by Minister Mantashe are actually individual emails, sent one-by-one (as opposed to a being sent as a consolidated petition), originating from a campaign on the Dear South Africa platform, that was set up and branded by an entity called the Energy Experts Coalition, a name inextricably linked and associated with Ted Blom. The Dear South Africa campaign in question was specifically set up so that responses submitted to the DMRE in terms of its call for written comments, appear come directly by email from the respondent, when, in fact, the responses come from a pre-canned form prepared by Dear South Africa and submitted via its website platform. A check on the website of the Energy Expert Coalition, shown on Ted Bloms LinkedIn page, indicates that the domain may have been hijacked by pirates based in the Fushan District of Yantai, Shandong, somewhere in China, next to the Chanfu Automobile Repair shop on Xinhai Street. When contacted to find out about his involvement in the particular Dear South Africa campaign in question, and the fate of the Energy Expert Coalition website, Ted Blom said: Our website manager has not followed instructions. That petition went out without my checking. He further says that the Energy Expert Coalition, under whose name the petition is sent out, is no longer operating or functional. Mind already made up? The real danger in all this is when an important draft amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, that will affect the investment of literally hundreds of billions of Rands by the private sector in South Africa, is reduced to a simplistic, populist petition or referendum. In his budget speech to Parliament on 18 May 2021, Minister Mantashe gave the impression that his mind was already made up regarding the amendment of Schedule 2. This despite the fact that the call for responses only closes on 4 June 2021, and that virtually all substantive responses from affected stakeholders would not even have been received yet. It is quite extraordinary for a minister of state to cite the unaudited and unverified output and responses of a dubious, third-party, online website platform, in a budget speech to Parliament, to justify preconceived notions of a 10 MW generation licensing threshold. This misconstrues the very essence and purpose of a serious public and stakeholder engagement on the draft amendments to Schedule 2. The critical thing now is that there should be transparent, rational, fact-based decision-making, taking substantial responses by affected persons and stakeholders into account, and that such decisions should not simply be based on preconceived notions supported by populist responses from a dodgy Dear South Africa campaign. Background to the draft amendment of Schedule 2 Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act lists various types and sizes of electricity generation installations that are exempted from the requirement to have a generation licence issued by the energy regulator, Nersa. Schedule 2 also endeavors to clarify the regulatory requirements for various power generation activities, including wheeling of power across electricity networks between generators and off-takers, and the trading of electricity. Schedule 2 is of particular interest and relevance to operators of smaller electricity generation facilities, including standby generators, off-grid generators and grid-connected generation applications such as industrial co-generation, distributed generation, embedded generation and self-generation facilities in the commercial, industrial, mining and agricultural sectors. Licensing and regulation of large, utility-scale coal, gas, nuclear, hydro, wind and solar power plants, may make some sense in view of their land and water use requirements, as well as concerns in respect of public health and safety, air, water and ground pollution, and CO2 emissions. However, licensing of smaller generation facilities in the range of 1 to 50 MW, such as a solar PV and/or wind power plant with battery energy storage, follows the same licensing procedures as that of a large 4800 MW Eskom coal-fired power stations, makes no sense, and represents a major cost and time burden that is both unnecessary and inhibiting. The DMRE is therefore proposing an amendment to Schedule 2 to raise the 1 MW threshold above which a generation licence is required in a grid-connected facility, to 10 MW. Organised business, industry, mining and labour, on the other hand, feel that this does not even nearly go far enough, and suggest that the threshold be raised to at least 50 MW. It is clear from a reading of the draft amendment to Schedule 2 that is it is a complex, convoluted and poorly drafted technical document, that needs to be carefully and knowledgably considered in order to understand the nuances and implications of the various clauses and changes proposed. The draft Schedule 2 therefor clearly requires substantive and motivated responses from affected stakeholders in some detail, and not simply a trivial one-liner response that is typically allowed on a general, petition-type website platform. Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act Now read: The big interview with Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe Many new private power plants are set to provide electricity to South Africas grid over the next few years. These include wind, solar, gas, and biomass power stations, all of which either form part of the Department of Energys Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers (REIPP) Procurement Programme or Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Programme. These power stations come at a time when state power utility Eskom has struggled to meet energy demand in South Africa with its own generating capacity. The power utility has been crippled by years of corruption and maladministration, which has led to delays in the construction of its new coal-fired power plants and a backlog in the maintenance of existing power stations. The latter have resulted in its generating units tripping often or being forced into shutdown. This has forced Eskom to implement severe load-shedding to prevent a national blackout. Load-shedding is not only an inconvenience to South Africans, but has caused damage to South Africas economy. The situation could have been even worse had it not been for addition of capacity provided by renewable energy IPPs over the last year. Energy minister Gwede Mantashe recently acknowledged the role played by these IPPs since Eskom was allowed to procure electricity from them in 2020. In his latest budget vote speech, Mantashe said that around 1,200MW of capacity was added to the grid from the latest bidding window of the REIPP procurement programme, and that another 1,000MW was expected to be added by the end of 2021. Examples of new stations which have been added to the grid include the 123MW Golden Valley Wind Farm in the Eastern Cape, which will provide more than 477GWh of renewable electricity each year. This is equivalent to the energy needs of 120,000 households. Others which were also added to Eskoms grid are the 33MW Excelsior Wind Energy Facility in the Western Cape, the 46 MW Aggeneys and 86MW Konkoonsies II solar plants, and the Kruisvallei small hydro power plant in Bethlehem in the Free State. Below are images of these recently added power stations. The departments IPP Projects website provides a list of IPP facilities which are still being constructed and due to come online before the end of 2021. A quick analysis of these showed that wind energy will account for a significant part of new renewable generation, with around 807MW more to be added this year. Notable projects include the 282MW Karusa and Soetwater Wind Farms near Sutherland in the Northern Cape. Another notable power stations is the R11.6-billion Redstone concentrated solar power (CSP) plant near Postmasburg, which will provide 200,000 households by 2024. Meanwhile, the Ngodwana Energy Project in Mpumalanga will use biomass from the Sappi Ngodwana Pulp and Paper Millto provide 25MW of electricity. These IPPs forms part of governments broader integrated resource plan, which will see South Africas grid increase its reliance on renewable energy to make up around a third of capacity by 2030. Under the plan, Eskom will be allowed to procure around 12,000MW of electricity from IPPs, including: 6,800 megawatt from renewable (wind and solar) sources. 3,000 megawatt from gas sources. 1,500 megawatt from coal sources. 513 megawatt from storage. Government has also announced a Risk Mitigation IPP Programme, which will allow Eskom to source 1,845MW of risk mitigation capacity to stave off load-shedding. According to its list of preferred bidders for the programme, the vast majority of this generation capacity 1,220MW will be sourced from powerships generating electricity by burning liquefied natural gas (LNG). These ships will be anchored and connected to the grid at harbours in Coega, Richards Bay, and Saldanha Bay. The other five approved bidders will use various hybrid solutions comprising different combinations of solar, wind, gas, and battery storage. The table below shows all of the new power plants which are expected to be added to Eskoms grid in the next two to three years, arranged by generation output capacity. Largest upcoming power plants in South Africa Project name Generation source(s) Location Expected operational date Output capacity Karpowership SA Coega Gas Coega, Eastern Cape August 2022 450MW Karpowership SA Richards Bay Gas Richards Bay, KwaZulu Natal August 2022 450MW Karpowership SA Saldanha Bay Gas Saldanha Bay, Western Cape August 2022 320MW Mulilo Total Coega Solar Gas Coega, Eastern Cape August 2022 320MW ACWA Power DAO Project Solar Gas Battery storage Groblershoop, Northern Cape August 2022 150MW Roggeveld Wind Farm Wind Sutherland, Northern Cape Q2 2021 147MW Oyster Bay Wind Farm Wind Humansdorp, Eastern Cape Q2 2021 140MW Karusa and Soetwater Wind Farm Wind Sutherland, Northern Cape Q4 2021 282MW Garob Wind Farm Wind Copperton, Northern Cape H1 2021 136MW Oya Energy Hybrid Facility Solar Wind Battery storage Matjiesfontein, Western Cape August 2022 128MW Copperton Wind Farm Wind Copperton, Northern Cape Q1 2021 102MW Redstone CSP Solar CSP with storage Postmasburg, Northern Cape Q4 2023 100MW Mulilo Total Hydra Storage Solar Battery storage Emergency diesel/gas De Aar, Northern Cape August 2022 75MW Umoyilanga Energy Solar Wind Battery storage Nelson Mandela Bay area, Eastern Cape August 2022 75MW Solar Capital Orange Solar Loeriesfontein, Northern Cape End of 2021 75MW Wesley-Ciskei Wind Peddie, Eastern Cape September 2021 33MW Ngodwana Energy Project Biomass Nelspruit, Mpumalanga July 2020 25MW Now read: Gwede Mantashe caught using flawed survey to defend 10 MW threshold Brand Finance Africas latest report has revealed that MTN is the most valuable South African brand with a brand value of R44.8 billion. What stood out in the 2021 report was the resilience shown by South Africas top brands amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The top 50 most valuable South African brands were initially forecasted to lose over R65 billion in cumulative brand value during the pandemic. However, resolve and resilience have meant the top 50 have only recorded an R8.8 billion decrease in cumulative brand value from R471.3 billion in 2020 to R462.4 billion in 2021. This resilience is especially evident in the recovery seen on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), which returned to January 2020 levels after just 15 months. South Africas telecommunications sector performed well and accounted for 18% R81.3 billion of the rankings overall brand value. This year MTN marked its tenth year at the top of the rankings as the most valuable South African brand, helped by its reach across Africa and the Middle East. Vodacom was ranked second. While it trails behind MTN, the brand continues to lead in the South African market whilst slowly spreading in Africa. For most, lockdown has increased our reliance on electronic devices to remain connected, and this will only accelerate with the introduction of 5G, said MD of Brand Finance Africa, Jeremy Sampson. MTN and Vodacom are perfectly placed for these developments, however smaller contenders will struggle and ultimately be squeezed out of the running. Telkom and Cell C dropped 4 places each in the latest rankings. Telkom is now ranked at 39 (down from 35) while Cell C is ranked at 44 (down from 40). The image below provides an overview of the most valuable South African brands in 2021. Top 50 brands in South Africa As for messages, I wonder how Koberstein would respond to Jesus Christ, my role model, if he were here today with his message Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Luke 11:46. Jesus also delivered unifying messages about love and peace. And I do too when that is what I am doing. However, right now I am battling political duplicity, not writing pieces for the Stars Thursday Pulpit. Koberstein instructs True lawyers know that when acting as a fiduciary - as our council members are with respect to city finances - there is a duty to safeguard city finances and assets and put them to use for the public benefit, the corollary of which is not to waste them. But how can we depend on that? In just the last 10 years we have had to repay $1.9 million dollars of misspent FEMA money, pay back some amount of over $2 million in billed expenses because the city charged to two separate grants from two separate agencies, thus getting paid twice for the same expense, pay a $290,177 fine for wastewater leakage, spent nearly $1 million dollars on assorted studies and consultations and bought a new $285,000 street sweeper. That is $5 million dollars of fiscal mismanagement. Local Workers Hospitality workers celebrate right to return to work CalMatters SB 93 guarantees about 700,000 laid-off housekeepers, cooks, waiters and bartenders an opportunity to return to their jobs. Antonio Rodriguez has worked at the Terranea Resort hotel in Palos Verdes since 2009. The caterer is proud and happy to say that he was among the first employees hired when the luxury oceanfront hotel opened. However, in January 2020, Rodriguez and hundreds of employees received the news that their working hours would be reduced due to COVID-19. By mid-March, they were laid off and by the end of April, they were told by letter that they were fired. They told us that we were no longer going to have medical coverage and that they were only going to pay it until the month of May, said the worker. In May, they sent us another letter saying we no longer had a job and we no longer had health insurance. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Rodriguez estimates that at least 600 employees were affected. Only the maintenance crew continued to work. Hundreds of thousands of California workers, including many in Napa County, are hoping they will benefit from the passage of a hospitality rehiring bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month. This is a great relief, employees say, for them to continue contributing to the states economic recovery. SB 93 guarantees the right to return to work for approximately 700,000 workers such as housekeepers, cooks, waiters, and bartenders, especially as the state targets June 15 for a full reopening. The loss of work was devastating for Rodriguez, who is the breadwinner for his family of five. Shortly after, he filed for unemployment, but the amount was so low that he had to withdraw a significant amount from his retirement account. All this makes you worry and gives you stress because we dont know anything, Rodriquez said. If the girls ask for something, you cant deny it to them because they dont know what is going on. Terranea Resort said in a statement that the staff reductions were necessary due to the negative business impact caused by the global pandemic. We are working diligently to recover our business, the company said in a statement. Terranea has already been recalling furloughed and laid-off employees since reopening and will continue to do so moving forward as business levels permit. New job protections More than a year after the pandemic began, 80% of hotel workers remain unemployed, said Ada Briceno, co-president of the UNITE HERE Local 11 union. Union officials said many employers, such as Terranea Resort and Chateau Marmont, laid-off workers who had made their hotels successful, without extending their healthcare or making no binding commitment to recall them during the worst health crisis in modern history. Under Californias new law, hotel industry employers must first offer jobs to their employees who were laid off due to the pandemic within a five-day period. From that point on, employees have an additional five days to accept or reject employment. Employers must now follow the law, Briceno said. They must have a record that this is going to happen and the workers can tell us. Its the latest victory for the union. Since last year, UNITE HERE Local 11 helped push through similar right-to-return measures in Los Angeles, Long Beach and other parts of Southern California. Similar protections have also passed in other parts of the country, such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Oakland and Boston. Health and financial damage For Minelda Hernandez, who worked as a cook for eight years at Terranea Resort, the loss of health coverage was difficult. Hernandez, who suffers from diabetes, said that in early 2020 she was fired from her job, and shortly after her health insurance was taken away. First they told us that they were going to give us health insurance for three months, but then they said no more (would pay it), said the employee. Now I am collecting bottles to have money to buy my medicine. Hernandez said that she tried to apply for Medi-Cal and food stamp assistance, but she did not qualify because her salary, prior to the pandemic, was above the median poverty level. Now only her husband is the provider at home that she shares with her 18-year-old son. I really need my job, my health insurance. I was always on time to work, assured Hernandez. It seems unfair to me that now the company is calling back people who have less seniority than me. When I call to ask if I can come back to work they tell me that there is still no job available for me. Rodriguez was also affected by the loss of his health insurance. He said that he was infected with COVID-19 in early January and was hospitalized for three weeks. In those days, one of his daughters also had to be hospitalized due to COVID and kidney failure. Now Im just waiting to see how much the hospital fees are going to be, Rodriguez said. And no matter how many times I apply to other jobs, I havent been able to find one. This is the reason why I am very happy that the law passed, The resort said the pace of rehiring will depend on demand. While we have permanently lost some positions, and it may take longer for some roles to return than others, we sincerely hope business levels improve to the point that we can offer additional laid-off employees the opportunity to return to our family again. Thanks to the bill, Hernandez received word that she got her job back. She returned to work today. We come from our countries for a better future, she said. We are not a public charge. We like to work and we want to return to our jobs. Workers in this industry who need more information about the law and their rights can send a text message to 877-877 with the word Job. This article is part of the California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequality and economic survival in California. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 24, 2021 2021/05/24 JoongAng Ilbo:The leaders of the United States and South Korea pledged to strengthen US-ROK alliance after they met in Washington on May 21. What is China's position on this? When will China have face-to-face summit with other countries? Do you have any plan for that? Zhao Lijian: We noted the relevant content of the joint statement of the US and the ROK and are concerned about that. We believe that the development of US-ROK relations should be conducive to promoting regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, rather than the opposite, still less harmful to the interests of third parties including China. The joint statement mentioned issues related to Taiwan and the South China Sea. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair. It bears on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and allows no interference by external forces. We urge relevant countries to speak and act prudentially on the Taiwan question and refrain from playing with fire. With regard to the South China Sea issue, all countries enjoy the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, and there is no problem with it. Relevant countries know these very clearly. As to international order, I want to stress that there is only one system in the world, and it is the UN-centered international order; there is only one set of rules, and it is the basic norms governing international relations with the UN Charter as its cornerstone. Neither one nor several countries are entitled to define what the international order is, still less to impose their standard on others. China always opposes relevant countries in creating small cliques targeting other countries including the "Quad" and "Indo-Pacific strategy". Such unpopular practice will not succeed and will only lead to a dead end. On your second question, I have no information to offer at this moment. CCTV: On May 21, President Xi Jinping attended and addressed the Global Health Summit via video link, putting forward five points on what needs to be done to strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation. President Xi also announced a series of specific measures that China would take to support global fight against the epidemic. There is a lot of attention on China's announcement of an additional 3 billion US dollars in international aid over the next three years. Can you tell us a bit more? Zhao Lijian: On May 21, President Xi Jinping attended the Global Health Summit via video link upon invitation and delivered an important speech. President Xi put forward five proposals and announced five major measures to promote international anti-epidemic cooperation, charting the course for an early victory over the COVID-19 and an early recovery of the global economy. It is of great significance for boosting multilateralism, promoting international anti-epidemic cooperation and leading the reform of global health governance system. First, President Xi shared China's anti-epidemic experience in all respects at the meeting. He stressed that to completely defeat the virus, we must put people's lives and health front and center, and truly respect the value and dignity of every human life. We should advocate the spirit of science, adopt a science-based approach, and follow the law of science. We must coordinate pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, balance targeted routine COVID-19 protocols and emergency measures, and ensure both epidemic control and socio-economic development. These ideas and propositions are warmly received as they have been proved to be effective in China's practice, and meet the needs of countries in the fight against the virus. Second, in the face of new challenges brought by the resurgence of infections, President Xi Jinping emphasized again at the summit that we humanity rise and fall together with a shared future. We must champion the vision of building a global community of health for all, tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation, and firmly reject any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus. Political manipulation would not serve COVID-19 response on the domestic front. It would only disrupt international cooperation against the virus and bring greater harm to people around the world. In fact, "solidarity" and "cooperation" are the most frequently used words in President Xi's remarks. He has made it clear that solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon to defeat the virus and that cooperation is like the sunshine that can dispel the dark clouds of COVID-19. Third, in response to the increasingly acute problem of uneven vaccination worldwide, President Xi pointed out that it is imperative for us to reject vaccine nationalism and find solutions to issues concerning the production capacity and distribution of vaccines, in order to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Major vaccine-developing and producing countries need to take up their responsibility to provide more vaccines to developing countries in urgent need. Multilateral financial institutions should provide inclusive financing support for vaccine procurement of developing countries. President Xi announced that China will provide still more vaccines to the best of its ability. China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them. Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter. China proposes setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. These tangible initiatives and measures demonstrate China's firm determination to engage in global efforts to tide over the difficulties and secure a victory over the epidemic. These measures will give a strong boost to international vaccine cooperation, bridge the "vaccine divide" and truly make vaccines a global public good accessible and affordable to people in all countries. China has achieved remarkable results in fulfilling its commitment to make vaccines a global public good, which stands in sharp contrast to certain country seeking selfish gains by means of politicization, stigmatization and "vaccine nationalism" in disregard of its due responsibility and morality. Four, President Xi Jinping stressed at the summit that it is important that we strengthen and leverage the role of the UN and the WHO and improve the global disease prevention and control system to better prevent and respond to future pandemics. It is important that we uphold the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, fully heed the views of developing countries, and better reflect their legitimate concerns. It is also important that we enhance our capacity of monitoring, early-warning and emergency response, our capacity of treatment of major pandemics, of contingency reserve and logistics, of fighting disinformation, and of providing support to developing countries. Five, President Xi called on the international community to accommodate the concern of developing countries and provide them with greater support through debt relief, development assistance and capacity building. President Xi announced that China would provide an additional 3 billion US dollars in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries. These measures have greatly enhanced the capability and confidence of developing countries in coping with the epidemic, and demonstrated the just stand of China to uphold justice and fairness and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. The practice of international anti-epidemic cooperation has proved that building a global community of health for all is the aspiration shared by people of all countries and the historical trend. It is the right way to address the common challenges of mankind and build a better world. China will join hands with the international community to deepen solidarity and cooperation, work together to overcome the epidemic, and make greater contributions to promoting steady growth of the world economy and building a global community of health for all. Bloomberg: There have been media reports over the weekend that three researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough that in November 2019 they sought medical care. Does the foreign ministry have a comment on this report? Does it have anything to add to China's previous comments about the origins of the coronavirus? My second question, Taiwan "foreign minister" Joseph Wu and "health minister" said the government is protesting not being allowed to join the World Health Assembly as an observer. Taiwan also urged the WHO to stick to professional neutrality and dismiss China's interference so that Taiwan can join the WHO meetings. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on these two questions? Zhao Lijian: Regarding your first question, the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of sciences has issued a statement on March 23. According to the statement, the Wuhan Institute of Virology had not been exposed to COVID-19 before December 30, 2019, and a "zero-infection" record is kept among its staff and graduate students so far. This January, the China-WHO joint mission made field trips to institutions including the Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control, the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and visited biosafety laboratories and had in-depth and candid exchanges with experts there. Through these field trips and in-depth visits, members of the mission unanimously agreed that the hypothesis of lab leaking is extremely unlikely. Member of the joint mission Peter Daszak said during an interview with American media that they were able to have in-depth exchanges with authoritative experts in the Wuhan Institute of Virology with a level of openness even he hadn't anticipated, when the claim of lab leaking was politicized on a global scale. The experts went to every place they asked to see, and met everyone they wanted to meet. The visit has been a great success. Meanwhile, I also want to point out that there are increasingly more reports on the virus and COVID-19 pandemic being spotted in various places around the world in the second half of 2019, and that the international community is highly concerned about the questions around the biological lab at Fort Detrick and the real intentions of the US' establishment of 200-plus overseas bio-labs. What is the real purpose for the US to continue to play up the so-called "lab leak theory"? Does it really care about the origin-tracing of the virus or just want to divert attention? We hope that the relevant departments in the US will make a clarification and explain that to the world as soon as possible. We hope that relevant parties will follow China's example, take a scientific and cooperative attitude, work with the WHO on origin-tracing, and make positive contribution to the humanity's early victory over the pandemic and better capabilities in dealing with public health emergencies in the future. On your second question, the Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations including WHO must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. This is a fundamental principle affirmed by the Resolution 2758 of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Resolution 25.1 of the World Health Assembly (WHA). Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came to power, it has placed its political agenda over the wellbeing of the people in the Taiwan region, obstinately adhered to the separatist position of "Taiwan independence", and refused to admit the 1992 Consensus embodying the one-China principle. As a result, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA has ceased to exist. In order to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and uphold the solemnity and authority of relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions, China cannot agree to the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA. This decision by China received broad-based support and understanding from the international community. By yesterday, over 150 countries voiced their support for our decision through diplomatic channels. Over 80 WHO members sent letters to the WHO to express their commitment to the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA. This once again shows that the one-China principle is the common aspiration and the fact that the overwhelming majority of countries hold a just and right position on the relevant issue. The DPP authority hypes up the so-called WHA participation issue with the true intention of seeking "Taiwan independence" by making capital of the epidemic. We firmly reject it. As has been proven time and again, the one-China principle is the overwhelming trend of the international community. The DPP authority's attempts will never succeed. We advise it to stop using the pandemic to engage in political manipulation and stop inviting humiliation. Bloomberg: Could you confirm it all that three people from the Wuhan Institute of Virology became so sick in November 2019 that they did go to hospital? Any more details? Zhao Lijian: I just made clear the position of the Chinese side citing the statement released by the Wuhan Institute of Virology on March 23. As a matter of fact, the Wuhan Institute of Virology had not been exposed to COVID-19 before December 30, 2019, and a "zero-infection" record is kept among its staff and graduate students so far. Therefore, the report you mentioned that three people at the Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill is totally untrue. Beijing Daily: The UN Security Council adopted through consensus a press statement on Gaza ceasefire on May 22. China holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council. Can you share more details on that? Zhao Lijian: As the rotating president of the Security Council for May, China, together with Norway, Tunisia and France, put forward the proposal that the Council should release a press statement on the Gaza ceasefire and worked for its consensus-based adoption by all membership. The members of the Security Council welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and recognized the important role Egypt, other regional countries, the UN, the Middle East Quartet and other international partners played in this regard. The Security Council called for the full adherence to the ceasefire and stressed the immediate need for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in Gaza, and supported the call for the international community to work with the United Nations on developing an integrated, robust package of support for a swift, sustainable reconstruction and recovery. The members of the Security Council reiterated the importance of achieving a comprehensive peace based on the vision of a region where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace with secure and recognized borders. China will continue to play its constructive role at the Security Council to promote the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel and to help realize a comprehensive, just and durable settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date. Xinhua News Agency: We noted that the official Weibo account of the United Nations, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization and the President of the World Food Prize Foundation all mourned Academician Yuan Longping. Overseas media and netizens also expressed grief at the passing of him, appreciating his outstanding contributions to promoting food security, poverty alleviation and improvement of the livelihood of people. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: Tributes have flooded in for Yuan Longping, a prominent Chinese scientist, recipient of the Medal of the Republic and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. This shows that his contributions to the development of hybrid rice in China and beyond have been widely recognized and highly applauded. The passing of him means a huge loss to China and the world, and he will be remembered and honored forever. In China, where rice is the staple, the annual planting area of hybrid rice has exceeded 240 million mu, with the increased annual production feeding an extra 80 million people. China has succeeded in feeding one fifth of world's population with less than 9 percent of world arable land, enabling the Chinese people to hold their rice bowl firmly in their own hands. This wouldn't have been possible without Academician Yuan's strenuous effort. While securing better harvests at home, we have also shared the hybrid rice technology abroad with an open heart and a responsible attitude, a process in tandem with China's opening-up. In 1979, China provided the very first hybrid rice seeds to the world. Today, after 40 years, Chinese hybrid rice are being grown in dozens of countries and regions in Asia, Africa and the Americas, with an annual growth area of eight million hectares. The four decades also saw Academician Yuan and his staff travelling to India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and the US, among other places, to offer advice and counsel to local researchers, and training over 14,000 professional personnel in hybrid rice for more than 80 developing countries through international training courses. These efforts contributed significantly to reducing hunger and poverty across the world. The high-yield rice has given so many a full stomach and hope for a better life. Academician Yuan's life is one of devotion not just to China, but the whole world. His lifelong dream is to see hybrid rice being grown across the world so that famine will be banished from the Earth. After creating a miracle of self-sufficiency in grains, China stands ready and able to make greater contributions to global food security governance. We are convinced that with the concerted efforts of all, Academician Yuan's dream will come true and our world will be free of hunger and poverty. China Daily: Japanese media reported that the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) admitted the other day that the gel masses found on the site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were indeed caused by leaked radioactive substances. As an uptick in concentration of radioactive substances was detected in the drainage pipe near the gel masses, analysts suspect that some of the leaked material has flown into the sea with rainwater, but TEPCO insists that the leakage has had no impact on the environment, a claim that has been questioned by many. How does China see this? Zhao Lijian: This is not the first or second time that a similar incident has occurred with TEPCO. Its preferred choice always seems to be altering data and concealing risks. As usual, it only admits to the truth when everything has been exposed and a hush-up is no longer possible. And no matter how shocking the findings are, it just attributes all to a sweeping pretext of "negligence" while leaving the disastrous consequences to the innocent public. It is deeply distressing to have such a company handle something that bears on global ecology and human health. Even more unsettling is the attitude of the Japanese government. Instead of redressing the mistake and preventing further damage, it allowed such egregious incidents to happen time and again and to make things worse, it made the highly irresponsible unilateral decision to discharge nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima into the sea in disregard of doubts and objection at home and abroad and without exhausting safe disposal means, disclosing all relevant information, or fully consulting with neighboring countries and the international community. Once again we urge the Japanese side to address the grave concerns of the international community, neighboring countries and its own people and prudently handle the issue in an open and transparent manner, bearing in mind its responsibility to international public interests. It mustn't start discharging the nuclear contaminated water into the sea before reaching a consensus with all stakeholders and the IAEA through full consultation. Shenzhen TV: Does China have a comment on the recent flare-up of tensions at the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia? Zhao Lijian: Azerbaijan and Armenia are both China's friendly cooperative partners. It is our sincere hope that the two sides resolve their differences and disagreements through dialogue and consultation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability so that people can live in tranquility. AFP: On Saturday, Lithuania said it was quitting China's cooperation forum with the Central and Eastern European Countries, calling the Chinese initiative divisive. Does China have a comment on this? Should we expect a retaliation from China? Zhao Lijian: China-CEEC cooperation is a trans-regional cooperation mechanism established at the joint initiative of China and countries in central and eastern Europe. It embodies our aspiration for win-win cooperation and shared development. Nine years since its launch, China-CEEC cooperation has yielded fruitful outcomes and delivered tangible benefits to the people of participating countries. In advancing cooperation, the principle of voluntary consultation, joint contribution, openness and inclusiveness is always upheld by all parties. We always see this mechanism as a useful and important supplement to China-Europe relations and welcome its cooperation with other countries and international organizations. Steady progress has been made in implementing the outcomes reached at the China-CEEC summit. Going forward, China stands ready to continue sharing development opportunities and cooperation outcomes with relevant parties to realize steady and sustained growth in China-CEEC cooperation. China-CEEC cooperation serves the shared interests of all parties. The mechanism has yielded fruitful results nine years since its launch. It will not be affected by sporadic incidents. With the concerted efforts of all member states, China-CEEC cooperation will surely deliver greater benefits to people in all participating countries. Beijing Youth Daily: As May 22 marked the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the UN, along with relevant international organizations, held a thematic webinar. Given that China will soon hold CBD COP15, what is the special consideration and significance of the above-mentioned event? Zhao Lijian: To mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Permanent Mission of China to the UN, the Secretariat of the CBD, and the FAO together hosted the thematic webinar "COP15: Road to Kunming, Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth" on May 21. Ambassador Zhang Jun, the Permanent Representative of China to the UN, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other guests attended and addressed the event. Huang Runqiu, the Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment, also participated in the webinar and updated attendees on the COP15 preparation. The meeting called on the international community to, with a sense of urgency, tackle challenges such as biodiversity loss, environmental deterioration and climate change, and foster a community of life for man and Nature. China will hold CBD COP15 in Kunming in October this year, which will adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to draw a blueprint for the protection of biodiversity over the next decade and more. This has drawn high attention from the international community. This event marking the International Day for Biological Diversity is held to update other parties on COP15 preparation and enable all parties to have in-depth discussions on biodiversity, win stronger approval for biodiversity protection and consolidate consensus and inject impetus into COP15. The Nikkei: The US and ROK presidents on May 21 agreed to end the flight range guidelines that limited ROK missiles to 800 kilometers. What implications will this have on China in terms of security and defence? Zhao Lijian: China's position on the Korean Peninsula issue is consistent and clear. Under the current circumstances, all parties should make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability on the Peninsula and push forward the political settlement process of the Korean Peninsula issue. KBS: On the ROK-US summit, do you have any comment? In particular, any comment on ROK companies' plan to invest $39.4 billion in the US to produce semiconductor and batteries? What's China's position on the appointment of Ambassador Sung Kim as the United States' special envoy for North Korea? Also the timing of President Xi Jinping's visit to the ROK has received much attention. Can you give us a clue? Zhao Lijian: I just elaborated China's overall position on the US-ROK joint statement. On your question about ROK companies' promise of investment in US semiconductor industry, I shall point out that in an era of globalization, the interests of countries are deeply intertwined. All countries should respect the laws of the market economy and the rules of free trade, and do more to ensure the stable and unimpeded global industrial chain and supply chain, and contribute to world prosperity and development. The ROK companies you mentioned also have a lot of investment in China and have close cooperation with China. I believe they will continue to play an important role in strengthening China-ROK economic and trade cooperation and moving forward bilateral relations. As for the appointment of Sung Kim by the Biden administration as the Special Representative for North Korea Policy, China supports dialogue and contact between relevant parties and all efforts that are conducive to easing tension and promoting cooperation. The settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue requires addressing the legitimate concerns of all parties in a balanced way. Relevant parties should follow the dual-track approach and the phased and synchronized principle to continuously advance the political settlement process of the Korean Peninsula issue. As for what you asked about President Xi's visit to the ROK, I have no information on that at present. CRI: Mikiko Matsuyama, a renowned ballet dancer who was the first in Japan to play the part of Xi'er in "The White-Haired Girl", passed away in Tokyo at the age of 98 on May 22. Would you like to offer a comment? Zhao Lijian: Ms. Mikiko Matsuyama is the Chinese people's old friend. Dedicated to deepening China-Japan friendship, she made important contributions to friendly exchanges between our two countries. We are saddened by her passing and extend our deep condolences. Ms. Matsuyama, founder of the Matsuyama Ballet, is a renowned Japanese ballet performance artist. Even before the normalization of relations between China and Japan, Ms. Matsuyama and her husband the late Mr. Masao Shimizu used to lead the Matsuyama Ballet to China for friendly exchanges. During those trips, they forged a deep bond of friendship with the Chinese people. In 1955, the Matsuyama Ballet adapted the Chinese story "The White-Haired Girl" into a ballet with Ms. Matsuyama as the heroin Xi'er. The ballet was staged many times in China and Japan and and was applauded by the audience in both countries. Last year, when China was going all out to fight COVID-19, the Matsuyama Ballet recorded a heart-warming video message expressing support for us. Ms. Matsuyama's contribution to China-Japan friendship will be remembered forever by both peoples. Associated Press of Pakistan: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan while chairing a high level meeting on the progress of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects stated that CPEC will not only bring economic prosperity to Pakistan, but also for entire region. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The Chinese side has noted and appreciates the relevant remarks made by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The BRI is an open and inclusive initiative for international economic cooperation, which aims to achieve common development of all countries by promoting connectivity. Since its launch, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as an important pilot project of the BRI, has made significant and positive progress in such areas as transportation infrastructure, energy, ports and industrial parks. At the same time, it is also actively reaching out to Afghanistan and other regional countries. This has not only boosted Pakistan's faster socioeconomic development, but also played a positive role in promoting regional connectivity. China is ready to work with Pakistan to boost the high-quality development of the CPEC and extend it to a wider region, jointly make efforts to enable the BRI to play a bigger role in improving people's living standards and promoting regional connectivity and economic integration. Global Times: It came to our notice that an independent inquiry published last week by the UK former supreme court judge John Dyson, revealed that the former reporter of Panorama, BBC's current affairs programme, had engaged in "deceitful behavior" to secure a landmark interview with Princess Diana. The reporter was suspected of lying and his behavior violated editorial guidelines of the BBC. Moreover, BBC "fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency" in handling this case, pressured the whistle-blower afterwards, and tried to cover it up. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: I noticed relevant reports, and what is said by Lord Grade, the former chairman of BBC. He stated that the BBC's cover-up had been worse than the reporter's behaviour, and questioned that "how many more cover-ups are there in the files of BBC journalism that we haven't been told about". Many people believe that if the BBC would stoop to deceiving a royal celebrity into an interview, it's not hard to imagine how much more ugliness and hypocrisy there is in its reporting when it comes to geopolitical and ideological issues. As a matter of fact, this media outlet that boasts about "independence" and "credibility" still plays its tricks of lying and deceiving, and goes even further. As is known to all, BBC fabricated and disseminated a large amount of disinformation against China, including Xinjiang-related issues. Like how it dealt with the Diana Interview, BBC, instead of reminding and criticizing its reporters for the behaviors that violate media ethics, covers up and even connives with them in total disregard of the principles and what is right. BBC owes the Chinese people a sincere apology. We also noticed that Britain's FCDO provides annual funds to BBC World Service, with an extra 8 million pounds this year to counter disinformation. We hope that the fund can be fully leveraged to sweep away the lies and disinformation fabricated by the BBC. Edaily: It is believed that China will hold commemorative events to mark the centenary of the CPC on July 1 this year. Do you plan to invite foreign guests to attend the events, for example, foreign ambassadors in China? Zhao Lijian: Indeed there will be commemorative events to mark the occasion. I don't have anything to offer at the moment, but we'll keep you posted. Reuters: There was a fighting on Sunday in Muse, a border town in Myanmar, across the river from Ruili in China. Is China concerned about fighting between Myanmar security forces and groups opposing the coup so close to its borders? Does China plan to take any new measures on border security? Zhao Lijian: I'm not aware of the specific situation you mentioned. China's position on the situation in Myanmar is consistent and clear. We do not want to see the bloodshed and conflict in Myanmar. We call on relevant parties to make efforts to prevent the situation from deteriorating or even getting out of control. China will maintain communication and coordination with all parties in Myanmar to make every effort to stabilize and cool down the situation as soon as possible. Prasar Bharati: I have two follow-up questions on CPEC. First, regarding the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan, what kind of communication China is having with Afghanistan? If there is any, can you provide details? Second, you said that CPEC will ensure the regional prosperity and connectivity. How do you see the regional prosperity in view of India's position that CPEC passes through the Indian territory illegally? Zhao Lijian: As for China's discussions with Afghanistan and other third parties on extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, I can tell you that China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been in communication through diplomatic and other channels. We have also noted that Afghanistan imports and exports relevant goods through Gwadar and Karachi ports. The three parties are discussing the extension of the highway and expressway in Pakistan to Afghanistan. As for whether the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor involves the Kashmir issue, China has made it clear on many occasions that the CPEC is an economic cooperation initiative, which is not targeted at any third party, has nothing to do with disputes over territorial sovereignty, and will not affect China's principled position on the Kashmir issue. Bloomberg: Just to go back to the the US-South Korean missile question that was asked earlier. The change that the US and South Korea have made means that the limits that South Korea faced when building missile limited them to a range of 800 km,that limit has now been set aside. So this puts major Chinese cities under South Korea's missile range. Could you the foreign ministry have a comment on that? Zhao Lijian: I have just made clear China's position. China and the ROK are and will remain close neighbors. At the same time, the development of US-ROK relations should be conducive to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, and should not harm the interests of a third party, including China. China always stands for maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula, realizing denuclearization of the Peninsula and resolving the issue through dialogue and consultation. China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard. AFP: According to Australia, Chinese-born Australian academic Yang Jun will go on trial on espionage charges on Thursday. Can you confirm it? Do you have any detail on this case? Zhao Lijian: China has made clear on many occasions its position on the individual case of the relevant Australian citizen. China is a country under the rule of law. China's judicial organs handle cases in accordance with law and fully protect the lawful rights and interests of relevant personnel. As for the specific situation you mentioned, I have no information to offer you at present. The long saga of the Mountain Peak application for a new 100,000-gallon winery with 14,500 annual visitors including mega-events at the end of the densely forested, 6.5-mile-long, dead-end Soda Canyon Road, a non-conforming Napa County Standards Road, was approved on May 18, 2021. It was a second review of one previously approved by the supervisors just before the 2017 Atlas Peak fire. This review ordered by the Napa County Superior Court asked the supervisors to consider the effects of these fires which destroyed 134 of the 163 homes in the immediate area and claimed lives. In granting their second approval, the supervisors determined that the fires provided no data compelling them to change their minds in spite of testimony after testimony by residents who could not escape because the single, flame-engulfed escape route was blocked by fallen trees while many more were airlifted by helicopters because they were trapped. If this were not enough, they disregarded the 1-mile-long limit Napa County standard for a cul-de-sac six times over. The supervisors were willing to ignore scientific data adopted by the National Academy of Science which shows that 84% of all fires are caused by human activity. Common sense would dictate that the more people are introduced in our fire-prone areas, the higher the likelihood of fire. But it didnt. NATO Secretary-General affirms willingness for cooperation with Russia Armenia Special Investigation Service charges political party member for giving electoral bribe Armenia Central Electoral Commission grants motion to launch criminal prosecution against MP candidate "I Have the Honor" bloc member: Coronavirus and 'nikolavirus' (Nikol Pashinyan) are both lethal Greek PM: Greece willing to back positive EU agenda for Turkey Russia Deputy FM, France Ambassador discuss settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict CoE: We are engaged in a dialogue to develop a set of confidence-building measures between Armenia, Azerbaijan Armenia 3rd President states when country's security system began to collapse Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff ex-deputy chief on acting PM's statement on his "National Hero" title Armenia Arevik National Park director dismissed for being a friend of Meghri mayor Reuters: Erdogan's summit with Biden clouded by bitter disputes Armenia acting MOD receives Head of ICRC Delegation Gagik Tsarukyan: Armenia needs to develop the economy by using resources of country and people Gagik Tsarukyan: Russia is Armenia's main ally, and this can't be altered Armenia MOD: Azerbaijanis try to carry out engineering works in Kut border section, Armenian side counters Armenia 1st President's nephew and his son involved in brawl in Yerevan Snap elections online voting starts, Azerbaijan continues 'trial' of Armenian POWs, Jun 11 digest Armenian former high-tech industry minister, member of ruling party on June 9 brawl in Yerevan Robert Kocharyan: If Armenia wants a peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict, it needs to give Azerbaijan hope Armenia acting PM: During campaign meetings hundreds of mothers thanked me for signing Nov. 9 document Citizens are demanded to applaud Armenia acting PM Armenia ruling party lawmaker, MP candidate: Civil Contracts election promises are continuation of 2018 promises Armenia villager to Nikol Pashinyan: Yard of Turk's house is in front of our military post Opposition Prosperous Armenia Party assures that it's not expecting ministerial positions Robert Kocharyan: "Armenia" bloc will restore and deepen country's ties with allies Czech Rep. parliament committee calls on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian captives immediately "Armenia" bloc member Armen Gevorgyan holds meetings with diplomatic corps and international organizations Dollar still dropping in Armenia Azerbaijan announces names of 26 Armenian servicemen it intends to "put on trial" Armenian publishing house to print 66,925,000 ballots for upcoming snap parliamentary elections "Armenia" bloc member: There are reports that over 10 police buses escorted acting PM yesterday Gallup: "Armenia" bloc records slightly higher indicator than ruling party Armenia acting PM has been obligated to publicly apologize to Khachatryan family "Armenia" bloc: Robert Kocharyan and ARF-D resolved crisis that Levon Ter-Petrosyan created in 1998 Intellectual Armenia Party to support "Armenia" bloc in snap parliamentary elections Armenia ruling party MP's powers terminated Brawl takes place during Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party's campaign meeting, case launched Armenia acting premier: We also have enclave under Azerbaijan rule Holy Etchmiadzin: We express regret for unwise, inappropriate statements of acting PM "I have the honor" bloc member: Armenia acting PM has instructed his voters to go to polls by afternoon Prosperous Armenia Party MP: Enemy does not divide Armenians into "blacks" and "whites" Bright Armenia Party leader: Acting premier will not be able to get 60% of votes Armenia acting PM: There are people in media who are more like "killers" than journalists Ex-President Kocharyan: 2009-2018 I did not agree with Armenia authorities on many issues Armenia has new millionaires Armenia President visits Russia embassy, meets with ambassador Artsakh search continues Friday for remains of Armenian soldiers killed in war Armenia ruling party election offices heads being paid by provincial halls? Armenia emergency ministry preparing for a new cooperation with USAID US, Turkey top defense officials discuss regional issues 95 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia G7 leaders pledge to share 1bn doses of coronavirus vaccine with world Armenia snap parliamentary elections online voting starts Trump tells Biden to give Putin his warmest regards Newspaper: Pashinyan is both Armenia acting PM and not Newspaper: Why is Armenia arms dealer released from custody? National Geographic officially announces 5th ocean Armenia MP candidate is detained Armenia Prosecutor General receives OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission's delegation France's Macron intends to discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh with Turkish counterpart Armenia 3rd President on Nikol Pashinyan: People look at him and say 'greetings, son of a b**ch' US Department of Commerce intends to impose sanctions against Armenia's Armenal aluminum foil producer/exporter Armenia 1st President recalls his "remedial secession" formula for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement "I Have the Honor" bloc to Armenian authorities: Let them try to use force or threaten anyone Armenia 2nd President: Everything that makes us Armenian has been destroyed over past three years Azerbaijan continues obscene farce, "investigation" into case of another 26 Armenian POWs is over Ex-governor presents situation in Armenia's Syunik Province Armenia 3rd President doesn't know why Nikol Pashinyan hasn't signed the pro-Armenian document he's talking about Armenia's Pashinyan: If I'm guilty, execute me, and I'll submit Armenia acting PM holds march with twice as many security and police officers in Vanadzor (PHOTO) Armenia acting MOD attaches importance to transparency of procurement and supplies in Armed Forces Remains of 4 more Armenian servicemen found and removed from Artsakh's Jrakan region Enigmatic incident takes places in Yerevan, semi-decayed body of man found under bridge Philip Reeker: Azerbaijani Armed Forces need to return to positions of May 11 Armenia opposition party leader says he's ready to form coalition with all forces, except for ruling party Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani side opens fire at military posts in border section of Gegharkunik Province Head of Armenia's Mission to OSCE: Goals of OSCE and CSTO serve as ground for their cooperation Azerbaijan shares documents on 8 Armenian POWs, COVID-19 in Armenia, Jun 10 digest Azerbaijanis open gunfire at military posts in Armenia's Gegharkunik Province for nearly 30 minutes Armenia acting justice minister expresses gratitude to US for supporting government's reforms agenda Philip Reeker: US will continue to press for the return of Armenian POWs and detainees Armenia 1st President: Russian peacekeepers won't leave Nagorno-Karabakh after 5 years Catholicos of All Armenians receives newly appointed Ambassador of Kazakhstan Armenia Parliament Speaker also attending ruling party's campaign meeting in Odzun (PHOTO) Zakharova: Russia makes essential contributions to post-war demining in Nagorno-Karabakh 160,000,000 children are involved in child labor around the world Dollar loses value in Armenia Biden, Johnson underscore close ties between US and UK Armenia attorney general forwards video recording of ex-FM's sensational statement to National Security Service Ex-President Kocharyan: Armenia must stand on its feet to conduct effective negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia 2nd President: Border with Azerbaijan needs to be constructed as soon as possible Armenia 1st President proposes to acting PM to publicize recording of their conversation about Karabakh Armenia President congratulates Portuguese counterpart on National Day of Portugal Iranian Ambassador to Armenia acting minister: Iran has already developed roadmap and timetable for joint programs People are brought in vans to Lori Province village for meeting with Armenia acting premier Karabakh rescue squad searching for remains of deceased servicemen in Fizuli and Jabrayil Karabakh President appoints new chief of staff Armenia 1st President doesn't rule out formation of coalition with Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan after elections Armenia former President Kocharyan: Only way to work with external partners is being straightforward, honest Acting US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs visits Armenian Genocide Memorial Fourth Edition of 'Ancient Israel' Book Available Early June NEWS PROVIDED BY Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) May 24, 2021 WASHINGTON, May 24, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) has a fully revised and updated edition of "Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple" coming soon in early June. A seminal title first introduced in 1988 by BAS founding editor Hershel Shanks, it has sold more than 30,000 copies. This fourth edition, edited by John Merrill and Hershel Shanks, has been completely updated to survey more than a millennium of Israel's history from the ancestral narratives through the cataclysmic Roman destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 456 pages of authoritative, accessible text, and accompanied by pictures, charts, and other images. Leading international scholars including Manfred Bietak, Melody Knowles, Andre Lemaire, Eric Meyers, and Gary Rendsburg, contributed individual chapters. Renowned scholars Andrea Berlin and Jennie Ebeling also provided fresh new material on the roles of women in ancient Israel, offering valuable additional perspective. "Ancient Israel" has been used extensively as a college textbook, as well as an introductory course and reference resource for readers seeking a solid, reliable history of ancient Israel. The new edition has both print and digital versions. Order from the BAS online store at www.biblicalarchaeology.org/ai or call 1-800-221-4644, ext. 2. Quantity discounts are available. The Biblical Archaeology Society and its flagship magazine "Biblical Archaeology Review" offer both scholars and general readers relevant, current and historical information on developments in Israel and its environs. Visit the BAS website at www.biblicalarchaeology.org. SOURCE Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) CONTACT: Marek Dospel, 202-364-3300 ext. 208, mdospel@bib-arch.org We will definitely run in the elections; I will make an announcement today. Samvel Babayan, former defense minister and commander of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Defense Army and ex-Secretary of the Artsakh Security Council, on Monday told this to reporters, in connecting with the snap parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia on June 20. "If we do not want to () destroy the country at all, that is why we are entering the [electoral] process to be the 'middle line,' so to speak, and not allow bloodshed; but everything is going toward it," Babayan added. Asked whether there is any political force with which he will rule out any collaboration , Babayan responded: "I do not rule out collaboration with any force. As for the participation of the three [former] presidents in the electoral process, the public will decide whether to give them a chance to govern or not." And commenting on vote-buying, Samvel Babayan said as follows, in particular: "It is clear that [vote-buying] money is being distributed and will be distributed. (). No one except the state body can get in the way of vote-buying." Manifesting its purpose to Orchestrate a brighter world, NEC Corporation India (NEC India), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has stepped up efforts towards COVID-19 relief initiatives in India. The organization is channeling INR 10 crores to support employee well-being and community welfare in the fight against the pandemic. Guided by the NEC Way, NEC has always placed high priority on social values such as safety, security, fairness, and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world. The initiatives reaffirm the brands promise to enable a better future for all. The NEC India COVID Task Force is supporting employees and their families across India by providing real-time details about hospitals, ICU beds, plasma donors, and access to medication and 24/7 online medical consultation. NEC India is also providing timely updates of patients, procurement/ circulation of oxygen concentrators and five days of wellness leave for its employees.To further protect employees, the organization is providing an enhanced medical insurance policy one of the best in the industry that covers COVID-19. In addition, the company has pledged to undertake CSR initiatives to aid COVID relief efforts in the country. This includes donation of oxygen generating plants in rural hospitals;contribution of 100 oxygen concentrators to the needy; sponsoring ICU beds in rural hospitals, and efforts to start crematorium to handle the unexpected COVID pressure. NEC is committed to support other local communities and augment medical infrastructure in different states. Mr. Aalok Kumar, President and Chief Executive Officer, NEC Corporation India, said, As India grapples with the relentless wave of the pandemic, it is our responsibility to come forward to help and support the people and community at large. We share the pain, and we are grateful for the resilience shown by the frontline workers as well as our team members during these testing times. NEC has had a presence in India for the last seven decades and our teams have played an instrumental role in improving the lives of all. Mr Kumar added, NEC India grieves with the families of those taken by this illness. The loss of human life is immeasurable, especially for our organization that functions like a family. For family members of our on-roll and off-roll employees who have passed from COVID-19, we will provide one year equivalent salary as additional support. We hope our continued efforts will help ease on-ground pressures on the healthcare and other essential infrastructure. We will continue to stand in solidarity with frontline workers and those impacted across the country, and together we will overcome these difficult times. As a people-first organization, NEC has always placed employee wellness at the front. To help our staff emerge stronger from the pandemic, the organization is nurturing a people-centric work environment, embedding empathy, understanding and resilience in ways of working. Several initiatives, by way of online resilience programs, expert consultations, workshops on anxiety management etc., have been rolled out to help employees stay positive and manage work-life balance amidst these difficult times.Staying true to its commitment of timely appraisals, bonuses, promotions and no layoffs,NEC India has brought forward its increment payroll cycle with immediate effect. Earlier this year, the company also launched a fully sponsored inoculation program for their employees and their declared dependents in alignment with Government guidelines. The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Peter Bowness believes that the incident with the landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk and the arrest of one of the founders of the opposition NEXTA Telegram channel Roman Protasevich is beyond the bounds of what is permissible. Bowness tweeted that the outrageous, reckless, and dangerous actions of the Belarusian authorities, who forced the plane to land, go beyond what is permissible. They not only unnecessarily endangered the lives of almost 200 people on the plane, but they could also be in violation of the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Aviation, he said. According to the head of the OSCE PA, the fact that Protasevich was detained as a result raises serious concern about the freedom of the media in Belarus. He called for the immediate release of Protasevich and resolute international response to the republic's actions. The incident is clear evidence that the Belarusian government is willing to defy international opinion in pursuit of its sole goal of eliminating opposition and retaining power, Bowness wrote. Tech Mahindra announced the roll out of COVID Support Policy for families of employees succumbing to COVID. The special HR policy will provide job, learning and development, and educational opportunities to immediate family members of employees who succumb/ have succumbed to COVID on or after 1st April 2020. The COVID Support Policy will provide benefits, in addition to the support Tech Mahindra already gives through life insurance, medical insurance and other statutory benefits in line with policies and local laws across the globe. All of these can be availed by immediate family (spouse, parents, children and siblings up to 21 years of age). Given below are some key highlights of the policy Job opportunities at Tech Mahindra for family members eligible to be employed based on fulfilment of key criteria Opportunity to upskill through Tech Mahindra Learning Resources & career counselling to enable the family to earn sustainable income to support their livelihood Reimbursing education expenses upto standard 12 th or equivalent for the children of the associate/s who have succumbed to COVID or equivalent for the children of the associate/s who have succumbed to COVID Grief counselling by expert counsellors for families to ensure wellness support and assistance, should they feel the need for the same Harshvendra Soin, Global Chief People Officer & Head Marketing, Tech Mahindra, said, People are at the heart of everything we do, and as a part of our commitment towards helping the Tech Mahindra family and the society at large ride over these difficult times, we are rolling the COVID Support Policy to ensure a sustainable income and livelihood for families of our associates who succumb/ or have succumbed to COVID. As part of our #ResolveToRISE initiative, we pledge to continue to stand together with our associates and their families to help them get through these difficult times. As part of Tech Mahindras initiative, #ResolveToRISE, Tech Mahindra has a 360-degree approach to employee well-being with a huge emphasis on mental health and wellness program. The company recently appointed a Wellness Officer to institutionalize holistic wellness of all employees, partners, and vendors amidst the COVID crisis. Additionally, Tech Mahindra has collaborated with leading hospitals to convert some of its campuses into COVID care units and has also launched an exclusive COVID-19 vaccination drive for its employees and their dependent family members across India. Further, the company will also be covering the cost of vaccination for its employees globally, including the third-party employees. As the country continues its battle against COVID-19, ZTE, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, has adopted various key measures to provide aid and support for the wellbeing of its employees in India. In an effort to combat the ongoing pandemic swiftly, a COVID Review Team, consisting of ZTE India senior management, has been formed to accommodate and drive employee COVID welfare actions. This team assesses the number of active cases and patterns among staff on a daily basis in order to support them. As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, putting a strain on the countrys healthcare sector, ZTE India has secured an Exclusive COVID Insurance for its employees. This insurance will cover the costs of hospitalization and home isolation. This policy supplements the existing Group Mediclaim Coverage Policy for employees and their families. Additionally, the company has extended Doctor on Call services to its employees in an attempt to aid them and offer emergency assistance to anyone affected with the virus at a significantly reduced fee. The organization has also established a Help Desk for employees and their families to seek assistance with issues such as medicine, oxygen, and hospital beds. As a token of moral support to affected employees or family members, ZTE is providing Healthy India-Healthy ZTE safety hygiene kits to assist them with the comfort of togetherness. Under the Healthy ZTE-Healthy India effort, the company has launched its Get Vaccination programme to encourage employees and their families to get vaccinated. The company would cover the cost of vaccination for its employees. The organization has set up oxygen concentrators at various locations and intends to bring more as needed by its staff. Furthermore, a stock of oxygen canisters has been procured at various location offices for mildly affected employees or their families. Commenting on the initiatives, Ashoka Li, Chief Executive Officer, ZTE India, says, We at ZTE have always believed in the holistic development of our employees and community as a whole. Our employees wellbeing is our primary concern, and the company will support and assist them at every step of the way. To ensure that everyone can cope with the pandemic-induced stress, the organization is also providing its afflicted staff with COVID-related medications and psychological counselling. Along with it, ZTE India is sending out regular updates and awareness mails to its staff. These mails are distributed to promote the culture of Dos and Donts throughout and POST COVID recovery. Israeli businesses lost 1.2 billion shekels ($ 368 million) during the 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas, Reuters reported. The Israel Producers Association, which represents some 1,500 firms and 400,000 workers, said the losses were mostly due to employees choosing to stay home due to the near-continuous rocket fire from Gaza. According to the association, about a third of workers were absent from work in southern Israel and about 10% stayed at home in areas closer to the center of trade in central Israel. This has led to a significant decline in industrial production, lower sales, and direct damage to income, the statement said. The Israeli government has yet to release an estimate of the damage from the May 10-21 conflict. Israel's central bank estimates that during the last major fighting between Israel and Hamas in 2014, which lasted seven weeks, the country's economy suffered 3.5 billion shekels, plus much the same damage was done to the tourism sector. Ron Tomer, president of the association, called on the government to create a permanent compensation scheme that would more effectively help businesses in future rounds of hostilities. Israel's economy is beginning to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, with official data showing that the unemployment rate stood at 7.9% in April, while other data signals a surge in job vacancies. Growth is expected to be 4-7% in 2021, after a 2.6% decline in 2020. Sweid & Sweid, a Dubai-based developer, has officially unveiled plans for its second project in the US, an expansive residential development located in Austin, Texas. When complete, Double Creek II will feature 372 one and two-bedroom Class-A apartments distributed across three buildings on a land area of more than 15 acres. The project announcement follows the successful delivery of The Haywood, which is due to deliver its first units this May and is Sweid & Sweid's first development in the US. The Haywood too houses 372 residential units and is located adjacent to the Double Creek II site, stated the Emirati developer. Upon initial offering, Double Creek II has been very well received by all stakeholders involved with the project, remarked Maher Sweid, Managing Partner of Sweid & Sweid. It was driven both as a result of The Haywood's success, and a continued appetite for investment into the burgeoning Austin housing market, he noted. "Interest in our first US project, The Haywood, certainly exceeded our initial expectations, and Double Creek II has surpassed those levels," observed Sweid. "With Double Creek II, we are delivering a product that meets the requirements of the residential market in South Austin, which is currently undersupplied, due in part to some hugely significant recent corporate relocations," he added. Double Creek II targets the growing white-collar workforce currently relocating to Austin, attracted by employment opportunities, cultural and lifestyle offerings. The corporate line-up in Austin reads like a who's who of globally renowned US tech firms, with Giga Texas, a Tesla Gigafactory scheduled to complete towards the end of 2021, an Apple Campus (with the capacity to accommodate 15,000 employees), as well as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and the new Oracle Headquarters. In the last 12 months, more than 36,000 jobs were created in Austin, and the city boasts the lowest unemployment rate (5.3%) in the whole of Texas. With the creation of 44,000 jobs forecast during 2021, employment prospects for Austin look set to remain robust. Tom Arnold, Managing Director of Sweid & Sweid America, said: "The US housing market has been something of a bright spot during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the multifamily asset class performing well and projected to continue to deliver exceptional returns." "With Austin continuing to grow from an economic and demographic perspective, Double Creek II is well positioned to capitalize on the strength of this market by delivering the right product at the right time, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Here is a list of the revelations Prince Harry has shared with the public about royal life throughout the years, from his 21st birthday interview to his most recent podcast interview. Although Prince Harry has been making headlines his year for giving insight into his life as a royal in two explosive interviews, he has actually been candid about his life throughout the years. Unlike most royals, Prince Harry has always been very upfront about his feelings toward royal life and how the media treats him and his family. The revelations below demonstrate some of Prince Harry's feelings over the years. Prince William and Prince Harry pictured discussing their mother's legacy, 2007. | Photo: Getty Images HIS DISLIKE OF THE MEDIA Prince Harry has been open about his dislike for the media and explained how it contributed to his family moving to the USA. However, even at 21 years old, he knew how toxic it could be. In an interview for his 21st birthday in 2005, he criticized the media's intrusion into his life, as he told the reporter that he was unable to inform readers of the truth when media outlet produced lies: "There is truth and there is lies and unfortunately, I cannot get the truth across because I don't have my own column in the paper." Prince Harry pictured at the Betfair Weekend 'King George IV and Queen Elizabeth Stakes' race day, 2011, Ascot, England. | Photo: Flickr ON THE PRESS However, although admitting that he does not appreciate the press and the articles written about him, Prince Harry said in his 21st birthday interview that he does read them as he said: "[Press reports] still upset me and I still read them. Why? I do not know, but I have to read them just for peace of mind, just to know what they've written." ON LIFE IN THE ARMY Prince Harry served in the army on the frontline in Afghanistan for two tours. Throughout his military career, he was very outspoken about him being seen as a normal soldier and not as a royal family member, as he said in 2013: "I don't think there's anything wrong with us being shot at as well. People back home have issues with that, but we're not special - the guys out there are." Prince Harry pictured receiving a flying badge after completing The Operational Training Phase of the Army Air Corps Pilots Course. | Photo: Getty Images ON HIS NAME During an interview on "Good Morning, American" in 2016, Prince Harry touched on his nickname Captain Wales and how he knew he would get to a stage where he would have to be Prince Harry. He shared: "Despite the fact that I always wanted to be Capt. Wales, treated the same and the same uniform as everybody else, that acceptance, the power that the name has." THE DUKE OF SUSSEX STEPS BACK In 2020, Prince Harry announced he and his wife would be stepping back from the royal family. A decision which he did not make lightly, and he felt it was the only opinion. He said of his family's move away from the royal family: "There really was no other option. What I want to make clear is were not walking away, and we certainly arent walking away from you." CONTINUING HIS WORK During the same speech mentioned above, Prince Harry explained to the public that he was committed to serving the Common Wealth and honoring his previous commitments despite that not being possible. The Duke stated: "Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasnt possible." FEELING TRAPPED Prince Harry spoke candidly about his life as a royal family member during his and Markle's revealing discussion with TV personality Oprah Winfrey in March. He described feeling trapped within the royal family system as he said: "I was trapped but I didn't know I was trapped. Trapped within the system like the rest of the family." LIVING IN A ZOO During a recent interview on the podcast, "Armchair Expert" with actor Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, Harry explained what his life looked like as a royal, who was constantly watched by the press: "It's a mix between The Truman Show and being in a zoo.. I think the biggest issue for me was that being born into it, you inherit the risk that comes with it." MORE FREEDOM Prince Harry opened up and shared that he has felt freer since moving to the US over a year ago. Harry, Markle, and their son Archie are located in Santa Barbara, and Harry said this about the change: "Living here now, I can actually lift my head and I feel different. My shoulders have dropped, so has hers, and you can walk around feeling a little bit more free." It is unusual for members of the royal family to speak so openly about their feelings toward the family. However, Prince Harry and Markle have broken the mold by speaking out about their experiences and how it affected their mental health. They both shared insight into their lives while talking to Winfrey earlier this year. Harry opened up further when he appeared on Shepard's podcast this May. The Duke also has a Docuseries coming out this May called, "The Me You Can't See." Columbia Engineering team builds first hacker-resistant cloud software system New York, NY--May 24, 2021--Whenever you buy something on Amazon, your customer data is automatically updated and stored on thousands of virtual machines in the cloud. For businesses like Amazon, ensuring the safety and security of the data of its millions of customers is essential. This is true for large and small organizations alike. But up to now, there has been no way to guarantee that a software system is secure from bugs, hackers, and vulnerabilities. Columbia Engineering researchers may have solved this security issue. They have developed SeKVM, the first system that guarantees--through a mathematical proof--the security of virtual machines in the cloud. In a new paper to be presented on May 26, 2021, at the 42nd IEEE Symposium on Security & Privacy, the researchers hope to lay the foundation for future innovations in system software verification, leading to a new generation of cyber-resilient system software. SeKVM is the first formally verified system for cloud computing. Formal verification is a critical step as it is the process of proving that software is mathematically correct, that the program's code works as it should, and there are no hidden security bugs to worry about. "This is the first time that a real-world multiprocessor software system has been shown to be mathematically correct and secure," said Jason Nieh, professor of computer science and co-director of the Software Systems Laboratory. "This means that users' data are correctly managed by software running in the cloud and are safe from security bugs and hackers." The construction of correct and secure system software has been one of the grand challenges of computing. |Nieh has worked on different aspects of software systems since joining Columbia Engineering in 1999. When Ronghui Gu, the Tang Family Assistant Professor of Computer Science and an expert in formal verification, joined the computer science department in 2018, he and Nieh decided to collaborate on exploring formal verification of software systems. Their research has garnered major interest: both researchers won an Amazon Research Award, multiple grants from the National Science Foundation, as well as a multi-million dollar Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract to further development of the SeKVM project. In addition, Nieh was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for this work. Over the past dozen years, there has been a good deal of attention paid to formal verification, including work on verifying multiprocessor operating systems. "But all of that research has been conducted on small toy-like systems that nobody uses in real life," said Gu. "Verifying a multiprocessor commodity system, a system in wide use like Linux, has been thought to be more or less impossible." The exponential growth of cloud computing has enabled companies and users to move their data and computation off-site into virtual machines running on hosts in the cloud. Cloud computing providers, like Amazon, deploy hypervisors to support these virtual machines. A hypervisor is the key piece of software that makes cloud computing possible. The security of the virtual machine's data hinges on the correctness and trustworthiness of the hypervisor. Despite their importance, hypervisors are complicated -- they can include an entire Linux operating system. Just a single weak link in the code -- one that is virtually impossible to detect via traditional testing -- can make a system vulnerable to hackers. Even if a hypervisor is written 99% correctly, a hacker can still sneak into that particular 1% set-up and take control of the system. Nieh and Gu's work is the first to verify a commodity system, specifically the widely-used KVM hypervisor, which is used to run virtual machines by cloud providers such as Amazon. They proved that SeKVM, which is KVM with some small changes, is secure and guarantees that virtual computers are isolated from one another. "We've shown that our system can protect and secure private data and computing uploaded to the cloud with mathematical guarantees," said Xupeng Li, Gu's PhD student and co-lead author of the paper. "This has never been done before." SeKVM was verified using MicroV, a new framework for verifying the security properties of large systems. It is based on the hypothesis that small changes to the system can make it significantly easier to verify, a new technique the researchers call microverification. This novel layering technique retrofits an existing system and extracts the components that enforce security into a small core that is verified and guarantees the security of the entire system. The changes needed to retrofit a large system are quite modest--the researchers demonstrated that if the small core of the larger system is intact, then the system is secure and no private data will be leaked. This is how they were able to verify a large system such as KVM, which was previously thought to be impossible. "Think of a house--a crack in the drywall doesn't mean that the integrity of the house is at risk," Nieh explained. "It's still structurally sound and the key structural system is good." Shih-Wei Li, Nieh's PhD student and co-lead author of the study, added, "SeKVM will serve as a safeguard in various domains, from banking systems and Internet of Things devices to autonomous vehicles and cryptocurrencies." As the first verified commodity hypervisor, SeKVM could change how cloud services should be designed, developed, deployed, and trusted. In a world where cybersecurity is a growing concern, this resiliency is highly in demand. Major cloud companies are already exploring how they can leverage SeKVM to meet this demand. ### About the Study The study is titled "A Secure and Formally Verified Linux KVM Hypervisor." Authors are: Shih-Wei Li, Xupeng Li, Ronghui Gu, Jason Nieh, John Zhuang Hui Department of Computer Science, Columbia Engineering The study was supported in part by National Science Foundation grants CCF-1918400, CNS-1717801, and CNS-1563555. Publication Details The study will be presented at the 42nd IEEE Symposium on Security & Privacy on May 26, 2021. LINKS: Paper: http://www. cs. columbia. edu/ ~nieh/ pubs/ ieeesp2021_kvm. pdf DOI: 10.1109/SP40001.2021.00049 http://engineering. columbia. edu/ https:/ / www. ieee-security. org/ TC/ SP2021/ https:/ / www. linux-kvm. org/ page/ Main_Page http://www. cs. columbia. edu/ ~nieh/ http://systems. cs. columbia. edu/ https:/ / www. cs. columbia. edu/ ~rgu/ https:/ / www. gf. org/ announcement-2021/ https:/ / www. amazon. science/ research-awards/ program-updates/ 2020-amazon-research-awards-recipients-announced https:/ / scholar. google. com/ citations?user= ma7i8i8AAAAJ&hl= en https:/ / shihweili. com/ https:/ / www. cs. columbia. edu Columbia Engineering Columbia Engineering, based in New York City, is one of the top engineering schools in the U.S. and one of the oldest in the nation. Also known as The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School expands knowledge and advances technology through the pioneering research of its more than 220 faculty, while educating undergraduate and graduate students in a collaborative environment to become leaders informed by a firm foundation in engineering. The School's faculty are at the center of the University's cross-disciplinary research, contributing to the Data Science Institute, Earth Institute, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Precision Medicine Initiative, and the Columbia Nano Initiative. Guided by its strategic vision, "Columbia Engineering for Humanity," the School aims to translate ideas into innovations that foster a sustainable, healthy, secure, connected, and creative humanity. This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed), a leading district cooling developer headquartered in the UAE, has announced that its board of directors has appointed Khalid Al Marzouqi as its new Chief Executive Officer. Al Marzouqi joins Tabreed from Dolphin Energy, where he was Chief Operating Officer Downstream, responsible for overseeing the entire Operations Downstream Division in the UAE. Prior to this he was Senior VP at Dolphins Technical Services Division. He also handled senior roles at the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea) and Adco. An industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, Al Marzouqi holds two majors in Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering. Announcing the appointment, Chairman Khaled Al Qubaisi said: "Al Marzouqi joins Tabreed at the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the company and brings with him a wealth of experience in the energy sector, where he has worked at the most senior levels." "With the recent launch of Tabreeds all-new corporate identity still fresh in our minds, the scene is set for this remarkable and progressive business to deliver on its ambitious plans, and I know Khalids considerable expertise will help drive us towards achieving ever more impressive results, he stated. Al Qubaisi also commended the outgoing CEO Bader Al Lamki for his steadfast belief in the company and his unwavering commitment. "Tabreed is bigger and more profitable than ever delivering a 24% increase in consolidated connected capacity, ensuring a 20% increase in revenues and playing a pivotal role in the acquisition of the Downtown District Cooling concession from Emaar; it being the largest DC M&A transaction in history," he added.-TradeArabia News Service US sanctions Ethiopia over Tigray crackdown US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the world needs to act on the Tigray crisis. File photo: AP The US government said it was imposing wide-ranging restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia over its actions in Tigray, as well as barring current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean government officials it deems responsible for the crisis. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Sunday the new actions by the United States are to press for a resolution of the crisis: "The time for action from the international community is now." Thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands more forced from their homes in the Tigray region since November after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) launched attacks on Ethiopian forces. Ethiopian troops and soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea have been accused of massacres and killings in their fight against the rebel group. The Ethiopian government's efforts to crush the TPLF rebellion have unleashed an ethnic witch hunt across the country, according to a Reuters investigation this month, which found Tigrayans have been arrested, harassed, sacked or suspended from their jobs, or had their bank accounts temporarily frozen. Blinken said the United States would continue humanitarian assistance and certain other critical aid to Ethiopia and would continue its existing broad restrictions on assistance to Eritrea. Blinken said the United States may withhold visas as well for "members of the security forces, or other individuals to include Amhara regional and irregular forces and members" of the TPLF it deems "responsible for, or complicit in, undermining resolution of the crisis in Tigray." He also warned that should those responsible for undermining a resolution of the crisis in Tigray fail to reverse course, they should anticipate further actions from the United States and the international community. Blinken said the parties "have taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities or pursue a peaceful resolution of the political crisis." Ethiopia says it is committed to investigating human rights violations and both Ethiopia and Eritrea have promised a withdrawal of Eritrean troops. The United Nations has said that war crimes may have been committed by all parties involved in the conflict. (Reuters) Michael Tien: antibody tests can help reopen border Lawmaker Michael Tien says a high rate of vaccination in Shenzhen could also open the way for more border crossings. File photo: RTHK Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien has called on the government to step up testing at the border including checking travellers for Covid-19 antibodies to encourage Shenzhen authorities to drop travel restrictions. Speaking on RTHK's Backchat programme, Tien said tighter measures for people arriving in the SAR from elsewhere in the world could reassure mainland officials that border crossings would not increase the risk of a fresh coronavirus outbreak there. "There is a process by which it will make the mainland feel very comfortable that leaked cases will be kept to zero," Tien said on Monday. "So testing during quarantine, plus antibody testing, is a stronger guarantee for having no cases leaked into the community. And if all the cases are found during the quarantine period it's OK with Shenzhen." Tien said Shenzhen was aiming for a 70 percent vaccination rate by July, further increasing the likelihood that Hong Kong visitors who were vaccinated would be allowed in without quarantine. However, speaking on the same programme, Dr Alvin Chan from the Medical Association questioned whether the mainland would be able to achieve such a high vaccination rate without inoculating children and more elderly people. He also said mutant strains of the virus could pose additional problems. "We don't know the efficacy of each of these vaccines against the new, mutant virus," he said. "I think that is why the mainland is very stringent in controlling the entry points, the ports. "That's why they don't open the border between Hong Kong and mainland China so easily. We have to bear in mind about the mutant strains and also the vaccines they are using, and also the age range they are vaccinating." The mainland initially began offering inoculations to key workers and only began adding elderly people in good health to its vaccination programme in late March. Most border crossings have been closed and quarantine restrictions have been in place since the early days of the coronavirus crisis last year. A period of relatively few Covid infections in the SAR has raised hopes of a travel bubble with Guangdong. The SAR reported two new infections on Sunday, one of which had no clear source. EU may shun Belarusian airspace after forced landing AirBaltic is the first carrier to announce it would no longer use Belarusian airspace. File photo: AFP The European Union is considering shunning Belarus's airspace and banning national carrier Belavia from its airports after Belarusian authorities scrambled a warplane and forced a Ryanair jetliner to land in Minsk to arrest a dissident. EU leaders strongly condemned Belarus over Sunday's incident, in which a flight from Greece to Lithuania was diverted and Roman Protasevich, an opposition-minded journalist who was on board the plane, was detained. Three Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said Belarusian airspace should be declared "unsafe" and that the 27-nation EU should close its airspace to Belarusian flights. Poland wants to suspend all flights between EU and Belarus until Protasevich walks free. "I will propose that all flights from Belarus to the European Union and back be stopped until this young man is released," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, during a news conference about 26-year-old Protasevich. A Latvian airline, airBaltic, became the first to announce it would no longer use Belarusian airspace, while France and Ireland said air traffic restrictions could be part of the EU's response. "Together with international partners, we will work to close the airspace of Belarus to international flights," said Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. But it was not immediately clear whether that would amount to a legal ban, who would institute or police it, or what the exact costs would be. A Brussels diplomat said the national EU leaders might end up only sending "a political signal" to avoid Belarusian airspace. French President Emmanuel Macron's Europe minister, Clement Beaune, called the plane's forced diversion "an act of state piracy that cannot be left unpunished", and proposed tougher sanctions against Belarus. Macron's office said the EU might also suspend ground transit links with Belarus. The summit will likely decide to tighten sanctions already in place against Minsk, where Lukashenko has been in power for 27 years. The EU has blacklisted 88 individuals and seven companies accused of "repression and intimidation" of people protesting against Lukashenko's victory in a contested presidential election last year. Lukashenko denies election fraud. The sanctions include a ban on travel to the EU and the freezing of any assets held in the bloc, including by Lukashenko and his son. "We could extend these sanctions to other officials," Beaune said, suggesting an airspace ban would be "reasonable protective measure because Europeans' lives were put at risk." The Brussels-based EU executive on Monday summoned the Belarusian ambassador, called for the immediate release of Protasevich and an international investigation into the incident. The EU has so far trod warily on imposing sanctions on Belarus because of the risk that it would push Lukashenko into even closer ties with Russia. Any EU sanctions require unanimity and usually take weeks, or longer, to prepare and negotiate between the 27 capitals. "It's not so easy to calibrate sanctions if you want to spare the population," a senior EU diplomat said on possible new measures against Minsk. (Reuters) India passes 300,000 Covid-19 deaths A relative in a protective suit performs last rituals at the cremation of someone who died of Covid-19. Photo: AP India passed 300,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths on Monday, with fatalities remaining high despite the country flattening out the number of new cases in its devastating pandemic wave. For several weeks the country of 1.3 billion has been hitting record daily rises in infections and fatalities that have overwhelmed its healthcare system. While the crisis has eased in major cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai, the coronavirus is still spreading in rural areas and southern states. "Deaths always will lag cases... People who have been diagnosed with infection now will go into hospital, and then a small number of them will die but that will be later," said Ashoka University biology professor Gautam Menon. India is now the third country after the United States and Brazil to cross 300,000 deaths. On Monday it reported 4,454 deaths in 24 hours the second-highest daily figure so far to take the total toll to 303,720, according to health ministry data. It added the last 50,000 deaths in under two weeks. But experts said the real numbers of deaths and infections, now at just over 26.7 million, were probably much higher than the official figures. The brutal wave has been accompanied by the emergence among coronavirus patients of thousands of cases of the usually rare infection mucormycosis, or "black fungus". The government has given figures between 5,424 and 8,848 for the number across India. It usually records fewer than 20 cases a year. (AFP) Crypto exchanges and miners in China are grappling with the aftermath of last Fridays notice from the State Council, which calls for a crackdown on crypto trading and mining in the country. Here are some of the results of the warning. Mining Chinese miners have been scrambling to look for overseas sites to host their mining machines following the State Councils warning that it may crack down on crypto mining due to environmental concerns. I have been having conversations all weekend, starting since last Friday, with Chinese miners looking to co-locate in the U.S., said Ethan Vera, chief operating officer at Seattle-based mining firm Luxor. All the Chinese miners that I know are reaching out, they are getting pricing and quotes. Related: This Isnt the Start of OPEC: New Bitcoin Mining Council Just Wants to Promote Greener Practices, Member Says While the Chinese authorities have yet to release any concrete plans to enforce the crackdown, some major crypto mining companies are already taking steps in response to the warning. Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi has shuttered its miner hosting services in mainland China. Crypto mining pool BTC.TOP suspended its operations in China and HashCow said it will stop buying new rigs. I think the consensus right now is there are too many uncertainties to tell if this is actually going to take place or not, Vera said. But there is for sure the risk of it. If China enforces the crackdown, the migration to hosting sites abroad could be costly and take a lot of time. Related: Of Course China Is Anti-Bitcoin: Look What Happened to Jack Ma There is not much idle capacity in major mining hubs such as North America and Kazakhstan, Vera said. He estimated the idle capacity in the U.S. is less than 30 megawatts in the entire country at the moment. To put the number in perspective, that is less than 1% of the hash power required to support all the mining machines that are currently in China, according to Vera. Story continues Chinese miners cannot move to these overseas sites and start mining right away. It would take between 60 and 90 days for a mining farm to build out another 10 or 20 megawatts, Vera said, noting the base rate for these hosting sites would be very high. So after moving it could take up to half a year before all that hashrate comes back online. In the long run, crypto mining will continue to exist in China but will shift from industrial-size data centers to home miners or small or medium-sized miners, Zhuoer Jiang, CEO of BTC.TOP said on Twitter. Jiang noted in his tweet that miner makers such as Bitmain would sell most of their machines abroad as the regulations on big-scale mining operations are getting tougher. Exchanges pull back Huobi, a major crypto exchange that provides trading services for Chinese investors, has scaled back its offerings following the State Councils notice. While Huobis spot trading remains largely unaffected, it has suspended futures contracts, exchange-traded products (ETP) and certain other leveraged investment products. The move indicates that the Chinese authorities are trying to prevent more capital from flowing into a more volatile market with high systemic risks, Jason Wu, CEO of crypto lending platform DeFiner. If you look at what exact services have been suspended on Huobi, they are among the most risky trading activities. Leveraged investment products, including ETPs, on crypto exchanges let investors amplify their profits by giving them up to 100 times the amount of cryptocurrencies they actually have on hand. But when prices in the crypto assets that are collateralized decrease, these investors need to put in more as collateral. Their assets will be liquidated if they can not add enough to the collateral. Financial stability is one of the top priorities for Chinese regulators, and they might not want to see more people investing in such a volatile market. Compared to the crackdowns in 2013 and 2017, crypto trading in general has become much more leveraged given the boom in financial derivative products in crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi). The rise of more sophisticated structured financial products on centralized exchanges and lending protocols in DeFi has made it easier to do leveraged trading, Wu said. OKEx, which is another major exchange for Chinese investors, had planned to suspend transactions between its platform token OKB and Chinas local fiat currency renminbi. The exchange later aborted the plan due to customer concerns. The tokens price fell as low as 70% after they announced the suspension. This is a less-noticeable move given the low volume of transactions for OKB. But such transactions have a significant legal risk for exchanges. Platform tokens can be regarded as a form of illegal fundraising, Wu said. Imagine a centralized trading platform is a company, the platform token in nature is similar to its stocks. Some exchanges would require the users to hold their platform tokens in exchange for discounted transaction fees and other premium services. State medias rant The Economic Information Daily, a state newspaper that covers Chinese securities, published an article on Monday giving more details on why the Chinese government is intensifying the crackdown on crypto mining and trading businesses. Cryptos biggest risks include more interest from average Chinese investors, financial risks associated with high leverage, security concerns with crypto trading platforms and compliance issues related to money laundering and illegal fundraising, the newspaper said. As for the crackdown on mining, the media outlet said it is mainly due to environmental concerns. However, the newspapers characterization of data centers that are used as crypto mining sites indicates the discrepancy in the local and central governments stance on crypto mining. Bitcoin mining activities tend to be in the disguise of data centers so that the miners can trick local governments into supporting such projects and waste a lot of electricity, the newspaper said. But many local governments are aware of large-scale mining operations, some of which even put forward preferential policies for bitcoin miners. A few counties in Sichuan province of South China, which is a major mining hub, have set up hydropower consumption parks, where many large bitcoin mining companies run their operations. Bitcoin mining operations have existed in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang for several years. Local governments more permissive attitude towards crypto mining may be due to its pursuit of higher tax revenues, while the central government prioritizes environmental protection. Compared to the crackdown notice on Tuesday from three financial industry associations, the warning from the State Council, which is a higher-level government body, will deter more people from operating crypto trading or mining businesses, the newspaper said. Related Stories Afghan forces clashed with Taliban fighters in a provincial capital about 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Kabul, officials and witnesses said, prompting the defence minister to take charge of a counteroffensive. Violence has soared in Afghanistan since US forces began their final pull-out on May 1, as the insurgents press on with a campaign to seize new territory. Fierce fighting erupted late Sunday on the edge of Mihtarlam, a city of around 140,000 people and the capital of Laghman province. At one point Defence Minister Yasin Zia took personal charge in the field, officials said. "With the arrival of reinforcements, the enemy has sustained heavy blows," Zia, a former army chief of staff, said in a video message. The ministry said at least 50 Taliban fighters were killed in overnight fighting. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP the insurgents captured 37 security checkpoints on the outskirts of the city. Casualty figures and battlefield gains can rarely be independently verified in Afghanistan and both sides frequently exaggerate their successes and minimise losses. An AFP correspondent reported fighting continuing in some parts of Mihtarlam on Monday, adding that hundreds of people had been displaced. A student from Mihtarlam, who gave just his first name Zabihullah, said he went to school after government forces assured him they had control, but had to flee when fighting resumed. "I'm not sure which part of the city is safe now," he told AFP. The attack on Mihtarlam comes as the Taliban push on in efforts to capture new territory. In recent days the insurgents have seized the districts of Nerkh and Jalraiz in the province of Wardak, just 40 km from Kabul. Wardak has long been used by militants as a gateway to reach the capital and launch deadly attacks. The Taliban also captured Burka in northern Baghlan province earlier this month after government troops withdrew from the area. The Taliban campaign has spurred speculation the militants are waiting for the Americans to complete their withdrawal before launching all-out assaults on Afghan cities. Story continues The uptick in fighting around Kabul is stirring memories of Afghanistan's descent into civil war in the 1990s following the Soviet army's withdrawal, when jihadist militias choked off key routes into the capital and piled pressure on security forces until the government collapsed. "The towns and cities the Taliban have targeted are of strategic importance given their proximity to Kabul as some are on supply roads to the capital," said Kabul-based security analyst Bari Arez. "The setbacks suffered by Afghan forces also indicate that they had not expected such Taliban offensives so soon" after the US military started the final withdrawal, he added. str-us-jds/fox/leg Associated Press The wife of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman pleaded guilty Thursday to charges in the U.S. and admitted that she helped her husband run his multibillion-dollar criminal empire. Emma Coronel Aispuro, wearing a green jail uniform, appeared in federal court in Washington and pleaded guilty to three federal offenses as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors. The 31-year-old was arrested in February at Dulles International Airport in Virginia and has been jailed since then. ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria will impose strict health measures on passengers when it partially resumes international flights next month, the prime minister's office said on Monday. The North African country last week said it would reopen air borders on June 1, but with only five flights a day from and to three local airports. Passengers must have a negative result for COVID-19 from an RT-PCR test dated less than 36 hours before the date of travel to Algeria, the prime minister's office said. All passengers would be quarantined for five days in hotels at their expense, and the quarantine would be extended to 10 days for those who test positive for COVID-19 at the end of the first five days, it added. "These conditions must be met before boarding," it said in a statement. Algeria closed its borders in March 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic spread. It resumed domestic flights in December last year. It has so far reported 127,107 coronavirus cases, including 3,426 deaths. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed; Editing by Alex Richardson) Anti-coup protesters in Myanmar (Courtesy Bryan Fenster) An American journalist was detained by Myanmar as he attempted to leave the country, according to his family and news organisation. Danny Fenster, 37, who works as managing editor for Frontier Myanmar, was said to have been detained by local authorities at Yangon International Airport on Monday morning shortly before boarding a flight to Kuala Lumpur. His brother, Bryan Fenster, said on Facebook the family is absolutely stunned and extremely confused as to why Dan was detained. According to Frontier Myanmar, Mr Fenster was transferred to the Insein Prison in Yangton. He is the third foreign journalist to be detained since a military coup in February, according to a count kept by Reuters. We do not know why Danny was detained and have not been able to contact him since this morning. We are concerned for his wellbeing and call for his immediate release, Frontier Myanmar said in a statement. Our priorities right now are to make sure he is safe and to provide him with whatever assistance he needs. An official with the United States Department of State told CNN that it is aware of reports of a US citizen detained in Burma, using the countrys traditional nomenclature of its Burman ethic group before it was renamed in 1989 by the ruling military junta. We take seriously our responsibility to assist US citizens abroad, and are monitoring the situation. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment," the official told CNN. In February, the military took control of the country in a coup that wrested power from the semi-democratic government. A Japanese journalist who was detained on 19 April while covering the aftermath of the coup was released on 14 May as part of a diplomatic deal, according to AFP. Yuki Kitazumi, who was detained at the same prison as Mr Fenster is reportedly being held, said on his return to Tokyo that he collected harrowing testimonies from fellow inmates. Some are deprived of meals for two days, others are questioned whilst being threatened with a weapon, or beaten if they try to deny [the allegations], he said, according to AFP. Story continues Thanks to my Japanese nationality, I was able to escape this type of treatment, but the reality is that many Burmese are being tortured. Read More Arrested Belarusian journalist Roman Prostasevich appears in new video Myanmar's Suu Kyi makes first in-person court appearance Second earthquake shakes China; 1 dead in earlier quake Photograph: Hiro Komae/AP Journalists at the Associated Press published an open letter on Monday, decrying the decision to fire Emily Wilder, a young employee targeted by a Republican smear campaign regarding her pro-Palestinian advocacy while a student. It has left our colleagues particularly emerging journalists wondering how we treat our own, what culture we embrace and what values we truly espouse as a company, the journalists wrote. Just hours later, the AP said it plans to launch a review of its social media policies. In a memo to staff members on Monday, the APs news leaders asked for volunteers to suggest changes to social media guidelines, with the idea of a committee bringing forth recommendations by September. One of the issues brought forward in recent days is the belief that restrictions on social media prevent you from being your true self, and that this disproportionately harms journalists of color, LGBTQ journalists and others who often feel attacked online, the memo said. We need to dive into this issue. Related: China rejects report of sick staff at Wuhan lab prior to Covid outbreak Wilder, a 2020 Stanford graduate, was an intern at the Arizona Republic before the AP hired her for an entry-level role in Phoenix. She announced her new position in April, tweeting photographs which showed her wearing an AP logo. She started as a news associate in early May but was fired weeks later according to the company, for violating its social media policy. She and other AP staffers remain confused as to how. Wilder was fired soon after Republicans at Stanford resurfaced her history of pro-Palestinian advocacy while a college student. Conservative outlets publicized the story and prominent figures including the Arkansas senator Tom Cotton shared it. I was told my editors were only hoping to support me as I received an onslaught of sexist, antisemitic, racist and violent comments and messages, Wilder wrote in a statement. Less than 48 hours later, the AP fired me. What future does it promise to aspiring reporters that an institution like the Associated Press would sacrifice those with the least power to the cruel trolling of a group of anonymous bullies? Story continues Last week, an AP spokesperson said: We can confirm Emily Wilders comments that she was dismissed for violations of APs social media policy during her time at AP. The dismissal came days after a building which housed an AP office in Gaza was destroyed by Israeli action. The AP social media policy, the spokesperson said, was meant to ensure that one person cannot create dangerous conditions for our journalists covering the story. Every AP journalist is responsible for safeguarding our ability to report on this conflict, or any other, with fairness and credibility, and cannot take sides in public forums. On Monday, the AP news leaders said sharing more information was difficult: the company does not publicly discuss personnel issues to protect the privacy of staff. We can assure you that much of the coverage and commentary does not accurately portray a difficult decision we did not make lightly, the memo said. It did not make clear what information was reported inaccurately. The APs memo was signed by 10 news leaders, not including its executive editor, Sally Buzbee, who begins next month as executive editor at the Washington Post. The AP said Buzbee was not involved in the Wilder case since she handed over day-to-day responsibilities to others when accepting the Post job. Wilders dismissal has nonetheless sparked outcry among journalists, many of whom wonder why the AP chose to harm a young professional instead of appreciating a teachable moment. The fact that AP refused to defend her when the going got tough highlights exactly what folks have been saying all day: only the powerful survive. The rules only apply to the vulnerable, tweeted Megan Taros, who reports for the Arizona Republic. In the open letter, AP employees excoriated the companys willingness to fire Wilder. We are often the target of people unhappy with scrutiny, staff members wrote. What happens when they orchestrate a smear campaign targeting another one of us? Once we decide to play this game on the terms of those acting in bad faith, we cant win. Wilders termination also reinvigorated conversations about journalistic impartiality. There is a reckoning coming in American journalism, tweeted Julian Castro, a former secretary of housing and urban development and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. Good. Its well past time to rethink a notion of objectivity and neutrality that always privileged the status quo and all who benefit from it. The Associated Press contributed reporting Leading Egyptian real estate developer Inertia said it has joined hands with PayTabs Egypt and valU, two key NBFI subsidiaries of financial services group EFG Hermes, to help its clients process payments online. This partnership marks the Egyptian real estate sectors first venture into digital payment solutions and efforts to accelerate contactless real estate sales during the pandemic. Inertia said it will enable the group's clients to process payments online, including the scheduled maintenance and unit reservation costs processed through PayTabs Egypts payment gateway. Additionally, valU aims to provide ultimate affordability to Inertias clients with its home improvement financing proposition, where financing facilities extend to include property finishing and furnishing costs backed with easy installment payment plans that may range over 12 to 48 months for an amount up to EGP 2.4 million per customer. The agreement is the first of its kind in Egypts real estate sector and aims to utilise digital solutions to provide convenience and affordability, as well as maximise adherence to pandemic-related precautions, remarked General Manager of PayTabs Egypt Hany Soliman, after signing the deal with Inertia Chairman Ahmed El Adawy and valU CEO Mohamed El Feky. "We are delighted to pioneer a new solution within the real estate sector alongside Inertia and we believe that this step is the first of many towards digital integration for a more seamless large-scale payment experience," remarked Soliman. "Through such partnerships, we aim to widen the scope of our products and services that allow the Egyptian client to securely and effortlessly use our comprehensive online payment methods and promote digital transactions as the future of cashless payment processes in Egypt in collaboration with Banque Misr," he stated. Inertia is keen on providing integrated benefits and solutions through easy-to-use platforms for its clients. While these advancements were already part of the companys service expansion framework, they have become especially important in response to drastic changes that global and local real estate operations have undergone following the spread of Covid-19. "This partnership complements Inertias strategy to establish futuristic, smart cities that cater to growing lifestyle changes," said El Adawy. "Real estate is now witnessing unprecedented levels of digital transformation, which has grown into a necessity across many sectors due to the challenges posed by the pandemic. We believe in e-commerce and online payment services undeniable role in helping the country achieve financial inclusion and lately have supported curbing the spread of Covid-19 while maintaining successful business continuity," he added. The Atlantic City Police Department says good Samaritans and first responders have rescued "several children" from the ocean in the past week. In the first incident, on May 15, Tourism District Unit officers responder to the Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard beach after receiving reports of "several young juveniles in the ocean in distress." By the time officers arrived, the children had already been rescued from the water, police said. A good Samaritan, "Dijon Brooks," had entered the ocean and rescued a 4-year-old girl. She was transported to a regional hospital for evaluation. Two other men rescued the other children, but they were not identified. Three days later, Tourism District Unit officers responded to the Virginia Avenue beach on reports of three siblings two girls, ages 11 and 9, and a boy, age 8, of Philadelphia. GOOD SAMARITAN SAVES MAN'S LIFE AFTER ST. LOUIS STABBING, BUT SAYS CREDIT BELONGS TO THE REAL HEROES Another good Samaritan identified as Stephen Moore, of Clark Summit, Penn. went into the water to assist the three youths. Moore and the children became stuck on an outfall pipe as waves came crashing in, police said. Responding officers Ramir Hayes and Brian Victoria-Garcia rushed into the water to help them and could see that Moore and the children had been injured from the pipe. Victoria-Garcia stayed in the water to assist Moore, while Hayes carried the 11 and 9-year-old to shore. An Atlantic City Beach Patrol chief, a lifeguard, an Atlantic City firefighter, and officer who happened to be in the area helped rescue Moore and the 8-year-old boy from the pipe. The three children, three officers, and Moore were transported to a local medical center to be treated for injuries, police said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Police have issued a warning reminding swimmers even the most experienced of the dangers that rip currents pose. By Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia's second most populous state of Victoria reported on Monday four new COVID-19 infections, all in the city of Melbourne, the first cases of community transmission in the state in nearly three months. The new infections have raised alarm amid a slow take-up of vaccinations in Australia and as other countries in the region, including Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, have seen cases increase into the hundreds or thousands in the past few weeks. "This is not a time to be complacent," Victoria's health minister, Martin Foley, told reporters. The four cases, including a pre-school child, came from one extended family in two households in a northern suburb of Melbourne. The source of their infection is under investigation. Officials are concerned there might be a missing link between the cluster and a man who returned to Melbourne from quarantine in Adelaide and tested positive earlier. Victoria was the hardest-hit state during a second wave of COVID-19 late last year, accounting for about 70% of total cases and 90% of deaths. The state only controlled the outbreak after one of the world's longest and strictest lockdowns. Australia has avoided the high COVID-19 numbers seen in many developed countries by closing its international borders in the early stages of the pandemic and with lockdowns. It has reported just over 30,000 cases and 910 deaths. The new infections come as the federal government considers allowing fully vaccinated people to travel freely between states if regional borders have to be closed during future COVID-19 outbreaks. In past outbreaks, states have imposed internal border closures and mandated 14-day quarantine for visitors. Officials hope the vaccination and travel plan will encourage people to get vaccinated. Australia's vaccination drive has missed initial targets and lags those of many countries. Many Australians are hesitant or delaying getting vaccinated because of their country's success in stamping out the virus. Story continues Only 3.6 million of the 25 million population have received at least one shot. Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton said the country would not be a "safe zone" until more than 15 million are inoculated. "There's no place that isn't potentially at risk," Sutton told reporters. Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week suggested fully vaccinated travellers should be exempt from hard lockdowns and internal border controls but most states have dismissed those suggestions. Morrison, however, will take his plan on travel exemptions to the national cabinet - the group of federal and state government leaders - next week, the Australian newspaper said in on Monday, without citing any source. (Reporting by Renju Jose; Additional reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel) Sanjeev Gupta Wyelands Bank, part of beleaguered businessman Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Group, was probed by the Bank of England in 2019, governor Andrew Bailey has said. Wyelands Bank is facing possible liquidation, while GFG has been under pressure since its biggest lender, Greensill Capital, collapsed in March. Before Greensill's demise, ex-prime minister David Cameron lobbied the Bank of England on its behalf. Mr Bailey has now said the Bank already had concerns about Wyelands then. He said those concerns were around "connected lending in the context of the ultimate beneficial owner who is Mr Gupta". The Bank notified the National Crime Agency in late 2019 in relation to Wyelands, a bank that lent to investors, Mr Bailey told the Treasury committee of MPs. The Bank then set out its concerns to the Serious Fraud Office in early 2020. The developments have added to the uncertainty surrounding GFG, which also owns the UK's Liberty Steel. In his evidence, Mr Bailey said that after initial concerns were raised about lending to related parties in late 2018-early 2019, the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) of the Bank of England began investigating Wyelands. In October 2019, further allegations came to light concerning the loan book. That prompted the PRA to launch a second phase of its investigation. Mr Bailey said the PRA notified the National Crime Agency of its concerns in November 2019 and again in February 2020. It launched further investigations, some of which were overt, while others were not. He added that the PRA set out its concerns about Wyelands Bank to the Serious Fraud Office in February 2020. The timing of the PRA's concerns confirms the Bank of England was aware of suspicions of criminal activity in relation to Wyelands, months before it entered correspondence with Mr Cameron about allowing Greensill to be accredited to lend under emergency lending schemes. Story continues The date is months ahead of lobbying of the Bank of England by Mr Cameron to allow Greensill to be accredited under the Covid Corporate Finance Facility. Mr Bailey said he was setting out the PRA's concerns about Wyelands for the first time. Mr Bailey told the committee Wyelands Bank was not mentioned in the correspondence between Mr Cameron and the Bank. Roman Protasevich. Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images Belarus on Sunday diverted a Ryanair plane and arrested a journalist who was on board. Roman Protasevich, 26, fled to Poland in 2019 and is accused of terrorism in Belarus. Ryanair's CEO said on Monday that Belarusian KGB agents were on the plane during the forced landing. Sign up for the 10 Things in Politics daily newsletter. Belarusian KGB agents were on board the Ryanair plane that was abruptly diverted so a dissident journalist could be arrested, the airline's CEO said on Monday. On Sunday, Belarus forced a Ryanair plane that was flying from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, to land in Minsk after local air traffic control informed the pilots of a bomb threat. Once on the ground, authorities found no security threat on board, but Belarusian police entered the plane and arrested a passenger, the 26-year-old journalist Roman Protasevich. Protasevich is one of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's most vocal critics. He had been living in Poland since 2019 over fears for his safety, and has continued to criticize Lukashenko from afar. Lukashenko personally deployed a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the plane to Minsk, his office said. 'An act of aviation piracy' Appearing on Ireland's "Newstalk Breakfast" on Monday, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, called the grounding "a case of state-sponsored hijacking" in which "the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist." A woman at Vilnius International Airport on May 23. Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty O'Leary went on to say that he believed that agents from the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus, known as the KGB, were on board the plane when it took off from Athens. "We believe there were some KGB agents off-loaded at the airport as well," he said, referring to the airport in Minsk. A Ryanair spokesperson told Insider in a Monday statement: "Ryanair condemns the unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities who diverted Ryanair's flight FR4978 to Minsk yesterday (23 May), which was an act of aviation piracy." Story continues "This is now being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies & NATO. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them and we cannot comment further for security reasons." World leaders have criticized Lukashenko for what they said is a brazen kidnapping attempt and human-rights violation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted on Sunday that the US condemned the "brazen and shocking act." And Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said on Sunday that "the incident will not remain without consequences." Ryanair's initial statement on the grounding, issued on Sunday, made no mention of the false security threat or Protasevich's arrest. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. 'Europe's last dictator' Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus since 1994, and was recently accused of manipulating the results of last year's election in his favor. He has long been called "Europe's last dictator." His office said at the time that he had won just over 80% of the vote, but Josep Borrell, the EU foreign minister, said the election was "neither free nor fair." Since the election, Lukashenko's administration has cracked down on opposition, limited access to the internet, shut down independent media outlets, and jailed activists. Belarus has accused Protasevich, who had edited the popular Telegram channels Nexta and Nexta Live, of terrorism and provoking riots. In November, the country charged him with inciting public disorder and social hatred, which, if he's convicted, could lead to 12 years in prison, The New York Times reported. After the plane was diverted to Minsk on Sunday, Protasevich told fellow passengers that he was "facing the death penalty," the Lithuanian news site Delfi News reported. The Belarusian KGB has included Protasevich on a list of terrorists, The Times reported. If he is convicted of terrorism, he could face the death penalty. Read the original article on Business Insider MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarus expelled all Latvian diplomats from the country on Monday, prompting a tit-for-tat response from Riga, as an international crisis deepened over the forced landing of a commercial flight in Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist. Belarus on Sunday scrambled a warplane to escort a Ryanair passenger jet carrying Roman Protasevich, a journalist critical of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, in an act denounced by Western powers as "state piracy". Belarus's actions prompted Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and Martins Stakis, the mayor of Riga, to replace the Belarusian state flag with a historical Belarusian red and white flag - now the symbol of the opposition - in the centre of the Latvian capital, which is hosting the Ice Hockey World Championship. Minsk had originally been supposed to co-host the tournament with Riga but was stripped of the right to do so because of political unrest following a contested presidential election last August and the coronavirus pandemic. Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said Riga's move amounted to "practically an act of international vandalism" and called on Latvia to apologise and return his country's Soviet-inspired green, red and white flag to its original place. "For us, such actions directed against a sovereign state and nation are absolutely unacceptable," the Belta news agency quoted Makei as saying. "We cannot leave such provocative actions unanswered." Makei said Belarus was allowing only one Latvian administrative and technical staff member to remain in order to look after the embassy building. Janis Bekeris, a Latvian foreign ministry spokesman, said the Belarusian move left Riga with no choice but to respond in kind. Latvia and other European Union countries have imposed sanctions against Belarusian officials in the wake of a presidential election last year, which the opposition said was massively rigged, and a subsequent crackdown on protesters. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Tom Balmforth and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow, and Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Alex Richardson) The authorities in Minsk, Belarus, detained journalist Roman Protasevich (pictured at a protest in 2017) after they diverted a jet and hauled him off the plane. AP Photo/Sergei Grits A passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was forced to land after a bogus security threat. When it was grounded in Minsk, Belarusian police boarded the jet and arrested journalist Roman Protasevich. The incident sparked international outrage and condemnation from the US, Australia, and EU member states. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Belarusian authorities on Sunday sent a fighter jet to divert a Ryanair plane, citing a bogus security threat. But when the passenger plane was forced to land in Minsk, police officers boarded the jet and arrested Roman Protasevich, 26, a journalist known for vocally opposing Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's rule. According to a statement seen by The New York Times, Ryanair said the pilots of flight FR4978 - which was flying from Athens to Lithuania - were told by Belarusian air traffic operators that there was a "potential security threat on board." The pilots were then instructed to "divert to the nearest airport," which was in Minsk. Belarusian state media Belta said it was Lukashenko who gave an "unequivocal order" for the Ryanair plane to land in Minsk, citing a potential bomb threat. But data on Flightradar.com showed that the plane was closer to its destination in Vilnius, Lithuania, than it was to Minsk and maps the sharp u-turn that the jet took to land in Belarus. The BBC wrote that Belarus sent a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the plane - which was carrying 171 passengers - to the Minsk airport. Authorities didn't find a security threat on board, but Belarusian police instead hauled Protasevich off the flight. The BBC reported that the plane landed in Lithuania seven hours after its scheduled arrival time. According to Lithuanian news site Delfi News, when it was announced that the plane would be landing in Minsk, Protasevich looked fearful and told passengers on the plane that he was "facing the death penalty" there. Story continues "He was not screaming, but it was clear that he was very much afraid. It looked like if the window had been open, he would have jumped out of it," said passenger Edvinas Dimsa to the AFP. Reuters spoke to a Lithuanian passenger who wanted to be known as Mantas, who said he saw Protasevich open an overhead locker. Mantas added that Protasevich then passed a laptop and phone to a female passenger who was traveling with him. But Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Sunday at a news conference attended by Reuters that the woman traveling with Protasevich did not make it back onto the plane when it departed from Minsk. Protasevich was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of NEXTA, a news channel based in Poland that spread clips of mass protests against Lukashenko via encrypted messaging app Telegram. This was one of the only ways such information could be transmitted in the country after a government clampdown on mass media. The Guardian wrote that before his arrest on Sunday, Protasevich had been branded as an extremist by the Belarusian government and was wanted on several charges - including terrorism and organizing riots - all of which he denies. Thousands of Belarusians protested for several weeks last August after Lukashenko claimed he won the presidential election - and his sixth term - with 80% of the vote. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is backed by the Russian government. Journalist's arrest sparks international condemnation from US, EU A woman holds a poster reading "Where is Roman?!" as she waits to see passengers disembark from the Ryanair plane in Vilnius, Lithuania. Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo The incident has sparked anger from the US, Australia, and EU member states. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly condemned Protasevich's arrest and demanded his immediate release. "This shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenko regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens," Blinken said in a statement on Sunday night. He added that the US is "closely coordinating" its response with partners, including the EU, Lithuanian, and Greek officials. "Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," Blinken said. "The United States once again condemns the Lukashenko regime's ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of journalists," Blinken added. Meanwhile, EU leaders are calling for strong action - including sanctions - to be taken against Belarus for the shocking diversion of the passenger plane and Protasevich's arrest. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union's executive European Commission, said on Sunday that the EUCO would discuss on Monday what actions to take. "The outrageous and illegal behavior of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. Those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned. Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately," von der Leyen said in a statement on Twitter. "Hijacking of a civilian plane is an unprecedented act of state terrorism. It cannot go unpunished," said Poland Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. He added that he would petition for sanctions to be imposed against Belarus over the arrest. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said in a tweet that it was "strongly concerned" about the "apparent forced landing" of the Ryanair flight. The ICAO added that this action might have violated the Chicago Convention, a 1944 accord outlining core guidelines for international aviation. Sanctions were imposed last year by the UK and Canada against Belarus officials in a bid by a league of Western countries to take Lukashenko's regime to task after he was accused of rigging the elections and repressing peaceful protests. Read the original article on Insider President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will meet face-to-face on June 16 in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a source familiar with the issue. The summit will be held at the end of a broader Biden visit to Europe and after he has met with Americas allies in NATO and the European Union, giving Biden a chance to listen to their concerns about Russia before meeting with Putin himself. That being said, no significant agreements are expected from the Geneva summit, according to the source familiar with the issue. The gathering is more of a chance for the two world leaders to be able to directly air grievances and see what common ground they may have going forward. Of high importance on the agenda will be talks on nuclear arms control. Biden, who raised the prospect of a summit in a call with Putin earlier this year, has long believed in the important role that personal relationships play in foreign policy, even when it comes to the leaders of U.S. adversaries like Russia. The Kremlin has been circumspect about whether Putin will even show up, but Russian media on Monday quoted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as indicating that the Russian dictator was inclined to agree to Bidens invitation. "In the most general terms I can say that, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed more than once, we are prepared to consider and address any issues on the bilateral agenda and also to work together on settling regional problems and regional conflicts and crises, Lavrov is quoted as saying. Russia and the United States are at odds on numerous fronts, from cybersecurity to Russias war with U.S.-backed Ukraine. During a meeting last week between Lavrov and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the two parties laid out the various areas of dispute, but they also agreed there exist potential topics of cooperation, such as on how to stop climate change. New tensions over Belarus also are expected to be discussed at the summit. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko is a Putin ally facing increasing resistance to his rule. Over the weekend, Lukashenkos government was accused of forcing down a civilian airliner traveling over his countrys airspace to arrest a dissident journalist who was on board. The act drew condemnation from the United States and many European leaders. Story continues Geneva is a favorite location for international conferences, summits and other major gatherings. Thats in part due to Switzerlands historic decision to be neutral in various conflicts. The country also is not a member of NATO, the military alliance that Putin has long seen as a potential threat, making it more palatable to Russia as a meeting place. In 1985, Geneva was the site of the first meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The gathering at which arms control was focus helped the leaders develop a personal rapport with one another. In 2015, Geneva was one of the cities that hosted international talks that led to the Iran nuclear deal. U.S. and Iranian officials, whose governments officially do not have diplomatic relations, hashed out the details together in the Swiss city as well as in Vienna and other places, along with representatives of several other countries. The Biden administration had considered several potential locations for the summit. Other contending cities included, but were not limited to, Vienna and Helsinki, also favored locations for international meetings. One of the cities under serious consideration to serve as host was Bratislava, Slovakia, where President George W. Bush and Putin met in 2005. Helsinki was less likely to be chosen than some of the other possibilities because former President Donald Trump met with Putin there in 2018. Trump at the time appeared to accept Putins assurances that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 U.S. elections, despite the American intelligence communitys assessments that it did. Trumps deference to the Russian leader during the Helsinki summit infuriated both Democrats and Republicans. Anita Kumar contributed to this report. (Bloomberg) -- Bitcoin traded lower on Tuesday as prices pulled back from a double-digit percentage rally, stoked in part by Elon Musks effort to bolster the tokens green credentials on Twitter. The largest digital currency slipped as much as 6.5% to $36,494 in New York, following a 16% jump on Monday. The wider Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index and peer coins including Ether also dropped, while Dogecoin stayed lower in the wake of another Musk tweet about his influence over the token. In a tweet sent Tuesday in reply to a post that said With Elon as Doge CEO, we are in good hands! Musk said Dogecoin had no formal organization & no one reports to me and implied his control over it was limited. Dogecoin was down 4.1% as of 4:33 p.m. in New York, according to CoinMarketCap.com. The Tesla Inc. CEO has roiled Bitcoins -- and others -- price this month, triggering a selloff by criticizing its energy profile and suspending Bitcoin payments. Heightened regulatory rhetoric on cryptocurrencies from China also pressured the sector. If the market continues to see wild swings based on Elon Musk tweets, its going to be a big set back for this asset class, said Matt Maley, chief market strategist for Miller Tabak + Co. The fact that it sees such wild swings to the tweets from one person takes away the legitimacy of the asset class. Pledges to make the industry more green have picked up since Musks criticisms. Several miners joined the Crypto Climate Accord, a private-sector initiative to decarbonize the crypto industry by 2030. Musk and Michael Saylor, another long-time Bitcoin booster, tweeted Monday that they had held a call with major North American miners, including Michael Novogratzs Galaxy Digital and publicly traded Hut 8 Mining Corp., to discuss energy usage transparency. Saylor said the group agreed to form the Bitcoin Mining Council to standardize energy reporting. Saylor reiterated his comments during a conference interview Tuesday. Story continues Musk and Saylors initiative to make Bitcoin greener bodes well for ESG narrative and institutional adoption, David Grider, strategist at Fundstrat Global Advisors LLC, wrote in a note. At the same time, it will take years for many of the largest miners to recalibrate where they source their energy. Bitcoins heavy use of power fired by polluting fossil fuels is a long-standing problem. Miners use hundreds of computers that run around the clock to verify Bitcoin transactions in exchange for new coins. Despite that, Musk in February plowed $1.5 billion of Teslas corporate cash into the token and said the electric-vehicle maker would accept it as payment for vehicles, before rescinding the latter decision earlier in May. Nursing Losses While the billionaire has since said he strongly believes in cryptocurrencies as long as they dont drive a massive increase in fossil fuel use, digital tokens are still nursing losses from his spate of comments. The market value of more than 7,000 coins tracked by CoinGecko is down more than $800 billion from a May peak of some $2.6 trillion. Bitcoin is about $25,000 off its mid-April record. A measure of implied volatility on Bitcoin comparable to the U.S. equity markets VIX indicator sits at 129, higher than the stock version has ever reached in 30 years. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Monday for a Middle East trip aimed at consolidating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a modest objective as Washington expresses a commitment to advancing a two-state solution. Blinken heads first to Jerusalem, less than a week after both sides agreed to halt 11 days of bombardment that killed over 200 Palestinians in the ongoing conflict's worst escalation in years. "Secretary Blinken will meet with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israel's security," US President Joe Biden said in a statement. "He will continue our administration's efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders, after years of neglect." Blinken's trip, in addition to meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, will take him to Cairo for consultations with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and then to Amman to speak with Jordan's King Abdullah II. White House and State Department statements on Monday announcing details of the visit made no mention of the two-state solution, a cornerstone of decades of international diplomacy that envisions a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel with Jerusalem as their shared capital. But Biden and Blinken both affirmed US support in recent days for dual states, while American policy under Donald Trump was criticized as being blatantly pro-Israel and ignoring the Palestinians. "We're really focused primarily on ensuring that the ceasefire sticks, and taking tangible steps to advance the quality of people's lives, advance their freedom, advance their security and advance their prosperity," a senior State Department official told journalists. "We believe that, in the immediate term, that's what's feasible, and that's what's important," the official added. In a tweet, Blinken said the trip would aim to support "efforts to solidify a ceasefire". Story continues "The United States has engaged in intensive diplomacy to bring an end to the hostilities and reduce tensions," he added. - Focus on reconstruction - Biden had never expressed an aim to get involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but was pulled in as a close ally of the Jewish state. Biden came under criticism from many within his own Democratic party for not pushing Israel more publicly for a ceasefire, but he touted his administration's "quiet, relentless diplomacy" in the push to halt the fighting. Israeli strikes on Gaza this month killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and have wounded more than 1,900 people, the Gaza health ministry says. Rockets and other fire from Gaza claimed 12 lives in Israel, including one child and an Arab-Israeli teenager, an Israeli soldier, one Indian, and two Thai nationals, medics say. Some 357 people in Israel have been wounded. The United Nations says more than half of those killed, the overwhelming majority in Israeli air strikes, were civilians. It was the latest such bombardment to hit the crowded coastal strip of some two million people, after three previous wars with Israel since 2008. Washington has spoken up on helping Palestinians recover, to the extent possible, following the fighting. Biden, in his statement, said part of Blinken's trip would involve working on "the coordinated international effort to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza in a way that benefits the people there and not Hamas, and on reducing the risk of further conflict in the coming months." Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said Sunday the reconstruction needed to go hand in hand with efforts to create "a different political environment." "We need to have a genuine focus on human development," on proper access to education, jobs and livelihoods, he said. fff/jm/ec Bahrain has issued government contracts worth $1.6 billion for the first three months, up 23 per cent over the same period last year, according to new data released by the kingdoms Tender Board. Of this, the lion's share of contracts worth $767 million were from oil and gas sector accounting for 48 per cent of the total followed by aviation sector ($382 million) and construction and engineering ($194 million) and materials and equipment sector ($119 million). Bahrain's Tender Board said the total number of individual contracts rose 25 per cent year-on-year over the first three months, with the majority issued as part of Bahrains $32 billion infrastructure development plans. An analysis of the contracts awarded in 2020 showed that Bahrains Ministry of Health reported a 140 per cent year-on-year increase in the total value of tenders, as the country ramped up its expenditure to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). "The volume of economic activity, with 25 per cent more tenders awarded in the first quarter of this year compared to last year, demonstrates the strength of the economy and the size of the opportunity for businesses that are looking to partner with Bahrain," remarked Shaikh Nayef bin Khalid Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Tender Board. "Improvements made to our e-tendering system over the last year are just part of a wider digitalisation drive that is realising greater efficiencies, benefiting the private sector and taking full advantage of Bahrains advanced digital infrastructure," said Shaikh Nayef. The Bahrain Tender Board data showed that a total of 1,688 tenders worth $4.1 billion had been issued last year, down 14.58 per cent over 2019. Despite the overall drop in the value of tenders awarded, the Ministry of Health awarded 137 tenders valued at $298.1 million, compared to 93 tenders valued at some $123.8 million in 2019, stated Shaikh Nayef. "This surge in spending is attributed to Bahrain's robust and rapid Covid-19 response in many fronts, including a track and trace app, extensive testing, vaccinations, hospital robots, car park conversions to hospitals and more," he added. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will leave for the Middle East on Monday to meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials, among other regional leaders, as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appeared to hold for the fourth straight day. Blinken will travel to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Cairo and Amman through Thursday and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah, the State Department said. U.S. President Joe Biden, in announcing the visit, said he had asked the top U.S. diplomat to make the trip following diplomatic efforts that sought to pause the worst outbreak in fighting between Israel and Hamas in year. "Blinken will meet with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israels security. He will continue our administrations efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders after years of neglect," Biden said in a statement released by the White House. Blinken will also discuss "international effort to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza in a way that benefits the people there and not Hamas, and on reducing the risk of further conflict in the coming months," Biden added. Gaza is ruled by Hamas. Israel has blockaded Gaza since 2007, saying this prevents Hamas bringing in arms. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, editing by Ed Osmond and Nick Macfie) Ben Wallace (centre) chats with Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter (right) - Andrew Matthews/PA Britain was against Joe Bidens decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan without setting conditions for the Taliban, the Defence Secretary has admitted. It comes as British troops are preparing to leave Afghanistan by September 11, in line with the date set by the American president. However, Ben Wallace told MPs that it was a regret for most of the Nato allies that the United States had not made the withdrawal agreement conditions based for the Taliban. He said: We thought that was important, however, a lot of people have lost their lives in that conflict and sacrificed a lot. It is not my intention that that is for nothing. Last month, General Sir Nick Carter revealed the decision to pull out all US troops was not the decision the UK wanted. The Chief of Defence Staff said: Its not a decision that wed hoped for. "But we obviously respect it, and its clearly an acknowledgement of an evolving US strategic posture. Speaking during Defence Questions on Monday afternoon, Mr Wallace added: We will explore all options that we can to make sure that not only Britains interests and her citizens are protected, but also allies. We are also protected by international law to do what we need to do to defend ourselves. If threat emanates from that country or any other country around the globe, there in you know, we have the capabilities to do that. But allies will continue to talk, our support and our funding to the Afghan government will continue to at least 2024. He added: The one thing I would say to the Taliban, is they remember what happened last time they played host to Al-Qaeda. Tobias Ellwood, Chairman of the Defence Select Committee, urged Mr Wallace to hold a full independent inquiry into Operation Herrick. Mr Ellwood said: To date the Government has not announced an inquiry. Yet we now withdraw from Afghanistan just as the Taliban is on the ascent, and another civil war looms. This cannot be the exit strategy that we ever envisaged. We must understand what went wrong. He cautioned that if we dont understand and learn from the strategic errors from the past, then there will be hesitance by this house to vote in favour of deploying our hard power in the future. LONDON A prominent British Black Lives Matter activist was shot and is in a critical condition at a London hospital on Monday, her political party said. Sasha Johnson, 27, is a member of the "Taking The Initiative Party" a small, British political group established to support the inclusion of Black and working-class people in the United Kingdom. "It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has been brutally attacked and sustained a gunshot wound to her head," the party said in a statement on Facebook. "She is currently in intensive care and in a critical condition." The group also said Johnson, a mother, had received "numerous death threats as a result of her activism" and called for a vigil outside a south London hospital on Monday. "Sasha has always been actively fighting for Black people and the injustices that surround the Black community," the statement continued. "Let's all come together and pray for Sasha." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. London's Metropolitan Police Service asked for witnesses to come forward in a statement on Sunday and confirmed they were called to an incident near Peckham, south London, shortly before 3 a.m. after reports of gunshots. "Officers, including firearms officers, attended along with London Ambulance Service. They found a woman, thought to be in her 20s, suffering with a gunshot injury. The woman remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries," the statement, which did not name Johnson, said. Police told NBC News by telephone they would not be naming the woman while she was still alive. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics No arrests have yet been made, the statement added. "Our investigation is in its early stages and urgent inquiries are underway to establish the circumstances," detective chief inspector Jimi Tele said in the statement. Image: Forensic officers work at the area after Sasha Johnson, a BLM activist, was shot in an early morning attack near her home in Peckham, (Hannah McKay / Reuters) Imarn Ayton, a friend of Johnson's, told the BBC in an interview on Monday that she believed the shooting was "related to rival gangs" and that Johnson was not the intended victim. Story continues London, and cities across the world, took part in widespread anti-racism protests last summer, following the death of American, George Floyd. The anniversary of Floyd's killing will be marked on Tuesday. It triggered global anger and demands for equal rights and an end to police brutality. Black Lives Matter U.K. said they were saddened by news of Johnson's shooting. "BLMUK expresses our shock and solidarity over the shooting of Sasha Johnson. A young mother and fearless political campaigner who was at the forefront of many BLM protests last summer," they wrote on Twitter. "Any attempt to intimidate or silence her, is an attack on all of us...We pray that she will pull through." Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) responds to journalists as she passes through a newly installed metal detector outside the House Chamber on Jan. 12. (Samuel Corum / Tribune News Service) Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia congresswoman who has made herself the face of Republican lunacy, was roundly flayed over the weekend for a TV appearance in which she equated a mask mandate on the House floor to the Holocaust. The reproofs came from all along the political spectrum, Republicans and Democrats alike. But something was missing from most of the commentary. That something is history. The old, the weak, the infirm, the children and the others....would be immediately walked to the gas chambers and exterminated. Andrew Roberts, "The Storm of War" To recap, Greene went on the conservative Real America's Voice network show "The Water Cooler With David Brody" late last week to complain about the mask mandate imposed by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi with violations punished by fines. "You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star," Greene said as Brody, a right-wing commentator, nodded in sage agreement. "And they were definitely treated like second-class citizens so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany, and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about." (Greene plainly was referring to the yellow stars that Jews in Nazi Germany were forced to wear.) Greene is not alone in trying to depict social distancing imperatives as tantamount to Nazi policies. A few weeks ago, speaking of the prospect of "vaccine passports" to verify that holders have been inoculated against COVID-19, Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), another House extremist, told Fox News, "Proposals like these smack of 1940s Nazi Germany." Referring to anti-pandemic measures as the equivalent of Holocaust measures has become a theme in some conservative corners. Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell issued a tweet showing a picture of a fictional Nazi officer from the film "Inglorious Basterds" accusing a family of hiding "unvaccinated people" under their floorboards. (Thanks to an appointment by ex-President Trump, Grenell is a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.) Story continues Make no mistake: Equating mask mandates and vaccine passports to Nazi policies is a form of Holocaust denial, that thoroughly discredited dark corner of the human psyche. The perpetrators don't deny that the Holocaust happened; instead, they sap it of its power to shock the conscience by elevating anti-COVID policies to the same level, thereby diminishing the power of the Holocaust to shock the conscience of humankind. The nonchalance of Greene's evocation of the Holocaust, along with that of others who have invoked it to fight pandemic measures, suggests that the Holocaust is receding from public awareness. It's a 75-year-old story, after all who can bother thinking about such ancient history? Apparently it's been forgotten by the House Republican leadership, none of whom have responded to Greene's words with anything but silence not Minority Leader Keven McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), nor Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), nor the theatrically grouchy Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who was recently elevated to the chair of the House Republican Conference. Yet remembrances are all around us, if we choose to look. Holocaust memorial museums have been established around the world, including in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. (The latter is the institution Grenell serves as a trustee.) The genocide has been chronicled in firsthand accounts and expansive writings from historians. This is what it entailed. Jews from the Warsaw ghetto surrender to German soldiers after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of April-May 1943. Marjorie Taylor Greene thinks this is the sort of thing she faces for not wearing a mask in the House of Representatives. (Keystone/Getty Images) Hitler developed the techniques of mass murder employed in the ghettos and death camps of Nazi-controlled Europe starting with a campaign against children with disabilities, of whom an estimated 5,000 were killed between 1939 and 1944. The program expanded to adults with mental illnesses. They were transported to six euthanasia centers, where carbon dioxide was pumped into camouflaged shower rooms. In these centers cyanide gas, the infamous Zyklon (German for "cyclone") B, was first used. As historian Jeremy M. Black documents, after the Nazi subjugation of Poland in 1939 the Germans chose to force Jews into ghettos, tiny urban quarters. The hope was that typhus, malnutrition and starvation would relieve the Nazis of the necessity of face-to-face murder. By August 1941, Black reports, 5,500 Jews were dying in the ghetto every month. Leaving the ghetto was punishable by death. The first extermination camp, Sobibor, was opened in Poland in 1942. At that point, the Nazis' genocide campaign against European Jewry moved into high gear. Up to that point, most murders had been committed by special police squads, whose members shot Jews point-blank. The use of the cyanide gas Zyklon B in the industrialized settings of death camps "alleviated the process of murder," wrote Laurence Rees in his 2005 history of Auschwitz-Birkenauz, which was built to house 130,000 prisoners at a time, and where 1.1 million were killed. Jews were marshaled from their home towns by train or truck. During the journeys, which could take as long as two weeks, they were given no food or water. There were no lavatories. At Birkenau, about 15% of each trainload were chosen by SS officers to join work squads. The others "the old, the weak, the infirm, the children and the others ... would be immediately walked to the gas chambers and exterminated." Some 230,000 children died there, typically within an hour of their arrival. The biographers of SS chief Heinrich Himmler, a principal architect of the Holocaust, tell the story of Oswald "Papa" Kaduk, an SS functionary at Auschwitz who had a practice of giving Jewish children balloons just before injecting the chemical phenol directly into their hearts. This killed them within seconds, enabling Kaduk to murder 10 children per minute. Outside the gas chambers, while the gassings were taking place, SS squads rummaged through the victims' possessions, taking food, valuables and clothing. They pried open the corpses' mouths looking for gold coins or fillings, shaved hair off the corpses for German textile factories (seven tons of human hair were found in the camp warehouse when it was liberated), pried rings off their fingers, then sent the bodies to be cremated in incinerators, the design of which was proudly patented by their inventor. Rudolf Hoess, the Auschwitz commandant, went to his death (by hanging after his 1947 conviction for war crimes) expressing pride for the efficiency of the Auschwitz killing machinery. "I have never heard of a single person being found alive when the gas chambers were opened half an hour after the gas had been inducted," he wrote in his memoirs. As Primo Levi, one of the survivors of Auschwitz, recalled being told by a prisoner upon his arrival, "The only way out is through the Chimney." The compiler of the prisoner squads' recollections records what they saw when they reopened the gas chambers to clear out the corpses: "The purple, fissured flesh; the faces distorted with pain; and the eyes, bulging and agape, attest to the terrible agonies that these people experienced in their last moments." This is the reality of the Holocaust the murder of 6 million Jews and millions more who the Nazis judged unsuitable for their Aryan reich. This is the reality mocked by Robert Keith Packer, who ambled around the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 wearing a sweatshirt bearing the legend "Camp Auschwitz" and the phrase "Work Brings Freedom," a translation of "Arbeit Macht Frei," which stood over the gates of the death camp's main entrance. This is the reality that Greene and her fellows choose to exploit in attempting to turn the slight inconvenience of mask mandates into an elemental crime against humanity. They've made a choice that bespeaks surpassing cruelty and ignorance, and no condemnation can be severe enough. Their efforts have the effect, at their core, of neutralizing the Holocaust. This is a moral offense. As the Holocaust scholar Lucy S. Dawidowicz observed in her 1975 work "The War Against the Jews 1933-1945," that effort is, or should be, impossible. "The very subject matter of the Final Solution," she wrote, "precludes neutrality." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Get essential education news and commentary delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here for The 74s daily newsletter. Looming decisions over how schools should prioritize federal relief funds, emerging plans for how to catch kids up this summer and a new supreme court case surrounding students free speech rights these were just a few of the biggest storylines we covered in May. And our most popular item this month: An emotional tribute from families about the educators who helped them get through the darkest days of the pandemic. From new research surrounding the downside of four-day school weeks to multiple stories about student discipline and school discipline reform here were our most popular articles of the month: Teacher Appreciation: As the mother of a teen with Down syndrome, Krystal Gurganus has seen her son Landon face his share of challenges. So it came as a shock when special education teacher Hannah Land taught Landon to read this year, via Zoom. Ive never heard my child read before. And hes 14 years old, she said. So this was in that moment when I was sitting beside him on a computer, and I hear him read an actual story for the very first time it was mind-blowing that this teacher was able to engage my child through a screen. Every year, teachers like Land touch countless students lives with inspiring lessons, heartfelt advice and ice cream parties but amid COVID-19, those gestures took on new meaning. From an art teacher who helped a student come to terms with her fathers death to an educator who moved out of her home so she could educate kids in person and another who bought tablets for her students siblings, parents and students from around the country shared stories about the educators who helped them get through the pandemic school year. Laura Fay introduces these 10 amazing teachers. Story continues Districts are expected to get input on spending plans from students, families, educators, administrators and unions. (Edunomics Lab) School Funding: States have until Monday to distribute $81 billion in federal relief funds to districts two-thirds of the total for K-12 schools in the American Rescue Plan. And while the law requires districts to allocate 20 percent of their funding on learning loss, the Georgetown Edunomics Labs early review of spending plans shows theyre not prioritizing efforts to help students catch up, such as tutoring and extending the school year. Rather, they are using the money to fill budget gaps, hire staff and issue thank you bonuses to teachers. The relief bill, passed in March, represents the largest-ever, one-time influx of federal funds for K-12, setting up a fast and furious planning process for districts over the next few months, said Edunomics Lab Director Marguerite Roza. Meanwhile, leaders are facing heightened scrutiny from parents and advocacy groups looking to hold leaders accountable for the funds, and districts are expected to make extensive efforts to get input from parents, educators and students, Roza said. That means districts cant go into a dark, smoke-filled room and make a plan. Read Linda Jacobsons full report. Student Safety: Video of a Florida elementary school principal spanking a 6-year-old with a wooden paddle last month sparked national outrage and calls for her arrest. Though the district where the paddling took place prohibits corporal punishment, the state does not, and the principal was not criminally charged. The incident highlights a troubling reality across the country: Even in states and districts where corporal punishment is banned, kids are still getting hit in school. About a dozen districts in states where the practice is outlawed reported using it on students more than 300 times during the 2017-18 school year, according to a 74 analysis of the most recent civil rights data from the U.S. Department of Education. Of those, Chicago Public Schools accounted for the lions share, with children in the nations third-largest district struck 226 times in school that year. In Louisiana, where paddling is permitted except on students with disabilities, data show that special education students were hit nearly 100 times in 2017-18. While the practice has its proponents among some educators and those who cite parental rights, considerable research shows its harmful effect on children and students of color and those with disabilities are disproportionately subjected to it. Its barbaric, and it opens the door to abuse, the Florida lawyer representing the mother of the girl who was paddled told Mark Keierleber. Read our full report. The Cleveland school district is trying to draw students to its summer learning program with television and radio ads. (Cleveland Municipal School District) Accelerating Learning: Summer schools face a huge challenge in overcoming academic shortfalls after a school year disrupted by the pandemic. But in Cleveland, and some other districts around the country, summer classes are being combined with fun projects and activities like sports, arts and neighborhood-improvement efforts that expand learning beyond just math and English lessons. Cleveland district officials say their program, featured last night on NBC Nightly News, focuses on making students feel welcome at school. Were really thinking about how the recovery looks in the next one to three years, and not the notion that somehow, in one summer, were going to recover everything from the pandemic, said district CEO Eric Gordon. Read Patrick ODonnells full report. San Antonio master teacher Adriana Abundis is a dual language mathematics teacher at Lanier High School, located in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. (Courtesy of San Antonio Independent School District) Teacher Quality: When Texas created its Teacher Incentive Allotment as part of a historic 2019 school funding bill, it came with a compromise: Conservatives could have incentive pay tying compensation to performance but the largest stipends would go to teachers in the states poorest schools. The Teacher Incentive Allotment is not a grant. It is a commitment to shift the culture of your district, said Mohammed Choudhury, San Antonio ISD associate superintendent of strategy, talent and innovation. To get the money, districts must create a teacher evaluation system based on classroom observation and students academic growth, instead of single-year test scores that say more about neighborhood income than teacher quality. Two years later, 82 school districts and charter schools have been approved to receive funds from the allotment, and dozens of teachers will make over $100,000 this year working to combat COVID learning loss among some of the states most disadvantaged students. Whats best, said Longview ISD Chief Human Resources Officer John York, is that the most skilled teachers are staying in high-need schools. The kids are the winners. Read Bekah McNeels full report. (Courtesy of the ACLU) Supreme Court: Students First Amendment rights are on the line after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case about a profane Snapchat post that could define schools authority to regulate off-campus speech an issue thats particularly relevant in the social media era. The justices, and the courts 6-to-3 conservative majority, appeared ready to uphold students free speech rights off campus while grappling with the reality that social media posts can easily spill over into schools and disturb the learning environment. At issue is a Pennsylvania high schoolers 2017 Snapchat post venting frustration because she didnt make the varsity cheerleading squad, and whether her off-campus rant violated a Vietnam War-era Supreme Court precedent that lets educators punish student speech that causes a substantial disruption. Leading education groups and the Biden administration argued that schools must be able to hold students accountable for off-campus speech that is harassing or threatens violence. But justices were skeptical that the post was anything more than an expression of frustration laced with F-bombs. If schools could discipline kids for off-campus cursing, then every school in the country would be doing nothing but punishing, Justice Stephen Breyer said. Read Mark Keierlebers full report. School Discipline: Texass second-largest school district is using tools it honed during the pandemic to end suspensions for low-level offenses. By giving students access to teletherapy and remote learning opportunities in what it calls reset centers, administrators plan to address the root causes of behavior issues without interrupting learning. Suspension was never the right structure, but it is certainly not the right structure coming out of a global pandemic, former Dallas school board trustee Miguel Solis told reporter Bekah McNeel. In addition to additional staff and technology, Solis said, teacher training will be key to making the new policy a success. The teacher student dynamic is going to be radically different, Solis said. Read our full report. (EdNext) Learning Loss: Even before COVID-19, a fast-growing segment of American schools ran on a four-day week. The trend is partly a concession to scheduling challenges and lengthy commutes in many rural areas, but also a reflection of cost-cutting measures even years after the Great Recession. According to one analysis, over 20 percent of school districts in five Western states now operate four days per week and according to a recently published study of one of those states, Oregon, the academic results can be dangerous. The research, featured in the journal Education Next, found that when schools shifted from a five- to a four-day schedule, students lost between three and four hours of instructional time each week and test scores dropped in both math and reading. Even worse, the longer schools stuck with the new schedule, the sharper the decline became. The findings are particularly striking in light of learning losses inflicted by school closures during the pandemic, which at least partially result from lack of time in classrooms. Hopefully, some of these knowledge losses can be caught up, study author and Oregon State University economist Paul Thompson told The 74s Kevin Mahnken. But there are questions about some of the long-run ramifications on outcomes besides achievement. Read our full report. Big Picture: The Teacher of the Year award is the most prominent national program for recognizing and promoting excellence in K-12 instruction and one of the oldest, dating to 1952. Each year, a winner is chosen from every state and territory, and the national awardee gets a celebration at the White House and a year to advocate for the profession. But what kinds of schools do these exemplars come from? Researchers decided to find out, studying state- and national-level teachers of the year going back to 1988. Their findings: Winners are disproportionately likely to work in high schools (and large schools more generally); they tend to teach English or social studies rather than health, foreign languages or special education; and, perhaps most strikingly, theyre employed at schools with lower than average numbers of low-income students. Read Kevin Mahnkens full report. 2021 Teacher of the Year: Immigrant, bilingual special educator named National Teacher of Year (Read more) Every month, we round up our most popular and shared articles from the past four weeks. (Go deeper: See our top highlights from April, March and February right here) Related: Sign up for The 74s newsletter A law that would allow for the permitless carry of handguns in Texas is headed to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signaled that hell sign the bill into law. The Texas Senate on Monday approved a compromise version of the the bill that allows those 21 and older who arent otherwise prohibited from having a gun to carry a handgun without a license. Lawmakers tasked with negotiating a version of the policy agreeable to both chambers announced the agreement Friday, and the House approved the bill late Sunday night. This bill is a strong #ConstitutionalCarry bill that will restore the right of law-abiding Texans to carry a handgun without a license for the defense of themselves & their loved ones, the bills Senate sponsor Sen. Charles Schwertner wrote on Twitter. Next, the Governors desk! The bill being sent to Abbott includes language that prohibits permitless carry for people convicted of certain misdemeanors in the past five years and increased penalties for felons who illegally carry a gun. It requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to develop a free online course on firearm safety and training. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Fiame Naomi Mata'afa was sworn in as Samoa's first woman prime minister at an extraordinary makeshift tent ceremony Monday, after the islands' long-serving ruler refused to cede power and locked the doors of parliament. The ad-hoc swearing-in is sure to face a legal challenge and will only deepen a severe political crisis in the South Pacific nation following a contested April 9 election. Prime minister of 22 years Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi lost that vote but has so far refused to step aside, prompting allegations of a constitutional coup. Mata'afa arrived for a sitting of parliament early Monday accompanied by judges in formal robes and horsehair wigs and expecting to be sworn in. Instead, the group was barred from entering the chamber, which was locked shut by officials allied with the long-ruling prime minister. The 64-year-old Mata'afa and elected members of her FAST Party instead huddled in an open-sided marquee on parliament's gardens, as supporters sang and fanned themselves in the Pacific heat and police looked on. Hours later there were raucous scenes as Mata'afa's cabinet was sworn in one-by-one, in a ceremony that had all the trappings of officialdom but which was quickly rejected by rivals. The loudest cheer was reserved for the leader herself who raised her hands in triumph in the light of the setting sun. "Democracy must prevail, always. There can be no exceptions from this fundamental principle," a party statement said. "Those who claim otherwise and act accordingly play with fire." After the ceremony veteran leader Malielegaoi continued to insist he remained prime minister, despite the courts backing Mata'afa's claim, setting the stage for continued political struggle. He described the swearing in ceremony as "illegal and unlawful". "I was shocked, not one of them, not even the church ministers present had the guts to tell them that's illegal," he told reporters. Story continues "I didn't think we had people like this in Samoa, I thought the mafia was only found in Italy." - 'Difficult crossroads' - Malielegaoi has been accused of threatening Samoa's young democracy and carrying out a coup. "This is an illegal takeover of government, that's what coups are," Mata'afa told New Zealand's Newshub on Sunday. "We have to fight this because we want to retain this country as a country that is democratically ruled, premised on the rule of law." Samoa does not have a military and the police force has stressed it is "apolitical", pledging to uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety of all Samoans. Concerned, neighbouring New Zealand and Australia have urged calm and adherence to the rule of law. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Samoa was at a "difficult crossroads" and indicated Wellington would recognise whatever side was recognised by the judiciary, currently Mata'afa. "When you have the judiciary and the Supreme Court endorsing a particular outcome, then that would be where New Zealand would naturally flow," she told reporters. Samoa gained independence in 1962 after nearly 50 years as a New Zealand protectorate and the incumbent Human Rights Protection Party has been in power since 1982, apart from a brief coalition period in 1986-87. It has always enjoyed huge parliamentary majorities but Mata'afa's FAST Party came from nowhere after its formation in mid-2020 to claim 26 of the legislature's 51 seats in last month's vote. Mata'afa served as Malielegaoi's deputy until she resigned last year, accusing him of overstepping his authority after so long in power. There is no love lost between the pair, with Malielegaoi calling Mata'afa "the devil" during parliamentary debate and labelling her a traitor after the election. Mata'afa's family are part of the Tama-a-'aiga -- Samoa's royal lineage -- and have been steeped in the island nation's political life for generations. Her grandfather helped draft Samoa's constitution and her father was the nation's first prime minister after independence. She has put women front and centre in a region where politics has traditionally been a male preserve. Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands is still the only woman to have led a Pacific island nation, serving as president from 2016-20. Mata'afa has previously been critical of Beijing's policies in the region and has called into question a major Chinese port project in the island nation. She has also called out Australia for allegedly taking a "patronising" attitude to its Pacific neighbours at times. ns/arb/oho The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Chinese Embassy in UAE have jointly announced the official launch of a regional vaccination site in Dubai. The launch follows a meeting in the UAE in March between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Wang Yi, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister, where it was agreed to set up a regional vaccination centre, reported Emirates news agency Wam. Under the programme, dubbed Spring Sprout Action and administered by the Dubai Health Authority, Chinese nationals over the age of 16 who hold a short-term visa without UAE residency will be provided in Dubai with two doses of the Sinopharm vaccination, which received approval by the World Health Organisation in May 2021 for emergency use. Chinese nationals temporarily visiting the UAE can visit the official websites of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Consulate-General in Dubai for details. China and the UAE have cooperated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, sharing expertise, resources, and technology. A new factory in Abu Dhabi will start manufacturing a Covid-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm later this year under a joint venture between Sinopharm and Abu Dhabi-based technology company Group 42 (G42). Marylands Court of Special Appeals overturned convictions for two men prosecutors originally called drug kingpins in West Baltimore, writing that the two did not knowingly waive their right to a jury trial. Marylands second-highest court ruled that when Davon Jones and Antonio Johnson waived their right to a jury trial and instead agreed to let a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge decide their innocence or guilt, they did not do so knowingly. Jones, 34 and Johnson, 41, were arrested and charged with a number of drug and weapons offenses in 2019 as police said they were the members of the violent Black Magic drug crew, which allegedly sold fentanyl and cocaine in the Penn-North neighborhood of West Baltimore. The Baltimore States Attorneys Office originally charged the men with leading a violent crew, from which police seized seven illegal guns, 460 vials of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl. Police said at the time that theyd arrested 11 people connected to the crew and that the charges could have an impact on the violence in that area. At least five people were fatally shot in that neighborhood in 2018, according to the Baltimore Sun homicide tracking map. The men were convicted on several drug distribution and weapons charges in January 2020 and were each sentenced to 20 years in prison, the opinion states. However, the Court of Special Appeals ruled that the two did not receive adequate information about jury trial proceedings prior to their decision let a judge decide their innocence or guilt. The court found that Jones attorney did not inform Jones of what a jury trial entails, while Johnsons attorney only mentioned that the jury would be 12 people selected from the citys motor vehicle records and voter rolls. Jones received no information regarding the nature of a jury trial, and the only question to Johnson was whether he understood that he had a right to pick 12 individuals from the motor and voter rolls from Baltimore City, Judge Kathryn Graeff wrote in the opinion. Story continues The appeals court ruled the case should be sent back to circuit court for a new trial. A spokeswoman for the Baltimore States Attorneys Office said the office will confer with the Attorney Generals Office about how to respond to the opinion and whether to appeal it to the Maryland Court of Appeals, the states highest court. Defense attorneys for Jones and Johnson declined to comment. Calls for World Health Organization reform and steps to avert future pandemics feature high on the agenda as the UN agency kicks off its annual member state meeting on Monday. With the Covid-19 crisis still raging and wealthy nations continuing to hoard most doses of life-saving vaccines, the WHO's main decision-making body will have plenty to discuss. The 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) will begin Monday with statements from national leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, health ministers and other high-level representatives of the WHO's 194 member states. The discussions run until June 1 focussing heavily on efforts to rein in the pandemic and on calls to revamp the entire global health approach to help prevent future Covid-like catastrophes. There is much at stake, but it remains unclear whether countries will step up to the plate. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who will also address the opening of the virtual gathering, said last week that this year's WHA was "arguably one of the most important" ever. - Pushed to the brink - On the agenda is discussion of major proposed reforms of the UN health agency, pushed to the brink by Covid. "The past year has been the most testing in our organisation's history," Tedros acknowledged. A highlight of this year's WHA will come on Tuesday when ministers and diplomats discuss the findings of three separate independent panels that have assessed different aspects of the global pandemic response. Finding that countries and institutions had been woefully unprepared to deal with the crisis, the experts argued for a total overhaul of the global alarm system. They also urged reform of the WHO to boost its independence, transparency and funding. A draft resolution to strengthen the organisation is under discussion. The text, which has yet to be published, is expected to call for nations to submit to reviews of their pandemic preparedness. Story continues It could also potentially propose giving the WHO the power to travel to countries to investigate serious health threats without waiting for an invitation from the member states concerned. But there is significant pushback from some countries wary of encroachment on their sovereignty. Experts have also highlighted the importance of boosting confidence in the WHO's independence, which has taken a hit as countries have traded blame over the crisis and accused the organisation of taking sides. One way of doing this, they suggested, would be to limit the WHO director-general's time in office to a single seven-year term, instead of the current possible two five-year terms. Gro Harlem Brundtland, co-chair of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board and a former WHO chief, has backed the move, saying it would erase suspicions the WHO leader was being "lobbied to be re-elected". - Pandemic treaty - A number of countries are also pushing to start negotiations during the WHA towards a new international treaty to prepare for the next global pandemic -- and avoid the unseemly scramble for vaccines hampering the international Covid-19 response. Covid will not be the only subject of discussion. There are more than 70 issues on the WHA agenda, including antimicrobial resistance and patient safety. And like every year, the assembly appears set to begin Monday with calls from around a dozen countries to allow Taiwan to participate as an observer. Taiwan has been excluded from the WHO for years amid pressure from China, which regards the self-governed democratic island of 23.5 million people as part of its own territory. Critics say this does not make sense, especially amid calls for global unity in the pandemic fight. But typically efforts simply to add the issue to the WHA agenda fail. nl/rjm/bp Denver leaders are seeking feedback from the community to guide their federal stimulus spending and rebuild the city stronger and more equitably over the next 10 years. Driving the news: City officials launched a new website on Thursday risetogetherdenver.org to give residents opportunities to provide feedback on investments centered around community, business and infrastructure. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. The city will also host a series of four telephone town halls to gather input, starting this week. An advisory committee will review the responses and build an investment strategy around them. Why it matters: "It is crucial for us to have residents at the table when we're deciding how we should prioritize investments and specific resources that are going to make the most impact for people who were hit the hardest in the pandemic," Denver's finance department spokesperson Kiki Turner told council members last week. By the numbers: The city is slated to get $308 million over the next two years from the American Rescue Plan Act. How it works: The federal government requires the aid be used for public health expenditures, addressing negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic, replacing lost public sector revenue, providing premium pay for essential workers and investing in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure. Ineligible uses include pension contributions, debt service payments or tax rate reductions. The backdrop: Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced last month that the city's post-COVID economic recovery would focus on three priorities, including the economy, homelessness and public safety. Denver council members identified their spending priorities in a committee meeting last month, which included money for sanctioned homeless campsites and investments in mobility safety, Colorado Politics reports. What to watch: The kicker will be whether residents, the council and the mayor's office can all come to an agreement on the stimulus spending. Story continues Once a plan is finalized, it will be presented to and voted on by the full council. The big picture: "The [stimulus] amounts to anyone sound large, but once you start slicing it apart, we know that it can go quickly," Turner said. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. This investigation was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for The Marshall Projects newsletter or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. GREENSBORO, N.C. On a warm October day in 2018, George and Mary Smith drove to police headquarters, where they had a 2 p.m. appointment to watch video of the death of their son Marcus. Nearly everything they knew about the September 2018 incident in which he died came from a Greensboro Police Department press release, which said he had been suicidal and combative before collapsing as police tried to help him. A lawyer had secured their right to watch the body camera footage. When they got to headquarters, Mary changed her mind. "A mother doesn't want to see her child fall off a bicycle, much less getting beat to death," she said. "And that's when I decided I did not want to watch." George watched the video, and left headquarters convinced police had lied about his son's death. "It was terrifying, the only thing Marcus wanted was help," he said. "I don't know where they got the suicidal or combative or collapsing from. I didn't see none of that." Like George Floyd under the knee of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, an autopsy found Smith was killed by positional asphyxia, though not by a knee on the neck, but by a controversial and widely banned practice called the "hogtie." The video showed that Marcus Smith was in distress and begging police to take him to the hospital or call an ambulance. Officers pushed him face down on the street and tied a belt around his ankles and attached it to his cuffed hands so tightly his knees were lifted off the pavement. On the video, his last coherent words were "Help me." A protester holds Marcus Smith's picture during a demonstration outside City Hall in Greensboro, N.C. (Travis Dove / for The Marshall Project) "That's how my brother died," said Kimberly Smith, his younger sister, who watched the video later. "He died like an animal." Story continues Hogtying is a troublesome word and a dangerous act. It involves putting a person on his stomach and tying his cuffed hands to his bound feet behind his back with an adjustable nylon belt, a device known as a "hobble." Police officers have said the hogtie position is used to restrain individuals who can't be restrained any other way and would otherwise pose a danger to themselves and those around them. The hobble device can be used to restrain someone's legs without placing them in the compromised hogtie position. The Department of Justice warned against hogtying as far back as 1995, in a bulletin instructing police how to prevent deaths in custody. The paper instructed officers to move the suspect off his stomach as soon as he was handcuffed, and included this directive: "Never tie the handcuffs to a leg or ankle restraint." Many police departments, including New York and Los Angeles, have banned hogtying for decades. But a joint investigation by NBC News and The Marshall Project found that a dangerous practice roundly rejected by experts has persisted in many places because of outdated guidelines and lax oversight. And the use of the hobble and hogtie may be even more widespread than can be determined because there are no national reporting requirements and many police departments don't keep track. Nationwide, NBC News and The Marshall Project identified at least 23 deaths involving hogtying or a hobble in law enforcement custody since 2010. From California to Maine, police have appeared to use a hobble to either tie a person's hands and feet together behind them, put pressure on their back with body weight, or leave them prone for longer than recommended. Those cases include a chemical engineer in Mississippi who police said was acting strangely after taking LSD; an unarmed man running naked through his Alabama hometown; and a man who died on a Tacoma, Washington, sidewalk after police deemed his actions suspicious. At least 13 people were mentally ill or in mental crises. Of those who died, 12 were white, nine were Black, and two were Hispanic. Many departments do not track the use of the hobble device, or when it is used to hogtie, in their use-of-force data. But in those that do keep records, the hobble has been used hundreds of times in recent years. Over the past five years, police in Aurora, Colorado, have used the hobble on roughly 350 people, nearly half of whom were Black. In Greensboro, court records show that in the four years before the death of Marcus Smith, Greensboro police used a hobble device to hogtie at least 275 people, two-thirds of whom were Black. Tom Manger, former police chief in Montgomery County, Maryland, and former president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, says that in his 42 years as an officer he's only seen the hobble used a handful of times. "It should only be used when you have a situation where a person is violently combative [and] you have a lawful reason to take them into custody," said Manger. "What you're trying to do is make sure they don't hurt themselves, or hurt someone else." He himself has never used one. "Cops need to be careful if they're doing something like hobbling somebody," said Manger. "They'd better be damn sure that they're doing things right." 'That's not something I would ever do' The roughly 18,000 police departments in the U.S. have different policies, procedures and training. Most of the nation's largest police agencies tend to show awareness that the hogtie is dangerous, but not all ban it. NBC News and The Marshall Project reviewed the policy manuals for departments in the 30 largest cities in the U.S. Twenty-two have clear language prohibiting hogtying or attaching hands and feet behind a person's back. But in Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Houston and Indianapolis, officers are allowed to restrain a person in this manner in certain circumstances or with certain provisions. Charlotte Police Department policy advises officers to avoid hogtying, but does not forbid it. Columbus police officers are told to make sure to provide slack in the rope that ties the hands and feet together. In Houston, only officers who are specifically trained in the technique can use it. Indianapolis warns officers to closely monitor people who have their legs and arms restrained behind the back. In the Boston and Milwaukee manuals, there is no mention of hogtying or the hobble device. When questioned, both departments said they do not provide officers with a hobble. The manuals in Nashville and Detroit have no language that directly addresses hobbles or hogtying. There's a reason for these discrepancies. In addition to the lack of national reporting requirements, many departments avoid using the word hogtie. They use phrases like maximal restraint, four-point restraint, hobble, RIPP Hobble or Total Appendage Restraint Procedure (TARP). To avoid injury, according to the DOJ's 1995 bulletin, it's essential to move the person on his side and off his stomach as quickly as possible. But there is no federal standardized way to use the hobble and there are various points within the process where an error could be deadly. Departments have used different policies; some allowed the hands and feet to be tied together, while others instructed the cuffs to be attached to a belt around the waist. The tying of the hobble, the positioning of the person, and their subsequent transport can all contribute to injury or death. Joelle DeVane owns the company that makes the original hobble device, the RIPP Hobble. She said the hobble is a safe tool when correctly used by properly trained officers trying to restrain suspects who are kicking uncontrollably. A RIPP Hobble. (Travis Dove / for The Marshall Project) "The feet are a very powerful weapon and the legs are a very powerful weapon, especially if you have someone that is in an excited state," DeVane said. DeVane noted that the instructions that accompany the RIPP Hobble say "NEVER Hog-Tie a Prisoner." The hobble carries many risks, according to Keith Taylor, a 23-year veteran of the NYPD and now a professor at John Jay School of Criminal Justice. Officers know next to nothing about a person's health, and there are serious outcomes when police immobilize an unhealthy person in a high-stress situation. Obesity, heart conditions, and drugs all can raise the chances of death. Taylor says creating federal best practices that agencies must follow would improve police interactions with the communities they serve. He said the only time police should use any type of maximal restraint is for people who are "not just belligerent, but dangerously resistant to being arrested." During Taylor's entire career the NYPD trained officers not to hogtie. "Personally, I would not use hogtying ever," said Taylor. "That's not something I would ever do. Not just because it's banned, because it's not safe." 'He was treating me like a slave' Hobble is not a word in common parlance, but it's known in many police circles. Derek Chauvin asked for a hobble as he restrained George Floyd. The officers didn't use one, however. Vanessa Peoples had never heard the word before she was tied up with one. Vanessa Peoples (Kevin Mohatt / for NBC News) Peoples said she was doing laundry in the basement of her Aurora, Colorado, home in 2017 while her two young children were upstairs. She didn't hear Aurora Police officers banging on her door. A few days earlier, she said, her son had temporarily wandered away from a relative who was supposed to be watching him at a party in a park, so the police were there with a social worker to do a child welfare check. Police entered the unlocked door. Body camera footage shows one officer entering the basement with her gun drawn. When Peoples went upstairs, she said her living room was filled with law enforcement. On the video, an officer told her three times to stand back; each time Peoples said no. The video shows that an officer grabbed Peoples by the neck and pushed her into the wall and then onto the floor face down. He straddled her legs and handcuffed her wrists behind her back. He tied her feet with a hobble and attached them to a belt around her waist. The whole time Peoples screamed for her mother and children. Seven times she told the officers she couldn't breathe. Body camera footage shows that they carried her out by her arms and shoulders and put her in a police vehicle and then on the front lawn. They eventually removed the restraints and took her to jail. An officer said in the police report that he heard a "pop" from Peoples' shoulder and that she was taken to the hospital. Peoples says her arm was dislocated. Peoples hired a lawyer, but before they filed suit the city settled the case for $100,000. Aurora Police say this does not admit fault. The city did not respond to a request for comment. "When you feel that you've got to get a rope and just tie someone up like that, that's not being treated as human," said Peoples. Four years later, Peoples still feels embarrassed that her neighbors saw her bound and screaming on her front lawn. She is wary of the police. "The pain that I endured going through this, it's unexplainable because I have to walk around every day with that on my mind." Vanessa Peoples with her sons Tamaj, 7, Mahjae, 6, and Zamari, 11 months, outside her home in Aurora, Colo. (Kevin Mohatt / for NBC News) Two years later, and three days after the death of Elijah McClain at the hands of the same police department, Aurora Police were once again in the spotlight for misuse of the hobble on a Black woman. Shataeah Kelly was arrested by Aurora Police in August 2019 on charges resulting from a fight. An officer decided to hobble Kelly after she tried to escape from his patrol car. Police video shows that the officer placed Kelly in the backseat with her hands cuffed behind her back. Her bound ankles were pulled behind her back and attached with a hobble to a belt around her waist. She fell to the floor of the car. Kelly said she couldn't breathe and asked to be moved but her pleas were ignored and she stayed, stuck on the floor, face down, for the 20-minute drive to the police station. "I just didn't know they could do that," said Kelly. "I just feel like it was because I was Black and he was treating me like a slave." Then-Interim Chief of Police Vanessa Wilson, who is now chief, called the incident "egregious" and fired the officer. "I was sick to my stomach. And then I turned to anger," said Chief Wilson in an interview. "Because that's not how we train and that's not how we treat people. And it's not how I expect my officers to behave." Kelly has retained counsel, the same lawyer who is representing Elijah McClain's family in its ongoing suit against the city and city employees. NBC News and The Marshall Project reviewed use-of-force data from the Aurora Police Department obtained via a state open records request and found the agency used the hobble on roughly 350 people over the past five years. Police used the hobble on Black suspects slightly more frequently than on others. Thirty-nine percent of the suspects arrested by Aurora police in the past five years were Black, but Black people made up 43 percent of the people on whom Aurora police used force and 46 percent of the people subjected to the hobble. In 16 percent of the roughly 350 hobble incidents, the person was injured and required medical treatment. As more scrutiny has been placed on Aurora's use of the hobble in recent years, the directives in the department's manual have changed and become more detailed. In 2016, department policy advised police to avoid hogtying. In the most recent version, issued in late 2020 after the two incidents and one settlement, the policies clearly forbid hogtying. The department is replacing the hobble with a device that doesn't allow legs to be bent backwards. "I think it's also just sort of a more humane way of taking someone into custody if they are agitated," said Wilson. 'Please take me to jail' As a Greensboro music festival wound down in the early hours of Sept. 8, 2018, Marcus Smith approached a group of eight white police officers on traffic duty and ran frantically from officer to officer, begging for help. Smith can be heard and seen on police body camera footage saying, "Please take me to jail." "Call the ambulance bro!" "Take me to the hospital!" "Help me!" "Please sir, I'm going to kill myself." "Lock me up please." Marcus Smith (Courtesy Beloved Community Center) After several minutes, police put him in the back seat of a cruiser. No one got in the driver's seat. Smith, not yet handcuffed, became more agitated and rolled on his back. A body camera captured one officer worrying aloud that Smith might break his window. "We should definitely RIPP Hobble him," the officer said. "Is anyone willing to help?" Greensboro policy allowed officers to tie a person's hands and feet together when they needed a higher level of restraint than handcuffs, but the policy did not define when this higher level of restraint was necessary or appropriate. Training materials warned officers that "Arrestee face down and 'hogtied' (knee bend greater than 90) in transit" was a dangerous position that could lead to positional asphyxia. Police pulled Smith from the car and put him face down in the street. Smith protested, yelling, "No, you can't do that, I ain't resisting." At least four officers held him down, cuffed him behind his back, strapped the hobble around his ankles and attached it to the handcuffs. Body camera video showed it took officers two minutes and 40 seconds to hogtie him before they stood up as Smith lay face down and motionless. The site where Marcus Smith was hogtied by police. (Travis Dove / for The Marshall Project) "Are you still with us?" an officer asked Smith as soon as the hogtie was complete. He knelt down, put two fingers on Smith's neck and couldn't find a pulse. Smith was declared dead an hour later after failed attempts to revive him. Over the next few hours, Police Chief Wayne Scott watched body camera video before issuing a press release about officers trying to help: "While officers were attempting to transport him for mental evaluation, the subject became combative and collapsed." Smith's friends and family were suspicious. Marcus was homeless and struggled with substance abuse, but they knew him as unfailingly polite and upbeat. Nine days after his death, an outreach worker for the homeless wrote Scott and the city council and asked "how such a beautiful life could come to such an abrupt end." The letter requested the public release of body camera video and all pertinent information, and said, "Chief Scott, we need answers." The chief replied via email two days later that there was nothing to worry about. He wrote that after reviewing videos, autopsy reports and other evidence, he concluded the officers "acted appropriately and with great compassion while trying to help a citizen in need." An internal investigation found no violation of policy and Scott returned all the officers to active duty. After viewing the body camera video, however, the Smith family believed there was a cover-up that had begun with the chief's first press release. Kimberly Smith called the release "a plain lie," and insisted her unarmed brother posted no threat to eight armed officers. "Why didn't they just handcuff him?" On Nov. 30, 2018, the state medical examiner released the final autopsy results. The death was ruled a homicide, caused by "sudden cardiopulmonary arrest due to prone restraint." A few hours later, Scott issued a special order reversing department policy. Officers can no longer connect bound feet or ankles to handcuffs. The Smith family filed a lawsuit in April 2019 alleging wrongful death and a cover-up. The mayor declined to comment for this story. Scott, who has since retired, did not respond to emails or a certified letter requesting comment. The Greensboro Police Department declined to answer any questions because of the ongoing lawsuit. For two years, officials have fought the case vigorously and have denied wrongdoing or a cover-up in court filings and in depositions. They have argued that the restraint was appropriate in light of the safety risk Smith posed to himself or others. Marcus Smith's parents and sister outside City Hall in Greensboro, N.C. (Travis Dove / for The Marshall Project) Marcus' mother, Mary Smith, said she does not believe police intended to kill her son. They were negligent, treated her son like a throwaway, she said, and should be convicted of manslaughter. "A lot of Black men would not walk up to eight white police officers at night and say, 'I'm in trouble, I'm on drugs, I need help,'" she said. "He was looking for help, and he went to the right people. And they killed him." The El Paso Zoo in Texas plans to press charges against a woman who trespassed into the zoo's spider monkey exhibit last weekend, a "stupid" act that could lead to permanent changes for the animals' safety, officials said. Zoo staff learned of the incident through social media, with a video showing a woman underneath a waterfall in the enclosure attempting to feed two of the monkeys. "This young lady decided to hop a fence, climb through some bushes, drop down into a 4-feet deep moat, walk across the moat and then try to feed the spider monkeys," said Zoo Director Joe Montisano. "It was stupid. She knew what she was doing was wrong. She's very fortunate that it didn't have a worse outcome for her or the animals," he said. "These are primates. They are strong; they have canine teeth. They can scratch. We don't interact with them on the daily. And we don't interact with them without a barrier in between us." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Montisano also delivered a message to deter others from trespassing in the future. "Your friends will rat you out in a heartbeat. We had about six to eight people call on Sunday," he said, adding, "We just talked to police and we are going to proceed with pressing charges. And they will talk to the District Attorney. We can't let this behavior go unpunished." The woman's action could be bad news for zoo visitors. The enclosure, while appealing, is the spiders monkeys' territory and the moat is a barrier because the monkeys can't swim and are afraid of the water. Therefore, the fence around the exhibit is lower, allowing for increased visibility for visitors. The spider monkeys are a popular exhibit at the El Paso Zoo and getting even more attention because of a trespasser's actions over the weekend. "It was very unusual for them. Animals are creatures of routine and they saw it as an intrusion of their territory," Montisano said of the woman, who can be seen sitting nearby the monkeys in the video. "This is not an unusual exhibit. There are probably 50 zoos across the country that have spider monkeys the way we keep them a shallow moat and a people barrier. That's why they are so popular; there's no fence in your way. Story continues But, he added, "Unfortunately, this may change all that because of this one lady's unfortunate actions." Maria Cortes Gonzalez may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @EPTMaria on Twitter. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas zoo to press charges after woman trespasses in monkey exhibit Samuel Ghebhrehiwet admired the glamorous image of the Eritrean freedom fighters Eritrea is officially marking 30 years of independence from Ethiopia. Former BBC Tigrinya editor Samuel Ghebhrehiwet was a soldier who fought for independence. He writes about his experiences on the battlefield, and how hopes were dashed as Eritrea became a repressive one-party state. Short presentational grey line During our 30-year armed struggle for independence, we lived with war every hour of every day. We got used to pain and sacrifice. Many of us were wounded two or three times during fighting. We were quickly patched up and marched into more battles. I still wonder how we managed to cover ground from Qarora - the northern tip of Eritrea - to Dumeira - the southern tip - sleeping in trenches and climbing every mountain and valley. I was among the fortunate ones. About 65,000 of our fighters died in combat. I joined the liberation army as a 16-year-old in 1982 after hearing tales about Ethiopian aggression and jealous of the glamorous image of the freedom fighters with their long hair, shorts and AK47s. I received a few months of training in the Arag valley. We learned how to attack and retreat, how to camouflage ourselves, and how to use weapons - including grenades and RPGs. Samuel Ghebhrehiwet, pictured here in 2008, hoped he was fighting for a better Eritrea Our training was good. It was backed up by political education, including how we would establish a democratic government. I was involved in numerous battles, culminating with the liberation of the port city of Massawa in the Fenqel operation of February 1990. That operation was decisive. It put a stranglehold on the Ethiopian military's movements, and ultimately forced them out of Eritrea. We fought intense battles for 72 hours to capture this strategic city, and we then defended it for more than a year with 100km-long trenches. In these battles, I suffered shrapnel wounds to my head and hand. I was treated in hospital. After I was discharged I returned to the battlefield. Towards the end of the 1990s I was sent to join the cultural group to boost the morale of our army with revolutionary songs and dramas. In 1991, we were on Dahlak Island, near Massawa, when we heard the biggest news of our lives - we had finally achieved our independence. Story continues Days of celebration Filled with joy, we travelled by boat to Massawa. We were then loaded on to lorries to go to the capital, Asmara - a journey that took about three hours. We crossed the Ethiopian military's southern checkpoint. It was unmanned, the Ethiopian soldiers had abandoned it. There was a dreamlike atmosphere in Asmara. People in the city dropped everything to welcome the independence fighters. They broke into impromptu "guayla" (traditional music and dance) on the streets of the capital, as well as other towns and villages. There were more celebrations in 1993 after a referendum formalised independence Before that momentous day, the people of Asmara were totally besieged. The airport was constantly being bombed, there was a strict curfew. Then on 24 May everything changed. Mothers abandoned earthen pots on their "fernello" (coal stoves); forgot the fire in the "mogogo" (ovens) and walked out on their coffee rituals to join the welcome party. People carrying palm leaves, which are often used in celebrations, invaded the streets - every palm tree was stripped. The young ones climbed onto the tanks that rolled in and waved their palm leaves. Reminders of the war remain littered across Eritrea The celebrations went on for days and nights. There was much anxiety amid the euphoria as there were many parents out in the streets with picture frames in their hands. They were asking the arriving fighters about the whereabouts of their children. "Did they make it back? Did they die?" I remember Seyum Tsehaye, the designated fighter photographer, taking pictures of the momentous occasion as his unit rolled in. I also remember two members of our unit - Gedle and Abayey - coming face-to-face with their family members while they were still on the back of the lorry. The joy, the screams, the tears. Gedle's father was so overjoyed he beat his chest with his palm branch. "I found my son! I found my son!" was all that came out of his mouth as he ran in front of our lorry. Abayey, the female fighter who was in the driver's compartment, recognised her mother-in-law and tried to jump off the lorry, almost injuring herself. We were accompanied by cheering crowds all the way to Albergo Ciao - a hotel in the city. Later, we were told by our commanders that we could go out and look for our family members - those of us who had relatives in town. It was not easy to find them in a couple of hours, after years away. But we did. We all hoped that Eritrea was going to flourish and we would live happily ever after. Leaders enjoying themselves Unfortunately, it did not take long for our hopes to be dashed. We gave everything we had - our youth and lives - to achieve independence. We had dreams. Many of us wanted to go to our families, resume our studies, take up civilian jobs, form a family and do well in our communities. We were very surprised that we were not even allowed to leave the army. Eritrea - a history of struggle: Map A former Italian colony which later formed loose federation with Ethiopia Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie dissolved Eritrean parliament, seized Eritrea in 1962 Eritrean separatists fought guerrilla war until 1991, when they captured capital Asmara, voting for independence in 1993 May 1998 border dispute with Ethiopia led to two-year war costing 100,000 lives Ethiopia's new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki end hostilities in July 2018 We were told that the country had nothing. "All we have is the armaments we brought in with us," our commanders-turned-leaders told us. After such a long and arduous life in the battlefields, we, the ex-fighters, were once again asked to tighten our belts. We were instructed to continue our work unpaid. We were only given food. This lasted for about two years, and then we started getting some money. The fighters who functioned as one family unit during the revolutionary years were dismayed when they became aware of the leaders' behaviour - many were simply having a good time as soon as the country was liberated. Some top leaders were seen in bars, drinking excessively - enjoying themselves while the regular fighters struggled. The chain of command and the regular meetings were neglected. The ordinary "tegadelti" (freedom fighters) waited patiently for their conditions to change but nothing happened. War with the neighbours In 1993, on the eve of the second anniversary of Eritrea's independence, the ex-fighters protested and asked their leaders to listen to their grievances. They forced their leaders to call a meeting in Asmara's main stadium. "We understand your problems; it is a common problem; we will resolve the situation together," was the answer given. As soon as the protest was over, the leaders secretly detained the protest leaders - one by one over a few days. Soon after, they were sentenced to jail terms ranging from one to 15 years. Many women joined Eritrea's fight for independence They paid a heavy price for highlighting their plight - they ended up becoming victims. Many said that the regime was following a path to dictatorship; others called for patience, saying the constitution that Eritreans had been promised would be drafted and the country would head towards democracy. None of this has happened. Eritrea remains a one-party state, having never held an election to choose the president or government. In the meantime, Eritrea has found itself at war with all its neighbours at some point - Yemen in 1995, Sudan in 1996, Ethiopia from 1998 to 2000 and Djibouti in 2008. The country lost tens of thousands more young lives. More about Eritrea: Now, Eritrean troops are involved in the fifth conflict since independence. They are in Ethiopia's Tigray region, fighting alongside Ethiopian troops against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF was in power in Ethiopia when Eritrea's independence was formalised in a referendum in 1993, and during the 1998-2000 border war between two nations. In the immediate aftermath of independence, I joined a ruling party-supported cultural troupe, hoping to honour freedom fighters and help build the country. I wrote plays and songs, and took part in performances. One of Eritrea's most famous musicians, Helen Milles, sang one of my songs: Massawa - Where are your Precious Children? Later, I worked as a journalist for a government-owned newspaper until I went into exile. Change is inevitable The little political space that existed came to an end after the Ethiopia-Eritrea border war. The government became gripped by a siege mentality, as it feared destabilisation from Ethiopia and accountability from its own citizens over a conflict that many believed could have been avoided through dialogue. In September 2001, the government ordered a crackdown. Eleven top officials and many middle-ranking cadres who supported the idea of reform were arrested. Later they were thrown into prisons, never to be heard of again. Eleven journalists who were publishing the grievances, letters and calls of the reformist group were also detained; their newspapers banned. Among them was my good friend and colleague Seyum, the photographer who captured the momentous time of independence. None of them were brought to an independent court and their whereabouts remain unknown. Eritrea remains a one-party state that has not held a national election since independence. There is no free press or independent civil society groups. All international NGOs and local civic organisations are banned. Official statistics show that healthcare and education have improved since independence but is it difficult to believe them. With limited job prospects and the prospect of years of compulsory unpaid military service, many young people continue to leave the country, seeking asylum in other African states or Europe. But many of us have not given up hope. We believe change is inevitable and Eritrea will realise the promises made by its martyrs. Robert Mark Benson was alleged to have links with criminal gangs in Ukraine and the UK Spanish police have arrested a British former Navy sailor on suspicion of running a "highly professional" drugs trafficking operation with links across Europe. Robert Mark Benson, 64, is alleged to have used his extensive nautical knowledge to mount an operation deploying boats to smuggle drugs across the Strait of Gibraltar. Police said he used shell companies to launder money from for the trafficking operation. In 2015, Mr Benson set up Yacht Matters, a business that buys and sells yachts, and property firm Real Estate cafe. He had been on investigators radar for a long time, a National Police spokesperson told The Telegraph. Police seized weapons and money during a series of raids - ASA/NPZ In all, 10 people have been arrested after twin seizures of boats carrying 1.5 tonnes of hashish. In their statement, which did not name Mr Benson, police alleged that he had close links to criminal organisations across, including in the UK and Ukraine. These were "territories likely to be the receptors of the narcotic substance,' they said. After serving in the Royal Navy as a submariner from 1978 to 1985, according to an online profile, Mr Benson started on a new career in real estate in Gibraltar, and eventually settled over the border in Spain. According to his LinkedIN page, Mr Benson was an officer in the executive branch of Navy's submarine service, meaning he would have handled combat rather than administration matters. He lists on social media having been general manager of the Valderrama golf club, near Sotogrande, which hosted the first Ryder Cup on continental European soil. Spanish police raid a yacht in Cadiz linked to the trafficking ring - ASA/NPZ The Telegraph contacted Real Club Valderrama, but was unable to get confirmation that Mr Benson had worked there. On his most recent posting on a blog site, Mr Benson described himself as someone with 28 years of experience as a real estate advisor in Sotogrande. Hi, I am Mark Benson. I would like to introduce you to my small piece of paradise. I have 28 years experience as a real estate advisor in Sotogrande, and my activities have ranged from simply helping buyers choose their dream property, to project managing the design and construction of clients' luxury private villas. Story continues Mr Benson was a submariner with the British Royal Navy The first phase of the investigation took place in August 2020, when police seized a boat the criminal organisation had loaded with 600 kilograms of hashish in the yacht harbour of Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa, just across the Strait of Gibraltar. After this first seizure, Spanish police officers were able to trace the relationship of the suspects with various members of a criminal organisation in Ceuta that supplies hashish. Three months later, the suspects planned a new shipment using a pleasure boat, which was intercepted in the Sotogrande marina in Cadiz with a tonne of hashish on board. Last week the operation culminated in the arrest of 10 people in Ceuta, Cadiz and Malaga provinces. As well as the drug hauls, officers found more than 5,800 euros in cash, a fake pistol, a taser gun, knives and a drone, plus five high-end vehicles, a sailboat and two yachts. Authorities stormed residences across three Spanish provinces - ASA/NPZ The gang were extremely cautious about their communications. Meetings to plan their activities were held in remote places accessible only by boat, with the suspects moving several times a day and avoiding any use of public transport that could leave a data trail. The operation was coordinated by Spains National Police and officers from the customs surveillance agency in collaboration with the UKs National Crime Agency. The vaccine crisis is a scandalous inequity that is perpetuating the Covid pandemic, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, in his opening remarks to the World Health Assembly. Dr Ghebreyesus urged Member States to support a sprint to September to vaccinate at least 10% of the population of every country by September, and a drive to December to achieve our goal of vaccinating at least 30% by the end of the year as a minimum. Paying special tribute to the sacrifices of health workers worldwide striving to protect people from Covid-19, he said the pandemic will not be over until and unless transmission is controlled in every last country. Some 17 months into the defining health crisis of our age, the world remains in a dangerous situation. So far in 2021, there have been more cases and deaths reported compared to the whole of 2020. On current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last years total within the next three weeks, he said. Dr Ghebreyesus lauded the proposal by the International Monterary Fund to vaccinate 40% of the worlds population by the end of 2021 and 60% by mid-2022. The number of doses made available to COVAX remains vastly inadequate. To date, COVAX has shipped 70 million doses to 124 countries and economies. But that is sufficient for less than 0.5% of the combined population of those countries. A small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the worlds vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world. Countries that vaccinate low-risk groups now do it at the expense of health workers and high-risk groups in other countries, he said. No variants have emerged that significantly undermine efficacy of vaccines, diagnostics or therapeutics. But there is no guarantee that will remain the case. There are three key needs: fully fund the ACT Accelerator, share vaccine doses and scale-up vaccine manufacturing. Every country can do more, including increasing surveillance, testing, sequencing, and sharing information; empowering people and communities; supporting businesses and workplaces; implementing national vaccination strategies, he said. The proposed Framework Convention on Pandemic Preparedness and Response can support international solidarity and sharing data, information and resources. We cannot build a safer world from the top down; we must build from the ground up. Preparing for, preventing, detecting and responding rapidly to epidemics doesnt start in the worlds corridors of power. It starts in the streets of deprivation and overcrowding where people live without enough food, access to health workers, clean water and electricity, he said. The ACT Accelerator, the pilot Universal Health and Preparedness Review programme, and plans for the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin, the WHO Academy, and the WHO BioHub in Switzerland are examples of the platforms needed to fill gaps. The WHO 2020-2021 Mid-Term Results Report shows that globally, coverage of essential health services continues to expand, but at least half the worlds population still lacks access to essential health services. Despite Covid-19, Dr Ghebreyesus outlined progress from reducing Hepatitis B prevalence in children and action on neglected tropical diseases and NCDs. WHO was committed to accountability for the results it achieves, but also for how it works, which is why any report of sexual exploitation and abuse by the Organizations staff cannot be tolerated, he added. -- TradeArabia News Service A Florida man has pleaded guilty to threatening to behead a United States senator. Brain Christopher King, 62, of Interlachen pleaded guilty Friday to leaving voice messages threatening violence, according to the Department of Justice. In March 2020, prosecutors say King made two phone calls to a senators office in Washington, D.C. and left voicemails laced with profanity. He also threatened to cut off the senators head, authorities said. Feds say it wasnt his first time engaging in this type of behavior. Officials said they interviewed King in 2018 for a similar incident and told him that threatening elected officials was a serious matter. Agents didnt arrest him at that time and said King resumed making threatening phone calls. In 2020, King is accused of calling a California police station stating hed heard someone was going to cut the heads of a particular U.S. senator and a specific member of the House of Representatives. Hes awaiting a sentencing date and may face five years in prison. Chad's former ambassador to the United States and his ex-deputy have been indicted for allegedly accepting a $2 million bribe from a Canadian start-up energy company, the Justice Department said Monday. Mahamoud Adam Bechir, the former ambassador, and Youssouf Hamid Takane, the former deputy chief of mission, were indicted by a federal grand jury, the department said in a statement. Between August 2009 and July 2014, while they were serving at the embassy of Chad in Washington, they allegedly demanded the bribe from the Canadian company in exchange for helping it obtain oil rights in Chad, it said. Also indicted was Naeem Tyab, a Canadian citizen who served as a director of the company from 2009 through 2011. Tyab was accused of allegedly arranging for the bribe to be paid to Bechir's wife for consulting services that she never actually provided. Bechir's wife, Nouracham Bechir Niam, was also indicted. "These defendants allegedly engaged in a multimillion dollar bribery scheme while in the United States and then used the US financial system to launder the bribes to conceal their conduct," Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas McQuaid said. Bechir, Takane, and Niam are charged with money laundering, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. They remain at large. Tyab, the former Canadian company director, was arrested New York in 2019 and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and to forfeit criminal proceeds of approximately $27 million, the Justice Department said. cl/mdl Former UCLA gynecologist Dr. James Heaps, far right, facing sexual abuse charges by a former patient, leaves Airport Superior Court after a criminal hearing on Nov. 6, 2019, in Los Angeles. Heaps is accompanied by his attorney Leonard Levine, left, and wife Deborah Heaps. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) A grand jury indictment unsealed Monday brought additional charges against Dr. James Heaps, the former UCLA gynecologist charged with sexually abusing seven female patients. Upon the indictment's unsealing, Heaps was immediately remanded into custody, with a judge setting his bail at $1.19 million. He now faces a total of 21 felony counts, and his maximum prison sentence was increased by 24 years on top of the 67 years he was facing if convicted of all offenses. Since the doctors arrest in June 2019, more than 300 women have come forward to allege that Heaps subjected them to sexually inappropriate comments, touched them sexually during exams without wearing gloves and simulated intercourse with an ultrasound probe. The indictment eliminates the need for a preliminary hearing, where alleged victims could be called to testify. Leonard Levine, Heaps' attorney, said, "Dr. Heaps is confident he will be exonerated at trial." "Obviously, we want a hearing to be able to cross-examine these alleged victims but now we will do it at trial," Levine said. Levine said his client will post bail. The UC system has acknowledged staff members received complaints about Heaps dating back to the 1990s, and even when it took a detailed report in 2017 and initiated investigations, it took a year for him to leave. UCLA made no public statements about Heaps alleged conduct upon his retirement in 2018, when it declined to renew his contract. UCLA notified law enforcement of the allegations against Heaps on June 14, 2018. In June 2019, Heaps was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual battery involving two patients. That criminal case expanded in August 2020 when prosecutors charged Heaps with sexually abusing five additional patients. He now faces 21 felony counts and is charged with sex crimes spanning 2011-18. The charges include sexual battery by fraud, sexual exploitation of a patient and sexual penetration of an unconscious person. Story continues Heaps medical license was suspended in 2019 after he pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges. Early this year, UCLA agreed to a $73-million class-action settlement with the alleged victims. The university was accused of knowing about numerous prior sex abuse allegations against Heaps before his departure and repeatedly allowing him to return to practice despite those allegations. Heaps has denied any wrongdoing. More than 200 patients of Heaps have opted out of the settlement to continue to pursue legal action against him. . Attorneys Jennifer McGrath and Darren Kavinoky appeared in court Monday with three of the dozens of alleged victims they represent. They called the indictment and the bail amount "a huge victory in that so many are understanding of the depth and breadth of Dr. Heaps' vile misbehavior." "This decision is one step closer to lifting the veil on UCLAs malfeasance, and that UCLA did nothing to protect patients after knowing and concluding Dr. Heaps was a predator. We appreciate the hard work the grand jury, district attorney, prosecutor and many others put in through this process," they said. According to UCLA, Heaps treated about 5,000 patients for whom the institution has records and about 1,600 others for whom it does not. Heaps did not admit any wrongdoing or contribute toward the $73 million in the agreement, but he did sign off on the settlements terms. Attorney John Manly, who represents more than 200 alleged victims, said authorities need to expand the criminal investigation to what he alleges is a cover-up conducted by UCLA officials that delayed the doctor being exposed and allegedly allowed him to find new victims. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) A few hours after the latest cease-fire took effect in the Gaza Strip, a number of Palestinian journalists in the coastal enclave found they were blocked from accessing WhatsApp messenger a crucial tool used to communicate with sources, editors and the world beyond the blockaded strip. The Associated Press reached out to 17 journalists in Gaza who confirmed their Whatsapp accounts had been blocked since Friday. By midday Monday, only four journalists working for Al Jazeera confirmed their accounts had been restored. The incident marks the latest puzzling move concerning WhatsApp's owner Facebook Inc. thats left Palestinian users or their allies bewildered as to why theyve been targeted by the company, or if indeed theyd been singled out for censorship at all. Twelve of the 17 journalists contacted by the AP said they had been part of a WhatsApp group that disseminates information related to Hamas military operations. Hamas, which rules over the Gaza Strip, is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States, where WhatsApp owner Facebook is headquartered. It's unclear if the journalists were targeted because theyd been following that group's announcements on WhatsApp. Hamas runs Gazas Health Ministry, which has a WhatsApp group followed by more than 80 people, many of them journalists. That group, for example, has not been blocked. Hassan Slaieh, a freelance journalist in Gaza whose WhatsApp account is blocked, said he thinks his account might have been targeted because he was on a group called Hamas Media. This has affected my work and my income because I lost conversations with sources and people, Slaieh said. Al Jazeeras chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael al-Dahdouh, said his access to WhatsApp was blocked around dawn on Friday before it was reinstated Monday. He said journalists subscribe to Hamas groups only to get information needed to do journalistic work. Story continues A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company bans accounts to comply with its policies to prevent harm as well as applicable law. The company said it has been in touch with media outlets over the last week about its practices. We will reinstate journalists if any were impacted, the company said. Al Jazeera said that when it sought information regarding its four journalists in Gaza impacted by the blockage, they were told by Facebook that the company had blocked the numbers of groups based out of Gaza and consequently the cell phone numbers of Al Jazeera journalists were part of the groups they had blocked. Among those affected by the WhatsApp blockage are two Agence France-Presse journalists. The Paris-based international news service told the AP it is working with WhatsApp to understand what the problem is and to restore their accounts. The 11-day war caused widespread destruction across Gaza with 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women, killed in the fighting. Israel says 12 people in Israel, including two children, also died. It's not the first time journalists have been suddenly barred from WhatsApp. In 2019, a number of journalists in Gaza had their accounts blocked without explanation. The accounts of those working with international media organizations were restored after contacting the company. Facebook and its photo and video-sharing platform Instagram were criticized this month for removing posts and deleting accounts by users posting about protests against efforts to evict Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It prompted an open letter signed by 30 organizations demanding to know why the posts had been removed. The New York Times also reported that some 100 WhatsApp groups were used by Jewish extremists in Israel for the purpose of committing violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel. WhatsApp said it does not have access to the contents of peoples personal chats, but that they ban accounts when information is reported they believe indicates a user may be involved in causing imminent harm. The company said it also responds to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us. The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, or 7amleh, said in a report published this month that Facebook accepted 81% of requests made by Israels Cyber Unit to remove Palestinian content last year. It found that in 2020, Twitter suspended dozens of accounts of Palestinian users based on information from the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs. Al-Dahdouh, the Al Jazeera correspondent, said although his account was restored, his past history of chats and messages was erased. The groups and conversations were back, but content is erased, as if you are joining a new group or starting a new conversation, he said. I have lost information, images, numbers, messages and communications. Al Jazeera said its journalists in Gaza had their WhatsApp accounts blocked by the host without prior notification. Al Jazeera would like to strongly emphasize that its journalists will continue to use their WhatsApp accounts and other applications for newsgathering purposes and personal communication, the news network told the AP. At no time, have Al Jazeera journalists used their accounts for any means other than for personal or professional use. The Qatar-based news network's office in Gaza was destroyed during the war by Israeli airstrikes that took down the high-rise residential and office tower, which also housed The Associated Press offices. Press freedom groups accused the military, which claimed the building housed Hamas military intelligence, of trying to censor coverage of Israels offensive. The Israeli military telephoned a warning, giving occupants of the building one hour to evacuate. Sada Social, a West Bank-based center tracking alleged violations against Palestinian content on social media, said it was collecting information on the number of Gaza-based journalists impacted by the latest WhatsApp decision. ___ Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates ___ Follow Fares Akram on Twitter at https://twitter.com/faresakram and Aya Batrawy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ayaelb George Floyd was murdered a year ago (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The family of George Floyd, whose murder sparked protests around the world, are set to meet with president Joe Biden at the White House to mark the anniversary of his death. The news comes as the US president has missed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act deadline, which he originally set for 25 May. Mr Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Mr Floyds neck for more than nine minutes. A jury of 12 found Chauvin guilty on three counts; one count of second-degree murder, one count of third-degree murder, and one count of manslaughter. The former police officer has not yet been sentenced but faces up to 40 years in prison. The state attorney general, Keith Ellison, has requested the judge consider aggravating factors when handing out a sentence, which requests an upward sentencing departure. Following the murder of Mr Floyd, protests broke out in the state, across the nation, and internationally, as thousands of people took to the streets to decry police brutality. Mr Floyds family is marking a year since his death with a series of events, including the Saturday rally held alongside other victims of police killings, a day of action, and a candlelit vigil on Tuesday, 25 May a year to the day he was killed. Student Sofia Sapega poses for a picture in Gothenburg, Sweden, in this undated photo taken in 2019. Sapega and Belarusian opposition activist and blogger Roman Protasevich were detained by Belarusian authorities after a forced landing of Ryanair Flight 4978 flying from Athens to Vilnius in Minsk on May 23, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer The Russian girlfriend of Roman Protasevich was also detained in Minsk on Sunday following a grounded flight. Sofia Sapega's family confirmed her detainment on Monday, according to Reuters. A statement from Sapega's university said she had been detained on "groundless and made-up conditions." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. The Russian girlfriend of Roman Protasevich, the Belarusian journalist and activist who was arrested after a plane flying from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, was forced by the Belarusian government to divert to Minsk on Sunday, was also detained following the unexpected grounding. Sofia Sapega, 23, was traveling with Protasevich and flying to Vilnius to defend her Master's thesis, according to a European Humanities University statement. She and Protasevich had been vacationing together in Greece, a university spokesperson told Reuters. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Sapega's family confirmed her detainment Monday, the spokesperson told the outlet. Belarusian authorities on Sunday sent a fighter jet to divert a Ryanair plane, citing a bogus bomb threat. When the passenger plane was forced to land in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, police officers boarded the jet and arrested Protasevich, who has been a vocal opponent to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's rule. Passengers on the flight told The Daily Beast that as soon as Ryanair announced the diversion, Protasevich "immediately" opened the overhead compartment to collect his electronics, handing his laptop and phone over to Sapega. But Protasevich and Sapega were both detained by the Administration of the Investigative Committee for the city of Minsk on what Sapega's university called "groundless and made-up conditions," in a statement following her arrest. It is not clear what charges Sapega was detained on. The Russian Embassy in Minsk told The New York Times that Belarus had notified the consul of Sapega's detention. Story continues Sapega's university said it is providing her immediate consular assistance and called on the international community and human rights defenders to assist in her release. "Sofia's groupmates and faculty members tell that the student is well regarded due to her academic performance and reputation in EHU's community," the statement said. Belarusian state media has reported that it was Lukashenko who gave the "unequivocal order" to ground the plane in Minsk. Flightradar.com data that shows the jet was closer to its destination in Lithuania than Minsk, Insider's Cheryl Teh reported. The airline's CEO said Monday that Belarusian KGB agents were on board the Ryanair plane. Lawyers looking to help Protasevich told The Times they believe he is being held in a jail in Minsk operated by the Belarusian intelligence service. On Monday, Belarusian authorities posted a video of Protasevich, in which he said he was cooperating with authorities. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Read the original article on Insider University of Calgary professor David Lertzman, who was killed by a grizzly bear in Canada (Marnie Burkhart, Jazhart Studios Inc via the University of Calgary ) The hunt for a bear that killed a Canadian professor has been scaled back after traps failed to capture the female grizzly before she fled the area. Almost three weeks after David Lertzmans body was found in northwest Calgary, local government officials announced they removed baited traps as the bear was no longer in the area of the attack near Waiparous Creek. The University of Calgary professor went missing on 4 May after going for a run near the Moss Trail, with Alberta Justice and Solicitor General spokeswoman Ina Lucila saying he was killed by a mature female grizzly. Because there hasnt been any bear activity detected in the past couple weeks, officers have removed the traps to mitigate the risk of inadvertently attracting other predators to the area, she told The National Post. While the Alberta Justice and Solicitor Generals office did not immediately respond to The Independent, Ms Lucila told the Post that action could still be taken against the bear as the investigation continued into the death. It is not known whether the female grizzly was accompanied by cub(s), but based on evidence, a single bear was involved in the attack, Ms Lucila said told the Post in an email. At this point, it does not appear to be a predatory attack. Mr Lertzman, who was 59 at the time of his death, taught environmental management and sustainable development as an assistant professor at the universitys Haskayne School of Business. The schools dean, Dr Jim Dewald, said Mr Lertzman had worked at university since 2000 and was a friend to all and a spiritual leader who was committed to their Indigenous connections. His wife, Sarah Lertzman, posted to Facebook that her "beloved partner" was trail running as he does twice daily to maintain a deep connection to nature. "He was attacked by a bear from behind and pushed off a very high embankment (300 meters) and was found near the river," Ms Lertzman wrote. "I had searched for him myself for two hours early in the night and walked right past the point of attack and saw no sign of it. I was looking for a man in trouble and not for a scene of something that had happened," she added. Story continues "I did not know the risk to myself in that moment, and I am truly blessed that nothing happened to me, as the officers reminded me repeatedly later in the night." Ms Lucila told the Post that the trails north or Waiparous Village would remain closed while Alberta Fish and Wildlife officials continue to monitor the area for further signs of the bear. She said the closure would be enforced and anyone entering the area could be fined, and that people should remain calm, back away and find somewhere to hide if encountering a bear. While the grizzly may have posed a further danger to Ms Lertzman during the search or other visitors to the area, she had kind words for the bear that took her husbands life. "We felt the bear spirit transition, too. It was as if they were wrapped around each other," she wrote. Read More Texas governor Greg Abbott vows to sign bill blocking police defunding ahead of George Floyd anniversary CDC urges people to stop snuggling chickens as pets cause rise in Salmonella infections Father of five dies of Covid after skipping vaccination Guillermo Lasso was successful in his third run for the presidency Guillermo Lasso has been sworn in as Ecuador's president. The 65-year-old conservative former banker defeated left-wing rival Andres Arauz in a closely fought run-off election on 11 April. He has taken up office amid one of the worst economic crises ever to confront the Andean nation, which is still grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Lasso has pledged to attract more investment to the oil sector and to kickstart the stagnated economy. Slow progress on vaccines Ecuador's Covid ordeal attracted international attention in 2020, when there were reports of bodies being left in the streets of the most populous city, Guayaquil. With a population of 17.3 million, the nation has had more than 415,000 accumulated coronavirus cases, and deaths have surpassed 20,000. Covid-19 vaccination has been moving with painful slowness - only some 2.3% of the population have been fully vaccinated - so accelerating this will take a major effort. To try to keep his promise of vaccinating nine million Ecuadoreans during his first 100 days, Mr Lasso announced he would hold urgent bilateral talks with Russia, China, the United States, the European Union and Chile to try to acquire the necessary jabs. Mr Lasso said he had already talked to Chilean President Sebastian Pinera about obtaining loans to purchase vaccines with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank. He has also announced an alliance with Ecuador's National Electoral Council to use the information held on its voting roll and sites to speed up the vaccination process. Rocky road to economic recovery During his election campaign, Mr Lasso said that a successful national vaccination plan would be the key to reactivating Ecuador's stalled economy. The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact: the country has been driven into recession, with poverty and unemployment increasing. Story continues But Mr Lasso will need to convince a politically divided country that his free-market and pro-business policies offer the best hope to lift Ecuador out of one of the darkest periods of its recent history. The new president will have to start by seeking support in the National Assembly, where he has struggled to forge alliances and where left-wing groups pose a powerful counterweight. Tackling long-running corruption is also seen as a major challenge. A deeply rooted culture of soliciting bribes and syphoning off funds has drained Ecuador's main revenue earner, the state-owned oil company Petroecuador, which between 2012 and 2016 was estimated to have lost some $2.4bn (1.7bn) to corruption. The nation's health system has not escaped the corroding effects of graft, with reports of funds intended to tackle the Covid pandemic being mishandled by officials at every level of government. The country is currently on its sixth health minister in four years after several resigned amidst coronavirus-related scandals. Northern neighbour is key One of Mr Lasso's first acts after being elected president was to visit Ecuador's northern neighbour, Colombia, with whom it shares a border of almost 600km (375 miles). Mr Lasso's first foreign visit after being elected president was to Colombia In recent years, Ecuadorean authorities have become increasingly concerned about the encroachment of violent drug-trafficking gangs from Colombia into its northern provinces. They have reported increased drug seizures in 2021 but fear the Mexican and Colombian gangs behind the trafficking are gaining in strength. Tens of thousands of Venezuelan migrants fleeing the economic and political crisis in their homeland have also entered Ecuador from Colombia, increasing the pressure on health and social services. Map showing the routes of Venezuelan migration In his April talks with Colombian President Ivan Duque, Mr Lasso said co-operation on trade, security and migrants would be his priority. Mr Duque has urged Mr Lasso to follow Colombia's example and offer Venezuelan migrants temporary protected status. But with unemployment high and pressure on the health service increasing, such a move could prove unpopular with struggling Ecuadoreans. Polar Manufacturing, one of the leading advanced engineering and carbon fibre manufacturers, has set up production base at Al Hamra Industrial Zone, Ras Al Khaimah. With significant investment, Polars new facility will cater to the growing demand for carbon fibre and composite products in the UAE and Mena and will create over 50 high-skilled job opportunities in Ras Al Khaimah. Established in 2011 in Norfolk, United Kingdom, the companys Ras Al Khaimah base occupies a 3,600 sq m land with a built-up area of 1,364 sq m where it is set to design and manufacture carbon fibre products for blue-chip brands in various fields, such as automotive, aerospace, sport and leisure, agriculture, defence, marine, medical, transport, also including high-end bespoke commissions. We have been eyeing expansion to the Mena region for the past few years and searching across the UAE for the ideal destination for our regional production unit. Ras Al Khaimah proved to be the most cost-effective location being at the centre of the trade in the region and Rakezs high quality and personalised support enabled us to identify the right solution and set up quickly, said Mike Harris, Group CEO of Group Polar Ltd. Ras Al Khaimah is indeed a great place to do business, offering a hassle-free business environment that is easily accessible being close to major logistical hubs. We are very excited and looking forward to experiencing remarkable results in the UAE and GCC. Commenting on the inclusion of the carbon fibre producer, Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of Rakez (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone), said: Polar Manufacturing is yet another great addition to our portfolio of international manufacturing companies in our industrial zones. Over the years, we have created clusters of companies in our zones to encourage B2B collaborations, and this is one of the many ways manufacturers benefit within our ecosystem, in addition to the range of solutions and ease of doing business that we offer. We aim to continuously enhance our industrial environment to support more global manufacturers looking to thrive in the Mena region. To further grow the clusters of manufacturers in its zones, Rakez has launched campaigns such as Make, Manage, Move Your Products, a cost-effective industrial package with a range of warehouses, land for development and labour accommodation to suit the needs of supply chain players from around the world. Rakez is currently home to leading industrial brands including; RAK Ceramics, one of the worlds largest ceramics companies; Dabur Naturelle, one of the worlds largest manufacturers of Ayurvedic medicines, as well as home, health and personal products; and Ashok Leyland, Indian bus manufacturer. -- TradeArabia News Service May 24The Honolulu Fire Department rescued three hikers today, including one who had lost consciousness on a trail. HFD received a 911 call about 3 :54 p.m. today after two hikers encountered difficulty on the Pali Notches Trail. Four HFD units, with 12 personnel, responded with the first unit arriving at the scene about 4 :07 p.m. Two men, ages 26 and 27, reported hiking on the trail since 1 p.m. "when one of them lost his footing and slid a short distance off the trail, " HFD said. The hiker was uninjured but was unable to make his way back to the trail. HFD used the GPS from the hiker's cell phone to locate the men, who were near the first notch of the trail. "The hikers' location, heavy canopy and intermittent cloud cover presented some challenges during the rescue operation, "HFD said. Rescue personnel were transported via Air 1 to the hikers' location, where they were safely extracted. They were transported to a landing zone that had been established at Nuuanu Pali Lookout about 5 :40 p.m. No injuries were reported. Earlier in the day, HFD rescued to a hiker, who became unconscious due to a medical emergency, from Waimano Trail. Five HFD units with 16 staff members arrived at the scene around 11 :10 a.m. in response to a 10 :55 a.m. 911 call of an injured hiker. According to HFD, a man and two women had been hiking Waimano Trail for about three hours when the man became unresponsive. He regained consciousness, but could not exit the trail on his own or with assistance from his hiking companions. HFD's Air Force 1 transported rescue workers to an area near the hiker about 11 :30 a.m. Rescue workers assessed the man and transported him to a nearby landing zone at 11 :48 a.m. Emergency Medical Services personnel were sent to the scene ; however the man refused treatment. Firefighters helped the man's hiking companions exit the trail on foot. The HFD advises hikers to plan ahead. They recommend bringing a fully charged cell phone and an external backup battery on the hike. Before setting out, HFD recommends, hikers should get information about their planned hiking route, including where to start and the degree of difficulty. Hikers should be practical and realistic about their fitness capabilities, and should monitor everyone's condition while hiking, HFD said. "Dehydration, sunstroke, hypothermia, and fatigue can hit even experienced hikers, " HFD officials said. By Vera Eckert and John Revill FRANKFURT (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor plans to ship a new series of fuel-cell trucks to Europe later this year, turning up the heat on rivals in a battle to test the viability of hydrogen-powered heavy goods transport. A new class of the Xcient Hyundai truck, equipped with more efficient fuel cells with longer life-span, is due to arrive in Europe in the fourth quarter, said Mark Freymueller, CEO of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM). Hydrogen lags electric batteries in the green transport stakes because it is more expensive, but proponents say for long-haul transport hydrogen-powered trucks have the advantage because they have a greater range. HHM, a joint venture between Hyundai and Swiss hydrogen company H2 Energy, has been renting out "green" hydrogen trucks to commercial clients in Switzerland since last October in the world's most advanced pilot in the field. HHM plans to go into other European countries next year. "Germany and the Netherlands are the most likely," Freymueller told Reuters, adding there was also interest for pilots from Austria, Norway, France, Italy, Spain and Denmark. Hyundai's latest push will put more pressure on local players, which are developing their own hydrogen plans. These include Germany's Daimler with Sweden's Volvo and Italy's Iveco, a unit of Italian-American vehicle maker CNH Industrial, which is cooperating with low-emission truckmaker Nikola . Hydrogen has come into the spotlight in Europe, where EU environment ministers want truck CO2 emissions cut by a third by 2030 from 2019 levels, threatening potential diesel bans and higher taxes but promising up to 75% of lower road tolls for greener vehicles. Although more expensive than battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, driven by on-board hydrogen, will potentially benefit from Europe's desire to build a world-leading industry around the hydrogen technology. Story continues A study by consultancy Berylls Strategy Advisors reckons that by 2030, 25% of new truck sales in Europe will be battery powered and 10% fuel cell. But the ratio could change if green hydrogen is scaled up, it said. POSITIVE FEEDBACK Hyundai chose Switzerland for its pilot on the basis of benign regulation, environmentally conscious customers and reliable hydropower, which accounts for 58% of the country's power mix. Local road tax is waived for no-carbon vehicles while fossil fuel ones pay around 800 euros ($977) for each tonne of CO2 they emit. "Anyone wanting to see how fuel cell technology works on the road should go to Switzerland," said Steffen Stumpp, head of the business unit commercial vehicles at Berylls. Initial customer feedback on Hyundai's pay-per-use pilot seems positive. Drivers at grocery chain Coop like the similar payload to diesel trucks and with only a few minutes of refuelling, a spokeswoman said. "There was no need to change my driving style," Nadine Sigrist, a driver for retailer Migros in the Zurich region, said "What was new for me was the huge acceleration and the quiet engine." As more Hyundai trucks arrive, Swiss power utility Alpiq is planning to ramp up its electrolysis capacity at Niedergoesgen where it produces green hydrogen that is then transported on trucks as gas to filling stations. "We will go from 2 megawatts in the direction of double-digit, or 5-10 megawatts," said Amedee Murisier, head of hydropower generation at Alpiq and board member of Hydrospider, a Swiss green hydrogen joint venture between Alpiq, gases group Linde and H2 Energy. Hydrospider could reach breakeven as soon as 2022, Murisier said. BATTERY VS FUEL CELLS McKinsey expects hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles to achieve break-even with diesel only in 2028 at the earliest, but carmakers are pushing ahead with plans, albeit at different speeds. Nikola and Iveco say they will produce a fuel cell electric vehicle by 2023, putting them two years ahead of Volvo and Daimler Truck, which are muscling in but will not have test trucks for three and a half years. Separately, Daimler group subsidiary Mercedes Benz will prepare customer trials for its GenH2 Truck in 2023. "Nikola's timeline is significantly ahead of Daimler/Volvo," said Stumpp. "Hyundai will be neck on neck with Nikola/Iveco if they offer the Xcient in other European markets." Daimler Truck chief executive Martin Daum said that a hydrogen fuelling network needed to be in place first before fuel cell trucks would find buyers, which would take years to develop, so they were timing their moves in line with the infrastructure. Truckmaker Paccar's DAF is also in the game, but its priority is battery electric vehicles, where Nikola is also active and plans market entry in fourth quarter 2021. Other companies have also chosen to put fuel cell technology second. Traton, the truck division of Volkswagen, recently said that only the battery route had been chosen by its MAN and Scania units. "Hydrogen trucks have a decisive disadvantage. Only a quarter of the original energy goes into propulsion, three quarters are lost through conversion," Traton CEO Matthias Gruendler and alternative drivetrains specialist Andreas Kammel wrote in a column in newspaper Handelsblatt. "With e-trucks, the ratio is the other way around," they said. Traton has left the door ajar by raising its investment in truck maker Navistar that is developing fuel cells in the Americas. SUPPLIERS On the automotive supply front, companies are hedging their bets. Bosch, a fuel cell proponent, has entered into a joint venture with China's Qingling Motors to supply fuel cell systems for 2022/2023. Elringklinger and Mahle, too, are also working on fuel cell technology. U.S. engine maker Cummins, due to start building a fuel cell system factory in Herten, Germany, later this year, sees no conflict. "Fuel cells will complement the BEV (battery electric vehicle) system in places where energy storage, range, weight and power requirements are unable to be met by batteries alone," said Amy Davis, president of New Power at Cummins. "That's why we are investing in the electric vehicle drivetrain components, because we think those will be maturing too, and they will be key to both fuel cells and batteries." ($1 = 0.8188 euros) (Reporting by Vera Eckert in Frankfurt and John Revill in Zurich; Additional reporting by Nick Carey in London. Editing by Jane Merriman) Police in India's capital served a notice at Twitter's offices late Monday, seeking information for a complaint about why a tweet by the spokesperson of the ruling Hindu-nationalist party was tagged as "manipulated media". Tensions have been high between the Indian government and the US social media giant, after Twitter earlier this year reversed its blocking of a number of accounts critical of New Delhi's new agriculture laws following a request from authorities. An Indian climate activist was arrested in February after allegedly helping to create a guide to farmer protests against the laws that was tweeted by environmentalist Greta Thunberg. The government last month also ordered Twitter and Facebook to remove dozens of posts critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the coronavirus crisis. The latest spat followed Twitter's labelling of a tweet on Tuesday by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra as "manipulated media". He had shared a document allegedly showing the opposition Congress party's masterplan to contrast the BJP's efforts to combat the pandemic with theirs. Congress tweeted that it had sent a letter to Twitter's headquarters in the US, calling for Patra's account as well as that of several other BJP representatives to be permanently suspended. The opposition party alleged that the document shared was fake. Delhi Police confirmed to AFP that they had gone to Twitter's offices to serve the notice about the tweet, but called it part of a "routine process". "Delhi Police is enquiring into a complaint in which clarification is sought from the Twitter regarding the classification of a tweet by Shri Sambit Patra as 'manipulative'," police said in a statement. "It appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us on the basis of which they have classified it as such. This information is relevant to the enquiry." Story continues A Twitter spokesperson told AFP it had "no comment" about Delhi Police's visit to its offices. Under Twitter's rules, a post is tagged as "manipulated media" if it includes "media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated". A leading factcheck organisation, AltNews, said it had analysed the documents and claimed that some were created with a forged letterhead. Modi and the BJP have been criticised for their slow response to a new wave of Covid-19 infections that has pushed India's healthcare system to breaking point. The BJP has hit back via its social media army, blaming state governments and others for ignoring what it says were Modi's repeated warnings of a second wave. India has reported just over 26.7 million Covid-19 infections and more than 300,000 deaths, according to health ministry data, but experts warn that the actual toll could be much higher. bb-grk/st By Sumit Khanna AHMEDABAD (Reuters) - India's Cadila Healthcare is aiming to triple monthly production of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate to as many as 30 million doses, its managing director said on Monday, as the country battles a massive wave of infections. The virus has killed nearly 100,000 Indians in May alone according to official figures, although experts say actual numbers are likely many times higher. India's COVID-19 death toll surged past 300,000 on Monday, health ministry data showed. India is also facing a shortage of vaccines. Weekly vaccinations have fallen from a peak of nearly 25 million doses in early April to about 9 million. The government has pledged to make 2.67 billion doses available this year. Cadila, headquartered in Ahmedabad in western India, is looking to increase monthly production of its vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D to up to 30 million doses in four to five months, from 10 million now, its managing director, Sharvil Patel, said in text messages to Reuters. Reuters reported last month Cadila was seeking emergency use authorisation for the shot from India's regulators in May or June. "We still think we should be able to submit (the vaccine for emergency use authorisation) in May," Patel said on Monday. The company will use both in-house capacity as well as third-party manufacturers to boost production, he said. ZyCoV-D is a DNA plasmid vaccine, which uses a portion of the genetic code - DNA or RNA - in the virus to stimulate an immune response. It is undergoing late-stage trials in nearly 30,000 adults after being found safe and immunogenic in earlier studies. It is meant to be given in three doses but Cadila is also doing trials on a two-dose regimen, Patel has said previously. (Writing by Sachin Ravikumar in Bengaluru) Conventional wisdom tells you to always take the call. So when a young couple from Cleveland dialed the Redd Kaihoi office asking to speak with Miles Redd, that is exactly what the AD100 superstar did. They just gave the phone right to him, marvels the client, who told Redd she and her husband were looking to design their forever home. Redd explained that a project of this scope was like a marriage, and suggested they meet in person. Cocktails in the Renzo Mongiardinodesigned tearoom at The Carlyle in Manhattan confirmed immediate chemistry. As the clients exited, the wife recalls, My husband, who is very analytical, turned to me and said, Well, thats done! The couple had found their decorator. The only problem: There was no house to decorate. The 29 acres they had purchased boasted picturesque ponds, horse trails, and a ravineall of which would inspire landscape architect Edmund Hollanderbut no structure. Combing the AD100 list, they whittled it down to the few architects who are capable of doing traditional, notes the wife. Classicist Peter Pennoyers cerebral approach caught their eye. When the husband phoned the architect and asked if he had ever worked in Cleveland, Pennoyer said, Tell me what street youre on. Serendipitously, the architect was knee-deep in a project on the abutting property. Fate had spoken. Ryan Kurtz In terms of style, they were really trusting. They challenged us to do something special. They didnt say, Heres a picture of a house I like. Do this. Pennoyer channeled the Arts and Crafts vocabulary of early-20th-century architects such as Britains C.F.A. Voysey and Sir Edwin Lutyens and Americas Harrie T. Lindeberg. The whitewashed brick facade has symmetry at the center, then spreads out in the style of a rambling country estate with gabled and turret-like roofs. I think its really important to look at precedents and context but also to actually draw it yourself and not just rely on a pattern-book approach, says Pennoyer. That is what gives a sense of timelessnessthe way you treat the materials, how the windows are set in the walls. Its something you dont notice when its done right. For the clients, multigeneration Clevelanders, working with local artisans was a significant detail: The home is a real testament to the craftsmanship and trades right here in our hometown, the husband exults. Story continues If the couple were somewhat agnostic when it came to the exterior architecture, the inside of the house was another matter. They were organized about their wish list and thoughtful about how they wanted to live in a room, which I think really helped both Miles and me, Pennoyer says. Its great to see young people have that confidence. Among their mandates were a first floor that would house their personal suite plus the majority of living and entertaining spaces, so when the kids are in college we can kind of shut down the upstairs, the wife explains, adding, with a laugh, Were planners when it is pointed out that their children, a daughter and a son, are eight and four. We had lived in an open floor plan before, and it wasnt for us, the wife continues, so Pennoyer responded with an enfilade that spans the ground floor, and a promenade that creates this experience of walking from room to room thats really special. At the top of the main staircase, for instance, theres a bridgelike hall overlooking the double-height living room. Its that getting from the front door to your bedroom door or your childrens where you exploit the various vantage points. Ryan Kurtz Having the architect and designer in place from the beginning also allowed for creative cross-pollination. We worked very closely with Miles and David [Kaihoi, his business partner] to set it up for their decoration, says Pennoyer. Amazingly, it was also the first time he and Redd had worked together. To me it was such a logical pairing, says the client. Peters proportions allow Miless decorating to shine, and Miless colors highlight Peters architecture. In the living room, Redd Kaihoi tempered the 20-foot coffered ceiling with glossy taxicab-yellow walls to make the space more playful. Mossy velvet sofas wrap the walls, and tall potted palm trees evoke what Redd calls an Edwardian-conservatory feelyou need height. No small task when it came to filling the wall space. You have to hang things so it doesnt feel empty and bare, Redd explains, but if you only do pictures it can get pricey. Blue-and-white jars on brackets created relief and dimension without breaking the budget. Having the benefit of a very focused three years of shopping the auctions, notes Kaihoi, served them well. We could afford to be patient and wait for the right things to come along, the wife adds. Among those was a series of eight-foot-tall 1920s polychrome panels that were plucked from a Dorothy Draper project in Dallas and placed in the entrance hall. That was our hallway moment, Kaihoi says, adding that the brilliant blue paint chosen for the chinoiserie staircase followed from there. As for the limestone-look block wall covering that wraps the space, Redd says, We thought that real limestone would feel too embassy-esque. More Inside a Strikingly Majestic Family Home in Ohio Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Ryan Kurtz Evocative wallpapers set the scene throughout. The de Gournay Indian sequence in the formal dining room is a wink to Nancy Lancasters famous Tobacco Bedroom, while the red-and-white family room, with a canopied bar, echoes red-accented interiors at the Duke and Duchess of Windsors country house. It was about making a fantasy room that still works with the formality of the rest of the house, says Redd. That kind of gallant irreverence was exactly what attracted the clients to Redd Kaihoi in the first place, says the wife. We have a ton of antiques, but it doesnt feel like were living in an old English manor. I feel like they got us. I remember saying when we first interviewed Miles that I have all these disparate visions of what I like in my head, and I need someone to get in there and make it all feel cohesive. He did that. He almost knows us better than we know ourselves in that sense. Of course, not everything could have been predicted. The pandemic that set in shortly after the home was completed means entertaining has been on hold, though the couple happily report that each room is used and enjoyed. Its a testament to how inviting the decor is, says the wife. Whenever I cant find our daughter, shes in that two-story living room curled up in the corner of a sofa reading or on her iPad. The room I thought would be the most intimidating is the one she gravitates toward. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Chelsey Brown shared her design hacks and DIY projects that help her maximize space in her NYC studio apartment. Citychicdecor/Instagram Chelsey Brown turned a 520-square-foot studio apartment in NYC into a Parisian-inspired oasis. Brown used renter-friendly hacks, like removable wallpaper, to decorate her studio apartment. Brown shared with Insider her best tips for storing items and arranging furniture to maximize space. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Chelsey Brown is an interior decorator who lives in a 520-square-foot studio apartment in New York City, and she uses renter-friendly hacks to make her space feel larger. Brown in her apartment. citychicdecor/Instagram Brown helps people design small rental spaces. Brown, the author of "Rental Style" and founder of the blog City Chic Decor, told Insider she got into the industry to fill what she felt like was a void in the world of decorating interiors. "It was bizarre to me that there was little-to-no content on decorating rental spaces when I lived in a city where practically everyone was a renter," she said. Since she moved into a studio apartment in New York City's NoMad neighborhood in 2020, Brown has made it her own with secondhand furniture and do-it-yourself decor. Brown's apartment has a combined entryway and kitchen area. She used peel-and-stick wallpaper and contact paper to spruce up the door, countertops, and backsplash. Brown's entryway door and kitchen counter. citychicdecor/Instagram Brown used a teal-colored wallpaper to decorate the inside of her front door. It's a peel-and-stick wallpaper, which is designed to be easily removable and renter-friendly. In the kitchen, Brown used a blush-colored, marble-printed contact paper to transform her kitchen countertop and backsplash. The kitchen leads into the main room of the apartment, where Brown uses large mirrors not only as decoration - but also to hide items like spare artwork and purses. Storage is seen behind Brown's mirror. citychicdecor/Instagram Brown often switches out the artwork in her apartment, and she stores the pieces that aren't on the walls behind her mirrors. "It's a great little hack for utilizing every crevice in a smaller apartment," she said. "You have to think of it as usable space." Story continues Brown layered two mirrors on top of one another, which she said is meant to make the space feel larger. "Those double mirrors aren't just a feature statement," she said. "They just make the room feel so much taller and more luxurious." Brown has mirrors all over her apartment that store her narrow belongings and make the room feel larger. Brown has several mirrors in the apartment. citychicdecor/Instagram The more mirrors you have, the bigger your space will feel, she said. The squiggly mirror is a DIY project that Brown shared in a blog post in November 2020. To make it, you'll need a frameless mirror, wood or cardboard, a saw or two, and some paint. In the post, Brown said to saw or cut the wood or cardboard into the squiggly shape, and then paint it the color of your choice before attaching it to the mirror with glue or Velcro. Brown maximized space in her studio apartment's living room by floating her couch instead of placing it against the wall, giving her room for a dining table that doubles as a workstation. Brown's living room area has a couch. citychicdecor/Instagram Brown recommends floating your sofa if you live in a small space rather than leaning it up against the wall. Brown said that floating a sofa can "create division in your space and sanctioned areas." "Most importantly, it'll make your space feel less like a studio and more like a larger home," she added. Behind her couch, Brown has an acrylic console table with two stools underneath that she uses as a dining table and a workstation for DIY projects. Also in the living room, Brown stores film equipment behind her radiator. Brown even gave her wall-mounted TV a makeover by adding panels made of wooden dowels that give the wall interest. The television and storage furniture in Brown's apartment. citychicdecor/Instagram "I don't love the idea of just having a TV on the wall," Brown said. "I want something visual to look at." That's why she installed wooden dowels on both sides of her TV to add character. You can see exactly how she did the DIY in a blog post on her website. All you'll need for this one is some foam half-moon dowels, command strips, and paint. First, as Brown wrote in her blog post, paint the dowels any color you want. After they dry, place command strips on the backs and stick them to the wall. Brown used more peel-and-stick wallpaper, a room divider, and a unique gallery wall to separate her bedroom area from the rest of the studio apartment. Brown's bedroom area and gallery wall. citychicdecor/Instagram Living in a studio, Brown stores items wherever she can and in her bedroom, that means using the white console for pots and pans that didn't fit in the kitchen, and stowing items under her bed. But the focal point of Brown's bedroom space is her gallery wall, which has layered picture frames and extends onto the ceiling. Installing real, heavy art pieces on the ceiling could pose a danger if they fell, so Brown told Insider she created a safer alternative. She said she made the frames out of cardboard and applied them with heavy-duty adhesive strips. Making a room feel larger and more open is "all about drawing where you want it to go," Brown said. "I don't love following trends. I kind of like coming up with them," Brown added. "I always think you have to have that feature thing that when someone walks in, they're like, 'Oh my gosh, that's so cool.'" For more of Brown's small space hacks, follow her on Instagram. Read the original article on Insider By Francois Murphy and Parisa Hafezi VIENNA/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog are extending a recently expired monitoring agreement by a month, both sides said on Monday, avoiding a collapse that could have pitched wider talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal into crisis. The move gives breathing space to indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran that resume in Vienna this week. European diplomats had warned that failure to extend the monitoring pact would endanger those talks, which aim to bring the two countries back into full compliance with the 2015 pact. The reprieve will only be brief, however, since the extension will expire soon after Iran's June 18 presidential election, which is likely to bring in new interlocutors for the International Atomic Energy Agency and major powers. "The equipment and the verification and monitoring activities that we agreed (on) will continue as they are now for one month, expiring then on June 24," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told a news conference. He spoke soon after Iran's ambassador to the agency, Kazem Gharibabadi, who urged major powers meeting in Vienna to make use of the window afforded by the extension. "I recommend that they use this opportunity, which has been provided in good faith by Iran, and lift all the sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner," Gharibabadi said on Monday, according to state media. The three-month agreement was struck in February to soften the blow of Iran restricting its cooperation with IAEA inspectors, and it allowed monitoring of some activities that would otherwise have been axed to continue. It is a black box-type system in which the IAEA cannot check data collected until a later date. The IAEA will have no access to the data gathered over the past three months until at least June 24, Grossi said, adding that he should still be able to provide quarterly updates on Iran in roughly the same way. Story continues The 2015 accord is designed to ensure Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons by restricting its uranium enrichment programme. Tehran says it has never wanted to build atomic bombs. Former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration abandoned the nuclear accord three years ago and then reimposed harsh economic and trade sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Iran responded by breaching the 2015 deal's restrictions on its nuclear activities. Its move to curb IAEA access arose from legislation widely seen as a means of pressuring President Joe Biden's administration to return to the nuclear pact and lift sanctions. (Additional reporting by John Revill in Zurich; Writing by Francois Murphy and Parisa Hafezi Editing by Mark Heinrich) The UN nuclear watchdog and Iran on Monday said an agreement to monitor Tehran's activities would be extended by a month until June 24, as world powers hold talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal. Global powers have been meeting in Vienna since early April in a bid to bring Washington back to the deal -- which the US left in 2018. The withdrawal under then president Donald Trump and re-imposition of sanctions led to Iran stepping up its nuclear activities. Iran in late February limited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s access to nuclear sites it has been monitoring as part of the 2015 deal. A three-month agreement reached on February 21 allowing some inspections to continue was extended by another month, the IAEA announced. "The verification and the monitoring activities that we agreed will continue as they are now for one month expiring on June 24th, 2021," IAEA director general Rafael Grossi told a news conference. Tehran has also agreed that information collected so far by agency equipment in Iran would not be erased, he added. Negotiators, trying to save the 2015 nuclear deal, welcomed the announcement. EU negotiator Enrique Mora, who is chairing the talks in Vienna, said diplomats would "redouble efforts" to get the deal back on track. "Good news... It allows for a bit more space to reach an agreement in Vienna," he said on Twitter, adding talks will resume again on Tuesday. The Russian ambassador to the UN in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, called extending the agreement a "commendable step", while a US official speaking on condition of anonymity "welcomed" it. - 'Not ideal' - Grossi said the outcome of the "long discussion" with Iran to extend the technical understanding between the agency and the Islamic republic was "important" but the situation was "not ideal". "We should all be reminded that the temporary understanding is a sort of stop-gap measure. It is something that we came up with as a way to avoid flying completely blind," he said. Story continues Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement the one-month extension aimed to "provide the needed opportunity for negotiations to progress and produce results." Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, also confirmed the agreement's extension, Iranian news agency IRNA reported. "I advise (the countries taking part in Vienna talks) that this opportunity, which was provided over Iran's good faith, be used towards the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner," he was quoted as saying. Iran insists Washington must lift sanctions it imposed after leaving the deal before Tehran pulls back its nuclear activities again. The 2015 accord had Iran curtail its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. - 'Within reach' - Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Monday that the talks in Vienna depend on a "political decision" by the US, after Washington questioned Tehran's readiness to return to compliance with the accord. "We have had very significant progress and still think that an agreement is within reach," he told reporters. On Sunday, ahead of the fifth round of talks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it remained unclear whether Iran is "ready and willing" to take the necessary steps to return to compliance with the multi-nation nuclear agreement. Washington and Tehran have been taking part in indirect negotiations in the Austrian capital since early April. The talks also comprise Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- and they along with the EU chair act as intermediaries between Washington and Tehran. On Wednesday EU's Mora had said an agreement was "shaping up" to bring the US back into the deal though there were still things that needed to be worked out. The aim is to finish negotiations ahead of Iran's presidential elections in mid-June. amh-kam-fff-jza/bp The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) held an introductory workshop on the digital government roadmap, which was attended by a number of representatives of ministries and government entities in the UAE. The workshop, held virtually via Zoom, aimed to highlight the digital government guiding document and roadmap 2021-2025 prepared by TDRA, which includes developing and launching the Unified Digital Platform, and transferring 100% of government services to the platform within two years. This workshop comes in light of TDRAs launch of the UAE Strategy for Government Services and supporting policies, and the need for federal entities to adopt digital government enablers, in order to provide proactive, integrated, easy and fast digital services that exceed customer needs and expectations through a unified platform, in line with the principles of UAE Centennial 2071 and the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031. Commenting on this workshop, Eng Mohamed Ibrahim Al Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Digital Government Sector at TDRA, said: TDRAs launch of the Digital Government Roadmap 2021-2025 comes at a time when world countries have understood the key importance of digital transformation and the need to adopt digital initiatives and switch to digital services to maintain the safety and security of their peoples. The United Arab Emirates, pursuant to its wise leadership directives, has been proactive in adopting plans and strategies aimed at achieving a full digital transformation, enabling all members of society to access government services and even private sector services via the smartphone. Today, UAE residents can utilise 2500 digital services in the various fields of economy, health, education and community. Eng Al Zarooni added: This workshop aimed to introduce the digital government roadmap, future of digital transformation in UAE over the next four years, TDRAs plans to achieve a fully comprehensive digital transformation and deliver all government services through a unified digital platform, thus making the lives of citizens, residents and visitors easier and allowing businesses to obtain licences and official documents easily. This workshop is a window whereby we tried to introduce the attendees to UAEs digital future, in which we strive to make the UAE a forerunner in digital transformation. The Digital Government Roadmap 2021-2025 is within the context of achieving UAEs leadership and global competitiveness in digital government and contributing to community happiness, by advancing the countrys digital transformation process and enhancing the UAE trend towards adopting 4IR technologies backed by 5G, IoT and AI. Speakers highlighted the six strategic themes of the roadmap, namely: infrastructure and services; common digital enablers; the Unified Digital Platform; laws, policies and standards, digital,capacity, building, engagement and outreach. The map also included 64 initiatives to work on the six themes. Speakers also discussed strategic priorities of the roadmap, which are to provide a world-class digital infrastructure to ensure secure digital services that guarantee privacy; provide a unified digital platform and common digital enablers; government system integration and service automation; provide quick and easy digital services saving customers from visiting business centers, filling applications and attaching supporting documents; ensure digital-ready legislation to ensure a seamless and holistic digital transformation; raise government efficiency; and leverage digital capabilities & skills. In order to ensure a proper implementation of the roadmap items, TDRA has developed five strategic indicators, namely achieving a 100% end-to-end true digital transformation within 2 years, raising customer happiness to 90%, increasing the digital uptake by 85%, inclusive and full training of the federal government workforce on digital enablers by 100%, providing a single digital platform and unified digital experience across all federal government services by 100%. Speakers emphasised that the roadmap items can be fulfilled through the common digital enablers owned by UAE, including the digital identity, signature & seal, end-to-end secure linking between government entities, secure data exchange with the private sector, digital trust platform, utilisation of emerging technologies, and commitment to global digital standards. In cooperation with other government entities, TDRA will seek to build digital capabilities in the federal government, ensure digital-ready laws and policies for a true digital transformation, provide uninterrupted digital platforms to ensure business continuity in all circumstances, and enhance planning & investing in future technology. -- TradeArabia News Service The Italian Super Cup will return to Saudi Arabia next season when champions Inter Milan face cup winners Juventus, the Italian League announced on Monday. "The next Super Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, with fans, as stipulated in our contract," league president Paolo Dal Pino told Italian radio. The 2017-18 Super Cup was played in Jeddah in January 2019 and the following season was held in Riyadh in December 2019, before being staged in Reggio Emilia this season. The decision to hold those two matches in Saudi Arabia provoked protests in Italy over human rights and women's rights. "It's a contract signed two or three years ago, when I was not in office," Dal Pino said. "There is a relationship of intense collaboration between our federation and that of Saudi Arabia, with discussions on women's football, there have been several meetings with them, precisely to move in a direction of openness to human rights," he said adding that he did not wish to "go into this subject further". No date has yet been set, but the Super Cup could take place in January 2022, according to Italian media reports. alu/pb/mw Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, founder of ecommerce giant Aibaba, is going to step down as president of the elite business school he founded after having been caught in a Beijing clampdown on tech titans, the Financial Times reported Monday. Ma, formerly one of China's most flambouyant entrepreneurs, has largely disappeared from public view since Alibaba's fintech arm was investigated and fined by regulators for alleged monopolistic practices. The Financial Times report cited sources saying that Hupan University -- an elite academy for Chinese business executives established in Ma's hometown of Hangzhou in 2015 -- has changed its name and will restructure its curriculum. Ma will not hold any high-level title at the restructured organisation, the report said, as Beijing seeks to limit his influence. "Hupan is like an elite community, it's one of (the authorities') main targets," one person who worked with Ma was quoted as saying by the FT. Viral videos circulating on Chinese social media earlier this month showed construction workers using a blow torch to remove characters on a large "Hupan University" sign. The FT also reported last month that Hupan University was forced to suspend new student enrolments after sustained pressure from Beijing to dismantle Ma's fintech empire. In a series of blows for the group, Alibaba was fined a record 18.2 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) by antitrust authorities last month, and its fintech arm Ant Financial has been ordered to restructure its business after a planned listing was scuppered. Alibaba's reprimand is widely believed to be triggered by an October speech by Ma where he criticised state financial institutions for being outdated. The crackdown has since widened to include many of Alibaba's competitors in China's ballooning tech sector, where government regulators fear their outsize influence on consumers could usurp that of Chinese state banks. Story continues Since stepping down as chairman of Alibaba in 2019, Ma -- a former schoolteacher -- has poured his energies into philanthropy and various education projects. Hupan University and Alibaba did not respond to requests for comment. lxc/rox/mtp Hundreds of huge, Jell-O-like blobs washed up on a Georgia beach was enough to stop one woman in her tracks. Beachgoer Jodi Moody was visiting Tybee Island on Friday when she spotted what could only be described as a jellyfish jamboree, WJCL reported. Hundreds upon hundreds of cannonball jellyfish had washed up on the north end of the island, lining the coast for several yards, according to photos posted by Moody. Ive never seen this many at once, she wrote on Facebook. Her photos have been shared more than 1,600 times as of Monday. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Cannonballs, also called cabbagehead jellyfish, are one of the most prominent jellyfish species on the southeastern coast of the U.S., making up over 16% of biomass on the coastline during certain seasons, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. So, experts say its not uncommon to see the sea jellies washing up on beaches this time of year. Its a matter of when the winds and currents are just right, Carolyn Belcher, chief of marine fisheries for the departments Coastal Resources Division, told McClatchy News. The [jellyfish] are abundant off of our waters in late winter, early spring. So its not surprising that this is the timing of it. Moody said the winds were strong the day she discovered the stranded jellies, WJCL reported, and said she suspects thats what may have caused them to wash ashore. According to Belcher, jellyfish rely mainly on water and tides for their movement. She said easterly winds have helped push them inland in recent weeks. And then once they get into that tidal area where the waves start picking them up, the waves then carry them in, she added. So what should you do if you come across a cannonball jellyfish? Dont panic. While cannonballs have tentacles like any other jellyfish, the likelihood that theyll sting is next to none, Belcher said. Theyre also much firmer compared to their gelatinous counterparts and have much shorter tentacles than other species of jellyfish. Story continues Beachgoers should still be careful, however, because the tide can bring in a variety of jellies including those that can pack a punch. Similar winds can bring things like Portuguese man o war in, Belcher said. You can have mixed batches of jellyfish. So if anybody is interested in kind of rifling through them, just be mindful there could other jellyfish in there, too. Hilton Heads beaches are jellyfish graveyards once again. Heres what to know Georgians are calling 911 on cicadas because they think their loud songs are alarms Watch turtles failed high dive into North Carolina pond. This is agonizing. Western leaders this morning are calling the forced landing of a commercial jet in Belarus everything from a "hijacking" to a "state-sponsored terror act." On Sunday a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania was forced to divert to Belarus' capital, Minsk, based on a phony bomb plot. After it landed, a prominent critic of Belarus' authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, was taken off the plane. The CEO of Ryanair said he believed Russian agents were on board that flight. Only one person was arrested when it landed, but a number of passengers got off at Minsk, while everyone else continued, reports correspondent Charlie d'Agata. Security use a sniffer dog to check the luggage of passengers on the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Roman Protasevic which was traveling from Athens to Vilnius and was diverted to Belarus, in Minsk International Airport, May 23, 2021. Western leaders decried the diversion of a plane to Belarus in order to arrest an opposition journalist as an act of piracy and terrorism. / Credit: ONLINER.BY via AP The Ryanair flight took off from Athens bound for Lithuania. But just two minutes before it entered Lithuanian air space, it was diverted. The pilots were told to land the aircraft in Minsk because of a potential security threat. According to the flight tracking, it appears the plane was actually closer to its final destination in Vilnius when it changed course. Belarus state media reported that President Lukashenko himself ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the aircraft down. On the tarmac in Minsk, luggage was pulled off the Ryanair plane and inspected by sniffer dogs for what authorities called a "bomb threat." But the real target of the search appeared to be opposition activist Roman Protasevic, who was detained upon landing. Before his arrest, a fellow passenger said Protasevic knew he was in danger, describing him as "super-scared. I saw him, I looked at him directly in his eyes, and it was very sad." Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte called for an uncompromising international response: "This is an unprecedented attack against the international community. A civilian plane and its passengers have been hijacked by military force." The chairman of the British parliament's foreign affairs committee said this morning, "If it's not an act of war, it's certainly a war-like act." Story continues Lukashenko is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies, and his opponents have accused him of election fraud. Protasevic has been in exile after helping to organize demonstrations against Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for 27 years, and is widely believed to have rigged the last election, which triggered widespread protests last summer. In the brutal crackdown that followed, tens of thousands were arrested, and many demonstrators were badly beaten. Non-stop protests keep pressure on Belarus' president to resign ("CBS Evening News")Protesters keep pressure on Belarus' dictator, and pay the price Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called the incident "shocking," and accused Belarus of endangering the lives of those aboard the aircraft, including some Americans. European Union ministers will be meeting in Brussels today to consider fresh sanctions against Belarus. U.S. vaccination rates vary by region Survey finds 4 main types of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy Where police reform stands a year after George Floyd's death May 24LAMAR, Mo. Lamar business owners Ashley and Jeremy Augusta have launched a vegan hair care product line, NuLuxe Beauty, with part of the proceeds to be used to create wigs for children with pediatric cancer. Worldwide, at least 300,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer annually. Approximately 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday, according to the American Childhood Cancer Organization. Ashley Augusta, co-owner of Lotus Salon Studios in Lamar, said she's preparing a free, hand-colored wig for a 12-year-old girl in Minnesota who asked for pastel unicorn colors. There are about five other children on the waiting list to receive wigs. "If the child is local, we'll hand deliver the wigs, but if not, we'll ship it straight to them," Ashley Augusta said. "As soon as the first one is shipped, I'll start on the second one. I use a human-synthetic blend, so they can put a little heat on them. I'm looking for some wig suppliers to partner with us to offer human hair wigs." Salon co-owner Jeremy Augusta also owns the gym next door to it, Barton County Strength Club. He described himself as an entrepreneur at heart, having been a business owner for 12 years. "We have other businesses, but this is our first product line," he said. "This has been a big learning curve." The husband-and-wife team said they're passionate about fighting cancer and drew inspiration for the wigs from a loved one who died of the disease. Each wig is made with the hope that it continues to provide smiles and support during a family's difficult time. "We want to help as many people as possible," Jeremy Augusta said. "We want to grow to where our full-time job is helping other people." NuLuxe Beauty's hair care products shampoo, conditioner, sculpting fibers and mousse are vegan, sulfate-free and paraben-free. They are also safe to use on extensions and all hair types. Jeremy Augusta said they've been receiving orders from across the United States. Story continues Vegan beauty products are created without animal products, byproducts or derivatives. Ingredients derived from plants contain more antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. "This is a professional grade product," Jeremy Augusta said. "It's not going on Amazon. It's intended for professional stylists. and the more this grows, the more people we want to hire and create our own manufacturing process to create local jobs." The Augustas met as students in beauty school at Jenny Lea Academy in Johnson City, Tennessee. They graduated on the same day in 2010 and were married later that same year. "October 2009 was when I got out of the military service (Army, Coast Guard), but the economy crashed," Jeremy Augusta said. "I got out because I was raising two children on my own, and there were no jobs. I decided to use my GI Bill to get some money while the economy got better. The only option I had was to go to beauty school to feed my kids." They uprooted from Tennessee and moved to Lamar to start their own businesses. "The pieces kind of fell together, and it was like we were meant to be here," Ashley Augusta said. Several new products for different hair types are in the works and will launch in the fall. The owners said their goal is to continue to grow the line and affect as many children as possible. NuLuxe Beauty can be purchased in Lamar at Lotus Salon Studios and Tea Shirt Shoppe and online at www.nuluxebeauty.com. For more details, call 423-502-4237. Garfield High School student leaders Sarahi Bahena, left, and Edith Ramirez, both seniors, wait to greet freshmen arriving for their first time on the East L.A. campus in April. School officials are planning to fully reopen schools in the fall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner on Monday committed to reopening campuses full time on a normal schedule in the fall and said an online option would also be available to families in the nation's second-largest school district. L.A. Unified like all school systems in California will soon need to abide by state rules that link funding to in-person attendance in the new academic year. Emergency pandemic rules that have allowed districts to operate online expire on June 30. Looking down the path to recovery and the new school year, which starts this fall, all students will have the opportunity to participate in full-day, on-campus, in-person instruction, Beutner said in his regular Monday broadcast. Middle and high school students would change classes, as in a normal schedule, he added, and after-school programs would be available until 6 p.m. on school days. Although a full reopening was all but inevitable under state requirements and the anticipated statewide economic reopening on June 15 parents expressed relief that the schools chief had officially committed to it. Families have endured more than a year of campus closures followed by an April reopening under a hybrid schedule that allowed students on campus only part time. "I had tears in my eyes," Diana Daniele said upon hearing the update. Her eighth-grader attends Revere Charter Middle School in Pacific Palisades. Families will have two options, Beutner said Monday: a traditional full-time schedule or a remote option that will be mostly online alternatives previously laid out in a Board of Education meeting. These two choices for parents also are incorporated statewide into the governor's proposed budget. However, some parents remained anxious and about 70 were worried enough to demonstrate Sunday, calling for a full reopening. Some parents who participated said Monday that they are not yet reassured that the schedule will return to normal, especially given that Beutner plans to step down at the end of June and major issues remain under negotiation with United Teachers Los Angeles. Story continues These issues include safety measures for the fall. Beutner said that he lacked a "crystal ball," but it was likely that physical-distancing rules would be relaxed while mask wearing would continue. In fact, it would be logistically impossible to bring students back full time with on-campus schooling if social distancing and the space between desks remained at the current six feet, a separation no longer required by health authorities. Who should wear masks and when is not yet clear, but Beutner noted that a majority of those at a school are children and many of them would remain unvaccinated in the fall. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Monday also endorsed the full reopening of campuses for the fall not surprising given that her department had already endorsed a full reopening for this spring. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, we do think schools can all fully reopen in the fall for in-classroom instruction," Ferrer said. Elementary campuses are currently operating on a hybrid schedule, with students on campus for half the school day. Middle and high school students also can choose to be on campus half time, but once there, they remain in one classroom where they work online, just as they would have at home. The vast majority of students have remained at home. For the fall, California school districts have little choice but to provide full-time, on-campus schooling. Otherwise, they will face funding cuts because much of state funding is based on in-seat, in-person attendance. These rules were suspended because of the pandemic, but only through the end of June. While these emergency rules could have been and still could be extended, that appears unlikely. Gov. Gavin Newsom, for one, has stated he expects schools to be open full time in the fall. Teachers union President Cecily Myart-Cruz said in a broadcast last week the union intends to negotiate intensely for the best interests of educators and families. "We held the line because we are a fighting union that centers our students and communities in the work we do," Myart-Cruz said. "Our fight for safety protected tens of thousands of families outside our union." The pro-union Reclaim Our Schools coalition is organizing students and parents behind a call to keep pressing on health and safety issues. The ongoing safety concerns of parents are reflected in a spring return rate of only 30% at elementary schools, said Billy Easton, a spokesman for Reclaim Our Schools. On that front, district officials are insisting that no battle cry is needed: They say they fully intend to follow strict safety protocols. Beutner said he recognized that some families might not be ready to return or might have health reasons for not doing so: "Some students and some staff members may need to stay at home until all at schools are vaccinated due to health reasons because they live with an immune-compromised family member." In an interview Monday, Beutner said he expected the online option to be organized geographically, around designated "communities of schools" there are more than 40 in the district. The Boyle Heights area, for example, which has 25 schools and 12,000 students, would have an online third grade and an online algebra class. He said he hoped and expected the numbers choosing an online format would be small. L.A. Unified continued to press on the vaccination front Monday, with the official launch of its school-based student campaign for middle and high schools. Campuses that reach a 30% vaccination threshold will win $5,000 to spend as they choose, Beutner announced. Beutner said he's especially concerned about lagging adult and student vaccine rates in lower-income communities. In West L.A., for example, with a median income over $100,000, the vaccination rate for those 16 and 17 is 54% and it's 66% for those 18 and older, according to data released Monday by the school district. In South Los Angeles/Watts, with a median income of about $40,000, the vaccination rate for those 16 and 17 is 20% and it's 40% for those 18 and older. Times staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Ben Klayman DETROIT (Reuters) -Lordstown Motors Corp said on Monday that 2021 production of its Endurance truck will be half of prior expectations and that the electric vehicle startup needs additional capital to execute its plans, sending shares down 9.5% in after-hours trading. "Capital may limit our ability to make as many vehicles as we would like," Chief Executive Steve Burns said on a conference call. Lordstown is looking at options to raise more capital, including asset-backed financing and investments from strategic partners like other automakers, said Burns, who added the company is not for sale. General Motors Co owns a stake in Lordstown. Burns said Endurance production this year will be limited and would be "at best 50%" of the company's prior expectations of 2,200 trucks. He said it was still on track for the September launch of the truck, with pre-production vehicle builds slated for July. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter. The Ohio-based company blamed COVID-19 and industry-wide related issues that resulted in "significantly higher than expected" spending on parts, expedited shipping costs and third-party engineering resources. Lordstown also said it was still pursuing a U.S. retooling loan from the U.S. Energy Department and hopes to complete that process in the "next few months." It previously said it was seeking a $200 million loan from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program, which also awarded larger loans to Tesla Inc, Ford Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co Ltd to retool factories. Lordstown's shares slumped in March after Hindenburg Research disclosed it had taken a short position on the electric pickup truck maker's stock, saying the company had misled consumers and investors. Short sellers bet the price of a stock will fall by borrowing shares in the hope of buying them back at a cheaper price and pocketing the difference. Story continues Lordstown subsequently said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had asked for information related to its merger with special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) DiamondPeak Holdings and preorders of its vehicles. Burns said on Monday the company was still cooperating with the agency's investigation. The Ohio-based company said in January it had received more than 100,000 nonbinding production reservations from commercial fleets for its trucks. Hindenburg subsequently said those orders were "largely fictitious" and were meant to help raise capital and confer legitimacy. Lordstown's board of directors formed a special committee to review the matters raised by Hindenburg. CEO Burns said Monday the investigation is ongoing and the company will respond by the end of the second quarter. Several EV makers over the past year have gone public via mergers with SPACs, bypassing the rigorous scrutiny of a traditional initial public offering process and riding on Tesla's share price rally. Lordstown's shares fell last week after Ford introduced its electric F-150 pickup, the Lightning, and said it would initially target the same commercial customers Lordstown is aiming to attract. Burns said it has begun work on its second vehicle, an all-electric van, and will show a prototype this summer. On Monday, Lordstown reported a first-quarter loss of $125.2 million, or 72 cents a share, wider than the 28-cents-per-share loss expected by analysts polled by Refinitiv. (Reporting by Ben Klayman in DetroitEditing by Matthew Lewis) Corrections & Clarifications: This story has been updated to include a photo approved for use by the parent and student. A previous version included altered photos to conceal the identity of minors. ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. A high school in northeast Florida, which made headlines this year regarding its dress code, is under criticism once again after 80 female students' yearbook photos were edited without their consent to add more clothing. Bartram Trail High School was already embroiled in a debate over its handling of the district's dress code, which critics say unfairly targets girls. Adrian Bartlett is the mother of a student at Bartram Trail. She said her daughter's yearbook picture was edited in the chest area to add shirt coverage. "I think it sends the message that our girls should be ashamed of their growing bodies, and I think that's a horrible message to send out to these young girls that are going through these changes," Bartlett said. A yearbook photo of Riley O'Keefe, a student at Bartram Trail High School, was edited to cover more of her chest. The editing was done without her consent. Because the edit was poorly done, it makes her body look unnatural, which has led to kids teasing her, Bartlett said. Though her daughter laughs it off, Bartlett said she is concerned. "My daughter has been hospitalized twice this school year due to the stress and pressure this past year has brought upon her, including body image issues, which she is still seeking regular treatment for," Bartlett said in an email to the St. Augustine Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. "And now, the school has made a decision that is now drawing attention to her body in a negative way. 80 photos edited at Bartram Trail According to Christina Langston, school district spokeswoman, the yearbook coordinator, Anne Irwin, a teacher, decided that the photos were out of dress code and did some of the editing. Parents disagreed that the students were out of dress code. Irwin declined to comment for this story, according to Langston. The high school's website says all student pictures in the yearbook "may be digitally adjusted" if they don't conform to the school district's code of conduct. Story continues 'You can't win': Those infamous edited yearbook photos and societys obsession with girls' bodies According to Langston, "Bartram Trail High Schools previous procedure was to not include student pictures in the yearbook that they deemed in violation of the student code of conduct, so the digital alterations were a solution to make sure all students were included in the yearbook. "At this point, the school is offering refunds to any parents calling about this issue. The school is receiving feedback from parents, guardians and students on making this process better for next year." People have to turn in their yearbooks to get a refund, according to Langston. Photos have been edited in previous yearbooks. Bartlett said her daughter has worn the same outfit to school regularly and has never received a violation. She said she would like to see consistency in enforcement of the dress code and some policies relaxed. Other parents pointed out that a photo of male students in swim briefs by a pool made it into the yearbook without editing. The yearbook team did not edit any team or club photos, according to Langston. Taryn O'Keefe's two children had their photos edited. She said her daughters were not in violation of the dress code. Some students are teased because of the poor quality of the editing, she said. Opinion: Edited Bartram Trail High School yearbook photos are as inherently sexist as they are unsightly O'Keefe, who pushes for change in the district's dress code, plans to bring the photo-editing issue, which she described as degrading and "just more body shaming," to the school board. "They're already dealing with challenges with their peers. ... I think it sticks with them for their lifetime," she said. Stricter standards for girls than for boys In addition to more gender-neutral guidelines, the St. Johns County School District breaks down these standards in its dress code: Boys: Boys' pants/slacks must be worn at the waist. No boxer shorts or underwear may be visible. Mustaches and beards shall be neatly trimmed. Revealing clothing and pajamas are not acceptable. Girls: Tops and shirts must cover the entire shoulder and they must be modest and not revealing or distracting. Midriff or cutout dresses and cut-out tops may not be worn. Extremely short skirts are not allowed. Skirts must be no shorter than 4 inches above the top of the knee. Revealing clothing, pajamas and lingerie are not acceptable. Underwear must not be exposed. Hair curlers and excessive makeup shall not be permitted. Girls pants/slacks must be worn at the waist. No underwear may be exposed. Some parents and students call the policy sexist for its wording and enforcement. More than 80% of infractions over the past three years have been issued to female students, according to data provided by district officials. On March 26, a large-scale inspection of students' dress at Bartram Trail High School resulted in 31 students cited for issues such as the length of their skirts or exposed midriffs. All of the violations were against female students. Lorna Bracewell, program coordinator for women's studies at Flagler College and an assistant professor of political science, said language such as "distracting" in the dress code sends a message to young girls that there's something inappropriate or unseemly about their bodies and that they have to compensate in some way. "That's a bad message. That's a message that damages the self-esteem of young people," she said. Bracewell said she thinks the yearbook issue reinforces that message. "This is a long-established practice of policing women's bodies and responding to women's bodies when they are presented in public with a kind of anxiety and concern," she said. Bracewell suggested dress guidelines for students that would apply equally to all genders. She said the policies exclude gender nonconforming and transgender students. A call for accountability A photo of Stephanie Fabre's daughter was edited to cover more of her chest, and Fabre is among the parents looking for change. "Whether it was intentional or unintentional or not, it happened, so we've just go to figure out how does this happen and how to make it not happen again," she said. She said she went to the school's assistant principal with her daughter and was told that the shirt she was photographed in was within dress code guidelines. She said her daughter has worn the same shirt to school without issue. Fabre said she has a number of questions about the photo editing. "What adult approved that?" Fabre asked. "How does that happen? Why are they allowed to be judgmental on cleavage or no cleavage? And if they are allowed to Photoshop, why aren't you teaching them proper Photoshopping skills, and why did this teacher approve for this to go to print?" Fabre said she was told she could get a refund if the yearbook is returned and nothing has been written in it. She said it's unrealistic to think students haven't already gotten their yearbooks signed. She said she doesn't want to point blame but rather wants the school to apologize and reissue the yearbooks. "They took a nonsituation and made a situation out of it. ... They've made these girls feel humiliated," she said. Contributing: Colleen Jones This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Parents upset after Florida high school alters female students' photos People walk next to election campaign billboards depicting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - AFP With less than a week to go before Syria's presidential election, Emad was giving little thought to politics or how to cast his vote. Instead, the engineering graduate was plotting an escape from spiralling rents, unemployment, and shortages of fuel and food that he described as unbearable. "I have little money to travel, but I have to leave, theres nothing here for me anymore," he said in his flat in Western Damascus. "Its becoming worse and worse, the bad economy, the falling currency, the growing corruption, the hard sanctions and only a small number of people are happy here, the country is only for the rich. Syrians go to the polls on Wednesday to vote in a presidential election that the authorities here would like to present as a return to normality after a decade of devastating warfare. There is little doubt about the outcome of the election. Fifty-one candidates have been whittled down to three, and incumbent Bashar al-Assad shows no willingness to relinquish his grip on power after 21 years. A group of demonstrators protest the upcoming presidential elections under Syria's Assad regime - Anadolu But the dislocation of the war, foreign sanctions and a crisis in neighbouring Lebanon has sent the economy into meltdown. And a new wave of middle-class Syrians is hoping to flee - despite the efforts of Assad's government to lure them back, and European countries to deter them. "When I have sold what possessions I own, and my mother sells her jewellery, we will have to pay smugglers in Damascus, who will take me to Turkey and then on to Europe," said Emad. It costs a minimum of $10,000 dollars, who has this amount?" he says. "But the choice is stay here and lose time in a terrible situation or try and borrow or find a solution and improve the situation, the basic components of a good life dont exist in Syria any more for me, my family is now relying on me to provide for them in the future. Tents are seen from above at Karatepe refugee camp, on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece. Well over 1 million migrants entered the EU in 2015, most of them refugees fleeing conflict in Syria - AP The conflict that broke out here in 2011 has killed more than 388,000 people and prompted more than half of Syria's pre-war population to flee their homes. Story continues A record 12.4 million people, approximately 65 per cent of the Syrian population, are now food insecure. That figure has grown by 4.5 million in the space of a year. But getting out is not easy. After the turmoil of the 2015 migrant crisis, in which 378,000 Syrians sought refuge in Europe, attitudes on the continent have hardened. Denmark earlier this year declared that Syria was a "safe" place for refugees to return to, despite ongoing repression and the risk of retribution many people say they will face if they return. In November last year, the Syrian authorities hosted an extravagant conference in Damascus seeking to lure back the more than six million refugees who left the country over the past ten years. Few seem willing to heed that call. Syrians living in Beirut wait in front of Syrian Consulate General to vote in presidential elections - Anadolu Recent studies show that 90 percent of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt do not intend to return to Syria within the next year, even if they are unable to meet their basic needs in their host countries. In Damascus, the line between normality and chaos is often as narrow as a single road separating neighbourhoods. Some streets are so clean and tidy they could be in Switzerland, while nearby suburbs have been reduced to rows of destroyed buildings. The extreme contrast between the very wealthy - many of whom are acolytes of the Assad regime - and regular middle-class people is on display in every aspect of daily life. Sometimes you can see the latest cars in the street, BMWs and Range Rovers from 2021, with Syrian number plates. Most people would have to work 1000 years to buy them. The rest of the country struggles to eat meat and find basic services, hunger is everywhere, said Doha Barakat, a student at Damascus University. For ordinary people, just finding the fuel to drive a car is a challenge. Queues for petrol fill streets as people wait for a weekly text message from a government-run services provider giving them a ration of just 25 litres of subsidised petrol. I cant bear it anymore, waiting hours on end for scarce petrol and I cant even afford it, so to cut costs I have to walk, said Zakaraya Aboud, a 27-year-old trainee lawyer who now trudges 30 minutes in searing heat to get to work each day. Im going to try and move to Germany or France, by any means, even if it means I will be a refugee then so be it, I will have to sell my car to do it, he added. HypeAuditor, a leading global AI-powered Instagram account authenticity checking platform, has released its list of top 600 quality Instagram accounts from the UAE for the first quarter of the year. The list will help brands and organizations verify and identify the most authentic and highly engaged personal accounts for any of their upcoming campaigns and brand partnerships. The list of top UAE Instagram accounts belongs to Dubais Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum aka Fazza or Faz3 with more than 11.7 million followers and has 300,000 actively engaged followers. Second in the list is actress and former Miss Universe Lebanon Nadine Nassib Njeim with more than 13 million followers and 320,000 active followers and engagements. Third on the list is viral internet sensation Mohamed Ramadan with more than 18 million followers and over 150,000 highly engaged followers. Additionally, HypeAuditor shared a list of top and influential personalities in different niche communities in the UAE and industries to help brands and marketing professionals identify the top influencers for their digital campaigns: FASHION Dalal AlDoub (@Dalaid) - Kuwaiti-based fashion and beauty influencer with more than 2 million followers and 38,500 active followers. She is currently one of the brand ambassador of makeup brand Charlotte Tilbury. FOOD Taim AlFalasi (@taimalfalasi) - Dubai-based Food and Travel lifestyle influencer and entrepreneur with more than 3 million followers and 5K highly engaged followers. She currently owns and runs a group of restaurants in Dubai such as Weekend, Meet by Taim, The Pizza Club, Trbosh, NOODS and X Burgers. FITNESS Laila Mourad (@lailamourad) - Dubai-based fitness enthusiast with more than 1 million followers and 31K active audiences. She currently run a highly watched Youtube channel Laila Mourad with more than 2.2 million active subscribers FAMILY/MOMS/PARENTING Dr. Sally Serdaneh (@sallyserdaneh) - Dubai-based paediatric dentist and influencer with more than 500K followers and 45,000 active followers. She is currently one of the brand ambassadors of international brand Johnson & Johnson. TOP RUSSIAN-SPEAKING ACCOUNT IN THE UAE Katrina Antonovich (@katrina.antonovich.official) - Dubai-based luxury interior designer with more than 500,000 followers and more than 23,000 highly engaged followers. She currently owns and runs Antonovich Design Dubai. TOP FILIPINO/EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN ACCOUNT IN THE UAE Josh Yugen (@josh_yugen) - Dubai-based magazine editor and entrepreneur with more than 300,000 followers with more than 6,000 actively engaged followers. Josh is currently the regional brand ambassador for Hollywood skincare clinic Obagi MediSpa, Leading Filipino online streaming platform KUMU, and New York-based cleft lip and palate charity - Smile Train. TOP INDIAN/SOUTH ASIAN ACCOUNT IN THE UAE Farhana Bodi (@farhanabodi) - Dubai-based lifestyle, fashion and beauty influencer with more than 1 million followers and 13,000 highly engaged followers. She is the founder of Dubai-based events company I Woman of the World. TradeArabia News Service "Mare of Easttown" director Craig Zobel "really likes" Sunday's episode and praised Kate Winslet's performance as Detective Mare Sheehan. Sarah Shatz/HBO Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "Mare of Easttown" episode 6, which aired Sunday night. Director Craig Zobel loves this one: "The satisfaction of having questions ... answered is nice." Zobel, who directed all seven episodes, also praised Kate Winslet's "truly amazing" performance. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Warning: This post contains major spoilers for the sixth episode of "Mare of Easttown." "Mare of Easttown" director Craig Zobel says that Sunday's episode of the show might just be his favorite, after last week's installment of the HBO thriller ended with a twist that left many fans heartbroken. "I love all of the episodes. They're all my children, but I really like episode six," Zobel told Insider over the phone on May 13. "The satisfaction of having questions start being answered is nice," he added, explaining why he's so fond of this one. "Mare of Easttown" tells the story of Detective Mare Sheehan (played by Kate Winslet) who is trying to solve the murder of one teenage girl, Erin (played by Cailee Spaeny), and the disappearance of another, Katie (played by Caitlin Houlahan), while struggling with a few complicated issues in her personal life. For five episodes, the culprit behind Erin's murder was on the loose in a town filled with suspects. That changed on Sunday's sixth episode when Billy (played by Robbie Tann), an older male relative of Erin, is revealed as her killer - and also her baby's father. (Although some viewers aren't convinced Billy isn't being set up or willingly taking the fall for the crime, given that there's another episode left to go.) Prior to discovering who killed Erin, Mare also finally found Katie in the show's big, twisty fifth episode. Katie, who'd been missing for over a year, was being held captive by a local man named Wayne Potts (played by Jeb Kreager) in his attic before Mare tracked down the abductor using license-plate numbers. Story continues However, in the same May 16 episode, Mare also lost her partner, Detective Colin Zabel (played by Evan Peters), who died after getting shot by Wayne while rescuing Katie. "Mare of Easttown" fans were particularly devastated by Colin's death and took to social media to say goodbye to the beloved detective (and Peters, a fan-favorite). This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Unfortunately for fans of the show, Peters left no room for any possible return for his character in a conversation with The New York Times published on May 16. "I like the idea that he gets shot because it's so real," Peters told the Times. "That's the way sickness and death is. It hits you in the most unexpected ways. You never plan to get sick. You never plan to die. It all just happens." Zobel also praised Winslet's performance in Sunday's penultimate episode In addition to discovering the identity of Erin's murderer, Sunday's episode also happens to be particularly emotionally-charged for Mare as she comes to terms with Colin's death, processes some difficult memories of her son Kevin's suicide, and works through possibly losing custody of her only grandchild. "I think it has some truly amazing acting from Kate Winslet, in my humble opinion," Zobel told Insider, citing Winslet's moving performance as another reason why he "really likes" episode six of "Mare of Easttown." Erin (played by Cailee Spaeny) with her friend Jess (played by Ruby Cruz) in "Mare of Easttown." Sarah Shatz/HBO Zobel says that his goal with the show was to make "a murder mystery that was enjoyable and fun to watch" and have Winslet portray "a contemporary woman that you see in real life a bunch, but maybe you don't always see on TV." He told Insider he was especially impressed with how Winslet, who is British, has handled her critically-acclaimed Delaware county accent in the seven-part limited series. "She was able to actually, like, jump in and out of it in a fun way," Zobel said of Winslet's accent skills. "I think if I had been acting in this, I would probably learn how to do the accent and then just never not do it because I would be scared that I'd forget," he added with a laugh. The "Mare of Easttown" finale airs next Sunday, May 30, at 10 p.m. ET on HBO. Read the original article on Insider I am not giving up, said Waters of a key clause in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act California congresswoman Maxine Waters is making her stance on qualified immunity very clear. Read More: Rep. Maxine Waters threatens to sue Fox News after false claims, citing death threats During an interview with The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart, Waters made it known that unlike some of her peers, she is not interested in removing qualified immunity from developing police reform legislation. I am not giving up on qualified immunity, said Waters. I do not want to send a message to anybody that I am willing to support legislation that does not have it in it. I think we have got to be tough, we have got to be consistent and understand that we have got to hold police officers accountable. Waters comments come after some Democratic lawmakers say they are willing to compromise the rule that protects officers from civil lawsuits in order to get the stalled police reform bill passed. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison recently appeared on the same show and said: Dont let the bill die over an item we can come back for later if we can get everything except that [qualified immunity], then I say pass it. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn shocked progressive lawmakers earlier this month when he said he is willing to exclude qualified immunity in order to get the bill passed, as reported by theGrio. I will never sacrifice good on the altar of perfect. I just wont do that. I know what the perfect bill will be. We have proposed that. I want to see good legislation. And I know that, sometimes, you have to compromise, Clyburn said on Sundays episode of CNNs State of the Union. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) gathers with members of the Congressional Black Caucus in the Rayburn Room to watch the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) If we dont get qualified immunity now, then we will come back and try to get it later. But I dont want to see us throw out a good bill because we cant get a perfect bill. Clyburns comments come as Democrat and Republican senators are currently reviewing The George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, which passed the House in March but has stalled in the Senate. Story continues The House version of the bill includes limits to qualified immunity for police officers, a national database to track officer misconduct, bans chokeholds, and relaxes the legal standard for officer misconduct convictions. President Joe Biden has implored the Senate to pass the bill by May 25 the one-year anniversary of Floyds murder. Lawmakers are more concerned with working out the deal than hitting President Bidens deadline. Jen Psaki, White House press secretary said on Thursday the White House is in close touch with lawmakers and would certainly defer to the expectations of the key negotiators here. On Friday, 10 House Democrats sent a letter to top Democrat and Republican in the Senate and House expressing their concerns over nixing the item for a bipartisan deal. Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) speaks during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on May 19, 2021. (Photo by Susan Walsh-Pool/Getty Images) Given that police violence, as a weapon of structural racism, continues to have devastating and deadly consequences for Black and brown lives across our country, we strongly urge you to not only maintain but strengthen the provision eliminating qualified immunity as negotiations in the Senate continue, wrote lawmakers, including Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Reps. Cori Bush of Missouri in the group letter. According to a study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Black Americans are 3.23 times more likely to be shot by a police officer than a white person. The letter adds: As a result of qualified immunity, police killings regularly happen with virtual impunity. Its long past time for that to end. Read More: Echoing Maxine Waters, Jim Clyburn says Americans must confront injustice A few Senate Republicans fear ending qualified immunity because they say it could open officers and departments up to a slew of lawsuits. Additional reporting by Sytonia Reid Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today! The post Maxine Waters says she wants to end qualified immunity for police appeared first on TheGrio. LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer apologized Sunday after apparently violating state-mandated social distancing guidelines at an East Lansing bar and grill. It was the latest pandemic-related misstep for the Democratic governor, who waited weeks to disclose partial details of a private jet trip she took to visit her father in Florida after two of her top aides headed south as coronavirus cases surged in Michigan and residents were cautioned against traveling south for spring break. A photo circulated on social media of Whitmer with a large group of unmasked people at an East Lansing bar-restaurant, The Landshark Bar & Grill, the Detroit Free Pres s reported Sunday. The Free Press reported that photo, which shows Whitmer seated with about a dozen, was posted on social media by one of the attendees, but later deleted. Throughout the pandemic, Ive been committed to following public health protocols, Whitmer said in a statement Sunday. Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didnt stop to think about it. In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize. Michigan restaurants and bars remain subject to capacity limits and social distancing requirements. Current orders require six people or fewer at tables and distances of 6 feet (1.83 meters) between tables. Whitmer, who received her second vaccination dose April 29, is considered fully vaccinated. But she is not the first public official to draw criticism for defying pandemic-related rules. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who won plaudits for issuing the first statewide stay-at-home order in the U.S. back in March, 2020, later drew criticism after he broke the state rules. Newsom and his wife were caught dining with 10 others at the posh French Laundry restaurant in Napa in early November with lobbyists and others from numerous different households, sitting close together, mask-less. Newsom quickly apologized, saying he made a bad mistake but noting the gathering was outdoors. Within days, photos emerged showing the group in a room that was enclosed on three sides with a sliding glass door on the other, maybe meeting the technical definition of outdoors, but perhaps not the spirit. May 24State Sen. Joe Cervantes, who's served in the New Mexico Legislature for 21 years, has had an epiphany. Term limits now seem like a fine idea to him. "Our democracy is failing, and it all comes down to tribal partisanship," says Cervantes, D-Las Cruces. In his theory of what's ruining government and the country, a politician who challenges the party line becomes an outcast. To protect his seat and his comfortable way of life, the politician conforms with his party's edicts instead of voting his conscience. The few who refuse to go along with the pack become pariahs. A certain body of evidence backs up Cervantes' contention. Early this year, state Rep. Phelps Anderson, then a Republican, voted with Democrats to repeal a 52-year-old state law criminalizing abortion. The New Mexico Republican Party instantly called for Anderson's resignation. Anderson refused to give up his seat. He instead quit the Republican Party, switching to independent. Anderson, of Roswell, turns 70 next month. If he runs for reelection in 2022, he is sure to draw opposition from Republicans who dominate his district. Democrats exert similar pressure on their members. Various political organizations targeted five Democratic state senators who once voted to keep that old, unenforceable anti-abortion law on the books. Four of them lost primary elections to more liberal challengers. The fifth incumbent, Sen. George Munoz of Gallup, survived the purge. Cervantes says term limits would make politics more honest and less prone to the herd mentality. As it stands, he says, the legislators who speak most freely are the ones who aren't running for reelection. This led Cervantes last winter to propose a constitutional amendment for term limits on state legislators. The measure would have limited them to 12 consecutive years in office. His proposal received almost no attention and died without a hearing. Cervantes wasn't the first state lawmaker of the century to advocate for term limits. Story continues Then-Rep. Dennis Kintigh, R-Roswell, in 2012 proposed exactly the same idea. A House committee killed his proposal. Kintigh lost his seat in a primary election soon after, but he kept running for public office. He is now in his second term as mayor of Roswell. Cervantes has been an even more persistent candidate than Kintigh. Cervantes was a Dona Ana County commissioner. Then he served in the state House of Representatives from 2001 through 2012, believing for a time he might ascend to speaker. When ambition gave way to the reality that Cervantes wouldn't move up in the House, he ran for the Senate in 2012. He continued in the Senate after a campaign for governor in 2018. Term limits don't stop ambitious politicians from trying to vault to higher office. That's only one of the flaws with Cervantes' idea. A bigger drawback is term limits would remove experienced legislators and often replace them with beginners. This system would increase the power of lobbyists and government staff members, who often are several steps ahead of the part-time Legislature. Cervantes knows all the arguments against term limits. He used to make them himself. He's concluded that an influx of fresh voices, no matter how inexperienced politically, would serve the public better than entrenched politicians trying to protect their own turf. Of course, he's also aware that seasoned politicians aren't necessarily exiled to private life simply because term limits exist. New Mexico already restricts statewide officeholders such as the governor to two consecutive terms. Hector Balderas was a two-term state auditor. Now he's a two-term attorney general. Cervantes was reelected last year to his third term in the Senate. If he wants to keep pressing for term limits, he has three more years in the Legislature before he has to decide whether to run again. There's another nuance to the debate about how long a politician should be in office. Term limits already exist in a different form. They're called elections. The mass ouster of Democrats who voted to retain the anti-abortion law is the most obvious example. It's also true that many do-nothing legislators sit in the state Capitol for 20 or 30 years. The deadwood exists in part because New Mexico lawmakers aren't paid a base salary. Most people can't afford to run for the Legislature, so the pool of candidates remains small. The result is a Legislature filled with retirees, lawyers and people who make a living off the government in one way or another. If Cervantes has his way and term limits are authorized, most people still won't be able to afford to run. That leaves the same crowd in charge, just on a different schedule. Ringside Seat is an opinion column about people, politics and news. Contact Milan Simonich at msimonich@sfnewmexican.com or 505-986-3080. Grappling with a shortage of officers and increased crime, Minneapolis is seeking federal and state resources after the latest bout of violence in the city included a mass shooting that left a college student dead hours before his graduation Saturday. Amid the increased violence in the city where George Floyd was killed nearly one year ago, officials also announced a $30,000 reward this weekend in the hunt for suspects responsible for the separate shootings of three children over the past several weeks, including one 9-year-old girl killed by stray gunfire while jumping on a backyard trampoline. During the early Saturday mass shooting, two people were killed and another eight wounded after gunshots rang out just before 2 a.m. outside in the 300 block of N 1st Ave. Investigators say two men got into an argument and began firing amid a crowd gathered on the sidewalk near Monarch nightclub. One of the suspected gunmen was killed along with the college student. Another suspected shooter, a 23-year-old man, was arrested by Bloomington police Saturday afternoon and booked for probable cause murder in Hennepin County Jail, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported. BIDEN TO MISS POLICE REFORM BILL DEADLINE, MEET WITH GEORGE FLOYD'S FAMILY ON DEATH ANNIVERSARY The second fatality was University of St. Thomas student Charlie Johnson, who family say was an innocent bystander and had gone out with friends to celebrate their graduation the next day. His father, Greg Johnson, asked people to say his sons name in the fight to end gun violence. He said Charlie, who was graduating with a mechanical engineering degree, "left a beautiful impact on every single life he touched." "No politics please," Johnson wrote on Facebook, "just love and compassion for each other as Charlie had for all of us. I AM CHARLIE!" Speaking at a press conference Sunday, Mayor Jacob Frey said he requested mutual aid assistance from a number of different jurisdictions to help address the recent violence seen in the city. He said state troopers have been providing assistance from Saturday evening into Sunday morning and the Minneapolis Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is aiding the investigation. Story continues Nearly 200 Minneapolis police officers have left the force in the wake of the death of Floyd, with many filing post-traumatic stress claims due to the civil unrest that followed. Minneapolis has seen at least 31 homicides this year, not including this weekend's violence. Separate from the mass shooting, a car crash victim was found also suffering from gunshot wounds when police responded to the scene; he later died from his injuries. In another incident, as bystanders rushed a gunshot victim to the hospital, a car flipped and the medical examiner is still working to determine which injuries caused that man's death. "Safety in our city has to be a priority," Frey said Sunday, calling law enforcement reinforcements "really, really critical." MINNEAPOLIS TO PAY $25 MILLION TO POLICE OFFICERS WHO LEFT FORCE AMID GEORGE FLOYD UNREST: REPORT Frey acknowledged that resources have had to been diverted to respond to 911 calls and has been working with City Hall on a proposal on how to build back up the police force. This, as negotiations continue on how the American Rescue Plan funding will be allocated, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. At City Hall on Sunday, officials announced a $30,000 reward for information that leads to arrests in connection to the separate shootings of three children in Minneapolis' North Side. Trinity Ottoson-Smith, 9, was shot while jumping on a trampoline in her backyard earlier this month. Ladavionne Garrett Jr., 10, and Aniya Allen, 6, both were shot in separate incidents in Minneapolis over the past two weeks. Aniya died from her injuries. The fund created by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber offers $10,000 for information in each case, KARE reported. "We need more police officers. There is no doubt in my mind," Smiths grandfather, Randy Ottoson, told the Tribune, stressing that police reform is necessary, because Black lives matter, but that shouldnt mean less officers patrolling local communities. "I'm praying for all of these families but, you know what, I'm praying for the next people too." Several events are scheduled in Minneapolis this week to coincide with the first anniversary of Floyds death. Aniya Allens grandfather, K.G. Wilson, who is also a community activist, pointed out that large crowds of demonstrators have often come from out of town and shut down roadways over the past year since Floyds death but similar protests have not come since in response to the deaths of these three children. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said federal agencies are also assisting investigations. "These perpetrators who continue to harm our angels need to turn themselves in," Arradondo said. "I will work diligently, and my men and women will continue to rush into harms way to continue to keep our communities safe and deal with the condition of violence. But we have a condition of heart." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had already been called in last week to assist the Minneapolis Police Department with their investigations into the three separate incidents where the children were shot, KTSP reported. Minneapolis police has seven homicide detectives working the mass shooting case, while the city's Office of Violence Prevention sent a "very small group," including director Sasha Cotton, to work with families and bystanders, city spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie told the Tribune. (Reuters) -Myanmar's state television on Monday aired pictures of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time since a military coup nearly four months ago, showing her first in-person court appearance since her arrest. MRTV in its nightly news bulletin showed Suu Kyi, 75, in the dock sitting upright with her hands in her lap and wearing a surgical mask. Beside her was ousted President Win Myint and another defendant, former Naypyitaw mayor Myo Aung, as two police officers stood behind them. Suu Kyi looked in good health during a 30-minute meeting with her legal team, but said she had no access to newspapers in detention and was only partially aware of what was happening outside, her legal team head, Khin Maung Zaw, told Reuters. "This image breaks my heart," said one Twitter user identified as Nay Win Aung, in one of a series of similar posts reacting to the pictures of Suu Kyi in court. Another user, Su Mon Hlaing, said: "I love Mother Aung San Suu Kyi, we stand with our leaders, we want our country back." Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, for decades the figurehead of Myanmar's struggle for democracy, is among more than 4,000 people arrested since the Feb. 1 coup. The latest include an American journalist Danny Fenster, 37, who was detained on Monday as he tried to board a flight out of Myanmar, his news organisation said. Suu Kyi is being prosecuted in cases in two courts, for offences that range from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating a state secrets law, punishable by 14 years in prison. The military has also accused her of taking bribes. Myanmar has been in chaos since the army took power on Feb 1, with daily protests, marches and strikes nationwide against the junta, which has struggled to impose order as opposition against it grows. It has responded with lethal force, killing more than 800 people, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. Story continues Suu Kyi "wished people good health" in her meeting with her lawyers and also made a reference to her National League for Democracy (NLD) party that could be dissolved soon. "Our party grew out of the people so it will exist as long as people support it", Khin Maung Zaw quoted Suu Kyi as saying. The presiding judge adjourned the session until June 7, the lawyer said. Myanmar's junta-appointed election commission will dissolve the NLD on the grounds that its victory in a November election was secured by fraud, media reported on Friday, quoting a commissioner, who threatened action against "traitors". The accusations had been dismissed by the former election commission. LIMITED INFORMATION Suu Kyi said the only information she received from outside was when police asked her opinion on some matters, said Khin Maung Zaw. She refused to respond because she was unaware of the full situation, he said. In his first interview with foreign media since the coup, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had also said Suu Kyi was in good health. Min Aung Hlaing also told Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster Phoenix Television that about 300 people had been killed in the unrest, including 47 police. The military is fighting on a growing number of fronts, against established ethnic minority armies, and rag-tag local militias formed in the past few weeks, many armed with rudimentary rifles and home-made weapons. Fighting has intensified in eastern Myanmar in recent days near the border of Southern Shan and Kayah states, with thousands fleeing their homes and dozens of security forces and local fighters killed, according to residents and media reports. Local people and activists estimated at least 10,000 people had fled their homes in Kayah, bordering Thailand, after the latest violence. "They fled into nearby forests or nearby villages where their relatives live. We don't have an organised group to help," said an activist, who asked not be identified. Other residents said there was an immediate need for humanitarian aid including food, shelter and medicine, with pregnant women, children and the elderly among the displaced. On Monday, a resident in Loikaw said shooting could still be heard and several military planes landed at an air base, after tanks and helicopters were patrolling the area a day earlier. On the northwestern side of Myanmar, bordering India, 12 police officers in the Chin State town of Kanpetlet had switched sides on Saturday to join the fight against the coup, Myanmar Now quoted the local militia, the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), as saying. Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing played down the risk of violence spiralling into a bigger conflict. "I don't think there will be a civil war," he told Phoenix in the May 20 interview. (Reporting by Reuters StaffWriting by Ed Davies and Martin Petty; Editing by Robert Birsel, Angus MacSwan, William Maclean) Good morning and welcome to Fox News First. Here's what you need to know as you start your day New book claims Obama was a 'parasite' who sucked the Democratic Party dry to get reelected A "parasite" on the Democratic Party is how journalist Edward Isaac Dovere describes former President Obama in his forthcoming tell-all book "Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats' Campaign to Defeat Trump." In a chapter entitled "Benign Neglect," Dovere writes that the sections namesake is how Obama aides privately described his abandonment of the Democratic Party once in the White House. "Negligence might be more accurate," Dovere, writer for The Atlantic and former chief Washington correspondent for Politico, writes. "The numbers are hard to ignore: during his eight years in office, Obama oversaw a net loss of 947 state legislative seats, 63 House seats, 11 senators, and 13 governors," he continues. In 2008, Democrats increased their majorities in the House and Senate, delivering Obama the legislature for his first two years in office. In 2010, Republicans took the majority in the House with the Tea Party wave and Democrats maintained but shrunk their majority in the Senate. In 2014, Republicans gained control of both the House and Senate. Dovere writes that the 44th president carried himself with a "self-assured self-regard." "Obama never built a Democratic bench and never cared to, aside from a few scattered candidates who interested him," according to the book. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY. In other developments: - Obama had harsh words on Trump, book claims - Obama called Trump a 'f------ lunatic' in remarks to foundation donors, book claims - Obama Bros at Crooked Media promoted charity linked to terrorist group Hamas: report - Kid reporter who interviewed Obama at White House dies at 23 Texas aims to crack down on protesters who block traffic: 'That chaos won't be tolerated' A bill that would increase penalties for protestors blocking roads and obstructing emergency vehicles is on the way to Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts desk. Story continues And the two term GOP governor whos running for re-election next year says hell sign the measure into law. "I will sign soon," Abbott tweeted this weekend. "Peaceful protest doesnt include blocking roadways & preventing emergency vehicle access. That chaos wont be tolerated in Texas." The governor sent his tweet soon after the Texas Senate voted 25-5 to pass the bill, which would toughen penalties and calls for jail time for protestors who purposefully block emergency vehicles from passing through a roadway, or obstruct a hospital entrance. CLICK HERE FOR MORE. In other developments: - Free Palestine demonstrators block traffic in Los Angeles: 'Long live intifada' - Good Samaritans help Florida deputy under attack during traffic stop, video shows - Police in this Florida city will start fining protesters who block traffic Kinzinger charges that McCarthy failed to tell the truth Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois is taking aim at Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., charging that the House minority leader is not being honest with Americans. "I do think Kevin has failed to tell the truth," Kinzinger said Sunday in an interview with Fox News Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." Kinzinger was one of just 10 House Republicans who voted in January to impeach then-President Trump of inciting the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by right-wing extremists aiming to disrupt congressional certification of President Bidens Electoral College victory over Trump. And the conservative lawmaker first elected to Congress in the 2010 Tea Party wave was one of 35 House Republicans who last week bucked party leadership and voted in favor of a Jan. 6 commission to investigate the attack on the Capitol. McCarthy last week announced his opposition to the formation of the commission and worked with House GOP leadership to limit the number of defections when the full chamber voted on the matter on Wednesday. While 35 Republicans supported the inquiry, the vast majority of the 212 member GOP conference opposed the move. Kinzinger charged McCarthy "failed to tell the truth to the Republicans and to the American people and it pains me to say and it's not like I enjoy standing up and saying this." He noted that a sizeable number of the 74 million people who voted for Trump "believe the election was stolen, believe it because their leaders have not told them otherwise. The people they trust have either been silent or not told them the truth." CLICK HERE FOR MORE. In other developments: - GOP Rep. Kinzinger hauls in big bucks after facing Trump's wrath - Kinzinger launches new PAC to 'take back' GOP from Trump - Kinzinger defends Liz Cheney, says McCarthy ignored warnings about Jan. 6 violence CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP TODAY'S MUST-READS: - Michigans Whitmer apologizes after photo emerges on social media - Kamala Harris wipes hand after greeting South Korean leader, faces Twitter backlash - Insane Phil Mickelson crowd frustrates Brooks Koepka: No one really gave a st - St. Louis' murder rate, already highest in US, soared last year; mayor vows to defund the police THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS: - Bitcoin value cut in half in weekend slide - Disneyland to introduce $100 sandwich - Intelligence on sick staff at Wuhan lab fuels debate on COVID-19 origin - Biden touts economic 'progress,' despite weak jobs report, rising inflation #TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History." SOME PARTING WORDS Author Nicholas Wade joined Mark Levin Sunday night on 'Life, Liberty & Levin' to discuss the unknown origins of the coronavirus pandemic. "Right from the beginning, public perception favored lab escape," Wade said. "That perception was very much shaped by a letter that appeared in The Lancet and derided lab escape as a conspiracy theory and said that lab escape was the way this virus had emerged and we should stand shoulder to shoulder with our Chinese colleagues on the forefront of fighting the disease." Not signed up yet for Fox News First? Click here to find out what you're missing. Fox News Go Watch page is now available, providing visitors with Pay TV provider options in their area carrying Fox News Channel & Fox Business Network. Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Well see you in your inbox first thing Tuesday. GUIDE TO PERSONAL FINANCE Sponsored by Credible: - How to buy a house in 2021: Tips for winning the COVID homebuying season - Need a $75,000 personal loan? What to know Former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images New details have emerged about the Trump-Obama White House meeting in November 2016. In a copy of Isaac Dovere's forthcoming book obtained by Insider, Obama tried "buttering Trump up." Obama pitched renaming the Iran Nuclear Deal the "Trump Anti-Nuclear Deal" to keep the US in it. See more stories on Insider's business page. Former President Barack Obama attempted to flatter his way through his first meeting with then-President-elect Donald Trump in November 2016, according to a new book by The Atlantic staff writer Edward Issac-Dovere. According to a copy of the "Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats' Campaigns to Defeat Trump" obtained by Insider, Obama tried "buttering up Trump" in order to persuade him not to destroy some key aspects of his legacy. Read more: Trump's Secret Service detail could be subpoenaed to testify against him in criminal proceedings and former agents are stressed about it One of those was the Iran Nuclear Deal, which Trump pledged to pull the United States out of during his 2016 campaign. Obama reportedly tried using Trump's penchant for slapping his name on everything he can, including buildings he doesn't own and steaks, to his advantage. "Obama thought the plan was working while they were sitting there," Dovere writes. "When the Cuba reopening came up and Trump talked about the market opportunity for new hotels, Obama encouraged it. He'd laid it on thick about the Iran deal, walked him through provisions ... Rebrand it the Trump Anti-Nuclear Deal, Obama suggested. Make a few patches to Obamacare and call it Trumpcare." Trump ended up pulling the US out of the deal anyway. Since Biden took office, Washington and Tehran have agreed on a path back to rejoining the deal, but that only involves a pair of working groups and remains far from where Obama left it upon leaving office. Later in their meeting, Trump extended an invitation for Obama to come hang out with him in Florida post-presidency, according to the book. Story continues "At one point Trump asked him how he'd spend his time out of office," Dovere writes. "Maybe they would see more of each other? Trump told him he'd be welcome anytime at Mar-a-Lago." Relations between the two quickly soured once Trump took office, and while no meeting is publicly known to have happened, Obama did reportedly refer to Trump as a "corrupt motherf---er"' and a "f---ing lunatic." Read the original article on Business Insider Belarus used one of its fighter jets to intercept an Irish passenger plane on Sunday. Security officials detained Roman Protasevich, a journalist who opposes Belarus' president Alexander Lukashenko. Authorities ordered the pilot to divert because of a "security threat." Elizabeth Palmer reports. Video Transcript - There's developing news tonight in Europe. Belarus used one of its fighter jets to intercept an Irish passenger plane and force it to land. On the ground in the capital Minsk, state security officials arrested one of the passengers and opposition activists. European leaders have called it a hacking and state terrorism. CBS's Elizabeth Palmer has the very latest. ELIZABETH PALMER: This is the Ryanair plane on the tarmac. After security officials searched it, they detained Roman Protasevich, a journalist active in the movement opposed to Belarus's strongman president Alexander Lukashenko. Protasevich, along with about 100 other passengers, had boarded the plane in Athens, bound for Lithuania. But as the aircraft flew through Belarus airspace, it made a sudden detour to Minsk. Air Force general Andrey Gurtsevich said authorities told the pilot to divert because of a security threat. And they even scrambled an escort fighter plane to what he called protect it. But no threat was found. And the Ryanair plane was allowed to continue its journey to Vilnius and land minus Roman Protasevich. Before he was arrested, says a fellow passenger, he knew he was in trouble. - He's super scared. I saw-- I looked at him directly into his eyes. And it was very sad. ELIZABETH PALMER: Huge protests in 2020 against Lukashenko provoked a violent crackdown by police. That's already earned Belarus's president massive criticism and international sanctions. Today's rogue behavior, says Lithuania's foreign minister, makes Belarus even more of a pariah. - And Belarusian airspace is completely unsafe for any commercial flight. ELIZABETH PALMER: The head of NATO tonight says this forcing a civilian aircraft to land on false pretenses is a serious and dangerous incident. The question, though, is what, if anything, NATO countries and Western allies can do about it. Jericka. - Elizabeth Palmer, thanks. By Jonathan Barrett and Colin Packham SYDNEY/CANBERRA (Reuters) -Samoa's political crisis intensified on Monday as the leader of the opposition party held a ceremony to form government outside a locked parliament after the incumbent prime minister refused to cede power. A series of twists and turns since an April election gave the FAST opposition party a one-seat parliamentary majority has culminated in a power struggle between the courts and the head of state in the Pacific nation, a supporter of China in recent years. FAST leader Fiame Naomi Mataafa was set to become Samoa's first female prime minister after the country's top court upheld the election result against a challenge supported by incumbent Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. However, Samoa's head of state, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, made the rare move on the weekend of suspending the parliamentary hearing scheduled to swear in the elected members on Monday. The government supported that suspension, declining to abide by a subsequent ruling from the Supreme Court that the swearing in ceremony should go ahead. "Democracy is inseparable from human rights which are inalienable by our laws as well as by international covenants that we have sworn to uphold," FAST deputy leader Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Schmidt said on Facebook on Monday. "Democracy must prevail, always." Tuilaepa told reporters in the capital Apia on Monday that only the head of state could convene parliament in the nation of 200,000. "We remain in this role and operate business as usual," he said. Samoa has been a close ally of China during Tuilaepa's more than two-decades rule as prime minister. Fiame is expected to reframe Samoa's relations with China after telling Reuters last week she would shelve a $100 million Beijing-backed port development, calling the project excessive for a small country already heavily indebted to China. Fiame, a former deputy prime minister who split with the government last year after opposing changes to Samoa's constitution and judicial system, said she wanted to retain good relations with both Beijing and Washington. Story continues Her supporters gathered outside parliament early on Monday, singing songs from Samoa's independence movement more than 50 years ago, reported local media. FAST members then gathered in a tent outside the locked parliament to confirm the new government members in a ceremony that Tuilaepa described as "treason", local media reported. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday the results of the election should be respected. "All we are doing here is calling for the outcome and the wishes of the people of Samoa to be upheld and that's obviously the work the judiciary is doing right now," Ardern said. (Reporting by Jonathan Barrett and Colin Packham; Editing by Michael Perry and Jane Wardell) Adnoc Distribution, the UAEs largest fuel and convenience store retailer, announced today the appointment of Bader Saeed Al Lamki as Chief Executive Officer. He will start his new role on May 27. Al Lamki brings more than 20 years of diversified industry experience in the oil and gas, energy efficiency, clean energy and utilities sectors, and most recently held the role of CEO at the National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed), which is publicly listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). He has also held senior positions at Masdar, supporting business growth activities and the advancement of the companys renewable energy portfolio in 25 countries, leading on a number of its most iconic projects. In addition, Al Lamki worked for Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), an Adnoc Group company, where he led a successful strategic initiative to increase the companys daily oil production. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Chairman, Adnoc Distribution said: I look forward to welcoming Eng. Bader onboard, an experienced CEO with a pedigree of success in his recent leadership roles, as we continue to drive forward with our smart growth strategy, with a focus on delivering modern fuel retail convenience to customers and added value to our shareholders. Al Lamki will replace Ahmed Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Executive Officer. TradeArabia News Service Samantha Lee/Insider Protesters fly the Hawaiian flag in distress. Associated Press Pacific Islander activists told Insider their needs are overlooked when they are categorized as AAPI. The broad categorization of AAPI leads to inaccurate data about how Pacific Islanders are faring. Pacific Islanders have some of the highest rates of COVID, but this was initially overlooked. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. When Joseph Seia, founder and executive director of the Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington, first read the draft of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine's framework for distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, he noticed a troubling omission. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI), despite their fast-growing case numbers, were not named as a vulnerable ethnic minority. So Seia mobilized a team to get it changed. "Because we've been tracking our own data, we know that [NHPI] are faring worse than any other minority group. But the federal government does not always prioritize the tracking of NHPI data, so we're nowhere visible," says Seia. Researchers creating the framework had chosen to include Pacific Islanders under the umbrella term AAPI, or Asian American Pacific Islander. Although Asians have also struggled in the pandemic, the death rate of NHPI is over 1.5 times the rate for Asian Americans. NHPI are also four times more likely to be hospitalized than their white counterparts and have the highest covid death rates of any ethnic group in the United States - but these statistics were obscured by the larger AAPI categorization. "If we're not there to advocate for ourselves, the lumping just erases us," Seia told Insider. Seia and the National Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Policy Council sent a letter to President Biden and his COVID-19 task force. "Our communities' experiences are different," the letter read. "Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are subject to racism by erasure and being omitted from interventions targeting the disproportionate impact the virus has had on communities of color." Story continues It went on to call for the desegregation of Asian American and Pacific Islander health data and the allocation of federal funds to Pacific Islander communities. The White House listened. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders were eventually given their own category - and with it, a fair shot at vaccination. This letter is just one instance where Seia has argued the needs of Pacific Islanders are being overlooked because of their inclusion in the term AAPI. NHPI advocates across the diaspora are speaking out about their erasure to demand representation in their own right, without being lumped into a larger category that they feel doesn't represent them. "The aggregation of AAPI has made our communities invisible. And I say that to mean, when you lump us together there's no effort to actually look at how the Pacific Islander community is actually faring," says Seia. The US Census Bureau's creation of the Asian Pacific Islander (APA) identifier in the 1980s took an already overcrowded grouping-all Americans with Asian roots-and added in another, jarringly disparate people. Pacific Islanders referred to under the term APA include Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan, and Marshallese people, in addition to countless other island groups from Micronesia and Polynesia. This blended category is unique to the United States-nowhere else in the world are Asians linked with Pacific Islanders. And activists say it's created issues that extend from health, to identity, to education, and beyond. A 2010 study from the Prison Policy Initiative showed that Pacific Islanders have the third highest rate of incarceration of any ethnic group, right behind Black and Native Americans, respectively. Asians, meanwhile, are the least likely ethnic group to be incarcerated - their rate of imprisonment is almost a quarter of the rate of White Americans. But in Seia's community of King's County, Washington, Pacific Islanders make up "one-hundred percent of young, [AAPI] people here that have long term sentencing." These numbers often go unreported because of the swollen AAPI category, he says. To highlight this issue, Seia and his team are constantly gathering more NHPI-specific data. He believes that with more data, more funding may come from federal agencies to combat these inequalities. But data-gathering proves difficult when NHPI are consistently miscategorized. This erasure of Pacific Islanders under the term AAPI is particularly pernicious when you consider the settler roots of Asians in the Pacific, says Mapuana Hayashi-Simpliciano, PhD, an indigenous scholar and activist in Hawaii. Asians first came to Hawaii as laborers in the mid-1800s. By then, Hawaii was already at the mercy of Western colonial powers. Soon, newly-immigrated Chinese and Japanese laborers were swept up in the "Americanization" movement of US-colonists. They went on to occupy Native lands and perpetuate the subjugation of their Indigenous neighbors. "Hawaii and the Pacific is a place where people of Asian ethnicity-especially East Asians- have risen to a status of political power and continue to displace kanaka maoli [Native Hawaiians]," says Hayashi-Simpliciano. To move forward, many activists are following the legacy of the late Native Hawaiian senator from Hawaii, Daniel Akaka, who championed a 1997 policy known as OMB-15. This gave Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders their own category on the census -retiring the API, or Asian Pacific Islander, moniker. But despite this federal mandate to separate the two groups, Seia says that there hasn't been real change. "There wasn't a data commission to really drive the changes," he says, so there hasn't been tangible progress. Many advocates, including Seia, are calling for a national, Pacific-Islander-led organization to advocate for the needs of the community. "Because we don't have a national organization yet, federal agencies give money to Asian organizations to also do Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander work," he told Insider. "And we all know that's a problem. Because Asian folks don't know how to work with us-we know how to work with us," Seia argued. The path to progress, according to Seia, is to recognize Pacific Islanders for what they are: indigenous people with their own distinct desires and needs. "It's not that we don't want to be lumped in with Asians, because people can simplify it as that," he says. Instead, Seia says that Pacific Islanders are simply fighting for the right to determine their own identity-and the tools to protect that identity. Read the original article on Insider Lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo cuts through Buhene north of Goma, Congo Monday, May 24, 2021. AP Photo/Justin Kabumba Mount Nyiragongo erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic Congo over the weekend. At least 15 people have died in the eruption after lava covered a nearby town. The volcano erupted with little warning, destroying hundreds of homes. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. At least 15 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a volcano erupted with little warning over the weekend. One photo from the Associated Press shows lava from Mount Nyiragongo covering the town of Buena, north of Goma, Congo. Lava Mount Nyiragongo sent thousands of people fleeing on Saturday and Sunday, the UN's children's agency told the AP. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the eruption. While at least 15 people are confirmed dead, local officials told AP that it's too soon to know the total death toll. Mount Nyiragongo last erupted in 2002, in an incident that killed 250 people and left 120,000 homeless, Reuters reported. Read the original article on Insider ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey and Poland have signed a deal for the sale of Turkish-made combat drones, making Poland the first NATO and European Union member country to purchase Turkeys Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday. The agreement was signed during Polish President Andrzej Dudas three-day visit to Turkey. Under the deal, Poland is set to receive 24 armed drones, ground control stations and data terminals, Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The first drone is expected to be delivered next year. We are one of the best countries regarding unmanned aerial vehicles, Erdogan said during a joint news conference. We feel great pleasure in sharing our experience, capability and potential with our NATO ally, Poland. Erdogan said: With the document that was just signed, Turkey will, for the first time in its history, be exporting UAVs to a country that is a member of NATO and the EU. Turkey previously sold drones to Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Qatar. The Bayraktar TB2 drones played a prominent role in Azerbaijans victory over Armenia during the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh last year. Turkey is known to have used the drones in its cross-border operations against Kurdish militants in Syria and Iraq. Police have identified an 18-year-old woman who was fatally shot Sunday morning in Kansas City. Officers responded about 3:40 a.m. Sunday to the area of East Winner Road and Wallace Avenue, where they found Kailey Love suffering from gunshot wounds, according to the Kansas City Police Department. Love was given life-saving measures, but she was declared dead at the scene, said Capt. Leslie Foreman, a police spokeswoman. A suspect was taken into custody at the crime scene, Foreman said. That person had not been identified as of Sunday evening. The killing marked the 60th homicide this year in Kansas City. By this time last year, there had been 70 killings. Last year ended with 182 homicides, the most in the citys history in a single year, according to data maintained by The Star. Police asked anyone with information about the killing to call the departments homicide unit at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Gun violence is the subject of a statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the communitys help. To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said that it is "outrageous" top government epidemiologist Anthony Fauci and others early in the pandemic dismissed the possibility that COVID-19 could have escaped from a the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a lab located in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak began. Pompeo's comments came after a former State Department official told Fox News on Sunday that about a month before COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, foreign government contacts told State Department officials that several workers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology had fallen ill in mid-November 2019. "It was outrageous to see scientists, even government, U.S. government scientists who were denying this when they surely must have seen the same information that I had seen," Pompeo said. "That includes certainly Dr. Fauci as well." Fauci told National Geographic in May 2020 that "If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and what's out there now, [the scientific evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species." AS REPORTING ON CORONAVIRUS LAB LEAK THEORY GROWS, CRITICS ACCUSE MEDIA OF SUFFERING AMNESIA ON TOPIC Pompeo added Monday: "We need to know what happened here. The Chinese Communist Party knows what happened here. They know who patient zero was. They know precisely where this began. These three individuals who became sick, the symptoms were consistent with what someone would get that would be symptomatic of if they had COVID-19 the Wuhan virus. We need to get to the bottom of this because this could happen again." The official, who worked at the State Department during the Trump administration, claimed to have been in touch with those contacts at the time and said colleagues also had been in communication with contacts about the issue. The State Department told Fox News it would not comment on "purported intelligence matters." Story continues The State Department acknowledged in January 2021 the "United States government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019." It found that they'd experienced symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 "and common seasonal illness." Pompeo continued Monday to warn that that without getting "to the bottom of this" a similar pandemic "could happen again." He said he is "convinced" that the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab. REP. GALLAGHER BILL WOULD FORCE BIDEN TO DECLASSIFY WIHAN CORONAVIRUS LAB LEAK THEORY INTEL "They are still conducting research in these same laboratories today. It's being done in ways that were similar to what happened back over a year ago. This is dangerous, we could end up with something much like this again being foisted upon the world," he said. Pompeo also assailed the Biden administration's decision to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO), the international body that came under fire for its role in minimizing the Chinese government's responsibility for covering up the extent of the coronavirus' spread early in the pandemic. "Why on Earth would you rejoin the World Health Organization, which rewards the Chinese for the exact partner that they joined in the cover-up with," Pompeo said. "It was Dr. Tedros and Xi Jinping that colluded to keep this information out of the hands of the world." A recent WHO report on the origins of the coronavirus was even panned by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who said it provides a "partial, incomplete picture" of the virus origin and that the global community "all deserve greater transparency." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Not only government experts like Fauci but also media organizations and international organizations like the WHO poured cold water on the possibility that the virus may have leaked from the Wuhan lab for much of 2020 and into 2021. As recently as late March, CNN said that the idea the coronavirus leaked from a lab was "a controversial theory without evidence" after former CDC Director Robert Redfield said he is "of the point of view, I still think the most likely etiology of this pathogen in Wuhan was from a laboratory, escaped." But emerging evidence has convinced many that a leak from a Chinese lab is potentially the most likely origin of COVID-19. This led House Republicans earlier this month to introduce a bill that would declassify intelligence related to the lab leak theory as they press the Biden administration to provide more information on the matter. Fox News' David Rutz, Edmund DeMarche and Rich Edson contributed to this report. TAIPEI (Reuters) - A surge in domestic COVID-19 cases in Taiwan after months of relative safety is intensifying pressure on the government to accept vaccines from China, as the island has vaccinated just 1% of the population with no immediate sign of new shots arriving. The Chinese-claimed island and Beijing have repeatedly sparred over the pandemic since it began. Taipei accuses Beijing of spreading fake news and preventing its full participation at the World Health Organization, while Beijing says Taipei is playing political games with its people's lives by refusing Chinese vaccines. Taiwan has only received about 700,000 vaccine doses to date, all from AstraZeneca Plc, which are rapidly running out. It has millions more on order, including from Moderna Inc. Over the weekend, Hung Hsiu-chu, a former head of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), said the government should allow in Chinese vaccines as soon as possible, saying that they are internationally accepted and that Taiwan cannot wait. "At this moment, lives are at stake, and we respectfully tell the Tsai government: the real enemy is the virus, not the mainland," she said, referring to President Tsai Ing-wen. The KMT, always wary of being painted as pro-China, has not explicitly backed or rejected the idea, but has called on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) not to tar as Communist Party sympathisers those who are trying to obtain more vaccines. Pressure is growing from industry too to address the issue, especially after China's Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd said on Saturday it was willing to provide Taiwan with BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccines. A source familiar with the situation said major Apple Inc supplier Foxconn was exploring directly approaching Fosun for the shots to vaccinate its employees and their families, though the company had not formally started discussions with the Chinese firm or Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Centre. Story continues Fosun has 10 million shots that are expiring in August and is anxious to offload them, the source added. Fosun did not respond to requests for comment. Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, told Reuters that information on vaccines should come from the command centre. "If we can do what we can to prevent the epidemic in Taiwan, then our company is willing to assist," it added. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Sunday that if companies wanted to buy vaccines they had to talk to his ministry. Chen has said that China has not provided enough evidence that its vaccines are safe, and that most Taiwanese would not want to take them anyway. Chen has also said the law prohibiting the imports of any Chinese vaccine would need to be revised. Beijing has called on Taiwan to cast aside political prejudices. "Most Taiwanese compatriots are eagerly anticipating the use of mainland vaccines," China's Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement to Reuters, without offering evidence. "The pressing task is to remove artificial political obstacles on the island." Taiwan's government has kept vaccine purchase details under close wraps, but has promised more are on the way. Chen met virtually with his U.S. counterpart, Xavier Becerra, last week and discussed vaccines, but no announcements of any U.S. help have come yet, even after President Joe Biden said the country would release stocks to other parts of the world. However, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the United States was trying to help speed up deliveries of the vaccines Taiwan has already ordered. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Taipei and Beijing newsrooms. Editing by Gerry Doyle) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions drew a massive police presence Monday in at least two cities in the sultanate, with protesters throwing stones at one point and police firing tear gas. Videos posted to social media show several dozen Omanis in the city of Sohar trailed by a long line of riot police vehicles. Other images appear to show a line of dozens of officers in riot gear near a government labor office in the city, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Muscat. Other images appear to show Omanis fleeing smoking tear gas canisters and others being arrested by nightstick-wielding riot police. The images correspond to known landmarks around Sohar, the first major city people enter in the sultanate after crossing the border from neighboring United Arab Emirates. Other videos showed demonstrators in Salalah, a city some 850 kilometers (525 miles) southwest of Muscat. Similar scattered protests in Sohar on Sunday also brought a mass police presence, activists said online. That demonstration was acknowledged by Oman's Labor Ministry in a tweet, which said it was aware of people gathering there to try to find new job vacancies and to solve the problems of those who were fired. It was not immediately clear if there had been a major layoff in Sohar, which is home to a key port, as well as plants producing aluminum and steel. In 2011 during the Arab Spring, protesters in Sohar demanding higher pay, jobs for the unemployed and the sacking of government ministers set fire to a supermarket. Oil and gas remains a major industry in Oman. Its tourism sector has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and repeated lockdowns in the sultanate. Oman's state TV on Monday afternoon acknowledged that jobless people had been coming to Labor Ministry offices to expedite the treatment of their conditions." It also showed an image from one of the peaceful protests. Story continues The Royal Oman Police did not acknowledge making any arrests. Oman's Information Ministry and the Omani Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. The demonstrations mark the first major unrest for Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who took over in January 2020 after the death of the long-ruling Sultan Qaboos bin Said. State media on Monday referred to employment as among the most important priorities of Sultan Haitham. Oman faces billions in looming loan repayments, including from China, and needs even more money as its youthful population wants jobs and its government cannot afford the cradle-to-grave benefits given in other Gulf Arab nations. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region, is showcasing its developing and dynamic portfolio of superlative hospitality offerings at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021. Commenting on the importance of the event, Rotana President and CEO Guy Hutchinson, said: ATM plays a significant role in the growth of the travel and tourism industry and this year, it has an even more important role to play, as key figures from the sector will deliberate on critical factors for a strong, fast-paced and sustainable recovery, which will also be pivotal for overall economic growth. The global event provides an excellent platform for us to explore further growth opportunities and put in place building blocks for future development." The Covid-19 crisis has been one of the toughest experiences on record to date, creating a unique inflection point for the global hospitality business, and this years ATM will play a major role in reuniting the travel and trade industries. The keynote centres on Tourism for a brighter future and will discuss how swift, sustainable growth is vital for the industrys recovery. Makram El Zyr, Rotanas Corporate Vice President for Development, stated: Rotana currently operates 68 hotels in 24 cities across 14 countries, including an impressive 10,012 keys across 36 hotels in the UAE. The groups pipeline consists of 40 upcoming projects including 10 that will deliver in the next three years more than 3,000 keys to the market. This is a testament to the competencies of the homegrown brand and its expansion strategy to operate hotels in key locations in high growth markets." The new property signings represent another major milestone in Rotana's burgeoning development strategy, and it remains firmly on course for international expansion. The hospitality group, which currently operates seven hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and has a further five properties under development, is adding two new properties in Al Baha and Jubail under the Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana brand to its pipeline in KSA. Rotana will be opening the five-star Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts in Jubail in Q1 2022 and the four-star mountain resort project in 2024. In Manama, Rotana is looking to capitalise on the growing demand for the long-stay segment and has signed an agreement under Residences by Rotana. Set to open in 2022, the property will feature 483 keys and provide an extended stay-focused brand to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Furthermore, Rotana is keen to provide its guests with a holistic living experience by offering a home-away-from-home setting within the city, introducing a 220-key Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana, which is scheduled to open in 2023. Two new projects are upcoming in Qatar; the group recently took over the management of the 250-key Sedra Arjaan by Rotana, located in the heart of Doha, The Pearl Island, and signed a hotel management agreement under the Centro Hotels brand, with a stylish 350-key property set to add a new dimension to Dohas vibrant hospitality scene by 2023. Rotana is on course to launch two new properties on the European side of Istanbul: Bomonti Arjaan by Rotana and Bomonti Residences by Rotana offering 650 units that are set to open doors to guests in 2022. Furthermore, the group has taken over a third property in the city, located at the centre of Istanbul's new business district. Currently, under refurbishment, the five-star property is set to open its doors to guests in Q2 2022. While a key focus is placed on international markets, Rotana continues to strengthen its footprint in the UAE to meet the predicted growing demand for hotel rooms in the upscale segment in 2021 and beyond. This is reflected in the recent signing of a hotel management agreement under the Rotana Hotels & Resorts master brand. Expected to open in 2023, the property, which is located in Dubai, will boost the groups number of residential and hospitality units in the country by 295 keys. Rotana already has a significant presence in Dubai and strengthening our portfolio with additional properties will allow us to further contribute to and capitalise on the UAEs ever-expanding tourism and hospitality sector. Our upcoming properties will go a long way towards meeting the pent-up demand anticipated during and beyond Expo 2020 this year and will help ramp up overall room capacity which is crucial in achieving the citys ambitious tourism vision, said Guy Hutchinson, Rotana President and CEO. The regions hospitality sector is marching ahead and showcasing a solid growth trajectory, supported by the ambitious economic diversification roadmaps outlined by governments, including the UAEs Vision 2021 and the Saudi Vision 2030. Rotanas expansion plan is in line with the governments vision to strengthen the UAE as a global tourism hub and position the emirates as the number one tourism destination worldwide. - TradeArabia News Service A server carries a tray of drinks from a pub in the Grassmarket in Edinburgh. Photo: Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images Britain's hospitality sector is struggling with staff shortages as it reopens, forcing pubs and restaurants to offer cash sweeteners to lure workers. Last month, job postings in some parts of the hospitality industry rose 20% above pre-pandemic levels. Jack Kennedy, a UK economist at job listings website Indeed, said: "In some areas the number of candidates isnt keeping up. UK pubs and restaurants have blamed both the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit for staff shortages across the industry. The problem has become particularly acute since indoor dining resumed last week as part of the next stage of Britains roadmap out of lockdown. If staffing shortages continue, the jobs crisis could derail the hospitality sector's recovery from the pandemic. The industry is now urging the government to relax immigration rules to allow low-skilled workers from abroad to work in bars and restaurants across the country. Due to the difficulties with finding workers, many companies have resorted to creating incentives to help plug the shortage. Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers Helen Stephenson, the owner of Kedleston Country Club in Derbyshire, told Yahoo Finance UK people were steering away from hospitality jobs post-lockdown. Recruiting new staff has been extremely difficult for us, she said. "I think people are frightened by being dependent on the hospitality industry because of how uncertain its future is." Stephenson said she has struggled to recruit staff with relevant experience. The vast majority of replies to her job ads have been from school age teenagers who "don't have the experience or the flexibility to work more than just weekends. Read more: Restaurant and pub sales soar as UK economy reopens For more attentive positions, such as working alongside our kitchen chef, we have been involved with Derby College who are helping us seek apprentices who wish to learn the trade," she said. Sadly, after a week of advertising, we have not yet received any applications." Large national chains are feeling the pinch as well. Mitchells and Butlers (MAB.L), which owns the All Bar One and Harvester chains, said it was finding it difficult to recruit workers. The company said overseas staff were returning home and lockdown restrictions meant many staff were giving up on the sector. Mitchells and Butlers has lost 9,000 of its 39,000 employees since the start of the crisis. Story continues Some of the people who have left the sector want to come back, but wont until theyre certain there isnt going to be another lockdown," Mitchell and Butler's boss Phil Urban said on an earnings call. His business lost 200m last year. Read more: Pubs says reopening sales are strong after dire six months Rival pub chain Marstons (MARS.L) has reported similar struggles recruiting and Pizza Express is currently looking for 1,000 staff, having laid off thousands less than a year ago. Everybody is recruiting," Urban said. "Im still optimistic we will be covered and grow our own talent where were short, but there are those macro factors at play at the moment. Watch: Bars, restaurants reopen indoors across London The most obvious macro factor is Brexit. Before Britain left the EU, more than 30% of hospitality workers across the UK were European. In London, the proportion was more than half. Brexit and the pandemic have meant many of those workers have returned to their home countries. It has been pretty hard to find people since Brexit, and now COVID, Armonas, a restaurant manager at Mediterranean chain Haz in London, told Yahoo Finance UK. This includes mainly waiting staff, bar staff and some management positions. (Armonas only gave his first name.) Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry body UKHospitality, told the Sunday Times it was time for the government to review its "shortage occupations" list. "We've also suggested an Australian-style coronavirus recovery visa for lower-skilled workers who don't meet the point-based system [but] who are crucial to the recovery," she said. Some companies have resorted to incentives to help tackle the shortage. Examples include bonuses or gift vouchers for staff who recommend friends for jobs. Steak chain Hawksmoor has told its employees they could earn up to 2,000 ($2,830) if they recruit friends to work at the chain's eight restaurants. Coffee shop Caravan is offering a 100 voucher to customers who make successful recommendations. James Reed, founder of recruitment firm Reed, said the jobs pendulum had swung back in favour of workers. Watch: Should I book a holiday in 2021? Sanitizer sales are now 80% down year-on-year, the Wall Street Journal reported Helin Loik-Tomson/Getty Images Retailers are desperate to shift excess sanitizer and are offering massive discounts, the WSJ reported. Some Piggly Wiggly stores slashed sanitizer prices by 75%, but still struggled to sell it, The Journal reported. "It's worth more to us gone than it is clogging our shelves," B&R Stores' president told the WSJ. See more stories on Insider's business page. As people stockpiled hand sanitizer last spring, retailers bumped up their orders to meet booming demand. Now they're struggling to get rid of their excess stock - despite offering hefty discounts to customers. Keith Milligan, controller of Piggly Wiggly stores in Alabama and Georgia, told The Wall Street Journal that it cut down the price of hand sanitizer by 75% - and customers still weren't buying it. He told the publication he was planning on giving bottles away for free to customers at the checkouts if its current 4-for-1 offer doesn't work. Sanitizer sales are now 80% down year-on-year, while unit prices have dropped 40% in the same time period, The Journal reported, citing data from NielsenIQ. Read more: Internal drug company docs show how pharmaceutical execs targeted the US for price hikes "First, there's not enough. Next, it's the right amount. And now, it's too many," Marc Perlman, CEO of Rhode Island discount chain Ocean State Job Lot, told The Journal. He said that the retailer had sold between $10 million and $15 million worth of sanitizer since last March - but that it was now giving $10 gift cards to customers who spend $10 on sanitizer in a bid to shift stock. Mark Griffin, president of Nebraska's B&R Stores, told The Journal that the chain was now selling some sanitizers for less than half price. "It's worth more to us gone than it is clogging our shelves," he said. A spokesperson for CVS told Insider that demand is "still higher than pre-pandemic, but has decreased since its height, creating some surplus." A Walmart spokesperson said that it had also noticed a drop in demand. Story continues Rishi Dhingra, chief marketing officer at Gojo, which produces Purell, said that it was monitoring the surplus of sanitizer that some retailers were experiencing, but that overall demand was "notably stronger than pre-pandemic." CVS said it was donating some of its surplus stock, and had also provided discounts to customers. Walmart said that it had donated around 1.3 million cases of hand sanitizer, and added that many of its pharmacy locations were providing a free bottle of hand sanitizer to customers receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. When the pandemic first hit the US last spring, people scrambled to stock up on sanitizer, prompting many retailers to impose limits on how many bottles each customer could buy. Hand sanitizer sales grew more than seven-fold year-over-year to $1.46 billion in 2020, NielsenIQ told Insider. In the same time period, average retail prices grew nearly 50%. Alcohol distillers including Absolut Vodka and Jameson Irish Whiskey shifted production to hand sanitizer to meet demand, while some people made their own at home. Some companies were able to cash in on the shortages, fuelling accusations of price gouging. After Purell hand sanitizer sold out on Amazon last March, some third-party vendors started selling bottles for more than $100. These price hikes lasted for months, and spread to other essential products, too. The US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) found in November that some sellers on Amazon were still charging up to 14 times more than other retailers for staple products such as soap, disinfectant wipes, and face masks. Amazon told Insider that it had suspended more than 10,000 seller accounts for price gouging by early September, and added that it had referred some to federal and state law enforcement. Read the original article on Business Insider MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia's communications watchdog on Monday gave Google 24 hours to delete what it called prohibited content or be fined and said Moscow could eventually slow down the company's traffic in the country. Russia has already placed a punitive slowdown on U.S. social network Twitter for not deleting banned content, part of a push by Moscow to rein in Western tech giants and beef up what it calls its internet "sovereignty". The watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said it had sent more than 26,000 calls to Google to remove illegal information, including videos containing information on drugs or violence and material from what it called extremist organisations. Google will be fined between 800,000 roubles and 4 million roubles ($10,800-$54,000) if it does not restrict access to the banned information, Roskomnadzor said. A repeat offence would be punishable by a fine of up to 10% of the company's total annual revenue, it said. Google Russia did not respond to a request for comment about the watchdog's deadline. Roskomnadzor also accused Google of censorship for allegedly restricting YouTube access to Russian media outlets, including RT and Sputnik. "This censorship of Russian media and the targeted support for illegal protest activity actually speak to the political colouring of Google's activities in Russia," Roskomnadzor said. Google's Russian arm last week lodged an appeal against a Moscow court order obliging it to unblock the YouTube account of a Christian Orthodox news channel owned by a Russian businessman who is under U.S. and EU financial sanctions. Moscow court documents also showed on Monday that Google was suing Roskomnadzor over the demands it remove banned content. Roskomnadzor said the lawsuit concerned 12 YouTube links to "unlawful content" which involved encouraging minors to join unsanctioned protests in January, when people across Russia took to the streets to support jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Story continues Navalny and his allies have used YouTube widely to air graft allegations against senior Russian officials and to organise their opposition activities. The YouTube channel of the staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin has close to 6.5 million subscribers. Google filed its lawsuit on April 23, documents from Moscow's Arbitration Court showed, but it was only accepted on May 11 after some administrative issues had been ironed out. A hearing is scheduled for July 14. Google Russia declined to comment on the lawsuit. ($1 = 73.7620 roubles) (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Alexander Marrow; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by David Clarke) MOSCOW/MILAN (Reuters) - A Russian prosecutor has called for Dolce & Gabbana Instagram advertisements showing same-sex couples kissing to be banned in the country following a lawmaker's complaint about them, the prosecutor's office said on Monday. Mikhail Romanov, a member of the ruling United Russia party who sits in the Duma, or lower house of parliament, filed the complaint about the ads posted under the @dolcegabbana handle, the St Petersburg courts press service said. The two short videos were part of the Italian fashion house's global "Love is Love" campaign in the run-up to Valentine's Day. Same-sex relationships are legal in Russia, but a 2013 law bans disseminating "propaganda on non-traditional sexual relations" among young Russians. Human rights groups have condemned the legislation, saying it has helped increase social hostility towards homosexuality. Dolce & Gabbana declined to comment on the case. On May 14, the press service for the St Petersburg courts said the prosecutor had filed a claim asking for one of the Dolce & Gabbana Instagram ads showing two girls kissing to be banned in Russia. In a statement, the press office said the claim established that the video "contains information that rejects family values and propagandizes non-traditional sexual relationships". On Monday, the press service said the prosecutor's ban request included a second Dolce & Gabbana Instagram image showing two young men kissing. However it said the prosecutor's claim has not progressed yet because it had not fulfilled certain administrative requirements, including providing documents supporting the claim. Information on the case will next be updated on June 7, it said. In 2018, Dolce & Gabbana was forced to cancel a marquee show in China amid a backlash against an advertising campaign that was decried as racist by celebrities and on social media and led to Chinese e-commerce sites boycotting the label's products. (Reporting by Alexander Marrow in Moscow and Silvia Aloisi in Milan; Editing by Jan Harvey) The forced landing of a Ryanair passenger airplane by Belarusian officials was a state-sponsored hijacking" meant to target a journalist and dissident on board, Michael OLeary, the airline's CEO, told Politico. Why it matters: The diversion of the plane was an attempt by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko to "remove" journalist Roman Protasevich, a prominent opposition figure living in exile, O'Leary said. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Lukashenko, known as "Europe's last dictator, has cracked down on mass protests and dissent in the wake of a fraudulent election last year. How European Union leaders respond to the hijacking, which O'Leary said involved Belarus KGB agents, will be a key test for the bloc's foreign policy. Catch up quick: The plane was in Belarusian airspace headed to Lithuania when pilots were told to land in Minsk because of a potential security threat on board," per a Ryanair statement. Protasevich, who reportedly told other passengers he was facing the death penalty, was arrested during the stop. No bomb was found on board. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top EU officials have demanded Protasevich's immediate release. What he's saying: It was clear that the intent of the Belarusian authorities was to remove a journalist and his traveling companion. We believe some KGB agents were offloaded from the aircraft as well, O'Leary told Politico. This is a case of state-sponsored hijacking, state-sponsored piracy. Our crew did a phenomenal job to get that aircraft and almost all the passengers out of Minsk after six hours. It was extremely frightening for our crew and passengers. They were held under armed guard and had their bags searched. Go deeper: Global outcry as Belarus accused of "hijacking" plane to detain activist More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free DUBLIN (Reuters) - Passengers and crew on a Ryanair flight forced to land in Minsk on Sunday were frightened, and were held under armed guard, Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said on Monday. Belarus scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday, then detained a dissident journalist who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. "I think it was very frightening for the crew, for the passengers who were held under armed guard, had their bags searched, when it was clear it appears that the intent ... was to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," O'Leary told Irish Newstalk radio. "We believe there was also some KGB agents offloaded off the aircraft as well." OLeary described the diversion as "state-sponsored hijacking". He said his airline would take guidance from European authorities on flying in Belarusian airspace, but that Ryanair had few flights crossing Belarus, and it would be a "very minor adjustment" to fly over Poland instead. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Roman Protasevich, here in Minsk in 2021, was detained after his flight made the emergency landing. - AFP Michael OLeary, the boss Of Ryanair, has said he believes there were Belarusian KGB agents on board the flight forced to land in Minsk by a Belarusian military aircraft. It is a case of state-sponsored hijacking, he told NewstalkFM Ireland after Roman Protasevich, an exiled opposition journalist was arrested on the Ryanair plane "It appears the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio. "We believe there were some (Belarusian security agency) KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well." The United Kingdom and the European Union has called for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich. Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said, The UK condemns yesterdays actions by the Belarusian authorities, who arrested journalist Roman Protasevich on the basis of a ruse, having forced his flight to land in Minsk. Mr Lukashenko must be held to account for his outlandish actions. The UK calls for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich and other political prisoners held in Belarus. The UK is working with our allies on a coordinated response, including further sanctions." The civilian plane was flying between Athens and Vilnius, two EU capitals, and carried more than 100 passengers before it was forced to land in what Brussels called a coercive act and inadmissible step. AirBaltic has become the first airline to stop flights over Belarusian airspace. The Lithuanian foreign ministry claimed that there were four Belarusians and three Russians onboard the plane. Mr Protasevich is Belarusian and his girlfriend, Sophia Sapega, who is reportedly also detained, is Russian, meaning there are two Russian nationals unaccounted for. Sofia Sapega is believed to have been arrested with her boyfriend Linas Linkevicius, former Lithuanian foreign affairs minister, said six people did not fly back to Vilnius. He suggested the four, excepting the journalist and his partner, could have been part of a secret services operation. Story continues Belarus has insisted it acted legally, and accused the West of "politicising" the situation. "There is no doubt that the actions of our competent authorities... fully met established international rules," Belarusian foreign ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said. "Unfounded accusations are being made," he said in a statement, accusing the West of not wanting to be objective and threatening to slap new sanctions on Belarus. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Sanctions under discussion EU leaders will discuss possible sanctions against President Alexander Lukashenkos regime on Monday evening on the first day of a two day summit in Brussels. The arrest of the founder and editor of Nexta, a social media channel that reported on mass protests that broke out last summer against Mr Lukashenko, is now expected to dominate talks over dinner. This is yet another blatant attempt by the Belarusian authorities to silence all opposition voices, a statement from Josep Borrell, the EUs chief diplomat said. We call for the immediate release of Mr Pratasevich, Mr Borrell said, An international investigation into this incident must be carried out to ascertain any breach of international aviation rules. The EU will consider the consequences of this action, including taking measures against those responsible, Mr Borrell said, raising the prospect of the bloc imposing sanctions on Belarus. Measures could include economic sanctions and targeted sanctions at officials, as well as the banning of Belarus' national airline from EU airports. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned. The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences, she said. Alexander De Croo, the prime minister of Belgium, said that the European Council needed to give a clear and unequivocal message. We have to consider sanctions, including banning Belavia [Belarus national airline] from landing in EU airports, he tweeted. Simon Coveney, Ireland's foreign minister, told the RTE broadcaster he would have "no problem" with closing Belarusian airspace. He said, "(The EU) needs to make some clear decisions that send a very strong signal to a regime in Belarus that has no democratic legitimacy and is behaving as a dictatorship, repressing their own people, expelling foreign journalists, silencing civil society and human rights defenders." MEPs from the influential European People's Party (EPP) called on EU leaders to make "bold" decisions at the summit. They demanded a no-flight zone over Belarus, the swifter adoption of pending sanctions against Minks for last year's rigged election and the release of the imprisoned journalist and his partner. "This outrageous illegal incident must have strong consequences. No flights to Belarus, no flights from Belarus, no flights over Belarus. This must be the EUs answer, said Marian-Jean Marinescu MEP, the EPP group's transport spokesman. Nato is also meeting Tuesday to discuss the incident. "Allies are consulting on the forcible landing of the Ryanair plane by Belarus and ambassadors will discuss it tomorrow," a Nato official said Monday. 'Kidnapping' condemned German and French officials and ministers also condemned the incident, which Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the UKs Foreign Affairs Committee, said was air piracy and kidnapping. Mr Raab will set out further details of the UK's response to Belarus over the arrest of the opposition activist. The EU was already preparing a fourth round of sanctions against Belarus after the rigged election and crackdown by the regime last year. Along with the United States, Britain and Canada, the EU has already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko. EU sanctions require the unanimous support of the blocs 27 member states. Mondays summit dinner is expected to be too soon for the measures to be prepared for approval but leaders are expected to strongly condemn the arrest and call for Mr Pratasevichs release. Nato ambassadors are to discuss the forced landing on Tuesday. Russia on Monday said it was shocked by the Western outcry over Belarus's diversion of a passenger plane carrying an opposition activist. "We are shocked that the West calls the incident in Belarusian air space 'shocking,'" Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Facebook, accusing Western nations of "kidnappings, forced landings and illegal arrests". Journalist in exile Roman Protasevich was born in 1995 in Minsk into a military family. He became involved in opposition politics as a teenager, and was kicked out of high school after being arrested at a protest in 2011. He briefly studied journalism and worked for several outlets, including Euro Radio and Radio Free Europe before joining Nexta, a channel on the Telegraph messaging app. Nexta, a play on the Belarusian word for "someone" because its updates are anonymous, won a reputation for speed, accuracy and independence, but drew the wrath of Alexander Lukashenko's government. In late 2019 he fled to Poland after a colleague was arrested. He was charged with several criminal cases in absentia. He was in charge of the day-to-day running of the Telegram channel when protests erupted against Lukashenko's regime following disputed elections in August 2020, and left Nexta in September that year. In November 2020 Mr Protasevich and Stepan Putilo, his Nexta co-founder, were charged with terrorism and placed on the same register as suspected members of the Islamic State group. On May 6 this year, Mr Lukashenko issued a decree stripping Mr Protasevich's father, who served 29 years in the country's armed forces, of his rank as a lieutenant colonel in the reserves. Mr Protasevich and his girlfriend, a 23 year old Russian citizen currently studying in Lithuania, were arrested in Minsk after their flight from Athens to Vilnius was intercepted over Belarus on May 23. (Bloomberg) -- Shale investors have been demanding more consolidation in the U.S. oil patch. But not exactly a deal like this one. The merger of Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. with Cimarex Energy Co. announced Monday has confounded investors and analysts, leaving them to question the logic behind a tie-up that the companies say will increase diversification. Cimarex is mostly an oil explorer in Texas and Oklahoma, while Cabot is focused on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale basin in Appalachia. Although the two companies are following a path blazed by other shale explorers of late by clinching a deal involving almost no takeover premium, it wasnt enough to win over investors. Shares of both drillers slumped. Analysts at Citigroup Inc. said the deal -- an all-stock transaction valued at about $7.4 billion -- was an unexpected pairing as it creates geographic diversity, unlike other major industry transactions recently. KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. downgraded shares of Cimarex because of the lack of a premium and what it views as no clear strategic benefit to investors. Bloomberg Intelligence said a Permian-focused partner would have made far more sense for Cimarex. This deal comes as a bit of a surprise and may have a less clear story to tell investors, Andrew Dittmar, an analyst at Enverus, wrote in a statement. Some investors may wonder why in-basin opportunities werent pursued ahead of a surprising multi-basin deal. Deal-making in the shale patch has picked up following a rebound in oil prices from their pandemic-era lows. The number of U.S. exploration and production deals announced or closed this year have more than quadrupled to about $26 billion from the same period a year earlier, Bloomberg data show. We dont really try to guess how people are going to react, Cimarex Chief Executive Officer Tom Jorden said in a telephone interview. This is a long-term move, and we will win our critics over. By contrast, enthusiasm permeated through markets two weeks ago when Bonanza Creek Energy Inc. and Extraction Oil & Gas Inc. announced an all-stock deal valued at about $1.1 billion that will combine assets in Colorado. The merger -- a low-premium deal -- was favored among shareholders, as it aims to build on the companies existing footprint in the area. Shares for Bonanza and Extraction surged as a result. Story continues I realize this one is a little different than many of the others, Jorden said. Were not terribly focused on the short-term here. Debt-laden oil drillers squeezed by back-to-back oil-market busts have faced the grim prospects of bankruptcy or absorption by a stronger rival. Jorden said the deal -- the largest merger in the U.S. shale patch in almost a year -- was not defensive and will allow the companies to go after bigger acquisitions that they couldnt have otherwise sought on their own, roughly in the $1 billion to $2 billion range. This is an offensive move on our part, Jorden said. This combined financial powerhouse -- we have great flexibility that neither one of us have individually. The newly merged energy producer will be renamed and be based in Houston. Jorden will lead the company as chief executive officer, while Cabots current CEO Dan Dinges will remain executive chairman. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter, subject to the approval of shareholders. The deal will give Cabot shareholders about 49.5% of the combined entity, with Cimarex shareholders holding the rest, the companies said Monday in a statement. Shares of Cabot closed 6.8% lower at $16.60 in New York while Cimarex dropped 7.1% to $66.14, the two biggest declines on the S&P Oil & Gas Exploration and Production Index. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Congress Republicans (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The furore over Marjorie Taylor Greenes Holocaust comments has grown, with CNN anchor John Berman slamming the Georgia representative during his show on Monday. Ms Greene also got into a Twitter spat with Professor Robert Reich over the weekend in which the former Clinton administration secretary of labour accused her of promoting hate that is destroying the country. On Friday, the congresswoman compared House Speaker Nancy Pelosis mask policy to Jews being forced to wear gold stars in Nazi Germany, sparking outrage. You know, we can look back at a time in history when people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany. And this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about, said Ms Greene. She later doubled down on her comments, saying that any rational Jewish person doesnt like whats happening with overbearing mask mandates. Addressing her comments on Mondays edition of New Day, Mr Berman, who is Jewish, slammed the lawmaker for speaking for Jewish people and drawing comparisons with the Holocaust that saw the deaths of six million people. [Your words] dont make me uncomfortable, they make me sick, said Mr Berman after playing clips of her comments. So as a rational Jewish person, let me just say to Marjorie Taylor Greene: Dont you dare speak for me. he added. Not if youre going to compare health measures or anything to the Holocaust. Over the weekend Professor Reich, who served in the Carter and Ford administrations, in addition to President Bill Clinton, tweeted: Can we all agree that Marjorie Taylor Green must be expelled from Congress? Ms Greene responded, first by pointing out his misspelling of her last name he dropped the third e in Greene tweeted: Dont know you, but when I saw Berkley in your bio, I got it. Just put the hammer and sickle with it. Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Being a communists professor, youve never done the real hard work that builds the economy, you just teach ideas that will destroy it. Mr Reich hit back: All you do is promote hate. Hate is destroying our country, he added. (Oh, and Berkeley is spelled with an "e" after the k.) Ms Greenes short time in Congress has been filled with controversies, including her promotion of wild conspiracy theories about election fraud, and that west coast wildfires were caused by a Jewish space laser. She also made a reported attempt to launch an Anglo-Saxon America First Caucus, though those plans were dropped. Read More Marjorie Taylor Greene shreds letter from Nancy Pelosi Marjorie Taylor Greene defends comparing mask mandate to Holocaust as Republican colleagues turn on her Marjorie Taylor Greene compares House mask mandate to the Holocaust Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africas first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), has announced the resumption of direct flights between Sharjah and Prague, starting September 22. Air Arabia will operate the route four times weekly, on Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, using an Airbus A320. Customers can now book their direct flights between Sharjah and Prague by visiting Air Arabias website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies. Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free Covid-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers. - TradeArabia News Service Authorities in North Charleston, South Carolina say more than a dozen people were shot late Saturday, including a 14-year-old girl who was killed. The city police chief said the shooting happened at an unannounced and unauthorized concert. (May 24) Video Transcript REGGIE BURGESS: It's a sad-- it is unfortunate. It is a ridiculous time in our lives in this world that we're standing right here today on a Sunday, a day of worship, grieving over a 14-year-old girl lost her life. This is set up like a-- like-- like a concert. You know, so if they took the time to gather intel to know exactly what they are going to have it at, and set up in that manner, the whole purpose of it was all making money. But they made money at the cost of a life. So this was unauthorized. We in law enforcement had no clue about this. If we would have, we probably been able to save lives. They should never be set up in the first place. That's the first problem. And after that young girl lost her life and 14 other people got victimized, that's another problem. Community, you all know how we do it. I know you may not want to say anything. I know about the stop snitching thing. He I went to DC years ago on that. We know how it is. But guess what? That doesn't apply for this. It doesn't apply for this. Step up and do right by that young lady and the other 14 victims. Step up. House lawmakers targeted SPACs during a hearing today following a year of unprecedented deal activity. Why it matters: Congress may decide to draft new legislation that would take away one of the advantages of going public through SPACs versus a traditional IPO the ability to make forward-looking statements. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The SEC has signaled it could do the same. What they're saying: Stephen Deane of the CFA Institute testified that the safe harbor rule governing what you can say about the future is a singular regulatory advantage that SPACs have over IPOs. Andrew Park of Americans for Financial Reform also testified that because SPACs are not subject to the same liabilities for making false and misleading forward-looking statements, the method has emboldened pre-revenue companies (electric vehicles, cryptocurrency, space exploration) to make what might generously be called very rosy projections. Whats most concerning is that retail investors are buying into this kind of hype, Park added. By the numbers: The witnesses cited how much SPACs have underperformed their peers or the broad market. Park pointed to a Goldman Sachs index of 200 SPACs that saw average losses of -17% compared to a 10% return in the S&P 500 this year. Deane noted that for every year since 2010, the one-year post-merger performance of SPACs has underperformed the Russell 2000 by 10% or worse. The big picture: Congress is concerned about protecting retail investors, a theme that has been present since the meme stock trades earlier this year. What to watch: Even with the growing scrutiny, SPACs arent dead. Theyve just been slower coming to market given the existing backlog of reviews. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. A Sudanese court Monday sentenced a senior officer with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to death for the murder of a demonstrator as a Khartoum protest camp was broken up in 2019, a lawyer said. "The court issued a verdict indicting the accused officer in the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Article 130 (premeditated murder) of the Criminal Code... and sentenced him to death by hanging," Mahmoud al-Sheikh, a lawyer in the case, told AFP. The verdict in the trial which began last July is subject to appeal. In June 2019, armed men in military fatigues violently dispersed a protest camp in the capital Khartoum leaving at least 128 dead in a days-long crackdown. The RSF officer, Mohieldin Mohamed Youssef, was convicted of killing protester Hanafi Abdel-Shakour by mowing him down with his car. The violence came two months after long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir was deposed in April 2019 following months-long, youth-led demonstrations. The RSF is led by commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who is a senior member of both the military council that replaced Bashir and the subsequent power-sharing ruling body. The shadowy paramilitary group largely draws its personnel from the Janjaweed militias, which were accused by rights groups of committing atrocities in the Darfur conflict that began in 2003. Families of victims, including Abdel-Shakour's, have since been calling on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. The ruling generals, who ran the country at the time, denied ordering the bloody dispersal but a probe later found that some members of the RSF and other security forces were involved in the killings. The government-commissioned investigation, formed in November 2019, has yet to release its final report. Sudan has been led since August 2019 by a civilian-majority transitional administration, which has vowed to ensure justice for victims and their families. ab/ff/hc Taiwan hit out at China on Monday over its continued exclusion from a crucial annual gathering of World Health Organization members this week focused on averting the next pandemic catastrophe. On the first day of the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA), the UN health agency's 194 member states decided once again not to even discuss whether or not Taiwan should be allowed to participate. This year's assembly will arguably be one of the most important in the WHO's history amid calls to revamp the organisation and the entire global approach to health in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But Taiwan -- which had one of the world's best pandemic responses -- remains locked out for the fifth consecutive year. That is because China, which views the self-governed democracy as part of its own territory and has vowed to one day seize it, has waged an increasingly assertive campaign to keep Taipei isolated on the world stage. Taiwan continued to plead Monday for access to the assembly, with foreign minister Joseph Wu urging the WHO to "maintain a professional and neutral stance, reject China's political interference" and allow Taiwan's participation. But the WHO's main decision-making body decided against even discussing the matter. More than a dozen mainly small island states had proposed including discussion of whether or not to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer on the WHA agenda. But a committee advised against doing so and the countries agreed to follow it without a vote. - 'Politicising' - Several Taiwan supporters spoke up, with a representative from Nauru warning that "Taiwan's exclusion contradicts the fundamental principles and objectives" of WHO. "The political pressure... from one country should not legitimise the continued exclusion of Taiwan." Chen Xu, China's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, meanwhile slammed attempts to include Taiwan, and called on countries "to stop politicising health issues and using the Taiwan issue to interfere in China's internal affairs." Story continues Beijing's block on Taipei attending the WHA as an observer began after the 2016 election of Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to acknowledge the island is part of "one China". But the coronavirus pandemic crystallised support for Taiwan's 23 million inhabitants, especially in the early days of the crisis when it defeated its own outbreak and then began supplying protection equipment around the world. Taiwan has been hailed as an example in combating the pandemic although clusters in recent weeks have seen infections more than triple to 4,917 cases. The island has recorded 29 deaths so far. Health minister Chen Shih-chung said the recent "escalation" of cases showed Taiwan "cannot remain on the sidelines and there should not be a gap in global disease prevention". "The WHO should serve the health and welfare of all humanity and not capitulate to the political interests of a certain member," Chen said in a statement. International support for Taiwan has been stronger this year, including a communique issued by G7 foreign ministers that backed Taiwan's "meaningful participation in WHO and the WHA". In a separate announcement on Monday, Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC) blamed "external forces" for a flood of online disinformation during the latest cluster such as hospitals dumping bodies in rivers and mass cremations. While officials did not name China, they said much of the disinformation going viral was written in the simplified Chinese used on the mainland, not the traditional characters used in Taiwan. "Spreading disinformation is a very serious matter, it interferes with our country's anti-pandemic measures and responses while causing unnecessary panic among the public," CECC deputy chief Chen Tsung-yen said. aw-nl/rjm/bp A medical worker wearing PPE in Taipei, Taiwan. Ceng Shou Yi/NurPhoto via Getty Images COVID-19 cases are rising sharply in Taiwan, which managed to keep the virus at bay for 18 months. The self-governing island has a longstanding policy not to import Chinese-made vaccines. But it's now facing pressure to bolster vaccine supply, having only vaccinated 1% of its population. See more stories on Insider's business page. Taiwan is under increasing pressure to order vaccines from China as it faces a surge in COVID-19 cases and has vaccinated just 1% of the population. It is currently facing an unprecedented rise in domestic COVID-19 cases, after nearly 18 months of keeping the pandemic at bay. It has also vaccinated less than 1% of the population, CNN and Reuters reported. Vaccine supplies are running low: Taiwan has only received about 700,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine out of the 20 million it ordered from several manufacturers, including Moderna, CNN reported. Taiwan has turned to the US to bolster its vaccine supply, Bloomberg reported over the weekend. But lawmakers in the country are now calling on Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to accept Chinese vaccines as soon as possible. "At this moment, lives are at stake, and we respectfully tell the Tsai government: the real enemy is the virus, not the mainland," said Hung Hsiu-chu, a former head of Taiwan's opposing Kuomintang party, Reuters reported. The country has a longstanding policy against importing China-made vaccines. China previously called this a politically motivated decision. Political tensions between China and Taiwan have been at a high under Tsai's administration. China considers the self-ruled island to be part of its territory, and Tsai has frequently criticized China. On Wednesday, Taiwan accused the Chinese government of slowing down its access to other vaccines, with Taiwanese presidential spokesperson Kolas Yotaka accusing Beijing of "interference." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The island has previously accused China of leveraging its homegrown vaccines to gain political favor with Paraguay, one of the 15 remaining countries that recognizes Taiwan as an independent state. Story continues China uses two vaccines for the bulk of its export and domestic vaccination, Sinopharm and Sinovac. Sinopharm, which received emergency-use listing from the World Health Organization on May 7, has been found to have a 79% efficacy at preventing COVID-19. Sinovac was found to be 98% effective at preventing death from COVID-19, and 96% effective at preventing hospitalizations, according to an Indonesian study of 128,000 health workers. On Monday, Taiwanese foreign minister Joseph Wu also blamed China for the island's continued exclusion from the WHO's annual assembly, which is taking place this week. Read the original article on Business Insider Two teenagers leaving a graduation party last weekend crashed their car into the roof of a home, waking up the startled occupants, Missouri officials say. The crash occurred early Sunday morning in Eureka, a St. Louis suburb. The driver lost control of the car and then it rolled down an embankment, flipped over a fence and crashed through the homes roof, according to KSDK. Neither the teenagers in the car nor the homes occupants were injured in the peculiar crash, the Eureka Fire Protection District said. Pictures the fire district posted on Facebook show half of the car wedged front first into the house. Officials called it a very interesting call. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. If you look at that crash its like, how did somebody not die? fire department spokesman Scott Barthelmass told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Its literally incredible. (The car was) literally just saucering through the air end-over-end. The car crashed through only a few feet away from where a couple was sleeping, KTVI reported. The driver and passenger exited the car through the master bedroom, according to KSDK. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash, but firefighters told KMOV that the driver was speeding. Crowd stomps on police car after cops break up 100-person Missouri party, video shows Videos show massive explosion at Missouri propane plant that was visible from space Body of man missing for two years found wrapped in carpet, Missouri cops say The Texas Senate on Saturday passed a new version of a House bill that would ban the teaching of critical race theory in public schools. Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, introduced the Senate version of HB 3979 Friday night. It passed around 2 a.m. Saturday with 18 Republicans in favor and all 13 Democrats opposed. "Last nite & into the morning, Texas Senate debated #CriticalRaceTheory. We must teach the truth about our history, & judge others based on the content of character & not the color of skin," Hughes tweeted Saturday. Sen. Royce West, meanwhile, was one of many Democrats who voiced disappointment at the bills passage. West said he agreed with Hughes contention that "people shouldnt be judged by the color of their skin, but unfortunately, that is the plight today for African Americans, Latinos, and minorities in this country." "Lets not whitewash it because it is, and yes, we should be teaching our kids the history of this country so they wont make the same mistakes that were made by our generations before us," he said. "And when we put up things like this, for instance, I think its a disservice." CHRISTIAN ROCKSTAR SAYS CRITICAL RACE THEORY, WOKE IDEOLOGY IS SPARKING A CIVIL WAR AMONG CHRISTIANS IN THE US Critical race theory, or "CRT," is a school of thought that focuses on how power structures and institutions impact racial minorities. It argues that race is a social construct that is weaponized by dominant groups to oppress others. CRTs supporters say it helps dominant groups understanding and empathy of what the oppressed experience on a regular basis. They say CRT training is a way to dismantle or weaken alleged structures imposing burdens through bias and discrimination. But CRTs opponents argue that it is inherently divisive, creates collective guilt for dominant groups, and assigns racial significance to seemingly innocuous concepts. MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOLS AWARDED $450,000 CONTRACT TO DIVERSITY CONSULTANCY FOR ANTI-RACISM SYSTEM AUDIT Story continues The Texas Senate bill, which is not much different from the House version, aims to reign in what public school students in Texas can be taught about racism. HB 3979 now heads back to the House before heading to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk for final approval. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The bill comes amid a nationwide push to crack down on CRT being taught in schools. On Wednesday, a coalition of 20 state attorneys general called for the Biden administration to withdraw education proposals that they argue are meant to promote CRT and the New York Times "1619 Project" in classrooms. Fox News Sam Dorman and Thomas Barrabi contributed to this report. The Hotel Show Dubai 2021 has confirmed Dubai Tourism as Supporting Partner for its Hospitality Leadership Forum, returning live and in-person from May 31 to June 2. Driven by the citys strong leadership and the effective response to the global pandemic, Dubai Tourism worked closely with stakeholders across the public and private sectors to create the foundations first to restart tourism, and then to recapture the growth of recent years. The leadership panel at the Forum will be strengthened by a keynote address by Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing. The Hotel Show Dubai is also pleased to welcome support from the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA) MEA, who serve as the collective industry voice of hospitality ownership in the region. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: Thanks to decisive leadership at the outset of the global pandemic, Dubai was among the first cities to reopen for tourism and business events, and we have built on this momentum by rapidly and efficiently rolling out a world-leading vaccine programme. Collaborations with stakeholders across the public and private sectors played a critical role in driving this rebound, and we have worked closely with the hospitality sector to ensure the highest levels of health and safety are maintained, for both staff and guests, whilst also ensuring memorable experiences are delivered for all visitors. As more of our source markets roll back their outbound travel restrictions, The Hotel Show Dubai will provide a platform for the sharing of knowledge and best practices to ensure the hospitality sector remains primed to contribute to the citys efforts to capture a significant share of the global demand for travel. Dubai Tourism is guided by the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world's leading tourism destination and commercial hub, a mission that has become even more important during the challenges of Covid-19. Efforts have been judged to be successful. STR figures showed that Dubais hotels ended 2020 with occupancy rates at around 71 per cent; a return to pre-pandemic levels and the highest rate since February 2020. Shoots of recovery began as early as June 2020, with occupancy rates as high as 80 per cent. Experts are predicting that the UAE will be one of the fastest tourism markets in the world to recover from the pandemic, due to its strong governance and regulatory framework, and rapid vaccination roll-out. The upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai will compound this recovery, further aided by the increasing pace of international vaccine drives and gradual international border re-openings. Rene Beil, President of Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA) MEA, commented: The Hotel Show Dubai is an exciting and a much-needed platform for the industry to reconnect after a prolonged period of remote working and relative isolation. Our global hospitality industry thrives on the spirit of human interaction and the creation of enriching personal experiences. We have therefore collectively been waiting for a chance to connect with our industry peers in real-time. Im delighted that the regions leaders will have such an inspirational few days in which to share knowledge and reignite the spirit of support and shared purpose. At HAMA MEA we are humbled as well as proud to have contributed to the acceptance, recognition, and continued growth, of professional asset management within the Middle East & Africa and remain committed to continue working closely with public and private sectors with the aim of enhancing professional standards, international best practices, and accountability in real estate hospitality asset management. Jasmeet Bakshi, Group Event Director of The Hotel Show Dubai (dmg events) added: The Hotel Show Dubai will bring over 100 local and international hospitality brands together face-to-face to showcase the latest products and technologies that are crucial for the industrys growth. The event will serve as an important moment for knowledge sharing and a platform for re-connection. We look forward to welcoming 100+ key speakers across The Hospitality Leadership Forum, The F&B Stakeholders Summit, HITEC Dubai, THEME Annual Conference and the UAE Professional Housekeepers Group Meeting and are proud to be one of the first in-person hospitality events to take place during the Covid-19 era. The Hotel Show Dubai attracts suppliers of products, technology, and services that cater to the GCCs hospitality sector across interiors, lighting, and design, technology, security, kitchen, laundry, and more. - TradeArabia News Service Texas governor Greg Abbott, pictured at a pandemic press conference in May 2020, has vowed to pass a law punishing large cities for defunding the police (Getty) Texas governor Greg Abbott has vowed to pass a law punishing cities who want to defund the police, making the pledge just days before the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. On Sunday the Republican tweeted a reported shooting in Austin, which voted last year to divert $21million from the police to social services, where officers allegedly failed to respond to a gunshot wound to the head for 16-minutes. The 63-year-old, who is up for re-election in 2022, wrote: This is what defunding the police looks like. Austin is incapable of timely responding to a victim shot in the head. He added: Texas wont tolerate this. Were about to pass law-that I will sign-that will prevent cities from defunding police. Sanity & safety will return. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. His message was posted two days before the one-year anniversary of the murder of unarmed black man, George Floyd, by former police officer Derek Chauvin, sparking a global wave of Black Lives Matter protests and calls to defund the police. AFP via Getty Images Governor Abbott was responding to a tweet by Kenneth Casaday , president of the Austin Police Association, who claimed that a 911 call for a shooting at 5.35am on Sunday was not picked up until 5:47am. He said: Victim critically injured after being shot in the head. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The shooting reportedly took place in the parking lot of a stripclub, according to KXAN . No arrests have been made so far. Last year Austins city council voted to divert $150million away from police and towards social services, but eventually that was reduced to a cut of $21.5million to the police budget, according to The Texas Tribune . The Texas Senate is currently debating House Bill 1900, which would issue financial penalties to any city with more than 250,000 residents who cut or re-allocated their policing budget by forcibly handing over a portion of the citys sales tax. It was passed 90-49 by the House of Representatives last week. If approved by the Senate it would be signed by governor Abbott and be put into place by 1 September. Story continues Read More Could Beto be back? O'Rourke mulling bid for Texas governor Houston area getting little of $1B in Harvey flood aid Experts raise concerns after Texas execution without media One South Carolina man is dead, another is in jail and the Aiken County Sheriffs Office is searching for a woman who was involved in a shooting Sunday. At about 1:20 p.m., deputies responded to a shots fired call in the 500 block of Iris Lane. Thats in Aiken, near U.S. 78, about 4 miles from the downtown area. When they arrived, deputies followed a trail of blood from the road to a wooded area where they found an unresponsive man with blood stains on his torso, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The man, Dexter Sullivan, had been shot and killed at the scene, Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables said. Prior to the shooting, witnesses said the 26-year-old Iris Lane resident had been arguing with Aaron Azeem Williams, according to the sheriffs office. Witnesses told deputies that Williams, 34, was in the passenger seat of a blue Honda Civic being driven by a female when the car stopped on Iris Lane, according to the release. Sullivan and Williams began arguing and shots were fired, the sheriffs office said. Williams ran away and was later found at another house on Iris Lane, where he was taken into custody without incident, according to the release. Williams was taken to the Aiken County Detention Center and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the sheriffs office said. No other injuries were reported by the sheriffs office. Information on what Williams and Sullivan were arguing about was not available, but the shooting continues to be investigated by the sheriffs office. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday in Newberry, Ables said. Anyone with information on the woman driving the blue Honda Civic is asked to call the sheriffs office at 803-648-6811, or CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip. There was no word on what, if any, criminal charges she would face. This is a developing story, check back for updates. The State, This Week Want to know whats going on in the Grand Strand? The Upstate? The Lowcountry? Our newest South Carolina newsletter will bring you some of the best highlights of our statewide coverage. The newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox every Friday afternoon. Subscribe here. (Corrects to clarify that survey was conducted by AmCham in Hanoi) HANOI (Reuters) - The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Hanoi urged Vietnam on Monday to ease its lengthy quarantine period for vaccinated travellers and allow the private sector to help procure COVID-19 vaccines for their employees in the Southeast Asian country. Vietnam effectively closed its borders to normal outside travel in March 2020, and has only allowed its citizens or foreign experts to enter the country provided they undergo three weeks of quarantine at a hotel or military-run centre, even if they have been fully vaccinated. "AmCham encourages authorities to implement less burdensome entry procedures for fully vaccinated business people, foreign experts and maybe even tourists," AmCham Hanoi Executive Director Adam Sitkoff said in a statement. 81% of AmCham Hanoi members would bring more people to Vietnam if the mandatory quarantine period was reduced from its current 21 days down to seven, the statement said, citing a survey. Vietnam has received global praise for its success in containing COVID-19, thanks to a programme of targeted mass testing, contact tracing, and a centralised quarantine system. It has kept its virus tally to a low 5,308 cases, and reported 43 deaths. But a new outbreak that has infected 2,254 people since late April has prompted calls for Vietnam's government to accelerate its vaccination programme. So far, around a million doses have been administered in Vietnam, although just 28,961 people have been fully vaccinated. Vietnam has placed orders for more vaccines from several suppliers and received around 2.5 mln doses via the COVAX sharing scheme. Officials have said they expect to receive more vaccines by the end of the year, but not enough to achieve community immunity. Sitkoff told Reuters that many of AmCham Hanoi's members were willing to pay to get their workforce vaccinated, and that there were ongoing discussions with the Vietnamese government about how to do so. Story continues "A greater sense of urgency is needed for authorities to formulate a programme and timeline for this to happen," he said. Vietnam's health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by James Pearson; Editing by Ed Davies) LONDON (AP) Britain on Monday barred Belaruss national airline and instructed U.K. aircraft to avoid Belarussian airspace after a Ryanair passenger jet was forced to land in Minsk. The government said it was suspending the permit allowing airline Belavia to operate in the U.K.. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had instructed Britain's Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe. A Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, unexpectedly landed in Belarus on Sunday. Ryanair said Belarusian flight controllers told the pilots that there was a bomb threat against the jetliner and ordered them to land in Minsk. U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the reckless and dangerous act by Belarusian authorities was a shocking assault on civil aviation and an assault on international law. He said Britain had seen no evidence to support the claim of a bomb threat. Raab called for the release of Belarusian opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, who was detained when the flight landed, saying he had been detained on spurious charges. He said Britain had summoned Belarus ambassador and was conferring with allies about further steps including sanctions. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday it was difficult to believe that Russia was not involved, at least by acquiescence, in the jet incident in Belarusian airspace but that London had no clear evidence of Moscow's involvement yet. Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then detained an opposition-minded journalist who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. Asked in parliament by a lawmaker about possible Russian involvement in the incident, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "We don't have any clear details on that. "I'll be careful what I say at this point, because as he says it's very difficult to believe that this kind of action could be taken without at least the acquiescence of the authorities in Moscow, but as I say it is unclear as yet." Russia on Monday accused the West of hypocrisy in its outraged response to the diversion of an airliner to the Belarusian capital Minsk. No evidence has yet been published to show Russian involvement in the incident. Raab said Britain was working with allies on a coordinated response including further sanctions on Belarus which has been led by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994. Britain summoned the Belarusian ambassador to London over the arrest of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich. Raab also said Britain was issuing a notice to advise British airlines to cease flights over Belarusian airspace and that it would suspend the air permit for Belarus airline Belavia with immediate effect. "Lukashenko's regime must be held to account for such reckless and dangerous behaviour," Raab told parliament. "The scenario as reported is a shocking assault on civil aviation and an assault on international law. It represents a danger to civilian flights everywhere." (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Paul Sandle, Elizabeth Piper and Michael Holden) UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar warned Monday of possible civil war in the country, saying people are arming themselves against the military junta and protesters have started shifting from defensive to offensive actions, using homemade weapons and training from some ethnic armed groups. Chrisrine Schraner Burgener told a virtual U.N. news conference that people are starting self-defense actions because they are frustrated and fear attacks by the military, which carried out a coup on Feb. 1 against the democratically elected government, and is using a huge scale of violence. A civil war could happen, she said, and thats why for the past three weeks from her base now in Thailand she has discussed with many key parties the idea of starting an inclusive dialogue that would include ethnic armed groups, political parties, civil society, strike committees and the army, known as the Tatmadaw, as well as a small group of witnesses from the international community. Clearly it will not be easy to convince especially both sides to come to a table, but I offer my good offices ... to avoid more bloodshed and civil war which would last a long time, Schraner Burgener said. We are worried about the situation and clearly we want that people on the ground ... decide how they want to see the country going back to normal. Calling the situation in Myanmar very bad, she pointed to more than 800 people killed, over 5,300 arrested, and more than 1,800 arrest warrants issued by the military. The U.N. envoy also cited reports of unconfirmed deaths, injuries, and damage to houses and civilian property in the town of Mindat in western Chin state, where the junta declared martial law because of armed resistance to military rule. She also pointed to new reports of increased violence in Kayah state also known as Karenni state in eastern Myanmar and in southern Shan state. Myanmar for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions. As the generals loosened their grip, culminating in Aung San Suu Kyis rise to leadership in 2015 elections, the international community responded by lifting most sanctions and pouring investment into the country. The coup took place following November elections, which Suu Kyis party won overwhelmingly and the military contests as fraudulent. Story continues Suu Kyi appeared in court in person for the first time since the coup on Monday on a variety of charges, amid threats by the military to disband her National League for Democracy party which won 82% of the vote in Novembers election. Her lawyer, Min Min Soe, said Suu Kyi wanted to tell Myanmars people that the party was founded for them, and the NLD will exist as long as the people exist. Schraner Burgener called the militarys attempt to ban the NLD unacceptable and said, I also hope the NLD will survive because this is the will of the people. The U.N. envoy had an hour-long meeting with the juntas military commander, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of a meeting last month of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, which includes Myanmar. ASEAN issued a five-point action plan that calls for stopping violence, constructive dialogue, appointment of an ASEAN special envoy as mediator, humanitarian aid and the mediators visit to Myanmar. But Schraner Burgener said a day later general Hlaing said he would consider the five points when the situation in Myanmar is stable. And on Sunday he reportedly said in an interview with Chinese television that he doesnt see those five points can be implemented. So clearly its up to ASEAN how to react, she said. Clearly, we should be aware that time is ticking and we have not a lot of time to see action on the ground, because time will just play in the hands of the military junta. Schraner Burgener said the Tatmadaw declared on Sunday that it had changed the rules for the retirement age of the commander-in-chief which means Hlaing could stay for life in this position. After her meeting with general Hlaing, which they agreed to keep private, the U.N. envoy asked to go to Myanmar to continue the discussion, but she said he replied still its not the right time. She said she isnt giving up her efforts because she believes people would probably be encouraged by her presence. She still has an office in the capital, Naypyitaw, and said she receives daily reports from many people in the country. Schraner Burgener has been holding talks with regional leaders and individuals and groups in Myanmar. She said she is flying to Japan on Tuesday to meet the foreign minister. She said she is also ready to talk to Chinese officials. Schraner Burgener stressed that the U.N. is trying to stop the violence, which started with the military coup. Clearly its sad to see that people have to use arms, she said. Local citizens have formed a so-called Peoples Defense Force with the National Unity Government, which must try and bring them under a single command structure, Schraner Burgener said, and protesters are shifting to offensive actions. Every day, she added, explosions happen anywhere, which is scaring the people. Schraner Burgener said ethnic armed groups told her in meetings that they support the people and now have a common enemy, but she said its difficult to see how their mainly home-made weapons can go up against a very strong army who have a lot of lethal weapons. An American editor of a Myanmar-based news outlet was detained by authorities in Yangon Monday as he attempted to board a flight out of the coup-hit country, his employers said. United States citizen and managing editor of Frontier Myanmar Danny Fenster was detained at Yangon International Airport, the outlet said in a statement on its verified Twitter account. The US State Department said it was "aware of reports" of the arrest. "We take seriously our responsibility to assist US citizens abroad, and are monitoring the situation," a spokesman said, while declining to provide further details for privacy reasons. Myanmar has been in uproar since the military seized power in a February 1 coup, with near-daily protests and a nationwide civil disobedience movement. More than 800 people have been killed by the military, according to a local monitoring group. The press has been caught in the crackdown as the junta tries to tighten control over the flow of information, throttling internet access and revoking the licences of local media outlets. "We do not know why Danny was detained and have not been able to contact him since this morning. We are concerned for his wellbeing and call for his immediate release," Frontier said in a tweet. "Our priorities right now are to make sure he is safe and to provide him with whatever assistance he needs." Fenster, 37, had been working for the outlet for around a year and was heading home to see his family, Frontier's chief editor Thomas Kean told AFP. The outlet had learned at around 10 am that Fenster had not been allowed to board his flight from Yangon, he added. In a message shared with AFP, Fenster's brother Bryan said the family was "stunned and extremely confused" by the detention. "We've been assured that there is no concern for his safety but no doubt we are very worried," he said. At least 34 journalists and photographers remain in custody across Myanmar, according to monitoring group Reporting ASEAN. Story continues - 'No one outside their grasp' - Frontier said it understood Fenster had been transferred to Yangon's notorious Insein prison. "With the arrest of a US citizen and a respected journalist, it is signalling a new normal," Herve Lemahieu, an expert on Myanmar at Australia's Lowy Institute, told AFP. The junta "will hope this serves as a deterrent for local journalists. A sign that no one is outside their grasp". Japanese reporter Yuki Kitazumi was detained by authorities in Myanmar in April and was also held in Insein until being freed earlier this month. On his return to Tokyo he said Burmese political prisoners in the jail had told him they were tortured with beatings and sleep deprivation. In March a BBC journalist was briefly detained after being seized by plainclothes officers while reporting outside a court in the capital Naypyidaw. Separately, Polish photojournalist Robert Bociaga -- who was also arrested while covering protests -- was released in March after nearly two weeks in detention. The arrest comes as civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi voiced defiance Monday in her first court appearance since being detained in the coup, vowing her ousted political party would live on. In the 2021 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, Myanmar ranked 140 out of 180 countries. Since the coup, journalists in Myanmar "face systematic arrest campaigns and censorship", the watchdog said. "Many will resign themselves to working clandestinely in order to be free to report what is happening and to evade the police," it added. bur-st/ft JERUSALEM (AP) After weeks of unrest and a devastating 11-day war in Gaza, the U.S. and the international community plan to engage with the Palestinians to revive peace efforts. But when U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits on Tuesday, he will meet with Palestinian leaders who were sidelined by the protests and outmaneuvered by the militant Hamas group and who seem to be more despised by Palestinians than at any time in their long reign. The Palestinian Authority is no closer to statehood than it was when Mahmoud Abbas, now 85, was elected president in 2005 after the death of Yasser Arafat, and the Palestinians are far more deeply divided. Abbas called off the first elections in 15 years last month, when it looked like his splintering Fatah party would suffer an embarrassing defeat. However, the PA maintains close security ties with Israel and is deeply invested in the idea of a two-state solution. Internationally, that's seen as the only way to resolve the conflict, even though there have been no substantive peace talks in more than a decade. The Islamic militant group Hamas won a landslide victory in the last elections in 2006 and was poised to do well again. But it does not recognize Israel's right to exist and is blacklisted as a terrorist organization. The protests in Jerusalem and elsewhere are mostly leaderless. The option is either to engage with Hamas or an incredibly unrepresentative and defunct governing somewhat of a governing authority that holds absolutely no legitimacy," said Tahani Mustafa, an analyst at the Crisis Group, an international think tank. Israel and the U.S. appear to be taking the second route, with officials in both countries saying they hope to strengthen the PA at the expense of Hamas, something that has been tried and failed repeatedly since Hamas seized power in Gaza from Abbas' forces in 2007. Many Palestinians have come to see the PA as part of an entrenched and increasingly unbearable system of Israeli domination that extends far beyond the occupied West Bank, where the PA administers major population centers under overarching Israeli control. Story continues Their anger boiled over last month with protests and clashes in Jerusalem that eventually spread across the region, drawing in Palestinian citizens of Israel and triggering the Gaza war. It was on vivid display at Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the combustible holy site at the heart of the recent unrest, when thousands of Palestinian worshippers chanted Dogs of the authority, get out! in response to a sermon from a PA-appointed mufti. That was in sharp contrast to raucous rallies held at Al-Aqsa and elsewhere in support of Hamas and Mohammed Deif, the shadowy commander of the group's armed wing. Unlike the PA, which released sternly-worded statements against Israel's policing of Al-Aqsa and attempts by Jewish settlers to evict dozens of families from a nearby neighborhood, Deif issued an ultimatum. When time ran out, Hamas fired long-range rockets that disrupted an Israeli parade celebrating its claims to the city. That triggered a devastating Gaza war that killed more than 250 people, the vast majority of them Palestinians, and caused widespread destruction in the impoverished territory. But it also allowed Hamas to portray itself as a wily defender of Jerusalem, to which both sides in the Middle East conflict have deeply emotional ties, and to say it had struck a blow against the far more powerful Israel. Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, says that even there support for Hamas has risen amid widespread disappointment with the PA. At the end of the day, its Israel that destroyed these buildings," he said. We suffer because of Israeli occupation, we suffer because of Israeli oppression... The Palestinians are not going to blame Hamas. Hanan Ashrawi, a former senior Palestinian official and veteran of the peace process who broke with the Palestinian leadership last year, partly blames Israel for the downfall of the PA, saying it sabotaged attempts at a two-state solution, including by expanding settlements. The more this happened, the more (Palestinian leaders) were seen as helpless before Israeli violations," she said. "Israel proceeded with full impunity to make life more and more miserable for Palestinians. Israel says it made various proposals over the years for a Palestinian state in most of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem territories it seized in the 1967 war that were rejected. The Palestinians, negotiating from a position of weakness, said the offers did not go far enough. Khalil Shikaki, a respected pollster who has been surveying Palestinian public opinion for more than two decades, said Hamas' popularity normally rises during periods of confrontation only to return to normal when things settle down. But he says the PA's crisis of legitimacy is real. This last war between Israel and Hamas has shown that the emperor is truly naked," he said. Hamas was able to argue that it defended Jerusalem when no one else neither Abbas, nor Arab countries, nor the international community was willing to do anything, Shikaki said. This narrative is absolutely fantastic in terms of its effectiveness, and Hamas got away with it because Abbas has zero credibility among Palestinians," he said. That won't keep Abbas from welcoming Blinken to the presidential palace in Ramallah this week as the leader of the Palestinians, even though he administers less than 40% of the West Bank and his presidential mandate expired more than a decade ago. His forces have no presence in Gaza, and with the elections cancelled, are unlikely to return anytime soon. For that reason, it's widely expected that any rebuilding money will go through the U.N. and Qatar. They were already funneling aid to Gaza and carrying out humanitarian projects there as part of informal cease-fires between Israel and Hamas the only meaningful Israeli-Palestinian agreements reached in recent memory. ___ Follow Joseph Krauss on Twitter at www.twitter.com/josephkrauss. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he boards a plane for Israel at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland - REUTERS Joe Biden dispatched his top diplomat to the Middle East on Monday to show America's "commitment" to Israel's security after a Palestinian was shot dead after he reportedly attacked two people in East Jerusalem. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, will meet separately with Israeli and Palestinian officials as part of Washingtons ongoing efforts to maintain a fragile ceasefire that brought an end to the worst violence between Israel and the militant group Hamas in several years. Announcing the four-day visit, Mr Biden said: "Secretary Blinken will meet with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israel's security". The US president added that the trip would also continue his administration's efforts to support the Palestinian people "after years of neglect". Mr Biden, who faced criticism from fellow Democrats for not publicly pressing Israel to call a ceasefire, also stressed his administration's "quiet, relentless diplomacy" in bringing a halt in the fighting. The Secretary of State defended the behind-the-scenes diplomacy effort during an interview on Sunday. "President Biden leading this effort made the judgment that we could be most effective in doing that. And ultimately... we got to where everyone wanted to be, which was to end the violence," he told CNN. Mr Blinken added that working towards a "two-state solution" was some way off. "We have to start building back in concrete ways and offering some genuine hope, prospects, and opportunity in the lives of people," he said. The four-day trip includes stops in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Cairo, and Amman. Mr Blinken's primary goals will be to ensure the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will hold and discussing an urgent infusion of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip, according to a senior State Department official. It came as a Palestinian was shot dead after stabbing two Israelis, one of them a soldier, near a flashpoint area of east Jerusalem that has been the focus of Palestinian protests. Story continues The attack came in the tense aftermath of the 11-day conflict between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers which has left more than 250 people dead. The stabbing took place near the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood in east Jerusalem, where dozens of Palestinian families face the threat of eviction by Jewish settlers, one of the underlying triggers of the recent violence. Israel's emergency service, the Magen David Adom, said it treated two men in their early 20s with stab wounds to their upper bodies. Israeli police did not provide any details about the attacker but referred to him as a "terrorist," a term usually reserved for Palestinian assailants. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) applauded the growing number of countries making data and evidence-driven decisions to open their borders to vaccinated travellers. The latest data collected by IATA, including its Timatic service, shows that more than 20 countries have wholly or partially lifted restrictions for vaccinated travellers. IATA supports unrestricted access to travel for vaccinated travellers. In cases where vaccination is not possible, access to quarantine-free travel should be provided through Covid-19 testing strategies based on widely available, free-of-charge tests. Germany is among the latest countries to make quarantine alleviations for vaccinated travellers. Vaccinated travellers are no longer subject to quarantine measures (except from certain high-risk countries). Germany has also removed quarantine requirements for travellers with a negative Covid-19 test result (except from certain high-risk countries). The German government decision followed a review of scientific advice from the world-renowned Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which concluded that vaccinated travellers are no longer significant in the spread of the disease and do not pose a major risk to the German population. Specifically, it stated that vaccination reduces risk of Covid-19 transmission to levels below the risk from a false negative rapid antigen test. The implementation of this policy aligns Germany with recommendations from both the European Commission and the European Parliament, based on similar scientific advice from the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). In its interim guidance on the benefits of full vaccination, the ECDC said that based on the limited evidence available, the likelihood of an infected vaccinated person transmitting the disease is currently assessed to be very low to low. Similar conclusions are being reached on the other side of the Atlantic. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has noted that with a 90 per cent effective vaccine, pre-travel testing, post-travel testing, and seven-day self-quarantine provide minimal additional benefit. A safe opening of borders to international travel is the goal. And scientific evidence and data such as that presented by RKI, ECDC and USC CDC should be the basis for the decision-making needed to achieve that. There is increasing scientific evidence that vaccination is not only protecting people but also dramatically reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission. This is bringing us closer to a world where vaccination and testing enables the freedom to travel without quarantine. Germany and at least 20 other countries have already taken an important step forward in re-opening their borders to vaccinated travelers. These are the best practice examples for others to quickly follow, said Willie Walsh, IATAs Director General. An important incentive for vaccination According to the US CDC, alleviations from Covid-19 restrictions are a powerful motivator for vaccination, particularly in communities where vaccine hesitancy is prevalent. This is an additional and important benefit of restriction-free travel for those vaccinated. IATA polling indicates that 81 per cent of international travellers are willing to get vaccinated in order to be able to travel. Moreover, 74 per cent of people in the same poll agreed that those vaccinated should be able to travel by air without restrictions. Digital solutions for vaccination/test certificates The decisions of increasing numbers of countries to accept vaccinated travellers without quarantine measures adds pressure for a digital solution to manage vaccine certificates and Covid-19 test results. Paper-based processes could lead to extremely long processing times at check-in and border control. They also open the door to fraud. Digital vaccine/test certificates, coupled with passenger apps such as the IATA Travel Pass, will be needed to manage travel health credentials efficiently and securely in the restart. Recent IATA polling shows strong support for a digital solution. 89 per cent supported globally standardised Covid-19 test or vaccination certifications 84 per cent want an app to manage their travel health credentials A gap is opening up between countries responding to scientific evidence, and those exhibiting a lack of preparation or excessive caution in reopening borders. Countries that seize the opportunity offered by the increasing numbers of vaccinated travelers can protect their populations and reap an economic reward, said Walsh. - TradeArabia News Service Two children stricken with malaria rest at a hospital in Walikale, Congo, on Sept. 19, 2010. Death tolls over 500,000 in a single year. Millions falling ill across the world. This is a relentless pandemic. Im not talking about COVID-19; Im talking about malaria. The disease is caused by a microscopic, mosquito-borne parasite Plasmodium falciparum that infected 229 million people just two years ago. For countries dealing with the malaria pandemic, the financial cost and burden of lives lost are tremendous. We felt the devastation of over 500,000 lives lost in the United States in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet globally, the annual toll of lives lost to malaria over the past three decades has consistently exceeded this number until recently. It peaked in 2004 at nearly 1 million deaths, with modest, gradual progress and decline in fatalities to 409,000 in 2019. And nearly 70% of these deaths are in children under 5 years old. Cancer and chemo didn't feel as bad I contracted cerebral malaria 15 years ago when I worked in a local hospital in Equatorial Guinea. I know how terrible this illness is. I had an incredibly high fever, vomiting, chills, pain and an excruciating headache, but I dont recall much else. I was delirious for about a week. I went to a local clinic and spent the night to get some fluids and anti-malarial medication, but there was nowhere else for me to go for treatment. Having such limited access to medical care was distressing when I wasnt sure what I would do if things got worse. It became crystal clear how fortunate I am to come from a place where I had access to excellent medical care, a privilege I so often took for granted. Since then, I have had cancer and undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but I had never felt as sick as I did when I had malaria. Dr. Susannah Hills Now, amid all of the amazing vaccine advances for COVID-19 in recent months, results from trials of a new malaria vaccine R21 were just released in preprint from the Lancet. The randomized trial of 450 children in Burkina Faso showed the vaccine to be between 74% and 77% effective in preventing malaria, depending on the vaccine dose used. Story continues This is no small feat. Scientists have been trying to develop a vaccine since 1910, and more than 140 vaccine candidates have been tested in humans to no avail. The only other vaccine recommended for use by the World Health Organization is the RTS,S only 40% effective and only recommended for limited use in three countries. CEO on business leading: Why I'm requiring that my employees and customers be vaccinated against COVID-19 Vaccine development for malaria has been challenging for several reasons. For one, the parasite is much more complicated than a simple virus. It also can suppress the immune system and evade antibody response. And it lives in the human body in several blood and liver forms, making it a difficult target for vaccines. Malaria has been generally overlooked in the United States, absent from public awareness, largely because 94% of cases occur in Africa. We dont see this illness in our country, but the global economic impact is significant. New vaccine is hope for the future The United States has dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars a year to malaria control and research since 2001, and U.S. funding for malaria activities was $979 million for the fiscal year 2021. Many nations are facing a double pandemic. They face the same battle against malaria that they have been fighting for years while also fighting against COVID-19. With hospital resources absorbed by COVID-19 patients, many malaria patients cannot get the treatment they need. They have also faced shortages of critical supplies like drugs, mosquito nets and testing kits that protect against malaria. The Backstory: Vaccinated readers tell us they still plan on wearing masks. Why? They don't trust others. I remember how vulnerable I felt sick with malaria when I had extremely limited access to care. As hospital systems became overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients this past year, many Americans felt that same vulnerability that is a daily part of life in underserved countries battling malaria. This vaccine should give us great hope for a healthier future for those who are affected. I also have hope that our shared experience of the devastation of infectious disease will allow our awareness, empathy and support for global health efforts to grow. Dr. Susannah Hills is a pediatric airway surgeon at Columbia University Medical Center and assistant professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Follow her on Twitter: @Dr_Suse_ You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deadly pandemic: Effective malaria vaccine after century of trying A Massachusetts woman bought a $1 million lottery ticket, but threw it out before she knew she had won. Lucky for her, the store owners found and returned it. Lea Rose Fiega of Springfield bought a $30 lottery ticket at Lucky Stop in Southwick, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery. The prize is $1 million in cash for the lucky winner plus a $10,000 bonus for the store that sold the ticket. Abhi Shah, whose family owns the shop, said Fiega gave the ticket to his mom to throw out, MassLive reported. When Shah checked the ticket, which had been sitting in the discarded pile for 10 days, he realized it hadnt been completely scratched off. It was $1 million under that number, Shah said, according to the publication. The family deliberated about what to do next with the ticket. We didnt sleep two nights, said Maunish Shah, owner of Lucky Stop, according to WWLP. He called my mom, grandparents in India, they said, Give it back, we dont want that money. The family knew Fiega because she came to the store often. As soon as she came in, I hand her the $1 million ticket, and she freaked out and cried like a baby, said Maunish Shah, the station reported. She sat down on the floor right here. Fiega said she overcame COVID-19, which was already like winning the lottery, The Associated Press reported. When the Shahs came to see her at work and told her the news, she said she was in total disbelief. I mean, who does that? Theyre great people. I am beyond blessed, she said. $26 million lottery prize unclaimed after California winner sent ticket through wash Woman spits at restaurant workers, CA video shows. They say it was about face masks Lottery winner must claim $26 million prize now, or it will go to California schools Liz Truss has defended the right to free speech. (PA) Minister for women and equalities Liz Truss has defended free speech in response to a transgender row that erupted after a university launched an inquiry into comments a student made during an online seminar. Abertay University student Lisa Keogh, 29, said she told a transgender issues seminar that women were born with vaginas and that the difference in physical strength between men and women "was a fact". Keogh was later reported to the university by classmates and she is now facing a formal inquiry into the "offensive" and "discriminatory" comments. It has also been suggested that Keogh's behaviour was abusive during the seminar, which she denies. Read: Family hit by triple tragedy as dad dies a few years after son, 12 and daughter, 18 The case has since sparked a debate both in the media and on social media over whether it is acceptable to say phrases like "women have vaginas" and "men have penises". On Monday, Truss defended the right to free speech when asked about the university inquiry by LBC radio host Nick Ferrari. Taking a similar stance to the one allegedly expressed by Keogh, Truss said: "Women do have vaginas, Nick." She added: "I think we need to uphold our very very important tradition of free speech," when asked what she would say to people who seek to censor her. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. It comes after Keogh, a final year student, complained that she was being punished for using her "legal right to free speech". The mature student told BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour last week: "I should be entitled to say in my opinion without facing severe backlash like this. "I shouldn't be getting disciplined for my legal right to free speech." Keogh added that she felt the investigation had been "punishment in itself" as she took her final exams, making her feel "stressed" and worried. Asked if she felt her case was being hijacked by those who had a bigger cause, she said: "No. I think my case is very relevant." Story continues Watch: Universal sorry after Lavern Cox's character was dubbed by man's voice Keogh also said her case had shown how free speech was being suppressed by people in universities taking offence to what she said. "They've got the right to take offence but reporting somebody for offending you by accident, I don't think that's warranted," she said. Asked if she regretted her comments, Keogh replied: "I stand by everything I said. I didn't say anything unlawful and everything I said is my opinion." She added: "For me to say something discriminatory, I would have to single a person out, direct something at them and then discriminate against them in the language used and that's not something I did. "I innocently took part in a debate where controversial and sensitive topics were at hand and I assumed that we were all mature adults that could discuss these topics." A spokesperson for Abertay University said that statements like "women have vaginas" are "legal comments" that would not lead to any University misconduct investigation if expressed on campus "in a reasonable manner". Read more: Pandemic 'can be declared over if vaccines keep people out of hospital' Have your say: Do you think lockdown will be lifted on 21 June? "To be clear, all Abertay students are free to express their views on campus, as long as this is not done in an intolerant or abusive way which would breach our Code of Student Discipline. [This] does not police freedom of speech or the nature of views put forward during classroom discussion or debate," the spokesperson said. "It exists to provide a framework within which disruptive, aggressive or abusive behaviour that makes fair and robust debate or classroom learning impossible can be identified and stopped. "We believe that all universities should uphold freedom of speech within the law and we are proud that Abertay is a place where difficult and controversial debate can take place within an academic environment." The spokesperson added that Scottish universities are required by law to investigate all complaints, whether by students, staff or members of the public. "We are deeply saddened by the online abuse that has been aimed at our students and staff members as a direct result of the misreporting of this case in some sections of the press and conjecture on social media," it added. Watch: M16 chief apologises for LGBT+ ban that 'blighted lives and shattered dreams' CAIRO (AP) The World Bank said Monday it has allocated $2 billion to cash-stripped Sudan as the transitional government has struggled to address the countys decades-long economic woes. The funds would be used to finance big infrastructure projects along with others to help displaced people over the next 12 months, said Hafez Ghanem, World Bank vice president for eastern and southern Africa. Ghanem was in Khartoum on Monday where he met with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim, according to the premiers office. The announcement came around two months after Sudan cleared all of its overdue payments to the World Bank. The move has given the transitional government in Khartoum access to new types of international financing for the first time in nearly three decades. The World Bank said at the time that the payment came after the U.S. provided bridge financing of $1.15 billion to help Sudan clear its arrears. Ghanem was quoted as saying that the international community appreciates the Sudanese governments efforts to develop the economy and fight poverty along with embarking on crucial economic reforms. Sudan is now on a fragile path to democracy after a popular uprising led to the militarys overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The country has since sought to reintegrate into the international community after three decades of isolation. The government has also sought to overhaul the countrys economy. It has in recent months taken a series of reform measures, including a managed flotation of the Sudanese pound. That unprecedented step led to hikes in the price of fuel and other essential goods. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an international conference to offer debt relief for the East African country. Sudan's foreign debt is at $70 billion. Sudan has for years struggled with an array of economic woes, including a huge budget deficit and widespread shortages of essential goods and soaring prices of bread and other staples. The countrys annual inflation rate soared past 340% in March, one of the worlds highest. Story continues The country plunged into an economic crisis when the oil-rich south seceded in 2011 after decades of war, taking with it more than half of public revenues and 95% of exports. Sudan was also an international pariah after it was placed on the United States list of state sponsors of terror in the 1990s. This largely excluded the country from the global economy. Former President Donald Trump removed Sudan from the blacklist after the transitional government agreed to pay $335 million in compensation for victims of attacks carried out by Osama bin Ladens al-Qaida network while the terror leader was living in Sudan. The removal also was an incentive for Sudan to normalize ties with Israel. Please register or log in to keep reading Stay logged in to skip the surveys. De Blasio, who outlined his plan for September at a virtual news briefing after first announcing it on MSNBC's Morning Joe," said city educators would reassure parents who have kept their children home for fear of the coronavirus by inviting them to visit schools and see how safe they are. Anyone who has a question or concern, come into your childs school. See whats going on. Get the answers," the mayor said. De Blasio said declining COVID-19 infection rates and rising vaccination rates mean that a remote learning plan will no longer be necessary. We cant live in the grip of COVID the rest of our lives, de Blasio said. It is going to be in our past as a crisis. It may be yet another disease out there like the flu and other things but it will be manageable. Mark Cannizzaro, the head of the union that represents principals, said in a statement that "with the proper resources and support, our schools will continue to be safe, and the return of all staff for in-person instruction will allow schools to properly program in advance. The announcement came as officials elsewhere in the country were promising a return to classrooms. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has announced a strategic partnership with national carrier Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) that will activate direct commercial flights from Ukraine to the emirate from June 25. The move will see Ras Al Khaimah welcome twice weekly flights from capital city Kyiv to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, opening up the emirate to another key international market the largest all-European country as travel restrictions continue to ease. With flight frequency set to increase in the near future, UIA will be the first airline from Ukraine to fly into Ras Al Khaimah and the latest in a series of strategic aviation partnerships established by RAKTDA to drive growth into a dynamic and developing destination. Just a short five-hour flight from Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv, travellers will enjoy direct and seamless entry into the emirate via Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. They will also receive complimentary return PCR testing a service that Ras Al Khaimah is extending to all international visitors. The first destination in the world to offer this facility, it serves as an example of the world-class safety protocols put in place that have led safe certification from both Bureau Veritas, the international leader in testing, inspection and certification, and the WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) through its Safe Travels Stamp. Ukraine is an increasingly important key source market for inbound tourism to the emirate, which continues to see green shoots of recovery in terms of international travel since the reopening of borders. Through the new route, UIA passengers will be able to explore Ras Al Khaimah and its wide range of experiences. These include adventures on Jebel Jais the UAEs highest peak in the Majestic Hajar mountains such as a survival course at the Bear Grylls Explorers Camp or exhilarating flight on the worlds longest zipline, as well as the opportunity to unwind in luxury at of one of its many world-class hotels, including Rixos, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz Carlton and Hilton Hotels. The properties are currently offering a range of promotions to domestic and international visitors, some including all-inclusive offers set against widely spaced areas conducive to social distancing. Visitors can also stroll along the emirates pristine sandy beaches or immerse themselves in its rich culture and heritage at its UNESCO recognised heritage sites such as Dhayah Fort and Al Jazirah Al Hamra as well as the Suwaidi Pearls Farm for a glimpse into the Emirates pearl trading past. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, commented: Ukraine has emerged as a growing market for Ras Al Khaimah, with our partnership with Ukraine International Airlines demonstrating our resolve to restart tourism by re-energising our aviation collaborations. Our relationship with UIA is a particularly special one as it is not only the second commercial airline to fly into our Emirate but it also marks the first airline from Ukraine and its national carrier. It marks a key step in the recovery of international tourism and aligns with our wider strategy to investigate new routes across core, secondary and emerging markets and to diversify our portfolio with both charter and commercial flights. We invite our Ukrainian visitors to experience the authentic Arabian hospitality of our emirate, in addition to the wealth of unique attractions from beach and adventure to culture, retail to nature that offer the ideal international getaway appealing in one way or another to each and every traveller. Evhen Dykhne, Chief Executive Officer at Ukrainian International Airlines UIA, commented: We are looking forward to working in partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority to provide our nation with easy access to a unique and much-loved destination. By opening up a new travel option to the emirate, residents of Kyiv and soon-to-be neighbouring cities can enjoy a one-of-a-kind getaway and the chance to relax, explore and experience bucket list attractions. We are already looking into increasing the frequency of flights, given the high levels of interest we anticipate, especially over the Summer months. Emerging strong from a period of unprecedented uncertainty across the travel and tourism sector, Ras Al Khaimah has witnessed a quick bounce-back of its tourism industry. Guests safety and wellbeing remains Ras Al Khaimahs utmost priority. In addition to becoming the first city in the world to be certified as safe by Bureau Veritas and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), all 45 of its hotels have also received Bureau Veritas certification. RAKTDA works closely with all hotel partners to ensure they are strictly adhering to all government and public health guidelines and complying with all social distancing advisories. - TradeArabia News Service Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican, issued a statement Sunday condemning the protest. He blamed Nebraska Democrats and state party leader Jane Kleeb for the groups behavior. This ongoing behavior is despicable, Bacon said on his Twitter account. Dehumanizing those who serve and protect our community is shameful. It is way past time for @janekleeb, @Nebraskadems, @votedcdems to call out this behavior and say they wont tolerate it. Kleeb denied supporting the action in a response to Bacon on Twitter. This is an awful action and not one supported by the Democratic Party, Kleeb wrote. Not sure why you asked me, though, other than to keep portraying us as on the other side of cops which we arent reminder it was your partys supporters who attacked cops and Capitol. The Revolutionary Action Party issued a statement Sunday afternoon that said police intentionally targeted people of color to arrest, leaving whites alone. A review of the Douglas County Jail booking sheet found two of the arrestees at the protest were listed as white, four as Black and one as Hispanic. Ryanair Flight FR4978 after landing at Vilnius International Airport on Sunday night. Photo: Petras Malulas/AFP via Getty Images Journalist Roman Protasevich, a prominent critic of Belaruss authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, left Athens, Greece, on Sunday morning aboard a nonstop Ryanair flight to Vilnius, Lithuania, where Protasevich, fearing arrest and imprisonment in Belarus, has been living in exile. He never arrived. Near the end of the flight, while the plane and its 170 passengers were almost finished traveling through Belarusian air space, the country diverted it to Minsk for an emergency landing where Protasevich and his companion were detained before the flight continued on to its final destination. Belarus claims the diversion was necessary due to a purported bomb threat and at the personal order of Lukashenko sent a MiG-29 fighter plane to escort the airliner to Minsk which was, at the time, further away than Vilnius. Multiple European leaders are now calling the unprecedented incident a state-sponsored hijacking and kidnapping, while some countries and airlines have begun restricting travel over Belarus. Below is what we know about what happened, the aftermath, and the consequences. European Union bans its airlines from Belarusian air space Immediately following the seizure of Protasevich, nations and airlines on the continent began questioning whether or not it is safe for commercial aircraft to fly over Belarus. On Monday, the European Union determined that the answer is no, as its leaders voted to apply additional sanctions and to ban airlines based in its member nations from flying in Belarusian airspace. The U.K also advised its airlines to stay clear of Belarus, while U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added that the U.K would suspend the operating permit of Belavia, the nations airline. The blocs decision to steer clear of Belarus has huge implications for air travel between Europe and Asia, as the New York Times explains: Analysts had predicted that the E.U. might be reluctant to ban flights over Belarus because such a move would create difficulties for European airlines. Already, airlines are avoiding Ukraine, the countrys southern neighbor, because of its conflict with Russia. Putting Belarusian air space off limits as well presents serious routing difficulties for flights from Europe to Asia. Flying to Asia from Europe without crossing Belarus is likely too costly and challenging, analysts from Eurasia Group, a research firm, wrote in a note on Monday. The Washington Post also pointed out Sunday that Flights in Northern and Eastern Europe often try to avoid Russian airspace. [Now that] Belarusian airspace is also a no-go, north-south flights in Europe could become quite circuitous. A video of Roman Protasevich in custody emerges On Monday, a video appeared on pro-government social-media accounts in which Protasevich described his situation in a pre-trial detention facility in the capital city of Minsk and stated that he was in good health. Right now, I am continuing to cooperate with investigators and making confessions regarding my role in organizing mass unrest in Minsk, he said in the video, adding that the attitude of the [Interior Ministry] employees towards me has been as correct as possible and in compliance with the law. That comment is a significant departure from Protasevichs usual language and according to exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the video looked as if it were coerced, claiming on Twitter that this is how Protasevich looks under physical and moral pressure. The regime's propaganda channels posted a video of arrested Raman Pratasevich, saying that he is treated lawfully in the Minsk Detention Center 1. This is how Raman looks under physical and moral pressure. I demand the immediate release of Raman and all political prisoners. pic.twitter.com/zdolsbp6m5 Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) May 24, 2021 Why Belarus violated international law Longtime aviation journalist Jeff Wise wrote about the incident for Intelligencer on Monday: ICAO, an agency of the U.N., was established by an international agreement called the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation in 1944. The Chicago Convention is the foundational document of international aviation law and has been ratified by virtually every country on Earth, including Belarus. It specifically prohibits the use of military force against passenger flights, stating: The contracting States recognize that every State must refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight. There are situations in which a state can use force against a civil aircraft, such as self-defense, or if a plane violates its airspace without permission, but neither applies in this case. On Sunday, ICAO tweeted that it was strongly concerned by Belaruss actions, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. At the very least this can be construed as a blatant violation of international law and at worst a provocative hostile act against a sovereign state, said [aviation attorney Arthur] Rosenberg. ICAO is not itself a regulatory agency and does not have an enforcement arm. Its up to individual countries to establish and enforce their own laws, generally through agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States and the European Union Air Safety Agency in the E.U. In 2019, EASA shut its airspace to 737-Max airliners, following two deadly crashes, and temporarily banned Pakistani airline PIA from its airspace, following revelations that some of its pilots were not properly licensed. The forced diversion of Flight FR4978 Ryanair Flight FR4978 departed Athens at 10:28 a.m. on Sunday carrying some 170 passengers for what should have been about a nonstop three-hour flight to Vilnius, Lithuania. But while the plane was traveling over Belarus, the countrys air-traffic controllers diverted it Minsk over a supposed bomb threat, and the regime sent a fighter plane to escort it there. Minsk was much farther away than Vilnius at the time: Distance from beginning of #FR4978 diversion (N53.97,E25.22) to: Vilnius airport (direct): 72 km Minsk Airport (direct): 183 km Minsk Airport (actual distance flown): 300 kmhttps://t.co/rnUpiqOjch pic.twitter.com/aGrbj9EsRl Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) May 23, 2021 According to Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered the plane to do a U-turn and land because of the alleged bomb threat and ordered the MiG-29 fighter jet to intercept and escort it. Belaruss deputy Air Force commander Andrei Gurtsevich claimed that the planes crew made the decision to land in Minsk, which Ryanair later refuted. In a statement on Sunday, Ryanair said that Belarusian air-traffic controllers had notified the pilots that there was a potential security threat on board. Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his companion were detained by authorities after the plane landed in Minsk. In a now-deleted statement on Telegram, Belaruss Information Ministry announced that Protasevich had been arrested. The regime also announced that no bomb was found onboard and went so far as to say it was opening a criminal investigation into the false threat. On Monday, it claimed that Hamas was behind the bomb threat. With a completely straight face, the Belarusian transport ministry claims: the Ryanair "bomb threat" came from Hamas Hamas didn't send it to the Vilnius airport, but Minsk, a totally different one not on the flight path they demanded a ceasefire two days after it happened pic.twitter.com/vmUVYpvzBh max seddon (@maxseddon) May 24, 2021 The plane spent about seven hours on the ground, during which passengers were told to disembark while authorities inspected the aircraft. When the flight eventually departed and continued on to Vilnius, several passengers, who may have been Belarusian security agents, stayed behind. One passenger told the Associated Press that Protasevich was visibly afraid after the pilot announced the diversion of the flight: I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again. An unnamed passenger told the Lithuanian news site Delfi that Protasevich was taken aside at the airport in Minsk, and they threw his belongings onto the runway He was already calmer, but trembling. An officer was standing next to him all the time, and soon the officers just came and took him away. Tadeusz Giczan, the current editor-in-chief of the opposition Telegram channel Protasevich co-founded, NEXTA, alleged on Twitter that agents from Belaruss KGB security service (it kept its Soviet-era name) were also on the flight. Protasevich had said in Telegram messages that a suspicious-looking person had taken photos of him at the airport in Athens. A senior adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya tweeted that Belarusian state media had also reported at one point that the plane was ordered to divert because of a conflict between a passenger and a member of the crew. Roman Protasevich, the former chief editor of the Telegram channel Nexta, in 2020. Photo: Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images Who is Roman Protasevich? Protasevich, 26, is the co-founder and former editor-in-chief of the NEXTA Telegram channel, which is one of the most popular opposition media outlets in Belarus. NEXTA played an instrumental role in the mass protests that broke out against Belaruss strongman president Aleksandr Lukashenko last year, after he claimed victory in the countrys disputed presidential election. Most of the independent media organizations in Belarus were forced to shut down as a result of the protests, but Telegram remained uncensored amid the crackdown. NEXTAs popularity and reach made its founders some of the regime in Belaruss most wanted, explains ABC News: The outlet helped coordinate the largely leaderless demonstrations and published videos of them and police violence that helped catalyze the protests, which saw hundreds of thousands peacefully take to the streets calling for Lukashenko to step down. It and its sister channel NEXTA Live have close to 2 million subscribers. Belarus authorities placed Protasevich on a terrorism watchlist last year and have opened criminal cases against him on charges of organizing mass riots and inciting hatred, offenses that carry sentences of up to 12 to 15 years in prison. Belarus opposition have said they fear he could now face the death penalty. NEXTA is based in Warsaw, Poland, where its offices are kept under police protection. Protasevich has been living in exile in Lithuania for the last few years, but has still been active in the opposition movement. He had reportedly been in Greece this weekend attending an economic conference with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. He was apparently traveling back to Lithuania on Sunday with his girlfriend, who had accompanied him on the trip. NEXTA staff said they immediately revoked Protasevichs access to the channel on Sunday after the news of his arrest, so Belarus authorities would not have access to the channels subscriber data. On Monday, a video emerged of Protasevich in which he confessed to the charges against him and said he was being treated well in prison: A murky Telegram channel published the first footage of Roman Protasevich since his arrest. Hes in jail, where he says hes being treated well, and says reports of heart problems are false. Hes confessing to crimes that carry a 15-year sentence.pic.twitter.com/MRDKFK8CY1 max seddon (@maxseddon) May 24, 2021 Seddon then added, Protasevichs confession recalls the hostage video the KGB forced Tsikhanouskaya to record before she left Belarus. She said they threatened to kill her husband, whos in prison, if she didnt. Can only imagine what they threatened Protasevich with. European leaders and the U.S. are condemning the incident and calling for Protasevichs release Belaruss actions on Sunday prompted immediate outrage and condemnation from numerous world leaders and diplomats. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the E.U.s European Commission, warned that the outrageous and illegal behavior of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. strongly condemn[s] the Lukashenka regimes brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist. We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps. Lithuania, which, unlike Belarus, is a member of the E.U., described the plane as being hijacked by military force, which represents an unprecedented attack against the international community. Prime Minister Gitanas Nauseda called for Belarus to release Protasevich, for E.U. airports to deny access to Belarusian aircraft, and for Belarusian airspace to be declared unsafe. On Monday, the Lithuanian government told airlines traveling to and from its airports to avoid Belarusian airspace and advises Lithuanians living in Belarus to leave the country. Greeces foreign ministry called the incident a state hijacking as well. Not a single person who flies over Belarus can be sure of his safety, said Tsikhanouskaya, who has flown through the countrys airspace aboard Ryanair while in exile. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency which coordinates international aviation laws, said in a statement that it was strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention, the 1944 accord which established the principles and rules of airspace and international air travel. In Russia, however, there has been some praise of how Lukashenka who counts Russian president Vladimir Putin as his biggest international supporter plucked one of his opponents from the sky, as the New York Times noted Sunday: In Russia where the state media described last years uprising against Mr. Lukashenko as a Western plot the arrest met with approval among Mr. Putins supporters. Margarita Simonyan, editor of the pro-Kremlin RT television network, wrote on Twitter that Mr. Lukashenko played it beautifully. And Vyacheslav Lysakov, a member of Parliament allied with Mr. Putin, described Mr. Protasevichs arrest as a brilliant special operation. A woman stands with a poster reading Where is Roman (Protasevich)?! in the arrival area as passengers disembarked from FR4978 at Vilnius International Airport on Sunday. Photo: Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty Images Ryanair CEO calls forced landing state-sponsored piracy Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary accused Belarus of state-sponsored piracy in an interview with an Irish radio station on Monday, adding that Belarusian KGB agents may have been aboard the flight when it left Athens. When the plane landed, either five or six people didnt reboard the plane before it took off again, but only one or two people were actually arrested, so that certainly would suggest that a number of the other people who left the plane were secret service, he said. The low-budget Irish airline released a statement on Sunday night noting the safe arrival of Flight FR4978 in Vilnius, acknowledging the supposed security threat noting nothing untoward was found aboard the aircraft and apologizing to all affected passengers. But the statement said nothing about a fighter plane or the fate of Protasevich and his companion: Our FR4978 flight has landed safely in Vilnius at 19:25hrs UK time (21:25hrs local time). Here is Ryanairs statement on todays diversion to Minsk Airport pic.twitter.com/i0xhdpwTAF Ryanair Press Office (@RyanairPress) May 23, 2021 Though it appears Ryanair is in communication with aviation authorities over the incident, the information missing from its statement did not go unnoticed and prompted criticism across social media. Dear @Ryanair, Im flying from Athens to Krakow next week. Is there any place that I could pay an extra fee (apart from priority boarding and additional luggage) for not to be kidnapped by foreign government during the flight? I feel like its something worth to have these days. https://t.co/S8kZzImQP5 Marcin Makowski (@makowski_m) May 23, 2021 Then again, if the Ryanair pilots were facing off against a MiG-29, its not clear what choice they had in the matter. Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Multimedia Reporter Staff writer Harry Funk, a professional journalist for three-plus decades, has been on the staff of The Almanac since 2015. He has a bachelors degree in journalism and master of business administration, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Its one of the busiest travel days of the year in the United States. As drivers ready to hit the road for their Memorial Day weekend road trips, they might want to bring along a fatted walletbecause gasoline prices at the pump are soaring, according to new information from AAA. The United States will see 60% more travelers this year than last year, the AAA newsroom reported, with more than 37 million people expected to travel 50 miles or more. And while that may seem like a large number, it is still 6 million fewer than pre-pandemic traveler figures. The anticipated demand for fuel is likely to increase the price of retail gasoline, exacerbated by the still-normalizing Colonial Pipeline outage that ran thousands of gas stations dry in the wake of a ransomware attack. In fact, according to AAAs Monday report, prices will be the highest for any Memorial Day weekend since Memorial Day weekend 2014. AAA is still expecting there to be a low-supply situation in the wake of the Colonial Pipeline outage, but drivers are expected to be able to find gas. Holiday road trippers may come across some gas stations with low fuel supply in popular travel destinations, like beaches, mountains or national parks. However, markets are not expected to be fuel-less, like we saw in the wake of the pipeline shutdown, AAA said. On Monday, the national average price of a regular gallon of gasoline was $3.039$0.17 more per gallon than last months price, and $1.12 more expensive than this time last year. For weekend travelers, AAAs advice is to plan ahead, because gas prices are going to be expensive no matter where you fill up. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Goldman Sachs still expects crude oil to rise to $80 per barrel by the end of the year despite reports about progress on U.S.- Iranian talks about the lifting of sanctions. According to a note released by the bank's analysts, the recovery in demand made possible by mass vaccinations will offset the effect of additional supply volumes from Iran, per a Reuters report. "The case for higher oil prices therefore remains intact given the large vaccine-driven increase in demand in the face of inelastic supply," Goldman analysts said. Last week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that "the main agreement" on the lifting of the U.S. sanctions had been reached. 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. Even before that, in April, Goldman analysts were talking about Brent crude hitting $80 per barrel later this year in what they said would be the biggest demand jump ever. Higher demand for travel and acceleration of vaccinations in Europe are set to result in "the biggest jump in oil demand ever, a 5.2 million barrels per day (bpd) rise over the next six months," Reuters quoted Goldman Sachs as saying in a late April note to clients. According to the investment bank, even the spike in new Covid-19 infections in parts of Asia and the continuing increase in new cases in India would not affect the immediate outlook for oil prices. Demand, the bank said, could rise by some 4.6 million by the end of the year. "Mobility is rapidly increasing in the U.S. and Europe, as vaccinations accelerate and lockdowns are lifted, with freight and industrial activity also surging," the most recent note said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Help India! Beyond a financial boost, Twitters donation legitimizes a non-profit tainted by past exposes. Support TwoCircles Pieter Friedrich | TwoCircles.net As COVID plagues India, Indresh Kumar and Shyam Parande stepped forward on more than one occasion in May 2021 to release consignments of oxygen concentrators donated by non-profit organization Sewa International. The raging pandemic is not the first time that the two have publicly partnered. Parande, the global coordinator of Sewa International, is not just linked to Kumar through the non-profit but also through their shared activism with another organization: the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In past years, for instance, the two travelled to Cambodia together to prepare a report about how Indias RSS can make a cultural investment there. Parande, whose participation in the Cambodia project was reported as that of a senior RSS leader, has additionally been reported as head of the RSSs Vishwa Vibhag (foreign department) and, with his wife, even described as one of RSSs power couples. Kumar, for his part, is a senior member of the RSSs national executive committee. In December 2010, Kumar was in Pune, Maharashtra to speak at the Vishwa Sangh Shibir (VSS). The VSS is a once-in-five-years conclave of the RSS-supported Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh [HSS], explained The Indian Express. Noting that the event is often the first trip to India for some HSS members, senior RSS executive Manmohan Vaidya said that the conclave focuses on how to spread the work and the message of RSS. Speakers at the multi-day VSS included a whos who of the Sangh Parivar the family of organizations springing from the RSS. Aside from Kumar, there was RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, who argued that a Hindu alone can think of the welfare of the humanity and declared, The world has to acquire Hindu values to survive. There was Ashok Singhal, then chief of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the religious wing of the RSS. From the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the political wing of the RSS, came the partys then second-in-command, Ram Lal. From Sewa Bharati the service wing of the RSS and parent organization of Sewa International came Sitaram Kedilaya. And from the US and the UK came the presidents of the HSS branches of those countries. Travelling all the way from Texas to attend was Ramesh Bhutada, the vice-president of HSS-USA. The event gave Bhutada who has hosted Mohan Bhagwat in his Houston home a chance to not only wear the RSSs official uniform but meet and pose with the founder of the HSS. It also gave him a chance to travel with a Houston delegation that included Arun Kankani. Aside from their shared interest in the HSS/RSS summit in Pune, Kankani and Bhutada are connected through their ties to Sewa International USA. Kankani became the non-profits president in 2020. Bhutada is the organizations chairperson. Sewa International, according to one report about a VSS from the 1990s, is among several affiliated organisations of RSS operating abroad. Sewa USA is, reported The New Indian Express, a part of the Sangha Parivar in the US. It is also, as of 10 May 2021, the recipient of a $2.5 million donation from Twitter. Twitters donation, announced by CEO Jack Dorsey, has outraged some. Nearly 2500 people have signed a petition demanding that Dorsey rescind it due to the organizations connection with the RSS. The money, though it is officially earmarked to aid Sewa Internationals campaign to provide emergency relief medical equipment in Indias struggle against COVID, also seems likely to assist the RSS-linked non-profits public image. The RSS and Sewa International are both in need of image rehabilitation. Bhutada, as both the RSSs number two man in the US as well as chair of Sewa USA, likely knows that more than most. And he along with Kankani has a history of playing a crucial role in helping to rehabilitate the image of the man some hold responsible for Indias current COVID crisis: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an RSS member. In September 2019, Bhutada served as a leading patron of Howdy, Modi, a mega-reception organized in Houston to promote the Indian prime minister. While Bhutadas son, Rishi, was the events head spokesperson and his brother-in-law, Jugal Malani, chaired the events organizing committee, Kankani served as head of operations. Meanwhile, Sewa International (Houston) President Gitesh Desai served, alongside Rishi Bhutada, as an event spokesperson. Howdy, Modi was the third such mega-reception organized in the US since Modis election in May 2014. His visits were an opportunity to pay back his thousands of Indian-American supporters who worked for his election (including people like Bhutada as well as Desai, who actually travelled to India to campaign). They also marked a personal victory as they were the first times that Modi as a beneficiary of diplomatic immunity in his new position as prime minister was allowed into the US after being banned from entry in 2005. The US State Department, at the time, held him responsible for particularly severe violations of religious freedom that occurred in Gujarat in 2002. Extreme anti-Muslim violence erupted days after Modi was appointed chief minister of the state; according to Human Rights Watch, the groups responsible primarily included the RSS and its affiliates. While Modi and the RSS (which, in 2008, was again implicated in an anti-minority pogrom) had before the 2014 election faced a great need for international image rehabilitation, so too did Sewa International. Founded in 1989 by then RSS Chief Madhukar Deoras, Sewa Bharati in India is an umbrella organisation which constitutes over nine hundred NGOs of the Sangh, explains The Caravan. In the organizations own words, it was founded to provide a formal structure for volunteers of RSS and other allied organisations to engage in charity. It is affiliated to the RSS, RSS-led, and operates as the main agency for social work in the RSS. We make no secret of the fact that we are members of the RSS, one senior Sewa Bharati leader has said. According to political scientist Malini Bhattacharjee, the RSSs focus on sewa meaning selfless service stemm[ed] from the need to rehabilitate the RSS image as a social and humanitarian organisation as opposed to a communal and paramilitary body. As she explains, Participation in relief and rehabilitation activities have not only helped create a compassionate image for the RSS, but also provided it with opportunities to undertake cadre building, consolidate its organisational network, and even penetrate those regions where it had no traditional support base. The RSS also has an international wing, Sewa International, which organizes welfare work outside India and raises funds for parivar projects in India, reports sociologist Chetan Bhatt. Founded in 1997, Sewa International has repeatedly described Sewa Bharati as its local partner organization. It has various branches abroad, including, as noted, in the US. Raising funds abroad while rarely mentioning its connections to the RSS (an organization about which many non-Indians are already ignorant, anyways), Sewa International managed to make inroads. It and its sister groups even secured patronage from politicians and agreements for corporate matching of donations. In the early 2000s, however, a series of events dented the non-profits image. In August 2002, the late Lord Adam Patel resigned as a patron of Sewa International UK (SI-UK). I very much regret ever having been part of this racist organisation, said Patel. Sewa International is a front for controversial militant Hindu organisations, and so I have been forced to resign my position as one of its patrons. His resignation came amid claims that it has links with rightwing Hindu extremist groups blamed for provoking rioting in India. That was followed in December 2002 by a Channel 4 News special. British authorities, said the channel, were investigating allegations that money raised through SI-UK might fund communal violence in India. According to the channel, We wanted to find out whether money given by British donors to Sewa International, apparently to help the poor in India, could actually end up funding sectarian violence there. Meanwhile, in November 2002, a report in the US claimed that Sewa International, in India, was affiliated with the US-based India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF). Sewa International is [an] IDRF affiliate in India overseeing IDRFs Indian operation, stated the report. In terms of international funding, it may be amongst the most significant of IDRFs sister organizations. It is a Sangh Parivar organization set up primarily to coordinate foreign contributions for different Sangh projects in India. As Financial Times subsequently reported, According to IDRFs tax filings, more than 80 per cent of the almost $3.2m[illion] it directly sent to India between 1994 and 2000 went to projects managed by groups that are explicitly part of the RSS family. In response, matching corporate donors like Cisco Systems and Oracle Corporation suspended their collaboration with IDRF while the US Justice Department reportedly launched an investigation into charges that millions of dollars were used to fund Hindu fundamentalism in India. IDRFs spokesperson, Vijay Pallod a relative of and long-time co-activist with Bhutada who also wore an RSS uniform at the 2010 VSS shot back: The accusations are falsehoods packaged by propagandists masquerading as concerned citizens. Nevertheless, IDRFs star briefly faded, and, over the following year, Sewa USA was founded with Bhutada at its helm. The pounding continued. In 2004, a new report emerged in the UK which revealed that SI-UK is the fundraising arm of the HSS UK, alleged that it is directly linked with the RSS and its affiliates, including Sewa International India and Sewa Bharati, and claimed that Sewa Bharati has been openly involved in Hindutva [Hindu nationalist] extremist political work in India. The report argued that SI-UKs main purpose was to raise funds in the UK for RSS projects in India in order to directly help the expansion of the extremist RSSs networks across Indian society in line with the long term political and sectarian aims of the RSS. Sewa Bharati is the main recipient of funds from SIUK, stated the report. The fundamental aim of these projects is to penetrate communities through service activities in order to promote RSS ideology and organization. Arguing that the RSS was distributing relief selectively to higher caste victims and neglecting Dalits and Muslims as well as organizing training cells (shakhas) in relief camps, the report explained: An alarming chain links unsuspecting donors in the UK to the active political promotion and glorification of the extremist RSS in Gujarat. UK donors gave funds in good faith to SIUK for humanitarian reconstruction and rehabilitation following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake; these funds went from SIUK to the RSSs Sewa Bharati which managed the work, with additional funds from government agencies; work was started through RSS ceremonies, or completed villages were inaugurated by very senior RSS officers. The extremist RSS and its dangerous ideology were actively promoted in Gujarat through these processes. The Hindutva political agenda of the RSS was explicit in the reconstruction and opening ceremonies of several villages funded by SIUK. The agenda to glorify and expand the RSS was well known by SIUK but not revealed to donors. It was an inauspicious launch into the 21st century for Sewa International but, 20 years on, the RSS-linked non-profit seems to be successfully rehabilitating its image as it opens its coffers to receive the outpouring of financial support offered by Twitter. A rising tide floats all boats, however. Thus, Indresh Kumar of the RSS seems to also be benefitting from the self-promotional PR opportunities that arise as international aid pours into India. Kumar certainly needs the image boost. After a series of blasts targeting Indian Muslim locations in the mid-2000s, Kumars name figured in the diary of a key accused, another key accused claimed he had prior knowledge of a blast, and yet another accused Swami Aseemanand, a full-time RSS worker affiliated with Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, an RSS-affiliate named as both a participant in anti-minority violence as well as a top recipient of funding from the IDRF and SI-UK confessed that Kumar (along with Mohan Bhagwat) gave their blessings to his plans for staging the blasts. This is great, Aseemanand claimed Kumar and Bhagwat said about his plans. Its very important that it be done. But dont link it to the Sangh. Although Kumar certainly never hoped for that (alleged) conversation to be made public, the things he has unapologetically said in public in recent years do little to improve his image anywhere other than in Hindu nationalist circles. He has denounced conversion as an act of Satan, demanded national legislation against Love Jihad (the conspiracy theory that Muslim men are systematically duping Hindu women into marrying them), and described protestors against the Citizenship Amendment Act (which sets a legal criterion for citizenship based on religion) as traitors. From Kumar to Modi and the RSS to Sewa International, image rehabilitation is certainly a need of the past two decades. As COVID continues ravaging India and the nation still faces a catastrophic shortage of oxygen, it appears that the crisis comes as a fresh of breath air to a supremacist movement that has been increasingly hounded by bad publicity. While the Modi regimes pandemic policy includes suffocating dissent, the regimes apologists thanks, in part, to millions donated by a social media giant are, for now, breathing a little easier. Chances are, however, that the Sangh, although it thinks the donation is very important, doesnt want it linked to them. Pieter Friedrich is a freelance journalist specializing in the analysis of South Asian affairs. He is the author of Saffron Fascists: Indias Hindu Nationalist Rulers and co-author of Captivating the Simple-Hearted: A Struggle for Human Dignity in the Indian Subcontinent. The Dakota Access crude oil pipeline will remain in operation while federal regulators conduct a new environmental analysis of the infrastructure, Bloomberg reported, citing a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from Friday. We are pleased the court correctly recognized that the continued operation of the Dakota Access pipeline presents no risk of harm to others and appropriately denied the efforts to shut down this vitally important pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, the operator of the pipeline, told Bloomberg. The ruling is a setback for opponents of the pipeline who have been fighting to shut it down since 2016. The main argument of the opponents is that the pipeline increases the danger of a serious oil spill in Lake Oahe, which supplies local communities with water. Whether framed in terms of likelihood or imminence, Plaintiffs have not made a successful showing of irreparable harm based on the threat of an oil spill at Lake Oahe, Judge James Boasberg wrote in his Friday ruling. Whats more, attorneys for the government said they wont seek to shut down the pipeline while the legal fight goes on, which it will. The unacceptable risk of an oil spill, impacts to Tribal sovereignty and harm to drinking water supply must all be examined thoroughly in the months ahead as the U.S. Army Corps conducts its review of this pipeline, said one of the attorneys for the main plaintiff, the Standing Rock Native American tribe. Earlier this year, Energy Transfer Partners also suffered a setback in its fight to keep Dakota Access open. In April, a U.S. Court of Appeals ruled against a rehearing on the whole environmental review case, which would have presented an opportunity for the company to put an end to the whole saga The new environmental review was ordered as a result of the opponents efforts to convince courts the pipeline was dangerous and the dangers were insufficiently analyzed by previous environmental assessment documents. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The European Union (EU) is looking to extend energy taxation to the aviation industry as the bloc is ramping up efforts to raise its chances of reaching the targets in the European Green Deal for carbon neutrality by 2050. During a weekend meeting of the finance ministers of the EU in Lisbon, the ministers backed, in general, a proposal to have an EU-wide taxation of aviation fuel, the Financial Times reported, citing officials. The European Commission (EC) is studying amendments in its policy on taxation of energy in the bloc in new legislation expected to be proposed this summer and to replace two-decade-old regulations. Currently, the aviation and maritime sectors are exempt from the taxation policy of the EU, but in light of the European Green Deal and the strong push in several countries toward greener economies, the time has come for talks on imposing a levy on the airline and maritime industries, too. All 27 EU member states need to agree to such legislative changes so that an EU-wide tax on jet fuel be implemented. The EU says that aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and the bloc is taking steps to curb those emissions. The EU is also set to revise the Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive concerning aviation in a way that is consistent with the EUs 2030 climate objectives. A revision of the ETS will be the cornerstone of the legislation on climate and energy expected in July, Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, told EURACTIVs Frederic Simon in an exclusive interview published on Monday. We need to look at potential new areas to apply it to. But also in existing areas; we need to look very carefully at free allowances, for example. And we perhaps also need to look very carefully at enlarging the ETS to shipping or aviation, Timmermans told EURACTIV. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: People took to the streets in cities in Arab Gulf oil producer Oman this weekend and on Monday in protest over the poor economy and lack of jobs, the Associated Press reports. Oman, a non-OPEC oil producer but part of the OPEC+ alliance, has been hit very hard by the oil price and demand crash in 2020, and is looking to raise additional funding while cutting government expenditures. According to the latest assessment by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its regional outlook published last month, Omans fiscal breakeven oil price the oil price at which the fiscal balance is zero is projected at $72.30 this year, and at $61.80 next year. Oman, unlike some other oil producers in the Gulf, cannot afford too generous benefits to state workers and other employees and is struggling with youth unemploymenta situation exacerbated by last years oil price shock to Omans state finances. According to tweets seen by the AP, there have been protests and massive police presence in many cities across Oman, including in the key port city of Sohar. It wasnt immediately clear if there had been massive layoffs at industries in Sohar and other cities, the AP notes, while the government and the state media are not reporting about the protests or the presence of riot police, photos of which have been circulating on Twitter. The 2020 shocks took a heavy toll on the economy in 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a brief on Oman earlier this year. Omans fiscal deficit was expected to double to 18 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, before narrowing to 7 percent of GDP by 2024, Fitch Ratings said in December, warning that Omans fiscal plan faced large implementation and funding risks. Last month, Bloomberg reported that the government of Oman was looking at several options to plug the widened budget hole, including selling a stake in state oil firm OQ via an initial public offering (IPO). By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Health-med-fit alert Omaha health experts address myths and misconceptions about COVID vaccines Even as they seek new ways to reach people who havent yet received their COVID-19 vaccine shots, health officials are also trying to determine whats stopping those who still havent rolled up their sleeves. Every barrier that does exist, we need to take it down, Douglas County Health Director Adi Pour said last week. A recent New York Times opinion article, based on a survey of Americans, grouped people who are not vaccinated according to their reasons for not taking the shots. The article suggested that 18% of Nebraskans are COVID skeptics who dont believe that the virus poses a threat and that 2% distrust government. The first group likely poses the highest hurdle for vaccination, Pour said, but the second may include people who can be educated or convinced if health officials focus on vaccines benefits. Some 7% face barriers, such as a lack of time or an inability to take time off work to get vaccinated. Pour said health officials encourage businesses to give employees time off to get shots. An additional 10% of respondents say theyre going to wait. Pour thinks that health officials can eventually reach that group. We have a hill to climb, she said, but we can climb it if we have a good focus. Part of that climb may include countering some of the myths and misconceptions that have circulated about the vaccines. Here are some of the concerns local experts have heard and what theyre telling patients. The vaccines were rushed through an expedited process that skipped some safety steps. Any shortcuts in the development of the vaccines came not because steps were skipped but because vaccine-makers took many of the steps that are normally taken one after the other at the same time, said Dr. James Lawler, an executive director at the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security. Lawler Normally, he said, a vaccine developer wouldnt start building a manufacturing facility until a vaccine candidate had gone through the entire testing process and received federal approval. With COVID-19 vaccine candidates, the federal government and others funded the development of manufacturing capacity so production plants would be ready to go by the time the vaccines were ready. The clinical trials that led to the vaccines emergency approval were not shortchanged in any way, Lawler said. They were the same size each vaccines Phase 3 trial included 30,000 to 40,000 people and involved the same analysis used for every other vaccine on the market. Vaccine developers and regulators had very good safety and efficacy data before the vaccines were approved for emergency use, he said. Pfizer, in fact, is expected to submit an application to the Food and Drug Administration yet this month seeking full approval for its vaccine. Another factor that helped accelerate the vaccines launch is the fact that messenger RNA vaccines, like those now made by Pfizer and Moderna, had been under development for more than a decade but were never widely deployed, said Dr. Jessica Jones, an infectious diseases physician with Methodist Health System. Jones Once researchers isolated and sequenced the genetic material of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in its case, RNA vaccine-makers were able to quickly produce vaccines. This isnt something they just pulled out of a hat, Jones said. The vaccines have now been given to millions of Americans as of late last week, more than 160 million Americans, or 48.2% of the nations population, had received at least one shot and adverse events have been very rare, Lawler said. We have very high confidence these vaccines are effective and theyre safe, he said. As a result, Nebraska and the U.S. as a whole have seen cases, hospitalizations and deaths drop, first in nursing homes and now in the larger population. In the wake of those decreases, masking requirements and limits on social gatherings are being relaxed. Were seeing the fruit of the labor of vaccinations, Jones said. Douglas County health director says local COVID situation improving Douglas County Health Director Adi Pour said Wednesday that she was happy to report that the community's COVID situation is improving. Adverse effects could crop up years later. Lawler doesnt think that late effects from the vaccines are at all likely. We have very little data to support long-term adverse events from any vaccines that we use, he said. And these vaccines are degraded quickly once theyre in the body. The vaccines themselves dont sit around. What hopefully stays around is our immune systems ability to fight off the virus. COVID-19 vaccines have microchips in them. No, Lawler said, the vaccines do not contain microchips. Its true that the outside of some syringes, or vials, are tagged with radio-frequency identification, or RFID, chips so they can be traced through the manufacturing and supply chain, he said. But the vaccines themselves do not contain microchips of any kind. Fully vaccinated people will be able to ditch masks on UNL, UNO campuses Students, faculty and staff who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer will be required to wear face masks on the UNL and UNO campuses. Ive had COVID-19 and have natural immunity, so I dont need to get the vaccine. Lawler said he would have been very skeptical a year and a half ago if someone had told him that the vaccines would provide dramatically better immunity to COVID-19 than infection. But he said he has since changed his tune because the data clearly shows that the vaccines provide better protection. India and Brazil had incredibly high rates of infection during earlier waves of the virus but recently have suffered massive new surges with variants. Its clear from that and from other data that natural infection provides limited protection from repeat infection, especially repeat infection from variants, Lawler said. The vaccines can affect fertility. Dr. Emily Patel, a maternal-fetal medicine physician with Methodist Womens Hospital, said the initial studies for the vaccines did not include pregnant or breastfeeding women. But mRNA vaccines like the Pfizer and Moderna shots have been used in pregnant women with HIV and the first SARS and have been deemed safe. METHODIST HEALTH SYSTEM Patel In addition, she said, more than 35,000 pregnant women have now been vaccinated and registered with a vaccine safety network that tracks side effects. A study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine looking at preliminary data from that network found no safety signals related to pregnancy. This summer, Pfizer is expected to provide data from an ongoing trial of pregnant women receiving its vaccine. At the same time, Patel said, researchers already have enough data to know that pregnant women are at a threefold risk of needing intensive care and ventilators if they get COVID-19 and a twofold risk of dying from the virus, compared with non-pregnant patients of the same age. We have good evidence that this is a very safe vaccine, and we have a lot of evidence that suggests if you get COVID, you could get very sick, she said, referring to pregnant women. Researchers also have good evidence that babies born to vaccinated moms have antibodies to the virus, meaning that theyre being protected by Mom getting the vaccine. Scientists already know thats the case with other vaccines, such as those for influenza. Vaccinated moms are also known to pass antibodies to babies through breast milk. Researchers have no evidence, on the other hand, that the vaccines affect fertility. That myth began with the notion that there may be small similarities between a placental protein and the protein on the coronavirus targeted by the vaccine. In fact, Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine, wrote in a letter to the New York Times in January that her team had compared the virus protein with that of the placental protein and found no notable similarity between their amino acid sequences. Nor did her team find any reaction between vaccinated patients antibodies and the placental protein. Said Patel, The immune system, by making this antibody to protect you from COVID, is not going to start attacking this placental protein. Nor is there scientific evidence that suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are making menstrual periods irregular, as some women have reported on social media. In a post on Nebraska Medicines website, Dr. Jennifer Griffin Miller, an obstetrician-gynecologist, said changes in periods were not identified in clinical trials of the vaccines. Theres no biological mechanism, based on how the vaccines work, that would explain such occurrences, she said. Lawler also noted in the same post that researchers have no data to indicate that contact with someone who has been vaccinated affects menstrual cycles. COVID vaccines do not contain fetal cells, but cell lines were used in some testing No aborted tissue and no fetal cells were used in the development or production of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, but fetal cell lines were used in testing. The vaccines will enter our DNA. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are whats known as messenger RNA or mRNA vaccines. When injected into the body, the mRNA stimulates cells to produce antibodies, which are part of the immune response that helps people fight the virus. But the mRNA does not enter human cells nuclei, which is where DNA resides, Patel said. Therefore, theres no reason to think that it can incorporate into peoples DNA. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, based on different technology, uses a different but harmless virus to carry information into the body to teach the immune system to recognize and respond to COVID-19. Its degraded right afterward, so theres no risk of it incorporating into our DNA or changing our DNA. Nebraska tops 50% of people 18 and older who have been vaccinated against COVID Nebraska crossed another milestone last week with the state topping 50% of residents 18 and older completing vaccination for COVID. If I get vaccinated, I can shed the virus or the spike protein. Lawler said the vaccines are not based on live or weakened viruses like many other vaccines now in use, so theres no possibility of a vaccinated person shedding the virus. The vaccines do cause the body to produce the spike protein to train the immune system to respond if it encounters the real virus. But the spike protein is primarily made in the muscle where the vaccine is administered. So theres no possibility that vaccinated people can shed the spike protein in any meaningful quantity. But people who are infected with COVID-19 shed lots of virus, including the spike protein, and can infect others. Nebraska experts offer tips for getting your social life back to some sort of pre-COVID normal When it comes to resuming social interactions, Nebraska experts say people must know their own comfort levels and remember that almost everyone is in the same boat. Im young and healthy. I dont need to get vaccinated. Young, healthy people and children have a much lower risk of severe infection with COVID-19 than older adults, Lawler said. But their risk of developing a severe form of the illness, having long-lasting complications or dying are still much higher than their risk of suffering a serious reaction to a vaccine. If youre in Vegas playing the odds, you should absolutely put your money on the vaccine, he said. Jones stressed that getting the vaccine isnt just about protecting individuals. Like wearing masks, getting vaccinated is also about protecting others. A young, healthy person could contract the virus and unknowingly pass it to a grandparent or a family member undergoing chemotherapy whose immune system may not respond as well to the vaccine. Young, healthy people are also part of making sure that enough people are protected that the virus cant easily find new people to infect. Stopping the spread also helps keep the virus from mutating and spawning new variants. This is very much a community push, Patel said. Its not a disease or a vaccine thats all about the individual. Thats whats hard. In the United States, were all about defining ourselves individually. ... With this, its really about being selfless and protecting others. Patel encouraged people who still have questions about the vaccines to seek reliable sources of information. Those include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, their local health department and, for pregnant women or those considering becoming pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. We have a hill to climb, she said, but we can climb it if we have a good focus. Part of that climb may include countering some of the myths and misconceptions that have circulated about the vaccines. Here are some of the concerns local experts have heard and what theyre telling patients. The vaccines were rushed through an expedited process that skipped some safety steps. Any shortcuts in the development of the vaccines came not because steps were skipped but because vaccine-makers took many of the steps that are normally taken one after the other at the same time, said Dr. James Lawler, an executive director at the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security. Normally, he said, a vaccine developer wouldnt start building a manufacturing facility until a vaccine candidate had gone through the entire testing process and received federal approval. With COVID-19 vaccine candidates, the federal government and others funded the development of manufacturing capacity so production plants would be ready to go by the time the vaccines were ready. We thought, What could we do that would mix the serious and the fun? Bill Williams said. Cue the live bands, balloons and floats; bring on the vibe of a street festival. The big draw is the Clydesdales, he said. I think its going to draw a lot of families downtown. Preparade activities including live music will begin at 4 p.m. at 12th and Jackson Streets, where the parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. It will follow a short route: two blocks east to 10th Street, then 2 blocks south to the Durham Museum. Greenwood will perform in the museums parking lot after the parade. Hy-Vee will give away free hot dogs and apple pie. The Memorial Day parade is a mulligan. Williams said a similar event had been planned for the same weekend last year, but it had to be called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Weve had everybody on hold for a year, Williams said. People are ready to be outside, and do something to celebrate the country. The $2.6 million project is a collaboration between the Papio-Missouri NRD, Sarpy County and the City of Bellevue on the north side of the Platte River and the Lower Platte South NRD, Cass County and the City of Plattsmouth on the south side of the river. The six entities are providing 20% of the funding, while the remainder is coming from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Eric Williams, natural resources planner for the Papio-Missouri NRD, said the project has been in the works for 20 years. The first step was when the highway bridge across the river was constructed. The piers on the highway bridge were intentionally widened on the east side in order to allow a trail to be added to the bridge at a later date, he said. Construction of the trail deck is expected to begin in summer 2022. The trail, which will start at Beach Road and end at Allied Road, will fill a gap in pedestrian access. Currently, the Lied Bridge by South Bend is the only way for pedestrians to safely cross the Platte River, Williams said. That bridge sits 16 miles to the west of where the Platte River Bridge Trail will travel. The administration was assessing whether to extend that ban to solar panels and raw materials from Xinjiang, Kerry said. He said he didn't know the status of that review. At issue is the government's labor transfer program, which places workers in Xinjiang with companies. Chinese officials say it is voluntary, but Murphy and Elima argue it takes place in an environment of unprecedented coercion" and is "undergirded by the constant threat of re-education and internment. Many indigenous workers are unable to refuse or walk away from these jobs, their report says. It says the programs are tantamount to forcible transfer of populations and enslavement. Murphy and Elima said they found 11 companies engaged in forced labor transfers of Uyghurs and other minorities and 90 Chinese and foreign enterprises whose supply chains are affected. They said manufacturers need to make significant changes if they want to avoid suppliers that use forced labor. Murphy and Elima say the biggest global solar equipment manufacturers JinkoSolar Inc., LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Trina Solar Energy Co. and JA Solar Holdings Co. might have forced labor in their supply chains. The Chinese mainland is willing to arrange a prompt purchase of COVID-19 vaccines for Taiwan from the mainland, a mainland spokeswoman said on Monday, expressing its willingness to provide Taiwanese compatriots with help in defeating the epidemic. "If necessary, we are also willing to consider sending epidemic prevention and control experts to Taiwan, to share experience and provide consultation," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office. Zhu made the remarks after people on the island urged the ruling Democratic Progressive Party on Taiwan to buy mainland vaccines, to cope with the lack of vaccines against the worsening epidemic situation on Taiwan. The island has recorded more than 100 newly-confirmed cases for 10 consecutive days, with 339 cases on Monday, the island's health authority said. "Life is the top priority and fighting the epidemic should be put in first place," Zhu said, adding that the mainland is worried about the epidemic in Taiwan. "It is extremely irresponsible for the DPP authorities to use political manipulation to divert people's attention," she said. She urged the DPP authorities to stop slandering the mainland's efforts to help Taiwan compatriots, to take actions to remove artificial obstacles, and to ensure that the health and well-being of Taiwan compatriots can be protected. OKOBOJI, Iowa After a year of shutdowns, masks, social distancing and sickness, travelers are excited to get back to Lake Okoboji for a little normalcy. People are already headed to Okoboji to get an early start on summer now that COVID-related restrictions have been reduced and more people are vaccinated. West Lake Okoboji City Administrator Derrick Miner expects this year to be busier than last year. People from all over the Midwest travel to Okoboji on vacation. The lake is a three-hour drive northeast of Omaha. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff of the summer, Miner said. People are starting to float in, Miner said. The lake isnt the only draw to Okoboji. Parks, concerts, summer camps and shops attract visitors. Last year, many of the attractions had restrictions in place or canceled events but are returning this year. Arnolds Park Amusement Park is open. The free summer concerts are returning this year after being canceled last year. Starting June 5, people can bring blankets, chairs and snacks to see free concerts at the Preservation Plaza with fireworks following every Saturday, said Okoboji Tourism Director Rebecca Peters. Vileta noted that the political environment for immigrants living illegally in the U.S. was hostile in 2018, and said he worried that Bahena Rivera or others might flee if they knew they were being sought for questioning. Thats why investigators took DNA samples from Hispanic workers at the farm, so they could be identified if they later disappeared, he said. Vileta said he asked Iowa City Police Officer Pamela Romero to question Bahena Rivera because she is fluent in Spanish, even though she had little interrogation experience. He said he opted not to have Romero translate his questions for Bahena Rivera because doing so would make for a choppy and frustrating discussion, and had Romero continue the interview because Bahena Rivera seemed comfortable speaking with her. Vileta said that he and an FBI agent tried to manage the 11-hour interview by taking frequent breaks so they could be briefed on Bahena Riveras statements, but that it was difficult. Keep an eye on the sky for thunderclouds and severe weather this week in Nebraska. Its that time of year again, said meteorologist Katie Gross of the National Weather Service office in Valley. The Omaha metro area has a slight chance of rain and storms for much of the day Tuesday, with chances tailing off in the late afternoon, according to the weather service. Tuesday night could have some showers and thunderstorms lingering into (Wednesday) morning, Gross said. It looks like decent chances for severe storms Wednesday, including some isolated tornadoes across eastern Nebraska. Most of Nebraska is in the bulls-eye for scattered thunderstorms Wednesday, according to the national Storm Prediction Center. In Omaha, Wednesday is forecast to be mostly sunny, and storms arent expected to move in until evening, after which they could continue into Thursday. Thunderstorms, which form when warm, moist air rises into cold air, can bring strong winds, hail, heavy rain and a potential for tornadoes, Gross said. The government plans to construct an estimated 6,000 kilometres of roads nationwide over the next four years. Addressing a press conference today in Accra, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah said 6,000 kilometres of roads out of the over 11,000 kilometres of programmed roads will be completed in President Akufo-Addo's second term. He said the roads to be constructed include town roads, cocoa roads, Sinohydro roads and roads that come under other critical projects. The Minister also stated that between 2017 and 2020, the government had constructed about 4,000 kilometres of roads in the country. As part of the governments year of road programme, critical roads of total length 2,167.2km were identified in all the 16 regions of the country for rehabilitation at a cost of GHS 7.827billion, he said. 325 projects are currently ongoing across cocoa growing areas across the country. Total length of roads is 4,853km at a cost of GHS14.511billion. The Ministry of Roads and Highways has programmed to undertake 1,500km of asphaltic overlay in major towns and cities across the country including hospitals, schools, courts, police barracks, army garrisons, and other security services compounds. Construction of bridges/interchanges He also indicated that the government intends to construct 120 of 200 programmed bridges nationwide over the next four years and complete 25 interchanges within the same period. Mr Amoako-Attah disclosed that between 2017 and 2020, some 50 bridges were also constructed nationwide. Mark me down, by 2024, 20 interchanges will likely be completed, Mr Amoako-Atta said. By the end of our second term, 20 interchanges in our country would have been built, we have estimated 25, but we are convinced and sure, and we know what we are aboutbecause we have programmed whatever we are doing, and we would have had about 25 interchanges in our country. This has never happened in any administration since independence, the Roads Minister assured. Pokuase interchange The Minister further disclosed that the Pokuase Interchange will be fully opened to traffic in the first week of July 2021 to help ease traffic congestion on the Accra Nsawam Highway. The Minister said President Akufo-Addo is expected to commission the interchange. God willing, in the first week in July, the President will officially commission the Pokuase interchange. It would have been brought to a total and full competition. This is the project that was started from scratch by President-Akufos government. This interchange will be opened in full to traffic in the first of July, he said. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Rotary International (RI) and USAID in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Accra-Labone have constructed and handed over a groundwater-based piped water supply system for the people of Dokrochiwa in the Ayensauno District of the Eastern Region. The groundwater-based piped water supply system, with a 50,000liter capacity elevated concrete water storage tank, is expected to serve about 3,500 residents in the community. The water system also came with a 2,300-metre length water transmission and distribution pipelines, with five standpipes at strategic locations within the town. Biggest project The District Governor (DG) of the Rotary District 9102, Madam Yvonne Kumoji, speaking at a short ceremony to inaugurate the project on Friday, May 21, 2021, said the project, which fell under the Rotary International-USAID Water and Sanitation Project, cost GH573, 569.50. She said the Dokrochiwa water system was so far the biggest water project to have been undertaken under Rotary International-USAID Water and Sanitation Project in the country. The District Governor (DG) of the Rotary District 9102, Madam Yvonne Kumoji being assisted by the Chief of Dokrochiwa, Barima Nana Kwabena Mensah Opoku Agyeman to formally cut the tape to inaugurate the water system. She said RI as a service organisation whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world, was very much interested in the welfare of underprivileged communities such as Dokrochiwa. DG Kumoji said water provision was part of the seven focus areas of RI, urging the people of Dokrochiwa and engineers at the Ayensuano District to regularly maintain the water system to ensure its sustainability. She, however, commended the people of Dokrochiwa for cooperating with Rotary for the construction of the water system. The Chairman of the Host Committee of RI-USAID Water and Sanitation Project, Mr. Ako Odotei, expressed the hope that the water system would go a long way to help the people in the community against water-borne diseases. He noted that water and sanitation were a paramount area for both Rotary and USAID, pointing out that the partnership between the two organizations started as far back as 2009. For him, the partnership between the two organizations had seen many communities in the country benefitting from water and sanitation projects, including the construction of toilet facilities for schools. Mr Odotei also urged the chiefs in the community to prioritize water and sanitation activities such as ensuring that every home in the community got a toilet facility. He further admonished the committee set up to manage the water system to work hard to ensure that the water system did not break down, stressing that sustainability was of great importance to Rotary. The Vice President of the Rotary Club of Accra-Labone, Mr Carlis Arko, said the construction of the Dokrochiwa water supply system started in 2016, following needs assessment. He added that in 2018, the sitting and drilling of the borehole was completed, pointing out that in October 2020, the construction of the piped water system was started and within a period of five months, the project had been completed. He therefore expressed his gratitude to the Rotary Foundation for their continued support, saying Rotary Foundation is the heartbeat of Rotary International where all projects beneficial to the community and the underprivileged are funded. Mr Arko also commended the contractor, Jonakot Construction Limited as well as the Consultant, Superhydro Limited, the supervising team and all club members of the Rotary Club of Accra-Labone for their various roles in the timely execution of the project. He said the Dokrochiwa water system also formed part of activities of the Rotary Club of Accra-Labone to celebrate their 20th anniversary. The Chief of Dokrochiwa, Berima Nana Kwabena Mensah Opoku Agyeman, commended the Rotary International, USAID and the Rotary Club of Accra-Labone, for the gesture. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ernestine Kabuo returned home after fleeing the lava flow in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, to find that her husband had not survived. The 68-year-old was unable to carry her sick husband out of their house and she found him burnt to death, she told Reuters news agency. At least 22 deaths have been confirmed following Saturday's eruption of a nearby volcano, Mount Nyiragongo. But the lava stopped short of the city's built-up area. This avoided the level of death and destruction witnessed in 2002. It did, however, hit the Buhene district, where Ms Kabuo's home was. "I said to myself: I can't go alone, we've been married for the best and for the worst," she told Reuters reflecting on what happened on Saturday. "I went back to at least try to get him out but couldn't. I ran away and he got burned inside. I don't know what to do. I curse this day." Five people died of asphyxiation while trying to cross the lava when it was cooling in a place just north of Goma. A sixth person is in hospital with breathing difficulties, civil society leader Mambo Kawaya told the AFP news agency. Since then, the authorities have tried to prevent people from visiting places where the lava is cooling, Goma journalist Esdras Tsongo told the BBC's Focus on Africa radio programme. Other Goma residents, a city of 670,000 according to UN estimates, are searching for missing loved ones as the city, and the region, continue to experience earthquakes. More than 170 children are feared to be missing and 150 others had been separated from their families, the UN's children's agency, Unicef, said, adding that centres would be set up to help unaccompanied minors. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man, has praised Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, saying that the business environment in the country had changed "dramatically" under her leadership. "Things have opened up and I can assure you that wherever I go I will be the champion of Tanzania and will tell people that things have changed and everybody should come and invest here," the Nigerian businessman said. Mr Dangote said he was looking into several areas of investments, including fertiliser. Tanzania's government spokesperson shared a video of Mr Dangote speaking to reporters after meeting President Samia. Mrs Samia came into office in March after her predecessor John Magufuli died of heart complications. The former president had a contentious relationship with foreign investors. His supporters said that he was a defender of Tanzanian interests but some said his abrasive tactics while dealing with investors had sullied the country's reputation as an attractive business environment. Mambo yamebadilika Tanzania, kila mmoja aje awekeze zaidi hapa Tanzania - Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mwekezaji. pic.twitter.com/yPyTcAriGd Gerson Msigwa (@MsigwaGerson) May 24, 2021 Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Doctors have discovered some COVID-19 patients are developing Macroglossia, a condition where someone's tongue is inflamed and begins to swell so much they can not speak or eat. Dr. James Melville, one of the top researchers of the condition, is aware of nine cases where a COVID-19 patient developed the condition. 'It's actually a relatively common condition, but not to the degree of those patients. Those are what we consider massive or giant macroglossia and those are extremely rare,' he said. One of the patients he treated, Anthony Jones, woke up after surviving the critical case of COVID-19 that left him on a ventilator with his tongue swollen more than its normal size. He has finally recovered, but Dr. Melville and other doctors remain perplexed over what might cause the rare complication. Dr. Melville treated the first two cases of COVID-related macroglossia early in the pandemic last year. According to Daily Mail, there have been seven new cases of the condition related to COVID-19 since then, with each being the rare, massive version of the condition. One case was that of Anthony Jones, a Houston man who developed the condition after being hospitalized with the virus. Jones had to use a ventilator in order to handle the virus, and when he woke up after treatment, his tongue was so swollen that he could not speak or eat. Dr. Melville had to perform surgery to reduce the massive size of Jones's tongue and alleviate the inflammation. The operation was a success, but how Jones became inflicted with massive macroglossia is still unknown to doctors. Dr. Melville believes the inflammation is caused for the same reasons that other organs in someone's body may become inflamed and swell after contracting the virus. There are reports that some have had their hearts, or other organs, enlarge after contracting the virus. 'We were noticing similar histological features with our COVID positive patients with other organs they were doing autopsies on, so say kidneys or lungs or heart,' he said. 'I think the [cases] we're finding, and histology is proving that COVID may be causing, are a more exaggerated inflammatory reaction in the tongue, which might be causing the tongue to get bigger, but that's all the research work that I'm doing trying to prove that.' Typical causes of macroglossia include strokes, and laying in a prone position for a long time, as Jones was when he was in the hospital. He believed that it was possible that patients who needed a ventilator to breathe when in the hospital with COVID-19 were sometimes turned over to their stomach to help them breathe easier. Dr. Melville is working to find what other factors contributed to causing the tongue swelling. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako-Atta, has disclosed that 6,000 kilometers out of 11,000 kilometers of roads are to be completed under governments second year of roads programme. His update follows the 4,000 kilometers of roads constructed in the first term of the Akufo-Addo administration. Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Sunday 23 May 2021, Amoako-Atta said that the 6,000 kilometers of roads to be completed fall under critical, cocoa, town roads and asphalt overlays and the Sinohydro Master Project Support Facility. On critical roads programme, the minister said part of the roads to be completed are Navrongo to Naga stretch of roads, the Wa to Bulenga to Yaala road, Salaga to Ekumdipe to Kpandai road which is 60% complete, upgrading of Yagaba to Mankarigu road as well as the upgrading of Daboya to Mankarigu road among hosts of road projects As part of governments year of road programme, 81 number of critical roads of total length of 2,167.2 kilometers were identified in all the 16 regions for rehabilitation at a cost of GHC 7.827 billion, he said. Under the cocoa roads programme, the minister said 325 projects are currently ongoing across cocoa growing areas across the country establishing that 4,853 kilometers of roads are being constructed at a cost of GHC14.511 billion. He said these include the Aboabo to Esikuma to Dunkwa road, Have to Hohoe road, Sefwi to Wiawso to Akontobra stretch, the Dodokorpe to Borae junction road, Hohoe to Jasikan road among other road projects. Amoako-Atta said 563.3 kilometers of roads are to be completed under the town roads programme at a total cost of GHC 1.083 billion including the rehabilitation of Gambaga, Nalerigu and Walewale town roads as well as the phase 1 of the upgrading of Prestea and Tepa town roads among others. Asphalt overlay programme Touching on the asphalt overlay programme, Amoako-Atta said, the Ministry of Roads and Highways has programmed to undertake 1,500 kilometers of asphaltic overlay in major towns and cities across the country including hospitals, schools, courts, police barracks, army garrisons and other security service compounds. He said 1,301 kilometers of roads will be completed under this programme in towns such as Obuasi, Kumasi, Akwatia, Oda, Winneba, Swedru, Berekum among others at a cost of GHC 1.665 billion stating that by the end of this government, 3,000 kilometers of roads would have been completed. On Sinohydro Master Project Support Facility, Amoako-Atta said four road projects are ongoing including two interchanges. The road projects, he said, include the Accra inner city roads, Kumasi inner city roads, dualisation of Adenta to Dodowa and the rehabilitation of Ajumako to Afransie road. Source: asaaseradio Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A student has died after being caught up in the fuel station fire that occurred on May 18 in Kaduna. Lydia Dantata, a student of Kaduna State College of Nursing and Midwifery, went to charge her phone with other students of the school in a petrol station opposite the school campus in Kafanchan. The students had not had power in their school for days due to the power outage resulting from the five-day warning strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. While charging their mobile devices at the fuel station opposite campus, an extension box they tried to plug into a socket provided for them to charge sparked. This happened while a tanker was discharging petrol at the station so the spark led to a fire. Read Full Story .... lindaikejisblog.com >>> : Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video by Francis Khoo Thwe The pro-democracy leader appeared in person at a court hearing for the first since her arrest during the 1 February coup. One of her lawyers said that she is in good health. Bombing in Kayan Thaya kills four civilians. Violent clashes occur in Kayah State. Card Bo calls for peace to build a democratic state. Yangon (AsiaNews) Myanmars ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in person today at a court hearing. This is the first time she was seen in public since her arrest by the military during the 1 February coup, one of her lawyers told Reuters. The iconic leader of the National League for Democracy (LND) spoke for about 30 minutes with her legal team. This is the first face-to-face meeting she has had with her lawyers; hitherto, she was able to speak to them and the court only via video link. According to lawyer Thae Maung, Suu Kyi is in good health. During the exchange, she told him that the NLD would exist as long as the people exist . On Saturday, General Min Aung Hlaing Military, chairman of the State Administration Council (the ruling junta), mentioned the pro-democracy leader's court hearing in an interview broadcast by a Hong Kong TV channel. Suu Kyi, the daughter of Burmese independence hero General Aung San, is accused of violating state secrets and possessing walkie-talkie radios brought in from abroad illegally. She is also one of nearly 4,300 people placed under arrest for opposing the coup. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the military has killed so far 818 people during protests. The latest bloodshed occurred this morning, when the military (Tatmadaw) bombed a Catholic Church in Kayan Thaya, a village in Kayah State. The attack left four people dead. The place of worship had given shelter to civilians fleeing clashes between the military and local armed groups. The Irrawaddy news website reported that the Karenni People's Defence Forces and the Karenni Army killed 40 soldiers overnight. Meanwhile, the crackdown against the juntas opponents is increasing. In addition to killings, arrests and convictions, the generals are trying to weaken the popular resistance with other forms of intimidation. A leader of the teachers union said that more than 125,000 teachers, almost one third of all teachers, were suspended last Saturday for joining the civil disobedience movement. As the prospect of civil war looms, Card Charles Cardinal Bo issued a statement calling for disputes to be settled peacefully. In his homily for Pentecost, the Archbishop of Yangon stressed that democracy cannot be born of violence. Only through peace and speaking the same language can a democratic state be built. The inability of the Electoral Commission to remove non-functioning political parties from the register has been explained by the Director of Electoral Services at the Commission, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe. He mentioned that the provision of the law of the 1992 Constitution about the functions of the Electoral Commission (EC) does not empower the Commission to decide on its own which partys certificate should be revoked from the register. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe said that the decision of the Electoral Commission to invite every registered political party to IPAC meeting even though some of them, in reality, doesnt exist is based on the fact that they still have their certificates as existing political parties. As we speak, we have not cancelled any political party that is not functioning as it should from our register. It is not as simple as people see it because before you cancel a political party from your books, you have to go through some lawful processes to revoked their certificate, he stated. Once we have not removed the non-functioning political parties from the register, they are members till we use the lawful means to remove those that have not qualified from the list; we cannot remove from the list until the law allows EC to do so. When the time is due and the law allows the EC to remove them, we will do it, but for now, all the non-functioning political parties are still recognized and lawful political parties and we have every right to invite them for IPAC meetings, he added. He recounted that when the Electoral Commission was compiling the list of the political parties in the country for the 2020 general elections and IPAC meetings, some of the political parties looked unfamiliar to them but they have the certificate to operate. When we were compiling the list of political parties in the country, a certain political party brought its certificate and I was amazed because I have not heard the name of that political party before. It is a child who is truant in school; if you have not cancelled his name from the schools register, you cannot say that you will not allow him to write the examination when it is time for it, he argued. The law concerning the formation of a political party is not restrictive enough and so at the right time, we will make the law a bit restrictive because as we speak, the constitution does not spell out the way to remove a non-functioning political party from the register unless you go to the court. But we will better the law at the right time so that we will be empowered by the law to remove those parties we know are not functioning as they should. We cannot sit in the office and cancel some parties from the register, he indicated. Watch video below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, also known as General Mosquito has debunked claims that they were the masterminds behind the #Fixthecountry campaign. A few weeks ago, a section of Ghanaians took to social media to protest over what they describe as bad governance and the high cost of living in a campaign dubbed #Fixthecountry. The hashtag which trended for weeks followed an increase in prices of fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Some communicators of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) accused the NDC of sponsoring the campaign. However, General Mosquito denies giving the conveners any form of backing. "If we did that; NPP would have used us as the mobilizing tool; helping them in the end" "Moreover, these are issues we've raised already and it's good individuals have taken them up and leading the fight. Joining them will change it into an NDC, NPP affair" he said in a one-on-one interview on UTV. Watch video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the renewed fight to arrest the galamsey menace will not be successful if the main kingpins are not arrested. According to him, burning the excavators will yield no results unless "one galamsey overlord, one real architect, an actual financier is arrested and prosecuted". The government as part of its efforts to curb illegal mining popularly known as 'galamsey' has ordered a team of military officers in an operation dubbed 'Operation Halt' to burn galamsey equipment on the spot. So far, over 200 machines have been burnt. This act has, however, been condemned with some describing it as illegal. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa speaking on the back of an article he has written on the galamsey fight, told Kwami Sefa Kayi that, "the modus operandi being used currently is the same so why are we doing the same thing and expecting different results?". "How come not even one architect behind this galamsey operation has been arrested? To start a galamsey operation, you need millions of Ghana cedis and so the real perpetrators are not those small boys or the youth who are risking their lives," he said on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'. He suggested that, "instead of arresting these guys, we should make them an offer for them to lead us to the real kingpins; if we follow the chain, it will lead us to the barons. Unless we get the real perpetrators, we will always come back to square one." Listen to the Former Deputy Minister for Education in the video below It strikes me as really strange that in this entire galamsey fight we have not had one galamsey overlord, one real architect, an actual financier arrested and prosecuted. Isn't that where the fight should have started from?We all know from the kind of sophisticated equipment at play that only a few moneybags can initiate a galamsey operation.Instead of hurriedly burning excavators, shouldn't we pay attention to their unique chassis numbers and readily available technology to track the real McCoys who imported or purchased them? It's definitely not difficult to follow the ownership trail.Is it not time to put out a handsome amount of money as a reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest of the big men/women behind the destructively criminal galamsey gang? Remember, those cloaked with authority over intelligence gathering say they do not know the real henchmen.Also, in exchange for their freedom, shouldn't we get the small flies we arrest at the galamsey pits to lead us to their real bosses? How many of them wouldn't find this offer irresistible?Where is EOCO to long begin following the proceeds of this organized crime by lawfully freezing bank accounts and identifying assets of suspected bigwigs linked to galamsey as we take sincere steps to smoke out the shadowy perpetrators-in-chief?Finally, can all political parties in Ghana publicly declare a zero-tolerance policy for party financing from galamsey overlords at all levels? This ought to be strictly enforced with appropriate sanctions.I am just thinking aloud on how the latest round of galamsey fight wouldn't end up as a farce like all the others.Only fearless truth and unquestionable integrity can be our saving grace. God help the Republic.Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa[MP, North Tongu]Former Deputy Minister for Education] Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video NPP branch in Belgium has expressed their gratitude to Ambassador Harriet Sena Siaw-Boateng and Head of Mission to the European Union for their cordial relationship with the branch. A statement copied to Peacefmonline read; The initiative and vision you had for the establishment of a new embassy has been splendid. Ghanaians in Belgium are very proud of this initiative. As the previous embassy's staircase could break the knee of old ladies. We are very grateful for the good working relationship you have with the branch and the Ghanaian community at large, the statement further read. Read full statement below: On behalf of NPP BELGIUM, I wish to express our sincere gratitude for your attention and cordial relationship with the branch. As you promised to work with the branch, you facilitated our meeting with the President and we are very grateful. Secondly, the initiative and VISSION you had for the establishment of a new embassy has been splendid. Ghanaians in Belgium are very proud of this initiative. As the previous embassy's staircase could break the knee of old ladies. Furthermore, your love to see the youth prosper and do something for themselves is amazing as seen in the number of youth you work with in your outfit. We pray for more opportunities from your outfit for our youth. As the measures of Corona have been lifted we hope you will continue to reach out to the Ghanaian communities in the various cities.... "operation touch the base". We are very grateful for the good working relationship you have with the branch and the Ghanaian community at large. God bless you abundantly. God bless Ghana . *NPP-BELLGIUM SECRETARY* S.D. ODURO _(Ranking Member)_ Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video NPP stalwart, Nana Fredua has heaped praises on the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey over his determination to rid the Capital City of dirt and indiscipline. The Minister has kickstarted an operation aimed at making Accra work by ensuring all residents comply with the laws of the land as well as keep the city clean. He has since succeeded in whipping some residents in line by his strict measures that see to it that no one breaches the right way of living in the Capital City. The Minister once set out to Madina in Accra where he disciplined any person caught not using the footbridge but making a shortcut escape by crossing the road which poses danger to both pedestrains and vehicular drivers. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Nana Fredua complimented the Regional Minister and egged him on not to relax his measures. "I applaud the Regional Minister and commend him for his good job. The work he's doing has benefited me and my staff including my community. So, we compliment him and his superiors over his good works. He should continue," he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Board Chairman of the National Theatre, Nana Fredua Agyeman Ofori-Atta, has backed the calls by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on galamsey. Hon. Samuel Ablakwa says the fight against galamsey menace will be successful if the kingpins are arrested. To him, burning the excavators will yield no results unless "one galamsey overlord, one real architect, an actual financier is arrested and prosecuted". So far, over 200 excavators and changfang machines have been burned. Hon. Ablakwa, in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', asked ''why are we doing the same thing and expecting different results?". "How come not even one architect behind this galamsey operation has been arrested? To start a galamsey operation, you need millions of Ghana cedis and so the real perpetrators are not those small boys or the youth who are risking their lives," he added. He suggested that, "instead of arresting these guys, we should make them an offer for them to lead us to the real kingpins; if we follow the chain, it will lead us to the barons. Unless we get the real perpetrators, we will always come back to square one''. Touching on the galamsey menace also on 'Kokrokoo', Nana Fredua agreed to Hon. Ablakwa's suggestions stressing arresting the culprits is the surest way to resolve the menace. He called on the government to stop burning the excavators saying, ''for me, we shouldn't burn them'' but seize them while they focus on arresting the offenders. He likened galamsey to robbery and asserted that it is only when the kingpins and those involved in galamsey are located and apprehended that the government will achieve its goal. "I accept that what Hon. Ablakwa said is exactly what we must be do . . . If we admit that galamsey is robbery and you make a move to arrest the culprits, everyone will understand . . . We must all accept that it is robbery. People should be arrested," he told Kwami Sefa Kayi. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the decision of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to boycott the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings. John Boadu claims the decision by the largest opposition party shows how immature they are. The NDC has justified the rationale behind the partys decision to boycott the two-day IPAC meeting last week. The partys Director of Election, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah stated that political parties who did not partake in the last should not be given the platform to present reform proposals. According to him, it is not fair that the EC proposes reforms without considering the position of the NDC, the biggest opposition party. But John Boadu on NEAT FMs morning show said their justifications are pointless. Why are they [NDC] giving childish complains? he questioned. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Psychology Expert, Professor Joseph Osafo, has waded into discussions over the galamsey menace in Ghana. Currently in Ghana, there is a fierce war against illegal mining, also called galamsey, as a team of Military officers have been authorized to burn all galamsey equipment as well as remove all persons along river bodies in mining areas. Over 200 changfang machines and excavators have been destroyed by the task force. Recently, the National Women's Organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kate Gyamfua became a victim to the Military operation dubbed ''Operation Halt'' as her excavators were set on fire causing her to weep bitterly in her defence that she wasn't doing galamsey. On the galamsey fight, whereas some people believe the government is using the right approach, there is a school of thought that disagrees. Member of Parliament(MP) for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is a member of the school of thought that disagrees with the government's approach. To him, burning the excavators will yield no results unless "one galamsey overlord, one real architect, an actual financier is arrested and prosecuted". He has suggested that, to end galamsey, the kingpins must be arrested. "How come not even one architect behind this galamsey operation has been arrested? To start a galamsey operation, you need millions of Ghana cedis and so the real perpetrators are not those small boys or the youth who are risking their lives...instead of arresting these guys, we should make them an offer for them to lead us to the real kingpins; if we follow the chain, it will lead us to the barons. Unless we get the real perpetrators, we will always come back to square one," he said in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'. Speaking on the same platform, Prof. Joseph Osafo also described the galamsey menace as a leadership crisis. He noted that there is no way galamsey activity could be carried out in a community without the notice of a leader in the community. To him, like Hon. Ablakwa suggested, the fight against galamsey will yield the required results only when the leaders become responsible. "The galamsey issue is a leadership crisis. There's no doubt. Every land is owned by somebody in Ghana . . . Every galamsey site is either in a town, a village or where people inhabits. So, who owns the place? Because wherever a person stays, there is a leader there. There is a Chief, an Abusuapanin, Assemblyman, DCE, Police Commander and so forth; so wherever this (galamsey) is happening, there is a leadership there," he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds will be holding their wedding in July 2022. The Sun reported that the couple have sent save-the-date cards to family and friends for an event on Saturday July 30 of next year. Though the paper said details of where they will marry remained a secret, the prime ministers Buckinghamshire residence, Chequers, is tipped to host the wedding. Another possible venue is said to be the Port Lympne safari park in Kent, as Symonds works for the conservation charity. Johnson, 55, and Symonds, 33, were the first unmarried couple to live in Downing Street, moving there in July 2019, and he reportedly proposed on holiday on the Caribbean Island of Mustique. If the wedding goes on as planned, Johnson will be the second British prime minister ever to marry while in office, following Robert Jenkinson in 1822. The couple have lately been hit by a scandal over the costly redecoration of their Downing Street flat, which is being probed over allegations that contributions by a Tory party donor were not declared fully. Johnson has been married twice before. He had four children with his previous wife, lawyer Marina Wheeler, before they split in 2018. The couple only finalised their divorce last November. The Prime Minister also reportedly has a daughter born as the result of an affair. 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 Latimeria menadoensis, Tokyo Sea Life Park (Kasai Rinkai Suizokuen), Japan. Credit: OpenCage / Wikipedia. A trio of researchers with Resolve sarl, Ivandry Business Center, The Honorary Research Associate, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity and Makhanda, and Resolve sarl, Ivandry Business Center, Antananarivo has found that due to the advent of gillnet use in the waters around Madagascar, incidences of coelacanth captures have increased. In their paper published in the South African Journal of Science, Andrew Cooke, Michael Bruton and Minosoa Ravololoharinjara describe their study of records describing coelacanth captures and what it showed them about the vulnerability of the fish. Coelacanths are large fish that have three-lobed tails and eight fins, several of which resemble limbsthey also have a non-functional lung. Prior research has suggested that they are related to land-dwelling animals. Coelacanths were once thought to be extinct, but in 1938, one was caught by a fisherman off the coast of South Africa, leading some to refer to them as living fossils. Since the time of the first capture, several more have been captured off the coast of Tanzania and Indonesia as well as off the coast of South Africa. In this new effort, the researchers have found that many of them have also been captured off the coast of Madagascar. The work involved studying catch records made by fishermen, most of whom were using a type of gillnet known as jarifathey are used to capture sharks in deep water. The nets are placed vertically in the water down to depths of 300 meters in underwater canyonsthe same places where coelacanths live. The researchers found far more recorded captures than they were expecting34 between the years 1987 and 2019, enough to suggest that as many of 100 of them may have actually been captured over the past several decades. They note that the increase in captures came during the time when fishermen began using jarifa in response to an increase in demand for shark fins in China. The large number of captures around Madagascar suggest it is the epicenter of coelacanths captures. They also note that such high numbers indicate that coelacanths might be in danger, and because of that, conservation measures should be put in place. More information: Andrew Cooke et al, Coelacanth discoveries in Madagascar, with recommendations on research and conservation, South African Journal of Science (2021). Andrew Cooke et al, Coelacanth discoveries in Madagascar, with recommendations on research and conservation,(2021). DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2021/8541 2021 Science X Network With the excuse of a bomb scare, which turned out to be false, the plane was hijacked and forced to land in Minsk. The arrested journalist Roman Protasevich is accused of terrorism and incitement to revolt for his articles on the 2020 presidential elections. He risks the death penalty. Doubts about Ryanair's attitude. Polish Premier: "An act of state terrorism". Vilnius (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The European Union and the United States have accused Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko and his government of hijacking a plane last night to arrest an opposition activist, journalist Roman Protasevich. Protasevich, 26, was on board a Ryanair plane that had departed from Athens. The aircraft was on its way to Vilnius when Belarusian authorities sent fighter jets to force it to land in Minks. Their justification was an alert that there was a bomb on the plane. Having landed in the Belarusian capital, an inspection showed that the bomb threat was false. On the other hand, the journalist and a young woman were detained, while the plane resumed its flight and arrived in Vilnius six hours after the scheduled time. State media claim that the order to send the fighter jets came directly from Lukashenko. After winning the elections last August, the 66-year-old leader has implemented military measures to wipe out the opposition that accuses him of manipulating the elections. Some opposition leaders are in prison, others - such as Svetlana Tikhanovskaya - are in exile in Lithuania. In a statement, Ryanair refutes all responsibility, saying it received the message of a "potential threat on board" from Belarusian air traffic control and headed to the "nearest" airport, namely Minsk. In fact, according to flight data, when it diverted, the plane was closer to Vilnius than to Minsk. In the statement, Ryanair says that "nothing" was found in Minsk, but does not mention Protasevich and his fate at all. According to some passengers interviewed by Reuters, in flight Protasievich immediately understood what it was and passed his computer and cell phone to a girl who was his companion. Both were arrested. Protasievich was a journalist at Nexta, an online agency. He left Belarus in 2019 and followed the presidential elections in 2020. After that, he was accused of terrorism and inciting a riot. For some he risks the death penalty. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki condemned the gesture of the Belarusian government, calling it "an act of state terrorism". Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, said that this "outrageous and illegal behaviour ... will have consequences". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the "shocking act" and stated that the US will coordinate with its partners for new measures. President Lukashenko and other government figures are already targeted by EU sanctions, imposed after the repression of the opposition. Two phenylene nanorings conjoined by a twisted central benzene, showing a structure similar to the number 8. Credit: ZHANG Xinyu et al. The research team led by Prof. Du Pingwu from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) first successfully synthesized an all-phenylene bismacrocycle (bis- means two) with Siamese-twin structure and used fullerene as guest molecules to assemble a peanut-shaped supramolecular complex. This study was published in Angewandte Chemie. As a new type of carbon material, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted widespread attention because of their outstanding mechanical and photophysical properties. However, the synthesis of CNTs or CNTs fragments with selective simple structure is still a challenge. This study reported a conjugated highly strained all-phenylene Siamese-twin bismacrocycle, SCPP[10]. Two phenylene nanorings, [10]CPP, conjoined by a twisted central benzene, showing a unique 3D structure similar to the number 8. The desired structure is realized through precise select of appropriate building units. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging further characterized this conjugated molecule with Siamese-twin shaped structure at the atomic scale. Researchers applied UV-vis absorption, fluorescence, and theoretical calculations to characterize physical properties of SCPP[10]. Results show that there existed significant redshift of the UV-vis spectrum and fluorescence when compared with the ring component [10]CPP, indicating distinctive nonplanar extended -conjugated enhancement. Correspondingly, the emission colors of SCPP[10] and [10]CPP were yellow and blue under a hand-held UV lamp. Structure (a) and theoretical calculating models (b) of SCPP[10]. STM image (c) shows Siamese-twin shaped structure of SCPP[10]. UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of [10]CPP (the nanoring component of SCPP[10]) and SCPP[10] is shown in (d) and two molecules under UV irradiation at 365 nm. Is shown in (e). Credit: ZHANG Xinyu et al. Besides, the strain energy and largest interphenylene torsion angle of this bismacrocycle were up to 110.59 kcal/mol and 46.07 respectively. Its central benzene had a twisted angle of 10.05. These novel physical characterizations above were all attributed to the special structure of SCPP[10]. Furthermore, SCPP[10] became a proper supramolecular host due to its curved bismacrocyclic space and suitable diameter. A peanut-shaped 1:2 host-guest complex could be formed after SCPP[10], the peanut shell, capturing two PCBM (fullerene derivatives) molecules as seeds. The binding constants K were also calculated according to the UV-vis titration, and the ratio 1:2 was proved by a Job plot. A peanut-shaped 1:2 host-guest complex could be formed after SCPP[10], the peanut shell, capturing two PCBM (fullerene derivatives) molecules as seeds. Credit: ZHANG Xinyu et al. With unique photophysical properties and topology structure, SCPP[10] has been rising as a promising carbon-rich molecule in the photoelectric and supramolecular material field. Provided by University of Science and Technology of China Amphiprion percula, a species of clownfish photographed in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea. Credit: Tane Sinclair-Taylor Charismatic clownfish, the coral reef fish made famous by the film "Finding Nemo," are instantly recognizable by their white stripes. These stripes, which scientists call bars, appear as clownfish mature from larvae into adults in a process called metamorphosis, but how these distinctive patterns form has long remained a mystery. Now, a new study has found that the speed at which these white bars form depends on the species of sea anemone in which the clownfish live. The scientists also discovered that thyroid hormones, which play a key role in metamorphosis, drive how quickly their stripes appear, through changes in the activity of a gene called duox. "Metamorphosis is an important process for clownfishit changes their appearance and also the environment they live in, as clownfish larvae leave life in the open ocean and settle in the reef," said senior author Professor Vincent Laudet, who leads the Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate university (OIST). "Understanding how metamorphosis changes depending on the sea anemone host can help us answer questions not only about how they adapt to these different environments, but also how they might be affected by other environmental pressures, like climate change." In the study, published 24th May, 2021 in PNAS, a team of researchers from the Centre for Island Research and Environmental Observatory (CRIOBE) in France first surveyed the clownfish species, Amphiprion percula, in Kimbe bay, Papua New Guinea. The clownfish there can live either in the magnificent sea anemone, Heteractis magnifica, or the more toxic giant carpet anemone, Stichodactyla gigantea. During the survey, the team noticed that juvenile clownfish that lived in the giant carpet anemone gained their adult white bars faster than clownfish living in the magnificent sea anemone. During metamorphosis, the clownfish, Amphiprion percula, turns a vibrant orange and develops three white bars in succession, from head to tail. The rate at which the bars form depends on the sea anemone that the clownfish live in. Clownfish living in the long-tentacled anemone, Heteractis magnifica, (left) have fewer stripes than clownfish of the same age and size living in the shorter, carpet-style anemone, Stichodactyla gigantea (right). The image shows the typical appearance of clownfish aged 150-200 days. Credit: Fiona Lee, Academia Sinica, Taiwan "We were really interested in understanding not only why bar formation occurs faster or slower depending on the sea anemone, but also what drives these differences," said first author Dr. Pauline Salis, a postdoctoral researcher at the Observatoire Oceanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, Sorbonne Universite Paris, who studies color patterning in coral reef fish. In the lab, the team worked with the clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris, a close relative of Amphiprion percula. They focused on thyroid hormones, which are known to trigger metamorphosis in frogs. The researchers treated larval clownfish with different doses of thyroid hormones. The higher the dose of thyroid hormones, the faster the clownfish developed the white bars, the team reported. Conversely, when the researchers treated the clownfish with a drug that stopped thyroid hormones from being produced, bar formation was delayed. The white bars form due to pigment cells, called iridophores, which express a specific subset of genes. Thyroid hormones accelerated white bar formation by activating these iridophore genes, the research team found. Next, the scientists tested whether these observations held true the field. When the CRIOBE lab returned to Kimbe Bay, they transported juvenile clownfish from both species of sea anemone back to Dr. Salis in France. Levels of thyroid hormones were much higher in the clownfish from the giant carpet anemone than in the clownfish from the magnificent sea anemone, Dr. Salis confirmed. To gain insight into what caused these higher levels of thyroid hormones, the team measured the activity of most genes in the clownfish genome. Clownfish larvae treated with thyroid hormones formed a higher number of bands at an earlier stage of development, compared to control larvae that weren't treated with thyroid hormones. The image shows a control clownfish larvae (top) and a larvae five days after it was given a dose of thyroid hormones (bottom). Credit: Pauline Salis, first author "The big surprise was that out of all these genes, only 36 genes differed between the clownfish from the two sea anemone species," said Prof. Laudet. "And one of these 36 genes, called duox, gave us a real eureka moment." Duox, which makes the protein dual oxidase, plays an important role in the formation of thyroid hormones, previous research has shown. The duox gene showed higher levels of activity in clownfish from the giant carpet anemone, compared to clownfish from the magnificent sea anemone. Further experiments in collaboration with Professor David Parichy from the University of Virginia, U.S., confirmed that duox is important for developing iridophore pigment cells. When the duox gene is inactivated in mutant zebrafish, development of the iridophore pigment cells is delayed, the study found. Taken together, the data suggests that increased activity of duox in clownfish living in the giant carpet anemone result in higher levels of thyroid hormones, and thus the faster rate of white bar formation as iridophore pigment cells develop quicker. However, the research raises still more questions for the scientists to answer, including the ecological reason for this variation in the rate of white bar formation. It may be because the giant carpet anemone is more toxic, with thyroid hormone levels increasing as a response to stress, the researchers speculated. "Here at OIST, we're starting to delve into some possible explanations," said Prof. Laudet. "We suspect that these changes in white bar formation are just the tip of the iceberg, and that many other differences are present that help the clownfish adapt to the two different sea anemone hosts." Explore further Study finds Nemo's bright colours protect it from predators More information: Pauline Salis el al., "Thyroid hormones regulate the formation and environmental plasticity of white bars in clownfishes," PNAS (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Pauline Salis el al., "Thyroid hormones regulate the formation and environmental plasticity of white bars in clownfishes,"(2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2101634118 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Scientists at UC San Diego, San Diego State University and colleagues find that extreme heat and elevated ozone levels, often jointly present during California summers, affect certain ZIP codes more than others. Those areas across the state most adversely affected tend to be poorer areas with greater numbers of unemployed people and more car traffic. The science team based this finding on data about the elevated numbers of people sent to the hospital for pulmonary distress and respiratory infections in lower-income ZIP codes. The study identified hotspots throughout the Central Valley, areas of San Diego County east of downtown San Diego, and places like San Bernardino, where Los Angeles basin smog is often trapped by surrounding mountain ranges, among others. Results appear the week of May 24 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, a division of the California Environmental Protection Agency, funded the research. "This information can be used to activate measures to protect populations in areas which we know will be at increased risk of experiencing a health burden from these co-occurring environmental events and maximize public health benefits," said study lead author Lara Schwarz, a graduate student who is in a joint doctoral program at San Diego State and the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego. In places like California, these public health hazards are expected to appear in unison more frequently as the climate continues to warm and heat waves become more prevalent and long-lasting. The study could enable more targeted public health efforts because of its unprecedented consideration of two common hazards in tandem and its relatively high-resolution breakdown of where they are most likely to cause problems. Previous studies had tended only to evaluate city- or regional-level health trends. "Understanding the health impacts of compounding environmental events such as extreme heat and various air pollutants like tropospheric ozone becomes a priority in a changing climate," said study co-author Tarik Benmarhnia, a climate change epidemiologist with appointments at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. "Such events are more frequent, intense and tend to co-occur, potentially creating synergistic effects on population health impacting the most vulnerable communities." The work could inform early warning systems and prioritize resources more efficiently than at present, the researchers said. Ozone, a gas and a variant molecular form of oxygen, is formed in the lower atmosphere by the reaction of various hydrocarbons to sunlight, especially during hot days. Car exhaust produces such hydrocarbons. Ozone can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions among vulnerable people and is more prevalent in urban areas with more traffic. Extreme heat can similarly affect respiratory health by itself or in combination with high ozone levels. Schwarz's team notes that vulnerability to the excessive heat/ozone combination seems to be diminished in wealthier ZIP codes and correlated results with factors that include better access to healthcare, lower stress levels, and more exercise. "When considering the ZIP code level, certain areas observed strong joint effects," said the study authors. "A lower median income, higher percentage of unemployed residents and exposure to other air pollutants within a ZIP code drove stronger joint effects; a higher percentage of commuters who walk/bicycle, a marker for neighborhood wealth, showed decreased effects." Explore further Fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke more harmful than pollution from other sources More information: Lara Schwarz el al., "Spatial variation in the joint effect of extreme heat events and ozone on respiratory hospitalizations in California," PNAS (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Lara Schwarz el al., "Spatial variation in the joint effect of extreme heat events and ozone on respiratory hospitalizations in California,"(2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2023078118 In 2018, the Camp Fire ripped through the town of Paradise, California at an unprecedented rate. Much of the town was destroyed in the tragedy. Credit: The White House via Wikicommons In 2018, the Camp Fire ripped through the town of Paradise, California at an unprecedented rate. Officials had prepared an evacuation plan that required 3 hours to get residents to safety. The fire, bigger and faster than ever before, spread to the community in only 90 minutes. As climate change intensifies, wildfires in the West are behaving in ways that were unimaginable in the pastand the common disaster response approaches are woefully unprepared for this new reality. In a recent study, a team of researchers led by the University of Utah proposed a framework for simulating dire scenarios, which the authors define as scenarios where there is less time to evacuate an area than is required. The paper, published on April 21, 2021 in the journal Natural Hazards Review, found that minimizing losses during dire scenarios involves elements that are not represented in current simulation models, among them improvisation and altruism. "The world is dealing with situations that exceed our worst case scenarios," said lead author Thomas Cova, professor of geography at the U. "Basically we're calling for planning for the unprecedented, which is a tough thing to do." Most emergency officials in fire-prone regions develop evacuation plans based on the assumptions that wildfires and residents will behave predictably based on past events. However, recent devastating wildfires in Oregon, California and other western states have shown that those assumptions may no longer hold. "Wildfires are really becoming more unpredictable due to climate change. And from a psychological perspective, we have people in the same area being evacuated multiple times in the past 10 years. So, when evacuation orders come, people think, 'Well, nothing happened the last few times. I'm staying,'" said Frank Drews, professor of psychology at the U and co-author of the study. "Given the reality of climate change, it's important to critically assess where we are and say, 'Maybe we can't count on certain assumptions like we did in the past.'" Credit: Cova et. al. (2021) Nat Hazards Rev How to predict the unprecedented The framework allows planners to create a dire wildfire scenariowhen the lead time, defined as the time before the fire reaches a community to respond, is less than the time required to evacuate. The authors developed a scoring system that categorizes each scenario as routine, dire, very dire or extremely dire based on many different factors. One big factor affecting the direness is the ignition location, as one closer to a community offers less time than one farther away. A second major factor is the wildfire detection time. During the day, plumes of smoke can cue a quick response, but if it starts at night when everyone is asleep, it could take longer to get people moving. Officials may delay their decisions to avoid disrupting the community unnecessarily, but a last-minute evacuation order can cause traffic jams or put a strain on low-mobility households. Alert system technologies can create dire circumstances if residents do not receive the warning in time due to poor cellphone coverage or low subscription rates to reverse 911 warning systems. If the community has many near misses with wildfire, the public's response could be to enact a wait-and-see approach before they leave their homes. Using a dire scenario dashboard, the user assigns various factors an impediment levellow, minor or majorthat can change at any point to lessen or increase a situation's direness. "Usually when we run computer simulations, nothing ever goes wrong. But in the real world, things can get much worse halfway through an evacuation," said Cova. "So, what happens when you don't have enough time? The objective switches from getting everyone out to instead minimizing casualties. It's dark." "More people began working remotely from home during the pandemic, which then led to them moving out of large cities into rural areas," explained assistant professor Dapeng Li of the South Dakota State University Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences, a co-author and U alumnus who helped develop the computer simulations. "These rural communities typically have fewer resources and face challenges in rapidly evacuating a larger number of residents in this type of emergency situation." Dire evacuation scenario category based on a score. Credit: Cova et. al. (2021) Nat Hazards Rev Reducing dire scenarios Simulating dire wildfire scenarios can improve planning and the outcomes in cases where everything goes wrong. For example, creating fire shelters and safety zones inside of a community can protect residents who can't get out, while reducing traffic congestion for others who can evacuate. During the 2018 Camp Fire, people improvised temporary refuges in parking lots and community buildings. Modeling could help city planners construct permanent safety areas ahead of time. A common human response during wildfires are improvisations and creative thinking, which are difficult to model but can be literally lifesaving. For example, during the 2020 Creek Fire in California, a nearby military base sent a helicopter to rescue trapped campers. Another crucial component is individuals helping others, such as people giving others rides or warning neighbors who missed the official alert. During the Camp Fire, Joe Kennedy used his bulldozer to singlehandedly clear abandoned cars that were blocking traffic. "It is very common for families and neighbors to assume a first responder role and help each other during disasters," said Laura Siebeneck, associate professor of emergency management and disaster science at the University of North Texas and co-author of the study. "Many times, individuals and groups come together, cooperate, and improvise solutions as needed. Though it is difficult to capture improvisation and altruism in the modeling environment, better understanding human behavior during dire events can potentially lead to better protective actions and preparedness to dire wildfire events." Studying and modeling dire scenarios is necessary to improve the outcomes of unprecedented changes in fire occurrence and behavior. This study is the first attempt to develop a simulation framework for these scenarios, and more research is needed to incorporate the unpredictable elements that create increasingly catastrophic wildfires. Explore further When to evacuate residents during a wildfire More information: Thomas J. Cova et al, Toward Simulating Dire Wildfire Scenarios, Natural Hazards Review (2021). Thomas J. Cova et al, Toward Simulating Dire Wildfire Scenarios,(2021). DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)NH.1527-6996.0000474 Phononic and pair-breaking excitations in a 2D Fermi gas. Credit: Science (2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.abc8793 A team of researchers working at the Institut fur Laserphysik, Universitat Hamburg, has found evidence of superfluidity in an extremely cold 2D gas of fermions. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their work with a 2D Fermi gas and what they learned from it. One of the big challenges remaining in physics is to understand the factors at play with superconductors operating at high temperatures. One approach to achieving that goal involves studying superfluidity in materials. Superfluids are materials that can flow without viscositythough only at speeds lower than their critical velocity. In this new effort, the researchers looked at the possibility of a 2D Fermi gas as a superfluid. Prior research has shown that 3D Fermi gases can exhibit superfluid characteristics, and theory has suggested that 2D Fermi gasses could, as wellbut until now, it had never been demonstrated. The experiment and demonstration by the team in Germany began with the researchers isolating approximately 6,000 lithium-6 ions creating a Fermi gas. They then used optical and magnetic equipment to cool the gas down to near absolute zerothis held the ions firmly in place. The researchers then created a "box" for the atoms by suspending them in a lattice created using two blue lasers. This allowed for confining the atoms into a 2D configuration. The researchers then forced the gas through the lattice using dual red laser beams using an interference pattern. Changing the frequency of the lasers allowed the researchers to vary the speed at which the gas was moved through the lattice. The researchers then tested the gas in the lattice to see if it moved without viscosity and if so, at what speeds. Testing was done by checking the temperature in the lattice as the gas movedin the absence of viscosity, no heat is generated. Their experiments showed the gas to be a superfluid and that it phase-transitioned to a regular gas at 35 nKwhich they note, agrees with what had been theorized. They suggest their work has created a path forward for studying superfluidity in 2D fermionic materials. More information: Lennart Sobirey et al, Observation of superfluidity in a strongly correlated two-dimensional Fermi gas, Science (2021). Journal information: Science Lennart Sobirey et al, Observation of superfluidity in a strongly correlated two-dimensional Fermi gas,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.abc8793 2021 Science X Network Credit: Cranfield University Forensic archaeologists and anthropologists from Cranfield University have started to recover the bodies of victims executed by the Franco regime at the end of the Spanish Civil War during an excavation in the Ciudad Real region of Spain. The team from Cranfield is working with partners from the University Complutense of Madrid (UCM) and social anthropologists from Mapas de Memoria (Maps of Memory) to search for, exhume and identify those executed and buried in the civil cemetery at Almagro between 1939 and 1940. Several bodies with gunshot wounds to the head, personal effects and parts of clothing have already been recovered and in total the team are searching for 26 people in this excavation which is focused on a separate area of the graveyard that has been closed for decades. Families of victims have been found in the hope of identifying relatives through DNA analysis and returning the human remains for proper burial. This exhumation is part of a number of recoveries from the Spanish Civil War which are currently being investigated in Spain. Since 2000, over 7,000 victims have been recovered. Dr. Nicholas Marquez-Grant, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Anthropology at Cranfield Forensic Institute (CFI), who is leading the excavation, said: "This excavation is particularly complex due to the number of victims and subsequent burials in the cemetery during the postwar period. Recovery of the bodies is carried out layer by layer and is only the start of the process to identify and bring dignity to the deceased and help to provide closure and peace to their families." Credit: Cranfield University Jose Barrios, whose great unclealso named Jose Barrioswas executed and buried at the site, said: "When the excavation started I did not feel much but when they found the first body, I saw the skull and the feet of an individual, I thought: we are here now, we are coming to find you." The excavation period will last until the beginning of June and will be followed by a longer investigation involving anthropological analysis in the laboratory and DNA analysis until the end of 2021 to identify human remains recovered. The first stage in the overall process was carried out by Maps of Memory to locate the graves through archival research and contact the families of victims through social networks and testimonies from neighbors. Dr. Jorge Moreno, director of Maps of Memory, a project of the National Distance Learning University (UNED), said: "Whilst archaeologists and forensic anthropologists work from the ground down, social anthropologists work from the ground up. Whilst scientists search for human remains, social anthropologists search for families, their histories and stories. Originally we had four families identified for this excavation and in ten days we now have 21 families and 21 stories. We find bodies on the one hand, and stories on the other that later connect." A total of 11 pits have been identified for the excavation, and several pits have more than one individual in them. Cranfield team members also include graduates and alumni from CFI's Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology MSc. Credit: Cranfield University Once remains are recovered, they are taken to the forensic anthropology laboratory at UCM to identify and determine the circumstances of the death of each of the individuals. Dr. Maria Benito Sanchez, director of the scientific team for the project from the School of Legal Medicine at UCM, said: "As forensic anthropology professionals we have the responsibility of putting our science to the service of the relatives who have been searching for their loved ones for a long time now. Since I started working on mass graves, there have been many rewards which I take with me, and all are for the relativesthey are the engine for this work." Genetic analysis with samples from family members and bone samples recovered then follows and where checks are positive, family members are identified. Remains will then be passed to the families for burial or returned to the cemetery to be buried again if that isn't possible. The wider Memory Maps project, which is funded by the Ciudad Real Provincial Council, has located 53 mass graves and named 3,457 people killed in the province of Ciudad Real by the Franco regime over the last ten years. So far the Almagro excavation is the largest mass grave opened in the province, although there are known to be others with hundreds of people buried in them. Explore further Researchers explore forensic anthropology's current knowledge with transgendender bodies Credit: CC0 Public Domain New research shows that concentrations of the toxic element mercury in rivers and fjords connected to the Greenland Ice Sheet are comparable to rivers in industrial China, an unexpected finding that is raising questions about the effects of glacial melting in an area that is a major exporter of seafood. "There are surprisingly high levels of mercury in the glacier meltwaters we sampled in southwest Greenland," said Jon Hawkings, a postdoctoral researcher at Florida State University and and the German Research Centre for Geosciences. "And that's leading us to look now at a whole host of other questions such as how that mercury could potentially get into the food chain." The study was published today in Nature Geoscience. The international study began as a collaboration between Hawkings and glaciologist Jemma Wadham, a professor at the University of Bristol's Cabot Institute for the Environment. Initially, researchers sampled waters from three different rivers and two fjords next to the ice sheet to gain a better understanding of meltwater water quality from the glacier and how nutrients in these meltwaters may sustain coastal ecosystems. One of the elements they measured for was the potentially toxic element mercury, but they had no expectation that they would find such high concentrations in the water there. Typical dissolved mercury content in rivers are about 110 ng L-1 (the equivalent of a salt grain-sized amount of mercury in an Olympic swimming pool of water). In the glacier meltwater rivers sampled in Greenland, scientists found dissolved mercury levels in excess of 150 ng L-1, far higher than an average river. Particulate mercury carried by glacial flour (the sediment that makes glacial rivers look milky) was found in very high concentrations of more than 2000 ng L-1. With any unusual finding, the results raise more questions than answers. Researchers are unclear if the mercury levels will dissipate farther away from the ice sheet and whether this "glacier" derived mercury is making its way into the aquatic food web, where it can often concentrate further. "We didn't expect there would be anywhere near that amount of mercury in the glacial water there," said Associate Professor of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Rob Spencer. "Naturally, we have hypotheses as to what is leading to these high mercury concentrations, but these findings have raised a whole host of questions that we don't have the answers to yet." Fishing is Greenland's primary industry with the country being a major exporter of cold-water shrimp, halibut and cod. "We've learned from many years of fieldwork at these sites in Western Greenland that glaciers export nutrients to the ocean, but the discovery that they may also carry potential toxins unveils a concerning dimension to how glaciers influence water quality and downstream communities, which may alter in a warming world and highlights the need for further investigation," Wadham said. The finding underscores the complicated reality of rapidly melting ice sheets across the globe. About 10 percent of the Earth's land surface is covered by glaciers, and these environments are undergoing rapid change as a result of rising temperatures. Scientists worldwide are working to understand how warming temperaturesand thus more rapidly melting glacierswill affect geochemical processes critical to life on Earth. "For decades, scientists perceived glaciers as frozen blocks of water that had limited relevance to the Earth's geochemical and biological processes," Spencer said. "But we've shown over the past several years that line of thinking isn't true. This study continues to highlight that these ice sheets are rich with elements of relevance to life." Hawkings also said it was worth noting that this source of mercury is very likely coming from the Earth itself, as opposed to a fossil fuel combustion or other industrial source. That may matter in how scientists and policymakers think about the management of mercury pollution in the future. "All the efforts to manage mercury thus far have come from the idea that the increasing concentrations we have been seeing across the Earth system come primarily from direct anthropogenic activity, like industry," Hawkings said. "But mercury coming from climatically sensitive environments like glaciers could be a source that is much more difficult to manage." More information: Large subglacial source of mercury from the southwestern margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Nature Geoscience (2021). Journal information: Nature Geoscience Large subglacial source of mercury from the southwestern margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-021-00753-w Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A new study by University of Liverpool ecologists warns that heat-induced male infertility will see some species succumb to the effects of climate change earlier than thought. Currently, scientists are trying to predict where species will be lost due to climate change so they can plan effective conservation strategies. However, research on temperature tolerance has generally focused on the temperatures that are lethal to organisms, rather than the temperatures at which organisms can no longer breed. Published in Nature Climate Change, the study of 43 fruit fly (Drosophila) species showed that in almost half of the species, males became sterile at lower than lethal temperatures. Importantly, the worldwide distribution of these species could be predicted much more accurately by including the temperature at which they become sterile, rather than just using their lethal temperature. To give an example, Drosophila lummei males are sterile four degrees below their lethal limit. To put that in context, four degrees is the temperature difference between summer in northern England and the south of France. Dr. Steven Parratt, lead researcher from the University of Liverpool, said: "Our findings strongly suggest that where species can survive in nature is determined by the temperature at which males become sterile, not the lethal temperature. "Unfortunately, we do not have any way to tell which organisms are fertile up to their lethal temperature, and which will be sterilised at cooler temperatures. So, a lot of species may have a hidden vulnerability to high temperatures that has gone unnoticed. This will make conservation more difficult, as we may be overestimating how well many species will do as the planet warms." The researchers went on to model this for one of the Drosophila species using temperature predictions for 2060 and found more than half of areas with temperatures cool enough to survive will be too hot for the males to remain fertile. Dr. Tom Price, senior researcher from the University of Liverpool, commented: "Our work emphasises that temperature-driven fertility losses may be a major threat to biodiversity during climate change. We already had reports of fertility losses at high temperature in everything from pigs to ostriches, to fish, flowers, bees, and even humans. Unfortunately, our research suggests they are not isolated cases, and perhaps half of all species will be vulnerable to thermal infertility. "We now urgently need to understand the range of organisms likely to suffer thermal fertility losses in nature, and the traits that predict vulnerability. We must understand the underlying genetics and physiology, so we can predict which organisms are vulnerable, and perhaps produce breeds of livestock more robust to these challenges." Head of Terrestrial Ecosystems at the Natural Environment Research Council Dr. Simon Kerley said: "This is a highly exciting piece of work that turns on its head our thinking and assumption of the role, rate, and impact of climate change. It really starts to shed light on the hidden and subtle impact of the changing conditions on the myriad of animals that we perhaps take for granted and have not previously considered 'at risk' from our changing climate. Importantly, it alerts us to the understanding this risk could occur sooner than we thought. "This piece of work takes biology, at its most fundamental level, and explores it in a well-known and understood laboratory animal, but then takes that crucial extra step of relating it to the real world and the potential impact if may have on global biodiversity. "With the COP15 and COP26 conferences taking place this year, this study serves as a timely reminder of the need to research and better understand the relationship between climate change and biodiversity loss. The Natural Environmental Research Council will continue to fund this vital research, and UKRI as a whole will work as part of the global effort to safeguard the natural environment for generations to come." The study involved collaborators from the University of Leeds, University of Melbourne, University of Zurich and Stockholm University and was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Explore further Declining male fertility increases climate change vulnerability More information: Temperatures that sterilize males better match global species distributions than lethal temperatures, Nature Climate Change (2021). Journal information: Nature Climate Change Temperatures that sterilize males better match global species distributions than lethal temperatures,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01047-0 Credit: Oregon State University Two species of sand-stabilizing beachgrasses introduced to the Pacific Northwest starting in the early 1900s are hybridizing, raising new questions about impacts to the coastal ecosystems the non-native plants have been engineering for more than a century. Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Science identified the hybrid in a paper published in Ecosphere. In addition to their ecological implications, the findings are important in the context of coastal vulnerability to the effects of climate change, including increasing danger from flooding and erosion from storms and rising water. An OSU collaboration led by integrative biology Ph.D. candidate Rebecca Mostow and professor Sally Hacker employed multiple analytical techniques to show that the beachgrasses that dominate the Northwest's dunes, Ammophila arenaria and A. breviligulata, have hybridized. A. arenaria is a European species and A. breviligulata an American species. Scientists say the hybrid's traits fall between its parent species in many ways, but the hybrid is taller, which is particularly important because shoot height is an indicator of dune-building potential. "Understanding the ecological and population genetic consequences of the hybridization is critical in a system where any change in dominant beachgrass species can have large effects on both biodiversity management and coastal protection," Hacker said. Dunes comprise nearly half of the combined coastline of Oregon and Washington and a quarter of California's. Starting in the early 20th century, the intentional planting of Ammophila beachgrasses has been used as a tool to stabilize an otherwise shifting sand environment. Credit: Oregon State University Beachgrasses grow in stiff, rugged clumps capable of reaching 4 feet tall. Their strong rhizome matthe mass of underground stemshelps stabilize the sand and allows for fast colonization. These clumps are able to capture sand and build dunes at rates of up to 3 feet per year. "By the 1950s, Ammophila arenaria had spread from Mexico to Canada while building tall, continuous coastal foredunes," Mostow said. "Midway through that spread, in the 1930s, Ammophila breviligulata was planted in dunes near the Columbia River. Over the next 50 years, it moved north and dominated the sandy Washington coast. And there's no doubt the spread of these beachgrasses has had a positive impact on development by stabilizing the ground and building dunes that protect the coastline." As with many introduced species, though, the beachgrasses come with ecological costs to the native flora and fauna. Resistant to pests and grazing, the hardy, densely growing plants have changed the ecology of dunes by displacing native plants and animals, including pink sand verbena and the endangered western snowy plover. The OSU researchers say the hybrid of A. arenaria and A. breviligulata has been found at a total of 12 locations in Washington and Oregon. Plant morphologywhat they look like and how they are put togetherare consistent with hybridization, and genotyping and genome-size comparisons show the hybrid is a first-generation blend of the two introduced beachgrasses whose ranges overlap. "Novel hybrid zones are an ecologically important upshot of species introductions and invasions," Mostow said. "Hybridization between different species can lead to gene flow between parent species or produce novel taxa that can alter invasion dynamics or ecosystem services. As far as we know, the Pacific Northwest is the only place in the world where the two Ammophila species have had the opportunity to hybridize." A. breviligulata, Hacker notes, is better than A. arenaria at establishing its place in an ecosystemit competes betterbut A. arenaria builds taller dunes. The strengths and weaknesses trace to differences in grass density, morphology and growth form and their effects on sand capture. "If the hybrid exceeds its parents in traits associated with dune-building, which it very possibly could, then its spread could affect dune shape and size and have huge, ecosystem-scale consequences," she said. "Hybridization could end up resulting in a really invasive taxon or increasing the invasive potential of either parent species." Ongoing research includes a citizen science component in which beachgoers are invited to look for and photograph specimens of the hybrid. Details are available at iNaturalist. Explore further Natural selection helps maintain plant diversity, research finds More information: Rebecca S. Mostow et al, Discovery of a dunebuilding hybrid beachgrass ( Ammophila arenaria A. breviligulata ) in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, Ecosphere (2021). Journal information: Ecosphere Rebecca S. Mostow et al, Discovery of a dunebuilding hybrid beachgrass ( Ammophila arenaria A. breviligulata ) in the U.S. Pacific Northwest,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3501 Galaxy UGC 10738, seen edge-on through the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile, revealing distinct thick and thin discs. Credit: Jesse van de Sande/European Southern Observatory The first detailed cross-section of a galaxy broadly similar to the Milky Way, published today, reveals that our galaxy evolved gradually, instead of being the result of a violent mash-up. The finding throws the origin story of our home into doubt. The galaxy, dubbed UGC 10738, turns out to have distinct 'thick' and 'thin' discs similar to those of the Milky Way. This suggests, contrary to previous theories, that such structures are not the result of a rare long-ago collision with a smaller galaxy. They appear to be the product of more peaceful change. And that is a game-changer. It means that our spiral galaxy home isn't the product of a freak accident. Instead, it is typical. The finding was made by a team led by Nicholas Scott and Jesse van de Sande, from Australia's ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) and the University of Sydney. "Our observations indicate that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs didn't come about because of a gigantic mash-up, but a sort-of 'default' path of galaxy formation and evolution," said Dr. Scott. "From these results we think galaxies with the Milky Way's particular structures and properties could be described as the 'normal' ones." This conclusionpublished in The Astrophysical Journal Lettershas two profound implications. "It was thought that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs formed after a rare violent merger, and so probably wouldn't be found in other spiral galaxies," said Dr. Scott. "Our research shows that's probably wrong, and it evolved 'naturally' without catastrophic interventions. This means Milky Way-type galaxies are probably very common. "It also means we can use existing very detailed observations of the Milky Way as tools to better analyze much more distant galaxies which, for obvious reasons, we can't see as well." The research shows that UGC 10738, like the Milky Way, has a thick disc consisting mainly of ancient starsidentified by their low ratio of iron to hydrogen and helium. Its thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metal. (The sun is a thin-disc star and comprises about 1.5% elements heavier than helium. Thick disc stars have three to 10 times less.) Although such discs have been previously observed in other galaxies, it was impossible to tell whether they hosted the same type of star distributionand therefore similar origins.Scott, van de Sande and colleagues solved this problem by using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe UGC 10738, situated 320 million light years away. The galaxy is angled "edge on," so looking at it offered effectively a cross-section of its structure. "Using an instrument called the multi-unit spectroscopic explorer, or MUSE, we were able to assess the metal ratios of the stars in its thick and thin discs," explained Dr. van de Sande. "They were pretty much the same as those in the Milky Wayancient stars in the thick disc, younger stars in the thin one. We're looking at some other galaxies to make sure, but that's pretty strong evidence that the two galaxies evolved in the same way." Dr. Scott said UGC 10738's edge-on orientation meant it was simple to see which type of stars were in each disc. "It's a bit like telling apart short people from tall people," he said. "It you try to do it from overhead it's impossible, but it if you look from the side it's relatively easy." Co-author Professor Ken Freeman from the Australian National University said, "This is an important step forward in understanding how disk galaxies assembled long ago. We know a lot about how the Milky Way formed, but there was always the worry that the Milky Way is not a typical spiral galaxy. Now we can see that the Milky Way's formation is fairly typical of how other disk galaxies were assembled." ASTRO 3D director, Professor Lisa Kewley, added: "This work shows how the Milky Way fits into the much bigger puzzle of how spiral galaxies formed across 13 billion years of cosmic time." Explore further ALMA sees most distant Milky Way look-alike Provided by ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D) by Vladimir Rozanskij For Metropolitan Sergey, the Russian Orthodox Church is ready for the mission in Asia. The metropolitan see includes four dioceses and 70 parishes in 13 countries. Sergey spoke about encountering various cultures, getting involved in Papua New Guinea, and opening charities in the Philippines and Vietnam. Orthodox priests can now be trained in Davao (Philippines). Pastoral courses are offered on Phuket island (Thailand). Moscow (AsiaNews) Metropolitan Sergey (Chashin) of Singapore and South-East Asia gave a long interview published last Thursday on the Moscow Patriarchate's website saying that the Russian Orthodox Church is ready for the mission in Asia. The Metropolia was created in December 2018 to provide care to the Orthodox in the region after the Moscow Patriarchate broke off relations of ecclesial communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The new entity includes four dioceses in 13 countries where Orthodox Christians are obviously a small minority. The Metropolitan spoke about Easter during the ongoing pandemic and the various health restrictions in countries still in full lockdown; for example, in Cambodia it is forbidden to move between interior regions; in Thailand it was not possible to meet for traditional banquets at the end of the Easter liturgy; in many parishes, it was necessary to book ahead to go to church. Unlike Mother Russia, Easter in these countries is celebrated in hot and humid summer-like weather. Although the churches were open, they were subject to restrictions. Sergeys Metropolia covers a territory with about a billion people, and their own ancient religious traditions. We have a lot of respect for the centuries-old multicultural traditions of the peoples of our Exarchate, he said. Our service here is organised first of all for the pastoral care of orthodox Christians from the canonical territories of the Russian Church, who are here for work and who did not have the opportunity to go to church. However, he noted that in the past, Russia did send missions to Asia, especially to the Pacific coast, following the annexation in the 17th century of Siberia and Asias Far North-East by the Russian Empire, and the establishment of diplomatic and trade relations with China, Korea and Japan (where the Orthodox Church has been autonomous since 1897). The spread of Russian Orthodoxy in Asia did not stop even during the Soviet era. In the 1930s, a church was opened in Manila (Philippines), and shortly afterwards in Java (Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia). In 1946, Alexy I (Simansky), patriarch under Stalin, decided to open the East Asian Exarchate , which was closed by Khrushchev in 1954, during the new persecution of the Church he led. The Southeast Asian Metropolia now has 70 parishes, some restored, many new. One of the most recent missions was to Papua New Guinea, which not so long ago was officially proclaimed a Christian country based on, as the preamble to the countrys constitution reads, our noble traditions and the Christian principles that are ours now. Explorers from the Russian Empire, like Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay, visited the region in the 19th century. Last year, in August, Papua New Guinea and East Timor were included in the Diocese of Singapore, and new Orthodox parishes opened. In October Sergey himself celebrated the first baptism of a Papuan Orthodox. He praises the local Orthodox for strictly observing the fast, which is very important in the Orthodox liturgy; at the same time, he does acknowledge that it is easier for them to do so because of the great abundance of plant foods compared to Russia. This said, fasting, he said, is first and foremost a spiritual commitment in the struggle against one's passions and sins, and in ones dedication to virtue. Here, too, he acknowledges the good disposition of South-East Asians, amazed at the sincere interest in Christ of these peoples, in the purity of their faith, worshipping in churches that are mostly bamboo huts or rooms in private homes. I met so many people who had never heard the sound of an Orthodox choir, happy to welcome us. To me, this seemed an experience close to the original Christianity. While we are used to the practices of Christianity, here the people who meet Christ know how to radically change their lives. The development programmes of the Russian Exarchate in Asia are centred on providing social services to the needy. A new charity was opened in the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam, especially for children and poor families. Local Orthodox priests are now trained at a facility that opened in Davao (Philippines), while pastoral courses are offered on Phuket Island, Thailand. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Climate change impacts felt in the Amazon rainforest prior to the arrival of European settlers after 1492 may have meant populations of indigenous people were already in decline before the 'Great Dying', new research has suggested. Scientists studying fossil pollen and charcoal data from across the Amazon say it appears to show that human management of the rainforest may have peaked around 1200 AD, before some sites were abandoned, allowing reforestation of these areas. The new research, involving University of Reading scientists and published in the journal Science, challenges the prior assumption that the largest population decrease in the Americasknown as the Great Dyingdid not start until after European settlers carried new diseases to the continent. Professor Frank Mayle, a tropical palaeoecology researcher at the University of Reading, and co-author of the study, said: "Our analysis raises the possibility that climate change caused the decline of some Amazonian societies several centuries before the Europeans arrived, especially the more complex societies which may have been too rigid to adapt. "Although the introduction of European diseases, such as small pox, is still likely to have been the reason for the major population decline subsequently seen in the Americas, the research is a warning of the threat climate change poses to society. Knowledge of how different types of ancient society responded to past climate change may provide valuable clues to understanding the fate of today's diverse societies under 21st century global warming." The research was led by Professor Mark Bush at Florida Tech, and included a team of international collaborators who are investigating how pre- and post-European people modified and managed Amazonian forests. Analysis of fossilised pollen and charcoal revealed that many previously deforested lands have been recovering for over 800 years, rather than the 400 years previously supposed, indicating a pre-European population decline. The research team is now looking to assess the drivers and mechanisms of this population drop-off. Finding signatures of initial forest regrowth following ancient human disturbance is important to ongoing discussions about the impact of Pre-Columbian people on Amazon rainforests and the extent to which modern forests exhibit legacies of past human activity. This research also has implications for atmospheric and biosphere science. It was previously believed that the indigenous population collapse in Amazonia following European Contact, and subsequent reforestation, led to the sequestration of so much carbon dioxide that global atmospheric CO2 levels decreased markedly, an event known as the 'Orbis Spike'. Yet the team found no evidence that the Orbis Spike was caused by Amazonian reforestation. Explore further Pollen study shows forest regrowth began hundreds of years before arrival of Europeans in Amazonia More information: M. B. Bush et al, Widespread reforestation before European influence on Amazonia, Science (2021). Journal information: Science M. B. Bush et al, Widespread reforestation before European influence on Amazonia,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.abf3870 Phase-folded PSR J0740+6620 event data for two rotational cycles. Credit: Riley et al., 2021. An international team of astronomers has carried out X-ray observations of a massive millisecond pulsar known as PSR J0740+6620. Results of the observational campaign, presented in a paper published May 14 on the arXiv pre-print repository, deliver important information regarding the properties of this pulsar. Pulsars are highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars emitting a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The most rapidly rotating pulsars, with rotation periods below 30 milliseconds, are known as millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Astronomers assume that they are formed in binary systems when the initially more massive component turns into a neutron star that is then spun up due to accretion of matter from the secondary star. PSR J0740+6620 is an isolated-rotation-powered MSP spinning at approximately 346 Hz as it orbits with a binary companion. Previous studies reported that it contains a high-mass neutron starat least two times more massive than our sun. A group of astronomers led by Thomas E. Riley of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, took a closer look at PSR J0740+6620 in order to shed more light on its nature. For this purpose, they employed the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft. "The PSR J0740+6620 analysis is based on a sequence of exposures with NICER XTI (hereafter NICER) acquired in the period 2018 September 212020 April 17 (...) The XMM-Newton (hereafter XMM) telescope observed PSR J0740+6620 as part of a Director's Discretionary Time program in three visits: 2019 October 26 (ObsID 0851181601), 2019 October 28 (ObsID 0851181401), and 2019 November 1 (ObsID 0851181501)," the researchers wrote in the paper. The observations found that PSR J0740+6620 has an equatorial radius of about 12.39 km and a mass of approximately 2.07 solar masses. The radius is consistent with the values reported by other studies, while the mass is greater than previously thought, as previous studies pointed out to values between 1.34 and 1.44 solar masses. According to the study, PSR J0740+6620 has a spin period of approximately 2.88 ms, and the neutral hydrogen column density for this pulsar was estimated to be at a level of some 450 quintillion/cm. The object is located around 3,900 light years away from the Earth. Given that many parameters of PSR J0740+6620 remain unknown, the authors of the paper plan further investigation of this pulsar using NICER and XMM-Newton. "In future work, we will use the improved pipeline presented in this Letter to perform joint analysis of the NICER and XMM data sets for PSR J0030+0451 and other sources," the researchers noted. More information: A NICER View of the Massive Pulsar PSR J0740+6620 Informed by Radio Timing and XMM-Newton Spectroscopy, arXiv:2105.06980 [astro-ph.HE] A NICER View of the Massive Pulsar PSR J0740+6620 Informed by Radio Timing and XMM-Newton Spectroscopy, arXiv:2105.06980 [astro-ph.HE] arxiv.org/abs/2105.06980 2021 Science X Network Liv Williamson, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, carefully ladles coral larvae into tanks at the Rosenstiel School's Coral Reef Futures Lab. Williamson is part of a first time effort to use rescued corals to breed corals for increased resistance to stony coral tissue loss disease. Credit: Diana Udel For the first time, grooved brain corals rescued from a disease outbreak and maintained in human care have been bred with wild corals that survived the disease, in a collaborative restoration initiative between scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation. This breakthrough research effort represents the first-time cryogenically preserved sperm has been successfully used to crossbreed brain coral parents from different locations, with the goal of enhancing genetic diversity and disease resistance to help protect and restore Florida's depleted coral reefs. Reefs in Florida have been devastated by stony coral tissue loss disease, which has affected over 20 coral species to date. Since first appearing in 2014, it has spread throughout most of Florida's Coral Reef as well as to other reefs in the Caribbean. In 2018, the Florida Coral Rescue Team, led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and NOAA Fisheries, began removing corals from ahead of the disease boundary before they were affected by the outbreak, and distributed them to public aquaria around the U.S., to safeguard the genetic diversity and help restore reefs in the future. Earlier this month, UM Rosenstiel School scientists fertilized eggs from wild Miami colonies of the grooved brain coral, Diploria labyrinthiformis, using frozen sperm collected from rescued corals, which the Florida Aquarium has maintained in human care since 2018. At the same time, Florida Aquarium scientists fertilized eggs from rescued corals using frozen sperm from wild corals that spawned in Key Largo and which was collected by scientists from UM Rosenstiel School, UM's Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies and the Coral Restoration Foundation. "This is the first attempt to use rescue corals to breed for increased resistance to stony coral tissue loss disease," said UM Rosenstiel School coral biologist Andrew Baker, a professor of marine biology and ecology and director of the UM Coral Reef Futures Laboratory. "By cross-breeding the remaining wild brain corals with the rescue corals that were saved earlier, we hope to re-introduce some of the genetic diversity that would otherwise have been lost from Florida's reefs. This diversity is essential to maintain ecosystem resilience to help Florida's reefs survive into the future." For the breeding project to happen, scientists had to act quickly when coral spawning began in the wild earlier this month. Scientists from the UM Rosenstiel School and Florida Aquarium exchanged vials of frozen sperm in a fast-food parking lot in Naples, roughly halfway between the two facilities. The vials, which were transported in coolers filled with liquid nitrogen, were carefully exchanged and the samples returned to both facilities in time for that evening's spawning event. "We planned this in a short phone call a few days before the exchange," said Keri O'Neil, manager and senior scientist of the Florida Aquarium Coral Conservation Program. "With the rapid decline of Florida's coral reef, we cannot sit by and let a spawning event happen without trying to sharpen all of the tools in the toolbox." Both institutions now have offspring from the cross-bred parents. "For all of us, this was our first attempt at using frozen sperm to create offspring with fresh eggs, so we weren't sure it would work," said Liv Williamson, a Ph.D. candidate at the UM Rosenstiel School. "We were thrilled when it did. The larvae have now metamorphosed into tiny baby corals and are doing nicely." "The success of this breeding attempt demonstrates why the Florida Coral Rescue Project was initiated back in 2018" said Jennifer Moore, NOAA Fisheries and co-chair of the Florida Coral Rescue Team. "It offers hope for protecting and restoring Florida's Coral Reef despite the disease" said Lisa Gregg, (FWC) and co-chair of the Coral Rescue Team. The activity was a collaboration between scientists at the UM Rosenstiel School, Florida Aquarium, NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, UM's Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies and the Coral Restoration Foundation. The breeding program is funded by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, and this month's success represents one of the first uses of cryopreservation for the conservation and restoration of Florida's corals. The research effort is also part of the larger $6 million Southeast Florida Coral Restoration Hub, whose goal is to restore 125 acres of reef habitat in Miami-Dade and Broward counties over three years. Timeline of Events: May 2018 and 2019: Grooved brain corals were collected from the Lower Keys as part of the Florida Coral Rescue Project, led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA Fisheries, and held at the Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation. May 2019 and May 2020: The rescued colonies spawned in human care. Florida Aquarium biologist Emily Williams cryopreserved the sperm. March 2021: To avoid damage during upcoming dredging operations, brain corals were removed from the Port of Miami by scientists at the UM Rosenstiel School, and housed temporarily in outdoor tanks ready for restoration to local reefs. May 5-9, 2021: Corals from the Port of Miami spawned at the UM facility. May 6-9, 2021: The rescued corals at Florida Aquarium spawned again. May 6, 2021: Scientists from the UM Rosenstiel School and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Science and Coral Restoration Foundation collected spawn from wild brain corals off Key Largo and UM Ph.D. candidate Liv Williamson cryopreserved the sperm. May 7, 2021: Scientists from UM and Florida Aquarium met in a fast-food parking lot in Naples to exchange vials of frozen sperm from their spawning corals. May 7-8, 2021: Freshly spawned eggs were successfully fertilized using the frozen sperm. May 9, 2021: Coral larvae began metamorphosing into baby corals in the laboratory. Explore further Scientists reproduce coral in lab, offering hope for reefs Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Mosquitoes are one of humanity's greatest nemeses, estimated to spread infections to nearly 700 million people per year and cause more than one million deaths. UC Santa Barbara Distinguished Professor Craig Montell has made a breakthrough in one technique for controlling populations of Aedes aegypti, a mosquito that transmits dengue, yellow fever, Zika and other viruses. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, documents the first use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to target a specific gene tied to fertility in male mosquitoes. The researchers were then able to discern how this mutation can suppress the fertility of female mosquitoes. Montell and his coauthors were working to improve a vector-control practice called the sterile insect technique (SIT). To manage populations, scientists raise a lot of sterile male insects. They then release these males in numbers that overwhelm their wild counterparts. The idea is that females that mate with sterile males before finding a fertile one are themselves rendered infertile, thereby decreasing the size of the next generation. Repeating this technique several times has the potential to crash the population. What's more, because each generation is smaller than the last, releasing a similar number of sterile males has a stronger effect over time. SIT has proven effective in managing a number of agricultural pests, including the medfly (Mediterranean fruit fly), a major pest in California. It has also been attempted with A. aegypti mosquitoes, which originated in Africa, but have since become invasive across many parts of the world, due in no small part to climate change and global travel. In the past, scientists used chemicals or radiation to sterilize male A. aegypti. "There are enough genes that affect fertility that just a random approach of blasting a large number of genes will cause the males to be infertile," said Montell, the Duggan Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. However, the chemicals or radiation impacted the animals' health to such an extent that they were less successful in mating with females, which undercuts the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique. Montell figured there had to be a more targeted approach with less collateral damage. He and his colleagues, including co-first authors Jieyan Chen and Junjie Luo, set out to mutate a gene in mosquitoes that specifically caused male sterility without otherwise impacting the insects' health. The best candidate they found was b2-tubulin (B2t); mutation of the related B2t gene in fruit flies is known to caused male sterility. Using CRISPR/Cas9, the researchers knocked out B2t in male A. aegypti. They found that the mutant males produced no sperm, but unlike in previous efforts, the sterile studs were otherwise completely healthy. There was some debate over whether spermalbeit defective sperm from the sterile maleswas needed to render female mosquitoes infertile, or whether transfer of seminal fluid was all it took. In one experiment, the researchers introduced 15 mutant males into a group of 15 females for 24 hours. Then they swapped the B2t males for 15 wild-type males, and left them there. "Essentially, all of the females remained sterile," Montell said. This confirmed that B2t males could suppress female fertility without producing sperm. Next the team set out to determine how timing played into the effect. They exposed the females to mutant males for different lengths of time. The scientists noticed little difference after 30 minutes, but female fertility quickly dropped after that. Montell noted that females copulated twice on average even during the first 10 minutes. This indicated to him that females have to mate with many sterile males before being rendered infertile themselves. Combining the females with the B2t males for four hours cut female fertility to 20% of normal levels. After eight hours the numbers began leveling out around 10%. With the insights from the time trials, the team sought to approximate SIT under more natural conditions. They added different ratios of B2t and wild-type males at the same time to a population of 15 females for one week, and recorded female fertility. A ratio of about 5 or 6 sterile males to one wild-type male reduced female fertility by half. A ratio of 15 to 1 suppressed fertility to about 20%, where it leveled off. Now, Aedes aegypti populations could easily bounce back from an 80% drop in fertility, Montell remarked. The success of SIT comes from subsequent, successive releases of sterile males, where each release will be more effective than the last as sterile males account for an ever-growing proportion of the population. Montell plans to continue investigating mosquito mating behaviors and fertility. They are devising a way to maintain stocks of B2t males so they are only sterile in the wild and not in the lab. In addition, they are characterizing male mating behavior to uncover new ways to suppress mosquito populations. "We've become very interested in studying many aspects of behavior in Aedes aegypti because these mosquitoes impact the health of so many people," said Montell, who has conducted a lot of research using fruit flies in the past. "There is a pandemic every year from mosquito-borne diseases." "When CRISPER/Cas9 came out several years ago it just offered new opportunities to do things that you couldn't do before," he continued. "So, the time seemed right to for us to start working on Aedes aegypti." Explore further Young male fruit flies make females fight each other more More information: Jieyan Chen el al., "Suppression of female fertility in Aedes aegypti with a CRISPR-targeted male-sterile mutation," PNAS (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Jieyan Chen el al., "Suppression of female fertility in Aedes aegypti with a CRISPR-targeted male-sterile mutation,"(2021). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2105075118 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A cyclone, known as Jobo, made landfall near Dar es Salaam in late April. By this point it had weakened to a tropical depression and impacts were, thankfully, minimal. Land-falling tropical cyclones are rare in Tanzania so past events are outside the memory of most. It had even been suggested that Cyclone Kenneth, which occurred in 2019, was the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in Tanzania. The largest impacts of cyclone Kenneth were felt further south where at least 38 lives were lost and almost 35,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. However, we recently published research which recounts the events of two tropical cyclones which made land-fall in Tanzania, in 1872 and 1952. Using eyewitness accounts from news articles, the British Online Archives and meteorological observations, we show what a devastating impact these storms had. We hope that by documenting these cyclones in Tanzania, it will encourage further investigation into the drivers of tropical cyclones in the southwest Indian Ocean which, to date, have received little research attention. Our concern is that, with a changing climate, these events could become more intense. Rare cyclones Tropical cyclonesalso known as hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacifictypically form over the ocean when the sea surface temperature is at least 26.5C and where there is a sufficiently strong Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect arises because of the earth's spin around its axis. It drives the circular rotation of winds in a cyclone. Countries closer to the equator, north of Tanzania, won't experience tropical cyclones directly. The Coriolis effect is too weak to sustain them, though there can be complex indirect effects of tropical cyclones occurring further south. This can range from delaying onset of rainy seasons, as with Cyclone Idai in 2019, to actually increasing the chance of heavy rainfall, as with cyclones during 2018. Around Tanzania, tropical cyclones are rare, but they've happened before. In 1872 and 1952 the country was hit by devastating cyclones that made landfall in the far north and south respectively. Meteorological records of these events are limited, but there are eyewitness accounts which provide interesting and important information on tropical cyclones along the coast of Tanzania. In 1872, a tropical cyclone tracked across Zanzibar and Bagamoyo, a town to the north of Dar es Salaam. The storm destroyed all of the Sultan's boats in Zanzibar harbor, the Catholic Mission Hospital at Bagamoyo, and two thirds of coconut and clove crops on Zanzibar. An eye-witness account from Zanzibar describes how his window shutters were blasted open as "torrents of water swept in. It was salt water and sand carried by the hurricane." In 1952 another cyclone hit, this time further south, over Lindi. This was reported by the East African Meteorological Department. It caused over US$100 million of damage in today's terms. This included half the buildings in Lindi losing their roof. An account by a ship captain caught in the storm says there were "gusts of well-nigh indescribable fury" with "limited visibility to about 20 meters." There are concerns that changes in the weather could make these events even more intense. More intense? With the warming of sea surface temperatures, especially the rapidly warming Indian Ocean, intense cyclones are expected to become more prevalent. With rising sea levels, storm surges (resulting from the strong winds of cyclones) will cause more wide spread damage. Once-a-century extreme sea-level events, which can result from these storm surges, could strike the East African coastline every year by 2050. In addition, as the air over the ocean warms, more moisture can be transported with storms such as tropical cyclones, driving an increase in maximum rainfall intensity. Forecasting Once a cyclone is on its way, there is no changing where it will hit, nor how it could intensify, but we can see it coming and take precautions to greatly reduce the harm that it does. With satellite imagery and modern weather forecasting, cyclones are often observed many days in advance of landfall. Even before a cyclone is present there are activities which can either increase or decrease the ability of locations to cope with impacts. For example, the destruction of mangroves decreases the natural protection against ocean storm surges. The severity of past events should give impetus to build knowledge of the potential impacts of extreme weather amongst decision-makers, disaster management authorities and the general public. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Virus Like Particles are mimics of the Nudaurelia capensis omega virus a model used to provide dynamic details about the process of viral maturation. Credit: Roger Castells-Graells A critical process in the infection cycle of viruses has been revealed for the first time in dynamic detail using pioneering plant-based technology. Evidence about the process of virus maturation revealed in the research could help us develop new methods for treating viral infections. Maturation plays a critical role for all animal and bacterial viruses and is required to produce infectious virions or particles. Though the outlines of the process have been determined for many groups of viruses, detailed mechanistic studies have not been reported. To provide the first detailed mechanistic study of maturation, Roger Castells-Graells, a rotation Ph.D. student working in Professor. George Lomonossoff's laboratory at the John Innes Centre infiltrated genetic material of the insect virus Nudaurelia capensis omega virus (NV) into dwarf tobacco plants N. benthamiana. This transient expression technique uses virus like particles (VLPs) which are mimics of the authentic virus. The capsid or protein coat of the virus is produced by plant cells and the research team then analyzes the material purified from infiltrated leaves. The research demonstrated that maturation of procapsidsimmature viral structurescan occur within plant cells to yield fully functional mature capsids. This has not been observed previously in the absence of a natural infection and is a new application for the transient expression system pioneered by Professor Lomonossoff at the John Innes Centre. Comparative cryo-EM analysis of the structures of the procapsids and mature capsids revealed the large structural rearrangements both inside and between the protein subunits of the capsid that accompany maturation. These shape changes enable the chemical reactions that are necessary for the virus to infect the host. Professor Lomonossoff, a group leader at the John Innes Centre, said: "Most structural studies of virus particles to date have given a static picture of the particles. By isolating particles from plants that are undergoing the process of maturation, we have managed to obtain a picture of the dynamics of an essential part of a virus infection cycle." The present study, a collaboration involving scientists at the University of Leeds, in Brazil and the USA, as well as at the John Innes Centre, reveals details of the structures at the beginning and the end of the maturation process. What is now required is an analysis of intermediate steps to get a complete understanding of the dynamics. This will enable the research team to determine the 3D structures of intermediates in the maturation process to create a "movie." "We have shown that maturation occurs over time within plant cells and that means we have discovered a valuable tool for studying virus maturation. We hope it will be of interest to potential collaborators and industry," said Professor Lomonossoff. Plant-expressed virus-like particles reveal the intricate maturation process of a eukaryotic virus appears in Communications Biology Explore further A first step to plant made dengue virus vaccines More information: Roger Castells-Graells et al, Plant-expressed virus-like particles reveal the intricate maturation process of a eukaryotic virus, Communications Biology (2021). Journal information: Communications Biology Roger Castells-Graells et al, Plant-expressed virus-like particles reveal the intricate maturation process of a eukaryotic virus,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02134-w People gather on a stream of cold lava rock following the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Goma, Congo, Sunday, May 23, 2021. The volcano unleashed lava that destroyed homes on the outskirts of Goma but the city of nearly 2 million people was mostly spared after the nighttime eruption. Residents of the Buhene area said many homes had caught fire as lava oozed into their neighborhood. Credit: AP Photo/Clarice Butsapu Torrents of lava poured into villages after dark in eastern Congo with little warning, leaving at least 15 people dead amid the chaos and destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors said Sunday. The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on Saturday night sent about 5,000 people fleeing from the city of Goma across the nearby border into Rwanda, while another 25,000 others sought refuge to the northwest in Sake, the U.N. children's agency said Sunday. More than 170 children were still feared missing Sunday, and UNICEF officials said they were organizing transit centers to help unaccompanied children in the wake of the disaster. Goma ultimately was largely spared the mass destruction caused by the volcano's last eruption in 2002. Hundreds died then and more than 100,000 people were left homeless. But in outlying villages closer to the volcano, Sunday was marked by grief and uncertainty. Aline Bichikwebo and her baby managed to escape when the lava flow reached her village, but said both her mother and father were among those who perished. Community members gave a provisional toll of 10 dead in Bugamba alone, though provincial authorities said it was too soon to know how many lives were lost. Bichikwebo says she tried to rescue her father but wasn't strong enough to move him to safety before the family's home was ignited by lava. People gather on a stream of cold lava rock following the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Goma, Congo, Sunday, May 23, 2021. Witnesses say Congo's Mount Nyiragongo volcano unleashed lava that destroyed homes on the outskirts of Goma but the city of nearly 2 million was mostly spared after the nighttime eruption. Residents of the Buhene area said many homes had caught fire as lava oozed into their neighborhood. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba "I am asking for help because everything we had is gone," she said, clutching her baby. "We don't even have a pot. We are now orphans and we have nothing." The air remained thick with smoke because of how many homes had caught fire when the lava came. "People are still panicking and are hungry," resident Alumba Sutoye said. "They don't even know where they are going to spend the night." Elsewhere, authorities said at least five other people had died in a truck crash while they were trying to evacuate Goma, but the scale of the loss had yet to be determined in some of the hardest-hit communities. Residents said there was little warning before the dark sky turned a fiery red, sending people running for their lives in all directions. One woman went into labor and gave birth while fleeing the eruption to Rwanda, the national broadcaster there said. Residents check the damages caused by lava from the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, seen in background, in Buhene, on the outskirts of Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. Congo's Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba People gather on a stream of cold lava rock following the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Goma, Congo, Sunday, May 23, 2021. Witnesses say Congo's Mount Nyiragongo volcano unleashed lava that destroyed homes on the outskirts of Goma but the city of nearly 2 million was mostly spared after the nighttime eruption. Residents of the Buhene area said many homes had caught fire as lava oozed into their neighborhood. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba People who fled to Rwanda during the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo return to Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. Congo's Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba People gather on a stream of cold lava rock following the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Goma, Congo, Sunday, May 23, 2021. Witnesses say Congo's Mount Nyiragongo volcano unleashed lava that destroyed homes on the outskirts of Goma but the city of nearly 2 million was mostly spared after the nighttime eruption. Residents of the Buhene area said many homes had caught fire as lava oozed into their neighborhood. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba Residents check the damages caused by lava from the overnight eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Buhene, on the outskirts of Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. Congo's Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba Lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo is seen in Buhene, on the outskirts of Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. Congo's Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba A person stands in front of lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, in Buhene, on the outskirts of Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. Congo's Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba People stand and take selfies in front of lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, in Buhene, on the outskirts of Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. Congo's Mount Nyiragongo erupted for the first time in nearly two decades Saturday, turning the night sky a fiery red and sending lava onto a major highway as panicked residents tried to flee Goma, a city of nearly 2 million. Credit: AP Photo/Justin Kabumba Smoke rose from smoldering heaps of lava in the Buhene area near the city Sunday. "We have seen the loss of almost an entire neighborhood," Innocent Bahala Shamavu said. "All the houses in Buhene neighborhood were burned and that's why we are asking all the provincial authorities and authorities at the national level as well as all the partners, all the people of good faith in the world, to come to the aid of this population." Elsewhere, witnesses said lava had engulfed one highway connecting Goma with the city of Beni. However, the airport appeared to be spared the same fate as 2002 when lava flowed onto the runways. Goma is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies in the region, as well as the U.N. peacekeeping mission. While Goma is home to many U.N. peacekeepers and aid workers, much of surrounding eastern Congo is under threat from myriad armed groups vying for control of the region's mineral resources. Explore further Goma city 'spared' as river of lava from DRC volcano halts 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Shutterstock It won't come as a surprise to anyone that women are underrepresented in leadership roles in many industries. This has led to a proliferation of women-only mentoring programs designed to challenge industry standards for female participation. The idea is to normalize women's participation at all employment levels, especially senior ones. However, our year-long prize-winning international study focused on university mentoring programs has discovered women-only mentoring programs are not all they seem. Surprisingly, they can perpetuate the gendered hierarchies they attempt to remove. Through mentoring, women who have succeeded on male terms set other women on the same path. This might not be so surprising if you think about Homer's Odysseythe original story of mentoring. In this myth, the figure of Mentor cares for the young boy Telemachus while his father, Odysseus, is away at war. But the guidance that Mentor provides to Telemachus is designed to keep things just as they were in Odysseus's absence, ensuring the system of power is maintained. We found a similar thing happens in the modern university. Our study found that, without meaning to, female mentors and mentees participated in the conditions of their own domination, thus keeping male bias and advantage firmly in place. Our study collected detailed data from mentors and mentees from a range of academic disciplines in universities across the Western world, including several in Australia. These programs typically work by matching the specific career goals of junior women with senior women who have already achieved them. In doing so, women who have risen to the top of the university, despite its gender bias, give structural support to junior women so they can make it to the top, too. Having made it into the senior roles of professor or associate professor, dean or pro vice chancellor, these exceptional women advise their juniors on how to replicate their actions. The junior women can then follow a tried and tested pathway to success. Senior men often lend their support to these programs, too, making sure women are afforded equal opportunities. However, by replicating the actions of the mentors, junior women are merely trained how to navigate a system that favors men. For instance, women can calculate the time and effort they could not put into research while pregnant or caring for their children. This is taken into account when their applications for research funding are considered. That sounds like it ensures equity, but it reveals women have to explain the reasons for not producing as much as the standard male figure would. Instead of asking why women were compared against a male standard, mentors often gave advice about how to navigate the system. For instance, male colleagues accused some woman in our study of "playing the baby card" to excuse research outputs lower than their own. Mentees were often advised about how best to play the baby card to make them look like they were outperforming men, rather than excusing themselves from doing research. Whether a woman is made to look worse or better than her male colleagues, she is still judged against a male standard that our research participants rarely questioned. Playing by the existing rules Because women in our study genuinely wanted to help junior women to make it, they did not see these kinds of problems. In fact, their very generosity contributes significantly to perpetuating the patriarchal system. When senior women generously give their knowledge, junior women become indebted to them. One mentee said: "I always feel a combination of being thrilled and feeling guilty when I have an appointment with [my mentor] because I know there's a zillion things she could be doing instead [] I know how much I owe her [] I pay her back by being successful." When they pay their mentors back, they do so in the same gender-biased terms in which they were mentored; and so it continues for generations of women. Meanwhile, the female participation rate in the top positions in universities remains low. Our research showed mentoring practices can conceal power relations and their effects. That's because they teach women how to work within, rather than change, a system biased against them. So does this mean we should abandon mentoring programs? Not at all. But to really achieve gender equity, programs must stop helping women to succeed on existing male standards. Standards are hardly fair if they're biased to begin with. Institutions can do this if they stop making junior staff into replicas of successful senior members. It is difficult to abandon current programs because we've so thoroughly accepted what success is supposed to look like. And it's hard to level criticisms at well-intentioned programs established especially for women. But it's necessary so we can make sure they actually are good at eliminating gender bias, especially in light of growing awareness of how women have been treated more broadly, including in our own parliamentary system. Approaches to mentoring need to change so they can really change things for women in universities and beyond. If they don't, the impact women can make on what we know about the world might never be realizedand it if isn't, we can expect gender bias will continue. Explore further Women mentoring men could help solve workplace gender bias, inequality This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. He is a retired police officer, however, and as a courtesy to the school resource officer, he said he moved to the sidewalk outside the entrance gate. After about a half hour, the school resource officer told them they had to be 500 feet from the school. Davidson said they were not going anywhere, because they were on a public right of way and not creating any issues. A short time later, Davidson said they were surrounded by three Granville police officers, two sheriffs deputies and a state trooper. At that point, Davidson said he called the Granville police chief, who agreed to tell the school resource officer to stand down. Superintendent McGurl showed up with one of the poll workers that said she had complaints that we were intimidating voters and blocking traffic. I and others there assured her we had not. The poll worker then started speaking in a very loud voice and saying that if we want people to vote for our candidates this is not the way to do it and that we were pissing people off by being there. I told her to stop and that this was not an issue that she should be involved with, he wrote in the email. Davidson refused to leave. Davidson said he believes McGurl had planned on having him and Austin arrested. by Sumon Corraya Appointed in February, he had to postpone his installation due to the pandemic. He served as auxiliary bishop of Chittagong from 2009 to 2016, and later as bishop of Barisal. Speaking to his community, the new archbishop said, we should focus on Jesus Christ and preaching the Gospel. Because Jesus solves our problems. Dhaka (AsiaNews) Mgr Lawrence Subrato Howlader, a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, is the new Archbishop of Chittagong (Chattogram). Archbishop Bejoy N'D Cruze of Dhaka presided over the ceremony held last Saturday while the new archbishop led the Eucharist. Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Howlader on 19 February; he was scheduled to be installed on 9 April, but the pandemic delayed the event until it could be held in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Chattogram. The service took place in the presence of a limited number of bishops, priests and faithful, while most Catholics followed the celebration live on Facebook. Archbishop Howlader was born in Nobogram, Diocese of Barisal, on 11 September 1965. Ordained priest in 1994, he served as Auxiliary Bishop of Chittagong (Chattogram) from 2009 to 2016, when he was appointed Bishop of Barisal. He also chaired the Episcopal Commission for Youth, Clergy and Religious. In his homily, the new archbishop said: Problems will exist in our lives and in the Church, but we should focus on Jesus Christ and preaching the Gospel. Because Jesus solves our problems. In our life, preaching the Gospel is our main responsibility. The word of God can form and prepare the mind of human beings. All kinds of problems can be solved by the Bible. We can realise God's plan by holding it. Archbishop Howlader urged the faithful and religious to emphasise preaching the Gospel in our diocese and become witnesses of Christ. He also mentioned the religious and lay leaders who contributed to the life of this archdiocese, starting with his predecessor Archbishop Moses M Costa, also a member of the Holy Cross, who passed away from a stroke on 13 July 2020, at the age of 70. During the ceremony, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop George Kocherry, called on Catholics, priests, men and women religious to help the new archbishop. Acknowledging their hard and active work, the nuncio added that through their collaboration and participation, this archdiocese will reach new goals. Addressing Archbishop Howlader directly, he told him to be the best shepherd. Through your inspiration, your faithful will be the best witnesses of Jesus Christ. Catholics number 29,760 in the Archdiocese of Chittagong with 11 parishes, 4 mission centres, 15 sub-centres, and 262 villages and districts. It has 23 priests, 13 religious brothers, 69 nuns and 177 catechists, with 27 seminarians training for the priesthood. The first Catholics arrived in Chattogram in 1518. The diocese was founded in 1927 and elevated to Archdiocese status in 2017. GLENS FALLS The Glens Falls Hospital medical staff is raising money for the education fund of the only child of a nurse who was killed last winter in the hospital parking lot. Kristen Stevenson died on Jan. 26 when she was struck by a plow truck. Police said she walked behind the vehicle as it was backing up just after 5 p.m. on Jan. 26. Stevenson was a nurse in the cardiac catheterization lab. Hospital officials created an education fund for her son Landon, 13. This month, the medical staff donated $20,000 to the fund. And also today, we challenge all members of the medical staff to step up and make a personal contribution to the fund. Our goal is to at least double this $20,000 in memory of Kristin and to help insure Landons future, said Dr. Christopher Mason, president of the Glens Falls Hospital medical staff. Local financial planning firm Legacy Planning Partners is managing the fund. The accident is still under investigation by police and OSHA, and the hospital has been told that will take up to 18 months. Warren County Health Services reported five new Warren County resident COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, along with five additional recoveries. Four individuals are hospitalized, unchanged from Saturday. One is critically ill and three are moderately ill. Health Services staff were monitoring 46 active COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, with 42 of these cases involving mild illness. As vaccination rates increase, Warren Countys active case figure is 61% lower than it was a month ago, officials said in a news release. All of Sundays new cases involved members of the community. Warren County Health Services say they continue to regularly see cases related to workplace exposures, and officials ask that COVID precautions be observed in the workplace, particularly among the unvaccinated. Do not go to work if feeling ill. Warren County has had 15 fully vaccinated people test positive for COVID-19, all with mild illness, out of 34,183 fully vaccinated residents. Trump isn't the only topic of discussion in the race, amid reignited concern over street crime and the ongoing debate about criminal justice and the role of prosecutors, renewed in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd a year ago. At the beginning of the race, maybe last year, a lot of folks thought that Trump would be a primary talking point, but he doesnt really seem to be the main issue in this crop of candidates, said Christina Greer, political science professor at Fordham University. Hes in a long list of issues, but crime and how the DA will prosecute particular cases seem to be the more prescient issues. The city has seen more than 155 homicides since the start of the year, the highest number for that period since 2011. Other major crime categories, including robberies, burglaries and felonious assaults, remain largely where they were before the coronavirus pandemic. The race could decide whether the next district attorney will continue criminal justice reforms, which in recent years have included scaling back drug prosecutions and locking up fewer defendants for long periods while they await trial. Welcome back to you ask and Ill answer. For those of you just tuning in, you can find me at, Michael@passionvines.com. I welcome you to email me with any wine related questions and I will use this monthly column to answer them. While I will not be able to answer all of them in this column, I do promise to always provide an answer via email. Q: Tom H. from Margate asks, How long will my open bottle of wine last? A: This can be a little tricky, but a young, fresh wine meant for everyday drinking often shows itself best two days after opening. An oaked wine still meant for early consumption will still reward you 3-5 days after opening. You can slow the degradation of these wines by storing them in the fridge, but typically you wont get the intended experience a week after opening the bottle. Older wines that have been cellar-aged will start to deteriorate quickly once opened, so consume these wines as soon as you can. The exception is a fortified wine; Aged Tawny Ports can last you a solid month after opening, while Madeira is virtually indestructible. You can open it, be called away for work for months and return to a great-tasting bottle of Madeira. The easiest way to solve this problem? Invite enough friends and family to help you finish the bottle. Local top story Two killed, at least 12 wounded after house-party shooting in Cumberland County Matt Rourke photos, Associated press Police gather at the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. Matt Rourke Investigators work the scene in front of the home. Police say the shooting occurred Saturday night. Matt Rourke Investigators works the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Matt Rourke - staff, AP CORRECTS LOCATION TO FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, NOT BRIDGETON - Police gather at the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. 6ABC.com This screenshot of a video provided by 6ABC.com shows a home in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, where State Police are investigating a shooting that occurred Saturday night. 6ABC.com This screen shot from a 6ABC.com news report shows State Police investigating a vehicle in a cemetery near where the shooting took place. Matt Rourke Police gather at the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County. Police blocked the westbound lanes of East Commerce Street, or Route 49, during the investigation. Matt Rourke Investigators works the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Matt Rourke Investigators works the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Matt Rourke, Associated Press Investigators work the scene of a fatal shooting at a home in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, on Sunday. Matt Rourke Investigators works the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Matt Rourke Investigators works the scene of a shooting in Fairfield Township, N.J., Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) VINCENT JACKSON / STAFF WRITER Wright FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP Two people are dead and 12 others injured after a shooting at a house party with hundreds of people Saturday night in Cumberland County, police said. At 11:50 p.m. Saturday, State Police from Troop A Bridgeton Station responded to a residence in the 1000 block of East Commerce Street. When troopers arrived, they discovered that a 30-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman sustained fatal gunshot wounds, and 12 other adults already had been transported to area hospitals with various injuries, police said. Police also said in a statement released on Facebook on Sunday morning that one of the confirmed 12 victims sustained serious injuries and was in critical condition. No arrests have been made, and the motive and incident are under investigation. Joeron Pierce, 20, lives a couple of blocks down from the shooting. He was awake to witness the immediate aftermath. Man, it was like pandemonium down here. People were driving down the street all erratic, Pierce said. People who attended the party parked their cars on of Route 49 and on both sides of Gouldtown Woodruff Road, both in front of and across the street from the nearby Fairfield Township School, Pierce said. Once the gunfire started, people ran from the party and to their cars to drive away. VINCENT JACKSON / STAFF WRITER Pierce Joeron Pierce, 20, of Fairfield Township, was at home when a mass shooting took place on May 22 at a private home on Route 49 in a suburb of Bridgeton, Cumberland County. Pierce said people ran into his friends yard and rang his friends doorbell. People were screaming and hollering on their phones trying to get in touch with people. It was nuts, he said. We have not had anything this big in a long time. This is a really a peaceful area. This stuff happens more in the city (of Bridgeton). Every now and then, you might get something, but nothing this catastrophic. A woman who lives on Gouldtown Woodruff Road and did not want to be identified first noticed cars parked on both sides of East Commerce Street as the sun set Saturday night. Later at 11:30 p.m., she looked out her window and noticed the rare occurrence of cars parked on both sides of her road as well. She was about to call the police when she then heard gunshots that sounded like firecrackers. East Commerce Street is also known as Route 49 and is the main road connecting Millville to Bridgeton in Cumberland County. Fairfield Township is a township that wraps around the eastern part of Bridgeton with about 6,000 residents. The home is across the road from Gouldtown Memorial Park Cemetery, which is located next to Trinity AME Church. Fairfield Township School is just around the corner from the home on Gouldtown Woodruff Road. Early Sunday morning, a dumptruck, a truck from the N.J. Department of Transportation and cones kept traffic from driving west down Route 49. Beyond the capital black letters on yellow police tape that said DO NOT CROSS, three marked State Police cars and a Salvation Army truck were visible. The back of a State Police crime scene investigation truck was opened toward the front door of the house. Fairfield Township Mayor Benjamin Byrd Sr., who was at the scene Sunday morning, said that New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy offered his support and help. Nobody knows when someones going to come out of the woods with a gun, Byrd said. Murphy will hold a news conference with Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, State Police Col. Patrick J. Callahan and Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae at 10 a.m. Monday in front of the prosecutors office in Vineland. We hold those who have died, and their families, in our prayers today, and we also pray for the recoveries of those injured. We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and stand with them as they continue their investigation, Murphy said in a statement. Let there be no mistake: This despicable and cowardly act of gun violence only steels our commitment to ensuring New Jersey leads the nation in passing and enforcing strong and commonsense gun-safety laws. No community should ever experience what occurred last night in Fairfield, he added. The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners expressed shock at the senseless gun violence. The investigation into this tragic crime is being led by the New Jersey State Police, said Commissioner Director Joseph Derella in a statement. Our County Prosecutors Office will be lending assistance as is requested and necessary. Minister Allahdjinn Wright, of Union Baptist Temple Church in Bridgeton, and Isaiah White, of Gods Location Church in Millville, were on the scene of the shooting, praying for the city. Their prayers were streamed live on the Gods Location Churchs Facebook page. Wright, who has lived more than 50 years in Bridgeton, said it was a fitting that a cemetery is a part of the crime scene because you have many family members, many daughters, many moms and dads, who were worried about their children Saturday night. I came to pray for all these families impacted, all these young people that are dead, and the five survivors that are holding on right now. We are an active body of believers. I have Jesus Christ. I take him everywhere, so why not come here, look at the scene, post it live and pray for it, Wright said. John Fuqua, who runs a local anti-violence organization called Life Worth Living, said he was called out Saturday night to assist families. He said the shooting happened at a 90s-themed party where guests ranged from teenagers to senior citizens. NBC10 in Philadelphia reported that several people showed up at area hospitals, including Cooper Medical Center in Camden. CNN.com reported that Cooper treated six victims from the shooting and that two of them were released. Their conditions were unavailable. Eric Comer said he was in bed at around midnight when he heard all this commotion from his neighbors. Comer had heard that one woman was supposedly shot in the head. He believes he knows her family. He said the shooting was a shame, and his heart goes out to those who were injured or killed. We do protests and all of that because it is wrong for cops to kill Black people, but you have Black people killing Black people, said Comer, 48, who has lived in Fairfield Township for the past 18 years. Thats wrong. Thats terrible. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Jersey State Police Bridgeton Station at 856-451-0101 or submit a tip via the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office tip website at www.njccpo.org/tips. Anonymous tips are welcome. The Associated Press contributed to this report. And so many questions ran through his mind. How does he go about owning a home? Who does he talk to? Is his credit good enough? Kirkland was born and raised in Atlantic City and currently rents there. He has no plans of leaving the city either, he said. Being from Atlantic City where I was born and raised, I work in the community. I want to be a part of Atlantic City, and I really want to have my home here, he said. My roots are here. In working with the program, hes corresponded with financial advisers and real estate agents about what to expect and the dos and donts of buying a home. Through the program, he discovered that he is in a position to buy a home and has started looking at properties in the city. I thought it would take two or three years to be in a position (to buy), but they really walked me through step by step, he said. I know I have been working hard to redo my credit, pay off some things and be in the position. I always wanted to own a home. The pilot program through the hospital was implemented in March and has worked with more than 30 employees in their home-buying efforts. He said that a trooper in the area heard what sounded like gunshots or fireworks and responded to the noise, as well as troopers from Port Norris and Bridgeton. At the same, 911 dispatchers began receiving calls regarding the shooting. Numerous firearms were recovered, he said. Webb-McRae said the shooting victims, both men and women, ranged in age from 19 to 35 and all are from Cumberland County. We mourn the loss of life and the senseless violence, Webb-McRae said. We remind the community that we need their help in bringing those responsible to justice. She asked anyone with photos or video from the party, anyone who was at the party, and anyone who witnessed suspicious activity after the party to contact police. We all have a role to play in restoring safety and security to our community, she said. As of Monday morning, the home on Commerce Street seemed empty. All of the blinds on the windows were shut and the only sign of a party was a picnic table left behind on the front lawn. Three people in separate cars arrived to the home around 10 minutes apart from one another. Each person went to the front door, rang the doorbell or knocked and waited for someone to answer. TRENTON Two New York men have been indicted by a state grand jury for allegedly stabbing two other men during a melee at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino last July, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Monday. Jabari O. Cummings, 31, of Brooklyn, and Delroy H. McNeil, 33, of Queens, were indicted Friday on charges of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. Cummings was also charged with possession of cocaine and tampering with physical evidence. The charges stem from fights that broke out July 20 inside Tropicana that involved two groups of people, one from New York and one from New Jersey. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} One altercation broke out in a restroom, where McNeil allegedly stabbed a New Jersey man. The victim sustained injuries to the chest and abdomen, officials said in a news release. Almost simultaneously, a fight broke out nearby on the casino floor, during which Cummings allegedly stabbed another man from New Jersey. That man suffered a stab wound to the left side of his chest that lacerated his lung, officials said. Both victims survived. For companies such as Del Monte Foods and Heinz, Erdner would store many of their cans of vegetables to later be sold hence, the canhouse label on some of the buildings, said Erdners son, Larry, 86, who lives in Pilesgrove. It was Erdners idea to emblazon his warehouses with the profundities of his time, Ober said. I asked him, Earl, whered you get those sayings? He said people gave them to him. His rule was, If you do business with me and hand me a saying, Ill just put it on the wall. Larry said his father assigned an art teacher from Bridgeton to paint the maxims on the buildings every summer. It was a full-time job, and hed keep coming back to repaint them, Larry said. Ober said hes tried to maintain the old chestnuts in their original condition, but it costs a fortune to go over every letter with black paint. Most of the Erdner pearls in the Woodstown grouping are exhibited on three buildings operated by Helena Agri-Enterprises, an outfit that helps farmers improve productivity. While the dictums are products of a bygone era, the idea of roadside messaging hasnt gone out of style. Suu Kyis supporters say the proceedings are politically motivated and are meant to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. If convicted of any of the offenses, she could be banned from running in the election that the junta has pledged to hold within one or two years of its takeover. Also Monday, an American journalist working for a Myanmar news magazine was detained at Yangon's airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Malaysia. Frontier Myanmar said it does not know why its managing editor, Danny Fenster, was detained. The junta has arrested about 80 journalists, roughly half of whom remain detained awaiting charges or trial. The military ousted Suu Kyis government after her party won a landslide victory in a general election last November that would have given it a second five-year term in office. Before the start of democratic reforms a decade ago, Myanmar was ruled by the military for 50 years. The junta claims it was justified in taking power because of alleged widespread election fraud, especially irregularities in voting lists. The Asian Network for Free Elections, a non-partisan poll watching organization, in a report issued last week rejected the militarys allegations of massive fraud, saying the results of the voting were representative of the will of the people. The Synod is nothing more than making explicit what Lumen Gentium says: The totality of God's people, everything from the bishop down, is infallibile in credendo (infallible in belief), i.e. cannot be wrong. There is harmony in such unity, but such faith must be made explicit. Rome (AsiaNews) Pope Francis spoke this afternoon at the opening session of the 74th General Assembly of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Italy, currently underway in Rome until 27 May. In his address, the pontiff said that the Synod must start from the bottom up, that is from small communities, small parishes. This will require from us to be patient, work, and let people speak so that the wisdom of Gods people can come out. The Synod is nothing more than making explicit what Lumen Gentium says: The totality of God's people, everything from the bishop down, is infallibile in credendo (infallible in belief), i.e. cannot be wrong. There is harmony in such unity, but such faith must be made explicit. The Pope spoke the day after the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops announced the new ways of holding the synodal assembly, which will open in the Vatican and each diocese on 9-10 October 2021, with the Popes address. It will likewise open on Sunday 17 October in the dioceses. This will start the diocesan phase, which will last until April 2022 with the aim of consulting Gods people, so that the synodal process may listen to all the baptised, subject of the sensus fidei infallibile in credendo. This will begin a process that includes a diocesan meeting from which each diocese will send its own contributions to the Bishops Conference. This will lead to a period of discernment by the pastors gathered in assembly who will elaborate a summary to be sent to the Secretariat of the Synod. Other contributions will come from the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, universities, faculties of theology, the Union of Superiors-Superior Generals (USG/UISG), other unions and federations of consecrated life, as well as international lay movements. The General Secretariat of the Synod will draw up the first Instrumentum laboris. As in previous synods, work will proceed from that point on. Crime, homelessness taint perception of A.C. Why would a 35-year, full-time resident of Florida want to move to Atlantic City and why does the same person want to leave?! After spending a part of my childhood on the Jersey Shore, I always felt a love for Atlantic City. After college I left the Jersey Shore for Florida; after 35 years I returned to what was a deep love for me. Atlantic City was always a magical place with tremendous potential. After living here for three years I am saddened to see what is going on. Yes the casinos are investing large amounts of money into their properties and yes the CRDA is keeping up the Boardwalk maintenance, but still the perception of Atlantic City is horrible. Living in Florida I would always hear Atlantic City is fun, but off the Boardwalk you take your life into your own hands. This was and is bad perception. Sunday will be a windy day, as the sunshine continues for another day. Looking at the week ahead, a train of weak low pressure system will pass through. However, they will bring nothing more than perhaps a sprinkle of flurry, meaning these storms have more bark than bite. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. A record of more than 1,800 Purdue University Global graduates worldwide took part in virtual commencement ceremonies on Saturday (May 22). It marked Purdue Globals 10th commencement since its formation in 2018. Six ceremonies were streamed live throughout the day. Graduates, who were recognized by their name, degree and photo, received a cap and tassel, PG Proud sign, Purdue For Life gift and celebration props before the ceremonies. Degrees were awarded from the schools of Business and Information Technology, Education, Health Sciences, Nursing, and Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Concord Law School. There were 854 bachelors degrees, 552 graduate degrees, 248 associate degrees, 157 certificates and 17 doctorate degrees. More than 225 of the graduates are Indiana residents, while nine live outside of the U.S. (two each from Bermuda, Canada and India, and one each from Indonesia, South Korea and the United Kingdom). Some 133 employees of Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Fort Wayne, Purdue Northwest and Purdue Global are among those who earned a Purdue Global degree or certificate via the Purdue Global education benefit. Aysa Marshall, who graduated magna cum laude from Purdue Global in July 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and wellness, provided the keynote address. She told the graduates to reflect on their experience and use their accomplishment as a springboard into the future. Each of your journeys has been different and each of you has had to overcome so many things to get to where you are today, said Marshall, who is now pursuing a Master of Public Health degree from Purdue Global. Overcoming is a word I think that we tend to overlook. To get to where we want to be, to accomplish our goals, most likely there are going to be a lot of things that we have to overcome: challenges, obstacles, adversities, fears. You have fought, and you have experienced all that you have and still accomplished furthering your education. Thats huge and deserves recognition. So take a moment and reflect on how far you have come and know that nothing is going to stop you. Take great pride, be full of joy and know that you deserve this, and you will continue to be successful every day forward. Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley addressed the graduates, recognizing them for their academic achievements especially during these incomparable times and celebrating their successes. As we all know, this has been a year unlike any other, Dooley said. Against this backdrop, Im so thankful that your graduation gives us reason to take pause and celebrate. Although we cannot be together, one advantage of a virtual graduation is it provides us with the opportunity to connect from wherever you are watching around the globe. Its quite remarkable. We are celebrating across the U.S. and around the world, in places as far as India and Korea. I love that we can remain close through this institution as we commemorate your accomplishments. Dooley noted that over 10,000 of Purdue Globals 34,000 students are affiliated with the military, including nearly 5,800 active duty, National Guard and reserve members serving around the globe. Almost 50% are the first in their family to attend college, and 61% have a child or other dependent. These numbers shape the individuals who joined you in the classroom and will join you in the workforce, Dooley said. Three Purdue Global graduates performed the national anthem before their respective ceremonies: Shelbi Berry, from Indianapolis, who earned Master of Science in psychology; Stephanie Schreiber, from Hermon, Maine, who earned a Master of Science in nursing; and Ariana Simmons, from Lititz, Pennsylvania, who earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration. On Wednesday (May 19), Purdue Global hosted a virtual graduation fair that included a virtual toast, dean and department live chat rooms, a graduation shout out board and virtual photo booth. Nearly 11,000 Purdue Global students have graduated in the last year. About Purdue University Global Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global serves 34,000 students (as of April 2021), most of whom earn their degree online. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit purdueglobal.edu. Media Contact: Tom Schott, 765-427-1721, tschott@purdue.edu Sources: Frank Dooley Beth Smith Aysa Marshall A warning Hopefully, President Biden will make nuclear deals with Iran and North Korea. However, it is equally to be hoped that he does not repeat the fatal flaw of the first Iran deal: It imposed a waiting period for the inspection of suspected sites. This would have allowed them to move the materials for making a nuclear weapon, such as enriched uranium, to a second site during the waiting period for the first site; then, when the second site would come under suspicion, it would have a waiting period during which the material could be moved to a third site; and so on. (That is why a future president may cancel the deal again.) Alvin Blake Davenport Remember On this Memorial Day, please pay homage and respect to the fallen military that served in our nations armed services and their supreme sacrifice of life in the cause of our nations freedom. I am a former resident of the Quad-City area. I have many friends and relatives still in the Quad-Cities. I would like to write about my cousin, Ricky Almanza, of Moline. He served in the Vietnam War in the 1960s, and he died in military action in 1968. New COVID-19 infections continued this month's downward trend but Monday brought the news of how deadly the virus can be. The Rock Island County Health Department reported the COVID-19 death of a woman in her 70s who had been hospitalized. The total number of deaths in the county linked to the virus is 323. The now-familiar virus has long left local health officials offering a too-familiar refrain. It was repeated Monday. We are saddened to report another death today, said Nita Ludwig, administrator of the Rock Island County Health Department. Health department staff members offer our heartfelt sympathies to her loved ones. COVID-19 in the Q-C, by the numbers The Rock Island Health Department reported 34 cases of COVID-19 since the last report on Friday. The total number of cases in the county since the start of the pandemic is 14,893. Like Rock Island County, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported a low number of new COVID-19 infections since last Friday just 25 in the three-day span. Since last March, there have been 21,591 confirmed coronavirus cases in Scott County and 243 deaths have been tied to the virus. "The role of auditor is to manage a business department," Knobbe said Monday. "Their primary daily functions is to pay the bills and make sure our vendors ... get paid promptly and fairly, as well as running elections. It's rare to find someone with experience in both. And Kerri is clearly a competent, innovative and professional business manager. ... And shes been around elections, running her own local campaigns, and is familiar with the rules and regulations of that." Knobbe added that he has "never known her to be driven by party politics." "And I think that's what we saw with Roxanna (Moritz)," Knobbe said. "She was very fair and honest in my campaigns." Knobbe added Beck approached Tompkins months ago, as news came out that Moritz was looking to step down. Tompkins, Knobbe said, was one of several names he and Beck kicked around, but was the only one Beck approached. As for the secrecy surrounding Tompkins' selection, Knobbe reiterated "until we had a green light to appoint, we didnt want to jeopardize that employment situation of hers." "I had to respect her request that we be private about this until the time was right," he said. "We're fine representing new people and meeting new people; that's certainly not the issue," McCombie said. "It's more about the process. "Whether I am in the House, the Senate or in Congress, that's not going to stop me. I am going to continue to be that person and represent my district." State maps are redrawn every 10 years, usually based on census numbers. However, this year they are using American Community Survey data, which is produced by the U.S. Census Bureau. This may be a basis for legal challenge down the road. In addition, the proposed maps must be voted on for approval by June 30 to prevent the process from being thrown to an eight-member committee, evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. McCombie said she thinks there will be a vote by the end of May. "It will pass on partisan lines; there will not be one Republican on it," she said. "I think it will go to the courts and we may come back again to vote on a second map. We are trying not to overreact too much." Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy is accusing Democrats of gerrymandering in order to remain in power. The 2021 Billboard Music Awards, which celebrate the chart-topping music and artists of the year, will take place Sunday. Read below for more details on the night. Where to watch: The awards will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC. The host Nick Jonas, who is recovering from a bike accident, will host the show. The awards Going into the event, The Weeknd leads among finalists with nods in 16 categories. Winners are based on "audio and video streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay, and social engagement," throughout the year as tracked by Billboard. Performances: BTS, Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, DJ Khaled, H.E.R., Migos, Duran Duran, and The Weeknd are just some of the artists scheduled to perform. Refueling with the KC-46 was very similar to my other experiences Ive had with KC-135s, and KC-10s, but in general seemed very stable and was an easy platform to refuel from," Jarrell said. Aircrew in the KC-46A during the historic flight for the Ellsworth B-1B crew said the refueling mission couldnt have gone any better. The Ellsworth crew was incredible, said Capt. Steven Strickland, 22nd Operations Support Squadron flight commander assigned to McConnell. Aircraft stability was excellent, allowing the booms to evaluate the concerns that had been raised during initial testing, and mitigate them with experience gained over the past two years." "The positive impact for IOT and E (Initial Operational Test and Evaluation), and for the enterprise as whole, will continue to push the KC-46 further as we enter our limited operational capability in AMC (Air Mobility Command)," he said. Jarrell said after talking with the KC-46 crew, both teams are interested in doing more training together. Our crew felt lucky to be able to get to train with the KC-46, he said. Anytime we get to practice air refueling it is great training, and getting to see a new tanker was a fun experience on top of that. Please stay on designated routes. Free Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) are available at all Bitterroot National Forest offices and on our website at www.fs.usda.gov/main/bitterroot/maps-pubs. The maps show designated routes for motorized recreation users. Bring potable drinking water as some campground water systems have not been opened yet. Please remove all trash in sites that do not have trash disposal services. Please keep a clean camp and properly store food to reduce attractants and minimize adverse interactions between bears and humans. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure your coals are cool to the touch before you leave. Be extremely careful when traveling and camping around areas of dead trees including burned areas or beetle killed patches. Visitors are urged to take precautions recommended by the CDC along with local health and safety guidance to help protect against COVID-19. 3 other seminarians arrested. All 13 were taken home. Forbidden to study theology. According to some believers, the political sessions are an attempt at "brainwashing". The Agreement between the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Holy See has no input into the life of Christian communities: that is exclusively managed by the United Front. Rome (AsiaNews) - The bishop of Xinxiang and the 10 priests arrested in recent days were taken to a hotel where they are being held in solitary confinement and already subjected yesterday to "political sessions" that the faithful define "brainwashing", to inculcate the principles of religious freedom granted by the Party. Msgr. Giuseppe Zhang Weizhu, 63, has been bishop of the diocese of Xinxiang (Henan) since 1991. However, while he is recognized by the Holy See he is not by the Chinese government and this makes him a "criminal". Similarly, the 10 arrested priests are also "criminals" because they refuse to adhere to membership of the so-called "independent Church" and submission to the Chinese Communist Party, as required by the New Regulations on Religious Activities. Bishop Zhang and his priests were arrested on May 20 and 21 in a large police operation involving 100 policemen from Cangzhou, Hejian, and Shaheqiao. 10 students who were receiving theology lessons in a factory made available for the purpose by a Catholic were also arrested. Later, three other students who fled were arrested. The young people were handed over to their families and forbidden to continue studying theology. In China, the New Regulations allow religious activities (including theology schools) only in government registered and controlled institutions; religious personnel can carry out their functions only if they adhere to the "independent" (from the Holy See) Church and submit to the Party. The agreement between the Vatican and the People's Republic of China has not changed the substance of this control: The Holy See has signed the agreement with the foreign ministry, which considers it a foreign state. But the activities of churches and religions in China are managed by the United Front and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Any agreement with the foreign ministry has no impact on the management of the Church. For this reason, although the Agreement recognizes the Pope as the head of the universal Catholic Church (and therefore also of the Chinese Church), this does not lead to any consequences or freedom for local communities. On the contrary, after the Agreement, there has been an increase in persecution, especially against unofficial communities: there are bishops under house arrest, such as Msgr. Jia Zhiguo; bishops who have been cut off from water, electricity and gas, such as Msgr. Guo Xijin; bishops who cannot be hosted by their own faithful, such as Msgr. Shao Zhumin; bishops subjected to political sessions and "brainwashing", such as Msgr. Zhang Weizhu. Two Petersburg children, ages 5 and 6, are expected to recover after being shot late Saturday night after a gunman in a car opened fire in a Petersburg public housing complex, squeezing off 17 rounds. The children were among a group of friends and family members who had gathered outside a home in the Pecan Acres Estates development when shooting erupted about 11:32 p.m. A car rolls into this complex and an occupant from the vehicle begins firing shots from the vehicle and the two of them were hit, said Petersburg police Capt. Emanuel Chambliss. A girl, 5, was struck in the leg and is expected to make a full recovery, Chambliss said. The boy, 6, was shot in the buttock, but the round traveled upward and caused some damage to his intestines. He underwent two surgeries and, according to the doctors, is expected to make a recovery, Chambliss said. Police initially believed the children were siblings, but Chambliss said hes now being told theyre not related. The boys father was with both children right in front of the apartment building in the 500 block of Pecan Street. There were some friends and other family members outside in front of the residence as well. Gandy is a one-story, campus-style school on nearly 25 acres. Most of its buildings were built in 1965 with the exception of one, which was built in 1998. Henry Clay is on a smaller site, only 10.5 acres. Its original building dates back to 1934 and the stand-alone gym dates to 1949, but newer additions have taken place throughout the decades, most recently in 1998. A capital planning study from 2018 by RRMM Architects indicated that the oldest parts of both schools are cause for concern and approaching the end of their useful life. It recommended that if Gandy and Henry Clay are consolidated, the new school should be built on the Gandy site because theres enough room to build a new school alongside the current one, so students wouldnt be displaced during construction. The report proposed a capacity of 875 students 815 students in kindergarten through fifth grades and 60 pre-K students. Cost estimates in 2018 for a replacement school on the Gandy site were roughly $33.2 million, though escalation clauses presented back then took the price tag to nearly $40 million by 2023, and roughly $51 million by 2028. The new schools life expectancy would be 60 to 70 years. All of that was able to be done through the power of community, of people giving us a little bit of their stimulus check or their paychecks or buying extra groceries at the store to drop off at the warehouse. Theres three Black women running for governor. Theres the young activists and protesters. Some of them graduated this last month. Many of them are still taking to the streets or organizing their friends into book clubs. So many things have come out of the protests. The community fridges that have popped up all over the city. The Civilian Review Board Task Force trying to look at civilian oversight of the police. Legislation over the General Assembly session, the legalization of marijuana. Just wins on wins. Sometimes its hard. Because when you look at the battle of stopping police violence, we havent really gotten to the point where that has stopped. But what we have done is build our community to the point where we are actually providing care for ourselves outside of the state. We have folks that feel empowered to speak out, whether its to their city council rep, to their school board folks arent just letting stuff fly under the rug anymore. We get less fuss about our presence. Theyve gotten used to our culture. They might still complain about the volume of the music, but not about the music itself. One neighbor a woman told me, you live right over there. I dont live on the median, but yeah, were part of the community now. Even police have gained respect for us. They thought we were going away, but we havent. Theyre still enforcing stupid laws. But were still here. Weve no, Richmond is redefining what community looks like. It doesnt look like what they thought. What is community? Is it people who pay to be a part of it? The police? The businesses? Or is it the people that just show up? This is community, too. Last year, allies or comrades or whatever you call them, they came out in droves. Not everyone here now marched. Some people were there only for the protests. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their role. Weve moved beyond the protests. We started programs out of the church. In the book Im going to write later, there will be a chapter called fences. That is a fence to keep out community. The fence, the grass. We took such good care of the area. Its like they let [the grass] grow to cover up what weve lost. Through a new partnership with Virginia Union University, residents of Richmonds oldest and largest public housing community will have access to more support and opportunities. Leaders from the historically Black university in North Side pledged on Monday to work with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the city over the next two decades. Officials called the commitment a historic arrangement to bolster a historically marginalized community. We must break outside the walls of our campus and make whatever we have available to the people in our community who need it most, said W. Franklyn Richardson, chairman of the VUU Board of Trustees at a news conference announcing the partnership. We are committed to this community because this community is us. In its first phase, the partnership will target science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to middle school students living in the neighborhood, as well as mentoring through VUUs Community Mentoring Initiative, according to a city news release. RRHA will help residents enroll in the programs, and connect them with workforce and leadership training opportunities through VUU and elsewhere. It will also provide meeting and training space and equipment necessary for the programs, the release stated. Jesus never talked down to a woman, said Terry. He entrusted a woman when he had risen from the dead to go and tell his disciples he was risen. People can pull snippets out of the bible, but they cannot pull one from Jesus that would support the proposition that a woman is second-class. Terry also said she was concerned about the future of the country. Were in a tough place, Terry said. I dont know about you, but Im terribly concerned, even frightened, about our holding on to democracy in this country. Their are two choices: Democracy where everyone is equal or totalitarian. Terry spoke for almost an hour and when she had finished she said if her words were only found to be interesting, then time had been wasted by both her and the audience. Im here to encourage you to step-up if theres a seat open on the school board, said Terry. Women do not gravitate toward power ... and will often say I just dont feel qualified. Women are instinctively insecure, but that does not mean they are unqualified. Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., are recommending three candidates to the White House to fill the vacancy at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that will be created when Judge Barbara M. Keenan assumes senior status in August. In a letter Monday the senators recommended U.S. District Court judges Arenda Wright Allen and M. Hannah Lauck and Virginia Solicitor General Toby J. Heytens. The recommendations were based on their records, the assessments of an independent panel of attorneys and feedback from bar associations in Virginia, said the senators offices. Theyre all extremely well qualified and have deep experience in the federal court system, said Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law. With two women, one of whom is Black, the group is also diverse, a priority of the White House, Tobias said. The 15-judge, Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is one of 13 federal appeals courts in the country. Since the U.S. Supreme Court takes up few cases, it is essentially the court of last resort for the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. On June 8, the Virginia Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases involving the Robert E. Lee statue still standing on Richmonds Monument Avenue. Lee is the last of the Confederate statues to remain on the avenue; the others all of which were owned by the city have already been removed. Lee remains because two sets of litigants sued Gov. Ralph Northam when he originally ordered the removal of the statue, owned by the commonwealth since 1890. The litigants argue that Virginia received the statue and the land on which it sits conditioned on a promise that the commonwealth would faithfully guard it and affectionately protect it. That promise, argue the litigants, compels the governor and the commonwealth to maintain the Lee statue in perpetuity. This claim should fail and likely will before the Virginia Supreme Court, as it already did in the trial courts. The reason has little to do with the controversy that has engulfed the Lee statue and all Confederate monuments, which historically are associated with the Lost Cause and that have sparked protests against the white supremacist ideology that the Lost Cause represents. There are around 18,000 applicants for SIVs in the pipeline, and they are in acute danger. So are their immediate family, who are entitled to visas, too. They are young men like Kahn, who worked with the U.S. military for six years, applied for an SIV three years ago, and only received first stage embassy approval in January. He could wait years longer for his visa, although the process is supposed to take only nine months. Meantime, Taliban members showed up at the engagement ceremony of his brother-in-law Mohammed, who also worked with U.S. forces, and killed three family members. Mohammed had waited 11 years for first stage visa approval and finally received it in January, but was murdered by the Taliban a month later on his way to work. A note was left on Kahns fathers gate this past month saying the Taliban will kill Kahn and his family when the Americans leave after they celebrate their victory over the United States. The State Department has sent a few more staff to Kabul to deal with visas, but the number wont put a dent in the backlog. You can literally put a rover on Mars before you can get someone screened [for an SIV visa] in Kabul, and thats if the process goes smoothly, I was told by Gen. David Petraeus. Along with Crocker, he is pushing hard to save Afghans who helped Americans. To deny the oppression perpetuated by that vision is to deny the experience of Robert Leon Bacon and others. In a Dec. 2, 1955, letter to Gov. Thomas Stanley posted by the Library of Virginia and referenced by Levin, Bacon spoke of the treachery that came with being Black and walking along Monument Avenue: Virginia is no place for a colored citizen like me to live in. I am denied many rights and privileges by law that I should have. Virginia is the home of presidents but it is not the home of democracy. It is the home of white supremacy. The colored people (most of them) can hardly live decently in the South. I cannot go on Monument Ave. and visit a white girl from fear of being lynched or beaten up or arrested or electrocuted. But let some white guy come around on Second Street and nothing is done about it. A copy of the 1969 nomination form to add the Monument Avenue Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places exposes further rhetoric that has to be re-examined in the context of todays Richmond: That includes 84.1% of Marylanders 65 and older, and 71.5% of those between 50- and 64-years-old. Meanwhile, 56.2% of those between 18 and 49-years-old have received at least one dose as have 32% of those between 12 and 17 the youngest group eligible for vaccination. Boys, too, are struggling and almost are as likely to be sexually harassed as girls at this age. Peer pressure and gender expectations can make kids fearful to speak up. One antidote to unhealthy ideas about masculinity and femininity is fostering a healthy, close relationship with family and peers. People with strong attachments are less likely to engage in sexually aggressive behaviors. Kids are relieved to have space to talk about this stuff. Our groups have engaged in thoughtful conversations about the social waters they are navigating. Have you ever said to a child or been told: Hes teasing you because he likes you. Parents sometimes brush off these concerns. Instead, when kids bring up these topics, its important for caregivers to address them. Empathy is a powerful antidote. Every time you label a person or assign them traits based on cultural constructs, you are dehumanizing them. Assigning gender roles forces one to look at people through a reductive lens, seeing them as less human. This is a first step on the path to sexual assault. In our program, we talk about understanding social cues and developing perspective taking. Have you ever caught yourself saying: Thats just for girls. Kids hear the judgment inherent in these messages. BLACKSBURG Construction of a new police station and parking garage are underway on the towns old middle school site. The estimated $26.3 million project$16.5 million for the police station and $9.8 million for the parking deckis expected to be complete at some point in the spring of 2022 and will form a piece of the greater redevelopment of the roughly 20-acre downtown Blacksburg site. The parking garage and police station complex will be among the structures on the site to be paid for and belong to the town, with the remainder of the development set to involve a mixture of privately-owned residential and commercial properties. The entire project, which was finally given the green light in 2019 following years of debate and planning between developers and multiple governments, is expected to further transform downtown Blacksburg. Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith specifically addressed the need for the new police station and garage. As everyone knows, it took more than a decade for this project to launch, she said. We have needed an updated police facility for probably 20 years. If anybody visits there they will understand how inadequate the facilities are. We owe this to the people who protect and serve us. Im elated that its about to happen. The Pulaski County Sheriffs Office said Sunday that it has arrested a man in relation to a death that occurred in the Parrot community. No other information about the incident was released in a post on the offices Facebook account. Efforts to reach investigators were unsuccessful. Corey Wayne Hodge was arrested after a brief search, according to the Facebook post, in connection with a death early Sunday in the Parrot River Road area. An official at the New River Regional Jail said Hodge was being held without bond on three charges: second-degree murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Earlier in the day, officials with the sheriffs office had warned the public that Hodge was considered armed and dangerous. They said they were looking for a 220-pound man wearing blue jeans, tan boots and a camouflage jacket with the word Joker on the front. The suspect had been seen in the vicinity of the Exit 98 exit of Interstate 81, authorities said. Anyone who saw him was urged to call police and not approach the man. As Roanoke police were responding to a report of a shooting early Sunday morning on Williamson Road, they were notified that two men with gunshot wounds had arrived at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Shots were reported in the 3600 block of Williamson Road Northeast about 3 a.m., according to a news release from the Roanoke Police Department. The shooting happened in the parking lot of the GoMart, near the gas pumps, according to Felecia Jones, a cashier on duty Sunday afternoon. Jones was not working at the time, but said she heard 10 to 15 gunshots from her home directly behind the gas station and convenience store. The GoMart closes its doors at midnight, she said, but continues to operate the gas pumps from inside the building. It is not uncommon for crowds to congregate in the parking lot and listen to music, according to a nearby resident who asked not to be identified. No suspects were located when police arrived at the scene, and there have been no arrests. Officers also went to the emergency department at Roanoke Memorial, where they learned that two men had recently arrived in personal vehicles and were being treated for gunshot wounds. Pogue said shes thrilled to be recognized. Its just such an honor to be a representative for Blacksburg High School and Montgomery County, she said. Im surrounded by incredible educators and administrators. Pogue said there has indeed been a learning curve, but that she has made efforts to maintain her usual classroom atmosphereeven when a number of her students have been at home. The pandemic, obviously, posed some challenges with school work. Pogue said one of those challenges was the chance some students, being at home, would use platforms such as Google to cut corners on assignments. Pogue said she found some comfort in the fact that Google is often an unreliable source for science assignments, but the concern remained. One of the ways Pogue has kept the school work interesting is through the issuing of assignments and tests involving a fictional element she named TikTokium, which is a play on the popular social media platform used for making short videos. Pogue gave the element its own square, complete with a symbol and atomic number and weightthe element has an atomic number and weight of 126 and 365.25, respectively, and its symbol is the TikTok logo. As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues in the United States, with people ages 12 and older receiving their shots, vaccine makers are now preparing for a next possible phase: booster doses. Currently three coronavirus vaccines are authorized for emergency use in the United States the two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for ages 12 and older, the two-dose Moderna vaccine for ages 18 and older and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines for ages 18 and older. Researchers and health officials suspect that the immunity against COVID-19 these vaccines elicit in the body might wane over long periods of time say, possibly, after a year or more and might not protect as well against coronavirus variants that could emerge and evolve. Therefore, a vaccinated person might need a booster dose of vaccine to stay protected against the original coronavirus strain and newly emerging variants somewhat similar to how a tetanus booster is recommended every 10 years or different flu vaccines are recommended each year. Will booster doses or new vaccines be needed? WASHINGTON (AP) Nearly five months after being deployed to the U.S. Capitol to help quell the Jan. 6 insurrection, National Guard troops were set to leave and turn over security of the area to Capitol Police. Guard troops, their mission ending Sunday, were expected to be leaving on Monday, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to discuss the plan by name and requested anonymity. The Pentagon announced earlier in the week that an extension of the Guard presence 2,149 troops had not been requested. The planned departure came as Democrats and Republicans sparred over how to fund fortifications of the Capitol and whether to form an independent bipartisan commission to investigate the attack that sought to overturn former President Donald Trumps loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Some Republican lawmakers have begun downplaying the event despite the handful of deaths, injuries to scores of police officers, hundreds of arrests, damages to the building and shouted threats against lawmakers from many of those who stormed the building. Much of the violence was caught on camera. Being Virginians, we often date our history from 1607, the founding of Jamestown. There are those, such as The New York Times, who believe it should be dated from 1619, when the first Africans arrived involuntarily. That has stirred up much controversy but both of those dates overlook another date, one that we werent taught in school. That date is 1587. In that year, 20 years before Jamestown and the same year that the English were founding their ill-fated Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, the first Filipinos (and one Japanese boy who was somehow part of the crew) landed in what today we call California. That date marks the first documented Asian contact with the future continental United States. Its natural to look at history through our own lens we grow up learning lots of American history and not so much Canadian history, for instance. But the American history weve learned often comes with filters of its own that leave out lots of details such as the fact that Filipinos were in California long before John Smith was in Virginia. Having learned about Ms. Harriet Hodges disappearance via the Nextdoor app, my neighbors and I agreed to all check our sheds and any other similar spots on our properties to make sure she hadnt sought refuge here on our street. Ms. Hodges was an older woman with cognitive impairment who enjoyed walking in our neighborhood on a regular basis. Her remains were only just found (6-7 weeks later), in a shed on a nearby street. If we did not use the Nextdoor social media app, which Im sure many people do not, we would never have known to look for her back in March. Now we are asking ourselves how could we, as a community, let this happen? What if she had been a child instead? Surely then the police and the community would have mobilized to find her? Has our internalized ageism played a part in this elders death? I suggest that the police refocus their energy away from writing trivial, revenue-earning traffic tickets (disproportionately to people of color, I learned on the news earlier today) to offering helpful, meaningful services such as door-to-door searches for an elder with dementia who has wandered off. I, for one, would have both my faith in the police and my faith in humanity restored by such a shift in priorities and values. As of Saturday, 86.7 in 100 survey respondents in Maryland said they had worn a mask most or all of the time over the past week. Thats compared with 78.4 in 100 respondents across the United States. But Marylands figure has declined of late. At the beginning of this month, it was 94.5 out of 100. It could be a sign that loosened restrictions are starting to change behavior, if slowly. " " Legend says jackalopes have nice tenor voices and can be heard singing in the wilderness from time to time. Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 2.0) Every few years, the Wyoming Legislature debates a hot-button issue: Should the jackalope a kind of made-up jackrabbit with antlers be recognized as the state's official mythical creature? In 2015, the House of Representatives in Cheyenne passed a bill that would bestow this honor upon the fabled beast. But it died in the state Senate. Earlier attempts to pass the bill met the same roadblock. Who knows? Maybe someday, the hopping horned critter will finally jump across that legislative finish line. And if it doesn't, at least there's still the Jackalope Days Festival. A summer shindig held in Douglas, Wyoming, every June, the fest gives tourists a perfect excuse to come and gawk at all the antlered lagomorph statues populating the city's downtown area. You couldn't miss Douglas if you tried; there's a 13-foot (3.9-meter) jackalope statue greeting motorists at the city's exit on Interstate 25. Over in Mount Rushmore country, we find another giant jackalope (complete with a saddle!) at South Dakota's famous Wall Drug attraction. That's to say nothing of all the stuffed "jackalope heads" mounted on walls at diners and souvenir stores across the western United States. One of these was given to then-President Ronald Reagan at a 1986 campaign stop in Rapid City, South Dakota. The all-American jackalope is considered the brainchild of taxidermist Douglas Herrick. Pull up a chair and we'll tell you the story. " " This 13-foot jackalope greets motorists at on Interstate 25 near Douglas, Wyoming. Picasa Advertisement Getting a Head Douglas Herrick was born just north of Douglas, Wyoming, on July 8, 1920. He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. This was followed by a long career as a pipefitter and welder for Amoco Refinery. An avid hunter, Herrick studied taxidermy as a teenager. So did his brother, Ralph Herrick. The family had its very own taxidermy shop which is where Wyoming's favorite fictional animal got its start. Varying accounts say the jackalope was created sometime in 1932, 1934, 1939 or 1940. Supposedly, its birth was a happy accident. One day, the Herrick brothers fresh from a hunt brought a dead jackrabbit into their shop. The carcass was placed (or possibly thrown) next to a set of antlers that had been lying on the floor. Seeing those things together gave Douglas an idea. As Ralph told The New York Times in 1977 "Doug said, 'Let's mount it the way it is.'" " " "Animalia Qvadrvpedia et Reptilia" (A Hare, "Jackalope," a Rabbit, and a Spotted Squirrel) by Joris Hoefnagel, circa 1575, shows what appears to be a horned hare. National Gallery of Art Washington/Wikimedia/(CC BY 2.0) Advertisement Leaps and Bounds "I think that it was kind of a joke. A lot of taxidermists fool around," recounted Mike Herrick (Douglas' son) in a 2003 exchange with the Casper Star-Tribune. "But he didn't know they would get so popular. I know he didn't know." Roy Ball of Douglas, Wyoming, bought the original mounted jackalope off the Herricks for $10. After being displayed at a hotel Ball owned, the stuffed masterpiece was stolen in 1977. The thief was never caught. Yet the jackalope business was just getting started. The Herrick family produced and sold tens of thousands of these furry Franken-beasts, affixing deer or pronghorn antlers to jackrabbit heads. Wall Drug became a major distributor. When Douglas died in 2003, The New York Times reported that Ralph's son, Jim, was delivering "400 jackalopes to Wall Drug in South Dakota three times a year, a small portion of his total production." Advertisement Open Season Seeing mounted "dead" jackalopes inspired people to start making up stories about the "live" ones. Some of those tales get pretty tall. For example, jackalopes are said to be quite musical. They supposedly have nice tenor voices and can be heard singing in the wilderness from time to time. Rumor has it the animals like cowboy campfire songs; if you start one up, they'll happily join the chorus from afar. Good luck getting Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster to do that. Another story claims a member of the Herrick family saw a real, live jackalope around Buffalo, Wyoming, in 1920. However, Ralph denied this. These silly tales have only enhanced the jackalope's real-world impact. Since the late 1940s, the Chamber of Commerce in Douglas, Wyoming, has issued jackalope hunting licenses. Carriers are allowed to "hunt, pursue, trap or otherwise take one (1) pronghorn jackalope within the lawful boundaries of Converse County, Wyoming, on June 31 between sunrise and sunset only." We're not sure if anyone has ever succeeded in their pursuit of the hunt, however. " " Rabbits and hares, like this one, can become afflicted with papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. It causes keratinous carcinomas, typically on or near the animal's head, that can sometimes look like antlers. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Advertisement Hare-Raising Things just get sillier from here. On May 15, 1985, Wyoming Gov. Ed Herschler signed a proclamation recognizing Douglas, Wyoming, as the "Home of the Jackalope." As if the festival, the statues, the hunting licenses and the historic ties to both Roy Ball and the Herrick family weren't enough, the good people of Douglas have put jackalopes on everything from their park benches to city fire trucks. The creatures also look great on t-shirts, coffee mugs and bumper stickers. But here's something a lot harder on the eyes: Shope papilloma virus. Related to HPV, this affliction actually does cause rabbits and hares to develop horn-like tumors. If the cancerous masses grow on or around their mouths, they can hinder the animals' ability to eat and they can die from starvation. Obviously, there's no such thing as a jackalope. Yet we do have historical descriptions of rabbits or hares with antlers and horns that date back to the 17th century and even earlier. The virus could explain some of those sightings. Now we'd hate to leave you on such a depressing note. So for a good laugh, head over to the City of Douglas' jackalope hunting license webpage. You'll find a detailed, tongue-in-cheek "natural history" of the modern variant's extinct cousin. Of course, we're talking about the legendary saber tooth jackalope. They say its singing voice "contained the hint of a French accent." Sacre bleu! NOW THAT'S INTERESTING According to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department's official website, the jackalope's natural predators include "coyotes, bobcats, eagles, chupacabras, web-footed wookalars and the Cherokee Devil." I wasnt treated like just a number; I was heard like a person. She made time to talk with me and my family, and she made this hospital experience easier on us all. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} My family and I appreciate everything she did and all the hard work and dedication she has. The day I was being discharged from the hospital, Ashley came by my room even though she was in a different area to check on us. She said she thought of us on her day off and wondered how I was doing. She even asked if I had any issues. The fact that she thought of us and was willing to assist even more meant a lot to us. The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. He died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique way of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. Nurses can be nominated for their strong clinical skills and the compassionate care they provide. Nomination forms are available on each nursing unit at McLeod Regional Medical Center or can be found at McLeodNursing.org. Folks, the government, from city councils to the federal government, is currently in the business of attacking our religious freedoms at every turn; and not only here in America, but all across the globe as well. In Toronto, church services, weddings and funerals are limited to 10 people be it inside or outside, regardless of the size of the facility. At retail outlets and restaurants, occupancy is determined by the size of the facility itself. Please tell me you see plainly the implications here. The duty of every Christian is to be aware that we are living in a time when government is involved in restricting religious freedom; that government is involved in changing the notion that our Constitution provides for the separation of church and state. As Christians, we MUST be politically involved! And, at EVERY level of government. We must vet every political candidate to ensure he/she has firm moral and biblical values, and we MUST become vocal in our community as to these threats to our religious freedoms, lest we lose them for good! Call Sen. Kimbrells office and voice your support for his actions; and contact Attorney General Wilson and demand the ordinance be overturned if passed by the Columbia City Council. JAMES K. WARD Effingham Another accounting of Ninth Circuit's significant FIRST STEP safety-valve expansion Lopez ruling | Main | "Objective Punishment" May 24, 2021 Lengthy lament in SCOTUS cert dissent about execution method litigation The Supreme Courts order list this morning has no cert grants and lots and lots of cert denials. And, at the end, Justice Sotomator penned a lengthy dissent to one such denial concerning a Missouri inmates effort to contest the states execution methods. This dissent, in Johnson v. Precythe, No. 20-287, is joined by Justices Breyer and Kagan. Because I am caught up with some pomp and circumstance today, I will not have a chance to review this opinion closely anytime soon. (But I do have time to note that there are precious few persons being intentionally executed by states these days while there are still lots and lots of persons dying in prisons and jails due to neglect and other less intentional causes. I hope these other more frequent kinds of deaths in custody might get more attention from the Supreme Court before too long.) May 24, 2021 at 09:48 AM | Permalink Comments Justice Sotomayor also is also concerned with people at risk in prisons as shown by one of her dissents on COVID related guidelines. The dissent is basically part of a continuing series from Sotomayor on the problems with lethal injection and so forth. The Supreme Court asked for special briefing on the case, which was provided. This would be the final result of that sub-thread, so to speak. Posted by: Joe | May 24, 2021 10:24:50 AM Post a comment FILE PHOTO: Shiyu, or Lion Islet, which is part of Kinmen county, one of Taiwan's offshore islands, is seen in front of China's Xiamen, on Lieyu island, Kinmen county TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's government on Monday nullified a decision by an island that sits close to China to mandate COVID-19 tests for all arrivals, rebuking it for not following the law even as authorities deal with a rise in domestic infections. Taiwan is dealing with a spike in cases after months of keeping the pandemic well under control, with restrictions in place across the island to limit gatherings, schools closed and people told to work from home as much as possible. While the government is increasing testing, it has been criticised by opposition parties for delays, especially over the weekend when the health minister announced a "regression calibration" of case numbers that increased its infection toll. On Sunday, the government of Kinmen, which lies opposite the Chinese city of Xiamen and has been held by Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, said all arrivals would have to show negative COVID-19 tests, or be tested on arrival. But early on Monday, the Central Epidemic Command Centre, a cross-department body which leads the fight against the disease, revoked that order, saying entry and exit restrictions or forced tests were for the central government to decide. "If the Kinmen county government still has special needs for local epidemic prevention, it should complete legal procedures in accordance with the law, and formally submit a plan and request the command centre's instructions to proceed," it added. Kinmen is a stronghold of Taiwan's main opposition party the Kuomintang, or KMT, which ruled China until 1949 when its Republic of China government fled to Taiwan after loosing a civil war with the communists. Kinmen's member of parliament, the KMT's Jessica Chen, said the island had only limited medical capacity and needed special measures for protection. "The central government should be strongly supporting this," she said. Taiwan has asked people to refrain from travel, but has no orders in place to stop people moving around unless they are infected. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard) (GRAPHIC: CAG) SINGAPORE Terminals at the Changi Airport will be segregated into three zones, with workers stationed at the highest risk areas, such as terminal piers, the arrival immigration hall, and the baggage claim hall, to be fully vaccinated and undergo daily rapid non-invasive COVID-19 testing. These are some of the strengthened measures to minimise the spread of the more transmissible India variant, or B1617, in the airport that the Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced on Monday (24 May). To date, 108 cases have been linked to the cluster at the airport. At least 22 cases in the cluster have tested preliminarily positive for the B1617 variant while 43 cases work at the airport. "While Changi Airport had been able to keep its airport operations safe over the last 16 months through many layers of stringent safety protocols, the more virulent B1617 strain has penetrated its defences resulting in airport workers, their families, and members of the public being infected," the group said. The group had earlier announced that the initial transmission in the cluster may have occurred through an airport worker who was helping a family from South Asia, who arrived in Singapore on 29 April. The family was unlikely to have flown in from India. Phylogenetic testing results for an initial batch of infected airport workers indicated that they originated from a common source, as they were found to be similar and of the India variant. As such, moving forward, airport workers in Zone 1, the highest risk areas of the airport, will be protected in the highest-level personal protective equipment (PPE) and segregated from other workers throughout the duration of their shift. A total of 4,400 personnel are deployed in Zone 1, out of some 14,000 workers at Changi Airport. As an added precautionary measure, passengers from very high-risk countries will be escorted to remote gates in Terminal 2 for immigration clearance and then transported by bus out of Changi Airport directly to their quarantine facility, without going through the operational terminals. Story continues Zone 1 workers will have their own dining areas with individual seating, rest areas, reserved toilets, and dedicated PPE donning and doffing stations, said the group. "Except during meal times or when using the toilet, they will have to be fully attired at the appropriate PPE level. All Zone 1 workers will remain within their work zone throughout their shift," it added. Similarly, staff working in Zones 2 and 3 will have to comply with the applicable PPE requirements. Additional training will be provided with regular reminders from supervisors on PPE protocol, as well as the carrying out of more audits and spot checks. Only fully vaccinated staff will be rostered for duty in Zone 1. "The CAG targets to have more than 90 per cent of workers in Zones 2 and 3 vaccinated in the coming weeks, the group said. In addition to the polymerase chain reaction test every seven days, interspersed with the antigen rapid test on the third day, the CAG said it is planning to have daily rapid non-invasive testing be carried out at the end of the shifts of workers in Zone 1. Such measures will reduce the likelihood of an airport worker infecting close contacts at home, it noted. "The CAG recognises the significant demands the new zoning concept places on the workers, especially those working in Zone 1. It will work closely with its airport partners and agencies to ensure that workers welfare is taken care of," the group added. To further mitigate the risk of airborne transmission in Changis terminals, the group said it has also installed portable air purifiers with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters across key areas in the new segregated zones, focusing on more contained spaces where staff and passengers dwell, such as staff rest areas, changing rooms and gate hold rooms. Such air purifiers are similar to those used in hospitals to sanitise the air, it added. Calling the virus "highly elusive", CAG CEO Lee Seow Hiang said the current outbreak at the airport has caused "distress and anxiety to the public". "We deeply regret this and, together with the entire airport community, we are determined not to let this virus succeed in destroying our community and our connectivity," he said. All passenger terminals at Changi Airport, as well as Jewel, have been closed since 13 May to members of the public and will remain so until the end of the "Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)" period on 13 June. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Other Singapore stories: Woman in viral video at MBS seen outside court without mask 10 COVID-19 cases from 4 households identified at Hougang HDB block: MOH All residents of Pasir Ris HDB block to undergo COVID-19 testing COVID: JEM, Westgate to close from 23 May to break any transmission chain Indian authorities have ordered the evacuation of nearly half a million people as a new cyclone heads towards the country's eastern coast Indian authorities on Monday ordered the evacuation of nearly half a million people out of the path of a new cyclone heading towards the east of the country, just a week after another deadly storm smashed into the west coast. The cyclones are hitting as India reels from a surge in coronavirus infections that has plunged the healthcare system into crisis and pushed the country's Covid-19 death toll above 300,000. Experts say storms off India's coast are increasing in frequency and intensity as climate change warms ocean waters. The India Meteorological Department said Cyclone Yaas had formed in the Bay of Bengal and was expected to barrel into West Bengal and Odisha states on Wednesday. Yaas could pack gusts of up to 185 kilometres (115 miles) per hour as a "Very Severe Cyclonic Storm" ahead of landfall, the department said. Storm surges of up to four metres (13 feet) high were "likely to inundate low-lying coastal areas", it added. Evacuations in coastal districts and the Sundarbans mangrove forest, a UNESCO world heritage site, started on Sunday, West Bengal disaster management minister Javed Ahmed Khan said. "We have to evacuate nearly half a million people... to schools (and) government offices, which have been turned into cyclone centres to provide shelter to these people," Khan told AFP. Odisha's special relief commissioner, Pradeep Jena, told local media that evacuations were being planned, with the state also making arrangements to provide power back-ups to oxygen plants supplying hospitals treating Covid-19 patients. Additional oxygen supplies were also being sent to hospitals with virus patients in areas that could be affected by Yaas. The military and disaster teams have been deployed to help with the preparations and potential rescue operations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday. In neighbouring Bangladesh, there was "very little chance" that the cyclone would hit the country, Bangladesh Meteorological Department senior forecaster Bazlur Rashid told AFP. Story continues Cyclone Tauktae -- India's first major tropical storm this season -- slammed into the western state of Gujarat last Monday, battering several states with torrential downpours and strong winds. The death toll from Tauktae rose to at least 155 on Monday after more bodies were recovered from an oil rig off the western city of Mumbai and several support vessels, the navy said. In Sri Lanka, the weather bureau warned the island nation's fishermen not to venture into the Bay of Bengal. str-abh-sa-grk/oho Buffalo (the term historically used for bison by Indigenous people in North America) have long roamed the North American Great Plains, tended and hunted for food, shelter and tools by the Native American nations who inhabited the land for generations. Among those Native Nations were the people of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota, who collectively make up the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires), which is commonly known as the Great Sioux Nation. Today, the Sicangu Lakota reside on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota where a groundbreaking program intends to bring the buffalo back in five years time. Called the Wolakota Buffalo Range, it has the potential to be home to 1,500 buffalo. We should be the biggest Native-managed buffalo herd in the U.S., says Wizipan Little Elk, CEO of the Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (REDCO). REDCO is the economic development arm of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe that manages Wolakota. This project, however, has been a long time coming. According to Little Elk, 60 million buffalo populated North America in the 1800s, but by the year 1900, there were fewer than 1,000 roaming free. One of the first assaults on our people, the Lakota, started in the early 1800s, Little Elk says. That first assault was on the Buffalo Nation. Targeting buffalo meant that the Lakota, along with other Native American tribes, were pushed to reservations. The genocide that was committed against buffalo was deliberate and intentional, he says, noting it was debilitating to the Lakota economy. The reason why we had to come onto the reservations is because our main source of food, shelter, clothing and spiritual sustenance was taken from us. The Wolakota Buffalo Range seeks to reclaim the tribes stewardship of this important animal. The Wolakota Range Today, the 28,000-acre buffalo range has funding and is now in its second year of a five-year build-up strategy. Although the land is located on the reservation, it has not always been under Native management. Today, the land is owned by the Rosebud Sioux tribe and leased out by Tribal Land Enterprise (TLE), another corporation owned by the tribe. TLE is actually a unique organization formed here in Rosebud in the 1940s to begin buying back land and preventing fractionation, Little Elk says. As land was passed down over generations, the plots had been split so many times that each individuals share was useless, so TLE buys those fractions, consolidates them, and prevents them from leaving Indian hands. He continues, Wolakota is part of what I like to call the new Lakota economy, in which businesses meet multiple bottom lines. This project is proof that at Lakota, we can adapt to any situation without sacrificing what it means to be Lakota. In this case, that means we have made some commitments to our buffalo relatives. Buffalo husbandry When it comes raising the animals, the Lakota are staying true to their culture. We are going to ensure the buffalo are taken care of in a way that is culturally appropriate, Little Elk says. Part of our instructions are to treat buffalo as buffalo. Dont treat them like cattle. That means we have to raise them differently from how a lot of people do buffalo ranching. We have to make sure they have big open spaces to use the land how they need to. It also means our buffalo will never see a feed lot. Thats a law we put down. When we harvest them, it will be done in a culturally appropriate manner where we pray with them, honor who they are in their spirit and make sure that we are not wasting anything. Little Elk explains that from a Lakota perspective, using every part of the animal shows appreciation for the sacrifice that the animal made to the support the health and well-being of the people. Traditionally, this meant using the hides for shelter and clothing, internal organs for pouches and horns for cups, among many other uses. Wolakota seeks to translate those traditional uses into a modern context. Over the past year, they have worked with industry experts to create a feasibility study that identifies potential uses and markets for the other nonmeat byproducts. The proposed uses include wool and fiber products, leather goods, dog treats and art. When we think about it from that perspective, we are creating a social benefit for our people, Little Elk says. Yes, over the long-term, we can create jobs. But really, the benefit is renewing our relationship with the Tatanka Oyate (Buffalo Nation). Thats worth more than money. The range effect on the prairie ecosystem Traditionally, the Lakota were not farmers and ranchers. Spiritually, the Nations of the Oceti Sakowin were connected to the whole of the universe and honored everything, including Grandmother Earth. Today, however, agriculture is a very important industry to the Native Nations of the Great Plains, but Lakota farming and ranching on the Rosebud Reservation is not just about planting and harvesting. It also has medicinal, spiritual and eco-regenerative components, as well as connectedness to the universe. The other big piece of this is the benefits to Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth), Little Elk says. Buffalo are a keystone species. The Great Plains ecosystem is dependent upon buffalo. With the reintroduction of buffalo to the Plains, environmental balance and stability are key motivators. We are also doing our part to tackle climate change by strengthening the Great Plains prairie ecosystem, Little Elk says. The buffalo are going to increase the biodiversity of the plant life on the prairie. When you have buffalo on land, after a while you start to see the native plants and grass species start to come back. Root systems become more dense, robust and deeper so they are trapping more carbon. Then, you see increased animal biodiversity as well. We are providing a space for the buffalo to fight climate change and heal the land. Strengthening food sovereignty of communities The initiative goes beyond the animals and the effects on their environment. It reaches their communities both near and far. This idea is not just about any one community or even just one tribe or nation, Little Elk says. Part of what we have an obligation to do as a Lakota Nation is to reignite that Oceti Sakowin. I envision a world where we can trade buffalo for wild rice and Native Nations are thriving, Little Elk adds. But in order to get there, we need to work at all levels: individual, family, community, as an individual nation and collectively as Indigenous people. We cant just be food sovereign and independent. We need all the other tribes so we can trade with each other. We are pretty excited about the possibilities of creating this ecosystem around food and agriculture, but we cant just be food sovereign and independent; we need all the other tribes so we can trade with each other and build together. For the next seven generations In terms of thinking about the future, on a very deep and personal level I have a commitment to seeing as much land go back to buffalo as possible, Little Elk says. Id like to see more acres dedicated to giving them a place to live and seeing their numbers increase. I have a lifetime goal that, between all of our tribes, we have a million additional acres dedicated to buffalo. Thats something I am personally dedicated to. When we think of the future, if we are Lakota, we need to be giving space for Tatanka. This year, Wolakota collaborated with the kindergarten class from the Lakota immersion school operated by their sister organization, Sicangu Community Development Corporation. The students participate in a month-long, outdoor-based experiential learning curriculum centered around buffalo harvest. Thats part of those kids reality now, Little Elk says. As they get older, they will know how to do everything and understand how to respect and honor the animal. And Little Elk and his community are thinking even further into the future more specifically, seven generations from now. According to Little Elk, for the Sicangu Lakota, the idea of the seven generations has a dual meaning. On one hand, a prophecy states that there will be six generations of decline, and then the seventh will emerge stronger, healthier and more vibrant. Additionally, the constitution of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe states they must consider the impact of their decisions on the next seven generations. For us, thats something we take very seriously, Little Elk says. Its a prophecy; its also a duty to act, and it guides our thinking and actions. Prophecies dont just happen. We have to work toward it. So thats part of our job. As Lakota, we understand that every system is related to every other system, and that every action impacts the rest of the universe in some way, shape or form. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 If you win, the health department is whom youll hear from first, according to the lottery. Winners will get a $2 Million VaxCash Promotion Authorization Form allowing the health department to release information to the lottery. If you want the money, you have to fill out the form. The lottery said it will follow up with the claims process. Before Judge Jeffrey Poulson Beau Orlando Gries, 30, Le Mars, Iowa, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance; sentenced April 28, 15 years prison. Ryan Steven Maier, 24, Sioux City, third-degree burglary; sentenced May 21, five years prison suspended, two years probation. Roberto Fidel Olmos, 27, Sioux City, possession of a controlled substance -- third offense; sentenced May 20, five years prison. Before Judge Duane Hoffmeyer Davis Rave Frazier, 18, Sioux City, second-degree theft; sentenced May 5, deferred judgment, two years probation. Gary Wayne Wiseman Jr., 33, Sioux City, possession of a controlled substance -- third offense; sentenced May 17, five years prison. Roy Lynn Gold, 39, Sioux City, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance -- third offense; sentenced May 7, 15 years prison. Darla Jean Larsen-Provost, 46, Sioux City, possession of a controlled substance -- third offense; sentenced May 8, five years prison suspended, three years probation. SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City teenager pleaded not guilty Monday of fatally shooting a man who was fighting with his friend. Dwight Evans, 17, entered his written plea in Woodbury County District Court to charges of first-degree murder, going armed with intent, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. Evans remains in the Woodbury County Jail on a $1 million bond. Evans is charged with shooting Martez Harrison, 22, of Sioux City, once in the chest on May 1. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} According to court documents, Evans had been denied entrance to Uncle Dave's Bar, 1427 W. Third St., and was outside when his friend, Lawrence Canady, got into a verbal altercation with Harrison. Canady is accused of assaulting Harrison's girlfriend. When Harrison intervened, Canady began punching and kicking him. After the fight moved across the street, Harrison fell to the ground and Evans shot him in the chest from close range before Canady resumed kicking and punching him. Evans and Canady fled on foot. Harrison later died at a Sioux City hospital. SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Council awarded a $3.7 million contract to a local construction company Monday for phase 2 of the Chris Larsen Park riverfront development project. W.A. Klinger, LLC submitted a bid of $3,713,408.97, which was the only bid received for the public improvement project. W.A. Klinger's total bid was nearly $38,000 below the city engineer's estimate of $3,751,400. Documents filed with the city state that the sole bid for the project could be due to several factors, such as, the very competitive market, the complexity of the project with 214 bid items, and the fact that W.A. Klinger, LLC already mobilized on the site with the construction of Phase 1. Despite only having one bidder, staff recommended proceeding with the award, as costs for materials and supplies are only expected to increase and become harder to come by. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "Klinger has been working on phase 1. This will be very beneficial to the transition into phase 2," Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Previous guidance called for COVID vaccinations to be delayed two weeks if a patient had recently received another, unrelated vaccine. "It's permissible to do, say for example if a child goes in for childhood vaccines, they can actually add the COVID (shot) into that sequence of vaccines at the same time," Grieme said. The single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot still isn't as widely available in Woodbury County as the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Administration of the Johnson & Johnson shots was paused nationwide, then resumed, in April after reports surfaced of a small number of people developing a rare blood clot after being inoculated. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine didn't immediately return to Woodbury County even after health officials lifted the pause, though Grieme said on Saturday there are a few places now offering it. He and other health officials have said that the Johnson & Johnson shot is ideal for people who are likely to be seen once and then not return. "There are some entities, I think there were some urgent care (clinics) that were interested in doing it, one of the pharmacies is," he said. Today is Monday, May 24, 2021. Let's get caught up. These headlines are in the news this morning: Shootings at a N.J. house party and a S.C. concert left 3 dead and 2 dozen injured over the weekend; Drake, Pink, The Weeknd steal Billboards show; and Phil Mickelson becomes the oldest major champion at 50. Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more. TOP STORIES 3 killed, 2 dozen injured in 2 weekend shootings in US A family house party in South Jersey turned into a crime scene where at least two people were fatally shot and 12 others were wounded, state police said. Authorities arrived at the house in Fairfield Township, about an hour outside of Philadelphia, late Saturday night. A resident who runs a local anti-violence organization said he was called out to assist families at the 90s-themed party. John Fuqua, of Life Worth Living, said guests who attended the party were of all ages. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) The first total lunar eclipse in more than two years coincides with a supermoon this week for quite a cosmic show. This super blood moon will be visible Wednesday across the Pacific offering the best viewing as well as the western half of North America, bottom of South America and eastern Asia. Better look quick: The total eclipse will last about 15 minutes as Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun. But the entire show will last five hours, as Earth's shadow gradually covers the moon, then starts to ebb. The reddish-orange color is the result of all the sunrises and sunsets in Earths atmosphere projected onto the surface of the eclipsed moon. Hawaii has the best seat in the house and then short of that will be California and the Pacific Northwest, said NASAs Noah Petro, project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. New Zealand and Australia also will have prime viewing. Circling the moon for 12 years, the orbiter will measure temperatures changes on the lunar surface during the eclipse. Telescopes atop Hawaiis Mauna Kea also will monitor the moon, Petro said. Hinojosa said he encouraged O'Rourke to consider running for governor after last year's letdown for Democrats. He said he's itching for an answer because the current hole at the top of the ticket is keeping others in the party sidelined for 2022 until they know whether there will be a strong gubernatorial candidate who could boost their own chances downballot. I told him that I thought that we needed a strong candidate for governor and he certainly fit that mold, and that, in my opinion, if anybody could beat Abbott, he could beat him," Hinojosa said of his conversation with O'Rourke. Republicans who already hold massive advantages statewide are looking to extend their territory along the Texas-Mexico border, historically a Democratic stronghold, which swung heavily toward Trump in November. In Webb County, which includes Laredo, Trump cut in half his vote deficit from 2016. Sylvia Bruni, the county's Democratic Party chairwoman, said she hopes O'Rourke runs but knows his presidential bid could hurt his chances. O'Rourke remade his campaign after a mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso in August 2019 and during one debate even made a full-throated call on national TV for confiscating assault rifles, saying Hell, yes, were going to take your AR-15. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court is leaving in place an appeals court decision that the family of a Black driver who was fatally shot by a white police officer in an Ohio city can't sue the city or the officer. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a retired federal law enforcement officer who was put in a chokehold and wrestled to the ground at a VA hospital security checkpoint. Besides the visa restrictions, Blinken said Sunday night the U.S. was imposing wide-ranging restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia and would bring U.S. defense trade control policy in line with the restrictions. The U.S. will continue humanitarian assistance and certain other critical aid to Ethiopia in areas such as health, food security, basic education, support for women and girls, human rights and democracy, good governance and conflict mitigation, Blinken said. At the same time, the U.S. will continue broad restrictions on assistance to Eritrea, he said. Citing provisions in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, Blinken said the visa restrictions would affect issuance of visas for any current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean government officials, members of the security forces or other individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the resolution of the crisis. Amhara regional and irregular forces and members of the TPLF were included, Blinken said. Also included were people who have conducted wrongful violence or other abuses against people in the region, as well as those who have hindered access of humanitarian assistance to those in the region. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to the restrictions, he said. As of May 13, the coronavirus had infected more than 3.9 million children and sent more than 16,000 to hospitals, more than are hospitalized for flu in an average year, according to data collected by the American Academy of Pediatrics. About 300 children have died of COVID-19 in the United States, making it one of the top 10 causes of death in children since the pandemic began. BOSTON (AP) Investigators were preparing to seek an arrest warrant for a defrocked Roman Catholic priest long considered a suspect in the 1972 killing of a western Massachusetts altar boy shortly before his death last week, a prosecutor said Monday. Incriminating admissions Richard Lavigne made in a series of recent interviews while in a medical facility further implicated the longtime suspect in 13-year-old Danny Croteau's death, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni told reporters. Gulluni said his office was prepared to prosecute Lavigne for Croteau's killing, but he died Friday at the age of 80 before he could be arrested. Lavigne indicated in interviews this year with investigator that he had brought Croteau to the riverbank, physically assaulted him, left him there and returned sometime later to see the boy floating in the river, Gulluni said. I just remember being heartbroken when I saw his body going down the river knowing I was responsible for giving him a good shove," Lavigne said in one snippet of the interviews played for reporters. On Friday, before learning about Lavigne's death, Gulluni had authorized investigators to present the evidence to a magistrate judge in order to obtain an arrest warrant for Lavigne, the prosecutor said. BOSTON (AP) Investigators were preparing to seek an arrest warrant for a defrocked Roman Catholic priest long considered a suspect in the 1972 killing of a western Massachusetts altar boy shortly before his death last week, a prosecutor said Monday. He was sentenced to 10 months in custody for his guilty plea in March to conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer; to pay about $14,825 in restitution for company time investigating the attempted intrusion and turning the case over to the FBI; and three years of federal supervision if he remains in the U.S. or returns from abroad. He will remain in custody until he leaves the country. Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged after Kruichkovs arrest in August in Los Angeles that the company had been the target of what Musk termed a serious effort to collect company secrets. Federal authorities had said Kriuchkov was heading to an airport to fly out of the country. Tesla has a massive factory near Reno that makes batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage units. Company officials did not immediately respond Monday to messages seeking comment/ The judge put the amount Kriuchkov offered to pay the unidentified employee at $500,000. She did not address previous reports that the bribe amounted to $1 million. Federal authorities credited the employee with reporting Kriuchkov's overtures to company officials. The lawsuit alleges Rosen and the Harris County District Attorneys Office were told about what was happening by a victims advocate working with the human trafficking unit, but they took no action. We need to end corruption and (complicity) in people in power, Jacquelyn Aluotto, the victims advocate and who filed the lawsuit along with the deputies, said at a news conference. Aluotto alleges she was essentially fired as her hours were cut to zero after she told authorities what happened to the deputies. In a statement, Rosen said an internal affairs investigation his office conducted found no violations of law or policy and the women who filed the lawsuit never submitted a formal complaint in the case. I have a zero-tolerance stance against sexual assault and sexual harassment and would never allow a hostile work environment as alleged," Rosen said. This lawsuit is an effort to impugn the good reputation of the hard-working men and women of the Precinct One Constables Office. I believe our system of due process works and that justice and truth will prevail as facts in this case come to light." When the 30-day deadline came and went to apply, 49 new hires showed up. Now, the group is down to 38, Urbanek said. But State Patrol Lt. Col. Buck Duis, a board member, questioned whether lowering the physical standard even would help, saying the people who failed in the most recent group weren't even close. "We're not talking about people who are a pull-up or two short," he said. Duis said a lot of board members have been in law enforcement long enough to know those times have come and gone, and the pendulum has swung both ways when it comes to hiring. But, he said, it would be difficult for someone to convince him the state needs to eliminate or lower standards. And on Feb. 26, Wetherell, 40, died at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York of an undisclosed medical condition, according to a prison news release. On Wednesday, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the matter moot because of her death and vacated the district court judgment. The next day, Danielle Conrad, executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska, said the decision followed seven years of litigation with positive developments in both state and federal court in the case it filed challenging the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for denying its clients the fundamental right to marry. "With the recent death of one of our clients, we are reminded that justice delayed is justice denied. Ms. Wetherells friends and family have our sincere condolences," she said. Conrad said they are conferring with Gillpatrick and the legal team about potential next steps. "The bottom line is this: Our clients were simply asking for the ability to marry. Marriage is a fundamental right, including for Nebraskans who are incarcerated, she said. According to court records, the couple had met through a mutual friend before they were in prison. Jack Sokolik has, to put it lightly, never been a fan of Nebraska's state flag. The "seal on a bed sheet" design what flag enthusiasts call an SOB makes Nebraska's banner nearly indistinguishable from 28 other states that have similar flags. That's strike one for many. The state seal that's centered on the flag, is "fine for a seal, if a little busy for my liking," Sokolik said, even if it seems to forget it's representing the Cornhusker State. A train barrels down the tracks below a mountain range while a steamboat chugs up the Missouri River, meaning the land depicted on the other side is that of Iowa. "I personally don't want Iowa on my state's flag," Sokolik said. Strike two. The third strike is the seal's self-proclamation as "The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska" which is featured more prominently than the state's motto: "Equality before the law." "It's a big middle finger when it comes to good design," Sokolik said. But Sokolik, a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from Omaha majoring in social sciences education, didn't think about how the flag could be better until recently. Vileta said he asked Iowa City police officer Pamela Romero to question Rivera because she is fluent in Spanish, even though she had little interrogation experience. He said he opted not to have Romero translate his questions for Bahena Rivera because doing so would make for a choppy and frustrating discussion, and had Romero continue the interview because Bahena Rivera seemed comfortable speaking with her. Vileta said he and an FBI agent tried to manage the 11-hour interview by taking frequent breaks so they could be briefed on Bahena Riveras statements, but that it was difficult. On cross-examination, Vileta recounted looking into Mollie Tibbetts boyfriend and other men who came under scrutiny for various reasons before Bahena Rivera came on their radar. That included a reserve deputy who lived on the property adjacent to where Tibbetts body was found, Vileta said. Tipsters told police that the man had a torture room in his basement and had previously harmed women and children, Vileta acknowledged. Investigators went to the mans house, did not find such a room and never formally interviewed him, he said. Dave Muhlbauer, a farmer and former county supervisor from Manning, Iowa, has announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate. Muhlbauer is the first Democrat to officially declare in Iowas 2022 U.S. Senate race. Longtime Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has not yet announced whether he intends to seek an eighth six-year term. Muhlbauer, who is 37 years old, is a fifth-generation family farmer, which he highlights in a campaign announcement video. In a phone interview, Muhlbauer said while Grassley has been serving Iowa in the U.S. Senate for the past 40 years, he wants to be a candidate for the next generation to help shape Iowa for the next 40 years. My message is going to be one of uniting and working together and finding those solutions, Muhlbauer said. Muhlbauer said he would like to work on issues like sustainable farming as a means to help address climate change; infrastructure, including roads, bridges and broadband internet; and health care, including mental health care. Not just the truth about who we were, but the truth about who we still are, he added. And if we can tell the truth, then maybe together we can figure out where were going. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) A man and a woman convicted in separate murders who fought the state of Nebraska for years for the right to marry each other will never have that chance after one of them died earlier this year. The death of 40-year-old Nicole Wetherell in February also ended the court case she and 49-year-old Paul Gillpatrick had waged since 2014 before any precedent could be established. Gillpatrick and Wetherell got engaged in 2011, but officials consistently denied their request to marry because the corrections department was unwilling to transport either of them to the others prison for a wedding ceremony. They were also not allowed to marry via video conference, because the law requires them to be physically in the presence of witnesses and a magistrate or minister. A U.S. District Judge ruled in the couples favor in 2019, but that decision was put on hold while the state appealed. They had met through a mutual friend in the 1990s, before they were imprisoned. Gillpatrick, who is in a Lincoln prison, was sentenced in 2010 to 55 to 90 years for second-degree murder in the 2009 killing of former Omaha firefighter Robby Robinson. Wetherell was serving a life sentence at a prison in York for first-degree murder for the 1998 stabbing of Scott Catenacci in Bellevue. Reynolds called for $150 million a year for three years, so Duncan expects supporters of the broadband build-out to be back at the Legislature next year encouraging lawmakers to continue their investment. Well need to devote another significant amount of money next year to keep this thing going because we're not done yet, Duncan said. He anticipates there will be widespread interests in grants as internet providers respond to the demand for better service that skyrocketed over the past year as many Iowans were working and going to school from home. Unfortunately, Duncan said, the build-out is being slowed by supply-chain disruptions that have hit many industries. Theres a worker shortage, theres a supply shortage of chips, of fiber optics, and a lot of the devices and electronics that are needed to expand broadband, he said. There is no shortage of interest in building out the infrastructure, so Duncan expects the state to get more grant proposals than $100 million will cover. In the neediest broadband areas, the grants will cover 75 percent of the project. The private investment requirement increases in areas where service is better. ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) A federal judge in Aberdeen will decide whether three members of the U.S. Marshals Service should be found in civil contempt over his requirement to have everyone in his courtroom vaccinated for the coronavirus. Judge Charles Kornmann notified courthouse employees in March that the vaccinations would be required in order to provide the safest environment for everyone. The U.S. marshal for South Dakota, Daniel Mosteller, responded to the judge, telling him the U.S. Marshals Service is not requiring employees to get the vaccine and that they will not provide their vaccination status to the court. Kornmann held his first courtroom session for the year on May 10. The U.S. marshal who brought the first defendant into the courtroom refused to disclose her vaccination status, Aberdeen American News reported. As a result, Kornmann told the marshal to leave and pulled in a different deputy marshal to sit in the courtroom. When the outcome is a foregone conclusion, then there is a better use for those funds, he said, adding that state resources shouldnt be used for personal attention. Noem hired a Washington-area law firm, Consovoy McCarthy, best known for representing Trump in fending off efforts to investigate his financial records. Noem spokesman Ian Fury said the firm was chosen for its expertise." Its contract is capped at $150,000, with the state paying $600 an hour for partners and $450 an hour for associates, according to Fury. He said the legal costs of joining the multistate lawsuit over Biden's climate change order should be minimal. Fury explained Noem filed the Rushmore lawsuit herself because she's the one who has pushed to return the fireworks celebration to Mount Rushmore. The administration has noted that the monument is a huge draw for the state's tourism industry, which is South Dakota's second-largest job provider. Noem found an ally last year in then-President Trump, who cleared the way for fireworks at Rushmore despite longstanding concerns about fire danger. Trump joined Noem for a July 3 event that netted Noem pictures alongside the president, as well as a seat with him on Air Force One after the event. VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) A prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president was arrested Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition and Western officials denounced as a hijacking operation by the government. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Children's advocate Cindy Kiro said Monday she hopes to inspire Maori girls after becoming the first Indigenous woman appointed to the role of governor-general. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced she had picked Kiro for the largely ceremonial role as Queen Elizabeth IIs representative, and that the queen had approved. Under New Zealand's constitutional system, the British monarch remains the nation's head of state although doesn't wield any real day-to-day power. Kiros five-year term begins in October, when she will replace Patsy Reddy. Both women have been been given the honorific Dame" for their services to the community. Kiro, 63, said her mixed Maori and British heritage helped give her a good understanding of New Zealand history and the Treaty of Waitangi, the founding document signed by Maori and British. Kiro is currently chief executive of the Royal Society, a nonprofit group which advocates for research. She was previously the nation's Children's Commissioner and has held leadership roles at several universities. Over many decades, Dame Cindy has demonstrated her passion for the wellbeing of children and young people, as well as education and learning," Ardern said. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions drew a massive police presence Monday in at least two cities in the sultanate, with protesters throwing stones at one point and police firing tear gas. Videos posted to social media show several dozen Omanis in the city of Sohar trailed by a long line of riot police vehicles. Other images appear to show a line of dozens of officers in riot gear near a government labor office in the city, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Muscat. Other images appear to show Omanis fleeing smoking tear gas canisters and others being arrested by nightstick-wielding riot police. The images correspond to known landmarks around Sohar, the first major city people enter in the sultanate after crossing the border from neighboring United Arab Emirates. Other videos showed demonstrators in Salalah, a city some 850 kilometers (525 miles) southwest of Muscat. Similar scattered protests in Sohar on Sunday also brought a mass police presence, activists said online. That demonstration was acknowledged by Oman's Labor Ministry in a tweet, which said it was aware of people gathering there to try to find new job vacancies and to solve the problems of those who were fired. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions drew a massive police presence Monday in at least two cities in the sultanate, with protesters throwing stones at one point and police firing tear gas. Their comments came after a study by Public Health England found that two doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines offer high levels of protection against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant. The study, which took place between April 5 and May 16, found that the Pfizer vaccine is 88% effective against the variant after two doses. That compared with 93% effectiveness against the variant first identified in Kent, England, researchers said. The AstraZeneca jab was 60% effective after both doses against the Indian variant, compared with 66% against the Kent variant. Both vaccines were only 33% effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant three weeks after the first dose. Tough lockdown rules eased in most parts of the U.K. earlier this month, largely thanks to an efficient vaccine rollout program. Socializing indoors in limited numbers are again allowed in homes, restaurants and pubs, and a blanket ban on traveling abroad was also partly lifted. Officials have said they plan to reopen nightclubs and allow large events like festivals from June 21 if infection rates continue to stay low. More than 37.7 million people, or 72% of the adult population, have had their first vaccine dose in the U.K. About 42% have had their second dose. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Duchess of Cambridge has thanked nurses for their huge sacrifices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Catherine, 39, sent a message to healthcare workers who have fought tirelessly amid the ongoing global health crisis as part of her role as royal patron of Nursing Now, the campaign that was launched three years ago to champion the profession worldwide. The Nursing Now initiative comes to an end this month, and to mark the occasion Catherine spoke in a special video message which was released by the organisation on Monday (24.05.21). She said: "Although we can't be together in person at this closing of the Nursing Now campaign, I wanted to say a huge congratulations to the incredible work that you've done over the last three years. When Nursing Now was launched in 2018, we had no way of knowing just how much the work dedication and infinite care of nurses would be tested, needed, and appreciated. COVID-19 has highlighted the vital role that nurses provide, which we all rely on. And it's made all the more extraordinary when we consider the huge sacrifices and personal demands that have been placed on all of you by the pandemic." Catherine went on to introduce a short film that was made to showcase the amazing work that Nursing Now has done over the years. Fully vaccinated students those two weeks removed from receiving their second dose of the coronavirus shot would not need to wear masks to march in the parades, according to the message. Students who are not vaccinated or considered fully vaccinated would have to mask up, and those who play wind instruments such as the clarinet or trumpet would need to have a bell cover to prevent the aerosolized spread of the virus, according to the message. From January through October of every year, tennis star Sloane Stephens is in a different city competing. Based out of Florida, she visits her mother in Los Angeles as often as she can and also checks in on the Sloane Stephens Foundation, which utilizes education and tennis to uplift vulnerable children. I honestly dont remember where exactly (my first tennis tournament was), but I do remember that I had a lot of fun and met friends that I grew close to and continued to see at tournaments, Sloane said from Paris, where she was competing in the French Open. That positive first experience with tennis is why I stuck with it. That is the type of environment we create with the kids at the Sloane Stephens Foundation. We give you all the tools to take tennis as far as you want, but the most important thing is that you are finding a pathway to be healthy, happy and have a positive experience. Stephens who serves on the WTA Players Council stays in touch with fans on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sloanestephens/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/SloaneStephens) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Sloaneposts). The Visitor Information Center, in central Anchorage, connects travelers with Alaska Railroad schedules, tourist attractions, flight tours, restaurants and hotels in the city and throughout the state. On this day in 1883, after 13 long years under construction, a bridge connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan, now known as the Brooklyn Bridge, was opened to the public. The New York Times estimated that over 50,000 people attended the opening. The bridge was the first land connection between the two burroughs, which previously could be crossed only by boats and ferries. You may use this page to discuss bridge construction and other large public works projects, or pursue your own areas of freewheeling, off-topic discourse. Find previous discussions in the Open Thread archive. Excepting the entreaty that you remain on topic, all of Slates usual commenting policies apply. If you depend on this community and Slates journalism, please consider joining Slate Plus. We appreciate your support. Three and a half years after Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of trying to seduce him when Rapp was 14 years old and Spacey was 26, the disgraced actor is returning to the screen, ABC News reports. Italian actor Franco Nero, best known in the United States for starring in the 1966 spaghetti western Django and playing one of the villains in Die Hard 2, has cast Spacey in a small role in Luomo che Disegno Dio (The Man Who Drew God), written by Lorenzo De Luca and Eugenio Masciari. Neros wife, actress Vanessa Redgrave, will also appear in the film, joining a cast that includes former Bond villain Robert Davi and a passel of Italian actors. According to Variety, Spacey will play a police detective. Advertisement Spacey declined to comment on his return to the screen, but Nero was not so reticent, telling ABC News, Im very happy that Kevin Spacey agreed to participate in my film. I consider him a great actor and I cant wait to start the movie. Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. After Harvey Weinstein, Spacey had one of the quickest and most dramatic falls from grace of any Hollywood player accused of sexual misconduct. Rapps initial allegations were promptly followed by a flood of other accusations (at least 20 stemming from Spaceys tenure at the Old Vic), Spaceys removal from his flagship Netflix show House of Cards, and his digital replacement with Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World. Spacey said he didnt remember the incident with Rapp, but apologized to him for what he characterized as deeply inappropriate drunken behavior. The actor denied the other accusations, but went on to face criminal prosecution in Massachusetts for an alleged groping incident (charges were dropped amid allegations his accuser had tampered with evidence), police investigations of several alleged incidents in Los Angeles (the DA declined to prosecute one case because of the statute of limitations; another lawsuit was dropped after the death of one of his accusers), and a Scotland Yard investigation into Spaceys behavior at the Old Vic (reportedly still ongoing). The actor has stayed out of the public eye since his career imploded, with the exception of the bizarre videos hes released every Christmas Eve for the last three years. According to the IMDb, Luomo che Disegno Dio is about the rise and fall of a blind artist who has the extraordinary gift of making true-to-life portraits just by listening to human voices. The battle over voting rights in Congress has entered a critical stage. The Greeks have now rolled a large wooden horse up to the gates of Troy. Some among the Trojans believe the Greek Army has left. The debate now is whether to open the gates and bring the gift into the city. It is our strong view that that would be a mistake. The Trojan horse in this story is an idea floated by Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the key vote in the Senate for any voting rights or democracy reform. Manchin, desperate to find bipartisan support for democracy legislation, has now signaled that he believes he could secure such agreement for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, H.R. 4, at least if its provisions were expanded to cover the nation as a whole. And while he has not yet said this critical part definitively, the implication is that Congress should pass that bill with bipartisan support, and leave to another day the much more comprehensive democracy reform package also being considered by the Senate just now, the For the People Act, otherwise known as H.R. 1 or S. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. We strongly support H.R. 4, and firmly believe that the Constitution, properly interpreted, would support it. But we are also fully convinced that a clear majority on this Supreme Court would invalidate H.R. 4 even more certainly with Joe Manchins amendment. And because the reasons for that invalidation are so clear in the opinions of those justices, we are not convinced that offers of bipartisan support for H.R. 4 are in good faith. We dont doubt Manchins intentionshe has long signaled his strong support for both voting rights in particular and democracy reform generally. But we are convinced that at least some on the right see an expanded H.R. 4 as a simple way to give voting rights reform a temporary victory, but one certain to be undone by the Supreme Court after the sun sets on this Congress. Advertisement H.R. 4 is a response to the Supreme Courts 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder sidelining Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. That provision had required certain jurisdictions to preclear changes in voting laws, so as to give the Justice Department a chance to verify that those changes did not wrongfully impact minority voters. The Supreme Court rejected that system in 2013, finding, in the words of Chief Justice John Roberts, that things had changed, and that Congress could no longer simply presume the systematic racism that had justified the Voting Rights Act in 1965. To continue to regulate these jurisdictions in particular, Congress would have to make new findings to prove to the court that the racism of the past continues to this day. Advertisement Advertisement That showing would be difficult enough, given the character of this Supreme Court. But even if it could be sustained in some jurisdictions, Manchins idea to extend the remedy to all of America would certainly fail the Supreme Courts test. Thus, even if Manchin could make good on his promise and get his version through Congress, it would, in our view, certainly be struck down by this Supreme Court. And Congress would have squandered its best opportunity for much-needed democracy reform by passing a proposal that is precisely contrary to what the current court has determined is constitutional. The alternative to H.R. 4 is H.R. 1 an omnibus reform package that includes, among other provisions, much more comprehensive voting rights reform, also penned by John Lewis, as well as gerrymandering reform and, for the first time ever, a way for congressional candidates to fund effective campaigns with small-dollar contributions only. Advertisement This bill, though applying to federal elections only, is almost certain to survive Supreme Court review, because this bill builds upon an express power given to Congress in the Constitution, the elections clause, to protect its own elections. Roberts himself expressly invoked that constitutional authority when suggesting how Congress might address the problem of partisan gerrymandering. That same reasoning would support the voting rights provisions of H.R. 1 as well as the other critical reform that bill includes. Advertisement Yet H.R. 1 is not going to garner any Republican support, because the current leadership in the Republican Party is convinced that its own future depends upon preserving the power of state legislatures to gerrymander, as well as the power to suppress the equal freedom of Democrats to vote. The more than 350 bills now being considered in state legislatures to make it harder for Americans to vote may well be motivated by race. They are certainly motivated by politics: The clear strategy of the Republican Party is to fix the rules to make it harder for American citizens who also happen to be Democratsto vote, so as to secure political power to Republicans. If they succeed, then our federal democracy, always only precariously majoritarian, is almost certain to become predictably minoritarian. Advertisement But what if the 50-state H.R. 4 were amended to apply to federal elections only? Even this, we dont believe, the current Supreme Court would uphold. While the constitutional foundation for the regulation of federal elections is certainly stronger, the idea that every state would have to preclear changes in its election law through the Department of Justice would turn the Constitution on its head. The Constitution gives the states the first shot at determining election rules. Congress is free to override those rules; but we are certain that the Supreme Court would not permit Congress to force all states to seek permission from a federal agency before they can exercise a presumptively constitutional state power. Advertisement Everyone should want bipartisan support for democratic reform. But that fantasy should not obscure the clear reality of the moment: H.R. 1 is the only opportunity for this Congress to secure to all Americans an equal freedom to vote while minimizing the risks of partisan gerrymandering and the continued and overwhelming influence of big money in politics. While we certainly believe that Congress should also pass the original H.R. 4, if only to assert what the Framers of the 14th and 15th Amendments certainly believed that it was to be Congress, not the courts, that gets to say how to protect the equal freedom to voteit would be a catastrophic mistake for majoritarian democracy if Congress did not pass H.R. 1 first. Last week, the Supreme Court surprised many by granting review in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. Thats a challenge to Mississippis 15-week abortion ban. Its a pre-viability standard that really stands as a direct, head-on challenge to the core holding of Roe v. Wade. We have talked so often about how the conservative 63 supermajority at the new Roberts court just wants to do away with Roe, but few thought it would happen this directly or this soon. Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law last week a bill that bans abortion the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected, at around six weeks. The bill also includes an astonishing provision that allows individual citizens to sue anyone they believe may have been involved in helping a pregnant individual violate the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the most recent episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick wanted to hear from people on the ground about whats at stake in states where clinics operate in the face of mounting restrictions. She spoke with Tammi Kromenaker, the clinic director of Red River Womens Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota, and Amy Hagstrom Miller, the founder, president, and CEO of Whole Womans Health LLC.* Their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Dahlia Lithwick: Tammi, lets start with you. Can you tell us a little bit about the kinds of services that you provide at Red River Womens Clinic. What it is that you do? Tammi Kromenaker: We are the only abortion provider in the state of North Dakota. We also provide abortion care to patients coming from South Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. So, we provide both medication and in-clinic suction abortion from the first positive pregnancy test up to about 16 weeks, depending on the physician who is scheduled. We also provide birth control. And its just very important that were here, that we see patients from this region. Were the closest place for a lot of folks out of a three-state area. Advertisement Advertisement Amy, same question. Do you want to talk a little bit about what happens at Whole Womans Health clinics? Amy Hagstrom Miller: Whole Womans Health manages nine clinics in five different states. And we focus our work in the Midwest and the South, where the restrictions and political interference to peoples access to abortion are the greatest. Our clinics offer a full range of abortion care services from abortion with pills through in-clinic abortion. We offer care to the legal limit in most of the states that were in. So, some states we go to 18 weeks; other states were able to go to 24 weeks. We also offer contraceptive care, ultrasound, pregnancy decision counseling, long-acting reversible contraceptives, etc. And we do work also in the community doing education, advocacy, and communications work to hopefully disrupt and shift the stigma that surrounds abortion in this country. Advertisement I wanted to ask both of you how the news this week dropped in terms of what you were seeing, what women around you were saying, what the feeling was on the ground. Tammi Kromenaker: We first heard from our attorneys at the Center for Reproductive Rights that the case had been taken up by the Supreme Court. Honestly, I dont think its registered with the patients that we see. With the pandemic and the changes weve made because of that, people already feel like abortion is scarce and difficult to get in the area that we serve. I think people already half the time think its not available and not legal. So Im not hearing anything from the patients we serve. It might be that its just too soon. It hasnt really sunk in. Our staff, of course, reacted to it. But it just seems like its been an onslaught for so long. Its just another attack on Roe. And the Supreme Court took up this case and then Texas passed their six-week ban, which North Dakota did in 2013. Its like, Here we go again. Advertisement Advertisement Amy Hagstrom Miller: For us at Whole Womans Health, it was a really bad week. Not only did the Supreme Court decide to take up the Mississippi case, but weve been watching the 5th Circuit really closely because Whole Womans Health has a case sitting in the 5th circuit where we have challenged the ban on D&Es in the state of Texas. Can you explain what a D&E is? Amy Hagstrom Miller: D&E is an abbreviation for dilation and extraction. And its the safest, most common method thats used for terminating a pregnancy thats in the second trimester. And so, we watched the 5th Circuit pretty closely and we knew any one of these cases could be the next case that the Supreme Court took up. And so, that happened in the same week that Texas passed the six-week ban. Advertisement It is on the minds of a lot of the people that we serve in Texas. Its on the minds of our staff. We are already getting quite a lot of phone calls because most people who may need abortion services dont pay attention to the politics, dont pay attention to the legislature. One of the unique things about abortion is nobody ever thinks theyre going to need one until they do. And so, all the patients are calling, hearing the words abortion ban. Whether its a 15-week ban or the six-week ban, what they hear is abortion ban. And theyre worried it might be illegal. Theyre worried theyre going to have to cancel their appointments. And theres quite a history of that in Texas. As recently as a year ago, when we had the executive order from Gov. Abbott, it did disrupt abortion services in the state of Texas. For upwards of three weeks, it was basically an abortion ban. And so, its really present and current for a lot of people in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement And, for many of us, its pretty triggering, right? Thisclinics are open, clinics are closed; abortion is accessible, abortion isntis unfortunately a real rollercoaster that the communities have been through in Texas. So, its been a rough week. Tammi, you mentioned the ways in which the pandemic has been a further factor in the services youve delivered in the past year. And I wonder if you could just talk for a minute about what youve had to do differently around COVID and how thats affected your patients. Tammi Kromenaker: Our medical director was very, very on top of COVID and the warnings that were coming and the concerns. And, at one point, North Dakota, unfortunately, was leading the nation in COVID cases. And folks here are very libertarian and were saying, Im not going to wear a mask. But when you are running the only clinic, you get to dictate the rules to patients and they have to follow those rules in order to get their abortion care. Advertisement So, weve drastically changed how we deliver the care. A lot of independent clinics talk about trying to be as efficient as they can and as patient-centered as they can. And we thought we were. But then, when the pandemic hit, we learned that we actually could do it better. Advertisement Advertisement Things like doing more pre-appointment phone calls to explain the procedure, cutting down on the time that the patient is in the clinic, which is a patients most paramount worry. They have to travel four, five, or six hours one way to get to our clinic and thats time off of work and dealing with day care. So, just doing pre-appointment phone calls, cutting down on time that patients are in the building, all the PPE that staff are wearing and patients are wearing, and for a while restricting in-clinic suction procedures because the medication abortion allowed us to see patients quickly, get them through the building in a more efficient manner. Advertisement But then the hardest thing for patients, in regard to medication abortion wasusually again, when youre seeing patients from so far awayyou provide the aftercare by some blood tests that they get in their community at home. Well, were thinking we dont want to send them into a clinic in their community at home. They might not be able to go there. They might not be able to get that blood draw. And you dont want to be sending people into health care centers, which might be dealing with COVID outbreaks. Advertisement Then we do see a fair number of Native American patients at our clinic. And working with some of those folks who had reservation curfews, the nonability to even leave the reservation, and having to work with some organizations that could help advocate for those patients so that they could get off the reservation to come to their appointment, and then dealing with the confidentiality of that. Advertisement Its just been a lot. Theres been good. Theres been not so good. But I think overall weve been able to continue to deliver the care that patients need. We didnt miss a step. Amy, you mentioned the six-week ban in Texas. And I said in my intro that it has this provision that allows anyone and everyone to sue anybody and anything that is implicated in helping someone get an abortion. Can you talk briefly about how rare that is and the implications for you as a provider? Amy Hagstrom Miller: This is a new strategy by the anti-abortion movement to get a six-week ban to stick somewhere. Because the six-week ban is blatantly unconstitutional. And so, this is a strategy for them to see if they can have it actually take hold. Because, in the past, they have had the state as the enforcer of the six-week ban, which has allowed abortion providers to bring a lawsuit and get an injunction to block it from going into effect. So here, what theyve done is theyve created this private cause of action where any random citizenand I like to think of the protesters out on the sidewalk outside of the cliniccan bring a lawsuit and can make a claim that abortions are being provided illegally, according to their impression. So, people without any legal training, without any medical training, with very biased political leanings can file lawsuits. Advertisement Advertisement In some ways, on the legal side, what this does is it makes who do we sue in order to block this from going into effect a moving target. Its very challenging for the best and brightest reproductive rights attorneys to figure out, OK, how can we block this from going into effect? What is the mechanism for doing that? And, unfortunately, it gives the anti-abortion folks another tool, and a scary tool, thats connected to criminal penalties and a fine to use to continue their disruption, their terrorism, their harassment, and their surveillance of abortion providers and of people who help people get access to abortion services. So, were talking about clinic nurses, clinic staff. Its written so broadly that it can mean anybody who helps somebody get access to an abortion, like, the Uber driver who brings the patient to the clinic, the doctor who refers to Whole Womans Health from a different medical practice, somebodys faith leader who they may go to for consult, an abortion fund who might help somebody pay for their abortion. Advertisement For some people that seems sort of abstract and random, but for us, its super obvious whats going to happen because we already have a system thats invisible to the public where anti-abortion folks make use of the regulatory system to police and harass us already. They file false claims. They make crazy accusations. And they use the different governing bodies to try to disrupt services in the clinics, to trigger inspections where we have to prove that the things they accused us of arent actually true. Weve had these things happen. Protesters in Fort Worth accused us of not complying with COVID regulations and social distancing, and it triggered health department inspectors to come in and go through our whole processes. Even if we are excused from these accusations, even if we prove that none of them are actually true, which always happens, the way it puts the staff on the defensive, the way you feel surveilled, the way you feel harassed and accused creates this really incredible work environment. Advertisement Advertisement Weve had protesters accuse us in Fort worth of not having a water heater that was large enough to be adequate for the number of chairs in our waiting room. Sounds nuts. We were closed for three days while we had to get inspected by the city and prove that, actually, the water heater was adequate. They will stop at nothing to try to stop abortions from being delivered safely in the clinics in Texas by any means necessary. And this gives them not only another tool to use, but one that really ratchets up the fear and intimidation and has a $10,000 fine attached to it. And it can be for anyonea mom, a boyfriend, a best friendanyone who helps someone seek an abortion. Advertisement Actually, the way the law is written it says someone who aids and abets in the commitment of an abortion. So, already theyre framing abortion as a crime. Instead of saying, providing abortion, theyre saying, commit an abortion. And I think we have to pay attention to this language and this framework that theyre using. What Im really struck by is the way in which, in constitutional law land, this was an earthquake week. And yet, Im hearing weariness in both of your voices. Both of you just see this as another zig or zag in a decadeslong effort to shut you down by whatever means necessary, to incrementally chip away at how many people can see you and for what. I wonder if you can tell me how much of this registered as the beginning of the end and how much it registered as more of the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tammi Kromenaker: It does feel like its the continual onslaught of chipping away. Weve done the six-week ban. Weve done this ban. Weve done that ban. Weve been in constant litigation for probably I think the doctor and I determined we had a one- to two-year break at one point. But otherwise, weve been in constant litigation, as has Amy, for the last decade or so against these restrictions. And the bottom line is patients still need the care. They still want an abortion. They still need an abortion. But we are plucky, independent providers who will do our best to continue to provide the service in whatever hostile manner and space that we need to because we talk to these patients. We know what they need. Were going to keep on fighting and we have to because we know its what the patients need and want. So, yeah, Im tired. Im burnt out. But I keep going and the patients keep me going. Advertisement Amy Hagstrom Miller: Theres nobody youre going to find in life thats more resilient or innovative than an independent abortion provider in the Midwest or the South. And thats our curse, that we continue to find ways to stay open, to do what I call loophole archeology and try to find these paths. And it really comes from our deep commitment to human rights and justice, which brought most of us to this field. And that were so committed to providing abortion care services. Advertisement Its important to note that these laws dont do anything to change the need for abortion. Theres no strategy here to reduce unplanned pregnancy. Whats happening here is that theyre just cutting off peoples access to safe abortion care services from trained medical professionals. The arc of justice is incredibly long, but I look at how out-of-step these laws are with the public beliefs of the majority of people in this country. And the pandemic has really shined a bright light on the essential health care that abortion care services are, and all the reasons people need abortion care services are even more poignant during this pandemic. People have lost their jobs. Theyve lost their health care. They dont have child care. Their kids are home. Theyre not in school. Its created this opportunity for compassion and empathy where people can see health care disparities in ways that they were blind to in the past. And people understand that sometimes things happen to you and you deserve our compassion and our care and not our judgment. And so, I have some hope that they have gone too far here. They are the minority, but they are in power. Look at the people who stood behind Gov. Abbott when they signed the six-week ban. Look at the law we just had to challenge in Indiana that requires us to tell every single patient that abortion can be reversed. Its nuts. IfI should say whenwe figure out a way to challenge SB 8 at Whole Womans Health, working with the Center for Reproductive Rights, it will be our sixth current lawsuit. This litigation strategy is part of the work as an abortion provider in this country. Its a lot of work. Its real different than health care. Its super intense human rights work, but it is the work of our time. And it is the commitment that we have made, because when we can see tangibly the effect that we have on somebodys life, on really making their ability to choose a course for their life and affirming their autonomy, and their freedom, and their quality, its everything. To hear their entire discussion, as well as a conversation with Voxs Ian Millhiser and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse about the courts and democracy, listen below, or subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. Correction, May 25, 2021: Due to an editing error, this article originally misidentified Whole Womans Health as Whole Womens Health. When I asked Peter Beinart to tell me what he thought about the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, announced last week, his tone was resigned. Ive actually been in an Israeli shelter with my daughter when she was younger and I have a lot of friends and family in Israel, so I was grateful, Beinart said. But I also felt that nothing had been solved and that in all likelihood something like this would happen again, unfortunately. Advertisement Beinart is a writer and an editor, but above all else, he is an unusual figure for many American Jews. Hes Orthodox, has considered himself a Zionist. Hes also a human rights advocate. And his position on Israel has shifted over time. Having once been a staunch defender of the Jewish state, hes now something elsean interlocutor, challenging everyone to look closely at Israel, and tell him if what they see looks fair. Advertisement Advertisement The people hed really like to talk this out with are in the Biden administration. From the beginning, Beinarts noticed Biden has seemed to want to ignore conflict in Israel. It makes a certain kind of realpolitik sense, except for the fact that America is deeply implicated in this deep oppression, Beinart said. The Biden administration is really stuck. I think the path of least resistance will be for them to try to put on enough of a Band-Aid and just cross their fingers that something like this doesnt erupt again while hes president. Advertisement The president might be stuck, but when it comes to Israel, there are signs that other Democrats are shifting their positions. On Mondays episode of What Next, I spoke with Beinart about how significant that shift really is and whether the left flank of the party will influence the White House. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Mary Harris: Back during the Democratic primary, you wrote a deeply reported piece that seemed to anticipate this very moment. It was titled Joe Bidens Alarming Record on Israel. And it laid out Bidens hesitancy around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. You say that Bidens reluctance to act has been a political calculation. There wasnt much to be gained, Biden argued, from having public disagreements with Benjamin Netanyahu or his government. And to explain his reasoning, Biden used this phrase: Never crucify yourself on a small cross. Advertisement Advertisement Peter Beinart: Its kind of an ironic metaphor to use for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a conflict between Jews and Palestinians, who are mostly Muslim. But look, I dont blame Biden. I blame us, which is to say, Biden is a politician. Most of the time, politicians respond to political incentives. Most of the time, politicians arent courageous. When Obama was running for president in 2008, maybe 2007, he was asked by a progressive American Jew whether he would be willing to pressure the Israeli government to change its behavior. And Obama told this story in which the African American labor leader A. Philip Randolph went to Franklin Roosevelt and asked Roosevelt to start desegregating the United States government. And Roosevelt said something along the lines of, You put 10,000 people on the White House lawn and make me do it. And the truth is that those of us who care about the freedom and dignity of Palestinians, who believe that it is a matter of Jewish honor that we are not oppressing other people, we have not done that yet. We have not created enough political force that changes the political calculations for Joe Biden. And although I wish that he would be more out front and more courageous, that ultimately will be the determining variable. Advertisement Advertisement So I guess the question now is really are the politics changing? Because if you were paying attention over the last week or two, you could see various politicians putting themselves forward and making the moral case here, whether thats Sen. Bernie Sanders with his op-ed in the Times. Or Rashida Tlaib, who spoke directly to the president when he was on a visit to Detroit and also spoke on the floor of Congress very movingly about her Palestinian heritage. Are you seeing other things, too, that folks should be paying attention to that show some kind of movement? In the quote-unquote mainstream media, theres definitely been a significant shift. I think that the Black Lives Matter movement and other things have made the media more conscious of questions of representation and more, frankly, embarrassed at the historic absence of Palestinian voices in these conversations. And so I think you have seen more Palestinian voices in the conversation during this conflict than in previous ones. Advertisement Theres been so much conversation about bias, just really transparent conversations. Yes, and thats a big deal. And you are seeing some of that filter into the most progressive members of Congress. But Im not sold on the idea that were necessarily seeing a fundamental shift overall. First of all, the Democrats are only one of two parties in the United States. And so even though theres a little bit of progressive movement happening in the Democratic Party, the Republican Party has gone way backwards. Twenty years ago, you could find Republicans who were willing to talk about Palestinian rights and about American pressure. George H.W. Bush was the last U.S. president to ever condition aid to Israel to restrain settlement growth. Thats completely gone inside the Republican Party. Advertisement And why is that? My understanding is that thats because the Republican Party has become entwined with these religious interests that make it make sense to align yourself with the state of Israel. But is that your understanding too? Yes, you can say its because of white Christian evangelicals and their influence in the Republican Party and also those American Jews who are involved in the Republican Party, who are disproportionately Orthodox. And so its a powerful kind of alignment. Benjamin Netanyahu has been so successful because he has convinced Israeli Jews that they can have their cake and eat it, too. Peter Beinart But I think just focusing on the religious aspect is perhaps too generous. One of the things weve certainly learned in the Trump era is that when one talks about this category of Christian evangelicals, youre talking about a racial category, not just a religious category. And so part of whats going on is that Israel has hierarchies, ethno-religious hierarchies. You can see it most explicitly in immigration policy, where I as a Jew could go to Israel and become a citizen tomorrow. And virtually theres no way for a Palestinian or almost any other non-Jew to actually to go to Israel and gain citizenship. Thats very appealing to a lot of people in the Republican Party who are basically focused on defendingnot the same hierarchiesbut a set of hierarchies and an ethno-religious, racial definition of America. Tucker Carlson said just the other day, basically, Why cant we have an immigration policy like Israel? So there is a deep ideological association between the kind of America that many Republicans want and the kind of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu presides over today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve said the reason the American debate over Israel and Palestine could shift dramatically and quickly is that behind closed doors there are plenty of politicians who are convinced already that what Israel is doing is wrong, but they just need to be convinced that they can say that out loud without hurting their careers. What is it that would convince those politicians of that? Seeing other politicians be able to do so and survive politically. Its really important that Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar both won their reelection challenges, even though there were a lot of people who really put a lot of effort into trying to defeat them. Thats really important. I think its possible that in the Democratic Party you will see more people realizing that this AIPAC, establishment infrastructure that theyre often so afraid of actually isnt as powerful as they might believe. But you have to go through that experience before you can believe it. Advertisement AIPAC is the lobbying group that advocates for a strong American-Israeli relationship. And a lot of people have cited them when they talk about the influence of Israel in Washington. Do you feel like theres been any change there? In terms of how much influence they have in the halls of Congress. Advertisement AIPACs problem is that its a bipartisan organization. It has to be a bipartisan organization. Its whole point is to basically ensure that U.S. policy toward this war remains largely the same. No matter whos in power. And its just hard to be a bipartisan organization on anything in Washington. AIPACs problem is that the momentum in AIPAC is toward it being a more Republican organization, and its struggling very, very hard to hold on to its Democratic flank, talking constantly about progressive values in Israel, LGBT this and blah blah. But the momentum is clearly for AIPAC to become less influential in the Democratic Party. Advertisement Rep. Jerry Nadler wrote this op-ed in the New York Times Friday, making an argument that Democrats have always seen the nuances in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship and that Democrats in Congress agree on this. I wondered if you agreed with that or whether you thought what youre seeing now is new. Eh. I mean, Democrats have seen the nuances, but the vast majority of them have basically still wanted Israel to be able to act with impunity. The really significant shift is among a small number of Democratic members of CongressRashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Betty McCollum from Minnesotawho actually speak full-throated in the language of Palestinian rights and want the U.S. to use its leverage to change Israeli policy. Its still nowhere near a majority of even the Democratic Congress who are taking this position. Advertisement Advertisement What will be significant is when someone like Jerry Nadler is willing to say U.S. money should not be used to imprison Palestinian children and demolish Palestinian homes. Thatll be important. But we are not there yet. You say that the problem with U.S. support for Israel is that it has been so unconditional, right? You dont want the U.S. to remove itself from Israeli affairs entirely. Congress could attach some strings to Israels nearly $4 billion in U.S. military aid. First of all, there are certain kinds of practices that are simply too inhumane for U.S. money to be used for. One would be the demolition of Palestinian homes. Its important to understand that the vast majority of Palestinian homes are not demolished because Palestinians have been accused of anything other than not having building permits. And you know what? They cant get building permits because when youre not a citizen, the government doesnt have any real interest in giving you a building permit. So you build illegally because thats the only way you can build. And then they show up one day and say, Sorry, were knocking down your home. Advertisement Advertisement The second thing is that we should condition U.S. aid on Israel actually stopping settlement growth and being open to the idea of a Palestinian state. I myself think that probably the ship has sailed on Palestinian statehood. But we should be using our leverage to say to Israel, If you want this $3.8 billion, then you have to change your policy. I think this would change Israeli politics. I think that one of the reasons Benjamin Netanyahu has been so successful is that he has convinced Israeli Jews that they can have their cake and eat it, too. They can continue this project of inexorably taking more and more Palestinian land and entrenching this oppression of Palestinians, and pay no international price because their big friend America is giving them international impunity. If that were not the case, if there really were a price internationally for Israels behavior, I think that would strengthen Netanyahus centrist and progressive critics. Advertisement You wrote a piece last year about how your views had changed. Originally youd been quite in favor of a two state solution, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state. But the more and more this conflict deepened, the less and less possible you thought that was. Why? Advertisement Advertisement I just came to the conclusion that the Israeli settlement enterprise, not just the number of settlers, but the vast infrastructure that Israel has built in the West Bankand when you see it up close, nothing about it looks temporary. And so I began to fear that in continuing to use this paradigm of two states, I was actually blinding myself to the reality that existed on the ground and that the paradigm, instead of being a helpful way of understanding the conflict and a potential solution, was actually becoming a way of essentially justifying this immoral status quo. Advertisement So I spent a fair amount of time trying to think about alternatives and trying to think my way through to an idea of one equal state that I thought could work for both Jews and Palestinians. And I think that that scares a lot of American Jews who think that they will lose power in that situation where its not a Jewish state, its a state thats shared. Yeah, tell me about it. It scares me. Theres a lot of trauma in the Jewish experience and a lot of fear. But I ultimately came to the conclusion that our fears cannot be a moral license to crush other people. That is actually antithetical to the way I understand Judaism. Were not simply a tribe. Judaism has an ethical message. It makes a case about the infinite value of all human life. The Torah doesnt start with Jews. It starts with human beings who are not Jews. Noah, Adam and Evethese are not Jews. The point is to emphasize the infinite value of all human life. So thats one reason I took this position. The second is I ultimately dont think that Israeli Jews will be more safe in a state where they are brutalizing and dominating another people and making their lives utter hell. Because those people have nothing to lose. Yes. The harsh reality is that in virtually every movement of national struggle by people who are oppressed, there is some faction that uses violence. Weve sanitized Nelson Mandela, but he was not an apostle of nonviolence. He supported armed resistance. The IRA planted bombs in and around England. In Myanmar now, there are many people moving to armed struggle. The point is that there will always be some group of Palestinians who are going to meet the violence that they experience, through state oppression, through violence, unless you show them that nonviolence can actually lift that oppression. And Israel has done the opposite. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. As pro-democracy demonstrations in Myanmar continue in the wake of the February 1 coup, many protesters within the country are taking to the streets and directly calling for the implementation of Responsibility to Protect, a United Nations norm that they believe could shield them from the violence of the military. Responsibility to Protect, known colloquially as R2P, is a U.N. principle that is used when the government of a country fails to protect its own citizens from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanityin many cases the government itself is the perpetrator of those crimes. In these situations, the U.N. can take collective action through the Security Council on a case-by-case basis to protect civilians, even if the government does not consent and the action violates the countrys sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The norm was developed after the international community failed to prevent genocides in the Balkans, Kosovo and Rwanda in the 1990s. In 2000, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan published the report We the Peoples, writing, [S]urely no legal principlenot even sovereigntycan ever shield crimes against humanity. Where such crimes occur and peaceful attempts to halt them have been exhausted, the Security Council has a moral duty to act on behalf of the international community. Four years later, at the U.N.s 2005 World Summit, R2P was unanimously adopted. Since then, it has been referenced in 92 Security Council resolutions and has been invoked in decisions ranging from an arms embargo in the Central African Republic to enforcing a no-fly zone followed by NATO airstrikes in Libya. Advertisement In the days after the coup in Myanmar, discussions about R2P began to circulate online, as protesters launched demonstrations against the military (known as the Tatmadaw). The calls for action increased when Dr. Sasa, the U.N. envoy for the democratically elected Burmese government in exile, (like many Burmese, he goes by a single name) wrote to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on March 4, asking the Security Council to uphold R2P. Across the country, protesters adopted this demand, writing R2P on their signs and banners and marching through the streets. Experts say the citizens requests for R2P on this scale are unprecedented. Advertisement Theres no real comparable example, said Simon Adams, the executive director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. Never as widespread as what weve seen in Myanmar. Advertisement This raises the question of what exactly invoking R2P would mean in this case. Methods of enacting R2P are varied, and international diplomatic figures who are proponents of the principle being invoked in Myanmar are quick to emphasize it doesnt necessarily consist of military intervention. Gareth Evans, a former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs who was integral in first formulating R2P, wrote in an April 8 op-ed that, military intervention is simply not a realistic option in Myanmar, but went on to say its just one element in the R2P reaction toolbox. Adams suggests that instead of military intervention, the U.N. implement other measures, including targeted sanctions, diplomatic non-recognition, divestment, withdrawal of aid, an arms embargo and a referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court. Advertisement However, protesters in Myanmar are clear that when they ask for R2P, theyre asking specifically for boots on the ground. R2P is coming with armies that can protect the civilians, said Ko Sa, who is from Myanmar and is currently studying for his masters degree in the U.S. (For safety concerns, he is not using his full name.) That is my understanding of R2P. Troops will go there and protect the people from the military shooting them. Advertisement Miemie Winn Byrd, an Asia-Pacific security analyst and former army colonel, said that while R2P is not synonymous with military intervention, those calling for it often view it that way. From the very first time, the U.S. military was involved, said Byrd. They think that R2P means military coming in and supporting. But R2P is a broad range. Advertisement R2P has been discussed with reference to Myanmar before. When Cyclone Nargis struck the country in 2008, killing over 130,000 and causing widespread devastation, Byrd, then serving in the Army, was on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Myanmar, and ready to deliver aid, which the Tatmadaw rejected. At the time, the French advocated for R2P, arguing that the international community should deliver aid whether the government agreed or not, but critics argued that the norm was limited toas written in the 2005 World Summit Outcomegenocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and not disaster relief. The U.N. never invoked the principle. In 2017, when the Tatmadaw committed genocide on the Rohingya people in Myanmars Rakhine State, some international advocates again called for R2P. The Security Council met to discuss the situation, but China and Russia blocked the release of a statement after the meeting was held. In the end, the only official response from the Security Council was a Presidential Statement emphasizing that it was the primary responsibility of the Myanmar government to protect its population. And despite the scale of these events, military intervention, according to Adams, was never on the table. Advertisement Advertisement The military intervention thing is a total red herring, said Adams. Including when talking about the genocide in 2017 in Rakhine State. I never heard anybody seriously suggest that from a diplomatic point of view. In the past decade, skepticism has grown about R2P, particularly since the 2011 intervention in Libya which left a power vacuum that ultimately destabilized the country. But in the case of Myanmar, the skepticism that R2P may give way to harmful foreign intervention is largely depleted due to the fact that the Burmese people themselves are asking for the norm. If the Security Council does intend to invoke R2P in Myanmar, it is moving at a glacial pace to do so, despite pressure from the exiled National Unity Government, various NGOs and even other elements within the U.N. On March 28, the U.N. Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Waimiru Nderitu and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, released a joint statement, saying that the international community has a responsibility to protect the people of Myanmar from atrocity crimes. Advertisement Like with the Rohginya genocide, the real obstacles R2P faces now are China and Russia, two of the five veto-wielding countries on the U.N. Security Council. China, which is Myanmars top trading partner and has billions of dollars invested in the country, likely wants to tread lightly and avoid further economic instability in the country. Russia has openly supported the military, sending Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin in March to meet with the Tatmadaws Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and attend the Armed Forces Day military parade on the same day 114 protesters were killed. This feeds into the broader struggle between these two countries and the West that plays out in the Security Council and the wariness that China and Russia have about invoking R2P after Libya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to what used to be fairly uncontroversial peacekeeping missions in countries where theres conflict and where there are atrocities there used to be a kind of consensus around how the international community could respond, said Adams. A lot of that has broken down and its become ideological. The Chinese and the Russians are, in general, opposed to anything thats about strengthening human rights. R2P remains in limbo more than ever as international and regional organizations play a kind of intervention hot potato. On April 24, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), held an emergency meeting on the situation in Myanmar, reaching a five-point consensus agreeing upon an immediate cessation of violence. Two days later, the junta released a press statement declaring it would consider this when the situation returns to stability in the country since priorities at the moment were to maintain law and order and to restore community peace and tranquility. Advertisement All eyes shift back to ASEAN, Adams said. If they were a little bit more courageous and active around the issue, then it would increase pressure on the Security Council to do something. Of course, there are other options to pressure Myanmar that bypass the Security Council entirely. Countries can impose their own restrictions, and many have already, from the United States targeted sanctions to New Zealand not recognizing the junta and implementing a travel ban on military leaders. But none of these individual actions would be as impactful as a resolution from the U.N. Advertisement On May 17, the U.N. held a plenary meeting on the topic of R2P. Myanmars envoy, Kyaw Moe Tun, who supports the opposition, gave a statement, saying, I understand that todays debate is of thematic nature, not about a country specific one. However, I find it extremely hard not to relate relevance of the topic to what has been happening in my country. Advertisement He urged the international community to adhere to the principle of R2P in Myanmar, and also appealed to the U.N. member states and Security Council to enact further measures punishing the Tatmadaw, give humanitarian assistance, and recognize the National Unity Government. The following day, the U.N. General Assembly was set to consider an arms embargo on the junta, but the vote was postponed indefinitely to gain more support and have more time to negotiate with ASEAN , according to the AFP. Resolutions from the General Assembly are not legally binding but do hold political heft. In Myanmar, protesters grow skeptical of the international communitys willingness to help. You do not see them holding U.N. or R2P posters anymore, said Theo, who has been sharing information online and following the situation. He requested to be identified by his nickname due to safety reasons. Now, he says, instead of the R2P messages, protesters have been holding signs in support of the newly formed National Unity Government and flags representing the Ethnic Armed Organizations in the country. In the beginning, Ko Sa, the graduate student, knew it would be difficult to get R2P, but he was hopeful it would happen as he observed people protecting themselves from the military by using their knives, slingshots and hunting weapons. Now, hes skeptical as well. If we hope too much, we will be hurt, he said. The Supreme Court turned away an appeal on Monday brought by a man who faces the very real possibility of being tortured to death. Missouri intends to execute Ernest Johnson, who was sentenced to death in 1994, using pentobarbital; due to Johnsons unique medical condition, the drug may inflict excruciating agony as he dies. Just two years ago, the courts conservative majorityincluding, most prominently, Justice Brett Kavanaughsuggested that an inmate in this exact situation could demand a different, less painful execution. Advertisement Johnson did precisely what Kavanaugh asked, asking that Missouri kill him by firing squad instead of lethal injection. Yet Kavanaugh and his five conservative colleagues ignored his plea on Monday, condemning Johnson to a death that may be violent and prolonged. In her pointed dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor highlighted her colleagues perverse retreat from his earlier promise. It appears that Sotomayor, like Justice Elena Kagan, is fed up with Kavanaughs habit of posturing as a moderate, then voting like a reactionary. When the stakes are low, Kavanaugh knows how to sound like a reasonable, empathetic centrist. But when an actual persons rights are on the line, Kavanaughs vote is nowhere to be found. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Johnson v. Precythe, the case that SCOTUS swatted away on Monday, constitutes yet another challenge to the grisly impact of lethal injection on the human body. In 2008, Johnsonwho was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1994underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor. In 2008, doctors removed about 20 percent of his brain tissue, causing severe scarring that left a brain defect. They did not eliminate the entire tumor. This trauma to Johnsons brain, combined with remaining tumor cells, triggered epilepsy. Missouri now wants to kill him using pentobarbital, but the drug both triggers seizure and exaggerates sensations of pain. In 2016, Johnson alleged that lethal injection would therefore trigger a massive seizure and inflict an unconstitutional amount of pain, and initially asked that Missouri execute him using nitrogen gas instead. Advertisement This request was not far-fetched, since Missouri law explicitly authorizes the use of nitrogen gas in executions. In 2019s Bucklew v. Precythe, however, the Supreme Court ruled that Missouris death row inmates could not demand death by gassing as an alternative to lethal injection. The courts conservative majority held that gassing was not a viable option because it could not be readily implemented and had no track record of successful use. (Missouris neighbor Oklahoma currently uses gas for executions, as have many other states throughout history.) In short, Missouri did not want to figure out how to gas its prisoners, and the Supreme Court would not force it to learn. A states refusal to adopt new methods of execution can justify torture. Advertisement Advertisement Bucklew was a brutal decision that was made possible by Justice Anthony Kennedys retirement. Kennedy served as a moderating force on Eighth Amendment issues, often limiting the scope of conservative decisions on capital punishment. And, indeed, shortly before he retired, Kennedy cast the deciding vote in a 54 decision staying the execution at issue in Bucklew. By the time the court heard arguments in the case, though, Kennedy had retired. It seems his hand-picked successor, Kavanaugh, was content with Bucklews extremism, since he joined the majority. While Kavanaugh did not moderate Bucklew from a legal perspective, he did deploy a rhetorical smoke screen to make the decision sound less cruel. The justice wrote a concurring opinion to underscore an additional holding of Bucklew that favored capital defendants, one that all nine Justices today agree on. Yes, an inmate must present an alternative method of execution to avoid torturous lethal injection, the justice wrote. But, he added, the alternative method of execution need not be authorized under current state lawa legal issue that had been uncertain before todays decision. Thus, there is little likelihood that an inmate will not be able to identify a feasible alternative. Kavanaugh also pointed out that Missouri had even conceded, at oral argument, that inmates could request a firing squad, even though that method is not authorized by state law. Advertisement Advertisement Kavanaugh extended the hope of relief, then walked away when Johnson tried to take him up on it. Kavanaughs concurring opinion in Bucklew set out a clear path for Johnson. He could no longer demand death by nitrogen gas. But he could ask for death by firing squad, as the state itself admitted before the Supreme Court. So he tried to amend his complaint to plead death by firing squad as an alternative to lethal injection. Then he ran into a roadblock at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. According to the 8th Circuit, Johnsons request came too late; he should have requested a firing squad earlier, before Bucklew came down, and before SCOTUS gave him a legal basis to do so. How could that be? As Kavanaugh explained, Bucklew marked the first time the Supreme Court declared that capital defendants could request a method of execution that is not authorized under state law. Yet the 8th Circuit did not see it that way. It held that Bucklew did not constitute an intervening change in law that would allow Johnson to amend his complaint. Advertisement Kavanaugh should have leapt at the chance to correct this holding, which contradicted his own concurrence. But on Monday, he declined the opportunity. His inaction prompted Sotomayor, in dissent, to foreground his broken promise. Sotomayors dissent repeatedly cited Kavanaughs concurring opinion in Bucklew, quoting from it extensively. It was Kavanaugh, she noted, who explicitly wrote that Bucklew changed the law (which the 8th Circuit denied). It was Kavanaugh who wrote that inmates in exactly this situation should have little trouble identifying an available alternative. And it was Kavanaugh who emphasized Missouris agreement that an inmate could request a firing squad. Johnsons only misstep, Sotomayor wrote, was failing to predict Bucklew and address it pre-emptively. He bears no fault for that. The fault lies with Kavanaugh, who extended the hope of relief, then walked away when Johnson tried to take him up on it. Advertisement It requires just four votes for the Supreme Court to hear a case, and all three liberals voted to take up Johnson to fix the 8th Circuits mistake. If Kavanaugh meant what he said in Bucklew, he would have provided the fourth vote to hear Johnson. By turning away Johnsons appeal instead, Sotomayor concluded, Kavanaugh has rendered his own words an empty gesture. Although the liberal justices sound disappointed by this about-face, they do not seem surprised. At this point, its what they should expect from Kavanaugh. The justice leans on Kennedy-esque rhetoric to make rulings sound more palatable, only to abandon his compromise position when the rubber hits the road. Rather than empathize with the powerless and vulnerable, as Kennedy sometimes did, he uses performances of empathy to deflect criticism of his decisions ramifications. Kavanaugh only stands to benefit from this virtue signaling. He can rule against Dreamers, LGBTQ people, criminal defendants, and religious minorities without sounding like the bad guy. Kavanaughs words may soothe his own conscience. But they are cold comfort for those, like Ernest Johnson, who must suffer the consequences of his deeds. They were under no obligation to report to anyone that R.B. told them that Ravenell knew all about R.Bs criminal conduct and participated in it and received proceeds from it, prosecutors wrote in a late Friday response, referring to Byrd as R.B. But they chose to fabricate evidence about their meeting with R.B. The Superseding Indictment alleges that is when they broke the law. This piece originally appeared in the Conversation. President Joe Bidens cybersecurity executive order, signed May 12, calls for the federal government to adopt a zero-trust architecture. This raises a couple of questions. What is zero-trust security? And, if trust is bad for cybersecurity, why do most organizations in government and the private sector do it? One consequence of too much trust online is the ransomware epidemic, a growing global problem that affects organizations large and small. High-profile breaches such as the one experienced by the Colonial Pipeline are merely the tip of the iceberg. Advertisement There were at least 2,354 ransomware attacks on local governments, health care facilities, and schools in the U.S. last year. Although estimates vary, losses to ransomware seem to have tripled in 2020 to more than $300,000 per incident. And ransomware attacks are growing more sophisticated. A recurring theme in many of these breaches is misplaced trustin vendors, employees, software, and hardware. As a scholar of cybersecurity policy with a recent report on this topic, I have been interested in questions of trust. Im also the executive director of the Ostrom Workshop. The Workshops Program on Cybersecurity and Internet Governance focuses on many of the tenets of zero-trust security by looking to analogies including public health and sustainable developmentto build resilience in distributed systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trust in the context of computer networks refers to systems that allow people or other computers access with little or no verification of who they are and whether they are authorized to have access. Zero Trust is a security model that takes for granted that threats are omnipresent inside and outside networks. Zero trust instead relies on continuous verification via information from multiple sources. In doing so, this approach assumes the inevitability of a data breach. Instead of focusing exclusively on preventing breaches, zero-trust security ensures instead that damage is limited, and that the system is resilient and can quickly recover. Using the public health analogy, a zero-trust approach to cybersecurity assumes that an infection is only a coughor, in this case, a clickaway, and focuses on building an immune system capable of dealing with whatever novel virus may come along. Put another way, instead of defending a castle, this model assumes that the invaders are already inside the walls. Advertisement Its not hard to see the benefits of the zero-trust model. If the Colonial Pipeline company had adopted it, for example, the ransomware attack would likely have failed and people wouldnt have been panic-buying gasoline in recent days. And if zero-trust security were widespread, the ransomware epidemic would be a lot less biting. Advertisement But there are at least four main barriers to achieving zero trust in government and private computer systems. First, legacy systems and infrastructure are often impossible to upgrade to become zero-trust. Achieving zero-trust security requires a layered defense, which involves building multiple layers of security, not unlike a stack of Swiss cheese. But this is challenging in systems that were not built with this goal in mind, because it requires independent verification at every layer. Advertisement Second, even if its possible to upgrade, its going to cost you. It is costly, time-consuming, and potentially disruptive to redesign and redeploy systems, especially if they are custom-made. The U.S. Department of Defense alone operates more than 15,000 networks in 4,000 installations spread across 88 countries. Third, peer-to-peer technologies, like computers running Windows 10 on a local network, run counter to zero trust because they rely mostly on passwords, not real-time, multifactor authentication. Passwords can be cracked by computers rapidly checking many possible passwordsbrute-force attackswhereas real-time, multifactor authentication requires passwords and one or more additional forms of verification, typically a code sent by email or text. Google recently announced its decision to mandate multifactor authentication for all its users. Advertisement Advertisement Fourth, migrating an organizations information systems from in-house computers to cloud services can boost zero trust, but only if its done right. This calls for creating new applications in the cloud rather than simply moving existing applications into the cloud. But organizations have to know to plan for zero-trust security when moving to the cloud. The 2018 DoD Cloud Strategy, for example, does not even reference zero trust. The Biden administrations executive order attempts to foster a layered defense to address the nations cybersecurity woes. The executive order followed several recommendations from the 2020 Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a commission formed by Congress to develop a strategic approach to defending the U.S. in cyberspace. Among other things, it builds from zero-trust frameworks propounded by the National Institute for Standards and Technology. It also taps the Department of Homeland Security to take the lead on implementing these zero-trust techniques, including in its cloud-based programs. I believe that when coupled with other initiatives spelled out in the executive ordersuch as creating a Cybersecurity Safety Board and imposing new requirements for software supply chain security for federal vendorszero-trust security takes the U.S. in the right direction. However, the executive order applies only to government systems. It wouldnt have stopped the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, for instance. Getting the country as a whole on a more secure footing requires helping the private sector adopt these security practices, and that will require action from Congress. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. This article originally appeared in Zocalo Public Square. In the summer of 2020, when most countries were cherishing the quiet before the second peak in COVID-19 cases, the nonprofit I was volunteering at was bustling with activity. It had developed an open-source digital contact tracing systemone of those smartphone apps that tracks ones whereabouts and sends notifications if the user had been exposed to COVID-19. Do you want to join one of our meetings? was the offer of a volunteer I met at a (virtual) university event. He knew I was researching public use of highly contentious technology. I could not turn down the opportunity to peek into the decision-making process of an organization providing one of those technologies to governments. Advertisement Four months later, I was still attending those meetings, and it was becoming clear how inadequately digital data and public health often intersect. Most of the public health officials we were meeting with did not seem prepared to include digital contact tracing apps in their operations, but governments wanted them anyway. So, their contractors were seeking the support of technology providers like the nonprofit to deliver apps that were promising to slow the spread of the infection and still preserve privacy. Even now, one year later, there is limited evidence that those apps can accomplish both objectives. But in the midst of the pandemic, when the spread of the coronavirus seemed uncontrollable, it was easy to be seduced by a pre-packaged solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, my own curiosity was peaked by the wealth of information that the non-profit was able to catalyze. Public health officials and technology developers frequently came together to tackle this new challenge by sharing good and bad examples from across the country and around the world. The nonprofit was open to all, but I could only sneak into these conversations as part of its network. This is how I came to know about the story of Hector Hugo, a 32-year-old urban planner, who used emergency call data to inform the COVID-19 response of Guayaquil, Ecuador. By the end of March 2020, the city of Guayaquil had become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. The internet would show images of dead bodies in the streets of the city waiting to be collected. The political system was slow and unprepared. Advertisement Hugo came across the emergency call records of Guayaquils residents on the internet. He filtered those that seemed related to COVID-19 infectionscalls about having trouble breathing or corpses to be collectedand then coded those as points on a map. Access to data is typically a major roadblock in research, especially when the privacy of health-related information is in the picture. But apparently, these emergency call records were mistakenly uploaded on the cloud, meaning Hugo could just download them. With that data, he created a heatmap of casesmaps showing where the health crisis was most severe. Then, with the help of a Spanish data analyst, Carlos Bort, he crossed those with demographic data and was able to project the likely spread of the virus in the city. Long story short, Guayaquil had a roadmap to allocate health care workers and resources to the most vulnerable neighborhoods, those with the highest current and projected levels of contagion. Advertisement Advertisement The number of cases and deaths in Guayaquil dropped in the months following the introduction of this new system. Nobody knows whether it was thanks to those heatmaps or to the herd immunity that the city had acquired during the worst moments of the pandemic. Nevertheless, this is how a privacy breach will forever be rememberedas the lucky fluke that saved Guayaquil. But data hacking is no public health strategy. In early August of 2020, data analysts from a development agency of a Mexican state were looking into digital contact tracing and exposure notification apps for their jurisdiction and reached out to our non-profit to explore feasible options. They wanted to add data analytics to their pandemic response, believing that, like in Guayaquil, it would help allocate public health resources and hoping that digital contact tracing could help. Advertisement Bluetooth-based apps are quickly becoming the standard in this industry because they are highly privacy-preserving, I explained. The app collects encrypted identification codes from other app users that happen to be around you. If one of them tests positive to COVID-19 and uploads the test result, the app sends a notification out to those whose codes it had collected. Ideally, those people get tested and self-isolate to stop the further spread of the virus. Advertisement Does it work? asked the inquisitive local official. Nobody really knows, there is not much evidence yet, I replied. A study released in April 2020 suggests that to be truly effective, roughly 60 percent of smartphone users need to download it. But 60 percent is a high adoption level. Most of the contact tracing and exposure notification apps launched so far dont get to double digits. The most popular are now in the 20 percent adoption levels. And while the app might still be effective in conjunction with other measures, it cannot aid with those measures, due to individual privacy concerns. Thats because all data the app records remains safely stored on the smartphone, and does not go to a centralized dataset in order to preserve individual privacy. Advertisement Its a Catch-22. Tech companies dont trust governments with personal information, so no data ever leaves the individual smartphone. But people dont seem to trust tech companies either, so they dont download the app in the first place. Governments dont trust themselves to be able to approach the pandemic without technology as a comfortable safety blanket, so they ask tech companies for apps. Its a cycle thats difficult to break. Advertisement In an optimistic shot, by summers end, most countries had decided that a contact tracing app was going to be in their future despite the uncertainties it carried. While digital contact tracing made sense in theory, there was not enough evidence that it actually slowed the spread of COVID-19. When two users meet, digital contact tracing apps record a contact. But they are ignorant of the context, and therefore cannot accurately predict the risk of infection. If the contact takes place in an open space rather than indoors, if masks were worn, the chances of transmission are lower. Bluetooth signals travel across physical barriers, while the Coronavirus does not. If two phones were close enough, one could receive an exposure notification even if the COVID-19 positive person were on the other side of a wall that would prevent transmission. Advertisement It might unnecessarily alarm people, but at the same time might provide a false sense of security. With high rates of asymptomatic infections, apps can track the spread of the virus only if users were carrying their phones consistently with their blue-tooth or GPS systems turned on and if large-scale testing were available for those showing no symptoms. Virtually no country met those conditions at the time, and short of that, asymptomatic carriers might never receive an exposure notification and be led to feel confident about their health when, in fact, they were actively spreading COVID-19. Advertisement Advertisement Whether privacy-preserving apps could consistently and accurately track contagion was still a mystery. Digital contact tracing apps were too novel and, being privacy-preserving, scant data was available to researchers. Countries like China had some success with it, but their solution was part of a large digital surveillance system, which was unrealistic in the privacy-sensitive West. The high levels of adoption required to make digital contact tracing work seemed attainable only with mandates requiring people to download the appan obligation that many governments judged to be unethical and politically perilous. Advertisement The question was then how to nudge people into using the app. Nobody knew, so Belgium decided to ask them directly. In September 2020, it launched an open consultation. Anybody on the internet with enough digital literacy to upload a PDF into an online form could submit a comment on the design of the national exposure notification app and the policies that framed its usesuch as what age minors should independently decide on using the app or what privacy statements should look like. It also inquired about the structure and composition of an independent oversight committee that would monitor the use of the technology to ensure it was not abused, that its uses did not impinge on individual rights, and that it did not outlive the health crisis. Advertisement Advertisement It was an innovative example of an open, transparent, and crowdsourced approach to policymaking that acknowledged the risks of misuses and that took steps to mitigate them. Our team had been seeking exactly such arrangements earlier in the pandemic, when a technology contractor in a country with somewhat dictatorial leadership (according to many political commentators) had reached out to receive support in developing and deploying a contact tracing app. As always, the nonprofit enthusiastically accepted to help. But the project proved to be far more ambitious than a simple app. The contact tracing system would feed into a digital ID that acted as a pass. If one had tested positive or had been in contact with a COVID-19 positive person, the digital ID would deny access to public spaces. Ubiquitous digital readers would scan those passes and track individual movements. Cameras with recognition systems would match the identity of the pass owner to that of the smartphone holder. Advertisement It scared me. The technology of the nonprofit was privacy-preserving, but in this country, the whole ecosystem planned around it was not. After such a large investment, it was reasonable to fear that this infrastructure would outlive the pandemic. I could not shake off the picture of a Big Brother following every step with its intrusive eye. Advertisement None of us inside the nonprofit were ready to play a part in that process, to be its enablers. But the decision wasnt easy. Digital contact tracing might have helped mitigate the rising number of cases in the country. If not us, then someone else would have done it, maybe some unscrupulous firm that was not concerned about the publics well-being. There are no industry standards nor formal monitoring systems for this technology. Maybe the responsible thing to do was to engage in order to keep a foot in and an eye out. Advertisement Ultimately, though, the nonprofit did not feel equipped to bear that burden. It was a difficult decision, but one made easier because the financial health of the nonprofit was not at stake. None of the volunteers were risking their livelihood on a lost client. That is a privilege that few institutions enjoy. For many companies, the COVID-19 health care crisis has been an opportunity: Technological solutions like digital contact tracing and telemedicine suddenly have a market that is both open and, in many places, underregulated. In this context, the nonprofit could have been the unicorn to set standards in an industry where technology providers had no formal obligations other than the judgment of history books. Whether it fulfilled or missed this responsibility still is an open question. But that window did not stay open long. After a summer of glory, digital contact tracing and exposure notification lost their splendor in the fall, dried up as the days shortened, and fell before the winter was even over. Sustained criticism and lack of adoption had made digital contact tracing irrelevant. But the nonprofit is not losing its spirit. It has already set its eyes on a sexy new gadget: digital vaccine passports. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. The legal ins and outs of working from home. Font size: A - | A + The pandemic, a Labour Code amendment, further progress in digitalisation all these factors lead to an increased number of employees working from their homes. This naturally gives rise to discussions about the benefits and drawbacks of home office. The focus here lies primarily on legal challenges linked to work from home, and on topics which the Labour Code amendment failed to address. Are employers obliged to reimburse employees for increased costs, or provide work equipment? What is the distinction between occasional and regular work from home? What lies ahead for the employers? Silvia Benova, Junior Associate 1. Regular, occasional, or temporary work from home: What are the differences? The legal regulation differs depending on whether an employee works from home on a regular or occasional basis. In the case of the latter, an agreement between the employer and the employee suffices. However, the employees rights are limited. On the other hand, regular work from home requires changes to the employment contract a new specification of the place of work performance which must be signed by both parties. The parties can even agree on several such places. The definition of regular work from home is unfortunately missing in the new amendment. Thus, the best approach is to assess case by case so that there is no sidestepping of the laws. In addition to these two concepts, there is the option of temporary work from home, which is applicable during a state of emergency or an extraordinary pandemic situation (and two months after such a state ends). Employees are entitled to work from home, the nature of the work so permitting, and employers are entitled to request home office. However, the Labour Code once again fails to specify the details of temporary work from home, and employers and employees are left without knowing the extent of their rights and obligations. Therefore, an agreement between the parties is advisable. 2. A new approach to scheduling working hours Based on the adopted amendment, employers are entitled to schedule working hours of those employees working from home on a regular basis. The parties can still agree that the working time will be set exclusively by the employee. In such a case, the employee will, however, lose some employment benefits, such as wage compensation for personal impediments at work and surcharges for overtime work. Another option is flexible working time, where the employee has to be available to the employer at prearranged times, and may self-schedule the rest. 3. Home office equipment & IT security Companies with employees working from home on a regular basis have certain equipment-related obligations. They have to provide, install, and update the technical equipment and software needed so that employees can work from home. A specific arrangement between the parties is possible too; an employee may use their own hardware and software. In such a case, we recommend the parties enter into a written agreement on that subject, or amend the employment contract or the collective agreement. This is to avoid a situation where the employee uses personal equipment without the employers consent, relieving the employer of liability for any damage. The employee cannot claim increased costs related to the use of personal hardware and software. JUDr. Pavol Rak, PhD., Managing Partner Employers also should bear in mind the obligation to ensure the protection of the data processed and used by employees working from home. Problems occur when employees use their own hardware and software. GDPR standards are set high and, in some professions, it is technically impossible to achieve a sufficient level of data protection. The solution for that is supplying the employee with company equipment. 4. Reimbursement of home office expenses The new regulation obliges an employer to reimburse its employees working from home for demonstrably increased costs resulting from the use of the employees personal hardware and software. The reimbursement, however, does not occur automatically. First, the use of personal equipment must be agreed on in the employment contract or collective agreement. Second, the employee has to provide evidence of increased costs. Compensation in the form of a one-off payment is therefore not possible. If the employee needs and purchases equipment (e.g. keyboard, mouse), they can claim reimbursement by just handing over a receipt. However, when increased electricity or internet costs come into play, things get a bit more difficult. It is practically impossible to separately determine the exact work-related consumption of such utilities. Higher electricity bills during periods of home office do not automatically mean that the increased power consumption relates to the employee working from home. 5. Occupational health and safety: No progress in sight The topic of occupational health and safety in home office unfortunately remained untouched by the amendment of the Labour Code. Authorities also did not contribute to resolving the practical issues. Employers are thus still responsible for the occupational health and safety of their employees working from home. A positive view towards the guidance was published by the National Labour Inspectorate on home office during the pandemic. However, it is applicable only until two months after the state of emergency is lifted, and its potential future use is uncertain. Under the guidance, employers are not responsible for the condition of the home workplace, including the condition and inspection of electrical installations or heating appliances. They, however, cannot relieve themselves of the responsibility to provide suitable equipment, compliant with health and safety requirements. Along with a laptop, employers have to provide their employees with an ergonomic keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor. Employees using a display device (e.g. monitor) must take regular breaks, at least after each four-hour period of continuous work. 6. Monitoring of employees working from home The performance of work from home has, without any doubt, affected the privacy of employees and their right to protection of personal data. Employers have to deal with challenges related to technical conditions enabling work outside of the office, in particular, with respect to tasking employees, checking outcomes, and recording time worked. Since employers, in most cases, want to monitor their employees during work, several new methods for monitoring employees working from home have been introduced, e.g. regular videocalls, employee monitoring software, and time recording software. When introducing such measures, employers should keep in mind their limitations and obligations resulting from the Labour Code and other legislation. Moreover, if employees personal data are involved, employers are confronted with even more obligations under GDPR. These include an information obligation, an obligation to conduct a balancing test (balance the employers legitimate interests against the interference with the employees privacy), or to carry out a data protection impact assessment. The pandemic has undoubtedly forced many employers to change their view on working from home. While this form of work has numerous advantages for both employers and employees it still requires a longer time to see all its cons and pros. The end of applicability of temporary work from home will require new standard internal rules for home office to be drawn and introduced in the following months. Experience from the past months of forced home office will be a helpful resource in this task. This article has been brought to you by Noerr. 24. May 2021 at 0:00 It is no longer possible to cancel vaccination appointment before the second shot Still, there are ways to change the vaccination appointments if necessary. Font size: A - | A + The National Health Information Centre (NCZI) no longer allows people waiting for the second Covid vaccine shot to cancel their registration. Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope. The reason is chaos accompanying the cancellation and repeated registration for the vaccine, the Sme daily reported. What to do now People who are now waiting for the second vaccine shot but become sick shortly before the appointment can cancel by calling the Health Ministry's helpline (+421(0)800 174-174) or NCZI's helpline (+421(0)2 3235-3030). These people will stay in the system, but their registration will be inactive for a few days. Subsequently, they will receive a new appointment, NCZI spokesperson Veronika Bauch told Sme. People receiving the Covid vaccine jab will receive a bilingual certificate Read more It is also possible to postpone an appointment if a person is on holiday, but the time difference between the first and second shot of an mRNA vaccine (Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech) should not be longer than 42 days. In the case of the AstraZeneca vaccine, it should be 12 weeks. Although it is possible to stretch these dates, people should get their second shot as soon as possible, Sme reported. If people do not receive a date for the second vaccination appointment in a respective period, they should contact the helplines. Problems with AstraZeneca The vaccination appointments have been cancelled en masse mostly in the case of the AstraZeneca vaccine, particularly after the State Institute for Drug Control (SUKL) announced in early May that there might have been a link between the vaccine and the death of a 47-year-old woman. Data on people waiting for their vaccine jab revealed Read more Later, Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky (OLaNO nominee) suspended the administration of this vaccine for people who have not been vaccinated yet, giving a lack of stock of the vaccine as a reason. More than 21,000 people waiting for the AstraZeneca shot then started cancelling their registration; 9,000 of them were already vaccinated with the first jab. Some of them changed their mind later and started re-registering in the online waiting room system. One of the reasons, according to Sme, was the announcement that everybody entitled to the vaccine can now receive the vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna. However, several people faced problems with their new registration, though. They told Sme that they either fail to receive a new appointment or are unable to call the call centre run by the Health Ministry or NCZI. The ministry recommends being patient and trying several times. Read more about coronavirus vaccination in Slovakia: 24. May 2021 at 11:08 | Compiled by Spectator staff The unacceptable landing of a plane in Belarus requires a strong response Slovak top representatives respond to the recent detention of Belarusian opposition journalist, while the ministry summoned Belarusian charge daffaires. Font size: A - | A + An unacceptable enforced landing of a commercial plane breaches international travel and requires a strong response. This is how Slovakias top politicians responded to the reports on Belarus landing a plane operated by Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair, flying from Athens to Vilnius, to arrest Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich, who faces a life sentence or even the death penalty. Official authorities said this is because of a bomb threat, but no explosive was actually found during the search. Instead, the journalist was arrested. I condemn the forced landing of the civilian flight by the Belarusian regime under the politically motivated pretext of a terrorist threat, Slovakias Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok (SaS nominee) commented. We request the immediate release of both the plane and all passengers including those unlawfully detained. President Zuzana Caputova called the reports on grounding a commercial plane in Belarus and the subsequent detention of an opposition activist extremely concerning. Investigation is essential any violation of international law must have consequences, she commented. PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) also called on Belarusian authorities to release the detained. It is unacceptable to re-route a Ryanair flight full of civilians from landing in Vilnius into a forced landing in Minsk, he said. This is a serious breach of international travel which must trigger a strong response. The landing of the plane in Belarus will be one of the topics discussed at the upcoming EU summit, Heger said later on May 24. There several options, he added, as quoted by the SITA newswire. Slovakia is ready to support any response proposed, including sanctions. Yet we will stress that itll be important that the conditions of people in Belarus dont worsen, and that regular people wont be cut off from their world. Charge daffaires summoned Slovakias Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned Belarusian charge daffaires in Bratislava on May 24. The ministry expressed a fundamental disagreement with the politically motivated step of the Belarusian regime, making a false claim of a bomb threat claim that jeopardized the safety of more than 170 passengers, including EU citizens, said Juraj Tomaga, spokesperson of the ministry, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The ministry has also asked for an immediate release of Pratasevich and his girlfriend, as well as an unbiased, thorough and independent investigation of the incident, attended by international experts and just punishment for the culprits. The forced landing of a plane and the subsequent detention of a journalist proves that the Belarusian regime has no boundaries when suppressing the rights of Belarusian citizens, neither repelled by gambling with the lives of other countries citizens, as reported by TASR. 24. May 2021 at 11:15 (modified at 24. May 2021 at 17:41) | Compiled by Spectator staff Slovak journalists: We stand by our Belarusian colleagues Slovak newsrooms call on state and EU representatives to protect their colleagues in Belarus. In reaction to recent developments in Belarus, the editors-in-chief of major Slovak media, and the Association of Print and Digital Media, have issued this joint declaration: Our colleague Roman Protasevich was forcibly removed from an airplane under the pretence of a bomb scare. The Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko wished his arrest so much, that he ordered a fighter jet to divert the commercial flight on route to Vilnius to Minsk. Protasevich now faces the threat of torture, imprisonment, and possible death penalty. Only because he wanted to write truthfully about Belarus. The biggest independent news portal in Belarus tut.by dared to be critical of Lukashenko. And he just shut them down. Their website, visited by over three million Belarusians, was blocked. Many reporters ended up in jail. Five journalists are missing. Free media are a guarantee of freedom and democracy. That is why autocrats try to silence them. We, too, remember, what it is like. That is why today, we stand by our Belarusian colleagues and ask the representatives of Slovakia and the European Union, to do everything in their power to protect and save them. Beata Balogova, editor-in-chief, SME Peter Bardy, editor-in-chief, aktuality.sk Matus Kostolny, editor-in-chief, Dennik N Jakub Prokes, editor-in-chief, Pravda Ivana Mandakova, editor-in-chief, Plus Jeden Den Marcela Simkova, editor-in-chief, Hospodarske noviny Peter Palovic, editor-in-chief, Radio Express Michaela Terenzani, editor-in-chief, The Slovak Spectator Liszka Gyorgyi, editor-in-chief, Vasarnap Attila Lovasz, director of minority broadcasting at the public RTVS broadcaster, Marian Kolar, editor-in-chief of the state news agency TASR Lukas Diko, editor-in-chief, Jan Kuciak Investigative Centre Henrich Krejca, director for news and reporting, TV Markiza Stefan Hrib, editor-in-chief, .tyzden Michal Pobeha, editor-in-chief, SITA news agecy Martin Hanus, editor-in-chief, Postoj Vahram Chuguryan, director of news and reporting at the public RTVS broadcaster Julia Kovacova, editor-in-chief, Novy cas Alexej Fulmek, chairman, Association of Print and Digital media Jaroslav Vrabel, editor-in-chief, Korzar Brano Karvas, editor-in-chief, Topky.sk Csaba Nyerges, editor-in-chief, Uj Szo Lucia Yar, acting editor-in-chief, Euractiv.sk 24. May 2021 at 14:16 I just wanted to become the greatest version of myself, he said. And thats exactly what he did. CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT Janicek participated in numerous student organizations and activities over the past four years, including the same fraternity his father and brother joined. As a member of Phi Delta Theta, he was able to meet people with different backgrounds and perspectives and pursue leadership positions. People in Greek life push you to get involved and be a better leader, he said. Its a broad group of people who come together for one common goal to help each other become better individuals. Janicek set the standard for his fraternity, serving as the chapters vice president and treasurer, as well as vice president of community service and philanthropy for UNKs Interfraternity Council. He was named the 2018 Outstanding Fraternity New Member and 2021 Greek Man of the Year at UNK and was also recognized as a Phi Delta Theta National Member of the Year in 2020. He served as a resident assistant in the fraternity and sorority housing for two years and made an impact off campus through organizations such as the Salvation Army, LiveLikeLou Foundation and The Arc of Buffalo County. Blue crab fishery managers will need to keep a close eye on juvenile and male abundance over the summer through our monitoring efforts and to exercise caution moving forward into next year, as these crabs recruit to the fishery, Mike Luisi, director of the Monitoring and Assessment Division of Fishing and Boating Services at DNR, said in a statement released by the agency. VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) A prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president was arrested Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition and Western officials denounced as a hijacking operation by the government. Raman Pratasevich, who faces charges that could bring 15 years in prison, was aboard the Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius when it changed course to head for Minsk. I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there," passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane arrived in Vilnius following several hours in the Belarusian capital. "We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again Rutkauskas said. Flight tracker sites indicated the plane was about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There were conflicting accounts of the move. Why are they coming? Because they have heard -- correctly -- that this moment presents a huge opportunity to enter the United States illegally without fear of being sent home. While most of the migrants do not necessarily understand the intricacies of U.S. border policy, many said in interviews that they perceived a limited-time offer to enter the United States, Jordan writes. Friends and family members already in the country, along with smugglers eager to cash in, have assured them that they will not be turned away -- and this is proving to be true. What were hearing back home is that the new president is facilitating entry, and there is demand for labor, said Rodrigo Neto, who came from Brazil. And so they are crossing the border in record numbers -- 178,622 known cases in April, on top of 172,331 in March. Look for there to be even more in May. The situation is absolutely, completely, 100% Joe Bidens fault. Yes, it is what many Democrats wanted. It is what many activists and commentators wanted. For that matter, it is what The New York Times editorial board wanted. But the fact is, it would not happen without the president of the United States making it happen. The president could order border officials under his authority to enforce the law and turn away those who have no legal right to enter the United States other than at a port of entry. A maritime museum in the U.S. (Arkansas) has found a novel way to raise money to maintain its main exhibit, the Razorback, a former U.S. Navy diesel-electric submarine that entered service in 1944. The museum offers sleepovers on the sub. This costs $40 per person and all those participating must be at least five years old and physically capable of climbing up and down the internal ladders that get you down to the refurbished crew berthing (living) area. Groups of at least ten and up to 35 are permitted. One adult is required for every five younger (under 18) guests. The submarine sleepovers have proved popular in Arkansas and beyond. The museum also includes one of the tugboats that survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and participated in the rescue efforts during and after the attack. Other museum exhibits include artifacts from former warships (a battleship and nuclear-powered cruiser) named after Arkansas. The museum is a rare inland museum ship facility, located on the Arkansas River, a 2,300 kilometers long tributary to the Mississippi River. The Razorback was acquired by the Arkansas museum a year before the museum opened in 2005. For a sixty-year-old ship, the Razorback was in good shape and was easy to turn into a museum ship. That was because the Razorback was in service for 57 years and acquired by the museum soon after it finally retired. Razorback lasted for so long because it was one of the most modern World War II designs, served for only 17 months during World War II, and was present in Tokyo Bay when Japan signed the surrender document. A few months later Razorback was placed in active reserve, in a sheltered anchorage with other reserve ships and maintained so that it could quickly return to service. That it did in 1954 during the post-Korean War (1950-53) Cold War military expansion. Before returning to service Razorback underwent a major upgrade that increased her displacement 20 percent to 1,800 tons and added a lot of new equipment. Before retiring in 1970, the Razorback served off Vietnam and throughout the Pacific. Retirement was a formality so that Razorback could be transferred to Turkey, now a NATO ally and in need of modern warships to confront the Soviet Union. Turkey retired Razorback, now called the Muratreis in 2001 and made it available to maritime museums. The Arkansas naval museum was searching for an affordable World War II era ship and the former Razorback became the main attraction of the museum when it opened in 2005. The Turks had taken good care of the Razorback and it was one of those rare World War II era museum ships that still had a lot of original components, including the living spaces for a crew of 80. The crew quarters did not require a lot of work to reach modern accommodation standards for civilians. While everything worked out for the Razorback, there is a growing crisis in dealing with the escalating cost of maintaining old warships as museums and tourist attractions. Most of these vessels are in the water and literally rusting away. The Razorback underwent periodic shipyard maintenance until 2001 and was in much better shape than other World War II museum ships. Many of these are now in need of major refurbishment, which can cost over $100 million for a carrier or battleship. Even smaller ships like cruisers, destroyers, and submarines can require over $20 million to put back into shape to just sit in the water, receive visitors, and not sink or fall apart the next time a major storm hits. Most of the largest of these museum ships are American, largely because the U.S. has had the largest fleet in the world for nearly a century. The end of World War II and the Cold War put a lot of warships out of work. Most were broken up for scrap or sunk using weapons as a form of training. But increasingly over the years many were donated by the U.S. Navy for use as museum ships. Most of these were smaller ships, like PT Boats or patrol boats. A small seaside town could afford to maintain these small craft with local volunteers and some cash donations. But many cities sought to obtain large ships. This led to five aircraft carriers (USS Hornet, Intrepid, Lexington, Midway, and Yorktown) and ten battleships (USS Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin) becoming impressive and very expensive to maintain museum ships. The Arizona was sunk at Pearl Harbor during the infamous 1941 Japanese sneak attack and a museum and memorial built around the largely submerged vessel. The other carriers and battleships are tied up at a pier and visitors allowed to view many parts of the ship. There are also over fifty destroyers, cruisers, amphibious ships, and submarines serving as museum ships. More are on the way if the cost of maintaining current museum ships does not scare off everyone. By 2010 nearly all World War II museum ships were due for major refurbishment and the few that have had it have demonstrated that this sort of thing is very expensive. More recent retired ships are even more expensive. In 2009 the U.S. Navy retired its last non-nuclear aircraft carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy. The navy offered the ship to any government or non-profit organization that wanted to maintain it as a museum ship. The navy waited in vain until 2017 before putting the Kennedy on the list of large retired ships to be scrapped (dismantled). Entering service in 1968, the Kennedy is 321 meters (1,052 feet) long and displaces 82,000 tons. It would have been the largest museum ship ever. There was much enthusiasm in Boston for taking the carrier, named after a native son, as a museum ship. The big problem, for whoever takes the ship, is money. That's lots of money, as in hundreds of millions to outfit the ship as a museum and maintain it. Potential takers for the Kennedy did the math and found that it was just too expensive. The navy has long been willing to donate old ships to groups that were willing to maintain the retired vessels as museum ships. But the navy attaches some very expensive strings. That is, the navy expects the ship to be kept in decent shape. This is a problem with many old metal ships, as they rust. And eventually they rust so much that the hull is breached and ultimately will collapse. The navy has not yet repossessed any museum ships but a growing number of these ships are deteriorating. Refurbishment is so expensive that some sponsoring groups are considering letting the navy have the ship back. For example, the World War II era Essex class carrier USS Intrepid, in New York City, returned to its display berth in 2009, after a two-year refurbishment costing $120 million. The entire hull was examined, in dry dock, for decay and over a hundred square meters (nearly a thousand square feet) of hull had to be replaced. A sister ship of the Intrepid, the Yorktown, required a similar refurbishment. Since 1975, the Yorktown has been on display in Charleston, South Carolina, with several other museum ships. The Yorktown, which entered service four months before the Intrepid, needed the same kind of work. The navy insisted on it, with the alternatives being sending the ship to the breakers or a lawsuit. The naval museum in South Carolina was in a difficult situation, as $120 million is hard to find, even when the economy (and wealthy donors) is doing well. The big donors are much harder to find these days. For the Yorktown, the work got done in stages and is still underway, surviving from one stage of required refurbishment to another. Another popular option is to use old ships for target practice. Most of the 30 decommissioned Spruance class destroyers were used for target practice. Some old warships are sunk closer to the shore, to provide reefs for fish and scuba divers. Running a SINKEX (sinking exercise) enables the navy to test some theories on how vulnerable, or invulnerable, modern warships are. But environmentalists oppose these two methods as well because it puts toxic materials into the ocean. Going to the breakers is now seen as viable because of more efficient breaking techniques and higher prices for recycled metals. For the moment anyway. Two mobile vaccine clinics will be hosted in Floyd County before the end of the month, at the Floyd Farmers Market, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, and in Indian Valley at Floyd Volunteer Rescue Squad 4 on May 28, from 2-7 p.m. A number of factors contribute to the end of mass vaccination clinics, including that 32% of district residents are fully vaccinated, according to the NRHD Public Task Force on May 18, and 40% of the population has received at least one dose. The increased number of vaccinated Virginians and new CDC guidance also led to Gov. Ralph Northam lifting the state wide indoor mask mandate May 14 and announcing that gathering limits and distancing requirements will end two weeks earlier than planned, on May 28. Less than 100 cases of COVID-19 have been identified and reported in Floyd County residents during the past two months: 782 total cases had been reported by the Virginia Department of Health as of March 23, and 873 cases had been reported by May 21. Three additional deaths also occurred in Floyd during that time period, bringing the total to 23 since March 2020. The FDA approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use to be administered to children aged 12-17 with a parents permission. The NRHD is hosting clinics at local schools to offer vaccines to students who bring written consent from a parent or guardian. The 27th annual Manhattan Wine Auction will put 225 lots and 750 individual bottles of the grape-based alcohol up for bid this weekend to raise money for the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation. 100 block of Pacific Avenue Spur, Kelso. Friday. Back gate half torn down. 500 block of Ash Street, Kelso. Friday. Neighbor sprayed pepper spray on the door and the residents child got it in his eyes. 300 block of 28th Avenue, Longview. Friday. Someone ran through the backyard, messed up a pile of soil, broke flowers and branches off plants. 3000 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Friday. A woman smashed the glass in the door. 300 block of Scott Avenue, Woodland. Friday. Someone sprayed adhesive on the keypad to enter the facility. 100 block of Solomon Road, Kelso. Sunday. Suspect smashed out car windows and stuck a lighted flare in the vehicle that burnt out. Vehicle prowls 300 block of Allen Avenue, Castle Rock. Friday. School-issued Chromebook, dance shoes, $45 and miscellaneous items stolen overnight. 100 block of Yelton Drive, Longview. Saturday. School Chromebook, Lenovo tablet, medications and workout bag taken. 100 block of Wilson Drive, Kalama. Saturday. RV broken into sometime in the past six to nine months. 100 block of Studebaker Place, Castle Rock. Sunday. Tan Canik 9 mm pistol taken. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. As a teacher, Jay Wamsted believes there's value in testing. But when his sixth-grade daughter Kira asked to opt out this year, he saw no reason to object. He already knows she needs to catch up on math after months of remote learning. And as a teacher at her school, he knew that many other students were also backing out, undermining the value of the results. I know shes a little behind, and I dont need that data, said Wamsted, who live in Smyrna, Georgia. To take a month to gather data that is not going to mean anything to any of their teachers next year it seems like a waste of time. Parent Abby Norman found her third-grade daughter crying in her bedroom the morning tests were scheduled to begin at her school near Atlanta. Priscilla, 9, had just returned to the classroom after learning remotely and was worried she wasn't prepared. She was so nervous about this test that I dont care about at all, that does not matter to me, said Norman, who is a preacher. I literally ended up telling her, If you want to lick the test and give it back, I dont care. With that reassurance, Abby agreed to take the tests and scored almost off the charts, her mom said. Still, Norman resents that students were put in that situation at all. Showing the strength and determination of Marylanders and especially Baltimoreans, a new state song is being considered since we dumped our old one. It is called Marilyn, oh Marilyn and is based on the recent bike incident involving Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby (Marilyn Mosbys middle finger: The gesture wasnt as bad as the failure to acknowledge it, May 21). And here it is folks, accompanied by a 28-piece accordion band. Music is the same as old one. Honor Germany has confirmed the upcoming Honor 50 series will come with Google Mobile Services. There is no word on whether the GMS on Honor 50 will be available in all markets. It may be recalled that Huawei had sold the sub-brand Honor to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers in a bid to keep it alive. The deal came after the US restrictions on supplying Huawei on grounds that the firm was a threat to national security. Huawei, however, has denied the charge. The restrictions barred Huawei from using Googles Google Mobile Services, though. Ja, das konnen wir bestatigen. Aber pssst, soll noch eine Uberraschung werden HonorDE (@HonorGermany) May 21, 2021 Honor Germany has confirmed the upcoming Honor 50 series will come with Google Mobile Services. There is no word on whether the GMS on Honor 50 will be available in all markets. It may be recalled that Huawei had sold the sub-brand Honor to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers in a bid to keep it alive. The deal came after the US restrictions on supplying Huawei on grounds that the firm was a threat to national security. Huawei, however, has denied the charge. The restrictions barred Huawei from using Googles Google Mobile Services, though.|#+| According to reports, Honor is said to be in talks with American companies to resume business like before. Some of the companies it is holding talks with are Qualcomm and Google. If deals come through, Honor may be able to sell phones globally with Qualcomm chips and Googles Android operating system. That said, Honor 50 series is expected to launch very soon. According to reports, the series will feature Honor 50 and Honor 50 Pro+. The top-end model is said to come with a 2K display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. The phone will feature two selfie cameras. The setup will be a combination of 32-megapixel and 8-megapixel sensors. On the back, it will have a 50-megapixel primary sensor, 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor, and one ToF sensor. As far as the base model goes, Honor 50 is likely to come with a curved-edges design. It will have two large circular panels. According to leaked images, the top panel could house the primary camera, while the bottom could come with a periscope zoom lens. There is also a third camera sensor on the back. Personal data of about 4.5 million passengers of Air India was leaked in a cyber attack on the airline's data processor but the compromised servers were later secured, the Indian state-run carrier said in a statement. The debt-laden airline, a member of global airlines consortium Star Alliance, said the breach involved personal data, such as name, contact, passport, ticket and credit card details, registered between Aug 2011 and Feb 2021. No passwords were affected. Air India's data processor, SITA PSS (Passenger Service System), had in recent months informed the airline about a cyber attack it faced in February, following which the Indian airline investigated the matter and secured compromised servers. "Our data processor (SITA) has ensured that no abnormal activity was observed after securing the compromised servers," the airline said late on Friday. Also read: Data breaches can impact a brands relative strength and heres whats at peril SITA, which serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United, had in March said it had faced a "highly sophisticated" cyber-attack after which it initiated containment measures. It was not immediately clear if any other airlines were affected by the incident SITA reported in March. Asked for comment, SITA referred Reuters to its March announcement on Saturday, adding that it had duly informed Air India and "the matter remains under active investigation by SITA." For Air India, the breach is the latest headache at a time when it is trying to rein in costs while the government seeks to sell its interest in the company. The airline is also embroiled in a legal battle with British firm Cairn Energy with pressure on the Indian government to pay a $1.2 billion arbitration award that Cairn was awarded by an arbitration tribunal in December. Other major cyber incidents in the recent past include easyJet, which last year said hackers had accessed the email and travel details of around 9 million customers. If you have been waiting for the new Apple iMac and AirTag to arrive, they are now available in the Malaysian market. You can visit the official Apple Malaysia website here and here respectively, and the prices start from RM5599 for the iMac whereas the AirTag is now RM129. For the iMac lineup, there are three variants that you can get. One features an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU (Apple M1 chipset), 256GB storage and a Magic Keyboard without Touch ID as well as without having extra USB 3 ports and Gigabit Ethernet. As for the other two, they both have an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, plus the missing features that we just mentioned. The highest variant that you can choose packs up to 16GB of RAM, 2TB of storage, Magic Mouse + Magic Trackpad, and even comes pre-installed with either Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro if you want. Then for the AirTag, it was initially priced at RM149 but not anymore as it's now RM129. Should you choose to purchase it, you can have a free engraving on the tracking device. The shipping takes 2-3 weeks, though, unlike the iMac which only takes 3-5 business days. If you would like to read the tech specs of the iMac, you can check out our news coverage here. Have you been waiting for these Apple products for a long time? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more local trending tech gadget deals at TechNave.com. Credit: Herr Loeffler/Shutterstock When Apple announced in a 2019 blog post that it had patched a security vulnerability in its iOS operating system, the company sought to reassure its customers. The attack that had exploited the vulnerability, Apple said, was "narrowly focused" on websites featuring content related to the Uyghur community. It has since emerged that the vulnerability in question was discovered at China's principal hacking competition, the Tianfu Cup, where a professional hacker won a prize for his work in uncovering it. The normal protocol would be to inform Apple of the vulnerability. But it's alleged that, instead, the breach was kept secret, with the Chinese government acquiring it to spy on the country's Muslim minority. Hacking competitions are an established way for technology companies like Apple to locate and attend to weaknesses in their software's cybersecurity. But with state-backed hacks on the rise, the suggestion that the Tianfu Cup is feeding Beijing new ways to perform surveillance is concerningespecially seeing as Chinese competitors have dominated international hacking competitions for years. Hacking competitions When software is hacked, it's often because attackers have found and exploited a cybersecurity vulnerability that the software vendor didn't know existed. Finding these vulnerabilities before they're spotted by cyber-criminals or state-backed hackers can save technology providers a huge amount of money, time and public-relations firefighting. That's why hacking competitions exist. Tech companies provide the prize money and cybersecurity researchersor professional hackerscompete to win it by finding the security weaknesses hidden in the world's most-used software. The likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams were successfully hacked in April's Pwn2Own event, for instance, which is regarded as the top hacking competition in North America. Until 2017, Chinese hackers walked away with a high proportion of prizes offered at Pwn2Own. But after a Chinese billionaire argued that Chinese hackers should "stay in China" because of the strategic value of their work, Beijing responded by banning Chinese citizens from competing in overseas hacking competitions. China's Tianfu Cup was set up shortly after, in 2018. A video demonstration of the Chaos iPhone hack. At the Pwn2Own, winning Chinese team's banner has nice reference to Xi Jinping's "China Dream" http://t.co/rt75WuctpM pic.twitter.com/WZyKsSnWp4 Adam Segal (@adschina) March 14, 2014 In its first year, a hacker competing in the Tianfu Cup produced a prize-winning hack he called "Chaos". The hack could be used to remotely access even the latest iPhonesthe kind of breach that could easily be used for surveillance purposes. Google and Apple both spotted the hack "in the wild" two months later, after it had been used in a targeted way against Uyghur iPhone users. Though Apple mitigated the hack within two months, this case shows that exclusive national hacking competitions are dangerousespecially when they take place in countries that require citizens to cooperate with government demands. Hacking competitions are designed to expose "zero-day" vulnerabilitiessecurity weaknesses that software vendors haven't located or foreseen. Prize-winning hackers are supposed to share the techniques they used so that the vendors can devise ways to patch them up. But keeping zero-day exploits private, or passing them on to government institutions, significantly increases the chance they'll be used in state-backed zero-day attacks. Zero-day attacks We've seen examples of such attacks before. Early in 2021, four zero-day vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange server were used to launch widespread attacks against tens of thousands of organizations. The attack has been linked with Hanium, a Chinese government-backed hacking group. A year earlier, the SolarWinds hack compromised the security of multiple US federal agencies, including the Treasury and Commerce Department and the Energy Department, which is in charge of the country's nuclear stockpile. The hack has been linked to APT29, also known as "Cozy Bear", which is the hacking arm of Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR. The same group was reportedly involved in the attempted hacking of organizations holding information about COVID-19 vaccines in July 2020. In Russia and China at least, evidence suggests that gangs of cybercriminals are working closely, and sometimes interchangably, with state-sponsored hacking groups. With the advent of the Tianfu Cup, China appears to have access to a new talent pool of expert hackers, motivated by the competition's prize money to produce potentially harmful hacks that Beijing may be willing to use both at home and abroad. Explore further US moves closer to retaliation over hacking as cyber woes grow This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Citizen, an intriguing crime and neighborhood watch app, is looking into a "pilot project" that could allow users to request private security to scenes. A program for an in-person, on-demand private security force supposedly has been in the works for months as Citizen is testing "quick response times and instant communication between Citizen and security partners," according to a story first reported by Vice on Friday. A black SUV with Citizen-branded logos has also been seen around Los Angeles, according to a tweet on Wednesday. A Citizen spokesperson told U.S. TODAY that the company is conducting a "pilot project" with LAPS, or Los Angeles Private Security, an L.A.-based security firm. "LAPS offers a personal rapid response service that we are trialing internally with employees as a small test with one vehicle in Los Angeles," the Citizen spokesperson said. "For example, if someone would like an escort to walk them home late at night, they can request this service. We have spoken with various partners in designing this pilot project." The news of Citizen's pilot program comes nearly a week after the app falsely accused a man of starting a wildfire in Los Angeles. The app had offered a $30,000 reward to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of a man, according to The New York Times. Police detained one man whose photo had appeared on the app for up to 15 hours as Citizen said it had mistakenly identified the man. Police later arrested a second man. Nonetheless, the app's overall mission is "to make your world a safer place." Here's what the app is all about. What is the Citizen app? The Citizen app was originally named Vigilante in 2016 by a New York-based corporation called sp0n with a premise to allow regular people to report on local crimes in their area and broadcast live video from the scene as a possible deterrent. "What if everyone within a quarter mile of every reported crime were immediately made aware of it? What if there were a camera on every crime? What if transparency existedif we all knew where crime was occurring and how it was being resolved?" a Citizen blog post had suggested in 2016. VentureBeat reported that shortly thereafter, the New York Police Department released a statement that said: "Crimes in progress should be handled by the NYPD and not a vigilante with a cell phone." Apple soon removed Vigilante from its App Store for policy violations. Vigilante was rebranded as Citizen, debuted in New York City in 2017, in Baltimore and L.A. in early 2019 and then began popping up in other major U.S. cities. Citizen allows its users to get "the real story from people on the scene," according to the company's website. The app uses smartphone locations to notify users about possible criminal activity in their area, including those happening in real-time, complete with live footage from users at the scene and live discussions. Citizen depends on 911 calls and police, fire and emergency radio transmissions and puts them on a map. The app also encourages users to chronicle and stream what's happening from nearby crime scenes if they are able to do so safely. "We believe in giving people a way to use their phones to protect a neighbor, to prevent a tragedy, and to count on one another. And to create a safer world for each other, with each other," Citizen's website said. How widely is Citizen used? Citizen currently has more than 7 million users who have sent out more than 4 billion alerts. The app is available in major U.S. locales, including: Atlanta Austin, Texas Baltimore Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus Detroit Houston Indianapolis Los Angeles Miami-Dade County The Minneapolis -St. Paul area New York Philadelphia Phoenix Metro area San Diego San Francisco Bay Area Stockton, Calif. Toledo, Ohio Tucson, Ariz. Why has Citizen been criticized? While the app has raised about $133 million in funding and been praised for partnering with Los Angeles County during the pandemic to create an app for contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic, it also has been criticized for potentially putting people in dangerous situations, such as misidentifying an alleged suspect in the Los Angeles wildfire last week. (c)2021 U.S. Today. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. College Station police arrested and charged a man Saturday in the shooting death of Cameron Gray at the H-E-B on Texas Avenue in College Station on Friday night. Trevon Stewart, an 18-year-old Lexington resident, is charged with shooting Gray, a 23-year-old Navasota resident. According to a police report, witnesses said three males got into a fight in the H-E-B parking lot before someone was shot, adding the suspects fled the scene in a blue SUV. Officers arrived to the scene and found a Black male on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest. The man, identified as Gray, was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan where he later died. Police said Grays girlfriend witnessed the altercation and said a fight over a gun resulted in Gray being shot in the back by a man who had entered the back seat of Gray's car. Grays girlfriend said that the fight over the gun caused another man who approached the driver's side door to be shot in the leg. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} According to the police report, the suspects description was then sent out after officers responded to the scene. A few minutes later, police said an off-duty officer at St. Joseph Hospital noticed a blue SUV arrive at the emergency room with a man needing treatment for a gunshot wound. Police then identified the driver of the car as Stewart. Which brings me to a final sad note on the recent loss of an inspirational woman who, like those mentioned above, brilliantly demonstrated the power of one in making a difference. Eula Hall, a remarkable woman known as the one-woman relief agency of Appalachia, recently died at the age of 93. As stated in a recent obituary in The New York Times, Hall grew up in abject poverty, the daughter of a farmer and sharecropper. She dropped out of school after eighth grade because the nearest high school was too far away for her to walk and there were no school buses. As an adult, Hall took to calling herself a hillbilly activist. She founded the eastern Kentucky Mud Creek Clinic in 1973 for mountain people of the region, many of them coal miners and their families, supporting her work through grants and donations. Today, the clinic is known as the Eula Hall Health Center. As Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Kentucky, noted in a statement issued following her death: Eula Hall was one of Eastern Kentuckys greatest saints. No challenge was greater than her courage to change the circumstances of healthcare in the mountains. Driven by her own experience with poverty, Eula dedicated her life to ensuring every person had access to medical care, regardless of their ability to pay for services or prescriptions. State-sponsored hackers affiliated with North Korea have been behind a slew of attacks on cryptocurrency exchanges over the past three years, new evidence has revealed. Attributing the attack with "medium-high" likelihood to the Lazarus Group (aka APT38 or Hidden Cobra), researchers from Israeli cybersecurity firm ClearSky said the campaign, dubbed "CryptoCore," targeted crypto exchanges in Israel, Japan, Europe, and the U.S., resulting in the theft of millions of dollars worth of virtual currencies. The findings are a consequence of piecing together artifacts from a series of isolated but similar reports detailed by F-Secure, Japanese CERT JPCERT/CC, and NTT Security over the past few months. Since emerging on the scene in 2009, Hidden Cobra actors have used their offensive cyber capabilities to carry out espionage and cyber cryptocurrency heists against businesses and critical infrastructure. The adversary's targeting aligns with North Korean economic and geopolitical interests, which are primarily motivated by financial gain as a means to circumvent international sanctions. In recent years, Lazarus Group has further expanded its attacks to target the defense and aerospace industries. CryptoCore, also called CryptoMimic, Dangerous Password, CageyChameleon, and Leery Turtle, is no different from other Lazarus Group operations in that it's primarily focused on the theft of cryptocurrency wallets. Believed to have commenced in 2018, the campaign's modus operandi involves leveraging spear-phishing as an intrusion route to get hold of the victim's password manager account, using it to plunder the wallet keys and transfer the currencies to an attacker-owned wallet. The group is said to have stolen an estimated $200 million, according to a ClearSky report published in June 2020, which linked CryptoCore to five victims located in the U.S., Japan, and the Middle East. In connecting the dots, the latest research shows that the operations have been more widespread than previously documented, while simultaneously evolving several parts of its attack vector. A comparison of the indicators of compromise (IoCs) from the four public disclosures not only found enough behavioral and code-level overlaps, but has also raised the possibility that each of the reports touched upon different aspects of what appears to be a large-scale attack. In addition, ClearSky said it reaffirmed the attribution by comparing the malware deployed in the CryptoCore campaign to other Lazarus campaigns and found strong similarities. "This group has successfully hacked into numerous companies and organizations around the world for many years," ClearSky researchers said. "Until recently this group was not known to attack Israeli targets." The current COVID-19 fuss has caused adverse effects on the business industry. However, as businesses transform seamlessly to accommodate changes caused by the pandemic, the e-commerce industry has experienced a boom for a niche of products. Even in a marketplace platform such as Amazon, sellers have noticed at least 8 products that customers frequently add to their carts. Buying Trends in 2021 Industry influencers often determine buying trends, and the current customer behavior is fast shifting towards trending products. Thankfully, social media has a hand in promoting buying trends for most products in 2020 and 2021. 8 Amazon Items That Are Flying Off The Shelves With thousands of products today, some people rely on social media recommendations and reviews that back bestsellers in the online market. In this regard, let us explore 8 Amazon Items you can feel confident purchasing this spring. 1. Little Green Machine Opportunities for Vietnam to mai Opportunities for Vietnam to maintain stable rice export to Philippines The Philippiness lowering tariffs on imported rice would open up opportunities for Vietnam to maintain stable supply of the product for the country and helping it stabilise the domestic market, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade said. Illustrative image (Source: VNA) However, given the fierce price competition with traditional rice exporters like Thailand and India, the ministry urged domestic firms to foster cooperation and connectivity with cooperatives and major farming households to minimise intermediate stages, thus cutting costs and enhancing competitiveness. At the same time, exporters should study and observe relevant regulations set by the Philippines, including those on customs declaration, the ministry said, noting that they should negotiate and sign contracts with only businesses that have been granted with the Sanitary Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPS-IC) by the Philippine Department of Agriculture. They also need to keep updated on the market, as the tariff cut under the Philippine President's order can be changed anytime, and draw up plans to prevent business risks, while stepping up inspections and supervisions over rice quality to absolutely ensure the prestige of Vietnamese rice, the ministry suggested. Earlier, in an executive order, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte cut the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rates on rice to 35 percent from 40 percent for in-quota purchases and 50 percent for out-quota volume for one year. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in the first four months of this year, Vietnam shipped over 715,000 tonnes of rice valued at some 380 million USD to the Philippines, accounting for 36.27 percent of the total exported rice. Source: VNA Paris, TX (75460) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. A summer internship experience in agricultural crop protection with industry partner Syngenta, helped one student make a switch from an interest in law to a major in Crop Soil and Environmental Management, and a minor in Microbiology. At SIU, this student continues to gain hands-on experience working in plant pathology labs with Drs. Jason Bond and Ahmad Fakhoury, performing industry-sponsored research with soybeans. Similarly, Forestry has a long-standing relationship with a Southern Illinois tree care professional who organizes an annual industry field day at SIUs Touch of Nature Environmental Center, providing students real-world training in arboriculture and vegetation management. Many students then gravitate toward these high-paying and in-demand professions that were not even on their radar when they first considered studying forestry, notes Forestry Professor John Groninger. We often hear employers say they appreciate the positive attitude and work ethic of the Salukis they hire, and they keep coming back for more. For instance, another student who completed a summer internship working in tree care and managing natural areas in rural Southern Illinois and the St Louis area learned how to talk to people from diverse backgrounds about nature and acquired the skills to help them better care for their environment. Government-and-politics alert Public has ideas about Railroad Corner future T&D FILES The State Theater building, left, is located on Railroad Corner in Orangeburg. LARRY HARDY, T&D The City of Orangeburg is exploring ways to improve the area near Russell and Boulevard Streets known as Railroad Corner. Public input is being received as the Railroad Corner improvement project moves toward site plans and conceptual designs. The University of North Carolina Development Finance Initiative group provided an update to Orangeburg City Council, detailing what research has revealed and the next steps in the process. To formulate plans for the business properties purchased by the city in the block at Russell and Boulevard streets, the city contracted with DFI. According to its website, DFI, partners with communities on projects including revolving loan funds, master-planned developments, urban infill redevelopment, downtown revitalization and neighborhood redevelopment." During Tuesdays council meeting, DFI's Sonyia Turner told council about how the group conducts its research. When were brought into a project, we analyze and understand the area demographics, incomes, we want to understand age incomes, the economy. We try to understand trends in property values, trends in recent sales by looking at tax parcel data, Turner said. We also look specifically at the site to understand the site constraints and what can fit on the site, Turner said. Orangeburg City Council: City to address Pine Top road issues The City of Orangeburg plans to address flooding and road issues in the Pine Top subdivision. Turner said the group also conducts market analysis to understand supply and demand trends, as well as a financial feasibility analysis to understand if a project can work on the site, and what it would take to make the project work. Extensive public engagement efforts are made, in partnership with the city. To date, were at the part in our analysis where weve examined the current conditions, weve looked at the market analysis," Turner said. "Were just at the beginning of our site analysis where were understanding what can actually fit on the railroad corner." Turner provided statistics regarding the Railroad Corner area. The study area includes 320 total parcels and the total acreage is 118.6. Turner stated the total tax assessed value of the area is $36 million. There are a few factors that really build the case for a project at Railroad Corner, Turner said. The first, surrounding investments, Turner said, referencing the nearby Orangeburg County Library project under development. Residents have say on Railroad Corner; engaging students, reflecting history among priorities The City of Orangeburg collected suggestions for the future of Railroad Corner during two public forums held earlier this month. Theres the potential for university collaboration, theres interest at local and state levels for the Railroad Corner development, she added. Turner also spoke on the public engagement aspect, which she said has been positive. To group conducted three public input sessions and received 358 survey responses. A large percentage of responses stated the revitalization of the area is important for the future of the city, and that the history of the area is also important, Turner revealed. The most common suggestions were to preserve the existing State Theatre and to include a monument or museum detailing the history of the area, Turner said. Our goal is by the end of this summer, beginning of the fall at the latest, that we would have some site plans and conceptual designs, some images that we can share with the council, and also the community, to begin that process of, essentially, vision casting, and sharing this is what could potentially fit on the Railroad Corner site, Turner said. Currently, the project is in the site analysis and architect engagement phase. Perkins & Will Architecture Firm was introduced to council as the company that will be performing the predevelopment site planning and conceptual design services. We have a keen interest sort of the cultural landscape and creating place around important cultural and historic stories, Malcolm Davis of Perkins & Will said. Were excited to be a part of this process. We applaud the city, actually, for engaging the DFI group in this way because it really serves to help supplant the effort, to help the city imagine and understand what could be, Davis said. Also during the meeting: Council approved a motion to publicly endorse the guiding public interests for the Railroad Corner Project. The public interests will help ensure the project meets the designated goals and values of the community. The guiding public interests are: -Provide a catalytic mixed-use development that connects downtown to the universities and serves as a gateway to downtown. -Respect the historical significance and context of the site and integrate this history into the development. -Consider options for preserving the State Theater building. -Incorporate engaging street-level uses attractive for students and the community. - Enhance walkability to increase pedestrian activity from the universities to Railroad Corner and along Russell Street. - Optimize public investment and maximize private investment. Someone broke into a 2020 Honda Accord Sport at a River Drive residence in Rowesville during the early morning hours on Saturday, according to an incident report. The thief stole the following items: two pairs of Adidas Yeezy v.1 sneakers, a gold necklace, a silver necklace, a stainless steel necklace and a bag of clothes. The value of the stolen items is $2,190. A Swansea man discovered his stolen 1998 Ranger bass boat in the woods off Ladybug Road in Neeses on Friday morning, according to an incident report. Someone took the stolen boat to the woods after stripping it of valuable components. The man reported the theft on May 17 to the Lexington County Sheriffs Department. As Orangeburg County deputies investigated the boats appearance in the woods, they also located a truck that had been reported stolen. The value of the boat is $10,000. Someone stole a disabled 2000 red Ford Explorer from the side of Interstate 26 eastbound between mile markers 142 and 145 someone between May 16 and Friday morning, according to an incident report. The value of the vehicle is $5,000. The woman driving Terry was arrested after wrecking the car. Adrienne Simpson, 34, is charged along with Terry with killing Eugene Simpson, from whom she had been separated for several years. An arrest warrant said she confessed that both she and Terry shot the father of her children, and that she helped dump his body in a ditch. Simpson, who had a black eye in her booking photo, was the victim when Terry was arrested on a first-degree criminal domestic violence charge a year ago. Terry hit his girlfriend so hard that she lost hearing in one ear and an eye swelled shut, according to an arrest warrant from Chester. Police in Myrtle Beach also charged Terry with domestic violence after he hurt Simpson's hand and broke her phone in a March 31 argument, according to a police report. Simpson's mother, who said she spoke with her after her arrest, said Terry was physically and mentally abusive and her daughter was scared of him but also loved him and thought he would change. The couple was together in Missouri and investigators are retracing their route as they traveled there from South Carolina to see if any other crimes were committed. Owens also oversaw the countys transition from analog radios to digital radios. Owens said he is most proud of the employees who have signed on and developed with the department over the years and who will carry on after he is retired. Over the years weve worked hard to empower employees to make decisions on their own. The employees gain a confidence they wouldnt normally have if you were telling them you had to do it this way, he said. Consequently our center has drawn all sorts of state awards and recognition from outside the state. Six times in the last 22 our department has been recognized and awarded trophies as the best in the state going back to 2005 up to now. Three different employees in that time have been named as the states best dispatcher. Created an atmosphere where people strive to do the best, and they believe they can be the best, Owens said. Thats one reason I have no qualms about retiring. Im not concerned that this place cannot run without me, because obviously it does already. You can take me out of the mix and these guys are good. They are the best in the state. This place is going to be fine. Facebook is like Coca-Cola. Both companies want everyone to use their products; the last thing they want is any turmoil that gives customers a reason to leave the website or switch to Dr Pepper. But here's the difference: Drinking Coke can't hurt you (unless, of course, you swill gallons of the stuff). Facebook, however, can poison your mind with toxic disinformation. As Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post reports, Donald Trump "spread false information with devastating consequences for the country" in more than 1,400 Facebook posts in the year 2020. Which raises a critical question: What should be done about polluters like Trump who use Facebook (and other social media platforms like Twitter) to contaminate the information environment? Should they be regulated? Banned entirely? If so, who makes those decisions, and what standards should they use? Even out of office, Trump is forcing Facebook, and indeed the entire country, to look for answers. They are in very short supply, and here's why: The debate does not present a clear trade-off between good and bad. It involves a clash of two vital American values: the right to speak freely and the right to live safely. What's the proper balance between the two? How can both be preserved? As Shakespeare writes, "There's the rub." This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. Vietnam to enter new stage of de Vietnam to enter new stage of development: Party leader Vietnam is entering a new stage of development that will meet the demand and aspirations of voters and people nationwide, according to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong talks to the press after casting his vote in Nguyen Du ward of Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung district on May 23 morning. (Photo: NDO/Dang Khoa) Talking to the press after casting his vote in Hanoi on May 23 morning, the Party leader highlighted the significance of the 15th general elections, which coincide with the 131st birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh and follow the success of the 13th National Party Congress. He noted that this times elections take place more than 75 years after the country gained independence and 35 years since the launch of Doi moi (Renewal), at a time when the country has fulfilled the socio-economic development plans for 2016-2021 and set out to implement the socio-economic development plan for the next five years. With nearly 70 million voters who will select 500 deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA), nearly 4,000 to provincial-level Peoples Councils, over 20,000 to district-level Peoples Councils, and more than 240,000 to communal-level Peoples Councils, this is the largest-ever elections, General Secretary Trong affirmed. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, voters have played a very active and responsible role in preparing for the elections over the past months, the Party chief emphasised, voicing his belief that the most deserving persons will be selected for the NA and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure. The leader added that he hopes the deputies of the NA and Peoples Councils in the new tenure will wholeheartedly work for the sake of the country and the people, fulfill their responsibilities and duties in line with the Constitution and laws, and be absolutely faithful to the Fatherland, the people, and the Constitution. Source: NDO We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Here The hacking of widely used software from Texas-based SolarWinds Inc. exposed several troubling vulnerabilities for the U.S. government and major companies. At least nine federal agencies and dozens of companies were the target of an extensive cyberespionage effort that was discovered in December. I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so I chose to be proportionate, Biden said when announcing the sanctions on April 15 at the White House. The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. But Biden added that it is his duty as U.S. president to respond with further actions if Russia continues to interfere with our democracy. Russia responded quickly to the sanctions by ordering 10 U.S. diplomats to leave, blacklisting eight current and former U.S. officials and tightening requirements for U.S. Embassy operations with bans on the hiring of Russian citizens and third-country nationals. A Diamondville couple is suing the southwest Wyoming town and three police officers, who the couple says wrongfully arrested and charged the husband without cause. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in December, says Phillip Viviano was arrested in December 2017 after police responded to a third-party report of a disturbance in their home. The lawsuit further alleges that police coerced Vivianos wife into lying about his actions and into requesting a protection order against him. According to court documents, Viviano was thrown to the ground and forcibly handcuffed by three officers inside his home. He was then reportedly removed from the home and placed in a patrol car, while the suit alleges there was no active warrant or probable cause for his arrest. The Diamondville Police Department officers named in the case are then-Chief of Police Mike Thompson (who now works as the chief of Evansville Police), Cpl. Jeff Kolata (who took Thompsons post) and Lt. Joe Tatangelo. After interviewing his family members, who allegedly said nothing to give any probable cause for Vivianos arrest, the officers told him they were taking him to the county jail. According to the suit, Thompson said he had no evidence Viviano had committed any arrestable offense but told him he would detain him and charge him later. The total number of coronavirus cases in Wyoming grew by 137 on Monday, with the number of confirmed cases rising by 109 and the number of probable cases rising by 28, according to the Wyoming Department of Healths daily update. Additionally, 209 new coronavirus recoveries were announced: 168 confirmed and 41 probable. There are now 58 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Wyoming, the most since January. The number of active confirmed cases has dropped by more than 35% in the state since Thursday. Numbers to know Active cases: 267 (460 including probable cases) Hospitalized patients: 58 (up 14 from from Sunday) Deaths: 713 (none announced this week, six announced this month) Total vaccine doses received: 452,225 (218,985 Pfizer, 206,040 Moderna, 27,200 Johnson & Johnson) First vaccine doses given: 184,291 Second vaccine doses given: 162,703 One-time vaccine doses given: 12,299 Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Hayes has been teaching community college for 20 years, and said shes seen so many students get defeated, internalize their failure and not come back. But George never gave up. In addition to finding his stride academically, Jankowski put a lot of energy into making the campus community a place where everyone can thrive. He was a member of the academic honor society Phi Theta Kappa, the student veterans group and Safe Zone, which is a campus program designed to foster inclusivity for the LGBTQIA community. He identifies as a straight male, but said one of his personal mantras is to spread the love and stop the hate. LCCCs campus and the larger community need more people with that mindset, said Hayes, who co-founded Safe Zone. One of the hardest things has been getting over the perception of Safe as the gay club, Hayes said. Having a straight dude come be the president of the club and not be afraid to say Yeah, Im an ally, makes a huge difference. It definitely helped get more people involved in it. Hayes, who has gotten to know Jankowski very well over the past four years, added that hes generous with his time hes organized multiple fundraisers for various causes and never expects anything in return. The summer of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park was one of the hottest in the last 1,250 years, according to tree ring data collected by a University of Idaho scientist. The study adds more fuel to a growing body of scientific evidence suggesting that the largest, nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystem in the world the 22 million-acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is nearing a dangerous tipping point. The warming trend we see beginning around 2000 is the most intense in the record, said Karen Heeter, a dendrochronologist at the University of Idaho in Moscow. The rate of warmth over a relatively short period of time is alarming and has important implications for ecosystem health and function. Heeter said her work looking at tree rings in Englemann spruce trees from four high-elevation locations in and near Yellowstone provides crucial data for scientists seeking to better understand the relationships between increasing temperatures and environmental factors like fire regimes, seasonal snowpack and vegetation changes. FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday that the proposal to increase the retirement age to 65 from the current age of 60 is under active consideration, but he said the Government has not made a firm decision on the matter as yet. Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. More here Moved by the sight of senior citizens waiting in long lines outside vaccination centres across the country, businessman Shane Mahabirsingh yesterday took it upon himself to provide comfort for them. Mahabirsingh, owner of Bilda Boyz Construction in Gasparillo, visited three health centres in the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) distributing chairs, water and sanitising the elderly men and women standing in line. Vietnamese elections receive wid Vietnamese elections receive wide coverage of global media The National Assembly and Peoples Council elections in Vietnam have attracted extensive coverage from news agencies around the world. Voters cast their ballots in Bac Kan Province. According to the Nhan Dan correspondent in Laos, Pasaxon - the organ of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party - ran an article headlined Vietnamese voters have high hopes for new National Assembly and Peoples Councils. The article emphasised that, following the success of the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly and Peoples Council elections are an important political event and a major festival for all Vietnamese people. The writer believed that Vietnam will be able to select suitable deputies to the National Assembly and Peoples Council at all levels in accordance with the trust of voters. According to the Nhan Dan correspondent in China, Chinese media has provided widespread coverage of Vietnams National Assembly and Peoples Council elections for the 2021-2026 tenure. A report by the Peoples Daily correspondent stated that more than 69 million eligible voters cast their ballots at the tens of thousands of polling stations across the country. Voters went to the polls early and complied with guidelines on preventing the spread of Covid-19. The Xinhua news agency and other online websites in China also covered the elections in Vietnam. Reuters reported that millions of mask-wearing Vietnamese went to the polls on Sunday to select the new legislature and members of the people's councils. The Malaysian national news agency Bernama reported that over 69 million voters across Vietnam went to the polls on May 23 to elect deputies to the National Assembly and Peoples Councils for at all levels. It added that Vietnam had made thorough preparations to ensure safety for the elections. In an interview given to the Vietnam News Agency, Veeramalla Anjaiah, a senior researcher at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies in Jakarta and a senior journalist, stated that Vietnams election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and the Peoples Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term are of great significance. He added that Vietnams election body made all preparations to conduct the important elections in an open, safe and transparent manner. According to Lye Liang Fook, Senior Fellow at Singapore-based ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, the new National Assembly will lead Vietnam in its next important development stage, which will focus on growth and innovation, digital economy, hi-tech manufacturing, and quality education and healthcare. Source: NDO Vaccines from multiple sources are coming into Trinidad and Tobago, among them 200,000 doses of Sinopharm arriving very early next week. And there is an aircraft in the Caricom region collecting an unused supply of Oxford-AstraZeneca, which has been gifted to T&T. Finally, the Prime Minister is seeking to advance the date of the arrival of 800,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines purchased through the African Medical Platform. It is not often that well-resourced and politically powerful companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell suffer historic defeats. However, last month, in different ways, both oil majors saw activist shareholders and environmentalists cause them and the international energy sector to have to think hard about what the future holds for hydrocarbons. Ninety-four-year-old Lionel Duncan arrived at the La Romaine Health Facility at 6 a.m. yesterday, eager to receive the first dose of his Covid-19 vaccine. He had followed the advice of Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh that people over the age of 60, with surnames starting from A to E, would be facilitated at vaccine centres across the country. PHOENIX People who store child pornography in the cloud cannot claim an illegal search when the operator of the remote storage site turns them in to authorities. Thats the conclusion of the Arizona Court of Appeals in rejecting a bid by a Tucson man to toss his criminal conviction and his 170-year prison sentence. The case dates to 2016 when Google discovered 19 images of child pornography at the Google+ Photos account of Edgar Fristoe. It forwarded the findings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That information eventually found its was to a Tucson police detective who used the info, including Fristoes phone number, email address and IP address, to obtain a search warrant for his home and cell phone. That led to several images on the phone. A trial judge rejected Fristoes bid to suppress the evidence as anything gathered was based on a warrantless search. That led to a three-day bench trial, a finding of guilt and 10 terms of 17 years each, to be serve consecutively. On appeal, Fristoe does not dispute the Fourth Amendment is a ban on warrantless searches by the government and that Google is a private company. Got a question or tip? Contact us at bizmojoidaho@gmail.com. Finally, the report criticized the practice of pumping groundwater for development in one place while CAP water is recharged elsewhere to compensate for that pumping. The broader message is that ultimately, we live in a desert. Water supplies are finite, even the Colorado River is finite, Maguire said. And the drought is causing it to be much less available than what we planned for . . . with rapid population growth that hasnt let up since the 1950s, at quicker or slower paces. The reality is that people want to live in Arizona, particularly in the Phoenix metro area. Theres a clash between living in a desert environment and having clear limits on the water supply, and the desire for millions of people to live here, Maguire said. Twenty years ago, Maguire chaired, and Megdal and Holway were involved with, a Governors Water Management Commission that looked at many of the same problems the Kyl Center examined. The commission produced a 97-page report, making some recommendations similar to those of the Kyl Center, but leading to no major changes in water law. There were tweaks in the groundwater code but nothing significant, said Maguire, who is now in private practice. Thats why you hear reports now for a call to action. We havent taken the next significant step. Sunnyside School District is partnering with Cox Communications to expand high-speed internet services to more than 1,000 households in the neighborhood surrounding Summit View Elementary, about 2 miles south of the Tucson airport. The neighborhood has historically not had access to broadband services, which created challenges for remote learning over the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a news release said. Cox also awarded the elementary school $10,000 to support digital equity efforts and programs to help students over the summer and into next school year. As part of its effort to narrow the digital divide, Cox is increasing speed for its low-cost internet package Connect2Compete, the news release said. Eligible households can also receive discounted service through the federal Emergency Broadband Benefit Program for a limited time. Eligible families can receive up to $50 off their monthly bill based on their current internet service and equipment rental or up to $75 if they live in a tribal area for as long as government funds remain available, the news release said. For more information go to fcc.gov. Teens can solve water challenges TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites, though it is not clear if it would pass constitutional muster because it might violate the First Amendment. The new law will enable the state to fine large social media companies $250,000 a day if they remove an account of a statewide political candidate, and $25,000 a day if they remove an account of someone running for a local office. It takes effect July 1. Some of these massive, massive companies in Silicon Valley are exerting a power over our population that really has no precedent in American history, DeSantis said during a bill-signing ceremony at Florida International University in Miami. One of their major missions seems to be suppressing ideas. But its questionable whether Florida will be able to enforce it. Federal law prevents internet companies from being sued for removing posts and federal law trumps state law when there is a conflict. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act exempts websites from being sued for removing content deemed to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable as long as the companies are acting in good faith. Eligibility was slated to open broadly afterward. However, the Small Business Administration reported on May 18 that it had already received more than 303,000 applications representing over $69 billion, with nearly 38,000 applicants already approved for more than $6 billion. Of the applications, 57% came from women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners, who had already applied for $29 billion in the $28.6 billion program by May 12, the SBA has said. The application portal remained open through Monday because money set aside for establishments with 2019 annual revenue of not more than $50,000 was potentially still available. Plaintiff Antonio Vitolo, owner of Jakes Bar and Grill in Harriman, Tennessee, applied for aid on May 3 but doesn't qualify as a white male, according to the lawsuit, which argues white men are being pushed to the back of the line for aid for their eateries. The law says a business is required to have 51% ownership by someone in one of the priority groups to qualify for the early priority for aid. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A South Carolina woman was convicted of shooting into her African American and Mexican neighbors homes while shouting racial epithets, prompting the sheriff on the case to say the state needs a hate crimes law. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told The State newspaper that such a law would have let the judge enhance the 20-year sentence given to Mandy Fortson after a jury on Friday found her guilty of attempted murder and other charges. Prosecutors said Fortson went into her backyard in 2017 and shot at two of her neighbors homes an apartment with an African American family and a house with a Mexican family while children were inside both dwellings. Authorities said Fortson, who is white, yelled racial epithets about African Americans and Mexicans while firing a nearly foot-long revolver. An African American man was struck by the bullets in the wrist and the hip, 5th Judicial Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson said. No one was physically injured in the other home, though the family's children remain traumatized, Gipson added. OPINION: The Maricopa audit and the PRO act are the focus of discussion today, what are your thoughts about both of these? Join the discussion, submit a letter to the editor at tucson.com/letters. For the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge we have nine different categories with a total of 18 books that have some connection to Tucson or Arizona. We're releasing the list on May 26, but #ThisIsTucson members can access the list a week early. Students are not required to attend, but weve tried to make sure that the events theyre offering are exciting and fun, she said. We wanted to provide a safe place where their needs are being taken care of and theyre able to see their friends. An additional 2,845 secondary students have either been specifically invited to participate in summer school or are required to come in order to stay on track academically. Along with full credit recovery programs, the district will offer an academic boot camp for students who are close to passing a course. Those programs will be one-week, all-day affairs where students can make up a maximum of 20% of a courses grade. To accommodate those students, all five of the districts secondary sites will be open over the summer. John Federline is over Unions secondary summer school programs. He said the response has not been quite as enthusiastic among the older students as the younger students. Were still expecting a strong turnout, though, he said. The budget agreement includes a new film incentive in the form of a rebate capped at $30 million. Stitt signed the measure, Senate Bill 608, on Monday. It also includes $42 million in incentives to expand broadband to underserved areas. Stitt also signed that measure on Monday. State agencies saw an increase of 7.22% on average. Common education saw a hike of $171.8 million to aid with class-size reductions and textbooks. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers. I think it is safe to say the Democrats in the state Legislature would have put forth a very different budget proposal, said House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman. One of the things that disappoints us the most is this budget stashes over $800 million, and that is money that should be invested in Oklahomans, especially when so many of them are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic, Virgin said. She called the tax cuts short sighted, adding that they will lead the state back to where it was just a few years ago, when lawmakers had to raise taxes to increase education funding. Tom Dunning, spokesman for the Oklahoma Public Employees Association, said OSDH on average is losing 10 years of public health lab experience per employee not transitioning to the new location. Dunning said employees were aware a new lab was necessary because the old one was in disrepair and that there already had been a $58.5 million bond passed to build a new one. Employees werent expecting the lab to move nearly 70 miles away into a refurbished oil and gas office and warehouse space without discussion, he said. He added that the states responses to questions after the projects announcement werent satisfactory. No one could really articulate what are the benefits that were getting out of this other than what they described as some kind of synergy by combining animal health, plant health and human health into some sort of lab, Dunning said. But nobody could really articulate how this is better for the taxpayers or the public. Stitt, in announcing the projects in October, called the day a milestone for public health response in the state by combining agriculture, human medicine, food safety and animal health. Obviously, however, the Bible Museum has seen a lot worse, having restored some of the most ancient manuscripts in the world. Its not as old as some of the documents we have worked on, Schmidt said. But its definitely very special and it was honor to be trusted with it. With the restored ledger back in his possession, the Rev. Turner declared it to be in very good condition now. They did remarkable work, he said. The church was still under construction but already in use when the violence destroyed 35 square blocks of Tulsas Greenwood District on June 1, 1921. The next Sunday, Vernon AME borrowed chairs from a funeral home to have services in the remains of the churchs gutted basement. The congregation rebuilt, despite insurance refusing to pay for damages, Turner said. And church members retired the debt just 13 years later, as documented in the Book of Redemption. Vernon AME will unveil the restored ledger to the public at noon May 31 as part of Tulsas commemoration of the race massacres centennial, Turner said. And the church will soon make digital copies available to the public as well, he said. The urgency of this moment is now. And we have to be having this conversation at this crossroads, Rep. Ricky Hurtado, an Alamance County Democrat and another sponsor, said during the virtual news conference. The remedial plan presented to Judge David Lee included funding improvements to help low-income students and those with disabilities, and to hire more school support personnel. Increased pay for teachers, principals and assistant principals is included in the plan, but no dollar value for the increases has been set. The plan also focuses on increasing teacher diversity and competency and expanding prekindergarten access. Lee said last month he wouldnt try to tell the General Assembly how much money they need to spend. Other speakers said there was no time for more excuses about why at-risk children, including those in rural and poor settings and some immigrants, fail to receive the education they deserve, especially when the states coffers are flush. It is time for North Carolina to fulfill its promise to children, said Patricia Beier, CEO of WAGES, an anti-poverty community action group based in Goldsboro. Does leaving behind yet another generation of children from rural communities or from families with low wealth align with our values as a state? However, the ban will not apply to those engaged in essential services such as health, food supply and power sector and those seeking medical treatment while others are banned from leaving their houses. The fresh restrictions were imposed as the islands key medical associations cautioned that the infection is rampant across the country and that the actual number in the community is more than three times the number detected. According to the latest statistics of the health ministry, Sri Lanka has 161,242 positive cases with 1178 fatalities. Doctors have predicted that the number of patients could rapidly rise in the next two weeks because of the last months celebrations and shopping by the people to mark the traditional new year. Sri Lanka has halted public transport, banned public gatherings, parties, weddings and closed schools and universities. SAN FRANCISCO The ride hailing companies Uber and Lyft have started providing free transportation to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites in the United States. Uber said Monday that it will provide four rides valued at up to $25 each through July 4 while Lyft has said that it is offering two rides of up to $15 each. A mysterious explosion also struck Irans Natanz nuclear facility, which Iran has described as sabotage. In November, Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who founded the countrys military nuclear program some two decades earlier, was killed in an attack Tehran blames on Israel. President Joe Biden has said he's willing for the U.S. to re-enter the nuclear deal. Weeks of negotiations in Vienna have been described as positive, though no draft agreements have been released. The U.S. also is not directly talking to Iran in the sessions. Speaking Sunday to ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described Iran as taking destabilizing actions throughout the Middle East. However, he said in order to counter that, the first thing that we need to do is put the nuclear problem back in the box." What we havent yet seen is whether Iran is ready and willing to make a decision to do what it has to do, Blinken said. Thats the test and we dont yet have an answer. President Joe Biden's Republican critics charge that he has foisted a "bait and switch" on voters that he campaigned as a moderate but veered abruptly to the left after he arrived at the White House. "The bait was he was going to govern as bipartisan, but the switch is he's governed as a socialist," House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California complained last month. "He talks like a moderate but is governing to satisfy the far left," Senate Republican chief Mitch McConnell of Kentucky chimed in. They're right on one count: Biden is pushing an ambitious progressive program while making it sound, well, moderate. But their charge of false advertising is bogus. Biden never concealed his big-government goals; they were all in plain sight in his platform. It's still on the campaign website for anyone who wants to check. Candidate Biden called for more than $4 trillion in new federal spending, beginning with an immediate stimulus to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It included massive proposals to combat climate change, rebuild infrastructure, reduce poverty, subsidize child care and provide universal pre-K education. On the eve of the Charlottesville, Virginia, violence in August 2017, former President Donald Trump attempted to minimize the evil of white supremacists, saying, Theres blame on both sides. Trump was wrong. That was bad. What is worse? Today, when people of goodwill denounce the heartless killing of defenseless Palestinians, Israeli-sympathizers justify it by citing the firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel. Fact-check! On one side are the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories resisting their forced evictions from their homes so the Israeli settlers can build their homes. Israel's forcible eviction of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah and its raid of the al-Aqsa mosque on May 10 triggered the current Palestinians resistance. On the other side is Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ethnic-cleansing campaign of the last decade against Palestinians in east Jerusalem and a ruthless collective punishment campaign against the people of Gaza. Those who minimize the relentless bombardment and killing of Palestinians by Israel are playing defense for the war crimes of a nation state against a destitute and oppressed population. At least 14 people, including five Israelis, died and a child was seriously injured on Sunday when a cable car linking Italy's Lake Maggiore with a nearby mountain plunged to the ground, officials and rescuers said. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car takes tourists and locals from the town on Lake Maggiore, almost 1,400 metres above sea level to the top of the Mottarone mountain in 20 minutes. Israel's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had been informed by Italian authorities that five of its nationals were among the dead and one Israeli was in a critical condition. "We are devastated, in pain," Marcella Severino, Stresa's mayor told broadcaster RAI, while Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi voiced his condolences to the families of the victims. The cable car was travelling up the mountain when the cabin plummeted some 20 metres to the ground and rolled down the steep slope several times before it was stopped by trees, Severino said. People hiking nearby heard a loud hiss just before the crash, she said, adding that the accident was believed to have been caused by one of the cables breaking. Severino said that some of the victims had been found trapped inside the car, with others thrown into the woods. A crashed cable car is seen after it collapsed in Stresa, near Lake Maggiore, Italy May 23, 2021. VIGILI DEL FUOCO/Handout via Reuters Coroners had started identifying the victims, who included foreign nationals, she said, without giving further details. Italy's alpine rescue service said a call had first come just after midday (1000 GMT), adding that the cable car was lying "crumpled" in the woods and two children were taken by helicopter to a paediatric hospital in the nearby city of Turin. The elder of the two, who was believed to be between 9 and 10, died after suffering two cardiac arrests, the hospital said. Director General Giovanni La Valle said the hospital did not have personal data for the two children and that nobody had been in contact with the hospital for them, indicating that other family members could have been involved in the accident. The younger child, estimated to be 5 years old, was conscious on arrival and was undergoing surgery to stabilise multiple fractures, La Valle said. Police and rescue service members are seen near the crashed cable car after it collapsed in Stresa, near Lake Maggiore, Italy May 23, 2021. ITALIAN POLICE/Handout via Reuters 'Hard to believe' The Stresa-Mottarone lift had only recently re-opened following the gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions. "It's a terrible moment for me and for our community and I think also for the whole of Italy. Especially now that we were just beginning to restart (after the pandemic)," Severino said. The Mottarone peak is popular among tourists because of its panoramic views on Lake Maggiore and its picturesque islands as well as the vista of the surrounding Alps. The cable car service first opened in August 1970 after almost three years of works to replace a cog railway, its website said. The dual cable system is split into two sections, just over two kilometres between Stresa and Alpino and another three kilometres between Alpino and Mottarone. It consist of two cars - in alternate directions - with each one carrying up to 40 passengers, it added. Severino said that important maintenance works, including changing the cables, had been carried out in recent years. "All of this is hard to believe," the mayor said. A 12-year-old boy from Vietnams Mekong Delta has been taken into custody after he was discovered with stolen properties from the past four years. Police in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province confirmed on Sunday they had arrested L.T.T., 12, for theft. On the afternoon of May 21, the boy broke into a house in Vinh Thanh Van Ward and stole many necklaces, gold, platinum jewelry, and about VND10 million (US$432), $1,000, and AU$500 ($386) in cash. The stolen property was worth a total of VND200 million ($8,650). The young thief then headed home in a motorbike taxi. He later sold some pieces of gold for VND16.2 million ($700) in Hon Dat District, Kien Giang and lost all of the money to gambling. T. was apprehended early on Saturday morning, while the remaining stolen property was confiscated and returned to the owner. At the police station, T. said he needed money for gaming and other personal needs. The boy added he had broken into dozens of houses to steal valuable assets since he was eight. T. lives in a tenanted house with his mother and two younger siblings. His father was recently arrested for theft. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Customs officers have uncovered a great amount of fake goods and narcotics hidden in more than 90 cargo containers in transit in Vietnam. Customs inspectors nationwide detected a lot of counterfeit items and drugs concealed in 91 out of the 132 in-transit containers of goods during their weeklong inspections in July last year, the Ministry of Finance reported. These 132 containers accounted for about 20 percent of the total number of in-transit cargo containers during the inspection period. Of the 91 containers in question, 35 contained counterfeit goods of famous brands and the rest were flagged for undeclared or falsely declared commodities. Customs officers in northern Lang Son Province detected 7.5 metric tons of drug precursors stashed in an in-transit container and 15.8 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in another. Vietnam currently has 129 enterprises engaged in transiting goods from China to Laos and Cambodia, with tens of thousands of cargo containers handled per year, the ministry reported. Such goods are mainly consumer goods, electronics, refrigeration appliances, electronic components, and auto spare parts. The Huu Nghi border gate in Lang Son Province and the Saigon Port in Ho Chi Minh City handle up to 150 containers of general cargo in transit for delivery to Cambodia and Laos daily, mainly by road. The ministry has included these findings in its recent report to the prime minister in response to a proposal by enterprises that call for streamlining the handling of goods in transit in Vietnam. The transit of goods through Vietnamese territories generates jobs to locals and brings revenue to logistics enterprises, but it also poses the risk of circulation of banned goods or commodities infringing on intellectual property rights, among other problems, the ministry said. It also warned that such illegal merchandise might even return to Vietnam for consumption after being transported to third countries. The ministry has directed the General Department of Vietnam Customs to assess the risks of infringements related to goods in transit based on specific criteria, including commodity classification and transport routes. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many provinces in Vietnam had turnout rates of more than 99.9 percent in the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and members to peoples councils at all levels for the 2021-26 tenure. As of 10:00 pm on Sunday, over 67.6 million out of 68.7 million voters had cast their ballots in the five-yearly polls, equivalent to 98.43 percent, the National Election Council quoted reports from 44 out of 63 provinces and cities in the country. The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang has a turnout rate of 99.99 percent, which is the highest, followed by Tra Vinh and Lao Cai Provinces with 99.98 percent. Other localities with very high rates include Ben Tre (99.97 percent), Ha Giang (99.96 percent), Gia Lai (99.95 percent), Quang Ninh (99.95 percent), Quang Nam (99.96 percent), Binh Phuoc (99.96 percent), Lam Dong (99.94 percent), Dien Bien (99.93 percent), Bac Lieu (99.91 percent), Da Nang (99.90 percent), and Thua Thien - Hue (99.90 percent). Health workers cast their votes in a quarantine area on May 23, 2021. Photo: V.T.T. / Tuoi Tre Most election teams reported that the election had concluded at the promulgated time, which was 7:00 pm, while some ended the vote later at 9:00 pm. The teams are promptly counting the votes in order to report the results to the National Election Council. Strict COVID-19 prevention and control measures were taken at all polling stations, with voters required to wear face masks, have their body temperature measured, fill in health declarations, and keep a safe distance from one another. All ballots and ballot boxes were thoroughly disinfected. Members of local election teams also brought extra ballot boxes to help voters who were quarantined at home, medical facilities, and quarantine centers exercise their rights. A woman casts her ballot at a quarantine facility in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, May 23, 2021. Photo: Duc Tai / Tuoi Tre Nearly 69.2 million people in 63 provinces and cities have the right to cast their votes during this terms one-day election, according to statistics from the Vietnam News Agency. Although the official election day was scheduled to begin at 7:00 am on Sunday, early voting had been permitted in a number of constituencies in a total of 16 cities and provinces. A total of 866 candidates, including 203 from central agencies and 663 from localities, run for 500 seats in the 15th National Assembly. Voters also select 3,726 delegates out of 6,199 candidates to people's councils at provincial level, 22,952 delegates out of 37,468 candidates to people's councils at district level, and 242,312 members out of 405,244 candidates to people's councils at commune and ward level. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The number of local coronavirus infections in Vietnams epicenter Bac Giang Province has surpassed 1,000 in the ongoing fourth wave as the Ministry of Health confirmed 184 additional domestic cases nationwide on Monday. Mondays count is the second-biggest daily case increase to have been recorded in the past two weeks, with the sharpest jump 187 patients announced on May 16, according to the ministrys data. A whopping 105 of the latest cases were registered in Bac Giang Province, a hub of industrial parks in northern Vietnam, the ministry said in a report at 6:00 pm on Monday. Bac Ninh Province, which borders Bac Giang to the south, reported 38 patients while Hanoi logged 21 cases. Ho Chi Minh City detected one case, a 18-month-old baby boy who had come into close contact with his grandmother, who is a noodle soup vendor and a COVID-19 patient. The Southeast Asian country has battled the pathogens re-emergence since April 27, with 2,349 community transmissions having been reported in 30 out of 63 provinces and cities. Bac Giang has recorded 1,024 cases in this round, followed by Bac Ninh with 505 patients, Hanoi with 304, Da Nang with 152, and Vinh Phuc Province with 89. Only seven cases have been confirmed in Ho Chi Minh City in this onslaught. The health ministry announced 73 recoveries on Monday, taking the total to 2,794. Vietnam has detected 5,404 cumulative cases, including 3,918 domestic infections, since the virus emerged in the country on January 23, 2020, according to Ministry of Health statistics. Forty-four patients have died, most having suffered critical pre-existing health problems. Vietnam has fought four virus waves so far, the latest being the worst. The nation confirmed 106 community cases in the first wave from January 23 to April 16, 2020, 554 in the second from July 25 to December 1, 2020, and 910 in the third from January 28 to March 25, 2021. More than one million vaccine shots have been administered to medical staff and other frontline workers in Vietnam since its mass inoculation was rolled out on March 8. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Phu Quoc Island City off Vietnams Kien Giang Province said on Sunday that they were temporarily detaining six employees from N.N. Resort for attacking a group of tourists. The scuffle took place a week earlier when the group of tourists went swimming and fishing at Mong Tay Cape in the company of a number of locals. Thinking that the group violated the private waters of the resort, a group of N.N. security guards tried to drive them away and then got into an argument with them. A video recorded by a local involved in the brawl showed several security guards holding sticks and rushing into the sea to chase the tourists ashore. A video recorded by a local shows a fight between N.N. Resorts security guards and a group of tourists in Phu Quoc Island City off Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam, May 18, 2021. On the beach, despite the intervention of some other tourists, another team of N.N. security guards came and hit the fishing group, causing two of them to break their arms. The Phu Quoc City police summoned and criminally detained six security guards of N.N. Resort to investigate their act of intentionally causing injury to the victims. It is known that the area of Mong Tay Cape was formerly under the control of a local border guard station. After being handed over to a tourism business, the area is often under border dispute, prompting the owners of some resorts there to hire young men to guard it. Currently, the case is being further clarified by Phu Quoc authorities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ministry of Health announced two COVID-19 infections on Monday morning, both imported from India. The two Indian patients entered Vietnam on April 24 and was sent to quarantine upon landing, the health ministry said in a morning report. They tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday, it added, without elaborating. Vietnam has closed its borders to international arrivals since March last year but it still grants entry to foreign experts, skilled workers, diplomats, and Vietnamese repatriates. All of them have to undergo different forms of quarantine upon arrival, pursuant to regulations on pandemic prevention. The health ministry also confirmed 56 local cases in its Sunday mornings update, including 33 in Bac Giang Province, eight in Hanoi, seven in Bac Ninh Province, five in Lang Son Province, two in Dien Bien Province, and one in Hai Duong Province, all located in the northern part of the country. Vietnam has been grappling with a new wave of infections since April 27, when it recorded the first local transmission after having spent about a month detecting zero cases. The health ministry has announced 2,221 domestically-transmitted infections since then, according to the Ministry of Healths data. Bac Giang Province is leading the tally with 952 patients, followed by Bac Ninh with 474, Hanoi with 291, and Da Nang with 151. One hundred and thirty-seven of the cases in the capital were registered at two hospitals treating cancer and tropical diseases. Ho Chi Minh City has confirmed only six transmissions in this fourth wave. Vietnam has logged 5,275 local and imported COVID-19 cases since the coronavirus first emerged in the country on January 23, 2020, according to the health ministrys statistics. Recoveries have hit 2,721 while 42 patients have died, including seven this year. Vietnam has combated four bouts of infections so far, the latest being the worst. The Southeast Asian country confirmed 106 community cases in the first wave from January 23 to April 16, 2020, 554 in the second from July 25 to December 1, 2020, and 910 in the third from January 28 to March 25, 2021. The Ministry of Health currently gives COVID-19 updates at 6:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Vietnam have launched an investigation into a case where a man had allegedly violated his home quarantine order right before being confirmed as a COVID-19 patient. Officers in north-central Thanh Hoa Province confirmed on Sunday they had initiated legal proceedings regarding the case of spreading dangerous infectious diseases to others, which involved 27-year-old B.V.Nh.. According to the provincial Center for Disease Control, Nh. returned home from a virus-hit area in the northern province of Bac Giang on May 17. After filling in a health declaration form at a local medical center, the man was required to undergo home quarantine. Despite the order, Nh. headed to a beer parlor to hang out with his friends later that day. He tested positive for the novel coronavirus once on May 18 and was confirmed as COVID-19 patient No. 4,694 on the following day. As of Sunday, health authorities had identified 51 direct contacts of Nh. and over 660 others who had indirect contact with him. One of the direct contacts has been infected with the disease and confirmed as patient No. 5,086. Pursuant to the Penal Code, spreading dangerous infectious diseases to others is punishable by a fine worth VND50-200 million (US$2,165-8,660) or one to 12 years in prison. The offender may also be banned from working in certain fields and positions for one to five years. Vietnam has documented 5,308 COVID-19 cases as of Monday afternoon, with 2,721 recoveries and 44 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. The country has recorded 2,254 local infections since April 27. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Obstetricians at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi last week successfully delivered a baby through a caesarean section performed on a woman with COVID-19, who had previously suffered infertility for 11 years. L.T.Q., 33, underwent the caesarean section, giving birth to a girl weighing 2.6 kilograms, the hospital told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday. Hailing from northern Dien Bien Province, Q. was admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on May 19 at her 35th week of pregnancy after her test results returned positive for the coronavirus on May 14. Earlier, she had run a fever accompanied by coughing, a sore throat, sputum, and fatigue, and had been tested for COVID-19 at the field hospital of Dien Bien Province on May 13. It was determined that the woman had come into direct contact with COVID-19 patient No. 3,758 on May 4. The woman had been helped to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization previously. Doctors at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases transferred the pregnant patient to the emergency department and held a consultation. They came to the conclusion that she suffered from respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 infection and fetal distress. Surgeons decided to conduct a caesarean section before her full term, fearing adverse impacts on the baby if the mothers respiratory failure deteriorated and required mechanical ventilation, according to Dr. Nguyen Thu Ha, deputy head of the obstetrics and gynecology ward. It was the golden time to save the baby, Dr. Ha said. Doctors from the hospitals emergency, obstetrics, pediatrics, and anesthetics departments were put together to coordinate and support the surgery, which took place for one hour and turned out to be a success. After the medical operation, the baby was transferred to the pediatrics ward for care, while the mother was moved to the intensive care unit for further treatment. Currently, the mother is sedated and mechanically ventilated, and treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and vasopressors. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A young man in Vietnam was fined and had his drivers license suspended last week after a video of him riding a motorbike with his eyes covered emerged on social media. Police in Da Nang required M.D.L., a 19-year-old man, to pay a VND7.4 million (US$320) fine and decided to revoke his drivers license for three months on Saturday. L.s motorbike will also be impounded for a week, police officers said. In mid-April, a local resident shot a video of L. driving his friend on a motorbike in Ngu Hanh Son District with his head and eyes covered, according to his statement to police. The footage was uploaded to the video-sharing platform TikTok and subsequently sent to the Da Nang traffic police bureau. Violators were summoned to a police station in Da Nang, Vietnam. Photo: D.C. / Tuoi Tre In the video, L. can be seen driving blindfolded and with no helmet on, while his bike is not equipped with a left rear-view mirror as required by law. After seeing the clip, traffic police summoned L. together with the other person riding pillion to the local police station for interrogation. At the police station, L. claimed to have borrowed a motorbike from his landlord for the ride in question. He also admitted to blindfolding himself and not wearing a helmet when he was recorded in mid-April. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Six part series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, coming to CNN sees actor / writer / producer Stanley Tucci travel across Italy to discover the secrets of the countrys regional cuisines. In each episode, Tucci visits a different region or city of Italy, including Tuscany, Sicily, Milan, Rome, Bologna, and Naples / The Amalfi Coast. CNN partnered with London-based film and television production company RAW to produce Searching for Italy. During a time when everyone wishes they could travel, the series will transport you through Italys cultural past and present through its extraordinary cuisine, said Tucci. The food tells the story of this countrys unique history and Im thrilled to serve as a guide through this journey. Making this series was an absolute delight and the reaction from viewers in America was wonderful, said Adam Hawkins, executive producer for Searching for Italy. As we embark on producing a second season, we are so pleased that viewers all over the world can go on this incredible and delicious journey with the inimitable Stanley Tucci. Stanleys engaging personality, wit and charm make him the perfect fit to take CNNs viewers on an intimate voyage to his beloved Italy, said Amy Entelis, EVP for Talent & Content Development, CNN Worldwide. We know our audience will feel inspired as they experience, through Stanleys eyes, the food, culture and people of a country that has given the world so much joy from its cuisine. Searching for Italy is a fascinating, mouthwatering and visually-stunning exploration of perhaps one of the worlds most beautiful countries and its rich culture, and Stanley Tucci is the perfect guide to take our viewers from around the world on an unforgettable tour, said Meara Erdozain, senior vice president of programming for CNN International. Premiering at 9pm AEST on Sunday, June 20 to a global audience of more than 370 million, Tucci will take viewers along with him as he enjoys the luxurious creamy carbonara of Rome, the delicious simplicity of Sicilys pasta alla Norma, the saffron-infused silkiness of risotto in Milan, the crispy tenderness of bistecca alla fiorentina, the perfect classic ragu alla bolognese and the worlds best pizza in Naples. Tucci comes prepared with a bottomless appetite for it all, showing us how the diversity of Italian cooking offers a gateway through which you can glimpse Italys history and culture. Executive producers for Searching for Italy are Adam Hawkins, Eve Kay, and Stanley Tucci for RAW, Amy Entelis and Lyle Gamm for CNN Original Series. Season one of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy averaged 470k among P25-54, 2.1m among P2+, and 75k among P18-34 among its six Sunday night 9p premieres in the United States. In its time period across cable news, the series has ranked #1 among all three demos. 9pm AEST on Sunday, June 20 on CNN. Related Seven West Media has appointed of Robert Sharpe to the new role of Head of Corporate Communications, following the departure of Jack McLintock as Corporate and Government Affairs Manager last month. He was previously Corporate Affairs Advisor at Optus, and worked at Network 10 for 5 years, plus roles at Spotcap Global and ITV. Reporting to SWM Chief Marketing Officer, Charlotte Valente, Sharpe will be responsible for external and internal communications from tomorrow. Ms Valente said: Im very pleased to welcome Robert to SWM. As a senior corporate communications expert with over 14 years expertise in strategic communications across a number of industries, including TV and digital media, telecommunications and fintech in Australia and the UK, he will be a great addition to our communication team. Robert has strong business, technology and media contacts across Australias tier one and industry media and a passion for executing campaigns that deliver results. Rob Sharpe said: Ive been an admirer of Sevens TV, digital and print businesses for many years. The corporate and content strategies outlined in SWMs three-year transformation plan are already delivering strong results and Im really looking forward to being part of the companys ongoing development and success. Shoebridge Knowles Media Group continues to consult on SWM corporate communications and publicity strategies. Related A Belarusian dog handler checks luggage off the Ryanair flight (ONLINER.BY/AFP via Getty Images) Britain said the president of Belarus must be held to account after he scrambled a fighter jet to force a Ryanair plane carrying a dissident journalist to land. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemned Alexander Lukashenko for his outlandish actions and said the UK was working with its allies on a coordinated response. Aircraft have been instructed to avoid Belarusian airspace and Mr Raab said further sanctions are being considered against the Lukashenko administration - including the suspension of energy pipelines in Belarus. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he has instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace "in order to keep passengers safe". He also suspended the operating permit for Belavia, the country's state-owned airline, effectively banning it from the UK. It comes after Belarus flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to land the plane flying 171 passengers from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday. They forced the plane to land in their capital city of Minsk before arresting 26-year-old Belarusian journalist and activist Roman Protasevich, pictured below. Mr Protasevich could face the death sentence after being accused of organising protests against President Lukashenko. In a strongly worded statement on Monday morning, Mr Raab called for the activists release and said: The UK condemns yesterdays actions by the Belarusian authorities, who arrested journalist Roman Protasevich on the basis of a ruse, having forced his flight to land in Minsk. Mr Lukashenko must be held to account for his outlandish actions. The UK calls for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich and other political prisoners held in Belarus. The UK is working with our allies on a coordinated response, including further sanctions. The UK also calls for the ICAO Council to meet urgently to consider the regimes flouting of the international rules safeguarding civil aviation. Roman Protasevich in 2017REUTERS Mr Raab told MPs on Monday afternoon there were more than 100 passengers on the flight. Story continues "We are urgently seeking full details of precisely what took place in relation to Flight FR4978 but the scenario as reported is a shocking assault on civil aviation and an assault on international law," he said. "It represents a danger to civilian flights everywhere and it is an egregious and extraordinary departure from the international law and the international practice that guides international civil aviation under the Chicago Convention." Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee, described the act as air piracy and a hijacking. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: This was a flight between two Nato members and between two EU members between Greece and Lithuania. And if its not an act of war, its certainly a war-like act. Franak ViaAorka, a journalist and friend of Mr Protasevich, was in touch with him just before he departed. Mr ViaAorka said: He shared some concerns when he was in the airport in Athens. He saw that someone was following him, so he already felt something bad. Im not sure if its related, but he mentioned that there was a guy who was trying to take pictures of his documents and perhaps this also part of a provocation against him. Witnesses said the activist was trembling and super-scared, telling fellow passengers he would face the death penalty. Mr ViaAorka added: I cant imagine whats happening to him right now. Lukashenko, who is one of President Putins closest allies, personally ordered the operation so a dissident on board could be arrested, according to state media. He has ruled the country since 1994 and cracks down on opposition figures. The plan to seize Mr Protasevich also appears to have also involved suspected Belarussian KGB agents. Ryanairs chief executive Michael OLeary also said the forced landing was a state-sponsored hijacking and added: It was clear it appears that the intent of the Russian authorities was to remove a journalist and his traveling companion. We believe there was also some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft as well. Western leaders have widely condemned the act. EU leaders are due to discuss their response to what the unions executive called a hijacking. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, warned the outrageous and illegal behaviour... will have consequences. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the shocking act and said President Joe Bidens administration was co-ordinating with our partners on next steps. Mr Protasevich is a former editor of Nexta an influential opposition channel on messaging app Telegram. Nexta helped organise protests that erupted in Belarus last August after Mr Lukashenko claimed victory at elections that were widely regarded as rigged. Mr Protasevich, who left Belarus in 2019 to live in exile in Lithuania, was designated a terrorist by Belarus in November over his role in co-ordinating demonstrations. Read More What the papers say May 25 New video of detained journalist after Ryanair state hijacking Minsk accused of playing Russian roulette with journalist detention Scientists have created a new tool which could help humans find alien life in the universe. The method, called Assembly Theory, can identify complex molecular signatures to determine the likelihood of it developing through life rather than by chance, say researchers at the University of Glasgow. The team, who worked with collaborators at Nasa and Arizona State University, used highly technical methods to break down particles and count the number of unique parts, giving analysts a clearer idea of how it came into being. Lead scientist, Professor Lee Cronin, Regius Professor of Chemistry, said Assembly Theory is the first falsifiable hypothesis for life detection. A falsifiable hypothesis is one that can be proved or disapproved using logic or evidence. He said: Its based on the idea that only living systems can produce complex molecules that could not form randomly in any abundance. This allows us to sidestep the problem of defining life instead we focus on the complexity of the chemistry. Nasas Perseverance Rover is currently looking for life on Mars (Nasa/JPL-Caltech) A vexing challenge in the search for extra-terrestrial life has been identifying which chemical signatures are unique to life, leading to several ultimately unproven claims of alien discovery. In a notable example, the metabolic experiments of Nasas Viking Martian lander on Mars found only simple molecules whose existence could be explained by incorporating natural non-living processes into the equation, said the research team. The paper: Identifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry, is published on Monday in the journal Nature Communications. Assembly Theory uses techniques including mass spectrometry to break down molecules and count the number of unique parts, with higher numbers associated with life on earth. The theory of molecular assembly also explains the more steps that are needed to deconstruct a given complex molecule, the more improbable it is that that molecule was created without life, scientists added. Story continues The researchers said life-detection instruments using its methods could be sent on missions in space to detect for biosignatures, and can even be used to identify emerging new forms of lab-created artificial life. Prof Cronin added: This is important because developing an approach that cannot produce false positives is vital to support the first discovery of life beyond Earth, an event that will only happen once in human history. The research was supported by funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, The John Templeton Foundation, the European Research Council and the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency. As reported by the oppositional but informed Armenian newspaper "Hraparak", about 160 soldiers of the Armenian Armed Forces are on the territory of Iran. Of course, we are not talking about the military invasion of the Armenian army battered during the Karabakh war into the territory of a strong regional power. A group of Armenian servicemen who fled from the advancing Azerbaijani army during last year's 44-day war in Karabakh is still in Iran. "It is not known in what status Iran keeps them at home," the Armenian newspaper writes. It is noted that the issue of the Armenian soldiers who took refuge in Iran was discussed during the recent visit of a delegation of high-ranking military personnel of the Islamic Republic to Armenia. Gevorg Altunyan, the head of the information and public relations department of the Armenian Defense Ministry, gave the following answer to "Hraparak's" inquiry: "The Defense Ministry does not comment on this topic." It should be reminded that the first reports on the visit of high-ranking Iranian military personnel to Armenia were spread a couple of days ago in the Armenian telegram channels. According to those publications, "the representatives of the Iranian delegation promised the Armenian authorities military assistance, in particular, they offered to bring equipment and Iranian troops to Zangezur for temporary placement along the entire border in order to prevent the penetration of Azerbaijani saboteurs, including terrorists, into Armenia." However, the Armenian authorities allegedly refused the help of the Iranian side. As a result of the Second Karabakh War, Iranian-Azerbaijani relations are going through a difficult period of transformation and reassessment of mutual interests. Today's "leak" of information about 160 Armenian soldiers in Iran could have occurred at the initiative of the Iranian side, which wants to send a signal to Baku that the visit of its military delegation to Yerevan is not a manifestation of hostility towards Azerbaijan, but is connected with other issues, for example, Armenian deserters. At the same time, the inability of the Armenian Defense Ministry not only to refute, but even to comment on the information about 160 servicemen who fled to Iran, indirectly testifies to its reliability. Moreover, the situation fits into the general context of the difficult realities of the Armenian army following the defeat in the war: on May 17, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian pardoned more than 5,000 wanted deserters, as well as 124 convicts. It is not known whether 160 "Armenian migrants" in Iran are included in these lists. However, until Armenia deals with the lists of thousands of its own deserters and determines who, where and when fled, it will be difficult for it to conduct a substantive dialogue with Azerbaijan about prisoners of war and missing persons. It should be reminded that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated in plain text that Yerevan was unable to provide clear lists of its missing soldiers. In a situation of departmental chaos and paralysis of state structures, the Armenian side prefers to "write off" some of those whom it cannot find as "prisoners of war held by Azerbaijan". The position is convenient - it is both a tool for informational pressure on Azerbaijan, and a way of bureaucratic utilization of all those who cannot be found by the Armenian state bodies by transferring responsibility. In Baku, in turn, they only shrug their shoulders to such claims of the Armenian side: "Deal with your deserters yourself - we have nothing to do with it." The BRI has repeatedly been labeled a debt trap and a power grab, and perhaps this seemed like a possibility at the outset. However, this concept has been debunked by careful research, The Diplomat reports. Deborah Brautigam, director of the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, studies Chinese lending to Africa in depth. She found no evidence that Chinese banks over-lend or invest in loss-making projects to obtain a foothold in those countries. Brautigam points out that the turnover of the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka to a Chinese company has often been misinterpreted as a geopolitical move by China to take over key infrastructure. The story is that China persuaded Sri Lanka to borrow funds for a project that had little prospect of success. The terms of the loan were onerous and forced Sri Lanka into default, so that the country was forced to hand over the port to China. In reality, the Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin and Danish engineering firm Ramboll separately carried out feasibility reports for the port, both making strong cases for the project. As there were no takers for the project after some time, the Sri Lankan government accepted Chinas loan proposal, even before the creation of the BRI. When the project failed during a time of political and financial upheaval in Sri Lanka, the Chinese took over a majority stake in and operating of the port, rather than seizing the port outright. And, as analyst Umesh Moramudali noted for The Diplomat, Sri Lankas debt crisis was not directly caused by the Hambantota Port loan to begin with, but by pre-existing balance of payment issues stemming from the maturation of sovereign bonds. Even if we take the Hambantota Port example as a cause for concern, this is a rare case that does not characterize Chinese investment along the BRI. There is further evidence that China is not engaging in debt trap diplomacy. Brautigam has noted that in some countries that the IMF has labeled as vulnerable, China is the largest single creditor, but lenders from other countries hold most of the debt. Global banks and bondholders are actively involved in lending to African firms and governments. Importantly, Chinese loans were not responsible for pushing indebted countries above IMF debt sustainability limits. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that other countries have chosen to join the BRI, and not just impoverished nations. The BRI has reached not only Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, but also East Asia and Europe. Over 18 European Union countries have joined the BRI. In Asia, South Korean firms Daewoo and Hyundai have won contracts along the BRI. Nissin Corp. shipped its first railbound cargo transshipment to Europe via Chinas Sinotrans in October 2018. Countries have participated in the BRI in order to improve their connectivity to the rest of the world and level up industrialization efforts. Many of the projects have been successful; for example, one study launched in 2018 by Rand Corporation found that BRI transportation connectivity can boost trade and foreign direct investment, and speed up industrialization and economic growth. This shows that there are other ways of viewing the BRI, and that there have been clear benefits to participation. Rather than decrying China for lending to BRI countries, the United States should engage in infrastructure lending to poor countries, and/or make it easier for multilateral banks to lend for such projects, reducing bureaucratic requirements. While the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation was formed in order to address financing of development projects in poor countries, its scale of funding (up to $60 billion) is much lower than that provided by China. In addition, the United States has tended to provide funds for large projects in large countries, as compared to China, which has funded smaller projects in developing countries. Even though the U.S. may not feel comfortable joining the BRI due to ongoing tensions with China, it can still increase its engagement in parallel activities. Transparency is one issue that China should improve on to ease concerns about the potential for corruption within BRI deals. This would reduce worries that BRI contracts provide cover for embezzlement or mismanagement activities. According to a survey published last year by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, European firms have been hesitant to participate in BRI projects mainly due to a lack of information and transparency. The Chamber requested that China create an open procurement system as well as perform feasibility and impact studies for BRI projects. The World Bank and other bodies have also called for increased transparency. To answer the opening question is Chinas BRI a benefit or threat to the U.S.? we can state that the BRI is not a threat, although more transparency would help the United States and other countries to understand the benefits and increase trust in BRI projects. This would go a long way in improving U.S. understanding of Chinese intentions along the Belt and Road. Austrias foreign ministry insists on an independent international investigation of the incident with the Ryanair passenger plane flying from Athens to Vilnius that made an emergency landing at Minsks airport and demanded immediate release of activist Roman Protasevich who was among the planes passengers and was detained after the landing. "Alarming reports about a Ryanair plane that was diverted to Minsk. All passengers must be allowed to continue their travels and we need an independent international investigation into this incident. We urgently demand the release of activist Roman Protasevich," the ministry wrote on its Twitter account. Berlin also demands immediate explanations from Minsk on the situation around the Ryanair flight and alleged detention of journalist Roman Protasevich, Miguel Berger, Secretary of State of Germanys Federal Foreign Office said. "We need an immediate explanation by the Government of Belarus on the diversion of a Ryan Air flight within the EU to Minsk and the alleged detention of a journalist," he wrote on his Twitter account. The Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing at Minsks airport after the pilots had reported a bomb threat. The plane landed safely. No bomb was found inside. It was reported after the planes landing that former editor-in-chief of the Nexta Telegram channel, which had been recognized as extremist in Belarus, Romat Protasevich was among the passengers. The man was detained. Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog are extending a recently expired monitoring agreement by a month, the agency's chief said on Monday, avoiding a collapse that could have plunged wider talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal into crisis. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi told a news conference the agreement would now run until June 24, Reuters reported. The three-month agreement was struck in February to cushion the blow of Iran reducing its cooperation with the IAEA, and it allowed monitoring of some activities that would otherwise have been axed to continue. Iran holds a presidential election on June 18. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will pay a visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia tomorrow on May 25, the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Saeed Khatibzadeh said at a press conference, according to the ministry. According to the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, the Iranian Foreign Minister's visit to Azerbaijan is part of ongoing consultations between officials of the two countries. Within the visit, views will be exchanged on bilateral relations, regional and international issues, Trend reported. The Ryanair plane with Roman Protasevich, a former editor-in-chief of the Nexta Telegram channel, which has been recognized as extremist in Belarus, among its passengers was actually compelled to land in Minsk, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said. "The Belarusian regimes services compelled the passenger plane flying to Vilnius to land in Minsk," the presidential press service quoted him as saying. He called on NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat to international civil aviation from the Belarusian regime. Nauseda also demanded Protasevich, who was detained after the planes landing, be immediately released, TASS reported. The Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing at Minsks airport after the pilots had reported a bomb threat. It was reported after the planes landing that former editor-in-chief of the Nexta Telegram channel, which had been recognized as extremist in Belarus, Romat Protasevich was among the passengers. The man was detained. Meanwhile, Lina Beisiene, a spokeswoman for Lietuvos oro uostai the operator of Lithuanian airports, said on Sunday that Lithuanias aviation authorities had no information about any bombs onboard the plane. She said that plane had made an emergency landing because of a conflict between a passenger and a crewmember. However, she disclosed no details. Member of the Parliament of Georgia, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on European Integration and former Head of the National Tourism Administration, Mariam Kvrivishvili, has been appointed Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, according to the country's Ministry of Economy. Kvrivishvili will be in charge of tourism, aviation and resort development at the ministry, Agenda.ge reported. Prior to her appointment as Deputy Minister of Economy, Kvrivishvili's activities were related to the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (EURONEST PA). She has been the Chairperson of the Open Governance Permanent Parliamentary Council since January 21, 2021. In 2019-2020 Kvrivishvili was the head of the National Tourism Administration, while earlier in 2012-2014 she held the position of deputy head at the same administration. Protesters against the construction of the Namakhvani Hydro Power Plant have gathered in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi today and call on the government of Georgia to fulfil their demands by 12 p.m. May 24. Varlam Goletiani, the leader of Rioni Gorge Defenders civic movement said that if the government fails to make a decision, they will entirely paralyse the city'. Claiming that the construction of the Namakhvani HPP will cause serious environmental concerns the protesters demand from the Enka Renewables (previously known as Clean Energy Group Georgia LLC) to leave the Rioni gorge. They also demand from the government to abolish anti-state contract aimed at handing over the Rioni gorge into private ownership, announce moratorium on any future construction in energy sector countrywide and dismiss of Energy Minister Natia Turnava, Agenda.ge reported. The Namakhvani HPP Cascade Project entails the construction of two hydroelectric power plants on the Rioni river in Georgias Tskaltubo and Tsageri municipalities. However, locals and activists patrolling the site for several months say the construction is illegal and against the will of the local population. NATO said the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk was a serious and dangerous incident, saying it required an international investigation. "The Belarusian authorities must ensure the safe return of the crew and all passengers to Vilnius," Reuters cited a spokesperson as saying. "We are closely monitoring the forcible landing in Belarus of a Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius, and the reported detention of opposition figure Roman Protasevich," the NATO spokesperson added. Belarus interior ministry has confirmed the detention of a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, deemed as extremist in Belarus, Roman Protasevich. "Founder of the Nexta Telegram channel Protasevich has been detained at the Minsk airport," the ministrys organized crime and corruption department wrote on its Telegram channel. Protasevich was onboard a Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius that made an emergency landing at Minsks airport after receiving a bomb call. According to the airports press service, the incident was reported by the planes pilots. The plane landed safely, no explosive devices were found inside. The Nexta Telegram channel was recognized as extremist by Belarus Supreme Court on October 20, 2020. It founder Stepan Putilo and former editor-in-chief Roman Protasevich were charged with organizing riots and instigating social hatred. In February 2021, Belarus issues an extradition request for Putilo and Protasevich to Poland. The countrys State Security Committee (KGB) put the two men on the list of persons involved in terrorism. Under Belarus laws, Protasevich may face 15 years behind bars. Protasevich and Putilo founded the Nexta channel on YouTube in 2015 and launched a channel of this name in Telegram, which became one of the venues for President Alexander Lukashenkos opponents following the August 9, 2020 presidential polls. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Sunday he has asked European Council President Charles Michel to expand the agenda of Mondays EU summit and look at possible sanctions against the Belarusian authorities over the incident with the Ryanair flight. "I have asked eucopresident to expand tomorrow's EUCO agenda and discuss immediate sanctions against A. Lukashenka regime. Hijacking of a civilian plane is an unprecedented act of state terrorism. It cannot go unpunished," he wrote on his Twitter account. Apart from that, he condemned the detention of Roman Protasevich, a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel deemed in Belarus as extremist, TASS reported. The Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing at Minsks airport after the pilots had reported a bomb threat. A MiG-29 fighter jet of the Belarusian air forces was scrambled to escort the plane to the airport. The plane landed safely. No bomb was found inside. It was reported after the planes landing that former editor-in-chief of the Nexta Telegram channel, which had been recognized as extremist in Belarus, Romat Protasevich was among the passengers. The man was detained. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is likely to register Russias Sputnik V vaccine by late June, Maltas Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo stated ahead of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi due on May 25, TASS reports. "As far as I know, this will happen this month or next month. We were always told that there were no problems from the EMA authorities, as long as all the required documentation and evidence is provided. As far as I know, the process is ongoing," Bartolo said. "A number of European countries, after all, I think will begin to produce Sputnik V in their own countries. This is in our interests. And Im not talking only about the Maltese. It is in the common interest. And I know many Maltese who were vaccinated with Sputnik V and they feel good," Maltas foreign minister noted. Maltas top diplomat assured that after the Sputnik V certification in the EU and the resumption of direct flights from Moscow, Russian tourists "would not have any problems" with visiting the country. A Ryanair flight flying from Athens to Vilnius has finally landed at the Vilnius airport after a forced landing in Minsk, Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Sunday. "The plane has landed at the Lithuanian capitals airport," he told journalists. There were some 170 passengers from 12 counties, including 90 Lithuanian nationals, onboard the plane. Roman Protasevich, a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, which had been recognized as extremist in Belarus, was among the passengers. He is wanted in Belarus and is living in Lithuania. The man was detained after the planes landing in Minsk. Belarus defense ministry later confirmed that a MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled on Sunday to escort the Ryanair passenger plane that made emergency landing at Minsks airport. "After the polit of this civil aircraft decided to land at an alternate airport (Minsk-2) and turned the plane towards Minsk, it was decided to scramble a MiG-29 crew on duty from the Baranovichi airport (Brest region)," the ministry said on its Telegram channel, citing Andrei Gurtsevich, chief of the air operations and first deputy commander of Belarus air and air defense forces. The Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing at Minsks airport after a reported bomb threat. The plane landed safely. No bomb was found inside. A criminal case was opened in Belarus. Two virus researchers in China are recommending security measures after seven Russian farm workers became infected with a crossover flu virus last year, according to Medical Xpress. In their Perspectives piece published in the journal Science, Weifeng Shi and George Gao, both of whom are affiliated with multiple institutions in China, suggest that the makeup and history of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza virus threaten the possibility of another pandemic. As Shi and Gao note, the new strain of influenza virus was first discovered in a duck in China back in 2010. By 2014, outbreaks had been seen in Japan and South Korea in both domestic and wild birds. And by 2016, it had been found in birds in India, Russia Mongolia, the U.S. and parts of Europe. By 2020, outbreaks had been seen in 46 countries. Shi and Gao note that this history indicates that the virus is able to spread very rapidly. Even more concerning was a report of crossover infections in seven Russian farm workers this past December. The authors note that the infected workers did not have any symptoms (they were tested for safety reasons) and there was no indication that the virus was transmissible from one person to the next. But they point out, that once a crossover has been made, it generally does not take a virus long to adapt to spread to other victimsthey note how quickly the virus mutated to jump from duck to duck and then to other bird species. They also note that the virus has been found to be quite lethal, with massive die-offs in multiple outbreaks. The Russian workers were tested, for example, after 101,000 hens died. On a more optimistic note, Shi and Gao note that it is not too late to take preventive measures that could prevent a pandemic. They suggest that vigilant surveillance of farms, live markets and wild birds, along with the implementation of standard infection control measures, could slow the spread of the virus, giving pharmaceutical companies time to develop a vaccine for it. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will focus primarily on ensuring that a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians holds during his visit to the region later on Monday, and work to get assistance delivered to the people of Gaza, a senior State Department official said. Washington has "every hope and expectation" that the ceasefire, brokered by Egypt and now in its fourth day after 11 days of hostilities, will hold, the U.S. official said in a call with reporters but said it was too early for wider peace talks. "Our primary focus is on maintaining the ceasefire, getting the assistance to the people who needed," the official said. "The United States remains committed to the two-state solution...We are not wavering from that in any way. Its probably premature at this time to invite the parties to Washington or anywhere else," Reuters cited the official as saying. Blinken will travel to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Cairo and Amman through Thursday and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Jordans King Abdullah. Vietnams exports and imports rose over 24 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, driven by the countrys free trade agreements (FTAs), an expert has said. Harvesting rice in Hau Giang province (Photo: VNA) Exports surged 22 percent and imports 26.3 percent, with the country posting a trade surplus estimated at more than 2 billion USD. The figures reveal the strong recovery seen in production and trade in the country despite COVID-19 here and around the world. Associate Professor Pham Tat Thang, a former official at the Ministry of Industry and Trades Vietnam Institute of Industrial and Trade Policy and Strategy, said that after the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA) took effect in August 2020, shipments to the bloc have headed upwards and rose 18 percent in January-March this year. Similarly, exports to members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) also grew substantially during the period, including to Canada, up 13.7 percent, Australia 17 percent, Chile 25.6 percent, Mexico 12.7 percent, and New Zealand 35.1 percent. Thang commented that these agreements will continue to act as an important leverage for Vietnams exports into the future. Though instances of protectionism have emerged around the world in recent years, Vietnam still insists on opening up its economy, with 16 FTAs having been signed, he said. With the signing of the EVFTA and the CPTPP, large volumes of Vietnamese rice, shrimp, aquatic products, and vegetables have been sent to member markets, Thang added./.VNA List of FTAs joined by Vietnam as of December 2020 List of FTAs joined by Vietnam as of December 2020 in which Vietnam has joined cover most continents. They comprise nearly 60 economies which altogether make up ~90% global GDP. The Vietnam General Statistics Office has released information on the Population Living Standards Survey 2020, conducted in 63 provinces throughout the nation, covering 46,995 households. According to the survey, the average income per person per month in the country in 2020 reached VND4.23 million, down 2% compared to 2019. The average monthly income per capita increased by 8.1% on average during 2016-2020. The average income per person per month in 2020 in urban areas was VND5.5 million, nearly 1.6 times higher than in rural areas (VND3.48 million). The group of richest households (20% of the richest population - group 5) had per capita income per month of VND9.1 million in 2020, eight times higher than that of the poorest group (20% of the poorest people - group 1), with monthly average income of only VND1.13 million. The region with the highest per capita income is the Southeast region (VND6.02 million/person/month), which is 2.2 times higher than the region with the lowest income - the northern midlands and mountains (VND2.74 million/person/month). The southern province of Binh Duong had the highest per capita income in the country in 2020, with VND7,019 million/person/month. Ho Chi Minh City ranked second with VND6,537 million/person/month, followed by Hanoi with VND5,981 million. The provinces with monthly incomes of over VND5 million/person were Dong Nai, Bac Ninh, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Can Tho. Ba Ria Vung Tau and Quang Ninh stood in the last two positions of the top 10, with over VND4.5 million/person/month. According to the survey, in 2020 the average spending per household in Vietnam was VND2.89 million/person/month, up 13% compared to 2018. Urban households had an average monthly expenditure of approximately VND3.8 million compared to VND2.4 million of rural households. The Southeast region ranked first in the country with the highest household spending of approximately VND3.9 million/person/month). The Northern midlands and mountainous region had the lowest spending rate - VND2.1 million/person/month. The inequality in per capita spending per month between the richest and the poorest amounted to 3.5 times difference in 2020, with VND4.8 million and VND1.4 million/person/month, respectively. Vietnamese eat more meat, drink more beer The survey showed a clear trend that Vietnamese had reduced starch consumption, with rice consumption per person per month decreasing over the years, from 9.7 kg in 2010 to 8.1 kg in 2018 and only 7.6 kg in 2020. Rural households consumed more rice than urban households (8.5 vs. 6.1 kg/person/month). Meat consumption of all kinds increased slightly over the years, from 1.8 kg/person/month in 2010 to 2.3 kg/person/month in 2020. Alcohol and beer consumption showed signs of increasing slightly from 0.9 liters/person/month in 2018 to 1.3 liters/person/month in 2020. The General Statistics Office said that in 2020, Vietnams socio-economic situation was affected by the Covid-19 epidemic. Although the population's income decreased compared to 2019, the poverty rate still fell thanks to the Government's good implementation of social security policies. However, there are still disparities in living standards between urban and rural areas, between rich and poor populations, and between regions. This is an issue that policymakers should pay attention to. Luong Bang Covid-19 crisis leads to lower incomes, living conditions for tens of thousands of families Surveys all show that the living conditions of many Vietnamese have become worse because of Covid-19. However, economists are not recommending a second support package. If developing countries do not make breakthroughs during the golden population period, they will find it difficult to overcome the middle-income trap to become developed countries. According to Chinas 2020 census results released on May 11, China's population is rapidly aging, and the number of people of working age is decreasing. The number of people of working age (15-59 years old) is 894.38 million, accounting for 63.35% of the population, down 6.79% compared to 2010. The number of children aged 14 and under is 253.38 million, equivalent to 17.95% of the population and the number of people aged 65 and over is 190.64 million, accounting for 13.5% of the population. According to criteria of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a country with a maximum proportion of children under 14 years old accounting for 30% and elderly people (aged 65 and over) less than 15% of the total population is considered to be in the golden population age. Based on the criteria, China is still in the golden population period. However, as the number of people over 65 years old has increased rapidly, from 7% of the population in 2000 to 13.5% in 2020, China's population aging trend is unlikely to reverse. Over the past four decades, China's economy has grown thanks to an abundant workforce, but the country is on the way from labor surplus to labor shortage, at the fastest pace in history. China has become a society of the elderly in just 20 years, much faster than France (140 years), Sweden (85 years), and the United States (72 years). The problem is that aging population occurs when China's GDP per capita is only about $10,000/year, compared to over $30,000/year in developed countries. This is negatively affecting economic development and major national goals of China. Since 2007 Vietnam has entered the golden population period and the current proportion of people of working age account for nearly 70% of the population, of which about half are young people, who are under 34 years old. However, according to the 2019 census, Vietnam's population is aging at an unprecedented rate. In 2019, the country had 11.4 million people aged 60 and over, accounting for 11.86% of the total population and the aging index increased from 35.9% in 2009 to 48.8% in 2019. It is estimated that the number of people aged 65 and over will reach over 10% by 2026 and exceed 15% by 2039. This will be the end of the golden population period in Vietnam. Vietnam is now in the group of low-middle-income economies and has set a goal to become a high-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income developed country by 2045. Experts said that developing countries, if failing to make breakthrough in the golden population period, will find it difficult to overcome the middle-income trap and will never become developed countries. The first 10 years of the golden population period have passed. It is forecasted that Vietnams population in the period 2030-2040 will likely be aging. Therefore, only the period from 2020-2030 is the optimal time, an extremely important opportunity for economic development. However, the golden population structure is only a possibility and an opportunity, not a guarantee for economic breakthroughs. It is important that people of working age must be able to work, have jobs and create high productivity. Labor productivity of Vietnam is low compared to other countries in the region: 26 times lower than Singapore, 7 times lower than Malaysia, 4 times lower than China, 2 times lower than the Philippines, 3 times lower than Thailand. One of the main causes of low labor productivity is the poor qualifications and capacity of workers. According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, unskilled labor accounted for 39% of the total workforce in 2009, down to 36% in 2018. In 10 years, it only fell by 3%, so for a long time, the economy retained the structure of using cheap labor. Vietnam is lacking skilled workers, labor groups with technical expertise, managers, and innovators. These are the groups capable of leading the economy. Compared with some countries in the region, the proportion of trained workers in Vietnam seems to be good, but the quality and qualifications are still a concern. Most of the recruited workers need to be retrained, and many people work in the wrong profession. For the Human Development Index (HDI), a measure of population quality, published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Vietnam ranked 117th out of 189 countries and territories in 2019. Vietnam has never entered the top 100 most developed countries, has not closed the gap with other countries in the world. In particular, labor productivity is still the weakest factor when it comes to population quality. According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), nearly 70% of foreign-invested enterprises in Vietnam have difficulty in recruiting skilled technicians. With human resources for positions that require strategic and leadership thinking, it is even harder to find. They have to seek personnel from other countries. In addition to the lack of high-quality labor, the discipline of workers is still poor. The 4.0 industrial revolution is taking place in the world and economic experts say that Vietnam needs to transit to a digital economy. Digital transformation will help increase labor productivity and help Vietnam make a breakthrough. However, this process is facing many challenges. Most Vietnamese businesses still do not know how to start their digital transformation strategy. Small and medium-sized enterprises do not understand much about the concept of digital transformation. Most of them have not approached digital technologies, are not equipped with a business mindset on a digital platform, and lack a business strategy on a digital platform. The main reason is the lack of human resources in digital services. Experts said that Japan and Germany were severely damaged in the second world war, but have risen strongly to become developed countries thanks to a skilled, well-trained workforce. According to demographers, Vietnam's golden population period will last for about 20 more years and will not return. Therefore, during this period, it is necessary to train a strong young workforce who are capable of changing the country's economy. We need to make the most of this precious resource. In fact, the golden population opportunity does not automatically bring a positive impact, but it must be "held" to "create" a golden workforce, leading the country to fast and sustainable development. It is necessary to have a good labor market management policy. There should be specific regulations to link training and vocational institutions with the market. The education system must be able to handle the provision of knowledge and professional skills for workers, so it can become a strong driving force of the economy, bringing Vietnam to a higher position in the global value chain. Tran Thuy Vietnam to enter aging population stage in 2026 Twenty percent of Vietnams population will be 60 years of age or older within the next 20 years, resulting in the country experiencing an elderly population crisis. The National Assembly should study and develop a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) of delegates, including qualitative and quantitative values. On May 23, more than 69 million voters across the country exercised the right to elect deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term. One of the issues that voters were most concerned about is how to choose people who typify virtue and talent, and are worthy of representing the will, aspiration and mastery of the people. How can voters monitor and evaluate the delegates they voted for? A voter reads bios of candidates before election day in HCMC. Photo: Thanh Tung By their vote, constituents give their state power to the people they trust. In other words, elections are essentially the transfer of state power from the people to the State, the first step in the process of monitoring and controlling state power and limiting the corruption of state power. National Assembly delegates are the representatives of the will and aspirations of the people, are accountable to the voters, and at the same time are responsible to the National Assembly for the performance of their duties to voters supervision. In fact, voters' supervision of National Assembly deputies is carried out mainly through meetings between delegates and voters. Accordingly, National Assembly deputies must learn the thoughts and aspirations of voters, collect and honestly reflect voters opinions to the National Assembly and relevant state agencies; and at the same time report to voters on their activities and the activities of the National Assembly. Temperature measurement for voters in Huong Viet commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province. Photo: Phan Vinh In principle, National Assembly deputies must report to voters on the performance of their delegate duties at least once a year. On their side, voters can directly or through the Vietnam Fatherland Front ask the National Assembly deputies to report on their work and can comment on the performance of tasks of the National Assembly deputies. According to regulations, answering the requests and recommendations of voters is one of the responsibilities of the National Assembly deputies. Political commitments of candidates Over the years, the activities of the National Assembly and the National Assembly deputies have made positive changes, which have attracted the attention of a large number of voters. However, besides the National Assembly deputies who fulfilled their assigned responsibilities and duties well and kept their promises during the electoral campaign, there are still many National Assembly deputies who have performed their role poorly and have not met the voters' expectations. Those who are interested in the National Assemblys activities can easily see that few deputies regularly participate in questioning, debating, and commenting activities. Many National Assembly deputies have gone through their entire term without leaving any impression. So how can voters effectively monitor the performance of members of the National Assembly, whom they have trusted to choose to entrust state power and represent them to participate in the highest state power agency? Bringing a ballot box to a quarantine center in Bac Ninh province. Photo: Vu Diep If it is done only through voter meetings or reports, voters will find it difficult to assess the level of fulfillment of the responsibilities and duties as well as the level of performance of action programs of National Assembly deputies. The action programs of many candidates are very general, stereotypical, cliched and are difficult to assess. Action plans Therefore, in order to have a basis to evaluate the results of the performance of duties and responsibilities of National Assembly delegates, it is necessary to change the way candidates develop their action plans. It should be emphasized that the action plan is not only aimed at persuading voters to vote, but it is also an activity orientation and a guideline for action throughout the entire period of a member of the National Assembly in the future. It is not just a promise to voters but also the political commitment of the candidate. First of all, the action plan must adhere to the rights and responsibilities of National Assembly deputies according to the law; it should be highly feasible, suitable to practical conditions, with the candidate's capacity, qualifications and expertise. The action plan should briefly and clearly state the goals, actions and results to be achieved associated with each specific action. The content of the action plan needs to show voters clearly what specific actions the candidate will take, with what solutions, and what results will be achieved. Interaction with voters On that basis, the elected member of the National Assembly must regularly inform voters about the things they have done and the results achieved. In addition to direct contact with voters, National Assembly deputies should increase their interaction with voters through the use of technology and social media. In this way, National Assembly deputies will more easily and quickly grasp the thoughts and aspirations of voters and shorten the distance with them. The National Assembly should also study and develop a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for National Assembly deputies. Based on the responsibilities, tasks and action plans of each member of the National Assembly, the KPIs sould include qualitative values (based on feelings, personal opinions) and quantitative values (measured by specific numbers). Every year, KPIs will be used to evaluate the performance of each member of the National Assembly in a transparent and public manner. This approach both motivates and puts pressure on National Assembly deputies to constantly strive to fulfill their responsibilities, tasks and political commitments (action plan) in the best way. In business, KPI is one of a number of modern and effective tools to help managers use leadership strategies for specific management goals and action plans for each department and individual. KPIs can be used as a tool for voters to monitor and evaluate the performance of National Assembly deputies, whom they have trusted and delegated state power by ballot. Doan Huu Tue Most cities and provinces reported high rates of turnout of over 90 percent in the May 23 elections exceeded, with some recording a rate of as high as 99.99 percent as of 10pm the same day, reported the National Election Council (NEC). browser not support iframe. In almost all electoral units, the voting finished on time in line with the regulations, according to the NEC. The council reported that voters nationwide eagerly participated in the elections, showing a high sense of responsibility to the country. Thanks to careful preparations and strong communications, the elections were conducted in a democratic manner, allowing the people to fully exercise their right to mastery. The event enjoyed wide media coverage, with 8,611 articles on the elections published by the press as of 5pm of May 23. Many foreign media agencies including BBC, Sputnik, Reuters, Xinhua and Nikkei also posted many stories on the elections in Vietnam. Election committees in all localities kept close supervision of the voting process to ensure its safety and law-abiding. According to the NEC, the security and social safety and order were ensured in all localities without any abnormal circumstances. In areas with mistakes in ballots, the NEC gave timely instruction so that the elections were carried out in line with the regulations./.VNA Choreographer Quang Dang is known for his Washing hands dance, which reminded people during the first wave of COVID-19 last year about the health ministrys hygiene recommendations on washing hands. browser not support iframe. He has now once again attracted public attention with a dance calling for the protection of the pangolin, an endangered wild animal. Choreographer Quang Dang once again thrills the audience with a dance calling for the protection of the pangolin. He and his apprentice Minh Quan dance dressed in pangolin costumes in order to raise awareness about wildlife protection. His dance is supported by the Center for Hands-on Actions and Networking for Growth and Environment (or CHANGE for short), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to environmental and wildlife protection. The dance is part of a communications campaign aimed at fighting pangolin hunting and trafficking. The campaign was launched on May 6 this year and is a joint project of CHANGE and WildAid, another NGO with a vision of ending wildlife trafficking. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, Vietnam has become a hotspot of wildlife poaching and trafficking. Figures show that the number of wild species and their populations in Vietnam are declining sharply. Determined efforts by organisations and Key Opinion Leaders like Quang Dang are expected to raise awareness about wildlife protection./. VNA Manufacturing workers should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible as they are vulnerable to infection, according to business groups. Processing wood at Minh Thanh Company in Dong Nai Province. Many companies want their workers vaccinated against Covid-19 on a priority basis, and said they are willing to pay for the vaccine. Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association Le Duong Quang, chairman of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Industries (VASI), said businesses in the supporting industry were willing to pay the cost for employees so they could be inoculated quickly and effectively. The biggest wish of support industry firms at this time is that the Government speed up the COVID-19 vaccination and give priority to manufacturing workers, he said. The association has 300 members with about 60,000 employees. It is part of the global supply chain for manufacturing industries in Vietnam and for exports. According to Quang, supporting industry firms all operate in industrial zones. The risk of disease spread is always high, threatening to disrupt production and causing a serious impact on the supply chains of global corporations. Hundreds of COVID-19 infections have been recorded in many manufacturing enterprises in industrial zones in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces in recent weeks. Therefore, VASI proposed the Government add manufacturing companies to the priority list for vaccination to ensure smooth operation. The Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association (VIFOREST) made a similar request on Friday. In a written document to the Government and related agencies, the association proposed the Government allow enterprises in the sector to order about 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the wood industry employs 700,000 employees. In addition, there are tens of thousands of labourers in craft villages across the country. This is an important resource in production for the industry to reach the export target of more than US$15 billion this year and $20 billion by 2025. For the safety of workers at companies and craft villages as well as to ensure there are enough resources to achieve the target, the VIFOREST called for the Government to facilitate its enterprises in accessing and order 1 million doses of vaccine against COVID-19 with funding from businesses in the industry and other sources. If each business spends its own money to buy vaccines for its employees, this cost will be many times cheaper than the damage caused by COVID-19. Being aware of that issue, the wood industry business community is committed to being ready to accompany the Government," said Do Xuan Lap, VIFORESTs chairman. Huynh Quang Thanh, director of Hiep Long Ltd co, agreed, saying: "For each individual, the value of a dose of vaccine is not much, but this is a great opportunity for businesses and for the whole society when the economy reopened." Earlier on Tuesday, the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) also sent a proposal to the Government for the same reason. Vu Duc Giang, chairman of VITAS, said giving priority for firms with large employees would "speed up the community immunity and help business stabilise production." Vietnam plans to buy 150 million doses of vaccines this year to immunise 75 million of its 96 million people. The 11 priority groups for COVID-19 vaccines are medical workers; people in the anti-pandemic efforts (COVID-19 prevention and control steering committees of all levels, quarantine facility staff, reporters, etc); diplomats, customs officers and people working entry and exit procedures; military personnel; public security forces; teachers; elderly people aged above 65 years old and essential workers (aviation, transport, tourism staff, utility workers, etc). People with chronic health issues and people who want to study or work overseas and people in virus-hit regions are also on the list. VNS Military set up two COVID-19 treatment hospitals in Bac Giang, Bac Ninh The military are setting up two temporary hospitals to provide care for COVID-19 patients in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces, which are the two provinces affected the worst by the current COVID-19 resurgence in Vietnam, on May 19 afternoon. COVID-19: 96 new cases, 73 recoveries Vietnam recorded 96 more COVID-19 infections over the past six hours to 6:00pm on May 24, including one imported case, according to the Health Ministry. The 95 new domestic infections comprise 44 in Bac Giang, 31 in Bac Ninh, 13 in Hanoi, six in Lang Son, and one in Ho Chi Minh City. The new infections brought the national tally to 5,424, including 3,918 domestically-transmitted cases. On May 24, 73 patients were given the all-clear from the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, raising the total number of recoveries to 2,794. The death toll is now 44. Among active patients, 70 tested negative to coronavirus once, 41 twice, and 69 thrice. As the pandemic has become more complicated, people are advised to strictly follow the Ministry of Healths 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration)./. Hanoi set to open 90-100 new bus routes The capital city of Hanoi has planned to introduce 90-100 new bus routes in the years to come to meet 16-18% of the passenger travel demand by 2025 and 25% by 2030. Of them, 10 new bus routes will serve students and workers. Moreover, the city will expand bus services to more areas where the daily travel demand remains high and infrastructure facilities meet requirements to offer public transport services, reported Bnews. As a main provider of public transport services in the city, the Hanoi Transport Corporation (Transerco) has over the years implemented many programs and projects to open more bus routes and enhance the connectivity between urban and suburban areas and improve public transport services. During the 2016-2019 period, Transerco opened 33 new bus routes and expanded 15 of the existing bus lines. Some of them linked the city center with the Noi Bai International Airport and the bus rapid transit system. The services were also offered further to many outlying districts of the city. In the upcoming period, Transerco will continue to work on plans to adjust and open bus routes to localities where bus services are not available and submit them to the municipal government and the relevant agencies for approval. HCMC-Moc Bai expressway project costs an additional VND2.3 trillion The total investment in the HCMC-Moc Bai expressway project, linking HCMC and neighboring Tay Ninh Province, has been estimated to increase by nearly VND2.3 trillion due to a higher site clearance cost. According to the HCMC Department of Transports report on the execution of the project sent to the municipal government on May 18, the prefeasibility study for the project has been completed, news site VnExpress reported. Accordingly, the investment for the project was estimated at VND15.9 trillion, up some VND2.3 trillion over the figure in the previous estimation and VND5.2 trillion versus the figure announced in 2019. The investment hike was attributed to an increase in the cost of the site clearance work for the project and compensation for the affected households. The cost has increased from VND5.1 trillion to over VND7.4 trillion, including over VND5.9 trillion for the section in HCMC and the remaining for the section in Tay Ninh. The project will be submitted to the HCMC Peoples Council for approval at its sitting in July. The HCMC-Moc Bai expressway project was designed to have a total length of 53 kilometers, starting at Ring Road No. 3 in HCMCs Cu Chi District and ending at the Tay Ninhs Moc Bai Border Gate Economic Zone. In October last year, the Government allowed the HCMC government to take charge of the project, which will be executed under the public private partnership format with a build-operate-transfer contract. The road, which will have four lanes in the first phase, is expected to be opened to traffic in 2025. The capital poured into the project is expected to be recovered 23 years and eight months after the project is put into use. Once in place, the expressway will help improve the traffic system in the southern key economic zone, increase the capacity of a road connecting HCMC and Cambodia and ease traffic on National Highway 22. Vietnam records 43rd death related to COVID-19 The patient was hospitalised at the General Hospital of northern Hai Duong province and his blood culture was identified as positive to multi-drug resistant Ochrobactrum anthropic bacteria. He was subsequently given a five-day course of antibiotics but it failed to alleviate the infection. He was transferred to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi on April 25, where he was diagnosed with sepsis and cirrhosis ascites. On May 5, he was confirmed positive to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. As conditions became worse, he died on May 23 night due to septic shock, multi-organ failure, sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and SARS-CoV-2 infection with underlying condition noted as ascites in liver cirrhosis. This has been the eighth death in the fourth wave of COVID-19 hitting Vietnam since April 27 with a few clusters detected in the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi./. Scented books for kids make debut The first two in a set of scented books developed by Dinh Ti Trading And Culture Service Company Limited and Youth Publishing House have made their debut, one with the fragrance of flowers and the other with that of various kinds of fruits. The books include short stories and colourful pictures on species of flowers and fruits. By rubbing his/her fingers on the pictures, readers can enjoy the sweet fragrance. All the scents used are tested and certified as safe for readers. The scents can be faded away after six months to two years, depending on the frequency of use. In addition, children can also learn English words of these flowers and fruits by using QR codes on smartphones./. 63.4 percent of Vietnamese communes meet new-style rural criteria A total of 5,248 out of Vietnams 8,267 communes, or 63.4 percent, fulfilled the criteria set for new-style rural areas as of the end of April, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The rate is expected to reach 65 percent at the end of June. Also by the end of April, 305 and 24 communes nationwide were recognised as advanced and model new-style rural ones, respectively. Meanwhile, 12 provinces and cities have seen all of its communes meet the criteria. The national target programme on building new-styled rural areas was initiated by the Government in 2010 with the aim of developing rural regions. The list of criteria includes the development of infrastructure, the improvement of production capacity, environmental protection, and the promotion of cultural values. Advanced and model new-style rural status have higher requirements./. General elections constitute a comprehensive success: Minister The elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 tenure was a comprehensive success as it took place democratically and in line with legal regulations, said Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra. Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) late on May 23 after the elections were completed, Tra said this political event really became a festival of the entire people. Tra, who is also a member of the National Election Council (NEC), emphasised that security, order and safety were guaranteed for the elections. According to the minister, the high turnout rate of voters nationwide, even in COVID-19 pandemic-hit areas, showed the people's faith in the regime, the Party and the State in building a socialist rule-of-law state. Tra said in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, localities and relevant units have made all efforts to disseminate information about the elections and mobilise voters to participate in the event. The entire political system has focused on leading, directing and organising the elections, along with the positive response, consensus and unity of the people, she noted. Local election organising agencies created the most favourable conditions for people to exercise their citizenship rights and obligations, thus promoting democracy, she said. For voters, they still well performed their citizen rights and duty even in the context of extremely complex developments of the pandemic, Tra added. Preliminary reports show that 95.65 percent of voters nationwide went to the polls by 17:30 on May 23 to elect deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2021-2026 term. More than 69 million people across the country voted to elect 500 deputies to the 15th NA among 866 candidates. Meanwhile, 3,726 deputies were expected to be selected among 6,199 candidates to provincial-level Peoples Councils, 22,952 deputies to district-level Peoples Councils among 37,468 candidates, and 242,312 deputies to communal-level Peoples Councils among 405,244 candidates./. Vietnam adds 56 domestic cases to COVID-19 tally The number of domestically-transmitted COVID-19 cases in Vietnam has risen to 3,790 cases, with 56 patients confirmed in the past 12 hours to 6am on May 24, according to the Ministry of Health. Of the new cases, 33 were recorded in Bac Giang province, eight in Hanoi, seven in Bac Ninh, five in Lang Son, two in Dien Bien and one in Hai Duong. Meanwhile, Yen Bai, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai, Nghe An, Quang Ninh, and Quang Nam provinces went through 14 straight days without any new infections. The country has recorded 1,485 imported cases so far. As many as 2,220 domestic cases have been logged since the nation was hit by the fourth COVID-19 wave on April 27. According to a report from the ministrys Medical Examination Administration, the country has seen 2,721 recoveries and 42 deaths related to the disease. Among active patients undergoing treatment, 56 tested negative to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, 31 twice, and 31 thrice. A total of 173,440 people who came in close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined nationwide, including 4,356 in hospitals, 36,126 in other quarantine sites, and 132,958 at their places of residence. Since the pandemic has become more complicated, people are advised to strictly follow the Ministry of Healths 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration)./. Stuffed toys cheer up bus passengers Passengers on a public bus in HCM City have reacted favourably to dozens of stuffed toys on the vehicle. Bus conductor Pham Van Sang, 49, works on a 146 route bus. Sang said he and the driver, Pham Ngoc Tuyen, have decorated the bus with stuffed toys for over a year and now they have had over 100 toys. The toys are decorated mostly around the driver seats and hung along the passenger grab bars. "Mien Dong Bus Station used to have four toy claw machines. I used to play and gave the toys to my children, nieces and nephew. One day I hung the toys along with the handlebars and the passengers were very interested. That's when I got the idea to decorate the bus with toys," Sang said. Sang used to spend VND20,000 to VND30,000 on the claw machine and gradually filled up the bus with toys. Sang said he hoped the toys would cheer people up. After a year, the toys have gained favour from many passengers, especially young children. "They are really well-behaved. No one makes the toys dirty or asks to take them home," Sang said. "One day, I noticed that a child kept looking at the new toy so I gave it to him but he refused. He said the bus would not look pretty anymore." Sang and Tuyen then organised small games for the children on the bus with toys as prizes. Sang said the toys also helped lighten the mood of some cancer patients that took the bus. Sang always clean the bus and dust the toys so that they will stay clean. "They looked up at the toys and said they brought back their childhood," he said. "That makes us happy and feels like what we're doing is meaningful and positive for others." HCM City to improve management as land prices soar The deputy chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee, Le Hoa Binh, has directed authorities at all levels to strengthen land administration. He instructed district authorities to strictly enforce regulations on dividing lands for sale, especially in suburban areas where the practice has caused prices to rise. The prices are increasing dramatically in some places, which could affect socio-economic development and investment. Binh has tasked the Department of Construction with strengthening oversight of property projects to ensure compliance with the Law on Land, the Law on Investment and the Law on Real Estate Business. At the same time, it must inspect and correct real estate brokerage activities, ensuring that the activities comply with the provisions of law, to prevent brokers increasing property prices. In many localities, fake news has been spread about government development plans, including taking advantage of speeches made by top leaders to create fake documents to spread news, and this has hugely affected the interests of investors who lack knowledge and experience, according to the city Peoples Committee. There are also instances of people selling lands to which they have no title, such as forest lands, and brokers spreading fake information to drive prices up, it said. It instructed all related authorities to publicise plans, the progress of infrastructure development works and real estate projects, especially major ones, and mergers and upgrades of administrative units. It promised businesses that the city would continue to support them amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and speed up major projects that have been delayed. Peoples Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said more efforts should be made to improve the business climate and competitiveness, eliminate difficulties faced by businesses and push forward with administrative reform. He instructed the Department of Home Affairs to set up a working group to mitigate the problems faced by enterprises, especially those related to administrative procedures. PM: COVID-19 quarantine policy demonstrates humanitarian spirit The quarantine policy in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic shows the spirit of humanity of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has stated. Chinh made the statement while visiting officers and soldiers on duty at a concentrated quarantine facility of Regiment 926 of the Military High Command in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh on May 22. He said that after each wave of the pandemic, Vietnam has learned from experience to carry out better prevention and control measures, in which quarantine has played an extremely important role with the motto of quickly tracing, detecting and quarantining positive patients and those in contact with them, as well as actively treating confirmed patients, thus quickly stabilising the situation. On behalf of the Party and State leaders, Chinh lauded efforts by all forces in the fight with the spirit of fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy. The leader affirmed that Vietnam has basically controlled the pandemic, with the number of infections accounting for only 0.004 percent of the population one among the lowest in the world. He, however, asked localities and units to maintain strict implementation of regulations on quarantine and post-quarantine management. Reiterating Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs direction of not pursuing economic growth at the expense of social progress and justice, Chinh said that the stance has received more attention amidst the pandemic, with focus on vulnerable groups and those with illnesses./. Indonesian, Singaporean scholars comment on Vietnams NA election Vietnams elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and the Peoples Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term are of great significance, said Veeramalla Anjaiah, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies in Jakarta and a senior journalist. In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Indonesia, Anjaiah stated that despite recent spike in COVID-19 infections, Vietnams election body made all preparations to conduct the most important elections in an open, safe and transparent way on March 23. Though Vietnam follows one-party system, the elections will not be unanimous and people have the power to reject any candidate, he added. According to the scholar, the most laudable thing about the elections will be a high representation of women candidates. At least 393 female candidates, or 45.3 percent, are competing in the elections. There are 185 candidates are from ethnic minority groups. The National Assembly has been playing an important role in the transformation of Vietnam and its society and economy, he said, stressing it is the backbone of Vietnams economic and political reforms, and truly represents the aspirations of Vietnamese people. Thanks to the quality and useful laws, which were enacted by the NA recently, today Vietnam has emerged as a dynamic country in Southeast Asia with rising exports, foreign direct investments and forex reserves. It is also on its way to become an upper middle income country soon. Regarding the role of the new legislative body in the process of policy-making and development of Vietnam in the future, Anjaiah stated that the National Assembly will play a strategic role in making suitable policies and relevant laws to sustain the high economic growth rate, attract more foreign direct investments, and contain the COVID-19 pandemic. He suggested the body work together with the Government and the Party to keep the country on a high growth trajectory, as the cooperation between these three will be an important factor in determining Vietnams future. Sharing the same view, Lye Liang Fook, Senior Fellow at Singapore-based ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said that the new National Assembly will lead Vietnam in its next important development stage, which will focus on growth and innovation, digital economy, hi-tech manufacturing, and quality education and health. He proposed Vietnam pay attention to cutting down bureaucratic administrative procedures, creating opportunities to training and re-training the labour force, addressing bottlenecks on infrastructure and stepping up the fight against corruption./ Vietnamese expats in Germany pin high hopes on new parliament Vietnamese expatriates in Germany commended the contributions by the 14th-tenure National Assembly (NA) to the national development, and pinned high hopes on the new parliament. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agencys correspondents in the country on the occasion of the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and Peoples Councils at all levels, Professor Nguyen Xuan Thinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Germany Innovation Network, hailed the achievements of the 14th NA which issued 72 laws and two ordinances that helped bring the 2013 Constitution into life. He described the move as significant to affirm the role of the organ of highest State power in building and completing the institution of the law-based Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Thinh expressed his delight at the renewal of the NA, saying the its intensive debates were broadcast live, helping Vietnamese expats keep a close watch on the NAs discussions. The 14th NA also supervised seven projects with huge impacts on the socio-economic development and local livelihoods, and decided on the implementation of a wide range of important projects. He recalled Vietnams remarkable achievements in the past time, including impressive average growth of 5.9 percent in the past five years in the context of global challenges, and income per capita surging 145 percent. Meanwhile, Nguyen Quang Anh, president of the Vietnamese war veteran association in Germany, said the 14th NA issued an array of legal documents which serve the need of national development and international integration. President of Tan Trao Association in Germany Le Hong Cuong held that the NA had a successful 14th tenure as it won trust from the Vietnamese people and respect from international friends. Thanks to the NAs sound decision, Vietnam has gained excellent results in the fight against COVID-19 and economic development, he said. Regarding the NAs roles in the nations external activities, Cuong stated the 14th NA successfully hosted the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26), and the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41). Besides, Vietnamese expats also expressed their hope that the 15th NA will work out policies suitable to bring the nation to a new high, and build a more modern society. Thinh wished that the new NA will continue its interest in the Vietnamese people in foreign countries as an inseparable part of Vietnams solidarity bloc, and outline suitable policies so that the Vietnamese expats can make further contributions to the homeland as well as improve their roles in the host nations. Anh and Cuong expected the new NA and Government will enhance exchange and cooperation with other nations, including those in the EU, saying this will help promote Vietnams role and position in the international arena./. Another apartment building in Hanoi locked down due to COVID-19 An apartment building in Hanoi has been placed under lockdown after a 11-year-old boy tested positive for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Residents at the Park 11 building of the Times City complex in Hoang Mai district are not allowed to go out as from 1:30 on May 23. Earlier, the Peoples Committee of Mai Dong ward also decided to lock down the Park 9 building of the complex after detecting a suspected case of COVID-19. The domestically-transmitted COVID-19 cases in Vietnam have risen to 3,658, 1,483 detected since the nation was hit by the fourth COVID-19 wave on April 27. According to a report from the Ministry of Healths Department of Medical Examination Management, the country has seen 2,721 recoveries and 42 deaths. A total of 179,006 people who came in close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined nationwide, including 4,490 at hospitals, 36,815 at other quarantine sites, and 137,801 at residences./. COVID-19 prevention crucial to success of elections COVID-19 prevention and control work has enjoyed due attention in all localities to ensure the success of the elections of the deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and Peoples Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure, according to Bui Van Cuong, NA Secretary General, Chairman of the NA Office and Chief of the National Election Council Office. Cuong said on May 23 that the elections have been held in accordance with the set plan. Several localities claimed high turnout such as Dien Bien province with 85 percent, Quang Ninh 84 percent, and Da Nang over 50 percent. Nearly 69.2 million voters across Vietnam are eligible to go to the polls on May 23 to elect 500 deputies to the 15th NA, and nearly 4,000 to provincial-level, almost 23,000 to district-level, and over 240,000 to communal-level Peoples Councils./. Security, order ensured on election day: Public Security official Security and order has been ensured across Vietnam on the national election day May 23, Chief of the Office of the Ministry of Public Security, Lieut. Gen. To An Xo has affirmed. According to him, as of 2pm, the turnout rate exceeded 50 percent in many localities. As the elections is taking place in the context of complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Public Security has prepared measures to ensure security and order and quarantine regulations, and respond to any problems arising, he added. The entire public security force has exerted efforts to fight the pandemic, ensure security and order at concentrated quarantine facilities, participate in pandemic control and inspection stations, trace suspected cases, and boost international cooperation. The force has also carried out prevention and control measures to ensure absolute safety at prisons, detention centres, and compulsory educational establishments, and organised vaccination for over 40,000 officers and soldiers./. COVID-19 relief aid handed over to Vietnamese Cambodians Dozens boxes of medical supplies and mosquito repellents have been delivered to Vietnamese-Cambodian families in Saeb and Ta Ches communes of Cambodias Kampong Chhnang, to support them in the fight against COVID-19. The aid was donated by Vietnams Military Region 5, Military Region 7 and budget carrier Vietjet Air through a programme launched by the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Kampong Chhnang province in collaboration with Kampong Trolach districts authorities to help locals combat COVID-19 and Chikungunya fever. Representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia handed over the assistance to local authorities and households, including more than 10,000 face masks, 400 bottles of hand sanitiser, and 400 mosquito nets. The two communes are home to 340 Vietnamese-Cambodian families moving from the Tonle Sap since October 2018. Last year, the localities were hit by dengue fever and Chikungunya fever, with nearly 200 cases./. Vietnamese medical experts lauded in COVID-19 fight in Laos Lao Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune on May 23 highly valued the timely and effective support of the Vietnamese Party, State and people to his country in the COVID-19 fight. He was speaking at a ceremony held by the Lao health ministry in Vientiane to honour Vietnamese health experts who have been sent to help the neighbouring country combat the pandemic. Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, who is also Chairman of the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, described the assistance as a vivid demonstration of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples. He lauded the achievements the Vietnamese medical experts gained during the past more than 10 days in Laos, saying with their assistance, Laos has been able to better curb the pandemic spread and reduce COVID-19 cases. The Deputy PM expressed his belief that the bilateral relationship will further prosper in the time ahead. At the ceremony, Lao Minister of Health Bounpheng Phoummalaysith presented certificates of merit to the Vietnamese experts in recognition of their contributions to the pandemic fight in Laos. The ministry on May 23 reported 19 new cases, including four locally-transmitted infections, pushing the national tally to 1,801. The number of recoveries stands at 1,074, while there are two fatalities./. Public security forces praised for efforts in COVID-19 fight Politburo member and Minister of Public Security General To Lam has lauded efforts made by the public security forces in the fight against COVID-19. In his letter, the Minister praised officers and soldiers for sparing no efforts in ensuring security and order, engaging in all spheres of life and rolling out COVID-19 prevention and control measures and contact tracing in an endeavour to contain the spread of the pandemic. They have joined hands with patrol forces to tighten border control, prevent illegal migrants and efficiently carry out tasks in entry-exit and foreigner management, he added. Lam noted that the forces have partnered with other countries in fighting COVID-19, and presented medical supplies to the public security forces of Laos and Cambodia to help them battle the ravaging pandemic. The Minister asked the public security forces to take the initiative in safeguarding national security, and social order and safety, as well as participating in COVID-19 prevention and control, and illegal migration prevention./. Southeast Asian nations report surging daily COVID-19 cases Countries in Southeast Asia continued to see a large number of COVID-19 cases on May 23. Cambodia logged 560 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths on the day, according to the countrys Ministry of Health. The countrys tally of COVID-19 infections has to date reached 25,205, with 17,701 recoveries. On the same day, 42 Indonesian medical workers were found to be infected with the coronavirus after providing treatment for 13 Filipino sailors. With more than 1.7 million COVID-19 cases and the death toll of 49,000, Indonesia is the hardest-hit country in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the Philippine Department of Health announced 3,083 new infections and 38 fatalities on the day, raising the national count to nearly 1.18 million and 19,951, respectively. Malaysia documented additional 6,976 cases on May 23, the highest daily figure since the start of COVID-19. Most of the new patients were in Selangor state. The country has a total of 512,091 cases. Thailand has announced to tighten border control after the detection of three cases with COVID-19 variant that originated in South Africa. It has to date logged a total of 129,500 infections and 776 fatalities. An online survey by the Suan Dusit Rajabhat university revealed on May 23 showed that 64.39 percent of 2,644 respondents nationwide said they agree to receive COVID-19 jab provided by the government./. Ministry of Health receives VN160 billion and 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine The Ministry of Health has received grants of VN160 billion and 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine sponsored by the banking industry, Vingroup, Sovico Group and HD Bank. Nguyen Thanh Long - Minister of Health and other leaders of Departments/Offices under the Ministry of Health were receiving the grants on behalf of the Government at a ceremony at the ministry's headquarter on May 21. Also present at the ceremony were Nguyen Thi Hong - Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, Nghiem Xuan Thanh - Chairman of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank), Le uc Tho - Chairman of Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank), Phan uc Tu- Chairman of Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), and Pham uc An - Chairman of Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (Agribank). The four banks contributed VN100 billion (VN25 billion each) to the COVID-19 vaccine purchasing fund. Vingroup also sponsors 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed to the Ministry of Health. Previously, Vingroup sponsored VN20 billion to the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) under the Ministry of Health to conduct a research and clinic trial of the "Made in Vietnam" COVID-19 vaccine COVIVAC. Vingroup also sponsors projects to prevent and combat COVID-19 waves including ventilator manufacturing, medical equipment, machines and chemicals for testing SARS-CoV-2 virus; three research studies on rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On behalf of Sovico Group, Pham Quoc Thanh, General Director of HDBank, said the bank had sponsored VN60 billion for the COVID-19 vaccine purchasing. "We will continue accompanying the Ministry of Health, frontline doctors and nurses fighting against the pandemic. Long said the Ministry of Health was making every effort to guarantee 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for 75 per cent of the Viet Nam's population. Also on May 21, the Government decided the entire amount of money received for COVID-19 prevention through the Vietnamese Fatherland Front will be used to purchase COVID-19 vaccines. A tank driver keen on tank-related innovations Tanks are some of Major Tran Thanh Binh's best friends. The tank driver in Regiment 68, Division 304 of 2nd Army Corps based in Ha Nois Soc Son District joined the army in February 1993 and has spent years working with tanks. His dedication to learning more about tanks as well as how to operate and maintain them has led to innovations that have helped reduce hardship for artillery soldiers. Due to his years of experience, Binh knows how hard it is to operate and maintain the giant vehicles, particularly when soldiers mostly do the work manually. For example, when soldiers assemble or disassemble a gun or cannon barrel manually, they are not only exposed to grease but also health risks as the work takes a lot of time and hard work. Binh said he thought a grease pumping machine could solve all the problems. He searched for materials, spent days reading materials and designing and testing some models. Once he successfully made a grease pumping machine his unit started using it to great effect. The innovation also helped Binh earn a second prize at a technical innovation contest of the 2nd Army Corp in 2016. Binh also created equipment to help move the armoured panels at the bottom of the tank. Previously, at least two or three people were needed to snake under the tank to move the panel and clean other items there, Binh said, adding that equipment was used to lift the vehicle but it posed a high risk to the soldiers during the maintenance process. Moreover, at the bottom of the tank, there was a lot of grease, dirty water and leaked impurities. In 2018, Binh invented a machine to remove soil and waste from tank chains and equipment, improving safety for tank engines. The two pieces of equipment have been used widely in Viet Nams military since 2020. As a technician, Im interested in machines that help reduce hardship for soldiers, Binh said. Lieutenant Colonel inh Quoc Nam, Political Commissar of Regiment 68, Division 304, applauded Binhs initiatives, saying Binh was a tank driver who always has a sense of self-study and self-forging to constantly improve the level of vehicle control, meeting the increasingly demanding requirements in the training and combat readiness work of the army. Binh is usually assigned to perform important tasks such as controlling tanks, disembarking specialised trucks and participating in military drills, Nam said. Besides working as a tank driver, Major Binh was also entrusted by his superiors to manage the tank warehouse of the entire division, with a large number of weapons and equipment. He always upholds a sense of responsibility in managing and preserving the weapons and equipment in the warehouse, Nam said. Last year, Binh was commended by the then Minister of Defence Ngo Xuan Lich and he was named among the outstanding soldiers in the emulation movement of Viet Nam Peoples Army. Division 304 under Corps 2 was established on 10 March 1950 at Xuan Tho Commune, Tho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province. In the resistance war against the French colonialists, the division was involved in several campaigns and won glorious victories. In the ien Bien Phu Campaign, it successfully fulfilled its task of occupying Hong Cum sub-region, killing and capturing 2,000 enemy troops. In the resistance war against the US imperialists, the division was involved in several major important operations, such as the Siege of Plei Me in 1965, the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968, Operation Lam Son 719 in 1971, the Battle of Quang Tri in 1972, the Battle of Thuong uc in 1974. In the Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975, the division worked with local forces to liberate the coastal central provinces and broke the enemys defensive line on the outskirts of Sai Gon and headed toward the Independence Palace, captured President Duong Van Minh and his cabinet, forcing them to surrender unconditionally. In recent years, the division has been tasked with training the reserve force and recruits, ensuring combat readiness and other ad hoc duties. Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes Many domestic online travel agencies (OTAs) have plans to register their businesses in countries like Singapore to avoid tax obligations, which will help them compete on price with foreign OTAs. The Ministry of Finance has reported to the Prime Minister on the inadequacy of tax obligations between domestic tourism businesses and foreign online travel agents. Travel firms said tax inequality exists between domestic tourism businesses and foreign online travel agents. Vietnamese law stipulates that businesses, organizations and individuals doing business in Vietnam have to make tax declaration and payment. But foreign OTAs do not operate under Vietnamese law, do not register business and do not have representative offices in Vietnam, so there is no basis for assigning responsibility for tax declaration and payment. According to the provisions of the Ministry of Finances Official Letter 848 dated 2017, enterprises in Vietnam that cooperate with foreign OTAs will be the party to pay tax. Currently, Vietnamese tourism businesses are heavily dependent on the number of customers booking services through famous foreign OTAs, so they have to pay taxes on their own. Online travel websites are booming. Photo: Luong Bang Tourism companies have complained about the difference in invoice issuance between domestic and foreign OTAs. When a customer orders a service through a domestic OTA, the domestic OTA will issue an invoice directly to the customer, and the hotel will issue an invoice to the domestic OTA. Therefore, in addition to paying corporate income tax of 20%, domestic OTAs have to pay 10% value added tax (VAT). For customers who book services through foreign OTAs, these agencies will only provide payment confirmation invoices, not VAT invoices in Vietnam. Foreign OTAs do not pay both corporate income tax and value added tax. This has led to the fact that domestic OTAs have failed to compete on price with foreign OTAs, causing an unequal business environment. Many domestic OTAs have plans to register business in countries like Singapore to avoid tax obligations, allowing them to compete on price with foreign OTAs," local tourism firms said. In response to this complaint, citing legal provisions in the Law on Tax Administration, Circular 105 of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Taxation said that the current tax policy does not have discriminatory provisions on taxes for Vietnamese or foreign online travel agencies. A foreign online travel agency that does not have a representative office in Vietnam but has business operations in Vietnam is identified as a foreign supplier with business operations in Vietnam. It is responsible for registering tax directly or authorizing tax registration, tax declaration and tax payment in Vietnam. The Ministry of Finance is developing a circular guiding the implementation of the Law on Tax Administration and Decree 126. This draft circular will guide specifically the procedures for tax registration, declaration and payment of foreign suppliers without a permanent establishment in Vietnam that conducts e-commerce, digital-based business and other services that generate income in Vietnam. Luong Bang The elections have attracted attention from international media. browser not support iframe. browser not support iframe. The elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly (NA) and all-level Peoples Councils for 2021-2026 on May 23 have attracted attention from international media. Reuters reported that tens of millions of mask-wearing Vietnamese went to the polls, noting the elections are taking place as Vietnam battles a new COVID-19 outbreak that is spreading rapidly. The British news agency cited NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue as saying that organisers have taken measures to ensure the elections would take place safely. Covering the elections in Vietnam, the Bernama news agency of Malaysia published an article titled Vietnams military force ready to ensure safety for election day. It quoted Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang as ordering military units to increase measures to gain a clear insight into the current situation and conduct regular information exchanges while monitoring the countrys airspace, sea, islands, border and island areas, and cyberspace. The minister ordered the readiness of personnel and facilities for any situations and the preparation of additional plans to ensure security and safety for the elections. He also requested the units to boost their internal and external cooperation to ensure political security, social order, and absolute safety for the elections, according to Bernama. Foreign news agencies and media outlets on May 23 ran articles highlighting Vietnams elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2021-2026 term, which were declared to be a success despite complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chinas Xinhua News Agency reported that over 69 million voters across Vietnam cast their votes on May 23 to elect 500 NA deputies from 866 candidates, and 3,726 deputies to provincial-level People's Councils, 22,952 deputies to district-level People's Councils and 242,312 deputies to commune-level People's Councils. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities have asked voters to strictly follow COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing at polling stations, said the article. All voters' entry time should be recorded to be used for contact-tracing if a positive case or a suspected case of COVID-19 is detected, it quoted the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Special ballot boxes were brought to hospitals, quarantine facilities and lockdown areas for COVID-19 to ensure people's voting rights. International media spotlight Vietnams general elections hinh anh 2 Vietnamese NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (Photo: VNA) The UKs Reuters quoted Vietnamese NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue as saying that organisers have taken measures aimed at ensuring the elections take place in a safe environment. I hope all voters, knowing their role as the owners of the country, will join the vote to select the most trusted and worthy candidates to represent their voices, Hue said ahead of the elections. Meanwhile, Australias website canberratimes.com.au highlighted voters awareness of pandemic prevention and control when all wore face masks while going to polling stations. In Hanoi's Long Bien district, about 30 voters were seen queuing by a voting booth waiting for their turn, all wearing masks. Before queuing, the voters had their temperature taken at a nearby table where free masks and hand sanitiser were offered, with a loudspeaker broadcasting advice to keep a safe distance, the article wrote. In its article on the elections, halonoviny.cz newspaper of the Czech Republic said that the new parliament is expected to work with the Party and Government to outline and implement domestic and foreign policies to realise the targets set out by the 13th National Party Congress, especially turning Vietnam into a developed country by the mid-21st century. Meanwhile Dr. Gerhard Will, a German expert on the East Sea at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik; SWP), stated that the Vietnamese National Assembly has made great contributions to the countrys achievements, particularly in the fight against the pandemic. Sharing the same view, veteran journalist Detlef-Diethard Pries of Neues Deutschland newspaper stated that the legislative bodys efforts in improving the lives of the people, including ethnic minorities, are also commendable. They expressed their hopes that the parliaments of Vietnam and Germany will strengthen cooperation in the time to come to facilitate the two countries relations. In the elections, nearly 69.2 million voters across Vietnam will select 500 deputies to the 15th NA, and nearly 4,000 to provincial-level, almost 23,000 to district-level, and over 240,000 to communal-level Peoples Councils./.VNA West resident Donald Gochnour, 68, is far from where he started on a small dairy farm in Weiser, Idaho. Born the day after Christmas, he grew up milking cows. But in his senior year at Weiser High School, all that would change when he signed up for the delayed entry program of the U.S. Air Force. Graduating high school in May 1971, Gochnour went into the Air Force in July. He flew to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio for basic training with five others from Bosie. I got off the airplane and the guy started yelling at us, Gochnour said. They didnt stop yelling for 10 weeks. He went to Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, where he was trained in aircraft maintenance. From there, his first assignment was at Hill AFB, in Ogden, Utah, where he worked on Korean-era two-engine bombers. The outfit would conduct training missions on coastal defense for the U.S. and western Canada. He spent a year and half there before he received his next assignment in Thailand. Gochnour was stationed in Ubon, Thailand, where he worked on F-4 fighters. It was the farthest hed been from home. When youre on a dairy farm, you dont get very far away, he said. The work the Air Force conducted was in support of Vietnam from 1973 to 74. Braving the sporadic rain, surfers and spectators alike showed up to BSR Surf Resort for Red Bulls Foam Wreckers first stop on their anti-surf contest surf contest, showing people are eager to kick off their summer as the country starts to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. The one thing on their mind: having fun. The event, the brainchild of pro-surfer Jamie OBrien, Catch Surf, and Red Bull, was designed to bring surfers of all ages and skills out for a day of surfing where the only focus was on having fun. Surfers spun a wheel and were randomly assigned a soft-top board before hitting the water to show off their moves. OBrien, who is from Hawaii, said they were expecting surfers from across the world to come out to Waco to be a part of the event. Nathan Floyd, 32, was excited to participate in his first event since the pandemic began. Ive been coming to BSR since it opened and when we saw this particular contest it just sounded so fun and so unique, Floyd said. Floyd made the trip from Corpus Christi to Waco to surf at BSR. The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief law signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year, contains $350 billion of flexible aid for state and local governments, plus billions of dollars more for specific programs such as housing assistance. States have broad leeway to use the money to plug budget holes, invest in infrastructure or address negative economic impacts of the pandemic. It comes on top of $150 billion the federal government sent to states and local governments last year. States are expected to receive an initial installment soon, with a second round coming a year later. Like her counterparts, House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar declared the relief aid is a once-in-a-generation chance to promote an equitable recovery where all Coloradans all Coloradans have an opportunity to succeed. Lawmakers this year have been able to restore $3 billion cut from state spending last year as the pandemic hit, she said. But Esgar and Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg said far more needs to be done, especially in getting Coloradans back to work and investing in affordable housing and other housing-related aid at a time when home and rental prices are skyrocketing, job losses have countless families a step away from eviction and homelessness is widespread. The number of people to die from a cable car accident in northern Italy on Sunday is now 14, officials said. A group was riding in a Stresa-Mottarone cable car which connects the town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore with the nearby Mottarone mountain in the Piedmont region when it plunged into a wooded area Sunday morning, according to a spokesperson for the National Alpine Speleological Rescue Corps, which is leading the rescue operation. Authorities believe there were 15 passengers riding on the cable car at the time of the crash, with officials earlier saying two children were among those who initially survived with injuries. "One of the two children transported by helicopter to Turin hospital didn't make it. It is now sadly 14 the number of people who have lost their lives today," the National Alpine Speleological Rescue Corps tweeted Sunday evening local time. The other child remains in a critical condition, according to the rescue group. Italy's national fire brigade posted a photograph of the crash site on social media, which shows first responders surrounding the mangled cable car near broken trees and severed cables. A spokesperson for the fire brigade said the number of dead could rise. Govt-and-politics breaking top story Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green announces re-election bid CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green will seek re-election in November. CEDAR FALLS Two years hasnt been enough time to accomplish what Mayor Rob Green wants to get done for the city of Cedar Falls. Of course, he acknowledges, thats what someone running for re-election always says. I joke with staff that being mayor is a terminal illness, Green, 45, said in an interview with The Courier last week. You dont know how much longer you have left, so you do the best you can. An issue that has dogged the city since Greens time on City Council has been the public safety officer model, which Green has kept a close eye on for years without fully coming out as for or against. If re-elected, he would advocate for at least looking at recertification of public safety officers every few years, he said. $5 for 5 months to support local journalism Ill still hold that I dont know if its reasonable to expect one person to be able to do what are two separate career fields law enforcement and fire rescue successfully, and to be an expert in both fields, Green said. From doing ride-alongs with the officers and interacting with them, I know that they have the ability to do it. Its just the public doesnt know, right now, if they all are at that level, and they should have that confidence. He said hes strongly supportive of the zoning updates the council has been undertaking the past few years in the downtown and College Hill areas, saying hes excited for those spread to more of the city. Its exciting to see that the council gets the idea of incremental development and having a variety of uses in a neighborhood that are compatible, he said. This just makes its a lot easier to do that. Green will face at least one challenger in November: Tom Blanford, with whom Green served on City Council, who announced his decision last week. Tom Blanford to run for CF mayor CEDAR FALLS Cedar Falls has its first official candidate for mayor. Green is in his first term as the citys mayor, having bested incumbent Jim Brown and challenger Jim Skaine in 2019 for the title. Prior to that, he served on the board of rental housing appeals and the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee. He was elected to the council in 2017, serving part of a term as an at-large member before running for mayor in 2019. (Kelly Dunn was elected last summer to serve out the remainder of Greens term, which expires this year.) Neighborhood activist to seek Cedar Falls council post CEDAR FALLS The former head of the Overman Park Neighborhood Association has declared his candidacy for the Cedar Falls City Council. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Green and his family have lived in Cedar Falls since 2004. He holds a bachelors degree in government and public policy from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a masters degree from the University of Northern Iowa. Green traces his rise in city politics all the way back to heading the Overman Park Neighborhood Association. A neighbor there invited him to a Rotary Club meeting, where he met a club member who told him of a job opening as Rod Librarys web developer at UNI. In 2015 and 2016, he began speaking up at City Council meetings against a five-lane reconstruction of West First Street, saying ignoring the roads look could make it a featureless void as a gateway to neighborhoods like Overman. In 2017, he was one of three candidates vying to replace Nick Taiber, who stepped down after two terms on council. During a voter forum on the public safety officer model, Green expressed skepticism. I just cant come across to believe that PSOs are a one-to-one replacement for a career firefighter, he said at the time. He defeated LeaAnn Saul in a runoff election with more than 70% of the vote. Fire safety debated at Cedar Falls forum CEDAR FALLS Fire protection was one of the key issues raised at a city candidate forum Tuesday night at City Hall. During his time on council, Green voted against changing an ordinance requiring landlords to pave parking lots; in favor of allowing backyard chickens, which failed in 2018 but passed this spring; and continued to question the public safety officer model, clashing with council members including Blanford who didnt feel the need for a 5-year public safety plan Green suggested. Im highly concerned that I cant tell residents what to expect public safety to look like in five years, Green said in 2018. He was motivated to run for mayor in 2019, before his council term was half-finished, as a result of what he perceived as the citys lack of access. The deciding factor, he said in March of 2019, was what he called an inappropriate special meeting at which the council approved a parking study for College Hill and a public safety union agreement. Rob Green running for Cedar Falls mayor CEDAR FALLS At-large City Council member Rob Green, 43, has decided to run for mayor of Cedar Falls. That was the main reason I ran, because my predecessor wasnt willing to provide that kind of visibility and that kind of accountability to the program, Green said last week. At an October 2019 voter forum, Green said he was not looking to nuke the citys PSO program, situating himself between Mayor Browns pro-PSO and challenger Skaines anti-PSO stances. Cedar Falls debate's main issue is the PSO program Three candidates for mayor and eight City Council hopefuls squared off during a debate in front of about 85 Cedar Falls residents Thursday night. He defeated Brown with nearly 55% of the vote, overcoming a fundraising gap that saw the two-term incumbent with more than twice the cash on hand. Cedar Falls goes Green: Incumbent mayor falls; 2 City Council seats to be decided by runoff Rob Green has unseated Mayor Jim Brown to take the reins in City Hall next year. In one of his first major acts as mayor, in February 2020 Green vetoed a council decision to eliminate traditional firefighter positions and go all-in on the PSO model, calling it a rush job before a special election would be held to fill his old seat. His veto was overridden, but in August, the public safety director told Green he would put together the five-year plan Green had advocated for. PSO vote vetoed by CF mayor Mayor Rob Green announced early Friday afternoon he would veto the actions of the Cedar Falls City Council during Thursday night's special meeting on public safety officers, though he acknowledged council members will likely override him. I had never specifically asked for it. It was something I wanted to do down the road, but they had already done the work, Green said last week. He and the council dont always see eye to eye. In recent months, he failed to convince the council to move the mayors position to part-time, which he said makes sense since the city has a full-time administrator. Still, in my heart, I would love to see that happen, Green said last week. But Im seeing in the first two years, based on what the requirements are, the job and how many people I have to interact with and the decisions I have to make, theres just no way to be part-time. Mayor's recommendation to remove CF commissioner LeaAnn Saul dies for lack of motion Not a single city council member wanted to vote on or even discuss a recommendation by the mayor to remove an appointed city commissioner over a Facebook post. In the last year, his term has been defined by the communitys response to the coronavirus pandemic, including mask mandates. Green also advocated for the citys public safety department to adopt #8CantWait policies on police use of force, helped restructure a floundering Human Rights Commission, and stood with protestors at a BLM rally last summer. WATCH NOW: Cedar Falls hosts peaceful protest CEDAR FALLS Several hundred people gathered in front of the Cedar Falls Public Safety building Thursday night before marching in a peaceful protest. Green points voters to his blog, RobGreenIowa.com. Ill always be very clear with them about what I think is important, what Ill work on, Green said. I never make promises. Im just either going to do what I say I do, or Im going to work hard to do what I said Im going to do. I feel like thats what you should expect of your elected officials. We want to understand what life was like in the past, how people lived their lives, what they did and what they were interested in. Thats why we have the collection. Victorian House Museum visitors will find period furnishings, textiles, quilts, costumes, jewelry and decorative arts such as a delicate, hand-held Victorian fireplace screen dating from the first half of the 19th century, before the Victorian home was built in 1863. It is one of the earliest objects in the permanent collection. The embroidered silk screen features a beautifully done illustration of a spaniel chasing a bird and is held in a walnut frame in a protective box. Infrequently displayed, the screen is kept in a box out of direct sunlight because the silk is shattering. Women held the fireplace screens up to keep their faces away from the heat when wood and coal was used to warm homes. Their makeup was wax-based and would melt probably not a pretty look, she said A garnet silk crepe dress from the 1860s is likely the oldest garment in the costume collection, and it is quite fragile, so it cant be displayed. I think its important for us to continue to look for additional uses for soybeans domestically and additional market opportunities from an export perspective so that were not over-reliant on one particular customer. I think one of the reasons we saw a significant downturn in price was because of the tariffs, because our No. 1 buyer stopped buying, Vilsack said. So that suggests that we need a more resilient export strategy that looks for other alternative markets so that were not as reliant. Vilsack said the department is discussing new ways soybeans could be utilized, such as in aviation fuel or in other bio-based products. He said the administrations plan includes funding to promote bio-based manufacturing to continue that kind of research and exploration. So we can continually look for new ways to use our crops, to use agricultural waste, to use everything that we grow and raise in a way that produces something of greater value. By doing that you create multiple markets, Vilsack said. Our focus here at USDA is on more, new and better markets, because at the end of the day thats what farmers want. Maybe Castro didnt notice, but the irony was overwhelming. The Democrats in Washington who want to kill the filibuster say theyre doing it because the filibuster allows the minority Republicans to thwart the will of majority Democrats. Leave aside that the Senate is evenly divided, 50-50, and it is only the tiebreaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris that gives them the most tenuous of majorities. Democrats say they are sick of a minority being able to frustrate the majority. And yet what are Democrats doing in Texas? As the minority unable to outvote majority Republicans, they have walked out of the House to frustrate the will of the majority. They have exercised what is sometimes called a walking filibuster. And some of them are doing it even as they encourage Washington Democrats to get rid of the filibuster. By the way, the Texas Democrats tactics are nothing new. Back in 2003, when Republicans had just won a majority in the Texas House and set about work on redistricting, Democrats actually fled the state to deny the GOP a quorum to continue the work. They didnt just leave the building, they left the state. Then-Gov. Rick Perry called a special session, and Democrats left the state again, gathering in New Mexico. A standoff ensued. But the majority finally won. A frequent thought among those who can be skeptical about the true intentions of politicians is that the only political party that truly cares about government spending, debts and deficits is the party that is out of power. Given the Iowa Legislatures recent history, it appears local control suffers from a similar ideological malleability. In other words: Iowa state lawmakers think local control is great until they are in control and another government body is doing something they dont like. For recent evidence, look no further than the 2021 session of the Legislature. With Republicans in complete command of the state-lawmaking process, local control was an oak leaf in a tornado as state lawmakers enacted new mandates that limited the governing options of local school boards, elections officials, county supervisors and city councils and mayors. A bill that was passed in the 11th hour (and signed into law in the 12th) prohibits local governments from enacting public face mask requirements that exceed the states requirement, if any. So if the COVID-19 pandemic flares up again in any corner of the state, those communities will not be allowed to enact face mask requirements unless the state has one. Lubbock, TX (79423) Today Mainly clear. Low 72F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 72F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Another obstacle: Telecommunication companies are reluctant to pour money into combating rural terrain due to the engineering difficulties and the limited customer base. Just 9,100 housing units or 15,000 people nearly 50 percent of whom are age 50 or older call the county home. Grayson County joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities in January 2017. The lack of high-speed internet and reliable telephone service were noted by the communitys senior advocacy committee in its age-friendly action plan, published in 2018: There is a small group of active senior citizens who do use the internet regularly and carry smartphones and know how to use them. Those seniors are mostly retirees who have come back to the county or retirees who are new to the county.... We see the lack of cell service and broadband internet service to be a primary barrier to economic growth. As beautiful and inviting as this community is, retirees and business owners are not likely to locate here if they do not have access to reliable cell service and broadband internet service. Listed among the plans goals related to communications and information: Develop a "relay" system for directing existing cell service tower signals to pocket communities. Make broadband service delivery in the County a top priority. At the time, local officials had already begun to investigate solutions to the regions connectivity problems. Three years later, Grayson County is deep in the process of crossing the digital divide and is expected to join the nations high-speed-connected majority by the end of 2022 as a result of the countys concerted, all-ages collaborative approach. One of the first things I did when I became the County Administrator was to visit the most mountainous and remote part of our county in the west, explains Bill Shepley. That area is very rural. Most people don't have access to the internet and the phone service is spotty. It might be working for three or four days and then residents suddenly lose service. I met with a group of 50 or so women who ranged in age from 60 to 90. They told me, We have a system set up for visiting each other's houses to make sure our neighbors are well and still alive.'" The typical person in our county has to drive about 52 miles to get any sort of health care, says John Fant, a member of the countys Board of Supervisors. Doctors are hard to find in rural areas, because the money isnt as good here. The biggest advancement here with broadband is going to be telehealth. We're trying to recruit businesses here. In particular, we're trying to recruit small businesses. A lament we often hear from potential business owners looking in the area is But if I cant communicate with my customers ... Driving up and down roads, I could look at poles and cables and tell where there were provisions for cable service," he explains. "Some of the people who said they couldnt get cable actually had a cable drop right in front of their driveway! When Snoke completed his survey, he discovered that close to 80 percent of Sullivan had been wired for high-speed internet but barely 10 percent of the households were using it. Snokes next step was to try ordering cable services for the homes he had confirmed were wired. The response he received upon typing address after address into the cable companys online order form: Not available at your location. That was an a-ha moment, Snoke recalls. The website was wrong. The cable company was chasing potential customers away with bad data. After taking photos of the houses with their addresses and nearby cable drops, Snoke set out to get his findings into the right hands. I was trying to worm my way into the cable company through their legal department, said Snoke. As an individual subscriber, I had no standing to talk to the legal department. But if I were a representative of a committee in a town the company had a franchise in, that would give me the standing. Snoke next went to Sullivans select board with the data he had gathered. Don brought in a whiteboard and a piece of cable he pulled apart to show the committee the interior lines that were fiber optics, recalls Eaton, who was in the audience. He described how the lines worked. The select board appointed Snoke as the head of Sullivans Broadband Committee a committee of one. Visit Mississippi's massive Vicksburg National Military Park it covers more than 1,700 acres just two miles from Vicksburg to relive a pivotal battle in the Civil War. There's much to see: 1,325 historical monuments and markers, 20 miles of reconstructed trenches, two antebellum homes, 144 cannons, a national cemetery, and a restored ironclad gunboat. Plus, it's beautiful. Visitors are usually overcome with the park's unique topography of rolling hills and steep ravines, and many remark how stunning every monument is, says Brendan Wilson, VNMP's chief of interpretation, education and partnerships. Both Confederate and Union campaign veterans wanted to honor the more than 37,000 who died here in 1863 during the three-month battle for control of the Mississippi River. The military park was established in 1899, before the federal government created the national park system in 1916. States, from both the North and South, built monuments to fallen troops, and you'll see headstones, obelisks and sculptures designed by some of the preeminent artists of the early 20th century. "The battlefield offers a sense of place. With a landscape that's still scarred by trenches and earthworks, it bears mute testimony to the courage, fortitude and sacrifice of soldiers and civilians alike, says Wilson. It's a place of reverence and reflection. Given VNMP's size, the amount of information to absorb about the siege of Vicksburg and the war, and the town of Vicksburg's charms, it's wise if you have the time to spend multiple days exploring the park and area. With this three-day plan, you can fully immerse yourself in the Vicksburg experience. (You'll also find a shortened itinerary below.) Day 1 At VNMP's visitor center, a 20-minute orientation film provides context for the siege and offers stories from some of the families that fought here. You'll also find maps and a small museum with replicas of trenches and hospital tents, and artifacts such as the stone monument that marked the place where Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate Gen. John Pemberton discussed surrender terms for Vicksburg. Armed with this background, embark on the park's 16-mile driving tour, which consists of two connected loops the North and South loops and will take two hours or more. The tour hits the key stops, but for in-depth insights into the siege, consider hiring a licensed guide, who will also do the driving (in non-Covid times). Arrange for one (starting at $50 per car) through Visit Vicksburg (601-636-3827). The 13-mile North Loop meanders through hill and dale and passes monuments and other sites, including the Third Louisiana Redan, a fort with replicas of cannons soldiers used to fend off advancing forces. Another must-see: the USS Cairo, a gunboat used in the shallow waters of the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers that sank during an 1862 battle. You can walk through the reassembled ironclad even when its museum is closed, and seeing its wide interior beams and mammoth size puts the scale of the tools soldiers used in battle in perspective. Near the loop's end, pull over by the Second Texas Lunette, a fortification built by the Confederates in 1862, to observe the trenches and other defenses used during the siege. Some visitors develop battlefield fatigue by the time they get to the 3-mile South Loop, but if they soldier on, they'll be rewarded with beautiful vistas, powerful stories and the Iowa State Monument, where six bronze panels by H.H. Kitson tell the story of the Vicksburg campaign. Early Success at First Rougemont Gas Well Brisbane, May 24, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - State Gas Limited ( ASX:GAS ) is pleased to announce that its first well in its new Rolleston-West Gas Project (ATP 2062) in Central Queensland has confirmed the existence of gas-bearing coal seams in the Bandanna coal measures within the Project area. This strengthens the Company's view that these coals will be developed synergistically with the Reid's Dome gas discoveries.The Rougemont-1 well, spudded on 14 May, reached total target depth of 800 metres at 12.00pm on 23 May 2021. Core samples have been taken from the well, with 100% recovery. The well geology has been logged, and further testing is currently underway.Well logs confirm the intersection of 8 metres of net coal, hosted in a number of seams, with the thickest seam measuring approximately 2.2 metres. This is consistent with nearby Bandanna Coal Seam Gas (CSG) projects such as Arcadia Valley (Santos/GLNG) and Mahalo (Santos, APLNG and Comet Ridge).The top coal was intersected at 495 metres depth, which also correlates with the coals in the Arcadia Valley (currently in production) and Mahalo (currently under development).Gas was observed bubbling from the coal, and field values indicate gas content is likely to be within expectations and also correlate with Arcadia Valley and Mahalo.Executive Chairman, Richard Cottee, said that he was very pleased with these early results."It is always gratifying to receive positive results that justify the decision to compete for new gas acreage. These results more than justify that decision, and indicate gas contents similar to those hosted in other Bandanna coals, which led to the Company applying for this acreage", Mr Cottee said.The Rougemont-1 well is the first of two planned wells being drilled to evaluate the highly prospective Bandanna coals in the eastern arm of the new Rolleston-West permit, which was granted to the Company by the Queensland Government late last year.The Bandanna Formation is well established as a host of commercially viable coal seam gas, producing at the Arcadia Valley (Santos/GLNG) and under development at Mahalo (Santos/APLNG/Comet Ridge) at similar distances to the south-east and north-east, respectively, of ATP 2062.To view tables and figures, please visit:About State Gas Limited State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) is a Queensland-based developer of the Reid's Dome gas field, originally discovered during drilling in 1955, located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. State Gas is 100%-owner of the Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL-231) a CSG and conventional gas play, which is well-located 30 kilometres southwest of Rolleston, approximately 50 kilometres from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network. Permian coal measures within the Reid's Dome Beds are extensive across the entire permit but the area had not been explored for coal seam gas prior to State Gas' ownership. In late 2018 State Gas drilled the first coal seam gas well in the region (Nyanda-4) into the Reid's Dome Beds and established the potential for a significant coal seam gas project in PL 231. The extension of the coal measures into the northern and central areas of the permit was confirmed in late 2019 by the Company's drilling of Aldinga East-1A (12 km north) and Serocold-1 (6 km to the north of Nyanda-4). State Gas is also the 100% holder Authority to Prospect 2062 ("Rolleston-West"), a 1,414 km2 permit (eight times larger than PL 231) that is contiguous with the Reid's Dome Gas Project. Rolleston-West contains highly prospective targets for both coal seam gas (CSG) and known conventional gas within the permit area. It is not restricted by domestic gas reservation requirements. The contiguous areas (Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West), under sole ownership by State Gas, enable integration of activities and a unified super-gasfield development, providing economies of scale, efficient operations, and optionality in marketing. State Gas is implementing its strategic plan to bring gas to market from Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West to meet near term forecast shortfalls in the east coast domestic gas market. The strategy involves progressing a phased appraisal program in parallel with permitting for an export pipeline and development facilities to facilitate the fastest possible delivery of gas to market. State Gas' current focus has been to confirm the producibility of the gas through production testing of the wells. Monger Gold IPO Update Perth, May 24, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited ( ASX:TNR ) is pleased to advise that Monger Gold Ltd (Monger Gold) has been granted conditional admission to the Official List of the ASX with respect to its initial public offering (Offer) made under the Company's prospectus dated 16 April 2021 (Prospectus).Monger Gold is now progressing to satisfaction of the conditions precedent detailed by the ASX and aim to have the conditions satisfied as soon as possible.The Company is informed that the Offer has been twice oversubscribed, with all future applications to be rejected.In order to enable several investors to finalise their investment, Monger Gold has today updated on their website that they will be extending the Closing Date of the Offer under Prospectus to Friday, 28 May 2021.Torian will hold ~10.71% interest in Monger Gold, plus a free carried 20% JV interest in the projects until BFS.Further information in relation to the Offer can be found at the Monger Gold website:About Torian Resources Limited Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia. Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits. Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola. Campus News Center for Diversity Innovation announces second cohort of scholars UBNOW STAFF The 2020-21 Distinguished Visiting Scholars have had a tremendous impact on our university community and helped us advance our equity, inclusion and diversity goals. We are excited to welcome another outstanding class of scholars to UB this fall and look forward to their impact on campus. In September, a second cohort of eight outstanding scholars and artists will arrive in Buffalo to spend the 2021-22 academic year at UB as part of an annually recurring program funded by the Office of the Provost and led by UBs Center for Diversity Innovation in the College of Arts and Sciences. Through the investment of more than $1 million in funding to this program, the Office of the Provost is supporting one of the largest diversity-themed visiting faculty programs in the United States. There are multiple goals for the CDI Distinguished Visiting Scholars program, but the fundamental objective is to host an annual cohort of exceptionally accomplished individuals who, through their record of scholarship and/or creative endeavors, teaching, mentoring, and service, as well as their skills, experiences, underrepresentation, and areas of scholarly and/or creative expertise, can substantially advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University at Buffalo. UB is committed to enhancing our social impact and addressing issues related to structural racism and inequity through our curriculum, research, and hiring and retention practices, says A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. The 2020-21 Distinguished Visiting Scholars have had a tremendous impact on our university community and helped us advance our equity, inclusion and diversity goals. We are excited to welcome another outstanding class of scholars to UB this fall and look forward to their impact on campus. The 2021-22 cohort of Distinguished Visiting Scholars was chosen, once again, from a highly competitive pool of outstanding candidates across academic disciplines and fields generated through UB faculty members and the centers national outreach and advertising efforts. After initial evaluations and recommendations were provided by academic departments, top candidates received further review by a university-wide selection committee chaired by the center director and consisting of nine highly accomplished UB faculty members from diverse backgrounds whose work traversed the arts, humanities, social, physical, health and applied sciences. CBS TV Freddy Rodriguez and Glenn Gordon Caron have been forced to leave the CBS legal drama series after the network launched an investigation following the exit of multiple writers. May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - "Bull" actor Freddy Rodriguez and showrunner Glenn Gordon Caron have been dumped from the legal drama series ahead of its upcoming sixth season following an internal workplace investigation. Network chiefs at CBS Studios launched the probe following the exit of multiple writers following the end of production on season five, and now officials have cut ties with Caron and ended his overall deal with the broadcaster, while also ousting Rodriguez, who played Benny Colon, from the show. CBS representatives have not provided specific details about the investigation itself, and publicists for Caron and Rodriguez have yet to comment on their exits. According to The Hollywood Reporter, writers Kathryn Price and Nichole Millard have since been handed the reins of the series as co-showrunners for season six, which was ordered in April (21). "Bull" previously hit headlines for questionable behind-the-scenes conduct in late 2018, when actress Eliza Dushku accused show lead Michael Weatherly of multiple instances of sexual harassment. In an op-ed for The Boston Globe, Dushku claimed she had confronted Weatherly about his "bad behaviour," but her character was subsequently written off the series by Caron. Weatherly subsequently expressed regret for the "jokes" he made to Dushku, insisting he "immediately apologised" for having offended her with his inappropriate language. Shortly after the scandal, producer Steven Spielberg severed ties with the show while Weatherly remained as the series was picked up for a new season. CBS boss defended the decision to renew the show amid the controversy. "It's a very popular show," Kelly Kahl said back then. "More than 10 million people watch every week. Michael is loved by our audience and even after these allegations came out people continued to watch... It's a very good show as well." Instagram Movie Zack Snyder's producer wife Deborah has previously talked about the shooting process with comedienne Tig Notaro amid the COVID-19 pandemic to replace embattled actor Chris. May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Filmmaker Zack Snyder and his producer wife Deborah spent millions of dollars digitally removing embattled actor Chris D'Elia from "Army of the Dead". The pair admitted it was a "fairly easy" choice to remove Chris - who was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women last year (20) - and add comedienne Tig Notaro to the Netflix movie instead, but it didn't come cheap. Deborah told Vanity Fair magazine, "It was an expensive one, that's for sure," with director Zack explaining it cost "a few million." "I will say, Netflix did the right thing. They put their money where their mouth is," added Deborah. She had previously revealed the "daunting" process used to add Tig to the movie, which they had to do in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Deborah told The Hollywood Reporter, "We shot for 14 days to get Tig in the movie. Had it not been the pandemic, we probably would have brought the whole cast in and reshot scenes with everybody. But we didn't have that luxury." "We were trying to keep it small. We were trying to keep it safe. The studios were just making deals with all the unions of what the rules of going back to filming would be." "As one of the first [productions back in action], we were very conservative in our approach, so we decided to shoot it all against green-screen. Thank God Marcus [Taormina], our visual effects supervisor, is amazing. We sat with him and Zack and figured it out." "Army of the Dead", which also stars Dave Bautista and Huma Qureshi, was released on Friday, May 21. WENN/SJCM/Brian To Music Theater mogul Andrew Lloyd Webber, who lost an estimated $389 million in wealth from the COVID-19 shutdown of West End and Broadway shows, fills the third slot with $743 million. May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Sir Paul McCartney has been crowned the U.K.'s wealthiest musician. The Beatles icon's $1.16 billion (820 million) has carried him to the top of The Sunday Times' annual Music Rich List, easily beating the collective $877.6 million (620 million) boasted by rockers U2. Theater mogul Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber takes third place with $743 million (525 million), losing an estimated $389 million (275 million) in wealth from the COVID-19 shutdown of West End and Broadway shows. Sir Elton John and Sir Mick Jagger round out the top five for 2021, with $531 million (375 million) and $439 million (310 million), respectively. Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran earns his first top 10 placement, tied at nine with DJ/producer Calvin Harris and rocker Sting, each with an estimated worth of $311 million (220 million). The achievement makes Ed the only musician under 30 to crack the top 10. As such, he takes first place in the list of the richest young musicians in the U.K., ahead of Harry Styles ($106 million/75 million), and Little Mix ($76 million/54 million) in second and third positions. Harry's former One Direction bandmate, Zayn Malik, lands 7th place in ties with Dua Lipa. The unveiling of Paul's earning feat came weeks after he joined hundreds of people demanding Prime Minister Boris Johnson to overhaul the streaming industry. Along with Noel Gallagher and Chris Martin among others, he penned a letter calling for a minor change to the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act. The letter itself stated that streaming platforms have "not kept up with the pace of technological change and, as a result, performers and songwriters do not enjoy the same protections as they do in radio." It added that "only two words need to change in the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act...so that today's performers receive a share of revenues, just like they enjoy in radio." The Sunday Times Music Rich List Top 10: Wealthiest Young Musicians: WENN/Avalon/Adriana M. Barraza Movie Starring opposite the 'A Star is Born' actress in the Ridley Scott-directed movie, the 'Eternals' star heaps praises on her co-star's perfect accent and professionalism on the set. May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Salma Hayek has hailed her "House of Gucci" co-star Lady GaGa as an "incredibly talented" actress. The "A Star is Born" actress stars in the hotly-anticipated Sir Ridley Scott movie as Patrizia Reggiani, fashion trailblazer Maurizio Gucci's ex-wife, who was convicted of orchestrating his murder after he had an affair. And Salma, who portrays Pina Auriemma, a close confidante of Patrizia (GaGa), has gushed over how "professional" and "extraordinary" the "Stupid Love" hitmaker was on set and heaped praise on her "perfect" accent. "We were talking on the phone and she was already Patrizia. Her accent was perfect," she said of working with the 35-year-old Grammy winner on the upcoming true crime drama. "I think we had a lot of fun reliving scenes that are not even in the movie and she is the ultimate professional, and I could not wait to get on that set. We really couldn't wait to get on the set and just do it and do it together and play off of each other." The 54-year-old Mexican star added GaGa has "extra abilities that not every brilliant actor has," beginning with being "good with the accent." "Of course, she has an amazing ear. She is extraordinary improvising, and not everybody has that. She really embodies the character," Salma continued. "Her level of commitment - I've only seen maybe once or twice somebody commit to a character like she does." Aside from praising GaGa, Salma talked about her experience working with Ridley for the project. "I was expecting nothing but the best from Ridley, so it would have been hard to be surprised in any way, but what I was not expecting is how much fun it is to work with him," she recalled. "I was expecting it of Lady GaGa, but he is a lot of fun on the set," the wife of Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault continued. "And how much freedom, you feel a lot of freedom and you feel so safe. His attention to detail, nothing misses his eye - nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. From before doing the scenes and also during the scenes, he misses nothing." Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Instagram Music Informing her Instagram followers that there is no beef between her and the 'Let It Blow' raptress, the 'Starships' hitmaker vows she will 'never correct a lyric ever again.' May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Nicki Minaj has made it clear that she has no ill will toward Cuban Doll. Despite publicly correcting the "Let It Blow" raptress after botching her verse on "Crocodile Teeth (Remix)", the "Starships" hitmaker insisted she was not trying to "embarrass" her. The 38-year-old star offered her message via Instagram Story on Saturday, May 22. "I hope y'all know I love Cuban, I was havin fun w/ her. I don't try 2 embarrass ppl I fuk wit. That's corny. I'll never correct a lyric ever again chile. Boom," she pointed out. Nicki's post came after Cuban shared a steamy photo of herself where she misquoted the former's lyrics. "My type of gal wanna know da opps out," the 23-year-old penned in the caption, to which the "Bang Bang" femcee replied in the comment section, "Might tek a gyal man, I know the opps out." Upon learning herself being corrected in public, Cuban admitted to feeling ashamed for it. Sharing a screenshot of Nicki's reply, the "Drug Dealer" raptress wrote, "I'm so embarrassed," adding a crying face emoji. Nicki, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, dropped "Crocodile Teeth (Remix)" on May 14 as a part of the re-release of 2009's "Beam Me Up Scotty" mixtape. After it sold eighty-thousand units, she made use of Twitter to thank her online devotees for her success. "80K wow," she raved. "My 12 year ago self would be so proud. No videos, lyric videos, no tik tok challenges, no radio & no heavy playlisting due to it coming as a surprise. Didn't even drop w|clean versions to the songs. Long live #BeamMeUpScotty I love you guys so much. Thank you so much." Nicki has just done taking a break from the music industry. Speaking about her hiatus, she told her fans on Twitter, "I appreciate u guys so much for waiting. But yea, very much needed that zen for important bonding time w|my son, getting back fluid w|writing & smthn else I don't want to discuss yet. If u know u know." WENN Celebrity Believing that budding actors get a better education from the real world, the 'Inception' says in an interview that he is 'very proud of being from the working class.' May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Sir Michael Caine advises budding actors against signing up for drama schools, insisting they'll learn more from people watching. The 88-year-old actor is "very proud" of his working-class roots and he admits he didn't know "anything about actors," but joining an amateur dramatic society kick-started his love of performing. "I'm very proud of being from the working class. We didn't have money when we were growing up, but we had plenty of love," the "Inception" actor told Candis magazine. "I joined an amateur dramatic society, but I never went to drama school, because, in the milieu I come from, not only did we not know anything about actors, we never even knew there was such a thing as drama school." And while he is now well aware of their existence, Caine advises youngsters against signing up to study at drama schools because he believes budding stars can get a better education from the real world. "The Italian Job" star said, "Kids today say to me, 'Should I go to drama school?' And I say, 'No, you'll learn more by sitting in the subway and watching people opposite you than you'll ever learn at school.' " Michael also admitted he is "very proud" of having played a part in "destroying the snobbery of the class system". He added, "The 60s in England was all about class. It wasn't to do with rock and roll, or drugs, or everybody screwing around." It was when the working class in England told the rest of the country, we don't care about what class, colour, or religion anyone is. "Just because you're Lord Ponsonby of the manor, that doesn't mean we want to come to your home - we'll have such a good time that you will want to get out of your home and come to ours.' And we made it stick, too. We destroyed the snobbery of the class system. I'm very proud of that." WENN/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity Months since splitting from Lily James, the Prince Phillip depicter on 'The Crown' is unveiled to have been 'seeing' Caroline Brady, a vice president of Active Equity Impact Investing at bankers Black Rock. May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Matt Smith appeared to have found himself a new love. Months after he broke up with girlfriend Lily James, the Prince Phillip depicter on "The Crown" is reported to have been dating Millie Brady's sister, Caroline Brady. Revealing the 38-year-old's relationship status was Daily Mail on Sunday, May 23. A source told the outlet, "Last month, Millie's friends were saying excitedly that her sister is seeing Matt Smith." The source has suggested that Matt and Caroline were linked romantically through her sister Millie, a former flame of Harry Styles. Unlike her sibling, who rose to fame on Netflix's hit "The Queen's Gambit", Caroline stays out of the spotlight as she is busy with her duty as a vice president of Active Equity Impact Investing at bankers Black Rock. The romance rumors emerged months after Matt and Lily ended their romance for "good." The pair, who made their red carpet debut as a couple in February 2015 at the Milan premiere for her film "Cinderella", were first hit with split speculations in December 2019. In May 2020, however, the "Doctor Who" alum and the "Rebecca" actress were rumored to have rekindled their romance. At that time, a source told The Sun, "[Their] break-up was mostly because their hectic schedules meant they could barely see each other." "They kept the house together when they split because they were both barely around. But when lockdown began, they ended up isolating together," the source continued. "Being in the house and having no work and distractions has allowed them to reconnect and get back to a good." Later in September, Matt sparked dating speculations with Emilia Clarke after being spotted enjoying a cozy dinner together. A picture obtained by Daily Mail showed them all smiles and being engaged in conversation as they were leaving Russian restaurant Bob Bob Ricard together. Instagram Celebrity The 16-year-old son of the hip-hop couple is captured on camera confronting a man who is apparently verbally harassing him in public amid his parents' alleged sexual trafficking scandal. May 25, 2021 AceShowbiz - T.I. and Tiny Harris a.k.a. Tameka Cottle's son King C'Andre Harris, or better known simply as King Harris, has found himself being antagonized by a random person in public. The teen was caught in a video having a heated argument with a stranger. In the clip which has circulated online, the 16-year-old was seen coming face-to-face with a shirtless man who appeared to have been harassing him. "What you wanna do? What you wanna do?" he confronted the unidentified guy, while people surrounding them could be seen filming the intense moment. King then walked into his car, but it turns out he didn't intend to leave the premise yet, despite another man's urge for him to "get the hell from here." He only came to his black vehicle to take his bag out. As he's holding his bag, he continued confronting the stranger. "What's up with you bro? What's up with you bro?" King said to the man, who has moved closer to King's car. "You came around me talking a**hole like you want to do something. What's up you bro? What's up you bro? Relax or what? Or what? Or what? Or what?" the teen was heard yelling at the man. It's currently unclear what caused the tense exchange between the two, but it seems that things didn't get physical during the confrontation. Meanwhile, King's famous parents have been battling serious accusations of drugging and raping from multiple women. It was recently confirmed that the couple is officially under investigation in Los Angeles over an alleged incident that took place in 2005. The woman, who is only identified as Jane Doe, met LAPD detectives virtually in April. She is represented by attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn, who claimed in March that more than 30 women have come forward with allegations against the couple including "forced drugging, kidnapping, rape, and intimidation in at least two states, including California and Georgia." Responding to reports of the investigation, a lawyer for T.I. and Tiny said in a statement, "The Harrises have not spoken to or been contacted by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD) or, indeed, any member of law enforcement from any other jurisdiction in the country." "Even assuming the story in the Daily Beast is close to accurate, it appears the LAPD 'accuser' has chosen once again to remain anonymous, thereby preventing us from being in a position to disprove or refute her allegations - or even examine them," the statement continued. "... although we now appear for the first time to have the name of an 'accuser' who supposedly filed a police report with LVPD, we have absolutely zero details about her or her claim," it concluded. Instagram Celebrity When asked about the 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star's future as a lawyer, the CNN reporter expresses his belief that she is 'one of the best advocates that we have in criminal justice.' May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian has gotten a glowing review from Van Jones. Months after being linked romantically to the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star, the CNN reporter has nothing but praise for the reality star's future as a lawyer as he gushed in a TV interview that she would be "an unbelievable attorney." When making an appearance on Monday, May 24 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", Van was asked about Kim's future in law. To host Ellen Degeneres, he shared, "Once she got a taste of what she could do using her platform, using her brain, she hasn't let up, so I think she's going to be an unbelievable attorney." The 52-year-old went on to rave over the SKIMS founder by saying, "She's already I think one of the best advocates that we have in criminal justice." Having said that she is "doing amazing," he expressed his belief that "she has used her platform to help people behind bars." He further reminded, "Her dad was a lawyer and she always wanted to be a lawyer." Kim was rumored to be dating Van back in January amid speculations that she was ready to end her marriage with Kanye West. It was unclear where the dating claims originated from, but the reality star met the political commentator at Variety and Rolling Stone's Criminal Justice Reform Summit in 2018. Shortly after the dating rumors emerged, critics voiced their belief that Kim will be "using" Van to help her build her law career. "People are gonna look at Kim as using Kanye to advance her in the fashion world and using Van Jones to help advance her into her next career field in law," one fan alleged on Twitter. Another user added, "I really hope Kim Kardashian actually is dating Van Jones. She would have her legally blonde where she dumps Warren at the end & starts dating Luke Wilson." A different fan stated, "If Kim Kardashian marries Van Jones I'm no longer doing this whole life thing. That will be simply too much for me." WENN Celebrity A former employee at the Gates Foundation reveals the Microsoft co-founder thought the late convicted pedophile 'would know the right people' that could help him score the prestigious title that he 'wants more than anything else in the world.' May 24, 2021 AceShowbiz - Bill Gates allegedly had a hidden agenda behind his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. The tech genius risked his reputation by befriending the former financier, who pleaded guilty to a state charge of procuring for prostitution a girl below age 18 in 2008, but he apparently didn't gamble for nothing. Words are the Microsoft co-founder was hoping his ties to the controversial figure could help him win a Nobel Peace Prize. One former Gates Foundation employee makes the revelation to The Daily Beast, saying that members of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's communications team were alerted to Bill's relationship with Jeffrey and were told it "was a maneuver to try to get himself a Nobel Peace Prize." "We were aware of things that were potential reputational risks for the foundation and the co-chairs, Bill and Melinda," says the former employee. "Even back then, people knew this guy wasn't squeaky clean," the source says of Jeffrey, who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019. The staffer goes on claiming, "He [Bill] thought that Jeffrey would be able to help him, that he would know the right people, or some kind of way to massage things, so he could get the Nobel Peace Prize, which is what Bill wants more than anything else in the world." But Bill hasn't got his allegedly most-desired thing yet and the source opines, "I think he was ultimately disappointed it didn't work out." To make matter worse, it has been reported that Bill's friendship with Jeffrey was one of the reasons why Melinda decided to end their 27 years of marriage. The former spouses announced their divorce on May 3 via a statement posted on Bill's official Twitter account. "After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, 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," they said in the joint statement. Apple TV+ TV The Duke of Sussex has been commended for his transparency as he 'volunteered' for TV therapy session while tackling mental health issues on his docuseries 'The Me You Can't See'. May 25, 2021 AceShowbiz - Prince Harry "volunteered" to shoot an on-camera therapy session for his new mental health docuseries "The Me You Can't See". The British royal agreed to be filmed as he underwent professional treatment for the Apple TV+ show, which he co-hosted and co-produced with Oprah Winfrey, and Dawn Porter - who co-directed the series with Asif Kapadia - has revealed he was happy to open up about his wellness journey. Speaking about the docuseries, Dawn shared, "Asif Kapadia was working really closely with Harry, and it was really interesting because we were working on the series for so long that we knew a lot about what Prince Harry was doing to maintain his mental wellness." "And when you have Oprah Winfrey and the best advisers on the planet, you get access to a lot of the best research and the best medicine." Harry approached the series in an open-minded way, according to Dawn, who revealed he was happy to share his personal experiences with the viewers. She told Town & Country magazine, "Harry, he volunteered." "He was game for trying something. And we thought well, we have the opportunity to film this (therapy) and maybe this is something that will work for some people, maybe it won't, but the idea is that you don't tick a box and you're done, mental wellness is an ongoing pursuit." Dawn admitted that Harry's transparency made it much easier to create the series. She said, "You have to continue to try new things and to push yourself, and his volunteering to try something was a great way to emphasise and underscore that point." During the show, Harry admitted his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, encouraged him to pursue therapy more seriously a few years ago. He shared, "It was meeting and being with Meghan, I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with." SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom has set ambitious goals for weaning his state off oil, including calling for an end to oil production by 2045. But environmentalists want more action in the near term. They're awaiting upcoming rules from the state oil and gas regulator that could require set distances between oil drilling and homes, schools and hospitals. They point to studies that show elevated health risks from living near drilling sites. But unions representing oil industry workers are opposed to a statewide rule, saying it will cost jobs. That leaves Newsom caught between two major Democratic voting blocs as he faces an expected recall election. GLENN COUNTY, Calif. - Five graduating seniors in Glenn County received a 4-H scholarship to help them pursue higher education. Carson Karle, Magella Millen, Jacy Mull, Madlyn Nissen and Viviana Olmos all received the 4-H scholarships. Karle is a senior at Orland High School and has been a part of 4-H for 13 years. He earned Platinum Star Rank, held office as Club Vice President, President and is the Officer Advisor currently. He plans to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. Millen is a member of the Clover 4-H y Club and has been a part of 4-H for 12 years. She earned Platinum Star ranking and Emerald Star. She was a Camp Counselor, Vice President and Club President. Millen plans to attend Montana State University. Mull has been with 4-H for nine years as a member of Capay 4-H Club. She made her way to the Platinum Star Rank as she was a Committee Member or a Committee Chair. She plans to attend Linn-Benton Community College. Nissen has also been involved with 4-H for nine years but with the Clover 4-H Club. Her leadership roles included Club Secretary, Club Treasure and Healthy Living Officer. She will be attending Oklahoma State University. Olmos is a member of the Lake 4-H Club and has been with 4-H for 12 years. She was the leader of projects such as the Lake 4-H Club, Becoming a Leader All-Star in Training, County Ambassador and Glenn County 4-H Council Secretary. She got the Platinum Start Rank and plans to study at California Lutheran University. The five scholarships awarded combined to $2,000. OROVILLE, Calif. CAL FIRE crews will conduct a control burn Monday south of the Oroville Airport. CAL FIRE, the California Department of Fish and Wildfire, and the California Department of Water Resources will burn 30 acres at the Rabe Road Shooting Range south of the Oroville Airport. Crews said the burn will clear the area around the shooting range of thick annual grass that could easily ignite if not removed. The project will also provide training for firefighters as they prepare for what could be a busy fire season. Due to the burn, the shooting range will be closed to the public all day Monday, May 24. Twenty percent said they have a strong desire to travel after the pandemic restrictions of the past year, and 21% said their ability to be fully vaccinated is driving their travel plans. But 21% also said uncertainty about activities and attractions at their destinations is playing a factor in their planning. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Members of George Floyd's family, and others who lost loved ones to police encounters, joined activists and citizens for a march as part of events marking the one-year anniversary of Floyd's death. Sunday's march was one of several events planned nationwide by the George Floyd Memorial Foundation to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd's death. Other events in Minneapolis ahead of the anniversary include a virtual "day of action" that encourages people to organize remotely and two panels with the families and other activists on Monday, followed by a community festival on Tuesday. RED BLUFF, Calif. - Tehama County Sheriffs Office said they are investigating a call about two bomb threats in Red Bluff. Deputies said the two locations that received threats are the Tehama County Superior Court and Red Bluff High School. The sheriffs office said the call for the threats came in shortly after 7 a.m. Red Bluff High School was the first location to receive a threat and went into lockdown right after being contacted by the Red Bluff Police Department. The school is under lockdown as a precaution and students and staff have been sent home. Deputies said they have not found any explosives at the two locations. The courthouse has remained open. The Tehama County Sheriff's Office originally reported three bomb threat, the third being St. Elizabeth Hospital. Action News Now confirmed with the hospital and the sheriff's office that they did not receive a threat. This is a developing story. Action News Now will keep you updated with new information. HCCB, one of India's top FMCG companies, has launched a nation-wide CoVID Care Plan to serve the community at a time when the country combats a crisis of enormous proportions. The company recently procured 100 Oxygen Concentrators from Germany to help the country deal with the immediate crisis of inadequate supply of oxygen in hospitals. Most of these concentrators have already been deployed in several government hospitals through the district administration in states. Additionally, HCCB also arranged 25 Oxygen Concentrators for its employees and their family members spanning across factories and offices. HCCB is also funding NGOs in Eastern India for them to be able to procure new oxygen cylinders, where available. The NGOs in turn are helping small civil hospitals with steady supplies of oxygen. As a medium-term measure, HCCB plans to install around 10 Oxygen Plants, mostly in government hospitals, and in some cases at hospitals in cities with very high-test positivity rates. HCCB will also be donating ventilators, ICU beds, ICU equipment, BiPAP machines and several other medical emergency amenities to help hospitals reeling under the workload of CoVID patients. Besides, HCCB has also started distributing dry ration kits to the poor and underprivileged. It is also sponsoring free beverages at vaccination centers and to frontline workers who are serving the community in dry heat or humid conditions - nurses, health workers, police, ambulance staff, ASHA workers etc. Additionally, upon request Georgia tea and coffee machines are being installed inside CoVID care wards at certain hospitals, mainly for the health staff. The company has offered to respective governments, the option to convert some of its unused factory or health centers into Covid Care Centres or vaccination centers as appropriate. The company will make available its infrastructure like drinking water, electricity, chilling equipment etc services to support the governments efforts. HCCB has also taken a slew of measures to help its employees deal with the physical, emotional, and financial trauma caused by the sudden surge of the second wave of the pandemic. The company has arranged 25 imported Oxygen Concentrators for employees as an emergency measure and placed them at locations across the country to make for easy access. It has reduced the number of shifts both in the factory and in the shipping operations to minimize people contact. The company has also appointed a consultant to exclusively focus on people and enterprise safety. Where possible and depending on the availability of vaccines, the company is facilitating vaccination drives. Vaccines for employees including contracted workers, their spouse or partner and 2 children up to the age of 25, will be fully reimbursed by the company. The company will soon launch a drive to get the employees in its extended chain of distribution to vaccination camps and health centers. HCCB has further augmented its existing health insurance policy with provisions to include parents and in-laws with top-up cover facility for the immediate dependents. The company through the health insurance scheme covers the hospitalization cost and the initial cash flows, except the personal costs. As a back up to the existing health insurance policy, HCCB has also introduced a Covid Loan fund to meet exigencies of critical medicines and hospital admissions. HCCB is also in the process of creating a Covid Relief Fund to channelize the voluntary contributions of the company employees for the family members of the diseased colleagues. The idea is to help the family meet the financial requirements towards health care and education of the children. A Task Force has been created to ascertain the requirement of each such family. Building on the basic tenet of staying in touch with its associates, HCCB has launched several communication initiatives to inform, enquire and elicit inputs and feedback on their well-being and Covid related initiatives of the company. The CEO himself interacts with employees across the organization every month in the townhall meeting to inspire them to stay safe and do business safely. This is supported by regular calls to employees by their colleagues and e-mailers with an update on the key policies and initiatives pertaining to Covid safety. TBWAIndia, a premier creative agency, has partnered with Dixcy Textiles, to establish a distinctive brand voice and manage the creative portfolio for its leading brand, Dixcy Scott. Speaking about being awarded the contract after a competitive pitch, Govind Pandey, Chief Executive Officer, TBWAIndia, said, "With the revamped product line, Dixcy was looking for an agency partner to align the brand positioning of Dixcy Scott with their new vision and direction. The Indian innerwear category is highly competitive yet similar in messaging. We are thrilled Dixcy has entrusted TBWAIndia to partner with them on this journey and create a bold and distinct new space for the brand. We both see this as a fantastic opportunity to do some lovely breakthrough work for the brand. Backed by Advent International since 2017, a private equity firm, Dixcy Textiles Private Limited is a market leader in innerwear with a vision to provide high-quality products at competitive prices through brands like Dixcy Scott, Josh, Uno and Slimz. Over the past three decades, Dixcy has been driven by innovation, creativity and purpose making it one of the leading clothing manufacturers in India for men, women, boys, and girls. "We are happy to partner with TBWAIndia on our journey to meet our vision for the Dixcy Scott brand. We see significant opportunities for growth, and we are confident that TBWA will help us create a compelling identity and voice for the brand that resonates with our customers. We welcome TBWAIndia onboard and look forward to working with them," said Zoher Kapuswala, Head - Marketing, Dixcy Textiles Federal Department of Home Affairs Bern, 24.05.2021 - Federal Councilor Alain Berset opened the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva. In his speech, Alain Berset praised the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) and asked the member states to make sustainable investments in a global health protection structure. During their attendance at the Assembly, Federal Councilor Berset and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus signed a cooperation agreement as part of the WHO BioHub initiative. The values of multilateralism, solidarity and international cooperation are essential to combat the COVID-19 pandemic effectively. On opening the 74th World Health Assembly, Federal Councilor Alain Berset said that a universal and coordinated approach to health protection is indispensable, since no country can master such a crisis on its own. He thanked the WHO for their continued commitment and called for strengthening of the organization's leading role in preparing for and combating health crises such as pandemics. He assured the WHO that Switzerland would help to implement international recommendations during and after the crisis. Switzerland promotes fair global access to vaccines, tests and medications in order to fight the Covid-19 pandemic over the long term. In this regard, the Swiss government is actively involved in the COVAX initiative for fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and supports strategies such as the "Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator". Memorandum of understanding signed Timely and transparent exchange of epidemiological and clinical data is of great importance to Switzerland during a pandemic. Federal Councilor Berset and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus signed a cooperation agreement within the framework of the WHO BioHub initiative while attending the World Health Assembly. With this agreement, Switzerland makes the Spiez biological safety laboratory of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) available to the WHO as a repository for SARS-CoV-2 viruses or other pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential, and is helping to set up an international system for the voluntary exchange of novel pathogens. The World Health Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the WHO. Every year in May, delegates of the WHO member states meet in Geneva to decide on the thematic, financial and organizational direction of the WHO and to review as well as define its future programs. The meeting will also be carried out virtually this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic; it will last until June 1, 2021. Address for enquiries Federal Office of Public Health Communication, media@bag.admin.ch Questions about the Spiez biological safety laboratory: Andreas Bucher, Communication FOCP, tel. +41 58 468 15 98 Publisher Federal Department of Home Affairs http://www.edi.admin.ch Federal Office of Public Health http://www.bag.admin.ch General Secretariat DDPS https://www.vbs.admin.ch/ Federal Office for Civil Protection http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/ But you can get them a blanket The New York Times ran an editorial over the weekend titled: Please Vaccinate Your Teenager to Protect My 4-Year-Old. The author's daughter had/s cancer. (Is anyone ever really cancer free?) What kind of monster would not feel sympathy, and what kind of parent would not feel protective of Nusayba? Most of us naturally look out for other people's children. We send nut free lunches even if our kids can eat Jif. We look out for kids in stores if they seem lost. We share Amber alerts and feel deep sorrow when we learn of a child's death. Does that mean we should risk our own children on another child's behalf? And be shamed if we do not? You and your kids could help protect my 4-year-old daughters life. Nusayba was found to have a rare cancer at the age of 2. Since then, she has endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy and a liver transplant. Fortunately, she has been cancer-free for over a year now. Her cheeks have filled out, her bouncy, thick curls are growing back, and we cant help indulging her love of cinnamon rolls and Dippin Dots. The best news my family has heard since Nusayba was declared cancer-free is that the F.D.A. has authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds. The headline reminded me of a meme I had seen several years ago: "You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm." In the language of Vaccinese, the new Esperanto, this means, you should not be required to endanger your own teen with an experimental vaccine to theoretically protect someone else's young child." I commented on the NYT Facebook page. Should we then demand a full paid vasectomy for all American boys once they reach puberty, to protect girls from pregnancy? We will give them a donut and a chance to win a tricked out Subaru. The boys can have a government funded reverse vasectomy when married and with enough provable income to support a family. This will protect society, protect girls and therefore is necessary. Of course not. I got quite a few likes and two comments agreeing: With todays logic on the vaccine, this makes sense to me! Brilliant analogy! But many commenters failed to appreciate my analogy. that is a ridiculous argument not even the same that is an asinine argument! That really isn't relevant to the subject of vaccines. It would never happen because vasectomies are not designed to be reversible, though sometimes they can be. They are intended for men who are sure they don't want to father any more children. By the way, the success rate for vasectomies as long as ten years ago is up to 95%. I imagine that today, doctors could create an experimental technique using the latest technology that would be even more successful. And if some boys are unable to father children in the future, that's terrible, but hey, "greater good," right. Think of the 4 year olds..... Researchers at the University of Iowa have discovered those with long-term occupations in the agriculture, fishing and forestry industries have a 46% greater chance of having dementia. The data was mined from the Health and Retirement Study, conducted from 1998 through 2014. This longitudinal panel study surveyed a representative sample of approximately 20,000 individuals over the age of 50 in the U.S. This study is both timely and relevant because farmers routinely work beyond standard retirement age, making them vulnerable to occupational injury, says Kanika Arora, assistant professor at the universitys college of public health. Additionally, a dementia diagnosis among farmers may be missed or delayed for a variety of reasons, causing even greater safety concerns. Arora and her team took a look at whether rates of dementia and cognitive decline were different in older adults who had worked for many years in agriculture. The hope is that the information can help researchers develop interventions to protect older farmers. Arora says there are several factors associated with dementia, including hearing impairment, depression, isolation and memory loss. She says while researchers could not attribute the association to hearing impairment or depression, further study is needed on the link to pesticide exposure. The hope is that as more information is gathered, it can be used to help educate people in the ag industry about recognizing the signs of possible dementia. Memory loss is typically the first warning sign of dementia, she says. Choice of words, impaired judgment and unusual spending habits can all be early signs of dementia. Six out of 10 people with dementia wander, so that is something to be concerned about from a personal safety perspective. Executive Order 14008 Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad was signed by President Biden on Jan. 27. Included in the order is the first-ever national stewardship goal of conserving Americas natural lands, which came to be known as the Biden 30x30 initiative. The plan has a simple, albeit lofty goal: to conserve at least 30 percent of our countrys land and oceans by the year 2030. Currently, about 12 percent of U.S. land is under some sort of permanent environmental protection and about 26 percent of the countrys ocean area is protected. While U.S. oceans are well on their way to the 30 percent goal, the land part of the plan, however, is 18 percent or about 440 million acres short of the goal as of right now. The biggest question surrounding this sweeping stewardship plan is where will the remaining 18 percent of the land needed to fulfill the initiatives goal come from and how will it be procured? Upon its announcement, the Biden 30x30 initiative has been met with strong feelings from both sides. Supporters are dubbing it a critically needed approach to addressing climate change, while opponents have labeled the initiative as a government land grab. Some agriculturalists have met this aggressive conservation plan with reservations as they fear agriculture lands, and more specifically, private lands, may very well be a substantial land source for this initiative. This seems like another regulation we really have to look at to see how it is going to impact us, stated Kris Descheemaeker, a rancher and Montana Farm Bureau Federation District 3 director. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Magee of Chiefs for Change believes vaccinating students, upgrading ventilation and providing good COVID testing will be the keys to getting them back in school. That may mean, he said, school systems will face an unusual challenge. Are you going to mount a huge campaign to make sure that all your middle and high school students are vaccinated? It is not easy and it is not what school systems were designed to do. Anna Istre, a second grade teacher at Lake Charles Charter Academy, had two very unusual starts to her career. She graduated McNeese State University and began teaching right before the March 2020 COVID-19 shutdowns and then began again with the difficulties of the storm ridden 2020-2021 sch BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) In the final minutes of their legislative session, Louisiana lawmakers agreed to change the way the state shops for voting systems, to include more public vetting and require an auditable paper trail, after two recent efforts to replace the states voting machines fai Green propaganda, based on unfounded fears of climate doomsday, is beginning to threaten Africa's ambition for developing a reliable and affordable energy sector. Christians concerned about the world's poor should take notice. Almost all African countries signed the Paris climate agreement. Now, in addition to the setbacks incurred due to climate pledges at Paris, the continent is facing a fresh wave of antifossil fuel policies and demands from international institutions. For the people of Africa, this could be lethal. Abundant, affordable, reliable energy is indispensable to whole societies' rising and staying out of poverty, and fossil fuels are the most affordable, feasible source for that energy. Here's a look at the funding crunch and the avenues still available for Africa to boost its energy sector. Africa's Way Out of Poverty: Fossil FuelPowered Economy One-fifth of the world's population lives in Africa, but the continent accounts for less than one twenty-fifth of global electricity use. Around 600 million in Africa have no electricity. This lack of energy access means that the countries in Africa not only lack the means for economic progress but also are at a disadvantage in various aspects of everyday life. For example, 60 percent of health center facilities in 27 Sub-Saharan countries lack reliable electricity, making it difficult to respond to health emergencies. Simple light for students to read by to do homework at night important to their developing skills for the marketplace is a luxury few enjoy. Despite ongoing efforts to improve this situation, it is estimated that around 530 million people will still lack access to electricity by 2030. The only way to solve this is through aggressively implementing fossil fuel projects across Africa and imports of fossil fuels to some of the poorest nations. Why fossil fuels? Because the renewables favored by the climate change lobby cannot provide reliable, affordable electricity. A testament to this is Africa's largest wind energy project, in Kenya. Kenya Power, the utility that runs it, is now in $1 billion of debt, as the intermittent energy from wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal sources resulted in increased operational cost. So fossil fuel is the way forward. However, Africa faces unprecedented challenges from European and international entities determined to stop fossil use in Africa. Banks and Leaders Embrace Green Ideology, Funding in Peril The biggest setback to Africa's fossil ambitions came from the major banking institutions and other big funding entities, which have decided to stop funding for fossil fuel projects internationally. Among them is the African Development Bank (AfDB), a key channel of funding for infrastructure and developmental projects in African countries. AfDB has announced that it won't fund fossil fuel projects in Africa. AfDB kept to its promise in 2020 when its funding announcement was void of any direct funding for fossil fuels. Instead, AfDB gave around $552 million for renewable energy projects and other less reliable energy sources. United Kingdom prime minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would end financing for coal and oil projects abroad, including those in Africa. This would severely impact both ongoing and new energy projects in Africa. For example, last year alone, the U.K.'s Export Finance (UKEF) released $1.15 billion to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique. The project will make poverty-stricken Mozambique into a key LNG player by 2024, eventually improving its economy and uplifting the livelihoods of thousands the country. UKEF also plans to fund eight more oil and gas projects globally. But with Boris Johnson's proposed ban on fossil funding, key projects like these would no longer be possible in some of Africa's poorest nations, and UKEF's investment in Mozambique could be the last of its kind. Calls for freezing fossil fuel funding have also come from United States president Joe Biden, French president Emmanuel Macron, and other key leaders from developed countries. It's hard to avoid the impression that these are rich leaders telling the world's poorest people, "You can't climb out of poverty the way we did." Sadly, what that means, if it sticks, is that they can't climb out of poverty at all. Some Channels Still Offer Hope Despite the sudden exhausting of funding mechanisms, there is some hope for Africa as investments for fossil fuels continue to trickle in. South Africa's Standard Bank, for example, refused to stop its funding for coal mining, citing the practical reality of the coal-dominated energy sector. Defending its decision to continue funding, Kenny Fihla, chief executive of Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking, said, "If we were to stop completely to fund any coal mining related activity, we could as well say we are stopping 80% of Africa's electricity generation and we do not think that would be a responsible thing to do." Even as oil giants like BP, Shell, Total, and Equinor begin to invest more in renewable energy, oil giant Exxon is forging ahead with its oil plans. Exxon, which is involved in numerous upstream oil projects on the eastern and western coasts of Africa, intends to increase its global fossil fuel output by one third in the next four years. Exxon's vision will likely benefit the African nations with increased export revenue and also meet domestic energy needs. China, in contrast to the U.S., U.K., and European Union, is already funding seven coal plants in Africa and plans to finance thirteen more. It is estimated that power output from Chinese-backed coal plants is likely to increase by three times by 2060. Besides, China is also involved in oil exploration and production in a number of countries. India, too, has invested in upstream and downstream oil projects in Africa. With help from these and other new channels, Africa could neutralize the setbacks in fossil fuel funding from elsewhere. In fact, a new Oxford study has revealed that "fossil fuels such as coal and gas will continue to account for up to two thirds of the continent's electricity generation beyond 2030." These existing channels for fossil fuel funding could provide a lifeline for Africa, but they are not sufficient. Energy experts believe Africa will not be able to achieve even basic development goals if fossil fuel funding dries up. Murefu Barasa, managing director at EED Advisory, says, "There's a lot of pressure from development agencies to say something like 'no more fossil fuel projects,' but that's a horrible and sad way of thinking about the problem. Countries need the autonomy to develop their own least-cost power plans, especially before they attain universal access. Babies die in blackouts. So, the tradeoff of connecting the millions of people who don't have power, versus doubling emissions, is well worthwhile." Vijaya Ramachandran, an economist who has worked at World Bank and the Executive Office of the secretary-general of the United Nations, says, "Blanket bans on fossil-fuel funds will entrench poverty." Ramachandran points out that "a higher-emissions Africa will be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. People with better access to education, health care, and housing are able to cope better with heat waves and typhoons. Roads, hospitals, resilient power grids, early-warning systems, robust food supplies, and other features of modernity buffet societies against natural disasters and other climate risks, even if the energy needed comes partially from fossil fuels. Keeping Africa poor to fight climate change will do nothing to help the people most affected by it." The decision to stop fossil fuel funding does not help Africa. It hurts it. Africa's poor are likely to suffer more and remain in acute poverty longer if fossil fuel investments do not accelerate in the next decade. Fossil fuels are a must for the growth of agriculture and industry in Africa. The U.S., the United Nations, the European Union, and the members of the G20 countries must reconsider their decision to ban fossil fuel funding. Funding institutions must begin to issue loans for fossil fuel projects if they want to witness visible improvement in the livelihood of people in Africa. Vijay Jayaraj (M.Sc., Environmental Science, University of East Anglia, England) is a research contributor for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation and resides in Bengaluru, India. Image: lalabell68 via Pixabay, Pixabay License. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Howard said the commission's mandate from Congress is to look more broadly, and that it will consider the naming of military base streets, for example, as well as ships, aircraft and Defense Department buildings. The only federal military item explicitly exempted by the legislation is grave markers, she said. On May 14, 2018, the 70th anniversary of the birth of the state of Israel, a modern-day miracle, the U.S., under President Donald Trump, fulfilled a promise made by Congress in the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, passed by a 95-3 vote in the Senate to move our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people. That bill, unfortunately, came with a presidential waiver, and every president since, including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Hussein Obama, promised to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem but failed to do so. Only one, Donald Trump, a modern-day Cyrus and eternal friend of Israel and the Jewish people, kept his promise. Simultaneously, 45 miles away from the festivities in Jerusalem, at the Gaza border with Israel, the so-called "March of Return," an annual event inaugurated in 1998 by arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat, had been going on for weeks and culminated on May 14. It commemorated what the Palestinians call the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe," their self-pitying reference to Israel's Independence Day. Fifty thousand Palestinians, most of them Hamas terrorists, attempted to breach the border with Israel for the purpose of killing or kidnapping Jews in neighboring Israeli villages. Women and children, the "human shields" Hamas is famous for, accompanied the marchers to maximize civilian casualties for the compliant press. The peaceful marchers, as instructed, brought guns, knives, pipe bombs, and grenades and hid them under their clothing. They also brought fire kites to inflict damage on Israeli fields and crops. More than sixty of the invading Palestinian terrorists were killed at the border, dutifully reported with glaring split-screen images of the chaos in Gaza and the events in Jerusalem, designed to tarnish the embassy event, President Trump, and Israel. Israel abandoned Gaza in 2005. Every Jew dead or alive, including those buried, was evacuated. Israel left behind elaborate greenhouses and other infrastructure and synagogues, all of which were destroyed in scenes reminiscent of Kristallnacht. In 2006, Palestinians in Gaza voted in Hamas over the Palestinian Authority. In June of 2007, Hamas launched its military takeover of Gaza, killing hundreds of its Muslim brothers in the Palestinian Authority by dragging them through the streets chained to cars, throwing them off roofs, and shooting them in the heads in front of their wives and children. Hamas is a terrorist organization, recognized as such by the U.S. and the European Union. They call openly for the destruction of the state of Israel and do not recognize the right of Israel to exist within any borders. They are the Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and as such seek not the destruction of not only Israel but all of Christendom and Western civilization including the U.S. and the establishment of a global caliphate. Since taking over Gaza, they have done nothing to help their citizens build the institutions of a civil society, to promote normal democratic discourse, or to develop a free market economy, preferring instead welfare dependency based on international aid. In the process, they have inflicted great suffering on their citizens, running what is in effect an open-air prison state for 2 million people. There are high unemployment and poverty, poor sanitation, and inadequate health care. Gaza, with its proximity to Israels high-tech economy, ports, trade, beaches, and tourism, and a willingness by the nations of the world, business interests, and aid organizations to help them develop their private sector, should have been Singapore on the Mediterranean. Instead, it is Afghanistan. Israel blockades Gaza because Hamas is an Iranian-backed terrorist organization that engages in acts of terror. Hamas uses its assets and plentiful aid to build tunnels; fire missiles at Israeli civilians; and breach borders with armies of armed terrorists to kill, main, and kidnap. Egypt blockades Gaza for the same reason. Israel is a first-world nation that provides for its citizens the highest standard of living in the Middle East, equivalent to that of Western Europe. It is an open democracy governed consensually by the rule of law, with human rights, free speech, religious freedom, a free press, and a world-class free-market economy. It boasts the best hospitals, universities, museums, and symphonies in the world and leads the planet in any number of cutting-edge technologies. Its more than one million Israeli-Arab citizens are the freest Muslims in the Middle East. None is interested in joining his Muslim brethren under the benighted Palestinian Authority or Hamas, preferring instead to keep his citizenship in the Jewish State for good reason. Hamas, on the other hand, like its secular terrorist counterpart in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), the Palestinian Authority: corrupt, kleptocratic, genocidal extremists. Of all the nationalist movements around the world, the Palestinians, Hamas, or the P.A., are the least deserving of a state and should not be given one. The world scarcely needs another dysfunctional terrorist regime. There is no difference between either of them and ISIS or al-Qaeda except that for "intersectional" and anti-Semitic purposes, they enjoy good press from a left-dominated media as long as it is Jews engaging them. The Assad regime, for example, in the ongoing Syrian Civil War, has killed thousands of Palestinians in the Yarmouk Refugee Camp in Damascus, the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, transforming it into a "death camp," engaging in wanton acts of barbarity far worse than anything Israel has ever committed. But you never hear about this because it involved Arabs killing Arabs not Jews, and therefore of no interest to the left. There is one card the Palestinian jihadists know they can always play. That is the support and positive spin of their egregious behavior by the international left, including the media, the E.U., the U.N., the U.S. Democrat party, and many liberal-leftist American Jews and their various anti-Zionist organizations (J Street, Jewish Voice for Peace, and many others). They will discredit the Israelis, delegitimize them, hold them to an impossible standard, and continually advance the Hamas narrative of brutal IDF soldiers cutting down innocent, defenseless Palestinian Muslims despite Israel having the most moral and honorable military in the world, one that goes well beyond any other fighting force to protect innocent life, often at huge costs to its own soldiers. The media and their political functionaries thus create and perpetuate the crisis. By supporting the jihadist narrative, they encourage more of the same and avoid putting pressure on Palestinians to create a functioning, viable state. The media and the rest of the anti-Israel cabal can be relied on to defend genocidal Islamic terrorists. Hamas sees dead Palestinians as a photo op. No media, no dead Palestinians. Yes, our media and their leftist allies have blood on their hands, rivers of blood, most of it Palestinian. It is they, not Israel, who prolong the agony, suffering, and death. Dr. Richard Moss is a board-certified head and neck cancer surgeon and was a candidate for Congress in 2016 and 2018. He graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine and has been in practice in Jasper and Washington, Ind. for over 20 years. He is married with four children. For more information visit richardmossmd.com. Contact at richardmossmd.com. Find Richard Moss, M.D. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Image via Pixy. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. President Trump was expelled from Twitter and Facebook. However, the head of Hamas, the head of the Palestinian Terrorist Authority, and the president of Iran were not denied use. They still publicly express their hatred of both America and Israel. Why? Because if freedom of speech exists in Biden's America, it is mainly for anti-American and anti-Semitic forces. Twitter bosses have a clear understanding of what kind of tweet Trump would have posted when, during a missile strike on Israel, the BLM thugs staged a White House rally in support of Hamas using swastika flags. Facebook bosses have a pretty good idea of what Trump would say about the thousands of rockets fired at Israel. Without exception, Washington-based journalists can accurately predict that Trump would never have sent an American Hamas-supporter to negotiate between Israel and Hamas. Are Jews currently being persecuted by Roman centurions? Are the Spanish inquisitors trying to exterminate the Jews? Are trains packed with Jews currently moving to Treblinka? No, none of this is happening. On the contrary, the friendly-to-us American conservatives, the German conservatives, immediately after the start of the missile attack on Israel, removed the German flag from party headquarters and instead hung the flag of Israel. Right after the attack on Tel Aviv, all of Rome got covered with Israeli flags. An enormous Israeli flag flies over Kyiv with the help of a cargo drone. The world is in solidarity with Israel as never before. Nevertheless, the persecution of the Jews is evident. Let's define what is currently driving the persecution of Jews. What is the ideological dimension of this persecution? Who are the performers? Who, perhaps without realizing it, is an assistant in this matter? Who in America is the unwitting accomplice of those who want to destroy both Israel and all Jews? American Jews of the left are such shortsighted collaborators. Being traditionally Democrats, they did not notice (or did not want to notice) that since the late 1950s and 1960s, the Democrat party has shifted radically to the left. By Obama's time, it had become an openly socialist, openly anti-American, and openly anti-Semitic party. Who is the executor of the current Jewish pogroms? Each country has its own mayhem heroes. In America, these are Antifa and BLM. In the Middle East, these are the Palestine Liberation Organization (created by the Soviet KGB and still led by a Kremlin agent), Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Iran. In Europe, they are the Laborites who turned London into Londonistan. Most of them are religious or ideological fanatics, brainwashed so profoundly that they cannot be treated by any means. What is the ideology of those who control this whole process? Who runs its brain center, and does such a center exist at all? The answer to that disquieting question, perhaps, lies on the surface. Those who yesterday promoted the classic socialist slogan of disbanding the police or defunding the police are today mourning the deaths of Hamas commanders. The same people offer a panegyric to goons. It's the same people everywhere in America, in Israel, and in Europe. They differ in their skin color, religion, nationality, educational level, and sexual orientation. However, they are united because they are all leftists, the adherents of post-Marxism ideology. In different countries, they try to hide under different signs. They can call themselves Socialists, Laborites, Democrats, Social Democrats, Democratic Socialists this incomplete list of "progressive humanity" is long, as is the list of nuances over which non-ideological (read: insignificant) disagreements exist among them. They are the ideological heirs of the previous generation of the left Marxists, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, Stalinists, National Socialists, Trotskyists, Communists, Maoists. This list is also very long. The first Middle East movement to unite socialism and Islam was the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928 in Egypt (the so-called "socialist theocracy"). This union was a manifestation of the unique ideological parallels between the 7th-century pseudo-religion (Islam) and the 19th-century pseudo-religion (socialism). The unification of Islam and socialism was precisely the mixture that the Soviet leaders loved so much; such a mixture became the ideal breeding ground for international left-wing terrorism (under the pretext of the "national liberation movement" and the "struggle against the Israeli occupation of Arab lands"). Socialists and the Muslim Brotherhood are also united by methods of achieving their goals. Modern socialists prefer peaceful, legislative, gradual changes to achieve their main goal: the redistribution of wealth. They avoid bloody revolutions; their favorite course of action is slow, almost invisible evolution. In non-Muslim societies, except for periodic acts of terrorism, gradualism is precisely the Muslim Brotherhood mode of operation. This is one reason why the socialist movements have joined forces with their ideological counterparts from the Muslim Brotherhood, which also prefers evolutionary social changes. "Muslim socialism" is similar to orthodox socialism; both call for "just redistribution of wealth" and other classic leftist ideas of class struggle. In countries with a non-Muslim majority, such as the United States, Muslims are falsely referred to as the "oppressed proletariat," and the Jewish and Christian majority is falsely referred to as the "oppressive bourgeoisie." The incredible, unthinkable alliance between previously irreconcilable religious fanatics and socialist atheists is one of the most phenomenal events in human history. Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Liberation Organization leader, was probably the first leader to officially embrace Islamic-socialist ideas. In 1967, immediately after the Six-Day War, he was rewarded for this with a brand-new invention by the KGB, known as the Arab Palestinian Nation. (Until 1967, only Jews were called Palestinians.) Hamas calls itself the Islamic Resistance Movement. Its Charter states: "The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine." In addition, the Hamas Charter requires (in a somewhat heretical form for traditional Islam) that in the fight against Israel, "a woman should go out and fight the enemy even without the permission of her husband, and a slave even without the permission of his master." In traditional Soviet-style, the Hamas Charter condemns "occupying imperialism" and "the forces of the capitalist West." Soviet communists have long been out of power in Russia, but friendly relations between the Kremlin and Hamas are flourishing. The Chinese Communist Party also defends the interests of Hamas, as does the rest of the left. All this looks inscrutable on the surface, although it has an entirely rational basis in most cases. At the same time, the baffling attitude of left-wing Jews toward Israel belongs to an entirely different, irrational category. For example, how can left-wing American Jews wish for the death of their fellow believers in Israel? However, everything becomes evident if you carefully dot the i. The right-wing American Jews, like all American conservatives, want Israel's prosperity and peace with its neighbors. The left-wing American Jews, who, together with the Democrat party, continue to evolve toward more and more radical left positions, cannot forgive Israeli Jews (and Netanyahu personally) for an ideological turn toward conservatism. Therefore, they joined forces with comradely radical leftist movements, Islamic terrorist groups, and other genocidal maniacs (all of them in Stalin's terminology are "socially close") to punish Israel. Punish with missile attacks, terrorism, Iranian bomb, boycotts, and UNESCO resolutions to turn Israel into a rogue state. Using a cocktail of post-Marxism and Islamism, the flirting-with-communism American left is trying to force Israel to leap back into the vile left quagmire. Furthermore, as everybody knows, for all leftists, including the Party of (D)eceit, the end justifies the means. Therefore, now more than ever, the world needs a vaccine against left-wing anti-Semitism. Gary Gindler, Ph.D. is a conservative columnist at Gary Gindler Chronicles and the founder of a new science: politiphysics. Follow him on (soon-to-be-suspended-from) Twitter. Image: Triggermouse via Pixabay, Pixabay License. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. For anyone doubting whether China has Taiwan in its sights, a warning that the Global Times, a Chinese communist party media outlet, issued to Australia should set those doubts to rest. Having concluded that Joe Biden is not a threat, China is busy letting other regional powers know that they had better not cross China. In response to Australia's participation in joint military exercises in the East China Sea, China's propaganda outlet threatened it with intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Taiwan is a prosperous and free island located off the southeastern coast of China. The two countries are separated from each other only by the Taiwan Straits. Taiwan maintains that it is the legitimate government of China, while the Chinese Communist Party claims that it is a pretender nation. The CCP has long made known its desire to conquer Taiwan and bring it into the mainland fold. For just as long, the United States has made it known that if China attacks Taiwan, the United States and, indeed, much of the free world will respond vigorously. Recent events, though, show that China no longer believes that America's anger or anger from any other nations is a hindrance to its imperialist goals. In America, those holding political and economic power have already sold themselves to China. They are governing America as a Chinese colony, with China calling the shots on domestic policy. Biden sits at the top of this heap, having sold out to China for massive sums of money via his corrupt, moronic, drug-addicted, and debauched son. Around the world, other nations, especially nations in China's geographic region, have fallen into China's debt thanks to its Belt and Road Initiative. And as is true in America, myriad Western nations have shifted their manufacturing sectors to China. A country like Australia makes practically nothing on its own anymore. It has a thriving housing industry but is dependent on China for everything manufactured. And speaking of Australia, it recently joined with the U.S., France, and Japan to be part of a training drill the Exercise Jeanne d'Arc 21 in the East China Sea. China was incensed that one of the nations it now views as a vassal had the temerity to pretend it could be part of any military activity hostile to China. According to the Daily Mail, the party's mouthpiece, The Global Times, struck back with crude ferocity: 'The People's Liberation Army doesn't even need to make pointed responses to the joint drill since it's insignificant militarily,' the article said. 'Australia's military is too weak to be a worthy opponent of China, and if it dares to interfere in a military conflict for example in the Taiwan Straits, its forces will be among the first to be hit. 'Australia must not think it can hide from China if it provokes. 'Australia is within range of China's conventional warhead-equipped DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile.' The same article explains that China has already been putting pressure on Australia's economy for daring to associate China with COVID: Over the past year China has slapped more than $20 billion worth of arbitrary trade bans and tariffs on Australian exports as an apparent punishment for calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic which first appeared in Wuhan in 2019. Tensions were further strained last month when various figures including the likes of Defence Minister Peter Dutton, Former Defence Minister Christopher Pyne and Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo, all suggested the 'drums of war' in the region are getting louder. There is nothing more dangerous than a weak America. There's a reason wars happen on the watch of Democrat presidents. The world's bad actors understand that Democrat presidents will huff, puff, and do nothing or strike back so ineffectually they make the situation worse. The Chinese respected Trump because he made it clear that he would stop at nothing to defend America and her allies. They have nothing but contempt for Biden and for all the Western nations they already battered with the biological warfare of COVID. So here we are, with Western nations, which ought to be breaking China completely by ostracizing her from all trade and travel, being forced to cower before her threats. Image: Chinese military parade. YouTube screen grab. So once again, President Trump got it right. Way back during his presidency, he identified Hollywood celeb and lifestyle "influencer" Chrissy Teigen as songwriter John Legend's "filthy-mouthed wife." That's a gentle way of putting it, given the newly exposed reasons for her comeuppance. Page Six has learned that Bloomingdale's walked away from a deal with Chrissy Teigen at the 11th hour because of her explosive cyberbullying scandal. Macy's which shares a parent company with the Upper East Side institution appeared to drop Teigen's "Cravings by Chrissy" cookware line this week after model Courtney Stodden (who uses gender-neutral pronouns) revealed that Teigen had encouraged them to kill themselves in private Twitter messages when they were just 16 years old. Now we're told that Bloomingdale's was hours away from signing a contract with the Twitter personality and cookbook author, which would see her host a promotional event for the store, but pulled the plug on Monday because of the toxic press swirling[.] It's not just "toxic press"; it's a shocking record of bullying bad deeds. According to the New York Post's Page Six: Teigen has been exposed for sending shockingly cruel messages to other women on social media, telling TV personality Courtney Stodden in 2011 to "Go. To sleep. Forever." and mocking Lindsay Lohan, who has admitted to cutting herself in the past, by tweeting that same year: "Lindsay adds a few more slits to her wrists when she sees Emma Stone." In 2013, Teigen publicly called "Teen Mom" star Farrah Abraham "a whore." This is incredibly cruel when you think about it. These are all screwed up stars. Like them or not, they're vulnerable. Some of them really do terrible things, such as try to commit suicide or find themselves involuntarily committed. Many have drinking or drug problems; many end up in serial rehab. You see a lot of this in young Hollywood culture, where fame is a lot for them, drugs are all over, flatterers do anything, and pervy Hollywood casting couch directors demand sex for favors. That messes up a lot of them, which should be no surprise to anyone. Interestingly, on top of this, comedian Pete Davidson, another vulnerable who's had his problems and obviously could see what Teigen had done to others, took a dig at her in his Saturday Night Live performance. Unlike Dan Crenshaw, who showed Davidson nothing but kindness and forgiveness for some inappropriate humor directed against him, Teigen twisted the knife with killing words on her particular targets, making their pain quite a bit worse. That's quite a contrast, for perspective. And no, she wasn't a professional troll hiding from mom's basement; she was a star herself when she did this stuff, as if fame and fortune and nice houses and a fancy husband for herself just weren't enough she needed to take down others, too. It's an interesting fall, because Trump saw right through her early. When I first heard of her, it was from the perspective of her gross, disgusting tweets about President Trump and everything else, while all along running a retail empire with Target and expecting us to buy her goods, which seemed a bit bad for Target to be involved with. I wrote about first hearing of her in 2019, describing what I had learned: Then I went to Teigen's Twitter site and was taken aback. Teigen's entire Twitter page was like an unflushed toilet, with the foulest of language directed at Trump, interspersed in a hellscape of vulgarities, banalities, and trivialities such as a video of herself in the act of passing gas, if not manically laughing or else posting pictures of her kids accompanied by foul-language observations. It was an open call for eye bleach. Trump must have known who Teigen is in describing her as "filthy mouthed," of all the things he could have done to describe her. But rather than show him otherwise by not being foul-mouthed for a spell, Teigen stepped up the barnyard language, emitting an amazingly vile and vulgar series of tweets: [gross tweets] And Target is shilling merchandise with this vulgarian's name on it? Target did indeed let her go not just for her bullying, but perhaps because she also loudly shoved money to bail out looters as Black Lives Matter and Antifa were burning America's cities, including Target's flagship store in Minneapolis, loudly raising her donations every time President Trump made critical remarks. Once again, she fell short on compassion for the real victims, such as the black shopkeepers whose life work was destroyed in the burn-and-loot attacks. She didn't even seem to have a sense of self-preservation, given that BLM and Antifa trashed and looted Target itself, in its Minneapolis flagship store, probably helping themselves even to her wares. Compassion for victims? No, just compassion for thugs and looters. She also spearheaded the attempted (and failed) boycott of Goya Foods, imagining that cancel culture could never come back to bite her. Such irony there. The Target pullout was the tip of the iceberg, and she got away with this garbage for a long, long time. Now, as the bullying scandal grows, it's turned on her and built into an avalanche. Seems political activity and gross tweets are bad enough, but apparently possible to get away with, at least for a while. The buying public, though, won't put up with cruel serial bullying of the vulnerable, no matter what their politics. Retailers know their customers, and that's a point upon which everyone, right or left, moves in one direction. Good riddance, and may this be a lesson to her that all the social media and red carpet appearances in the world are meaningless if the public thinks you're vicious. Maybe she can learn from it and change. Image: David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Over the weekend, George Papadopoulos offered a ray of hope to those of us who have just about given up on any justice being administered to the conspirators who manufactured the Russia Hoax and attempted to throw the 2016 election to Hillary Clinton. Jordan Conradson of The Gateway Pundit sat down with George Papadopoulos and his wife Simona following their appearance at a rally in Glendale, AZ Saturday and posted the interview on Rumble (embedded below). After noting that the Durham probe became criminal after Durham traveled to Italy, on the trail of Professor Joseph Mifsud, who lured Papadopoulos into the plot, and Simona (who is Italian) stating that the Italian government is in a cover-up, George went on to say: Rumble video screengrab George: It's a complicated story and If people want to get a full A-Z, I have a book out that details it in a chronological manner called Deep State Target Sydney Powell about two years ago had filed some sort of request and we learned that Mifsud's phone is in the hands of the DOJ We just don't know where this person went, why he's being hidden and who's hiding him They know exactly who this is. I think they're waiting for it and they're going to expose it. And, it's going to come at the right time after some of this stuff with the audit comes out. That's what I predict of course. Conradson: What about Durham? Is he real or is he just another big lie? George: My opinion is that Durham is very real I know who he has interviewed in October 2019. Specific guys with the U.S. intelligence community that should not have been meeting with me, this infamous Australian diplomat, we know he's spoken to the Italians, to various governments. He has been working non-stop since 2019 where I think he got all the juicy info back then. Then Barr appoints some special council a month before Biden goes to the White House, and now Durham is simply, in my opinion like I said I don't talk to Durham, he's waiting for the right moment to expose what he has learned and I think it is going to be tantamount to conspiracy in the Obama Administration. I truly believe that. I think he is incredibly real and I would actually put my entire reputation on the line saying this It's going to be very interesting to see when and how that information comes out, how the media tries to deflect or cover it up. Conradson: Do you have an estimate of when that information might come out? George: I think by this summer we're going to have a final conclusion on Durham. This thing can't last forever but I just think he's giving Biden over 100 days to start really dropping what he has. And if he has nothing, I'm on the record of saying I put my reputation on the line regarding Durham. [bolding and colored font in original] I hope Papadopoulos's interviews with the Durham team have given him special insight into what lies ahead. But after having burned so often waiting for and expecting justice, I am wary. I'm with Mark Wauck, who wrote: I'm still skeptical. There was plenty of time to produce the Mifsud evidence. But I'll happily eat crow if it turns out to be true. Correction: Fixed brain freezeinduced random use of Stephanopoulos in place of Papdopoulos. Joe Biden wants to know what's in your bank account, and he'd like to keep watching. That's the alarming issue Reason magazine has explored, noting that buried deep within Biden's much-touted tax hikes for "infrastructure" American Families Act unveiled last April 28 is a sneaky Democrat plot called the American Families Tax Compliance Agenda. That will force the IRS to hire 87,000 new IRS agents, all of them armed with vast, new, and expanded surveillance powers. Biden['s] tax plan would cull financial data on masses of law-abiding, tax-compliant Americans. In the name of catching tax dodgers, the Biden administration is seeking serious snooping rights to oversee all American bank accounts and payment apps. "Instead of promising a chicken in every pot, Biden's plan promises an auditor at every kitchen table," commented Sen. Chuck Grassley (RIowa). Under President Joe Biden's proposal, 87,000 new IRS employees would be hired and everyone could expect more scrutiny of the flow of money to and from their financial accounts. Those powers include the "right" to continuously spy on Americans' checking accounts through forced reporting requirements from banks on all cash flows. They will also spy on Americans' PayPal and Venmo accounts in the name of knowing whether they are reporting their petty side income. It's definitely a war on the little guy. The rich know how to hide their wealth, says Reason, so it's not going to be they who get caught up in this federal fishing expedition and bankbook dragnet: Rather, it's the folks who sometimes get paid "under the table" for informal gig work babysitting, house cleaning, a stray manual labor job here and there, sex work, fixing a few cars, peddling homemade baked goods, occasional music gigs, selling things on eBay or Etsy, and so on who probably aren't likely to have elaborate schemes for hiding a little stray income from their checking accounts and payment apps. As I noted here, the other day, citing Politico, here's the real base they are going to be working with small businessowners, and little guys with side gigs: About 80 percent of that tax gap is attributable to people underreporting their incomes or taking too many deductions. The rest is people either not filing returns at all, or doing their taxes correctly and failing to pay what they owe. That doesn't sound like the rich wastrel hiding his untaxed income out in the Cayman Islands and living it up of the Biden-like legend. For that matter, it doesn't sound like the illegal alien who gets paid under the table and sends remittances to El Salvador instead of paying taxes, which doesn't even get mentioned. There are 12 million to 30 million illegal aliens in the country now, and more now due to the border surges, so there are quite some uncollected taxes on that front that don't sound like targets for enforcement. That's quite a wide field 80% of their "market." Nope, it's the little guy who is going to get it. As if Democrat COVID lockdowns and shop-smashing, looting Black Lives Matter/Antifa riots, plus already existing monster taxes and regulations, weren't enough of a Democrat war on small business already. Biden claims he can recoup $700 billion in lost federal revenue from these new federal spying powers to "pay for" his gargantuan government expansion. He's billing it as a means of targeting the tax-scofflaw rich, who, as Reason noted, already know how to hide their wealth. By Biden's logic, these mega-rich are all hiding it in their checking accounts, so this will get to the bottom of it. Biden's new IRS agents want to know everything about everyone's money, no matter how poor he is, and not only will they spy on him, but they will draw their own conclusions about the cash they see coming in and out. If someone does banking for a wayward son on his own account, and includes the kid's money, or lends to a friend, or gets paid back a very old debt, well, now the IRS will say he's concealing income and bust him accordingly. As Reason notes, citing the Wall Street Journal: "Account flows don't actually represent income and deductions, so the government wouldn't be able to match these reports with tax returns as it does with W-2s," notes The Wall Street Journal. "The report says the information would give the government enough of a window into transactions to target audits more effectively where there are large discrepancies and that tax evaders would change their behavior because they know what information the government has." Here's the big problem with it, not mentioned by Reason. It's a violation of the Constitution, specifically the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures. The ChiComs would enjoy this sort of thing, but this is far, far, far from our American law and tradition. We already see too much of this crap with Democrats' abuse of public domain laws and random seizures of property such as computers from federal agents and local police in assorted court and law enforcement cases. Law enforcement most certainly can be abusive so we know from these cases. And under Biden, it can also be politicized, meaning we know which little guys the IRS will target not illegal aliens, but random conservative Americans, as a means of political control, and a means to scare the others. The IRS, after all, has done this before. Remember Lois Lerner? Oh, heck, she's ancient history. Biden's advanced the "tradition" in his short administration. Remember this? It also will do some very funny stuff to the economy: it will drive more of it underground. Huge amounts of it already are underground, and this will expand it exponentially. Little guys will start keeping cash in their coffee cans and burying them in their backyards. They'll stuff it in their mattresses, as they do in Argentina. They'll buy gold or hard-to-trace bitcoin. M1 will go down, and the Fed will have problems tracking the money supply. Meanwhile, home-robbers will have a field day, the same as they do in Mexico. Republicans have got to fight this, and the constitutional challenges from legal groups have got to flow. Biden wants all of the power with this creepy measure, including the right to spy on all Americans without cause and take everything Americans own. Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Southern California boasts a network of seven private colleges known collectively as the "Claremont Colleges." They are pricey and prestigious. They are also bastions of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist thinking, as revealed in an email the Scripps College student association send to all Scripps students. Scripps College, a women-only college,* costs around $57,000 for tuition, with another $17,000-plus for room, board, and miscellaneous fees. What parents get for sending their daughters to Scripps is the promise that it's one of the highest-ranked women's colleges in America. It even produces lots of Fulbright Scholars. What it doesn't seem to produce are knowledgeable, rational, mentally stable people who love their country. Scripps Associated Students (SAS) is the college's student governing body. Its stated purpose is to be a voice for the students in dealing with the college and to improve student life on campus: Scripps Associated Students (SAS) is the student governing body of Scripps College. The function of SAS is to liaise between the student body and the administration, faculty, and the Board of Trustees of the College. SAS plans a variety of programs and activities, funds clubs and organizations, and serves as an advocate for student needs and concerns in an effort to improve student life on campus. Apparently, the SAS is also a pro-Hamas political advocacy group. I know this because someone shared with me the email blast the SAS sent on May 19 or 20 to all Scripps students. The first paragraph makes it seem like an ordinary student governing body communication, congratulating classmates for wrapping up a difficult year. In truth, though, the entire document is a pro-Hamas,** anti-Israel exhortation, along with an offer of mental health help for those students who lack the emotional resilience to cope with a war in another country. The entire email is at the end of this post, but I want to highlight some of the more inflammatory language. Ignoring the fact that Hamas was lobbing thousands of missiles at Israeli population centers, and that Israel responded by tightly targeting combatants only, the letter describes the fighting between Israel and Hamas as "escalating colonial violence by the Israeli government's military occupation of Palestine, illegal under international law." (Untrue.) Because of this historic ignorance, the SAS believes it's incumbent upon the organization to "support our Scripps students, especially in times of extreme crisis." Crisis? This is an affluent American college in sunny Claremont, California. In a melange of Marxism and Hamas determinism, the email attacks the American government: "The United States is deeply implicated in the Israeli government's occupation at the political, economic, and sociocultural level." This complicity results in "U.S. state-sponsored propaganda campaign to silence, censor, and misrepresent Palestinian voices in the mainstream media," forcing the SAS to "uplift all unheard and marginalized voices and disseminate accurate information." Having ignorantly accused Israel of being an illegitimate colonizer, the SAS wraps itself in the mantle of self-righteousness for all "marginalized and oppressed people ... including, but not limited to, Palestinians and Jews[.]" Having stirred up anti-Semitism, it decries the "co-opting of the Palestinian liberation movement to the spread of antisemitic hate." As Monica Showalter has documented, the claim that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism is a political fiction that has no realm in truth. The reality is that Israel is the only Jewish nation in the world, and, even as other nations from China to Syria systematically persecute Muslims, only Israel is singled out. In other words, Muslims are worthy of protection only when leftists can attack Jews. Because one of the defining features of leftist women is that they are mentally broken, the SAS helpfully created a list of mental health resources for students collapsing under the weight of a faraway war. The email closes with a list of "some educational resources" that come from the most radicalized thinkers in America, starting with Angela Davis, an unrepentant, murderous Marxist and darling of the left: Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis Let Them Drown by Naomi Klein Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Beinin and Hajjar Gaza Fights for Freedom - Free Documentary on Youtube Palestine 101 - Institute for Middle East Understanding Primer Quick Facts: Israeli Annexation of Occupied Land & International Law- IMEU Visualizing Palestine 101 - Online Website Sadly, what the SAS did is par for the course at America's colleges and universities. Knowledge (for example, knowing about the fact that the Jews are the indigenous people and the Arabs are the late-arriving colonial occupiers), the ability to reason, and mental resilience are utterly alien to what passes for higher education in America. _________________ *With exquisite and unintentional humor, Scripps promises that "No Scripps student [i.e., someone who entered calling herself a woman], will lose their [sic] eligibility to attend or graduate from Scripps College by coming out or transitioning." In other words, "we know you're still a woman." Heh. ** As a reminder, I will never again refer to Arabs living in the West Bank, Gaza, or Israel as Palestinians. Doing so confers on them an entirely false historical legitimacy. They are colonial occupiers trying to evict from the land a people who have the same genetic lineage, speak the same language, and worship the same God as their ancestors who lived in the country more than 4,000 years ago. Image: Scripps College's Balch Hall by Lure Photography. CC BY-SA 3.0. The Scripps Associated Students email Scripps Associated Students sas@scrippscollege.edu Dear Scripps Student Body, We want to say congratulations to everyone for finishing up an incredibly difficult semester, especially to all of our graduating seniors! As we move through what would usually be a time purely for celebration our hearts are heavy as the world watches what is happening in occupied Palestine. We know that this may be a very scary and stressful time for many of our students. The SAS Board extends its support in solidarity to our Palestinian students and all students affected by the ongoing and recently escalating colonial violence by the Israeli government's military occupation of Palestine, illegal under international law. As representatives of the student body, it is our duty to support our Scripps students, especially in times of extreme crisis. The United States is deeply implicated in the Israeli government's occupation at the political, economic, and sociocultural level. In light of the U.S. state-sponsored propaganda campaign to silence, censor, and misrepresent Palestinian voices in the mainstream media, SAS views itself as having an obligation to uplift all unheard and marginalized voices and disseminate accurate information. As students of an American university, it is vital that we condemn the United States' role in sustaining the Israeli government occupation. Even as the international community calls attention to the Israeli government's human rights abuses, the US continues to support the Israeli government militarily and financially. Every year over 3.8 billion U.S. tax dollars contribute to Israeli settler colonialism and military occupation. Taxes from Los Angeles County alone send more than $131,000,000 per year to the Israeli military. You can use this link to see how much tax money your state, city, or county sends to fund the Israeli government occupation each year. In line with our values, SAS stands with historically marginalized and oppressed people throughout the world including, but not limited to, Palestinians and Jews, and as such, we explicitly condemn any co-opting of the Palestinian liberation movement to spread antisemitic hate. We reaffirm our collective commitment to our core principles of anti-racism, equity, and justice for all. We strive to work together with you to build a liberated future. We have compiled a list of mental health and wellness resources for students to access. We hope everyone is taking care of themselves. EmPOWER Center: (909) 607-2689 / Website Monsour Phone #: (909) 621-8202 / Crisis Line: (909) 621-8202 Dial "1" Campus Health Phone #: (909) 621-8222 / After Hours Emergency Line: (909) 607-2000 The Chaplains Phone # : 909-621-8685 / Email: chaplains@claremont.edu Primary Contact Deans: General Support: Adriana di Bartolo, PhD A-E: Simone Hicks, PhD F-K: Marissiko Wheaton L-N & Post-Bac Students: Danny Hernandez O-S: Brenda Ice T-Z & International Students: Deborah Gisvold We recognize the variety of perspectives and past experiences with regards to the Israeli government's occupation and encourage folks to engage with this issue on their own to learn more. With this aim, we have compiled some educational resources. Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis Let Them Drown by Naomi Klein Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Beinin and Hajjar Gaza Fights for Freedom - Free Documentary on Youtube Palestine 101 - Institute for Middle East Understanding Primer Quick Facts: Israeli Annexation of Occupied Land & International Law- IMEU Visualizing Palestine 101 - Online Website Here are actions everyone can take. Sign the Petition Calling on Pomona's Administration to Stand With Palestine Donate to Provide Nutritious Meals for Children in Gaza Support Palestinians by attending protests across the US As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us. Sincerely, SAS Board 2021-2022 To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Attacks against Jews in the U.S. have surged in the past year, especially in the past few weeks as Israel had the gall to some to vigorously defended itself against Arab attacks. But you could be forgiven for not being aware of these vicious incidents because except for a few outlets, most so-called main(lame)stream media have ignored them or minimized them at best, blaming Israel and its Jewish defenders for striking back at worst. And sadly but not surprisingly Joe Biden is silent against this form of hate, perhaps fearful of upsetting his bigoted woke fellow (oh, excuse me for the misogynist term as this also includes female) Democrats. In Skokie, Illinois, a Chicago suburb home to a substantial number of Jews, a grassroots coalition of several mostly Orthodox (more traditional) Jewish groups hastily organized a Communities Coming Together against Anti-Semitism rally yesterday after someone earlier in the week broke a synagogue window, leaving a "Freedom for Palestine" (sic!) sign nearby. Skokie, where, 44 years earlier, in a pre-woke, pre-cancel culture, some American Nazis received court permission to hold an anti-Jewish march through the suburb thanks to the free speech argument of the ACLU's many Jewish attorneys. Interestingly, yesterday's rally did not feature the usual array of social (in)justice organizations' leaders virtual-signaling their tolerance for all by decrying others not as woke. It was a positive event with short, to-the-point addresses by several local rabbis, two local government representatives, the local executive director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and the black Christian president of the area's Jewish law organization. Providing diversity and against hate from minorities not usually heard from, the president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and a representative of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council offered their perspective and support. Attendees waving the red, white, and blue American flag; the blue and white Israeli flag; and the red, white, and green Italian flag added a nice touch of color on a cloudy day. Skokie, Illinois like much of America is still a place where communities can come together against hate. Image: David Wilson. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Well, this isn't going to help the corporate media narrative that "insurrectionists" inspired by President Trump's rhetoric tried to overthrow democracy at the Capitol. Yesterday on ABC's This Week, George Will said, "I would like to see January 6th as burned into the American mind as firmly as 9/11," and I don't think he meant as an example of agents provocateur creating false flag incidents to discredit their political rivals. But thanks to a court filing that has escaped corporate media notice, we now know that the Justice Department has seized over $60,000 from the bank accounts of John Earle Sullivan, who sold video he took of activities that day, including of the murder of Ashli Babbitt, under the theory that it was the fruit of a criminal act. Tooele County Sheriff via the Washington Times. Rowan Scarborough reports for the Washington Times: Assistant U.S. Attorney Candice C. Wong said that Mr. Sullivan received $90,875 for rights to his widely posted self-narrated video. (snip) It included the stark scene of Ashli Babbitt being fatally shot by an unidentified Capitol Police officer as protesters tried to smash their way into the House Speaker's Lobby. Of that sum, the government has seized $62,813, the court filing said. The seizure was authorized by two sealed warrants signed in April by a judge magistrate. Mr. Sullivan, a Utah resident active on social media under the name "Jayden X" as a Black Lives Matter supporter and leader of Insurgence USA, bragged afterward that filming the Babbitt killing would earn him "millions of dollars" in video rights. Mr. Sullivan, 26, is the lone left-wing activist identified to date amid a sea of some 800 Trump supporters who invaded after President Trump delivered his "Stop the Steal" rally speech. Protesters were trying to stop a joint session of Congress from certifying President Biden's electoral college win. Mr. Sullivan has a history of attending BLM demonstrations and encouraging violence. In Provo, Utah, police charged him with threatening a woman driver and damaging her car during a June 29 George Floyd protest. He came to Washington in August and at a BLM rally urged protesters to drag Mr. Trump out of the White House, according to court filings. While the names of the media outlets that paid Sullivan are redacted from Ms. Wong's court filing, as the Western Journal notes: However, in a February court hearing, Sullivan's lawyers submitted invoices showing CNN and NBC each paid him $35,000 for the rights to his footage. NEW: John Sullivan, charged for his participation in the Jan. 6 riots, was paid $35,000 apiece from CNN and NBC for his footage inside the Capitol. More on his detention hearing from @joshgerstein https://t.co/m46NgKVzKA Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 17, 2021 While Sullivan was charged with new crimes last week, unlike the many alleged rioters held in solitary confinement, he is out on bail: On Wednesday, the Justice Department filed a new eight-count indictment against Mr. Sullivan with two new charges. They include that he lied to the FBI when he denied he carried any weapon inside the Capitol when in fact he had a knife. Mr. Sullivan is free pending trial but his social media activities are restricted. It is quite interesting that Assistant U.S. Attorney Wong is pursuing this case. Maybe it has something to do with her having served as clerk for then-judge Kavanaugh and Justice Alito and also as chief of staff and co-counselor to the assistant attorney general during to Trump administration. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. National policymakers and blue state government entities have wholeheartedly embraced the concept of equity. It goes hand-in-hand with the assumption that systemic racism is a de facto structural pillar of US society. Too bad both are such bad constructs. Together, as Tucker Carlson pointed out Friday night, they equal racism, even when gussied-up, as one letter-writer in a local paper glowing described it asa system of interlocking and compounding disadvantages and disinvestments, citing everything from banking to housing, education, health care, nutrition, business opportunities, the justice system, and criminal law as being guilty of systemically keeping minorities down." No matter how intelligent the words used to describe this concept sound, it falls apart upon examination. The trap is that people dont think things through, and the folks pushing this mental hogwash are hoping we peons strive to be woke and embody that wokeness by staying willfully ignorant. That way, nobody notices all the flaws. Equity is such a similar word to equality, which makes the less-than-subtle difference simpler to gloss over. Equity means that everyone gets to have the same outcome, whether they work for it or not, whereas equality, one of the foundational principles upon which weve built this great nation, means that all people, regardless of their origin, have an equal chance at becoming their best self. As a reminder of the difference, I refer to our esteemed VPs cartoon campaign video, narrated calmly and clearly: The reason Democrats need CRT and the absurd New York Times-endorsed 1619 Project to bolster their equity argument is that history and simple logic undermine their supposed truth. This nation was not founded to make a safe place for slavery. It was founded to create an opportunity for religious freedom, freedom from tyranny by a distant king, and freedom from being taxed to support people who dont work and pay taxes here. Do these things I just mentioned ring any bells? Have we, in fact, lost religious freedom when people are prohibited from gathering to worship as they see fit? Are we free from tyranny? Our tyranny comes, not from a king, but from the State. A State that has, over the last year and a half, embedded itself in the role of a possessed helicopter parent. This, of course, for our own good. Are we being taxed to support others who dont pay into our system? Um, yeah. Look at one current example, the billions being spent to house illegal alien children in horrid conditions, school them poorly, and monitor their health haphazardly, with no game plan in sight for changing the continued influx or finding homes for the overwhelming number of orphans foisted upon. As I wrote last week, this could change if the woke in power wake up to the fact that the demographics are changing. Theres a limit to how much of the citizenry we can strip from small central American countries. After all, they need to keep some kids to grow up and reproduce at home, too. Now we have Venezuela, Cuba, and Argentina factoring prominently in the influx. These folks are no friends of communism or even socialism. They certainly arent woke. There are numerous examples on the flip side of the coin, too. There are examples of people of all different colors excelling because they had the force of will to do so. One of my favorites, the venerable Thomas Sowell, writes eloquently of his beginnings in the ghetto, with a determined single mom. She had multiple children to raise, and no skills beyond house cleaning. He led a difficult life, overcame youthful rebellion and adversity, and has excelled as one of the nations most eloquent economists. He is but one example of the many. You already know lots more examples in your own life, some of whom you count as your friends. The United States of America is not an inherently racist society. We are a society respectful of human integrity. We are, conversely, a nation that does not suffer fools gladly. Whether theyre government employees liars or lazy, entitled, arrogant, self-righteous scammers of any race. Looking forward, there are encouraging signs nationally and locally. Our liberal-run town paper, which never acknowledged the submission of my article on CRT in California schools, just ran an opinion piece by a parent (of Asian descent) objecting to it. Parents who examine the lesson plans being taught are increasingly horrified. There is no doubt that stopping this before our school kids are indoctrinated is crucial to our future. I keep seeing cracks in the foundation the leftists have built. They did it in haste and, of course, in their arrogance cut so many corners that the construction keeps threatening to fall, of its own weight. Call it the parable of unsafe bridge construction in China! IMAGE: Equity and equality exposed. Internet meme. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the county tests water at 80 sites to ensure it is within EPA safety standards for bacteria like those found in human waste or other forms that can be harmful if swallowed, get in the eye or come in contact with an open wound. The White House leaders' and many members of Congress's proposed national measures to influence local policing are a danger to our public safety and public health. Local control of the safety and health of the people is a founding principle in the formation of our nation's government. The Founders had the wisdom to understand that those closest to the people are in the best position to protect the safety and health of the people, and they are more invested in their welfare. An important section of the Constitution health and welfare gives strong authority to the states to protect, preserve, and promote the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of their people often referred to as the police powers. The Constitution does not mention health care per se, but the document is clear about giving local government the power to protect the people's health and safety. The programs and services stemming from such power benefit all people. Policing and public health are what we call population-based services i.e., given to all regardless of the people's ability to pay, professed need, or feelings, and in some cases given in spite of the people's objection. Even free riders get police protection and public health services, without favoritism or bias. Much of the policing in a local community to provide public safety has concurrent benefits to public health. Local authorities naturally understand how to protect their communities and enforce laws. A Barney Fife portrayal of local policing may make for good TV comedy, but it is not the reality. Local police are alert, watchful, and skilled and the first of the first responders to any incident in a community from the caring rescue of a family cat stuck in a tree to combatting an active shooter in a school. Local police are acutely aware of the people, places, and problems of a community well above a state or national entity. Thus, they know how to prevent or mitigate what ails their communities. The Founders understood the appropriate balance of power between federal and state (and local) government entities. Those expressed powers for the national government have served us well for these last few centuries. The national government taking on more power to control how law enforcement protects our person, our property, and our welfare is bad policy. The Founders gave much thought to how much power our national government should be given; they explained that accumulation of too much power "in the same hands ... [is] the very definition of tyranny." Local public health and safety services are consummate examples of the benefits of federalism. Washington's political actors and bureaucrats currently show no competency to calibrate good policing. Many have abrogated their major responsibility to protect our borders, thus causing a humanitarian crisis by under-policing. Conversely, they are over-policing by erecting a seven-foot fence around the Capitol and calling the National Guard, given that a throng of unarmed knuckleheads stormed their workplace for a brief time. Compare this response with months of verbal and physical assaults endured by local police who were given slight physical protection, peculiar orders to "stand down," and no moral or public support during violent riots all to appease a Beltway political party agenda This combination of national government control and social tyranny by some groups is not the route to police reform. These two mindsets are a paradox. The former believe they can play the role of the Leviathan once they break the backs of Americans' penchant for freedom and liberty. The latter have a warped understanding of human nature, resting on Rousseauian ideals that no rule and order is needed to organize a society. The Founders recognized the shortcomings of both of these political ideologies shortcomings that even a sophomore in high school working through a summer reading list comes to know: while we aspire for all to be good, there is plenty of the bad and the ugly to take away our property and assault our person. The Lockean social contract is not perfect but is still the best political system we have. Local patrol is still the best system to preserve and protect our civil society. Washington policymakers should move on from thinking their parchment fixes will make us safer and that they can design effective public health measures. Those closest to the people are in the best position to protect the safety and health of their citizens. Stephen F. Gambescia is professor of health services administration at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Image: Lars Di Scenza via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped). To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-561-7737 Now that tax season has come and gone, and those big fat refund checks are promptl This page contains all of The Anchorage Press coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak, and the illness it causes, called COVID-19. Because this outbreak impacts public health, our coverage of the coronavirus is available to all readers. Our journalists are working hard to bring you the verified information below. Please consider supporting important local journalism with a subscription. (Click Here) Are you an Anchorage resident whos been affected by the illness? Send us an email: matt.hickman@anchoragepress.com. Show us the money, redux: Alaskans respond to the chance to balance the budget Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* (ANSA) - ROME, MAY 24 - Five families have been devastated by Sunday's cable-car disaster in Piedmont, which claimed 14 lives, including those of two children. The only survivor, a five-year-old boy, is fighting for his life in hospital. Three of the five families were resident in Lombardy, including one of Israeli origin, one was from Emilia Romagna and one from Calabria . The victims of Israeli origin were a married couple and their two-year-old child, who died along with an elderly couple, the woman's grandparents. Their five-year-old son is the survivor. The boy's aunt said Monday that she found out about the disaster when she started receiving Whatsapp messages containing condolences and, at first, she did not understand why. A five-year-old Italian child also died. A probe into culpable homicide has been opened. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Enrico Giovannini, Civil Protection Chief Fabrizio Curcio, Piedmont Governor Alberto Cirio and Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino are holding a meeting on the disaster on Monday. The cable car connects the Lake Maggiore resort of Stresa to the summit of the Mottarone Mountain at some 1,500 metres above sea level. It seems that one of the cables broke, causing the car, which had a maximum capacity of 35, to slide back until it hit a pylon and then plunging to the ground. Investigators will seek to establish why the cable broke and why the car's emergency brake did not work. (ANSA). At approximately 2:04 p.m., Northwest District officers were dispatched to the 4900 block of Liberty Heights Ave. near the Howard Park neighborhood to investigate a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they found a 28-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds, police said. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Story and video from SWNS This is the hilarious moment a student got her arm caught in her car steering wheel and had to call the fire brigade to be freed. Solome Asfaw, 19, was waiting outside her halls at De Montfort University, Leicester, for best friend Chelsea Cariazo, 18, to bring her a snack when her arm became stuck in the steering wheel of her VW Polo. The law student would usually rest her arm through the bottom of the steering wheel when she wasn't driving, but hadnt realised the wheel was on full lock which meant the gap was less than half the size. When Chelsea came outside to deliver Solome her McDonalds apple pie, she realised her pal was stuck and the pair couldnt stop laughing. Solome remained stuck for over an hour - despite Chelseas efforts to free her friend with hand sanitizer and baby oil - until they finally called 999. The call handler sent a fire engine complete with four firefighters to rescue poor Solome - who they managed to free with some lubricating jelly and a bit of patience. Solome, originally from Bradford, West Yorkshire, said: I cannot tell you how embarrassing it was. Solome Asfaw, 19, was waiting outside her halls at De Montfort University, Leicester, for best friend Chelsea Cariazo, 18, to bring her a snack when her arm became stuck in the steering wheel of her VW Polo. "It was such a sticky situation and I started to panic when I realised I was properly trapped in my steering wheel. Everyone came out of halls, there were two building sites nearby and all the builders came to watch, as well as loads of people from the gym next door. I just kept my head down - but people have been messaging me ever since saying they cant believe its me. When I told my mum she laughed and said that whenever me and Chelsea are together nothing goes smoothly. Its true - theres never a dull moment." Solome and Chelsea, an architecture student from Leeds, West Yorkshire, met at college and both went on to study at De Montfort University, Leicester, where they are in their first year. Solome was outside their halls of residence in her car, resting her arms inside the steering wheel as she waited for Chelsea to come downstairs to deliver her a McDonalds apple pie - having just received an order. When Chelsea walked out of the building, Solome went to pull her arms from the wheel but realised her right arm was completely stuck - much to Chelseas amusement. I told her I had a huge problem, but she didnt believe me, she just kept laughing, Solome said. Its never serious when were together, so I couldnt help but laugh too - I couldnt believe Id managed to get myself in that situation. My arm had swollen up and was completely stuck. The only thing I can compare it to is when someone puts a lightbulb in their mouth and then cant get it out again - I kept picturing that when I was stuck and it just made me laugh even more. Thanks to the slanted shape of the steering wheel, Salomes elbow was well and truly wedged, so she asked Chelsea to go and buy some baby oil from the local shop. After covering her legs with a plastic bag, Chelsea poured the baby oil over Solomes arm, drenching her legs and the floor of her Polo - but still not helping release her from the wheel. Eventually, after over an hour, the pair decided they needed to call for help - and called 999 before being put through to the fire service. The woman laughed at us but said someone was on their way, Solome said. They arrived in a huge fire truck and the lady put some jelly all down my arm. She tried to pull but it really hurt, so she said just to wait until I felt comfortable to pull myself out - and I was finally free." Once the fire brigade had left, Chelsea and Solome returned to their halls of residence to hide. I was so embarrassed - there were so many people watching, she said. I thought it was over with that day, but Chelsea filmed it and put the video on Tiktok, and its gone crazy. I have had so many messages from friends saying they cant believe its me. An old friend who lives in Canada even messaged to say it better not be me! But it was me - I dont think Ill ever live it down. The Government must ensure a steel plant on the outskirts of Sheffield will remain open, Labour has said, after Liberty Steel announced it was looking for a buyer for a number of sites. Liberty Steel announced on Monday that it is looking for a buyer for its aerospace and steel business in Stocksbridge as part of a major restructuring in the wake of its main financial backer, Greensill Capital, in March. The company has also started a formal sale process for Coventrys Liberty Pressing Solutions, and Liberty Aluminium Technologies, which has sites in Essex and Kidderminster. And it will also try to sell its manufacturing facilities in Brinsworth, South Yorkshire, and in West Bromwich. Between them all, the plants for sale employ around 1,500 people. But Labour said the Government should step in, and that public ownership of the company should still be considered. Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said: Its absolutely vital the Government and Liberty secure legal assurances that the Stocksbridge plant, which is a British asset supplying our aerospace and defence industries and providing good jobs, will remain open and the workforce will be protected. Crucially we also need assurances about all of Libertys other plants. The Government must show it has a plan B to protect the long-term future of our steel industry, including at Liberty and public ownership must remain an option on the table. Labour metro mayor for the Sheffield City Region Dan Jarvis added that the Government should be prepared to help provide finance to bridge any transition period until a new buyer is found. He said: British steel has a bright future as a zero-carbon, high quality, internationally competitive product. It would be a travesty for South Yorkshire and for the whole country if that potential was lost through lack of action. It comes as part of a major restructuring following the collapse of Greensill Capital in March this year. When the financing company went into administration, its lawyers revealed that it had around five billion dollars (3.5 billion) of exposure to Libertys parent company GFG Alliance. It sparked worries about Libertys future, and that of its 5,000 UK staff. Stocksbridge - 762 employees Brinsworth - 101 employees Performance Steels West Bromwich - 167 employees Aluminium Technologies (Coventry) - 129 employees Aluminium Technologies (Kidderminster) - 55 employees Aluminium Technologies (Witham) - 66 employees Liberty Pressing Solutions (Coventry) - 225 employees Liberty said on Monday that it could protect thousands of jobs by restructuring the business. The aerospace and special alloys steel business in Stocksbridge is a unique, high-quality business servicing marquee customers in aerospace, auto and other highly engineered applications, the business said. However it is not a core part of Libertys Greensteel plan to create more environmentally-friendly steel. By selling, Liberty hopes it can focus on scaling up its plant in Rotherham to make two million tonnes of green steel. The plant will make use of some of the millions of tonnes of steel scrap currently exported by the UK to make more of the quality steel needed in the UK, which is currently being imported, Liberty said. The announcement follows a weekend of meetings in Dubai between GFG founder Sanjeev Gupta, once hailed as the hope of UK steel, and Swiss bank Credit Suisse. The two sides have reached a so-called standstill agreement over Liberty Primary Metals Australia. A spokesperson for the National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee said: Stocksbridge and its downstream plants are strategically important businesses vital to our countrys defence, energy and aerospace sectors. The future for these businesses must be secured and the trade unions will hold Sanjeev Gupta to his promise that none of our steel plants will close on his watch. Liberty must act as a responsible seller and run a transparent sales process which fully engages the trade unions. We will expect to meet any potential buyer to scrutinise their plans and test their commitment to the workforce and our industry. A Government spokesperson said: The Government is closely monitoring developments around Liberty Steel and continues to engage closely with the company, the broader UK steel industry and trade unions. As always, we stand ready to support their dedicated employees and their families affected by any developments. We have provided extensive support to the steel sector to help with the costs of electricity and are working with them to support their low carbon transition. Our unprecedented package of Covid support is still available to protect jobs and support producers during this challenging time. The China-U.S. confrontation has not only slowed down the world's economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic but also destroyed the regional security environment, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said at a recent forum, suggesting that the world's economy and stability will benefit tremendously from China-U.S. cooperation or benign competition. The Belt and Road Forum for International Financial Cooperation was held in northwest China's Xi'an City last week, aiming at building a global platform for financial cooperation and innovative development of the Belt and Road countries. The forum attracted more than 200 global political and business elites from countries including China, the U.S., Russia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the United Arab Emirates, discussing issues like Belt and Road financial cooperation, the impact of COVID-19 on the global economy, combating climate change, as well as current China-U.S. relations. On that issue, Hatoyama said in a keynote speech via video: "The U.S. government is keen to interpret the confrontation between China and the U.S. as the opposition of values. However, the origin lies in the Thucydides Trap, which means the suspicion and disputes arising from the gradually narrowed gap in national strength between the emerging power and the existing power." In addition, he said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, is proof that China has made great achievements in improving its soft power. If the initiative can facilitate the economic development of countries along the Belt and Road with win-win results, and help alleviate poverty in developing countries in a steady manner, discussions on matters such as China Threat Theory will disappear in a flash, Hatoyama said. "Although the Japanese government and enterprises haven't declared their stands on BRI, I personally hope that Japan could actively participate in it and contribute to its comprehensive success together with China," he added. Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, delivers a keynote speech via video at the Belt and Road Forum for International Financial Cooperation, May 12, 2021. /CGTN Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, hailed the Eurasian rail revolution, which he said was the first achievement of the BRI in central Asia and Europe. In March 2011, the first freight train departed from southwest China's Chongqing to Duisburg in Germany, and in Otorbaev's opinion, it marked the start of the real era of Eurasian rail revolution. He noted that as a new way of transport, it's much cheaper than air delivery, and much faster than sea travel. Now, the freight train service from China has reached 92 cities in 21 European countries. The former prime minister added that "If trains from China move to central Asia, into Uzbekistan's railway service, they can reach Pakistan and India, and then the Indian Ocean. Similarly, if the trains can reach Afghanistan and Georgia, they can get to the Black Sea, and through Iran and Turkey, to the Mediterranean and beyond to Europe." For China's hinterland places without direct access to the sea it's now much easier and faster to transport goods by rail to European markets. "Central Asians see enormous potential in such development, and they're looking forward to this development," Otorbaev said. Feng Xingke, secretary-general of the World Financial Forum and director of the Center for BRICS and Global Governance, said the battle between mankind and the COVID-19 pandemic is still in a stalemate, and the pressure on the environment and climate is increasingly severe. "Challenges as such are not only wreaking havoc on the global economy, but also threatening the survival of mankind, which urgently requires the international community to work more closely in unity and cooperation to find solutions," he added. Last September, Chinese President Xi pledged that China would strive to achieve peak carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. For Feng, this is a major strategic decision made by China based on its responsibility to build a community with a shared future for mankind and the inherent requirement of sustainable development. He added that China's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality from peak carbon emissions is much shorter than that of developed countries, which requires painstaking efforts. With more countries announcing their carbon emissions peak and carbon neutral targets, the world is entering a new era of green development, and green finance will become the top priority of Belt and Road financial cooperation, Feng said. (CGTN) After our 2nd year of being in business, it did not take long to figure out that people absolutely love talking about health insurance! Kidding of course. However, for as much as people do not WANT to talk about it, the truth is that you MUST talk about it. Why? Read more Yes, it's the only way to get anything done Yes, the filibuster is outdated No, Senate tradition should not be thrown out No, we need bipartisanship I don't know Vote View Results Have any questions? Please give us a call at 541-889-5387 Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Cyclone Yaas is feared to strike the Odisha and West Bengal coasts in a very severe shape, as deadly as last years Amphan Cyclone Yaas, which is gathering strength in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to cross the north Odisha-West Bengal coast between Odishas Paradip and Sagar Island in West Bengal by May 26. (Photo: India Meteorological Department) Kolkata/Bhubaneswar: As Cyclone Yaas is feared to strike the Odisha and West Bengal coasts in a very severe shape, as deadly as last years Amphan, at a maximum wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph on May 26 evening, the Indian Air Force has assigned nearly a dozen transport aircraft and more than two dozen helicopters from its fleet for large-scale humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in the two eastern states. Cyclone Yaas, which is gathering strength in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to cross the north Odisha-West Bengal coast between Odishas Paradip and Sagar Island in West Bengal by May 26 (Wednesday) evening as a very severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department forecast on Sunday. Satellite imageries and ocean buoy observations indicate that Saturdays low pressure area which became well-marked over the east-central Bay of Bengal in the same evening has concentrated into a depression. It is now concentrated over the same east-central Bay of Bengal about 560 km north-northwest of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 590 km east-southeast of Paradip, 690 km south-southeast of Balasore and 670 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal). It is very likely to move north northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 24 morning, the IMD said in its afternoon bulletin on Sunday. The bulletin added that the cyclonic storm will further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours. And then it would continue to move north northwestwards, intensify further and reach northwest Bay of Bengal near West Bengal and north Odisha coasts by May 26 morning. During landfall, the cyclone will be accompanied by squally winds with a velocity of 120 kmph to 165 kmph, gusting up to 185 kmph. It implies that Yaas will cause no less damage than Amphan, which had hit the Odisha and West Bengal coasts on May 2, 2020, with a wind speed of 155-165 kmph and gusting up to 185 kmph. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in parts of seven West Bengal districts, including Kolkata, and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in five districts on May 26 due to the cyclone. The Indian Air Force said it has kept one C-17 Globemaster, one IL-76, three C-130J Super Hercules, four Antonov-32s and two Dornier transport aircraft on readiness. Additionally, 11 Mi-17V5 helicopters, two Chetaks and three Cheetah helicopters, two Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters and seven Mi17 helicopters are also on alert for any eventuality, it said. During the day, the IAF airlifted 21 tons of disaster relief equipment and 334 National Disaster Response Force personnel from Patna and Varanasi to Kolkata, and from Arakkonam to Port Blair, utilising five C-130J aircraft. This is in preparation for the approaching Cyclone Yaas, and the operations are ongoing since May 21. Till date, the IAF has airlifted 606 personnel and 57 tons of NDRF material for this purpose, it added. In view of the weather forecast, the Mamata Banerjee government has relaxed its lockdown norms in some sectors for the protection of stock and other measures. It said: All activities relating to agricultural, horticulture and floriculture, including transport, storage and sale of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and agri-machines/equipment shall be allowed. Rural development work, including emergency flood control and pre-monsoon essential work, shall be allowed. The Odisha government on Sunday dispatched 18 NDRF teams to the coastal districts that are most likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm. Special relief commissioner P.K. Jena said seven NDRF teams were sent to Balasore district, four to Bhadrak, three to Kendrapara, two to Jajpur and one each to Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj districts. Mr Jena himself went to the coastal districts to oversee cyclone preparedness by the local administration. Due to the cyclonic effect, north coastal districts of Odisha are likely to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. The districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Mayurbhanj will be most affected. Similarly, the districts like Jajpur, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurdha and Puri district will most probably receive heavy rainfall during the period, IMD director-general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Sunday. As the low pressure turns into a depression and takes the shape of a very severe cyclonic storm, the Indian Navy has geared up to assist the state administrations in Odisha and West Bengal. Eight flood relief teams and four diving teams have been deployed in both states to augment existing resources. Four naval ships are on standby with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief bricks, diving, and medical teams to render assistance. Naval aircraft have also been kept ready at Naval Air Stations INS Dega at Visakhapatnam and INS Rajali near Chennai to undertake aerial surveys of the affected areas, casualty evacuation, and airdrop of relief materials as required. Mamata accused the Center of allocating a lesser amount of money to West Bengal than the other states facing the threat of cyclone Yaas Storm like weather conditions near Howrah Bridge due to formation of Cyclone Yaas in the Bay of Bengal, in Howrah, Monday, May 24, 2021. (PTI Photo) Kolkata/New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Central government of repeatedly depriving West Bengal by allocating a lesser amount of money to her state than the others facing the threat of the Very Severe Cyclone Yaas. The cyclone is expected to make its landfall in the afternoon instead of the evening of May 26 near Balasore in Odisha. Amit Shah babu held a meeting in the morning and assured us of helping with advance funds which are, however, payable to the states from their share. This is not extra. Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are getting more than ?600 crore, while it is only around ?400 crore for Bengal. I pointed out to Mr Shah that Bengal is a bigger state than Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, she said. Mr Shah chaired a meeting on Monday morning held through video conferencing to review the preparedness for Cyclone Yaas. Apart from Ms Banerjee, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, and Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar, D.K. Joshi, have attended the meeting. Mr Shah came up with some key suggestions at the meeting and in particular stressed the need to ensure electricity backup in hospitals with ICUs for uninterrupted ventilator function and oxygen supply for the treatment of Covid patients. In its bulletin at 4.30 pm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that Cyclone Yaas is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next 12 hours and into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in the subsequent 24 hours. It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by 26th May early morning. It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around Balasore, during noon of 26th May as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. According to the weather departments forecast, Yaas is likely to clock its maximum wind speed at 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph from 11.30 am on Tuesday for the next 24 hours. Its maximum wind speed will however drop to 105-115 kmph gusting to 125 kmph 11.30 am onwards covering the landfall till late evening on May 26. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. None of these women would have given the defendant money if she had known that he was not who he claimed to be, did not intend to pursue a romantic relationship with her, would not spend the money on the expenses for which she had sent it, and could not and did not intend to repay her as claimed, the court filing says. You are the owner of this article. AWD EV kWh BEV A compact utility vehicle based on the all-new Electric Global Modular Platform that Kia utilizes in the EV6 , the Ioniq 5 targets a range of 300 miles (483 kilometers) for the single-motor drivetrain, 269 miles (433 kilometers) for the dual-motor drivetrain, and 244 miles (393 kilometers) for the range-topping Limited. Every single option has a top speed of 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers per hour) and tows 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms).Tesla, which is the company to beat in theworld, fares a little better in both respects. The Model Y Long Range is EPA-rated at 326 miles (525 kilometers) while the Class II tow hitch is capable of towing up to 3,500 pounds (1,588 kilograms) at the expense of driving range. Still, on the other hand, $51,990 for the entry-level spec is a bit on the expensive side of EVs.Hyundai still hasnt confirmed the asking price of the all-new Ioniq 5, which offers the longest wheelbase in the automakers U.S. lineup at 118.1 inches compared to 113.8 inches for the Model Y Long Range. Based on the South Korean automakers pricing strategy in comparison to Honda and Toyota, its pretty obvious that the single-motor variant with the highest range estimate will undercut the e-crossover that Tesla manufactures in Fremont.U.S. models feature a 77.4-battery regardless of drivetrain option, and the output figures for the base model are 225 horsepower plus 258 pound-feet (350 Nm) of torque. At the other end of the spectrum, the Limited AWD is much obliged to produce 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet (605 Nm).The zero-emissions vehicle states will initially receive the Ioniq 5 , along with Texas, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. A broader rollout will bring the jacked-up hatchback to a wider audience next year, and Hyundai is looking into a subscription service for Ioniq 5 customers as a means to make EV ownership more compelling in the future.On that note, what can American motorists expect from Hyundai after this fellow here? Thelineup has two more nameplates in the offing, according to the South Korean automaker, starting with a mid-size sedan named Ioniq 6. After that, the Ioniq 7 large utility vehicle will join the lineup. According to Florida Today , the company announced on Friday, 21st May, that it has struggled to finance the development of its AS2 supersonic aircraft. The sudden decision comes just two months after the company unveiled its As3 concept, a 50-commercial airliner capable of reaching Mach 4. Its plans didn't stop there as last month it was boasting about its new flight service called Aerion Connect, which was claiming to provide "a seamless point-to-point travel experience."Aerion's main focus was its AS2 supersonic jet which has been under development for more than 10 years. The 12-passenger aircraft was meant to cruise at a top speed of Mach 1.4 (1000mph) without the sonic booms. After extensive wind tunnel testing, AS2 summed up to 78,000 nautical miles flown during low and high-speed studies and gathered more than 200,000 in-flight data points. Initial plans were stating that the production would start in 2023, with the final goal to reach the market in 2026.Back in March, Aerion's CEO Tom Vice was announcing that another fractional ownership company, NetJets , had acquired purchase rights for 20 AS2s, bringing Aerion's order backlog value to over $10 billion. Each AS2 was estimated to cost about $120 million.At a USB conference, Vice stated that Aerion's development costs would be around $4 billion, with $1 billion spent on the engine. In addition, the company was also in the process of building a $300 million global headquarters in Melbourne, Florida. Aerion was also backed by partners such as Boeing and GE Aviation and had multiple collaborations as well.While the AS2 met "all market, technical, regulatory and sustainability requirements and the market for a new supersonic segment of general aviation has been validated," it still failed to raise enough capital. What youre looking at are four airplanes, two American and two French, conducting a joint exercise over France. The American planes are F-35A Lightning IIs from the Hill Air Force Base in Utah, while the French ones are Dassault Rafales deployed with the Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base.The meeting happened as airmen from both countries were exercising fourth and fifth-generation integration, combat readiness and fighting capabilities as part of the Atlantic Trident 21 exercise that sees the U.S., France, and the United Kingdom trying to coordinate their maneuvers in a contested environment.This amazing photo was shot on May 18 for the U.S. Air Force by Staff Sgt. Alexander Cook, but sadly we are not informed on how exactly he did that. It shows the Rafales on the right side of the photo, breaking off in different directions, and the F-35s to the left, doing the same.We reckon the F-35 needs little introduction, but not the same can be said about the Rafale. Born in 2001, its a few years older than the American machine and comes as a multirole fighter with a delta wing configuration. The aircraft can reach Mach 1.8 and has a combat range of 1,850 km (1,150 miles).It is armed with autocannons and comes 14 hardpoints on which external fuel, bombs, and missiles (including nuclear) can be mounted.A little over 200 of them are currently in service with the French Air Force, but some will soon be deployed by other nations, probably starting with Greece. AMG ECU Brabus is probably one of the first names that come to mind when thinking about Germanys topmost aftermarket enterprises. This reputed firm prides itself with more than four decades of experience in the automotive industry, throughout which it has amassed countless Mercedes-based exploits thatll raise your pulse and blow your mind.With projects like Rocket 900 or B45 , its no wonder these auto experts earned their rightful place at the very pinnacle of Europes tuning hierarchy. Honestly, I find their modified Mercs to be astonishing in the truest sense of the word, and I'm inclined to think you feel the same way. As such, let's proceed with a detailed analysis of the companys Brabus 800, a spectacular undertaking based on the 2021 Mercedes-E 63 S.Although its fairly safe to say that Brabuss kit dials everything to eleven, the mighty E 63 S is a genuine superstar straight out of the box. Stuttgarts gem is put in motion thanks to a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 powerplant, which feeds its oomph to a 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system by means of a SpeedShift MCT nine-speed automatic gearbox.At about 5,750 spins per minute, this turbocharged monster delivers 603 wicked ponies, while 627 pound-feet (850 Nm) of crushing torque is on tap between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm. Ultimately, this whole ordeal translates to a staggering 0-60 mph (0-96 kph) acceleration time of just 3.3 seconds.These figures may be quite impressive for most, but the Brabus crew still found several ways to improve upon the Three-Pointed Stars stock sedan. Starting in the powertrain department, Bottrops aftermarket specialists honored the Mercs 4.0-liter V8 with a premium selection of higher-spec goodies to unlock its true potential. The new hardware includes high-performance turbochargers with increased boost pressure and a stainless-steel exhaust system with carbon-coated tailpipes.Add a comprehensiveremap, and youll get an astronomical power bump. To be exact, the mills output figures have been dialed all the way up to 788 hp and 737 pound-feet (1,000 Nm) of twist. This additional muscle enables Daimler s E 63 S to accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100 kph) in no more than 3 hair-raising seconds, while the top speed is electronically governed at 186 mph (300 kph).As no Brabus conversion is complete without a carbon fiber body kit for improved aerodynamics, this menacing fiend flaunts an assortment of bodywork accessories developed in-house. Up front, you will spot carbon inserts around the grille and a fresh spoiler lip, which increases downforce on the front axle. These items are appropriately complemented by a tiny spoiler and one sinister diffuser at the opposite end of the car. Brabus 800 rides on a set of ten-spoke Monoblock Platinum Edition Z boots, with red pinstripes on their rims and a diameter of 21 inches on both axles. Furthermore, the ride height can be adjusted by up to 20 mm (0.8 inches) thanks to the companys top-grade suspension modules. To top it all off, the tuner went about upgrading the cabin with aluminum pedals and shift paddles, among other components.The price for this marvel starts at a whopping 254,349 ($311,350) before you even start thinking about options. Anyway, In case sedans arent your thing, their package is also available for the E 63 S Wagon. The HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth, on Saturday, after completing her training within the complex Strike Warrior 21 series of exercises, along with the other ships in the Carrier Strike Group. As she is the leader of this impressive group with an important mission, it was only natural for Her Majesty The Queen to be present at this once-in-a-lifetime event and bid her farewell.Its been an intense first half of the year for this Royal ship . After becoming operational at the beginning of the year, the 65,000-ton aircraft carrier recently completed extensive training, in order to be fully prepared for her first mission ever. No less than 20 ships, 150 aircraft and 3 submarines were part of this multinational military exercise, off the Scottish coast.Strike Warrior 21 also marked historical premieres for the Royal Navy . For the first time in 15 years, British F-35 fighter jets conducted missile firings at sea. During the exercise, they launched from HMS Queen Elizabeths deck, successfully intercepting Mirach target drones. Then, after Strike Warrior ended, UKs newest aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, met at sea for the first time.According to Royal Navy officials, HMS Queen Elizabeth is at the heart of what can be considered the most significant peacetime deployment in a generation. On this journey, she is joined by destroyers HMS Diamond and Defender, among other ships , as well as an Astute-class submarine and over 30 aircraft.This mission, which is set to unfold over the next 7 months, will cover 26,000 nautical miles and 40 nations will be visited along the way. After sailing through the Atlantic Ocean, the Group led by the Royal Navys flagship will participate in exercises in the Mediterranean, with other ships, including French carrier FS Charles De Gaulle. Then, the Group will head towards the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, where it will take part in further exercises. A manufacturing error that occurred during the engine blocks casting process is why cracks may develop on the running surface of the sixth cylinders bore, which isnt exactly what you want from a high-performance motor. Even the smallest of cracks in the bore can lead to an impaired contour of the running surface, a condition that translates to engine oil leakage and catastrophic damage to the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8.The Volkswagen Group of America further mentions that engine stalling and a loss of power may occur in these circumstances, increasing the risk of a crash. As for the supplier responsible for the substandard manufacturing process, that would be automotive parts manufacturer Nemak, a very profitable subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Alfa S.A.B. de C.V.Audi was the first Volkswagen Group brand to discover cracks on the running surface on the cylinder six bore in April 2021. Subsequent analysis revealed that certain mills are potentially affected, and out of an abundance of caution, Audis Product Safety Committee decided to recall the EA825.The eight-cylinder motor in the Porsche Cayenne GTS , Lamborghini Urus, Audi SQ8, SQ7, RS 6, RS 7, and RS Q8 will be replaced at no cost to the customer in the United States of America. What distinguishes the remedy components from the recalled components is that Nemak has finally switched to the correct casting specifications. The question on everyones lips is, did the supplier learn anything from this rather expensive bungle?Fortunately, the answer is yes. After correcting a misalignment of the automated ejector tool in November 2020, the supplier has also implemented a 100-percent endoscopic bore scope check at the beginning of the year. Jazmiah Zyri Nelson was shot in the upper body and died at a Baltimore hospital several hours after the shooting near townhomes in La Plata, the Charles County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. kWh The vehicle you see before you is known as the Zero-One prototype, and it hails from upcoming mobility star Naon. This young team of designers and brand managers with major OEM backgrounds promises to bring about the next two-wheeled mobility solution using high-quality and long-lasting materials.Looking at the Zero, the first palpable vehicle from the team, you can quickly see the attention offered to design and aesthetics. But to say that this vehicle is all show is a serious understatement.Two models are shown on the manufacturer's website, each with a different price tag and range, though the body design stays the same. As is the case with most e-mobility vehicles, the Zero includes a limited speed version, the L1e, and a stronger, faster sibling, the L3e.The L1e version is limited only to 45 kph (mph), as in Europe, this version requires only a standard drivers license. In this configuration with the standard 2.4battery, the scooter will be able to carry you for a maximum of 70 km (43 miles). If youre not a delivery driver for Uber Eats or anything like that, this should be more than enough for you to do your daily biddings. Because the Zero is capable of being equipped with another battery, the range can be doubled to 140 km (87 miles).One perk offered by the batteries is they're detachable. You can simply unlock the batteries and bring them with you wherever charging is available. You wont have to worry about getting your scooter up to the seventh floor. Another neat feature Naon offers its future clients is the possibility to rent batteries, in case you dont have enough cash on hand when you purchase a Zero.The L3e is, as I mentioned, much stronger and faster . This version delivers 7000-watts of power and offers a top speed of 100 kph (62 mph). But to tame this puppy, youll need a full-blown motorcycle license. With 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) of torque, youll need to know how to tame this beast.As it stands, the L1e will be coming in with a price of 4,920 ($5,993 at current exchange rates), while the L3e is pushing a bit higher with a price of 6,420 ($7,820). All in all, thats pretty much the price of an entry-level motorcycle, though this one is eco-friendly.A few features youll find aboard the Zero include the transparent windshield with UV and abrasion protection, a minimalist and capable suspension, and a sleek storage space integrated into the seat. The frame is constructed using high-end aluminum, so you know that the torque band will be as linear as possible.Currently, if you go through ordering yourself a Zero, youll be able to select what version you want, whether you want to buy or rent batteries, only to be told that the team isnt currently taking orders. So, what gives? I have no idea. The team has yet to respond to my e-mail, but the form youll be filling out states that they'll contact you when you can test-ride the Zero and purchase it.But I want one now! Why would you create a vehicle that looks good and is exactly what the streets need, and then tell me I cant have one yet. Come on Naon , you did a good job; now get the Zero out there. Dr. Khadavi purchased the property at 777 Sarbonne Road, in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, in 2013, for $16 million. He actively started construction in 2016 and, in the years that have passed since then, hes poured more than $30 million, most of which not his own money, into it. Initially designed as his personal home, the project grew into a mega-mansion worthy of the biggest, flashiest, and more pretentious A-lister: the Palazzo di Vista.Palazzo di Vista stands for the palace of views, a nickname that fits the mega-mansion like a glove. Here is a massive construction, sitting on top of a hill, offering panoramic views of mountains, cities, and the coast, from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Channel Islands. And the astounding views are among many of the luxury features this mega-mansion offers.Palazzo di Vista is actually a compound comprising the main house and a guest house. In between, it offers a total of seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, a Feng Shui Koi pond and a water wall, an infinity pool that can house parties and raves, an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) art gallery, an NFT art collection, actual physical art, and an auto gallery. Videos and photos of the listing at The Agency show the auto gallery with vehicles inside, but whether theyre offered in the asking price of $87,777,777 is not mentioned.Dr. Khadavi hoped to live here one day but, now, looking at a massive property , he has to admit that he cant afford to live here. Whoever will, though, will have to hire at least a couple of butlers and a handful of maids, he tells the WSJ in an interview earlier this year. All this art and so much glazing arent going to clean themselves.With a living surface of 21,000 square feet (1,951 square meters), the mansion stands out for extensive use of glass and reflective surfaces, marble, and bronze. The marble inside is estimated to have cost some $7 million alone, while the custom designer furniture was $1 million. And thats not even the most impressive part: throughout the manse, you get a curated art collection, including works from Andy Moses, Shane Guffogg, and Jimi Gleason.The living room includes a suspended hidden DJ platform, which comes up from the floor via a hydraulic lift at the push of a button. Inside, you have smoke machines, while jets by the pool right outside will pump water to whatever music the DJ spins.The pool is also part of the NFT art gallery , drawing inspiration from the light shows at Disneyland: a 3D laser projector casts light on a surface of about 1,650 square feet (153 square meters) above the pool. It can be synced to the music from the DJ booth or whatever guests are viewing in the indoor NFT art gallery, with several large displays and comfy seating. The gallery itself can be offered with its own NFT art collection, but you have to add another $7 million to that already eye-watering price tag.The main house also features a champagne tasting room, a private cinema , various lounge areas with indoor-outdoor space thanks to sliding walls of glass, a glass elevator, and only the most luxurious finishes. Theres also a spa, a gym, and a master bedroom with a spa-like bathroom for her and him.Guests who spend the night can sleep in the adjoining guest house, which comes with no less than three bathrooms and its own chefs kitchen, and a tequila bar. In case it still needed to be said, Palazzo di Vista is a quite shameless exercise in modern luxury, fit for a celebrity or some other multi-millionaire who wouldnt lose sleep at night over shelling $87.7 million on a house. But if they do, at least theyll have all that NFT art to keep them occupied. ATV According to an Eastern Military District statement, this years edition takes place at the Vostochny airfield, in Ulan-Ude, and it sounds like its going to be an exciting one, since a variety of weapon systems, military vehicles and technologies will be displayed, some of which for the first time.Armored vehicles have become one of the focuses of the Russian Army since the Typhoon program was launched about 10 years ago. Over the years, several models in the Typhoon family were developed and introduced as armored vehicles that are able not only to provide safe transportation for troops, but to also be equipped with various weapon systems, for different purposes.Designed to operate in the roughest climate conditions and on challenging roads, the GAZ-3344-20 Aleut all-terrain vehicle is a force to be reckoned with. Russia is known for having areas with some of the harshest geographical characteristics.In fact, this vehicle got its name from the Aleutian Islands, situated between the Bering sea and the Pacific Ocean. Most of them are part of the Alaska state, but a small group of 4 islands are known as the Komandor Islands, under Russian federal jurisdiction.What stands out the most about this fierce-lookingis its modular design. The front module has enough room for 5 people, including the driver, while the rear module can accommodate 15 people and is versatile enough to be used as a command post, a medical unit or a sleep cabin for the troops. Since it can operate in extreme weather conditions and on difficult terrain , as well as overpass water obstacles, the Aleut was destined for missions in remote geographical areas.The GAZ-3344-20 Aleut was developed in the last couple of years and it entered service with the Eastern Military District this year. Officially unveiled in April 1964 at the World's Fair in New York, the Mustang quickly became one of the Blue Ovals most successful vehicles.Built over six generations, it has been offered in an overwhelming number of trims. In addition to the equipment levels, powertrain options, or unique appearance packages, some also featured distinctive names that made them even cooler.Undoubtedly the least famous entry on this list, the Golden Nugget was a special edition sold for the 1968 model year in Seattle.All cars were hardtops, easily identifiable due to the Sunlit Gold paintwork with black vinyl tops, hood louvers, and side stripes. They also included golden plaques on the dashboard with the original owners name engraved on them.Ford the limited production run, 525 units were scheduled, but only 481 were actually produced and sold that year even though customers could have one for the same price as a standard model.That same year, a Highland Green GT fastback made its big-screen debut in the hit movie Bullitt starring Steve McQueen. It helped boost the Mustangs popularity even further, becoming one of the most popular movie cars of all time.Three other Bullitts followed in 2001, 2008, and 2019 but unlike the original, these GTs were limited-series production models sold to the public. Apart from the iconic green paint and unique appearance upgrades, each model also offered a host of performance enhancements.Though the name comes from McQueens character, detective Lieutenant Frank Bullitt, its pronounced exactly like "bullet," which is fitting for a performance-oriented Mustang.During the mid-1970s, the American automotive industry suffered due to the 1973 oil crisis. Although some manufacturers discontinued their pony cars, Ford kept the Mustang alive, building it on the economical Pinto platform.These models mark the dark age of the nameplate, especially when it comes to performance, but there was still a V8-powered limited edition that made the mundane car look and sound better. It featured front and rear spoilers, fender flares, a reverse-facing hood scoop, and a huge snake decal on the hood similar to the Phoenix on the Pontiac Trans-Am.Launched in 1978 as a farewell to the second generation , this variant was by no means the king of anything since it only made 139 hp. The name was no more than a marketing stunt Ford had also applied to the Gran Torino eight years earlier.Based on a 1968 Shelby GT500, the first Super Snake was not exactly a trim but an epic one-off that featured a slightly modified version of the 427 cu in (7.0-liter) engine used in the Le Mans-wining GT40 Mk II.The embodiment of a crazy idea, it was developed to promote both Shelbys newest model and a new line of Goodyear economy tires. A limited production run of 50 units was considered, yet the exorbitant price put an end to further development.Shelby American partnered up with Ford once again in 2008, and it has been turning regular production Mustangs and Shelbys into fire-breathing monsters to this day. The most capable of all is the modern-day Super Snake , which is even more outlandish than the standard GT500 for the 2021 model year. It comes with unique Shelby-branded interior, exterior and performance upgrades, producing no less than 825 hp of raw power.In 1969, two new models joined the vast high-performance lineup , and both got an awesome name. These limited-edition pony cars were built as homologation models to further Fords ambitions in motorsport.The 302 was developed for Trans-Am glory, while the powerful 429 was conceived to homologate a new powerplant for NASCAR use. For the 1971 model year, it was replaced by the Boss 351, but Ford subsequently dropped the badge from the lineup a year later due to poor sales.Ford revived the name during the fifth generation, and although it looked better and was more powerful than the GT, it couldnt go faster since its top speed was limited to 155 mph (249 kph). It was quite a disappointment for most Boss enthusiasts who were expecting the 444-hp version to give them ultimate bragging rights over other Mustang owners. 4WD This truck was born as a 1995 K1500, with the Z71 stickers on the side of themachine's bed meaning we can expect an off-road package, at least theoretically. Nevertheless, the Golden Bowtie machine has been converted for drag strip duties and now loves to challenge muscle cars, among others.Look north of the firewall, and you'll find a 5.3-liter LS. The SBE (stock bottom end) V8 has gained an 85mm turbo, along with a host of supporting mods. And, to put the extra muscle down, the pickup now features super-sticky Mickey Thompson rubber on all four corners.The Chevrolet recently visited the Atlanta Dragway as part of the Street Car Takeover event , where it came across a third-generation Cadillac CTS-V The Caddy is animated by a slightly down-tuned version of the C7 Corvette Z06's LT4, with the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 delivering 640 hp (that's ten less hp than what the 'Vette offers). Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic.However, the driver of the CTS-V seemed to be well aware of the said factory car "trap" and had fitted certain mods to his muscle sedan.YouTube label Drag Racing and Car Stuff, which attended the said velocity gathering and brought the adventure to us via the footage below, doesn't mention the exact hardware received by the Cadillac. Even so, we can tell this beast is no longer an 11s car, having descended into the 10s arena.The two slabs of GM delivered a tight battle that kept the audience on its toes, with this being just one of the enticing races recorded that dayhow about a Turbo GMC Sierra battling a nitrous-fed Pontiac GTO as a bonus? The National No Prep Racing Association YouTube channel has a knack for showcasing some of these racing events' greatest assets. Such as the sketchy drag strip surfaces whenever low temperatures are involved, the near misses , or even the big egos sitting behind the wheels of the monsters.In the latest video (embedded below), they even arrange a one-on-one meeting with one of the drivers involved in the Brawl In The Falls 2.0 No-Prep skirmishes that occurred earlier this month (May 8th) at the Wichita Raceway Park in Iowa Park, Texas. Thats an interesting insight and one the general audience doesnt get access to easily, just like the footage they shared previously from driver meetings On this occasion, they decided to focus on Stan Allens New Edge Ford Mustang Megatron, which is a completely new build based on a twin-turbo Pro Line Racing setup. You can check out the interview, but the most interesting aspect is the Blue Oval was at this particular drag strip for the first time ever and didnt even benefit from the prior day of testing like some of the other competitors.Instead, the Megatron build is thrown directly into the heat of a very cool battle with Chuck 55s... well, 1955 Chevrolet Tri-Five. This one is a healthy dose of old-school looks and neat modern credentials, thanks to its nitrous-fed mill from under the hood.The action kicks off at the 4:45 mark with the usual smoking-tire shenanigans. The cinematography setup gives us a lot of angles for this battle between a fairly modern New Edge Stang (with cool turbos up front and short side exhausts) and something that looks vintage but packs a huge punch, along with lots of side pipes.Better choose your favorite before the quarter-mile run kicks off because theres no time during the race itself. Instead, prepare for a very close result (theres no ET and trap speed, but the blue light gives us the Blue Oval as the winner) thats showcased from a lot of juicy angles, so we dont miss anything. As a bonus, weve also added another video focusing on the Tri-Five , just in case the old-school monster is even more to your liking. HP It happened at the weekend, during the Indy 2021 event held by Mecum Auctions . Now officially the most expensive Hemi Cuda in the world, the car in question is a 1971 example, a convertible that was produced for export. It is still available if youre on the market (and happen to be a multi-millionaire looking to round up your collection of ultimate toys).Ultimate is how this Cuda was described when news broke that it would cross the auction block: the ultimate muscle car , though not the most valuable in the world. It is, however, the most expensive Cuda; after failing to sell for $4.8 million, it is now estimated to go for anything between $5.7 million and $6.5 million, which will officially grant it that number one distinction.This example is one of the 12 Cuda Convertibles produced for that model year and one of the five meant for export. It is also one of the three equipped with factory A833 4-speed manual transmission, which it still has, and the only 1971 Cuda painted in Winchester Gray. It has rare written all over it, and its still original and still in excellent condition.Initially exported to France to its original owner, it has been in the care of the same U.S. owner for the past two decades. It returned to its home country in 1993 with the original drivetrain intact and still has the matching numbers 426/425Hemi V-8 engine and the matching numbers transmission. The odometer, which is metric, shows 98,500 km (61,200 miles).The Winchester Gray exterior is paired with a black Shaker scoop, a black top, a black bucket-seat interior, and black billboard graphics. This particular Cuda has been carefully maintained, and it shows. So its not just the ultimate Cuda and perhaps the ultimate muscle car; its also rare, desirable, final-year and incredible, Mecum would wager. Now, all it needs is for a rich car collector whos looking precisely for these attributes to make it his next collectible The Fire Scout is presently deployed by several military branches of the United States. In the case of the Navy , the drone presently in use is in MQ-8B configuration. That is a machine powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, making it capable of reaching a maximum speed of 132 mph (213 kph) and giving it a flight period of up to eight hours.But that version is getting old, and the Navy plans to replace it with a new one. MQ-8C is how the newcomer is called, and it recently just passed the initial fit check on the deck of a Navy ship, the USS Anchorage.Like the previous version, the Cs airframe is based on the commercially available Bell 407, and uses most of the avionics from the B version. The systems it uses allow it to take off and land on any aviation-capable ship, but also on unprepared areas.For the military missions at hand, it packs a new radar system and should be ready for deployment sometime this summer, according to the company making it.Last we heard anything about the MQ-8C was in February, when Northrop Grumman announced it fitted one with the sonobuoys, receivers, and processors that could make it capable of anti-submarine warfare (ASW). Back then, it was the first time a vertical takeoff drone was used to conduct a large area multistatic acoustic search.For now, the company did not say how many of the Navys helicopter drones will be replaced. To date, just a small number of MQ-8Bs are used by the U.S. military. President Biden at a press conference on Friday evening pushed back on Republican claims that the Democratic Party is anti-Israel. Why it matters: A number of Democratic lawmakers became frustrated with Biden this week for his behind-the-scenes approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the administration's sale of weapons to Israel. Some lawmakers said they thought the White House should be more publicly forceful in its efforts to de-escalate the crisis. Driving the news: Biden said at a joint press conference Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday there needed to be an immediate ceasefire. "He never broke his word with me," Biden said of Netanyahu. One day after the ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli police forcibly dispersed a protest at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, or Temple Mount, the site of last Monday's police raid that Hamas cited in launching its initial rocket attacks. Biden said he again made it clear to Netanyahu it is important to bring an end to the intercommunal violence in Jerusalem. "This has to stop," Biden stressed. What he's saying: The president added he is committed to a two-state solution, which he called the only viable fix to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel," Biden said. "Period. No shift. Not at all." He added that, "Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state there will be no peace." Of note: On Thursday the president said, "I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy." While she and her future husband, Dr. Stewart Smith, had both been students at Douglass High School, they did not meet until they had a blind date in 1958. They went to the Mardel Diner in Catonsville and had several more meetings before they went their separate ways. Katie Hobbs: This so-called audit is nothing more than a political stunt "Our voters deserve leaders who will step up for them and our democracy." Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Clear skies. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Brian Smith served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and retired as an assistant chief with the California Highway Patrol. He resides in Bakersfield. If you have a personal Cop Tale to share, please contact Smith at bmsmith778@gmail.com. Email Dan Walters of CALmatters at dan@calmatters.org. CALmatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining Californias policies and politics. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. Manzanita Is Indeed 'Banana Belt' of N. Oregon Coast - Science Behind It Published 05/20/21 at 6:55 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Manzanita, Oregon) There's a bit of a rumor, or maybe it's a legend, going around that Manzanita is the Banana Belt of the north Oregon coast. It's talked about a little by locals, and it seems to have gathered a little more steam in recent years, but it feels like maybe that old north coast saga of spooky Bandage Man: it builds up in bits and pieces until someone debunks them. (Above and below: you can see the marine layer missing Manzanita) Yet maybe there's something to this. It's certainly insisted upon by Sunset Vacation Rentals owner Amy VanDyke. When I go north to do shopping in spring/summer/fall it's foggy in Seaside, Cannon and north beaches, she said. When I go south to head home: foggy. Until I get right past Oswald West then....... aaaaahhh. sunshine and clear blue skies. Same happens south. Manzanita is tucked in enough that the fog doesn't reach us. OK, there is a lot to this, actually. It turns out there is actual science behind this and it is not a legend, according to Tyler Kranz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Portland. A couple of things going on here, Kranz said. There is definitely a meteorological reason that the Manzanita area tends to be sunnier/slightly warmer. How much warmer is it? Maybe five or ten degrees on a good day, and depending what the clouds and winds are doing north or south. In fact, over the years Oregon Coast Beach Connection has caught part of the reason on camera numerous times. From the famed Neahkahnie Overlooks, where it's practically an aerial view, you can often see the cloud line at a kind of diagonal, stretching from just beyond the western points of Neahkahnie and Cape Falcon to Rockaway Beach or maybe the Nehalem Bay. Yet it leaves a wide open, cloud-free space just offshore from Manzanita itself. That's a marine layer or marine stratus as Kranz called it. Kranz explains further. The first reason is due to the concave shape of the coastline at Manzanita (the coastline bends eastward a bit), Kranz said. In the spring and summer months, we typically have northerly winds along the coast and over the coastal waters. Marine stratus is also around most of the time, which seeps inland overnight depending on the wind direction/pressure gradient pattern. Then, the daytime brings more warmth, which keeps the marine stratus away. During the daytime, the sun will typically heat up land enough to scatter out the marine stratus and keep it hugging the coastline. In these scenarios, marine stratus that hugs' the coastline has a better chance of affecting the Cannon Beach and Rockaway area, simply because these beaches are more convex (the coastline juts out to the west a little more than Manzanita). If you're thinking, well, the area is protected by Neahkahnie Mountain that's indeed part of it, but not quite. It's more complex and certainly more interesting than that. Since the Oregon coast tends to get winds from the north, Neahkahnie not just blocks them but it changes them, and thus how dry and how much warmer Manzanita's beaches can be. The second reason would be due to the higher terrain to the north of Manzanita (Neahkahnie Mountain), Kranz said. With the typical northerly winds, air will flow up and over Neahkahnie Mountain and produce clouds. Once the air flows down the south side of the mountain, it dries out and warms up a little as it sinks down the mountain (due to compressional warming). As a result, skies will be sunnier and temperatures will be slightly warmer (from both the sunshine and the compressional warming of the air). Another fun n funky fact about this part of the north Oregon coast is how drastically temperatures can shift in the Nehalem Bay, just by wandering maybe even a mile inland from Manzanita. It's maybe a foggy day in Manzanita or perhaps one of those summer days where the beach is a lot cooler, but there's a heatwave inland. Get just a ways into Nehalem and temps can jump ten to 30 degrees quickly. By the time you're in the hamlet of Wheeler where you can see Neahakhnie Mountain and hints of the ocean you may be right back in heatwave territory. There's an interesting weather science behind that, Kranz said. When it comes to weather conditions changes very quickly while going farther inland, that is typically explained by the sea breeze boundary, he said. A sea breeze usually kicks in by late morning along the coast, especially if conditions are sunny and calm to start. This will significantly cool down coastal locations, and the temperature will rise VERY quickly as soon as you go east of the sea breeze circulation. The strength of the sea breeze circulation determines how far inland it will push. From the visual proof to this knowledgeable weatherman, to the locals touting Banana Belt with a bit of a smirk: you can take this one to the bank. Manzanita can be a bit warmer and sunnier than the rest of the north Oregon coast around it. MORE PHOTOS BELOW Hotels in Manzanita, Wheeler - Where to eat - Manzanita, Wheeler Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Memorial Weekend Travel Advice for Oregon Coast: 2021 is a Different One Published 05/23/21 at 5:45 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Oregon Coast) This year's Memorial Day Weekend is a different one, to be sure, even though there's lots of lights at the end of this COVID tunnel. Oregon Coast Beach Connection has gathered a wide range of travel advice for the weekend from tourism managers across the beach towns. Lodging: Make your hotel reservations now if you haven't already. Availability is already gone at most places. Waiting until the last minute or trying to pop in while you're on the coast is not going to work, especially the latter. The coast is notorious for jacking prices way up on the Memorial Day holiday weekend itself, so attempting to get a room as a walk-in that weekend could cost you three times or more as much. See the Oregon Coast Hotels page for possible openings Traffic. Pretend like you're going to get a ticket no matter what you do to hide your speeding on the highways. That's because you likely will. Traffic enforcement is stepped up to a massive degree on the holiday weekend. Make sure you have your seatbelt on as well. There is a national Click It or Ticket campaign over the weekend. Among those touting their participation is the Coos Bay area. The number one bit of advice all tourism agencies had on the Oregon coast is be nice and be patient with shop and restaurant owners this Memorial Day weekend. Almost everyone is short-staffed right now, so lines will be longer and you'll encounter more glitches in service. Mostly, however, they all say to be understanding about who is asking you to stay masked up and follow local community guidelines. These are not normal times, and coastal businesses are feeling the heat in this way as well. As Oregon Coast Beach Connection spoke to those running the tourism show in Astoria, Seaside, Tillamook County, Florence and Coos Bay, the number one thing each visitor center spokesman talked about is be patient. As Bettina Hannigan, president of the Florence Visitors Center put it: It's a confusing time, to be sure. The CDC is not an enforcement entity. Enforcement is being left to states, counties, communities, and even on the backs of store and restaurant owners. No proprietor should be put in that position. We ask all visitors to Florence to be nice, have a spirit of compassion and cooperation, hold your combative tongue if you have one, and appreciate the hard work of all those who want to greet and serve you. Tillamook County is one of those with harassment issues, and Visit Tillamook Coast executive director Nan Devlin is concerned. Businesses across the coastline had to deal with a veritable horror show of visitor misbehavior last summer, and there are still frayed nerves. Hospitality businesses are short-staffed, staff is stressed from those few people being rude, even threatening, about not wearing a mask, she said. Regina Wilkie, with the Astoria chamber and visitors center, offered numerous bits of advice for the holiday. I think like many Oregon destinations, we are all continuing the messaging to reinforce to travelers that our areas are also impacted by the COVID precautions and guidelines and that things are going to be a little different still, she said. We are encouraging visitors to spread out and try alternate locations / new things on their itineraries. Wilkie said the majority of businesses in the area are requiring masks, just as the bulk of the state of Oregon. In many ways, things have not changed much yet. Another important piece of advice leftover from last summer's litter-fest: pick up your trash and leave no trace. It's still a problem in really high-traffic beaches. In Seaside, Josh Heineman is the visitor center's Director of Tourism Marketing, and among the top priorities for visitors is to enjoy themselves, he said, but with similar caveats. Expect bumps in the road, he said. So that these things don't interfere in an outsized way with your time at the beach and with loved ones. Social distancing should still be a big priority, he said, and the others echoed that. In Coos Bay, the visitor center's Janice Langlinais said the North Bend, Coos Bay and Charleston area has a lot of space to spread out in, but some services may not be available on the south coast. While some of our businesses are still closed to the public, all our state, county and local parks are open, she said. Museums are open but visitors must book ahead of time. Restaurants there are open at 50 percent capacity and throughout Coos County. On the Oregon coast, current risk levels by county are: High: Clatsop, Douglas and Lane. Moderate: Coos, Curry and Tillamook Low: Lincoln County is the only low risk category on the shoreline. High risk counties still have an indoor dining capacity of 25 percent; all others at 50 percent. Lincoln County bars can stay open until midnight. MORE PHOTOS BELOW Oregon Coast Hotels for this - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Cape Arago, courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast Cape Lookout More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island, by Egill Bjarnason (Penguin) How has small Iceland been able to play such a big role in the world? The confluence of geology, fish and rugged explorers seems to have infused Icelanders with their durable, modest, optimistic and confident character and produced an outsized number of achievers among them Nobel Prize and Academy Award winners. However, that cool Icelandic confidence backfired when Icelandic bankers in the early 2000s financial crash brought shock and shame. But not for long: Iceland is leading the way again, this time with the highest rate of women working full time. Author Egill Bjarnason in How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island views his home island with combination of the wry humor of Bill Bryson, the pointed observations of Anthony Bourdain and the meanderings of a mildly befuddled history professor. Yes, 31 Icelandic bankers were sentenced to jail terms for crimes in the early 2000s global financial crash, but as the author points out, the nation learned some unexpected lessons from its shame. Just two of the bankers were women, who assess risk more conservatively than the men, according to a study the author quotes. Iceland soon followed with the first female bank boss, police chief, wrestling federation leader and sheep farmers association director. Like a proud dad, Bjarnason explains the superlatives of his homeland and its people. One of Icelands greatest explorers reached North America 500 years before Columbus. Its parliament is the oldest in the world. Iceland never has had a military. Icelands most universally praised national hero is a dry and colorless librarian. Iceland completed the worlds first national census, nearly exhausting the nations paper supply. In 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the worlds first woman president elected in a direct vote. The book drags a bit in the pages about the early Norse going back and forth but we get a window on how a unique topography, climate and position in the world shaped the character of todays 360,000 Icelanders who live on an island in the North Atlantic about the size of Ohio. Thats less than the population of Bakersfield, California, best known as an oil and agriculture center at the south end of Californias great Central Valley. Were certain to be hearing more about Iceland in the years ahead the country has become a lab for climate change, losing 309 square miles of glaciers in the last 20 years. How did the people of a land blessed with such land, volcanoes and vast fisheries become global leaders in so much? Were left wanting more on the Icelandic psyche but were left to draw our own conclusions. Bjarnason notes that Icelanders love educational programming and never in the nations history has one of the five political parties gained a majority in parliament. And, he writes, ideas and trends travel fast in a place where everyone is part of the same conversation. Imagine that in America. On May 10, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development notified Carroll County government that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program application submitted by the county commissioners was approved for a $4,260,520 award. The funding, recently authorized by the U.S. Treasury, is targeted to ensure housing stability for families and individuals at risk of and currently experiencing homelessness in our county, according to a news release. The commissioners previously authorized the use of the funding for eviction prevention for individuals in Carroll County. Calling Texas House Bill 6 and Senate Bill 7 an assault on democracy that puts a thumb on the rights of minority voters, Candice Matthews with the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats was among those raising her voice against the legislation and calling for representatives, including Speaker Dade Phelan, to be on the right side of history during a Black Voters Matter caravan through Phelans district Sunday. The event began in Emancipation Park in Houston, stopping for a press conference at Phelans district office in Orange. Later, the near dozen vehicles drove past his home in Beaumont, before making a final Get Out the Vote rally stop in Sprott Park. While Republicans, including bill proponents Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott, say the bills are designed to reduce voter fraud and ensure fair elections, that sentiment doesnt sit well with members of Black Voters Matter and their partners in Sundays caravan. In a statement released before the event, Black Voters Matter said the proposed bills would usher in a new era of Jim Crow in Texas Black communities. Our voting rights are under attack, especially right here in Texas, Matthews said. We believe voting should not require overcoming so many barriers. We have fought to make sure that every American has, not just the right, but the ability to vote. Dionnna LaFay, state coordinator of Black Voters Matter, reflected on her memories during the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It felt like wed really accomplished something, she said, adding that, after that moment, there was a cycle of voter suppression. Every time we rise up, they come up with ways to try and suppress us. These bills are a clear retaliation against the voter turnout in the 2020 elections, said Devin Branch of the Texas Organization Project, as he spoke outside Speaker Phelans district office in Orange. He joined the call for Phelan to be on the right side of history in quashing these bills. LaDonna Sherwood with Southeast Texas Young Democrats echoed that sentiment, adding, They may have won the battle, but they will not win the war. We will not be disenchanted; we will not be discouraged or dismayed. This is not just a Black Voters Matter issue this is a Texas issue. Cliff Albright, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, said they are calling out leaders, including Phelan, in the spirit of love, noting that love demands accountability. We need Dade Phelan to use all the power he has to fight against this voter suppression. Recalling the death of George Floyd at the hands of police last spring, Albright said, Theres more than one way to suffocate a Black man. If you dont act against it, then you are complicit. You cant act like youre a friend of ours until you speak out for us. Were going to put you on blast, because accountability brings responsibility. Speaker Phelan, were not playing with you, Matthews said. Were not playing with any of you legislators. Theres a lot of people watching, and you cant have an assault on our democracy and think were just going to stay silent. Lt. Governor, youre next. The rally against the bills was coupled with a push to pass the George Floyd Act, which Matthews called one of the most comprehensive proposals to end racial profiling and change the culture of law enforcement. Together, the bills have fueled the movement to keep voter turnout, especially among minority voters, on its upward trajectory. Resistance isnt enough. We have to get out the vote, Matthews said. We cant just engage voters every four years, LaFay added. We want to build on the power weve created. Were consistently going to educate people and invest in communities. And these small towns matter. Speaker Phelan lives here. He lives in and represents a district that is a 47% majority Black community, Sundays speakers noted. We should be electing people who care about the people they represent. We pay their salary you work for us. Youre not beyond reproach. We hired you and we can fire you, LaFay said. kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com LUMBERTON Hardin County residents are getting organized. Their target? Skyrocketing appraised property values and the increased tax burden that follows. Some 50 residents on Sunday afternoon gathered at Lumberton City Park to learn more about what led property values to this point and brainstorm ways to stop the increases. The group was led by Lamar Associated Professor of Management Kelly Weeks, who made sure to first introduce himself as an average homeowner who also is concerned about the changes. At issue is a study conducted every two years by the Texas comptroller to determine whether appraised values for an area are accurate. Related: Did the appraised value of your home skyrocket? Heres why. Texas typically doesnt allow appraised values on homesteads that havent seen major renovations to increase by more than 10% in any given year. However, if property values were reduced as the result of a natural disaster, an appraisal district can go back to pre-disaster values and add 10% to that total. Additionally, the comptrollers study found five Southeast Texas counties, including Hardin County, were valuing properties lower than the state thinks they should be. While each countys appraisal district doesnt have to follow the comptrollers study, the state can threaten to withhold its portion of funding for schools should the countys values be too much lower than the states recommendation. Weeks called that threat subversive, and a gathering attendee said it seems closer to blackmail. Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox Either way, Weeks and others said that the appraisal district should have done more to fight to show Austin that the values included in the study werent accurate for this area. Why do we have (the appraisal district) doing this stuff if it only matters what the comptroller says? Weeks asked. He said he invited a representative from the appraisal districts office to attend the meeting, but they did not. Weeks and other residents voiced a number of potential long-term solutions to the issue, from the total dissolution of property taxes to the Legislature instituting a penalty against appraisal districts should they increase appraised property values by more than 10% in any given year. But in the short term, Weeks and other event organizers passed around a sign-up sheet during the meeting in part to gauge who might be interested in joining a class action lawsuit. He noted that hes already had some meetings with local attorneys. Lamar Finance Professor James Slaydon also suggested that the group put out a petition on social media to gauge the interest of people who support the cause but might not have turned out for an in-person gathering. Related: Port Arthur ISD working to retain state funding Ive talked to a lot of people who are supportive but for whatever reason they werent able to come out, he said. He also suggested all interested residents protest their property values to clog the system. The official appeal period has ended, but Weeks said the process has some flexibility written in based on extenuating circumstances. If we start making problems for them? The squeaky wheel gets the grease, said Tony Robertson, a resident who attended the forum and previously was a member of the appraisal review board. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/kaitlinbain MAY 14 - 20, 2021 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was curated by AP photo editor Anita Baca. THACKERVILLE, Okla. Federal authorities have seized 68 big cats from an animal park in Oklahoma featured in Netflixs Tiger King. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that the seizure of the federally protected lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar as part of a court-approved agreement to resolve a DOJ complaint against Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe over the animals care. The civil complaint, filed in November, accused the Lowes of recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. The couple has received numerous citations for failing to properly care for the animals following three inspections of the Tiger King Park in Thackerville since December 2020. During a hearing last week, a judge found the couple in contempt for failing to comply with court orders to employ a qualified veterinarian and establish a program of veterinary care for the animals. Daniel Card, an attorney for the couple, told a federal judge that the Lowes want out completely. They dont want to fight this anymore. They dont want to do it, Card told the judge. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas McQuaid said in a statement that the DOJ is working to ensure the animals are sent to responsible animal preserves where they can be safely maintained rather than exploited." Former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who now co-chairs the National Law Enforcement Council for Animal Wellness Action, a group that endorses policies to prevent animal cruelty, said the seizure punctuates a long series of federal actions to shut down an unethical roadside zoo operator." Joe Exotic and Jeff Lowe ran slipshod operations and the chickens have come home to roost, Edmondson said. Jeffrey Lowe was a central figure in Tiger King" that featured a mullet-wearing zookeeper named Joe Exotic and became a cultural phenomenon last year. Joe Exotic, a pseudonym for Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 22-year sentence in federal prison in Texas for his 2020 conviction on charges that he participated in a murder-for-hire plot and violated federal wildlife laws. Planned Parenthood doesnt want to go where they are not wanted. Those were the words from a former Planned Parenthood administrator who delivered the keynote speech at A Celebration of Life this past weekend at the Scharbauer Sports Complex. You need to show they do not have the support of Midland, Texas, Abby Johnson said. Make it known Midland is for the unborn, period. Johnson, author of the book, Unplanned : The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey Across the Life Line, delivered an address that included her experience working at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the Bryan-College Station area. She said Planned Parenthood officials created quotas when it came to abortions provided. She also said it was while she helped with a procedure that she saw a 13-week-old struggle against abortion instruments. She called the experience the biggest crack in her defense of choice. Johnson told those in attendance about the guilt and the silence that goes with having an abortion and counseling those who go through the abortion procedure. Johnson told those at Grande Communications Stadium that while she has helped more than 600 people leave the abortion industry, she still regrets not speaking up when she had the opportunity to save lives. I stood there and did nothing, Johnson said, recalling the day in 2009 she assisted with the ultrasound guided abortion procedure. A whole lot of opportunities are being given for people to speak up, and there are a lot of people just standing around. She said that some in the pro-life community dont want to offend others on social media and through their words while the unborn are offended as they are ripped out of their mothers wombs. Lord I pray your people would be more concerned about offending your heart than offending the hearts of each other, Johnson said during a prayer toward the end of her address. Johnson showed compassion toward who make the decision to have abortions during the Celebration of Life address. In response to those she said have asked, How any woman can have an abortion? she said fear is a powerful motivator. She said people just needed to look at 2020 to see that fear will motivate us to do things we never thought we would do. Shame, she said, was a greater motivator that could send even those who grew up in the church to make the decision to end a life. She said 68 percent of women who have abortions are church-goers. We have a problem in our own houses, said Johnson, a Catholic. She said the shame of having had an abortion herself trickled down to other women. I was OK with going to hell, because I thought what I was doing was worth it, Johnson said. Work was so worthy that it was worth spending an eternity in hell. It is a sickness. A Celebration of Life brought out local leaders, including Mayor Patrick Payton and County Judge Terry Johnson. Payton talked about the unalienable rights that the unborn have and that cold-blooded killing of humanity is always wrong. Bishop Michael J. Sis, Diocese of San Angelo, reminded those in attendance were there to celebrate the gift of life and to hate the sin while loving the sinner. Joe Pojman of the Texas Alliance for Life said that action from those in the Texas Legislature have helped the number of abortions in Texas fall from around 77,000 in 2010 to 57,000 in 2017. Online: www.facebook.com/ChooseLifeMidland/; www.texasrighttolife.com/tag/midland/ avid_creative, Contributor / Getty Images Interstate 10 westbound near FM 365 is closed due to an overturned 18-wheeler, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, May 24. Drivers are asked to use an alternate route. When Texas schools returned to in-person education last fall, the spread of the coronavirus gradually but substantially accelerated, leading to at least 43,000 additional cases and 800 additional deaths statewide, according to a study released Monday. The study was done by University of Kentucky researchers for the nonpartisan National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and tracked weekly average COVID-19 cases in the eight weeks before and eight weeks after the states school districts sent students back to school in the fall. READ ALSO: Texas public school students could be taking STAAR online by 2022 The researchers said the additional cases they tracked after students began returning to schools represented 12% of the states total cases during the eight weeks after reopening and 17% of deaths. They analyzed three things: school district reopening plans in every county, COVID-19 cases and deaths, and cellphone data that showed how adult movement changed once a communitys children went back to in-person learning. Researchers chose Texas because, by the fall term, most schools around the country were still closed as Texas and a handful of other states were reopening in less-than-ideal circumstances, said Aaron Yelowitz, an economics professor at the University of Kentucky and one of the studys researchers. The state also provided good conditions for pre-vaccine study, he added, since data was collected from May 2020 until January of this year, when vaccine rollout was still slow. Although more adult Texans have since been vaccinated about 30% had been fully vaccinated as of Saturday Yelowitz said there are still communities in which the studys findings could matter moving forward, like areas with more vaccine-hesitant or vaccine-resistant people. Across the state and the rest of the country, school reopening plans divided many communities last year. Proponents of reopening schools said in-person schooling would improve learning, increase social interaction, and allow access to state services like special education and free and reduced-price lunch programs. Opponents said remote learning was safer and did not risk the lives of teachers, faculty and staff, particularly after an intense summer surge. Last July, state leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, gave individual school districts authority to make reopening decisions, even when they went against the recommendations of public health authorities. The Texas Education Agency required districts to make on-campus attendance an option, stating that districts also had to let students study remotely. When Abbott ended Texas mask mandate in March, he said public schools should operate under TEAs eventual guidance. At the end of March, TEA released guidelines requiring face masks in school buildings, with some exceptions, which included students younger than 10 or those eating or exercising. TEA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. MANNERS: Should I wear my mask outdoor dining? The new, post-vaccine etiquette for eating in restaurants More than 60% of school districts opened schools at or near their typical date for the fall term, despite the states summer surge of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research report. The researchers estimated that more than 90% of Texas school districts opened at near capacity, without any staggered attendance plans, compared with more than 40% nationally. Although otherwise healthy children are generally less likely to contract and transmit COVID-19, adults can still contract the virus from their students and co-workers at school. The studys results could be explained both by direct school spread and by the movement of adults returning to work and school, the researchers wrote. Reopening schools in a world where there wasnt a vaccine at the time did cost lives, did cause infections, though probably did have some positive effects for the kids who were able to attend in person, rather than virtually, Yelowitz told The Texas Tribune. Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said she is worried about upcoming summer classes and another fall return. Last fall, she said, teachers reported inconsistent mask usage and expired cleaning supplies. TSTA continues to push for requiring everyone to wear a mask in schools because its still hard to know who is vaccinated, she said. Although in-person attendance is valuable for students because of its learning and relationship benefits, Molina said many educators and staff members have died of COVID-19, and the trauma that losing a teacher brings to students and co-workers is important to consider. Its just this sense of urgency that we know we have and we feel, and we want others to have as well, Molina said. Disclosure: The Texas State Teachers Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) A medical center in Louisiana says it has identified the states first two cases of a COVID-19 variant which has spread widely since being identified in India. Britain and the World Health Organization consider it a variant of concern because experts think it may spread more easily than the original virus, LSU Health Shreveport said in a news release Friday. Robots are rising in San Antonio. That may sound like a cheerleaders refrain from economic development talking points, but when it comes to robots, San Antonio keeps winning. With the late April news of Plus One Robotics $33 million funding round and expansion, germ-zapping robot maker Xenexs explosive growth and several other companies like Reckon Point, Xyrec and Renu Robotics gaining momentum, the South Texas robot business is booming. And dont forget Southwest Research Institute and Toyota, San Antonios heavyweights in the robot game. Then theres the SATX Robotix Meetup, a group of more than 430 people whore either in the business or interested in the industry. Erik Nieves, chief executive and co-founder of Plus One Robotics at Port San Antonio, said the group is better attended than Austins version. San Antonios special strain of robots are for business or industrial use. These are business-to-business robots, not humanoids like C-3PO or the Terminator. Nor are these machines with household applications like a Roomba or automatic pool cleaner. On ExpressNews.com: With brain implants, the futures gonna be weird Think robots at work on large-scale disinfecting, building trucks, unpacking pallets, sorting packages, lasering paint off aircraft, mapping building interiors or industrial-sized lawn mowers for solar panel farms. Consumer robots might come from Asia, or at least Boston, but the application of robot tech to industrial problems is what SA does best, Nieves said. Before we can riff on the areas robobiz, its worth thinking about what exactly a robot is. The best definition my brain concocted was a machine that performs a task autonomously. Im no expert, so I turned to some San Antonio robot gurus for their perspective. As it turns out, the answer is, well, complicated. The definition of robot is not a settled question, said Nieves, whose company specializes in helping robots hand-eye coordination. Many different morphologies, many different applications, but one thing they all have in common is that they have a semblance of programming and move through physical space. The latter distinction, moving through space, is why appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators arent considered robots, he said. Perhaps defining robots is akin to (Supreme Court) Justice Potter dealing with obscenity, he said. I cant give you all the rules, but I know it when I see it, and I know what it isnt. Kris Kozak, principal at Hatchbed, a robotics consulting firm at Port San Antonio, said its a tough question and the lines quickly get blurry. On ExpressNews.com: SpaceXs Boca Chica venture has all the versus categories covered Besides humanoid and industrial robots, he cited other categories that could be included. Kozak has worked in robot research and development for more than 20 years, so hes self-admittedly pretty inclusive in his definition. His list includes self-driving or autonomous vehicles, aircraft and boats, as well as robotic mechanisms like the cable-driven receiver that hangs over a 500-meter telescope in China. The one bright line that Id draw is that a fundamental attribute of a robot is that it must be able to physically interact with its environment, he said. I guess you could say that a robot has to have a body of some sort, so Alexa and Siri are not robots ... yet. Peter Boeijink, Xyrecs chief executive, checked in from the Netherlands. His company has a division at Port San Antonio thats pioneering automated painting and paint removal for aircraft and other large equipment. I like to define a robot as a programmable machine to automate the use or application of a physical process with a high degree of flexibility in movements, he said. By this, a robot can be used in many situations. All efforts in robot development are to use robots for more applications and make it easier to program the robot for its movements. Near the airport, Xenex manufactures robots that blast germs including the coronavirus with ultraviolet light. Its seen exponential growth during the pandemic. Morris Miller, Xenexs chief executive, said his firm defines a robot as a machine programmed by a computer that is capable of carrying out actions automatically. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios cybersecurity industry 30 years after Michelangelo And he introduced a new term to our conversation: cobot. Our LightStrike robot is moved from one location to the next for example, from a patient room to an operating room by a trained technician, so we also like the term cobot to describe the relationship between the robot and its human operator. So, like so many questions that seem simple at first, the answer to the robot question is nuanced and, apparently, still in debate. But, whats not in debate is that robots are a growth industry on the rise in San Antonio. Is there a Robocity, USA, yet? Were working on it. Brandon Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. brandon.lingle@express-news.net FILE - In this May 28, 2020, file photo, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, center, is surrounded by a group of lawmakers after being elected as speaker of the parliament, in Tehran, Iran. Iran's parliament speaker says international inspectors may no longer access images of the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File) Testimony for the defense of Derrick Chauvin, the former Minneapolis officer convicted of murdering Floyd, by former Maryland medical examiner David Fowler caused a great deal of soul searching in this state. If Fowler could see the death of Floyd as defendable, it questions the judgment this state relied on for so many years. Two Labrador sniffer dogs, Lucky and Flo, find DVDs hidden in a box at Malaysian Airlines Cargo during a demonstration in Sepang, Malaysia, March 13, 2007. A new type of coronavirus found in Malaysian pneumonia patients is not presently a cause for concern, as scientists have not established that it makes people sick or can be passed human-to-human, a noted virologist from the Southeast Asian country said Monday. Scientists know of seven coronaviruses that infect people including SARS-CoV2, which has spread globally and spawned several variants, as part of the COVID-19 pandemic. SARS-CoV2 is one of three coronaviruses originating in animals that have caused major outbreaks of disease in humans in the last 20 years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yahya Mat Arip, an expert in virology and immunology at Malaysia Science University, said coronaviruses are common in animals, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic had raised interest in findings contained in a recent study. At this point, it is not a concern to humans since human-to-human transmission of the canine coronavirus has not happened, Yahya told BenarNews. Researchers said the new type of coronavirus found in nose and throat swabs of eight pneumonia patients in Sarawak a state in Malaysian Borneo had likely originated in dogs, or possibly cats. But it was unclear if the virus had caused the cases of pneumonia in the eight people who were hospitalized in Sarawak in 2017 and 2018, This is the first report of a novel canine-feline recombinant alphacoronavirus isolated from a human pneumonia patient. If confirmed as a pathogen, it may represent the eighth unique coronavirus known to cause disease in humans. Our findings underscore the public health threat of animal CoVs and a need to conduct better surveillance for them, said the abstract of the article published in the medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases on May 20. Researchers involved in the study said many of the patients had a common connection. Most patients were children living in rural areas with frequent exposure to domesticated animals and wildlife, the report said. Researchers worldwide need to pay close attention to domesticated animals and those who work with animals, said Gregory Gray, one of the studys authors. I think the key message here is that these things are probably happening all over the world, where people come in contact with animals, especially intense contact and were not picking them up, said Gray, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Duke University. We should be looking for these things. If we can catch them early and find out that these viruses are successful in the human host, then we can mitigate them before they become a pandemic virus, he added. According to Yahya, the new coronavirus could pose negative outcomes for people. Yes, there are possibilities for the virus to mutate further, but at this point theres nothing to worry about, Yahya said. The interesting fact in the Sarawak case is that the canine coronavirus is found in humans, indicating that the virus is adjusting to a new host. He pointed to cases where viruses did mutate. A good example is the influenza virus, where the mixing influenza virus between swine and avian which later jumped into humans led to diseases in humans, he said. When asked about the study, a spokesperson for Malaysias health ministry said it was not ready to comment on it. So far we have not released any statements on the matter, the spokesperson told BenarNews without elaborating. Malaysia is experiencing its latest wave of a COVID-19 outbreak with infections totaling 6,509 on Monday, falling short of the record 6,976 cases on Sunday, according to the health department. The death total of 61 on Monday is the single most recorded and brought the pandemic total to 2,309. Malaysian search-and-rescue personnel move an injured passenger from a train crash into an ambulance in Kuala Lumpur, May 24, 2021. At least 200 people were injured, nearly 50 seriously, when two Kuala Lumpur metro trains collided in an underground stretch on Monday evening, Malaysian officials said. The injured were rushed to various hospitals in the Malaysian capital, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said, as photographs and videos tweeted by commuters showed bloodied passengers thrown off their seats or struck by broken glass. Forty-seven people sustained serious injuries and another 166 suffered minor injuries, Wee said, adding there were 213 people in one of the trains, when the collision occurred around 8:30 p.m. (local time). A Kelana Jaya light-rail train with commuters collided with one that was being driven on the wrong track but was carrying no passengers, Mohamad Zainal Abdullah, Dang Wangi districts police chief, told reporters. The crash happened between the KLCC [Kuala Lumpur City Center] station and the Kampung Baru station, Mohamad Zainal said. The empty train was on the wrong track. Both trains were supposed to use different tracks as they were heading towards opposite directions. This appears to be an accident, Zainal said, according to Bernama, the state-run news service. An investigation is under way. This was first major crash in the 23-year history of the light-rail service. I view this accident seriously, PM says Preliminary reports by the Kuala Lumpur fire and rescue department indicated that the train with passengers was moving at 25 mph upon departing the KLCC station, while the train on the wrong side of the tracks was going at 12 mph, when the collision happened. All the passengers were pulled out of the train by 9:50 p.m. and sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital and several other nearby hospitals for treatment. Rescue personnel had to evacuate the injured along a narrow emergency path in the tunnel where the crash occurred, according to a preliminary report by the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia seen by BenarNews. Coordination with the train operators was essential to prevent secondary risks such as electrocution, as well as disturbance from other trains, the report said. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ordered the Transport Ministry and the metros service operator to conduct a full investigation into the crash. I view this accident seriously and have ordered the Ministry of Transport and Prasarana Malaysia Berhad to carry out a full probe to identify the cause of this accident, and stern action needs to be taken immediately, he said in a statement. Wee later announced that a special task force had been formed to investigate the crash. The P.M. also urged authorities to ensure that all of the injured people received prompt treatment at a time when skyrocketing COVID-19 infections have led to hospitals intensive care units beds being near capacity. The Associations of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) told BenarNews that private hospitals in Kuala Lumpur were ready to treat the injured. I am aware [of the incident]. All private hospitals are on standby to assist. We will wait for instructions from the Health Ministry, Kuljit Singh, president of the association, told BenarNews. The Kelana Jaya light rail service is the oldest metro line in Malaysia. It started operations in 1998 and was unveiled as part of 16th Commonwealth Games hosted by Malaysia that year. The rail service is also the first one in the country that also runs below ground, with five underground stations, including one underneath the Petronas Twin Towers at KLCC, which is one of the busiest stations in the system. Noah Lee in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. This corner of the Maqbara public cemetery in Marawi, southern Philippines, is dotted with grave markers for people who were killed during the five-month siege of the city by Islamic State-linked militants in 2017 but whose bodies have not been identified. The rectangular white stones that dot the Maqbara public cemetery in a desolate part of Marawi mark the graves of 466 people who were killed during a five-month siege of this southern Philippine city by pro-Islamic State militants in 2017. There are no names on the markers only numbers that signify the dates for when the bodies were buried. Out of the 470 people who are buried here, only four have been identified in the years since the siege ended, officials say. In this site are the marked graves of those who have fallen victim during the Marawi Siege (May 23 to October 17, 2017) and yet to be identified and named, reads a memorial plaque at the cemetery. We remember, we never forget! Forensics experts have had difficulty matching names to the bodies of the 466 because their relatives are afraid to come forward while the security situation in the area remains precarious, sources told BenarNews. According to police, the bodies of only four people who are interred at the cemetery were identified by relatives who came to the crime laboratory in nearby Cagayan de Oro city to provide samples of their DNA. A general fear of being seen as sympathetic to the Islamic State-linked fighters who seized Marawi on May 23, 2017, is among factors that have dissuaded civilians here, whose loved ones remain missing four years later, from coming forward to provide DNA, said a humanitarian aid group operating in the area. Many are also wary of being erroneously named as Maute militants one of the groups that carried out the siege the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said. There is still a lot of hesitation for the families to come out. Even we are finding it hard to convince them, Elvis Dzanic, ICRC delegate for the families of those still missing, told an online forum of journalists at the weekend. Dzanic said it had been a slow process before some of the families had agreed to meet with the ICRC team assisting them. Families of the missing were still grappling with the psychological pain even as they also have to contend with their economic and legal needs, the ICRC said. Many have lost their breadwinners and face legal and administrative gaps that limit their access to social benefits and pensions, the ICRC said in a statement issued Saturday. The NGO said it had found out that the top priority for families in the Marawi area was to clarify the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones, followed by financial aid, and addressing the psychosocial challenges they face in dealing with [their] absence. A view of Marawi city, four years after it was largely destroyed during a five-month battle between Islamic State-linked militant and government forces, May 21, 2021. [Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews] Drieza Liningding, chairman of the Moro Consensus Group, said different tallies among government agencies about the death toll from the Marawi siege had added to the problem. At the start of fighting, the Lanao del Sur provincial government tagged the [death toll] as high as 3,000. The Department of Local Interior and Local Government had a different figure, Liningding said. Its very confusing. The Moro Consensus Group, a community-based NGO and association of young professionals, academics and activists, been lobbying the central government in Manila to rehabilitate Marawi. The once picturesque lakeside city was largely destroyed during a five-month battle between government forces and the militants in 2017. In the end, the government settled on an official death toll of 1,200 government troops, militants and civilians. This figure is generally accepted to include the 470 buried at the Maqbara cemetery. The battle started in May 2017, when the Islamic States regional Filipino leader Isnilon Hapilon led hundreds of militants from Southeast Asia and the Middle East in taking over Marawi. The original plan was for IS to establish Marawi as its caliphate in Southeast Asia. But the military and police, after initially being overwhelmed, eventually won a running urban gunbattle. Intelligence support from Philippine allies the United States and Australia tipped the war in the governments favor, and the militants were finally forced out of the city in October of that year. Some of the militants, however, escaped from Marawi, and are known to be recruiting young Muslims in remote areas of the south, military and police intelligence say. Women walk in a street in Marawi, Philippines, May 21, 2021. [Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews] President Rodrigo Duterte, whose six-year term ends next year, has promised to completely rebuild Marawi by the time he steps down. But while improvements have been made since, more than 17,000 residents of the city remain displaced. The presidents promise is that Marawi would rise again, Duterte spokesman Harry Roque told an online news conference on Monday. And I think the target can be met that Marawi will be completely rebuilt at the end of the term of the president. Questions have abounded about efforts to reconstruct Marawi and the relatively small budget allotted to this endeavor. The governments budget department has earmarked just 17 billion pesos (U.S. $354 million) for the citys restoration, far below the 60 billion pesos ($1.2 billion) that officials had earlier said was needed to fully rehabilitate Marawi. Clay Center, KS (67432) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Periods of rain. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Periods of rain. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. President Joe Biden is scheduled to host George Floyds family at the White House on Tuesday (May 25) on the first anniversary of his death, according to the Associated Press. White House press secretary Jen Psaki offered few details about the meeting or what would be discussed, the report notes. RELATED: BREAKING: Derek Chauvin Verdict: Guilty On All Counts In Death of George Floyd The move comes as Congress discusses a police reform bill named in honor of Floyd, which is known as the George Floyd in Policing Act, but talks have stalled. Biden had previously set the anniversary of Floyds death as the deadline for the bills passage. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would ban chokeholds by federal officers and end qualified immunity for law enforcement against civil lawsuits. It would also create national standards for policing in a bid to bolster accountability. The House version of the bill passed in March, but faces a much tougher road in the evenly-divided Senate. George Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020 by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April on multiple charges stemming from Floyds death. BET has been covering every angle of the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and other social justice cases and the subsequent aftermath and protests. For our continuing coverage, click here. After more than two years, Louisiana State Police have released the body cam footage of the May 10, 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene, in which he pleaded for mercy from officers before he was tased, according to ABC News. The disturbing video depicts what was seen in the leaked in video obtained by the Associated Press. It shows Greenes door opening and a taser going off. "OK, OK," he is heard saying. "I'm sorry. I'm scared. Officer, I'm scared. I'm your brother. I'm scared." An officer approaches Greens car with his weapon drawn. "Let me see your f*****g hands m****rf****r." RELATED: Police Told Ronald Greenes Family He Died In Wreck, But Video Shows Officers Kicking, Tasing Him After being tased, Greene can be heard moaning while still on the ground and being put in handcuffs by an officer while another kicks him several times. One cop can be heard saying, "I've got blood all over me, I hope this guy ain't got f*****g AIDS," as Greene continues to moan. Greene is also dragged at one point in the video. "It's unfortunate that the path to get here today has taken this long, but we're at a point where we can hopefully provide you some information and offer some insight into the processes and developments as to the case, and our department, said Louisiana State Police Col Lamar Davis, who took over the agency in October 2019 at at May 21 press briefing before the release of the footage. Some evidence has been released to the media without the approval of LSP, and that evidence is now being provided to the public in its full capacity and context." Its unknown who or how the original footage was leaked to the Associated Press, however, the outlet also reports Greene was left lying face down and moaning for more than nine minutes while officers used sanitized wipes to clean blood off themselves. According to a preliminary report, Louisiana State Police claimed Greene died due to an auto accident after a high speed chase, which now appears to be false. The initial state police report does not mention state troopers using force or an arrest. RELATED: Police Brutality Caught On Camera: 22 Videos That Explain Why Black Lives Matter The LSPs report said two officers pursued a vehicle being driven by Greene following an attempt to pull over Greene for an unspecified traffic violation and the pursuit ended when Greene crashed his vehicle. In May 2020, Greenes daughter filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the officers and claimed her father was "brutalized by Louisiana State Police and Union Parish Deputy Officers which caused his death." According to CNN, a report from the Louisiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division revealed that Greene died on the way to the hospital. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. While there have been news reports of people bringing animals back to shelters, Chicago adoption organizations The Anti-Cruelty Society and PAWS Chicago say they arent getting more returns than normal. However, there are worries that shelters will see an influx of animals as eviction moratoriums end and people have to find alternate housing where pets may not be allowed or the pet deposit is unaffordable. The Anti-Cruelty Society offers financial assistance to help with pet deposits. Louisiana drivers would have to use a handsfree device or put their cellphones on speaker mode to talk on the phone while driving or risk a fine from police under a proposal that won House backing Today Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 57F. W winds shifting to SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Tonight Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 57F. W winds shifting to SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Tomorrow Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 82F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. IDAHO FALLS Earlier this year the College of Eastern Idaho took the next step in providing students with a cybersecurity education. The college opened a secure operations center, a training ground for simulating cybersecurity attacks on a closed computer system, at the colleges satellite Yellowstone Training Center campus south of Idaho Falls. Idaho National Laboratory provided the program with laptops for the students monitoring the system, along with an older, unused supercomputer. The supercomputer server has eight terabytes of storage 32 times more than the majority of brand-new laptops can hold. Computer science professor Don Williams, along with other computer professors and higher-level students, use the equipment to simulate a variety of business networks, each with its own potential vulnerabilities and attacks that can be simulated. We can create a safe training environment and throw in a system here or there with a vulnerability for them to look for, Williams said. Youll see someone has left a firewall off, or a USB port thats open for communication when it shouldnt be. Thanks to support from INL and the state Legislature, CEI is at the forefront of a growing push for Idahos colleges to provide cybersecurity education. By February, the center had already provided credentialed training at the center for nearly 200 students and local IT professionals. When combined with the growing presence of computer science and cybersecurity programs at the states community colleges, universities and business interests hope to build up a strong local presence of computer experts that can protect systems in Idaho and beyond. We have the opportunity to create best-in-breed programs to show other states how to handle these issues, said Robert Roser, chief data officer and chief information security officer for Idaho National Laboratory. A 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study conducted by (ISC), an international, nonprofit membership association for information security leaders, found theres a worldwide shortfall of 3.12 million cybersecurity workers, Info Security magazine reported. INL has been partnering with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for more than a decade on research to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and many local officials who advocated to convert Eastern Idaho Technical College into the College of Eastern Idaho pointed to the need for cybersecurity education as a big reason for the change. The Legislature provided just under $1 million in 2020 for the states three public universities to establish a joint cybersecurity major. Boise State University, the University of Idaho and Idaho State University have rolled out new programs in the field over the last few months and have until June 30 to completely set up the degree. Williams is a key instructor for CEIs two computer-centered degree programs. One is the more traditional information technology program that provides local I.T. professionals. The cybersecurity and SOC program takes place largely at night to accommodate recent high school graduates and working professionals. There is a bit of a trend where students do both. Add on a few more classes, and you can earn another degree to tack onto your resume, Williams said. In 2019, INL opened the Collaborative Computing Center and Cybercore Integration Center, which were financed by $90 million in bonds approved by the Legislature in 2017. Totaling about 150,000 square feet between them, the buildings are owned by the state the state Building Authority sold the bonds and leased the land to the state Board of Education, which in turn leases the buildings to INL. The Cybercore Integration Center will focus on cybersecurity work, bringing together federal, state, academic and private industry researchers to develop infrastructure that can withstand threats such as cyberattacks and natural disasters. Idaho State University recently announced a bachelors degree in cyber-physical systems. A recent article by the INL communications team highlighted the variety of hands-on training the college and lab offer students at the two new INL-operated centers. Were taking engineering technology students mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, nuclear and giving them industrial cybersecurity on top of that, the newly-appointed ISU program coordinator Sean McBride told the labs spokesman. Eleanor Taylor manages the university partnerships with INL and the Cybercore program. She said the idea was that each college would be able to focus on a different area of cybersecurity. Were seeing a lot more disciplines coming into cyber as the field keeps growing. Linguists, critical thinkers, all kinds of different perspectives because the cyber field is getting much more complex and nuanced, Taylor said. Taylor said the Boise State program was more focused on monitoring computers and attacks from a distance. The University of Idaho, meanwhile, launched the states first bachelors degree program in cybersecurity at the start of this school year. Students are smart. They pay attention to whats going on and these kinds of problems, and this career path is going to be strong forever, Roser said. When Roser spoke to the Post Register in early May, he highlighted three recent events that had increased the focus on cybersecurity. He spoke about the hacker who attempted to poison a water treatment plant in Florida and the Russian governments use of a vulnerable SolarWinds update to access data from federal agencies and companies including Microsoft. There was also a general increase in remote computer activity caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Roser said he requested a significant budget increase last year to help protect the many INL employees who had shifted to working from home. Days after that interview was the Colonial Pipeline attack, where ransomware forced one of the largest oil pipelines on the East Coast to close for nearly a week. Multiple states reported gas shortages as residents began panic-buying fuel and the national gas price rose above $3 per gallon for the first time in years. CEIs computer programs will expand further in the future once the colleges Future Tech building opens. The roughly $35 million addition to the campus will be the central location for career technology programs ranging from hands-on machinery to cybersecurity. Initial designs for the school have been presented to the college trustees but an official design wont be finalized until the end of 2021. The college has to limit its cyber classes to a two-year degree length, so Williams tries to keep the programs scope basic. But he said the centralized computer systems at the Future Tech building would help to keep up with the constant evolution of the field. Our goal is to get the programs up to the standard of the jobs. And as things keep evolving in the field, that means we revamp our work to keep up, Williams said. Conducted online via closed Facebook group, the 28-day Detox programme has over 70 participants from across the US, the UK, Austria, London and Europe Ayushakti co-founded by Ayurveda expert Dr Smita Naram has launched a global digital programme on Facebook, called Healthiime Detox challenge. The Healthiime Detox Program is being conducted via closed groups on Facebook, keeping in mind the current pandemic situation. The detox challenge has over 70 participants across the US, the UK, Austria, London and Europe. The Healthiime Detox challenge kit includes 3 X 30 minutes online personal consultation (Pre-Detox, During Detox, Post Detox) with Ayushakti Vaidya and day wise meal plan for 28 days with various food recipes, information and guidance about daily Routine - Dincharya to follow and access to the online platform with all information and guidance for Heathiime Detox. Speaking on the current digital initiative, Dr Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti said, We are glad to launch this digital 28-Day Healthiime programme and provide powerful Ayurvedic treatments. Digital has a medium has immense potential to reach across audiences globally and with the help of Facebook groups we hope to reach maximum people possible. The programme has been launched after conducting an immense amount of research and testing by our Ayushakti Vaidyas, and we are glad that we finally made it live. This is the first of the many more coming in the future and we look forward to building this digital property, she further added. Ayushakti recently partnered with Mumbai Police to offer a month-long free pulse reading camp and provide medicines to these police force at a discount of 20 per cent. The company aims to spread natural healing methods of Ayurveda by conducting various programmes globally to help remove the root cause of illness through the Ancient Indian history of Ayurveda. The first batch produced at Panacea Biotecs facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Center for quality control The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russias sovereign wealth fund) and Panacea Biotec have launched of production of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus. The first batch produced at Panacea Biotecs facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Center for quality control. Full-scale production of the vaccine is due to start this summer. The companys facilities comply with GMP standards and are prequalified by WHO. Sputnik V was registered in India under the emergency use authorization procedure on April 12, 2021, and vaccination against coronavirus with the Russian vaccine started on May 14. As announced in April, RDIF and Panacea have agreed to produce 100 million doses per year of Sputnik V. To date, Sputnik V has been registered in 66 countries globally with a total population of over 3.2 billion people. The efficacy of Sputnik V is 97.6 per cent based on the analysis of data on coronavirus infection rate among those in Russia vaccinated with both components of Sputnik V from December 5, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO, RDIF, said, Launch of production in India in partnership with Panacea Biotec marks an important step for helping the country fight the pandemic. Production of Sputnik V supports efforts of Indias authorities to leave behind the acute phase of coronavirus as soon as possible while the vaccine will also be exported at a later stage to help prevent the spread of the virus in other countries around the world. Dr Rajesh Jain, MD, Panacea Biotec, said, This marks a significant step as we initiate production of Sputnik V. Together with RDIF, we hope to help bring a sense of normalcy back to people across the country and around the world. Its hard sometimes for parents to turn their children down, even when they know something isnt good for them. But if Adams had considered the danger and said no to Jaslyn that afternoon, she would not have died in a hail of gunfire. The call seeks to strengthen investment, policies, and services for the recovery of health services, as well as protection of rights and future socio-economic resilience Lives in the Balance was organised by Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) a multi-constituency partnership hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with the CORE Group, Global Financing Facility for Women, Children, and Adolescents, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance which was attended by more than 1000 global citizens. Key Speakers included Anuradha Gupta, CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Lopa Banerjee, Chief, Civil Society Section, UN Women; Vandita Morarka Founder & CEO, One Future Collective, India, Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister, New Zealand and Board Chair of PMNCH, Mia Mottley - Prime Minister, Barbados, Michelle Bachelet - UN High Commissioner, Human Rights, Borge Brende, President, World Economic Forum, Jennifer Klein, Executive Director, White House Gender Policy Council, US. The knock-on impact of the pandemic on childhood vaccination in lower income countries has been devastating, with millions of children missing out on timely, life-saving immunisations, said Anuradha Gupta, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Clark stated, COVID-19 is deepening and magnifying social inequalities compounded by ethnicity, gender, income, geography, and other factors. We must act now, not just to protect progress previously made, but also to work towards a world that is far more equitable than the one that existed before the pandemic. A seven-point call to action on COVID-19, backed by PMNCHs 1,000-member platform, seeks to protect and prioritise the rights and health of women, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 response and recovery. The call seeks to strengthen investment, policies, and services for the recovery of health services, as well as protection of rights and future socio-economic resilience. The statements, aligning with the PMNCH call to action, outlined a significant array of efforts to improve SRHR, gender equality, service quality, and adolescent health and well-being, among other priorities. In addition to the ongoing and catastrophic direct impact of COVID-19 in many parts of the world, women, children, and adolescents are affected indirectly because of widespread disruptions to essential health, nutrition, and social services under lockdown conditions. This increases the risk of mortality and morbidity, including from treatable and preventable causes, denying the right to protection and care. Concerns about world-wide ventilator shortages, medical device development and sufficient maintenance skills, as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, have led to multiple projects at major academic institutions that seek to find alternative means for emergency ventilation. Therefore, student designers and engineers are challenged to go beyond the classroom or laboratory and showcase their technical and commercial abilities by demonstrating new and creative ways digital manufacturing can add value. Open Category: For all scholars and students studying in South Africa with an active, registered student number. Enter any service or product that you have implemented to flatten the curve during the Covid-19 pandemic. that you have implemented to during the Covid-19 pandemic. Innovation Category: Enter any new business idea, invention, innovation that can be used to combat Covid-19 or other health-related threats in the future. that can be used to or other health-related threats in the future. Engineering Category: Enter any improvements, innovations or concepts that will reduce the shortage of ventilators in South Africa. The Mahlale Innovation Consortium (MIC), an alliance of five Higher Education Institutions (HEI), was formed in response to a request from merSETA to promote local manufacturing of ventilators to contribute to the National Ventilator Project. The consortium announced an eight-week hackathon hosted on MIC to design a rapidly deployable, minimum viable mechanical ventilator for patients with Covid-19-related ventilator-dependent lung injury and to curb the skills shortage of engineers.The consortium members include: University of Johannesburg (UJ), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Central University of Technology (CUT), Vaal University of Technology (VUT) and North-West University (NWU).The Mahlale Student Design Competition (MSDC) will be carried out by the consortium under the ventilation project that aims to address a shortage of skilled engineers and technicians to locally manufacture and repair existing and old ventilators and other medical devices.This particular competition is open for all scholars and students studying in South Africa with an active, registered student number and a possibility of seeing their designs into prototypes for testing.The engineering profession wont be exempt from Covid-19 job fallout, but the effects will be temporary. More engineers will be needed than ever before when the world turns to a semblance of normalcy, says Ms Nickey Janse van Rensburg, the technology manager at UJ PEETS (UJs Process, Energy, Environment and Technology Station) and Project Chair at the MIC."Proposals must address collateral issues to find a rapid ventilator production system to support field hospitals that are still requiring critical infrastructure such as pressurised oxygen, explained Nickey.Competition design entries will be evaluated by judges who will assess safety, reliability, and manufacturability, while minimising cost and complex software and electronics.The Challenge enables participants to gain real-industry experience, practical employability skills and enhanced business and people skills, all within a set time frame. All of the best ideas seem impossible at first, but in this new age could change the world, says Prof. Leenta Grobler, one of the competition judges.The contest will involve the new generations to re-think a positive future to make more ventilators or address other medical device shortages. Of course, being able to picture a future like this is not the same thing as knowing what to do to make it a reality, but by entering the competition we will help them make their ideas evident, added Prof Grobler.The competition closes on June 14, 2021. The winner of each category will be awarded a cash voucher. In addition, one of the winners stands a chance to win a 3D printer sponsored by 3D Printing Systems SA. Some of the winning solutions could receive follow-on contracts if the prototype is selected for production and deployment.Until June 2021 students will have the chance to submit their solutions inspired by three different themes:The equipment to be developed should only be used in states of emergency for the decentralised treatment of non-intensive care Covid-19 patients, in order to reduce demand for hospitalisation. The selected digital blueprints will be provided to the government to enable them to start decentralised large scale production wherever it is needed the most.More details for MSDC and how to enter is available on the MIC website: http://mahlaleinnovationconsortium.co.za/ The European Union (EU) is considered by many to be the leader in sustainability regulation. This is true in the sense that it was the first to set the foundations for a sustainable finance framework and has a head start in developing the corresponding regulation. Other markets, particularly Asia, are close at its heels, and some are using the EU's framework as inspiration. Sustainable finance in a nutshell How is South Africa doing? building sustainability capacity and competency in financial services, the public sector and regulators creating a green finance taxonomy and governance framework with a focus not only on green but also transition activities the financial instruments landscape to understand what this already looks like and what investor appetite there may be developing TCFD (Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures) reporting requirements developing a benchmark climate risk scenario for risk management and stress testing in financial services More than a fad: the proliferation of sustainability policies beyond the EU In a recent study , we travelled around the world - alas only digitally and in fewer than 80 days - to highlight key developments in sustainability policy and regulation. We compare the evolution in regulation to that of the sustainable investment funds market and to what clients have been saying about their attitudes, says Anastasia Petraki, head of policy research, Schroders.Different regions take different approaches, with some emphasising regulation and some leaving it to the market to grow more organically.For example, Petraki says that sustainability policy may start with a government setting a goal for reducing carbon emissions. An action plan soon follows, outlining what needs to change in the real economy to achieve this goal, such as developing new technologies, or greener transport and infrastructure. This is then followed by another plan detailing how the financial sector can help fund the transition, she says.This brings us to what policymakers call sustainable finance. In a nutshell, this is a framework for the financial services sector where climate change and environmental risks are considered in everyday business, operations, products and services.The ultimate intention is for this to become business-as-usual, so that private funding flows consistently towards projects and activities that support the transition to a greener economy.This definition is narrower than the way we, at Schroders, think of sustainability. For us, sustainability is the outcome that is achieved by tying environmental, social and governance risks to investment and capital allocation decisions. By doing so, the investment industrys fiduciary goals can become aligned to the wider policy agenda," she says.The study doesnt look specifically at South Africa, but Petraki comments that South Africa too is taking its first steps towards a sustainable finance framework.A working group led by the South African National Treasury has been working on this since 2017 and last May (2020) published a technical paper outlining what is already happening domestically and internationally, identifying market barriers and recommending further action for sustainable finance, says Petraki. She says that different workstreams have ensued from this looking at:This work goes hand-in-hand with other policies such as the introduction of a carbon tax (currently at R127 per tonne), tax incentives for R&D in green technologies, and increasing investment in renewables for electricity generation (Independent Power Producers initiative), says Petraki.She believes that it is clear that South Africa is working towards decarbonising its economy and sustainable finance will play a role. The frequent references to guidance and guidelines would indicate that South Africa is more likely to take a principles-based approach focusing on best practice, says Petraki.She adds that, interestingly, this would help the sustainable investment market grow more organically than if government intervenes with strict rules as the EU has.Policymakers have been very prolific in recent years. More than 120 new or revised policy instruments with a sustainability focus were established in 2020 the highest number ever recorded and over 30% more than in 2019, according to the Principles for Responsible Investment . Petraki says that the sharpest increase has been seen in Europe but there has also been significant activity in Asia. The Top 50 most valuable South African brands were initially forecasted to lose over R65bn in cumulative brand value (15%) during the pandemic. However, resolve and resilience have meant the Top 50 have only recorded a 2% (R8.8bn) decrease in cumulative brand value, from R471.3bn in 2020 to R462.4bn in 2021. This resilience is especially evident in the recovery seen on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), which returned to January 2020 levels after just 15 months. Gauteng shines as SA powerhouse MTN holds onto 10-year reign Retail dominates in Western Cape Battle of the apparels Household names make a comeback Jeremy Sampson, MD of Brand Finance Africa, commented: While there may be a lack of appreciation for South African brands globally, South African companies should be celebrated. As a young, developing nation with enormously strong potential, but a troubled and complex past, it is increasingly important that leading brands are recognised as the nations ambassadors for their enduring contributions to the wider African economy.With banking and telecoms two of the top three sectors in the Brand Finance South Africa 50 2021 ranking clustered around Gauteng, its hard to argue that when it comes to identifying the powerhouse of the African economy, Gauteng is clearly leading the pack.Banking is South Africas most valuable sector, claiming 23% (R104.4bn) of the rankings overall brand value. Seven banking brands are represented in the ranking: FNB (R22.1bn), Standard Bank (R20.8bn), Absa (R20.5bn), Nedbank (R15.0bn), Investec (R14.9bn), Capitec (R7.3bn), and Rand Merchant Bank (R3.8bn).While FNB is South Africas most valuable banking brand for the fourth consecutive year, Capitec is one of the five most reputable banking brands globally according to the Brand Finance Banking 500 ranking and ranks within the top 25 most valuable South African brands this year in 24th position. In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. According to these criteria, Capitec is the strongest banking brand in the country, with a Brand Strength Index of 89.2 out of 100.Pointing towards an effective rebrand of their African operations after Barclays divested, Absa (BSI 75.6/100) also enjoyed positive results after seeing an improvement in brand strength and is expected to continue on an upward trajectory as it secures its presence across the continent.Telecoms accounts for 18% (R81.3 billion) of the rankings overall brand value with a total of five brands featuring, including the Brand Finance South Africa 50 2021 ranking leader MTN, marking its decade-long reign as the most valuable South African brand.helped by its reach across Africa and the Middle East. While Vodacom (down 6% to R28.4 billion) continues to trail behind MTN sitting in second spot - the brand continues to lead in the South African market whilst slowly spreading in Africa.Sampson commented: For most, lockdown has increased our reliance on electronic devices to remain connected, and this will only accelerate with the introduction of 5G. MTN and Vodacom are perfectly placed for these developments, however smaller contenders will struggle and ultimately be squeezed out of the running. While there are little signs of digital transformation slowing, South Africas challenge now becomes closing the socio-economic divide, allowing for equal access to all.Although banking and telcos are South Africas top two most valuable sectors, both experienced an 11% dip in brand value year-on-year. On the other hand, for retail the countrys third most valuable sector total brand value increased by 36% to R61.4bn in 2021, accounting for 13% of the rankings overall brand value, with eight brands featuring.Of these eight, five are headquartered in the Western Cape, including Shoprite (up 11% to R12.9bn) the most valuable retail brand this year (ranking in 12th position overall) making retail the leading sector in the province. Other Western Cape-based brands include Pick n Pay (up 5% to R8.2bn) in 23rd position, Checkers (up 33% to R6.5bn) in 26th, Clicks (up 12% to R6.0bn) in 29th, and Pep Stores (down 2% to R3.5bn) in 36th position.While the past year will be remembered for when Covid-19 wreaked havoc on financial markets and broader retail sectors, it will also be remembered for promoting an unprecedented growth in online sales, with both pure-play e-commerce players and established retailers rapidly expanding their online offerings.Previously featured in the Brand Finance Africa 150 2020 report in 84th position, Markham launches into the Brand Finance South Africa 50 2021 ranking for the first time after an impressive brand value growth of 44% to R2.4bn, making it the fastest-growing brand in this years top 50 ranking.In contrast, fellow apparel brand Country Road is this years fastest-falling brand after dropping 39% in brand value from R3.4bn to R2.1bn.This years top 50 welcomes five new entrants, including two re-entering brands and Sibanye Stillwater the mining house and the worlds largest primary producer of platinum, making its debut in the Brand Finance South Africa 50 2021 ranking with a brand value of R6.7bn.The highest ranked re-entering top 50 brand is KwaZulu-Natal-based Spar SA (brand value R11.3bn), claiming 16th position after an absence of two years. Also re-entering the ranking after a two-year gap is Media24 Group (brand value R2.2bn) in 45th position.Dis-Chem Pharmacies (brand value R1.6bn) has entered the ranking in 50th position. Given the role Clicks and Dis-Chem will play in rolling out Covid-19 vaccines, they should both enjoy buoyant trading.View the full Brand Finance South Africa 50 2021 report here Accurate recordkeeping, informed consent and professional front-office support are essential for mitigating the risks for claims of malpractice against doctors. Image supplied The case for meticulous recordkeeping What exactly is informed consent? an actual discussion must be held with the patient, during which he or she is informed of all conditions of which he or she has been diagnosed; the patient must be informed precisely what options are available to him or her; where there are different types of medication available, the patient should be informed of the full scope; a recommendation should be made, as to his or her best options; and where there is an alternative to surgery, the patient must be informed of exactly what this entails. Vital role of support staff 76% of practitioners said that it was too time-consuming to make comprehensive notes; 51% said they were too busy; 18% said they lacked computer skills; 41% said they kept records in a particular manner as a matter of habit and it worked for them; eight percent said they believed it unlikely that they would receive a complaint or claim against them; and 33% said that they lacked the requisite training for accurate medical recordkeeping. We deal with a number of cerebral palsy cases, where the allegations are usually that there was a failure to monitor a patients labour in accordance with the maternity care guidelines. Sometimes, there is a failure to perform a C-section on an urgent basis; the treating doctor did not consider the size of the babys head in relation to the size of the patients pelvis; and other factors were not taken into consideration, such as maternal age," Natasha Naidoo, senior associate at Norton Rose Fulbright told a recent webinar.Additional examples from case law involved those of prematurity, where the allegation was that the premature baby was not monitored in terms of the South Africa guidelines for prevention of blindness; there was a failure to monitor, or inadequate monitoring of oxygen saturation levels; or there was a failure to monitor the baby for screening at an appropriate stage of his or her life, which resulted in permanent blindness.Moving on from the high-risk speciality of obstetrics and gynaecology, Naidoo mentioned that during her consultations with hospital staff some aspects of care were not noted properly, or at all, in the clinical records. Then there are cases where patients are admitted to undergo a specific surgical procedure and complications arise, or the patient develops a hospital-acquired infection Even in the most well-renowned hospitals in the world, it is not always possible to prevent a hospital-acquired infection. But, it will only be evident from the clinical records of the patient that bloods were, in fact, taken at every possible interval to keep an eye out for possible infection these being highly treatable via antibiotics.Very common also are claims against doctors not attending to hospitalised patients timeously when their condition takes a turn for the worst, and when he or she requires mechanical ventilation, for example. Sometimes a doctor may, in his defence, plead that he did in fact attend on the patient, but there is no record of this because the notes were not included in the clinical records. With the above in mind, the importance of accurate medical recordkeeping cannot be underestimated for its vital role in providing evidence in medical malpractice litigation. While healthcare professionals and facilities are required, by law, to keep contemporaneous medical records of their patients, it is worth examining exactly what good medical recordkeeping really involves.Personal particulars should be recorded accurately, and patients should be afforded the opportunity to update their details on a regular basis. As part of their training, reception staff should ensure that patients consider what basic information is held on file, and make changes if necessary to update the file, said Naidoo.Then, the bio-psycho-social history of the patient, allergies and chronic medication should all be noted. The date, time and place of every consultation is vital and should be noted on the records. You should state precisely what your assessment of the patient entailed, details of routine examinations, the patients temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. The proposed clinical management of the patient, which would include diagnosis, treatment options going forward all forms part of obtaining informed consent. Then, medication and dosage prescribed, of course, must be noted. Ensure that all information relating to the patient, including the blood test results, X-rays and results for any diagnostic tests, are all kept together in the patients file.Where you refer a patient to another practitioner, it is imperative that you note this and include a copy of the referral letter, stating why the referral is being made, what your views are, and what that particular practitioner should consider. Where a patient may raise a serious genetic issue, you should advise the patient to look further into it even under circumstances where he or she does not present with any signs or symptoms of the inherited condition.Notes must be made legibly and be easily decipherable. Further, it is not only important to note what you told the patient, but also what the patient told you during the consultation. Then, where a patient is hospitalised, and you are placing the patient under another doctors care, a brief to the practitioner to whom you are handing the patient over should also appear in the records. Much of what I have said thus far in relation to good recordkeeping applies, also, to nursing staff. A nurse should bear in mind, at all times, that any notes or records taken while he or she is on duty constitutes a potential legal document which can be used in court," Naidoo said.Moving on to informed consent, Naidoo said that it is a patients right, which flows from various legislations including the Constitution, to be placed in possession of all information necessary to make an informed decision on any medical issue. Informed consent must be obtained when prescribing any form of treatment or undertaking any surgical procedures on behalf of a patient; an informed consent form should appear within the patients file, signed by both the patient and yourself."The requirements regarding informed consent, as per the webinar, are as follows:So often a doctor will say, I prescribed X and Y because I knew the patient couldnt afford the most effective treatment, or had run out of medical funds, but the patient should be told irrespective. Withholding this information is not helpful because the patient may be able to obtain the funds from a friend or relative, had they known about the most effective option," she said.A last note on informed consent: the patient should be provided with the opportunity to ask questions. All the information provided to the patient would place him or her in a position to make an informed decision. And, of course, the informed consent form, signed by both parties, should form an integral part of their healthcare records.So how exactly it is possible to mitigate the risks of medical recordkeeping, where practitioners are faced, on a daily basis, with saving lives under highly pressurised conditions within a frantic environment. Her answer was that it did not matter, for litigation purposes, whether notes were hand written or kept eletronically; all that was required was that they be stored safely so that the practitioner, or any other person such as within the legal fraternity, or in court was able to determine what, precisely, had transpired during the treatment.Dictating notes, to be typed up by a secretary, may be helpful where the practitioner is doing ward rounds or even consulting with their patients in rooms. Brief handwritten notes may be made and, at the end of the consultation, the practitioner may take a few minutes to dictate these, using an app on their mobile device. A concern about accuracy, in the case of notes being typed up by another person, can be eliminated were the secretary, for example, cross references those dictated transcribed notes with the practitioners brief handwritten notes. Or, where the secretary highlights and later clarifies any queries with the practitioner directly, said Naidoo.Of interest was a research study on medical recordkeeping , cited during the webinar, which revealed the following points as barriers to accuracy:While good recordkeeping is a tedious administrative task, it should be considered part of the treatment process of the patient. Training and workshops should be held on an ongoing basis so that practitioners, including nursing and reception staff, are alert to the requirements. From a legal perspective, attorneys are faced with various difficulties in medical malpractice claims. There are, at times, no medical records available; the file is lost; we are unable to defend the action; and the client must then consider conceding liability due to the lack of evidence in their defence To avoid this unfortunate state of affairs, a plan of action should be implemented to ensure adequate recordkeeping is practised and implemented effectively within your practice, Naidoo said. Leading fashion and lifestyle retailer TFG shared its strategy to revolutionise the omnichannel experience and transform into Africa's leading high-tech omnichannel retailer. "We are laying the foundations to become the largest, most reliable and most profitable e-commerce destination on the continent; via a simplified, customer-centric approach, aimed at maximising group scale, minimising duplication and cost, and leveraging our incredible assets," shared newly appointed co-chief omni officer Claude Hanan. The announcement came as part of the retailer's 2021 financial year-end presentation. But when all thats being done about an epidemic of gun violence is nothing, maybe childishly simple is what we deserve: Do something. Please make this stop. No other developed nation has weekend headlines such as 8 dead, at least 38 injured including 4 teens in weekend shootings in Chicago or Mass shooting leaves two dead, 12 wounded at huge N.J. house party. Traditionally it was only those with military service or (who) had engaged in a formal gap year, Browne said. With the pandemic, weve been very, very flexible with students, understanding that they just dont know where they may end up wanting to be once we begin to reopen things. Rammsteins tour billed as rock n rolls most ambitious pyro-theatrical experience is now slated to kick off in August 2022 in Montreal and wrap up in Mexico City in October 2022. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday for the new dates. The tour is in support of the bands seventh and most recent album, untitled and released in 2019. After months of consideration, a judge in Fulton County, Georgia, has ruled that absentee ballots from the 2020 presidential election will be unsealed and examined for evidence of fraud. Henry Superior Court Judge Brian Amero said in a hearing Friday that Fulton election officials will be required to keep ballots in their custody. More than 145,000 ballots will be analyzed. The decision comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by voting integrity advocate Garland Favorito, who determined county workers may have recorded individual votes multiple times, and eight others. His lawsuit directly points to footage of the counting process and statements from individuals who observed the counting. There have been dozens of election-related lawsuits in Georgia. Georgia voters deserve to have confidence that their voice and their vote is heard, said former Republican Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who lost her seat to Democrat Raphael Warnock in a January runoff election. Unfortunately, the many irregularities we saw in the 2020 elections have eroded trust in our electoral process. We fully support the move to unseal and investigate absentee ballot process in Fulton County. Transparency is the first step toward restoring integrity and accountability in our elections, and we look forward to the investigations findings. In March, Amero stressed the need for a thorough plan to ensure the security of the ballots. We want to do this in such a way that dispels rumors and disinformation and sheds light, the judge said at a hearing. The devils in the details. The plaintiffs initially desired to take the ballots to a private company for contractual work, but Amero declined the move. At the direction of the judge, absentee ballots will be scanned and county officials will be asked to provide images of the voting information. The plaintiffs are paying for the audits. Recently, the Biden Administration announced the establishment of what is essentially a pre-crime surveillance program. This program comes as no surprise to those of us with any concern for our civil rights as we saw this coming a thousand miles away. Of course, the program will combat violent domestic extremism and violent white supremacy. (Because all those years of blaming Muslims was just to get silly white people to give up their rights so the surveillance and police state could be turned back on them.) Who is running this pre-crime surveillance program? The new office of pre-crime is called the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships. (CP3) is run by the Department of Homeland Security. However, John W. Whitehead has pointed out the DHS is notorious for: militarizing the police and SWAT teams spying on activists dissidents and veterans stockpiling ammunition distributing license plate readers contracting to build detention camps tracking cell phones with Stingray devices carrying out military drills and lockdowns in American cities using the TSA as an advance guard conducting virtual strip searches with full-body scanners carrying out soft target checkpoints directing government workers to spy on Americans conducting widespread spying networks using fusion centers carrying out Constitution-free border control searches funding city-wide surveillance cameras utilizing drones and other spybots Sounds very Minority Report, right? Civil rights. What civil rights? CP3 has promised to combat certain types of violence in a way consistent with privacy protections, civil rights, civil liberties, and other applicable laws. No one actually takes that claim seriously since there are very few privacy protections, civil liberties, or applicable laws anymore. If there were, the DHS would not consistently follow them. Dont you mean afterschool surveillance programs, Joe? From the DHS Website: CP3 will replace the Office for Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention while ensuring DHSs efforts are grounded in an approach to violence prevention that leverages behavioral threat assessment and management tools and addresses early-risk factors that can lead to radicalization to violence. And here you thought when Joe said violence prevention programs, he meant afterschool programs or, you know, jobs. Nope. He means totalitarian surveillance programs powered by the fires consuming the Fourth Amendment and the rest of the Bill of Rights. DHS has also announced a new, dedicated domestic terrorism branch with the Departments Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A). This branch will: ensure DHS develops the expertise necessary to produce the sound, timely intelligence needed to combat threats posed by domestic terrorism and targeted violence. This new branch fits wells with the proposed Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021. The DTPA bill is essentially the criminalization of speech, expression, and thought. It takes cancel culture a step further and all but outlaws unpopular opinions. This act will empower intelligence, law enforcement, and even military wings of the American ruling class to crack down on individuals adhering to certain belief systems and ideologies. Welcome to 1984, a Brave New World, filled with fake people As John W. Whitehead writes: In the blink of an eye, ordinary Americans will find themselves labeled domestic extremists for engaging in lawful behavior that triggers the governments pre-crime sensors. Of course, its an elaborate setup: well all be targets. In such a suspect society, the burden of proof is reversed so that guilt is assumed and innocence must be proven. Its the American police states take on the dystopian terrors foreshadowed by George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Phillip K. Dick, all rolled up into one oppressive pre-crime and pre-thought crime package. Whats more, the technocrats who run the surveillance state dont even have to break a sweat while monitoring what you say, what you read, what you write, where you go, how much you spend, whom you support, and with whom you communicate. Computers now do the tedious work of trolling social media, the internet, text messages, and phone calls. All potentially anti-government remarks are carefully recorded, documented, and stored to use against you. When? Someday at a time and place of the governments choosing. Use a cell phone? Youre a target. Drive a car? Youre a target I highly encourage you to access and read Whiteheads article, Well All Be Targeted Under The US Governments New Precrime Program. Take a look at some of the actions that ALREADY get you targeted: Using trigger words on the phone or online like jihad, dirty bomb, Agro terror, SWAT, lockdown, police, cloud, food poisoning, pork, flu, smart, Subway, canceled, la Familia, hurricane, pirates, delays, storm, fire, forest, flood, ice, snow, worm, help, social media, or warning Using a cell phone (the government with its corporate partners listen in and store all your conversations anyway) Drive a car youre being tracked (unless you have an old car) in more ways than you know Attend a political rally Express any opinions on social media Serve in the military (see Operation Vigilant Eagle) Disagree with a Law Enforcement official Call In Sick to work Limp or stutter Appear to be confused or nervous, fidget, whistle, or smell bad Allow yourself to be seen in public holding or waving a toy gun or anything remotely resembling a gun Stare at a police officer Appear to be pro-gun, pro-freedom or anti-government Attend a public school (and especially NOT doing so) Speak out publicly against tyranny Simply being alive makes us all targets You dont have to be a criminal, dissident, or activist to be surveilled and arrested (and possibly tortured) in the modern police state. All you have to do is exist. About Robert Robert Wheeler has been quietly researching world events for two decades. After witnessing the global network of NGOs and several Revolutions they engineered in a number of different countries, Wheeler began analyzing current events through these lenses. I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there, passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane arrived in Vilnius following several hours in the Belarusian capital. I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there, passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. Help Our Community Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You! Take The Survey The Mountain View School Division is moving all of its schools within the City of Dauphin to remote learning as of Wednesday, the division announced on its website on Sunday. Advertisement Advertise With Us The Mountain View School Division is moving all of its schools within the City of Dauphin to remote learning as of Wednesday, the division announced on its website on Sunday. According to a statement the division posted online, Manitoba Public Health advised the division to move to remote learning. "Due to the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the Dauphin and surrounding area, Manitoba Public Health has advised that Mountain View School Division transition all schools in the City of Dauphin to full remote learning for a two-week period," the statement reads. Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School, Smith-Jackson Ukrainian Bilingual School, Lt. Colonel Barker V.C. School and Ecole Macneill will be delivering remote lessons from May 26 until June 9. MacKenzie Middle School, Whitmore School and Henderson Elementary School will have their current remote learning periods extended until June 9. The division had previously announced on Saturday that a confirmed case of COVID-19 had been discovered at MacKenzie Middle School in the Grade 7 French immersion classroom. The individual was infectious while at the school on May 14, 18 and 19. The Brandon Sun Eurovision Song Contest organisers say the lead singer of Italian glam rock band Maneskin has tested negative for drug use, putting an end to speculation that had tarnished the bands victory. We consider the matter closed, the European Broadcasting Union, which produces the annual kitsch-filled song festival, said in a statement on Monday. Damiano David performs with Maneskin at Eurovision. Credit:EBU EBU said it came to the conclusion after it reviewed all the available footage of the TV broadcast on Saturday night and saw the negative results of Maneskin singer Damiano Davids voluntarily drug test. Rumours had swirled on social media and were raised at a Eurovision news conference that David had snorted cocaine when he was seen leaning awkwardly over a table during the live TV broadcast. David immediately rejected the claim, saying he never uses drugs and that he was leaning over because his guitarist had broken a glass. Between rehearsal scenes, the kids muck about as kids do: flipping footy cards, grabbing snacks, popping those bubble-pop fidget toys that have suddenly taken over the world. Then they get on stage and break your heart. The cast of The Dispute in rehearsal at Arts House. Credit:Chris Hopkins You have to accept not getting what you want, says one of the performers. Hes talking about the aftermath of his parents separation. And they are his words, from a script created from his real experience. If his parents hadnt broken up, he muses, I would probably be a very different person. From the boy who knows, the challenge to identity that divorce imposes on a child. Late last year, Dr Matthew Webb arrived at a patch of forest on the east coast of Tasmania expecting to find swift parrots feeding on the creamy white eucalyptus blossom and flitting, with distinctive speed, to nearby nesting trees. Dr Webb has been studying these birds the fastest parrot on Earth and their summer breeding sites in Tasmania for more than 15 years. Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Jenny Weber in a logging coupe in the Huon Valley, Tasmania. The area of old-growth forest next to it, which is typical swift parrot habitat, is due to be logged soon. Credit:Jason South When he arrived, the swift parrots were there. But so too were large trucks and heavy machinery logging trees in the Eastern Tiers forest reserve, despite the presence of the critically endangered birds. Its not that the presence of parrots in this coupe was unexpected. Water police are searching for an extremely rare boat, worth $400,000, plucked out of Rose Bay wharf a fortnight ago. The Ribco Seafarer 36 was untied at the marina, in Sydneys eastern suburbs, about 9pm on May 9 by two men who then towed it to a nearby boat ramp and loaded it onto a trailer attached to a dual cab ute, police said in a statement on Monday. Police believe the boat was stolen on May 9. Credit:NSW Police The 36-feet long vessel is a rigid-hull inflatable boat with a black hull, white interiors and registration AIS241N. It is owned by a charter company. Marine Area Command described the boat as extremely rare and said it would be easily recognised. A listening device planted in a high-profile Queensland lawyers car by anti-corruption officers heard the barrister discuss cocaine with his client, the Brisbane Supreme Court heard. Mitchell Craig Armstrong, 27, pleaded guilty to and was sentenced for possessing dangerous drugs, possessing tainted property and trafficking dangerous drugs on Monday. High-profile Gold Coast lawyer Campbell MacCallum (right) and his client Mitchell Craig Armstrong (left). He admitted to trafficking cocaine on the Gold Coast between March 20, 2020 and July 17, 2020; possessing cocaine in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast on March 7, 2020; and being found with tainted property, $2730 in cash, on the Gold Coast on July 16, 2020. High-profile Gold Coast lawyer Campbell MacCallum, 46, was the subject of a lengthy Crime and Corruption Queensland investigation. At the end of his visit to FEMA, Biden addressed agency employees and thanked them for their efforts in recent months. In addition to natural disasters, FEMA is playing a central role in the federal governments effort to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in hard-to-reach areas of the country. The agency in March was also called to help support the processing of the surge of unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S. southern border. Australian health workers dealing with emergency patients face a legal minefield because triage rules are either non-existent or not being communicated clearly by health authorities, experts say. The group of experts published an article in the Medical Journal of Australia this week calling on governments around the country to state clearly what triage frameworks were in place to deal with patients when a disaster, such as a pandemic, overwhelmed the hospital system. The research, published in the MJA, found very few jurisdictions made emergency triage rules public. Credit:Kate Geraghty Triage in a hospital setting refers to the process of determining the order in which patients are seen. Patients with the most life-threatening conditions are usually seen first. But in emergency scenarios, such as a global pandemic, frontline health staff can be forced to prioritise patients who are more likely to benefit from treatment, in an effort to conserve medical resources. The death of Queensland girl Sophie Smith is being investigated as a homicide two years after the 11-year-olds body was found by a neighbour while the girls mother was home. The body of Sophie Maree Smith was found in a main bedroom by a neighbour on August 1, 2019, at the home in Orchid Drive in Mount Cotton, south of Brisbane. The neighbour had been asked to check on Sophie by her father, who was out of town, Detective Inspector Stephen Hollands told media on Monday. The neighbour called authorities, and Sophies mother Nicole was rushed to hospital for medical treatment. Queenslanders who have been to Melbourne recently have been urged to get tested for coronavirus, as the Premier announced new restrictions in the wake of a potential new outbreak in the Victorian capital. Late on Monday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that from 1am on Wednesday, May 26, anyone entering Queensland who had been to any of the Victorian exposure sites at a specified time would need to quarantine for 14 days in government-arranged accommodation. Anyone who had been to any of the exposure sites and was already in Queensland must complete the Queensland Health online contact tracing self-assessment form. The warning came as Queensland announced more than a dozen new community vaccination hubs to handle the next phase of the states rollout. The Andrews government has rejected calls to establish a register of men who donate sperm outside the regulated system despite fears of the growing risks of women using social media to find men to help them conceive. And two years after receiving a landmark inquiry designed to fix Victorias outdated reproductive treatment laws, the government is yet to implement most of its recommendations, fuelling concerns that many IVF patients will continue to face problems such as high costs, dubious success rates, and misleading information. Computer-generated sperm and eggs As more people seek to have children and fewer men donate their sperm to formal clinics, donations sourced through Facebook groups and other apps have become an increasingly popular and cheaper alternative for many Victorians. So-called informal donations can also involve a person known to the woman or couple seeking to conceive. But the system is not regulated, making it harder for children to track down their biological fathers because donor information is not always recorded. This leaves authorities largely powerless to enforce laws such as a limit of 10 on the number of families each donor can provide sperm to. Police working in Northbridge could soon have access to free parking on night-shifts as Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas pushes to meet an election promise. But the WA Police Union says the measure does not meet Mr Zempilas promise to cover all shifts. Mr Zempilas will move a motion at Tuesdays council meeting to start a three-month trial providing car spaces without charge to police officers from 10pm to 7am every day of the week at the Elder Street carpark across the road from RAC Arena. City of Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas wants free overnight parking for police. The first-term Mayor had promised during the election to make officers at the Northbridge Police Station eligible to have free parking for all their shifts but the trial would only cover late nights to early mornings. Australias top medical officer says as many incentives as possible are needed to ensure most of the population gets immunised against COVID-19, but a proposal to use vaccine passports for interstate travel has come under fire from MPs across the political spectrum. Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kellys comments came as the head of Home Affairs confirmed there would be no significant international border reopening before June 2022. Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly says all ideas are potentially on the table to try to encourage hesitant people, particularly within the 50-69 age group, to get immunised. Credit:Getty Professor Kelly said with the pandemic largely contained in Australia, the government needed to find ways to encourage more people to get the vaccine. We really do need to look for incentives as many incentives as we can for people to become vaccinated, he said on Monday afternoon. Stresa, Italy: Investigators say their initial probe into a cable car disaster in northern Italy that killed 14 people would look into how the lead cable snapped and why a safety brake mechanism failed to activate. The gondola, on a cableway that takes visitors up a mountain from near the shore of Lake Maggiore, plunged to the ground on Sunday, killing all aboard apart from a 5-year-old Israeli boy, who suffered multiple broken bones and is in a critical condition. Rescuers work by the wreckage of a cable car after it crashed to the ground. Credit:Italian Vigili del Fuoco Firefighters via AP Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into suspected involuntary manslaughter and negligence. We are starting from the empirical evidence. The cable sheared and the system of safety brakes clearly did not work, said public prosecutor Olimpia Bossi. A woman dining at Dukes Hawaiian restaurant by the pier said she heard fireworks while she was eating, and when she went to the window to see what was happening she saw hundreds of people running away from the beach. The former Central Connecticut player spent most of last season on the New England Patriots practice squad. GUEST OPINION It's time to put the 9/11 mastermind on trial The committee of creditors of has challenged the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) order directing the lenders to consider the offer by the debt-ridden mortgage firm's erstwhile promoter Kapil Wadhawan. An appeal challenging Mumbai bench's order has been filed before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and is scheduled for hearing on Tuesday. The matter will be heard by a vacation bench of NCLAT comprising Acting Chairman Justice A I S Cheema and Member Technical V P Singh. The petition has been filed by the Union Bank of India on behalf of the Committee of Creditors (CoC) of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFCL). Last week, asked the RBI-appointed administrator of to present the settlement plan offered by jailed Wadhawan to the CoC. The tribunal gave ten days' time for the CoC to consider the offer. According to sources, lenders in their petition have requested the appellate tribunal to stay the order. In January this year, the CoC voted in favour of selling to Piramal Group under the bankruptcy process. While the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Competition Commission of India (CCI) have given their approvals, a final nod from the NCLT is awaited. Last year, Wadhawan had made his settlement offer to the CoC and it was rejected, citing lack of credibility and the valuations attached to the proposed asset sales. In the plan, Wadhawan had proposed to repay lenders by selling assets. In November 2019, RBI had referred DHFL -- then the third-largest pure-play mortgage lender -- for resolution under the (IBC). DHFL had gone bankrupt with more than Rs 90,000 crore in debt to various lenders, including banks, mutual funds and individual investors who kept fixed deposits with the company. (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.) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-appointed administrator and the lenders to Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) have moved National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the order of the Mumbai Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) that directed the committee of creditors (CoC) to examine the offer of the erstwhile promoter on merit, said sources. The Piramal Group, whose resolution plan was approved by the lenders, RBI, and Competition Commission of India (CCI), is also likely to file an appeal against the NCLT order in the NCLAT, a source said. However, the group will file an appeal independently. The matter is expected to come up for hearing this week. Lenders are not happy with the NCLT order and never anticipated that such an order could be passed. This order will open a Pandoras box because other promoters will start quoting this case and derail the resolution process. Hence, we appealed against the order. This will unnecessarily delay the process, said a banker aware of the development. The lenders, through their petition, have asked to set aside the order of the NLCT, which directs the administrator to place the offer of the erstwhile promoter before CoC for consideration because its outside the jurisdiction of NCLT and contrary to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Also, they are asking the to direct NCLT to approve the resolution plan they have approved, which has been reserved for orders by the bankruptcy tribunal, said a source aware of the development. There is a process under the IBC, which allows a former promoter to put forward an offer and that does not include the promoter writing letters saying consider the plan. Also, financial service providers are in a slightly different IBC regime, because the RBI has filed the insolvency application. So, under 12A of IBC, even if there was to be a settlement in this case, the withdrawal of application has to be done by the applicant, in this case, the RBI. The committee of creditors cannot do it. Also, it requires a high threshold of approvals from the CoC. So, the ex-promoter is coming in at the last moment to scuttle the process. This comes after the NCLT said the second proposal of erstwhile promoter Kapil Wadhawan deserves to be examined on merits and put to vote by the CoC. The order asked the administrator of to present the offer of the erstwhile promoter before the CoC within days and had scheduled the next hearing for May 31. The lenders were mulling their options since the order came in last week. Appealing against the order in the appellate tribunal was one of the options they were exploring. This is because the CoC had already voted in favour of a resolution plan. Bankers were apprehensive of considering the settlement offer of the promoter because the account was already declared as fraud by them. According to the lenders, they had considered the proposal of the erstwhile promoter, but rejected it based on their commercial wisdom. Wadhawan is still languishing in jail on money laundering charges. In its written order, the tribunal said, ...the adjudicating authority is of the considered view that the second proposal deserves to be examined on merits and put for deciding, voting of the members of CoC. If the same is commercially found not favourable with the CoC members, then the proposal can be rejected. In the order, the tribunal said the settlement proposal of Wadhawan at Rs 91,158 crore is much higher than the offer of the next highest bidder, Piramal Group, which offered Rs 37,250 crore. Since this settlement proposal is substantially higher / more than one-and-a-half-times the value of the highest bidder, the same needs due consideration/reconsideration by the administrator or CoC, the order said. The tribunal also observed that with the settlement proposal, thousands of small investors and fixed deposit holders would be paid fully, thereby thousands of small investors would get 100 per cent of their principal sum outstanding. became the first financial services company to be referred to the NCLT by the RBI in November 2019 after it defaulted on its payments and lenders failed to find a resolution under the June 7 circular of the RBI. Creditors of have claimed dues to the tune of Rs 87,000 crore. The liquidity crisis, after the collapse of IL&FS in 2018, led to DHFLs downfall. Prior to that, it was one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country. The company is also ramping up its technology team and would be adding around 80 more engineers to its team of 170 by August this year Omnichannel eyewear unicorn Lenskart, which recently raised $95 million from private equity firm KKR, will be investing in startups to gear up for its next phase of growth. Part of the growth will include acqui-hiring, acquisitions and investments into technology companies, said Ramneek Khurana, cofounder, We are looking at acquisitions and aqui-hiring that makes us strengthen our presence in the omnichannel, online and supply chain areas, added Khurana. The company claims to reach out to 100,000 customers a month. On the e-commerce side, it is weighing on startups which are providing custom-fit solutions to customers using AI and ML while in the supply chain area, is looking for firms that are working in areas of automation and manufacturing that will help them scale up their plant operations further. The SoftBank-backed company has already announced two acquihires this year -- DailyJoy and HighApe. The acquihiring of DailyJoy has helped open its third technology hub in Hyderabad after Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, while the HighApe team will assist it in building a platform with a new way for selling eyeglasses online. HighApe is a hyperlocal startup which provides access to local parties and events. It brings a deep understanding of what it takes to sell to the masses in India via technology, explained Khurana. Lenskart is also in the process of taking its products to other online stores. We can currently sell on our platform, but soon we will be able to sell on other websites too, said Khurana. On the omnichannel side, we will be looking at technology which are working on footfall tracking, demographic analytics and merchandising systems, he added. The company is also ramping up its technology team and would be adding around 80 more engineers to its team of 170 by August this year. Last year, Lenskart had also invested in Tango Eye, a Chennai-based AI video analytics startup that converts CCTV data into actionable insights. By August, the company will also expand its operations to Dubai and West Asia. Its international operations are currently limited to Singapore. With demand for zero power eyeglasses rising as work from home and online schooling continues, the company has seen a 50 per cent increase in online sales since the lockdown last year. To sell eyeglasses online after the lockdown, it had come up with a tool which would tell a user which glasses would fit well on a face. It is an augmented reality backed tool which has hundreds of 3D model glasses and as soon as you give access to your camera, the glasses start fitting on your face on the phone. This feature is being tried by around half a million potential customers every month, according to the company. The company entered the unicorn club in 2020, after raising $231 million from SoftBank Vision Fund II, Lightbulb as part of its Series G funding in 2020. THE LENSKART GAME PLAN - Lenskart to have 250 strong tech team in a couple of months - Looking at both acquisitions and acquihiring to add talent - Has announced two acquihires so far -- DailyJoy and HighApe - Company has also invested in Tango Eye, an AI video analytics startup A total of 87,055 Indians have returned back home from since May last year as part of the Mission repatriation flights, the Indian High Commission here has said. Among the reasons the Indians had to return home were job loss, family compulsion and death in family due to COVID -19 pandemic that has impacted the entire world since last year. From May last year to May 18, 629 flights have ferried 87,055 passengers," the Indian High Commission in said in a statement. A separate joint statement by three different ministries of the government has said that on an average 180 Indians are flying back daily to India as part of the Mission flights, Channel News Asia reported. There is an average of about 180 departing passengers on these flights back to India and about 25 arrivals to Singapore each day, the report said, citing the statement issued by the Transport, Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Manpower Ministries. Vande Bharat is a programme by the Indian government to repatriate Indian nationals from around the world amidst the crisis caused by the pandemic. Singapore has so far reported 61,799 cases of while the deaths caused due to it stands at 32, according to John Hopkins University. (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.) Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) has conveyed to the government that it has already submitted 90 per cent of documents to WHO for obtaining emergency use listing (EUL) for the Covaxin vaccine, sources said on Monday. The remaining documents are expected to be submitted by June, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Ltd told the Central government during a discussion on obtaining the World Health Organisation's authorisation for emergency use listing for Covaxin, sources said. "BBIL is confident about obtaining WHO's emergency use listing," said a source. Sources also said that no country has instituted a 'vaccine passport' and that countries around the world have their own requirements for approval which, in most cases, involves travel by carrying a COVID-19 negative RT-PCR report. Noting that Covaxin has already received regulatory approval from 11 countries, sources said there was also interest from other 11 companies in seven nations for technology transfer and production of Covaxin. The company is in the final stages of negotiations with the Food and Drug Administration of the US for conducting small-scale phase-III clinical trials of Covaxin in the United States, sources said. Sources also said that BBIL is in the final stages of submission of required documents for regulatory approvals to Covaxin in Brazil and Hungary. They said the meeting with BBIL on the EUL was attended by the company's managing director V Krishna Mohan and his colleagues besides senior officers of the Ministry of Health, Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of External Affairs. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was among those who attended the meeting. (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.) (Black students) might not necessarily be as capable or in the best position to get all of the resources that are available to all students just because they dont know about them, Johnson said. We go ahead and teach them and point them in the right direction just to level the playing field and give them as much direction. Brazil's health minister said the government is concerned about the variant first identified in India after the first cases of it were confirmed in the South American country. Marcelo Queiroga denied, however, that there was community transmission of the variant, which was first identified in Brazil in the northeastern state of Maranhao, where 100 people are being monitored. A case was also confirmed Saturday in Ceara state. According to Queiroga, 600,000 rapid tests will be sent to Maranhao to monitor the variant's possible spread and he said health barriers would be implemented at airports, highways and roads in Maranhao to contain its movement. All passengers passing through airports or borders in the northeastern state will have to take the rapid test. Brazil suspended flights from India last week following the recommendation of the National Health Surveillance Agency. (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 Union government is in direct talks with global manufacturers to facilitate regulatory clearance and procurement of doses, the health ministry said on Monday. This follows the stand taken by foreign makers such as Moderna and that they would only deal with the Centre and not individual states. The Centre had last month announced a "liberalised policy with effect from May 1. The revised policy, made public on April 19, empowered states to procure doses directly from manufacturers. The move had prompted many states to float global tenders to procure vaccines from international firms. But, on Sunday said US-based vaccine maker Moderna had declined its request for direct supply of doses and that the company had indicated it would only deal with the government of India. ALSO READ: Ensure transgender persons face no discrimination at vaccine centres: Govt We are coordinating at the central level with vaccine makers. The order books of both and Moderna are full most of the time. Depending on the surplus available with them, they will get back to the government of India, Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry, said during a press conference on Covid-19 situation. Based on how much they can supply to India, the government would ensure and facilitate supplies of vaccine at state level, Agarwal said. ALSO READ: Going viral on vaccines Clarifying on why only 50 million vaccines was being supplied by end of May when the total production of the two vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) is around 80 million doses per month, Agarwal said that the production was not immediately available for supply. There are processes involved in ensuring its availability. The immediate production today takes seven to nine days to become available, Agarwal said. A stability and sterility study, which can take up to a week, is done after production in the factory premises. Thereafter, vaccines are supplied in batches and sent first to the central drug laboratory in Kasauli for testing. Vaccines are then sent out through the supply chain network. We have to strengthen our logistics and inventory management... States are told in advance about the free doses that will be made available to them in advance so that they can plan on field level, the joint secretary added. ALSO READ: Kerala CM urges Centre to float global tender to reduce vaccine price On the issue of talks with states and the Centre, another American vaccine maker holds a view similar to Moderna. A Pfizer spokesperson told Business Standard, As we have maintained all along, during this pandemic phase, across the world Pfizer will supply the Covid-19 vaccine only to central governments and supra-national organisations for deployment in national immunisation programmes. The allocation of doses and implementation plan within a country is a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidance. The company added that it remained committed to continuing its engagement with the government of India towards making the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available for use nationally. India on Monday reported a net reduction of 84,683 in active cases to take its count to 2,720,716. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 17.64 per cent (one in 5). The country is second among the most affected countries by active cases. On Monday, it added 222,315 cases to take its total caseload to 26,752,447. And, with 4,454 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 303,720, or 1.14 per cent of total confirmed infections. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The Delhi Police's Special Cell teams visited the offices of India in Delhi and Gurgaon on Monday evening and served a notice in connection with its probe into the alleged 'COVID toolkit' matter, officials said. Two teams of Special Cell were at the India offices located in Delhi's Lado Sarai and Gurgaon, on the outskirts of the capital, a senior police officer said. The visits were in connection with the probe into the 'toolkit' matter, he said. "The team went to offices to serve a notice to Twitter, as a part of routine process. This was necessitated as it was to ascertain who the right person was to serve a notice, as replies by Twitter India MD had been very ambiguous," reported news agency ANI while quoting sources. The Special Cell has sent a notice to Twitter in connection with an inquiry into a complaint regarding the alleged 'COVID-19 toolkit' and sought a clarification from the microblogging site for classifying a related tweet by BJP leader as "manipulative", an official said on Monday. #WATCH | Team of Special cell carrying out searches in the offices of Twitter India (in Delhi & Gurugram) Visuals from Lado Sarai. pic.twitter.com/eXipqnEBgt ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021 It appears that Twitter has some information that is not known to the police. This information is relevant to the inquiry, PRO Chinmoy Biswal said. The police, however, refused to divulge the contents of the complaint or the identity of the complainant. The BJP has accused the Congress of creating a 'toolkit' that seeks to tarnish the image of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi by calling the new strain of coronavirus as "India strain" or "Modi strain". However, the Congress has denied the allegation and claimed that the BJP is propagating a fake 'toolkit' to defame it. Last week, Twitter labelled as "manipulated media" a tweet by Patra on the alleged 'toolkit'. Twitter says it "may label Tweets that include media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated". Biswal said the Delhi Police is inquiring into a complaint in connection with which a clarification has been sought from Twitter regarding the classification of a tweet by Patra as "manipulative". "It appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us on the basis of which they have classified it (Patra's tweet) as such. This information is relevant to the inquiry. The Special Cell, which is conducting the inquiry, wants to find out the truth. Twitter, which has claimed to know the underlying truth, should clarify," he said. BJP leaders, including Patra, have posted numerous tweets to attack the Congress over the purported 'toolkit'. On May 19, the Congress lodged a police complaint seeking registration of cases against BJP chief J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, BJP general secretary B L Santosh and Patra over the alleged forgery of documents. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress' students wing NSUI also lodged a complaint against Patra and former chief minister Raman Singh for allegedly "forging" the letterhead of AICC Research Department and printing "false and fabricated" content on it. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been filed against Patra and Singh at the Civil Lines police station in Raipur. (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 does not have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses to vaccinate the entire country, or even the groups of people who must be vaccinated in the government's recommended timeframe. There are not enough vaccines to distribute within cities, across the country and across age groups. This compounds the problem of Covid-19 spreading faster, or coming back in new waves. Another set of problems is that the Indian variant--the B.1.617 mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus--seems to be spreading very fast not just in India but also in other parts of the world. What do we know about this mutation? What can we understand better about how it will spread? Given where India stands on vaccine supplies and the likely pace at which these will be rolled out, what do we need to do next? About 191 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in India as of May 22, but of this, only 41.5 million (3%) of a 1.3 billion-plus population are fully vaccinated with two doses, which is not enough. To understand more about the Indian variant as well as whether vaccines will respond to it, we spoke with Polly Roy, professor of virology in the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases faculty at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Roy received her PhD in molecular virology from Columbia University's medical school in New York, US, and post-doctorate continued to study RNA virology at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology at Rutgers University, New Jersey, US. For the last three decades, the predominant subject of Roy's work has been the bluetongue virus or BTV, a complex layered virus of the reoviridae family. Roy's work has been recognised around the world and she has received many awards, including Officer of the Order of the British Empire for service in virus research; Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK; and the Indian Science Congress General President's Gold medal, awarded by the Prime Minister of India. Roy was also a finalist of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's 'Innovator of the Year' award. Edited excerpts: The B.1.617 variant appears to be more infectious than mutations we have seen earlier. What do we know about this mutation now? Could its spread worsen? This mutation appears to have a drastic change in the receptor-binding site of the virus. This is also the same site that some vaccines target, which is a problem. But, the vaccines are very robust in making neutralising antibodies, and they target the entire spike protein, so they will still give some protection [against the B.1.617 variant]. Even if you have just the first vaccine dose, you still get some protection against the COVID-19 disease, if not completely against infection. The disease will be cut down a lot, so it's not as much a disaster situation as we think. Tell us more about this B.1.617 mutation. Is this the most dangerous possible mutation, and could it get worse? What is the usual journey for mutations like this, specifically in the context of SARS? Most mutations everywhere are seeing a change in the receptor-binding site of the spike [protein]. But some of the changes are not as bad as the Indian one, which is a drastic change. And that may allow them [virus particles] better entry than the original Covid-19 virus. The vaccine made was also on the original virus base. So [the vaccines] may not recognise [the Indian variant] completely. The virus changes a little bit, silently, and then it will change drastically. This is the nature of the virus. Viruses make errors continuously, because they are making a copy of the genome. And often, those errors are not important, but [when made] on certain sites, they are important. This particular position [in B.1.617] appears to be important and also very exposed to change too much. Transmission is occurring [very quickly], that is why [the virus] changed. It would not have been that way if we controlled it beforehand. Could we have been better prepared for this virus mutation? Absolutely. If you had two things, isolation and distance between people [and no] gatherings, because that allows transmission. Another problem with this SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that causes Covid-19] is it's asymptomatic in many, many people. Not everybody can show the disease. When the virus first infects a certain person, they don't even feel it. Sometimes you don't feel anything while another person will feel it more. But the problem is after three days, when you realise that you don't feel good, this virus has already almost finished its job. So, if you are not separated from other groups, you have already given it to a whole lot of people without knowing it. In India, the first lockdown was very good, [the virus] started disappearing. But it didn't. The virus is still there. India has a very large young population compared to other countries and they are asymptomatic most of the time, because the virus is moving slowly [in them] and in small amounts, not high doses. Older bodies cannot really accept the virus because they have less innate immunity than younger people. But when the viral load is high, younger or older, all are getting infected. That's what happened in India. With [wide] transmission, the virus can change quickly. They make errors [when replicating] and some errors are very good for them, not good for the host. That's what has happened. But that still doesn't mean the virus has taken over completely. There are many other epitopes [that antibodies can target], and there is a T-cell response as well. That doesn't change. Currently, at least in some cities, we are seeing the numbers of new infections ease off in this second wave, though in many parts of rural India cases are still high and there is also a problem of undercounting cases. But assuming there is an easing off, what could happen next? Easing off in one place and not easing off in another place is always challenging because people are still going to travel by train, flight or car and that is frightening for me. So, we have to be very cautious until 70% of people are protected, so that the susceptible population is smaller. But, vaccines are the best. If you can give vaccines to that many people, then we are [in a] very good [situation]. Otherwise, we have to keep avoiding aerosols, because [Covid-19] is spread [through the] air by aerosols. So that should be our mantra all the time--aerosol, aerosol, aerosol. Remember air transmission. Don't go into dense populations. Keep yourself safe by not going near somebody. People think handshaking is bad, but that's not necessarily so. It is the distance that's very important. You don't know who is infected and who isn't. You don't know because they don't know. We have two vaccines currently being administered in India--Covishield and Covaxin. The Sputnik-V vaccine from Russia is going to start production but it is going to take time. Maybe India should have been vaccinating about 10 million people every day, but some days the numbers are closer to one million. There's a lot of vaccine hesitancy as well. Another problem is that some people have got their first dose of Covishield but can't get the second dose quickly, and the government is trying to manage this by increasing the gap between the two doses. How do you look at this in terms of vaccine efficacy? All the vaccines that India has are highly efficacious, definitely. Less is known about Covaxin, because they have not done a lot of work on that yet, not a lot of people have got that vaccine. Covishield has been given to many people and it is very good. One dose is enough to stop the disease, if not the infection in most people. Sometimes, people say they have been reinfected after vaccination but they may have gotten infected just after a week, or two days before vaccination. Nobody knows when you're getting an infection. It takes two to three days before you feel bad. So [there] is a vaccine effect. People are very happy to talk about side-effects of vaccines, which is not a good thing to do because you get side-effects with paracetamol as well. Ibuprofen gives side-effects to some people. So, even if you get some side-effects, everybody should think that 'I must take the vaccine'. Earlier, the government said the ideal gap between Covishield doses is 30-40 days. Then it became about 60 days. Now, it is suggested there should be 90 days before the second dose. In India now, because of shortages, it is not clear whether people can get that second dose of Covishield in time. What happens then? Even if you don't get the second dose, you're not going to get so badly sick that you will have to go to the hospital. Even the first dose [of Covishield] should give you enough protection. Till when will you not get sick [after the first dose of the Covishield vaccine]? [Once vaccinated] if you get infected, you will get a little bit of fever, a little uneasiness, but you are not going to be on your deathbed. So, I would think that it's best that everybody gets at least one dose if there are fewer vaccines available. Evidence from other countries suggests that the antibodies generated after the first dose of AstraZeneca's vaccine (Covishield in India) protect you for up to six months. Six months is how long the first dose will protect you, without getting the second dose? Definitely, there are some antibodies circulating [in the body]. It is a good idea to have a second dose if possible but if not, it is still okay. It is not so bad not to have the second dose. If you don't have vaccines, what do you do? You have to have everybody take the vaccines. So, one dose is good enough. Assuming you've taken both doses, how long does it keep you protected or safe? Nobody knows that, because what we test in neutralising antibodies in animal samples doesn't really equate to actual cases. Antibodies should last for a while because the second dose gives high levels. It should last for at least a year, if not more. It depends also [from] person to person, because for those who already have [health] problems--people with diabetes, or high blood pressure, cardiac or lung problems--it's questionable how long they can sustain the antibodies. But for generally healthy people, it is not so much of a problem. The vaccine is very similar [to those] for any viral disease. ALSO READ: DATA STORY: India's Covid vaccination past 190 mn; about 14% population jabbed A lot of people, particularly frontline workers, have taken both the Covishield doses quickly, within 30 days, during the first phase of vaccination in India. Are they better off, or not, because the subsequent advice seems to be that you should spread doses further apart for better efficacy? All vaccines are good [when administered] 21 or 30 days apart, generally, between primer and booster shots. Covishield has a vector [the adenovirus], and the body develops some immunity to the vector as well. So, the neutralising antibodies could stop the vector at the second dose. So, there may be a better response if [the doses are] further apart. This is one reason they are [extending the gap]. The most important reason they are doing that, I think, is because you don't have enough vaccines available for everybody. And that is why it must be economised that way. Nothing wrong with giving doses 30 days apart. Another question increasingly cropping up in India is, can different vaccines be mixed and matched? Is that going to be dangerous for me, particularly if I'm not getting the vaccine that I want? No, it is not dangerous at all. It is better. I already said months ago that vaccines should be mixed and matched. The data just came out from [a study of 673 people who took a dose of] AstraZeneca followed by [a dose of] Pfizer [vaccines] in Spain. And 600 people have much better [neutralising antibodies] and much higher than if you take the same type of vaccine twice. Mixing-and-matching could be very good, as has been done with the Ebola virus successfully before. So, I think that is a very good idea. So instead of thinking of it as a plan B, you should actually actively try and get two doses of different vaccines? Yes, I think it's going to go that way, I am sure about that. Most virologists know about this. I make a lot of veterinary virus vaccines, and I know that. And I think it would be very good also for India to mix-match the two vaccines they have currently. ALSO READ: Mixing Covid-19 vaccine doses safe but increases side effects: Study So, are you saying you can have one Covishield and one Covaxin dose? Yes, of course. Biologically, there is no problem with that. India now has the Sputnik V vaccine, which is going to be rolled out. Different states are also trying to import other vaccines. So as more vaccines come, should people just take whatever vaccine they can get their hands on and it's fine? Yes. In my knowledge and experience, I feel Sputnik V is one of the best vaccines because of the way it was made. They designed it very nicely. From the beginning, they are getting 91-92% protection in their clinical trial. They showed that. I think we should try to mix and match vaccines in every country to make sure that we get the best protection, best neutralising antibodies. When you look at the data from clinical trials for all the Covid-19 vaccines that we have talked about, are you satisfied with the quality of data and the insights they give? Yes, these days, regulatory organisations in every country are very strict about that. You have to go through the phase 3 trials. Phase 1 and 2 are sometimes clubbed, but phase 3 trials are very important. Thousands of people have to be vaccinated and it is very important to mix age groups and people from different countries, if possible, to see any genetic differences. In my view, all people will have similar effects more or less, but this may differ among age groups. AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna have all done very well in that. Sputnik V did [Phase 3 trials] at the end. In the beginning, they did not but they have also done very good Phase 3 trials. Covaxin, I don't know yet whether they have done well or not in the phase 3 trials, how many they have done, I did not see the report yet. One concern emerging now in India and in other parts of the world is about Should get vaccinated against Covid-19? If they do, is there something that we should be concerned about? are not so susceptible to this disease anyway--maybe to infection, but not to the disease so much. So adults have to be considered first and then if there are opportunities, children should take the vaccines. Nothing bad will happen to them. They are not very good spreaders of Covid-19 either. Young adults will spread the virus but not children, because the virus does not affect their body very much. But if the children have taken vaccines as well as adults, then this virus will disappear from everywhere. Globally, that's what we want. We cannot just say we protected this country, that country or that region. I know Delhi is in a very good situation right now but you still have a lot of transmission on the outskirts of Delhi. So, that doesn't help you, because somebody will bring it back again if you are not vaccinated. But if you are already infected of course, you are not going to catch the virus that easily again. There's nothing medically dangerous with a child, i.e. around 10 years old or younger, getting vaccinated? Yes, 10 years old or younger. But we don't have to worry about them so much yet. The vaccine is still not so abundantly available that everybody can take it. Don't push for children getting vaccinated so fast. But yes, eventually they should take it. Schools have now been shut for more than a year and parents are anxious whether children can or should go back to school. If so, should they be vaccinated? This is a global question. It's a question in the UK too, but here, everybody has gone back to school and they will eventually get vaccinated also. As I said, children are not very good spreaders of Covid-19. They can pick up the virus and may bring it home to adults, so adults have to be vaccinated first. Teachers have to be vaccinated first before children can go back to school. America has already started vaccinating children aged 13 years and above. They will probably wait for a while until we have a lot of vaccines to vaccinate the younger ones. It doesn't do any harm. When people talk of side-effects, I think a lot of these are just stories, not necessarily directly relevant to the vaccine. To come back to the current B.1.617 mutation, and potentially future mutations, would Covid-19 vaccines also need to be re-engineered, and can they be re-engineered quickly enough? Would it also mean that every year we would need a booster shot re-engineered to accommodate newer variants? How does that work? [Re-engineering] both adenovirus-based [like Covishield] and RNA-based vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna is very easy. Particularly with Pfizer and Moderna. It's very easy to make vaccines for new variants. Genetic engineers make changes all the time. That's not a problem. The major problem is manufacturing. So I suggest that almost every country including India should have many manufacturing places, and not only one place where everything is done. If something goes wrong there, then that's it. That is not good. After a few years, maybe you will never see SARS [Cov-2] again. Maybe it will disappear completely, so we have to just be proactive. I still think the best thing is that we be a little bit careful about who we are mingling and socialising with. If you know somebody, then you go meet them, or people in your bubble. But if you don't know somebody, how do you know the person doesn't carry the virus? We will have to be a little bit cautious for a year at least, not go to big gatherings. What are the key lessons that everyone--policy-makers or citizens trying to go about our daily lives--should be aware and focusing on? Transparency. Everybody has to be honest and transparent. There is no point in hiding something. If you have a problem, share it with the world. That is the only way one can help each other. It's a global problem. Hiding and giving wrong data is not a good idea at all. Everybody has to be transparent. We have to learn this lesson properly and really share the data. In India, you still don't have enough data on sick persons to know what's happening. Not just from one area, for every area you have to see how this particular mutant spread. And India can do it. India is very well-known for good science. Give priority to this and to making vaccines quickly, don't depend on other countries' vaccines. Also, let the immunologist and virologist be included in decision-making, not only politicians and epidemiologists. Virologists and immunologists know how the virus and immune system work. Your last bit of advice for readers? Be very vigilant, don't just jump into everything you see, like these processions and religious gatherings. I am very against all these big gatherings, I find it ridiculous. In today's situation, one should not think about going anywhere just like that anymore. When you lose your loved one, how difficult it becomes to accept that maybe you brought the virus into the home yourself. So it's better to be cautious all the time for a little while. I think India might have to be more cautious for six more months, and then we'll see. It looks like we don't have to be cautious anymore in the UK, they say, but I'm still cautious. I'm not rushing to a cinema or restaurants immediately. You just don't have to do certain things. You have to change your lifestyle a little bit. You have to go with the flow, do whatever is necessary. External Affairs Minister (EAM) on Monday landed in New York, as part of his US visit, to meet with senior officials, and discuss COVID-related cooperation between the two countries. Ambassador of India to the UN TS Tirumurti received EAM Jaishankar on his first visit to New York after India entered the UN Security Council. "Privilege to receive External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar on his first visit to New York after #India entered the UN #SecurityCouncil on 1 January 2021," Ambassador Tirumurti tweeted. Jaishankar's US visit is slated to last till May 28, the External Affairs Ministry said last week. The Foreign Minister is expected to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York and later he will hold discussions with his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC, the ministry said. He will also be meeting Cabinet members and Senior Officials of the Administration dealing with the bilateral relationship. "External Affairs Minister will have two interactions with business forums on economic and COVID-related cooperation between India and the US," said the ministry statement. India is engaged in talks with various US entities involved in Covid vaccines production and is looking forward to procuring and subsequently producing these vaccines. The issue of vaccine procurement is expected to be a key agenda item during Jaishankar's interaction with US leadership and other stakeholders. The US has already announced that it is going to distribute 80 million vaccines from its stockpile to countries in need. With India hit badly by the second Covid wave, efforts of New Delhi will focus on getting the maximum and also looking for tie-ups with vaccine developers to produce in India. US has a stockpile 60 million Astra Zeneca vaccine doses and also Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. US is playing a lead role in assisting India's fight against the COVID-19 virus. It has already provided large oxygen plants, concentrators, critical medicines like Remdesivir and also raw materials for vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII), which is manufacturing Covishield. US is also backing India sponsored proposal on TRIPS waiver at the WTO. The TRIPS waiver aims to increase global vaccine production in order to take on the challenge of vaccinating the poorest of the poor and save lives. In October last year, India and South Africa, along with 57 members of WTO proposed a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS agreement for prevention, containment, and treatment of the EAM Jaishankar met his US counterpart Antony Blinken in early May in London during G7 Foreign Minister's meeting. (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.) : JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said over 145 teachers who had taken part in poll and other duties have died due to COVID-19 in the Kalyana Karnataka region alone and urged the government to consider them as corona warriors and provide Rs 50 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased. The former Karnataka Chief Minister in a series of tweets accused the government of negligence and carelessness towards teachers. "More than 145 teachers from the Kalyana Karnataka region, who had taken part in poll duty and took classes under the Vidyagama programme of the govt, have died due to COVID- 19. The statistics regarding the death of teachers in other regions of the state are still not available," Kumaraswamy tweeted. "I urge the government to consider all the teachers, who died due to the pandemic, as corona warriors and grant an immediate compensation of Rs 50 lakh to their families," he said adding, several teachers from other regions too have lost their lives while abiding by the instructions of the government to take part in duty. Amid reports of teachers succumbing to the COVID-19 infection after by-election duty in Basavakalyan and Maski Assembly constituencies and Belgaum Lok Sabha constituency last month, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar had recently directed officials to submit a report. Noting that teachers should be considered corona warriors and the government, which deputed them either on poll duty or any other responsibility, should own up the responsibility for their deaths, Kumaraswamy said it is a matter of concern that thousands of teachers in the state are suffering from COVID. "I condemn the negligent attitude and carelessness of the government about teachers who actually build the future. I demand that the government must take immediate measures to declare teachers as corona warriors and grant compensation to their families without any delay," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) recorded 17,821 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the total caseload to 23,35,762, while 196 deaths pushed the toll to 7,554. Recoveries outnumbered new cases with 36,039 people under treatment testing negative for the virus, taking the total number to 20,98,674. Active cases stood at 2,59,179. Thiruvnanthapuram recorded the highest number of 2,750 cases, followed by Malappuram with 2,533 and Palakkad 1,898, a health department release said. Of the new cases reported on Sunday, 78 were health workers,97 from outside the state and 16,556 were infected through contacts, it added. One person who arrived in the state from the U.K tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. As many as 87,331 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, taking the test positivity rate to 20.41 per cent. A total of 9,28,541 people are under observation in various districts, including 66,242 in various 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.) India crossed a significant landmark in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic after the cumulative number of vaccine doses for the 18-44 age group under Phase-3 of the vaccination drive administered in the country crossed one crore on Monday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 19.60 crores today under Phase-3 of the nationwide Vaccination Drive. According to the health ministry, a total of 19,60,51,962 vaccine doses have been administered through 28,16,725 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today. "These include 97,60,444 HCWs who have taken the 1st dose and 67,06,890 HCWs who have taken the 2nddose, 1,49,91,357 FLWs (1stdose), 83,33,774 FLWs (2nddose), 1,06,21,235 beneficiaries under 18-44 age group (1stdose), 6,09,11,756 (1stdose) and 98,18,384 (2nd dose) beneficiaries aged 45 to 60 years. 5,66,45,457 1stdose beneficiaries and 1,82,62,665 2nd dose beneficiaries of more than 60 years old," it said. Ten states-- Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra-- account for 66.30 per cent of the total doses given so far in the country. Meanwhile, India's daily recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the eleventh consecutive day. With 3,02,544 new recoveries in the last 24 hours, India's cumulative recoveries have reached 2,37,28,011 today. The national recovery rate has grown further to touch 88.69 per cent. Ten states-- Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Haryana-- account for 72.23 per cent of the new recoveries. "In another positive development, India has recorded less than 3 lakh daily new cases for eight consecutive days now. The gap between Daily New Cases and Daily Recovered Cases has reduced to 80,229 today," the ministry said. 2,22,315 daily new cases were registered in the last 24 hours out of which Tamil Nadu has reported the highest daily new cases at 35,483, followed by Maharashtra with 26,672 new cases. Ten states-- Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh-- reported 81.08 per cent of the new cases in the last 24 hours. Furthermore, India's active cases have decreased since its last peak on May 10, 2021, and it now has decreased to 27,20,716 today. The ministry said that a net decline of 84,683 is witnessed in the last 24 hours and it now comprises 10.17 per cent of the country's total positive cases. Moreover, eight states-- Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Odisha-- cumulatively account for 71.62 per cent of India's total active cases. The cumulative positivity rate stands at 8.09 per cent today and the weekly positivity rate has also declined to 12.66 per cent. Meanwhile, the National Mortality Rate currently stands at 1.14 per cent with 4,454 deaths in the last 24 hours out of which Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (1,320) followed by Karnataka with 624 daily deaths. Ten states-- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Kerala, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Bihar-- account for 79.52 per cent of the new deaths in the last 24 hours. Also, 18 states/UTs have a case fatality rate less than the national average (1.14 per cent) and 18 states/UTs have a case fatality rate more than the national average. As per the health ministry, the Centre has so far provided more than 21.80 crore vaccine doses (21,80,51,890) to states and UTs, both through the free-of-cost category and through direct state procurement category. Of this, the total consumption, calculated based on average up to May 23, 2021, including wastages is 20,00,08,875 doses (as per data available at 8 am today). "More than 1.80 crore COVID Vaccine doses (1,80,43,015) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered," it said. Furthermore, more than 48 lakh (48,00,650) vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and UTs within the next 3 days. (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.) has asked 12 officials of the (IHC) here to quarantine, along with their family members and drivers, after one of them tested positive for the since their arrival from India last week, the Foreign Office said. A group of 12 officials and their family members crossed over to through the Wagah Border on Saturday (May 22), Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Sunday. All 12 passengers carried negative Polymerase Chain Reaction COVID-19 reports but they were re-tested in line with the laid down COVID-19 safety protocols in "The wife of an official tested positive on a rapid antigen test conducted by Pakistani health officials," the spokesperson said. Pakistan's top body on the pandemic, National Command and Control Centre (NCOC), reviewed the case and advised all 12 officials, their family members and drivers to undergo the mandatory quarantine. "The has been advised to strictly follow the guidelines provided by the NCOC," the official said. The Express Tribune newspaper quoted diplomatic sources as saying that as per the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed between the two countries, if a member of the diplomatic staff or their associates tested positive for COVID-19, they will be quarantined in the same country instead of being sent back. "Pakistani authorities have acted in accordance with the law," they added. The has so far killed 20,308 people in Pakistan, along with 903,599 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to official data released on Monday. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The woman was among a group of people who got into an argument with another group of people when Longstreet allegedly fired shots, hitting the 35-year-old in her lower back about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition, according to police. Police do not know if the woman was the target. A day after COVID vaccine manufacturer Moderna allegedly refused to send vaccines directly to the Punjab government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday informed that Pfizer and Moderna have refused to sell vaccines directly to the Delhi government and claimed they will only deal with the Central government. "We have spoken to Pfizer and Moderna for vaccines, and both the companies have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said that they will deal with the Government of India alone," Kejriwal said after visiting the oxygen cylinder depot in Delhi's Mayapuri area. "I appeal to the Centre to import vaccines and distribute them to the states. We have lost a lot of time. We need vaccines at war footing," he said. Punjab Nodal Officer for vaccination Vikas Garg, had on Sunday, COVID vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send vaccines directly to the Punjab government stating that according to their policy, they only deal with the Government of India and not with any state government or private parties. Citing a media report, Kejriwal further said that there are sixteen companies across the country that can manufacture COVAXIN and Biotech has signed an agreement with two such companies. "The Centre should hold a meeting with all 16 companies and order them to manufacture COVAXIN. UK and USA are examples that vaccination is the only way to prevent COVID-19," he added. Kejriwal also claimed that the Delhi government does not have medicines and injections for black fungus treatment. "We have made dedicated centers for Black fungus at various hospitals. But we do not have medicines and injections. We need at least four injections per day per patient. The Centre is providing us with injections used for treating black fungus but there is still a shortage. We require 2000 vials per day. But we receive 400-500 vials per day," he said. "We have imported 6000 oxygen cylinders from China. We can now provide 3000 more oxygen beds. These cylinders have been donated by the HCL and Give India to the Delhi government. We thank the Ministry of External Affairs for helping us to import these cylinders," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After Moderna, another Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer, Pfizer, has refused to send direct vaccination to Punjab, citing its policy to only deal with the Central government, state Nodal Officer (Vaccination) Vikas Garg said on Monday. He said the company, in a communication to the state, said: " is working with federal governments across the world to supply its Covid-19 vaccine for use in national immunisation programmes." "Our supply agreements at this time are with national governments and supra-national organisations with allocation of doses and implementation within the country being a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidance. This approach has followed across the world," the pharma major said. said that the development, manufacturing, distribution and storage of complex innovative products, including the mRNA technology, requires globally-optimized supply chains. "Since the beginning of this pandemic, Pfizer's priority has been to ensure rapid manufacturing and deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine to cater to the current emergency response scenario. We have a robust supply chain currently in place with established capabilities - one each in the US and one in Europe - that can quickly manufacture and deploy the vaccine for use across the world," the spokesperson said. Pfizer and BioNTech have set a target to deliver over 2.5 billion vaccine doses in 2021. This includes expanding the manufacturing capabilities and increasing the supplier base for key materials to the supply chain, said the company official. Garg said various vaccine manufacturers, including Sputnik V, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, were approached for direct purchase of Covid vaccines, as per the directions of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to explore possibilities of floating a global tender for the procurement of the vaccines. He said the reply from Sputnik V and Johnson & Johnson was awaited. The state was forced to stop vaccination for Phase I and II categories in the last three days because of non-availability of the vaccine. Punjab has so far received about 4.5 million vaccine doses from the Centre. Meanwhile, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Aggarwal said Centre is trying to facilitate Pfizer, Moderna vaccimes via Central-level coordination. "Working on regulatory facilitation in terms of approval, procurement related facilitation. Order books of Pfizer, Moderna are full most of the time, depends on their surplus how much they can provide. Depending on that they will come back to GOI and based on that we will ensure and facilitate that it is supplied at State level," said Aggarwal at a press briefing on Monday. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday said Pfizer and Moderna have refused to sell vaccines directly to the national capital and have said that they will only talk to the Centre. In an online briefing, Sisodia said all the 400 vaccination sites for the 18-44 age group have been closed in Delhi after the vaccine stock was over, while the centres administering Covaxin to the 45+ age group, healthcare workers and frontline workers too have been shut due to unavailability of jabs. Stressing that vaccination is the need of the hour to protect people against the coronavirus, Sisodia said they have spoken to Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson for vaccines. "Pfizer and Moderna have refused to sell us directly saying they are talking to the Centre. The Centre has not approved Pfizer and Moderna whereas the world over they have been approved and bought by countries," he said. Sisodia said some countries bought vaccines in advance while these were in trial stage but India did not take any step in that direction. "We refused approval to Sputnik in 2020 and approved it only last month. or us it's just a game...," he said. The deputy chief minister urged the Centre to approve Pfizer and Moderna on war footing. "I urge the Centre not to make this vaccination programme a joke. Approve Pfizer and Moderna on war footing, rather than asking states to approach these companies. It should not happen that by the time we get vaccines, the time comes that even the antibodies of those who have been vaccinated are finished and they will again require vaccination," he said. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also urged the Centre to procure Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and distribute them to states. Last week, Reuters reported, while quoting two sources, that Pfizer and the Indian government are seeking to resolve tensions over a demand by the US drugmaker for legal protection from any claims linked to the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in one of the world's biggest markets. India has not given any manufacturer of a COVID-19 vaccine indemnity against the costs of compensation for any severe side effects, which is a condition Pfizer has obtained in many countries where its shots have already been widely used, including Britain and the United States. But three other sources told Reuters that some form of legal protection is still on the table as India and Pfizer work to reach a vaccine deal. Reaching an agreement with Pfizer is critical for India's central government, which is struggling to secure needed COVID-19 vaccine doses as recorded daily cases exceed 250,000. India pledged last month to fast-track approvals for overseas vaccine makers including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. However, none have since sought permission from India's drug regulator to sell their vaccine there. One source said that another issue being discussed between Pfizer and New Delhi was the Indian government's insistence on a local trial for any vaccine approval. The source added that Pfizer cannot finalize terms of a supply agreement, including indemnity, if the vaccine is not first authorized for use in India. Pfizer withdrew its application for emergency use authorisation for the vaccine developed with Germany's BioNTech in February after India insisted on such a trial. But three other shots on sale in India, developed by AstraZeneca, Russia's Sputnik V and Bharat Biotech in collaboration with state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, have completed the small-scale safety trials. Pfizer's chief executive Albert Bourla said on May 4 that he was hopeful that the government would change its policy of local trials and that a path to delivering the drugmaker's shots in India could be found. A high-powered committee chaired by Prime Minister met on Monday to select the new director of the (CBI). Besides Modi, the other two members of the panel -- Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Chief Justice of India N V Ramana -- were also present in the meeting held at the Prime Minister's residence. The meeting lasted for more than 90 minutes. Serving Indian Police Service (IPS) officers of the senior-most batches -- 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 -- are being considered for the top post in the CBI. At present, the CBI's additional director, Praveen Sinha, a 1988-batch IPS officer, is holding the charge of director. Sinha was given the additional charge after the retirement of Rishi Kumar Shukla in February after a two-year tenure. (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 district administration has directed health officials to screen COVID-19 survivors in rural areas to identify any suspected cases of mucormycosis, or black fungus. As per an order issued on Sunday by district Collector Rajesh Deshmukh, the health departments in rural areas have been instructed to obtain lists of COVID-19 patients who recovered from the infection after April 15 and conduct the first round of the screening of suspected mucormycosis patients between May 24 and May 27. The district in Maharashtra has so far reported more than 300 cases of mucormycosis. "If a suspected case of mucormycosis is found during screening, it is expected that he or she should be checked by experts, and if diagnosed with the ailment, the patient should be given necessary medication and referred for further medical/surgical treatment," said the order. It stated that the tehsils where the number of COVID-19 recovered patients is high, additional doctors should be made available to carry out the screening. The district administration has already set up a control room for the smooth and equal distribution of anti-fungal drugs needed for the treatment of mucormycosis. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had on Thursday said that mucormycosis, which has claimed 90 lives in the state so far, was a matter of prime concern for the state at present. The state government needs more supply of the medicine used in its treatment, he had 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.) Dudh Kumar Saha (52) was in wait-and-watch mode even after his brother took the jab in April, weighing the risk of side effects. But as Covid cases surged in the second wave, he started making daily visits to the vaccination centre at the rural hospital in Jangipara (Hooghly) about 46 km from Kolkata. Now, when I want to take the shot, vaccines are not available, he says. Saha is not alone. The site has seen hundreds queue up over the past week. On May 15, about 200 people had queued up, but few got jabbed, say locals. The next session on May 18 was cancelled ... Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said second wave of is under control in Delhi and that his government has started preparing for third wave. "Imported 6000 oxygen cylinders. Can set up 3000 oxygen beds with these. Grateful to HCL, Give India and Central govt (esp Indian embassy in Beijing) for helping us get these cylinders to Delhi," the Delhi chief minister said. Second wave in control, started prep for 3rd wave. Imported 6000 oxy cylinders. Can set up 3000 oxy beds with these. Grateful to HCL, Give India and Central govt (esp Indian embassy in Beijing) for helping us get these cylinders to Delhi. Many more preps underway pic.twitter.com/RZGHObqKne Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 24, 2021 Delhi on Monday reported 1,550 cases, the lowest daily count since March 30 and the positivity rate has also stayed below 3 per cent. The city recorded 207 deaths in 24 hours taking the total fatalities to 23,181. Taking note of the consistent dip in daily cases and reduction in active infections, Kejriwal hinted at reopening of the capital city from June 1. "If the process of unlocking will start from May 31 in a phased manner if the number of Covid-19 cases continues to decline.," he said. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday accused the central government of "mismanaging" the vaccination programme, saying it has asked states to float global tenders for jabs without giving approval to vaccines of foreign companies. The Deputy Chief Minister in a letter to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also charged that vaccination for the youth in the country has been "messed" up due to policy "missteps". "In spite of early advantages given by our scientific community and Indian manufacturers, we have squandered away the great opportunity of timely vaccination of our people." "The missed opportunity by the Government of India has resulted in extraordinary loss of lives during the current wave of Covid pandemic," he wrote to Vardhan. In an online briefing, Sisodia said US pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna have refused to sell vaccines directly to the Delhi government and have said that they will only talk to the Centre. "Is this a joke? On one hand states are asked to float global tenders for buying vaccines but the Government of India has not given approval to those vaccines," Sisodia said. Countries all over the world kept a watch on vaccine production ana many placed order in advance as trials progressed, but the government of India was "sleeping", he charged. The US and the European Union bought 70 crore vaccine doses by November 2020. The US started procurement at trial stage and currently has vaccine stocks to cover its entire population, he said. Several countries have given approval to vaccines of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson but the Government of India is yet to do so, he said. "Nearly 85 countries have approved vaccine by Pfizer, 46 countries have approved Moderna vaccine and 41 have approved Johnson and Johnson vaccine. They have also started procurement while we are still playing just a game of approval," Sisodia said. What is the "compulsion" that India is depending on two local manufacturers that even exported doses to other countries. Sputnik has been given approval in April although it was permitted by Russia for emergency use in August last year, he said. "I request the central government with folded hands not to make a mockery of the vaccination programme and understand its seriousness, nonetheless by the time vaccines are arranged those already vaccinated may lose antibodies and require to be vaccinated again," he said. The US started investing in vaccine production while it was facing first wave of in March 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Serum Institute in November 2020 and investment in manufacturing started in April this year, Sisodia said. He said all the 400 vaccination sites for the 18-44 age group have been closed in Delhi after the vaccine stock was over, while the centres administering Covaxin to the 45+ age group, healthcare workers and frontline workers too have been shut due to unavailability of jabs. "Due to mismanagement by the central government there is shortage of vaccines and vaccination of youth has not started in several districts in the states," he charged. Stressing that vaccination is the most effective weapon against the coronavirus, Sisodia appealed to the central government to rise above partisan politics and procure vaccines of Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer for the people of the country. (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.) Another 2,235 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 4,462,538, according to official figures released on Sunday. The country also reported another five coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,721. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, Xinhua reported. Nearly 38 million people, or more than 70 percent of adults in Britain, have been given the first jab of the vaccine, according to official figures. The latest data were revealed as British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he is "increasingly confident" that England is "on track" for the British government's roadmap exiting the lockdown. His remarks came after a study by Public Health England (PHE) showed promising results for the two main vaccines being used to fight the virus in Britain. According to the PHE study, which took place between April 5 and May 16, the Pfizer vaccine was 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the India-related variant two weeks after the second dose, compared with 93 per cent effectiveness against the Kent variant. Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca jab was 60 percent effective, compared with 66 per cent against the Kent variant over the same period. However, they were only 33 per cent effective three weeks after the first dose, the PHE report said. Experts have warned that coronavirus may continue to evolve for years to come, and eventually it is likely current vaccines will fail to protect against transmission, infection, or even against disease caused by newer variants. The British government's roadmap is expected to see all legal limits on social contact to be removed on June 21. --IANS int/pgh (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala High Court on Monday suggested that the central government can give free vaccines to the people of the country by making use of excess funds from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The court pointed out that the country's 137 crore people can be vaccinated spending Rs 34,000 crore. The Centre could procure vaccines at Rs 150 or 250 and this amount could be sourced from the Rs 54,000 crore dividend from the RBI to the Centre, the court suggested. The observation was made by a Division Bench of Justices Vinod Chandran and M R Anitha while hearing pleas challenging the Centre's vaccine policy. Counsel for the centre termed it as a policy matter and said he needed more time to respond. The matter was adjourned for a statement from the Centre. (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.) Prime Minister Lotay Tshering has expressed concern over the prevailing threat of COVID-19 in the country and said In an address to the nation on Friday, Prime Minister Tshering reminded people of the threat the pandemic still posed even after a year and half of its emergence in the country, reported Kuensel. "Many in the country thought that after experiencing two episodes of COVID-19 outbreak, the worst was over. The vaccination programme also came as a ray of hope for many," Lyonchhen said adding "But look where we are today." He said that it was inevitable that too felt the impact of the worsening situation in the region, adding that despite all the preparations, there was no guarantee that the country would not experience what India was going through. "The threat from the southern borders has now reached the east. If we are not careful, we will suffer the same fate as our neighbours." he said during his address. Lyonchhen said that this was because the SARS-CoV-2 virus was fast mutating and it was becoming more transmissible and overwhelming. He said that the country was being slowly surrounded from all corners and if adequate control measures were not put in place and if people did not adhere to the preventive measures, the country would be overwhelmed within no time. "We will be wiped out in no time if we cannot control the spread now," the prime minister said. Meanwhile, Trashigang town was put under a lockdown starting at 7 pm on May 21. All flights to the Yonphula domestic airport were also suspended. The country reported 1,392 positive COVID-19 cases with one death so far, as per World Health Organisation on Sunday. A total of 482,038 vaccine doses have been administered during the said period. (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.) Mondays announcement marks a victory for a priest whose outspokenness, political activism and unusually lengthy tenure at St. Sabina have sometimes put him at odds with the archdiocese. In fact, this wont mark his first return to the parish after a period of uncertainty. A decade ago, then-Cardinal Francis George suspended Pfleger following the priests public remarks that he would leave the Catholic Church if he was transferred away from St. Sabina. He returned about a month later to a standing ovation. The (WHO) has sought more information from on its emergency use listing (EUL) application for Covaxin, according to the documents on the global health agency's website. The documents showed submitted Expression of Interest with the WHO for EUL on April 19. will hold a pre-submission meeting with WHO in May or June. After the meeting, there are further three stages where the application will be reviewed before the approval. The WHOs EUL opens the door for countries to expedite their own regulatory approval processes to import and administer the vaccine. It also enables UNICEF and the other organisations to procure the vaccine for distribution to countries in need. WHO has so far listed the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine --- which is produced locally by Serum Institute of India --- for emergency use . Apart from these, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Chinas Sinopharm have also bagged the health agency's nod for emergency listing. Bharat Biotech has conveyed to the government that it has already submitted 90 per cent of documents to WHO for obtaining emergency listing for Covaxin vaccine, news agency PTI reported citing sources. "The remaining documents are expected to be submitted by June, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Ltd told the Central government during a discussion on obtaining the World Health Organisation's authorisation for emergency use listing for Covaxin." Noting that Covaxin has already received regulatory approval from 11 countries, the report said there was also interest from other 11 companies in seven nations for technology transfer and production of Covaxin. Bharat Biotech is planning Covaxin trials for 2-18 age group from June. The company said it will be ramping up the manufacturing capacity to 700 million doses by the end of this year. The EUL pathway involves a rigorous assessment of late phase II and phase III clinical trial data as well as substantial additional data on safety, efficacy, quality and a risk management plan. These data are reviewed by independent experts and WHO teams who consider the current body of evidence on the vaccine under consideration, the plans for monitoring its use, and plans for further studies. Experts from individual national authorities are invited to participate in the EUL review. Once a vaccine has been listed for WHO emergency use, WHO engages its regional regulatory networks and partners to inform national health authorities on the vaccine and its anticipated benefits based on data from clinical studies to date. Worlds Supply of chips is in danger unless Taiwan gets vaccines Taiwan is paying the price for the lack of vaccines, with a surge in cases that threatens to trigger a lockdown. Having successfully sidestepped the first Covid wave, the government now faces a health emergencyonly about 1 per cent of its population has been vaccinated so farwith the potential to disrupt the chip industry that dominates the local economy, and which is critical to an already-squeezed global supply. Read here Let's look at the global statistics Global infections: 167,178,756 Global deaths: 3,463,891 Nations with most cases: US (33,117,684), India (26,752,447), Brazil (16,083,258), France (5,980,325), Turkey (5,186,487). Source: John Hopkins Research Center US cases drop to one-year low The United States is adding fewer than 30,000 cases a day for the first time since last June, and deaths are as low as theyve been since last summer. In much of the country, the virus outlook is improving. Nearly halh the population has received at least one vaccine shot, and though the pace has slowed, the share is still growing. The test positivity rare has fallen to below 3 per cent for the first time since widespread testing began, and the number of hospitalised patients has fallen to a near 11-month low. Read here Half of UK's children playing less outdoors with friends since pandemic Many children are playing outside less with their friends, playing alone more and less active than they were before the pandemic, according to a UK survey that will add to concerns about the lasting impact of the lockdowns on childrens well-being. The Children poll found that more than nine out 10 children (92 per cent) felt the way they play had changed since the Covid pandemic. Half (51 per cent) said they were playing outside with their friends less, a third (34 per cent) were playing alone more, and almost a quarter (23 per cent) were playing less sport than before. Read here How true is Turkey's drop in cases Turkey is once again enjoying a taste of normality after the lifting of countrys first three-week complete lockdown. The Turkish health ministry says the number of infections has dropped by 72 per cent after record-breaking highs of more than 60,000 new cases a day in April. The success rate has been used as an argument that the country is ready for the crucial summer tourism season. Yet Turkey still has the fifth highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world and doctors said the officially reported drop in new cases is statistically impossible, showing instead a huge reduction in testing. Read here Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the 'Wall Street Journal' reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report. The newspaper said the report - which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits - may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory. The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. A National Security Council spokeswoman had no comment on the Journal's report but said the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of " ALSO READ: UK, US scientists call for fuller probe into Covid-19 Wuhan lab leak theory She said the U.S. government was working with the and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic's origins "that is free from interference or politicization." "We're not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we've been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts," she said. The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report's supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed "further investigation and additional corroboration." The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak. Washington is keen to ensure greater cooperation and transparency by China, according to a source familiar with the effort. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. On Sunday, China's foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute. "The U.S. continues to hype the lab leak theory," the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal. "Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?" The Trump administration had said it suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies. A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said "the U.S. government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses." It did not say how many researchers. ALSO READ: Covid-19: After WHO's probe in Wuhan, China calls for origin tracing in US refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the teams investigators, Reuters reported in February, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began. (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.) industry players today cautioned the government against resorting to any knee-jerk reaction of lowering import duties to cool down domestic prices, saying it could have a 'very negative impact on oilseed farmers, kharif planting for which will start in the coming few weeks. That apart, the global markets have already started softening which might lead to a drop in domestic prices in the next week to 10 days, the industry said. The industry associations, traders and stakeholders expressed their views during a meeting called by the union government to solicit them and find a way forward to cool down the sharp rise in domestic prices. Secretaries of departments of food, consumer affairs, agriculture along with representatives from state governments were part of the meeting. in the domestic markets have risen sharply in the last one year with retail rates of some such as soybean oil doubling from around Rs 90 per liter in May 2020 to almost Rs 165-170 per litre now. Similarly, prices of other edible oils have also risen sharply and the main reason for the same is a spike in global markets as India imports more than 60 per cent of its annual requirement of edible oils. We have seen than as soon as India lowers the import duties to cool down prices, international markets move up which negates the impact of duty cut and also does not lead to substantial gain for consumer while the Centre loses revenues by that much amount, Atul Chaturvedi, President of Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), who participated in the meeting said. Chaturvedi said that apart from, opposing any move to reduce import duties on edible oils, the association has also urged the Centre to minimize speculative play on the exchanges by increasing margins and daily circuit limit and also refrain from imposing the draconian Essential Commodities Act. The Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOIT) was also against any reduction in import duties on edible oils but wanted the Centre to remove the GST of 5 per cent on mustard seed and oil as it will help farmers and consumers both. At present, GST on mustard seed and oil is around Rs 7-8 per kilogram, COOIT said. On its part, the Centre urged the state governments and all other stakeholders to take all possible help to cool down in the interest of consumers. The second wave of the pandemic is likely to delay recovery in traffic with an 80-85 per cent growth year-on-year this fiscal against the earlier estimate of 130-135 per cent, ratings agency said on Monday. The domestic passenger traffic, which witnessed a steady ramp-up after resumption of airport operations since May 25 last year and reached 64 per cent of the previous year levels in February, has again suffered a setback, the ratings agency said in a report. The spike in infections towards March-end and April has resulted in several state governments implementing fresh restrictions, resulting in a marginal 0.7 per cent de-growth sequentially in traffic in March. This is as compared to February when passenger traffic grew 1.4 per cent month-on-month, it said. The average daily number of departing passengers during March 2021 stood at 2.49 lakh; and declined by 28 per cent m-o-m in April to 1.79 lakh. There was a further dip of 56 per cent during May 1 to May 16 as compared to the average of April, according to the report. Senior Vice President (Corporate Ratings) Shubham Jain said that in addition to the passengers being apprehensive for air travel, increase in infections forced many state governments to implement strict COVID-19 restrictions during the past two months on air travel. "The second wave of COVID-19 infections is likely to delay recovery in traffic. The passenger traffic growth is now estimated at 80-85 per cent y-o-y in FY2022 as against our earlier projection of 130-135 per cent y-o-y," Jain said. He added that this is factoring in the assumption that majority of the population (above 18+ years) will be vaccinated by December, in line with the central government's vaccination policy targets, and the impact of third wave, if any, to be minimal due to mass vaccination. expects domestic air travel to recover back to pre-COVID-19 levels by FY2023 and the international sector by FY2024, he added. "The operating income and operating profits for FY2022 are estimated to decline 12 per cent and 40 per cent to Rs 12,800 crore and Rs 2,560 crore, respectively, as compared to earlier estimates due to revision in traffic," Jain said. The international traffic remains limited to countries with special flights under the the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) rescue operation flights and bilateral air transport bubble agreements, ICRA said. Many countries, including the US, the UK, Singapore, Kuwait and France, that had such the bubble pact with India under the VBM, have temporarily banned flights from India, citing the increasing infections, it said. The major growth drivers for the sectors in the near term will critically hinge on the success of mass vaccination, lifting of lockdown restrictions, resumption of business travel and improvement in leisure travel, ICRA noted. However, on a y-o-y basis, operating income is estimated to increase by around 50 per cent with operating margins of 20 per cent as against losses in the previous year, as per the ratings agency. With the improvement in the operating margins and the consequent cash flows in the current financial year, the interest coverage and debt service coverage ratio are expected to improve to 1.3x and 1.1x, respectively, as against earlier estimates of 2.4x and 1.5x. Slow ramp-up in traffic would affect the cash flows available for debt servicing for airport operators adversely, said Jain. "However, the robust on-balance sheet liquidity of Rs 5,400 crore for the airports is strong to meet the debt obligations and support the sector in the near term," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor As the scales back its military presence across the to focus on great power competition with and Russia, it risks giving those two countries a chance to fill the gap and expand their influence around the Gulf, the top US commander for the region said Sunday. While traveling through the over the past week, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, who heads US Central Command, fielded a persistent question from the military and political leaders he met: Is the US still committed to their country and the region, and what more support can they get. From the dusty battlefields in Syria to the rocket-pummeled neighborhoods in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, they worry that America's pivot to Asia means they will be left without the troops, ships, aircraft and other military aid they need to battle Iranian-backed militant groups attacking their people. And if the US is slow to respond, they may look elsewhere for help. The writ broadly is an area of intense competition between the great powers. And I think that as we adjust our posture in the region, Russia and will be looking very closely to see if a vacuum opens that they can exploit, McKenzie told reporters traveling with him. "I think they see the shifting posture to look at other parts of the world and they sense there may be an opportunity there. Speaking in his hotel room after meeting with Saudi officials, McKenzie said weapons sales would be one need that Moscow and Beijing could exploit. Russia, he said, tries to sell air defence systems and other weapons to whomever it can, and has a long-term goal to expand its economic power and ultimately establish military bases in the region. In the few short months since President Joe Biden took office, he has ordered the full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and begun to review America's force presence in Iraq, Syria and around the globe. His administration is cutting U.S. military support for the Saudi-led offensive against Iranian-back Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the Pentagon has moved ships, forces and weapons systems out of other Middle East countries. At the same time, however, Biden this month dispatched senior administration officials to the Gulf region to reassure nervous allies as the US looks to reopen talks with Iran on the 2015 nuclear deal, which former President Donald Trump scrapped three years ago. The effort to restart talks with Iran triggers worries in a number of Middle East nations who rely on the U.S. to maintain pressure on Tehran and its campaigns to fund and supply weapons to militant groups in the region. But there is ongoing discussion within the Pentagon about sending more assets to the Pacific to fight a rising China. And U.S. military commanders around the globe, including McKenzie, may lose troops and resources as a result. Those could include warships such as the aircraft carrier now sitting in the Gulf, providing security for the Afghanistan withdrawal. The Biden administration views China's rapidly expanding economic influence and military might as America's primary long-term security challenge. Officials believe the U.S. must be more ready to counter threats to Taiwan and China's development of military outposts on manmade islands in the South China Sea. Military commanders caution that China's growing assertiveness isn't limited to Asia, noting that Beijing is aggressively seeking footholds in Africa, South America and the Middle East. I agree completely that China needs to be the pacing threat we orient on," McKenzie said in the interview with reporters from The Associated Press and ABC News. At the same time, we are a global power and we need to have a global outlook. And that means that you have the ability to consider the globe as a whole. In meetings Sunday, Saudi leaders were very concerned about the ongoing U.S. military posture review, McKenzie said. The kingdom is under almost daily bombardment from Houthi rebels with a variety of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and small drones. And Saudi leaders rely on the U.S. to help them defend themselves. McKenzie said his message to them was that the number of troops and weapons is not as important as the overall capability of the integrated U.S. and Saudi air and missile defense system arrayed around the country. And more broadly, he said, that strategy of doing more in the region with less military presence may prevent China and Russia from cashing in on any U.S. void. I'm not sure it's actually going to turn out to be an opportunity for them when it's all said and done, he said. The troop numbers may not be the same as the hundreds of thousands that were in the region five to seven years ago, he said, but the U.S. will have a presence in the region. I think we're going to play a very smart game ... to leverage what we have, he said. The is the partner of choice. It's only when that option is not open are countries going to hedge and seek other opportunities. (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.) Journalist Raman Pratasevich was asked just one question when a Belarusian official singled him out from a crowd of passengers huddled on a bus after a fighter jet forced their flight to make an emergency landing in Minsk. One officer asked, pointing a finger at him: do you speak Russian? recalled Saulius Danauskas, who was on the Ryanair plane from Athens to Vilnius that was intercepted 10 minutes before its expected arrival in Lithuania. They made a big show. But it was clear that this operation was after this one man. The grandfather, returning from a holiday in Greece with his wife and his daughters family, was one of the 171 passengers and crew members that experienced a two-hour journey unfold into a prolonged nightmare as the Boeing 737-800 landed in Minsk. Once on the ground they were subjected to a security check that included sniffer dogs checking everyone, including babies. For Danauskas it was clear the emergency was all staged and there was no bomb threat, which is what the flight attendants told panicked passengers. Most people on the plane were Lithuanians like him who also speak Russian given their past under Soviet rule. The real target was Pratasevich, the 26-year-old critic of President Alexander Lukashenko who had covered protests last year against the strongmans brutal suppression. He was living in Vilnius since November, when he was listed as a wanted terrorist in Belarus, and Lithuania allowed him to stay in the country. By the time security officials singled out Pratasevich on Sunday, he appeared calm resigned to his fate. He was swiftly dragged away, and never made it to his final destination. Pratasevichs girlfriend was searched and allowed back on the plane, but stayed in Minsk. At least four other people also didnt get back on board, according to Lithuanian government officials. When the pilot announced we were landing in Minsk, he became very agitated, he tried to pull his computer and said this is all happening over him, said Monika Simkiene, 40, who was traveling with three kids. He just turned around to other passengers talking to him and said that hes facing a death penalty. The extraordinary steps taken to detain him amounted to the hijacking of a commercial flight and a violation of air travel protocol. It caught the West unawares and rushing to find an adequate response beyond words of condemnation. How much all of this was done with the knowledge or approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the many unanswered questions. Old-Fashioned Soviet Manner officials said they forced the plane to land due to a suspected bomb threat, adding later that it turned out to be fake. Despite the danger, however, passengers interviewed by Bloomberg said there was no urgency among the 50 to 60 officers present at the airport to carry out checks. It all happened in old-fashioned Soviet manner, said Danauskas. Pandemic or no pandemic, Covid or no Covid -- no one cared. It was very unpleasant. The search went on for two and a half hours, a time when they were offered no water, or allowed to take bathroom breaks or make phone calls. Simkiene, whose youngest was in a stroller, observed sadly that those hardships are nothing in comparison to what awaits the arrested reporter. The drama was an eye opener for Arthur Six, 25, a French citizen who works at a Euronext exchange and who was among the nine French travelers on the plane. I didnt know about the situation in the country after break of the Soviet Union, he said. Now I learned that this is a dictatorship. The Covid-19 pandemic is being perpetuated by a scandalous inequity in vaccine distribution, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday as he set new targets for protecting people in the poorest countries. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that no country should assume that it's out of the woods, no matter its rate, as long as the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants spread elsewhere. The world remains in a very dangerous situation, Tedros told the opening of the annual assembly of health ministers from its 194 member states. As of today, more cases have been reported so far this year than in the whole of 2020. On current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year's total within the next three weeks. This is very tragic," he said. He said more than 75 per cent of all vaccines had been administered in just 10 countries. There is no diplomatic way to say it: A small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the worlds vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world. The COVAX facility, run by and the GAVI vaccine alliance, has delivered 72 million vaccine doses to 125 countries and economies since February - barely sufficient for 1 per cent of their populations, Tedros said. He urged countries to donate vaccine doses to COVAX to enable 10 per cent of the populations of all countries to be inoculated by September and 30 per cent by year-end. This meant vaccinating 250 million more people in just four months, he said. This is crucial to stop disease and death, keep our health care workers safe, reopen our societies and economies, Tedros said. Tedros also called on vaccine manufacturers to give COVAX the first right of refusal on new volumes of vaccines, or to commit 50 per cent of their volumes to COVAX this year. French President Emmanuel Macron called for the to be empowered to visit countries rapidly in case of outbreaks with potential to spark a pandemic, and to access data. Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in separate pre-recorded remarks to the assembly, called for the UN agency's funding to be improved and backed the idea of a new treaty to prevent pandemics. The has issued a statement warning the military against the dissolution of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party that won the November elections, as such a decision would be a "blatant disregard" for the will of the people. This comes after military-appointed commission chairman Thein Soe announced on Friday plans to dissolve the NLD, headed by former state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, for alleged vote fraud in general elections last year. "The EU reiterates that the elections in November faithfully represented the will of Myanmar's people. This was confirmed by all independent domestic and observers. No arbitrary decision by the military junta and their illegally-appointed members of the Electoral Commission can cancel that," a spokesperson for the EU external action service said in a statement on Sunday. The EU will continue to denounce all attempts to overturn the will of the people and to alter the outcome of the last general elections, the statement said. "No repression or unfounded pseudo-legal proceedings can grant legitimacy to the junta's illegal takeover of power. Only respecting the will of the people can bring back onto its democratic path and deliver stability and sustainable development," it added. On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The military coup led to mass protests and was met by deadly violence, resulting in the killing of more than 700 people. Meanwhile, about 3,000 protesters have also been detained. (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.) Over the course of this incredibly difficult year, our residents, especially our most vulnerable ones, have faced unimaginable loss that is compounded by a systemic poverty and lack of access to safe, affordable housing, Lightfoot said in a statement. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program will not only help to relieve these residents of the fear of losing their homes and being thrown further into uncertainty and socioeconomic instability but allow our city to make significant progress in our mission to provide our communities with resources they need to thrive long after this pandemic is over. The alliance in continued to protest against re-dissolution of parliament despite the pandemic-induced prohibitory orders and surging COVID-19 cases. Over two dozen writ petitions have also been filed in court against the latest move in which President Bidhya Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli are the main defendants. The Supreme Court on Sunday confirmed that a total of 25 writ petitions have been lodged in court. The alliance also is expected to lodge their petition on Monday. Advocate Krishna Bhandari filed a writ petition alleging that PM Oli has not been appointed PM even after presenting a clear basis for his appointment. All writs are against President Bhandari's decision to invalidate claims of PM Oli and NC President Deuba for govt formation. Writs favouring PM Oli demand Oli's appointment to the post of PM and writs in favour of Deuba call to make him the PM. However, none of them have been registered yet and are under review, as per the SC administration. alliance on Sunday afternoon burned an effigy of President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in front of Patan Multiple Campus in Lalitpur. Police intervened in the demonstration and dispersed the protestors. Earlier in the afternoon, the student wing of Nepali Congress staged a demonstration in front of the President's Office leading to the arrest of three protestors. Hours before the protest in front of Sheetal Niwas, cadres of Nepali Congress also have smeared cow-dung on the images of the President and the Prime Minister. Office of the President on the wee hours of Saturday issued a release announcing the dissolution of the house for the second time as per Article 76 (7) of the Constitution of Nepal, on the recommendation of the cabinet. The next election will be on November 12 and 19 as per the recommendation of the Cabinet. Article 76(7) of the Constitution states "If the Prime Minister appointed according to clause (5) fails to get the vote of confidence or if any member fails to be appointed as Prime Minister, the President shall, on the recommendation of Prime Minister, dissolve the House of Representatives and fix a date to conduct another election within six months. (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.) Stock brokers association has urged the regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), to reconsider the proposed 100 per cent levy on intra-day trade peak margins, as the higher-margin will reduce hedging opportunities. In a letter to on May 15, the Association of National Exchanges Members of India (Anmi) said there is a great disconnect between what is being collected from clients and what needs to be collected vis-a-vis the attendant risks arising in intraday trades. It, however, reiterated that are not against the collection of intraday margin levied on clients nor the levy of full margin on the clearing member irrespective of the nature of the trade. The bookers association requested the regulator to reconsider the proposed 100 per cent levy on day trade peak margins as the margin is 300 per cent of what should have been the actual levy. Sharing its data with the regulator, pointed out that the rate of overnight margins, levied on intraday trades are almost 3.33x more than what is warranted based on the risks of the trade. ALSO READ: AT-1 bond mis-selling case: SAT gives interim relief to YES Bank It maintained that the ideal margin based on the attendant risks ideally should not exceed 33.33 per cent of the SPAN (standard portfolio analysis of risks) margin. In the current margining structure, the current levy of peak margins is 300 per cent of the margin, which should have been actually levied. The levy of margin being a high multiple on intraday trades is also causing effects elsewhere, spokesperson said on Monday. Also, nowhere in the world, clients are required to pay upfront peak margins. Already open interest in the Nifty is more in Singapore, though it is a product based on Indian stocks. Indian are already at a disadvantage compared to the SGX in terms of margins, time of trading, transaction cost and taxation. Any further unwarranted restrictions will result in the export of business from India to overseas markets, the association said. Cryptocurrencies fought back on Monday, clawing back ground after a bout of weekend selling fuelled by further signs of a gathering Chinese crackdown on the emerging sector. climbed as high as $37,391 after falling some 7.5% a day earlier, and was last up 5%. Second-largest ether jumped more than 10% to as high as $2,321, erasing losses of 8.6% on Sunday that pushed it to near a two-month low around $1,730. The catalyst for the slump was "miners", who mint cryptocurrencies by using powerful computers to solve complex maths puzzles, halting Chinese operations in the face of increasing scrutiny from authorities. The attention on Chinese miners - who account for some 70% of supply - is the latest front in a wider push by Beijing against the sector. Major cryptocurrency exchange Huobi on Monday suspended both crypto-mining and some trading services to new clients from mainland China, adding it would instead focus on overseas businesses. Others also suspended business in China. In the short-term, market players said, that is likely to lead to pressure on prices as miners sell held on their balance sheets. "If they are pulling up stakes or shutting down, they may need to reduce their balance sheets in the short term," said James Quinn, managing partner at Q9 Capital, a Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency private wealth manager. 'TOUGH SPOT' Crypto market players said fears over the China crackdown would likely linger. "We tend to expect some stabilisation over the next week, which should translate into a bounce, but nobody's really sure about what happens next," said Joseph Edwards, head of research at crypto brokerage Enigma Securities. "Crypto clearly finds itself in a tough spot in terms of the narrative right now, and it's taken a lot of oxygen out of the room." had stabilised from a bruising week on Saturday after Tesla boss Elon Musk - whose comments on cryptocurrencies have been a key price driver in recent months - tweeted support for crypto in "the true battle" with fiat currencies. Yet after last week's 25% drop, triggered in part by toughening language from Chinese regulators, bitcoin remains almost 45% below last month's record high of $64,895. Its slump has pulled bitcoin roughly back to its level before Tesla unveiled in February a $1.5 billion bitcoin purchase and made a since-reversed decision to accept it as payment. Ether has fallen by half in just 12 days since its peak of $4,380, with other smaller cryptocurrencies such as dogecoin also suffering heavy declines. (Reporting by Tom Wilson in London and Tom Westbrook in Singapore; Editing by Sam Holmes, Robert Birsel) (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.) By Jessica Jaganathan SINGAPORE (Reuters) - rose on Monday as a storm formed in the of Mexico and Iran said a three-month nuclear monitoring deal had expired, raising doubts about the future of indirect talks that could end U.S. sanctions on Iranian crude exports. oil futures for July rose 32 cents, or 0.5%, to $66.76 a barrel by 0143 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate for July was at $63.93 a barrel, up 35 cents, or 0.6%. fell last week after Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, said the United States was ready to lift sanctions on his country's oil, banking and shipping sectors. "Iran's oil production has been rising in recent months, likely in anticipation of a lifting of the sanctions," ANZ analysts said in a note on Monday. However, the speaker of Iran's parliament said on Sunday a three-month monitoring deal between Tehran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog had expired and that its access to images from inside some Iranian nuclear sites would cease. European diplomats said last week that failure to agree an extension of the monitoring deal would plunge wider, indirect talks between Washington and Tehran on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal into crisis. Those talks are due to resume in Vienna this week. Former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions. Meanwhile, a low pressure system located over the western of Mexico with winds of 30-35 miles per hour (48 to 56 km per hour) near and east of the center, has a 60% chance of becoming a cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday. Concerns of rising coronavirus cases in Asia capped price gains. (Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan; editing by Richard Pullin) (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.) On a consolidated basis, Amber Enterprises India reported 22% jump in net profit to Rs 76 crore on 22% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 1,598 crore in Q4 FY21 over Q4 FY20. On the segmental front, Q4 FY21 revenue of the room air conditioner (RAC) business was at Rs 959 crore as against Rs 829 crore in Q4FY20, up 15.8% YoY. Revenue of the components & mobility application business rose by 31.7% to Rs 640 crore in Q4 FY21 over Q4 FY20. The segment contributed 40% to revenue from operations in Q4FY21 as compared to 37% in Q4FY20. The company's outlook for growth is optimistic with addition of new customers, demand from newer geographies and strengthening of order book on back of new order wins. Operating EBITDA increased 24% to Rs 147 crore in Q4 FY21 compared with Rs 119 crore in Q4 FY20. Operating EBIDTA margin improved by 17 bps to 9.2% as on 31 March 2021 from 9% as on 31 March 2020. In Q4 FY21, Amber Enterprises said that the Industry achieved normalized inventory levels on the back of sustained retail & OEM demand. Demand in metro and Tier 1 cities showed resilience. Omni-channel presence led to demand uptick for AC's especially in the Tier 2/Tier 3 cities. The company was able to pass on the increase in raw material cost and sustain operating EBITDA margins at 9.2%. The company reported 49.4% drop in consolidated net profit to Rs 83 crore on 23.5% decline in revenue from operations to Rs 3,031 crore in the year ended 31 March 2021 over the year ended 31 March 2020. Jasbir Singh, chairman & CEO of Amber Enterprises India, said: "First half of the financial year 2021 was a challenging period with uncertainties and complexities brought by Covid-19 pandemic. However, sharp recovery in business sentiments in second half of the year has enabled us to post a strong performance in this quarter. Recently, announced PLI scheme augurs well for us and the industry as a whole, as it lays emphasis on manufacturing and value addition in RAC industry. This scheme provides manufacturers like us a large-scale opportunity to expand our existing components base of PCBAs and Motors. Earlier, the ban on refrigerant filled AC's had provided an opportunity for domestic manufacturers. Post the ban we have successfully signed 6 new customers. On our Sidwal Business, traction in Railways & Metro segments continues to remain strong and we have been maintaining a healthy order book. The second wave of covid-19 in India poses a threat to the sustenance of growth momentum, however we are keeping a close tab on the situation and operating all our facilities with minimum disruption." Amber Enterprises India is a market leader in Indian room air conditioner (RAC) industry and air conditioning industry for mobility application such as railways, metros, buses etc. The company has diversified portfolio which includes RACs, RAC components and air conditioning solutions for railways, metro's, defence, bus & commercial segment. The scrip fell 2.27% to currently trade at Rs 2938 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 469.45, up 1.82% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 49.91% in last one year as compared to a 68.25% jump in NIFTY and a 56.02% jump in the Nifty Energy index. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 469.45, up 1.82% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.1% on the day, quoting at 15191.2. The Sensex is at 50634.3, up 0.19%. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has gained around 12.07% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 10.51% in last one month and is currently quoting at 19326.3, up 1.07% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 64.67 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 83.77 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark May futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 470.25, up 1.85% on the day. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is up 49.91% in last one year as compared to a 68.25% jump in NIFTY and a 56.02% jump in the Nifty Energy index. The PE of the stock is 13.92 based on TTM earnings ending December 20. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canara Bank rose 2.03% to Rs 155.80 after the bank said that its board will meet on Friday, 28 May 2021, to consider and approve capital raising plan of the bank for FY 2021-22. The bank plans to raise funds through qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue/follow-on public offer (FPO)/rights issue/ preferential issue or any other mode or through a combination thereof and/or through issue of BASEL III bonds or such other securities as may be permitted under applicable laws etc., subject to necessary approvals/ permissions. Canara Bank is a public sector bank. The Government of India held 69.33% stake in the state-owned commercial bank as of 31 March 2021. As on 31 March 2021, the bank had 10,416 number of branches, out of which 3,069 are Rural, 3,140 Semi- Urban, 2,094 Urban and 2,113 Metro along with 13,452 ATM. The public sector bank's net profit stood at Rs 1010.87 crore in Q4 FY21 compared with net loss of Rs 3,259.33 crore in Q4 FY20. Total income increased 51.33% to Rs 21,522.60 crore in Q4 FY21 over Q4 FY20. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) GMM Pfaudler has announced that it has commenced manufacturing operations at its facility at Vatva near Ahmedabad on 24 May 2021. GMMP had acquired the assets (factory land, building, plant and machinery, office equipment, computers, furniture and fixtures, vehicles and capital work in progress) owned by HDO Technologies (in Liquidation) through an e-auction in March 2021. The new facility, which signals GMMP's long-term commitment towards meeting the demands of its customers, will immediately enhance the company's capacity in Heavy Engineering while freeing up capacity in Karamsad to expand our Glass Lining business. The state-of-the-art facility in Vatva, spread over 11.9 acres with seven manufacturing bays (built-up area of 23,617 square meters) is equipped to manufacture a wide range of Heavy Engineering equipment with a crane lifting capacity of 200 metric tonnes, deep-hole drilling (up to 1 meter) capabilities, plate rolling capabilities up to 110 milimeters, strip cladding capabilities, orbital welding capabilities, a 308.6 square meters clean room for fabrication of high alloy materials, vertical turret lathes and other machine tools. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) According the latest edition of SBI research update Ecowrap on 21st May 2021, India's second wave of COVID-19 has been stabilising for the past few days. The cumulative cases now stand at 257 lakh, with 31.25 active cases and 223 lakh people recovered. The 7D MA of new cases has been declining now for the past 11 days. Moreover, the daily recovered cases are now above the daily new cases for the past 12 days, thereby indicating that the peak of the second wave might be over. The maximum daily cases was 4.14 lakh crore observed on 7 May, with active cases 36.4 lakh (as predicted by us) and with a recovery rate 81.95% which is better than first peak recovery rate of 78.53%. Difference between the daily recovered and daily active cases has significantly improved in May when compared to April. Only 2 states, Chhattisgarh and Delhi are witnessing decline in May as against the previous month. The gap has improved for all other states, especially for Kerala, Rajasthan, UP and Gujarat. Meanwhile, localised restrictions and lockdowns have resulted in decline in mobility in May, particularly in case of Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic leaders are trying to satisfy their members in the mapmaking process by giving them the most vote-friendly territory possible. But even in an increasingly blue-trending state, making all Democrats happy is a tall order, and there is a risk of losing votes on other issues from members who arent pleased with their new districts. That could particularly be true for newer suburban lawmakers representing what had been traditionally GOP areas. Power stocks were trading in the positive zone, with the S&P BSE Power index rising 42.24 points or 1.5% at 2867.39 at 09:49 IST. Among the components of the S&P BSE Power index, Adani Green Energy Ltd (up 3.61%), Adani Transmission Ltd (up 2.47%),Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (up 2.15%),Thermax Ltd (up 1.95%),CESC Ltd (up 1.28%), were the top gainers. Among the other gainers were K E C International Ltd (up 1.23%), Adani Power Ltd (up 0.94%), NHPC Ltd (up 0.59%), NTPC Ltd (up 0.44%), and ABB India Ltd (up 0.43%). On the other hand, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (down 1.66%), Torrent Power Ltd (down 1.53%), and Siemens Ltd (down 0.1%) moved lower. At 09:49 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 112.14 or 0.22% at 50652.62. The Nifty 50 index was up 19 points or 0.13% at 15194.3. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 135.87 points or 0.59% at 23266.27. The S&P BSE 150 Midcap Index index was up 30.85 points or 0.42% at 7364.44. On BSE,1645 shares were trading in green, 854 were trading in red and 132 were unchanged. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To tap Chinese market for its highly successful Enchanted Disney Fine Jewelry Collection Renaissance Global announced its partnership with the second largest Chinese jewelry retailer Lao Feng Xiang (LFX) for the Chinese market for the introduction of it's highly successful ENCHANTED DISNEY FINE JEWELRY COLLECTION. The company has commenced operations in China by shipping its first order to LFX. This synergistic alignment is of great importance to RGL as it introduces Disney licensed brands for the first time to the immense Chinese market. Enchanted Disney Fine Jewelry is a collection of diamond, gold and gemstone jewelry inspired by the romance of Disney fairy tales. The collection celebrates Happily Ever After with jewelry inspired by Disney Princesses and Villains, Frozen and TinkerBel. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On a consolidated basis, Shoppers Stop's net loss stood at Rs 24.10 crore in Q4 FY21 compared with net loss of Rs 127.22 crore in Q4 FY20. Net sales fell 6.1% to Rs 680.46 crore in Q4 FY21 as against Rs 724.38 crore in Q4 FY20. Pre-tax loss stood at Rs 24.24 crore in Q4 FY21 as against pre-tax loss of Rs 151.80 crore in Q4 FY20. The business rapidly recovered from the pandemic in Q4. The recovery in footfalls and sales had begun in Q3 vs preceding quarters and it continued in Q4. For the quarter, the firm had 90% of FY20 sales, the strongest recovery in the last 4 quarters. However, with the pandemic in India, taking a severe turn in the second half of March, the year has ended on a sombre note. As per GAAP, EBITDA grew 40.1% to Rs 116.20 crore in Q4 FY21 compared with Rs 82.90 crore in Q4 FY20. Shoppers Stop reported positive EBITDA for the second consecutive quarter, driven by healthy recovery in demand in January - February months and various initiatives on costs optimization. The savings continues to stand at Rs 43 crore in Q4 FY21 and Rs 433 crore for the full year. The firm is maintaining sufficient cash reserves to deal with any exigencies in coming quarters and continues to remain debt free. Venu Nair, the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Shoppers Stop, commented: "Business recovery till Mid-March had been very encouraging. However, with surge in COVID-19 cases, we witnessed a drop-in footfall resulting into drop in revenue. Despite the COVID-19 impact, we had our strong performance in all our strategic pillars. Our Omni channel grew by 188% (3 times), Private Brands volume grew by 38%, Beauty outperforming with the start of make-up from mid-January." "Specifically, on Omni Channel, our dream run continues. During the quarter, we did the first phase of the upgrade of the home page and continued to add new brands. We also improved our fulfilment parameters by changing the allocation logic which improved the Turnaround Time. We are investing heavily in this channel and have begun the second phase of the upgrade of our App, with a complete redesign of UI/UX, analytics and personalization." "Our success in transforming and revamping Private Brands continue to yield results. During the quarter, we launched performance wear and athleisure brand, Altlife and Insense in the women's sleepwear category. We have significantly improved our fashion quotient relevant to latest trends, besides upgrading the quality of rnerchandize. We have simplified the price matrix. Our customers are recognising the improvements that have been made offering great fashion, & quality at affordable price points. This resulted in 38% volume growth, overall sales growth of 11.5% and increased share to the business by 250 bps." "Our First Citizens contributed 72% of our revenue. We have added 1,06,000 loyalty members during the quarter and as of 31 March 2021. As ondate, we have 7.8 million trusted Loyal Members. In our premium Annual Membership Program "Black Card", enrolment grew by 172% this is a subscription service at Rs 4 ,500. We continue to engage with our loyal customers through our personal shoppers' program. During the quarter- personal shopper program contributed 14.7% (+80 bps). Our store expansion was deferred due to the COVID-19 impact in FY21. We commenced our store expansion, and plan to add 20+ stores across large and small formats in FY22," he added. Shoppers Stop is the nation's leading premier retailer of fashion and beauty brands. Spread across 84 department stores in 44 cities, the company also operates premium home concept stores (11 stores), 127 specialty beauty stores and 23 Airport doors, occupying an area of 4.5 sq. ft. Shares of Shoppers Stop fell 0.19% to Rs 208.60 on BSE. The scrip hovered in the range of Rs Rs 208.50 to Rs 212.70 so far. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sonata Software announced 30 years of relationship with Microsoft, and a commitment to invest aggressively in a business that Sonata had identified ahead of the curve and has helped drive growth. A relationship that started in India in 1991 has today blossomed into a worldwide 360-degree one, spanning industries, technologies and geographies. Currently Sonata not only provides services to Microsoft across product engineering, customer support and internal IT applications, but has a deep global relationship across continents, industries and services being a global ISV, SI, lSP, CSP and ISV dev centre. For Sonata, the key to this success has been aligning continuously to Microsoft's strategy and making investments proactively, organically and inorganically. Today the Sonata global go-tomarket strategy based on its proprietary digital transformation concept - Platformation, is totally aligned to the Microsoft digital transformation strategy of engaging customers, empowering employees, optimizing operations, and transforming products across the pillars of modern work, Applications and infrastructure, Data & AI and business applications. This has been done through a variety of initiatives from working closely with product engineering teams of Microsoft to leverage the knowledge for building deep expertise, build industryleading technology practices around platform engineering on Azure and Dynamics 365, providing engineering services to ISVs wanting to migrate to the Microsoft platform. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vivimed Labs jumped 4.77% to Rs 29.65 after the company announced the first export shipment of famotidine tablets to Canada. Vivimed Labs announced the export of first shipment of famotidine tablets (40mg and 20mg) to Canada. The drug is manufactured at the company's Hyderabad facility. Famotidine is an histamine H receptor antagonist medication that decreases stomach acid production. The drug is used for the relief of heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, sour stomach due to excess stomach acid, hyperacidity and/or acid indigestion. It is also used for the prevention of the symptoms of excess stomach acid brought on by consuming food and/or beverages which may cause symptoms. Commenting on the development, Ramesh Krishnamurthy, CEO of Vivimed Labs said, "Successful launch of Famotidine is a demonstration of Vivimed's COMO capability to prestigious Canada market in collaboration with a highly respected strategic partner. This sets the stage for exciting new range of COMO products. In the next 6 months Vivimed shall continue to leverage end to end capabilities to expand its COMO foot print." Vivimed Labs is a pharmaceutical and chemical products company. On a consolidated basis, the company posted a net loss of Rs 49.55 crore in Q3 FY21 as against a net loss of Rs 32.07 crore in Q3 FY20. Net sales jumped 40.6% year on year to Rs 277.94 crore in Q3 FY21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when violence has grown, MP Locket Chatterjee on Sunday gave up the security cover provided by the Centre saying that if she could not protect her party cadres, she should not be protected by security personnel. Chatterjee wrote an email informing the Central government about her decision. "People of are facing so much violence and the women are very much insecure at this point. As a representative of the common people I am unable to secure my citizen, so I want to withdraw my security cover provided by your team and at the same time thank you for the service," Chatterjee wrote in the email. Chatterjee is MP from West Bengal's Hoogly constituency. Earlier this month, had alleged that nine of its party workers had been killed in the post-poll violence. However, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has refuted the allegations. On May 7, a four-member team deputed by the Ministry of Home Affairs had visited the Diamond Harbour area of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district to assess the ground situation. Several incidents of violence have been reported at various places after the declaration of the Assembly poll results on May 2. (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.) Russia's sovereign wealth fund RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund) and homegrown pharma company Panacea Biotec have partnered to launch the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in India. The RDIF has already tied up with Dr Reddy's to produce the vaccine in India. Both have agreed to produce 100 million doses per year of Sputnik V. BREAKING: RDIF and Panacea Biotec launch the production of Sputnik V in India. #India's @PanaceaBiotec now to produce 100 million doses of #SputnikV per year Yhttps://t.co/zgd0WYNxkVpic.twitter.com/ZNeU4Aqi46 a Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) May 24, 2021 The first batch produced at Panacea Biotec's facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Centre for quality control. Full-scale production of the vaccine is due to start soon, a statement said, adding the company's facilities comply with GMP standards and are prequalified by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Sputnik V vaccine got the emergency use authorisation in the country on April 12, 2021. The vaccine was rolled out for the masses on May 14. Apart from India, Sputnik V has been registered in 65 countries, and the vaccine has been proved to be 97.6 per cent effective against coronavirus infection during clinical trials. The vaccine is based on a proven and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors and uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "Production of Sputnik V supports efforts of India's authorities to leave behind the acute phase of coronavirus as soon as possible while the vaccine will also be exported at a later stage to help prevent the spread of the virus in other countries around the world." Panacea Biotec Dr Rajesh Jain said together with RDIF, the company hopes to help "bring a sense of normalcy back to people across the country and around the world." Earlier on May 14, Dr Reddy's Laboratories had soft-launched the Sputnik V vaccine in India, pricing it at Rs 948 per dose with an additional five per cent GST. So far, India has imported the Sputnik V vaccine doses in two batches. Also read: India to begin Sputnik V production in August; to produce 850 mn doses An advertisement from a company purportedly based in the US has raised eyebrows on social media with the way it has approached the government for an investment worth $500 billion in various infra projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) and Non-NIP projects. Questions are being raised as to why a company that claims to invest funds worth $500 billion in India needs to do so via an ad in newspapers and not seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly. The newspaper ad placed in prominent newspapers of the country today says "Landomus Realty Ventures Inc, USA, would like to invest USD 500 Billion" in Equity as the first phase of investment into the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) and Non-NIP projects listed by the government of India the India Investment Grid for "Invest India" initiative". A simple search on the company reveals Landomus Realty Ventures is a private company incorporated on 17 July 2015. It is classified as a non-government company and is registered at the registrar of companies, Bengaluru. Though the company wants to invest $500 billion in India, its paid-up capital seems less. "Authorised share capital is Rs 1,000,000 and its paid-up capital is Rs 100,000," says the company website. Yashas Pradeep Kumar, Sathyaprakash Pradeep Kumar and Rakshith Gangadhar are the directors of Landomus Realty Ventures Private Limited. The address on its website shows at Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road, Bengaluru. BusinessToday.In reached out to Invest India, the investment facilitation agency under the Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal Trade, to inquire if it had been approached by Landomus Realty. A representative from Invest India said they were not aware of the company and would update BusinessToday.In if the company approaches. The newspaper ad claims the company aims to make India "a global destination by supporting the completion of NIP and Non-NIP projects along with investors and developers under the India Investment Grid in sectors such as Energy, Social Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Transport, Food Processing & Agriculture, Water & Sanitation, etc." Seeking an opportunity from PM Modi to "contribute to your vision of a New India", Landomus says it wants to assist the government in its endeavour to rebuild India and achieve the USD 5 trillion GDP target. Meanwhile, social media users are questioning the authenticity of the newspaper ad, with many pointing out the obscurity of the company. "Most newspapers today carried this advt from an unknown company expressing interest to invest $500bn in India. Is this the way to approach the PM for such a big investment? Who are these people? Is it so difficult to get a meeting with the PM?" one Sanjeev Kumar asked. "Authorised share capital is Rs 10,00,000 and paid-up is Rs 1,00,000. Kahan se latein hai yeh log itna confidence yaar? (From where do they get such confidence," tweeted another user. Authorized share capital is a10,00,000 and paid up is a1,00,000. Kahan se latein hai yeh log itna confidence yaar? #Landomuspic.twitter.com/muVZL5sgdx a Entire Ph.D in Matric (@YateeshSrivast1) May 24, 2021 Communication Strategy Consultant Karthik tweeted: From: Pradeep Kumar @ Landomus Group To: Modi Ji CC: Entire India (front-page, all editions of TOI and ET) Subject: Provide us an opportunity to present our concrete plan Modi's reply: Are you talking to me, or are you shouting from your rooftop *at* me? pic.twitter.com/dToxm83dSP a Karthik YY (@beastoftraal) May 24, 2021 Another user said: "Which serious businessman/ investor starts with placing an Ad on the front page addressing the PM saying that they have 500 Billion $ (Flushed face) in equity as 1st phase investment & "concrete plan" to make India "Pandemic Free". You should research this "Landomus Grp"." Noticed this too.. Which serious businessman/ investor starts with placing an Ad on front page addressing the PM saying that they have 500 Billion $ (Y) in equity as 1st phase investment & "concrete plan" to make India "Pandemic Free". You should research this "Landomus Grp" a Dr Sumeet Shah (@DrSumeetShah) May 24, 2021 A user claimed the company's address showing on its website is in "the middle of the road". "0 Google News results; their website has the same content as the ad, no other info: https://landomus.com; this site is registered to a United Land Bank based in Karnataka, this bank is founded by the CEO of Landomus; their 'address' on Google Maps is the middle of a road." - 0 Google News results - Their website has the same content as the ad, no other info: https://t.co/yXQCLK4Sht - This site is registered to a United Land Bank based in Karnataka, this bank is founded by the CEO of Landomus - Their 'address' on Google Maps is the middle of a road a Aki (@achilles_r2d2) May 24, 2021 Also read: Roche's COVID-19 antibody cocktail launched in India at Rs 59,750 per dose One of the things that I think we cant ever lose sight of is people came forward and said they were victimized and they deserve to be heard, Lightfoot said. The archdiocese went through a process to evaluate those allegations and again, well learn more in the coming days, I would suspect, as to what that process was, but the fact those men now came forward and spoke (their) truth is something we cant ever undermine or underestimate. Full story here. Lockdown was extended on Sunday in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Puducherry, with many states already imposing COVID-induced restrictions till May-end to rein in the spread of infection and the mounting deaths which crossed the three lakh mark. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the ongoing lockdown in the national capital will continue for another week and said the process of "unlock" will start from May 31 in a phased manner if the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline. The Rajasthan government, which extended the coronavirus lockdown by 15 days till June 8, also said the state may allow some relaxations in commercial activities from June 1 in districts where the COVID-19 situation will show significant improvement. Extending the lockdown till May 31, the Haryana government said the positivity and fatality rates have to be brought down further, though it did allow some relaxations in the curbs. The daily rise in coronavirus cases in India remained below the three lakh mark for the seventh consecutive day with 2.4 lakh new cases recorded in a single day, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday. With the fresh cases, India's tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 2,65,30,132. The death toll due to the disease rose to 2,99,266 with 3,741 fresh fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 AM showed. According to a PTI tally, the death toll had risen to 3,03,376 till Sunday night, making India the third country after the US and Brazil to register over three lakh COVID fatalities. However, the case fatality rate stood at 1.13 percent, still lower than many countries. The active cases further reduced to 28,05,399 comprising 10.57 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate improved to 88.30 percent. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease in the country surged to 2,34,25,467, the data stated. In the past 24 hours, Delhi recorded around 1,600 positive cases and the positivity rate went further down to below 2.5 percent, Kejriwal said in an online briefing. He said if the lockdown is lifted now, the gains made in the last one month through a lot of struggles, hard work and sacrifice may be lost. If the current downward trend in number of cases sustains in next one week and people follow precautions against COVID with strict discipline as they have done so far, we will start the process of unlock from May 31," he said. Haryana State Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan, in an order, said the lockdown, which was earlier imposed till May 24, has been extended till May 31. However certain relaxations were given like standalone shops have been allowed to function during the day. The other shops, except in malls, are allowed to open from 7 AM to 12 PM on an odd-even basis. Over two weeks ago, there were nearly 1.15 lakh active cases in the state, which now stand around 40,000. "Now, after duly considering the fact that although the Covid positivity has come down, however, Mahamari Alert/Surakshit Haryana needs to continue so as to bring it and the fatality rate down even further," said the order issued on May 23. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan too had Saturday announced that the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the state would be gradually relaxed from the next month. "Our target is to free our state of COVID-19 by May 31. We will have to unlock the coronavirus-induced-curfew gradually from June 1. The world has to move but we will need to unlock in such a manner that COVID-19 doesn't spread again," he had said at a meeting to review the coronavirus situation on the state. Lockdown-like restrictions have been extended up to May 31 in most of the districts including Bhopal. However, Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 6,92,382 on Sunday as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 12,852 new cases, despite undergoing lockdown for more than two weeks, a health department official said. The state also registered 28 fresh COVID fatalities, the biggest one-day count, which took the toll to 2,484, he said. Odisha is under lockdown till June 1. The Uttar Pradesh government had also extended partial corona curfew till 7 AM May 31 on Saturday. Among the southern states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana have extended their lockdown this month, while Andhra Pradesh will continue to have curfew. The Puducherry government on Sunday announced the extension of the ongoing lockdown till May 31 as COVID-19 cases continue to soar in the union territory. The two-week long lockdown clamped on May 10 is to come to an end on May 24 midnight. In the Northeast, the Mizoram government has extended total lockdown in Aizawl and other district headquarters till May 31. Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have extended the restrictions till month-end. The 3,741 new fatalities include 682 from Maharashtra, 448 from Tamil Nadu, 451 from Karnataka, 218 from Uttar Pradesh, 201 from Punjab, 182 from Delhi, 176 from Kerala, 154 from West Bengal, 134 from Uttarakhand, 118 from Andhra Pradesh, 115 from Rajasthan, 103 from Chhattisgarh and 98 from Haryana. Here is a look at coronavirus-induced restrictions/lockdown imposed by states and union territories: *Delhi is under lockdown from April 19 till May 31. *Haryana, which was under lockdown from May 3, has extended it till May 31. * Chandigarh administration has imposed weekend curfew restrictions till May 25. *Punjab has extended all existing COVID restrictions in the state till May 31, including night curfew. *Uttar Pradesh had extended the partial coronavirus curfew till 7 AM on May 31. *Bihar on May 4 imposed a lockdown till May 15 which has now been extended till May 25. *Jharkhand had extended lockdown-like restrictions with stricter provisions till May 27. * Odisha is under lockdown till June 1. * West Bengal government announced a complete lockdown from May 16 till May 30. *Rajasthan has extended lockdown till June 8. *Madhya Pradesh has extended the 'corona curfew' in all 52 districts of the state for different durations up to May 31. *Gujarat has extended night curfew in 36 cities of the state till May 28. However, daytime restrictions were relaxed and shops, shopping malls, business establishments and other business activities were allowed between 9 AM to 3 PM. *Chhattisgarh government has asked authorities in all the 28 districts to extend the COVID-19 lockdown till May 31. *Kerala has extended the total lockdown, which was to end on May 23, till May 30. *Tamil Nadu has extended the lockdown, which was to end on May 24, by another week. *Puducherry has imposed lockdown till May 31. *Karnataka has announced an extension of lockdown for two weeks from May 24 to June 7. *Telangana has extended the lockdown till May 30. * Andhra Pradesh has extended the curfew till May 31. *Goa government has reportedly imposed curfew till May 31. *Maharashtra has extended the lockdown-like restrictions till June 1. *Assam on May 12 ordered shutting down of all offices, religious places and weekly markets for 15 days in urban and semi-urban areas of the state. It has stopped all inter-district transport services and movement of people across the state for 15 days with effect from May 21 . *Nagaland has extended the lockdown till May 31. *Mizoram has extended the lockdown, which was imposed in Aizawl and other district headquarters, till May 31. * Arunachal Pradesh has imposed complete lockdown in Anjaw, Dibang Valley, Lower Subansiri, Lohit and Tawang districts and the Capital Complex Region till May 31. *Manipur government has imposed curfew in seven districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Kakching and Churachandpur till May 28. * Meghalaya extended lockdown in the worst-affected East Khasi Hills district till May 31. *Tripura has imposed night curfew from May 19 till May 26. * Sikkim government decided to clamp a complete lockdown across the tiny Himalayan state from May 17 to May 24. *Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended the corona curfew till May 31 morning. *Uttarakhand has imposed a strict COVID curfew till May 25 morning. *Himachal Pradesh has extended the coronavirus-induced curfew in the state till May 26. Alcohol company Diageo India has pledged Rs 45 crore to support country's public health infrastructure amidst the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Through this initiative, the company will help nodal government hospitals in 21 districts to set up pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants to create long-term oxygen capacity, Diageo said in a statement. "Diageo will provide state governments fully equipped, prefabricated 16-bed mini-hospital units with PSA oxygen plants in 15 most critical districts. This will help increase hospital bed capacity in the district with the flexibility to upgrade to ICUs or critical care as well as relocate to districts of greatest need," the company said. Diageo will also donate medical equipment including oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, ventilator beds and other critical devices to public hospitals across 10 states. Also read: Cadila aims to increase monthly production of COVID-19 vaccine candidate to 30 mn The company said it has adopted 'One District One State' approach with the aim to ensure that support reaches at least one district in each state and union territory of the country. "Diageo's initiative will be supported by the national investment promotion agency, Invest India and executed by GiveIndia by prioritising the requirements of the state authorities, identifying critical districts, and ensuring smooth transition to state medical officials," it added. Of the Rs 45 crore pledged, Rs 35 crore will be funded by parent company Diageo plc. "Long term medical infrastructure especially hospital beds and self-sufficiency in oxygen is what is needed most and we hope our contribution going into every state and UT will help play a part in India's recovery. With this pledge, Diageo have so far contributed Rs 130 crore towards COVID relief," Diageo India MD and CEO Anand Kripalu said. Earlier, the company had introduced a Rs 3-crore healthcare insurance for bartenders and launched Rs 75-crore revival and recovery program -- 'Raising the Bar' -- to support pubs, bars and restaurants. Also read: COVID-19 vaccine delivery through drones? Trials to begin in June in Telangana Bharat Biotech is likely to hold a pre-submission meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) this month or in June before applying for emergency use listing (EUL) for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin. A guidance document on WHO website, updated last week, showed that Bharat Biotech submitted expression of interest for EUL on April 19. However, the health agency sought more details from the company. WHO's EUL is a prerequisite for COVAX facility vaccine supply. It also allows countries to expedite their own regulatory approval to import and administer COVID-19 vaccines. The EUL pathway involves a rigorous assessment of late phase II and phase III clinical trial data as well as substantial additional data on safety, efficacy, quality and a risk management plan. Also read: Pfizer, Moderna won't sell COVID-19 vaccines directly to Delhi "In the pre-submission meeting, Bharat Biotech will state what data they have and will receive guidance from the WHO on what documents have to be submitted," Mint quoted a vaccine regulations expert as saying. EUL assesses the quality, safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as risk management plans and programmatic suitability, such as cold chain requirements. The assessment is performed by the product evaluation group, composed by regulatory experts from around the world and a Technical Advisory Group (TAG), in charge of performing the risk-benefit assessment for an independent recommendation on whether a vaccine can be listed for emergency use and, if so, under which conditions. The assessment process may also include on-site inspection of production facility. Bharat Biotech has so far not produced the complete phase III trial data for Covaxin. Announcing the interim results from Phase III trials of Covaxin, Bharat Biotech had in April said that the vaccine showed an overall interim clinical efficacy of 78 per cent and 100 per cent efficacy against severe COVID-19 disease. WHO has so far given EUL to COVID-19 vaccines of Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) and China's Sinopharm. Also read: Roche's COVID-19 antibody cocktail launched in India at Rs 59,750 per dose Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday asserted that India has been working fast to increase the production of Covid-19 vaccines and said each citizen of the country will be inoculated by December. He also attacked the opposition, saying it has been trying to politicise matters related to the vaccination drive against the coronavirus. 'We have been constantly working on increasing the production and availability of vaccines, and will have each Indian vaccinated by December, which will be a huge record,' Shekhawat said. He added that this will all happen on account of the country's own endeavours. 'It is for the first time in history that India developed its own vaccines for any virus parallel to the rest of the world. Earlier, it took years for vaccines of any virus to reach India,' he told a press conference here. Shekhawat said that the opposition did their best to politicise the vaccination drive-through 'malicious' narratives questioning the quality and authenticity of vaccines developed in India. 'They acted with their vested political interests and blemished the image of the country. But now the same persons have been queuing up for a vaccine shot,' the Union minister for Jal Shakti said and added that the opposition should apologise. Referring to medicines like remdesivir, used in Covid treatment, and amphotericin-B for black fungus treatment, Shekhawat said the country has already reached a surplus state with production of 1.5 crore vials of remdesivir per month and efforts are on to meet the growing requirement of amphotericin vials now. 'We are sourcing (amphotericin) vials from foreign countries. Three lakh vials have already reached and three lakh more are expected to come in the next three days,' he said. Six companies have been producing amphotericin vials in the country and five more companies have been given permission, the minister said 'Considering a 30 days gestation period of the (amphotericin) vial before it is finally ready for administration, we will have adequate vials after 30 days," he said. Shekhawat also stressed on the need for strengthening medical and health infrastructure in rural areas. "We need to strengthen our Community Health Centres (CHC) in villages. We will have to work to improve infrastructure at CHCs and ensure the presence of doctors there", he said. He said that 30 such centres will be upgraded in the next three months at a cost of Rs 15 crore. Also read: COVID-19 vaccination for 18-44 age bracket to begin in UP from June 1 PhonePe's $60 million acquisition of content discovery platform Indus OS has run into legal trouble. The fintech company is battling two of Indus OS' existing investors, Affle Global and Ventureast, in a Singapore court. Both sides have filed competing lawsuits against each other at the Supreme Court of Singapore. This legal tussle comes ahead of PhonePe's completion of the acquisition before mid-June, for which the term sheet was signed and ready. However, the plans seem to have hit a roadblock with Affle seeking an injunction over the deal, filing an arbitration case against Indus in May. Affle has made an appeal on its right to first refusal against the sale of Indus founder's stake to PhonePe, as mentioned in a report in The Economic Times. In return PhonePe dragged Affle as well as Ventureast to court. PhonePe said that they believe that Affle and Ventureast have colluded to act in bad faith and violate the legal provisions of the term sheet, which they were both signatories to. It said that they have filed a lawsuit to protect its legal interests. Affle meanwhile said that it has not signed any binding term sheet with PhonePe with respect to the sale of any investment till date. It said that it had invested $20 million in Indus, valuing the startup at $90 million, and owning 20 per cent stake. It added that it has more than 25 per cent minority voting rights in OSlabs Pte Ltd, holding company of Indus OS based in Singapore. PhonePe spokesperson said that the deal would be completed soon after a decision on court proceedings. It said the legal hurdles will not impact PhonePe's plans to acquire Indus OS at all. Indus OS has been made a defendant in the case but PhonePe is not seeking damages from it. Walmart-backed PhonePe is suing Ventureast because Affle reportedly held talks with the company to buy its stake in Indus for increased voting rights. A representative of PhonePe has confirmed to the daily that the company has secured 30 per cent stake in Indus and gained two seats on the board of the startup. Indus said that it is willing to close its acquisition with PhonePe and that all the founders and board members have signed the term sheet to sell a significant majority in the company to PhonePe. Also read: Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, other mobile wallets to be interoperable from April 2022 Also read: Flipkart, PhonePe continue to experience strong growth in Q1: Walmart Sensex and Nifty were likely to open lower as Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange were trading 74.50 points or 0.49 percent lower at the 15,151.50 level. On Friday, Sensex closed 975 points higher at 50,540 and Nifty ended 269 points higher at 15,175. On Sensex, top gainers were HDFC Bank, SBI, ICICI Bank , Axis Bank, HDFC, IndusInd Bank and Kotak Bank rising up to 4.48%. Here's a look at stocks which are likely to remain in news today. Hero MotoCorp: The two- wheeler manufacturer on Saturday said it would resume vehicle manufacturing at all its factories from 24 March as cases of covid-19 infections have started falling across the country. JSW Steel: The firm reported Q4FY21 consolidated net profit at Rs 4,191 crore from Rs 188 crore, while revenue rose 50.6 percent to Rs 26,934 crore from Rs 17,887 crore, YoY. Jaypee Infratech: The creditors' panel of Jaypee Infratech will hold a meeting today to discuss submissions made by state-owned NBCC about its resolution plan, just before the start of the scheduled voting process on Suraksha group's offer. Shree Cement: The company's Q4FY21 profit rose 30.5 percent to Rs 767.6 crore from Rs 588.1 crore and revenue climbed 22.2 percent to Rs 3,930.8 crore from Rs 3,217.5 crore, YoY. JSW Steel: The company has termed media reports saying that it was weighing a bid for Liberty Steel's assets in the UK "speculative" and "misleading." Punjab & Sind Bank: The lender posted profit in Q4FY21 after eight consecutive quarters of losses. It reported a net profit of Rs 161 crore on the back of improvement in recoveries and decline in bad loans. Multi Commodity Exchange: The company's board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 27.60 per share for FY21. Power Grid Corporation: The company's board and committee of creditors cleared a list of projects during their recent meetings. The board approved projects worth Rs 1,761,3 crore, while the committee cleared projects worth around Rs 441 crore. Minda Industries: Its board approved the acquisition of 33,750 equity shares of special purpose vehicle CSE Dakshina Solar Private Ltd of face value Rs 10 apiece each at a premium of Rs 70, aggregating to Rs 27,00,000. With this acquisition, the company holds 27.55% of total paid-up share capital of the SPV. Amara Raja: The battery manufacturer logged a 45% rise in profit before tax in Q4 of FY21 to Rs 873.33 crore from Rs 840.68 crore a year ago. The board recommended a final dividend of Rs 6 per share. Adani Green: The company's unit Adani Renewable Energy Holding Four Ltd has transferred 74% shareholding of MSEL to Adani Tradecom, it said in a regulatory filing. Share of JSW Steel declined nearly 4 per cent to hit an intraday low of Rs 672.30 despite strong earnings. The Indian steelmaker on Friday recorded consolidated profit of Rs 4,198 crore in Q4 against a loss of Rs 672 crore in the year-ago period. Total revenue from operations during Q4 FY21 stood at Rs 26,934 crore, up 51 per cent as compared to Rs 17,887 crore in Q4 FY20. The share opened 0.17 higher at Rs 699.00 against the previous close of Rs 697.80. At 14:05 hours, the stock was trading at 683.75, down 2.01 per cent on BSE. The share has gained 309 per cent in one year and risen 76 per cent since the beginning of this year. JSW Steel's share stands higher than 50 day, 100 day, and 200 day moving averages and lower than 5 day, 10 day and 20 day moving averages. Market cap of the firm fell to Rs 1,64,467.68 crore. The stock touched a 52-week high of Rs 773.00 on May 10, 2021, and a 52-week low of Rs 163.60 on March 22, 2021. Currently, it is trading 316 per cent above its 52-week low and 12 per cent below its 52-week high. CLSA has maintained an Outperform call on JSW Steel with a target price of Rs 740 per share. It further said that the valuations look fair at 2.4x FY23 PB. Morgan Stanley has raised the target price to Rs 920 per share from Rs 590 earlier as it believes the Indian steelmaker is well-positioned to deliver among the strongest volume growth. However, Kotak Institutional Equities has downgraded the stock to reduce from buy as valuations are rich. The brokerage house has a target of Rs 640 per share. The firm posted a 96 per cent rise in consolidated profit at Rs 7,911 crore for the financial year ended March 31, 2021. The steel manufacturer posted the highest ever consolidated operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) at Rs 20,141 crore in FY21, up 70 per cent Y-o-Y. JSW Steel also plans to spend Rs 47,457 crore towards capital expenditure in the next three years, primarily for adding 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) steel making capacity at Vijayanagar, Karnataka, and building mining infrastructure in Odisha. The new projects will cost the company Rs 25,115 crore, while the ongoing investments, including doubling of capacity at Dolvi in Maharashtra to 10 MTPA, will require Rs 22,342 crore. The company has a net debt of Rs 52,615 crore, post Rs 19,350-crore acquisition of the bankrupt Bhushan Power in March. The net debt to equity of the company stood at 1.14 times, while net debt to EBITDA was at 2.61 times. Loading the player... Jubilant FoodWorks begins COVID-19 vaccination drive for 30,000 employees, their families Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL), which operates Domino's Pizza and Dunkin Donuts chains in India, on Sunday said it has started country-wide COVID-19 vaccination drive for its over 30,000 employees and their families under the company's COVID care initiative. Besides, it has also set up isolation facilities in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Noida and Indore and also arranged for a facility for COVID impacted employees and their families COVID-19 vaccines: States facing inelastic supply curve, Centre should place orders, says SBI The Indian states trying to place orders directly with drug makers for COVID-19 vaccines are facing an inelastic supply curve at least for the next two months, and this approach is also leading to increased competition among the states, according to SBI. The research wing of State Bank of India has advised that India should follow the EU template for vaccine procurement and the Centre, in coordination with states, should enter into deals with pharma companies to vaccinate a sizeable population. Health Minister asks Ramdev to withdraw objectionable statement on allopathy Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday asked yoga guru Ramdev to withdraw his objectionable and unfortunate statement on allopathy and its practioners. The health minister's statement comes a day after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) asked Union Health Ministry to take action against Ramdev for misleading people by making "unlearned" statements against allopathy and defaming scientific medicine. Manufacturers' body IPMA seeks govt intervention to regulate rising steel prices Industry body Indian Pipe Manufacturers' Association (IPMA) has sought government intervention to regulate the prices of steel, which are trading at an all-time high in India. In a letter to Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the body has also sought a temporary ban on its export, a move which will prevent steel players from diverting their produce to the international markets. Ninth "Oxygen Express" with 120 tonnes medical oxygen reaches Bengaluru The ninth "Oxygen Express" carrying 120 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO), in 6 containers has reached Bengaluru, South Western Railway said on Sunday. So far, Karnataka has received 1,062.14 tonnes of LMO by Rail. A signal free 'Green Corridor' was created by the Railways to enable swift transport of this Oxygen Express COVID-19 vaccine: Moderna writes to Punjab govt, says it deals only with Centre US-based COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send vaccines directly to the Punjab government stating that it only deals with the Centre, a senior state official said on Sunday. Punjab's nodal officer for vaccination Vikas Garg said according to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's directions, all vaccine manufacturers were approached for direct purchase of Covid vaccines Highlights Google had its first canine visitor in 1999, a Leonberger named Yoshka. Since then, the company has been more than accommodating to the pets of its employees across its campuses. Over the years, this community of pets and their owners has organised events like pet therapy programs and shelter homes across Google offices. Google has almost constantly ranked as one of the top workplaces to work at for the past many years. Sprawling offices, expressive work culture and numerous perks are a part reason for this. Another part is the accommodating nature of the technology major that tends to welcome people from all backgrounds and even their pets. It might seem like an outlandish concept, but a look at Google's history will tell you that the company has allowed pets on its campuses for more than two decades now. In fact, Google has often encouraged its employees to bring their pets to work, especially at its Googleplex headquarters in Mountain View, California. The technology giant even has a cafe at its headquarters named in honour of its original Top Dog Yoshka. Yoshka was the first-ever pet to visit a Google campus. Its owner and long time Googler Urs Holzle, who is now the senior VP of Engineering at Google, first brought the dog with him to work back in 1999. Yoshka quickly became friends with everyone, "even people who delivered packages to the office," Google notes in an old blog. What started as an occasional visit turned into an everyday chore for the Leonberger as its master moved to the Mountain View office in the summer of 1999 along with the rest of the Google team. Yoshka has a complete blog dedicated to its day's tasks at Google at the time. Yoshka passed away in 2011, but its legacy lives on to date. Post its naming, Yoshka's Cafe was decorated with a small museum dedicated to the Leonberger, displaying its favourite toy, fluffy ball, collar, and Google badge. The museum even displays a small plaque on a podium that explains that it was Yoshka who helped Google become "a dog-friendly company." Since then, the company has seen an ever-increasing love for pets among its workforce. Several initiatives over the years are shining examples of this. One such is a dog park at the Mountain View campus called The Doogleplex. Another is a Doogler group created in 2018 that is essentially a Googler employee group and message board for those with pets. The group has been responsible for several pet-related initiatives such as puppy pop-ups - a puppy therapy program for Googlers across several Google offices. With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the group became increasingly relevant as the Google workforce shifted to a work-from-home model. The pet-related events shifted to a virtual attendance wherein pets of Googlers were granted a couple of minutes to be introduced to the group and show off their skills. Not just dogs Google's love for pets is not limited to its Dooglers. The company mentions in its policies that it likes cats, however, there is a predictable catch to it. It clarifies through an easily understandable argument that since it is "a dog company" first, it believes that any cats visiting its offices would be "fairly stressed out." Google has not shied away from accommodating other animals at its workplaces too. In a remarkable move in the 2000s, the company rented goats to help mow down weeds and bush at Google headquarters. Of course, the company regulates these permissions with regard to workplace efficiency. There are certain actions that can get a pet banned from the workplace. For dogs, excessive barking or any cases of biting can get them sent home immediately. Such limitations are practised in the presence of employees who are allergic to dogs. Highlights Realme will launch its new smart televisions in India on May 31. There are going to be two TV sizes this time as well. Both TVs will support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos standards. Realme will launch the X7 Max 5G and brand-new smart TVs in India on May 31. In media invites sent, Realme has revealed the X7 Max 5G will be India's first Dimensity 1200-powered phone, while this year's televisions will focus on Dolby Cinema, meaning both Dolby Atmos for a better sound experience and Dolby Vision for enhanced HDR. These televisions will come in two sizes, 43-inch and 50-inch, and with this, Realme will have televisions across different sizes. Last year, we saw 32-inch, 43-inch, and 55-inch smart televisions from Realme, all running Android TV. In the invite, Realme has also hinted at the announcement regarding the new "tech lifestyle" brand that the company has been teasing for a long time. And this brand is meant for AIoT products that will work with smartphones. Think of it as an umbrella for Realme products that will work comprehensively together, much like how Samsung has it. Realme X7 Max 5G, Smart TV 4K Launch Event Realme will hold the launch event for the X7 Max 5G and new televisions at 12.30 pm on May 31. It is going to be a digital-only event, of course. And Realme will announce everything related to the new phone and televisions at this upcoming event. Realme X7 Max 5G specifications Realme has already confirmed the X7 Max will be powered by the Dimensity 1200 processor inside. Realme previously posted AnTuTu benchmark scores for the Dimensity 1200 processor, which are over 700,600, which is pretty good for a high-end phone. Realme has not talked about the price yet but it is likely the X7 Max 5G will be positioned in the mid-range. Besides, Realme has also teased the Asphalt 9: Legends game on the X7 Max 5G, but it is not clear whether there is going to be some sort of partnership between the two brands for the X7 Max 5G. If this turns out true, Realme will probably pitch the X7 Max as a gaming phone, even though initially, Realme touted its first Dimensity 1200-powered phone, GT Neo, as camera-centric. Some rumours suggest the X7 Max 5G is nothing but a rebranded GT Neo that Realme is launching in India. If Realme X7 Max 5G is a rebranded GT Neo, the specifications may include up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. And in case you want more storage, you can add a microSD card to this phone. It runs Android 11-based Realme UI 2.0 out-of-the-box. There may be a 4500mAh battery on the X7 Max 5G with 50W fast charging support. The phone will sport a 6.43-inch Full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. As for photography, you may have a 64-megapixel main Sony IMX682 sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor on the back. For selfies, the new phone may sport a 32-megapixel front camera in a punch-hole setup. What to expect from Realme Smart TV 4K Realme has confirmed there will be two sizes for the upcoming smart television; 43-inch and 50-inch. Last year, the 43-inch TV supported a maximum resolution of 1080p while there was no 50-inch model. Realme launched the 55-inch model with 4K later, though. This year's TV models will all support 4K, up from the 1080p resolution. This will particularly widen the assortment now, obviously with a slight price gap between the two 43-inch models. The two new Realme TV models will feature Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The latter will be supported on the TV speakers, but if you plug a speaker set or a soundbar system that supports Dolby Atmos, your sound experience is going to be a lot better. And Dolby Vision on a TV means you get to watch most content with good quality HDR. There is a good range of Netflix shows and movies with Dolby Vision that you will be able to watch on these new televisions. People are recognizing that there are some great values down (in the Loop), she said. Its a good statement about people moving downtown. During COVID, downtown wasnt relevant, but now with the reopening, people are going back to work and going to the parks and the museums, and this sale is a good, positive statement that downtown is back. Highlights WhatsApp has extended its terms of service deadline further to June 19, 2021. The deadline has however been extended to some countries like Germany and Argentina. Earlier this month, Germanys lead data protection regulator had called WhatsApps new terms of service illegal. WhatsApp has extended the deadline of its privacy policy for some countries to June 19, 2021. WhatsApp had previously kept February 8 as the deadline for users all over the world to accept the new terms of service, which got extended to May 15 after severe backlash and criticism. Now, WhatsApp features tracker WaBetainfo has noted that WhatsApp is announcing June 19 as the new date for some users as users in these regions are able to dismiss the alert with the new terms of service. Android and iOS will have to accept the terms before the new deadline to avoid using the app without any limitation. Earlier this month, Germany's lead data protection regulator had called WhatsApp's new terms of service "illegal". Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information in Germany had previously said that Facebook has no legal basis for processing WhatsApp user data. The data protection regulator alleged that WhatsApp is forcing people to accept the new privacy policy even though it has said that it would not delete the account of users. "Consent is not freely given, since WhatsApp demands acceptance of the new provisions as a condition for the continued use of the service's functionalities," it said. WhatsApp in its defence has said that the data regulator has misunderstood the purpose and effect of WhatsApp's update. Meanwhile, in India, some WhatsApp users who have not accepted the new terms of service are facing difficulty accessing the calling feature. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, last week has given WhatsApp a week to roll back its new terms of service failing which it would take "necessary steps in consonance with law." The Communications Ministry had previously stated that WhatsApp's new terms of service violate IT law, to which WhatsApp had replied saying that the new privacy policy conforms with them. WhatsApp in one of its FAQ has noted that it will not delete the accounts of users who do not accept the new terms of service by the May 15 deadline but will limit its functionality for users like accessing the chat list, receiving calls after which the message will become persistent. WhatsApp has also noted that messages between personal accounts will remain end-to-end encrypted and only the messages to special business accounts will be accessed for targeted advertising. "For the last several weeks we've displayed a notification in WhatsApp providing more information about the update. After giving everyone time to review, we're continuing to remind those who haven't had the chance to do so to review and accept. After a period of several weeks, the reminder people receive will eventually become persistent," WhatsApp notes. Takedas dengue vaccine candidate (TAK-003) prevented 83.6% of hospitalizations and 62.0% of dengue illness overall, with no identified important safety risks through three years following vaccination in ongoing pivotal Phase 3 TIDES trial Regulatory filings for TAK-003 progressing in European Union and in many dengue-endemic countries; filing in United States planned for later this year Dengue is the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne viral disease with an estimated 390 million cases and 500,000 hospitalizations per year globally, with limited options for prevention Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited(TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (Takeda) today announced that its dengue vaccine candidate (TAK-003) demonstrated continued protection against dengue illness and hospitalization, regardless of an individuals previous dengue exposure, with no important safety risks identified through three years after vaccination in the ongoing pivotal Phase 3 Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study (TIDES) trial. TIDES enrolled more than 20,000 healthy children and adolescents ages four to 16 years in dengue-endemic countries in Latin America and Asia. Dengue epidemics occur suddenly, and hospitals can become overwhelmed with severe disease cases and people seeking testing, said LakKumar Fernandoi, M.D., Center for Clinical Management of Dengue and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, Negombo General Hospital, Sri Lanka and a primary investigator of the TIDES trial. Results from the long-term analysis of Takedas dengue vaccine candidate suggest that it could help with outbreak prevention, reduce rates of hospitalization and protect people from dengue regardless of their previous exposure. Importantly, no important safety risks were identified. Safety and efficacy results from the 36-month follow-up exploratory analysis of TIDES were presented on May 22, 2021, at the 17th Conference of the International Society of Travel Medicine (CISTM). Through three years (36 months after the second dose), TAK-003 demonstrated overall vaccine efficacy (VE) of 62.0% (95% CI: 56.6% to 66.7%) against virologically-confirmed dengue (VCD), with 65.0% VE (95% CI: 58.9% to 70.1%) in seropositive individuals and 54.3% VE (95% CI: 41.9% to 64.1%) in seronegative individuals. TAK-003 also demonstrated 83.6% VE (95% CI: 76.8% to 88.4%) against hospitalized dengue, with 86.0% VE (95% CI: 78.4% to 91.0%) in seropositive individuals and 77.1% VE (95% CI: 58.6% to 87.3%) in seronegative individuals. Observations of varied VE by serotype remained consistent with previously reported results. No evidence of disease enhancement was observed. TAK-003 was generally well tolerated, and there were no important safety risks observed. The results reinforce the potential of TAK-003 to help protect those who are living in or traveling to dengue-endemic countries. Our dengue vaccine candidate continued to provide protection against dengue throughout three years, and was especially robust in preventing hospitalization, said Derek Wallace, VP, Dengue Global Program Leader at Takeda. "These results reinforce my confidence that TAK-003 can help address the significant global burden of dengue. As previously reported, the TIDES trial met its primary endpoint of overall VE against VCD at 12-months follow-up (VE: 80.2%; 95% CI: 73.3% to 85.3%; p<0.001) and all secondary endpoints for which there were a sufficient number of dengue cases (measured at 18-months follow-up). The TIDES trial has been amended to include the evaluation of a booster dose to address the waning of overall VE observed over time (from 12 through 36 months after the second dose), largely driven by outpatient dengue. Takeda intends to publish results of the 36-month exploratory analysis in a peer-reviewed journal this year. TIDES safety and efficacy data through 36-months follow-up was included in regulatory submissions to the European Union and dengue-endemic countries and will be part of additional filings planned for 2021, including in the United States. Takeda will seek an indication for TAK-003 for the prevention of dengue disease in individuals four to 60 years of age, regardless of previous virus exposure, based on data in both adults and children. There remains a need for dengue vaccines that can be used in both dengue-naive and dengue-exposed adults and children. About TAK-003 Takeda's tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate (TAK-003) is based on a live-attenuated dengue serotype 2 virus, which provides the genetic backbone for all four vaccine viruses.1 Clinical Phase 2 data in children and adolescents showed that TAK-003 induced immune responses against all four dengue serotypes, in both seropositive and seronegative participants, which persisted through 48 months after vaccination, and the vaccine was found to be generally safe and well tolerated.2 Thepivotal Phase 3 Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study (TIDES) trialmet its primary endpoint of overall vaccine efficacy (VE) against virologically-confirmed dengue (VCD) at 12-months follow-up and all secondary endpoints at 18-months follow-up for which there were a sufficient number of dengue cases, including VE against hospitalized dengue and VE in baseline seropositive and baseline seronegative individuals.3,4 Efficacy varied by serotype. The results demonstrated TAK-003 was generally well tolerated, and there have been no important safety risks observed to date. About the Phase 3 TIDES (DEN-301) Trial The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study (TIDES) trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of two doses of TAK-003 in the prevention of laboratory-confirmed symptomatic dengue fever of any severity and due to any of the four dengue virus serotypes in children and adolescents.4 The TIDES trial is Takedas largest interventional clinical trial to date and enrolled over 20,000 healthy children and adolescents ages four to 16 years living in dengue-endemic areas. Study participants were randomly assigned to receive either TAK-003 0.5 mL or placebo by subcutaneous injection on Day 1 and Day 90.4 The study is comprised of five parts. Part 1 and the primary endpoint analysis evaluated vaccine efficacy (VE) and safety through 12 months after the second dose.4 Part 2 continued for an additional six months to complete the assessment of the secondary endpoints of VE by serotype, baseline serostatus and disease severity, including VE against hospitalized dengue.4 Part 3 is evaluating VE and long-term safety by following participants for an additional two and a half to three years.5 Part 4 will evaluate efficacy and safety for 13 months following booster vaccination and Part 5 will evaluate long-term efficacy and safety for one year after completion of Part 4.5 The trial is taking place at sites in dengue-endemic areas in Latin America (Brazil, Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua) and Asia (Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka) where there are unmet needs in dengue prevention and where severe dengue is a leading cause of serious illness and death among children.4 Baseline blood samples were collected from all individuals participating in the trial to allow for evaluation of safety and efficacy based on serostatus. Takeda and an independent Data Monitoring Committee of experts are actively monitoring safety on an ongoing basis. About Dengue Dengue is the fastest spreading mosquito-borne viral disease and was one of the WHOs top 10 threats to global health in 2019.6,7 Dengue is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and, to a lesser extent, Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. It is caused by any of four dengue virus serotypes, each of which can cause dengue fever or severe dengue. The prevalence of individual serotypes varies across different geographies, countries, regions, seasons and over time.8 Recovery from infection by one serotype provides lifelong immunity against only that serotype, and later exposure to any of the remaining serotypes is associated with an increased risk of severe disease. Dengue is pandemic prone, and outbreaks are observed in tropical and sub-tropical areas and have recently caused outbreaks in parts of the continental United States and Europe.9,10 Approximately half of the world now lives under the threat of dengue, which is estimated to cause 390 million infections and around 20,000 deaths globally each year.10,11 The dengue virus can infect people of all ages and is a leading cause of serious illness among children in some countries in Latin America and Asia.10 Takedas Commitment to Vaccines Vaccines prevent 2 to 3 million deaths each year and have transformed global public health.12 For the past 70 years, Takeda has supplied vaccines to protect the health of people in Japan. Today, Takedas global vaccine business is applying innovation to tackle some of the worlds most challenging infectious diseases, such as dengue, COVID-19, Zika and norovirus. Takedas team brings an outstanding track record and a wealth of knowledge in vaccine development, manufacturing and global access to advance a pipeline of vaccines to address some of the worlds most pressing public health needs. For more information, visit www.TakedaVaccines.com. About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetic and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in peoples lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com. Important Notice For the purposes of this notice, press release means this document, any oral presentation, any question and answer session and any written or oral material discussed or distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) regarding this release. This press release (including any oral briefing and any question-and-answer in connection with it) is not intended to, and does not constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. No shares or other securities are being offered to the public by means of this press release. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. This press release is being given (together with any further information which may be provided to the recipient) on the condition that it is for use by the recipient for information purposes only (and not for the evaluation of any investment, acquisition, disposal or any other transaction). Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. The companies in which Takeda directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, Takeda is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Takeda and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words we, us and our are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takedas future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as targets, plans, believes, hopes, continues, expects, aims, intends, ensures, will, may, should, would, could anticipates, estimates, projects or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takedas global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; challenges inherent in new product development, including uncertainty of clinical success and decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; uncertainty of commercial success for new and existing products; manufacturing difficulties or delays; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic, on Takeda and its customers and suppliers, including foreign governments in countries in which Takeda operates, or on other facets of its business; the timing and impact of post-merger integration efforts with acquired companies; the ability to divest assets that are not core to Takedas operations and the timing of any such divestment(s); and other factors identified in Takedas most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Takedas other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takedas website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/ reports/sec-filings/ or at www.sec.gov. Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takedas future results. Medical information This press release contains information about products that may not be available in all countries, or may be available under different trademarks, for different indications, in different dosages, or in different strengths. Nothing contained herein should be considered a solicitation, promotion or advertisement for any prescription drugs including the ones under development. i Dr. LakKumar Fernando did not receive compensation for his statement. 1 Huang CY-H, et al. Genetic and phenotypic characterization of manufacturing seeds for tetravalent dengue vaccine (DENVax). PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2013;7:e2243. 2Tricou, V, Saez-Llorens X, et al. Safety and immunogenicity of a tetravalent dengue vaccine in children aged 2-17 years: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2020. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30556-0. 3 Biswal S, et al. Efficacy of a tetravalent dengue vaccine in healthy children and adolescents. N Engl J Med. 2019; 2019;381:2009-2019. 4 Biswal S, et al. Efficacy of a tetravalent dengue vaccine in healthy children aged 4-16 years: a randomized, placebo controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2020. 2020;395:1423-1433. 5 ClinicalTrials.Gov. Efficacy, Safety and Immunogenicity of Takeda's Tetravalent Dengue Vaccine (TDV) in Healthy Children (TIDES). Retrieved March 2021. 6 World Health Organization. Factsheet. Dengue and Severe Dengue. April 2019. Retrieved February 2021. 7 World Health Organization. Ten threats to global health in 2019. 2019. Retrieved February 2021. 8 Guzman MG, et al. Dengue: a continuing global threat. Nature Reviews Microbiology. 2010;8:S7-S16. 9 Knowlton K, et al. Mosquito-Borne Dengue Fever Threat Spreading in the Americas. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). 2009. Retrieved February 2021. 10 Chan E, et al. Using web search query data to monitor dengue epidemics: a new model for neglected tropical disease surveillance. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011;5:e1206. 11 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Dengue: What You Need to Know. May 2019. Retrieved February 2021. 12 UNICEF. Vaccination and Immunization Statistics. 2019. Retrieved February 2021. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210522005005/en/ Whats new: Four port workers in Shenzhen in southern Chinas Guangdong province have tested positive for asymptomatic Covid-19, with at least two of them infected by the variant first found in the U.K., according to the local government. The cluster came to light Friday after a 44-year-old port worker surnamed Mu received a routine nucleic acid test, the Shenzhen city government said during a press conference Sunday. Subsequently, three more port workers were diagnosed. The four workers handled the cargo of a ship named the Oriental Vancouver at the Shenzhen Yantian Port on Friday, local government officials said. Genetic sequencing shows that at least two of the four workers have the more transmissible strain that first appeared in Kent in the U.K. Whats more: A total of 173 close contacts of the confirmed cases have been placed in quarantine. The building where the four patients live has also been sealed off, according to the local government. Shenzhen Vice Mayor Tao Yongxin said during Sundays press conference that all of the workers at the Yantian port have been tested twice in the past three days, and no additional infection has been found. The Oriental Vancouver cargo ship left Shenzhen for Kaohsiung in Taiwan on Tuesday after a one-day stay in the Chinese mainland city. Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use. Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Heather Mowbray (heathermowbray@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. (Nikkei Asia) Analysts are predicting Dr. Copper will go on a sustained rally as the China-led global economy shows signs of climbing out of the coronavirus slump, though some long-term investors are adamant about staying away. The benchmark copper price on the London Metal Exchange in early May hit a record high, at $10,460 a ton, and has since remained above $10,000. Its price had not been near that threshold for a decade; to reach it, it almost doubled in a year. Market analysts are not surprised. The leap was expected, said Takayuki Honma, chief economist at Sumitomo Corporation Global Research. Sooner or later the price would have gone above $10,000. The impact of the pandemic has done little to soften demand, mainly due to Chinas speedy recovery. China is the worlds biggest copper buyer, consuming half of all global output. The countrys imports of unwrought copper and products rose 9.8% during the January-April period compared to a year earlier. There is almost no reason for copper prices to go down, said Tetsu Emori, the CEO of Japanese investment advisory Emori Fund Management. Emori noted that copper is turning into an attractive commodity for investors, especially as major countries push for decarbonization, which is expected to boost demand for electric vehicles as well as wind and solar power generation stations. Copper is mainly used to make electric cables and is indispensable to infrastructure builders. It earned its Dr. honorific with its uncanny ability to predict the health of the world economy. Chinas recovery has triggered a price jump for many commodities despite the pandemic. In just one year, iron ore prices jumped 78% and the benchmark price of lumber tripled. The price of other metals such as nickel and aluminum have also risen. Many analysts say copper is unlikely to fall well below $8,000 a ton. Copper is now exploring a new price equilibrium point, Honma said. The chief economist for Sumitomo Corporation Global Research is forecasting that coppers new price level will go up a notch. His bullish view is not groundless. Goldman Sachs estimates that copper demand will grow nearly 600%, to 5.4 million tons, by 2030 due to the green transition. However, the market could face an 8.2 million ton supply gap by 2030. New mine development has been limited for the past decade, and mining companies remain cautious about doubling down on new developments amid rising costs. Promising mines are located in places where it is difficult to deliver large equipment. A rise in environmental awareness is also causing an increase in environmental mitigation costs. Even if companies start exploring mines now, it would take at least five years for one to yield anything. Across Asia, meanwhile, shares in mining and trading companies have soared on rising demand for copper. The stock of Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp. has surged over 34% since the beginning of the year, while nonferrous-metal producers like Dowa Holdings and Eneos Holdings have posted strong year-to-date gains. Similar trends can be seen in other parts of the region. In South Korea, shares in copper manufacturer Poongsan Corp. have jumped more than 46% this year, while those of Korea Zinc are riding 16% gains. Chinese copper miner Jiangxi Coppers stock price has risen 47% in Hong Kong, while Zijin Mining Groups price has soared 31%. Money has flowed into shares of related companies as hopes for an extended copper rally give investors an appetite for risk. It is also a part of a trend in which investors are rotating out of highflying growth stocks and into cyclical stocks in anticipation of economies recovering from their Covid swoons. As a result, the mining sector has outpaced tech stocks in recent months. Shares in big tech names like Apple and Alibaba Group Holding remain in negative territory compared to the start of the year and those of Japans SoftBank Group and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company only show modest gains. The MSCI ACWI metals and mining index, composed of large and mid-cap stocks across 23 developed and 27 emerging markets, has advanced 20% this year, well above the 4% gain recorded by the MSCI ACWI information technology index. Deluged by inflows, copper exchange-traded commodity funds are also showing significant jumps in returns. The WisdomTree Copper ETC has recorded about an 80% return in the past year, with assets under management at one point growing to a record of more than $900 million. The United States Copper index fund, with more than $300 million in AUM, has also logged a one-year return of over 80%. Japans trading houses last year attracted global attention when it was revealed Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway had purchased a little over 5% of the shares of Marubeni, Sumitomo Corp. and three other big traders. Buffett, known as a value investor who holds stocks for long periods, said in a statement that the trading companies have many joint ventures throughout the world and are likely to have more. ... I hope that in the future there may be opportunities of mutual benefit. Trading houses are deeply involved in the real economy. They supply energy, metals, commodities and a range of other products in resource-poor Japan. Meanwhile, some long-term investors are cautious about putting their money in a sector that depends heavily on economic conditions and market cycles. Masafumi Oshiden, head of Japan Equity at BNY Mellon Investment Management in Tokyo, said, It is still difficult to make a positive assessment based on ESG [environmental, social and governance] criteria. Companies are under growing pressure from activists and investors to act to tackle climate change, while governments around the world have started to announce their commitments to decarbonization. Mining companies have been urged to shift towards cleaner production processes and commit to greater transparency in order to align with ESG values. Oshiden, whose investments focus on the prospects of enhancing long-term corporate value, points out that mining companies do not fit this strategy yet. Earnings are also hard to predict for trading houses, he said, which operate in multiple fields of business. This story was first published in Nikkei Asia. Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a session of the Arctic Council ministerial meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Thursday. Photo: VCG (Bloomberg) Chinas top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, will visit Russia for the 16th strategic and security consultation between the two countries starting Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday. Yang, director of the Communist Partys central committee for foreign affairs who sits on the 25-member Politburo, will also visit Slovenia and Croatia, ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a statement posted on its website. The trip will end May 27. Beijing and Moscow have been seeking to further bolster bilateral ties, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying in March that relations between the two countries were the best in history. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for further collaboration on nuclear power between the two countries on Wednesday as he and Russian President Vladimir Putin watched the launch via a video link of a cooperation project building four nuclear reactors in China. In a phone call at the end of 2020, Xi and Putin vowed to strengthen strategic coordination as the world enters an era of global turbulence, in a reference to the challenges posted by the U.S. Contact editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. Ceramist Qu Hanlin opened his first solo exhibition, Unrestrained Maverick, after 15 years of preparation in Jingdezhen, East Chinas Jiangxi province, in October 2020. Qu moved to Jingdezhen, famous for its white porcelain, to master his pottery-making skills after graduating from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Clay provided a way for the artist to set himself free. Xiangwai Artha, an art-sharing platform, contributed to todays gallery Jun 11, 2021 06:15 PM The bandaged bandit is alleged to have robbed the TCF Bank at 1870 S. Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights on April 7, the TCF Bank at 9449 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie on April 30, the 7-11 convenience store at 1425 W. Montrose Ave. in Chicago on April 28, and the 7-11 convenience store at 2010 N. Damen Ave. in Chicago on May 2, according to the FBI. We accept many different kinds of announcements. Just click on the button below and submit a form. Submit Here you'll find our latest collection of Caledonian-Record reports on the coronavirus outbreak and local response, from the beginning of April. Our January, February and March stories are here: https://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/local/our-coronavirus-coverage/collection_5885178c-692e-11e Become A Subscriber A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in I have been witness to what could happen if you offer individuals the opportunity to learn. They grow and become more confident and secure of themselves, Patlans said. Then they want to pay it forward, and thats when you create that ripple effect of change and prosperity; when people are no longer in survival mode. The Montana State Prison's work program has scaled down its dairy operation from 350 head to about 70, after Darigold ended a 30-year contract Do you have an athlete in mind that contributes to the team or sport, holds sportsmanship and team spirit, has epic playmaker moments and/or in general makes the the sports fun? If yes, please make your nominations for our edition of Athlete Spotlight. CLICK TO NOMINATE In this May 18, 2021 photo, Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint press conference following meetings with the Icelandic Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, at the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland. Blinken is heading to the Middle East to press the Israelis, Palestinians and regional players to build on last weeks Gaza cease-fire by laying the groundwork for a resumption in long-stalled peace talks. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP) Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company's chief executive officer, stands next to the company's new Ford F-150 Lightning, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in Dearborn, Mich. On the outside, the electric version of Ford's F-150 pickup looks about the same as the wildly popular gas-powered truck. The new truck called the F-150 Lightning can go up to 300 miles per charge, with a starting price of just under $40,000. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) They would not share any of the information and therefore it is not a transparent process. If they are not willing to share what they learned and are going to hide behind the attorney-client privilege, then the whole process is a sham, Alexander said. They committed to doing an independent investigation and instead they are using the process to shield themselves from liability. The blue outline on this map indicates the 6.25-acre parcel a developer is eyeing for a townhouse project in Indian Beach. (Carteret County Tax Office graphic) This map shows the North Carolina counties affected by a burning ban issued by the N.C. Forest Service effective Monday at noon. (N.C. Forest Service map) A recent study shows beach nourishment on Bogue Banks resulted in a lesser impact on worms and other tiny organisms than researchers expected in areas of the beach like this, near Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier in Emerald Isle. (Brad Rich photo) Carroll, IA (51401) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and consider subscribing for only $7 per month to get access to more articles and news as it happens. Photo: blog.aerlingus.com There are many Canadians who at some point, choose to work in the U.S. But their return to Canada brings with it some financial challenges. While working south of the border, some Canadians participate in a U.S. retirement plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). When they return home, the Canadian plan holder may be wondering what to do with the funds in these plans. Unfortunately, there is no ability to transfer these funds to Canada directly, and the questions that often arise include: Is it better to leave the money where it is? Can I withdraw the funds and transfer them to an RRSP? If so, what are the tax implications? While the funds can be left in the U.S. and grow on a tax deferred basis, sometimes it makes sense to transfer the funds into a Canadian RRSP. The benefit of moving the funds to Canada may help simplify the management of the plan holders retirement portfolio, may increase access to investment options in Canada and may help avoid U.S. estate tax (up to 40%) which could be applicable when the plan holder passes away. Moving these funds to Canada is possible, but a detailed analysis needs to be done to ensure that the plan holder doesnt pay double tax or face an unexpected tax bill as a result of the transfer. Whether the transfer makes sense will depend on: Whether the plan holder is a U.S. citizen or U.S. green card holder What type of U.S. retirement plan the plan holder has The value of the retirement plan The age of the plan holder What sources of other income the plan holder has in the year of transfer Whether the plan holder was a non-resident of Canada when he or she contributed to the retirement plan So what happens if you elect to leave the funds in the U.S. plan instead? U.S. tax consequences When a non-resident of the U.S. makes a withdrawal from a U.S. retirement plan, the withdrawal is subject to tax in the U.S. (15% if the withdrawal is periodic or 30% for a lump sum withdrawal). If the plan holder is still a U.S. taxpayer, the withdrawal will be taxed at their marginal U.S. tax rate in the year of the transfer. A 10% early withdrawal penalty can also be applied if the plan holder (U.S. taxpayer or not) is less than 59 years of age. Canadian tax consequences The withdrawal from the U.S. retirement plan is also subject to tax in Canada at the plan holders marginal Canadian tax rate. The income is subject to tax first in the U.S. as it is sourced there, and a foreign tax credit is generally available to offset the Canadian tax payable such that the higher tax rate between the two countries prevails. Can you recover the U.S. tax payable through a foreign tax credit? While there may be an opportunity to transfer the funds to an RRSP such a transfer is not deductible for U.S. tax purposes the transfer would only make sense if the U.S. tax that is payable can be fully recovered by claiming a foreign tax credit to offset Canadian tax payable. It wouldnt make sense to pay U.S. tax on the withdrawal now and Canadian tax when the money is withdrawn from the RRSP down the road as that would result in double tax. Sometimes the transfer is only possible when the early withdrawal penalty is no longer applicable, or when the funds can be transferred over two tax years (but not three). When does it make sense to leave the funds in the U.S. plan? Plan holders who are U.S. taxpayers or who have significant funds in their U.S. retirement plans may find it more difficult to recover the U.S. tax paid. If the transfer to the RRSP is not possible then generally a lump sum withdrawal from the U.S. retirement plan is not recommended as the full amount in the plan would be taxed as pension income on both sides of the border. In that case, the money would be left in the U.S. plan. As you can see, there are several important tax implications, and a detailed analysis needs to be done to determine if all the U.S. tax payable can be recovered and how much should be transferred to a Canadian RRSP. An experienced cross-border tax specialist and financial advisor can help you navigate whether it makes sense to move the funds from a U.S. retirement plan to Canada. The woman told police after she moved in with Collins a year ago, he made an account on the dating app Tagged where he would charge $50 each for men to have sex with her, the affidavit states. He told her to go with men because he wanted her to make friends, it said. Photo: The Canadian Press Director Avi Lewis, right, and author Naomi Klein of the film 'This Changes Everything,' stand for a photo on the red carpet during the Toronto International Film Festival press conference in Toronto on Wednesday, August 5, 2015. Documentary film producer Avi Lewis has been acclaimed as the federal NDP candidate in a riding in southern British Columbia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim Documentary film producer Avi Lewis has been acclaimed as the federal NDP candidate in a riding in southern British Columbia. Lewis, the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis and the son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, is looking to flip the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding from the Liberals. The candidacy was confirmed at a virtual nomination event on Saturday, with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in attendance along with David Suzuki and Jane Fonda. The NDP finished fourth in the riding in the 2019 election. Lewis is married to author Naomi Klein and they co-wrote the Leap Manifesto. Party members passed a motion for ridings to discuss the manifesto in 2016, but it has not been adopted as official NDP policy. The manifesto advocates an end to the use of fossil fuels, including a moratorium on new infrastructure projects like pipelines. Photo: The Canadian Press British Columbia's younger residents appear to be getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at rates similar to their older counterparts, a phenomenon that bucks trends seen in other provinces and fills at least one medical expert with optimism for the eventual success of the province's immunization campaign. Data from the Ministry of Health shows more than 63 per cent of eligible residents between the ages of 18 to 79 had registered to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as of May 18, the last date for which figures were available. The data comes as a breath of fresh air for Dr. Matthew Chow, president of the Doctors of B.C., which represents thousands of physicians in the province. He said unlike other provinces and territories, B.C. isn't seeing a typical drop in registration in younger age groups. When you look out to other jurisdictions, as you start to decrease the age cohort, you do tend to see fewer people uptaking the vaccine , Chow said in an interview. But in B.C., so far so good. Data as of May 18 shows more than 58 per cent of eligible residents in the 18-24 and 25-29 age groups have registered for a vaccine, with that figure climbing above 60 per cent for those aged 30-34 and 35-39. That has not always been the case, either in Canada or farther afield. Quebec's health minister said Saturday that while initial demand for COVID-19 vaccination was initially strong among teens, the uptake appears to have slowed in the 18 to 44 age group. Christian Dube said that group was falling short of meeting the province's target of having 75 per cent of its population making an appointment or receiving a first shot. Yukon Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley began urging younger residents to get vaccinated as far back as March, voicing concerns about the number of young people who hadn't registered for an initial dose. As we drop from the 70-plus age category, the per cent vaccinated drops with every decade, he said at the time. What we are seeing are trends where we have higher vaccine uptake with older age groups, and I think that's not an uncommon phenomenon, looking at other areas. We tend to have, I think, a little more hesitancy among the younger groups. He cited a range of reasons for younger residents to pass up vaccination opportunities, such as work and family commitments. The territory is now looking to lift large parts of its health restrictions on Tuesday, a move Hanley attributed in part to the success of its vaccination efforts. Health officials in the United States have also encouraged younger residents to get a shot without delay and do their part to build herd immunity. Despite the strong numbers in B.C., some public health units are directly targeting younger residents in their efforts to get people vaccinated. The Fraser Health authority launched an ad campaign specifically targeting young adults on Friday, a move Chow described as proactive. It's wise to just get ahead of this, get as many people vaccinated as possible, be really, really aggressive about getting it out to young people as well and we can look forward to a much, much better summer and fall, he said. Chow said health authorities have also learned valuable lessons about outreach in certain cultural communities through the vaccination effort. We needed better reach out into certain communities, certain language groups, religious communities, he said. In places like Surrey, B.C., vaccination clinics are now being held in gurdwaras - places of worship for members of the Sikh community - which has helped, Chow added. B.C. announced plans on Thursday to vaccinate youth aged 12 to 17 against COVID-19 at community clinics. The province is also expected to announce its plan to lift certain health restrictions on Tuesday. Nepal's production utilisation rate is running at half the installed capacity 24 May 2021 Nepal is estimated to require 25.88Mta of cement by 2024-25 due to an investment push in mega infrastructure projects, according to a new report by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). However, the current situation is that Nepalese cement companies output has failed to meet the installed net production capacity. There is a cement demand for 9.05Mt in the domestic market, but the country has imported 1.56Mt to meet cement demand. There are a total of 55 cement industries in the country, which have produced 7.49Mt against their net production capacity of 15Mta, according to the report Foreign investment in Nepals cement industries: A study of socio-economic impact made public.' The survey was conducted in seven cement factories-three run by foreign investors, two state-owned and two private sector-run factories. The average production capacity utilisation of a cement company hat has attracted foreign direct investment is 45.81 per cent and that of those industries with the investment of government and private sectors is 50.12 per cent and 63.78 per cent, respectively. Foreign direct investment in the cement industry in Nepal stands at NPR56.97bn (US$486m). Two new foreign-funded plants are under construction, according to the survey report. These three foreign investment cement facilities constitute 20.31 per cent of the total installed capacity of the cement industry. Nepali investors have injected NPR122.33bn in the cement industry. According to the report, the average production of the three foreign investment factories is 2,783tpd while the two state-owned factories churn out 820tpd. The 50 private factories collectively produce 622tpd. Published under HeidelbergCement sells US West region assets to Martin Marietta 24 May 2021 As part of its portfolio optimisation and margin improvement programme in its North American business, HeidelbergCement has signed an agreement to sell its business activities in the US West region to the US based company Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. The sale price is US$2.3bn in cash. "The sale of our US West region activities is a major step in our portfolio optimization as part of our 'Beyond 2020' strategy," said Dr Dominik von Achten, chairman of the Managing Board of HeidelbergCement. "We are simplifying our portfolio in North America and prioritising on the strongest market positions. Our engagement for the North American market is stronger than ever." Chris Ward, president and CEO of Lehigh Hanson Inc, reiterated HeidelbergCements high commitment for future growth in North America by saying: "We will accelerate the build-out of our positions in the four key regions Canada, Midwest, Northeast and South through selected bolt-on acquitisions and capacity expansion projects in the future." The transaction comprises the sale of Lehigh Hansons business activities in cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, and asphalt in the US West region (California, Arizona, Oregon, and Nevada), except for the Permanente cement plant and quarry. The sale includes two cement production plants with related distribution terminals, 17 active aggregates sites, and several downstream operations. Chris Ward said: "We appreciate the dedication, commitment and hard work of our West Region employees and are thankful for their contribution to our success over the years. We wish them well under the new ownership." Ward Nye, chairman, president and CEO of Martin Marietta, stated, "We continue to successfully execute on our strategic initiatives to enhance our footprint and responsibly expand our business. Lehigh's West Region has leading positions in some of the nations most attractive markets, providing Martin Marietta with access to new geographies for continued industry-leading growth. With this acquisition, our company will be well-positioned to capitalice on long-term demand drivers from increased state infrastructure investment in California and Arizona as well as continued private-sector growth across these regions. "We are confident in our ability to quickly realise the benefits of this transaction following the same proven approach we took with our acquisitions of TXI and Bluegrass. Those purchases delivered significant value creation as will the addition of the Lehigh West Region as Martin Marietta SOARs to a Sustainable Future." Closing of the transaction is expected in the 2H21 pending regulatory approvals. Lehigh Hanson will maintain ownership and management of these assets until that time. Published under Cement exports from Senegal drop 35% in February ICR Newsroom By 24 May 2021 Exports of cement from Senegal declined 35.3 per cent MoM in February 2021, according to the countrys national statistics agency, ANSD. When compared with February 2020, exports decreased 32.4 per cent. Domestic sales fell by eight per cent MoM in February 2021 while output from Senegalese cement plants was down by 6.5 per cent in the same period. When compared with the equivalent month of 2020, sales and output improved by 12.5 and 3.1 per cent, respectively. Published under Chatham, VA (24531) Today Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 67F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 67F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Chatham, VA (24531) Today Variable clouds with showers and scattered thunderstorms. Storms more numerous this evening. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Variable clouds with showers and scattered thunderstorms. Storms more numerous this evening. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, honors individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States, according to the U.S. House of Representatives. A National Moment of Remembrance is held for one minute at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day. The holiday occurs the last Monday in May and is, traditionally, viewed as the beginning of summer. More than 37 million are expected to hit the roads during the holiday weekend, according to AAA. Chattanooga environmental law attorney David Higney is once again being recognized and listed in Band 3 by Chambers USA for Environment - Tennessee in the 2021 Chambers USA Guide: Americas Leading Lawyers for Business report. Mr. Higney is an Executive Committee member at Grant Konvalinka and Harrison, P.C., and he concentrates his law practice in litigation, environmental law, and administrative/regulatory matters. He has been involved for several years with Perfluoroalkyl Substances litigation and is a regular presenter about the emerging contaminants. Mr. Higney assists clients with Brownfield redevelopment projects, environmental enforcement activities by federal or state regulators, and defends claims involving hazardous substances and toxic materials. He is counsel to the Interlocal Solid Waste Authority in Tennessee. He has advised clients about site selection and permitting new or expanding industrial manufacturing facilities. Mr. Higney is the immediate past-president and an invited member of the Brock-Cooper Chapter of the American Inns of Court. He is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia. Don't go tryin' to pick my heroes for me They are people you might pass daily But rarely acknowledge or see They may not have ever worn uniforms Or adorned fancy medals But fought battles of a different kind They're survivors of injustices That would break the average mind Some trek across scorching hot desert sands during day.............. At night under moonless skies Forced to hide and take cover Whenever the patrolers drive by Others crossed stormy seas In rickety unsafe boats Trying to escape untold violence Struggling to remain afloat They are reflections of you of me And our own potential mortality They are the fictional characters Based on true experiences In Jeannine Cummings book "American Dirt" Don't be fooled by its title Find time to read their life's stories Peek inside, take a look Theirs are the stories of resilience, courage Determination, strength and hope Their tragic experiences will not defeat them Will not define them The world can never grasp the scope Of what they've witnessed, experienced, survived even In a world that all too often rejects them They will rise, they will survive.......... So, please don't pick my heroes for me They are people you might pass daily But rarely acknowledge or see They could easily one day be you Be me............................ .......... * * * These are only estimates. So many remain unaccounted for. Estimates of migrant deaths are much higher, according to the International Organization for Migration. footnote: In 2017 at the end of writing the controversial book, "American Dirt", it was estimated worldwide a migrant died every 90 minutes in the Mediterranean, in Central America, the Horn of Africa.These are only estimates. So many remain unaccounted for. Estimates of migrant deaths are much higher, according to the International Organization for Migration. My thoughts: What drives migration? Wars, violence, and people forced to flee for their lives. Powerful invisibile hands behind the scenes all too often are the driving force behind the violence. It nearly reminds me of gentrification, forcing people from their communities. Only on a much larger scale. The gentrification of entire countries and the vast majority of the people being forced to flee. Forcing them off traditional lands that's sometimes been a part of their ancestry for centuries. For what? To gain control of their natural resources? To make way for development? Turn into tourist attractions? Brenda Washington * * * Oh my, I find myself mostly agreeing with what Brenda Washington has written in her opinion piece today. Most of the time I view her as an apologist for a community who doesnt need to apologize. Chattanooga is blessed with a plethora of black and brown people who are doing their best to make Chattanooga the great city so many of us enjoy, with pride, being a part of. Chattanooga has allowed me to succeed as a result of hard work but I take no credit for being Caucasian or male. My Creator made that decision for me. I think Ms. Washington is using the word gentrification to make it appear that it is outside rich influence that is making people in South American and Central America leave their countries to come to the USA. I think thats a big stretch. I believe they are leaving because they are not satisfied with residing in a country where they are being oppressed by Socialism, which always includes vast corruption, or gangs, made up of people who dont want to work to earn for themselves, but would rather take from others by means of violence. Maybe my use of the words Socialism and gangs as a description of these countries is superfluous. I dont want to chose anyones heroes for them. However, I do wish people would learn the difference between a hero and a victim. Sometimes, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for example, is both. A victim is a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident or other event or action. A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. That said, I do believe we can memorialize a victim without elevating that person to hero status. I do not oppose structured immigration. Its good for us as a nation. Ill even go so far as to say I believe anchor children, who have clean, non-violent records, should be granted a short path to citizenship. However, I dont believe citizenship should be granted from this point forward just because someone is born in the USA, if the parents are not citizens. We are in a hot mess as a result of President Bidens open border policy. Enough Fentanyl has been smuggled into the USA since Bidens immigration policy, or lack thereof, to kill every America with an overdose. The very weapons liberals want banned are being smuggled into our country in record numbers. Its what happens when a country has no standards or laws regarding who can enter their country. Ms. Washington, please apologize for electing Joe Biden as POTUS. That is an honest position for you to take. J. Pat Williams A home on Big Ridge was damaged by fire Sunday evening. Heavy smoke from a house fire could be seen by Chattanooga firefighters as they left their Hixson fire hall on Sunday night, prompting officials to request additional manpower on the scene. Just after 7:30 p.m., Red Shift crews were called to a Big Ridge home in the 1900 block of Red Fox Lane. Squad 19 reported that black smoke was visible from the fire station and a second alarm response was initiated. Dispatchers started receiving multiple 911 calls about smoke in the area. Companies found heavy fire coming from the garage on arrival and they launched a defensive attack, resulting in a good stop. They successfully kept the flames from spreading to the rest of the structure. With the fire under control quickly, firefighters spent time doing a thorough overhaul. There were no injuries. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist two adults and their dog and cat. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The garage area was heavily damaged and there was significant smoke and water damage throughout the residence. Squad 19, Ladder 19, Engine 11, Engine 12, Engine 22, Quint 16, Quint 6, Quint 10, Engine 4, Engine 15, Quint 8, Squad 7, Ladder 7, Ladder 13, Squad 13, Battalion 2, Battalion 3 (Red Shift), CFD Investigations, CFD Supply, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescues Support Services, CPD, EPB, HCEMS and the American Red Cross responded. As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal to attempt to re-activate the American economy and bring it out of the Depression of 1929 five Civil Works Administration facilities were created on Lookout Mountain and the Northwest Georgia community of Fort Oglethorpe. Much of the road construction at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park during the 1930s and 1940s was connected to the other work projects on Lookout Mountain completed by the Emergency Conservation Works Administration. The first of five camps was occupied by black workers and was complete with mess halls, kitchens, and baths at Fort Oglethorpe and would be called Camp Booker T. Washington after the famed black American educator. The superintendent of the National Park Service which assumed management of the area described their role as grubbing out underbrush, trimming and thinning out trees, taking down dead timber and other work designed to beautify the grounds and caring for the roads and trails. Due to the large amount of necessary work to be done the Washington Camp was divided into CCC Camps MP-1 and MP-2 at Fort Oglethorpe. Another CCC Camp known as Camp MP-5 was also organized that autumn at Chattanooga Lookout Mountain Park and contained a large number of experienced white forestry workers from Idaho and New York. In recognition of his philanthropy and donation of large parcels of land, the publisher of the Chattanooga Times and New York Times newspaper, Adolph Ochs, had this camp named in his honor. Later a Civil Works Administration facility was founded on the west side of Lookout Mountain and was named Camp Demaray. It was designated CCC Camp MP-6. This camp was set up deep in the woods past a switchback for the Broad Gauge Railroad line that had headed east past the present site of Ruby Falls. The function of the camp and workers was to build numerous trails and rock walls on the side of Lookout Mountain. Initially local residents wondered who was Demaray to receive the honor of having a camp named after him as did Booker T. Washington and Adolph Ochs. Arthur E. Demarary was a United States government administrator for the Department of the Interior National Park Service. He spent most of his career in key leadership roles in the National Park Service during the New Deal period of the 1930s and through the war years as the agency's point of contact with Congress. He was known for his effectiveness as an administrator and his efforts led to the establishment of several national parks during the turbulent years of the Depression and World War II. Demarary was in government service for 48 years (1903-1951). He was born on February 16, 1887 and died in Tucson, Arizona in 1958. Over the years he collected many historical documents, correspondence, memorabilia and photographs of the National Parks and Monuments across the United States and of Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt. All are contained in Demararys papers, Collection 4031, Box 30, University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center. Only remnants and memories remain of Camp Demarary on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. However a few trailside historical plaques describe the Civilian Conservation Corps and Camp Demarary, which was in use from 1933-1939. A series of informative blogs tell the story of the many trails pertaining to the camp and other routes that are part of the wonderful history of Lookout Mountain. Six Best Hikes on Lookout Mountain, Bluff Trail on Lookout Mountain Hiking, Best Trails on Lookout Mountain Hiking and Hike to Sunset Rock on Historic Lookout Mountain Chattanooga are just a few computer blogs that describe the various hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty. The area truly is a remarkable and historical treasure trove! * * * Jerry Summers (If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com) On May 14, the Tennessee Board of Regents followed the guidance released from the CDC that fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks on campus. Effective immediately, all Cleveland State Community College sites will reflect these same guidelines. Cleveland State is not making vaccinations mandatory for anyone one on campus or off-site centers, however; the college encourages those who have not been fully vaccinated to continue to wear a mask and to engage in social distancing. In an effort to keep our students, employees and guests safe Cleveland State has continued to follow CDC and State of Tennessee guidance during the pandemic, stated Dr. Bill Seymour, CSCC President. While those who have been vaccinated may opt not to wear a mask on our campus, we strongly encourage non-vaccinated individuals to wear a mask indoors until further guidance is provided. Officials said, "CSCC has been committed to keeping everyone safe and healthy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Cleveland State faculty joined the fight by providing those on the front line fighting the disease with the equipment they needed. Chris Jones, mechatronics instructor, took on the challenge to help doctors, nurses and other staff by creating face shields. Mr. Jones used 3-D printers to produce parts for medical masks to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Since then, he has made dozens of masks and distributed them to workers in need. "Just like Mr. Jones, the college made a way to continue despite the adversity by creating methods for instruction during the pandemic. On-campus classes turned virtual and students, faculty and staff adjusted to working from home. Check-in stations were put in place at the beginning of the year as a limited amount of classes and events were held on campus. These stations allowed the campus to remain within the TBR and CDC guidelines and made it aware of the colleges duty to keep everyone safe in a learning and working environment. "As of May 10, the check-in stations were taken away as CSCC plans on allowing more access for students and staff on campus. As more people are getting vaccinated, the school is providing more face-to-face classes in the fall hoping to return to a high level of student engagement in and outside the classroom. "Coming this fall semester, CSCC will encourage everyone who plans to be on campus to get fully vaccinated while also offering an environment for those to learn safely and comfortably." David Michael Wright, Sr., 58, of Hixson on Monday pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Sentencing has been set for Oct. 1 at 9 a.m., before Judge Travis McDonough at Chattanooga. Earlier, Federal Magistrate Court Judge Susan K. Lee ordered that Wright be detained pending sentencing. According to court documents filed by the United States, from April to September 2020, Wright devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money under fraudulent pretenses from at least one victim. Wright and the victim began discussing investment opportunities involving the purchase and resale of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to hospitals and retailers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors said, " Wright falsely claimed that he had contacts with Chinese manufacturers to source the manufacture of PPE products, that Wright was importing PPE products from China, and that Wright was then selling those products in the United States at a significant profit, including KN95 masks. "In July 2020, Wright emailed the victim with an attached fraudulent $49,700 pro forma invoice from an alleged Chinese manufacturer for the purported purchase of 70,000 KN95 masks, which Wright falsely claimed could be purchased by the victim and then resold to CHI Memorial Hospital for $210,000, resulting in a profit of $140,000 for the victim. Several days later, the victim paid Wright $49,700 cash, for the purchase of KN95 masks, and Wright provided the victim with a fraudulent DHL tracking number for the shipment from China. "In August 2020, Wright gave the victim a check for $210,000 representing the victims proceeds from the sale of the KN95 masks to CHI Memorial Hospital. However, Wright knew he did not have sufficient funds to cover that check, as CHI Memorial Hospital had made no agreement to purchase PPE from Wright, nor had they paid any money to Wright. "Wright also learned that the victim had a connection with a hand sanitizer manufacturer, Miramar Labs. Wright fraudulently represented that Publix Super Markets, Inc. (Publix) was going to purchase 40,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and, to maintain that deception, Wright wired some of the money obtained from the fraudulent KN95 scheme to Miramar Labs, while the victim paid the remaining amount. "In total, Wright obtained approximately $80,500 as part of his fraudulent scheme." He faces a possible sentence of up to 30 years on the wire fraud count and up to 10 years on the money laundering count, along with significant fines, restitution, and forfeiture of property. Assistant United States Attorney Steven Neff represents the United States. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Coronavirus Fraud Task Force. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. In November of 1980 actor Steve McQueen, who established himself as the King of Cool through his starring roles in films including Bullitt and The Great Escape, died of complications from cancer. As his condition worsened, he requested a visit from evangelist Billy Graham asking that he come sooner rather than later. Left to right: Evangelist Billy Graham in 1982 | Yvonne Hemsey/Liaison and actor Steve McQueen in a scene from 1968s The Thomas Crown Affair | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images McQueen was diagnosed with cancer in 1979 According to Steve McQueen: A Biography author Marc Eliot, the actor had been told by those close to him that his appearance had become concerning. He looked terrible. He, in fact, admitted he wasnt feeling well and finally agreed to see his physician. Steve entered Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills, was examined and instructed to undergo exploratory surgery as soon as possible, Eliot wrote. Trailer for one of McQueens final films The Hunter, a crime drama which released in 1980 A large tumor was found on his right lung and he was diagnosed with incurable mesothelioma. McQueen requested a visit with Graham McQueen tried everything from having radioactive cobalt surgically implanted in his chest cavity for a month to a new, experimental drug, interferon. No treatment helped. The cancer had spread to his neck, abdomen, and chest, ruling out any further conventional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. When his doctors told him he should start to put his affairs in order, he became even more desperate to find a cure. Trailer for 1968s Bullitt RELATED: How Steve McQueen Viciously Tricked His 1st Wife Into Admitting Shed Had an Affair With This Oscar-Winning Actor He even traveled to Mexico to be treated with a daily regimen of 50 vitamin and mineral pills and enzymes, among other interventions. Finally, weeks before his death, McQueen asked a California pastor to contact Reverend Billy Graham to visit him. According to Greg Laurie author of Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon, Steve had mentioned to his pastor [Leonard DeWitt] how much it would mean for him to meet Billy, and as McQueens condition worsened, Leonard picked up the phone. DeWitt asked Grahams staff to let the evangelist know that if he could come at all, it should be sooner rather than later. Graham reportedly said it was McQueen who ministered to him By October of 1980, McQueen was scheduled on November 6th to have more tumors surgically removed. His staff had at last been able to reach Dr. Graham and the evangelist met with the actor on November 3rd. Graham was quoted as saying, Though I had never met him before, I recognized him immediately from his pictures, even though he had lost considerable weight. He sat up in bed and greeted me warmly. Scene from The Great Escape, 1963 According to Laurie, McQueen told Graham of his newfound faith, that for about three months before discovering he was ill, he had been attending church, reading his Bible, and praying. Graham rode with McQueen to the airport for what would be his final surgery in Mexico. He reported later that the actor had asked him about the afterlife. The preacher gifted McQueen with his personal Bible, inscribing it with the words To my friend Steve McQueen. May God bless you and keep you always. Billy Graham. Philippians 1:6, Nov. 3, 1980. As Graham left McQueen, the actor called out, Ill see you in heaven!' Graham later said of his visit with McQueen: I look back on that experience with thanksgiving and some amazement. I had planned to minister to Steve, but as it turned out, he ministered to me. McQueen survived the surgery but died on November 7th of a heart attack. His family told Laurie The Bible given to Steve by Billy Graham his most prized possession was clutched tightly in Steves hands on his deathbed. By the end of Dexter, the hit Showtime series following a lab tech doubling as a serial killer, hed left Miami, traveling across the country to put roots down in Oregon. But it turns out that hes moved again. The upcoming revival series will find Dexter Morgan in the fictional small town of Iron Lake, New York. But how did he wind up there? Though we wont know the exact circumstances until the revival airs, showrunner Clyde Phillips hinted at the reason in an interview. Michael C. Hall in a scene from Showtimes Dexter | Christian Weber/CBS via Getty Images Dexter is trying to skirt his dark passenger Dexter may have thought he could stop his killing by moving away, but its more difficult than he realized. Dexter always has what we call the dark passenger living inside him, Phillips previously said in an interview with TV Insider. He is more grounded than hes ever been, but that dark passenger is a voice he cannot deny. Moving to an even more remote place like Iron Lake could be a solution, but its only a temporary one. As Phillips explained on The Adam Ferrara Podcast, Iron Lake is a place where theres less temptation, so that he can try to be upstand. But people who deserve to die cross his path once again. And hes gotta do something about it. RELATED: Dexter Fans Notice Something Disturbing in Background of Season 9 Teaser Dexter will have at least one enemy in the revival According to TVLine, the villain in the Dexter revival is Clancy Browns Kurt Caldwell, the unofficial mayor of Iron Lake. 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, his character description says. 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: New Cast Additions Offer Insight Into the Plot of the Revival Series Without getting too detailed about the plot, Michael C. Hall (Dexter Morgan) teased to The Daily Beast that the story in the revival is much more intriguing than past reboot angles. And I think enough time has passed where its become intriguing in a way that it wasnt before, he continued. And lets be real: people found the way that show left things pretty unsatisfying, Hall added, and theres always been a hope that a story would emerge that would be worth telling. I include myself in the group of people that wondered, What the hell happened to that guy? So Im excited to step back into it. Ive never had that experience of playing a character this many years on. Theres still no official release date for the Dexter revival, at the time of this writing. But Showtime says itll be here in late 2021. RELATED: Dexter: Will the Revival Include the Alternate Ending? Giada De Laurentiis is known for her love of Italy and its multifaceted menu of foods. Living in the European country until she was seven years old, the Food Network star got to know the cuisine firsthand at an early age. Yet the Everyday Italian star initially planned on specializing in dishes other than pasta and osso buco. Giada De Laurentiis | Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Vegas Uncorkd by Bon Appetit Giada De Laurentiis wanted to be a pastry chef After graduating from UCLA, De Laurentiis decided to pursue her dream of being a chef and attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. While in culinary school, she fell in love with French cuisine. I didnt want to do Italian food, De Laurentiis told Milk Street Radio. I wanted to do French food. I went to Paris and I wanted to be an unbelievable pastry chef who could create sculptures out of sugar work, which is what I did a lot of in Paris. The Food Network stars view of Italian cooking was quite different while at Le Cordon Bleu than what it is today. RELATED: Giada De Laurentiis Had This Reaction to a Negative New York Times Restaurant Review I just didnt feel like tossing pasta, she remarked. I was like no, thats below me. What the heck? So that took a lot of time for me to sort of deal with my own demons. Food Network star noted different regions in Italian cuisine Now that she specializes in Italian cooking, De Laurentiis pointed out that the dishes vary according to region. I think still to this day, a lot of Americans dont realize that Italian foodin many countries this happens butits very, very regional, the way they make things, she explained. So, lasagna in the South is completely different than a lasagna in the North Its just different traditions based on hundreds of years of people coming in and putting their sort of touch on them. With certain ingredients being more plentiful in specific areas, De Laurentiis described how regional availability of food items impacts how a dish is made. They really use local ingredients, she said. So why does the South use more olive oil and the North use butter? Because the North has more cows, the South doesnt have a lot of cows. You know what I mean? They have olive trees and olive groves. Giada De Laurentiis in the bed & breakfast biz? While De Laurentiis has huge success as a chef and Food Network personality, she has other aspirations she would eventually like to pursue. In a perfect world, I would buy a vineyard in the South of Italy, turn it into some kind of bed and breakfast and spend half the year there, she revealed. Im trying to get back my Italian passport now in the hopes that someday I can do that. RELATED: Why Giada De Laurentiis Described Her Time at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School as Brutal Her recent Discovery+ show, Bobby and Giada in Italy, featured De Laurentiis serving as a tour guide to pal Bobby Flay in Rome and Tuscany. Clearly, her love for her native country is still going strong. That would be the ideal way of living my life, she said of her potential bed & breakfast endeavor. I dont know that that will ever happen. But I will try. Eminem is no stranger to feuding with other celebrities. Throughout his career, Marshall Mathers has called out everyone from fellow rappers to popstars to actors. Even radio hosts arent safe from hearing their name on a diss track. Read on to find out why the Stan artist had beef with well-known morning show host Charlamagne Tha God. (L): Charlamagne Tha God poses for photo on the carpet at the A3C Festival and Conference in Atlanta | Prince Williams/Getty Images, (R); Eminem performing onstage at a music & arts festival in Tennessee | C Flanigan/WireImage Who is Charlamagne Tha God? For those who dont know, Charlamagne Tha God is a co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club with DJ Envy and Angela Yee. Charlamagne was born Lenard McKelvey on June 29, 1978, in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. His career in radio started after he interned at a station in Charleston. He gained recognition as a host at Hot 103.9 (WHXT-FM) in Columbia. Charlamagne left South Carolina in 2006 and joined Wendy Williams popular radio program out of New York City. He later began hosting The Breakfast Club, a.k.a. The Worlds Most Dangerous Morning Show, for NYCs Power 105.1 FM. Charlamagne, who was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020, has been compared to Howard Stern due to his bite my tongue for no one mantra. And when he took a shot at Eminem a feud ignited. Photo of Charlamagne Tha God from the shoulders up sporting a red cap at the iHeartRadio Music Festival | Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for iHeartMedia Eminems diss and Charlamagnes response After Slim Shady released his album Revival in 2017, Charlamagne said the record was trash. Once the rapper found out, he slammed the radio host on his Kamikaze album. On Ringer, Em raps: Charlamagne gonna hate anyway, doesnt matter what I say/Give me Donkey of the Day. The hip-hop artist brought up Charlamagne again on the track Fall with the lyrics: One last time for Charlamagne/If my response is late, its just how long it takes/To hit my f*ckin radar, Im so far away. Charlamagne explained how he felt about Em dissing him on Kamikaze telling Esquire: Its always cool when you get immortalized on records. I am just happy that I have gotten to the level where rappers who can actually rap say my name in records, regardless if its a diss or not. Early in my career, I was only being dissed by Chingy. Now Im being dissed by Eminem. Life is great. Charlamagne added that he thinks Eminem is one of the greatest lyricists calling him a living legend, a rap God, [and] an icon. Charlamagnes reaction to TikTok users who tried to cancel Eminem I won't stop even when my hair turns grey (I'm tone-deaf) / 'Cause they won't stop until they cancel me #ToneDeaf lyric video up on my channel- https://t.co/kd4Iw5j9TI pic.twitter.com/nw1Q2eUyzN Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) March 5, 2021 In March 2020, Eminem was a talking point again for Charlamagne but this time he was reacting to Gen Z TikTok users who were trying to cancel the rapper over some of his past controversial lyrics. I think its funny as f*ck when kids go back to the eras that they should not be even playing around in, the radio host said on his Brilliant Idiots podcast. They are just playing old Eminem lyrics and doing what outrage culture does: Trying to build a case against Eminem. But Im going to tell you why that will never work; thats Eminems whole schtick. Eminem himself later reacted to those who tried to get him canceled via his song Tone Deaf in which he rapped: I wont stop even when my hair turns grey (Im tone-deaf) / Cause they wont stop until they cancel me. RELATED: What Is Eminems Ex-Wife Kimberly Anne Scott Doing Now? You are here: Arts Mikiko Matsuyama, a renowned Japanese ballet dancer who had made a great contribution to introducing the Chinese culture to Japan, died in Tokyo at the age of 98 on Saturday, Matsuyama Ballet said. In 1955, Masao Shimizu, the founder of Matsuyama Ballet, and his wife Matsuyama adapted the Chinese film "The White-Haired Girl" into a ballet and staged it in Japan, where it was warmly welcomed by the Japanese people. In 1958, the couple overcame many obstacles to perform in China and achieved great success. Matsuyama Ballet has always been a witness and promoter of China-Japan friendship. Matsuyama has devoted her life to ballet. In addition to "The White-Haired Girl", she also starred in "Swan Lake" and "Othello" among others. Even during her illness, her recovery room was set upstairs from Matsuyama Ballet, where she spent her days surrounded by music and the dancing footsteps of the troupe. It may not be a fantasy series, but Netflixs Money Heist a.k.a. La Casa de Papel is still an epic adventure. Through four seasons, fans have been ride-or-die just like everyone in the Professors crew. Part 5 will wrap up with tears, bloodshed, and the end to a war. On behalf of the Resistance, its time to scream out Bella Ciao! one more time, as LCDP5 is arriving toward the end of the year. La Casa de Papel or Money Heist with Ursula Corbero as Tokyo and Darko Peric as Helsinki | Tamara Arranz Ramos/Netflix Money Heist Season 5 to drop in 2021 Money Heist part 4 fed many viewers during the pandemics early months. And it was heartbreaking, leaving folks on edge. Fans soon learned that the series picked up another renewal but season 5 would be the last. After that, its been a waiting game. Netflix and the La Casa de Papel team just shared news that part 5 will arrive in two parts, with release dates in September and December. Volume 1 of LCDP5 will hit the streamer on September 3, and Volume 2 will drop on December 3, with 10 episodes set for the final run. Fans everywhere are celebrating the announcement. According to the social media post, theres one way to sum things up: This is more than a heist. This is war. RELATED: Money Heist Season 5: Will Rio Die? Why Fans Are Convinced He Wont Survive The trailer shows bullets flying everywhere and Helsinkis facial expressions has people worried. Whats next? Who will survive? Where La Casa de Papel part 4 left off A series of events threatens to end the crews mission at the Bank of Spain. Detective Alicia Sierra has Professor, theres a leadership issue within the ranks, and off course, Nairobi is dead. Witnessing Nairobis rescue and then her murder at Gandias hands tore fans up, and it catalyzed a different kind of attitude with the gang. Professor and Lisbon separated and only one remained free to move forward with the plan. But in the final episode, shed been released from police custody and hed been tracked down to his warehouse hideout. Still, its for Nairobi! Tokyo and Rio are not thinking clearly right now, but again, its for Nairobi! Does Professor have a backup plan? Will Arturo finally get snuffed? Most importantly, who will lead them all out alive? Marseilles was on the outside and able to accomplish what needed to be done, but based on the new trailer, hes inside and armed to the tooth. Manila, Denver, Lisbon, Stockholm, Tokyo, Rio, Helsinki, Palermo, and Bogota are all banded together with guns and bullets. Part 5 to introduce new characters Its already known that fans will see Berlin again through flashbacks, so theres a chance that theres more than meets the eye with the plan. Two actors who joined the cast for season 5 are Sense8 and Sky Rojos Miguel Angel Silvestre and Patrick Criado. Criados character is in scenes with Berlin, but fans will have to wait and see how he fits into the story. Scene from Money Heist or La Casa de Papel on Netflix | Courtesy of Netflix Prepare to tune in for the first installment of Money Heists curtain call in September, and moreover, be ready to root for this posse and their gold heist. Part of what makes The Handmaids Tale such an interesting story is how it messes with our concept of geography as we know it. Within the shows alternate history, the world and the shows main nation are shaped much differently. It allows people to question the world as they know it and considers how different things would be in this kind of scenario. With that in mind, lets take a closer look at just how large the fictional land of Gilead is within the context of the show. The Handmaids Tale reimagines the world as we know it RELATED: The Handmaids Tale: These U.S. States Are Untouched by Gilead The Handmaids Tale is a dystopian social commentary on the patriarchy run amok, and what could happen were it left unchecked. Based on a novel by Margaret Atwood, according to Hulu, it tells the story of the state forcing women into unwilling sexual servitude to a ruling class of powerful men. These women struggle to survive in this totalitarian state. Elisabeth Moss plays a woman named June Osborne. Throughout the show, she progresses from being a handmaid to escaping and leading a resistance against the powers that be. What is Gilead? To set up a world as brutal and villainous as this one, youd need quite an antagonist in place. The Handmaids Tale has it in the form of the Republic of Gilead, which has a governing body that provides obstacles for the shows heroes at every turn. The Republic of Gilead is also known as Gilead. Its a theocratic government that oversees the land taking up what was formerly known as the United States. Details on how they govern or how they came to power arent comprehensive/ But its clear that a party of men known as the Committee is in charge. Women are subjugated for the benefit of men. All the worst elements of sexism and patriarchal privilege are on display. Gileads capital is Washington, D.C., much like the nation that proceeded it. Throughout the run of the show, the Republic is in an open civil war with a large group of resistance fighters, mainly made up of women. While Gilead has risen to replace the United States in the shows universe, that doesnt mean it mimics the U.S. exactly in terms of makeup or size. But how large is Gilead, exactly? How large is Gilead? The Handmaids Tale Season 4 | Sophiie Giraud/Hulu Screen Rant attempted to answer the question of just how big Gilead is. Large portions of the former U.S. make up Gilead, but there are also a lot of pockets with resistance fighters where official control is less clear-cut. To help clarify, the shows official Twitter account posted a map of of the fictional area. While asking the iron-fisted government of Gilead who they control may yield a different answer, the map defines the following areas in the U.S. in the shows timeline: Wasteland colonies district District loyal to the Republic of Gilead District under conflicts Rebel occupied area The area loyal to Gilead includes much of the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic Region, much of the Northeast, and some of New England. Much of the South and Western part of the U.S. are either under conflict or in open rebellion. The Wasteland extends from around Kansas to Nevada. The new season shows Chicago, which is conflict territory. What does this mean for the shows geography? Well, Gilead is much smaller than one might think. The entire U.S. is in no way loyal to Gilead. This is part of what makes the show so compelling. With nearly an entire continent in open rebellion against a horrific government, theres no shortage of storylines the creative team behind the series can explore. The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond loves preparing home-cooked meals. Drummonds macaroni and cheese, pot roast, and chicken spaghetti are some of her most popular recipes. Shes also known for whipping up delicious desserts. However, the Food Network host also enjoys eating out now and then. Drummond revealed her favorite food to order when she dines out. Ree Drummond doesnt order steak Sam Champion and Ree Drummond | Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Drummond has favorite menu items, but there are also some things she wont order when shes dining out. The Accidental Country Girl revealed she wont order steak if shes at a restaurant. During an interview with Delish, she was asked about her restaurant ordering habits. She shared why she avoids ordering the steak. The last thing Id order is steak; its one of my favorite dinners, but we cook it all the time, says Drummond. The Pioneer Woman star wants something different when shes eating out, so steak isnt the best option for her. Ree Drummonds favorite food to order when eating out Robin Roberts and Ree Drummond on Good Morning America | Fred Lee/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Instead of steak, Drummond prefers to order sushi when she goes out to eat. I love sushi, and I usually order it because its the farthest thing from what I make at home, says Drummond. One food Drummond doesnt love is bananas. She says she avoids bananas at all costs. She mentions on her blog that she doesnt like the texture or even the sight of a banana. I hate, abhor, loathe, and recoil at the sight of bananas, she once said. Ive disliked them my entire life, even when I was a baby. Drummond doesnt stop there. She emphasizes her dislike for the fruit during her Delish interview. Theyre against my religion, basically, joked Drummond. I posted my moms banana bread recipe [on The Pioneer Woman website], just because I knew I was never going to come up with one myself. I think that and Bananas Foster are my only two banana recipes on the site. Ree Drummond says she always wants sushi Sushi is a favorite of Drummonds. In her book Frontier Follies, she says she always wants it. Drummond doesnt eat sushi often, so its a real treat when she is able to have some. She shared in her book that she usually gets sushi three or four time each year from a restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She says she gets a kick out of eating sushi while on a cattle ranch. For Drummond, eating sushi is her idea of having a good time. Drummond has such a good time because she enjoys putting wasabi on her sushi and then dipping it in soy sauce. According to her, redheads can handle spicy food, so she likes to pile on the spice. She says the heat from the wasabi opens her sinuses and boosts her endorphins. She also says sushi makes her feel happy from head to toe. For Drummond, the perfect day involves eating sushi. Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter. The Cherokee Nation is receiving $1.8 billion in COVID-19 recovery funds as part of an historic investment in Indian Country through President Bidens American Rescue Plan Act. Chickasha, OK (73018) Today Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 72F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 72F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Offer a personal message of sympathy... By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that below. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log in button below, and then register to create your account. South Africa: SA to deliver maize meal to support Zimbabwe's flooding victims South Africa will provide tons of maize meal to the people of Zimbabwe who were affected by severe flooding caused by the tropical cyclone Idai weather system in 2019. According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Minister Naledi Pandor will travel to Zimbabwe on Africa Day, 25 May 2021, to officially hand over the first shipment. His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa will receive the consignment on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe at the State House in Harare, Zimbabwe, the department said. The department said South Africa responded to an appeal from the Zimbabwean government in 2019 for humanitarian assistance. DIRCO said this was in response to infrastructure destruction and loss of human life caused by severe flooding. According to ReliefWeb, the largest humanitarian information portal in the world, at least 82 deaths and over 200 injuries were reported, mainly in Chimanimani, while 217 people went missing. Through the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund (ARF), the department said South Africa pledged R50 million in humanitarian support to assist those affected by the cyclone in Zimbabwe. The assistance consists 450 000 bags of 12.5 kg maize meal to be distributed to the affected families. The outbreak of the COVID-19 delayed the implementation of the project, which will now be completed by September 2021. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) Media & Think Tank Forum was held on Sunday in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. More than 300 delegates from countries including China, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore and Indonesia participated in the forum online and offline, discussing the RCEP and Asian economic development and offering suggestions for promoting regional exchanges and cooperation. A report, focusing on promoting high-level opening-up cooperation through the RCEP, was jointly released at the forum by China Daily and China Institute for Reform and Development. The report recommends promoting the institutional opening-up by prioritizing rules and regulations, considering RCEP as an important platform to accelerate the progress of a "dual circulation" development pattern, and promoting bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation related to the Hainan free trade port under the RCEP framework. The RCEP, the world's largest free trade deal signed in November 2020, embraces the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China, Japan, the ROK, Australia and New Zealand. Stuck in the Present: How History Frees and Forms Christians New book by David (George) Moore Stuck in the Present is the fruit of many years of teaching and motivating Christians to be lifelong learners of history. https://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Present-David-George-Moore/dp/168426460X Too many Americans, including those who are Christians, are trying to discern the present moment by only knowing about the present moment. Cable news and social media are hardly adequate to understand the times in which we live. The longer view which is afforded by the past is crucial for wise living. As Timothy George says, Theres a lot that happened between the death of Jesus and the birth of your grandma that you ought to know. There are many challenges in our present moment. One alarming trend is the growing disparity between so-called progressive and so-called conservative Christians about a whole host of issues. These differences revolve around such things as sexual ethics, the environment, the nature of capitalist economies, and so much more. One illustration I like to use for these sorts of debates is the difference between a barnacle and a boat. Barnacles, you may know, are those sticky crustaceans that affix themselves to the bottom of the boat. If you fail to flip the boat and scrape them off (some use newer technologies) you will have those little critters eating into the hull and so make your boat no longer seaworthy. Flipping a boat and cleaning off sticky crustaceans is not sexy work. It is much more fun to set out sailing or head out on some fishing adventure. I invite people to think of the Christian faith as the boat. Barnacles are the things we may believe, but they have little or nothing to do with the Christian faith. A good example here comes from my four years of part-time teaching at a Christian school. There were several rules governing things such as proper clothing and jewelry. Some of these things made sense, but I get nervous whenever man-made rules are multiplied. I often joke by asking whether the 600 plus commandments the Jews had made them more obedient to God. My other concern with all the rules at this fine school was the mistake that too many parents, students, teachers, and administrators made. I came up with an alliteration that encapsulated my concern: Watch out when human preferences slowly become priorities that slowly are treated as biblical precepts. Christians who are willing to do the hard work of knowing the past will be better able to determine what is a barnacle and what is the boat. So-called progressive Christians tend to be comfortable with flipping the boat and commencing to scrape. Their temptation is to scrape too much, and therefore compromise the integrity of the Christian faith. More so-called conservative Christians tend to steer clear of flipping the boat. The boat looks great, so lets keep using it as it is. For example, there may be resistance to pondering whether capitalism has any sinister elements to it that should be guarded against. Considering whether there are any aspects of capitalism that are harmful can be a threatening prospect. It can be a barnacle we just dont want to acknowledge. We are happy to sail on without scraping. Christians who are willing to wrestle honestly with the past will not only be equipped to have better conversations with fellow Christians about their differences. They will also be better equipped to engage thoughtfully with those who do not hold to the Christian faith. The study of history offers much wisdom to help us navigate the choppy waters of the present where the trivial and the truly important are many times brought to our attention with equal urgency. David George Moore is a regular contributor to the Jesus Creed and the author of the just released, Stuck in the Present: How History Frees and Forms Christians. Stuck in the Present: How History Frees and Forms Christians: David George Moore, Carl Trueman: 9781684264605: Amazon.com: Books 8 Christians killed, church burned down during attack in Nigeria Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Eight Christians were killed, and a church building was burned down along with a few homes during an attack last week by bandits in northwestern Nigerias Kaduna state amid what some advocates say is an attempt by some to cleanse the country of its Christians. Armed bandits shot eight Christians to death and set fire to a church and houses in Ungwan Gaida in Kaduna states Chikun area last Wednesday, according to the United States-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern. The death toll was confirmed by Kaduna Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Samuel Aruwan in a statement shared with the media. The victims were identified as Bitrus Baba, Umaru Baba, Gideon Bitrus, Bawa Gajere, Samaila Gajere, Sambo Kasuwa, Samuila Kasuwa and Solomon Samaila. According to Aruwan, the church building razed belonged to the Assemblies of God denomination. In a separate incident on Wednesday, the Nigerian Navy troops in the Kujama General Area killed three bandits and arrested two accomplices after repelling an attack on the Wakwodna community near Kasso village in the Chikun local government area, Nigerias Premium Times newspaper reported. In the 2021 annual report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Commissioner Gary Bauer called Nigeria a killing field of Christians. All too often this violence is attributed to mere bandits or explained away as hostility between farmers and herdsmen, Bauer said in the report. While there is some truth in these assertions, they ignore the main truth: radical Islamists are committing violence inspired by what they believe is a religious imperative to cleanse Nigeria of its Christians. They must be stopped. The Anambra-based civil society group International Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law estimates that at least 1,470 Christians have been killed in the first four months of 2021 in Nigeria. The group also estimates that about 2,200 have been abducted in Nigeria during that period. Kaduna state recorded the highest number of Christian deaths, at 300, according to the organization. The state also recorded the highest number of abductions. Of the 800 kidnappings recorded in Kaduna, 600 were indigenous Christians, including those abducted in Muslim-held areas of Birnin-Gwari, Igabi and Giwa Local Government Areas. The Global Terrorism Index ranked Nigeria as the third-most affected country by terrorism and reported over 22,000 deaths by acts of terror from 2001 to 2019. USCIRF's 2021 report warned that Nigeria will move relentlessly toward a Christian genocide if action is not taken. Islamic extremism, particularly in northeast Nigeria, has led to thousands of deaths and millions displaced in recent years. Nigeria was the first democratic nation to be added to the U.S. State Departments list of countries of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for engaging in tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. Biden passes on Notre Dame commencement speech amid backlash to abortion stance Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Joe Biden passed on delivering the 2021 commencement address at the University of Notre Dame on Sunday as thousands of the Catholic institution's community members objected to the invitation over the presidents pro-abortion policies. About 4,500 members of the Notre Dame community and others signed a petition urging the Notre Dame President John Jenkins not to invite the second Roman Catholic U.S. president. But the private university still requested Biden to deliver the address. Sources from the White House told Catholic News Agency earlier this month that the 78-year-old could not attend the ceremony due to scheduling. Bidens three consecutive predecessors or their vice presidents have addressed Notre Dames commencement in their first year in office President George W. Bush in 2001, President Barack Obama in 2009 and Vice President Mike Pence in 2017. The universitys finance executive and trustee, Jimmy Dunne, was asked to address the graduates. [Biden] rejects Church teachings on abortion, marriage, sex and gender, and is hostile to religious liberty, the petition reads. He embraces the most pro-abortion and anti-religious liberty public policy program in history. The case against honoring him is immeasurably stronger than it was against honoring President [Barack] Obama, an action that alienated countless Catholics and brought upon Notre Dame the harsh criticism of 83 cardinals, archbishops and bishops. C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League, told The Washington Times that there was unprecedented opposition to Obama receiving a degree from Notre Dame, so much so that the President of Notre Dame, Father Jenkins, actually walked in the National March for Life in D.C. afterwards. The petition pointed out that actions that Biden has already taken to increase access to abortion and those promised will result in the killing of countless innocent unborn both here and abroad through federal funding of abortions and abortion organizations. This is not hyperbole, the petition reads. It is demonstrable fact because of Bidens lifting the bar against the flow of federal funds to both domestic and international Planned Parenthood and similar organizations. The calamity will assume truly harrowing proportions if Biden achieves his goal of providing direct federal funding of abortions. The Notre Dame commencement ceremony is no stranger to protests related to the involvement of national political figures. In 2017, there was some opposition to Vice President Mike Pence speaking at the ceremony as some graduating seniors walked out of the event in protest of policies the vice president pursued when he was governor of Indiana that they claimed targeted the most vulnerable. Obamas speech in 2009 also drew backlash from those concerned about his support for abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. Over 54,000 people backed an online petition calling for Notre Dame to rescind the invitation. But university officials stood firm on the invitation. The Catholic Church teaches that abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law. In a 2004 memo to then-Washington, D.C. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Wilton Gregory, who served as Bishop of Belleville, Illinois, at the time, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI, outlined the factors that determined an individuals worthiness to receive communion. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a persons formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Churchs teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist, he wrote. When these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible, and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it, the memo continued. In 2019, a priest in South Carolina denied Biden communion as he campaigned in the state. According to a Pew poll conducted in March, 67% of Catholics disagreed with the idea that Biden should be denied communion. Meanwhile, 29% believed that his support for abortion should prevent him from receiving the Eucharist. Fifty-five percent of Catholic Republicans and those who lean Republican said that Bidens support for abortion should disqualify him from receiving communion. By comparison, 87% of Catholic Democrats and Catholics who lean Democrat felt otherwise. Chaplain-led courtroom prayers ruled unconstitutional by federal judge Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A judge has issued a decree banning a Christian Texas judge from opening his courtroom proceedings in prayer, providing a legal victory to a prominent secular legal organization. The Freedom from Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit established to promote a strict separation of church and state, won a challenge to prohibit Judge Wayne Mack, a justice of the peace from an area north of Houston in Montgomery County, from opening his courtroom with non-mandatory chaplain-led prayer. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ruled on May 21 in favor of FRFF and anonymous local attorney John Roe, who has appeared in Macks courtroom at least 20 times and witnessed the chaplain-led prayers. The Court declares that the defendants practice of opening regular court proceedings with religious prayers is unconstitutional, Hoyt wrote. Should the defendant violate this Courts declaratory decree, an injunction will issue." Hoyt ruled that Mack violates the Establishment Clause when, before a captured audience of litigants and their counsel, he presents himself as theopneustically inspired, enabling him to advance, through the chaplaincy program, Gods larger purpose." "Such a magnanimous goal flies in the face of historical tradition, and makes a mockery of both religion and law," Hoyt, a Reagan nominee, stated. Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president, said in a statement that the "courtroom is not a church." And a judges bench is not a pulpit, Gaylor stressed. Todays ruling is a victory for the constitutional rights of all Americans and for equal justice under the law. Judge Mack promised to institute "religious values within the office" and open his courtroom with prayer during his 2014 Republican primary campaign for his position as justice of the peace for Montgomery County Precinct 1. Mack's duties include serving as a coroner for Montgomery County and carrying out death investigations. He has implemented various faith-based initiatives, such as the Justice Court Chaplaincy Program and prayer breakfasts. He established the Justice Court Chaplaincy Program, where volunteer chaplains who are primarily Chrisitan would initiate court proceedings with an opening prayer or an invocation and share a short message from the Bible, the complaint states. Mack introduced the chaplain and stated the name and location of the chaplains church. The bailiff would announce the prayers and allow anyone to leave the courtroom without their case being affected though the courtroom doors were locked to those on the outside. Attendees were allowed to leave if they wanted no part in the ceremony and were only required to be present when the court was in session. Some citizens feared Mack would judge their cases differently based on whether they stayed for the optional prayer. I felt that the Judge was watching for reactions from the courtroom; bowed heads, indifference etc, an unnamed citizen reported to FFRF. I definitely felt that our cases were to be affected by our reactions or lack of. I know I was not alone. Once the Bible reading was over we were then asked to bow our heads to pray. I was very uncomfortable and certainly felt that I was being coerced into following this ritual and that the outcome of my case depended upon my body language. ... Although I did not leave as instructed, if I was offended, no one in their right mind would have. ... In the lawsuit, FRFF asserted Macks chaplain-led prayers are unconstitutionally coercive with purpose and effect of promoting religion. FFRF wrote a letter to the defendant in September 2014 stating the opening ceremony that included prayer violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from respecting an establishment of religion. In an open letter addressed to Pastors & People of Faith in 2014, Mack wrote that his chaplaincy program has come under "national and local attack" by those that "believe that God & Faith has no place in public lives and service. I want to make a statement to show those that feel what we are doing is unacceptable ... that God has a place in all aspects of our lives and public service," he assured. FFRF originally challenged the courtroom prayers through a lawsuit filed in 2017. The suit was refiled in 2019. FRFF was granted default judgment on March 25, declaring that Macks prayer violated the First Amendment. Mack is represented by the First Liberty Institute, a legal nonprofit that advocates for religious freedom rights. Judge Mack is following a long tradition of opening courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, with a ceremonial invocation, First Liberty Institute Deputy General Counsel Justin Butterfield said in a statement. We disagree with the courts decision, and we look forward to appealing this decision to the Fifth Circuit. Liberty Institute maintains that Mack allows "multi-faith, volunteer chaplains to open his courtroom ceremonies." The program has included chaplains from Christian, Sunni Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Mack is not even in the courtroom when the invocations are given, the legal group argues. Ohio megachurch will donate $2.5M over next 25 weeks Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An Ohio megachurch among several churches nationwide to receive millions of dollars last year under the federal governments Paycheck Protection Program has announced it will give away $2.5 million over the next 25 weeks. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Crossroads Church will donate $2.5 million to local, national and international nonprofits over the next five-plus months, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. "God has blessed Crossroads over the past 25 years and we don't take that lightly, so we want to use what we've been given to bring positive change in the communities we serve," the churchs founder and Senior Pastor Brian Tome said in a statement. "That means sharing our resources with partners who are doing good work. Where God is moving, we want to be investing." City Gospel Mission, a Cincinnati organization that helps fight homelessness, will be gifted $100,000 to become the first of 40 organizations in the area to receive a donation, WKRC reported. "There will be some tears. I can tell you that right now. I think there'll be a lot of joy and hope, hope to our staff," David Pinson of City Gospel Mission told the news outlet. "Hope is getting it to those people, the hurting people that we work with because it will get around, and people will know that, and that might even attract people to us as well." The multi-campus church, which had an estimated weekly attendance of over 35,000 in 2018, was started in Cincinnati in 1995. It now has 10 locations throughout Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Lexington. Were so thankful to the city, were so grateful for all the nonprofits that are in the city so as a result of our 25th anniversary we are going to put a little dot in between 2 and 5, giving 2.5 million dollars in the next 25 weeks, Tome said in his statement. The funds for the community giveback are expected to come from the churchs operational budget. Gods made a difference in us, and we want to make a difference in our communities. Thats just what we want to do," Tome said. City Gospel Mission will receive $100,000, and then we are going to be unveiling what organizations we are going to bless over the next 25 weeks." Tome, who expects to help organizations in India and Haiti, told WLWT5 his goal for the next 25 years is to enjoy life and serve God diligently and make aggressive moves as a church to bless our city." When his church was awarded $3.6 million in forgivable PPP loans last year, Tome said he initially didnt realize churches could be helped that way. We were going, 'wait a minute, really?' Churches are generally left out of those kind of programs, he told WCPO. When you take a look at the value churches offer the social sector, it is enormous, Tome noted earlier this year. I think that the government at least this time around recognized that in this emotional crisis, financial crisis, spiritual its a crisis of every kind of category possible churches provide a meaningful service to the communities. Ex-gay Christian realtor drops license over association's ban on 'hate speech' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian realtor is allowing his real estate license to expire rather than comply with the new requirement from the National Association of Realtors that he and other members refrain from engaging in hate speech. Matt Moore, a realtor who lives in Minnesota, announced his decision on Twitter Friday. In addition to serving as a real estate agent, Moore creates digital content from a Christian worldview. The content available on his website includes a podcast titled Moore Musings, blog posts and videos. Would you pray for my wife and me as we seek God's will for what's next? This week my broker informed me that I cannot continue to talk publicly about Christian views re: LGBTQ+ issues if I want to remain with this brokerage. As of July 1st, I will no longer be a realtor. 1/ Matt Moore (@onemoorematt) May 21, 2021 This week my broker informed me that I cannot continue to talk publicly about Christian views re: LGBTQ+ issues if I want to remain with this brokerage, he wrote. Moore indicated that he would instead let his license expire than comply with that request, stating that As of July 1st, I will no longer be a realtor. While Moore acknowledged that there are other brokerages in town, he cited the widespread uneasiness about real estate agents talking about LGBTQ+ issues in the public sphere in light of policy changes implemented by the National Association of Realtors. Moore formerly identified as a member of the LGBT community and is now in a heterosexual marriage. He uses his platform to emphasize biblical teachings on sexuality. In a Dec. 10 blog on his personal website, Moore wrote an open letter to the National Association of Realtors expressing concern about changes made to the groups Code of Ethics, which he warned could foster discrimination against Christian realtors. Originally, realtors were encouraged to follow the principles of the Code of Ethics in all of their activities, but only with respect to real estate-related activities and transactions involving the REALTOR. Under the revised policy, realtors will be subject to disciplinary action under the Code of Ethics with respect to all of their activities. One aspect of the Code of Ethics mandates that realtors must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. According to Moore, the new policy means a realtor can now be reported to his or her association for any perceived commission of hate speech against a protected class in any sphere of his or her life, including on personal social media profiles. Consequences for violating the policy range from fines to suspension or termination of membership in the National Association of Realtors. Moore warned that under the new policy, Realtors who express a historic Christian view of homosexual and transsexual behavior could become regular targets for undeserved allegations of hate speech." He warned that there exists no legal or standard definition of the term hate speech in the United States." He argued that a mere articulation of Christian beliefs concerning homosexuality and transgenderism is frequently labeled as hate speech. Countless are the times I have been falsely accused of using language that inflicts harm or incites violence upon gay and transgender people," he wrote. "I have been called hateful, bigoted, and homophobic even though I have expressed my loving intentions toward the LGBTQ+ community and communicated myself with gentleness and respect." In his Twitter thread, Moore maintained that he and his wife arent angry about this. Describing the new policy and his decision to give up real estate as a wrench thrown into our plans, he expressed confidence that Gods plan is still in place." He will direct us in the way we should go, and we are excited to see where that will be," he said. Moore continued the Twitter thread by characterizing his December warning letter as an effort to prevent other realtors, who may face similar ultimatums if something doesnt change, from having the same experience. Expressing hope that sharing this will lead to that change, Moore maintained that all realtors should be free to share their religious beliefs outside of their job duties. Full disclosure: I am not sure where the line is between seeking the good of others (advocating for religious liberty & policies) and quietly bearing the crosses God assigns to us (the worlds rejection is a sure one). Im trying to navigate it the best I can, he added. I think my open letter to NAR in which I pleaded with them to reconsider their changes to the CEO is appropriate advocacy. I think stating that I am more or less being forced out of real estate because of the imposition of the COE on my personal life is appropriate advocacy. Moore stressed that he is "not looking to bear the political torch because he has must focus on "Gospel things." Perhaps God has called one of you to take up the political torch," he concluded. "But I think hes called me to move on. Wheaton unveils new wording for martyred missionaries' plaque; savage Indians removed Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Wheaton College has unveiled the new wording for a plaque honoring alumni Jim Elliot and other missionaries killed in Ecuador in 1956, which will replace an earlier plaque that had language considered derogatory towards indigenous people. In a statement Monday, the Illinois-based evangelical Christian school explained that the reworded plaque will honor the martyred missionaries while also respecting the Waorani people with whom they shared the gospel of the love of Christ. The new wording was approved by a task force comprised of a historian and a missiologist from the faculty and two students one in graduate studies and another an undergraduate. The plaque will be rededicated in the lobby of Edman Chapel sometime in the fall. Among the changes, the new wording removes the term savage Indians, which had caused controversy. The offensive phrase was replaced with indigenous peoples as a descriptor instead. The new plaque also removed the term Auca, known to be used as a negative label for the region's indigenous people, replacing it with the proper tribal name Waorani. Their sacrifice was a turning point for the Waorani and an inspiration for evangelical missions globally," the new wording states. "Inviting members of the mens families to live with them, the Waorani responded to the gospel and put down their spears. Gods redemptive story continues as the gospel is still shared among the Waorani to this day. Originally dedicated in 1957 by the Wheaton College Class of 1949, the plaque was meant to honor the memory of Wheaton alumni Elliot, Ed McCully and Nate Saint, as well as Roger Youderian and Pete Fleming. They were speared to death by Waorani tribesmen in 1956 when trying to evangelize. Later, the families of the martyred missionaries decided to live with the tribe and eventually won them over to Christianity, which also led to the Waorani ending their chronic warfare. Wheaton President Philip Ryken said the school has been "blessed by the strong support for this project" from members of the missionaries' families and their class peers. In March, Ryken sent a letter to students, staff, and faculty explaining that the school was planning to change the plaque's wording. According to Ryken, several people had expressed concern that the plaque was offensive. Any descriptions on our campus of people or people groups should reflect the full dignity of human beings made in the image of God, wrote Ryken at the time. Joseph Moore, Wheatons director of marketing and communications, told The Christian Post back in March that the response to the plan was extremely positive. This is especially important for a story that is central to our mission and identity a story we want the world to know, Moore said. In the 64 years since the College received this gift, we have also continued to grow in our understanding of how to show Gods love and respect to others. Why you should (and probably already do) believe in limited atonement Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When it comes to which of the five points of Calvinism that irk non-reformed Christians the most, my money is on limited atonement. The doctrine of limited atonement teaches that Christ's redeeming work on the cross secured an actual salvation for only the elect of God. If this causes you to grind your teeth in irritation, stop. Im going to show you why you probably already believe in limited atonement and then provide what I believe to be the definitive argument that puts the issue to bed once and for all. Welcome to the club Unless youre a universalist, you already believe in limited atonement. Thats right if not everyone is saved, then the atonement has to be limited. How is it limited? It is limited to believers only: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). Technically, this is called limited in extent, meaning limited in who it applies to. Christs death saves every person that it meant to save and doesnt make salvation a mere possibility, which would be limited in effect. So, as I said, you likely already believe in limited atonement in general without knowing it. Charles Spurgeon puts it like this: [They] say Christ died for all men. Ask them what they mean by that. Did Christ die to secure the salvation of all men? They say no, certainly notDid Christ die to secure the salvation of any one person in particular? They say no, Christ has died that any man may be saved if and then follow certain conditions of salvation. The knockout punch John Owen wrote what is perhaps the most definitive work on Christs atonement in The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. In that book, Owen delivers what I believe is the knockout punch to anyone who opposes limited atonement. Let me quote his argument in full and then lets work through it a little at a time: God imposed his wrath due unto, and Christ underwent the pains of hell for, either all the sins of all men, or all the sins of some men, or some sins of all men. If the last, some sins of all men, then have all men some sins to answer for, and so shall no man be saved . . . If the second, that is it which we affirm, that Christ in their stead and room suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the world. If the first, why then are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins? You will say, Because of their unbelief; they will not believe. But this unbelief, is it a sin, or not? If not, why should they be punished for it? If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it, or not. If so, then why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which he died from partaking of the fruit of his death? If he did not, then did he not die for all their sins. Let them choose which part they will. The Options God imposed his wrath due unto, and Christ underwent the pains of hell for, either all the sins of all men, or all the sins of some men, or some sins of all men. Owen says we have three options: either Jesus died on the cross for (1) all the sins of everyone; (2) all the sins of a particular group of people; (3) some of the sins of everyone. He then proceeds to work through those possibilities. Option 3 - out If the last, some sins of all men, then have all men some sins to answer for, and so shall no man be saved. Working backwards, Owen quickly jettisons the third option because, if everyone still has some sins that have not been atoned for, no one will spend eternity with God. Impossible to disagree with, wouldnt you say? Option 2 limited atonement If the second, that is it which we affirm, that Christ in their stead and room suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the world. The second option Owen presents is limited atonement that Jesus only died for Gods chosen people and took upon Himself all their sins. Such a position ensures an actual salvation for that group of people because all their sins were placed on Christ at the cross and they have nothing left for which to atone. The start of option 1 - a good question If the first, why then are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins? Option 1 is what many Christians believe that Jesus took upon Himself, at the cross, all the sins of everyone who ever lived or will live. But Owen asks a good question: if thats the case, then why isnt everyone saved? Outside of universalism, no one believes all will be saved and this includes those not upholding the reformed doctrine of limited atonement. And it is these people that Owen addresses next. Is Unbelief a Sin? You will say, Because of their unbelief; they will not believe. The ever-famous John 3:16, which Ive already quoted, limits the atonement to only those who believe a point that showcases the truth that all Christians really believe in limited atonement in one form or another. But then Owen asks an important follow up question: But this unbelief, is it a sin, or not? This inquiry marks the beginning of the end for anyone who attempts to deny the doctrine of limited atonement. The answer, of course, is yes. Paul flatly says, whatever is not from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). The writer of Hebrews, describing faithless Israel, also says, So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief (Heb. 3:19). But Owen works through the possibilities, nonetheless. If not, why should they be punished for it? If unbelief is not a sin, Owen says then there is no reason for it to bar anyone from Gods presence. If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it, or not. If unbelief is a sin (and we have seen that it is), then it was either one of the sins that Christ died for, or it was not. So, either unbelieving people still have something for which to answer to God or they dont. If so, then why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which he died from partaking of the fruit of his death? This logical conclusion is the deathblow for anyone claiming that Christ died for all the sins of everyone, but that unbelief keeps a person from eternal life. Owen says if unbelief is a sin, and if Christ died for ALL the sins of everyone born of human parents, then that sin must be included in the mix and labeled as one for which Christ died. Unbelief, as a sin, could not keep anyone from spending eternal life with God more than any other sin for which Jesus paid. If he did not, then did he not die for all their sins. If someone wants to say that Christ did not die for a persons unbelief, and unbelief is a sin, then Jesus did not die for all his or her sins. Thus, a person cannot make the claim that Jesus died for all the sins of the world (with world being defined as every human being ever born). Let them choose which part they will. This is polite 17th century language for saying, Checkmate. Owen convincingly shows that options 1 and 3 are untenable, with the only option remaining being the doctrine of limited atonement. Not fair? In his book entitled, The Nature of the Atonement, John McLeod Campbell explains how the only alternative becomes one where Christs atonement is limited. Recounting the just-covered John Owens summary of the case, Campbell concludes, As addressed to those who agree with him as to the nature of the atonement, while differing with him as to the extent of its reference, this seems unanswerable. I agree. Any scripture plucking[1] or other arguments fall short of undercutting the biblical logic behind limited atonement. Truth be told, most attempts are emotional in nature and boil down to a not fair contention. But heres the thing: as Christians, we often quote Is. 55:18, For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways and we rest in it until it comes to matters like this. Then we expect Gods ways to be our ways. But Psalms 50:21 says simply, You thought that I was just like you, meaning Hes not just like us. Whatever superficial feelings we have about Gods plan of salvation being not fair are misplaced. Dr. James White speaks to the simplicity and beauty of Christs atonement when he says, In its simplest terms the Reformed belief is this: Christs death saves sinners. It does not make the salvation of sinners a mere possibility. It does not provide a theoretical atonement Christs death saves every single person that it was intended to save. Im good with that. Are you? [1] E.g., 1 John 2:2; John 12:32; 2 Pet. 2:1 by themselves and not viewed within the whole of Scripture. Cigna refuses to answer shareholder question about undermining religious liberty Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment We're currently in annual shareholder meeting season, which runs roughly April through June. Being part of a team which helps design, update and maintain Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), and also being an investor in those funds personally, I set out to take responsibility for what is in the portfolios by attending the shareholder meetings of the companies I own. But the point was not just to show up, but also to speak up, so I researched ways in which these companies were taking positions on divisive political issues which were not necessary to serve shareholder interests, and which might even work against them. Case in point: the insurance company Cigna, which has been the subject of controversy lately due to press reports about diversity training which seemed to take some inflammatory positions on some contentious issues. For example: The Human Rights Campaign lists Cigna as a supporter of the Equality Act, which severely weakens the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. RFRA represents a broad political consensus, having been introduced in the Senate by Teddy Kennedy, in the house by Chuck Schumer, and having been signed into law by Bill Clinton. The Equality Act, on the other hand, does not enjoy broad appeal, having been supported in the House on an almost pure party-line vote. Moderates in both parties have made it clear that they have concerns, specifically about the weakening of conscience and religious liberty protections. According to conservative group 2ndVote, Cigna sponsored HRC dinners and received the highest possible score on the HRCs Corporate Equality Index. Furthermore, 2ndVote has assigned the company a score of only 1 out of 5 in the Life and First Amendment categories, reporting that the company donated to United Way chapters that fund Planned Parenthood in 2015-2016, and also donated to Susan G. Komen, which donates to Planned Parenthood (but insists that those contributions are not used for abortions). Recently, The Washington Examiner acquired leaked documents on Cignas diversity training. The training included an inclusive language presentation that implied it was exclusionary to say brown bag lunch, man-power, hey guys, long-time no-see, no can do, hip-hip hooray, and, I had a crazy day. Christians are likely to be particularly concerned about reports from The Examiner that, alongside the standard diversity training around white privilege, Cigna employees were taught about religious privilege, defined as a set of advantages that benefits believers of a certain religion but not people who practice other religions or no religions at all. There was also a slide in which one had to check off various identities to determine their privilege, including being a Christian. I decided to ask the CEO of Cigna, David Cordani, about these issues at the annual shareholders meeting. I followed the link as provided by Investor Relations, logged in using the proper "control number" which is given to shareholders so they can gain entry, and then posted a question in the Q&A tab. The system accepted the question. But the company ignored the question. Furthermore, meeting presenters implied that all relevant questions had been taken. In addition, the company failed to answer the question in both a follow-up email and a phone call. This is what I asked (with slight edits due for the sake of brevity and privacy): "Recent press reports reveal that you have subjected employees to 'diversity training' which accuses "a certain religion" of conferring "religious privilege". In addition you have endorsed the Equality Act which severely curtails religious freedom. The current proxy statement claims that "Cigna supports fundamental human rights for all." How do you square that statement with the endorsement of actions that sideline and unfavorably label, certain religious views?" Was this question relevant to the business of the meeting? Well, you be the judge. Here are some quotes from the Proxy Statement which was included in the materials for the meeting, and was linked to on the shareholder meeting portal: "Cigna supports fundamental human rights for all. Our support for human rights is buttressed by our Human Rights Statement and our Supplier Code of Ethics." 2021 Proxy Statement I specifically cited that quote in my question. Regarding the Equality Act, the same proxy statement includes this: "As a result of our efforts to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce, Cigna has been awarded multiple recognitions, including: Number 42 on Diversity, Incs Top 50 Diverse Companies list 2020 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundations Corporate Equality Index Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality nine years in a row (2021)." 2021 Proxy Statement So the Proxy Statement for that meeting openly brags about the partnership with the Human Rights Campaign. How can a question about endorsing the Equality Act on HRCs website, which of course is relevant to the 100% HRC score, not be relevant to that same meeting? I've had some brief email correspondence, and traded phone messages, with the Investor Relations office of the company. As of now, the discussion is off-the-record. I am anxious for Cigna to go on the record and answer these questions so that I can report the company's side of the story. I like this company. I wouldn't be invested in it if I didn't think that the management of the company was excellent at running its core business. Cigna as a business has a lot going for it (of course, I'm not making any specific investment recommendations in saying this, and as I already disclosed, I work for a company which is invested in it, and in which I am personally invested). I'm not biased against this company; quite to the contrary, my interests are aligned with it. However, Cigna simply needs to either get out of extraneous political debates and leave the culture wars to the culture warriors, or to give an open, clear, and transparent accounting to its owners for such politicking. If Cigna decides to go on the record and address these questions, I will be happy to publish its side of the story. Churches needed more than ever to treat COVID-19 trauma: TD Jakes Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As the nation slowly emerges from the deadly grip of the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccinations and declining case numbers, the Church will be needed more than ever to treat the residue of trauma left in the wake of the virus, according to megachurch leader and televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes. Jakes, who is senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, shared his thoughts on recovering from the pandemic during an event hosted by the Ad Council Thursday called Finishing The Race! to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence among the faith community. I borrowed this from [Bishop] Vashti McKenzie, but it really aptly describes our reality that trouble doesnt last always, but trauma lasts for a while. And I think we have to realize that as the trouble begins to dissipate that does not mean that the trauma is gone, Jakes began in response to a question about recovering from the pandemic asked by Joshua DuBois, CEO of Values Partnerships, who moderated the event. And the Church is more needed now than ever before to treat the residue of trauma. Were seeing it in an escalation of murders. We are seeing it in an escalation of divorce. Were seeing it in an escalation of spousal abuse. Trauma takes on a lot of forms. And its one thing to hear it as a word, but when you see it in the behavior of people, sometimes we dont really associate their behavior with the isolation that preceded it, the fear and the frustration, the loss of jobs that preceded it, Jakes noted at the event which was supported by the Black Coalition Against COVID-19, Choose Healthy Life, National African American Clergy Network, National Association of Evangelicals and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. The Church is needed more than ever before. The Gospel is needed more than ever before, and finding ways that we can minister to the souls of men, the emotions, the mind, memories in a holistic way. If youre not sleeping right, if youre not eating right, if youre having digestive issues it may be coming from suppressed trauma that may not be showing outwardly but may be eating you up inwardly. Ministry is very helpful, he continued. David said, no man cared for my soul. The doctors can care for your body, but the Church cares for your soul. So whether it takes therapy, counseling, but most of all ministry to get you to well, thats what we want to see happen. Jakes explained that the vaccination rate among his parishioners at The Potters House has been growing and the church is slowly relaxing their restriction while maintaining safety protocols. We have gone from preaching to an empty room to preaching to a partially-filled room, mostly with our volunteers and staff, and now were opening it on up to our membership incrementally, Jakes said. Across the country, other pastors are sharing similar stories that theyre starting to stick their toe in the water, at least in moving toward normalcy. Were balancing that between people contracting the virus, some people being lost to the virus, but more and more, the numbers are starting to trend down. The numbers in our city are trending down He urged Christians who are still on the fence about getting vaccinated to do your due diligence with the help of qualified professionals, then make the healthiest choice they can. COVID-19 case counts have been declining by 5% or more in nearly every U.S. state, according to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, and nationwide levels of infections and deaths have continued trending downward. "An average of about 1.8 million vaccinations are being done in the U.S. each day over the past week," and "47.5% of the population has received at least one vaccine dose," federal data show. An official told China.org.cn that a processing base for Chongqing hot pot ingredients and raw materials will be built in Chongqing Fuling Comprehensive Bonded Zone. A photo shows a Chongqing hot pot at a local restaurant. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China.org.cn] Hot pot is an iconic local food and even a way of life in Chongqing municipality and its neighboring Sichuan province, where hot pot restaurants can be found everywhere. The dish brings family and friends together around a boiling and spicy pot, where they can cook and eat meats and vegetables in an instant, all the while chatting and having fun. "Hot pot is such a specialty in Chongqing that we need a lot of raw materials to support the industry such as various meats and animal internal organs, but the domestic supply cannot meet our demands," said Yang Fei, vice head of management committee of Chongqing Fuling Comprehensive Bonded Zone, one of the five boned zones in Chongqing. "So we have communicated with the Belt and Road countries, including some Central Asian countries, as they have plenty of supplies. Then we talked to some key Chinese companies in Chongqing and formed a vision." A photo shows reporters touring the Chongqing Fuling Comprehensive Bonded Zone on May 22, 2021. [Photo/China.org.cn] According to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, the development of the Chongqing hot pot industry has entered the "fast lane." There are nearly 30,000 hot pot restaurants in the city, with an annual operating income of nearly 60 billion yuan and total revenue for the entire hot pot industry exceeding 100 billion yuan, with nearly 600,000 people engaging in the business. Yang said the bonded zone plans to build a bonded distribution and processing base for Chongqing hot pot ingredients and raw materials so that such goods from the Belt and Road countries as well as seafood from Southeast Asia can be imported into the bonded zone. Those countries can enjoy preferential policies for getting their items cut, packaged, or further processed here before distributing them to Chongqing or other places in southwest China. By doing so, Yang said that the bonded zone will be different from other bonded zones. Chongqing Fuling Comprehensive Bonded Zone was completed and started independent customs operations on Dec. 27, 2019. The zone enjoys geographical advantages thanks to Chongqing's position at the intersection of the Belt and Road and the Yangtze River Economic Belt. In terms of water transport, the bonded zone is adjacent to the Yangtze River known as the "golden waterway," and faces Longtou Port Chongqing's main port across the river. As for road and railway transport, the bonded zone features three expressways and three railway logistics channels nearby. SBC church membership suffers new historic 1-year decline of more than 400K Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A year after reporting the largest single-year membership decline in more than 100 years, churches in the Southern Baptist Convention, the nations largest Protestant denomination, lost more than 400,000 members in 2020 and set a new record for the single-year decline amid the coronavirus pandemic and a bitter culture war. The Annual Church Profile report shows membership in SBC congregations declined by a staggering 435,632 in 2020, more than 50% higher than the 287,655 members the denomination reported losing from 2018 to 2019. While the number of SBC congregations increased slightly by 62 to 47,592 over the previous year, the decline in membership in 2020 continues a sustained negative 14-year trend that began when SBC church membership peaked at 16.3 million in 2006. Since then, the denomination has declined in membership by nearly 2 million. About 69% of Southern Baptist congregations participated in the reporting for the Annual Church Profile. Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, said in a statement that the steep decline in membership at SBC congregations resulted from fewer additions through baptism and other additions, likely more deaths from COVID-19 and other reductions in the membership of individual Southern Baptist congregations. Numerous church leaders have described their attempts to stay in touch with their congregation throughout the pandemic, McConnell said. As congregations rediscovered the telephone, they also discovered some on their membership lists who moved away, joined another church, or no longer wanted to be a member. A nearly 50% baptism decline in SBC congregations was also reported for 2020, which was also significantly impacted by the pandemic. In 2020, 123,160 baptisms were reported compared to 235,748 in 2019, representing the ninth year of a sustained drop in baptisms. Socially distant behavior is helpful for containing a pandemic, but it hindered meeting new people, inviting people to church, and helping them take a step of obedience to be baptized, McConnell said. The additional outreach through online methods did not make a dent in the smaller number of opportunities to share the gospel in person, including fewer Vacation Bible Schools, live events, and weekly services to invite people to attend. The last year Southern Baptists saw this few people follow Christ for the first time was 1918 and 1919 when the influenza pandemic was sweeping the world. Southern Baptist baptisms declined by more than 4% in 2019, dropping from 246,442 in 2018 to 235,748 in 2019. At the time, McConnell blamed the decline on Americas increasing secularization. These numbers are not able to tell the story of all the evangelistic efforts that many individuals and churches have put in this past year. They do indicate, however, that the efforts of the same number of people in a congregation on average are seeing fewer people come to Christ and being baptized, McConnell said in a statement at the time. The Southern Baptist Convention is not immune to the increasing secularization among Americans that is seen in more of our children and our neighbors not having interest in coming to Jesus. A recent study from the Pew Research Center reports that only 65% of Americans now identify as Christian. Those who identify as religiously unaffiliated a group that includes atheists, agnostics and people who dont identify with any religion swelled to 26% of the population. Beyond COVID-19, other issues that rankled the SBC in 2020 and continue to do so today include tensions exacerbated by mass protests against racial injustice and police brutality. Some black leaders left the denomination with their large churches last year over a statement by the Council of Seminary Presidents denouncing critical race theory and intersectionality. The SBC defines critical race theory in Resolution 9 as a set of analytical tools that explain how race has and continues to function in society. Intersectionality is the study of how different personal characteristics overlap and inform ones experience. There is now an impasse over the issue that could likely contribute to more black pastors and their congregations cutting ties with the SBC if Resolution 9, which holds that critical race theory can aid in evaluating a variety of human experiences, is rescinded at the SBCs annual meeting this summer. Other high-profile leaders such as prominent Bible teacher and Living Proof Ministries leader Beth Moore also announced her exit from the denomination this year, saying she does not "identify with some of the things in SBC heritage which she claims havent remained in the past. California to pay $1.35M to settle Harvest Rock Church lawsuit against gathering restrictions Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment California will have to pay over $1 million in legal fees and attorney costs as part of a settlement reached with Harvest Rock Church over litigation surrounding the states lockdown rules. Last year, Harvest Rock and other ministries sued Gov. Gavin Newsom over a coronavirus pandemic lockdown order limiting the size and scope of worship gatherings they argued violated their religious freedom. U.S. District Court Judge Jesus G. Bernal issued an order last week requiring the state to pay the plaintiffs $1.35 million in attorneys fees and legal costs incurred in the case. The order also prohibited unfair treatment of houses of worship in emergency orders, explaining that the state government could impose capacity or numerical restrictions on religious worship services and gatherings at places of worship that are either identical to, or at least as favorable as, the restrictions imposed on other similar gatherings of similar risk. This Order does not prohibit the State from issuing recommendations, best practices, precautions, or other measures, as long as such promulgations make clear to the public that they are voluntary and not enforceable, continued the order. Liberty Counsel Chairman Mat Staver, whose legal nonprofit represented Harvest Rock, said in a statement released Monday that Newsom has now been permanently quarantined and may not violate the First Amendment rights of churches and places of worship again. We are grateful for Pastor Che Ahn, Harvest Rock Church, and Harvest International Ministry. Pastor Ahns leadership and courage has toppled the tyranny and freed every pastor and church in California, he added. Last July, Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry, which includes multiple member churches, filed legal challenges to California's gathering restrictions. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 against Harvest Rock last October, concluding that the limits were justified. The Orders apply the same restrictions to worship services as they do to other indoor congregate events, such as lectures and movie theaters," the court majority argued. "Some congregate activities are completely prohibited in every county, such as attending concerts and spectating sporting events." But in December, the U.S. Supreme Court granted injunctive relief for Harvest Rock, in light of the court's 5-4 ruling in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo. In April, amid various legal challenges to the state restrictions, California lifted rules requiring houses of worship to adhere to capacity limits, changing the standards on places of worship from mandatory to strongly recommended. In response to recent judicial rulings, effective immediately, location and capacity limits on places of worship are not mandatory but are strongly recommended, a government website explained. The linked guidance is in the process of being updated. All other restrictions in the guidance remain in place. Dating apps partner with Biden admin. to incentivize COVID-19 vaccines Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The White House has partnered with Match Group dating apps to incentivize Americans to get vaccinated by offering in-app promotions and privileges through online dating services to those who are vaccinated. Match Group is an online dating company that owns and operates some of the leading online dating apps, which are participating in the initiative. The apps encouraging vaccinations include Tinder, OkCupid, BLK, Hinge, Chispa, Match, Plenty of Fish, Bumble and Badoo. The campaign will launch in the coming weeks and last until July 4, according to a statement. Human connection is so vital for healthy lives it's why I am so committed to this business," Match Group CEO Shar Dubey said. "We are honored to work with the White House on increasing vaccinations across America, which will allow people to once again meet in person and engage in meaningful ways. This will make dating safer for everyone, everywhere." President Joe Biden announced earlier this month his goal to have at least 70% of American adults receive at least one COVID-19 shot by Independence Day, which is when the dating apps campaign ends. This is your choice. Its life and death, Biden said in a May 4 White House speech. On OkCupid, participants will be able to use the Im Vaccinated profile badge. OkCupid relies on self-reporting and does not verify whether a user is vaccinated. Users have the option to opt-out of the badge. Those who add the badge to their OkCupid profile in the first 48 hours will receive a free Boost to help them stand out on the app. And those who have not had the vaccine will receive free resources on where to find one. The promotion will begin on May 24. OkCupid reports that the phrase Im vaccinated on OkCupid profiles increased over 1,400% this month compared to January. Those who have received a vaccine shot or plan to get one typically receive 15% more likes 14% more matches. Tinder users will have the ability to use stickers such as Im Vaccinated or Vaccines Save Lives. Meanwhile, vaccinated BLK users can select a new Vaxified badge and receive a free Boost. Each social media dating site has different incentives to incorporate the vaccination campaign into its dating service. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 60% of American adults had received at least one vaccination dose, and 47% of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated. The CDC released new guidance last week allowing fully vaccinated people to resume pre-pandemic activities without wearing a mask or social distancing while adhering to federal, state and local guidelines. Many states and businesses are also offering incentives for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Krispy Kreme is offering a free glazed doughnut for those who display a COVID-19 vaccination card. Other restaurants offering vaccine incentives include Shake Shack and White Castle, according to People. West Virginia offers $100 savings bonds to residents between the ages of 16 and 35 who get vaccinated. Maryland is offering state employees $100 for getting vaccinated. New Jersey is offering free beer at participating locations for legal adults who receive their vaccination. Some states are offering a lottery prize for the vaccinated, including Ohio, which is offering a $1 million award for five people who get vaccinated, according to NBC News. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rolled out the states Vax & Scratch program on Thursday and will provide lottery tickets with prizes up to $5 million for those who receive the vaccine. The New York Mets and Yankees have teamed up with the New York Department of Health to offer a free game ticket for those who receive a vaccine at the stadium. New Jersey priest pleads guilty to stealing over $500K from church Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from a congregation known for having financial struggles. The Rev. Douglas J. Haefner, a 68-year-old priest who formerly served as head of St. Matthias Church in Somerset, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree theft on Wednesday for stealing the funds for his personal use. Haefner had been criminally charged by the Somerset County Prosecutors Office and entered his plea before Superior Court Judge Peter J. Tober. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4. Anthony P. Kearns III, spokesperson and chancellor of the Diocese of Metuchen, said in a statement released Wednesday that the diocese was grateful that this matter has come to its long-awaited conclusion. This is a sad and disturbing case for all involved, particularly for the people of the parish community who placed their trust and confidence in Fr. Haefner, Kearns said. Now that the Prosecutors office has finished its work, the diocese and parish are able to continue working with insurance adjusters to assess restitution. An audit by the Prosecutors office estimated that Haefner mishandled $516,984.56 in church funds, according to a pastoral letter sent Wednesday by Bishop James F. Checchio. Checchio noted that, since the financial scandal, changes have now been made in our diocese to further strengthen our financial practices. I had already requested that the diocese move to a more regular auditing cycle of our own parishes by an independent auditor, even before Fr. Doug came to me to disclose his mishandling of funds, the bishop wrote. The diocese also requires greater involvement by the laity in parish spending reviews and the submission of additional annual reports to the diocese we have also added a new Parish Financial Services Office to assist the 90 parishes in the diocese with their financial practices and compliance. In 2018, Haefner resigned as head of St. Matthias Church, officially over health problems, with allegations emerging that he had stolen at least $500,000 from the parish. Although Checchio recounted a meeting in which Haefner had confessed his financial wrongdoing, Matthew Adams, an attorney representing Haefner, released a statement at the time claiming his client was not guilty. "It is quite unfortunate that, as he steps out of the public, some have used the opportunity to violate the confidentiality that, as a matter of law, attaches to those health-related issues," said Adams, as reported by NJ Advance Media in 2018. "With respect to the allegations being leveled against him, Father Doug enjoys the same constitutional presumption of innocence as any other citizen." German court upholds ban on prayer vigils near Planned Parenthood-affiliated abortion organization 40 Days for Life to continue fight to restore freedom of religion, assembly and speech Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A German court has upheld a ban on silent prayer gatherings near organizations that promote abortion, dismissing a prayer leaders challenge to have the vigil restrictions lifted. In 2019, a chapter of the global pro-life organization 40 Days for Life was banned from holding prayer vigils near the Pro Familia in Pforzheim, which is the German affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, a multi-billion dollar abortion organization. 40 Days for Life challenged the courts ban since it restricts their right to freedom of religion, assembly and speech, Alliance Defending Freedom International, a faith-based legal advocacy group, reported. The German court dismissed the pro-life groups challenge on May 12, so the prayer vigils remain prohibited. Pavica Vojnovic, the pro-life prayer groups leader, led 40-day vigils twice a year with around 20 people outside the pre-abortion advisery facility to pray for the women considering abortion and their pre-born children. Even though Vojnovic had been granted the necessary permissions to hold the vigils, the municipality has banned the group from praying near the facility for the past two years. Pro Familia, Germanys leading sexual and reproductive health and abortion rights organization, demanded the vigils be banned altogether or moved further away, even though the silent and peaceful vigils didn't prevent anyone from entering the building, and the police found no violations of the law. Every life is valuable and deserves protection, Vojnovic said in a statement. I am shocked that we are being prevented from supporting vulnerable women and their unborn children in prayer." "Its discouraging to hear that silent prayer vigils in a public place are restricted by local authorities," she continued. "Our society must offer better support to mothers in difficult situations. This topic really touches my heart, because Ive stood by many women who have suffered the pain of losing a child. Vojnovic plans to continue the fight to restore her rights to freedom of religion, assembly and speech in court through the assistance of ADF International. This is about more than our group in Pforzheim. Its about whether prayer-free zones are lawful, or whether one is allowed to represent different opinions in the public square, Vojnovic said. That is why we want to continue fighting for this freedom. Felix Bollmann, legal counsel for ADF International, said they regret the courts decision. We are still awaiting the reasoning for the verdict, but it is obvious the dismissal of the case fails to affirm freedom of expression, which is the foundation of every free and fair democracy, Bollmann said in a statement. What kind of society restricts prayer for vulnerable women and children? By prohibiting even silent prayer near an abortion organization, the Pforzheim authorities have gone beyond what could be considered reasonable or proportionate, Bollmann continued. Whether or not people agree with Pavicas views on the sanctity of life, everyone can support the importance of the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, religion, and assembly. The issue of "buffer zones" near abortion organizations is also a concern in the United States. In January, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a pro-life group's challenge to a 15-foot buffer zone from abortion clinic entrances in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Censorship of pro-life organizations is also on the rise across Europe, from banned speech zones to college campuses. In November 2020, Julie Rynkiewicz, a midwifery student and president of the anti-abortion organization Nottingham Students for Life, faced a suspension from United Kingdoms Nottingham University and faced a four-month fitness-to-practice investigation. The university eventually offered a settlement, but Rynkiewicz said her education was put on hold for an unjust investigation where she believes she was targeted for her pro-life beliefs, ADF International reported. Of all places, university is where students should be free to debate and explore ideas especially those with which they disagree, Ryan Christopher, director of ADF International said in a statement. Im pleased that with this settlement, Nottingham University recognized errors that were made in pursuing Julia, who simply wanted to live out her pro-life convictions. A culture of vibrant discussion and free debate must be restored to our universities. Todays censorial culture on campus can easily become cancel culture in the public square. ADF U.K. wrote a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in February urging him to strengthen academic freedom and free speech at universities. Hope in the Holy Land: New film helps Christians understand Israeli-Palestinian conflict Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An organization that promotes Christian engagement in the Middle East has produced a new film that aims to show how Christians should respond and understand the complexities of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Philos Project released its Hope in the Holy Land film for on-demand viewing last Friday as the militant group Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel and Israel Defense Forces responded with airstrikes of its own, marking the worst outbreak of violence in the region since 2014. Robert Nicholson, president and founder of The Philos Project, said it is essential that Christians understand the complexity of the conflict. In the film, American Christian Todd Morehead travels to the Holy Land to gain a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is one of the most contested conflicts in the world and involves Jews, Muslims and Christians. Morehead discovered the struggles of Jews, Muslims and Christians on both sides of the conflict. The film, which is an official selection of the 2020 Justice Film Festival, dives into Israels spiritual and geopolitical issues and the reasons conflict persists today from multiple perspectives. Nicholson hosted a journalists briefing on the day of the film's release to discuss the factors causing the violence toward Israel and how Christians should respond. The most important thing Christians can do for Israel is to pray for peace and for those impacted, Nicholson said. Christians should also engage in models of careful and compassionate speech when discussing the conflict, especially on social media. There are ways that Christians should speak in moments of conflict that are geared toward mitigation rather than the aggravation of violence, Nicholson stressed. I think Christians should be diligent to read carefully to look more deeply, and more importantly to seek some context to get a sense of whats really happening, not the perception, but the reality as much as possible. He warned that Christians should display a phenomenal amount of discernment by helping people gain clarity, not conflating things or putting large slogans or using vague generalities about these sides. But really sort of discerning what is true and speaking in public accordingly, he continued. Since Christianity derives from Judaism, the two religions share a unique relationship, which should be recognized and fostered, he said. Christians should stand with Israelis, and at the same time we need to stand with the Palestinians. I can name many of them, who do seek peace and pluralism with their Jewish neighbors, Nicholson assured. Christians must learn to discern truth from the media and look more deeply into the issue, he said. There are, to my great dismay, a lot of unhelpful voices in the media more often than not, he stressed. He said some people who dont know anything about the conflict or have never been to the region and dont really know anything about whats happening feel called to make allegations of genocide or apartheid or ethnic cleansing against Israel that are really just completely divorced from reality. In fact, [they] exacerbate the conflict in an irresponsible way, Nicholson added. The newly released feature-length film offers a perspective rarely seen in the media and a challenge to a mans heart to love his enemy. The film has a goal for viewers to gain a heart for both Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land, learn the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, discern the truth from propaganda and stand with people who are taking risks for peace. It gives a lot of color to what is really a black and white picture and answers the question of how to turn goodwill into action, Nicholson said. Messianic Jewish radio host Michael Brown, author ofOur Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People, praised the film. [It] is far and away the best documentary I have seen on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Brown said. It is compelling, it is moving, it is fair-minded, it is accurate, and it is beautiful. Above all, it is filled with hope, hope for a better future for all who dwell in the Promised Land. Have you ever dreamed of making your own hours? Fantasized about creating your own product line? Had an idea for a business and been too scared to start? The question of whether or not to start a business has been on many peoples minds as the pandemic has had us all thinking about job security, work-life balance and our purpose and goals in life. Personally, I have always been fascinated by entrepreneurship. In fact, I have started more than 10 businesses in my life, from my baking business (attempted before I started college) to my failed printer business back when I lived in Nigeria (dont buy an expensive printer you cant afford to fix when it breaks) to my most current children's coding-education franchise. I taught myself to code and was looking to get a master's degree in the STEM fields. I emigrated from Nigeria to the United States in 2010 to attend Tufts University and then started a job as a software engineer at Microsoft. By 2018, I was working as a software engineer while balancing life as a mom to two young kids. Balancing family and work became too much, and I quit my job to start my own business. That is how Code Wiz was born. For me, the appeal of starting and owning my own business came from a desire to take charge of my life, be my own boss and have the flexibility that my family needed at that time in our lives. I learned a lot about owning a business and leading a team from my experiences starting and owning businesses even the ones that didnt pan out. What was one of the biggest lessons I learned about business ownership? I heard people complain many times that they couldnt start a business because business owners are "special" or "superhuman." After starting many companies, I know that there is no superpower that makes a successful business owner. However, there are definitely some key traits and skills that will help you in your role. Related: 6 Tips to Start Your Million-Dollar Business From Scratch Here are four key questions to consider before you decide whether business ownership is the right step for you. 1. Are you a good problem solver? Business owners should be described as full-time problem solvers. There will always be problems that arise as you own and grow a business the key is to see all of the problems as opportunities instead of setbacks. If you are easily discouraged by setbacks or bad news, you likely wont feel motivated to push through and find joy in the process of business ownership. Experiencing self-doubt, negative feedback from those around you and imposter syndrome are all common especially in your first year or two in business. The most successful business owners are those who can take negative feedback or real-time challenges and turn them into motivation. If you love solving problems and are not easily discouraged, business ownership could be a great option for you. 2. Do you have creative ideas? Do your friends and family often say, "You have the best ideas or, You are always full of ideas," because if they do, you could make an excellent business owner. When you own a business, you are constantly coming up with new ideas for products, marketing strategies, boosting revenue, lead generation or how to improve company culture. If you are a creative person, you may have thought that a business ownership role is not a fit for you, but creativity is actually a key aspect of owning a business. Yes, you likely wont be painting or drawing (although you never know), but you will be challenged to come up with creative ideas every week. If you love to be creative and are always bursting with new ideas, owning a business is a great way to share your ideas with the world. 3. Do you have lots of energy? If you are someone that has after-work hobbies or if you are constantly seeking out new activities and weekend projects, you will likely have the energy required for owning your own business. Running a business is a lot of work, so you need to have a fired-up attitude and the energy to grow your brand every day. Another way to look at this is that starting a new project that excites you is a great way to create more energy. Often we can feel depleted or constantly tired when we are working in a job that we find uninspiring or unstimulating. If starting a business fills you with that excited-nervous kind of energy, it could be a great career shift to consider. 4. Do you suffer from analysis paralysis? Business is all about being quick and decisive. Problems arise all the time, and it is important to be able to make a swift decision, see how your solution works and then handle any consequences that may occur. If you struggle to make quick, effective decisions and like to have more time to analyze problems before making a decision, you may have a difficult time owning a business. It is a fast-paced career and requires confidence under pressure. Although confidence is a great skill to build and grow as a business owner, confidence is different from arrogance. Arrogance will not serve you well. Part of leading a team and a successful business is the willingness to accept your (and often others') mistakes and learn from them to do better the next time. Related: 5 Honest Truths About Starting a Business What are the results after you asked yourself these four key questions? Is business ownership a good fit for you? However you answered, the number-one thing I hope you take away is this: You do not need a special degree or superpower to own your own business. If you are a creative, energetic problem solver and you have an idea for a company or product, then go for it! Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved There is a COVID-19 side effect that I don't think anyone could have expected. Macroglossia is a condition in which the tongue grows abnormally large in comparison to other oral structures and a Houston doctor is trying to figure out why at least nine COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized from it. IS THERE A REASON? Why are side effects more intense with the second COVID-19 vaccine dose? "It is psychologically depressing because they are looked at as an oddity," said Dr. James Melville of UTHealth School of Dentistry, per Newsweek's Aristos Georgiou. "They have to be on a feeding tube, a permanent tracheostomy for an airway, and there is an infection risk. The tongue completely dries out, so you have to wrap it to keep it moist so it doesn't crack and bleed." All nine patients had been intubated in a hospital, with eight of them being African-American. Two of the patients had strokes before developing macroglossia, and the remaining seven had been hospitalized with COVID-19, as reported by Whitfield. It usually occurs as a result of an underlying disorder that can be present at birth, but in rare cases, can also occur as a standalone congenital feature. The direct link between the virus and the disease remains a mystery, but inflammatory cells detected on the patient's tongue proves there's something about the virus that makes some people more susceptible to this rare disease. READ THIS: If you're still skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine, this is for you Drooling, speech impairment, difficulty eating, stridor, snoring, airway obstruction, abnormal jaw and tooth growth, ulceration, and/or dying tissue on the tip of the tongue are all symptoms of macroglossia. Dr. Melville, who believes the condition "has a lot to do with where the virus is attaching itself and the bodys immune response to it is currently working on a study to see if the patients' genes have a common link, per KHOU-11's Stephanie Whitfield. Bust out your rainbow flags and get ready to celebrate. June is just around the corner, and Connecticut is ready to observe Pride month with in-person and virtual activities. Pride is a month-long celebration that recognizes members of the LGBTQIA+ community, promoting increased visibility and equality to a population whose members have historically been forced to conceal their identities. This year, Connecticut is offering up programs for LGBTQIA+ members and allies of all ages including film festivals, virtual parades, Queer Prom and more. Southington Pride In Southington, the locals are kicking off the celebrations early with events in late May and early June. Tickets ($35) to Diner, Drinks and Drag on May 28 at the Kinsmen Brewing Co. includes admission and one drink. The Family PRIDE Festival (free; registration required) on May 29 at the YMCA Camp Sloper Outdoor Center is for families and kids of all ages to celebrate Pride; from 1-3 p.m. folks can participate in activities like rock climbing, a superslide and crafts. At 4 p.m. there will be a Drag Queen Story Hour featuring books by Sonia Sotomayor, Jonathan Van Ness and Sara OLeary. Balls in the Air Drag Queen Bingo Brunch ($60) at Witchdoctor Brewing Company on June 6 features six games of Bingo, three performances brunch and two cidermosas. For more information, visit the Southington Pride Facebook page. 34th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival In Hartford, you can celebrate Pride by attending the hybrid film festival June 4-13 that features 27 film programs, 14 feature films, three documentaries, one series and 83 short films. The festival can be attended in-person at Cinestudio on the Trinity College campus or virtually. The festival is hosted by Out Film CT, a nonprofit organization dedicated to LGBTQ cinema. For more information, visit outfilmct.org. Westport PRIDE A virtual panel discussion on Westport PRIDE: LGBTQ+ History; Past, Present and Future will be held on June 2 at the Westport Library at 7 p.m, featuring Westport PRIDE founder Brian McGunagle, writer and activist Dan Woog and other members of Westports LGBTQ+ and ally community. Registration is required to attend. For more information, visit westportlibrary.org. Middletown Pride Parade This years Middletown Pride Parade will be running virtually on June 5 at 1 p.m. in order to keep up with social distancing guidelines, but that doesnt mean the fun ends there. Taylor Kinzler from CT Live! will be hosting the virtual demonstration of Middletown Pride. According to the website, the Pride celebration is intended to recognize, benefit and empower marginalized members of the LGBTQIA community. Middletown first celebrated Pride in 2019 in honor of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. For more information, visit middletownpride.org. Queer Prom The Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective will be celebrating their 27th Queer Prom virtually on June 12. The event is free for high school students and offers an additional in-person event where attendees can have a photo-op and pick up swag bags. Register to attend the in-person portion of the event. For more information, visit hglhc.org. Ridgefield Pride in the Park On June 26, the town of Ridgefield will hold a free Pride event from noon to 3 p.m. in Ballard Park. The celebration will include a march at 1 p.m. The event is part of Ridgefields week of Pride events, which also includes a screening of The Birdcage at the Ridgefield Playhouse on June 30. For more information, visit ridgefieldctpride.com. West Hartford Pride West Hartford will kick off its Pride celebrations with a flag raising on June 1 at the Unity Green. On July 26 West Hartford Pride will present a Mini FilmFest with Out Film CT. West Hartford Pride is also hosting a Childrens Celebration exhibition that will feature artwork by the children of LGBTQ families June 22 through July 2. According to their website there will be additional programming planned that will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit westhartfordpride.org. tinamarie.craven@hearstmediact.com Liz Cheney caught Republican hell for doing one good thing. The Wyoming representative earlier this month was ousted from her perch in the partys leadership for daring to suggest the election was not rigged against former President Trump. In the weeks leading up to the vote to strip her of her standing as the third-most-powerful Republican in the House of Representatives, Cheney was attacked by her former allies, from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) saying hed lost confidence in her during a hot-mic moment on Fox News, to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) flying to Wyoming to hold an anti-Cheney rally in front of her own constituents. (This was before news broke that Gaetz is under federal investigation for sex-trafficking a 17-year-old.) The attacks scored Cheney some points with the anti-Trump crowd, but lets review what actually happened here: She cleared the extremely low bar of acknowledging the legitimacy of a legitimate presidential election. What Cheney is not willing to do is protect the legitimacy of the next election. Specifically, shes not willing to oppose a spate of GOP-backed proposals that are exploiting Trumps massive lie about 2020 to make it more difficult to vote in every election thereafter. During a recent appearance on Axios on HBO, Cheney attempted to insulate this legislation from Trump by refusing to draw any connection between the former presidents drive to convince Americans their election systems are rigged and the ensuing rash of Republican bills to make it more difficult for people to vote in Georgia, Texas, and dozens of other states. I think you have to look at the specifics of each one of those efforts, she said when Jonathan Swan pressed her on whether there was a connection. I think everybody should want a situation and a system where people who ought to be able to vote and have the right to vote can vote, and people who dont, shouldnt. .@jonathanvswan presses @RepLizCheney on her defense of restrictive voting laws. Swan: You don't see any linkage between Trump saying the election's stolen and Republicans rushing to put in place these restrictive voter laws? #AxiosOnHBO pic.twitter.com/gN0pS0baqu Axios (@axios) May 23, 2021 Republicans trying to ensure that the people who ought to be able to vote represent their own interests is nothing new, but in the wake of the 2020 election theyve been selling new, restrictive voting bills largely by claiming Americans no longer have faith in their voting systems. This lack of faith has been brought about, of course, by Trumps repeated claims that these election systems are rigged. As Swan points out, even Georgias Republican lieutenant governor, Geoff Duncan, admitted that the states new voting legislation didnt pick up steam until Rudy Giuliani started railing about how the election was fraudulent. This is really the fallout from the 10 weeks of misinformation that flew in from former President Donald Trump, Duncan told CNN of the voting bill. I went back over the weekend to really look at where this really started to gain momentum in the legislature, and it was when Rudy Giuliani showed up in a couple of committee rooms and spent hours spreading misinformation and sowing doubt across, you know, hours of testimony. Cheneys interview with Axios serves as a reminder that even though she expressed regret for voting for Trump last November, theres probably a reason she only chose to stop supporting one of the most destructive presidents in American history when it became clear he was on his way out of office. Former Rep. Justin Amash, one of the only Republicans to break from Trump during his term, stressed this point during a recent interview on the Axe Files podcast. We had four years where she could have stood up and said, Theres a problem here. What Donald Trump is doing is wrong,' Amash said. I think this effort to turn her into some sort of hero is a bit misguided. Chinese authorities on Sunday urged continued relief efforts in the quake-hit provinces of Yunnan and Qinghai, stressing the priority of ensuring the livelihood of the affected. At a video conference called by the office of the State Council's earthquake relief headquarters, minister of emergency management Huang Ming called for coordinated work on quake relief and epidemic control in the areas. The conference required related authorities to distribute relief funds and materials as soon as possible. As the quake-hit areas in Yunnan is located in high mountains and valleys with a large number of people affected, more efforts should be made to prevent the epidemic and secondary disasters, according to the conference. Four earthquakes with a magnitude over 5.0 struck Yangbi Yi Autonomous County in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday. At 2:04 a.m. on Saturday, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Maduo County in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai province. She's got two German Shepherds named Tex and Mex. She's been romping around Austin with her new BFF, country singer and Texas favorite Nikki Lane. Her Old Hollywood-style hair has reverted to her natural wavy blonde, hanging over shoulders covered by prairie dresses that look straight out of old Hill Country postcards. From the outside, it seems Lana Del Rey is giving up her trademark California style. The pop star and even recently released three unexpected, country-inspired tracks (a la Beyonce). It seems Lana real name Elizabeth Grant has succumbed to the feelings so many in California have as well: she wants to be a Texan. Although many of her themes and her Freudian propensities remain unchanged in her new music, Del Rey seemed to do what so many others during the pandemic did: abandon old selves. Gone are Lana's days of dressing up like Jackie Kennedy or Priscilla Presley and mimicking Old Hollywood depictions of glamorous, glitzy women. Nowadays, Lana's album art (painful graphic design at its peak) and music videos often feature her with little or no makeup, in quaintly feminine dresses, hanging out with her girlfriends and celebrating birthdays rather than smoking cigarettes and crying over men who don't love her. RELATED: California elitism doesn't stop even as Texas suffers after storm One of those friends appears to be Lane, who opened up to Rolling Stone about their forged bond and love for the Lone Star State after they toured together in 2019. Lane helped write Del Rey's first stab at the country genre, and is even featured on some of the tracks. "Weve been writing songs driving around in an F-150 in Texas," Lane told the magazine. Touring the American plains and South Texas included appears to have transformed her. Like so many Californians, Del Rey seems disenchanted with the Golden State, as fires burn, population decreases, and wealth swamps big cities. RELATED: California man blasts Texas 'dystopia' in Op-Ed after moving to Austin On "Blue Banisters," her lead single, Del Rey croons, "We were writin' with Nikki Lane, I said I'm scared of the Santa Clarita Fires, I wish that it would rain." The world seems literally on fire, but the country life doesn't. That's not to say Texas and the South don't have their own problems, but we can't really blame Lana if she wants to transform, like many musicians (and Californians) have before her, into a country-loving cowgirl. So far, she's doing an excellent job at it. 20 YEARS AGO Strike talks at PCA The United Steel Workers of American Local 12585 strike will continue at PCAs plant following a scheduled talk yesterday. Jim Hughes, union representative for Local 12585 said that no progress was made in the meeting with union personnel, PCA representatives and a federal mediator. The talks lasted between six and seven hours. 40 YEARS AGO Payment on storm sewer A special meeting of the Manistee city commission was held last night at the council rooms for the main purpose of deciding how to pay the first estimate on the Fourth Street storm sewer project until the bond money arrives. It was decided by the city commission to pay $40,000 of the first estimate of $43,000 to Bower-Fullerton, of Muskegon, contractors for the storm sewer project costing almost $80,000. Playing in touring band A former Manisteean, Peter Synnestvedt, has accepted a job as trombonist with Buddy Morrow Orchestra now on a two-week tour of Texas. Pete is the son of Norman Synnestvedt and is a 1959 graduate of Michigan State University, majoring in radio and television. The talented trombonist also had an audition with the Kai Winding combo. 80 YEARS AGO Forest crews fight fires Enrollees from Camp Wellston extinguished a grass fire at the intersection of M-55 and the Pere Marquette Railroad yesterday. Through the quick action of the forest fire fighting organization, the blaze was held to one tenth of an acre. It is believed that the fire was started from a spark from a passing locomotive. Cartiers Bakery Announcement was made today that Carters Bakery 418 River St. will be closed Monday and under the name of the Buttercup Bakery, will be reopened Tuesday at a new location, 346 First St., formerly the site of Sponnables Market. A new larger oven is being installed at the new quarters to accommodate an increased trade, Tony Sytek, proprietor, has reported. Compiled by Mark Fedder at the Manistee County Historical Museum FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) A lawyer for an 18-year-old man facing charges in connection with a double homicide in Fall River, including the death of a 14-year-old boy, said Monday that authorities have the wrong man. Jeremy Holmes was held without bail after pleading not guilty to weapons charges in district court, pending a hearing to determine whether he is a danger to society. BOSTON (AP) One person was killed and two other people were injured in a late night shooting in Boston, police said. Officers responding to the city's gunfire detection system just before 11 p.m. Sunday found the three victims in the city's Dorchester neighborhood. BANGKOK (AP) An American journalist working for a news magazine in Myanmar was detained Monday by the authorities there, his employers said. Frontier Myanmar, which publishes in both English and Burmese and also online, said on Twitter that Danny Fenster, its managing editor, was detained at Yangon International Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It said the magazine did not know why Fenster was detained and had not been able to contact him, but it understood that he had been taken to Insein Prison in Yangon, which over decades has housed thousands of political prisoners. The junta that took power in February after the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi has arrested about 80 journalists, roughly half of whom remain detained awaiting charges or trial. Fenster is the fourth foreign journalist to be detained, after Kamayut Media editor-in-chief and fellow U.S. citizen Nathan Maung, who is detained at Insein Prison, and freelancers Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan, who were expelled. According to Myanmars Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which keeps a detailed tally of arrests and deaths since the military takeover, almost 4,300 people are in detention, including 95 who have already been sentenced. Fenster is a 37-year-old native of the Detroit area who joined Frontier Myanmar in August 2020. Deadline Detroit, a news website to which he was an occasional contributor, said he had been en route to see his family back home when he was detained. It said he has a master's degree in creative writing from Detroits Wayne State University, and had worked for a newspaper in Louisiana before moving to Southeast Asia. He has a fascination and passion for writing about folks who struggle and fight for social justice, brother Bryan Fenster in the Detroit area told The Associated Press. He was very interested in what was happening with Rohingya people there. It's a delicate, complex situation. ... We hope hes safe. Such a shame." Rohingya Muslims fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar for Bangladesh in 2017 during a major crackdown by the military. Frontier Myanmar is one of two established English-language media outlets in Myanmar still allowed to publish, along with The Irrawaddy. Two others, Myanmar Now and Mizzima, were banned but continue to operate underground. We dont have much to add beyond what we said in the statement, Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of Frontier Myanmar, told the AP. The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar was unable to provide details about any such incident because of privacy considerations, said its spokeswoman, Aryani Manning. ___ This story has been updated to correct the name of the Detroit news site where Fenster was an occasional contributor, and to show that he's the fourth foreign to be journalist detained since February, not the third. NEW ORLEANS (AP) In perhaps the strongest evidence yet of an attempted cover-up in the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene, the ranking Louisiana State Police officer at the scene falsely told internal investigators that the Black man was still a threat to flee after he was shackled, and he denied the existence of his own body camera video for nearly two years until it emerged just last month. New state police documents obtained by The Associated Press show numerous inconsistencies between Lt. John Clarys statements to detectives and the body camera footage he denied having. They add to growing signs of obfuscation in Greenes death, which the white troopers initially blamed on a car crash at the end of a high-speed chase and is now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. The highly secretive case has drawn national attention since last week when the AP began publishing graphic body camera videos that showed troopers repeatedly jolting Greene with stun guns, putting him in a chokehold, punching him and dragging him by his ankle shackles. And like George Floyd's death a year ago, it once again highlighted the importance of video as key evidence in police misconduct cases. Video doesn't lie, and the best way to protect the integrity of law enforcement agencies is with body camera footage, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a New Orleans-based watchdog group. But Clary, the highest-ranking officer among at least six state troopers at the scene of Greene's May 10, 2019, arrest, told investigators later that day that he had no body camera footage of the incident a statement proven to be untrue when his 30-minute body camera video of the arrest emerged last month. Clary, who arrived at the scene just seconds after troopers stunned, choked and punched Greene to get him into handcuffs, told investigators that Greene was still, yelling and screaming ... and he was still resisting, even though he was handcuffed. He was still trying to get away and was not cooperating. Investigators wrote in a six-page report filed less than three weeks ago that Clarys description of Greene's demeanor after he was cuffed on a dark roadside near Monroe was clearly a mischaracterization. Though they did not state it explicitly, the false statements were apparently intended to justify further uses of force by troopers against the prone Greene that included dragging him facedown by his ankle shackles and spraying him in the face with pepper spray. The video evidence in this case does not show Greene screaming, resisting or trying to get away, Detective Albert Paxton wrote in the new report. The only screams revealed by the video were when Greene responded to force applied to him." The report added that Clarys own video, published last week by the AP and later released by the state, shows Greene lying on the ground, face down, handcuffed behind his back, leg shackles on his ankles, uttering the phrases, Im sorry, or Im scared or Yes sir or Okay. Clarys video shows troopers ordering the heavyset, 49-year-old Greene to remain facedown on the ground with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes a tactic use-of-force experts criticized as dangerous and likely to have restricted his breathing. Greene can be seen on Clarys footage struggling to prop himself up on his side. Dont you turn over! Lay on your belly! Lay on your belly! Trooper Kory York yells before briefly dragging Greene by the chain that connects his ankle shackles. Lt. Clarys video clearly shows Greene to be suffering, Paxton wrote in the new report, adding that the handcuffed man can be heard gasping for air. Though what happens to Greene next cannot be seen on the video, investigators wrote that Greenes eyes are squeezed shut as he shakes his head back and forth moaning in pain, movements consistent with having been sprayed in the face with (pepper) spray." The records noted that around this time Trooper York asked Greene if he has his attention now and a local deputy assisting in the arrest added, Yeah, that sh-- hurts, doesnt it? Another false statement noted in the report was when Clary told investigators that his troopers sat Greene up and immediately held his head up so he could get a clear airway. Clary's video, however, showed troopers saying they didnt want to sit Greene up because they were afraid he would spit blood on them. Then dont do that, Clary tells them. Even after Greene became unresponsive and troopers sat him up, his head was slumped down on his chest and they did not make a move to lift his head to make a clear airway for nearly six minutes. The officers have the duty and obligation to ensure that he is capable of breathing ... and they chose not to do that, said Andrew Scott, a former Boca Raton, Florida, police chief who testifies as an expert in use-of-force cases. When he was in handcuffs, he was completely compliant. The only thing he wanted to do was turn over onto his side, Scott added. He couldnt resist. He was incapable of resisting. Clary, who has been with the Louisiana State Police for 31 years, has not faced any discipline for his role in the Greene case. He did not return phone and text messages seeking comment Monday. State police spokesman Capt. Nick Manale said internal reviews are ongoing to determine why the Clary video was not identified during the original criminal investigation. Union Parish District Attorney John Belton, who is pursuing a state investigation of the troopers' actions, told the AP he only became aware of Clary's footage recently. Clary cannot claim he was unaware his body camera was recording, the investigators noted, citing a moment on his video when he points to his own camera in an apparent warning to one of his troopers at the scene of Greenes arrest. At another point, the records say, a trooper pointed out that Lt. Clarys body camera was recording, causing Lt. Clary to immediately turn it off. The concealed video is only the latest anomaly in the law enforcement response to Greenes death. Troopers initially told Greenes family he died in a car crash, and later the state police issued a brief statement acknowledging there was a struggle with officers and that Greene died on the way to the hospital. There was no mention made of any use of force by troopers. State police also did not open an administrative investigation into the troopers use of force until 474 days after Greenes death. And Louisiana officials from Gov. John Bel Edwards on down repeatedly refused to publicly release any body camera video of Greenes arrest for more than two years, until last week after AP began publishing videos it obtained. The AP last week also obtained a 10-page autopsy report that shows state police failed to turn over to forensic pathologists even the most routine documents relating to Greenes arrest, including police reports, collision details or emergency medical records. The lack of transparency reeks of a potential cover up, Goyeneche said. If the Louisiana State Police were vigilant and on top of its game, there would have been discipline and terminations years ago in this case. LONDON - A British Black Lives Matter activist is fighting for her life after being shot in the head during the early hours of Sunday morning. Sasha Johnson, a 27-year-old mother, is in a critical condition after the incident, which comes amid "numerous death threats," according to a statement from the political party she is affiliated with. Police did not name Johnson but confirmed a woman was shot in the London borough of Southwark at around 3 a.m. Sunday morning "in the vicinity of a house where a party was taking place." She was taken to a nearby hospital. Officers have appealed for witnesses to come forward. Britain's Taking the Initiative party announced over the weekend that "our own Sasha Johnson has sustained a gunshot wound to her head." Describing Johnson as a "strong, powerful voice," the group said she was known for "actively fighting for black people and the injustices that surround the black community." The party, which was founded last year and seeks to represent Black people and those from a working class background, said that Johnson had received several death threats before the attack. London's Metropolitan Police Service, however, said that at present "there is nothing to suggest" that the shooting in south London was targeted and linked to her activism. "This was a shocking incident that has left a young woman with very serious injuries. Our thoughts are with her family who are being provided with support at this terribly difficult time," Detective Chief Inspector Jimi Tele said. Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Johnson's friend Imarn Ayton, said that she did not think the activist was the intended target, saying that she believed instead that the incident was linked to a disagreement between "rival gangs." Labour lawmaker David Lammy described the shooting as "gut-wrenching," while Claudia Webbe, also a Labour MP, said "all women should be safe on our streets." The official Twitter account of Black Lives Matter U.K. said it was shocked by the shooting of "a young mother and fearless political campaigner," adding that she was a prominent figure who had been at the forefront of marches last year as many more took to social media to offer their well wishes, using the hashtag #prayforsashajohnson. Johnson helped organize a string of protests across Britain last summer and had been recorded speaking to crowds in the streets while wearing a stab-proof vest and camouflage print trousers. She also helped organize the Million People March which took place in London in August last year to protest systemic racism on British soil - despite police warnings against mass gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak. "As a people, we're not going to stop until we have equal rights and justice," Johnson said at the time, adding that she hoped the movement would "empower the community to strive for better." Speaking to British media, Johnson told the MailOnline that she was calling for a "racial offenders register" that would see those guilty of "microaggressions" banned from living in multicultural communities and prevented from working in certain industries. "If you live in a majority-coloured neighborhood you shouldn't reside there because you're a risk to those people - just like if a sex offender lived next to a school he would be a risk to those children," she said. In the past, Johnson has also lead calls to defund the police. In March, Johnson posted a video on an Instagram account bearing her name, showing followers that her car window had been smashed and dented. "Just warning you guys that people are attacking activists that are speaking out," she said. "My car has been smashed up. This is what happens as a Black woman when you come to the surface and you start to speak out." A vigil is due to take place outside Kings College Hospital on Monday afternoon, which organizers say will be a space for people to pray, show support and "take a stand against senseless violence." No arrests have yet been made in connection to the case. While knife crime has long been an issue in Britain, reaching record highs in 2019, fatal shootings are relatively rare in a country where most police officers on duty are unarmed. In 2019, 33 people were killed as a result of gun crime according to Britain's Office for National Statistics. In the year ending March 2020, there were an estimated around 46,000 recorded offenses involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales, which Parliament has called "a persistent and worrying concern." DENVER (AP) Colorado Democrats outlined their priorities Monday for $3.8 billion in federal virus relief destined for the state under the Biden administrations American Rescue Plan, and budgetary support, workforce development, affordable housing and mental health top their agenda. Gov. Jared Polis, majority Democrat legislative leaders and the four Democratic members of Colorados congressional delegation gave an overview of the plans at a Capitol news conference. Polis and others emphasized the outline came after virtual and in-person meetings with Coloradans across the state in recent months. Polis said roughly $1.3 billion will be used to shore up current and future state and local spending; another third will go to workforce development, affordable housing and mental and behavioral health; and a similar amount will support transportation and rural development and agriculture spending. Some of the state budget support will be unveiled in legislation currently being drafted for consideration this legislative session, said Sen. Dominick Moreno, chair of the Joint Budget Committee. A bipartisan legislative task force will study how to invest the coming pandemic relief funds in housing, behavioral health and job creation over the summer, said House Speaker Alec Garnett. At least $750 million will be set aside for future economic stimulus spending once lawmakers determine gaps in aid and reconvene in 2022, Senate President Leroy Garcia said. Possible targets include unemployment insurance trust funds, targeted rural aid, and investment in solar energy and broadband, he said. The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief law signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year, contains $350 billion of flexible aid for state and local governments, plus billions of dollars more for specific programs such as housing assistance. States have broad leeway to use the money to plug budget holes, invest in infrastructure or address negative economic impacts of the pandemic. It comes on top of $150 billion the federal government sent to states and local governments last year. States are expected to receive an initial installment soon, with a second round coming a year later. Like her counterparts, House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar declared the relief aid is a once-in-a-generation chance to promote an equitable recovery where all Coloradans all Coloradans have an opportunity to succeed. Lawmakers this year have been able to restore $3 billion cut from state spending last year as the pandemic hit, she said. But Esgar and Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg said far more needs to be done, especially in getting Coloradans back to work and investing in affordable housing and other housing-related aid at a time when home and rental prices are skyrocketing, job losses have countless families a step away from eviction and homelessness is widespread. Fenberg said the task force will study ideas such as buying or building affordable housing; down payment aid for first-time homebuyers; lock in properties, along with local governments, to ensure future affordable housing development; and short-term aid for those who've lost their homes. Monday's outlines follow an $800 million state stimulus package, pieces of which are still moving through the Legislature. A 28-year-old woman died when her small car hit an abandoned SUV on an elevated interstate shoulder, then flipped over the guardrail into a waterway below, Louisiana State Police said. A news release said the impact sent the Ford Explorer SUV into Interstate 55, where it hit a pickup truck just before 1 a.m. Sunday near Manchac in Tangipahoa Parish. SILVERHILL, Ala. (AP) An Alabama man is charged with assault and a 3-year-old girl is recovering after she was shot with an arrow while attending a graduation party, police said. An arrow skipped off dirt and sailed over a fence near where a party was being held Sunday night in Baldwin County, Silverhill Police Chief Kenny Hempfleng told news outlets. The blunt-tipped arrow struck in the chest of the child, narrowly missing her heart. Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended condolences to the family of scientist Yuan Longping, known as "father of hybrid rice," who died on Saturday at the age of 91. The condolences of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, were conveyed by the secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee Xu Dazhe, according to Hunan Daily. Xu visited Yuan's family on Sunday and conveyed Xi's mourning for Yuan's passing. Born in 1930, Yuan succeeded in cultivating the world's first high-yield hybrid rice strain in 1973, which was later grown on a large scale in China and other countries to substantially raise output. Over the next four decades, he continued to research and upgrade hybrid rice, which has now reached its third generation. In the message, Xi highly affirmed Yuan's contribution to China's food security, innovation in agricultural technology, and world grain development. Xi urged Party members, cadres, and science and technology professionals to learn from Yuan, particularly his love for the Party, the motherland and the people, dedication to the needs of the motherland and the people, and other noble qualities. Yuan's family members expressed their gratitude and said they would carry forward Yuan's legacy to make new contributions to society. SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) Rescuers were searching Sunday by land and by air for a Texas man who went missing on the trails of snowy Mt. Whitney after reaching the summit of the tallest mountain in the Sierra Nevada. Edward Lee Alderman, 33, of Austin was last seen Thursday after he and a hiking partner separated somewhere near the summit, rangers at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks said. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) Dartmouth College is increasing mental health support and loosening some COVID-19 restrictions in dorms amid concerns about students feeling isolated. The pandemic has exacerbated many problems, but foremost among them has been mental health, Dartmouth President Phil Hanlon and other officials said Friday in message to students, employees and parents of undergraduates. On this critical issue, we must do more to support our community. Under the new rules meant to increase socialization, students are now allowed to host two guests who also live on campus in their dorm rooms at the same time, the Valley News reported. The college also is adding a second nurse to the on-call staffing at its health center and plans to add new counselors and a student wellness coordinator to expand mental health services. The two counselors will also receive suicide prevention training following the deaths of multiple students throughout the pandemic. The changes were announced two days after the death of a freshman at her home in New York. Two other freshmen and a junior also have died this academic year. A candlelight vigil for all four will be held Tuesday night. THE NUMBERS More than 98,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in New Hampshire, including 52 cases announced Monday. No new deaths were announced, keeping the total at 1,344. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire decreased over the past two weeks, going from 178 new cases a day on May 8 to 90 new cases a day on Saturday. ___ Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak. HELENA, Mont. (AP) Most of the statewide elected officials in Montana are expecting a salary increase soon under a state law that requires comparative pay raises every other year. The Montana Legislature passed laws in 1995 that require the state Department of Administration to conduct surveys comparing the salaries of the state's elected executive branch officials and justices with the same positions in Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, the Independent Record reported. Under the law, the Supreme Court justices and district court judges will receive a 4.2% raise on July 1. The salary for the Supreme Court chief justice will increase from $151,486 to $157,784, or the average salary of the chief justices from the other states. The lieutenant governor and Supreme Court clerk will not get a raise, according to the data. The survey that determines any changes to the salary is conducted before the end of June each even-numbered year, officials said. The new salary then takes effect July 1 the following year. The changes this year will be in effect until June 30, 2023. However, elected officials can choose to not accept all or part of the raise. It is not immediately known if any official has declined the raise. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who will receive a more than $4,000 raise, said he will donate his entire salary to various philanthropies statewide. Those philanthropies have not yet been announced. His office released a statement on Friday saying he will make $122,693, which will be donated on a quarterly basis. Gianforte said state employees outside the survey will get a 55-cent-an-hour increase during the next fiscal year under different legislation. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union agreed Monday to impose sanctions on Belarus, including banning its airlines from using the airspace and airports of the 27-nation bloc, amid fury over the forced diversion of a passenger jet to arrest an opposition journalist. Reacting to what EU leaders called a brazen hijacking of the Ryanair jetliner flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday, they also demanded the immediate release of the journalist, Raman Pratasevich, a key foe of authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. We wont tolerate that one can try to play Russian roulette with the lives of innocent civilians, said EU Council chief Charles Michel, who presided over the EU meeting. A brief video clip of Pratasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that played a key role in helping organize huge protests against Lukashenko, was shown on Belarusian state television Monday night, a day after he was removed from the Ryanair flight. Sitting at a table with his hands folded in front of him and speaking rapidly, Pratasevich said he was in satisfactory health and said his treatment in custody was maximally correct and according to law. He added that he was giving evidence to investigators about organizing mass disturbances. In their unusually swift action in Brussels, the EU leaders also urged all EU-based carriers to avoid flying over Belarus, decided to impose sanctions on officials linked to Sunday's flight diversion, and urged the International Civil Aviation Organization to start an investigation into what they viewed as an unprecedented move and what some said amounted to state terrorism or piracy. The leaders called on their council to adopt the necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines. In addition calling for the release of Pratasevich, they also urged authorities in Minsk to free his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was taken off the plane with him. The text was endorsed quickly by the leaders who were determined to respond with a strong reaction to the incident because of the serious endangering of aviation safety and passengers on board by Belarussian authorities, said an EU official with direct knowledge of the discussions who was not authorized to speak publicly about the private talks. At least one European airline already diverted a flight around Belarus. British Airways flight 3599, which on Saturday and Sunday crossed over Belarus, bypassed the country Monday by using Russian airspace instead, according to the website Flightradar24. Ryanair said Belarusian flight controllers told the crew there was a bomb threat against the plane as it was crossing through Belarus airspace Sunday and ordered it to land. A Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled to escort the plane in a brazen show of force by Lukashenko, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for over a quarter-century. Belarus authorities then arrested the 26-year-old activist, journalist and prominent Lukashenko critic. Pratasevich and his Russian girlfriend were taken off the plane shortly after it landed, and authorities haven't said where they're being held. Ryanair Flight FR4978, which began in Athens, Greece, was eventually allowed to continue on to Vilnius, Lithuania. This is an attack on democracy, said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the executive European Commission. This is an attack on freedom of expression. And this is an attack on European sovereignty. And this outrageous behavior needs a strong answer. Von der Leyen added that a 3 billion EU investment and economic package for Belarus will remain on hold until Belarus turns democratic. U.S. President Joe Biden said late Monday that he asked his team to develop appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible, in close coordination with the European Union, other allies and partners, and international organizations. This outrageous incident and the video Mr. Pratasevich appears to have made under duress are shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press. The United States joins countries around the world in calling for his release, as well as for the release of the hundreds of political prisoners who are being unjustly detained by the Lukashenka regime, Biden's statement said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier that National Security adviser Jake Sullivan raised the issue in a call with the secretary of the Russian Security Council. Two U.S. senators urged the Biden administration to prohibit U.S. airlines from entering Belarus airspace because of the incident. We must protect innocent passengers from despotic regimes and stand in solidarity with dissidents who are being targeted, Sens. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, and Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, said in a joint statement. EU leaders were particularly forceful in their condemnation of the arrest and the move against the plane, which was flying between two of the blocs member nations and was being operated by an airline based in Ireland, also a member. EU leaders have tried to bring Belarus closer to the bloc to encourage democratic reforms and reduce the influence of Russia but have failed so far. British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he instructed the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe. He added he was suspending the permit allowing Belavia to operate in the U.K. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered officials to move to cut the air link with Belarus and ban Ukrainian flights via the neighbor's airspace. The U.S. and the EU have imposed sanctions on top Belarusian officials amid months of protests, which were triggered by Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term in an August 2020 vote that the opposition rejected as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since then, and thousands beaten. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry bristled at what it described as belligerent EU statements, insisting Minsk acted in full conformity with international rules. It ordered all Latvian diplomats out of the country after the Belarusian flag was replaced Monday with the white-and-red one used by the opposition at the world ice hockey championship in Riga, Latvia. The event was moved from Minsk amid the international outcry over the crackdown. Lufthansa said a flight from Minsk to Frankfurt with 51 people aboard was delayed Monday following a security warning. It was allowed to depart after the plane, passengers and cargo were searched. On Sunday, flight tracker sites indicated the Ryanair flight was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There were conflicting reports on what exactly happened. Belarusian transport ministry official Artem Sikorsky said the Minsk airport had received an email about the bomb threat from the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But Ryanair said in a statement that Belarusian air traffic control instructed the plane to divert to the capital. The plane was searched, and no bomb was found. Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary described the move as a case of state-sponsored hijacking state-sponsored piracy. Passengers described Pratasevich's shock when he realized the plane was going to Minsk. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there, passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. Pratasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging apps Nexta channel, which played a prominent role in helping organize the anti-Lukashenko protests. Nearly 2 million Belarusians in the nation of 9.3 million people have followed the channel. Belarus authorities have labeled the channel extremist and charged Pratasevich in absentia of inciting mass riots and fanning social hatred. He could face 15 years in prison. Amid the international outrage, Moscow quickly offered a helping hand to its ally. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the episode needs to be investigated but that it couldnt be rushed. Moscow and Minsk have close political, economic and military ties, and Lukashenko has relied on Russian support amid Western sanctions. ___ Associated Press writers raf Casert and Samuel Petrequin reported this story in Brussels and AP writer Vladimir Isachenkov reported from Moscow. AP writers Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sylvia Hui and Jill Lawless in London, David Koenig in Dallas, Alexandra Jaffe in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. LOS ANGELES (AP) A grand jury indicted a former gynecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles on 21 counts of sexual abuse offenses Monday in a case where he is accused of sexually assaulting seven women, court documents say. Dr. James Heaps faces multiple counts each of sexual battery by fraud, sexual exploitation of a patient and sexual penetration of an unconscious person by fraudulent representation, according to a copy of the indictment, which was unsealed Monday. The indictment includes offenses that allegedly took place between 2009 and 2018. No new victims were listed in the court documents. He had previously faced 20 counts. Heaps was taken into custody Monday on $1.19 million bail after the indictment was unsealed, the Los Angeles Times reported. He was arrested in June 2019; his medical license has been suspended by court order as that case moves forward. Heaps has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. Dr. Heaps is confident he will be exonerated at trial, Leonard Levine, his attorney, told the Los Angeles Times. He said his client plans to post bail. Scores of patients have accused Heaps of sexual assault and sexual misconduct between 1983 and 2018, when he worked at the UCLA student health center and UCLA Medical Center. Accusations include making sexually inappropriate comments to patients, touching women sexually during exams without wearing gloves and simulating intercourse, often roughly, with an ultrasound probe. The University of California system in November agreed to a $73 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit, under which more than 6,600 patients of Heaps could receive a payout, even if they have not accused him of abuse. More than 100 of Heaps former patients have filed individual lawsuits. Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom approved a measure allowing a one-year window all of 2021 for victims to file legal claims against Heaps and UCLA that could otherwise have been too late under an existing statute of limitations. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) George Floyd's death under a white Minneapolis police officer's knee severely tarnished Minnesota's reputation as a progressive state on matters of race. Many Black residents say it was never deserved in the first place. The state's seemingly polite exterior, exemplified by the nickname Minnesota Nice," has long concealed some of the countrys worst racial disparities especially when it comes to employment, housing and education. As the state on Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Floyds death, residents are still debating whether anything has changed or will. Marvin Anderson, 81, an activist working to revive the historically Black neighborhood of Rondo in St. Paul, endured explicit acts of racism while living in the Deep South, then returned to his native Minnesota, where he and other Black residents were subjected to less-confrontational slights and microaggressions. He saw Floyd's tragic death a year ago as an opportunity to repair the mildew and rotting timber of America's foundation, but now questions whether Minnesota despite its progressive reputation will be able to lead the way. Minnesota has the capacity, the skill, the intelligence to do better, and thats what hurts more than anything, Anderson said. "If theres one state where you might be able to solve these problems and set an example that other states could follow, it would be Minnesota. Samuel Myers Jr., director of the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the University of Minnesota, has spent years documenting what he calls The Minnesota Paradox. The state boasts high levels of educational attainment, world-class medical care such as the Mayo Clinic, shopping magnets such as the Mall of America, a vibrant arts scene, and big philanthropy-minded employers like 3M, Best Buy, General Mills and Target. All that helps make Minnesota a great place for white residents. But Myers has also documented how different it is for many Black residents: The graduation rate for high school students hit a historic high of nearly 84% in 2019. But for Black students, it was below 70%. And while two-thirds of white students met state reading proficiency standards, only a third of Black students did. Minnesota had the highest rate of home ownership in the nation at nearly 73% according to a 2013 report. For U.S.-born Black Minnesota residents, it was just 26%. The median household income for Minnesota in 2019 was $77,000 for white households and about $42,000 for Black households. When they say a Minnesota that works for all of us, theyre not talking about me. Theyre not talking about people that look like me, said state Rep. John Thompson, 40. Thompson, like many Black Minnesotans, can recount stories of being stopped by police for no good reason. It happened when he was 18, he said, when he and three friends also Black were stopped by officers and frisked when they left a family barbecue and walked down an alley to buy chips. More recently, he said, he was handcuffed by an officer after demanding his money back at a car wash that had malfunctioned and after Thompson said he himself had called police. Thompson eventually became an activist after the high-profile killing of another Black man, his friend Philando Castile, by a police officer in 2016 in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights. As he fights for police accountability and economic equity in the Legislature, he said he has even been accused of racism by some white lawmakers. How on earth can you call a Black man racist for calling out racism?" he said. Walt Jacobs, who chaired the African American & African Studies department at the University of Minnesota before becoming the social sciences dean at San Jose State University, edited a collection of essays on racial dynamics after Floyd's death that was published this month. Its title: Sparked: George Floyd, Racism, and the Progressive Illusion. The whole thing of Minnesota Nice we talk about the weather and other surface level things, but its harder to talk about those bigger issues that might be divisive, he said. Youre expected to be polite, to not have any hostility to folks who are different from you, but youre not going to tackle these potentially explosive issues, not going to get to know people outside your immediate circle of family and friends. Thats been changing since Floyds death and former police Officer Derek Chauvins conviction, he said, with ordinary Minnesotans starting to have those conversations. Change will come out of this, Jacobs said. The question is how much change? What will the extent of the change be? The Rev. Sarah Campbell, a minister at Mayflower Church in Minneapolis, said Floyd's death caused deep soul searching within her progressive but mostly white faith community, part of the United Church of Christ. She said it opened some people's eyes to privilege, hidden bias and unfairness in the state's economic and educational systems. Mayflower was already politically active, but Floyd's death and the protests that followed have led to something new, she said. What feels significantly different now is that were not just doing political organizing, turnout, education, she said. It feels like its really going to another place... our psyches, our souls, our spirits. Anderson spends his time these days trying to make change happen by working to restore the citys Rondo neighborhood, where he grew up, a community ripped in half by the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s. For Anderson, it was all the more painful because he and others saw Rondo as a respite from a hostile and oftentimes racist world. What made Rondo so unique was that it provided a haven where it was kept to an absolute minimum, Anderson said. It was a nurturing place where people were called mister instead of boy, he said, where children heard stories from their elders in the barber or beauty shops that prepared them for the racism of the world outside. Thompson and other Black state lawmakers elected after Floyd's death don't see today's Minnesota as such a haven. They have only to look at the fate of police accountability legislation, which stalled out this year amid Republican opposition. Democratic freshman Rep. Cedrick Frazier, of suburban New Hope, sought to ban police officers from affiliating with white supremacist groups. During one contentious negotiating session, Frazier angered a powerful white senator after Frazier told him, We live in the same Minnesota, but I gotta tell you, I do absolutely experience this Minnesota differently than you do, and a large part is because of my skin color. He said the testy reaction showed how defensive Minnesotans can get. My colleagues who dont look like me and live in a different ZIP code, they need to acknowledge it, Frazier said. Were absolutely not there yet. ___ Associated Press reporter Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this story. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) A few hours after the latest cease-fire took effect in the Gaza Strip, a number of Palestinian journalists in the coastal enclave found they were blocked from accessing WhatsApp messenger a crucial tool used to communicate with sources, editors and the world beyond the blockaded strip. The Associated Press reached out to 17 journalists in Gaza who confirmed their Whatsapp accounts had been blocked since Friday. By midday Monday, only four journalists working for Al Jazeera confirmed their accounts had been restored. The incident marks the latest puzzling move concerning WhatsApp's owner Facebook Inc. thats left Palestinian users or their allies bewildered as to why theyve been targeted by the company, or if indeed theyd been singled out for censorship at all. Twelve of the 17 journalists contacted by the AP said they had been part of a WhatsApp group that disseminates information related to Hamas military operations. Hamas, which rules over the Gaza Strip, is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States, where WhatsApp owner Facebook is headquartered. It's unclear if the journalists were targeted because theyd been following that group's announcements on WhatsApp. Hamas runs Gazas Health Ministry, which has a WhatsApp group followed by more than 80 people, many of them journalists. That group, for example, has not been blocked. Hassan Slaieh, a freelance journalist in Gaza whose WhatsApp account is blocked, said he thinks his account might have been targeted because he was on a group called Hamas Media. This has affected my work and my income because I lost conversations with sources and people, Slaieh said. Al Jazeeras chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael al-Dahdouh, said his access to WhatsApp was blocked around dawn on Friday before it was reinstated Monday. He said journalists subscribe to Hamas groups only to get information needed to do journalistic work. A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company bans accounts to comply with its policies to prevent harm as well as applicable law. The company said it has been in touch with media outlets over the last week about its practices. We will reinstate journalists if any were impacted, the company said. Al Jazeera said that when it sought information regarding its four journalists in Gaza impacted by the blockage, they were told by Facebook that the company had blocked the numbers of groups based out of Gaza and consequently the cell phone numbers of Al Jazeera journalists were part of the groups they had blocked. Among those affected by the WhatsApp blockage are two Agence France-Presse journalists. The Paris-based international news service told the AP it is working with WhatsApp to understand what the problem is and to restore their accounts. The 11-day war caused widespread destruction across Gaza with 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women, killed in the fighting. Israel says 12 people in Israel, including two children, also died. It's not the first time journalists have been suddenly barred from WhatsApp. In 2019, a number of journalists in Gaza had their accounts blocked without explanation. The accounts of those working with international media organizations were restored after contacting the company. Facebook and its photo and video-sharing platform Instagram were criticized this month for removing posts and deleting accounts by users posting about protests against efforts to evict Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It prompted an open letter signed by 30 organizations demanding to know why the posts had been removed. The New York Times also reported that some 100 WhatsApp groups were used by Jewish extremists in Israel for the purpose of committing violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel. WhatsApp said it does not have access to the contents of peoples personal chats, but that they ban accounts when information is reported they believe indicates a user may be involved in causing imminent harm. The company said it also responds to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us. The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, or 7amleh, said in a report published this month that Facebook accepted 81% of requests made by Israels Cyber Unit to remove Palestinian content last year. It found that in 2020, Twitter suspended dozens of accounts of Palestinian users based on information from the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs. Al-Dahdouh, the Al Jazeera correspondent, said although his account was restored, his past history of chats and messages was erased. The groups and conversations were back, but content is erased, as if you are joining a new group or starting a new conversation, he said. I have lost information, images, numbers, messages and communications. Al Jazeera said its journalists in Gaza had their WhatsApp accounts blocked by the host without prior notification. Al Jazeera would like to strongly emphasize that its journalists will continue to use their WhatsApp accounts and other applications for newsgathering purposes and personal communication, the news network told the AP. At no time, have Al Jazeera journalists used their accounts for any means other than for personal or professional use. The Qatar-based news network's office in Gaza was destroyed during the war by Israeli airstrikes that took down the high-rise residential and office tower, which also housed The Associated Press offices. Press freedom groups accused the military, which claimed the building housed Hamas military intelligence, of trying to censor coverage of Israels offensive. The Israeli military telephoned a warning, giving occupants of the building one hour to evacuate. Sada Social, a West Bank-based center tracking alleged violations against Palestinian content on social media, said it was collecting information on the number of Gaza-based journalists impacted by the latest WhatsApp decision. ___ Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates ___ Follow Fares Akram on Twitter at https://twitter.com/faresakram and Aya Batrawy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ayaelb ATLANTA (AP) Gov. Brian Kemp is giving the Georgia Department of Public Safety $5 million to fight street racing and other crime in the Atlanta area. The Republican governor said Monday the money will come from the emergency fund he controls. BAMAKO, Mali (AP) Mutinous soldiers arrested Mali's transitional president and prime minister Monday hours after a government reshuffle left out two members of the junta that had seized power in a coup nine months earlier, the African Union and United Nations said. A joint statement issued along with the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS and other members of the international community called for the immediate release of President Bah NDaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, who were taken to the Kati military headquarters. Those who signed on to the joint statement called for Mali's political transition to resume its course and conclude within the established timeframe." The international community rejects in advance any act of coercion, including forced resignations, the statement said. They emphasize that the ill-considered action taken today carries the risk of weakening the mobilization of the international community in support of Mali. The developments raised new alarm about whether the transitional government would be able to move ahead freely with plans to organize new democratic elections as promised by next February in Mali, where the U.N. is spending $1.2 billion a year on a peacekeeping mission. The two leaders were sworn in last September after the ruling military junta agreed to hand over power to a civilian transitional government under growing international pressure. The junta had grabbed power a month earlier after mutinous soldiers encircled the home of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and fired shots into the air. He later resigned on national television under duress, saying he did not want blood to be shed in order for him to stay in office. The soldiers then went on state television hours later calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People and promising a swift return to civilian rule. However, Monday's developments appeared to throw that promise into question. The arrests came just an hour or so after a new government Cabinet was announced. Notably it did not include Interior Security Minister Modibo Kone or Defense Minister Sadio Camara, both junta supporters. No reason was given for their exclusion, but the move suggested mounting divisions within the transitional government. There has been widespread concern the upheaval in Mali over the past year has further set back efforts to contain the militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups. Islamic extremists took control of major towns in northern Mali after the 2012 coup. Only a 2013 military intervention led by the former colonial power France pushed extremists out of those towns. France and a U.N. force have continued to battle the extremist rebels, who operate in rural areas and regularly attack roads and cities. ___ Associated Press writer Baba Ahmed reported this story in Bamako and AP writer Krista Larson reported from Dakar, Senegal. SEATTLE (AP) A federal judge sentenced a 20-year-old Alaska man Monday to 20 months in prison for trying to set fire to a Seattle police precinct during last summers racial justice protests less than half the prison time sought by prosecutors. Desmond David-Pitts, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty to a federal arson conspiracy charge in January, acknowledging he set a fire to trash piled outside an East Precinct sally-port door late on Aug. 24 while others tried to bar a door to keep officers from leaving. David-Pitts was identified and arrested within an hour, thanks in part to his distinctive pink-camouflage pants. He told investigators he had had bad experiences with police and that he was angry. A handful of people bent on destruction, by committing arson and threatening the safety of our community, also drowned out the important message of those who peacefully protest injustice, Acting Seattle U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a news release after the sentencing. David-Pitts had arrived in Seattle just a few days earlier, amid months of demonstrations that followed the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. He was seen on surveillance video speaking with black-clad participants who used a metal rod and quick-drying cement try to bar the door, and who tried to set other fires at the building. Police nevertheless managed to get outside and join Seattle firefighters in extinguishing the fires. Prosecutors acknowledged that David-Pitts had suffered mistreatment as a child and that he had mental health and substance abuse issues. But they asked U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour for a sentence of just under four years, saying they had already shown leniency by reaching a plea deal that helped David-Pitts avoid a five-year mandatory minimum. You are here: China A team dispatched by China's Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) arrived in the earthquake-hit Qinghai Province in northwest China to guide local rescue work. At 2:04 a.m. on Saturday, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Maduo County of the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the province. By 10 p.m. on Saturday, no casualties had been reported in the prefecture, said the MEM team, citing data from the local government. The earthquake caused 18 injuries in the prefecture. A total of 24,725 people were affected by the disaster, and 8,157 houses collapsed or were damaged, the data shows. Five rescue teams from Qinghai Province have been deployed to help with relief work. By 10 a.m. on Sunday, rescue teams had evacuated 3,765 people, assisted in the construction of tents, distributed drugs and provided medical aid. "In the next step, we will continue to carry out search and rescue work to ensure that no one is left behind," said Hou Jiansheng from the MEM team. The team will also continue to resettle residents affected by the earthquake, strengthen earthquake monitoring and work to prevent all kinds of secondary disasters, he added. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) A man whose 1998 murder of his girlfriends mother gained national headlines apologized in court Monday as his death sentence was reduced to life in prison. Adam William Davis, now 42, told Judge Michelle Sisco not a single day goes by" that he doesn't think of the murder of Vicki Robinson and "how I wish I could turn back the clocks of time and change what happened. Davis was being resentenced for the murder, which happened when he was 19. Prosecutors had decided not to seek the death penalty again after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out his sentence and others because the jury had not voted unanimously for the penalty. Davis' jury voted 7-5. The murder became national news and was told on TV true-crime shows. Ms. Robinson had so much light and love for the world and showed me kindness, Davis said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Her loss is a great tragedy that should never have happened. To her family and loved ones, I express my deepest sorrow for their loss. Robinson had been trying to contain the behavior of her 15-year-old daughter, Valessa, when Davis, the girl and a third teen, Jon Whispel, decided to kill Robinson. Later that night, Davis attacked Robinson in her kitchen, injecting her with bleach. When that didn't kill her, he stabbed her to death. The three then put her body in a trash can and dumped it in the woods. While Davis got a death sentence, Valessa Robinson served 13 years and Whispel was released in 2019. That discrepancy also played a role in the prosecution's decision not to seek another death sentence. Florida ended parole in 1983, so Davis has no possibility of release. No one from Robinson's family was present to hear Davis' apology, but Judge Sisco believed it sincere. Even though you were not a juvenile at the time, you were still young, Sisco said. And I thought to myself that I bet not a night goes by, when youre in your jail cell, that you dont have (anything) but regret for the choices that you made. SALISBURY, Md. (AP) Dozens of people gathered in an Eastern Shore city on Saturday for the unveiling of a memorial honoring three young Black men who were lynched by white mobs in a Maryland county decades ago. The Silent No More event in Salisbury paid tribute to Garfield King, Matthew Williams and an unknown man who also was lynched in Wicomico County. The Salisbury Daily Times reports that people marched through the streets of downtown Salisbury for the unveiling of the memorial plaque and speeches by local leaders and relatives of the lynching victims. The memorial is in front of a courthouse where King and Williams were killed. The event's sponsors included the Salisbury Lynching Memorial Task Force. A task force member, James Yamakawa, said the memorial wont change what happened but issues a challenge to tell the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it is." Not just the truth about who we were, but the truth about who we still are, he added. And if we can tell the truth, then maybe together we can figure out where were going. The Salisbury Lynching Memorial Task Force's website says King, an 18-year-old Black man, was lynched in 1898 after he allegedly shot and killed a 22-year-old white man during an argument outside a store. Mr. King told police he shot Kenney in self-defense, but was not afforded his right to trial before jury. Instead, a mob broke into the jail and dragged King from his cell, beating and clubbing him, the task force says. A mob dragged Williams, 23, from a hospital bed and lynched him in 1931 after he was accused of shooting and killing his white employer, according to the task force. Historians believe that part of the same mob that attacked Williams also may have killed an unidentified man whose body was found on railroad tracks on the outskirts of Salisbury, the task force's website says. LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday loosened COVID-19 workplace safety rules so fully vaccinated employees can go without a mask and disregard distancing requirements. Industry-specific regulations were rescinded. Restaurants and bars, for instance, can reopen pool tables and dance floors and seat more than six people at a table. Cleaning standards were softened. As expected, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration also lifted a requirement that employers prohibit onsite work if employees job can be done remotely clearing the way for a return to offices for the first time in more than 14 months. The law no longer requires remote work," the Democratic governor said during a news conference at furniture manufacturer Steelcase in Grand Rapids. I want to thank the employers who are taking this seriously and working with their employees to navigate things like child care and the work-life balance and ongoing personal health concerns. The revised emergency regulations will expire in October and under an agreement between Whitmer and Republican legislative leaders reached last week will not last longer in the form of permanent rules. Employers must continue to have a written coronavirus preparedness and response plan, and conduct a daily entry self-screening protocol for all entering employees or contractors. Records must be kept for six months. Employers must require unvaccinated workers to wear face coverings when they cannot consistently maintain 6 feet of separation. Fully vaccinated employees have to be masked in health care settings where patients may be present and when traveling on public transportation, as required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not every office is going to come back right away ... and that's OK, said Andy Johnston, vice president of government affairs for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. But we look forward to seeing them come back because from Grand Rapids to Lansing, Detroit to Marquette, it's going to be wonderful to see our office buildings and downtowns reactivated and reinvigorated." Also Monday, the state health department released an updated gatherings and mask order with changes Whitmer announced last week. Starting June 1, indoor capacity limits will be 50%. Establishments will be able to have 25 occupants regardless. Restaurants and bars must still keep records of customers' names and contact information to assist with contact tracing. About 58% of residents ages 16 and older have gotten at least one vaccine dose. Michigan reported nearly 1,400 new cases and 14 deaths over a 48-hour period. The seven-day case average, 1,104, continued to drop as it has for more than five weeks since peaking at around 7,000 in a third surge. The total number of confirmed and probable infections was nearing 1 million. COVID-19 has been linked to more than 20,000 deaths. About 791,000 people had recovered as of Friday. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 MADISON, Wis. (AP) Municipal clerks have referred nearly 30 people to prosecutors for voting illegally in the presidential election out of 3.3 million votes cast, according to data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, undermining former President Donald Trump's claims that rampant voter fraud cost him the state. The commission released a report Monday that found clerks referred 11 people to prosecutors for violations during the November election. Ten referrals were for voting twice, either by voting in different municipalities or by voting both in-person and by absentee ballot. One person in Columbia County was referred to prosecutors for voting as a felon. The Associated Press obtained documents from the commission last week that found 16 people in La Crosse County were referred to prosecutors for registering to vote using a UPS store as their address for the November election. The last report, issued following the spring 2019 election when turnout was 1.2 million, found 15 cases of suspected fraud. Trump has repeatedly claimed that fraud related to absentee voting cost him the election. Republicans in multiple states have introduced legislation to make voting more difficult. Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have introduced more than a dozen bills that would change the states election laws, including measures that would prohibit clerks from filling in missing information on absentee ballot envelopes and limiting the use of absentee ballot drop boxes. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has signaled he will veto any of those bills if they reach his desk. The elections commission also released a separate report Monday tallying the number of prosecutorial referrals for people who voted illegally because they're felons who remain under state supervision. The report looked at every statewide election in 2020 as well as a special election to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner. The commission tallied 10 referrals, including four during the spring primary in February 2020 and six during the spring election in April 2020. Initial findings from a commission audit of the presidential election identified 147 voters who may have been felons, but the Department of Corrections is still reviewing the findings and nothing has been confirmed. Commission spokesman Reid Magney said he expects the review will cut the number of actual felons who voted way down. The commission identified 111 people as potentially voting as felons in the 2016 presidential election. Of those, 79 were referred to prosecutors and 12 have been convicted so far. A little more than 3 million people voted in that election, according to the commission. ___ Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1 LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska will end a $300-a-week unemployment bonus that has been going to jobless workers during the pandemic, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday as he declared a return to normalcy and rescinded the last of his virus-related executive orders. Nebraska joined at least 22 other Republican-led states that are halting the additional unemployment benefits, including assistance for gig workers and the self-employed, who don't normally qualify. Now it's time to return to normalcy, Ricketts said at what he called his last pandemic-related news conference. Ricketts said the extra benefits will end June 19. The state is also stopping pandemic assistance for people who earn money from both self-employment and wages, and a program that extended regular benefits once they were exhausted. The different benefits are going to a total of 15,837 recipients and were slated to expire in September if Nebraska hadn't withdrawn from the federal programs early. Ricketts pointed to Nebraska's status as the state with the lowest unemployment nationally last month and one of the lowest overall throughout the pandemic. He said he also believes that the $300 benefit creates a disincentive to find a job when the state's online job portal has 39,000 open positions. Workers' advocates have disputed that argument and countered that employers should offer higher pay if they want to attract quality employees. Ricketts, who has opposed previous minimum wage increases, said employers should pay what the free market dictates. I certainly think the employers should pay what the market demands to hire people," Ricketts said. The government should not be interfering with that by artificially driving that number up." Nebraska was also one of the first states to reinstate work-search requirements for the unemployed, back in July several months before the the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations peaked. Ricketts has taken a more hands-off approach throughout the pandemic than many other states, imposing coronavirus restrictions in public areas and crowded places, but never issuing a statewide mask mandate or stay-at-home order. Ricketts said the decision to end benefits was based on Nebraska's low hospitalization rate for infected people. Nebraska had 73 people hospitalized as of Sunday, accounting for just 2% of total capacity and down from the record high of 987 in mid-November. Nebraska has confirmed 223,054 cases and 2,249 deaths since the pandemic began, according to the state's online track portal. The state has vaccinated 53.7% of residents who are at least 16 years old. Ricketts also rescinded an executive order that lifted weight limits on truckers hauling food, supplies and equipment, and an order that allowed restaurants to offer take-out alcohol. State lawmakers passed a law this year allowing take-out alcohol indefinitely. The old regulations will go back into effect June 1. ___ Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twiter.com/GrantSchulte (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Denise A. Herd, University of California, Berkeley (THE CONVERSATION) Its been one year since George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer set off the largest protests in U.S. history and a national reckoning with racism. Beyond the protests, every police killing indeed, every violent act by police toward civilians can have painful and widespread consequences. Each year, U.S. police kill about 1,000 people, which equals approximately 8% of allhomicides for adult men. This risk is greater for Black men, who are about 2.5 times more likely to be killed by the police than white men. The effects of these killings ripple from the individual victim to their families and local communities as they cope with the permanence of injury, death and loss. People victimized by the police have demonstrated higher-than-usual rates of depression, psychological distress and even suicide risk. But the pain doesnt stop there. Public health research I am conducting with my research team at the University of California, Berkeley finds that the harm from police killings of Black people goes beyond the people and places directly involved in these incidents to affect Black Americans far from the site of the killing, who may have never met the victim. Evidence shows that many Black Americans across the U.S. experience police killings of other Black people as traumatic events, and that this trauma diminishes the ability of Black communities to thrive. The ripple effect One of the key studies illustrating this ripple effect of police killings on the mental health of Black Americans was published in the medical journal The Lancet in 2018. Boston University researchers surveyed 103,710 people in the U.S. to measure the relationship between police killings and Americans mental health. Among survey respondents, each police-related fatality of an unarmed Black person in the state where they lived was associated with an increase in the number of days when they reported poor mental health relating to stress, depression or emotional issues. The authors estimated that the cumulative impact of U.S. police killings of unarmed Blacks could add up to 55 million additional poor mental health days for the U.S.s 44 million Black people. Police killings of armed Black people did not elicit the same distress among Black Americans. And white Americans suffered no additional poor mental health days, as defined by the researchers, after exposure to police killings no matter the circumstances or race of the victim. The authors speculated that historical and institutional patterns of systematic, targeted violence against Black people combined with a general lack of legal consequences when police officers commit such crimes make the killings of unarmed Blacks particularly stressful for Black Americans. Racism, like trauma, can be experienced vicariously, they concluded. A 2021 study substantiates the Boston Universitys mental health findings. Scouring emergency department admission records in 75 counties in five U.S. states, researchers found that within three months following a police killing of an unarmed Black person in the county in which they reside, Black Americans sought treatment at local emergency departments for depressive symptoms 11% more frequently than in other months. Prenatal and childhood trauma Black women experience acute fear that their children will be harmed by the police. Those who expressed beliefs that Black youth are at higher risk for having negative police experiences were 12 times more likely to report symptoms of depression during their pregnancy than other women, according to one study from 2017. Depression during pregnancy can increase the risks for health problems for both parent and child, including newborns with low birth weight or premature delivery both major causes of infant death. Depression during pregnancy also puts new mothers at higher risk for postpartum depression, which may negatively affect their ability to nurture their children. Police killings can also directly harm the mental health of young people of color. According to Brendesha Tynes 2019 study, exposure to viral videos of police killings is associated with symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among adolescents of color. Health effects Police killings and other negative encounters with police create a climate of fear in Black communities that takes a physical toll on residents. For example, aggressive policing can cause fear and excessive watchfulness among Black Americans that, at elevated levels, are associated with high blood pressure. A New York City-based research team found in 2016 that in neighborhoods where police engaged in the invasive practice of stop and frisk, residents were more likely to have not only high blood pressure but to also suffer from diabetes, get asthma attacks and be overweight. A 2016 study conducted in 75 metropolitan areas across the U.S. found that a police killing of a Black person in the area the year prior was associated with a 7.5% rise in local syphilis rates and a 4% rise in gonorrhea rates perhaps, the authors suggest, because the associated psychological stress leads to riskier sexual behavior. Fear of a police run-in and distrust of institutions might also lead people in these areas to avoid medical services. [The Conversations most important politics headlines, in our Politics Weekly newsletter.] Police violence in a given neighborhood is also linked to lower trust in government, less frequent voting and higher crime rates. It decreases residents perception of their ability to stand together and control what happens in their neighborhood. Policing seen as racism Many people in heavily policed neighborhoods see negative police encounters as forms of discrimination or racism both of which are scientifically documented to worsen the health of Black people. People understand that this system is filled with all sorts of inequality and injustice, and that implicit bias and just outright racism is embedded in the way that policing is done in this nation, said Opal Tometi, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter, in a recent interview with the New Yorker. It amounts to a war on Black life. Ultimately, the cumulative impact of harmful policing can shred the social fabric of Black neighborhoods and drain Black people and their communities of the health and social resources they need to live healthy lives. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/pain-of-police-killings-ripples-outward-to-traumatize-black-people-and-communities-across-us-159624. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) A Utah man has been arrested after police said he struck a state highway patrol trooper last weekend while riding a dirt bike. Jamin Jenkins, 20, faces multiple charges including aggravated assault, failure to respond to an officers signal to stop and purchasing, possessing, or consuming alcohol by a minor, KTVX-TV reported Monday. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said on a radio show he won't be getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but that he might change his mind if people who previously contracted the disease are getting reinfected at a greater rate than those who are vaccinated. The Republican more than a year after contracting COVID-19 said on a podcast released Sunday on WABC-AM in New York that he doesnt want the federal government ordering him around. In a free country you would think people would honor the idea that each individual would get to make their medical decisions, Paul said. Are they going to also tell me I cant have a cheeseburger for lunch? Are they going to tell me I have to eat carrots only and cut my calories? All that would probably be good for me. But I dont think Big Brother ought to tell me to do it. Paul claimed that he has natural immunity, but research suggests having COVID-19 may not protect against getting infected again. And in cases where reinfection causes no symptoms or just mild ones, people might still spread the virus. That's why health officials have urged vaccination as a longer-term solution. Paul announced in March 2020 that he had tested positive for the virus, becoming the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. Senate. At the time it raised fears about further transmission of the virus among senators, including more than two dozen who are in their 70s or 80s. Paul said he continued working at the U.S. Capitol after being tested for coronavirus because he had no symptoms of the illness and believed it was highly unlikely he was sick. Paul also said he did not have direct contact with anyone who tested positive for the virus or was sick. Pauls refusal to self-quarantine after being tested sparked bipartisan outrage, including from some of his colleagues. LEXINGTON, N.C. (AP) North Carolina deputies shot and killed an armed man who fired at them last weekend, a sheriff's office said. The Davidson County Sheriffs Office said in a news release that deputies responding on Saturday to a report of multiple people exchanging gunfire were directed to the suspect, The Dispatch of Lexington reported Monday. The man, identified as Adam Hartley, was tracked to the back yard of a home on N.C. Highway 150. According to the sheriffs office, the man had a firearm and what was termed an edged weapon. BRIDGETON, N.J. (AP) A shooting at a birthday party in New Jersey that left two people dead and 12 injured was not a random act and was a reflection of gun violence that has swept the nation, Gov. Phil Murphy said. "A birthday party is supposed to be a joyous event, not a target for those hellbent on inflicting harm on a community, the Democrat said during a news conference Monday. Authorities arrived at the house where hundreds were partying in Fairfield Township, about an hour outside of Philadelphia, late Saturday night. The party had grown after another party was broken up following a noise complaint around 11 p.m., authorities said. Most of the party-goers were gone by the time police got to the house and authorities said multiple weapons were recovered. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, citing the size and number of victims, said it was not a random act of violence, However, he did not discuss a motive. Kevin Elliott, 30, and Asia Hester, 25, both of Bridgeton, were killed, authorities said. The dozen people who were injured ranged in age from 19 to 35. Some have been released from hospitals while others continue to fight for their lives, the governor said. Kevin K Dawkins, 36, was arrested on weapons offenses, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said. Authorities were seeking the publics help for information leading to additional arrests. Photos showed overturned pop-up party tents, tables and chairs, and debris throughout the homes yard. Two cousins who live in the area of the shooting said they heard music from the party until after midnight, then a series of shots at least 15 of them over a few minutes. Joeron Pierce and James Pierce, who live in homes next to each other, said that there was chaos after that. Partygoers ran through their yards and asked to come into their houses. They said cars ran into one other trying to speed away. Murphy, who is up for reelection this year, has made a priority of anti-gun legislation. "If there is one thing we cant normalize its senseless gun violence, Murphy said. Flash Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) now cannot have access to the records from the cameras monitoring Iran's nuclear activities, official IRNA news agency reported. "We are determined to implement the law of Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions (SAPCS) ... according to (the parliament's) approvals," Qalibaf said. On Feb. 23, Iran halted the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) according to the SAPCS that mandates Iran's executive branch to stop implementing the additional protocol, as the U.S. anti-Iran sanctions were not lifted. Accordingly, Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, and Iranian officials agreed on a three-month monitoring time, during which the IAEA's cameras records could be kept by Iran in the hope that Iran and the world major powers would start negotiations for the revival of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the removal of sanctions against Tehran. "The three-month deadline expired on May 22, therefore the IAEA has no right to have access to images and data of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran," said Qalibaf. Grossi currently talks with Iran on extending the monitoring arrangement as the negotiations between the country and world powers are underway in the Austrian capital of Vienna. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) Syrias foreign minister blamed Israel for mysterious attacks over more than a year targeting oil tankers heading to Syria, saying they violate international law and will not go unpunished. Faisal Mekdad told Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV in an interview aired late Sunday that oil tankers coming to Syria now move under Russian protection. He did not provide any evidence for how Israel was behind the attacks. Messages left with the Israeli defense ministry and prime ministers office Monday seeking comment were not immediately returned. Syrias oil resources are mostly outside of government controlled areas but two of its refineries are operating. This makes Syria reliant on Iran for fuel. U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spans Syria, Iran and Russia responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government, which has been at war for more than a decade. For more than a year, vessels carrying oil to Syria, as well as some oil facilities in government-held parts of the war-torn country, have been subjected to mysterious attacks. Vessels carrying oil to Syria travel from the gulf to the Red Sea to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. There should be deterrence to Israeli attacks on ships, Mekdad said without going into details. The Israeli government and arrogant Israeli leaders must understand that these attacks cannot continue with Israel not paying a price. Last month, Syrias oil ministry said a fire erupted in a tanker on its coast after what it said was a suspected drone attack. Also in April, an attack targeted an Iranian cargo ship that is said to serve as a floating base for Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard forces off the coast of Yemen. A shadow war in Mideast waters emerged in 2019, when the U.S. Navy blamed a series of blasts in June that year in the Gulf of Oman off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Iran. Following a survey of school districts that illustrated a persistent teacher shortage in the state, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools has released policy recommendations calling for better benefits and more lenient certification in an effort to reverse the trend. The association, which serves as an intermediary between local school districts and the Illinois State Board of Education, had the survey conducted between September and October to see how school districts were faring with the supply of professional and substitute teachers during the 2020-21 school year amid the pandemic. Illinois was split into seven regions for the purpose of the survey, and school districts reported the shortage was worst in west-central and southeastern Illinois. White papers developed in response to the survey give seven policy recommendations as ways to combat it from the local to statewide level. The two primary methods discussed in the white paper are improving teacher pay and lessening the restrictions on certifications teachers need in order to get hired. Compensation When it comes to compensation, its not as simple as just increasing teachers salaries, according to Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools President Mark Klaisner. One of the misnomers has been that you can just throw money at salary, Klaisner said. It was just two years ago that Illinois passed a law raising teacher pay, with a mandated minimum of $40,000 by the 2023 school year. Representatives of the association filed witness slips in opposition to the minimum wage increase during committee hearings on the matter in 2019. While Klaisner said that action was taken to address the teacher shortage, he believes it actually had the opposite effect in many places, particularly in the rural, less-affluent regions of the state. Unfortunately, small school districts were reporting to me, that didnt solve a problem it caused a problem, because if I have to pay a minimum of ($40,000), Im going to let a couple teachers go so I have money to meet the 40 threshold, Klaisner said. Now my class sizes go up, so educations not better. All Ive done is Ive moved a problem from one column to the other column. According to Klaisner, without additional funding, schools in rural areas have to make the difficult choice between offering a lower relative salary which makes them less competitive than their metro counterparts and cutting some positions to add the difference to core positions to attract applicants. The National Education Association lists the states average teacher salary at $68,000, and the average starting salary at $40,484. But in the most rural and under-served areas of the state, particularly in the west-central and southeastern regions, open positions offer the states bare minimum, which is increasing from $32,000 in the current school year to just under $35,000 for the 2021-22 school year starting in August. We know theres certain sectors of the state thats suffering more than others, John Meixner, a regional superintendent who oversees Fulton, Hancock, McDonough and Schuyler counties said in a podcast on education. A normal teaching position opens up and an applicant pool up in (Cook County) may have, instead of 150 applicants you might only have 20, whereas instead of having 10 we have zero, he added. I mean literally weve had positions, dozens of positions where zero applicants apply. Longstanding problems with the Teachers Retirement System the pension plan for all Illinois public school teachers outside of the Chicago Public Schools district have also served as a barrier to attracting applicants to the profession. The Tier II retirement system available to those hired after 2010 requires teachers work until they are 67 years old to receive full benefits. It also provides less compensation in retirement as their contribution to the plan also works to pay down the unfunded liability of teachers enrolled in the previous pension plan. On the salary front, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools is recommending school districts lobby the state to approve state-funded loan forgiveness programs for teachers who take jobs in under-served areas, as well as experiment with signing bonuses to attract new applicants. The association also recommends amending the pension plan to allow teachers to retire at 55 years of age for reduced rates. Certification Becoming a teacher in Illinois requires a professional educator license. To receive one, a prospective teacher requires at least a bachelors degree, student teaching experience, the completion of a state-approved teaching program and a licensing test. Licensing tests are split into several grade levels, and teachers certified in one grade level are not considered suitable for hire under a different grade level unless they successfully pass a license exam for that as well. An educator certified for early childhood can hold a position teaching from birth to grade two, while an elementary certified educator can teach from grade one to six, and a middle grades educator from grades five to eight. During the pandemic, the state school board, in conjunction with the Illinois Community College Board and Illinois Board of Higher Education, granted endorsement waivers as part of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers emergency order to allow schools to fill positions with teachers certified for grade levels or subjects other than the ones they were hired to teach. The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools recommends continuing this practice as a temporary measure as well as auditing whether current licensing restrictions are unnecessary or have exacerbated shortages. For endorsement areas with a high rate of unfilled positions, such as special education, mathematics and school psychologists, Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools has recommended the state school board look at increasing funding for higher education programs offering certificates in those fields, as well as creating pipelines to transition students from rural school districts to nearby colleges to become teachers in short-staffed positions. Education budget After initially keeping funding for K-12 education flat at about $8.8 billion for the fiscal year in his initial February budget proposal for the coming fiscal year, Pritzker reversed course earlier this month and announced he was calling for $350 million to be added to the budget for education. Thats in line with the evidence-based school funding model of 2017, which calls for that amount of money to be added to the formula each year. Education advocates, including bipartisan members of the General Assembly, have strongly praised the evidence-based funding model, which allocates state dollars to districts according to the gap between them and what the state considers to be a required level of adequacy. Each districts adequacy target is determined by a school districts ability to fund proper staffing, student resources and moderate class sizes, among other factors. Klaisner suggested the state should use that evidence-based formula to distribute federal COVID-19 stimulus dollars, including around $5 billion for education received as part of the American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden. Pritzker, as well as the U.S. Department of Education, has placed parameters on how funding should be spent, and both have strongly discouraged using the stimulus money to pay salaries. So far, school districts have used the stimulus money they have received in ways as varied as the school districts themselves. According to Klaisner, one school district used what he called flash in the pan money one-time funds that should be used for one-time expenditures and not long-term costs like teacher salary to replace its decade-old fleet of buses. In Collinsville, the school district used $300,000 in stimulus funds to construct a broadband tower, creating a private network to provide high-speed internet access to under-served students and their families throughout the school district. Ongoing inequities While an analysis shows the teacher shortage has actually improved over the past four years, particularly in suburban and urban parts of the state, there continues to be a great disparity in the availability of teachers between rural and metropolitan regions. A post-survey analysis by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools shows geographic location was the number one factor negatively impacting recruitment, ahead of salary and pension. More than 50% of school districts said their geographic location had a negative impact. In 2019, Cook County and surrounding collar counties had 240 unfilled or under-filled positions, while that number was 228 for the west-central region. By 2020, Cook County had reduced that figure to just 91, while the west-central region had 257 unfilled positions. The disparities also exist along racial lines. When controlling for the size of the district, the analysis found that the racial makeup of the student body even more than location was the top predictor of whether positions in that district would be under-filled or have below-average retention rates for staff. The higher the proportion of white students a school district had, the fewer under-filled positions. The analysis also concluded that there was no association between vacancies and the proportion of low-income students, and that racial demographics were also a greater factor than the proportion of English-learning or English-as-a-second-language students. Klaisner noted that research shows students who belong to an ethnic or racial minority benefit when at least one of their instructors belong to the same racial or ethnic group as them. We see all over the state, the demographics are very clear that oftentimes our staffs dont represent the students that they serve, and we feel like that would be a value add, if not essential, he said, pointing to policies like minority teacher grants and state school board initiatives to recruit teachers of color. Despite this, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools white paper concluded the most important predictors of success when it came to hiring and retaining staff was educator pay and how close the school district was to a teacher preparation program. Stakeholders should focus on addressing these factors, according to the analysis. While districts may not be able to change their geography or student demographics, they do have some control over teacher salaries, and institutions of higher education have some role to play in working to serve the states higher education deserts, the association said in its report. MADISON, Wis. (AP) When Rice Lake third grade teacher Teresa Webber talks about how shes feeling, the first word that comes to mind is tired. Webber is wrapping up her 33rd year of teaching, and had loosely planned to make it to 35 years before retiring. But in part because of the intensity of the last year, and in part because of the medical and care needs of her family, the 2020-2021 school year will be her last. Rice Lake was teaching students in person all but one week of this school year, but kept a virtual option for students whose families werent comfortable sending them to a classroom, or for those who were out quarantining due to possible exposure. It felt like teaching double a lot of the time. It was difficult, and I think a lot of people went, Well, I dont think I can do this anymore, Webber said. As of February, Webber was one of nine educators in her district retiring at the end of the year. The Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds, which tracks the retirement of state employees, doesnt yet have data for 2021 retirements, but it did see a 14 percent increase in 2020. Nationwide, surveys of teachers have shown that more are thinking about retiring or quitting after this disrupted school year. My family has been super supportive (of me retiring) and actually, most of them were going, Dont you think this should be the last year for you?, Webber said. They were maybe there before I was there my kids had a bet if I was gonna go or if I wasnt gonna go. Wisconsin, like many other states, has been dealing with a teacher shortage for years one thats particularly exacerbated for teachers of color, who are underrepresented at every level of the teacher training pipeline. A potential increase in teachers retiring or quitting because of the coronavirus will butt up against demographic trends, as well more Baby Boomers, who are a large share of the working population, are hitting retirement age. It is a concern in Wisconsin that there arent enough teachers, and even though there are great people going into the profession, its changing, its endangered, said Meg Graham, a retiring high school Spanish teacher in Mukwonago. I think its a profession that they need to make some changes its whether its in time for people to change their mind. Graham initially retired at the end of last year over her concerns about COVID-19. Teaching was her second career, so shes older than some of her peers at 62, and she was worried going back to the classroom would make her especially vulnerable, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. Because of my age, I just didnt feel really safe, even though they were putting a lot of things in to mitigate the risk, she said. My daughters a nurse, and she kind of insisted, as well, and helped me understand at my age that it wasnt safe for me to be exposing myself to COVID-19 on a daily basis. Graham said it was a heartbreaking decision, and she cried for several days until her superintendent called to ask if she would come back to run the language program for virtual students, which would allow Graham to work from home. She accepted, and is now retiring at the end of her 34th year, which had always been her goal. My homeroom graduates this year, and theyve been my homeroom for four years, and I wanted to finish the year with them, she said. She didnt get to spend much of the year with those students, since she was fully virtual, but now that she and most of her colleagues are fully vaccinated, she said shell go into the school building for a small farewell event. Anthony Schnell, a high school chemistry teacher in Lodi, said retiring this year wasnt part of his plan before COVID-19. Hes been teaching for 29 years, and said it deeply affects the way he moves through the world at a recent doctors appointment, for example, he asked questions of the doctor and technicians about why they did things a certain way and what things meant. Ive done that for years and years, but in the back of my head was always, I can share this with my students, or how can I bring this into my classroom, or what can we do to show students that this exists outside the classroom, he said. Im going to have to rediscover being curious just for being curious, and it feels like a dead end right now. Schnell and his wife own a bakery and coffee shop, Windsor Breads, that he said has been doing well. When he ran the numbers, it made more financial sense for him to quit teaching and work at the bakery full time. I know numbers, and the numbers tell you this is just the wrong field to stay in right now. he said. I can do better running my own business, with less stress, than I can trying to teach. And the number of people that Ive talked to that have said, Yeah, if I had a similar deal Id be out of teaching, too, is quite high. Several other teachers in his district are leaving this year, too. In Mukwonago, Graham knows of three other teachers who are retiring after this year. As a mentor to younger teachers, though, she said shes hopeful that the stresses of pandemic teaching wont drive as many out as some have feared. Most of the young teachers Ive talked to are still looking ahead, and theyre looking at this as a blip year, they arent saying I quit, she said. Webber, likewise, is relatively optimistic about the teachers who remain. Theres a lot of institutional knowledge going out the door in my district, theres a lot of folks who have been around for a really long time, she said. But the folks that I see coming in, and the folks that Im working with, really have that heart to work hard in the profession, and I think theyre gonna be just fine, theyre gonna be great for kids, and I think theyre going to have resilience, as do the students, to come through this. Webber said she spent a lot of time reassuring younger teachers, and reminding them that a lot of parts of their job from teaching to personal development are more fun in years that arent so restricted by a deadly virus. At the same time, though, she said she learned a lot from the younger teachers, as well, who helped troubleshoot virtual teaching issues. It was really nice to mentor those folks and let them know how things usually are, but it was also nice to have them help us when we couldnt figure out how to attach something to a reminder or get a JamBoard going, she said. Schnell is less optimistic. He was relieved to see the district got several strong candidates to fill his job, but said the number of applicants was much lower than hes seen in the past a slide he attributes not just to the pandemic, but to years of disinvestment in teachers since Act 10. (Teaching) has continually been getting more and more stressful over the years, he said. Theres a continual drive to do more, do more, do more, but pay less, pay less, pay less. Schnell made the decision to retire in December. For Webber, that was around when the worst exhaustion hit for teachers in her district when COVID-19 was spiking around the state and teachers had to manage more virtual students because of quarantines. We were happy to provide that instruction to them because we didnt want them to get behind, she said. We wanted to have the best instruction quality for our kids, but it was a grind, and I definitely feel tired, and stressed and ready to take a break. She said shell focus on the volunteer work she never had as much time for during the school year, like working with hospice patients and Meals on Wheels. Schnell is excited for his bakery business, but acknowledged itll be an adjustment from teaching. We make people happy because they get their coffee, especially early in the morning, and they get really good bakery and we put a smile on their face, but its so fleeting, its not the same thing as what you develop with students, and being able to direct their growth, he said. Your impact on society is much smaller I feel like Im shrinking as a person, as I look into retirement, and I know I have to figure out a way not to feel that way. Graham, in Mukwonago, said shes already made plans to keep teaching, in the form of one class, three days a week at Carroll University. Im just not ready, she said. Im too old for six classes a day and all the other things that go with it, but Im not ready to say goodbye to it, because I really love it. HOUSTON (AP) Three female deputies filed a federal lawsuit Monday accusing a Texas constable of turning the office's undercover operations into a booze-fueled playground for sexual exploitation." The deputies, who either work or worked for the Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office in Houston, alleged women were subjected to unwarranted touching and kissing, molestation and sexual ridicule during their work with the offices human trafficking unit. The lawsuit alleges the office of Constable Alan Rosen set up undercover sting operations that were supposed to ultimately arrest those behind sex trafficking businesses. But those operations turned more into parties where officers drank heavily and the female deputies, who were given little to no training in undercover work, were fondled and kissed by their supervisory officer or were told to give lap dances to other male deputies. The lawsuit alleges that in another undercover operation at a massage parlor, one of the female deputies was told that to make an arrest she needed to be sexually assaulted by a suspect. The deputy did not get any support from the constables office after her assault, according to the lawsuit. Cordt Akers, one of the attorneys for the women, called the allegations some of the most unspeakable sexual police misconduct that any of us have ever seen. The lawsuit alleges Rosen and the Harris County District Attorneys Office were told about what was happening by a victims advocate working with the human trafficking unit, but they took no action. We need to end corruption and (complicity) in people in power, Jacquelyn Aluotto, the victims advocate and who filed the lawsuit along with the deputies, said at a news conference. Aluotto alleges she was essentially fired as her hours were cut to zero after she told authorities what happened to the deputies. In a statement, Rosen said an internal affairs investigation his office conducted found no violations of law or policy and the women who filed the lawsuit never submitted a formal complaint in the case. I have a zero-tolerance stance against sexual assault and sexual harassment and would never allow a hostile work environment as alleged," Rosen said. This lawsuit is an effort to impugn the good reputation of the hard-working men and women of the Precinct One Constables Office. I believe our system of due process works and that justice and truth will prevail as facts in this case come to light." In this matter, our sex crimes division quickly asked Constable Pct. 1 Internal Affairs to investigate whether there was evidence of a crime and Ms. Aluotto has represented she contacted the Texas Rangers. Nothing has been presented to prosecutors by either agency, said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Constables and their deputies are licensed peace officers who have the same powers as regular police officers but also have the added responsibility of civil law enforcement. Rosens office covers parts of central and north Houston. The lawsuit alleges that to make human trafficking arrests, the constables office set up bachelor party stings in which the female deputies would pose as prostitutes in order to arrest sex workers and lead authorities to their handlers. But the undercover operations became sexually-charged stings and a way for an assistant chief and others to fondle, kiss and ridicule the female deputies, according to the lawsuit. What began as an idea for bachelor party prostitution stings soon grew into a booze-fueled playground for sexual exploitation in which young, untrained deputies were subject to disgusting abuse, according to the lawsuit. Aluotto learned the female deputies were being victimized and that the human trafficking unit was not focused on solving cases and helping victims but on organizing the bachelor party stings, according to the lawsuit. Aluotto said she and the deputies have already received threats to their careers. We will not be silenced. We will continue to advocate and we will fight for our rights and others, she said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70 PETERSBURG, Va. (AP) Two young children were wounded, one critically, when they were shot while playing outside of a Virginia apartment complex, authorities said. The 5-year-old girl and the 6-year-old boy were struck Saturday night outside of a housing complex in Petersburg, police said. LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration on Monday rescinded a rule that limits restaurant tables to no more than six people, a day after she apologized for ignoring the COVID-19 regulation while gathering with friends at an East Lansing bar. The Democratic governor has said tables at the Landshark Bar & Grill were pushed together as more people arrived in her party of roughly a dozen fully vaccinated people. A revised gatherings and face mask order, issued by the state health department, no longer includes the six-patrons-per-table provision, effective June 1. Whitmer had announced last week the planned easing of capacity restrictions on June 1 but had not specified if other changes would be coming in the new order, which was released as expected Monday. The governor also signed a revised workplace safety order that immediately no longer requires 6 feet (2 meters) of separation between tables. It was an honest mistake. I have apologized for it, Whitmer told reporters. Violations of coronavirus orders are enforced against employers, not customers. State regulators have fined more than 280 employers. Asked if the Landshark should be fined and, if not, if she would lift fines on other businesses, the governor said the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has specifically not gone forward and penalized businesses that are trying to do the right thing. It's those that have flouted and put people's safety at risk that are the most concerning. Later Monday, the Ingham County Health Department reported having received a complaint about a party at the Landshark exceeding six guests, but said it decided against enforcement action because non-critical restaurant complaints are initially treated as education/consultation for the owner/manager." The matter is considered resolved given conversation with the owner, and the owners assurance that parties will be limited to no more than six guests in the future, spokeswoman Amanda Darche said. "There is no history of similar complaints with the Landshark." Republicans in the GOP-led Legislature said Whitmer should rescind fines that were levied on businesses. They previously complained that the six-person limit keeps large families from eating together. Whitmer also has come under criticism for waiting to release information about a flight to see her elderly father in Florida, which occurred weeks before two top aides traveled south for spring break as COVID-19 cases soared. In May 2020, Whitmer acknowledged that her husband dropped her name in an effort to get his boat in the water for Memorial Day weekend but said it simply was a failed attempt at humor." Michiganders deserve more than a hollow apology after a year of rules for thee but not for me from their governor, Tori Sachs, executive director of the conservative Michigan Freedom Fund, said in a statement. "We are calling on Whitmer to end her orders today, pardon every individual accused of a similar offense, rescind every violation issued by state and local officials, and refund every fine the states collected. Last week, Whitmer announced that capacity and crowd restrictions will be lifted July 1, citing vaccinations and new federal guidance on masks. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 In March 2019, a massive chemical fire broke out after a leak at a chemical tank farm in Deer Park spread to almost a dozen other tanks. A plume of smoke soon loomed over the Houston skyline and lingered there for three days. Residents of Deer Park were forced to shelter in place due to air pollution hazards, the Houston Ship Channel closed for three days, and millions of gallons of hazardous waste spilled on the ground and leaked into the water. READ ALSO: New helicopter video shows intense flames of Deer Park fire up close That chemical fire at Intercontinental Terminals Companys facility also rekindled a debate at the Legislature about the states rapidly growing petrochemical industry, much of it in communities along the Texas Gulf Coast. Thousands of such tanks, typically made of steel plates, are in the Houston area alone, and state lawmakers had already become concerned after at least 15 tanks holding crude oil, gasoline and other hydrocarbons ruptured or malfunctioned during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Yet the 2019 legislative session ended without new regulations. Two years later, the Legislature is nearing approval of Senate Bill 900 authored by state Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, which will create new standards on the type of tanks that put so many people in her district at risk two years ago. It passed the Senate late last month and late Sunday night it received preliminary approval by the House. Im very proud of this bill, Alvarado said. She said it took a long time to negotiate the bill with industry groups, but high-profile incidents like the ITC fire in her district forced the conversation. They knew I was going to be calling, she said. There were too many of these things that had occurred. Several bills were filed by Democrats this session to create new rules on the petrochemical industry. Few state rules apply to the tanks, and none require construction standards that ensure tanks can withstand powerful hurricanes or major flooding. Alvarado spent years negotiating with industry groups to draft safety standards that would address the most pressing concerns while also not going too far to be unpalatable to the powerful oil and gas industry, whose opposition would be deadly in the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature. Before it heads to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk, the House still needs to grant final approval, usually a formality. The Senate would then need to accept a minor changes made by the House or ask for a conference committee to settle the slight differences between the versions of the bill that passed each chamber. Texas has a long list of rules on the books for chemical storage tanks, including requiring specific construction standards and plans to prevent spills, but they only apply to below-ground tanks and are aimed at preventing contamination of underground aquifers. Above-ground storage tanks are exempt. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality can fine companies for discharges or spills that harm the environment, but the agency previously told the Tribune that its rules do not require any spill preparation or prevention measures. The tanks containing toxic and flammable chemicals are often, but not required to be, constructed to standards determined by the American Petroleum Institute, a powerful oil and gas industry group. During a September work session, TCEQ Executive Director Toby Baker told TCEQ commissioners that he was frustrated with the agencys limited authority to regulate chemical plants before disasters occur. Senate Bill 900, if signed by the governor, would require the TCEQ to establish new performance standards for large above ground storage tanks (called vessels in the bill) aimed at protecting ground and surface water in the event of an accident or natural disaster. For example, the tanks will be required to have remote shut off valves, overflow protection and anti-fire technology. Had these things been in place, that could have prevented the ITC fire, Alvarado said. READ ALSO: Changed by pandemic, many workers won't return to old jobs The agency must establish the rules by September 2023. The Sierra Club wanted the regulations to go further. In an April legislative committee hearing, Cyrus Reed, representing the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, said the rules should also include tanks that are smaller in size, require more frequent inspections and take effect earlier than 2023. If I thought we could go farther, I would have, Alvarado said in response to the criticisms during the April hearing. The legislation also allows companies to seek exceptions from the rules if they can prove to regulators that their tanks are at a low risk of flooding, hurricanes, fires and explosions. Jennifer Coffee, general counsel for the Texas Pipeline Association, said during the hearing that the group, which represents intrastate pipelines, spent countless hours working with the Texas Chemical Council and the Texas Oil and Gas Association, two other powerful oil and gas interest groups, to help Alvarado craft a bill that would include the safety features that she considered essential. The negotiations between all the groups didnt come easy, Coffee said What might be good for the chemical industry might not be good for petroleum, she said. Regulating the tanks gained traction among lawmakers after high-profile chemical accidents provoked outrage from residents and regulators. John Beard, who leads the Port Arthur Community Action Network and worked in the chemical industry for years, told lawmakers in April that the rules are about protecting lives. After a string of chemical fires in Texas in 2019, Alvarado said she found much broader support from Republicans in particular from the now Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, whose constituents were evacuated the day before Thanksgiving in 2019 when several explosions rocked a TPC Group plant in Port Neches. That explosion and incidents also forced industry groups to come to the table to negotiate, Alvarado said. When you have incidents like this happening, we have a duty to respond and to change that, and thats what we did, Alvarado said. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. HOUSTON (AP) Three female deputies filed a federal lawsuit Monday accusing a Texas constable of turning the office's undercover operations into a booze-fueled playground for sexual exploitation." The deputies, who either work or worked for the Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office in Houston, alleged women were subjected to unwarranted touching and kissing, molestation and sexual ridicule during their work with the offices human trafficking unit. The lawsuit alleges the office of Constable Alan Rosen set up undercover sting operations that were supposed to ultimately arrest those behind sex trafficking businesses. But those operations turned more into parties where officers drank heavily and the female deputies, who were given little to no training in undercover work, were fondled and kissed by their supervisory officer or were told to give lap dances to other male deputies. MORE TEXAS NEWS: GREG ABBOTT NAMES 'OFFICIAL HANDGUN' OF TEXAS FOR SOME REASON The lawsuit alleges that in another undercover operation at a massage parlor, one of the female deputies was told that to make an arrest she needed to be sexually assaulted by a suspect. The deputy did not get any support from the constables office after her assault, according to the lawsuit. Cordt Akers, one of the attorneys for the women, called the allegations some of the most unspeakable sexual police misconduct that any of us have ever seen. The lawsuit alleges Rosen and the Harris County District Attorneys Office were told about what was happening by a victims advocate working with the human trafficking unit, but they took no action. We need to end corruption and (complicity) in people in power, Jacquelyn Aluotto, the victims advocate and who filed the lawsuit along with the deputies, said at a news conference. Aluotto alleges she was essentially fired as her hours were cut to zero after she told authorities what happened to the deputies. In a statement, Rosen said an internal affairs investigation his office conducted found no violations of law or policy and the women who filed the lawsuit never submitted a formal complaint in the case. I have a zero-tolerance stance against sexual assault and sexual harassment and would never allow a hostile work environment as alleged," Rosen said. This lawsuit is an effort to impugn the good reputation of the hard-working men and women of the Precinct One Constables Office. I believe our system of due process works and that justice and truth will prevail as facts in this case come to light." In this matter, our sex crimes division quickly asked Constable Pct. 1 Internal Affairs to investigate whether there was evidence of a crime and Ms. Aluotto has represented she contacted the Texas Rangers. Nothing has been presented to prosecutors by either agency, said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Constables and their deputies are licensed peace officers who have the same powers as regular police officers but also have the added responsibility of civil law enforcement. Rosens office covers parts of central and north Houston. The lawsuit alleges that to make human trafficking arrests, the constables office set up bachelor party stings in which the female deputies would pose as prostitutes in order to arrest sex workers and lead authorities to their handlers. But the undercover operations became sexually-charged stings and a way for an assistant chief and others to fondle, kiss and ridicule the female deputies, according to the lawsuit. What began as an idea for bachelor party prostitution stings soon grew into a booze-fueled playground for sexual exploitation in which young, untrained deputies were subject to disgusting abuse, according to the lawsuit. Aluotto learned the female deputies were being victimized and that the human trafficking unit was not focused on solving cases and helping victims but on organizing the bachelor party stings, according to the lawsuit. Aluotto said she and the deputies have already received threats to their careers. We will not be silenced. We will continue to advocate and we will fight for our rights and others, she said. The Connecticut General Assembly is now considering a major digital advertising tax proposal that would hurt consumers, business and the general economy of the state. Not only is this proposal misguided and counterproductive, but almost certainly illegal and unconstitutional. Using a sliding scale, the tax could go as high as 10 percent and would be imposed on gross revenues derived from digital advertising in the state. While legislators have claimed Big Tech is the target of the bill, the real impact will be felt among Connecticuts small businesses and consumers. This tax comes just as Connecticut businesses especially small businesses struggle to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and consumers rely more than ever on the digital marketplace for information and purchasing options. Advertising spurs 17.5 percent of Connecticuts economic output and generates tremendous business traffic. During the pandemic, consumers have been busy online, spending over $861 billion with U.S. retailers in 2020 per the latest analysis from Digital Commerce 360. Anything that hinders a thriving digital economy should be avoided. Digital platforms will be highly likely to pass this tax on to businesses that buy digital ads, hitting retailers especially hard. According to the National Retail Federation, retail supports 24 percent of Connecticut jobs. Almost 44,000 retail establishments employ about 350,000 Connecticut citizens, with over $19 billion in direct GDP impact. Almost 98 percent of the states retail establishments are small businesses employing fewer than 50 people. This tax will be devastating to those mom-and-pop businesses. Gov. Lamont knows this is not the time for Connecticut to raise taxes. He commented that federal pandemic assistance can be used to help balance the next state budget without tax hikes. The Legislature should listen carefully to the governor and at the very least more thoroughly investigate the potential very adverse results of this tax before taking any step forward. Aside from the impact on consumers and businesses throughout Connecticut, the proposed tax faces numerous legal challenges. By treating digital ads more harshly than non-digital ones, the law is in blatant violation of the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, a federal statute that prohibits discriminatory taxes on interstate commerce (defined as any transaction conducted over the Internet). Second, the ad tax violates the U.S. Constitutions dormant Commerce Clause, which ensures that states do not discriminate against, or unduly burden, interstate commerce. Because the digital ad tax is based on a very arbitrary and complex calculation that imposes increased tax burdens due to revenues earned outside of Connecticut, it clearly is in breach of these restrictions. Further, because these gross revenues are not defined in the bill, the term is unconstitutionally vague violating the due process clauses of both the U.S. and Connecticut Constitutions. The ad tax also runs afoul of the Connecticut Constitutions separation of powers clause, which requires that the Legislature, not an agency, set the standards for the kind and amount of taxes assessed. Finally, the proposed tax raises significant First Amendment concerns because it specifically punishes commercial speech in the digital environment. It is obvious the digital ad tax will result in serious harm; it will slow job growth, reduce consumer purchases, raise prices for products and services and discourage investment in Connecticut. The states taxpayers will bear the burden of needless and costly litigation against almost certain legal challenges to the law. Consumers will be less informed but spend more, and businesses will face costs and uncertainty about how digital ad taxes will be calculated and whether they even apply to their activities. Connecticut should not place these unnecessary burdens on its citizens and its businesses. The legislation should be soundly rejected, now. Dan Jaffe is executive vice president of government relations for the Association of National Advertisers. Ah yes, another act of political theater has passed through the Texas legislature. In lieu of doing something constructive, Gov. Greg Abbott took it upon himself this weekend to name an "official handgun of Texas." WEIGH IN: Here's how you can weigh in on the fate of the Astrodome In any case, our official handgun is now the 1847 Colt Walker pistol, according to Abbott, who lauded the old gun used during the Mexican-American War. The resolution was first introduced in March by District 5 Sen. Charles Schwertner, who caught flack from his own district where residents were struggling with infrastructure issues after the winter storm and were more in need of actual assistance than recognition for a gun no one uses anymore. Abbott also promised he'd be signing more gun laws "real soon." Sepia Times/Sepia Times/Universal Images Gro This is just the latest of the resolutions and laws Abbott has busied himself with instead of regulating the state power grid that continues to gasp for breath at the slightest inconvenience. And yes, these things were pointed out to our governor via Twitter. IN HOUSTON: Hundreds of Houstonians march in pro-Palestine demonstration outside Israeli consulate Meanwhile, Texas is just a step away from allowing anyone 21 and up to carry a handgun in public without a permit, so Abbott's timing is nothing but impeccable. Flash From east coast to west coast, at least nine people, including two girls, were killed and dozens injured in multiple shootings in several U.S. states over the weekend. A 16-year-old girl died just after 1 a.m. local time on Sunday, shortly after gunfire broke out at the Bicentennial Park Amphitheater in Columbus, the capital city of Midwest state Ohio, local police said. Five other teens were injured in the shooting. The incident occurred at a private event that was promoted on social media, according to the police statement, NBC Columbus affiliate WCMH reported. What sparked the shooting remains unclear, and police have not identified a suspect, said the report. In Youngstown, the ninth largest city in Ohio, three people were shot dead and five others injured at a bar on early Sunday morning, according to a CNN report, citing local police sources. Police responded to the reports of shooting at the Torch Club Bar & Grille in Youngstown shortly after 2 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), said the report. Detectives said some sort of argument broke out near the bar and there was "an exchange of gunfire," local media outlet WKBN reported. In Bridgeton, the eastern U.S. state of New Jersey, two people were killed with 12 others injured in a house party shooting just before midnight, the authorities said on Sunday. The dead were a 30-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, state police said. One of the injured, all adults, is in critical condition. Troopers responded to the scene at 11:50 p.m. Saturday, the state police said. More than one hundred people were at that home for a party at the time, according to an ABC News report. In North Charleston, South Carolina, a 14-year-old girl was shot dead and another 14 people were injured after an unauthorized neighborhood concert on Saturday evening, local media outlet WCIV reported on Sunday. Authorities said the shooting occurred after a fight broke out near the concert stage. Police are investigating the incident. In downtown Minneapolis, the U.S. state of Minnesota, two people died and another eight were injured in a shooting incident early Saturday morning. The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) said officers responded to "an exceptionally chaotic scene" at 1:59 a.m. CT at a bar in downtown Minneapolis. Preliminary investigation revealed two people both pulled out guns and began shooting at each other as they got into a verbal confrontation. "The two deceased are males. One male is in critical condition and the remaining 7 have non-life-threatening injuries," the MPD said in a statement. Despite the frequency of multiple mass shootings across the United States, major gun control legislation is unlikely due to deep partisan and cultural divide in the country, experts say. MINNEAPOLIS - Members of George Floyd's family took to the streets Sunday to mark the one-year anniversary of his death, marching with hundreds of people, including activists and others who have lost loved ones to the hands of police, in the first of multiple events planned across the country to remember him and rally for racial justice. Several of Floyd's siblings and his children returned to the steps of the Hennepin County Government Center, where just weeks ago a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death and where three other former officers charged in his killing are set to go on trial next year. RELATED: George Floyd to be honored with commemorative concert in Houston a year after his death While many praised Chauvin's conviction, calling it a first step toward "justice," the family spoke of enduring loss and continued questions about why Floyd died. "I still don't know why," said Bridgett Floyd, his younger sister, who now runs a memorial foundation in her brother's name. Taking the stage at a rally before the march, she spoke of the family's pain and how their lives had changed in the "blink of an eye." "It's been a long year. It's been a painful year," Bridgett Floyd said. "That officer doesn't understand what he took from us." Floyd was remembered a year after his death sent millions across the country into the streets in some of the largest sustained protests in American history. Minneapolis, the city at the center of that movement, continues to struggle with its own reckoning over policing and racial justice. His younger sister joined other speakers - including the Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Floyd family - who said the fight for justice continues, even with Chauvin's conviction. Speaking before an audience that included several elected officials, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, Crump called out dozens of names of other Black men and women who had been killed by police, including Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man who was shot by a suburban Minneapolis police officer during a traffic stop last month during Chauvin's trial. "We are better than this, America. We need to have a more just America!" Crump said. OPINION: The Chauvin verdict makes it clear that abolition is mandatory He pointed to the disproportionately violent response of police across the country when it comes to Black people, compared with White suspects, citing several recent cases where Black men have been shot at and killed while running away from the police. "What is it about a Black man running away from the police that it is the most dangerous thing in America?" Crump asked, looking directly toward Frey and other elected officials who sat nearby. He and Sharpton called for additional police policy changes nationwide, including the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act - which has been approved by the U.S. House but has languished in the Senate. Floyd's family has been invited to the White House on Tuesday to meet with President Joe Biden, which Sharpton described as a "nice" gesture, but not enough. "George Floyd should not go down in history as someone with a knee on his neck, but as someone who broke the chain of police brutality and illegality," Sharpton said. Floyd died May 25, 2020, when he was restrained, handcuffed and facedown, on a South Minneapolis street during an investigation in a 911 call about a fake $20 bill that had been passed at a local market. Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck and back as Floyd begged for breath and ultimately went limp while two other officers - Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane - restrained Floyd's back and legs. A fourth officer, Tou Thao, held back bystanders who sought to intervene. Chauvin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. Kueng, Lane and Thao, who are charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter, are scheduled to go on trial in March. All four are also facing federal civil rights charges in the case. It's been a while since Houston saw sunshine. With a week-long wet spell on the homestretch, Houstonians are overdue for a sunny day in the park, riding around town or happy hour on a patio. Monday's already a wash, and Tuesday looks to have the same fate. LEFT OUT: Texas says Houston doesn't qualify for flood mitigation funding Monday's rain has prompted flood advisories across Houston, and many roads and highways are flooded. So when will the sunshine return? Meteorologists with the National Weather Service say Wednesday has some rain chances, but those are chances are shrinking as time goes on. Thursday is predicted to be the first rain-free day in nearly 10 days. Houstonians can expect mostly sunny skies with high temperatures in the mid-80s. Friday will see high temperatures in the upper-80s. We're all hoping for some sunshine sooner, but it looks like we'll ahve to stick out another few days of rain. Until then, try to stay off the roads during flash flood warnings. What are your plans to stay dry in the coming days? Let me know on Twitter: @jayrjordan We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form A. Transportation. There's a strong need for a long-term mobility plan, especially on U.S. 19 and State Road 44. B. Resiliency. Crystal River needs blueprints for the future, especially focusing on sea level rise and health of bay waters. C. Downtown. Areas within the city's CRA need more projects like the Town Square. D. Revitalization. Abandoned shopping centers and older structures like the mall need a makeover. E. Residential neighborhoods. Interconnecting communities and maximizing the potential in Crystal River neighborhoods is the key to happy living. Vote View Results Flash Thirteen people were killed and two children have been hospitalized with multiple injuries after a cable car crashed in Italy's northern Piedmont region, the National Corps of Alpine and Speleological Rescue (Cnsas) said Sunday. "Stresa-Mottarone cable car in Piedmont: the final death toll of the tragic incident is 13 fatalities and two seriously injured," Cnsas said on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Cnsas tweeted that two children who had survived with injuries were airlifted to hospital in the city of Turin, the capital of Piedmont. The cable car had been on a 20-minute panoramic trip from the village of Carciano di Stresa on the edge of Italy's Lake Maggiore, up to an altitude of 1,491 meters on Mt Mottarone -- a scenic area that is popular with tourists and holidaymakers. It detached and crashed a few hundred meters short of the top, Cnsas told RAI News 24 public broadcaster. There were some foreign visitors among the victims, Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino told Sky TG24 private broadcaster. "It is with profound sadness that I learned of the tragic incident on the Stresa-Mottarone cable car. I express the sympathies of the entire government to the families of the victims, with special thoughts for the children who have been seriously injured, and their relatives," Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in a tweet. The two surviving children were hospitalized in serious condition with multiple fractures and head and chest injuries, Sky TG24 reported. Direct flights from Canada to India and Pakistan will continue to be banned until at least June 21. Canada extends travel ban from India and Pakistan Direct flights from Canada to India and Pakistan will continue to be banned until at least June 21. Canada extends travel ban from India and Pakistan Direct flights from Canada to India and Pakistan will continue to be banned until at least June 21. Canada extends travel ban from India and Pakistan Direct flights from Canada to India and Pakistan will continue to be banned until at least June 21. Mohanad Moetaz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Canada has extended the travel ban for all direct passenger and business flights from India and Pakistan for another 30 days, until June 21, 2021. The travel ban first went into place on April 22 for 30 days, until May 22. Cargo flights carrying vaccines and protective equipment will continue to be allowed into Canada. Passengers may still be able to come to Canada. They will have to do so via an indirect route, and will need to get a COVID-19 test from their last point of departure. The news was confirmed by Omar Alghabra, Canadas transport minister, at a government pandemic briefing on May 21. I can say that weve seen a significant reduction in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 arriving from international flights since this restriction was put in place, Alghabra said. Air Canada extended the flight ban to India last week, expecting the governments announcement. The airline does not fly to Pakistan. Discover if you are eligible for Canadian immigration Canada concerned about variant Canadas deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo reiterated the importance of the travel restrictions in place, saying that about 70 per cent of new COVID-19 cases are variants of concern. Its important to have these measures in place, and we recognize that although importation of variants is a small part of whats happening with respect to the situation in Canada, anything we can do in terms of that added layer is important at this time, Njoo said. The Indian variant is called B.1.6.1.7. Between February 22 and May 6, 279 passengers tested positive for this new variant. There may also be community transmission within Canada. This is according to data from the Public Health Agency Canada (PHAC). Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer had said that this variant shows increased transmissibility. On Monday, India surpassed 300,000 deaths related to COVID-19. This is the third highest death toll in the world. The country also announced 222,315 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total to almost 27 million since the pandemic began. This is the second highest, after the U.S. India has the second largest population in the world, with over 1.3 billion people. In addition, a rare but fatal fungal infection began affecting COVID-19 patients in India, and has worried doctors. What do travellers need to know? International travellers coming to Canada need to present proof of a COVID-19 test. The test must be taken within 72 hours before travelling to Canada, whether travelling by air or by land. Travellers by air are also required to take another test upon arrival in Canada. Those travelling from India or Pakistan, need to have taken their COVID-19 test at a third country. Air travellers must then quarantine at a government-approved hotel for three days while they wait for their results. After they are cleared, they are still required to continue their 14-day quarantine. The three day hotel stay counts towards the mandatory 14 days. On the eighth day of their quarantine period, they will be required to once again take a COVID-19 test. Compassionate travellers may apply to be released early from quarantine to attend a funeral, or to care for a loved one. Discover if you are eligible for Canadian immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Ontario is expected to issue more than 8,350 nominations this year. How many provincial nominations will Ontario issue in 2021? Ontario is expected to issue more than 8,350 nominations this year. How many provincial nominations will Ontario issue in 2021? Ontario is expected to issue more than 8,350 nominations this year. How many provincial nominations will Ontario issue in 2021? Ontario is expected to issue more than 8,350 nominations this year. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Every year, each Canadian province gets to issue a certain amount of provincial nominations that support permanent residency applications. Ontario has just released its allocation for 2021. The federal government is allowing Ontario to issue 8,350 nominations, plus and additional 250 specifically for temporary foreign workers working in occupations with a National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level C. These jobs generally require a high school education or specific job training. To compare, Ontario nominated 8,054 principal applicants in 2020, despite closed borders and other COVID-related service disruptions. In 2019, Ontario nominated 7,391. That was also the year Ontarios Immigration Minister, Vic Fedeli, lobbied the federal government for an allocation of 13,300 nominations by 2022. Find Out if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration Already 2021 is proving to be a groundbreaking year for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). This year the OINP launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) system for programs under its Employer Job Offer Category. This means that immigration candidates can register at any time for the chance to receive a provincial nomination through its Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) that do not invite candidates from the Express Entry system. Immigrate to Ontario through the PNP Ontario is the most popular destination for new immigrants. As such, there are a number of immigration programs tailored to people who want to make Ontario their new home. PNPs were designed to allow provinces to support the particular needs of the economy in their region. As such, many PNP immigrants succeed in Ontarios labour market, oftentimes getting jobs in their first year of landing. A Statistics Canada study suggests that PNP candidates do well in part because many of them have prior Canadian experience. The best immigration program for you will depend on your situation. For some Ontario PNPs, you can apply without ever having set foot in Canada such as the Human Capital Priorities Stream. Others require you to have a job offer, or at least domestic education as in the case of the Masters Graduate stream. There are two broad categories of PNPs. Base PNPs, like the Employer Job Offer Category, operate independently within the province. Enhanced PNPs, like the Ontario Express Entry Streams, invite candidates who have submitted profiles to the Express Entry system. A provincial nomination is not a guarantee of permanent residence. It can, however, support your application. Only the federal government can make final decisions on immigration applications. Express Entry and Ontario You do not need to apply to a PNP to immigrate to Ontario. The Express Entry system allows you to apply directly to the federal government. It was designed to fast-track immigration applications, and help Canada select top candidates to become permanent residents and thrive in the labour market. To apply through Express Entry, you need to be eligible for one of the three Federal High Skilled programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Once you register your profile in the pool, and upload all your documents, you will get a score based on your age, skilled work experience, education, language ability, and other factors. The highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence through regular Express Entry draws. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. A Conference Board of Canada study measured the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant admissions to Canada and how the effects could be offset. New report shows impact of pandemic on immigration to Canada A Conference Board of Canada study measured the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant admissions to Canada and how the effects could be offset. New report shows impact of pandemic on immigration to Canada A Conference Board of Canada study measured the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant admissions to Canada and how the effects could be offset. New report shows impact of pandemic on immigration to Canada A Conference Board of Canada study measured the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant admissions to Canada and how the effects could be offset. Alexandra Miekus Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A The COVID-19 pandemic caused a marked reduction in immigration processing capacity during its first six months. From March to December of 2020, permanent resident admissions were down 56 per cent compared to 2019, a new report by the Conference Board of Canada shows. Refugee and family class admissions were most hard-hit with 72 and 63 per cent reductions, respectively, but this was most evident early in the pandemic. By the end of 2020, the distribution of admissions across these different immigration classes was nearing pre-pandemic levels. The Conference Board suggests that, based on the most recent trends in Express Entry draws, the share of immigrants with Canadian work experience will increase during 2021. The share of permanent residents having prior temporary work or study experience in Canada grew 10 per cent from 2019, according to the report. Find Out if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration At the beginning of the pandemic, Canada considered only Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in Express Entry invitation rounds. Then, in the second half of 2020, Canada began considering all candidates, including those from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). But since the start of 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is again prioritizing transitioning those already in Canada to permanent residence and focusing on CEC and PNP candidates as they are less likely to be affected by the various disruptions related to COVID-19. According to the report, the impact of reduced immigration numbers in 2020 was disproportionally felt outside of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec. This is partially due to policy decisions such as favoring CEC admissions since these candidates tend to be concentrated in Ontario and B.C. Temporary worker admissions were down 33 per cent overall. However, given the importance of agricultural workers to Canadas food security, the government took early steps to make it easier for them to enter and work in the country. These initiatives paid off as agricultural worker admissions were only down a comparatively minor 8 per cent. Four recommendations to offset effects of pandemic The Conference Board of Canada also looked at the impact of immigration on the Canadian economy. Their study has shown that increased levels of immigration over four years have the potential to raise Canadas GDP growth by 44 per cent, increase public revenues by $50B and compensate for Canadas otherwise aging demographics by increasing the ratio of working-age people to retirees by 15 per cent. Given these potential impacts, the Conference Board recommends four strategic imperatives for Canadas immigration policy and programs : First, it is recommended to increase support for newcomers by promoting pathways for immigrants with a job offer, investing more in settlement services, and accelerating family class admissions to help economic immigrants participate in the labour force. The second recommendation is to continue to focus on regionalization to attract immigrants to regions that receive fewer immigrants and have most felt the impact of the pandemic. Third, it is recommended to introduce policy changes that would improve the economic outcomes of immigrants. Finally, the Conference Board recommends increasing the number of family class immigrants and refugees admitted to Canada, particularly as they have not been shown to have a negative impact on the economy. Find Out if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. As a New Yorker, Ive made sure never to get too worked up about the problems that come along with living in the city. But I have to say it was unnerving when a man came at me swinging on the subway platform earlier this month. I cant say why he did it. He just kept coming at me screaming as a train pulled into the station, fortunately giving me a chance to get away. The man stayed behind after the train pulled out of the station at Rector Street. It was around 6 p.m., and I was going home from the office. I felt what many have feared during the coronavirus pandemic: that the subways have become unsafe. Its not comforting for people who cant work from home. The New York Times reported that the data doesnt completely support the notion that there is more danger, even though riders have been randomly attacked. The NYPD transit chief responded to heightened concerns by accusing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of fear mongering, since department statistics showed transit crime has dropped so far this year. Mayor Bill de Blasio, under intense pressure from Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week sent an additional 250 cops into the system to join the 3,000 already patrolling there. It was a smart move because the subways also just returned to 24-hour service. Reforms are still needed to address the mentally ill and homeless who find refuge underground. Weve learned thats not a policing job. But for the moment, just seeing the additional cops in the system is a welcome sight as straphangers return to some kind of normalcy. Of course, I'll continue to ride, even though I may still be looking over my shoulder. WESTMINSTER, Md. (AP) Drones, robots and self-driving cars were buzzing through downtown Westminster on Thursday for the ribbon-cutting of the first phase of MAGICs autonomous corridor project. MAGIC, which stands for Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory, is a technology nonprofit in Carroll County and it has a plan to improve transportation downtown. MAGIC is working with Dynamic Dimensions Technologies, or DDT, to scan routes so autonomous shuttles can operate on a circuit and transport residents from place to place. Graham Dodge, the executive director of MAGIC, said in a November interview the vehicles will have sensors that will help avoid obstacles in roads and adjust to formats like traffic circles. Its programming will allow the shuttle to understand the citys format and it will continuously scan the layout. Dodge said in a phone interview that this is the beginning of what will hopefully be no longer than a two-year project. The plan is to scan an 11-mile corridor then virtually test the various technologies that would allow the vehicles to drive themselves. MAGIC hosted an event to kick-off phase one of the project at the Stockdales Service Center. Before the ribbon cutting, a few speakers gave their take on the project. First to speak was Kelly Schulz, secretary of Maryland Department of Commerce, who said the autonomous corridor project is an example of a bold new idea, creates partnerships and makes transportation equitable. Julia Jasken, the soon-to-be president of McDaniel College, said transportation has historically been a challenge for McDaniel students. This project could help with that. The route would connect the retirement community Carroll Lutheran Village to McDaniel College and to Main Street in Westminster, then on to Carroll Community College and the YMCA. Libby Trostle, Carroll Community Colleges vice president of continuing education and training, spoke to the possible partnership with MAGIC and Mona Becker, mayor of Westminster said the project would not have been possible without the citys fiber network. She added Westminster is a city that innovates and chases technology, not one that waits for it to happen. Around the parking lot were several tents belonging to the local colleges but also companies like Ting and the nonprofit Together We Own It. Towards the back were the likes of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), with its remote-controlled robots. On the other side of the garage were members of Perrone Robotics, letting the public go for a ride in its self-driving van. It seated about 10 people. The driver drove the van manually from the garage near East Middle and allowed the car to drive itself on Willis Street. Were not going that fast, I promise, Colleen Hahn, vice president of marketing and communications for Perrone Robotics, said before the van took off. She said the vehicle has gone through a checklist of safety measures and has driven on multiple public roads. The van had a normal steering wheel and driver seat where Kyle Hernandez, a test/quality engineer for Perrone, was sitting. He took his hands off the wheel but kept them close as the van went into autonomous mode. It turned by itself and even went through a four-way traffic stop on its own. Hahn said in the previous test drive, it stopped for a black cat that walked in the street near a funeral home. Becker said the ride was cool and was impressed by how smoothly it navigated the turns in the road and with the four-way stop. Dan Hoff, a member of Westminsters Common Council, called it awesome and said it makes him wonder what Westminster will look like in 10 years. Dodge said he hopes there will be a mix of different vehicles on the corridor, including Perrone, which could be owned by the city or other entities. He said FedEx, for example, could use the corridor for its autonomous robots to deliver packages. He said the next steps will be virtual assessments like seeing if an autonomous vehicle can make it up a hill, which he hopes can be done by the fall. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Britains High Court granted Abu Dhabi-based shipbuilder Privinvest permission on Friday to file a lawsuit against Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, a counter-move in a case over a $2 billion corruption scandal, Privinvest said on Friday. The case relates to government-guaranteed loans raised in 2013 and 2014 for projects, including a tuna-fishing fleet, for which Privinvest was the sole contractor. Hundreds of millions of dollars went missing entirely, some in kickbacks and bribes, Mozambique and U.S. authorities say. Boats and infrastructure procured under the project have rusted away, the fleet catching only minimal amounts of tuna even when it did sail. Mozambique filed a lawsuit against Privinvest in London in 2019 seeking the recovery of loans, and compensation. That case and several others, including a separate suit against Credit Suisse and any counterclaims, have been combined into a single case, which will now also include the personal claim against Nyusi. Nyusis spokesman could not immediately be reached on Friday to comment on Privinvests latest counter-move. Nyusi, who became president in 2015, was defense minister when the loans were agreed. He has previously denied wrongdoing, and has said the three state-owned companies involved in the projects were not linked to the defense ministry. Privinvest, which also denies wrongdoing, acknowledges making payments to Mozambican officials, including Nyusi and his Frelimo party, but says they were legal campaign contributions, not bribes. Mozambiques government is trying to revoke its state guarantee for a portion of the loans on grounds of corruption. Privinvest argues that if the payments were bribes, then Nyusi and the others would also be culpable for accepting them. Privinvest said in a statement to Reuters that its claims against Nyusi and others would seek to make them liable to contribute to any damages that Privinvest or its billionaire owner, Iskandar Safa, may be ordered to pay. Any litigation in London must reflect the direct and personal involvement of the past and present members of (Mozambiques) own government, Privinvest said. Both Privinvest and Credit Suisse three of whose bankers were involved in arranging the loans and pleaded guilty in a related case in the United States to charges including conspiracy to violate anti-bribery laws have issued their own claims in Mozambiques lawsuit. However, this is the first time Nyusi has been served with a lawsuit that could expose him to personal liability a rare example of a British court allowing a claim to be filed against a head of state. Mozambique remains on the hook for the debt, some of which was not disclosed to donors such as the International Monetary Fund. When the full extent of the borrowing was revealed in 2016, donors cut off support to Mozambique, triggering a currency collapse and debt default. Climate change is making hurricanes bigger and stronger, and it may soon push them farther north. Yet Canadas homeowners, businesses and insurers underestimate that escalating risk, according to one of the worlds leading reinsurance firms. Overall, the northern nation has proved to be among the worlds most climate-resilient countries, having so far escaped the worst effects of the natural weather disasters whipped up by global warming, according to a report by Swiss Re AG. That has included hurricanes. Although theyve become increasingly ferocious, they often dissipate before reaching Canada. But as ocean surfaces warm, the frequency, duration and intensity of storms increase. Thats extending their range and making Canada, where just one or two tropical cyclones make landfall each year, more vulnerable, according to the Zurich-based company, which provides reinsurance to 15% of the countrys insurance industry. You have an increased likelihood of hurricanes making landfall further north and eventually making landfalls at higher latitudes than what weve ever seen before, Monica Ningen, head of Swiss RE Canada, said in an interview. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting another overactive hurricane season this year, though not as bad as last year, when named storms caused more than 400 deaths and $40 billion in damage and losses in North America.Like many countries, Canada has a protection gap regarding hurricanes, Ningen said. Since 2003, more than a third of such storm-related losses werent covered by insurance. If the storms worsen in Canada, so will the gap. Although homeowners in the Atlantic provinces currently pay about C$1 billion ($826 million) a year in insurance premiums, covering all types of disasters, any major hurricane hitting that region could be multiples of that, she said. Swiss Re is particularly concerned that many insurers have stopped paying attention to Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), a phenomenon in which ocean temperatures fluctuate as much as 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) every 25 to 40 years. These changes have a major impact on the frequency of hurricanes in the Atlantic, and the current warm phase isnt expected to end any time soon, Ningen said. Climate Resilience Canada ranks fifth in climate-change resiliency among 48 countries studied in the Swiss Re report. If global temperatures stay on their current trajectory and rise more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2050, that could shave 14 percentage points from the worlds GDP, according to the study. The economic impact on Canada, by contrast, would probably be half as bad. Still, Jerome Haegeli, chief economist at Swiss Re, warned that those costs are likely nonlinear, meaning inaction today will have more costs in the future. Swiss Re Net Income Weighed Down by Pandemic, Texas Freeze Canada has so far gotten off lightly when it comes to hurricane damage. A record 30 named storms formed over the Atlantic last year. Eleven made landfall in the U.S. but only one Teddy came ashore in Canada as a much weaker post-tropical cyclone. On Thursday, the Canadian Hurricane Center said that despite forecasts of more Atlantic storms for this year, the number expected to reach Canada is likely to be unchanged. The last official hurricane-size storm to hit Canada was Igor in 2010. The most destructive was Juan in 2003, which caused more than C$300 million in damage and C$91 million in insured losses in central Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Expensive Claims To appreciate what may lie ahead for Canada if Swiss Res worries prove justified, it helps to understand just how expensive hurricanes can be. Hurricane Andrew caused $15.5 billion in insured losses when it barreled through Florida in 1992, rendering a dozen insurance companies insolvent. Had the same storm struck 25 years later, insured losses would have been $50 billion to $60 billion because of increased development and population growth in the region, Swiss Re estimates. By comparison, Canadas most expensive natural disaster to date was the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire that resulted in about $3.6 billion in insured losses. Hurricane Dorian, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in history, roared through the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm in 2019, but had weakened to Category 1 by the time it hit Canada, resulting in just C$186 million in damage in the country. You only get so many close calls before our luck is going to run out, Ningen said. A 2021 report by the Property and Casualty Insurance Compensation Corp., that examined the Canadian insurance sectors financial tipping point found that a disaster causing more than C$35 billion in claims would result in a systemic failure of the sector. Even with the greater frequency of hurricanes, that doomsday scenario is far more likely to result from a major earthquake in Vancouver or the Montreal-Ottawa corridor, said PACICC Chief Executive Officer Alister Campbell. Canadian insurers have been loading up on reinsurance insurance for insurers by 71% in the last eight years, to about C$29.5 billion, largely to protect themselves against a catastrophic quake. That insurance also covers other natural disasters, including storms. For that reason, Campbell says the industry is well-protected. It is very hard to see a storm causing failure in Canada, Campbell said, because it is very hard to imagine any insurer being exposed to storm loss as great as their quake loss would be. Preparing for the worst doesnt come cheap, especially at a time when homeowners ought to be trying to exceed minimum building standards, yet material costs are skyrocketing, Ningen said. The biggest risk may be that adequate protection becomes too expensive for many individuals and businesses. That is the biggest challenge, she said. We need to adapt before the risks get unaffordable. With assistance from Brian K. Sullivan. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Flash World leaders, representatives of international organizations and experts have been mourning the death on Saturday of Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, whose lifelong research in high-yield rice varieties help feed people around the world. "Today, we mourn the passing of a true food hero. Chinese scientist Yuan Longping saved millions of people from hunger by developing the first hybrid rice strains," the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs tweeted. "He passed away today at 91 (due to illness) but his legacy and his mission to end hunger lives on," it said. Having spent over five decades in hybrid rice research, Yuan, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has helped China work a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total land. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, on Saturday expressed his sadness over Yuan's passing. "Deeply saddened by the death of Prof. Yuan Longping, my dear Master. He devoted his life to the research of hybrid rice, helping billions achieve food security," wrote Qu on his Twitter account. "You were my Inspiration. May you rest in peace," Qu added. Born in Beijing in 1930, Yuan succeeded in cultivating the world's first high-yield hybrid rice strain in 1973, which was later grown on a large scale in China and other countries to substantially raise output. "We have learned with great sadness the passing of the Chinese academician, father of hybrid rice, professor Yuan Longping," said Fanomezantsoa Lucien Ranarivelo, minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Madagascar, in a condolence message on behalf of the ministry and in his own name published Saturday on Facebook. In Madagascar, the output of rice was raised from 3 tons to 10 tons per hectare, thanks to Yuan's fruitful research and a hybrid rice R&D center in the town of Malagasy co-built with China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center, an institution he founded. Nowadays, sponsored by the center's training program, Madagascan technicians can travel to the Chinese central city of Changsha, where Yuan's team headquartered, and receive tailored advices. Otilia Tomo, director of Mozambique Agricultural Research Institute, said that during a visit to China in 2019, she was impressed by varieties of saline-alkali tolerant or higher-yield rice that Yuan's team presented. Mozambique was also challenged by the task of increasing yields, said Tomo, adding that in 2020, three varieties which her team brought from China and tested in Mozambique have delivered "satisfactory results." The results are single-season and preliminary, noted Tomo, "but I can say they are promising," and her institute will carry on the studies to fight hunger, she said in an interview with Xinhua. Yuan's passing is not only sad news to the Chinese people, but also a great loss to humanity, said Shahzad Ali Malik, CEO of Guard Agriculture Research and Services Co., Ltd in Pakistan. Speaking of his first meeting with Yuan in 1998, Malik said the scientist had told him "businessmen usually wish for a speedier benefit through their investment, yet seed-breeding is not an industry with quick profit, there may even be no profit." The talks showcase Yuan's high hopes of serious interest in rice-breeding from a potential partner, he noted. Later on, the two sides have undergone two decades of cooperation in developing hybrid strains, and Pakistan's rice planting has ushered in an era of great economic and social benefits, helping many in the rural area to shake off poverty, according to Malik. Ivo Mello, a renowned rice expert in Brazil, was also saddened by the news of Yuan's passing. "His legacy will be remembered for generations," said Mello, technical director of the Rice Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's leading rice-producing state. Ramping up research input to develop higher-yield hybrid rice strains is a matter of great importance to countries with a huge population, such as China and India, and more broadly, to the eradiation of global hunger, said Mello, whose institute has for years been promoting the growing of hybrid rice in Brazil. By early 1970s, most biologists and agronomists around the world believed that a sustainable way of cross-breeding robust and high-yield rice varieties was a mission impossible, yet Yuan, with his research, proved the opposite and has since become a science hero of his motherland, wrote the German public broadcast ARD program "Tagesschau" in an obituary on Saturday. ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) The last time we saw trucker Don Cook, his career odometer had just rolled over to 3 million miles. He hadnt had an accident in all that time, and his company, YRC Freight, gave him a truck cab with his name on it and a leather jacket with a patch reading Three Million Miles Safe Driving. That was nine years ago. Cook was 70 then, and it stood to reason he would retire before long. But here he was at the YRC terminal in Bethlehem Township on Friday, about nine months shy of 80, wearing a new leather jacket with a patch reading Hall of Fame. He has been enshrined among the trucking legends there because he has, since 2012, racked up an additional million flawless miles. Four million miles and not so much as a fender-bender. He attributes this to skill and patience You have to have your wits about you, he said but also to luck. Drowsy drivers, drunk drivers, distracted drivers all have kept out of his way over the years, and nature has spared him its worst. Cook plans to keep rolling, too. His eyes and reflexes are sharp, and his love of the road burns as bright now as it did when he started trucking professionally 47 years ago. Im not retiring, he said. Im still a young pup. And my wife would drive me crazy. This was a joke, of course. The Cook marriage is in its 58th year. Dolores Cook has been her husbands rock all that time. Its not easy being married to a trucker, after all, because they can be gone for long stretches. Don, for example, used to run routes to Texas and California. If it wasnt for her supporting me, I wouldnt be here, he said. He stays closer to home these days, with an overnight route that takes him 400 miles to Akron, Ohio. He makes one stop along the way, at a truck stop on Interstate 80 in Barkeysville, Venango County. He uses the facilities and has a cup of strong black coffee. Next stop, Akron. When Cook returns to Pennsylvania and drops his truck at the terminal, he has to drive another 30 miles home to Snydersville, in Monroe County. Some people might consider that a few miles too many, but Cook seems to have a sort of Zen approach to driving. It doesnt bore him or make him grind his teeth. He puts country and western music or oldies on the radio and hums placidly along the asphalt. You get bopping down the road and pretty soon, youre where youre supposed to be, he said. Which is not to say the beauty of the country is lost on him. He spoke warmly of his days passing through New Mexico and Arizona on cross-country runs, stopping at roadside stands to buy dreamcatchers and trinkets from Native American craftspeople. Cook grew up in Belleville, New Jersey, where his father drove a tour bus, hauling Vaughn Monroe and other stars of the 1940s from show to show. He could be gone for ages at a time. Sometimes, Cook would wake in the morning and see the bus outside. Father and son would enjoy a brief reunion. Hed give me a ride to school on the bus and I wouldnt see him again for six months, he said. Cook drove a factory truck for a while after high school. His first job as a tractor-trailer driver was with Roadway Corp. Yellow Transportation acquired Roadway and the merged companies became YRC Freight in 2009. YRC in the process of reverting to Yellow Transportation again. Whatever the name, its star employee has driven surely and steadily into the record books. His colleagues admire him. One, Danny Brown, a 37-year driving veteran, pulled in to the terminal as Cook was having his picture taken and paused to watch. He deserves it, Brown said, noting how rarely drivers reach multimillion-mile thresholds without an accident. I got a million miles a while back, he said. I got a nice watch for that. I dont think Ill make another million. Cook probably wont either, though it might not be wise to bet against him. Im an old guy, he said, but when I sit behind that wheel, Im 30 years old again. About the photo: This May 7, 2021 photo shows Don Cook, who has driven over 4 million accident free miles and is in the YRC Freight Hall of Fame in Allentown, Pa. Cook hasnt had an accident, and his company, YRC Freight, gave him a truck cab with his name on it and a leather jacket with a patch reading Three Million Miles Safe Driving. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call via AP) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Having access to everything inside our own homes is something most of us take for granted. Simply being able to climb stairs, reach counter tops or perform basic tasks around the house is something that comes easy to most people. But for people with reduced mobility from physical or mental d Flash Another 2,235 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,462,538, according to official figures released Sunday. The country also reported another five coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 127,721. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test. Nearly 38 million people, or more than 70 percent of adults in Britain, have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to official figures. The latest data were revealed as British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he is "increasingly confident" that England is "on track" for the British government's roadmap exiting the coronavirus lockdown. His remarks came after a study by Public Health England (PHE) showed promising results for the two main vaccines being used to fight the virus in Britain. According to the PHE study, which took place between April 5 and May 16, the Pfizer vaccine was 88 percent effective against symptomatic disease from the India-related variant two weeks after the second dose, compared with 93 percent effectiveness against the Kent variant. Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca jab was 60 percent effective, compared with 66 percent against the Kent variant over the same period. However, they were only 33 percent effective three weeks after the first dose, the PHE report said. Experts have warned that coronavirus may continue to evolve for years to come, and eventually it is likely current vaccines will fail to protect against transmission, infection, or even against disease caused by newer variants. The British government's roadmap is expected to see all legal limits on social contact to be removed on June 21. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Flash Three people were shot dead and five others injured at a bar in Youngstown city, the midwest U.S. state of Ohio, on early Sunday morning, according to a CNN report, citing local police sources. Police responded to the reports of shooting at the Torch Club Bar & Grille in the city shortly after 2 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), said CNN. Detectives said some sort of argument broke out near the bar, and there was "an exchange of gunfire," local media outlet WKBN reported. There was a four-car accident across the street from the bar that came after shots rang out, said WKBN. It is not clear if any of the shooting victims were involved in the four-car accident. The police investigation is underway. The city has seen 11 homicides this year, with 42 people shot and wounded, said WKBN. Celebrate the Class of 2020 Submit a profile of your favorite graduate to have them featured in our Virtual Graduation 2020 special section. Tout their accomplishments, share their photos, and wish them well! Submit profile Flash Jordan and Palestine on Sunday called for intensifying international efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. The call was made at a meeting between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his visiting Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki in Amman, where both based a just peace in the region on resolving the Palestinian cause and meeting all the legitimate rights of the Palestinians. During their meeting, the two ministers urged continued coordination and consultation in mobilizing an effective international stance to end the occupation and achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution in accordance with international law and the Arab Peace Initiative. Safadi highlighted the success of the international and regional efforts in stopping the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and achieving a cease-fire. Al-Maliki praised Jordan's efforts to stop the Israeli attacks and violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Gaza Strip, Jordan's role in supporting Palestinians and their rights, and its humanitarian and medical assistance. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) At least 200,000 beneficiaries have yet to receive their cash aid from the second wave of the national government's social amelioration program, an official said Monday. Department of Social Welfare and Development spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the delay was caused by "challenges due to the digital platform." "Ito ay matapos naming i-terminate ang engagement namin (This happened after we terminated our engagement) with financial service providers so we can proceed with the manual payouts," Dumlao told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon. She urged the 200,000 "unserved" beneficiaries to wait for the announcement of their local field offices on the date of the manual payouts. The DSWD spokesperson also assured the department is coordinating with concerned local government units for an orderly distribution of financial assistance to the beneficiaries. SAP is the government's cash aid for poorest families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each beneficiary received a 5,000-8,000 subsidy. Dumlao said almost 18 million families have received their cash assistance. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) With the national elections approaching, the Department of Interior and Local Government reminds public officials not to use the COVID-19 vaccine drive to promote their candidacies as this is prohibited by law. Ito pong mga bakuna ibinili ng ating [These vaccines purchased by our] national government, these are funded by the national government. And therefore, they are covered by the anti-epal or anti-political prohibitions of law, said DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya in an online briefing on Monday. The General Appropriations Act forbids the placement of names, logos, or images of both elected and appointed public officials on all programs, activities and projects funded by it. While the DILG official said they havent monitored any violation of this law so far in vaccination enters, he still enjoined the public to report such instances immediately. Wala po tayong makikita na kahit ano mang tarpaulin sa ibat ibang mga resbakuna centers natin sa buong bansa na ginagamit po itong ating vaccination drive for political purposes, said Malaya. If there is any, ipagpaalam niyo lang po sa [just inform the] DILG and we will investigate any of these local officials. [Translation: We shall not see any tarpaulins in resbakuna centers across the country which means using our vaccination drive for political purposes.] In a separate press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured the vaccine drive is not being used by anyone to advance their political ambitions. There really is a need to work with barangay captains and mayors in executing the governments inoculation plan, he added. Yung local vaccination drives po, mga lokal na pamahalaan po ang nagpapatupad niyan, nagkataon lang po na naka-posisyon sila, said the spokesman. Pero tingin ko po, pagsubok talaga sa kanila iyan no dahil kapag sila ay pumalpak eh lagot talaga sila sa taumbayan. [Translation: Local governments are in charge of implementing local vaccine drives, it just so happened theyre the ones holding office. But I believe this would be a challenge for them because if they fail, the public will hold them to account.] The government hopes to vaccinate up to 70 million individuals against COVID-19 by yearend. CNN Philippines correspondent Eimor Santos contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) A Filipino crew member of MV Athens Bridge who was found carrying the B.1.167 coronavirus variant first detected in India has passed away, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Monday. The seafarer, who was confined in a hospital in Metro Manila, died on May 21 after his bout with severe COVID-19 infection. In an update, the DOH said the 63-year-old man was originally from Tarlac and was a resident of Paranaque. The DOH added he had hypertension and died due to complications from the COVID-19 infection. DOH announced last week that one crew member was intubated, while three others were under oxygen support. Twelve Filipino seafarers on board the vessel that traveled to India have tested positive for COVID-19. RELATED: DOH: No proof of faster health decline for patients with India variant The Philippines has 12 cases of the B.1.167 coronavirus variant, including some patients that have no travel history from India. The entry restriction on passengers from India, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is in place until May 31. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) Will President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo be appearing together in an infomercial aiming to boost the public's confidence in vaccines anytime soon? It's up to the chief executive, Malacanang says. "It will really depend on the President. The President will assess, pag-aaralan ng Presidente kung talagang meron bang kontribusyon yung pagsali ni VP Leni (Robredo) sa infomercial na gaya ng pinaplano," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during his press briefing on Monday. [Translation: He will look into whether VP Leni joining the planned infomercial will really contribute something.] Robredo said over the weekend that she is open to appearing with Duterte in an infomercial to encourage more Filipinos to roll up their sleeves and receive COVID-19 shots. She was reacting to Senator Joel Villanueva's suggestion that the country's top two officials appear in such content to help strengthen the public's vaccine confidence. "Pero ang karanasan po natin and this is backed up by a study by (Philippine Survey and Research Center), yung pinaka-epektibong kampanya po so far against COVID is Mask, Hugas, Iwas na sa bandang huli ay narooon po ang ating Presidente," said the spokesman. [Translation: However, our experience is and this is backed up by a study by the Philippine Survey and Research Center that the most effective campaign so far against COVID is Mask, Hugas, Iwas wherein our President appears at the very end.] Roque earlier reported during Duterte's public address last week that the said infomercial is what people recall the most, citing the PSRC. He also said that they will be creating a new infomercial, this time to allay vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos. The number of COVID-19 doses administered so far has already breached 4 million as of May 23, the Cabinet official reported. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) More COVID-19 vaccines from the United States are set to arrive in the Philippines next month to help ramp up the country's vaccination drive, the country's envoy to the US said Monday. In an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez said additional supply via the World Health Organization-backed COVAX facility may come as early as the second week of June. "Actually, theyre beginning to put it together. From what I understand, perhaps as early as second week of June. They should be expecting some of the vaccines will be going to the Philippines," said Romualdez, referring to a portion of the 80 million doses that the US will be sharing with different countries. READ: Biden announces US will share more vaccines globally: 'Our nation is going to be the arsenal of vaccines' Romualdez said the Philippines may be given around 2 million more doses from British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca, apart from the 2.2 million Pfizer vaccine doses via COVAX which were promised to arrive by the end of May. By June 21, about 300,000 initial doses from US firm Moderna are also expected to arrive, with supply to be bumped up in the succeeding months with the delivery of the rest of the 20 million total doses secured by the country, he added. . The Philippines has also signed a term sheet for the procurement of 40 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, which will be coursed through COVAX "at a very special price" to get easier access, Romualdez said. No specific date was mentioned on their arrival. "We are procuring that through COVAX. We are also a member or donor of the facility, so we are getting a special price and the special price were getting from Pfizer is through the COVAX," he added. However, the Department of Health made a clarification on Romualdezs statement, saying the Philippines cannot procure COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX unless "we order on top of what has been allocated" to the country. The procurement of 40-million Pfizer doses will be procured funded from multilateral organizations, the agency added. The Philippine and US governments are also working at getting booster shots from Moderna and Pfizer, which may be combined with other brands initially administered to protect more Filipinos. Romualdez said after a possible regulatory approval by October, these can be made available by the end of the year or early next year, should the effectivity of the initial shots start to wane. Romualdez added that he is also coordinating with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez in trying to get 5 million more one-shot doses from US drugmaker Johnson & Johnson to reach people in the rural areas and achieve the Philippines' herd immunity target at the soonest possible time. Supply may arrive at around August or September, he said. By June, the Philippine government will finally include economic and national government frontliners in the simultaneous inoculation drive with health workers, senior citizens, and other priority groups as more vaccines are expected to arrive in the country. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his briefing on Monday that 4 million doses have already been administered in the country as of Sunday. Up to 70 million Filipinos must be vaccinated by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity and protect the population against rising coronavirus cases and even faster-spreading variants. RELATED: TIMELINE: COVID-19 vaccine deliveries and rollout in the Philippines Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) The World Health Organization said Filipinos nowadays are "eagerly" looking forward to getting their COVID-19 shots contrary to the hesitancy they exhibited in the past. "Right now, we don't see a lot of vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines," Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines, told Monday's Palace briefing "Actually, their issue is that the vaccines applied cannot meet the demand," he said. Abeyasinghe noted that while the Philippines "has traditionally had some" hesitancy toward vaccines, what the WHO is seeing now is that people "eagerly" await to receive shots against the highly contagious disease. "In some situations, local governments are unable to keep up with the demand," the health expert said. "So it's not actually an issue of vaccine hesitancy." The Philippines had administered over 4 million COVID-19 vaccine shots as of May 23, latest government data revealed. The WHO representative likewise acknowledged that there have been instances in some places wherein certain vaccine brands are preferred over the others. He clarified, however, that this should not be perceived as vaccine hesitancy. Government officials and health experts alike have enjoined Filipinos to get inoculated regardless of the brand, emphasizing consistently that the best vaccine is the one in people's arms. The country hopes to vaccinate up to 70 million Filipinos by year-end and achieve herd immunity. Chants of "End the occupation," "Free, free Palestine" and "Stop killing children" rang through the streets of downtown State college Sunday afternoon during the 3/20 Youth Coalition's "Protest for Palestine" and march at the Allen Street Gates. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict over Jerusalem, which began in 1948, has recently escalated after years of quiet, according to the New York Times, with a war between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip. In recent weeks, civil unrest in Gaza has led to Israeli forces killing at least 243 Palestinians as of Friday, including at least 66 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The 3/20 Coalition formed after Osaze Osagie, a 29-year-old Black man, was killed by a State College police officer on March 20, 2019 when three officers arrived at Osagies apartment to serve a mental health warrant. Osagie, who had autism and a history of schizophrenia, ran at the officers with a knife. After an unsuccessful attempt to deploy a Taser on him, he was allegedly shot by Officer M. Jordan Pieniazek. The three officers involved in the shooting have not been charged. Sunday's event saw dozens of attendees and began with Delta Program High School students and 3/20 Youth Coalition co-leaders Sophia Galvin and Ire Mayegun introducing several Palestinian and non-Palestinian speakers. The speakers all voiced concern for the recent violence and demanded justice for Palestine. The first speaker, Omar Anabtawi, expressed a personal connection to those affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said he is a sixth-generation Palestinian. "Imagine that you receive a phone call from the government telling you that you have 10 minutes to evacuate your house before they bomb it," Anabtawi (senior-aerospace engineering) said. Anabtawi said he believes the most important message he can deliver is to "raise awareness" to the violence Palestinians are experiencing. 3/20 Coalition member and high school sophomore Miranda Julia Marks described the meaning of anti-Zionism "from a Jewish person's mouth." "Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism," Marks said. "Zionists like to weaponize Jewish trauma in order to justify the murder and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians." State College High School junior and 3/20 Youth Coalition member Rija Sabeeh came to the microphone to list the names of children massacred in Palestine within the last month. Around 3 p.m., the group began to march through downtown State College after several attendees expressed interest in taking their message to the streets. Protestors continued chanting "Gaza, Gaza don't you cry, Palestine will never die," and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." As the group passed stores, bars and restaurants, onlookers joined in on the chants and some even stepped in to follow the march. The march, led by Anabtawi, began west down College Avenue and up Burrowes Street, continuing east down Beaver Avenue until Locust Lane and making its way back to the Allen Street Gates. As the marchers returned to the chalk-filled sidewalks in front of the Allen Street Gates, the crowd was even larger than when they departed. "I know some of you may be tired right now," Anabtawi said to the crowd following the march. "I want you to imagine what our Palestinian brothers and sisters are going through." MORE 3/20 COALITION COVERAGE Summer is finally here, and Penn State students can attend various in-person events or university-sponsored Zoom programs this week. Monday, May 24 6:35 p.m. The State College Spikes will host their home opener against the Williamsport Crosscutters at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The first 250 fans will receive a Spikes face mask. Tickets can be purchased here. Tuesday, May 25 9 a.m. Penn State Great Valley will host an Unconscious Bias workshop over Zoom, and registration can be found here. Noon Michael Skvarla, assistant research professor of anthropoid identification at Penn State, will host a webinar on safety regarding ticks and how to identify them. Registration costs $5 for the event and can be found here. 6:30 p.m. The 3/20 Coalition will hold a community vigil for Black lives on the one-year anniversary of George Floyds death. The gathering at the State College Municipal Building will include community reflections, a candlelight march for Black lives and a memorial for George Floyd and all Black lives lost at the hands of the police since his murder, according to the organizations Instagram page. Wednesday, May 26 Noon Penn State Great Valley will hold a webinar about its Master of Business Administration program. Registration for the event can be found here. Thursday, May 27 Noon Penn State Great Valley will hold a webinar about its Master of Professional Accounting program. Registration for the event can be found here. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE You are here: World Flash South Australian universities have issued a plea to the federal government to allow international students back into the country. According to data released on Monday, international enrolments in SA's universities have dropped by 33 percent amid the coronavirus pandemic, crippling their budgets. Sebastian Raneskold, Flinders University's vice-president and pro vice-chancellor (International), said the fall was "deeply concerning" for universities and the broader SA economy, calling for the "urgent activation" of a plan for the arrival of international students. "This could include dedicated quarantining facilities for international students to ensure their return doesn't affect general repatriation efforts," he told News Corp Australia. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic international students were worth 2 billion Australian dollars (1.54 billion U.S. dollars) per year to the SA economy. Enrolments in SA from China, the state's biggest international education market, have dropped 20 percent and those from India, its second-biggest market, have fallen 35 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, according to News Corp Australia. Projections included in the federal budget for financial year 2021/22 revealed that the federal government does not expect Australia's international borders to re-open until mid-2022. Jacqueline Lo, pro vice-chancellor (International) at the University of Adelaide, said the news was "disappointing and very worrying" for the institution. Education Minister Alan Tudge said in January that the government was open to "all options" for the return of international students and called for state and territory governments to submit proposals to the federal government. In a case arising from Logan County, the Chickasaw Nation, based in Oklahoma, had sent paperwork to enroll two twin children, K.C. and L.C., as members. The countys Department of Human Services, however, failed to assist in filling out the paperwork. Columbia, MO (65201) Today Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. SE winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. SE winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Danville, IL (61832) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. COVID relief: INS Jalashwa arrives in Visakhapatnam with oxygen cylinders and ventilators from Singapore, Brunei In the most recent instance of the Indian Navy's ongoing COVID Relief Operation 'Samudra Setu II, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Jalashwa arrived in Visakhapatnam yesterday with a critical COVID relief consignment, including oxygen cylinders and ventilators, from Singapore and Brunei. The Indian Navy said that the COVID relief materials including oxygen containers and ventilators were facilitated by the Indian Missions and the consignments are being handed over to Government agencies in various States and NGOs. Photo courtesy: Twitter/@SpokespersonMoD The ship's cargo included 18 cryogenic oxygen tanks and other critical COVID care material including 3,650 oxygen cylinders and 39 ventilators. "Operation Samudra Setu II - INS Jalashwa arrives Visakhapatnam with Critical COVID Relief Consignment including oxygen cylinders and ventilator from Brunei and Singapore," said the Indian Navy. Taking to Twitter, the Indian Navy said that the COVID relief materials including oxygen containers and ventilators were facilitated by the Indian Missions and the consignments are being handed over to Government agencies in various States and NGOs. Meanwhile, INS Trikand reached Mumbai yesterday with 40 metric tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) from Qatar and 100 oxygen cylinders. According to the Navy, the ships Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, Trikand, Jalashwa, and Airavat are deployed for COVID relief Operation 'Samudra Setu II' for shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen and associated medical equipment from friendly foreign countries in the Persian Gulf and southeast Asia. Looking to drive economic growth through rising export potential, says Exim Bank MD David Rasquinha Highlighting Mumbai-headquartered Export Import (Exim) Bank of Indias profit after tax (PAT) doubling in FY 2021, India Exim Bank MD and CEO David Rasquinha said that the present year has started well and is also looking good despite the impact of the second wave. Speaking to Connected to India, Rasquinha said that members of the Indian diaspora had played a prominent part in many of the bank's overseas initiatives. Photo courtesy: Exim Bank "We believed that we are going to have a good year as we go forward and we look forward to working with Indian exports to improve their exports as we go ahead," he added. During a virtual press conference of the Annual Results Performance of India Exim Bank for FY 2021, he said the bank is "cautiously optimistic" about growth in FY22, and is aspiring to grow its book by 7-12 per cent on a currency neutral perspective. Rasquinha said major markets for Indian exporters like the US and Europe have already recovered which will lead to greater role to be played by the bank for supporting domestic exporters. Moving forward, Exim Bank intends to support more export-oriented small and medium enterprises for their global ambitions through its 'Ubharte Sitaare' (Rising Stars) programme, which will provide a mix of structured support covering equity, debt and technical assistance to fitting enterprises. Exim Bank assisted Indian firms in their globalisation efforts by locating overseas distributors/buyers/partners for these firms. Speaking to Connected to India, Rasquinha said that members of the Indian diaspora had played a prominent part in many of the bank's overseas initiatives. "Often we find that many of the industries that are export-oriented are started by Indians who have returned after studying or working abroad. Without getting into specifics, I can say that we have also received assistance from many Indians and diaspora organisations for our investments and projects overseas," he said. Moving forward, Exim Bank intends to support more export-oriented small and medium enterprises. Photo courtesy: PIB Exim Bank has supported 38 project export contracts valued at around USD 3.6 billion under its commercial window. This financial year, five corporates were sanctioned funded and non-funded assistance aggregating INR 7.21 billion for part financing their overseas investments in two countries. So far, India Exim Bank has provided finance to 637 ventures set up by 476 companies in 78 countries, an official statement read. 05/24/2021 Photo (c) On Monday, the U.S. State Department said Americans should avoid traveling to Japan in light of the fact that the country is under a state of emergency. Japan is currently dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak in connection with its low vaccination rate. Just 3% of the countrys population has been vaccinated, according to Bloombergs vaccine tracker. The State Department said Japan now falls under its Level 4: Do Not Travel category. In its advisory, the department cited "a very high level of COVID-19 in the country. The advisory applies even to those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Because of the current situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Japan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote in a notice. May affect the Olympics The CDC advises people who must travel to Japan for essential reasons to get vaccinated if theyre not already and to protect themselves as much as possible while in the country. Recommendations include wearing face coverings, social distancing, practicing good hygiene, and avoiding contact with sick people. The recommendation to avoid traveling to Japan comes just two months before the planned start of the Tokyo Olympics. The Olympics didnt take place as scheduled last year due to the pandemic. Now, Japan is trying to convince its residents, as well as participants and spectators from other countries, that it is ready to host the competition starting July 23. Organizers will decide next month whether to allow spectators to watch the event in person. Flash "Saving a Flyway," a short film showing how the collaboration among academics, NGOs, local communities, and governments have turned an "epicenter of extinction" into a story of hope for millions of migratory shorebirds, was premiered online on May 21. Organized by the Paulson Institute, a group of experts, scholars, and government representatives watched the film's premiere and shed light on the significance of the example in the video. They also discussed how it can inspire others around the world to forge a new international framework to slow and halt biodiversity loss, just as countries prepare to attend the UN Conference on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China, in October. The 14-minute video "Saving a Flyway" celebrates the extraordinary migration of millions of shorebirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and documents the changes in ecological policies over the last few years relating to the heart of the flyway China's Yellow Sea. "China's coastal wetlands are very valuable from an ecological and economic standpoint. And, importantly, they are essential to the survival of migratory shorebirds," Henry M. Paulson, Jr., a conservationist and chairman of the Paulson Institute, narrates at the beginning of the video. "Because so many birds migrate long distances, they remind us how important it is that if our conservation and environmental protection efforts are to succeed, they have to be not just local, but international," he adds. The Yellow Sea region used to be under threat of becoming "an epicenter of extinction" for many shorebird species, Wendy Paulson, vice chairman of the Paulson Institute and chairman of the Bobolink Foundation, introduced at the virtual premiere ceremony. However, thanks to the collaboration of numerous organizations and people working across interdisciplinary and international borders, the situation has changed for the better. "In 2018, the Chinese government announced a ban on further commercial-related reclamation of coastal wetlands and moved to protect the remaining important intertidal mudflats by attaining World Heritage Site classification, and other means. Today, two of the most important sites at Yancheng in Jiangsu province have full-fledged World Heritage status and 12 more sites along the coast are due to be nominated in the next few years," Wendy Paulson said. "There is still a long way to go to secure the future of these shorebirds. But now there is hope," Paulson added. Cui Shuhong, director-general of nature and eco-conservation at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said in a video message that China's coastal wetlands play an important role in protecting migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. "In recent years, with great efforts of the relevant departments of the government, China has achieved some important achievements for the protection of coastal wetlands," he said. Clare Fearnley, ambassador of New Zealand to China, stressed that the New Zealand government attaches great importance to the protection of the natural world and stands ready to deepen its cooperation with governments of all countries to better protect migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasia Flyway. Robert Kaler, chairman of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), expressed his pleasure in seeing more partners joining the initiative to protect migratory birds. He stressed that the Chinese government, the New Zealand government, the Paulson Foundation, and other stakeholders all play a crucial part in achieving the goal of protecting migratory birds and their habitats. China has fulfilled its commitment to the protection of migratory birds, John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said, noting that it has set an example for the rest of the world regarding the importance of international collaboration. The video "Saving a Flyway" is now available for streaming via the EAAFP and Cornell Lab of Ornithology websites, as well as on the Paulson Institute's website and YouTube channel. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. BASF CEO, Martin Brudermuller, Ph.D., and RWE CEO Markus Krebber, Ph.D., accompanied by chairman of the mining, chemical and energy industries union (IG BCE), Michael Vassiliadis, have presented a project to make industrial production sustainable and future-proof. The CEOs of BASF and RWE have signed a letter of intent covering a wide-ranging cooperation for the creation of additional capacities for renewable electricity and the use of technologies for climate protection. Related: LanzaTech x BASF to Create Fragrance and Flavor from Industrial Waste The project envisions an offshore wind farm with a capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW) to provide the BASF Ludwigshafen chemical site with green electricity and enable CO 2 -free production of hydrogen. The aim is to electrify the production processes for basic chemicals, which are currently based on fossil fuels. This will involve utilizing CO 2 -free technologies such as electrically heated steam cracker furnaces to produce petrochemicals. BASF is working with partners on developing these technologies. Vassiliadis said, Here, two strong partners are making climate-friendly transformation and energy transition tangible and concrete. We stand behind this major project because it can be a symbol for the innovative power of industry and its employees. In many places, they are working with great passion and expertise to shape the transformation. They deserve all the support they can get. Brudermuller said, Without the availability of sufficient volumes of electricity from renewable sources at competitive prices, our future transformation will not be possible! This task is only achievable with innovative and intensive cooperation between politics and industry. And it requires collaboration across the value chains. In our partnership between RWE as a leading company in power generation and BASF in chemicals, we bring together the necessary prerequisites and the will to shape things. Krebber added, Coupling a new offshore wind farm already in the planning stage to an industrial customer such as BASF, who will convert its production to green electricity and hydrogen on this basis, would be a first for Germany. The realization of our proposal would represent a true acceleration of the expansion of renewable energies. Of course, there are still some open questions, but we want to push this forwardthe faster, the better. This is how we will shape the energy transition. Hauschild Engineering is expanding its worldwide sales network and adding new sales representatives and distributors. See related: Must-know Powder Process Parameters for Formula Success All Hauschild SpeedMixer product lines and accessories will now be available in six additional countries including: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Israel, Great Britain and Ireland. The company signed a distribution agreement with Productive Innovations Limited. Headquartered south of Birmingham, United Kingdom, it will now supply the United Kingdom and Ireland with Hauschild's equipment and accessories. See also: [video] Mixing Low-energy Emulsions Fabio Boccola, CEO of Hauschild, stated: "For fifty years, our Hauschild SpeedMixer has been the first choice when companies need to rely on high-performance, high-quality laboratory mixing equipment." Boccola added that many product ideas have been made possible thanks to the dual asymmetric centrifuge (DAC) technology the company developed. "I am very pleased with the latest expansion of our sales network. This enables us to now also contribute to the success and future viability of companies located in these countries, providing competent advice and support on location." Continue Reading Below Advertisement Leto may have been joking around, but weirdly he never relents, insisting that he had never ever heard of the movie that features his face on the poster. And sure, hed perhaps moved on from dumb horror movies to classier fare at that point in his career, appearing in films like Requiem For a Dream, American Psycho, and Home Alone For Grown-Ups, AKA Panic Room. But it still seems like an insane tactic to take. Like, Kevin Bacon is happy to talk about Friday the 13th. And if it comes up in conversation, Jennifer Aniston wont gaslight you into thinking that Leprechaun must have just been a dream you had once. You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter! And check out the podcast Rewatchability. Top Image: Sony Pictures President Joe Biden passed on delivering the 2021 commencement address at the University of Notre Dame on Sunday as thousands of the Catholic institution's community members objected to the invitation over the presidents pro-abortion policies. About 4,500 members of the Notre Dame community and others signed a petition urging the Notre Dame President John Jenkins not to invite the second Roman Catholic U.S. president. But the private university still requested Biden to deliver the address. Sources from the White House told Catholic News Agency earlier this month that the 78-year-old could not attend the ceremony due to scheduling. Bidens three consecutive predecessors or their vice presidents have addressed Notre Dames commencement in their first year in office President George W. Bush in 2001, President Barack Obama in 2009 and Vice President Mike Pence in 2017. Source:The Christian Post A Christian realtor is allowing his real estate license to expire rather than comply with the new requirement from the National Association of Realtors that he and other members refrain from engaging in hate speech. Matt Moore, a realtor who lives in Minnesota, announced his decision on Twitter Friday. In addition to serving as a real estate agent, Moore creates digital content from a Christian worldview. The content available on his website includes a podcast titled Moore Musings, blog posts and videos. A federal judge rejected a Missouri Christian universitys plea for temporary protection against the Biden administrations Fair Housing Act, which, the school said, requires religious schools to open womens' dorm rooms and showers to male students. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday denied the College of the Ozarks motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Department of Housing and Urban Developments Fair Housing Act, Springfield News-Leader reported. Ketchmark said an effort by the college to stop HUD from applying the new federal directive wouldn't protect the college from any liability related to unfair housing allegations, the newspaper added. James Luh, an attorney representing HUD, argued that the memorandum was not directed at the college and does not specifically address the kinds of issues the college has raised here showers, or roommates. Source:The Christian Post An Ohio megachurch among several churches nationwide to receive millions of dollars last year under the federal governments Paycheck Protection Program has announced it will give away $2.5 million over the next 25 weeks. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Crossroads Church will donate $2.5 million to local, national and international nonprofits over the next five-plus months, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. "God has blessed Crossroads over the past 25 years and we don't take that lightly, so we want to use what we've been given to bring positive change in the communities we serve," the churchs founder and Senior Pastor Brian Tome said in a statement. "That means sharing our resources with partners who are doing good work. Where God is moving, we want to be investing." City Gospel Mission, a Cincinnati organization that helps fight homelessness, will be gifted $100,000 to become the first of 40 organizations in the area to receive a donation, WKRC reported. Source:The Christian Post You are here: World Flash The Saudi-led military coalition involved in a war in Yemen on Monday foiled a bomb-laden boat attack launched by the Houthi militia in the southern Red Sea, local media reported. The attempt was part of a series of attacks in the Red Sea over the years, and most of them were foiled, according to Riyadh-based Al Ekhbariya TV channel. The coalition accused the Houthis of risking the international trade and violating the Stockholm Agreement -- a voluntary accord between the parties of the Yemeni conflict. Besides the attacks in the Red Sea, the coalition has destroyed drones and missiles launched by Houthis towards Saudi Arabia, especially its border areas. 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 recognized 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. Pastors David Platt and Francis Chan have joined a collective of more than 50 Christian ministries in launching a 33-day prayer challenge on Sunday, the Day of Pentecost, to raise awareness for the one-third of the worlds population that is still without access to the Bible, the church and other believers. The 1:11 Prayer Challenge, which will begin with a Facebook Live event on Sunday at 1:11 p.m. in each U.S. time zone, will ask Christians across the U.S. to pause at 1:11 p.m. each day for 33 days to pray for the third of us who have no access to Jesus. What many people dont understand is that unreached is not the same as unsaved or even unevangelized, explained Marv Newell, executive director of the Alliance for the Unreached, which is hosting the event as part of the A Third of Us movement. The vast majority of people in communities across North America are reached with the Gospel, meaning that they have access to the Good News in their language in some form or another. Newell continued: But this is not true for the 3.2 billion people living in Gospel-destitute areas of the world. They are considered unreached because they have no access to the Good News. They still await the opportunity to hear the message of Jesus for the first time, and based upon the number of professing believers in their community, it is extremely unlikely they will meet or know a Christian personally. Source:The Christian Post Crossville, TN (38555) Today Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Yes, I am sure my money is invested in companies I trust. I'd like to invest in more ethical companies but I don't know how. I'd like to invest more in ethical companies but I don't think the returns are as good. I don't know where my money is invested. Vote View Results On the heels of three major cybersecurity incidents over the past six monthsthe SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange supply chain attacks and the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attackgovernment officials and some in the private sector are reviving calls for better information sharing and national breach notification requirements. [ How much does a cyber attack really cost? Take a look at the numbers.. | Get the latest from CSO by signing up for our newsletters. ] "We seem to talk endlessly about information-sharing," Michael Daniel, president and CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance, a nonprofit that enables cybersecurity providers to share threat intelligence, said during a presentation at the RSA Conference last week. "Virtually every cybersecurity panel study or review for the last half-century seems to have an information-sharing recommendation in it. No one is really against information sharing in theory. Yet, information sharing never seems to quite work." "One of the reasons that companies feel uncomfortable talking about cybersecurity incidents or sharing information about cybersecurity incidentsis because they're worried that somebody's going to say, 'Ha! You had terrible cybersecurity.'" Daniel tells CSO. "But the issue is that we actually don't know what's good or bad cybersecurity." He calls for a "standard of care," some better means of actually measuring what good cybersecurity constitutes. Good cybersecurity statistics are missing The absence of good statistics limits insight into what constitutes good cybersecurity. "If I gave you $5 million and said, 'Spend this on improving the security of an enterprise,' the average system couldn't actually put numbers to a proposal to decide whether or not to do threat hunting or a better training of employees," Paul Rosenzweig, senior fellow at the R Street Institute said at the RSA Conference. He argues for the creation of a bureau of cybersecurity statistics. "The ultimate goal here is to have metrics that are transparent, countable, auditable, effective, generally agreed-upon, widely used and scalable. We're nowhere near that right now," he said. Like most cybersecurity policy experts, Rosenzweig thinks mandatory breach notification is overdue. "It boggles my mind that 15 years into this cybersecurity crisis, pretty much since 2005, 2006, we still don't have an operating picture of how frequently and what sorts of breaches occur in the United States. We're doing better than we did 15 years ago. But without a comprehensive breach notification law, we simply never get a sense of what's actually happening on the ground. That makes it impossible to do trend analysis or gap analysis with any efforts." "We need to make sure that we have reporting structures in place in terms of a breach," Frank Cilluffo, director of Auburn University's McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security, told RSA attendees. "This has been around for decades, but I think there's finally awareness that we need to be able to move forward on the law there." Differing breach notification requirements across states are problematic An obstacle to practical data breach analysis is the differing set of breach reporting requirements that span all US states and territories. "At this point, where you've got all 50 states and all our territories having data breach notification laws, everybody's agreed that we need to have breach notification," Daniel tells CSO. "There's no reason not to have that be on a national scale." Tom Corcoran, head of cybersecurity for the Farmers Insurance Group, agrees. "Companies that operate nationally in the US, every time they have an issue, they have to do a 50-state analysis of what's required," he said at the conference. "Setting a national standard would certainly make things a lot easier for American companies, especially for companies that don't have the resources to have a big regulatory team figure that out." Other experts and law enforcement specialists at RSA echoed the call for mandatory breach reporting. "It's very challenging for a company that does business across state lines to figure out what are all the various potential breach notification obligations," Luke Dembosky, partner, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, said. Companies have to undertake "intensive legal analysis that involves identifying what states people are residing in, whether they have a second residence somewhere else that should be taken into consideration," and that's just in the US alone. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) layers a whole different set of obligations on organizations, Demosky pointed out. Better information sharing will help combat threats Aside from better statistics and mandatory breach notification, better information sharing between the government and the private sector will help organizations combat cyber threats. Pointing to the successful role cybersecurity company FireEye played in helping the government manage the SolarWinds crisis, Tonya Ugoretz, deputy assistant director at the FBI, told RSA attendees that "it was very important that they came to the government quickly, but we can't count on that happening in all cases." This uncertainty highlights the need for national data breach reporting, she said. "It also shows the importance of some of the kind of proactive relationship building that the government does." "That was model behavior, and it was entirely voluntary, and it's in the public good," Adam Hickey, deputy assistant attorney general, National Security Division, at the Department of Justice, said, referring to FireEye's quick action in informing the government of its SolarWinds malware infection. "We're saying this anecdote demonstrates why that kind of reporting so important. So, let's make it easier. Let's make it mandatory. Let's encourage themwhatever combination of carrots and sticks comes out of the policy process." Government needs to share, too Daniel warns that information sharing shouldn't be all in one direction. The government needs to share information back with the private sector. "If you really want to put a dent into the world of cybercrime, it's going to involve the government letting some parts of the private sector in on things that they're very uncomfortable letting the private sector in on," he tells CSO. Daniel says the government does not hold a comparative advantage in technical cyber threat intelligence, pointing to FireEye's role in helping to identify and manage the SolarWinds crisis as proof. It does, mainly through intelligence agencies such as the NSA, have the advantage of "saying that indicator right there, that indicator is actually associated with this bad guy over here. And this bad guy over here is doing something particularly pernicious right now. That's where the government's comparative advantage is, adding that context and adding that additional information." With sidelined workers in Connecticut getting fresh marching orders from the state get looking for work come June or dont come looking for an unemployment check no clear path is in place for one group: people who hire themselves out as independent contractors. For the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, independent contractors have been able to receive unemployment benefits, despite not having to pay taxes to support the states unemployment trust fund, as the case with regular employers. Entering May, more than 35,000 Connecticut residents were enrolled in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program created under the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security Act, allowing them to receive benefits. The CARES Act qualified PUA applicants to receive a base $198 in weekly pay and more as they could demonstrate via documentation of prior earnings. While the Connecticut Department of Labors new guidelines lay out specific steps most workers will have to take to receive unemployment compensation for starters, undertaking at least three work search activities weekly DOL did not immediately detail what documentation PUA recipients should be able to produce to prove they are attempting to increase their base of income. All PUA claimants are required to undertake efforts to find employment, DOL states in language to be added to its website on navigating the weekly work search requirement, as forwarded Friday by a department spokesperson after a Hearst Connecticut Media query. Self-employed ... [PUA] claimants are required to undertake efforts to find employment or engage in work search activities related to their self-employment. For gig economy workers who depend on inbound solicitations Uber drivers and Airbnb hosts, for example that may not be an easy undertaking. The U.S. Department of Labor allowed states to approve those workers for benefits in instances in which they incurred only a partial loss of income. DOL stated its intent to audit a percentage of unemployment claims for compliance with work-search requirements, with the option to cut off benefits and demand repayment if it finds any individual is not making the effort. There are exceptions to the overall work-search requirements, including people on furlough from employers but who have return-to-work dates in hand. As of April, the federal government had advanced Connecticut some $700 million to pay out unemployment compensation, equating to $196 for every resident in the state. That was among the higher figures nationally, though Connecticut was in far better shape entering this year than New York, California and Massachusetts. Last month, Gov. Ned Lamont announced a plan to rebuild the Connecticut Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, including by raising the taxable wage base to $25,000 of an employees earnings from the existing wage base of $15,000. I cannot ... overstate how historic this is for the state of Connecticut, said Chris DiPentima, CEO of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, speaking in April at DOLs Wethersfield office. It brings predictability and stability to a very-broken fund. I know long-term solutions and long-term reform are not something that is very exciting today, but they are things we look back on years down the road and realize how important they were. Includes prior reporting by Ken Dixon. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Flash Iran announced on Monday the extension for one month of its agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on monitoring the country's nuclear activities, semi-official Fars News Agency reported. "Iran's decision on the continuation of the data-recording for utmost one more month was informed today" to Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the IAEA, tweeted Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations. Iran and the IAEA reached in February a three-month temporary agreement to store video records of cameras monitoring Iranian nuclear sites, and deliver those records to the IAEA only if and after U.S. sanctions on Iran would be lifted. The data recorded during the last three months will remain in the possession of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and will not be transmitted to the IAEA, Gharibabadi was quoted as saying. In a second tweet, Gharibabadi "recommended" the countries negotiating in Austria's capital Vienna to "seize the extra opportunity provided by Iran in good faith for the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner." The Iran-IAEA three-month agreement was reached right before a law passed in December 2020 by Iran's parliament came into effect, which mandates Iran's executive branch to stop implementing the IAEA's Additional Protocol if sanctions on Iran that should be lifted under the 2015 nuclear agreement continue to be in place by Feb. 23. Representatives from China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and Iran are expected to meet later this week in Vienna to continue negotiations aimed at reviving the Iranian nuclear deal. DELHI, La. (AP) A 32-year-old man died when his mid-sized SUV rear-ended a tractor-trailer, lodged under it and caught fire, Louisiana State Police said Monday. Ian Pettit of Delhi, Louisiana, died shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday on eastbound Interstate 20 near Holly Ridge, a news release said. Holly Ridge is about 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of Delhi and about halfway between Monroe and the Mississippi state line. CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (AP) The beleaguered people of Central Falls moved quickly through the high school gyms injection stations and then to rest on dozens of metal folding chairs, borrowed from the Knights of Columbus. Immunity was at hand, but no one was celebrating. Central Falls the poorest and smallest city in the nations smallest state is also among the hardest hit by COVID-19. Sorrow reaches across the city: The dead husband. The mother who came from Guatemala in search of a better life, only to die in a new land. The Polish priest who buried parishioner after parishioner. The city has endured repeated waves of illness, with rates of confirmed cases that often dwarfed cities across New England. Firefighter Andres Nunes knew what would happen in Central Falls when coronavirus took root. Hes lived here since he was 15, and graduated from Central Falls High School. His family is in the city, nearly all his friends. He was born in Colombia, and knows what life is like here for many immigrants. Its an ideal place for the virus to spread. Central Falls is crowded 20,000 people in 1.3 square miles and filled with street after street of triple deckers, narrow three-story apartment buildings. Those apartments are often full to bursting, with parents, grandparents, children, cousins and friends often crowded together. Then there are the job realities. Central Falls is a deeply working-class city, a place of janitors, warehouse workers, cashiers and others who cant work from home. With a virus that disproportionately hits the poor, more than 30% of the city lives below the poverty line. Nunes recalled when he first realized that the coronavirus would catastrophic. In March 2020 his crew was called to a two-bedroom apartment packed with humanity, packed with stuff. Clothes and sheets and blankets were piled in the living room. The kitchen table was shoved aside to create more space. There werent enough beds, so at least one person was sleeping on the sofa. Seven or eight people from an extended family were living in the apartment, Nunes said. Five were sick. Symptoms ranged across the coronavirus spectrum: Body pain, headaches, coughing. The family, immigrants from Guatemala who didnt speak English, refused to go to the hospital unless they all could go. That was impossible because of the hospitals coronavirus restrictions. Because no one was in immediate danger, the medical crews left information on COVID-19 tests, and what to do if anyone got sicker. That was when we realized we had something big, Nunes said. Fear of the disease spread as fast as the virus itself. Marcelina Hernandez, Mauricio Pedroza and their four kids quickly hunkered down. Pedroza a store janitor in the mornings, and a forklift operator at a warehouse in the evenings lost a few weeks of work as the citys unemployment rate rose to 20%. He left the house when he had work, but otherwise he and the family went into a hard lockdown. In a culture where social distancing from relatives can seem like a betrayal, they retreated into their apartment and stopped seeing family for months. Still, a few days after Christmas, he began feeling sick: exhausted, sore throat, headache. Then Hernandez got it. Then the baby. The next few weeks were a blur. New Years, a big holiday for the extended family, was just food dropped off at the bottom of the stairs. They couldnt taste it. In the end they were lucky. Both were sick for just a couple weeks. Neither had to go to the hospital. I dont know when it will be normal, Hernandez said, as the baby started to squall. Someday, I hope. Mayor Maria Rivera is determined to bring that day closer. When the state designated extra doses to Central Falls because it had been hit so hard, Rivera helped create an aggressive vaccination program. By late February, Central Falls had one of the highest vaccination rates in the U.S. Were blowing everyone else out of the water, crowed Dr. Michael Fine, the citys chief health strategist. But he warned that herd immunity wouldnt come easy. At a certain point were going to hit the people who arent so interested in vaccination. Which is exactly what has happened. But for those who lined up at the high school on a dreary Saturday morning, the terrors of the last year were all the impetus they needed to get a vaccination. Off to the side, sitting almost beneath the basketball hoop, was Christine McCarthy. McCarthy was relieved to get her shot. Shes 65, has diabetes and knows what COVID-19 could do to her. But mostly she wanted to talk about her husband, John, a retired carpet installer, and how after nearly 40 years of marriage after three children, some tough financial years and too many illnesses hed still sing to her. Hed sit on the bed, lean over his acoustic guitar, and his voice would fill the room. Sometimes it was Steely Dan. Sometimes Soul Asylum. But in 2020 he mostly stuck to a couple Beatles classics. A love like ours Could never die As long as I Have you near me. Johns health deteriorated at years end. His breathing was labored; when Christine took him to the hospital, there were lines to enter the emergency room, and he said he wanted to go home. Hours later, feeling even worse, he told her to call an ambulance. He tested positive for COVID-19. On New Years Day, the doctors called to say Johns medical troubles were overwhelming: kidney failure, pneumonia, internal bleeding, blood clots, brain damage. I think its time we say goodbye, she told their children. So they went and they got the chaplain. And the chaplain did his thing. Then they unplugged him. On Jan. 1, at 9:39 p.m., John McCarthy died of complications of COVID-19. Thats my story, she said, choking back tears. Arent you glad you came to talk to me? PHOENIX (AP) A Republican-led hand recount of ballots cast in Arizona's most populous county resumed Monday after a weeklong hiatus. Counters returned to a former basketball arena where contractors working for the state Senate GOP are reviewing Maricopa County's handling of the 2020 election. The recount is taking far longer than expected, and counters had to vacate the facility for high school graduations last week. More tables and counters were added this week, but the operation has still not reached its full capacity. Journalists observing the operation were told that Senate liaison Ken Bennett, a former Republican secretary of state, will no-longer be answering questions about the process. Reporters were directed instead to former Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen. Senate Republicans issued a subpoena to take control of 2.1 million ballots, voting machines and election data from the state's largest county after former President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that his loss in Arizona and other battleground states was marred by fraud. Republicans hired several firms led by Cyber Ninjas, a small Florida-based consultancy with no election experience before this year, to audit the materials. The recount resumes after a week of tense back-and-forth between legislative Republicans, the auditors they've hired and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Auditors claim an election database was deleted, a charge county officials have vociferously denied. The review won't change the outcome of the election, but some Trump supporters believe it will turn up evidence to support his narrative of fraud. Voting-rights advocates and election administrators say the 2020 election was conducted well and worry the Arizona GOP review is using slipshod procedures and investigating far-fetched conspiracy theories. BRIDGEPORT A local man with more than 20 prior criminal convictions in three states was charged after police said he brandished a knife at employees of a Stratford muffler shop. Joshua Jones, 44, of uncertain address, was charged with second-degree robbery, carrying a dangerous weapon, interfering with police, breach of peace and threatening. According to court records, Jones has multiple criminal convictions in New York, Georgia and Pennsylvania. He is currently on probation here on larceny convictions. During Jones arraignment Monday, Superior Court Judge Kevin Doyle ordered Jones held in lieu of $100,000 and continued the case to July 22. According to Stratford police, on Saturday morning, officers were called to a muffler shop on Barnum Avenue for a disturbance. Police said employees told officers they had been working in the garage bays when they were approached by a man carrying a bottle of Redemption Bourbon. The man allegedly asked them about the price of tires. Employees told the man to go to the shops office but instead, police said, the man, later identified as Jones, went over to a customers car, and allegedly began removing items from it. When employees approached Jones, police said Jones allegedly pulled out what appeared to be a steak knife and threatened the employees with it. One of the employees got the knife away from Jones and Jones fled, police said. Police said officers searched the area and found Jones behind a nearby store. STAMFORD While the family of Jennifer Dulos is looking for closure two years since the New Canaan mother vanished, relatives for the woman charged in the case say they are seeking justice of their own. In the statement released Monday, which marked two years since Jennifer Dulos was last seen, Michelle Troconis family said they sympathize with the mother of fives family while we wait to learn what might have happened to her. However, they claim its been a difficult period for them as well. May 24th also marks the beginning of two years of injustice towards Michelle, the statement said. Michelle has been treated as if she were guilty from day one, with police, investigators, the media and members of the public ignoring the presumption of innocence that the United States Constitution claims to offer to all its citizens. Troconis, who grew up in Argentina, was Fotis Dulos girlfriend when his estranged wife vanished on May 24, 2019. Troconis and Fotis Dulos were first arrested in connection with the disappearance on June 1, 2019. Troconis has been accused of trying to create an alibi for her former boyfriend and helping to clean up a truck police say was used in the crime, according to arrest warrants in the case. Troconis has since been arrested two more times and has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, including conspiracy to commit murder. Kent Mawhinney, a former attorney and friend of Fotis Dulos, was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in January 2020. Mawhinney has pleaded not guilty and could testify against Troconis if her case goes to trial, prosecutors have said. Fotis Dulos died by suicide in January 2020 while facing murder, kidnapping and other charges in the case. Police said they believe he was lying in wait for his estranged wife to return from dropping off their children at school the morning of the disappearance. Police said Jennifer Dulos was the victim of a serious physical assault in the garage of her New Canaan home. While her remains have never been recovered, the states chief medical examiner said she would not have survived the attack without immediate medical attention, according to the arrest warrants. Troconis, free on more than $2 million bond, is scheduled to appear Tuesday for a hearing in state Superior Court in Stamford. Her attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, has maintained in court filings that his client repeatedly told police she had nothing to do with the disappearance. Troconis family said she spent hours meeting with police investigators and prosecutors trying to help solve the mystery of the disappearance. The family claims the arrest warrants falsify what she told them and reach conclusions without facts to support them. The family said the media has portrayed Troconis as a malicious and calculating woman. We value and respect the role of women in our society and oppose domestic abuse and discrimination, and therefore, support promoting womens rights and protection, the statement said. We will continue to support Michelle during this most difficult time for our family and we trust that justice and her innocence will prevail in the end. It is just a matter of time. FAIRFIELD A person suffered life-threatening injuries Sunday in a crash on Interstate 95 southbound, according to the Fairfield Fire Department. In a social media post, the department said fire officials responded to a one-vehicle crash near Exit 19 of I-95. SOUTH WINDSOR After a weekend of arguing, Jessica Edwards husband killed her when the dispute turned physical, then left the womans body in their condo for hours while caring for their son and dodging calls from her family, according to his arrest affidavit released Monday. More than a week after she was reported missing on May 10, authorities said Edwards, a 30-year-old mother to a 7-month-old son, was found dead Friday morning in a heavily wooded area of East Hartford. Her husband, Tahj Hutchinson, 22, was charged with first-degree manslaughter Friday night after he confessed to killing his wife and dumping her body near the East Hartford reservoir before reporting her missing, his arrest warrant affidavit states. Authorities said more charges are possible. South Windsor police Sgt. Mark Cleverdon confirmed Monday that Edwards cause of death was asphyxia compression of torso and neck, with the manner of death was ruled a homicide. Hutchinson was arraigned Monday in state Superior Court in Manchester where Judge Peter McShane increased his bond to $1.5 million and transferred the case to Part A in Hartford for June 1. Public Defender Russ Williams, arguing for lower bail, said Hutchinson is a lifelong Connecticut resident with no criminal record and has a full-time job. Hutchinson worked fulltime at an Aldis Warehouse in South Windsor. Assistant States Attorney Anthony Bochiccho said Hutchinsons charges were serious and the state had a strong case, acknowledging the defendants conduct and confession. He argued for $1.5 million bail. Karen Prescott, a local activist and advocate, spoke in court on behalf of Edwards family, asking the judge to deny any bail for Hutchinson. Prescott, who connected with the Edwards family shortly after her disappearance, detailed exhaustive searches they did for any clues as to where the mother had gone. Day and night they searched parks, residential areas and trails, turning over leaves and dirt for clues, she said. We did all this hoping we would bring [Edwards] back to her baby boy, Prescott told the judge. Ahead of the hearing, more than a dozen family members, friends and supporters clutched signs asking a judge deny Hutchinson bail. [Edwards] and baby deserve justice, Prescott said. As the family gathered in tears outside the courthouse, Prescott said they knew it was not realistic to ask for bond to be denied, but those gathered were hoping to send a message that this type of violence will not be tolerated. They have asked Hartfords top prosecutor, States Attorney Sharmese Walcott, to personally handle the case. This is domestic violence ... Sharmese taking this case will show that Connecticut has zero tolerance for domestic violence. And when family or when a victim comes forward and finally is able to leave the abuser and press charges, that they will see this case and understand Connecticut stands with them, Prescott said. Investigators detail confession In the arrest warrant affidavit, police said Hutchinson confessed to the killing when they questioned him Friday outside his parents Manchester home after they discovered Edwards body. Tahj provided them with a confession to what had happened, the affidavit said. Hutchinson told police that he and Edwards had been arguing all day May 8, with him eventually blocking her from calling his phone or contacting him through Facebook, the affidavit states. He told police the arguing continued May 9 until it escalated to a physical confrontation, according to the affidavit. Hutchinson claimed to police his wife was attempting to hit him and threw household items at him, according to the affidavit. Hutchinson told investigators at some point on May 9, he pushed his wife hard, and she hit her head on something and bled from her ear, the affidavit said. When Edwards left that night to pick up their son from her mothers house in East Hartford, Hutchinson told police he fell asleep. When Edwards got home, she woke him up and they briefly argued before going to bed in separate rooms, he told police. On May 10, they woke up in the morning and continued arguing, the affidavit said Hutchinson told officers. He stated that he was trying to calm her, but felt she had reached a breaking point, the affidavit said. Hutchinson claimed to officers that Edwards hit him in the head with a laptop and allegedly grabbed a knife from the kitchen, the affidavit said. He stated they wrestled over the knife and he eventually pinned her on the ground on the living room floor, him on top of her and her on her back, the affidavit said. He stated that they continued in a physical confrontation and he was able to flip her over onto her stomach and was kneeling on her back and neck area with his body weight, holding her down. The affidavit said Hutchinson told police his wife eventually stopped moving and he didnt know what happened, so he got up and went to check on the couples son. He came back a short time later and she hadnt moved and wasnt responsive, the affidavit said. At that point, he realized she was not alive, the affidavit said. He told police he left Edwards body on the floor on a blanket, which investigators later seized from Hutchinsons Jeep and found apparent blood-like evidence on it, the affidavit said. He left her on the floor for the day and tended to his son throughout the day and evening, while her family was calling him looking to locate her, the document states. He told police that later that night, he backed his Jeep up to his door, loaded her body in the rear of it and left when the family came over, according to the affidavit. Visibly unemotional Throughout their interviews with Hutchinson, investigators described him as visibly unemotional about Edwards disappearance, adding that he never asked for updates on the case when they contacted him, the affidavit shows. Edwards sister and her fiance came to the home to check on her the night of May 10 after not hearing from her all day, the affidavit said. Her family told investigators it was extremely unusual for them to go a day without hearing from her. When Edwards sister arrived, Hutchinson was outside with his Jeep backed up to his residence unit, and quickly closed the rear hatch, the affidavit said. She looked in the back and saw a blanket that seemed to be covering something up, the affidavit said. The sister later told investigators she thought the sheet was possibly covering her sisters body, the document states. The sister told police she demanded for Hutchinson to open the back of the Jeep, which was locked, and he instead drove out of the parking lot as she chased after him, holding on to the door handle, the affidavit said. As soon as he drove off, she called 911. About half an hour later, Hutchinson showed up barefoot at East Hartford Police Department to report Edwards missing, despite the couple living in South Windsor. He said he thought he would report her missing there because she recently lived there, the affidavit said. Hutchinson later explained to police during his confession that he wasnt wearing shoes because they got muddy from dumping Edwards body in the wooded area before going to the police station, the affidavit said. The document states that Hutchinson had a roughly 18-minute window to dispose of Edwards body before he showed up at the East Hartford station. He later told investigators he returned to the area where he left Edwards body early the next morning, but wasnt able to find her, according to the affidavit. When police searched the home on May 10, the day Edwards was reported missing, they did not find evidence of a struggle or of a crime scene that had been cleaned up. Police discovered the couples bedroom door had been forced open, which one of the investigators said was a sign of a possible earlier domestic violence incident where one person is locked in a room to protect themselves from another person, the affidavit said. It was unclear if police believed that incident happened that weekend or another time. Family reports finding divorce papers Investigators did not point to a motive for the killing, but acknowledged in the affidavit that Edwards sister found divorce documents in the home. Edwards completed the documents, but did not file them, according to the affidavit. On May 13, Hutchinson agreed to allow investigators to search his home and three vehicles. During a search of the Jeep, the affidavit said, police saw a few small red stains consistent with a possible bloodlike substance on a blanket in the back of the vehicle. The affidavit said blood was found on the handle of the cargo area privacy cover in the Jeep. In the console, investigators found Edwards debit card and her drivers license, the affidavit said. In the home, the affidavit said, investigators seized a pillow found in the bedroom with blood staining on it. On May 20, investigators obtained cellphone data requested from T-Mobile for the records of Hutchinson and Edwards. The affidavit said data showed Hutchinsons cellphone connected with a tower near Labor Park in East Hartford on May 10 between 10:57 and 11:07 p.m. This was after Edwards sister confronted him at the couples South Windsor condo, and before he reported his wife missing to East Hartford police. The data showed Hutchinson returned a few hours later from around 2:30 to 3 a.m. May 11, according to the affidavit. Once investigators had the cellphone data, they were able to pinpoint a general area in East Hartford where they believed Hutchinson dumped Edwards body, the affidavit said. By 7 p.m. May 20, the same day police obtained the data from the cellphone company, they searched the heavily wooded area with a drone. The search was called off when it got too dark to see. South Windsor investigators returned the next morning, with state police, and found Edwards body, the affidavit said. The community continues to rally around Edwards friends and family, raising funds for her funeral and to support her child. A GoFundMe campaign was created by Tenisha Duncan this weekend to help the family raise money for Edwards funeral. Any additional funds, Duncan said, will go toward the care for Edwards young child. Hundreds of donors have raised $16,647 of the $30,000 goal as of Monday morning. Duncan said all donations collected will go directly to the Edwards family. She was a beautiful soul who was robbed of her life, Duncan said. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) An alleged leader of a notorious militia blamed for atrocities in the Darfur conflict oversaw the summary execution of a group of about 100 captured men and boys in 2004, a prosecutor said Monday at the opening of a pretrial hearing at the International Criminal Court. Pubudu Sachithanandan was speaking at the first presentation at the global court of evidence against a suspect charged with involvement in crimes by the Janjaweed militia in Darfur in 2003 and 2004. Earlier, the court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said she felt privileged to be in court when finally one of the suspects in the Darfur situation is before this court to face independent and impartial justice. Bensouda, whose nine-year term in office ends next month, paid tribute to "the courage, patience and resilience of the Darfur victims who have waited for so long for this day to arrive. Ali Mohammed Ali Abdul Rahman Ali, known as Ali Kushayb, is charged with a total of 31 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes dating back to the deadly Darfur conflict in 2003 and 2004 including murder, rape, torture and persecution. He has not entered a plea to the charges but at a hearing last year he told judges the allegations were untrue. His lawyer, Cyril Laucci, disputes the court's jurisdiction in the case. Bensouda told judges that Abdul Rahman "was a knowing, willing and energetic perpetrator of these crimes. He played a crucial role leading attacks, committing murders and ordering other murders. She said Janjaweed forces used rape as a weapon to terrorize and humiliate women. She recounted the story of a woman captured by a Janjaweed fighter and raped at knife point. Bensouda told judges that the victim, who is also a witness in the case, said: "I screamed and another ... Janjaweed came with a sword, put it in my mouth and said he would cut me if I screamed. Outlining witness testimony in the mistreatment and execution of around 100 men and boys who were rounded up and imprisoned at a police station in the town of Mukjar early in 2004, Sachithanandan said Abdul Rahman played a key role. He hit detainees with an ax, spoke to government officials about what to do with the captives, who included prominent community leaders from the Fur tribal group, and ultimately ordered them shot. After the massacre of one group, Adbul Rahman told gunmen: Repeat, repeat for these people. Maybe there are some that you have missed. Repeat for these people, Sachithanandan said, citing witness testimony. Monday's hearing is not a trial. Instead, it is intended to establish whether evidence against Abdul Rahman is strong enough to merit putting him on trial at the global court. A decision is expected later this year. The conflict in Darfur broke out when rebels from the territorys ethnic central and sub-Saharan African community launched an insurgency in 2003, complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. The government of now-deposed President Omar al-Bashirs government responded with a scorched-earth campaign of aerial bombings and unleashed Janjaweed militias, who are accused of mass killings and rapes. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes. Al-Bashir has been charged with crimes including genocide for masterminding the operation. He has been in jail in Khartoum since his 2019 ouster and faces several trials in Sudanese courts related to his three decades of strongman rule. Bensouda visited Khartoum last year to discuss cooperation in efforts to bring to justice suspects charged by the Hague-based court with involvement in Darfur atrocities. She said Monday she will visit again next week, including her first trip to Darfur. Human Rights Watch welcomed Mondays hearing as an important step toward justice for victims, but the groups associate international justice director Elise Keppler added that the absence of al-Bashir and the three other Darfur suspects at the ICC is a major shortcoming that the Sudanese authorities should promptly address. Abdul Rahman surrendered to authorities in a remote corner of northern Central African Republic, near the countrys border with Sudan, more than 13 years after the ICC first issued an international arrest warrant for him. A group of victims in the case is being represented in the case by lawyer Amal Clooney, who joined the hearing by video link. Adam Regal, a spokesman for General Coordination for Refugee and Displaced Camps in Darfur, said they would hire lawyers to represent refugees and displaced people before the court. He said they would work with the court to provide possible evidence and help survivors of the atrocities reach the court. He criticized the transitional government for not yet handing over al-Bashir and other wanted officials. This is a legal process not a political one, he said. It is the right of the victims and displaced people to see justice achieved. ____ Associated Press writer Samy Magdy contributed to this story from Cairo. SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) A man who pleaded guilty to abusing a vulnerable adult at a Kentucky care facility has been sentenced to five years in prison. Daniel L. Wright II, 39, was convicted of wanton abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult and sentenced by Circuit Judge John T. Prather Jr. on Thursday, according to a statement from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Camerons office. Cullman, AL (35055) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Flash China hopes that the development of U.S.-ROK relations will be conducive to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, instead of being detrimental to the interests of the third parties including China, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks in response to a joint statement issued after a recent meeting between Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden, which said that the two countries will strengthen their alliance. The statement also mentioned the issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea. Zhao said the Taiwan question is purely internal affairs of China concerning its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and brooks no external interference. "We urge relevant countries to be cautious in their words and deeds on the Taiwan question and not to play with fire," Zhao said. Regarding the South China Sea issue, he said the fact is that all countries enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, and relevant countries are well aware of it. On the international order, Zhao stressed there is but one system in the world, which is the international system with the UN at its core; there is but one set of rules, namely, the basic norms governing international relations based on the UN Charter. No country has the right to define the international order, still less the right to impose its own standards on others, Zhao added. The spokesperson also reiterated China's opposition to an exclusive clique with other countries as the target, such as the Indo-Pacific strategy, and the Quad, which groups the United States, Japan, India and Australia. Send us your pets! If chosen, your pet will be featured in the Wednesday Life section and you will be mailed a Daily Journal T-shirt. Submit your pet Elizabeth City, NC (27909) Today Thunderstorms, some with heavy rain this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms, some with heavy rain this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. The Meagher Elementary School and district offices can be seen on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. New York Attorney General Letitia James removes her mask at the beginning of a news conference at her office, in New York, Friday, May 21, 2021. New York adults over the age of 21 can now possess and use marijuana even in public unde The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a retired federal law enforcement officer who was put in a chokehold and wrestled to the ground at a VA hospital security checkpoint Advertisement Gold Price Outlook: Gold prices have held above multi-month bull flag resistance, increasing confidence that a march back to all-time highs has begun. Weakness in US Treasury yields and the US Dollar (via the DXY Index) are helping give gold prices a fundamental boost on Monday. According to the IG Client Sentiment Index , gold prices have a mixed bias in the near-term. Holding onto Gains Gold prices have continued their advance at the start of the new week gaining just over +0.1% as both US Treasury yields and the US Dollar (via the DXY Index) have softened. Markets continue to keep a close eye on the cryptocurrency world after another wave of intense selling over the weekend was met by a fresh round of dip buyers. Given golds success during the cryptocurrency selloff, theres a strong case to be made that further weakness in crypto markets could help cater to higher gold prices in the near-term. Gold Volatility Eases Off, Gold Prices Dont Historically, gold prices have a relationship with volatility unlike other asset classes. While other asset classes like bonds and stocks dont like increased volatility signaling greater uncertainty around cash flows, dividends, coupon payments, etc. gold tends to benefit during periods of higher volatility. GVZ (Gold Volatility) Technical Analysis: Daily Price Chart (May 2020 to May 2021) (Chart 1) Gold volatility (as measured by the Cboes gold volatility ETF, GVZ, which tracks the 1-month implied volatility of gold as derived from the GLD option chain) is trading at 16.87, having back off a near two month high. holding near their highest level since the end of March. Its noteworthy that the dip in gold volatility has not been met by a drop in gold prices (typically a bullish development for gold). The 5-day correlation between GVZ and gold prices is +0.32 while the 20-day correlation is +0.83. One week ago, on May 12, the 5-day correlation was +0.33 and the 20-day correlation was +0.89. Gold Price Technical Analysis: Daily Chart (March 2020 to May 2021) (Chart 2) In the prior gold price forecast, it was noted that even if the daily doji candle hints at potential indecision after the recent leg up thereby allowing for some technical breathing room as long as the technical studies remain supportive, the modus operandi is to buy the dip, insofar as a bullish breakout from a multi-month bull flag necessitates a bullish trading posture on a longer-term basis. This remains the case. Golds bullish momentum has accelerated since the last update, with daily MACD extending its advance above its signal line while daily Slow Stochastics are holding in overbought territory. Furthermore, gold prices remain above their daily 5-, 8-, 13-, and 21-EMA envelope, with no closes by gold prices below their daily 5-EMA over the past two weeks. Gold Price Technical Analysis: Weekly Chart (October 2015 to May 2021) (Chart 3) Its been previously noted that while the broader confines of the descending parallel channel thats been forming relative to the August 2020 (all-time) high remain in place, now back above 1763.36, the rebound gives long-term bulls hope that by holding the pandemic uptrend, gold prices are defining their nine-month downturn as a bull flag. If gold prices are above1837 by June 15, then it would appear that gold prices would be on track to pace towards new highs by the end of the year. The conditions are being met to suggest that the bull flag breakout has started, and the march back to all-time highs has begun. IG CLIENT SENTIMENT INDEX: GOLD PRICE FORECAST (May 24, 2021) (CHART 4) Gold: Retail trader data shows 74.95% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 2.99 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 4.80% higher than yesterday and 2.16% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 5.38% higher than yesterday and 5.93% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests Gold prices may continue to fall. Yet traders are less net-long than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current Gold price trend may soon reverse higher despite the fact traders remain net-long. --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Currency Strategist Ted Heath, in the longest sulk in political history, could never bring himself to be polite to Margaret Thatcher after she ousted him from the Tory leadership in 1975. Now the relationship between Heath and the Iron Lady is to be the subject of a West End play. Maggie And Ted is being staged at Londons Garrick Theatre for two nights next month. It examines the feud between Heath and Lady T, the longest serving 20th century PM who never lost an election, and Heath who won one and lost three. Now the relationship between Heath and the Iron Lady is to be the subject of a West End play It examines the feud between Heath and Lady T, the longest serving 20th century PM who never lost an election, and Heath who won one and lost three The cast includes rising star Oli Higginson who was in Bridgerton, the period drama which was Netflixs biggest ever show. Jon Glover is doing 30 characters including ten different PMs. He was Prince Philip in Spitting Image. Maggie And Ted was showcased for a week in October 2019 in a small theatre in South London. The audience included Lord Heseltine, who brought down Lady T, Lord Baker, who was in her Cabinet, and Lord Dobbs, her chief of staff. Its written by Michael McManus, who worked for Thatcher and Heath and wrote the biography Edward Heath: A Singular Life. Says McManus: It tells the truthful history of two extraordinary people and their no less extraordinary relationship. People think of Ted as a grumpy old man but he had a dry sense of humour that comes through in the play. Mrs T could be extremely funny, too, assuring a studio audience she is always on the job. She had a rare gift for double entendres all the funnier as she would invariably feign innocence as her audiences erupted in laughter. Labours Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham writes a column in the London Evening Standard. London Mayor Sadiq Khan spends a day in Yorkshire, one week after his re-election, and writes an article in the Yorkshire Post. Anyone would think senior Labour figures, with an eye on the partys leadership, are on manoeuvres. MP who rocked the Commons Weatherley first got involved in politics as a result of Labour MP Leo Abse trying to ban Cooper (pictured) from Britain in 1973 Heavy metal fan Mike Weatherley, the former Tory MP for Hove who has died aged 63, was barred from wearing an Iron Maiden T-shirt in the Commons. He then wore it under his shirt. Weatherly set up the Rock the House competition for up-and coming bands and brought 1970s glam rock star Alice Cooper into the Commons for the first time. He was one of the first to warn that online sharing would threaten the royalties of musicians and songwriters. Weatherley first got involved in politics as a result of Labour MP Leo Abse trying to ban Cooper from Britain in 1973. Abse claimed songs such as Dead Babies were an attempt to teach our children to find their destiny in hate, not in love. Labour MP Jess Phillips has the answer to UKs latest humiliation in the Eurovision Song Contest with a nul point score. My husband says we should send for Ozzy Osbourne next year, she tweeted. He couldnt do any worse. Embarrassment for former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson when he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind at the weekend. He was asked which President in the 1980 election Ronald Reagan defeated. Johnson hesitated and then said Gerald Ford, who replaced Richard Nixon when he was impeached. The right answer was Jimmy Carter who beat Ford in the 1976 presidential election. Pravda raps Comrade Meghan Pravda, once the fearsome mouthpiece of the Soviet Communist Party, really has embraced the British monarchy. First it praises the Duke of Edinburgh and Duchess of Cambridge. Now it has published an outspoken attack on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Meghan failed miserably at the job [of being royal] because she does not have the personal skills to do it, says the papers online edition. Perhaps she would rather have sat on a chair complaining about everything and giving Harry orders. Strange how a couple who say they hate the media make a point of basking in its limelight. Is this the thanks that Harry and Meghan get for adopting at least one of the methods of the Soviet state children denouncing their parents? Many of us have not been on an airplane for a long time. But we can, of course, remember the experience and, starved of international travel, may well be itching to do so again in the months to come. And how many of us, as we fasten our seatbelts, pause to consider that we will shortly be soaring over dictatorships, war zones, rogue states and shady regimes that we would do everything in our power to avoid visiting? Very few of us, I suspect. We never fear that our flight will somehow be intercepted in mid-air and forced to land in another country, unless for highly unusual reasons of safety. Brutal And yet, on Sunday, in a horrific new example that has rapidly spiralled into a dangerous international incident, a man and his girlfriend were bundled off a Ryanair flight between two EU countries and taken well, who knows where? The kidnap of Belarusian opposition leader and dissident journalist, Roman Protasevich, 26, and his 23-year-old Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega who were on board a flight from Athens to Lithuania's capital Vilnius that was escorted from the skies by a MIG-29 warplane was nothing less than piracy in the skies. Yes, Mr Protasevich is just one brave young man, targeted by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's brutal regime, likely with help from Vladimir Putin's goons. Roman Protasevich, who was dragged off a Ryanair civilian airliner and arrested by the Belarusian regime, has said that he is 'confessing' to charges of organising protests and cooperating with authorities in a video being circulated on state TV The kidnap of Belarusian opposition leader and dissident journalist, Roman Protasevich, 26, and his 23-year-old Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega who were on board a flight from Athens to Lithuania's capital Vilnius that was escorted from the skies by a MIG-29 warplane was nothing less than piracy in the skies But if this crime goes unpunished, can any of us truly consider ourselves safe on a plane again? At the heart of this case are not only principles of democracy and justice. More urgently, this ruthless and brazen crime has plunged the EU into the most serious foreign-policy crisis in its recent history. Belarus is a black hole at the heart of eastern Europe. Led since 1994 by the increasingly unhinged Lukashenko who claimed last year that his benighted people should 'drink vodka' and 'go to saunas' to ward off Covid-19 thousands of Belarusians are now believed to have been arrested by the regime, with many held in hard-labour penal colonies. Witnesses report harsh interrogations, beatings, torture and rape. Since opposition protests last year in which 33,000 demonstrators were detained the regime has launched a full-scale crackdown, shuttering media outlets. At least five people have perished in custody. Though Belarus itself is not in the EU, 'Europe's last dictatorship' has long held vital strategic importance in geopolitics, wedged as it is between Poland an EU state and Russia. Putin continues to prop up Lukashenko's regime with gas, loans, thuggery, propaganda and surveillance technology. He will stop at nothing to prevent Belarus falling to the forces of democracy like its ex-Soviet neighbours in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. A Belarusian dog handler checks the luggage taken off the hijacked Ryanair flight on Sunday Since opposition protests last year in which 33,000 demonstrators were detained the regime has launched a full-scale crackdown, shuttering media outlets. Pictured: Police officers detain Protasevich after he attempted to cover a rally in Minsk in Belarus in 2017 So the seizure of this young activist is not only a dark hour for Belarus and its 10 million people. It is an even darker hour for Europe. Yesterday, the EU's leaders were locked in talks, cobbling together new sanctions against Lukashenko's regime. Whatever they decide, it is clear they have already failed. The EU had taken sanctions against Belarus in recent months, but clearly they did not go far enough. Since last August, when protests erupted in the capital, Minsk, over rigged elections, Brussels has blacklisted 88 individuals and seven companies accused of 'repression and intimidation'. It has imposed a travel ban for Lukashenko and his son, while also ordering an asset freeze. But as this week shows, that was not enough. After Sunday's kidnap, the initial signs were scarcely encouraging, as the EU's leaders offered verbose and ill-focused comments. Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured after he was separated from other passengers) was hauled off the plane and arrested with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, after the flight from Greece to Lithuania made the emergency landing in Minsk Mr Protasevich is just one brave young man, targeted by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko's (pictured) brutal regime, likely with help from Vladimir Putin's goons Council President Charles Michel, 'High Representative' Josep Borrell and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are all failed politicians installed in their roles by self-serving national leaders Emmanuel Macron of France and Angela Merkel of Germany. It fell to pint-sized Lithuania, which shares a common history and border with Belarus, to show courage. Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Simonyte declared that the Ryanair plane was 'hijacked', her government rightly describing this as an 'attack on the international community'. Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary also hit the right note, calling the event a 'state-sponsored hijacking'. Yet for all the EU's grandiose ambitions, Lukashenko knew he could act without risking meaningful repercussions. After all, the EU has for years seen serial abysmal failures in Syria, in the Israel-Palestine conflict, over China and most notoriously in the Crimea. Lukashenko also knew that the EU led by Germany and France is reluctant to stand up to Russia. In the final months of her career as German Chancellor, Mrs Merkel is seeking rapprochement with the Kremlin, not least to ensure the completion of a gas pipeline that will be able to bring her country cheaper energy. Mr Macron, meanwhile, has shunned any attempt by Washington to build a global coalition against China, foolishly preferring Europe to go it alone. Terrorism Much of the problem is also procedural: with 27 members and a combination of national and supra-national bodies, the EU is too big to make quick, effective decisions. Votes on foreign policy require unanimity. That means countries such as Hungary, in hock to Russia and China, can block sanctions. The fears felt by eastern Europeans living under Russia's shadow can meanwhile seem irrelevant to those in the south of the continent, where people worry far more about migration and terrorism. All this means that while Europe may be an economic giant, it is a political weakling. Putin continues to prop up Lukashenko's regime with gas, loans, thuggery, propaganda and surveillance technology Well, it's high time that it took action. Western countries must now immediately stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which delivers gas to Germany from Russia. Germany can instead source its gas on the open market. Dominic Raab, our tough-talking foreign secretary, yesterday instructed British airlines to cease flights over Belarus, while suspending the air permit of Belarus's national carrier Belavia with immediate effect. These measures are a start. But they will not scare anybody in Minsk or Moscow. Yesterday morning, the Belarusian ambassador should have been summoned to the Foreign Office, given 24 hours to pack his bags and ignominiously sent home by train. Scarred Still more effective would be for our Government to curb Russian infiltration in the City of London, justifiably known as the 'Laundromat' for its role in processing the ill-gotten gains of Putin's cronies. The weakness of Europe's politicians especially the blitherers and ditherers in Brussels is emboldening the predators that circle Europe to the east and south. We all pay the price for this. But the greatest cost is to the most vulnerable. Belarusians are still scarred by World War II, in which a quarter of all Belarusians died. We can only imagine the terrors Mr Protasevich and his girlfriend are experiencing as they join the many people detained by this brutal regime. Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained The bleak truth, however, is that Lukashenko has the guns, the money and the friends he needs to stay in power. The fairytale era of 1989, in which flag-waving demonstrators toppled tyrants' statues at the close of the Cold War, is long gone. We are in a far more vicious and ugly world now, where might is right. Well, if Russia wants to stand by its poodle's crimes, it must expect censure and punishment for doing so. That is now the EU's most crucial test. Words are cheap. But principles are costly or fatal, as the gallant campaigner now languishing in Minsk may find. Oh that more of his fellow Europeans shared his courage or paused to think of him the next time they get on a plane. Let the Memorial Day countdown begin! And as the unofficial start of summer approaches... it's time for a wardrobe refresh. On a budget? No problem! FEMAIL reveals the 14 items that can instantly make you look way more stylish without breaking the bank. The Cheat Sheets Vol. 2 Nail Art Stickers by Ciate London, $18; ciatelondon.com DECORATED NAILS Nails are sometimes overlooked but a fun mani can make any and every summer outfit look fresh AF. For mess-free application, opt for nail decals instead of polish. Ciate London offers stickers in trendy designs including stars, cherries and hearts. The self-adhesives take less than 5 minutes to put on, there's no chipping or upkeep to worry about, and they're easily removed without destroying and damaging your nails. Oversized Blazer by Boohoo, now $20.80; boohoo.com OVERSIZE BLAZER While a denim jacket never goes out of style, this season rack up some instant cool points with an oversize blazer. Versatile and chic, the structured topper screams 'I'm a boss' both day and night. So that it's springtime appropriate, opt for a style with strong shoulders made of a lightweight material in a neutral color like beige or white. FAUX LEATHER Sure, denim cutoffs are a flirty fashion staple, but's time to elevate your style game and sustainability consciousness with a faux leather skirt. For a balmy summer night, reach for a style that hits above the knee. Pair it with a simple cardigan or cotton tee and kitten heel sandals. Canada-based brand Aritzia has some of the best vegan leather options on the market at the most affordable prices. Vegan leather mini skirt by Wilfred, $98; aritzia.com FASHION HAT Hats are less commonly worn these days but they are a fashionable (and practical) choice on hot days. From the beach to the bar, a straw hat can instantly upgrade your look, and protect your face from the sun's damaging rays. Wearers beware, the head-turning toppers take confidence to pull off, but the reward (cool points!) outweighs the risk. SUNGLASSES CHAIN A sunglasses chain is the retro-chic accessory you need right now. Worn hanging in front of your chin or behind your head, the inexpensive bauble gives any pair of sunnies unexpected oomph. Bonus: you won't misplace your specs again! STRAW BAG A raffia or wicker bag effortlessly and elegantly completes a relaxed-summer wardrobe. There's a medley of options to choose from this season from high-end designers and fast fashion retailers alike. Studded-Trim Felt Panama Hat by Forever 21, $22.99; forever21.com Chunky Glasses Chain by Forever 21, $6.99; forever21.com Left: Lucy Tote by Poppy + Sage, $108; poppyandsageco.com. Right: Olivia Tote Bag by Poppy + Sage, $128; poppyandsageco.com Shoulder-pad Sweatshirt by H&M, $14.99; hm.com Dr. Scholl's x Kate Spade Originally Sandal, $130; drshollsshoes.com SWEATSHIRT WITH SHOULDER PADS Comfy clothes reigned supreme this year. Fortunately the high school gym class pullover has come a long way and you can look stylish without sacrificing on style post pandemic. Think sweatshirts with shoulder pads! H&M has great options. BUBBLE GUM PINK SHOES Why settle for flip-flops this summer when you can walk around in sandals by Dr. Scholl's x Kate Spade New York? This bubblegum pink pair is part of a two-style capsule that features heart screws and the iconic Dr. Scholls buckle closure. EAR STACK Don't let sticky weather cramp your style! As temperatures heat up, gals often reluctantly pin up their styled locks out of sheer necessity. Just curate an ear stack with studs and huggies (climbers, threaders and hangers are also welcome...) and you'll pull up your hair on purpose! Note: Ear cuffs make no additional piercing necessary. Mina Gold Huggies by Penny Pairs, $69; wolfandbadger.com ASOS DESIGN bandeau and short set in khaki gingham, top $22, shorts $17.50; asos.com Zodiac necklace by Electric Picks, $98; electricpicks.com MATCHING SET Co-ords appear luxe and take the hassle out of finding and matching separates. This season, embrace matching sets with a celebratory shorts and top combo, or with your swimwear. Think bikini and matching pants! Solids in springtime pastels or playful patterns like this two-piece gingham set by ASOS look effortlessly chic. ZODIAC JEWELRY It's been written in the stars - zodiac jewelry is all the rage. Astrology has universal appeal and a talisman featuring a birthstone or sunsign creates a personal connection with the wearer. The dual-sided pendant necklace by Electric Picks gives good vibes. HIGH WAIST DENIM Crop tops are made for high waisted denim. But not any pair will do! Highlight your curves (bum included) in the straight-leg vintage-inspired Levi's Wedgie Jean. For maximum wear, opt for a versatile blue wash that will go with all your warm weather shirts, both casual and elegant. Bonus: the above-the-ankle hem will show off your cute summer sandals and anklet. Tiered Maxi Swing Sundress for Women by Old Navy, $44.99; oldnavy.com Poppy Anklet by Made By Mary, $54; madebymary.com MAXI DRESS Mini dresses are sexy but nothing says everyday glam like a floor-length maxi. Relaxed styles in cotton, linen or gauze are light enough to keep you cool on the warmest day. A silhouette with pockets like the Swing Sundress by Old Navy will be on continuous rotation. ANKLE BRACELETS Sun's out, ankles out! Now that bare-leg season is upon us, it's time to get in on a 90s classic: anklets. Rich in sex appeal, the unexpected bauble adds a nice bit of punctuation to nearly any outfit (day or night!) and can help show off your sunny pedicure. Made By Mary has both delicate and statement-making styles. Quite frankly, it defies belief how the 'brains' behind these hazardous designs ever thought they were a good idea. People from across the world have shared photos of bizarre inventions that would be laughable if they weren't so treacherous. Collated in a gallery by Bored Panda, one revealed a bottle of bleach that was designed to look like a box of cereal in Korea. Another image showed a slide with a loop-de-loop right at the very bottom in New Jersey that was so dangerous it was closed almost immediately after its completion. And one showed a staircase with decorative rocks that are bound to be a stumbling hazard, especially if you're heading to bed in the dark... In the US, one man found this picture of a staircase laden with several rocks, making it a stumbling hazard You'd better check twice while buying cereal in Korea, because this box actually contains bleach You'd have to be a master behind the wheel if this was your driveway! This garage entrance is unlikely to pass a health and safety risk assessment A vintage advert shows a woman held in place by a handcuff system designed to deter jokers from setting off fire alarms when it's not an emergency - it surely wouldn't work too well if there really was a fire... One person from Denmark made fun of this hidden car garage propped on a lift, saying it would be dangerous if someone decided to park their car above it - as shown here Slippery slope! Would you dare take a bath in this house, where climbing out could send you tumbling down the stairs? This wheelchair ramp believed to be located in the US is so steep there's no way it's possible to go up it - while going down would be treacherous People were not surprised when this slide was closed shortly after it opened at Action Park in New Jersey In the US, one person pointed out how dangerous mixing bouncing balls and gumballs in the same jar was Someone pointed out that fake snow made from the toxic substance asbestos could be purchased in the 1930s A razor blade brand in Mexico chose an unfortunate name to put on their packages, while saying they were 'satisfaction guaranteed' A mother was branded 'mean' and 'unfair' after she revealed her teenage daughter has to put money towards the household bills but her university student son does not. Posting anonymously on Mumsnet, the woman, who lives in the UK, explained her 17-year-old daughter has an apprenticeship and is expected to put 4,000 a year - or a quarter of her 12,000 annual salary - towards living expenses like rent and petrol. However her son is about to start university and will receive financial support from the family while he was there. The woman asked if she was risking her daughter becoming resentful by treating them so differently, and many fellow users replied to say she was. But others disagreed, and said as the daughter was working she should be expected to pay her way, even if her brother is not. A mother of two teenagers has revealed she's torn over charging her daughter for living expenses, while providing her son with financial support (file image) Posting anonymously on Mumsnet, the woman, who lives in the UK, explained she fears her daughter will resent contributing to living expenses and asked for advice on the siituation Explaining the situation, the mother wrote: 'How do you square this without causing resentment? 'My daughter, 17, is working full time on an apprenticeship course. We are charging her rent/ keep/ petrol equivalent to 25 per cent of her take home. 'My son, 18, up until now was planning to leave college and get a job. He announced yesterday that he is now accepting the three university offers he got a while back... 'So we will be in a position of taking money from daughter and sending money to son. Which has totally changed the dynamic. I'm really conscious of causing resentment from daughter who already suffers a bit with middle child syndrome and jealousy.' A flood of responses argued an apprenticeship should be viewed the same as studying at university, therefore the daughter shouldn't have to contribute her earnings. A flood of responses to the post argued it's unfair for the mother to take a quarter of her daughter's 12,000 a year salary, while supplying her son with money throughout his studies One person wrote: 'I'd be furious if I was handing up money & my older brother was scott-free and being supported just because he chose to go to uni. Lots of people work and are in education at the same time. 'An apprenticeship is also a form of education and you'e in danger of placing your son higher in the pecking order in your DD's eyes just because he chose a third level institution. You can't teach one responsibility and not the other.' 'I think you should provide them with the same. So if you'e covering son's accommodation then you shouldn't be charging daughter for hers. If you're covering his food costs then you shouldn't be charging daughter for hers,' another said. However, others said a child who is earning money should have to pay rent and their situation can't be compared to a sibling doing an expensive university course. However many other responses attempted to reassure the mother that the daughter should be paying for living expenses One wrote: 'No working adult should live rent-free, so in terms of your DD I think you've got things pretty much spot on. If she's got 200 in her hand to play with each week then she's not badly off. 'Uni is different because it's so expensive and your circs as parents are taken into consideration. So the onus is on you to top up the grant - he'd get more (i assume) if you couldn't afford this. 'It's two different circumstances and I wouldn't allow DD to conflate this - however I would make sure DS was taking all the loans he's entitled to and that his walking around money (funded by you) isn't more than DD's - if he wants more, he can work for it.' Another added: 'I would look at it no different to one working and the other not. If a child is earning money and has disposable income, it is only fair they pay rent. If the other is still in education, then they don't. If they both had the same opportunities to go to university, I don't think you are being unfair.' Imagine literature without house guests. Charles Ryder would never have visited Brideshead, let alone revisited it; Pride And Prejudices sprightly plot would have more holes than a colander with no presumptuous Mr Collins, Janes illness at Netherfield or Elizabeths remeeting of Darcy at Rosings. War And Peace would have had the conflicts, but the romance? I could go on, and on. But my point is, fiction relies heavily on human social interaction. And so do we. Over the next few weeks damned variants permitting I hope to stay overnight with old friends, and to visit my elderly parents, too. Truly I cannot wait: to natter; to wake up to a different vista; to be served food that has involved absolutely zero forethought from me. Patricia Nicol reveals a selection of the best books about houseguests including, Nancy Mitford's The Pursuit Of Love (pictured left) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (pictured right) The Young Visiters by Daisy Ashford is one of the comic curios of English letters. Written in 1890, when the author was nine (thus, the endearing misspellings), it was rediscovered among her late mothers papers in 1917, then published in 1919. Alfred Salteena, 42, who is not quite a gentleman but you would hardly notice it, already has Ethel Montacue, 17, staying with him, when Bernard Clark, 29, sends an uncommon top hat, along with an invitation to visit with one of your young ladies whichever is the prettiest in the face. Soon Alfred and Ethel set off for Rickamere Hall, but not before Ethel puts some red ruuge [sic!] on my face, because I am very pale owing to the drains in this house. You may have loved, or even loathed, Emily Mortimers recent three-part adaptation of Nancy Mitfords The Pursuit Of Love, which concluded on BBC1 last night. But either way, key to that storys telling is Fanny Logans status as an insider-outsider at Alconleigh, home to her Radlett cousins and the barking Uncle Matthew. Not all overnight visits are restorative. In Bram Stokers Dracula, young London lawyer Jonathan Harker lives to regret (but only just) his trip to Transylvania to facilitate Count Draculas purchase of a house. If you are household mixing this week, then have (safe) fun. One of Australia's leading nutritionists has shared a one-pan salmon recipe perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or lunch for two. Jessica Sepel, the Australian founder of multimillion-dollar vitamin empire JS Health, shared her Cajun salmon with zucchini spaghetti dish and described it as the 'easiest and most nutritious dinner or lunch option when strapped for time'. To start, Jessica coats two small sustainably sourced salmon fillets in two tablespoons of Cajun spice which can be purchased from any supermarket. For those looking to make their own seasoning, it is usually comprised of cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, onion powder and oregano. Jessica Sepel (pictured), the Australian founder of multimillion-dollar vitamin empire JS Health, shared her Cajun salmon with zucchini spaghetti dish After setting the salmon fillets aside, Jessica heats a large frying pan over medium heat and on one side of the pan, drizzles one tablespoon of olive oil and one clove of crushed garlic. She fries the garlic in the oil until it starts to brown before adding three spiralised zucchinis, 15 cherry tomatoes, more olive oil, sea salt and pepper to it. As it cooks, Jessica adds the coated salmon fillets to the other side of the frying pan and cooks them for three to give minutes on each side until the salmon has a beautiful golden crust. She continues tossing the zucchini noodles in the pan until they're cooked (about seven minutes) before finishing with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Recipe: How to make Jessica Sepel's Cajun Salmon and Zucchini Spaghetti Ingredients * 2 small salmon fillets, sustainably sourced where possible * 2 tbsp Cajun spice * 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil * 1 garlic clove, crushed * 3 zucchini, spiralised * 15 cherry tomatoes * sea salt & black pepper, to taste * 1 lemon, in wedges, to serve Method 1. Coat the salmon fillets in the Cajun spice. Set aside. 2. Heat a large frying pan over the medium heat. On one side of the pan, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil and the crushed garlic. Fry the garlic in the oil until it starts to brown. 3. Next, add the spiralised zucchini, tomatoes, more olive oil, sea salt and pepper. 4. Add the salmon fillets to the other side of the frying pan and cook for 35 minutes on each side until the salmon is golden. 5. Keep tossing the zucchini noodles in the pan until theyre cooked. After about 7 minutes, everything should be well cooked. 6. Serve in the pan with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serves two Advertisement 'It's one of my go-tos! Feeling a little more peckish? Add in some cooked pasta of choice,' she wrote alongside a snap of the mouthwatering creation. Jessica regularly shares simple recipes on her Instagram page, with the nutritionist recently posting mouthwatering sweet potatoes - one with tuna and herbs, and the other with avocado and cottage cheese. She uses simple ingredients including cherry tomatoes, lemon, mustard and chives to flavour the quick and easy dish. Jess starts by piercing four sweet potatoes and drizzling the tops with olive oil, rubbing it in with her hands for extra flavour. The founder of multi-million dollar vitamin and supplement empire JSHealth makes one with tuna and herbs, and the other with avocado and cottage cheese She places the potatoes on a tray in a preheated oven and leaves them to cook for about an hour until they feel soft to touch. To prepare the tuna topping, Jess combines two 95g tins of tuna with half a cup of Greek yoghurt, one tablespoon of capers, one cup of basil, chives and mint, two teaspoons of Dijon mustard and the zest of half a lemon. She mixes them together before seasoning well with salt and black pepper. To assemble the cottage cheese flavour, Jess divides the cottage cheese between two of the sweet potato halves then adds half an avocado smashed with lemon juice, salt and pepper, 10 cherry tomatoes and half a bunch of finely chopped chives. Jess uses simple ingredients including cherry tomatoes, lemon, avocado, mustard and chives to flavour the quick and easy dish Ingredients for a nutritionist-approved 'lazy' dinner * 2 sweet potatoes For the tuna option: * 2x 95g tin tuna in olive oil, or spring water * cup Greek yoghurt * 1 tbsp capers * 1 cup chopped herbs, we used basil, chives & mint * 2 tsp Dijon mustard * lemon, zested For the cottage cheese & avocado option: * 1 cup cottage cheese, replace with cashew cheese for a plant-based option * avocado, smashed with lemon juice, salt & pepper * 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered * bunch chives, finely chopped Advertisement Once the potatoes are cooked through, Jess allows them to cool on the tray for 10 minutes. As soon as they're cooled, she slices the potatoes in half and scoops out some flesh from the centre. Jess then stuffs the middle with the two flavours and enjoys, still warm. She said any leftover sweet potato can be spread on toast, crackers or rice cakes for a quick snack the next day. Frances Loch, the daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, has shared a rare picture of her growing baby bump. The fitness instructor - who now lives in Portland, Oregon - celebrated her 30th birthday by posing in a two-piece activewear at 33 weeks pregnant. The 30-year-old - who's expecting her first child with her husband Sam Loch - revealed the couple are keeping the sex of their baby a 'surprise'. 'We are having a surprise! Very exciting,' the expectant mum wrote on Instagram. Frances Loch (pictured), the daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, has shared a rare picture of her blossoming baby bump at 33 weeks The 30-year-old - who's expecting her first child with her husband Sam Loch - revealed the couple are keeping the sex of their baby a 'surprise' (pictured together on their wedding day) The sweet snap comes four months after Frances announced her pregnancy. 'Big little baby Loch. Joining the party Summer '21,' she wrote in January. The pair have been enjoying living a quiet life after moving from Sydney to the US. The pair tied the knot in a surprise wedding ceremony on Valentine's Day 2018 just three months after she met the bodybuilder in November 2017 - and got engaged two weeks later. 'Two weeks was all it took to know that forever with you was a mighty fine idea,' she wrote in an Instagram post at the time of their shock engagement. Frances said the proposal happened in the kitchen when Sam, a former Olympic rower, popped the question as she was putting peas in the freezer. Frances Loch has announced she's expecting a baby with her husband Sam Loch. She shared a candid picture of herself cradling her burgeoning bump Frances tied the knot in a surprise wedding with Sam on Valentine's Day 2018 - three months after they met (pictured showing off their wedding bands after getting married) During the proposal, Sam had a bottle of champagne in his hands and cleverly convinced her to ask him why. When she obliged, he replied that he brought it to drink after he asked her to marry him. That was two weeks after they first met, and the couple waited another two weeks before telling the world about their whirlwind romance. Former PM Tony Abbott also congratulated the couple at the time, tweeting: 'Really thrilled at the news of Francie and Sam's engagement. We are very proud of her and the Abbotts are looking forward to welcoming Sam into the family.' Despite concerns the couple were moving too fast, Frances previously revealed her family, including her dad, were very supportive of their engagement. 'I think meeting Tones [Tony] can be quite intimidating for anyone, but that's what I love about Sam,' Frances said. 'He's so grounded, and so settled in his own skin, it felt totally natural. There was no change in voice, no sitting upright. Dad liked him.' The couple moved from Sydney to the US to start a new life together after getting married Frances met Sam, an ex-Olympic rower, in November 2017 - and got engaged two weeks later Frances said Sam asked her to marry him as she was putting peas into the freezer As for her mother Margie, she was just as surprised as everyone when her middle daughter told her of Sam's proposal. 'Mum was like, "Frances, you are quite impulsive",' Frances recalled. The pair were legally married at a registry in February 2018 - but waited to celebrate with their nearest and dearest at Sydney's exclusive Palm Beach in April. 'The celebratory component isn't for a couple of months, but we made it official in the eyes of the law,' Sam wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of the pair showing off their wedding bands. 'We're the motherf***ing Mighty Morphin Power Rangers of love.' An amateur Australian home baker has revealed how she made a stunning numerical cake for her mother-in-law's fiftieth birthday using budget ingredients from Coles and Woolworths. While the cake wasn't baked from scratch, it looked like an expensive professionally made dessert as it was topped with buttercream, berries, edible flowers, macaroons and meringues. Sharing images to a popular baking Facebook group, Taire, from New South Wales, said the dessert was 'super easy' to make. To make the cake, she used four packs of Coles double spongecakes, two packets of Cottee's vanilla pudding mix, two 600mL tins of cream and lollies and berries from Woolworths. Australian mum Taire made a numerical cake for her mother-in-law's fiftieth birthday using four budget ingredients from Coles and Woolworths (pictured) The no-bake cake looked stunning and was topped with buttercream, berries, edible flowers, macaroons and meringues The accurate shape of the '50' was carved out by placing a template on top of the spongecake and using a sharp knife. A middle layer of icing was also carefully piped once the number had been cut. 'I'd love any suggestions on an alternative filling/icing as the pudding is very yellow and also quite aerated, so didn't have the super smooth look I was hoping for,' Taire wrote. Similar numerical cakes online made by professionals have a minimum price tag of $100. The cake itself would've been simple and quick to make considering no baking was required. The accurate shape of the 50 was carved by placing a template on top of the spongecake and using a sharp knife to cut out the number The social media post quickly received praise from hundreds of others part of the online community, with many labelling the cake as 'beautiful' and 'amazing'. 'I would be very happy if someone made me that! Yum!' one wrote. 'Looks good. If you use more cream with the pudding mix, it's a lighter colour,' another recommended. 'I make a quick and easy swiss meringue buttercream for mine. No real egg whites required, no cooking required,' another said. Advertisement The Duchess of Cambridge showcased her signature flair for diplomatic dressing as she joined husband Prince William for the second leg of his Scottish royal tour. Kate, 39, sported a 59.99 Zara blazer and pleated midi skirt by Hope Fashion in the colour of the Scottish flag for a busy day of engagements which kicked off with a visit to Turning Point Scotland, a social care charity in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire. She also sported a pair of 1,395 'flora drop' gold earrings from Scottish brand Hamilton & Inches, which has held a Royal Warrant as silversmiths to Her Majesty the Queen for more than 120 years. The couple learned about the support the organisation provides to those facing homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse. Later in the afternoon they visited the pioneering Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU), and learned about the support it provides to community organisations across the country. In the evening they were joined in the cafe kitchen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where they are staying, by Sikh Sanjog to prepare meals which will be distributed to vulnerable families across the Edinburgh community. The visit is part of a royal charm offensive to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence. It received its effective launch over the weekend when William gave a deeply personal speech in which he described the 'special place' that Scotland had in his heart, a country which he said held both some of his 'happiest memories' and his 'saddest'. It was at Balmoral where he learned of the death of his mother Diana, in 1997. And it was at St Andrews where he met and fell in love with Kate Middleton. William, 38, arrived in Scotland on Friday and will be joined by Kate on the remainder of his engagements on the week-long tour to win hearts and minds. The couple will return to London on Thursday. The Duchess of Cambridge showcased her signature flair for diplomatic dressing as she joined husband Prince William for the second leg of his Scottish royal tour. Pictured on a visit to East Lothian to learn about the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU) Royals on tour! The Duchess of Cambridge has joined William in Scotland. Kate sported a 59.99 Zara blazer and pleated midi skirt in the colour of the Scottish flag for a visit to Turning Point Scotland, a social care charity in Coatbridge Royal charm offensive: The visit is part of a royal strategy to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Turning Point Scotland today Beaming: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge smiled as they learned more about the services offered by the charity True blue! The Duchess of Cambridge wore a skirt and jacket in the blue of the Scottish flag for the visit today Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke with individuals supported by Turning Point Scotland's (TPS) Turnaround service. Turnaround delivers targeted programmes to address the complex and interrelated issues of offending behaviours and problematic use of alcohol and other drugs, which often result in patterns of re-offending. During their visit, The Duke and Duchess joined a video call with staff and service users from TPS' Glasgow Overdose Response Team (GORT), to hear how the service works to reduce drug related deaths by providing real-time crisis support for people who have experienced a near fatal overdose. This afternoon, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge carried out a visit to East Lothian to learn about the impact of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, a national centre of expertise in tackling violence, founded in 2005 by Strathclyde Police, who in the face of rising homicide rates wanted to try a different approach to tackling violence. Working in partnership with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government, the SVRU aims to stop violence wherever it is found by using a public health approach to tackle the root causes of violent behaviours. At Heavy Sound, one of the SVRUs partners, William and Kate heard how the two organisations work closely together to help keep young people engaged in education or training and on the right path. Obtaining skills and qualifications can be crucial to preventing young people becoming vulnerable to violence. The Duke and Duchess met young people supported by the service to hear about their experiences, and how coming to the centre has inspired them to pursue qualifications in subject areas such as music production and bike maintenance. They also joined a group of service users taking part in a Muay Thai boxing session which aims to teach young people discipline and de-escalation techniques. This afternoon, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge carried out a visit to East Lothian to learn about the impact of the pioneering Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU), and the support it provides to community organisations across the country The couple learned about the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU), and the support it provides to community organisations (pictured: Kate) Working in partnership with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government, the SVRU aims to stop violence wherever it is found by using a public health approach to tackle the root causes of violent behaviours. Pictured: the Duke and Duchess today At Heavy Sound, one of the SVRUs partners, William and Kate heard how the two organisations work closely together to help keep young people engaged in education or training and on the right path. Heavy Sound aims to make learning work for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people who are excluded or fall out of education and works to re-engage them through delivering innovative projects tailored to their interests, including song writing, DJing, music production, and sound recording (Pictured: Kate had a go at making a tune) The Duke and Duchess met young people supported by the service to hear about their experiences, and how coming to the centre has inspired them to pursue qualifications in subject areas such as music production and bike maintenance. They also joined a group of service users taking part in a Muay Thai boxing session which aims to teach young people discipline and de-escalation techniques The Cambridges wore protective face coverings to combat the spread of the coronavirus during a visit to a violence reduction unit, helping to reduce violence and knife crime across Scotland, in Prestonpans, near Edinburgh. Pictured watching a group of service users taking part in a Muay Thai boxing session The SVRU and Heavy Sound began working in partnership, alongside the Scottish Prison Service, in 2019 when they transformed an out of service bus into a mobile community centre, taking support, advice and music into the heart of neighbourhoods in and around Edinburgh. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bus was redeployed to provide vulnerable young people with a safe place to go, as well as providing lunches to those in need within their community. During the visit, staff spoke to the Duke and Duchess about their collaborative work on the project, and how the SVRU has continued to work with Heavy Sound, including embedding one of its officers at the centre in order to help the young people it supports build positive relationships with the police and the justice system. Heavy Sound aims to make learning work for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people who are excluded or fall out of education and works to re-engage them through delivering innovative projects tailored to their interests, including song writing, DJing, music production, and sound recording. Through positive engagement, they aim to improve life chances and move young people to positive futures. Focussing on prevention and early intervention, Heavy Sound works to provide a supportive space for young people to express themselves and learn new skills, whilst simultaneously addressing issues around self-confidence, self-esteem and general wellbeing. Through positive engagement, they aim to improve life chances and move young people to positive futures. Focussing on prevention and early intervention, Heavy Sound works to provide a supportive space for young people to express themselves and learn new skills, whilst simultaneously addressing issues around self-confidence, self-esteem and general wellbeing. The Duke and Duchess met young people and staff to hear about their experiences During the visit, staff spoke to the Duke and Duchess about their collaborative work on the project, and how the SVRU has continued to work with Heavy Sound, including embedding one of its officers at the centre in order to help the young people it supports build positive relationships with the police and the justice system The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their visit to the violence reduction unit, where they met and spoke with young people who benefit from its services Prince William and his wife appeared in high spirits during the visit today, despite the recent drama surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex This evening, the couple welcomed volunteers from Sikh Sanjog to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and joined them to make chappatis and package up curries in the Palace's cafe kitchen. The meals will be distributed to vulnerable families in Edinburgh this evening. Sikh Sanjog Scotlands only Sikh Family Support Charity was established in 1989 to support women from the Sikh community integrate into wider Scottish society. The organisation aims to inspire and empower women to advance their own life opportunities through building skills, confidence and promoting social inclusion. It provides social and wellbeing support for women of all ages and works with young people from diverse ethnic communities, delivering counselling services and facilitating youth groups. During lockdown, Sikh Sanjog set up a service to provide hot curry meals twice a week to disadvantaged people in the community, a service that is ongoing. This evening, the couple welcomed volunteers from Sikh Sanjog to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and joined them to make chappatis and package up curries in the Palace's cafe kitchen The famously competitive couple got busy in the kitchen. The meals will be distributed to vulnerable families in Edinburgh this evening The Duchess - who is reportedly the more accomplished cook of the two - appeared to be giving her husband some tipsas they prepared the meals Sikh Sanjog Scotlands only Sikh Family Support Charity was established in 1989 to support women from the Sikh community integrate into wider Scottish society. Pictured: William and Kate perfect their chappatis The organisation aims to inspire and empower women to advance their own life opportunities through building skills, confidence and promoting social inclusion. It provides social and wellbeing support for women of all ages and works with young people from diverse ethnic communities, delivering counselling services and facilitating youth groups. Pictured: Kate serving up a curry The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge help prepare meals with representatives of Sikh Sanjog. After rolling out their chappatis the challenge was to cook them William and Kate then heard from some of those who receive support from the organisation, before meeting members of one of the organisation's youth groups who were preparing entries for a competition to design the cover of a new book being released by Sikh Sanjog. Finally, The Duke and Duchess met the womens group, who gave a traditional Sikh Shabadh drumming display. Exact details of their Scottish tour schedule is being kept under wraps but the Duke and Duchess are expected to visit St Andrews University, where they met as students 20 years ago. The couple will also host a special drive-in screening of Disney's Cruella for NHS staff, and will join young carers from the local Fife area for a session of land yachting on the beach. The trip will also include the couple's first official visit to Orkney. Pressure for a second independence referendum has increased after the Scottish National Party narrowly missed winning a majority in the Scottish Parliament. Public opinion about independence is on a knife edge according to polls and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants a vote before the end of 2023. William and Kate then heard from some of those who receive support from the organisation, before meeting members of one of the organisation's youth groups who were preparing entries for a competition to design the cover of a new book being released by Sikh Sanjog The Duchess of Cambridge meets children from the Sikh Sanjog childrens group, part of a Sikh community group, in the cafe kitchen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse In her element! The Duchess looked delighted to be chatting with the youngsters from the Sikh Sanjog childrens group, part of a Sikh community group, in the cafe kitchen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse The Duchess got stuck in helping some of the young children with their entries for a competition to design the cover of a new book being released by Sikh Sanjog Dressed all in blue, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pictured arriving to help prepare meals with representatives of Sikh Sanjog The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with representatives of Sikh Sanjog, a Sikh community group in the cafe kitchen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Finally the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met the womens group, who gave a traditional Sikh Shabadh drumming display which they appeared to enjoy Queen of coordination: The Duchess of Cambridge chose a blue patterned face mask for the outing Vital work: The couple learned about the support the organisation provides to those facing homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to people who have used the services Vibrant: The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a monochrome look for the visit to the Scottish charity today The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant in a royal blue blazer for the charity visit in North Lanarkshire today Officials at No 10 have held discussions about how to emphasise 'cultural bonds' with the Royal Family seen as one of the most powerful weapons in the armoury. The Queen is passionate about the union and spends her annual summer break at Balmoral. Her subtle comment about the independence referendum in 2014 asking people to 'think carefully about the future' while staying at Balmoral, was credited with influencing the vote to remain. In his address on Saturday to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh, Prince William not only touched upon some of the most private aspects of his life, but also struck a conciliatory tone. 'It is my duty today to speak, but equally I am here to listen,' he said. 'In Scotland this week I will have my eyes and ears permanently open. Along with listening this week, there is something I do want to tell you. 'Scotland is incredibly important to me and will always have a special place in my heart.' William, who is known as the Earl of Strathearn in Scotland, was speaking in his role as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly, a ceremonial appointment dating back to the 16th Century. He spoke of his happy time at St Andrews university as a student and training as a pilot in Inverness, adding: 'Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also my saddest.' Far-reaching: During their visit, The Duke and Duchess joined a video call with staff and service users from TPS' Glasgow Overdose Response Team (GORT), to hear how the service works to reduce drug related deaths by providing real-time crisis support for people who have experienced a near fatal overdose, pictured First-hand experience: William and Kate spoke to people who had benefited from Turning Point Scotland's services Virtual meeting: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke to some people via videolink during the outing In what was interpreted as a nod to longevity, he referred to his children including Prince George, who is third in line to the throne. 'George, Charlotte and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they are starting to build their own happy memories here too,' he said. 'We have no doubt they will grow up sharing our love and connection to Scotland from the Highlands to the Central Belt, from the Islands to the Borders.' The Queen, who on Saturday visited the crew of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth, made her own apparent comment about a 'United Kingdom' in a letter to the Church of Scotland which was read out by her chaplain in Scotland, the Rev Dr George Whyte. In reference to changes that have taken place during the coronavirus pandemic, she wrote: 'New bonds have been forged in times of emergency but they will serve us all well in the future as the United Kingdom seeks to rebuild and reshape community life.' The Queen is making plans for her traditional 'Holyrood Week' in early summer. Aides say there will be several 'high-profile events where Her Majesty will be seen out and about'. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will also be involved but the decision to send the Cambridges ahead was a clear part of the PR strategy. A source told the Mail On Sunday: 'It's about opening a dialogue listening and talking. All members of the Royal Family have a strong affinity with Scotland. At the weekend the Duke of Cambridge took an electric car for a high-speed spin around a race track at the Knockhill circuit in Fife, part of a programme of visits to innovative projects north of the border aimed at tackling climate change. The prince met with British Andretti United driver, Catie Munnings, a former European Rally Champion, to test drive the new electric Extreme E car ahead of the Extreme E race in Senegal this weekend. Later William looked happy and relaxed as he grabbed a pint with members of the emergency services at a rooftop bar near Edinburgh Castle to watch the Scottish Cup Final. The Duchess and the First Lady: Kate and Jill Biden meet for first time as they visit primary school in Cornwall The Duchess of Cambridge, 39, cut an elegant figure in a red dress as she arrived to meet the President's wife at a school in Cornwall this afternoon. Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds are reportedly planning to tie the knot next summer in what will be the biggest society wedding of the year. The couple, who announced their engagement in February 2020 and welcomed son Wilfred two months later, have sent out save-the-dates for July 30, 2022. A spokesman for the couple declined to comment on a 'private family event'. It is understood the couple are holding out until next year for a bigger celebration because the Prime Minister will be too busy this summer with Covid-19. There is currently a 30-person maximum on weddings in England and Mr Johnson has yet to confirm whether larger receptions will be allowed to go ahead from June 21, so it could also be that the couple don't want to take the risk of planning for this summer. Here comes the bride! Carrie Symonds and Boris Johnson have reportedly sent out their save-the-date cards and are planning to tie the knot on July 30, 2022. But what will the day be like? Details of the wedding remain a closely guarded secret, but the fact that save-the-dates have been sent more than a year in advance suggest it is going to be a rather lavish affairs. Couples who want to have a low-key wedding can afford to leave planning and guest lists closer to the date. So what can we expect from Boris' big day? From the wedding dress designer to potential venues and the role baby Wilfred might play, FEMAIL shares predictions for what it might look like... THE VENUE Historic venue... The Prime Minister's country pile, Chequers, is right at the top of the list of potential venues. The 10-bedroom house - in Buckinghamshire - has been the official country residence of the Prime Minister since the end of the First World War ... Or something a little wilder? The other contender is Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve, in Kent, which is run by conservation charity the Aspinall Foundation, where Carrie Symonds works. The estate is home to rhinos, gorillas and zebras and boasts several potential venues The sending of save-the-date cards suggests the couple have at least decided on a venue. ALL ORGANIC MENU Wherever the couple decide to wed, it is likely they will spare no expense when it comes to the menu. Boris and Carrie are huge fans of Daylesford organic farms - reportedly spending 27,000 on takeaway food and wine during lockdown. Carrie is also said to be a fan of Negroni cocktails - made of one part gin, one part vermouth rosso, and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel - so they could be on the cards for the drinks reception. Advertisement Although they could have the pick of the country's most lavish stately homes or country house hotels, it is thought they might choose somewhere with more of a personal connection. According to the Sun, the Prime Minister's country pile, Chequers, is right at the top of the list of potential venues. The 10-bedroom house - outside Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire - has been the official country residence of the Prime Minister since the end of the First World War. Mr Johnson chose to convalesce at the 1,500-acre country estate after being struck down by coronavirus last year and he and Carrie reportedly hosted a baby shower at the country home. The other contender is Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve, in Kent, which is run by conservation charity the Aspinall Foundation, where Carrie Symonds works. The estate boasts several potential venues, including The Bear Lodge, which can host an evening reception for up to 180 guests, and the Moroccan Courtyard, which is ideal for a more intimate drinks gathering for up to 40 guests. Guests can also enjoy a private safari to see the giraffes, zebras, rhinos and gorillas that live on the reserve. If the couple opt for a more traditional route, there is also Westminster Cathedral, where son Wilfred was christened last year. THE BRIDAL PARTY Gotten the call up? Richard Eden reported last month that Carrie has already started choosing her bridesmaids. The first in line is said to be Emma Barr, a former government special adviser who was signed up as a producer for the soon-to-launch television channel GB News Right-hand woman: Also likely to be in the running is Nimco Ali, a prominent anti-FGM campaigner who is godmother to Wilfred. Pictured, the women arm-in-arm in 2019 Bridesman? Carrie might also choose to break from tradition and have her closest male friend, Henry Newman, as part of her bridal party. Pictured, Carrie and Henry with Dilyn Pageboy? Boris and Carrie may well want their son Wilfred to be involved in the big day. The toddler will be two years old by the time his parents tie the knot and would look perfectly adorable tottering down the aisle as a pageboy. Pictured, in his mother's arms The Mail On Sunday's Richard Eden reported last month that Carrie has already started choosing her bridesmaids. The first in line is said to be Emma Barr, a former government special adviser who was signed up as a producer for the soon-to-launch television channel GB News. ROLES FOR WILFRED, AND DILYN THE DOG? Boris and Carrie may well want their son Wilfred to be involved in the big day. The toddler will be two years old by the time his parents tie the knot and would look perfectly adorable tottering down the aisle as a pageboy. The other boy in Boris and Carrie's life, Dilyn, could also get the call up as a ringbearer. However the much-loved rescue dog might need a little more training after reports he 'humped Dominic Cummings' leg', is not properly house-trained and has destroyed expensive artefacts at Chequers. Role for Dilyn? The other boy in Boris and Carrie's life, Dilyn, could also get the call up Advertisement 'Emma will be a bridesmaid,' claimed a Downing Street source. 'She's a great friend of Carrie and, most importantly, super-loyal.' Barr, who would often be seen carrying the Prime Minister's dog, Dilyn, on the campaign trail at the last general election, was keen to play down suggestions that she's already been chosen. She worked as a Tory press officer under Carrie and has publicly accused her critics of 'jealousy', gushing: 'She was a wonderful boss and has always gone out of her way to support me.' Also likely to be in the running is Nimco Ali, a prominent anti-FGM campaigner who is godmother to Wilfred. The Somali-born campaigner is one of Miss Symonds closest friends and was pictured with her on a trip to Venice last year. The Home Office announced in October that Nimco had been made an adviser on tackling violence against women and girls. The Government role, for which she is paid 350 a day for around two days work a month, was not advertised through any competitive application process. The appointment raised issues of jobs for cronies because it appeared to have been created for Miss Ali. Carrie might also choose to break from tradition and have her closest male friend, Henry Newman, as part of her bridal party. The pair rose through the Conservative Party ranks at the same time and are now at the heart of the No 10 operation. In February, Mr Newman was promoted to assistant of Mr Johnson's deputy chief of staff Baroness Finn. Miss Symonds and Mr Newman have formed a bond that goes beyond politics. Before her relationship with Mr Johnson hit the headlines, she spoke out courageously about her terrifying teenage ordeal at the hands of the so-called 'black cab rapist' John Worboys. In 2018, she campaigned to reverse the Parole Board's decision to grant him an early release and turned to Mr Newman for advice. Mr Newman defended Miss Symonds when her relationship with Mr Johnson became public, tweeting: 'Carrie Symonds coverage too often reflects a misogyny that attractive women can't also be talented. I've known her for years. Proud to call her my friend.' The pair frequently tweet each other about their shared love of ABBA, and danced along to the band's records at Miss Symonds' 30th birthday party in 2018. A JOHNSON FAMILY AFFAIR? Family affair? Boris Johnson with his sister Rachel, who is expected to be on the invite list FIRST PM TO MARRY IN OFFICE IN 200 YEARS Boris Johnson will become the first British Prime Minister to marry in office for 200 years. Lord Liverpool had been PM for a decade when his wife Louisa died. Shortly afterwards, on September 24, 1822, he married Louisa's life-long friend, Lady Mary Chester. He would stay in office for another five years. The marriage to Ms Symonds will be the third for Mr Johnson and Carrie's first. The couple were first linked in September 2018 shortly after Mr Johnson had announced the start of divorce proceedings with Marina, his second wife. Advertisement For all the bonhomie, witty one-liners and wisecracking, Boris has just a few close friends. To him it is all politics and family. Most prime ministers discover that high office comes with a narrowing of their social circle. Who's in and who's out is always a subject of abiding fascination but ultimately it relies on one thing: trust. 'When you become Prime Minister you make new relationships, but you don't make new friends,' says one of Boris's Oxford contemporaries. 'And your circle tends to become smaller and smaller because you have to be so sure about who is trustworthy and who isn't. So the friends invited to Chequers have predominantly been drawn from Carrie's circle. Boris is happy with that.' It means the groom's side of the wedding guest list might be shorter than the bride's. - with the Johnson family accounting for a significant proportion. First there are his siblings - Rachel, Leo and Jo - as well as his father, Stanley. Then there are Boris' children Lara, Milo, Cassie and Theodore from his 26-year marriage to barrister Marina Wheeler who are understood to be back on good terms with their father following his divorce from their mother. All four of them could be involved as best men, ushers or bridesmaids. THE WEDDING DRESS DESIGNER Eco chic: Stella McCartney would be a fitting choice for an eco-minded bride like Carrie Royal clients: The designer is best known for creating the dress worn by the Duchess of Sussex to her evening reception, pictured Carrie has won praise for her sophisticated yet accessible sense of style - and there is of little doubt she will make a beautiful bride. Over the course of her relationship with Boris, Carrie has swapped her puffy jackets, wacky knits and dark paisley prints for a brighter and more trend-focused look. Feminine florals and striking patterns have been deployed with skill, creating just enough of a 'look at me' effect. Hemlines, by and large, have been fashionably long but with her slender figure, she has been unafraid to wear shorter styles occasionally. Yet rather than leaning on designer pieces and expensive items, Carrie has deftly managed to adopt a grown up First Lady style which speaks to Boris' political message. Carrie has taken to relying on high street stalwarts for everyday wear, eschewing big fashion labels for an affordable high street-based wardrobe that many 30-somethings could afford. Brands like Ghost are among Carrie's favourite but she is likely to opt for something slightly more high-end for her big day. Stella McCartney would be a fitting choice for an eco-minded bride like Carrie. The designer is best known for creating the dress worn by the Duchess of Sussex to her evening reception. Carrie is also a fan of clothing rental services, which aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the fashion industry. As such she might follow in the footsteps of Princess Beatrice and choose a vintage or pre-worn dress. THE HONEYMOON Private getaway: The Prime Minister reportedly proposed while on holiday in Mustique shortly after his party won an impressive majority in the December 2019 General Election. So it is possible the couple will want to return to the luxury holiday destination for their honeymoon The Prime Minister reportedly proposed while on holiday in Mustique shortly after his party won an impressive majority in the December 2019 General Election. So it is possible the couple will want to return to the luxury holiday destination for their honeymoon. The Caribbean paradise island is accustomed to welcoming everyone who is anyone, from rock stars to royalty, along with every aristo and captain of industry in between. It is perfect for couple's looking for a publicity-free getaway. In the past, paparazzi snappers hunting celebrities have hired boats and positioned themselves off shore with long lenses. But if they attempt to set foot on land, they know they will immediately be handed over to police because Mustique is a private island. However the destination might now be slightly tainted for Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds. It emerged earlier this month a 2020 trip to the island was under investigation over who footed the bill. INSPIRATION FOR THE 'LOOK' OF THE DAY Bright and beautiful: It is possible that Carrie might draw on Lulu Lytle's (pictured) aesthetic when it comes to designing the table settings, decorations and overall 'look' of the day The woman said to have inspired Carrie Symonds' lavish Downing Street makeover is Lulu Lytle one of the UK's most influential and successful interior designers. Her designs combine a riot of bold colours and showstopping old-fashioned glamour. Think oiled-oak shelving, rattan furniture, shimmering gold wallpaper and intricate textiles. A marble bathroom, perhaps, with wrought iron finishings. Although her Soane studio does not do weddings or events, it is possible that Carrie might draw on this aesthetic when it comes to designing the table settings, decorations and overall 'look' of the day. As someone with a trend-focused approach, it is very possible Carrie will forgo traditional white and soft colours in favour of slightly more fun and vibrant. The Duchess of Cambridge looked radiant in an Alexander McQueen dress as she praised the 'huge sacrifices' made by nurses in a new video message. Kate, 39, looked perfectly polished in the tailored peplum dress - last worn in Warsaw in 2017 - which she accessorised with a 9,000 diamond necklace from Asprey and Mappin & Webb 'Empress' earrings. The Duchess, who will today join William in Scotland on the fourth day of his royal tour, recorded the video to mark the end of Nursing Now, her global three-year campaign to raise the profile of nursing. The Duchess of Cambridge has hailed the 'huge sacrifices' made by nurses during the pandemic as she marked the end of a global three-year campaign to raise the profile of nursing Kate, 39, looked perfectly polished in the tailored peplum dress - last worn in Warsaw in 2017 (pictured) - which she accessorised with a 9,000 diamond necklace from Asprey The duchess, who was royal patron of the initiative, said: 'When Nursing Now was launched in 2018, we had no way of knowing just how much the work, dedication and infinite care of nurses would be tested, needed and appreciated. 'Covid-19 has highlighted the vital role that nurses provide which we all rely on and it's made all the more extraordinary when we consider the huge sacrifices and personal demands that have been placed on all of you by the pandemic. 'It has been the hardest of years and my heartfelt thanks to you and your colleagues around the world for the incredible work you do every day.' The Duchess of Cambridge re-wore a classic Alexander McQueen peplum dress for the recording, although only the top of the outfit could be seen on camera. The Duchess, who will today join William in Scotland on the fourth day of his royal tour, recorded the video to mark the end of Nursing Now, her global three-year campaign to raise the profile of nursing Kate accessorised with delicate drop earrings and the dazzling necklace, which is thought to have been a gift from Prince William on their 10th wedding anniversary this year. Kate launched Nursing Now in 2018 at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital. Earlier this month, she interviewed Ugandan community midwife Harriet Nayiga for Nursing Times magazine as part of the work to raise the profile once again. The end of the campaign is being used to make an urgent call to governments to invest in nurses as the backbone of health systems. Lord Nigel Crisp, Nursing Now founder, said: 'Health services around the world have responded magnificently to the pandemic, but we will not beat Covid-19, stop the next pandemic or tackle skyrocketing rates of diabetes or heart disease unless we help nurses to work at their full potential.' The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Alexander McQueen outfit when she arrived in Warsaw with her family for the royal tour in July 2017 Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said Nursing Now had developed a new generation of leaders in nurses, adding: 'As the campaign comes to an end, I urge countries to invest in nurses, so they are supported, protected, motivated and equipped to deliver safe care.' Last year Kate year marked the International Day of the Nurse alongside Sophie, the Countess of Wessex by videocalling nurses in seven different Commonwealth countries to thank them for their work during the pandemic. Over the last three years more than 31,000 young professionals have signed up for Nursing Nows Nightingale Challenge, 64 Nursing Now groups have reported increased investment in nursing and there has also been an increase of nurses in leadership positions, as Chief Nursing Officers and on boards, who are able to exercise greater influence in shaping policy and service delivery. The release of the video came as the Duchess arrived in Scotland to join Prince William on the second leg of his Scottish royal tour. Busy schedule: The release of the video came as the Duchess arrived in Scotland to join Prince William on the second leg of his Scottish royal tour. Pictured, William and Kate in Scotland Kate, 39, sported a 59.99 Zara blazer and pleated midi skirt in the colour of the Scottish flag for a visit to Turning Point Scotland, a social care charity in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire. The couple learned about the support the organisation provides to those facing homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse. The visit is part of a royal charm offensive to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence. It received its effective launch over the weekend when William gave a deeply personal speech in which he described the 'special place' that Scotland had in his heart, a country which he said held both some of his 'happiest memories' and his 'saddest'. It was at Balmoral where he learned of the death of his mother Diana, in 1997. And it was at St Andrews where he met and fell in love with Kate Middleton. William, 38, arrived in Scotland on Friday and will be joined by Kate on the remainder of his engagements on the week-long tour to win hearts and minds. The couple will return to London on Thursday. Food safety experts have discovered microplastics lurking in all tested UK soft drinks in plastic bottles - and even found a piece which measured 3mm in a can of Coca-Cola. In tonight's episode of Channel 4's Food Unwrapped, Jimmy Doherty travels to Rome to meet food safety expert Daniella Moritz. She recently discovered that 90% of soft drinks on sale in Italian supermarkets had microplastics in them and the team wants to see if the same was true of our soft drinks and put six popular UK drinks to the test. The results were shocking and microplastics were found in all the UK soft drinks in plastic bottles with results ranging in size from 40 50 microns, which is less than the diameter of the average human hair. A UK-bought can of Coca-Cola had microplastics in it which measured 3mm - which is the biggest piece of plastic Dr Moritz has ever seen. Pictured, stock image Within the tests Fanta (pictured, left) was the lowest with 6 pieces found and Pepsi Max (right) was the highest with 19 pieces of microplastics floating around in one litre Within the tests Fanta was the lowest with 6 pieces found and Pepsi Max was the highest with 19 pieces of microplastics floating around in one litre. To ensure the results were accurate and the plastic wasn't coming from the bottles which the soft drinks were in, the team also tested the same drinks from cans. The results were lower but microplastcis were still found in all of the drinks. Following further tests, a UK-bought can of Coca-Cola had microplastics in it which measured 3mm - which is the biggest piece of plastic Dr Moritz has ever found. THE FINDINGS (MICROPLASTIC FRAGMENTS PER LITRE) BOTTLES FANTA: 6 SPRITE: 7.5 COCA COLA: 13.3 SCHWEPPES TONIC: 14 7 UP: 16.5 PEPSI MAX: 19 CANS FANTA: 7 SPRITE: 5 COCA COLA: 12 SCHWEPPES TONIC: 9.5 7 UP: 10 PEPSI MAX: 15.5 A can of Sprite was found to have 5 fragments of microplastic per litre. Pictured, stock image A can of 7 UP (pictured, left) was found to contain 10 fragments per litre, while Schweppes Tonic had 9.5 (pictured, right) Advertisement Food safety expert Daniella Moritza found a UK-bought can of Coca-Cola had microplastics in it which measured 3mm Daniella said it is the biggest piece of plastic she has ever found. Pictured, plastic in the dish Following the test all of the brands were made aware of the findings and the British soft drinks association said, 'their members operate some of the most stringent quality standards in the entire food and drink sector'. Coca Cola said they 'are working with industry groups and regulators to further their understanding of microplatics' and added they 'run testing through the production process to ensure quality. They have strict filtration systems which should ensure no large particles can make their way into the finished product'. With the reality of microplastics being part of our food chain, Dr Moritz said: 'Mircoplastics are everywhere so they may be in the tap water they are using in production. 'It makes the problem so wide spread it makes it impossible for manufactures to avoid.' Within the tests Fanta was the lowest with 6 pieces found and Pepsi Max was the highest with 19 pieces of microplastics floating around in one litre. Pictured, Daniella looking under the microscope 'Smug' Prince Harry is 'out for vengeance' after the 'spiteful' attack in his recent interviews, a royal expert has claimed. Royal editor Camilla Tominey has criticised the Duke of Sussex's 'smug, self-pitying and at times, spiteful rhetoric' - adding that his recent comments suggest he's not learned anything from Diana's 'disastrous decision to pour her heart out to deceitful Martin Bashir' in her 1995 Panorama interview. Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: 'By continuing to stoke the flames of publicity with his smug, self-pitying and at times, spiteful rhetoric, Harry shows he has actually learned nothing from his mother's experience.' 'For in trying to emulate her doe-eyed confessionals to speak his "truth", he is repeating her mistake of squandering popularity for the sake of evening the score.' Royal editor Camilla Tominey has slammed Prince Harry's recent interviews and criticised his 'smug, self-pitying and at times, spiteful rhetoric.' Pictured, during his new five-part AppleTV+ docuseries The Me You Can't See The royal editor went on to say how Prince Harry's recent comments show he has not learned from Diana's 'disastrous decision to pour her heart out to deceitful Martin Bashir' in her 1995 Panorama interview (pictured) The comments come days after Prince Harry dropped another nuclear 'truth bomb' on the Royal Family accusing them of 'total silence' and 'neglect' when Meghan was suicidal during his new five-part AppleTV+ docuseries The Me You Can't See. He claimed his father Prince Charles made him 'suffer' as a child and insisted he would not be 'bullied into silence' when he alleged 'The Firm' 'trapped', smeared and dumped them. The royal editor went on to say that the Duke of Cambridge is winning the silent battle of the royal brothers. She noted that while it was clear Prince Harry wanted to do good by raising awareness of mental health, just like his late mother Diana, he was airing 'dirty linen' on TV and was 'out for vengeance.' The royal editor went on to say that the Duke of Cambridge is winning the silent battle of the royal brothers. Pictured, the bombshell Meghan and Harry Oprah Winfrey interview in March Key revelations from Prince Harry's bombshell interview On the Sussexes' cries for help to the Royal Family 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' On Harry's family 'stopping' them from quitting 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, "You can't do this", And it's like, "Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?". She [Meghan] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' On Meghan's wish to 'end her life' 'Meghan decided to share with me the suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life. 'The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to now to be put in a position of losing another woman in my life with a baby inside of her, our baby. 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought. She hadn't "lost it." She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or through alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane'. On Prince Charles' parenting 'My father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I, 'Well it was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you',' Prince Harry says in the new documentary. 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered doesn't mean that your kids have to suffer, in fact quite the opposite. 'If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, that you can make it right for your kids'. On 'smears' from 'The Firm' 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' And trying to repair the relationship 'I like to think that we were able to speak truths in the most compassionate way possible, therefore leaving an opening for reconciliation and healing' On Meghan helping Harry into therapy 'I saw GPs. I saw doctors. I saw therapists. I saw alternative therapists. I saw all sorts of people, but it was meeting and being with Meghan I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with. 'When she said, "I think you need to see someone," it was in reaction to an argument that we had. And in that argument not knowing about it, I reverted back to 12-year-old Harry.' Using booze and drugs to cope with his mother's death 'I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling.' The royal said he would drink a week's worth of alcohol on a Friday or Saturday night 'not because I was enjoying it but because I was trying to mask something'. Advertisement In contrast, she says his brother Prince William has inherited his mum's more favourable traits of serving others rather than himself. Camilla also goes on to highlight how the nation has continued to support The Firm as the Duke of Sussex has thrown 'grenades' at them. Speaking of Prince Harry and Meghan, the royal expert added: 'Their bid to seek "financial independence" in California has cast them completely in the shade in the minds of the majority of Brits, many of whom would prefer it if they disappeared from view altogether. 'The more they have accused the "racist" royal family of "total neglect", the more they have succeeded in encouraging the British public to throw their support behind the institution.' In recent candid interviews, the Duke of Sussex said he and his wife felt abandoned by his relatives and this was one of their 'biggest reasons' for leaving for California last year. He told Oprah: 'Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence', adding: 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He added: 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, "You can't do this", And it's like, "Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?". She [Meghan] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' Royal biographer Phil Dampier said Harry's trip to unveil a statue of Princess Diana with his brother William on July 1 will now be in 'grave doubt', especially after the Duke of Sussex said London is a 'trigger' for his anxiety. And royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said there is now 'clearly a huge gulf between the Royal Family and the Sussexes', while Harry's biographer Angela Levin called his appearance 'phoney and embarrassing'. Harry said that Meghan described how she would end her life while pregnant with Archie in 2019, adding: 'The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to be in a position of losing another woman in my life with a baby inside of her, our baby'. The Duke of Sussex also accused his family of smearing them to the press before their bombshell Oprah interview in March, describing being woken in their 11million mansion by his wife 'crying in her pillow' to stifle the noise on the eve of its broadcast. He said: 'Thats heartbreaking. I held her. We talked. She cried and she cried and she cried.' The Apple TV series was released in full online just four hours after his brother Prince William issued an extraordinary attack on the BBC for ruining Princess Diana's life after her Panorama interview with 'rogue reporter' Martin Bashir in 1995. But despite a judge-led inquiry finally confirming their mother was deceived into doing the show her friends say began a chain of events leading directly to her death in Paris less than two years later, Harry launched yet another full-frontal attack on the Royal Family, who are private exasperated and upset about his constant 'pot shots' from across the Atlantic but are unable to respond publicly. Jane Moore claims Princess Diana was like a 'wounded deer' the day after her Panorama interview with Martin Bashir. The Loose Women host, 59, said today that she was on a flight with the royal to a charity event in Buenos Aires, just a day after the 1995 interview, and said she appeared to 'regret' agreeing to the programme. She expected Diana didn't realise how extreme the reaction to her interview would be, predicting that the royal had faced backlash from the palace before boarding the flight. Her comments come after it emerged that former BBC journalist Bashir used 'deceitful behaviour' to secure his Panorama interview with Princess Diana, and of the 25-year cover-up that followed. Her comments come after news that former BBC journalist Bashir used 'deceitful behaviour' to secure his Panorama interview with Princess Diana, and of the 25-year cover-up that followed Jane Moore claims Princess Diana was like a 'wounded deer' the day after her Panorama interview with Martin Bashir 'It was me and three other journalists in first class with her and I could sense straight away she regretted it, said Jane today. 'Because I think she didn't anticipate the reaction it would have. 'Obviously maybe by then, this is just guess work on my part, probably she's had a bit of reaction from the palace as well, and she was a bit of a wounded deer on the plane. 'She got on looking like Princess Diana, amazing. She took off all her make-up, put on a tracksuit, fell asleep with a blanket over her head. 'Then she went back into the toilet before we landed put all the gear on and became this amazing icon everyone knew and expected her to be and I remember thinking, "That is a tough life".' Jane, pictured on the show, expected Diana didn't realise how extreme the reaction to her interview would be, predicting that the royal had faced backlash from the palace before boarding the flight Jane's comments come days after an 127-page report released by former judge Lord Dyson revealing the lengths Bashir went to in order to secure the interview with the late royal. The report ruled that the shamed journalist hoodwinked the princess with an elaborate fiction that painted some of those closest to her as traitors. Key conclusions of yesterday's bombshell report that brought shame on the BBC The 'rogue reporter' commissioned fake bank statements to secure his interview with Princess Diana - but covered up his 'deceitful behaviour' in a 'shocking blot' on the BBC's near 100-year history. The statements wrongly suggested that Earl Spencer's security boss was in the pay of tabloid journalists and a shadowy company linked to the security services. His lies landed the Panorama reporter the interview of the century and multiple awards - but hastened the end of Diana's marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status just two years before her death. Bashir maintained that despite the fake bank statements a note from Diana herself showed that she had not been affected by this in her decision to be interviewed by him - an interview of which he remained 'immensely proud'. The interview landed Bashir multiple awards, but hastened the end of Diana's marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status two years before her death in 1997. Lord Dyson said Bashir was in 'serious breach' of the BBC's producer guidelines and the BBC today announced it will launch a review into the effectiveness of its 'editorial policies and governance'. In the wake of the report, the Duke of Cambridge gave a scathing statement about the controversial interview, in which he stated: 'It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. 'The interview was a major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. 'She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.' The Duke of Sussex added: 'Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest. 'The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life. 'To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. 'That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these - and even worse- are still widespread today. Then, and now, it's bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication. 'Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let's remember who she was and what she stood for.' Speaking to yesterday's The Sunday Times, Bashir said he 'never wanted to harm' Diana, Princess of Wales, with the Panorama interview, adding: 'I don't believe we did.' Addressing the princesses' sons Princes William and Harry Bashir said he is 'deeply sorry'. He said he 'can't imagine what their family must feel each day, although I know a little of that myself having lost a brother and father prematurely.' A student who was born without two thirds of her vagina claims her ex-boyfreind betrayed her by telling her entire university halls about her condition. Annabelle Astley from Frodsham, Cheshire, was 16 when she was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome - meaning she has no uterus, only the first third of her vagina and will never have a period or be able to carry her own children. The 19-year-old had to endure an 'extremely painful' dilation treatment to stretch her vaginal canal, a process that women with the condition often must undergo to be sexually active with a man. Annabelle Astley, 19, was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome but was 'mortified' when her first boyfriend reportedly told everyone in her university halls But after the musical theatre student finally opened up to her first boyfriend and slept with him, she was 'mortified' to discover that he reportedly 'told all 350 people' in her accommodation about her MRKH. After overcoming this 'huge shock' Annabelle claims she's now 'thankful' for his betrayal because it has enabled her to speak openly about her condition and she now promotes awareness by sharing TikTok videos about it. Annabelle, who is now single again, regularly shares informative videos about MRKH with her 13,700 followers in a bid to raise awareness and has been 'overwhelmed with the positive support she's received online. Annabelle said: 'As bad as what he did is, I'm actually thankful for what he did for me. 'It's made me a million times stronger as a person to the point I can talk so openly and freely about it. 'If he hadn't had done that no one would know about it and I wouldn't have shared it on TikTok - I've already had about 15 girls with the same condition message me - it's amazing. The condition means the musical theater student has no uterus, only the first third of her vagina and will never have a period or be able to carry her own children 'Because I'd lost so much control about the situation and I wouldn't leave my room for a couple of weeks during that time I was thinking "maybe I do need to start raising awareness about it". 'I thought "you know what - it's out now, I might as well start opening up about it" and thought TikTok might be a good way to do that.' Annabelle was diagnosed in December 2017 - two years after she went to hospital with suspected appendicitis and an ultrasound revealed there may be something blocking her uterus. Despite being born without a uterus Annabelle fortunately still has her ovaries which means she could have a biological child of her own through IVF with a surrogate or a womb transplant which is an up-and-coming treatment in America. Now, the brave teen from Frodsham, Cheshire, promotes awareness about MRKH syndrome by sharing informative videos about the rare condition on TikTok Annabelle said: 'The first thing she [the doctor] said to me was "you're born without a uterus" and she went on to tell me what that actually meant, so no periods or having kids and that's when it really hit me - I think I just dropped to the floor crying. 'First I think it was utter shock and disbelief and seeing my family upset was really hard. 'Whenever I say !I don't get a period" most women say "you're so lucky" but actually anyone with MRKH would say the same thing that all we want is to experience having a period. 'I felt like because I didn't get a period that I wasn't a 'normal girl' and I didn't fit in with my friends anymore. 'Being in situations with friends when they'd all start talking about periods or having kids that's a humongous trigger for me and I do have to leave the room straight away.' Annabelle was 16-years-old when she was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome and said that when it hit her what that meant, she 'dropped to the floor crying' Annabelle said dilation involves using different sized tubes for 30 minutes every day in order to stretch the vaginal canal - a treatment that is often used to enable those with the condition to have sex. She said the length of time it must be done depends on the individual as some may do it for six months while others can be up to three years. She claims there is no other treatment available apart from counselling. The teen said she began shortly after discovering she had MRKH but decided to 'let the diagnosis sink in' first and later tried again after getting into a relationship with her ex boyfriend. Annabelle, who hopes to work in the TV and film industry, said: 'It's extremely painful because you have to force it and put a lot of pressure on it in order to stretch. 'I did it for five minutes the first few times and the longest I ever did it for was about 12 minutes. She had to endure an 'extremely painful' dilation treatment to stretch her vaginal canal, a process that women with the condition often must undergo to be sexually active with a man 'I found that then the next day I wasn't actually able to dance because I was in so much pain. 'Being sat in your bed and being forced to do it is just horrible - I tried watching TV, listening to music but I couldn't find anything that made me want to do it.' The student said she shared her condition with her first partner since being diagnosed, which was the first boy she'd actually told but claims she was distraught to discover he'd betrayed her trust when she returned to halls in February. Annabelle says everybody in her halls suddenly knew about her condition and, while her boyfriend denied telling anyone, he was the only one who knew so she knows it could have only come from him and then spread by word of mouth. Annabelle said: 'Coming back and finding out that people I didn't even know knew was really hard and I was mortified - I couldn't leave my little dorm room for two weeks as I was so upset. 'It was a huge shock especially considering I had opened up to him so much about it. The teen said that being in situations with friends when they start talking about periods or having babies is a 'humongous trigger' for her and she has to leave the room 'We were talking about being honest with each other and I said "well, there is something I do need to tell you" - it must have taken me 45 minutes to actually get it out. 'I think any girl with MRKH's biggest fear is telling their partner at the time that they have it because you're so frightened that they're just going to be like "I'm not going to be with you because of that". 'He was actually so supportive and I came back and felt a bit like a laughing joke that he'd been running the halls being like "oh yeah, she's got this and this". 'He was the first person I had slept with and I've not been with anyone since. 'I hope things will be different with my next partner - hopefully I'll have the courage to tell him.' Despite this 'completely knocking her confidence', Annabelle is passionate about raising awareness of MRKH and now regularly posts about her condition on TikTok - and her first video has racked up nearly a million views. However, despite her ex-boyfriend 'completely knocking her confidence', she is passionate about raising awareness of MRKH and has received huge amounts of support online Annabelle said: 'At first it was quite scary I remember I posted it and it was just going up and up with hundreds of views every second and I just burst into tears - I was so overwhelmed by it. 'After that I thought "wow, maybe I could actually start raising-awareness about it on TikTok" and take back control. 'Nobody has heard about it - even to the point I've had a doctor say "what do you mean you don't get a period?" and I said I have a condition called MRKH and I've literally had them say to my face "well I've never heard of that, are you sure you haven't made it up?" 'I've had some really weird comments. People have asked "what's a uterus?" I've had loads of "so are you a boy?" and "does that mean you're transgender then?" 'Hundreds of people who I don't know write the most supportive comments and so many girls with the same condition have come forward who I've made friends with - it's just amazing.' Brooke Shields says she feels 'so lucky to be alive' after an 'excruciating' injury in January that hospitalized her for weeks and left her with seven metal rods and a metal plate in her leg. The actress, 55, was on day 13 of a 14-day workout plan when she fell off a balance board and flew into the air, landing on her upper leg and hip and breaking her femur, the largest bone in the body. She went on to have multiple surgeries and even suffered a staph infection, and revealed that her kids were asking 'if I thought I was gonna die' but though she said she had not 'ever been more afraid,' she now considers the ordeal to be a blessing. 'I think it's almost been the biggest blessing to date because I realize what a fighter I am,' she said on Good Morning America today. Scroll down for video Feeling positive: Brooke Shields says she feels 'so lucky to be alive' after an 'excruciating' injury in January that hospitalized her for weeks Ouch! The actress, 55, was on day 13 of a 14-day workout plan when she fell off a balance board and flew into the air, landing on her upper leg and hip and breaking her femur 'I flew up in the air with such force, and I landed so heavy and so hard, and with such musculature and such velocity and such heights on my hip,' she said. 'And it just snapped it' 'I don't remember how I was, I just started screaming. I was just screaming, And I've never screamed like that. Not even in childbirth,' she admitted Tough: The road to recovery has been hard, but she said 'it's almost been the biggest blessing to date because I realize what a fighter I am' Brooke was close to completing a 14 Day Transformation program with her trainer, Ngo Okafor, and was feeling fit and healthy on the day of her injury. 'I was energized, I wasn't exhausted. I'd been eating even healthier, not drinking. I was in the zone,' she said. But after she finished her workout with Okafor, she went off on her own to use a balance board and let herself get distracted. 'I went on this balance board,' she recalled, 'and a young man had said, "Oh that looks really hard." And I said, "It's only really as hard as you commit to learning it or doing it." 'And I turned back and you just never take your focus off and I flew up in the air with such force, and I landed so heavy and so hard, and with such musculature and such velocity and such heights on my hip. On the top part of my femur. And it just snapped it,' she said. 'I felt how solid the impact was, I don't remember hearing anything [snap]. The only thing that I kept saying is that I can feel my toes. Because I just knew that I couldn't move, but I wanted to make sure that I wasn't paralyzed. 'And I kind of came to inches away from hitting my head on a weight bench,' she added. 'The only thing that I kept saying is that I can feel my toes. Because I just knew that I couldn't move, but I wanted to make sure that I wasn't paralyzed,' she said Healing: She also shared some of the training she is doing to build back up her strength Fitness fan: Brooke was close to completing a 14 Day Transformation program with her trainer, Ngo Okafor, and was feeling fit and healthy on the day of her injury 'I'm having to work very hard,' she said on GMA. 'I'm doing it every day. I usually take off on the weekends, but I'm also getting osteopath work and massage and infrared sauna' 'There's so many things that could've happened, I just feel so lucky. I feel so lucky to be alive.' But while she has that perspective now, at the time she was in excruciating pain. 'I don't remember how I was, I just started screaming. I was just screaming, And I've never screamed like that. Not even in childbirth,' she admitted. Brooke was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery to have two metal rods put in her hip. But the next day, she woke up in more pain, and had to go back into surgery again where doctors added five more rods and a metal plate. Her ordeal still wasn't over. Brooke soon developed an infection at the site of the IV in her arm, and was stuck in the hospital for two weeks with no visitors due to COVID-19. 'Once fear sort of crept in, that's when I started to falter,' she said. 'I don't think I've ever been more afraid because I was helpless. 'I had to stay calm for [my family], because I was never coming home. And then the one time I did come home, I got rushed back into the hospital for them to do surgery on the infection,' she continued. Worse and worse: Brooke soon developed an infection at the site of the IV in her arm, and was stuck in the hospital for two weeks with no visitors due to COVID-19 'Once fear sort of crept in, that's when I started to falter,' she said. 'I don't think I've ever been more afraid because I was helpless' 'My kids actually asked me if I thought I was gonna die,' she said. But Brooke is now on the mend, and she is working hard to heal her body. In February, she shared a video of herself walking slowly in a hospital with crutches. The next month, she shared another clip of herself walking up a small staircase with the help of her therapist with the caption: 'One step at a time... Beginning is Now!' 'I'm having to work very hard,' she said on GMA. 'I'm doing it every day. I usually take off on the weekends, but I'm also getting osteopath work and massage and infrared sauna.' She is also trying to keep a positive attitude and pass that on to her daughters, Rowan, 18, and Grier, 15. 'If I can turn it into anything positive or I can teach my girls, yeah, stuff's gonna happen in your life. And how you respond is gonna define you,' she said. 'And adversity will reveal you. It won't make you as much as it will reveal you. 'Cause you see who you are, you see what you're made up of.' She said she wants women 'to know that they deserve to feel good about themselves and be healthier and happier and bigger. Live a bigger life.' Moving forward: Brooke is now on the mend, and she is working hard to heal her body. In February, she shared a video of herself walking slowly in a hospital with crutches Up she goes: In March, she shared another clip of herself walking up a small staircase with the help of her therapist with the caption: 'One step at a time... Beginning is Now' Brooke previously told People that her accident 'felt like it was all in slow motion. And then I just started screaming. Sounds came out that I've never heard before.' When EMTs rushed to the scene, star said, her 'survival kicked in.' After the two surgeries to put rods in, the staph infection became the bigger cause for concern. 'At first they feared it might be MRSA [a type of bacteria resistant to antibiotics],' she remembered. 'Thank God it wasn't. If it had been, my doctor said it would have been a race against time. That's how you can become septic. It seemed unthinkable.' But Brooke continued to count her blessings 'I never considered myself Zen, but I realized with a certain calm that the rest is up to me now,' she said. 'I'll never forget how hard the doctors and nurses worked and hearing their stories about COVID,' she says. 'I have asthma but I kept thinking, "I feel blessed I can breathe."' Upbeat attitude: She is also trying to keep a positive attitude and pass that on to her daughters, Rowan, 18, and Grier, 15 'If I can turn it into anything positive or I can teach my girls, yeah, stuff's gonna happen in your life. And how you respond is gonna define you,' she said Active: She said she wants women 'to know that they deserve to feel good about themselves and be healthier and happier and bigger. Live a bigger life' Returning home for a second time, Brooke said she was told: 'Your road is just about to begin.' At first she thought she could power through healing, asking to do twice-a-day workouts instead of the recommended once-a-day physical therapy. It made her realize that 'for the first time in my entire life, I thought, "I can't power through this."' 'I can't even stand on my leg or go up a step. I need to relearn how to even walk. The feeling of helplessness is shocking.' But, she added, 'If anything, I'm a fighter.' As she continues to heal, Brooke is focusing on her inner strength while celebrating every small success. 'I'm the only one that's going to be able to get through this,' she says. 'My career has actually been like that as well. One door gets slammed in my face and I search for another. It's not unlike how I felt when I wrote about postpartum depression in 2005. 'This is my journey, and if it took me breaking the largest bone in my body, then recovery is something I want to share. We have to believe in ourselves and encourage one another. There's no other way to get through life, period.' Women who gave up everything to follow Mother Teresa and devote their lives to her Missionaries of Charity are now sharing shocking insights into the closed Catholic congregation in a new podcast that sees them comparing the religious group to a cult. From the 'military training' which 'breaks you down into nothing' by cutting you off from all friends and family to the daily rituals of self-flogging, wearing spiked chains which point inwards and washing yourself with nothing but a tin can full of water, ex-sisters are lifting the lid on what life was really like behind convent walls in The Turning: The Sisters Who Left. 'One doesn't always know where to draw the line between religion and cult,' says Mary Johnson, who spent 20 years in Missionaries of Charity [MC] before leaving through official channels in 1997. Mary, who has written a memoir about her experience upon which the podcast is based, claims the closed society, which contains secret ceremonies and rituals - including cutting all the hair off new recruits and burning it - carried the 'characteristics of those groups that we easily recognise as cults' in 'so many ways'. Mary Johnson spent 20 years in Missionaries of Charity [MC] before leaving through official channels in 1997 Mary, who has written a memoir about her experience upon which the podcast is based, said the closed society, which contains secret ceremonies and countless rituals, carried the 'characteristics of those groups that we easily recognise as cults' in 'so many ways' (pictured with Mother Teresa) 'But because it comes out of the Catholic Church and is so strongly identified with the Catholic Church, which on the whole is a religion and not a cult, people tend immediately to assume that "cult" doesn't apply here,' she told the New York Times. All MCs take strict vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor. Friendships with each other were forbidden, according to Mary, as were luxuries such as taking a shower. Sisters were even forbidden from receiving phone calls from family members except in an emergency and only allowed to visit home once every 10 years. 'I think Mother Teresa took everything to its most radical conclusion,' Mary says in the podcast. 'All the contact with my family had been cut off. Oh, I used to get homesick a lot.' Mary - who grew up in Michigan and Texas, the oldest of seven children in a Catholic family - explains how she signed up in summer of 1977 aged 19 after reading about Mother Teresa in Time magazine. Sisters were even forbidden from receiving phone calls from family members except in an emergency and only allowed to visit home once every 10 years Mary told how Mother Teresa was 'very concerned about maintaining the vow of chastity' to the point of paranoia, and ' passed that on to everybody else' She joined America's main MC house in New York's The Bronx as an aspirant and worked her way up to becoming a postulant, then a novice - at which point she took a new name, Sister Donata - and eventually became an Assistant Superior. Mother Teresa: The life of Sainted nun who performed 'miracles' to cure the sick Mother Teresa was born to ethnic Albanian parents on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, now the capital of Macedonia, and named Gonxha Agnes Bojaxhiu. Deeply religious, she became a nun at the age of 16, joining the Loreto abbey in Ireland. Two years later she was given the name Sister Teresa. In early 1929 she moved to Calcutta, now known as Kolkata, where she became a teacher and, 15 years on, headmistress at a convent school. In 1946 she received 'a call within a call' to found the Missionaries of Charity, officially established as a religious congregation in 1950. Nuns of the order began calling her Mother Teresa. The Indian government granted her citizenship in 1951. The following year Mother Teresa opened her first home for the dying, and in 1957 her first mobile leprosy clinic. She worked for three decades in India before leaving for the first time in 1960, going to the United States to address the National Council of Catholic Women. In 1965, Pope Paul VI granted the Decree of Praise to Mother Teresa's religious order, bringing it directly under Vatican jurisdiction. That same year the first Missionaries of Charity house outside India was founded, in Venezuela. Others later opened in Italy, Tanzania, Australia and the United States. In 1979 Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work for the world's destitute. 'I am unworthy,' she said. Despite declining health, including arthritis, failing eyesight and heart problems, she continued to work. Pope John Paul granted her request to open a shelter for vagrants inside the walls of the Vatican. In 1988 she opened her first communities in the former Soviet Union. In March 1997 Sister Nirmala, a former Hindu who converted to Roman Catholicism, succeeded Mother Teresa as leader of the Missionaries of Charity. On September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa died of a heart attack at her order's headquarters in Kolkata. An array of world dignitaries attended her funeral. In October Archbishop Henry D'Souza successfully petitioned the Vatican to waive the usual delay of five years after death before initiating the beatification process. In late 2002, the Vatican ruled that an Indian woman's stomach tumour had been miraculously cured after prayers to Mother Teresa. Pope John Paul wanted to declare her a saint immediately, bypassing the beatification process, but was dissuaded by cardinals. In December 2015, Pope Francis opened the way for her canonisation by approving a decree recognising a second miracle attributed to her intercession with God - the healing of a Brazilian who recovered from a severe brain infection in 2008. Advertisement Mary tells how Mother Teresa, who died in 1997 aged 87 and was known in her lifetime as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, was 'very concerned about maintaining the vow of chastity' to the point of paranoia, and 'passed that on to everybody else' - which resulted in a ban on touching each other, and limited physical contact with the people they cared for. 'She would say, "Sometimes of course its necessary; you have to touch the babies, you have to feed the babies. But as soon as that baby is fed, you put that baby down",' Mary recalls. 'You could not have a friend. This was very specifically prohibited. They called it "particular friendship". If somebody saw you getting kind of closer to one sister than to another, you would be called out on it.' The rules of the vows were so strict that even showering was seen as an unnecessary luxury. Mary says she learned this early on, when she took a quick cold shower - ensuring not to break poverty by turning on the hot one. Little did she know she was expected to wash by pouring water over herself with a tin can. She was caught by a sister who 'got very upset': 'She ended up calling me all sorts of names, that I was vain and lazy and immodest, and I could not figure this out. What on earth had I done that was wrong? The water coming from the shower head was cold water. I hadn't broken poverty by turning on the hot one. I hadnt taken very long; I was really pretty quick about it. I couldn't understand.' When she became a novice, Mary reveals how Mother Teresa, who was made a saint in 2016, led a ritual which saw all of her hair cut off to the point where it was practically shaved, then thrown in a fire as the sisters sang a chant. Mother Teresa explained to her that cutting their hair was a sign of a sacred commitment to God. 'I remember one... had tears in her eyes as her hair was falling, and others were just kind of sitting there with their eyes shut as tight as they could. That was kind of... kind of frightening to see it all happen all at once like that. It became very real,' Mary recalls. Afterwards she explains how she noticed a 'horrible acrid, awful, awful smell' emanating from the room where the novices' hair had been cut. 'I saw there our novice mistress was tossing our ponytails into that fire. Just tossing our hair into the fire,' she says. Another ritual Mary spoke of was that of 'the discipline' - a sheath of knotted cords the nuns were expected to beat themselves with every evening as a form of penance. 'This was a daily practice every day except Sunday. Or big feasts days,' she explains. 'It started off with very few strokes. If I remember right, it was about 15. Eventually when I became a finally professed sister, it would be 50 strokes... every night. 'Certainly beating yourself every day is a reminder that you're a sinner, taking away any sort of pride. You are someone who needs to beat yourself. 'I think that in some circumstances also, there could be a kind of a sadomasochistic, erotic-pleasure thing going on. 'I think a lot of things do get twisted or can potentially get twisted around when all the... all sexual energy, desire has to be repressed or sublimated. Um. And I... I wouldn't be surprised if if that element was there, in some way or another.' Mary did consider leaving earlier than she did, but it was difficult to 'escape'. Nuns always went out 'two by two' and were never allowed to just to walk out. When she became a novice, Mary told how Mother Teresa led a ritual which saw all of her hair cut off to the point where it was practically shaved, then thrown in a fire as the sisters sang a chant 'I wouldn't have been able to go, you know, more than five or six paces before somebody ran up to me and said, "Where are you going?",' she says. Ex-nun Colette Livermore, who started with the MCs in Australia in 1973 and has also written a memoir about her experience, said it was 'very hard' on her family, to the point where it was 'like she was dead'. 'You're isolated from everyone else. That's what I mean by brainwashing,' she says. She recalls an incident in the podcast where her superior had held back letters 'as a sacrifice' which meant she missed one from her mother telling her one of her brothers was in hospital and it was touch and go whether he'd pull through. When her mother called the convent in tears, Colette was allowed to take the call, but her request to go home and visit was denied. Colette Livermore, who started with the MCs in Australia in 1973 and has also written a memoir about her experience, said it was 'very hard' on her family, to the point where it was 'like she was dead' Colette (pictured as a nun) recalled an incident where her superior had held back letters 'as a sacrifice' which meant she missed one from her mother telling her one of her brothers was in hospital and it was touch and go whether he'd pull through 'I wanted to go home, but you see, I had no money and my hair was completely shaved, not that that would have stopped me, but I didnt have any regular clothes, I had just a sari and everything,' she recalls. 'It's just strange how completely cut off you are from your family and your usual way of life. I just needed to have a bit more of a spine, I think, and say, "Well, I'm going," but for some reason I didn't, and I I regret that now. I I can't understand why I didn't, you know. Can't understand myself. But I must have been controlled from the inside a bit.' The Turning: The Sisters Who Left is available to listen to now 'The idea behind the Missionary of Charity training is just like military training to break you down into nothing,' says Kelli Dunham, who joined the MC and began her training in the same convent as Mary in 1994. 'In those first months, it seemed like the whole idea was to make you feel as alone as possible, with the idea that you would depend only on God.' Kelli likens the training to a 'boot camp' where you did what you were told, regardless of whether it made sense to you. While she enjoyed being part of the 'cause', she struggled with the extreme 'life of poverty' they were expected to lead. It was born out of Mother Teresa's mantra that, 'if you would really want to know the poor, we must know what is poverty, and that's why in our society, poverty is our freedom and our strength'. Kelli tells how they weren't even allowed to open the windows at night despite the sweltering conditions in summertime, and they didn't wear deodorant under their three or four layers of clothing. 'I remember saying to the sisters, like, "We don't smell very good." And she's like, "Oh, such a blessing to help with chastity, no?",' Kelli recalls. Mary did consider leaving earlier than she did, but it was difficult to 'escape'. Nuns always went out 'two by two' and were never allowed to just to walk out. After leaving the MC, much to Mother Teresa's 'disbelief', Mary admits she found herself questioning previous assumptions, including her beliefs about God Mary, now a humanist celebrant, speaker and established writer, says she still has a great deal of affection for the women who are within MC, and those who have left, but it makes her 'really sad' to see how fair they've strayed from Mother Teresa's initial impulse and how 'twisted' it's become over the years. After leaving the MC, much to Mother Teresa's 'disbelief', Mary admits she found herself questioning previous assumptions, including her beliefs about God. She writes on her website: 'I fell in love. I fell apart. Between panic attacks and bouts of depression, I published my work in periodicals and on National Public Radio. Finally, after a long spiritual struggle, I found I had outgrown my religious faith. I let go.' The Turning: The Sisters Who Left is available to listen to now A student at one of London's most expensive private universities roughs it up with a skint family-of-four and their pet pig in tonight's Rich Kids Go Skint. James Mooney, 19, originally from Ohio, reveals his great-great grandfather, who shared the same name, was one of the wealthiest man in Cincinnati in the 1900s. Now, his businessman father and psychotherapist mother fund his lavish lifestyle in London, covering his 14,000-a-year living expenses. On the 5Star show airing tonight at 9pm, James, who can spend up to 200 on food for himself a week, goes to stay with community nurse Sherry Whibley, her husband Stuart and their two daughters, Sharlie, 19 and Skye, nine, in Gillingham, Kent. Sherry, who wearns 2,000 a month, is the sole breadwinner after Stuart was left unable to work after a work accident four years ago, forcing them to sell the family home and move to rented accomodation. The Whibleys, who admit people think they are 'bonkers,' have a pet pig named Sam, who sleeps in the living room with James during his stay - a far cry from his 1,900-a-month central London flat. James Mooney, 19, originally from Ohio, whose wealthy parents fund his lifestyle in London, moves in community nurse Sherry Whibley and her family in Gillingham for this week's Rich Kids Go Skint James goes to stay with the Whibleys, a family-of-four living Gillingham, Kent, who own a pet pig named Sam. The family pet was supposed to be a micro pig, but grew much bigger than expected But while staying with the Whibleys, he has to make due with sleeping in the living room and sharing the space with the family's two pugs and their pig, Sam. Sherry sheepishly explains on the show that Sam was meant to be a teacup pig, but turned out to be anything but. The family have a 'beware of the pig' sign on their front door, which James dismisses as a joke, until he comes face to face with Sam. One of James' first tasks is to clean the pen at the back of the house, and does get his 160 trainers dirty. But James completes the challenges, and Sherry is left impressed, saying she was 'fully expecting him to heave or swear.' Pictured from left to right: Sherry, Charlie, Stuart and Skye Whibley bidding a fond farewell to James after his stay Meanwhile, James says that the pig is 'awesome', but 'living with it and cleaning up with it is definitely a hassle.' James, who lives alone in his flat, is also not sure about the implications of sleeping in the same room as a pig who sleeps inside at night. Before bedding down for the night, James calls his older sister Audrey and tells her he'll be sleeping with the pig. Sherry, who earns 12.73 an hour as a community nurse, takes James to the local charity shop to show him what she can afford on a budget James, pictured, helps Sherry clean the courtyard where Sam the pig and the family's two dogs go to the toilet James lives in a 1,900-a-month accommodation in central London and studies in one of the city's most expensive private universities 'Being with the pig is not hygienic but it makes me realise how much more spacious my living room is right now,' he tells her. The next day, James admits he's had trouble sleeping because Sam 'grunted and snored.' 'I don't know what the hygienic problems of breathing the same air all the time is, but I would think its not good for you,' the heir says. But father-of-two Stuart jokes that pig dung can be turned into coal, and that he's made toast by setting it on fire, while a skeptical James nods politely. James grew up on his family's multi-million dollars estate in Ohio, and by the end of high school, he was driving his own Mustang, costing 30,000. 'Nobody would tell me theyre jealous to my face but I could tell they were,' he says. Revealing he comes from 'old money' one of his family heirlooms is an American flag dating back to the American Revolution, which had been passed down from generation to generation and is estimated to be worth $5 million (3.5m). The Whibleys take James to attend Skye's Kung Fu class. Sherry makes sure she has enough to pay the 37 monthly fee so that her youngest daughter can learn to defend herself In London, James studies at Regent's University, and admits he is surrounded by people who enjoy the same luxury lifestyle he does. 'I've met a lot of posh kids, thats just how it is at the most expensive school in England,' he says. The heir admits he has second thoughts about using his parents' money. 'I feel bad about that sometimes, but yeah, its not my money,' he says. 'Most of the time my idea of fun is just working out or hanging out with friends,' he says. Pictured: The Whibleys' finances breakdown. Sherry says she spends 800 a month on rent alone, which is almost half her earnings James, who says he feels like 'an alien' in the UK, admits he lives a cushy life, and doesn't know 'what to expect' from living with a family on the breadline. 'I havent experienced much poverty first hand, its going to be a real experience for me,' he says at the start of the episode. They live in a rented two-bedroom house, and James, who grew up in a mansion and currently lives in near Regent's Park, is struck by how small it is. 'The joint together houses, its just more compact and inner city,' he says, adding: 'The square footage in one of these homes would be about the inside of a barn in my part of the US.' Over dinner, James tells The Whibleys his family owns a Revolutionary flag that's estimated at $5m (3.5m) Sherry earns 12.73 an hour as a community nurse, a job that she loves, and the Whibleys don't receive housing benefits. 'We don't claim housing benefits or council tax so there have been times when Ive been thinking "I don't know where Im going to find the money for the rent",' Sherry says, Eldest daughter Sharlie also works as a nurse, on a zero hours contract, while she studies to become a paramedic, and is saving up to move out. 'I just kept getting more respect for her because I can see theyre a hard-working family,' James says to the camera. In spite of their financial struggle, the family still spend 37 a month to get Skye Kung Fu lessons. Stuart says he believes it's important Skye learns to defend herself, due to the rising knife crime hitting Gillingham. Sharlie reveals on the show that one of her friends was killed in a knife attack. Staying with the family, James learns more about how the Whibleys make a penny last while going thrift shopping with Sherry. However, he's properly put to the test when the couple challenge him to buy enough food for a dinner for five, using only 5. After deciding to cook burgers - and to skip the meal so he can afford four portions - the rich kids flounders, buying only meat and buns with no veggies. The Whibleys always make sure to eat healthily on their small budget, and mother-of-two Sherry explains to the heir that he could have bought a 'massive' bolognese for everyone if he had used his money more wisely. 'Do you see how hard it is to make 5 go a long way for a family,' she ask him as he cooks. During James stay, Sherry says she feels the heir is not opening up fully, and she wants to encourage him to share more. The heir is put to the test and has to buy a dinner for five on a 5 budget, pictured, But he decides to skip the meal himself so he only has to buy four portions But James admits to the camera he feels like giving more detail about his luxury lifestyle would 'boasting,' and he says he doesn't want to be like that. But as he cooks the dinner, Sherry and him have a heart-to-heart about their childhoods. 'My childhoods been all over the place, it's part of the reason I don't let money define me. Money doesnt get you out of everything so you gotta be your own person,' James tells Sherry. 'My childhood was not a happy one and what you just said, I identify with that,' the mother-of-two replies. She goes on to explain that her mother was 'mentally ill' and would use money to show her children she liked them. Sherry says the years of abuse she suffered during her childhood made her 'withdraw.' 'A lot of this has been about the difference in wealth and lifestyle, but to me it was way more than that,' James tells her. 'Not only just how you live but your personalities. What you've been through and no matter how hard it is, you still open up, which I really respect,' he adds. The two share a big hug after opening up, with a teary Sherry saying: 'If Id had a son, I would have liked to have one like you.' Later on, James admits: 'It made me think of my own mum and what she thinks of me, and I think she'd be proud of me.' At the end of his stay, James asks the couple about their 'endgame.' Sherry reveals she can't work full time due to a car accident when she was six that left her with epilepsy. She says she hopes to get her epilepsy under control in order to be able to work more. Meanwhile, Stuart says he hopes to get back on the property ladder. As a thank you for the family's welcome, James buys them mugs, a bottle of Champagne, and a University of Cincinnati jersey for Skye. His conversation with Sherry has left a deep impact on him as well. 'When Sherry told me that she got the vibe from me that I couldnt open up easily, that was something I didnt even really see about myself,' he says. 'My mum is a therapist so I spent my whole life being anaylsed with everything I do, so thats where it stems from,' he adds. Saying goodbye to James leaves Sherry feeling teary. 'Were all the same, it's just different circumstances,' she says. 'Ive never had a son and that used to upset me and now I kinda feel like I got that, I know that feeling,' she says. 'He doesn't have his family in England, so hes always welcome,' she adds. Meanwhile, James has reduced his spending since filming the show, and he's been keeping regular contact with the Whibleys. Rich Kids Go Skint airs tonight at 9pm on 5Star The Duke of Cambridge enjoyed a flirty exchange with 96-year-old great-grandmother over ice-cream in Scotland on Sunday. Prince William, 38, politely fended off the advances of Betty Magee during a visit to the Queen's Bay Lodge care home in Edinburgh where the flirtatious resident asked him for a kiss on the cheek. He promised to return after the pandemic to give his elderly admirer a kiss and joked that she was making him 'blush'. The exchange, which was shared to Cambridges' Instagram account, took place during a stop on the Prince's trip to Scotland as residents of the care home snacked on ice cream and sipped tea in a marquee during the royal visit. Prince William, 38, politely fended off the advances of 96-year-old great-grandmother Betty Magee during a visit to the Queen's Bay Lodge care home in Edinburgh on Friday As the duke took a seat at her table in a marquee in the grounds of the care home, Betty said: 'It's customary in these parts to give a lady a kiss on the cheek.' William replied: 'Oh you are sweet. You'll make me blush.' Betty persisted, asking him to give her a peck as William laughed and covered his face in mock embarrassment. He added: 'When the rules relax more I will come back and give you a kiss on the cheek, Betty.' The flirtatious resident (pictured, right) asked him for a kiss on the cheek and he promised to return after the pandemic to give her a kiss The Duke of Cambridge covered his face in mock embarrassment during the flirty exchange and said that she was making him 'blush' William was then jokingly told by a care home staff member: 'Could you stop flirting with my residents?' To which William replied: 'Sorry, I'm trying not to I'm not sure who's flirting more.' After speaking to other OAPs and their families he later returned to her table as his oldest admirer tried her luck again. William said: 'Betty, I don't know who is flirting more, me or you. Talking to you makes me blush. Is there whisky in your tea Betty? Betty then reached out and stroked his cheek after whick William was jokingly told by a care home staff member: 'Could you stop flirting with my residents?' Afterwards Betty, who was siting with her granddaughter Kimberly Anderson, 38, said: 'I wanted a kiss from a prince. 'He asked how old I was and I told him I had just had my 96th birthday and I just asked him for a kiss. He said he couldn't and then I reached out and stroked his cheek. 'I could go for him in a good way. He is a bit of all right.' Betty, who has a great-grandchild and three grandchildren, moved into the care home last September. She is an ex-servicewoman having served in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Betty is an ex-servicewoman having served in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War (pictured, left, with her granddaughter Kimberly Anderson, 38) The exchange took place during William's week-long trip to Scotland as residents of the care home snacked on ice cream and sipped tea in a marquee during the royal visit William began a week-long visit to Scotland on Friday and was joined by the Duchess of Cambridge on Monday for the rest of the tour. Kate, 39, sported a 59.99 Zara blazer and pleated midi skirt by Hope Fashion in the colour of the Scottish flag for a visit to Turning Point Scotland, a social care charity in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire. The couple learned about the support the organisation provides to those facing homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse. The visit is part of a royal charm offensive to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence. Royals on tour! The Duchess of Cambridge has joined William in Scotland. Kate sported a 59.99 Zara blazer and pleated midi skirt in the colour of the Scottish flag for a visit to Turning Point Scotland, a social care charity in Coatbridge True blue! The Duchess of Cambridge wore a skirt and jacket in the blue of the Scottish flag for the visit today Royal charm offensive: The visit is part of a royal strategy to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Turning Point Scotland today It received its effective launch over the weekend when William gave a deeply personal speech in which he described the 'special place' that Scotland had in his heart, a country which he said held both some of his 'happiest memories' and his 'saddest'. It was at Balmoral where he learned of the death of his mother Diana, in 1997. And it was at St Andrews where he met and fell in love with Kate Middleton. Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke with individuals supported by Turning Point Scotland's (TPS) Turnaround service. Turnaround delivers targeted programmes to address the complex and interrelated issues of offending behaviours and problematic use of alcohol and other drugs, which often result in patterns of re-offending. During their visit, The Duke and Duchess joined a video call with staff and service users from TPS' Glasgow Overdose Response Team (GORT), to hear how the service works to reduce drug related deaths by providing real-time crisis support for people who have experienced a near fatal overdose. Josh Duggar's pregnant wife Anna is reportedly sticking by him as he faces charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material and is convinced that he is innocent. Josh, 33, was arrested last month for allegedly downloading images and video depicting children being sexually abused, but a source tells People that Anna, 32, doesn't believe the charges against him and has no intention of ending the marriage or walking away with their six children and seventh unborn baby. 'She's standing by him,' the source said. 'She thinks Josh is innocent.' Standing by her man: Josh Duggar's pregnant wife Anna is reportedly sticking by him as he faces charges of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material Her own reality: Anna, 32, doesn't believe the charges against him and has no intention of ending the marriage or walking away with their six children and seventh unborn baby Criminal activity: Father-of-six Josh, 33, was arrested last month for allegedly downloading images and video depicting children being sexually abused On April 29, Josh was arrested on federal charges following a 2019 Homeland Security raid on his property. The next day, he pleaded 'not guilty' to child porn charges, including some that Homeland Security special agent Gerald Faulkner described as 'in the top five of the worst of the worst that I've ever had to examine'. But on May 8, he was released on bail, with the condition that he stay with a third party, family friends LaCount and Maria Reber. Despite the seriousness of his charges, Josh is allowed to see his own six children Mackynzie Renee, 11, Michael James, nine, Marcus Anthony, seven, Meredith Grace, five, Mason Garrett, three, and Maryella Hope, 17 months with supervision. And, according to People's source, he already has. '[Josh] has seen [his] children with Anna there. She has to be there,' the insider claimed. The Sun had previously reported on the visit, quoting the Rebers' neighbor, Jason Gemeiner, who said that he had seen visitors arriving at the property, and believed them to be Josh's wife and children. Innocents: Josh can see his kids Mackynzie Renee, 11, Michael James, 9, Marcus Anthony, 7, Meredith Grace, 5, Mason Garrett, 3, and Maryella Hope, 17 months with supervision Watch out! Anna and the kids have reportedly already visited Josh at the home of the family friend where he staying on house arrest 'I believe I saw family visit, yes. I believe his wife and kids visited. I assume thats who they were. There were also other people,' he said. Gemeiner said he was 'concerned' about Josh living next door 'but there is not much I can do about it. ' 'I have a teen daughter so thats my concern, but she's a strong girl! Were spread apart. There is a horse pasture in between us. Its not like we interact. Everyone keeps to themselves,' he said. The Sun also reported on Anna's intention to stand by Josh, with a source telling the outlet that the soon-to-be-mother-of-seven is in 'denial' and blames Josh's parents, Jim Bob and Michelle. 'Jim Bob is telling people she is defending Josh and no longer speaking to most of the family,' the source said. 'Jim Bob said she blames him and wife Michelle for Josh's arrest. Anna feels it all stems from how they dealt with his previous molestation scandal after he assaulted his sisters.' She is also pointing a finger at the President. Some instincts are correct! Anna is reportedly in 'denial' and blames Jim Bob and Michelle for the arrest Behind bars: If convicted of the two counts against him, he could be sentenced to up 40 years in prison 'She also thinks that this case is a conspiracy theory against her husband set up by the Biden administration,' the source said. 'She believes that if Donald Trump was still in power this would not be happening, and refuses to believe he's done anything wrong.' Anna has stuck by Josh through sexually deviant behavior in the past. In 2015, an unearthed police report revealed that Josh had sexually abused four of younger siblings, as well as a fifth minor, when he was a teenager. Josh had gone to a faith-based rehab facility in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2003 after his parents learned of the molestation, and spent three months in the facility, which was owned by the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), a Christian ministry and training program founded by Bill Gothard. While little has been revealed about the program, people associated with IBLP have claimed that Josh was required to do manual labor and was not allowed to speak during that time. He was also allegedly required to shave his head, the results of which can be seen in the Duggars' first TV special on Discovery Health, 14 Children and Pregnant Again. The abuse was kept a secret until 2015 and just months after it came to light, Josh was discovered to be using the adultery website Ashley Madison. Can do no wrong in her eyes! Anna, who married Josh in 2008, has stuck by him through sexually deviant behavior in the past All's forgiven! Josh famously admitted to molesting four of his younger sisters and a fifth child when he was a teenager and has continued to be allowed around kids In 2015, Josh confessed to being unfaithful and having an 'addiction' to pornography, and went away for several months to a $7,500-per-month Christian treatment center for addiction Josh confessed to being unfaithful and having an 'addiction' to pornography, and went away for several months to a $7,500-per-month Christian treatment center for addiction. During that time, Anna stuck by him, too, even flying up to the Christian treatment center for visits. In 2015, she called the ordeal 'heartbreaking' in an episode of Counting On. 'It was definitely hard, and I think it is such a betrayal for a spouse to go through what were walking through' she said. 'It was hard to realize that it was such a public [ordeal].' 'Here we were as a Christian couple, everyone was able to see us get married and vow before God to be loyal to each other, and that loyalty was broken. 'For my heart it was just like, "How could this happen in our marriage? Josh is my first love, my one and only." In 2016, she wrote about moving forward in a blog post, saying: '2015 was the most difficult year of my life. Yet, amazingly Ive found that in my own life crisis God has drawn near to me ("Hes near to the brokenhearted Psalms 34:18) and my faith has been more precious to me than ever before.' Josh has not only been allowed around his own children, but he has frequently spent time in his parents' house, where he is around more minors including his siblings and his nieces Defiant: Anna has seemingly never wavered in her commitment and has proudly posted pictures of Josh on social media Like it never happened! Anna shared effusive praise for her husband on his 31st birthday and mentioned his 'redemption' less than four years after he admitted he was unfaithful For some time after, Anna refrained from posting pictures of Josh on Instagram, but with time, she was back to including him on social media. 'Redemption is a beautiful thing!' she told a fan who commented on Josh's presence in Instagram photos. On his birthday one year, Anna also wrote an effusive Instagram post singing his praises, saying: 'Your gratitude for redemption through JESUS and striving to please HIM above all!' She continued: 'Joshua, YOU are a TREASURE and I look forward to growing old TOGETHER.' She also clearly forgave him privately. In 2017, they welcomed a son named Mason, followed by a daughter named Maryella in 2019. They are now expecting their seventh. As recently as a week before his arrest, Anna was even taking to Instagram to defend her husband against critics. When an Instagram commenter asked, 'How do you afford all those kids? Does Josh even work?' Anna shot back: ;Yes, my husband is a diligent worker and provides well for our family.' But Josh whose trial is scheduled to start in July may now be facing actual legal repercussions for his behavior. If convicted of the two counts against him, he could be sentenced to up 40 years in prison. In a battered old tweed coat and cap, knees covered in mud, this is Prince Charles at his most content. He is pictured laying hedges at the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which three years ago he began converting to a fully organic operation. Charles, who says a more holistic approach to farming would bring ecological and commercial benefits, shows off his handiwork in the latest edition of Country Life. Prince Charles is pictured laying hedges at the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which three years ago he began converting to a fully organic operation. Prince Charles is pictured in conversation with Emily Swan of Natural England as they examine the host of species that earned Sandringham its designation as as a site of importance Charles, who says a more holistic approach to farming would bring ecological and commercial benefits, shows off his handiwork in the latest edition of Country Life 'It has always seemed to be somewhat logical to embrace a farming system that works with nature and not against her,' he tells the magazine. 'At a global scale, it is becoming ever clearer to me that the very future of humanity may depend to a large extent on a mainstream transition to more sustainable farming practices.' The prince warns that, much like the overuse of antibiotics has in humans, artificial fossil fuel-derived fertilisers and chemical pesticides are having a catastrophic effect on the soil. For 24 years, some ten per cent of Sandringham has been run organically but now he is working towards converting the rest of the land, as well as inspiring some tenant farmers to follow suit. Picture Beekeeper Leigh Goodsell tending his bees, which have browsed the estate since the organic conversion began three years ago. The chemical-free Sandringham fields, many of which are full of clover and phacella, offer a feast for the bees The prince warns that, much like the overuse of antibiotics has in humans, artificial fossil fuel-derived fertilisers and chemical pesticides are having a catastrophic effect on the soil. Pictured: Harvesting at Sandringham Charles has taken great delight seeing insects thrive as a result of the removal of pesticides and inorganic sprays, and has been hands-on in helping to recreate hedgerows, wildlife corridors, bird boxes, beetle banks and field margins. 'As patron of the Hedgelaying Society and a practising hedgelayer, I am always proud of maintaining a traditional skill that is of timeless importance,' he says. He has brought in rare breeds, including hardy Aberfield sheep, which are an important part of the ecosystem, eating weeds and fertilising the soil with their dung. Charles has taken great delight seeing insects thrive as a result of the removal of pesticides and inorganic sprays, and has been hands-on in helping to recreate hedgerows, wildlife corridors, bird boxes, beetle banks and field margins For 24 years, some ten per cent of Sandringham has been run organically but now he is working towards converting the rest of the land, as well as inspiring some tenant farmers to follow suit 'It's a delight to see British native breeds grazing on the land once again,' he says. 'Sandringham is no different to all British farming operations which, in recognising that sustainable business and profitable business are one and the same, are going to have to be increasingly adaptable if they are going to find a way to thrive in the changing climate.' Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited an anti-violence project near Edinburgh on their Scotland tour yesterday. Kate tried her hand at being a music producer in the centre's studio, only for William to joke: 'What's that? It sounded like a cat!' The full article about Charles is in the latest issue of Country Life magazine, on sale now Advertisement Nine U.S. states have administered at least one coronavirus vaccine dose to 70 percent of their adult populations as officials attempt to ramp up the pace of shots. Seven of the states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont - are in the Northeast with just two states, Hawaii and New Mexico, in the west. Additionally, twenty five states and Washington, DC, have fully vaccinated at least half of residents above age 18, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show. This will help meet President Joe Biden's goal of 70 percent of Americans receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose to 70 percent of U.S. adults by July 4. State leaders have noticed that incentive programs appear to be encouraging more people to get immunized, including removing coronavirus restrictions for vaccinated individuals, such as mask-wearing, and the chance to win huge prizes of money in lotteries. It comes as the U.S. recorded 190 new coronavirus-related deaths over the weekend, which is the lowest single-day total in more than a year, a DailyMail.com analysis of Johns Hopkins University data show. New coronavirus cases in America also continue to fall, dropping to their lowest levels since March, making officials optimistic that vaccination campaigns are stemming both severe COVID-19 cases and the spread of the virus. Nine U.S. states have administered at least one coronavirus vaccine dose to 70% of their adult population as of Monday Seven of the states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont - are in the Northeast and two states, Hawaii and New Mexico, are in the West Despite average vaccination rates falling, it is expected that President Joe Biden will meet his goal of vaccinating at least 70% of all American adults by July 4 According to CDC data, 61.3 percent of all American adults have received at least an initial dose of the inoculation and 49.6 percent are fully vaccinated. What's more, 49.2 percent of the U.S. population, which includes children aged 12 and older, have been given at least one dose and 39.2 percent have completed their vaccine series. To incentivize more residents to get vaccinated, some governors have announced lotteries with large cash prizes. New York Gov Andrew Cuomo announced the program Vax & Scratch, in which residents who get vaccinated at certain locations across the state between May 24 and May 28 will be given a free state lottery ticket to win up to $5 million. In Maryland, Gov Larry Hogan said that, beginning Tuesday, a vaccinated resident will be randomly selected to win a $40,000 prize every day until July 4, on which a final drawing will award a vaccinated person a grand prize of $400,000. These programs appear to be working. In Ohio, where the governor recently announced a drawing every week for five weeks for vaccinated residents, during which one winner will receive a $1 million prize if they are an adult or a full-ride scholarship to any of Ohio's state colleges and universities if they are a teen. 'I think the reason they work is because the vast number of people who are not yet vaccinated are actually not opposed to getting vaccinated, they're just not prioritizing it very high,' White House senior Covid-19 adviser Andy Slavitt said during a press briefing on Friday. 'So things that draw attention to it, like the lotteries...are - not surprisingly - very effective.' On Sunday, the U.S. recorded 19,778 new coronavirus cases with a rolling average of 26,363, which are figures not seen since mid-June A total of 190 coronavirus deaths were reported on Sunday, marking the 22nd day in a row that fatalities have been below 1,000 It comes as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to plummet across the United States to levels not seen in nearly a year. On Sunday, the U.S. recorded 12,853 new infections, which are figures not seen March 24, in more than a year. Additionally, the seven-day rolling average sits at 25,374, which is the lowest number seen since June 20, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. The rate of new infections is currently 7.9 cases per 100,000, markedly lower from one month ago when cases averaged about 18 per 100,000 on April 23. 'I think by June, we're probably going to be at one infection per a hundred thousand people per day, which is a very low level,' Dr Scott Gottlieb, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, told CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday. A total of 190 coronavirus deaths were also reported on Sunday, which is also the lowest single-day total recorded since March 24, more than one year. It also marks the 22nd day in a row that fatalities have been below 1,000. The seven-day rolling average currently sits at about 606 deaths per day, which makes it almost two months since the average has been a four-digit figure. A majority of Americans believe governments should be allowed to impose mandates for COVID-19 shots but that businesses shouldn't require vaccine passports, two new surveys finds. Both conducted by the COVID States Project - run by Northeastern University, Harvard University, Rutgers University, and Northwestern University - researchers asked various questions about vaccine requirements. Results from the first poll showed that two-thirds of residents 'somewhat' or 'strongly' approve of leaders at the local, state and federal level requiring residents to get the immunization. However, the second poll found that about 50 percent of people said establishments including restaurants, stadiums and stores should not use vaccine passports to allow admission. A new poll found that 62% of respondents 'somewhat' or 'strongly' approve of leaders at local, state and federal level requiring residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine Another poll from the same researchers showed 50% don't think businesses should require vaccine passports for admission to their premises 'It seems like the public is more comfortable with mandates when they're characterized as coming from the government,' co-author Dr Matthew Baum, a professor of global communications and public policy at Harvard University's John F Kennedy School of Government, told Axios. 'When you put businesses into the question as the responsible party...support is just a lot lower.' More than 49 percent of Americans have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 39 percent have been fully vaccinated. But nearly 20 percent of the population are vaccine hesitant - with the highest rates among Republicans - and notions of mandates for vaccination have become politically divisive. Some liberal states, including New York, are using vaccine passports at some events. Meanwhile, conservative states such as Texas and Florida have passed executive orders prohibiting vaccine passports and/or requirements. While public health officials are desperately trying to convince Americans to get vaccinated, they worry that mandates would backfire and only make more people hesitant to get the shots. For the first survey, pollsters distributed questionnaires online to more than 21,700 adults between April 1 and May 3. In the first survey, looking at mandatory vaccinations for Americans, they found that a majority, 62 percent, supported the idea of federal, state, and local governments requiring that 'everyone get a vaccine.' A plurality, 38 percent, 'strongly' approved while another 24 percent said they 'somewhat' approved. Men were more likely to say they 'somewhat' or 'strongly' agreed with government mandates than women at 65 percent compared to 58 percent. Additionally, Democrats were more likely to support the idea with 81 percent in favor in comparison with 44 percent of Republicans. For the second survey, 12,900 respondents received questions about vaccine during the April 2021 survey wave. The question about whether or not they supported businesses should require or allowed to require proof of vaccination for admission to their premises was asked four different ways. An average of the four wordings showed that a little more than 50 percent believed that companies should not use vaccine passports. Only 27.5 percent said yes and 22.5 percent said they didn't know. Once more, men were likely to support vaccine passports than women and Democrats were much more likely to be in favor of vaccine passports with between 43 and 50 percent said 'yes' but only 12 to 17 percent of Republicans agreed. Pfizer Inc said on Monday it has begun testing adults fully vaccinated against coronavirus with two new vaccines. Participants will be given the company's 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (20vPnC) candidate - which helps fight illness caused by pneumococcal bacteria -along with a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 shot. The aim of the study is to understand if the combination of the vaccines is safe, and the immune response after adding the pneumonia vaccine to the existing COVID-19 vaccine, the company said. Some experts also believe a pneumococcal vaccine can help combat COVID-19. The study will include 600 adults over 65 years old who will be recruited from the late-stage study of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, and will have received their second dose of the vaccine at least six months prior to entering the co-administration study. Pfizer is running tests of their vaccine booster shot combined with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. A booster shot of their vaccine will likely be needed in the coming months by early recipients Pfizer CEO Albert Borula said last week that his company is running trials on a booster shot for the vaccine COVID-19 vaccines were previously recommended to be administered alone by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, based on experience with non-COVID vaccines, officials now believe COVID-19 shots and other vaccines can be given simultaneously or on the same day. The announcement comes as discussion around a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine begins across the country. Boosters are needed as scientists are currently unsure as to how long immunity from the initial two doses will last. There is also potential for a vaccine resistant variant to form over time, requiring future doses for Americans to stay safe. Last week, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla both said at an Axios conference that a third dose will likely be necessary for Americans in the coming months. Bourla said his company is still in the early stages of trials for a booster shot, but some data on the shots may be available soon. Third doses may be needed as soon as eight months after the second dose in order to remain safe from COVID-19. For the vaccines earliest recipients - who would have received their second dose in January - that means they will need the third dose in September. Currently, more than 60 percent of American adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to data from the CDC. Health officials have struggled to get the remaining unvaccinated population inoculated, though, with the amount of Americans getting vaccinated every week on a decline since late April. Convincing Americans to receive their third dose may be an even bigger challenge, as millions have not returned to even received their second. Kelly Danielpour, 18 (pictured), founded the website VaxTeen, and has been informing adolescents with vaccine-hesitant parents about minority consent laws, which allow teens to get shots without adult approval Teenagers whose parents are vaccine-hesitant are helping each other schedule appointments to get the COVID-19 shot With Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine approved for Americans between ages 12 and 17, more than 25 million adolescents are eligible to get immunized against the disease, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. However, a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that fewer than one-third of parents intend to get their sons and daughters immunized right away and more than a quarter have no plans to do so. Most states requires parental or guardian consent to administer a Covid-19 vaccine shot to children ages 12 to 15. But some states allow youngsters to consent for themselves, without requiring parents' approval. One of the teenagers fielding requests from other teens whose parents don't want them to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is Kelly Danielpour. Danielpour, 18, founded VaxTeen, a website to help teens understand vaccine consent laws in their states and which shots are required at which ages. Although the site was founded pre-pandemic to combat HPV vaccine misinformation, Danielpour told NBC News she receives about a dozen messages every day about coronavirus jabs. 'But since the pandemic, getting Covid-19 vaccinations has become the most prevalent issue,' she said. 'I am lucky because my parents are pro-vaccine, but there seems to be a lot of teens whose parents are opposed to letting them get vaccinated.' A recent poll found fewer than one-third of parents intend to get their children vaccinated right away and more than a quarter have no plans to do so Danielpour, who has received both shots of the Moderna Covid vaccine, says that when an adolescent reaches out, she first gives them information they can use to talk to their parents. She told NBC News that one teen she knows got vaccinated after convincing her mother and father using resources given to her by Danielpour. However, if unsuccessful, she sees which state they live in to see if they can consent for themselves despite being a minor. According to a recent CNN analysis, just five states - Alabama, Iowa, North Carolina, Oregon and Tennessee - allow some or all children in the 12-to-15 age group to give consent without a parent or guardian. Another teenager trying to get more adolescents vaccinated is 20-year-old Ethan Lindenberger, of Norwalk, Ohio. He rose to fame in late 2018 after he went against his anti-vaxxer mom's wishes and got all of his shots at age 18. In March 2019, Lindenberger testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor, and Pensions on vaccine misinformation. Ethan Lindenberger, 20, of Norwalk, Ohio (pictured), who got all his shots age 18 has also been encouraging to talk to their parents about their desire to get the jab Lindenberger who received his first dose three weeks ago said he understands the pressure of going against parents' wishes. 'I've had a few people reach out to me wanting to know how to deal with parental pushback against getting vaccinated,' he told NBC News. He encourages any teen looking to get vaccinated to educate themselves and then speak directly to their with parents about it. 'Teens faced with this have to weigh things like "I know vaccines are lifesaving, but I don't want to become homeless,"" he told NBC News. 'So I tell them: "If you can't have that loving conversation with your parents and you're of age, weigh those consequences seriously." 'Don't get yourself kicked out or seriously in trouble...but, if you're able to have that conversation, please get your shots as soon as possible.' The menopause is the new black. Midlife women's health is suddenly in the spotlight even royalty joined in, as Sophie, Countess of Wessex, spoke of it being a 'shackle' last week and GPs are under pressure. The subject went viral the night Davina McCall's documentary Sex, Myths And The Menopause, a programme I devised and wrote, aired on Channel 4, and the presenter was startlingly honest about her own menopause, admitting she'd been told not to talk about her hot flushes and brain fog as it was 'a bit unsavoury'. The film revealed that many women were being turned away without medical help, as #davinamenopause trended on Twitter. Since Davina put on her see-through oestrogen patch on camera, GP surgeries have been bombarded by patients at last recognising their menopause symptoms such as aching joints, hormonal depression and vaginal dryness, and asking for help and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). 'I'll have what Davina's having,' said patients, according to one GP in Argyll. Sally Harris, a pharmacist in Wales, tweeted: 'I dispensed more HRT yesterday than I'd normally do in a month!' And private health insurer BUPA told me: 'Since the documentary aired we've seen a threefold increase in people booking appointments for our Menopause Plan.' Davina McCall's Channel 4 documentary on menopause saw a HRT rush at GPs (stock image) But what's been going wrong for so many years with menopause care? Why didn't women have this knowledge before? And will GPs be equipped to cope with the tsunami of patients? I doubt it and many GPs seem to agree. Two days after Davina's documentary, The Menopause Charity was launched by doctors and patient activists to support women, encourage better access to HRT and help educate medical professionals. Its first action was to offer a free six-hour online menopause course to every GP practice. More than 5,000 of the 9,374 NHS practices in the UK signed up for the training, and more in Ireland an astounding uptake. It was the sign of a hidden crisis. Many already overworked GPs and healthcare professionals felt they lacked comprehensive knowledge of the menopause and were willing to catch up in their spare time. In fact, as I found, menopause training can be almost non-existent. No wonder women have been left to keep calm and carry on. Davina McCall admitted she felt 'all washed up' after going through the menopause as viewers lauded her Channel 4 documentary - Sex, Myths And The Menopause Yet there are 13 million menopausal women in the UK and, so far, two million people have seen the programme. Clearly it has hit a nerve. The documentary was born out of my own experience, after my hormones went off a cliff and I struggled to get help. The menopause is bad enough but I didn't realise its stealthy little sister, the perimenopause, is equally debilitating. Many women in their 40s have no idea fluctuating hormones are affecting their physical and mental health, since they are still getting periods. Kate Muir who devised and wrote Davina McCall's documentary; Sex, Myths And The Menopause, aired on Channel 4 In my late 40s, I began getting heart palpitations at night, and high anxiety. My GP sent me for an electrocardiogram at some expense to the NHS. I'm a runner. My heart was fine. 'Too much coffee,' was the diagnosis. Since researching for the documentary and a forthcoming book, I now know 11 per cent of perimenopausal and menopausal women get harmless heart palpitations, which are caused by a fall in the hormone oestrogen. But my GP didn't know that, because menopause is not a compulsory module in medical education. A survey by the non-profit group Menopause Support found 41 per cent of UK medical schools do not have mandatory menopause training on the curriculum. After all, only half the planet gets the menopause. A recent survey of 5,000 women revealed that 18 per cent of menopausal women visited their doctor more than six times before getting help. 'Many women are turned away by their doctor, denied treatment for symptoms not recognised as connected to menopause and incorrectly offered antidepressants rather than first-line treatment, which is HRT,' says Diane Danzebrink, a psychotherapist and founder of Menopause Support. She is calling for mandatory GP education in the #MakeMenopauseMatter petition, which has nearly reached its 150,000 target. But there are no plans at the top for improvement yet. The Menopause Charity offered a free menopause course to every GP practice (stock image) Dr Anne Connolly, a GP and clinical champion for women's health for the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said: 'Introducing additional mandatory training courses for some areas of medicine and not others would be unworkable.' She added: 'Menopause is included in the RCGP curriculum which all GP trainees need to demonstrate competency of . . .' Yet look up GPs' core curriculum and you find menopause in 'Breast and Gynaecology', under 'Other'. It doesn't even rate a module in the 'Life Stages' section which includes 'Maternity' and 'Older Adults'. Doctors are not to blame in these tough times, as they return to face-to-face consultations after working by phone and video in lockdown, and are given only ten minutes per patient. But multi-tasking midlife women have suffered collateral damage from Covid 47 per cent said the pandemic had made the emotional symptoms of menopause worse, according to a survey of more than 2,000 women published last week by the private clinic My Menopause Centre. Astonishingly, 16 per cent of women aged 45 to 64 are on antidepressants. It doesn't help that GP practices get an extra 'quality outcome' payment from the NHS each time they diagnose depression (or conditions such as high blood pressure), but are paid nothing for diagnosing menopause and prescribing HRT. Why does this matter? Sixty six per cent of women complaining of low mood were offered anti-depressants by their doctors instead of hormones, despite NHS guidelines to the contrary, according to a Newson Health survey of 3,000 British women. Sixty six per cent of women complaining of low mood were offered anti-depressants by their doctors instead of hormones (stock image) A fifty-something viewer messaged me on Instagram after the documentary and said suddenly realising she had been misdiagnosed 'made me sit there sobbing'. She continued: 'Eighteen months ago, I gathered the courage to go to my GP with menopause symptoms. I walked out five minutes later with antidepressants. I have struggled every day (and night) since, feeling like I'm going mad . . . today I fixed another appointment and this time I'm going prepared.' You can track the growing need for help in online sales of herbal and other menopause remedies at Boots up by more than 60 per cent last year, as women tried to self-medicate in lockdown. When I was trying to avoid going on HRT, put off by lurid (and, I now know, exaggerated) headlines saying it hugely increased the risk of breast cancer (in fact, the risk from combined HRT is very small and drops once you stop taking it), I tried remedies from black cohosh to soy isoflavones but nothing changed my night sweats, hot flushes, palpitations and creeping memory loss. Like an estimated 40 per cent of menopausal women, I was experiencing brain fog. My mother was living with Alzheimer's at the time and I thought I was inheriting the disease. I remember being in her flat and thinking 'I must shave my legs' but, writing the shopping list, I couldn't remember the word 'razor'. I was a newspaper film critic then, and my job entailed having a memory bank of 350 movies watched a year, so forgetting a supporting actor's name was fine. But I'd forgotten an ordinary noun, and that was terrifying. The good news is that when I went on HRT oestrogen delivered via a patch or gel, and oral progesterone, which are available on the NHS, plus testosterone gel (which you can only get privately) my memory came zinging back and my palpitations disappeared along with the hot flushes. I was back to normal. But how many women are left terrified and alone, thinking they are going mad? Do many GPs know about the latest research on oestrogen's protective effect on the female brain, and testosterone's enhancement of female memory, energy and libido? For, yes, testosterone is a female hormone, too. Women make more testosterone than oestrogen, just about a tenth of the amount of men. But the NHS does not offer replacement testosterone to women, except in special circumstances. It's not easy for patients to get the facts. The NHS information on the menopause is less than helpful. Put 'HRT' into the NHS search engine and this appears: 'Find out about hormone replacement therapy . . .what the main risks and side-effects are including how it can raise your risk of breast cancer.' Many GPs felt they lacked comprehensive knowledge of the menopause (stock image) It advises that: 'Some types of HRT can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer and blood clots in some women.' So little useful information. No wonder women give up. Dr Heather Currie, a gynaecologist at NHS Dumfries and Galloway and co-editor of the British Medical Society journal, says that on the contrary: 'The risks of any HRT are very low, and data shows transdermal [gel or patch] HRT is even safer.' But women and GPs are still put off by breast cancer scare headlines written 20 years ago, prompted by the U.S. Women's Health Initiative, which has now been criticised as flawed. In that study, older forms of HRT were given to women up to age 79. The International and British Menopause societies have studied the effects of HRT and are clear the benefits for most women outweigh any risks, especially the newer forms. HRT taken through the skin in patches or gels also has powerful long-term health benefits, protecting women from heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis which eventually affects one woman in two. Doctors can do further training with the British Menopause Society but the two-day course costs 400 plus accommodation, followed by months shadowing a menopause expert, usually for half a day a week, which may be free or cost thousands in fees. And there are few training places. I met a GP in Birmingham who had waited three years. But Covid-19 has changed that. Sarah Moger, chief executive of the British Menopause Society, says: 'We have plans to improve the system and bring more training online to make it easier for healthcare professionals.' Over at the RCGP, Dr Connolly says: 'We understand the strength of feeling among women going through menopause, particularly those who don't feel they have been taken seriously, and that needs to be addressed.' There is a lot of promising and planning. But women deserve action immediately. While everyone has good intentions, I can't help feeling that nothing happens quickly in these medical bureaucracies. The Menopause Charity, which I'm involved in, took just two days to sign up half the country's GP practices to more training. Dr Gregory Monk, a recently qualified GP in the Wirral, can't recall having any specific lectures on menopause at medical school he has recently taken our course. 'It offered all the info you need and it's practical.' As well as calling for every surgery to give a menopause symptoms checklist to women in their 40s and 50s, the charity has downloadable PDFs on how to talk to your GP, different kinds of HRT and alternative treatments. And, as Dr Monk points out, menopause is a matter for everyone. 'It shouldn't matter whether your doctor is a man or a woman,' he says. 'All GPs should have a good understanding of this so we can help all the women who are suffering at the moment.' His final advice to women is this: 'Keep knocking at the door!' themenopausecharity.org Dry eye syndrome affects up to a third of Britons over the age of 65, causing sore, red, itchy, gritty eyes often accompanied by a burning sensation or blurred vision. It is most common in women, and there are multiple causes, from taking certain medications including some antihistamines and decongestants to ageing. 'As we age, the muscles that control our eyelids get weaker and are less efficient at spreading the tears across the front of our eyes when we blink,' explains Vik Sharma, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, and clinical director at The London Ophthalmology Centre. Here, Mr Sharma and Charlotte Cook, an optometrist with the Bayfields Opticians chain, assess a selection of products for the condition. We then rated them Dry eye syndrome affects up to a third of Britons over the age of 65, causing sore, red, itchy, gritty eyes often accompanied by a burning sensation or blurred vision LID MASSAGER Eyepeace Plus eyelid massager with warming eye mask, 35, butterflies-eyecare.co.uk CLAIM: After heating the mask in warm water and wearing it for ten minutes, you use the silicone massager to gently squeeze closed eyelids, working in a vertical motion. The maker says this 'results in the treatment and prevention of dry eye'. Repeat this between five to ten times daily. EXPERT VERDICT: 'This is said to help improve the secretions from the meibomian glands, which are oil glands in the eyelids,' says Charlotte Cook. 'Normally, when we blink, a bit of oil from this gland drops into the tear film (the thin layer of fluid covering the surface of the eye), which prevents the tears evaporating too quickly. 'But as we age, this process can become less efficient, as the glands can become blocked, causing the oil to solidify. Eyepeace Plus eyelid massager with warming eye mask, 35, butterflies-eyecare.co.uk 'This mask can soften the hardened oil with heat and, in theory, massaging the eyelids can make the glands secrete oil better. 'But gently massaging closed eyelids for about 30 seconds once a day with clean fingers would be just as good and cheaper. 'Once you have loosened the debris from the eye, remove it with soaked cotton wool.' 7/10 MOISTURE GOGGLES Eyeseals 4.0 with secure wrap, 43.50, butterflies-eyecare.co.uk Eyeseals 4.0 with secure wrap, 43.50, butterflies-eyecare.co.uk CLAIM: You wear these goggles at night, and the maker says they create a humid environment to soothe dry eyes, so you 'awake with your eyes feeling bright, refreshed and hydrated'. EXPERT VERDICT: 'In theory, these goggles would be effective as they create a moist environment to ease dry eyes,' says Charlotte Cook. 'At night we blink less, so our tear film reduces, but these compensate for this by keeping the eyes in a moist setting. 'My concern would be whether they fitted correctly. To be effective, the seal around the eye must be tight so it remains humid inside. 'I would try regular eye drops before turning to these, as they might prove slightly impractical to wear for long periods.' 5/10 FISH-OIL PILLS Intelligent Formula Vision Defender Omega, 17 for 60 capsules, amazon.co.uk Intelligent Formula Vision Defender Omega, 17 for 60 capsules, amazon.co.uk CLAIM: These gel capsules contain omega-3 fatty acids, which the maker says 'have been shown to be beneficial in dry-feeling eyes'. Take two a day. EXPERT VERDICT: 'There has been a lot of evidence in the past decade to suggest that omega-3 fats can help those with dry eye,' says Mr Sharma. 'The omega 3 improves the tear film by increasing the quality and amount of secretions from the oil glands. 'But many of the studies done use doses far higher than I would usually advise for my patients. The NHS recommended daily allowance is 500mg and that's what I suggest, too. A higher dose has caused tummy aches among some patients. 'Two capsules provide 1,200mg of omega 3, approaching the levels used in the studies.' 6/10 HEAT MASK Optase Moist Heat Mask, 10.99, boots.com CLAIM: This soft, reusable cotton eye mask is heated in the microwave for 25 seconds and then put over the eyes. It's filled with silica beads which 'loosen the oils in the meibomian glands, allowing the oil to flow more freely, and soften eyelash debris', says the maker. Use it for ten minutes a day. EXPERT VERDICT: 'Using heat to melt the build-up of oils along the margins of the eyelids is an effective treatment for easing dry eye syndrome,' says Mr Sharma. 'I would expect this mask to do a good job. I tell my patients that five minutes of wearing a heat mask a day is usually sufficient to help clear blocked glands.' 8/10 Optase Moist Heat Mask, 10.99, boots.com EYE MIST Vizulize Triple Action Dry Eyes Eye Mist, 7.69 for 10ml, amazon.co.uk Vizulize Triple Action Dry Eyes Eye Mist, 7.69 for 10ml, amazon.co.uk CLAIM: This offers the same relief as eye drops, but comes in the form of a spray misted over closed eyes. Its ingredients include sodium hyaluronate, a natural part of the tear film, which 'moisturises and hydrates dry and irritated eyes'. It also contains tiny balls of lipid, or fatty, compounds called liposomes, which 'help to lock in natural moisture'. EXPERT VERDICT: 'The theory is that when you spray the fine mist on closed eyes, some of it will work its way in and give dry eyes relief,' says Mr Sharma. 'It contains hyaluronate, which we use in surgery to lubricate the eye, so it is very safe. 'The liposomes also help with this, and keep the tear film stable. When we have dry eyes, this tear film can become either broken or unstable. 'Patients who struggle with dexterity issues might find this mist easier to use than drops, but drops would generally get more of the product where it needs to go.' 6/10 NIGHTLY DROPS Artelac Nighttime Gel, 5.69 for 10g, visiondirect.co.uk Artelac Nighttime Gel, 5.69 for 10g, visiondirect.co.uk CLAIM: This gel is said to 'seal in moisture to provide extra protection for eyes with chronic tear dysfunction'. The maker recommends putting one drop in the eye 15 minutes before bed. EXPERT VERDICT: 'To treat dry eye successfully you need a daily combination of daytime drops alongside a gel like this at night,' says Charlotte Cook. 'This gel contains carbomer gel to make it stick to the eye better and for longer, but it leaves your vision very smeary, so using it really should be the last thing you do before going to sleep. 'I have recommended this, as well as other products that do the same job, to my patients.' 8/10 HYDRATING WIPES Dr Fischer Eye-Care Dry Hydrating Cleansing Wipes, 14.90 for 30 wipes, amazon.co.uk Dr Fischer Eye-Care Dry Hydrating Cleansing Wipes, 14.90 for 30 wipes, amazon.co.uk CLAIM: These are said to keep your eyes 'hydrated and healthy'. Use one wipe to clean around both eyes. They contain hyaluronic acid and pro-vitamin B5, which help the skin retain moisture; chamomile, to reduce inflammation; and tea tree oil. EXPERT VERDICT: 'You could use these wipes to remove the oily deposits and it would cause no harm, but they are much more effective if the oil has been loosened first with a warm compress,' says Mr Sharma. 'But they contain chemicals that will help with dry eye, too, such as hyaluronic acid and pro-vitamin B5, which help lubricate eyes. 'These wipes contain tea tree oil this would not be harmful to the eye, and has antibacterial qualities which could help prevent blepharitis [inflammation along the edges of the eyelids, which causes irritation]. This can be due to a bacterial infection often linked to dry eye disease. 'Applying diluted baby shampoo which is very mild with cotton wool can have the same effect and may work out cheaper.' 7/10 WARMING WAND Peep Club Heated Eye Wand, 60, peepclub.com Peep Club Heated Eye Wand, 60, peepclub.com CLAIM: This rechargeable device, roughly the size of an electric toothbrush, is said to help your eyes 'produce better-quality tears so they stay hydrated throughout the day'. Apply a pea-sized amount of soothing balm (sold separately) around each eye and turn on the wand, which heats up to 42c. Then use it to massage the upper and lower eyelids 'to promote circulation and unblock your meibomian glands'. The maker recommends using it every evening. EXPERT VERDICT: 'In theory, a gentle heat of about 40c is a good way to loosen the natural oils that can build up and clog the glands on the eyelid,' says Mr Sharma. 'But after watching the maker's video showing how to use this wand, I don't think you can place it where it needs to be without poking yourself in the eye. 'I wouldn't recommend this to my patients. A far better option would be a warm compress applied over the closed eyelid for about five minutes.' 1/10 Legal & General's asset management arm has emerged as one of the investors to have voted against Royal Dutch Shell's climate plans last week. While acknowledging that some progress was being made, LGIM said today that the oil major's targets to reduce carbon emissions and oil and gas production lack credibility and fall short of tackling climate breakdown. The asset manager, which handles 1.3trillion of savers' cash, has been moving to encourage the companies it invests in to behave responsibly as part of a wider push by Legal & General to become more environmentally friendly. 'Shell must fall': Protesters at the Shell headquarters in The Hague last week 'We remain concerned that the strength of interim targets (up to 2035) and disclosed plans for oil and gas production fall short of the level of ambition required for the company to credibly claim alignment with a 1.5C pathway,' LGIM told the Guardian today. The comments come as around 30 per cent of investors voted in favour of a resolution filed by shareholders activist group Follow This urging the Anglo-Dutch company to set 'inspirational' targets to battle greenhouse gas emissions. At the annual general meeting on Tuesday last week, LGIM was one of the investors backing the resolution, which the Shell board had urged to reject. One in ten shareholders also voted against Shell's energy transition strategy. The plans being rejected by some shareholders were announced by Shell in February, when the company said it would aim to cut overall carbon intensity of the energy it produces by 20 per cent by 2030 and by 45 per cent in 2035. Shell's final aim is to reach zero-net emissions by 2050 - although it is the first to admit that its current plans are not enough to reach the target. 'It is important to note that as of February 11, 2021, Shell's operating plans and budgets do not reflect Shell's Net-Zero Emissions target,' the group said in a cautionary note buried in its February's statement. Activists at Follow This argued that Shell's absolute emissions could fall by as little as 10 per cent over the next 10 years, with LGIM saying that 'on this occasion' it backed up the activist group. Another UK asset manager - Sarasin & Partners - also recently piled pressure on Shell and BP, saying that they were not 'serious' about hitting their net-zero emission targets. Natasha Landell-Mills of Sarasin & Partners said this was because they were still spending too much on oil production and working on unrealistic price and demand forecasts for oil and gas. She said: 'Looking beyond the eye-catching net zero ambitions announced to shareholders, two things are plain. First, the vast bulk of their capex continues to replenish fossil fuel supplies. 'Second, these ambitions are only possible because their balance sheets continue to be propped up by overly optimistic assumptions of future cash flows from selling oil and gas.' Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden She concluded: 'We do not believe BP or Shell can be serious about getting to net zero until their accounts and capex plans are aligned with that goal.' The International Energy Agency (IEA) said investors should halt funding for new oil, gas and coal supply projects if the world wants to reach net zero emissions by 2050. But while Shell plans to grow its investment in low-carbon in the coming years, at least 75 per cent of its spending will continue to go towards oil and gas. In February, the group also announced an expansion of its liquid natural gas output by 2025 and made no commitment to bolster wind or solar power across its operations, unlike rivals BP and Total. Shell chief executive, Ben van Beurden, told investors last week that shareholder support was 'critical' as the business shifted its focus and that they would 'seek to fully understand' why they voted as they did. Under the Paris agreement, almost 200 countries agreed to limit global temperature increases to well below 2C, with an aspiration not to breach 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Flat fees on work pension pots worth less than 100 are to be abolished to prevent them dwindling to nothing over time. The Government move is aimed at avoiding the disastrous prospect of people who have moved jobs and acquired many small pots during their working lives discovering they are empty when they reach retirement, having been eroded by charges. The reputation of the so far hugely successful auto enrolment initiative to get people saving for old age could suffer a huge hit if workers belatedly found their entire pots had been swallowed by fees. Small pot problem: Flat fee ban on those worth 100 or less are aimed at preventing people finding some dormant pots are empty when they reach retirement Meanwhile, the Government has also announced a consultation on introducing a standard charging structure for 'default' work pension funds - which are already subject to a fee cap of 0.75 per cent - to make them easier to compare. Under auto enrolment, launched in 2012, employers have to sign up staff to a pension unless they actively choose to opt out. Employers must set up pension schemes and pay in minimum contributions, based on a worker's earnings between 6,240 and 50,270, for any staff who are aged over 22 and earn more than 10,000 a year. See the table below. Some employers, particularly those who ran pension schemes before they became mandatory, put in even higher contributions in order to attract and retain staff. But outside of the public sector, more generous final salary pensions paying a guaranteed income until you die have virtually been wiped out. Who pays what? Minimum contributions for workers and employees plus the Government top-up under auto enrolment (Source: The Pensions Advisory Service) The ban on pension providers charging people flat fees on pots worth more than 100 is likely to come into force in April 2022, and from then on percentage fees will apply instead. This will apply to both 'active' pots which people are still putting money into and 'deferred' pots which have become inactive when the holder moves on to another job. The 100 level will be reviewed in future, as the Government continues to examine the issue of people building up a series of small pots during their working life. What are defined contribution and final salary pensions? Defined contribution pensions take contributions from both employer and employee and invest them to provide a pot of money at retirement. Unless you work in the public sector, they have now mostly replaced more generous gold-plated defined benefit - or final salary - pensions, which provide a guaranteed income after retirement until you die. Defined contribution pensions are stingier and savers bear the investment risk, rather than employers. Some people merge their old pots, although this kind of tidying up exercise is not always advisable because you can lose valuable benefits. But pension firms are likely to find small deferred pots more onerous and less cost effective to manage over time. The Government says: 'The charging out of very small pots may risk undermining the progress made in normalising pension saving under the hugely successful automatic enrolment policy.' It is also considering a new universal charging structure for 'default' pension funds, which the overwhelming majority of workers remain in after being auto enrolled. This would involve a single percentage annual management charge, based on the value of the members pot within the default fund. At present there are three permitted charging structures under the 0.75 per cent cap - and some providers use a combination, including the state-backed pension organisation NEST, but the latter option would disappear under the new proposal. The three existing ways of charging are: - A single percentage charge of the pot value, taken at the end of each year; - A combination of a percentage charged on each new contribution made, plus an annual percentage of funds under management charge; - A combination of a monthly or annual flat fee plus an annual percentage of funds under management charge. 'We believe there is a risk that these varied charging structures, within the same automatic enrolment market may be acting as a barrier to members better understanding and ability to compare the costs of their pension with other pension products and schemes,' says the Government. It is also looking at whether workers should be offered a choice of pension provider, while remaining within their employer's scheme. What does the finance industry say? 'The last thing the Government needs is for automatic enrolment, a policy that has enjoyed incredible success and cross-party support, to be associated with "rip-off" headlines,' says Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell. 'By banning flat fees on small pots worth 100 or less from April 2022, the Pensions Minister is taking swift action to protect not only peoples pensions, but the reputation of the Governments flagship reform programme. 'The idea of allowing employees to choose their own pension provider while keeping their employer contribution merits consideration. 'This would potentially open up greater choice to automatic enrolment savers, who at the moment are often offered a "like it or lump it" single workplace pension option. 'For automatic enrolment you can see the argument for a single, universal charging structure. Given members are being shoved into a product rather than actively choosing it, being able to compare like-for-like with other similar products might be useful. 'However, such an approach would not be appropriate for non-workplace pensions, where people actively choose where to save and benefit from being able to pick a provider whose charges, among other things, meet their needs.' Becky OConnor, head of pensions and savings for Interactive Investor, says: 'It is technically possible for an employee to open a personal pension, such as a self-invested personal pension, and ask an employer to pay contributions into that instead of the existing employee workplace scheme. 'However, employers often say no when an employee asks if they can move their pension out of the workplace scheme and into another personal pension and still retain employer contributions. 'This is a significant blocker to freedom of movement for people who may be better served outside of their workplace scheme.' OConnor says of the ban on flat fees for 100 pots: 'Even with this ban in place, it is still possible for someones pension to be significantly eroded without them realising. 'We note with irony that for a consultation paper aimed at making costs simpler, "combination charges" are mentioned 15 times and while they may well give providers the flexibility to meet different needs, they are likely to baffle people.' The man who claimed to be the Boston Strangler was murdered in a prison hit just two weeks after mailing a letter from his cell in which he vowed to 'clear his name,' and said that he was about to 'drop a bomb,' DailyMail.com can reveal. Never-before-seen letters, published here for the first time today, reveal that Albert DeSalvo planned to recant his confession and 'tell the truth,' nearly a decade after claiming the murders of 13 women in the Boston area. The letters are part of a collection of correspondence between DeSalvo and a Massachusetts family who met him while visiting a friend at Walpole State Prison and took pity on him. They were unearthed by Boston-based investigative journalist Casey Sherman who has devoted his career to the case that is riddled with inconsistencies and doubt. For Sherman, who explores the story along with journalist David Wedge in a new podcast 'Saints, Sinners and Serial Killers,' the quest is very personal. His aunt, Mary Sullivan, was the last victim whose death was attributed to the Boston Strangler. Albert DeSalvo confessed to being the Boston Strangler, the serial killer who was accused of murdering 13 women in the city between 1962 and 1964. Pictured after escaping from prison in 1967, had already been facing a lengthy jail stint when he made the confession to his cellmate and then then to defense attorney F. Lee Bailey The Boston police department already had six prime suspects for the murders of 13 women (pictured) that attributed to the so-called Strangler, but abandoned those leads once DeSalvo confessed Sullivan, two years older than Sherman's mother, was just 19 years old when she was brutally raped and murdered in 1964. She was found in the bedroom of her apartment. She had been strangled with three ligatures: two scarves and her stockings. DeSalvo was not initially a suspect in any of the strangler's killings and was arrested ten months after Sullivan's death for other sexual assaults in which he had been identified by the victims. In fact, according to Sherman, Boston police department already had six prime suspects for the killings that took place between 1962 and 1964 and were attributed to the so-called Strangler. But those suspects were abandoned when DeSalvo confessed, first to his prison cellmate, George Nasser, and then to defense attorney F. Lee Bailey. At the time of his confessions there was no physical evidence to put DeSalvo at the scenes of any of the killings, nor any pattern to truly identify the killings as the work of one person; one of the victims was stabbed, another was both stabbed and strangled, another died of a heart attack. Now, the newly uncovered letters written just weeks before his murder in November 1973 seem to back up the belief that DeSalvo's confession, and authorities' willingness to accept it, was more to do with political expediency than justice. The pressure to find the 'Phantom Strangler' as he had been dubbed by the Boston Herald which wrote, 'a mad strangler is loose in Boston,' was extreme. And in DeSalvo, Attorney General Edward Brook had a man more than willing to shoulder the blame. Investigative journalist Casey Sherman (left) - whose aunt Mary Sullivan (right) was believed to be the Boston Strangler's last victim - has devoted his career to the case which he acknowledges is riddled with inconsistencies and doubt. Sherman discovered the letters that shed new light onto the case The letters are part of a collection of correspondence between DeSalvo and a Massachusetts family who met him at Walpole State Prison. In one letter dated May 8, 1972, DeSalvo writes about meeting with attorneys and a 'book writer' - suggesting he had been discussing a deal to profit off his alleged crimes A letter written two weeks before he was murdered appears to show DeSalvo's change of tone and desire for retribution after seeing little of the financial gain he envisaged. 'In time you'll understand what I am saying or trying to say, as it will happen in about a month or soI'm going to drop a bomb!! ' he writes The newly uncovered letters written just weeks before his murder in November 1973 seem to back up the belief that DeSalvo's confession, and authorities' willingness to accept it, was more to do with political expediency than justice A Christmas letter part of the prison correspondence written by Albert DeSalvo Sherman told DailyMail.com: 'He confessed without a shadow of physical evidence to tie him to the crimes. And it was a very easy political victory to claim that DeSalvo was the killer, and that peace and safety was returned to the greater Boston area.' DeSalvo was never actually tried or convicted of any of the Boston Strangler's crimes. But this was before the Son of Sam law prevented criminals from profiting from their crimes. DeSalvo was already facing a lengthy prison stint for his other offenses and saw the strangler's notoriety as a way to make money for his family. Sherman explained: 'He is sitting in prison without any means to negotiate funds for his family. So, he's looking for opportunities to do so and if he confessed to the Boston Strangler case then he has the means via a book, a movie, you name ithe would be a cottage industry and he was smart enough to see that he could capitalize on the crimes which is what he tried to do.' In one of the previously unseen letters dated May 8, 1972, DeSalvo apologized for not writing sooner and explained that he was 'expecting visit [sic], Attorneys, and book writer, from out of state NY.' He wrote that they came to see him 'and we spent about three and a half hours discussing what I had in mind as to what kind of book I wanted to write and so on.' DeSalvo boasted that any book deal would have to be 'over $100,000 or no deal.' But one year on, in the letter written two weeks before he was killed, DeSalvo had seen little of the financial gain he envisaged and a desire for retribution had crept into his writing. DeSalvo's confession came before the Son of Sam law prevented criminals from profiting from their crimes. He was never actually tried or convicted of any of the Boston Strangler's crimes. The lifelong criminal was already facing a lengthy prison stint for his other offenses and saw the strangler's notoriety as a way to make money for his family At the time, pressure to find the serial killer was extreme and DeSalvo's confession to defense attorney F. Lee Bailey (right) was a 'very easy political victory' for then-Attorney General Edward Brooke (left) The quest for the truth in the case is personal to Casey Sherman, who was pictured alongside his mother Diane Dodd at a press conference concerning the murder of his Mary Sullivan (shown in photo), who they say was not killed by Albert DeSalvo He still intended to make sure that his children were financially secure and wrote of setting up trust funds for them, but his tone was that of a man getting his affairs in order on the eve of something that he described as, 'real big.' Stranglers Reign of Terror The Boston Stranglers reign of terror stretched between June 1962 and January 1964. During that time 13 single women were murdered in their own homes throughout the Boston area. They ranged from ages 19 through to 85 and, with no apparent rhyme or reason to his choice of victim, no woman, it seemed, was safe. All that the victims had in common was their vulnerability to the man whom, police speculated, they willingly let into their homes because he was either known to them or disguised as a delivery or repair man. In every case the victims had been raped sometimes with foreign objects and their bodies laid out nude, as if on display. Death was almost always due to strangulation though the killer sometimes used a knife and one of the victims died of fright, suffering a heart attack. The final victim was his youngest, 19-year-old Mary Sullivan, found in the bedroom of the apartment into which she had moved just days earlier. Police did not initially believe that one individual was guilty of all the crimes but, as the toll of unsolved murders crept up, the shadowy figure of a serial killer formed. The Boston Herald named him the Phantom Strangler, and dubbed his crimes The Silk Stockings Murders. Women started carrying mace and were fearful in their own homes. A few years before the killings began, there had been a series of sex attacks in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area. The attacker became known as the Measuring Man, or the Green Man, because he talked his way into his victims houses either by claiming to be a modelling agency talent scout, looking for new models and needing the womans measurements or a delivery man dressed in a green uniform. The crime spree was an act in two parts. Police arrested Albert DeSalvo breaking into a home in March 1960 and he confessed, apparently without prompting, to being the Measuring Man. He was sentenced to just 18 months and was released after 11 when he picked up where he had left off. In 1964 he was identified by one of his victims who told police that a man posing as a detective had entered her home and sexually assaulted her. He was arrested once more and this time sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for observation where his cellmate was convicted killer, George Nasser. It has been speculated that Nasser and DeSalvo worked out a deal by which both would gain financially if DeSalvo confessed to The Silk Stocking Murders. And with pressure mounting on Attorney General Edward Brook to clear the streets of the spectre of the phantom strangler, DeSalvos confession was perhaps too good an offering to pass-up. He confessed and became the Boston Strangler, even though there was no physical evidence to tie him to the crimes and he provided a host of discrepancies in his descriptions of the scenes themselves. When police brought in one of the Stranglers only surviving victims, she identified Nasser as her would-be killer, failing to recognize DeSalvo at all. Ultimately, though he would become synonymous with the crimes, DeSalvo was neither tried nor convicted of any of the killings. Advertisement He wrote: 'I'll see what I can do to clear my name of it now, as I have been used in the past by these socalled [sic] big people, now it's my turn 'I'll be telling the truth, something they don't know how to dopeople like F. Lee Baily and Senator Brooks and a lot of other big names' He continued: 'It's time for a new ball game as it is calledI've got to think of my children and the suffering and burden I have put on them 'In time you'll understand what I am saying or trying to say, as it will happen in about a month or soI'm going to drop a bomb!! I'm sick and tired of people using me.they have did me wrong, and I haven't gotten a penny from any of it.' Sherman said: 'I do think there's a correlation between that letter and his murder two weeks later. Albert DeSalvo saw that he hadn't earned a penny and all of the people around him, that had filled his head with talk of movie riches and booksthey all took the money and left, right? 'Whether that was real or imagined it was certainly something in his mind at the time.' If he recanted, Sherman told DailyMail.com, DeSalvo might be looking at 25 years in prison rather than life. 'In my estimation he was ready to recant his confession and point the blame on people around him including his cellmate, George Nasser,' he said. Nasser was a brutal felon who had been identified by a girl who came within a whisper of being a victim. She was home alone when Nasser knocked on the door, but he was scared off when the family's dog started barking. Less than 24 hours later a girl was murdered within a couple of miles of the house. The girl identified Nasser as her would-be assailant when she saw his picture in a book about the case, written by Sherman, many years later. 'I think that what that letter exposes is that he didn't gain anything economically. And he was very frustrated by the people that, according to him, steered him wrong and he was going to drop that bomb shell,' Sherman said. 'And by that bombshell the only thing that could mean was that he didn't kill any of those women. And then two weeks later he was stabbed to death in the prison infirmary.' Sherman admitted that, to this day, he is, 'conflicted' over DeSalvo's guilt or innocence.' To add to that sense of uncertainty, advances in DNA testing that might have offered resolution have done quite the opposite. DNA retrieved from Sherman's aunt's body in 2001 did not belong to DeSalvo. But, several years later, in 2013, tests carried out on a blanket in Sullivan's room showed traces of DNA that were 'a near certain match,' to him. At the time Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said that authorities now had an 'unprecedented level of certainty' that DeSalvo was guilty of raping and murdering Sullivan. But Sherman is wary of using the result to conclude that DeSalvo was his aunt's killer. 'It puts DeSalvo at least in her apartment but it doesn't put him at the scene of the crime,' he said. 'Albert DeSalvo was fascinated by the crimes and his psychiatrist said that he would visit the crime scenes which were unsecure. 'In 1964 there was no crime scene tape - journalists, anybody, could come and go as they pleased. 'It's such a compromised scene. Her body had already been taken and processed but her bedding was there. Did DeSalvo show up and he was so excited about the idea of this killing, did he pleasure himself and leave his DNA there? Possibly. 'These are the questions I'm going to have for the rest of my life.' It is a painful truth and one perhaps made even more so by Sherman's conviction that DeSalvo was on the cusp of revealing the truth when he was killed. 'Ultimately I think [the communication] was leading to a moment where Albert DeSalvo felt comfortable enough to share what he thought was the biggest secret of his life,' Sherman said. 'Which was the fact that he was not the Boston Strangler and that the killers were really still out there.' Saints, Sinners and Serial Killers, The Boston Strangler is available to stream now The man on federal death row for the racist slayings of nine members of a black South Carolina congregation is making his appellate argument that his conviction and death sentence should be overturned. Oral arguments in the case of Dylann Roof are scheduled to be held Tuesday before a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond, Virginia. Appellate Judge Jay Richardson, who as an assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuted Roof's case, is not part of the panel. Dylann Roof, who is on federal death row for the racist slayings of nine members of a black South Carolina congregation, is making his appellate argument that his conviction and death sentence should be overturned A judge previously held two competency hearings for Roof - one before the start of his trial and the second before sentencing In 2017, Roof became the first person in the U.S. sentenced to death for a federal hate crime. Authorities have said Roof opened fire during the closing prayer of a 2015 Bible study session at Charleston's Mother Emanuel AME Church, raining down dozens of bullets on those assembled. Roof was 21 years old at the time. In a lengthy brief, Roof's attorneys argue that an appellate court should vacate Roof's convictions and death sentence, or remand his case to court for a 'proper competency evaluation.' 'The federal trial that resulted in his death-sentence departed so far from the standard required when the government seeks the ultimate price that it cannot be affirmed,' they wrote, arguing that their client's mental illness should have prevented him from serving as his own attorney during a portion of the trial, and also being sent to federal death row. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel held two competency hearings for Roof: one before the start of his trial, and one before its sentencing phase, to determine if Roof could act as his own attorney for that portion of the trial. Law enforcement officials are pictured outsider the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church after the mass shooting at the church in June 2015 A photo on Dylann Roof's manifesto website shows the .45-caliber Glock pistol that the FBI said he shouldn't have been able to purchase His appellate team wrote that the court errantly found Roof competent, despite the fact that 'every defense expert agreed Roof suffered a delusional belief he would be rescued by the victors of a race-war, which prevented him from understanding the threat of execution was real.' Representing himself for sentencing, Roof successfully prevented jurors from hearing mitigating evidence about his mental health, 'under the delusion,' his attorneys wrote, that 'he would be rescued from prison by white-nationalists - but only, bizarrely, if he kept his mental-impairments out of the public record.' In that part of the trial, the self-avowed white supremacist neither fought for his life nor explained his actions, saying only that 'anyone who hates anything in their mind has a good reason for it.' This, his attorneys wrote, resulted in 'a complete breakdown' of any possible defense, with jurors being 'left in the dark' about any details from Roof's past that could have possibly been used to mitigate the government's 'inflammatory case for death.' Roof became the first person sentenced to death for a federal hate crime after 2015 shooting of a bible study group at a church in Charleston, South Carolina Following his federal trial, Roof was given nine consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty in 2017 to state murder charges, leaving him to await execution in a federal prison and sparing his victims and their families the burden of a second trial. After that sentencing, Solicitor Scarlett Wilson - who had also been pursuing the death penalty - called the deal 'an insurance policy for the federal conviction,' ensuring that Roof would spend the rest of his life in prison, should the federal sentence not stand. Wilson also said that she felt more confident a federal death sentence would be carried out under the newly minted Trump administration than it would have been under a Democratic one. At the time, there was anticipation that then-President Donald Trump might swiftly resume federal executions, following cessation of the practice under several several previous administrations. People pay their respects in front of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in June 2015, file photo Trumps decision to reinstate federal executions didnt come until 2020, however, when his Justice Department ended a 17-year hiatus, going on to oversee a total of 13 federal executions. Due to his remaining appeals, Roofs case was not eligible for execution at that time. Although President Joe Biden - who as a candidate said hed work to end federal executions - hasnt spoken publicly about capital punishment in office, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in March that he continues to have 'grave concerns' about it. The president could instruct his Justice Department not to carry out executions during his presidency. If unsuccessful in his direct 4th Circuit appeal, Roof could file whats known as a 2255 appeal, or a request that the trial court review the constitutionality of his conviction and sentence. He could also petition the U.S. Supreme Court or seek a presidential pardon. Visitors, including Matt and Marsha Bacoate, leave flowers, notes ad prayers at Emanuel AME Church on the five-year anniversary of the shooting last June A 14-year-old girl was killed and 14 others were injured in a shooting that was carried out by multiple gunmen at an illegal neighborhood concert in South Carolina this weekend, which was marred by a dozen mass shootings across the country. The Charleston County Coroners Office on Monday identified the fatality as Ronjanae Smith. The 14-year-old girl died at Medical University Hospital Sunday morning from a gunshot wound. According to a preliminary investigation, a fight broke out between groups of attendees at the concert, which was held without crowd permits, in North Charleston late on Saturday, before two or more shooters opened fire into the crowd. The deadly incident in North Charleston was just one of 12 mass shootings that took place across the US, including in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Virginia. The violent mass-casualty incidents that occurred between Friday night and Sunday night left 11 people dead and 69 others injured. In South Carolina, police officers were called to the area of Piggly Wiggly Drive and West Jimtown Drive at around 10.27pm on Saturday and found several people suffering from gunshot wounds, North Charleston police Deputy Chief Scott Deckard said during a press conference on Sunday. Other victims had been driven to hospitals. A 14-year-old girl was shot and killed during a mass shooting at an illegal concert in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday night. The Charleston County Coroners Office on Monday identified the fatality as Ronjanae Smith (left and right) Early indications show that a fight broke out at the concert in North Charleston late on Saturday North Charleston police say the concert was unannounced and unauthorized More than a dozen people were shot, Deckard told media outlets. Police didn't immediately release any information about a suspect or suspects, and few other details were released as of Monday morning. Local resident James McClaim told the Post and Courier that some neighbors of his were having what he called a 'cookout' in a field where a stage was set up. There were also food stations and a table that was designated as a 'Tiki Bar.' 'Some girls from another area, who didnt live here, came and, before you know it, a doggone argument started. And the next thing you know, bullets are flying,' he told the newspaper. Another witness, Dalonzo Gibson, told the station WYFF4 that he heard the gunshots but initially mistook them for fireworks. 'I was sitting on the porch and talking to one of my friends and I heard a series of shots, at first I thought it was just fireworks,' Gibson said. 'But then when I heard retaliation with an additional gun, because it sounded different, I knew they were guns.' During Sunday's press conference, North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess said; 'It's a sad day that we have to be here today to talk about another death of another young person.' He added: 'The individuals were angry at each other and they didn't care who got hit.' Police didn't immediately release any information about a suspect or suspects, and few other details were released early Sunday Smith was killed and 14 others injured in a shooting by 'multiple gunman' at an illegal neighborhood concert in South Carolina. Scene is pictured above and below 'Something happened here that should have never happened. They should have never been set up in the first place here,' Burgess said. 'That young girl lost her life and 14 other people got victimized, that's another part.' According to the police chief, the concert was illegal for several reasons, including the unauthorized sale of alcohol on private property. Burgess encouraged members of the community to continue to come forward with any information surrounding the incident. Smith's father said in a statement he and the girl's mother would like to keep the focus on finding her killers North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said if the organizers of the unauthorized gathering were charging fees and serving alcohol without a permit, 'they need to go to jail.' Ronald Smith, Ronjanae's father, released a statement to Live 5 News mourning his daughter. 'The hurt I have for the lost of Ronjanae can only be described as defeat,' he wrote in part. Smith went on to say that he and Ronjanae's mother 'would like to keep the focus on finding the perpetrators responsible for not only murdering our daughter but hurting the other children that will now have to deal with constant trauma of the site of murder and loud gun shots.' The tragedy in South Carolina was just one of at least 12 mass shootings that took place across the country over the weekend, as CNN reported. In Jersey City, New Jersey, two people were killed and four others were injured after multiple gunshots rang out at around 11pm on Friday. The deceased were identified as 25-year-old Randolph Black Jr and 26-year-old Jason Crutcher. No arrests have been announced as of Monday. A shooting during an argument in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday morning killed one person and injured eight others A wild house party in Fairfield Township, New Jersey, came to a tragic end on Saturday night when a man and a woman were shot dead, and a dozen others were wounded In Fort Wayne, Indiana, one person was killed and three others were wounded in a shooting that took place at an apartment complex before 1am on Sunday In downtown Minneapolis, a shooting in the early hours of Saturday morning killed one person and injured eight others. Police said two people were arguing in the middle of a crowded North First Avenue when they pulled out guns and opened fire. Also on Saturday, four people, among them a child, were injured in a shooting that occurred at the Texas Bank Sports Complex in San Angelo, Texas. The victims were treated for minor injures, and a suspect was arrested. About an hour after the incident in North Charleston on Saturday night, two separate mass shootings in Columbus, Ohio, and Cumberland County, New Jersey, took the lives of at least three people and injures 17 others. In Columbus, a 16-year-old girl was killed and five other people, including a 16-year-old boy, two 19-year-old men and a 19-year-old woman, were wounded when someone opened fire at around 11.50pm at Bicentennial Park. In Youngstown, Ohio, three people were killed and at least three others were hurt when shots were fired at the Torch Club and Bar At the same time, gunfire erupted during an out-of-control house party in Fairfield Township, New Jersey, which was attended by hundreds of people. A man and a woman were killed, and a dozen others were wounded. A suspect, identified as Kevin Dawkins, was arrested on Monday on weapons charges in connection with the shooting. In Paterson, New Jersey, five people suffered gunshot wounds when someone opened fire during a large gathering early Sunday morning. Police said a 26-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition. In Norfolk, Virginia, a shooting left four people suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds on Sunday morning. No arrests have been made. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, one person was killed and three others were wounded as a result of a shooting that took place at an apartment complex at 12.45am on Sunday. Just 15 minutes later, in the Chicago suburb of Park Forest, Illinois, a celebration taking place in a theater was marred by an altercation and shooting, which left four people injured. Two of the victims sustained serious but non-life-threatening injures. Police said they believe more than one firearm was used. About an hour later, in Youngstown, Ohio, three people were killed and at least three others were hurt when shots were fired at the Torch Club and Bar. Violence continued into the daytime hours, when gunfire erupted on Sunday afternoon on the West Side of Chicago, leaving four people injured, among them a 41-year-old man who was hospitalized in critical condition. According to the Gun Violence Archive, so far this year, there have been 225 mass shootings across the US that have left 251 people dead and 919 others wounded. Since January 1, 2021, more than 7,500 people have died as a result of gun violence. A heartbroken mother whose eight-year-old son drowned during a school camping trip has opened up about their last conversation and how the death is the second tragedy to rock her family. Cooper Onyett died at Belfast Aquatics in Port Fairy, south-west Victoria, at about 11am on Friday during his first overnight excursion with Merrivale Primary School. His shattered mum Skye Meinen revealed on Monday that her 'excited little boy' was looking forward to going on his first ever camp when she dropped him off on Thursday - she gave him a great big hug goodbye and said 'I'll see you on Friday''. Cooper's death was a double tragedy for the family after the boy's twin brother Ethan died before the pair were born. Pictured: Cooper Cooper Onyett, who was in Year 2 when he died at Belfast Aquatics in Port Fairy, south-west Victoria Ms Meinen told the Herald Sun said the latest heartache is 'like Groundhog Day' and has left her feeling 'vacant'. The mother-of-three now only has one living son, Jett, who was so devastated that his only surviving sibling had died last week that he screamed ''he was my only friend!'. She described Cooper was 'the life of the party' and loved going to school to see his friends, adding that he was always getting in trouble because he was 'just like me, a little socialite'. The boy's aunt Tara wrote on Facebook that her nephew was an 'adventurous and cheeky' boy who will be missed by many. Pictured: Cooper's shattered aunt Tara, who described her nephew as an 'adventurous and cheeky' boy who will be missed by many 'Cooper was a wonderful, adorable, cheeky boy who put a smile on everyone's face that he met,' she wrote. 'Our hearts are shattered. Love you always Cooper. You will forever be loved and missed more than words can say.' A Go Fund Me page was set up by the school to raise money for funeral expenses. 'Any amount will help to show our thoughts and wishes are with Skye and her family at this tragic time,' the fundraiser read. Pictured: Belfast Aquatic Centre where Cooper died. The centre has been closed since Friday Belfast Aquatics has been closed since Friday and staff have been given counselling. 'On behalf of the management committee at Belfast Aquatics, we send our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the boy who tragically lost his life on Friday while swimming at our pool,' Belfast Aquatics Committee of Management Chairperson Anne McIlroy said in a statement. 'This is a very difficult time for everyone, and as a committee we are rallying around the staff at Belfast Aquatics who are inconsolable about what has occurred. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Merrivale Primary School for comment. The situation is being investigated by the coroner. A Dallas area restaurant owner opened up a 9/11-themed bar because he didnt want anyone who comes in to forget that day. Bar9Eleven, which is attached to the Rio Mambo Tex Mex y Mas restaurant in Fort Worth, has been in operation since 2013, when owner Brent Johnson decided to remodel it and name it after one of the nations most tragic days. The restaurant opened on September 11, 2001 - the same day terrorists hijacked four passenger airliners and flew them into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people. Johnson said that during a remodeling of his business more than a decade after its opening, he decided to name the bar after 9/11 so that diners wont forget. Bar9Eleven, which is attached to the Rio Mambo Tex Mex y Mas restaurant in Fort Worth, has been in operation since 2013, when owner Brent Johnson decided to remodel it and name it after one of the nations most tragic days Tyler posted a photo of the bar as well as a commemorative plaque that describes the events of September 11, 2001, which also happens to be the day that the bar owner opened up one of his restaurants Drove by this bar and thought huh I wonder what thats about, Twitter user Jesse Tyler tweeted last Monday. Turns out its about exactly what you think Brent Johnson, 62, the owner of Bar9Eleven, told DailyMail.com that he doesn't care about the naysayers online and that naming the establishment after 9/11 was to ensure that patrons 'never forget' But it gained renewed attention when a curious passerby visited the establishment after he was taken aback by the provocative name. Drove by this bar and thought huh I wonder what thats about, Twitter user Jesse Tyler tweeted last Monday. Turns out its about exactly what you think. Tyler posted a photo of the bar as well as a commemorative plaque that describes the events of September 11, 2001. Another Twitter user commented: So many questions. Does this place get a lot of business? Do they realize its not paying tribute but exploiting the day? People man. Another Twitter user joked: Never Forget ... IT'S WING WEDNESDAY! Stop by bar9eleven for 25 cent wings and 3 dollar pints of Budweiser every Wednesday night from 9 until 11 Another Twitter user mocked a sign inside the restaurant that read: Bar9Eleven, more than a name...more than a date...a state of mind...never forget, ever. One Twitter user ridiculed the bars web site for boasting of its two full bars - or the Twin Counters. The plaque shows an image of the burning Twin Towers after hijackers crashed two passenger airliners - one into each building - on that fateful morning nearly 20 years ago. It then goes on to describe how the owner of the bar, Johnson, experienced that day. The phone at Rio Mambo Tex Mex y Mas rings for the first day of operations, the text of the plaque reads under the subtitle 8:49am. Enthusiastically I answer the phone with pride and anticipation. Rosanne (my wife) informs me that reports out of New York indicate some type of aircraft has collided with the World Trade Center but details were sketchy. Having hosted over 400 people the previous night to christen the ship and at the end of a long, hands on, construction journey that began with John Paul (my son) and I ripping out pink carpet on July 2nd, my response was predictably short. Honey, our restaurant will open in less than two and a half hours. I cannot talk on the phone, Johnson is quoted as saying. After 71 straight days of physical labor, interviewing, hiring, training, and negotiating with the immense sacrifice of my family...we were poised to introduce Rio Mambo to Fort Worth. I hurried back to moving equipment and preparing for what I anticipated to be one of the greater memories of my life. I was wrong Bar9Eleven is part of the Rio Mambo Tex Mex y Mas restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas The image above shows the interior of the bar. Despite the name, there are no overt symbols or images that would remind patrons of 9/11 The image above shows one of the two bar counters inside the establishment The undated file image above shows one of the counters at the bar Tylers tweet mocking Bar9Eleven went viral on Twitter, generating more than 1,600 retweets and 19,000 likes as of Sunday. Blown away by this work of creative nonfiction depicting the owner of a tex mex restaurant in north texas as the main character of our nation's darkest day, Tyler tweeted. Twitter users who reacted to Tylers tweet largely agreed with him that naming a bar after 9/11 was in poor taste. What a terrible name for a bar, it reminds me of that tragedy, one Twitter user wrote. One Twitter user joked: Never Forget ... IT'S WING WEDNESDAY! Stop by bar9eleven for 25 cent wings and 3 dollar pints of Budweiser every Wednesday night from 9 until 11. Another Twitter user mocked a sign inside the restaurant that read: Bar9Eleven, more than a name...more than a date...a state of mind...never forget, ever. One Twitter user ridiculed the bars web site for boasting of its two full bars - or the Twin Counters. Another Twitter user commented: So many questions. Does this place get a lot of business? Do they realize its not paying tribute but exploiting the day? People man. A defiant Johnson told DailyMail.com on Sunday that he doesnt care about the criticisms of the bar. Diners don't seem to mind the bar name as they've given the restaurant largely positive reviews on Yelp The only people who say that are people who dont know me and are not from Fort Worth, he told DailyMail.com on Sunday. Johnson said that his bar attracted attention from the news media after its remodeling in 2013, though Twitter wasnt as strong back then. He said that locals in Fort Worth know me and understand what purpose was behind it. Its really really simple, the 62-year-old Johnson told DailyMail.com. I opened my restaurant on the most tragic day of my life. 9/11 was just a very tragic day for our country. It was very somber and its become a sacred day for all of us. Johnson said that he decided to name the bar after 9/11 because he had read a statistic which claimed that some 80 per cent of Americans never heard of 9/11. One of the photos inside the bar shows the above image depicting the memorial at Ground Zero The plaque shows an image of the burning Twin Towers after hijackers crashed two passenger airliners - one into each building - on that fateful morning nearly 20 years ago. It then goes on to describe how the owner of the bar, Johnson, experienced that day Another photo inside the bar shows a commemorative plaque depicting the remnants of one of the downed towers Another image of a photo from inside the bar shows the 9/11 memorial in Jersey City, New Jersey We were remodeling the bar so I said Were not going to forget. And people who come into this restaurant arent going to forget. Johnson said that those mocking his bar on Twitter are actually proving his point because they thought of 9/11 - which was the goal all along. Mission accomplished, he said. My goal is very simple. Dont forget. No more, no less. Johnson said that there are no 9/11-themed menu offerings or other insensitive gimmicks that look to 'take advantage' of that somber day. On Yelp, diners dont seem to mind the bar name and think that the restaurant is worth patronizing. 'One of my favorite go-to Mexican / Tex-Mex restaurants,' one reviewer wrote. 'Staff here is always friendly and they have great customer service.' Another satisfied customer wrote: 'Was traveling to Ft Worth quite a bit and stumbled upon this fantastic place!! The food was fresh and I love their thin tortilla chips!!' A soil testing company who have had a class action filed against them over a 'sinking suburb' saga has also been accused of leaving behind asbestos and car wreckages at another Sydney site. A handful of houses at Spring Farm, near Camden in Sydney's south west, have been left riddled with cracks as the ground beneath them gives way. Homeowners with damaged properties claim the way the site was filled prior to the construction stage caused the land to move and led to dangerous and costly defects. A class action is seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages from Camden Council, developers and SMEC Testing Services - who did a soil analysis on the site. SMEC has also been caught up in another law suit, after being accused of failing to clean up asbestos, oil drums and car wrecks at a property in Warwick Farm in Sydney's west, according to a document filed in the NSW Supreme Court, obtained by The Daily Telegraph. In 2012, thoroughbred auctioneers William Inglis & Son purchased the land from the Australian Turf Club for $8.6million. SMEC Soil Testing has also been caught up in another law suit, and being accused of failing to clean up asbestos, oil drums and car wrecks at a property in Warwick Farm in Sydney's west In 2012, thoroughbred auctioneers William Inglis & Son purchased the land from the Australian Turf Club, who allegedly agreed to clean up the area 'by utilising the specialist contamination assessment and remedial services of SMEC' The ATC allegedly agreed to clean up the area 'by utilising the specialist contamination assessment and remedial services of SMEC'. Inglis claims that during the construction of horse stables on the eastern end of the land, undisclosed rubbish was found, which employees dubbed 'Robbo's Tip'. In court documents, the bloodstock auctioneering company claims the ATC breached its contract, and participated in 'misleading or deceptive conduct'. Inglis is also suing SMEC, claiming it failed to ensure the site was adequately assessed for contamination. SMEC has disputed the claims, and said it didn't owe a duty of care to Inglis. The ATC alleged that Inglis 'was aware of the presence of the material it now describes as contamination' since it put down a deposit for the land in 2009. Meanwhile, the Spring Farm 'sinking houses' controversy has caused neighbours in the southwest Sydney estate to turn on each other. A handful of houses at Spring Farm, near Camden in Sydney's south west, have started falling apart and are riddled with cracks as the ground beneath them gives way Resident Michael Markich said his house has remained undamaged as other homes are falling apart Despite most of the 3,500 homes sustaining no damage, the class action is affecting all homeowners. Dianne Markich, whose home is one of thousands not to suffer any defects, said her property has depreciated in value as a result of the controversial class action that has received significant media coverage. 'You put your heart and soul into building a house... There's absolutely nothing wrong with our house or anyone we've spoken to,' Ms Markich said told Daily Mail Australia. A tenant on Wagner Road invited Daily Mail Australia into his buckling rental property, where entire walls had shifted out of place. Pictured: The bathroom wall The neighbouring property's roof had slanted down and caved in the middle The man's neighbour's home had also suffered serious cracks in the side of its facade, causing bricks to become separated 5cm from each other Ms Markich's husband Michael said: 'None of us really knew about any of it until we got the letter in the mail.' The Cornish Group designed the land. A tenant on Wagner Road invited Daily Mail Australia into his rental property where entire walls have shifted out of place, the floors slope down, and windows and doors are unable to be opened. The wall of the laundry has lifted about 2cm from the floor tiles, causing cracks that reach the ceiling. 'The majority of houses here are okay but the certain ones that are affected are affected so badly,' the tenant, who only wished to be identified as Jamie, said. Jamie, who has received a 'significant' rent reduction, said he would be 'right behind' the class action if he owned the home. 'You've got families where it's meant to be their forever home,' he said. 'The way Australia is in regards to affordability, how are you supposed to bust your a** and pay off a 30-year mortgage and have the stress of coming home and thinking 'is my house falling down today?' 'The rich get rich and the poor get poorer.' When Jamie moved into the three-bedroom home mid last year, cracks had already begun to show, however he says the damage has become progressively worse. Jamie, who received a 'significant' rent reduction, said he would be 'right behind' the class action if he owned the home. Pictured: The tiles and wall in the hallway after cracking and separating The wall of the laundry has lifted about 2cm from the floor tiles, causing cracks that reached the ceiling When Jamie moved into the three-bedroom home mid-last year, cracks had already begun to show, however he says the damage has gotten progressively worse. Pictured: The bathroom Jamie said the recent heavy rain and floods 'haven't helped' with the rapidly escalating problem. Pictured: The hallway ceiling 'There's only so much you can do. You can't just go buy Selleys Putty and fix the cracks up,' he said. Jamie said the recent heavy rain and floods 'haven't helped' with the escalating problem. 'That's when it comes down to the developers to think of something like floods and heavy rain happening,' he said. Tensions in the neighbourhood reached boiling point on Wednesday evening when Danny Massour, who has spent at least $40,000 in repairs on his cracking and splitting home, took to the street to share his anguish. Mr Massour, the lead plaintiff in the class action, said he and his wife Marielle have been heckled by locals furious that their undamaged homes have lost value due to the saga. Daily Mail Australia are not suggesting that Mr and Mrs Markich have any involvement in the alleged abuse. Mr Massour's brother later shared an impassioned social media plea for locals to stop 'abusing' the couple. 'To the lady that walked past and abused my brother over the situation that has been going on with the houses you are just showing why people like you don't deserve to be a part of a community,' he wrote. Lead plaintiff Danny Moussa's house, which is just five years old, has already needed $40,000 worth of repairs. Pictured with wife Marielle A large crack has formed on a wall outside a home in Spring Farm Dianne Markich, whose home is one of thousands not to suffer any defects, said her property has depreciated in value as a result of the highly publicised and controversial class action The class action has sparked wider residents concerns about the value of unaffected homes in the Spring Farm estate 'We live in this beautiful country we all call home and can't even spare a thought for the people that are struggling with families trying to pay off a home. 'Yes it's a free country, and yes you are free to speak your mind but when people start fearing for their own safety in their own community this is why I write this post.' An elderly man, who preferred not to be identified, said he and his wife's plans to sell their house and retire have now been thrown into limbo. Despite the vast majority of the 3,500 homes sustaining absolutely no damage, the class action - seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages from the developers and Camden Council - is affecting all homeowners. Pictured: A letter sent to homeowners 'We were only talking about selling last week and then all this happens. I don't know what we will do now but this could go on for years,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's putting a stigma on everyone's houses when [the majority] are fine. Why put a stick on the whole area.' The man said his real estate agent advised him to put his home on the market as soon as possible, but he is unsure whether to ride out the storm. 'I think this could linger on for a while,' he said. Another neighbour, who has lived in a rental property for five years, said he would avoid committing to living in the area. 'I wouldn't buy here because it's not worth it, you listen to all the problems people have,' he said. Joyce Petkovski said that while she has sympathy for the owners whose homes have cracked, it isn't appropriate nor fair to label the entire estate as 'Sink Farm'. 'It's not a really good thing to say when the entire Spring Farm isn't really sinking and will deter people from buying here and affect other home owners' property value,' she said. Many homes are still being built in the suburb - which was once a combination of a quarry, a tip and a chicken farm - with much thicker and more structurally sound 'high density' concrete foundation slabs. Locals Anne and Rod Chapman, who forked out $700,000 for their home and land, said their property is unsellable after sustaining serious damage from its sinking foundations. Homeowners with damaged properties say the way the site was filled prior to the construction stage caused the land to move and led to dangerous and costly defects. However, unaffected property owners claim it's the builders fault. Brett Cornish, managing director of The Cornish Group, said he was only aware of a few homes that had developed problems. Camden Council told Daily Mail Australia it has 'received no formal notice of the Supreme Court class action relating to Spring Farm' and is unable to provide further comments The house is continuing to crack and its doors are unable to close anymore, leaving their tenant with no option but to move out. Brett Cornish, managing director of The Cornish Group, said he was only aware of a few homes that had developed problems. The company, which is now suing Camden Council in a separate suit, had 'not yet seen any class action and is unable to comment'. Mr Cornish said the council 'were the prior owners of the land and we allege they undertook substantial filling works in the relevant area'. Residents of a nearby home brought legal action against building company Firstyle, who then purchased the property back from the owners. Camden Council told Daily Mail Australia it has 'received no formal notice of the Supreme Court class action relating to Spring Farm' and is unable to provide further comments. 'Council is making further enquiries with the Supreme Court to better understand the situation,' a spokesman said. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she 'wished [residents] well' when asked about Spring Farm's homeowners. 'It would be horrific for anyone who's invested in their family home, in their forever home, to have to find themselves in those circumstances,' Ms Berejiklian said on Tuesday. Stunning new evidence suggests that 300 Aboriginal men, women and children were raped and killed in a series of horrific massacres in the same location that have never been officially recognised. At least three massacres took place at Blackman's Point, near Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast, from 1826 - according to oral history passed down by local indigenous community, the Birpai people. The events have never been formally acknowledged by some residents and councilors largely due to a lack of proof. Aside from verbal accounts, the only verification was in the journal of Henry Lewis Wilson, who was the son of a lieutenant who oversaw convicts - historians need at least two written documents to determine whether an event actually took place. But on Monday, University of Newcastle historian Lyndall Ryan revealed that a newspaper clipping uncovered from 1941 could be the confirmation the local community have been waiting for. University of Newcastle historian Lyndall Ryan (pictured) may have found proof that there were three massacres at Blackman's Point during the colonial period Birpai elder Uncle Billo Holten told the first account to filmmaker Sam Meehan in a project called Healing Stories in 2018, according to the ABC. He said British soldiers invaded an Aboriginal camp when the men were away and raped the women. When the men came back, they chased down and killed two of the soldiers - but one escaped and told his colleagues in Port Macquarie what happened. A group of soldiers returned to the area, rounded up the indigenous group and pushed them down to Blackman's Point. 'My old man tells me what he heard from his elders and them fellas that there was around about 350 that were dragged down here by these fellas, shot, raped,' he said in the film. Henry Wilson's journal entry was a story passed down from his father Lieutenant William Wilson, and detailed the moment a group of British settlers ambushed a group of Aboriginal people. Pictured: Blackman's Point today. According to local oral history, a journal entry and a news clipping, about 300 Aboriginal Australians were rounded up, raped and shot there in 1826 The account matched Mr Holten's version of events - including details about the sole survivor relaying the story to his peers, and the group who then went to round the up the Aboriginal Australians. 'The soldiers got round the blacks and shot a great many of them, captured a lot of women and used them for a immoral purpose and then shot them,' Mr Wilson wrote in the mid 1800s. The two accounts were the only historians could find, until Professor Ryan found a newspaper article from the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observe, published on September 16, 1941 - which also matches Mr Holten's story. 'A descendant of Mr Wilson has given us far more information about at least two massacres that are found in Mr Wilson's own memoirs,' she told the publication. 'The information this guy provides matches a lot of what is in the memoirs, but there's extra information as well, so that's really a big find.' Professor Ryan created a map (pictured) in 2018 that details every frontier massacre between 1788 and 1930 that has at least two accounts of written evidence Professor Ryan believes the massacre described in the news clipping and the journal article likely resulted in 20 indigenous deaths because the types of weapons used that that time required reloading after each shot. But she also believes there were a series of other massacres at the site during the same time period, with a death toll around the 300 mark. The historian created a map in 2018 that details every frontier massacre between 1788 and 1930 that has at least two accounts of written evidence. She believes she now has enough to put at least two of the three Blackman's Point massacres on the map. A convicted murderer who lured his best friend to a bedroom lined in plastic before cutting off his head and limbs with an axe used the lyrics of his favourite rap song to do it, it has been revealed. Jack Sadler, 29, killed Jake Anderson-Brettner on August 15 in 2018 at Riverside in Launceston, Tasmania, using the Necro song 'Dead Body Disposal' as a guide. A line from the song reads: 'Cut up a corpse into six pieces', put the pieces inside trash bags', [throw] the bags away in various trash bins in different areas and use 'pepper... to coat the pieces.' Scroll for song lyrics Jack Sadler, 29, and his fiancee Gemma Clark, 26, have both been convicted over the murder Jake Anderson-Brettner (pictured with fiancee Katlyn Roney) was murdered in 2018 over a drug feud Sadler had been supplying Mr Anderson-Brettner with ecstasy and cocaine from contacts in Victoria but the relationship began to turn sour when the victim fell into debt, the Herald Sun reported. He shot the apprentice butcher three times, decapitated and dismembered the body with an electric saw before disposing of the body parts in garbage bags with the help of his fiancee Gemma Clark, 26. Sadler had planned the murder and even lined the room - known as the shoe room - with plastic before shooting Mr Anderson-Brettner to avoid leaving forensic evidence. He purchased disposable overalls, gloves, garbage bags and bleach the day before the killing. Anderson-Brettner's torso was dumped in an embankment off the Tasman Highway and other body parts were put in wheelie bins across the city. This is eerily similar to the Necro song lyrics: 'Cut the f**kin' corpse up like a butcher to meat kid. And put the pieces inside trash bags. 'And throw the bags away in various trash bins in different areas. This s**t's hilarious.' After placing the body parts into garbage bags Sadler instructed Clark to mix 'vinegar, pepper, and chili powder together' and pour it inside to mask the smell. In Dead Body Disposal, Necro sings: 'Be extra careful and grab an aerosol can of pepper spray to coat the pieces the smell is unbearable.' Tasmania's Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates SC said Sadler said the lyrics of the song was 'consistent' with the murder. 'I'm not suggesting everything he's done is the same as the song, but the major things that have happened are consistent with this song,' he said. Sadler worked as a bouncer at a nightclub in Launceston where he met a contact who had links to Victorian drug suppliers. With this connection, Sadler would bring in drugs from interstate and hand them off to Mr Andersen-Brettner to sell. Sadler became 'angry' after Anderson-Brettner racked up a six-figure drug debt with the Victorian suppliers. Sadler became 'angry at him' after Anderson-Brettner (pictured with a friend) racked up a six-figure drug debt with the Victorian suppliers Apprentice butcher Jake Anderson-Brettner, 24, (left) was brutally murdered by his friend. (Pictured with fiancee Katlyn Roney) The torso was found days after the killing and an autopsy revealed Mr Anderson-Brettner it had been shot at three times. 'No other parts of Mr Anderson-Brettner's body were ever found,' Mr Coates said. Sadler's legal team had argued their client did dispose of the body but did not pull the trigger, even though the defence and prosecution both agreed it was his gun. He pleaded not guilty and claimed members from the Victorian crime syndicate had travelled down from Victoria to carry out the killing. 'The gun was pulled on both of us. They then turned the gun on Jake and shot him. I was told to 'cut the body up and get rid of it',' Sadler told the court. But he refused to name those he claimed were responsible, telling the court that doing so would put his family 'in danger'. A jury found him guilty of murder on Thursday at the Supreme Court in Launceston. Clark was sentenced to five and a half years jail in 2019 for her role as an accessory after the fact. Sadler will be sentenced later in the year. Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger has launched a scathing attack on House leader Kevin McCarthy for 'lying' about the January 6 riots at the US Capitol. Appearing on Fox New Sunday, Kinzinger said it was vital that Congress established a 9/11-style commission into the attack to get to the bottom of what happened. 'The American people deserve the truth,' he told host Chris Wallace. ' 'And my party to this point has said things like it was hugs and kisses, it was Antifa and BLM, it was anything but what it was, which was a Trump-inspired insurrection on the Capitol.' The House passed legislation last week to form a bipartisan commission of five Republicans and five Democrats to investigate the January 6 riots, in spite of opposition from Republican leadership. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has said he will oppose the formation of a commission, meaning it is unlikely to pass the Senate. Appearing on ABC's This Week, GOP Sen. Susan Collins offered a glimmer of hope that the bill could get through the Senate, saying she strongly supports the formation of the independent commission, signaling a break from party leadership. Collins said it was vital to understand why law enforcement wasn't better prepared for the attack by an angry mob of Donald Trump supporters who stormed Congress in an effort to block it from certifying the results of the November Presidential election. Rep. Adam Kinzinger accused House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of lying about January 6 McCarthy initially blamed Donald Trump for inciting the riot, before reversing his position after meeting with the former President at Mar-a-Lago Some 140 Capitol Police officers were injured when an angry mob of Donald Trump's supporters broke into the US Capitol to stop the certification of Joe Biden's victory 'I strongly support the creation of an independent commission,' Collins told ABC on Sunday morning. 'I believe there are many unanswered questions about the attacks on the Capitol on Jan. 6.' The moderate Senator from Maine said she wanted to see minor amendments to the bill that passed the House, with equal numbers of staff from each party working on the commission and for the report to wrap up this year. Collins was one of seven Republican senators who voted to impeach Trump for his role in the January 6 attacks. But of that group, North Carolina Richard Burr has already come out against the commission, meaning it is unlikely to gain the 10 Republican votes it would require to pass. Collins was optimistic it could be done. 'There's plenty of time to complete the work,' she told host George Stephanopoulos. 'And I'm optimistic that we can get past these issues based on the conversations I've had with the speaker of the House and the House majority leader.' Meanwhile Kinzinger, one of 35 Republicans in the House to vote for the forming of an independent commission into January 6, tore into Kevin McCarthy, who initially blamed Trump for the attack before reversing his position after a meeting with the former President at Mar-a-Lago. 'What we need is a comprehensive look of what happened that led up to Jan. 6,' Kinzinger said. 'Who was talking to who? What were the lies?' 'I do think Kevin has failed to tell the truth to the Republicans and to the American people. 'And it pains me to say it. It's not like I enjoy standing up and saying this.' Kinzinger said the Republican voters who believe the election was stolen, had been misled. Appearing on ABC's This Week , GOP Sen. Susan Collins offered a glimmer of hope that the bill could get through the Senate, saying she strongly supports the formation of the independent commission, signaling a break from party leadership 'The people they trust have either been silent or not told them the truth,' Kinzinger said. 'That's where Kevin has failed, because he told the truth... then he went to Mar-a-Lago and said Donald Trump's the leader of the party. 'He's right Donald Trump is the leader of the party. But we need to tell people the truth.' According to the Washington Post, four Republican Senators have expressed openness to voting for the commission: Collins, Mitt Romney, Bill Cassidy and Mike Crapo. A further 11 are still considering whether to support the bill, 25 oppose and 10 are unknown. This week, it was revealed more than 70 US Capitol police have quit since the January 6 riots. Some 140 Capitol Police officers were injured when an angry mob of Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol building to stop the certification the election victory of Joe Biden. Officer Brian Sicknick, who was among hundreds of officers trying to fight off rioters without the necessary equipment or planning, died following the January 6 riot. It was determined in April that Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes. Officer Howard Liebengood, 51, who had been on the Capitol Police force since 2005, died by suicide less than a week after the riots. Not many people get second chances, let alone ones worth $30billion - but that's what happened to John Hartman. The son of a Sydney 'obstetrician to the stars', Hartman suffered the ultimate fall from grace when he was jailed for a $1.4million insider trading plot nine years ago. He testified at trial against his former Riverview College chum Oliver Curtis, husband of PR maven Roxy Jacenko, ensuring his one-time best mate was locked up too. Now 35, Mr Hartman has spoken publicly about how he turned his life around in an interview with the Australian Financial Review. And the ex-con has declared his absolute loyalty to the mining magnate who took a gamble on him: Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, Australia's second richest person. John Hartman fell from grace when he and his best mate Oliver Curtis were convicted of insider trading offences - but was handed a second chance by Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest. Above, Mr Hartman, now 35, is seen with his wife Alice and their three sons Hartman was the star witness at the trial of his former best mate Oliver Curtis (above, with wife Roxy Jacenko) in 2016 Mr Hartman now works as the chief investment officer for Andrew Forrest and wife Nicola's private holdings firm in Perth, Western Australia Mr Hartman now lives in Perth, is married to long-time partner Alice Clarke and a father of three boys. He is the chief investment officer for the Forrest family's holding company, Tattarang, overseeing the clan's $30billion private portfolio. 'After the second chance they gave me, I have complete and undying loyalty to them,' Mr Hartman told the Financial Review. It is a fate that would be almost unthinkable nine years ago, when he walked out of prison after 15 months served for insider trading offences. Four years after his release, Mr Hartman was thrust into the spotlight once more when he gave evidence against Curtis, ensuring his former mate was jailed for 12 months. 'He took the rap for it and had the guts and character Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, in an interview with the Australian Financial Review The trial sparked headlines about the hedonistic lifestyle the two young men led thanks to their crimes and their pedigrees. Mr Hartman is one of six children of Dr Keith Hartman AO, who has delivered babies for elite Sydney families the Murdochs, Packers and Waterhouses. Curtis is the son of Nick Curtis, the wealthy founder of mining business Lynas Corp, and whose celebrity wife is rarely out of the headlines. Curtis is pictured leaving Cooma correctional centre in New South Wales' alpine region in 2017 after serving his 12 month sentence Hartman and Curtis's entries in the Riverwood College yearbook came to light during the trial. Above, Hartman's is seen above, via the NSW State Library Memories: The Riverview College yearbook entry from Oliver Curtis' graduating year In the Financial Review interview, Mr Hartman said his trials and tribulations had made him who he is today. He described his partnership with the Forrest family as a 'special relationship' - and one he's very fortunate to have forged. Mr Forrest told the newspaper that Hartman had a valuable experience on his resume few others would boast of - he knows what it is like to suffer. 'That kid had had it very hard,' the mining magnate was quoted saying. 'Sydney and Melbourne turned their backs on him because he made some bad mistakes and then owned up to them. 'He took the rap for it and had the guts and the character.' Curtis, the son of billionaire miner Nick Curtis, likewise landed on his feet after serving a 12 month prison stint. As of last year, he was been working as the chief operating officer of his family's new venture Firmus Grid. The company is converting an old abattoir in Launceston, Tasmania, into a supercomputer hub. The head of the Royal Navy has come under fire after describing China and Russia as 'responsible nations'. Admiral Tony Radakin was speaking as the UK's new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, set off on her maiden voyage to the Indo-Pacific region. This will include the contested South China Sea. But his comments, which came as the warship set sail on Saturday, have caused alarm with experts pointing to human rights abuses by both nations. These include China's oppression of Uighur Muslims and Russia's use of chemical weapons such as in Salisbury in 2018. Admiral Tony Radakin has come under fire after describing China and Russia as 'responsible nations. Pictured: Admiral Radakin in front of the HMS Queen Elizabeth at HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, on Saturday Admiral Radakin said: 'China and Russia are responsible nations. I would expect them to behave responsibly. 'I do not expect the recklessness of the past or aggression from China when UK forces go about activity in a legal manner. We are behaving responsibly and we would expect others to behave responsibly too.' Last night Tobias Ellwood, Tory chairman of the Commons defence committee, criticised the remarks. Highlighting China's attempts to cover up the Covid-19 outbreak and introduce draconian laws in Hong Kong, he said: '[These] are not the actions of a responsible nation.' HMS Queen Elizabeth departs HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, for her maiden deployment on Saturday Experts also challenged the view that China will allow the Carrier Strike Group to pass through the South China Sea entirely unhindered. James Rogers, director of research at the Council on Geostrategy, said: 'The deployment is an inspiring expression of British naval power. 'To deploy such a large task force to the other side of the world is something very few countries can do. 'However, it is likely Britain's adversaries will attempt to downplay the importance of the deployment and could attempt to harry HMS Queen Elizabeth's passage in some way as it transits and performs exercises in the South China Sea. 'The crew will have to maintain the highest standards to ensure the voyage proceeds as smoothly as possible.' But he said plan was 'disastrously misconceived' and 'Plan B had to be bodged' Dominic Cummings escalated his extraordinary assault on Boris Johnson today claiming the PM had no plan for a Covid lockdown before experts started 'screaming' that hundreds of thousands of people could die. The former No10 chief launched another devastating swipe accusing Matt Hancock and the Cabinet Office for failing to understand the concept of 'herd immunity' as the pandemic erupted. Mr Cummings - who was at the heart of decision-making - said the original intention was to allow the virus to play out and achieve 'herd immunity' quickly to avoid a second peak that could overwhelm the NHS in winter. But in a long Twitter thread he said it became apparent the strategy was 'disastrously misconceived' and a 'Plan B had to be bodged amid utter chaos'. He claimed that by March 13 last year the government still had 'neither an intention to lockdown nor... any official plan for doing so'. Saying that experts had been 'screaming' at the PM, the maverick adviser posted a chart from the time showing a 259,000 death toll as an 'optimal single peak strategy' - against a 'do nothing' option that could have meant 510,000 casualties. A full lockdown was eventually announced on March 23, with significant curbs having stayed in place ever since as the government wrestled to keep infections down. The death toll on the main measure is just under 128,000. The latest salvo from Mr Cummings comes as he prepares for an explosive evidence session with MPs on Wednesday. He has already branded the Department of Health a 'smoking' ruin over its dismal efforts to procure PPE and ventilators, saying the vaccination drive has only been successful because it was taken out of the department's hands. Dominic Cummings posted a chart claiming that COBR documents had the 'optimal single peak strategy' showing 260,000 dead because the system was 'so confused in the chaos' Mr Cummings posted another excerpt from a report suggesting that imposing a tough lockdown could merely have caused a second peak at a more dangerous time for the NHS In the event the death toll has been far lower than the 'optimal' estimates highlighted by Mr Cummings, with two main peaks in numbers Mr Cummings, former chief adviser to Boris Johnson, claimed ministers pursued a herd immunity policy last year until it became clear thousands would die and the NHS would collapse Mr Cummings wrote: 'Even AFTER we shifted to PlanB, COBR documents had the ''OPTIMAL single peak strategy'' graphs showing 260k dead cos the system was so confused in the chaos'. Downing Street insists that allowing large numbers to catch the virus and become immune to prevent its spread had never been its plan. But Mr Cummings said 'herd immunity' was 'officially seen as unavoidable' in the week of March 9, 2020, and that it would come either 'in a single peak over by September, or in a second peak in winter'. He said that the first option was 'seen as easier to manage and less of a catastrophe so it was Plan A', but then the government 'started to figure out Plan B to dodge herd immunity until vaccines'. Mr Cummings said that in the week of March 9 seven days before Mr Johnson told people to stop non-essential contact with others it 'became clear' that neither Health Secretary Matt Hancock nor the Cabinet Office understood herd immunity. He said the policy would have left hundreds of thousands 'choking to death', no NHS treatment for months, unburied dead and an economic implosion. Ministers then moved to 'Plan B', he said, adding: 'Critical as I am of the PM in all sorts of ways, it's vital to understand the disaster was not just his fault. 'The official plan was disastrously misconceived ... and a Plan B had to be bodged amid total and utter chaos.' Adding to his attack today, Mr Cummings dismissed the idea that the government was always intending to lock down - but just waited for the right moment. 'SAGE said *literally the opposite*: lockdown = suppression = 'near certainty' of 2nd peak & this was thought to be much WORSE than single peak/herd immunity by Sep, hence graph ,' he wrote. Mr Cummings said that by March 14 one of the things being 'screamed at the PM was ''there is *no plan for lockdown* & our current official plan will kill at least 250k & destroy the NHS''.' Downing Street is braced for a potentially highly damaging onslaught on Wednesday following Mr Cummings' acrimonious departure from Number 10 at the end of last year Downing Street is braced for a potentially highly damaging onslaught from Mr Cummings on Wednesday when he gives evidence to MPs investigating the Government's response to the pandemic. Covid jabs for under-30s 'by the end of the week': Younger people are set to be offered vaccine Coronavirus vaccines could be offered to those in their twenties within days as the rollout continues at pace. And in more good news a new study suggests the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the Indian variant. The jabs combat the new mutant almost as well as the Kent strain, a study by Public Health England found. Matt Hancock said the findings were 'groundbreaking' raising hopes restrictions can end as planned on June 21. The Health Secretary also celebrated the UK yesterday passing an 'incredible milestone' after 60million doses were administered. It comes after the NHS gave a record number of second doses on Saturday, latest figures show. The NHS lowered the eligibility age for the jab three times last week with those aged 32 and 33 the latest to benefit. This is expected to be lowered to 30 early this week and officials believe they can drop it even further soon after. A source said: 'The vaccine programme has been progressing at a rate of knots, getting to ever younger age groups, while continuing to offer second doses at a record pace. 'If all goes to plan, everyone in their thirties will hopefully have received their invite for a jab within 72 hours or so, with some in their twenties being called forward within the next week to ten days.' The PHE study showed that the Pfizer vaccine was 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. This compares with 93 per cent against the Kent variant. The AstraZeneca jab was also found to be 60 per cent effective against the Indian variant after two doses and 66 per cent effective against the Kent strain. But both vaccines were only 33 per cent effective against the Indian variant three weeks after one dose, compared with 50 per cent for Kent. Advertisement In a foretaste of what to expect, the former No 10 adviser also took aim at former deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries, who now heads the UK Health Security Agency. He claimed she had said in early March that masks were a 'bad idea' because 'we don't want to disrupt people's lives' and that acting 'too early we will just pop up with another epidemic peak later'. 'So Whitehall has promoted her, obviously,' he tweeted sarcastically. Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday denied that herd immunity had been the Government's original policy. She told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: 'Our strategy was always about protecting public health, saving lives and protecting the NHS. 'Absolutely all colleagues involved in those meetings and discussions, working with the chief scientist and the chief medical officers, absolutely recognised that from the very difficult discussions that we had. 'At the time of a crisis, when government is making very, very tough decisions, difficult decisions, we put public life and protecting the public at the forefront of all those decisions.' Dr Harries said the idea of herd immunity had been 'misinterpreted' by some and the strategy was instead to build resistance to Covid through the jab programme. 'What you're looking at in a population is to try and see at which point your population would be safe, and this is what we do with this very successful vaccination programme that we have,' she said. 'That's not the same as saying, which I think has been misinterpreted in many places, that the aim would be to allow people to become infected and develop herd immunity. That has never been on the agenda.' A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Herd immunity has never been a policy aim or part of our coronavirus strategy. 'Our response has at all times been focused on saving lives and ensuring the NHS was not overwhelmed. We continue to be guided by the latest scientific advice.' Mr Johnson missed several meetings of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, at the start of the Covid-19 crisis and officials are said to be concerned that Mr Cummings will blame his absence on his work on Shakespeare. Publication of the book has been repeatedly pushed back from its original release date of October 2016. The Prime Minister has reportedly been paid a six-figure advance for Shakespeare: The Riddle of Genius. Mr Johnson has written a number of books, including the international bestseller The Churchill Factor. A government source last night described the Shakespeare claim as 'total nonsense'. Mr Cummings has been posting an ever-lengthening Twitter thread about the response to the pandemic Covid cases rise by 16 per cent to 2,325 but medical chief insists June 21 end of lockdown is still 'looking good' as jabs total passes 60million Britain hit the 'huge' milestone of 60 million vaccinations yesterday, as health officials said the possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted next month is 'looking good'. The government's coronavirus dashboard showed five new deaths being recorded on Sunday, up by just one from last Sunday's total of four. Covid cases meanwhile increased by 16 per cent to 2,235, up from 1,926 last weekend when there was a lower rate rise of 8 per cent. There were a reported 908 patients in hospital with coronavirus and 123 on ventilation as of Thursday May 20, although this number had barely changed compared to the week before. The data suggests that while there has been an increase in cases of Covid-19 this is thankfully not being translated into hospitalisations or deaths. Britain hit the 'huge' milestone of 60 million vaccinations today, as health officials said the possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted next month is 'looking good' It comes after Public Health England announced that the current set of coronavirus jabs are effective against the Indian variant - boosting hopes that Boris Johnson will be able to go ahead with his June 21 'freedom day' as planned. Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the success of the vaccine rollout, tweeting: 'HUGE day for vaccinations yesterday - 762,361 given across UK. We've now done 60 million vaccines across the UK. 'This is a fantastic milestone in our fight against this virus. Thank you to everyone involved in our national effort. When you get the call, get the jab.' This lines up the real prospect of the final stage of the country's unlocking, which is due to take place on June 21 at the earliest. Dr Jenny Harries warned that caution should be taken as the new Indian strain is creating a 'mixed picture' across the UK However, Dr Jenny Harries urged the public to be cautious to avoid another lockdown, warning that the new Indian variant has become the 'dominant strain' in some parts of the country. She told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show: 'It's looking good if people are continuing to observe all of the safety signals, so we should not stop doing what we're doing, particularly in areas where we have that variant of concern, the B1617.2, in the north-west and around London. 'It's really important that people continue to do hands, face, space and work from home, have their jabs and go for tests as well. 'The cases of the B1617.2 variant are rising, they have risen very steeply and much of the media have reported a 160% rise in cases over the week period but they seem to be slightly levelling at the moment. 'It's still very early days.' Dr Harries added: 'We all need to be very cautious and I think we all don't want to go back to the sort of lockdowns that we've had, it doesn't matter whether you're on Sage or out in the public, none of us want to return to that sort of restriction.' From June 21 at the earliest, nightclubs are due to reopen and restrictions on large events such as festivals are to be lifted, as are restrictions on the number of people at weddings. Dr Harries warned that caution should be taken as the new Indian strain is creating a 'mixed picture' across the UK. She added: 'If you look at areas such as Bolton and Bedford, for example, in the north-west particularly, it's starting to become the dominant strain and has taken over from the Kent variant, which has been our predominant one over the winter months. 'But that's not the case right across the country, actually if you're in the south-west that's still not the case.' However, Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, believed there may be an 'adjustment' to the lifting of restrictions on June 21. Asked how likely it is that measures will be lifted on that date, he told Times Radio on Sunday: 'We're effectively in a race with the vaccine programme against the virus. 'We know that we're letting the virus out by spreading it about now, we know that we're progressing well with the vaccine programme, but I think there's going to need to be an adjustment of some sort.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the success of the vaccine rollout, tweeting: 'HUGE day for vaccinations yesterday - 762,361 given across UK. We've now done 60 million vaccines across the UK Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel said there would not be a 'green light all the way' to unlocking restrictions. Ms Patel said: 'We all have to be conscientious. All of us that are out and about now, we are distancing, wearing masks, following all the rules. 'That is part of our normal life now and that will continue, and that, of course, will help us to that unlocking on June 21.' Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told BBC Breakfast: 'I think there are uncertainties around the situation at the moment. I think, in a way, there's been uncertainties all the way along. 'It's always been a sort of provisional timetable and it has to be, or may have to be, adjusted according to events as they occur. 'When we get to June, whatever happens on that date, this global pandemic will not be over. It will still be going on. 'There'll still be cases going on in this country, through Europe and around the world, so life is not suddenly going to go back to normal in June, because life won't be really normal until this is brought under control. 'Life's going towards normal but it's not normal yet.' The comments come after a study by Public Health England (PHE) found that the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is 88 per cent effective against the Indian variant after two doses. Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the outcome as 'groundbreaking', while PHE said it expects to see even higher levels of effectiveness against hospital admission and death. The study, which took place between April 5 and May 16, found that the jab was found to be almost as effective against symptomatic disease from the B1617.2 strain as it is against the Kent variant, with 93 per cent effectiveness. Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca jab was 60 per cent effective, compared with 66 per cent against the Kent variant over the same period. Both vaccines were 33 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant three weeks after the first dose, compared with about 50 per cent against the Kent strain. New data from PHE shows there have been at least 2,889 cases of the Indian variant recorded in England from February 1 this year to May 18. Of those, 104 cases resulted in a visit to a hospital emergency department, 31 required an overnight hospital admission and six resulted in a death. The most common strain in England, according to the data, is the Kent variant, with 132,082 cases recorded over the same period. Some 1,569 people have died with the variant, while 2,011 cases resulted in an overnight hospital admission and 5,238 required a visit to a hospital emergency department. Separate analysis by PHE indicates that the vaccination programme has so far prevented 13,000 deaths and about 39,100 hospital admissions in older people in England, up to May 9. Meanwhile, Downing Street said it was looking at ways to publish data on cases transmitted in different settings in a 'robust and clear way'. It comes after The Observer reported that data on the spread of the Indian variant in schools had been due to be published this week, but was not included in a PHE report on Thursday. A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Twice a week, Public Health England publish a breakdown of the number of cases of each variant in the UK. 'Given public interest in variants of concern, we are looking at ways to publish cases transmitted in different settings in a robust and clear way. PHE will publish this data in due course.' Latest figures show that more than 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccine have now been given in England. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer apologized Sunday after apparently violating state-mandated social distancing guidelines at an East Lansing bar and grill. It was the latest pandemic-related misstep for the Democratic governor, who waited weeks to disclose partial details of a private jet trip she took to visit her father in Florida after two of her top aides headed south as coronavirus cases surged in Michigan and residents were cautioned against traveling south for spring break. A photo circulated on social media of Whitmer with a large group of unmasked people at an East Lansing bar-restaurant, The Landshark Bar & Grill. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (fourth from left) was pictured Saturday, May 22, 2021 among a party of 13 at the Landshark Bar & Grill in East Lansing For months, Whitmer's health department has prohibited bar and restaurants from having more than six people seated at a table together. The governor apologized Sunday for appearing to violate the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' epidemic order An exterior imagesof the Landshark Bar and Grill in East Lansing, Michigan The photo, which shows Whitmer seated with about a dozen people, was posted on social media by one of the attendees who was a friend of the governor, but was later deleted. 'Throughout the pandemic, Ive been committed to following public health protocols,' Whitmer said in a statement Sunday. 'Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didnt stop to think about it. In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize.' Michigan restaurants and bars remain subject to capacity limits and social distancing requirements. Current orders require six people or fewer at tables and distances of 6 feet between tables. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says 'consumption of food or beverages is permitted only where patrons are seated, groups of patrons are separated by at least 6 feet, no more than 6 patrons are seated at a table, and groups of patrons do not intermingle.' Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has issued an apology after she was pictured violating the states gathering and mask order The Governor released a statement apologizing for her actions Whitmer, a Democrat, also faced criticism from Republicans after she traveled to Florida in March before being vaccinated to visit her ailing elderly father. 'Gov. Whitmer continues to defy her own COVID rules while her administration punishes and fines others for not adhering to her strict orders,' said Tori Sachs, executive director of the Michigan Freedom Fund, a conservative political organization. 'Whitmer has proven time and again that she doesn't follow the rules she imposes.' Last week, Whitmer announced all of the remaining mask-wearing and social distancing restrictions would be lifted on July 1, regardless of whether a person had been vaccinated or not. Whitmer came in for some strong criticism on Twitter as a result of being pictured at the bar COVID restrictions for bars, restaurants and workplaces are also expected to be lessoned come June. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced fully-vaccinated Americans could finally stop wearing their masks almost anywhere - indoors or outdoors. Those who have finished their shot regimen can now go out to eat, see a movie, shake hands and give hugs at will, according to the new guidance. The new guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, but could ease restrictions for reopening workplaces and schools. People who are fully vaccinated but immunocompromised people may still be advised by their doctors to keep masking. However, the CDC's recommendation is just that - an unenforceable recommendation. States, cities and businesses can still require masks. California Governor Gavin Newsom is shown above, left, sitting with ten others in the indoor/outdoor dining room at The French Laundry on last November without a mask. The photos were obtained by Fox 11 LA via a Twitter user Newsom (pictured during a lockdown announcement) was sitting in a private room with a glass door which was closed at one point because the group was being loud. He quickly apologized for the 'bad mistake' Whitmer, who received her second vaccination dose April 29, is considered fully vaccinated but she is not the first public official to draw criticism for defying pandemic-related rules. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who won plaudits for issuing the first statewide stay-at-home order in the U.S. back in March, 2020, later drew criticism after he broke the state rules. Newsom and his wife were caught dining with 10 others at the posh French Laundry restaurant in Napa in early November with lobbyists and others from numerous different households, sitting close together, mask-less. Newsom quickly apologized, saying he 'made a bad mistake' but noting the gathering was outdoors. Within days, photos emerged showing the group in a room that was enclosed on three sides with a sliding glass door on the other, maybe meeting the technical definition of outdoors, but perhaps not the spirit. The family of a six-year-old boy who was shot to death in a suspected road-rage attack are putting up $50,000 to help catch the killer. Aiden Leos, from Southern California, was fatally shot on the 55 Freeway in Orange, California, by someone reportedly in a white Volkswagen station wagon on Friday. On a GoFundMe page set up to provide support for Aiden's family, Carla Lacy, who is said to be his step-grandmother, announced a reward for information to help find the shooter. The reward will come from the money raised on the fundraising page, the latest update on the page by Carla, from Huntington Beach, California, confirmed after donations raced past the original $100,000 target. The family of a six-year-old boy Aiden Leos (centre) who was shot dead in a suspected road-rage attack have announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrest of a suspect On a GoFundMe page (above) set up to provide support for Aiden's family, Carla Lacy, who is said to be Aiden's step-grandmother, announced a reward for information to find the shooter The appeal, which will also help Aiden's family with his burial costs, has already raised a staggering $183,000 in just a matter of days. It read: 'Due to the outpouring love and support we have reached our goal. 'However we would like to continue to raise money that will go towards a reward in hopes of finding the individuals that took Aiden's life.' On Saturday evening, Aiden's mother, father and sister said they wanted to express their appreciation for the 'loving support' in a post on the GoFundMe page. 'While their lives are shattered in a million pieces they are strengthened knowing the world is wrapping their arms around them! THANK YOU!' A second fundraising page had also been set up by a friend of Aiden's father which revealed the heartbreaking moment he was told of his son's death. 'Aiden Leos also had a loving father whom was very much in his life,' wrote Lily Dinh on the other GoFundMe page. Aiden's father 'is now trying to figure out what is left for him when he worked long days and even took on extra work to help provide for his son,' she wrote. Aiden Leos (pictured), from Southern California, was fatally shot on the 55 Freeway in Orange, California, by a driver reportedly driving a white Volkswagen station wagon on Friday On Saturday evening, Aiden's mother, father and sister said they wanted to express their appreciation for the 'loving support' in a post on the GoFundMe page 'To get a phone call while at work from the CHP, to his heart racing only to think something happened to his son and then finally rushing to the hospital but it was too late. 'No last goodbye and no more smiles, hugs, or I love you's. This is something a parent should never have to go through. He is so heart broken that even a picture or the thought of his lil boy makes him break down.' More than $10,000 had been raised on the second GoFundMe page by Monday morning. Aiden was in the rear of the family car being driven to school by his mother when another motorist cut her off while traveling in the car pool lane on State Route 55. Aiden's mother Joanna Cloonan was said to have given the other driver the finger in her rear view mirror, according to Reyes Valdivia, who along with his wife pulled over to help. As she moved over to to her right, a gunman, possibly sitting in the passenger seat of the suspect's car, suddenly fired into Aiden's vehicle, striking the boy in the back. After pulling over to the side of the road, Aiden's mother picked him up and cradled him in her arms until an off-duty police office stopped to perform CPR and paramedics arrived on the scene. 'She had blood on her clothes and he started turning blue and that's when the ambulance took him and that was the last time my mom saw him alive,' said Alexis Cloonan, the boy's sister, during a tearful family press conference on Friday. Aiden was shot while in the back of his mother's car being driven to school when another motorist cut her off while traveling in the car pool lane on State Route 55 on Friday Aiden's distraught family are begging for justice with Aiden's older sister, Alexis Cloonan, pictured center, describing him and someone who was full of 'love, joy and laughter' 'Please help us find the people that did this to my little brother. He's only six and he was so sweet. He was a very loving boy so please help us find who did this to him,' Alexis pleaded through tears. '[My mom] had to hold her little boy as he died so she is very distraught right now,' Alexis explained. 'He was a rare toddler. I just loved having him in my life,' she said as she paid tribute to the kindergartener who would often come to her room to tell her that he loved her. Investigators believe a man and a woman were inside the Volkswagen at the time of the shooting. Aiden's mother struggled to hold back tears as she described his horrific final moments while she was driving her son to school on Friday. She told Good Morning America: 'I was driving on the freeway, and there was a car behind me that cut me off abruptly. 'I was in the carpool lane with my son, and as I started to merge away from them, I heard a really loud noise, and my son said, 'ow', and I had to pull over, and he got shot.' A family is asking for the publics help in identifying the suspects who shot and killed 6-year-old Aiden. The little boy was with his mother, driving to school on the 55 freeway in Orange, when they were shot at during an apparent road rage incident. https://t.co/Sr1hYV5n88 pic.twitter.com/fVvfNkfZl6 FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) May 22, 2021 'Please help us find the people that did this to my little brother. he's only six and he was so sweet. He was a very loving boy so please help us find who did this to him,' Alexis pleaded through tears Cloonan pulled over to try to save her son, but to no avail. His final words were 'Mommy, my tummy hurts.' She continued: 'I pulled over and I took him out of the car, and I - I tried to put my hand on his wounds while calling 911 because he was losing a lot of blood.' Addressing her son's killers, Cloonan said: 'They took my son's life away. He was beautiful, and he was kind, and she was precious, and you killed him for no reason. And I want to find them, and I want there to be justice to be served for my son.' Cloonan, who was uninjured in the shooting, added: 'I hope that people see this [interview] and understand that this is not OK, whatever and whoever these people are and for whatever reason, this is not OK. 'It should never happen again. So whatever help this does, that's my intention for my son. 'He sang all the time, and the children at the preschool, everybody loved him. He's a once in a lifetime kid. I miss him, and the person that did this can't get away with it.' Police are continuing to hunt for Aiden's killer, and have yet to make any arrests. The California Highway Patrol asked for assistance from any drivers who were on that section of freeway between 7:55 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., especially if their vehicles have dashboard cameras. Aiden's mother quickly pulled over to the shoulder of State Route 55 following the shooting A single bullet hole can be clearly seen following the shooting on Friday morning A single bullet hole can be clearly seen following the shooting on Friday morning Police investigators walk along the closed northbound lanes of the 55 freeway south of Chapman Avenue looking for evidence following a shooting on Friday Police officers conducted a search along the freeway on Friday following the shooting The California Highway Patrol closed the northbound lanes of the 55 freeway as police investigators walk the freeway looking for evidence following the shooting The horrific incident happened around 8:10am during the school run. Aiden was being taken to his kindergarten class at Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda. Authorities are looking for a man and a woman. The male passenger is believed to have fired the fatal shot while his female accomplice was driving the vehicle, believed to be a newer model white Volkswagen wagon sedan. 'You can tell it was a cowardly way of doing it because they shot her in the back pretty much,' said the boy's uncle John Cloonan. 'You have no idea what you took from us today. You took her son away, her boy. This boy was full of love and joy and laughter,' he continued. 'I hope someone knows something and that whoever did this, I hope you can see what you've done to this family. Not that it matters much now because my nephew is dead. We're never going to be full again.' 'She [Aiden's mother] was merging to the right side to get away from this person, and as you can see if you go online and look at the photos, there's one bullet shot in the trunk that went through the trunk and right through my nephew,' Cloonan explained. Yellow crime scene tape stretches across the northbound lanes of the 55 freeway A 6-year-old boy seated in the backseat of his mother's car on a Southern California freeway was shot to death by another motorist on Friday Traffic traveling northbound on the 55 freeway was diverted to the westbound 22 freeway as police investigators walked the freeway looking for evidence following the shooting A six-year-old boy was shot and killed in what California police are calling an isolated road-rage incident that occurred on State Route 55 Friday morning The child's mother was driving this silver Chevy sedan when she flipped off another motorist for cutting her off, as she later told Good Samaritans who stopped to help Late Friday night, police had not released the names of any wanted suspects. 'It was an isolated road rage incident between the mom and another driver from a white sedan,' California Highway Patrol Officer Florentino Olivera told KTLA-TV at the scene. Olivera said the deadly gunshot came from a white sedan and struck the rear of a silver Chevrolet Sonic that was traveling ahead of it. 'Unfortunately, the child that was seated in the right rear seat was struck,' he said. Aiden was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital Orange County. 'If your vehicle has a dashcam, we're asking you, please call our CHP office in Santa Ana, provide that video,' Olivera said. 'If you were driving by, you saw something that was not right, call it in - even if it wasn't something major - call our office. We want to hear from witnesses.' Reyes and Joanna Valdivia told Orange County Register they were taking their children to school when they saw the visibly distressed driver of the Chevrolet pull her wounded son from the backseat and collapse to the ground. Police are pictured on the scene of the road-rage shooting, in which a bullet when through the back of the Chevy and struck the six-year-old who was in his booster seat The freeway was shut down for hours as about a dozen investigators slowly walked the lanes looking for evidence When the couple pulled over to offer help, Reyes said the mother, whom he described as 'hysterical,' told them she had showed the middle finger to the driver of the white sedan who cut her off in the carpool lane. The mother told the Good Samaritans that when she veered to the right, the white sedan followed her and a gunshot went off. The freeway was shut down for hours as about a dozen investigators slowly walked the lanes looking for evidence. CBS Los Angeles reported that there have been nearly a dozen pellet and BB gun shootings on freeways across Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties over the past three weeks, but Olivera said Friday's road-rage killing was unrelated to those earlier incidents. Tips may be provided by calling the CHP's Santa Ana office at (714) 567-6000. Joel Fitzgibbon with daughter Grace Labor is in danger of being wiped out as a political force because it has lost touch with its base of blue-collar workers, Joel Fitzgibbon has warned. The outspoken Labor MP, who has represented the federal division of Hunter since 1996, said the party's loss in the NSW state seat of Upper-Hunter on Saturday was a huge 'wake up call'. Labor's first preference vote plunged from 28 per cent to 22 per cent as the Nationals were returned with 32 per cent of primary votes, a small drop from 34 per cent in 2019. Under-pressure NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay, who was hoping to win the marginal coal-mining seat following the resignation of Nationals MP Michael Johnsen due to allegations he raped a sex worker which he denies, admitted the result was 'terrible'. She has insisted she will not quit but is facing unrest in the ranks, with four MPs - Chris Minns, Paul Scully, Ryan Park and Michael Daley - touted as possible replacements. Labor campaigned on a pro-coal message, even picking a former coalminer as its candidate, but Mr Fitzgibbon believes the party lost its base by 'demonising' resources workers in its fight against climate change over the past few years. 'It's a wake up call to all of us in the Labor Party and indeed the Labor movement,' he told 2GB radio on Monday morning. 'If we're not careful it will go the way of the Kodak brand.' Mr Fitzgibbon even threatened to retire from politics if Labor doesn't start speaking up more strongly for blue-collar workers. 'I'll be either running as a Labor candidate or not running at all,' he told Sky News. Mr Fitzgibbon said Labor needs to appeal to its working-class base. Pictured: Coalminers protest against a campaign to stop the Adani coalmine in Queensland in 2019 The Hunter MP, who almost lost his coal-mining seat at the 2019 election, believes resources workers are suspicious of Labor due to its ambitious climate change policies. 'That suspicion is only fuelled by decisions made late or on the eve of the by-election to oppose the gas generator in the Hunter Valley, a $600 million investment, they just shake their heads and say, ''We thought so'',' he said. In November Mr Fitzgibbon quit the frontbench, furious that senior left-wingers - whom he branded the 'cheesecloth brigade' - were calling for an 'even more ambitious climate change policy' in the wake of Joe Biden's US election win as federal leader Anthony Albanese attacked Scott Morrison for refusing to adopt a 2050 net zero emissions target. Poll Has Labor lost touch with working Aussies? Yes No Undecided Has Labor lost touch with working Aussies? Yes 740 votes No 45 votes Undecided 19 votes Now share your opinion 'The Labor Party has to speak more about jobs and jobs security as it does about climate change,' he said on Monday. 'A lot of our base walked away from us some time ago now and it's clear that they haven't returned. 'You won't get them back quickly or easily.' Labor's struggle in regional Australia is part of a broader challenge faced by left-of-centre parties in western democracies who are battling to hold their traditional working class voter base while appealing to younger, more internationalist supporters who typically live in major cities. Former UK Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair warned this month that left-wing parties face 'extinction' because their 'focus on extreme identity and anti-police politics' had become 'voter-repellent'. A review of Australian Labor's 2019 federal election campaign found the party had become a 'natural home for diverse interests and concerns including gender equality, the LGBTQI+ community, racial equality and environmentalism'. But it warned that 'working people experiencing the dislocation caused by new technologies and globalisation could lose faith in Labor if they do not believe the party is responding to their issues.' Nationals candidate for Upper Hunter Dave Layzell speaks to media alongside NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) after casting his vote in the NSW Upper Hunter by-election Mr Morrison, who is targeting targeting Hunter and other regional Labor seats at the next election due before May, has pushed this argument, accusing Labor of losing touch with blue-collar workers. 'I think they have abandoned them,' he told The Australian newspaper. Ms McKay admitted that Labor has 'fundamental issues within our party we need to address.' Her candidate Jeff Drayton said the defeat was a 'a warning to Labor that we can't take any community for granted. 'Labor needs to do some real soul-searching as to how we will win these communities back,' he said. 'It's going to take honest reflection and a lot of hard work.' Mr Fitzgibbon said Ms McKay isn't to blame for the loss and that Labor's 'brand' is the problem. Joel Fitzgibbon (left in August) has said he wants Labor to focus on jobs and getting people back to work 'I won't have a bad word said about Jodi McKay,' he told ABC TV on Monday. 'She looks good, sounds good and she took the right narrative into the Upper Hunter by-election. 'She is very supportive of jobs and job security and issues like the local TAFE, but it's the brand.' Mr Albanese said his party did not have a problem with winning over blue-collar workers and said the results of a state by-election do not reflect federal results. He pointed that Queensland and Western Australia, the country's major resources states, saw huge swings to Labor in recent state elections. Finance Minister Simon Birmingham similarly drew a line between state and federal politics. 'It was a state by-election and I would treat it as such,' he told ABC radio on Monday. Under-pressure NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay (right with candidate Jeff Drayton) admitted the by-election result was 'terrible' 'It had a range of different factors at play and certainly many of them were very much local, very much state politics. 'It is a state by-election and I wouldn't read too much into it myself.' The coalition is expected to target the Labor-held seats of Hunter, Paterson and Shortland at the next federal election. Senator Birmingham said it was far too soon to speculate on how many Hunter Valley seats the coalition could win. 'It's a long way away to start making those sorts of predictions but we will put up a strong fight in those regions,' he said. 'They are regions which clearly have large numbers of working Australian families who want to know they've got a government that is with them and backing them.' But Mr Fitzgibbon warned that Labor's struggle to win blue-collar voters in the regions would play out federally. 'We have been at best whispering. We have tried to walk both sides of the fence on issues like work and on the other side, the environment. They're suspicious and sceptical. 'Federally, if Labor can't persuade not just mine workers but everyone in those regions whose jobs are dependent on mining, that we stand with them, you can expect a similar result whenever Scott Morrison goes to the polls,' he said. One in three voters were happy to ignore both major parties in the by-election, siding with independents and minor parties instead. A Sydney office worker who commutes from Hobart says flying to his job is easier than when he used to drive in from the city's outskirts. Urban planning Professor Peter Phibbs moved to Tasmania to live with his partner associate Professor Daphne Habibis, both 66, during the pandemic as workplaces introduced flexible working arrangements. Like many new tree and sea changers, he is mostly working from home and travelling to work less often but at a greater distance - making the commute to his office at the University of Sydney once every one or two weeks. Urban planning Professor Peter Phibbs commutes from Hobart to Sydney for work after making a tree change with his partner associate Professor Daphne Habibis Although he now resides more than 1500km away from Sydney, Professor Phibbs says the trip is stress-free compared to the daily drive from his former home in the Blue Mountains. And it takes around the same time. 'The commute is so much easier,' Professor Phibbs told Daily Mail Australia. 'Flying to Sydney usually takes around an hour and 50, although the fastest Ive done it, with a big breeze, was one hour 10 minutes. It then takes 20 minutes to drive from the airport to the university. 'It only takes slightly longer, and it is quicker if you compare the shortest flights against the worst drives. 'When I used to lived in Leura and drove in through peak-hour traffic, it would often take up to two and a half hours. By the time I arrived, I would be so stressed, especially if I was running late.' The couple chose Hobart (pictured) which has a population of about 247,000, to escape the hustle and bustle of Sydney and Melbourne Professor Phibbs said being on a plane, rather than stuck behind the wheel, is not only more relaxing, but allows him to prepare for the workday ahead. 'There is a lot less wear and tear when you are sitting in a plane minding your own business,' he said. 'On the plane, you can get into a corner and away from distractions. It is great for getting into the zone and focusing on work. However, Professor Phibbs said airfares are more expensive than petrol and the journey would not be ideal for those who need to be in the office regularly. Prof Phibbs said commuting on a plane allowed him to prepare for the workday ahead as opposed to being stuck behind the wheel of a car Professor Phibbs, an expert in housing studies, and Associate Professor Habibis, a sociologist, decided to settle in Hobart after she retired from the University of Tasmania. The couple chose the city, which has a population of around 247,000, to escape the hustle and bustle of Sydney and Melbourne. Houses are also significantly cheaper and based on bigger blocks, with the median price now $601,567 compared to Sydney $1,309,195 and Melbourne's $974,397. Professor Phibbs said he is not the only person making the commute from the Tasmanian capital to the Harbour City, as he sees the same faces on every flight. But while Hobart offers a more laidback lifestyle, Professor Phibbs said the commute over the Bass Strait was not for everyone. 'It just depends where you are in your life cycle, it is slow for young people,' he said. Facebook could be fined if British spies are denied access to messages on the tech giants apps, it emerged yesterday. Priti Patel warned that the social media firm was operating in dangerous territory and risking public safety with its plans for stronger encryption. With end-to-end encryption, messages on Facebook Messenger and Instagram would only be visible to the sender and receiver. Miss Patel told Times Radio yesterday: Well bring changes, we will legislate [and] we will absolutely fine companies because this is a dangerous territory for Facebook to be operating in The Home Secretary is concerned the move could block hundreds of counter-terrorism investigations, and prevent police intercepting other crimes including child sexual exploitation. The Security Service and the police want Facebook to be able to see users content and share it with authorities if necessary. Miss Patel told Times Radio yesterday: Well bring changes, we will legislate [and] we will absolutely fine companies because this is a dangerous territory for Facebook to be operating in. MI5s director general Ken McCallum last week accused the social media giant of giving terrorists a free pass with its plan. But a Facebook spokesman said: End-to-end encryption is already the leading security technology used by many services to keep people safe from hackers and criminals. 'Its full rollout on our messaging services is a long-term project and we are building strong safety measures into our plans. Last week Mr McCallum warned that decisions taken by executives in Silicon Valley were now having a direct effect on the ability of the security services to disrupt the activities of terrorists or child sex abuse rings. It is the case, especially around default encryption, that decisions taken in California boardrooms are every bit as relevant to our ability to do our jobs as decisions taken in Afghanistan or Syria, he said. He said if the authorities had information someone was building a bomb or filming a martyrdom video in their living room they would be able to apply for a warrant from the Home Secretary and a senior judge. MI5s director general Ken McCallum last week accused the social media giant of giving terrorists a free pass with its plan We would then be able to access that room, have a look at whether a bomb is indeed being built or not. And we need to have that ability online also, he said. If you have end-to-end default encryption with absolutely no means of unwrapping that encryption, you are in effect giving those rare people - terrorists or people who are organising child sexual abuse online, some of the worst people in our society - a free pass where they know that nobody can see into what they are doing in those private living rooms. This is an unsolved problem, which needs proper attention. We are not in any way seeking some form of surveillance state. Measures to bar those suspected of heading to the UK for sham marriages will be announced by Priti Patel today. The new crackdown will see visas refused in cases where intelligence points towards bogus weddings, the Mail can disclose. Under a new Home Office plan to be published today, immigration officers will be given fresh powers to turn away travellers at the border if they suspect their involvement in a sham marriage. Immigration officers will be given fresh powers to turn away travellers at the border, under new powers In the most recent data from 2018 registrars reported 2,868 suspected bogus unions. This was up from 561 in 2009. Justyna Sobieraj, 40, was told she would be sent back to Poland earlier this year for her role in organising sham weddings in Southampton and Winchester. The move will be unveiled in a Home Office policy statement as Miss Patel delivers a major speech on immigration. She will say later today: The immigration system is broken, but this country isnt. We cant fix the system overnight, but we will fix it. We have to make sure the system reflects the values and wishes of the vast majority of Britons of all colours and creeds. They simply want an approach to immigration that is fair but firm. The Home Secretary will promise wholesale reform of the system today Miss Patel will promise wholesale reform of the system in the speech, to be delivered at a conference organised by think-tanks Bright Blue and British Future. She will say: They [Britons] want a new system that works for the law-abiding majority and against those who hope to abuse our hospitality and generous spirit. One that welcomes those most in need of sanctuary and slams the door on dangerous criminals. One that attracts top talent from around the world. The Home Secretary will also announce new details of fully digital border systems including US-style electronic travel authorisation for all non-British arrivals by 2025. This will allow the Government to accurately measure the number of people leaving and entering the country. Ted Cruz has torn into 'corrupt' Brian Williams, accusing him of being beholden to 'corporate overlords' after the MSNBC anchor said Cruz was promoting 'Russian propaganda'. The war of words erupted after Cruz criticized the US Army's new recruitment video as promoting a 'woke, emasculated military', while contrasting it with a Russian military ad. Williams accused the Texas Senator of a 'remarkably stupid lapse in judgment' on his MSNBC show Friday, and suggested he be referred to as 'Kremlin Cruz.' Williams also claimed Cruz was peddling 'Russian propaganda' and wanted to be one day be leader of the former Soviet state. In a lengthy Twitter tirade, Cruz called Williams a 'pitiful example of corrupt corporate media' and brought up Williams' 2003 firing for 'misrepresenting events' during the 2003 Iraq War. Scroll down for video MSNBC anchor Brian Williams labeled Ted Cruz a peddler of Russian propaganda for sharing a video unfavorably comparing a US Army's 'woke' recruitment video with a Russian one Williams told viewers of The 11th Hour the Texas senator deserved a new nickname: 'Kremlin Cruz' Cruz hit back against Williams, labeling him a 'pitiful example of corrupt corporate media' on Twitter Cruz posted a six-part Twitter response to Brian Williams, which quickly racked up thousands of retweets Cruz, the Texas senator, last week triggered online fury after questioning the role of what he called an 'emasculated military' and comparing it with a video that appeared to show a rugged, shaven-headed Russian recruit parachuting into combat. 'The job of the military is to kill the bad guys. And it is to strike fear in the enemies of America,' he told Fox News as he defended himself from accusations that he was unloading on serving U.S. troops. 'People sign up to join the military because they want to keep us safe, they don't want to sit around a circle, emoting and passing daisies back and forth.' His comments highlight fears America's armed forces are being softened by 'woke' principles and follows similar criticism of a CIA advert. The latest controversy features an American video telling the story of Cpl. Emma Malonelord, a serving soldier who describes how she came to choose a life in the military. The colorful, animated recruiting video describes how she defended freedom by attending LGBTQ marches and grew up to join the U.S. Army. It achieved notoriety when Cruz tweeted out a TikTok clip, that opened with the Russian soldier leaping out of a plane before cutting to the animated story of Malonelord. 'Holy crap,' he wrote in a tweet. 'Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea....' Cruz's words quickly went viral, unleashing an angry torrent of accusations that he was trolling his own country's American armed forces and had been suckered by an adversary's propaganda. And veterans expressed fury that he could criticize the Army and target a real-life serving soldier. Williams joined in the attack on Friday night, saying Cruz was peddling Russian propaganda by putting out the two adverts. Cruz responded with a six-part Twitter post that quickly gained thousands of retweets. Cruz wrote: 'Is there a more pitiful example of corrupt corporate media than Brian Williams? He was fired as the anchor of NBC Nightly News for 'misrepresenting events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003.' Now, he's a left-wing hack at MSNBC. 'Now, he's throwing a hissy fit that I criticized the ridiculously woke video that the Biden admin put out. Williams accidentally told the truth, when he describes it as 'a video meant to diminish the U.S. military.' TRUE. That's the problem. (The Pentagon put it out.) 'Now, with his trademark ignorant snark, he's dubbed me 'Kremlin Cruz.' Three problems: (1) I hate communists, my family was imprisoned & tortured by communists, and Brian is a shameless apologist for Russian (and Chinese and Cuban) communists. '(2) I was arguing that our military needs to be able to kick the ass of Russian soldiers. It's Brian & his lefty comrades that are working relentlessly to diminish the effectiveness of the U.S. militarythe finest fighting force on the face of the planet. 'And (3) JUST THIS WEEK Biden gave Putin a multi-billion-dollar gift, when he waived mandatory U.S. sanctions to allow Russia to build Nord Stream 2, a massive natural gas pipeline to Germany. Who authored the sanctions that STOPPED NS2? That would be me. 'Cover that, Brian. But that would be actual news, something you don't do. Use your condescending wit to call Biden 'Kremlin Joe'he's the one illegally giving billions to Putin. But your corporate overlords wouldn't let you. Congrats, Brian. You are Pravda.' The new Army ad shows Corporal Emma Malonelord's mothers getting married after one suffered serious injuries following a car accident The advertising campaign shows an animated Corporal Emma Malonelord (pictured) attending a gay rights parade in a video that sparked a row about the future of the American military. Sen. Ted Cruz said it showed how Democrats and the 'woke media' were turning soldiers into 'pansies' in comments that triggered accusations that he was trolling America's troops In contrast, the Russian video shows a bare chested recruit leaping from his bed, working out and then leaping from a plane with a parachute The Russian soldier is shown taking up a prone firing position, staring down his rifle scope in wintry, arctic conditions The Army recruitment ad centered around the real life of Corporal Emma Malonelord (pictured) Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both her legs while serving as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, responded by mirroring Cruz's language. 'Holy crap,' she wrote. 'Perhaps a U.S. Senator shouldn't suggest that the *Russian* military is better than the American military that protected him from an insurrection he helped foment?' Malonelord's story is told in a colorful video, describing how she grew up with two mothers. 'I also marched for equality,' she narrates as it shows her at a gay rights march. 'I like to think I've been defending freedom from an early age.' She is pictured as a bridesmaid for her two mothers when they marry, before signing up with the Army, which she says was a way 'to prove my inner strength.' The progressive veterans group VoteVets also condemned Cruz. 'Ted Cruz attacks a US Army soldier for telling her story, says he prefers Russians,' it wrote on its Twitter feed. 'Because Ted Cruz is a sedition-loving traitor.' Cruz's tweet triggered a backlash on Twitter as he was accused of trolling his own country's armed forces in favor of those of an adversary But other conservatives rallied around the Texas senator. John Noonan, an adviser to Sen. Tom Cotton, shared the TikTok video saying: 'We are going to be the most tolerant military in history ever to lose a war.' And Cruz himself reveled in the controversy he triggered as he continued to bait opponents. 'Im enjoying lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that Im "attacking the military,"' he said late Thursday. 'Uh, no. We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies.' Citizen CEO and founder Andrew Frame is under fire for putting a bounty on the wrong man's head in Southern California The CEO of Citizen reportedly ordered a $30,000 bounty to anyone who hunts down a homeless man identified by the public safety app as the person who started a Southern California wildfire. On Friday, The Verge reported that Citizen CEO and founder Andrew Frame personally authorized an unorthodox $30,000 bounty to 'hunt down' an arsonist - but put the money on the wrong man's head. The app pushed the bounty out in an alert to users in Southern California last Saturday, but included a picture of a homeless man, Devin Hilton, who was later released by the police for lack of evidence. Cerise Castle, a Los Angeles-based reporter, wrote on her Twitter feed last Sunday that broadcasters on the Citizen Apps OnAir feature were encouraging users to hunt this guy down based on unsubstantiated tips. We know this guy is out there, one of the broadcasters is quoted as saying. We need our users to get out there and bring this guy to justice. The Palisades Fire destroyed some 1,200 acres before it was brought under control by Friday. Contact information for Hilton was not immediately available. The Los Angeles Fire Department announced over the weekend that it had arrested a different homeless man, 48-year-old Ramon Rodriguez. The app pushed the bounty out in an alert to users in Southern California last Saturday, but included a picture of a homeless man, Devin Hilton (pictured), who was later released by the police for lack of evidence Investigators allege Rodriguez used an incendiary device to ignite the May 14 fire in the Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles County. Rodriguez faces a felony count each of arson of a structure or forest, and arson during a state of emergency. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held in lieu of $350,000 bail. A court hearing has been scheduled for June 1 to determine if there is enough evidence to put him on trial. The false claim by Citizen and the subsequent arrest of another man has prompted scrutiny of the app and its chief executive. 'Let's find this guy, activate safety network completely,' Frame wrote in an internal message, according to The Verge. The Los Angeles Fire Department announced over the weekend that it had arrested a different homeless man, 48-year-old Ramon Rodriguez 'This is a great transition of Citizen back to active safety. We are not a news company. We are safety and we make this sort of heinous crime impossible to escape from. That needs to be our mindset,' the message added. After the mistaken identity was revealed, the company said in a statement that it is 'actively working to improve our internal processes to ensure this does not occur again.' 'This was a mistake we are taking very seriously,' the statement added. The Citizen app, first released in 2016, is wildly popular in major cities as a way to track nearby crimes. It is currently available in about 20 large cities. The app relies on police scanner traffic and user reports, including user-submitted videos, to map reports of nearby crimes and police responses. Though it has soared in popularity as violent crime has surged in many cities, the Citizen app has also drawn criticism, including accusations that it fosters paranoia or even racism. Initially named Vigilante, the app was pulled from Apple's App Store over fears it would inspire users to take the law into their own hands, before relaunching under the current name. Last week, Citizen confirmed reports that it is considering a program to send private security forces to respond to users in distress. The pilot program was revealed in internal emails leaked to Motherboard, and Citizen confirmed that it is testing the program on a small scale in Los Angeles in a statement to DailyMail.com on Friday. It comes after a mysterious Citizen-branded patrol vehicle was seen prowling the streets of Los Angeles, which was recently linked to private security firm Los Angeles Professional Security (LAPS). Flames from a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on May 15 The blaze destroyed some 1,200 acres before it was contained by firefighters last week 'LAPS offers a personal rapid response service that we are trialing internally with employees as a small test with one vehicle in Los Angeles,' a Citizen spokesperson said. 'For example, if someone would like an escort to walk them home late at night, they can request this service.' The internal emails described by Motherboard suggest that the new pilot project is part of an ambitious project to expand the company's mission from reporting crime to fighting it. 'The broad master plan was to create a privatized secondary emergency response network,' one former Citizen employee told the outlet. The product, described as 'security response' in the internal emails, would have Citizen send a car with private security forces to an app user who requested assistance. One of the emails claimed that Citizen had pitched the security response service to the Los Angeles Police Department at a high level, and received an enthusiastic response. The Citizen app, first released in 2016, relies on police scanner traffic and user reports, including user-submitted videos, to map reports of nearby crimes and police responses The app, currently available in about 20 cities, appears to be considering a dramatic expansion into active crime fighting by creating a 'privatized secondary emergency response network' In recent days, a mysterious Citizen-branded 'private patrol' car has been seen prowling LA. The company says it is piloting a private security force to respond to user requests The email said that the LAPD, hit by budget cuts last year and at its lowest staffing level in 12 years, is overrun with property crimes and struggling to respond to those types of calls. Citizen already offers a personal safety subscription product called 'Protect', which allows a Citizen employee to monitor the user's location when active, and can stream video to the Citizen agent when triggered by a safeword. Pitched as a 'digital bodyguard,' the service advertises 'Instant emergency response to your exact location' in the event of trouble. It's not clear if the proposed private security response would be included as part of the Protect package, or marketed separately. In addition to LAPS, the emails suggest that Citizen is working with Securitas, a private security guard company, for the pilot program. One email describes a test run by a Citizen employee in Los Angeles, who called in a Securitas guard to escort her to get a cup of coffee. The email said improvements were needed to the user and agent experience, and that the results were under review with Securitas to make adjustments. A woman attending a meeting for recovering drug addicts claims she had sex with IT tech guru Constantine Arvanitis on the street. Mr Arvanitis, 48, has been accused of being a sex addict by his ex-partner Selina Holder in a messy defamation hearing being played out in a Melbourne court. On Monday, the County Court of Victoria heard the sensational development. Selina Holder attends the County Court of Victoria on Monday. She is defending claims she has defamed her ex-partner by calling him a sex addict Constantine Arvanitis and Melanie Thornton leave the County Court of Victoria on Thursday. Mr Arvanitis claims he has been the target of a savage attack to destroy his reputation Selina Holder is defending allegations she defamed her former partner The woman - who was not named in court - claimed she had met Mr Arvanitis while attending a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in leafy South Yarra in 2016. Ms Holder's Sydney-based barrister Barrie Goldsmith told the court the woman had relapsed back onto drugs when Mr Arvanitis lured her into his web. In an email sent to the defence midway through the trial, which has already been running for five days, the woman claimed Mr Arvanitis had taken advantage of her while she was 'vulnerable' and under the influence of drugs. The court heard the 26-year old had sex in a side street with Mr Arvanitis off trendy Chapel Street. 'Not only is he a sex addict, but a sex predator,' the woman stated in the email. Mr Arvanitis had been living the high life when his addiction to drugs saw his life spiral out of control. It is something the high-flying IT guru fully admits. Choking back tears, he had previously recalled the moment he hit rock bottom and had to enter rehab. While Mr Arvanitis accepts he indeed was once a drug addict, it is a perceived slur by his ex-partner that he is a sex addict that has brought the matter to court. So adamant is Ms Holder that what she claims is true, she had repeatedly refused to back down despite offers to settle with her ex for a paltry $5000 and a promise never to repeat the claims again. Selina Holder walks from a Melbourne court. On Wednesday, the court heard she had sent some horrendous text messages to her ex-partner Selina Holder (left) Melanie Thornton (centre) have all become embroiled in a messy court case in Melbourne The court heard Ms Holder's defence hopes to include the new evidence as part of its 'truth defence' against the defamation claims. In a day of drama, the court heard an explosive document would also be tendered into evidence after a legal challenge by Ms Holder to have it excluded from the trial failed. It is the very document she is accused of handing over to the surgeon sister of Mr Arvanitis' fiance Melanie Thornton that brought on the defamation case. While the contents of the document cannot be revealed due to legal reasons, it outlines a series of allegations claiming Mr Arvanitis to be a violent, drug addicted sex addict. On Monday, the court heard Dr Chantel Thornton - the wife of luxury car dealer Srecko Lorbek - would likely be subpoenaed to court to outline exactly who she shared the document with. Her father, Gerald Thornton, is also likely to be called amid claims he was aware of the contents of the damning document. Mr Arvanitis had been embraced by the Thornton clan until late 2018 when he claims the document made its way into the hands of Dr Thornton. Even if she did not show the document to her parents - as alleged - Mr Arvanitis claims the 'grapevine effect' was devastating to his relationship with the family. He was dropped like a hot potato when Dr Thornton received the disturbing document and has never returned to the fold despite his ongoing relationship with her sister, who had received a hand-delivered letter all of her own. The letter had been signed-off by Ms Holder and two other of Mr Arvanitis' ex-girlfriends - aka 'The Sisterhood'. All three would later deny they were the postie. Dr Chantel Thornton is married to luxury car dealer Srecko Lorbek Dr Chantel Thornton allegedly received some damning information about Con Arvanitis and shared it with her husband Dr Chantel Thornton (left) and her sister Melanie Thornton. Constantine Arvanitis claims he was banished by the Thornton clan after they read a damning document supposedly about him Letter To Mr Arvanitis' fiance Melanie Thornton Court documents allege Selina Holder shared a document with Mr Arvanitis' current fiancee that stated: 'He is dangerous and violent and sex addict (sic). He goes to Sydney and cheats on you. He will beat you up. (redacted) We have the police investigating him. We want to warn you. We are the sisterhood. We have to expose him. He will take all your money. He has to be stopped. We have evidence of his abuse. We are trying to save you. You must contact us so we can protect you from this evil person. We all want to help you. We are in Melbourne together so please meet with us. Advertisement Mr Arvanitis said he was 'disgusted' when word of the legal document had been handed over to his prospective in-laws. He told the court he felt he had been 'crucified' by the false allegations. Again Mr Arvanitis painted the mother of his daughter a deadbeat- claiming she would gamble and drink wine while breast feeding their child. The IT expert, who had been earning up to $170,000 a year while working with the ANZ at the time, claims the recent publicity of the ongoing court proceedings now threatened to cost him his job with the National Australia Bank. 'This has hurt every corner of my life. I'm going to lose my job, regardless,' he said on Monday. 'It's damaged me beyond repair.' Under cross examination by Mr Goldsmith, Mr Arvanitis claimed he had no idea the 'disgusting' allegations would be picked-up and broadcast by the media. 'I didn't think it would be media worthy. I'm not a celebrity,' he said. Mr Arvanitis said while he expected the matter to be brought before the open court he maintained he did not believe he was 'newsworthy'. Mr Goldsmith is expected to grill Mr Arvanitis over the next two days before Ms Holder eventually enters the witness box. The experienced barrister immediately went on the attack, accusing Mr Arvanitis of faking tears while giving his earlier evidence. 'Do you know what crocodile tears are?' he asked. 'This is all part of a charade.' Mr Arvanitis denied he had been putting on an act. The civil trial continues. Kevin Dawkins, 36, has been arrested on weapons charges in connection with a deadly mass shooting that took place in Cumberland County on Saturday A suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting that killed two people and injured 12 others during a raucous birthday party in New Jersey over the weekend. Authorities said the deadly shooting in Fairfield Township on Saturday, which claimed the lives of Kevin Elliott, 30, and Asia Hester, 25, was not a random act, and witnesses speculated that it was gang-related. During a press conference on Monday morning, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae announced the arrest of 36-year-old Kevin Dawkins on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a large-capacity magazine, certain persons not to have weapons, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He remained at Cumberland County jail without bond on Monday afternoon. Authorities were conducting interviews and seeking the publics help for information leading to additional arrests. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, citing the size and number of victims, said it was 'not a random act of violence' but a targeted attack. However, he did not discuss a motive. Asia Hester (left), 25, and Kevin Elliott (right), 30, were shot and killed in what witnesses are calling a gang-related turf war that erupted during a house party that was held late Saturday in a South Jersey suburb about an hour outside of Philadelphia Governor Phil Murphy said at the press conference that the mass shooting was a reflection of gun violence that has swept the nation. The incident in New Jersey was just one of a dozen mass-casualty incidents that took place across the US this weekend. 'A birthday party is supposed to be a joyous event, not a target for those hellbent on inflicting harm on a community,' the Democrat told reporters on Monday. Authorities arrived at the house where hundreds were partying in Fairfield Township, about an hour outside of Philadelphia, late Saturday night. The party had grown after another party was broken up following a noise complaint around 11pm, authorities said. Most of the party-goers were gone by the time police got to the house and authorities said multiple weapons were recovered. Elliott and Hester, both of Bridgeton, were killed. The dozen people who were injured ranged in age from 19 to 35. Some have been released from hospitals while others 'continue to fight for their lives,' the governor said. Photos showed overturned pop-up party tents, tables and chairs, and debris throughout the homes yard. Two cousins who live in the area of the shooting said they heard music from the party until after midnight, then a series of shots at least 15 of them over a few minutes. Joeron Pierce and James Pierce, who live in homes next to each other, said that there was chaos after that. Partygoers ran through their yards and asked to come into their houses. They said cars ran into one other trying to speed away. Murphy, who is up for reelection this year, has made a priority of anti-gun legislation. 'If there is one thing we cant normalize its senseless gun violence,' Murphy said. Hesters sister, Crystal, told the New York Post on Sunday that Asia was a hardworking health care professional who became an A student after immigrating to the United States from her native Jamaica. 'I talked to her yesterday before she went [to the party],' Crystal Hester told the Post. The shooting took place late on Saturday night at a home in Fairfield Township, New Jersey. Investigators are seen above at the home on Sunday Hester (left) was remembered as a 'hardworking' health care professional who immigrated to the United States from her native Jamaica. Elliott (right) 'was a good kid who'd made his peace with life and had trouble with nobody,' according to a friend 'She didnt deserve this.' An unidentified male relative of Asia's told the Post: 'She was a hardworking person. She was a good person, very respectable.' 'It's just a tragic situation. Somethings got to be done.' According to her social media, Asia worked at Jefferson Health, a southern New Jersey-based system of hospitals and clinics. She graduated from Rowan College in southern New Jersey. Laquanta Davis, 26, a childhood friend, said Hester was not known to be a frequent partier and that she 'didn't get out much.' 'She wasnt the type who went out to parties, so that took me by surprise,' Davis said. 'Who would have ever thought it would turn out this way for her. She was so sweet, so sweet and loving. It hurts, it really does.' 'She was an A student. She was so smart, beautiful, nice,' Davis said. She added: 'Asia was very kind. She would give you the clothes off her back. She didn't deserve what happened to her.' Elliott's background is unclear. A friend of Elliott's told the Post that his death was 'tragic.' 'He was a good kid who'd made his peace with life and had trouble with nobody,' the friend said. 'He showed up to a party to celebrate a happy occasion, and ended up dead. I cant make sense of it.' A witness, 44-year-old Sunshine Carter, said there were at least 30 gunshots. 'I was sitting on a chair talking to my daughter and a friend. We were laughing. Next thing I knew, I hear shots fired, like 20 shots,' Carter told the Post. Laquanta Davis, 26, a childhood friend, said Hester (pictured) was not known to be a frequent partier and that she 'didn't get out much.' According to her social media, Asia worked at Jefferson Health, a southern New Jersey-based system of hospitals and clinics. She graduated from Rowan College in southern New Jersey 'Asia was very kind,' a friend said. 'She would give you the clothes off her back.' 'Then it stopped, then 10, 15 more. 'I didn't know if they had to reload. I didn't know if it was two shooters, one shooter. 'I was running for my dear life.' 'A girl ran in front of me, got shot. It could have been me. My friend was trying to help her.' One of the women who attended the party said that the shooting was gang-related. 'It's South Side young boys vs. North Side young boys,' said the guest. 'This has been going on since the '60s, and now they're getting crazier with it. 'They're bringing guns.' The woman added: Usually, when they do that, they let off a couple [rounds], and thats it. But last night, they just kept going. People were running, falling. People were dying. Crime scene tape was set up by investigators in Fairfield Township, New Jersey on Sunday The shooting took place during what witnesses described as a 1990s-themed birthday party Witnesses told the New York Post that the shooting was in all likelihood a gang-related 'turf war' It went on for 5, 10 minutes, running from bullets. Carter told the Post that the homeowner is a family-oriented woman who was throwing a 1990s-themed birthday party for her nephew. Carter remembers the panic that set in as the gunshot rang out. She said she frantically tried to locate her children. 'They're grown, but they're still my kids. I'm running around looking for them, I can't find them. I cant find my phone to call them,' Carter said. 'I'm being trampled on. All because we had a family barbecue. We were having a good day, a good time. 'These idiots just come in and shoot innocent people, and for what? Why? Just crazy. 'I didnt see anybody arguing before. It was just out of the blue pop, pop, pop, pop, pop and we hauled a**. 'Weve never been through anything like this before. This is a family home,' Carter said. 'And to come when everyones having a good time and just start shooting? Come on now, you bastards.' A resident who runs a local anti-violence organization said he was called out to assist families at the 90s-themed party. John Fuqua, of Life Worth Living, said guests who attended the party were of all ages. Photos show overturned pop-up party tents, tables and chairs, and debris throughout the homes yard. A long driveway was still filled with cars late Sunday morning. Two cousins who live in the area of the shooting said they heard music from the party until after midnight, then a series of shots - at least 15 of them over a few minutes. Investigators from the New Jersey State Police are seen above in Fairfield Township on Sunday Witnesses said they heard between 30 and 35 gunshots during the shooting rampage Fairfield Township Mayor Benjamin Byrd Sr, who was at the scene Sunday, said that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy offered his support and help. 'Nobody knows when someones going to come out of the woods with a gun,' Byrd said. He did not have any details about the shooting. Murphy called the shooting 'horrific.' He hit out at the shooter in a scathing statement. He said: 'Since late last night, the New Jersey State Police and county and local law enforcement in Cumberland County have been investigating the horrific mass shooting at a large house party in Fairfield Township that attracted hundreds of party-goers. 'At this time, at least two people have lost their lives, among numerous other shooting victims, including several with injuries that are life-threatening. 'We hold those who have died, and their families, in our prayers today, and we also pray for the recoveries of those injured. We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and stand with them as they continue their investigation.' Murphy added: 'Let there be no mistake: This despicable and cowardly act of gun violence only steels our commitment to ensuring New Jersey leads the nation in passing and enforcing strong and commonsense gun safety laws. No community should ever experience what occurred last night in Fairfield.' WPVI-TV reported that the reverend of a nearby church heard the gunfire. 'I just started hearing at first what I thought was fireworks, it was really gunshots, and I heard nine in rapid succession,' said the Rev. Michael Keene of the Trinity AME Church. Messages seeking additional information have been left with multiple organizations. State police scheduled a press conference for Monday morning. Pastor Phil Murphy, who lives across the street, said he initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks. He told WPVI: 'I just started hearing at first what I thought was fireworks, it was really gunshots, and I heard nine in rapid succession. 'If you're going to a party, why do you need to take a gun? If you're there to have a good time why do you need a gun with you? That means you're expecting trouble to me.' Police were called to Cumberland County shortly before midnight Saturday The number of fatalities is not clear; NBC reports at least one person has died. Footage take from the scene Sunday morning shows the aftermath of the party Six people were taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, CNN reports Footage take from the scene of shooting Sunday morning shows the aftermath of the party. Police say there were more than 100 partygoers at the house. New Jersey state police tweeted: 'On Sat., May 22, at 11:50 p.m., NJSP responded to a residence on E. Commerce St. in Fairfield Twp., Cumberland Co. for the report of a shooting with multiple victims. 'Troopers are on scene investigating. There is no additional information at this time. Updates to follow.' Neighbor Melissa Helmbrecht said: 'It was hundreds of people, our neighbors, who were just getting together because it was the first really warm, nice night. 'There were a lot of parties and get-togethers throughout the community, and this was probably the biggest.' Scott Morrison faces stiff opposition on plans to allow vaccinated Australians to travel between states in the event of coronavirus lockdowns. The prime minister will pitch his internal passport idea at the next national cabinet meeting. Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham said the plan would give Australians greater certainty in terms of what benefits they received from being vaccinated. But the proposal would also deny freedom of movement to the many Australians who refuse to be immunised. Premiers and chief ministers are not sold on the interstate passports and neither is federal backbencher Matt Canavan, who says freedom of movement is an Australian birthright. Prime minister Scott Morrison will pitch his internal passport idea at the next national cabinet meeting The proposal would also deny freedom of movement to the many Australians who refuse to be immunised About 3.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have so far been administered across the country, through a mix of AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs Labor has described the passport idea as a 'thought bubble'. Senator Birmingham said he was focused on keeping domestic borders open rather than responding to closures. 'First and foremost, I want to make sure we keep the borders open by keeping COVID-19 suppressed,' he told ABC radio on Monday. 'That is the priority, to make sure the states and territories have no excuse or reason to close those borders. 'It's not unreasonable though to be talking through with the states and territories whether or not those vaccinated Australians are able to move more freely or not.' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is among those opposed to interstate vaccine passports. She also believes it is too early to talk about opening the international border or allowing vaccinated people to travel overseas. Ms Berejiklian said not enough vaccinations had been distributed to start considering any such changes. 'Moving forward there is no doubt that people who are vaccinated will have extra protections others don't,' she said. 'It's too early to weigh in to that at this stage.' About 3.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have so far been administered across the country, through a mix of AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs. The number is short of what the government was hoping for, due in large part to supply issues, but the rollout could soon receive a shot in the arm. The government is promising two million doses of Pfizer will arrive in Australia each week from the start of October. This could see every Australian who wants protection from COVID-19 could be fully immunised by the end of this year. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is among those opposed to interstate vaccine passports Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham said the plan would give Australians greater certainty in terms of what benefits they received from being vaccinated Senator Birmingham said that was the government's hope but stopped short of making a firm commitment. 'There have been many uncertainties in the vaccine rollout to date and we need to continue to be honest about the fact we can't control every aspect of global supply,' he said. 'We can't control whether there are unexpected impacts in relation to health or other factors or advice that impact the vaccine rollout.' There are fears the rollout has been hampered by complacency and vaccine hesitancy, particularly in relation to the AstraZeneca jab. Senator Birmingham is urging people not to wait for alternative vaccines to arrive. 'Australians aged over 50 who have concerns or hesitancy should sit down and talk to their GP,' he said. 'That's the right place for people to get their health advice. 'Australians are turning out and making their decision to get vaccinated. I congratulate them for it and encourage people to keep talking to their medical advisers, their GPs about that.' Three years ago Adam Margolis murdered his girlfriend, strangling her just a week after she moved into his Bendigo home. But he continues to blame her for her death, telling a pre-sentence hearing in Victoria's Supreme Court on Monday that it was 'staggeringly difficult' for him to be around murderers in prison. Margolis met his victim, Mai Yia Vang, on online chatroom Omegle in January 2018. A month later she moved into his home in California Gully, a suburb of Bendigo, and a week later she was dead. Margolis claimed Ms Vang had goaded him into a post-traumatic flashback before he killed her. He strangled her and left here there for more than a day. Margolis met his victim, Mai Yia Vang, on online chatroom Omegle in January 2018 Three years ago Adam Margolis murdered his girlfriend, strangling her just a week after she moved into his Bendigo home He wrote a 12-page email to three church acquaintances, telling them he had killed a woman and planned to take his own life - but he needed to make sure someone would look after his cats first. He also sent messages to Ms Vang's sisters, pretending to be her. Margolis claimed on Monday that he hadn't done that out of maliciousness. 'They were asking questions. I was absolutely not taking any delight in it,' he said. Margolis said he never expected to act cruelly toward Ms Vang, telling the court he had never had such a powerful flashback before. He also tried to defend his actions in leaving Ms Vang's body for more than 24 hours. 'It was purely the logistics of arranging my death and the care of my cats that led to her being left,' he said. He said he later decided to 'advocate for myself' rather than taking his life. Prosecutor Mark Rochford said Margolis had continued to victim blame through the trial and since. In response, Margolis again took pity on himself. 'I've found this situation absolutely humiliating, beyond depressing,' he said. 'I want to say that living around murderers has been staggeringly difficult for me.' Meanwhile, Ms Vang's family detailed the pain of losing their daughter. Her father broke down while reading his statement and could not finish. His daughter was a kind and giving young woman who was school captain and went on to study chemical engineering. He wrote a 12-page email to three church acquaintances, telling them he had killed a woman and planned to take his own life - but he needed to make sure someone would look after his cats first She was passionate about her dreams and would school family members on the dangers of doing the wrong thing - giving them lectures on not using their phones while driving. 'Not having her there saddens us to the point our tears cannot be stopped,' he said. Her younger sister said craving anything that reminded her of Ms Vang was an undesirable habit but had become her way of filling the endless void. Her only regret is not being able to tell Ms Vang how grateful she was for her as an older sister. 'Her death has made me realise how precious one's life is when it's taken,' she said. Margolis will be sentenced on June 15. A young finance worker plunged to her death at 3am during a boozy rooftop birthday party in New York's East Village after reportedly trying to cross to a neighboring building. Cameron Perrelli, 24, was partying on the roof of a recently-renovated apartment building on Avenue A near the corner of East 12th St when police say she lost her balance and fell down an airway. She was raced to nearby Bellevue Hospital by first responders but did not survive. Perrelli's grief-stricken family said they have heard conflicting accounts of how she died. 'We got three stories,' her uncle Michael Perrelli told the New York Daily News. 'That she was jumping from one building to the next, and we heard that she was walking on an air-condition vent, and then somebody just said she slipped.' Her father Louis Perrelli said he was upset to hear of frequent late-night parties in the neighborhood. 'It's not like her to be a risk taker,' Louis told the paper. 'She was always the designated driver, the good person, the peacemaker. She was an angel.' Officials say the area had been plagued by weekly late-night parties with large numbers of people that far exceeded safe occupancy levels. Cameron Perrelli, 24, plunged to her death 3am Saturday down the airway of a building in NYC's East Village after trying to cross next door, police say Her uncle Michael Perrelli says family have been told three conflicting accounts of the how Perrelli, left, died Perrelli's father Louis described Cameron, left, as a 'peacemaker, an angel' The building (artist's impression) in NYC's East Village where Perrelli fell from. The area has been plagued by 'dangerously overcrowded' and noisy rooftop parties, officials say Penthouses with roof access in the building rent for $12,000 per month, according to StreetEasy New York Councilwoman Carlina Rivera said the East Village area near where Perrelli died has been plagued by dangerous late-night parties where revelers would jump from rooftop to rooftop. She had heard reports that the party early Saturday morning had been 'dangerously overcrowded', and was working on two pieces of legislation to make the city buildings safer. One would require tenants to sign up to city noise codes and the second will enforce stricter oversight of rooftop use and capacity. 'This tragedy shows just how dangerous overcrowded or mismanaged rooftop parties have become, and how often they have little to no safety protections or monitoring,' Rivera told ABC7 New York. Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer added his support to the new bills. 'The tragic death of a woman who fell from a roof during a party in the East Village on Saturday is a painful reminder that City Hall and property managers are failing to step up when it comes to rooftop parties.' Perrelli, originally from Connecticut, completed a degree in business management at the University of Florida, according to her Linkedin account. She moved to New York City in 2019 to start work at finance company Third Bridge Group. Perrelli graduated from the University of Florida with a business management degree before moving to New York to work in finance Perrelli, left, would often be the designated driver on nights out with friends, her family say Perrelli, left, with a close friend, grew up in Connecticut but her 'heart belonged to New York', her father Louis said Family said she was a regular gym goer, had a large social network of close friends, and used to go to New York Rangers and Yankees games with her father. 'Her heart definitely belonged to New York, that's for sure,' her father told the Daily News. The building where she died, The Topanga at 202 Avenue A, was renovated in 2018 to build 10 new apartments and duplex penthouses. Several three and four bedroom penthouses with roof access are rented out for $12,000 per month, according to StreetEasy. Perrelli's uncle Michael also paid tribute to her in an online post. 'She was so beautiful in mind body and soul,' he wrote. 'So hard to find logic in a loss of child... She will forever stay in are hearts and minds. 'I know Cameron would want all of us to stay strong because her determination in life was to be and do the best she could in everything. Rest in piece our angel you will be forever in are hearts.' A man has been crushed by machinery on a worksite in western Sydney, sparking a large-scale emergency response. Emergency services were called to Railway Street, Emu Plains, just before 1pm on Monday to reports of an injury on a worksite. Three ambulance crew and a specialist medical team in a helicopter arrived to find a man, aged in his 40s, trapped in a machine. He has since been freed but has suffered serious injuries to his ankle. Emergency services were called to a worksite in Sydney's west on Monday morning to reports a man was crushed in machinery (pictured) He has been taken to Nepean Hospital, in Kingswood, in a stable condition. The incident comes days after a man died on a roadside worksite in Sydney's south. The 63-year-old asphalt worker was trying to fix a bobcat bucket on Railway Parade, near Allawah train station, when a truck drove forward and crushed him. Emergency crews spent more than four hours trying to recover the man from beneath the vehicle, but he sadly died at the scene. The truck driver, 55, was treated for shock and taken to St George Hospital for mandatory testing. He is assisting police with their investigation. Advertisement A car catapulted through the roof of a house in Missouri on Sunday morning, landing just feet from residents who were asleep in their bed. The incredible crash happened in a quiet residential street in the small city of Eureka near St. Louis. The accident occurred at around 1:30am when the two teens were on their way home from a graduation party. They somehow lost control of the white Chevrolet Malibu car they were driving on a highway that runs parallel to the rear of the home. A Chevrolet Malibu car driven by two teens lost control early on Sunday morning The car went down embankment and up a ramp catapulting it into the roof of a home A member of the Eureka Fire Department looks at the scene in the master bedroom after a car came crashing through the roof of the home After coming off the road, the vehicle went up a ramp, rolled down an embankment and flipped over a fence sending it flying directly into the roof of the house. It came to rest six feet from the end of the bed where the homeowners were fast asleep. The driver and passenger then got out of the car, and walked out unscathed through the master bedroom and then the front door. Amazingly, nobody was injured in either the car or at the house. The sedan car came crashing through the roof of the house leaving sunlight streaming in Fire crews were pictured on scene as they worked out how to remove the car from the rooftop Nobody was injured in the incident which left the car sticking out of the roof 'They were truly lucky. It's an extreme success story that everybody survived this with the potentials there could have been. There were two homeowners in the master bedroom and children sleeping downstairs,' said Deputy Chief William Stamberger from the Eureka Fire Department to Fox 2. 'There could have been a great amount of disaster,' he added as he surveyed the damage. The residents and owners of the car who have not yet been identified, say they will let their respective insurance companies see about how to best deal with the damage. The homeowners say they are grateful their family are safe. Pictures taken by firefighters managed to capture the unusual sight from every angle Later on Sunday, a crane was used to lift the car from the bedroom The car became fully lodged into the roof of the home. Incredibly, nobody was hurt Pictured: A staff member prepares a Covid jab in Homebush, Sydney, on May 10 Australia is considering cash lottos and discount vouchers to encourage residents to get their Covid jab - as the country's chief medical officer admits there is 'hesitancy' among older generations who are eligible for the vaccine. Professor Paul Kelly was on Monday asked whether the government would be open to launching financial incentives to increase Australia's immunisation rates. 'I think all of these things are potentially on the table,' he said in reference to cash lotteries and product discounts seen overseas. Prof Kelly also admitted there is 'some hesitancy' among Australians aged 50 to 69 and they could look to target the group with the novelty measures. 'We are rolling out extremely well in the over 70s. So there is something we need to consider there. And, you know, we can certainly look at that,' he continued. 'But I think the main incentive is the one I have mentioned many times, about protecting your own health, not sitting there, waiting for an outbreak. 'Because once an outbreak is here, if it comes, it will be very difficult for us to rollout masses and masses of vaccines quickly.' About 3.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have so far been administered across the country, through a mix of AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs. Pictured: Sydney residents wait for their jab in Homebush on Monday There are fears the Covid vaccine rollout has been hampered by complacency and concerns among older Australians in relation to the AstraZeneca jab. The drug has been linked to a small number of extremely rare blood clots. Despite the remote risk, cabinet minister Simon Birmingham is urging people not to wait for alternative jabs to arrive. 'Australians aged over 50 who have concerns or hesitancy should sit down and talk to their GP,' he said. Prof Kelly has written to all GPs with the latest advice on vaccine side-effects. He would not blame one group for the vaccine hesitancy during Monday's press conference, saying 'we all have our part to play in this'. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly (pictured) was on Monday asked whether the government would be open to launching financial incentives to increase Australia's immunisation rates 'Media has an important role in bringing truthful detailed information to the public. I encourage you to do that,' he said. 'The actual point I have been trying to make for many weeks now and again today, if you are in those groups that are eligible for the vaccination, please do not hesitate.' About 3.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have so far been administered across the country, through a mix of AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs. The number of vaccinated disability care residents has been revised up to 5888 doses from fewer than 1000 a week ago. The overall national number is still well short of what the government was hoping for, but the rollout could soon receive a shot in the arm. The government is promising two million doses of Pfizer will arrive in Australia each week from the start of October. This could see every Australian who wants protection from Covid fully immunised by the end of this year. A Newcastle club will be the first in NSW to trial cashless poker machines in a bid to stop criminals and tax dodgers laundering money as well as protect gambling addicts. The trial, starting in September, will include responsible gambling measures including money limits, session time limits, information and real-time messaging to customers and marshals. The trial, announced on Monday, will be led by Aristocrat Gaming and Wests Newcastle and see cashless payments for all club services, including pokies. Newcastle club will be first in NSW to trial cashless poker machines. Pictured: Poker machines at Vikings Club in Canberra Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello (pictured) said the trial would combat money laundering and problem gambling Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello welcomed the trial, saying it would 'help us combat the twin sins of money laundering and problem gambling, addressing the key concerns of the Bergin Inquiry'. In February former Supreme Court judge Patricia Bergin released a report on behalf of Liquor & Gaming NSW into gambling giant Crown's suitability to run a casino at its $2.2 billion flagship at Barangaroo. It found money laundering was rife at its Melbourne venue and recommended cashless gaming cards to end the practice. CEO Aristocrat Gaming and Chief Transformation Officer Mitchell Bowen said the cashless payment trial would help patrons to manage their playing. 'Aristocrat believes that enabling cashless payment solutions is an innovation that may help enhance the long-term sustainability and vibrancy of our industry,' he said. Inquiry into gambling giant Crown's suitability to run a casino at its $2.2 billion flagship at Barangaroo (pictured) found money laundering through pokies was a major concern Wests Newcastle CEO Phil Gardner said the trial would build on the club's commitment to the welfare of its 116,000 members. 'A powerful new suite of responsible digital tools will empower our members and allow them to set limits, speak to a staff member, or even exclude themselves from the club. 'The ability for our members to use their own mobile wallet to pay for a meal, membership and gaming is something our industry hasn't seen before.' Customers need to supply proof of identity equivalent to 100 points and have their digital wallet linked to an Australian bank account. Data safeguard features and privacy would be an essential element. Sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame has accused Scott Morrison of making a crass comment in her ear after her Australian of the Year acceptance speech. The 26-year-old, who was repeatedly raped by her 58-year-old math teacher when she was just 15, won the award in January for raising awareness about the impact of sexual violence. In her emotional speech at the National Arboretum in Canberra, Ms Tame spoke about the abuse she suffered and urged survivors to share their stories. Sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame has accused Scott Morrison (pictured together after she won Australian of the Year) of making a crass comment in her ear Poll Was Scott Morrison's comment insensitive? Yes No, just awkward No, Grace Tame is not a fan of the PM Was Scott Morrison's comment insensitive? Yes 312 votes No, just awkward 570 votes No, Grace Tame is not a fan of the PM 1039 votes Now share your opinion 'I remember him saying, ''Don't make a sound.'' Well, hear me now, using my voice amongst a chorus of voices that will not be silenced,' she said of her abuser. In a podcast with The Betoota Advocate, Ms Tame revealed what the prime minister told her after the speech. 'Do you know what he said to me, right after I finished that speech and we're in front of a wall of media? I sh** you not, he leant over and right in my ear he goes ''Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out'',' she said. Ms Tame said the comment was a 'shocker' and said even her manager's mother, a 90-year-old lifelong Liberal voter, condemned it. She has previously been fiercely critical of the prime minister regarding his handling of sexual assault allegations and his mocked him for not doing enough to fight climate change. After Mr Morrison revealed his wife Jenny urged him to consider the issue of former liberal staffer Brittany Higgins' alleged rape from the point of view of a father, Ms Tame said: 'It shouldn't take having children to have a conscience'. In Question Time in Parliament on Monday, Labor shadow minister for women Tanya Plibersek asked the prime minister to confirm what he said to Ms Tame. Mr Morrison said he couldn't remember his exact words but insisted he was only trying to tell Ms Tame how brave she was. He said: 'I would agree it was, indeed, a very brave speech, I can't recall the exact words I used, but I wouldn't question that in any way shape or form, what Tame has said. Ms Tame (pictured at a women's march in March) said the comment was a 'shocker' and said even her manager's mother, a 90-year-old lifelong Liberal voter, condemned it 'That is roughly my recollection. That was a very brave statement. That is exactly what I meant when I said that to her on that occasion. 'It was a very proud moment for her and her great struggle and challenge over a long period of time and what she did on that occasion was speak with a very strong voice about what had occurred to her. 'I think in raising her voice in that way, it would have been great to so many victims of sexual abuse and harassment around the country. 'That is exactly what I meant. Exactly what I meant. I don't know why some other meaning may have been put upon those words,' he said. Ms Tame was just 15 when she was suffering from anorexia and became the sexual target of her maths teacher, more than 40 years her senior. She had first confided in her abuser about when she was molested at the tender age of six by an older child, hoping for help and guidance. Mr Morrison said he couldn't remember his exact words but insisted he was only trying to tell Ms Tame how brave she was Telling him about when an older child had forced her into a cupboard and told her to undress before she was molested, the predator then saw an opportunity. 'He then introduced the actual sexual abuse by recreating that scene that I had described to him of my childhood trauma,' she recalled. The abuser locked Ms Tame in a cupboard at Hobart's elite St Michael's Collegiate Girls' School where he then sexually molested her for the first time. He then groomed Ms Tame and exposed her to films which glorified relationships between young women and older men. He would also isolate her from her family and friends saying she would overcome anorexia alone. 'He would tell me the things that he perceived I wanted to hear, like, ''you are beautiful, you don't need your mother, you don't need your father. You can beat your illness on your own. You are so intelligent'', she said. 'He would be showering me with praise, putting me up on a pedestal. But if ever I got too much confidence or I was building enough strength to potentially see the abuse for what it was, he would take me down, he would just tear shreds off me. 'I remember I was really upset and I asked him, ''do you think I look fat?'' And he looked me up and down. He said, ''you could do with some more exercise.'' A brave Ms Tame then reported the rapes to the school and to the police. The abuser, who was found in possession of 28 pieces of child pornography, was locked up for two-and-a-half years. Hundreds of veterans who served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland could face prosecution for years to come - despite promises by the government to protect them. Figures from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) show there are currently 1127 cases linked to 1419 deaths during the conflict to be looked into by Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB). Of these 289 have been attributed to the military, compared with 585 to republicans and 291 to loyalists. But because of the way cases are prioritised based on evidence held, it is feared Armed Forces personnel will be disproportionately targeted for investigation - despite concerns over the reliability of some of the evidence used. The historical cases - which can lead to prosecution - will continue to be investigated until the government implements legislation to stop the practice. The Queen's Speech earlier this month did not contain a Bill to bring an end to the prosecutions, as had been hoped by some campaigners. Hundreds of veterans who served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland could face prosecution for years to come without any plans by the government to protect them Instead there was a brief mention the 'measures will be brought forward to strengthen devolved government in Northern Ireland and to address the legacy of the past'. Johnny Mercer, the Tory MP who quit as veterans minister in April, accused the government of a 'betrayal' over the 'dithering' on ending prosecutions. Speaking to The Times, he said the inquiries 'could go on for decades' without end for veterans, many of whom are now in there seventies and eighties. Referring to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Mercer said he planned to 'make their lives as uncomfortable as possible until they deliver on their promises'. It has been reported that the government intends to introduce a statute of limitations so no one can be charged over incidents up to the 1998 Good Friday agreement - except for cases involving war crimes, genocide or torture. But politicians on both sides of the Irish border have condemned the move, which would see a block on trials linked to the Troubles apply to both Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorists and veterans of the Armed Forces. Figures from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) show there are currently 1127 cases linked to 1419 deaths during the conflict to be looked into by Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB). Of these 289 have been attributed to the military. Pictured: A 'Respect Our Veterans' parade in Whitehall following the collapse of the trial in Belfast of two British soldiers The Queen's Speech earlier this month did not contain a Bill to bring an end to the prosecutions, as had been hoped by some campaigners A statute is also unlikely to apply to cases that are already going through the courts. British forces are thought to have been responsible for 301 deaths during the Troubles, out of a total of 3,520. Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has already decided to prosecute veterans in four cases, including Bloody Sunday. A decision is pending on three other cases. The LIB, which was set up to replace the Historical Enquiries Team (HET), are managing a total of 1419 deaths, of which 585 are attributed to republicans, 291 to loyalists, 289 to military, 51 to the police, 69 with unknown attribution and 134 that are being treated as non-terrorist related. The process has faced criticism from all sides, with its head Rowan Moore even admitting that the system 'does not satisfy everyone'. Concerns have been raised over the reliability of evidence and witness statements that are decades old. The government is compelled to hand over any files involving incidents during the Troubles, which largely applies to members of the Armed Forces. Johnny Mercer, the Tory MP who quit as veterans minister in April, accused the government of a 'betrayal' over the 'dithering' on ending prosecutions. Pictured: Mr Mercer speaks at the 'Respect Our Veterans' parade It has been reported that the government intends to introduce a statute of limitations so no one can be charged over incidents up to the 1998 Good Friday agreement On the other hand there is limited information on any of the incidents carried out by terrorists. Philip Barden, a senior partner at Devonshires solicitors who represent over 30 veterans said the IRA and UDA's lack of records meant most non-military prosecutions would not be able to get off the ground. 'It is far easier to undertake an investigation into a shooting incident that involved the military or police because they will have quite detailed records,' he told the publication. 'This means that historic investigations into the military are possible but into the vast majority of killings, 90 per cent by terrorists, they won't lead to a successful prosecution.' Legislation detailing a statute of limitations and a truth and reconciliation commission is expected before the summer recess. A government spokesperson said: 'The government has been clear that it will bring forward legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles which focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations. 'We are committed to making progress on this as quickly as possible. We ensure that legal and welfare support is provided for all serving military personnel and veterans involved in legacy investigations and will continue to do so.' Detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday voiced defiance in her first public comments since being held in a coup, vowing her ousted political party would 'exist as long as the people exist.' Myanmar has been in uproar since the February 1 putsch, with near-daily protests and a nationwide civil disobedience movement. More than 800 people have been killed by the military, according to a local monitoring group. In her first in-person court appearance, Suu Kyi told her lawyer her National League for Democracy would 'exist as long as the people exist,' even as the junta threatens to dissolve the party - which swept elections in 2020 - over alleged voter fraud. This screengrab provided via AFPTV and taken from a broadcast by Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) in Myanmar on May 24, shows detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi (second left) during her first court appearance in Naypyidaw, since the military detained her in a coup on February 1 In this image from Myawaddy TV, a photograph of deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's court appearance was shown during a report about her case is read by a news presenter Monday, May 24 Demonstrators march during a protest against the military coup in Mandalay, Myanmar, on May 24 The Nobel laureate - who had not been seen in public since the coup - sounded 'healthy and fully confident' during the 30-minute meeting, her lawyer Min Min Soe told AFP. 'She wishes her people to stay healthy as well as affirmed the NLD will exist as long as people exist because it was founded for people,' she added. Suu Kyi has been hit with a string of criminal charges including flouting coronavirus restrictions during last year's election campaign and possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies. There was a heavy security presence in the capital Naypyidaw, an AFP correspondent said, with the road to the specially-constructed courthouse blocked off by police trucks. Aung San Suu Kyi (file image) spoke out in defiance of Myanmar's military junta during her first in-person court appearance since the February coup that ousted her party from power Suu Kyi had faced weeks of delays to her legal case and her lawyers had struggled to gain access to their client. The next hearing was set for June 7, Min Min Soe said, adding she had also met with former president Win Myint, who was ousted and detained along with Suu Kyi. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing gave a two-hour interview to Hong Kong's Phoenix Television last week, with the full programme yet to air, though portions have been released. Min Min Soe (right), one of the lawyers representing Suu Kyi, reported her remarks to the press afterwards and said she sounded 'healthy and fully confident' during the hearing Asked about Suu Kyi's political achievements, the military leader said: 'In short, she has done everything she can.' A group of ousted lawmakers - many of them previously part of the NLD - have formed a shadow 'National Unity Government' in an attempt to undermine the junta. The military has declared the group would be classified as 'terrorists'. In a separate interview excerpt, Min Aung Hlaing disputed the death toll from anti-coup protests and said the junta was not ready to adopt a consensus brokered by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to halt violence. The continuing violence has pushed some in the anti-junta movement to form a so-called 'People's Defence Force' (PDF) in their own townships - made up of civilians who fight back against security forces with homemade weapons. Sunday saw heavy fighting between junta forces and the Karenni National Progressive Party - an ethnic armed group with a stronghold in Kayah state on Myanmar's eastern fringe. The military used tanks, mortars and helicopters in fighting which continued into Sunday night, according to a senior KNPP leader. Four people taking refuge in a church were killed in army shelling, according to media and a spokesperson for a local group coordinating evacuations from the area. Advertisement Thousands of people attended pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies in New York, Louisville, Beverley Hills and Atlanta over the weekend with scenes remaining largely peaceful, police say. In Beverly Hills, hundreds of people gathered on Sunday in a show of support for Israel days after the Jewish state agreed a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators also gathered in the ritzy Los Angeles neighborhood, prompting police to separate protesters. Demonstrators clashed briefly, but no fights were reported. In New York, hundreds more people rallied at Ground Zero in a show of support for Israel, carrying signs that read 'Israel is under attack'. People also gathered in Times Square, and outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, GA, condemning a rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out on May 6. More pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets in Louisville, Kentucky, and marched their way through downtown calling for freedom and peace. The demonstrations came three days into a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel after nearly two weeks of violent conflict that left at least 250 people, mostly Palestinians, dead. Police have not yet indicated if arrests were made at Sunday's rallies. BEVERLY HILLS: Hundreds of people rallied on Sunday in a show of support for Israel days after the Jewish state agreed a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. They clashed briefly with pro-Palestine protesters, though no fights were reported NEW YORK: Hundreds more people rallied at Ground Zero in a show of support for Israel, carrying signs that read 'Israel is under attack'. Protesters also gathered in Times Square LOUISVILLE: Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, and marched their way through downtown calling for freedom and peace Speakers at Ground Zero in Manhattan called for solidarity between Israel and Jews in New York. Event organizer Tal Shuster said: 'We are here today against terror, united against terrorism... We do not accept any type of terror, not in New York, not in Israel, not anywhere in the world.' The protest was led by the Israel-American Council with 100 Tri-State Jewish community organizations. The demonstration in Atlanta was organized by the Atlanta Israel Coalition under the banner 'Israel is under fire on the physical and virtual battlefields. Now more than ever, Israel needs your support!' NEW YORK: Speakers at a demonstration, titled 'United Against Anti-Semitism. United Against Terror. United for Us', at Ground Zero called for solidarity between Israel and Jews in New York NEW YORK: The protest at Ground Zero was led by the Israel-American Council with 100 Tri-State Jewish community organizations NEW YORK: Dalia Zahger Levy (pictured), North East Director for Macabee Task Force, spoke at Sunday's pro-Israel rally at Ground Zero NEW YORK: Event organizer Tal Shuster told attendees: 'We are here today against terror, united against terrorism... We do not accept any type of terror, not in New York, not in Israel, not anywhere in the world' BEVERLY HILLS: Riot police separated pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters at rallies on Sunday where both sides clashes, but no fights occured BEVERLY HILLS: Pro-Palestine demonstrators wore keffiyehs and held Palestinian flags and banners called to 'End the occupation' at the rally on Sunday BEVERLY HILLS: Hundreds of people, both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian, gathered on Sunday in a show of support after nearly two weeks of violent conflict in the Middle East ATLANTA: The Israeli-American Council and dozen of Jewish organizations held a rally outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon ATLANTA: The demonstration was organized by the Atlanta Israel Coalition under the banner 'Israel is under fire on the physical and virtual battlefields. Now more than ever, Israel needs your support!' ATLANTA: Demonstrators, including pictured Erik Sugar, 31, from Charleston, held Israeli flags at a rally outside the country's consulate on Sunday ATLANTA: Protesters showed solidarity with Israel, holding signs that read 'I stand with Israel' at the demonstration on Sunday A rally in Louisville was organized by local university students, who chanted 'Free, free Palestine, free, free Palestine' as they marched to the city's Metro Hall. The group were joined by Kentucky State Representative Attica Scott who said she stood in solidarity with protesters. 'I've been very clear with anyone who approaches me and not very many do because do not come to a black woman who have suffered under police violence and ask her why she is standing with Palestine, why do you think,' Rep Scott, a Democrat, told Wave 3 News. LOUISVILLE: The rally was organized by local university students, who chanted 'Free, free Palestine, free, free Palestine' as they marked to the city's Metro Hall LOUISVILLE: The group were joined by Kentucky State Representative Attica Scott (not pictured) who said she stood in solidarity with protesters LOUISVILLE: Protesters marched through the city holding signs that read 'if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor' LOUISVILLE: Demonstrators carried placards that read 'bombing kids is not self defense' at Sunday's rally while others called to 'free Palestine' LOUISVILLE: The rally, which was organized by local university students, called on the US government to end aid to Israel LOUISVILLE: A child holds a flag and a sign at a rally organized by local university students in Louisville on Sunday afternoon LOUISVILLE: Hundreds of people marched in solidarity with Palestine on Sunday, the third day of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip LOUISVILLE: Pro-Palestine demonstrators, who chanted 'Free, free Palestine, free, free Palestine' as they marked to the city's Metro Hall. LOUISVILLE: A woman holds a sign reading 'To be silent is to be complicit' at a pro-Palestine rally in Louisville on Sunday afternoon LOUISVILLE: Women marched in solidarity with Palestine at a rally on Sunday. They carried signs calling for freedom for Palestine LOUISVILLE: Demonstrators carried signs reading 'Respect existence or expect resistance' at a rally on Sunday afternoon. Some attendees also carried insignia reading 'Black Lives Matter' LOUISVILLE: Protesters carrying 'Free Palestine' signs marched on the city's Metro Hall during a pro-Palestine rally on Sunday LOUISVILLE: University students marched on the city's Metro Hall during a pro-Palestine demonstration on Sunday afternoon The rallies came a day after thousands of pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets of New York on Saturday holding 'Abolish Israel' signs in one of more than 90 events planned for the weekend including events in Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Portland. The 'Rally to Defend Palestine' on Saturday afternoon in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens was organized by the New York group Within Our Lifetime (WOL). In Queens, one car displayed a poster branding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'the biggest terrorist in the world!' Marchers were pictured holding various flags, including one that appears to show a red target over Israel's flag - though the meaning of the flag was not entirely clear. Another man held a sign that called to 'Abolish Israel' while another protester held a sign that reads 'End the Ongoing Nekba', a reference to the day Israel became a nation. Other demonstrators carried signs reading 'End all U.S. aid to Israel', 'Free Palestine' and 'Jerusalem is the Capital of Palestine' while marchers chanted 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' and 'Say it loud, say it clear, we don't want no Zionists here.' After gathering under the 7 Line viaduct, the group marched through the streets chanting, their numbers swelling to the thousands. NEW YORK: The rallies come after a rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on May 6 NEW YORK: Demonstrators held signs and wore t-shirts reading 'I/We stand with Israel' at rallies across the US on Sunday afternoon BEVERLY HILLS: Protesters wore t-shirts with Hebrew slogans and held placards reading 'Israel stands 4 peace' at a rally on Sunday BEVERLY HILLS: Hundreds of people assembled for a pro-Israel demonstration on Sunday. Pro-Palestine protesters were also present BEVERLY HILLS: Pro-Israel demonstrators gathered on Sunday. Pro-Palestine protesters were also present but no fights took place BEVERLY HILLS: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators wore keffiyehs, a checked scarf traditionally worn by Palestinian farmers, at a rally on Sunday BEVERLY HILLS: Police separated pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters during separate rallies on Sunday. The two sides clashes, but no fights were reported BEVERLY HILLS: Pro-Israeli protesters attended a rally on Sunday afternoon amid a rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes after the start of a conflict between Hamas and Israel BEVERLY HILLS: Pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrators both rallied on Sunday afternoon. There were clashes, but no fights were reported NEW YORK: Elisha Weisal, Eli Weisal's son spoke at a the 'United Against Anti-Semitism. United Against Terror. United for Us' rally at Ground Zero on Sunday afternoon ATLANTA: Demonstrators held signs that read '"Never Again" must mean NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE' at a rally on Sunday afternoon ATLANTA: The Israeli-American Council and dozens of Jewish organizations held rallies in support of Israel in multiple cities across America on Sunday The cross county pro-Israel rallies come after a string of anti-Semitic hate crimes, including an attack on diners outside at Westside sushi restaurant last week. Police arrested a suspect in the case on Friday night. The LAPD are also investigating two anti-Semitic attacks that took place on Monday night in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Beverly Grove. On Monday evening, two cars bearing Palestinian flags chased down a 'terrified' Orthodox Jew before he ran to the safety of a nearby synagogue. Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said the father-of-six - who is too scared to be publicly identified - 'literally had to run for his life'. The following evening, pro-Palestinian protesters were caught on camera brawling with diners at a kosher restaurant in the same neighborhood. The protesters pounced after allegedly asking the patrons if they were Jewish. Anti-Semitic attacks have surged across the United States following violence in the Middle East. The Anti-Defamation League reported almost 200 attacks on American Jews in the seven days from May 10 - the date that Hamas first fired rockets at Israel. That number represents an almost 40 percent increase on the 131 anti-Semitic incidents that were clocked in the US the week before. 'As the violence between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, we are witnessing a dangerous and drastic surge in anti-Jewish hate right here at home,' ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said on Thursday. Police have launched an investigation after a Jewish family were pelted with garbage and subjected to vile slurs as they left a synagogue in Miami. Eric Orgen was walking with his wife and daughter on Monday when a group of men slowed down their car and began yelling 'Free Palestine', 'Die Jew' and 'I'm gonna rape your wife'. The harassers only stopped when a stranger in another car intervened, brandishing a gun to scare them off. It comes after a van was seen cruising through Miami earlier this week sporting Palestinian flags and the words 'HITLER WAS RIGHT' written across a side window. MIAMI, MONDAY MAY 17: Eric Orgen was walking with his wife and daughter on Monday when a group of men slowed down their car and began yelling 'Free Palestine', 'Die Jew' and I'm gonna rape your wife' MIAMI, SUNDAY MAY 16: A van was seen cruising through Miami sporting Palestinian flags and the words 'HITLER WAS RIGHT' written across the window Jewish people had fireworks thrown at them during competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrations in New York City on Thursday night. A number of vehicles carrying people waving Palestinian flags and shouting racial slurs were captured on videos, driving through Manhattan's Diamond District, home to many Jewish-owned businesses. The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force said it was investigating the assault of a Jewish man in Times Square, with video posted to social media purporting to show him being kicked as he lay on the street. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries. More than two dozen people were arrested in the skirmish. NEW YORK, THURSDAY MAY 20: Jewish man Joseph Borgen, 29, was hospitalized after being set upon by a group of pro-Palestinian protesters during the dueling demonstrations NEW YORK, THURSDAY MAY 20: Borgen is seen in the hospital after being set upon by a group of pro-Palestinian protesters during the dueling demonstrations Meanwhile, Jewish man Joseph Borgen, 29, was hospitalized after being set upon by a group of pro-Palestinian protesters during the dueling demonstrations. Video shared to social media shows him being pushed to ground before he was kicked by multiple people. There has also been a spate of anti-Semitic violence in smaller cities, including Skokie, Illinois - a heavily Jewish town north of Chicago. On May 16, one synagogue in Skokie had its windows smashed in. A man brandishing a Palestinian flag was caught on buildings security camera also leaving a pro-Palestine sign outside. A rock was thrown through a window of a synagogue in Tucson, Arizona on Tuesday morning. No one was injured, and the offender or offenders have not yet been found. A synagogue in Salt Lake City, Utah was vandalized with a swastika on May 16. As air-raid alarms wailed overhead, a group of female elephants in an Israeli zoo huddled together to shield a calf from danger. Footage of the remarkable moment shows five adult elephants moving to make a protective circle around one-year-old calf Pele as the sirens began to wail, holding the formation as blasts can be heard in the background. The video was posted to social media by Ramat Gan Safari in Tel Aviv on Friday, amid a flare up in tensions between Israel and Hamas that resulted in the deaths of at least 248 Palestinians, and 12 people in Israel. The caring behaviour seen in the video is 'very normal' for elephants in the wild, zookeeper Guy Kfir explained, albeit in response to very different threats. 'When they sense danger, they gather their young in the centre, encircle them and act as some sort of protective shield. In the video, you can see that each of them faces a different direction to protect the calf and watch out for any incoming danger,' he told ynetnews. 'We also observe this behaviour when sirens go off on memorial days. This also happens when one of them gives birth. All her fellow females circle her, serving as her eyes and shield.' As air-raid alarms wailed overhead, a group of female elephants in an Israeli zoo huddled together to shield a calf from danger Footage of the remarkable moment shows five adult elephants moving to make a protective circle around one-year-old calf Pele as the sirens began to wail, holding the formation as blasts can be heard in the background The video of the elephants came amid an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas, the militant and political group that governs Gaza. It has left behind immense ruin in Gaza, including hundreds of homes that have been completely destroyed and many more that were badly damaged, according to the UN. Fighting came to a fragile halt on Friday, when a ceasefire was agreed following pressure from the United States and others. Tensions remain high, however, with Israeli police escorting more than 250 Jewish visitors on Sunday to a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem where clashes between police and Palestinian protesters helped spark the most recent conflict. Police cleared young Palestinians out of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and barred entry to Muslims under the age of 45, according to the Islamic Waqf, which oversees the site. Muslims who entered were required to leave their IDs with police at the entrance. It said six Palestinians were detained, with four later released. Israeli police denied there was any age restriction and said they had arrested five people who 'violated the public order.' Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the site was open for 'regular visits' and that police had secured the area. The visits later ended without any further incident. The video was posted to social media by Ramat Gan Safari in Tel Aviv on Friday, amid a flare up in tensions between Israel and Hamas that resulted in the deaths of at least 248 Palestinians, and 12 people in Israel The caring behaviour seen in the video is 'very normal' for elephants in the wild, Zookeeper Guy Kfir explained, albeit in response to very different threats There were brief scuffles between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters after Friday prayers in an early test for the truce, which had taken effect hours earlier. The ceasefire in Gaza was held, but there are fears that violence in Jerusalem could set off another cycle of escalation. The Waqf said Sunday was the first time Jews had been allowed to visit the Al-Aqsa compound since May 4, a week before fighting broke out. The Al-Aqsa Mosque, located inside the compound, is the third holiest site in Islam. It sits on a sprawling hilltop in Jerusalem's Old City that is revered by Jews as their holiest site. The site has often been the scene of violence over the years and was the epicenter of the 2000 Palestinian Intifada, or uprising. Israeli police repeatedly clashed with Palestinian protesters at the site in the days leading up to May 10, when Hamas fired long-range rockets at Jerusalem, saying it was protecting the city in the wake of the skirmishes. The threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families from the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood was cited as another major trigger of the war. In recent years, increasing numbers of religious and nationalist Jews have visited the Al-Aqsa compound. Palestinians fear Israel plans to eventually take over the compound or partition it. The Israeli government has repeatedly said it has no intention of changing the status quo, in which the Waqf oversees the site under Jordanian custodianship. On Sunday, Jordan said it would pay for repairs to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as medical aid for Palestinians, including a coronavirus testing and vaccination centre in the Gaza Strip. The statement from the Royal Court did not specify the amount of funding. 'When they sense danger, they gather their young in the centre, encircle them and act as some sort of protective shield,' zookeeper Guy Kfir said The recent conflict saw Israel unleash hundreds of airstrikes across Gaza at what it said were militant targets. Hamas and other armed groups fired more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel, most of which were intercepted or landed in open areas. At least 248 Palestinians were killed, as were 12 people in Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken leaves this week for the Mideast. He told ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday that the ceasefire offers a chance to 'make a pivot to building something more positive.' Blinken said the priorities include addressing the immediate humanitarian situation in Gaza, reconstructing what was lost in the violence and 'engaging both sides in trying to start to make real improvements in the lives of people so that Israelis and Palestinians can live with equal measures of security, of peace and of dignity.' The Israeli strikes levelled a number of large buildings in the impoverished coastal territory, which is home to more than two million Palestinians, and which has been under a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power from forces loyal to the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority in 2007. A large number of buildings in Gaza were damaged by Israeli bombardment, with the UN saying Lynn Hastings, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said some 300 buildings in Gaza - containing an estimated 1,000 homes - had been completely destroyed. She said hundreds more had been heavily damaged. She cautioned that those were 'very, very preliminary numbers' as the damage is still being assessed. Hastings said a total of six hospitals and 11 primary health care centres were damaged, and that one hospital was not functioning because of a lack of electricity. She said around 800,000 people lack access to tap water and 400,000 people do not have proper sewage treatment because of damage to local infrastructure. Israel says it made every effort to avoid harming civilians and only targeted militant infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network and rocket launchers. It blames the war and its devastation on Hamas. Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Fox News Sunday that Israel had dealt Hamas a 'heavy blow' and hoped it would serve as a deterrent. But he also expressed hope that the truce could last, noting 'over half a decade of relative peace and quiet' after the last round of fighting in 2014. On Sunday morning, hundreds of municipal workers and volunteers started a one-week campaign to clear rubble from Gaza's streets. The work began outside a high-rise building that was flattened by Israeli warplanes during the early days of airstrikes on Gaza, with workers loading rubble into donkey carts and small pickup trucks. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Friday that the war may have left hundreds of unexploded munitions, which could cause further casualties and hinder efforts to rebuild. A 63-year-old man has been charged over the murder of a 20-year-old 'prostitute' from Hungary who went missing two weeks ago. Agnes Akom - known to friends as Dora - went missing after leaving her home in Cricklewood Broadway, north-west London, on May 9. Neculai Paizan, 63, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with her disappearance and has now been charged with her murder. Ms Akom - who has been living in the UK for three years - is believed to have been a prostitute in the capital. Her body has still not been found. Paizan will appear at Willesden Magistrates' Court later on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. It was reported on Friday that a 63-year-old arrested by police was in hospital one day prior with self-inflicted injuries sustained while in custody. Agnes Akom - known to friends as Dora - went missing after leaving her home in Cricklewood Broadway, north-west London, on May 9 Neculai Paizan, 63, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the disappearance of Ms Akom (pictured) and has now been charged with her murder Ms Akom is described as around 5ft 5in tall with blonde hair. She was wearing a distinctive white fake fur coat, blue ripped jeans and light pink trainers when she went missing. Detectives are pursuing all possible lines of enquiry. In an earlier statement, Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: 'Our officers are working tirelessly to locate Agnes, who has now not been seen or heard from in 10 days. 'There are serious concerns for Agnes' safety and it is our priority to find her as soon as possible. Ms Akom (pictured on CCTV on the last day she was seen) - who has been living in the UK for three years - is believed to have been a sex worker in the capital. Her body has still not been found 'We are conducting extensive searches in the Park Royal and Holland Park areas today following the arrest, and are continuing to utilise all investigative opportunities to build a clear picture of her movements. 'We are following every lead possible and are appealing for the public to help us in our work. 'If you may have seen Agnes, or have any information on her whereabouts over the past 10 days, please contact police.' Met Police launched an appeal for the public to come forward if they see or have seen anything suspicious they feel may be relevant. A man has been shot after he charged at police outside a KFC in south east Melbourne. Police attended the KFC on Lauderdale Road, Narre Warren at about 2.45pm on Monday afternoon after they were called to a disturbance. Officers shot an 'agitated' man after he charged at officers with an 'edged weapon'. Police were called to the KFC in Narre Warren at about 2.45pm on Monday afternoon 'Officers were confronted with an agitated man wielding an edged weapon who charged at them,' a Victoria Police statement read. 'A police firearm was discharged and the man was struck to the lower body.' The man was shot in the lower body in an attempt to apprehend the man. Belinda, a caller to radio station 3AW, said she saw the police officers in the carpark of the fast-food restaurant, across the road from the Narre Warren police station. The man was shot in the lower body after charging at police officers with a weapon at the Narre Warren KFC (pictured) 'It was a bit of a shock - as I was driving past, there were a couple of police members in the car park,' she said. 'There was a guy there - they were spraying him and he was still coming at them.' The man was taken to hospital non-life threatening injuries. Victoria Police said an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident or with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log into www.crimestoppersvic.com.au. Advertisement Russia today threw its weight behind Belarus after Britain, the US and the EU accused the 'rogue state' of committing a 'war-like' hijacking of a Ryanair civilian airliner in order to arrest a dissident journalist on board who is now 'confessing' to charges of organising nation-wide protests. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Belarus was taking an 'absolutely reasonable approach' to the detention of opposition blogger Roman Protasevich after his flight from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Minsk Airport on Sunday by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet on the pretext of a bomb threat. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also mocked the Western indignation at the alleged hijacking, writing on Facebook she was 'shocked that the West calls the incident in Belarusian air space 'shocking'' and accusing Western nations of 'kidnappings, forced landings, and illegal arrests'. It comes as journalist Protasevich, 26, said he is cooperating with authorities and 'confessing' to charges of organising anti-regime protests which erupted across Belarus last year, in a video circulated by state TV channels. 'I can say that I have no health problems... I continue cooperating with investigators and am confessing to having organised mass unrest in the city of Minsk,' he can be seen saying. The Belarus Interior Ministry said on Monday that Protasevich is being held in a jail in Minsk but dismissed unconfirmed reports that he was hospitalised with a heart condition. Protasevich, the founder and editor of Poland-based news outlet Nexta, is being detained on suspicion of extremism, organising riots and inciting social hatred. The charges carry the death penalty. Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she feared that the opposition blogger, who has been described as a 'private enemy' of dictator Alexander Lukashenko, is probably 'in awful circumstances' and likely being 'tortured, because he knows lots of information'. 'We're really afraid, not only for his freedom but for his life', she told Sky News. Protasevich's flight made a sharp deviation from its course just a few miles from the Lithuanian border before landing in Minsk on Sunday, leading some aviation experts to believe that the MiG-29 fighter jet may even have threatened to shoot the Ryanair passenger plane full of tourists down. Suspicions have fallen on four passengers, believed to be agents from the Belarus's secret service - known as the KGB, the same name as its Russian counterpart - who voluntarily departed in Minsk, not continuing with the flight when it travelled on to its final destination, the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Their presence has stoked fears that Belarusian or Russian agents were involved in a murky operation to arrest Protasevich who had begged the crew not to follow the order, saying 'they will kill me' and telling a fellow passenger on the ground that he faced 'the death penalty.' British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab raised the possibility of direct Russian involvement in the diversion of the civilian airliner, telling MPs earlier today: 'It's very difficult to believe that this kind of action could have been taken without at least the acquiescence of the authorities in Moscow.' Yale University History Professor Timothy Snyder also added fuel to rumours of Russian participation in the plot, claiming in a tweet: 'Belarus would not have hijacked an EU plane without Russian approval'. It comes as EU President Ursula von der Leyen slammed Lukashenko's 'outrageous and illegal behaviour' and vowed those responsible for the hijacking would be sanctioned. EU leaders are meeting for a two-day summit today to decide on a joint response to the act of 'aviation piracy'. Mr Raab has said further sanctions were being considered against the Lukashenko administration and Belarus' ambassador in London had been summoned for a dressing down. Aircraft have been instructed to avoid Belarusian airspace following the 'state-sponsored hijack' of the Ryanair flight. Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured after he was separated from other passengers) was hauled off the plane and arrested with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, after the flight from Greece to Lithuania made the emergency landing in Minsk Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained NEXTA, Protasevich's outlet, was closely involved in reporting a wave of opposition protests that last year threatened to topple Lukashenko, before he was given backing by Vladimir Putin Ryanair flight FR4978 had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius in Lithuania when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet to Belarus amid fake reports of an IED on board. It was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport, where authorities arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich Aviation experts have claimed that Belarus threatened to shoot down the Athens to Vilnius Ryanair flight unless it did not land immediately (pictured: a MiG-29 fighter jet involved in the incident arriving back at base in Belarus). Their presence has stoked fears of Russian secret services involvement in a murky operation to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, a passenger on the plane who was detained with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, in Minsk Lukashenko 'has turned Belarus into North Korea in Europe': Backlash to hijacking ramps up as West summons Belarus ambassadors and new sanctions are prepared Berlin, London and Brussels summoned the Belarusian ambassadors, as exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for an independent probe, new sanctions and for Minsk to be excluded from international aviation bodies. 'An act of state terrorism was carried out and now any passengers flying over Belarus in a civilian aircraft will be in danger,' Tikhanovskaya told reporters in Vilnius. 'The regime has turned our country into North Korea in the middle of Europe,' she said. The EU and other Western countries have already imposed a wide range of sanctions on Lukashenko's government over a brutal crackdown on opposition demonstrations that followed his disputed re-election to a sixth term last August. Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo, Protasevich until recently ran the Nexta telegram channel that helped organise protests that were the biggest challenge to Lukashenko's rule since he took power in the ex-Soviet country in 1994. Belarus insisted it had acted legally over the grounding of the Ryanair jet, accusing the West of making 'unfounded accusations' for political reasons. Its air force chief said the plane's captain had decided to land in Belarus 'without outside interference' and that the pilot could have chosen to go to Ukraine or Poland. A senior Belarusian transport official said the authorities received a letter claiming to be from Hamas threatening to blow up the plane over Vilnius unless the EU renounced support for Israel. German Chancellor Angela Merkel dismissed Minsk's explanations as 'completely implausible' as the EU pushed for a probe by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The ICAO, a UN agency, is to meet on Thursday. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres backed calls for a 'full, transparent and independent investigation in this disturbing incident'. Advertisement Protasevich, an outspoken critic of Belarusian Lukashenko - dubbed 'Europe's last dictator' - was wanted for his role in organising massive protests against him after rigged elections last year. The Belarus Interior Ministry said Protasevich is being held in the capital Minsk and dismissed unconfirmed reports that he was hospitalised. Earlier, Belarussian media reported that Protasevich's mother received unconfirmed reports that her son was in hospital and in critical condition because of heart problems. 'This information does not correspond with reality,' the ministry said on its Telegram channel. It added that 'the arrested person is in custody' and is being held in Detention Centre No 1 in central Minsk. 'The administration of the institution has not received any complaints about his health,' the ministry said. Lukashenko, an ally of Vladimir Putin, personally gave the 'unequivocal order' to 'make the plane do a U-turn and land,' according to a statement by Belarus's presidential news service. Tsikhanouskaya called for wider sanctions on the Lukashenko's regime after Protasevich's arrest, which she said was 'the result of impunity'. 'For nine months already we have been fighting against the regime after fraudulent elections, but the regime still feels impunity and you see they use such awful methods of kidnapping people,' she said. 'We have to put much more pressure on this regime for them to stop violence and to release political prisoners.' She said she though it 'unbelievable' the regime had lasted long under these circumstances, especially because 'the whole county is against the regime'. 'The only question is, how many victims will there be during this fight for freedom and for democracy? I'm sure that these changes will come soon', she added. Meanwhile, Minsk Airport was at the centre of fresh drama on Monday after it suspended boarding of a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt over security fears after receiving a tip-off about a possible terrorist act. Lufthansa said in a written statement on Monday that Minsk authorities, prompted by a security alert, had unloaded luggage and freight from flight LH1487 and carried out renewed security checks on 56 people on board, including five crew members. Minsk airport said measures for the screening of passengers, baggage and aircraft had been completed and that the aircraft was preparing again for departure. The airport was operating normally, it said. 'The message about the terrorist attack, which was received earlier by e-mail of the airport, was not confirmed,' the airport said. Earlier, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary condemned 'state-sponsored piracy' by Belarus after one of his passenger jets was yesterday forced to land by a warplane on the pretext of a bomb threat. 'I think it's very frightening for the crew, for the passengers who were held under armed guard, had their bags searched,' he told Newstalk. 'It was clear it appears that the intent of the Russian authorities was to remove a journalist and his traveling companion. We believe there was also some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft as well.' Tory MP Tom Tugendhat this morning called it 'a warlike act,' joining the British, Irish and American governments in their condemnation. 'This was a flight between two NATO members and between two EU members,' the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman told Radio 4. 'If it's not an act of war, it's certainly a warlike act.' Mr Raab, the British foreign secretary, vowed to hold Lukashenko accountable 'for his outlandish actions' with further sanctions and demanded the 'immediate release of Protasevich.' His Irish counterpart Simon Coveney was also withering, saying that Dublin - where Ryanair is headquartered - would not allow the 'state-sponsored piracy' to go unpunished. The airliner full of tourists made an emergency landing at Minsk Airport yesterday after being escorted by a MiG-29 fighter jet amid reports of a bomb on board Journalists and Belarusian activists wait to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania ROMAN PROTASEVICH: OPPOSITION BLOGGER FORCED INTO EXILE Protasevich, 26, has long been a thorn in the side of Belarus's hardline dictator Alexander Lukashenko. He worked as an editor at the Poland-based Nexta Live channel, which is based on the Telegram messenger app and has over 1 million subscribers. The channel, which is openly hostile to Lukashenko, played an important role in broadcasting huge opposition protests against the President last year. Nexta also helped coordinate those same protests, which were sparked by anger over what the opposition said was a rigged presidential election. The channel's footage, which showed how harshly police cracked down on demonstrators, was used widely by international media at a time when the Belarusian authorities were reluctant to allow foreign media in. In November Protasevich published a copy of an official Belarusian list of terrorists on which his name figured. The listing said he was accused of organising mass riots while working at Nexta. He also stands accused of disrupting social order and of inciting social hatred. He regards the allegations, which could see him jailed for years, as unjustified political repression. Protasevich fled Belarus for Poland in 2019 due to pressure from the authorities, according to Media Solidarity, a group that supports Belarusian journalists. He moved his parents to Poland too after they were put under surveillance. He later relocated to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is also based. Protasevich is currently editor-in-chief of a Belarusian political outlet hosted on the Telegram messaging app called 'Belarus of the Brain' which has around a quarter of a million subscribers. He was flying back to Vilnius from Greece where he had spent time taking photographs of a visit there by Tsikhanouskaya. He had posted the pictures to social media before flying back. Advertisement 'We cannot allow this incident to pass on the basis of warnings or strong press releases,' Coveney told RTE. 'I think there has to be real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this. This was effectively aviation piracy, state-sponsored.' Moscow defended its ally, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov calling Lukashenko's action an 'absolutely reasonable approach.' 'A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules,' Lavrov said during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart. 'I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach.' He called on the global community to 'soberly assess the situation'. Earlier Monday, authorities in Belarus insisted they had acted legally when they diverted the flight. They instead accused the West of making unfounded claims for political reasons. Several European airlines including AirBaltic, Air Austria and Wizz Air were avoiding Belarusian air space today as EU leaders were set to meet in Brussels ton discuss furthers sanctions against Lukashenko. AirBaltic said it was monitoring the situation and would avoid Belarus airspace until it 'becomes clearer'. It added: 'the safety and health of our passengers and employees in the main priority'. The Foreign Affairs Committee has called for a complete flight ban on Belarusian airspace. MP Tugendhat said he wanted to see a flight ban 'to protect our citizens from any potential repeat of this event'. Tugendhat explained he was calling for a ban on all flights going into, or out of, Belarus, until Sunday's hijacking was resolved. He added a call for 'immediate sanctions on the Lukashenko regime', including on the Yamal-Europe oil pipeline. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said further sanctions were being considered against the Lukashenko administration and Belarus' ambassador in London had been summoned for a dressing down. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace 'in order to keep passengers safe'. He also suspended the operating permit for Belavia, the country's state-owned airline. On Sunday, Ryanair Flight 4978 had already begun its descent into the Lithuanian capital when the pilot announced that the plane would be suddenly diverting to Minsk. There was no explanation. But Protasevich reacted immediately, standing up from his seat, reaching into the overhead locker, pulling a laptop computer from his hand luggage and passing it to his girlfriend along with his mobile phone. 'When it was announced they were going to land in Minsk, Roman stood up, opened the luggage compartment, took luggage and was trying to split things,' said a Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas. Ryanair boss O'Leary (left) described the act today as 'state-sponsored hijacking,' adding that 'we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well.' Tory MP Tom Tugendhat (right) called it 'a warlike act,' joining the British and US governments, among other Western nations, who have condemned the grounding of the Ryanair flight. Was Ryanair hijacking a KGB sting? Ally of arrested blogger claims Belarusian spies 'initiated fight with cabin crew by insisting there was a bomb on board' A member of the Nexta team, Tadeusz Giczan, said on Twitter that representatives of the Belarusian security agency had been on the flight with Protasevich. 'Then when the plane had entered Belarus airspace, the KGB officers initiated a fight with the Ryanair crew insisting there's an IED onboard,' he said. A spokeswoman for state company Lithuanian Airports, Lina Beisine, told AFP that Minsk airport had said the flight was redirected 'due to a conflict between a member of the crew and the passengers'. Ryanair said the flight's crew had been notified by Belarus air traffic control of 'a potential security threat on board' and were instructed to divert to Minsk, the 'nearest' airport. The EU and the United States have sanctioned Lukashenko and dozens of officials and businessmen tied to his regime with asset freezes and visa bans. The opposition protests in Belarus, which left at least four people dead, have now subsided, but journalists and activists continue to receive prison sentences in the aftermath. Advertisement 'I think he made a mistake. There were plenty of people so he could give the things to me or other passengers and not the girlfriend, who was also I think arrested.' Outside the plane - although not visible to Mantas - was a Soviet-era MiG-29, on orders from Lukashenko to force the plane to Minsk. Mantas was speaking to Reuters after a day-long ordeal that began in Athens and finally ended late in the evening in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, after a stopover of more than seven hours in Minsk. Another exhausted passenger, speaking to reporters without giving her name, said Protasevich looked 'super scared'. 'I looked directly into his eyes and he was very sad,' she said. Protasevich was immediately separated on arrival in Minsk and checks of luggage using sniffer dogs turned up nothing. 'We saw that Roman was stopped due to some things in the luggage,' Mantas said, adding that the other passengers also had their luggage checked and were taken by bus to the terminal where they spent several hours waiting to reboard the plane. 'We saw from the window that Roman is standing alone, and one policeman with dog was trying to find something (in his luggage).' Another passenger, who also did not give his name, told Lithuanian media that Protasevich had identified himself to Belarusian security officials on arrival. 'I saw how his passport was taken away. He took off his mask and said: 'I'm so-and-so and I'm the reason why all this is going on.'' Aviation experts today revealed that the passenger plane had been significantly closer to Vilnius than it was to Minsk when it was forced to turn around, making a mockery of the Belarusian claims that it needed to make an emergency landing for a bomb threat. Leading opposition figure Pavel Latushko said: 'The air traffic controllers of Minsk-2 airport threatened to shoot at the Ryanair civilian plane with passengers on board. For this reason, a military fighter MiG-29 of Belarus Air Force was sent. 'This proves again that this incident was an act of state terrorism It demands an immediate reaction of European authorities and the entire world community.' Ryanair did not deny the claims this morning, telling MailOnline: 'Ryanair condemns the unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities who diverted Ryanair's flight FR4978 to Minsk yesterday (23 May), which was an act of aviation piracy. 'This is now being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies & NATO. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them and we cannot comment further for security reasons.' Latushko heads the National Anti-Crisis Management, a shadow government set up last year by the Belarusian Coordination Council for the peaceful transfer of power following the 'rigged' 2020 election, widely seen as stolen by President Alexander Lukashenko. He is a former culture minister of Belarus and was the country's ambassador to France, Spain and Portugal before joining the opposition. The claim about the shooting had come via the Belarus civil aviation authority, he said. Mantas, a Lithuanian passenger of Ryanair flight FR4978, speaks to the media after arriving at Vilnius Airport, Lithuania Belarusian dog handler checks luggage from the Ryanair flight in Minsk International Airport on May 23 The Belarus authorities claimed its bomb-disposal squad was examining the plane WHY HAVE THERE BEEN PROTESTS IN BELARUS? Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, was rocked by strikes and weeks of protests last summer after President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994, was re-elected. The demonstrations started in the run-up to the August election day and became widespread after he claimed victory. The results was rejected by opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was soon forced into exile. The massive demonstrations sparked by the vote were the largest and most persistent show of opposition the former Soviet republic has ever seen, with some of them attracting as many as 200,000 people. More than 33,000 people were arrested during the protests and the police crackdown was brutal, with tear gas and rubber bullets used to disperse the masses, while others were beaten in the streets. Thousands were detained as the protests rumbled on through the autumn, with political activists and journalists jailed or forced into exile in neighbouring former Soviet states. At least four people were killed in the repression, with harrowing accounts emerging of abuse and torture in prisons. Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, has refused to step down and has secured backing from Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The European Union has refused to recognise the results of the election and imposed sanctions on Belarus. There have been sporadic demonstrations against Lukashenko this year, including on Freedom Day, March 25, when dozens of protesters were arrested in Minsk. Belarus was disqualified from the weekend's Eurovision Song Contest after lyrics of submitted songs were deemed to be mocking of anti-government protests. Advertisement Moscow-based aviation expert Vadim Lukashevich said he too believed that a threat to shoot down the Ryanair flight had been made. He said: 'To make it crystal clear - the pilots of the Ryanair plane that was forced to land in Belarus were pulling towards the destination Vilnius until the last possible moment. 'They had to turn back under the threat of a fighter jet when the distance to Vilnius airport was only 45 miles away and only 19 miles to the Lithuanian border.' He claimed the Ryanair pilots were 'heading towards Lithuania without slowing down they were escaping from the fighter jet, and they turned back just two minutes before crossing the Lithuanian border. ' Flightradar data showed the plane had not slowed to descend at the usual height on this route but appeared to be flying as fast as possible to the border - before abruptly turning back, seemingly on the orders of the MiG-29. He is convinced that 'the fighter had permission to shoot', he said. 'And I am absolutely sure that the crew of the passenger aircraft turned around only after receiving a notification from the Belarusian fighter that, in case of disobedience, it would open fire before the passenger plane left the airspace of Belarus.' Meanwhile, a leading Russian investigative journalist Roman Dobrokhotov revealed that as well as Protasevich's girlfriend Sapega, four Russian passengers who had been on the flight to Lithuania left it in Minsk. He claimed: 'Four citizens of Russia did not continue the flight to Vilnius. 'This operation was escorted by Russian special services.' One of Russia's most respected independent journalists Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Echo Moscow radio, said: 'Four more Russians didn't follow on to Vilnius, but left the plane in Minsk, and dissolved into the nature.' Another source suggests there were three not four Russians who left the plane, but in any event their identities are not known. Sapega is a student of the European Humanities University, now based in Vilnius, after its forced closure by Lukashenko's authorities in Minsk. She is a Russian citizen, and the university where she studies international law has expressed deep concern for her fate. Political detainees in Belarus are frequently tortured by the KGB secret service and police. A passenger named Raselle, a beautician, was videoed on the plane when it landed in Minsk posted a message to say that Protasevich had said to the flight attendant: 'Don't do this, they will kill me. I am refugee. 'He answered: We must, we have no choice, it's in Ryanair legal agreements.' A woman covered with an old Belarusian national flag holds a phone with a sticker in colors of an old Belarusian national flag as she waits to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich The Ryanair plane, which was carrying blogger Roman Protasevich and was diverted to Belarus, lands at Vilnius Airport in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday The Ryanair flight is parked at Minsk International Airport on Sunday after it was stopped by authorities Passengers on the Ryanair flight filmed Belarusian officials walking towards the plane before Protasevich was arrested (left) while sniffer dogs searched bags (right) Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte came to Vilnius Airport for the plane's arrival on Sunday, as did dozens of Belarusian opposition supporters Lithuania - a former Soviet state now in the EU and NATO - has led Western calls for action against its neighbour, Belarus. 'It is an unprecedented attack against the international community: a civilian plane and its passengers have been hijacked by military force, and a Belarusian citizen has been abducted, whose life and health are in danger,' said a government statement. 'It is unjustifiable that ordinary international travellers have been held hostage to the regime's aggression. 'This is the act of state terrorism directed against the security of citizens of the European Union and other countries, civil society of Belarus seeking asylum from the regime's persecution, as well as international civil aviation. 'Lithuania will demand a clear and uncompromising response from the international community.' Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement on Monday: 'The UK condemns yesterday's actions by the Belarusian authorities, who arrested journalist Roman Protasevich on the basis of a ruse, having forced his flight to land in Minsk. Mr Lukashenko must be held to account for his outlandish actions. 'The UK calls for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich and other political prisoners held in Belarus. The UK is working with our allies on a coordinated response, including further sanctions. The UK also calls for the ICAO Council to meet urgently to consider the regime's flouting of the international rules safeguarding civil aviation.' The 27 EU leaders open a two-day summit later Monday and the issue immediately shot to the top the agenda amid united condemnation of Lukashenko. 'The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences,' EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted. 'Those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned.' EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called it 'yet another blatant attempt by the Belarusian authorities to silence all opposition voices.' He called the diversion of the plane an 'inadmissible step' highlighting a further worsening in relations between both sides. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Monday bristled at what it described as 'belligerent' EU statements, insisting that the country's authorities acted 'in full conformity with international rules.' U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the incident 'shocking' and accused the Belarusian government of endangering the lives of those aboard the aircraft, including some Americans. He called for the release of Pratasevich and for the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review the incident. Police officers detained Roman Protasevich after he was attempting to cover a rally in Minsk, Belarus on 26 March 2017 'I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said there's death penalty awaiting him there,' passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. 'We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again.' Pratasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app's Nexta channel, which played a prominent role in helping organise major protests against Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian authorities have designated it as extremist and levered charges of inciting riots against Pratasevich, who could face 15 years in prison if convicted. Months of protests in Belarus were fueled by Lukashenko's election to a sixth presidential term in an August vote that the opposition denounced as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since August, and thousands were brutally beaten. Prince Charles has urged small family farmers across the world to 'come together in a global cooperative' and to find 'strength in numbers' to deal with future upheavals in the agriculture industry. The royal, 72, called for the plight of farmers to be at the centre of environmental action as the industry undergoes a 'massive transition'. His comments came amid claims the UK's post-Brexit trade deal with Australia, which would open up British markets to farmers Down Under, would make it 'all but impossible' for family farms 'to compete with vast volumes of imports' from overseas. In a piece penned for the Guardian, the Prince of Wales said family farms needed to be a 'key part in any fair, inclusive, equitable and just transition to a sustainable future', noting that more than 100,000 family farms had been lost in the last 30 years. He wrote: 'There are small farms the world over which could come together in a global cooperative committed to producing food based on high environmental standards.' Prince Charles, 72, has called for the plight of farmers to be at the centre of environmental action and urged small family farmers to find 'strength in numbers' The prince said he had previously made the case for co-operatives and would do so again as 'new times demand new thinking'. He added: 'I believe in strength in numbers and have often thought the best way to secure a viable future for these smaller family farms would be for them to come together in some sort of co-operative. 'While there seems to be some deep-seated aversion to farmer co-operatives in this country (I have tried my best over the years to encourage and establish them, but to little effect), they work well in many parts of Europe.' Figures show that 3.4million livestock farms in the EU were lost between 2005-2006 and in the UK 45,500 farms were lost in 12 years from 2005 to 2016, according to the Guardian. Earlier this year, Charles launched the Terra Carta initiative, and encouraged the private sector to safeguard the planet by adopting sustainability and invest 7.3 billion in 'natural capital'. In February, the royal also called for 'a willingness to do things differently' as the agricultural industry faced significant change. The Prince of Wales said family farms needed to be a 'key part in any fair, inclusive, equitable and just transition to a sustainable future' In a piece for the Farmers Weekly magazine, he wrote: 'In this new world, the relationship between farmers and carbon, water and biodiversity, will be of fundamental importance, with bigger challenges and new opportunities. 'So it is often unhelpful, perhaps, that much of the language being used to describe the situation and the potential remedies is so obscure, sometimes appearing as if it has been chosen to hide the real message and alienate those who most need to hear it.' The prince's latest calls comes after Boris Johnson was accused of 'swapping Brussels for Brisbane' by signing a trade deal with Australia that would open up British markets to farmers from Down Under. Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers' Union, said that she was 'concerned' that International Trade Secretary Liz Truss was negotiating a deal which would make it 'all but impossible' for British family farms 'to compete with vast volumes of imports from the Southern Hemisphere'. Wading in on the row, the Prime Minister signalled his backing for Ms Truss, who wants to give producers from Australia tariff-free access to UK markets within a decade, saying it would lower costs for consumers. Last week he was was grilled by SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackfrord at Prime Minister's Questions, with the Scot accusing him of 'planning to throw our farmers and crofters under the Brexit bus.' It comes after Boris Johnson came under fore by signing a trade deal with Australia that would open up British markets to farmers from down under International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said that farmers in the UK 'will not be undercut' by any future trade deal with Australia But Mr Johnson replied: 'He is grossly underestimating the ability of the people of this country, the agricultural communities of this country, the farming industry to make the most of free trade. 'This is a country that grew successful and prosperous on free trade on exporting around the world. 'Our food exports are second to none, he should be proud of that, we should be celebrating that and all he does is call for us to pull up the drawbridge and go back into the EU to be run by Brussels, that's his manifesto and I think the people of this country have decisively rejected it.' Meanwhile Ms Truss stressed that farmers in the UK 'will not be undercut' by any future trade deal with Australia. Speaking to MPs on the Commons International Trade Committee, she said: 'I have had discussions with the National Farmers' Union, I've been very clear with them that, of course, I'm always looking to make sure - as I have committed to - that British farmers will not be undercut by unfair practices from elsewhere. 'We will make sure in all the deals we do that British farming thrives and I'm absolutely confident that will be achieved through the Australia deal.' A busy shopping centre and swim school are on high alert after Melbourne recorded four new cases of coronavirus. Health authorities are scrambling to avoid a locally-acquired outbreak after two men, a woman and a preschool-aged child from two households in Melbourne's north tested positive. More potential exposure sites are expected to be revealed in the coming days as the desperate search to track down the the source of the infection ramps up. The infected woman and child attended the Jump! Swim School in Bundoora in Melbourne's north-east for a swimming lesson on May 21. Anyone who was at the facility between 8.55am and 10.15am on May 21 to get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result. Thousands of late night shoppers are also at risk after one of the infected men visited Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong on May 20 between 5pm and 8pm. Drive-through clinics across Melbourne were inundated with queues on Monday after the city recorded four new cases. Pictured is a health worker testing a motorist at Royal Melbourne Showground Anyone who visited those locations in those times have been ordered to get tested immediately and isolate until further notice. Contract tracers are currently retrieving information about which shores the infected case visited. 'Highpoint Shopping Centre is a very big place,'' health minister Martin Foley told reporters on Monday. 'We are getting further advice from the gentleman is to specifically where the visitations were in Highpoint shopping centre. 'Getting the information out was really critical and then as further detailed information becomes available, we will update that site.' The shopping centre will ramp up its cleaning regimes throughout all high traffic areas. Contract tracing continues after an infected man attended Highpoint Shopping Centre (pictured) on the night of May 20 MELBOURNE'S POTENTIAL EXPOSURE SITES JUMP! Swim Schools Bundoora May 21 between 8.55am and 10.15am High Point Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong May 20 between 5pm and 8pm Advertisement Jump! Swim School Bundoora will be closed until further notice for deep cleaning. 'We don't know the number of attendees and that is why we are putting the callout now to list that side,' Victorian Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said. 'But everyone who was there over that relevant 90 minute needs to isolate, test and quarantine for the 14 days.' He expects further exposure sites to be identified. 'Obviously we are going into a period where people spend more time indoors and are in closer proximity... We are three months, as we just heard, away from local community transmission,' Professor Sutton said. 'Our behaviours and habit have changed over that period of time to so we just need to remind ourselves that the risk is going to be there and ongoing.' Monday's outbreak ends Victoria's 87 day streak of zero locally acquired cases, sparking hour long queues at testing sites across Melbourne. Anyone who attended the Jump! Swim School Bundoora (pictured) between 8.55am and 10.15am on May 21 must self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result Anyone in Queensland who has been to one of the declared COVID-19 exposure sites in Victoria during the risk period specified will be required to quarantine. From 1am Wednesday, anyone who enters Queensland and has been to any of the Victorian exposure sites at the time specified will need to quarantine for 14 days in government-arranged accommodation. NSW Health is also closely monitoring the situation in Victoria. Travellers arriving in Sydney from the Greater Melbourne area must complete a declaration which confirms they have not attended any of the potential exposure sites. Anyone who has been in Victoria since 10 May 10 and attended any of the venues identified at the times listed is ordered to contact NSW Health. The College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri is determined to file an appeal in its case against the Biden administration's Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) after a judge rejected their claim and required them to comply with the Fair Housing Act, which bans discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The judge's ruling forces the Christian college to abide by the Fair Housing Act, which will allow biological males to access facilities for females and vice versa, thereby trampling on the school's religious beliefs. According to the Christian Post, the temporary restraining order requested by the College of the Ozarks against the Biden Administration's HUD was denied by District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday. The judge ruled that the college's efforts to prevent the HUD from applying the Fair Housing Act will not protect them from any liability concerning unfair housing allegations. An attorney representing the HUD, James Luh, argued that the memorandum was in fact "not directed at the college and does not specifically address the kinds of issues the college has raised here-showers, or roommates." Luh added that no immediate threats to the college were present, which meant that there had been no legal complaints filed against the College of Ozarks concerning the new legislation. He argued that the Missouri-based Christian college "can't establish either irreparable harm or the likelihood of success necessary to sustain a preliminary injunction." Last month, the College of Ozarks filed a lawsuit challenging the HUD's Fair Housing Act, claiming that the legislation violates its religious beliefs when forced to comply and allow biological males to live with females in dorms and use their bathrooms. The Christian college's president Dr. Jerry Davis declared at the time that "religious freedom is under attack" and that the institution will fight against "politicians [who] erode this essential American right or the ideals that shaped America's founding." The College of Ozarks now faces fines of up to six figures if they choose to defy the Fair Housing Act set by the Biden administration's HUD in January. The school of about 1,500 students was established in 1906 and has grown to become Forbes' 270th top college in the U.S, with a 91% admissions yield higher than Harvard's 82%. It is also known as the "Bible Belt Ivy." "While we are disappointed in today's ruling, we expect to appeal so that schools are not forced to open women's dorm rooms to males and violate their religious beliefs," Dr. Davis said, as per CBN News. "College of the Ozarks will not stand on the sidelines while our right to religious freedom is attacked." Christian non-profit advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is representing the Missouri Christian college, arguing that colleges such as these have the right to "operate according to their beliefs," the very same religious beliefs that are protected under the U.S. Constitution. "We will not abandon our mission," Dr. Davis vowed. "The fight to protect our religious freedom has just begun." Advertisement British holidaymakers can visit 18 European countries on the 'amber list' without having to quarantine upon their arrival, it emerged today - as tourists faced fresh confusion after Spain welcomed Britons despite being on the UK Government's 'amber list', while France prepares to impose tougher restrictions on travellers. All passengers returning to Britain from amber list countries must stay at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight - as well as a lateral flow test before the return flight. They can also pay for 'Test to Release' on day five to end self-isolation early. However, the rules vary when arriving in amber list countries - and the restrictions back in the UK were not deterring tourists from travelling to Spain this morning after the country starting letting them in without any requirement for quarantine upon arrival. However, ministers have again urged sunseekers not to head to Spain - even though it is now legal to do so. Meanwhile, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has suggested his country will go the other way and impose tighter controls on visitors from the UK due to fears over the Indian variant. Mr Le Drian also swiped at Britain's past 'failures' to control the virus in the latest barb as EU leaders face criticism over their lockdowns and vaccine rollout. The confusing picture will leave would-be travellers scratching their heads over whether and where to go on foreign holidays this summer. It came as British travellers arrived at Malaga Airport today on a Ryanair flight from London Luton, while back in the UK there were queues at check-in at Heathrow Airport as Britons prepared to go abroad. Portugal is currently the only major tourist destination on England's 'green list', meaning people can go without the need to quarantine on return. But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has hinted the roster could be expanded imminently amid pressure for France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added. And after fines for non-essential travel were scrapped, thousands of people have been defying the UK's advice and heading for 'amber list' countries anyway. Today, the first British holidaymakers to jet to the Costa del Sol spoke of their joy at Spain's long-awaited decision to lift its UK tourist ban. Families and couples who had gone months without a foreign holiday touched down to shorts and T-shirt weather at Malaga Airport with temperatures nearing 75F (24C). People sunbathing on the beach at Fuengirola in Spain today as British tourists start arriving in the country Fuengirola beach near Malaga is pictured today as UK holidaymakers set their sights on a trip to Spain Three women talk to each other while sunbathing on the beach at Fuengirola near Malaga in Spain today The bright sunlight in Fuengirola is too much for this woman enjoying a break on the beach as she pulls her hat over her eyes to have a nap This woman takes a moment to have a sit down while cleaning the sand from the beach off of the bottom of her feet while holding her belongings The conditions looked ideal for those deciding to visit Fuengirola today as the Spanish government added the UK to the list of countries not needing to quarantine At Malaga Airport today, Janean Holbrook, 50, from Norwich, travelling with husband Rory, 58, said: 'We've been desperate to come because we've got a holiday place in Fuengirola that suffered flood damage' Covid-19 cases in a selection of the 'amber list' European countries where Britons don't have to quarantine upon arrival Several passengers on Ryanair flight FR7784 from London Luton, which arrived ten minutes after schedule at just before 11am, had been refused permission to board earlier planes due to reach Malaga before Spain's near five-month-long Covid veto on British tourists was removed at midnight. But any worries they had about a new setback were eased as they sailed through customs and walked into bright sunshine outside the arrivals terminal. What are France's rules for travelling Britons? France currently has some of the toughest Covid restrictions in the world, with leisure travel only set to restart from June 9. But travellers from Britain and all EU countries can enter with a negative PCR test carried out less than 72 hours before departure. Arrivals from the UK do not need to justify an essential reason to enter France, whether they are travelling by air, car, ferry or train. However they do need to complete a 'sworn statement' (declaration sur l'honneur) form saying they are not suffering from Covid-19 symptoms and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the past fortnight. Once arriving in France, Britons will also then have to self-isolate for seven days on arrival, before taking another PCR test which must be negative for them to end this quarantine period. The French government strongly advises limiting international travel. France is broadly following the EU's template for welcoming tourists, which are in the process of being updated. A 'traffic light system' should be fleshed out soon for what the restrictions for each category will be. A present the EU's 'white list' only includes a small number of countries, including New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Thailand and Israel. The UK had looked likely to be added to the safe group, but decisions have been put off amid concerns over the Indian variant. What about Portugal and Spain? As for Portugal, there are no restrictions on travelling from England, but all arrivals must show a negative PCR Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours of departure. You do not have to quarantine upon arrival or return. When arriving in Spain, you do not need to have proof of a negative test, but you do need to complete a Covid-19 questionnaire form no more than 48 hours prior to travel. You also do not need to quarantine upon arrival - however, given Spain is on the UK's 'amber list', you must quarantine for ten days when returning to Britain. Passengers returning to Britain from amber list countries must stay at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight - as well as a lateral flow test before the return flight. They can also pay for 'Test to Release' on day five to end self-isolation early. Advertisement Vicky Ashton, 52, who had travelled to Malaga from her home in Derby with husband Tony, 61, and her parents, said: 'It feels fantastic to be here. 'I'm staying for 10 days. I'd rather not have to quarantine obviously when I get back home but it's a price I'm willing to pay. We're so happy to be able to be travelling again. I've got a holiday home in Marbella and am looking to buy another with relatives. 'I think Boris Johnson should put Spain on the green list as soon as possible. I wasn't worried about the British government advising against travel to Spain because it's an amber list country at the moment. 'We knew we were going to feel totally safe here because of the outdoor life and the fact the rules during lockdown have been very strict in Spain and people have respected them. 'We were refused permission to board a Ryanair flight on Friday from the East Midlands even though we had a solicitor's letter saying that we had a valid reason to come to Spain because I was looking to buy another property here. 'There were other people on this morning's flight who had been stopped from getting on the same plane.' Vicky's developer father John Blount, 77, travelling with wife Elaine, 75, added: 'I've been coming to Spain for 40 years and this is my first trip here since last October. It's been a long eight months. 'We tried to get on two Ryanair flights on Friday, one from East Midlands airport and another from Birmingham but were turned away even thought the second one would have seen us landing in Portugal and having to drive across the border. 'We booked today's flight hours after the Spanish announced they were opening up to British holidaymakers. It feels wonderful being back.' Sarah Dickinson, 22, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, travelling with her 28-year-old boyfriend Jake Dougherty, said: 'Jake's got a friend who lives in Puerto Banus and he's got a one-way ticket because he wants to stay around and look for work but I'm here on holiday for a week and am then going back home. 'This is my first foreign holiday for eight months. I want to soak up the sunshine, hit the beach and generally have a good time. I'll deal with the quarantine when I get back to the UK. It wasn't going to stop me coming here and enjoying myself.' Mother-of-two Jenna Davies, 35, from Loughborough, Leicestershire, who jetted to Spain with mother-in-law Lynne Brooks, 68, added: 'I've got a place in Marbella I haven't been able to visit for months. 'I had to quarantine after my last visit here at Christmas and I'm only here till Friday so I'll have to self-isolate again. But I've got two young daughters I look after at home so it doesn't affect me too much. 'Being able to get here today has been a godsend. I tried to fly last Friday before I heard Spain was lifting its ban on UK holidaymakers and got turned back at the airport even though I had a solicitor's appointment. People sitting in a restaurant on the beach in Fuengirola near Malaga in Spain this afternoon At Malaga Airport today, John Blount, 77, travelling with wife Elaine, 75, added: 'I've been coming to Spain for 40 years and this is my first trip here since last October. It's been a long eight months' The first flights from Britain arrive at Malaga Airport today after Spain has lifted the travel restriction from the UK Mother-of-two Jenna Davies, 35, from Loughborough, Leicestershire, who jetted to Malaga Airport today, said: 'I've got a place in Marbella I haven't been able to visit for months' What are the rules in the 18 European 'amber list' countries with no quarantine requirement? Albania: Travellers will require a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old Armenia: You can enter with a negative PCR test certificate issued a maximum of 72 hours prior to arrival Bulgaria: Travellers need a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours before entry into Bulgaria or a rapid antigen test performed up to 48 hours before entry Croatia: Travellers must have a negative antigen or PCR test result taken up to 48 hours before arrival, proof of a vaccination, or a certificate of recovery following a positive test result between 11 and 180 days prior Cyprus: Passengers are required to undergo a PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure and provide proof of a negative result Estonia: Travellers from the UK are not required to produce a negative PCR test or self-isolate for 10 days Greece: Arrivals from the UK must provide either proof of a negative PCR test, undertaken within the 72 hour period before arrival into Greece, or proof of two Covid-19 vaccinations completed at least 14 days before travel Italy: You must present the airline with a negative Covid-19 rapid antigenic or molecular swab test taken no more than 48 hours before travel Kosovo: If you are a British national travelling to Kosovo from Albania, you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days Malta: Travellers are required to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test performed no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Malta Moldova: Exemption to quarantine is granted to visitors who can demonstrate a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel or proof of vaccination Montenegro: Visitors require a negative PCR test from a registered lab, taken within 72 hours of travel to enter Montenegro, or a positive serology test on IgG antibodies issued by a registered lab not older than 30 days. North Macedonia: There is no requirement for passengers arriving from the UK to self-isolate. No PCR test is required San Marino: No listed entry requirements on UK Government website Serbia: All visitors are required to have with them a negative PCR test taken in the 48 hours before arrival Slovenia: PCR tests conducted in the UK are accepted as a means to avoid quarantine on arrival Spain: From today, arrivals from the UK are no longer subject to testing requirements Ukraine: Foreign nationals with a valid negative PCR test do not have to self-isolate on arrival in Ukraine Please check the advice from each country before you book or travel, with the situation changing regularly Advertisement 'I was told I couldn't get on the plane because I didn't have an official government form. I've got some tidying up to do why I'm here but I'm going to make sure I enjoy the sun as much as I can. 'The flight here was a lot busier than I thought it would be so it just goes to show how much people want to travel abroad. I hope the British government puts Spain on the green list soon. 'I wasn't concerned I'd be more at risk here by coming. At least the green light will remove the obligation to quarantine when people get back. 'I have to get tested tomorrow or Wednesday which is going to be 56 (44) and the day two and day eight tests I have to take when I get back will set me back about 160 so there's a cost to coming. 'But putting Spain on green instead of amber is obviously going to help.' Janean Holbrook, 50, from Norwich, travelling with husband Rory, 58, said: 'We've been desperate to come because we've got a holiday place in Fuengirola that suffered flood damage. 'We've had to entrust people with keys we don't really know and haven't been able to supervise the repair work. We've got a new kitchen and new walls we haven't properly seen yet. 'We tried to come out last night but they wouldn't let us on because the flight was touching down before midnight so we ended up having to rebook and get a taxi to Luton Airport. Luckily there were no problems on this one.' Which 'amber list' European countries can Britons visit without having to quarantine? All these European countries are on the UK's amber list, meaning passengers returning to Britain must stay at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight - as well as a lateral flow test before the return flight. They can also pay for 'Test to Release' on day five to end self-isolation early. But that is proving no deterrent to people flying to Spain today - with all the amber list countries below allowing entry to UK citizens with no quarantine requirement: Albania Armenia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Estonia Greece Italy Kosovo Malta Moldova Montenegro North Macedonia San Marino Serbia Slovenia Spain Ukraine Advertisement Stacy Edwards, 35, who owns Scubies bar in Fuengirola Marina a short drive along the coast, said: 'We're hoping things are going to pick up now they're letting British holidaymakers in. 'It's not going to be the flood of people there'd be if Spain gets on the green list but anything that makes it possible for tourists to come back if they want to has got to be positive. 'It's been a nightmare year for business. Our clientele was traditionally mostly British but with the holidaymakers gone, we've been serving more Spaniards as well as Scandinavians. Stacy's mother Jayne Williams, from Wrexham, north Wales, who had popped into the bar for a coffee, added: 'Spain is safe and I want Boris Johnson to put it on the UK's green list now. 'It's what's going to make the real difference to the number of Brits who come here because all the tests they have to do pushes up the price of their holiday. 'The talk among the bars here is that it won't happen till July but I'm crossing my fingers it's sooner.' Sue Charlton, the Doncaster-born manageress of The Magpie Bar which is also in Fuengirola Marina, said: 'Some days have been better than others over the past year but there's been more bad days than good. 'It used to be mostly Brit customers here but now we get a mix of nationalities. Spain opening up to holidaymakers is positive. All we need now is for the UK to drop the quarantine requirements for returning tourists and they'll come flooding back. 'My boss is getting messages from Brit holiday home owners saying they're booking flights in the next few days. We'll be waiting for them with a cold pint and good homemade food.' Retired insurance broker Nigel Wilson, travelling with common-law wife Wendy Bartlett on the second flight of the day from the UK to Malaga - easyJet flight EZY8607 from Gatwick - said: 'We have a holiday home near Marbella. 'We went back to the UK on February 14 and were planning on coming back in April but couldn't. We tried to fly out last Thursday but were stopped from boarding the plane even though we had paperwork showing the purchase of another property. 'There were no problems today. We're here for five weeks and we've factored in the possibility of quarantine when we get back. If Spain is put on the UK's green list in the meantime which hopefully it will then we may stay a bit longer.' British tourists arrive at Malaga Airport today after Spain lifted the travel ban on holidaymakers arriving from the UK Scoobies Bar owner Stacy Edwards and his mother Jayne Williams outside the bar in Fuengilrola Marina on the Costa Del Sol today. Mr Edwards, 35, said: 'We're hoping things are going to pick up now they're letting British holidaymakers in' Sue Charlton, the Doncaster-born manageress of The Magpie Bar which is also in Fuengirola Marina, said today: 'Some days have been better than others over the past year but there's been more bad days than good' The 67-year-old from Poole in Dorset added: 'I used to own a bar-restaurant here in Puerto Banus which employed singers and artists and if I had kept it on I don't think we'd have survived. 'I sold three years ago which looking back on it now, couldn't have been a better time. We're going to have some fun and spend some money which the local economy will need after such a long time without British tourists.' Ms Bartlett, 61, added: 'It feels great to be back. The flight was pretty busy. The only thing I'm not so sure about is the fact you don't have to have any sort of testing to enter Spain if you're coming from the UK. 'We're both fully vaccinated but there would have been people on our plane who wouldn't have been vaccinated and wouldn't obviously have had negative PCR tests because they're not needed now. 'I just hope that it's not something that's going to cause problems and regrets in a few weeks' time.' Joanna Chrzanowska, 68, from Billingshurst, West Sussex, added: 'I've flown in to see my Singaporean husband Ian. We've been apart for three months with him being stuck here and me in the UK. Today couldn't have come sooner.' Passengers arrive at Malaga Airport this morning on a flight from London as they walk through the arrivals area Passengers coming from a flight from London are seen outside Malaga Airport in Spain this morning Amid scenes of long queues at Heathrow today, travel expert Paul Charles told MailOnline: 'People are voting with their feet. They are seeing that they can go responsibly. Many people can self-isolate when they come back.' Among those leaving Heathrow was the 10-strong British surfing team, heading to El Salvador via Madrid to compete for a place in the Tokyo Olympics. Team manager Hugh John said planning for such a qualifier would usually take 18 months but the team had to be assembled and flights booked in the last month. He said: 'The qualifying event in South America has been postponed twice and we weren't sure the Olympics would go ahead for a long time. 'We have had to go with the minimum number of competitors and could not take reserves. It has been a lot of work but we had no intention of calling it off.' The team had to have Covid tests costing 2,000 before travelling, will be tested on landing, have tests every three days while they are in El Salvador and have to quarantine for 10 days and have two more PCR tests on their return. There will be 257 surfers from 52 countries - considerably less than the usual 85 - competing for 12 places in the Olympics at the championships. Mr John said: 'We had no intention of calling it off but we could have been stopped. These people are used to travelling the world surfing but they have all been stuck at home for more than a year. 'The fact this is happening means the world is turning again. 'But we don't know what we might come back to as the legislation could have changed again. El Salvador is currently on the amber list but it might have changed by the time we get back.' Spain's tourism minister Fernando Valdes said this morning he is expecting the country to be added to the green list at the next review early next month. He told Sky News: 'What I can say is that right now Spain is doing a great effort not only in terms of vaccination, we have at least one third of our whole population with at least one dose... but also, we do have some holiday destinations which are very loved by British tourists such as the Balearic islands, Costa Blanca or Malaga, with our notification rates which are pretty low and by the same notification range of the UK, so I have to suspect that on the next review that the UK Government can provide... Spain is going to change on its notification.' Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez said on Friday that visitors from the UK and other 'safe' countries such as New Zealand, South Korea and China would be exempted from restrictions on travel. 'I can therefore announce that from next Monday the 24th of May we will be delighted to welcome all UK tourists,' he said. 'They are welcome to enter our country without restrictions and without health requirements.' However, business minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan stressed that Spain remains on the 'amber list'. People queue up at check-in at the check-in desk at the departures area of London Heathrow Airport this morning Passengers arrive at London Heathrow Airport this morning as people make the most of being able to go on holiday abroad Portugal is currently the only major tourist destination on Britain's 'green list', meaning people can go without the need to quarantine on return She told Sky News: 'The Prime Minister has been clear that, for now, amber means 'please don't go unless there is an urgent family reason and so on' because we are still trying to slowly move through our road map to being able to open up on June 21 and we want to do that in a steady and careful way.' She added that 'we hope very much that, obviously, the amber numbers will become more green in due course' but 'at the moment, today, that means amber countries really aren't safe to go to'. Mr Le Drian raised the possibility of tighter restrictions for British tourists yesterday. He suggested the UK could be put in a health category of its own, somewhere in between the strictest measures that France is imposing on visitors from India and 15 other countries, and more relaxed requirements being readied for visitors from the EU and some other countries. Without giving specifics, Mr Le Drian said there was potential for 'health measures that are a bit stronger' but Paris is watching the progress of the Indian variant before making final decisions. A waiter serves guests outside a cafe near the Eiffel Tower in Paris last week after restaurants reopened in the French capital French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has suggested it will impose tighter controls on visitors from the UK due to fears over the Indian variant 'We hope that the variant can be controlled in a country which experienced real failures during the pandemic,' he said. 'However, the arrival of the Indian variant and the increase of cases of Indian variant in the United Kingdom pose a problem and so we are vigilant about this (and) in contact with the British authorities,' he added. 'It won't be the red treatment if we have to do it. It will be an intermediate treatment,' the minister said. 'But it is not excluded - this springs to mind because of British tourists - that we have health measures that are a bit stronger.' As of yesterday Germany is requiring people arriving from the UK to go into quarantine for 14 days on arrival. A multimillionaire divorce lawyer is fighting to get a judge-ordered 625,000 payout to her ex-husband slashed after an appeal heard how he would 'wind the wife up'. Sorour Bassiri-Dezfouli works as a barrister at top London chambers 12 Old Square, winning praise for her 'fine forensic mind' But when their 11-year relationship came to an end, she argued 'she was the only contributor to the marriage.' Kianoosh Azarmi-Movafagh, 58, who was 'unemployed, having not worked independently throughout' was awarded the payout in 2019 after claiming he had been the main carer for their son and needed money to buy a home and set up a business. The judge who handed him the money said he 'knew how to wind the wife up, and at times appeared mischievous'. Ms Bassiri-Dezfouli, who was 'the financially stronger party' and owned a 2.3m property portfolio, had insisted her ex didn't need funds to buy a home of his own. But Judge Richard Robinson ordered her to pay him the large sum, saying they had been together for 11 years and her ex had 'an entitlement to have his needs considered.' 'I rhetorically ask, on a gender neutral basis, what would be the case if the gender roles were reversed?' the judge added. Ms Bassiri-Dezfouli, who works on asylum, immigration and human rights cases as well as divorce battles, is now asking the Court of Appeal to slash the amount she must pay her ex by a third. Barrister Sorour Bassiri-Dezfouli, 55, who herself specialises in matrimonial money fights, is appealing against having to hand her former husband Kianoosh Azarmi-Movafagh 625,000 The court heard that the lawyer and her ex met in March 2006 and married in an Islamic ceremony in 2006 and a civil marriage ceremony in March 2007. They lived together in upmarket Surbiton, south west London, until separating in December 2017. Ms Bassiri-Dezfouli works as a barrister at top London chambers 12 Old Square, winning praise for her 'fine forensic mind' in matrimonial battles and a reputation that she 'does not shy away from battle in court if the case requires it.' In August 2019, Judge Robinson ordered her to pay her ex a total of 625,000, made up of 400,000 for a house, 25,000 for expenses and a car, and 200,000 towards his legal costs of the divorce. The pair had run up a combined court bill of 390,000, the court heard. She appealed against that ruling and Mr Justice Judd varied the order, telling her she still had to pay up, but could have a 200,000 charge over her ex's new house, that she could cash in if he died or started living with a new partner. Ms Bassiri-Dezfouli herself works as a barrister at top London chambers 12 Old Square Ms Bassiri-Dezfouli is now asking the Court of Appeal to overturn the order that she pay 200,000 for her ex's court costs, which would effectively slash what she has to give him by a third. Sarah Phipps, for the wife, told the court that the 'effect of the order...is that the wife is obliged to make a long term loan to the husband which may not be recovered until his death, or even in her lifetime, if she predeceases him. 'She is highly unlikely to recover these funds for many years, possibly not even in her own lifetime. 'The order contravenes the clean break principle and ties the parties together financially, potentially for the rest of their lives. 'This outcome was not sought by either party and both parties regard this outcome as unjust, for different reasons.' Lucy Owens, for the husband, also told the court that he is not happy with the order as it stands and wants it changed. He wants the charge on his future property removed, she said. 'Mr Justice Judd incorrectly decided to interfere with Judge Robinson's decision in the absence of any error on his part and to impose a charge on the husband's prospective home, triggered by his death, re-marriage or permanent cohabitation, which undermines the core purpose of Judge Robinson's decision and produces a manifestly unjust outcome,' she said. In his original ruling in which he ordered the 625,000 payment, Judge Robinson said: 'I do think that it is reasonable and realistic for husband to seek a home of his own, and I think that given the length of this marriage and the history of it, it is unrealistic to suggest it should be treated as a short marriage to which he should have out what he put in. 'These parties have been living together as husband and wife for 11 years. I cannot understand how this can be said not to provide him with an entitlement to have his needs considered, and I rhetorically ask on a gender neutral basis what would be the case if the gender roles were reversed?' Court of Appeal judges - Lady Justice King, Lord Justice Moylan and Lord Justice Newey - reserved their judgment on the case after a day-long hearing, to be given at a later date. Advertisement Britain could officially be freed from the grips of the Covid crisis if the current vaccines work as expected against the Indian variant, one of the country's top scientists suggested today. Professor Andrew Pollard, one of the main researchers behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, said the pandemic in the UK could be 'over' if the vaccines cut the risk of hospitalisation and death as well in the real world as analysis suggests. Lab studies by Public Health England have found two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer's jab provide a similar level of protection against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant as they do for the Kent version, which caused the country's devastating second wave. Because the vaccines were shown to be highly effective at stopping people falling ill with Covid in the first place, PHE said they are likely to be even better at preventing hospitalisation and deaths. Professor Pollard said that a few more weeks were needed to firm up this claim, but he added that, traditionally, vaccines offer 'much, much higher' protection against hospitalisation and death than mild infection. However, both Pfizer and AstraZeneca's jabs were only 33 per cent effective at blocking symptoms of the Indian strain three weeks after one dose, compared to 50 per cent against the Kent variant. Officials say it highlights the importance of getting both injections. Professor Pollard told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'If the current generation of vaccines are able to stop people going into hospital, whilst there is still mild infections, people are getting the common cold with the virus, then the pandemic is over. 'Because we can live with the virus, in fact we are going to have to live with the virus in one way or another, but it doesn't matter if most people are kept out of hospital because then the NHS can continue to function and life will be back to normal. We just need a little bit more time to have certainty around this.' Ministers say England is on track for all restrictions to be dropped as planned on June 21, despite fears the rapid spread of the Indian variant would jeopardise 'freedom day'. Armed with the PHE evidence vaccines work against B.1.617.2, the boss of the UK's Health Security Agency argued the prospect of all Covid restrictions being lifted next month was 'looking good'. Health Secretary Matt Hancock also called the findings 'groundbreaking'. But some scientists are not convinced by No10's ever-growing optimism, saying May 17's relaxation of lockdown measures may trigger a rapid spike in cases given that the Indian variant is 'on the cusp' of becoming dominant in England. Up to 70 per cent of all cases in the North West are now being caused by the Indian variant, and the mutant strain is on the cusp of becoming dominant nationwide. Professor Christina Pagel, a member of the Independent SAGE panel of scientists, said ministers should consider 'rolling back step three of the roadmap' if cases continue to rise this week. Department of Health figures show the number of positive tests has jumped by 11 per cent over the past seven days. Hospitalisations and deaths across the UK are at their lowest levels since the crisis began, with just six fatalities a day and fewer than 100 hospital admissions, on average. For comparison, around 1,300 deaths were occurring every day at the peak of the second wave in January. However, the number of infected patients occupying beds at the major NHS trust in Bolton one of the country's hotspots for the Indian variant has continued to creep up over the past week. There is no proof the Indian variant is more lethal than older strains of the coronavirus but data shows it is more transmissible than the Kent type, which triggered Britain's devastating second wave before vaccines were rolled out. Experts believe B.1.617.2 is 30 per cent more infectious than B.1.1.7 the name for the Kent strain but won't get any concrete data for at least another week. Data from Public Health England shows the prevalence of variants across all the regions of England, with the Indian variant (light purple) compared to the Kent variant (white/pink). Data shows B.1.617.2 is now dominant in the North West, making up around 70 per cent of all sequenced cases. The proportion of samples analysed in a lab is shown by the black line. The sharp drop off is down to the lag in getting samples analysed and not because of a huge reduction in swabs being checked Data also shows how quickly the different variants have grown in England, with the Indian variant (green) spreading rapidly. The South African variant is coloured blue National data also shows how quickly the Indian variant (purple) has spread, making up around half of all new cases reported across the country. The Kent variant is shaded pink. The proportion of cases being sequenced is shown by the black line PHE analysis also revealed how the Indian variant is spreading quickly in the community (top graph, Indian variant is purple). The middle graph shows the proportion of cases made up by travellers. The bottom graph shows the amount of cases that were sequenced in different weeks. It can take several weeks for samples to be thoroughly analysed, meaning there is a lag in the data Separate figures also show the number of suspected reinfections over time, which are broken down into different types of the coronavirus. The purple area highlights reinfections seen in people who have caught the Indian variant Dominic Cummings condemns Matt Hancock for failing to 'understand' herd immunity Dominic Cummings posted a chart claiming that COBR documents had the 'optimal single peak strategy' showing 260,000 dead because the system was 'so confused in the chaos' Dominic Cummings has escalated his extraordinary assault on the government over coronavirus claiming ministers did not 'understand' herd immunity - and only switched to a 'Plan B' after being warned more than half a million people would die. The former No10 chief launched another devastating swipe at Matt Hancock and the Cabinet Office for failing to grasp the implications of their own policy as the pandemic erupted. Mr Cummings - who was at the heart of decision-making - said the original intention was to allow the virus to play out and achieve 'herd immunity' quickly to avoid a second peak that could overwhelm the NHS in winter. But in a long Twitter thread he said it became apparent the strategy was 'disastrously misconceived' and a 'Plan B had to be bodged amid utter chaos'. The maverick adviser posted a chart from mid-March 2020 showing a 259,000 death toll as an 'optimal single peak strategy' - against a 'do nothing' option that could have meant 510,000 casualties. A full lockdown was announced later that month, with significant curbs having stayed in place ever since as the government wrestled to keep infections down. The death toll on the main measure is just under 128,000. The latest salvo from Mr Cummings comes as he prepares for an explosive evidence session with MPs on Wednesday. He has already branded the Department of Health a 'smoking' ruin over its dismal efforts to procure PPE and ventilators, saying the vaccination drive has only been successful because it was taken out of the department's hands. Advertisement Professor Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, suggested the pandemic could be declared over in the UK if people are kept out of hospital by vaccines. He said: 'The thing that makes this a pandemic is people going into hospital. 'And so what we really need to know, and we don't have the data yet for certain, is how well both the vaccines are performing in preventing people from going into hospital. 'And what we've seen so far in the pandemic is that protection from vaccines against hospitalisation and death is much, much higher than the protection against mild infection, which is what these tests are detecting. 'So what I'm waiting for is the answer to that exam question, which is the critical one to understand how we should respond in the future to new variants, is to find out whether these infections that we're starting to see a little bit with this current variant are completely uncoupled from hospitalisations and deaths. 'But we just need a few more weeks to get more evidence around that.' On whether booster vaccines will be needed, Professor Pollard said work was ongoing to make new vaccines in case they were needed but it was not certain that they would be. He urged people to have their second jab and said coronavirus will find the unvaccinated, adding that the Indian variant was able to spread 'slightly better' whether people have been vaccinated or not. 'Of course this is the variant that's around at the moment but future variants are going to get even better at doing that,' Professor Pollard said. 'That's the evolution of this virus, that it's going to find ways around immune responses to be able to spread a bit better. 'And so that gives a really important public health message, which is that if you're unvaccinated, then the virus will eventually find those individuals in the population who are unvaccinated, and of course if you're over 50 and unvaccinated, you're at much greater risk of severe disease.' His comments came after experts at the Government's world-renowned Porton Down research centre concluded that the current crop of jabs work against B.1.617.2. Data revealed Pfizer's vaccine was 88 per cent effective against the Indian variant in preventing symptoms after two doses, compared with 93 per cent against the Kent strain. AstraZeneca's was given a figure of 60 per cent, compared with 66 per cent against the Kent variant. Asked if people may think the AstraZeneca vaccine was not as good, Professor Pollard said: 'Well I think in some ways we're looking at the wrong exam question, because this is a question about mild infection and transmission.' Other experts said the difference between the two jabs could be down to the fact that the rollout of second doses of AstraZeneca was later than that for Pfizer, and it takes longer to reach maximum effectiveness. Because it was easier to transport, the AstraZeneca jab was also given to older people who are most at risk of falling ill. PHE data also shows whereabouts the Indian variant is being spotted across the country, with the North West (dark blue) suffering the biggest cluster And of the cases detected, the proportion not linked to travel (yellow) has grown since mid-April. Hundreds of cases are still under investigation (grey) A PHE graph shows the number of cases being brought in from people who have recently travelled to India. The Indian variant has been split into three sub-strains, with the one ministers concerned about being type 2 (light blue) Official data also shows the proportion of cases being sequenced (black line) compared to the number of positive tests being recorded (dotted red line) Professor Andrew Pollard (left), one of the main researchers behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, said jabs offer 'much, much higher' protection against hospitalisation and death than mild infection. But some scientists are not convinced by the ever-growing optimism. Professor Christina Pagel (right), a member of the Independent SAGE panel of scientists, said ministers should consider 'rolling back step three of the roadmap' if cases continue to rise this week. Department of Health figures show the number of positive tests has jumped by 11 per cent over the past seven days. Covid jabs for under-30s 'by the end of the week' Coronavirus vaccines could be offered to those in their twenties within days as the rollout continues at pace. And in more good news a new study suggests the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the Indian variant. The jabs combat the new mutant almost as well as the Kent strain, a study by Public Health England found. Matt Hancock said the findings were 'groundbreaking' raising hopes restrictions can end as planned on June 21. The Health Secretary also celebrated the UK yesterday passing an 'incredible milestone' after 60million doses were administered. It comes after the NHS gave a record number of second doses on Saturday, latest figures show. The NHS lowered the eligibility age for the jab three times last week with those aged 32 and 33 the latest to benefit. This is expected to be lowered to 30 early this week and officials believe they can drop it even further soon after. A source said: 'The vaccine programme has been progressing at a rate of knots, getting to ever younger age groups, while continuing to offer second doses at a record pace. 'If all goes to plan, everyone in their thirties will hopefully have received their invite for a jab within 72 hours or so, with some in their twenties being called forward within the next week to ten days.' Advertisement But the PHE data, which was released to the public late on Saturday night, also showed the importance of having two doses. Both vaccines were calculated to be 33 per cent effective against the Indian variant three weeks after just the first jab, compared with 50 per cent protection against the Kent variant. Professor Pagel, a mathematician and director of University College London's clinical operational research unit, said PHE data also suggested the Indian variant was 'growing twice as fast' as the Kent strain. She tweeted: 'No other variant even comes close.' She also claimed the figures on vaccine efficacy were not as promising as billed, adding: 'Even PHE don't think it's good news'. In light of the findings, the agency seemingly upgraded its risk assessment for the variant's vaccine escape ability from amber to red. And she added that the PHE data showed the Indian variant was 'definitely' dominant in the North West, making up around 70 per cent of all cases, and was 'probably' dominant in London and the South East. Data was not as clear for the South West, she added. Professor Pagel tweeted: 'Yes, two doses work almost as well against B.1.617.2 as they do against B.1.1.7. And in a country that had three weeks between doses, this would be less of an issue. But we are not that country. 'We are doing 10-12 weeks between doses now being reduced to eight weeks for over-50s. In the context of a rapidly growing variant... eight weeks is a long time. 'We are a few months away from offering 2nd dose to all adults (August if we can accelerate timetable, September if we can't). Once [the] large majority of adults are fully vaccinated, [we'll be] in [a] much better position. 'It's what happens in the meantime that is worrying me. SAGE models from May 5 show a variant 40-50 per cent more transmissible than B.1.1.7 with no vaccine escape can strain hospitals as badly as January.' She added: 'The data do not support moving to step four of the roadmap unless the current risk assessment of B.1.617.2 reduces significantly. 'If B.1.617.2 does not start looking less scary, we must wait until we have fully vaccinated more people. If cases keep going up next week consistent with continued rapid growth of B.1.617.2 we should consider rolling back step three of roadmap.' However, Professor Pagel also added there was 'good news' regarding the variant. She said: 'London growth of B.1.617.2 has been much flatter for past two weeks and cases not gone up much. This might be a sign that B.1.617.2 is not as scary as it seems but it's one of the few signs. 'The other potentially good sign is that there are some authorities where B.1.617.2 is dominant but cases remain low.... but all the Local authorities with very high case rates have B.1.617.2 dominant. So [it's a] complex picture.' MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates - Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford The variants currently in circulation in the UK: The second Indian variant (B.1.617.2) is causing the most concern as it appears far more transmissible than the dominant Kent strain. The South African variant is believed to be the least responsive to vaccines, reducing their ability to block infections by about 30 per cent Spain opens its doors to Brit holidaymakers from today even though it is on government's 'amber list' Holidaymakers faced fresh confusion today as Spain welcomes tourists despite being on the government's 'amber list' - while France prepares to impose tougher restrictions on travellers. Madrid is following Portugal in letting in Britons without any requirement for tests or proof of vaccination, but ministers have again urged sunseekers not to head to the popular destination. Meanwhile, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has suggested it will go the other way and impose tighter controls on visitors from the UK due to fears over the Indian variant. Mr Le Drian also swiped at Britain's past 'failures' to control the virus in the latest barb as EU leaders face criticism over their lockdowns and vaccine rollout. The confusing picture will leave would-be travellers scratching their heads over whether and where to go on foreign holidays this summer. Portugal is currently the only major tourist destination on England's 'green list', meaning people can go without the need to quarantine on return. But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has hinted the roster could be expanded imminently amid pressure for France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added. And after fines for non-essential travel were scrapped, thousands of people have been defying the government's advice and heading for 'amber list' countries anyway. They need to isolate at home for up to 10 days as well as getting tested, but do not have to stay at quarantine hotels. Advertisement Professor Ravi Gupta, from the University of Cambridge and a member of No10's Nervtag advisory panel, claimed the PHE data showed 'a single dose is not particularly protective'. He told BBC Breakfast that was the 'situation many adults find themselves in during a period of easing restrictions', with only 43 per cent of adults or 22.6million now fully vaccinated. A record 556,951 Brits received their top-up jab on Saturday. Around 72 per cent of over-18s or 37.9million have now had their first dose and twenty-somethings are set to be invited to book appointments within days as the rollout continues at pace. Professor Gupta added, however, that 'even after the first dose, chances of severe illness and death are markedly reduced and almost close to zero on the second dose'. He said he believed the Indian variant 'does have a significant advantage in humans and it would explain what we've been seeing in India where people who have been vaccinated are getting infected, as well as people who were infected previously getting reinfected. 'So, this is good evidence that the virus is adapting. It is something to worry about in the longer term because we are opening up and I think that we need to seriously reconsider the pathway to full opening if we want to realise the benefits of vaccines fully.' He said there were large sections of the UK population who are unvaccinated, 'particularly young individuals who are going to be mixing'. And Professor Gupta added that the virus was increasing in 'proportionality, in terms of infection, so we really need to be very vigilant of this because, very quickly, it could run out of control'. It comes as Dominic Cummings has escalated his extraordinary assault on the government over coronavirus claiming ministers did not 'understand' herd immunity and only switched to a 'Plan B' after being warned more than half a million people would die. The former No10 chief launched another devastating swipe at Matt Hancock and the Cabinet Office for failing to grasp the implications of their own policy as the pandemic erupted. Mr Cummings, who was at the heart of decision-making, said the original intention was to allow the virus to play out and achieve 'herd immunity' quickly to avoid a second peak that could overwhelm the NHS in winter. But in a long Twitter thread he said it became apparent the strategy was 'disastrously misconceived' and a 'Plan B had to be bodged amid utter chaos'. The maverick adviser posted a chart from mid-March 2020 showing a 259,000 death toll as an 'optimal single peak strategy' - against a 'do nothing' option that could have meant 510,000 casualties. A full lockdown was announced later that month, with significant curbs having stayed in place ever since as the government wrestled to keep infections down. The death toll on the main measure is just under 128,000. The latest salvo from Mr Cummings comes as he prepares for an explosive evidence session with MPs on Wednesday. He has already branded the Department of Health a 'smoking' ruin over its dismal efforts to procure PPE and ventilators, saying the vaccination drive has only been successful because it was taken out of the department's hands. A Queensland woman chatting on her mobile phone while cruising along on a bike has been slapped with a whopping $1,000 fine for breaking the little-known road rule. The 24-year-old was peddling down Chippendale St, Ayr, south of Townsville, at about 4.45pm on May 19 when she was spotted by police. Although it's well understood it's illegal to use a digital device while operating a vehicle, many Australian's are unaware the laws also apply bicycles. A Queensland woman chatting on her mobile phone while cruising along on a bike has been slapped with a whopping $1,000 fine for breaking the little-known road rule 'You must follow the same road rules as motorists if you want to cycle on Queensland roads,' Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads says on their website. 'If you break the road rules on your bicycle you may get a fine but no demerit points are given.' Similar rules apply in all other states, with a $349 fine in New South Wales. In Victoria, cyclists can only use phones while riding if they are making or receiving a call and the device is in a specially fitted holder or in their pocket. Otherwise, they can cop a $476 fine. Professor Russell Viner, a SAGE adviser, said schools were not driving the outbreak The Indian coronavirus variant is not spreading faster in schools than any other strain, one of the Government's scientific advisers insisted today. Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and SAGE member, also claimed that there was no evidence the mutant strain posed any bigger threat to youngsters. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The evidence suggests the way that the new variants spread in schools is similar to what we saw with the original coronavirus. 'All the evidence over time suggests schools are part of the story... schools don't act as an amplifier.' He admitted there was transmission of the virus in classrooms but that it was 'low'. Instead, he pointed to households where people mix indoors as the main drivers for Covid outbreaks. Professor Viner, who also teaches at University College London, warned similar claims the variant could be more transmissible among children were made about other strains, including the Brazilian one. But he said: 'Actually when we tracked down the data, we don't find support for that.' Professor Viner also denied that the Indian variant was more of a risk for children and young adults. There are reports of younger people being struck down in India. But some experts say this could be down to many factors including that older people are more likely to stay home and self-isolate. Ministers eased restrictions in schools on May 17 to allow children not to wear face masks in classrooms. Pictured: Stock image IS THE INDIAN VARIANT MORE OF A RISK TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS? Doctors in India claim there has been a sudden spike in Covid hospital 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 Bangalore, under-40s made up 58 percent of infections in early April, up from 46 percent last year. But this could be completely circumstantial older people are more likely to shield themselves or to have been vaccinated and there is still no proof younger people are more badly affected by the new strain. The risk of children getting ill with Covid is still almost non-existent. Professor Russell Viner, a SAGE adviser and expert in adolescent health at University College London, said there was no evidence children were more at risk. 'We've largely been here before with these variants and generally we end up finding that they don't affect children and young people more,' he said. 'Children don't transmit variants in a way that's different to the old and the data on schools stays much the same as it was before.' Advertisement 'We've largely been here before with these variants and generally we end up finding that they don't affect children and young people more,' Professor Viner said. 'Children don't transmit variants in a way that's different to the old and the data on schools stays much the same as it was before.' It comes after Downing Street reportedly leaned on Public Health England to stop the publication of crucial data on the spread of the Indian variant in schools. The Government agency published a pre-print on the spread of the B.1.617.2 strain on May 13. But a page of data on the spread of the variant in classrooms was redacted. Downing Street asked officials to remove the page, the Observer wrote. The report was published four days before the requirement to wear face masks in classrooms was lifted. The Prime Minister's spokesman acknowledged they were in correspondence with PHE about the data, but denied the redaction was down to 'interference' or 'pressure'. PHE said the data would be published in 'due course', and declined to comment on whether No10 had played a role in its decision. Experts called it worrying because Singapore had shut schools due to the greater risk. Professor Cristina Pagel said data 'clearly shows' it can spread in schools. Ministers have brought in surge testing in Indian variant hotspots to root out every last case of the mutant strain amid rapidly rising case numbers. Fewer than one in ten cases of the Indian variant had been traced back to schools by May 12, or 164 out of more than 2,000, the Observer reported. Experts say children are not more at risk from the mutant strain, and previous studies found they were less likely than adults to catch and transmit the original strain. Rules requiring school pupils to wear face masks during lessons were relaxed last week, amid falling cases nationally. There have been more than 3,424 cases of the Indian variant B.1.617.2 identified in the UK so far, focused in hotspots Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, Bedford and parts of London. Experts suggest the surging case numbers may be linked to people living in large multi-generational households, which could lead to the virus spreading between individuals. It could also be linked to people not getting tested for the virus and, as a result, not self-isolating which could allow the virus to spread further. More lockdown restrictions were eased on May 17 to again allow people in England to invite up to six others into their homes and dine indoors. But experts say it will take at least two weeks for the impact of these relaxations to begin to show up in the data. A sleeping camper in the Northern Territory has been woken by an attacker sexually assaulting her and another woman has woken to find the same man tugging at her jeans. The woman, 24, was camping with friends on Saturday after a sporting event at Mataranka, 420km southeast of Darwin, in the local showground when the alleged assault occurred, NT police said Monday. The man, who was not known to the woman, fled the scene when she woke. The women were camping after a sporting event at Mataranka (pictured), 420km southeast of Darwin, when the attacks took place A second woman camping in the same area was also awoken by the man allegedly pulling at her jeans. He left the area when the woman woke, a spokesman said. The alleged offender is described as a young Aboriginal male who was wearing a black hoodie and long sandy-coloured pants. Liz Truss today guaranteed hormone-injected beef will remain banned under the terms of the UK's new trade deal with Australia amid fears British farmers will be undercut by cheap foreign imports. The International Trade Secretary defended the deal offered to Australia and insisted she is 'fully confident' UK farmers will still be able to compete. She claimed the deal with Canberra will be an 'overall opportunity' for British agriculture because it will 'open the doors' to more markets in the Asia-Pacific region. UK farmers are concerned the deal will result in the British market being flooded with low-cost Australian beef and lamb produced to lower standards than it is domestically. One of the main areas of concern is whether hormone-injected beef would be allowed to be sold in the UK but Ms Truss categorically ruled it out this morning as she said it would remain banned 'full stop'. Liz Truss today guaranteed hormone-injected beef will remain banned under the terms of the UK's new trade deal with Australia The International Trade Secretary defended the deal offered to Australia and insisted she is 'fully confident' UK farmers will still be able to compete. Cattle are pictured at auction in Dalby, west of Brisbane, in May 2013 The UK has reportedly offered Australia a deal which would see a 15-year transition to zero-tariffs and zero-quotas. UK farmers are against zero-tariff access because they believe they could be undercut by cheap Australian imports. Australia has been pushing for a five-year transition, but the 15-year period is said to have been signed off by the Cabinet sub-committee in charge of the negotiations. The terms of the Australia deal caused a furious row between free trade advocates like Ms Truss, and ministers like Michael Gove and George Eustice, who favour a more protectionist approach in certain sectors. Boris Johnson is said to have come down on the side of Ms Truss, with ministerial sources confident the agreement with Australia is now within reach. The PM said last week that the deal with Australia should be seen as an 'opportunity' and not a 'threat'. Ms Truss defended the deal during a phone-in on LBC Radio as she was grilled by a UK farmer concerned about the threat posed by cheap imports and lower standards. She said the agreement will pave the way for more British exports to the Asia-Pacific region after the UK applied earlier this year to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The CPTPP is a trade agreement between 11 countries including Canada, Japan and Mexico. She said: Australia is going to open the door to the CPTPP where there will be lower tariffs. Just on the subject of Australia, Australia are not competitive in lamb. Currently their lamb prices into the UK are higher than we can produce lamb at. Asked whether the UK market would be flooded with hormone-injected beef from Australia under the new trade deal, Ms Truss replied: Well, we wont because we are banning, we have banned hormone-injected beef. Hormone-injected beef will not be allowed in the UK, full stop, so he doesnt need to worry about that. She added: That is banned already. We already import Australian beef and lamb into the UK. That Australian beef and lamb has to fit UK standards. Many farms in Australia are much larger than their UK counterparts, enabling them to produce food at lower prices. Asked about UK farmers potentially being undercut, Ms Truss said: UK beef is very competitive and we are already exporting it to markets around the world so I am fully confident that our farmers will be able to compete. Prince Harry should 'back away from being a woke lecturing celebrity' because his life sounds 'too much for him', a royal expert warned today. Royal biographer Angela Levin said it was 'dreadful' if the Duke of Sussex thinks his wife Meghan Markle will die like his mother Princess Diana and 'blames racism'. Speaking after Harry's new mental health documentary series with Oprah Winfrey was released by Apple TV last Friday, the author of 2018 book 'Harry: Conversations with the Prince' added that she 'can't get rid of Meghan's threat to commit suicide'. In the show, he admitted he turned to drink and drugs as he dealt with the trauma of his mother's death later in life. Harry also said he used alcohol to 'mask' his emotions and spoke about his therapy and Meghan's struggles with suicidal thoughts. Reacting to the programme, Ms Levin tweeted this morning: 'How dreadful if Harry constantly thinks that he will lose Meghan like he did Diana and blames racism. Prince Harry is seen taking part in an eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy session during his new Apple TV mental health documentary series with Oprah Winfrey The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Canada House in London on January 7, 2020 'Plus can't get rid of M's threat to commit suicide. His life sounds too much for him and he should back away from being a woke lecturing celebrity.' During the documentary, the Duke once again lambasted the parenting skills of the Prince of Wales, criticising his father for expecting his sons to endure the pressures of royal life, just as Charles has done, instead of protecting them. Harry criticised his family, accusing them of 'total neglect' when his wife Meghan was feeling suicidal amid harassment on social media. And he laid bare his battles with panic attacks and severe anxiety, saying 'so 28 to probably 32 was a nightmare time in my life'. Royal author Angela Levin, who wrote the 2018 book Harry: Conversations with the Prince Diana with her son Prince Harry in May 1995. She died in Paris two years later in August 1997 Harry also claimed his late mother was hounded in part because she was dating half-Egyptian Dodi Fayed. Key revelations from Prince Harry's latest bombshell interview On the Sussexes' cries for help to the Royal Family 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' On Harry's family 'stopping' them from quitting 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, "You can't do this", And it's like, "Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?". She [Meghan] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' On Meghan's wish to 'end her life' 'Meghan decided to share with me the suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life. 'The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to now to be put in a position of losing another woman in my life with a baby inside of her, our baby. 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought. She hadn't "lost it." She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or through alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane'. On Prince Charles' parenting 'My father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I, 'Well it was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you',' Prince Harry says in the new documentary. 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered doesn't mean that your kids have to suffer, in fact quite the opposite.' On 'smears' from 'The Firm' 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' On Meghan helping Harry into therapy 'I saw GPs. I saw doctors. I saw therapists. I saw alternative therapists. I saw all sorts of people, but it was meeting and being with Meghan I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with. 'When she said, "I think you need to see someone," it was in reaction to an argument that we had. And in that argument not knowing about it, I reverted back to 12-year-old Harry.' Advertisement Asked by Oprah if he had any regrets, Harry also said he wished that he had taken a stronger stance on 'the racism' aimed at Meghan early in their relationship. 'By this point, both of us were in shock,' he said. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasn't white. 'And now look at what's happened. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Asked whether he had regrets, he replied: 'My biggest regret is not making more of a stance. Calling out racism when I did. History was repeating itself.' Harry claimed that it was only him and their unborn child that kept Meghan going, after she told him about her suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life. He said: 'The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to now be put in a position of losing another woman in my life, with a baby inside of her, our baby.' He said he was 'somewhat ashamed' of the way he dealt with it, suggesting that rather than prioritising their official duties they should have pulled out. But at the time, Harry said, that was not an option, because of 'the system'. Harry said that after marrying Meghan his attempts to get help from his family, following online trolling which was pushing her to the brink, were ignored. He said: 'Every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, to stop just got met with total silence or total neglect.' Harry added: 'We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job.' He said he did not go to his family when Meghan felt suicidal because he was ashamed the situation had got 'that bad' and also suspected the royals would not have been able to help. The duke said: 'That was one of the biggest reasons to leave, feeling trapped and feeling controlled through fear, both by the media and by the system itself which never encouraged the talking about this kind of trauma. Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence.' Harry was also shown taking part in an eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy session with a trained professional. He said: 'Therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything - that's why I'm here now, that's why my wife is here now.' His comments will no doubt have increased the much publicised tensions within the royal family following Harry and Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah in March. In that programme the Sussexes first accused the royal family of not supporting them, claimed royal aides declined to help Meghan when she was troubled with suicidal thoughts and said a relative had made a racist comment about their son's skin colour. Hours before the new show aired, Harry joined his brother the Duke of Cambridge in criticising the BBC following an inquiry which found the broadcaster covered up 'deceitful behaviour' used by journalist Martin Bashir to secure his headline-making 1995 interview with their mother. The series comes after Harry appeared to suggest his father and grandparents, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, had all failed as parents during a podcast interview broadcast earlier in May. Hundreds of villagers broke Covid lockdown in India to attend a funeral for a horse as the country's official death toll topped 300,000 today. Police say villagers in southern Karnataka state gathered on Sunday to pay respects to the animal, which had belonged to a local religious organisation. Video shows dozens of people gathered in a public square to lay floral tributes on the body of the horse, before a packed procession through the streets attended by hundreds - most of whom were not wearing masks. Police say the village will now be cut off for 14 days with nobody allowed in or out while surge testing is carried out. Hundreds of villagers in southern India broke lockdown in order to take part in a funeral procession for a horse that belonged to a local religious organisation Dozens had gathered in a public square to lay floral tributes on the horse's body, before it was paraded through the streets and then cremated A case has also been opened against the organisers for breaking Karnataka's lockdown rules, which ban any type of mass gathering until at least July 7. India has been suffering through the world's worst second wave of Covid, driven in part by a variant which is now widely thought to be more infectious than the original virus, and in part by lax lockdowns and social distancing. The country's vaccine programme is also lagging behind economically developed countries, with only around 10 per cent of people protected by at least one dose. Daily case figures in the Asian nation - which for a time accounted for around 40 per cent of global totals - are now falling, but remain extremely high. India is currently reporting around 250,000 cases per day according to seven-day average data, having peaked just shy of 400,000 earlier this month. That is still far above second-place Brazil, which is reporting around 35,000. Both nations are thought to be under-counting the true total by several orders of magnitude. While India's cases have started to fall, deaths are still rising and recently topped 4,000 per day according to seven day averages. However, deaths are rising much slower than they have been in recent months, and are expected to start falling in the coming weeks. India's death toll is the third-highest reported in the world, accounting for 8.6 per cent of the nearly 34.7 million coronavirus fatalities globally. India's second wave of Covid is beginning to slow down, but the country is still reporting the largest daily case totals of anywhere in the world Deaths are continuing to rise in India though at a slower rate as the pace of infection lessens, with more than 4,000 fatalities reported each day on average (pictured) Crematorium staff, who have been working around the clock since the second wave began to rise in April, light a funeral pyre in New Delhi on Monday Even so, the true number is thought to be significantly greater, with analysts estimating anything between twice and ten times as many people have died as on the official count. The health ministry Monday reported 4,454 new death in the last 24 hours, bringing India's total fatalities to 303,720. It also reported 222,315 new infections, which raised the overall total to nearly 27 million. From the remote Himalayan villages in the north, through the vast humid central plains and to the sandy beaches in the south, the pandemic has swamped India's underfunded health care system after spreading fast across the country. In the capital, New Delhi, residents have died at home with no oxygen as hospitals exhausted limited supplies. In Mumbai, COVID-19 patients have died in crowded hospital corridors. In rural villages, fever and breathlessness took people before they were even tested for coronavirus. While the megacities have seen signs of improvement in recent days, the virus isn't finished with India by any means. India's official Covid death toll passed 300,000 today, though experts are agreed that is almost certainly a gross under-estimate (pictured, a Covid hospital in Delhi) People line up to get a Covid test in Jammu, northern India, as the country continues to suffer through a potent second wave of the virus India has been trying to vaccinate its way out of the crisis, but jabs are in short supply and it will take months to ramp up production (pictured, a vaccine centre is closed in Hyderabad) It appears to have already taken a ghastly toll in the country's vast rural areas, where a majority of the people live and where health care is limited. In recent weeks, hundreds of bodies have washed up on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh state. Many others have been found buried in shallow graves along its sandy banks. It has prompted concerns that they're the remains of COVID-19 victims. India's vaccination drive has also slowed recently, and many states say they don't have enough vaccines to administer. The world's largest vaccine-producing nation has fully vaccinated just over 41.6 million people, or only 3.8% of its nearly 1.4 billion population. The first known COVID-19 death in India happened on March 12, 2020, in southern Karnataka state. It took seven months to reach the first 100,000 dead. The toll hit 200,000 deaths in late April. The next 100,000 deaths were recorded in just 27 days after new infections tore through dense cities and rural areas alike and overwhelmed health care systems on the brink of collapse. Average daily deaths and cases have slightly decreased in the past few weeks and the government on Sunday said it is conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests, with more than 2.1 million samples tested in the previous 24 hours. A 97-year-old Holocaust survivor has received a barrage of anti-Semitic messages including 'peace be upon Hitler' on TikTok. Lily Ebert, a survivor of Auschwitz and the Nazi death marches, posted a video wishing her followers a peaceful Shabbat (Sabbath) from her London home on May 14. Shortly afterwards, the account was targeted with 'messages of hate', Mrs Ebert's great-grandson Dov Forman, 17, revealed. Messages included: 'Happy Holocaust,' 'peace be upon Hitler,' 'you still alive[?]' and 'ask her if she thinks the treatment of Palestinians reminds her [of] the treatment she got in the camps'. It comes as protesters across the world call for an 'urgent' resolution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Over 250 people have died - mostly Palestinians. Shocking incidents of antisemitism have been reported during protests including a convoy of cars bearing Palestinian flags which drove through a Jewish community in north London while the passengers screamed 'f*** their mothers, f*** their daughters'. And this weekend, MPs and campaigners condemned pro-Palestine protesters for waving signs referring to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust, including: 'Stop doing what Hitler did to you' and 'Israel, the new Nazi state'. Lily Ebert, a survivor of Auschwitz and the Nazi death marches, posted a video wishing her followers a peaceful Shabbat (Sabbath) (left) from her London home on May 14. Shortly afterwards, the account - and its corresponding Twitter page - was targeted with 'messages of hate' (right), Mrs Ebert's great-grandson Dov Forman, 17, revealed Auschwitz survivor Mrs Ebert's great-grandson Mr Forman told of the abuse she received. Mr Forman wrote on Twitter: 'Over the past few days my great Grandmother and I have continued to receive messages of hate on Tiktok and Twitter. 'We will not allow this to stop us from educating about the horrors of the past, and what hatred can lead to. Hate only breeds hate.' Campaign Against Antisemitism wrote: 'Holocaust survivor's Lily Ebert's TikTok account, dedicated to asking questions and sharing answers about the Holocaust, was bombarded during Shabbat with comments praising Hitler. 'Not one of the TikToks have been political nor mentioned Israel.' Mrs Ebert - who beat Covid-19 after contracting the virus in January - was liberated in April 1945 and began her new life in June that year, when she and her sisters were evacuated from the ruins of Germany and taken to Switzerland by train. She now uses her TikTok account to answer viewers' questions about the Holocaust. A TikTok spokesperson said: 'Keeping our community safe is our top priority. Our Community Guidelines make it clear that hate has no place on TikTok. 'We use a combination of technologies and moderation teams to detect, review and, where appropriate, remove content that violates those guidelines. 'We have reviewed the comments received by this user, and removed any that violated our guidelines. 'We're open about the fact that we won't catch every instance of violating content, which is why we continue to invest at scale in our safety operations, as well as giving our users more controls to manage their comments and making it easy for our community to report inappropriate content and behaviours in-app for review.' Mrs Ebert first hit headlines in July 2020, after successfully searching for the family of the American soldier who gave her a banknote with a message wishing her 'good luck and happiness'. Auschwitz survivor Mrs Ebert's great-grandson Mr Forman (pictured together) told of the abuse she received Mrs Ebert (pictured) - who beat Covid-19 after contracting the virus in January - was liberated in April 1945 and began her new life in June that year, when she and her sisters were evacuated from the ruins of Germany and taken to Switzerland by train Mrs Ebert left for Switzerland in June 1945 after she was liberated from Buchenwald concentration camp. She had previously been at Auschwitz where her mother, brother and sister were murdered by the Nazis. Prisoners at Auschwitz and other camps in occupied Eastern Europe were moved west in the so-called 'death marches' as Soviet troops closed in from the east. SS guards were ordered to kill prisoners who could no longer keep up, while others died of cold and exhaustion. More than 10,000 prisoners arrived at Buchenwald in January 1945, but thousands lost their lives before the Allies arrived. Mrs Ebert (pictured second from right) was just a teenager when she was liberated from a Nazi death march in 1945 Mrs Ebert first hit headlines in July 2020, after successfully searching for the family of the American soldier who gave her a banknote with a message wishing her 'good luck and happiness' (pictured) US soldiers from the 6th Armored Division entered the camp on April 11 and found more than 21,000 people there. Mrs Ebert, then aged 21, was given a banknote by a US soldier with a message wishing her 'good luck and happiness'. She previously showed it to her great-grandson, explaining to BBC's Today programme: 'I even didn't know what I have with this note, how interesting it is and how interesting it will be for the whole world. 'I got something from a soldier who did not have a piece of paper to write on... so instead he took out this banknote and he wrote good luck for future life.' The Hungarian-born survivor later spoke over Zoom with the family of the US soldier, Private Hayman Shulman, who died seven years ago. Mr Forman tracked down the private's family on Twitter and they shared an emotional conversation last year. Only around 400,000 Holocaust survivors are still alive today to give their testimony, it is believed. This weekend, MPs and campaigners condemned pro-Palestine protesters for waving signs referring to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust. MPs and campaigners have condemned pro-Palestine protesters for waving signs referring to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust during protests against Israeli actions in the Middle East One man standing in Trafalgar Square yesterday held a Palestinian flag with a placard reading, 'Stop doing what Hitler did to you', while another poster read 'One Holocaust does not justify another' Pro-Palestine activists have burned Israeli flags (pictured) outside the nation's embassy in the capital, as London faces consecutive weekends of anti-Israel protests One man standing in Trafalgar Square yesterday held a Palestinian flag with a placard reading, 'stop doing what Hitler did to you', while a poster held by a woman read, 'Israel, the new Nazi state'. Another sign in London referred to 'Holocaust Part 2' and another - naming Israel's Prime Minister - read 'Netanyahu surpasses Hitler in barbarism'. Responding to the signs, Lord Mann, the Government's anti-Semitism tsar, told the Sunday Times: 'The disgusting racist abuse against Jewish people on the streets of London requires an effective and strong response by all politicians and will be treated with contempt by all decent citizens.' Meanwhile, the Campaign Against Antisemitism spoke of 'yet another antisemitism-infested rally' and said Jews had been threatened with 'rape and murder' in recent weeks. Yesterday, a BBC journalist who tweeted '#HitlerWasRight' seven years ago has sparked an investigation after the post was unearthed. Tala Halawa had claimed 'Israel is more Nazi than Hitler' and told the Israeli Defence Force to 'go to hell' in an online post dated July 20, 2014, before she was a digital reporter at the BBC. Tala Halawa, a Palestine Specialist for BBC Monitoring, had been covering the recent conflict in Gaza this week, and had done a piece to camera in a video covering Bella Hadid's stance on the conflict in the region Tala Halawa had claimed 'Israel is more Nazi than Hitler' and told the Israeli Defence Force to 'go to hell' in an online post on July 20, 2014, before she was a digital reporter at the BBC Halawa - whose Twitter biography identifies her as located in Ramallah, Palestine - had used the hashtag '#PrayForGaza', along with '#HitlerWasRight' in the tweet. A screenshot of the historic post was today uploaded online by the Honest Reporting Twitter account, which describes itself as promoting 'fairness and accuracy in media coverage of Israel'. The account posted: 'Halawa directly influences and creates news content watched by many millions around the world. 'In what world can someone like this work for a professional news outlet?' A BBC Spokesperson told MailOnline: 'These tweets predate the individual's employment with the BBC but we are nevertheless taking this very seriously and are investigating.' In the Middle East, Israel unleashed hundreds of air strikes against militant targets in Gaza, while Hamas and other militants fired more than 4,000 rockets towards Israel. Gaza City's busiest commercial area, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, was covered in debris, smashed cars and twisted metal after a 13-floor building in its centre was flattened in an Israeli air strike. Merchandise was covered in soot and strewn inside smashed stores and on the pavement. Municipal workers are removing broken glass and twisted metal from streets and pavements. America's largest prison for women is no longer safe for its inmates, as it has accepted biological males convicted of violent crimes but identified as women to remain in the prison with biological females. With over 2,600 inmates spanning different security levels, the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla is America's largest prison for women. Despite its 640-acre facility, however, inmates are forced to live in "cramped cells with eight women per room, bunk beds 4 feet apart, a shared restroom, and an uncovered shower." To make matters worse, the California women's prison has now opened its doors to 11 biological male inmates, some of which have been convicted of violent crimes such as rape and murder, the World News Group reported. But that's not all, as the coming months will see the addition of more biological males who identify as females entering and living in the facility that was supposed to be for biological females only. And the biological female inmates have every right to be worried. According to the Los Angeles Times, only as little as 1% of California's prison population identify as nonbinary, intersex or transgender. But that has not stopped S.B. 132 from being passed into law. Under S.B. 132 or "The Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act," which Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in September and took effect this year, correctional facilities no longer have the right to force inmates to go to the facility designated for men or women. Instead, the inmate is now empowered to choose which facility he can enter based on their "gender identity." Biological females in the California women's prison and in correctional facilities all over the country have every right to be concerned. The WNG report revealed that a women's correctional facility in Washington has taken in six biological males, including one serial rapist, as shown in documents obtained by the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF). New Jersey has also empowered its inmates to transfer to whichever facility they believe they should live in according to their "gender identity." Founder and president of the nonprofit Woman II Woman Amie Ichikawa, who is also a former CCWF inmate, argued that placing biological males in the California women's prison makes it difficult for biological females to heal from any trauma they experienced in the hands of males. "Prison is already difficult. Now they have to shower, use the toilet, and share 6 feet of personal space with violent men," Ichikawa argued in a conversation with WNG. She also shared how women's rights are being placed at risk when it comes to the discussion on transgender rights. In a letter sent to her organization in April, a female inmate who was a victim of sexual abuse and domestic violenced detailed her fears of living in close quarters with "a man [who] is very much stronger physically and can overpower me in any situation, a man that still has [male genitalia]." The unnamed inmate pleaded, "We should not have to live with [male inmates] in fear of the unknown." A bitter custody battle between former friends over one of Sydney's most famous cavoodles has turned into a long-running dogfight - ending in a bizarre public scuffle in a park. Prized pooch Oscar became the centre of an ugly confrontation between feuding owners Mark Gillespie and Gina Edwards at a dog park in the exclusive harbourside Sydney suburb of Kirribilli. Mr Gillespie is embroiled in a long-running battle with Ms Edwards and her husband Kenneth Flavell, alleging his former friends took his beloved pooch while he was at sea for work and they were dog-sitting - and have since refused to give him back. The cruise ship director hadn't seen Oscar in 18 months until the recent encounter at the dog park. The pair enjoyed an emotional reunion before Mr Gillespie was filmed picking up Oscar and running off with Ms Edwards in hot pursuit in a bizarre encounter captured by A Current Affair. Gina Edwards' friend Anne (right) tries to take Oscar from Mark Gillespie (left) during a fiery confrontation 'I'm collecting my property, thank you,' he yelled before tripping over. 'Don't you dare, don't you dare!' a distressed Ms Edwards screamed as she followed him down the road, before she took chase as Mr Gillespie ran around the park. 'I can't believe you did this. You cannot take him!' Mr Gillespie replied: 'I can't believe you took him in the first place.' The distraught woman rings the police before calling her friend Anne to return to the dog park to help. Minutes later, a confused Oscar is at the centre of another ugly altercation when the friend tries to grab the dog from Mr Gillespie's arms. 'I would like him back please Mark,' Anne demanded. 'I don't care what you are doing. Do not touch me or the dog,' Mr Gillespie angrily replied. Mark Gillespie used the chance meeting at a Kirribilli park to grab Oscar, with former friend Gina Edwards in hot pursuit (pictured) Oscar (pictured) is at the centre of a bitter long-running stoush between former friends When police arrived, officers agreed Mr Gillespie could take Oscar home as he is still the registered owner. But Mr Gillespie had a change of heart the next day. 'After the incident and all the involvement, I decided it was better I did leave Oscar with Gina for now,' he later told A Current Affair. 'But Oscar is much loved and I'll fight for him in court and follow the due process, but otherwise he needs to be home and running around in his yard here.' Mr Gillespie used to allow his former friends dog-sit while he was away travelling with his job. The celebrity pooch (pictured with Sydney Harbour Bridge) is often photographed in various outfits and locations around Sydney Mark Gillespie is currently embroiled in a bitter battle with two former friends over beloved pooch Oscar (pictured) He claims Ms Edwards and her husband turned Oscar into an Instagram-famous dog with a following of more than 10,000 fans The popular Instagram account feature the adorable cavoodle in various outfits and locations around Sydney, often photographed by the Sydney Harbour Bridge or playing outside with friends. Mr Gillespie claims he was on a cruise in late 2019 when Ms Edwards told him Oscar wouldn't be returned. Mr Gillespie claims Ms Edwards and her husband turned Oscar into an Instagram-famous dog with a following of more than 10,000 fans 'I just want my dog to be a dog,' he told A Current Affair. 'I was instantly heartbroken and didn't think that she would do that to me. I mean, he's my dog.' The custody battle is currently before the NSW Supreme Court after a previous hearing in Sydney District Court last August. Judge Judith Gibson said the court's 'hands are effectively tied' and was forced to transfer the case to the NSW Supreme Court. 'It may seem a very minor matter for the Supreme Court to be troubled by a dispute about a dog, even a celebrity dog with its own Instagram account, but there would appear to be no alternative,' she told the court at the time. A growing number of people are suffering from blood clotting disorders after their second dose of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, data shows. The UK's medical regulator found 15 cases in people recently given a top-up dose by May 12, the most recent count, up from six at the start of the month. So far 9million Britons have been given two doses of AstraZeneca's jab, meaning the extremely rare clots are occurring in around one in 600,000 people. Scientists told MailOnline it was 'disappointing' the extremely rare complication was becoming more frequent in double-jabbed patients. The clots which can occur in the brain are happening alongside abnormally low platelet levels, known as thrombocytopenia. But the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said symptoms were 'milder' and less frequent than after the first dose. As of May 12, the MHRA had spotted 294 cases of the clots in Britons given an initial injection, affecting about one in 80,000. The conditions were found to be occurring more frequently in young people, which has led to the British jab being restricted for use in under-40s. Scientists believe in some people, the immune system sees the vaccine as a threat and over-produces antibodies to fight it. These lead to the formation of clumps in the bloodstream, which can become deadly if the clots move towards vital organs and cut off supply. Fifteen people have suffered from blood clots after getting their second AstraZeneca vaccine (file) Around 15million people are still waiting on their second AstraZeneca vaccine, with millions of eligible under-40s yet to be fully inoculated. The current guidance says younger people who had their first dose before the jab was restricted should come forward for their second. Department of Health bosses do not provide data on vaccine take-up by age, making it impossible to say how many younger adults are booked in for their top-up. British woman, 39, dies in Cyprus in 'blood clotting incident' days after receiving AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine A 39-year-old British woman has died in a Cypriot hospital after a blood clotting incident after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Charalambos Charilaou, the spokesperson for the state health services, said the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would investigate the death. The woman, treated at Nicosia General Hospital's intensive care unit, received the first dose of the vaccine on May 6 in the resort town of Paphos on the western coast of the Mediterranean island. The woman, who was not named, suffered symptoms days later and died over the weekend. Cyprus health authorities have opened an investigation to see if the 'serious thrombotic episode' was linked to the AstraZeneca jab. Cypriot authorities are investigating another four other cases of 'mild' blood clotting incidents - three of which occurred after an AstraZeneca shot and one after a Pfizer jab - are also being investigated by Cyprus. Some countries have restricted or dropped AstraZeneca shots from national vaccine campaigns over very rare blood clots, though the EMA says the benefits outweigh the risks. AstraZeneca is the backbone of the vaccination rollout in Cyprus, where family doctors also allowed to administer the jab to anybody aged over 20. But many people booking online to get the vaccine have snubbed AstraZeneca and opted for other shots. Advertisement Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said it was 'disappointing' there had been more clotting cases after the second dose. But he highlighted that they were even less common than a first dose and less severe, urging people to continue to come for their second. He told MailOnline: 'It is disappointing. There was some hope that this may have just been a first dose issue. 'If 15 of the 309 cases so far reported are following second dose, then the risk after second dose does seem lower, even after accounting for the fewer second doses that have been given. 'So the advice remains to present for your second dose when called.' Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, told MailOnline that there could be an uptick in second dose-related clotting disorders now that the vaccination programme is deploying more second than first doses. 'Its entirely possible that there will be more clotting episodes as the number of second doses increases,' Dr Clarke added. 'Younger people seem to be at higher risk of these blood clots, but they are relatively unlikely to have had their second dose quite yet that will change soon, so well see as we move through the second doses.' The MHRA said clotting after second AstraZeneca doses had risen 'in line with the number of second doses given'. A spokesperson added: 'Blood clots with lowered platelets occur extremely rarely and the incident rate after a second dose remains extremely low, at around 1.7 cases per million second doses given. 'Our advice remains that you should continue to get your first and second dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca unless specifically advised not to do so. We continue to keep all cases of these rare blood clots under close review.' The UK Government opted to make it policy to give adults aged 40 or younger a choice of vaccines when they go to their appointment because the rate of the clots with low platelets appeared more common among them, at around one in 60,000 people. For older people who are at a genuine risk of dying if they catch Covid, the benefits of protection from the virus clearly outweighed any negative side effects. Experts said the infection rate in the UK is so low that the risk of the rare clots outweigh that of Covid in younger adults, who often only suffer mild illness. But the absolute risk of the clots is still tiny. Oxford University analysis has shown that the risk of suffering clotting after catching Covid is eight times higher than through vaccination. In its most recent report, the MHRA said that of the 309 clotting cases reported so far, 169 were women and 138 men. The patients were aged 18 to 93 years and the overall case fatality rate was 18 per cent with 56 deaths. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis - a dangerous clot in the brain - was reported in 116 cases, with an average age of 46. A total of 193 had other major thromboembolic events, with an average age of 55 years, with low platelet counts. The MHRA concluded: 'On the basis of this ongoing review, the advice remains that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks in the majority of people.' Scientists believe the clotting conditions are being triggered by a dangerous overreaction by the immune system. It causes the to body attack its own platelets tiny chunks of cells inside blood that build clots to stop bleeding when someone is injured. The immune system overproduces antibodies normally used to fight off viruses which mistake platelets in the blood for foreign invaders and attack them. To compensate, the body then overproduces platelets to replace those that are being attacked, causing the blood to thicken and raising the risk of clotting. This then causes levels of platelets to fall. Researchers say the phenomenon is similar to one that can occur in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), when sufferers take a drug called heparin. A headmistress thanked Hitler for his 'warm-hearted hospitality' in remarkable documents that detail a British schoolgirls' Berlin exchange visit in 1937. The newly discovered archive outlines how 16 pupils at the Simon Langton School for Girls in Canterbury, Kent, came to spend their 1937 Easter holidays in Berlin on a foreign exchange trip. The school went to extraordinary lengths to try and arrange a face-to-face meeting between the girls and Adolf Hitler. The pupils, aged about 15, were to present him with gifts including a photo of Canterbury Cathedral and a presentation copy of The Canterbury Tales. However, while they did not end up meeting Hitler, they were shown around the Reich Chancellery by his minister Otto Meissner. The newly discovered archive outlines how 16 pupils at the Simon Langton School for Girls in Canterbury, Kent, came to spend their 1937 Easter holidays in Berlin on a foreign exchange trip (pictured) The archive contains several black and white photos of the meeting as the smartly dressed girls in bonnets handed Meissner a photo. On it was a signed declaration from the school's head mistress expressing her 'respect' and 'gratitude' to the Nazis for facilitating the visit. It reads: 'To the Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor, from the Simon Langton Girls' School in Canterbury, as a mark of respect and of gratitude for the warm-hearted hospitality which we were able to enjoy during our exchange visit to Germany.' Another letter in the collection discloses that the girls considered their visit to the Chancellery the 'high point' of their time in Germany. The trip appears to have been the brainchild of the Dean of Canterbury Hewlett Johnson, who was chairman of the school's board of governors. The school had welcomed German school girls from Halle the previous year who had enchanted him with their folk songs and dances. The archive contains a letter which reads: 'To the Fuhrer and Reich Chancellor, from the Simon Langton Girls' School in Canterbury, as a mark of respect and of gratitude for the warm-hearted hospitality which we were able to enjoy during our exchange visit to Germany' A letter in the archive signed by Dr Heinrich Doehle, of the Reich Chancellery, dated March 15, 1937, states: On 5th and 6th April this year, 16 English schoolgirls will be in Berlin. 'They want to bring greetings to the Fuhrer from the Dean of Canterbury... The Dean is a clergyman, who comes under the Archbishop of Canterbury. 'Unlike the latter, he is supposed to be friendly towards Germany. The schoolgirls are apparently ready to travel to Berchtesgaden, if the Fuhrer should be there. 'I have replied that the visit, since it falls outside the bounds of normal practice, will perhaps not be possible.' An extract from a letter by Dr Schulz zur Wiesch, of the Advisory Centre for Study Visits in English-speaking countries, addressed to the Chancellery, states: 'This is in return for an exchange visit by a group from a school in Halle last summer in a camp set up by the Simon Langton School. 'The German group understood how to gain the interest not only of the school, but also of the general public in Canterbury, by their mode of behaviour there, and especially by their performance of the folk songs and dances. 'The work of our group in this way gained such a significance - far beyond the normal run of school exchanges - that the Dean of Canterbury interested himself personally, to a very special degree, in the idea of German-British school exchange visits. 'The sympathy of this important dignitary went so deep that he involved himself personally in the German-British camp.' However, it is believed that Hitler declined to meet the girls as the Dean of Canterbury was seen as 'pro-Communist', although he allowed his minister to do so. The documents, which have belonged to a British private collector for 40 years, are tipped to fetch 600 when they are sold with C & T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent. Tim Harper, specialist art C & T Auctions, said: 'There is some fascinating paperwork and photos which shed light on the schoolgirls' trip to Berlin just two years before the countries were at war. 'A lot of people were perhaps naive to Hitler and thought he was full of bluster but not a threat, while some admired his work policies. 'We believe these were the only British schoolgirls to visit the chancellery and in hindsight the trip does seem inappropriate.' The sale takes place on May 26. His wife said Gray strangled her, leading her to temporarily lose consciousness Gray was arrested in July last year as woman said she was assaulted for 'hours' The Empire actor, 27, has also been sentenced to three years on probation He was said to have plead guilty to felony aggravated assault for throttling wife Empire actor Bryshere Gray will reportedly spend 10 days in jail after pleading guilty to felony aggravated assault for throttling his wife until she passed out. Gray, 27, who played Hakeem Lyon on the Fox TV series, entered a guilty plea in his domestic violence case, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ. Gray was arrested on domestic violence charges in July last year after a woman said her husband had assaulted her for 'several hours'. Gray then barricaded himself into his home in Goodyear, Arizona, overnight before his arrest. Police said the woman had multiple visible injuries on her body and that she had said Gray had throttled her at one point, leading to her temporarily losing consciousness. Empire actor Bryshere Gray (left and right) will reportedly spend 10 days in jail after pleading guilty to felony aggravated assault for throttling his wife until she passed out Gray, who played Hakeem Lyon (pictured) on Fox series, was arrested on domestic violence charges in July, 2020, after a woman said her husband assaulted her for 'several hours' The actor has been sentenced to 10 days in a county jail and three years probation as part of his plea agreement, the online publication reported. He will reportedly not be allowed to consume illegal drugs and will have to submit to drugs and alcohol testing during his probation. He must also pay restitution to his victim. Gray, also known by the stage name Yazz the Greatest, will reportedly enroll in a domestic violence offender treatment program and must check in with his probation officer within 72 hours of contact from law enforcement. He will not be allowed to possess any kind of firearm during his probation, and will need written approval from police to associate with anyone who has a criminal record. MailOnline has contacted Goodyear Police and Goodyear Municipal Court for comment. Gray was arrested on domestic violence charges in July last year after barricading himself into his home in Goodyear, Arizona, overnight when police tried to speak to him. A woman had flagged down a passerby at another gas station, stating that 'she had been assaulted at her Goodyear home for the last several hours by her husband,' according to the police report obtained by Fox 10 at the time. Gray (right) was sentenced to 10 days in a county jail and three years probation. Pictured with castmate Jussie Smollett (left) Gray (pictured in 2018) will reportedly enroll in a domestic violence offender treatment program and must also pay restitution The passerby then drove the woman - who was not formally named at the time - to the Circle K and called 911, at which point the woman identified Gray as her husband. Police said the victim had multiple visible injuries on her body and that she had said Gray had strangled her at one point, leading to her temporarily losing consciousness. She was taken to the hospital where she was treated for her injuries and released. Upon arriving at their home later, police said that Gray refused to exit the property and barricaded himself inside. Police called Goodyear SWAT and Crisis Negotiations to the scene, AZ Family reported at the time. Gray barricaded himself inside the house overnight, eventually surrendering himself to authorities without incident at about 7am the following day. Gray was then arrested and booked into jail. He was taken into custody and booked into the Maricopa County Jail. Gray isn't the only Empire cast member who has been facing legal troubles, as his co-star Jussie Smollett has been charged with multiple felonies related to allegedly faking being the victim of a hate crime in Chicago in February 2019. In September, the actor, 38, maintained his innocence and called the case 'frustrating', saying he does not think it will be finished soon. Speaking for the first time since February 2019, in an interview with author and academic Marc Lamont Hill, 41, the former Empire star revealed his lawyers had filed a motion against his indictment - which was rejected by Illinois Supreme Court. Gray was arrested on domestic violence charges in July last year after barricading himself into his home in Goodyear, Arizona, (pictured) overnight Gray's co-star Jussie Smollett (right) has been charged with multiple felonies related to allegedly faking being the victim of a hate crime in Chicago in February 2019 'It's been beyond frustrating, and I certainly am not going rogue,' he said about publicly commenting on the case. 'I'm still taking the advice of my attorneys and everything like that, but I don't really see, honestly, what staying quiet has really done, like, where it has gotten me.... It's so much bigger than me.' Smollett, an openly gay Black actor, was originally indicted in March 2019 with 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false report claiming two men attacked him on January 29, 2019, while also making racist and homophobic slurs. He pleaded not guilty to allegations that he lied to police about the incident, which authorities later claimed he had staged with two acquaintances to draw attention to himself. These were later dropped by the office of Cook County State's Attorney. In February, Smollett pleaded not guilty to a six-count indictment which revived the disorderly conduct allegations previously filed and then dropped in the case. Meanwhile, a hearing has been scheduled for July 14 to look into whether one of Smollett's lawyers had contacted with the two brothers who were allegedly paid to stage the phony crime, according to Chicago Sun Times. Smollett has consistently denied any wrongdoing. A 39-year-old British model has died in a Cypriot hospital after a blood clotting incident after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Stephanie Dubois was widely named as the deceased by close friends, colleagues, and local media. Dubois suffered a brain haemorrhage and was in a coma before her death on Saturday. Cypriot health authorities are investigating whether Dubois's death was linked to the AstraZeneca jab. They are yet to confirm her identification. The British-born model posted publicly about feeling ill after having the vaccine on May 6, saying she felt 'horrendous' after the first dose. She fell ill days later. A 39-year-old British woman who died in a Cypriot hospital as after a blood clotting incident after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has been identified as model Stephanie Dubois Health authorities have not yet confirmed the identification, but Dubois was widely named as the deceased by close friends and colleagues The British born model posted publicly about feeling ill after having the vaccine, saying she felt 'horrendous' after the first dose On May 14, Dubois made a second public post about her condition, revealing she had woken up with full body shakes, seized joints, dizziness, a headache, and that she was struggling to breathe On May 14, Dubois made a second public post about her condition, revealing she had woken up with full body shakes, seized joints, dizziness, a headache, and that she was struggling to breathe. She said she though she had contracted Covid-19 but had a test, which came back negative. Tributes rushed in for the British born model, who had been living in Cyprus for the last five months. Stafford hairdresser Francesco Group Church Lane expressed their condolences, writing on Facebook: 'Very sad to hear that Stephanie Dubois has died. Stephanie modelled for us some years ago and was part of our winning collection. Our sincere condolences to her family.' A GoFundMe page set up by Kamran Abassalty for Dubois's funeral and memorial arrangements has so far raised 1,810. Photographer Marc Bergmann wrote on it: 'Stephanie was much more than just a model for me, she was an open minded friend, a serious as well as funny person, and in her job so wonderful professional. 'I will miss her, but I hope I can keep her alive with my pictures of her, talking about her, and keeping her in my heart forever.' Tributes rushed in for the British born model, who had been living in Cyprus for the last five months A GoFundMe page set up by Kamran Abassalty, a friend of Dubois's brother Ali Davenport, for her funeral and memorial arrangements has so far raised 1,810 Charalambos Charilaou, the spokesperson for the state health services, said the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would investigate Dubois's death and whether it was linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Cypriot authorities are investigating another four other cases of 'mild' blood clotting incidents - three of which occurred after an AstraZeneca shot and one after a Pfizer jab - are also being investigated by Cyprus. Some countries have restricted or dropped AstraZeneca shots from national vaccine campaigns over very rare blood clots, though the EMA says the benefits outweigh the risks. AstraZeneca is the backbone of the vaccination rollout in Cyprus, where family doctors also allowed to administer the jab to anybody aged over 20. But many people booking online to get the vaccine have snubbed AstraZeneca and opted for other shots. A 39-year-old British woman died in a Cypriot hospital after a blood clotting incident after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, the official Cyprus News Agency said on Monday WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE RARE BLOOD CLOTS LINKED TO THE JAB? Health officials say anyone who has one or more of the below symptoms for longer than four days after vaccination should seek urgent medical advice. Shortness of breath Chest pain Swollen leg Persistent stomach pain Severe headache Blurred vision Skin bruising beyond the site of injection Advertisement The Oxford-developed jab has been marred in controversy since the European Union's drug watchdog found a possible link between the vaccine and very rare blood clot cases in mid-April. However it said the risk of dying from Covid-19 was 'much greater' than the risk of mortality from rare side effects, which affect around one in 100,000 people given the British-made jab. Regulators have so far spotted major blood clots in 242 people, of whom 49 died, with more than 28million doses now administered. The clots have so far occurred in 141 women and 100 men aged from 18 to 93, and the overall case death rate is 20 per cent. They appear to be more common in younger adults and slightly more common in women. On May 6 - the day the woman received the AstraZeneca jab - the British government announced under-40s would be offered an alternative jab. Despite wavering confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine, evidence is mounting that it is effective. On Thursday, a British study suggested that two doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine may be around 85 per cent to 90 per cent effective against symptomatic COVID-19. Since the pandemic started in March 2020, Cyprus has reported 71,911 infections and 354 deaths (pictured, Covid testing in Nicosia, Cyprus) Earlier this month, MHRA chief Dr June Raine said the benefits of the vaccine clearly outweighed the risks for elderly adults but the ratio was 'more finely balanced' for younger people. She said: 'Our position remains that the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca against Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, continues to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people. 'The balance of benefits and risks is very favourable for older people but is more finely balanced for younger people and we advise that this evolving evidence should be taken into account when considering the use of the vaccine, as JVCI has done.' According to Our World in Data figures, Cyprus is ranked third in the European Union for vaccinations per population, administering 57.54 doses per 100 people. Nearly 49 per cent of Cyprus' adult population has received a Covid-19 vaccine shot, and 21 percent are fully vaccinated. Total infections since the pandemic in March 2020 started is 71,911 and 354 deaths. He is third councillor to be disciplined by the party over alleged anti-Semitism Ex-councillor suspended from Labour, which is set to launch a full investigation usuf Jan-Virman also compared Israeli people to 'crocodiles' during meeting A Labour councillor has been suspended after accusing the Israeli government of kidnapping Palestinian children to 'harvest their organs'. Yusuf Jan-Virmani, an ex-Blackburn with Darwen Council executive board member councillor, also compared Israeli people to 'crocodiles' during the group's annual meeting last Thursday. It is understood he has since been administratively suspended from Labour, which is set to launch a full investigation. The suspension makes him the borough's third councillor to be disciplined by the party due to alleged anti-Semitic comments since February last year. Yusuf Jan-Virmani (pictured above), an ex-Labour councillor, has been suspended after accusing the Israeli government of kidnapping Palestinian children to 'harvest their organs' During a debate, the Audley and Queens Park ward's councillor reportedly said: 'I am not aware of any animal that is so cruel as the Israelis. Not even crocodiles. 'They bomb schools day and night. Hospitals, they have bombed them. They have flattened them. Refugee camps, they are bombing them. 'They kidnap the kids and harvest their organs. 'They murder by land, sea and air and worst of all the Israelis slander the defenceless victims, Palestinians, as terrorists.' Senior sources told the Lancashire Telegraph that Mr Jan-Virmani has been 'administratively suspended, pending investigation'. Rick Moore, Deputy Chairman (Political) of Blackburn Conservative Association, called for the party to carry out an urgent investigation. He described the ex-councillor's comments as 'clearly anti-Semitic in nature', saying that comparing Israeli people to animals is 'clearly unacceptable'. Mr Jan-Virmani said: 'I stand by what I said. It was nothing to do with Jews. It was criticism of the Israeli government.' Mr Jan-Virmani, an ex-Blackburn with Darwen Council executive board member councillor, also compared Israeli people to 'crocodiles' during the group's annual meeting last Thursday (pictured: file photo of Darwen Town Hall) In February last year, Andy Kay, a former cabinet member, an ex-cabinet member of Blackburn with Darwen Council, was expelled from the party over social media posts. One of his posts on Facebook in 2014 said that 'Jewish leaders are worse than Nazis', while another in 2018 said: 'Zionists' attempts to influence our political processes is nothing short of racist in its effects on the Palestinian nation.' In the same month, Tasleem Fazal, also a Blackburn councillor, was suspended over social media posts made in previous years. He also allegedly shouted 'murderers, murderers, murderers' at an Israeli peace protest in 2014. A Labour spokesperson said: 'The Labour Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.' The devastated mum of a 'strong, sweet and kind' 12-year-old girl who went for a walk on Mother's Day and never returned home has called for greater access to children's mental health support. Lauren Rafferty tragically ended her own life that Sunday after battling mental health demons for the past two years in the New South Wales Riverina town of Wagga Wagga. Her heartbroken mother Rachelle told Daily Mail Australia that numerous attempts were made to help Lauren, who was living with 'a greater sadness than any of us could fathom', but the family struggled to find the support they desperately needed. She is now calling for improved access to mental health support, particularly for those living in regional areas, but also urged every Australian to be kinder to one another to improve the world children grow up in. Lauren Rafferty (pictured) tragically died on Mother's Day after battling mental health demons for the past two years in the NSW Riverina town of Wagga Wagga Her heartbroken mother Rachelle told Daily Mail Australia that numerous attempts were made to help Lauren (pictured) but the family struggled to find the support they desperately needed 'The loss of Lauren has shattered and devastated our family,' Ms Rafferty said. 'As parents, we thought we were doing everything right by our children, and tried daily to do our best. 'Since Lauren's death on Mother's Day, and subsequent thorough investigation, we now know how far the cumulative effect of systematic failure contributed. 'Numerous attempts over the last two years were made to help Lauren. 'We had difficulty navigating and accessing mental health support for children, especially in regional areas.' There has been widespread conjecture from in the tight-knit community that Lauren was a victim of bullying at her school. But Ms Rafferty said that while her daughter did experience bullying, it was no more than the typically cruel behaviour levelled at most girls her age. 'Lauren suffered the same level of bullying that any girl of her age does- which is still unacceptable,' her mother said. 'It's our responsibility to improve the human race mentally and environmentally so that we all can shine instead of suffer.' Lauren is pictured visiting the elderly at Christmas time in 2020 (left) and strawberry picking with her brother (right) Parents Brent and Rachelle, who also have an older son Owen, say they believe the lack of access to the support their daughter deserved only worsened her struggle. Although the Kooringal High School student was a 'sweet, strong, kind, quick-witted, creative and beautiful soul,' her mother said she struggled to shine in an increasingly 'cruel' world. 'Lauren had a greater sadness than any of us could fathom, which spiralled and deepened,' Ms Rafferty said. 'Laurens sweet, strong, kind, quick-witted, creative and beautiful soul struggled to shine in this world that is ever increasingly cruel and relentless. 'It is our wish that the world could have more peace, kindness and generosity towards one another - starting with our own community.' Ms Rafferty said Lauren only suffered the same level of bullying that any girl of her age does. Pictured: Kooringal High School where she was a Year 7 student Lauren's school principal, Helen Schmetzer, said the past two weeks have been 'sad and challenging' for Kooringal High School. 'As we grieve the loss of one of our Year 7 students, we would like to extend our thoughts and deepest sympathies to her family and friends at this time,' she said. 'Our Wellbeing team has been a fantastic support for both students and staff alike and we cannot thank them enough for their efforts.' A GoFundMe page has now been set up on behalf of the grieving family to raise money for a 'beautiful and respectful burial and memorial', you can donate here. If you or anyone you know is in need of mental health support you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. When a Belarusian warplane intercepted a Ryanair passenger jet over Belarus on Sunday, one man on board immediately knew he faced mortal danger. Roman Protasevich, 26, was flying back from a holiday in Greece with his Russian girlfriend when the Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jet ordered the plane to make a U-turn on its course to Lithuania. The pretext given to the Ryanair pilots was a bomb threat, but Protasevich was already busily removing his laptop from an overhead locker to hand to his law student girlfriend Sofia Sapega along with his smartphone. Protasevich, who helped organise massive rallies against Belarusian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko last year, begged the cabin crew not to make the stop in Minsk, telling them 'they will kill me.' Lukashenko - 'Europe's last dictator' - personally gave the order for the 170 passengers to be redirected hundreds of miles from their final destination. Protasevich was immediately singled out by the security forces on landing and pulled aside as a sniffer dog was used to carry out the masquerade of searching for an explosive. The 26-year-old is the co-founder and former editor of the social media channel NEXTA, which became a Belarusian phenomenon during the massive protests and violent unrest which rocked Lukashenko's government last year. Broadcast on the encrypted messaging app, Telegram, Protasevich used the platform to fearlessly spread the word about Lukashenko's brutal crackdown and rallied thousands onto the streets of the country. Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured) was flying back from a holiday in Greece with his Russian girlfriend on Sunday when their Ryanair plane was ordered to make a U-turn by a Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jet Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured) was hauled off the plane and arrested with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, after the flight from Greece to Lithuania made the emergency landing in Minsk Ryanair flight FR4978 had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius in Lithuania when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet to Belarus amid fake reports of an IED on board. It was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport, where authorities arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich Lukashenko ordered blackouts of mainstream social media sites like Facebook and Twitter meaning the populace turned to channels like Protasevich's for information about protests. Protasevich's channel gained international recognition for its relentless coverage of the crackdown which saw protesters beaten mercilessly in the streets in scenes that shocked Europe. Many of the images and videos which first appeared on NEXTA would be broadcast by international media. Protasevich fled the country in 2019 fearing arrest as Belarus rounded up hundreds of opposition figures, but has continued to roil the regime with his activism in neighbouring Lithuania, where the opposition leadership live in exile. In November, his name was added to an official list of Belarusian terrorists and accused of inciting mass riots while working at NEXTA. As a teenager, Protasevich had first become a target of law enforcement when he was expelled from his prestigious school for attending a rally in 2011. He was later thrown out of a journalism course at the Minsk State University. On Sunday, he was returning from an economic conference in Greece that had been attended by Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. He had posed for pictures with Tikhanovskaya during the conference and posted pictures to social media before flying back. Protasevich was with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, a law student at the European Humanities University based in Lithuania. As it was announced the plane was landing in Minsk, he was seen standing up and opening the overhead locker. Protasevich immediately started unpacking his bag and handed a laptop and phone to his girlfriend Sapega - but she too was arrested. Passengers described him as looking 'scared' and 'sad' as he was immediately pulled to one side on arrival as police searched his luggage with sniffer dogs. Authorities claimed that there was a bomb threat but this later turned out to be bogus. Police officers detained Roman Protasevich after he was attempting to cover a rally in Minsk, Belarus on 26 March 2017 Protasevich was returning from an economic conference in Greece that had been attended by Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (pictured) Belarus accuses Protasevich of inciting public disorder and social hatred, charges which carry punishment of more than 12 years in prison. He could also face the death penalty if accused and convicted of terrorism. Protasevich was aware of this danger as the plane started to descend, begging the cabin crew not to follow the order, saying 'they will kill me' and telling another passenger on the ground that he faced 'the death penalty.' He had been working as editor-in-chief of a Belarusian political outlet hosted on the Telegram messaging app called 'Belarus of the Brain' which has around a quarter of a million subscribers. Antony Blinken is headed to the Middle East this week to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an effort to build on the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. 'I have asked Secretary Blinken to travel to the Middle East to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and other key partners,' President Joe Biden tweeted Monday morning. 'He will discuss our continued commitment to Israel's security and the coordinated effort to ensure assistance reaches Gaza.' The secretary of State is attempting to lay the groundwork to eventually resume long-stalled peace talks in the region by visiting Israel, the West Bank, Jordan and Egypt. 'Following up on our quiet, intensive diplomacy to bring about a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, I have asked my Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, to travel to the Middle East this week,' Biden released in a White House statement on the upcoming trip. 'Secretary Blinken will meet with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israel's security,' the president wrote. 'He will continue our Administration's efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders, after years of neglect.' 'And he will engage other key partners in the region, including on the coordinated international effort to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza in a way that benefits the people there and not Hamas, and on reducing the risk of further conflict in the coming months.' Blinken's trip comes after he said that the only way to reach true peace between Israel and Palestinians is to give the latter their own state. President Joe Biden announced Monday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) will visit the Middle East this week to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders Talks come after the U.S. urged Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire after more than 250 people died and thousands others were injured in their recent conflict. A Palestinian woman walks past a destroyed building in Gaza City on May 22, 2021 'President Biden's been very clear that he remains committed to a two-state solution,' the State Department head told ABC 'This Week' host George Stephanopoulos in an interview Sunday. 'Look, ultimately it is the only way to ensure Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state, and, of course, the only way to give Palestinians the state to which they're entitled,' he added. 'That's where we have to go. Biden underscored Friday that the 'only answer' to reaching peace in Israel is to establish two states as he faces pressure from Democrats to do more to protect Palestinians. 'There is no shift in my commitment, commitment to the security of Israel,' he said during a press conference to mark the visit of South Korean President Moon Jae-in. 'It is the only answer,' Biden said of the two-state solution. Blinken told ABC News on Sunday that a two-state solution is the only way to ensure the future of Israel President Joe Biden said there had been no shift in his position on Israel despite urging the Israeli military to de-escalate strikes on Gaza as he came under pressure from Democrats to do more to protect Palestinians Blinken painted the compromise, however, as a long-term solution. 'That, I don't think, is something necessarily for today,' he said of establishing a state for the Palestinians. 'We have to start putting in place the conditions that will allow both sides to engage in a meaningful and positive way toward two states.' This week, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire after several nations publicly called for it including the U.S. 'It was critical to get to the cease-fire,' Blinken said. 'And President Biden's focus on relentless, determined, but quiet diplomacy is what got us to where we needed to be, which was to get the violence ended as quickly as possible, to stop more human suffering, and to at least put ourselves in a position to make a turn, to make a pivot to building something more positive.' Both Hamas and Israel and lauding the cease-fire as a victory for their respective sides of the conflict. The rocket-fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip led to more than 250 deaths and thousands more wounded. Now, the region and American officials are concerned with recovering from the destruction and working toward a more permanent solution. Israel and Hamas reached a cease-fire this week. Above, a Palestinian man looks at the damage from a building destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on May 18, 2021 An Israeli soldier sits on top of a tank at a staging ground near the border with Gaza Strip, southern Israel on Friday, May 21, 2021. Both Israel and Hamas are claiming the ceasefire as a win for their respective sides 'That has to start now with dealing with the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, then reconstruction, rebuilding what's been lost, and, critically, engaging both sides in trying to start to make real improvements in the lives of people, so that Israelis and Palestinians can live with equal measures of security, of peace and of dignity,' Biden's secretary of state told ABC on Sunday morning. Biden is facing a sticky situation as he attempts to strike a balance between America's historically pro-Israel stance, but also appeal to the progressive base who want more solutions for Palestinians. The president announced Friday that plans to help Palestinians in Gaza rebuild their lives so long as Hamas militants, who rained rockets on Israel, were not able to rebuild their armaments. 'I am prepared to put together, and am going to attempt to put together, a major package with other nations who share our view to rebuild the homes and - without providing Hamas the ability to rebuild their weapons systems - rebuild Gaza,' he said. 'They need help and I'm committed to get that done.' An Israeli soldier was left with a kitchen knife wedged in his back after a Palestinian attacker stabbed two people in Jerusalem on Monday before the assailant was shot dead by police. The attack came in the tense aftermath of an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers that was triggered by protests and clashes in Jerusalem. A civilian was also stabbed in the incident which police described as a terrorist attack. Police did not provide any details about the attacker but referred to him as a 'terrorist,' a term usually reserved for Palestinian assailants. An Israeli soldier was left with a kitchen knife wedged in his back after being stabbed in Jerusalem on Monday The assailant also stabbed a civilian before he was shot dead by police, who described the incident as a terrorist attack The attack came in the the tense aftermath of an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers that was triggered by protests and clashes in Jerusalem The Magen David Adom emergency service said it treated two men in their early 20s with stab wounds to their upper bodies. The military identified one of those wounded as a soldier. Both are being treated at Hadassah University Hospital. The IDF said in a statement: 'The soldier received medical treatment at the scene and was evacuated to a hospital for further medical treatment'. Video posted on social media showed the soldier, wearing an Israeli air force uniform, with a knife lodged in his back as he knelt on the ground and received treatment from medics. The incident took place near the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, where the potential evictions of Palestinian families drew mass protests and helped spark 11 days of fighting between Israel and Gaza militants Israeli emergency services were seen transporting the body of the assailant who was shot dead after the stabbing in east Jerusalem Police did not provide any details about the attacker but referred to him as a 'terrorist,' a term usually reserved for Palestinian assailants Police said in a statement: 'Around 1:30 p.m., an assailant arrived at the light rail station, pulled out a knife and used it to injure two people there. 'Officers who were on the scene responded quickly, shooting the assailant and neutralizing him'. Public Security Minister Amir Ohana said the officers who shot the assailant 'acted quickly and resolutely, while striving for accuracy'. The incident occurred near the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where the potential evictions of Palestinian families drew mass protests and helped spark 11 days of fighting between Israel and Gaza militants. An Egyptian-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held into a fourth day on Monday. Public Security Minister Amir Ohana said the officers who shot the assailant 'acted quickly and resolutely, while striving for accuracy' Israeli security forces were seen guarding the scene of the stabbing in east Jerusalem on Monday The site of the stabbing near east Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood was cordoned off by Israeli security forces U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to visit the region this week for talks with Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders. The secretary of State is attempting to lay the groundwork to eventually resume long-stalled peace talks in the region by visiting Israel, the West Bank, Jordan and Egypt. 'Following up on our quiet, intensive diplomacy to bring about a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, I have asked my Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, to travel to the Middle East this week,' President Joe Biden released in a statement Monday morning on the upcoming trip. 'Secretary Blinken will meet with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israel's security,' the president wrote. 'He will continue our Administration's efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders, after years of neglect.' 'And he will engage other key partners in the region, including on the coordinated international effort to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza in a way that benefits the people there and not Hamas, and on reducing the risk of further conflict in the coming months.' Blinken's trip comes after he said that the only way to reach true peace between Israel and Palestinians is to give the latter their own state. The White House announced Monday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) will visit the Middle East this week to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders President Joe Biden said there had been no shift in his position on Israel despite urging the Israeli military to de-escalate strikes on Gaza as he came under pressure from Democrats to do more to protect Palestinians Monday's attack is the latest test for a fragile ceasefire agreed on Friday between Israel and Hamas following nearly two weeks of violent conflict that left at least 250 people, mostly Palestinians, dead. The conflict saw Israel unleash hundreds of airstrikes across Gaza at what it said were militant targets. Hamas and other armed groups fired more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel, most of which were intercepted or landed in open areas. The Israeli strikes levelled a number of large buildings in the impoverished coastal territory, which is home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Lynn Hastings, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said some 300 buildings in Gaza - including an estimated 1,000 housing units - had been completely destroyed. She said hundreds more had been heavily damaged. She cautioned that those were 'very, very preliminary numbers' as the damage is still being assessed. Hastings said a total of six hospitals and 11 primary health care centres were damaged, and that one hospital was not functioning because of a lack of electricity. She said around 800,000 people lack access to tap water and 400,000 people do not have proper sewage treatment because of damage to local infrastructure. Shocking pictures have shown dead children being pulled from the wreckage of homes in Gaza after another night of air strikes in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Pictured: An injured child is pulled from the wreckage of a home in Gaza following an Israeli air strike Israeli police take arrest a Palestinian as Jewish extremists make a raid on Al-Aqsa Compound yesterday On Sunday, Israeli police escorted more than 120 Jewish visitors to a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem. Police cleared young Palestinians out of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and barred entry to Muslims under the age of 45, according to the Islamic Waqf, which oversees the site under Jordanian custodianship. Muslims who entered were required to leave their IDs with police at the entrance. It said six Palestinians were detained, with four later released. The Waqf said Sunday was the first time Jews had been allowed to visit the site since May 4, a week before the war broke out. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. It sits on a sprawling hilltop in Jerusalem's Old City that is revered by Jews as their holiest site because it was the location of the biblical temples. The site has seen several outbreaks of Israeli-Palestinian violence over the years and was the epicenter of the 2000 Palestinian intifada, or uprising. Brief clashes between police and protesters broke out after Friday prayers but did not set off wider violence. Many people, according to conservative pundit and radio personality Dennis Prager, have "missed the point on the long-running Israeli-Palestinian" conflict. During an interview on Fox New Channel's "Fox News Primetime," Prager claimed that many on the Left in the US and elsewhere think the issue is about the land. He argued though that the conflict was really about religion, indicating how little Israel controls generally in the Middle East. "The Middle East dispute is not over land. Israel is the size of New Jersey. It is smaller than El Salvador. There are 22 Arab states. There is a state with a majority of Palestinians called Jordan. The issue is not land. The issue is religion," Breitbart quoted him as saying. "And, again, this is not what the left wants you to believe," he continued. "They want you to believe it's over land. No, it's not. There is a big chunk of the Muslim world that would like to exterminate the Jewish state, beginning with, of course, Iran. That is why if you look at the rhetoric, it's always f the Jews, f the Jews in all of these attacks. It's never f the Israelis. It's always 'f the Jews.'" Noting that the Leftists' reality is a "make-believe world," Prager explains why they remain mute on the rising anti-Semitic violence in the U.S. "It's the wrong perpetrators, it's as simple as that," he said. "...These attacks are on Jews, and they are coming from various Muslim extremists in the United States, obviously not from all Muslims, and I'm not even implying that, but people need to understand something they don't understand." In the case of individuals who have problems with the Jews in the city of New York or anywhere else, Prager stated their problem is not about land, but about anti-Semitism. "If the only country in the world you think does not have the right to exist is the only Jewish country in the world, then one has the right to infer that you have something against a Jewish state, but not any other state." Israelis and Palestinian demonstrators were involved in violent fights earlier this month in New York City. Former Vice President Mike Pence slammed Biden's foreign policy in the wake of the administration's approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. "Israel is enduring the worst outbreak of violence in at least seven years," he stated, claiming that it is a direct consequence of the Biden administration's weakness from the start. "Many Americans witnessing the recent bloodshed in Israel are perplexed by how quickly violence erupted after years of calm." "The answer is that President Biden and congressional Democrats have abandoned unambiguous support for our ally Israel, emboldened our enemies, and turned their back on the policy that yielded historic peace deals in the Middle East," he wrote in a National Review op-ed. In contrast, on January 24 last year, President Trump passed a law to guard against violence in light of massive hostility to religion, particularly anti-Semitism. This bill is a response to an increase in anti-Semitic violence and assaults in New York and New Jersey. He pointed out the need to "work together to eliminate the very evil anti-Semitism and anti-religious intolerance in the face of attacks on Jewish synagogues, mosques and churches." A 13-year-old boy was told he was 'pleasing a man of God' as his music teacher forcefully sexually abused him after band practice, a jury has heard. Catholic priest and former high school teacher Anthony William Peter Caruana, 79, is also accused of sexually abusing boys at rugby training, a swimming carnival, a bus and in the dorm rooms of Chevalier College, south of Sydney, in the 1980s. He has pleaded not guilty in the Sydney District Court to 29 historical charges, including four counts of homosexual sex. One former student, now in his 50s, is expected to tell the jury he was in a band storage room cleaning instruments in 1984 when Caruana grabbed his hand and forced it down the teacher's pants. Catholic priest and former high school teacher Anthony William Peter Caruana, 79, is also accused of sexually abusing boys at rugby training, a swimming carnival and in dorm rooms Caruana said words to the effect of 'God will love you if you do what I say' and 'you're pleasing a man of God' as the boy struggled against his grip, crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay expects the complainant will tell the trial. Another 11 students are due to give evidence of being indecently assaulted by Caruana. One is due to say Caruana grabbed and held onto his genitals while showing 12-year-olds how to pack a scrum at rugby union training. 'I expect (the former student) will say he thought that was how scrums occurred because that happened to him on a number of occasions,' Ms Keay said. The court heard a priest wrote a file note in 1993 that 'Tony acknowledges he is a pedophile and there is little likelihood of change' Caruana left the school in the NSW Southern Highlands in 1989 after complaints were made about his conduct towards boys. That same year, a questionnaire was filled out in Caruana's handwriting that the Crown says 'demonstrates' the priest's contemporaneous sexual interest in boys aged 11 to 15. One response spoke of feeling there might be something wrong with 'my sexual problem'. 'I was always worried it would be found out and now that it has, it has shattered me,' read an answer to a question about having a 'bad feeling'. When asked about any desire to change something by 'magic', the respondent said: 'This feeling I have towards young boys'. Caruana left the school in the NSW Southern Highlands in 1989 after complaints were made about his conduct towards boys The Crown is also expected to call one of Caruana's former managers in the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. That priest wrote a file note in 1993 that 'Tony acknowledges he is a pedophile and there is little likelihood of change,' Ms Keay said. She added the priest couldn't specifically recall writing the note but he will tell the jury 'he wouldn't have written it if that wasn't said to him'. Caruana's lawyer urged the jury not to decide anything until they'd heard the entirety of the evidence. 'We all know the sound that liars make when they give untruthful stories and sometimes intelligent questioning reveals more,' barrister Bernard Brassil said. 'Please be patient.' The trial is expected to run for more than a month. An EastEnders star denies assault and a race hate crime during an Essex seaside bust-up. Katie Jarvis - who played Hayley Slater in the soap from 2018 to 2019 - allegedly yelled 'black lives don't matter anyway' and 'I am a celebrity' before slapping a child during multiple altercations in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in July last year. The 29-year-old, of Rainham, east London, appeared before Basildon Crown Court today charged with racially aggravated harassment, common assault and two counts of assault by beating. She spoke only to confirm her personal details and to deny the four charges. Katie Jarvis - who played Hayley Slater in the soap from 2018 to 2019 - appeared before Basildon Crown Court on Monday (pictured outside court) The 29-year-old (left, leaving court with a friend), of Rainham, east London, is charged with racially aggravated harassment, common assault and two counts of assault by beating The accusations relate to an alleged incident in the seaside resort on July 31 last year. Jarvis allegedly got into a row with four women outside Papillon's bar on the seafront. Later she hurled abuse outside a takeaway and then when she was refused entry to a seafront hotel became abusive before slapping an 11-year-old girl, prosecutor Ashley Petchey earlier told the court. Jarvis (left in 2009 and right, on the soap) spoke only to confirm her personal details and to deny the four charges Tahmina Majid, representing Jarvis, instead said the actress was the victim and acted in self-defence 'in relation to all the charges' during a court appearance in April. Details of the case were not opened at Mondays plea hearing. Jarvis was bailed until her trial date of April 19 next year. Despite having no acting experience, she made her debut in 2009 starring in the lead role of Mia in the critically acclaimed film Fish Tank. One of her storylines saw Jarvis's character Hayley (right) have an affair with Kat's husband Alfie Moon (left) - actor Shane Richie's character - while they lived in Spain with Kat (centre) and their children Jarvis joined the EastEnders cast in 2018 as the cousin of Kat Slater, played by Jessie Wallace. One of her storylines saw her have an affair with Kat's husband Alfie Moon - actor Shane Richie's character - while they lived in Spain with Kat and their children. Hayley then fell pregnant, giving birth to daughter Cherry. Jarvis's character was last seen on screen in February 2019 when Stacey Fowler, played by Lacey Turner, went to hospital to collect her after treatment for her mental health. Experts said they believe the items will end up in an illegal private collection A crooked collector is believed to have ordered the 1million raid on Arundel Castle to steal Mary Queen of Scots' rosary beads, which she held as she was beheaded. Experts think it likely a curator - possibly from overseas - commissioned the smash and grab on the historic West Sussex castle, which took place at 10.30pm on Friday. Police attended the castle within minutes of the alarms being tripped and shortly after discovered an abandoned 4x4 vehicle on fire nearby in Barlavington - which forensic teams are examining to establish if it was part of the robbery. Thieves took 'many' precious items after smashing their way into display cabinets, most notably the rosary beads Queen Mary carried to her death in 1587 when she was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle for her complicity in a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth I. A spokesman for Sussex Police said the rosary is of little value as metal. The force said: 'As a piece of the Howard family history and the nation's heritage it is irreplaceable.' While Sussex Police said they could not comment further for 'operational reasons' experts said they believe the items will end up in an illegal private collection. Treasures worth more than 1milion have been stolen from Arundel Castle, West Sussex, including gold rosary beads Mary Queen of Scots carried to her execution in 1587 (pictured with her bible) The execution of Mary Queen of Scots 8 February, 1587. She is seen holding the rosary beads as she was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle for a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth I Professor Kate Williams, a British History Professor at the University of Reading told ITV: 'My personal hope is that the beads have been stolen for a collector because at least then theyll be treasured and maybe resurface. 'What the worry is is that they've been stolen like the other items in the cabinet because they're gold and that would mean they'd be melted down to metal and we don't see them again and that is really heartbreaking. ' Coronation cups given by the Sovereign to the Earl Marshal of the day and other gold and silver treasures were also taken from a smashed display case in the castle. The case was on the public route around the castle and was ripped open just days after the castle reopened to visitors. A Sussex Police spokesman said the rosary is of little value as metal, but of huge significance Alarms at the castle were tripped at 10.30pm and a display case (pictured above) was smashed so the thieves could get their hands on the treasures inside The Earl Marshal: A hereditary royal officeholder who is responsible for organising the State Opening of Parliament Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, the current Duke of Norfolk, holds the royal hereditary office of Earl Marshal. As Earl Marshal, the Duke is responsible for organising the State Opening of Parliament and is one of two officials who walks backwards facing the sovereign. A Duke of Norfolk has held the office for nearly 350 years. The dukedom was formed in 1483 by King Richard for John Howard - his supporter in the Wars of the Roses. The Howards kept their Roman Catholic faith when King Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century, creating a Church of England separate from papal rule. During this time, Thomas Howard - the third Duke of Norfolk - fell from favour and was only saved from death because Henry himself died the night before Howard's scheduled execution. The Howard Dukes of Norfolk became connected to the Fitzalan Earls of Arundel after Philip, the son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, became the heir of the 12th Earl Arundel when his mother Mary died eight weeks after his birth in 1557. However, the 4th Duke was executed in 1572 due to his association with Mary Queen of Scots, and the title of the Duke of Norfolk was suspended. The title was regained by Thomas Howard, the 5th Duke of Norfolk, when Charles II, who restored the monarchy and attempted to relax the rules against the Catholics, returned to the English throne in 1660. Arundel Castle has been the seat of the Duke of Norfolk and their ancestors for more than 850 years. Apart from the occasional reversion to the Crown, the castle has descended directly from 1138 to the present day. It was carried by female heiresses from the d'Albinis to the Fitzalans in the 13th century and then from the Fitzalans to the Howards in the 16th century. Advertisement The theft is now being investigated internationally and has become the centre of a number of theories, including that the thieves could have been targeting the artefacts for the precious metal they contain - which could be sold on the dark web or melted down. Historian Marcus Cribb said: 'Thinking of their team, who must have done everything they could to prevent such a crime, but sometimes, the criminals persist. 'Sadly many items have been stolen but there are national and international teams that work to recover them. 'Usually because big gangs are involved who use violence and traffic other items too, so if you can get them, it is good for all. 'It is often for foreign collectors, who don't care about the legality - I just hope they're found.' On King Francis II's death in 1560, Mary left France, where she had spent much of her life until that point, and returned to Scotland. In 1565 she married her half-cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and in June 1566 they had a son, James. She eventually fled to England in 1568, where she became a political pawn in the hands of Queen Elizabeth I and was imprisoned for 19 years in various castles in England. Mary was found to be plotting against Elizabeth I when letters written in code, from her to others, were discovered and she was deemed guilty of treason. She was taken to Fotheringhay Castle and executed in 1587. A spokesman for Arundel Castle Trustees said: 'The stolen items have significant monetary value, but as unique artefacts of the Duke of Norfolk's collection have immeasurably greater and priceless historical importance. 'We therefore urge anyone with information to come forward to the police to assist them in returning these treasures back where they belong.' Detective Constable Molly O'Malley of Chichester CID said: 'If you were in Arundel on Friday evening and saw any suspicious activity around the area of the Castle, please contact us either online or by calling 101, quoting Operation Deuce. 'In addition, the castle only re-opened to visitors on Tuesday 18 May so if you were visiting during the past few days do you on reflection recall anyone behaving at all suspiciously? 'If you are offered or hear of anyone offering for sale any of the items stolen, we would also like to hear from you.' Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. Police are examining a 4x4 found abandoned and on fire in nearby Barlavington a short while after the break in at Arundel Castle (pictured) Queen Mary (portrait above) carried the beads to her death in 1587 when she was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle for her complicity in a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth I President Joe Biden acknowledged recent attacks on Jews in the United State in a Monday morning tweet President Joe Biden called recent attacks against Jewish people 'despicable' in a Monday morning tweet and demanded they stop. 'The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop. I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroad - its up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor,' Biden wrote. The president released a statement amid a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic attacks across the US following the 11-day violence in Gaza. They include a Jewish man being attacked in the street by a pro-Palestinian activist in Times Square and a group of diners being set on in Los Angeles. A Jewish teenager was also put in a chokehold outside a Brooklyn synagogue over the weekend, a rabbi was hounded with abuse in Hallandale Beach, Florida, and armed patrols have been brought into LA to help shield Jews from attacks. Over the weekend thousands of Americans attended pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies in New York, Louisville, Beverly Hills and Atlanta after the ceasefire was announced in the Middle East. People gathered in Times Square and outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, Georgia, condemning a rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out on May 6. More pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets in Louisville, Kentucky, and marched their way through downtown calling for freedom and peace. Since the violence began in Gaza, Biden has faced increasing pressure from the progressive wing of his party to get tougher on Israel. The president called the recent string of attacks on Jews 'despicable' and said 'it's up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor' Vice President Kamala Harris also tweeted Monday morning calling the wave of attacks against Jews 'despicable' Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have backed a resolution to block a $735million arms deal with Benjamin Netanyahu's government while Rep. Ilhan Omar has accused Israel of 'terrorism'. Biden also criticized the wave of race-fueled attacks in the US when signing a bill to address anti-Asian hate crimes that have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic. Vice President Kamala Harris shared a similar message condemning the anti-Semitic attacks on Monday morning. 'The surge in anti-Semitic attacks against the Jewish community in the U.S. and around the world is despicable - it must be called out, condemned, and stopped. As a country, we must stand united against hate of any kind,' she wrote. On Friday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also condemned violent attacks on Jews in the streets of America, days after she was accused of anti-Semitism for branding Israel an 'apartheid state'. 'We will never, ever tolerate antisemitism here in NY or anywhere in the world. The recent surge in attacks is horrifying. We stand with our Jewish communities in condemning this violence,' Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. She spoke after a fragile cease-fire was declared between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza strip, following an 11-day conflict that left more than 250 dead, the vast majority of them Palestinians. Last Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez drew criticism from some quarters after she and her 'Squad' of left-wing House Democrats tweeted in apparent reference to Israel: 'Apartheid states are not democracies.' On Thursday, a Jewish man was beaten by a pro-Palestinian mob in Times Square as he tried to make his way to a pro-Israel rally Joseph Borgen, 29, spoke to DailyMail.com one day after he was left bruised and battered by a group of pro-Palestinian men in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday 'I have defended you often from Republican attacks. However, shame on you,' tweeted Fred Guttenberg, the gun-control activist and father of a student killed in the Parkland school massacre. 'You are wrong and either showing a lack of understanding or something more intentional veering on anti Semitism,' he added in response to Ocasio-Cortez's 'apartheid' tweet.' The New York Congresswoman's remarks condemning violence follow a disturbing increase in street violence targeting US-based Jews in recent days. The New York City Police department has stepped up its presence in Jewish neighborhoods following two incidents in Brooklyn's Borough Park neighborhood, CNN reported. Additionally on Thursday, a Jewish man was beaten by a pro-Palestinian mob in Times Square as he tried to make his way to a pro-Israel rally. Joseph Borgen, 29, an accountant who lives on the Upper East Side, was wearing a grey kippa and walking toward Times Square around 6:30pm Thursday when he was chased down, beaten and pepper sprayed. 'I thought I was going to die. I thought I was really going to die,' he told DailyMail.com on Friday. A car convoy flying Palestinian flags is pictured rolling through the Beverly Grove section of LA on Tuesday. Witnesses said members of the caravan yelled 'death to Jews' and 'free Palestine' There were two anti-Jewish incidents in Brooklyn this weekend. This image is a still from surveillance camera footage of the second one, which saw three men shout at Jews walking by a synagogue Borgen said there were eight to 10 people taking part in the beatdown and they were shouting anti-Semitic slurs such as: 'You filthy Jew. We're going to f*****g kill you. Go back to Israel. Hamas is going to kill you.' A suspect in the assault, 23-year-old Waseem Awawdeh, of Brooklyn, was arrested on Friday night, the NYPD said. In Los Angeles, pro-Palestinian protesters were spotted brawling with LA restaurant diners after allegedly asking if any of them were Jewish. Footage of the incident, recorded on Tuesday night, showed kicks and punches exchanged, as well as bottles being thrown and a velvet rope being swung outside Sushi Fumi in Beverly Grove. Onlookers said the violence erupted after the Palestine supporters asked if any of the diners were Jews, with some responding that they were. BEVERLY HILLS: Hundreds of people rallied on Sunday in a show of support for Israel days after the Jewish state agreed a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. They clashed briefly with pro-Palestine protesters, though no fights were reported NEW YORK: Speakers at a demonstration, titled 'United Against Anti-Semitism. United Against Terror. United for Us', at Ground Zero called for solidarity between Israel and Jews in New York LOUISVILLE: Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, and marched their way through downtown calling for freedom and peace NEW YORK: The protest at Ground Zero was led by the Israel-American Council with 100 Tri-State Jewish community organizations The Los Angeles Times reported that a witness, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said some people from the convoy of cars threw bottles and chanted 'death to Jews' and 'free Palestine.' The Los Angeles Police Department said on Wednesday that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. Overall, however, pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies held over the weekend in New York, Louisville, Beverley Hills and Atlanta remained largely peaceful, according to police. As the conflict in Israel inspired ugly violence in the U.S., Ocasio-Cortez was outspoken in condemning the Biden administration's support for Israel, co-sponsoring a resolution with Senator Bernie Sanders to block the sale of $735 million in military weaponry to Israel that's already been approved. She also ripped Biden on the House floor for comments he made about the latest conflict in which he said that 'Israel has a right to defend itself' from Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip. 'The president stated that Israel has a right to self-defense. Do Palestinians have a right to survive?' said Ocasio-Cortez. It is not the first time that Ocasio-Cortez's positions have drawn criticism from supporters of Israel. Last fall, pro-Israel group were dismayed after she pulled out of an event honoring Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who was assassinated. On Saturday, Egyptian mediators were called it to try to firm up the ceasefire in Israel. As the hostilities eased, thousands of Palestinians returned home to scenes of devastation after the temporary peacetime was agreed in the early hours of Friday. Since May 10, Israel has unleashed hundreds of air strikes against militant targets in Gaza, while Hamas fired more than 4,000 rockets towards Israel. A total of 243 Palestinians are understood to have died during the clashes, while 12 people died in Israel. Among them are 66 children. Officials believe it will cost tens of millions and take years to reconstruct Gaza following catastrophic air strikes which struck the densely-populated area. Sources say the US Secretary of State will visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank on Wednesday and Thursday, hoping to build on the ceasefire mediated with US support. The anti-Semitic attacks that shame America: Brooklyn man is arrested for torching community center, teen is put in a chokehold, feces are left outside Florida synagogue, and temple-goers require armed escorts in LA America is witnessing a worsening surge of anti-Semitic attacks as Jews are targeted by some pro-Palestinian factions who have been triggered by violence in the Middle East. Although a ceasefire has called a halt to armed clashes overseas - at least for now - tensions between Israel and Hamas still are spilling into the streets of towns and cities across the U.S. The New York Police Department said 195 hate crimes were reported in NYC between January 1 and May 1, an increase of 71% from the same period last year. Although the figures did not state how many of the incidents were anti-Semitic, the Anti-Defamation League has identified an increase in attacks against Jews specifically. The charity received 193 reports of anti-Jewish incidents in the week after the Israel-Palestine crisis began, up from 131 the previous week. In Los Angeles, volunteers have set up armed patrols to accompany temple-goers, while LAPD has also stepped up its presence. Local man Steve Goldstein, 35, told the LA Times he had 'never felt so scared being in Los Angeles' after a series of high-profile attacks. BROOKLYN, NEW YORK A Jewish teenager was put in a chokehold after refusing to repeat anti-Semitic slurs and another chased with a baseball bat in one of two attacks against Jews in Brooklyn this weekend. The boys, aged 17 and 18, were approached by two men at around 7.45pm on Saturday before they 'demanded that the victims repeat anti-Jewish statements,' according to NYPD. When the teenagers refused, the attackers began punching them in the head and put the 17-year-old in a 'rear chokehold' before one of the thugs chased his companion while 'brandishing a baseball bat'. The perpetrators then fled the scene in Borough Park in a blue Toyota Camry, according to police. Within the same hour and in the same area, three men in a car with the same description approached four Jews walking outside a synagogue and 'yelled anti-Jewish statements', police said. When the four male victims fled into the synagogue, two of the three attackers jumped out the Toyota, banged on the front door of the building, and kicked the side mirror of a nearby car before fleeing. The NYPD tweeted that the three males are wanted for aggravated harassment and said that officers have now stepped up their patrols in Jewish communities. NYPD believes both incidents involved the same perpetrators, reported CNN. When the four male victims fled into the synagogue, two of the three attackers jumped out the Toyota, banged on the front door of the building, and kicked the side mirror of a nearby car before fleeing Mayor de Blasio met with Jewish leaders in Borough Park Sunday and said: 'We will stomp out anti-Semitism anywhere we find it. It is unacceptable. 'This is a city that is for everyone, and anybody who perpetrates an act of bias and prejudice, they will be found.' It came after Jewish accountant Joseph Borgen, 29, was attacked by four men in Times Square when he was heading to a pro-Israel rally. He is believed to have been identified as Jewish by the kippah he was wearing at the time. The NYPD tweeted that the three males are wanted for aggravated harassment (pictured is the synagogue) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Armed patrols have been set up to accompany Jews on the way to worship following a spike in anti-Semitic violence. Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Remi Franklin, 37, said he established the 'vigilance patrol' in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles so families could walk the streets without fearing attack. 'It's Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, mixed martial arts, and just friends with them, it's the people who want to do something,' Franklin told the Los Angeles Times. 'Women who are former dancers and gymnasts are walking with people to make them feel more comfortable.' Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Remi Franklin, 37, said he established the 'vigilance patrol' in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles so families could walk the streets without fearing attack Local Jews say the patrols are sadly necessary. 'Many people are definitely scared,' actor Jonathan Lipnicki, 30, said. 'It's a terrifying time for the Jewish community.' 'These people are only here to enjoy their families, walk and go home. They need to ensure their safety.' 'I've never been so scared of being in Los Angeles,' 35-year-old Steve Goldstein said after people shouted 'Jewish death' at a synagogue off La Brea. Franklin has shared photos of patrol members on his Instagram account. These men are seen standing outside a synagogue LOS ANGELES Police have arrested a 30-year-old man after a group of Jewish diners were attacked while eating at a restaurant. Xavier Pabon, of Banning, California, was arrested late Friday and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Initial bail was set at $275,000, but Los Angeles Police Department said it had asked for enhanced bail 'due to the crime being motivated by hatred.' A car convoy flying Palestinian flags is pictured rolling through the Beverly Grove section of LA on Tuesday before some of the men attacked Jewish diners at a restaurant The attackers were seen throwing glasses and yelling anti-Semitic slurs Cops believe he was part of a group waving Palestine flags that pulled up at Sushi Fumi restaurant in the city's bustling Beverly Grove neighbourhood at around 10pm Tuesday before shouting anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish customers and pelting them with bottles. 'Somebody in one of the cars driving by started throwing glass bottles or glass cups at the tables and they shattered everywhere,' a woman told CBSLA, adding that a group of about 30 charged the tables and began asking, 'Who's Jewish?' A day before Orthodox Jews had to run for safety as they were chased down by two cars bearing Palestinian flags. Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said the father-of-six - who is too scared to be publicly identified - 'literally had to run for his life'. In an earlier incident, on Monday night, a Jewish Orthodox man was chased by a pro-Palestinian convoy as he walked to a synagogue (pictured) BROOKLYN A New York man was charged Saturday with setting fire to a synagogue and Jewish school in Brooklyn earlier in the week. Ali Alaheri, 29, is accused of torching the Jewish center near Borough Park at around 4am on Wednesday. The building suffered some damage before firefighters put the fire out. Federal prosecutors said Alaheri was seen on surveillance cameras 'piling numerous garbage bags' against the door before setting several of them on fire. Ali Alaheri, 29, is accused of torching the Jewish center near Borough Park at around 4am on Wednesday He was charged with one federal count of malicious arson on Saturday, according to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. 'The defendant's alleged actions endangered the lives of numerous individuals, from the congregants and students at the synagogue and yeshiva, to the first responders who arrived to extinguish the flames, to the neighboring members of the community,' ATF Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito said in a press release. Just hours before, Alaheri had attacked a man who appeared to be Jewish, it is claimed. 'Alaheri can be seen on surveillance footage punching a Jewish man multiple times in the head with no provocation or prior interaction,' a charging document alleges. 'The man, who was sitting in front of an autobody shop on the same block as the [yeshiva and synagogue], was wearing traditional Hasidic clothing. After the assault, Alaheri can be seen jumping over a fence into an alleyway less than two blocks away from the [yeshiva and synagogue] and the assault.' After that, officials say Alaheri stole a bicycle and rode away. He was arrested two days later. HALLANDALE BEACH, FLORIDA A man yelled antisemitic remarks at a rabbi in front of a South Florida synagogue, before returning and dumping a bag of human feces in front of the building. Cellphone video captured the unidentified man as he shouted 'Jews should die' at a rabbi outside the Chabad of South Broward on Friday. The man left and returned a short time later, carrying a bag that contained human feces, said Hallandale Beach Police Capt. RaShana Dabney-Donovan. Cellphone video captured the unidentified man as he shouted 'Jews should die' at a rabbi outside the Chabad of South Broward on Friday. The man left and returned a short time later, carrying a bag that contained human feces (he is pictured dropping it off) The man then returned for a second time on Sunday with a cooler containing human excrement. He dropped it off before pedalling away on an electric bike He dumped the bag in front of the synagogue and yelled, 'Jews should die,' according to a police report. He also spat at a menorah near a sidewalk, according to the police. The man then returned for a second time on Sunday with a cooler containing human excrement. He dropped it off before pedalling away on an electric bike, WSVN reported. Cellphone video captured the unidentified man as he shouted 'Jews should die' at a rabbi outside the Chabad of South Broward on Friday Earlier this month, a Hallandale Beach man reported having rocks thrown at him as he walked to the Chabad of South Broward. 'It's very important for us to combat these types of incidents,' said Dabney-Donovan. A fresh spotlight has been thrown on how tech giants police Covid 'misinformation' after Dr Antony Fauci questioned whether the virus was man-made in China - a sentiment banned across swathes of social media. Facebook policies outlining what kinds of 'misinformation' its users cannot post about, specifically picks out theories that the virus was 'man-made' or 'manufactured' - the very theory Fauci was discussing. At the same time, an Italian journalist claimed last week to have been censored by YouTube over a book which questions whether the virus was engineered in a Wuhan lab, despite America's top disease expert saying it warrants investigation. These inconsistencies beg the question whether social media's 'misinformation' witch-hunt has gone too far in trying to prevent the spread of dangerous lies, and actually stifles productive debate instead. Italian journalist Fabrizio Gatti was banned from advertising his book questioning the origins of Covid and criticising China's response on Google - even as top US disease expert Anthony Fauci says it warrants further investigation For example, on vaccines: A large number of Facebook policies deal with clear misinformation - such as outlawing claims that jabs contain 'the mark of the beast', or turn you into a monkey. But the site also says it bans 'claims that COVID-19 vaccines kill or seriously harm people (such as causing blood clots.)' That is despite the fact that medical regulators in Europe and elsewhere have seen fit to put warnings on AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson jabs saying they can cause blood clots - albeit in vanishingly rare cases. Meanwhile YouTube also has clear-cut policies banning untruths, such as saying prayer will cure the virus or that Covid isn't real. But the site's policies ban posts questioning the efficacy of masks or debating lockdown measures - even though government guidance on both has changed many times since the start of the pandemic, largely thanks to debate about their benefits. Separate rules on advertising on YouTube outlaw adverts around 'sensitive events' such as Covid, banning anything that 'potentially profits' from the event 'without a benefit to users' - though what exactly qualifies as a 'benefit' is not explained. It was those advertising rules that Italian journalist Fabrizio Gatti fell foul of when adverts for his book - The Infinite Error: The Secret Story Of A Pandemic That Should Have Been Avoided - were 'blacklisted' from Google last week. Google said the video violates the rules because it 'displays speculative intent or lacks reasonable sensitivity around a global health crisis.' But Elisabetta Sgarbi, whose company is publishing Gatti's book on Covid, told Italian news agency Ansa: 'There is a big difference between "gratuitous offense" and the right to criticize. '[The book] documents the responsibilities of the Chinese regime, the allied governments and the WHO in the delayed response to the Covid-19 pandemic... which should have avoided. Fauci on Sunday admitted he is 'not convinced' that Covid occurred in nature, a sentiment that could have seen him banned from Facebook 'I hope that Google... can help encourage reflection and discussion on the health and human catastrophe that has hit the world.' Mr Gatti added: 'I express my full solidarity with colleagues who have been or will be economically damaged, just for giving space to... my research. 'I hope that Google will revise its position as soon as possible. We already have to put up with the Chinese regime and the consequences of its failure to contain Covid. '[Google's action] it is yet another symptom of a very worrying drift. 'Once once the infection is overcome with vaccines, as I write in my book, we will have to defend our democracies from totalitarianism and the digital monopoly.' Other policies that might get adverts banned from Google are ones which 'appear to profit from a tragic event with no discernible benefit to users', adverts selling products 'which may be in insufficient supply', and those which 'claim victims of a sensitive event were responsible for their own tragedy.' Both Facebook and Google say the policies were created in response to the spread of misinformation as the pandemic spread, and aim to direct people towards reliable information and stop the spread of claims that could cause harm. But others, such as former New York Times journalist Alex Berenson - whose own books were temporarily banned from Amazon or questioning the science behind masks and lockdowns - say they amount to censorship. 'Big Tech censorship of opposing views on COVID is a huge problem, and it's part of an even bigger problem,' he said. 'This isn't about COVID, it's about whether or not as a society we're going to allow people who have views that are sort of outside what the mainstream media want you to believe, to present those views,' he continued. 'It's becoming harder and harder to have honest conversations. Facebook specifically outlaws posts that speculate Covid was 'man-made', but will allow users to say it leaked from a lab provided they don't say it was made there (file image, Wuhan lab) Last year, Google was criticised after directing search engine users away from the Great Barrington Declaration - a petition started by prominent academics urging a re-think on lockdowns. Instead of being shown the petition itself at the top of search queries, Google users were instead shown articles and pages critical of it, according to Spiked. Google also said in October last year that it had pulled more than 200,000 videos from YouTube, including one from Scott Atlas - who at the time was a physician advising the US government. Meanwhile Facebook has also been pulling down pages that question whether lockdowns are effective, while attaching fact-check labels and warning notices to some news articles. The company says it has removed over 18 million pieces of content across Facebook and Instagram globally since the start of the pandemic for violating its rules, and has displayed warning labels on 167million pieces of COVID-19 content on Facebook. While Amazon refused to disclose its policies around censorship at the time, Google and Facebook both publish detailed lists about what users can and cannot post. The firms say they are acting to prevent the spread of 'misinformation' - but what exactly constitutes misinformation is something they cannot agree even among themselves. For example, Facebook's policy specifically bans any post that says coronavirus is 'man-made' or 'manufactured' - though users are allow to speculate that the virus may have leaked from a lab. Google-owned YouTube's policy, meanwhile, makes no mention of banning videos discussing 'man-made' Covid. However, YouTube does ban posts that discuss the use of Hydroxychloroquine as a Covid treatment - something that Facebook does not specifically outlaw. Both sites ban content discussing whether face masks help stop the spread of Covid and whether social distancing is effective. A four-year-old boy and his father were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide after the child's mother claims authorities ignored her pleas to check on him. Police discovered the bodies of Greyson Martin Kessler and his father John Michael Stacey, 47, at Stacey's apartment in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday night. Greyson's mother, Alison Kessler, had filed an emergency pickup order to seize the boy hours earlier after receiving a series of threatening texts messages and emails from Stacey, the Sun Sentinel reported. In one of the messages three days before the murder-suicide Stacey wrote: 'You deserve to have your head separated from your body.' A judge would go on to deny the order, but 12 hours earlier the boy had been murdered and his father had taken his own life. In a GoFundMe created Sunday morning to help support the grieving mother, Kessler's family blamed the agencies they said stood by to allow the deaths to happen. Alison Kessler with her son, Greyson Martin Kessler. On Friday Greyson was found dead with his father, John Michael Stacey, 47, in an apparent murder suicide. Kessler blamed the authorities for failing to act when she filed an emergency pick-up order for the boy after Stacey reportedly sent her threatening text messages John Michael Stacey (pictured with Greyson) had reportedly moved to Florida from New York after the birth of his son to take on parenting duties 'The police, child protective services and the criminal justice system failed Greyson and Ali, who filed multiple emergency orders to get Greyson safely away from the father, who had been sending threatening text messages and emails to Ali, and exhibited frightening behavior,' the fundraising page read. Meaghan Marro, the attorney who filed the emergency order on behalf of Kessler, did not return DailyMail.com's request for comment. Judge Michael Kaplan, who denied the pick-up order for Greyson on Saturday, after the two were found dead, also did not return a request for comment. Stacey, 47, had donated to various suicide prevention services in recent months Florida defense attorney Eric Schwartzreich, however, defended Kaplan saying police were better suited to act under emergency conditions, the Sun Sentinel reported. 'Everyone wants to look for blame,' he said. 'The judge followed the law. He's not clairvoyant. He can't predict what's going to happen. You can't blame him in this case. You really can't blame anyone. It's just a tragedy.' Fort Lauderdale police reported that the father and son died by shooting, but did not comment further. 'Greyson was sunshine in a tiny human body,' the GoFundMe read. 'He exuded joy and loved everyone he met without hesitation. When Grey was born, we nicknamed him "Gigs" because he was always smiling and laughing.' Greyson was nicknamed 'gigs' for his frequent bouts of laughter, according to his family Stacey, a New Jersey native, studied at Rutgers University and NYU Stern School of Business, according to his Facebook page. He appeared to have donated to three suicide prevention organizations in January, February and April, and moved to Fort Lauderdale in 2017, which would have been the year his son was born. An August 2018 profile picture with his son garnered comments such as 'Beautiful baby daddy. God gave you a beautiful gift!' and 'Fatherhood looks good on you John!' Another, commenting on his stern expression in the photo, asked, 'Why so serious?' Stacey worked as a business consultant, specializing in enterprise resource planning according to his LinkedIn profile. Since 2011 he worked as project manager for the agency Providge Consulting. Various sources told the Sun Sentinel that Stacey had moved to Florida from New York to take on parenting duties when his son was born. 'His story is really touching,' Raterman said. 'He was uprooting his life just to be near his son. I've never seen anyone who loves his son so much. The only reason he moved here was to be near his son.' 'It's a terrible situation,' William Devries, who had rented out his condo to Stacey for the past four years said. 'I didn't really know him personally. He did tell us he had a son out of wedlock and came down to Florida to share the parenting duties.' Advertisement The number of people in hospital with coronavirus in Bolton has more than tripled in a fortnight as the Manchester borough grapples with an outbreak of the highly-infectious Indian variant. Sources say there are currently 43 Covid patients in the town's NHS trust, compared to 12 that were receiving care on May 10. Experts fear the pressure on the trust, which looks after the Royal Bolton Hospital, will only get worse as the infection rate climbs. Bolton is recording more than 400 Covid cases per 100,000 people - twenty times the national average - following a period of exponential growth of the Indian variant in the last month. It takes several weeks for cases to turn into hospitalisations due to the lag between someone catching and falling seriously ill with Covid. However, Number 10 has said the 'majority' of people being hospitalised with the disease currently are either unvaccinated or have not been for both jabs. Analysis by Public Health England has found two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer's jab provide a similar level of protection from the Indian variant as they do for the Kent version, which has raised hopes that hospital and death rates will not reach the peaks of previous waves. Meanwhile, data published today showed the Indian variant spiralling in Bolton is now dominant in nearly 15 per cent of authorities in England almost twice as many as the previous week. Analysis of samples from people infected with Covid in the week up to May 15 also shows that the B.1.617.2 strain had spread to 151 out of England's 314 local authorities. The mutant virus had overtaken the previously-dominant Kent variant in 44 places, up from 23 the week prior. It is now behind behind 90 per cent of Covid infections in Blackburn and eight in ten in the hotspots of Bolton, Sefton, Bedford and Croydon. Professor Andrew Pollard, one of the main researchers behind the AstraZeneca jab, today said the pandemic in the UK could be declared 'over' if the vaccines work as well on the mutant virus in the real world as PHE believes. Data is expected to become clearer next week. However, both Pfizer and AstraZeneca's jabs were only 33 per cent effective at blocking symptoms of the Indian strain three weeks after one dose, compared to 50 per cent against the Kent variant. Officials say it highlights the importance of getting both injections. It comes as it was revealed that official plans for social distancing and 'Covid certificates' after June 21 won't be revealed for at least another week, despite rising hopes that England's 'freedom day' can go ahead. Boris Johnson promised the conclusions of critical reviews for England would come before the end of the month, giving businesses time to prepare for the changes. But Downing Street indicated the timetable has slipped as ministers wait for the latest data on the Indian variant. SAGE advisers will model the next easing of lockdown restrictions over the next few weeks but need they need to know how infectious the Indian strain is to make their predictions accurate. Experts believe it spreads around 30 per cent easier than the Kent strain. Meanwhile, the UK today recorded another 2,439 Covid cases nationally up 23.2 per cent on last Monday's figure. Another three victims were also recorded, compared to five last week. Gunners from the Royal Horse Artillery distribute Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to local residents on May 24, 2021 in Bolton Gunners from the Royal Horse Artillery distribute Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to local residents on May 24, 2021 in Bolton The Indian coronavirus variant is now dominant in 44 areas across England almost twice as many as the previous week according to data published by the Sanger Institute today. Of the hotspots, only 19 have seen their infection rates increase in the most recent week In Bolton, which is recording the highest Covid infection rate in the country due to an outbreak of the Indian variant, hospitalisations have already started to creep up. There are currently 43 Covid patients in Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, according to data from the Government's Covid dashboard, which is more than triple than at the start of May, when there were 13 Department of Health data shows how the number of positive tests being recorded each day has changed in the 10 areas with the biggest outbreaks where the Indian variant is known to be dominant. Top left shows Bolton's outbreak, which has grown rapidly over the past three weeks. But outbreaks remain flat in other hotspots, such as Preston, Hillingdon and Ealing Nationally hospital admissions remain flat, with about 100 people being admitted every day with Covid across the UK, on average It has meant that the number of inpatients with Covid has also been stagnant, despite an uptick in Bolton The latest analysis of the Indian variant's spread comes from the Sanger Institute, one of the largest variant-testing labs in the UK. It checks more than half of all the UK's samples to spot different types of the virus. Its data excludes door-to-door surge testing and travellers' swabs, allowing it to reflect which variants are spreading in the community and not random cases brought in from elsewhere. It found that by May 17, the variant accounted for more than half of cases in 44 places of England, up from 23 a week ago. Of the hotspots, only 19 have seen their infection rates increase. Where is the Indian variant dominant? And are cases going up? AUTHORITY Bolton Blackburn w D Sefton West Lancashire Stevenage Nottingham South Northants Bedford Chelmsford Hillingdon Camden Hounslow Greenwich Croydon Bromley Dartford Sevenoaks Canterbury Rushmoor Hart Ribble Valley Preston Fylde Burnley Rossendale Chorley Central Beds East Northants North Herts East Herts West Oxfordshire Bristol Wiltshire Test Valley Swindon Reading Woking Havering Barking & Dag Barnet Ealing Slough S Oxfordshire Wigan INFECTION RATE 434.0 215.1 22.4 9.6 10.2 22.8 16.9 142.5 5.6 39.1 8.5 47.5 26.0 29.5 19.6 8.0 9.9 34.5 22.2 21.6 21.4 49.8 9.9 60.7 57.4 55.8 35.0 15.9 6.7 6.7 15.4 14.5 6.2 7.9 19.4 33.4 16.9 6.9 11.3 9.9 35.7 25.4 4.2 34.1 WEEK GROWTH up 72.6% up 87.2% down 54.1% down 35.3% down 18.2% down 35.0% down 50.0% up 20.5% down 44.4% down 7.0% down 39.5% down 13.4% up 21.0% up 14.0% up 41.3% down 50.0% up 140.0% up 533.3% down 27.6% down 32.3% up 44.4% up 40.0% down 42.9% up 22.7% up 215.4% up 61.0% up 83.6% down 31.8% down 10.0% down 11.1% up 183.3% up 4.7% down 53.7% down 16.7% up 19.4% up 68.8% up 112.5% down 45.5% down 35.1% down 48.0% down 8.3% down 5.0% down 66.7% flat Advertisement The places where the Indian strain overtook the Kent variant in the most recent week were: Ribble Valley, Preston, Fylde, Burnley, Rossendale, Chorley, Central Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire, North Hertfordshire, East Hertfordshire, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire, Bristol, Swindon, Wiltshire, Test Valley, Reading, Woking, Slough, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Ealing. It is still dominant in: Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, Sefton, West Lancashire, Stevenage, Nottingham, South Northamptonshire, Bedford, Chelmsford, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Canterbury, Rushmoor, Hart, Hillingdon, Camden, Hounslow, Greenwich, Croydon and Bromley. But it is no longer the dominant strain in Oadby and Wigston, Broxbourne and Brent which may be down to very low case numbers in these areas. Bolton has the highest infection rate out of local authorities suffering outbreaks of the Indian variant (434 cases per 100,000 people) which has more than doubled over the past week. Data suggests that two per cent of people in one neighbourhood of the borough tested positive for the virus last week. Blackburn with Darwen had the second largest outbreak (215.1), and Bedford had the third largest (142.5). They were followed by new hotspots Burnley (60.7), Rossendale (57.4), Chorley (55.8) and Preston (48.9). Indian variant hotspot Hounslow had the highest Covid infection rate in London (47.5). It was followed by Hillingdon (39.1) and Ealing (35.7). For comparison, England's average is 21.3 per 100,000 and has remained around this level since mid-April. PHE's latest breakdown shows 46.2 per cent of Covid cases were the Kent variant in the week to May 10, but 53.8 per cent were down to other variants. It is thought the first majority were B.1.617.2. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that the Indian strain was likely already the dominant strain of the virus across the UK because the Sanger data is weeks out of date. He noted that the variant is spreading in areas that were hardest hit at earlier stages of the pandemic, suggesting that social and other mixing factors were contributing to the outbreaks, rather than purely the infectiousness of the strain. 'Covid is retreating to its strongholds of last summer, looking at the latest map which is already out of data,' he said. 'The areas where Covid has traditionally found it easier to spread are the same areas where the variant is finding it easier to spread. 'And that is not surprising because of deprivation, inner city, more crowded dwelling, multi-generational occupancy.' He added that as cases rose in the coming weeks it was inevitable that hospitalisations and deaths from the virus would also go up, but that he did not know by how much. 'It will be somewhere between being manageable and close to Armageddon,' he said. 'But I'm not sure which extreme it will be closer to.' It came after one of the country's top scientists suggested today that Britain could officially be freed from the grips of the Covid crisis if the current vaccines work as expected against the Indian variant. Oxford's Professor Andrew Pollard said the pandemic in the UK could be 'over' if the vaccines cut the risk of hospitalisation and death as well in the real world as analysis suggests. Because the vaccines were shown to be highly effective at stopping people falling ill with Covid in the first place, PHE said they are likely to be even better at preventing hospitalisation and deaths. Nearly 9,000 patients died after catching Covid on English hospital wards while being treated for something else Nearly 9,000 Britons died after contracting Covid on a hospital ward while receiving care for a different illness, official NHS data shows. Figures obtained by the Guardian revealed that 32,307 patients have caught the disease while in English hospitals since March 2020, of which 8,747 have died. University Hospitals Birmingham suffered the biggest death toll (408), followed by Nottingham University Hospitals (279) and Frimley in Surrey (259). Victims were found to have caught the virus while hospital for a range of reasons, including an operation, treatment for an underlying condition or an accident. Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said hospital-acquired Covid infections and deaths remained 'one of the silent scandals of this pandemic', adding that many of them would have been avoidable. NHS bosses said a lack of testing and personal protective equipment at the start of the pandemic had made hospital-acquired infections harder to prevent. They also admitted that not fully understanding the extend of asymptomatic spread fuelled outbreaks on wards in the early days of the pandemic. Nine of the 81 acute hospital trusts which responded to the Freedom of Information request recorded 200 or more deaths. Advertisement Professor Pollard said that a few more weeks were needed to firm up this claim, but he added that, traditionally, vaccines offer 'much, much higher' protection against hospitalisation and death than mild infection. However, both Pfizer and AstraZeneca's jabs were only 33 per cent effective at blocking symptoms of the Indian strain three weeks after one dose, compared to 50 per cent against the Kent variant. Officials say it highlights the importance of getting both injections. Professor Pollard told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'If the current generation of vaccines are able to stop people going into hospital, whilst there is still mild infections, people are getting the common cold with the virus, then the pandemic is over. 'Because we can live with the virus, in fact we are going to have to live with the virus in one way or another, but it doesn't matter if most people are kept out of hospital because then the NHS can continue to function and life will be back to normal. We just need a little bit more time to have certainty around this.' Ministers say England is on track for all restrictions to be dropped as planned on June 21, despite fears the rapid spread of the Indian variant would jeopardise 'freedom day'. Armed with the PHE evidence vaccines work against B.1.617.2, the boss of the UK's Health Security Agency argued the prospect of all Covid restrictions being lifted next month was 'looking good'. Health Secretary Matt Hancock also called the findings 'groundbreaking'. But some scientists are not convinced by No10's ever-growing optimism, saying May 17's relaxation of lockdown measures may trigger a rapid spike in cases given that the Indian variant is 'on the cusp' of becoming dominant in England. Professor Christina Pagel, a member of the Independent SAGE panel of scientists, said ministers should consider 'rolling back step three of the roadmap' if cases continue to rise this week. Department of Health figures show the number of positive tests has jumped by 11 per cent over the past seven days. Hospitalisations and deaths across the UK are at their lowest levels since the crisis began, with just six fatalities a day and fewer than 100 hospital admissions, on average. For comparison, around 1,300 deaths were occurring every day at the peak of the second wave in January. However, the number of infected patients occupying beds at the major NHS trust in Bolton one of the country's hotspots for the Indian variant has continued to creep up over the past week. Data from Public Health England shows the prevalence of variants across all the regions of England, with the Indian variant (light purple) compared to the Kent variant (white/pink). Data shows B.1.617.2 is now dominant in the North West, making up around 70 per cent of all sequenced cases. The proportion of samples analysed in a lab is shown by the black line. The sharp drop off is down to the lag in getting samples analysed and not because of a huge reduction in swabs being checked Data also shows how quickly the different variants have grown in England, with the Indian variant (green) spreading rapidly. The South African variant is coloured blue National data also shows how quickly the Indian variant (purple) has spread, making up around half of all new cases reported across the country. The Kent variant is shaded pink. The proportion of cases being sequenced is shown by the black line PHE analysis also revealed how the Indian variant is spreading quickly in the community (top graph, Indian variant is purple). The middle graph shows the proportion of cases made up by travellers. The bottom graph shows the amount of cases that were sequenced in different weeks. It can take several weeks for samples to be thoroughly analysed, meaning there is a lag in the data Separate figures also show the number of suspected reinfections over time, which are broken down into different types of the coronavirus. The purple area highlights reinfections seen in people who have caught the Indian variant Dominic Cummings condemns Matt Hancock for failing to 'understand' herd immunity Dominic Cummings posted a chart claiming that COBR documents had the 'optimal single peak strategy' showing 260,000 dead because the system was 'so confused in the chaos' Dominic Cummings has escalated his extraordinary assault on the government over coronavirus claiming ministers did not 'understand' herd immunity - and only switched to a 'Plan B' after being warned more than half a million people would die. The former No10 chief launched another devastating swipe at Matt Hancock and the Cabinet Office for failing to grasp the implications of their own policy as the pandemic erupted. Mr Cummings - who was at the heart of decision-making - said the original intention was to allow the virus to play out and achieve 'herd immunity' quickly to avoid a second peak that could overwhelm the NHS in winter. But in a long Twitter thread he said it became apparent the strategy was 'disastrously misconceived' and a 'Plan B had to be bodged amid utter chaos'. The maverick adviser posted a chart from mid-March 2020 showing a 259,000 death toll as an 'optimal single peak strategy' - against a 'do nothing' option that could have meant 510,000 casualties. A full lockdown was announced later that month, with significant curbs having stayed in place ever since as the government wrestled to keep infections down. The death toll on the main measure is just under 128,000. The latest salvo from Mr Cummings comes as he prepares for an explosive evidence session with MPs on Wednesday. He has already branded the Department of Health a 'smoking' ruin over its dismal efforts to procure PPE and ventilators, saying the vaccination drive has only been successful because it was taken out of the department's hands. Advertisement There is no proof the Indian variant is more lethal than older strains of the coronavirus but data shows it is more transmissible than the Kent type, which triggered Britain's devastating second wave before vaccines were rolled out. Experts believe B.1.617.2 is 30 per cent more infectious than B.1.1.7 the name for the Kent strain but won't get any concrete data for at least another week. Professor Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, suggested the pandemic could be declared over in the UK if people are kept out of hospital by vaccines. He said: 'The thing that makes this a pandemic is people going into hospital. 'And so what we really need to know, and we don't have the data yet for certain, is how well both the vaccines are performing in preventing people from going into hospital. 'And what we've seen so far in the pandemic is that protection from vaccines against hospitalisation and death is much, much higher than the protection against mild infection, which is what these tests are detecting. 'So what I'm waiting for is the answer to that exam question, which is the critical one to understand how we should respond in the future to new variants, is to find out whether these infections that we're starting to see a little bit with this current variant are completely uncoupled from hospitalisations and deaths. 'But we just need a few more weeks to get more evidence around that.' On whether booster vaccines will be needed, Professor Pollard said work was ongoing to make new vaccines in case they were needed but it was not certain that they would be. He urged people to have their second jab and said coronavirus will find the unvaccinated, adding that the Indian variant was able to spread 'slightly better' whether people have been vaccinated or not. 'Of course this is the variant that's around at the moment but future variants are going to get even better at doing that,' Professor Pollard said. 'That's the evolution of this virus, that it's going to find ways around immune responses to be able to spread a bit better. 'And so that gives a really important public health message, which is that if you're unvaccinated, then the virus will eventually find those individuals in the population who are unvaccinated, and of course if you're over 50 and unvaccinated, you're at much greater risk of severe disease.' His comments came after experts at the Government's world-renowned Porton Down research centre concluded that the current crop of jabs work against B.1.617.2. Data revealed Pfizer's vaccine was 88 per cent effective against the Indian variant in preventing symptoms after two doses, compared with 93 per cent against the Kent strain. AstraZeneca's was given a figure of 60 per cent, compared with 66 per cent against the Kent variant. Asked if people may think the AstraZeneca vaccine was not as good, Professor Pollard said: 'Well I think in some ways we're looking at the wrong exam question, because this is a question about mild infection and transmission.' Other experts said the difference between the two jabs could be down to the fact that the rollout of second doses of AstraZeneca was later than that for Pfizer, and it takes longer to reach maximum effectiveness. Because it was easier to transport, the AstraZeneca jab was also given to older people who are most at risk of falling ill. Firefighters said the roof and first floor had been completely destroyed A historic thatched cottage has been completely destroyed after a fire broke out and engulfed the property in flames. More than 60 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze inside the 900,000 cottage in the village of Pamphill, near Wimborne, Dorset. The Dorset & Wiltshire fire service said the roof and first floor had been completely destroyed and the ground floor suffered 'significant damage'. The blaze has sparked an outpouring of support for the 'devastated' family of four who had been living there. The family had to watch helplessly as the top half of their idyllic, Grade II listed home went up in flames. It had been let to the couple and their children aged 12 and six by the National Trust-owned Kingston Lacy estate. More than 60 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze inside the 900,000 cottage in the village of Pamphill, near Wimborne, Dorset Neighbours have raised almost 2,000 to help the 'devastated' family who were made homeless within a matter of hours The Dorset & Wiltshire fire service said the roof and first floor had been completely destroyed and the ground floor suffered 'significant damage' The timber-framed property dates back to the 16th and 17th century. Now almost 2,000 has been raised to help the family who were made homeless within a matter of hours. Neighbour Vicky Moore has set up one of the fundraising campaigns to help replace any belongings destroyed in the blaze. She said: 'I live in Pamphill, not far from where the cottage is. I know the family and it's devastating. 'The community as a whole were just shocked by it. The Dorset & Wiltshire fire service said the roof and first floor had been completely destroyed and the ground floor suffered 'significant damage' A National Trust spokesperson said: 'Fortunately no one was injured in the incident. We are supporting our tenants through this and the fire department are investigating' It had been let to the couple and their children aged 12 and six by the National Trust-owned Kingston Lacy estate The timber-framed property dates back to the 16th and 17th century 'I'm part of a PTA at the local school where their son goes and a lot of parents from the school obviously have seen the news on social media and just wanted to do something to help, that's why I set up the fundraising page. 'The family were in shock.' A National Trust spokeswoman said: 'We are aware of a devastating fire at a tenanted cottage on the Kingston Lacy Estate in Dorset. 'Fortunately no one was injured in the incident. We are supporting our tenants through this and the fire department are investigating. Anthony Oliver MBE, former mayor of Wimborne, lives nearby. He said: 'I saw the roof just caving in, it was very sad to see a lovely home going up in smoke' 'We would ask anyone to stay away from the area during this time.' The cause of the blaze is under investigation About 50 firefighters attended the incident at 2pm on Sunday. Anthony Oliver MBE, former mayor of Wimborne, lives nearby. He said: 'I kept seeing fire engines going past the house and curiosity got the better of me. 'I saw the roof just caving in, it was very sad to see a lovely home going up in smoke. 'I spoke to the woman who lived there, she was okay but obviously devastating to see the home destroyed.' But he said plan was 'disastrously misconceived' and 'Plan B had to be bodged' Dominic Cummings escalated his extraordinary assault on Boris Johnson today claiming the PM had no plan for a Covid lockdown before experts started 'screaming' that hundreds of thousands of people could die. The former No10 chief launched another devastating swipe accusing Matt Hancock and the Cabinet Office for failing to understand the concept of 'herd immunity' as the pandemic erupted. Mr Cummings - who was at the heart of decision-making - said the original intention was to allow the virus to play out quickly to avoid a second peak that could overwhelm the NHS in winter. But in a long Twitter thread he said it became apparent the strategy was 'disastrously misconceived' and a 'Plan B had to be bodged amid utter chaos'. He claimed that by March 13 last year the government still had 'neither an intention to lockdown nor... any official plan for doing so'. Saying that experts had been 'screaming' at the PM, the maverick adviser posted a chart from the time showing a 259,000 death toll as an 'optimal single peak strategy' - against a 'do nothing' option that could have meant 510,000 casualties. A full lockdown was eventually announced on March 23, with significant curbs having stayed in place ever since as the government wrestled to keep infections down. The death toll on the main measure is just under 128,000. The latest salvo from Mr Cummings came as he prepares for an explosive evidence session with MPs on Wednesday amid rumours he is determined to force the PM out. Downing Street brushed off the onslaught today, denying allegations that surfaced over the weekend that Mr Johnson had missed key Cobra meetings early in the crisis because he was writing a book about Shakespeare. Mr Cummings has already branded the Department of Health a 'smoking' ruin over its dismal efforts to procure PPE and ventilators, saying the vaccination drive has only been successful because it was taken out of the department's hands. Dominic Cummings posted a chart claiming that COBR documents had the 'optimal single peak strategy' showing 260,000 dead because the system was 'so confused in the chaos' Mr Cummings posted another excerpt from a report suggesting that imposing a tough lockdown could merely have caused a second peak at a more dangerous time for the NHS In the event the death toll has been far lower than the 'optimal' estimates highlighted by Mr Cummings, with two main peaks in numbers Mr Cummings (left), former chief adviser to Boris Johnson (right), claimed ministers pursued a herd immunity policy last year until it became clear thousands would die and the NHS would collapse Mr Cummings wrote: 'Even AFTER we shifted to PlanB, COBR documents had the ''OPTIMAL single peak strategy'' graphs showing 260k dead cos the system was so confused in the chaos'. Downing Street insists that allowing large numbers to catch the virus and become immune to prevent its spread had never been its plan. But Mr Cummings said 'herd immunity' was 'officially seen as unavoidable' in the week of March 9, 2020, and that it would come either 'in a single peak over by September, or in a second peak in winter'. He said that the first option was 'seen as easier to manage and less of a catastrophe so it was Plan A', but then the government 'started to figure out Plan B to dodge herd immunity until vaccines'. Test and Trace chief Jenny Harries (left) and Matt Hancock (right) have been singled out in the lengthy Twitter attack from Mr Cummings PM denies missing key Covid meetings because he was writing a book Boris Johnson did not miss emergency meetings on the response to the emerging coronavirus pandemic because he was working on a book, Downing Street has insisted. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he was 'not aware' of Mr Johnson doing any work on a biography of William Shakespeare while in office. Mr Johnson did not chair the first five meetings of the Cobra emergency committee in January and February 2020, but Downing Street insisted this was not unusual and was nothing to do with any book. No 10 faced questions after a Sunday Times report suggested officials fear Dominic Cummings will use an appearance before MPs to accuse Mr Johnson of missing key meetings on the crisis because he was working on a biography of Shakespeare, because he needed the money to fund his divorce from Marina Wheeler, his second wife. Asked if the Prime Minister had spent time on the book, his official spokesman said: 'No, not that I'm aware of.' The Prime Minister has been 'ensuring the public are kept as protected as possible during this global pandemic', the spokesman added. In response to the suggestion the book was responsible for him missing Cobra meetings, the spokesman said: 'No, and I think there are a number of incidents I can run you through where Cobras have been chaired by relevant secretaries of state.' Advertisement Mr Cummings said that in the week of March 9 seven days before Mr Johnson told people to stop non-essential contact with others it 'became clear' that neither Health Secretary Matt Hancock nor the Cabinet Office understood herd immunity. He said the policy would have left hundreds of thousands 'choking to death', no NHS treatment for months, unburied dead and an economic implosion. Ministers then moved to 'Plan B', he said, adding: 'Critical as I am of the PM in all sorts of ways, it's vital to understand the disaster was not just his fault. 'The official plan was disastrously misconceived ... and a Plan B had to be bodged amid total and utter chaos.' Adding to his attack today, Mr Cummings dismissed the idea that the government was always intending to lock down - but just waited for the right moment. 'SAGE said *literally the opposite*: lockdown = suppression = 'near certainty' of 2nd peak & this was thought to be much WORSE than single peak/herd immunity by Sep, hence graph ,' he wrote. Mr Cummings said that by March 14 one of the things being 'screamed at the PM was ''there is *no plan for lockdown* & our current official plan will kill at least 250k & destroy the NHS''.' Mr Johnson did not miss emergency meetings on the response to the emerging coronavirus pandemic because he was working on a book, Downing Street insisted today. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he was 'not aware' of Mr Johnson doing any work on a biography of William Shakespeare while in office. Mr Johnson did not chair the first five meetings of the Cobra emergency committee in January and February 2020, but Downing Street insisted this was not unusual and was nothing to do with any book. No 10 faced questions after a Sunday Times report suggested officials fear Dominic Cummings will use an appearance before MPs to accuse Mr Johnson of missing key meetings on the crisis because he was working on a biography of Shakespeare, because he needed the money to fund his divorce from Marina Wheeler, his second wife. Asked if the Prime Minister had spent time on the book, his official spokesman said: 'No, not that I'm aware of.' The Prime Minister has been 'ensuring the public are kept as protected as possible during this global pandemic', the spokesman added. In response to the suggestion the book was responsible for him missing Cobra meetings, the spokesman said: 'No, and I think there are a number of incidents I can run you through where Cobras have been chaired by relevant secretaries of state.' Downing Street is braced for a potentially highly damaging onslaught on Wednesday following Mr Cummings' acrimonious departure from Number 10 at the end of last year Anne-Marie Trevelyan rejected Mr Cummings' claim that achieving herd immunity was the official plan drawn up to combat the pandemic. The energy minister told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'It was never the policy of this Government. 'Boris Johnson was very clear that the only thing that mattered was that we make sure that we saved lives and we keep our NHS safe and able to function, not only to protect those who might get Covid but also everybody else.' She said the Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance had talked about herd immunity being 'one of the potential tools in the armoury' but it was not the policy goal. Ms Trevelyan, who was in the Cabinet at the time, said: 'I'm very comfortable that the Prime Minister never had as his policy herd immunity.' Downing Street is braced for a potentially highly damaging onslaught from Mr Cummings on Wednesday when he gives evidence to MPs investigating the Government's response to the pandemic. Covid jabs for under-30s 'by the end of the week': Younger people are set to be offered vaccine Coronavirus vaccines could be offered to those in their twenties within days as the rollout continues at pace. And in more good news a new study suggests the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the Indian variant. The jabs combat the new mutant almost as well as the Kent strain, a study by Public Health England found. Matt Hancock said the findings were 'groundbreaking' raising hopes restrictions can end as planned on June 21. The Health Secretary also celebrated the UK yesterday passing an 'incredible milestone' after 60million doses were administered. It comes after the NHS gave a record number of second doses on Saturday, latest figures show. The NHS lowered the eligibility age for the jab three times last week with those aged 32 and 33 the latest to benefit. This is expected to be lowered to 30 early this week and officials believe they can drop it even further soon after. A source said: 'The vaccine programme has been progressing at a rate of knots, getting to ever younger age groups, while continuing to offer second doses at a record pace. 'If all goes to plan, everyone in their thirties will hopefully have received their invite for a jab within 72 hours or so, with some in their twenties being called forward within the next week to ten days.' The PHE study showed that the Pfizer vaccine was 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. This compares with 93 per cent against the Kent variant. The AstraZeneca jab was also found to be 60 per cent effective against the Indian variant after two doses and 66 per cent effective against the Kent strain. But both vaccines were only 33 per cent effective against the Indian variant three weeks after one dose, compared with 50 per cent for Kent. Advertisement In a foretaste of what to expect, the former No 10 adviser also took aim at former deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries, who now heads the UK Health Security Agency. He claimed she had said in early March that masks were a 'bad idea' because 'we don't want to disrupt people's lives' and that acting 'too early we will just pop up with another epidemic peak later'. 'So Whitehall has promoted her, obviously,' he tweeted sarcastically. Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday denied that herd immunity had been the Government's original policy. She told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: 'Our strategy was always about protecting public health, saving lives and protecting the NHS. 'Absolutely all colleagues involved in those meetings and discussions, working with the chief scientist and the chief medical officers, absolutely recognised that from the very difficult discussions that we had. 'At the time of a crisis, when government is making very, very tough decisions, difficult decisions, we put public life and protecting the public at the forefront of all those decisions.' Dr Harries said the idea of herd immunity had been 'misinterpreted' by some and the strategy was instead to build resistance to Covid through the jab programme. 'What you're looking at in a population is to try and see at which point your population would be safe, and this is what we do with this very successful vaccination programme that we have,' she said. 'That's not the same as saying, which I think has been misinterpreted in many places, that the aim would be to allow people to become infected and develop herd immunity. That has never been on the agenda.' A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Herd immunity has never been a policy aim or part of our coronavirus strategy. 'Our response has at all times been focused on saving lives and ensuring the NHS was not overwhelmed. We continue to be guided by the latest scientific advice.' Mr Johnson missed several meetings of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, at the start of the Covid-19 crisis and officials are said to be concerned that Mr Cummings will blame his absence on his work on Shakespeare. Publication of the book has been repeatedly pushed back from its original release date of October 2016. The Prime Minister has reportedly been paid a six-figure advance for Shakespeare: The Riddle of Genius. Mr Johnson has written a number of books, including the international bestseller The Churchill Factor. A government source last night described the Shakespeare claim as 'total nonsense'. Mr Cummings has been posting an ever-lengthening Twitter thread about the response to the pandemic Covid cases rise by 16 per cent to 2,325 but medical chief insists June 21 end of lockdown is still 'looking good' as jabs total passes 60million Britain hit the 'huge' milestone of 60 million vaccinations yesterday, as health officials said the possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted next month is 'looking good'. The government's coronavirus dashboard showed five new deaths being recorded on Sunday, up by just one from last Sunday's total of four. Covid cases meanwhile increased by 16 per cent to 2,235, up from 1,926 last weekend when there was a lower rate rise of 8 per cent. There were a reported 908 patients in hospital with coronavirus and 123 on ventilation as of Thursday May 20, although this number had barely changed compared to the week before. The data suggests that while there has been an increase in cases of Covid-19 this is thankfully not being translated into hospitalisations or deaths. Britain hit the 'huge' milestone of 60 million vaccinations today, as health officials said the possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted next month is 'looking good' It comes after Public Health England announced that the current set of coronavirus jabs are effective against the Indian variant - boosting hopes that Boris Johnson will be able to go ahead with his June 21 'freedom day' as planned. Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the success of the vaccine rollout, tweeting: 'HUGE day for vaccinations yesterday - 762,361 given across UK. We've now done 60 million vaccines across the UK. 'This is a fantastic milestone in our fight against this virus. Thank you to everyone involved in our national effort. When you get the call, get the jab.' This lines up the real prospect of the final stage of the country's unlocking, which is due to take place on June 21 at the earliest. Dr Jenny Harries warned that caution should be taken as the new Indian strain is creating a 'mixed picture' across the UK However, Dr Jenny Harries urged the public to be cautious to avoid another lockdown, warning that the new Indian variant has become the 'dominant strain' in some parts of the country. She told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show: 'It's looking good if people are continuing to observe all of the safety signals, so we should not stop doing what we're doing, particularly in areas where we have that variant of concern, the B1617.2, in the north-west and around London. 'It's really important that people continue to do hands, face, space and work from home, have their jabs and go for tests as well. 'The cases of the B1617.2 variant are rising, they have risen very steeply and much of the media have reported a 160% rise in cases over the week period but they seem to be slightly levelling at the moment. 'It's still very early days.' Dr Harries added: 'We all need to be very cautious and I think we all don't want to go back to the sort of lockdowns that we've had, it doesn't matter whether you're on Sage or out in the public, none of us want to return to that sort of restriction.' From June 21 at the earliest, nightclubs are due to reopen and restrictions on large events such as festivals are to be lifted, as are restrictions on the number of people at weddings. Dr Harries warned that caution should be taken as the new Indian strain is creating a 'mixed picture' across the UK. She added: 'If you look at areas such as Bolton and Bedford, for example, in the north-west particularly, it's starting to become the dominant strain and has taken over from the Kent variant, which has been our predominant one over the winter months. 'But that's not the case right across the country, actually if you're in the south-west that's still not the case.' However, Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, believed there may be an 'adjustment' to the lifting of restrictions on June 21. Asked how likely it is that measures will be lifted on that date, he told Times Radio on Sunday: 'We're effectively in a race with the vaccine programme against the virus. 'We know that we're letting the virus out by spreading it about now, we know that we're progressing well with the vaccine programme, but I think there's going to need to be an adjustment of some sort.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the success of the vaccine rollout, tweeting: 'HUGE day for vaccinations yesterday - 762,361 given across UK. We've now done 60 million vaccines across the UK Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel said there would not be a 'green light all the way' to unlocking restrictions. Ms Patel said: 'We all have to be conscientious. All of us that are out and about now, we are distancing, wearing masks, following all the rules. 'That is part of our normal life now and that will continue, and that, of course, will help us to that unlocking on June 21.' Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told BBC Breakfast: 'I think there are uncertainties around the situation at the moment. I think, in a way, there's been uncertainties all the way along. 'It's always been a sort of provisional timetable and it has to be, or may have to be, adjusted according to events as they occur. 'When we get to June, whatever happens on that date, this global pandemic will not be over. It will still be going on. 'There'll still be cases going on in this country, through Europe and around the world, so life is not suddenly going to go back to normal in June, because life won't be really normal until this is brought under control. 'Life's going towards normal but it's not normal yet.' The comments come after a study by Public Health England (PHE) found that the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is 88 per cent effective against the Indian variant after two doses. Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the outcome as 'groundbreaking', while PHE said it expects to see even higher levels of effectiveness against hospital admission and death. The study, which took place between April 5 and May 16, found that the jab was found to be almost as effective against symptomatic disease from the B1617.2 strain as it is against the Kent variant, with 93 per cent effectiveness. Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca jab was 60 per cent effective, compared with 66 per cent against the Kent variant over the same period. Both vaccines were 33 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant three weeks after the first dose, compared with about 50 per cent against the Kent strain. New data from PHE shows there have been at least 2,889 cases of the Indian variant recorded in England from February 1 this year to May 18. Of those, 104 cases resulted in a visit to a hospital emergency department, 31 required an overnight hospital admission and six resulted in a death. The most common strain in England, according to the data, is the Kent variant, with 132,082 cases recorded over the same period. Some 1,569 people have died with the variant, while 2,011 cases resulted in an overnight hospital admission and 5,238 required a visit to a hospital emergency department. Separate analysis by PHE indicates that the vaccination programme has so far prevented 13,000 deaths and about 39,100 hospital admissions in older people in England, up to May 9. Meanwhile, Downing Street said it was looking at ways to publish data on cases transmitted in different settings in a 'robust and clear way'. It comes after The Observer reported that data on the spread of the Indian variant in schools had been due to be published this week, but was not included in a PHE report on Thursday. A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Twice a week, Public Health England publish a breakdown of the number of cases of each variant in the UK. 'Given public interest in variants of concern, we are looking at ways to publish cases transmitted in different settings in a robust and clear way. PHE will publish this data in due course.' Latest figures show that more than 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccine have now been given in England. The race has begun to find a missing Covid-19 infection link after Melbourne recorded its first locally-acquired coronavirus transmission in 86 days. Health authorities are on high alert as they battle to contain a potential outbreak after four new cases were identified in the city's northern suburbs. Two more residents returned positive results on Monday afternoon, adding to the two other shock cases revealed earlier in the day. They include a man aged in his 30s, another man in his 70s, a woman in her 70s and a preschool-aged child from the Whittlesea area. Hundreds of Melburnians have been ordered to immediately get tested and self-isolate as a host of venues were identified as sites visited by infected cases, including a Woolworths, Nando's restaurant and popular shopping centre food court. Four new coronavirus cases in Melbourne on Monday, sparking long queues at testing clinics (pictured, testing at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds) Anyone who attended Nando's Epping (pictured) in Melbourne's north on May 19 between 8.30pm and 9.20pm must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result More potential exposure sites are expected to be revealed as the desperate search to track down the mysterious source of the infection ramps up. Health officials have warned one of the cases is 'likely to be quite infectious' and may have contributed to him spreading the virus to other family members. There are also growing fears of a contact tracing bungle after health officials listed the wrong supermarket as a potential exposure site. Any diners who attended Nando's Epping on May 19 between 8.30pm and 9.20pm must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result. The same order applies to anyone who attended Woolworths Epping North on May 22 between 4.45pm-5:45pm. A host of tier two sites were also listed late Monday night, where anyone who attended at the specific times must get tested and self-isolate until they get a negative result. Anyone who attended Woolworths Epping North (pictured) on May 22 between 4.45pm-5:45pm must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days They include anyone who was inside the Urban Diner Food Court at Pacific Epping Shopping Centre on Sunday May 23 between 1.15pm-2.30pm. An infected case also attended Epping North Shopping Centre on May 22 between 4:45pm and 5:50pm, where they visited the House and Party store between 5.15pm-5:50pm. An infected case also visited Shell Coles Express in Reservoir on May 18 between 3.15pm-4.15pm. Anyone who attended the Preston Lions vs Whittlesea NPL football match on the night of May 21 at B.T. Connor Reserve in Reservoir must also get tested and isolate until further notice. Those who attended Futsal Brunswick between 9am-10am on Sunday must also be on high alert. Woolworths Epping North is the same supermarket where a Wollert man who tested positive earlier this month had attended almost two weeks ago. The Victorian Department of Health are now asking visitors to the Jump! Swim School, in Bundoora, Melbourne's north-east, between 8.55am and 10.15am on May 21 to get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days A health spokeswoman said authorities are yet to establish whether the previous and most recent case who visited the store on May 22 were linked to one another. Health officials were forced to admit last Friday they incorrectly listed a Woolworths store in Epping, rather than Epping North, as an exposure site visited by the Wollert man earlier this month. The error was detected after wastewater testing detected traces of the virus in the area. Opposition leader Michael O'Brien slammed the Victoria government over the contract tracing bungle. 'We've got the government making basic errors over the locations of supermarkets, and those basic errors are putting all of us at risk and that is just not acceptable,' Mr O'Brien said. 'This is a government that created a second wave through its own incompetence. 'They promised us they learnt the lessons and it seems they haven't. 'If we get another outbreak in Melbourne because this government didn't do the basics right then frankly the Health Minister and other ministers need to lose their jobs.' Hundreds of Melburnians flocked to testing clinics on Monday after the city recorded four new Covd clinic. Pictured is the drive-through clinic at Royal Melbourne Showgrounds Earlier on Monday, the Department of Health urged visitors to the Jump! Swim School, in Bundoora, Melbourne's north-east, between 8.55am and 10.15am on May 21 to get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days. It comes after the infected woman and preschool-aged child attended the facility for a swimming lesson. The pool has been closed until further notice to undergo a deep clean. Thousands of shoppers are also at risk after one of the infected men visited Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong on May 20 between 5pm and 8pm. AT RISK EXPOSURE SITES Tier one; Anyone who visited the below sites must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result Woolworths Epping North, between 4:45pm - 5:45pm on May 22 Jump! Swim Schools Bundoora, between 8:55am-10:15am on May 21 Nando's Epping (Dalton Rd), between 8:30pm -9:20pm on May 19 Highpoint Shopping Centre, Maribyrnong, 5pm - 8pm on May 20. Shoppers must get tested and isolate until further notice. Tier 2: Anyone who attended the following sites at the times listed must get tested and isolate until a negative result or further advice Futsal Brunswick, between 9:00am - 10:00am on May 23 Epping North Shopping Centre, between 4:45pm - 5:50pm on May 22 House and Party (store), Epping, between 5:15pm - 5:50pm on May 22. Urban Diner Food Court, Pacific Epping Shopping Centre, 1:15pm - 2:30pm on May 23 Shell Coles Express Reservoir, 3:15pm - 4:15pm on May 18 B.T. Connor Reserve, 8:00pm - 11:30pm on May 21 Advertisement Shoppers who attended the centre at the identified times are required to get tested and isolate until further notice. Contract tracers are currently retrieving information about which stores the infected case visited. 'Highpoint Shopping Centre is a very big place,' Health Minister Martin Foley told reporters on Monday. 'We are getting further advice from the gentleman is to specifically where the visitations were in Highpoint Shopping Centre. 'Getting the information out was really critical and then as further detailed information becomes available, we will update that site.' The shopping centre said it is ramping up its cleaning regimes throughout all high traffic areas. Genomic sequencing is due back on Tuesday, which will help determine if the cases are linked to the infected man from Wollert who flew to Melbourne from South Australian hotel quarantine earlier this month. Mr Foley said the dates didn't add up but refused to rule out a possible link. 'Given the proximity of the gentleman from early May who returned from hotel quarantine in Adelaide who lives in that city, we do not rule out the prospect that there is a link,' he said. The other potential exposure site is the High Point Shopping Centre in Maryibyrnong (pictured), between 5pm and 8pm on May 20. Shoppers who attended the centre at the identified times are required to get tested and isolate until further notice 'The dates do not line up immediately so we cannot rule out if there is a missing link out there.' 'We are concerned, without a doubt, this is not a time to be complacent.' The mysterious new cases are close family members, living in two separate houses. Health authorities were alerted to the cluster after a Whittlesea man presented for testing on Sunday. He and an asymptomatic male relative from a separate household both tested positive. A woman and the Whittlesea man's preschool-aged child have also since been confirmed as Covid-19 positive. The health minister said they would have more information on Tuesday after further conversations are conducted with the close contacts of the new cases. 'Based off initial interviews and intelligence and are likely to be subject to further expansion as conversations with the cases and close contacts evolves,' Mr Foley said. Commuters wear face masks in Melbourne on Monday, after it was revealed the state had identified new local Covid cases Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton expects further exposure sites will be identified. 'Obviously we are going into a period where people spend more time indoors and are in closer proximity... We are three months, as we just heard, away from local community transmission. Melburnians flocked to testing facilities across the city on Monday, with 15 sites experiencing estimated wait times exceeding 30 minutes. There were hour-long delays at drive-through test clinics in Sandringham, Epping, Heidelberg, and Watirna, and 45minute wait times at the Banyule Community Health facility in Greensborough and at Monash University in Clayton. By Monday night, wait times at the Hampstead Road Covid-19 testing site blew out to two-and-half hours as other testing sites remained open for longer due to the overwhelming demand. Mr Foley stressed there are currently no plans for Melbourne to go into lockdown at this stage. Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales responded to Melbourne's outbreak on Monday night. Anyone in Queensland who has been to one of the declared COVID-19 exposure sites in Victoria during the risk period specified will be required to quarantine. From 1am Wednesday, anyone who enters Queensland and has been to any of the Victorian exposure sites at the time specified will need to quarantine for 14 days in government-arranged accommodation. Western Australia has also announced similar rules. There were hour-long queues at drive-through test clinics across Melbourne on Monday. Pictured are health workers at Royal Melbourne Showgrounds NSW Health is also closely monitoring the situation in Victoria. Travellers arriving in Sydney from the Greater Melbourne area must complete a declaration which confirms they have not attended any of the potential exposure sites. People who have been in the Whittlesea local government area in Melbourne's north are advised to not visit residential aged care facilities, or hospitals unless seeking medical attention. The Whittlesea LGA includes the suburbs of Beveridge, Donnybrook, Doreen, Eden Park, Epping, Humevale, Kinglake West, Lalor, Mernda, Mill Park, South Morang, Thomastown, Whittlesea, Wollert, Woodstock and Yan Yean. Hardline Hindu nationalists murdered a 52-year-old Christian in an attack on a Christian family in Rajasthan, India.Tthree additional Christians were severely injured after being pummeled with "a gun, swords, and sickles," a report said. When the family of Ramesh Bumbariya, a local minister, refused to renounce their Christian faith, they were reportedly beaten by a throng, the International Christian Concern (ICC) reported. As a church planter, Pastor Ramesh Bumbariya has established many house churches in the Bansawra District. He has been attacked by fanatics on many occasions, says local church leaders, and has even faced a fake forced conversion accusation. In December of last year, ICC also reported that the Uttar Pradesh Government headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had enacted the "Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance." The decree has the same legal impact as the Freedom of Religion Acts, known as anti-conversion laws and implemented in eight of India's 29 states. Extremists used this legislation to harass and harm Christians throughout the nation. "I believe God has a definite purpose in keeping me alive," Pastor Bumbariya told ICC from his hospital bed. "I will carry on the ministry God has given to me." What are the details? On Tuesday, a mob of 15 Hindu extremists attacked Pastor Ramesh Bumbariya's family at their residence in Bansawra District. During the attack, the gun failed to fire despite being aimed at Ramesh, so the assailants shot the pastor's father instead. COVID-19 restrictions prevented the hospital personnel from admitting the wounded Christians. Pastor Bumbariya and two other family members were taken to a government hospital in Udaipur. Again, COVID-19 restrictions prohibited hospital personnel from admitting the wounded Christians. The Christians who were hurt were then taken to a neighboring private hospital for treatment. Pastor Bumbariya is unsure if he will be able to attend his father's burial, but he is grateful to God for His mercies amid the terrible circumstances. He said: "We gave up so much already for the sake of our faith. They took away our agricultural land, they destroyed our house, now they want our lives. I am worried about my family and children; about what will happen to them when I am not around." "We here at International Christian Concern are deeply concerned by the attack on Pastor Ramesh and his family." William Stark, ICC's Regional Manager said in a statement. "We pray for their full recovery and mourn with them over the murder of Bhima. No one should be murdered because they choose to follow Jesus." "In recent years, however, the impunity enjoyed by radical Hindu nationalists in India has emboldened them to increase their attacks on Christians, in both number and severity," Stark continued. "Authorities in India must do more to bring these radicals to justice and provide Indian Christians with their religious freedom rights guaranteed by India's constitution." Apparently No Longer a Free Country Freedom House, a non-profit group, states in its report "Democracy Under Siege," that since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, civil freedoms have been systematically curtailed. According to their assessment, this makes India a 'partly free' nation. After winning a landslide victory in the 2014 general election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given Prime Minister Narendra Modi increased executive authority in the years since. Since then, persecution has been perpetrated against a variety of minority groups particularly Christians. After 2019, the persecution became disturbingly worse. A senior National Security Council official says a 'Havana Syndrome'-style sonic attack near the White House left him unable to speak and thinking he was going to die. Speaking to the New Yorker the staffer described leaving his office at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building last November before he fell to the ground after being hit with ringing in his ears. He said: 'In a matter of about seven minutes, I went from feeling completely fine to thinking, 'Oh, something's not right, to being very, very worried and actually thinking I was going to die'.' US senators said last month that the government is investigating an apparent increase in mysterious directed-energy attacks dubbed 'Havana syndrome', amid new reports of potentially brain-damaging incidents within the U.S. Two others - who spoke to the New Yorker anonymously - said they fell ill while on a trip to London in May 2019. They say they started to experience ringing noises and migraines during their stay at the InterContinental Hotel ahead of President Donald Trump's state visit. Both visited the White House Medical Unit upon their return to the U.S., but 'no one seemed to take it seriously,' one, who spoke under the pseudonym Adrian Banks, noted. Banks said: 'I have ringing in my ear and pressure changes. I have migraines frequently. I get dizzy. I am still struggling.' The second, who spoke under the pseudonym Sandra Adams, also believes she was targeted walking her dog. Adams describes seeing a man following her before hearing a ringing noise. A senior National Security Council official says a 'Havana Syndrome' style sonic attack near White House left him unable to speak and thinking he had a stroke Charles Kupperman, former deputy national-security adviser, right, and John Bolton, left, Trump's national-security adviser, both believe the syndrome is real, The New Yorker reports. What is 'Havana Syndrome'? The problem has been labeled the 'Havana Syndrome,' because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. At least 130 cases across the government are now under investigation, up from several dozen last year, according to a U.S. defense official who was not authorized to discuss details publicly. The National Security Council is leading the investigation. People who are believed to have been affected have reported headaches, dizziness and symptoms consistent with concussions, with some requiring months of medical treatment. Some have reported hearing a loud noise before the sudden onset of symptoms. Investigators believe there are at least four cases involving Trump White House officials. Advocates for those affected accuse the U.S. government of long failing to take the problem seriously or provide the necessary medical care and benefits. US senators said last month that the government is investigating an apparent increase in the mysterious directed-energy attacks. Advertisement The suspected directed-energy attacks have baffled US investigators who are working to determine who and what is causing them. Earlier this month reports emerged that some US officials suspect Russia's infamous foreign intelligence agency - the GRU - could be the culprit. A U.S. military officer based in a country with a large Russian presence also says he felt like his head was going to explode during one incident where he was found to have been near a G.R.U. vehicle. And Politico reported that government investigators are examining a suspected attack on US personnel in Miami last year. In October last year it was reported how diplomat Mark Lenzi, 45, was stationed in Guangzhou, China, in 2017, when he developed unexplained symptoms, including headaches, memory loss and trouble sleeping. His neighbor Catherine Werner also fell ill and fellow US official Robyn Garfield was evacuated from Shanghai with his family in June 2018. Charles Kupperman, former deputy national-security adviser, and John Bolton, Trump's national-security adviser, both believe the syndrome is real, The New Yorker reports. Matthew Pottinger, another former deputy national-security adviser, said: 'This is Russia's M.O.' The senior National Security Council official who fell near the White House said he made it to hospital in a cab where he was told he may have suffered a 'massive migraine'. He was later contacted by a colleague, who told him about the so called 'Havana Syndrome'. Investigators believe there are now more than 130 possible cases - including four Trump White House officials. The Biden administration is facing new pressure to resolve the mystery with lawmakers from both parties, as well as those believed to be affected, are demanding answers. But scientists and government officials are not yet certain about who might have been behind any attacks, if the symptoms could have been caused inadvertently by surveillance equipment - or if the incidents were actually attacks. Whatever an official review concludes could have enormous consequences. Confirmation that a U.S. adversary has been conducting damaging attacks against U.S. personnel would unleash calls for a forceful response by the United States. For now, the administration is providing assurances that it takes the matter seriously, is investigating aggressively and will make sure those affected have good medical care. The problem has been labeled the 'Havana Syndrome,' because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. At least 130 cases across the government are now under investigation, up from several dozen last year, according to a U.S. defense official who was not authorized to discuss details publicly. The National Security Council is leading the investigation. People who are believed to have been affected have reported headaches, dizziness and symptoms consistent with concussions, with some requiring months of medical treatment. Some have reported hearing a loud noise before the sudden onset of symptoms. The United States Embassy in Havana, Cuba. The problem has been labeled the 'Havana Syndrome,' because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the embassy, pictured Advocates for those affected accuse the U.S. government of long failing to take the problem seriously or provide the necessary medical care and benefits. 'The government has a much better understanding of it than it has let on,' said Mark Zaid, a Washington lawyer who represents several people affected. Zaid has obtained National Security Agency documents noting it has information dating to the late 1990s about an unidentified 'hostile country' possibly having a microwave weapon 'to weaken, intimidate, or kill an enemy over time.' Chris Miller, the acting defense secretary during the last months of the Trump administration, created a Pentagon team to investigate the suspected attacks. That was after he met a soldier late last year who described how, while serving in a country Miller wouldn't identify, he had heard a 'shrieking' sound and then had a splitting headache. 'He was well-trained, extremely well-trained, and hed been in combat before,' Miller told The Associated Press. 'This is an American, a member of the Department of Defense. At that point, you cant ignore that.' Defense and intelligence officials have publicly promised to push for answers and better care for people with symptoms. Lt. Col. Thomas Campbell, a Defense Department spokesman, said the causes of any incidents 'are areas of active inquiry.' Marc Polymeropoulos, a 26-year CIA veteran who was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury following a 2017 visit to Russia Diplomat Mark Lenzi, 45, left, was stationed in Guangzhou in 2017, when he developed unexplained symptoms, including headaches, memory loss and trouble sleeping. His neighbor Catherine Werner, right, also fell ill CIA Director William Burns testified before Congress that he would make the investigation 'a very high priority to ensure that my colleagues get the care that they deserve and that we get to the bottom of what caused these incidents and who was responsible.' Burns receives daily updates on the investigation, which covers employees who have reported cases this year. He has met with those reporting injuries as have other top CIA officials. The agency has worked to reduce the wait time for its employees to receive outpatient treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The CIA also replaced its chief medical officer with a doctor seen internally as more sympathetic to possible cases. 'We were treated so awfully in the past,' said Marc Polymeropoulos, a 26-year CIA veteran who was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury following a 2017 visit to Russia. 'Now theyre putting people in place who not only believe us but are going to advocate for our health care.' One key analysis identified 'directed, pulsed radio frequency energy' as the most plausible culprit. Published in December by the National Academy of Sciences, the report said a radio frequency attack could alter brain function without causing 'gross structural damage.' But the panel could not make a definitive finding on how U.S. personnel may have been hit. And a declassified 2018 State Department report cited 'a lack of senior leadership, ineffective communications, and systemic disorganization' in responding to the Havana cases. The report says the cause of the injuries was 'currently unknown.' The document was published by George Washington Universitys National Security Archive. The report also noted that the CIA ultimately closed its Havana station, a victory for a potential adversary. The mysterious brain injuries started in 2016 after dozens of Americans became ill in Havana, Cuba - leading for the injuries to be called 'Havana Syndrome' Dr. James Giordano, a neurology professor at Georgetown University, consulted with the State Department on the Havana cases and has been briefed on more recent incidents in the U.S. and abroad. In reviewing records of people affected in Havana, Giordano noted evidence of neurological injuries in several people, suggesting they may have been hit with radio waves. He identified two possible culprits: a device intentionally used to target potential victims or a tool that used directed energy waves to conduct surveillance that may have unintentionally harmed the people targeted. One of the November attacks outside the White House had 'substantial similarities' to the Havana cases, Giordano said, adding that he was not authorized by the government to be more specific. 'Its very difficult, if not impossible, to fake or misrepresent certain findings to objective clinical evaluations,' Giordano said. 'I mean, there are certain things you cant make your nerves do or not do.' Matthew Pottinger, pictured, another former deputy national-security adviser, said: 'This is Russia's M.O.' Other scientists remain skeptical. Dr. Robert Baloh of the University of California, Los Angeles, argued that scans of healthy peoples brains sometimes display mini-strokes and that any possible weapon would be too large or require too much power to be deployed without detection. Baloh said the growing number of cases considered directed energy attacks is actually linked to 'mass psychogenic illness,' in which people learning of others with symptoms begin to feel sick themselves. 'Many people are hearing about it and thats how it gets propagated,' Baloh said. 'There's no greater priority than ensuring the health and safety of our people, and the anomalous health incidents that have afflicted our personnel around the world are of grave concern,' said Rep. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, in a statement. Rep. Devin Nunes, the committee's top Republican, said the people reporting symptoms 'were apparently subject to attack.' Polymeropoulos, the former CIA officer, said he believed the U.S. would ultimately identify what was behind the incidents and who is responsible. 'The actual intelligence is going to take us to the truth on this,' he said. 'If we find that a certain adversary did this, theres going to be uncomfortable decisions on what to do.' When Roman Protasevich arrived at Athens' airport on Sunday morning he noticed a group of 'dodgy' men taking pictures of him with their phones. The dissident journalist, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Lithuania for the last two years, was returning from an economics conference with his Russian girlfriend. Questions remain over how strongman President Alexander Lukashenko learned that the 26-year-old was on the Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday. With military precision a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet was dispatched to intercept the passenger plane just a few miles before it entered Lithuanian airspace. Protasevich and his girlfriend were hauled into custody as Belarusian authorities pretended to search for a bomb on the tarmac as 170 bewildered passengers looked on. They were then left in the dark for hours before the Ryanair flight was allowed to continue to Lithuania, leaving the hijacking and arrest shrouded in mystery. What is clear is that Lukashenko used not just military power to detain Protasevich but also a web of intelligence which stretches from the Baltic to the Aegean Sea. While Protasevich was visiting Greece he had posed for photos at the conference with the figurehead of the Belarusian opposition movement Svetlana Tikhanovskaya - who is undoubtedly on the radar of Belarusian intelligence agents. He and his girlfriend, 23-year-old law student Sofia Sapega, had also posted on Instagram while there - perhaps alerting the secret service to their whereabouts. At least four Belarusian KGB operatives are believed to have checked in on Ryanair Flight 4978 to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, from Greece. It was these four men who started to argue with cabin crew about an IED threat when they entered Belarusian airspace, Protasevich's allies have revealed. Opposition blogger and activist Roman Protasevich is pictured at a court hearing in Minsk, Belarus, in 2017. He fled the country in 2019 and had been living in Lithania Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured after being separated from other passengers) was hauled off the plane and arrested with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, after the flight from Greece to Lithuania made the emergency landing in Minsk Instagram posts by Roman Protasevich's girlfriend, 23-year-old law student Sofia Sapega, revealed the couple were in Athens Ryanair flight FR4978 had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius in Lithuania when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet to Belarus amid fake reports of an IED on board. It was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport, where authorities arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained The plane was soon accompanied by a MiG-29 fighter jet which forced the Ryanair pilot to head for Minsk just a few miles short of Lithuanian airspace. Protasevich and his girlfriend Sapega were arrested but they were not the only absentees when the flight took off again seven hours later to continue the journey to Lithuania. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, speaking today, said 'we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well.' 'I think it's the first time it's happened to a European airline,' O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio. 'It was a state-sponsored hijacking, it was state-sponsored piracy.' A spokeswoman for state-owned Lithuania Airports said the flight was redirected to Minsk because a 'conflict between a member of the crew and the passengers.' Ryanair's crew were told by Belarusian air traffic control to divert to Minsk because it was the 'nearest' airport, despite Vilnius being less than half as far away. The plane was soon accompanied by a MiG-29 fighter jet which forced the Ryanair pilot to head for Minsk just a few miles short of Lithuanian airspace. Passengers, 170 of whom were on board the hulking Boeing 737, described a sudden shift in pitch and altitude as the plane made the U-turn. 'We all on the plane had panicked because we thought we were going to crash,' Lithuanian passenger Raselle Grigoryeva told broadcaster ABC News. 'This was a sudden dive, changing the altitude very drastically. It was very violent. I've never felt this on an airplane. Everybody was in shock,' she said. The pilot gave no explanation over the intercom as he informed the passengers they were making an emergency landing in Minsk. But Protasevich knew he was in mortal danger and immediately stood up to remove his laptop from the overhead locker, handing it to his girlfriend along with his phone. He pleaded with the cabin crew not to obey the orders to land, saying: 'They will kill me.' Another passenger heard him telling his lover: 'There's a death penalty waiting for me there.' The directive to stop the plane was issued by Belarusian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko, whose regime has been plagued Protasevich's news channel. Protasevich, the founder of Nexta, has been instrumental in organising thousands of people to rally for democratic rights over the last year. His channel, run through the encrypted Telegram messaging app, fearlessly reported on brutal crackdowns on demonstrations by Lukashenko's security forces after last year's disputed election. Lukashenko, an ally of Vladimir Putin, personally gave the 'unequivocal order' to 'make the plane do a U-turn and land,' according to a statement by Belarus's presidential news service yesterday. When the plane made its landing, Protasevich was straightaway singled out by the authorities who hurled his belongings onto the tarmac as a sniffer dog was deployed to keep up the masquerade that their was a suspected IED on the plane. Fellow passengers, most speaking on condition of anonymity, described Protasevich as 'trembling' with fear during the ordeal. 'We saw from the window that Roman is standing alone, and one policeman with dog was trying to find something (in his luggage),' one witness said. Another said: 'I saw how his passport was taken away. He took off his mask and said: "I'm so-and-so and I'm the reason why all this is going on."' Another exhausted passenger, speaking to reporters without giving her name, said Protasevich looked 'super scared'. 'I looked directly into his eyes and he was very sad,' she said. Protasevich had posed for photos at a conference in Greece with the figurehead of the Belarusian opposition movement Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (pictured today condemning the journalist's denetion' A Belarusian dog handler checks luggages off a Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS (flight number FR4978) parked on Minsk International Airport's apron in Minsk, on May 23 'He started panicking and saying this was because of him,' Monika Simkiene, a 40-year-old Lithuanian told AFP. 'He just turned to people and said he was facing the death penalty.' He was detained along with his Russian girlfriend Sapega, a 23-year-old law student at the European Humanities University based in Lithuania. The plane took off again seven hours later to complete its journey to Vilnius, without Protasevich and Sapega, and another four mysterious passengers. Protasevich's colleague at Nexta, Tadeusz Giczan, tweeted last night: 'What we know so far: KGB operatives boarded the plane in Athens this morning together with Roman Protasevich (he noticed dodgy-looking ppl taking pics of him at the gate). 'Then when the plane has entered Belarus airspace KGB officers initiated a fight with the Ryanair crew insisting theres an IED onboard. 'Eventually the crew was forced to send out SOS (literally moments before the plane would've left Belarus airspace). MiG-29 took off and escorted it to Minsk. Security services entered the plane and arrested Protasevich.' Belarus accuses Protasevich of inciting public disorder and social hatred, charges which carry punishment of more than 12 years in prison. He could also face the death penalty if accused and convicted of terrorism. Ryanair boss O'Leary (left) described the act today as 'state-sponsored hijacking,' adding that 'we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well.' Tory MP Tom Tugendhat (right) called it 'a warlike act,' joining the British and US governments, among other Western nations, who have condemned the grounding of the Ryanair flight. Police officers detained Roman Protasevich after he was attempting to cover a rally in Minsk, Belarus on 26 March 2017 He had been working as editor-in-chief of a Belarusian political outlet hosted on the Telegram messaging app called 'Belarus of the Brain' which has around a quarter of a million subscribers. Experts today warned that, despite the condemnation from Western nations, it was unlikely that much can be done to save Protasevich. Matthew Sherwood, Senior Europe Analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit told MailOnline: 'With sanctions targeting Mr Lukashenka and his domestic allies already in place, we expect the Wests response to be limited to banning flights from travelling through Belarusian airspace and Belarusian aircraft from landing at airports. Belarus could lose its membership in some multilateral organisations, such as Interpol, the international policing body. 'The whole episode shines a light on how little sanctions are affecting domestic politics in Belarus. The most recent set of sanctions were imposed after the disputed presidential election in August 2020, which led to protests that lasted for several months. However, with continued Russian political and economic support, Mr Lukashenka and his allies have been able to crack down on the opposition movement domestically, and the protests have largely fizzled out. We do not expect a new wave of Western sanctions to have any further real impact on the domestic situation, and they are likely to drive Belarus even closer to Russia.' Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday the U.S. is 'extremely concerned' that Belarusian authorities forced down a Ryanair flight and says the U.S. and international groups will investigate whether it is safe to fly over the country. 'We're extremely concerned about this,' Buttigieg told CNN's 'New Day,' after a Mig-29 fighter jet forced a plane full of tourists that was flying from Athens to Vilnius to make an emergency landing in Minsk. The passenger plane full of tourists had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet, which reportedly had clearance to shoot, amid reports of a bomb on board. Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg responded Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's regime forcing down a passenger aircraft. Asked Monday if U.S. airlines are safe flying over Belarus this morning, he responded: 'Well, that's exactly what needs to be assessed right now' Biden's Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has called for the immediate release of Roman Protasevich, 26, an opponent of President Lukashenko who was taken off the plane and arrested Buttigieg pointed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken's condemnation of Alexander Lukashenko's government's 'brazen' effort to diver the flight as part of an effort to arrest political opponent Roman Protasevich. He also called for a meeting by the International Civil Aviation Organization. And a 'call for more of the facts to understand exactly what happened, and extreme concerned not only because of how it impacted us citizens on board, but just because of the basic norms that we expect nevermind politics nevermind, what's going on on the ground that what's going on in the air is safe for any civilian aircraft flying through any airspace. Asked if U.S.-based airlines are safe flying over Belarus this morning, he responded: 'Well, that's exactly what needs to be assessed right now.' The Ryanair flight left Athens bound for Vilnius in Lithuania Sunday morning, but it was intercepted by a MiG-29 fighter jet over Belarussian airspace and ordered to land at Minsk He said international bodies as well as the Federal Aviation Administration 'are looking at that because the main reason my department exists are safety, and we've got to make sure that American citizens and everybody using the national airspace and on airlines that we relate to will know that they're safe. ' His comments came after Blinken has blasted Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko after Belarusian authorities hijacked a Ryanair flight, and Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary condemned 'state-sponsored piracy.' O'Leary compared the event to 'state-sponsored hijacking' of the passenger aircraft. The US's top diplomat Antony Blinken blasted Belarus for faking a bomb threat on a Ryanair flight to kidnap a journalist 'We strongly condemn the Lukashenko regime's brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist,' Blinken said in a statement Sunday evening. Blinken called for the immediate release of Roman Protasevich, 26, an opponent of President Lukashenko who was taken off the plane and arrested. 'We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps. The United States stands with the people of Belarus.' Blinken added initial reports suggest the involvement of the Belarusian security services and use of Belarusian military aircraft to escort the plane. He said the development was 'deeply concerning'. Suspicions have fallen on four Russian passengers who voluntarily departed in Minsk, not continuing with the flight when it travelled on to its final destination, the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Their presence has stoked fears that Kremlin agents were involved in a murky operation to arrest Protasevich who had begged the crew not to follow the order, saying 'they will kill me' and telling a fellow passenger on the ground that he faced 'the death penalty.' 'We strongly condemn the Lukashenka regime's brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist,' Blinken said in a statement Sunday evening Aviation experts have claimed that Belarus threatened to shoot down the Athens to Vilnius Ryanair flight unless it did not land immediately (pictured: a MiG-29 fighter jet involved in the incident arriving back at base in Belarus) The passenger plane full of tourists had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet, which reportedly had clearance to shoot, amid reports of a bomb on board. The airliner was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport in Belarus, where authorities arrested Protasevich, a critic of Lukashenko who founded opposition news outlet Nexta in Poland. Aviation experts have claimed the Belarus Air Force threatened to shoot down the passenger plane to force it to divert to Minsk. The claim was publicized by leading Belarus opposition figure Pavel Latushko who said: 'The air traffic controllers of Minsk-2 airport threatened to shoot at the Ryanair civilian plane with passengers on board. For this reason, a military fighter MiG-29 of Belarus Air Force was sent. 'This proves again that this incident was an act of state terrorism It demands an immediate reaction of European authorities and the entire world community.' The claim was backed by Vadim Lukashevich, a Moscow-based aviation expert, who said: 'To make it crystal clear - the pilots of the Ryanair plane that was forced to land in Belarus were pulling towards the destination Vilnius until the last possible moment. 'They had to turn back under the threat of a fighter jet when the distance to Vilnius airport was only 45 miles away and only 19 miles to the Lithuanian border.' He claimed the Ryanair pilots were 'heading towards Lithuania without slowing down they were escaping from the fighter jet, and they turned back just two minutes before crossing the Lithuanian border. ' Flightradar data showed the plane had not slowed to descend at the usual height on this route but appeared to be flying as fast as possible to the border - before abruptly turning back, seemingly on the orders of the MiG-29. Lukashevich said he is convinced that 'the fighter had permission to shoot'. 'And I am absolutely sure that the crew of the passenger aircraft turned around only after receiving a notification from the Belarusian fighter that, in case of disobedience, it would open fire before the passenger plane left the airspace of Belarus', he said. The Ryanair flight is parked at Minsk International Airport on Sunday after it was stopped by authorities The airliner full of tourists made an emergency landing at Minsk Airport today after being escorted by a MiG-29 fighter jet amid reports of a bomb on board Such an order could only be given by the Belarus president, dictator Alexander Lukashenko, he added. Several European airlines including AirBaltic, Air Austria and Wizz Air were avoiding Belarusian air space today as EU leaders were set to meet in Brussels to discuss further sanctions against Lukashenko. But, Moscow's spokeswoman has backed the Belarusian strong man, saying it was Russia that ought to be 'shocked that the West calls the incident in Belarusian air space "shocking."' Suspicions have fallen on four Russian passengers who voluntarily departed in Minsk, not continuing with the flight when it travelled on to its final destination, the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. ROMAN PROTASEVICH: OPPOSITION BLOGGER FORCED INTO EXILE Protasevich, 26, has long been a thorn in the side of Belarus's hardline dictator Alexander Lukashenko. He worked as an editor at the Poland-based Nexta Live channel, which is based on the Telegram messenger app and has over 1 million subscribers. The channel, which is openly hostile to Lukashenko, played an important role in broadcasting huge opposition protests against the President last year. Nexta also helped coordinate those same protests, which were sparked by anger over what the opposition said was a rigged presidential election. The channel's footage, which showed how harshly police cracked down on demonstrators, was used widely by international media at a time when the Belarusian authorities were reluctant to allow foreign media in. In November Protasevich published a copy of an official Belarusian list of terrorists on which his name figured. The listing said he was accused of organising mass riots while working at Nexta. He also stands accused of disrupting social order and of inciting social hatred. He regards the allegations, which could see him jailed for years, as unjustified political repression. Protasevich fled Belarus for Poland in 2019 due to pressure from the authorities, according to Media Solidarity, a group that supports Belarusian journalists. He moved his parents to Poland too after they were put under surveillance. He later relocated to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is also based. Protasevich is currently editor-in-chief of a Belarusian political outlet hosted on the Telegram messaging app called 'Belarus of the Brain' which has around a quarter of a million subscribers. He was flying back to Vilnius from Greece where he had spent time taking photographs of a visit there by Tsikhanouskaya. He had posted the pictures to social media before flying back. Advertisement Their presence has stoked fears that Kremlin agents were involved in a murky operation to arrest Protasevich who had begged the crew not to follow the order, saying 'they will kill me' and telling a fellow passenger on the ground that he faced 'the death penalty.' A leading Russian investigative journalist Roman Dobrokhotov said four Russian passengers who had been on the flight from Athens, Greece, to Lithuania left it in Minsk. He claimed: 'Four citizens of Russia did not continue the flight to Vilnius... This operation was escorted by Russian special services.' One of Russia's most respected independent journalists Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Echo Moscow radio, also said: 'Four more Russians didn't follow on to Vilnius, but left the plane in Minsk, and dissolved into the nature.' A member of the Nexta team, Tadeusz Giczan, also claimed on Twitter that representatives of the Belarusian security agency had been on the flight with Protasevich. 'Then when the plane had entered Belarus airspace, the KGB officers initiated a fight with the Ryanair crew insisting there's an IED onboard,' he said. A spokeswoman for state company Lithuanian Airports, Lina Beisine, told AFP that Minsk airport had said the flight was redirected 'due to a conflict between a member of the crew and the passengers'. Ryanair said the flight's crew had been notified by Belarus air traffic control of 'a potential security threat on board' and were instructed to divert to Minsk, where Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega were arrested. Sapega is a student of the European Humanities University, now based in Vilnius, after its forced closure by Lukashenko's authorities in Minsk. She is a Russian citizen, and the university where she studies international law has expressed deep concern for her fate as political detainees in Belarus are frequently tortured by the KGB secret service and police. Julie Fisher, the US Ambassador to Belarus, earlier voiced her anger at the provocation. 'Lukashenko and his regime today showed again its contempt for international community and its citizens. Faking a bomb threat and sending MiG-29s to force @RyanAir to Minsk in order to arrest a @Nexta journalist on politically motivated charges is dangerous and abhorrent.' European countries have joined in the wave of condemnation against Belarus, with Britain calling Lukashenko a 'Putin puppet'. Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said: 'This Lukashenko action is completely outrageous. Time for Europe to act.' Garry Kasparov, the former chess world champion and outspoken critic of Putin, said: 'I assume that Lukashenko's explanation will be 'go to hell' as usual. And then what? Action, finally? The EU enables such terrorism with inaction, and it inevitably goes from domestic to international terror.' Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained 'Lukashenko and his regime today showed again its contempt for international community and its citizens. Faking a bomb threat and sending MiG-29s to force @RyanAir to Minsk in order to arrest a @Nexta journalist on politically motivated charges is dangerous and abhorrent,' said Julie Fisher, US Ambassador to Belarus Reports say Protasevich's activism has led to him being included on a terror list, for which he could face the death penalty. Belarus is the last country in Europe to use the death penalty. Critics of Lukashenko, regarded by many as the so-called last strongman of Europe, claimed the incident was confected by Minsk in order to detain Protasevich. They also claim Lukashenko would never have dared the move in EU airspace without receiving a green light from Vladimir Putin, his closest ally. The US and Britain are calling for toughening existing sanctions against Belarus, as European leaders from Germany, the Baltic states and the Czech Republic slammed the 'outlandish' Ryanair hijacking as 'outrageous', 'illegal' and an 'act of state terrorism'. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeted: 'The UK is alarmed by reports of the arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich & circumstances that led to his flight being forced to land in Minsk. We are coordinating with our allies. This outlandish action by Lukashenko will have serious implications.' The airline's boss Michael O'Leary has condemned 'state-sponsored piracy' by Belarus, adding that 'we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well.' Garry Kasparov, the former chess world champion and outspoken critic of Putin, said: 'I assume that Lukashenko's explanation will be 'go to hell' as usual. And then what? Action, finally? The EU enables such terrorism with inaction, and it inevitably goes from domestic to international terror' Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said: 'This Lukashenko action is completely outrageous. Time for Europe to act' The Ryanair flight was forced to land in Belarus following a 'bogus bomb threat' that was allegedly used as a ploy to arrest an opposition activist Roman Protasevich (pictured) Brussels is set to discuss strengthening sanctions against Belarus, imposed over the crackdown by the Lukashenko regime on opposition protesters, at a pre-planned summit on Monday. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: 'The outrageous and illegal behavior of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. Those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned. Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately.' Polish premier Mateusz Morawiecki denounced Belarus's actions as 'an act of state terrorism', while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called for a 'strong and united response' from the EU. Lithuania and Latvia have called for international flights not to use Belarusian airspace. Greek premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis denounced the Belarusian intervention of the Ryanair flight. He said: 'The forced landing of a commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act. 'We demand all passengers' immediate release. Tomorrow's #EUCO [European Council] must address the need to step up pressure on Belarus. Enough is enough.' NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also said he was closely monitoring the situation, tweeting: 'Closely monitoring forcible landing in Belarus of flight to Vilnius and reported detention of opposition figure Roman Protasevich. 'This is a serious & dangerous incident which requires international investigation. Belarus must ensure safe return of crew & all passengers.' An official Belarus Telegram channel claimed they saved Europe from a terrorist incident in bringing down the Ryanair plane bound for the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. The Belarus defense ministry confirmed the detention of Protasevich, who had been living in exile. Human rights center Vesna also said: 'Roman Protasevich was detained. He was on the Ryanair flight Athens-Vilnius.' Secretary of State Antony Blinken's full statement on Belarus's diversion of a Ryanair passenger flight Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After several hours in Minsk, the plane took off again for Vilnius, a top EU official said. Protasevich was not on board the flight this time. After finally landing in Vilnius several hours after the scheduled time of arrival, some passengers described seeing the blogger looking nervous as the flight was diverted to Belarus. 'He just turned to people and said he was facing the death penalty,' Monika Simkiene, a 40-year-old Lithuanian, told AFP. Edvinas Dimsa, 37, said: 'He was not screaming, but it was clear that he was very much afraid. It looked like if the window had been open, he would have jumped out of it.' Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, widely seen to have won last year's presidential election against Lukashenko before being forced into exile, said: 'It is absolutely obvious that this is an operation by the special services to hijack an aircraft in order to detain the activist and blogger Roman Protasevich. 'The regime endangered the safety of passengers on board and all civil aviation for the sake of reprisals against a man who was the editor of the largest Belarusian independent Telegram channels. 'Only for this he was recognized as a terrorist, and only for this now in Belarus Roman can face the death penalty. 'We have already informed the Ryanair office and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, demanding to start an investigation into the incident and take measures up to the exclusion of Belarus from ICAO,' Tikhanovskaya added. She warned: 'From now on, not a single person flying over Belarus can be sure of their safety. After all, the regime is abusing the rules of air traffic in order to capture those who disagree.' Belarusian dog handler checks luggage from the Ryanair flight in Minsk International Airport on May 23 Journalists and Belarusian activists wait to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania Mantas, a Lithuanian passenger of Ryanair flight FR4978, speaks to the media after arriving at Vilnius Airport, Lithuania Protasevich (pictured at 'Freedom Day' rally in Minsk in 2012 was taken off the Ryanair flight and into custody on Sunday Meanwhile the Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas said: 'Absolutely inexplicable and shocking reports from Belarus about detaining Roman Protasevich and forcing the plane to land. 'All passengers should be immediately released and a thorough international investigation should follow. EU must take a stand together. MEP Roberta Metsola also called for Europe to act now in response to the forced landing. She said: 'Now is the time for Europe to act in unison. Extended sanctions, independent international investigations and immediate release of dissidents. 'We must be able to guarantee safety and security of air passenger travel. Leaders meeting at #EUCO tomorrow must act.' The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by President Alexander Lukashenko. Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favor last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud. British Conservative MP Damian Collins condemned the 'hijacking' in a statement. He said: 'This is an appalling act of hijacking by a rogue state. 'Belarus must release Roman Protasevich, give him safe passage to Lithuania and compensate the airline and passengers. Without this they should face serious sanctions.' Ryanair said in a statement that the plane's crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and were instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk. The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded and security checks were made by local authorities, it said, saying it expected the aircraft to resume its journey later on Sunday. Protasevich worked for an online opposition news service Nexta, a Telegram channel that broadcast footage of mass protests against Lukashenko last year at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so. He is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies. Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said. Police officers detained Roman Protasevich after he was attempting to cover a rally in Minsk, Belarus on 26 March 2017 The Ryanair plane, which was carrying blogger Roman Protasevich and was diverted to Belarus, lands at Vilnius Airport in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called for an international response. 'I call on NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime. The international community must take immediate steps that this does not repeat,' Nauseda said. Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned. Protasevich had said that at Athens airport a bald Russian-speaking middle-aged man had attempted to film the main page of his passport. He then turned and left. A woman covered with an old Belarusian national flag holds a phone with a sticker in colors of an old Belarusian national flag as she waits to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich NEXTA was closely involved in reporting a wave of opposition protests that last year threatened to topple Lukashenko, before he was given backing by Vladimir Putin. A message being retweeted in Russia read: 'Detention of Protasevich (NEXTA) is a splendid, beautiful, complicated, (operation) in the best traditions of the Soviet KGB, the work of the Belorussian CHEKA (state security). You are cool!' NEXTA reported: 'Protasevich was on board a flight heading from Athens to Vilnius. He faces the death penalty in Belarus. 'The Lukashists [derogatory term for supporters of embattled President Lukashenko] seized the plane in order to arrest Protasevich,' the channel said. The Belarus authorities claimed its bomb-disposal squad was examining the plane. The official Minsk version said: 'Belarus defended Europe. Information has been received that the plane has been mined.' The plane had almost left Belarus air space but was forced to land in Minsk. 'The situation was immediately reported to the President. Lukashenko gave an unconditional command to turn the plane around and receive it. 'In this situation, the most important thing is the safety and lives of people.' The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel. Around 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms. Authorities say that more than 1,000 criminal cases have been launched. Former Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland is suing ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for $1.8 million after the U.S. government didn't pick up Sondland's legal fees connected to his 2019 impeachment testimony. The Washington Post reported Monday that Sondland filed a suit in federal court in the District of Columbia claiming that Pompeo reneged on his promise that the State Department would pay the tab. The complaint said that Pompeo told Sondland government lawyers wouldn't be made available to him, but the State Department would pay his legal fees if Sondland hired his own attorneys. Former Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland is suing ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claiming he reneged on a deal to pay Sondland's legal fees. Sondland is seen testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in November 2019 Sondland is suing former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as Pompeo promised the then-ambassador that the government would pay his legal fees if he hired attorneys to prepare to testify before Congress, which had opened an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump Sondland testified to Congress that there was a 'quid pro quo,' as President Donald Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to announce an investigation into Hunter (left) and Joe Biden (right), who was running for president, by holding up military aid 'Everything changed,' according to the lawsuit, after Sondland delivered his testimony, in which he acknowledged there was a 'quid pro quo' - that former President Donald Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in order to pressure the president to announce an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter. After Sondland testified, he refused to resign from his ambassador post, despite being asked to do so by Pompeo aide Ulrich Brechbuhl. 'Ambassador Sondland confirmed he would not resign because he did not do anything improper. After that, everything changed,' the lawsuit said. 'Ambassador Sondland did not receive his attorneys' fees, notwithstanding the promises from the State Department that the attorneys' fees would be paid,' it continued. Sondland is asking that the U.S. government pay the fees or Pompeo pay them personally. The suit argues that Pompeo should not receive immunity as a government official because his pledge 'was self-serving, made entirely for personal reasons for his own political survival in the hopes that Ambassador Sondland would not implicate him or others by his testimony.' It also says Sondland's legal fees are so high because the Trump administration wouldn't cooperate and held back acces to 'materials essential to his preparation' for the testimony he delivered in front of the House Judiciary Committee in November 2019. Sondland said his legal team was forced to 'reconstruct' dates and itineraries that were necesary for his testimony. The State Department did pay Sondland $86,040 to go toward his legal bills, but the suit says that fell short of Pompeo's pledge of 'full reimbursement.' Sondland is the founder of Provenance Hotels and was a wealthy Trump donor before the now ex-president tapped him for an ambassadorship. He was fired on February 7, 2020, two days after the Republican-held Seante acquitted Trump on the House's impeachment charges. Since Sondland's firing, the government has 'bobbed and weaved' as the former ambassador has tried to get paid back for his attorneys' fees, the suit says. A young girl has been suspended after teachers found a knife in her school bag just weeks after a student was stabbed at another Sydney school. Teachers at Kingswood South Primary School in Sydney's west found the pocket knife in the girls backpack after they were notified by students. No one was hurt but the girl was suspended under the Department of Education's policy on knives. Teachers at Kingswood South Primary School found the knife in the female student's backpack The girl was suspended after a teacher found the pocket knife in her schoolbag (stock image) 'The student did not take the knife out of her bag and threaten others. No one was injured during this incident,' a spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph. The girl's suspension comes only weeks after a 14-year-old boy allegedly stabbed another 16-year-old student with a religious sword at Glenwood High School in Sydney's north-west. The miniature sword, a kirpan, is part of Sikh religious protocol. The alleged stabbing earlier this month exposed a legal loophole that allowed students in several states to bring knives to school for religious reasons. Pictured: A kirpan, traditionally carried by baptised Sikh It was revealed that children in Victoria and Western Australia can be given exemption to carry knives on school grounds for the 'purposes of wearing a kirpan'. Baptised Sikhs are culturally required to wear the kirpan, which looks like miniature sword and is generally kept in a holster, to remind them of their duty to 'uphold and defend the truth courageously'. Under laws in Tasmania and South Australia, baptised Sikhs are permitted to have kirpans in public but it is unclear whether the rules apply to school grounds. Queensland laws say the kirpan cannot be worn on school grounds for any reason, although they are allowed in public places. Parents concerned about the regulations at their child's school should contact the school. Sikhs are culturally required to carry kirpans, small daggers, at all times to remind them of their duty to 'uphold and defend the truth courageously' ARE CHILDREN ALLOWED TO BRING KIRPANS TO SCHOOL IN YOUR STATE? New South Wales: No Victoria: Yes Queensland: No South Australia: Kirpans can be carried in public, but unclear whether they are allowed in schools. Tasmania: Kirpans can be carried in public, but unclear whether they are allowed in schools. Western Australia: Yes ACT: No Northern Territory: No Advertisement Victorian opposition education spokesman David Hodgett told the Herald Sun that the state government should consult with the local Sikh community about outlawing the daggers on school grounds. 'First and foremost our schools need to be kept as a safe place. As such, any knife that can be used as a weapon in a threatening or dangerous way should not be permitted in our schools,' he said. But Turbans 4 Australia president Amar Singh said baptised Sihks are being targeted 'based on one event' and that kirpans should not be banned during school hours. 'Sikhs have been carrying kirpans for over 50 years in Australia without any issues at all,' he told the publication. 'The laws shouldn't change in Victoria, we are speaking to religious leaders, to work out what we can do.' He said the community is exploring options to make the dagger safe, including incorporating a mechanical lock so it can't be removed from its sheath. A Department of Education and Training spokesperson said the health and safety of Victorian students is a priority. 'As has always been the case, if a principal has a concern with a student the principal has the right to ban an item from being brought onto school premises,' he said. It looks like a miniature steel or iron sword and is generally kept in a holster on a person's body, giving them easy access to the weapon should they need it Poll Should any religious weapons be allowed on school grounds? Yes No Should any religious weapons be allowed on school grounds? Yes 98 votes No 1396 votes Now share your opinion Following the alleged school stabbing on May 6, the alleged 16-year-old victim was rushed to hospital. The other student, 14, was charged with two counts of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He is on bail and is due back in court in July. Meanwhile, his alleged victim was only released from hospital 11 days after the attack. The kirpan was specifically named as being one which is exempt from the NSW Education Department's ban on knifes at school. The policy stated that students caught with other types of knives face suspensions of up to 20 days and even being expelled. A boy, 14, was arrested at Glenwood High School in Sydney's north-west and has since been charged with two counts of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm A boy allegedly stabbed at Glenwood High School on May 6 is yet to return to school. Pictured are police at the scene NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was shocked to learn that students could take knives to school and said it didn't pass the 'common sense test'. Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she and Attorney-General Mark Speakman were urgently reviewing the operation of laws relating to children carrying knives for genuine religious reasons. 'Student and staff safety has to come first, and that's why I have asked for advice and I think we have to look at that exemption, and if there is more we need to do,' Ms Mitchell said. Glenwood High School principal Sonja Anderson addressed the alleged incident in a letter sent home to parents, which was obtained by 2GB. Ms Anderson acknowledged the use of knives 'used as a weapon in a dangerous, violent or threatening way is never acceptable'. But she added possession of a knife for genuine religious reasons is specified as a reasonable excuse under the The NSW Summary Offences Act. A father of three who was shot dead by Metropolitan Police officers after telling them he was armed was making a 'cry for help', his partner told an inquest. Richard Cottier, 41, was shot in the early hours of April 9, 2018, after telling police he had taken a drug overdose and claiming to have a firearm. Officers arrived at the Esso petrol station in Collier Row Road, Romford, east London, following a call from Mr Cottier at 3.50am. He was shot at around 4.45am and was pronounced dead at the scene about half an hour later. An inquest into his death began at Barking Town Hall on Monday. Richard Cottier (pictured), 41, was shot in the early hours of April 9, 2018, after telling police he had taken a drug overdose and claiming to have a firearm Melissa Cottier, 41, said the situation had 'escalated very quickly' and her partner had been 'backed into a corner'. In a statement, read to the jury by the coroner Nadia Persaud, she said Mr Cottier had been quiet during the day on April 8 - the day of their child's thirteenth birthday - and had not come downstairs to speak to relatives. She said later that night Mr Cottier had told her and his children he loved them and had called the police to tell them he had a gun before leaving the house to buy cigarettes. 'At about 3.30 in the morning he told (the children) he loved them and they should not come out of their bedrooms,' she said. 'He told the police that he had a gun and that they would have to shoot him dead or he would shoot them.' She added: 'He told them he had taken a drug overdose and I want to know why he wasn't treated as a vulnerable person. Officers arrived at the Esso petrol station (pictured in the aftermath) in Collier Row Road, Romford, east London, following a call from Mr Cottier at 3.50am 'Everything escalated very quickly when he took the overdose... that was his cry for help. 'He was backed into a corner at the petrol station and he didn't envisage what was going to happen.' Ms Cottier said her partner had told her to call the police to tell them there was 'no direct threat to the children or me'. 'I told them he did not have a real gun and that we were safe,' she said, adding she had never felt threatened by Mr Cottier. The inquest heard phone calls in which Ms Cottier can be heard telling police the firearm was not real, though she admitted she could not confirm this. Following the incident, the police watchdog said that a non-police firearm was recovered from the scene. It added that a ballistics expert had confirmed the weapon, carried by Mr Cottier, was a modified air rifle. Ms Cottier said she had panic attacks following the incident and was 'traumatised' and 'outraged' by the behaviour of officers on the night. She said she had been given 'no support' when informed of Mr Cottier's death and had learnt of the circumstances through a press release, which she said was 'unacceptable'. 'It didn't cross my mind that the police would arrive armed ... and less still that they would shoot Richard dead,' she said. Describing her partner of 23 years, she said: 'He was happiest when he was at home with his kids. 'He was a loving, caring father and partner, a big kid, generous, thoughtful and the type of person who would give you his last fiver if you needed it. 'He was my life and he was my kids' life.' The inquest, which is due to last three weeks, continues. Timothy Joel Jackson Kahl, 24, faces attempted murder, among other charges A Maryland man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly intentionally driving his car into a police department after threatening to kill officers and trying to run them over. Timothy Joel Jackson Kahl, 24, launched his alleged attack on the police station in the city of Havre de Grace - about 40 miles outside of Baltimore - on Sunday night after calling the department and saying he was going to 'come there and kill a police officer,' Corporal Kenneth Terry said. Officers tracked the call to his home - about a mile away from headquarters - and saw him driving erratically and hitting several parked cars, Terry said. Police tried to get Kahl to stop, but he allegedly tried to run them down and then sped to the police department and 'intentionally' barreled through the front doors of the building and into the lobby. Havre de Grace, Maryland police department after Kahl allegedly drove his car into the building No one was injured, but Kahl continued to attack officers after he got out of his car, Terry said. Officers used a stun gun to subdue him before putting the cuffs on him and taking him to a hospital to be checked out. It's unclear what, if any, injuries Kahl suffered. Terry said the surveillance footage is in evidence and can't be released because the investigation is ongoing. A motive hasn't been determined yet, he said. Kahl was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and three counts of malicious destruction of property with a value greater than $1,000. The building sustained 'severe damage,' Terry said. Havre de Grace, Maryland police department before Kahl allegedly drove his car into the building Havre de Grace Mayor William Martin issued a statement about the incident via Twitter on Monday morning. 'The events that unfolded late last evening are a testament to the true dedication and professionalism of the men and women who make up the Havre de Grace Police Department and shed light on the constant danger and threats they face every day,' Martin said. 'We are all very grateful that the subject was apprehended professionally and without any injury to our officers or the public. We must always be cognizant that no community, no matter how great, is immune to such random acts of violence. Thank you Havre de Grace police.' Havre de Grace, Maryland police issued this statement on Twitter An e-scooter rider on a souped-up device has been banned from the road after he was caught travelling at 30mph while over the drink drive limit. Clinton Henry, 28, from Lewisham, south east London, pulled away from traffic lights and accelerated almost instantly to around 30mph on the modified electric-powered scooter before being stopped by police. When officers spoke to him he admitted having no licence or insurance, claiming he didn't know they were required for e-scooters. He also refused to provide a roadside breath test and was arrested. Police said he later provided a breath specimen containing 77 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35 micrograms. Clinton Henry, 28, pulled away from traffic lights and accelerated almost instantly to around 30mph on the modified electric-powered scooter (above) before being stopped by police Henry was charged with driving over the prescribed limit and not having a driving licence or insurance after the incident at around 12.30am on April 11 in Lewisham. He appeared at Bromley Magistrates' Court on May 10 where he pleaded guilty to both charges. As well as being disqualified from driving for 17 months, Henry was also fined 170 and ordered to pay 119 in costs and victim surcharge. The scooter - which had no lights on and had a seat fitted - was also seized by police. It was found to have a 5600W electric motor, capable of over 50mph and even had a horn and indicators fitted. Sergeant Steve Wilson, from the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: 'E-scooters remain illegal on London's roads and pavements but we know there are still too many people failing to comply with the law. Henry, from Lewisham, appeared at Bromley Magistrates' Court (file photo, above) on May 10 where he pleaded guilty to both charges. He was disqualified from driving for 17 months 'This case should serve as a reminder that an e-scooter is a motor vehicle, just like a car. 'If you are caught with one on a road or pavement, it could impact on your regular driving licence and lead to a fine of 300 and six penalty points. 'In this case, the rider was also over the legal limit for alcohol, creating further risk not only for himself but for other road users. 'Ensuring the safety of the roads is at the heart of everything we do and we will continue to proactively engage with e-scooter riders and enforce the law where necessary.' French fashion tycoon Bernard Arnault today crept ahead of Jeff Bezos to become the world's richest man as his net worth climbed to $186.3billion. The chief executive of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) saw his luxury goods firm stock increase by 0.4 per cent during the first hours of trading on Monday. The rise pushed Arnault's personal stake up by more than $600million and placed LVMH's market cap at $320billion, according to Forbes. Fashion tycoon Bernard Arnault (pictured with wife Helene Mercier), 72, crept ahead of Jeff Bezos to become the world's richest man after his net worth climbed to $186.3billion The fashion mogul (pictured with Helene in 2019) has seen his fortune jump more than $110billion in the past 14 months The chief executive of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) saw his luxury goods firm rise by 0.4 per cent (pictured) during the first few hours of trading on Monday Bernard Arnault (pictured with wife Helene (left), their son Antoine and his spouse Natalia Vodianova) has overtaken Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and grabbed the number one slot The rise saw Arnault's net worth jump to $186.3billion, placing him $300million above Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (pictured), who was worth $186billion Arnault's overall net worth has jumped to $186.3billion, reportedly seeing him edge past Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who is worth $186billion, by 'only' $300million in the world's rich list. It comes just days after Arnault pushed Elon Musk, worth $147.3billion, out of his spot as the world's second richest man after Tesla's share price sank. The eye-watering fortunes topping the billionaire list are composed primarily of stock holdings, meaning that their values fluctuate daily with changes in the market. Arnault, 72, has seen his fortune jump more than $110billion in the past 14 months thanks to his French luxury goods firm LVMH, which owns the likes of Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Christian Dior and Givenchy in its portfolio of 70+ luxury brands. Bezos, 57, (pictured with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez in January 2020) who held the slot as the world's richest man, was the first centibillionaire on the Forbes wealth index It comes just days after Arnault pushed Elon Musk (pictured), worth $147.3billion, out of his spot as the world's second richest man after Tesla's share price sank Arnault's fortune has jumped from just $76billion in March last year to $186.3billion. He is pictured with his wife Helene (right) and model Bella Hadid Arnault's acquired Tiffany & Co. for $15.8billion in January and promoted his son Alexandre (pictured with sister Delphine) to the leadership team of the jewelry maker in January In January, LVMH made a huge luxury fashion business deal after acquiring Tiffany & Co., while Arnault then promoted his son to leadership of the American jeweler. Arnault's fortune has jumped from just $76billion in March last year to $186.3billion as his luxury goods cooperation has profited despite the Covid-19 pandemic. How Bernard Arnault made his billions Arnault was born in France into the world of business and began his lucrative luxury career in 1971, working for the family real estate company Ferret-Savinel. He was promoted to chairman in 1978, and remained in that role until 1984 when he was tasked with restructuring the Financiere Agache holding company. Within this role, the father-of-five strategised on developing leading luxury brands, acquiring Christian Dior as the spearhead of the new business. LVMH was formed in 1987 under the merger of Louis Vuitton and champagne producer Moet Hennessy. In 1989 Arnault became the majority shareholder of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a role he has held ever since. His prestigious portfolio includes fashion labels such as Givenchy, Marc Jacobs and FENTY, luxury wines and spirits and champagne and wine brands, and perfumes and cosmetics. LVHM owns 70+ brands and spent $3.2billion in 2019 on luxury hospitality group Belmond and acquired Tiffany & Co. for $15.8billion in January. The company website says the LVHM model is 'based on a long-term vision' which 'stimulates creativity and excellence.' The company has around 163,000 employees and reported more than $58billion-worth of revenue in 2019. The billionaire is married to pianist Helene Mercier, who he shares children Alexandre, 29, and Frederic, 26, and Jean, 23, with. He was previously wed to Anne Dewavrin, 71, until 1990, and the pair share two children - Antoine, 43, and Delphine, 46. Advertisement Elon Musk dropped out of his spot as the world's second richest man after his fortune sank by $3.16billion last week, to $160.6billion. The decrease to $147.3billion is a 32 per cent drop from its January high, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire's Index. Arnault's rise in fortune comes after he acquired Tiffany & Co. for $15.8billion in January. After the purchase, the fashion tycoon promoted his son Alexandre to the leadership team of the jewelry maker in January. Alexandre, 29, left his previous role as CEO of Rimowa, which is also owned by LVMH, to become executive vice president at Tiffany & Co., in charge of product and communication. Alexandre will work under Michael Burke, chairman and CEO at Louis Vuitton, the group's biggest money spinner, who will now also chair Tiffany & Co. Anthony Ledru, head of Louis Vuitton in the US, will take over as CEO of the jeweller. Sharing the news on Instagram earlier this year, Alexandre, who was born in France but is fluent in English, wrote: 'Humbled, honored to join @tiffanyandco and excited to work with the teams in New York!' Alexandre trained as an engineer, graduating from Frances Ecole Telecom ParisTech and Ecole Polytechnique. He held jobs at McKinsey & Company and KKR before joining the family business with a position at Fendi. LVMH's acquisition of Tiffany & Co. followed a bitter legal dispute. LVMH backed away as the COVID-19 pandemic hammered luxury goods sales, but ultimately renegotiated a discounted purchase price. Bernard, who has five children from two marriages, has given senior LVMH roles to his four oldest children. Youngest son Jean, 23, is still a student. Only daughter Delphine, 46, is director and executive vice president of Louis Vuitton; eldest son Antoine, 43, who married Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova last year, is CEO of Berluti and oversees image, communications and the environment for LVMH; and third son Frederic, 26, is CEO of Tag Heuer. Each appointment is closely watched for signs of who their billionaire father might one day appoint as his successor. 'Bernard Arnault is building a fair process between the Arnault siblings by testing them,' Philippe Pele-Clamour, adjunct professor at business school HEC Paris, previously told Bloomberg. 'That will allow them to understand if they can lead such a group.' He also invested in Netflix back in 1999 while he also entered the yacht business and bought Princess Yachts in 2008. His only daughter Delphine, 46, (pictured) is director and executive vice president of Louis Vuitton, which is owned by his company LVMH Arnault has five children - Alexandre, 29 (not pictured), and Frederic (far right), 26, and Jean, 23 (not pictured), who he shares with second wife Helene (second right), and Antoine (second left), 43, and Delphine, 46 (not pictured), with first wife Anne Dewavrin, 71. Also pictured: Model Natalia Vodianova Arnault keeps business in the family and often employs his children (pictured with sons Frederic and Jean) to work for LVMH's 70+ plus brands With his fortune, Arnault also boasts a stunning $150million superyacht called Symphony (above) which measures 101.5 metres, carries 20 passengers and includes an outdoor cinema Front row seats: The billionaire (second from right) with sons Alexandre (second from left) and Frederic, daughter Delphine (right) and model Bella Hadid (left) in Paris in 2020 The French fashion mogul and his daughter Delphine speak with actress Cate Blanchett during Paris Fashion Week in 2018 LVMH also owns Cheval Blanc Courchevel (pictured), a glamorous skiing hotel located near the Trois Vallees, which has 36 stunning rooms and suites and three restaurants Pictured: Lambert Wilson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Robert Pattinson, Karl Lagerfeld, Helene Mercier-Arnault, Bernard Arnault and Natasha Andrews attend Dior show in 2018 Showing off his interest in yachts, he owns the stunning $150million superyacht Symphony, which measures 101.5metres, carries 20 passengers and boasts an outdoor cinema and jacuzzi. Arnault lives in a stunning 150-year-old castle in northwest Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux, France, that has belonged to the billionaire's family since 1998, while he also owns stunning home in the ultra-prestigious Les Parcs de Saint-Tropez enclave. Among his portfolio, Arnault also boasts around five homes in Beverly Hills, worth around $125million in total, two of which are in the the Trousdale Estates neighborhood, according to Capitalism.com. Meanwhile, the publication reported that Arnault also bought a private island in the Bahamas for $35million, which is called Indigo Island and measures 133 acres. LVMH also owns Cheval Blanc Courchevel, a glamorous skiing hotel located near the Trois Vallees, which has 36 stunning rooms and suites, three restaurants, one bar and a fitness center. The fashion mogul has also splashed out on a Dassault Falcon 7X private jet, which has a list price of around $57million, with his vast billionaire fortune. He previously owned a Bombardier Global Express high speed aircraft. This is the embarrassing moment a driver is caught on camera repeatedly hitting a car as he tries to park his 65,000 Jaguar. The parking fail was captured on film by a fellow motorist in the car park of Lewisham Hospital on the morning of Thursday, May 20 at around 10am. Darren Pittman was looking for a space himself when he noticed the driver failing miserably to park his blue I-Pace electric vehicle. As the footage begins the Jaguar is inches away from a Toyota Aygo on its left and has its front wheels up the kerb on the gravel area separating rows of parking spaces. The driver starts reversing backwards and a loud scrape can be heard as it first makes contact with the small Japanese car. The driver then pushes forward with his wheels slightly to the right, clattering the kerb a second time, before again reversing out and into the Toyota. In the minute-long video clip, the expensive Jaguar edges forwards and backwards four times, hitting the Toyota with loud noises on every occasion. Mr Pittman claims the Jaguar had already hit a parked black Ford Focus to its right. Parking fail: This 65,000 blue Jaguar I-Pace was captured smashing into parked cars by a shocked onlooker at Lewisham Hospital on Thursday, May 20 As the clip begins the car is close to a Toyota Aygo reverse parked on the left. The driver first reverses straight back, but its wheels are already over the line into the Aygo's space. Driving forward with the wheel turned slightly to the right, the driver again hits the kerb, however instead of straightening his wheels he turns them further to the right. With a crashing sound, the eight-month car then shunts into the Toyota. The clip ends with the Jaguar having failed the manoeuvre four times and slowly getting nearer to Mr Pittman's car. In the minute-long video clip, the expensive Jaguar juts forward and backwards four times, hitting the Toyota with loud bangs on every occasion Sharing the clip online, Mr Pittman advised: 'Never drive a car that is too big to park.' Darren said the driver was a man in his forties who appeared sober and well. The video has been viewed 220,000 times, attracted 500 comments and been shared over 1,000 times. One user wrote: 'Spends 60k on a new Jaguar, yet gets their licence from Kelloggs.' A third commenter said: 'They can afford the car, but not driving lessons?' Another added: 'Even with gadgets, gizmos, sensors and cameras onboard look at this lemon!' The extent of the damage to the Jaguar or the other vehicles is not known. A Christian family and licensed marriage therapist, Brian Tingley, sued Washington for its law that bans him from counseling minors on sexual orientation based on his beliefs. According to The Christian Post (CP), Tingley filed the lawsuit on May 13, Thursday against the state for its Senate Bill 5722 signed by Washington Governor Jay Inslee four years ago. Tingley's case is being handled by the Alliance Defending Freedom set to uphold his First Amendment right at the U.S. District Court of Washington's Western District. Alliance Defending Freedom said Tingley filed the lawsuit because his "right to practice his religious beliefs by speaking to clients on topics of gender identity and sexual attractions and change in a manner consistent with the teachings of his faith and that of his clients" has been deprived by the state's law. With the law, Tingley "is not able to freely and without fear speak what he believes to be true" such that Tingley's "client is therefore denied the right to receive open and uninhibited thoughts from his or her chosen counselor." These then, make Senate Bill 5722 a "denial of free speech rights" and violates what the First Amendment provides. Per the ADF, "The fact is that Brian always works with his clients in achieving a goal they set for themselves. He does this by simply talking with his clients and helping them work through a wide variety of issues that they face. Brian listens to his clients as they explore their own feelings, desires, and reasons, and he provides support and feedback to help them towards the goals they have chosen to pursue." "But the government has determined that some goals arent acceptable. And Brian could violate the law simply for having discussions with his clients on matters of gender, sexual orientation, sexual behaviors, or sexual attractions." Tingley, who has been a counselor since 2002 and currently servicing Tacoma's Fircrest, has served many minor clients facing the issues of same-sex attraction who do need to hear the "moral teachings of their Christian faith." As per Senate Bill 5722's literature, it "intends to regulate the professional conduct of licensed health care providers with respect to performing conversion therapy on patients under age eighteen." It also specified a particular manner of "speech" when speaking with their clients. "This act may not be construed to apply to speech that does not constitute the performance of conversion therapy by licensed health care providers on patients under age eighteen, nor shall it be construed to apply to religious practices or counseling under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or organization that do not constitute the performane of conversion therapy by licensed health care providers on patients under age eighteen," the law said. The law explained that its main purpose is to protect the "physical and psychological well-being of minors" that include the members of the LGBTQ+ and that its protection extends to a minor's "exposure to serious harms caused by conversion therapy". ADF pointed out that the law imposes on "uniformity" while silencing "dissent" when it comes to a counselor and a client's faith beliefs, any differing interpretations of science on the matter, and ideologies, such that it becomes an "orthodoxy" on "sexual morality, human nature, personal identity, and free will." CP stressed in its report that the law mainly reflects the view that sexual orientation is an "immutable characteristic," which is what the Democratic Party and the LGBTQ+ community upholds, rather than a choice that can be made by the person. CP cited Democrat Senator Mazie Hirono, who took issue with Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett over her use of the words "sexual preference" in reference to "sexual orientation" during the latter's confirmation to the Supreme Court. Besides Washington, the state of Virginia has a similar law, House Bill 386, that was signed into law last March 2020. A 14-year-old schoolboy found hanged in the school toilets was bullied for years because he loved horseriding, an inquest heard. Talented horserider Bradley John, 14, died in 2018 after going missing from lessons at St John Lloyd Roman Catholic School in Llanelli, South Wales. His younger sister, then aged just 12, rushed to the toilets after hearing Bradley had failed to attend a class. It was there that the youngster would regularly seek solace from bullies. Paramedics battled to save him for an hour and a half, but the boy tragically died. Bradley - the son of a huntmaster - was a star pupil at an equestrian centre run by Olympic show jumper David Broome. This lead to 'horrific' bullying at school, an inquest heard. His love for riding saw him become friends with Queen guitarist Brian May who he met during a campaign for cruelty-free hunting. Bradley's father Byron John, 56 - Master of the Carmarthenshire Hunt until fox hunting was banned in the UK - told the hearing: 'Other boys tormented Bradley because he rode horses. 'After competing in an event I remember him saying: "I'm here while they are at home on their X-Boxes. They are losers".' Talented horserider Bradley John, 14, (pictured) died in 2018 after going missing from lessons at St John Lloyd Roman Catholic School in Llanelli, South Wales Bradley's father Byron John, 56 - Master of the Carmarthenshire Hunt (pictured together) until fox hunting was banned in the UK - told the hearing: 'Other boys tormented Bradley because he rode horses' The hearing was told Bradley preferred adult company and was bullied because of his Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Pupils spat in his dinner and poured salt and vinegar over his food at meal breaks. He was sexually assaulted, beaten up and had his mobile phone and clothes stolen on the school bus, the inquest heard. Mr John told the hearing: 'It was horrific. We were trying to get through to Bradley that if he managed his reaction differently the bullies would get fed up and move on.' Bradley was in a good mood when he arrived at St John Lloyd Comprehensive Catholic School in Llanelli, South Wales, on September 12, 2018. But he went missing from lessons and was found in the toilet block by his younger sister - who cannot be named for legal reasons - and a member of school staff. The sister could hear her brother's phone ringing on the other side of the door as the family made frantic calls to find him. He was absent for an hour and 10 minutes before the alarm was raised. Paramedics battled to save him for an hour and a half, but the boy (pictured) tragically died Mr John told how he had a phone call from headteacher Ashley Howells saying Bradley had tried to take his own life and paramedics were with him. In tears father-of-two Mr John said: 'There was a heavy presence of medics and police at the school - we weren't allowed to see him but I insisted. 'I told the medics: "Don't stop." I just wanted him to open his eyes or move his hand.' The inquest heard Bradley was desperate to leave the school and his father had made 104 calls to the teaching staff over his concerns about his son's treatment. Mr John (pictured holding a photo of his son) told how he had a phone call from headteacher Ashley Howells saying Bradley had tried to take his own life and paramedics were with him Coroner's officer Malcolm Thompson told the hearing: 'Bradley had been diagnosed with ADHD and as a result was a target for bullying behaviour. 'He was subjected to bullying incidents at St John Lloyd and at times would react verbally.' Brian May, 73, attended Bradley's funeral where he described him as a 'fine young man.' The inquest in Llanelli continues. For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details Advertisement Americans are facing a summer of travel chaos with confusing rules on where they can go, what they need to do once they're there, and whether that country still has any lockdown restrictions or curfews that may make it an undesirable place to be. Across the board, if you leave the U.S., you have to obtain a negative COVID-19 test to get back in once your trip is over. Travel by noncitizens to America from many countries is allowed, aside from those on President Joe Biden's banned list, which includes all 26 countries in the Schengen area of Europe, the UK and Ireland, China, Iran, South Africa and India. Non-US citizens cannot come from those countries unless they have a waiver from the embassy for exceptional circumstances. American citizens can enter the US from anywhere so long as they have a negative COVID-19 test. These are the countries that Americans can visit now, the countries they'll be able to visit soon, and the countries which have shown no signs of letting Americans in again any time soon. OPEN NOW TO AMERICANS CARIBBEAN Most Caribbean countries are open to Americans but they require varying forms of testing before arrival and mandatory COVID-19 insurance in case you become infected there. Barbados requires everyone to temporarily quarantine in a government-approved hotel or villa or apartment, until they receive a second negative COVID-19 test, taken at that property, after their first test at the airport on arrival. Then they are free to roam the island. Bermuda is operating on the same system. Vaccinated travelers still have to test negative twice and unvaccinated travelers have to test negative twice, four days apart, quarantining in between tests. The Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Monserrat are not open to US travelers. SOUTH AMERICA All of South America is open to US travelers with varying levels of restrictions like negative tests and/or quarantine with the exception of Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, which remain closed. CENTRAL AMERICA Central America, including Mexico, is open to US travelers, aside from the Cayman Islands. Mexico has had laxed COVID-19 restrictions for much of the pandemic and it has attracted many American travelers for that reason. The guidance once there varies state by state and there are still varying versions of lockdown across the country. UK From May 17, Americans can visit the UK provided they quarantine for ten days on arrival and test negative. The US has been added to the UK's 'Amber list' of countries; travel is accepted from those countries but with certain rules. Americans can return directly to the US from the UK, but non-US citizens cannot unless they have a waiver from the embassy for exceptional circumstances. Greece has been open to Americans since April 19. Fully vaccinated Americans do not need to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test. Unvaccinated Americans have to provide a negative PCR test from within 72 hours of arriving. The island of Santorini is pictured GREECE Greece has been open to Americans since April 19. Fully vaccinated Americans do not need to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test. Unvaccinated Americans have to provide a negative PCR test from within 72 hours of arriving. CYPRUS Americans have been able to travel to Cyprus since March 1. No quarantine is needed with a negative PCR test but tourists must obtain a Cyprus Travel Pass before they can enter the country. CROATIA Americans can visit Croatia but they have to prove two things; a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of arrival or full vaccination status AND full payment of a hotel, villa or apartment for the duration of their stay. ITALY Americans can enter Italy on flights operated by Delta, American and United because they offer testing for passengers. Passengers on those flights do not need to quarantine. ICELAND Iceland is open to Americans but they have to test negative on arrival, whether they are vaccinated or not, and prove that they are either vaccinated or have had a previous infection by testing positive for antibodies. Most of Iceland is open. It has become a more popular choice of among American tourists in recent years, thanks in part to many American celebrities visiting and posting their travels on social media. TURKEY Americans can travel to Thailand but they have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. It is one of the only Asian countries where travel is accepted but the two week quarantine makes it an undesirable choice unless the traveler is staying for a period of several months Open with negative PCR test. Lockdown restrictions like curfews are still in place in much of the country after it implemented its full first lockdown just three weeks ago amid a surge in cases. MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, GEORGIA All open with proof of testing and/or vaccination and there are fewer restrictions in place than in other countries in the EU like the UK or Turkey. THAILAND Americans can travel to Thailand but they have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. It is one of the only Asian countries where travel is accepted but the two week quarantine makes it an undesirable choice unless the traveler is staying for a period of several months. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The UAE is open to Americans but they have to obtain a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine on arrival. Each state has different quarantine rules. Dubai enforces a ten day quarantine with negative tests on the fourth and eighth day. AFRICA These African countries are open to US tourists with varying degrees of restrictions; South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Morocco, Seychelles. Travel from the remaining countries is still closed. Safari trips could be an option for Americans this summer as many African countries have reopened, including Tanzania, where this picture was taken SOUTH KOREA South Korea is open to US tourists but they have to quarantine in a government-designated hotel, and pay for it, for two weeks on arrival. MALDIVES Travel is allowed but testing is mandatory on arrival. The Maldives is an expensive but popular choice among many honeymooners, and may be top of the list for people who have postponed or canceled weddings because of COVID. SRI LANKA Sri Lanka has introduced the world's first 'bio bubbles' concept where international travelers can visit without restrictions, but they aren't allowed to mingle with locals. OPENING TO AMERICANS SOON EUROPE A date has not been formally announced and it'll depend on each country if there are rules for quarantine or testing, but the EU is introducing a digital vaccine system from July 1. That is likely to pave the way for Americans to visit, if not sooner. Even after the vaccine passport, some countries can impose rules on US travelers like quarantine and testing, even if they are vaccinated. Americans should also consider what the situation is in the country they want to visit; many still have lockdown restrictions like curfews. A tourist at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, wearing a COVID-19 mask. France, along with the rest of Europe, will reopen to Americans this summer but the EU has not announced a date for it yet In an interview over the weekend, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, told The New York Times: 'Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines. This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union. 'Because one thing is clear: All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by E.M.A' They include Moderna, Pfizer and J&J's shot. *SPAIN - JUNE 7 Americans can visit from June 7. No other countries have indicated yet what they will do individually after the vaccine passport program is introduced. NO SIGN OF OPENING TO AMERICANS ANY TIME SOON India is experiencing its worst COVID-19 outbreak and bodies are being burned in the streets. It remains closed to tourists AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND MOST OF THE MIDDLE EAST (With the exception of Lebanon, the UAE and Jordan which are open with some restrictions) ISRAEL (Closed to US citizens unless they have family in Israel) CHINA JAPAN RUSSIA ARGENTINA CHILE URUGUAY INDIA MOST OF ASIA (Only Thailand and South Korea are open to American tourists. South Korea has a 2 week hotel quarantine rule) .... AND WHO CAN (AND CAN'T) COME TO AMERICA? Travel to the US is allowed from every country in the world, with a negative COVID-19 test, except from the following countries. (US citizens can always enter America from overseas). A non US citizen cannot enter America if they have been in any of these countries 14 days or less before their flight; UK EUROPE (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) REPUBLIC OF IRELAND INDIA SOUTH AFRICA IRAN CHINA The head of one of the UK's largest PPE firms lashed out today at the Government's 'VIP lane' for handing out massive contracts at the height of the pandemic, saying he was unaware it existed. Thomas Martin, the chairman of distributor Arco, told MPs that the company had been 'frustrated' in attempts to supply the Government with equipment despite more than a decade of experience in the field. He told how the family-owned firm had around 40million of stock sitting in warehouses when the pandemic broke but had eventually been forced to deal with individual hospitals to get equipment out to front-line staff. MPs on the Public Accounts Committee are investigating the VIP lane which gave business leaders access to the Government's procurement scheme. Questions have been raised over the 'fast track' way massive contracts were handed to firms, sometime with little to no experience of PPE procurement, and whether minsters were right to intervene on behalf of firms run by people they knew. Mr Martin told the PAC MPs the firm tried ministers, individual MPs, civil service officials in an attempt to dish out its stock. He even wrote to Lord Deighton, who ran the PPE procurement scheme but received no reply. 'We had approved certified products sitting in our warehouse in the UK, we have a team in China who have been there for over 11 years who actually run the quality assurance and the ethical training, so they were on the ground and we could even provide details and supply chains going forward for four or five months to government colleagues,' he said. 'We really tried. If you have had a chance to read my letter to Lord Deighton then you can see we were frustrated and fearful for the fact that we could not deploy our sales force, our warehousing resource, our quality assurances and our technical expertise the length and breadth of the UK. Thomas Martin, the chairman of distributor Arco, told MPs that the company he had been 'frustrated' by attempts to supply the Government with equipment despite more than a decade of experience in the field. Questions have been raised over the 'fast track' way massive contracts were handed to firms, sometime with little to no experience of PPE procurement, and whether minsters were right to intervene on behalf of firms run by people they knew. The National Audit Office report found more than 1,300 contracts worth 10.5billion were awarded by the Government with no competition whatsoever 'We ignored the official line, we were unaware of the unofficial line and we responded magnificently as we mobilised to support more than 290 NHS trusts and hospitals.' In the end the firm did win contracts but for 14million, a fraction of the size of the deals handed out to firms with less experience in the field, MPs were told. It came a week after Health Secretary Matt Hancock was accused of personally intervening to help a shamed former Tory minister land a 180million PPR contract. The Health Secretary insisted that Brooks Newmark received no special treatment as he brokered a deal for international firms to supply millions of pairs of goggles to the NHS last year. Mr Newmark, 63, a father of five, quit just months after being made minister for civil society in 2014 after he was exposed as having exchanged lewd photographs with a male journalist posing as a glamorous 20-year-old Tory PR woman. A Freedom of Information probe by the Sunday Times discovered National Audit Office emails showing that last May, at the height of the first Covid lockdown, he lobbied the Government on behalf of a Hong Kong firm. After a string of email exchanges with Mr Hancock and his senior aides the company was awarded a 178million deal in June. But Mr Hancock angrily defended his conduct, saying it was 'absolutely appropriate for anybody to get in contact with anybody at the Department of Health when the country desperately needed PPE'. Last November a devastating report lifted the lid on cronyism and ineptitude in the programme that saw the Government spend 18billion on PPE and other equipment during the coronavirus crisis. Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings were both drawn into the debacle after the spending watchdog said officials failed to consider potential conflicts of interests involving companies linked to them. The National Audit Office revealed that officials had signed contracts for hundreds of thousands of facemasks which turned out to be unusable wasting hundreds of millions of pounds. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to sign a bill into law that would punish the state's largest cities if they decide to follow Austin and 'defund' their local police departments. In a tweet sent out on Sunday, the Republican governor cited a shooting incident in Austin, where it allegedly took police officers 16 minutes to respond to the crime scene and render aid to a person who had been shot in the head. 'This is what defunding the police looks like,' Abbott wrote. 'Austin is incapable of timely responding to a victim shot in the head.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, on Sunday vowed to sign into law a bill that would punish large cities for defunding their police agencies. Abbott cited a shooting that took place in Austin on Sunday Abbott has long been railing against Austin for voting to divert $150million away from its police department last year He continued: 'Texas won't tolerate this. We're about to pass law-that I will sign-that will prevent cities from defunding police. Sanity & safety will return.' The conservative governor was weighing in on a tweet from Kenneth Casaday, the president of the Austin Police Association, which slammed Austin Police Department's response time to a shooting that took place on Sunday. According to Casaday, a 911 call about the shooting was received at 5.35am on Sunday, but there were no units available citywide for the next 12 minutes. The police union boss clamed that the first patrol unit picked up the call at 5.47am and arrived on the scene 16 minutes later. 'Victim critically injured after being shot in the head,' he wrote. According to a report from the station KXAN, a man was shot at 5.35am in the parking lot of the Bare Cabaret in the 9000 block of Reservoir Court. The Austin City Council voted to reallocate funds from the police at the height of last year's protests against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd Austin is the only city in Texas to have diverted money from the police toward social services A woman was inside the car with the victim at the time of the shooting. So far, no arrests have been made. DailyMail.com on Monday reached out to the Austin Police Department, seeking comment about the incident and the purported delayed response. The Austin City Council voted last year to divert up to $150million from the city's police department, reported Austin American Statesman, but ultimately the agency had its budget slashed only by about $21.5million. The Texas House of Representatives last week passed House Bill 1900 that would punish big cities for reallocating funding from their police departments, and a Texas Senate committee is currently debating the bill. So far, only Austin has diverted money from the police toward social services in Texas. A Texas Senate committee is debating the bill that would punish large cities for reducing police departments' budgets Under the new legislation, which was passed by a 90-49 vote, if any Texas city with a population of at least 250,000 decides to cut its police budget without making proportional cuts to other parts of its budget, the state would take a portion of the city's sales tax revenue and hand it over to the State Department of Public Safety. The bill would also prevent those cities from raising property taxes or utility rates to make up for the forcibly reallocated sales tax revenue. Abbott has repeatedly railed against Austin City Council for diverting funds away from its police department at the height of last year's protests against systemic racism in the wake of George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, If passed by the Texas Senate and signed into law by Abbott, the law would take effect on September 1. A retired New York Times science editor has slammed the mainstream media for ignoring the possibility that coronavirus leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan and accused journalists of falling for 'Chinese propaganda' instead of doing their own research. Nicholas Wade, who penned a 1,100-word article examining the link entitled 'The origin of COVID: Did people or nature open Pandoras box at Wuhan?' earlier this month, took aim at top news outlets in a Fox News interview on Sunday night. He claimed the media mainstream media failed to 'take off its political glasses' to investigate the virus' origins, the facts of which, he said, are being obscured by the Chinese Communist Party. Wade's remarks come as more scientists and political officials are coming forward to support the theory that the virus may have been developed in a Chinese laboratory and was covered up - after scoffing at the idea for much of the past year in part because it was pushed by then-President Donald Trump. Among the top officials now speculating that possibility is Dr Anthony Fauci, who recently said he's 'not convinced' the virus formed naturally after repeated statements to the contrary. The case for a lab leak was strengthened on Sunday when a previously-undisclosed US intelligence report revealed three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019 - months before China disclosed the COVID-19 outbreak. Nicholas Wade, a former New York Times science editor, slammed mainstream media in an interview with Mark Levin on Sunday for not investigating the origins of COVID-19 'I think we see a sustained Chinese propaganda effort at work,' Wade, who served as the staff writer for the Science Times section of the New York Times from 1982 to 2012, told Mark Levin on Life, Liberty & Levin. 'But, you know, more than that, it was just the blindness, if I could put it that way, of our media we're too polarized to see scientific issues for their own sake without putting a political gloss on them,' he continued. 'We don't know for sure: The origin of the virus is just we've got these two possible scenarios. But if you look at all the evidence and ask yourself, well, which scenario explains all these facts better on present evidence, it seems, to me at least, that the lab-escape hypothesis explains it a lot better. 'But it's a sort of complicated conclusion to arrive at, and I can only assume that the media was blindsided, they didn't do the work that was necessary.' Large outlets, including the New York Times, CNN and the Washington Post, pushed back against the idea that the virus leaked from a lab in Wuhan in the early days of the pandemic. Facebook labeled a New York Post opinion column saying the virus 'might have jumped to the human population thanks to errors at a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan' as 'false information'. Former President Trump repeatedly said he suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies, and for which he was ridiculed. Even former CDC director Robert Redfield was admonished for the suggestion despite no strong evidence to the contrary at the time. A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said 'the U.S. government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses.' It did not say how many researchers. COVID-19 spread quickly throughout the world, and now officials in the United States, Norway, Canada and Great Britain are calling for further investigation into its origins Scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology were reportedly studying bats before the coronavirus outbreak began in 2019 The lab is one of only a handful in the world that is cleared to handle Class 4 pathogens dangerous viruses that pose a high risk of person-to-person transmission It is only 20 miles form the Huanan Seafood market, where the first cluster of infection s began But now, more and more scientists and political officials are coming forward questioning the origins of the virus and how it mutated to infect humans. The Huanan wet market, where the first cluster of infections began, is just a few hundred yards from the Wuhan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control and only a few miles from the the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab, where scientists were reportedly conducting experiments on bats before the pandemic began. The lab is one of only a handful in the world that is cleared to handle Class 4 pathogens dangerous viruses that pose a high risk of person-to-person transmission. Three researchers from the institute sought medical care in November 2019, before the virus began to spread, according to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper said the report - which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits - may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory. It reported that current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report's supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed 'further investigation and additional corroboration.' A World Health Organization team previously deemed the idea that the virus escaped from one of these labs 'extremely unlikely' in the early days of the pandemic, but the report, written in part by Chinese scientists, was repeatedly delayed, as China refused to give the WHO team raw data on the outbreak. It wrote in its final report, which was co-authored by Chinese scientists, that the virus could have been imported on frozen meat. Security guards patrol outside the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market on January 24, 2020 Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said he was 'not convinced' by a WHO report denying the virus was leaked from a Chinese laboratory Dr Fauci and other scientists, as well as some political officials, are now coming forward and expressing their doubts about those findings. Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said over the weekend he was 'not convinced' that COVID-19 developed naturally and called for an open investigation. 'I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened,' he said at a PolitiFact event on May 11 entitled: United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking. 'Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals,' he said, 'but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out.' A National Security Council spokeswoman also told the Wall Street Journal that the Biden administration has 'serious' questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins in the People's Republic of China. Last Thursday, White House Press Secretary called for exploring the 'root causes' of the pandemic after Republicans issued an interim report saying there was 'significant circumstantial evidence' that the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. 'I would caution you against disproving a negative there which is never the responsible approach in our view when it comes to getting to the bottom of the root causes of a pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the United States,' she said in response to a question about the report. 'Our view continues to be that there needs to be an independent, transparent investigation,' she said. She said the investigation required the 'cooperation and data provided from the Chinese government' which has denied administration requests to fully share it. 'We don't have enough info at this point to make an assessment,' she continued. Asked when Biden would call Chinese President Xi Jinping, Psaki responded that 'We have made that call publicly many times' and 'conveyed that privately. And we have certainly communicated that they were not transparent from the beginning.' The U.S. joined Norway, Canada, Great Britain and other countries in March in expressing concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation, and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak. The WHO decision-making body is expected to discuss the next phase of its investigation into the COVID origins on Monday. Security officers at the Department of Commerce searched staff offices at night and ran keyword searches of their emails as they looked for signs of foreign influence, according to a report that revealed how its investigations unit behaved more like a counterintelligence operation. The Investigations and Threat Management Service also trawled social media accounts looking for criticism of the census as it collected intelligence on hundreds of people, according to five investigators. The office had 'been allowed to operate far outside the bounds of federal law enforcement norms and has created an environment of paranoia and retaliation at the department,' John Costello, a former deputy assistant secretary of intelligence and security at Commerce under President Trump, told the Washington Post. Former investigators, supervisors and contractors said operations were often carried out on the whim of career supervisor George D. Lee, who led the unit for a decade. Officers from the Investigations and Threat Management Services launched a probe into a 68-year-old retiree, one of a number of social media accounts flagged after posting negative comments about the Census, which is run by the Department of Commerce. 'I'm not part of any disinformation campaign,' said the retiree after learning about the investigation later John Costello, a former deputy assistant secretary of intelligence and security at Commerce under President Trump, said the Investigations and Threat Management Service had been allowed to create an 'environment of paranoia and retaliation' The newspaper reported that the unit monitored a string of Asian-American employees after the unit searched for Chinese words on department servers And it investigated a 68-year-old retiree in Florida who used Twitter to claim that the census, which is run by Commerce, would be used 'to benefit the Trump Party!' 'I'm not part of any disinformation campaign. I'm just an American,' the retiree, who has about 140 followers, told the Washington Post, on condition of anonymity. 'I just expressed my opinion online.' Bruce Ridlen, a former supervisor, said the unit's tactics suggested 'someone had watched too many Mission Impossible movies. The result was a number of complaints that led to investigations by its internal watchdog about its practises. In March, new officials with the Biden administration ordered ITMS halt all of its criminal investigations. And in May, following early results from a review, it was ordered to suspend all activities, said Department of Commerce spokeswoman Brittany Caplin. Security officers at the Department of Commerce wore masks and blocked cameras to conduct covert searches and ran keyword searches of staff emails as they looked for signs of foreign influence, according to whistleblowers 'The current Commerce Department leadership team takes this issue seriously,' she said. 'The department expects that at the end of the review it can and will implement a comprehensive solution to the issues raised.' She said Lee was no longer supervising the work of ITMS and he did not return requests for comment. Minority-party staff of the Senate Committee on Commerce also launched an investigation into the unit in February, according to Sen. Roger Wicker, its most senior Republican. On Monday he released a factsheet summarizing findings from whistleblowers, which concluded, 'ITMS has mutated into a rogue, unaccountable police force without a clear mission.' It described how a Chinese-born member of staff was arrested on espionage charges and interrogated for hours before officials decided there was insufficient evidence to proceed. 'In multiple cases, whistleblowers claim that racial profiling served as pre-text for initiating investigations purportedly about threats to national security, disproportionately targeting Department employees with Chinese ancestry,' said the document. Sen. Roger Wicker, ranking member on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, has been investigating the unit since February and said the evidence from whistleblowers so far suggested 'chronic abuses of power' And it said staff abused their position to conduct thousands of unauthorized investigations, often for purposes of retribution or retaliation. 'It is my duty to ensure that we hold agencies accountable, especially when whistleblowers come forward with information suggesting chronic abuses of power,' said Wicker. ITMS reportedly launched investigations last year into the authors of social media posts questioning the fairness of the census count. It was apparently aimed at finding any organized disinformation campaign details were passed to the FBI, which declined to take it up what it saw as protected free speech. Lee also ordered agents to scan emails for key Chinese phrases, according to former investigator Christopher Cheung. He emailed Wilbur Ross, the then Secretary of Commerce, to outline his concerns in an email he sent on his last day of two and half years working with Lee. 'Mr. Lee has discriminately targeted ethnic Chinese foreign guests/visitors and employees as well as other ethnic personnel,' he wrote on June 21, 2019, according to the Washington Post. 'When investigations on these ethnic personnel are inconclusive, Mr. Lee refuses to allow agents to close the cases.' He also said a lock was picked on a staff locker in 2018. Former investigators said that they wore face masks or blocked the view of security cameras during some searches. 'It was so we didn't leave a trace,' said one. Former President Donald Trump was pictured arriving at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Monday morning just days after Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a criminal probe into his business. Trump stepped out of his car on Fifth Avenue and looked at cameras after a trip from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he is spending the summer away from the heat of Mar-a-Lago. Since James announced the probe last week, there have been more developments into the investigation and mounting questions over whether his long-time CFO Allen Weisselberg will turn on him. Weisselberg, long considered to be Trump's right-hand man with finances, is now facing two criminal investigations into his actions. James' office has been investigating alleged civil tax offenses by Trump's business empire since 2019, but last week ramped up the probe to make it criminal. Trump tore into the James' actions, accused her of orchestrating a witch hunt since she came into office and said she should focus on fixing the surge in crime in New York City. On Thursday, Weisselberg former daughter-in-law Jennifer said he would 'definitely' flip on the president and former Trump Organization executive Barbara Res said she believes he is already cooperating with prosecutors. While Trump was in New York, his potential GOP rivals in the 2024 presidential race including Mike Pence and Nikki Haley headed to the Reagan Library in California for an event to discuss the Republican party's future. Former President Donald Trump was captured Monday morning walking into Trump Tower in New York City. ust days after Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a criminal probe into his business Trump stepped out of his car on Fifth Avenue and looked at cameras after a trip from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he is spending the summer away from the heat of Mar-a-Lago Crime rates in New York have continued to climb this year, with more murders on the subway in the first three months of 2021 than at any point in 2019, with a 27 percent rise in murders throughout the city since 2020. In the first week of May, there were nine murders compared to just two in the same week in 2020 - a rise of 350 percent. Felonies have also been increasing steadily with assaults up by 31 percent since 2019. 'There is nothing more corrupt than an investigation that is in desperate search of a crime. But, make no mistake, that is exactly what is happening here,' Trump wrote in his statement last week. 'The Attorney General of New York literally campaigned on prosecuting Donald Trump even before she knew anything about me. 'She said that if elected, she would use her office to look into "every aspect" of my real estate dealings. She swore that she would "definitely sue" me. She boasted on video that she would be, and I quote, "a real pain in the ass." 'She declared, "just wait until I'm in the Attorney General's office," and, "I've got my eyes on Trump Tower.' She also promised that, if elected, she would "join with law enforcement and other Attorney Generals across this nation in removing this President from office," and, "It's important that everyone understand that the days of Donald Trump are coming to an end.' 'The Attorney General made each of these statements, not after having had an opportunity to actually look at the facts, but BEFORE she was even elected, BEFORE she had seen even a shred of evidence. This is something that happens in failed third world countries, not the United States.' Since James announced the probe last week, there have been more developments into the investigation and mounting questions over whether his longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg will turn on him Jennifer Weisselberg's ex-husband, Barry, works at the Trump Organization. Allen Weisselberg is the executive who ran the company along with Trump's children Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. when Trump became president. Weisselberg's son Barry also works for the Trump Organization, managing the Wollman and Lasker skating rinks in Central Park and a vintage carousel, which operate on a cash basis. In April, prosecutors served a subpoena to Barry's ex-wife Jennifer Weisselberg, asking for banking and tax records linked to Barry. She was photographed transferring boxes of documents, and says she has provided additional digital information as well. She accuses her ex husband of 'skimming' from the company and making false representations on tax returns. There is no indication that he is under investigation, and neither he nor Allen Weisselberg have been charged. 'To me a liar - a cheater is a liar is a thief and as far as I'm concerned, there's been nothing legal going on in the past 21 years' she said. Res said on Wednesday night that, in her opinion, Weisselberg has flipped and was cooperating with New York prosecutors with two criminal investigations hanging over him. 'I think Weisselberg is very concerned about his kids,' she told MSNBC's Ari Melber. 'I think that what they're doing is the kind of thing they did with [retired Lt. Gen. Michael] Flynn. Remember his kid? I don't think Weisselberg will let his son go to jail. So that's what he's doing.' Who's who in New York criminal probe into Trump New York state has opened a criminal investigation into former US president Donald Trump (pictured November 2020) A Democratic prosecutor nearing the end of his term, a loyal lieutenant of the Trump family and a lawyer determined to sink his former boss: AFP details some of the players in New York's criminal probe into Donald Trump. Cyrus Vance The 66-year-old Democrat has been Manhattan District Attorney since 2010. He was the first to launch a criminal investigation into the Republican ex-president. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance (pictured May 2020) has doggedly pursued Donald Trump, winning a years-long battle to obtain his tax records and deploying significant human and financial resources to the politically sensitive investigation Vance, whose father was US Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter, has sometimes been accused of a reluctance to prosecute the rich and powerful. He delayed filing charges against disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein before securing a landmark conviction last year. Vance has doggedly pursued Trump, though, first by winning a years-long battle to obtain his tax records and secondly by deploying significant human and financial resources to the politically sensitive investigation. He has announced that he will not run for a fourth term when his current one expires in December, and many observers expect him to go out with a bang by filing what would be the first indictment against a former US president. Letitia James The Democrat became the first Black woman to become New York state attorney general in 2018. Since then, the 62-year-old has forged a reputation as a combative and independent prosecutor, filing countless civil actions against large companies, particularly tech giants, and the National Rifle Association (NRA). In addition to Donald Trump, Letitia James (pictured August 2020) is also investigating New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, over sexual harassment allegations and his response to the coronavirus pandemic When Trump was in the White House, James launched dozens of civil actions against his government. She is also investigating New York's powerful Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, over sexual harassment allegations and his response to the coronavirus pandemic. James has been cited as a possible successor to Cuomo, particularly if her investigation forces him to resign. Allen Weisselberg The 73-year-old is the Trump Organization's long-serving chief financial officer and one of the family's most loyal servants. He began as an accountant for Trump's father's company before joining the Trump Organization as financial controller in the 1980s when Donald established himself as a Manhattan real estate mogul. Allen Weisselberg, pictured standing behind former president Donald Trump and his son Donald Jr. in January 2017, has served as the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization since the 1980s Weisselberg has been around for all of Trump's entrepreneurial adventures, including when his Atlantic City casinos went bust. According to Barbara Res, a former executive vice president at the Trump Organization, Weisselberg 'thought Trump was a god,' she told the Daily News. Investigators believe Weisselberg knows all of the Trump family secrets and have been putting pressure on him for months to cooperate with their investigation. Observers are closely watching whether Weisselberg will turn against his former boss. Michael Cohen Trump's ex-personal lawyer was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for tax evasion and violating campaign finance laws relating to Trump's 2016 vote win. Cohen was one of Trump's closest henchmen for a decade, once proudly boasting that he was prepared to 'take a bullet' for the real estate mogul-turned-president. Michael Cohen, pictured March 2021, openly rejoices in former boss Donald Trump's legal troubles on Twitter and through his podcast He turned against his former boss, though, deciding to collaborate with federal investigators in Manhattan. During a Congressional hearing in February 2019, Cohen alleged -- among other things -- that Trump regularly undervalued or overvalued his assets, both with banks and insurance companies. Cohen openly rejoices in Trump's legal troubles on Twitter and through his podcast 'Mea Culpa.' Source: AFP Advertisement A retired Air Force One plane is on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, which is hosting a speaker series about the future of the GOP Among those speaking at the series are former Vice President Mike Pence (left) and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (right) 'FOCUS ON REAL CRIME': TRUMP'S SCATHING STATEMENT ATTACKING AG JAMES IN FULL I have just learned, through leaks in the mainstream media, that after being under investigation from the time I came down the escalator 5 years ago, including the fake Russia Russia Russia Hoax, the 2 year, $48M, No Collusion Mueller Witch Hunt, Impeachment Hoax #1, Impeachment Hoax #2, and others, that the Democrat New York Attorney General has 'informed' my organization that their 'investigation' is no longer just a civil matter but also potentially a 'criminal' investigation working with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. There is nothing more corrupt than an investigation that is in desperate search of a crime. But, make no mistake, that is exactly what is happening here. The Attorney General of New York literally campaigned on prosecuting Donald Trump even before she knew anything about me. She said that if elected, she would use her office to look into 'every aspect' of my real estate dealings. She swore that she would 'definitely sue' me. She boasted on video that she would be, and I quote, 'a real pain in the ass.' She declared, 'just wait until I'm in the Attorney General's office,' and, 'I've got my eyes on Trump Tower.' She also promised that, if elected, she would 'join with law enforcement and other Attorney Generals across this nation in removing this President from office,' and, 'It's important that everyone understand that the days of Donald Trump are coming to an end.' The Attorney General made each of these statements, not after having had an opportunity to actually look at the facts, but BEFORE she was even elected, BEFORE she had seen even a shred of evidence. This is something that happens in failed third world countries, not the United States. If you can run for a prosecutor's office pledging to take out your enemies, and be elected to that job by partisan voters who wish to enact political retribution, then we are no longer a free constitutional democracy. Likewise, the District Attorney's office has been going after me for years based on a lying, discredited low life, who was not listened to or given credibility by other prosecutorial offices, and sentenced to 3 years in prison for lying and other events unrelated to me. These investigations have also been going on for years with members and associates of the Trump Organization being viciously attacked, harassed, and threatened, in order to say anything bad about the 45th President of the United States. This would include having to make up false stories. Numerous documents, all prepared by large and prestigious law and accounting firms, have been examined, and many hours of testimony have been taken from many people, some of whom I have not seen in years. These Democrat offices are consumed with this political and partisan Witch Hunt at a time when crime is up big in New York City, shootings are up 97%, murders are up 45%, a rate not seen in 40 years, drugs and criminals are pouring into our Country in record numbers from our now unprotected Southern Border, and people are fleeing New York for other much safer locations to live. But the District Attorney and Attorney General are possessed, at an unprecedented level, with destroying the political fortunes of President Donald J. Trump and the almost 75 million people who voted for him, by far the highest number ever received by a sitting President. That is what these investigations are all abouta continuation of the greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of the United States. Working in conjunction with Washington, these Democrats want to silence and cancel millions of voters because they don't want 'Trump' to run again. As people are being killed on the sidewalks of New York at an unprecedented rate, as drugs and crime of all kinds are flowing through New York City at record levels, with absolutely nothing being done about it, all they care about is taking down Trump. Our movement, which started with the Great Election Win of 2016, is perhaps the biggest and most powerful in the history of our Country. But the Democrats want to cancel the Make America Great Again movement, not by Making America First, but by Making America Last. No President has been treated the way I have. With all of the crime and corruption you read about with others, nothing happens, they only go after Donald Trump. After prosecutorial efforts the likes of which nobody has ever seen before, they failed to stop me in Washington, so they turned it over to New York to do their dirty work. This is what I have been going through for years. It's a very sad and dangerous tale for our Country, but it is what it is, and we will overcome together. I have built a great company, employed thousands of people, and all I do is get unfairly attacked and abused by a corrupt political system. It would be so wonderful if the effort used against President Donald J. Trump, who lowered taxes and regulations, rebuilt our military, took care of our Veterans, created Space Force, fixed our border, produced our vaccine in record-setting time (years ahead of what was anticipated), and made our Country great and respected again, and so much more, would be focused on the ever more dangerous sidewalks and streets of New York. If these prosecutors focused on real issues, crime would be obliterated, and New York would be great and free again! Advertisement Barry and Jennifer Weissselberg were embroiled in a bitter divorce and battle and prosecutors seem interested to know if the the couple's finances might show a pattern of how Trump, or even Allen, handled accounting issues. Additionally, Allen Weisselberg paid for his grandchildren's tuition at the elite Columbia Grammar and Prep school, which runs about $49,000 per child annually. He also paid the bills for annual sleepaway camp - $25,000 - and Hebrew school tuition of $2,200. Barry said there was never an expectation to pay his father back, describing it as financial assistance,' the legal paperwork from the divorce notes. Meanwhile, a batch of potential Republican presidential hopefuls are planning to discuss the future of the party at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, located in California's Simi Valley. A speaker series at the library will kick off Thursday, with an appearance by former House Speaker Paul Ryan. But in addition to Ryan, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Sen. Tim Scott are slated to speak. All four have been discussed as potential Republican presidential candidates in 2024. The series is entitled 'A Time for Choosing' - as Republicans discuss the future of the party. 'Now is the time - a time for reasoned, intellectual discussion, to set a new tone for conservatism, for capturing the hearts of Americans, to shape the future of the Republican Party,' says a video promoting the series. Speeches from Haley, Pence and the others expect to provide answers to questions like 'Why are you a Republican?' and 'What should the party stand for?' organizers said. The events will be held in-person and outdoors at the Reagan Library's campus. Trump has also been teasing a 2024 presidential run, saying he would likely announce after the 2022 midterm races conclude. The Republican Party lost the House in 2018, the White House in 2020 and the Senate majority in two Georgia run-off races in early 2021. This is the moment a brave petrol station worker used a stool to chase off a gun-wielding thug who tried to rob him. Tyrone Roach, 29, faces a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of attempted armed robbery at Newcastle Crown Court. CCTV footage shows the moment a masked Roach bursts through into Gulf petrol station shop in Chapel House, Newcastle, last July and storms towards the counter. Armed robber Tyrone Roach, 29, faces a lengthy prison sentence after he was convicted of attempted robbery at Newcastle Crown Court He proceeds to pull a gun from his pocket and aims it through the safety glass at a male member of staff. But, to his surprise, the brave employee responds by picking up a blue stool and charging at the gunman, who turns round and runs out. The footage switches to a camera outside the petrol station shop as Roach flees and the stool-wielding employee chases out after him. Northumbria Police released the 20-second footage of Roach bursting into the petrol station in Hillhead Parkway after his conviction. They heaped praise on the unnamed employee, describing his actions as 'heroic'. In the 20-second clip, a masked and hooded Roach points a gun at the shopkeeper and gestures towards the till at the Gulf petrol station shop in Chapel House, Newcastle CCTV footage from last July shows the moment the 'heroic' petrol station employee chased off gun-wielding Tyrone Roach with a blue stool (pictured) The court was told how Roach had charged into the petrol station store on July 17. Police identified and later arrested the suspect using CCTV evidence and DNA found on a discarded face mask close to the scene. Roach, of Deighton Walk, East Denton, was convicted of attempted robbery by a jury on Friday, May 21. Roach is forced to flee the scene in fear after being chased by a 'brave' and 'heroic' employee who used a blue stool to defend himself Detective Sergeant Mark Atherton, of Northumbria Police, said: 'This would have been a terrifying confrontation for the staff member at this petrol station and his response was heroic. 'While we would never encourage anyone to fight back against an armed criminal we do think it is right to recognise this victim's bravery. 'He refused to hand over money and instead stood up to the thief who was so shocked that he immediately turned and fled the scene.' Roach faces sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court on June 6. An 'extremely dangerous' fugitive has been pictured moments after being arrested in South Carolina on Monday after six days on the run following four random killings in two states as part of a 'modern-day Bonnie and Clyde' duo. Tyler Donnet Terry, 26, is seen sitting in the back of a police pick-up in a ripped brown shirt and with his hands cuffed behind his back. The fugitive has mud-covered pants and is smirking while turning his face away from the camera. Terry, who is pictured in a second photo standing up while talking to police, had been on the run since last Monday when he fled a car wreck after firing shots at officers. His companion, Adrienne Simpson, 34, was taken into custody, but he had remained at large, prompting a frenzied search involving 300 officers equipped with dogs, helicopters and drones. After six days hunting Terry, police finally tracked him down and he was arrested on Monday morning, according to the Chester County Sheriff's Office. No shots were fired during the arrest and there were no injuries. Terry has been linked to a May 2 killing and a second murder in South Carolina, two killings outside of St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday and two additional shootings in recent weeks. Tyler Donnet Terry, 26, is seen sitting in the back of a police pick-up in a ripped brown shirt and with his hands cuffed behind his back. The fugitive has mud-covered pants and is seen smiling while turning his face away from the camera. Video of him being taken away was shot by Fox46 The moment Terry was first captured in woodland by agents from the ATF Terry is seen in a second photo standing up while speaking with heavily-armed officers Terry and Adrienne Simpson, 34, are wanted for four murders across two states Terry had evaded police since he came back to South Carolina and opened fire at officers during a 30 mile, high-speed police chase that ended when their car crashed on Highway 9 last Monday. The couple's suspected body count is four, going back to May 2. One person survived their alleged crime spree - but only because his cell phone in his breast pocket stopped the bullet. His wife was killed. 'This modern-day version of Bonnie and Clyde do several violent crimes in South Carolina and travel across the country. What they did between South Carolina and Missouri we don't know yet. That's a part of what they are going to be checking on, and obviously, South Carolina and every state in between,' an investigator with St. Louis Police told CBS 17. On Sunday afternoon, officers were actively pursuing Terry in a wooded area near Highway 9 and Richburg Road. He ran off there after being spotted and chased by an officer, local news outlets reported. 'We are confident Terry is within our perimeter,' Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey said on Twitter around 7.40 p.m. 'Our perimeter has become thicker and is layered. We are sending teams inside in attempts to find him and force him out.' It was the fourth confirmed sighting of Terry since he fired shots at police during a high-speed chase May 17. Terry, who has rips and holes in his t-shirt, is given some water by an officer while sitting in the back of a pick-up Murder suspect, Tyler Terry CAPTURED. He was brought in on the back of a pickup truck live on @FOX46News. He has holes in his shirt, and has been on the run for about a week. pic.twitter.com/E2fjiiMybb (@MorganFOX46) May 24, 2021 The duo allegedly shot multiple times at police during a high-speed chase in South Carolina Thomas Hardin, who identifies as a woman, was allegedly killed by Terry on May 2 in York, South Carolina Barbara Goodkin and her husband were allegedly shot by the duo in Missouri on May 15. Barbara died but Stanley luckily survived Dr. Sergei Zacharev was allegedly shot to death by the duo in Missouri and leaves behind a son Prior to Terry's arrest, the sheriff had advised residents to stay inside, lock their doors, secure firearms and report suspicious activity in their outbuildings, crawlspaces and trash bins. On Sunday afternoon, officers were actively pursuing Terry (pictured in an earlier mugshot) in a wooded area He described the fugitive as 'the most violent man I've ever heard of.' Authorities also appealed to people to check on loved ones living in the area, and to let them know about any vacant vacation homes for them to check out. Terry is accused of fatally shooting 35-year-old Thomas Hardin, who identifies as female, on May 2 in York, South Carolina. Police said Terry and Hardin knew each other but don't have a motive for his killing. Simpson was allegedly Terry's getaway driver after that shooting. The pair are said to have hightailed it about 700 miles to Brentwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, where the duo is accused of shooting three random people during suspected robberies on May 15. Terry was last seen in a Chester County, South Carolina business's surveillance footage on Thursday Timeline of the 'modern-day Bonnie and Clyde' May 2: Eugene Simpson, Adrienne's husband, reported missing May 2: Thomas Hardin, 35, shot dead in York County, South Carolina May 15: Barbara and Stanley Goodkin and Dr. Sergei Zacharev shot in Missouri, not far from St. Louis. Barbara and Zacharev died. Stanley survived. May 16: They left Missouri May 17: Chester County, South Carolina deputies spot the couple and chased them in a 30-mile car chase that ends when they crashed. Simpson was arrested, but Terry escaped into the woods. May 19, Eugene Simpson's body was found in Great Falls, South Carolina. His death was ruled a homicide. May 20: Terry caught on a South Carolina business surveillance camera on Highway 9, where he allegedly stole a gun along with other items. This was the last time he was seen. May 24: Terry is arrested, with no shots fired and no injuries. Advertisement Two are dead - Barbara Goodkin and Dr. Sergei Zacharev - but Barbara's husband, Stanley, survived because his cellphone in his chest pocket took the brunt of the bullet. Zacharev, who as an anesthesiologist, leaves behind a son. His friends and colleagues started a GoFundMe to raise money for his child. 'He was a valued member of our anesthesia team since 2013,' they said in the GoFundMe. 'Always boisterous, fun-loving, and jovial to friends and strangers alike, Sergei's humility, humor, and generosity was always endearing to his colleagues and his patients. He will truly be missed.' Ballistics from both scenes matched, police said, amid fears the couple could have other, as-yet undiscovered victims. On May 16, the duo left Missouri and returned to South Carolina. A day later, they were spotted in Chester County and led cops on a car chase that exceeded 100mph and spanned 20 to 30 miles. Multiple saw shots fired from their car, but no one was hit, Dorsey said. After the car crashed, Simpson was arrested, but Terry ran into the woods. He was seen on nearby business's surveillance footage Thursday, where police said he stole a gun and other items. Detectives told CBS 17 that they have 'credible evidence' linking Terry to Hardin's murder, and Simpson has already been charged with accessory after the fact. On Wednesday, the body of Simpon's husband, Eugene 'Geno' Simpson, was found in a ditch in Great Falls, South Carolina, and his death has been ruled a homicide. Police are now investigating if the couple was involved in his murder. Advertisement Britain's Covid cases are continuing to rise following the relaxation of lockdown and the rapid spread of the Indian variant but deaths are still dropping, official figures revealed today. Department of Health bosses posted 2,439 positive coronavirus tests up 23.2 per cent on last Monday's figure, with cases having crept upwards since the start of May. Another three victims were also recorded, compared to five last week. The number of people being hospitalised with the disease is at its lowest level since the crisis began, with 100 hospital admissions every day, on average. For comparison, around 4,500 people were being admitted every day at the peak of the second wave. Meanwhile, another 380,000 vaccines were also dished out as the NHS inoculation drive continues to pick up pace. Around 38.1m Brits, or 72.3 per cent of adults, have now had their first dose. And 22.9m people, or 43.5 per cent of the over-18 population, are fully vaccinated. It comes as it was revealed that official plans for social distancing and 'Covid certificates' after June 21 won't be revealed for at least another week, despite rising hopes that England's 'freedom day' can go ahead. Boris Johnson promised the conclusions of critical reviews for England would come before the end of the month, giving businesses time to prepare for the changes. But Downing Street indicated that the timetable has slipped as ministers wait for the latest data on the Indian variant. Data published today showed the mutant strain is now dominant in 44 areas across the country almost twice as many as the previous week. It also showed B.1.617.2 had spread to 151 out of England's 314 local authorities. In Bolton, which is recording the highest infection rate in the country because of the variant, hospitalisations have already started to creep up. There are currently 43 Covid patients in Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, according to data from the Government's Covid dashboard, which is more than triple than at the start of May. Experts fear the pressure on the trust, which looks after the Royal Bolton Hospital, will only get worse. It can take several weeks for cases to translate into deaths due to the lag between someone catching and falling seriously ill with Covid. However, No10 has said that the 'majority' of people being hospitalised with the disease are either unvaccinated or have not been for both jabs. Public Health England have found two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer 's jab provide a similar level of protection from the Indian variant as they do for the Kent version, which has raised hopes that hospital and death rates will not reach the peaks of previous waves. Professor Andrew Pollard, one of the main researchers behind the AstraZeneca jab, today said the pandemic in the UK could be 'over' if the vaccines work as well on the mutant virus in the real world as PHE says. However, both Pfizer and AstraZeneca's jabs were only 33 per cent effective at blocking symptoms of the Indian strain three weeks after one dose, compared to 50 per cent against the Kent variant. Officials say it highlights the importance of getting both injections. The Indian coronavirus variant is now dominant in 44 areas across England almost twice as many as the previous week according to data published by the Sanger Institute today. Of the hotspots, only 19 have seen their infection rates increase in the most recent week In Bolton, which is recording the highest infection rate in the country because of the variant, hospitalisations have already started to creep up. There are currently 43 Covid patients in Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, according to data from the Government's Covid dashboard, which is more than triple than at the start of May Nationally hospital admissions remain flat, with about 100 people being admitted every day with Covid across the UK, on average It has meant that the number of inpatients with Covid has also been stagnant, despite an uptick in Bolton Indian Covid variant is now dominant in 44 areas across England as NHS starts to see extra pressure in Bolton The Indian coronavirus variant is now dominant in 44 areas across England almost twice as many as the previous week according to data published today. Analysis of samples from people infected with Covid in the week up to May 15 also shows that the B.1.617.2 strain had spread to 151 out of England's 314 local authorities. The mutant virus had overtaken the previously-dominant Kent variant in 44 places, up from 23 the week prior, and is now behind 90 per cent of cases in Blackburn and eight in ten in hotspots Bolton, Sefton, Bedford and Croydon. In Bolton, which is recording the highest Covid infection rate in the country thanks to an outbreak of the Indian variant, hospitalisations have already started to creep up. There are currently 43 Covid patients in Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, according to data from the Government's Covid dashboard, which is more than triple than at the start of May, when there were 13. Experts fear the pressure on the trust, which looks after the Royal Bolton Hospital and a handful of smaller clinics, will only get worse as the Greater Manchester town's infection rate climbs. It takes several weeks for cases to translate into deaths due to the lag between someone catching and falling seriously ill with Covid. However, No10 has said that the 'majority' of people being hospitalised with the disease in Bolton are either unvaccinated or have not been for both jabs. Public Health England have found two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer's jab provide a similar level of protection from the Indian variant as they do for the Kent version, which has raised hopes that hospital and death rates will not reach the peaks of previous waves. Professor Andrew Pollard, one of the main researchers behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, today said the pandemic in the UK could be 'over' if the vaccines work as well on the mutant virus in the real world as PHE says. However, both Pfizer and AstraZeneca's jabs were only 33 per cent effective at blocking symptoms of the Indian strain three weeks after one dose, compared to 50 per cent against the Kent variant. Officials say it highlights the importance of getting both injections. Ministers say England is on track for all restrictions to be dropped as planned on June 21, despite fears the rapid spread of the Indian variant would jeopardise 'freedom day'. Advertisement The latest analysis of the Indian variant's spread comes from the Sanger Institute, one of the largest variant-testing labs in the UK. It checks more than half of all the UK's samples to spot different types of the virus. Its data excludes door-to-door surge testing and travellers' swabs, allowing it to reflect which Covid variants are spreading in the community and not random cases brought in from elsewhere. It found that by May 17, the variant accounted for more than half of cases in 44 places of England. Among them, only 19 have seen their infection rates increase. The new hotspots were: Ribble Valley, Preston, Fylde, Burnley, Rossendale, Chorley, Central Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire, North Hertfordshire, East Hertfordshire, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire, Bristol, Swindon, Wiltshire, Test Valley, Reading, Woking, Slough, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Ealing. It is still dominant in Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, Sefton, West Lancashire, Stevenage, Nottingham, South Northamptonshire, Bedford, Chelmsford, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Canterbury, Rushmoor, Hart, Hillingdon, Camden, Hounslow, Greenwich, Croydon and Bromley. But it is no longer the dominant strain in Oadby and Wigston, Broxbourne and Brent which may be down to very low case numbers in these areas. The North West and London are experiencing the biggest outbreaks of the mutant strain, data suggests, although the strain is also spreading across the East Midlands, East of England and the South West. Bolton has the highest infection rate out of local authorities suffering outbreaks of the Indian variant (434 cases per 100,000 people) which has more than doubled over the past week. Data suggests that two per cent of people in one neighbourhood of the Greater Manchester borough tested positive for the virus last week. Blackburn with Darwen had the second largest outbreak (215.1), and Bedford had the third largest (142.5). They were followed by new hotspots Burnley (60.7), Rossendale (57.4), Chorley (55.8) and Preston (48.9). Indian variant hotspot Hounslow had the highest Covid infection rate in London (47.5). It was followed by Hillingdon (39.1) and Ealing (35.7). For comparison, England's average is 21.3 per 100,000 and has remained around this level since mid-April. PHE's latest technical briefing shows 46.2 per cent of Covid cases were the Kent variant in the week to May 10, but 53.8 per cent were down to other variants. It is thought the first majority were B.1.617.2. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the Indian variant of Covid appeared to have become dominant across the country at a time when Downing Street was saying it is still present in very low numbers. 'Covid is retreating to its strongholds of last summer, looking at the latest map which is already out of data,' he said. 'The areas where Covid has traditionally found it easier to spread are the same areas where the variant is finding it easier to spread. 'And that is not surprising because of deprivation, inner city, more crowded dwelling, multi-generational occupancy.' Hospitalisations and deaths linked to the virus are expected to creep up again in the coming weeks, the scientist said, but it is not clear how much they will rise by. 'It will be somewhere between being manageable and close to Armageddon,' he said, 'but I'm not sure which extreme it will be closer to'. Department of Health data shows how the number of positive tests being recorded each day has changed in the 10 areas with the biggest outbreaks where the Indian variant is known to be dominant. Top left shows Bolton's outbreak, which has grown rapidly over the past three weeks. But outbreaks remain flat in other hotspots, such as Preston, Hillingdon and Ealing Revealed: The 18 European 'amber list' countries where you can go on holiday from Britain WITHOUT having to quarantine on arrival British holidaymakers can visit 18 European countries on the 'amber list' without having to quarantine upon arrival, it emerged today - as tourists faced fresh confusion after Spain welcomed Britons despite being on the UK Government's 'amber list', while France prepares to impose tougher restrictions on travellers. Passengers returning to Britain from amber list countries must stay at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight - as well as a lateral flow test before the return flight. They can also pay for 'Test to Release' on day five to end self-isolation early. However, these restrictions were not deterring UK tourists from travelling to Spain this morning after Madrid let in Britons without any requirement for quarantine upon arrival, but ministers have again urged sunseekers not to head to the popular destination. Meanwhile, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has suggested his country will go the other way and impose tighter controls on visitors from the UK due to fears over the Indian variant. Mr Le Drian also swiped at Britain's past 'failures' to control the virus in the latest barb as EU leaders face criticism over their lockdowns and vaccine rollout. The confusing picture will leave would-be travellers scratching their heads over whether and where to go on foreign holidays this summer. All these European countries are on the UK's amber list, meaning passengers returning to Britain must stay at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight - as well as a lateral flow test before the return flight. They can also pay for 'Test to Release' on day five to end self-isolation early. But that is proving no deterrent to people flying to Spain today - with all the amber list countries below allowing entry to UK citizens with no quarantine requirement: Albania Armenia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Estonia Greece Italy Kosovo Malta Moldova Montenegro North Macedonia San Marino Serbia Slovenia Spain Ukraine Advertisement It also emerged today that British holidaymakers can visit 18 European countries on the 'amber list' without having to quarantine upon arrival. It comes as tourists faced fresh confusion after Spain welcomed Britons despite being on the UK Government's 'amber list', while France prepares to impose tougher restrictions on travellers. Passengers returning to Britain from amber list countries must stay at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight as well as a lateral flow test before the return flight. They can also pay for 'Test to Release' on day five to end self-isolation early. However, these restrictions were not deterring UK tourists from travelling to Spain this morning after Madrid let in Britons without any requirement for quarantine upon arrival, but ministers have again urged sunseekers not to head to the popular destination. Meanwhile, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has suggested his country will go the other way and impose tighter controls on visitors from the UK due to fears over the Indian variant. Mr Le Drian also swiped at Britain's past 'failures' to control the virus in the latest barb as EU leaders face criticism over their lockdowns and vaccine rollout. The confusing picture will leave would-be travellers scratching their heads over whether and where to go on foreign holidays this summer. It came as British travellers arrived at Malaga Airport today on a Ryanair flight from London Luton, while back in the UK there were queues at check-in at Heathrow Airport as Britons prepared to go abroad. Portugal is currently the only major tourist destination on England's 'green list', meaning people can go without the need to quarantine on return. But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has hinted the roster could be expanded imminently amid pressure for France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added. And after fines for non-essential travel were scrapped, thousands of people have been defying the government's advice and heading for 'amber list' countries anyway. They need to isolate at home for up to 10 days as well as getting tested, but do not have to stay at quarantine hotels. Today, the first British holidaymakers to jet to the Costa del Sol spoke of their joy at Spain's long-awaited decision to lift its UK tourist ban. Families and couples who had gone months without a foreign holiday touched down to shorts and T-shirt weather at Malaga Airport with temperatures nearing 75F (24C). Several passengers on Ryanair flight FR7784 from London Luton, which arrived ten minutes after schedule at just before 11am, had been refused permission to board earlier planes due to reach Malaga before Spain's near five-month-long Covid veto on British tourists was removed at midnight. But any worries they had about a new setback were eased as they sailed through customs and walked into bright sunshine outside the arrivals terminal. Vicky Ashton, 52, who had travelled to Malaga from her home in Derby with husband Tony, 61, and her parents, said: 'It feels fantastic to be here. 'I'm staying for 10 days. I'd rather not have to quarantine obviously when I get back home but it's a price I'm willing to pay. We're so happy to be able to be travelling again. I've got a holiday home in Marbella and am looking to buy another with relatives. 'I think Boris Johnson should put Spain on the green list as soon as possible. I wasn't worried about the British government advising against travel to Spain because it's an amber list country at the moment. 'We knew we were going to feel totally safe here because of the outdoor life and the fact the rules during lockdown have been very strict in Spain and people have respected them.' National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted that he's "not convinced" the COVID-19 pandemic developed naturally and has now called for an investigation on the Wuhan Institute of Laboratory, reports say. The Blaze said Fauci was not confident that COVID "developed naturally" during an interview with Katie Sanders of PolitiFact, which was contrary to his earlier statements dismissing the likelihood of the Wuhan Institute of Virology creating COVID-19. Fauci's interview took place on the second day of United Facts of America, a festival of fact checking according to its video uploaded in Poynter, last May 12 where PoliFact discussed various misinformation on the public health crisis. The event was sponsored by AmericaHealth Caritas and conducted via Zoom. "No, I'm not convinced about that. I think that we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we find out to the best of our ability exactly what happened," Fauci said in reponse to Sanders who asked on the matter. "Certainly, the people who've investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could've been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," he added. Fauci's flip-flopping statements already affected his credibility negatively. The Blaze pointed out that a poll from The Convention of States Action and The Trafalgar Group showed that Americans' confidence on him has declined gravely. The poll was conducted May 16-18 on 1,093 general election voters and showed that 42.2% responded their confidence on Fauci "decreased significantly" or "decreased" as compared to last year. While 26.1% said their confidence on him remains the same or "unchanged," a 9.1% said their confidence in him "increased," and 13% "increased significantly." Fauci's statements during the United Facts of America interview is a surprising development to Kentucky Senator Paul Rand's constant arguments on the pandemic. Paul alleged after the Senate Hearing with Fauci last week that the latter was "culpable" for the entire pandemic due to documents showing the National Institutes of Health funded "gain of function research" that was done in the Wuhan Institute. Rand's accusations echo an investigation earlier in March that reveal Fauci is actually linked to the Wuhan laboratory experiments. During the hearing, Paul grilled Fauci during the Senate Hearing where the latter denied funding of such sort. Paul eventually raised the need to investigate the NIH funding. The World Health Organization actually absolved in February the Wuhan Laboratory as the source of the COVID-19 virus. But a group of scientists last week have raised the need to investigate on the matter thoroughly and with transparency. Last month, President Joe Biden has signed an order that bans reference to the COVID-19 pandemic as the "Wuhan Virus" to avoid straining relationships with the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, The Blaze added that a report released by the House Intelligence Committee last week reveal that there is "significant circumstancial evidence" that suggest the COVID-19 virus came from the Wuhan laboratory, which is a possibility that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky believes. A Massachusetts woman who accidentally threw away a $1million lottery ticket still got her jackpot thanks to the kindness and honesty of the owners of the store where she bought it. Lea Rose Fiega bought the $30 Diamond Millions scratch-off ticket in March at the Lucky Stop convenience store in Southwick, near were she works. 'I was in a hurry, on lunch break, and just scratched it real quick, and looked at it, and it didn't look like a winner, so I handed it over to them to throw away,' she said Monday. Lea Rose Fiega won $1 million from the Massachusetts lottery after a convenience store owners' son found her winning ticket in the trash The ticket lay behind the counter for 10 days, before the store owners' son decided to check the discarded tickets on March 26. 'I was going through the tickets from the trash and found out that she didn't scratch the number,' Abhi Shah recounted to WWLP-TV. 'I scratched the number and it was $1million underneath the ticket.' He remembered his mother, Aruna, selling the ticket to Fiega, whom Aruna and store owner Manuish knew as a regular at the convenience store. Shah decided to visit Fiega at work three days later. 'He came to my office and said "My Mom and Dad would like to see you,"' Fiega recalled. 'I said "I'm working," and he said "no you have to come over."' She started worrying something was wrong, Shah later told Mass Live, but he assured Fiega: 'No, it's something good. It will change your life.' Fiega was a regular at the Lucky Stop in Southwick, which will now receive a $10,000 bonus for selling a winning lottery ticket Fiega bought the $30 Diamond Millions scratch-off ticket in March, but forgot to scratch off one diamond, which revealed she won $1 million When she entered the store later, Shah handed Fiega the ticket, and began to cry. 'I mean, who does that?' Fiega asked, rhetorically. 'They're great people. I am beyond blessed.' She said she overcame a near-fatal bout of COVID-19 in January, which was also like 'winning the lottery,' so she feels doubly fortunate. The store gets a $10,000 bonus from the state lottery commission for selling the winning ticket, and Fiega said she gave the family an additional reward. She's saving the rest for retirement. The Biden administration has once again alluded to the idea of using budget procedures to get around Republican opposition to the president's infrastructure plan with Pete Buttigieg referencing another path if negotiators advance by Memorial Day. The Transportation secretary who has been involved in the negotiations spoke Monday, after a group of Republicans roundly rejected the latest offer by the administration a trimmed down plan that still comes in at $1.7 trillion. That offer, revealed Friday, is still far more than what a group of centrists Republicans have proposed of around $600 billion. President Biden came out with a $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal, which the White House trimmed to $1.7 trillion in a counteroffer to Republicans 'We continue to think there needs to be major progress by Memorial Day,' Buttigieg told CNN on Monday. 'All that is not going to happen by Memorial Day. But we really need to get this done this summer, which is why we continue to want to see, even just in the few days between now and the holiday, some real progress if we're going to pursue this path,' he added. His comment comes after Democrats in the Senate explored the idea of using special budget reconciliation instructions that would allow the plan to get through the chamber on a simple majority vote although it would require them to hold their entire 50-member caucus together. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also floated the go-it-alone approach in remarks Sunday to CBS 'Face the Nation.' 'We would like bipartisanship, but I dont think we have a seriousness on the part of the Republican leadership to address the major crisis facing this country. And if theyre not coming forward, weve got to go forward alone,' he said. He said it was 'probably right' to assume Democrats would need to use reconciliation. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, asked if the administration was ready to move ahead and ask Democratic leaders to act under reconciliation, responded: 'We're not quite there.' Biden had marked off Memorial Day as the deadline for reaching an agreement. His pressure came as the White House complained that Republicans, led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, had not moved nearly far enough in talks. Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said there needs to be progress by Memorial Day White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pushed Republicans to make a counteroffer. She spoke in a briefing room that now includes more reporters under revised covid restrictions Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) blasted the latest White House counteroffer in a statement. The White House said the ball is now in the GOP's court A joint GOP statement blasted the latest Democratic counteroffer. 'The ball is in the Republicans court,' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. She complained that while the White House had come down $550 billion from an initial $2.3 trillion offer, Republicans had moved up only $50 billion. 'If we came down by $550 billion and they came up by $50 billion, they have a ways more to go,' she said. On Friday, Republicans acknowledged the counteroffer, calling it 'well above the range of what can pass Congress with bipartisan support.' 'There continue to be vast differences between the White House and Senate Republicans when it comes to the definition of infrastructure, the magnitude of proposed spending, and how to pay for it,' the statement continued. 'Based on todays meeting, the groups seem further apart after two meetings with White House staff than they were after one meeting with President Biden. Senate Republicans will further review the details in todays counteroffer and continue to engage in conversations with the administration,' they concluded. Joining in the statement were Republican Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The standoff comes after Biden has revealed he will not include student loan forgiveness in his upcoming Budget, after pledging to cancel $10,000 from loans on the campaign trail. Biden is due to announce his latest budget at the end of next week, and claims he has grown suspicious of wiping out the loans. The shift in policy is a major blow for the more than 42 million Americans who have student loans. He had been pressured by progressives in the Democrat Party including Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to forgive up to $50,000 in debt. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, was also in favor. In an interview with the New York Times Friday, Biden said he had grown 'suspicious' of canceling the debt. 'The idea that you go to Penn and you're paying a total of 70,000 bucks a year and the public should pay for that? I don't agree,' Biden told the Times. The White House has previously said Biden wanted to see Congress pass legislation to wipe away student debt, rather than through executive order. The announcement marks a shift from the White House's previous position last month when Biden's chief of staff Ronald Klain said the president was considering canceling up to $50,000 in debt. Klain told a Politico Playbook event that Biden has asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to figure out if the president has the legal authority to wipe out their balances. In March, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said they were still 'exploring options' around student loan policy. 'The President continues to call on Congress to cancel $10,000 in debt for student loan borrowers,' she said. 'That's something Congress could take an action on, and he'd be happy to sign.' Warren had previously called on Biden to wipe away the debt using executive order. 'Biden-Harris can cancel billions of dollars in student loan debt, giving tens of millions of Americans an immediate financial boost and helping to close the racial wealth gap,' Warren Tweeted in November, days after the election was called in Biden's favor. 'This is the single most effective executive action available for a massive economic stimulus.' Advertisement UK aircraft have been told to avoid Belarus airspace 'in order to keep passengers safe' after the 'state-sponsored hijack' of a Ryanair flight to detain a dissident journalist. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said further sanctions were being considered against the Alexander Lukashenko administration and Belarus' ambassador in London had been summoned for a dressing down. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace 'in order to keep passengers safe' and also suspended the operating permit for Belavia - the country's state-owned airline. Journalist Roman Protasevich - a 26-year-old prominent critic of Lukashenko's regime - was on board the flight from Athens to Vilnius when it was forced to change course on Sunday to head for Minsk after a bomb scare, escorted by a MiG fighter jet. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said it was a 'state-sponsored hijacking' and claimed agents from Russia's KGB were also on board the flight. It follows Russia voicing its approval of the 'hijacking' of the Ryanair flight, with the country's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying Minsk was taking an 'absolutely reasonable approach' to the detention of Protasevich. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also mocked the Western indignation at the 'hijacking' writing on Facebook she was 'shocked that the West calls the incident in Belarusian air space 'shocking'' and accusing Western nations of 'kidnappings, forced landings, and illegal arrests'. Meanwhile, Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she feared Protasevich was likely being 'tortured' following his arrest. She said the journalist, who has been described as a 'private enemy' of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, was probably 'in awful circumstances' and being 'tortured, because he knows lots of information.' 'We're really afraid, not only for his freedom but for his life', she told Sky News. Minsk was again the centre of a security alert on Monday afternoon after German airline Lufthansa said a flight to the Belarusian capital from Frankfurt was suspended due to a security warning. Protasevich's flight made a sharp deviation from its course just a few miles from the Lithuanian border before landing in Minsk, leading some aviation experts to believe that the MiG-29 fighter jet may even have threatened to shoot the Ryanair plane down. Suspicions have fallen on four passengers, believed to be agents from the Belarusian KGB, who voluntarily departed in Minsk, not continuing with the flight when it travelled on to its final destination, the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Their presence has stoked fears that Belarusian or Russian agents were involved in a murky operation to arrest Protasevich who had begged the crew not to follow the order, saying 'they will kill me' and telling a fellow passenger on the ground that he faced 'the death penalty.' Yale University History Professor Timothy Snyder added fuel to rumours of Russian involvement, claiming in a tweet: 'Belarus would not have hijacked an EU plane without Russian approval'. Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured after he was separated from other passengers) was hauled off the plane and arrested with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, after the flight from Greece to Lithuania made the emergency landing in Minsk Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained NEXTA, Protasevich's outlet, was closely involved in reporting a wave of opposition protests that last year threatened to topple Lukashenko, before he was given backing by Vladimir Putin Aviation experts have claimed that Belarus threatened to shoot down the Athens to Vilnius Ryanair flight unless it did not land immediately (pictured: a MiG-29 fighter jet involved in the incident arriving back at base in Belarus). Their presence has stoked fears of Russian secret services involvement in a murky operation to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, a passenger on the plane who was detained with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, in Minsk A UK Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said: 'Following the UK Government's decision, the UK Civil Aviation Authority has suspended all foreign carrier permits held by Belarusian air carriers until further notice. 'This suspension applies to both scheduled operators, including the Belarusian airline Belavia, as well as chartered air carriers. 'The Civil Aviation Authority has also issued a notice to all UK registered airlines requesting that they avoid overflight of any territory of the Republic of Belarus'. Mr O'Leary previously told Newstalk: 'I think it's very frightening for the crew, for the passengers who were held under armed guard, and had their bags searched. 'It was clear it appears that the intent of the Russian authorities was to remove a journalist and his traveling companion. We believe there was also some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft as well.' Mr Raab told MPs there were more than 100 passengers on the flight. 'We are urgently seeking full details of precisely what took place in relation to Flight FR4978 but the scenario as reported is a shocking assault on civil aviation and an assault on international law,' he said. 'It represents a danger to civilian flights everywhere and it is an egregious and extraordinary departure from the international law and the international practice that guides international civil aviation under the Chicago Convention.' Mr Raab called for the release of Mr Protasevich from the 'spurious charges' he faces, adding: 'Mr Lukashenko's regime must be held to account for such reckless and dangerous behaviour.' The UK was working to explore 'every potential diplomatic option' and was 'actively considering and co-ordinating with our allies on further sanctions on those responsible for this outlandish conduct'. Meanwhile, EU President Ursula von der Leyen slammed Lukashenko's 'outrageous and illegal behaviour' and vowed those responsible for the hijacking would be sanctioned. EU leaders are meeting for a two-day summit today to decide on a joint response to the act of 'aviation piracy'. Protasevich, an outspoken critic of Belarusian Lukashenko - dubbed 'Europe's last dictator' - was wanted for his role in organising massive protests against him after rigged elections last year. Lukashenko, an ally of Vladimir Putin, personally gave the 'unequivocal order' to 'make the plane do a U-turn and land,' according to a statement by Belarus's presidential news service. The airliner full of tourists made an emergency landing at Minsk Airport yesterday after being escorted by a MiG-29 fighter jet amid reports of a bomb on board Journalists and Belarusian activists wait to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania Ryanair flight FR4978 had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius in Lithuania when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet to Belarus amid fake reports of an IED on board. It was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport, where authorities arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich Tsikhanouskaya called for wider sanctions on the Lukashenko's regime after Protasevich's arrest, which she said was 'the result of impunity'. 'For nine months already we have been fighting against the regime after fraudulent elections, but the regime still feels impunity and you see they use such awful methods of kidnapping people,' she said. 'We have to put much more pressure on this regime for them to stop violence and to release political prisoners.' She said she though it 'unbelievable' the regime had lasted long under these circumstances, especially because 'the whole county is against the regime'. 'The only question is, how many victims will there be during this fight for freedom and for democracy? I'm sure that these changes will come soon', she added. Tory MP Tom Tugendhat this morning called it 'a warlike act,' joining the British, Irish and American governments in their condemnation. 'This was a flight between two NATO members and between two EU members,' the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman told Radio 4. 'If it's not an act of war, it's certainly a warlike act.' Dominic Raab vowed to hold Lukashenko accountable 'for his outlandish actions' with further sanctions and demanded the 'immediate release of Protasevich.' His Irish counterpart Simon Coveney was also withering, saying that Dublin - where Ryanair is headquartered - would not allow the 'state-sponsored piracy' to go unpunished. 'We cannot allow this incident to pass on the basis of warnings or strong press releases,' Coveney told RTE. 'I think there has to be real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this. This was effectively aviation piracy, state-sponsored.' Moscow defended its ally, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov calling Lukashenko's action an 'absolutely reasonable approach.' 'A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules,' Lavrov said during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart. 'I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach.' He called on the global community to 'soberly assess the situation'. Earlier Monday, authorities in Belarus insisted they had acted legally when they diverted the flight. They instead accused the West of making unfounded claims for political reasons. Several European airlines including AirBaltic, Air Austria and Wizz Air were avoiding Belarusian air space today as EU leaders were set to meet in Brussels ton discuss furthers sanctions against Lukashenko. AirBaltic said it was monitoring the situation and would avoid Belarus airspace until it 'becomes clearer'. It added: 'the safety and health of our passengers and employees in the main priority'. The Foreign Affairs Committee has called for a complete flight ban on Belarusian airspace. MP Tugendhat said he wanted to see a flight ban 'to protect our citizens from any potential repeat of this event'. Tugendhat explained he was calling for a ban on all flights going into, or out of, Belarus, until Sunday's hijacking was resolved. He added a call for 'immediate sanctions on the Lukashenko regime', including on the Yamal-Europe oil pipeline. Ryanair boss O'Leary (left) described the act today as 'state-sponsored hijacking,' adding that 'we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well.' Tory MP Tom Tugendhat (right) called it 'a warlike act,' joining the British and US governments, among other Western nations, who have condemned the grounding of the Ryanair flight. On Sunday, Ryanair Flight 4978 had already begun its descent into the Lithuanian capital when the pilot announced that the plane would be suddenly diverting to Minsk. There was no explanation. But Protasevich reacted immediately, standing up from his seat, reaching into the overhead locker, pulling a laptop computer from his hand luggage and passing it to his girlfriend along with his mobile phone. 'When it was announced they were going to land in Minsk, Roman stood up, opened the luggage compartment, took luggage and was trying to split things,' said a Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas. 'I think he made a mistake. There were plenty of people so he could give the things to me or other passengers and not the girlfriend, who was also I think arrested.' Outside the plane - although not visible to Mantas - was a Soviet-era MiG-29, on orders from Lukashenko to force the plane to Minsk. Mantas was speaking to Reuters after a day-long ordeal that began in Athens and finally ended late in the evening in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, after a stopover of more than seven hours in Minsk. Another exhausted passenger, speaking to reporters without giving her name, said Protasevich looked 'super scared'. ROMAN PROTASEVICH: OPPOSITION BLOGGER FORCED INTO EXILE Protasevich, 26, has long been a thorn in the side of Belarus's hardline dictator Alexander Lukashenko. He worked as an editor at the Poland-based Nexta Live channel, which is based on the Telegram messenger app and has over 1 million subscribers. The channel, which is openly hostile to Lukashenko, played an important role in broadcasting huge opposition protests against the President last year. Nexta also helped coordinate those same protests, which were sparked by anger over what the opposition said was a rigged presidential election. The channel's footage, which showed how harshly police cracked down on demonstrators, was used widely by international media at a time when the Belarusian authorities were reluctant to allow foreign media in. In November Protasevich published a copy of an official Belarusian list of terrorists on which his name figured. The listing said he was accused of organising mass riots while working at Nexta. He also stands accused of disrupting social order and of inciting social hatred. He regards the allegations, which could see him jailed for years, as unjustified political repression. Protasevich fled Belarus for Poland in 2019 due to pressure from the authorities, according to Media Solidarity, a group that supports Belarusian journalists. He moved his parents to Poland too after they were put under surveillance. He later relocated to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is also based. Protasevich is currently editor-in-chief of a Belarusian political outlet hosted on the Telegram messaging app called 'Belarus of the Brain' which has around a quarter of a million subscribers. He was flying back to Vilnius from Greece where he had spent time taking photographs of a visit there by Tsikhanouskaya. He had posted the pictures to social media before flying back. Advertisement 'I looked directly into his eyes and he was very sad,' she said. Protasevich was immediately separated on arrival in Minsk and checks of luggage using sniffer dogs turned up nothing. 'We saw that Roman was stopped due to some things in the luggage,' Mantas said, adding that the other passengers also had their luggage checked and were taken by bus to the terminal where they spent several hours waiting to reboard the plane. 'We saw from the window that Roman is standing alone, and one policeman with dog was trying to find something (in his luggage).' Another passenger, who also did not give his name, told Lithuanian media that Protasevich had identified himself to Belarusian security officials on arrival. 'I saw how his passport was taken away. He took off his mask and said: 'I'm so-and-so and I'm the reason why all this is going on.'' Aviation experts today revealed that the passenger plane had been significantly closer to Vilnius than it was to Minsk when it was forced to turn around, making a mockery of the Belarusian claims that it needed to make an emergency landing for a bomb threat. Leading opposition figure Pavel Latushko said: 'The air traffic controllers of Minsk-2 airport threatened to shoot at the Ryanair civilian plane with passengers on board. For this reason, a military fighter MiG-29 of Belarus Air Force was sent. 'This proves again that this incident was an act of state terrorism It demands an immediate reaction of European authorities and the entire world community.' Ryanair did not deny the claims this morning, telling MailOnline: 'Ryanair condemns the unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities who diverted Ryanair's flight FR4978 to Minsk yesterday (23 May), which was an act of aviation piracy. 'This is now being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies & NATO. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them and we cannot comment further for security reasons.' Latushko heads the National Anti-Crisis Management, a shadow government set up last year by the Belarusian Coordination Council for the peaceful transfer of power following the 'rigged' 2020 election, widely seen as stolen by President Alexander Lukashenko. He is a former culture minister of Belarus and was the country's ambassador to France, Spain and Portugal before joining the opposition. The claim about the shooting had come via the Belarus civil aviation authority, he said. Mantas, a Lithuanian passenger of Ryanair flight FR4978, speaks to the media after arriving at Vilnius Airport, Lithuania Belarusian dog handler checks luggage from the Ryanair flight in Minsk International Airport on May 23 The Belarus authorities claimed its bomb-disposal squad was examining the plane Was Ryanair hijacking a KGB sting? Ally of arrested blogger claims Belarusian spies 'initiated fight with cabin crew by insisting there was a bomb on board' A member of the Nexta team, Tadeusz Giczan, said on Twitter that representatives of the Belarusian security agency had been on the flight with Protasevich. 'Then when the plane had entered Belarus airspace, the KGB officers initiated a fight with the Ryanair crew insisting there's an IED onboard,' he said. A spokeswoman for state company Lithuanian Airports, Lina Beisine, told AFP that Minsk airport had said the flight was redirected 'due to a conflict between a member of the crew and the passengers'. Ryanair said the flight's crew had been notified by Belarus air traffic control of 'a potential security threat on board' and were instructed to divert to Minsk, the 'nearest' airport. The EU and the United States have sanctioned Lukashenko and dozens of officials and businessmen tied to his regime with asset freezes and visa bans. The opposition protests in Belarus, which left at least four people dead, have now subsided, but journalists and activists continue to receive prison sentences in the aftermath. Advertisement Moscow-based aviation expert Vadim Lukashevich said he too believed that a threat to shoot down the Ryanair flight had been made. He said: 'To make it crystal clear - the pilots of the Ryanair plane that was forced to land in Belarus were pulling towards the destination Vilnius until the last possible moment. 'They had to turn back under the threat of a fighter jet when the distance to Vilnius airport was only 45 miles away and only 19 miles to the Lithuanian border.' He claimed the Ryanair pilots were 'heading towards Lithuania without slowing down they were escaping from the fighter jet, and they turned back just two minutes before crossing the Lithuanian border. ' Flightradar data showed the plane had not slowed to descend at the usual height on this route but appeared to be flying as fast as possible to the border - before abruptly turning back, seemingly on the orders of the MiG-29. He is convinced that 'the fighter had permission to shoot', he said. 'And I am absolutely sure that the crew of the passenger aircraft turned around only after receiving a notification from the Belarusian fighter that, in case of disobedience, it would open fire before the passenger plane left the airspace of Belarus.' Meanwhile, a leading Russian investigative journalist Roman Dobrokhotov revealed that as well as Protasevich's girlfriend Sapega, four Russian passengers who had been on the flight to Lithuania left it in Minsk. He claimed: 'Four citizens of Russia did not continue the flight to Vilnius. 'This operation was escorted by Russian special services.' One of Russia's most respected independent journalists Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Echo Moscow radio, said: 'Four more Russians didn't follow on to Vilnius, but left the plane in Minsk, and dissolved into the nature.' Another source suggests there were three not four Russians who left the plane, but in any event their identities are not known. Sapega is a student of the European Humanities University, now based in Vilnius, after its forced closure by Lukashenko's authorities in Minsk. She is a Russian citizen, and the university where she studies international law has expressed deep concern for her fate. Political detainees in Belarus are frequently tortured by the KGB secret service and police. A passenger named Raselle, a beautician, was videoed on the plane when it landed in Minsk posted a message to say that Protasevich had said to the flight attendant: 'Don't do this, they will kill me. I am refugee. 'He answered: We must, we have no choice, it's in Ryanair legal agreements.' A woman covered with an old Belarusian national flag holds a phone with a sticker in colors of an old Belarusian national flag as she waits to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich The Ryanair plane, which was carrying blogger Roman Protasevich and was diverted to Belarus, lands at Vilnius Airport in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday The Ryanair flight is parked at Minsk International Airport on Sunday after it was stopped by authorities Passengers on the Ryanair flight filmed Belarusian officials walking towards the plane before Protasevich was arrested (left) while sniffer dogs searched bags (right) Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte came to Vilnius Airport for the plane's arrival on Sunday, as did dozens of Belarusian opposition supporters WHY HAVE THERE BEEN PROTESTS IN BELARUS? Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, was rocked by strikes and weeks of protests last summer after President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994, was re-elected. The demonstrations started in the run-up to the August election day and became widespread after he claimed victory. The results was rejected by opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was soon forced into exile. The massive demonstrations sparked by the vote were the largest and most persistent show of opposition the former Soviet republic has ever seen, with some of them attracting as many as 200,000 people. More than 33,000 people were arrested during the protests and the police crackdown was brutal, with tear gas and rubber bullets used to disperse the masses, while others were beaten in the streets. Thousands were detained as the protests rumbled on through the autumn, with political activists and journalists jailed or forced into exile in neighbouring former Soviet states. At least four people were killed in the repression, with harrowing accounts emerging of abuse and torture in prisons. Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, has refused to step down and has secured backing from Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The European Union has refused to recognise the results of the election and imposed sanctions on Belarus. There have been sporadic demonstrations against Lukashenko this year, including on Freedom Day, March 25, when dozens of protesters were arrested in Minsk. Belarus was disqualified from the weekend's Eurovision Song Contest after lyrics of submitted songs were deemed to be mocking of anti-government protests. Advertisement Lithuania - a former Soviet state now in the EU and NATO - has led Western calls for action against its neighbour, Belarus. 'It is an unprecedented attack against the international community: a civilian plane and its passengers have been hijacked by military force, and a Belarusian citizen has been abducted, whose life and health are in danger,' said a government statement. 'It is unjustifiable that ordinary international travellers have been held hostage to the regime's aggression. 'This is the act of state terrorism directed against the security of citizens of the European Union and other countries, civil society of Belarus seeking asylum from the regime's persecution, as well as international civil aviation. 'Lithuania will demand a clear and uncompromising response from the international community.' Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement on Monday: 'The UK condemns yesterday's actions by the Belarusian authorities, who arrested journalist Roman Protasevich on the basis of a ruse, having forced his flight to land in Minsk. Mr Lukashenko must be held to account for his outlandish actions. 'The UK calls for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich and other political prisoners held in Belarus. The UK is working with our allies on a coordinated response, including further sanctions. The UK also calls for the ICAO Council to meet urgently to consider the regime's flouting of the international rules safeguarding civil aviation.' The 27 EU leaders open a two-day summit later Monday and the issue immediately shot to the top the agenda amid united condemnation of Lukashenko. 'The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences,' EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted. 'Those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned.' EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called it 'yet another blatant attempt by the Belarusian authorities to silence all opposition voices.' He called the diversion of the plane an 'inadmissible step' highlighting a further worsening in relations between both sides. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Monday bristled at what it described as 'belligerent' EU statements, insisting that the country's authorities acted 'in full conformity with international rules.' U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the incident 'shocking' and accused the Belarusian government of endangering the lives of those aboard the aircraft, including some Americans. He called for the release of Pratasevich and for the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review the incident. Police officers detained Roman Protasevich after he was attempting to cover a rally in Minsk, Belarus on 26 March 2017 'I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said there's death penalty awaiting him there,' passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. 'We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again.' Pratasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app's Nexta channel, which played a prominent role in helping organise major protests against Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian authorities have designated it as extremist and levered charges of inciting riots against Pratasevich, who could face 15 years in prison if convicted. Months of protests in Belarus were fueled by Lukashenko's election to a sixth presidential term in an August vote that the opposition denounced as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since August, and thousands were brutally beaten. Drone footage has captured the moment a lone Border Patrol agent tried to stop a large group of migrants who were sprinting over the southern border into the U.S. Video obtained by Fox News shows around 40 migrants running down a dirt road in La Joya, Texas on Sunday pursued by the agent's pick-up truck, which weaves around the men in a vain attempt to halt them. Some of the migrants - who are all on foot - can be seen scaling fences and scrambling over narrow streams as they try to escape. About 15 to 20 of the migrants were arrested, with the other half presumed to have made it into the U.S. The shocking video comes as the U.S. experiences its biggest surge of illegal immigration in at least 20 years, with some immigrants who are caught saying they've been lured to the U.S. by President Joe Biden's promise of a 'more humane' policy to deal with immigrants. The U.S. is on pace to encounter 2 million migrants at the border this year, according to CNN, which viewed government projections. That far exceeds the 900,000 seen in 2019. The last time the agency encountered even one million people at the border was in 2006. Video obtained by Fox News shows around 40 migrants running down a dirt road in La Joya, Texas on Sunday pursued by the agent's pick-up, which weaves around the men in a vain attempt to halt them As for the Sunday video, two of the fleeing men appear to be handcuffed together, suggesting they had already been in custody before escaping. A second group of 53 migrants handed themselves in to guards having traveled from Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras and Romania. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures that more resources would be brought in to help the hard-pressed agents. 'The Texas Department of Public Safety patrols the border every single day and they've seen an 800% increase in the amount of fentanyl coming across the border,' he said. 'They've seized, this year, enough fentanyl to kill every man, woman and child in the entire state of New York.' It comes after one migrant was stopped Friday carrying a stash of 16 guns. In March, President Joe Biden named VP Kamala Harris as his 'border czar' as the administration faced a mounting crisis with mass migration from the south, causing an overwhelmed immigration system and overcrowded border facilities. Since taking on the role, Harris has drawn criticism for not visiting the border. The White House, however, has insisted since then that Harris' position is to address 'root causes' in Central America and Mexico that lead to people fleeing their home countries for the U.S. Some of the migrants - who are all on foot - can be seen running into grassland in an attempt to escape Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa is seeking to ban Harris from any taxpayer-funded travel until she makes a trip to the border. 'We have an absolute crisis at the border, and Vice President Harris was appointed to lead the administration's efforts on the border crisis, but it's been 56 days, and in that time she hasn't been to the border once,' Hinson told Fox News last week. 'She hasn't held a news conference on the administration's efforts for a plan, and I think it's time she does that.' The Biden administration is dealing with a growing number of single adult migrants crossing the border; they made up nearly two of every three encounters in April. This elusive group is less likely to surrender to U.S. authorities to seek asylum than families and children, often choosing risky routes away from Border Patrol checkpoints and intake sites, where agents process families and children traveling alone. Of the Border Patrols 173,460 total encounters with migrants last month, 108,301 were single adults, with more than half of them Mexican. The numbers were the highest since April 2000, but most were quickly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers invoked last year by then-President Donald Trump and kept in place by President Joe Biden. Unlike deportations, expulsions carry no legal consequences, and many migrants try crossing multiple times. The Border Patrol says 29% of people expelled in April had been expelled before. In March, President Joe Biden named VP Kamala Harris as his 'border czar'. Harris - seen with South Korean president Moon Jae-in at the White House on Friday Vice President Kamala Harris was named 'border czar' in March, but since then has not visited the border. She has, however, traveled across the country to promote Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan and upcoming $4 trillion in infrastructure proposals In Brooks County in the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, local officials have recovered 40 bodies of migrants in the brush so far this year. In all of 2020, they found 34 bodies, though the coronavirus pandemic vastly reduced the numbers of people coming to the United States. The Border Patrol keeps its own statistics, which tend to be lower than those tracked by aid groups and local officials because it only counts the remains of migrants it comes across. The latest increase in pressure on the Biden administration to address the border problem came as former president George W. Bush claimed the immigration system is 'broken' and slammed Congress for doing nothing to fix it. In an interview with Fox News last Thursday he said: 'You're not going to solve this if there is politics. 'If you think about where we are right now, you've got people on one side of the aisle blaming the former president, and people on the other side of the aisle blaming the current president. 'And, the truth of the matter is, the system is broken because Congress has failed to act.' Bush also said the real blame for the humanitarian crisis at the border is the smugglers who have no intention of getting these families into the US and are simply trying to make money. 'I'm sure they're telling them falsehoods 'follow me, I'll get you in' and these poor people have no way of checking that out and are finding themselves stuck at the border,' he added. A graph showing the number of migrants encountered by U.S. Border Patrol over recent months Hinson's proposal would stop Harris' vice presidential travel, including her security detail for out-of-country travel and the use of Air Force Two, until she issues a report to Congress on how to solve the crisis after finally visiting the southern border. The Iowa Republican says the report would need to include briefs on any meetings she held with agencies at the border and plans on addressing the crisis. She also is interested in the amount of foreign aid the administration plans to give to Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Officials this year have found the decomposing body of a Honduran woman with a document identifying her as a fruit packer for the banana company Chiquita as well as a Mexican man who appeared to have worked at a factory. Sometimes, sheriff's deputies only find skeletal remains. Brooks County sheriffs Patrol Deputy Roberto Castanon said he thinks this year has been particularly busy for migrants walking this treacherous stretch to elude capture. While agents try to count how many people avoid apprehension, it's difficult to do in the Rio Grande Valley. Its often thick brush has traditionally not had many sensors. The Border Patrols most trusted method of counting how many people get away relies on observing tiny human traces: dusty footprints, torn cobwebs, broken twigs, overturned pebbles. The Biden administration is dealing with a growing number of single adult migrants crossing the border; they made up nearly two of every three encounters in April Castanon says the Border Patrol used to have a heavier enforcement presence around the highway checkpoint, but they appear to have been deployed to help with the increasing numbers of families and children crossing the Rio Grande and surrendering to agents to claim asylum. The Border Patrol did not immediately respond to a question on the staffing changes. 'I believe people were taking advantage of that,' Castanon said. But it's not that simple. Smugglers can leave migrants to walk long distances in this dangerous area, anywhere from 15 to 50 miles (24 to 80 kilometers), with temperatures sometimes reaching above 100 degrees (38 Celsius). Some migrants have been able to make emergency calls to aid groups, which coordinate with local officials or the Border Patrol on rescues. This month, a woman near Van Horn, Texas, felt she was close to dying because of a lack of water but was able to call an aid group tied to Canales that alerted officials. They were able to trace the coordinates to the call and find her. 'Some dont even make it. They die of lack of water, food, health, collapse and stay there until somebody stumbles upon their bodies, and thats when they call us to pick them up,' said Castanon, the deputy. This is the rooftop where a young woman plunged to her death during a boozy rooftop birthday party in New York's East Village, exclusive DailyMail.com photos can reveal as city records show a string of complaints on the building over the past year. One of those complaints, from April, reported workers 'installing a cinder block wall on the roof,' according to records kept by the New York Department of Buildings. A city inspector wasn't able to access the building at the time of the complaint, according to the records, and it's not clear whether there was still construction on the roof. The building's owner, Highpoint Property Group, didn't return requests for comment from DailyMail.com. Police said the matter was still under investigation. Finance worker Cameron Perrelli, 24, fell down an airway between the two buildings in the early hours of Saturday morning at a party on the deck of an apartment building on Avenue A near the corner of East 12th St. Police say she lost her balance. She was raced to nearby Bellevue Hospital by first responders but did not survive. New York City Department of Buildings records show dozens of complaints about the Topanga Building at 202 Avenue A, where Perrelli attended the rooftop party before she fell. Cameron Perrelli, 24, plunged to her death 3am Saturday down the airway of a building in NYC's East Village after trying to cross next door, police say Officials inspected the building just five days before Perrelli died, and on Monday issued a 'Stop Work' order - forbidding any additional construction on the apartment building, where construction apparently had been underway. Construction was ordered to be stopped Monday because the building's owner had not provided a 'Tenant Protection Plan,' which the city requires to be filed before any construction project. Such plans make sure conditions aren't made dangerous by construction - and make sure barriers are set up and exits are still accessible, for example. The New York Police Department said Perrelli might have been trying to jump to the next building when she fell down the airshaft between the 202 building and its neighbor; since then, they have said they're still investigating after an uncle said she might have simply slipped. It's not clear whether city code would have deemed this particular roof fit for occupancy. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show just how perilous it would have been to attempt the rooftop crossing. A sign warns people on the deck to stand 10 feet back from the edge. Officials say the East Village area where Perrelli died has been plagued by late night dangerous rooftop parties The next door building that police claim Perrelli was trying to get to when she fell was about 4 feet higher than the deck where the party was The airway gap between the buildings is where police say Perrelli fell to her death 202 Avenue A in NYC's East Village on the left is where Perrelli was attending a rooftop gathering before she died. She fell down an airway between 202 and 200 Avenue A on the right An empty Bud Light Seltzer can and party hat were still visible on the deck Monday morning There's an approximately 4-foot gap between the Topanga building at 202 Avenue A and the neighboring building at 200 Avenue A. That airway between the buildings is where police told DailyMail.com she fell. A sign on the deck wall near where police say Perrelli fell warns people to remain 10 feet from the edge. Her father Louis Perrelli said he was upset to hear of frequent late-night parties in the neighborhood. 'It's not like her to be a risk-taker,' Louis told the New York Daily News. 'She was always the designated driver, the good person, the peacemaker. She was an angel.' Officials say the area had been plagued by weekly late-night parties with large numbers of people that far exceeded safe occupancy levels. New York Councilwoman Carlina Rivera said the East Village area near where Perrelli died has been plagued by dangerous late-night parties where revelers would jump from rooftop to rooftop. It's not clear if Perrelli was jumping to the next building, though police gave that as an initial possibility. She had heard reports that the party early Saturday morning had been 'dangerously overcrowded', and was working on two pieces of legislation to make the city buildings safer. One would require tenants to comply with city noise codes and the second would enforce stricter oversight of rooftop use and capacity. 'This tragedy shows just how dangerous overcrowded or mismanaged rooftop parties have become, and how often they have little to no safety protections or monitoring,' Rivera told ABC7 New York. Her uncle Michael Perrelli says family have been told three conflicting accounts of the how Perrelli, left, died Perrelli's father Louis described Cameron, left, as a 'peacemaker, an angel' Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer added his support to the new bills. 'The tragic death of a woman who fell from a roof during a party in the East Village on Saturday is a painful reminder that City Hall and property managers are failing to step up when it comes to rooftop parties.' DailyMail.com contacted the NYPD seeking clarification around the different explanations for Perrelli's death and whether criminal charges may follow. In a statement, NYPD spokesman Edward Riley said the 'investigation remains ongoing'. Cameron's uncle Michael Perrelli told the New York Daily News they had heard three different account of how she died. 'That she was jumping from one building to the next, and we heard that she was walking on an air-condition vent, and then somebody just said she slipped.' On Monday, Michael Perrelli visited the scene where his niece had died, leaving a ceramic angel beside a growing selection of flowers. 'She was the prettiest angel on this earth,' Perrelli said, choking back tears. 'She was very smart, educated, just living her dream. Had everything going for her.' Perrelli said he had spoken to Councilwoman Rivera about the proposed legislation to strengthen rules around rooftop parties. 'Anything that could come out of it good, that would be the best thing,' he said. Cameron's uncle Michael Perrelli was visibly upset as he visited the apartment building on Monday afternoon where his niece died Michael Perrelli told media his niece was the the 'prettiest angel on this earth' Penthouses with roof access in the building rent for $12,000 per month, according to StreetEasy The brown metal and cinderblock wall is 202 and the yellow wall into that gap is 200 Avenue A. Perrelli allegedly fell into this gap The seven story building has received dozens of complaints and a stop-work order was issued Cameron Perrelli, originally from Connecticut, completed a degree in business management at the University of Florida, according to her Linkedin account. She moved to New York City in 2019 to start work at finance company Third Bridge Group. Family said she was a regular gym goer, had a large social network of close friends, and used to go to New York Rangers and Yankees games with her father. 'Her heart definitely belonged to New York, that's for sure,' her father told the Daily News. The building where she died, The Topanga at 202 Avenue A, was renovated in 2018 to build 10 new apartments and duplex penthouses. According to city Buildings Department records, there apparently still was construction going on. Several three and four bedroom penthouses with roof access are rented out for $12,000 per month, according to StreetEasy. Another uncle, Steve Perrelli, said his 'heart is broken'. 'My family has lost a true angel today,' he wrote on Facebook. 'You were/are a shining star I will always cherish.' Perrelli graduated from the University of Florida with a business management degree before moving to New York to work in finance Perrelli, left, would often be the designated driver on nights out with friends, her family say Perrelli, left, with a close friend, grew up in Connecticut but her 'heart belonged to New York', her father Louis said In a statement, NYPD spokesman Edward Riley said police were called to the address at approximately 3:13am on Saturday after receiving a 911 call bout an unconscious person near Avenue A and East 12 St. 'Upon arrival officers were informed a 24-year-old female fell from an elevated position (rooftop). 'EMS transported the victim to Bellevue where she was pronounced deceased. The investigation remains ongoing.' The owner of the Topanga building at 202 Avenue A, Highpoint Property Group, purchased it in 2017 for $6.75 million dollars, according to the EV Grieve East Village Blog. DailyMail.com has sought comment from Highpoint Property Group about its rooftop safety policies, whether they were being followed, and whether there have been previous breaches at the address. According to popular property sales and rentals site StreetEasy, buildings must meet the code requirements of the New York City Department of Buildings and the Fire Department before roof access can be obtained. It reported the Department of Buildings began a crackdown in 2017 on illegal roof access. An explosion which killed a two-year-old boy was caused by a gas pipe inside a neighbouring property which had been cut, police say. Lancashire Police said detectives and gas experts had discovered the cause of the explosion in Heysham was a gas pipe which had been cut inside number 20 Mallowdale Avenue. The force said it was now treating the probe as a criminal investigation and inquiries continue into how the pipe came to be cut. George Arthur Hinds, who was just two years and ten months old, died following the blast at the property on Sunday, May 16, which caused two houses to collapse. George's parents Vicky Studholme and Stephen Hinds, who lived at number 18, were also injured but have since been discharged from hospital. Two other people - a man aged 44 and a woman aged 50 - remain in hospital with 'critical injuries'. A fundraiser set up to help the residents of Mallowdale Avenue has now brought in more than 50,000. George Arthur Hinds, aged two years and 10 months, was killed by the blast on Mallowdale Avenue in Heysham, Lancashire Emergency workers at the scene of the explosion, in which two-year-old George Arthur Hinds was killed and two people were seriously injured in Heysham Lancashire Police said in a statement: 'Detectives, assisted by gas experts, have been carrying out a fingertip search of the scene following the explosion and have now identified the cause of the explosion as a gas pipe which had been cut inside No. 20, Mallowdale Avenue. 'Enquiries are ongoing into how and why the pipe came to be severed enquiries which are likely to take some considerable time. The police enquiry is now being classed as a criminal investigation.' Emergency services had been called to the scene on Mallowdale Avenue at about 2.40am on Sunday, May 16. Officers found two houses collapsed, and a third property had suffered 'serious damage'. Detective Chief Insp Jane Webb, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: 'My thoughts first and foremost remain with George's family and loved ones at this time, as well as those others affected by this incident. Two-year-old George Arthur Hinds, whose parents paid tribute to their 'beautiful little angel grew his wings' A roof of one of the homes destroyed in the blast which killed George Arthur Hinds Emergency workers at the scene on Mallowdale Ave Heysham, on Sunday May 16 'An incredible amount of work has been done at the scene in a relatively short space of time and as well as identifying the source of the explosion we have also managed to recover some items of George's, which I know means a lot to his parents. 'Our focus now is on trying to establish how and why the pipe inside No. 20 came to be cut and those enquiries are complex and lengthy. 'I would like to thank the community for their help so far and I want to continue to appeal to anyone who may have information which could assist our investigation to come forward and contact us. 'Even if you think the information you have is insignificant or irrelevant please tell us and we can be the judge.' Body camera footage and 911 calls have revealed residents' horror after one of their neighbors set his house on fire and shot three people dead in Maryland. Everton Brown, 56, was fatally shot by police after lighting the fire at his home on the morning of May 8 and killing three of his neighbors - Sara Alacote, 36; Sagar Ghimire, 24; and Ismael Quintanilla, 41. It was not immediately clear what led to the violence on the residential street in suburban Baltimore, authorities said. 911 calls and video recorded by responding officers emerged this week, shedding light on the fear that gripped the community that day, as well as officers' efforts to get Brown to surrender. Police body camera footage shows officers shooting at a man who was standing in front of his burning house shooting his neighbors The suspect falls to the ground and police begin to approach him, warning him not to touch his gun as they get closer A neighbor in the Woodlawn suburb of Baltimore reported the shooting and fire to police at 6.39am on May 8, saying she heard 'somebody banging in somebody's front door and then I just heard three gunshots'. 'I see a man standing in the door posed with a weapon in his hand and I don't know what he did to get in there because it jarred me out of bed and I'm about three or four doors down,' the woman, who was not named, is heard telling a dispatcher in a call that was released to YouTube Friday. She continues to tell police that she hears a woman screaming, and it sounds like the man is 'just shooting up the block'. Another unidentified woman told the police 'a house blew up, and the house next to it is on fire'. 'Wait a minute,' the dispatcher replies in the call, 'a house exploded?' 'Yes,' the neighbor responds. 'All we heard was a "pop, pop, pop" and then a house blew up.' She said it was 'burning really bad' and there was a female victim on the ground. 'It doesn't look like she's moving,' the neighbor tells the dispatcher. 'She's not moving. She's not moving.' That's when she appears to notice the man shooting at his neighbors, identifying him as the man who lived in the house that blew up. 'He blew up his house,' she said, 'he shot a lady, and then he came back out shooting again,' standing in front of his house as it was burning. She reported watching as the shooter started firing at police, and police ultimately shooting the suspect. 'Oh god,' she said. 'They shot him. The cops did.' A police officer took cover as the suspect began to shoot at the cops arriving on the scene Police later uncovered his handgun from the scene, as well as a knife and explosives Firefighters appeared on the scene shortly thereafter One of the 911 callers described to dispatchers how her neighbor 'has signs all over his house that the "FBI is after me", and we've known for years that he has a mental health problem.' 'He's never been trouble in the neighborhood,' the female caller reports, 'but I did just hear three gunshots and somebody screaming.' Police body camera footage from the early morning shooting also showed officers arriving on the scene and finding the suspect standing next to his car, a red van with a poster proclaiming 'Black people are the tool used to maintain racism', shooting at his neighbors. Cops tell the man to 'drop the gun, drop the gun,' as they fired at the him, until they ultimately hit him. The man appears to continue to shoot as he falls to the ground. He appears to try to reach for the gun again as cops approach him, but he seems rather motionless as cops tell him to 'roll the f*** over' and 'give me your arm' for handcuffs. The officers who discharged their firearms were placed on administrative leave. Everton Brown was allegedly standing next to his red van with a poster taped to the back saying 'Black people are the tool used to maintain racism' when police shot him They approached his body after he fell to the ground and warned him not to pick up his gun The police then dragged him into the street, where they handcuffed him Brown's body did not appear to be moving at that point, and he died en route to a local hospital Brown died en route to the hospital, police later reported, and they recovered a handgun, knife and several homemade explosive devices from his home. The officers found victims Alacote and Ghimire outside of their homes with bullet wounds. The third victim, Quintanilla, was found inside his home suffering from stab and gunshot wounds. All three died from their injuries. A fourth person who was shot outside their house survived, police report. The building where the fire started and one adjacent to it collapsed, Baltimore County Fire spokesman Tim Rostkowski said, and a third was heavily damaged. 'We have this fire that happened. We also have this suspect who is armed,' said Joy Stewart, a police spokeswoman. 'How they're all related it's really too early to tell at this point.' An investigation is ongoing involving several law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level. The View descended into chaos Monday after Meghan McCain compared Marjorie Taylor Greene to Ilhan Omar before slamming the media for protecting The Squad - triggering the show's liberal cast members to come after her. McCain noted that Greene - who was widely condemned for comparing Nancy Pelosi's new House of Representatives rule on face masks to the Holocaust - has been stripped from two House committee assignments. She then pointed to that fact that Ilhan Omar is still on the Foreign Affairs Committee, after her tweets accusing Israel of having 'hypnotized the world'. McCain said: 'She [Greene] has been stripped of her committee. She has absolutely no legislative power. 'Which juxtaposed when Ilhan Omar said Jewish people had hypnotized and the world and it was all about the Benjamins she's still on the Foreign Relations Committee.' And the conservative commentator did not hold back her frustrations in what she said is 'blatant bias in the media', adding: 'I would love if the energy that is being put on one crazy woman in Congress and by the way, if she is the face of the Republicans, then the Squad is the face of the Democrats I would love Democrats to put that same type of energy onto what's happening on the left. 'Because quite frankly, this is how people get red-pilled. They're red pilled when they see the blatant bias in the media. The 'red pill' reference originally comes from the 1999 movie The Matrix but the phrase has since become an online meme used by the alt-right and men's rights activists referring to a life-changing truth. McCain added: 'The media doesn't want The Squad to look bad. They just want Marjorie Taylor Greene to look bad.' Scroll down for video The View descended into chaos Monday after Meghan McCain compared Marjorie Taylor Greene to The Squad before slamming the 'blatant bias in the media' The daughter of late John McCain then snapped at host Whoopi Goldberg when she tried to go to a commercial breaking, shouting: 'Why are you cutting me off?' Goldberg yelled back: ' I'm cutting you off because we have to go, Meghan. Why do you think I'm cutting you off?' The View had decided to discuss the topic Monday with McCain questioning why they were now focusing on Greene's comments. She added: 'I'm confused as to what has risen this to a hot topic, because as I bought up last week there is a huge rise in anti-Semitic attacks against Jewish people.' Acknowledging that she 'can't stand' Taylor Greene and calling her a 'crazy person', McCain argued: 'This was all happening last week.' She then went onto list specific examples of anti Semitic attacks happening around the world and in the US in the wake of 11 days of fighting between Israelis and Palestinians that ended with a cease-fire early on Friday. The daughter of late Senator John McCain then snapped at host Whoopi Goldberg when she tried to go to a commercial breaking, shouting: 'Why are you cutting me off?' Goldberg yelled back: ' I'm cutting you off because we have to go, Meghan. Why do you think I'm cutting you off?' Her spat continued after the break with Joy Behar who told her to 'have some respect'. McCain noted that Greene, left - who was condemned for comparing Nancy Pelosi's new House of Representatives rule on masks to the Holocaust - has has been stripped from two House committee assignments. She then pointed to that fact Ilhan Omar, right, is still on the Foreign Affairs Committee, after her tweets accusing Israel of having 'hypnotized the world' The Squad is made up of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, center left, Ilhan Omar, left, Ayanna Pressley, right, and Rashida Tlaib, center right Taylor Greene was widely panned after she compared mask mandates to the Holocaust. She said: 'You know, we can look back at a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany. 'And this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about.' Taylor Greene made her comments last week on an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network. She was referring to Pelosi asking for proof that House members had been vaccinated before they could take the floor unmasked. The Squad, meanwhile, is made up of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, all congresswomen. Omar has made a series of controversial comments since joining Congress. She was was forced to apologize for her infamous 'It's all about the Benjamins, baby' comment that many colleagues in both parties called out as anti-Semitic. The longtime critic of Israel, received bipartisan criticism in 2019 when she suggested that pro-Israel politicians were being paid by the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobby. After returning from the commercial break the spat continued. Joy Behar, top center, told McCain she 'resented' her comments, McCain hit back: 'I resent a lot of things, so we're even.' Behar replied: 'I've been talking about anti-Semitism for 25 freaking years. Don't tell me what I'm supposed to be saying, Meghan. You do your thing and we do ours' Sunny Hostin said Monday 'criticizing the Israeli government and some of its tactics are not the same as being anti-Semitic' On the view, after returning from the commercial break the spat continued with Sunny Hostin saying 'criticizing the Israeli government and some of its tactics are not the same as being anti-Semitic'. McCain, who has been a co-host of the ABC show since 2017, said: 'When anti-Semitism shows itself on the right, it is easy to spot with crazy people and tiki torches. When it manifests on the left, it's a lot more insidious and a lot more sinister and a lot more difficult to define.' After Joy Behar told McCain she 'resented' her comments, McCain hit back: 'I resent a lot of things, so we're even.' Behar replied: 'I've been talking about anti-Semitism for 25 freaking years. Don't tell me what I'm supposed to be saying, Meghan. 'You do your thing and we do ours.' 'I'm well aware we do separate things on this show, Joy, okay. I know you've been here 25 years. I've been here for 4,' McCain said. Behar said: 'That's right. You should have some respect for that.' The argument ended with Goldberg telling the hosts and viewers: 'Nobody wants everybody arguing. We would like everybody to stop.' John Lennon and Yoko Ono's son - Sean Lennon - slammed 'PC culture' for 'over sensitizing people to arbitrary characteristics like skin color' in a rambling Twitter tirade on Sunday. It's unclear what led the 44-year-old son of the late Beatles front man and his artist wife to launch the impassioned rant where he described his own experience growing up Japanese-American. Lennon declared that the US is in a 'two-steps back moment' in terms of race relations and said political correctness - while well-intentioned - is 'not working'. Growing up in New York, Lennon said it 'truly felt like a melting pot.' Even though it wasn't perfect, 'ppl did not self segregate along tribal lines to the degree that I am seeing today,' he said. 'There is something wrong with the strategy and direction we have chosen, in academia, in politics, and elsewhere.' 'We should check our strategy if we are not getting the results we intended. I don't know what the solution is, but I suspect that over sensitizing ppl to arbitrary characteristics like skin colour may be doing more harm than good.' Sean Lennon went on a Twitter tirade bashing 'PC culture.' He's pictured above at the eBay Giving Works and Nylon Launch MusiCares Auction during SXSW 2014 in Texas in 2014 John Lennon, singing and playing the guitar with Yoko Ono and son Sean John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean's parents, are pictured in Tittenhurst Park, Britain in 1970 Why he decided to vent this all out on a random Sunday is unknown, but race relations have been at the forefront for the last couple years. The issues exploded after George Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin last year and Black Lives Matter protests became a nearly daily event. There have also been a country-wide rash of random, brutal beatings of the Asian Americans-Pacific Islander community after Donald Trump's statements about the 'China virus' and, more recently, an uptick in anti-Semitic attacks that coincided with the Israeli-Palestine bombings. Nearly every institution - such as education and media - have wrestled with ideas as complicated and passionately debated as critical race theory. But where is it all leading to, Lennon asked. 'I know very well that the idea of being "colour blind" is out of fashion, that MLK's vision of character over skin colour is considered to be naive,' he said. 'But that vision surely made our society better. I'm not sure the modern vision of 'race consciousness' is making things better.' Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon stand beside the stamp design John Lennon stamp dedication ceremony, Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, New York in September 2018 He used his own experience to illustrate his point, saying he used to hear racist Asian jokes all the time growing - when political correctness wasn't a thing; now it's an 'enforced mindset and ideology.' But 'seemingly obvious' solutions 'fail and even make matters worse,' Lennon said. 'Trying to re-balance a problem winds up 'making things worse by creating bigger unforeseen problems.' Now jokes are evil and malicious attacks. 'My DMs have never been more filled with bizarre WWII era bulls**t (like ch**k and j*p, or whatever),' he said. In the end, it's simple, Lennon said in his Twitter tirade that has been retweeted and liked thousands of times in the last 24 hours. 'I am very sad that I feel like I have to say the following but here goes: Asians are not the problem. Blacks are not the problem. Jews are not the problem. And yes, Whites are not the problem either. No race or culture is "the problem," Lennon said. 'I have lived in many cities and countries, and I can say from experience that there is an EQUAL distribution of s***ty ppl and good ppl in EVERY human population. Most are good, some aren't great, and a very small number are clinical sociopaths you absolutely need to avoid.' Lennon followed in his parents' footsteps and become a musician. He's been a member of the bands Cibo Matto, the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, the Claypool Lennon Delirium and his parents' group the Plastic Ono Band. He has released two solo albums: Into the Sun in 1998 and Friendly Fire in 2006. His dad, John Lennon, went from revolutionizing the music world with the Beatles to being a stay-at-home dad after Sean was born. Five years later - on December 8, 1980 - he was fatally shot New York City. His death shocked and stunned the world. Since then, Yoko Ono has kept her late husband's memory alive by funding the construction and maintenance of the Manhattan's Strawberry Field in Central Park, directly across from the Dakota Apartments where John was killed. A woman who had sex with a vulnerable man and encouraged two of her friends to murder him after she tried to 'ghost' him has been jailed for life. Becki West Davidson, 30, ignored messages and protestations of love from autistic Joe Pooley, 22, after they slept together, Ipswich Crown Court was told. She became enraged and arranged a revenge attack on him after he reacted to her lack of replies by saying that he was surprised she did not live with her children. Her friends Sean Palmer, 31, and Sebastian Smith, 35, attacked Mr Pooley before throwing him into the River Gipping in Ipswich, Suffolk where he drowned. Palmer was later said to have confessed to his mother that he held Mr Pooley under the water. Becki West Davidson (pictured), 30, ignored messages and protestations of love from autistic Joe Pooley, 22, after they slept together, Ipswich Crown Court was told Mr Pooley was found dead in the river by a dog walker nearly a week after being attacked in the early hours of August 7, 2018. Smith who was known at the time as Luke Greenland joined Mr Pooley's family in their search for him before his body was found. The court heard that Smith had allegedly confessed to a friend that he had taken Mr Pooley to a wood a week before his death and told him to 'dig his own grave'. West-Davidson of Ipswich pretended to be grief stricken after Mr Pooley died and was even hugged by his mother who regarded her as one of his friends at a memorial event. She was ordered to serve 17 years behind bars by Judge Martyn Levett after he said he was satisfied that he she had encouraged the attack. Smith of Hawick, Roxburghshire, and Palmer of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, were also jailed for life for murder. Smith was ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years and Palmer was told he must serve 18 years. Her friends Sean Palmer (left), 31, and Sebastian Smith (right), 35, attacked Mr Pooley before throwing him into the River Gipping in Ipswich, Suffolk where he drowned All three had denied murder, but were found guilty after an earlier four-month trial. Jurors heard how West-Davidson and Mr Pooley had sex at her flat before exchanging a flurry of text messages But his loving and affectionate messages showed an intensity of feeling that 'stoked her anger and hostility'. Judge Levett said he believed that Mr Pooley had 'fallen madly in love' with West-Davidson after the sexual encounter. The judge told her: 'Rather cruelly you blanked him and ghosted him and alienated him, leaving him bereft of any comfort. 'There is no doubt in my mind that you encouraged the attack on Joe Pooley. The sad thing is that he was only after a loving heart, but you betrayed his heart. 'You were part of a group of people who accepted Joe when it suited you, but no sooner had that been done, you rejected him.' Palmer was later said to have confessed to his mother that he held Mr Pooley (pictured) under the water West-Davidson was said to have become enraged after Mr Pooley sent her one message which said: 'No wonder you ain't with your kids'. The jury heard it was a 'clear reference' to her children not living with her and it had made her 'so angry' that she 'smashed up her room'. Mr Pooley was then lured to a meeting, before being walked home by Smith and Palmer who attacked him beside the river. Mr Pooley's mother Sam Nicholls read out her victim impact statement, saying he had learning disabilities which became more challenging as he got older. She told the court he had been placed in unsuitable accommodation without proper support which led to him being bullied and targeted by 'unsavoury characters'. Ms Nicholls added: 'He was desperate for friends but was sadly unable to tell that people around him were not friends.' Mr Pooley's mother Sam Nicholls (pictured) read out her victim impact statement, saying he had learning disabilities which became more challenging as he got older She described his killers as selfish bullies who picked on him because of his vulnerabilities and were only interested in what they could get out of him. Speaking of West-Davidson, she said: 'I will never forgive you for coming to Joe's memorial and conning me into thinking you cared for Joe. I put my arms around you and comforted you.' Ms Nicholls told of the 'horrendous' impact of her son's murder on her life, saying she had suffered nightmares and was haunted by images of him lying in the water. She condemned his killers for failing to show remorse and not coming forward to say anything while the hunt for her son was going on in order to 'save their own skins'. As a result she said, she was 'robbed of the chance to kiss Joe goodbye because of his decomposition of his body'. Smith failed to attend the court for his sentencing, sending a message which was read out by the judge. Mr Pooley was found dead in the river (pictured) by a dog walker nearly a week after being attacked in the early hours of August 7, 2018 It said: 'After a long case where I constantly felt rail roaded, I don't feel the point. It's been biased the whole way through. I don't accept what will be an equally biased sentencing.' Prosecutor Christopher Paxton QC said West-Davidson had 'encouraged others' to attack Mr Pooley, who was 'vulnerable, trusting of others and easily taken advantage of'. Smith had denied telling a friend that he and Palmer had 'put Joe in the river'. He claiming instead that he punched Mr Pooley twice before he and Palmer ran off and left him on the ground. Asked why he left Ipswich for Scotland shortly after the alleged murder, Smith said he 'needed to get away for a while'. Mr Paxton claimed West-Davidson 'tried to cover up' the alleged murder by deleting a number of Facebook messages. They included one in which Mr Pooley asked her to 'call off the hit' and another telling him: 'You're f****d, mate'. Smith was also said to be angry about things that Mr Pooley allegedly said about him and his former girlfriend Lisa-Marie Smith. The court heard that he sent him a message, saying: 'I'm going everywhere until I find you'. Lisa-Marie Smith, 26, was cleared of murder and manslaughter at the trial. Mr Pooley's mother Sam said after the hearing: 'I am very happy with the sentences. It is not going to bring Joe back, but it helps that he has some justice.' A United States judge said that the "right to an abortion" is nowhere to be found in the U.S. Constitution, reports sayd. This announcement comes as the results of a long-term study that says it is "unnecessary" to be included in family planning is published. WND said that 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James Ho, who handles an appeals case on abortion in the Supreme Court, has declared that there is nothing in the Constitution that says abortion is a citizen's "right." "Nothing in the text or original understanding of the Constitution established a right to an abortion. Rather, what distinguishes abortion from other matters of health care policy in America--and uniquely removes abortion police from the democratic process established by our Founders--is Supreme Court precedent," Ho said in line with the Mississippi Gestational Age Act and the constitutionality of Roe v. Wade. Life News explained in their report that Ho's statement pertained to the appeal filed by the state of Mississippi on the 2018 Gestational Age Act. The law was blocked by Judge Carlton Reeves in line with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case that was later sided on by the US Court of Appeals 5th District. The Court of Appeals 5th District said in its final decision last May 18 that the "justices had agreed to "grant certiorari" for Mississippi's filed appeal. Ho, who was nominated to the 5th District by former President Donald Trump in 2017, said that he was "deeply troubled by how the district court handled this case. The opinion issued by the district court displays an alarming disrespect for the millions of Americans who believe that babies deserve legal protection during pregnancy as well as after birth, and that abortion is the immoral, tragic, and violent taking of innocent human life." Not essential for family planning According to a study from the Charlotte Lozier Institute, of the almost five million women eligible for Medicaid, only 1% could have used abortion in family planning, which defies what authorities and pro-choice group claim that the procedure is actually "essential" for women to have "healthy spacing of pregnancies." The study published in the Sage Journals last May 6 encompasses a 15-year period from 1999 to 2014 where the authors, led by Charlotte Lozier Institute's James Studnicki, surveyed women "who have an abortion reporting having 1 or more children." Entitled, "Estimating the Period Prevalence of Publicly Funded Abortion to Space Live Births, 1999 to 2014," the study aimed to the "the period prevalence of an induced abortion separating live births in a population of Medicaid eligible enrollees and to identify the characteristics of enrollees significantly associated with the use of abortion to enable child spacing." The Sage Publication study said that among the low-income population, which Medicaid targets to serve, it is uncommon that abortion is used for birth spacing. The study's results are in contrast to what the Department of Health and Human Services is pushing for the Title X Family Planning Program that "forces religious family planning providers" out of the system for their stance against abortion while funding abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood who would most likely refer the procedure as part of family planning. WND said the study revealed that "post-abortive women" would experience difficulties in their future pregnancies wherein there would be live births, citing a statement by renowned pro-life Susan B. Anthony List. Nearly 9,000 Britons died after contracting Covid on a hospital ward while receiving care for something else, official NHS data shows. Figures obtained by the Guardian revealed that 32,307 patients have caught the disease while in English hospitals since March 2020, of which 8,747 have died. University Hospitals Birmingham suffered the biggest death toll (408), followed by Nottingham University Hospitals (279) and Frimley in Surrey (259). Victims were found to have caught the virus while hospital for a range of reasons, including an operation, treatment for an underlying condition or an accident. Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said hospital-acquired Covid infections and deaths remained 'one of the silent scandals of this pandemic', adding that many of them would have been avoidable. NHS bosses said a lack of testing and personal protective equipment at the start of the pandemic had made it harder to prevent the virus from spreading. They also admitted that not fully understanding the extend of asymptomatic spread fuelled outbreaks on wards in the early days of the pandemic. Nine of the 81 acute hospital trusts which responded to the Freedom of Information request recorded 200 or more deaths. Nearly 9,000 Britons died after contracting Covid in hospital while receiving care for a different illness, official NHS data shows. Pictured: PPE-clad radiologists comfort a patient before an X-ray at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital in East Lancashire NHS England has published the number of hospital-acquired infections since August but does not routinely disclose fatalities. The new figures include everyone who died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid. They do not tell whether a person died directly of Covid, if it was a contributing factor in their death or if they died from something completely unrelated. The data refers to deaths among patients who tested positive for Covid from eight to 14 days after they were admitted to hospital - 'probable' cases - and those who received a positive test after being admitted for 15 days or more - 'definite' cases. The spread of the virus on wards has been a problem for the NHS throughout the crisis, with hospitals that have more infected patients finding it harder to manage. The 10 trusts with the highest proportion of deaths among patients who caught the virus in hospital Royal Cornwall hospitals 36% Salisbury 35% Kettering general hospital 31% Stockport 31% University hospitals of Morecambe Bay 30% Blackpool teaching hospitals 30% Warrington and Halton hospitals 27% Wirral university teaching hospital 27% Northampton general hospital 26% James Paget university hospitals 26% Advertisement Although staff must wear protective equipment at all times and Covid and non-Covid patients are segregated, the virus still spreads from people who have no symptoms or who get false negative test results. The trust with the highest proportion of deaths among patients who caught the virus in hospital was Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh trust in Lancashire. Between last October and this March, 273 patients caught the disease while receiving care for something else, of which 174 died (64 per cent). The trust was followed by Gateshead health, where 56 per cent of those who caught the disease in hospital died, and Wirral University teaching hospital (54 per cent). Chris Hopson, chief executive of hospitals group NHS Providers, told the Guardian that asymptomatic spread and a lack of testing at the start of the pandemic made it hard to control the virus. 'These figures are distressing and lay bare how difficult the past 15 months have been. Every Covid-19 death has been a tragedy and trust leaders' first thoughts are with the families of all those who have died from Covid-19, whatever the original source of the infection. 'Trusts have worked incredibly hard to maintain a safe environment but Covid-19 brought unique challenges to every health system in the world. These include significant numbers of patients having Covid-19 without showing symptoms and, early in the pandemic, insufficient access to rapid turnaround testing.' An NHS spokesperson said: 'The Office of National Statistics and other data conclusively demonstrate that the root cause of rising infection rates in hospitals is rising rates in the community and throughout the pandemic weekly reports from Public Health England have consistently shown that outbreaks in hospitals are less common than in other settings.' It follows scientists claiming in evidence presented to No10's top advisers that up to 40 per cent of coronavirus infections in hospital patients during the first wave of the pandemic could have been caught on NHS wards. On February 12, SAGE released a document submitted to the panel that claimed stopping the spread of the virus in hospitals may have led to a 'substantial' reduction in the number of deaths in the first wave because the patients were often old or frail. And this transmission meant the first phase of the UK's coronavirus crisis was 'prolonged, potentially by several weeks', they said. The SAGE paper suggested that as many as 36,152 of around 90,000 people who were diagnosed with the virus in hospital between February and July 2020 had caught it in hospital. It makes assumptions about cases from a time when coronavirus testing was often limited. The paper estimated at least 8.8 per cent of Covid hospital cases in England over the first wave of the pandemic may have been what are known as nosocomial, or hospital-acquired, infections. These include people who became ill while an inpatient for another condition, or who developed Covid shortly after being discharged and then ended up back in hospital. Some of the cases were only suspected, while others were confirmed by process of elimination. The 8.8 per cent figure was for people who tested positive 15 or more days after being admitted, who were certain to have caught the virus in hospital. The US Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from Missouri death row inmate Ernest Johnson, who was seeking execution by firing squad The US Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from a Missouri death row inmate who was seeking execution by firing squad to avoid pain that could come from a lethal injection. Over the dissent of the three liberal justices, the court left in place a lower court ruling against inmate Ernest Johnson, 60, that could allow him to be executed by lethal injection. He is on death row for bludgeoning three convenience store workers to death with a hammer during a robbery in 1994. Johnson has argued that Missouri's lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger painful seizures during execution because of a brain condition. Johnson has part of a benign tumor in his brain. The effect of the court's order Monday is to prevent Johnson from amending his lawsuit to include the possibility of execution by firing squad, which is not authorized under Missouri law. Based on prior Supreme Court rulings, an inmate who objects to the state's chosen method of execution has to suggest an alternate means. Victims: Columbia, Missouri, convenience store workers Mary Bratcher (left, with her son), Mable Scruggs and Fred Jones (right) were closing up on February 12, 1994 when Johnson came in and beat them to death with a claw hammer Johnson killed the three workers in order to steal money to buy drugs. Above: police tape covers an area where the incident happened in 1994 Johnson initially suggested he could be put to death using nitrogen gas, which is allowed in Missouri. But the Supreme Court has held that states could decline to use a method of execution that has no track record, as is the case with nitrogen gas. But when Johnson tried to suggest a firing squad, a method with a long history of use in the US, judges on the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeal said he acted too late. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for herself and colleagues Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan that Johnson should be able to make his case. 'Think about what the Eighth Circuit has done in the interest of moving things along more quickly,' she wrote. 'Johnson has plausibly pleaded that, if he is executed using pentobarbital, he will experience pain akin to torture. Those factual allegations must be accepted as true at this stage of the litigation.' She continued: 'We should not countenance the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment simply for the sake of expediency. That is what the Eighth Circuit's decision has done. Because this Court chooses to stand idly by, I respectfully dissent.' The state planned to execute Johnson in 2015, but the Supreme Court intervened on his behalf then. Johnson (left and right) argued that Missouri's lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger painful seizures during execution because of a tumor in his brain Johnson was a frequent customer at a Casey's General Store in Columbia, Missouri. On February 12, 1994, store workers Mary Bratcher, 46, Mable Scruggs, 57, and Fred Jones, 58, were closing for the night when Johnson arrived. He ransacked the store seeking money to buy drugs, beat all three workers to death with a claw hammer and hid their bodies in a cooler. Police arrested Johnson after finding a bank bag, stolen money and store receipts at his home. Other death row inmates have filed similar arguments claiming medical conditions should preclude them from execution, with mixed success. Justice Sonia Sotomayor (bottom right) wrote for herself and her liberal colleagues colleagues Stephen Breyer (2nd R, bottom row) and Elena Kagan (2nd L, top row) that Johnson should be able to make his case In 2014, the US Supreme Court stepped in hours before Russell Bucklew was scheduled to die in Missouri for a 1996 killing, after Bucklew argued that pain and suffering were possible due to a rare congenital condition that causes weakened and malformed blood vessels as well as tumors in his nose and throat. The case was sent back, and Bucklew was put to death in October 2019 after being administered a lethal dose of pentobarbital. There were no reported complications with the execution. Missouri executed 74-year-old Cecil Clayton in March 2015 after the nation's high court rejected claims that Clayton had diminished mental capacity due to a 1970s sawmill accident that cost him part of his brain's frontal lobe. Scott Berkett, 24, has been charged with a federal count of murder-for-hire for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill a woman who broke up with him A California man has been arrested on a federal murder-for-hire charge for allegedly paying an undercover FBI agent pretending to be a hitman $14,000 in bitcoin and cash to kill a woman he briefly dated who had repeatedly rejected him. Scott Berkett, 24, from Beverly Hills, was taken into custody on Friday after being charged in a federal criminal complaint that alleges he attempted to arrange the murder through a group on the dark web. According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, Berkett met the unnamed victim online last year, and the woman flew to Los Angeles to meet Berkett in person for the first time in late October. The woman, who described Berketts behavior as 'sexually aggressive,' tried on multiple occasions to break off the relationship following the October trip, the affidavit states. Berkett had allegedly continued texting the victim, until the woman's concerned family member confronted the suspect's father about it. The 24-year-old was said to have replied: 'consider this matter closed.' But according to a statement from the US Department of Justice, Berkett allegedly contacted a group on the dark web that advertised murder-for-hire services. While law enforcement officials believe that this dark web group was a scam, the group contacted a media outlet, which provided information to the FBI, including messages from Berkett, who was using a screenname of 'Ula77,' along with proof of payments by Berkett, according to the affidavit. The media outlet provided 'transaction information from an unnamed source on the Dark Web that showed that Bitcoin payments were made with an understanding that an unknown individual would murder Victim 1,' the affidavit states. 'The information provided was specific about the identity and location of Victim 1, as well as social media accounts, nicknames, email, and a distinctive tattoo of Victim 1.' Berkett allegedly submitted his order for the murder on April 28, writing to the dark web group: 'I'd like it to look like an accident, but robbery gone wrong may work better. So long as she is dead. Id also like for her phone to be retrieved and destroyed irreparably in the process.' The information provided to the FBI indicated that Berkett made bitcoin payments totally $13,000 between April 5 and May 5. The undercover FBI agent posing as a hitman made contact with Berkett last Wednesday and eventually sent a photo of the woman, which Berkett confirmed was the victim, according to the affidavit. During the discussions with the bogus hitman, Berkett allegedly demanded a proof-of-death photo that would show the corpse and the woman's tattoo. Berkett made the final $1,000 payment via Western Union late Thursday afternoon, the affidavit states, leading to his arrest the next day. Berkett was scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Tuesday. If convicted as charged, he would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. A defrocked Roman Catholic priest in Boston died just hours before cops were set to arrest him for the 1972 slaying of an altar boy, prosecutors say. Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni revealed on Monday he had ordered state troopers on Friday to seek an arrest warrant charging 80-year-old Richard Lavigne with the killing of 13-year-old Danny Croteau - but Lavigne died just a few hours later. The immediate cause of death was listed as 'acute hypoxic respiratory failure,' according to his death record, obtained by the Boston Globe and the underlying cause was 'COVID-19 pneumonia.' Danny Croteau, left, was just 13 when he was found dead in a river after a trip with his family pastor Richard Lavigne, right. Authorities now say they have enough evidence to charge Lavigne in Croteau's murder, but he died before he could be arrested 'Regrettably, due to Lavigne's death, there will be no prosecution or trial,' Gulluni said at a news conference on Monday. 'But due to the credible and significant evidence that has been assembled in the last year that incriminates Richard Lavigne, I am announcing today that the investigation into the murder of Danny Croteau is now officially closed. 'While formal justice might not have befallen Richard Lavigne here on this earth, we hope to now provide answers and some measure of closure to Danny's family and to a generation in western Massachusetts and beyond who mourned and wondered for too long.' Gulluni said Lavigne made incriminating admissions in a series of recent interviews with authorities while in a medical facility, further implicating him in Croteau's death. The district attorney said during Monday's press conference that they were going to the magistrate to get the arrest warrant around 3pm Friday, but by late evening they found out he died in the hospital that day. Gulluni said they don't know a lot about Lavigne's medical history because it's protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) but said the priest 'was not well for some period of time.' Lavigne allegedly told the investigators that he was the last one to see Croteau alive on April 14, 1972, when he brought him to the riverbank where his body was later found, physically assaulted him, left him there and returned sometime later to see the boy floating face down in the Chicopee River. He said he recognized Croteau 'by the way he was dressed.' 'I don't remember what I did,' Lavigne is heard in recordings telling local authorities this past year. 'I don't remember telling anyone.' 'I just remember being heartbroken when I saw his body going down the river knowing I was responsible for giving him a good shove,' Lavigne said. Croteau's official cause of death was listed as a blow to his head, likely by a rock. 'Based on the accumulation of evidence, and in particular those admissions, as a prosecutor I believe that I was fulfilling my ethical duties by moving toward the charge of murder against Richard Lavigne ... and I believe we could prove it,' Gulluni said. Lavigne served as the Croteau's priest at the Saint Catherine of Sienna Church in Springfield, and spent a lot of time with Danny prior to his death Carl and Bunny Croteau stood in front of a portrait of their murdered son, Danny, in their Springfield home in February 2008 Lavigne, who was the Croteau's priest at the St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Springfield, always insisted he was innocent and never admitted in those interviews to killing the boy. But he was long considered the only suspect in the case, despite a lack of evidence. The priest had a close relationship with the Croteau family and often hosted the boy for overnight visits. Days after Croteau's body was found, Lavigne asked authorities: 'If a stone was used and thrown in the river, would the blood still be on it?' Detectives at the time said they saw Lavigne walking near where the body was found, according to the Boston Globe, and Carl Croteau, Danny's brother, told authorities that a man called shortly after the boy's death, apologizing for what happened to Danny, saying 'it was an accident' and that the boy had seen 'something' he shouldn't have. The caller would not identify himself and hung up, but Croteau's brother said he recognized the voice as Lavigne's. By 1993, a witness recalled that during a camping trip with Lavigne and Croteau in the late 1960s, Croteau repeatedly challenged Lavigne by shouting, 'I'll tell! I'll tell!' The witness said Lavigne molested him that night, leading him to believe Croteau was threatening to publicly disclose being molested. Lavigne pleaded guilty to molesting young male parishioners in 1992, and was sentenced to 10 years' probation and seven months of mandatory sex-offender counseling. He was defrocked in 2003, and was still listed as a Level 3 sex offender at the time of his death, the Globe reports. They did not receive answers about the case for nearly 50 years In 1992, Lavigne (pictured) pleaded guilty to molesting young male parishioners Gulluni picked up the case last March, shortly after the creation of a State Police Unresolved Cases Unit. A trooper assigned to the case, Gulluni said, pored over 1,000s of documents related to Croteau's death and found 'inconsistent and unusual statements.' Croteau's brother, Carl, also recounted to authorities this past year how Danny would return from trips with Lavigne sick to his stomach from drinking alcohol in the weeks before his death. And in March 2004, Lavigne showed an acquaintance who also worked for the Diocese of Springfield an anonymous type-written letter, asserting it must have been penned 'by the murderer himself because of the guilt it described.' Authorities sent that letter to Dr. Robert Leonard, a forensic linguistics expert, on March 5 of this year, and he concluded that Friday that the language patterns used in the letter were consistent with others Lavigne had written 'to the point where he couldn't be excluded as the possible author.' In a statement after the briefing, Springfield Bishop William Byrne called the case 'another reminder of the Church's past failures,' and Joe Croteau, Danny's other brother, said he believes 'there's a higher power' and Lavigne 'will face that higher power now.' A 'scandalous inequity' in vaccine distribution is prolonging the Covid-19 pandemic, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that no country should assume that it's 'out of the woods', no matter its vaccination rate, as long as the coronavirus and its variants spread elsewhere. He said more than 75 per cent of all vaccines had been administered in just 10 countries. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that no country should assume that it's 'out of the woods' The COVAX facility, run by WHO and the GAVI vaccine alliance, has delivered 72 million vaccine doses to 125 countries It came as the WHO boss set new targets for protecting people in the poorest countries of the world. Speaking to the opening of the annual assembly of health ministers from its 194 member states, he said 'the world remains in a very dangerous situation'. Mr Tedros added: 'As of today, more cases have been reported so far this year than in the whole of 2020. On current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year's total within the next three weeks. This is very tragic.' 'There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the world's vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world.' The COVAX facility, run by WHO and the GAVI vaccine alliance, has delivered 72 million vaccine doses to 125 countries and economies since February - barely sufficient for 1 per cent of their populations. He urged countries to donate vaccine doses to COVAX to enable 10 per cent of the populations of all countries to be inoculated by September and 30 per cent by year-end. This meant vaccinating 250 million more people in just four months, he said. Scientists will test seven jabs in the trials which have already been ordered by the UK Government. Only GSK's Covid vaccine - which is progressing to stage three trials - has been excluded 'This is crucial to stop disease and death, keep our healthcare workers safe, reopen our societies and economies,' he added. Mr Tedros also called on vaccine manufacturers to give COVAX the first right of refusal on new volumes of vaccines, or to commit 50 per cent of their volumes to COVAX this year. French President Emmanuel Macron called for the WHO to be empowered to visit countries rapidly in case of outbreaks with the potential to spark a pandemic and to access data. Mr Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in separate pre-recorded remarks to the assembly, called for the UN agency's funding to be improved and backed the idea of a new international treaty to prevent pandemics. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's administration on Monday rescinded a rule that limits restaurant tables to no more than six people - a day after she apologized for ignoring the regulation while gathering with friends at a bar. The Democratic governor has said tables at the Landshark Bar & Grill in East Lansing were pushed together as more people arrived in her party of roughly a dozen fully vaccinated people. A revised gatherings and face mask order, issued by the state health department, no longer includes the six-patrons-per-table provision, effective June 1. Whitmer had announced last week the planned easing of capacity restrictions on June 1 but had not specified if other changes would be coming in the new order, which was released as expected Monday. The governor also signed a revised workplace safety order that immediately no longer requires 6 feet (2 meters) of separation between tables. 'It was an honest mistake. I have apologized for it,' Whitmer told reporters. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (fourth from left) was pictured Saturday, May 22, 2021 among a party of 13 at the Landshark Bar & Grill in East Lansing The Governor released a statement apologizing for her actions An exterior image of the Landshark Bar and Grill in East Lansing, Michigan Violations of coronavirus orders are enforced against employers, not customers. State regulators have fined more than 280 employers. Asked if the Landshark should be fined and, if not, if she would lift fines on other businesses, the governor said the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has 'specifically not gone forward and penalized businesses that are trying to do the right thing. It's those that have flouted and put people's safety at risk that are the most concerning.' Later Monday, the Ingham County Health Department reported having received a complaint about a party at the Landshark exceeding six guests, but said it decided against enforcement action because 'non-critical restaurant complaints are initially treated as education/consultation for the owner/manager.' 'The matter is considered resolved given conversation with the owner, and the owner's assurance that parties will be limited to no more than six guests in the future,' spokeswoman Amanda Darche said. 'There is no history of similar complaints with the Landshark.' Republicans in the GOP-led Legislature said Whitmer should rescind fines that were levied on businesses. They previously complained that the six-person limit keeps large families from eating together. The photo, which shows Whitmer seated with about a dozen people, was posted on social media by one of the attendees who was a friend of the governor, but was later deleted. 'Throughout the pandemic, I've been committed to following public health protocols,' Whitmer said in a statement Sunday. 'Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didnt stop to think about it. In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize.' Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has issued an apology after she was pictured violating the state's gathering and mask order At the time the photo was taken, Michigan restaurants and bars remained subject to capacity limits and social distancing requirements and orders required six people or fewer at tables and distances of six feet between tables. Whitmer also has come under criticism for waiting to release information about a flight to see her elderly father in Florida, which occurred weeks before two top aides traveled south for spring break as COVID-19 cases soared. In May 2020, Whitmer acknowledged that her husband dropped her name in an effort to get his boat in the water for Memorial Day weekend but said it simply was a 'failed attempt at humor.' 'Michiganders deserve more than a hollow apology after a year of `rules for thee but not for me from their governor,' Tori Sachs, executive director of the conservative Michigan Freedom Fund, said in a statement. 'We are calling on Whitmer to end her orders today, pardon every individual accused of a similar offense, rescind every violation issued by state and local officials, and refund every fine the states collected.' Last week, Whitmer announced that capacity and crowd restrictions will be lifted July 1, citing vaccinations and new federal guidance on masks. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced fully-vaccinated Americans could finally stop wearing their masks almost anywhere - indoors or outdoors. Those who have finished their shot regimen can now go out to eat, see a movie, shake hands and give hugs at will, according to the new guidance. The new guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, but could ease restrictions for reopening workplaces and schools. People who are fully vaccinated but immunocompromised people may still be advised by their doctors to keep masking. However, the CDC's recommendation is just that - an unenforceable recommendation. States, cities and businesses can still require masks. Whitmer, who received her second vaccination dose April 29, is considered fully vaccinated but she is not the first public official to draw criticism for defying pandemic-related rules. California Governor Gavin Newsom is shown above, left, sitting with ten others in the indoor/outdoor dining room at The French Laundry on last November without a mask. The photos were obtained by Fox 11 LA via a Twitter user Newsom (pictured during a lockdown announcement) was sitting in a private room with a glass door which was closed at one point because the group was being loud. He quickly apologized for the 'bad mistake' California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who won plaudits for issuing the first statewide stay-at-home order in the U.S. back in March, 2020, later drew criticism after he broke the state rules. Newsom and his wife were caught dining with 10 others at the posh French Laundry restaurant in Napa in early November with lobbyists and others from numerous different households, sitting close together, mask-less. Newsom quickly apologized, saying he 'made a bad mistake' but noting the gathering was outdoors. Within days, photos emerged showing the group in a room that was enclosed on three sides with a sliding glass door on the other, maybe meeting the technical definition of outdoors, but perhaps not the spirit. A New Jersey man died after being beaten up at a strip club and dumped on a highway where he was struck by a car that dragged him several hundred feet, police say. Marko Guberovic, 38, was killed at around 3.40am Saturday after getting into a fight with five other men at Satin Dolls - a club in Lodi made famous as the 'Bada Bing' in the HBO series The Sopranos, authorities said. On Monday, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office announced the arrests of Ridgefield Park residents Adrian Hoti, 23; Fero Hoti, 24; Kevin Agudelo, 22; Christian Reyes, 22; and Julia Pena, 23. Each man is facing charges of aggravated manslaughter and endangering an injured victim for their alleged roles in the killing. Prosecutors said that after the fight, the five suspects left Guberovic 'incapacitated' in the left lane of Route 17, before getting in their vehicle to leave. A short time later a red 2020 BMW M8 struck Guberovic, dragging him 600 feet, the Daily Voice reported, and killing him. Authorities say Marko Guberovic, 38, (pictured) was beaten up by five men at a New Jersey strip club early Saturday, and left on a nearby highway where he was hit and killed by a car Guberovic was known online for his love of Nike sneakers and the close relationship he had with his 11-year-old niece, Tessa The driver of the BMW was not identified. It remains unclear what sparked the fight between Guberovic and the men, or if they knew each other before coming to blows. On social media, friends and acquaintances remarked on the sudden death of the Fair Lawn resident, who frequently posted about Nike sneakers and the close relationship he had with his 11-year-old niece, Tessa. 'Way too soon,' co-worker Josh Fiallo wrote on Facebook. 'Life is super short and unpredictable. Yall better start touching base with your loved ones or those you hold close.. family, homies, friends etc..... drop the pride/grudges and put some stuff to rest, before you have to put someone close to you to rest.' A GoFundMe was set up by fellow sneaker enthusiasts to pay for funeral expenses. Kevin Agudelo, 22,(left) and Julio Pena, 23, (right) both of Ridgefield Park were arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter and endangering an injured victim for their alleged roles in Guberovic's death Fero, 23, (left) and Ardian, 24,(right) Hoti both of Ridgefield Park were also arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter and endangering an injured victim for their alleged role in Guberovic's death Christian Reyes, 22, also of Ridgefield Park was among the five arrested in connection to Guberovic's death 'Marko went out of his way for anyone he could, and this is our chance to do it for him and his family,' they wrote. 'Please keep them in your prayers. His mother, father and sister, but specially his niece, Tessa, who was the absolute light of his life.' 'Such a humble human being you were!!' commented Joshua Campuzano on the fundraiser page. 'Dude no matter where on the sneaker line you saw me Youd always say what up to me and would chop it up .Thanks for being who you were.' 'Never met you but social media made me feel like I knew you,' wrote Ebony Turner. Guberovic ran a sneaker Instagram account with nearly 64,000 followers. Followers also expressed their condolences in his last post on the account on Friday featuring four sets of sneakers with four matching hats. 'D**n man..goin to miss you sharing all this heat with us! ...one hell of a collector and an all around genuine dude .. RIP' posted user tristate_face. 'It's gonna be weird not seeing him post anymore,' replied lateekg. Satin Dolls is better known to Sopranos fans as the Bada Bing strip club in the hit HBO series. Located in Lodi, the topless dancer venue is owned by the character Silvio Dante, and often frequented by the show's regulars. Its exterior appears in three episodes of the series. Joe Biden joined some unlikely YouTube creators, including makeup gurus and two men who let animals and insects bite and sting them for views, to talk about vaccine hesitancy in a way appealing to younger viewers and encourage parents to get their children inoculated against coronavirus. The president, seated along Dr. Anthony Fauci in the White House, held three separate virtual discussions as part of a 'town hall' where the creators were able to ask the duo questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine. 'Not sure if you guys are familiar with our work, but it's pretty wild,' Coyote Peterson, one of the three men who make up the YouTube page 'Brave Wilderness', said to Biden and Fauci from a screen. 'Mine's really calm,' Biden joked back. Beauty gurus Manny MUA, a male, and Jacki Ain, a Nigerian-American who promotes diversity in the cosmetic community, also joined Biden and Fauci separately for a quick virtual chat. President Joe Biden hosted a town hall along with Dr. Anthony Fauci that was released Monday where the duo took questions from YouTube creators about the coroanvirus vaccine to decrease hesitancy and encourage parents to get their kids inoculated Two of the trio from 'Brave Wilderness' YouTube channel joined the chat Coyote Peterson (right) and Mark Vins (left). The men teach about wilderness and adventure, but their most popular videos feature them being intentionally bitten or stung by animals and insects Peterson said: 'Not sure if you guys are familiar with our work, but it's pretty wild... We get close with all sorts of animals that people would likely be afraid of: snakes, scorpions, sharks, even grizzly bears. And fear is usually a result of people not understanding a certain species. I can say that the same thing goes for shots and vaccines' Male beauty guru Manny MUA, whose real name in Manuel Gutierrez Jr., asked Biden if he could only bring one beauty or skin product to a deserted island, what it would be. The president said he would bring sunscreen at the direction of first lady Jill Biden Jacki Ain, a Nigerian-American beauty YouTuber who promotes diversity in the cosmetic community, asked questions about accessibility for minority communities Coyote shared a split screen with fellow YouTuber Mark Vins during their segment the third of their Brave Wilderness trio, Mario Aldeco, did not join the discussion. 'We get close with all sorts of animals that people would likely be afraid of: snakes, scorpions, sharks, even grizzly bears,' Peterson described of his YouTube channel. 'And fear is usually a result of people not understanding a certain species,' he added. 'I can say that the same thing goes for shots and vaccines.' 'What can you tell us that would alleviate any concerns parents might have in regards to getting vaccinated and why children who are the appropriate age should not be afraid of the vaccine?' 'I talk about it in terms of teaching about obligations to other people,' Biden said, dismissing parents' concerns and instead telling them to focus on their obligation to stop the spread of the coronavirus. 'It's not just about them, it's an obligation they have to their friends and other people,' Biden said of children getting the vaccine. Biden's Deputy Principle Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre hosted the pre-recorded and edited event, giving little statements between each segment Fauci clarified that parental questions about getting their kids vaccinated against COVID-19 are 'reasonable'. He also said that while the timeline of the vaccine creation and rollout may seem 'rushed', it's really the result of decades of research and development. Brave Wilderness' most popular videos are those where they either confront dangerous animals for educational purposes or are stung or bitten by poisonous creatures Manny MUA, whose real name is Manuel Gutierrez Jr., asked Biden if he could only bring one beauty or skin product to a deserted island, what it would be. Biden said: 'I think my wife, before I headed to the island, that 'you'd better bring some sunscreen.'' On a more serious note, Gurierrez asked whether there's any validity to concerns over so-called 'vaccine passports' to return to normal life or rumors that young and healthy people don't need to get inoculated. Biden and Fauci pushed back against both. 'They are not exempt from getting serious illness, so you want to protect the youngsters,' Fauci said of kids and teens. 'Then there's also the responsibility that you have of not being part of spreading the infection throughout the community.' 'So you almost want to take what I call a 'societal responsibility,' he added. 'Protecting children also protects society.' Biden said the rumors of vaccine passports 'plays to paranoia, particularly in younger people.' When beauty YouTuber creator Jacki Ain asked about people having concerned, Fauci reassured the vaccines are safe. 'The science that went into it is absolutely pristine. This is the result of decades of very intensive, basic and clinical research,' Fauci said. Many of Brave Wilderness videos feature the cast mates getting bitten or stung by some creature. Here Peterson is shown with an eel biting his neck Here Vins poses for a photo for the latest video where he is stung by a Man O' War jellyfish and uses pee to treat it Ain, an African-American woman, also talked about how certain communities especially those of color have bigger problems with access to healthcare resources, like the vaccine. Biden announced earlier this month that 60 per cent of American adults has received at least one dose of the vaccine and he set a new goal for July 4 to get that number to 70 per cent. Also earlier in May, the Food and Drug Administration approved vaccinations for children 12 and older opening it up to a new demographic not previously able to get inoculated and furthering hope for schools reopening in the fall. Several states have stopped accepting their full shipments of the vaccine amid a severe drop in the number of doses administered. The administration announced it would start taking back doses to reallocate them to other states that have a higher demand. Advertisement The US Capitol stood unprotected by National Guard troops Monday - the first time since the January 6 siege of the Capitol. The last 2,149 of what had been nearly 26,000 troops in an extraordinary deployment in Washington departed over the weekend as their mission to protect Congress formally ended. The troops were mobilized after hundreds of supporters of then-president Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, halting the joint session of Congress to confirm Trump's rival Joe Biden as winner of the presidential election. Some broke into lawmakers' offices, and called for the killing of members of Congress and vice president Mike Pence, who was presiding over the session. National Guard troops board buses as they leave the Armory after ending their mission of providing security to the US Capitol on Monday The remaining 2,149 National Guard members departed over the weekend as their mission to protect Congress formally ended The troops are returning to their home states after a four-month deployment to the U.S. Capitol, where they assisted the US Capitol Police with additional security following the January 6 insurrection Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, thanked the National Guard, calling them 'American heroes and defenders of democracy.' Amid fears of more threats around and following the January 20 inauguration of Biden, thousands of Guard troops were mobilized, patrolling the Capitol area day and night while a large fence encircled the grounds, making it appear a building under siege. The troops remained in Washington for months after the inauguration as what many dubbed an insurrection was investigated. 'These airmen and soldiers protected not only the grounds, but the lawmakers working on those grounds, ensuring the people's business could continue unabated,' Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement. Trump, who was impeached for encouraging the assault, later claimed the attackers were 'zero threat' to lawmakers and downplayed the episode. Members of the National Guard are seen above patrolling the US Capitol Building in this March 3 file photo The troops were mobilized after hundreds of supporters of then-president Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, halting the joint session of Congress to confirm Trump's rival Joe Biden as winner of the presidential election Since January 6 the FBI has arrested and charged some 440 people involved in attacking the legislature, dozens of them associated with armed militia groups. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, thanked the National Guard, calling them 'American heroes and defenders of democracy.' 'Their presence in our temple of Democracy following January 6th, one of the most harrowing and horrific days in our history, has brought security, safety and healing to the Congress and indeed the Country,' Pelosi said in a statement. 'It is imperative that Congress continues to take action to honor the sacrifice of law enforcement and to protect the Capitol and ensure that an attack can never again be perpetrated against it,' she added. Last week, the Democrat-controlled House approved - by a single vote largely along party lines - a $1.9billion measure to fortify the Capitol. The next day the House approved with 35 Republican votes the formation of an investigative commission. Both measures face an uncertain future in the evenly divided Senate. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, has said he opposes the commission proposal, which would need significant Republican support to advance under Senate rules. Members of the National Guard walk in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Sunday as they wind down their deployment following the January 6 Capitol riots in Washington, DC National Guard troops push a cart through the cafeteria in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Sunday Members of the National Guard put ready-to-eat meals into a trash bin as they clear up National Guard troops deployed at the Capitol since January are to leave on Monday Members of the National Guard sit at a cafeteria table in Dirksen Senate Office Building Members of the National Guard push a trash bin of Meals Ready-to-Eat, MREs, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on the final daysof their deployment Members of the National Guard get ready to leave the Capitol building following an almost five month long deployment Republican opponents say the commission would become a political tool as midterms elections approach, though the proposal requires its work to be concluded by the end of this year. Biden released a statement via the White House on Monday, thanking the National Guard for its service. 'Since the insurrection on January 6, thousands of proud service members, from states and territories all across our Union, have stood watch over the citadel of our democracy,' the president said. 'As they return now to their homes and families, we salute each of them for their commitment to country. 'When duty calls, our National Guard members put their lives on hold to stand as a shield and a support when their country is in need. 'Weve asked so much of our Guard over the past year, not only defending our Capitol, but supporting our fight against COVID-19, responding to storm damage and wildfires, and deploying internationally to support peacekeeping missions.' In the White House statement, the president invoked his late son, Beau Biden, who began his military service as a member of the Delaware National Guard. 'The Biden family is a National Guard family, and we are forever grateful and in awe of those who, like our son Beau, understand that duty and service to others is what makes us who we are as Americans. 'To all the National Guard members and their families who sacrifice so much for our country, like all our service members: we owe you and we will always have your backs.' In March is was revealed members of theNational Guard had been forced to eat raw chicken, moldy bread and meals containing metal shavings while they remain on guard in Washington More than a dozen soldiers on deployment became ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food being supplied by a contractor to all troops stationed in DC Soldiers have blown the whistle on the sub-par food by sharing photos of pink chicken, uncooked beef and moldy food with lawmakers and online It has been far from plain sailing for the troops. At some point soldiers were forced to sleep on the floor of the Capitol and even in the complex's parking garage. In March, the troops' meals came under scrutiny with members complaining they were forced to eat raw chicken and moldy bread. More than a dozen soldiers on deployment have became ill - with some serious enough to be hospitalized - after reportedly being given undercooked and contaminated food. Aside from the poor - and sometimes dangerous - quality, troops were not being given enough food, with breakfast some days consisting of just a dinner roll and Sunny D ahead of a 12-hour shift. In January shocking photos showed thousands of Guardsmen forced to sleep on the floor of the packed Thurgood Marshall Building parking garage and in a park outside. Issues with the quality of food came after a backlash in January when shocking photos showed thousands of Guardsmen forced to sleep on the floor of the packed Thurgood Marshall Building parking garage and in a park outside National Guard troops sleep on the grass on the eastern front of the US Capitol in January Images showed troops packed inside parking garages during their rest breaks with one unit of around 5,000 forced to sleep in one garage with just one bathroom between all of them. Images showed troops packed inside parking garages during their rest breaks with one unit of around 5,000 forced to sleep in one garage with just one bathroom between all of them. Before being located to the parking lot, the troops had been allowed to take rest breaks inside the Capitol building. The soldiers do have hotel rooms but their 12 hour shift pattern means they cannot easily return to their rooms during rest breaks. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki refused to say that the US is facing a 'crime problem' when asked about a series of weekend shootings nationwide that left 11 dead and renewed President Joe Biden's call for gun control. She was questioned Monday at the White House press briefing if the nation faced a 'crime problem' after shootings this past weekend left 11 dead and 69 inured. 'I would say certainly there is a guns problem,' said Psaki, rejecting the premise of the question. 'And that's something the president would say, and there are communities where local violence and community violence is an issue,' she continued, citing funding for anti-violence programs. The 12 deadly mass shootings over the weekend brought the total of US gun fatalities to 7,500 since the start of the year. There has also been a surge in anti-Semitic attacks since the start of the violence in Gaza, a wave of anti-Asian hate crime during the pandemic and an uptick in crime in general across multiple cities including New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chicago. 'I would say certainly there is a guns problem,' said White House press secretary Jen Psaki when asked Monday if the nation had a crime problem There were a dozen mass-shooting events between Friday and Sunday, CNN reported, based on data from the Gun Violence Archive and other sources. They included a shooting in Chicago that left four wounded. Others took place in New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Indiana and Minnesota, using a definition that includes at least four people wounded. Five were injured at a gathering in Paterson, New Jersey, while three died and three were injured at an incident at the Torch Club Bar & Grille in Youngstown, Ohio. Total gun violence fatalities have now topped 7,500 people for the year - amid calls for gun control in the wake of mass shootings in Georgia and other areas. In New York, violent crimes have been on the rise, with more murders on the subway in the first three months of 2021 than at any point in 2019, and with a 27 percent rise in murders throughout the city since 2020. In the first week of May, there were nine murders compared to just two in the same week in 2020 - a rise of 350 percent. Felonies have also been increasing steadily with assaults up by 31 percent since 2019. Former President Donald Trump last week called on prosecutors there to focus on 'real crimes' amid reports of a criminal investigation of the Trump Organization. Perpetrators weren't just using guns in weekend violence. There were a series of street attacks that authorities are investigating as anti-Semitic attacks in the wake of Israel's 11-day war with Hamas. The list includes a Jewish man who was attacked by a pro-Palestinian activist in Times Square, a Jewish teenager was also put in a chokehold outside a Brooklyn synagogue over the weekend, and a rabbi was hounded with abuse in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Three people were killed and multiple others were hurt when gunfire rang out near a Youngstown bar early Sunday morning.Reports of a shooting came in around 2 a.m. in the area of the Torch Club Bar and Grill The NYPD said three men hopped out of a blue Toyota Camry outside a synagogue in Borough Park around 7 p.m. and made antisemitic statements toward four Jewish men who were observing Sabbath The group then allegedly banged on the synagogue door, kicked the mirror on a parked car outside, then got back into the Camry and drove off.' Earlier Orthodox Jews were harassed in front of this Shul on 16th Avenue by a group of males yelling 'Free Palestine - kill all the Jews,'' Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein tweeted. 'Mommy my tummy hurts': Heartbreaking final words of boy, 6, killed in his car booster seat on the way to school after his mother gave another driver the finger on California freeway for cutting her off - as his sister begs for justice Police in Los Angeles are investigating the shooting of a 6-year-old boy who was shot and killed on his way to school during a road-rage attack on the 55 Freeway in Orange on Friday morning, May 21 President Biden demanded an end to the 'despicable' attacks in a Monday morning tweet. 'The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop. I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroad - it's up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor,' he wrote. Psaki acknowledged the many mass shootings that do not garner national attention. 'We don't often highlight ... the fact that between mass shootings, mass shootings that get a lot of attention, that we lower the flags there are hundreds of thousands of people who lose their lives,' Psaki said. 'That's one of the reasons the president will continue to advocate for the Senate passing universal background checks, but also advocate for activism in states,' she said. Asked if there were a connection to the coronavirus pandemic, she said she would ask her team to check on it, but noted to upticks in reported domestic violence, suicide and mental health issues. New York City crime statistics show that violent crimes, including felonies and felony assaults, have risen dramatically in the first few months of 2021. Murders on the subway system have been up 25% since 2019 and are on track to beat 2020 numbers While the murder rate rose by 47 percent last year, there was a drop in felony crimes The president called the recent string of attacks on Jews 'despicable' and said 'it's up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor' Vice President Kamala Harris also tweeted Monday morning calling the wave of attacks against Jews 'despicable' The anti-Semitic attacks that shame America: Brooklyn man is arrested for torching community center, teen is put in a chokehold, feces are left outside Florida synagogue, and temple-goers require armed escorts in LA America is witnessing a worsening surge of anti-Semitic attacks as Jews are targeted by some pro-Palestinian factions who have been triggered by violence in the Middle East. Although a ceasefire has called a halt to armed clashes overseas - at least for now - tensions between Israel and Hamas still are spilling into the streets of towns and cities across the U.S. The New York Police Department said 195 hate crimes were reported in NYC between January 1 and May 1, an increase of 71% from the same period last year. Although the figures did not state how many of the incidents were anti-Semitic, the Anti-Defamation League has identified an increase in attacks against Jews specifically. The charity received 193 reports of anti-Jewish incidents in the week after the Israel-Palestine crisis began, up from 131 the previous week. In Los Angeles, volunteers have set up armed patrols to accompany temple-goers, while LAPD has also stepped up its presence. Local man Steve Goldstein, 35, told the LA Times he had 'never felt so scared being in Los Angeles' after a series of high-profile attacks. BROOKLYN, NEW YORK A Jewish teenager was put in a chokehold after refusing to repeat anti-Semitic slurs and another chased with a baseball bat in one of two attacks against Jews in Brooklyn this weekend. The boys, aged 17 and 18, were approached by two men at around 7.45pm on Saturday before they 'demanded that the victims repeat anti-Jewish statements,' according to NYPD. When the teenagers refused, the attackers began punching them in the head and put the 17-year-old in a 'rear chokehold' before one of the thugs chased his companion while 'brandishing a baseball bat'. The perpetrators then fled the scene in Borough Park in a blue Toyota Camry, according to police. Within the same hour and in the same area, three men in a car with the same description approached four Jews walking outside a synagogue and 'yelled anti-Jewish statements', police said. When the four male victims fled into the synagogue, two of the three attackers jumped out the Toyota, banged on the front door of the building, and kicked the side mirror of a nearby car before fleeing. The NYPD tweeted that the three males are wanted for aggravated harassment and said that officers have now stepped up their patrols in Jewish communities. NYPD believes both incidents involved the same perpetrators, reported CNN. When the four male victims fled into the synagogue, two of the three attackers jumped out the Toyota, banged on the front door of the building, and kicked the side mirror of a nearby car before fleeing Mayor de Blasio met with Jewish leaders in Borough Park Sunday and said: 'We will stomp out anti-Semitism anywhere we find it. It is unacceptable. 'This is a city that is for everyone, and anybody who perpetrates an act of bias and prejudice, they will be found.' It came after Jewish accountant Joseph Borgen, 29, was attacked by four men in Times Square when he was heading to a pro-Israel rally. He is believed to have been identified as Jewish by the kippah he was wearing at the time. The NYPD tweeted that the three males are wanted for aggravated harassment (pictured is the synagogue) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Armed patrols have been set up to accompany Jews on the way to worship following a spike in anti-Semitic violence. Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Remi Franklin, 37, said he established the 'vigilance patrol' in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles so families could walk the streets without fearing attack. 'It's Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, mixed martial arts, and just friends with them, it's the people who want to do something,' Franklin told the Los Angeles Times. 'Women who are former dancers and gymnasts are walking with people to make them feel more comfortable.' Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Remi Franklin, 37, said he established the 'vigilance patrol' in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles so families could walk the streets without fearing attack Local Jews say the patrols are sadly necessary. 'Many people are definitely scared,' actor Jonathan Lipnicki, 30, said. 'It's a terrifying time for the Jewish community.' 'These people are only here to enjoy their families, walk and go home. They need to ensure their safety.' 'I've never been so scared of being in Los Angeles,' 35-year-old Steve Goldstein said after people shouted 'Jewish death' at a synagogue off La Brea. Franklin has shared photos of patrol members on his Instagram account. These men are seen standing outside a synagogue LOS ANGELES Police have arrested a 30-year-old man after a group of Jewish diners were attacked while eating at a restaurant. Xavier Pabon, of Banning, California, was arrested late Friday and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Initial bail was set at $275,000, but Los Angeles Police Department said it had asked for enhanced bail 'due to the crime being motivated by hatred.' A car convoy flying Palestinian flags is pictured rolling through the Beverly Grove section of LA on Tuesday before some of the men attacked Jewish diners at a restaurant The attackers were seen throwing glasses and yelling anti-Semitic slurs Cops believe he was part of a group waving Palestine flags that pulled up at Sushi Fumi restaurant in the city's bustling Beverly Grove neighbourhood at around 10pm Tuesday before shouting anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish customers and pelting them with bottles. 'Somebody in one of the cars driving by started throwing glass bottles or glass cups at the tables and they shattered everywhere,' a woman told CBSLA, adding that a group of about 30 charged the tables and began asking, 'Who's Jewish?' A day before Orthodox Jews had to run for safety as they were chased down by two cars bearing Palestinian flags. Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said the father-of-six - who is too scared to be publicly identified - 'literally had to run for his life'. In an earlier incident, on Monday night, a Jewish Orthodox man was chased by a pro-Palestinian convoy as he walked to a synagogue (pictured) BROOKLYN A New York man was charged Saturday with setting fire to a synagogue and Jewish school in Brooklyn earlier in the week. Ali Alaheri, 29, is accused of torching the Jewish center near Borough Park at around 4am on Wednesday. The building suffered some damage before firefighters put the fire out. Federal prosecutors said Alaheri was seen on surveillance cameras 'piling numerous garbage bags' against the door before setting several of them on fire. Ali Alaheri, 29, is accused of torching the Jewish center near Borough Park at around 4am on Wednesday He was charged with one federal count of malicious arson on Saturday, according to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. 'The defendant's alleged actions endangered the lives of numerous individuals, from the congregants and students at the synagogue and yeshiva, to the first responders who arrived to extinguish the flames, to the neighboring members of the community,' ATF Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito said in a press release. Just hours before, Alaheri had attacked a man who appeared to be Jewish, it is claimed. 'Alaheri can be seen on surveillance footage punching a Jewish man multiple times in the head with no provocation or prior interaction,' a charging document alleges. 'The man, who was sitting in front of an autobody shop on the same block as the [yeshiva and synagogue], was wearing traditional Hasidic clothing. After the assault, Alaheri can be seen jumping over a fence into an alleyway less than two blocks away from the [yeshiva and synagogue] and the assault.' After that, officials say Alaheri stole a bicycle and rode away. He was arrested two days later. HALLANDALE BEACH, FLORIDA A man yelled antisemitic remarks at a rabbi in front of a South Florida synagogue, before returning and dumping a bag of human feces in front of the building. Cellphone video captured the unidentified man as he shouted 'Jews should die' at a rabbi outside the Chabad of South Broward on Friday. The man left and returned a short time later, carrying a bag that contained human feces, said Hallandale Beach Police Capt. RaShana Dabney-Donovan. Cellphone video captured the unidentified man as he shouted 'Jews should die' at a rabbi outside the Chabad of South Broward on Friday. The man left and returned a short time later, carrying a bag that contained human feces (he is pictured dropping it off) The man then returned for a second time on Sunday with a cooler containing human excrement. He dropped it off before pedalling away on an electric bike He dumped the bag in front of the synagogue and yelled, 'Jews should die,' according to a police report. He also spat at a menorah near a sidewalk, according to the police. The man then returned for a second time on Sunday with a cooler containing human excrement. He dropped it off before pedalling away on an electric bike, WSVN reported. Cellphone video captured the unidentified man as he shouted 'Jews should die' at a rabbi outside the Chabad of South Broward on Friday Earlier this month, a Hallandale Beach man reported having rocks thrown at him as he walked to the Chabad of South Broward. 'It's very important for us to combat these types of incidents,' said Dabney-Donovan. A Georgia judge reportedly permitted the examination of absentee ballots in Fulton County in line with the 2020 election fraud claims. The Blaze said Judge Brian Amero of the Henry County Superior Court has approved on Friday a massive audit be conducted on Fulton County's more than 145,000 absentee ballots. According to public records, Amero ordered the civil action in line with the petition filed by Garland Favorito and company against the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, the Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Court, and the county itself. The "Order To Unseal" grants the petition to "inspect and scan the November 3, 2020, general election absentee balots that are sealed pursuant to OCGA 21-2-500," which pertains to the 2010 Georgia Code on Elections for the "delivery of voting materials." The Code requires the election returns to be immediately sealed and then delivered by the superintendent to the clerk of the superior court. Amero, who is the Chief Judge of Henry County's Superior Court and a designated Flint Judicial Circuit Judge of the Fulton County Superior Court, also granted the petitioners "to inspect and scan" the ballots "in accordance with protocols and practices that will be set forth" by the said court. The Blaze pointed out that despite the permission to conduct the audit, the results of which will not affect the results of the 2020 presidential elections in Fulton County since it was already certified. Likewise, the ballots will not be removed from the care of the election officials of Fulton County during the audit. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) said the schedule of the audit is still not defined and that the cost of the audit will be paid by the plaintiffs. The AJC disclosed that there is actually doubt on the plaintiffs capacity to conduct an independent audit since they have "no legal authority" based on claims raised by the legal counsel of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Amero's decision came two months after he was reported to be "mulling" on unsealing the ballots to "shed light" on the controversy of the 2020 elections results in Fulton County. "We want to do this in such a way that dispels rumors and disinformation and sheds light. The devil's in the details," Amero said in his interview with the AJC last March. The controversy arose when former President Donald Trump's team presented evidence on voter fraud in Georgia last December, wherein the most notable one included a CCTV footage of ballots carried in suit cased by poll workers in the State Farm Arena. This particular incident that was captured by the CCTV footage was said to be the very reason the plaintiffs filed the petition for the audit. "Plaintiffs say an examination of ballots would get to the bottom of what they see as suspicious activity at State Farm Arena on election night and pave the way for more accurate elections in the future," the AJC said in its report. An Indian couple reportedly held a mid-air wedding with more than 160 guests on board a plane to avoid lockdown rules. The couple - known only as Rakesh and Dakshina - got married on board a SpiceJet plane with friends and family on Sunday, after booking a chartered flight from the city of Madurai, India. More than 160 guests were on board the Boeing 737 to attend the ceremony and video footage showed them all packed onto the hired jet as India's official death toll topped 300,000 today. The state of Tamil Nadu, where the flight set off from, is currently under lockdown restrictions where weddings are limited to 50 guests. Airport officials were also unaware of the proceedings taking place directly above the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple where the couple had intended to marry. An Indian couple reportedly held a mid-air wedding with more than 160 guests on board a plane to avoid lockdown rules The couple - known only as Rakesh and Dakshina - got married on board a SpiceJet plane with friends and family on Sunday, after booking a chartered flight from the city of Madurai, India 'The airport authority officials are totally unaware about the marriage ceremony which took place mid-air,' an airport official said. Film and photos of the on board celebrations were posted on social media. They appear to show people with flowers around their necks and taking selfies. In breach of civil aviation rules, hardly any of them are wearing masks and social distancing rules are blatantly ignored. The aviation watchdog for India, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, suggested that the airline lodge a complaint against the newlyweds and their guests, reports said. All could be banned from taking passenger flights. 'The agent and the guest passengers were briefed in detail, both in writing as well as verbally, on social distancing and safety norms to be followed as per Covid guidelines both at the airport and onboard the aircraft throughout the journey,' a Spicejet spokesperson told Indian media. 'Despite repeated requests and reminders, the passengers did not follow Covid guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules,' the official added. A SpiceJet spokesperson told the Indian Express that the flight was booked from Madurai to Bangalore by a travel agent for a trip after a wedding. More than 160 guests were on board the Boeing 737 to attend the ceremony and video footage showed them all packed onto the hired jet as India's official death toll topped 300,000 today. Pictutred: The newly married couple The wedding comes after hundreds of villagers broke Covid lockdown in India to attend a funeral for a horse. Police say villagers in southern Karnataka state gathered on Sunday to pay respects to the animal, which had belonged to a local religious organisation. Video shows dozens of people gathered in a public square to lay floral tributes on the body of the horse, before a packed procession through the streets attended by hundreds - most of whom were not wearing masks. Police say the village will now be cut off for 14 days with nobody allowed in or out while surge testing is carried out. A case has also been opened against the organisers for breaking Karnataka's lockdown rules, which ban any type of mass gathering until at least July 7. Hundreds of villagers in southern India broke lockdown in order to take part in a funeral procession for a horse that belonged to a local religious organisation Dozens had gathered in a public square to lay floral tributes on the horse's body, before it was paraded through the streets and then cremated India has been suffering through the world's worst second wave of Covid, driven in part by a variant which is now widely thought to be more infectious than the original virus, and in part by lax lockdowns and social distancing. The country's vaccine programme is also lagging behind economically developed countries, with only around 10 per cent of people protected by at least one dose. Daily case figures in the Asian nation - which for a time accounted for around 40 per cent of global totals - are now falling, but remain extremely high. India's second wave of Covid is beginning to slow down, but the country is still reporting the largest daily case totals of anywhere in the world Deaths are continuing to rise in India though at a slower rate as the pace of infection lessens, with more than 4,000 fatalities reported each day on average (pictured) India is currently reporting around 250,000 cases per day according to seven-day average data, having peaked just shy of 400,000 earlier this month. That is still far above second-place Brazil, which is reporting around 35,000. Both nations are thought to be under-counting the true total by several orders of magnitude. While India's cases have started to fall, deaths are still rising and recently topped 4,000 per day according to seven day averages. However, deaths are rising much slower than they have been in recent months, and are expected to start falling in the coming weeks. India's death toll is the third-highest reported in the world, accounting for 8.6 per cent of the nearly 34.7 million coronavirus fatalities globally. Crematorium staff, who have been working around the clock since the second wave began to rise in April, light a funeral pyre in New Delhi on Monday Even so, the true number is thought to be significantly greater, with analysts estimating anything between twice and ten times as many people have died as on the official count. The health ministry Monday reported 4,454 new death in the last 24 hours, bringing India's total fatalities to 303,720. It also reported 222,315 new infections, which raised the overall total to nearly 27 million. From the remote Himalayan villages in the north, through the vast humid central plains and to the sandy beaches in the south, the pandemic has swamped India's underfunded health care system after spreading fast across the country. In the capital, New Delhi, residents have died at home with no oxygen as hospitals exhausted limited supplies. In Mumbai, COVID-19 patients have died in crowded hospital corridors. In rural villages, fever and breathlessness took people before they were even tested for coronavirus. While the megacities have seen signs of improvement in recent days, the virus isn't finished with India by any means. India's official Covid death toll passed 300,000 today, though experts are agreed that is almost certainly a gross under-estimate (pictured, a Covid hospital in Delhi) People line up to get a Covid test in Jammu, northern India, as the country continues to suffer through a potent second wave of the virus India has been trying to vaccinate its way out of the crisis, but jabs are in short supply and it will take months to ramp up production (pictured, a vaccine centre is closed in Hyderabad) It appears to have already taken a ghastly toll in the country's vast rural areas, where a majority of the people live and where health care is limited. In recent weeks, hundreds of bodies have washed up on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh state. Many others have been found buried in shallow graves along its sandy banks. It has prompted concerns that they're the remains of COVID-19 victims. India's vaccination drive has also slowed recently, and many states say they don't have enough vaccines to administer. The world's largest vaccine-producing nation has fully vaccinated just over 41.6 million people, or only 3.8% of its nearly 1.4 billion population. The first known COVID-19 death in India happened on March 12, 2020, in southern Karnataka state. It took seven months to reach the first 100,000 dead. The toll hit 200,000 deaths in late April. The next 100,000 deaths were recorded in just 27 days after new infections tore through dense cities and rural areas alike and overwhelmed health care systems on the brink of collapse. Average daily deaths and cases have slightly decreased in the past few weeks and the government on Sunday said it is conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests, with more than 2.1 million samples tested in the previous 24 hours. An apparent Donald Trump supporter has been filmed flipping the bird at Michael Cohen in footage shot by the president's former fixer on Monday. Sharing the clip to Twitter, Cohen wrote: 'Sometimes you meet the most pleasant #Trump supporters in #NYC #CentralPark.' Cohen - who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for tax evasion and violating campaign finance laws - said he had been listening to music when the unidentified woman ran at him 'screaming profanities'. He said he then caught up to her and recorded their interaction. In the eight second clip Cohen can be heard saying: 'Let's make you famous. Let's make you famous.' The woman then flips the bird at him. After sharing the footage, Cohen replied to followers on Twitter who supported him. He wrote: 'Just taking a leisurely walk in the park, listening to @amazonmusic when this elegant, articulate #Trump supporter began cursing at me.' Others said he was a 'creep' for following a woman in a public park. He replied to those questioning the video, telling one: 'There would be no recording if you just minded your own business and kept their vile opinions to yourself.' Cohen told The New York Daily News: '(She) runs at me screaming profanities and sticking her middle fingers in my face. 'I removed my cell phone from my pocket, caught up to her and recorded her.' Cohen claims it is the second time he has been approached by the jogger. He said: 'The first time this occurred, she stated 'on behalf of all Trump supporters' and then the F bombs.' A Donald Trump supporter has been filmed flips the bird at Michael Cohen in footage shot by the president's former fixer on Monday. Sharing the clip to Twitter Cohen wrote: 'Sometimes you meet the most pleasant #Trump supporters in #NYC #CentralPark' Cohen - who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for tax evasion and violating campaign finance laws relating to Trump's 2016 vote win - said he had been listening to music when the unidentified woman ran at him 'screaming profanities' Cohen said then caught up to her and recorded their interaction. In the eight second clip Cohen can be heard saying: ''Let's make you famous' The woman then flips the bird at him Cohen is allowed to take a walk in Central Park under the conditions of his home confinement after being released from prison in July last year. He was one of Trump's closest associates for a decade, once proudly boasting that he was prepared to 'take a bullet' for the real estate mogul-turned-president. But he turned against his former boss, deciding to collaborate with federal investigators in Manhattan. During a Congressional hearing in February 2019, Cohen alleged - among other things - that Trump regularly undervalued or overvalued his assets, both with banks and insurance companies. Cohen claims it is the second time he has been approached by the jogger. He said: 'The first time this occurred, she stated 'on behalf of all Trump supporters' and then the F bombs' After sharing the footage Cohen replied to followers on Twitter who supported him He wrote: ' Just taking a leisurely walk in the park, listening to @amazonmusic when this elegant, articulate #Trump supporter began cursing at me' He also replied to those questioning the video, telling one: 'There would be no recording if you just minded your own business and kept their vile opinions to yourself' The former president was pictured arriving at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Monday morning just days after Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a criminal probe into his business. Cohen said Monday: 'I do believe that indictments will be issued shortly, and definitely before summer's end.' There are also mounting questions over whether Trump's long-time CFO Allen Weisselberg will turn on him. Weisselberg, long considered to be Trump's right-hand man with finances, is now facing two criminal investigations into his actions. James' office has been investigating alleged civil tax offenses by Trump's business empire since 2019, but last week ramped up the probe to make it criminal. Trump tore into the James' actions, accused her of orchestrating a witch hunt since she came into office and said she should focus on fixing the surge in crime in New York City. On Thursday, Weisselberg former daughter-in-law Jennifer said he would 'definitely' flip on the president and former Trump Organization executive Barbara Res said she believes he is already cooperating with prosecutors. The former president, pictured, was pictured arriving at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Monday morning just days after Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a criminal probe into his business Cohen said on Wednesday he expects Trump to flip on his own family. 'I think Donald Trump is going to flip on all of them,' he told Joy Reid. 'What do you think about that? Including his children.' He explained: 'I really believe that Donald Trump cares for only himself, and he realizes that his goose is cooked,' so when he will be asked about the Trump Organization's finances he will blame everyone else. 'It's never Donald,' Cohen, the former vice president of the Trump Organization, said. 'See, this is the problem. It's never, ever Donald Trump. It's always somebody else.' 'It wasn't Donald Trump who had the affair,' he continued. 'It wasn't Donald Trump who directed me to make the payments to Stormy Daniels. It wasn't Donald Trump who got the benefit of the relationship and the actions. It was Michael Cohen. And I'm the bad guy into it. Why? Because I didn't take the fall.' So, he said, when 'all of a sudden they turn around and start asking him about his tax returns or about the devaluation of the assets or the way that he took deductions,' he will say, 'I don't do my taxes. It's my accountant.' 'He's going to turn on his accountant and point the finger,' Cohen said, visibly surprising The ReidOut host. 'He's going to say 'Don Jr. handled that, Ivanka handled that. Melania. Don't take me. Take Melania!' 'He's going to tell them to take everyone except for himself.' Advertisement The father of a dissident journalist whose plane was hijacked and diverted to Belarus so he could be arrested says his son appears to have a broken nose and missing teeth in the first footage of him since he was detained. Dzmitry Protasevich, father of 26-year-old Roman who was arrested in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Sunday, said his son had been 'forced' to film the video confession which was released on state TV late Monday. Roman appears to be wearing makeup to conceal facial injuries, Mr Protasevich said, and is speaking unnaturally using words that he does not typically use. 'It is very likely that his nose is broken, because the shape of it is changed and there's much powder on the front of it, all of the left side of his face has powder, there's some greasy stuff on the left side,' Mr Protasevich said, adding that 'it's not his pack of cigarettes on the table - he doesn't smoke these.' 'I think he was forced. It's not his words, it's not his intonation of speech, he is acting very reserved and you can see he is nervous,' he said. Roman's arrest came after his Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was intercepted by a Belarusian fighter jet and diverted to Minsk under the pretense of a Hamas bomb threat against the aircraft. After touching down in the Belarusian capital, Mr Protasevich and Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega were bundled into an SUV by security agents and driven away. The video marks the first time that Roman has been seen since that moment, and shows him sitting in a dark hoodie at a wooden desk while telling viewers that he is in good health and is being treated well. 'I continue cooperating with investigators and am confessing to having organised mass unrest in the city of Minsk,' he adds. But exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who was forced to appear in a similar video denouncing pro-democracy protests after Belarus's 2020 election, said the footage was made under 'physical and moral pressure' and that she fears for his life In response to the hijacking, EU leaders have agreed new sanctions on Belarus including cutting off air travel to or from the country - with European Council president Charles Michel saying that Minsk is playing 'Russian roulette with the lives of innocent civilians'. Elsewhere today: Joe Biden condemned the hijack as 'a direct affront to international norms', adding that 'this outrageous incident the video Mr Protasevich appears to have made under duress are shameful' Flight tracking data showed flights from European countries skirting Belarus airspace as ban came into force, with EU leaders saying more 'targeted' sanctions against officials are being prepared Alexander Lukashenko signed off tough new laws cracking down on the media in Belarus, banning them from reporting on demonstrations and allowing the government to close outlets down Belarus jailed seven political activists, including Young Front leader Pavel Severinets, for between four and seven years for taking part in 'mass unrest' following the 2020 election French President Emmanuel Macron suggested inviting Belarusian opposition leaders to next month's G7 summit, which is due to be held in the UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the video of Protasevich as 'deeply disturbing' and warned that Belarus's actions 'will have consequences' The UN and NATO condemned the 'state hijacking' of an aircraft and called for the immediate release of Protasevich and Sapega, saying they are victims of 'unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention' Moscow denied any involvement in Protasevich's arrest, saying claims are driven by 'anti-Russian' sentiment Roman Protasevich has appeared on camera for the first time since his arrested on Sunday (left), as his father says it appears his nose is broken and that he is wearing makeup - possibly to conceal bruising on the side of his face, with marks visible on his forehead (Protasevich is pictured right in 2017, for comparison) Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, (pictured after he was separated from other passengers) was hauled off the plane and arrested with his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, after the flight from Greece to Lithuania made the emergency landing in Minsk Belarusian dog handler checks luggage from the Ryanair flight in Minsk International Airport on May 23 Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich's girlfriend Sofia Sapega who was also detained Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian opposition who was with Mr Protasevich just days before his arrest, spoke to journalists in Lithuania today - where she lives in exile - and called for his immediate release Ryanair flight FR4978 had been flying from Athens in Greece to Vilnius in Lithuania when it was escorted by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet to Belarus amid fake reports of an IED on board. It was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport, where authorities arrested dissident journalist Roman Protasevich Roman Protasevich's body language 'meek' during interview Roman Protasevich appears meek and 'self-contained' in the video released of his confession last night, a body language expert has revealed. The 26-year-old appears exhausted with 'puffy or tired looking inexpressive eyes' - a far cry from his news broadcasts as a journalist which were filled with gesticulation and facial expression. In the video he sits with his hands 'meshed in a self-contained-looking closed clasp' body language expert Judi James told MailOnline. And the movement of his eyes 'hints that he could be reading from a statement but this is hard to clarify.' 'Like many radio speakers or bloggers, Protasevich seems to have previously used hand gesticulation and eye expressions to add impact to his messages and power to his vocal tone,' she said. 'Here though he sits static with his hands clasped on the table in front of his torso and something that looks like a poker face with rather puffy or tired-looking unexpressive eyes and no brow movement.' Ms James added: 'There are no "Hi, I'm fine!" relaxed-looking persuasive gestures here that a young man might use to reassure his family that he is OK, like a throwing out of open palms and maybe even a reassuring smile. 'Instead his fingers are meshed in a self-contained-looking closed clasp with the upper thumb performing a clamp gesture that includes the sleeve of his sweatshirt. 'He uses both his head and his clasped hands to perform small metronomic gestures as he speaks as though it is important to get the words across. 'As he speaks about being detained there is a micro-gesture as the left side of his mouth slews out in what looks like a subtle display of emotion. 'As he speaks his hand clasp changes slightly, becoming a steepled, forward-pointing "praying" shape before meshing up again, which again hints at a need to get the messages across.' Advertisement European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU had also frozen 2.6billion in investment destined for Belarus 'until it becomes democratic.' She added: 'This is an attack on democracy. This is an attack on freedom of expression. And this is an attack on European sovereignty. And this outrageous behaviour needs a strong answer.' Airlines including Air France, Finnair, the Netherlands' KLM, Germany's Lufthansa, Scandinavian carrier SAS, Poland's Lot, and Singapore Airlines all appeared to be complying with the new rules on Tuesday - moves that could cost Belarus millions of pound in air traffic control fees, according to Russian broadcaster RBC. Ukraine's government also said all of its airlines would be avoiding the country's airspace, while multiple European countries said they were working to ban the country's state carrier Belavia from using their airports. Meanwhile Latvia and Belarus expelled all diplomats and ambassadors from each other's countries in tit-for-tat moves sparked when Latvian officials replaced the Belarusian flag at an ice hockey world championship in Riga with a flag used by the opposition, causing outrage. Meanwhile US President Joe Biden on Monday called the forced diversion of the commercial passenger jet 'a direct affront to international norms' and condemned the action as an 'outrageous incident.' In his statement, he also expressed outrage over Protasevich's video statement that aired on Belarusian state TV. 'This outrageous incident and the video Mr Protasevich appears to have made under duress are shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press,' Biden said in a statement. 'The United States joins countries around the world in calling for his release, as well as for the release of the hundreds of political prisoners who are being unjustly detained by the Lukashenko regime.' Ms Tikhanovskaya on Tuesday welcomed the sanctions and called on world leader to go further - targeting members of the government and their business associates, in the hopes of toppling the regime so that free elections can be held. I think many have already watched the video with imprisoned Roman,' she told reporters in Lithuania. 'He says that he is being treated lawfully, but he is clearly beaten and under pressure. There is no doubt that he may be tortured. 'He was taken hostage like 406 political prisoners and hundreds of people who have not yet been recognized as political prisoners but are behind bars. He was taken hostage, like 9 million Belarusians. 'The whole world has understood that not only Belarusians are in danger. Many countries have given definitions to the actions of the regime this is state-backed terrorism. 'The suspension of flights over Belarus doesn't solve the real problem. The problem is the terrorist regime that rigged elections last year, regularly violates the constitution, and breaks international law. 'Lukashenkos regime is a threat to regional and European security. The only solution to this crisis is to conduct free and fair elections and democratic reforms.' The hijacking unfolded around 9.45am GMT on Sunday as Ryanair flight FR4978 was flying through Belarus airspace on its way from Athens to Vilnius, when a Belarus MiG-29 fighter jet intercepted it. Belarus authorities claimed they had received a bomb threat from Hamas - the group which operates in Gaza - threatening to blow up the plane in the skies above Vilnius, and informed the pilot of the threat. According to officials in Belarus, the pilot then made the decision to divert to Minsk rather than continue to Vilnius or divert to another airport. But observers say this makes no sense, as Vilnius was by far the closest airport - theorising that the fighter jet may have threatened to shoot down the passenger plane. Belarus denies this. Hamas has denied there was any bomb threat, and has no known ability to operate outside of Gaza and Israel. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also poured scorn on the idea, calling it 'completely implausible'. Around half an hour later, the flight landed in Minsk where the passengers were taken off and had their baggage searched. Witnesses say Mr Protasevich told them he was going to be arrested and faced 'the death penalty' before he was taken to a waiting SUV and sped away. Miss Sapega was also arrested. He is now being held on extremism charges relating to mass protests following last year's election - which is widely viewed as rigged - while she is being held on unknown charges, also relating to the protests. Who is Sofia Sapega, Roman's girlfriend? Belarus arrested journalist Roman Protasevich in Minsk on Sunday, alongside girlfriend Sofia Sapega. While Roman is a well-known dissident and prominent reporter, far less is known about Miss Sapega. Russia has confirmed that she is one of its citizens, and social media suggests she is originally from Vladivostok and has a father who lives in Thailand. Miss Sapega also appears to have family in Belarus, but for the past several years has been living in Lithuania while studying at the European Humanities University. The university confirmed she is studying international and European Union law, and had been due to defend her Master's thesis before being arrested. It is thought that she and Roman had been dating for around six months before Sunday's hijacking, having met in a bar in Vilnius. Miss Sapega's mother revealed to the BBC that she had managed to send a message reading 'mummy' to her on WhatsApp before being arrested. Her mother added that she is now being held in jail in Minsk, and Russia's foreign ministry says it has asked for consular access. The charges against her are unclear. Advertisement Flight logs show three other passengers also disembarked in Minsk, amid claims these were Belarusian KGB agents sent to oversee the operation. Initially it was thought that the agents could have been from the namesake Russian KGB, but Moscow has denied any involvement. The Kremlin says it is seeking consular access to Miss Sapega, who is a Russian citizen. The trio who departed in Minsk have since appeared on Belarus state TV where they were presented as two Belarus nationals - Sergey Kulakov and Alexandra Stabredova - and a Greek man, Zisis Yason. The group claimed they had been due to fly to Minsk anyway and had begged to be kept off the flight when it returned to the skies, around seven hours after it first touched down. They did not directly address claims about being undercover agents. Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, journalist and historian Anne Applebaum said that Lukashenko appeared to have 'made a decision' in advance of hijacking the flight that sanctions against his regime were worth it in order to arrest Protasevich. 'He doesn't mind being cut off from the rest of the world and he doesn't mind being totally reliant on Russia,' she said, adding that '[Russia] will now be his only ally, the only country that will buy goods from Belarus, the only country that will trade with him. 'He has decided that remaining in power, the fate of his regime and probably his personal safety matters to him more than the rest of the country.' But she added that sanctions are still an important tool that could pressure elites within Belarus to rebel and oust Lukashenko. 'I think that's what the Belarus opposition wants to have happen,' she said. That pressure did not appear to be evident on Tuesday, as Belarus media reported that seven activists had been sentenced to jail time for their political activities. Separately, the White House said that national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday spoke Ms Tsikhanouskaya. Sullivan told the opposition leader that the US 'in coordination with the EU and other allies and partners, will hold the Lukashenka regime to account.' Two US senators urged the Biden administration to prohibit U.S. airlines from entering Belarus airspace because of the incident. 'We must protect innocent passengers from despotic regimes and stand in solidarity with dissidents who are being targeted,' Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in a joint statement. Protasevich, an outspoken critic of Belarusian Lukashenko - dubbed 'Europe's last dictator' - was wanted for his role in organising massive protests against him after rigged elections last year. ROMAN PROTASEVICH: OPPOSITION BLOGGER FORCED INTO EXILE NEXTA, Protasevich's outlet, was closely involved in reporting a wave of opposition protests that last year threatened to topple Lukashenko, before he was given backing by Vladimir Putin Protasevich, 26, has long been a thorn in the side of Belarus's hardline dictator Alexander Lukashenko. He worked as an editor at the Poland-based Nexta Live channel, which is based on the Telegram messenger app and has over 1 million subscribers. The channel, which is openly hostile to Lukashenko, played an important role in broadcasting huge opposition protests against the President last year. Nexta also helped coordinate those same protests, which were sparked by anger over what the opposition said was a rigged presidential election. The channel's footage, which showed how harshly police cracked down on demonstrators, was used widely by international media at a time when the Belarusian authorities were reluctant to allow foreign media in. In November Protasevich published a copy of an official Belarusian list of terrorists on which his name figured. The listing said he was accused of organising mass riots while working at Nexta. He also stands accused of disrupting social order and of inciting social hatred. He regards the allegations, which could see him jailed for years, as unjustified political repression. Protasevich fled Belarus for Poland in 2019 due to pressure from the authorities, according to Media Solidarity, a group that supports Belarusian journalists. He moved his parents to Poland too after they were put under surveillance. He later relocated to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is also based. Protasevich is currently editor-in-chief of a Belarusian political outlet hosted on the Telegram messaging app called 'Belarus of the Brain' which has around a quarter of a million subscribers. He was flying back to Vilnius from Greece where he had spent time taking photographs of a visit there by Tsikhanouskaya. He had posted the pictures to social media before flying back. Advertisement The Belarus Interior Ministry said Protasevich is being held in the capital Minsk and dismissed unconfirmed reports that he was hospitalised. Earlier, Belarusian media reported that Protasevich's mother received unconfirmed reports that her son was in hospital and in critical condition because of heart problems. 'This information does not correspond with reality,' the ministry said on its Telegram channel. It added that 'the arrested person is in custody' and is being held in Detention Centre No1 in central Minsk. 'The administration of the institution has not received any complaints about his health,' the ministry said. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab raised the possibility of direct Russian involvement in the diversion of the civilian airliner, telling MPs: 'It's very difficult to believe that this kind of action could have been taken without at least the acquiescence of the authorities in Moscow.' Yale University History Professor Timothy Snyder also added fuel to rumours of Russian participation in the plot, claiming in a tweet: 'Belarus would not have hijacked an EU plane without Russian approval'. But Russia threw its weight behind Belarus, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying that Lukashenko was taking an 'absolutely reasonable approach' to the detention of Protasevich. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also mocked the Western indignation at the alleged hijacking, writing on Facebook she was 'shocked that the West calls the incident in Belarusian air space 'shocking'' and accusing Western nations of 'kidnappings, forced landings, and illegal arrests'. Lukashenko, an ally of Vladimir Putin, personally gave the 'unequivocal order' to 'make the plane do a U-turn and land,' according to a statement by Belarus's presidential news service. Tsikhanouskaya called for wider sanctions on the Lukashenko's regime after Protasevich's arrest, which she said was 'the result of impunity'. 'For nine months already we have been fighting against the regime after fraudulent elections, but the regime still feels impunity and you see they use such awful methods of kidnapping people,' she said. 'We have to put much more pressure on this regime for them to stop violence and to release political prisoners.' She said she though it 'unbelievable' the regime had lasted long under these circumstances, especially because 'the whole county is against the regime'. 'The only question is, how many victims will there be during this fight for freedom and for democracy? I'm sure that these changes will come soon', she added. A fierce opponent of the Lukashenko regime, Protasevich had fled his home country in 2019 fearing he would be arrested by the strongman leader. Working out of Warsaw, the young journalist worked for the Nexta Telegram channel which made its name publishing videos of mass demonstrations against Lukashenko's regime surrounding the 2020 election which the president claimed to have won - though observers strongly believe was rigged. Nexta played a key role in helping demonstrators organise and was subsequently deemed an 'extremist' organisation by the Belarus government. In November last year, Protasevich was added to a state list of 'terrorists' - a list he obtained and published. Mr Protasevich subsequently left Nexta and founded his own Telegram channel - Belarus of the Brain - and moved to Lithuania, where Ms Tikhanovskaya is living in exile following last year's vote. Before his arrest on Sunday, he had flown to Greece to accompany the opposition politician to the Delphi Economic Forum and had stayed on for a few days afterwards with his girlfriend as a holiday. Mr Protasevich had previously talked to friends about the risk of flying through Belarus airspace, but was apparently lulled into a false sense of security when Ms Tikhanovskaya flew from Athens to Lithuania several days before him without incident. But on the day of his own flight, suspicions that things weren't quite right began to appear at the check-in desk - as Mr Protasevich messaged friends to say that a man 'speaking Russian' had tried to photograph his travel documents. Confusion over bomb threat but NO mention of a fighter jet: Belarus releases 'air traffic control transcript' Belarus has released what it claims is a transcript of conversations that one of its air traffic controllers had with the pilot of a Ryanair plane diverted to Minsk on Sunday. The script, which has not been independently verified, appears to show air traffic control warning the pilot of a bomb on the plane which is primed to detonate over Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania where the jet was headed. The following conversation takes place over the course of a little over 15 minutes: - Air traffic control: For your information, we have information from special services that you have bomb on board and it can be activated over Vilnius. - Pilot: Standby. - Pilot: Ok, could you repeat the message? - ATC: I say again we have information from special services that you have bomb on board. That bomb can be activated over Vilnius. A clearly confused pilot then asks for more information about where the bomb threat is coming from, and which airport he is being diverted to After several back-and-forth messages, he is told the threat was received 'via an email' that was sent to 'several airports' and that he should divert to Minsk, followed by this: - Pilot: Again, this recommendation to divert to Minsk where did it come from? Where did it come from? Company? Did it come from departure airport authorities or arrival airport authorities? - ATC: This is our recommendations. - Pilot: Can you say again? - ATC: This is our recommendations. - Pilot: Did you say that your recommendation? - ATC: Charlie-Charlie (an aviation term meaning 'confirmed') Air traffic control then begin asking the pilot for his decision, and he responds asking for a 'alert code'. After being told it is 'code red', the pilot says he will maintain his current position. Two minutes later, he comes back on the radio: - Pilot: We are declaring an emergency MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. Our intentions would be to divert to Minsk airport - ATC: Roger. Standby for vectors. - Pilot: Standby. What follows is a series of directions into Minsk airport, mixed in with local weather reports and the pilot giving information such as how many people he has on board. The transcript then ends. If the script is accurate, then it confirms that the pilot was told about a bomb threat and that it came directly from authorities in Belarus - however, the script is more notable for what it does not say, than what it does say. For example, there is no mention of Hamas - the group Belarus would later blame for the bomb, which the group has denied. There is also no mention of a fighter jet scrambled to escort the plane, much less a threat to shoot. However, it is possible that the fighter pilot was able to communicate with the pilot directly - in which case their conversation would not be captured on this transcript. The transcript also does not capture what, if any, conversations the pilot had with other parties - such as Ryanair officials. Advertisement Belarus state TV claims that these are the three people who departed the Ryanair jet in Minsk yesterday alongside Protasevich and his girlfriend, denying they are KGB agents. The trio gave their names as Alexandra Stabredova (left) and Sergey Kulakov (centre), both Belarusian nationals, and Zisis Yason (right), who said he is Greek President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference at the EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Protasevich's video 'confession' is 'deeply disturbing' while warning that 'actions will have consequences' Aviation experts have claimed that Belarus threatened to shoot down the Athens to Vilnius Ryanair flight unless it did not land immediately (pictured: a MiG-29 fighter jet involved in the incident arriving back at base in Belarus). Their presence has stoked fears of Russian secret services involvement in a murky operation to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, 26, a passenger on the plane who was detained with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, 23, in Minsk Europe's last dictator: Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994 Born in 1954 in the village of Kopys, in what was then the USSR, Alexander Lukashenko was the son of an unknown father - thought by some to by a Roma gypsy - and a labourer mother, Ekaterina Lukashenko. He studied in Belarus and graduated from the Mogilyov Teaching Institute in 1975, then went on to study at the Belarusian Agricultural Academy in the 1980s. He did a brief stint in the Belarusian border guards and also served in the Soviet Army, becoming involved in politics as a teacher within the military, and as the leader of a Leninist organisation in the city of Mogilev. After leaving the military he joined the ranks of the Communist Party and was appointed leader of a state farm, before being elected to the Supreme Council of Belarus in 1990. Lukashenko made his name as an anti-corruption campaigner and emerged as a strong political ally of Moscow, and was the only deputy to oppose the December 1991 agreement that led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 1994 he appealed to Russia to form a new union of Slavic states, shortly before his election as President of Belarus - promising stronger ties between the two nations. Two years later, he persuaded voters to approve a new constitution allowing him to extend his term in office, rule by degree, and to appoint a majority of parliament. Lukashenko used those powers to extend his term in 1999, and won an election in 2001 and another in 2006 - amid allegations of vote-rigging that resulted EU leaders banning him from their countries. Election victories - accompanied by more allegations of fixing - followed again in 2010 and 2015. Lukashenko's popularity declined rapidly between 2015 and 2020, spurred on by his increasingly erratic behaviour coupled with mismanagement of the Covid crisis - during which he claimed vodka and saunas could prevent the disease. Amid a wave of dissent, another election was held in 2020 which returned an official victory for Lukashenko with 80 per cent of the vote - though few believe this to be accurate. His main opponent - Sergei Tikhanovsky - was arrested in the run-up to the ballot, leaving wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to run in his stead. She subsequently fled the country to Lithuania after being targeted by police. Anger at the result sparked the largest wave of protests in Belarus since its Soviet days, with mass demonstrations, strikes and calls for a change of leadership. Lukashenko responded by sending riot police on to the streets to round up dissenters, with an estimated 25,000 arrested by November. Eight have so-far died amid the crackdown - the most-recent of whom was political prisoner Vitold Ashurok. Lukashenko has also cracked down on journalists, raiding the offices of the country's largest newspaper Tut.by last week along with the home of its editor on charges of 'tax evasion'. On Sunday he staged his most-daring move yet, by diverting a Ryanair jet carrying dissident reporter Roman Protasevich to Lithuania before arresting him. Mr Protasevich's allies, including Ms Tsikhanouskaya, say they now fear for his life. Advertisement 'It's not certain,' he texted a friend afterwards. 'But in any case that's some suspicious sh**.' Nevertheless, he boarded the flight which took off at 9.29 local time, and flew most of its route as scheduled - including more than 100 miles through Belarus airspace. But at 12.46 Belarus time, things suddenly changed. The plane made a sudden and sharp turn and began heading towards Minsk. The captain announced to passengers shortly afterwards that the flight would be landing in the Belarus capital, without explaining why. But witnesses say Protasevich was in no doubt. 'They will arrest me,' he is said to have told cabin crew, urging them to continue to Vilnius as scheduled - a request they reportedly refused. The plane landed at Minsk around half an hour later, where Protasevich was separated from the other passengers and whisked away - telling them 'a death sentence awaits me here'. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary was among voices condemning what he called 'state-sponsored piracy' by Belarus, tying Russian into the operation. 'I think it's very frightening for the crew, for the passengers who were held under armed guard, had their bags searched,' he told Newstalk. 'It was clear it appears that the intent of the Russian authorities was to remove a journalist and his traveling companion. We believe there was also some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft as well.' Tory MP Tom Tugendhat this morning called it 'a warlike act,' joining the British, Irish and American governments in their condemnation. 'This was a flight between two NATO members and between two EU members,' the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman told Radio 4. 'If it's not an act of war, it's certainly a warlike act.' Mr Raab, the British foreign secretary, vowed to hold Lukashenko accountable 'for his outlandish actions' with further sanctions and demanded the 'immediate release of Protasevich.' His Irish counterpart Simon Coveney was also withering, saying that Dublin - where Ryanair is headquartered - would not allow the 'state-sponsored piracy' to go unpunished. 'We cannot allow this incident to pass on the basis of warnings or strong press releases,' Coveney told RTE. 'I think there has to be real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this. This was effectively aviation piracy, state-sponsored.' Moscow defended its ally, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov calling Lukashenko's action an 'absolutely reasonable approach.' 'A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules,' Lavrov said during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart. 'I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach.' He called on the global community to 'soberly assess the situation'. Earlier Monday, authorities in Belarus insisted they had acted legally when they diverted the flight. They instead accused the West of making unfounded claims for political reasons. Several European airlines including AirBaltic, Air Austria and Wizz Air were avoiding Belarusian air space as EU leaders met in Brussels ton discuss furthers sanctions against Lukashenko. AirBaltic said it was monitoring the situation and would avoid Belarus airspace until it 'becomes clearer'. It added: 'the safety and health of our passengers and employees in the main priority'. The Foreign Affairs Committee has called for a complete flight ban on Belarusian airspace. MP Tugendhat said he wanted to see a flight ban 'to protect our citizens from any potential repeat of this event'. Tugendhat explained he was calling for a ban on all flights going into, or out of, Belarus, until Sunday's hijacking was resolved. He added a call for 'immediate sanctions on the Lukashenko regime', including on the Yamal-Europe oil pipeline. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said further sanctions were being considered against the Lukashenko administration and Belarus' ambassador in London had been summoned for a dressing down. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace 'in order to keep passengers safe'. He also suspended the operating permit for Belavia, the country's state-owned airline. Journalists and Belarusian activists wait to see passengers of the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Roman Protasevich at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania WHY HAVE THERE BEEN PROTESTS IN BELARUS? Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, was rocked by strikes and weeks of protests last summer after President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994, was re-elected. The demonstrations started in the run-up to the August election day and became widespread after he claimed victory. The results was rejected by opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was soon forced into exile. The massive demonstrations sparked by the vote were the largest and most persistent show of opposition the former Soviet republic has ever seen, with some of them attracting as many as 200,000 people. More than 33,000 people were arrested during the protests and the police crackdown was brutal, with tear gas and rubber bullets used to disperse the masses, while others were beaten in the streets. Thousands were detained as the protests rumbled on through the autumn, with political activists and journalists jailed or forced into exile in neighbouring former Soviet states. At least four people were killed in the repression, with harrowing accounts emerging of abuse and torture in prisons. Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, has refused to step down and has secured backing from Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The European Union has refused to recognise the results of the election and imposed sanctions on Belarus. There have been sporadic demonstrations against Lukashenko this year, including on Freedom Day, March 25, when dozens of protesters were arrested in Minsk. Belarus was disqualified from the weekend's Eurovision Song Contest after lyrics of submitted songs were deemed to be mocking of anti-government protests. Advertisement A Lithuanian passenger on board the plane, who gave his name as Mantas, told how Protasevich jumped from his seat as the captain announced the plane was being diverted. 'Roman stood up, opened the luggage compartment, took luggage and was trying to split things,' he said. 'I think he made a mistake. There were plenty of people so he could give the things to me or other passengers and not the girlfriend, who was also I think arrested.' Mantas was speaking to Reuters after a day-long ordeal that began in Athens and finally ended late in the evening in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, after a stopover of more than seven hours in Minsk. Another exhausted passenger, speaking to reporters without giving her name, said Protasevich looked 'super scared'. 'I looked directly into his eyes and he was very sad,' she said. Protasevich was immediately separated on arrival in Minsk and checks of luggage using sniffer dogs turned up nothing. 'We saw that Roman was stopped due to some things in the luggage,' Mantas said, adding that the other passengers also had their luggage checked and were taken by bus to the terminal where they spent several hours waiting to reboard the plane. 'We saw from the window that Roman is standing alone, and one policeman with dog was trying to find something (in his luggage).' Another passenger, who also did not give his name, told Lithuanian media that Protasevich had identified himself to Belarusian security officials on arrival. 'I saw how his passport was taken away. He took off his mask and said: 'I'm so-and-so and I'm the reason why all this is going on.'' Aviation experts revealed that the passenger plane had been significantly closer to Vilnius than it was to Minsk when it was forced to turn around, making a mockery of the Belarusian claims that it needed to make an emergency landing for a bomb threat. Leading opposition figure Pavel Latushko said: 'The air traffic controllers of Minsk-2 airport threatened to shoot at the Ryanair civilian plane with passengers on board. For this reason, a military fighter MiG-29 of Belarus Air Force was sent. 'This proves again that this incident was an act of state terrorism It demands an immediate reaction of European authorities and the entire world community.' Ryanair did not deny the claims this morning, telling MailOnline: 'Ryanair condemns the unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities who diverted Ryanair's flight FR4978 to Minsk yesterday (23 May), which was an act of aviation piracy. 'This is now being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies & NATO. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them and we cannot comment further for security reasons.' Latushko heads the National Anti-Crisis Management, a shadow government set up last year by the Belarusian Coordination Council for the peaceful transfer of power following the 'rigged' 2020 election, widely seen as stolen by President Alexander Lukashenko. He is a former culture minister of Belarus and was the country's ambassador to France, Spain and Portugal before joining the opposition. The claim about the shooting had come via the Belarus civil aviation authority, he said. Moscow-based aviation expert Vadim Lukashevich said he too believed that a threat to shoot down the Ryanair flight had been made. He said: 'To make it crystal clear - the pilots of the Ryanair plane that was forced to land in Belarus were pulling towards the destination Vilnius until the last possible moment. 'They had to turn back under the threat of a fighter jet when the distance to Vilnius airport was only 45 miles away and only 19 miles to the Lithuanian border.' He claimed the Ryanair pilots were 'heading towards Lithuania without slowing down they were escaping from the fighter jet, and they turned back just two minutes before crossing the Lithuanian border. ' Flightradar data showed the plane had not slowed to descend at the usual height on this route but appeared to be flying as fast as possible to the border - before abruptly turning back, seemingly on the orders of the MiG-29. He is convinced that 'the fighter had permission to shoot', he said. 'And I am absolutely sure that the crew of the passenger aircraft turned around only after receiving a notification from the Belarusian fighter that, in case of disobedience, it would open fire before the passenger plane left the airspace of Belarus.' Meanwhile, a leading Russian investigative journalist Roman Dobrokhotov revealed that as well as Protasevich's girlfriend Sapega, four Russian passengers who had been on the flight to Lithuania left it in Minsk. He claimed: 'Four citizens of Russia did not continue the flight to Vilnius. 'This operation was escorted by Russian special services.' One of Russia's most respected independent journalists Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Echo Moscow radio, said: 'Four more Russians didn't follow on to Vilnius, but left the plane in Minsk, and dissolved into the nature.' Another source suggests there were three not four Russians who left the plane, but in any event their identities are not known. Sapega is a student of the European Humanities University, now based in Vilnius, after its forced closure by Lukashenko's authorities in Minsk. She is a Russian citizen, and the university where she studies international law has expressed deep concern for her fate. Political detainees in Belarus are frequently tortured by the KGB secret service and police. A passenger named Raselle, a beautician, was videoed on the plane when it landed in Minsk posted a message to say that Protasevich had said to the flight attendant: 'Don't do this, they will kill me. I am refugee. 'He answered: We must, we have no choice, it's in Ryanair legal agreements.' Lithuania - a former Soviet state now in the EU and NATO - has led Western calls for action against its neighbour, Belarus. 'It is an unprecedented attack against the international community: a civilian plane and its passengers have been hijacked by military force, and a Belarusian citizen has been abducted, whose life and health are in danger,' said a government statement. 'It is unjustifiable that ordinary international travellers have been held hostage to the regime's aggression. 'This is the act of state terrorism directed against the security of citizens of the European Union and other countries, civil society of Belarus seeking asylum from the regime's persecution, as well as international civil aviation. 'Lithuania will demand a clear and uncompromising response from the international community.' Mr Raab said in a statement on Monday: 'The UK condemns yesterday's actions by the Belarusian authorities, who arrested journalist Roman Protasevich on the basis of a ruse, having forced his flight to land in Minsk. Mr Lukashenko must be held to account for his outlandish actions. Police officers detained Roman Protasevich after he was attempting to cover a rally in Minsk, Belarus on 26 March 2017 'The UK calls for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich and other political prisoners held in Belarus. The UK is working with our allies on a coordinated response, including further sanctions. The UK also calls for the ICAO Council to meet urgently to consider the regime's flouting of the international rules safeguarding civil aviation.' The 27 EU leaders open a two-day summit later Monday and the issue immediately shot to the top the agenda amid united condemnation of Lukashenko. 'The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences,' EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted. 'Those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned.' EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called it 'yet another blatant attempt by the Belarusian authorities to silence all opposition voices.' He called the diversion of the plane an 'inadmissible step' highlighting a further worsening in relations between both sides. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Monday bristled at what it described as 'belligerent' EU statements, insisting that the country's authorities acted 'in full conformity with international rules.' U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the incident 'shocking' and accused the Belarusian government of endangering the lives of those aboard the aircraft, including some Americans. He called for the release of Protasevich and for the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review the incident. 'I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said there's death penalty awaiting him there,' passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. 'We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again.' Protasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app's Nexta channel, which played a prominent role in helping organise major protests against Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian authorities have designated it as extremist and levered charges of inciting riots against Protasevich, who could face 15 years in prison if convicted. Months of protests in Belarus were fueled by Lukashenko's election to a sixth presidential term in an August vote that the opposition denounced as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since August, and thousands were brutally beaten. Rachael Lynn Stefancich, 24, of Plant City, was flagged down by Highway Patrol in a 'stolen' 2009 Cadillac sedan A nearly naked Florida woman was arrested Saturday after leading troopers on a high-speed chase spanning several counties. Rachael Lynn Stefancich, 24, of Plant City, was flagged down by Highway Patrol in a 2009 Cadillac sedan she was accused of stealing. But rather than stopping, she sped off at 110mph along Interstate 75 through Hernando County and into Pasco County, where officers rammed her. Pictures showed the Cadillac tangled up in a wire fence down a grass embankment with a cop car just behind. Stefancich came to a halt after the tactical maneuver and was arrested for grand theft auto, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding, possession of methamphetamine and driving while having her license suspended. Pictures showed the Cadillac tangled up in a wire fence down a grass verge with a cop car just behind She was booked into the Hernando County jail, where her status is unknown, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Highway Patrol said: 'Rachael Lynn Stefancich, 24, of Plant City, nearly fully unclothed, was immediately taken into custody and arrested for grand theft auto, reckless driving, fleeing & eluding, possession of methamphetamine and driving while license suspended.' 'Stefancich was later delivered to the Hernando County Jail.' Stefancich has previous arrests for other offences including petty theft and drug possession, according to online records. A jaguar was the last of the Tiger King's 68 big cats to be removed by federal agents from the private Oklahoma zoo owned by Jeff Lowe - another one of the notorious stars of the Netflix docuseries - over the weekend. The US Justice Department began seizing the 68 lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and jaguars last Thursday after they raided Lowe's newly-established 'Tiger King Park' in Thackerville, Oklahoma - near the border of Texas - for ongoing Endangered Species Act violations. Authorities claimed that Jeff and his wife, Lauren Lowe, had repeatedly violated laws requiring appropriate care for animals and had not complied with an order to hire a qualified veterinarian. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allegedly conducted three inspections of the park in the past six months. The Lowes received 'citations for failing to provide the animals with adequate or timely veterinary care, appropriate nutrition'. TMZ reported that inspectors noted that there was also inadequate shelter to protect the big cats 'from bad weather'. 'This seizure should send a clear message that the Justice Department takes alleged harm to captive-bred animals protected under the Endangered Species Act very seriously,' Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean Williams said Wednesday. Scroll down for video. Federal law enforcement seized 68 lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar from an animal park owned by Jeff and Lauren Lowe - the stars of Netflix's blockbuster docuseries Tiger King Federal agents were in the park taking big cats since last week. The last one was taken on Sunday Authorities claimed that Jeff and his wife repeatedly violated laws requiring appropriate care for animals so federal law enforcement took them away The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allegedly conducted three inspections of the park since in the past six months. Lowe is seen at the facility last year The Lowes previously owned the Wynnewood Greater Wildlife Park. That facility was once owned by Joe Exotic - the flamboyant lead star of Tiger King. Wynnewood was the setting of the seven-part docuseries, which revolved around Exotic's bid to keep control of the animal park. However, Exotic - whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage - was arrested on charges of attempted murder and the Lowes later took ownership of Wynnewood. They were forced to close the park last August after a USDA inspection there found multiple animal welfare violations. Jeff Lowe claimed the USDA was accusing him of a 'litany of falsehoods' and blamed PETA 'spies' for the closure of the park. 'The very agency that has given my facility five consecutive perfect inspections, has now folded to the pressures of PETA and continue to make false accusations against me,' Lowe stated. The Lowes moved their big cats to Thackerville, Oklahoma to create their new unlicensed wildlife park called 'Tiger King Park.' But USDA continued to conduct inspections and the big cats have now been seized. Lauren and Jeff Lowe took over the park after Joe Exotic's arrest but never opened it Last Monday, officials raided the newly-established 'Tiger King Park' in Thackerville, Oklahoma for ongoing Endangered Species Act violations The Lowes previously owned the Wynnewood Greater Wildlife Park, before relocating their big cats to the 'Tiger King Park' in Thackerville (pictured) One of the animals is seen being transported out of the animal park. The big cats have been moved to 'responsible animal preserves where they can be safely maintained' The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allegedly conducted three inspections of the park since in the past six months. Lauren Lowe is seen at the facility last year Lauren Lowe is seen at the park last November. Since that time, USDA officials conducted three separate inspections of the park Jeff and Lauren are seen in a snap taken by DailyMail.com at the park prior to its opening last year The Justice Department says they want 'to ensure that [the animals] go to responsible animal preserves where they can be safely maintained rather than exploited'. PETA released a statement saying 'the Lowes' reign of terror against threatened and endangered big cats may soon be over. 'If PETA has its way, these Tiger King villains will lose every other animal in their custody, too,' PETA official Brittany Peet said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Lowes' co-star, Joe Exotic, remains behind bars serving out a 22-year-sentence. He was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill animal rights activist, Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Joe Exotic remains behind bars serving out a 22-year-sentence. He was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill animal rights activist, Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida Three female deputies in Texas have filed a lawsuit accusing their male colleagues of staging bachelor party prostitution 'stings' to sexually assault them and get drunk. Lisa Gomez, Marissa Sanchez, Felecia Mckinney and Jacqueline Aluotto - an anti sex trafficking activist - filed the suit together on Monday against Harris County Constable Alan Rosen, Chris Gore and Shane Rigdon. The lawsuit alleges the office of Constable Alan Rosen set up undercover sting operations that were supposed to ultimately arrest those behind sex trafficking businesses. But those operations turned more into parties where officers drank heavily and the female deputies, who were given little to no training in undercover work, were fondled and kissed by their supervisory officer or were told to give lap dances to other male deputies. The lawsuit alleges that in another undercover operation at a massage parlor, one of the female deputies was told that to make an arrest she needed to be sexually assaulted by a suspect. The deputy did not get any support from the constables office after her assault, according to the lawsuit. Cordt Akers, one of the attorneys for the women, called the allegations 'some of the most unspeakable sexual police misconduct that any of us have ever seen.' Lisa Gomez, Marissa Sanchez, Felecia Mckinney and Jacqueline Aluotto filed the lawsuit together. Three of the women appeared at a press conference on Monday. Only Alutto spoke. All four are named on the docket Harris County Constable Alan Rosen (left) is named as a defendant as is Assistant Chief Chris Gore The lawsuit alleges Rosen and the Harris County District Attorneys Office were told about what was happening by a victims advocate working with the human trafficking unit, but they took no action. 'We need to end corruption and (complicity) in people in power,' Jacquelyn Aluotto, the victims advocate and who filed the lawsuit along with the deputies, said at a news conference. Aluotto alleges she was essentially fired as her hours were cut to zero after she told authorities what happened to the deputies. Rosen's office said it planned to issue a statement on the lawsuit later Monday. 'In this matter, our sex crimes division quickly asked Constable Pct. 1 Internal Affairs to investigate whether there was evidence of a crime and Ms. Aluotto has represented she contacted the Texas Rangers. Nothing has been presented to prosecutors by either agency,' said Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. The women say they were meant to all be putting an end to sex trafficking but instead, the male cops used the 'stings' to get drunk and fondle them Constables and their deputies are licensed peace officers who have the same powers as regular police officers but also have the added responsibility of civil law enforcement. Rosens office covers parts of central and north Houston. The lawsuit alleges that to make human trafficking arrests, the constables office set up 'bachelor party stings' in which the female deputies would pose as prostitutes in order to arrest sex workers and lead authorities to their handlers. But the undercover operations became 'sexually-charged' stings and a way for an assistant chief and others to fondle, kiss and ridicule the female deputies, according to the lawsuit. 'What began as an idea for `bachelor party prostitution stings soon grew into a booze-fueled playground for sexual exploitation in which young, untrained deputies were subject to disgusting abuse,' according to the lawsuit. Aluotto learned the female deputies were being victimized and that the human trafficking unit was not focused on solving cases and helping victims but on organizing the bachelor party stings, according to the lawsuit. Aluotto said she and the deputies have already received threats to their careers. 'We will not be silenced. We will continue to advocate and we will fight for our rights and others,' she said. Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro once again shook off any worries he may have over the COVID-19 pandemic and led thousands of bikers through the streets of Rio de Janeiro to protest nationwide measures imposed by governors and mayors to combat the deadly disease. A maskless Bolsonaro was at the front of a motorcade that departed from vibrant city's Barra Olympic Park on Sunday morning, the second time in two weeks the hardline leader attempted to quiet down criticism over his handling of the pandemic. Brazil currently has the third-highest rate of COVID-19 infections, behind the US and India, with 16 million people testing positive and nearly 450,000 dying since the start of the pandemic. Video footage showed thousands of supporters lining up along the sidewalks as the far-right leader was accompanied by a substantial security detail at the head of several thousand motorbikes. The event was screened live on the president's official Facebook page. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (center) led thousands of bikers through Rio de Janeiro on Sunday and then blasted the country's governors and mayors, without naming any in particular, for issuing measures that have kept people confined to their homes and away from carrying on their normal lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has produced 449,068 deaths Supporters of the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro take part in a motorcade rally along Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday People visit the Nossa Senhora Aparecida cemetery on Mothers Day, in Manaus, Brazil, where many people have been buried after dying of the coronavirus. The country is second behind the United Staes with 449,068 confirmed COVID-19 deaths. It is third behind the United States and India with 16,083,258 cases The parade comes as Bolsonaro has tried to galvanize his support base at a time when his popularity has sunk to its lowest since he took over the presidency in January 2019, and with the latest opinion polls putting him behind ex-president Lula ahead of next year's election. A Senate commission is investigating his pandemic management with 449,068 people having died of COVID-19. The country is third behind the United States and India with 16 million cases. The rally lasted an hour and half while heading along the city's most iconic beaches, Ipanema and Copacabana. Supporters lining the route cheered on the president and waved Brazilian flags. Bolsonaro, who once compared the virus to a 'little flu' and was infected in July 2020, capped it off by telling his throng of supporters that he would never instruct the military to keep residents inside their homes. After concluding a 90-minute motorcycle ride in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, President Jair Bolsonaro told supporters: 'My army will never take to the streets to keep you indoors ... Our Army is you. More important than the executive, judiciary and legislative Powers, the power belongs to the Brazilian people' Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (center) gestures as he heads a motorcade rally in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro meets supporters at the Monument to the Dead of the Second World War during a motorcycle rally Sunday 'My army will never take to the streets to keep you indoors ... Our Army is you. More important than the executive, judiciary and legislative Powers, the power belongs to the Brazilian people,' Bolsonaro said. The president's public appearance came after it was revealed that his youngest sister, Vania Bolsonaro, was hospitalized with the coronavirus last Tuesday, according to online news portal G1. President Bolsonaro said last Thursday that he had experienced coronavirus symptoms and was feeling better after taking chloroquine without telling his doctor. It's unknown if he come into contact with his sibling. A patient with a suspected COVID-19 infection is taken into an ambulance in Rio de Janeiro on May 20 Cemetery workers in protective suits carry the coffin of a COVID-19 victim who was buried at Vila Formosa cemetery in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last Wednesday Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (second from right) tried to galvanize his support base at a time when his popularity has sunk to its lowest since he took over the presidency in January 2019, and with the latest opinion polls putting him behind ex-president Lula ahead of next year's election On Friday, Bolsonaro was fined by a northeastern state government 'for the promotion in Maranhao of gatherings with no sanitary safeguards.' Bolsonaro had handed out rural property titles in front of throngs of maskless people at an event in a town in Maranhao state, where gatherings of more than 100 people are banned. Bolsonaro's office has two weeks to appeal, after which the amount of the fine will be set. He claimed during a May 11 speech that China created the coronavirus 'to spark a chemical warfare.' 'It's a new virus. Nobody knows whether it was born in a laboratory or because a human ate some animal they shouldn't have,' Bolsonaro said. 'But it is there. The military knows what chemical, bacteriological and radiological warfare. Are we not facing a new war? Which country has grown its GDP the most? I will not tell you.' Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters formed part of biker rally despite the COVID-19 pandemic at Copacabana beach on Sunday Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (right) and Brazilian Minister of Infrastructures Tarcisio Freitas (left) attend a motorcycle rally with supporters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday At the end of April, Bolsonaro said he was waiting for 'a sign from the people' to put an end to the pandemic restrictions taken locally by mayors and governors to try to slow the virus spread, insinuating that he could even deploy the army. Since then, pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations have taken place every weekend with no hint of social distancing. The president has been milking the attention, even appearing on horseback at a demonstration by farmers in the capital Brasilia. Justin Ross Harris is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his son, Cooper, after he left him in a hot car for seven hours. His attorneys are arguing for a retrial arguing that his murder trial had been improperly joined with one in which he solicited pictures from underage girls A Georgia man convicted of murder for intentionally leaving his one-year-old son in a hot car so he could meet up with an underage girl has been denied a new trial. Justin Ross Harris, 40, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2016 after his son Cooper died after spending seven hours in a hot car. Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley Clark, who presided over the original trial, denied Harris' bid for a new trial last Thursday. His lawyers had argued that the murder case against their client had been improperly joined with another involving his soliciting pictures from underage girls, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Granting a retrial would have forced Judge Clark to admit errors on her part in overseeing the original proceedings. Harris' attorneys said they planned to take their appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. Harris with his son, Cooper. Harris' attorneys vowed to take their motion to the Georgia State Supreme Court During his five-week trial, prosecutors outlined the timeline of the day in which Harris had left Cooper in his car. Harris worked as a software developer for Home Depot, and on June 18, 2014 at 9.25 am, he left his son in the parking lot of the Vinings, Georgia office where he worked. At one point Harris returned to his car early in the afternoon to drop off light bulbs he had just purchased, but it was not clear whether he realized his son was still in the car at that time. It was only after Harris got out of work at 4.16pm that he said he realized Cooper was still in the car and attempted to perform CPR, although he never called 911, police said. He claimed he had forgotten to drop his son off at daycare that morning. Temperatures reached 92 degrees that day, and experts in the trial argued that it likely rose to 125 degrees within the car. Much of the trial focused on Harris' extramarital affairs. On the day of his son's death it was discovered that he had been in communication with six women, including one who was underage. In addition to murder, Harris was convicted of three counts related to his exchanges with two underage girls. An Ohio couple and two of their 19 children, who are adults, have been charged after their daughter who escaped the family came forward with a string of allegations against them. Robert Bellar, 54 and his wife Deborah Bellar, 49, face charges in connection with an ongoing sexual abuse investigation concerning their children. Two of their sons Jonathan Levi Bellar, 26, and Josiah Bellar, 24, have also been charged. That came after one of Robert and Deborah's daughters told The Athens Messenger she was forced to attend a 'cult' church run by her uncle, James Bellar, who would tell them their siblings would have to have children with one another in order to prepare for the apocalypse. Serah Bellar said: 'All the kids would have to go, whether they wanted to or not even if you were sick, you had to go, it didnt matter. 'Anytime hed say anything, Id just kind of repeat it in my head, like, how messed up it kind of sounded. Hed always talk about the end of the world and how youd reproduce with your siblings.' That uncle denied the claims in a statement to Law and Crime, calling it a 'complete lie'. James Bellar said: 'I am a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and stand as witness to the Truth. How people react to that is on them.' DailyMail.com has contacted the Waverly-based Dove Outreach church for comment. Robert Bellar, 54 left, and his wife Deborah Bellar, 49, right, face charges in connection with an ongoing sexual abuse investigation concerning their children Two of their sons Jonathan Levi Bellar, 26, left, and Josiah Bellar, 24, right, have been charged Serah had been missing since April last year after escaping the alleged abuse; after turning 18-years-old she then posted to Facebook under a fake name detailing all of her allegations. They center on incidents said to have occurred between 2008 and 2016. Child services are said to have received reports but no formal action was taken. Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said: 'There was an absolute systematic failure in handling these accusations. 'Serah was turned away by authorities every time she tried to report this abuse.' Chief Assistant Prosecutor Liz Pepper accused her mother Deborah of 'refusal to accept the fact that there was sexual abuse going on in the home and the conspiracy she then entered into to conceal that'. She said she 'has concealed witnesses...tampered with evidence and...continues a conspiracy to hide sexual abuse that has occurred in her home'. Serah Bellar says she was forced to attend a 'cult' church run by her uncle, James Bellar Robert and Deborah are believed to have 18 biological children and one adopted child. They have each been charged with one count of engaging in corrupt activity, and two counts of endangering children, according to Athens County Prosecutor. The couple have each pleaded not guilty and were given $1 million bonds. Jonathan Levi Bellar is charged with gross sexual imposition. He is being held at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail. He has pleaded not guilty. Josiah Bellar is charged with three counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition. He is yet to be arraigned. Separately, Athens County Sheriffs Sgt. Jimmy Childs has also been charged with obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence. He is accused of deleting evidence of a phone call he had with Robert Bellar during the investigation. More than 500 Democratic staffers and Biden campaign alumni have written an open letter demanding the president do more to protect Palestinians and hold Israel accountable for its actions in the occupied territories. The 11-day conflict in Gaza exposed a growing divide within the historic party, between progressives who identify with the Palestinian struggle and a president who repeatedly reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself from rocket attacks. By the time a ceasefire began on Friday, more than 230 Palestinians had died in Israeli airstrikes and 12 people were killed in Israel by Hamas rockets. The letter urged Biden to demand Israel lifts its 'blockade' of Gaza, support the Palestinian right to self-determination and investigate whether the latest Israeli offensive broke laws banning the use of U.S. military aid in the commission of human rights abuses. President Joe Biden faces pressure from the left of his party to recognize what critics say is a power imbalance between Israelis and Palestinians. More than 500 campaign alumni and there had been no shift in his position on Israel despite urging the Israeli military to de-escalate strikes on Gaza as he came under pressure from Democrats to do more to protect Palestinians More than 250 people died and thousands others were injured in the recent conflict. Palestinian health officials said 248 people died in Gaza, including 66 children. 'We remain horrified by the images of Palestinian civilians in Gaza killed or made homeless by Israeli airstrikes,' it said 'We are outraged by Israels efforts to forcibly and illegally expel Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah. 'We are shocked by Israels destruction of a building housing international news organizations. 'We remain horrified by reports of Hamas rockets killing Israeli civilians.' The letter was signed by staffers who worked at Bidens national campaign headquarters, in 22 states and at the the Democratic National Committee. It commends Biden's efforts to broker a ceasefire but says returning to the status quo is untenable. 'While Israelis had to spend nights hiding in bomb shelters, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had nowhere to hide. It is critical to acknowledge this power imbalance that Israels highly-advanced military occupies the West Bank and East Jerusalem and blockades the Gaza Strip, creating an uninhabitable open-air prison,' it said. Biden faced multiple challenges to his position on Israel last week from within his own party. During a trip to Michigan, he was confronted by Rep. Rashida Tlaib who demanded he do more to protect Palestinian human rights. Gazan children play on rubble of a destroyed building targeted by Israeli attacks, in Gaza City. A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was reached following 11 days of the worst fighting between the two sides in recent years. And lawmakers introduced resolutions in both the Senate and the House to try to block the Biden administration's sale of $735 million in arms to Israel. On Friday, the president addressed questions about party divisions and whether his own attitude had shifted during the week. 'I think that, you know, my party still supports Israel,' he said. 'Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state, there will be no peace.' Biden has promised to lead efforts to rebuild homes in Gaza while at the same time replenishing Israel's Iron Dome air defense system. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to the region to press Palestinians, Israelis and regional powers to build on last week's ceasefire. Following the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Biden administration outlined peacekeeping requests similar to the demands of the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. When the Palestinian Hamas terror group demanded Israeli forces to remove themselves from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Temple Mount, Jerusalem, tensions sparked between the two nations that resulted in a 10-day fight involving air and ground strikes that killed hundreds. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) crushed the Hamas militant group, killing some of its leaders, but not without casualties. The air and ground strikes destroyed homes and sent families seeking shelter. At the time, the United States was corresponding with Israeli leaders, calling for peace. But their requests were revealed to have mirrored that of the Hamas militant group. According to The Blaze, Biden administration officials who were in talks with their Israeli counterparts to stop the fighting had three requests. In an Axios report, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan called upon Israel's Meir Ben-Shabbat, the Adviser and Chief of Staff for National Security, to "stop the evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, lower tensions on the Temple Mount and cancel the annual Jerusalem Day flag parade." The Biden administration's demands were not met, however. Instead, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Supreme Court to postpone carrying out its verdict regarding the Sheikh Jarrah evictions and decided to prevent Jews from visiting Temple Mount. The Prime Minister also decided to reroute the Jerusalem Day flag parade to avoid passing through a section of Jerusalem's Old City where Muslim occupants densely populated the area. The Biden administration's requests appeared similar to that of the Hamas militant group. Newsweek spoke to a Hamas spokesperson, who shared that they too had concerns that need to be addressed by Israel. The Hamas representative who spoke on behalf of the Palestinian Joint Operations Room, an allegiance of several Gaza-based groups including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that their goals as a group was "to have the Israeli occupation authorities accept our demands." The group wanted to provide "free access to worshipers from all parts of Palestine to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque without restriction or harassment by the Israeli police or the Israeli settlers and halting the attempts to expel the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah," the report said. The court case involving the eviction of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem had resulted in the more violent conflict that caused a 10-day air strike between Israel and Palestine. An Israeli official denounced Hamas' demands to Israel, saying that they were not "in any position to have demands and in general we do not respond to demands of terrorists." The Hamas militant group was declared by the U.S. as a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997. The ceasefire between Israel and Palestine is going on its fourth day, with mediators speaking to both sides following the worst conflict outbreak in years. Now the United Nations and the United States are in talks to send aid to Gaza, where Reuters reports that there "tens of millions of dollars" worth of damage, with 248 dead over the last 11 days of conflict. The United Arab Emirates have also expressed interest in facilitating peace efforts between Israel and Palestine. Gas boilers will be banned within 14 years under the Government's plans to tackle climate change. Ministers are discussing a cut-off date of 2035, after which the installation of conventional gas boilers will be outlawed. The target date, to be included in a new Heat and Buildings Strategy next month, comes amid growing concern about the impact of domestic heating systems on the UK's carbon emissions. Under one proposal designed to accelerate take-up, homeowners could be required to switch to a 'green' heating system in order to sell their house. Another idea could see a surcharge on gas boilers in order to subsidise the production of greener heat pumps. Oil-fired systems will also be phased out and there will be another push to insulate homes. The installation of conventional gas boilers will be outlawed after a potential cut0ff date of 2035 If hydrogen is part of a zero-carbon future, it could have to be produced by electrolysis (as shown above), which sees electric currents passed through water. Another option is for the plants to capture the carbon emissions and pump them underground A source said the Government had ruled out the idea of fining those who refuse to get rid of their gas boiler. The 2035 target date will dismay hardline climate change campaigners, who argue that much swifter action is needed. But ministers fear a consumer backlash if they move faster. What Boris Johnson's green targets mean for YOUR life and wallet Target - Cut meat and dairy consumption by a fifth over the next decade Impact - Someone who has meat for every three meals could only do this twice a week under the new plans. Similarly, the average Briton would need to shave a fifth of the average milk consumption down to 16ml a day - or roughly three teaspoons. Target - Ban new fossil-fuelled cars - including hybrids - by 2033 Impact - The average cost of buying a new electric car in the UK is 44,000, according to industry figures. Target - Ban the sale of oil-fired boilers by 2028 and gas boilers by 2033; require all homes to be insulated Impact - Energy efficiency measures - such as improving insulation and installing low carbon boilers - could cost 10,000 per home. Target - Stop expanding UK airport capacity and impose a frequent flyer levy with the aim of reducing the number of flights by 15% Impact - The average Briton currently takes 10 foreign holidays every five years, which would need to reduce to around 8. This is the equivalent of around three foreign holidays every two years. Advertisement Eco-friendly heat pumps, which extract warmth from the ground or air, can cost more than 10,000 to install. There are concerns that some may struggle to provide enough heat to keep the UK's draughty housing stock warm. A Whitehall source told the Mail: 'There are people calling for a ban in 2025, but that is just ridiculous. We have to take people with us. Setting a target date is the right way to drive change. 'But it has to be affordable and practical and that means doing it over a reasonable timescale to give time for technology to improve and get cheaper.' Tory former minister Steve Baker warned that the move could spark consumer anger. He said: 'The policy elite have persuaded themselves there is a consensus for net zero without anyone bothering to explain the implications to the public. 'When people do work out the cost and impact on their lives there is going to be a huge backlash. If we go down the road of forcing people to replace their boiler at a cost of thousands of pounds it will make the cladding scandal look like a walk in the park.' Gas boilers are already due to be banned from new homes by 2025. But ministers fear the process of removing them from around 25million existing homes will take another decade. Traditional boilers are seen as one of the biggest barriers to the UK's target of achieving 'net zero' carbon emissions by 2050 meaning greenhouse gas emissions would be dramatically slashed and any remaining emissions offset, slowing climate change. Gas boilers are estimated to account for about one tonne in every seven of the carbon dioxide produced by the UK each year. The Committee on Climate Change, which advises the Government, last year said they should be banned from 2033. The independent body said replacement boilers should only be permitted from 2025 if they were capable of using hydrogen. Privately, ministers warn that the UK is not ready for an overnight transformation. Around 85 per cent of homes currently rely on gas for heating. Some boilers could be converted to run on hydrogen but this is unlikely to account for more than ten per cent of the total due to supply constraints. This graphic from the Government's Hy4Heat innovation programme shows how hydrogen homes would be powered The inside of a Worcester Bosch hydrogen boiler, a prototype of which is being developed. Hy4Heat has said the development of 'hydrogen-ready' appliances such as this one could have a huge effect on the cost and impact on the public of a potential conversion of the gas grid from 100 per cent methane to 100 per cent hydrogen Tory former minister Steve Baker, pictured, warned that the move could spark consumer anger A Whitehall source ruled out fining those who do not switch. Experts stressed there was a huge amount of work to be done before gas boilers could be replaced across the board. Peter Thom, of Cambridge-based energy efficiency specialist Green Heat, said he feared the change may 'scare the public to death'. He said: 'They will be thinking, ''Where am I going to get 15,000 for a heat pump?'' They don't work unless you insulate your home, and any house built before the Second World War isn't well-insulated and probably can't be. The headlines are good, but the substance isn't there.' The Right Rev Nick Baines said Prince William's attack on the BBC 'may not stand the test of time' A top Church of England bishop yesterday questioned Prince Williams criticism of the BBC over the Martin Bashir scandal. The Bishop of Leeds said Williams devastating attack may not stand the test of time. In the wake of Lord Dysons report blasting Bashir and the BBC, the angry prince accused corporation executives of failing his mother Princess Diana, fuelling her paranoia and making his parents relationship worse. The Right Rev Nick Baines said: He lost his mother in those circumstances. Hes got this rift with his brother [Harry] I think it is understandable he would make a fairly devastating statement. Whether it will stand the test and scrutiny of time is for others to discuss. Its very early days. We will have to wait and see whether it stands up to scrutiny. The bishop also contradicted the claim made by Dianas brother Earl Spencer that there was a direct line between the Bashir interview in 1995 and the princesss death in a Paris car crash in 1997. The Duke of Cambridge William criticised the BBC for its failings around his mother's Panorama interview He said: What role the Bashir interview played, I think, is questionable. I dont mean that it was of no account its just that theres a question over what actual role it played in the destruction that followed. In an interview with former BBC executive Roger Bolton, circulated by the Religion Media Centre think-tank, the bishop attacked the woeful internal BBC inquiry following the Bashir interview. He added: I actually found it impossible to decide whether there was intention in protecting the institution or whether it was incompetence. The bishop also contradicted the claim made by Dianas brother Earl Spencer that there was a direct line between the interview by Martin Bashir (pictured) interview in 1995 The Church of England has close ties to the monarchy, with the Queen its Supreme Governor, but it relies on the BBC for most of its national broadcast time. The bishop, pictured along with William, also took a swipe at Tory ministers, saying: We have the least religiously literate Government I can remember. Some people are going to have to work very hard when it comes to [BBC] charter renewal to make the case in relation to religion and ethics. Police suspect the theft of Mary Queen of Scots' rosary beads from Arundel Castle was carried out with inside knowledge. Sources say the intruders appeared to know how to avoid security cameras, and even disabled some of those covering key areas during the 1million raid. Detectives believe the criminals must have conspired with someone who has detailed information about the historic property. The burglars may also have known that the Duke of Norfolk, 64, and his family would be away from the castle in West Sussex, which has a history dating back to 1067. Two security guards were on duty on Friday night when the gang broke in through a window and forced open a display cabinet, seizing the gold beads and other royal treasures, including coronation cups spanning several centuries. The burglars may have known that the Duke of Norfolk, 64, and his family would be away from the castle in West Sussex, which has a history dating back to 1067. Pictured: The 18th Duke of Norfolk and Duchess of Norfolk The rosary beads, which were carried by Roman Catholic Mary to her execution in 1587, were among stolen gold and silver items said to be worth more than 1million. Pictured left: The rosary beads and bible belonging to Mary Queen of Scots (pictured right) Arundel Castle. An alarm went off at 10.30pm and when police arrived minutes later they found a getaway car on fire nearby An alarm went off at 10.30pm and when police arrived minutes later they found a getaway car on fire nearby. The raid came just days after the castle reopened to the public following the relaxation of pandemic restrictions. The Earl Marshal: A hereditary royal officeholder who is responsible for organising the State Opening of Parliament Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, the current Duke of Norfolk, holds the royal hereditary office of Earl Marshal. As Earl Marshal, the Duke is responsible for organising the State Opening of Parliament and is one of two officials who walks backwards facing the sovereign. A Duke of Norfolk has held the office for nearly 350 years. The dukedom was formed in 1483 by King Richard for John Howard - his supporter in the Wars of the Roses. The Howards kept their Roman Catholic faith when King Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century, creating a Church of England separate from papal rule. During this time, Thomas Howard - the third Duke of Norfolk - fell from favour and was only saved from death because Henry himself died the night before Howard's scheduled execution. The Howard Dukes of Norfolk became connected to the Fitzalan Earls of Arundel after Philip, the son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, became the heir of the 12th Earl Arundel when his mother Mary died eight weeks after giving birth to him in 1557. However, the 4th Duke was executed in 1572 due to his association with Mary Queen of Scots, and the title of the Duke of Norfolk was suspended. The title was regained by Thomas Howard, the 5th Duke of Norfolk, when Charles II, who restored the monarchy and attempted to relax the rules against the Catholics, returned to the English throne in 1660. Arundel Castle has been the seat of the Duke of Norfolk and their ancestors for more than 850 years. Apart from the occasional reversion to the Crown, the castle has descended directly from 1138 to the present day. It was carried by female heiresses from the d'Albinis to the Fitzalans in the 13th century and then from the Fitzalans to the Howards in the 16th century. Advertisement The rosary beads, which were carried by Roman Catholic Mary to her execution in 1587, were among stolen gold and silver items said to be worth more than 1million. Sussex Police say the beads have 'little intrinsic value' as metal but 'as a piece of the Howard family history and the nation's heritage they are irreplaceable'. It's feared that the haul of treasures may have been stolen to order for unscrupulous collectors. Or they could be lost forever if the thieves melt them down. The current Duke of Norfolk's direct ancestor, the fourth duke, was intimately involved in Mary Queen of Scots' life. Fifteen years before her death he was convicted of plotting to depose Queen Elizabeth I and hand the English throne to Mary, her cousin. With Catholics around Europe hailing her as the true queen of England, Mary was imprisoned for years and later convicted of plotting against the Crown. At 44, she was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. Many of her possessions were destroyed to stop them becoming relics for supporters but the rosary is a rare item that survived. It is also part of personal family history for the duke who, like his forefathers, is among Britain's leading Roman Catholics. Arundel is the latest in a string of castles and stately homes targeted thanks to their priceless treasures and relatively lax security. In 2018, a masked raider nicknamed the 'Night Watcher' tied up the owners of Goodwood House and forced them to open a safe full of antique jewellery. The Earl of March was beaten in a terrifying ordeal at his ancestral seat near Chichester, West Sussex. The intruder escaped with valuables worth 700,000, including a ring King Charles II gave to a mistress who was an ancestor of the earl. The owners remained tied up until staff arrived next morning. In 2019 burglars stole valuables from an exhibition at Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, including a 'priceless' Faberge caviar box, gold snuff boxes and an enamel and rose Cartier gold fob watch. They were gifts from King Edward VII to his mistress Alice Keppel, great-grandmother of the Duchess of Cornwall. Owner Lady Ashcombe noted similarities between the break-in and one at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, just days earlier, when a solid gold toilet worth 4.8million was stolen just 48 hours after going on display. Blenheim admitted its security arrangements 'need to be challenged' after a gang used two vans in a smash-and-grab raid. There are not yet thought to be signs of clear links between these raids and the one at Arundel. A spokesman for Arundel Castle Trustees said: 'The stolen items have significant monetary value, but as unique artefacts of the Duke of Norfolk's collection have immeasurably greater and priceless historical importance. 'We therefore urge anyone with information to come forward.' The execution of Mary Queen of Scots 8 February, 1587. She is seen holding the rosary beads as she was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle for a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth I A Sussex Police spokesman said the rosary is of little value as metal, but of huge significance Alarms at the castle were tripped at 10.30pm and a display case (pictured above) was smashed so the thieves could get their hands on the treasures inside Motor racing tycoon Max Mosley, whose death at 81 was announced last night, lived much of his early life in the long shadow of his Fascist parents. But while his siblings turned away from the monstrous, race hate-filled politics of Sir Oswald Mosley and the former Diana Mitford whose Berlin wedding was held in the home of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and attended by Adolf Hitler Max remained for some years openly loyal to their cause. At least he did so until well into his 20s, when it became clear to all that Mosleyite neo-Fascism was never going to win over the British electorate. Motor racing tycoon Max Mosley (pictured in 2002), whose death at 81 was announced last night, lived much of his early life in the long shadow of his Fascist parents So the devoted son who had fought alongside his father's thugs against Jewish protesters, attended the Notting Hill race riots and toured Dachau concentration camp with far-Right comrades while en route to a conference of former Nazis in Venice sought something else to do with his life. In this he succeeded brilliantly. For decades he ran Formula One with Bernie Ecclestone, turning what had once been a dangerous pastime for gentlemen amateurs into the most lucrative and glamorous sporting franchise in the world. It made Max Mosley a multi-millionaire and seemed to guarantee him his own unique legacy. He lived for many decades as a tax exile in Monaco. But then came the News of the World. The newspaper's March 2008 expose of Mosley's predilection for sadomasochistic orgies with prostitutes was devastating. Mosley took legal action and, in a landmark privacy case later that year, won 60,000 in damages from the newspaper, which had justified its stories by wrongly claiming, the judge decided, that the orgies had a 'Nazi' theme. There was no right to privacy-trumping public interest in revealing that Sir Oswald's son liked to be spanked by a German-speaking dominatrix. The fallout from the scandal did not end there. Indeed, it informed much of Mosley's later life, which was also blighted by the tragic drug-related death of his son Alexander in 2009. Two years later, Mosley had the satisfaction of seeing the closure of the News of the World after the phone-hacking scandal. But an indelible mark had been left. But then came the News of the World. The newspaper's March 2008 expose of Mosley's predilection for sadomasochistic orgies with prostitutes was devastating. Pictured: (L - R) Steve Coogan, Hugh Grant and Max Mosley give evidence to the Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions He used his fortune to try to erase the orgy story and images from internet search engines a Sisyphean task. He also waged a bitter war against elements of the print media. In this campaign he backed draconian new laws to curb what he saw as the excesses of the Press and his opponents regarded as fundamental freedoms. His was the money more than 500,000 behind the private office of Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson. A Mosley family trust even donated millions to fund a new Press regulator, Impress, hoping its existence would trigger the imposition of ruinous fines against his Fleet Street critics. Not least among those critics was this newspaper, which in 2018 published a series of investigative articles showing Mosley had misled, if not lied to, the court at his privacy trial about his neo-Fascist past. Labour dropped his funding like a hot brick. Mosley once again summoned his lawyers, this time with no success. The articles were accurate in every shocking detail. But from the start, Mosley's life was full of conflict and dislocation.His baronet father, once a Labour MP, had founded the British Union of Fascists, otherwise known as the Blackshirts, after the militaristic uniforms they wore in the style of their German and Italian counterparts. Sir Oswald espoused viciously anti-Semitic views. In one speech, about the Abyssinian Crisis, he stated: 'Over the whole of the dispute rises . . . the stink of the Jew.' He and his aristocratic second wife cosied up to both Hitler and Mussolini. By the time war with Germany came in 1939, both were regarded as a danger to national security. While his siblings turned away from the monstrous, race hate-filled politics of Sir Oswald Mosley (pictured together) and the former Diana Mitford, Max remained for some years openly loyal to their cause A month after Max's birth in London in April 1940, his father was interned in Holloway prison under Defence Regulation 18b. His wife soon joined him there and for the next three years their contact with Max and his brother Alexander was sporadic. After the war the family moved to Ireland, where Max enjoyed a wild, open-air adolescence. He was educated for two years at a boarding school in Germany with links to Nazi sympathisers where he learned to speak flawless German. He did not do well in his university entrance exams. But after some strings were pulled by his mother, Max won a place to read physics at Christ Church, Oxford. He was already gaining a youthful notoriety thanks to his involvement in violent scenes linked to his father's postwar return to politics as head of the Union Movement; the BUF in all but name and uniform. Once the Windrush generation of immigrants from the West Indies began to arrive in the 1950s, Sir Oswald used them as he had used Jews previously; as hate objects. He helped stoke the flames that led to the 1958 race riots in Notting Hill, where teenage Max and his brother Alexander were photographed dressed as Teddy Boys and apparently bearing the scars of battle with local black residents. Max really came to the fore at Oxford, where he was an incendiary secretary of the Union debating society. His father was often invited to speak there during his tenure. In May 1960, two months after police had opened fire on a crowd of unarmed black civilian demonstrators in the Sharpeville township in the Transvaal, killing 69 of them, Sir Oswald defended apartheid at the Union. 'Why so much fuss?' he said of the massacre in an interview with Oxford University's Isis magazine. Two years later, Mosley had the satisfaction of seeing the closure of the News of the World after the phone-hacking scandal. But an indelible mark had been left Max also indicated his support for 'total' apartheid on more than one occasion. On February 15, 1961, in the university newspaper Cherwell, he set out the racist beliefs he shared with his father. Max wrote: 'We believe that in real life the African problem is no longer soluble without a complete division of territory. 'Things have gone too far for multi-racialism, and it is only through complete division that . . . a bloodbath (can be) avoided.' The next month, a peaceful silent vigil was held by the anti-apartheid movement in Trafalgar Square to mark the first anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre. The event was marred by disorder when members of the Union Movement staged a counter-demonstration. Among those arrested, convicted and fined for obstructing a policeman was Max Mosley. A year later, he would be arrested again amid violent scenes when his father held a provocative rally in a Jewish quarter of Hackney. Max was acquitted after telling the court he was simply defending his father from attack. Perhaps his hostility to the Press began at Oxford, where university publications regularly attacked him for his views, which mimicked his father's. Max even managed to get one magazine suppressed by the university authorities. The front page was to have been a Daily Mail photograph of him and his brother fighting in an Islington assembly hall, when Mosleyite thugs broke up a Tory election rally. Max also indicated his support for 'total' apartheid on more than one occasion. On February 15, 1961, in the university newspaper Cherwell, he set out the racist beliefs he shared with his father Articulate and good-looking, already married to policeman's daughter Jean they had met at a Union Movement meeting in London and training to be a barrister, he was emerging as an asset to the Union Movement, perhaps even an heir apparent. He and Jean had two sons Alexander, the elder 'academic' one, and Patrick. Max was the party's agent for its candidate Walter Hesketh in the November 1961 Moss Side by-election. As part of the Union Movement campaign, a pamphlet was produced perhaps one of the most racist pieces of literature to appear in a modern British election contest. Under the heading 'A Personal Message', Hesketh was quoted as saying: 'If enough people vote for me . . . the Government will be sending coloured immigrants home instead of bringing more in.' Inside the pamphlet, other key aspects of the Union Movement's manifesto were set out, linking non-white immigrants with diseases such as tuberculosis, VD and leprosy, and claiming that 'coloured immigration threatens your children's health'. Who was behind this supremacist tract, four years before the first Race Relations Act made such incitement to racial hatred a criminal offence? The answer lay at the bottom of the pamphlet's front page: 'Published by Max Mosley.' The front page was to have been a Daily Mail photograph of him and his brother fighting in an Islington assembly hall, when Mosleyite thugs broke up a Tory election rally. Pictured: Max while he was President for the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile Under cross-examination at the News of the World privacy trial, Mosley was asked if he had distributed racist literature in the 1961 election. He replied: 'Not as I recall.' Asked if the leaflets alleged that 'coloured immigrants' brought disease, he was emphatic: 'That is absolute nonsense,' he said. But the News of the World, whose motive for their 'scoop' was surely more to do with titillation than with Nazi-hunting, had not been able to locate any surviving copies of the alleged pamphlet. Ten years later, a Mail investigative team did just that. A copy of the damning pamphlet, the existence of which Mosley, under oath, had denied, was hidden away in a box in a reference library in Salford. In a blustering live interview for Channel 4 News on the night before we published, Mosley tried to suggest the leaflet was a hoax. But under pressure from interviewer Cathy Newman, he conceded it was 'probably' racist. In an equally car-crash interview in The Guardian, he refused to apologise for his neo-fascist past and, indeed, tried to justify some of what he had previously said. The Mail's investigation also revealed how Mosley had sat at the top table alongside his father at a conference of European neo-Nazis and the far-Right in Venice in 1962. For decades he ran Formula One with Bernie Ecclestone, turning what had once been a dangerous pastime for gentlemen amateurs into the most lucrative and glamorous sporting franchise in the world There he met two of Hitler's favourite military officers, Otto 'Scarface' Skorzeny and Hans-Ulrich Rudel. The Mail obtained the original handwritten seating plan, corroborated by an eyewitness, showing Max Mosley in the room when the group secretly agreed plans for a white supremacist European superstate. On the way to the conference, Max had visited Dachau in the company of, among others, a convicted Holocaust denier. Mosley took legal action against the Mail for 'malicious prosecution' because we had passed the evidence to the police, for them to consider whether perjury had been committed at the privacy trial. His case was thrown out at every stage. One judge pointed out that he could have sued for libel but did not. Mosley tried to appeal. But last month Lady Justice Macur, sitting in the Court of Appeal, refused him permission. No one can choose their parents. People often change their political views as they grow older. But did Max Mosley? His mutually beneficial dealings with the apartheid regime in South Africa while he was running Formula One are hard to mitigate. He had wanted to become a Tory MP in the early 1980s. But sources told the Mail that his name, and the fact that he still had an antipathy to BAME migrants, meant his ambitions were unfulfilled. He repeatedly sidestepped invitations to speak ill of his father or his beliefs. Articulate and good-looking, already married to policeman's daughter Jean (pictured together) they had met at a Union Movement meeting in London and training to be a barrister, he was emerging as an asset to the Union Movement, perhaps even an heir apparent. Even his later flirtation with New Labour resulted in scandal. The party had made a tobacco advertising ban a 1997 election pledge. But in January that year, Ecclestone gave the party 1 million. In October, after Labour's victory, Ecclestone and Max Mosley met then Prime Minister Tony Blair at Downing Street to discuss the ban. Ten days later, Mosley announced Formula One's plan to pull out of Europe if a ban were enforced. Within weeks the government announced Formula One would be exempt. Then the donation came to light and amid a furore, the Labour Party returned the 1 million to Ecclestone. Both parties denied any connection between the donation and the exemption. In a 2015 interview with former New Labour spin-doctor Alastair Campbell, Mosley said: 'If I want to be friends with the Prime Minister and I give a million pounds, I will get access and invitations. It may be wrong but it is not illegal.' No doubt other obituaries will see him praised for his stewardship at Formula One, his road safety campaigning and donations to medical research. But Max Mosley never threw off the chill shadow of his family's past. The father of a Minneapolis man shot and killed outside a nightclub, hours before he was due to graduate, has called for an end to the soaring violence in the city - as commemorations are planned for the anniversary of George Floyd's death. Minneapolis, like many big cities in the U.S., has seen its gun crime soar in the past few months as lockdowns end and police numbers fall. Floyd's May 25 murder by police sparked revulsion against officers, and strengthened a movement to cut their funding and reduce their presence. As a result, record numbers of police are taking early retirement in some cities, or simply walking away. Police in Minneapolis respond to the shooting outside Monarch nightclub early on Saturday Two people were killed and eight others injured after the gunfight broke out Nearly 200 Minneapolis police officers have left the force in the wake of the death of Floyd, with many filing post-traumatic stress claims, Fox News reported. Minneapolis has seen at least 31 homicides this year, not including this weekend's violence. Homicides are up 108 per cent from a year earlier, in the 12 months to May 10, while shootings have risen 153 per cent, Fox 9 reported. The city has seen a 222 per cent increase in car-jackings this year compared with this point in 2020, averaging 1.27 incidents per day, according to police data. Greg Johnson, whose son Charlie, 21, was shot and killed in the early hours of Saturday, insisted that something needed to change. Charlie Johnson is seen with his father Greg, mother Veronique and sister Camille The 21-year-old was shot and killed in the early hours of Saturday outside a club in Minneapolis Charlie was celebrating his graduation with friends when a gunfight broke out outside the Monarch nightclub at around 2am. Charlie and one of the gunmen was killed. A second gunman was arrested on Sunday. 'This beautiful man is my son. He was stolen from us yesterday,' wrote Greg Johnson on Facebook. 'The pain is too raw to deal with, but I want the world too know what it lost yesterday. He was the best of all of us and left a beautiful impact on every single life he touched. He is my hero. 'Please, say his name with me and let's work together with peace and love to end this culture of gun violence and crime. 'No politics please, just love and compassion for each other as Charlie had for all of us. I AM CHARLIE!' On Saturday Charlie's sister, Camille, collected his engineering degree certificate from the University of St Thomas, in an emotional ceremony. Charlie's death came as the community was still recovering from three prior shootings that left two children injured and a third dead. A $30,000 reward was issued this weekend in the hunt for suspects responsible for the shootings of the children over the past several weeks, including a nine-year-old girl killed by stray gunfire while jumping on a backyard trampoline. 'These brazen senseless acts of gun violence must stop,' said Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis chief of police. 'The perpetrators of these crimes should never find refuge or anonymity in our communities. 'We need help from community leaders and residents to stand up and speak out denouncing loudly that they will not tolerate this violence as well.' George Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin, a police officer, on May 25, 2020 Floyd's murder saw anti-police protests spring up across the United States Activists called for the defunding of police. In Minneapolis, nearly 200 officers have since quit Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, told a press conference on Sunday that he had requested help from several different jurisdictions to combat the recent violence seen in the city. He said state troopers have been providing assistance from Saturday evening into Sunday morning and the Minneapolis Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is aiding the investigation into Johnson's murder. 'Safety in our city has to be a priority,' Frey said. He said reinforcements for police were 'really, really critical.' Yet the grandfather of nine-year-old Trinity Ottoson-Smith, who was fatally shot while jumping on a trampoline in her backyard in early May, said the reinforcements needed to be permanent. 'We need more police officers. There is no doubt in my mind,' said Randy Ottoson. He told The Star Tribune that police reform is necessary, but patrols were essential. 'I'm praying for all of these families but, you know what, I'm praying for the next people too.' But he said plan was 'disastrously misconceived' and 'Plan B had to be bodged' Dominic Cummings is a 'rank hypocrite' who is trying to 'rewrite history', a government source says ahead of his appearance before MPs investigating the handling of the pandemic. Mr Cummings, the former chief adviser to Boris Johnson, will likely criticise the PM and elaborate on his claim that the Government initially pursued a 'herd immunity' policy at the dawn of the coronavirus crisis when he gives testimony on Wednesday. Downing Street has denied 'herd immunity' was ever the official policy for dealing with coronavirus, but Mr Cummings claims the Prime Minister had no plan for a Covid lockdown before experts started 'screaming' that hundreds of thousands of people could die. Mr Cummings described the government planning for epidemics as 'part disaster, part non-existent', but a government source told The Times: 'It's revisionism. He's going round saying ''if only competent people were in charge''. 'This was a guy with unrivalled authority. You can either be an all-powerful special adviser or a busted flush with no powers and influence. You can't be both. He's a rank hypocrite.' Former No10 chief Ms Cummings has also accused Matt Hancock and the Cabinet Office of failing to understand the concept of 'herd immunity' as the pandemic erupted. He said the original intention was to allow the virus to play out quickly to avoid a second peak that could overwhelm the NHS in winter, and claimed Mr Johnson only abandoned a 'herd immunity' strategy after being warned it would lead to 250,000 deaths and 'destroy the NHS'. No 10 has denied the PM had ever pursued herd immunity as an idea, saying it had 'never been government policy'. Downing Street has denied 'herd immunity' was ever the official policy for dealing with coronavirus - as Dominic Cummings prepares to deliver bombshell testimony about the government's response to the crisis Mr Cummings escalated his extraordinary assault on Boris Johnson today claiming the PM had no plan for a Covid lockdown before experts started 'screaming' that hundreds of thousands of people could die Mr Cummings has been posting an ever-lengthening Twitter thread about the response to the pandemic It comes amid reports that Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Mr Cummings have fostered a mutual respect that has sparked rumours among some Conservative MPs that the pair could ally for a future Gove bid to become PM. 'Gove is permanently on manoeuvres,' a former Cabinet minister told The Telegraph. 'The man manoeuvres more than Napoleon did. He is forever trying to position himself so that he will always be the man who was right.' Mr Cummings has claimed that by March 13 last year the government still had 'neither an intention to lockdown nor... any official plan for doing so'. Saying that experts had been 'screaming' at the PM, the maverick adviser posted a chart from the time showing a 259,000 death toll as an 'optimal single peak strategy' - against a 'do nothing' option that could have meant 510,000 casualties. A full lockdown was eventually announced on March 23, with significant curbs having stayed in place ever since as the government wrestled to keep infections down. The death toll on the main measure is just under 128,000. The latest salvo from Mr Cummings came as he prepares for an explosive evidence session with MPs on Wednesday amid rumours he is determined to force the PM out. Downing Street brushed off the onslaught today, denying allegations that surfaced over the weekend that Mr Johnson had missed key Cobra meetings early in the crisis because he was writing a book about Shakespeare. Mr Cummings has already branded the Department of Health a 'smoking' ruin over its dismal efforts to procure PPE and ventilators, saying the vaccination drive has only been successful because it was taken out of the department's hands. Dominic Cummings posted a chart claiming that COBR documents had the 'optimal single peak strategy' showing 260,000 dead because the system was 'so confused in the chaos' Mr Cummings posted another excerpt from a report suggesting that imposing a tough lockdown could merely have caused a second peak at a more dangerous time for the NHS In the event the death toll has been far lower than the 'optimal' estimates highlighted by Mr Cummings, with two main peaks in numbers Mr Cummings (left), former chief adviser to Boris Johnson (right), claimed ministers pursued a herd immunity policy last year until it became clear thousands would die and the NHS would collapse Mr Cummings wrote: 'Even AFTER we shifted to PlanB, COBR documents had the ''OPTIMAL single peak strategy'' graphs showing 260k dead cos the system was so confused in the chaos'. Downing Street insists that allowing large numbers to catch the virus and become immune to prevent its spread had never been its plan. But Mr Cummings said 'herd immunity' was 'officially seen as unavoidable' in the week of March 9, 2020, and that it would come either 'in a single peak over by September, or in a second peak in winter'. He said that the first option was 'seen as easier to manage and less of a catastrophe so it was Plan A', but then the government 'started to figure out Plan B to dodge herd immunity until vaccines'. Test and Trace chief Jenny Harries (left) and Matt Hancock (right) have been singled out in the lengthy Twitter attack from Mr Cummings PM denies missing key Covid meetings because he was writing a book Boris Johnson did not miss emergency meetings on the response to the emerging coronavirus pandemic because he was working on a book, Downing Street has insisted. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he was 'not aware' of Mr Johnson doing any work on a biography of William Shakespeare while in office. Mr Johnson did not chair the first five meetings of the Cobra emergency committee in January and February 2020, but Downing Street insisted this was not unusual and was nothing to do with any book. No 10 faced questions after a Sunday Times report suggested officials fear Dominic Cummings will use an appearance before MPs to accuse Mr Johnson of missing key meetings on the crisis because he was working on a biography of Shakespeare, because he needed the money to fund his divorce from Marina Wheeler, his second wife. Asked if the Prime Minister had spent time on the book, his official spokesman said: 'No, not that I'm aware of.' The Prime Minister has been 'ensuring the public are kept as protected as possible during this global pandemic', the spokesman added. In response to the suggestion the book was responsible for him missing Cobra meetings, the spokesman said: 'No, and I think there are a number of incidents I can run you through where Cobras have been chaired by relevant secretaries of state.' Advertisement Mr Cummings said that in the week of March 9 seven days before Mr Johnson told people to stop non-essential contact with others it 'became clear' that neither Health Secretary Matt Hancock nor the Cabinet Office understood herd immunity. He said the policy would have left hundreds of thousands 'choking to death', no NHS treatment for months, unburied dead and an economic implosion. Ministers then moved to 'Plan B', he said, adding: 'Critical as I am of the PM in all sorts of ways, it's vital to understand the disaster was not just his fault. 'The official plan was disastrously misconceived ... and a Plan B had to be bodged amid total and utter chaos.' Adding to his attack today, Mr Cummings dismissed the idea that the government was always intending to lock down - but just waited for the right moment. 'SAGE said *literally the opposite*: lockdown = suppression = 'near certainty' of 2nd peak & this was thought to be much WORSE than single peak/herd immunity by Sep, hence graph ,' he wrote. Mr Cummings said that by March 14 one of the things being 'screamed at the PM was ''there is *no plan for lockdown* & our current official plan will kill at least 250k & destroy the NHS''.' Mr Johnson did not miss emergency meetings on the response to the emerging coronavirus pandemic because he was working on a book, Downing Street insisted today. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said he was 'not aware' of Mr Johnson doing any work on a biography of William Shakespeare while in office. Mr Johnson did not chair the first five meetings of the Cobra emergency committee in January and February 2020, but Downing Street insisted this was not unusual and was nothing to do with any book. No 10 faced questions after a Sunday Times report suggested officials fear Dominic Cummings will use an appearance before MPs to accuse Mr Johnson of missing key meetings on the crisis because he was working on a biography of Shakespeare, because he needed the money to fund his divorce from Marina Wheeler, his second wife. Asked if the Prime Minister had spent time on the book, his official spokesman said: 'No, not that I'm aware of.' The Prime Minister has been 'ensuring the public are kept as protected as possible during this global pandemic', the spokesman added. In response to the suggestion the book was responsible for him missing Cobra meetings, the spokesman said: 'No, and I think there are a number of incidents I can run you through where Cobras have been chaired by relevant secretaries of state.' Downing Street is braced for a potentially highly damaging onslaught on Wednesday following Mr Cummings' acrimonious departure from Number 10 at the end of last year Anne-Marie Trevelyan rejected Mr Cummings' claim that achieving herd immunity was the official plan drawn up to combat the pandemic. The energy minister told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'It was never the policy of this Government. 'Boris Johnson was very clear that the only thing that mattered was that we make sure that we saved lives and we keep our NHS safe and able to function, not only to protect those who might get Covid but also everybody else.' She said the Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance had talked about herd immunity being 'one of the potential tools in the armoury' but it was not the policy goal. Ms Trevelyan, who was in the Cabinet at the time, said: 'I'm very comfortable that the Prime Minister never had as his policy herd immunity.' Downing Street is braced for a potentially highly damaging onslaught from Mr Cummings on Wednesday when he gives evidence to MPs investigating the Government's response to the pandemic. Covid jabs for under-30s 'by the end of the week': Younger people are set to be offered vaccine Coronavirus vaccines could be offered to those in their twenties within days as the rollout continues at pace. And in more good news a new study suggests the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the Indian variant. The jabs combat the new mutant almost as well as the Kent strain, a study by Public Health England found. Matt Hancock said the findings were 'groundbreaking' raising hopes restrictions can end as planned on June 21. The Health Secretary also celebrated the UK yesterday passing an 'incredible milestone' after 60million doses were administered. It comes after the NHS gave a record number of second doses on Saturday, latest figures show. The NHS lowered the eligibility age for the jab three times last week with those aged 32 and 33 the latest to benefit. This is expected to be lowered to 30 early this week and officials believe they can drop it even further soon after. A source said: 'The vaccine programme has been progressing at a rate of knots, getting to ever younger age groups, while continuing to offer second doses at a record pace. 'If all goes to plan, everyone in their thirties will hopefully have received their invite for a jab within 72 hours or so, with some in their twenties being called forward within the next week to ten days.' The PHE study showed that the Pfizer vaccine was 88 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose. This compares with 93 per cent against the Kent variant. The AstraZeneca jab was also found to be 60 per cent effective against the Indian variant after two doses and 66 per cent effective against the Kent strain. But both vaccines were only 33 per cent effective against the Indian variant three weeks after one dose, compared with 50 per cent for Kent. Advertisement In a foretaste of what to expect, the former No 10 adviser also took aim at former deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries, who now heads the UK Health Security Agency. He claimed she had said in early March that masks were a 'bad idea' because 'we don't want to disrupt people's lives' and that acting 'too early we will just pop up with another epidemic peak later'. 'So Whitehall has promoted her, obviously,' he tweeted sarcastically. Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday denied that herd immunity had been the Government's original policy. She told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: 'Our strategy was always about protecting public health, saving lives and protecting the NHS. 'Absolutely all colleagues involved in those meetings and discussions, working with the chief scientist and the chief medical officers, absolutely recognised that from the very difficult discussions that we had. 'At the time of a crisis, when government is making very, very tough decisions, difficult decisions, we put public life and protecting the public at the forefront of all those decisions.' Dr Harries said the idea of herd immunity had been 'misinterpreted' by some and the strategy was instead to build resistance to Covid through the jab programme. 'What you're looking at in a population is to try and see at which point your population would be safe, and this is what we do with this very successful vaccination programme that we have,' she said. 'That's not the same as saying, which I think has been misinterpreted in many places, that the aim would be to allow people to become infected and develop herd immunity. That has never been on the agenda.' A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Herd immunity has never been a policy aim or part of our coronavirus strategy. 'Our response has at all times been focused on saving lives and ensuring the NHS was not overwhelmed. We continue to be guided by the latest scientific advice.' Mr Johnson missed several meetings of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, at the start of the Covid-19 crisis and officials are said to be concerned that Mr Cummings will blame his absence on his work on Shakespeare. Publication of the book has been repeatedly pushed back from its original release date of October 2016. The Prime Minister has reportedly been paid a six-figure advance for Shakespeare: The Riddle of Genius. Mr Johnson has written a number of books, including the international bestseller The Churchill Factor. A government source last night described the Shakespeare claim as 'total nonsense'. Mr Cummings has been posting an ever-lengthening Twitter thread about the response to the pandemic Covid cases rise by 16 per cent to 2,325 but medical chief insists June 21 end of lockdown is still 'looking good' as jabs total passes 60million Britain hit the 'huge' milestone of 60 million vaccinations yesterday, as health officials said the possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted next month is 'looking good'. The government's coronavirus dashboard showed five new deaths being recorded on Sunday, up by just one from last Sunday's total of four. Covid cases meanwhile increased by 16 per cent to 2,235, up from 1,926 last weekend when there was a lower rate rise of 8 per cent. There were a reported 908 patients in hospital with coronavirus and 123 on ventilation as of Thursday May 20, although this number had barely changed compared to the week before. The data suggests that while there has been an increase in cases of Covid-19 this is thankfully not being translated into hospitalisations or deaths. Britain hit the 'huge' milestone of 60 million vaccinations today, as health officials said the possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted next month is 'looking good' It comes after Public Health England announced that the current set of coronavirus jabs are effective against the Indian variant - boosting hopes that Boris Johnson will be able to go ahead with his June 21 'freedom day' as planned. Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the success of the vaccine rollout, tweeting: 'HUGE day for vaccinations yesterday - 762,361 given across UK. We've now done 60 million vaccines across the UK. 'This is a fantastic milestone in our fight against this virus. Thank you to everyone involved in our national effort. When you get the call, get the jab.' This lines up the real prospect of the final stage of the country's unlocking, which is due to take place on June 21 at the earliest. Dr Jenny Harries warned that caution should be taken as the new Indian strain is creating a 'mixed picture' across the UK However, Dr Jenny Harries urged the public to be cautious to avoid another lockdown, warning that the new Indian variant has become the 'dominant strain' in some parts of the country. She told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show: 'It's looking good if people are continuing to observe all of the safety signals, so we should not stop doing what we're doing, particularly in areas where we have that variant of concern, the B1617.2, in the north-west and around London. 'It's really important that people continue to do hands, face, space and work from home, have their jabs and go for tests as well. 'The cases of the B1617.2 variant are rising, they have risen very steeply and much of the media have reported a 160% rise in cases over the week period but they seem to be slightly levelling at the moment. 'It's still very early days.' Dr Harries added: 'We all need to be very cautious and I think we all don't want to go back to the sort of lockdowns that we've had, it doesn't matter whether you're on Sage or out in the public, none of us want to return to that sort of restriction.' From June 21 at the earliest, nightclubs are due to reopen and restrictions on large events such as festivals are to be lifted, as are restrictions on the number of people at weddings. Dr Harries warned that caution should be taken as the new Indian strain is creating a 'mixed picture' across the UK. She added: 'If you look at areas such as Bolton and Bedford, for example, in the north-west particularly, it's starting to become the dominant strain and has taken over from the Kent variant, which has been our predominant one over the winter months. 'But that's not the case right across the country, actually if you're in the south-west that's still not the case.' However, Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, believed there may be an 'adjustment' to the lifting of restrictions on June 21. Asked how likely it is that measures will be lifted on that date, he told Times Radio on Sunday: 'We're effectively in a race with the vaccine programme against the virus. 'We know that we're letting the virus out by spreading it about now, we know that we're progressing well with the vaccine programme, but I think there's going to need to be an adjustment of some sort.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the success of the vaccine rollout, tweeting: 'HUGE day for vaccinations yesterday - 762,361 given across UK. We've now done 60 million vaccines across the UK Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel said there would not be a 'green light all the way' to unlocking restrictions. Ms Patel said: 'We all have to be conscientious. All of us that are out and about now, we are distancing, wearing masks, following all the rules. 'That is part of our normal life now and that will continue, and that, of course, will help us to that unlocking on June 21.' Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told BBC Breakfast: 'I think there are uncertainties around the situation at the moment. I think, in a way, there's been uncertainties all the way along. 'It's always been a sort of provisional timetable and it has to be, or may have to be, adjusted according to events as they occur. 'When we get to June, whatever happens on that date, this global pandemic will not be over. It will still be going on. 'There'll still be cases going on in this country, through Europe and around the world, so life is not suddenly going to go back to normal in June, because life won't be really normal until this is brought under control. 'Life's going towards normal but it's not normal yet.' The comments come after a study by Public Health England (PHE) found that the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is 88 per cent effective against the Indian variant after two doses. Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the outcome as 'groundbreaking', while PHE said it expects to see even higher levels of effectiveness against hospital admission and death. The study, which took place between April 5 and May 16, found that the jab was found to be almost as effective against symptomatic disease from the B1617.2 strain as it is against the Kent variant, with 93 per cent effectiveness. Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca jab was 60 per cent effective, compared with 66 per cent against the Kent variant over the same period. Both vaccines were 33 per cent effective against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant three weeks after the first dose, compared with about 50 per cent against the Kent strain. New data from PHE shows there have been at least 2,889 cases of the Indian variant recorded in England from February 1 this year to May 18. Of those, 104 cases resulted in a visit to a hospital emergency department, 31 required an overnight hospital admission and six resulted in a death. The most common strain in England, according to the data, is the Kent variant, with 132,082 cases recorded over the same period. Some 1,569 people have died with the variant, while 2,011 cases resulted in an overnight hospital admission and 5,238 required a visit to a hospital emergency department. Separate analysis by PHE indicates that the vaccination programme has so far prevented 13,000 deaths and about 39,100 hospital admissions in older people in England, up to May 9. Meanwhile, Downing Street said it was looking at ways to publish data on cases transmitted in different settings in a 'robust and clear way'. It comes after The Observer reported that data on the spread of the Indian variant in schools had been due to be published this week, but was not included in a PHE report on Thursday. A Downing Street spokesman said: 'Twice a week, Public Health England publish a breakdown of the number of cases of each variant in the UK. 'Given public interest in variants of concern, we are looking at ways to publish cases transmitted in different settings in a robust and clear way. PHE will publish this data in due course.' Latest figures show that more than 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccine have now been given in England. Boris Johnson is today being urged to save Britains world-leading historical and classic car industry from green regulations and bureaucracy. Campaigners are warning the Prime Minister, an ex-motoring columnist, that 100,000 jobs depend on the heritage sector, which has a turnover worth 18.3billion a year from international sales. They say the industry is in peril due to unfairly targeted environmental regulations and complex new rules for exporting and importing cars and parts to and from the EU. The alliance says more than 100,000 jobs are in peril over the changes to imports and exports Campaigners are today setting up the Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance trade group to fight for workers including engineers, specialist restorers, dealers and parts suppliers. They hope to keep alive a sector that prizes cars from everyday Fords to luxury Rolls-Royces. The alliance, supported by Tory MP and former transport minister Nus Ghani, also aims to highlight how the UKs three million classic cars are relatively green and sustainable because they are maintained through quality craftsmanship. Launching today the alliance said: More than 100,000 jobs are in peril as a combination of bureaucracy and poorly-focused environmental legislation threatens Britains world leading classic vehicle industry. Tory MP and former transport minister Nus Ghani supports the newly formed alliance With economic revival a top priority as the UK strives to recover from the Covid pandemic, highly-skilled engineers, restorers, craftsmen and parts suppliers face uncertainty over their livelihoods. It added: Many businesses and owners find themselves trapped in a bureaucratic nightmare as they navigate red tape surrounding the movement of vehicles and parts for sales, restoration, competition preparation and events. The sectors contribution to the UK economy is huge, it says. The three million classic and historical cars on UK roads are valued at over 12billion, support 113,000 jobs, create an annual international trade turnover worth 18.3billion, and generate around 3billion tax revenue to the exchequer to help fund schools, hospitals, roads, transport and other public spending. Significantly, the industry is spread the length and breadth of the country with clusters of specialists operating in the West Midlands, Lancashire, Kent and Sussex - and only 5% of activity based in London, it points out: The trade, in which British craft skills and engineering excellence lead the world, supports around 113,000 jobs in thousands of specialist small businesses and supply chain firms. It also provides training places and apprenticeship schemes, giving opportunities to young people. The Prime Minister has been urged to help protect the industry's 100,000 jobs in the UK The new alliance also aims to bust the myths and popular misconceptions surrounding classic cars pointing out that the well-maintained vehicles are relatively green and sustainable because they prolong the life of great pieces of craftsmanship rather than surrendering to built-in obsolescence. They are typically better maintained and driven sparingly - around 16 times a year covering an average 1,200 miles - and producing just a fifth (20%) of CO2 emissions from using a computer and a mobile phone for a year. The Zhurong rover has begun its exploration of the Martian surface, cementing China's place as only the second nation to land and operate a rover on Mars. The solar-powered rover rolled out of the lander, touching Martian soil for the first time at 03:40 BST on Saturday, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) revealed. Part of the Tianwen-1 mission, which also includes an orbiting satellite to relay data back to Earth, the lander touched down on Mars on Saturday May 15. Named after the Chinese god of fire, Zhurong, the rover worked to run a number of diagnostic tests before it began its exploration of the Martian surface. It is expected to be deployed for a minimum of 90 days to search of evidence of current or past life on the Red Planet. Scroll down for video On Saturday, May 22, 2021, a landing platform and the surface of Mars are seen from a camera on the Chinese Mars rover Zhurong The rover's solar panels and antenna are deployed as the rover sits on its lander on the surface of Mars before deployment on Saturday INSTRUMENTS ON THE ZHURONG ROVER The Zhurong rover communicates with Earth via the Tianwen-1 orbiter which has a 'high speed data relay'. Instruments on board the rover include a high-resolution camera that will be used for navigation and sharing images of the Red Planet surface. Instruments include: Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) imagined up to 330ft below the surface of Mars Mars Surface Magnetic Field Detector (MSMFD) to find evidence of a magnetic field and track it Mars Meteorological Measurement Instrument (MMMI) to study the weather on the Red Planet Mars Surface Compound Detector (MSCD) combines tools to study the chemical composition of rocks Multi-Spectrum Camera (MSC) to take images in different wavelengths of light such as infrared and ultraviolet Navigation and Topography Camera (NTC) to capture images and map the surface of the planet and help the rover determine where to travel Advertisement The rover touched down in a northern lava plain known as the Utopia Planitia, where NASA's Viking 2 lander touched down in 1976. The plain is the largest impact basin in the solar system, with an estimated diameter of 2,050 miles and home to large volumes of underground ice. The six-wheeled 530lb rover has a climate detector, subsurface radar, magnetic field detectors and a camera to capture images and chart maps of the planitia. Its primary goals are to analyse the Martian soil and analyse the atmosphere of the Red Planet, capture images and chart maps while it roams the surface and study the composition of both soil and rocks it comes across. Zhurong is the third rover currently operating on Mars, following in the footsteps of NASA's Curiosity rover that arrived in 2012 and the relative newcomer Perseverance. Perseverance arrived on Mars on February 18 and spent the first three months preparing and monitoring the technical demonstration of the Ingenuity helicopter. It has a similar objective to Zhurong, to search for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet, and is about to begin that mission in earnest now the Ingenuity demonstrate has ended and the helicopter begins a new phase aiding the rover. Perseverance has an extended mission - to grab rock and soil samples and deploy them on the surface in dedicated capsules that will be collected later. A 'fetch' mission by the European Space Agency will grab these capsules and a NASA launcher will put them into orbit where they will be returned to Earth by 2031. This artist impression shows what the rover would look like on Mars straight after rolling off the landing platform that helped it touch down safely Instruments on board the rover include a high-resolution camera that will be used for navigation and sharing images of the Red Planet surface and ground radar NASA confirmed that Perseverance should grab its first sample from the Martian surface at some point in July. Before the CNSA landed on Mars, the US and Soviet Union were the only nations to have made a successful soft landing on Mars and the US the only nation to deploy and operate a rover on the Red Planet. Several US, Russian and European attempts to land rovers on Mars have failed in the past, most recently in 2016 with the crash-landing of the Schiaparelli joint Russian-European spacecraft as Mars is an 'incredibly difficult' place to land. The European Space Agency (ESA) was due to land the British-built Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars in February this year, but the launch was delayed by Covid. Before the rover rolled off the lander extension arms and a departure ramp were deployed to allow it to deploy to the surface Zhang Rongqiao, right, the chief designer of China's Mars exploration mission, talks with Wu Weiren, second from left, the chief designer of China's lunar exploration project before deployment of the rover on Mars It will now launch towards the end of 2022, landing on Mars in 2023 to search for signs of ancient life - it will be the first rover to also include a drill. China has ambitious space plans that include launching a crewed orbital station and landing a human on the moon. It successfully launched the first module of its new space station last month with hopes of having it crewed by 2022. Technicians monitor the progress of China's Zhurong Mars rover at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing as it rolls off the tracks This artist impression shows what the rover looked like on the lander before deploying to the surface of the Red Planet Last week a segment of the Chinese Long March 5B rocket disintegrated over the Indian Ocean in an uncontrolled landing back to Earth. That drew criticism from the United States and other nations for a breach of etiquette governing the return of space debris to Earth, with officials saying the remnants had the potential to endanger life and property. The CNSA has also signed a memorandum with the Russian space agency Roscosmos to build a station on or in orbit around the moon. In 2019, China became the first country to land a space probe on the little-explored far side of the moon, and in December returned lunar rocks to Earth for the first time since the 1970s. The Milky Way formed slowly and quietly over billions of years, rather than through a violent collision with another galaxy as previously assumed, astronomers claim. Creating a detailed cross-section of a galaxy 'broadly similar' to our own gave astronomers from Australia's ARC Centre of Excellence and the University of Sydney more insight into the Milky Way and how it formed over billions of years. The team used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile to observe a cross-section of the galaxy UGC 10738. It turned out that this galaxy had distinct 'thick' and 'thin' discs similar to those of the Milky Way, with old stars in the thick discs and younger stars in the thin discs. This suggests, contrary to previous theories, that such structures are not the result of a rare long-ago collision with a smaller galaxy but of gradual, peaceful change. Study authors say this discovery is a 'game-changer' as it means our spiral home isn't the result of a freak accident but likely typical of all galaxies of its type. Galaxy UGC 10738, seen edge-on through the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile, revealing distinct thick and thin discs The team used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (pictured) in Chile to observe a cross-section of the galaxy UGC 10738 THICK AND THIN DISCS OF STARS Researchers say the Milky Way, and similar galaxies, have thick and thin discs of stars. The thick discs contain mainly older, and sometimes ancient stars dating to the birth of the Universe. Astronomers can identify the age of the stars by examining the ratio of iron to hydrogen and helium. Older stars have a lower ratio of iron to hydrogen and helium than younger stars, according to experts. Thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metals like iron. That includes stars like the Sun which comprises 1.5 per cent elements heavier than helium. Advertisement Galaxy UGC 10738 is more than 200,000 light years wide, similar to the upper estimates for the Milky Way, has a similar 'thick disc' and mainly ancient stars. 'Our observations indicate that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs didn't come about because of a gigantic mash-up, but a sort-of 'default' path of galaxy formation and evolution,' said Dr Nicholas Scott, project lead. 'From these results we think galaxies with the Milky Way's particular structures and properties could be described as the "normal" ones.' This conclusion has two profound implications, according to Dr Scott, including in the evolution of galaxies and how we analyse more distance clusters in future. 'It was thought that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs formed after a rare violent merger, and so probably wouldn't be found in other spiral galaxies,' he added. 'Our research shows that's probably wrong, and it evolved 'naturally' without catastrophic interventions. This means Milky Way-type galaxies are probably very common. 'It also means we can use existing very detailed observations of the Milky Way as tools to better analyse much more distant galaxies which, for obvious reasons, we can't see as well.' The team were able to determine that, like the Milky Way, UGC 10738 consists mainly of ancient stars due to their low ratio of iron to hydrogen and helium. Thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metal, that includes stars like the Sun which comprises 1.5 per cent elements heavier than helium. Although such discs have been previously observed in other galaxies, it was impossible to tell whether they hosted the same type of star distribution - and therefore similar origins. Scott and colleagues solved this problem by using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe UGC 10738. This galaxy is situated 320 million light years away and is angled 'edge on' to Earth, so looking at it offered a cross section of its structure. Thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metal, that includes stars like the Sun which comprises 1.5 per cent elements heavier than helium. WHAT IS THE VERY LARGE TELESCOPE? The European Southern Observatory (ESO) built the most powerful telescope ever made in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. It is called the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and is widely regarded as one of the most advanced optical instruments ever made. It consists of four telescopes, whose main mirrors measures 27 feet (8.2 metres) in diameter. There are also four movable six feet (1.8 metre) diameter auxiliary telescopes. The large telescopes are called Antu, Kueyen, Melipal and Yepun. Advertisement 'Using an instrument called the multi-unit spectroscopic explorer, or MUSE, we were able to assess the metal ratios of the stars in its thick and thin discs,' explained study co-author Dr Jesse van de Sande. 'They were pretty much the same as those in the Milky Way - ancient stars in the thick disc, younger stars in the thin one. 'We're looking at some other galaxies to make sure, but that's pretty strong evidence that the two galaxies evolved in the same way.' Dr Scott said UGC 10738's edge-on orientation meant it was simple to see which type of stars were in each disc. 'It's a bit like telling apart short people from tall people,' he said. 'It you try to do it from overhead it's impossible, but it if you look from the side it's relatively easy.' Co-author Professor Ken Freeman from the Australian National University said the discovery was an important step forward in understanding how galaxies formed. 'We know a lot about how the Milky Way formed, but there was always the worry that the Milky Way is not a typical spiral galaxy. Now we can see that the Milky Way's formation is fairly typical of how other disk galaxies were assembled'. ASTRO 3D director, Professor Lisa Kewley, added that the work shows how the Milky Way fits into the bigger puzzle of spiral galaxy formation over 13 billion years. The findings have been published in the Astrophyiscal Journal Letters. A rare female black jaguar cub has been born at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. The adorable cub, which is being referred to as 'Baby' until she is officially named, has taken her father's colouration of appearing black - a characteristic only affecting 10 per cent of the wild jaguar population, while the other 90 per cent have distinctive spots. She was born on April 6 to proud parents Keira and Neron. Her birth is part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme, and is an important breakthrough for jaguars, which are classed as 'near threatened' in the wild. Scroll down for video The adorable cub, which is being referred to as 'Baby' until it is officially named, was born on April 6 to proud parents Keira and Neron Why are jaguars 'near threatened'? Jaguars exist in the wild in 18 countries in the Americas, from Mexico to Argentina, according to Wildlife Day. It explained: 'During the 1960s and 1970s, the jaguar was heavily hunted for its fur; as many as 18,000 jaguars were killed each year until 1973, when the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) brought the pelt trade to a near halt. 'Today, jaguars continue to be hunted, mostly due to conflict with humans. 'The jaguar is listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, though its status is in review and may be elevated to Vulnerable in the next year.' Advertisement Keira, Baby's mother, was born at the Paradise Wildlife Park in 2017, before coming to the Big Cat Sancutary in 2019, where she was paired with Neron. Briony Smith, Curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, comments: 'We are over the moon to welcome this little jaguar girl to our Big Cat Sanctuary family. 'We had been monitoring Keira, the mother, closely for many weeks both in person and on the CCTV we had set up in her den. 'There was no doubt that she was pregnant, all we could do was wait with excitement for the big day. 'On the morning of April 6th, we could see that Keira was unsettled and agitated and we knew that she had begun to go into labour. 'This gorgeous little girl was born at 11.10 am and has gone from strength to strength since. 'I cannot believe how quickly she is developing compared to other big cat cubs and this seems to be normal for jaguars. 'She was born with her eyes open and walking strongly by 2 weeks old. Baby pictured with her mother Keira. Keira was born at the Paradise Wildlife Park in 2017, before coming to the Big Cat Sancutary in 2019, where she was paired with Neron Baby has taken her father's colouration of appearing black, which is a characteristic only affecting 10 per cent of the wild jaguar population, while the other 90 per cent have distinctive spots 'Now she is tearing around the dens and certainly making sure that Keira has her hands full. 'She has bags of attitude, especially when her mother decides it's bath time, and is outgoing and very curious. 'It is an absolute pleasure to watch her grow and develop and I can't wait for the public to be able to see her when she is allowed out to explore her enclosure.' 'On the morning of April 6th, we could see that Keira was unsettled and agitated and we knew that she had begun to go into labour,' said Briony Smith, Curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary Baby's father, Neron, also has dark colouration - something only seen in around 10 per cent of jaguars Baby will be named by Big Cat Sanctuary's supporters in the coming months, with a competition starting on May 25, raising funds for the charity. Jaguars exist in the wild in 18 countries in the Americas, from Mexico to Argentina, according to Wildlife Day. It explained: 'While the rare individual has been spotted in the US, there has not been evidence of a breeding population in the US in more than 50 years. Jaguars exist in the wild in 18 countries in the Americas, from Mexico to Argentina, according to Wildlife Day 'During the 1960s and 1970s, the jaguar was heavily hunted for its fur; as many as 18,000 jaguars were killed each year until 1973, when the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) brought the pelt trade to a near halt. 'Today, jaguars continue to be hunted, mostly due to conflict with humans. 'The jaguar is listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, though its status is in review and may be elevated to Vulnerable in the next year.' The University of Notre Dame commencement ceremony took place on Sunday without the presence of the President of the United States, Joe Biden. The Commander in Chief was originally invited to the event, but the White House announced that he could not make it due to a "scheduling conflict." The White House announced this after more than 4,000 members of the college community signed an open letter addressed to university president, Reverend John Jenkins, urging him to not invite the Democratic president to the commencement event. Notre Dame, which is a private Catholic research university in Indiana just outside South Bend was founded in 1842 and has long been recognized as one of the top Christian schools in the country. In an open letter signed by more than 4,300 members of the college community, President Biden was accused of having a "pro-abortion and anti-religious liberty agenda," CBN News reported. "[President Biden] rejects Church teachings on abortion, marriage, sex and gender and is hostile to religious liberty. He embraces the most pro-abortion and anti-religious liberty public policy program in history," the letter entitled "Don't Invite Biden To Speak" read. "The case against honoring him is immeasurably stronger than it was against honoring President Obama, an action that alienated countless Catholics and brought upon Notre Dame the harsh criticism of 83 cardinals, archbishops and bishops." The letter addressed to the University of Notre Dame president pointed out how President Biden opposed the Hyde Amendment that prohibits federal funding of abortion and abortion providers, a position he made known to the public back when it was campaigning to become the Democratic bet for the presidency. The letter also outlined President Biden's support for Planned Parenthood and same-sex marriage and other rights through the controversial Equality Act. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan's Purse CEO Franklin Graham even chimed in, taking to Twitter to share his gratitude that thousands of people from University of Notre Dame who "would stand up for truth and life." Despite being the second Catholic President of the United States, the 78-year-old Biden has made several pro-abortion moves since his inauguration. Such efforts include rescinding a Trump-era ban on clinics that refer women for abortions, a legislation that prohibits Planned Parenthood from gaining access to federal funding, opposing the Hyde Amendment, and pushing for the Obamacare abortifacient mandate that forces schools to supply abortifacients to students. Biden's efforts also include the reversal of a Trump policy which results in prohibiting health care professionals and health-related organizations who receive federal funding from discriminating against one's gender identity or sexual orientation. This places doctors with religious beliefs at a disadvantage as they become vulnerable to lawsuits. In the letter, the signatories cited United States Conference of Catholic Bishops President Archbishop Jose H. Gomez's warning, saying: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited eye conditions called retinal dystrophies. A retinal dystrophy such as RP affects the retina at the back of your eye and, over time, stops it from working. This means that RP causes gradual but permanent changes that reduce your vision. How much of your vision is lost, how quickly this happens and your age when it begins depends on the type of RP that you have. The changes in your vision happen over years rather than months, and some people lose more sight than others. What are the symptoms of RP? When you have a retinal dystrophy like RP, the rod and cone cells in your eyes gradually stop working. Depending on the type of RP you have, you may notice your first symptoms in your early childhood or later, between the ages of 10 to 30. Some people dont have symptoms until later in life. In RP, the first symptom youll notice is not seeing as well as people without a sight condition in dim light, such as outside at dusk, or at night. This is often called 'night blindness'. People without a sight condition can fully adapt to dim light in 15 to 30 minutes, but if you have RP it will either take you much longer or it wont happen at all. You may start having problems with seeing things in your peripheral vision. You may miss things to either side of you and you might trip over or bump into things that you would have seen in the past. As your RP progresses, youll gradually lose your peripheral sight, leaving a central narrow field of vision, often referred to as having 'tunnel vision'. You may still have central vision until youre in your 50s, 60s or older. However, advanced RP will often affect your central vision and you may find reading or recognising faces difficult. RP is a progressive condition, which means that your sight will continue to get worse over the years. Often, changes in sight can happen suddenly over a short period of time. You may then have a certain level of vision for quite some time. However, there may be further changes to your vision in the future. This may mean that you have to keep re-adapting to lower levels of sight. The type of RP that you have can affect how quickly these changes develop. What causes RP? RP is a hereditary condition caused by a fault in one of the genes involved in maintaining the health of the retina. In RP, the faulty gene causes your retinal cells to stop working and to eventually die over time. Researchers have identified many of the genes that cause RP and the faults within them, but there are still other genes to discover. Genetic testing Genetic testing can be carried out to try to find out if you have a faulty gene that causes RP. This can either identify the faulty gene that is causing your RP or enable you to find out if youre carrying a faulty gene that your children may inherit. Genetic testing uses a blood test to look at your genes to see if theyre faulty. Testing for RP and other inherited retinal dystrophies is complicated. It doesnt identify all forms of these conditions as new faulty genes are still being discovered. Genetic counselling Genetic counselling can help you to understand the type of RP you have, how its likely to affect you in the future and the risks of passing on the condition to any children you may have. Genetic counselling is usually advised when you have genetic testing. A genetic counsellor asks about your family tree in detail to try and understand how RP has been inherited in your family. Having a genetic condition in your family may cause emotional concerns. Talking to a genetic counsellor may help you and your family to discuss the eye condition in your family. Knowing the chances of passing on any condition you have can help if you are thinking about starting a family. What tests are used to detect RP? An optometrist (also known as an optician) can examine your retina to detect RP. If you have the early signs of classic RP, there will be tiny but distinctive clumps of dark pigment around your retina. Any changes to your peripheral vision can be detected by a field of vision test. If your optometrist is concerned after your eye examination, they can refer you to an ophthalmologist (hospital eye doctor) for more tests. There are various tests that can diagnose RP. These tests can also monitor how your RP changes over time. Your ophthalmologist may be able to say that you have RP when theyve got the results of these tests, but it may not be possible to know exactly what type of RP you have and what the long term effects on your vision will be without genetic testing. Some of the tests you may need to undergo include: Examination of the retina at the back of your eye. Retinal photographs, fluorescein angiograms and autofluorescence imaging your retina may be photographed using a special camera. By comparing the photographs taken on different visits, your ophthalmologist might be able to monitor how your RP is changing over time. Visual field test which checks how much of your peripheral vision has been affected by an eye condition. Colour vision tests. Electro-diagnostic tests which can tell your ophthalmologist how well your retina is working. They check how your retina responds electrically to patterns and different lighting conditions. Different tests can be carried out to show the results of your retinas electrical activity. These test results will indicate which layers of your retina have been affected. SOURCE: The Royal National Institute of Blind People Stone Age humans were savvy hunters who devised long stone 'runways' that could trap animals inside and make them easy prey to kill by the hundreds. These v-shaped structures, called 'desert kites,' have been widely observed in the Middle East. Using laser scanning techniques, researchers in South Africa have confirmed these 'desert kites' were used much further south in sub-Saharan Africa than previously believed. Found in Keimoes, South Africa, the desert kites are thousands of years newer than ones found in Israel and Syria and indicate a complex understanding of animal behavior and migratory patterns. Scroll down for video Light Detection And Ranging, or LiDAR, technology illustrates where the stone walls of the desert kites' funnels were erected, guiding prey into a killing pit Desert kites were traps devised by Neolithic and Bronze Age hunter-gatherers to corner game like cattle, pig and deer. Hunters would pile stones to create two long walls, sometimes hundreds of feet long, that would converge in a 'V' shape. The walls could be two to three feet thick and up to five feet high but, where they met, there would be a gap that opened into a confined pen. Thousands of migrating gazelles could be chased into the 'funnel' and inevitably the pen, where mass killings were the order of the day. The collapsed remnants of a funnel (B) and pen (C) near Keimoes, South Africa The desert lines were discovered near Keimoes, South Africa, much further south than previously found Numerous funnels would be constructed in one area, usually along a migratory pattern, to force prey into the trap. Hundreds of desert kite sites have been found in the Middle East, including in Jordan, Syria and Israel, and they've been discovered as far away as Central Asia. But they weren't believed to have been utilized by hunters in southern African until now. Because of their sheer size and millennia of wear and overgrowth, the kites can be easily overlooked. Famed explorers like T.E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell stumbled across the kites but had no idea what they were looking at. 'They make more sense when looked at from above,' archaeologist Shamil Amirov, who maps desert kits in Uzbekistan, told National Geographic in 2016. In fact, the traps were named 'kites' by airplane pilots who first saw them from the sky in the 1920s. Numerous funnels would be constructed in one area, leaving beasts of prey few options. The desert kites in South Africa were built thousands of years after the practice was first developed in the Middle East In 2016, Marlize Lombard, a professor of Stone Age archaeology at the University of Johannesburg, uncovered two groupings of desert kites near Keimoes, South Africa, each with a half-dozen funnels. She and her colleagues found another cluster of desert kites in 2018, with 14 funnels in all, clustered around a small hill. But the naked eye can only go so far: in 2019, they flew over the region and scanned it using Light Detection And Ranging, or LiDAR. LiDAR, which can also be used in autonomous cars, is a technology that is capable of piercing the landscape and finding remains of structures hidden by soil and growth. Researchers say the discovery of Stone Age desert kites in South Africa demonstrates hunters' 'understanding of animal behaviors and migration patterns, and the minimum requirements for funnel construction.' Pictured: the Nama Karoo semi-desert in Keimoes, South Africa According to their findings in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, laser scans turned up two more kite locations, with a total of four funnels. The Keimoes kite funnels are comparable to ones found in the Negev Desert, the authors said in their study. They suggest that hunter-gatherers in arid southern Africa 'intentionally modified their landscape' to more efficiently hunt game like springbok, a kind of gazelle. 'Our results highlight the hunters' understanding of animal behaviors and migration patterns, and the minimum requirements for funnel construction,' the authors wrote in their report. They believe the layout of Keimoes kites demonstrates a 'complex inter-connectedness, with dynamic human land-use patterns interlaced with concepts of inheritable custodianship across generations.' 'Our landscape approach provides a nuanced understanding of these features within the southern African context,' they added. In the Negev and the Sinai, desert kites started being used between 6,000 and 5,000 years ago and fell out of use in the mid-2000s BC, when more efficient hunting methods were developed. 'Humans may have driven a species of gazelle to the brink of extinction with unsustainable mass-kill strategies,' Guy Bar-Oz, Melinda Zeder, and Frank Hole wrote in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2011. Lombard believes the Keimoes kites are more recent, probably made within the last 2,000 years by hunter-gatherers or herders. 'Many of the people living in the Keimoes area today are [descendants] of the original Khoisan populations, who lived there by, and long before, 2000 years ago,' she told New Scientist. 'I predict that there may be many more kite sites in southern Africa,' Lombard said. 'But they are very difficult to find because of both location and lack of visibility on the landscape.' A letter penned by Albert Einstein in which he wrote down his famous 'E = mc' massenergy equivalence formula has sold at auction for the princely sum of $1.2 million after a furious bidding war. Boston-based RR Auctions, which handled the sale, said it was more than three times what was expected for the rare letter, which went on sale earlier this month. 'It's an important letter from both a holographic and a physics point of view,' Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction said in an interview with the Associated Press. Initially, there were five bidders for the rare item, but once the price of the item topped $700,000, just two bidders remained. RR Auctions said the buyer of the Einstein letter has preferred to remain anonymous. There are four known examples of the famous equation written in Einstein's own handwriting, but this was the only one in a private collection. It was held by the descendants of the man who received the Oct. 26, 1946 letter, Polish-American physicist Ludwik Silberstein. Scroll down for video A letter penned by Albert Einstein which is rare for containing his famous 'E = mc' massenergy equivalence formula (pictured) sold at auction for $1.2 million, more than three times what was expected E = mc EXPLAINED E = mc the massenergy equivalence formula details the relationship between mass and energy of a system at rest. It describes the energy (E) of a particle as a product of its mass (m) and the square of the speed of light (c). The speed of light is an enormous number in everyday units, being 299 792 458 metres per second. Given this, the formula shows how a small amount of mass at rest is equal to a massive amount of energy. This accounts, for example, for the phenomenal amounts of energy that can be released by nuclear reactions, which convert tiny amounts of mass into energy. E = mc was derived by Albert Einstein as a result of his work on special relativity. This explained how space and time are linked for non-accelerating objects. Advertisement The German-born Einstein corresponded with Silberstein, telling him a question could 'be answered from the E = mc formula.' 'Your question can be answered from the E = mc2 formula, without any erudition,' Einstein wrote in the letter written on Princeton University letterhead. 'If E is the energy of your system consisting of the two masses, E the energy of the masses when they approach infinite distance, then the system's mass defect is E - E / c2,' he continued. Silberstein was a well-known critic and challenger to some of Einstein's theories. Following a more complex answer, Einstein went on to conclude that 'one must first a theory that contains the correct unification of gravitation and electricity.' The auction started on May 13 and finished on May 20. The search for this 'unified field theory' would go on to consume the final third of the extraordinary physicist's life. Einstein demonstrated mass-energy equivalence in 1905 - his so-called 'miracle year which also saw him publish ground-breaking papers introducing the theory of special relativity, explaining Brownian motion and outlining the photoelectric effect. Special relativity - which involves the relationship between space and time - determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers and that light's speed in a vacuum is fixed, regardless of observer or source motion. To this understanding Einstein later succeeded in factoring in acceleration and he published this in 1915 as his theory of general relativity, which explained that objects with mass distort the fabric of space and time, which we experience as gravity. Dr. Silberstein cast doubt on general relativity in 193536 even claiming in the press that the theory was 'flawed' after developing a solution to Einstein's field equations that he (erroneously) thought violated our understanding of gravity. (The field equations are those that Einstein drew up to relate the geometry of spacetime to the distribution of matter within it and thereby are what describe gravity as being a result the curvature of spacetime by mass and energy.) However, by the time of Einstein's correspondence in 1946, Dr Silberstein had reportedly come around to Einstein's way of thinking. Einstein sent a letter to Polish-American physicist Ludwik Silberstein in October 1946, telling him a question could 'be answered from the E = mc formula' E = mc the massenergy equivalence formula details the relationship between mass and energy of a system at rest 'It's an important letter from both a holographic and a physics point of view, as it shows Einstein's thinking on one of the most basic of all physical problems,' said RR Auction's executive vice president, Bobby Livingston In fact, the Polish-American researcher is best known today for his work in introducing both Einstein's general and special relativity into university courses. The letter he received from Einstein has been put up for auction now by Dr Silberstein's great-great-grandchildren. 'It's an important letter from both a holographic and a physics point of view, as it shows Einstein's thinking on one of the most basic of all physical problems,' said RR Auction's executive vice president, Bobby Livingston. Einstein, who passed away in 1955, would later go on to explain his general theory of relativity as 'follow[ing] from the special theory of relativity that mass and energy are but different manifestations of the same thing. 'Furthermore, the equation E is equal to m c-squared, in which energy is put equal to mass multiplied by the velocity of light squared, showed that a very small amount of mass may be converted into a very large amount of energy, and vice versa.' In 2018, another piece of Einstein's correspondence the 'God letter' in which he called religion in general, and especially Judaism, a 'childish superstition' born of 'human weakness' sold at auction in New York for $3 million (2.1 million). The human heart is a complex organ comprising of several chambers, valves and tissue, all of which makes it one of the most difficult organs to model until now. Scientists used stems cells to grown the first human 'mini-hearts' with a beating chamber that mimics the organ of a 25-day-old embryo. Dubbed 'cardioid,' the miniature heart is the size of a sesame-seed and has a hollow chamber that beats 60 to 100 times per minute - the same rate as an embryo at this stage of development. The team hopes to analyze the cardioids to uncover how the heart develops in the womb and other scientific mysterious like why babies' hearts do not scar following a heart attack. Scroll down for videos Scientists used stems cells to grown the first human 'mini-hearts' with a beating chamber that mimics the organ of a 25-day-old embryo The latest breakthrough stems from previous work in 2020, which developed a functioning mini human hear in a lab using mice cardiac cells. This model, however, looked like a lump of cells in a petri dish, rather than a proper heart, Aitor Aguirre, a stem cell biologist at Michigan State University, told Science Magazine. 'An organoid should recapitulate the function of the organ,' he says. With a heart, 'You would expect chambers and pumping, because this is what the heart does.' The latest cardioid was designed using self-organizing cells, which are found in an embryo. The team programmed human pluripotent stem cells that have the ability to self-renew by dividing and make up part of an embryo. In one week, the structure was equivalent to that of a 25-day-old embryo Instead of using mice cells, the team programmed human pluripotent stem cells that have the ability to self-renew by dividing and make up part of an embryo. These stem cells can also transform into different types of tissue, which allowed researchers to develop the three tissue layers found in the walls of a heart chamber. The pluripotent stem cells were then placed in concentrations of nutrients to activate cell growth. And in just one week, the cells organized into a structure similar to that of a 25-day-old embryo with a single chamber. The pluripotent stem cells were first placed in concentrations of nutrients to activate cell growth The complete cardioid is about two millimeters in diameter and includes cells typically observed during this stage of development: cardiomyocytes, epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and epicardium The complete cardioid is about two millimeters in diameter and includes cells typically observed during this stage of development: cardiomyocytes, epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and epicardium. The mini-hearts, so far, have survived for more than three months in a petri dish. Lead author Sasha Mendjan, a stem cell biologist at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, plans to use the cardioids to learn more about how cardiac problems develop in babies like congenital heart defects and cardiac cell death following a heart attack. The next step, according to Aguirre, is to have the mini-hearts pump blood by connecting it to vascular networks. Clownfish develop their characteristic white stripes at different speeds depending on the type of sea anemone in which they live, a study has found. Made famous by 'Finding Nemo', the iconic reef-dwellers grow their stripes or 'bars' as they undergo the metamorphosis that turns them from larvae to adults. Experts surveyed clownfish in Papua New Guinea's Kimbe Bay, where they live either in the magnificent sea anemone or the more toxic giant carpet anemone. They noticed that the juvenile clownfish that lived in the giant carpet anemone got their white bars faster than those calling the magnificent sea anemone home. Lab-based tests and genetic analysis linked these differences to thyroid hormones and a gene called duox, which may be activated more by the more toxic anemone. Clownfish (pictured) develop their characteristic white stripes at different speeds depending on the type of sea anemone in which they live, a study has found Experts surveyed clownfish in Papua New Guinea's Kimbe Bay, where they live either in the magnificent sea anemone or the more toxic giant carpet anemone. They noticed that the juvenile clownfish that lived in the giant carpet anemone (right) got their white bars faster than those calling the magnificent sea anemone home (left with both fish being of similar ages) 'Metamorphosis is an important process for clownfish,' said paper author and marine scientist Vincent Laudet of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. 'It changes their appearance and also the environment they live in, as clownfish larvae leave life in the open ocean and settle in the reef.' 'Understanding how metamorphosis changes depending on the sea anemone host can help us answer questions not only about how they adapt to these different environments,' he continued. 'But also how they might be affected by other environmental pressures, like climate change,' he concluded. 'We were really interested in understanding not only why bar formation occurs faster or slower depending on the sea anemone, but also what drives these differences,' explained paper author Pauline Salis of the Sorbonne University in Paris. In their laboratory experiments, the team worked with a particular clownfish species called Amphiprion ocellaris a close relative of the the Amphiprion percula they studied off the coast of Papua New Guinea. In particular, the researchers focused on thyroid hormones, which are known to trigger the metamorphosis process in frogs. Injecting larval clownfish with different doses, the team found that white bars developed faster in the precense of greater hormone levels and, conversely, that bar formation slowed when the fish's hormone production was inhibited. The researchers explained that the hormones activate the genes expressed by pigment cells called 'iridophores' that are responsible for bar development. Injecting larval clownfish with different doses, the team found that white bars developed faster in the precense of greater hormone levels. Pictured: a larval clownfish (top) and one five days after it was given an injection of thyroid hormones (bottom), showing bar formation Returning to Kimbe Bay, the team sampled juvenile clownfish from both the giant carpet and magnificent sea anemones and found that thyroid hormone levels were much higher in the fish who lived in the giant carpet anemone. While this explained the faster growth of bars in the clownfish that used the giant carpet anemone as a host, the researchers wanted to know why these fish had higher levels of thyroid hormones. Measuring the activity of various genes in the clownfish genome, the team found their answer. 'The big surprise was that out of all these genes, only 36 genes differed between the clownfish from the two sea anemone species,' said Professor Laudet. 'And one of these 36 genes, called duox, gave us a real eureka moment.' Duox was more active in clownfish from the giant carpet anemone than those from the magnificent sea anemone and the gene encodes for a protein called dual oxidase, which previous research has linked to the formation of thyroid hormones. 'We were really interested in understanding not only why bar formation occurs faster or slower depending on the sea anemone, but also what drives these differences,' explained paper author Pauline Salis of the Sorbonne University in Paris In further lab experiments, the team were able to confirm that duox plays an important role in the development of the iridophore pigment cells and, in mutant zebrafish, this process is delayed when the duox gene is inactivated. Based on their findings, the team concluded, it would appear that the increased activity of duox in clownfish living in the giant carpet anemone results in higher levels of thyroid hormones, promoting faster iridophore and white bar development. What remains unclear, however, is what triggers the increased activity of duox in the first place with the team speculating it may have something to do with the stress response to the greater toxicity of the giant carpet anemone. 'We're starting to delve into some possible explanations,' Professor Laudet said. 'We suspect that these changes in white bar formation are just the tip of the iceberg, and that many other differences are present that help the clownfish adapt to the two different sea anemone hosts.' The full findings of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Experts surveyed clownfish in Papua New Guinea's Kimbe Bay, where they live either in the magnificent sea anemone or the more toxic giant carpet anemone A one-of-a-kind purple-pink diamond known as 'The Sakura' has broken records, selling for $29.3 million and becoming the most expensive purple-pink diamond ever sold at auction. Auction house Christie's, which handled the sale, said the diamond is 'internally flawless' and 'fancy vivid,' which measures the color of the stone. The 15.81-carat gem was part of 'another important chapter in jewelry auction history,' Christie's said in a statement. 'The strong sell-through rates and exceptional prices achieved for top quality colored diamonds and gemstones reflect a robust market demand, and we look forward to extending this strong buying momentum to our upcoming live auction in New York on 8 June,' Chairman of Christie's jewelry department Vickie Sek said in the release. CNBC reported the person who purchased The Sakura was a private buyer from Asia, but did not offer additional details. Christie's noted that only four percent of pink diamonds obtain the 'fancy vivid' classification and just ten percent weight more than 0.2 carats, making the Sakura exceedingly rare. The purple-pink diamond was part of a larger sale that saw Christie's sell more than $76.8 million in jewels, including another pink diamond known as The Sweet Heart, which sold for just over $6.5 million. A 15.8-carat purple-pink diamond sold at auction for $29.3 million, setting a record The stone, which is 'internally flawless' and 'fancy vivid,' was sold to a private buyer from Asia Known as The Sakura (Japanese for cherry blossom), it has the same hue as the tree, commonly found in Japan The Sakura, which is Japanese for cherry blossom, is 'exactly' the share of cherry blossom, Sek told CNN in a phone interview. She added that pink diamonds generally have 'a lot of graining,' making this gemstone 'very rare.' Pink diamonds, which get their color from a tweak in the crystal structure, have created several headlines in recent memory. In February, rapper Lil Uzi Vert got a $24 million pink diamond that he had been paying for since 2017 pierced onto his forehead. Another gigantic pink gemstone, known as 'The Spirit of the Rose,' sold for nearly $27 million at a Sotheby's auction in November 2020. Advertisement The International Space Station (ISS) is currently orbiting Earth, but images snapped by an astronaut on the giant craft show a world that looks similar to Mars. European Space Agencys (ESA) Thomas Pesquet shared images on Twitter while more than 250 miles above Earths surface that capture the Eye of Sahara in western Africa. The pictures depict a reddish and orange colored landscape, along with a deep indentation at the center that looks eerily similar to what resides on the Red Planet. I thought I was orbiting Mars when I saw this view! No cloud in sight and the red and ochre colors stretching to the horizon, Pesquet wrote about the images. This is how I imagine the Perseverance rover would have seen Mars on its approach to landing. Scroll down for video The International Space Station (ISS) is currently orbiting Earth, but images snapped by an astronaut on the giant craft show a world that looks more like Mars The Eye of Sahara, formally known as the Richat Structure, is located in the Sahara near Ouadane in west-central Mauritania, western Africa. This region has attracted many astronauts looking to capture the beauty of the stunning bulls eye crater that measures nearly 30 miles in diameter. Initially interpreted as a meteorite impact structure because of its high degree of circularity, it is now thought to be merely a symmetrical uplift that has been laid bare by erosion. The ISS recently soared over the Sahara, allowing Pesquet to capture the stunning bulls eye from hundreds of miles above. Pesquet took a number of shots of the Eye of Sahara and beamed them back to ground control to have them compiled into a stunning collage that featured the region in all of its glory. And he used an 1150mm camera to do so European Space Agencys (ESA) Thomas Pesquet shared images on Twitter while more than 250 miles above Earths surface that capture the Eye of Sahara in western Africa. The pictures depict a reddish and orange colored landscape, along with a deep indentation at the center that looks eerily similar to what resides on the Red Planet If there is one picture that is a cliche for astronauts in space, it is the Richat structure, also known as the Eye of #Sahara We have all taken a picture or two, the astronaut shared in a tweet accompanied by the iconic shot of the crater. Pesquet has taken a number of shots of the Eye of Sahara and beamed them back to ground control to have them compiled into a stunning collage that featured the region in all of its glory. And he used an 1150mm camera to do so. Along with sharing the photos with the world, Pesquet took the time to reflect on humanitys achievements of going to Mars. A huge shout-out to the NASA teams that flew a helicopter on Mars and also the French teams that recorded the flight with audio! Mars exploration is hard but we are making enormous progress, he wrote. Along with sharing the photos with the world, Pesquet took the time to reflect on humanitys achievements of going to Mars, including China's Zhurong rover that recently landed on the Red Planet Pesquet also honored NASA's Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter that landed on Mars on February 18. This image was snapped by the rover in April China landed its Zhurong rover on Mars too, becoming only the second nation to do so successfully. ESA's ExoMars TGO mission is orbiting Mars and the ExoMars rover is set for launch next year. Chinas Zhurong rover made headlines Monday when it officially embarked on its journey to explore the Martian surface, cementing China's place as only the second nation to land and operate a rover on Mars. NASAs Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter landed on Mars February 18 and have achieved a number of goals since. Perseverance has transformed Martian CO2 into oxygen and Ingenuity soared through the thin atmosphere the first powered vehicle to fly on another planet. NASA's rover recently began its search of ancient signs of life on Mars and is testing the ancient lakebed in the Jezero crater by focusing its science instruments on rocks. Using its suite of cameras, Perseverance has been taking images of rocks on the floor of the crater, which was once a lakebed billions of years ago. Advertisement The smell of burned spun sugar from the candy-floss stand; a neck whipping ride on a fairground Waltzer; the pleasure of dropping pennies into slots in the arcade. This summer, more than any other, it may feel like a real treat to relive care-free memories of British seaside fun. Of all Kents seaside towns, Margate is the epitome of retro, however, Deal, Broadstairs and Whitstable also evoke a nostalgic seaside experience with ice-cream parlours, seafood stands, vintage shops and architecture. In the lovely town of Deal, shoppers armed with wicker baskets flit from the Saturday Market, which offers a mix of vintage attire, bric-a-brac and local produce such as Kents finest seasonal fruit and veg, artisan bakers and locally brewed beers, to stalwarts on the High Street such as Rooks, Kent butchers trading for 55 years. The Zetland Arms in Kingsdown is the perfect spot for a pint and a paddle, writes The Mail on Sunday's Kate Wickers Staying with the retro-theme, head to Mileage for salvaged reconditioned treasures, The Hoxton Store for homeware and fashion with an extravagant vintage feel, Taylor-Jones & Son, where youll find Leigh Mulleys hyper-realistic paintings with classic British seaside themes, and Smugglers Records for old and new vinyl. Former pub, The Rose, has been transformed into a cocktail bar, restaurant and eight-bedroom boutique hotel, styled with cool antique finds. B&B from 100 per night (therosedeal.com). Flying saucer-shaped 1930s shelters line a prom, where youll find simple seaside pleasures such as penny slots in the Deal Arcade, or a knickerbocker glory at The Beach Parlour a wonderful throwback to the 1960s. Buy a pot of winkles at the Deal Shellfish Stall on the prom and eat while taking in the views to France and Goodwin Sands a ten-mile-long sandbank that lies six miles off the coast from the 1,025ft long (312m) recently renovated concrete brutalist pier that was built in 1957. If you want to head out of town, rent a bike from beach hut cafe Hut 55 (hut55.co.uk) and cycle the coastal path through Walmer to Kingsdown then back to The Zetland Arms, a Victorian pub on a shingle beach the perfect spot for a pint and a paddle. Head along the coast past Sandwich and Ramsgate, to Broadstairs for a peek into glamorous Morellis Gelato, founded in 1932 and still family-owned, which perches above Viking Bay. You cant miss the place, as theres always a queue under the iconic 1950s flying carpet silvery steel canopy. Inside, theres an original soda fountain, Lloyd Loom chairs, bubble-gum pink leatherette booths and a jukebox, with its click and drop sound as each record is dispatched wonderfully evocative. Older visitors are transported back to their teenage years, while youngsters marvel at how the immaculate 1950s decor has come full circle back to cool (morellisgelato.com). Seaside fun: Pictured is Stone Bay in Broadstairs, with its sandy beach, colourful beach huts and white cliffs The Bay Tree Hotel has style and seaside charm in spades (and buckets). B&B from 99 a night (baytreebroadstairs.co.uk). Edge further along the coast to Margate where Dreamland evokes the golden era of the 1950s funfair (dreamland.co.uk). The park opened in 1920, with its star attraction the Scenic Railway, the UKs first wooden rollercoaster, now Grade II listed and meticulously rebuilt during the park renovation in 2015. There are chair-o-planes from 1935, dodgems from 1946 and the speedway, a merry-go-round of motorbikes, made in 1934. Theres also a Roller Room for skating with a 1950s-themed diner serving hotdogs and shakes, plus a collection of original pinball machines. Ice cool: A sundae and a knickerbocker glory at Morellis Gelato in Broadstairs, which was founded in 1932 For an original 1970s swimsuit or a 1960s twinset to go with your pearls, head to Margates Old Town. Cant decide if youre a mod or a rocker? Pop into Breuer & Dawson to try on an original mod parka or fringed leather biker jacket from its vast collection of vintage fashion spanning the early 1900s to the 1980s. Or at Ramsay & Williams hunt for pre-war leather suitcases, velvet cinema seats and salvaged shop signs, among off-beat antiques. The Dalby Cafe opened just after the Second World War, and the immaculate formica tables date from that time, with chairs formed from the seats of old Margate trams. From the breakfast butties to Sunday roasts, all food is locally sourced (dalbycafe.com). B&B at Sands Hotel, a boutique hotel with sea views, starts at 120 a night (sandshotelmargate.co.uk). To spot examples of modernist architecture thats surely more Miami than Margate, take a drive along Palm Avenue. On the north Kent coast, in Whitstable, the world may not be your oyster but here the oyster is your world. Fifties frills: Two friends enjoying a ride at Margates retro funfair Dreamland, which is home to the UK's first wooden rollercoaster The Whitstable Oyster Company can trace its origins to the 1400s, and in the 1850s it was sending 80 million oysters to Billingsgate market a year. Youll find these salty crustaceans, farmed just offshore, on menus everywhere. Stroll the pretty front, lined with wooden fisherman huts dating from the 1800s now turned into holiday cottages (from 85 per night, whitstablefishermanshuts.com), then order a dozen oysters to take-away from The Oyster Shed. Douse in lemon or leave au naturel for their pure salty taste and eat them on the pebble beach. Here, kids dangle crabbing lines over weathered wooden beach breakwaters, and out in the Channel, oystermen in boats tend to their nurseries perhaps the most timeless and enduring of all Kents seaside scenes. Want to combine cruising with a visit to a world-class Christmas market? Here we reveal eight of the best voyages that allow you to do just that. ADVENTURES IN ALSACE CroisiEurope offers a cruise that includes a visit to the Christmas markets in and around Strasbourg, pictured Swap the bratwurst for bredeles (Christmas cookies) on CroisiEurope's cruise to the markets in and around Strasbourg. You'll visit Alsace's potter villages, such as Soufflenheim famous for its flower-adorned ceramics, and Betschdorf, where the speciality is salt-glazed pottery. Choose from 11 dates in November and December. CroisiEurope's three-day Christmas in Alsace costs from 455pp, excluding flights (croisieurope.co.uk). RHINE AND MOSELLE The Christmas market that is held in the shadow of Cologne Cathedral This fantastic cruise sets sail in December 2022, starting in Basel and heading to Amsterdam via Strasbourg, castle-topped Cochem, and Cologne all destinations with dazzling markets. Our favourite market is the one held in the shadow of Cologne Cathedral. The best bit? Your mode of transport will be one of APT Touring's new Travelmarvel ships: Polaris, Capella or Vega, all with rooftop bars and walking tracks. APT Touring's seven-night Rhine & Moselle Christmas Markets cruise costs from 1,695pp, including flights (aptouring.co.uk). FESTIVE SEASON IN GERMANY Avalon Waterways' six-day Festive Season In The Heart Of Germany starts in Nuremberg, pictured Another to book for 2022 (three dates in December), this gluhwein-soaked cruise starts in Nuremberg, where you can browse the baubles at Kathe Wohlfahrt, the decorations store that dates back to 1964. Head to the old town's market for lebkuchen (spicy gingerbread). Other stops include Bamberg, famous for its half-timbered buildings, and Wurzburg, where you'll visit the Bishop's Residence. Avalon Waterways' six-day Festive Season In The Heart Of Germany starts from 1,538pp, excluding flights (avalonwaterways.co.uk). BREMEN AND HAMBURG In Hamburg, pictured, there are 30 markets, including one specifically aimed at dogs Starting and finishing in Portsmouth, Bremen and Hamburg are the ports of call for this cruise, which sets sail on November 30. In Bremen, the town hall dates back to the 1400s. In Hamburg there are 30 markets, including one specifically aimed at dogs and another specialising in Scandinavian crafts. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' six-night German Christmas Markets cruise costs from 699pp, excluding flights (fredolsencruises.com). MISTLETOE AND RHINE Coolest Yule: Koblenz market in Frankfurt, which you can visit on Tui's five-night Mistletoe And Rhine cruise This sails in November and December, and includes Frankfurt for an apple wine-fuelled tour of its historic market (first held in 1393); Koblenz, where the Rathaus (town hall) is turned into an enormous advent calendar; and Rudesheim, where the Market of Nations celebrates the yuletide traditions of 12 different nations. Pick up a schwibbogen, an arched candle holder. TUI's five-night Mistletoe And Rhine costs from 790pp, including flights (tui.co.uk). NUREMBERG TO FRANKFURT One of the gingerbread stalls at Nuremberg Christmas market A family-friendly cruise with dates in December and in 2022. Your mulled wine-scented ship sails from Nuremberg to Frankfurt and will be decorated with Christmas trees and gingerbread houses. On board activities include stollen-making classes. In Rothenburg, you can walk the town's famous ramparts. Uniworld seven-night Classic Christmas Markets cruise costs from 3,499pp, including flights (uniworld.com). MUSIC ON THE DANUBE You'll be treated to a guided tour of Vienna's Schonbrunn Palace, pictured, on a sailing from Munich to Budapest with Scenic Sailing from Munich to Budapest, this stops in Vienna, Durnstein and Linz in Austria and Regensburg in Germany. You'll be treated to a private piano concert in Budapest, a Schnapps-tasting session and a guided tour of Vienna's Schonbrunn Palace. Sailings are in November and December and in 2022. Scenic's eight-day Christmas Markets On The Danube Cruise costs from 2,095pp, including flights from the UK (scenic.co.uk). MISSISSIPPI MAGIC You can visit Elvis Presley's home, Graceland (pictured), on Viking's December 2022 cruise, which sails between Memphis and New Orleans Fancy heading stateside for a supersized dose of Yuletide fun? Viking's December 2022 cruise, which sails between Memphis and New Orleans, is perfect for anyone hoping to indulge in festive retail therapy with visits to Louisiana's most famous landmarks, including Elvis Presley's home Graceland and historic Natchez. Our favourite market is the one in New Orleans' City Park, where America's oldest grove of oaks is draped with fairy lights. Viking River Cruises' eight-day Mississippi Holiday Season cruise costs from 4,290pp including flights (vikingrivercruises.co.uk). Heathrow's Covid-19 safety rating has been upgraded from three to four stars by Skytrax. The respected UK-based air transport rating agency says it has boosted the airport's rating to 'reflect many improvements to the hygiene, safety and cleanliness protocols and standards introduced at the airport'. This is despite the chaos and overcrowding at border control at Heathrow last week following the lifting of some travel restrictions. Heathrow's Covid-19 'Airport Safety Rating' has been upgraded from three to four stars by Skytrax. Pictured is the airport's departure lounge in Terminal 2 Heathrows original three-star rating was awarded following an audit last September. A second audit in April that evaluated over 175 safety protocols, however, recognised 'many improvements to its Covid-19 safety protocol implementation in the past six months, with enhanced hygiene and cleanliness measures... meeting a strong overall standard'. It also noted that 'further enhancements [are] due in the coming months'. It found that the airport has 'widely rolled out antimicrobial coatings on frequently touched surfaces and has also introduced UV sanitisation measures on escalator rails and through its UV cleaning robots'. It adds: 'With passenger numbers expected to increase as national travel restrictions are eased, Heathrow is boosting the number of distancing markers and signage to facilitate safe movement and handling of customers in public areas, this in addition to dynamic monitoring of airport capacity, which allows the airport to implement controls for public access to the terminal.' Skytrax points out that while the airport has been criticised for unacceptably long waits at immigration for inbound customers, 'this is an element of the airport service over which Heathrow has no control, and is managed by Border Force, part of the UK governments Home Office'. Edward Plaisted of Skytrax says: 'We are pleased to see the extent of Covid-19 safety improvements that Heathrow has achieved in 2021, and it is unfortunate that their maximum potential is being hampered by the border control issues experienced by customers. A picture taken by Skytrax in Terminal 5 arrivals. The ratings agency says it has boosted Heathrow's rating to 'reflect many improvements to the hygiene, safety and cleanliness protocols and standards introduced at the airport' 'Although an area outside Heathrows control, travellers will likely attribute any failings here to the airport operator, and we could not apply a five-star Covid-19 airport rating to an airport where such chaos is occurring, even if the failings are directly attributable to a third party, not the airport operator.' Just last week, Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye, said: 'Border Forces claims that long queues in immigration are inevitable smack of complacency they are completely avoidable if ministers ensure that all desks are staffed at peak times.' Heathrow announced on Friday that it will initially be opening a dedicated arrivals facility in Terminal 3 from June 1 for passengers arriving on direct flights from red-list countries, which Skytrax says 'should serve to alleviate customer concerns and reduce inbound immigration waiting times'. Meanwhile, Skytrax adds that customers travelling through Heathrow will see 'even more hand sanitiser facilities at high contact points such as boarding gate queues, lavatory entrances and exits', and that Heathrow is 'reorganising existing dispensers to ensure that customers are never more than 30 paces from a hand hygiene station'. According to Skytrax, Heathrow is 'reorganising existing sanitiser dispensers to ensure that customers are never more than 30 paces from a hand hygiene station'. This one is in Terminal 5 baggage reclaim It adds that 'importantly, Heathrow is cooperating with key airport partners such as British Airways, TFL, Heathrow Express, on-site testing organisations, and retail and dining outlets to align measures and provide the most consistent experience for the three key elements of hands, face, and space, in addition to reinforcing the highest levels of cleanliness and hygiene'. Part of Skytrax's Covid-19 assessment monitors social distancing among passengers and staff and the reality and consistency of face-mask use in the airport. The ratings agency says that as part of this commitment, 'Heathrow employs a team of Covid marshals who advise and remind customers of the current regulations of hygiene safety, but also assist passengers through the airport process'. Skytrax says: 'Heathrow is boosting the number of distancing markers and signage to facilitate safe movement and handling of customers in public areas.' Pictured is the T5 arrivals hall Heathrow Chief Operating Officer, Emma Gilthorpe, said: 'We are thrilled that Heathrow has been awarded the prestigious four-star Covid-19 Airport Safety Ranking by Skytrax the highest ranking achieved by a UK airport. 'Since the start of the pandemic, weve invested in the latest cutting-edge technologies like UV sanitising robots, enhanced cleaning regimes and ventilation, mandated face coverings throughout the airport and employed a team of dedicated hygiene technicians and Covid marshals all in an effort to keep our passengers and colleagues safe. 'The impacts of Covid-19 are likely to continue to be a feature of travel for the foreseeable future and we will continue to work with all of our partners at the airport to ensure Heathrow remains one of the safest airports in the world.' Heathrow's most recent Covid-19 audit by Skytrax evaluated over 175 safety protocols introduced by the airport in response to the Covid-19 pandemic Assessments by Skytrax of Covid-19 safety measures adopted by airlines and in airports around the globe started last September and are ongoing. It has assessed over 50 airports so far including Gatwick (three stars), Manchester (three stars), Exeter (three stars), Zanzibar (two stars), Edinburgh (four stars), Dubai (four stars) and Rome Fiumicino (five stars). Among the 28 airlines it has assessed are British Airways (four stars), easyJet (four stars), Ryanair (four stars), Emirates (four stars), Qatar Airways (five stars) and Wizz Air (three stars). On Sunday, the Day of Pentecost, Pastors David Platt and Francis Chan led a coalition of more than 50 Christian ministries in the launch of a 33-day prayer challenge to remind Christendom of the one-third of the world's population who still lack access to the Bible, the church, and the community of other believers. According to the Christian Post, Christians are asked to pray for the "third of us" who do not have access to Jesus as part of the 1:11 Prayer Challenge. A Facebook Live broadcast was held on Sunday at 1: 11 p.m. in each U.S. time zone to kick off the event. The "Three Line Symbol" was drawn or placed on the participants' hands wherever it was visible. The "three no's" - no Bible, no church, and no other believers - represent a third of humankind. Platt, the head pastor of McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia, and New York Times bestselling author Chan will participate in video conversations throughout the day on Sunday at the online event. The event was hosted by Alliance for the Unreached as part of the "A Third of Us" movement. The alliance, which includes Bibles for the World, FEBC, Door International, Ethnos 360, Frontier Ventures, Joshua Project, Missio Nexus, Mission Network News, Operation Mobilization, Seed Company, TransWorld Radio, World Mission, and ZimZam Global, states that "this is a conversation starter to talk about the movement and invite others to join the 1:11 Prayer Challenge." According to the collaborating group, the initiative aimed to disseminate awareness via social connections in a simple and rapid manner. "Someone came and presented the Gospel to us and gave us the opportunity to be reconciled to God, to have a relationship with God, and to have our lives transformed by the Living God. Why would we hold that back from millions of others?" asked Jon Fugler, the Alliance for the Unreached's board chair. "So, awareness is our focus. Our campaign is designed to help spread awareness, through our social connections, simply and quickly," he added. Defining the "Unreached" According to Marv Newell, executive director of the Alliance for the Unreached, the term "unreached" does not mean "unsaved" nor is it synonymous with "unevangelized." "The vast majority of people in communities across North America are reached with the Gospel, meaning that they have access to the Good News in their language in some form or another," she said. "But this is not true for the 3.2 billion people living in Gospel-destitute areas of the world," she continued. "They are considered unreached because they have no access to the Good News. They still await the opportunity to hear the message of Jesus for the first time and based upon the number of professing believers in their community, it is extremely unlikely they will meet or know a Christian personally." "I cannot imagine having to face God apart from Christ. So, how can I allow other people to do this? " Chan said, adding that God gave him a desire to champion the cause for the unreached people. The Irwin family is no doubt bracing itself for a fresh wave of raunchy headlines about Steve Irwin's 'hot niece' Rebecca Lobie. The Queensland mother of two, 33, who is said to be estranged from her squeaky clean cousin Bindi, hinted last week she was considering joining OnlyFans. Responding to a news article about her possibly making the leap into subscription-based adult content, Rebecca suggested she wasn't against the idea. 'Why the stigma around this platform?' Steve Irwin's 'hot niece' Rebecca Lobie has dropped more hints she's about to join subscription-based adult website OnlyFans 'And if I did [join OnlyFans], why this stigma around this platform?' she wrote on Instagram Stories, as reported by New Idea. 'People should be allowed to express themselves how they feel like without the judgement of others.' Late last month, the Sunshine Coast glamazon teased the possibility of monetising her racy Instagram photos by starting an OnlyFans account. 'People should be allowed to express themselves': Responding to a news article about her possibly making the leap into adult work, Rebecca said last week she wasn't against the idea She uploaded a photo to Instagram of herself posing in skimpy white lingerie and tagged the photographer Tristan Manas - who often works with OnlyFans creators. OnlyFans is a subscription-based adult website that allows users to sell photos and videos for a monthly fee. Content ranges from something as innocent as a suggestive selfie all the way to hardcore pornography Ready to cash in? Late last month, the Sunshine Coast glamazon teased the possibility of monetising her racy Instagram photos by starting an OnlyFans account Snapper: She uploaded a photo to Instagram of herself posing in skimpy white lingerie and tagged the photographer Tristan Manas (pictured) - who often works with OnlyFans creators Looking good: Earlier in April, Rebecca gave a fans a glimpse behind the scenes of her photo shoot with Tristan via Instagram Stories Earlier in April, Rebecca gave a fans a glimpse behind the scenes of her photo shoot with Tristan via Instagram Stories. In the photo, the blonde bombshell posed on the floor of a high-rise hotel room wearing black lacy underwear. She explained in her caption: 'A little behind the scenes with @tristanmanas! Whos excited to see the pics from this shoot?' Fame: Rebecca rose to fame in September 2019, thanks to her sexy snaps and connection to the Irwin family. She's the daughter of Steve Irwin's sister Joy Muscillo and her husband Frank Rebecca rose to fame in September 2019, thanks to her sexy snaps and connection to the Irwin family. She's the daughter of Steve Irwin's sister Joy Muscillo and her husband Frank. Rebecca was previously the managing director of the Irwin family's Australia Zoo, but left in December 2015. The zoo is now run by Terri, Bindi and Robert Irwin, who are believed to be estranged from Rebecca. Paulina Porizkova paid tribute to her late estranged husband and co-frontman of The Cars, Ric Ocasek, when she celebrated their son Oliver's college graduation. On Sunday, the legendary supermodel took to Instagram to honor her boy's collegiate accomplishments by sharing a family photo alongside Oliver and his brother Jonathan. 'This weekend, I want to send out well-wishes and congratulations to everyone whose children are taking a big step into adulthood,' she began in the caption before making a reference to her sons' famous father. 'But my heart goes out to all of us who are attending such momentous occasions as graduations - with someone crucial missing.' Proud mama: Paulina Porizkova, 56, paid tribute to her late estranged husband Ric Ocasek when she took to Instagram to celebrate their son Oliver's graduation from college on Sunday; the couple are pictured in May 2018 'Their absence in these joyous occasions is probably even more keenly felt,' Porizkova, 56, continued. 'They SHOULD be here. There is such a painfully felt hollow where they belong.' She went on to point out that both Oliver and Jonathan thrived in their studies at the University of Rochester and NYU, respectively, despite having to endure the death of their dad and the COVID-19 pandemic that followed just six months later. 'Both of our boys graduated on time, with honors, after having the worst year and a half of their lives. I'm so incredibly proud of them. And I know he is too. 'Together, we've raised some outstanding human beings,' she concluded the post along with the hashtags: '#proudmama #graduation #missingyou' Tribute: The legendary supermodel celebrated all parents of graduates this year, along with a recognition of those who were 'missing' from the celebrations, which was a nod to Ocasek Happy birthday: The proud mother also shared a second photo of Oliver tossing his cap int the air, and noted that he also celebrated his 23rd birthday on graduation day In a second post on her Insta-Story, the proud mother also noted that Oliver's graduation came on the day as his 23rd birthday. 'Happy 23rd bday on the 23rd,' she captioned a photo of him tossing his graduation cap in the air. The milestones are, no doubt, bittersweet for Porizkova, now that she's in the middle of legal proceedings over Ocasek's estate. In the months before his death of natural causes in September 2019, the Just What I Needed songwriter had rewritten his will to exclude two of his six sons and Porizkova, alleging that 'she has abandoned me' amid their divorce proceedings. Despite having begun the divorce process in 2017, the longtime face of Estee Lauder believed that they remained on great terms considering they still shared a home together in New York City and she was by his side when The Cars were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2018. In fact, the Czechoslovakia native was caring for Ocasek when she found him dead in the home following an unspecified surgery. Porizkova is in the middle of legal proceedings over Ocasek's estate after he wrote her out of his will in the months before his death in September 2019; the family is pictured in August 2016 Fallout: Despite having begun the divorce process in 2017, Porizkova believed that they remained on great terms, considering she cared for him after a surgery and she was by his side when The Cars were induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame; the rocker is pictured performing at the HOF ceremony on April 14, 2018 During an interview with CBS Sunday Morning five months after his passing, she likened his move to disinherit her to a 'betrayal' and that the 'incredible hurt' came as a shock. 'It's made the grieving process really, really tricky. I'm never gonna get an answer, and that sucks,' she said at the time. Porizkova was just 19 when she first met Ocasek while shooting the music video for The Cars' hit song Drive in 1984. At the time, she was just began making her mark in the beauty business, en route to becoming one of the top supermodels in the world, and he was the co-lead vocalist and chief songwriter for The Cars, who were massively popular through the 1980s. The couple would start dating soon after making the video, and go on to get married in August 1989. They were never legally divorced at the time of his death at the age of 75. Porizkova went public with her new relationship with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin when they hit the red carpet together at the 93rd Academy Awards about a month ago. She split from her husband Stuart Webb sometime last year. But former Home and Away star Kate Ritchie hasn't ruled out walking down the aisle for a second time, insiders claim. 'Some might assume Kate had thrown in the towel on romance after her marriage ended, but it's quite the opposite,' a source told New Idea on Monday. Giving it another go? Former Home and Away star Kate Ritchie, 42, hasn't ruled out walking down the aisle for a second time, following her split from husband Stuart Webb The insider claimed the Nova FM presenter, 42, is still hoping to find her 'happily ever after' and would 'never say no' to marriage again under the right circumstances. Kate was recently linked to 25-year-old cyber security businessman John Bell. The couple were last seen together in January during a PDA-filled holiday in Byron Bay, New South Wales. New flame? Kate was recently linked to 25-year-old cyber security businessman John Bell Kate and John reportedly stayed at an Airbnb and spent most of their time relaxing by their private mineral salt pool and visiting Byron Bay's top restaurants. While little is known about John, resurfaced court records show he has had a minor brush with the law. Court extracts reveal John was charged with careless driving in March 2015, but was not convicted. Legal matter: While little is known about John, resurfaced court records show he has had a minor brush with the law. Court extracts reveal John was charged with careless driving in March 2015, but was not convicted John started security solutions business VIREOSS in September 2019. He runs the company from the small town of Seymour, an hour and a half from Melbourne. Meanwhile, Kate has been keeping a low profile since splitting from her husband, retired NRL player Stuart Webb, after 10 years of marriage. Family: Kate has been keeping a low profile since splitting from retired NRL player Stuart Webb after 10 years of marriage. Pictured with their daughter in January 2019 in Sydney While it's unclear when exactly Kate and Stuart split, she hasn't worn her wedding ring in more than a year and moved out of their marital home in Sydney's Randwick in late 2019. Kate moved out after police took out an interim AVO on her behalf against the former rugby league star following an incident at the property. In December 2019, Stuart's five-time drink driving history was revealed in a police fact sheet as he faced court for blowing 0.083 when he was pulled over by highway patrolmen in the city's east in March of that year. Naomi Watts looked nothing short of sensational while out walking her adorable rescue dog Izzy in New York on Sunday. The British-Australian actress, who began her career Down Under and now lives in Manhattan, cut a chic figure in a white blouse and frayed blue denim shorts. Also donning a black face mask and white Birkenstock sandals, the 52-year-old added touches of bling in the form of a gold pendant necklace, rings and bracelets. Puppy love! Naomi Watts, 52, looked casually chic in a white blouse and blue denim shorts as she walked her rescue dog Izzy in New York on Sunday (pictured) Naomi swept her short blonde locks back off her face into a sleek ponytail. She wore minimal makeup, allowing her natural beauty to shine through. The Mulholland Drive star welcomed the rescue dog into her family in May last year. Accessories: The Mulholland Drive star added a tan leather belt and delicate gold jewellery to the look Effortless style: Naomi swept her short blonde locks into a sleek ponytail and opted for minimal makeup Naomi shares sons Sasha, 13, and Kai, 12, with ex-partner Liev Schreiber, 53, with whom she split in 2016, after 11 years together. She is now in a relationship with actor Billy Crudup, 52, and Liev has moved-on to date the much younger actress Taylor Neisen, 27. Speaking to UK's The Sunday Times back in 2019, Naomi said successful co-parenting with Liev is an 'absolute priority'. Family: The British-Australian actress shares sons Sasha (left), 13, and Kai (right), 12, with ex-partner Liev Schreiber, 53, whom she split with in 2016 after 11 years together. Pictured in May 'Having a good relationship has always been our endgame, and we've put a lot of energy and effort into making that so,' she explained. 'It's not always a cakewalk, as they say in America. But it makes complete sense that it is an absolute priority, because it really matters to the children. 'You can see how there are so many things that can make a kid feel anxious, and knowing that their parents can be in the same room and joyfully, it means a lot to them,' Naomi continued. Ellen DeGeneres is rumoured to be planning a move Down Under with her Australian wife Portia de Rossi once her talk show ends its 19-season run next year. The couple, who married in 2008, reportedly want to swap the bright lights of Hollywood for a quieter life on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, just an hour from Melbourne. 'There really is no choice in the matter. It's either Australia or bust for Portia and Ellen,' a source told New Idea magazine on Monday. Heading Down Under? Ellen DeGeneres is rumoured to be planning a move Down Under with her Australian wife Portia de Rossi once her talk show ends its 19-season run next year If Ellen, 63, and Portia, 48, do end up leaving California for the land Down Under, they will be in good company. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky quit Hollywood for good in 2014, setting up home in Byron Bay, a trendy coastal town in northern New South Wales. More recently, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher relocated to Sydney with their children late last year, after spending years living in LA. Reports: The couple, who married in 2008, reportedly want to swap the bright lights of Hollywood for a quieter life on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, just an hour from Melbourne Idyllic: The Mornington Peninsula (pictured) is a popular destination for Melburnians seeking an escape from the city Ellen revealed earlier this month she was ending her once-successful daytime talk show, following allegations last year she allowed a toxic work environment to flourish behind the scenes. She will wrap up the Emmy-winning program after its upcoming 19th season in 2022. 'Today I'm announcing that next season, season 19, is going to be my last season,' she told viewers. 'The past 18 years ... has changed my life. You all have changed my life. I am forever grateful to all of you for watching, for laughing, for dancing sometimes crying.' Farewell: Ellen said earlier this month she was ending her once-successful daytime talk show, following allegations she allowed a toxic work environment to flourish behind the scenes 'This show has been the greatest experience of my life and I owe it all to you,' she added. Ellen said she had 'thought a lot about this decision' in consultation with her wife. She went on to claim it had always been her plan to end her show after season 19, and downplayed the impact of the toxic workplace scandal. Allison Langdon has been hosting Channel Nine's Today show alongside Karl Stefanovic for a year and a half. But viewers of the breakfast program admit they often confuse the 42-year-old presenter for Today Extra anchor Sylvia Jeffreys. 'I watch the Today show most mornings and I thought Karl Stefanovic co-hosted with his sister-in-law but apparently they're different people?' one fan wrote on Reddit. 'They look the same to me!' Channel Nine viewers have admitted they often confuse Today show host Allison Langdon (right) for Today Extra anchor Sylvia Jeffreys (left) 'They look the same to me,' another viewer added, while a third agreed: 'They are the same picture.' 'I heard someone say "good on you, Ally" one morning and thought, "That's weird, why does Sylvia Jeffreys go by Ally?"' another confessed. Ally returned to work in March after injuring herself during a watersports segment on February 4. Similar: 'I watch the Today show most mornings and I thought Karl Stefanovic co-hosted with his sister-in-law but apparently they're different people?' one viewer wrote on Reddit, prompting others to remark on Ally and Sylvia's physical resemblance The journalist had been off the air for one month recovering from knee surgery after falling from a hydrofoil during a pre-recorded segment on the Gold Coast. Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show at the time, Allison revealed the extent of her injuries. 'I've done a right royal job on it,' Allison said, before revealing she'd actually broken her leg and dislocated a knee. Back to air: Ally (pictured) returned to work in March after injuring herself during a watersports segment on February 4 Meanwhile, Sylvia is on maternity leave after giving birth to her second son, Henry, last month. She is married to Sky News anchor Peter Stefanovic, who is Karl's younger brother. The couple began dating in 2013 after meeting at Nine and tied the knot in Kangaroo Valley on April 1, 2017. Millionaire businessman Geoffrey Edelsten has spoken out for the first time since his ex-wife Brynne was charged with trafficking and using ice. The 78-year-old Allied Medical Group founder, who was married to the SAS Australia star, 38, from 2009 to 2014, told Daily Mail Australia on Monday he had learned of the news a day earlier. 'She's got a battle on her hands,' he said of the charges, before adding that he hadn't 'spoken to her in two years'. Breaking his silence: Millionaire businessman Geoffrey Edelsten has spoken out for the first time since his ex-wife Brynne was charged with trafficking and using ice. Pictured in 2013 When asked if he planned to reach out to his ex-wife, Mr Edelsten said he did not. Meanwhile, Brynne, who will appear on Channel Seven's upcoming second season of SAS Australia later this year, said she will fight the charges brought against her after police executed a search warrant at a Hazelwood Road property in Boronia, east of Melbourne, on May 11. Victoria Police allege they found magic mushrooms, methylamphetamine, prescription drugs and a stolen electric bike. Officers arrested a 39-year-old man and spoke with Ms Edelsten, who had allegedly been visiting the property, before letting her go. They later arrested the Melbourne socialite and charged her with four offences after making further inquiries. Moving on: 'She's got a battle on her hands,' Mr Edelsten said of the charges, before adding that he hadn't spoken to his ex-wife in two years. Pictured in 2015 No contact: When asked if he planned to reach out to his ex-wife, Mr Edelsten said he did not Denial: Brynne has declared she is innocent after she was charged with trafficking ice TV appearance: Brynne will appear on Channel Seven's upcoming second season of SAS Australia later this year. Her photo is on the top row, far right She was charged with trafficking methylamphetamine, possessing methylamphetamine, using methylamphetamine and dealing in property suspected of being the proceeds of crime. Edelsten was granted bail and says she intends to fight the charges at her upcoming appearance at Ringwood Magistrates Court on October 8. 'Earlier this month I was charged with criminal charges,' she told Herald Sun. 'I am shocked and saddened by these events and will be vigorously fighting all charges. 'I am very thankful for the support of the team around me and will not be making any further comment.' The 39-year-old man was charged with trafficking methylamphetamine, attempting to traffic Prazolam, possessing methylamphetamine, possessing schedule four poison and dealing in property suspected of being proceeds of crime. Reality star: Brynne is a well-known reality TV star who has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Splash and My Bedazzled Life The case continues: The reality star was granted bail and says she intends to fight the charges at her upcoming appearance at Ringwood Magistrates Court on October 8 He has already appeared before court and was remanded in custody until his next appearance on August 3. Brynne is a well-known reality TV star who has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Splash and My Bedazzled Life. She made headlines after publicly announcing her engagement to Geoffrey at Melbourne's Crown Casino on New Year's Eve in 2008. The pair married one year later before they split in 2014. The unpaid legal fees from the messy divorce led Edelsten to bankruptcy in 2016. Today host Allison Langdon has blasted Prince Harry for continuing to criticise the Royal Family despite knowing he's upsetting his grandmother the Queen. Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have made a series of explosive claims about the royals in recent months, culminating in his latest round of allegations in the new Apple TV+ documentary series The Me You Can't See. Discussing the family rift on Monday's show, Langdon, 42, posed the question many royal watchers are asking themselves: 'If Harry knows that he's hurting his grandmother, why does he keep giving these interviews?' 'Why does he keep giving those interviews?' Australian Today host Allison Langdon (pictured) blasted Prince Harry on Monday for continuing to criticise the Royal Family despite knowing he's upsetting his grandmother the Queen She added that the Sussexes' public statements attacking the Royal Family also seemingly contradict their appeals for privacy. 'He left the UK because he wanted to get away from the press and the scrutiny and yet he can't help being the headline,' Langdon told ITV royal editor Chris Ship. In a series of candid interviews with Oprah Winfrey for The Me You Can't See, the Duke of Sussex, 36, said he and his wife, 39, felt abandoned by his relatives and this was one of their 'biggest reasons' for leaving for California last year. In yet another full-frontal attack on the royals, he said: 'Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence. 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. 'We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' On the attack: Harry (pictured) and his wife, Meghan Markle, have made a series of explosive claims about the royals in recent months, culminating in his latest round of allegations in the new Apple TV+ documentary series The Me You Can't See He added: 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, "You can't do this," and it's like, "Well, how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?" She [Meghan] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' Harry also described how his wife first told him she wanted to kill herself, while six months pregnant with their son Archie, on the way to the Royal Albert Hall in London in January 2019, and she spoke to him of the 'practicalities of how she was going to end her life'. Harry said it reminded him of his mother's final weeks in 1997, saying that it was when he was 13 and watching his mother's coffin that he first thought: 'I didn't want the life.' Weighing in: Discussing the family rift on Monday's show, Langdon posed the question many royal watchers are asking themselves: 'If Harry knows that he's hurting his grandmother, why does he keep giving these interviews?' Right: ITV royal editor Chris Ship 'He can't help being the headline': Langdon added that the Sussexes' public statements attacking the Royal Family also seemingly contradict their appeals for privacy. Harry and Meghan are pictured here during their March interview with Oprah Winfrey The Duke said 'history was repeating itself', because Princess Diana was with Dodi Fayed, who was Egyptian by birth, when she died in 1997, saying there was a real fear that he would lose Meghan too. 'History was repeating itself,' he told Winfrey. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Meanwhile, the Queen is said to be 'deeply upset' by what she considers a series of 'very personal' criticisms of her family by her wayward grandson. One source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Harry's grandmother has taken this very personally and is deeply upset by what Harry has said, in particular his comments about Charles' parenting and suggesting his father knows no better because of how he was brought up. It has been a very upsetting time.' It's a case of 'another day, another photo shoot' for bikini model Natalie Roser. The 30-year-old ventured out to a sandy location in remote Western Australia on Monday to capture more content for Ark Swimwear. Natalie has already visited Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef in the past seven days as she joins a group of glamorous models on the campaign shoot. Scroll down for video Campaign shoot: Natalie Roser ventured out to a sandy location in remote Western Australia on Monday to capture more content for Ark Swimwear Documenting the day's activities on Instagram, she stunned in an orange two-piece that highlighted her endless pins and toned abs. She also remarked on the strong winds that she and the Ark Swimwear team had to deal with as they trekked across the sand. Natalie then swapped her tangerine two-piece for a tiny black G-string and matching bikini top for another set of photos. Wow! Documenting the day's activities on Instagram, she stunned in an orange two-piece that highlighted her endless pins and toned abs 'That wind though': She also remarked on the strong winds that she and the Ark Swimwear team had to deal with as they trekked across the sand Trekking: She had the unenviable task of 'making the cold look warm' as she posed in bikinis on a very chilly day in WA At one stage, a female assistant came over to apply oil to the model's backside for some extra sheen in between shots. It comes after Natalia documented the Ark Swimwear team's trip to Shark Bay, about 800 kilometres north of Perth, last Wednesday. She showcased her enviable figure in a revealing red bikini and denim cut-offs in a series of photos and videos on Instagram. Strike a pose: Natalie (left, with another model) then swapped her tangerine two-piece for a tiny black G-string and matching bikini top for another set of photos Helping hand: At one stage, a female assistant came over to apply oil to the model's backside for some extra sheen in between shots Gorgeous: It comes after Natalia documented the Ark Swimwear team's trip to Shark Bay, about 800 kilometres north of Perth, on Wednesday The barefoot beauty completed her outfit with gold hoop earrings and cat-eye sunglasses, and styled her blonde hair loosely. Natalie and her fellow models spent the day in Shark Bay, after spending the previous day at Ningaloo Reef. Laura Dundovic, who is part of the group shooting the campaign for Ark Swimwear, had showed off her incredible bikini body in a tiny two-piece last Tuesday. Stunning: She showcased her enviable figure in a revealing red bikini and denim cut-offs in a series of photos and videos on Instagram Beach chic: The barefoot beauty completed her outfit with gold hoop earrings and cat-eye sunglasses, and styled her blonde hair loosely Joy: Natalie appeared to be having the time of her life on location in WA Travelling: Natalie and her fellow models spent the day in Shark Bay, after spending the previous day at Ningaloo Reef Taking to Instagram, she shared several behind-the-scenes pictures from the beachside photo shoot. In her first image, the makeup-free beauty revealed her slender figure and pert derriere as she glanced back at the camera. She also shared photos of herself outside her trailer and on the sand dunes, wearing a neon orange bikini that drew attention to her ample assets and washboard abs. Tangerine dream! Laura Dundovic, who is part of the group shooting the campaign for Ark Swimwear, had showed off her incredible bikini body in a tiny two-piece last Tuesday Laura was joined on the shoot by her friends and fellow models Phoebe O'Hanlon, Dominique Elissa and Natalie. The former Miss Universe Australia wrote in the caption: 'Back on the west coast. Every time I come to this beautiful place I'm scared it could be my last time here because it's quite a mission to get to.' 'Feeling so blessed to be back in one of my favourite places in the world, with a team I love,' she added. She's got it! She shared photos of herself outside her trailer and on the sand dunes, wearing a neon orange bikini that drew attention to her ample assets and washboard abs On set: Laura was joined on the shoot by her friends and fellow models Phoebe O'Hanlon, Dominique Elissa and Natalie Bikini babes: Laura beamed for a photo with fellow model Dominique Elissa (left) It comes after Laura revealed her favourite 'go-to' workout for when she's travelling and doesn't have access to a gym. In a video shared to Instagram in January, she completed multiple exercises for her followers, including crab walks, banded squats and 'clamshells' with her feet raised. 'MY GO-TO. Here is my fav workout when I'm travelling and don't have access to a gym...' she captioned her post. Sharing her secrets! It comes after Laura revealed her favourite 'go-to' workout for when she's travelling and doesn't have access to a gym. In a video, she completed multiple exercises for her followers, including crab walks, banded squats and 'clamshells' with her feet raised Laura started off by completing 20 crab walks, before moving on to 20 banded squats with her heels raised and 20 clamshells with her feet raised on each side. She then did 20 dead bug movements each side, before moving on to side planks, a 20-second plank hold and 20 ab curls with her feet raised. Laura told her followers to complete this routine three to five times, depending on their level of fitness. Today host Allison Langdon was overcome with emotion during a heart-warming segment on Monday's program. The 42-year-old fought back tears when a Sydney mother was finally reunited with her daughter and met her four-month-old grandson for the very first time. Travel restrictions due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic had kept Lauren Hazzard in the UK for over a year. Overcome with emotion: Today host Allison Langdon, 42, fought back tears on Monday's program, as a mother was finally reunited with her daughter and met her grandson for the very first time, after travel restrictions kept them apart. Pictured with co-host Karl Stefanovic Lauren and her mother Dolly Loseby were only able to FaceTime, until the incredible moment they were reunited in person at Dolly's Beverly Hills (Sydney) home. Allison fought back tears as she watched not only Lauren and Dolly reunite, but the moment Dolly met her four-month-old grandson Noah for the very first time. Allison was overcome with emotion and momentarily speechless, leaving Karl Stefanovic to describe the touching scenes as 'beautiful'. 'For all of us and I think everyone sitting at home watching that, we all get emotional seeing that,' Allison later said. Touching: Lauren Hazzard from Sydney attempted to return home from the UK over a year ago, only to be faced with 'cancelled flight after cancelled flight' before falling pregnant. Today aired the touching moment Lauren was reunited with her mother Dolly Loseby (both pictured) 'What I love is that your first hug was for your baby, before you gave Noah a hug. She's always your first bub, isn't she?' 'It was full on, but we're just really happy to be back with family because that's what we worked for, for so long to get home to,' Lauren answered for Dolly, who, just like Allison, was too caught up in the emotion to reply. Following multiple flight cancellations, Lauren admitted she was tempted to just call her mum and ask for her help. Family reunited: Allison was momentarily speechless as co-host Karl Stefanovic described the touching scenes as 'beautiful'. Lauren is pictured with her four-month-old son Noah 'I worked with my brothers and their wives... even in quarantine, I was still trying to get down to the finer details of it,' she said. However the end result of being able to surprise her mum was her main motivation. 'Even though it may have looked like I needed an ambulance, it was all worth it in the end, it was amazing,' she said in between happy tears. Revivalist John Burton claims that the new religion of "woke" has emerged, and that the liberal left is creating its own Bible and rules for it. "They're etching out their own commandments: Thou shalt be inclusive. If not, though shalt be canceled," he wrote on the "woke" religion in his opinion column for The Stream. He said that the 'wokes' are attempting to build a new morality, acting like a love ministry referencing Cori Bush's 'Everything I do is rooted in love..." statement. For context, instead of honoring moms on Mother's Day, Bush pushed a category she dubbed "birthing people." Bush said, "Trans people give birth. Gender non-conforming people give birth. I identify as a mother, but not every person who gives birth identifies as one." Burton pointed out that not only is the idea "delusional," but was also disrespectful to women as they are "being dehumanized, erased and canceled." Carrying on, he said that "Lucifer's jealousy and pride led him to try to become a god himself. Likewise, the god of woke (just another manifestation of Lucifer) seeks to be worshiped as the god of true, redefined love." He went on to say that the religion of the woke makes everyone a god by supporting whatever anyone believes in because it makes him happy and does not harm anyone. Other Characteristics of the Woke Religion It has its own "morality" and anybody who does not adhere to it will be severely punished. Burton brought up the cases of Supreme Court nominees Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, who were both attacked by the left simply because they held beliefs that would challenge the political left's. He went on to explain that there was also a determined campaign to "demonize, decry and defund the police," as well as an attempt to remove Abraham Lincoln and George Washington from the country's history. It cancels comedy. Anyone may lose his job these days after one joke, Facebook post or tweet, similar to getting fired for holding conservative beliefs. Both comedian Nicky Paris and liberal Bill Maher have expressed their frustration with it, Burton noted. "I think it is a scary time to be a comedian because there are so many crazy people in the world," said Paris. "We're the fun-suckers now," admitted Maher. "No Grace, No Love," and No Forgiveness Contrary to how it portrays itself, the woke religion is the complete antithesis of what it says. Burton says that in it, there is no forgiveness, "no grace," "no second chances," "no kindness," "no humility," and most importantly, "no love." "The wrath of woke - not within reasonable limits - includes destroying people, their families, their livelihoods, their reputations and all they hold dear. They'll quickly unleash a spirit of fear and destruction on all who cross them. There is little love and no forgiveness here," he added. How Christians Must Respond Burton reminds that Christians must perceive the wickedness in society as a "spiritual situation." He emphasized that the struggle is not "against flesh and blood," but "against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places," citing Ephesians. 6:12. "The false religion of woke stands against God, and against His truth and His people. This religion is our enemy," he explained. "Recall, though, Jesus' instruction to love our enemies. Our fight isn't against them but against their destructive teachings. So, we pray for them and reveal what true love actually looks like. We war for their souls, weeping, rending our hearts over their eternities. We need a holy army to arise, not to prove the left wrong but to set the captives free." Graham Norton returned to Eurovision to host his 12th contest on Saturday, entertaining viewers with his customary barbs and one-liners as he kept a watchful eye on proceedings as Italy won with 524 points and the UK scored nil. The Irish broadcaster who took over as presenter from Terry Wogan in 2008, offered colourful commentary on the 26 countries competing in the grand final. Here are some of his best comments: THIS YEAR'S SHOW 'We've got a real range of music tonight... some wonderful vocalists and well, some as flat as Holland.' UK (AND THEIR FAILIURE TO SECURE A SINGLE POINT) 'We're in company, not good company, but we're in it.' SERBIA 'Less Destiny's Child... more Destiny's Inappropriate Auntie.' LITHUANIA 'Like people from IT dressed as Steps for a Christmas party.' ITALY 'This has already been streamed 30 million times. I'm reading that because I don't understand it. Maybe it will grow on me, like mould on a bathroom ceiling.' GERMANY 'This song is Marmite... if everyone hated Marmite.' FINLAND 'I wear this every time I go to the smelting plant.' ALBANIA 'Is there nothing Carol Vorderman can't do?' SAN MARINO 'Senhit last represented San Marino 10 years ago because, as you know, the country is so small representing the country is a bit like jury duty.' ISRAEL 'By the way, if you do have a lockdown puppy and you're trying to train it, I should warn you that she is going to attempt the highest note ever performed at Eurovision.' CYPRUS 'I love it. The Orthodox church of Cyprus are less keen.' AMANDA HOLDEN'S DRESS 'Oh my goodness.' FLO RIDA'S SURPRISE APPEARANCE 'That is Flo Rida, the multi-billion selling rapper. I don't know why he's here.' HIS OWN VOICEOVERS 'Now this is the annoying bit, where I speak English over someone else speaking English but our voting procedure is a little different.' Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan will next be seen in Stan's upcoming series The Tourist. And on Monday, the Irish actor took a break from filming the six-part thriller in Adelaide, South Australia, to enjoy lunch at a local burger joint with his on-set driver. The 39-year-old dressed casually and showed off his rugged facial hair as he left a Nordburger restaurant with a smoothie and a carton of chips. Low-key: Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan took a break from filming Stan thriller The Tourist in Adelaide on Monday to eat at a local burger joint Jamie wore a white shirt with a blue sweater on top, beige pants and white sneakers. He appeared in good spirits as he left the burger chain with his driver. Also on Monday, the father of three flashed a smile on set as he walked around with what appeared to be a script or production notes. Casual: The Irish actor, 39, wore a white shirt with a blue sweater on top, beige pants and white sneakers. He also drew attention to his rugged facial hair Working up an appetite! Joined by his on-set driver, Jamie left a Nordburger restaurant with a smoothie and a carton of chips Latest project: In Stan's upcoming series The Tourist, Jamie will play a British man who finds himself stuck in the Australian outback In The Tourist, Jamie plays a Brit who finds himself stuck in the Australian outback. His character is injured in a hospital and unaware of his identity. He returns to the outback to find answers about his past. Jamie will star alongside Danielle Macdonald of Dumplin' fame, Doctor Doctor's Shalom Brune Franklin, Alex Dimitriades and Damon Herriman. Plot: His character is injured in a hospital and unaware of his identity. He returns to the outback to find answers about his past On set: Also on Monday, the father of three flashed a smile on set as he walked around with what appeared to be a script or production notes Damon replaces Hugo Weaving's role as Agent Lachlan Rogers. Hugo pulled out of the project due to scheduling issues. Jamie previously said of the role: 'The Tourist are some of the most exciting scripts I've ever read. I can't wait to go to Australia with such a talented group of people.' Filmmakers Harry and Jack Williams of Two Brothers Pictures also said: 'We're hugely excited about this show. It's tonally breaking new ground for us, and having Jamie Dornan on board is the icing on the Australian cake.' Notable names: Jamie will star alongside Danielle Macdonald of Dumplin' fame, Doctor Doctor's Shalom Brune Franklin, Alex Dimitriades and Damon Herriman Danielle Macdonald added: 'I ended up reading all the episodes in one sitting because I couldn't put them down! 'I'm so excited to get to be a part of this incredible project and I can't wait to start filming alongside the amazing cast and production team.' South Australia has recently become a hotspot for exciting local productions, with Stan Original film Gold starring Zac Efron also recently filmed there. The Tourist is coming soon to Stan Magda Szubanski has spoken about whether Kath & Kim fans can expect to see a reunion anytime soon. In an interview with The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday, the 60-year-old comedian shot down talk the cast would be getting back together. 'I think it should be off the table... It holds such a special place in people's memories,' she explained. Blast from the past: Magda Szubanski has spoken about whether Kath & Kim fans can expect to see a reunion anytime soon. Pictured in Sydney in February 2013 'If we did a live show, which was a "best of" or something like that, that's different. But to actually try and do a whole new series, I think you can never capture that magic again,' she added. Magda played Kim's often exploited best friend, Sharon Strzelecki, in the beloved Aussie sitcom, which ran from 2002 until 2007. The series followed a dysfunctional mother and daughter, Kath and Kim, as they navigated life and love in Melbourne's suburbs. Not happening: 'I think it should be off the table... It holds such a special place in people's memories,' she said on Kyle and Jackie O on Monday. Pictured: the cast of Kath & Kim It spawned a film in 2012, Kath & Kimderella, which was the last time the cast reunited on screen. In an interview with news.com.au in February 2016, Gina Riley, who played Kim in the beloved series, spoke about whether she'd consider a reunion. After previously saying she was '95 per cent done' with the character of Kim, Gina, 60, confessed it had gone up to '98 per cent now'. Getting back together: In an interview from February 2016, Gina Riley (right), who played Kim in the beloved series, spoke about whether she'd consider a reunion. Pictured with Jane Turner 'Look at me now. I'm not sure I can play 25 and five quarters any more,' she said. Meanwhile, Jane Turner, who played Kath, previously told TV Week that while she was open to a reunion, things 'would be very different now'. 'There would always be funny new trends and things Kath and Kim could put their spin on, which would be fun to do,' the 60-year-old said. Bill Turnbull, 65, won praise from Good Morning Britain viewers on Monday when he was reunited with Susanna Reid, 50, to play host on the show. They were reunited seven years after they co-anchored BBC Breakfast, and viewers were over the moon to see them hosting side-by-side again for the show, which included a technical gaffe and a racy joke from the lauded presenter. Fans flooded social media with praise, including notes about Bill's healthy appearance following his battle with prostate cancer, after his diagnosis in 2017. Reunited: Bill Turnbull, 65, won praise from Good Morning Britain viewers on Monday when he was reunited with Susanna Reid, 50, to play host on the show Fans of the show wrote on Twitter: 'Bill Turnbull is looking well, and you Susanna are absolutely gorgeous as always. Finally some professional and likeable presenters on GMB. I hope you enjoy the reunion... 'I think quite a few people tuned in today to see bill turnbull on TV again ; first time GMB has been watchable for ages ! I will be watching again tomorrow :)... 'How nice to see #billturnbull on #GMB Calm, consise and no raised voices to be heard. Welcome back to the fold... Great to see Big Bill Turnbull back on breakfast TV #GMB... Bill Turnbull is a class act @GMB Wonderful to see you... 'Great to see the lovely Bill Turnbull... @billtu n #GMB this morning! Hes looking great! Stay well Bill hope youre going to be a regular again... How good is Bill Turnbull though? Kind, professional and respectful.' Looking good! Fans flooded social media with praise, including notes about Bill's healthy appearance following his battle with prostate cancer, after his diagnosis in 2017 Speaking about his comeback, Bill said: ''I'm delighted beyond words', before gushing to his co-host: 'It's been too long, Susanna!' But despite the presenters being overjoyed to be working together again, their first show back on television got off to a bumpy start. Susanna explained: 'Unfortunately, we do have a few technical issues this morning, so the director has been having nightmares overnight. We do have our screens, but you'll notice they are currently blank.' Old colleagues: Bill and Susanna co-hosted BBC Breakfast until Susanna's 2014 departure for GMB, but their first show back on air together was hit by technical difficulties Bill also admitted he didn't get as much sleep as he would have liked on Sunday as his Chinese takeaway took 'an hour and 55 minutes' to arrive. He explained: 'They very kindly cooked it again and sent a very nice man on a bicycle and I watched him coming very, very slowly on his bike. So I was eating 20 minutes after I should've been asleep.' He sarcastically added: 'I'm in a really good mood this morning as a result.' Nevertheless, fans were quick to take to Twitter to express delight over the reunion with the pair having co-hosted BBC Breakfast until Susanna's 2014 departure for GMB with one tweeting: 'Bill Turnbull back with Susanna Reid, superb.' Susanna and Bill's chemistry was undeniable, with the pair even engaging in a cheeky exchange. Oh dear: Bill also admitted he didn't get as much sleep as he would have liked on Sunday as his Chinese takeaway took 'an hour and 55 minutes' to arrive Susanna asked Bill if he had suffered 'nightmares' last night, and he admitted that while he didn't sleep that well, he still found time to get up and do a spot of yoga this morning. He said: 'Always first time back on an early I never sleep properly anyway. But I got up early and I did my yoga. 'I've always done that, 10 to 15 minutes of yoga to get the blood flowing. Downward dog and all that. We can have a go later, Susanna. There's plenty of space here on the floor. 'Before we finish on Wednesday, we should do a session on the floor.' He joked: 'I mean of yoga!' Susanna replied: 'Steady on, Bill Turnbull. We have known each other a long time.' Chemistry: Susanna and Bill's chemistry was undeniable, with the pair even engaging in a cheeky exchange It was announced last week that Bill would be Susanna's co-anchor. 'I am very pleased to be back presenting on GMB, especially as I get to be reunited with my old pal Susanna,' Bill said. Susanna added: 'I am delighted Bill is back in the presenter chair at the GMB desk 'He has been a beloved favourite of breakfast television viewers for years and a good friend of mine.' Neil Thompson, Good Morning Britain Editor, praised the pair's 'brilliant and enduring onscreen partnership' ahead of them reuniting. He said: 'I'm thrilled that Bill is re-joining us behind the GMB desk. Like old times: Bill was happy to be reunited once more with Susanna as her Good Morning Britain co-anchor [pictured in 2020 when he filled in for Piers Morgan] 'It's not just his brilliant and enduring onscreen partnership with Susanna that makes its mark, it's his relationship with the audience in general, one based on authenticity, authority, warmth, humour and trust.' Bill and Susanna were previously reunited on GMB in February 2020 when he sat in for Piers who was on a break. Susanna said during the reunion: 'I haven't heard that for a number of years - Susanna Reid and Bill Turnbull.' To which he gushed: 'I know, go on pinch me because I can't believe this is really happening.' Earlier this week, Richard Madeley admitted he thinks he 'suits' being a presenter on Good Morning Britain after Piers' departure from the programme. Departure: In March, Piers Morgan announced he had quit GMB after Alex Beresford challenged his comments about the Duchess of Sussex and her interview with Oprah Winfrey [pictured 2019] The TV presenter, 65, has been one of the other stand-in presenters since 2017 and confirmed he will be back again next month. Speaking to The Sun, Richard admitted he is unsure if he will take over permanently in the role, despite being named as one of the front-runners for the gig. He said: 'It's a good show to do. It suits me and, yeah, I think I suit it. Whether I'm going to be asked to take over, I have no idea. I have had no approach at any level formally or informally. The phone hasn't rung, I haven't had a ping into my inbox. 'The bookies have me down as the front-runner and there have been opinion polls where I've come out reasonably well, but there's a huge difference between that and it being a reality. Contender: Richard Madeley has admitted he thinks he 'suits' being a presenter on Good Morning Britain after Piers' departure from the programme 'I'll go in, I'll fill in, I'll enjoy it and I hope they ask me back. But in terms of sitting in for Piers, it's a completely open question.' Richard admitted that he doesn't have a career plan and has turned down a lot of work that sounded like 'too much hard work'. The broadcaster added that being offered the Good Morning Britain gig would have meant more to him when he was 40 as he feels he has nothing left to prove now. Other names in the running for the job include Judge Rinder, Good Morning Britain's Adil Ray and Ben Shephard. Richard reckons ITV bosses are taking their time before deciding on who Piers' permanent replacement will be. He added: 'I'll go in, I'll fill in, I'll enjoy it and I hope they ask me back. But in terms of sitting in for Piers, it's a completely open question' [pictured with wife Judy Finnigan] Richard also recently told Metro: 'If the phone went and they said, 'Would you come in and talk?' of course I would talk to them. It would be bonkers not to. But I very much like sitting in for people. I have all the fun and very little of the responsibility or flak.' And while Piers is regularly seen going toe-to-toe with trolls on Twitter, Richard insists he 'doesn't give a f**k' about what they'd say about him should he leave himself open to criticism by sharing his views on the show. He said of the possibility of facing trolls: 'I personally couldn't give a f**k. Far too many younger presenters have been affected by Twitter and cowed by it. 'I remember when I started sitting in for Piers on Good Morning Britain, I'd have a look at Twitter after I'd done a programme and, yes, you get some nice comments but you also get horrendous abuse and, from time to time, death threats.' In March, Piers announced he had quit GMB after Alex Beresford, 40, challenged his comments about Meghan Markle, 37, and her interview with Oprah Winfrey, 67. The outspoken GMB host left the daytime show after he insisted he 'didn't believe a word' of Meghan's account of suffering suicidal thoughts and experiencing racism at the hands of the royal family. Piers then walked off set after a fierce debate with Alex, in which the weather presenter accused Piers of unfairly 'trashing' Meghan, and branded him 'diabolical'. Piers, who refused to apologise, later announced his resignation and tweeted his thanks to the GMB team, praising them for their 'hard work and dedication' that led to them beating their main TV rival, BBC Breakfast. Joel Edgerton welcomed his first child with Christine Centenera last week. On Monday, the new father, 46, rushed to the side of his fashion director girlfriend, 39, and their new baby. The Australian star arrived at a Sydney hospital, rugged up in a pale blue beanie with stripes, and a navy puffer jacket. Dad duty: Joel Edgerton (pictured) welcomed his first child with Christine Centenera last week. On Monday, the new father, 46, rushed to the side of his fashion director girlfriend, 39, and their new baby Sporting facial hair, the actor had on a blue sweatshirt and carried a heavy saddle bag on one arm. He also carried a denim jacket, perhaps belonging to his long-term partner, and had a pair of sunglasses atop his head. Joel looked concentrated and focused as he made his way inside the hospital after arriving by car. Warm: The Australian star arrived at a Sydney hospital, rugged up in a pale blue beanie with stripes, and a navy puffer jacket Supplies: Sporting facial hair, the actor had on a blue sweatshirt and carried a heavy saddle bag on one arm The actor and filmmaker shared the news in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday, saying Christine had given birth a few days prior in Sydney. 'I just ran away from the hospital for a moment. I can't even put it into words. I'm in love,' he said. The Boy Erased star revealed he was worried about missing the birth, as he was filming a project interstate. Heavy load: He also carried a denim jacket, perhaps belonging to his long-term partner, and had a pair of sunglasses atop his head New dad: Joel looked concentrated and focused as he made his way inside the hospital Drive through: He had earlier arrived at the hospital by car 'I was very nervous because I was working in Queensland and there are some border issues with Sydney and Queensland that pop up,' he said. 'I was getting very nervous that I'd get stuck.' Fortunately, Joel was able to leave the set and return to Sydney in time for his child's arrival. Baby love: The actor and filmmaker shared the news in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday, saying Christine (left) had given birth a few days prior in Sydney. 'I just ran away from the hospital for a moment. I can't even put it into words. I'm in love,' he said 'I was working with some wonderful people who said, "We will move heaven and earth to make sure you don't miss something this important,"' he added. Christine had been pictured arriving at a North Sydney hospital last Monday as she prepared to give birth. She works as the fashion director for Vogue Australia and is also the designer of her own line, Wardrobe NYC. Arrival: The couple never officially confirmed they were expecting a child, even after photos surfaced of Christine with a visible bump in January The couple never officially confirmed they were expecting a child, even after photos surfaced of Christine with a visible bump in January. In February, the Daily Telegraph reported that Joel was 'thrilled' to become a father. Joel and Christine debuted their relationship at GQ Australia's Men of the Year Awards in Sydney in November 2018. Love has blossomed on the set of Farmer Wants A Wife, a new report claims. The new season of the romantic reality show will see sheep farmer Andrew Guthrie, 30, fall 'head over heels' for one of his three finalists. While the name of the lucky lady has not been revealed, The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that Andrew's final three are Ashleigh Adams, Jess Nathan and Rachel Smith. Romance: Love has blossomed on the set of Farmer Wants A Wife, a new report claims. The new season of the romantic reality show will see sheep farmer Andrew Guthrie (pictured) fall 'head over heels' for one of his three finalists One of the three will win the heart of the bloke from Delegate, NSW, after being whittled down from eight original contenders. Farmer Wants A Wife has now completed filming and is returning for a new season on Channel Seven this year. Five new hard-working Aussie farmers are set to begin their quest for love in the hope that their first kiss leads to 'I do'. In love: While the name of the lucky lady has not been revealed, The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that Andrew's final three are Ashleigh Adams, Jess Nathan and Rachel Smith. Pictured: Ashleigh Adams Who is it? One of the three will win the heart of the bloke from Delegate, NSW , after being whittled down from eight original contenders. Pictured: Rachel Smith Wife wanted: Farmer Wants A Wife has now completed filming and is returning for a new season on Channel Seven this year. Pictured: Jess Nathan The other farmers are: Matt Trewin (26, Orbost, Victoria), Sam Messina (24, Canowindra, NSW), Will Dwyer (39, Longwood, Victoria) and Rob Campbell (40, Snowy Mountains, NSW). From thousands of single women who saw their profiles online, the five farmers will choose eight ladies to meet, before inviting five of them back to their farm. Seven promises this season's road to love will be even more romantic than ever before, with dreamy overnight dates, luxury country getaways and spectacular group get-togethers setting the stage for life-changing love stories to blossom. The other farmers are: Matt Trewin (26, Orbost, Victoria), Sam Messina (24, Canowindra, NSW), Will Dwyer (39, Longwood, Victoria) and Rob Campbell (40, Snowy Mountains, NSW) With 99 marriages and 225 'farmer babies' worldwide, Farmer Wants A Wife is the world's most successful dating franchise when it comes to making lasting couples. The Australian series alone has resulted in nine marriages and 20 children. The new season, which doesn't yet have a premiere date, will again be hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski. Georgia Fowler is expecting her first child with boyfriend Nathan Dalah. And on Sunday, the model headed out for a coastal walk, showing off her growing bump in activewear as she enjoyed the view. The 28-year-old New Zealand-born beauty had her belly on display in skin-tight leggings. Baby love: Georgia Fowler (pictured) is expecting her first child with boyfriend Nathan Dalah, and she headed out for an evening at Sydney's historic art museum on Monday She rugged up in a vest and a baby blue shirt with long sleeves, her eyes shielded with sunglasses as she looked out to sea. In her caption, Georgia revealed that she was wearing her own designs for Bec Judd's label, Jaggard. On Monday night, the Victoria's Secret model headed out to dinner at Bambini Trust Restaurant & Wine Room, and the Art Gallery of NSW. Bumping along: On Sunday, the model headed out for a coastal walk, showing off her growing bump in activewear as she enjoyed the view Stunner: She rugged up in a vest and a baby blue shirt with long sleeves, her eyes shielded with sunglasses as she looked out to sea Passion for fashion: In her caption, Georgia revealed that she was wearing her own designs for Bec Judd's label, Jaggard She again showed off her bump, this time in a mirror selfie, the beauty posing in a black turtleneck and tights, with a white dress shirt over the top. The mother-to-be also shared photos of her meal, and playfully captioned the series of images: 'Eating for deux'. Georgia revealed she's expecting her first child with restaurateur boyfriend Nathan, 26, in April. Looking good: On Tuesday night, the Victoria's Secret model headed out to dinner at Bambini Trust Restaurant & Wine Room, and the Art Gallery of NSW The mother-to-be shared photos of her meal, and playfully captioned the series of images: 'Eating for deux' The brunette beauty wrote in the post's caption: 'We can't wait to meet you little one. 'It's been hard to keep this one quiet, but now it's pretty hard to hide. Nathan and I couldn't be happier to share our exciting news with you. 'We cannot wait to meet you little one and begin our next adventure together. The best is yet to come,' she continued. Love: Georgia revealed she's expecting her first child with restaurateur boyfriend Nathan, 26, (left) in April Nathan, a co-founder of the Fishbowl restaurant group, also shared the sweet baby news on his respective Instagram account and revealed they're having a daughter. 'Beyond excited to welcome a little princess into the world with my superwoman,' he wrote. Georgia and Nathan confirmed their romance in February last year. She is set to launch her own products for children in a multi-million pound deal. And Sam Faiers looked in good spirits as she enjoyed a day out with her pals at Crazy Pizza Marylebone in London on Sunday. The former TOWIE star, 30, cut a casual figure for the outing as she donned a dark grey top with a black leather jacket. Casual: Sam Faiers looked in good spirits as she enjoyed a day out with her pals at Crazy Pizza Marylebone in London on Sunday The Mummy Diaries star also sported a pair of light blue jeans while she added to her outfit with a patterned handbag. Letting her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders, Sam laughed and joked with her pals as they posed for a snap outside the venue. Sam shared some snaps from the day to her Instagram Stories including one where the ladies could be seen toasting with a glass of Prosecco. The outing comes after MailOnline exclusively revealed the Mummy Diaries star is teaming up with Tesco to launch her own products for children in a multi-million pound deal. Fun: Letting her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders, Sam laughed and joked with her pals as they posed for a snap outside the venue It is understood that Tesco acquired exclusive rights to sell Sam's brand after an intense bidding war among three other major retailers. Her children's body care brand is expected to earn her more than 3million in the first year, and Knightley's Adventures will launch with a range of 10 products. Her children's range will be released in every Tesco store in the UK in early May, and it is understood to be the largest deal the retailer has signed with a celebrity pre-launch. In March, Sam told beau Paul Knightley she wants a third child in 'one more year' despite him admitting he is 'not having' another anytime soon. Cheer: Sam shared some snaps from the day to her Instagram Stories including one where the ladies could be seen toasting with a glass of Prosecco The couple are already parents to Paul Jr, five, alongside Rosie, and Sam is thinking about expanding their brood as she doesn't want her next baby to be too apart in age from their siblings. On an episode of The Mummy Diaries, the couple were kept up until 4am as they tried to get Rosie to sleep in her own bed. Speaking about their current nighttime difficulties, Sam said: 'It's not going to happen overnight. You need to get them into a routine. She's older and wiser so it's going to take a bit of time.' The conversation then moved to the couple expanding their family, with Sam admitting she wants another child sooner rather than later. Amanda Holden put on a chic display on Monday when she left Heart FM's London offices wearing a powder blue coat and a woven skirt. With her coat draped over her shoulders, Amanda, 50, teamed her tassel skirt with a crisp white shirt. The TV presenter added height to her frame in a pair of sky blue heels and wore her glossy blond hair loose. Stylish: Amanda Holden, 50, put on a chic display on Monday when she left Heart FM's London offices wearing a powder blue coat and a woven skirt FROW-ready: With her coat draped over her shoulders, Amanda teamed her tassel skirt with a crisp white shirt Amanda kept the May sunshine at bay behind a pair of oversized sunglasses and was in high spirits as she went about her day. Effortlessly colour coordinating, Amanda toted a handbag in her right hand that matched both her coat and shoes in colour. Amanda was sporting a pale pink manicure and wore a chunky gold necklace around her neck. It follows the news that Amanda is set to star in her own series called No Holden Back on E4. Standing tall: The TV presenter added height to her frame in a pair of sky blue heels and wore her glossy blond hair loose Rays at bay: Amanda kept the May sunshine at bay behind a pair of over-sized sunglasses and was in high spirits as she went about her day The presenter, who previously teased she was working on a secret project, said she is 'delighted' to have landed her own show. The eight-part series will follow Amanda's 'unique relationship' with her Nan Myrtle, with the star moving back in with her beloved grandmother. Amanda told The Sun: 'I'm delighted that everyone is finally going to meet my nan, the apple never falls far from my tree and in this series she will certainly be keeping me on my toes.' A spokesperson for her nan, Myrtle, said: 'I have no comment, apart from I'm really hoping being on TV might mean I can finally meet my favourite young man, Ben Shephard.' Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, Steven Handley told the publication: 'Amanda is one of the UK's most well-known stars and we are thrilled to get insight into her life with her nan.' MailOnline has contacted Amanda's representatives and Channel 4 for further comment. The show will also be broadcast on Channel 4 meaning Amanda will have programmes on ITV (Britain's Got Talent), BBC (I Can See Your Voice) and Channel 4 (No Holden Back). The Sun reports Amanda has spent weeks filming the series and say the show will also follow her relationships with other family members. Emma Stone's baby daughter's name has reportedly been revealed as Louise Jean McCary. According to TMZ, who have obtained a 'copy of the birth certificate', the star, 32, chose the name as a sweet tribute to her grandmother, who is called Jean Louise. Emma welcomed her first child with husband Dave McCary in March after the couple tied the knot in 2020. Reports: Emma Stone's baby daughter's name has reportedly been revealed as Louise Jean McCary (pictured last week at the Cruella premiere in LA) The publication claims that Emma, whose full name Emily Jean 'Emma' Stone, now sweetly shares the same middle name as her daughter. MailOnline has contacted Emma's representatives for comment. Emma first met husband Dave, a comedian, writer and segment director for Saturday Night Live, on the sketch comedy series in 2017. Baby is here: According to TMZ , who have obtained a 'copy of the birth certificate', the star, 32, chose the name as a sweet tribute to her grandmother, who is called Jean Louise (pictured with husband Dave McCary in 2019) It was at the show's offices at 30 Rock that Dave romantically proposed to her in 2019 and they later married in 2020. The couple welcomed their first child, a baby daughter, on March 20, which was confirmed by TMZ at the time. Emma's pregnancy was confirmed back in January when a source told E! News: 'Emma is pregnant and just loves married life!' The film star was pictured cradling her large bump during an outing with a friend on December 30, although she made no comment on the news at the time. Happy news: Emma welcomed her first child with husband Dave McCary in March after the couple tied the knot in 2020 The sighting came after it was revealed in December that Emma had dropped out of an upcoming film featuring Brad Pitt. Emma was slated to play the lead in La La Land director Damien Chazelle's Old Hollywood epic Babylon. She left the cast after an apparent scheduling conflict. But it seems the 'conflict' was taking time to raise her first child. The movie was supposed to begin filming in Los Angeles before the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to plans, so it's likely the change in filming dates created a conflict. Family: Emma previously told how her perspective on marriage and children has changed over the years, telling Elle magazine in 2018 she 'really wants' to have kids (pictured in 2019) Emma, who does not have any social media, previously told how her perspective on marriage and children has changed over the years. Previously never seeing herself as the type to settle down, she told Elle magazine she changed her mind as she got older. She said: 'My perspective about kids has changed as I've gotten older. I never babysat or anything. As a teenager, I was like, "I'm never getting married, I'm never having kids." 'And then I got older and I was like, "I really want to get married, I really want to have kids."' Prior to her relationship with Dave, Emma famously dated British actor Andrew Garfield for four years. The former couple began dating in 2010 after meeting on the set of The Amazing Spider-Man, although they never spoke about their relationship publicly. The A-list actors were reported to have parted ways in 2015. A minister addressed the issue of division and discussed its remedy inside and outside the churches. Wilfredo "Choco" De Jesus, senior pastor of New Life Covenant Church in Chicago and a staffer at Assemblies of God, tackled tribalism in congregations through his upcoming book, "Love Them Anyway: Finding Hope in a Divided World Gone Crazy." Drawing inspiration from his experience as a pastor and the story of how Jesus broke social barriers to reach out the lost, De Jesus pointed out that churches need to also do the same. In an interview with The Christian Post, the minister explained further about his book. He said that his book dealt not only with people who attend the church but also unbelievers, answering the question of both sides that says, "What do we do now with all the rising tension and so forth?" He stated that the response to such, relative to racism and political unrest, is "Love Them Anyway." When asked if other churches should also follow what his congregation did to their worship center, wherein they removed its security gate, De Jesus replied that their action conveyed a message that everyone is welcome in their church. He declared that those gates needed to be removed and tell the Christians that they were called to be vulnerable to the "hurting" people around them, who may do something bad but that believers should "let love drive" their action. Speaking about common blind spots in relationships that he listed in the book, the minister said that the American Church should drop superiority and entitlement. He added that churches should also "move past" the wound of trusting people and start putting themselves in a position that "represent the Kingdom of God here on Earth." "We are citizens of Heaven here on Earth. And we're here to legislate. What are we here to legislate? The Bible. We're here to love people and to talk to about God's love. But if we continue to walk with this sense of entitlement, we're in trouble," he continued. Moreover, he said that Christians should reach out to people regardless of who they are, as what he did in Chicago. The pastor brought in various kinds of individuals into his church and relied on the Holy Spirit to change them. "I was called to fish, and the American Church needs to remember what we're called to do. We're called to empty Hell and fill Heaven to the glory of God," he argued. He was also asked if he received any negative feedback over his revelation that he met with two controversial political groups in just a week. In the book, he shared that he went to a gathering of a Democrat gay mayor with her supporters in an event and then met with President Trump's Republican officials. He then claimed that with his action, he was just following Jesus' example. The minister admitted that he did receive messages on social media questioning his gesture but he answered them by saying, "I'm a referee." Citing three teams in the NFL, comprising the offense, defense and referee, he said that Christians and pastors should act as "referees in the field of life." "I'm here on planet Earth to legislate the playbook, which is the Bible, to Lori Lightfoot, Mayor Lightfoot, and then-President Trump. When I see something wrong, I call it out to the mayor. When I see something wrong, I call it out to the president," he said. He went on to say that picking sides would lose a Christian's "prophetic voice to legislate love" in the world. On discussing a person's "inner Pharisee" in one of the chapters, the minister was asked if R. T. Kendall's statement in his own book, "You Might Be a Pharisee If," was accurate. In the book, Kendall stated that the Pharisaic tendency was pervasive in both people and churches in general. De Jesus agreed with the author and said that churches do have Pharisees and "some of the meanest people" could actually be in it. Referencing Luke 15, which tells the story of the prodigal son, the pastor contended that both kids are prodigal. "One is lost in his sin and one is lost in his religious ways," he emphasized. He then stressed that Jesus came to address the issues of people who are hurting, including the prostitutes and adulterers, people that are only being marginalized by religious folks. But Christians, he said, should be "spiritual, not secular." "People want to be religious...I don't want to be religious. I want to be a believer; I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. That's totally different from being a Pharisee," he shared. He was hoping that through his book, people would learn to have more love, tapping into "the bank of Heaven," so that they could love others. He also reminded about the statement of Jesus when a Pharisee dared to asked Him on "the greatest commandment in the Law." The Lord replied that one should "love [his] neighbors." The pastor added that in doing so, one would live. "And that's what's happening in our culture today. We have so many Christians that are existing, but they are not living. And the only way we can live is when we operate with the currency of Heaven, which is love," Pastor De Jesus concluded. The minister's book is set for release on June 1. Lauren Goodger proved she's bumping along nicely on Monday when she left a business meeting in Essex. Covering her stomach with a loose-fitting white T-shirt that read 'sassy and always hungry', the pregnant TOWIE star, 34 - who is due to have her first child in July teamed her top with a comfy pair of black leggings as she went about her day. Lauren is expecting a daughter with her boyfriend Charles Drury, 23, and looked glamorous in a full face of make-up when she stepped out at the beginning of the week. Bumping along: Lauren Goodger, 34, proved she's bumping along nicely on Monday when she left a business meeting in Essex wearing a white T-shirt The mother-to-be wore her glossy brunette hair swept up into a bun and teamed her bottoms with a pair of crisp white trainers. Lauren toted her belongings in a shoulder bag balanced on her right arm and placed a protective hand on her bump as she left an office building. The TV personality was also sporting a fresh white manicure. It comes after Lauren revealed that her 'baby has stopped growing a tiny bit' and she has been instructed by her midwife to 'slow down' after returning to work in her beauty salon this week after restrictions were lifted. Stylish: The pregnant TOWIE star - who is due to have her first child in July teamed her top with a comfy pair of black leggings as she went about her day Lauren said: '[It] sounds scary, but her growth will speed up as the weeks go on [and] my little girl is bang on the middle of a normal weight at the moment.' Writing in her OK! column, the mother-to-be added: 'The midwife asked me what I've been up to and I told her about re-starting my aesthetics business and she said this is the time where I should be slowing down and not taking on something new.' Up do: The mother-to-be wore her glossy brunette hair swept up into a bun and teamed her bottoms with a pair of crisp white trainers as she touched her bump Moving forward, Lauren insisted she will try to take it easier. On Tuesday, the TV personality shared a picture of herself carrying out procedures in her salon. Captioning the post, which saw her appearing to inject filler into a customer's lips, she explained she is on the look out for Russian Lip models. She has been able to return to her salon as of Monday after the latest lifting of restrictions in England permitted the reopening of 'personal care premises'. Back to work: Pregnant Lauren got back in the salon this week after restrictions were eased in England and revealed she is looking for lip models In the picture Lauren wore a protective apron and blue plastic gloves as she administered the filler. She looked every inch professional as she wore a plain black long-sleeve and her hair pulled back in a pony tail. She captioned the post: 'I am looking for Russian Lip models .. I am fully qualified and fully trained I just want models! My fav lip look so Please DM for prices times and dates.' Lauren recently revealed that she feared she would die after she stopped feeling her baby moving. She was rushed to hospital earlier last month for a check-up, and although she was discharged with an assurance her unborn child was healthy, her racing blood pressure caused her heart rate to soar, which is a trigger for her anxiety. The reality star revealed that what followed was a panic attack lasting three days, as she admitted she was 'acting crazy'. Lauren told The Sun Online that she convinced herself she was going to have a fatal heart attack, adding: 'I started acting all crazy and needed to take my top off because I felt too hot.' She continued: 'It's scary because you don't understand what's going on and that's why you think you're dying. 'It just comes over, five minutes ago I could be chatting and doing my make-up and the next minute feeling funny.' Alan Cumming has been making the most of the sunshine on his balcony while in mandatory hotel quarantine in Adelaide. The 56-year-old Scottish-American actor was spotted soaking up the sun as he stood outside on Monday. A shirtless Alan stood with his arms outstretched, as he peered down at the street below him. Scroll down for video Soaking up the sun: Alan Cumming has been making the most of the sunshine on his balcony while in mandatory hotel quarantine in Adelaide He stepped out in just a pair of black shorts slung low on his hips, and his grey hair appeared slightly dishevelled. After taking a moment to enjoy the fresh air, the former Good Wife actor turned and went back into his hotel room. Alan arrived in Australia on Saturday after flying in from the US, ahead of his appearance as the artistic director at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Vitamin D: The 56-year-old Scottish-American actor was spotted soaking up the sun as he stood outside on Monday Taking in the view: A shirtless Alan stood with his arms outstretched, as he peered down at the street below him He shared a photo of himself on Instagram at the time wearing what appeared to be a blue hooded robe printed with koalas. 'Quarantine in Adelaide begins...' he captioned the selfie. On Sunday, he shared a short video of himself singing on his hotel balcony as one of his neighbours waved from a few rooms down. Quarantine chic: He stepped out in just a pair of black shorts slung low on his hips, and his grey hair appeared slightly dishevelled Land Down Under: Alan arrived in Australia on Saturday after flying in from the US, ahead of his appearance as the artistic director at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 'I am so jet slagged here in Adelaide I'm posting this before I go to sleep for hopefully a very long time,' he captioned the post. Earlier on Monday, Alan revealed he was already developing a taste for all things Australian. He shared a photo of his snack, which consisted of Vegemite smeared onto a couple of rice crackers. Change of plan: Speaking about his role as artistic director at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Alan revealed he was due to attend last year's festival, but it was cancelled because of COVID 'Really assimilating here in my Adelaide quarantine!' he wrote. Speaking about his role as artistic director at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Alan revealed he was due to attend last year's festival, but it was cancelled because of COVID. 'As we all know, that little virus (Ms Rona to her friends) had other plans. The 2020 Adelaide Cabaret Festival was an online only event, the Edinburgh festivals were cancelled and suddenly all the goalposts were changed and I was in zoom meetings discussing venue cleaning turnaround times and hotel quarantine budgets,' he wrote for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival website. Acting up: Alan said he first visited Adelaide in 1989 as half of a cabaret double act and 'had a blast' Heading inside: After taking a moment to enjoy the fresh air, the former Good Wife actor turned and went back into his hotel room Alan said he first visited Adelaide in 1989 as half of a cabaret double act and 'had a blast'. 'I love the spirit and the joy and the spunk and the fusion of high and low culture that is Australia. And I even love the slight inferiority complex it can have because I have that too,' he added. 'In fact, the entire description above could apply to me! I have spirit! I have joy! I have spunk! And I am definitely a fusion of the high and the low!' Cosy as a koala: He recently shared a photo of himself on Instagram at the time wearing what appeared to be a blue hooded robe printed with koalas. 'Quarantine in Adelaide begins...' he captioned the selfie When in Australia: Earlier on Monday, Alan revealed he was already developing a taste for all things Australian The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is set to run from June 11 until June 26. Afterwards, the Romy and Michele's High School Reunion star is taking his show, Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age, on tour around Australia. The tour will begin in Brisbane on June 30 before finishing in Perth on July 9. Katie Price has slammed the measures placed in UK airports to protect against coronavirus, as she insisted she was not properly probed. The model and her fiance Carl Woods wasted no time in jetting off to Portugal on 7 flights, after the country became one of the areas currently placed on the UK's 'green list', after the easing of lockdown on Monday 17 May. Following the trip, she uploaded a video showing the process of returning to the country, after jetting back to celebrate her 43rd birthday on Saturday, however she was less than pleased with the government's contingency plan. Travellers returning from a Green List country must take a lateral flow test within 72 hours of your return flight, followed by a PCR test on or before the second day of your return. No need to self-isolate. Here we are: Katie Price has slammed the measures placed in UK airports to protect against coronavirus, as she insisted she was not properly probed Katie ensured she was one of the first stars to jet out of the country when she was permitted and she was then showing insights into the departure. In the video on her Facebook, she filmed herself as she went through the widely isolated terminal, before joining her friend in reeling off the shortcomings. Katie's friend explained: 'We just went through passport control and no-one asked to see our passenger locator form, no-one asked to see proof of a negative covid test.' She then added: 'All the measures that are supposed to be in place, don't exist. They didn't ask to see our PCR test when we landed... Back again! The model and her fiance Carl Woods wasted no time in jetting off to Portugal on 7 flights, after the country became one of the areas currently placed on the UK's 'green list', after the easing of lockdown on Monday 17 May Fun in the sun: Earlier this week, Carl gave fans a glimpse of the lavish villa he was staying at with Katie during their getaway to Portugal. 'If you look on that list some of those place are on the amber list and they are due to come in this hall where we are now which means we are going to cross paths and some of them need to quarantine.' Her friend added: 'Bags are on the same carousel as Abuja [the capital of Nigeria] - how mad is that.' As they left the airport, Katie stated: 'It's really quiet, nothing like what we expected at all, nothing like what we expected at all.' Sparse: Following the trip, she has now uploaded a video showing the process of returning to the country, after the jetting back to celebrate her 43rd birthday on Saturday, however she was less than pleased with the government's contingency plan A Government spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Protecting public health is our priority and as we reopen international travel safely we will maintain 100% health checks at the border to protect the wider public and our vaccine rollout. 'We have automated processes in place to ensure 100% checks are completed, which passengers will only become aware of if they have filled the form out incorrectly. 'These checks were fully functional at the time of interaction with Ms Price, meaning full checks were conducted on her arrival.' Portugal is just one of three European countries on Britain's travel green list, and the only one where unrestricted land travel into mainland Europe is possible Due to Portugal being on Britain's 'green list', it means people do not have to quarantine unless their Covid test, which is required to be taken on or before day two upon arrival home, comes back as positive. It has been stated that travellers need to prove they have had both jabs or are immunised from having previously had the virus. Alternatively, a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure is likely to be accepted. These details, including documentation required, are being fine-tuned. A look around: Sharing a clip of the holiday rental's grounds on Instagram, Carl said: 'Good morning. Look at this place. Unreal.' THE REQUIREMENTS The below rules apply whether or not you have been vaccinated. GREEN LIST: You must take a lateral flow test within 72 hours of your return flight, followed by a PCR test on or before the second day of your return. No need to self-isolate. AMBER LIST: Take a lateral flow test before return flight, then quarantine at home for ten days and take a PCR test on days two and eight or use the Test to Release scheme, paying for a private test on day five to end quarantine early (youll still need to take a test on day eight). RED LIST: Quarantine in government-approved hotel for ten days at a cost of 1,750. Advertisement Last week, Carl gave fans a glimpse of the lavish villa he was staying at with Katie during their getaway to Portugal. Sharing a clip of the holiday rental's grounds on Instagram, Carl said: 'Good morning. Look at this place. Unreal.' The former Love Island star revealed the sprawling property had a swimming pool, jacuzzi, BBQ and an impressive sun lounge area nestled under lavish greenery. Katie said that she was thrilled to be away and told followers she was sorry the UK is rainy at the moment but that she was loving the sunshine abroad. Katie and Carl shared a video of their arrival last Monday and a response to a news report, in which he revealed their flights cost 7. The couple were clearly keen to get away as she posted the selfie showing them both on what appeared to be a busy Ryanair flight to Portugal. She penned the caption: 'Yesss finally Carl Woods a gorgeous break!' Amid the excitement from many, a slew of Boris Johnson's top scientists have warned against socialising indoors and the 'high risk' of hugging friends because of the rise in Indian variant cases. The Prime Minister urged families to adopt a 'heavy dose of caution' and a cabinet colleague encouraged revellers to avoid 'excessive drinking' with ministers at loggerheads over whether to extend lockdown beyond June 21. There was an eight per cent rise in infections last week. Freedom day: They wasted no time in jetting off to Portugal on 7 flights, one of the countries currently on the UK's 'green list', after the easing of lockdown restrictions Honest: In the video on her Facebook, she filmed herself as she went through the widely isolated terminal, before joining her friend in reeling off the shortcomings Chelsie McLeod has been head over heels with new boyfriend Ricki DeHaan since late last year. On Monday night, the couple headed out to the Red Heart Moet Gold Party at Lux Nightclub Melbourne. The 29-year-old former Bachelor star looked chic in a fitted beige dress, over which she wore a black leather jacket. Out and about: Chelsie McLeod has been head over heels with new boyfriend Ricki DeHaan since late last year. On Monday night, the couple headed out to the Red Heart Moet Gold Party at Lux Nightclub Melbourne. Both pictured The stunner wore her caramel tresses down and straight, and opted for a glowing makeup palette with a nude lip and lashings of mascara. Influencer and Priscillas model Ricki showed off his good looks in a pair of trendy white jeans with a matching denim jacket. He added a distressed mustard toned shirt with artful rips and holes, as well as a frayed collar, and a pair of sneakers. Looking good: The 29-year-old former Bachelor star looked chic in a fitted beige dress, over which she wore a black leather jacket Chelsie also posed alongside her good friend, Married At First Sight New Zealand contestant, Samuel Levi. Samuel looked chic in an olive shirt with a deep v-neck cut, and a pair of fitted blue jeans. Chelsie and Ricki went public in January, sharing plenty of PDA as they enjoyed a date at St Kilda beach in Melbourne. Famous friend: Chelsie also posed alongside her good friend, Married At First Sight New Zealand contestant, Samuel Levi (left) Cool: Samuel looked chic in an olive shirt with a deep v-neck cut, and a pair of fitted blue jeans The romance had been rumoured for weeks prior, with Bachelor fans finding countless photos of the pair together on social media. The couple went Instagram official at Christmas, by posting a picture to Instagram showing them kissing under mistletoe. Chelsie has moved on, 12 months after being dumped by The Bachelor star Matt Agnew, 32. Their devastating split came just nine weeks after Matt picked Chelsie at The Bachelor finale. Kimberley Garner looked to be having a great time as she enjoyed a walk through Notting Hill on Monday with a male friend. The 30-year-old swimwear designer looked cosy as she took a dog Sasha for a walk while arm in arm with her companion. Wearing a bright red puffer jacket, black leggings and white canvas shoes, Kimberley wrapped up warm for her lunchtime walk. Out and about: Kimberley Garner enjoyed an arm in arm walk with a male friend through London's Notting Hill on Monday before stopping off for an al fresco lunch Meanwhile, her male companion wore a navy shirt with a brown leather jacket, distressed blue jeans and grey trainers. Her pal was also seen with an umbrella in one hand to shelter them both from the unseasonably wet weather, and a dog lead in the other for Kimberley's Cocker Spaniel. At one point during the saunter, the pair stopped off to enjoy an al fresco lunch, with Kimberley seen treating herself to a cocktail. Keeping warm: Wearing a bright red puffer jacket, black leggings and white canvas shoes, Kimberley looked to have wrapped up warm for her lunchtime walk Kimberley was linked to a mystery man in December, whose identity she has not disclose. The couple spent the last few months travelling, ringing in Christmas in Barbados and spending the new year in Florida after flying to out Miami in late December. It wasn't all carefree partying, however, as she took to Instagram to defend herself from backlash over her international travel. The former Made In Chelsea star said she jetted out of the UK on December 14 a week before London moved into Tier 4 to 'check on my apartment'. On the go again: The 30-year-old former Made in Chelsea star looked cosy as she took a dog Sasha for a walk with her pal The London native said at the time: 'I bought my place here this time two years ago. 'It was a massive achievement, still really can't believe it sometimes. I run a business - I'm not an influencer. 'I am here, but I am very very strict still. I see people in Tulum and all over going to parties and it doesn't feel right to me. Pour it up: At one point during the saunter, the pair stopped off to enjoy an al fresco lunch, with Kimberley seen treating herself to a cocktail 'I haven't been out to any parties and turned down invites from friends as feel it's just not right to be in a crowd - it's not OK at the moment. 'I'm really lucky to be in the sun and outdoors, and am valuing that totally, but not going to live normally as it's not a normal world at the moment. 'I really think and feel for everyone home at the moment, it really sucks, please be brave, please be kind to each other.' Kimberley also hit headlines when she revealed she cancelled a secret wedding and ended a long-term relationship over the summer of 2019. Speaking to MailOnline in September 2019, Kimberley confirmed she had called it quits with her former boyfriend. The businesswoman said: 'I ended the relationship recently. It was a really wonderful three years and we are still good friends today.' Do you know Kimberley's male companion? Email tips@dailymail.com Michael B. Jordan and his girlfriend Lori Harvey hit up the LA after-party hosted by Billboard's artist of the decade Drake on Sunday night. The 33-year-old Emmy-nominated producer and the 24-year-old influencer held hands as they arrived at the Sofi Stadium in Inglewood. Michael and Lori - who went Instagram official on January 10 - were first pictured together departing a Delta airplane in Georgia on November 25. Still going strong! Michael B. Jordan and his girlfriend Lori Harvey hit up the LA after-party hosted by Billboard's artist of the decade Drake on Sunday night Jordan hung out with Drake as recent as three days ago and he congratulated him on his honor via Instastory: 'Keep going, keep inspiring, keep raising the bar of greatness.' L.A.'s Finest actress Draya Michele arrived to the venue in a black leather tube top with matching pants, Chanel chain belt, and golden booties. The 36-year-old mother-of-two looked like she was feeling cold as she protectively wrapped her arms around her chest. Once inside the Canadian 34-year-old's bash with celebs like Justin + Hailey Bieber, Draya Instastoried a snap captioned: 'Poppin'!' PDA pair: The 33-year-old Emmy-nominated producer and the 24-year-old influencer held hands as they arrived at the Sofi Stadium in Inglewood Steve Harvey's daughter: Michael and Lori - who went Instagram official on January 10 - were first pictured together departing a Delta airplane in Georgia on November 25 'Instant classic': Jordan hung out with Drake as recent as three days ago The Mercy actor congratulated him on his honor via Instastory: 'Keep going, keep inspiring, keep raising the bar of greatness' Drake (born Aubrey Graham) surprised everyone by bringing his son Adonis with him onstage LA's Microsoft Theater during the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, which aired Sunday on NBC. The three-year-old toddler held the What's Next hitmaker's trophy as he delivered his acceptance speech. 'I want to dedicate this award to my friends, I want to dedicate this award to my longtime collaborators,' Drake said. 'I want to dedicate this award to all my peers, all your decisions, and the music you make really does have me tossing and turning at night trying to figure out what I should do next. Thank you to my beautiful family.' Werrrk! L.A.'s Finest actress Draya Michele arrived to the venue in a black leather tube top with matching pants, Chanel chain belt, and golden booties 60F degree weather: The 36-year-old mother-of-two looked like she was feeling cold as she protectively wrapped her arms around her chest Once inside the Canadian 34-year-old's bash with celebs like Justin + Hailey Bieber, Draya Instastoried a snap captioned: 'Poppin'!' The four-time Grammy winner then held up his crying boy and concluded: 'I want to dedicate this award to you!' Drake impressively beat out Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and Adele for the honor previously awarded to Eminem (for the 2000s) and Mariah Carey (for the 1990s). It's hard to believe the biracial R&B belter did not publicly admit he fathered little Adonis with French painter Sophie Brussaux until May 2018. Aired Sunday on NBC! Drake (born Aubrey Graham) surprised everyone by bringing his son Adonis with him onstage LA's Microsoft Theater during the 2021 Billboard Music Awards Shy guy: The three-year-old toddler held the What's Next hitmaker's trophy as he delivered his acceptance speech Drake then held up his crying boy and concluded: 'I want to dedicate this award to you!' BTS snaps: The four-time Grammy winner impressively beat out Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and Adele for the honor previously awarded to Eminem (for the 2000s) and Mariah Carey (for the 1990s) Cara Kilbey has shared a photo of her stomach scars after being operated on for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. In an emotional post, she detailed to fans: 'These are my surgery scars. I was lucky enough to have keyhole surgery and just the one fallopian tube taken away.' The former TOWIE star, 33 who was first hospitalised in April then again on Sunday due to kidney stones also asked her Instagram followers for advice, adding: 'If anyone has any advice on scar cream I would be really appreciate.' [sic] Candid: Cara Kilbey, 33, has shared a photo of her stomach scars after being operated on for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, revealing: 'These are my surgery scars' Pulling down her black trousers, doting mother Cara revealed two red puncture marks on her stomach. As she recovered from her latest hospital visit, Cara shared with her social media followers that she was watching The Handmaid's Tale. Sharing a photo of her television screen while the dystopian series was streaming, Cara who left TOWIE in 2011 and was introduced to the cast alongside her pal Billie Mucklow wrote: 'What's got me through my four-night hospital stay so far.' A day earlier, the brunette beauty shared a snap of her arm with a cannula in, explaining that she's been admitted again with kidney stones. Scars: Pulling down her black trousers, doting mother Cara revealed two red puncture marks on her stomach TV: As she recovered from her latest hospital visit, Cara shared with her social media followers that she was watching The Handmaid's Tale Updating her fans on why she's been quiet on social media in recent weeks, the mother-of-two candidly detailed her recent health woes, starting: 'I've been quiet on Instagram recently 'Last month I found out I had an ectopic pregnancy that had ruptured and caused an internal bleed, so was rushed into theatre for an emergency op. 'Now I'm back again, but this time with kidney stones... Think I'm overdue a holiday.' An ectopic pregnancy happens when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. 'I was rushed into theatre': Cara shared a snap of her arm with a cannula in to Instagram on Sunday, explaining that she's been admitted again with kidney stones A ruptured fallopian tube is very serious and surgery to repair it needs to be carried out as quickly as possible, according to the NHS. WHAT IS AN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY? An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are the tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb. If an egg gets stuck in them, it won't develop into a baby and your health may be at risk if the pregnancy continues. Unfortunately, it's not possible to save the pregnancy. It usually has to be removed using medicine or an operation. In the UK, around 1 in every 80-90 pregnancies is ectopic. This is around 12,000 pregnancies a year. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement Cara has left reality TV behind her. She now runs a pre loved designer good business, often sharing branded items to Instagram at discounted prices. And after leaving the show, Cara met her boyfriend Daniel Harris in 2014 and in 2015 she suffered a miscarriage when she was five months pregnant. The couple now have two children, daughter Penelope Blu and son Hunter, with their little boy being born after Daniel served time in prison. Daniel was accused of masterminding a drugs empire, but was cleared of drugs charges and instead found guilty of stashing 116,000 in ill-gotten gains in 2017. Cara had been patiently waiting while her partner languished in jail, shortly after the birth of Penelope, who she brought to visit him one to two times a week. Daniel was accused of making 'vast profits' by sending drug couriers on mopeds disguised as trainee cab drivers around central London over three-and-a-half years. They announced they were expecting Hunter in June 2017, just two months after Daniel was released. Doting mama: Cara is mum to daughter Penelope and son Hunter (pictured together) The couple met while Harris was living out in Spain with his father and she was on holiday there. They returned to the UK in September 2015 when she fell pregnant. It was previously reported that other men, some of whom were his friends, went on to plead guilty to their part in the plots and have been jailed for more than 68 years. Cara still shares snaps of her beau and their children, with her last posting a lovely image of Daniel and Penelope in the sea to mark his birthday in March. She regularly takes to social media to post inspiring body confidence and positivity content for her followers. And Malin Andersson looked sensational as ever as she showcased her jaw-dropping curves in a series of sizzling bikini snaps from her trip to St Lucia. The former Love Island star 28, displayed her incredible figure as she donned a dark green bikini while posing on the beach. Wow: Malin Andersson looked sensational as ever as she showcased her jaw-dropping curves in a series of sizzling bikini snaps from her trip to St Lucia Malin styled her brunette locks into an updo for the snaps while she also sported gold hoop earrings. The star fixed the camera with a sultry stare as she worked on her tan. Alongside the snaps, she wrote: 'Dont worry. Ive got you covered from ALL angles.' The post comes after Malin recently shared a throwback snap of herself with a bruised and cut face as she penned a powerful domestic violence post. Incredible: The former Love Island star 28, displayed her incredible figure as she donned a dark green bikini while posing on the beach The Love Island star took to Instagram on Wednesday as she recalled the abusive names and horrendous insults she received amid her abusive relationship, with the star adding that she was 'none of the above'. Malin also shared a list of pleas and thoughts that she had at the time of her ordeal, as she then stated: 'I was once this young woman. And now I am thriving.' The candid post began with 'TRIGGER', followed by a tirade of insults and put-downs which included: 'Youre nothing, 'Youre gonna have nobody and You deserve to have no family. Malin then wrote that none of those statements were who she truly was, defiantly adding: 'I am none of the above. I am a young woman that has had quite the journey. I am loved, I am safe.. I am protected.' Looking good: Malin styled her brunette locks into an updo for the snaps while she also sported gold hoop earrings In heartbreaking post then saw the reality star list a series of quotes from herself in which she begged for help and questioned why she kept returning to the abuse. She wrote: 'Universe please take the pain away. I dont know how long I can stay. 'I just want to heal - mum if youre watching me.. shower me with your love and tell me if this is real. I know it cant be my fault.. or is it? Is it really me? My eyes.. they arent able to see, 'Please can someone help me.. why do I keep going back? Why is it like an addiction. A mental attack? Stunning: Malin regularly takes to social media to post inspiring body confidence and positivity content for her followers 'I cant seem to break the cycle.. but Im scared of being alone. I dont have anyone around me.. he says all I do is moan. 'I feel so drained. I can hardly sleep or eat. Im praying to you now - I need to get back on my feet.. I know I have the strength so please give me the ability to see it.' Concluding her powerful post, Malin penned: 'I was once this young woman. And now I am thriving. You can thrive too. ', also tagging the Women's Aid domestic violence charity. It comes after her former partner Tom Kemp, 28, was jailed for 10 months for an assault that left her 'black and blue.' Powerful: Malin recently shared a throwback snap of herself with a bruised and cut face as she penned a powerful domestic violence post Her truth: Malin also shared a list of pleas and thoughts that she had at the time of her ordeal, as she then stated: 'I was once this young woman. And now I am thriving' Her ex was imprisoned last September after he admitted to assaulting the reality star, which left her with a broken her hand. Tom was released in December after three months and will serve the rest of his term on Home Detention Curfew. Tom was the father of Malin's baby girl Consy, who tragically died with a heart defect in January 2019, just one month after being delivered at 33 weeks. Malin met Tom in late 2017, shortly after she lost her mum, also named Consy, to breast cancer. She's since had time to reflect on her relationship with Tom and says they formed a 'trauma bond' amid her grief and depression at the loss of her mum. Abuse: It comes after her former partner Tom Kemp, 28, was jailed for 10 months for an assault that left her 'black and blue' [pictured together in February 2019] In June 2020, Malin spoke about the abuse and emotional torment she suffered while being in the on/off relationship during 2018. She said: 'It started with things being thrown in my face out of anger food, bottles of water, whatever was in his hand, all out of anger. 'He switched from zero to 100 within seconds. Once they think they can do that to you, it escalates.' In the same month, Malin posted a lengthy Instagram post, captioned: 'The third and final lot, I am NOT a victim anymore.' Calling their romance 'toxic and unhealthy', she said 'it has been an ongoing battle to emotionally let go as dealing with the grief from both my mum and daughter I've had him as my comforter.' Trauma: Her ex was imprisoned last September after he admitted to assaulting the reality star, which left her with a broken her hand Accusing Kemp of emotional and physical abuse she said: 'Including being spat at, hit, pushed, kicked, scratched, spoken down to, controlled, manipulated, cheated and so much more I experienced the worst pain yet to come last night.' Malin then claimed she had received a phone call from a woman asking why the star had been texting her 'boyfriend.' She wrote: 'After a calm and collected call with her we had finally came to the confirmation they have been speaking since January (when our daughter was in intensive care).' 'While I've been focusing on my mental health I've been receiving multiple emails, calls, texts from one extreme to the other (I'm a bad mum, my mum hates me I'm going to hell to the extreme of I love you I can't be without you etc. Horrifying: Malin has previously shared graphic images of the bruising she suffered on her social media because she hopes to encourage others in abusive relationships to seek help 'This ladies is a fine example of a narcissistic man. 'I will NOT be another victim to domestic violence, I will not be beaten mentally or physically when I've fought through so much worse than this. Adding that she was 'exhausted, heartbroken and confused' she urged her followers to 'listen to your gut and learn to love yourself. If you have been affected by this story, contact Women's Aid at www.womensaid.org.uk. Whitney Port often hides her figure in sweat outfits as she runs errands near her home in Venice Beach, California. But the Hills veteran proved this weekend she has an incredible body underneath all that fabric. The beauty, 36, showed off her impressive abs while in a bikini during a beach break with her husband of two years Tim Rosenman and child Sonny. The family was in Florida for fun. 'Are we moving to Miami?' she asked in one of her captions. She works out! Whitney Port often hides her figure in sweat outfits as she runs errands near her home in Venice Beach, California. But the Hills veteran proved this weekend she has an incredible body underneath all that fabric The suit was red with a pattern and it had layers to it with briefs that included frills on the trim and ties on the sides. She also wore several necklaces and had on sunglasses with her blonde hair down. Sonny was buried neck down in sand as he made a funny face. Earlier the star showed off her tummy while doing yoga. 'This is my accountability post to pay attention to my thoughts this week. I will try to forgive myself when I stumble upon my own mistakes and I will make note when I feel ambivalent about something ask myself why? More importantly, I will celebrate the moments that I feel really happy because there have been a lot of them lately,' she said. 'ALSO, how amazing is Timmy? We are both working on ourselves SO MUCH. can you tell? Timmy puts his on every day and does this 3 mile loop around our house. It's inspiring.' Life in Florida: The beauty, 36, showed off her impressive abs while in a bikini during a beach break with her husband of two years Tim Rosenman and child Sonny. The family was in Miami for fun. 'Are we moving to Miami?' she asked in one of her captions Before that there was another bikini post where she had on a green hat. And she was also seen in a rust colored suit with a black-and-white border that flattered her curves. Earlier this year she has admitted a lot of the tops she wore on The Hills were 'too revealing'. The television personality - who shot to fame after starring on the MTV reality series from 2006 until 2010 - has confessed that she would never dream of wearing some of the clothes she used to wear in her 20s. Life in a two piece: In this selfie, the star had on a rust colored top with a black-and-white border as she lay on a towel She said: 'There's a lot that I still would wear, but a couple of the things that I definitely don't think I should have worn were a lot of the tops that were too revealing for work, or where my bra was showing.' Despite this, the fashion designer wouldn't change what she dressed like back then, because she 'looked and felt great' at the time. She added to Page Six Style: 'You can't really regret those moments because at the time I probably thought I looked great and felt great, and that's what's really important at the end of the day.' A 60s style two piece: Before that there was another bikini post where she had on a green hat Whitney returned for the sequel, 'The Hills: New Beginnings, in 2019 and has donated 'some cute sweaters and blazers' she wore on the programme for her partnership with Dress for Success and Chloe Wine and the 'Your Hour Her Power' campaign. She said: 'I know that there was a black blazer that I wore with just a T-shirt and jeans.' Meanwhile, last summer saw Whitney return to the fashion game with a capsule collection for Rent the Runway. The blonde beauty had her own label Eve between 2009 and 2014, and made a comeback with the new sustainable Love, Whit capsule. Whitney admitted she couldn't wait to get back to designing, as that's when she feels 'most me'. In the best shape of her life! And she uploaded this image where she had on a crop top Happy! Earlier the star showed off her tummy while doing yoga. 'This is my accountability post to pay attention to my thoughts this week. I will try to forgive myself when I stumble upon my own mistakes and I will make note when I feel ambivalent about something ask myself why? More importantly, I will celebrate the moments that I feel really happy because there have been a lot of them lately,' she said She said in July: 'It's been six years now, and I've just been itching to do this again; when I'm designing, that's when I feel the most me.' Last year Port said she doesn't think anyone can ever be 'fully healed' after a pregnancy loss. The star opened up last month about having a second miscarriage and whilst it is understandably a devastating time for her, she has tried to look at the positives and is learning to 'appreciate' what she has. She said: 'I don't think you're ever fully healed after a loss. I think these losses make you into a stronger person. I don't wish them upon anybody, but they do give you a lot of good perspective, and they give you a lot of time to appreciate the things that you have.' The gang is all here: (L-R) Spencer Pratt, Heidi Pratt, Audrina Patridge, Justin Bobby Brescia, Jen Delgado, Frankie Delgado, Ashley Wahler, Jason Wahler and Whitney Port in 2019 in New York City And the star admits she questioned herself at the time of her loss, wondering if she did something wrong. She added: 'It felt like, 'Why is this happening to me? Was there anything that I did wrong? Is there anything wrong with my body? Now that this has happened twice, you know I think that's sometimes one of the first things that we think about when this stuff happens to us, especially as women and being such harsh critics on ourselves. Then you realise, no, this is not something that you have any control over and you need to immediately release that part.' Meanwhile, Whitney also revealed her baby had a 'chromosomal issue' before he passed. Speaking on the Being Bumo podcast, she shared: 'Basically I got a D&C [dilation and curettage] and they did an autopsy, and the doctor said that it was a chromosomal issue, so the baby was not going to be a healthy baby and I felt like in that way I had a little bit of closure.' She has kept a low-profile since returning to nursing following her Love Island stint. Yet Rachel Fenton sent her 275,000 Instagram followers wild as she looked incredible in a series of sexy snaps on Monday. The reality star, 29, left little to the imagination in a low cut black top which she paired with casual black tracksuit bottoms. Stunning: Rachel Fenton, 29, looked incredible in a series of sexy snaps which she shared with her 275,000 Instagram followers on Monday Rachel completed the look with casual black trainers with white laces and accessorised with a gold watch. Her long blonde locks were styled in soft curls and her glam make-up enhanced her pretty features. In the caption the star wrote: 'Dont look at the caption look at me baby.' And her followers couldn't help but look at her, with Vicky Pattison replying: 'Trust me, no one is looking at anything but you queen.' Love Island's Kady McDermott also commented, writing: 'Doll ' Pose: The reality star left little to the imagination in a low cut black top which she paired with black tracksuit bottoms Wow: In the caption the star wrote: 'Dont look at the caption look at me baby', and it was clear her followers couldn't help but look at her Rachel shot to fame on the second series of Love Island in 2016, where she coupled up with Rykard Jenkins. However, the relationship didn't last long in the real world and they split after 18 months together with her telling fans: 'We have decided to go out separate ways.' Recently, Rachel was spotted leaving a London bar holding hands with TOWIE's James Lock, 34. The reality star also works as an NHS nurse and caught Coronavirus twice during the pandemic while working on the front line. Jabbed! In February the Orthopaedic Clinical Nurse Specialist shared a selfie to Instagram of her receiving the Covid-19 vaccine In February the Orthopaedic Clinical Nurse Specialist shared a selfie to Instagram receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. She thanked the medical field and hoped that 'it's the beginning of the end'. In the caption she wrote: 'The beginning of the end. thank you to all the incredible doctors and scientists for creating this vaccine and helping us become one step further to beating this virus' (sic) . Rachel took to her social media just before Christmas in 2020, to reveal her 'scary' experience with Covid, explaining that anyone who has been infected before is not immune to catching the virus again. Work: The reality star also works as an NHS nurse and caught Coronavirus twice during the pandemic while working on the front line She wrote on Twitter: 'I've been re-infected with COVID-19. I tested positive back in March and also had the antibodies. 'I knew reinfection did happen but I didn't think it was that common? I think it's important people know that reinfection is happening, it could be the new strain? 'I've had another positive swab recently. I had very mild symptoms which were not like the symptoms I had before. 'Has anyone else experienced a second positive Covid-19 swab?' Then taking to her Instagram Story, Rachel discussed her positive test result further and said that luckily she had been on annual leave and hadn't been in contact with patients. She said: 'I wasn't sure if I should talk about this, but it's quite important. I was diagnosed with Covid back in March. I also had the antibodies. 'I'm tested weekly as a nurse and I've always tested negative since, but I've recently tested positive again. I've been reinfected with the virus. 'It's quite scary. I knew reinfection did happen but I was not aware it was that common. Clearly there is another strain of it around. 'Everyone needs to be extremely careful. Reinfection does happen. Once you've had it, you are not immune to it. I was on annual leave, so there was no patient contact, thank God. 'It's so important to socially distance and wear a mask and it's important to know reinfection happens even if you have the antibodies.' No tolerance for abuse The church should be the leaders; instead, they are dragging their heels at the bottom of the road. These are the words of faith-based abuse survivor Gloria Ramsey to the New Zealand Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care in December 2020. Since August 2019, Ive had a part-time role within The Salvation Army as part of its response to the Royal Commissions investigations into abuse in State- and faith-based care between 1950-1999. The Salvation Army used to run childrens homes in that period, andto our shamechildren were harmed while in our care. As a result, we have been one of the Christian organisations rightly under the Royal Commissions microscope. Other areas of focus for the inquiry have included church-run schools and abuse by clergy. Although its terms of reference cover a set timeframe, the Royal Commission has a looking forward remit as it prepares to make recommendations to improve the complaint response and redress experiences of survivors, and to strengthen the safeguarding policies and processes of organisations. Commission and omission Harrowing testimonies of abuse from faith-based survivors to the Royal Commission revealed acts of commission: predatory actions of individuals, but also equally disturbing systemic failures that enabled a culture of bullying, neglect and downright meanness. There is clear indication that the Christian church in New Zealand was infected by the sin of racism. Maori children were far more likely to end up in care yet received little or no support from those working in such institutions to be proud of or nurture their cultural identity. Instead, they felt cut off from their whakapapa and even ashamed to be Maori. The same sense of cultural alienation was experienced by Pasifika children. It is an indictment on the church that too many working within our institutions failed to see the image of God in children, reducing them to mere categories: poor children, disruptive children, disabled children, children of bad parents rather than seeing each as a precious child of God. Failures of a different kind are evident today as churches struggle to varying degrees to respond appropriately to abuse complaints and to adequately provide redress for the suffering people experienced. There were also acts of omission: where churches either did not look for signs of abuse, perhaps believing the dangerous fallacy that such things would never happen in the church amongst Christian folk, orequally disturbingknew something was not right yet failed to respond with urgency to protect the most vulnerable. Regrettably, the empathy of churches seemed to sit more strongly with the abuser than their victim. Concerns about how an offender, their family, and the wider congregation might be impacted should the shame of someones offending come to light too often led denominations to deal privately with an offender. This minimised the pain and harm their actions had caused and did not deliver the justice victims deserved and which the Bible calls us to champion. Siding with the offender to protect church interests is still a temptation today. Resistance to safeguarding Over the past almost 20 years, The Salvation Armylike many other denominationshas been on a journey to strengthen our safeguarding practices. This isnt always an easy road to travel. There is sometimes resistance from those who believe that because the church is a place of grace, we must always side with forgiveness. And who believe that requiring such things as criminal checks, behavioural contracts and management plans around known abusers must be resisted as counter to principles of biblical restoration. However, when acts of criminal abuse occur, it is right that the workings of the criminal justice system take its course. The best interests of the vulnerable must always come first! We cannot grant an easy forgiveness without consequences, and neither can we be naive in our practices. This is why it is so important that we implement stringent policies to protect children and vulnerable people within churches. Two passages of Scripture come to mind here. The first is those stark words of Jesus: If anyone causes one of these little onesthose who believe in meto stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew chapter 18, verse 6). This and plenty of other Bible teaching makes it clear that Gods bias is towards the protection of the vulnerable, and against the hypocrisy of religious pretenders. The second, Matthew chapter 10, verse 16, says, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. When relating this text to child abuse in a church context, to me it means we are to be innocentnot blameworthy or responsiblenever allowing a child or any other vulnerable person to be harmed by our actions or inactions. We are also to be shrewdastute and discerning, with sharp powers of judgementaware of the evil that exists in our world and proactively vigilant to guard against it. Moving forward What can we do to make a difference in this space as individuals, as congregational members, and even as leaders within our denominations? Some basic principles drawn from the survivors and experts testifying at the Royal Commission: 1. Understand and acknowledge the deep and lasting harm caused by abuse, and the anxiety and fear experienced by survivors when they approach churches to report this. It can take decades before someone is able to talk about what has happened to them. When they do, it is important that churches respond without judgement and with the presumption that people are telling the truth. Survivors are often afraid they will not be believed when disclosing abuse, especially when it was committed by clergy. This can be especially true for Pasifika people because of deeply ingrained cultural values of respect for church leaders. 2. Recognise that when abuse occurs within churches or by those professing to be Christian, this represents an unacceptable violation of trust that causes significant spiritual harm. There is always a power imbalance whenever abuse by clergy or church leaders occurs in a church context, and consequently the defence of consent by an offender is unacceptable. 3. Take responsibility for the churchs actions and inactions that failed to keep people safe. Never minimise or defend abuse. Seek to make amends through a sincere, compassionate and transparent process of response and redress. Ensure that misconduct by clergy includes a formal disciplinary process. 4. Learn from every instance of reported abuse. Seek to continuously improve safeguarding systems to prevent further harm. Being a Salvation Army representative at this Royal Commission was confronting. I felt deep sorrow at the injustice of what each survivor had experienced. As a Christian, I also felt uncomfortably complicit in the sins committed by people aligned to my faith. I find myself carrying an unshakeable sense of shame that the church has not been more empathetic in our response to those who have bravely come forward to tell us what has happened to them. Too often, we have disbelieved survivors. This has made it even harder for them to trust the church and God. Change the story All of us, wherever we are within our individual churches, can help change this shameful narrative. We can support our denominations efforts to safeguard children and other vulnerable people. If we feel our denomination is not doing enough to address the injustices of past abuse, we can lobby for a more empathetic and informed approach. We can also seek to better understand and care for faith-based abuse survivors, doing what we can to replace their distorted picture of God fashioned when people of faith did not walk their talk. We can be part of revealing a more authentic and beautiful picture of a God who loves and protects, who weeps over abuse and its impact on peoples lives, and who longs to help survivors experience peace and even healing. Rapper T.I. and wife Tiny attempted to go incognito as they flew out of Los Angeles International airport amid a host of sexual abuse allegations. The 40-year-old rapper hid his face behind a mask and wore a colorful hoodie with slacks as he made his way through the terminal while following his wife of 11 years. T.I. and Tiny whose legal names are Clifford and Tameka Harrison are under investigation by police in Los Angeles after multiple women came forward with sexual abuse allegations against the couple. Undercover: Rapper T.I. and wife Tiny attempted to go incognito as they flew out of Los Angeles International airport amid a host of sexual abuse allegations Los Angeles Police Officer Rosario Cervantes said last week that an active investigation is underway after a woman in Los Angeles and another in Las Vegas filed a police report that accused the couple of sexual assault. A report was taken April 8 for a sexual assault involving the couple that occurred in 2005, Cervantes said, but the police did not provide any additional details. Las Vegas police received a report in May of a sexual assault incident in 2010 involving the couple, but the case was closed because it was reported outside the statute of limitations. T.I. seemingly addressed the allegations in a new song titled What It's Come To, with lyrics: 'Go put yo face and reputation on it // These kind of claims deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation, don't it?' Traveling: The 40-year-old rapper hid his face behind a mask and wore a colorful hoodie with slacks as he made his way through the terminal while following his wife of 11 years Not great: T.I. and Tiny whose legal names are Clifford and Tameka Harrison are under investigation by police in Los Angeles after multiple women came forward with sexual abuse allegations against the couple Steve Sadow, the attorney for T.I. and his wife, said his clients 'steadfastly deny and repudiate' all the allegations. He said the couple has not spoken or been contacted by police in Los Angeles, Las Vegas or any other jurisdiction in the country. 'The LAPD 'accuser' once again remains anonymous, thereby preventing us from being in a position to disprove or refute her allegations - or even examine them,' Sadow said. 'Meanwhile, although we now have for the first time a name of an 'accuser,' who apparently filed a police report with (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police), we have essentially no specifics about her or her claim, and her attorney has thus far refused to disclose a copy of the report for public scrutiny.' Attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn asked authorities in California and Georgia in March to open criminal investigations on behalf of 11 victims of 'alleged instances of sexual abuse, assault and harassment from 2005 to 2018.' Blackburn said some clients claim they were 'coerced by Tiny to ingest drugs or unknowingly administered drugs to impair the victims' ability to consent to subsequent vile sexual acts. Trouble: Los Angeles Police Officer Rosario Cervantes said last week that an active investigation is underway after a woman in Los Angeles and another in Las Vegas filed a police report that accused the couple of sexual assault New allegations: T.I. and his wife Tiny Harris have been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting 17 women after three more came forward, Page Six reported in April; seen together in February 2020 'Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., 40, and Tiny Harris, 45, should be probed under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and Georgia's Rape, Kidnapping, RICO, and Terroristic Threats Statues,' Blackburn said. Blackburn's remarks come after the Bring 'Em Out rapper, who is also known as Tip, and his spouse were at the center of a story from The New York Times in which five women accused them of sexual misconduct. That number has now climbed up to 17 accusers, with one victim claiming the couple forced her to take drugs before Tiny had sex with her while she was unable to consent. Another alleged victim says that T.I. drugged her and raped her in Miami on Memorial Day weekend Production for the VH1 reality series T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle was suspended in February amid the sexual abuse allegations. Alec and Hilaria Baldwin were spotted out grabbing breakfast in The Hamptons over the weekend. The couple appeared to have left their six kids with nannies as they stopped by Jack's in Sag Harbor. Hilaria, 37, donned a retro style denim jumpsuit with floral pattern as she and her husband of almost nine years chatted to another diner. Just the two of us: Alec and Hilaria Baldwin are pictured on a breakfast outing in The Hamptons on Saturday Alec looked relaxed and showed off a glowing tan as he sported a black polo shirt and navy slacks. The outing came after Alec complained about cancel culture in another online rant. Earlier this month Alec called out social media users accusing them of wanting to 'destroy the undeserving and deserving alike.' In a Twitter post, he wrote: 'Cancel culture is like a forest fire in constant need of fuel. Functioning objectively. No prejudice. No code. 'Just destroy. The deserving and the undeserving alike,' the 30 Rock star added. Morning outing: The couple appeared to have left their six kids with nannies as they stopped by Jack's in Sag Harbor. Hilaria, 37, donned a retro style denim jumpsuit with floral pattern as she and her husband of almost nine years chatted to another diner Heading out: Alec looked relaxed and showed off a glowing tan as he sported a black polo shirt and navy slacks. He also carried some food to go in a brown bag On Thursday evening he tweeted: 'There appears to be a zero tolerance policy for bad behavior everywhere except where it matters most: the US Congress.' It's not the first time Alec has slammed cancel culture. In March, he posted a 14-minute video rant on Instagram, hitting out at cancel culture and defending due process amid sexual misconduct allegations leveled at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Woody Allen. He lambasted social media users - this time targeting those who are eager to 'cancel' famous men on the basis of unproven allegations. Although he did not mention any names specifically, Baldwin appeared to be referring to both Cuomo and Allen. Lots to say: Earlier this month Alec called out social media users accusing them of wanting to 'destroy the undeserving and deserving alike.' Tweet: 'Cancel culture is like a forest fire in constant need of fuel. Functioning objectively. No prejudice. No code,' Alec posted earlier this month He began the clip by stating: 'I do have a few people going at me for defending people who have been accused of crimes... Well, I'm not defending someone who is guilty of something. I'm choosing to defend someone who has not been proven guilty of something.' Cuomo has been accused of sexual harassment by numerous women, while Allen has been accused of sexually molesting his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. Baldwin told his followers that immediately condemning such men without evidence was an example of cancel culture. The actor has a love-hate relationship with Twitter. He quit the social media platform multiple times this year, as well as in 2017, 2014, 2012 and 2011. Not the first time: In March, Alec posted a 14-minute video rant on Instagram, hitting out at cancel culture and defending due process amid sexual misconduct allegations leveled at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Woody Allen; they are pictured on set together in 2011 Meanwhile, earlier this year, Hilaria's heritage fell under online scrutiny when a social media thread pointed out inconsistencies in stories she had told the media about her upbringing in Spain. A number of her childhood peers said she grew up in Boston under the name Hillary Hayward-Thomas, and did not speak with a Spanish accent in those years. She was seen in a 2015 Today show clip seemingly forgetting the world 'cucumber' in a cooking segment, which became a social media focal point as the scandal made headlines. Not Spanish: Earlier this year Hilaria's heritage fell under question when a social media thread pointed out inconsistencies in stories she had told the media about her upbringing in Spain She told The New York Times of the scandal, 'There is not something I'm doing wrong, and I think there is a difference between hiding and creating a boundary.' 'I was born in Boston. I spent time in Boston and in Spain. My family now lives in Spain. I moved to New York when I was 19 years old and I have lived here ever since,' she told the paper. 'For me, I feel like I have spent 10 years sharing that story over and over again. And now it seems like its not enough.' Hilaria apologized on Instagram for misleading her followers, saying on social media, 'The way I've spoken about myself and my deep connection to two cultures could have been better explained - I should have been more clear and I'm sorry.' 'I'm proud of the way I was raised, and we're raising our children to share the same love and respect for both.' Alec and Hilaria are parents to six children; Carmen Gabriela, seven, Rafael Thomas, five-and-a-half, Leonardo Ange, four, Romeo Alejandro, two-and-a-half, Eduardo Pau, eight months and Maria Lucia, three months. Advertisement Teresa Giudice and new boyfriend Luis Ruelas couldn't keep their hands off each other on their romantic trip to Mexico last week. The couple - who have been dating for around six months - were spotted on a beach adjacent to their luxury hotel in Tulum, where they put on a steamy display in the sand and on sun loungers. The 48-year-old mother of four, who finalized her divorce from Joe Giudice last September, showed off her curves in a skimpy black bikini as Luis embraced her and went in for a kiss under the brim of her sun hat. Handsy: Teresa Giudice packed on the PDA with boyfriend Luis Ruelas on a beach in Tulum, Mexico, on Sunday Taking a dip: The 48-year-old Real Housewives of New Jersey star showed off her curves in a black string bikini The Real Housewives of New Jersey star wore her brunette locks in a low ponytail and showed off an inflated pout with some dark nude lipstick. She accessorized her look with some diamond stud earrings and a matching necklace, along with some gold bangles. Her 47-year-old boyfriend, who is a marketing company EVP and philanthropist, showed off his tan in some white shorts. When Teresa lay down on a lounger to top up her tan, Luis - who she met while exercising on the beach in Jersey Shore - couldn't help but pounce on the Bravo star for another makeout session. Appearing to enjoy every minute of their time together, the couple snuggled, snapped photos of each other and chatted in the sun. The smitten duo even held hands as they waded into to the ocean together to brave the crashing waves. Making waves: The couple held hands as they waded in the ocean together Jersey girl: The Bravo star showed off an extra puffy pout and wore her brunette locks in a low ponytail Sun soaked: Her 47-year-old boyfriend, who is a marketing company EVP and philanthropist, showed off his tan in some white shorts 'I'm really, really happy. I'm in a really good place 2021 is going to be my year it is!' Teresa recently said about her new love Can't help himself: Ruelas pounced on the reality star while she was reclining on a sun lounger While Teresa is clearly loving being romanced by her new man, there are rumors that Luis is a lothario who is 'sex obsessed'. It was reported last month that Luis has an 'insatiable' libido, among other revelations, which came to light in statements from his former lovers made in court documents. It is claimed that the businessman 'left behind a trail of ex-lovers' before getting serious with Teresa, according to Page Six. His ex-fiancee, Vanessa Reiser, complained that he would 'punish' her if his sexual demands weren't met. He also 'got upset with one gal pal if they didn't have sex as much as four times a day.' Reiser, made the stunning punishment claim in a 2020 legal action, filed after they broke up. The lawsuit was later outside of court for undisclosed terms. Hands on: It was reported last month that Luis is 'obsessed with sex' and has an 'insatiable' libido Loved up: The couple enjoyed a make out session on a sun lounger at their luxury hotel 'He demanded that I be available for sex whenever he wanted,' she said in the court papers. 'If I objected to his demands, Luis Ruelas would punish me. He would be nasty, withdraw from me, and blame me for what happened.' Luis was, at one point, also engaged to New Jersey native Paula Sanchez, with a source noting the couple constantly argued 'over his endless need to make love.' 'Ninety-nine percent of their fights were because he was complaining that they weren't having enough sex,' the source said. 'If they had sex like four times in one day, there was a complaint.' Sources told Page Six that Ruelas might be the organizer of a meetup group called Allendale Sacred Sexuality Meetup, which was created in 2016 by 'Louie R.' and based where he lives. Insiders believe Ruelas is at the helm of the group for people who 'love themselves and love their bodies' and are 'entranced by the height of Tantric massage.' Smooches: Luis pulled Teresa in for a long lingering embrace and kiss under her sun hat Hot and heavy: Luis, 47, only had eyes for the TV star on their romantic trip Ruelas' representatives denied he was seeking specific encounters or created the account; they also noted he was not on Tinder despite a similar profile showing up with his information. 'The Meetup profile and the Tinder profile have nothing to do with Louie and were created by others to harass him,' a rep for Ruelas told Page Six. 'These people need to get a life and move on. He has, it's time for them to do the same.' However, a source cautioned the RHONJ star: 'Teresa's going to get the business; he's really good at this. He knows how to make everyone fall in love with him, and then he'll punish her behind the scenes and then she will look like the villain.' Teresa and ex Joe Giudice announced their split in December 2019 after 20 years of marriage and each of them serving time in prison for fraud. Strike a pose: It wasn't all steamy action, however, the couple also took photos of each other and chatted Lots in common: The couple have been dating since November 2020 when they spotted each other at the beach in Jersey Shore Accusations: Luis was accused by an ex that he would 'punish' her if his sexual demands weren't met and also 'got upset with one gal pal if they didn't have sex as much as four times a day.' Come here: The couple cuddled up on sun loungers as Luis reached across to embrace the Bravo star Dating again: Teresa and ex Joe Giudice announced their split in December 2019 after 20 years of marriage and each of them serving time in prison for fraud Joe was deported back to Italy in October 2019 after spending seven months in Immigration And Customs Enforcement custody following a 36-month prison stint for conspiracy to commit wire and bankruptcy fraud. He served his sentence right after Teresa finished 11-months of a 15-month prison sentence for fraud. The judge in the case allowed them to serve separately so their children would have at least one parent in the house. In February Teresa gushed about her new man in an interview with Extra where she talked about how they met. 'I'm really, really happy. I'm in a really good place 2021 is going to be my year it is!' she told Billy Bush. 'We met, believe it or not, at the Jersey Shore. I was walking and that's how I met him, exercising.' She went on, 'That week, he rented a house at the Jersey Shore. He ran past me that week a few times One morning he was packing his car to leave to go back home and that's how we met.' Beach babe: Teresa accessorized her look with a straw sun hat and some gold stud earrings A moment alone: The mom-of four looked contemplative as she looked out to the ocean 'He ran past me with no shirt on. And I was like, "Oh, who is that?"' she recalled. The reality star revealed she was with a group of her girlfriends when she first met Luis. 'We started talking, he told us about himself,' she explained. 'He had two business cards on him. He handed to me one and then one to my married girlfriend.' Teresa said Luis then drove off but that it wasn't the end of their interaction. Teresa dished, 'All of a sudden, he drives up to us in the car He said, "Teresa, my son wanted to know why I didn't ask for your number" I said, "I have your business card, I will text you" My girlfriend took my phone and was like, "I'm texting him right now." Luis apparently called her that night and they talked 'for hours.' 'Luck to have found you!':Teresa posted a gushing birthday tribute to her man last month as he turned 47 Ree Drummond revealed how she lost 38 pounds over the length of quarantine in a video that was shared to her Instagram Story and TikTok account earlier this month. The 52-year-old Pioneer Woman star uploaded the clip in an effort to inform her followers about her preferred weight-loss methods, which she noted were entirely ordinary and old-fashioned. The entrepreneur began the video by speaking about her affection for eating and noted that she had come to a place in her life where her habits were slightly out of control. Making progress: Ree Drummond shared a video documenting the results of her informal weight loss program to her TikTok and Instagram Story earlier this week Drummond expressed that she 'can't get away from food and I love to eat. Of course it crept up on me through the years, especially during COVID.' She then expressed that she eventually chose to do something about her health and embark on a serious path of change. 'Starting in January, I decided to get busy and lose some weight. 'No gimmicks at all. I just cut calories, exercised more, lifted a lot of weights,' she recalled. The blogger went on to express that, although she is happy with her physical appearance, her mental health has improved as a result of her fitness regimen. Being honest: The internet personality expressed that her love for food 'crept up on me through the years, especially during COVID'; she is pictured in 2017 Simple and effective: The cook expressed that she did not seek out professional help for her weight loss and 'just cut calories, exercised more, lifted a lot of weights' She explained, 'I look better but I feel so much better and that's what really counts.' In her post's caption, Drummond expressed that working on her body has been instrumental to her weight loss, although she was holding out for certain foods. 'Moving more and building muscle has been the key for me! I still love fries, though,' she wrote. The internet personality began her career in 2006 when she initially started the Pioneer Woman blog. She quickly became known for her recipes and for her openness about her home life on her website, and she amassed a large following as a result. Starting small: Drummond's career began when she started her cooking blog, The Pioneer Woman, in 2006; she is pictured in 2013 Moving up: She later authored several cookbooks and began writing children's novels; she is pictured with Stephen Colbert in 2019 Drummond went on to author several cookbooks and eventually branched out towards writing children's stories. She was first featured on a television program in 2007 when she won a winning dish on the Food Network competition series Throwdown! With Bobby Flay. The media figure was later given her own show entitled The Pioneer Woman, which initially premiered in 2011 and has been running ever since then. The series follows Drummond as she prepares meals for her friends and family at her ranch in her home state of Oklahoma. Chrishell Stause is setting the record straight after a fan on Instagram accused her of not getting her Selling Sunset co-star Christine Quinn a baby gift. The 39-year-old actress and real estate agent responded to a comment that an Instagram user posted after she shared photos of herself at dinner with her co-workers Amanza Smith, Mary Fitzgerald, Heather Rae Young, Maya Vander, Jason Oppenheim and Brett Oppenheim on Saturday. 'I can't believe none of you guys took pictures with Christine at the MTV awards then don't even send her flowers or anything for her baby?' the user wrote. Clarification: Chrishell Stause is setting the record straight after a fan on Instagram accused her of not getting her Selling Sunset co-star Christine Quinn a baby gift; seen May 17 'She came late and I did send a gift. You need to calm down on people's lives if you are just guessing random things. Jeeze,' Chrishell shot back. Christine, 31, and her husband tech entrepreneur Christian Richard, 41, welcomed their first child, a boy named Christian Georges Dumontet, on May 15. For years, Chrishell and Christine have had an ongoing feud and the show frequently features their clashes on-screen. The pair were even nominated for Best Fight at the 2021 MTV and TV Awards. New mom: Christine, 31, and her husband tech entrepreneur Christian Richard, 41, welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Christian Georges Dumontet, on May 15; seen May 17 Missing in action: While Chrishell posed for in group photos with her cast members at the award show, Christine walked the carpet solo While Chrishell posed for in group photos with her cast members at the award show, Christine walked the carpet solo. Recently the two gave separate interviews to E! News in which they discussed their contentious relationship. 'We are colleagues,' Stause told E! before laughing and adding, 'You know, we're trying to keep it professional.' Fighting back: A fan commented on Chrishell's post, 'I can't believe none of you guys took pictures with Christine at the MTV awards then don't even send her flowers or anything for her baby?' Chrishell responded: 'She came late and I did send a gift. You need to calm down on people's lives if you are just guessing random things. Jeeze' 'We don't really talk that much,' Quinn said. 'We're, as she would say, we coexist. We coexist in the office. But I have amazing new friends, new cast members on the show, so I'm excited to work with them and film with them.' Chrishell and Christine also spoke to E! about their Best Fight nomination, with Christine saying, 'How ironic. I never thought I'd be rewarded for being a bitch but I'm excited, I'm honored, I'm happy to be here.' 'It's an honor I never expected,' Chrishell said. 'I can truly say that. But I'm honored, I think it's fun. I don't think we'll beat the Kardashians, but it will be hilarious if we actually did.' Keeping Up With The Kardashians sisters Kourtney and Kim Kardashian did ultimately end up triumphing over the Selling Sunset duo. Ironic: Chrishell spoke to E! News about her and Christine's Best Fight nomination 'It's an honor I never expected,' Chrishell said. 'I can truly say that. But I'm honored, I think it's fun. I don't think we'll beat the Kardashians, but it will be hilarious if we actually did' Feuding: Christine also spoke to E! about their Best Fight nomination, with Christine saying, 'How ironic. I never thought I'd be rewarded for being a bitch but I'm excited, I'm honored, I'm happy to be here' Christine has found herself embroiled in drama with her castmates since announcing the her pregnancy news in February. In April, Mary said that she has 'no choice' but to confront Quinn during season four after she claimed she didn't congratulate her on the pregnancy. Speaking to hosts Bobby Norris and Stephen Leng on Access All Areas on FUBAR Radio, the realtor insisted that she has 'proof' of her well-wishes. 'I sent her a voice message when I found out she was pregnant, congratulating her and she said 'thank you,'' the star also told Hello! magazine in March. 'But then I saw an article where she was bashing me, Heather Rae Young and Chrishell Stause for not liking her pregnancy announcement and I was like, 'What?' Fans will have to wait and see how the drama plays out when the series returns later this year. It first debuted in 2019 and Netflix announced earlier this year it has been renewed for two additional seasons. Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster and her wife Alexandra Hedison took a romantic stroll through Manhattan's 550-acre Hudson River Park on Monday. April 20 marked the Los Angeles natives' seventh wedding anniversary, and they're still going strong. The 58-year-old former child star wore pink pants with a b&w sweater while the 51-year-old photographer sported an Army-green jacket and black joggers. Rare couple sighting: Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster (R) and her wife Alexandra Hedison (L) took a romantic stroll through Manhattan's 550-acre Hudson River Park on Monday Jodie (born Alicia) has been on a bit of a career hiatus, but she's excited to get back on a set as a director - not so much as an actress. 'The thing that I miss the most, strangely, is just being on sets, hanging out with all the people and making a movie together,' Foster told UK's Metro last month. 'The acting, I'm happy to do less often and really only do it when it's something that really feels meaningful to me, where I feel like I can make a major contribution.' Both of the Tales from the Loop director's sons - Charles, 22; and Kit, 19 - (with ex-partner Cydney Bernard) are now in college: 'So I guess that means I'm an empty-nester for the first time.' Left their dog Ziggy back home: April 20 marked the Los Angeles natives' seventh wedding anniversary, and they're still going strong Exercise: The 58-year-old former child star wore pink pants with a b&w sweater while the 51-year-old photographer sported an Army-green jacket and black joggers 'The thing that I miss the most is just being on sets': Jodie (born Alicia) has been on a bit of a career hiatus, but she's excited to get back on a set as a director - not so much as an actress Both of Foster's sons - Kit, 19; and Charles, 22 (pictured in 2016) - with ex-partner Cydney Bernard are now in college: 'So I guess that means I'm an empty-nester for the first time' This month, a full-length version of an unreleased 2018 track titled Jodie Foster sung by SZA and produced by Tyler, The Creator resurfaced all over SoundCloud. It's unclear why the talented twosome chose to name the leaked track after The Mauritanian actress or if they ever intend on releasing it officially. Meanwhile, Alexandra's work will next be featured in 'The Stubborn Influence of Painting' exhibit at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, which runs June 10 through September 6. Colorado locals should be on the look-out as it's very likely Foster would attend opening night festivities with Hedison. Random! This month, a full-length version of an unreleased 2018 track titled Jodie Foster sung by SZA and produced by Tyler, The Creator resurfaced all over SoundCloud Team: It's unclear why the talented twosome chose to name the leaked track after The Mauritanian actress or if they ever intend on releasing it officially Irina Shayk juggled mom duty with some socializing on Monday. The Russian model was pictured in New York City catching up with her hunky celebrity personal trainer Jason Walsh, who used to date Hilary Duff. The duo could be seen casually clad as they walked together, Irina rocking a black sweatsuit and white sneakers while carrying a Birkin bag. Let's hang: Irina Shayk was spotted meeting up with her personal trainer Jason Walsh in New York on Monday Earlier in the day the 35-year-old was seen with daughter Lea, four, who she shares with Bradley Cooper. Lea wore a red carpet-worthy floral embroidered princess dress as she held her mom's hand. Irina and Bradley have a successful co-parenting relationship and both are seemingly still single following the end of their relationship in 2019. Irina had been rumored to be dating Heidi Klum's ex-boyfriend Vito Schnabel but they haven't been spotted together since last year. The brunette beauty recently talked to Elle about being a single mom. 'I never understood the term co-parenting. When I'm with my daughter, I'm 100 percent a mother, and when she's with her dad, he's 100 percent her dad. Co-parenting is parenting,' she commented. Fitness fanatics: The duo kept it casual for their outing, Irina in a black sweatsuit and sneakers Keeping it casual: Jason donned a grey T-shirt and ripped jeans for the outing Workout pals: Jason shared this photo of him and Irina back in October Meanwhile, fitness fanatic Jason dated Hilary Duff for some months in 2016, following her split from husband Mike Comrie. 'We were seeing each other for a while. People dont know the ins and outs of everything,' she revealed. 'It was definitely my first more serious relationship since my ex-husband.' Hilary told Cosmopolitan. Hilary admitted that she had to find a new personal trainer after their breakup. 'Hes like, "You don't listen to me anymore! I give up!"' she recalled of one of their lighthearted fights. 'I have a different trainer now.' Hilary is now married to musician Matthew Koma and they share daughters Banks, two, and Mae, two months. She also has son Luca, nine, with ex Mike. Mom duty: Irina was earlier seen walking with her daughter Lea, who she shares with ex Bradley Cooper Married At First Sight's Natasha Spencer has announced her engagement to boyfriend Gary Green. The financial analyst, who starred on season seven of the Channel Nine dating show, revealed the exciting news to The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. 'It is all pretty fresh,' said the 28-year-old, who has since shared an exclusive photo of her 'ridiculous' 5ct diamond ring with Daily Mail Australia. Congrats! Married At First Sight's Natasha Spencer announced her engagement to boyfriend Gary Green on Tuesday. Natasha is pictured at the launch of luxe eco-brand Nontre last week She added: 'It just happened. It is a pretty ridiculous ring.' The brunette bombshell went on to reveal the special moment took place aboard a chartered seaplane over Sydney Harbour, where the businessman presented her with a five carat diamond ring. The news comes after Natasha was noticeably absent from the Married At First Sight Grand Reunion earlier this year, along with most of the participants from her season. 'It is all pretty fresh': The 28-year-old was pleasantly surprised by the proposal. 'It just happened. It is a pretty ridiculous ring,' she said Wow! Natasha shared this photo of her 'ridiculous' 5ct diamond ring with Daily Mail Australia Missing: The news comes after Natasha was noticeably absent from the Married At First Sight Grand Reunion, along with most of the participants from the seventh season In August last year, Natasha revealed she was still 'attempting to move on with her life' after appearing on the often-tumultuous series. 'I battled big time and it has taken me so long to get back to a place that's feeling a little bit better,' she revealed to Told You So. Natasha was paired with Mikey Pembroke on the ratings juggernaut. Back in the day: In August last year, Natasha revealed she was still 'attempting to move on with her life' after appearing on this year's season of Channel Nine's Married At First Sight Their 'marriage' fell to pieces at a dinner party after Natasha revealed details of their sex life to fellow co-stars Michel Goonan and Stacey Hampton. She jokingly told them Mikey had only lasted '10 seconds' in the bedroom because of a cramp in his buttocks. Natasha and Mikey have since made up and moved on with their lives. Two-time Oscar nominee Jonah Hill confirmed on Monday that he'll produce and star as Chicago fixer Sidney Korshak in a limited series based on Dennis McDougal's 1998 book The Last Mogul. The Beverly Hills-born attorney - who died, age 88, in 1996 - partnered with Chicago mobsters, which led the FBI to dub him 'the most powerful lawyer in the world.' The 37-year-old actor-director's show will center on Sidney's real-life friendship and partnership with pioneering Hollywood agent Lew Wasserman, who once chaired the MCA. Next gig! Two-time Oscar nominee Jonah Hill (pictured in 2019) confirmed on Monday that he'll produce and star as Chicago fixer Sidney Korshak in a limited series based on Dennis McDougal's 1998 book The Last Mogul Formidable: The Beverly Hills-born attorney - who died, age 88, in 1996 - partnered with Chicago mobsters, which led the FBI to dub him 'the most powerful lawyer in the world' (pictured in 1957) The Korshak-Wasserman project will be created by William Monahan, who won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay in 2007 for penning Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Jonah - who boasts 11.5M social media followers - confirmed the news by sharing Deadline's article with the emoji caption: 'Strong Baby productions.' Hill's Instagram post received glowing comments from Without Remorse action star Michael B. Jordan, Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, and Power producer Mark Canton. The Curb Your Enthusiasm guest star's announcement came a month after he teased an 'important' fashion project with Zoe Kravitz and Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen's high-end label The Row. Aided and abetted: The 37-year-old actor-director's show will center on Sidney's real-life friendship and partnership with pioneering Hollywood agent Lew Wasserman (pictured in 1949), who once chaired the MCA Showrunner: The Korshak-Wasserman project will be created by William Monahan, who won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay in 2007 for penning Martin Scorsese's The Departed Jonah - who boasts 11.5M social media followers - confirmed the news by sharing Deadline's article with the emoji caption: 'Strong Baby productions' 'Greatness together': Hill's Instagram post received glowing comments from Without Remorse action star Michael B. Jordan, Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, and Power producer Mark Canton The 34-year-old Full House alums famously founded their minimalist brand in their NYU college dorm way back in 2006. Last winter, Jonah wrapped his role as POTUS' (Meryl Streep) son and Chief of Staff Jason Orlean in Adam McKay's comedy Don't Look Up, which premieres later this year on Netflix. The political satire disaster flick centers on two astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) alerting the public about an asteroid that will destroy Earth in six months. The Don't Look Up ensemble also includes Cate Blanchett, Chris Evans, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Matthew Perry, Tyler Perry, Gina Gershon, Ron Perlman, and Melanie Lynskey. 'Modeling is emotionally complex': The Curb Your Enthusiasm guest star's announcement came a month after he teased an 'important' fashion project with Zoe Kravitz (R) and Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen's high-end label The Row Sir Mick Jagger could get no satisfaction from writing his memoirs, but it appears his little brother can. Although Mick returned the 1 million advance for his autobiography because he found the past too painful to relive, his brother Chris is ready to spill the family beans. I wrote it myself I didnt have a ghost writer so I had to find my voice, says Jagger Jr of the tome, Talking To Myself. The gossipy book will shed light on the brothers early years growing up in Dartford, Kent, and their careers as musicians. Mick and I share similar early influences, and our parents were central to that. Although Mick returned the 1 million advance for his autobiography because he found the past too painful to relive, his brother Chris (pictured together) is ready to spill the family beans Their father Joe Jagger, a former PE teacher, initially disapproved of Micks career choice, particularly after he dropped out of a degree course at the London School of Economics to pursue music. Sir Mick, 77, and Chris, 73, remain close the Rolling Stone frontman sings backing vocals on blues wailer Chriss new album, Mixing Up The Medicine. The book will also chronicle the younger Jaggers musical adventures with entertaining detours into his travels to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Israel, where he acted in a production of the musical Hair. His CV includes treading the boards with Pierce Brosnan and Ciaran Hinds, making blues documentaries for the BBC and Sky Arts, and fleeting lyrics additions on two Rolling Stones albums. After decades of gigging he finally cracked on with writing his book and turned last years lockdown into an unexpected bonus. But he reveals sympathy for Mick and the devilishly difficult task of penning his life story. Writing took longer than I anticipated, he says. It was a lot harder than I thought. Writing doesnt have to be all poetry. Ive even got some recipes in there. Their father Joe Jagger, a former PE teacher, initially disapproved of Micks career choice, particularly after he dropped out of a degree course at the London School of Economics to pursue music Actress Billie Piper admits to spending a huge chunk of her day on her mobile. I do everything on my phone. All my notes are on it any sort of writing or thoughts or work-related stuff, she says. Apparently, I spend seven hours on my mobile, according to my average update. It seems like a lie, like the phones got it wrong . . . Clarkson girl is boot-iful on her predding day Not only has the pandemic delayed weddings, it seems to have given rise to a new pre-nuptial ceremony. Petrolhead Jeremy Clarksons daughter, author Emily, 26, marked what would have been her wedding day to publicist Alex Andrew, 26, at the weekend with a so-called predding. The gathering, held in the Cotswolds, resembled a wedding in many ways: Emily wore a white dress the same one her mother, Frances Cain, wore when she wed Jeremy and they even tucked into a predding cake. We cant wait to do this all again next year. Exactly the same, except I wont be in Dr Martens and there will be a vicar, says Emily. Petrolhead Jeremy Clarksons daughter, author Emily, 26, marked what would have been her wedding day to publicist Alex Andrew, 26, at the weekend with a so-called predding Perfumer Azzi Glasser is enjoying the sweet smell of romance. The fragrant 51-year-old has dumped her toyboy and is going out with someone she says is her own age: film producer Lee Beasley. He is amazing and treats me like a princess, she gushes at a private view by artists Maxim and Dan Pearce at 99 Projects gallery in Londons Kensal Rise. Azzi was previously courted by Vikings star Jack McEvoy, 27. Geris girl power pep talk gives hubby a kick From publicly flirting with Prince Charles to dancing on stage in a tight Union Jack mini dress, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has never worried too much about what others think. Now her attitude is rubbing off on her husband, Red Bull Racing Formula One team boss Christian Horner. You need honest people around you. My wife can be brutal, he admits. Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell's attitude is rubbing off on her husband, Red Bull Racing Formula One team boss Christian Horner (pictured together) She says always be aware that a pat on the back is six inches from a kick up the a***. Thats absolutely true particularly within the media world. You cant control what people think of you. They either like you or they dont. Learning to let go of wanting to be liked is a very empowering thing. Actors face being quizzed on their sexuality at auditions, if pop star Will Young has his way. The former Pop Idol winner, who came out in 2002, declares only gay actors should be cast in gay roles. Young, 42, says of a show he watched featuring homo-sexual characters: I went to see this play and, out of the company of ten people, only three of the actors were gay. In my opinion all those actors should be gay. Harrys yoga pal: you can beat stress The Duke of Sussex can always rely on his old friend, yoga teacher Lady Zoe Warren, daughter of the 14th Earl of Galloway, for tips on how to manage his severe anxiety. The 37-year-old wife of Princess Dianas godson Jake Warren has dispensed a timely toolkit for such matters. The Duke of Sussex can always rely on his old friend, yoga teacher Lady Zoe Warren (pictured), daughter of the 14th Earl of Galloway, for tips on how to manage his severe anxiety Anxiety is something we can all sympathise with, she says in an online video. I have four steps when anxiety arises. Step one is to acknowledge the anxiety. The second is to accept it. The third is to support yourself: bring a hand onto the knot in your belly. And use a mantra such as: Youre going to be OK. Relations between William and Harry might be increasingly messy, but courtiers are determined to make sure Kensington Palace is tidied up before the statue of Princess Diana is unveiled next month. Officials have successfully applied to carry out the removal of dead wood from the grounds of Dianas former home. In all, more than 30 trees are to be pruned and chopped back in work which is expected to be completed by the July unveiling. There will no doubt be a few wry smiles over any moves to get rid of deadwood, one royal observer jokes. Could that also extend to certain members of the family? @MarkCavitt on Twitter Mark Cavitt is a multimedia journalist at The Oakland Press and MediaNews Group in Michigan. He covers Oakland County government as well as the communities of Commerce Township, Lyon Township, Milford, Novi, South Lyon, Walled Lake and Wixom. Royal Oak High School video and film teacher Mike Conrad was honored with a Michigan Film Educator of Year award from Digital Arts, Film & Television (DAFT), a nonprofit media arts educational organization founded over 50 years ago. Motor company and brand Nissan has donated a substantial gift to the seven prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Mississippi. This contribution is explicitly allocated to encourage interest in STEM-related careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The $250,000 gift makes six years in a row that Nissan has provided financial support to the institutions, which includes Coahoma Community College, Rust College, Hinds Community College-Utica campus, Tougaloo College, Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, and Jackson State University. Total funds set aside for the schools presently amount to almost $1.5 million. In a recent news release from the company, Keri Kelly, the director of Diversity and Inclusion for Nissan Americas, recognizes that the HBCUs hold an integral role in preparing STEM majors for widespread impact. Students pursuing STEM-related degrees have a broad range of career opportunities, she said. Tim Fallon, vice president of manufacturing for the Nissan Canton Assembly Plant in Canton, Mississippi, also commented, expressing that the business owes gratitude to the HBCU graduates who have bravely taken on the engineering and manufacturing challenges that come with creating its award-winning cars and trucks. Patricia Furdge, chair of Coahomas Science and Math department, believes such gifts aid in giving STEM students a highly beneficial educational experience. Science is changing! To prepare our students for these changes, funds are needed to upgrade our labs and to enhance our existing technological capabilities, said Furdge. Preparing our students for STEM programs such as engineering and biotechnology will effect change in their community and the world in which we live. Coahoma Community College students have competed in national STEM competitions such as the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars Program. Future contributions will ensure that our students have the opportunity to strengthen their scientific, analytical, and problem-solving skills and become more competitive in STEM programs. To learn more about academic programs of study in the subjects of science, math, and technology offered by Coahoma Community College, go to www.coahomacc.edu/programs/academics. Neel Bhatt, a UW assistant professor of otolaryngology, specializes in treating patients with voice problems. Through his work, he began to realize people did not like the sound of their own voices. With the transition to school over Zoom, many students can relate to the discomfort of hearin Dancehall artist Mavado will have to join the long list of creditors who have made claims against the estate of disbarred attorney-at-law Jennifer Messado, who declared herself bankrupt last week. She has her certificate of bankruptcy from the Office of the Trustee in bankruptcy, its just like when you have a receivership. This move now gives Messado breathing space, an opportunity to regularise her assets and distribute them in a fair way so that one person is not enriched at the expense of other creditors. The debts will be now be paid in a fair and equitable manner, attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend told DancehallMag. The Office of the Trustee in Bankruptcy & Insolvency (OTB) is under the portfolio of The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF). When a person is declared bankrupt, a notice is also placed in one of the daily newspapers to announce this new state of affairs. Dancehall star Mavado cut a frustrated figure on social media over the weekend as he called out Messado, dubbing her an old criminal, even intimating that she continues to avoid a custodial jail sentence merely because she is a professional who hails from the upper class. However, this neat bit of legal ninjutsu by Messado may actually work in Mavados favor as he pushes for the repayment of the 23 million that is still owed to him. This now means that all bankrupt proceedings against her are stayed and creditors can make a claim against her estate. All civil proceedings are stayed, but criminal proceedings are not affected. This is in fact better for every creditor, because when you have someone appointed as a trustee, if a property is sold, every creditor will get a piece of money. No one person walks away with the bulk of that sale, as Messado is no longer in charge of her affairs, it is the hands of her trustee, Townsend explained. A bankruptcy declaration stops most collection actions, including telephone calls, wage garnishments, and lawsuits (with some exceptions). It also eliminates many types of debt, including credit card balances, medical bills, personal loans, and more. But it doesnt stop all creditors, and it doesnt wipe out all obligations. Last week, Mavado, whose real name is David Brooks, had been hit by news that Messado filed for bankruptcy last week, subverting his attempt to reclaim all of the $30 million that she allegedly defrauded him more than three years ago. He tagged the Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, as he ranted about the quality of the Jamaican justice system and hinted at bias and preferential treatment given to members of the upper class who avoid justice because of prestige. Mavado complained: This is Jamaicas legal scammers that the government can not do nothing about all because shes (Messado) not from the ghetto a things like This a mash up the country because it makes you wonder how much ppl may be not around because of her doings, and her powerful power that she have exercised a lot. However, Mavados assertion that she continues to avoid jail is not entirely correct. Last year, the disbarred real estate attorney, who is facing a battery of fraud charges, spent a week behind bars for breaching a civil court order. The court had sanctioned her for six weeks imprisonment. In that matter, Messado allegedly breached the civil court order and was sentenced in the civil matter and later released. the money was removed and a complaint was made the money was put back in the account and she was released, Townsend told the media at the time. Justice Kissock Laing had made an order that Messado does not remove money from a particular account. Messado was sentenced on September 16, 2020, after a complainant pointed to a breach of the Supreme Court order. Marcia Smikle, U-Roys partner of 40-plus years, has thanked Olivia Grange, Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture, the funeral organizers, and well-wishers for their support in making the celebration of the life of dancehall Godfather, Daddy U Roy a great occasion. The family wants to thank Minister Olivia Grange, Perrys Funeral home and his assistant who worked tirelessly to make U Roys send off so nice. The send off was a great occasion fitting of the man himself, and I want to give a special thanks to artistes like Hugh Brown and Charlie Chaplin who gave tributes at the event. The motorcade, the floral arrangements, the decorations, everything was perfect, Smikle told DancehallMag. The late veteran toaster Ewart U-Roy Beckford was buried at Dovecot Memorial Park on Wednesday, May 19. Daddy U-Roy is survived by 16 children. Smikle, who is in her 60s, had lived with the artiste for 41 years. They didnt conceive any children together, but he raised Smikles child from a previous relationship as his own. U-Roy passed away on February 17. The veteran toaster helped transform Jamaican music through an innovative vocal improvisation process known as toasting where he expanded the role of a DJ into someone who didnt just play and introduce records but added their own verve and vocal ability to the product. He was 78. U-Roy had been receiving treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure conditions, and also suffered with kidney problems. A day after veteran reggae artiste U-Roy was laid to rest, his record label Trojan Jamaica/BMG announced the release of Solid Gold U-Roy, his latest full-length album. The album was originally set to hit the market in 2020, with plans for a worldwide tour in support, but unfortunately, the pandemic delayed the release. With his death on February 17, the label noted that the album has become a celebration of one of what it calls the most profoundly influential reggae stars of his generation. Solid Gold U-Roy, which hits the streets on July 16, features guest appearances by heavyweights including Ziggy Marley, Shaggy, Mick Jones of The Clash, Santigold, Sly & Robbie, David Hinds of Steel Pulse, Big Youth, Tarrus Riley, Rygin King, Jesse Royal, Richie Spice, and Scientist. The lead single, Man Next Door featuring Santigold, was originally composed by John Holt and released in 1968 by his group, The Paragons. U-Roy sampled the song in 1982 for the track Peace and Love in the Ghetto which appeared on his Original DJ album. An official music video is also available now for Man Next Door. The clip captures U-Roy in 2018 at the Trojan Jamaica studios in one of his last sessions. Santigold was filmed at Sunset Sound later that year. The video was directed by Nick Franco/1185 Films in collaboration with Trojan Jamaica co-founders Zak Starkey and Sharna Sshh Liguz. CHICAGO (AP) Nationally known activist Chicago priest the Rev. Michael Pfleger will be reinstated as the leader of his parish after an investigation found insufficient reason to suspect he sexually abused children, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago announced Monday. The decision from the archdiocese comes more than four months after it asked Pfleger to step aside and told his parish that its Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review had received an allegation that the priest had sexually abused a minor more than 40 years ago. Three accusers ultimately came forward, with one saying he was 18 when Pfleger sexually abused him. Pfleger, who is white, had fierce support from leaders and parishioners at St. Sabina, a Black church in the citys largely Black and low-income Auburn Gresham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Parishioners cheered as he arrived for a news conference outside St. Sabina on Monday afternoon, and Pfleger jokingly said he couldnt believe how many people had left work to be there. He thanked church leaders and parishioners for supporting him in the most difficult and challenging time that made him frustrated, angry, depressed and discouraged. Im a man of faith but Im also a human being who hurts and who bleeds, he said. Ive been discouraged at times. I wanted to give up ... but I love this church too much to walk away. Eugene Hollander, an attorney for the accusers, said his clients were disheartened and were considering whether to file a lawsuit. You had not one, not two, but three victims of alleged molestation, he said. They are of course very, very disappointed with the findings. In a letter to the parish, Cardinal Blase Cupich said he had accepted the finding of the Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review and the archdioceses Independent Review Board. Two brothers, both Black and now in their 60s, alleged in January that Pfleger groomed them as children and abused them at rectories in the Chicago area. They accused the priest of taking advantage of two Black boys who trusted him. A third man later accused Pfleger of grabbing his crotch over his clothes in 1979. The 59-year-old man said he was 18 at the time and pretended to sleep. None of the men have been publicly identified. While the third man, who lives outside Illinois, had been reluctant to tell his story, the brothers felt compelled to speak up, Hollander said. For them to move forward and complete themselves, make themselves whole, they had to tell their stories, he said. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services completed its own review in February, concluding there was no credible evidence of child abuse or neglect by Pfleger. A spokesman said the agency cannot investigate allegations of abuse by an adult victim but focuses on whether children are currently at risk. Attorneys for the accusers and Pfleger have previously acknowledged a police investigation of the abuse allegations. Illinois has no statute of limitations for filing charges in major sex crimes. A spokesman for the Chicago Police Department said its investigation is still open. A representative for Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said police have not presented any information for the office to review or determine if criminal charges are appropriate. Pfleger was ordained in 1975 and assigned to St. Sabina Church, then became pastor six years later. He has been credited with reviving the parish. Dubbed Father Mike by parishioners, he is known nationally for his dramatic approach to activism aimed at chronic problems in the city, including defacement of alcohol and cigarette billboards and paying prostitutes to accept counseling. Upset by the removal of their pastor, parishioners had tied up the archdioceses phone lines, held rallies, sent letters and threatened to withhold $100,000 in monthly dues. Pfleger told the crowd at Monday's news conference that he will return to work emboldened, stronger and more ready to fight than ever in my life with a focus on violence and inequality in their neighborhood and in Chicago. False accusations were put out against me ... and I was immediately put out, Pfleger said. Youre guilty until proven innocent. And its been hell. Cupich said Pfleger's reinstatement is effective the first weekend of June. I have asked Father Pfleger to take the next two weeks to prepare himself spiritually and emotionally to return, realizing that these months have taken a great toll on him, Cupich said. He has agreed to do so. The archdiocese's first statement on Pfleger's reinstatement said its review found no reason to suspect Pfleger of abuse before sending a second statement that changed the phrase to insufficient reason. A spokeswoman said the Independent Review Board's letter on its findings used the term insufficient reason and the public statement was updated to match that. ___ Associated Press reporter Sophia Tareen contributed to this story. Rasmus S. Jorgensen/AP ELKHART, Ind. (AP) The former mayor of a northern Indiana city has died after what his family has said was a weeks-long hospitalization with COVID-19. Former Elkhart Mayor Dave Miller died Sunday at age 62. Miller was the citys mayor from 2000 through 2007, during which time he helped spur the revival of Elkharts nearly century-old Lerner Theatre performance hall that reopened in 2011 after an $18 million renovation. A group of University of Connecticut researchers is tackling the question of whether the human gut microbiome is impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine and whether it might help a persons body fight the disease. Among the countless COVID studies underway, these researchers believe their study is the only one looking at how the virus and the vaccine interact with the gut microbiome. Not everybody is getting the same kind of COVID vaccine responses, said Wanli Xu, an assistant professor at the UConn School of Nursing. We want to understand the factors, why some people are getting better responses versus other people not. We're trying to see whether there is a component from the microbiome playing a role in these differences. When someone refers to a gut microbiome, it usually means all the microbes microorganisms like bacteria and viruses in the intestines. Those microorganisms play a role in digestion, but there is a growing body of evidence that gut health is an important factor in overall wellness. The interaction between the gut and the lung is not a new concept, UConn researcher Yanjiao Zhou said. For example, when you have a flu or a cold, a lot of people also have a gut-related symptom, especially in children. COVID, too, can cause gut-related symptoms. So we suspect that maybe there is a kind of a similar mechanism that is involved with COVID, the gut and the lung interaction, she said. Pandemic stress Xiaomei Cong, associate dean for research at UConn School of Nursing, explained it in relation to stress. When babies experience a lot of stress in early life, their gut microbiome changes, she said. Cong explained that stress experienced in the brain and nerves is expressed through hormones that influence your gut. When you really feel stressful, this system really influences your microbiome, she said. But, Cong said its bi-directional. When your gut microbiome changes, it can affect your emotional and psychological health. For COVID, this disease is not only the virus, it's also the pandemic stress, Cong said. Cong, Xu and Zhou are essentially studying the bi-directional nature of the gut microbiome as it relates to immunity. So when the participant gets their vaccination, how it influences their gut, she said. Gut health development Babies, Cong said, are born with no gut microbiome to speak of. She and Xu have been studying the development of the gut microbiome in early life for the better part of a decade. Their particular study group has been the youngest babies, specifically those in the neonatal intensive care unit. Their work has been to monitor the development of the gut microbiome in the first few weeks of life, but also what gut health might mean for that childs growth. We try to look at what factors influence their development, Cong said. For example, their research showed that a mothers own milk will produce a healthier baby and better gut health, as opposed to either formula or a surrogate. As researchers in UConns School of Nursing, their goal has been practical. We can provide the evidence to show the conditions or provide the intervention, Cong said. The same is true now that the team has turned to COVID research. The goal, ultimately, is practical therapies that can be applied by patients to improve their own immune response. But they are not there yet. At this stage, its more like a mechanism study, Xu said. We want to figure out whether there is a factor, or whether there is effect. Those factors can be very specific, like the encouragement of a particular group of gut bacteria or the suppression of another. If we identify one of the bacteria, or certain type of bacteria, like a gut microbiome community, that's actually making people have weaker immune responses, that could lead to a second study, whether adding some something like probiotics or giving some kind of antibiotics to delete some certain bacterial strain, would that help with the immune responses, Xu said. But at this stage we don't know. Vaccine rates This work, Xu, Cong and Zhou believe, is the only research of its kind being done in the United States, but they have a problem: Theyre having a hard time finding people to be study participants. The study requires patients who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID, and vaccination rates in Connecticut are high enough to make that a difficult proposition. Every study that involves human participants must be approved by an institutional review board. They have to review all your protocols and make sure everything is done correctly, you're not harming people, you're not violating privacy, Xu said. We have to go through all the procedures before we are approved and we can really start to recruit. By the time they had approval, much of the state had already been vaccinated. We were able to get a surge of people signing up at the beginning, but then it kind of started to slow down because people already got their vaccination so that made them ineligible, Xu said. The team is still actively looking for participants. If you or anyone else you know might want to get involved, call 860-486-6930 or send an email to XuLab@uconn.edu. Skip to main navigation For Release: Monday, May 24, 2021 DEC and Great Lakes Research Consortium Award $121,741 in Research Grants Funding Supports Five Innovative Projects to Protect Health of Great Lakes The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Syracuse-based Great Lakes Research Consortium (GLRC) today announced $121,741 in grant awards for five research projects that will help restore and protect the health of New York's Great Lakes and surrounding communities. "Our rapidly changing climate, coupled with increased threats from invasive species, nutrient pollution, and emerging contaminants, are challenging the health of Great Lakes ecosystems," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "The research grants announced today will help New York State delve deeper into the science of these problems and broaden our ability to address these and future challenges." "The Great Lakes Research Consortium is pleased to support a wide range of projects from across New York State to address important issues including invasive species, harmful algal blooms, changing water levels in Lake Ontario, the identification of new and emerging contaminants, and the use of phosphorus sorption technology," said Great Lakes Research Consortium Director Gregory L. Boyer, Ph.D. "These small grant awards support first-of-their-kind and basic foundational research that is essential if we are to properly manage and conserve New York's critical freshwater resources." The five projects receiving 2021 Great Lakes Research Consortium (GLRC) Small Grants are: Clarkson University: $24,917 for a first-of-its-kind project for the New York Great Lakes Basin and watershed. Clarkson Assistant Professor of Biology Andrew David, Ph.D., will lead research to assess the connectivity patterns of two established invasive species of snails-one that impacts largemouth bass populations in New York lakes and rivers, and one that is now the largest, most abundant snail in Adirondack lakes. This work will create a foundation for identifying the vectors that promote aquatic invasive species (AIS) dispersal find potential barriers to help limit their spread. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Dr. Kate Cleary, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at SUNY Potsdam. Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS): $25,000 to lead an international team of researchers that will measure shifts in algal abundance, composition, and nutrients over the past century. HWS Associate Professor of Geoscience Tara Curtin, Ph.D., will work with HWS Finger Lakes Institute Post-Doctoral Research Scientist Michael Brown, Ph.D., to lead the project team that includes researchers with Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; Syracuse University; and the University of Regina, Saskatchewan. The team will evaluate the records of Canandaigua Lake, Cayuga Lake, Owasco Lake, and Seneca Lake, which have all experienced toxic HAB events since 2017. The team will use sediment cores to develop a long-term record of HABs and the associated environmental drivers as a data-based tool for developing mitigation strategies. New York's Ontario County Water Resources Council is providing additional funding for this work. Binghamton University, State University of New York (SUNY): $24,035 to augment the New York State Geographic Information System (GIS) database with an historical record of coastline changes along Lake Ontario in Niagara and Orleans counties. Binghamton University Associate Professor of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies Peter L. K. Knuepfer, Ph.D., will lead this pilot project to systematically evaluate the history of shoreline change, both due to erosion and accretion, as a way to evaluate recent high water events in 2017 and 2019, as well as future changes. The project will incorporate historical imagery, maps, and navigational charts accumulated for this stretch of shoreline over more than three decades. Mapping and identification of trends over time will be shared with municipal and county stakeholders to assist resiliency planning. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF): $24,789 to test a combined technology process for detecting new and unknown water pollutants missed by traditional screening practices that target known contaminants. SUNY ESF Assistant Professor of Chemistry Alexander B. Artyukhin, Ph.D., will lead an ESF team that includes John Hassett, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, and Lemir Teron, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies. The team will analyze samples from Onondaga Lake and Lake Ontario to test the feasibility of using untargeted mass spectrometry technology paired with molecular networking to discover potential new pollutants, derivatives, or metabolites. The Seneca Watershed Intermunicipal Organization: $23,000 to collaborate and evaluate optimizing the design of phosphorus sorption technology for deployment in agricultural settings in the Great Lakes region. In collaboration with the Finger Lakes Institute at HSW, the Yates, Seneca, and Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Seneca Farms Biochar in Odessa, Seneca Watershed Steward Ian Smith will lead this innovative project to inform the design of field-scale systems that would be USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-approved best management practices for mitigating phosphorus and HABs. This small grants program is funded by New York's Environmental Protection Fund. The Great Lakes Research Consortium is an organization of 18 colleges and universities in New York State, plus nine affiliate campuses in Ontario, Canada, dedicated to collaborative Great Lakes research and science education. Its small grants program provides funding for small-scale research projects that take initiating steps to address critical Great Lakes issues and establish baseline data to support larger applied research and demonstration projects. Learn more at Great Lakes Research Consortium's website. Clarkson Assistant Professor of Biology Andrew David, Ph.D. Photo: Clarkson University Clarkson Assistant Professor of BiologyAndrew David, Ph.D. Photo: Clarkson University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Associate Professor of Geoscience Tara Curtin, Ph.D., right, instructs students on a research vessel field trip. Photo: Hobart and William Smith Colleges Hobart and William Smith Colleges Associate Professorof Geoscience Tara Curtin, Ph.D., right, instructs students on aresearch vessel field trip. Photo: Hobart and William Smith Colleges Seneca Watershed Steward Ian Smith conducts field research in Castle Creek, Geneva, N.Y. Photo: Samantha Stumpf Seneca Watershed Steward Ian Smith conducts field researchin Castle Creek, Geneva, N.Y. Photo: Samantha Stumpf Binghamton University Associate Professor of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies Peter L.K. Knuepfer, Ph.D., along Esopus Creek, a Hudson River tributary in New York's Catskills Mountains. Photo courtesy of Peter L.K. Knuepfer Binghamton University Associate Professor of Geological Sciencesand Environmental Studies Peter L.K. Knuepfer, Ph.D., alongEsopus Creek, a Hudson River tributary in New York's CatskillsMountains. Photo courtesy of Peter L.K. Knuepfer Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Sources said at least 40 doctors from GGH, Super Specialty Hospital and Cancer Hospital have tested positive and many of them are being treated at various hospitals. (Representational Image/PTI) ANANTAPUR: Dr Gangulappa, 53, the head of the department (HOD) of anatomy department at Anantapur Government Medical College died of Covid-19 at the Government General Hospital (GGH) here on Sunday. He was the senior professor in the anatomy wing of medical college. He had been part of treating Covid patients at the GGH and tested positive for the virus 20 days ago. Though, the doctor tested negative and he developed respiratory complications in the early hours of the day. The doctors and staff of medical college and GGH condoled his death. It is worrying that the medical staff treating Covid patients at special wards and ICUs is being infected by the virus even after vaccination. Sources said at least 40 doctors from GGH, Super Specialty Hospital and Cancer Hospital have tested positive and many of them are being treated at various hospitals. IMA city chapter president and psychiatric ward head at the GGH, Dr Endluri Prabhakar, has reportedly tested positive and is being treated at the GGH, sources said. He has been leading a counselling centre to create awareness among the Covid patients at the hospital. At least 400 patients get his guidance in a month. Similarly, super specialty hospital superintendent, medical college principal among others are suffering from Covid. Meanwhile, Rapthadu Tahasildar Shivaiah died of Covid at the Super Specialty Hospital on Sunday. The revenue official tested positive a few days ago and was admitted to the hospital. Collector Gandham Chandrudu and the revenue association expressed shock over his demise. An officer in the agriculture department, Suresh Babu, also died of Covid in the district. In a letter to director of medical education on Monday, Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) wanted all final year postgraduate medical students of both government and private colleges to be considered as senior residents. (Representational Image/PTI) VIJAYAWADA: Junior doctors in Andhra Pradesh have threatened to boycott all their duties in medical colleges of the state if AP government fails to fulfil their demands by May 27. These demands include recognising them as senior residents and hike in their stipend. In a letter to director of medical education on Monday, Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) wanted all final year postgraduate medical students of both government and private colleges to be considered as senior residents. The association pointed out that some of these students are even performing duties in Coronavirus wards. As such, the junior doctors asked state government to hike the stipend of senior residents to Rs. 80,000 without further delay, pointing out that this demand has been pending since January 2020. APJUDA president Dr. Rahul Roy said, In case there is no response from the state government, we may be forced to act against our will and boycott all duties in medical colleges of the state from May 27. Teachers want immediate vaccination Meanwhile, SC and ST Teachers Association of Andhra Pradesh has asked the state government to vaccinate all teachers before asking them to resume full-time duties when Coronavirus is at its peak. The association demanded that compensation be paid to kin of all teachers who have succumbed to Covid-19. Association president Samala Simhachalam and general secretary Mekala Sivarjuna organised a virtual meeting, where the former pointed out that several teachers have died due to the Coronavirus infection. While families of such teachers must be compensated, all other teachers should be vaccinated against Covid-19 before being asked to report on duty. Simhachalam demanded PRC with 50 percent fitment and cash free treatment for teachers at Covid hospitals. He also appealed to the government that it implement Amma Vodi scheme for all eligible students of the state. Earlier, the executive body thanked Vizianagaram collector Dr. M. Hari Jawahar Lal for quickly responding to their request for vaccinating teachers. Simhachalam appealed to all other collectors to take similar steps in consultation with the government. Srikakulam collector J Niwas and superintendent of police Amit Baradar asked the local officials to keep the main roads free from uprooted trees and electric poles for free movement of oxygen tankers and ambulances carrying patients. (Photo: twitter @POLICESRIKAKULM) VISAKHAPATNAM: Srikakulam collector J Niwas and superintendent of police Amit Baradar visited several villages on the seaside in Ichapuram and Kaviti mandals on Monday and asked the local officials to keep the main roads free from uprooted trees and electric poles for free movement of oxygen tankers and ambulances carrying patients. He told them that a cyclone has formed over Bay of Bengal, which is likely to cross the Odisha-West Bengal border on May 26. He said that there was a warning from IMD that high-velocity winds and rain would occur before and after crossing the systems that would cause large scale destruction. He said that he had also spoken to National Highway authorities to keep the roads free from debris. The collector told the officials that there should be no interruption of power as it would affect Covid patients in hospitals and Covid care centres and see that oxygen supply was maintained. When farmers asked him about saving crops, the collector told them that 19,000 tarpolines were acquired to cover the crop from rains and 5,000 bags to carry them to a safe place. He suggested that the crop could be stored in schools, which have been closed now. He also asked the officials to maintain power supply, install generators and drinking water at cyclone shelters. He also suggested linking up PDS supply with cyclone shelters. He said a campaign should be held in the fishermen community village to prevent them from venturing into the sea in the next four days. Rao held a high-level meeting at Pragathi Bhavan to review the Coronavirus situation in the state on Monday. (Photo: @TelanganaCMO) HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao said that the state government was ready to spend any amount to contain coronavirus in the state and there is no constraint of funds. Stating that there is no other priority except for controlling Covid-19, he asked finance minister T. Harish Rao to increase budgetary allocation for health and police departments by decreasing the budget of other departments. He instructed Harish Rao to identify departments that incur less expenditure and divert those funds to police and health departments, which are incurring heavy expenditure in the fight against Covid-19. Rao held a high-level meeting at Pragathi Bhavan to review the Coronavirus situation in the state on Monday. Senior officials from health, police and other departments were present. Rao asked officials to implement a 'dual-pronged strategy' to check the spread of virus. He said that Coronavirsu tests should be increased substantially while at the same time there was a need to intensify the ongoing door-to-door fever survey. Those showing symptoms should be provided with medical kits, he said. He sought purchase of 50 lakh rapid antigen test kits in order to increase corona tests. The Chief Minister instructed corona task force chairman K.T. Rama Rao to talk to vaccine manufacturers for supply of the quantity needed for the second dose. Rao said that around 160 beds in Gandhi hospital and 200 in Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital should be earmarked separately for black fungus patients. He said the bed strength for black fungus patients should be increased to 1,500 in the State with 1,100 of them earmarked for Hyderabad. People from the neighbouring states are coming here for treatment of Covid and black fungus. It appears that we cannot escape from giving treatment to people from other states, Rao said. After inaugurating a 30-bed German Shed for Coronavirus patients at Eluru in West Godavari district, Nani told media that people need not have any apprehensions or reservations over the issue. (Photo: facebook @AllaNani) KAKINADA: Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kalikrishna Srinivas alias Nani, who holds the Medical and Health portfolio, said a committee of medical experts appointed by the state government has found no harmful or toxics substances in Anandaiahs concoction that claims to cure Covid-19. After inaugurating a 30-bed German Shed for Coronavirus patients at Eluru in West Godavari district, Nani told media that people need not have any apprehensions or reservations over the issue. The minister, however, clarified that experts of ICMR, who are also studying the mix being provided by Anandaiah, are yet to submit their report. He said only based on the central institutions report could the state government take a decision on efficacy of the concoction. He clarified that there is no truth in allopathic lobby trying to undermine the ayurvedic medicine. On Covid-19, Nani said to increase the number of beds for treating Coronavirus patients, temporary German Sheds are being set up in all districts of the state. He pointed out that one of these sheds has already been set up in Eluru within a span of five days, where another 20 beds may be added. He underlined that all German-Shed facilities will be continuously monitored by doctors, have air conditioning and bio-toilets, apart from other facilities. Earlier, the minister inaugurated the central oxygen system at the Government Hospital in Eluru in the presence of East Godavari district collector Karthikeya Misra, superintendent of police Narayana Naick and others. Meanwhile, the much-publicised report of ICMR team on Bonigi Anandaiah concoction has not yet been received. People have been pinning hopes on a green signal from the organisation so that its distribution could be resumed. Sources, however, pointed to TTD chairman Y. V. Subba Reddys statement that ICMR has handed over the matter to Ministry of Ayush for a final decision. Stopping the distribution of concoction challenged in HC A petition was filed in the AP High Court here on Monday, challenging the state governments move to stop distribution of concoction to treat coronavirus patients by B. Anandaiah at Krishnapatnam in Nellore district. The petitioner M. Uma Maheswara Naidu through his counsel Y. Balaji petitioned the court that stoppage of distribution of concoction was leading to deaths. The petitioner said that Anandaiah was distributing the medicine for the last one month and it was curing the patients and also improving levels of immunity of infected persons. He also said that when hospitals were expressing helplessness, patients were being brought to Krishnapatnam for his medicine. The patients have been recovering after taking the medicine given by him. He pleaded the court to issue an order to direct both the Centre and the state government to approve the concoction as ayurvedic medicine prepared by the Anandaiah and also provide the raw material in bulk besides protecting the rights of Andhaiah. He also asked for interim direction to the state government to resume distribution of the concoction. Derry, NH (03038) Today Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. A man with a horrendous criminal record has been charged with assaulting a female which caused a neck injury. Liam Carlin, 32, whose address was given as Carlisle Road in the city, has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on May 21. The court heard that CCTV operators observed the defendant rolling around on the ground with a female in front of the Bank of Ireland building on the Strand Road. A police officer said the pair were fighting. By the time the PSNI arrived Carlin and the alleged victim were sitting with their backs against a wall drinking Fanta and were both clearly intoxicated. Police observed blood on the alleged injured partys top and noticed a wound behind her ear. She told officers that she caused the injuries to herself. CCTV operators rewatched the footage which they said clearly shows Carlin punching her several times around the head. The court was told that a group of kids confirmed that to be the case. During police interview the defendant said they had been drinking from early in the afternoon and he couldnt remember how he got to Strand Road. Carlin had no recollection of hitting the alleged injured party but admitted that it must have happened when shown CCTV footage. The 32-year-old said there have been similar incidents in the past. A police officer said the alleged victim has a history of not following through with statements but the PPS has prosecuted the defendant without statements in the past. He added that Carlin has a horrendous record with 110 previous convictions and a domestic violence history. The defendant also has alcohol and drug addictions. Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley described the incident as two street drinkers fighting and accepted CCTV footage shows punches being thrown. He said the alleged victim has a record not unlike Carlins and the incident itself was a pretty appalling situation. Mr Quigley requested one more chance to allow his client to avail of a pre-sentence probation report to examine his issues. Referring to the domestic violence history, he said there have been allegations and counter allegations. Deputy District Judge McStay said it was a serious assault on a female which may well be reduced to common assault. He explained that prison sentences have been imposed and probation attempted in the past. Bail was refused and the case adjourned to a court sitting on June 17. Yellow ribbons attached to messages of hope from Derry schoolchildren have been tied to the Peace Tree in Eglinton. Pupils and staff from Good Shepherd Primary School and Oakgrove Integrated Primary School and Nursery were joined in the village by Deputy Mayor Graham Warke as Derry Junior Chamber launched its 'Campaign of Hope.' The messages have been written by local schoolchildren and community groups on laser cut wooden tags and tied to the tree with yellow ribbons to symbolise the Junior Chamber's plan to turn the city sunshine yellow with hope following Covid-19. Through the messages, the youngsters have expressed their hopes and optimism for the future following the many challenges presented by the pandemic over the past 14 months. The event launched Campaign of Hope which will see a series of small to medium sized events held from May to December 2021 on the concept of hope and engaging young people in the message, including a key Day of Hope event in August. Many businesses in Derry will reopen today for the first time in months due to the latest easing of the lockdown restrictions. A wide range of sectors, including pubs, restaurants and hotels, can fully reopen from today. Pubs with outdoor spaces have been allowed to serve outside for several weeks. However, today is the key date that most local businesses have been looking forward to. Dawn McLaughlin, President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, urged people to remain vigilant against Covid, but said it was a great day for the economy. We have been consistent in our message that we arent fully open until were all open, she said. "The high street and city centre businesses are reliant on each other to thrive so it is great news that indoor hospitality and other indoor businesses like cinemas will be allowed to reopen. We can now begin to look towards the busy summer period and our economic recovery. However, she added that there remains 'some ambiguity and grey areas' within the hospitality industry over what is exactly required of them to reopen. Its important that the relevant authorities take a lenient and educational approach which supports our hospitality businesses and doesnt punish them any further, especially as many of them have invested time and money in making their premises Covid-secure. These latest relaxations coupled with the continued success of the vaccine programme bring a real sense of optimism and positivity for the coming weeks and months. Businesses are excited to reopen and welcome back customers and we would urge people to stay, shop and support local as they get back out and about. Its also crucial that we continue to follow the basics of mask wearing, hand washing, good ventilation, and social distancing to keep cases down and ensure the economy isnt restricted again. Cases rate fallen Meanwhile, the rate of Covid cases in Derry's council area has fallen in the past seven days but remains the highest in Northern Ireland. The latest figures released yesterday by the Department of Health show that there were 117 positive Covid cases reported in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area during the seven-day period from May 14 to May 20. This is in comparison with 161 positive cases in Derry and Strabane in the previous seven-day period from May 7 to May 13. The current rate of Covid cases in the local council area is 77.7 per 100,000 of the population. This is the highest rate of the 11 councils in Northern Ireland. During the period from May 14 to May 20, a total of 3,731 people received a Covid test in the Derry and Strabane council area. While the number of local cases remain high, the impact of Covid on local hospital services is decreasing. There are no Covid patients being treated in the intensive care unit at Altnagelvin Hospital. A talented young Derry artist has been honoured by the local Mayor. Artwork created by Alex Patterson is to be used to influence world leaders when they gather for this year's United Nation's climate change summit. US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be among those attending the UN Climate Change World Conference in Glasgow in November. Their decison-making will be influenced by the artwork created by Alex Patterson and four other talented young artists. It follows the Year 10 student at Foyle College's art entry, 'Mother Earth,' winning the prestigious UN Climate Change World Conference 'Creative Earth' competition which had over 6,000 entries The judges said they were particularly impressed and inspired by Alexs entry because of the way she brought the continents together to look after 'Mother Nature,' depicting animals we need to protect and the technologies that will enable this. Geri Horner was so impressed with Alex's piece, that she will eventually get to own it and put it on display with her collection of artwork at her countryside home. In recognition of Alex's success, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Brian Tierney, today invited her to a special reception in the Guildhall. The Mayor congratulated the Foyle College student, who lives in Eglinton, on her achievement and presented her with a special gift. Family Man 2: Manoj Bajpayee Starrer Was Delayed For THIS Reason? Read Deets... Raj and DK had captured the hearts of the audience with the terrific web series, The Family Man. Everyone had been eagerly waiting for the second series and the return of Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant. It was supposed to release back in February, but was delayed and would finally be streaming from June 4th. It has often been said that the controversy due to Tandav had caused this delay. Now, we have more news on why this was actually pushed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manoj Bajpayee (@bajpayee.manoj) According to a source quoted by Bollywood Hungama, the reason was Samantha Akkineni's character. The source revealed, After the Tandav controversy and the ensuing harassment of the Tandav creative and business team, Amazon Prime decided to put a brake on the release of The Family Man Season 2, as Samantha Akkinenis character of the Tamil rebel is plainly an LTTE offshoot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samantha Akkineni (@samantharuthprabhuoffl) So what has changed now? The source added, There is no reference by name to the LTTE. Samantha Akkinenis character could be from anywhere. If the protestors make up their minds about The Family Man 2 being anti-Tamil without even seeing the series merely on the basis of the trailer, then the creative freedom of this country is screwed. Controversy has still been generated by the series already, but that is not deterring the enthusiasm of the audience. Tiger 3: Details Of Emraan Hashmi's Character From The Salman Khan Starrer Out, Actor To Play An ISI Agent? The shoot of Tiger 3 was in full fledge before the pandemic struck again and the makers were forced to put a halt to it. The third film of the franchise has gotten us eager from the moment it had been announced that Emraan Hashmi will play the antagonist opposite Salman Khan. Now, more details about his character are out. If a report in Pinkvilla is to be believed, then Emraan will play a Pakistani ISI agent who would be pitted against Salman Khan who plays a RAW agent. The report further stated that his character would be smart and stylish, without any hint of a negative character actually! A source quoted by the portal said, "Emraan Hashmi plays the role of a Pakistani agent, who is pitted against RAW official, Tiger, played by Salman Khan. It's essentially Tiger vs Tiger, as the ISI describes Emraan as Pakistan's answer to Tiger aka. Avinash Singh Rathod. If you heard the late actor Girish Karnad, say, yeh kaam sirf ek admi kar sakta hai, Tiger its time to be introduced to the toughest and the only person who can play a nemesis to Tiger ISI agent, Emraan Hashmi. His look is also far off from the negative leads we have seen. In-fact, its as stylish as it gets. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emraan Hashmi (@therealemraan) The shoot of Tiger 3 started last year. It did not even halt when Katrina Kaif tested positive for COVID-19 as Salman Khan continued to shoot his parts. It is now being said that the film, helmed by Manessh Sharma, would resume shoot by mid-June. We are all eagerly waiting for this one! Tiger Shroff Pens A Sweet Note For Heropanti Co-Star Kriti Sanon As They Complete 7 Years In Bollywood As his debut film Heropanti co-starring Kriti Sanon marked 7 years on the horizon of Indian cinema, Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff on Sunday celebrated the milestone by expressing his gratitude to the whole team and with a wish to work with them again. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tiger Shroff (@tigerjackieshroff) Action-romantic drama Heropanti, which was released seven years back- in 2014 gave Indian cinema two new talented actors- Tiger, Kriti and an on-screen magical pair too. While Tiger redefined action in the Indian films and won millions of hearts with his charismatic persona and dancing skills, Kriti became a household name as a leading actress of the industry, who has given memorable characters like 'Bitti', 'Dimpy', 'Ishita', 'Parvati Bai' and 'Rashmi' among many others in this short period of time. Marking the 7th anniversary of his debut, Tiger took to his social media to express his gratitude to the team. For his co-star Kriti Sanon, he wrote, "Happy 7 years Kriti. Rise and shine every year! See u on set soon @kritisanon". With 'see you on the set', Tiger hinted on his upcoming movie Ganpath in which the pair will be seen sharing screen space after their last projects- Heropanti and chartbuster song Chal Wahan Jaate Hain. For his producer of Heropanti- Sajid Nadiadwala with whom he also did a number of projects and has another in the pipeline, he wrote, "Thank you, sir, for the opportunity and constant love and support hope I haven't let you down #sajidnadiadwala @wardakhannadiadwala." "Congratulations paaji. Can't wait to get back on a set with u sooner than later may u continue to achieve and excel with your amazing work! Miss u", he wrote for his director- Sabbir Khan. Meanwhile, on the work front, the 31-year-old star has recently completed the first schedule of shooting for the sequel of his 2014 debut movie Heropanti. Heropanti 2 is currently slated to release on December 3 this year. Apart from Tiger, the sequel will also star Tara Sutaria in the lead role. The movie is being directed by Ahmed Khan, who also directed Tiger's last release, Baaghi 3. The film's music will be composed by A R Rahman, with the lyrics penned by Mehboob. Apart from this, Tiger also has an interesting lineup of movies- Baaghi 4, Ganpath in the pipeline. Redmi Note 10 5G is announced to be launched in June 2021 & will run on Android 11 OS. The Smartphone will be available only in one color i.e. Black & will also have a built in fingerprint sensor as the primary security feature, along with the host of connectivity options in terms of 3G, 4G, GPS, Wifi, NFC Bluetooth capabilities. The phone will come with 64 GB of internal storage. The Smartphone will be powered by 2x2.2 GHz, 6x2.0 GHz Octa-core core MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G Processor. A 4 GB of RAM will ensure phone runs smoothly even the most memory intensive applications & show no signs of lag. 64 GB oof internal storage will not be open for expansion at all. The Phone will come with a powerful 5000 mAh battery to support it's 6.5 inch screen, having a resolution of 1080 x 2400 at 405 ppi. Redmi Note 10 5G will boasts of dual primary camera of 48 + 2 + 2 megapixel and 8 megapixel front Camera. The Smartphone will have a low camera aperture of f/1.8. Sony Xperia Ace 2 is announced to be launched in June 2021 & will run on Android 11 OS. The Smartphone will be available only in one color i.e. Black & will also have a built in fingerprint sensor as the primary security feature, along with the host of connectivity options in terms of 3G, 4G, GPS, Wifi, NFC Bluetooth capabilities. The phone will come with 64 GB of internal storage. The Smartphone will be powered by Octa core MediaTek Helio P35 (MT6765) Processor. A 4 GB of RAM will ensure phone runs smoothly even the most memory intensive applications & show no signs of lag. 64 GB oof internal storage will not be open for expansion at all. The Phone will come with a powerful 4500 mAh battery to support it's 5.50 inch screen, having a resolution of 720 x 1496. Sony Xperia Ace 2 will boasts of dual primary camera of 13 + 2 megapixel and 8 megapixel front Camera. Honor looks set to mark its grand comeback in the global market. The phone that will mark the company's return is the Honor 50. The company has confirmed that the device will pack pre-installed Google apps and services. The information was revealed by Honors German Twitter handle in response to a user inquiry. Losing access to Google Apps and Services put a major dent in Huaweis global market share. The company was subject to a lot of pressure from US Sanctions and, to cut losses, it ended up selling its sub-brand Honor to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers for an undisclosed sum. Now free of its ties with Huawei, Honor has since been reportedly working hard to re-instate its ties with key US companies and has now managed to regain access to Google Mobile Services. Earlier, Honor had also confirmed its renewed alliances with AMD, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Intel. For the upcoming Honor 50, the company will stick to its Magic UI as the software overlay, but with several exclusive features on top. According to rumours that have surfaced so far, the Honor 50 series will include three phones. Reports suggest that at least one of these will include a 6.79-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, triple-rear cameras with a 50MP primary sensor, an 8MP telephoto camera, and dual-selfie cameras. The Honor 50 Pro is rumoured to be powered by Qualcomms flagship Snapdragon 888 octa-core chipset, while the Honor 50 is confirmed to employ Qualcomms Snapdragon 778G chip. These are both powerful 5G capable SoCs thatll help the company garner attention. The Honor 50 series is expected to launch globally in June 2021. There is still a long road ahead before Honor regains lost ground and returns to where it was. The brand regaining access to Google Play Services is still great news for its fans and for the Android ecosystem in general. Via OnePlus has launched the OnePlus 40Y1 TV in India. As the name suggests, the TV has a 40-inch display and is priced at Rs 21,999. The TV runs on Android TV. OnePlus' Y-series already includes a 32-inch and a 43-inch TV. OnePlus also has a 55-inch TV in its U-series - the OnePlus 55U1 (review). In the premium space, OnePlus sells its Q1 QLED TVs (review). OnePlus TV 40Y1 features and specifications As mentioned above, the 40-inch TV is an FHD TV with a resolution of 1920x1080p. Just like its larger siblings, the OnePlus 40Y1 covers 93% of DCI P3 color space. The TV runs on Android TV and also comes with OnePlus OxygenPlay UI. OxygenPlay is quite similar to what weve seen on Xiaomi TVs with their PatchWall UI. Since the TV runs on the Android TV platform, it brings support for the Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in. Running on Android 9, users get access to the Google Play Store. You can download all popular streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5 and more from the Play Store. Speaking of the design, the TV boasts of a bezel-less display giving the TV a 93% screen-to-body ratio. One of the unique offerings of the OnePlus TV is the Oneconnect app. You can control all the functions of the TV by simply using the smartphone companion app. The TV also boasts of support for Dolby Audio. When it comes to connectivity options, the TV has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, two HDMI ports, two USB ports, an ethernet port, an antenna port, an AV port and an optical port. The TV comes with the same remote control we have seen on the other OnePlus Y-series TVs. In addition to a Google Assistant button, you also get OTT hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube. The remote control has a minimal design. OnePlus 40Y1 price and availability The OnePlus 40Y1 is priced at Rs 21,999 and is listed as coming soon on Flipkart. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE An industrial building at 1418 N.W. 53rd St. has sold for $4.3 million, according to King County records. The seller was 1418 LLC, a family group that acquired the land in 1983 for $206,000. The buyer was MAK 1418 LLC, which is associated with a local family investment group. Public records indicate a loan from Peoples Bank. . . . Adani Green to acquire SB Energy's 5 GW renewable power portfolio for Rs26,000 cr Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) has signed definitive agreements to acquire 100 per cent equity stake in SB Energy Holdings Limited (SB Energy India), a joint venture between Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp and Bharti Group, with 4,954 MW of renewable assets in India. AGEL on Wednesday signed share purchase agreements for the acquisition of 100 per cent interest in SB Energy India from SBG (80 per cent) and Bharti Group (20 per cent). SB Energy India has a total renewable portfolio of 4,954 MW spread across four states in India. The transaction values SB Energy India at an enterprise valuation of approximately Rs26,000 crore ($3.5 billion) and is the largest acquisition in the renewable energy sector in India. The target portfolio consists of large scale utility assets with 84 per cent solar capacity (4,180 MW), 9 per cent wind-solar hybrid capacity (450 MW) and 7 per cent wind capacity (324 MW). Of the total solar power capacity, 1,400 MW is operational while 3,554 MW is under construction. All projects have 25 year PPAs with sovereign rated counterparties such as Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI), NTPC Limited and NHPC Limited. The operating assets forming part of the portfolio are primarily solar park based projects and have been built following best in class governance, project development, construction, and operations and maintenance practices, resulting in this being one of the highest quality renewable portfolios in the country. With this acquisition, AGEL will achieve total renewable capacity of 24.3 GW and operating renewable capacity of 4.9 GW. This acquisition demonstrates AGELs intent to be the leader in sustainable energy transition globally and makes it one of the largest renewable energy platforms in the world. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary approvals and conditions. This acquisition is another step towards the vision we stated in January 2020, wherein we laid out our plans to become the worlds largest solar player by 2025 and thereafter the worlds largest renewable company by 2030. India, without any doubt, has been one of the few nations that have accelerated their global commitment towards climate change and we intend to do our part to execute on the promises made. The renewable energy platform that we are building will lay the foundation for attracting several other global industries that are increasingly looking to reduce their carbon footprint (as well as lay the foundation for opening up adjacent platforms that include Hydrogen and Storage), Gautam Adani, chairman, Adani Group, said. We are well on our way to achieve our stated solar portfolio targets four years before the deadline we set for ourselves. The quality of assets that SoftBank and the Bharti Group have built are excellent and I compliment their efforts to support Indias renewable energy transition. We are proud to take their legacy forward, he added. We established SB Energy India in 2015 with the goal of creating a market-leading clean energy company to help fuel Indias growth with clean and renewable sources of energy. We are immensely proud of all that we have accomplished. As SBG continues our transition to a global investment holding company focused on accelerating the deployment of artificial intelligence, we believe now is the right time to bring in the Adani Group to help drive the next phase of SB Energy Indias growth, Masayoshi Son, representative director, corporate officer, chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp, said, I am delighted that SB Energy has found a good home to carry on its pioneering journey of building a foremost renewable energy company in India. Adani Group has an outstanding track record of building a green energy powerhouse, which will get further acceleration with the combination of SB Energy into its fold. I am glad that Bharti could play a constructive role in partnership with SoftBank, Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman, Bharti Enterprises, said. Singapore shuts schools as new Wuhan virus variant seen affecting children Singapore acted fast, shutting schools and tightening restrictions, following instances of fresh cases linked to more transmissible variants of the Wuhan virus, affecting children as well. After India variant, the new Wuhan virus variant was seen affecting children in Singapore, prompting fresh curbs. Singapore acted proactively and decidedly against the outbreak, announcing a slew of fresh restrictions on Friday. The announcements, including the suspension of the majority of in-person school classes, were made after experts suggested that the 17 cases identified on Sunday were an indication that there may be chains of transmission going unnoticed. Singapore's health minister also raised concerns over the new variants' apparent effect on younger children. Education minister Chan Chun Sing, also on Sunday, said that several children had contracted the infection while noting that none had developed advanced symptoms. This is an area of concern for all of us...The sharp rise in the number of community cases today requires us to significantly reduce our movements and interactions in the coming days. We are watching this very closely because we do not think it is a random thing that just happened in one day or so, he said. The return of lockdown-like restrictions in Singapore follows a trend of the new Wuhan virus variant hitting mostly growth economies to retard progress growth. For Singapore, it also comes as a negation of a number of high-profile initiatives planned to highlight the country's handling of the virus Experts say the 17 cases identified on Sunday were an indication of the presence of the more highly transmissible Wuhan virus variant first detected in India. Among the 17 cases, six patients were within the age bracket of 29 and 57 years, each of whom tested positive with the B.1.617 strain, according to the latest data released by the country's health ministry. The 17 new cases took the country's caseload to 38 on Sunday, its highest in over a year and markedly up from the six cases Singapore had reported just a week before. Besides the closure of schools, from 16 May to 13 June, gatherings, including household visits, will be limited to a maximum of two people, down from five. Temporary work-from-home models will also be reinstituted with food and beverage outfits now only allowed to do takeaways and deliveries. RBI to transfer Rs99,122 crore surplus to govt The Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India at its annual meeting today approved the transfer of Rs99,122 crore as surplus to the central government for the accounting period of nine months ended 31 March 2021 (July 2020-March 2021). The transfer will help the government's finances as the country battles a furious second coronavirus wave that has seen daily infections and deaths rise to a record level. The restrictions clamped to break the chain of infections have also put a question mark on the country's economic recovery. RBI has decided to maintain its Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50 per cent. The central bank is required to maintain a contingency risk buffer of 5.5-6.5 per cent of its balance sheet. After making provision for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation in assets, contributions to staff and superannuation funds 2 [and for all other matters for which provision is to be made by or under this Act or which] are usually provided for by bankers, the balance of the profits shall be paid to the Central Government, as per Section 47 of the RBI Act. The 589th meeting of the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India also marks the change in the Reserve Banks accounting year to April-March from July-June earlier. The board discussed the working of the Reserve Bank during the transition period of nine months (July 2020-March 2021) and approved the annual report and accounts of the Reserve Bank for the transition period. The board at its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and recent policy measures taken by the Reserve Bank to mitigate the adverse impact of the second wave of Coronavirus pandemic on the economy. Deputy Governors Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar and other directors of the Central Board, viz, N Chandrasekaran, Satish K Marathe, S Gurumurthy, Revathy Iyer and Sachin Chaturvedi attended the meeting. Debasish Panda, secretary, Department of Financial Services and Ajay Seth, secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, also attended the meeting. With 4,329 deaths, India sees highest daily corona toll; new cases drop to 2,63,533 India on Tuesday reported 4,329 coronavirus casualties, the highest daily death, even as the number of new cases dropped to 2,63,533, showing signs of a climbdown from the peaks above 4 lakhs a day. The number of coronavirus affected discharged from hospitals rose to 4,22,436 on Tuesday. According to the data shared by the union health ministry, the total number of cases in the country stands at 2,52,28,996, while 2,15,96,512 people have been discharged so far. The toll from the deadly Wuhan virus now stands at 2,78,719. There are 33,53,765 active cases in the country. 18,44,53,149 people have been vaccinated so far. The previous highest daily death toll of 4,205 was reported on 12 May. On 8 May a day after the country logged its single highest daily spike of 4.14 lakh cases, 4,187 deaths were reported due to the pandemic. The number of daily cases in the country have seen a decline over the past few days. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday told the media that the country has witnessed a decline of about one lakh cases in the past 24 hours. "India recorded a decline of nearly 1 lakh in its active caseload in the last 24 hours. Through sustained containment and treatment efforts, we are observing a steady decline in new cases and a rise in recoveries," he said in a virtual conference. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre, India is the second worst-affected country in the world after the US, which has recorded 3.29 crore cases of COVID-19 and witnessed over 5.86 lakh deaths since the pandemic began. PM Modi on Tuesday interacted with state and district officials on the coronavirus situation through video conference and urged officials to share best practices for it to be used in other parts of the country. During the interaction, the officials shared their experiences and apprised the prime minister about the innovative steps that were undertaken to manage the recent surge of cases. They also informed about the efforts being undertaken to augment the medical infrastructure and capacity building in rural areas. MeitY asks WhatsApp to withdraw its `discriminatory' privacy policy by 25 May The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) on Tuesday sent a fresh notice to the Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp asking it to withdraw its controversial privacy policy, which, the ministry said, undermined the values of informational privacy and data security. MeitY has given WhatsApp time till 25 May to respond to the new notice, failing which all necessary steps in consonance with the law could be taken against the platform. We have a sovereign responsibility to protect the rights and interests of Indian citizens. The government will consider various options available under the law, a senior IT ministry official said. In the latest communication sent to WhatsApp, the IT ministry reiterated the changes to the privacy policy and the manner of introducing these changes, including in FAQ (frequently asked questions) undermines the sacrosanct values of informational privacy, data security and user choice for Indian users and harms the rights and interests of Indian citizens. Earlier, in January this year, the ministry had written a letter to Will Cathcart, the global chief executive officer of WhatsApp, asking him to withdraw the latest privacy and policy update on the instant messaging platform. In its letter, the IT ministry had pointed out that the privacy update enabled WhatsApp and other Facebook companies to make invasive and precise inferences about users. Collection and sharing of sensitive data such as the time, frequency and duration of interactions, group names or payments and transaction data with Facebook companies will create an ecosystem where any distinction between WhatsApp and other companies of the Facebook group will cease to exist, the IT ministry had then said. This approach has the potential to infringe on core values of data privacy, user choice and autonomy of Indian users. Given the huge user base of WhatsApp and Facebook in India, the consolidation of this sensitive information also exposes a very large segment of Indian citizens to greater information security risk and vulnerabilities creating a potential honeypot of information, the IT ministry said in the letter. The IT ministry also once again took up the issue of discriminatory treatment to Indian WhatsApp users compared to those in Europe, sources said. As you are doubtlessly aware, many Indian citizens depend on WhatsApp to communicate in everyday life. It is not just problematic, but also irresponsible, for WhatsApp to leverage this position to impose unfair terms and conditions on Indian users, particularly those that discriminate against Indian users vis-a-vis users in Europe, the new notice read. WhatsApp had issued an `accept-the-terms-or-leave-the-platform stance for users in India when the same did not apply to its European users, which betrayed a lack of respect for the rights and interests of Indian users, the ministry had pointed out. The IT ministry had taken a similar stand before the Delhi High Court, where it filed an affidavit stating that WhatsApp must be barred from rolling out its new privacy policy as it violated several existing IT rules. During a hearing on Monday, WhatsApp, however, told the court that it intended to go ahead with the rollout of the new privacy policy as planned and had not pushed the deadline beyond 15 May. WhatsApp announced the 15 May deadline in January this year after users and privacy experts raised concerns over the new policy. The initial deadline to accept the new terms was 8 February. With over 400 million users, India is one of the biggest markets for WhatsApp. As of July 2020, the company had more than 50 million WhatsApp Business users globally, of which over 15 million used the service in India every month. We continue to engage with the government and we reaffirm what we said before that this update does not impact the privacy of personal messages for anyone. Our goal is to provide information about new options we are building that people will have, to message a business on WhatsApp, in the future. While the majority of users who have received the new terms of service have accepted them, we appreciate some people havent had the chance to do so yet. No accounts were deleted on May 15 because of this update and no one in India lost functionality of WhatsApp either. We will follow up with reminders to people over the next several weeks. Were grateful for the important role WhatsApp plays in peoples lives and well take every opportunity to explain how we protect peoples personal messages and private information, reports quoted a WhatsApp spokesperson as saying Sree Chitra Institute develops multiplex RT-PCR kit that can detect new strains of Wuhan virus A new multiplex RT-PCR kit developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has a higher accuracy of detecting Wuhan virus or the new coronavirus across its various mutant strains now spreading the pandemic. As the pandemic is going through a second wave with multiple variants, the selection of target genes in multiplex RT-PCR assay is becoming critical for accurate detection of the virus. This unique RT-PCR kit will be a significant weapon in our fight against Covid-19 by a facile detection of SARS-CoV-2 mutations, secretary, DST, Ashutosh Sharma, said. Even though the Wuhan virus makes far fewer errors than other RNA viruses, the mutations in S, R, and N genes often interfere with RT-PCR assay. For example, the variant of concern B1.1.7 (also known as the UK variant) has a 69-70del, due to deletion of 6 bases in the RNA, which resulted in S gene drop out from RT-PCR assay. The new multiplex RT-PCR kit developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an institute of national importance under the Department of Science and Technology, targets two SARS CoV2 genes: RdRp and ORFb-nsp14, and the human RNAse P gene as the internal control to help detect a range of mutant strains. Various studies have shown that RdRp and ORF1b-nsp14 genes are more sensitive in detecting the new coronavirus. In order to target the multiple variants in the second wave, using two highly accurate confirmatory genes like RdRp and ORF-nsp14, can give precise results. The ORFb-nsp14 is one of the least mutated genes in the new coronavirus and currently, there are no kits in the market with ORF-nsp14 as the target, says a DST release. The new kit is based on multiplex Taqman chemistry, amplifying all three genes in a single reaction. The amplification time for the assay is 45 minutes, apart from the time required for the RNA isolation from nasopharyngeal swab samples. Multiplexing two confirmatory genes will help shortlist possible new variants if one of the genes fails to amplify and can be marked for sequence analysis. ICMR has validated this kit at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and found that it has 97.3 per cent sensitivity and 100 per cent specificity in coronavirus detection. SCTIMST has signed a non-exclusive license MoU with Huwel Lifesciences, Hyderabad, to commercialise the kit. Duncan, OK (73533) Today Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 72F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 72F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Family run farm Coole Farm are delighted to be selling their salad leaves in SuperValu. The food retailer announce last week that products from the Louth producer, who successfully completed the Food Academy programme, are now on sale in their stores. Coole Farm is one of 45 new Irish food producers who have completed the Food Academy programme. Coole Farm in Ardee produces salad leaves which are grown in harmony with nature, free from artificial pesticides or fertilisers. Their products include Kale, rocket leaf and mixed leaf bags of salad and are available in superValu stores. Coole Farm's Mark Durnin and Helen McManus both have a background in farming. As a child Helens father farmed and she often helped him with the fun jobs around the yard, while Mark is a fourth generation farmer. He returned to his agricultural studies in the past decade to re-educate himself on farming practices and is currently finishing up a Masters in Organic Farming via the University of Glasgow. His studies have provided a fresh perspective on how to farm better, with the goal of nourishing the soil and protecting the land, whilst harvesting excellent quality produce from it. In 2019 the couple wanted to change how they farmed, away from traditional cattle production. They started to grow salad leaves, free from artificial fertilisers and pesticides in a small section of land right by their home in Ardee. They harvest and deliver to the supermarket shelf within 24 hours, to ensure that their customers can enjoy some of the freshest leaves in Leinster. "We are a local producer growing chemical free food, contributing to the circular economy by purchasing everything that we can for our business, from other local producers", the couple said. "We manage our land very carefully, taking care to ensure it is nourished well. "How we treat our soil and our approach to farming contributes very positively to the quality of our land, the local biodiversity, and the quality of our produce. "Our packaging is currently plastic, but we use a very robust bag, which we encourage our customers to wash and re-use." The SuperValu Food Academy programme completed by Mark and Helen provided them with great insight into what is required to be an excellent food producer. Now in its eighth year, Food Academy is a unique food business development programme between SuperValu, Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices. Participants in the programme receive training in food safety, market research and branding, marketing, finance, sustainability, and business development. We believe in local businesses and are proud to continue to support local producers in Louth stated Ciara McClafferty, the Trading Director for SuperValu. In collaboration with Bord Bia and Local Enterprise Offices, the Food Academy allows us to help new businesses grow and get the support they need. The exposure to new customers, increased brand awareness, mentorship, and how the programme supports producers to grow sustainably, are invaluable elements highlighted by the producers. "The programme allows us to use our experience to help small businesses through their journey. "From the start up to getting their products on our shelves 52 weeks of the year. Dundalk TD Ruairi O Murchu says those in Louth aged between 50 and 69, and who have not yet been given a date for their Covid-19 vaccine, will be contacted by the end of the week. The Sinn Fein TD says he has been contacted by a number of people in this age cohort who, having registered their desire to get a vaccine, are still waiting to hear back from the HSE, in some cases more than three weeks later. Deputy O Murchu has moved to reassure them, following his contact with the HSE over the weekend. He said: We have been contacted by a number of people who have raised genuine concerns about falling between the cracks in the vaccine registration system. They had registered for the vaccine but had not been called, while others who were the same age, and younger, had been. I have this weekend contacted the HSE and I have been assured that anyone who is 50 and 69 will be dealt with and get an appointment for a vaccine by the end of this week. There may be some people in Louth who could be facilitated at the overflow capacity in the Helix in Dublin. Its possible that they may be called there, but we will maintain communication with the HSE and if there is anyone who has still not been given a date for their vaccine by the end of this week, then I would ask them to contact my office. Readers Survey As our valued readers, we want to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below. - Thank you, Eastern Arizona Courier Click Here Methuen - Michael V. Finn, a longtime resident of Lawrence, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on May 25, 2021, at the age of 72 while doing something that he loved, playing golf. Known to many as "Mickey", he was born in Lawrence on April 20, 1949 to James L. and Margaret (Bateman) Fin Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5) Effingham, IL (62401) Today Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 319-283-2144 or email circ@oelweindailyregister.com. Three years after releasing its first gallium nitride (GaN) charger , Anker has revealed its second-gen models. The GaN Nano II lineup is more efficient, smaller and better at regulating temperatures than the first wave of devices, according to Anker. The company says it did so by upgrading the chips and internal layout. Anker has built 30W, 45W and 65W chargers with the same form factor. Each has a USB-C port and Anker's PowerIQ 3.0 tech, which intelligently allocates optimal wattage to whichever device is plugged in, the company said. In the first-generation chargers, only certain components were made with GaN rather than silicon. The upgraded models have increased the working frequency by more than 20 percent, according to Anker. That makes the chargers more efficient, as they generate less heat when converting AC to DC. They're smaller than the previous devices too. The 30W model is 59 percent more compact than an original 30W charger. Anker says it charges iPhones three times faster than the standard 5W charger. It supports Samsung Super Fast Charging, full-speed MacBook Air charging and other devices, including recent iPads (2018 and later) and Nintendo Switch . Anker The 45W option has a foldable plug and it's 34 percent smaller than Anker's original 45W charger. It adds support for more notebooks, including the 2020 MacBook Air , the 13-inch MacBook Pro 13'', some Dell XPS 13 models, ThinkPad X390, Google Pixelbook and Microsoft Surface Book 2. As for the 65W model, it offers full-speed charging for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and fast charging for other laptops. The foldable plug makes it 58 smaller than Anker's original 61W charger. The GaN Nano II chargers are now available to pre-order via Amazon and Anker. The 30W model is $30, the 45W option costs $36 and the 65W version will set you back $40. Anker will start selling the chargers in the UK and other European markets later. Hyundai has been slowly dropping clues about the capabilities of its upcoming 2022 Ioniq 5, the first EV built on the company's new E-GMP vehicle platform, since its initial teasing at the Frankfurt Auto show last August. But the time for hints has passed as the Ioniq 5 made its official North American debut on Monday. We've already gotten a pretty good look at what will be under the Ioniq 5's hood when it reaches dealer showrooms: a 72.6-kWh (or optional 77.4-kWh) battery drives either single (2WD) or dual (4WD) e-motors to deliver up to 300 miles of range, 320 horsepower, 446 pound-feet of torque, 1,500-pound tow capacity and a 0 to 60 MPH in under 5 seconds, depending on your vehicle's loadout. Hyundai Its 800V electrical architecture allows it to charge at up to 350 kW meaning it can fill from 10 percent to 80 in 18 minutes or add 62 miles of range in just 5 minutes. A level 2 charger will do the job in 6 hours and 43 minutes. As an incentive to prospective buyers, Hyundai is offering unlimited free 30-minute charges on Electrify America's 600-station network for the first two years of Ioniq 5 ownership. The Ioniq 5 will also be the first EV to offer Hyundai's new windshield-based AR HUD. The Kona EV that we reviewed back in the pre-COVID beforetimes featured a slick pop-up HUD that emerged from the steering column when in use. This new one instead projects information navigation instructions, ADAS warnings, and even an unobstructed 360 degree view of the vehicle's exterior out to 4 feet directly onto the windshield itself. Hyundai The HUD is paired with a 12-inch central infotainment system that could become quite handy in the near future. See, Hyundai is currently developing a secure in-car payment system that would essentially store the driver's credit card info in the infotainment system, enabling them to pay for anything from EV charging port time to fast food and coffee to parking spots. Imaging never having to rummage through the back seat cushions looking for quarters ever again. That's living the dream right there. There's no word on when this feature might actually roll out but Hyundai has set its biannual OTA update schedule for April and October so, fingers crossed for fall. Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility both come standard and the Ioniq 5 will work with the latest version of Hyundai's Bluelink connected car service which enables drivers to control various onboard systems and receive status updates through their smartphones. While in the vehicle itself, drivers and passengers alike can control any number of features including the AC, heated seats and steering wheel, even opening and closing the trunk hatch with simple voice commands. Hyundai We still don't know what Hyundai plans to ask for the Ioniq 5, though we do now know where we'll see them first. According to the automaker, the Ioniq 5 will be "sold in Hyundai stores in the 10 zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) states" plus Texas, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Arizona in the second half of this year, before a wider rollout happens in 2022. A court in Norway has found Tesla guilty after it was sued by owners who complained of reduced battery capacities and charging speeds. It has been ordered to pay 136,000 kroner ($16,000) each to buyers of certain Model S owners, a judgement that could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Nettavisen . Owners in Norway and elsewhere complained about drops in range of up to 30 miles following a 2019 software update, as Electrek reported. They also noticed reduced DC fast-charging rates at Tesla's Supercharger stations. The issues reportedly involve 2013-2015 models and Tesla said at the time that the aim was to "protect the battery and improve battery longevity." The company added that it would only affect "a small percentage of owners." Some owners saw precipitous drops in battery capacity of up to 11 percent, compared to the normal gradual declines expected. Those issues have led to lawsuits not only in Norway, but in Denmark, the US and elsewhere. Tesla reportedly failed to reply to the suit, so the judgement was made in absentia. As a result, the 30 owners behind the lawsuit will be awarded $16,000 each unless Tesla appeals. EVs are huge in Norway, however and Nettavisen notes that there are over 10,000 buyers of the affected models in Norway as such, the lawsuit could get considerably more expensive. Google faces an ultimatum in Russia. Per Reuters, the country's Roskomnadzor internet commission gave the company 24 hours to delete more than 26,000 instances of what it's classifying as illegal content. If Google doesn't comply with the order, it could face fines valued at up to 10 percent of its annual revenue, in addition to seeing its services slowed down within the country. The agency has also accused Google of censoring Russian media outlets, including state-owned entities like RT and Sputnik. "This censorship of Russian media and the targeted support for illegal protest activity actually speak to the political coloring of Google's activities in Russia," the agency said. This isn't the first time Russia has threatened action like this against a Western tech company. In March, the country throttled Twitter for not removing banned content quickly enough. Before the company complied with the order, Roskomnadzor threatened to block the platform entirely. At the time, the agency said it could implement similar sanctions on Facebook, Google and YouTube for many of the same reasons. It's unclear if Google will comply with the order as Twitter did. Court documents seen by Reuters show the company sued Roskomnadzor over 12 YouTube videos the agency ordered it to delist. Those clips involve prominent Putin critic Alexei Navalny. Navalny and his supporters have frequently used YouTube to accuse President Putin of corruption and call for protests against the Kremlin. We've reached out to Google for comment. Ian Somerhalder recently took to Instagram and revealed that he has been a victim of fraud from his business that started while filming "The Vampire Diaries". The actor also thanked his wife Nikki Reed, who's celebrating her birthday today, for saving him from the "nightmare" he has been through. In the birthday greeting post, the actor detailed his personal experience with the businesses fraud. He started the post by thanking his wife writing "This mama. This human.I owe you such gratitude for it all. What many of you may not know is this woman is the reason I was actually able to build @brothersbondbourbon." (Check out the post below) He then revealed that he never addressed this situation in the public before until today "I've never disclosed this publicly, but this woman worked selflessly for 2yrs to build me out of a terrible business situation I got myself into" the actor wrote. The actor stated that the situation happened way before he and Reed started seeing each other "Before Nik and I got together I built a company while shooting TVD that was important to me. I invested heavily, I made huge personal guarantees to banks" The actor proceeded to detail what happened with the business fraud that left him in millions of dollars of debt "Due to greed and fraud within that company and fraudulent activities from our biggest customer, not to mention the temporary collapse of the oil and gas industry - I was left in an EIGHT- FIGURE hole. It was awful" READ NOW: Manny Pacquiao vs Errol Spence Fight Got Fans Trolling Floyd Mayweather Jr with Hilarious Criticisms "A true nightmare day in and day out. I had to travel the world weekly to pay for massive monthly six-figure bank notes and ended up in the hospital 4 times in 2 years." "The Vampire Diaries" star detailed on how he managed the situation. The actor also revealed that his wife had dedicated her life for him to get out of the situation "She devoted her life to getting me out of that mess and it almost killed her along the way. I am where I am BECAUSE of this woman. Brothers Bond Bourbon is actually here today because of this woman. I was able to start my life over because of this woman." The actor also added that the situation was eye-opening and a humble experienced. He also stated that it was painful as hell but he manages to get through it with his family. He then concluded the post by expressing his gratitude towards his "angel" "Happy 33 you incredible angel of a person." he wrote. "You are a superwoman. You made it possible for me to live and build my dreams and to start my life over. The world needs people like you" he added. The actor launched his bourbon business named "Brother's Bond" with his TVD co-star Paul Wesley. The co-stars wanted to curate a whiskey that is harder than the average bourbon. They described the liquor as smooth and smokey. Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed started dating in mid-2014. The couple tied the knot in April 2015 at Topanga Canyon near Malibu, California. The couple had a child together named Bodhi Soleil. Somerhalder and Reed stays strong as a married couple despite divorce rumors circulated in 2017. READ ALSO: Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila Accused of 'Ripping Off' Another Brand Amid Cultural Appropriation Allegations See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Princess Diana's Panorama interview with Martin Bashir has damaged the reputation of BBC as a world-leading broadcaster. According to The Times, BBC may lose about $4.5 billion if their license fees are cut because of the Panorama probe that tarnished the broadcaster's reputation. The Government is in negotiations with BBC over the next five years of the fee, which normally raises $4.5 billion for the broadcaster. A source told the outlet, "At a time when every government department is being asked to tighten their belt, there's an argument the corporation should do so too." They added that BBC tarnished its reputation and this may likely influence the current negotiation fees. BBC could be forced to appoint a new editorial board that's going to be dealing with complaints amid the Princess Diana Panorama interview with Martin Bashir scandal. Moreover, BBC is also facing some serious questions over rehiring Bashir in a prominent role after an internal investigation into his interview with the late Princess of Wales. Julian Knight MP, the chairperson of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said he will write to director-general Tim Davie to ask why Bashir was re-employed in BBC in 2016 despite what Lord Dyson's report early this week concluded that there was a "serious breach" of editorial rules covered up. Knight said, "I want to know how the BBC can reassure the committee that there could be no repeat of the serious failings that have been highlighted by the Dyson report." Earlier, James Harding, former director of BBC News, apologized for rehiring Bashir. The reason for the re-employment was because it had made things "more difficult for everyone," he claimed. READ ALSO: Princess Beatrice Baby Name Bets and How The Baby Will Create A Massive Shake-Up in Royal Family Succession Princess Diana Panorama Interview Controversy Martin Bashir used deceit to be able to have a sit-down interview with Princess Diana in 1995 where she disclosed intimate details of her failed marriage to the future king, Prince Charles. In an inquiry found on Thursday, it was revealed that the broadcaster covered up the deception. According to former senior judge John Dyson who led the BBC investigation, Martin Bashir, who was a little-known reporter at the time, shown Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, fake bank statements suggesting that she was being bugged by security services and that two of her senior aides were being paid by the royal family to provide intel about her. The report said, "Mr. Bashir acted inappropriately and in serious breach of the 1993 edition of the Producers' Guidelines on straight dealing." Charles Spencer said he drew a line between his sister's death and the events, saying, "She didn't know who to trust and in the end when she died, two years later, she was without any form of real protection." Meanwhile, Princess Diana's sons have condemned the BBC over the Panorama interview. Prince William and Prince Harry said that the corporation's failures contributed to their mom's fear she felt in the final years of her life. It also was a part of a culture of "exploitation and unethical practices that ultimately took her life." READ MORE: Prince Harry Admits Wanting To Go To Extreme Lengths To Get Over Princess Diana's Death See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles The global data center cooling market size is expected to reach USD 20.7 billion by 2025 expanding at a CAGR of 13.5%, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising number of data centers, increasing usage of cloud computing, and increased demand for eco-friendly cooling technologies are some of the key factors that are expected to boost the market growth. Emergence of cloud computing coupled with initiatives by government organizations to promote the adoption of cloud technology and enable prominent vendors to introduce technological advancements is driving the market growth. For example, the government of UAE introduced various projects including Smart Dubai and Smart Abu Dhabi, which were aimed at bringing about digital transformation and economic growth in the country. Such initiatives are expected to drive the market in UAE. Data center cooling accounts for over 30% of the total energy consumption. In the current scenario, companies are moving toward sustainable cooling, which can save up to 80% or more on energy costs for cooling. For instance, Apples North Carolina data center facility operates completely on sustainable, eco-friendly power sources as data center cooling is achieved through the free-air cooling technique, allowing the chillers to be off 75% of the time. Browse Details of Report @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/data-center-cooling-market Additionally, there is a rise in pressure from the local and federal government agencies, environmentalists, and the general public for organizations to implement green initiatives. Therefore, high demand for eco-friendly and cost-effective cooling solutions is expected to propel the market growth. However, high installation and maintenance costs, electricity consumption, and carbon emissions are some of the challenges affecting the industry growth. Data Center Cooling Market Report Highlights Telecom segment accounted for over 20.0% of the total market share in 2018 owing to increased penetration of 4G services and development of 5G infrastructure that has data-intensive networks Furthermore, growing number of telecom subscribers using smartphones and tablets is anticipated to boost the demand for data centers, thereby propelling the market growth Middle East region is expected to witness substantial growth owing to rising need for enhanced cooling techniques Several IT companies, including Google Inc., Oracle Corporation, and Alibaba, have announced their plans to build data centers in the Middle East Europe is also anticipated to witness a significant growth owing to cold weather conditions in Nordic countries The raised floor with containment segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR 6% from 2019 to 2025 Major companies in the market are Schneider Electric, Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, Hitachi, Ltd., Fujitsu Limited, and Vertiv Co. Most of these industry participants focus on introducing different techniques to enhance their market presence Martin Bashir finally spoke up about Princess Diana and BBC's latest investigation surrounding the Panorama interview. This week, BBC released the result of the official inquiry onto Princess Diana's bombshell interview in 1995. Prince William and Prince Harry both suggested that the interview ruined their mother and changed her life forever. However, Bashir finally spoke up to defend himself and insist that it was not the case at all. Bashir: "The Interview Didn't Harm Princess Diana" In a new update by BBC, the former journalist said that the Princess of Wales was not unhappy about the interview. "Everything we did in terms of the interview was as she wanted, from when she wanted to alert the palace, to when it was broadcast, to its contents," Bashir said. He added that they remained friends after the Panorama interview aired. Furthermore, the royal princess herself visited his wife when she gave birth to their third child in a south London hospital. Meanwhile, he also expressed how much he regrets showing forged bank statements to Earl Spencer. For what it's worth, the faked documents led Spencer to have Bashir and his sister meet up. Still, Bashir argued that the papers neither had a bearing on the interview on Princess Diana and the interview. READ ALSO: Prince William Ignites Hilarious Tweets Over COVID-19 Vaccine Photo: 'His Royal Buffness' Following his statement, Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin slammed Bashir and called him a "good actor." In her appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sunday Breakfast program, she acknowledged that the former BBC journalist looked pitiful. However, she reportedly doesn't believe in his words anymore. "He wasn't, I felt, as contrite as one could be in that circumstance, if you're always looking for an excuse rather than an apology that seems problematic to me," she said. What the Inquiry Tells About Princess Diana's Interview On Thursday, former senior judge Lord Dyson said that Bashir was unreliable and dishonest all through these years. He added that BBC failed to meet its high standards when it answered questions about the bombshell interview. The result added that the BBC's previous internal probe in 1996 was ineffective. The corporation also pointed out that they should have looked into it more thoroughly to find out what truly happened at that time. The official report suggested that Bashir breached BBC guidelines after creating fake bank statements to earn direct contact with the late princess. As of the writing, BBC nor Lord Dyson announced what's next for Bashir. READ MORE: Diego Maradona Shocking Cause of Death Investigation Leads to Charges Against 7 Medical Professionals See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Since the announcement of their divorce, Bill Gates isn't the man who many thought he was. There have been several reports about the Microsoft co-founder's advances towards women and even affairs, despite already being in a relationship and had already married Melinda French, whom he tied the knot to in Jan. 1994. Now, one of the women in question finally has a name. According to a book released in 1998 titled "The Microsoft File" written by Wendy Goldman Rohm, it was claimed that Bill Gates wasn't a man of his morals and wasn't the asexual type of person that was assumed by many. The book talked about Bill Gates' numerous affairs, especially with a young and attractive sales manager at Microsoft's German office. She claimed that the fourth-richest man in the world started dating this woman just five years after he started seeing his wife, and soon-to-be ex-wife, Melinda French Gates. Stefanie Reichel, who was 25 years old at the time, told the author that she had an affair with Bill Gates for seven gates, who was 37 at the time. They started dating after she caught his eye at a Microsoft meeting in April 1992 at Monte Carlo. According to the book, Bill immediately sent Stefanie an email saying how she "energized" him and even added, "I hope I didn't stare or anything." Despite not knowing if she was married or interested in him, Bill was said to be "somewhat shy" as he didn't know how to approach her. The philanthropist was reportedly so smitten by the woman's beauty that he even canceled his flight back to the US to spend even more time with her and get to know her even more. After Bill Gates "bombarded" her with several emails and love letters, they later met in San Francisco and Seattle where they stayed at his massive mansion. That August, Stefanie Reichel joined him for Microsoft's board meeting in England where she also sat next to him at dinner. They later went on to watch the West End musical Miss Saigon and even dined at the fanciest London restaurants. READ ALSO: Melinda Gates Wins Divorce No Matter How Little of Bill Gates' Billions She'll Get The End of Bill Gates' Affair However, Stefanie Reichel later admitted to the author that she grew "uncomfortable" in their secret relationship, especially after Bill Gates also started courting another senior Microsoft executive and at the same time, being in a serious relationship with Melinda. At the end of their rendezvous, it was in Amsterdam when the sales manager broke up with the billionaire. Bill Gates was reportedly sad and even tried to persuade her to reconsider. Stefanie described her former beau dismissively as having the love-making skills of an awkward teenager and had terrible personal hygiene. She also claimed in 2000 that "Winning is all that matters to Bill Gates," and even went on to describe how "power-obsessed" he is. "It's even more important than making money." it's unclear, however, if Melinda French knew that there was a side chick in her 5 years of relationship with Bill Gates at the time. READ MORE: 'Womanizer' Bill Gates Known to Host Nude Pool Parties, Hire Strippers, Hit on Journalists --Book Author Claims See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles 2021-05-24 Maeci On May 21, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, spoke at the 131st session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Minister reaffirmed that Italy supports the multilateral commitment to upholding the shared values of the Council of Europe for the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. 2021-05-21 Maeci On May 21, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, held telephone talks with the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans. The focus of the talks was the forthcoming adoption of the guidelines for the implementation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive. The first detailed cross-section of a galaxy broadly similar to the Milky Way, published today, reveals that our galaxy evolved gradually, instead of being the result of a violent mash-up. The finding throws the origin story of our home into doubt. The galaxy, dubbed UGC 10738, turns out to have distinct 'thick' and 'thin' discs similar to those of the Milky Way. This suggests, contrary to previous theories, that such structures are not the result of a rare long-ago collision with a smaller galaxy. They appear to be the product of more peaceful change. And that is a game-changer. It means that our spiral galaxy home isn't the product of a freak accident. Instead, it is typical. The finding was made by a team led by Nicholas Scott and Jesse van de Sande, from Australia's ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) and the University of Sydney. "Our observations indicate that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs didn't come about because of a gigantic mash-up, but a sort-of 'default' path of galaxy formation and evolution," said Dr Scott. "From these results we think galaxies with the Milky Way's particular structures and properties could be described as the 'normal' ones." This conclusion - published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters- has two profound implications. "It was thought that the Milky Way's thin and thick discs formed after a rare violent merger, and so probably wouldn't be found in other spiral galaxies," said Dr Scott. "Our research shows that's probably wrong, and it evolved 'naturally' without catastrophic interventions. This means Milky Way-type galaxies are probably very common. "It also means we can use existing very detailed observations of the Milky Way as tools to better analyse much more distant galaxies which, for obvious reasons, we can't see as well." The research shows that UGC 10738, like the Milky Way, has a thick disc consisting mainly of ancient stars - identified by their low ratio of iron to hydrogen and helium. Its thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metal. (The Sun is a thin disc star and comprises about 1.5% elements heavier than helium. Thick disc stars have three to 10 times less.) Although such discs have been previously observed in other galaxies, it was impossible to tell whether they hosted the same type of star distribution - and therefore similar origins. Scott, van de Sande and colleagues solved this problem by using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe UGC 10738, situated 320 million light years away. The galaxy is angled "edge on", so looking at it offered effectively a cross-section of its structure. "Using an instrument called the multi-unit spectroscopic explorer, or MUSE, we were able to assess the metal ratios of the stars in its thick and thin discs," explained Dr van de Sande. "They were pretty much the same as those in the Milky Way - ancient stars in the thick disc, younger stars in the thin one. We're looking at some other galaxies to make sure, but that's pretty strong evidence that the two galaxies evolved in the same way." Dr Scott said UGC 10738's edge-on orientation meant it was simple to see which type of stars were in each disc. "It's a bit like telling apart short people from tall people," he said. "It you try to do it from overhead it's impossible, but it if you look from the side it's relatively easy." Co-author Professor Ken Freeman from the Australian National University said, "This is an important step forward in understanding how disk galaxies assembled long ago. We know a lot about how the Milky Way formed, but there was always the worry that the Milky Way is not a typical spiral galaxy. Now we can see that the Milky Way's formation is fairly typical of how other disk galaxies were assembled". ASTRO 3D director, Professor Lisa Kewley, added: "This work shows how the Milky Way fits into the much bigger puzzle of how spiral galaxies formed across 13 billion years of cosmic time." Other co-authors are based at Macquarie University in Australia and Germany's Max-Planck-Institut fur Extraterrestrische Physik. ### Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent. 1. Autonomous cortisol secretion associated with 2- to 3-fold increase in mortality risk Abstract: https:/ / www. acpjournals. org/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M20-7946 URL goes live when the embargo lifts A retrospective cohort study found that autonomous cortisol secretion was associated with 2- to 3-fold increased risk for death and cardiovascular disease in patients with adrenal incidentalomas. This information could help to inform decisions about which patients should be recommended for adrenalectomy. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Autonomous cortisol secretion in patients with adrenal tumors discovered incidentally on imaging, or incidentalomas, is associated with increased mortality, but how specific levels of cortisol secretion affect mortality risk is not known. Researchers from Skane University Hospital, Sweden, studied consecutive patients who had adrenal incidentalomas identified between 2005 and 2015 at two hospitals in Sweden to measure the association between mortality and levels of autonomous cortisol secretion. Patients were grouped according to plasma cortisol levels of less than 50, 50 to 82, 83 to 137, or 138 nmol/L and higher. Data were collected from national registers for up to 14 years. The researchers found that the risk for mortality increased linearly until cortisol levels reached 200 nmol/L. A cortisolDST of 83 to 137 nmol/L was associated with a 2-fold increase in mortality, and a cortisolDST of 138 nmol/L or higher was associated with a 3-fold increase in mortality. A cortisol level in the 50 to 82 nmol/L range was not associated with an increased death risk within 5 to 10 years. Based on these results, the authors recommend that clinicians treat known cardiovascular risk factors in these patients and incorporate findings in treatment decisions, including whether or not to perform surgery. Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at acollom@acponline.org. To speak with the corresponding author, Henrik Olsen, MD, please contact Magnus Aspegren at magnus.aspegren@skane.se. 2. ACP paper details transparent and trustworthy methods for developing evidence-based living, rapid practice points Abstract: https:/ / www. acpjournals. org/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M20-7641 URL goes live when the embargo lifts A new paper from the American College of Physicians (ACP) details the methods that its Scientific Medical Policy Committee (SMPC) uses to develop ACP living, rapid practice points. The paper is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. ACP began developing living, rapid practice points in response to the urgent need to provide evidence-based answers to clinicians managing patients with COVID-19. This process involves evidence gathered through an independent living, rapid systematic review from which practice points are developed. In developing the practice points, ACP takes into account the balance of benefits and harms and also considers public and patient values and preferences, and other considerations including, but not limited to, cost, acceptability, and feasibility. The paper explains in detail ACP's methods for developing trustworthy rapid clinical advice, which includes a rapid systematic review, use of the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) method to rate the certainty of evidence for outcomes of interest, use of stringent policies on the disclosure of interests and management of conflicts, and incorporating a public (non-clinician) perspective. When the ACP rapid practice points are based on evidence that is limited or evolving quickly, such as with the COVID-19 pandemic, the systematic review and practice points are maintained as "living" documents through ongoing surveillance and synthesis of new evidence as it emerges. Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at acollom@acponline.org. To speak with someone from ACP, please contact Andrew Hachadorian at ahachadorian@acponline.org. New vaccine-related content: Safety and Immunogenicity of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA Vaccines in Recipients of Solid Organ Transplants Olivier Marion, MD; Nassim Kamar, MD, PhD; Arnaud Del Bello, MD; Stanislas Faguer, MD, PhD; Florence Abravanel, PharmD, PhD; Jacques Izopet, PharmD, PhD; Chloe Couat, MSc; Laure Esposito, MD; Anne Laure Hebral, MD Brief Research Report Abstract: https:/ / www. acpjournals. org/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M21-1341 Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at acollom@acponline.org. To speak with the corresponding author, Olivier Marion, MD, please contact Prof Nassim Kamar at kamar.n@chu-toulouse.fr. Absence of Humoral Response After Two-Dose SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA Vaccination in Patients With Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: A Case Series Caoilfhionn M. Connolly, MD, MSc; Brian J. Boyarsky, MD, PhD; Jake A. Ruddy, BS William A. Werbel, MD; Lisa Christopher-Stine, MD, MPH; Jacqueline M. Garonzik-Wang, MD, PhD; Dorry L. Segev, MD, PhD; Julie J. Paik, MD, MHS Brief Research Report Abstract: https:/ / www. acpjournals. org/ doi/ 10. 7326/ M21-1451 Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at acollom@acponline.org. To speak with the corresponding author, Dorry L. Segev, MD, please contact Michael E. Newman at mnewma25@jhmi.edu. Also new in this issue: Dr. Mom: Who is watching your kids? Grace Farris, MD Annals Graphic Medicine Abstract: https:/ / www. acpjournals. org/ doi/ 10. 7326/ G21-0026 ### New study fills an important knowledge gap about the potential health effects of hair relaxers commonly used by Black women. New study fills an important knowledge gap about the potential health effects of hair relaxers commonly used by Black women. (Boston)--The lifetime risk of breast cancer is similar among Black and white women in the U.S., but Black women are disproportionately affected by aggressive breast cancer subtypes such as estrogen receptor (ER) negative tumors, which are diagnosed at a younger age and have a higher mortality rate. While certain hair care products, including relaxers (straighteners) and leave-in conditioners, used more commonly by Black than white women may contain compounds with estrogens or endocrine-disrupting chemicals, few epidemiologic studies have assessed the relationship of hair relaxer use to breast cancer risk. Researchers have now found no association of hair relaxer use with breast cancer risk overall in Black women, but they did find some evidence that heavy use of lye-containing hair relaxers may be associated with increased risk of ER+ breast cancer. "While there is biologic plausibility that exposure to some components contained in hair relaxers might increase breast cancer risk, the evidence from epidemiologic studies to date continues to be inconsistent," said lead author Kimberly Bertrand, ScD, assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and an epidemiologist at the BU Slone Epidemiology Center. Using data from the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS), a prospective cohort study established in 1995 when 59,000 self-identified Black women ages 21-69 living across the U.S. enrolled by completing self-administered health questionnaires, researchers compared incidence rates of breast cancer among women who reported moderate or heavy use of hair relaxers to rates among women with light or no use. "Overall, our results are generally reassuring: we found no clear evidence that hair relaxer use is associated with breast cancer risk for most women. However, there was some evidence the heaviest users of lye-containing products - those who used these products at least seven times a year for 15 or more years, which represented approximately 20 percent of women in our study - had about a 30 percent increased risk of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer," added Bertrand, an investigator of the BWHS. Black women are often underrepresented in health research and may have unique exposures that contribute to disparities in disease. Bertrand believes that given the high prevalence of use of chemical hair relaxers among Black women, further research is warranted to better establish associations according to breast cancer subtype as well as according to specific products. "Consistent results from several studies are needed before it can be concluded that use of certain hair relaxers impacts breast cancer development," she added. ### Drs. Patricia Coogan [Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH)]; Julie Palmer (BUSM); Lynn Rosenberg (BUSPH); Yvette Cozier (BUSPH) and Yolanda Lenzy also contributed to this research. These findings appear online in the journal Carcinogenesis. Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health (U01 CA164974, R01 CA58420). The study shows that the 2019-20 drought resulted from a natural meteorological phenomenon similar to the one that caused the 2014-16 critical water shortage in Sao Paulo state, Southeast Brazil. The extreme drought suffered by the Pantanal in 2019-20, considered the worst in the last 50 years, was caused by natural climate conditions similar to those underlying the 2014-16 water crisis in Sao Paulo state. The Pantanal is one of the worlds largest wetlands. The Brazilian portion is located in the Center-West region, mainly Mato Grosso do Sul state. The 2019-20 extreme drought was studied by researchers affiliated with the Natural Disaster Surveillance and Early Warning Center (CEMADEN), the National Space Research Institute (INPE) and Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) as part of a project supported by FAPESP under the aegis of its Research Program on Global Climate Change (RPGCC). The results of the study are published in the journal Frontiers in Water. The recent drought in the Pantanal was caused by a meteorological phenomenon we call atmospheric blocking. A high-pressure area prevented the formation of rainclouds throughout the central-western portion of South America. Temperatures were very high and relative humidity very low, Jose Marengo, a researcher at CEMADEN and principal investigator for the study, told Agencia FAPESP. Lack of rain combined with high temperatures and very low humidity led to a heightened risk of fire, which extended to agricultural areas as well as natural parts of the biome. Deliberate burning of vegetation to clear land for cattle ranching contributed to the spread of wildfires throughout the region, and these were harder to control owing to the long period of drought. Fires caused on one hand by warmer air and lack of rain in the Pantanal, and on the other by the burning of areas to clear the vegetation for cattle to graze, resulted in environmental disaster, Marengo said. Sources of observational data To investigate the hydroclimatic causes of drought in the Pantanal, the researchers used an array of sources of observational hydrological data (on the level of the Paraguay River) as well as data on rainfall and hydroclimatic teleconnections (links between hydrological events and atmospheric circulation patterns causing weather phenomena). They also used information on land use and remote sensing data to characterize water stress and drought in the Pantanal. Based on an analysis of all these datasets they were able to provide a clear description of the interannual variability of rainfall, river streamflow, and drought-related factors, concluding that the drought was caused by a complex combination of hydroclimatic teleconnections. The lack of rain during the summer in 2019 and 2020 in the Pantanal was due to a decrease in the flow of warm humid air from the Amazon, Marengo said. Part of the rain that falls on the Pantanal is brought by winds blowing from the North Atlantic to the Amazon, and from there to the Pantanal in Brazils Center-West region. The humidity coming down from the Amazon and cold fronts coming up from the South were prevented from reaching the Pantanal by a high-pressure bubble. As a result, masses of warmer and drier air contributed to the scarcity of rain during the summer at the peak of the monsoon season, typically characterized by changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation in tropical and subtropical coastal regions due to asymmetric heating of land and sea. The result was a prolonged extreme drought throughout the Pantanal, with severely adverse effects on the biome. This phenomenon is natural and occurred in a similar manner in Sao Paulo during the 2014-16 drought, Marengo said. Amplified impact According to Marengo, it is not yet possible to foresee whether the Pantanal will face more severe droughts in the years ahead. The problem can only be avoided if there is the right amount of rain at the right time. Its no use getting rain now, in March, at the end of the rainy season, and then between December this year and February 2022, for example, he said. This compromises the rainy season and increases the risk of more wildfires in the Pantanal. Drought in the Pantanal cannot be blamed solely on global climate change because it is a natural event and climate change is a long-term process. The recent drought differed from those seen in the 1950s and 1960s when the planet was cooler. Whats happening now is that these natural droughts are suffering the effects of climate instability, and the effects are worse because back then there was a lot less human occupancy in the region. Its population is now more vulnerable to the impact of drought, Marengo said. The article Extreme drought in the Brazilian Pantanal in 2019-2020: characterization, causes, and impacts (doi: 10.3389/frwa.2021.639204) by Jose A. Marengo, Ana P. Cunha, Luz Adriana Cuartas, Karinne R. Deusdara Leal, Elisangela Broedel, Marcelo E. Seluchi, Camila Miranda Michelin, Cheila Flavia De Praga Baiao, Eleazar Chuchon Angulo, Elton K. Almeida, Marcos L. Kazmierczak, Nelson Pedro Antonio Mateus, Rodrigo C. Silva and Fabiani Bender is at: www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2021.639204/full. New research from Florida State University shows that concentrations of the toxic element mercury in rivers and fjords connected to the Greenland Ice Sheet are comparable to rivers in industrial China, an unexpected finding that is raising questions about the effects of glacial melting in an area that is a major exporter of seafood. "There are surprisingly high levels of mercury in the glacier meltwaters we sampled in southwest Greenland," said FSU postdoctoral fellow Jon Hawkings. "And that's leading us to look now at a whole host of other questions such as how that mercury could potentially get into the food chain." The study was published today in Nature Geoscience. Initially, researchers sampled waters from three different rivers and two fjords next to the ice sheet to gain a better understanding of meltwater water quality from the glacier and how nutrients in these meltwaters may sustain coastal ecosystems. One of the elements they measured for was the potentially toxic element mercury, but they had no expectation that they would find such high concentrations in the water there. Typical dissolved mercury content in rivers are about 1 - 10 ng L-1 (the equivalent of a salt grain-sized amount of mercury in an Olympic swimming pool of water). In the glacier meltwater rivers sampled in Greenland, scientists found dissolved mercury levels in excess of 150 ng L-1, far higher than an average river. Particulate mercury carried by glacial flour (the sediment that makes glacial rivers look milky) was found in very high concentrations of more than 2000 ng L-1. With any unusual finding, the results raise more questions than answers. Researchers are unclear if the mercury levels will dissipate farther away from the ice sheet and whether this "glacier" derived mercury is making its way into the aquatic food web, where it can often concentrate further. "We didn't expect there would be anywhere near that amount of mercury in the glacial water there," said Associate Professor of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Rob Spencer. "Naturally, we have hypotheses as to what is leading to these high mercury concentrations, but these findings have raised a whole host of questions that we don't have the answers to yet." Fishing is Greenland's primary industry with the country being a major exporter of cold-water shrimp, halibut and cod. The finding underscores the complicated reality of rapidly melting ice sheets across the globe. About 10 percent of the Earth's land surface is covered by glaciers, and these environments are undergoing rapid change as a result of rising temperatures. Scientists worldwide are working to understand how warming temperatures -- and thus more rapidly melting glaciers -- will affect geochemical processes critical to life on Earth. "For decades, scientists perceived glaciers as frozen blocks of water that had limited relevance to the Earth's geochemical and biological processes," Spencer said. "But we've shown over the past several years that line of thinking isn't true. This study continues to highlight that these ice sheets are rich with elements of relevance to life." Hawkings also said it was worth noting that this source of mercury is very likely coming from the Earth itself, as opposed to a fossil fuel combustion or other industrial source. That may matter in how scientists and policymakers think about the management of mercury pollution in the future. "All the efforts to manage mercury thus far have come from the idea that the increasing concentrations we have been seeing across the Earth system come primarily from direct anthropogenic activity, like industry," Hawkings said. "But mercury coming from climatically sensitive environments like glaciers could be a source that is much more difficult to manage." ### Hawkings' and Spencer's co-authors come from an international team based in the United States (USGS, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Brigham Young University) United Kingdom (University of Bristol, University of Glasgow), Czechia (Charles University), Norway (UiT The Arctic University of Norway, UiO University of Oslo), Greenland (Greenland Climate Research Centre) and the Netherlands (Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research). Hawkings was supported by a European Commission Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Fellowship and the Natural Environment Research Council (United Kingdom). Part of the research was conducted at the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, funded by the National Science Foundation and the state of Florida. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- New research shows that concentrations of the toxic element mercury in rivers and fjords connected to the Greenland Ice Sheet are comparable to rivers in industrial China, an unexpected finding that is raising questions about the effects of glacial melting in an area that is a major exporter of seafood. "There are surprisingly high levels of mercury in the glacier meltwaters we sampled in southwest Greenland," said Jon Hawkings, a postdoctoral researcher at Florida State University and and the German Research Centre for Geosciences. "And that's leading us to look now at a whole host of other questions such as how that mercury could potentially get into the food chain." The study was published today in Nature Geoscience. The international study began as a collaboration between Hawkings and glaciologist Jemma Wadham, a professor at the University of Bristol's Cabot Institute for the Environment. Initially, researchers sampled waters from three different rivers and two fjords next to the ice sheet to gain a better understanding of meltwater water quality from the glacier and how nutrients in these meltwaters may sustain coastal ecosystems. One of the elements they measured for was the potentially toxic element mercury, but they had no expectation that they would find such high concentrations in the water there. Typical dissolved mercury content in rivers are about 1 - 10 ng L-1 (the equivalent of a salt grain-sized amount of mercury in an Olympic swimming pool of water). In the glacier meltwater rivers sampled in Greenland, scientists found dissolved mercury levels in excess of 150 ng L-1, far higher than an average river. Particulate mercury carried by glacial flour (the sediment that makes glacial rivers look milky) was found in very high concentrations of more than 2000 ng L-1. With any unusual finding, the results raise more questions than answers. Researchers are unclear if the mercury levels will dissipate farther away from the ice sheet and whether this "glacier" derived mercury is making its way into the aquatic food web, where it can often concentrate further. "We didn't expect there would be anywhere near that amount of mercury in the glacial water there," said Associate Professor of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Rob Spencer. "Naturally, we have hypotheses as to what is leading to these high mercury concentrations, but these findings have raised a whole host of questions that we don't have the answers to yet." Fishing is Greenland's primary industry with the country being a major exporter of cold-water shrimp, halibut and cod. "We've learned from many years of fieldwork at these sites in Western Greenland that glaciers export nutrients to the ocean, but the discovery that they may also carry potential toxins unveils a concerning dimension to how glaciers influence water quality and downstream communities, which may alter in a warming world and highlights the need for further investigation," Wadham said. The finding underscores the complicated reality of rapidly melting ice sheets across the globe. About 10 percent of the Earth's land surface is covered by glaciers, and these environments are undergoing rapid change as a result of rising temperatures. Scientists worldwide are working to understand how warming temperatures -- and thus more rapidly melting glaciers -- will affect geochemical processes critical to life on Earth. "For decades, scientists perceived glaciers as frozen blocks of water that had limited relevance to the Earth's geochemical and biological processes," Spencer said. "But we've shown over the past several years that line of thinking isn't true. This study continues to highlight that these ice sheets are rich with elements of relevance to life." Hawkings also said it was worth noting that this source of mercury is very likely coming from the Earth itself, as opposed to a fossil fuel combustion or other industrial source. That may matter in how scientists and policymakers think about the management of mercury pollution in the future. "All the efforts to manage mercury thus far have come from the idea that the increasing concentrations we have been seeing across the Earth system come primarily from direct anthropogenic activity, like industry," Hawkings said. "But mercury coming from climatically sensitive environments like glaciers could be a source that is much more difficult to manage." ### Other scientists contributing to the study come from an international team based in the United States (USGS, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Brigham Young University) United Kingdom (University of Bristol, University of Glasgow), Czechia (Charles University), Norway (UiT The Arctic University of Norway, UiO University of Oslo), Greenland (Greenland Climate Research Centre) and the Netherlands (Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research). The fieldwork was supported by grants through the Leverhulme Trust and the UKRI's Natural Environment Research Council. Jon Hawkings was also supported by a European Commission Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Fellowship. Part of the research was conducted at the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, funded by the National Science Foundation and the state of Florida. Global Used Cooking Oil (UCO) Market: Trending in 2021 The global used cooking oil (UCO) market size is anticipated to reach USD 773.5 Million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 3.6% during the forecast period, according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. The Report Used Cooking Oil Market Share, Size, Trends, & Industry Analysis Report [By Source (Restaurants and Other Food Outlets, Household, Food Manufacturers, Caterers, Others) By Application (Biodiesel, Oleo Chemicals, Animal Feed, Others), By Regions]: Segments & Forecast, 2019 2026 provides a thorough and detailed analysis with an overview of present trends and future insights. In 2018, the biodiesel segment accounted for the highest share in this market in terms of revenue. Europe is expected to be the leading contributor to the market revenue in 2018. Increasing urbanization and industrialization coupled with growing demand for biofuels majorly drives the UCO market growth. The increasing population, and rising awareness regarding use of renewable resources further support the growth of this market. Increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions, and environmental awareness boosts the market growth. The growth in the global food and beverage industry, and significant increase in restaurants and food outlets also accelerate the development of the used cooking oil market. Increasing use as additive in animal feed, rising focus on improving animal health, accelerating demand from emerging countries, and growing initiatives to promote sustainable energy sources are expected to provide growth opportunities in the used cooking oil industry during the forecast period. Get Sample Copy : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/used-cooking-oil-uco-market/request-for-sample Europe generated the highest market share in terms of revenue in the global used cooking oil industry in 2018, and is expected to lead the market throughout the forecast period. The growing population, urbanization, and industrialization increase the demand for used cooking oil in the region. The rising environmental concerns, and favorable government regulations is generating numerous opportunities for the used cooking oil industry in the region. Increasing demand for biodiesel, and growing awareness regarding animal health also boosts market growth in Europe. The well-known companies profiled in the UCO market report include Greenergy International Ltd, Baker Commodities Inc., Darling Ingredients, Proper Oils, Uptown Biodiesel Limited, Argent Energy, Devon Biofuels, Brocklesby Ltd, Biomotive Fuel Ltd., and Lywood Consulting. These companies are consistently launching new products to enhance their offerings in the global used cooking oil industry. With the advancement of technologies, companies are innovating and introducing new customized solutions to cater the growing needs of the customers. Leading companies are also acquiring other companies, and enhancing their product offerings to improve their market reach. Acquisitions enable key players to increase their market potential in terms of geographic expansion and expansion of customer base. Get Discount Offer : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/used-cooking-oil-uco-market/request-for-discount-pricing Polaris Market Research has segmented the global used cooking oil (UCO) market on the basis of Source, Applications and Region: Used Cooking Oil Source Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 2026) Restaurants and Other Food Outlets Household Food Manufacturers Caterers Others Used Cooking Oil Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 2026) Bio-diesel Oleochemicals Animal feed Others Used Cooking Oil Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 2026) Research Study Key Takeaways: Ridesharing can reduce a passenger's risk of being a target of sexual assault by providing a more reliable and timely transportation option for traveling to a safer place. The entry of Uber into a city contributes to a 6.3% reduction in rape incidents. A 1% increase in Uber pickups in a neighborhood translates to a more than 3% decrease in the likelihood of sexual assaults. CATONSVILLE, MD, May 24, 2021 - Contrary to portraits painted in popular media, new research involving ridesharing services shows they provide an additional level of protection for potential sexual assault victims, particularly in neighborhoods with inadequate public transportation or in circumstances that are more prone to sex crimes. The study, "The Deterrent Effect of Ride-sharing on Sexual Assault and Investigation of Situational Contingencies," published in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research, found the entry of Uber into a city in the United States contributes to a 6.3% reduction in rape incidents. "Even a 1% increase in Uber pickups in a neighborhood translates to a more than 3% decrease in the likelihood of sexual assaults," said Jiyong Park of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The study was conducted by Park alongside Min-Seok Pang of Temple University, Junetae Kim of the National Cancer Center Korea and Byungtae Lee of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. This research investigates the relationship between ridesharing and sexual assault, which has been a controversial, but underexplored topic in public debates on the sharing economy and ridesharing. This study is the first to present systematic empirical evidence that a ridesharing platform can provide a viable means to prevent sexual crimes under certain circumstances. "Ridesharing can reduce a passenger's risk of being a target of sexual assault by providing a more reliable and timely transportation option for traveling to a safer place," said Park. "Moreover, ridesharing contributes to a more significant reduction in the likelihood of rape occurrences in neighborhoods with limited transportation accessibility, such as the city's outskirts and neighborhoods where a higher percentage of the population is non-Caucasian." The study also found that ridesharing is more effective in deterring sexual crime in riskier circumstances, such as around alcohol-serving establishments on weekend nights or when the probability of crime occurrences increases. "Despite the common misconception due to popular media stories, our work proves that digital platforms can be leveraged to solve societal challenges by matching supply and demand closely for relevant services, which calls for spatiotemporal investigations of granular-level data in designing platform businesses and devising policy instruments," concluded Park. ### About INFORMS and Information Systems Research Information Systems Research is a premier peer-reviewed scholarly journal that covers the latest theory, research and intellectual developments for information systems in institutions, organizations, the economy and society to advance knowledge about the effective and efficient utilization of information technology. It is published by INFORMS, the leading international association for operations research and analytics professionals. More information is available at http://www. informs. org or @informs. Contact: Ashley Smith 443-757-3578 asmith@informs.org Within the European Union alone, about three million people are affected by an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some are only mildly affected and can live independent lives. Others have severe disabilities. What the different forms have in common is difficulty with social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive-stereotypic behaviors. Mutations in a few hundred genes are associated with ASD. One of them is called Cullin 3, and it is a high-risk gene: A mutation of this gene almost certainly leads to a disorder. But how exactly does this gene affect the brain? To learn more about it, Jasmin Morandell and Lena Schwarz, PhD students at Professor Gaia Novarino's research group, turned to mice whose Cullin 3 gene has been partially deactivated and compared them to their healthy siblings. Their results have just been published in the journal Nature Communications. In a series of behavioral and motoric tests, the team wanted to see if the modified mice mimicked some of the characteristics of patients with this form of autism and could therefore be used as model organisms. In one of these tests, the so-called three-chamber sociability test, a mouse could freely explore three adjacent chambers of a box connected by little doors. Now, the scientists put two other mice in the outer boxes: One was already familiar to the studied mouse, the other mouse it had never met. "Healthy mice usually prefer the new over the already familiar mouse," Jasmin Morandell, co-first author of the study, explains. The mouse with the altered Cullin 3 gene, however, showed no sign of recognition. Furthermore, the mice had motor coordination deficits as well as other ASD-relevant cognitive impairments. With the help of this mouse model, the team was then able to get to the bottom of the mechanisms that bring about these changes. A Dangerous Accumulation of Proteins While studying the mouse brain, the researchers noticed a very subtle but consistent change in the position of some brain cells. These so-called neurons or nerve cells originate from a special region in the brain. From there, they migrate toward the uppermost layers until they find their designated place in the cortex. It is a very sensitive process, where even small changes in the speed at which they travel can change the structure of the cortex. By marking the migrating neurons, the scientists could trace their movements. "We could observe migration deficits - the neurons are stranded in the lower cortex layers," Lena Schwarz, the other co-first author of the study, describes. But why are the cells not moving as they should? The answer lies in the important role Cullin 3 plays at the end of life of proteins. When their time has come, the gene Cullin 3 tags them for degradation - a process that has to be tightly regulated to prevent proteins from accumulating. To find out, which proteins are misregulated when Cullin 3 is defective, Morandell and Schwarz systematically analyzed the protein composition of the mouse brain. "We were looking at proteins that accumulate in the mutant brain and found a protein called Plastin 3. Then Gaia came across a poster describing the work of IST Austria's Schur group in the hallway, and we got very excited," says Jasmin Morandell. "They independently had been working on Plastin 3 as a regulator of cell motility and had complementary results to ours. That's when we started working together," Professor Gaia Novarino remembers. It turned out that the protein Plastin 3, which was previously unknown in the context of neuronal cell migration, actually plays an important role in this process. "If the Cullin 3 gene is deactivated, the Plastin 3 protein accumulates, causing cells to migrate slower and over shorter distances. This is exactly what we saw happening in the cortex of the Cullin 3 mutant mice," says PhD student Lena Schwarz. A Risky Pathway? All this is taking place during a very early stage of brain development around halfway through pregnancy - long before anyone would notice any difference in the fetus. "Determining these critical windows during brain development could be extremely important to fine-tune the treatment of patients with specific forms of ASD," explains Novarino, who is committed to improving diagnosis and treatment options for people with ASD. "Following up with the research on Plastin 3 could pave the way for some therapeutics. Inhibiting the accumulation of this protein could eventually alleviate some of the symptoms patients have," Schwarz says. "We now know that defective Cullin 3 leads to increased levels of Plastin 3. This tight correlation shows that Plastin 3 protein levels may be an important factor for the control of cell-intrinsic movements," says Jasmin Morandell. She recently graduated and may use her expertise in brain development to study Huntington's disease. Lena Schwarz will next turn to additional high-risk ASD genes to see how other proteins in the degradation pathway may be linked to ASD. For the present study, the Novarino group joined forces with the Danzl and Schur groups and a colleague from the University of Rome. "Finishing this extensive study in around two and a half years despite the pandemic was only possible with the support from our neighbors at IST Austria," Novarino praises the multidisciplinarity at the Institute. ### Inpatient rehabilitation is shown to be effective, and ample opportunities exist to facilitate optimal outcomes; experts identify innovative approaches to improve care East Hanover, NJ. May 24, 2021. A recent qualitative study of rehabilitation professionals caring for people with spatial neglect enabled researchers to identify interventions to improve rehabilitation outcomes. Experts reported that implementation of spatial neglect care depends on interventions involving family support and training, promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration, development of interprofessional vocabulary, and continuous treatment and follow-up assessment through care transitions. The article, "Barriers and Facilitators to Rehabilitation Care of Individuals with Spatial Neglect: A Qualitative Study of Professional Views" (doi: 10.1016/j.arrct.2021.100122) was published online in Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation on March 31, 2021. It is available open access at https:/ / www. sciencedirect. com/ science/ article/ pii/ S2590109521000264 . The authors are Peii Chen, PhD, and Jeanne Zanca, PhD, of Kessler Foundation; Emily Esposito, MS, of University of California, Riverside; and A.M. Barrett, MD, of Atlanta VA Health Care System and Emory University School of Medicine. Drs. Chen and Zanca also have academic appointments at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. After a stroke or other type of brain injury, many people experience spatial neglect, a disabling complication that disrupts a person's 'internal GPS', causing them to have difficulties in navigating the environment. As a result, people may have trouble with balance, attention span, reading, memory, and navigation, and are at higher risk for injuries caused by falls, collisions, and other accidents. Spatial neglect contributes to prolonged recovery and poor rehabilitation outcomes. To understand this problem, researchers conducted a qualitative study to ask rehabilitation professionals what challenges and helpful factors they encounter as they provide treatment to people with spatial neglect. In six focus group sessions with 15 occupational therapists and 14 physical therapists, all of whom treated patients with spatial neglect in a rehabilitation hospital system, researchers learned that while a range of barriers need to be addressed, ample opportunities exist to improve spatial neglect rehabilitation. The therapists reported having support of peers and senior faculty, other clinical and service staff, and the management leadership. Spatial neglect care was facilitated by access to many if not all facility and equipment resources (e.g., specific treatment devices, availability of private space, feasibility of rearranging the physical setup of the room), a flexible schedule to meet individual patients' needs, the freedom to try new treatment approaches, and various channels to gain knowledge (e.g., grand rounds, journal clubs, and collaborations with researchers). Successful treatment for spatial neglect also depends on patient and family-related factors as well as insurance reimbursement. "Increasing patients' self-awareness of their own deficits and improving their engagement and participation in therapy is an important first step in improving treatment outcomes," said lead author Dr. Chen, senior research scientist at the Center for Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. "Supportive family members are also key facilitators to successful rehabilitation. Having an engaged, informed, and prepared caregiver can have enormous benefit." "By taking steps to detect spatial neglect and intervene early, rehabilitation facilities can help individuals recovering from stroke get maximal benefit from their stay," concluded Dr. Chen. "Ensuring continuity of care through transitions and supporting patient education and continuing education for therapists will contribute to improvement in long-term outcomes after stroke." Funding sources: Supported in part by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant no. 90SFGE0001); Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement. Learn about tools for detecting and treating spatial neglect: Kessler Foundation Learning Center (kflearn.org) About Kessler Foundation: Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org. For more information, or to interview an expert, contact Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org. ### MAY 24, 2021, NEW YORK - A Ludwig Cancer Research study has discovered how to revive a powerful but functionally inert subset of anti-cancer immune cells that are often found within tumors for cancer therapy. Led by Ludwig Lausanne's Ping-Chih Ho and Li Tang of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, the study describes how an immune factor known as interleukin-10 orchestrates the functional revival of "terminally exhausted" tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs), which have so far proved impervious to stimulation by immunotherapies. It also demonstrates that the factor, when applied in combination with cell therapies, can eliminate tumors in mouse models of melanoma and colon cancer. The findings are reported in the current issue of Nature Immunology. "We've found, for the first time, that terminally exhausted TILs can be directly rejuvenated so that their potent anti-cancer activity is restored, and that this rejuvenation is accomplished through the metabolic reprogramming of the cells induced by interleukin-10," said Ho, associate member of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne. Deprived of oxygen and vital nutrients within tumors, the TILs most capable of killing cancer cells are typically pushed into a stubbornly sluggish state known as exhaustion. Recent research has identified two distinct types of exhausted TILs. One, known as "progenitor exhausted" TILs, can recognize cancer cells with nominal efficiency and proliferate in response to the immunotherapy PD-1 blockade. But it is their descendants, "terminally exhausted" TILs, that are best equipped to detect and destroy cancer cells. They are, however, functionally disabled, prone to self-destruction and utterly incapable of proliferation. "Even PD-1 blockade cannot restore the function of these terminally exhausted TILs," said Ho. "In fact, many patients do not respond to PD-1 blockade because their tumors lack progenitor exhausted TILs and have only terminally exhausted TILs. This is why researchers are looking for ways to revive terminally exhausted T cells for cancer therapy." Three lines of evidence prompted the current study. First, Ho and his team recently showed that terminally exhausted TILs could be functionally revived by restoring the health of their mitochondria--the bean-shaped organelles in cells that generate energy and help regulate metabolism. Second, IL-10 is known to stimulate anti-cancer immune responses and has been tested as a therapy for lung cancer in an early phase clinical trial, albeit with mixed results. Finally, IL-10 was recently found to restore mitochondrial fitness and reprogram the metabolism of immune cells known as macrophages. Ho and his colleagues wondered whether IL-10 might similarly influence terminally exhausted TILs. To find out, they added an engineered, long-lived version of IL-10 (IL-10/Fc) to adoptive cell therapy (ACT)--the infusion of tumor-targeting T cells to treat cancer--and tested the combination in a mouse model of melanoma. The treatment boosted the number and functionality of terminally exhausted TILs and led to tumor regression and cures in 90% of treated mice, compared to limited regressions with IL-10/Fc alone and none with ACT alone. Notably, 80% of surviving mice developed an immune memory for the cancer, spontaneously rejecting the same tumors implanted two months after therapy. "This suggests that if IL-10 is added to ACT, it could confer long-term protection from cancer growth," said Ho. The researchers also tested IL-10/Fc on CAR-T cells, which are engineered to target cancer cells bearing specific molecular markers. IL-10/Fc treated CAR-T cells induced complete cures of roughly 90% of mice implanted with colon cancer tumors. Ho, Tang and colleagues found that IL-10/Fc specifically acts on terminally exhausted TILs, not on progenitor exhausted TILs. They also showed it reprograms the metabolism of terminally exhausted TILs--beginning with the process they employ to extract energy from nutrients. That, in turn, leads to sweeping changes in their gene expression programs, which drives their functional re-activation and proliferation. IL-10/Fc had the same effect on human TILs, and on CAR-T cells as well. "With IL-10, we reset the energy-generation program of the most exhausted soldiers of the anti-cancer immune response and revived their ability to kill tumor cells," said Ho. The researchers are now investigating the precise mechanisms by which metabolic reprogramming alters gene expression patterns in the terminally exhausted TILs. They are also conducting preclinical studies to advance the application of their discoveries to human cancer therapy. ### Ping-Chih Ho is an Associate Member of the Lausanne Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and an Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne. This work was supported by Ludwig Cancer Research, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the ISREC Foundation, the Biltema Foundation, Swiss Cancer League, the European Research Council, Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation, Fondation Pierre Mercier pour la science, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, the Cancer Research Institute, the Swiss Cancer League, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Scholarship Council. About Ludwig Cancer Research Ludwig Cancer Research is an international collaborative network of acclaimed scientists that has pioneered cancer research and landmark discovery for 50 years. Ludwig combines basic science with the ability to translate its discoveries and conduct clinical trials to accelerate the development of new cancer diagnostics and therapies. Since 1971, Ludwig has invested nearly $3 billion in life-changing science through the not-for-profit Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the six U.S.-based Ludwig Centers. To learn more, visit http://www. ludwigcancerresearch. org . For further information please contact Rachel Reinhardt, rreinhardt@lcr.org. Ecology, the field of biology devoted to the study of organisms and their natural environments, needs to account for the historical legacy of colonialism that has shaped people and the natural world, researchers argued in a new perspective in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. To make ecology more inclusive of the world's diverse people and cultures living in diverse ecosystems, researchers from University of Cape Town, North West University in South Africa and North Carolina State University proposed five strategies to untangle the impacts of colonialism on research and thinking in the field today. "There are significant biases in our understanding of ecology and ecosystems because of this colonial framework of thinking," said perspective co-author Madhusudan Katti, associate professor for leadership in public science, and forestry and environmental resources at NC State. "We are challenging ecologists to understand and address the legacies of colonialism, and to start engaging in an active process of 'decolonizing science.'" The researchers described emerging research documenting impacts of European colonialism - the migration, settlement and exploitation of the Americas, Africa, Asia and other parts of the world by people from Europe - on people and the natural world, and on ecology. Katti said examples of how ecological research reflects the impact of colonialism include patterns of vegetation in cities that reflect patterns of racial segregation and discrimination, or in the use of names of prominent European scientists or their patrons in the scientific names for bird species and other organisms rather than names used by Indigenous people. "Indigenous names are often based on observations of behavior or ecology, or represent cultural significance of species, but that traditional ecological knowledge is lost when names are changed," Katti said. "This is bad for both the colonized people and the science of ecology itself." The researchers challenged the field to address colonial legacies using five strategies: * Decolonize the mind. Researchers said this should be done by understanding other knowledge systems from colonized cultures. * Know your history, or understand the history of colonialism in influencing Western ecology, and its role in promoting oppression of other people and in shaping the environment. "Ecology is about organisms living in their ecosystems - that's what we study," Katti said. "If you want to study ecology, that includes people. To understand how people shape ecosystems, we have to understand how political power works. Western ecologists have to acknowledge how science has been aligned with colonial power, and how it has been used to perpetuate systems of oppression that continue to this day." * Decolonize information. They suggest this should be done by increasing access to academic information, and understanding power dynamics in the way data is owned and disseminated. * Decolonize expertise by recognizing more diverse voices in the field of ecology. * Establish diverse and inclusive teams to help overcome biases in future research. "The world is enriched by diverse perspectives," Katti said. "We need scientific teams where everybody is equally empowered to set a robust research agenda, and ensure more robust testing of these ideas. If the person with a different hypothesis is not in the room, then you're never challenged to test and prove their hypothesis, and you're subject to your own bias." ### The perspective, "Decoloniality and anti-oppressive practices for a more ethical ecology," was published online in Nature Ecology & Evolution on May 24, 2021. It was authored by Katti, Christopher H. Trisos and Jess Auerbach. Trisos acknowledges funding from the National Socio Environmental Synthesis Center under funding received from the National Science Foundation (DBI-1639145) and FLAIR fellowship programme - a partnership between the African Academy of Sciences and Royal Society, funded by the UK Government's Global Challenges Research Fund. -oleniacz- Note to editors: The abstract follows. "Decoloniality and anti-oppressive practices for a more ethical ecology" Authors: Christopher H. Trisos, Jess Auerbach and Madhusudan Katti. Published online May 24 in Nature Ecology and Evolution. Abstract: Ecological research and practice are crucial to understanding and guiding more positive relationships between people and ecosystems. However, ecology as a discipline and the diversity of those who call themselves ecologists have also been shaped and held back by often exclusionary Western approaches to knowing and doing ecology. To overcome these historical constraints and to make ecology inclusive of the diverse peoples inhabiting Earth's varied ecosystems, ecologists must expand their knowledge, both in theory and practice, to incorporate varied perspectives, approaches and interpretations from, with and within the natural environment and across global systems. We outline five shifts that could help to transform academic ecological practice: decolonize your mind; know your histories; decolonize access; decolonize expertise; and practise ethical ecology in inclusive teams. We challenge the discipline to become more inclusive, creative and ethical at a moment when the perils of entrenched thinking have never been clearer. For the first time, researchers have observed plasma jets interacting with magnetic fields in a massive galaxy cluster 600 million light years away, thanks to the help of radio telescopes and supercomputer simulations. The findings, published in the journal Nature, can help clarify how such galaxy clusters evolve. Galaxy clusters can contain up to thousands of galaxies bound together by gravity. Abell 3376 is a huge cluster forming as a result of a violent collision between two sub-clusters of galaxies. Very little is known about the magnetic fields that exist within this and similar galaxy clusters. "It is generally difficult to directly examine the structure of intracluster magnetic fields," says Nagoya University astrophysicist Tsutomu Takeuchi, who was involved in the research. "Our results clearly demonstrate how long-wavelength radio observations can help explore this interaction." An international team of scientists have been using the MeerKAT radio telescope in the Northern Cape of South Africa to learn more about Abell 3376's huge magnetic fields. One of the telescope's very high-resolution images revealed something unexpected: plasma jets emitted by a supermassive black hole in the cluster bend to form a unique T-shape as they extend outwards for distances as far as 326,156 light years away. The black hole is in galaxy MRC 0600-399, which is near the centre of Abell 3376. The team combined their MeerKAT radio telescope data with X-ray data from the European Space Agency's space telescope XXM-Newton to find that the plasma jet bend occurs at the boundary of the subcluster in which MRC 0600-399 exists. "This told us that the plasma jets from MRC 0600-399 were interacting with something in the heated gas, called the intracluster medium, that exists between the galaxies within Abell 3376," explains Takeuchi. To figure out what was happening, the team conducted 3D 'magnetohydrodynamic' simulations using the world's most powerful supercomputer in the field of astronomical calculations, ATERUI II, located at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. The simulations showed that the jet streams emitted by MRC 0600-399's black hole eventually reach and interact with magnetic fields at the border of the galaxy subcluster. The jet stream compresses the magnetic field lines and moves along them, forming the characteristic T-shape. "This is the first discovery of an interaction between cluster galaxy plasma jets and intracluster magnetic fields," says Takeuchi. An international team has just begun construction of what is planned to be the world's largest radio telescope, called the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). "New facilities like the SKA are expected to reveal the roles and origins of cosmic magnetism and even to help us understand how the universe evolved," says Takeuchi. "Our study is a good example of the power of radio observation, one of the last frontiers in astronomy." ### The study, "Jets from MRC 0600-399 bent by magnetic fields in the cluster Abell 3376," was published in the journal Nature on May 5, 2021, at https:/ / www. nature. com/ articles/ s41586-021-03434-1 . About Nagoya University, Japan Nagoya University has a history of about 150 years, with its roots in a temporary medical school and hospital established in 1871, and was formally instituted as the last Imperial University of Japan in 1939. Although modest in size compared to the largest universities in Japan, Nagoya University has been pursuing excellence since its founding. Six of the 18 Japanese Nobel Prize-winners since 2000 did all or part of their Nobel Prize-winning work at Nagoya University: four in Physics - Toshihide Maskawa and Makoto Kobayashi in 2008, and Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano in 2014; and two in Chemistry - Ryoji Noyori in 2001 and Osamu Shimomura in 2008. In mathematics, Shigefumi Mori did his Fields Medal-winning work at the University. A number of other important discoveries have also been made at the University, including the Okazaki DNA Fragments by Reiji and Tsuneko Okazaki in the 1960s; and depletion forces by Sho Asakura and Fumio Oosawa in 1954. "If you build it, they will come," so says the idiom but it's the storytellers, knowledge-makers and an "agentic" or open-minded population who help create great entrepreneurial cities. A new research study, conducted by QUT, RMIT and the University of Indiana, analysed data from 362 American cities with a focus on human agency, entrepreneurial spirit, and economic growth. The study, based on geographic psychological profiles of millions of people based in the US, found people and an empowered city life matter in shaping urban vitality. The research points to San Francisco and Austin as the zip codes that drive the highest-impact entrepreneurship conducive to economic growth. Other cities scoring high included New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, San Jose, Riverside, Sacramento and Tampa. Professor Martin Obschonka, Director of QUT's Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research and a joint author of the research, said the findings needed to be tested in other areas like Australia. "Our study describes an ideal and what cities should strive for," Professor Obschonka said. "Future research could provide a more nuanced picture on how local populations with their unique psychological makeup interact with a structural city environment." The researchers acknowledge a "people-focused view" on great entrepreneurial cities builds on the work by influential author, theorist, journalist, and activist Jane Jacobs who wrote the book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. The 1961 publication spearheaded a movement against a four-lane road through New York's Greenwich Village dismissing the scientific rationalism of urban planning and coining metaphoric concepts such as the "ballet of sidewalk" and "eyes on street". The new study, published in Research Policy, tests and extends Jane Jacob's theory by revealing best performing cities in terms of growth-oriented entrepreneurship are those that empower open and agentic people. "They are empowered by a physical and industrial city landscape that enables them to act in more innovative and entrepreneurial ways," Professor Obschonka said. Professor Martin Obschonka said most empirical research addressing the economic performance of cities focus on the physical and industrial structures of cities, underestimating the role of people. "The core message and spirit of Jane Jacobs has been overlooked," he said. "The most compelling finding of our study suggests that a strong open orientation of people in cities, designed to be dense and diverse, results in high impact entrepreneurship with start-ups that have the potential to grow significantly," he said. Professor Obschonka said by building a psychological profile of a city, a model was developed to identify geographic personality traits. He said regions that demonstrated agentic tendencies, whereby people are more open-minded, learning-oriented, and creative acted in more innovative and entrepreneurial ways. "One secret of great entrepreneurial cities seems to be that open-minded people are empowered by a city environment, bringing many similarly open-minded people together in dense and diverse places to interact, share new ideas and knowledge and inspire creativity," he said. "Empowering people liberates their imaginations and not only is the human spirit lifted through interactions among people in a city, but the flow of new ideas inspires vital new innovations." Professor Obschonka said the study also has major implications for entrepreneurial ecosystems and cities, including those in Australia. "It's not only about promoting diversity of people but diversity of economic activities within sectors with cities to help create a fertile environment for sharing knowledge," Professor Obschonka said. "Cities and regions can promote a local open psychological orientation to stimulate growth in innovation processes." ### CONTACT: media@qut.edu.au HOUSTON - (May 24, 2021) - U.S. and Austrian physicists searching for evidence of quantum criticality in topological materials have found one of the most pristine examples yet observed. In an open access paper published online in Science Advances, researchers from Rice University, Johns Hopkins University, the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) present the first experimental evidence to suggest that quantum criticality -- a disordered state in which electrons waver between competing states of order -- may give rise to topological phases, "protected" quantum states that are of growing interest for quantum computation. "The thought that underlies this work is, 'Why not quantum criticality?'" said study co-author Qimiao Si, a theoretical physicist from Rice who's spent two decades studying the interplay between quantum criticality and one of the most mysterious processes in modern physics, high-temperature superconductivity. "Maybe quantum criticality is not the only mechanism that can nucleate topological phases of matter, but we know quantum criticality provides a setting in which things are fluctuating and from which new states of matter can emerge," said Si, director of the Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM). In the study Si and colleagues, including experimentalist Silke Buhler-Paschen, a longtime collaborator at TU Wien, and Collin Broholm of both NIST and Johns Hopkins, studied a semimetal made from one part cerium, four parts ruthenium and six parts tin. Topological phases have not been observed in CeRu4Sn6, but it is similar to a number of other materials in which these have been observed. And it is known to host the Kondo effect, a strong interaction between the magnetic moments of electrons attached to atoms in a metal and the spins of passing conduction electrons. In typical metals and semiconductors, interactions between electrons are weak enough that engineers and physicists need not take them into account when designing a computer chip or other electronic device. Not so in "strongly correlated" materials, like Kondo semimetals. In these, the overall behavior of the material -- and of any device built from it -- relies on electron-electron interactions. And these are the interactions that give rise to quantum criticality. In experiments at TU Wien and NIST's Center for Neutron Research, the team used magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and inelastic neutron scattering measurements to glean the quantum state of CeRu4Sn6 at very cold temperatures. The tests revealed the material is quantum critical in its native state without the need for any fine-tuning. Quantum criticality arises when strongly correlated materials undergo a phase change at very low temperatures. The transformation is akin to the freezing of liquid phase water into solid phase ice at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Phase changes in quantum materials also occur at critical temperatures, but the phases are quantum in nature. On one side of the critical point, electrons are ordered one way. On the other side, they are arranged in a different order. At the critical point, electrons are fickle, incessantly fluctuating between competing orders. This is quantum criticality -- the pristine state measured in the CeRu4Sn6. "Usually, you have to work to achieve that condition," said Wes Fuhrman, an alumnus of Broholm's lab at Johns Hopkins and one of the study's lead authors. "Finding these fluctuations is like hitting a bull's-eye that gets smaller and smaller as you lower the temperature. Here, the dilute electrons of the semimetal seem to act like trail guides to the quantum critical point." While CeRu4Sn6 has not been proven to be topological, Si said he expects it eventually will be, in part because of its similarities to previous Weyl-Kondo semimetals, a class of materials he and Buhler-Paschen discovered in 2017 and explored further in February. "To the extent that is the case, this work represents the very first step in realizing a still conjectured, conceptual framework where quantum criticality can be the reason for the emergence of strongly correlated topological semimetals," Si said. Quantum states tend to be fragile, but in topological materials, patterns of quantum entanglement produce "protected" states that cannot be erased. The immutable nature of topological states is of increasing interest for quantum computing, in which quantum states are used to store and process information. Si said the state of topological materials today is reminiscent of that of high-temperature superconductors in the 1990s. Buhler-Paschen, whose team in Vienna has already discovered the first Weyl-Kondo semimetal material and synthesized the large single crystals needed for the neutron-scattering experiments said, "There are a few materials that have been realized, but to really get from a few isolated examples to lots of cases, like we have today for unconventional superconductivity, one needs to have a framework, a design principle." ### Si is the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor in Rice's Department of Physics and Astronomy and director of RCQM. Buhler-Paschen is a professor at TU Wien's Institute for Solid State Physics. Broholm is a professor of physics and astronomy and director of Johns Hopkins' Institute for Quantum Matter Energy Frontier Research Center (IQM EFRC). Co-authors include Jonathan Ha?nel, Hannes Winkler, Andrey Sidorenko, Andrey Prokofiev and Peter Blaha of TU Wien; Yiming Qiu of the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Jose Rodriguez-Rivera of both the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The research was supported by Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences through the IQM EFRC (SC0019331), the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF9456), the European Union's Horizon H2020 program (824109), the Austrian Science Fund (29296-N27, 29279-N27, W1243), the National Science Foundation (1920740, 1607611), the Welch Foundation (C-1411), the ARCS Foundation, Lockheed Martin, KPMG, the Schmidt Science Fellows and the Rhodes Trust. RCQM leverages global partnerships and the strengths of more than 20 Rice research groups to address questions related to quantum materials. RCQM is supported by Rice's offices of the provost and the vice provost for research, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, the Brown School of Engineering, the Smalley-Curl Institute and the departments of Physics and Astronomy, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Materials Science and NanoEngineering. Links and resources: The DOI of the Science Advances paper is: 10.1126/sciadv.abf9134 A copy of the paper is available at: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1126/ sciadv. abf9134 High-resolution IMAGES are available for download at: http://news. rice. edu/ wp-content/ uploads/ 2014/ 09/ 0929_RCQM-Si1-lg. jpg CAPTION: Qimiao Si is the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University and director of the Rice Center for Quantum Materials. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2020/ 01/ 0117_ENTANGLED-sbp-lg. jpg CAPTION: Physicist Silke Buhler-Paschen of the Vienna University of Technology (Photo by Luisa Puiu/TU Wien) https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2021/ 05/ 0524_PRISTINE-wf-macs-lg. jpg CAPTION: Johns Hopkins University physicist Wesley Fuhrman adjusting a cryostat on the MACS spectrometer used in inelastic neutron scattering experiments on CeRu4Sn6 at the NIST Center for Neutron Research in Gaithersburg, Md. (Photo by Yiming Qiu/NIST) https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2021/ 05/ 0519_PRISTINE_CeRu4Sn6-fig-lg. jpg CAPTION: Three depictions of the structure of CeRu4Sn6, a semimetal made from one part cerium, four parts ruthenium and six parts tin. Austrian and U.S. physicists found the material is quantum critical in its native state. (Image courtesy of S. Buhler-Paschen/TU Wien) This release can be found online at news.rice.edu. Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,978 undergraduates and 3,192 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 1 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. SILVER SPRING, Md.-- Multi-factorial metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities in obesity, independently or in combination, seems to be the critical biological link of obesity, cancer and racial/gender health disparities. However, the specific cross-talk between these factors remain elusive. Because of the extraordinary relevance in understanding the relationship between obesity-associated inflammation and comorbidities with cancer development, progression and intervention, three new papers emphasizing different aspects of the obesity and cancer connection can be found in the latest online issue of Obesity, The Obesity Society's flagship journal. "We highlighted in the review the contribution of alteration of metabolic factors such as lipids, insulin and leptin in obesity on the modulation of immunosuppressive and pro-oncogenic capabilities of myeloid cells, as key players in the chronic inflammation, which is a feature in obesity and cancer. Also, although the maintenance of a healthy weight is an essential principle to prevent cancer, obesity--within the context of a certain metabolic and inflammatory phenotype that remains to be defined--seems to be advantageous for the anti-cancer immunotherapy, a clinically and scientifically fascinating observation recently published," said Maria D. Sanchez-Pino, MSc., PhD, assistant professor of research at the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, member of the Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology and Department of Genetics at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, and corresponding author of the paper titled "Obesity-associated Myeloid Immunosuppressive Cells, Key Players in Cancer Risk and Response to Immunotherapy". "Deciphering the molecular mechanisms by which obesity-associated metabolic factors activate or enhance the function of Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC) and immunosuppressive macrophages will allow us to identify biomarkers for prognosis and therapeutic responses, as well as, to discover potential targets for pharmacological therapies, and then, possibly disrupt the pathophysiologic inflammatory link between obesity and cancer." Co-authors of Sanchez-Pino's paper include Justin Brown of the Louisiana State University (LSU) Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., and member of the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center of the LSU Health Science Center. Augusto Ochoa of the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center from LSU Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine in New Orleans, and Linda Anne Gilmore of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, also contributed to the review. Brown also described in his study titled "Obesity and Cancer Risk in White and Black Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study" that meaningful differences in the predictive associations of obesity and cancer risk are explained by race and sex. In his prospective cohort study of 18,296 Caucasian and African-American adults with cancer, the body mass index and waist circumference were not positively associated with cancer risk in Black men. However, among White men and White and Black women, a larger body mass index and waist circumference were associated with a higher risk of cancer. Other authors of the study include Shengping Yang, Emily Mire, and Peter Katzmarzyk from the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, and Xiacheng Wu, who is also part of the School of Public Health/Louisiana Tumor Registry, and Lucio Miele, Jovanny Zabaleta and Augusto Ochoa of the School of Medicine, LSU in New Orleans. Brown also participated in the symposium titled "Hitting A Triple--Diabetes, Obesity, and the Emerging Links to Cancer Risk," during ObesityWeek 2019 in Las Vegas. During the symposium, experts discussed the state-of-the-science and highlighted research gaps with the mechanistic link between diabetes, obesity and cancer. The researchers and clinicians settled that because the prevalence of obesity and diabetes increases, which in turn amplify the risk of malignances, clinical and public health interventions are urgently needed. Researchers explained that identifying how to disrupt the linkages among obesity, diabetes and cancer can transform the health and wellness of society; such a discovery would represent a "grand slam" for public health and medicine. ### Other authors of the "Triple Health Threat" paper included Tiffany Carson of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Center in Tampa, Fla., Henry Thompson of the Cancer Prevention Laboratory at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and Tanya Agurs-Collins of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Md. The papers, titled "Obesity and Cancer Risk in White and Black Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study" and "The Triple Health Threat: Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer--Epidemiology, Disparities, Mechanisms and Interventions" will be published in the June 2021 print issue. The third paper, "Obesity-associated Myeloid Immunosuppressive Cells, Key Players in Cancer Risk and Response to Immunotherapy" is already online. SILVER SPRING, Md.--People who are successful at weight-loss maintenance spend less time sitting during the week and weekends compared to weight-stable individuals with obesity, according to a paper published online in Obesity, The Obesity Society's flagship journal. This is the first study to examine time spent in various sitting activities among weight-loss maintainers. Prior findings from 2006 in the National Weight Control Registry indicated that weight-loss maintainers watched significantly less television than controls, but other sitting activities were not examined. In the current study, weight-loss maintainers did not significantly differ from controls in reported weekly sitting time spent watching television, but did differ in time spent in non-work-related time using a computer or video game. Differences between the current study and National Weight Control Registry findings could reflect changes over the past 15 years in available electronic devices, including the rise in availability of computers and video games. Weight-loss maintainers and controls also did not appreciably differ in time spent sitting while reading or studying, traveling; or talking, texting and socializing. These could be considered more mentally active forms of sedentary behavior. "The findings hopefully will prompt future weight maintenance intervention research testing the effects of and optimal approaches for reducing sedentary behavior, including non-work-related computer and video game usage. Future research should include objective measures of sedentary behavior and activity," said Suzanne Phelan, Department of Kinesiology and Public Health and The Center for Health Research, California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo. Phelan is the corresponding author of the study. Participants in the study included 4,305 weight-loss maintainers from WW (formerly Weight Watchers) who had maintained > 9.1 kg of weight loss (24.7 kg on average) for 3.3 years and had an average current BMI of 27.6 kg/m2. The group of weight-stable individuals with obesity had an average BMI of 38.9 kg/m2. To gather data, the Multicontext Sitting Time and Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaires were administered. Results revealed that weight-loss maintainers versus weight-stable individuals with obesity spent three hours less per day sitting during the week (10.9 versus 13.9) and weekends (9.7 versus 12.6). Weight-loss maintainers compared with controls also spent one hour less per day in non-work-related sitting using a computer or playing a video game during the week (1.4 versus 2.3) and weekends (1.5 versus 2.5). There were no meaningful differences between weight-loss maintainers and weight-stable individuals with obesity in the number of television sets and sedentary-promoting devices in the home (15.8 versus 14.8). Weight-loss maintainers expended significantly more calories per week in physical activity (1,835 versus 785). "These findings are important for understanding behaviors that may enhance weight loss maintenance, and one of those may be to reduce sitting time and other modes of sedentary behavior. However, this study also showed that physical activity was associated with improved weight-loss maintenance. Thus, this study does not imply that simply standing more rather than sitting will contribute to weight-loss maintenance, but may suggest that less sitting that results in more movement is what is key to weight loss maintenance. Hence, sit less and move more," said John M. Jakicic, PhD, FACSM, FTOS, Distinguished Professor, and Director of the Healthy Lifestyle Institute and the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Jakicic was not associated with the research. Other authors of the study include James Roake, Noemi Alarcon and Sarah Keadle of the Department of Kinesiology and Public Health and The Center for Health Research, California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo. Chad Rethorst of Texas A&M Agrilife in Dallas, Texas and Gary Foster of WW International, Inc. of New York and the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia also co-authored the study. ### The paper, titled "Sitting Time, Type, and Context Among Long-Term Weight-Loss Maintainers", will be published in the June 2021 print issue. This research was supported by a grant from WW International, Inc. Phelan reports receiving a research grant from WW International, Inc. Foster is an employee and shareholders of WW. At the time of the study, Rethorst was an employee and shareholder of WW. The remaining authors declared no conflicts of interest. Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Beauty and Personal Care in Saudi Arabia under Saudi Arabia Consumer Goods Market category. The Beauty and Personal Care Market in Saudi Arabia is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports. COVID-19 had a mixed effect on demand for beauty and personal care during 2020. Overall beauty and personal care sales exhibited a modest declined in retail current value sales terms. Some products, such as bath and shower and baby and child-specific offerings, saw increased demand. This was main due to consumers stocking up on products they perceived to be essential during the early stages of the pandemic due to a fear of supply-chain disruption. Beauty and Personal Care in Saudi Arabia report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2016-2020, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. Forecasts to 2025 illustrate how the market is set to change. Product coverage: Baby and Child-specific Products, Bath and Shower, Colour Cosmetics, Deodorants, Depilatories, Dermocosmetics Beauty and Personal Care, Fragrances, Hair Care, Mass Beauty and Personal Care, Men's Grooming, Oral Care, Oral Care Excl Power Toothbrushes, Premium Beauty and Personal Care, Prestige Beauty and Personal Care, Skin Care, Sun Care. Request a free sample copy of Saudi Arabia Beauty and Personal Care Market Report @ http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/sample/reports/367308 Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data. Why buy this report? * Get a detailed picture of the Beauty and Personal Care market; * Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change; * Understand the competitive environment, the markets major players and leading brands; * Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop. Table Of Contents List OF CONTENTS AND TABLES BEAUTY AND PERSONAL CARE IN SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COVID-19 impact on beauty and personal care COVID-19 country impact Company response Retailing shift What next for beauty and personal care? CHART 1 Beauty and Personal Care Value Sales Growth Scenarios: 2018-2025 CHART 2 Beauty and Personal Care Impact of Soft Drivers on Value Sales: 2017-2025 MARKET DATA Table 1 Sales of Beauty and Personal Care by Category: Value 2015-2020 Table 2 Sales of Beauty and Personal Care by Category: % Value Growth 2015-2020 Table 3 GBO Company Shares of Beauty and Personal Care: % Value 2016-2020 Table 4 NBO Company Shares of Beauty and Personal Care: % Value 2016-2020 Table 5 LBN Brand Shares of Beauty and Personal Care: % Value 2017-2020 Table 6 Distribution of Beauty and Personal Care by Format: % Value 2015-2020 Table 7 Distribution of Beauty and Personal Care by Format and Category: % Value 2020 Table 8 Forecast Sales of Beauty and Personal Care by Category: Value 2020-2025 Table 9 Forecast Sales of Beauty and Personal Care by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025 GLOBAL MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT GLOBAL INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT DISCLAIMER SOURCES Summary 1 Research Sources SUN CARE IN SAUDI ARABIA KEY DATA FINDINGS 2020 IMPACT COVID-19 and higher prices led to reduced demand for sun care, as consumers spend more time at home A broad product portfolio and regular new product launches help Nivea maintain its leadership Stuck at home, consumers shop online in growing numbers RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES Shrinking expatriate population will remain a drag on growth in retail volume sales The line between sun care, skin care and colour cosmetics will blur Both modern grocery retail chains and internet retailers will increase their investment in e-commerce Browse our full report with Table of Contents: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/beauty-and-personal-care-in-saudi-arabia/367308 About Us Market Reports on Saudi Arabia provides you with an in-depth industry reports focusing on various economic, political and operational risk environment, complemented by detailed sector analysis. We have an exhaustive coverage on variety of industries ranging from energy and chemicals to transportation, communications, constructions and mining to Food and Beverage and education. Our collection includes over 3000 up-to-date reports all researched, analysed and published by top-notch international research firms. Contact us at: Market Reports On Saudi Arabia Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: info@marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Website: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn The three-year K01 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences provides support to examine the environmental determinants of kidney injury in female sugarcane workers and female community members in Guatemala Dr. Jaime Butler-Dawson, from the Center for Health, Work, & Environment (CHWE) within the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH), has received a Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health. The three-year K01 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will provides support to examine the environmental determinants of kidney injury in female sugarcane workers and female community members in Guatemala. Dr. Butler-Dawson is a research instructor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) at the ColoradoSPH and is a founding member of the Climate, Work and Health Initiative. Her new study is part of CHWE's efforts to identify and prevent exposures that may contribute to the epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) in Central America. The research will be informed by Dr. Butler-Dawson's interdisciplinary mentorship team which includes Drs. John Adgate, Lee Newman, and Katherine James, from the EOH Department at the ColoradoSPH; Richard Johnson, in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center; and James Crooks, in the Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and Department of Biomedical Research at National Jewish Health. Training during the grant will provide Dr. Butler-Dawson with a further background in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, leadership training, and modeling multiple concurrent environmental stressors. CKDu has been well-described in males in the current literature. "Females, however, have rarely been studied and their impacts from the disease remain unknown," explains Butler-Dawson. "The information gained from this study will address this knowledge gap and describe the epidemic in females and their specific exposures and risk factors." Dr. Butler-Dawson was the lead author of two recent papers examining occupational and non-occupational risk factors for kidney injury among male sugarcane workers in Guatemala. These studies found that exposures to metals may contribute to kidney toxicity in workers even at lower levels of exposure. "Given the potentially high exposures in Guatemalan women from in-home cooking, their communities, and agricultural sources, this is an ideal population to explore airborne pollutant exposures and kidney injury," says Butler-Dawson. "The goal of this study is to improve the health of this vulnerable population by identifying and reducing exposures that contribute to CKDu." Dr. Butler-Dawson will be working with Pantaleon, one of Latin America's largest agribusinesses. Thanks to this collaboration, there is a unique opportunity to disseminate study findings beyond research publications to reach international businesses and community organizations. ### About the Center for Health, Work & Environment The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health is one of six Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health and houses the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center, one of 18 centers of its kind supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Main offices for the Center are located at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The Center team works with faculty, students, and community partners on numerous projects in occupational and environmental health, safety, and well-being. About the Colorado School of Public Health The Colorado School of Public Health is the first and only accredited school of public health in the Rocky Mountain Region, attracting top tier faculty and students from across the country, and providing a vital contribution towards ensuring our region's health and well-being. Collaboratively formed in 2008 by the University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado, the Colorado School of Public Health provides training, innovative research and community service to actively address public health issues including chronic disease, access to health care, environmental threats, emerging infectious diseases, and costly injuries. Learn more and follow Colorado SPH's updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Newly analysed letters written by Vivien Leigh show her close bond with fans - and how the actress would share highly-personal details about her health and relationships with them. The letters detail Vivien's experiences with physical and mental health, and how she worked hard to craft characters, even while dealing with a progressive illness. They paint a rich picture of her working practices and career choices in the later stages of her life. Australian fan Joyce Attwood met Vivien in person when she toured Australia in 1948 and the pair exchanged many letters over the next two decades. Joyce's letters form part of the Vivien Leigh Archive in the Victoria and Albert Museum, while a new book analyses letters sent to Joyce by Vivien for the first time. The contents of the letters haven't been made public before now. One letter, dated a day before her death and sent to Joyce, says: "I am so tired Joyce - so very tired, everything is such an effort for me. I feel I just can't fight back any longer." After Leigh's death her mother continued the relationship, sending some personal items of her daughter's to Joyce in Australia, including a bible inscribed by Leigh on the day she died, various Beatrix Potter figurines, signed photographs, and an engraved compact (inscribed with the words: "In sincere appreciation, Vivien Leigh, 1953"). She also sent a porcelain cat she used to have with her when she was having electric shock therapy which was bought for her by Lawrence Olivier. The accompanying letter, written to Attwood just before she died from her Sussex property Tickerage Mill, says: "When I was so ill here in London in 1945 I missed my Siamese so much. Larry bought me one in China. He has stayed on the table by the bed in the hospital with me for two years. Since then he has been everywhere with me. - Hospitals, Sanatoriums, Hotels, Theatres, wherever I have travelled I have had him for company. He is really part of me. I would like you to have him, so when the times comes my mother will send him to you along with this letter." Leigh also gave a cigarette case, hand towels, a handbag, lighter and matchbooks to Spanish fan Elvira Clara Bonet. The letters are published in a new book, Reframing Vivien Leigh, by Dr Lisa Stead from the University of Exeter. Fan Esperanza Alvarez told Dr Stead Vivien was a star who was very willing to engage with fans and went even further in developing "a personal relationship with many of them". Other fans praised her "availability". Another fan, Sarah Henderson told Dr Stead the actress "actually made herself accessible in a way that not many massive stars like her would have done because people could go see her. She was so sweet to her fans". The book traces the history of this relationship between Vivien and her fans, the "Circle", which started in face to face encounters and letters. Vivien often made arrangements to see the fans, inviting them to stage doors and to watch rehearsals. This required a great deal of effort on her part, and her secretaries during her busy and complex working schedule. Rita Malyon first wrote to Leigh in 1955 after seeing her at Stratford to say how much she'd enjoyed her plays. She continued to write to Leigh "every time I saw her in something new after that for a while", and told Dr Stead Leigh "always answered. . .they we nearly always typed by the secretary, but she actually addressed them to us and signed them personally". These letters are now, along with others in the Circle archive, in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The letters show fascinating detail about Leigh's professional life and creative labour and offer an insight into Leigh's views on the roles she was being offered during this period in her life. Leigh's letters suggest that she had been given a specific, terminal timeline by physicians in 1963. A letter published in the book, written in April 1967 to Joyce Attwood says: "When I was at the sanatorium in Switzerland after 'Tovarich', the Doctors told me then, my lung would only last the most, another three years". In April of that year she said: "I have been trying to say goodbye". Dr Stead said: "It may seem odd that such personal letters and objects were sent to people Leigh and her mother barely knew, but perhaps this was because they were at a safe distance. She felt like she could confess her troubles to them. The letters show intimacy for her was being able to speak freely away from the public eye. "The letters reframe Vivien Leigh, helping us to go beyond her popular image to show her insecurities and also her professionalism. They show she did have a great deal of agency in her work. She managed her career while at the same time coping with mental health issues which she shared with fans." Many of Leigh's other letters are held by the Victoria and Albert Museum. Some degree of correspondence with fans was usual at the time. In letters to other fans published in the book Leigh responds politely to questions about upcoming plays and films but rarely speaks at length about her more private thoughts and feelings. Joyce Attwood's letter collection also contains letters from other members of Leigh's family, featuring various piece of correspondence from Leigh's mother, Gertrude Hartley, and her daughter, Suzanne Farrington, sent both before and after Leigh's death in 1967. The letters show Leigh was keen to know about Attwood's life and family. In one letter, featured in the book, Leigh said she appreciated Joyce's discretion when she didn't discuss Laurence Olivier when the pair met given that their recent divorce was so recent. She wrote at length about the hurt caused by Olivier and her attempts to hide her unhappiness from the press, but also the support he had offered her throughout her illness. In 1961 Leigh wrote to Joyce about the joy she was experiencing as a grandmother, describing her daughter as "the greatest happiness in my life". That summer she asked Joyce to keep writing to her, saying she loved getting letters from her and this would help sustain her through long periods of illness. Joyce's niece has told Dr Stead she thinks her aunt may have burned many of Leigh's other letters after her death because they contained personal information and she did not want to end up "in the wrong hands". ### According to researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago, the antibiotics used to treat common bacterial infections, like pneumonia and sinusitis, may also be used to treat human diseases, like cancer. Theoretically, at least. As outlined in a new Nature Communications study, the UIC College of Pharmacy team has shown in laboratory experiments that eukaryotic ribosomes can be modified to respond to antibiotics in the same way that prokaryotic ribosomes do. Fungi, plants, and animals -- like humans -- are eukaryotes; they are made up of cells that have a clearly defined nucleus. Bacteria, on the other hand, are prokaryotes. They are made up of cells, which do not have a nucleus and have a different structure, size and properties. The ribosomes of eukaryotic and procaryotic cells, which are responsible for the protein synthesis needed for cell growth and reproduction, are also different. "Some antibiotics, used for treating bacterial infections, work in an interesting way. They bind to the ribosome of bacterial cells and very selectively inhibit protein synthesis. Some proteins are allowed to be made, but others are not," said Alexander Mankin, the Alexander Neyfakh Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy at the UIC College of Pharmacy and senior author of the study. "Without these proteins being made, bacteria die." When people use antibiotics to treat an infection, the cells of the patient are not affected because the drugs are not designed to bind to the differently shaped ribosomes of eukaryotic cells. "Because there are many human diseases caused by the expression of unwanted proteins -- this is common in many types of cancer or neurodegenerative diseases, for example -- we wanted to know if it would be possible to use an antibiotic to stop a human cell from making the unwanted proteins, and only the unwanted proteins," Mankin said. To answer this question, Mankin and study first author Maxim Svetlov, research assistant professor with the department of pharmaceutical sciences, looked to yeast, a eukaryote with cells similar to human cells. The research team, which included partners from Germany and Switzerland, performed a "cool trick," Mankin said. "We engineered the yeast ribosome to be more bacteria-like." Mankin and Svetlov's team used biochemistry and fine genetics to change one nucleotide of more than 7,000 in yeast ribosomal RNA, which was enough to make a macrolide antibiotic -- a common class of antibiotics that works by binding to bacterial ribosomes -- act on the yeast ribosome. Using this yeast model, the researchers applied genomic profiling and high-resolution structural analysis to understand how every protein in the cell is synthesized and how the macrolide interacts with the yeast ribosome. "Through this analysis, we understood that depending on a protein's specific genetic signature -- the presence of a 'good' or 'bad' sequence -- the macrolide can stop its production on the eukaryotic ribosome or not," Mankin said. "This showed us, conceptually, that antibiotics can be used to selectively inhibit protein synthesis in human cells and used to treat human disorders caused by 'bad' proteins." The experiments of the UIC researchers provide a staging ground for further studies. "Now that we know the concepts work, we can look for antibiotics that are capable of binding in the unmodified eukaryotic ribosomes and optimize them to inhibit only those proteins that are bad for a human," Mankin said. ### Additional co-authors of the study are Dorota Klepacki and Nora Vazquez-Laslop of UIC; Timm Koller and Daniel Wilson of the University of Hamburg; Sezen Meydan and Nicholas Guydosh of the National Institutes of Health; and Norbert Polacek and Vaishnavi Shankar of the University of Bern. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R35 GM127134, DK075132, 1FI2GM137845), the German Research Foundation (WI3285/6-1), and the Swiss National Science Foundation (31003A_166527). A new study by University of Liverpool ecologists warns that heat-induced male infertility will see some species succumb to the effects of climate change earlier than thought. Currently, scientists are trying to predict where species will be lost due to climate change so they can plan effective conservation strategies. However, research on temperature tolerance has generally focused on the temperatures that are lethal to organisms, rather than the temperatures at which organisms can no longer breed. Published in Nature Climate Change, the study of 43 fruit fly (Drosophila) species showed that in almost half of the species, males became sterile at lower than lethal temperatures. Importantly, the worldwide distribution of these species could be predicted much more accurately by including the temperature at which they become sterile, rather than just using their lethal temperature. To give an example, Drosophila lummei males are sterile four degrees below their lethal limit. To put that in context, four degrees is the temperature difference between summer in northern England and the south of France. Dr Steven Parratt, lead researcher from the University of Liverpool, said: "Our findings strongly suggest that where species can survive in nature is determined by the temperature at which males become sterile, not the lethal temperature. "Unfortunately, we do not have any way to tell which organisms are fertile up to their lethal temperature, and which will be sterilised at cooler temperatures. So, a lot of species may have a hidden vulnerability to high temperatures that has gone unnoticed. This will make conservation more difficult, as we may be overestimating how well many species will do as the planet warms." The researchers went on to model this for one of the Drosophila species using temperature predictions for 2060 and found more than half of areas with temperatures cool enough to survive will be too hot for the males to remain fertile. Dr Tom Price, senior researcher from the University of Liverpool, commented: "Our work emphasises that temperature-driven fertility losses may be a major threat to biodiversity during climate change. We already had reports of fertility losses at high temperature in everything from pigs to ostriches, to fish, flowers, bees, and even humans. Unfortunately, our research suggests they are not isolated cases, and perhaps half of all species will be vulnerable to thermal infertility. "We now urgently need to understand the range of organisms likely to suffer thermal fertility losses in nature, and the traits that predict vulnerability. We must understand the underlying genetics and physiology, so we can predict which organisms are vulnerable, and perhaps produce breeds of livestock more robust to these challenges." Head of Terrestrial Ecosystems at the Natural Environment Research Council Dr Simon Kerley said: "This is a highly exciting piece of work that turns on its head our thinking and assumption of the role, rate, and impact of climate change. It really starts to shed light on the hidden and subtle impact of the changing conditions on the myriad of animals that we perhaps take for granted and have not previously considered 'at risk' from our changing climate. Importantly, it alerts us to the understanding this risk could occur sooner than we thought. "This piece of work takes biology, at its most fundamental level, and explores it in a well-known and understood laboratory animal, but then takes that crucial extra step of relating it to the real world and the potential impact if may have on global biodiversity. "With the COP15 and COP26 conferences taking place this year, this study serves as a timely reminder of the need to research and better understand the relationship between climate change and biodiversity loss. The Natural Environmental Research Council will continue to fund this vital research, and UKRI as a whole will work as part of the global effort to safeguard the natural environment for generations to come." The study involved collaborators from the University of Leeds, University of Melbourne, University of Zurich and Stockholm University and was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). ### A new manifesto created by LGBT+ youth groups and sociolinguistics experts at the University of Nottingham has been launched to call for a more inclusive society in the UK. The manifesto presents a 12-point plan to address the many situations and problems young LGBT+ people face every day of their lives. The project is showcased on a new website and in a social media campaign arguing for changes to better support LGBT+ youth. The LGBT+ Youth Manifesto has been developed as part of language research which examines gender and sexual identity and has been funded by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust. Dr Lucy Jones from the School of English has worked closely with groups of young people aged 12 to 20 in four socioeconomically and culturally distinct regions of the North and Midlands of England. The research has explored how young people navigate the norms and ideologies of gender and sexuality in their everyday lives. Lucy carried out interviews and focus groups with four LGBT+ youth organisations in 2018-19 and during lockdown last year further online workshops with more than 40 additional young people from these groups. The resulting awareness campaign combines important points made by the participants, who helped to write and design the final manifesto and its website. The 12 steps being promoted by the manifesto include: Regular open talks about LGBT+ identities in school Better provision of and access to LGBT+ youth groups More inclusive changing rooms and toilet facilities Schools to take LGBT+ hate crime more seriously A government ban on 'conversion therapy' Many of the participants gave comments for use in the manifesto: "LGBT+ people shouldn't be treated like mythical creatures. They should be valued, recognised and respected for who they are, and included." "The youth group is a place where I can be myself and not be judged." "Most of us have feelings of depression and sadness, but the group is a small bit of happiness in the week." "My teachers have asked me to talk to younger kids about being LGBT because they weren't comfortable doing it themselves." "If there's no LGBT sex education then kids will think it's not normal to be gay." Anna, a volunteer youth worker from Nottingham, said: "Young LGBT+ people today are growing up with a huge burden, so it's more important than ever that their voices are not just heard, but actually listened to." Leading the project, Dr Lucy Jones said: "This manifesto represents the views of a range of young people who, because of their gender and/or sexual identities, are often marginalised in our society. We know that young LGBT+ people are potentially very vulnerable, but there's still a huge lack of knowledge around how best to support them. We all need to be better educated about the barriers they face to being happy, healthy young people - and we can start by asking them what they need. That's what the LGBT+ Youth Manifesto is all about." Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People, Professor Sarah Sharples, said: "The LGBT+ Youth Manifesto is a prime example of how academic research can give real power to younger generations, giving them a voice in important issues affecting their daily lives. As Lucy notes, we know that LGBTQ+ students are more likely to experience depression or anxiety than non-LGBTQ+ students; the Youth Manifesto is a very valuable tool to help all those who work with and support LGBTQ+ young people to do their best". The manifesto website is launched today and will be shared in a social media campaign on Twitter and Instagram (@lgbtmanifesto) and throughout Pride month in June. The manifesto is the first stage in this evidence-based, university-led lobbying campaign to inform government policy and practice in the future. Further analysis of the focus groups and interviews with LGBT+ young people will inform a policy briefing document in the near future. ### Talk of a graduate student mental health crisis is abundant in academic and popular media, but a University of Otago study has found no evidence of one in New Zealand. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, used data from the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand to compare the mental wellbeing of students who did, and did not, transition into PhD study after completing their undergraduate degree. Co-author Dr Damian Scarf, from the Department of Psychology, says the researchers found poor mental health is not an inevitable consequence of PhD study in New Zealand. This is despite numerous studies out of the US and Europe reporting the opposite. "There is a plethora of editorials, career features, empirical papers, etc. that talk of a graduate student mental health crisis. One paper in the US reported that graduate students were six times more likely to experience anxiety or depression than the general population - that is alarming," Dr Scarf says. However, no New Zealand-based study had been done into graduate student mental health, so the researchers wanted to plug the gap. "To date, quantitative studies on graduate student mental health have looked at one particular point in time, limiting any discussion about temporal links between entry into graduate education and mental health. The Graduate Longitudinal Study provides a super unique dataset in this regard, allowing us to track the mental health of graduate students before and after they enter a PhD programme." The GLSNZ conducted baseline sampling across all eight New Zealand universities in 2011, following up in 2014. For the study, the researchers compared 269 students who transitioned to PhD study, with 4230 who did not. "Unlike data on graduate student mental health from Europe and the US, it seems that entering graduate study in New Zealand does not lead to a big drop in mental health," Dr Scarf says. The difference in outcomes for students may be the structure of New Zealand PhD programs which have little, if any, course work, take fewer years to complete, and have higher completion rates. Dr Scarf says the problem with coverage of a supposed graduate student mental health crisis is that it may lead people, including students, to think that poor mental health is just part of being a PhD student. "This belief can have several negative effects, including PhD students being less likely to seek professional help for any mental health problems, because they think poor mental health and PhD study go hand in hand." ### Publication details: A Longitudinal Study of Mental Wellbeing in Students in Aotearoa New Zealand Who Transitioned Into PhD Study Taylor Winter, Benjamin C. Riordan, John A. Hunter, Karen Tustin, Megan Gollop, Nicola Taylor, Jesse Kokaua, Richie Poulton and Damian Scarf Frontiers in Psychology DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.659163 Regular consumption of milk is not associated with increased levels of cholesterol, according to new research. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity looked at three large population studies and found that people who regularly drank high amounts of milk had lower levels of both good and bad cholesterol, although their BMI levels were higher than non-milk drinkers. Further analysis of other large studies also suggests that those who regularly consumed milk had a 14% lower risk of coronary heart disease. The team of researchers took a genetic approach to milk consumption by looking at a variation in the lactase gene associated with digestion of milk sugars known as lactose. The study identified that having the genetic variation where people can digest lactose was a good way for identifying people who consumed higher levels of milk. Prof Vimal Karani, Professor of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics at the University of Reading said: "We found that among participants with a genetic variation that we associated with higher milk intake, they had higher BMI, body fat, but importantly had lower levels of good and bad cholesterol. We also found that those with the genetic variation had a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease. All of this suggests that reducing the intake of milk might not be necessary for preventing cardiovascular diseases." The new research was conducted following several contradictory studies that have previously investigated the causal link between higher dairy intake and cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. To account for inconsistencies in sampling size, ethnicity and other factors, the team conducted a meta-analysis of data in up to 1.9 million people and used the genetic approach to avoid confounding. Even though the UK biobank data showed that those with the lactase genetic variation had 11% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, the study did not suggest that there is any strong evidence for a link between higher milk intake and increased likelihood of diabetes or its related traits such as glucose and inflammatory biomarkers. Professor Karani said: "The study certainly shows that milk consumption is not a significant issue for cardiovascular disease risk even though there was a small rise in BMI and body fat among milk drinkers. What we do note in the study is that it remains unclear whether it is the fat content in dairy products that is contributing to the lower cholesterol levels or it is due to an unknown 'milk factor'". ### The team from the University of Reading, University of South Australia, Southern Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, University College London, and University of Auckland worked together on the study. Peer Reviewed Meta Analysis Humans Climate change impacts felt in the Amazon rainforest prior to the arrival of European settlers after 1492 may have meant populations of indigenous people were already in decline before the 'Great Dying', new research has suggested. Scientists studying fossil pollen and charcoal data from across the Amazon say it appears to show that human management of the rainforest may have peaked around 1200 AD, before some sites were abandoned, allowing reforestation of these areas. The new research, involving University of Reading scientists and published in the journal Science, challenges the prior assumption that the largest population decrease in the Americas - known as the Great Dying - did not start until after European settlers carried new diseases to the continent. Professor Frank Mayle, a tropical palaeoecology researcher at the University of Reading, and co-author of the study, said: "Our analysis raises the possibility that climate change caused the decline of some Amazonian societies several centuries before the Europeans arrived, especially the more complex societies which may have been too rigid to adapt. "Although the introduction of European diseases, such as small pox, is still likely to have been the reason for the major population decline subsequently seen in the Americas, the research is a warning of the threat climate change poses to society. Knowledge of how different types of ancient society responded to past climate change may provide valuable clues to understanding the fate of today's diverse societies under 21st century global warming." The research was led by Professor Mark Bush at Florida Tech, and included a team of international collaborators who are investigating how pre- and post-European people modified and managed Amazonian forests. Analysis of fossilised pollen and charcoal revealed that many previously deforested lands have been recovering for over 800 years, rather than the 400 years previously supposed, indicating a pre-European population decline. The research team is now looking to assess the drivers and mechanisms of this population drop-off. Finding signatures of initial forest regrowth following ancient human disturbance is important to ongoing discussions about the impact of Pre-Columbian people on Amazon rainforests and the extent to which modern forests exhibit legacies of past human activity. This research also has implications for atmospheric and biosphere science. It was previously believed that the indigenous population collapse in Amazonia following European Contact, and subsequent reforestation, led to the sequestration of so much carbon dioxide that global atmospheric CO2 levels decreased markedly, an event known as the 'Orbis Spike'. Yet the team found no evidence that the Orbis Spike was caused by Amazonian reforestation. ### The research was funded by grants from the National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation in the United States and the European Research Council and the Natural Environment Research Council in the United Kingdom. An ancient melon which is the closest relative and potential ancestor of the watermelon, has been discovered by scientists. A team of scientists led by Dr Guillaume Chomicki, from the University of Sheffield, has discovered the potential progenitor of the domestic watermelon, the Kordofan melon, using DNA sequencing technologies and analyses with historical data and Ancient Egyptian iconography. The discovery could explain why watermelons are so susceptible to disease as their analysis shows how key disease-resistant genes were lost as the melon was domesticated, and also help us to breed more disease-resistant watermelons in the future. The findings show that the melon originates from North Eastern Africa, in the region of Kordofan in Sudan, settling decades old debate and giving us more insight into how the watermelon was domesticated. Dr Guillaume Chomicki, from the University of Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, said: "The watermelon is one of the most important tropical fruits, with over 200 million tons produced every year, but it is also very susceptible to disease. "There are specific watermelon diseases, such as the Watermelon mosaic virus and they are also very sensitive to fungal infections. In conventional agriculture, they are frequently treated with fungicides, and insecticides to limit virus transfer. "Our analysis clearly shows that the Kordofan melon has more disease resistant genes, and different versions of those too. This means that the genome of the Kordofan melon has the potential to help us breed disease-resistant watermelons and allow non-GM gene editing. Achieving this would be reducing substantially pesticide use in watermelon farming." The new research, published in the journal PNAS, also found that the wild progenitor of the watermelon was already non-bitter and farmers brought these naturally sweet forms into cultivation, this contrasts dramatically with other crop species in the same family such as cucumber or squash, in which the loss of bitterness is the result of domestication. The genomic work, together with new interpretations of ancient Egyptian iconography by Dr Chomicki and colleagues shows that Egyptians were cultivating sweet watermelons at least 4,200 years ago. ### Notes to editors: * The study will be available when the embargo breaks at: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1073/ pnas. 2101486118 to see an embargoed copy before then please contact the Media Relations Officer. The University of Sheffield With almost 29,000 of the brightest students from over 140 countries, learning alongside over 1,200 of the best academics from across the globe, the University of Sheffield is one of the world's leading universities. A member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group of leading research-led institutions, Sheffield offers world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Unified by the power of discovery and understanding, staff and students at the university are committed to finding new ways to transform the world we live in. Sheffield is the only university to feature in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2018 and for the last eight years has been ranked in the top five UK universities for Student Satisfaction by Times Higher Education. Sheffield has six Nobel Prize winners among former staff and students and its alumni go on to hold positions of great responsibility and influence all over the world, making significant contributions in their chosen fields. Global research partners and clients include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Unilever, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Siemens and Airbus, as well as many UK and overseas government agencies and charitable foundations. A University of Texas at Arlington civil engineer is helping develop statewide guidance for an early warning system for floods, as well as a flood information and response system for the city of Houston. Nick Fang, associate professor in the Civil Engineering Department, is using a $250,000 Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) grant to develop an effective guidance manual for a specific early warning system tailored for communities in Texas. Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) have become more popular among flood-prone communities in Texas because of their ability to monitor rainfall and river levels, provide real-time flood forecasting and estimate potential damages They also cost less than infrastructure-related mitigation solutions. Many communities in Texas, however, need technical guidance tailored for them to understand and learn how to best utilize FEWS. Fang said he anticipates the guidance being useful for community leaders, county judges, emergency planners and floodplain managers in planning for future flooding events. Pertinent information will reside in a database for use by the TWDB, other governmental entities and the public. "This will not only serve to warn Texans of flooding, but also will look at recommendations that can be enacted by local authorities to help eliminate or lessen some of the challenges associated with these bad-weather events," Fang said. "We hope to convince entities across the state to better utilize flood early warning systems, whether they're simple monitoring systems or predictive systems. It could save lives and properties during devastating weather events." Ali Abolmaali, chair of the Civil Engineering Department, said the project could lead to entities across Texas adopting Fang's guidance to enhance flood resilience for their communities. "When cities and counties see the benefit of having such a system, I'm certain they will adopt what Dr. Fang has outlined in the flood early warning system plan," Abolmaali said. Flood system for Houston Fang also received a second grant, funded by the city of Houston, worth $230,000 to develop and implement a radar-based flood information and response system (FIRST) to assess and map critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, nursing homes, fire stations and wastewater treatment plants. The system would allow for early warnings with real-time visualizations of critical hotspots and inundated areas during storms. The data will include information gathered from Brays Bayou, White Oak Bayou, Hunting Bayou and Sims Bayou, all in the Houston area. Houston's flood alert system will include a floodplain map library, a predictive tool hosted online that demonstrates inundation levels under various rainfall conditions. It will use data platforms from the Houston Health Department and Rice University to monitor flood levels for selected critical facilities and neighborhoods by integrating real-time access to radar rainfall data and stream gauges. "The major objective of this project is to inform the city of Houston's emergency management operations, including emergency closures, evacuations and rescue operations for major flooding events," Fang said. "We hope the system works as a decision-making tool that enables leaders to initiate the best possible strategies during severe storm events." ### Litchfield (06759) Today Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Research teams across the UK will investigate the viability of five innovative methods of large-scale greenhouse gas removal to counter the impact of climate change Research teams across the UK will investigate the viability of five innovative methods of large-scale greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere to help the UK reach its legislated Net Zero climate target by 2050. The methods all have the potential to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere - but their effectiveness, cost, and limitations need to be better understood and proven at scale. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will invest 30 million in five interdisciplinary projects and a central Hub located at the University of Oxford, to conduct the research over 4.5 years. An additional 1.5 million will be invested in further studies in year 3 of the research. The results will be used to shape longer-term Government decision-making on the most effective technologies to help the UK tackle climate change and reduce CO2 emissions. These Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrator projects will investigate: Management of peatlands to maximise their greenhouse gas removal potential in farmland near Doncaster, and at upland sites in the South Pennines and in Pwllpeiran, west Wales. Enhanced rock weathering - crushing silicate rocks and spreading the particles at field trial sites on farmland in mid-Wales, Devon and Hertfordshire. Use of biochar, a charcoal-like substance, as a viable method of carbon sequestration. Testing will take place at arable and grassland sites in the Midlands and Wales, a sewage disposal site in Nottinghamshire, former mine sites and railway embankments. Large-scale tree planting, or afforestation, to assess the most effective species and locations for carbon sequestration at sites across the UK, including land owned by the Ministry of Defence, the National Trust and Network Rail. Rapid scale-up of perennial bioenergy crops such as grasses (Miscanthus) and short rotation coppice willow at locations in Lincolnshire and Lancashire. Greenhouse gas removals describe a group of methods that directly remove CO2 from the atmosphere and are designed to complement efforts in emission reductions targeting those sectors which are difficult to decarbonise completely such as heavy industry, agriculture and aviation. The 31.5 million programme is part of the second wave of the Government's Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF), which invests in high quality multi and interdisciplinary research. Professor Sir Duncan Wingham, Executive Chair of the Natural Environment Research Council, part of UKRI, said: "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a priority for the UK, but it's clear that alone that will not be enough to reduce CO2 and meet the UK's net zero climate target by 2050. "These projects will investigate how we can actively remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere using innovative technologies at the scale required to protect our planet. This investment by UKRI is especially significant as the UK prepares to host COP26 in Glasgow later this year." The Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrators programme will be supported by a central Directorate Hub to provide an overarching coordination role, with specific focus on environmental, economic, social, cultural, ethical, legal and governance issues. The Hub will have a strong research function and will also actively engage with business communities, supporting innovation in GGR Demonstrator techniques and their progression to readiness for market. Professor Cameron Hepburn, from the University of Oxford, is leading the Directorate Hub. He said: "Greenhouse gas removal is essential to achieve net zero carbon emissions and stabilise the climate. Alongside the need for much faster emissions reductions now, we also need to start pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere. "Greenhouse gas removal is not only essential, it also has the potential to become big business. As we rebuild societies and economies following Covid-19, we have an opportunity to orient ourselves towards the green jobs and industries of the future. I'm delighted that UKRI is supporting such a strategic programme." This work adds to UKRI's long tradition of investing in cutting-edge research and innovation to understand, tackle and mitigate the effects of climate change. In the year the UK hosts the UN COP26 summit in November, UKRI will use its role as a steward of the research and innovation system to bring our communities together to create sustainable and resilient solutions and encourage new behaviours and new ways of living that enable the UK to reach net zero by 2050. ### A research team from TU Wien together with US research institutes came across a surprising form of 'quantum criticality'; this could lead to a design concept for new materials In everyday life, phase transitions usually have to do with temperature changes - for example, when an ice cube gets warmer and melts. But there are also different kinds of phase transitions, depending on other parameters such as magnetic field. In order to understand the quantum properties of materials, phase transitions are particularly interesting when they occur directly at the absolute zero point of temperature. These transitions are called "quantum phase transitions" or a "quantum critical points". Such a quantum critical point has now been discovered by an Austrian-American research team in a novel material, and in an unusually pristine form. The properties of this material are now being further investigated. It is suspected that the material could be a so-called Weyl-Kondo semimetal, which is considered to have great potential for quantum technology due to special quantum states (so-called topological states). If this proves to be true, a key for the targeted development of topological quantum materials would have been found. The results were found in a cooperation between TU Wien, Johns Hopkins University, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Rice University and has now been published in the journal Science Advances. Quantum criticality - simpler and clearer than ever before "Usually quantum critical behaviour is studied in metals or insulators. But we have now looked at a semimetal," says Prof. Silke Buhler-Paschen from the Institute of Solid State Physics at TU Wien. The material is a compound of cerium, ruthenium and tin - with properties that lie between those of metals and semiconductors. Usually, quantum criticality can only be created under very specific environmental conditions - a certain pressure or an electromagnetic field. "Surprisingly, however, our semimetal turned out to be quantum critical without any external influences at all," says Wesley Fuhrman, a PhD student in Prof. Collin Broholm's team at Johns Hopkins University, who made an important contribution to the result with neutron scattering measurements. "Normally you have to work hard to produce the appropriate laboratory conditions, but this semimetal provides the quantum criticality all by itself." This surprising result is probably related to the fact that the behaviour of electrons in this material has some special features. "It is a highly correlated electron system. This means that the electrons interact strongly with each other, and that you cannot explain their behaviour by looking at the electrons individually," says Buhler-Paschen. "This electron interaction leads to the so-called Kondo effect. Here, a quantum spin in the material is shielded by electrons surrounding it, so that the spin no longer has any effect on the rest of the material.'' If there are only relatively few free electrons, as is the case in a semimetal, then the Kondo effect is unstable. This could be the reason for the quantum critical behavior of the material: the system fluctuates between a state with and a state without the Kondo effect, and this has the effect of a phase transition at zero temperature. Quantum fluctuations could lead to Weyl particles The main reason why the result is of such central importance is that it is suspected to be closely connected to the phenomenon of "Weyl fermions". In solids, Weyl fermions can appear in the form of quasiparticles - i.e. as collective excitations such as waves in a pond. According to theoretical predictions, such Weyl fermions should exist in this material," says theoretical physicist Qimiao Si of Rice University. Experimental proof, however, is yet to be found. "We suspect that the quantum criticality we observed favours the occurrence of such Weyl fermions," says Silke Buhler-Paschen. "Quantum critical fluctuations could therefore have a stabilising effect on Weyl fermions, in a similar way to quantum critical fluctuations in high-temperature superconductors holding superconducting Cooper pairs together. This is a very fundamental question that is the subject of a lot of research around the world, and we've discovered a hot new lead here." It seems to us that certain quantum effects - namely quantum critical fluctuations, the Kondo effect and Weyl fermions - are tightly intertwined in the newly discovered material and, together, give rise to exotic Weyl-Kondo states. These are "topological" states of great stability that, unlike other quantum states, cannot be easily destroyed by external disturbances. This makes them particularly interesting for quantum computers. To verify all this, further measurements under different external conditions are to be carried out. The team expects that a similar interplay of the various quantum effects should also be found in other materials. "This could lead to the establishment of a design concept with which such materials can be specifically improved, tailored and used for concrete applications," says Buhler-Paschen. ### Contact Prof. Silke Buhler-Paschen Institute for Solid State Physics TU Wien +43-1-58801-13716 silke.buehler-paschen@tuwien.ac.at The head of Emirates airline, one of Boeings biggest customers, has warned the U.S. planemaker that it would refuse delivery of 777x jets if they fall short of contractual performance commitments. The Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate has made some modest gains this morning, with the pairing rising as high as AUD1.8331, its highest levels since November. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Buoyed by Reopening Hopes The Pound (GBP) is ticking higher against the Australian Dollar (AUD) this morning amidst cautious optimism that the UKs next phase of lockdown easing will go ahead as planned. Questions have hung over the governments roadmap for reopening more of the economy over the past couple weeks, following a worrying rise in cases of the Indian variant of the coronavirus throughout parts of the UK. GBP investors have expressed fears that plans to lift all restrictions on 21 June could be delayed or diluted due to the new strain. However, the Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson is confident that the reopening of the final parts of the UK economy can go ahead as planned next month, as data shows that vaccines are effective against the variant and the rollout of jabs continues to accelerate. The Prime Minister is expected to hold a press conference later this week in which he will outline what the government knows about the new strain so far and what this could mean for the governments plans to lift restrictions. Expect the Pound to soar if Johnson offers an upbeat message and indicates that the government will press forward with its roadmap for reopening Australian Dollar (AUD) Exchange Rates Dented by Softer Risk Appetite The Australian Dollar (AUD) is struggling to find support at the start of this weeks session as demand for the risk-sensitive currency is clipped by a gloomy market mood. This comes in part due to concerns over fresh tensions between Washington and Beijing following the publication of a US intelligence which draws connections between the coronavirus pandemic and Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology. The report says that three researchers from the Institute sought hospital care in November 2019 with symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illness. The report is likely to anger Beijing, which has repeatedly dismissed speculation that the Wuhan laboratory could be the initial source of the coronavirus outbreak, and could prompt a new tussle between the US and China. Also dampening the market mood is Belarus diversion of a plane in its airspace in order to arrest a Belarusian opposition journalist on Sunday, which has drawn condemnation and threats of fresh sanctions from Western powers. In addition, the Australian Dollar has also been dented by a fall in commodity prices today, after China announced it would be cracking down on speculators and hoarders in the commodity market. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: UK Retail Report in Focus Looking ahead to tomorrows trading session, the Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate could receive a boost following the publication of the Confederation of British Industrys (CBI) distributive trades index. The index is expected to report that retail sales volumes continued rise this month, having previously struck a two-year high in April, with the upbeat figures likely to further bolster UK growth expectations for the second quarter. Meanwhile, in the absence of any Australian economic data of note, movement in the Aussie is likely to remain tied to market sentiment, potentially leaving AUD exchange rates subdued if a cautious mood continues to prevail. The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate has dipped this morning as the trade row between the UK and US over steel and aluminium imports continues. At the time of writing the GBP/USD pairing are trending around the $1.4137 level as a lack of data from the UK leaves Sterling open to losses. Pound (GBP) Weakens on UK-US Trade Row The Pound has found itself weakening this morning against many of its major rivals as a lack of notable data and ongoing trade row with the US causes the currency to suffer. The UK has launched a review of its tariffs imposed against steel and aluminium imports from the US. British Trade Minister Liz Truss made a statement this morning regarding the ongoing row saying: The UK will do whatever is necessary to protect our steel industry against illegal tariffs that could undermine British industry and damage our businesses. Ultimately, however, we want to deescalate these disputes so we can move forward and work closely with the US on issues like WTO reform and tackling unfair trade practices by non-market economies. The ongoing concerns over the Indian variant of coronavirus has furthered limited the Pound today as Boris Johnson comes under increasing pressure to delay the UKs lockdown easing. Professor Ravi Gupta, from the University of Cambridge and a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) commented on the variant this morning: It is something to worry about in the longer term because ... we are opening up and I think that we need to seriously reconsider the pathway to full opening if we want to realise the benefits of vaccines fully. US Dollar (USD) Supported by US PMI Data Heading into this week the US Dollar continues to be supported from the latest flash IHS Markit PMI figures from the US released on Friday afternoon. Though not as influential as the ISM PMI releases, the Markit PMI was welcomed by USD investors as it reported that the US service and manufacturing sectors both experienced a sustained growth as the country enjoys a swift recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The US Dollar has also found support from a more cautious market mood this morning as investors stick to safe-haven currencies like the Greenback. Looking Ahead Pound Sterling investors will be keeping an eye on any coronavirus developments in the coming days, any indication that the Indian variant of the virus will derail the UKs lockdown easing could cause the Pound to suffer. US Dollar traders will keep an eye on the global market mood in the coming days, a more upbeat mood would see USD weaken. Later in the week, the latest GDP growth rate estimate for Q1 from the US could see the Greenback strengthen heading into the weekend. From: Carol M. Swain -- Political Scientist and Commentator For Immediate Release: Dateline: Nashville , TN Sunday, May 23, 2021 Dr. Carol Swainhttps://carolmswain.com/ Dr. Swain is host of the podcast Be The People on the America Out Loud Podcast Network. Passionate about empowering others to raise their voices in the public square, she is an author, public speaker, and political commentator. ABOUT BE THE PEOPLE PROJECT Be the People Project is a 501 C(3) nonprofit dedicated to changing the direction of America's culture by relentlessly educating people about conservative Judeo-Christian values and principles. Be the People will make available to the public resources that can be downloaded and shared. Website: http://www.BeThePeopleNews.com Monday, May 24, 2021 May 24, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The SAC Release Effective Supply Chain Management May be Key to Rapid Growth and Scalability CLAREMONT, CA Recent disruptions in supply chain operations have highlighted how important it is for manufacturers to plan ahead to not just manage today's operations, but to also take advantage of big growth opportunities, according to The Society for the Advancement of Consulting (SAC). To achieve scalability and profitability, businesses will need to effectively handle cashflow, lead times, and customer demand as well as leveraging well-integrated digital systems, innovating, and understanding customer behavior patterns like never before. Alert Executives are Monitoring Changing Conditions and Behavior "Across the board, manufacturing and supply chain clients are growing," points out Lisa Anderson, president of Claremont, CA-based LMA Consulting Group, Inc and manufacturing expert known for creating supply chain resiliency. "Those with an e-commerce component, or who serve sectors like construction, healthcare, and biotech, are growing at a breakneck pace. Their executives are alert to scaling up rapidly and increasing resilience to deal with changing conditions and unanticipated disruptions. "Sales, inventory, and operations planning (SIOP) is gaining in popularity for two reasons," adds Anderson. "First, there's the need to project future revenues. Second is the importance of understanding changing patterns customer buying and service. Both reasons are critical to create a superior customer experience, increase profitability, and accelerate working capital. "Executives are using this information to re-evaluate sourcing, determine whether to insource or outsource, reconfigure the supply chain network, implement technological advancements, and decide how to scale successfully," she adds. Shrewd Executives Find Their Warp Speed "The one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has ingrained in businesses is that market conditions and change now occur at supersonic speed," says Art Koch, President of Arthur Koch Management Consulting, LLC, based in Miami, FL. "Now that more regions and countries are starting to exit the COVID-19 pandemic, it's critical that organizations are responsive enough to seize the opportunities of unpredictable market demand. "Shrewd executives are leveraging partnerships to reduce supply chain risk, increase velocity to market, and reduce total cost of ownership," Koch notes. "Too many companies are managing by looking in the rear-view mirror, trying to predict demand profiles similar to 2019. That tactic is a defensive maneuver that will leave you flat-footed behind the competition. Coming out of the pandemic, the best way to attain your target market is to play to win, look forward, and plan for the unexpected." Now is the Perfect Moment to Exploit Innovation Opportunities "Over the last year, many of us in the supply chain sphere have been compelled to innovate in response to the restrictions imposed upon us by COVID", says Patrick Daly, Managing Director of Alba Consulting, the Dublin, Ireland based supply chain strategy consultancy, and author of the book International Supply Chain Relationships: Creating Competitive Advantage in a Globalized Economy. "Some of us are also realizing, that many of these innovationsalthough thrust upon us by the COVID emergencyhave been very positive and will stay with us for the long term," explains Daly. "We have also realized that we are more highly resilient and have a surprising capacity to absorb larger degrees of innovation and change than perhaps we suspected," he adds. "Armed with this knowledge and learning, we should be asking ourselves what other innovations we can exploit right now to take advantage of the opportunities that are already taking shape as we look forward from COVID," concludes Daly. Clients Have Not Seen Anything Like This "Shattered records. Strained. Unprecedented. Phantasmagorical. These are all terms used to describe the current situation at American ports, especially the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach," notes Elizabeth Warren, Global Logistics Specialist and CEO of Dialed-In Partners. "My clients have never seen anything like itand we haven't even hit traditional peak season yet, which is still to come in August." "The backlog of ships in the San Pedro Bay averages 30 a day, with an average wait time of more than a week," explains Warren. "There's a confluence of backlog issues stemming from the pandemic. Working from home is driving online purchases, since there's no other outlet for spending. Port workers, labor, and truck drivers are out sick or quarantining. There's a shortage of equipment and full warehouses. "Combined, these backlog issues make a poisonous cocktail of supply chain disruption. To resolve the backlog in the short-term, ports are focusing on vaccinating workers, maximizing efficiencies, and reducing dwell time to move cargo out of the terminal faster," she adds. Examine Your Processes and Connection Points "Growth and scalability are always top of mind for my clients, especially as we see rapid shifts in consumer behavior, supply networks, and workforces," says Diane L. Garcia president of Lorraine Consulting, LLC, a supply chain management consultancy based in Portland, OR, and co-author of Thriving in the New Business Environment: Why the Strategic Supply Chain Matters. "To scale your business successfully, your supply chain processes need to grow and adapt," Garcia points out. "For processes to improve, they need to be well understood and each connection point examined by different areas of the business. Start by making these processes fully visible across the organization. Then begin to re-shape these procedures to support the business plan." The Right Place to Generate Cash "Growth is the biggest cash generator in the supply chain. At the same time, growth can eradicate cash generation if it is not sustainable," explains Antonio Zrilic, Managing Director of LOGIKO CONSULTING based in Zagreb, Croatia, and author of Six Step Inventory Optimization. "Any supply chain management decision on how to continue and enable growth has a significant impact on cash flow." "Chasing sales growth is quite expensive, so you need all the cash you can get. And I know just the place where to get it," Zrilic adds. "We mostly help our clients grow by reducing and optimizing inventoryone of the biggest 'eaters' of cash. Our clients' second favorite service is 'Process Accelerator.' By speeding up the process from order to delivery, they are shortening cash-to-cash cycles (C2C), while raising customer satisfaction, and increasing logistics and production capacity." Businesses are Failing to Build Well-Integrated Digital Systems "Growth can kill a business as it runs out of cash. Having effective supply chain management strategies and tactics that are resilient and scalable are critical to successful growth," says David Ogilvie, of David Ogilvie Consulting based in Brisbane, Australia. With over 30 plus years as a business owner and consultant, Ogilvie is well placed to advise executives and business owners on supply chain and supporting technologies. "My work with clients has demonstrated that effective use of well-integrated digital systems, such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems can also be a fantastic enabler," advises Ogilvie. "Unfortunately, over 80% of digital transformations fail to produce the promised outcomesmeaning this is rarely achieved." "Supply chain management is more than managing inventory," he adds. "It's about scaling your business while making efficient use of capital. Growth equals risky situations with costly consequences needing careful management." Scalability Very Difficult in Australia Over the Next Two Years "Growth and supply chain scalability are going to be very difficult in Australia over the next two years," says Evan Bulmer, Director of EBAA, Australia's leading expert in privately-held business. "The overwhelming demand for such goods as cars and material for housing renovations, combined with a lack of supply doesn't help businesses grow," claims Bulmer. "It only allows businesses to secure a pipeline of revenue into the future. Car retailers can't get stock. Builders can't get building materials. Yet they're still selling at record ratejust with way longer lead times. If the supply chain wasn't a strategic issue before in your business, then it must be now." About SAC The Society for the Advancement of Consulting (SAC) is the premier association for independent consulting professionals who subscribe to an industry code of ethics and provide significant consulting results among their clients. Founded by Million Dollar Consulting guru Alan Weiss in 2003, SAC offers a series of in-person and online programs to help consultants share best practices and learn from industry experts and thought leaders in the business world. SAC today has members in 14 countries around the world. For more information, go to https://www.consultingsociety.com, email info@consultingsociety.com, or call (909) 563-1803. St. Petersburg, FL Monday, May 24, 2021 -- Mass shootings have become just another war like the war on drugs. Founder and CEO of the "Good With Me" Foundation, Patricia Noll says, "We will never win either one because we are focused on the symptom of the problem and not the problem." We have been focused on guns and mental health, both of which cause lots of problems and yet in most cases are not the real problem. Mass shootings are the result of a societal message that has become increasingly insidious in our current culture. This societal message is, for the most part, taught in code. It has been touted in a myriad of ways and has become equally as dangerous as the two pandemics of COVID-19 and SUICIDE. Years of this message, albeit in various forms, have taught people around the world to have other-dependent esteem. Other-dependent esteem means that our happiness and self-worth depend upon someone or something outside of ourselves, such as what we have, do, or know, what others think about us, our accomplishments and successes, looking good, being right, and being the best. Even though this societal message is more prevalent now than at any other time in history due to the world wide web and social media, it continues to go unnoticed and overlooked. The theory of other-dependent esteem is the direct opposite of self-esteem. It contradicts much of traditional psychology including that of American psychologist Abraham Maslow who included self-esteem in his hierarchy of human needs. There was no "self" in Abraham Maslow's version of self-esteem. He was touting other-dependent esteem with the focus on external sources such as respect and recognition from others, accomplishments, status, and prestige. He was defining other-dependent esteem. Other-dependent esteem explains why there is so much widespread anger, rage, domestic violence, criminal behavior, mass shootings, and suicide. While many are seeking the motive for the increase in mass shootings at such a rate that over this past weekend a series of at least 12 mass shootings took place across eight states killing 11 people and injuring another 69, the shootings continue. More than 200 have already occurred in 2021. Noll says, "I won't keep still any longer. We are shooting ourselves in the foot (no pun intended). I must share what I have learned from counseling thousands of individuals in my substance abuse and mental health practice over the past 30+ years, plus my own personal experience. It is time to speak out and be true to my life mission and vision." No one seems to understand that we are teaching other-dependent esteem. Nor do they seem to recognize that what we consider to be self-esteem has nothing to do with self and that we are teaching other-dependent esteem instead. We then wonder why so many individuals do not feel good about themselves. We continue to wonder what the motive is for those who hurt others or shoot as many people as possible as fast as they can before they are stopped or shoot themselves. Whether a domestic violence or mass shooting death, the motive is the same for both. The concept of self-esteem was first written about by David Hume, a Scottish enlightment thinker, in the 18th century. His idea of self-esteem deemed it important to value and think well of yourself. That is self-dependent esteem. When the esteem we have for who we are is dependent upon someone or something outside of ourselves, we do not own it. It does not belong to us. We have other-dependent esteem and are unable to see our inherent value. We do not like who we are. This leads to a myriad of poor choices, from addiction to violence, to suicide, and more. And if that is not enough, here is the real recipe for the majority of mass shootings. It is the lack of both self-dependent esteem AND other-dependent esteem. This lack of both esteems occurs when we don't like ourselves and we think no one else likes us either. All too many of these individuals become angry when they think they do not fit in and belong anywhere, not even somewhere with very low standards. Their perception of themselves becomes skewed. This skewed perception creates a skewed reality of themselves and before you know it they believe there is something very wrong with them. Perception is reality and when our perception is skewed so is our reality. Almost every mass shooter wants to fit in and belong. They perceive rejection and being left-out. Their skewed reality turns into dislike of self and envy, jealousy, and dislike of others. This individual internalizes and personalizes their perceived rejection. They become angrier and angrier until their anger turns into rage. All the while they are becoming skillful at hiding it. It often goes unnoticed and overlooked even by family and friends, including social media friends. Eventually the rage becomes so powerful that is explodes or implodes. We see the results of this almost daily in our news headlines. It is so simple that it is hard. When I don't like me, I don't like you. Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple, Inc. who changed our world with a simple devise known as a cell phone, has been quoted as stating, "Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." If nothing changes, nothing changes! Now is the time to move mountains and win the war. It is time to change the definition of esteem from other to self. It is time to for us to teach how to shift from other-dependent esteem to self-dependent esteem to experience freedom from the crippling effects of other-dependency. It is time to teach how to have happiness that comes from the inside-out instead of from the outside-in. It is time to win the war by changing thoughts to save lives. Go to https://www.goodwithmefoundation.org to learn how to teach the shift from other-dependent to self-dependent esteem. ### About the "Good With Me" Foundation The foundation was founded in 2019 to support the "Good With Me" mission to change thoughts and save lives. It is a global humanitarian movement that seeks to make "Good With Me" community groups available around the globe to those who can't afford to participate as well as those who can. It does this by funding the "Good With Me" Day virtual celebration, the annual "Good With Me" Festival, the "Good With Me" Community Leader Program, and much more. Learn more https://www.goodwithmefoundation.org About Patricia Noll The founder and CEO of the "Good With Me" Foundation, Patricia Noll, is available for interviews about how to recognize the warning signs of a potential mass shooter situation and how to change thoughts to save lives. patricia@goodwithmefoundation.org 727-424-1270 (Cell/Text) Televised addiction and self-esteem expert, Patricia Noll, is the author of Good With Me: A Simple Approach to Real Happiness from the Inside Out. She is a licensed mental health counselor, certified addictions professional, acupuncture physician, and founder of Focus One, an outpatient substance abuse treatment program licensed by the state of Florida in 1989. Noll specializes in addressing self-esteem, the way we think about ourselves, and our driving need to feel good as the root of all addiction. Even though she has been changing thoughts and saving lives in her Focus One program located in the Tampa Bay area, she founded the "Good With Me" program to reach a greater number of people with her step-by-step solution to change many more thoughts and save many, many more lives around the world. Her addiction treatment manual has received endorsements from internationally renowned speakers and authors Deepak Chopra, Larry Dossey, Jack Kornfield, and Jacquelyn Small. ### An extended-stay hotel near the University of Texas at San Antonios main campus could be converted to housing catering to students. Mountain Classic Real Estate is under contract to buy the Staybridge Suites at 6919 N. Loop 1604 West from La Cantera Hospitality Inc. for an undisclosed price. It plans to turn the 118-room hotel into apartments. Such redevelopment has become more common as the COVID-19 pandemic upended the hospitality industry, a major sector in San Antonio. Salt Lake City-based Mountain Classic said Monday that its planning more projects in the city. The mix of one- and two-bedroom suites at the Staybridge property will remain the same, and each unit already has kitchens and dining areas, said Rob Killen, an attorney with local firm Killen, Griffin & Farrimond. The property also includes laundry facilities, an exercise room and a pool. The great thing about this location is its fairly turnkey, he said. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio buyers are facing surging prices and a shortage of available homes Mountain Classic received the green light May 18 from the citys Zoning Commission to rezone the hotel property to allow for the change to apartments. The rezoning request goes next to the City Council for approval. The company also is asking the citys Board of Adjustment to approve a reduction in the number of parking spaces required. As a hotel, the property could operate with 96 spaces. As an apartment building, 106 are called for. But because its located over the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer, an increase in the size of the lot isnt possible, Killen said. Rents have not been determined, said Brandon Smith of Mountain Classic. The apartments are expected to be ready for tenants to move into by mid-August. The conversion is Mountain Classics first project in San Antonio among others we will disclose later, Smith said. The company specializes in turning hotels into apartments and has multiple projects in the works, he added. Such projects have become more common in the past year as the pandemic wreaked havoc on travel and hospitality. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio hotels saw revenue drop nearly 50% in 2020 Rooms emptied, hotels closed and companies laid off workers amid travel restrictions and concerns about the spread of COVID-19. San Antonio hotel revenue plunged by nearly 50 percent in 2020, according to a report by local hotel consulting company Source Strategies. The Staybridge Suites hotel was put up for sale for $14.5 million in January, a listing on LoopNet indicates. La Cantera, its owner, is associated with Galaxy Hotel Group. The industry has started to recover and tourists are returning, but distressed hotels are catching the eye of investors. Demand for housing is surging, particularly for lower-priced apartments and houses. There are a number of extended-stay hotels that could be easily converted over, so I would not be surprised to see this become the new model, at least for the next couple years, Killen said. Vivo Living, a Los Angeles-area company, recently acquired a 139-room Ramada motel in New Braunfels to convert to apartments. Rooms will be redone with new flooring and paint, small kitchens and window blinds. madison.iszler@express-news.net Tourists are jumping back on its double-decker bus tours of San Antonio as the pandemic eases, but a new hurdle is holding City Sightseeing back from a full recovery: a lack of drivers and ticket hawkers. Owner David Strainge said demand is strong enough to run four of his six buses, but he has only three out on the streets for his hop-on, hop-off tours of downtown. He cant find a driver for a fourth never mind drivers for the two additional buses Strainge is hoping to deploy this summer. Buses sell tickets, he said. So if I have fewer buses visible, I get fewer impulse purchases. Most of my customers are not prebooked. Strainge is far from alone in needing workers, and some businesses are seeking hundreds more not just the 10 who would give City Sightseeing a chance to get back to pre-pandemic traffic levels. A year after COVID-19 travel bans and closures shut down tourism, many businesses are finding their hopes for the peak season clouded by the same challenge. Economists say several factors are contributing to a labor shortage in the tourism sector, where many of the jobs are low-paying and without benefits such as health insurance. Some workers left the industry for other careers after hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions were devastated by the pandemic. Child care issues, they say, have hindered some parents from taking jobs because their children are attending school from home. Other potential workers have medical issues and are afraid to go back to work. There is debate over a fourth issue: whether an additional $300 a week in federal unemployment benefits, on top of state unemployment payments, is causing workers to stay home. The argument is popular with Republican politicians, who say the federal benefits are a disincentive for people to work. Gov. Greg Abbott said last week that he would eliminate the extra federal benefits June 24, despite criticism from Democrats and economists who dispute the theory. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg predicts very robust recovery for citys ailing tourism industry this summer The shortage cant be blamed on one factor, said Keith Phillips, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. But layoffs and the extra unemployment benefits have given workers time to assess their job opportunities, he said. In the case of low-paying tourism jobs, that could mean workers are looking for a better position outside the industry. The situation has given workers a chance to improve their circumstances and increase lifetime earnings, Phillips said. On the streets Strainge said he needs 10 more workers, including seven ticket sellers hell station in front of City Sightseeing bus stops at the Tower of the Americas, Market Square and other downtown tourist attractions. Bus driver jobs start at $16 an hour, but Strainge said tips and commission increase the average hourly wage to $26. Ticket sellers are paid an average of $12 an hour. Hes offering both groups a $300 sign-on bonus if they stay for 90 days. So far, hes had no takers. I have never experienced a labor market like this, said Strainge, who has run his company for 10 years in Texas. Across Alamo Plaza from City Sightseeing, Garvin Oneil, general manager of the Menger Hotel San Antonio, has a new job on weekends valet-parking the cars of tourists who drive from Houston and Dallas to spend the weekend in San Antonio. He said the hotel usually employs 100 people but is short at least 20, including several valet parkers. Oneil said advance bookings are strong for the summer, so he is trying to staff up. Its a challenge because were having a shortfall of people applying for work, he said. At a wage of $9 an hour, the valet parking position is on the lower end of the pay scale, but Oneil said tips can increase the pay by $5 an hour. The hotel will be throwing in some money for tips that will add $1 an hour to the base pay. At theme parks The worker shortage also has been on display at SeaWorld San Antonio. The park is hosting its Seven Seas Food Festival through the end of May in an attempt to reboot attendance from the dismal days of 2020 when most visitors stayed away. But the booth selling Japanese food was shut down one recent weekend. Japanese drummers were moved to the Korean stand, where the chefs were doing double duty selling both beef bulgogi from the Korean menu and chicken gyoza from the Japanese bill of fare. On ExpressNews.com: SeaWorld San Antonio eases COVID-19 rules after CDC revises guidance on masks and social distancing SeaWorld San Antonio President Byron Surrett said the parks culinary operations are short several dozen workers, even after hiring 70 employees as the park ramps up for the summer. The shortage persists despite SeaWorlds offer of a $200 hiring bonus. Surrett said a pay increase ranging from $4 to $17.50 an hour for senior chiefs helped fill positions but not enough to staff the Japanese food booth. Finding lifeguards for SeaWorlds sister water park, Aquatica, is an even bigger problem. Surrett has filled only 200 of 400 openings. He said hes never seen such a lifeguard shortage and has increased pay to $13 an hour for experienced lifeguards, $3 higher than the park paid in pre-pandemic times. Like some in hospitality management, Surrett blamed the lack of workers in part on the federal unemployment supplement. People can make a lot of money staying home, he said, a situation he hopes will ease when the supplement ends. But many of the parks usual contingent of lifeguards are high school and college students working a summer job, so they are not receiving the federal supplement. Other major San Antonio tourist attractions are short of workers. Six Flags Fiesta Texas said it still needs to fill hundreds of full-time and part-time positions for the summer. Park President Jeffrey Siebert declined to speculate on the reasons but said the park was offering more flexible schedules than in the past to attract workers. The San Antonio Zoo is short 75 workers for the summer season. The positions start as low as $9 an hour, but the zoos Hope Roth doesnt think raising wages will attract more applicants. Others in our industry have wages and bonuses that far exceed what we are offering, and they cant find workers, said Roth, the zoos vice president for sales, marketing and communications. Fewer workers will hurt the zoos revenue as it attempts to rebuild from the pandemic because it wont be able to open all its food and gift shops, she said. Hotels struggle At North Star Mall, the new luxury hotel Estancia del Norte cant offer its guests much more than a cheeseburger and a few other food items at the bar. Its signature restaurant, Lazo With Don Strange, will have an extensive menu but hasnt opened because its still trying to hire five cooks and six servers. The restaurant was supposed to begin operating in early May, a month after the hotel opened. Line cooks will be paid $17 an hour at the restaurant and servers $12 an hour plus tips, which is up $3 an hour from several months ago, said Tom Green, director of operations for Presidian Hotels & Resorts, which runs the hotel. Green said he discussed with colleagues in the hotel industry whether the pay should go up even more but was advised against it. They have not seen traction, he said of other hotels that are trying to hire more employees. Presidian CEO Charles Leddy said the hotels restaurant can increase wages only so much. We are getting to the place where the cost of labor is so high, we will just lose money if we open, he said. Its a quandary because guests in a luxury hotel expect a full-service restaurant. Leddy said many hospitality workers left the industry after COVID-19 shutdowns that lasted months. He said it was unclear whether Abbotts decision to eliminate the unemployment bonus will propel more to seek work. We dont know how many people are sitting on the sidelines, Leddy said. It could be we have a huge rush of people where we dont have positions to fill all the demand. We could also find it doesnt make a big difference. Dallas Fed data showed that the number of hospitality positions in the San Antonio metropolitan area increased by 3,520 between January and March, up 13.1 percent since the end of 2020. But the number of hospitality industry workers 115,873 was down 16.7 percent from February 2020, before the pandemic. One irony of the job situation is that while seemingly every hotel in San Antonio has job openings, about 400 of the 600 workers at the two unionized hotels downtown, the Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency, are still waiting to be called back. Jake Tucker, a shop steward at the Grand Hyatt whose job is setting up chairs and tables for banquets and other events, said he hoped to be called back in the next month after a furlough of more than a year. He did not consider taking positions at other hotels because they couldnt match his $15-an-hour pay, which is scheduled to go up to $18 an hour within three years under the unions contract. Tucker said he is determined to return to the Grand Hyatt even if it takes months and regardless of Abbotts decision to end the federal unemployment bonus. It will cut his weekly unemployment benefits to $200 from $500 a week starting in late June. Other hotels would not have a labor shortage if they paid better wages, he said, which is one reason Hyatt workers are determined to return to their old jobs. This whole blaming the people for not taking low-wage jobs is wrong, he said. randy.diamond@express-news.net A settlement has been reached in a long-running dispute over proceeds from the sale of a Shavano Park house tied to Gary Cain, who was convicted with former state Sen. Carlos Uresti in a 2018 federal case. It doesnt appear the victims in the case, owed about $6.3 million in restitution, will receive much if a federal judge in San Antonio grants a motion to approve the settlement, however. The house, at 414 Bentley Manor, sold for $950,000 in April of last year, far below the original listing price of $1.6 million. The property required extensive repairs, which contributed to the lower price. The sale generated $746,448 in net proceeds, which have been held in the U.S. District Courts registry. Various parties had been fighting to get some share of the proceeds. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio judge denies Uresti co-defendants request for compassionate release from prison Under a settlement detailed in a Thursday court filing by the U.S. attorneys office, most of the money is slated to go to Michael T. LaHood, former District Attorney Nico LaHoods father, individually and as executor for his late brother Georges estate. Michael LaHood stands to receive $535,000. He and his brother had loaned $850,000 to 414 Bentley Manor Holdings, the entity that held title to the house. LaHoods lawyer previously said the loan was an investment. The state of Texas would receive $15,000, while another $15,000 would go to pay child support liens that were filed against Cain, 64, about 15 and 30 years ago. The remaining balance $181,448 is slated to go to the U.S. government to satisfy Cains tax obligations and criminal restitution. Just how much will go to each hasnt been determined, said Daryl Fields, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office. A 2019 court document showed that Cain owed almost $1.8 million in unpaid taxes from 2004 through 2007, though liens recorded in public records by the IRS in February and April show he now owes considerably more in taxes and penalties. The IRS liens supersede the Justice Departments lien relating to the criminal restitution, a 2019 court filing indicated. A federal jury convicted Cain and Uresti, a longtime San Antonio Democrat, on a combined 20 felonies for their roles in oil field services company FourWinds Logistics. The company lured investors with promises of riches to be made in buying and selling sand used in fracking for oil production. Prosecutors called it a Ponzi scheme. Cain is serving a 68-month prison term in a low-security prison in Seagoville. Hes scheduled to be released in August 2023. Last month, Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra denied Cains request for a compassionate release from prison. Cain cited numerous health problems, including a bad heart, obesity, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis in asking for his freedom. In 2019, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned down Cains request to overturn his sentence. He had been found guilty of nine felonies, comprising various money laundering and wire fraud charges. Uresti, 57, whose 20-year political career was upended by the scandal, is serving a 12-year sentence at a facility in western Louisiana and is scheduled to be released in 2029. He was convicted of 11 felonies. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox Cain and Uresti, along with four FourWinds officials who also were criminally charged and pleaded guilty rather than stand trial, together must pay $6.3 million in restitution to the victims. After the trial, prosecutors alleged that Cain used friends and family to shield assets rather than pay restitution to the victims. Debate erupted over 414 Bentley Manors ownership. Prosecutors argued that 414 Bentley Manor Holdings was Cains alter ego and that he was the true owner and longtime occupant of the property. Cains two daughters were listed as 414 Bentley Manor Holdings owners. The pair denied their father had any ownership interest in the company. Prosecutors said almost $1.1 million in liens were encumbered on 414 Bentley Manor in June 2018, just before Cain was sentenced. In one transaction, 414 Bentley Manor Holdings conveyed a deed of trust to Michael LaHood for $850,000. A deed of trust is essentially evidence of a debt. Prosecutors wanted to investigate the legitimacy of the LaHood loan. Nico LaHood, described by prosecutors as Cains close friend, was listed as trustee on the deed of trust. A trustee in a deed of trust has authority to take back a property on behalf of a lender in the event of a default. Before voters elected Nico LaHood district attorney in 2014, he successfully defended Cain against criminal charges that he had defrauded whats now known as Rackspace Technology in a 2007 land deal. Nico LaHood and Cain also were business partners in a company that did work for FourWinds. pdanner@express-news.net For about 30 years, the M&E Grocery Store, later renamed Rubens Ice House, kept residents of the neighborhood around Colorado and Guadalupe streets on the West Side fed and gave them a place to gather. Their stories, and those of the generations before and after them, will be shared in the buildings next chapter. It is slated to become the Museo del Westside, an endeavor of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center. The project has been in the works for a few years, as the Esperanza first figured out what to do with the building, then worked to raise money for it and to draw up plans. The Esperanza now is waiting for city permits to be OKd so the physical transformation of the space can begin in hopes of opening next year. The Museos first exhibit, a virtual look at women who have worked as activists on the West Side, can be seen on the museums website, museodelwestside.org. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer The fact that the Rubens Ice House building still stands means a lot to the 10 children of Manuel Araiza Reyes and Elida Rendon Reyes. The couple ran the business for years, and their children held on to the building after they died. It makes us feel so good when we can go by there and see the ice house still intact, that it didnt get knocked down, said Manuel Reyes Jr., 62. We can show it to younger family, or we can show it to friends we used to have a store right there. When the siblings decided to sell the building more than a decade ago, they weighed two offers. The Esperanzas wasnt as lucrative as the other bid. On ExpressNews.com: Esperanza Peace & Justice Center establishes land trust and demolition fund I asked them what they were going to do with the property, and their plan was to tear it down and build a restaurant there, said Pat Zepeda, 59, the seventh of the Reyes 10 children. When we talked to Esperanza, they said they were trying to keep as much of the history of the area as possible. My sister Esmerelda and I talked about it. And my sister goes,Dad would have made as much money as he could off of it. And I said, Yes, but Mother would have given it away. Especially if she could see what they were going to do with it, that they were going to preserve it, she would have given it away. Thats how we decided do it. Zepeda and her sister Esmerelda Rocha, 70, are part of the community advisory panel working on the project. In addition to the ice house, it includes construction of an adobe gallery where fragile items can be displayed. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer The Esperanza purchased the building from the Reyes family in the interest of preserving it. It is part of a small compound the Esperanza is building, including Casa de Cuentos, a community center and meeting place, and the studio for MujerArtes, the clay art collective. After buying Rubens, the Esperanza starting talking about what should be done with the building. One of the ideas was a farmers market, said Graciela Sanchez, director of the nonprofit, but eventually the notion of a museum took hold. The venture is a natural extension of the Esperanzas drive to preserve not only buildings on the West Side, but the stories of the people who live there. The organization has been gathering oral histories and building a photo archive for years, and people also have begun donating other objects, too. I think it just happened in a way that was very organic and about respecting and honoring the voices of the community, and thats why its not just the museo, its also a community museo, Sanchez said. That means that everything about it will be community-driven, including programming and the kinds of exhibits on display. Suggestions so far include a look into the culture of keeping backyard chickens and a show about West Side creeks. Older folks remember them teeming with fish, crawdads and turtles when they were younger, which is no longer the case. They were lovely ideas that speak not only to the history of the neighborhood, but how much people love the neighborhood, said Sarah Zenaida Gould, who helped get the project off the ground as the founding director of the museum. She now is interim executive director of the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute at Our Lady of the Lake University. Another idea proposed was the history of tienditas small mom-and-pop shops in the area, like the one that the Reyes family ran. It was emblematic of little tienditas that would have been found all over the West Side, Gould said. Manuel and Elida Reyes opened the M&E Grocery in 1950, shortly after they emigrated from Mexico. A man whom Manuel knew offered to sell them the building, which had been built about 20 years earlier as a home, for $1,000. They didnt have the money, but the man agreed to let them pay it off in installments. The day they opened, they had 45 cents in the till, Zepeda said. On ExpressNews.com: Museo del Westside virtual exhibit looks at West Side activism The couple worked hard to build the business so they could support their growing family. Manuel kept an eye out for additional ways to make money, adding on an ice house in 1959 where men could grab a beer and hang out for a bit on the benches he put in. The ice house was a men-only space, separated from the grocery store by a chain. The couple also added a restaurant at the rear, where hungry folks could order made-from-scratch fare including fried chicken and fish and hamburgers. They could get it to go, or they could eat at picnic tables on the enclosed patio. My dad would tell my mom, what else can we sell in there? And my father would walk away, and she would say, I know how to make enchiladas, but I always tell him I dont because its too much work. Zepeda recalled, laughing. The Reyes children Ruben, Ludivina, Elida, Irma, Esmerelda, Manuel Jr., Pat, Javier, Martin and Veronica worked alongside their parents. Their responsibilities broke down according to gender, with the girls serving as cashiers and working in the restaurant kitchen Im grateful for that, because now were all good cooks, said Rocha and the boys taking care of the more physically demanding chores. I missed a lot of Saturday cartoons, said Manuel Jr.. We would go to Toudouze, the wholesale grocery place, to stock up the store on Saturdays. When we got back to the store, my dad would give us the prices and we would stock the shelves. Their father kept an eye on the competition, too. Martin Reyes, 55, remembers being sent to the Pik Nik convenience store a few blocks away to buy a pack of cigarettes or a soda so his dad could see what those items sold for there and adjust his prices accordingly. The family also watched out for their neighbors, making sure people had what they needed, even if they didnt have the money right at that moment to buy it. The Reyes children remember some shoppers buying things on credit, their purchases jotted down in a spiral-bound notebook kept under the cash register. Elida helped in other ways, too. My mother was very giving, Zepeda said. If she saw that people needed food or whatever, they came and bought one little thing, she would fill up their bag with extra food. So people just loved her, and a lot of people used to call her Mom just because she was very motherly. Manuel died in 1992, and Elida died three years later. The siblings held on to the building where they had spent so much of their lives for a long time. If we pass by there, it just takes us back, Rocha said. To me, its my Dads place still. So were all happy with the decision we went with, selling it to the Esperanza. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) A British hotel owner and an Italian tourist have been arrested for alleged possession of narcotics on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, police said Monday. The two men, dressed in orange, were shown to journalists at a news conference. Kenneth Daniel Kutsch, a British man who has a hotel business on neighboring Lombok island, and his Indonesian partner, Ni Ketut Dewi Seniwati, were arrested in the parking lot of a restaurant in Bali on May 7 after residents reported narcotic transactions in the area, police said. Badung police chief Roby Septiadi said officers seized 223 grams (7.9 ounces) of marijuana from Kutsch and his partner. We are still deepening the investigation. But judging from the evidence, it could lead to him being a dealer, Septiadi said at the news conference. Badung police said they also arrested Italian tourist Francesco DAlesio for possession of 94 grams (3.2 ounces) of cocaine valued at 400 million rupiah ($28,000) on May 13. Police said DAlesio has been stranded on Bali because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has actively used cocaine during his stay. We are still investigating the large amount of evidence we have obtained to determine the source of the narcotics, Badung police Narcotic Unit chief I Putu Budi Artama said. Indonesia has extremely strict drug laws, and convicted dealers are sometimes executed by firing squad. More than 150 people are currently on death row, mostly for drug crimes. About one-third of them are foreigners. Last year, an American man was sentenced to 9 1/3 years in prison after he was found guilty of selling cocaine and marijuana on Bali. CORPUS CHRISTI For nearly a decade, prosecutors from San Antonio to Saltillo, Mexico, have depicted Hector Javier Villarreal Hernandez as a poster boy for cross-border corruption. The former treasurer of the border state of Coahuila is at the center of allegations that officials in Mexico stole hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers and laundered the money through South Texas banks and real estate. In his first public testimony since he surrendered at an international bridge in El Paso in 2014, Villarreal tried to shift responsibility to his former boss, Jorge Juan Torres Lopez, who has pleaded guilty to money laundering. Villarreal testified Friday at a sentencing hearing for Torres in Corpus Christi before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos. Prosecutors put Villarreal on the stand to bolster their contention that Torres was a leader of the scheme and deserves to be sentenced accordingly. Federal sentencing hearings are usually brief affairs. Court officials interpret the judiciarys complex sentencing guidelines and provide judges with recommended ranges of prison time for each defendant. But after spending much of the morning looking for an interpreter and hearing about four hours of testimony and legal argument, Ramos said she would wait until June 23 to decide on Torres sentence. Villarreal painted Torres, who preceded him as Coahuilas finance secretary and who later served as interim governor, as a ringleader in the scheme. Shortly after Torres joined the states finance department in 2005, high-ranking officials held a meeting to determine who would be the next governor, Villarreal testified. Their choice, he said, was Torres. To fund their political ambitions, state officials inflated construction and paving contracts and approved fraudulent invoices for airplane flight hours. The conspiracy involved more than 50 people, according to the testimony. Some of that money ended up in Texas, and Villarreal said that when bankers here asked questions, Torres concocted a complex scheme that involved showing them fake contracts for the sale of airplanes to justify the income the two men were claiming. Villarreal, who has been free on bail for more than six years and who lives in San Antonio, has borne most of the blame for more than $1 billion the Coahuila government owes creditors. He said at the hearing that the state was saddled with a deep debt when he succeeded Torres as finance secretary in 2008. As he cast aspersions on his former boss, who sat in the courtroom in shackles and yellow jail garb, Villarreal at one point seemed regretful. Hes a person whos noble and has a good heart, Villarreal said of Torres. Hes very direct about things, but hes also a good person. Despite the respect in which Villarreal said he held Torres, his initial testimony seemed destined to increase the former governors prison time. He told the judge that a friendly air taxi owner overbilled the state for flight hours and used the money to buy new planes, three of which were at Torres disposal. On five to seven occasions, Villarreal said, he and Torres met with a paving magnate who gave them bags of cash. Torres kept the lions share. During a contentious cross-examination by San Antonio defense attorney Carlos Solis, Villarreal revised that number, saying he was aware of only three times the businessman, Luis Carlos Castillo, paid bribes to Torres. As the testimony dragged on, Villarreal said hed been present for two of those meetings. Defense attorneys sought to portray Villarreal as a more important part of the conspiracy. They said hes a fugitive from criminal charges in Mexico and that he built a real estate and business empire in Texas that dwarfed Torres. They said Castillo, who also took the stand Friday and is also free on bail, played a bigger role than Torres. Castillo had admitted to bribing former governors from Coahuila and the states of Aguascalientes and Tamaulipas. In his testimony Friday, the paving magnate said he also bribed former Veracruz Gov. Fidel Herrera Beltran, a former mayor of Cancun and intermediaries who promised him contracts in the states of Chiapas and Nuevo Leon. Castillo, for his part, said he was the victim of extortion schemes by corrupt officials. Torres attorneys focused on the opulent lifestyles of the witnesses. Villarreal at one point drove a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Who knows what that is? Solis asked the judge. Only about 2,000 of the luxury cars exist. Castillo spent only a few days in jail and lives in a mansion in a sprawling walled compound in Mission. Villarreal and Castillo have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing on money laundering conspiracy charges. Their testimony cant be relied on to increase Torres sentence, his lawyers argued. Torres agreed to come to the U.S. in 2019 after several months in custody in Mexico. He pleaded guilty last year to a money laundering conspiracy charge and turned over real estate he owns near Houston. It is petrifying that a man who waived extradition rights to take responsibility is now facing extra time on so little evidence, Solis said in his closing arguments. Torres could get a stiffer sentence if the judge agrees he was a leader of the conspiracy. Ramos also will consider whether Torres is responsible for more than $5 million that prosecutors seized from two Bermuda bank accounts, a decision that could also affect his sentence. Torres lawyers said his $2.76 million account was investigated by Coahuila officials and found to be clean and that he had nothing to do with Villarreals $2.28 million account. But prosecutors said both were funded with bribes and that Torres helped Villarreal launder the money. When he pleaded guilty, Torres admitted to laundering $350,000 in bribes in Texas. His attorneys signaled Friday that hell accept responsibility for $700,000 that Castillo transferred to his Texas bank account. If Ramos decides that money represents the extent of his crimes, hell face less than four years in prison. If she agrees with prosecutors that hes responsible for the seized Bermuda accounts, his sentence could go up by several years. As she wrapped up Fridays hearing, Ramos articulated one of the tricky issues she has to consider. I understand Mr. Torres Lopez may have been Mr. Villarreals boss, but I think there was a lot Mr. Villarreal was doing on his own, she said. The University of Texas at San Antonio has reached another milestone in the creation of its School of Data Science with the selection of David Mongeau as founding director. Mongeau, executive director of the Institute for Data Science at the University of California, Berkeley, will begin his new position at UTSA in July, about a year ahead of the opening of what is slated to be the first school of its kind in Texas. What truly attracted me to the opportunity to be at UTSA and the School of Data Science is how ambitious the vision is for the students of the region, Mongeau said. The new school will occupy a $90 million, 167,000-square-foot building along San Pedro Creek for which ground was broken in January. Its part of the universitys 10-year vision for a bigger downtown footprint. That ambition includes making UTSAs downtown campus a hub for economic development by producing a diverse workforce in data science and cybersecurity. At UTSA, we are preparing students not just to succeed in the jobs of today but in the jobs of the future. Data scientists are already in short supply and will be needed in much larger numbers in the coming years to power our city and state economies, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said last week. Our new School of Data Science will become a leader in meeting this workforce need, he said. Mongeaus experience at Berkeley included setting the strategic direction for the data institute and overseeing its research, training and outreach efforts. Before that, he co-led the Translational Data Analytics Institute at Ohio State University and helped lead the Battelle Memorial Institute, an applied science and technology development nonprofit. 2 1 of 2 Rendering courtesy of Whiting-Turner | Jacobs | Overland Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less UTSA expects its data school to become the largest information security hub outside Washington, D.C., with seven research centers under one roof: the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, the Cyber Center for Security and Analytics, the Institute for Cyber Security, the MATRIX AI Consortium, the Open Cloud Institute, the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute, and the National Security Collaboration Center. The building will include 84,500 square feet of classroom, laboratory and research space and house more than 70 faculty members. On ExpressNews.com: UTSA breaks ground on $90M downtown center Its not expected to be finished until the summer of 2022, but Mongeau expects his first year in San Antonio to go by quickly. As I start, I think an important part of that start is understanding who I am working with and who I am serving, Mongeau said. I think theres a lot to be done on relationship building and imagining a future together. That includes getting to know the student body, the local business community, government entities and area educators. Mongeau has experience at Berkeley leading research and graduate education but at UTSA hell add undergraduates to the mix. He considers it an opportunity to shape the program and eventually the local and national industry. In the world of academic data science, there is a very passionate discussion about inclusion, Mongeau said. And while many schools can talk about the importance of inclusion, UTSA can truly do something about it because of the students who go there, and thats very exciting. danya.perez@express-news.net | @DanyaPH Contributed Photo / ST A man was killed Monday after an argument led to a shooting at an East Side apartment complex, police said. Jennifer Rodriguez, a San Antonio Police Department spokeswoman, said police were alerted to a shooting at the Antioch Village Apartments at 1514 Upland Road around 11:40 a.m. A small, gold bell holds a place of honor in retired Army Col. Cecily M. Davids North Side home. Friends call the house The David Museum, and the decor represents years of cultural encounters from Davids military service around the world. A painting of four zebras lapping up water at a watering hole hangs in the foyer. A German castle carved into the front of a wooden cabinet is nearly as tall as Davids white Westie, Amiga, a therapy dog. Japanese rice-grain dolls are preserved in a glass frame near a bedroom decorated with Southwestern art and memorabilia. A Christmas tree with official White House ornaments dangling from its branches is still up months after the holidays. Davids keeping it up for her two grandsons, who couldnt visit in December because of coronavirus restrictions. But the gold bell? Thats special. David, 74, received it as a Christmas gift from staff members at the Keller Army Community Hospital in West Point, New York, 23 years ago as a humorous symbol of her leadership style. More Information About the author A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning. See More Collapse Two days after assuming command, David visited the basement office at the hospital, unannounced and alone, stepping quietly on soft-heeled shoes. She approached a female civilian staff member. The woman was surprised not only by the new commanders presence but also because David knew her first name. That was the first of the weekly rounds David would make during her two-year assignment. Those visits led to the selection of a bell as a funny nod to the startling effect she had on the staff. Im a people person, David said. And thats what I did. On ExpressNews.com: Fitness knows no age: San Antonio woman, 85, finds freedom through yoga Her journey began more than 9,500 miles away in Coonoor, India. She lived in Southern India until 1952, when her father, who worked for the British government, was transferred to Tanzania in East Africa. In the city of Dar-es-Salaam, the family learned that European, Asian and African students attended separate schools, though life outside the classroom wasnt segregated. When David was 8, an incident at home inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. She was playing barefoot in the yard when she felt a sting on the sole of her foot a worm had burrowed into the flesh. The family cook took a toothpick and removed the worm without a fuss. Thats when the medical seed was planted. Then, in 1962, David became a born-again Christian at a nondenominational church. It was a vital time in her life as thoughts of service seeped into her consciousness. Everything that has happened to me has had divine intervention, David said. Right through my life, Ive seen God send blessings. Davids leadership style has been shaped by humanitarian projects and service to others, including aid missions to Guatemala and Puerta Rico. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio teacher uses ties, vests and experience to inspire students to succeed David studied at one of the premier colleges in India Madras Medical College where she was motivated by thoughts of her mother, who didnt have a chance to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. After David graduated, she was encouraged to get advanced training in America. In June 1971, David moved to Valhalla, New York, for an internship and residency in pediatrics. In New York, she met Winston David, a respiratory therapist, through his sister-in-law. After a two-year courtship, they married and moved across the Hudson River near West Point, her future workplace. The Keller hospital still holds sentimental value for David it was the first assignment of her 30-year military career. In 1978, she was commissioned as a major and served as Kellers assistant chief of pediatrics. That led to assignments as chief of pediatrics at the 95th General Hospital in Nuremberg, Germany. David also served as commander of Kirk Army Health Clinic at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland and as commander of Joel Army Health Clinic at Fort McPherson, Georgia. In 1998, David became the first female commander-surgeon of the U.S. Military Academy. As a leader, David encouraged participation. She told her executive staff they werent being disloyal if they disagreed with her, but they needed to be of one mind when they left the commanders conference room. On ExpressNews.com: Former Green Beret survived IED explosion in Afghanistan to own successful San Antonio real estate company In retirement, David became an active member of the Flavors of San Antonio, founded by Michelle Newman at the Raindrop Turkish House. She was one of the residents who taught cooking classes about cuisine from their homelands. Proceeds from the classes went to the teachers charity of choice, and David said one of her classes raised $800 for a Sikh temple. David continues to share lessons learned throughout her life and knowledge about her ancestral home with her family. In December 2019, the Davids accompanied their son, Dilip, a neuropsychologist, and his family to India. Theyve planned a family trip to Tanzania in 2023. As a deadly wave of the coronavirus sweeps across the land of her birth, David is doing her part to raise funds for emergency relief. She is chair of the East West Foundation of USA, a 20-year-old group that supports an orphanage and medical clinic in her native India. David said the clinic is caring for impoverished villagers. Older children in the orphanage make masks that are distributed to the villagers. Though she cant be there in person, David is proud the foundation is helping out during the pandemic. My philosophy in life has been to serve, David said. And to continue to serve until I die. vtdavis@express-news.net Photos of the week: May 17-23 Some of the best pictures from the week of May 17, captured by Express-News photographers Photos of the week: May 17-23 Some of the best pictures from the week of May 17, captured by Express-News photographers On Sunday afternoon, former Mayor Phil Hardberger was having lunch at the Pearl when a woman in her 50s whom he didnt know stopped him and leaned in to shake his hand and say something very private. Ive had a very tough time in my life, the woman told Hardberger, referring to the pandemic, and your park and that land bridge made the difference. It gave me something to hope for. It saved me. Like a new Broadway play or restaurant, the opening of the $23 million Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge at Phil Hardberger Park in December was methodically planned and carefully executed, but whether the public would emotionally connect with the unique park feature was anyones guess. I had all those worries at 3 a.m., Hardberger said. Ive thrown a party. Now will anyone show up? They have, in numbers that have surprised even the bridges biggest boosters and in ways that suggest the bridge is pleasing not just to environmental engineers and wildlife biologists. One man, caught on camera recently, dropped to one knee and proposed to a woman on the bridges Skywalk. Another couple have planned a marriage in September, with Hardberger, a former judge, presiding. Three major parking lots are now routinely crowded with San Antonians and visitors from towns up and down Interstate 35. Ronald Cortes / Contributor The bridge connects the two sides of Hardberger Park, which is divided by Wurzbach Parkway. The high-tech metal structure supports tons of soil, native trees, plants and a footpath. It was meant to help animals safely cross the highway and to expand their natural habitat. Ronald Cortes/Contributor Now its attracting thousands of people every month: lovers on dates, flocks of families, dismounted cyclists, scout troops, naturalists, runners. I had always hoped the land bridge would draw people from every part of the city, Hardberger said, and now, every time I walk it, I see that it has. That certainly makes me feel good. Sunday morning, the horizon was thick and dark with distant rain and the 330-acre park was sticky-humid as Elizabeth Tavera and husband Diego unpacked their 6-week-old daughter from a stroller. We just moved here from Austin, and we love to tell all our friends there about the land bridge, Elizabeth said. Nearby, Tootsie, a lively fox terrier, and Teagan, a border collie and smile magnet, dragged Marty Schuh down a trail as she listened on earbuds to reruns of the beloved National Public Radio series Car Talk. This is their favorite place by far, said Schuh, a retired CPA, armed with poop bags and a water bottle. We come four or five times a week. I have very little control in where we go. Schuh did agree with other visitors that the excursion from parking lot to land bridge could benefit from improved signage. Its just not intuitive when you get here, she said,in a non-curmudgeonly way. Ronald Cortes/Contributor I totally agree, said Denise Gross, executive director of the Hardberger Park Conservancy. Im told by the city parks department that permanent signage has been ordered. There has to be a whole new way-finding package. The park website has a downloadable map showing the way to the bridge, but some first-timers are bewildered. The bridge itself, not unlike the Alamo, sort of sneaks up on you. The wide, easy trails to the bridge cut through dense thickets of cedar, oak and prickly pear cactus, so you dont see anything resembling a bridge until you start feeling the ground rise in a gentle arc and you hear the roar of six-lane Wurzbach beneath you. Even so, Gross says park staff members are always telling visitors who ask Wheres the bridge? that theyre standing on it. Giant rust-colored barriers obscure the view of vehicles. A favorite feature of the land bridge is the 1,000-foot-long Skywalk, 18 feet above the ground, that affords visitors a largely shaded, squirrels-eye view of the tree canopy. Its 6 feet wide and ADA-accessible. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and all its features, including two dog parks, are free. Steve, Mike and Florence, part of what they called a Freemason-like, philosophical, religious group that meets once a month, said they appreciated the land bridges purpose and remarked that similar bridges in Canada had dramatically reduced deaths of animals on roads. I think its outstanding that other cities will be studying our land bridge and seeing if it could work for them, Florence said. Ronald Cortes/Contributor Resting for a moment with her daughter on a block of limestone halfway over the bridge, painter Brigitte (Bibi) Saidi, a native of Germany, said she had worried that the bridges new plants and trees would be devastated by Februarys 107 continuous hours of subfreezing cold. But the mountain laurels look healthy and even stronger, said Saidi, a former corporate accountant who has lived in San Antonio since the 1970s. We were praying for the cactus because they were so gray and shriveled, but now were seeing the little green shoots of hope. While commenting on the durability of the plant life, Saidi paused to yell, Thank you for dismounting your bike on the bridge, please! at an oblivious violator. As for the animals, game cameras have spotted deer, one coyote, rabbits and opossums sneaking over the bridge at night, as hoped. But the parks naturalists say the wildlife are no doubt waiting for 100 new trees on the bridge to grow out a bit more, to give them better protection from us. bselcraig@express-news.net In its first week, 1 million U.S. households signed up for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program created to help close the digital divide during the coronavirus pandemic. The key word in the subsidys title is emergency. A critical word not in its title is temporary. The latter is why its imperative that eligible households in Bexar County sign up before the $3.2 billion fund runs out. Aid may be available until six months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the pandemic, but its more likely to be spent long before that. On Monday, Paloma Perez, spokeswoman for acting Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, said it might be spent in a few months. Congress approved the fund late last year to provide a $50-a-month discount on internet bills with participating providers, which includes Charter, or Spectrum, in San Antonio, and AT&T. It also provides a one-time discount of up to $100 toward a laptop, desktop computer or tablet, also from participating providers. The consumer must contribute more than $10, but less than $50, toward the purchase. Already, the site, GetEmergencyBroadband.org, says its experiencing high demand. That could be a good sign. Consumers may be readily signing up since the mid-May start date. But 1 million in the first week is just a fraction of the 34 million considered to be in poverty in the United States, according to 2019 census data. The site might be overwhelmed because it wasnt fully ready. Thats exacerbated by the fact that Congress didnt allocate money for outreach, making the effort dependent on whether people hear of the fund on their own or from local response efforts. The FCC will report back on where aid was greatest as reflected by those who sign up and provide that data to the Biden administration, which hasnt made a secret of its plan to close the digital divide. Deanne Cuellar, state director of Older Adults Technology Services, a group under the AARP umbrella, said San Antonio should be the No. 1 city to sign up. Its low-income residents struggled mightily to get connected during the pandemic, she said. So, this is a test San Antonio. Jordana Barton, vice president of community investment at Methodist Healthcare Ministries, said several local groups are mobilizing to get the message out. In addition to Methodist Healthcare Ministries, which will provide sign-up information at its clinics, Barton said entities such as the city of San Antonios Office of Innovation; City Education Partners; and the Digital Inclusion Alliance have agreed to assist the effort. H-E-B has agreed to distribute fliers that encourage people to sign up, she said, and will target stores in low-income ZIP codes. Barton said Methodist Healthcare Ministries will produce fliers to the San Antonio Food Bank that will be tucked into every food box. She said Alamo Colleges and Texas A&M University-San Antonio also will participate in the outreach project, as will churches and faith-based groups. This push is just starting in San Antonio, Barton said. We feel we are at the beginning. The federal program seeks to help households that had problems connecting to classwork, jobs and health care during the pandemic because of no or poor internet access. Those eligible to apply include recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, federal public housing assistance, or veterans and survivors pension benefits. Those who have received a Pell grant during the current year qualify, too, as do households whose children receive free and reduced-priced school meals. Households that earn income at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or an annual income of $35,775 for a family of four, also are eligible, Barton said. Applications can be completed online, or via snail mail by calling (833) 511-0311 for a printed form, the FCC spokeswoman said. I tried calling the number and got an automated message saying I was in for an 83-minute wait. Perez of the FCC said applicants also can call a participating internet provider to sign up. During the academic year, some low-income students received mobile hot spots but rarely the fixed high-speed internet access that academic coursework requires. Almost 40 percent of the local population doesnt have fixed internet. So, this federal aid program can be a tremendous step toward bridging the digital divide. Cuellar of OATS offered more hope: That the temporary program wont be temporary at all, and that the Biden administration wont withdraw aid for this critical service. eayala@express-news.net Jennifer Nypert, far left, and Kristin Raymond, far right, stand with Nyperts intermediate grade students from St. John Paul the Great Academy in Torrington May 19 as Raymond accepts a $3,076 check from students families on behalf of St. Judes Childrens Hospital. Dogs have fared well this Texas legislative session. While intensely partisan battles over voting rights, abortion and guns have demanded their attention for the last four months, lawmakers have found overwhelming unity when it comes to taking care of mans best friend. A bill that bans the use of heavy chains to tether dogs, another requiring animal control and shelters to scan lost dogs for microchips and yet another to give tax breaks to pet rescue facilities have passed the House and Senate and are heading to Gov. Greg Abbott, a dog owner, for final approval. It has been a good session, said Stacy Kerby, director of government relations at the Texas Humane Legislation Network, a nonprofit that promotes anti-cruelty legislation. The biggest victory for those groups has been the tethering legislation, which has been bottled up for nearly a decade. State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., a Cameron County Democrat, has been fighting for years not only to ban the heavy chains but also to give law enforcement more power to save dogs that are in danger. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox His Senate Bill 474 would get rid of a notice requirement in state law that law enforcement officers give a dog owner 24 hours to correct a situation before citing the owner or taking custody of the dog. During hearings, animal control experts testified that the 24-hour rule proved fatal for many dogs during the winter storm and extends the suffering of animals unnecessarily when an officer can see that unsafe conditions are causing harm. Twenty-four hours can be the difference between life or death, said Jamey Cantrell, president of the Texas Animal Control Association. The bill spells out that dog owners can have dogs outside but cannot restrain them with chains, short lines or anything that causes pain or injury to the dog. A first offense is a class C misdemeanor, which can mean a penalty of up to $500. For people previously cited, the penalty can jump to a class B misdemeanor, meaning a fine of up to $2,000 and 180 days in jail. Lucio has added changes to the bill to exempt dogs used for ranching and other agricultural purposes and for dogs kept in the backs of pickups key provisions that played a big role in keeping the bill from passing in previous legislative sessions. Some Texas cities already have ordinances that ban chains. Dog advocacy groups say heavy tow chains can cause great damage to a dogs neck, tangle easily and severely restrict a dogs movement. Rural sheriffs have backed the bill, saying it allows them to now take action, rather than having to let dogs suffer up to 24 more hours before anything changes. In the county world, we dont have the ability to have leash laws and other ordinances that they do in the cities, said Chambers County Sheriff Brian C. Hawthorne. So this is a tool for a sheriff or a county animal control service to have the ability to deal with these issues. Its all about protecting the lives of animals, said Lucio, who has nine cats and five dogs. This bill will make dogs safer, he said. The bill passed the Senate 28-3 in April and cleared the House 83-32 this month. Microchip scans Another bill is aimed at speeding up the process of getting lost dogs and cats back to their owners. House Bill 604 by Rep. Candy Noble, a Collin County Republican, requires lost animals to be scanned for a microchip as soon as possible after being taken into custody by a shelter or law enforcement agency. Noble said pet owners spend money on microchipping in hopes it will make the recovery of their animals easier if they get lost. While all the best-practice shelters and rescues do scan animals on intake, some are not doing so, she said. Noble said scanners can cost between $40 and $400, but she said the cost of having animals left in a shelter can be between $300 and $425, making her bill not just good for the animals but also a cost savings for shelters and animal control officials. Kerby said studies show that once animals get into a shelter, the likelihood of being reunited with their owners drops. Nobles bill passed the House 147-2 in mid-April and cleared the Senate 30-0 last week. A third bill is aimed at extending tax breaks that many animal shelters already get. State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said that currently the tax code eliminates sales taxes for animals sold by nonprofit shelters. But that tax break doesnt apply to rescue groups that dont have shelters but use networks of foster homes until a dog or cat is adopted. Passing SB 197 supports our local rescue groups and helps connect more animals to people who will love and care for them, Nelson said. Nelsons bill passed 31-0 in early April and cleared the House 143-0 last week. jeremy.wallace@chron.com The Canadian Ambassador to Serbia, Giles Norman, has said bureaucratic conditions for the launch of flights between Belgrade and Toronto have been met and that it is now up to Air Serbia to decide whether it will launch the transatlantic service. In May 2018, Canada and Serbia signed an Air Transport Agreement as part of the ongoing process of acquiring the necessary permits to allow direct Air Serbia flights between Belgrade and Toronto. The Embassy of Canada has supported the Serbian national air carriers efforts in receiving these permits, but the decision on further developments is with Air Serbia. The introduction of a direct flight between Canada and Serbia would be highly welcomed by the large Serbian and regional diaspora in Canada, as well as by businesses from both countries as it would encourage the further expansion of growing economic ties between the two nations, Mr Norman said. The Canadian Ambassador to Serbia, Giles Norman, has said bureaucratic conditions for the launch of flights between Belgrade and Toronto have been met and that it is now up to Air Serbia to decide whether it will launch the transatlantic service. In May 2018, Canada and Serbia signed an Air Transport Agreement as part of the ongoing process of acquiring the necessary permits to allow direct Air Serbia flights between Belgrade and Toronto. The Embassy of Canada has supported the Serbian national air carriers efforts in receiving these permits, but the decision on further developments is with Air Serbia. The introduction of a direct flight between Canada and Serbia would be highly welcomed by the large Serbian and regional diaspora in Canada, as well as by businesses from both countries as it would encourage the further expansion of growing economic ties between the two nations, Mr Norman said. Speaking at the Southeast Europe Aviation Summit last week, the Ambassador added, Certainly in the Southern Ontario area around Toronto there is a large Serbian diaspora. We dont have exact figures, but it is over 100.000 people. So, it is very vibrant and economically active. It would be a good route. It is now a business decision that they [Air Serbia] have got to make whether they want to advance that route. I imagine that in the time of Covid they have a lot of opportunities but also a lot of challenges but certainly from an Embassy point of view, we would be very supportive. The diaspora is very active, and flights would facilitate the commercial and people-to-people ties between our two countries. Earlier this month, Air Serbias CEO, Duncan Naysmith, said the carrier is continuing to look at options to expand its long haul network but its main focus now is returning to normality following the market-wide disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Our biggest focus at this stage is getting back to some sort of normality. We continue to look at long haul destinations. We look at China, USA, and Canada as well. At this point in time we are counting on normality, but we always look for opportunities to expand our long haul flights. The carriers General Manager for Commercial and Strategy, Jiri Marek, noted last week, For us, it [long haul] is working pretty well, and we would like to develop that more in the future. Canada is one of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airports largest unserved markets, with 61.232 indirect passengers traveling between the two on a single ticket in 2019, based on OAG data. Flights between Belgrade and Toronto were the busiest citypair between the two countries. In 2019, Toronto was Belgrade Airports third busiest unserved route after Shanghai and Beijing, as well as the busiest in North America. Overall, there were 40.856 passengers travelling between the two cities. The majority of travellers flew in combination with Air Canada and Air Serbia, with passengers shuttled by the latter to several European points such as London Heathrow, Amsterdam and Zurich and then continued their journey with Canadas national carrier. They were followed by LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France. The single most used feeder airport to and from Toronto was Warsaw with around 19% of passengers traveling on the route with LOT Polish Airlines through its hub. Two-way indirect traffic between Belgrade and Canada in 2019 NEWTOWN Alex Jones wants a Connecticut judge to throw out two years of proceedings from the defamation case against him by a group of Sandy Hook families, because one of those family members died in 2019 without his lawyers notifying the court. Jeremy Richman passed away in March 2019, wrote Jones attorney Jay Wolman in Connecticut Superior Court last week. For more than two years, (the families) have had the opportunity to substitute the estates executor for Mr. Richman. They have not done so and have, instead, continued to impermissibly prosecute the case of a deceased plaintiff. As a result, Jones lawyer, argues, the case has no vitality and The surviving part[ies] and the court alike are powerless to proceed. Jones attempt to thwart the lawsuit on a technicality is the latest development in one of the highest-profile defamation cases in the country. In April the case was in the headlines when the U.S. Supreme Court denied Jones appeal to revisit sanctions he received in trial court for his blood on the streets rant. The families attorneys at Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder declined to comment on Monday about why Richmans name remains as a plaintiff. If Richmans name sounds familiar it may be because his death made national news two years ago. Richman, a neuropharmacologist whose daughter was among the 26 first-graders and educators slain in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, had founded an organization that was funding research into the connection between brain science and behavioral health. When his wife shared that Richman took his life because he could not overcome losing his daughter, it brought national focus to the depth of grief-based trauma. Richmans death drew extra media attention because it followed the suicides of two teenagers who survived the slaying of 17 students and staff at a Parkland, Fla., high school. In 2018 Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel were among the six families and an FBI agent who sued Jones in Connecticut for saying on his Infowars broadcast that the Sandy Hook shooting was staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax and completely fake with actors. Jones in court documents has since argued that he no longer believes the worst crime in modern Connecticut history was a hoax, and that the First Amendment gives him the right to be wrong. A similar defamation suit against Jones brought by two other Sandy Hook families is pending in Connecticut. Separate defamation cases against Jones brought by Sandy Hook parents are proceeding to trial in Texas, where Jones internet broadcast business is based. Wolman argued that the families attorneys had six months to give the court a substitute to represent Richmans estate, and their failure to do so was an egregious violation of their duty of candor. Certainly, they must have learned of his passing. Yet, they have not apprised the court of this nor sought to substitute his estate, Wolman wrote. For more than two years, they have improperly prosecuted the case on behalf of a deceased plaintiff, which is impermissible. As a result, Wolman argues, all orders that issued between Mr. Richmans death and the present date (must) be vacated because the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to issue them. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-334 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions drew a massive police presence Monday in at least two cities in the sultanate, with protesters throwing stones at one point and police firing tear gas. Videos posted to social media show several dozen Omanis in the city of Sohar trailed by a long line of riot police vehicles. Other images appear to show a line of dozens of officers in riot gear near a government labor office in the city, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Muscat. Other images appear to show Omanis fleeing smoking tear gas canisters and others being arrested by nightstick-wielding riot police. The images correspond to known landmarks around Sohar, the first major city people enter in the sultanate after crossing the border from neighboring United Arab Emirates. Other videos showed demonstrators in Salalah, a city some 850 kilometers (525 miles) southwest of Muscat. Similar scattered protests in Sohar on Sunday also brought a mass police presence, activists said online. That demonstration was acknowledged by Oman's Labor Ministry in a tweet, which said it was aware of people gathering there to try to find new job vacancies and to solve the problems of those who were fired. It was not immediately clear if there had been a major layoff in Sohar, which is home to a key port, as well as plants producing aluminum and steel. In 2011 during the Arab Spring, protesters in Sohar demanding higher pay, jobs for the unemployed and the sacking of government ministers set fire to a supermarket. Oil and gas remains a major industry in Oman. Its tourism sector has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and repeated lockdowns in the sultanate. Oman's state TV on Monday afternoon acknowledged that jobless people had been coming to Labor Ministry offices to expedite the treatment of their conditions." It also showed an image from one of the peaceful protests. The Royal Oman Police did not acknowledge making any arrests. Oman's Information Ministry and the Omani Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. The demonstrations mark the first major unrest for Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who took over in January 2020 after the death of the long-ruling Sultan Qaboos bin Said. State media on Monday referred to employment as among the most important priorities of Sultan Haitham. Oman faces billions in looming loan repayments, including from China, and needs even more money as its youthful population wants jobs and its government cannot afford the cradle-to-grave benefits given in other Gulf Arab nations. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. Canada is seeking improved access to the UK market for its agri-food exports following news of an Australian trade deal that could include a 15-year transition to zero-tariffs and zero-quotas. The Canadian government has been closely monitoring the UK's trade negotiations with Australia, according to a report by The Sunday Telegraph. There are areas where we think we can move further on agriculture with the UK, since we are only negotiating with one country rather than 28," a Canadian source told the paper. We would learn from that [Australia] agreement It would help inform some areas where the UK is looking to position themselves. Claire Citeau, head of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, said securing 'better, meaningful and competitive access' to the UK market was a 'top priority'. The UK was Canada's 14th largest market for agriculture and agri-food exports in 2020, figures show. The report comes as the UK government is set to go ahead with a controversial 'zero tariff, zero quota' trade deal with Australia, despite warnings by UK farm leaders. Both Canada and Australia have lower legal animal welfare standards than in the UK and European Union. The NFU warned that a tariff-free trade deal with Australia would 'jeopardise' the industry, in turn causing the 'demise of many, many beef and sheep farms'. The union's president Minette Batters said: It is incredibly concerning that the government is in a sprint to sign up to a trade deal with Australia that would have serious implications for British farming and would seemingly offer incredibly little benefit to the economy. We continue to maintain that a tariff-free trade deal with Australia will jeopardise our own farming industry and could cause the demise of many, many beef and sheep farms throughout the UK. "This is true whether tariffs are dropped immediately or in 15 years time," Mrs Batters said. Wales' farming minister Lesley Griffiths warned the government last week that any UK trade deal with Australia must not disadvantage farmers in Wales. "No trade agreement should ever undermine that or our domestic legislation and the Welsh government has consistently made this point to the UK government," she said. "We are proud of the high food safety standards we have here in Wales, including standards around animal health and welfare, traceability, environment and food safety." NFU Cymru said the reports surrounding the UK-Australia trade negotiations were 'bitterly disappointing' for farmers in the country. The union is firm in its belief that a tariff-free trade deal with Australia or Canada would have a detrimental impact on the Welsh agricultural sector. President John Davies said: "Regardless of whether these tariffs are dropped immediately or over a longer period, such a move from government will be extremely damaging for a great number of Wales beef and sheep farming enterprises. "Quite simply, such a move is tantamount to pulling the rug from under the industry here in the UK and, as a major employer and economic driver in rural communities and the wider economy, the ramifications will go well beyond the farm gate." The UK Farming Roundtable, consisting of 19 farming industry bodies, issued a statement earlier this month urging government to uphold British farmers' high standards. DUP leader-designate Edwin Poots has written to UK government to express 'strong opposition' to the prospect of a zero tariff, zero quota trade deal with Australia. Mr Poots, who is currently Northern Ireland's agriculture minister before taking up his new role on 28 May, said such a deal would be 'damaging' to the region's beef and sheep trade. The prospect of such a deal presents a high level of risk to Northern Ireland and UK farmers," he said as part of a letter to Defra Secretary George Eustice. "Therefore I believe that the UK should maintain tariff protection at present levels for all agricultural products where the UK has a significant production interest." Farming groups fear there is a lot of potential for Australian beef and sheep exports to the UK to expand substantially over time if tariffs are eliminated. Mr Poots warned that Australia had a 'number of distinct advantages' over Northern Ireland in terms of the land available for farming, climate and lower standards. He said these factors allowed Australian farmers to produce at a considerably lower cost, particularly in the beef and sheep sectors. This is in line with the UK government's impact assessment of the Australia FTA, which concluded that full tariff liberalisation would result in an increase of imports from Australia of 83% and a fall in UK agri output of more than 0.5%. The government also noted that "it is expected that the increase in imports would, in part, comprise sheep meat (including lamb) and bovine meat." It said that NI could experience a negative impact in output terms overall from tariff liberalisation with Australia due to its specialisation in agri-food. Mr Poots added: "Australian beef and sheep products have the potential to undercut UK producers and to reduce Northern Irelands market share in GB which is our most important market for these products." Responding, a UK government spokesperson said a deal with Australia could 'benefit all of the UK, including Northern Ireland'. "Lower tariffs on automotive and pharmaceuticals in particular would boost Northern Irelands machinery and medicinal businesses. The scoping assessments are static analyses, which do not take account of future Australian or UK growth, and also do not capture the economic and strategic benefits of this deal as a stepping stone to CPTPP. Bringing food and farming lessons to the classroom can positively impact schoolchildrens education and future careers, according to the NFU. A new report by the union demonstrates how farming can be used to deliver science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) lessons through real world examples. The report comes following a new survey that highlights a substantial skills gap in careers based around STEM subjects, not only in agriculture but across the economy. The YouGov survey results reveal that one fifth of the teachers who responded struggle to teach any science during the week. It also shows how using agriculture to teach these important subjects can help engage children at a crucial age and show them their potential for STEM-based careers. With agriculture directly linked to elements within the current STEM curriculum, from life cycles and habitats to food chains and food technology, children have been learning key skills in real-life situations. This played out in the survey, which showed 89% of respondents believed teaching about farming at primary school is important. And over three-quarters (78%) said they thought their classes would learn more about STEM subjects in a non-classroom setting. NFU President Minette Batters said farming provided an 'innovative and exciting way' to promote learning in a way the younger generation 'might not have seen before'. "We have spent time working with schools to help teachers deliver all-important STEM subjects using real-life farming examples," she added. "Its been rewarding with countless teachers telling us of grassroot level triumphs, as pupils discover a whole new subject area that was previously uninspiring to them." She explained that teaching STEM through real-life, practical situations could deliver 'many benefits' for childrens education and future career opportunities. "This clearly demonstrates why the government should recognise the role of agriculture in inspiring STEM learning, to help connect pupils with the countrys farming heritage." A new world record price of 7,600 for an unbroken puppy just turned nine-weeks-old were recently recorded at Skipton Auction Mart. Setting the world record price was Welsh farmer Glynne Jones, of Pentir, near Bangor in Gwynedd, with his 12 March-born pup named Lassie. The unusually lilac coloured bitch smashed the previous record of 6,100 established at Skiptons previous online sale in January. Lassie, described as a lively, confident and healthy pup, is a product of outstanding parents, coming from the first litter of pups by Reiver Gray, bred by well-known shepherdess Emma Gray, now farming on the Isle of Bute. Lassies dam, Graylees Cet, has been owned and trained by Mr Jones since being purchased as an 8-week-old pup in 2014, to lay a solid foundation for his Pentir Sheepdogs breeding programme. As well as Lassie, who is from Cets sixth and last litter, the mother has produced a number of ISDS pedigree pups with Tweeddale Jamie, described as an amazing match from the outset. Mr Jones, a sheep and cattle farmer, farms 100 acres in Pentir nestled in between the Snowdonia mountain ranges and the North Wales coast. Lassie was his first offering at Skipton: My aim is to breed top quality working sheepdog pups from the best DNA tested bloodlines in the UK. "Im obviously over the moon. Lassie is a dog with everything in my opinion, he said. Her new owner is Damian Barson, of Tessleymoor Gundogs, a dog behaviourist and gundog trainer based in Woodplumpton, near Preston. He is taking an increasing interest in sheep farming, running a flock of Ryelands, with plans to diversify into Herdwicks. Put in touch with Glynne Jones, Mr Barson said: I have trained dogs all my life and have my own pack, so I wanted to get the best, a dog with both style and character. "It was all down to colour and breeding. I just had to have the wee pup, though I do think I went a bit wild! Small farms in the UK and across world should form a 'global cooperative' committed to producing food to high standards, Prince Charles has said. Writing to The Guardian, the Prince of Wales said small farmers could collaborate with a greater focus on combatting climate change amid an increasingly uncertain time for their businesses. His comments come as small family-run farms in the UK prepare for the loss of EU subsidies and controversial post-Brexit trade deals that could undercut them. Overall, a fifth of English farms have disappeared in the past 10 years, but the rate is fastest amongst the smallest farms, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). Almost a third of farms under 50 hectares disappeared between 2005 and 2015, its report, released in 2017, showed. But Prince Charles told The Guardian that small farmers could 'come together' to form a 'global cooperative' which had high production standards at its heart. "With the skills of ethical entrepreneurs and a determination from the farmers to make it work, I would like to think it could provide a very real and hopeful future," he said. To me, it is essential the contribution of the small-scale family farmer is properly recognised they must be a key part in any fair, inclusive, equitable and just transition to a sustainable future. "To do this, we must ensure that Britains family farmers have the tools and the confidence to meet the rapid transition to regenerative farming systems that our planet demands." He added: "These [small] farmers are some of the most hard-working and innovative small businesses and, in so many ways, we depend on them far more than most of us will ever know." During last year's lockdown period of the Covid-19 crisis, Prince Charles said the UK owed farmers 'an enormous debt of gratitude' for producing food. Speaking to the Country Life magazine, he talked about his new found appreciation for the British farming industry which had developed because of the pandemic. Farmers and landowners who have previously been advised that wind turbines are not a viable diversification option are being encouraged to reconsider. It is expected that a policy change could mean onshore wind will soon be able to again compete for government-backed contracts. The energy source is also likely to be seen as playing an important role in the UKs efforts to achieve carbon net zero status. Martin Williams, associate at Carter Jonas, said that at the moment, onshore wind schemes would be refused planning permission if they received local objection. Developers havent been prepared to take that risk, so since 2015, onshore wind has all but ceased in England," he added. The White Paper for Energy also doesnt mention onshore wind a significant oversight considering it is one of the easiest and cheapest forms of renewable energy to deploy. "However, we understand the prime minister is starting to reconsider its potential as the government strives to achieve net zero by 2050." Scotland and Wales are both reaching saturation point as developers look for large areas to accommodate turbines to operate subsidy-free schemes. Mr Williams said there were several areas in England where onshore wind developments would be a viable option too, and a policy change would open these areas up for development. This expected change of course from decision-makers in Westminster could prove the catalyst for wider adoption of onshore wind, with developers beginning to approach the owners of potential sites again. Existing policies in England dictate that a developer must site turbines in a location that has been identified as part of the local or neighbourhood plan as well as having community support. A move away from this to a more open approach as seen in Scotland and Wales would allow for more deployment of turbines in England, Mr Williams noted. Onshore wind wont be suitable for every location; standard turbines are now more than 150m tall, with sites coming forward in Scotland and Wales at over 200m to the tip. "They will be best suited to sites in northern England where its openness and rural landscape is best suited to this sort of development and allow for schemes to be screened by the rolling landscape. With this proposed change in policy, its likely we are now going to see more developers approaching landowners to secure their land for a potential development, he said. There are other practical considerations for farmers to bear in mind such as a good grid connection, which is seen as a necessity for any energy scheme. Access is also key, but can now be overcome with the use of specialist equipment, and there are other various limitations on potential locations. Applications in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty will struggle to secure planning consent and a buffer zone from nearby residential properties is necessary as well as a high average wind speed. The popular Feed-in Tariff scheme closed to new applicants in 2019, therefore developers will focus on large developments that can generate a profit subsidy-free. The fact that developers are starting to approach landowners again backs up our belief that a policy change is on the horizon, said Mr Williams. If farmers and landowners have previously written off wind turbines as a diversification option, it would be worth reviewing their position and taking advice. "We are aware of developers proactively contacting landowners with a view to earmarking sites and it is important that anyone who is approach knows where they stand. FAU Study: South Florida Homes Overvalued by 13 Percent in May Southeast Florida homes became even more overvalued in May, further fueling concerns of a market correction, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University. Properties in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are selling on average for 13.18 percent higher than their long-term pricing trend. In April, homes sold for 12.54 percent more than they should have, and that was up from 11.52 percent in March. The continued escalation of home values is troubling, though the degree of overpricing is nowhere near what it was during the worst of the historic housing meltdown more than a decade ago, explained Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D., a real estate economist and associate dean in FAUs College of Business. Back then, homes were overvalued by about 65 percent. An adjustment in housing prices is coming, but probably not tomorrow and not nearly as severe as what we saw before, Johnson said. The greatest current threat to prices is a noticeable rise in long-term mortgage rates. But local housing prices will be supported for some time, due mostly to the extreme shortage of inventory in South Florida. The latest analysis shows the market is nearing the peak of its current cycle, said Eli Beracha, Ph.D., director of FIUs Hollo School of Real Estate. Trees do not grow to the sky, and neither do housing prices, Beracha said. Buyers should take that into consideration when negotiating. Another factor for homebuyers to consider is Floridas worsening property insurance market. Saying their exposure has soared from fraud, legal fees and other costs, many Florida insurers are canceling policies and sharply increasing rates for remaining customers. In some cases, insurers are demanding homeowners install new roofs to maintain coverage, even though the existing roofs have shown no signs of age. If we get to a point where consumers cant find affordable insurance, it could slow demand for homes, which would have a negative effect on prices, Johnson said. What happens with Floridas insurance market is definitely worth watching. In conducting their monthly analysis, Johnson and Beracha review more than 25 years of home prices from Zillow, the online real estate portal. The data includes single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops. Johnson and Beracha also are co-authors of the Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent Index. The quarterly housing analysis of 23 key metropolitan areas nationwide determines whether consumers will create wealth faster in buying a home and building equity or renting the same property and reinvesting the money they would have spent on ownership. -FAU- Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Berwyn, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - May 23, 2021) - Annovis Bio, Inc. (NYSE American: ANVS) ("Annovis" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the pricing of its underwritten public offering of 1,000,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $50.00 per share, for gross proceeds of $50,000,000, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses. All of the shares of common stock are being offered by the Company. The offering is expected to close on May 26, 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc., is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering and Maxim Group LLC is acting as co-manager for the offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering primarily for general corporate purposes, including working capital, research and development, capital expenditures and the completion of our planned Phase 3 clinical trial for ANVS401 in AD in persons with Down Syndrome. The securities will be offered and sold pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-252625), including a base prospectus, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 1, 2021 and declared effective on February 11, 2021. The offering will be made only by means of a written prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the offering has been or will be filed with the SEC on its website at www.sec.gov. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering will be filed with the SEC and made available on the SEC's website. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may also be obtained, when available, from the offices of ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc., 17 State Street, 22nd Floor, New York, New York 10004, by telephone at (877) 436-3673 or by email at prospectus@think-equity.com. Before investing in this offering, interested parties should read in their entirety the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the other documents that the Company has filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in such preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, which provide more information about the Company and such offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Annovis Bio Inc. Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. (Annovis) is a clinical-stage, drug platform company addressing neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's in Down Syndrome (AD-DS). We believe that we are the only company developing a drug for AD, PD and AD-DS that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein and, thereby, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport. When this information flow is impaired, the nerve cell gets sick and dies. We expect our treatment to improve memory loss and dementia associated with AD and AD-DS, as well as body and brain function in PD. We have two ongoing Phase 2a studies: one in AD patients and one in both AD and PD patients. For more information on Annovis, please visit the company's website: www.annovisbio.com. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness, and anticipated results of ANVS401 clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate, including that clinical trials may be delayed; that the data reported herein is interim data, conclusions as to which may be superseded by subsequent data we expect to receive in connection with Phase 2a trials and/or subsequent clinical trials; and that any anticipated meeting with or presentation to the FDA may be delayed. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Inc. 407-491-4498 Dave@redchip.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84959 VIPs from government departments, industry associations, BYD's partners and suppliers At BYD's global headquarters, car owners assembled their vehicles in a specially choreographed display forming the number '1,000,000' to help celebrate the milestone Rolf Petter Almklov, Commercial Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing and Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD at the ceremony SHANGHAI, May 22, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - BYD is celebrating a significant production milestone by becoming one of the first new energy vehicle manufacturers globally to produce one million electric passenger cars. The one-millionth car, the Han EV, rolled off the production line today at BYD's headquarters and manufacturing facility in Shenzhen.At a special ceremony this week, VIPs from government departments, industry associations, BYD's partners and suppliers, more than 400 media guests, and about 100 BYD vehicle owners, gathered to mark the occasion.The landmark moment in BYD's history coincides with the announcement that the first batch of 100 pure-electric BYD Tang SUVs are now ready for delivery to Norway - with the Scandinavian country selected as the platform for BYD's ambitious plans in the European passenger car market. BYD also announced that a total of 1500 Tang SUVs will be delivered to Norway before the end of the year as the company commits to accelerating its European and global strategies. The initial 100 cars are scheduled for delivery to Norwegian customers in the third quarter of this year.BYD's one-millionth new energy passenger car rolls off the production lineBYD's pioneering work in the development of battery technology and new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing has led the new energy revolution in the global automotive industry since the company's emergence in 2003 - spearheaded by innovative technologies and a well-calibrated global business strategy. In 2004, BYD unveiled its all-electric concept car, the ET, at the Beijing Auto Show, marking the premiere debut of an NEV model. This was followed in 2008 when the world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid NEV - the F3DM - was officially unveiled. Then, in 2020, the BYD Han was launched with performance specs setting twelve records globally and nine in China. The BYD Han continues to be a top-selling model in the mid-to-large luxury sedan sector, and with the credentials to rival models from the three German luxury car giants."BYD shoulders the responsibility and mission of upward development for China's new energy vehicle brands," said Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD Co., Ltd. "From zero to one million vehicles, this is BYD's response to the call for global auto industry transformation. It also sets a benchmark in the journey of the new energy vehicle industry in China starting from nothing, alongside the greater national journey for a country dominated by traditional automobiles to one that is a leader in the field of sustainability."Customers first and foremost"The journey to one million vehicles would not be possible without the support of car owners every step of the way," he added, "and BYD recognises that the 'green dream' can only be achieved hand-in-hand with all our customers."With this close relationship with customers in mind, BYD has invited ten of its NEV customers to attend the ceremony, including the owners of the 100,000th and the one-millionth vehicles to join BYD as it celebrates its work in helping move towards a better, more sustainable future.In the central square of BYD's global headquarters, another eighty BYD car owners assembled their vehicles in a specially choreographed display forming the number '1,000,000' to help celebrate the milestone.First 100 BYD Tang SUVs head for Norway with 1500 units scheduled in 2021Alongside news of the production of its one-millionth passenger car line, BYD has also confirmed its entry into the European market with the first 100 pure-electric BYD Tang SUVs on their way to Norway. The northern European country has been selected to kick off BYD's journey towards a successful presence in the burgeoning NEVs market in Europe.With Rolf Petter Almklov, Commercial Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing, alongside Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD, the first batch of 100 Tang SUVs will be shipped at the end of May and delivered to local customers in Norway during the third quarter of this year. Also before the end of 2021, BYD plans to deliver a total of 1500 Tang SUVs to Norway, underlining a significant commitment from BYD to its new Scandinavian market and its European neighbours.With decarbonisation high on the political agenda in Europe, BYD's entry into the passenger car market comes at an important time. The BYD Tang EV provides serious competition for the more established European brands, with its stylish design and new technologies providing a compelling proposition for new car buyers. Central to its technology credentials is the new ultra-safe, space-saving Blade Battery, with performance figures including a class-leading range of up to 505km (NEDC) and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in just 4.6-seconds from its 86.4 kWh capacity.BYD describes its new business in Norway as the 'start of the European dream' with respect to its passenger car ambitions. A key differentiator for BYD is its commitment to bringing only pure-electric, 100% emissions-free cars to market - a strategy supported by BYD's electric bus product range and its leading position in eBus markets right across Europe.Working side-by-side with leading supply-chain partners to forge the wayThe key to realising BYD's dreams has been the support of leading supply-chain partners. At today's ceremony, Wang Chuanfu made special reference to ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Fuyao, Valeo and others, while stating BYD's intention to join hands with even more partners in a joint endeavour to lead the transformation of the global automotive industry and to forge the way ahead for electrification.The replacement of the internal combustion engine with new energy vehicles - and specifically battery electric vehicles - is crucial for reducing dependence on fossil fuels, ensuring national energy security, and further achieving the goal of 'peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060'. As a principal participant and major force in the new energy automotive industry, BYD will continue to work with partners, suppliers and customers, to push ahead and realise the dream of green travel.About BYDBYD Company Ltd. is one of China's largest privately-owned enterprises. Since its inception in 1995, the company quickly developed solid expertise in rechargeable batteries and became a relentless advocate of sustainable development, successfully expanding its renewable energy solutions globally with operations in over 50 countries and regions. Its creation of a Zero Emissions Energy Ecosystem - comprising affordable solar power generation, reliable energy storage, and cutting-edge electrified transportation - has made it an industry leader in the energy and transportation sectors. BYD is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. More information on the company can be found at http://www.byd.com.ContactsAsia-Pacific: Mia Gumia.gu@byd.com; tel: +86-755-8988-8888-69666North America: Frank Girardotfrank.girardot@byd.com; tel: +1 213 245 6503Latin America: Mariana Osoriomariana.osorio@byd.com; tel: +56 9 8588 0333Brazil: Adalberto Malufadalberto.maluf@byd.com; tel: +19 3514 2554Europe: Penny Pengpenny.peng@byd.com; tel: +31-102070888Source: BYD Co. Ltd.Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Novavax Inc. (NVAX) and SK bioscience agreed to potentially explore the development of new vaccine products, including COVID-19 variant vaccines, and/or an influenza-COVID-19 combination vaccine, Novavax said in a statement. The companies will continue to collaborate in manufacturing of the vaccines utilizing SK bioscience's facility, with support from the Korean government. Novavax signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea (MOHW) and SK bioscience to explore further cooperation in the development and manufacturing of vaccines, including NVX-CoV2373, Novavax' recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine candidate. SK bioscience initiated the rolling submission process for NVX-CoV2373 in collaboration with Novavax to South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in April. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Sharmese taking this case will say that Connecticut has zero tolerance for domestic violence, she said. And when family or when a victim comes forward and finally is able to leave the abuser and is able to press charges, they will see this case and understand that Connecticut stands with them, that Connecticut stands with women, and stands with protecting women, and most importantly, it will show that Connecticut stands with protecting Black women. SHERMAN OAKS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2021 / Petroteq Energy Inc. ("Petroteq" or the "Company") (TSXV:PQE)(OTC:PQEFF)(FSE:PQCF), clean technology company focused on the development and implementation of its proprietary oil-extraction and remediation technologies, announces that on May 19, 2021, Petroteq received emails from several European shareholders advising the Company that their brokers had informed them they had received what appeared to be an offer to purchase shares of Petroteq. In addition to being advised of this offer, the Company was directed to Bundesanzeiger, an official publication of the Department of Justice and Consumer Protection, of the Federal Republic of Germany. The link provided as: https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/pub/en/search-result?17. Upon clicking on the link and searching the word "Petroteq" two search results appear. If "Uppgard Consult AB Krylbo" is selected, the purported offer can be reviewed in the German language. The notice indicates, among other things, that the offer is not aimed at shareholders in any jurisdiction in which the offer would violate applicable law. After reviewing all available information, the Company's management notified its board of directors which directed management to contact the Uppgard Konsult AB, Sweden, the party identified in Bundesanzeiger, to request additional information about the proposed offer. Upon doing so, Uppgard Konsult AB provided limited responses to the Company's questions and confirmed that they are acting on behalf of an unidentified third party. Uppgard Konsult AB indicated that they had a mandate to complete the purchases disclosed in the offer. Uppgard Konsult AB did not disclose who the offeror is but indicated that the offeror intended to issue a press release in due course. The Company did not have prior knowledge of this offer, nor can it comment on the legitimacy or legal compliance of the offer. The Company only became aware of it upon being notified by several shareholders. Neither Uppgard Konsult AB nor the offer has made any filings in relation to the offer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Shareholders are encouraged to do their own due diligence prior to taking any action. About Petroteq Energy Inc. Petroteq is a clean technology company focused on the development and implementation of a new proprietary oil extraction and remediation technologies. The Company has an environmentally safe and sustainable technology for the extraction and reclamation of heavy oil and bitumen from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits. Petroteq is engaged in the development and implementation of its patented environmentally friendly heavy oil processing and extraction technologies. Petroteq is currently focused on developing its oil sands resources and expanding production capacity at its Asphalt Ridge soil remediation and heavy oil extraction processing facility located near Vernal, Utah. For more information, visit www.Petroteq.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CONTACT INFORMATION Petroteq Energy Inc. Alex Blyumkin Executive Chairman Tel: (800) 979-1897 SOURCE: Petroteq Energy Inc View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648712/Petroteq-Comments-on-Offer-Appearing-in-German-Publication An investment of around 5 million will allow an old solar panel factory in the Beja district to reopen and create more than 40 new jobs. Galp Energia's former director of innovation is part of the new team.From pv magazine Spain Lux Optimeyes Energy is investing some 5 million in a new factory in the southern Portuguese city of Moura that will manufacture flexible photovoltaic solar panels and lithium batteries. Portugal's Minister of Environment and Climate Action Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes and the Undersecretary of State and Energy Joao Galamba attended official start of the project. The ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BILBAO (dpa-AFX) - Cummins Inc. (CMI), a manufacturer of power solutions, announced Monday its partnership with Spanish utility Iberdrola S.A.(IBDSF.PK) for its Gigawatt Electrolyzer plant in Spain for the production of green hydrogen. The electrolyzer plant will be located in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Cummins said its investment in Spain will accelerate the production of green hydrogen with strong support from the Castilla-La Mancha and Spanish governments. It follows the companies' decision to partner together on large-scale hydrogen production projects in Spain and Portugal. The companies have signed an agreement to accelerate the growth of business opportunities in the electrolyzer market of Iberia. A site selection search within the Guadalajara area of Castilla-La Mancha is currently underway for Cummins' new 50 million euros PEM electrolyzer plant that will house system assembly and testing for approximately 500 MW/year and will be scalable to more than 1 GW/year. The facility, which will initially be 22,000 square meters, is anticipated to open in 2023, creating 350 new jobs as production ramps up. Cummins has deployed more than 600 electrolyzers in 100 countries globally. As part of this alliance, the 230-MW green hydrogen project in Palos de la Frontera in Spain - that Iberdrola has planned for fertilizer producer Fertiberia - will become a benchmark for large electrolysis projects. Cummins will be the electrolyzer supplier for the Palos project. Through the experience acquired in the project, Iberdrola and Cummins will jointly collaborate in the design of solutions for large electrolysis projects. The companies are also collaborating on a hydrogen refueling station in Barcelona, Spain with additional partnership and broader collaboration opportunities anticipated in the future. The alliance helps to position Cummins as a major supplier of electrolyzer systems for large-scale projects in Iberia and Iberdrola as a leading developer of electrolyzer projects and hydrogen supplier to final industrial customers. The plant will also enable Cummins to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 as outlined in the company's Planet 2050 sustainability strategy. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX IBERDROLA-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de 24 May 2021 Volta Finance Limited (VTA / VTAS) Misleading Website The Board of Volta Finance Limited announces the discovery of a website purporting to represent Volta Investment Group ("VIG"), an entity entirely unrelated to Volta Finance Limited ("the Company"). The website for VIG incorrectly notes that a number of the Directors of the Company are involved with VIG as members of their board. In addition to the incorrect information regarding their board, it was also noted that the Companies House (UK) Certificate of Incorporation displayed on the website of VIG does not match the details and documentation publically available from Companies House. Further to the discovery of VIG's website, the Company contacted the webhosting provider and the domain registrar of the website to alert them to the incorrect and misleading information regarding the involvement of the Company's Directors with VIG, as well as the aforementioned Companies House documentation. Additionally, using the contact details on VIG's website, the Company advised VIG of the incorrect information on their website, and specifically requested that any mention of the Company's Directors be removed immediately and permanently. As of publishing time, VIG's website is still active, and the issues noted above have not been resolved to the Company's satisfaction. The Company asserts that neither it, nor any of its Directors, are involved with VIG or any of its officers and/or subsidiaries. Additionally, the Company would like confirm that the sole legitimate website for the Company is . CONTACTS For the Investment Manager AXA Investment Managers Paris Serge Demay +33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47 Company Secretary and Administrator BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A, Guernsey Branch +44 (0) 1481 750 853 Corporate Broker Cenkos Securities plc Andrew Worne Daniel Balabanoff +44 (0) 20 7397 8900 ***** ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Volta's home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands. Volta's investment objectives are to preserve capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks to attain its investment objectives predominantly through diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile loans. The Company's approach to investment is through vehicles and arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets. ***** ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 679 investment professionals and 858 billion in assets under management as of the end of December 2020. ***** This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris ("AXA IM"), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the "AIFM Directive") of Volta Finance Limited (the "Volta Finance") whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM. This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are "U.S. persons" for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States. ***** This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance. ***** This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes", "anticipated", "expects", "intends", "is/are expected", "may", "will" or "should". They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance's investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance's actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements. Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved. The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM's belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results. The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such. Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide - 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorite des Marches Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive. ***** HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEX: 2318; SSE: 601318) announced a new poverty alleviation program for Cambodia at the International Forum on Poverty Governance and Development Towards Modernization in Nujiang, Yunnan on 18 May. For its Mother's Needlework public welfare program, Ping An will look for women in Cambodia with specific handicraft skills for technical training and handicrafts production to promote local women's employment and the economic and social development of their communities. In August 2020, Ping An and Economic Daily Press Group launched the Mother's Needlework women handicraft entrepreneurship project in China in the Yi-populated areas of Liangshan, Sichuan Province. The project recycled old clothes by embellishing them with Yi ethnic clothing patterns, a valuable part of China's intangible cultural heritage, and invited the local Yi women to make and sell exquisite handicrafts. While protecting the cultural heritage of ethnic minorities, the program also promoted flexible employment of ethnic minority women. Ping An Puhui, a subsidiary of Ping An, donated 60 sets of sewing machines, cloth cutters, clothes irons and other equipment for the project. More than 80 women participated, and their per capita income increased from RMB3,200 per year to more than RMB10,000 per year. Richard Sheng, Secretary of the Board of Directors and Brand Director of Ping An, shared at the forum how Ping An leveraged its resources and strengths in finance and healthtech to facilitate China's poverty alleviation. He said, "Our original aspiration remains unchanged even after a century. Ping An will focus on consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation and facilitating rural revitalization, while using its strength in finance, technology and the healthcare ecosystem to actively promote poverty alleviation efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative, and contribute to China's strength to build a community of shared future for mankind." The forum was organized by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, the People's Government of Yunnan Province, the China Public Relations Association and Renmin University of China. About 150 Chinese and foreign diplomats, officials, and scholars from 18 countries and four international organizations, including the United Nations, attended the forum. They discussed the lessons from China's poverty alleviation efforts, and how they might be applied to promote global poverty alleviation, sustainable development and modernization. Handicrafts in Cambodia have a long history, but much of the traditional culture has almost vanished. Ping An hopes its Mother's Needlework program will create women's jobs in Cambodia, alleviate poverty and achieve socio-economic development in local regions. Ping An is committed to supporting improved standards of living and reducing development gaps, while facilitating China and Cambodia's development of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Economic Development Belt. For more information on Mother's Needlework public welfare program, please watch the video here. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Genetic testing and precision medicine company Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN) announced Monday it has signed a definitive agreement to sell Myriad RBM, Inc. to Q2 Solutions, a leading global clinical trial laboratory services organization, and a wholly owned subsidiary of IQVIA Holdings, Inc. (IQV). The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Q2 Solutions provides comprehensive testing, project management, supply chain, biorepository, biospecimen and consent tracking solutions. Myriad RBM, which specializes in contract research services for the pharmaceutical industry, will be added to the overall Q2 Solutions menu and offerings. The divestiture of Myriad RBM, along with other announced divestitures, allows Myriad Genetics to accelerate the execution of their transformation plan and focus on advancing their core businesses in Women's Health, Oncology and Mental Health. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, and Myriad expects the transaction to close in the third calendar quarter. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Designed for ops, IT, process professionals and power users, the Nintex Process Platform improves the way people work by making it faster and easier to manage, automate, and optimise business processes and workflows LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, recently shared the company's innovation roadmap and latest enhancements to its next generation Nintex Workflow Cloud during its largest virtual event of the year, Nintex ProcessFest 2021 on 20 May which is now available on-demand. Watch Nintex ProcessFest 2021 at https://www.nintex.com/nintex-processfest-2021/. The interactive on-demand experience includes a 90-minute keynote featuring customer stories and the latest innovations in process mapping, digital forms and automation; 13 technical deep dives, 10-plus partner sessions, and valuable customer success resources. "Innovation is a significant part of our product DNA at Nintex," said Nintex Chief Product Officer Neal Gottsacker. "We remain committed and focused on continuously enhancing our process platform's powerful and easy-to-use features and capabilities to meet and exceed the end-to-end process management and automation needs of our global Nintex community." The latest release of Nintex Workflow Cloud features more than 30 new connectors that integrate with Gmail, Stripe, Bitly, GoToMeeting, Github, Azure Computer Vision, and more; SharePoint Web Part integrations for forms; a brand-new intelligent PDF forms convertor; and My Nintex, a new in-product experience that gives workflow participants the same control and visibility over forms, tasks, and workflows that workflow designers enjoy with the platform. Committed to improving the way people work Today, more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across nearly every industry are accelerating their digital transformation initiatives with the process mapping, workflow automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and document automation software capabilities Nintex offers. During Nintex ProcessFest 2021, Nintex customer Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, which serves more than 20 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, discussed how the organisation has successfully leveraged the complete Nintex Process Platform to create a process excellence culture and drive business outcomes. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/coca-cola-beverages-florida/. Hernando County School District, which serves more than 23,000 students on Florida's central west coast, also presented and shared how the district has successfully put the Nintex Process Platform to work to manage increasing workloads for its construction and facilities departments and ensure that business processes are not only documented but consistently followed across the organisation. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/hernando-county-schools/. To put The Power of Process to work today, request a free demo of Nintex Workflow Cloud at https://www.nintex.com/request-demo/ . Media Contact Kristin Treat Nintex kristin.treat@nintex.com cell: +1 (215) 317-9091 About Nintex Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/700078/Nintex_Logo.jpg Paris, May 24, 2021 On May 7, 2021, the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) confirmed the arbitral award that had been rendered, in favor of Sodexo, on January 28, 2019, in the context of its dispute with the Hungarian State initiated in 2014, related to changes in the regulatory and fiscal environment in Hungary concerning issuance of food and meal vouchers. The arbitral ruling ordering the Hungarian State to pay Sodexo 73 million euros of damages, is now final and binding. Sodexo welcomes this ultimate arbitral ruling which confirms, as per international law, the obligation of the Hungarian state to compensate Sodexo, and will ensure, by all legal available means to obtain its execution. About Sodexo Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 64 countries, Sodexo serves 100 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services. Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 50 years of experience: from foodservices, reception, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from services and programs fostering employees' engagement to solutions that simplify and optimize their mobility and expenses management, to in-home assistance, child care centers and concierge services. Sodexo's success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 420,000 employees throughout the world. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC 40 ESG, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices. Key figures 19.3 billion euro in Fiscal 2020 consolidated revenues 420,000 employees as at August 31, 2020 #1 France-based private employer worldwide 64 countries 100 million consumers served daily 12.1 billion euro in market capitalization (as at March 31, 2021) Contacts Analysts and Investors Media Virginia JEANSON Tel: +33 1 57 75 80 56 virginia.jeanson@sodexo.com (mailto:virginia.jeanson@sodexo.com) Mathieu SCARAVETTI Tel: +33 6 28 62 21 91 mathieu.scaravetti@sodexo.com (mailto:mathieu.scaravetti@sodexo.com) Attachment WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has apologized for apparently violating state-mandated social distancing guidelines at an East Lansing eatery. Whitmer issued an apology on Sunday after an image showing the Democrat Governor spending time with about a dozen unmasked people at The Landshark Bar & Grill turned viral. The picture was posted on social media by a person who attended the gathering but later deleted the post. Photos of the gathering were first published by Breitbart News, a pro-Trump media outlet. Whitmer and accomplices were seated around tables that had been pushed together at a time capacity limits and social distancing protocols were in force for restaurants and bars in Michigan in the wake of the pandemic. 'Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didn't stop to think about it,' Whitmer said in a statement Sunday. 'In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize', she added. Whitmer insisted that she had been committed to following public health protocols throughout the pandemic. She is the second Democrat Governor to draw criticism for defying pandemic-related rules. California's Gavin Newsom apologized after he and his wife were caught dining with 10 others without wearing masks at the French Laundry restaurant in Napa last year. Newsom was the first U.S. Governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order in March 2020. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. They said that by the time Ogman started pacing his street that day with a rifle and a handgun, it was too late for mental health clinicians to intervene. However, the mayor and chief have added that the existence of a crisis response team will give families like his an alternative to calling the police if theyre concerned about a loved ones behavioral health. MOSCOW, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund) announces that a study carried out by Argentina's Institute of Virology of the National University of Cordoba and the Government of Cordoba has confirmed neutralization effectiveness of the Russian two-dose Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine against the Manaus (Brazilian) variant and overall strong immune response after vaccination with Sputnik V. The study specifically confirmed that the immunity generated thanks to vaccination with Sputnik V neutralizes the Manaus (Brazilian) variant in those who received one dose as well as subjects inoculated with two doses of the vaccine. Study[1] also demonstrated that: 99.65% of subjects induced IgG antibodies to COVID-19 on 42nd day after receiving the 2nd dose; 85.5% of subjects induced IgG antibodies to COVID-19 on 14th day after receiving the 1st dose. To date the Russian vaccine has been registered in 66 countries with total population of over 3.2 billion people. Post-vaccination studies in a number of countries demonstrate that Sputnik V is the safest and most effective vaccine against coronavirus. Sputnik V ranks second among coronavirus vaccines globally in terms of the number of approvals issued by government regulators. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "The study carried out in Argentina has confirmed high efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine against new strains and variants of coronavirus. Argentina was the first country of Latin America to start vaccinating the population with Sputnik V. Now we see that the use of the Russian vaccine helps to protect the population not only against known strains, but also new variants, including the Manaus one, with strong immune response generated after receiving just one dose of the vaccine." Sputnik V has a number of key advantages: Efficacy of Sputnik V is 97.6% based on the analysis of data on the coronavirus infection rate among those in Russia vaccinated with both components of Sputnik V from December 5, 2020 to March 31, 2021 ; The Sputnik V vaccine is based on a proven and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors, which cause the common cold and have been around for thousands of years. Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots. The safety, efficacy and lack of negative long-term effects of adenoviral vaccines have been proven by more than 250 clinical studies over two decades. There are no strong allergies caused by Sputnik V. The storage temperature of Sputnik V at +2+8 C means it can be stored in a conventional refrigerator without any need to invest in additional cold-chain infrastructure. The price of Sputnik V is less than $10 per shot, making it affordable around the world. Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF's management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB2 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia's GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 18 countries that total more than $40 bn. Further information can be found at www.rdif.ru [1]http://cime.fcq.unc.edu.ar/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/05/Resultados-vacuna-cohorte-14-y-42-d%C3%ADas.-Respuesta-de-acs.-a-Manaos.-14.05.2021-logos.pdf Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140939/Russian_Direct_Investment_Fund_Logo.jpg The Company Also Highlights Third Quarter Results - Revenue Up significantly Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2021) - GPO Plus, Inc. (OTCQB: GPOX), a diversified corporation operating industry specific Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), announced today the Company's "shell risk" designation from OTC Markets has been removed, and the company has published its 3rd fiscal quarter results with a significant increase in gross revenue. GPOX - Q3 Result To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7313/85013_3f66ee87e4b418a3_001full.jpg GPOX has checked all of the necessary boxes for OTC Markets (at its sole discretion) to no longer view the Company as a shell risk. Moreover, GPOX has highlighted several other major accomplishments in the past 90 days: On March 3rd, 2021 the Company announced it had upgraded to the OTCQB Venture Market. GPOX expects to continue to receive increased awareness of its expanding business model and growth opportunity as a result of listing on OTCQB. On April 30th, 2021 GPOX filed its fiscal 3rd quarter 10-Q. The Company posted 3rd quarter revenues of $591,757 , up significantly from the previous quarter. The company's direct sales model has shown tremendous proof of concept for its first active sales quarter and continued growth is anticipated. , up significantly from the previous quarter. On May 3rd, 2021 GPOX began an ongoing effort to expand its sales and support staff to accommodate the Company's fiscal growth. GPOX is in the process of increasing its team to accommodate the sales growth the company realized in the last fiscal quarter and to ensure the company maintains its commitment to delivering extraordinary Member Service. On May 6th, 2021 OTC Markets lifted the Company's shell risk designation on otcmarkets.com. It's a true testament to the Company's effort to have complete compliance and transparency that OTC Markets has lifted GPOX's Shell Risk Designation. "We had a strong quarter. I'm pleased that we have been able to start proving our business model and have experienced growth in our revenue. Our team is growing, our sales are growing, the company is growing, and we're just getting started!", said Brett H. Pojunis, CEO of GPOX. "Ever since our uplist to OTCQB Venture Market, we felt it was only a matter of time for them to lift our shell risk designation, and we are thankful. We're excited to see all our hard work and effort to remain compliant and hyper-transparent has rewarded us in that regard. We have a lot of exciting things going on, and I'm looking forward to providing our shareholders and the entire investment community with regular updates along the way, so be sure to sign up for our IR Portal on our corporate website GPOPlus.com." Sign up for your FREE account on the GPOX Investor Relations Portal: Once you Activate your GPOX IR Account you will have immediate access to real time information available on GPOX. Sign up for alerts (email and SMS) to be the first to know about news, SEC Filings, Investor Events, updated Investor Presentations, and more: www.GPOPlus.com/ir. About GPO Plus, Inc. (GPOX) Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, GPO Plus (OTCQB: GPOX) is a publicly traded diversified corporation operating industry specific Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO). The main holdings are HealthGPO, a Group Purchasing Organization for the Healthcare industry, and cbdGPO, a Group Purchasing Organization for the CBD and Hemp industry. In addition, GPO Plus offers professional services through GPOPRO Services. For more information please visit www.GPOPlus.com. To activate your free GPOX IR Account at www.GPOPlus.com/ir. About OTC Markets Group, Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Information about Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that include statements regarding expected financial performance and growth information relating to future events. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond the control of the Company and its officers and managers, and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include but are not limited to; inability to gain or maintain licenses, reliance on unaudited statements, the Company's need for additional funding, governmental regulation of the cannabis industry, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the demand for the Company's products, and other risks that are detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can typically identify these forward-looking statements through use of words such as "may," "will," "can" "anticipate," "assume," "should," "indicate," "would," "believe," "contemplate," "expect," "seek," "estimate," "continue," "plan," "point to," "project," "predict," "could," "intend," "target," "potential," and other similar words and expressions of the future. The Company expresses its expectations, beliefs and projections in good faith and believes that its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, there is no assurance that these expectations, beliefs and projections will prove to have been correct. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to its operations and future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to its proposed operations, including the risk factors set forth herein. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company's actual results may vary significantly from those intended, anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or planned. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, any favorable forward-looking events discussed herein might not be realized and occur. The Company has no obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting GPO Plus, Inc. GPOX, please refer to the Company's recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. GPO Plus's Contacts: Investor Inquiries: Brett H. Pojunis, CEO Email: ir@gpoplus.com Shareholder's Line: 855.935.GPOX (4769) To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/85013 Sandro Piancone, CEO of GGII, invites individual and institutional investors and advisors, and stock market analysts to attend its real-time, interactive investment presentation at the Emerging Growth Conference. San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2021) - Green Globe International, Inc. (OTC Pink: GGII) ("GGII"), is pleased to announce that Sandro Piancone, CEO, was invited to present at the Emerging Growth Conference on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. The next Emerging Growth Conference is on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. This live, interactive online event will give accredited investors, institutional investors, and existing shareholders, and the investment community the opportunity to interact with Sandro Piancone, the CEO of GGII, Click here to register: https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1465229&tp_key=acb55f1b36&sti=ggii. Mr. Sandro Piancone will give a thirty-minute presentation; and, if time permits, may open the floor for questions from accredited and institutional investors. Please ask your investment questions during the event, and Mr. Sandro Piancone will do his best to answer as many of your investment questions as possible. Green Globe (GGII) will give their investment presentation at 10:00 AM Eastern time for 30 (thirty) minutes. Institutional Investors, including funds and family offices interested in investing in GGII or attending the conference, should register here to receive updates: https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1465229&tp_key=acb55f1b36&sti=ggii. If investors and other attendees cannot join the investment conference live event on the conference day, an archived video webcast will also be available on EmergingGrowth.com. We will also release a link to that after the event. About the Emerging Growth Conference The Emerging Growth conference is an effective way for public companies to present and communicate their new products, services and other major announcements to the investment community from the convenience of their office, in a time efficient manner. The Conference focus and coverage includes companies in a wide range of growth sectors, with strong management teams, innovative products & services, focused strategy, execution, and th overall potential for long term growth. Its audience includes potentially tens of thousands of Individual and Institutional investors, as well as Investment advisors and analysts. All sessions will be conducted through video webcasts and will take place in the Eastern time zone. For investment information, please call: Investor Relations 775-473-1201 Forward Looking Statement: This news release may include forward-looking statements including opinions, assumptions, estimates, the Company's assessment of future plans and operations, including but not limited to statements concerning a potential combination with Hempacco and the timing thereof. When used in this document, the words "will," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "should," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are founded on the basis of expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a wide range of risks and uncertainties, and although the Company believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will be realized. Any number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to: regulatory and third party approvals not being obtained in the manner or timing anticipated; the ability to implement corporate strategies; the state of domestic capital markets; the ability to obtain financing; changes in general market conditions; industry conditions and events; and other factors more fully described from time to time in the reports and filings made by the Company with OTC Markets Group, Inc. and/or the securities regulatory authorities. Except as required by applicable laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of relevant securities laws, and to be considered forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/85015 HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2021 / Camber Energy, Inc. (NYSE American:CEI) ("Camber" or the "Company"), an independent oil and gas company, announced that on May 21, 2021, it was notified by the NYSE American (the "Exchange") that the Company was not in compliance with the Exchange's continued listing standards as set forth in set forth in Section 1007 of the NYSE American Company Guide (the "Company Guide") given the Company failed to timely file (the "Filing Delinquency") its Form 10-K for the 9-month period ended December 31, 2020 (the "Report"). The delinquency will be cured via the filing of the Report. The Company previously filed a Form 12b-25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2021, to extend the due date for the Report. The Form 12b-25 disclosed that the Report was unable to be filed on time due to delays in assembling the financial information required to be reviewed by the Company's independent auditor, and in completing the accounting of certain transactions affecting the Company. Such further delay in filing the Report past the deadline set forth in the Form 12b-25 is due to issues that have arisen in connection with (i) finalizing the determination of the fair values of both assets and liabilities associated with the Company's acquisition of a controlling interest in Viking Energy Group, Inc. in December of 2020, and (ii) key personnel changes at the Company's independent auditing firm. The Company is taking steps to complete the required accounting and plans to file the Report as soon as practicable. During the six-month period from the date of the Filing Delinquency (the "Initial Cure Period"), the Exchange will monitor the Company and the status of the Report and any subsequent delayed filings, including through contact with the Company, until the Filing Delinquency is cured. If the Company fails to cure the Filing Delinquency within the Initial Cure Period, the Exchange may, in the Exchange's sole discretion, allow the Company's securities to be traded for up to an additional six-month period (the "Additional Cure Period") depending on the Company's specific circumstances. If the Exchange determines an Additional Cure Period is not appropriate, suspension and delisting procedures will commence in accordance with the procedures set out in Section 1010 hereof. If the Exchange determines that an Additional Cure Period of up to six months is appropriate and the Company fails to file its Delinquent Report and any subsequent delayed filings by the end of that period, suspension and delisting procedures will generally commence. Receipt of the letter does not have any immediate effect on the listing of the Company's shares on the Exchange, except that until the Company regains compliance with the Exchange's listing standards, a "BC" indicator will be affixed to the Company's trading symbol. The Company's business operations and SEC reporting requirements are unaffected by the notification, provided that if the Filing Delinquency is not cured then the Company will be subject to the Exchange's delisting procedures. The Company is committed to filing the Report to achieve compliance with the Exchange's requirements, and, although there are no guarantees it will do so, the Company expects to file the Report within the Initial Cure Period. About Camber Energy, Inc. Based in Houston, Texas, Camber Energy (NYSE American:CEI) is a growth-oriented energy company. Through its majority-owned subsidiary, Viking Energy Group, Inc., Camber owns interests in oil and natural gas assets in the Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent regions. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.camber.energy. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any statements that are not historical facts contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements", which statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "projects," "will," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the fluctuation of global economic conditions or economic conditions with respect to the oil and gas industry, the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance of management, actions of government regulators, vendors, and suppliers, our cash flows and ability to obtain financing, competition, general economic conditions and other factors that are detailed in Camber's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions. Contact Information Investors and Media: Tel. 281.404.4387 (ext.3) SOURCE: Camber Energy, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648866/Camber-Energy-Discloses-Receipt-of-Notice-From-NYSE-American NEW YORK, May 25, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - CDX Accelerate - The premier conference series focusing on digital business transformation - opens this Wednesday, May 26 at 2pm ET on Zoom with a powerhouse speaker lineup which can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3yu8t3U.The virtual event will bring together leading national and global brands including Heineken, Charles Schwab, Manchester United, Aflac, Kellogg's, American Airlines, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, INC., as well as leading media companies such as Telemundo, Simulmedia, PBS, NPR and others to discuss the acceleration digital business transformation, emerging tech, and the post-pandemic consumer economy.CDX is also pleased to welcome leading agency executives from Leo Burnett, Carat, Universal McCann, and The 4A's well as leading industry influencers and analysts including Author & Futurist, Rishad Tobaccowala, Canvas Worldwide CEO Paul Woolmington, Author & Columbia Business School Distinguished Professor, Rita McGrath and veteran Internet economy Wall Street Analyst, Evercore ISI's Mark Mahaney.CDX Founder and Conference Chairman Drew Ianni noted, "We are thrilled to present this uniquely diverse, cross-industry virtual event to discuss the acceleration of digital business transformation, emerging technologies and platforms and engaging the post-pandemic consumer."The conference takes place May 26-27 2pm et - 5pm et daily on Zoom and the full conference agenda and registration can be viewed and accessed at: bit.ly/3yu8t3UAbout: We have been producing content and hosting conferences since 2013. Our goal is to curate best-in-class content and showcase thought leaders to inform, educate and inspire. We deliver informative, educational and actionable content to help you manage and accelerate digital transformation and your teams, more effectively.CONTACT:Drew Ianni / Founder, GMCDX Summitsdrew@cdxforum.comSource: Plato Data Intelligence: https://platoaistream.net/ (bit.ly/3vj36Tj)Source: CDXCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Lightweight Title Contender Offers Two-Part NFT Leading Up to Title Fight at UFC 262 CONCORD, NH / ACCESSWIRE / May 12, 2021 / Fox Ellis Agency, a full-service talent marketing, branding and blockchain agency, today announced that Charles 'Do Bronx' Oliveira will offer the first ever "hatching" NFT (non-fungible token). This one-of-a-kind NFT will be auctioned off starting today, May 12, 2021 at 9 a.m. ET, as a two-part release, with the second piece to be revealed to the winning bidder on May 15th, 2021, the night of UFC 262. In addition to the hidden NFT, the auction winner will receive tickets to Oliveira's next fight, a personal thank you video from the most-submission-wins record holder himself, and a pair of Oliveira's autographed MMA gloves. This is a unique opportunity, granting only one lucky bidder the access to a groundbreaking experience. Charles 'Do Bronx' Oliveira releases first ever "hatching" one-of-one NFT prior to UFC 262 "I want to show fans and future fighters like me that there are new ways to generate income to help finance their dreams," said Oliveira. "I am a fighter from an underprivileged community in Brazil, where my father worked very hard to find ways to pay for my training when I was young. Community is everything to me, which is why I want to share my journey with my fans around the world that have supported me throughout my time as a professional fighter." Oliveira partnered with Fox Ellis to help auction his NFTs on a global marketplace to further connect directly with fans and allow them to join him on his path to the title. In doing so, he's using this time in history to show the next generation of athletes that you don't need to be a "crypto" fan to leverage blockchain technology to monetize and protect your brand identity. As Oliveira works to continue to grow the sport he's committed to working with partners, such as Fox Ellis, to embrace the idea that all athletes should take an active role in controlling their personal brand and public identity. An athlete's name, image, likeness (NIL) is one of their most valuable assets. For the past 50 years athletes have relied on teams, leagues, and others to help them connect with fans and monetize their brand identity. Through Fox Ellis' program, Oliveira connects directly with his own community of fans and rewards them for their support in a new way by leveraging blockchain technology and NFTs. "The significance of NFTs and blockchain technology is far greater than a trend," said Michael Browning, co-founder, Fox Ellis Agency. "We're bringing the power of this technology to individuals and brands alike. With the help of our partners at IPrivata, Kred and Liquiditeam, Fox Ellis not only connects its clients directly to their fans, but protects their most precious possession, their data and digital identity." Media Contact: Karyn Martin Golden Thread Agency 617-462-0108 karyn@goldenthreadagency.com About Fox Ellis Fox Ellis is a full-service talent marketing, branding and blockchain agency based in Concord, New Hampshire. The Fox Ellis-ID platform empowers athletes, artists, and content creators to control their self-sovereign identity, protect themselves during and after their professional careers, and connect with a new global audience of Gen Z fans. With a unique combination of traditional branding and digital authentication, Fox Ellis-ID leverages NFTs built on blockchain technology to protect brand value, reduce transaction costs, and provide incremental revenue streams across all aspects of a creators' activities. SOURCE: Fox Ellis Agency View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648877/Charles-Do-Bronx-Oliveira-Launches-First-Ever-Hatching-NFT LAS VEGAS, NV, May 25, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - A Motion to Compel was served on Washington Companies subsidiary Thursday, May 20, 2021. A Motion to Compel asks the Federal Court to enforce a request for information relevant to the case. This Federal motion is used when one of the parties does not cooperate, refusing to answer requests for discovery appropriately, or fails to respond by the deadline. In this federal suit, the Washington Companies subsidiary has failed to provide three key documents. These requested documents include information regarding the bonus programs for the managers of the Rochester, WA complex, an accident report, and emails relevant to the case.There have been two requests for these important documents about how Washington Companies employee Mr Dale Birdwell's bonus was calculated and the items that came into play to see if the division Mr Birdwell managed qualified for a bonus.The ETON company which was hauling the machines seeks to find out if Mr Birdwell would have lost his bonus if Mr Birdwell's group would have been found at fault for an accident when a truck carrying two Komatsu loaders struck a bridge in the State of Washington after leaving the Modern Machinery lot. There is speculation that Mr Birdwell's bonus was a factor in the missing accident report which is crucial to the Federal lawsuit.There exists a narrative that Mr Birdwell's potential profit-sharing income was the reason for Mr Birdwell's action in producing a second accident report and his loss of the first accident report of a preventable bridge strike. The Bridge strike was along the busy I-5 freeway as it travels through the State of Washington. There is belief that the original accident report would provide information into what really happened in the loading of the two pieces of equipment which struck an overpass with such force as to cause the State of Washington to declare an emergency and demolish the bridge. The State of Washington then had to quickly build a new bridge to replace the damaged bridge.ETON is a Las Vegas-based premier transportation company serving the Western United States with equipment, professional drivers and superior on-time service.The Washington Companies are a group of individual, privately held companies headquartered throughout the United States and western Canada and conducting business internationally. Our purpose is to reliably provide equipment, technology, service, and special expertise that aid our customers to operate more efficiently and more profitably. Our affiliation gives us the ability to interconnect and combine resources and remain highly competitive. The individual success of each Company also empowers a strong sense of social responsibility, realized through corporate charitable activities and programs funded by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation.Modern Machinery a part of a large consortium of privately held companies collectively known as the Washington Companies, owned by billionaire Dennis R. Washington. Modern Machinery sells and rents high-quality heavy equipment and provides product support to the construction, mining, and forestry industries. The Modern Machinery terminal in Rochester, WA is home to a large staging area for a variety of Komatsu product brought from overseas awaiting shipment to other Komatsu dealers.Komatsu America Corp. is a U.S. subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd., (OTCMKTS: KMTUY) the world's second-largest manufacturer and supplier of earth-moving equipment, consisting of construction, mining and compact construction equipment.CONTACT:ETON.meMitchell Truman+1 (702) 348 6370http://www.ETON.meEnvironmental Transportation of Nevada, LLCSource: ETON TransportationCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Aurora Solar, a San Francisco, CA-based software platform for solar sales and design, closed a $250m Series C funding round. The round was led by Coatue, with follow-on participation from existing investors Iconiq Capital, Energize Ventures, and Fifth Wall. The company will use the funds to expand its product roadmap, continue to attract talent across all teams, expand sales and customer support, and build its leadership team. Led by Sam Adeyemo, CRO, and Chris Hopper, CEO, Aurora Solar is a technology company that enables solar professionals to remotely design and sell solar and storage projects. In details, it enables solar companies to streamline the solar project lifecycle by making it easy to integrate disparate data sources, design accurate solar installations, and automate complex workflows. Using Aurora, solar professionals can determine how many solar panels will fit on a property, forecast how much energy the solar system will produce, calculate how many batteries are needed for backup power, and show how much money their client will save by switching to solar. FinSMEs 24/05/202 Sunny Wang https://www.aurorasolar.com/ SOURCE Aurora Solar Inc. Related Links http://www.aurorasolar.com Healthstore Holdings Inc., a Newark, Del.-based eHealthcare company, raised US$4M in Series A funding round. The company intends to use the funds to commercialize and monetize the key online assets within its portfolio of digital direct-to-consumer marketing, and build out the team across North America, investing in pharmacy infrastructure, and entering key market segments like chronic care. Led by Monty Sikka, Executive Chairman, Mark Catroppa, Chief Executive Officer, and Jodhvir Sarai, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Healthstore provides a digital platform supporting business growth, from sourcing through to virtual health delivery. The company has also introduced Enhance Club, a digital platform to address sexual health and well-being across the US and Canada. It will be closely followed by large-scale commercial launches of its other digital assets. These include healthstore.com, birthcontrol.com and pet.net. FinSMEs 24/05/2021 Geneva, NY (14456) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Thunder possible. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Thunder possible. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Vileta noted that the " political environment " for immigrants living illegally in the U.S. was hostile in 2018, and said he worried that Bahena Rivera or others might flee if they knew they were being sought for questioning. Thats why investigators took DNA samples from Hispanic workers at the farm, so they could be identified if they later disappeared, he said. Paxton, IL (60957) Today Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WALA) -- Red flags have been flying over Alabama beaches for the past week -- Sunday just a single red flag -- warning of a risk of rough surf and dangerous rip currents. Still beach-goers flocked to the Gulf coast -- including Dauphin Island -- where most were playing it safe. On the West End of the island -- it was all about "Sunday Funday." "It's high wind... But it actually feels pretty good. It's a nice day to be out here -- it's not too hot... It's a nice temperature," said Ivory Claiborne, Grand Bay. But where the water meets the white sandy shore -- it's no joke. "The water quality is warm... But it's kind of rough and strong because the tide is coming in -- so it's strong going in but you can feel the undertoe pulling you back out... Just as well," said one man. Vacationing from Georgia -- Kris Bell and his family understand the risks. "We are aware... Our kids are getting out here and we tell them they have to go in two at a time -- that way they can keep an eye on each other," said Bell. And while the conditions may be rough for some, it's just right for best friends Joel Griffith and Nathan Whitton -- waxxing up their surf boards. Ready to ride the waves -- they're back for day two and say Saturday was even more intense. "You kind of forget about everything and you're in the moment on the wave... It's awesome," said Whitton. "Every time I hit a wave it makes me want to come back and try again... Do even better. It's really addicting and very competitive -- trying to do better for yourself," said Griffith. Just feet away -- on the sound side of the island -- it's a totally different story. "We decided to come down after church today and this side is just so much safer... It's just not as rough so if we need to get out in it -- we can cool off and not be scared," said one woman. While everyone is ready for summer -- locals remain cautiously optimistic with start of hurricane season June 1st. "I'm hoping it's much better because I am not prepared for storm season like it was last year -- definitely not. I'm hoping it's much better this year," said Claiborne. "I hope it's going to be mild... We were just talking about generators and relay switches, and transfer switches and stuff... Yeah we are going to be prepared," said one woman. MOBILE, Ala. --The City of Mobile hosted the dedication parade for the USS Mobile last night. According to Mobile Police, approximately 64,000 people attended last night's events. MPD responded to 13 complaints that resulted in two misdemeanor arrests. Officers also towed seven vehicles, issued three parking tickets, and had to locate two missing kids. CBD shop owners say proposed delta-8 ban could put them out of business Roswell man sentenced to 20 years after being found guilty of 2019 murder of his girlfriend The Supreme Court of Nevada building is seen on the ninth day of the 31st Special Session of the Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, July 16, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent via AP, Pool) Justice Stewart Honored by Ohio Bar Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart received the prestigious Nettie Cronis Lutes Award from the Ohio State Bar Association. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart received the prestigious Nettie Cronise Lutes Award from the Ohio State Bar Association. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart is this years recipient of the Nettie Cronise Lutes Award for excellence in the legal profession. The Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA), in a virtual program, conferred the honor to the first Black woman to be elected to Ohios highest court. Justice Stewart is such a pioneer and a trailblazer for Black women and for little Black girls from Cleveland who were raised in a single-parent household, just like myself, said Stephanie Adams, chair of the OSBA Women in the Profession Section. She provides an example of every single thing you can become in this world if you put your mind to it. She is such a tenacious woman and a positive spirit, a great influence, a wonderful mentor and a phenomenal woman. Justice Stewart told the group: I am proud to join the decades-long list of women that the bar association has chosen to recognize as those who have helped to improve our profession through their own high level of professionalism, while along the way opening the doors for other females. The Nettie Cronise Lutes Award is named for the first woman licensed to practice law in Ohio and recognizes a female attorney who has improved the legal profession. This award will serve as a constant reminder to me to continue doing my part to elevate the work we do in the profession and to continue passing the torch to light the way for others, Justice Stewart said. With minutes to spare, a Hahnville High School teacher in Boutte, Louisiana, traded shoes with a senior so he could walk at his graduation after allegedly violating the dress code. Holiday Inn Opens Its First Hotel In Yerevan, Armenia May 20, 2021 // Franchising.com // IHG Hotels & Resorts one of the worlds leading hotel companies, announces the opening of the first Holiday Inn in Armenia, Holiday Inn Yerevan-Republic Square, located in the city centre. Opening under a management agreement with SGI Invest LTD, the hotel is situated in two historical buildings - the first was a gymnasium which was completed in the 19th century and the second was a library named after a famous Armenian poet, Avetik Isahakyan. Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is fast becoming a popular destination for both leisure and business travellers. Its a city where old meets new - the streets are lined with taverns offering traditional Armenian barbecue alongside European-style wine bars. The hotel is within walking distance to some of the citys top attractions including the dancing fountains of Republic Square, the State Opera House, the Northern Avenue shopping area, and the Cascade Complex. Holiday Inn Yerevan-Republic Square has 191 stylishly designed guest rooms and an Open Lobby designed to combine the hotels public spaces including the reception area, restaurant, bar and lounge into one open and cohesive space to provide guests with a place to relax, eat and work. Moreover, the hotel has an onsite spa and fitness club, Cloud 7, with massage rooms, beauty treatments and a wide array of fitness equipment along with a 25m pool, whirlpool spa, sauna, hammam and a salt room. Adjacent to it is the Cloud 7 Terrace Bar & Lounge. Martin Driskell, General Manager, Holiday Inn Yerevan-Republic Square, commented: We are excited to be able to open the doors to our first guests. Yerevan has so much to offer both tourists and those travelling for business, and the hotel is great choice for those looking to stay in the capital city. The hotel has a second-floor meeting and events space with seven conference rooms. On the ground floor guests are welcome to enjoy a fresh air setting in the Courtyard Cafe, a great spot for dining and connecting with friends, family, and colleagues. Holiday Inn Yerevan - Republic Square is the second opening for IHG Hotels & Resorts in Armenia, joining Holiday Inn Express Yerevan. The Holiday Inn brand from IHG Hotels & Resorts has served hundreds of millions of guests worldwide during its nearly 70-year history and is one of the most recognised and trusted travel brands in the world. SOURCE IHG ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Other than frontline workers, I dont think it should be required It should never be required It should be required by private employers in almost all cases Vote View Results Fort Wayne, IN (46808) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. But by March of last year, and their first two port calls in Europe and Bahrain, things werent quite as much fun. The Bataan was considered a bubble because it had left home, and then Bahrain before COVID hit, there was no risk of exposure as long as the ship didnt stop elsewhere. William Weber West, 93 of Gainesville, Texas passed away on June 2, 2021. He was born on April 7, 1928 in Atchison, Kansas to Lee West and Elizabeth (Weber) West. He married Mary Ellen Peyrot on May 17, 1951 in Gainesville, Texas. William enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 5, 1951 in Gaine A Conversation With Ina Strand Ina Strand Chief People Officer for Alimentation Couche-Tard CliftonStrengths Top 5: Learner | Responsibility | Individualization | Empathy | Achiever Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT) started in 1980 with one convenience store in Laval, Quebec, owned and operated by Alain Bouchard. He expanded his one store to over 14,000 more through rapid acquisition, now called the "double again strategy" -- often acquiring companies larger than his own. Today, ACT operates in more than 26 countries and territories under the Couche-Tard, Circle K and Ingo brands. The company selects its acquisitions very carefully and keeps a sharp eye out for talent, says Chief People Officer Ina Strand. Both habits explain why ACT made Strand -- famous in leadership circles for breaking several glass C-suite ceilings before she was 40 -- its first CHRO. Though she says she "wouldn't have been on any headhunter's list" for a U.S.-based CHRO/CPO role, CEO Brian Hannasch knew Strand had the chops to develop ACT's employee value proposition (EVP), "Growing Together," and then bring it to life. The EVP describes ACT's expansion model -- which makes it impossible for executives to oversee talent by visiting every store every year, the way Bouchard once did -- as well as employees' vast development possibilities in a company doubling every few years. Strand's mandate is to map best practices and build the systems, processes and HR capacities that enable ACT employees to develop along with the company. Strand herself is a role model of that EVP, as she tells Gallup Managing Director Larry Emond in the following CHRO Conversation. And by building its development infrastructure and scaling it big and fast, Strand means to "make it clear that if you are the right person, leave the rest to us," she says. "We will help you get that growth journey with us." Emond: Tell me about your EVP, "Growing Together." Strand: It's an interesting story. Alain Bouchard and his company's co-founders built Couche-Tard with their bare hands into a company capable of doubling every third or fifth year. That's why our EVP is called "Growing Together." We are always growing as a company through acquisitions, and through that growth, we're able to offer people exceptional careers and personal development for their own growth. And the longer you've been here, the more true and compelling our Growing Together value proposition feels. One of our top leaders started as a third-shift associate in the company and is now an executive vice president. I'm our first HR officer, only four years after being acquired myself, and we had no executive and/or global HR management experience at all when I started. Often, employees say that they've been with us a long time but don't feel that they've stayed in the same company. I would say that. I've never been in the same job for very long. Emond: Speaking of, how did you arrive at ACT? Strand: My master's degree is in finance, leadership and engineering all in one. With that, I ventured into consulting until one of my clients, Statoil [Fuel and Retail ASA], pulled me out to work with people development, building on what I'd done as a consultant with organizational change. Eight or nine months after that, I was promoted to be the first woman on Statoil's Norway management team. After a couple of months, I became the deputy country manager and marketing director of the Norwegian entity, and my very broad understanding of the business side was developed during that period. Emond: So, you weren't long out of college. Strand: I was 27 or so, and there was a big deal made about that in the media at the time. One of the business magazines had a cover article called "Norway's Youngest Director" because I was the first woman and I was under 30 with so much responsibility in one of the top brands in Norway -- Statoil is a huge part of the Norwegian identity. Then Jacob Schram approached me for a role in a new entity at Statoil. We had the adventure of carving out an entity and listing it on the Norwegian stock exchange. But we were listed for less than a year before ACT secured our portfolio and bought up the company in 2012. At first, we were disappointed because our adventure was over, but were soon very surprised by ACT and its decentralized, noncorporate leadership style. Emond: How so? Strand: It was very different from what we were used to in "Big Oil." ACT leadership didn't want long memos; it was more, "Put three things on a PowerPoint and tell us what you want to achieve." It showed us an openness to new ideas and a learning orientation. Decisions were made based on "that sounds smart; let's do it." From the beginning, they wanted to identify talent, like me, to work on important assignments. Then, amazingly, other parts of the business welcomed us with open arms. From the shock of being acquired, we very shortly began to admire these leaders. Emond: Was the Growing Together concept already in place? Strand: Not as an EVP, but as my own story shows, Growing Together was certainly part of the culture, part of the "double again strategy," part of growth through acquisitions. The real difference is that it was a financial proposition rather than a people proposition. Our first Gallup Q12 assessment was in 2016, and we were at the 48th percentile. Pa [Sinyan, Gallup Managing Partner] was surprised that we didn't come in lower based on how little infrastructure we had around people. ACT had the mindset that we want to help you grow and learn, but it wasn't articulated in HR policies. "Growing Together was certainly part of the culture, part of the 'double again strategy,' part of growth through acquisitions. The real difference is that it was a financial proposition rather than a people proposition." Emond: That makes me curious about your Q06 results. [The sixth item on Gallup's Q12 engagement assessment asks employees to rate how strongly they agree with the statement, "There is someone at work who encourages my development."] Strand: We're at the 92nd percentile on Q06; the 85th percentile overall. Emond: Jumping from the 48th percentile to the 85th so quickly is really impressive. But getting to the 92nd percentile on Q06 is exceptional. It really speaks to being an extreme growth and development culture -- that Growing Together is real at ACT. Strand: It really is. I'm an example of it. I was the first woman to ever be brought on to the executive team, so not only was this all-male, all-white, 50-something executive team who were very much operators creating a new HR executive position, they opened it up to a 39-year-old Norwegian woman with the mandate that I would not be purely HR/ benefits but a Chief People Officer making Growing Together a true employee brand. And I wouldn't have been on any headhunter's list as a CPO. I was in Norway, primarily working with marketing, moving to the U.S. from Scandinavia, which is far more advanced on gender diversity. The U.S. is just a different planet on gender diversity from what I experienced. But Brian wanted more than an HR person. He wanted someone to bring all the important elements of our culture into systems -- take all that culture and transform it into ways of operating. We'd grown so large we were no longer capable of doing that just by pure leadership; we couldn't touch enough people to bring culture to life. Emond: Speaking of DEI, do you have a Chief Diversity Officer? Strand: I don't have a Chief Diversity Officer or anyone on my team who works specifically with diversity. Everyone owns it. Brian is super passionate about D&I. When I started, he asked about my experiences living in Scandinavia, and what I thought we should do to change things quickly. We started with gender diversity, and after a year, it evolved into so much more. I think that's our success formula: The global HR team has solutions, and our operators have metrics. They drive the results, and we help scale them. A huge part of the work that I've been doing is to map all of our best practices and find effective ways to scale, building the tools and infrastructure -- drive all of our best practices through core HR and learning modules and everything else. That's where my engineering background, which is more about creating systems and procedures, came in. My intellectual curiosity is around how to make things less complicated, to oversimplify, so we can drive speed in the execution. That's really why Brian asked me to be CPO, not my HR qualifications, which is just another proof point of ACT taking a chance on someone. That, and I had been in the organization for a long time, living that culture, and being a role model of Growing Together. Emond: And when you joined, there wasn't a global people function at all. Strand: That's right. Our leaders and managers believed in talent selection, but not in the traditional HR systems point of view rather just by doing it, by taking a chance on someone, specifically people who want a challenge. We have our acquisition framework -- the financials and all the things we look for in a target -- that makes us very confident, and because we grow so quickly, we get access to talent through those acquisitions. A thing that's really different about ACT is that rapid growth always makes us feel like a startup. And our operating model is not to come in and force our way of doing things on the new company. We're always looking for the benefits of the new group, and each new company has to do something better than us. We're always looking for the one or two or five things that a company is excellent at that we don't do. Being constantly on the lookout for talent is a component of that. Emond: Can you give me an example of "excellent at"? Strand: So, when I was at Statoil, we were good on brand, which was something ACT wasn't focused on at all. At the time, ACT had multiple brands, a portfolio of things that were not recognizable to most consumers, and the leaders were really intrigued by Statoil's brand-building. That became a global initiative for ACT. Or, when we acquired the Holiday stores in the United States, they had excellent food programs. We were like, "Let's get that food program, understand that food program and roll it out to all the other stores in the United States." It's just part of our learning orientation and our openness to new ideas. But as we grow, those elements became more and more complicated to deliver. Our CEO and COO used to be able to visit all the stores on a regular basis and meet all the management teams. They knew everyone. But we've doubled so many times that now it's impossible for management to have that much overview. We had to take that way of learning and leading and turn it into systems for a global organization. That's the idea behind Growing Together. "Our leaders and managers believed in talent selection, but not in the traditional HR systems point of view rather just by doing it, by taking a chance on someone, specifically people who want a challenge." Emond: How do you communicate the idea of Growing Together? Strand: Right now, our focus is on entry-level positions, so Growing Together is part of our portals, part of the recruitment process. It's in some onboarding and some workshops. We literally bring the idea to life in our "welcome to the team" tool kit in some markets with a cup and a seed you can plant in it, with a little story about growing together. And since transportation is such a big part of what we do, we give employees a chart, like a Metro or bus chart, that portrays all their different growth journeys. Employees see how they can start on one road, such as in a Circle K store, then jump on another road and make a career in corporate. We make it clear that if you are the right person, leave the rest to us. We will help you get that growth journey with us. "Employees see how they can start on one road, such as in a Circle K store, then jump on another road and make a career in corporate." Emond: Not many people get to build their own HR function, their own CPO role. What's the best part of that? Strand: Working with our people. It sounds like a cliche, but it really is. We impact people so directly with our work. You can feel that when engagement results come back, when all the things we've been working on start to come through. But what I really love is building teams. I love how the outcome is bigger than the sum of the parts. At ACT, we're able to see unique talents and we're flexible enough to accommodate people's personal interests or strengths. We're a little bit untraditional in terms of how we divide work, how we collaborate, how we pull in different backgrounds, different kinds of impact, different kinds of thinking, so that everyone gets into that flow. I love that. I really do love that. Larry Emond Managing Director, Global Leadership Advisory, Gallup Jennifer Robison contributed to this article. Galveston, TX (77553) Today Mainly clear. Low around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. The Gamasutra Job Board is the most diverse, active and established board of its kind for the video game industry! Here is just one of the many, many positions being advertised right now. Location: Remote applicants welcome! (U.S. only please) Hello! We are HakJak Studios, a small team based out of Boise, Idaho, USA. We build ridiculous physics games and were looking for an experienced, well-rounded Unity developer to join our team! See details below to get an idea of what were looking for. So, you have a few years of experience working on 3D games in Unity. Youre a solid C# programmer thats excited to be tasked with things you havent done before. You know how to ship things, you can dive into code bases youre not familiar with, and youre comfortable tackling new challenges and not being task-managed. Ready to hit the ground running and work on something new, weird, wonderful and exciting?!? If that sounds like you, then lets talk! Enjoy a collaborative development environment where your input matters. From beloved IPs, to home-grown concepts, you can help us build awesome games that will be played around the world! What youll do... As part of a small team, youll work on a wide assortment of tasks. Plug in where needed, working on core systems one day and implementing VFX the next. Write maintainable code with an eye (or two, or three) on performance. Focus on reusable and designer friendly architecture. Demonstrate proficiency in debugging and performance profiling. Create Unity editor scripts/tools to improve production workflows. Contribute to game/programming design and planning conversations. Work with the rest of the team to add/update new features, content and gameplay in 3D physics-based games. What youll need... Strong working knowledge of 3D projects in Unity. Proficiency with C#. Comfortable working with new APIs and concepts in this always-changing industry. The ability to adapt to challenges through self-driven education and experimentation. Time management, assisting in the planning of projects through task estimation. Good communication skills and fluent English. Passion for games! BONUS POINTS Youve finished a game, game jam, or experimental project we can play. Experience working with Unitys Scriptable Render Pipeline (URP, in particular). HLSL and/or Shader Graph experience. You dabble in the dark and mysterious Technical Arts. Maybe you know how to make wicked cool shaders / particle systems / VFX Graphs, or do some cool procedurally generated stuff. College Degree in a related field (computer science, mathematics, etc.) SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT! Links to any Unity projects youve worked on, and what you contributed. Videos, GIFs, JPEGs of your best, juiciest work. Links/media of projects you did just for fun / learning (Itch.io page, a downloadable build, etc). OUR OFFER A competitive salary Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO Working with some really cool people (and Jed) on really cool games that will be seen and played around the world! APPLYING FOR A JOB DURING A PANDEMIC HakJak Studios is a new and growing company, backed by the fine folks at tinyBuild . tinyBuild Well help you set up your perfect workspace at home; your gamedev haven. Work remotely for as long as you like! Although the core team is based in Boise, Idaho, were all working remotely right now and wouldnt expect you to change your work arrangements if we set up a physical office in the future. Recruitment Process Apply! Apply directly here on Gamasutra, or s end your Resume/CV directlly to [email protected] You'll get a reply from us to acknowledge receipt and another one later to let you know if you've made it to Stage 2. Stage 2 will be a simple screener interview with 1-2 people from the company to meet you/video chat, get some context on your experience and goals, and whether our needs align. Stage 3 might be a fun programming test, if we think it makes sense. We'll give you plenty of notice, and we'll compensate you for your time if you choose to take it! Stage 4 will be a deeper, more technical interview and an opportunity to meet more of the team and get to know each other better. After this, you'll either get a job offer or some feedback from us to help you apply successfully in the future Location: Remote Position Job Types: Full-time ABOUT HAKJAK STUDIOS HakJak Studios is a game development studio based in Boise, Idaho, USA. We co-create games with players around the world and strive to build new and unexpected experiences, with a focus on physics comedy games. More Info ABOUT PIGEON SIMULATOR Play as the world's most notorious birds and help them in their quests for revenge, love, and world domination. Poop on everyone. Destroy everything. Join the Pigeon Revolution! More Info Interested? Apply now. About the Gamasutra Job Board Whether you're just starting out, looking for something new, or just seeing what's out there, the Gamasutra Job Board is the place where game developers move ahead in their careers. Gamasutra's Job Board is the most diverse, most active, and most established board of its kind in the video game industry, serving companies of all sizes, from indie to triple-A. Looking for a new job? Get started here. Are you a recruiter looking for talent? Post jobs here. [This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.] PQube (London, UK) - May 24th, 2021 - Together, PQube and Kadokawa Games 'Metal Max Xeno: Reborn' is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Steam next year! are excited to reveal that open world vehicle-combat role playing game' is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Steam next year! Post-apocalyptic world where humans are endangered, and machines roam the wasteland Open world JRPG with real-time battle and vehicle combat elements Traverse the wasteland in tanks or disembark on foot with allies Scavenge for parts to customise, upgrade and modify your tanks with endless combinations Based on Metal Max Xeno (2018) and latest game in the classic Japanese series, 'Metal Max' Fully redeveloped with brand new visual enhancements, battle mechanics, skills and modification system Team up with beloved battle dog, Pochi, as you venture out to unite the remaining survivors Coming to Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility in 2022 The announcement of Metal Max Xeno: Reborn comes on the 30th Anniversary of Japan's 'Metal Max 'series! Celebrating three decades of post-apocalyptic carnage, Kadokawa Games is pleased to bring the latest version of the series to the West for the first time. Check out the 'Metal Max Xeno: Reborn' Announcement trailer: https://youtu.be/19BDLjxBK5o Celebrating the 30 Years of Metal Max, 'Metal Max Xeno: Reborn' is Coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Steam in 2022! For more information and the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram and our official website: http://pqube.co.uk/ If you have any questions or would like to request a review code, please feel free to let us know via email at: [email protected] About Kadokawa Games Kadokawa Games, LTD, was established to publish consumer video games of Kadokawa Group companies. Kadokawa Games plans and develops completely original titles working closely with domestic developers and overseas game publishers eyeing the global market. Responding to the globalized and diversified game industry, the company aims to create and deliver revolutionary and beloved titles to the market. More information about Kadokawa Games can be found online at www.kadokawagames.co.jp About PQube PQube is a leading international creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment. The companys teams worldwide are committed to publishing games they love by working closely with development partners and reaching consumers globally on all major gaming platforms. PQube manages a rich portfolio of brands including Cat Quest, New Super Luckys Tale, BlazBlue, Gal*Gun, White Day, Kill La Kill, Nexomon: Extinction, Guilty Gear, Kitaria Fables, and many more. Visit: PQube is a leading international creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment. The companys teams worldwide are committed to publishing games they love by working closely with development partners and reaching consumers globally on all major gaming platforms. PQube manages a rich portfolio of brands including Cat Quest, New Super Luckys Tale, BlazBlue, Gal*Gun, White Day, Kill La Kill, Nexomon: Extinction, Guilty Gear, Kitaria Fables, and many more. Visit: pqube.co.uk to find out more. According to the HRPDC (Hampton Roads Planning District Commission) forecast, the Peninsulas population is projected to grow by 13% between 2010 and 2040. James City County is projected to be the fastest-growing locality on the Peninsula, with a total growth of 56% between 2010 and 2040, the plan states. In 2040, James City County is projected to remain the most populous locality in the Williamsburg region, with an estimated population of 104,200. York County is expected to grow about 26% over the same period and is expected to have a total projected population of 82,700 by 2040. Although their projected growth rates exceed the rest of the Peninsula, both James City and York Counties are expected to experience slower growth than that seen in the 50 years from 1960 to 2010. [This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.] LONDON, ONTARIO - May 24, 2021 - Warframe reveals new Prime Gaming launch date and rewards roadmap with a preview of the year-long Verv Fashion Frame Collection. Available exclusively to Amazon Prime members, Prime Gaming Rewards will return to Warframe on May 26 with more unique Customizations than ever before. Every month players can elevate their Fashion Frame style with brand-new items. Prime Gaming rewards will be available to eligible accounts on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and PS4 today with Nintendo Switch releasing shortly after. Prime Gaming Summer Reward Preview Account Linking Reward: Strezia Sumbha Syandana May Rewards: Loki Warframe, Loki Verv Helmet and Loki Verv Skin June Reward: Verv Atelia Syandana July Reward: Redeemer, Redeemer Verv Skin and Weapon Slot July Bonus: Surprise TennoCon Reward Collection Set Reward Card: Loki Verv Glyph Prime Gaming Verv Collection Set Warframe players can earn exclusive rewards all year-long starting May 26. Each month players will be able to redeem a brand-new item in the Verv Collection as they attempt to collect them all. Each new Reward gives players the chance to express themselves in-game with unique Fashion Frame customization options. Players should visit https://gaming.amazon.com/intro to register for Prime Gaming. Prime Gaming Account Linking Bonus Item To redeem free Prime Gaming Rewards, players need to make sure their Prime Gaming and Warframe accounts are linked. Players who link their accounts will automatically receive a Strezia Sumbha Syandana instantly! Players can visit https://www.warframe.com/amazon/link to link their account. Players should visit http://gaming.amazon.com/loot/warframe to redeem their rewards. Complete the Set Bonus Reward With the Prime Gaming Rewards Card, players who redeem at least eight Prime Gaming Rewards in-game will receive a free Loki Verv Glyph at the end of the promotion. Players can track their redemptions through the Warframe Account Management interface on the official site located here . ASSETS : New Warframe Prime Gaming Art F.A.Q. : New Warframe Prime Gaming F.A.Q. To keep up with the latest updates, be sure to follow Warframe on Twitch , YouTube , Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram . Download Warframe on Steam PC, Epic Games Store, PlayStation4 and PlayStation5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. ABOUT DIGITAL EXTREMES Founded in 1993 by James Schmalz, Digital Extremes ranks as one of the world's top independent video game development studios. Originating with the co-creation of Epic Games' multi-million unit selling Unreal franchise including Unreal and Unreal Tournament, Digital Extremes went on to develop Dark Sector, BioShock for the PlayStation3, the BioShock 2 multiplayer campaign, and The Darkness II. The studio has reached its greatest critical and commercial success with the free-to-play action game, Warframe, boasting a global community of 60+ million registered players on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch. For more information about Digital Extremes, visit www.digitalextremes.com . To sign up for Warframe, visit www.warframe.com . ### MEDIA CONTACT Outrageous PR Danielle Woodyatt & Ami Langton [email protected] In all, 704 children staying at the temporary shelter have been reunified since the facility opened. That's an increase of 29 children since June 4 -- a 68% decline from the 91 minors reunited with family or sponsors during the... Gray targeted more than 80 people in his scheme, from multiple area credit unions. Oregon State Credit Union had enough of its members targeted that it sent out an email alert and put a fraud prevention message on the homepage of its website. Importantly, Gray was already serving time for state charges of bank fraud and identity theft when the most recent round of this scam was reported here in Oregon meaning he likely wasnt the one responsible for the latest alert to credit union members. But the point remains: scammers always borrow from the same playbook, and the fact that one of them was caught means that even they arent beyond the reach of the law. Now, just because a single guy gets caught doesnt mean its any more likely that other scammers will. We all certainly need to continue being diligent about not giving out our sensitive personal information over the phone, especially when fraudsters are out there posing as employees of these branches. But this also highlights why locals should always report these incidents when they can. Members reporting the incident to their credit unions helped establish a record that law enforcement used to track Gray and sentence him quickly, first in Multnomah County Circuit Court and now in federal district court. If you are the victim of financial fraud, call your bank or financial institution to report it immediately. Then call local law enforcement. Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and the Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 3 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Oregon, the first state to conduct all elections by mail, would join the ranks of states accepting ballots postmarked by election day under a bill that has cleared the Oregon House. House Bill 3291 was approved on a 39-21 vote Monday and goes to the Senate. The bill would align Oregon with 17 states including Washington, California and Nevada that allow ballots to count if they are postmarked by election day. Four other states count ballots if they are postmarked the day before the election. Oregon is among the states that have required ballots to be in the hands of county elections offices by the close of election day. Under the bill, ballots would have to arrive in county elections offices no later than seven days after the election if they are to count. States that allow election-day postmarks range widely from three to 20 days. Rep. Dan Rayfield, a Democrat from Corvallis and the bill's floor manager, said about 150 voters in Marion County cast ballots in last year's general election, but they did not count because they were received after election day. He said the concept of election-day postmarks has been on the table for two decades, going back to when Republicans were the majority party in the House. But following that war, international donors quickly pledged $2.7 billion in reconstruction assistance for the battered enclave. It remains unclear this time around whether the international community, fatigued from the global COVID-19 crisis and years of unsuccessful Mideast diplomacy, will be ready to open its wallet again. It was 3 a.m. on Wednesday when the phone call from Israel came to a neighbor ordering everyone in the area to evacuate. Leave your homes, we are going to bomb, al-Masri says they were told. The neighborhood is home to members of al-Masris extended family. At the time of the warning, he said no one knew which house might be targeted. But he could not believe that the airstrike hit the two-floor home where he lived with his eight children, his brothers family and their mother. If we knew someone was wanted, we would not have stayed here from the outset, he said. Al-Masri, who owns a small grocery store, said neither he nor his brother have anything to do with militant groups. The airstrike turned his home into a crater. On Sunday, the massive hole was filled with murky water spewing from broken water and sewage lines. The accused murdered, over a period of one year, drivers and cleaners of several lorries plying on Vijayawada-Chennai National Highway No 16 after stopping the vehicles under the guise of police. NELLORE: In a sensational judgment, the 8th additional sessions court in Ongole sentenced a notorious serial killer Munna and 11 of his gang members to death on Monday. The court also sentenced seven other members of the gang for life. The accused were involved in the murder of 13 persons and there are seven criminal cases booked against them nearly 13 years ago. The accused murdered, over a period of one year, drivers and cleaners of several lorries plying on Vijayawada-Chennai National Highway No 16 after stopping the vehicles under the guise of police. Their modus operandi was to demand the crew members to produce records after signalling to stop and strangulate them with a rope when they were showing records. They used to keep the bodies in gunny bags and bury them in nearby forest areas and dispose of the loads. They hired an abandoned godown at Maddepadu to dismantle the lorries and sell the spare parts. The murder spree continued from 2008 to 2009 with the first case involving dreaded criminal Munna and his gang at Taluk Polie Station, Ongole, on 2008. Thanks to the efforts of a trainee DSP Damodar, who stumbled upon a small piece of evidence, the police could zero in on the suspect Abdul Sammad alias Munna and his gang. Munna was already accused of murdering some people after luring them in the name of some hidden treasure. He used to eliminate them after collecting huge sums to unearth the treasure. The police played a key role in detecting the cases and also in preventing the prime accused Abdul Sammad attempts to secure bail with the help of a political leader. However, he managed to secure bail and left for Bangalore some years ago. However, the Kurnool police arrested him and sent him to remand. The court found Munna and 18 others guilty in the murders after the arguments concluded in April 2021 with respect to three cases out of the total seven cases. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA contributed to this report. If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Gillette, WY (82718) Today Clear skies. Low around 45F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 45F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. The people who were stopped entered into arguments with the police. (Photo: PTI) Vijayawada: Ruckus returned to the AP-Telangana borders on Sunday, with the latter further restraining the entry of vehicle from Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana police had earlier stopped entry of ambulances from AP heading for covid-19 hospitals in AP. Earlier, people from the AP side were allowed into Telangana state from during the lockdown relaxation period from 6 am to 10 am without e-passes. But new norms imposed from Sunday made the e-pass a must to enter Telangana staet even in the relaxation window. The restriction caused severe hardships to the people from AP heading to desinations in Telangana state, and caued a vehicular traffic jam on thhe Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway at Ramapuram crossroads. A similar situation prevailed at Pondugala, Nagarjunasagar and Dachepalli in Guntur district on the Telangana border. Making use of the curfew relaxation period, AP residents wishing to go to Hyderabad and other areas used to reach the Garikapadu checkpost in Jaggayyapeta mandal by 6 am and enter Telangana state after the lockdown relaxation began. Similar was the situation at Garikapadu and Ramapuram crossroads. On Sunday, they were in for a shock when the Telangana state police did not allow them without e-passes. Vehicles and ambulances with e-passes were allowed through. The people who were stopped entered into arguments with the police over the sudden implementation of new norms without prior information. Private employees D. Nagesh and P. Suraj said their relatives were in private hospitals at Hyderabad and they were going to look after them. People contended, in vain, that during the lockdown relaxation time they can go anywhere but the Telangana state government was imposing needless rules, treating them as though they belong to enemy countries. They sought the intervention of AP government to secure free passage during the relaxation window. The TS police pointed out that the restrictions were meant to discourage those unnecessarily crossing the state borders and wandering in Telangana state, posing a big threat in times of the severe pandemic. Meanwhile, leaders of Telugu Desam and other parties objected to the TS norms. They observed that Telangana is not a separate country but a neighbouring state and part of India and, hence, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao should allow the unrestricted entry of people from the AP side during the relaxation. They demanded that AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy take the issue to the notice of Chandrashekar Rao for lifting restrictions on the AP people. Farmers are already battered by the lockdown. They are hit by the low market prices and many of them are unable to go to their fields due to travel restrictions. Representational image/DC Hyderabad: Giribabu, a paddy farmer of Jangaon district, has expressed a major worry of farmers in Telananga: "How to dry our paddy if there is going to be more of rainfall in Telangana?" The weather office has warned that the state is set to face the onslaught of Yaas cyclone through this week. "Paddy has around 20-25 per cent moisture content. We have to dry it and reduce the moisture to 16 per cent before the state government procures it from us. The moisture content would increase if there is rain. We have to dry the grains for a longer period, which leads to discoloration, laments Giribabu. Giribabu adds that the already labour-intensive process of paddy harvesting would only get more complicated with the rains. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Vissa Kiran Kumar from Rythu Swarajya Vedika said, "If the crop gets wet due to the rain, there would be a loss of Rs 500 per quintal." The rain forecast has left the farmers in deep pain. As per the IMD forecast, Thunderstorms associated with lightning and at times gusty winds of 30 to 40 kmph are very likely to occur at isolated places in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam and other districts. The forecast is for a period from May 24 to 26 and for the 28th too. The rain is likely to pose a threat to the rabi seasonal crops (winter-grown crops) like maize, paddy, and Bengal gram in addition to mangoes. Farmers are already battered by the lockdown. They are hit by the low market prices and many of them are unable to go to their fields due to travel restrictions. The recent heavy rainfall has already played havoc with their crops, and now comes the prediction of more rain due to a cyclonic formation in the Bay of Bengal. Every year, the Telangana government has, through the civil supplies department, been procuring paddy from farmers. This year, the government has estimated that there would be about 1.41 crore tonnes of paddy yield. However, so far, the government has procured only 60 lakh tonnes directly. Paddy procurement by the government has also been impacted by the lockdown. "Procurement by the state government is very slow this year. So far, it has procured only around 50 per cent of the yield. It is not possible to complete the procurement by May end. Due to the unprecedented rain, it has been difficult to dry the wet crops. There are not enough of the dryers and paddy has to be dried in the open," said Kanneganti Ravi from the Rythu Swarajya Vedika. Kanneganti Ravi has requested the government to speed up the process of procurement and use government buildings like schools, colleges and function halls to store the paddy and other crops in view of rains. In addition to that, they have requested for an increase in the procurement centers by 5,000 more. They also want the government to procure other crops like bengal gram as was assured to them. Fishing safety tips The National Park Service offers the following safety tips for fishing or operating a fishing boat: Always wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets when on, in or near the water. Designate a water watcher to be responsible for keeping track of children in your group. Cast only in areas where fishing is permitted Find shelter if thunderstorms form, and seek higher ground if water levels rise. Consult local tide tables and pay attention to tidal behavior. Be aware of unseen water hazards and use caution when walking or wading in the water. Never fish or operate a fishing boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Gloucester, MA (01930) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. VISAKHAPATNAM: Partial lockdown is showing its impact with north coastal Andhra districts reporting a downtrend in positive cases since the last few days. The impact is more in Srikakulam, where positive cases have come down by half on Sunday. Srikakulam district, which reported 1,338 cases on Saturday, registered 971 cases on Sunday. Likewise, Visakhapatnam district recorded 2,308 and 1,668 respectively; showing a decreasing trend in number of cases. Incidentally, district administrations have closed fish and meat markets on Sunday to prevent congregation of crowds. Srikakulam authorities took initiatives and convinced traders about voluntarily shutting down their shops around 2 p.m. This was much before the state government imposed the shutdown. Further, forming of village level management committees and survey of fever cases has reduced Covid-19 cases to a considerable level. We have opened Covid care centres at strategic locations to prevent not-so-serious patients from occupying beds in hospitals. Increased awareness among people is also showing positive results, said a senior health official. In Visakhapatnam, main hospitals like CSR Block in King George Hospital and VIMS have no patients waiting in corridors. Patients with oxygen saturation levels from 90 to 94 percent are being sent to Covid care centres and only those below 90 are being admitted into the main hospitals, said officer on special duty (OSD) for north Andhra Dr. P. V. Sudhakar, principal of Andhra Medical College. We are also selectively picking up serious cases from Covid care centres and treating them at our hospitals, Dr. Sudhakar told Deccan Chronicle on Sunday. He said overall load on the main hospital has reduced since last one week. Around 15,000 patients are undergoing treatment in home isolation and only 2,000 are in various government hospitals, he stated. CITU state president Ch. Narsinga Rao said beds arranged in corridors of Visakha Steel Plant General Hospital have been removed in and there are no more patients waiting in line for admission. The pressure on private and corporate hospitals has come down, he remarked. Left leaders have been monitoring government and private hospitals since the second wave began taking its toll. Governor Northam Announces New Airline to Establish Operations in Norfolk, Creating 116 New Jobs Low-cost carrier Breeze Airways to invest $5.2 million at Norfolk International Airport RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that Breeze Airways, a new U.S.- based airline providing low-cost, nonstop service to mid-size markets, will invest $5.2 million to establish an operations center in the City of Norfolk. The company targets underserved and unserved cities without nonstop service and has identified dozens of route opportunities from Norfolk International Airport. Norfolk will be one of Breeze Airways first four operations bases in the United States, and the airline also plans to offer flights out of Richmond International Airport. Virginia successfully competed with several other locations for the project, which will create 116 new jobs. Aviation has long been ingrained in the Hampton Roads economy, and the arrival of Breeze Airways is another sign of this regions growing position as a commercial flight hub, said Governor Northam. The post-pandemic world will offer increasing opportunities for travel and tourism, and the addition of this new low-cost carrier at Norfolk International Airport will be a catalyst for economic growth, welcoming visitors to our Commonwealth with convenient, nonstop service to often overlooked markets. We are honored that Breeze Airways has selected Virginia as one of its first domestic locations and look forward to building a strong and successful partnership with the company. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Breeze Airways is a start-up airline established by David Neeleman, a founder of multiple airlines, including JetBlue. Its targets include inbound travel, local leisure and business travel, and millennial travelers. Breeze Airways will operate mostly in markets in which no other airlines currently compete. All employees, which will include airline crew and aircraft maintenance workers, will remain local. The company plans to offer flights beginning in June 2021. Additional information about todays announcement is available at flybreeze.com. The City of Norfolk and Hampton Roads provide fertile ground for a new, niche airline like Breeze Airways, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. Norfolk International Airport will be a prime launch point to reach the companys growing customer base and provide more travel options for Virginians, and we are confident that Breeze Airways will find success in the Commonwealth. We welcome Breeze Airways to our Commonwealth, said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. Our airports serve as gateways to the world, and this new airline, with a focus on unserved and underserved communities, will increase accessibility, expand markets and support Virginias growing economy." Breeze is excited to be announcing two destinations in Virginia: Norfolk and Richmond, said David Neeleman, Founder and CEO of Breeze Airways. Norfolk, particularly, is a strong inbound destination with a significant number of unserved markets that will provide Breeze with many years of growth opportunities. Were looking forward to providing Virginians with low fares and nonstop service, getting them where theyre going in half the time, usually for about half the price. The addition of Breeze Airways will be a gamechanger not only for Norfolk, but for the Commonwealth as a whole, connecting the 757 Region with nonstop service to more than 40 route opportunities, said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. This new gateway will boost visitation from important markets, while also introducing the Commonwealth to new audiences, including travelers, businesses, students, and the military. This new addition will provide visitors with convenient access to one of the Commonwealths most exciting and beautiful regions, giving them a chance to discover for themselves why Virginia is for Lovers. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Norfolk, Norfolk Airport Authority, Virginia Department of Aviation, Hampton Roads Alliance, Hampton Roads Workforce Council, VisitNorfolk, and Virginia Tourism Corporation to secure the project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved a $400,000 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist the City of Norfolk with the project. The company is also eligible to receive benefits from the Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new, full-time jobs created. Norfolk is a Mid-Atlantic destination for inbound travel, tourism, and business travel, said City of Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander. We are excited that Breeze has decided to establish an operations center and the City will gain new direct nonstop routes, bringing new jobs and increased tourism. As the major airport serving southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina, Norfolk remains our regions primary link to the worlds global transportation network. It is our pleasure to welcome Breeze Airways to Norfolk International Airport, said Robert Bowen, Executive Director of the Norfolk Airport Authority. Our community will react very favorably to the companys style of service, and we look forward to being the front door to a wonderful business and vacation destination for visitors. Breeze Airways decision to invest and locate in the City of Norfolk will improve both the quality and market reach of our regional air service, noted Doug Smith, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance. As a result, our region will be better equipped to recruit other businesses to establish operations in Hampton Roads and, just as importantly, attract the talented workforce required to meet the needs of these businesses. We are honored to have worked alongside our state and local partners on this project. On behalf of the Workforce Council, we are excited to be part of the team to attract Breeze Airways to our region, said Shawn Avery, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council. We are confident that our diverse and skilled workforce is set up perfectly to fill the careers that Breeze will require to get them off the ground and flying. This is very exciting news as we head into summer, traditionally our busiest season, and at a time when traveler sentiment indicates post-pandemic demand will be exceptionally strong, said Kurt Krause, President and CEO of VisitNorfolk. Congratulations to the leadership and staff of Breeze for having the vision to launch a new air carrier during this time of economic revitalization and recognizing the importance of key hub markets such as Norfolk. Breeze Airways choosing Norfolk as one of five cities in which to establish an operations center is a testament to the continued growth of the greater Hampton Roads region as a business hub and travel destination, said Senator Lynwood Lewis. The investment being made by the company and by the Commonwealth, as well as continued support from the City of Norfolk, has the potential to directly connect the greater Hampton Roads region to people across the country. This is a great development for the future of Norfolk and the region. As COVID-19 restrictions ease and people become more comfortable traveling again, I am excited Breeze Airways will provide a budget-friendly travel option as well as good jobs for constituents of the 90th district, said Delegate Angelia Graves. This project is another great example of Virginia attracting creative and innovative companies, and I look forward to Breezes success in the Commonwealth. # # # Mattia Binotto has denied Ferrari took too great a risk by not changing Charles Leclerc's gearbox after his post-pole Monaco crash. On the way to the grid on Sunday, the local hero only got to turn 6 until he told his team over the radio that his gearbox had indeed suffered a problem. Only 24 hours earlier, team boss Binotto had said the Maranello outfit would prefer to take a five-place grid drop than even the slightest risk with gearbox damage. However, the gearbox was given the all-clear by engineers following an inspection - and Leclerc then ground to a halt long before the red lights went out. "The problem didn't appear until turn 6," Binotto explained to Sky Italia. "We didn't risk anything with the gearbox. Even if we had changed it, we still would have had the issue." The Italian said Leclerc actually suffered a differential problem on the non-crash side of the car, with the part unable to be changed as a precaution because of the parc ferme rules. "We still have to fully understand what happened," Binotto admitted. "But it wasn't a transmission problem. Something broke between the driveshaft and the left wheel. "We thoroughly checked and rebuilt the transmission last night, so I believe it was ok. What happened was on the other side than the impact, so it wasn't to do with the crash. But we have to analyse that now. "I cannot yet give a clear answer to the question of what exactly happened," said the Italian. (GMM) Toto Wolff has issued his clearest warning yet that race protests are looming large over the next Formula 1 race in Baku. The Mercedes boss hinted in Monaco last week that the FIA's delay in strengthening rear wing flexibility tests until after the ultra-fast street race in Azerbaijan could hand title rival Red Bull a clear advantage. "If the ambiguity with Red Bull's wing brings them an advantage in Baku, we will turn to the stewards," he said on Sunday. "If this is not enough, we will turn to the FIA international court of appeal. So I think the FIA should clarify this issue before Baku, and if this doesn't happen, there may be a big confusion coming up." (GMM) The task force on Covid vaccines headed by IT minister K.T. Rama Rao is closely watching the developments in these states before taking a decision on revising tender guidelines to attract manufacturers and also to negotiate with global manufacturers directly. (Representational Photo: AFP) HYDERABAD: The hopes of the Telangana state government to procure Covid-19 vaccines through global tenders took a hit after the manufacturers informed a few states such as Delhi and Punjab that they would not supply vaccines directly to the states but would deal with the Centre. These states had invited global tenders much before the TS government did. It may be mentioned that the state government on May 19 invited global tenders to procure one crore vaccines. As many as nine states had done so including Andhra Pradesh so far but none received a positive response from manufacturers. The TS government had set a June 4 deadline for manufacturers for submission of bids to supply vaccines. Official sources said there was no response from manufacturers so far. While the state government was still hopeful of getting a positive response from the manufacturers, the communication sent by them to Delhi and Punjab over the past two days came as a shocker. As per state government tender conditions, the bidders are invited to attend a pre-bid meeting on May 26 via Google meet. Bidders can quote their offers to supply the vaccine in part too, provided that monthly supply shall not be less than 15 lakh doses. A total supply of one crore doses shall be completed within six months of issuance of Letter of Intent (LoI). Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna had communicated to them that they would not sell vaccines to states, but will deal only with the government of India. Punjab government too on Sunday announced that Moderna turned down their request for vaccines saying it did not supply directly to states. The task force on Covid vaccines headed by IT minister K.T. Rama Rao is closely watching the developments in these states before taking a decision on revising tender guidelines to attract manufacturers and also to negotiate with global manufacturers directly. Washington: America's top expert on infectious diseases, Dr Anthony Fauci said he is "not convinced" the novel coronavirus developed naturally and has called for an open investigation into the origins of Covid-19 virus. When Dr Fauci was asked at an event whether he was still confident that the coronavirus developed naturally he said: "I am not convinced about that, I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened." "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favour of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," Dr Fauci was quoted by Fox News. The Biden administration's top medical adviser made these remarks during 'United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking' event. When he was asked categorically about whether the Covid-19 virus could not have occurred by serial passage in a laboratory, the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) said that he is fully in favour of any further investigation of what went on in China. However, he did not explicitly rule out such a possibility. He repeated that the NIH and NIAID categorically have not funded gain of function research to be conducted in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). Last year Dr Fauci had largely dismissed the theory that the deadly Covid-19 virus due to which over 165 million people have been infected worldwide and over 3.5 million peope died so far, was genetically engineered and had leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China. Fox News noted that the Donald Trump administration officials and Republicans have long argued there is a high chance Covid-19 was the result of a lab leak in China, as per Fox News. The World Health Organization (WHO) had last week declared the lab leak theory "extremely unlikely", but even Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief, has said the research team's assessment on whether the virus entered the human population following a laboratory incident was not "extensive enough" and requires further investigation. The White House has not yet said whether it's seen evidence to disprove the lab leak theory, but has joined calls for an independent investigation. CSIRO, Australias national science agency, has released a report that outlines the significant potential for Australia to reshape its mining sector to capitalize on its rich critical materials resources and turn them into high purity materials and products through refining and manufacturing. The Critical Energy Minerals Roadmap shows how the mining and manufacturing sectors can work together to turn critical minerals resources such as lithium and silicon into much needed products for renewable energy, such as electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines. Source: CSIRO Roadmap CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said the global demand for renewable energy technologies would mean the future global economy would be underpinned by critical energy minerals. Australias future economic prosperity will depend on how well we can use our vast energy and mineral resources to play to our strengths and create new opportunities through the global transition to net zero emissions. There is a wealth of opportunity in front of us that will only be fully realized by developing a Team Australia response. Dr Larry Marshall The report, co-funded by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources Critical Minerals Facilitation Office, examines the renewable energy technologies expected to undergo accelerated growth over the coming decades and assesses Australias potential to derive value from minerals needed to manufacture these technologies. It also considers Australias comparative strengths along each of the technology supply chains to help guide investment in local manufacturing. The Roadmap estimates the metal value of the energy transitions top technologies to reach more than A$5 trillion dollars globally by 2050. More than half of that is battery metals, with greater value potential for manufacturing products such as cathodes for batteries or polysilicon for solar PV cells. CSIROs Director Mineral Resources Jonathan Law said Australia could significantly increase the value of its mineral exports, enable more local manufacturing and strengthen global supply chains. Rather than just extracting the minerals and shipping them away to be refined and turned into products, Australia has a real opportunity to operate all the way along the energy value chain, from extraction to processing, separating, refining and manufacturing high value materials and products. Connecting our mining and manufacturing sectors can create an investment ecosystem that supports domestic supply chains and resource circularity for our critical minerals. The roadmap also demonstrates the economic opportunities that can be harnessed by strategically investing in new critical mineral deposits and processing technologies that reduce cost and environmental footprint. Jonathan Law CSIRO developed the roadmap as part of a broader piece of research critical minerals resources, through its developing Critical Energy Metals Mission. It is part of the CSIRO Missions program launched last year. Missions are large-scale research programs aimed at solving some of the greatest challenges, collaboratively with government, academia, industry and community. Greensburg, IN (47240) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. A national trend points to pets adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic being returned to shelters, but in Connecticut, it seems pandemic pets have found permanent homes with their new owners. Last year, pet adoptions rose 12 percent nationally, according to The Hill, and in 2021, some pet shelters and rescue organizations around the country are seeing many pets surrendered or returned to their shelters. In fact, PetPoint which records industry metrics on pet intake to and adoptions from 1,100 shelters in the U.S. reported that between April 2020 and April 2021, the number of owners who surrendered cats or dogs increased year over year. In Connecticut, however, shelters and animal welfare organizations are not seeing previously-adopted pets back behind their walls. For Rachel Amenta, assistant animal control officer with the Town of Wallingford, having an animal returned post pandemic has been a rarity. We have actually only had one dog who was adopted in the beginning of COVID returned to us, due to the fact that both of her adopters had to return to working in-person, she said in an email. Unfortunately they both worked out of state, which left the dog home alone for an extended period of time. What Rachel Amenta has seen stands out when compared to national statistics. However, this national data might show that the increased number of surrenders is relative to the increased number of adoptions. PetPoint reported a year-over-year increase in adoptions for both cats and dogs in April 2021 (cat adoptions increased by 52 percent and dog adoptions increased by 30 percent). Overall, data seems to show a stabilization in the number of adoptions and returns in the past year nationally, or that numbers are merely returning to the levels reported before the pandemic, according to The New York Times. At the Connecticut Humane Society, executive director James Bias has seen surrender rates at the three state locations hold steady. CHS has not seen the returns pick up now that the state is lifting pandemic restrictions, he said in an email. The return rate is on par with rates of past years. Only five months into 2021, Bias said there is still potential for returns to occur. We are preparing for that to possibly happen because we know the pandemic has turned so many lives upside down, he said. But we hope and believe that with people having had so much time to spend with their pets over the past year, they have formed a strong bond with their animals and want to work through any issues that may come up. More Living Living After pandemic pet boom, CT vets see heavy workload At locations in Newington, Waterford and Westport, Bias said thus far, the pets that have been surrendered have been returned for typical reasons, such as an owner with health issues that can no longer care for their pet or an owner is moving to a new home where pets arent allowed. Those returns are also spurring future adoptions. The one dog that Rachel Amenta saw returned to the Wallingford Animal Shelter didnt stay at the facility for long. We just placed her again and are very confident that this will be a permanent placement, she said. We are very thorough with our adoption process and will not place an animal unless were confident the adopters will be 100 percent committedso I dont expect we will have many more returns. At the Danbury Animal Welfare Society, director of operations Gina Amenta has seen a steady stream of adoptions and no adopted pets returned to their facility; the only pet surrenders she has seen are from owners who could no longer keep their pet due to unforeseen circumstances. Our community, like the rest of the world, has faced many challenges associated with the pandemic, such as job loss, she said in an email. Residential changes such as downsizing to an apartment may not permit a pet. Sadly, we also took in some dogs and cats due to pet owners directly affected by COVID-19, or in some cases loss of life with no one left to care for their pet. With in-person work resuming, new pet owners might be facing the challenge of getting their pet adjusted to this newfound separation. For Bias, the goal is to work on those behavioral concerns before pet owners start leaving the house again for extended periods of time instead of returning the pet altogether. Leave your pet home for small increments of time and build up, he suggested. When you leave your pet, provide them with a special toy or treat they only get when you are out. Gina Amenta suggested making the pivot back to in-person work less about the pet owner and more about the pet. As we are the voice of our animals, you should look at this from your pets viewpoint, she said. You have been a constant presence for a long period of time and suddenly, they are alone. Make sure you have interactive toys for them. Set a schedule, so they know what to expect and when to expect it. Take time after the workday to interact with them. It will be a stress reducer for you as well. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Benjamin Larsen, Boise State University and McAllister Hall, Boise State University (THE CONVERSATION) Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Idaho, like many states across the country, faced rising housing costs, low home-vacancy rates and increasing efforts by landlords to evict tenants. Thanks to increased unemployment benefits, federal stimulus checks and eviction moratoriums all part of the governments pandemic response renters lives improved slightly in 2020. But with those programs decreasing or disappearing, many Idahoans and other Americans who rent their homes will still struggle to pay rent and face imminent risk of being evicted. Our analysis of eviction rates across the state of Idaho finds that numbers were down in 2020 but are poised to return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels in the coming months as economic support for renting families runs out. Similar trends in other states could spark a rise in evictions across the nation. Idaho evictions In 2016, 2,037 or 1.1% of all renting households in Idaho faced an eviction filing when a landlord formally requests an eviction order from a court. The courts ordered evictions for 1,107 households, or 0.6% of the states renting households that year. Eviction filings that do not end in an ordered eviction may be a result of renters reaching a settlement with the landlord before eviction. Even when dismissed or settled, filings affect a tenants record, potentially making it challenging to find new housing for years into the future. By 2019, eviction filings increased to affect 2,673 households, 1.4% of the states renting households, with 1,611, or 0.8%, ultimately facing a court-ordered eviction. Between 2016 and 2019, housing prices in Idaho increased by 34.7%, while the median income increased by only 17.7%. When housing costs outpace income, affordable housing stock decreases with a likely increase in evictions. In 2020, however, eviction numbers dropped 1% of Idahos renting households, 1,893 families, had an eviction filing and 1,127, or 0.6%, were formally evicted. Unlike other states, Idaho did not have a statewide eviction ban, but there are potential reasons for these decreases. From March 25 through April 30, 2020, state courts were closed, except for essential hearings which could have included evictions relating to illegal activity. Most other eviction proceedings would have been delayed. In addition, some landlords may have decided to seek resolutions other than eviction, especially as cash aid came in from federal and state governments. However, when the courts reopened in May 2020, eviction filings and formal evictions spiked. And monthly statistics show the rates rising almost back to 2019s levels. This raises the question of the ability of federal bans alone to decrease eviction rates. Federal eviction moratoriums When the pandemic hit, an estimated 15.9 million people across the country lost their jobs and faced difficulty affording their housing. Public health officials needed people to stay at home to limit the spread of the virus, so governments took action to curb the evictions many feared were imminent. Federal relief legislation included direct cash payments to most American households, additional unemployment payments, emergency rental assistance and bans on evictions. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act, banned evictions from March 24 through Aug. 24, 2020, but applied to only the relatively small number of renters using federal assistance programs to pay their rent, or living in properties with federally backed financing. A broader eviction ban, ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, took effect on Sept. 4, 2020, and is set to expire on June 30, 2021. It covers more renters, including people who are at risk of moving to overcrowded lodging or becoming homeless. But its not automatic protection: Tenants must prove their eligibility. The CDCs eviction ban also faces several court challenges; it was most recently struck down by a federal court in Washington, D.C. though the decision is on hold pending appeals. So its protection may not last very long. Making matters more stressful for renters, neither eviction ban forgave unpaid rent, so renters are still responsible for back rent and may face eviction in the future if they cannot pay. State and local eviction moratoriums States and cities across the U.S. that set up their own eviction-prevention programs are seeing lower eviction rates than those where tenants were protected only by the federal rules. Princeton Universitys Eviction Lab Tracking System gathers eviction data in five states: Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Minnesota and Missouri, as well as 28 cities around the country. Like Idaho, Missouri did not have a statewide eviction ban and saw a similar dip and spike in cases in April and May 2020. Delaware and Indiana had statewide bans and saw sharp increases in eviction filings after the bans expired. Connecticut and Minnesota both have ongoing bans, and eviction rates are far below pre-pandemic levels. In cities the Eviction Lab tracks, places with local eviction bans saw eviction rates drop dramatically until the local protections expired. Other efforts to help In Idaho, Republican Gov. Brad Little allocated $15 million in federal CARES Act funds to provide rental assistance to households struggling to pay rent because of the pandemic. Another $200 million was added to that fund through the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021. Payments go directly to landlords to offset current and back rent, depending on a households specific circumstances. Once these funds run out and the CDC eviction ban expires or is overturned in court, renters throughout the country will have no remaining pandemic-related protections from eviction filings. However, those households may still be feeling the pressure from the pandemic and may not be able to come up with current rent, much less months of back rent they might also owe. The aid may be coming to an end, but the potential for an eviction crisis remains in Idaho, and around the nation. [Youre smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversations authors and editors. You can get our highlights each weekend.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/despite-federal-moratorium-eviction-rates-returning-to-pre-pandemic-levels-160754. Its not fun to be accused of racism. Like many people with a public-facing job, Ive had this experience. People in jobs like mine make decisions every day on what to publish, what to write, what policies to support and the only guarantee is that not everyone will be happy. Those complaints can escalate, and sometimes an aggrieved party will ask whether it was racism, explicit or implicit, that guided those decisions. My first response, usually, is to get defensive. Of course thats not it, I think to myself. There were very good reasons for whatever it was, reasons that had nothing to do with the color of a persons skin. But if Im doing it right, Ill then take another look at what happened. Ask peers to have a look themselves. Try to examine the issue from all sides, see where the other party could be coming from. One response I try never to have is to imply that raising the question of racism is somehow worse than racism itself. Its not. I dont think its a charge to be tossed around lightly, but I also believe that racism is deeply inscribed in our state and our nation in ways that are easy for white people to ignore. White people, for example, can often pretend that events from 20 or 100 years ago have no impact on todays world, and they can write off whatever overt racism they see in the present as an aberration. People who are not white rarely have that luxury. This is one way we define privilege, and its something that events of the past year were supposed to help us overcome. The rallies and protests across Connecticut and the nation last year were notable for many factors, including their provenance in some of the states whitest towns. Not only did these events indicate that more people were finally noticing an age-old problem, but gave hope that changes could follow. That movement led directly to Connecticuts police accountability law, and raised hopes for this sessions push on housing. But whatever progress might be visible in the Capitol is faltering locally. People in some of the towns that most need a reckoning about why they look the way they do are instead reacting with defensiveness. In Redding, a campaign is targeting Region 9 Superintendent Rydell Harrison, whose apology following a post-Jan. 6 Facebook post was apparently not apologetic enough. Harrisons alleged sin was to chastise not only the U.S. Capitols attackers, but anyone whose actions might have helped it to happen. It was a thoroughly reasonable case, and one that invited some welcome soul-searching, but the backlash was probably inevitable. That Harrison is Black is not coincidental. His district has taken steps to examine how race and inequality affect different aspects of society, which is exactly what events of the past year call for, at a minimum. In response, a flyer going around town says children are being victimized by one-sided partisanship. These critics are apparently complaining about a side that says racism is real and we should do something about it. What other side do they want to be taught? Another overwhelmingly white town, Woodbridge, has been the focus of a zoning reform effort to allow more multifamily housing. Local officials have pushed back, and appear headed toward a system where every multifamily proposal will need special permission. This is an equity issue, and its racial implications are impossible to miss. Residents have made clear they dont like being called racist. And by making it harder for multifamily homes to be built, the town will be maintaining a status quo with very little diversity. Then theres Greenwich, whose name is synonymous with exclusivity. In that town, some parents have pushed back against curriculum aimed at raising awareness about racism and encouraging young people to show empathy. The true aggrieved parties, they say, are conservatives and white people. Everyone else is just too easily offended, in this view, as if this was all a matter of hurt feelings. We cant, though, discount the issue of hurt feelings. Its not easy to be accused either personally or as a community, currently or in the past of racism. The question is what you do next. Do you take the question seriously? Or do you lash out? Self-examination, either personally or on a community level, is not easy. Theres a good chance youll find something you dont like. But unless people in positions of authority take that step, nothing will ever change. And all that supposed progress from the past year will have been for nothing. Hugh Bailey is editorial page editor of the Connecticut Post and New Haven Register. He can be reached at hbailey@hearstmediact.com. BANGKOK (AP) Myanmars ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, appeared in court in person on Monday for the first time since the military arrested her when it seized power on Feb. 1. Myanmar state television MRTV broadcast on its evening news program the first photo of Suu Kyi, 75, since the coup. It showed her sitting straight-backed in a small courtroom, wearing a pink face-mask, her hands folded in her lap. Alongside her were her two co-defendants, former President Win Myint and Myo Aung, the former mayor of Naypyitaw, Myanmars capital. One of their lawyers, Min Min Soe, told The Associated Press by phone that the three were able to meet with their defense team for about 30 minutes before the hearing began at a special court set up inside Naypyitaw's city council building. Suu Kyi's only previous court appearances have been by video link and she had not been allowed to meet in person with any of her lawyers. Min Min Soe said Suu Kyi wanted to tell Myanmars people that her National League for Democracy party will stand by them. She said that "since the NLD was founded for the people, the NLD will exist as long as the people exist, Min Min Soe said after the hearing. She appeared to be referring to the ruling junta's threat to dissolve the party. U.N. special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, called the militarys attempt to ban the NLD unacceptable. I also hope the NLD will survive because this is the will of the people, she told a virtual press conference at U.N. headquarters in New York, noting that the NLD received 82% of the vote in November's election. Khin Maung Zaw, head of Suu Kyi's legal team, said she seems fit and alert and smart, as always. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is always confident in herself, and she is confident in her cause and confident in the people, he said, using an honorific for a respected older woman. Thein Hlaing Tun, a lawyer representing Myo Aung, was arrested after the hearing on a charge of spreading information that could cause unrest. Monday's hearing was largely procedural. The defense lawyers said their discussions with Suu Kyi involved all the charges against her. State television said the hearing concerned the charge against all three defendants of spreading information that could cause public alarm or unrest. Suu Kyi also faces two counts of violating the Natural Disaster Management Law for allegedly violating COVID-19 pandemic restrictions during the 2020 election campaign; illegally importing walkie-talkies that were for her bodyguards use; and unlicensed use of the radios. The most serious charge that Suu Kyi faces is breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment, but that is being handled by a separate court. Suu Kyis supporters say the proceedings are politically motivated and are meant to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. If convicted of any of the offenses, she could be banned from running in the election that the junta has pledged to hold within one or two years of its takeover. Also Monday, an American journalist working for a Myanmar news magazine was detained at Yangon's airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Malaysia. Frontier Myanmar said it does not know why its managing editor, Danny Fenster, was detained. The junta has arrested about 80 journalists, roughly half of whom remain detained awaiting charges or trial. The military ousted Suu Kyis government after her party won a landslide victory in a general election last November that would have given it a second five-year term in office. Before the start of democratic reforms a decade ago, Myanmar was ruled by the military for 50 years. The junta claims it was justified in taking power because of alleged widespread election fraud, especially irregularities in voting lists. The Asian Network for Free Elections, a non-partisan poll watching organization, in a report issued last week rejected the militarys allegations of massive fraud, saying the results of the voting were representative of the will of the people. The junta has accused Suu Kyi of corruption and presented on state television what it said was evidence that she took bribes, but has so far only said it intends to pursue charges for that offense. Her lawyers dismiss the allegations. Several cases are also pending against other senior members of Suu Kyi's party. According to Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which has been keeping a detailed tally of arrests and deaths since the coup, almost 4,300 people are in detention, including 95 who have already been sentenced. Resistance to military rule is widespread. About 100 young people gathered Monday in a lightning protest in Yangon, the country's biggest city, carrying banners and chanting pro-democracy slogans before hurriedly dispersing. Flash mobs have replaced the mass demonstrations that were held in February and March because of the deadly response of security forces. According to the Assistance Association, 818 protesters and bystanders have been killed by security personnel since the coup. Junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said in an interview last week with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television that the death toll had been exaggerated and was actually about 300, and that 47 police had been killed and more then 200 injured.. Most resistance to the junta is still non-violent, particularly in a boycott of public schools, but armed resistance appears to be growing. There are reports virtually every day of small homemade explosives being set off in Yangon and elsewhere, and of some killings of alleged informers and local administrators appointed by the junta. Reports on social media over the weekend said there was heavy fighting between security forces and members of a grassroots anti-junta People's Defense Force in Kayah state also known as Karenni state in eastern Myanmar. Such reports, especially in remote areas, are difficult to independently verify. As many as 40 members of the security forces were killed in joint attacks launched by the People's Defense Force and ethnic Karenni guerrillas, online news services The Irrawaddy and Myanmar Now reported. The Irrawaddy also said four civilians were killed when artillery fired by government forces hit a Catholic church in Kayah. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's government on Monday defied an injunction by the top European Union court that ordered the immediate closure of a major brown coal mine, with officials saying it would shake the nations energy system and lead to the layoff of thousands of employees. Development Minister Jaroslaw Gowin said Poland wouldn't shut the lignite mine in Turow, on the border with Germany and the Czech Republic, but instead was engaged in very intensive diplomatic and law-related efforts, to secure undisturbed operation of the mine and connected power plant that generates some 7% of Poland's energy. The EUs Court of Justice on Friday ordered Poland to immediately stop operation of the mine, heeding Pragues complaints that it drained groundwater from Czech territory and that Poland recently extended its license without proper prior environmental assessment. It's a temporary measure, pending the court's full ruling. Gowin said he considers the court's decision scandalously incommensurate to the situation and one that would lead to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and very serious disturbances in Poland's energy system, cutting power to millions of households. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland will engage in negotiations with Prague and will also make new points before the EU court to clearly describe the situation to avoid a disaster. Later Monday, he was meeting with his Czech counterpart, Andrej Babis, before the EU summit in Brussels to discuss solutions to the spat. The court's decision is very dangerous from the point of view of potential threats to the ecology, but it is also dangerous for Poland's energy security and for the employment of some 5,000 people working at Turow, Morawiecki told reporters in Poland. He noted that both the Czech Republic and Germany are operating lignite mines and power plants close to Poland's borders. Czech Environment Minister Richard Brabec said senior Czech and Polish government representatives and other officials were already meeting to discuss the Turow situation. At the moment, we are introducing our ideas and proposals about what we would like the Polish side to do or what it should offer to us, he said. Were ready to negotiate. Weve said so for several years. Weve never received any clear written guarantees about how Poland would compensate the negative impact (the mine) has on the Czech citizens, Brabec said. In an effort to follow the EU's ambitious carbon dioxide reduction goals, Poland is gradually phasing out its main fuel, black coal, but still relies on lignite. Critics says the departure from coal and ushering clean energy is much too slow, amid traditional attention given to coal-mining. A recent energy plan says the last coal mine will be shut by 2049, but critics say it will happen sooner, because Poland's coal production is inefficient and generates enormous costs that are covered from the state budget. The EU wants at least 32% participation of renewable sources in the 27-nation bloc's electricity generation by 2030, but Poland's plan aims at some 23% participation of green energy, and still up to 56% participation of coal in its energy mix. Government authorities say they have been in talks with Prague a close political and economic partner over the Turow mine for years and believed an understanding had been reached. Critics and the opposition say it hasn't done enough, but all in Poland agree that closing the mine and the power plant is not possible. An unexpected automated outage last week at another PGE lignite power plant, in Belchatow, was felt across the European energy grid and made operators scramble to make up for the lost power. On Saturday, Belchatow plant's largest power unit was shut after coal being conveyed to the unit went on fire. A smaller, reserve unit was put to work in its place. The head of Poland's PSE power grid, Eryk Klossowski, told a meeting of the parliamentary energy security group Monday that it wouldn't be acceptable for the grid to lose Turow's input. He said the plant is connected to a power transmission station that is key for the southwestern region and for interconnection with east Germany. PGE deputy head, Pawel Sliwa, told an emergency meeting of a parliamentary commission that closing the mine would also entail closing the power plant that it supplies. He estimated the costs at around 13.5 billion zlotys ($3.6 billion or 3 billion euros), the layoff of thousands of employees and lost investment into filters and other pro-environment modernization. Coal makes up 65% of Polands energy sources, including 17% from lignite, while about 25% of the countrys energy comes from renewable sources and biofuels. Another 10% come from gas and other sources. Polands continuing heavy reliance on coal is a source of tension in the EU, which is seeking to meet ambitious goals to reduce the blocs greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming. ___ Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report. Haiti - FLASH : USA grant the TPS to Haiti for 18 months Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced a new 18-month designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This new TPS designation enables Haitian nationals (and individuals without nationality who last resided in Haiti) currently residing in the United States as of May 21, 2021 to file initial applications for TPS, so long as they meet eligibility requirements. Haiti is currently experiencing serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and lack of basic resources, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Secretary Mayorkas. After careful consideration, we determined that we must do what we can to support Haitian nationals in the United States until conditions in Haiti improve so they may safely return home. After consultation with interagency partners, Secretary Mayorkas decided to designate Haiti for TPS due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti that prevent nationals from returning safely, specifically, a political crisis and human rights abuses; serious security concerns; and the COVID-19 pandemics exacerbation of a dire economic situation and lack of access to food, water, and healthcare. The persistent effects of the 2010 earthquake have also exacerbated the severity of the extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti currently. The designation of Haiti for TPS also is not contrary to the national interest of the United States. A country may be designated for TPS based upon one or more of the three statutory grounds for designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. It is important to note that TPS will apply only to those individuals who are already residing in the United States as of May 21, 2021 and meet all other requirements. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after this announcement will not be eligible for TPS and may be repatriated. Haitis 18-month designation will go into effect on the publication date of the Federal Register notice to come shortly. The Federal Register notice will provide instructions for applying for TPS and employment authorization documentation. Individuals eligible for TPS under Haitis new designation must file an application for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the registration period that will begin upon publication of the Federal Register notice. This includes current beneficiaries under Haitis TPS designation, who will need to file a new application to register for TPS to ensure they do not lose TPS or experience a gap in coverage. Individuals filing for TPS may also request an Employment Authorization Document and travel authorization. All individuals applying for TPS undergo security and background checks as part of determining eligibility. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - New York : Participation of Minister Day in the conference Engaging the Haitian Diaspora Gonzague Day, Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), accompanied by Mrs. Colombe Emilie Jessy Menos the Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of Human Rights and the fight against extreme poverty, General Herard Abraham of the Committee Independent Consultative (CCI) for the development of the draft of the new Constitution, of Ms. Esperancia Cesar, Vice-President of the Permanent Electiral Council (CEP), participated on Saturday, May 22, in New York, in the conference "Engaging the Haitian Diaspora" held at the Hilton Hotel (JFK, Airport), both face-to-face and virtually, as part of the commemoration of Haitian Heritage Month organized jointly by Haitian Diaspora Associations, working mainly in the United States, with the support of the Ministry. This event carried out by Haitian associations and in particular the "Haitian United for Haiti" with the support of MHAVE was an opportunity for the panelists from Haiti, to answer the many questions concerning the organization of the referendum, the elections and the climate of insecurity in Haiti. Security, Referendum, Investments, National identification card, Elections, these are the main points of Minister Day's intervention. Secondly, Minister Day spoke about the challenges of the referendum and the importance of a new Constitution for the development of the country and took stock of the State's provisions for the realization under the best conditions of the referendum on the Constitution. The Diaspora said they were happy to finally be able to enjoy their civil and political rights, thanks to the upcoming referendum, and expressed their determination to participate fully in Haitian political life. In addition, he answered questions about the government put in place to curb acts of kidnapping and general insecurity in the country. The Minister said he was satisfied with the holding of this event between Haitians which took place without major incident (despite a few happy moments), contrary to what some rumors suggest, especially on social networks. Civil Society was also present at this event through the organization of the National Council of Haitian Civil Society coordinated by Domingue Orgella. Note also the presence of Faude Joseph, Chairman of the Board of BNDA, as well as the Consul and Vice-Consul of Haiti in New York. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - COVID-19 : The Mayor of Santiago asks to close the borders On Saturday, the Mayor of Santiago, Abel Martinez, called on the Dominican government to immediately close the border with Haiti in both Pedernales and Dajabon, after health authorities in Haiti admitted the presence of variants of the viruses. Brazil (P1) and the United Kingdom, (B.1,1.7) considering "[...] it is a real time bomb which can explode at any time [...] The only way to guarantee that this threat does not become not a catastrophe for our Nation is to close the border [...]" estimates the Mayor of Santiago. Martinez recalled that specialists said that Sars-Cov2 [Covid-19] mutations have been found to be more contagious and affect younger subjects, unlike what happened with Covid-19 which affected elderly people with of co-morbid factors. He said that if a cordon sanitaire had been established with Haiti at the start of the epidemic it becomes much more urgent and necessary to establish it when "we are threatened by a Nation, whose citizens who are not vaccinated come to our country easily and without Covid test is required as all nations have established [...]" Finally, Abel Martinez, indicated that the forecasts in Haiti are not good while Haiti has just declared a State of Emergency for 8 days https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33789-haiti-flash-president-moise-declares-a-state-of-emergency-in-haiti.html S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Cooperation : Training of teachers and university staff with Spain Following a virtual meeting between the Ambassador of Haiti in Spain Louis Marie Montfort Saintil and the Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Cooperation of the University, Jorge Elso Torralba, the Public University of Navarre (UPNA) in Spain and the State University of Haiti have initiated contacts to start working on a framework agreement so that the Navarrese university center can collaborate in the training of university teachers and staff of the administration of Haiti, as well as to include Haiti in the UNNA solidarity training program for students. Regarding the training of teachers, it is proposed that the UPNA participate in the Haitian training program "Releve-Enseignant 2026-2038", for which the Ambassador has already established contacts with other Spanish universities. The collaboration between the UPNA and the State University of Haiti would also aim to train officials from different Haitian ministries in the framework of master's programs taught at the UPNA, in particular in public health and science and technology. Finally, it is proposed to include Haiti as a destination in the UPNA Solidarity Training mobility program, intended for undergraduate students. Haiti is listed as a priority in the Navarre Cooperation Master Plan 2021-24, presented in January this year by the regional executive. Learn more about UNPA : The University was founded in 1952 by Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer and is managed by Opus Dei. It is located in Pamplona (2 campuses), capital of Navarre (in the north of Spain). The university also has campuses in Madrid, Barcelona and Sain-Sebatien and abroad in New York. HL/ HaitiLibre Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help A Senate panel voted Wednesday to give themselves and their colleagues a big increase in their allowance and do it as soon as possible. You voted: Health department able to store Pfizer vaccine, need for testing high In a COVID-19 update Friday Hill County Public Health Director and Health Officer Kim Berg said only 36 percent of Hill Countys eligible population has been fully vaccinated, down by one percent since the last update two weeks ago. Berg said because the Pfizer vaccine recently obtained approval for use in people 12 years and older, the eligible population of the county has jumped from about 12,000 to 13,256. This has resulted in the percentage of vaccinated people eligible in the county falling a percentage point. She said the storage requirements for the Pfizer vaccine also recently changed, which will allow the department to store some of it for a limited time without the ultra-cold storage previously required. She said the department hopes to get its hands on some of the Pfizer vaccine soon, but in the meantime have been working with Rocky Boy Health Center which brought their mobile clinic to Havre last week, and vaccinated 29 people in the 12 to 15 age range. Hill County Board of Health Member Erica McKeon-Hanson thanked for Rocky Boy for their help and Berg echoed the sentiment. The health department for the Fort Belknap Indian Community also brought Pfizer vaccine to Havre last week in conjunction with the Northern Montana Health Care flu clinic and also has been providing the vaccine in conjunction with Blaine County Health Department. The Hill County Health Department scaled back its vaccination clinics last month to account for the slowdown in demand for the vaccine, now offering the vaccine on the third Tuesday of every month, with the last one seeing 19 attendees. The next clinic will be June 15. Berg also said the county has seen a rise in cases in people 30 years and younger, most of whom are presenting atypical symptoms. She said this recent group of young people arent losing their sense of taste or smell, one of the telltale signs of COVID-19, and instead are having more intense chest congestion which they often mistake for bad allergies early on. She said this shift in symptoms is cause for more caution for people who think they might be sick. People need to really pay attention to that and get themselves tested if they are not feeling well and dont wait until they loose their taste or smell because were not really seeing that, she said. Berg also made mention of three people in the county who had COVID-19 at some point, then got it again, as well as two people who were fully vaccinated but caught it. She said it isnt unusual that a relative handful of vaccinated people can still be infected, as no vaccine is 100 percent effective, nor is reinfection unheard of, but it should be a sign that precautions should still be taken. It just goes to show that we still need to use those efforts that we have in place: social distancing, wearing a mask or face covering when you are not able to social distance, washing your hands frequently, staying home when youre sick. Its still out there and just because youve had it is not a guarantee that you wont get it again, she said. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website that getting vaccinated greatly reduces the chance of getting COVID-19, and that some evidence shows that vaccinated people who catch the disease, known as breakthrough cases, may have less severe cases of it. Berg said the county has also seen five cases that have been confirmed to be COVID-19 variants including three of the B.1.429 variant, one of the B.1.427 variant and one of the B.1.526.1 variant. CDC classifies the first two as variants of concern, meaning, there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (e.g., increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or diagnostic detection failures. The third is only classified as a variant of interest as laboratory studies suggest specific monoclonal antibody treatments may be less effective for treating cases of COVID-19 caused by this variant. Berg said as of 5 p.m. Thursday the county had 5 active cases and one hospitalization with 41 people in quarantine. A health department update Friday said no new confirmed cases were reported that day and the next update would be released today. The next COVID-19 update will be June 4 at 1 p.m. Havre Police Department Kiauna Lynn Sutherland of Box Elder, 21, was issued a summons on a charge of speeding and on a Justice or City court warrant after a vehicle stop on Wilson Avenue Friday at 8:26 a.m. -- Kyle Lee Lamere of Box Elder, 30, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and charges of driving without a valid driver's license, driving under the influence but refusing to test and filing to carry proof of vehicle insurance, and Skylar Rae Welter of Havre, 24, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant when officers served a warrant at a First Street West establishment at 8:58 a.m. Friday. -- Nicole Rae Jiron of Bronwing, 35, was arrested on a charge of partner or family member assault after a Havre area caller reported a complaint Friday at 11:09 p.m. -- A vehicle crash with injuries was reported at 2:02 a.m. Saturday on First Street. Some vehicle occupants were transported to the hospital. -- A caller on First Street Northeast asked Saturday at 3:18 a.m. for help retrieving belongings. -- Officers investigated a Saturday 3:06 p.m. report that a window got shot. -- A 16-year-old and a 15-year-old were each issued a summons on charges of shoplifting and minor in possession after a caller at a First Street business at 9:15 p.m. Saturday and a caller at a First Street West business at 9:17 p.m. each reported a theft. -- Christopher John Brandt of Havre, 32, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant after a vehicle stop on First Avenue Saturday at 11:34 p.m. -- Caden Isiah Plante of Havre, 18, was arrested on charges of minor in possession, obstructing a peace officer or other public servant and endangering the welfare of children; a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old were each issued a summons on a charge of obstructing; four juveniles ages 16, 14, 15 and 17 were each issued a summons on charges of MIP and obstructing; a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and two 16-year-olds were each issued a summons on an MIP charge; Jonna Sullivan of Havre, 38, was arrested on charges of social host violation, endangering the welfare of children and unlawful transactions with children; and Clayton John Allery of Rocky Boy, 26, was arrested on charges of social host violation, endangering the welfare of children and unlawful transactions with children and on a Justice or City court warrant after a complaint was received about an underage party on Sixth Street Saturday at 11:59 p.m. -- William Dean Gives of Havre, 54, was arrested on a trespass to property charge after a caller at 1:59 a.m. Sunday reported a man needed to be removed from a First Street business. -- Damien David Bradley of Havre, 21, was arrested on charges of theft and trespass to property after a caller at a First Street business reported Sunday at 5:19 a.m. that a man had taken items without paying for them. -- Norman Garth Bell of Havre, 41, was arrested on a charge of obscene phone call after a someone stopped at the police station Sunday at 8:22 a.m. to ask for assistance. -- A Third Street caller reported Sunday at 10:12 a.m. that a rock had been thrown through a window. -- A Sunday 4:14 p.m. caller reported a facility on Fourth Street had been vandalized with spray paint. -- A caller at an 11th Street West business reported two girls had stolen beer at 12:26 a.m. today. -- Robert James Cantrell Jr. of Box Elder, 18, Blake Cantrell of Box Elder, 19, Nacona Limberhand of Box Elder, 18, and Nashon Elizabeth Wing of Havre, 19, were each arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of children and MIP; Andrew Richard Barret of Havre, 19, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and charges of endangering the welfare of children, social host violation and MIP; a 15-year-old was issued a summons on a charge of juvenile curfew violation, obstructing and MIP; a 14-year-old was issued a summons on charges of juvenile curfew violation and MIP; a 16-year-old was issued a summons on charges of juvenile curfew violation and disorderly conduct; and Elizabeth April Dawn Caplette of Havre, 34, was issued a summons on a charge of endangering the welfare of children after officers investigated suspicious activity on 19th Avenue Northeast at 12:26 a.m. today. Hill County Sheriff's Office Deputies investigated a Saturday 12:47 p.m. report of a stolen vehicle. -- Jordan Patrick Lamphier of Havre, 30, was arrested on charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle, resisting arrest and obstructing after a Saturday 6:19 p.m. caller at the west-end railroad crossing asked for assistance. -- Vandalism was reported by a Saturday 8:45 p.m. caller on First Street in Box Elder. -- Daniel Edward Smith of Havre, 35, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant served at Hill County Detention Center Sunday at 9:32 p.m. -- Deputies assisted with a medical emergency in Box Elder at 3:05 a.m. today. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to three calls Friday, four calls Saturday, seven calls Sunday and one early this morning. -- Firefighters responded to a fire call on the 300 Block of Sixth Avenue Friday at 8:45 a.m., and found that the heat smell was coming from an overheated light ballast. -- Firefighters responded to a vehicle crash on the 1200 Block of First Street at 2:03 a.m. Saturday and transported patients to the hospital. -- Firefighters responded to three false alarms this weekend, a gas smell on the 800 Block of Fourth Street at 9:06 a.m. Friday; a fire alarm at 11:53 a.m. Sunday on the 10 Block of Third Street West; and a fire alarm on the 300 Block of Seventh Street at 6:09 a.m. today. Havre Animal Shelter The shelter this morning held four 9-week-old kittens, five 10-week-old kittens; two 7-week-old kittens, one cat and a 12-week-old kitten all of unknown gender, seven female cats and three male cats. -- The shelter also held a male 11-week-old Australian cattle dog-blue heeler cross puppy, a male St. Bernard-mix dog, two female mixed-breed dogs, a male and a female 9-month-old puppies and a female 10-week-old mixed-breed puppy. Two 11-week-old Australian cattle dog-blue heeler-husky mix puppies, one female and one male, are being held separately. Births A girl was born Friday, May 21, 2021, to Lejonna Tsosie and Ryan Bahr of Havre. -- A boy was born Friday, May 21, 2021, to Maiya Thompson and Anthony Lovenguth of Havre. -- A girl was born Saturday, May 22, 2021, to Lindsey and Tyrel Obrecht of Turner. Press release Leaving a legacy for generations to come, Hazel (Brown) Gearheart, of Kennewick, Washington, has gifted Montana State University-Northern $100,000. The 93-year-old Gearheart, a Northern graduate of 1947, has designated the funds be used to support an endowment and, per her wishes, the MSU-Northern Foundation has created the Len and Hazel Gearheart Endowment, named after Hazel and her late husband, Len, who also graduated from Northern in 1949 with an associate degree after serving in the U.S. Navy in WWII. Her endowment will continue to give in perpetuity supporting a new scholarship named the Len and Hazel Gearheart Endowed Scholarship. This fund will provide $3,000 every year henceforth for two $1,500 scholarships, one with preference given to Native American students from Montana tribes and one scholarship for students from Montana. The Gearhearts ties to Northern are multi-generational. Northern ran in the family, Hazel Gearheart said. My brother attended and one of Lens sisters and brothers did also. And many of our classmates went to Northern, too. Because of this close association, she said, she felt it was fitting to give back to the school. It was an appropriate way to show her gratitude on behalf of herself and Len. And this isnt their first time sharing generously to support Montanans or Native American students. Over the years, the Gearhearts have provided support to the St. Labre Indian School in Ashland. Northern thanks Hazel Gearheart for her generous support. Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel said. This gift will do what we strive to do at Northern raise people up and set them on a path to success. Having Len and Hazel Geahartss name on this gift together, forever, is fitting as they were together for close to a century. Len, aka Lynn, and Hazel met in second grade in Chinook. They were together for 84 years, including 68 years of marriage before Lens death in 2019. Its always very touching to hear stories like that of the Gearhearts, said Shantel Cronk, executive director for the MSU-Northern Foundation. Hazel is helping to lift up students and at the same time celebrating her love with Len. Its very sweet and meaningful to receive this gracious gift. Len and Hazel Gearheart lived most of their adult life in Washington State. They have three children, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Their legacy will live on, together, at Northern. The MSU-Northern Foundation is a 501(c)3 with the mission to engage alumni and friends of the University, enrich student experiences and provide ethical stewardship while supporting the Universitys strategic goals. Montana State University-Northern announced last week that the university will no longer require masks on campus. In a campuswide email, Northern Dean of Students Corey Kopp, also the convener of Northerns COVID Leadership Team, said after Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian issued an update sunsetting Montana University Systems COVID planning guidelines and Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel consulted with the university COVID Leadership and Executive teams, Kegel determined that Northern will no longer require mask use on campus, effective immediately. While masks ar... LEXINGTON, Ky. and DURHAM, N.C., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TruDiagnostic signs an exclusive license agreement to the DunedinPoAm pace of aging methylation prediction algorithm. Pace of Aging is how quickly a person's epigenetic markers are changing to hasten or slow their progression of biological aging which are associated with many predictive health outcomes. This will result in the first consumer-facing access to a test that determines a person's epigenetic pace of aging with the DunedinPoAm algorithm. This is yet another in a series of strategic collaborations in which TruDiagnostic begins to reinforce its position as the leader in methylation based diagnostics and longevity related biomarkers. This compliments Tru's already expanding portfolio including TruAge Epigenetic Biological Age Clocks, Epigenetic Skin Aging Clock, Epigenetic Telomere length predictors, Epigenetic Mitotic clocks, and blood and tissues deconvolution methods. Duke University is recognized as one of the nation's leaders in biomedical research and engineering. This exclusive license opens the door to more opportunities to validate and expand the use of this metric in advanced patient cohorts. Duke University and TruDiagnostic are currently collaborating on grant proposals to make this algorithm validated via other tissues as well. "We are extremely excited to offer the DunedinPoAm algorithm because it allows us to separate overall biological age from the current rate of aging," said lab director, Tavis Mendez, Ph.D. "This means we can conduct individual level investigations to identify which lifestyle, medical, and other factors are best at slowing a person's age based on objective personalized data. Ultimately, DunedinPoAm allows us to influence patient outcomes to slow aging and ultimately risk and disease. Those individuals who are aging at a rate above one biological year per chronological year are 56% more likely to die and 54% more likely to be diagnosed with a chronic disease over the next seven years. By measuring the rate of aging, we can evaluate what influences the aging rate in order to quantify the best age limiting interventions, and therefore reduce risk of negative health outcomes." Duke professors Terrie Moffitt, Ph.D, and Avshalom Caspi, Ph.D., head a team of six who finished developing the DunedinPoAm tool this year. Building the database took the international team five decades, while they tracked biological changes in the bodies of 1037 New Zealanders who are members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development study, a project that began with their birth in 1972. "We are now applying DunedinPoAm in 19 other large health-tracking studies. One goal is to test just how sensitively it detects when people change their lifestyles and health behaviours. We are looking at many thousands of people: different ethnic groups, age groups, and men and women, living in different countries. DunedinPoAm is the only aging measure so far that was trained on biological change, and the enthusiasm from the international teams who are participating is super exciting!" said Moffitt. About TruDiagnostic TruDiagnostic is a leading health data company with a focus on multiomics and insights gained from the fluid epigenome. Established in early 2020, after development and build out of its 10,000 sq ft state of the art laboratory with Illumina equipment and consultation it launched its first physician and patient test "TruAge". Today, TruDiagnostic has built a premiere epigenetic database of DNA Methylation markers and covariates which is one of the largest in the world. The company is currently involved in several clinical studies to examine the effectiveness of products that claim to offer anti-aging benefits, and research projects to create and validate other algorithms to track aging and disease. Contacts For TruDiagnostic LLC General Inquiries Hannah Went 937-570-0471 Hannah@trudiagnostic.com For TruDiagnostic LLC Licensing and Partnership Opportunities Ryan Smith Ryan@trudiagnostic.com ShareBar Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length. Moonshine movie premieres next month Don Smith, fifth generation moonshiner and owner of the South Mountain Distillery in Burke County, discusses his family history. Everything we know about moonshiners and moonshining history is wrong. Thats one of the themes of the Center for Cultural Preservations new documentary film on regional moonshine history, The Spirits Still Move Them. David Weintraub, award-winning director/producer of 40 history films, interviews nearly three dozen moonshiners and their families in Western North Carolina, East Tennessee and the Dark Corner of South Carolina to tell a story about moonshine history thats never been relayed before. The myth that all moonshiners are violent, lazy, drunk criminals hiding in the woods wearing long beards and longer arrest records has been recounted by the media for over 100 years, Weintraub says. In reality, liquor production was hard, backbreaking work that only the most entrepreneurial farmers conducted which they did in order to survive difficult circumstances and put food on the table. Its a fascinating story and far more interesting than the myths and distortions weve heard. The film digs deep into Southern Appalachian history exposing the stereotypes and fabrications about mountaineers that have been fodder for movies and cable television programs for generations from the Beverly Hillbillies to the Moonshiner Show. People think all moonshiners were outlaws but it was the federal government that enacted an excise tax after the Civil War that poor farmers had to bear, says Cody Bradford, fifth generation moonshiner and owner of Howling Moon Distillery in Asheville. It was either starve or make liquor and its not difficult to understand which one they chose. Cody and his family are chronicled in the film as are moonshiners from Yancey County to Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Most surprising to many is that many moonshiners were African-Americans, women and Native Americans. And that moonshine played a central role in medicine since the Civil War. The new film will have its world premieres in the Western North Carolina region from June 17-June 20 and all Covid social distancing guidelines will be in place. Each screening will begin with great bluegrass music by Apple Country Bluegrass Band, who perform in the film, and a discussion with the director and local moonshiners will follow each screening. The film will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 17, at the Orange Peel in Asheville, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 17, at North River Farms in Mills River, 8 p.m. Friday, June 18, as a drive-in theater, and 8 p.m. Sunday, June 20, at Southern Appalachian Brewing Co. (Outside locations are subject to weather dates if necessary.) Ticket prices vary by location. Advanced reservations are highly recommended by ordering online at www.saveculture.org or calling the Center at (828) 692-8062. Ticket buyers get $5 off on the price of the DVD if they buy it in advance. 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Let us know what's going on! Submit Please be aware that Cache Valley Publishing does not endorse, and is not responsible for alleged employment offers in the comments. Recommended for you A Ryanair flight was traveling through Belarusian airspace from Athens to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, when it was compelled to make an emergency landing in Minsk because of a fake bomb threat, as per ABC via MSN. Ryanair gets escorted by Belarusian Air Force to Minsk While midair, a MiG-29 of the Belarusian Air Force intercepted the passenger plane and escorted it to Minsk. When it landed, security agents apprehended Protasevich, who founded the social media news channel NEXTA that had a big part against protests directed at the Belarusian leader Lukashenko, noted Yahoo. Several European countries have responded harshly to President Lukashenko's act, charging him with forcing down a European flight as part of the pre-arranged operation to capture Protasevich. The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. Those responsible for the #Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned. Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately. EUCO will discuss tomorrow action to take. Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 23, 2021 Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed disgust at the conduct and mentioned that sanctions must be carried out on those responsible. She wrote on Twitter, "The military's outrageous and illegal actions in Belarus will have consequences. The perpetrators of the #Ryanair hijacking should be penalized. Roman Protasevich, a journalist, should be immediately released." To follow, she added, will be a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss further what happens next. Like France and the United Kingdom, leaders from other countries are unilaterally condemning the perceived illegal hijack, increasing demands for measures targeting Lukashenko. The Belarus regime hijacked Ryanair to apprehend someone considered out of bounds. Read also: AC-130W Stinger II Gunship: Spitting Fire in the Sky With Aerial Artillery One statement of Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland's Prime Minister, stated that hijacking a Ryanair flight is a "reprehensible act of state terrorism." While Ireland Prime Minister Micheal Martin characterized it as "extraordinary" and said, it needs to be resolved at the EU foreign ministers' meeting. The US ambassador to Belarus, Julie Fisher, whose embassy is in Vilnius, remarked that the Ryanair detour was branded as "dangerous and repulsive," displaying Lukashenko's contempt for the international community. After the intrusion of the Belarus Regime, the flight continued on its way and arrived in Vilnius last Sunday evening after spending several hours in Minsk. The Lithuanian prime minister met the arriving passengers, who reported to the local media how they landed and were searched by Belarusian security officers. A passenger shared that Protasevich was alarmed when the plane was escorted to Minsk by the fighter plane before landing. One of those on board the plane remarked that the activist leader said that death would be waiting for him when they landed before he was taken away. Belarusian air traffic control directed the aircraft to Minsk because of a "potential security threat on board," Ryanair announced in a prepared statement. That countered Belarusian officials' assertions that they had responded to a request for help from the aircraft. Airline officials said that the plane landed with no incident, and passengers left the aircraft. At the same time, security checks were carried out without any evidence of the bomb threat. Later the passengers were on the plane after five hours and should be leaving by 7 p.m. at Minsk local time. The airline apologized to all the relevant national and European safety and security agencies, especially for the delay. However, it omitted any mention of the 22-year-old Roman Protasevich after the Belarus regime hijacked the Ryanair. Related article: C-17 Globemaster III: USAF Heavy Lifter for American Forces Goes Anywhere C-17 Globemaster III: USAF Heavy Lifter for American Forces Goes Anywhere @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On Saturday, a late-night shooting in New Jersey left two people dead and at least a dozen others injured. The event started as a 1990s-themed birthday party. The sprawling front lawn of a home in Fairfield Township owned by the aunt and uncle of a man celebrating his 32nd birthday was lined with tents and food. The shooting in New Jersey started after midnight Hundreds of people attended the house party, which started on Saturday afternoon. The mood was festive, neighbors said, with temperatures in the 80s and COVID-19 limits finally relaxing. Then, shortly before midnight, bullets rang out, sending guests running for cover under cars, according to John Fuqua, whose cousin was shot in the stomach and treated at a hospital in Camden, NJ, about 30 miles away. He said that several guests frantically performed CPR on friends. According to state police, a 30-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman died at the scene from gunshot wounds, and most of the other people suffered life-threatening injuries. Some critically wounded patients were airlifted to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, while others were transported in ambulances and private cars to two other local trauma centers. As of Sunday afternoon, no arrests had been made, said a spokesperson for the New Jersey State Police, who is heading the probe. Nearly everyone in the tiny township met someone who was in attendance, according to Melissa Helmbrecht, the founder and chief executive of Hopeloft, a charitable group that operates services for children and families about a mile from the shooting site. On Sunday, she said she spoke with people whose family members had been wounded in the violence. She described the situation as "chaos." "People were attempting to get to the hospital. People began to disperse," New York Times reported. Helmbrecht said city officials had met many times recently to discuss an increase in gun violence in Cumberland County. The State Police has not yet released the names of the two people killed at the gathering. Anyone with questions about the shooting is encouraged to contact the county prosecutor's office. Fairfield, a township of around 6,000 people, is located just outside of Bridgeton, a region afflicted with crime and poverty. In a statement, prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McCrea said, "When anything like this occurs, it affects our whole society. When gun crime wreaks havoc on our sense of safety and stability, everyone loses." Read Also: Georgia Boy, 11, Jumps from School Bus; Father Claims Son Tries to Escape Beating of Bullies Search for the suspect in NJ house party shooting continues A manhunt was launched Sunday for the gunman of the New Jersey mass house party shooting. Police patrolled the perimeter of the sprawling property with dogs on Sunday. Metal detectors were used to sweep the front yard. Officers attempted to unlock locked vehicles in the driveway of the home, as per USA Today. Mayor Benjamin Byrd of Fairfield Township was on the scene, where tents and chairs were scattered around the yard. Byrd said he did not know much about the shooting. According to Fuqua, family members were at the party, and his nephew had to flee for cover when gunshots rang out from the woods. "All of a sudden, all he heard was shooting, and he was running for his life," Fuqua told NBC10. "He collapsed to the ground. After stepping over a dead body, he had to crawl." Aerial views of the scene revealed a huge, tree-shrouded house surrounded by debris. The event was characterized as a "horrible mass shooting" by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who said the party drew hundreds of people. It was uncertain who fired the shots or why, and no arrests were made right away. Anyone with tips should call the New Jersey State Police Bridgeton Station at 856-451-0101 or leave a tip on the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office tip website. Related Article: Army Trainee Who Hijacks Bus Full of Children Attempted to Escape Jail Twice @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Due to the rampaging numbers of casualties in the rural areas of India and other affected areas, the authorities have begun to take stricter measures to limit online content referring to the COVID-19 India variant, reported The Verge. Letters sent out to social media outlets According to a source, a letter from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology was sent last Friday, but for those concerned only. Although some news media were able to see the official letter, noted Reuters. It was not stated who got the letter first among the social media outlets, but reports said that there was a strict order by the government for Twitter to censor tweets mentioning the banned term. Included in the extensive ban were Facebook and Instagram to strike down all posts questioning how the Indian government handled the rampaging outbreak. The letter allegedly further stated that the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not acknowledge that an Indian strain of the virus exists. Furthermore, the WHO has never given association to the Indian Variant with the B.1.617 variant in their official reports. Also, the letter added that the phrase is false. Thus, the government is banning references to the COVID-19 India variant because the strain does not exist. Read also: India Mass Burial Site of COVID-19 Victims Along Ganges River Revealed by Drone Video Based on earlier reports last year, B.1.617 was first mentioned in India, and that it caused the second wave of COVID-19 cases in the South of Asia. A CBC report said that the WHO has noted that the Indian Variant is getting global concern of late among the current existing strains. WHO, other health organizations and scientists have raised several concerns. Scientists disapproved of attributing viral types to geographic nicknames, saying it is incorrect and causing a negative association full of inaccuracies. Part of the WHO 2015 guidance discourages giving names based on certain categories. More or less, these guidelines should be followed strictly to prevent problems that may arise by providing the wrong term. National Geographic noted how the virus variants are given their terms, although it shared the same problems with the same confusion in coming up with names that non-scientists could understand. According to Nat Geo, the WHO should collaborate with virologists to devise a more efficient method to call viruses. One of the goals of Delhi wanting to ban terms like the COVID-19 India variant is when attempts to rein in the virus seem to be not working. Many see this as a failure on the government's end; keeping a ban on tweets and social media may be a way to lessen misconceptions and mistakes that further impact the situation. The government bans references to the COVID-19 India variant to keep people away from the wrong information and to make the correct information available to the public. Related article: India Mass Burial Site of COVID-19 Victims Along Ganges River Revealed by Drone Video @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It's the ChiCom virus, stupid! By Mark Alexander Back in 1992, Bill Clinton's "Ragin' Cajun" campaign adviser, James Carville, sharply focused Clinton's campaign message on the economy with a single mantra, which the Democrat Party's mass media publicists dutifully repeated ad nauseam: "It's the economy, stupid!" This single, simple message ensured that George H.W. Bush's reelection bid would fail. Today, given the mass confusion over how businesses, schools, and other institutions should endeavor to reopen after the devastating ineffective lockdowns , the focus is quickly shifting to litigation and liability the most menacing obstacle to the return of social normalcy. Many organizations are endeavoring to cover their backsides by complying with the CDC guidelines to avoid liability. But the CDC has been about as clear as mud on those recommendations, particularly in regard to its pseudoscientific distancing and masking requirements . But politicians and litigators are missing their target by 12,500 miles. To paraphrase James Carville, "It's the ChiCom Virus , stupid!" The litigation target should be China and its dictator, Xi Jinping. That notwithstanding, the Biden administration's COVID vaxing and masking "recommendations," by way of the CDC and non compos mentis clown Anthony Fauci , are creating enormous litigation opportunities and potential revenue windfalls for one of the Demos' biggest benefactor constituencies trial lawyers. That masked man, Joe Biden , took off his muzzle long enough last week to declare , "Those who are not vaccinated will end up paying the price." This despite the fact that Biden's overt message about the vaccine, given he took so long to unmask, is that the vaccine must not work . And this even though the CDC has finally ended its " yearlong pseudoscientific face-diaper folly ," as our editor Doug Andrews noted. The fact is, ALL Americans have already paid a heavy price in terms of human, economic, and civil-liberties losses, and though the illnesses and deaths are subsiding thanks to Donald Trump's remarkably successful vaccine development program, the overall toll will continue as long as the Biden/Harris regime fails to lead with clarity. Last April, 13 months ago, we sounded the litigation alarm. As the pandemic was piling up its victims (accelerated by Democrat "leaders" like Andrew Cuomo who were piling up their personal fortunes ), our legal analyst John Bastiat wrote , "The parasites are out again and by 'parasites' we mean those dark-hearted lawyers known as 'ambulance chasers' to take advantage of the devastation wrought by the ChiCom Virus pandemic." Bastiat noted: "Virtually every brick-and-mortar entity is vulnerable. If its employees or customers get sick, it's a potential target for the ambulance-chasing crowd. Why? Because, of course, these institutions didn't take 'adequate precautions' to prevent illnesses and/or deaths. Never mind that COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease or that one can be asymptomatic for weeks while still infecting others. No, the important thing is that every one of these entities, large or small, has pockets some deeper than others, but no matter: pockets are pockets. And the ambulance chasers will certainly be able to find 'fault' even where it doesn't exist." Or at least threaten to find "fault" in order to "settle." Heading off the litigation pandemic should have happened through providing a substantial measure of business and institutional immunity from liability associated with COVID illness and death. Despite the Trump administration's efforts to get ahead of the litigation bomb, Democrats blocked those efforts. As Thomas Gallatin noted last July , then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) warned his colleagues of the need to deter the "epidemic of lawsuits on the heels of the pandemic." Predictably, then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led the charge to deny any caps on litigation and liability. According to Schumer, he was looking out for "workers and families, not special interests." Of course, the special interests he was really looking out for were his trial lawyer benefactors. Now, of course, the nation's private and public sector institutions can't rely on any relief from ChiCom Joe Biden , who unlike Trump, is so deeply embedded with the Red Chinese that he is not about to direct litigation toward his buddy Xi and the Chinese Communists responsible for the pandemic. Fortunately, some Republican state governors are stepping in to both take control of the masking mandates and forging COVID liability shields in order to "encourage reopening by protecting businesses from lawsuits." The state liability limits are essential, because Senate Bill 4317, which would limit liability, is still being held hostage by Schumer. And with Trump gone, we now hear hardly a whimper about where the legions of litigators should focus their attention. As I noted last April by way of suggesting that Trump should "send Xi the bill" for the devastation caused by the pandemic, "There is a clear and indisputable liability case to be made against China, which should include remuneration of the economic costs to our nation." For two months, under the direction of Xi Jinping, China actively concealed evidence of the emerging threat ahead of the pandemic , systematically covering up the viral outbreak in China, which resulted in the spread of CV19 here in the U.S. and around the world. The most damning evidence of China's abject negligence and liability is the estimate of pandemic researchers that had Xi informed the world just three weeks earlier than he did, it would've reduced the spread by 95% . Notably, the earliest alarms about the negligence associated with the release of this deadly pathogen were raised before the ChiCom puppets at the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency on 31 January 2020. It was Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a U.S. Army veteran, who made this connection between SARS-CoV-2 and the Wuhan Institute of Virology: "We know that just a few miles away from that food market [where the disease was first contracted] is China's only biosafety level 4 super laboratory, which researches human infectious diseases." Cotton added: "The Chinese Communist Party has once again been caught red-handed covering up, suppressing, and censoring a serious public health risk, which could increasingly be a global public health risk. For weeks, China did not come clean about the coronavirus that they first said was only being passed from animals to humans in a seafood market in Wuhan in China." Thus, while the House was busy passing a symbolic " hate crimes bill " last week, ostensibly in response to the rise in the number of attacks against people of Asian ancestry (which are disproportionately being committed by people of African ancestry), the real Asian hate crime is the pandemic the ChiComs released on our nation in October of 2019. Again, for the politicians and litigators: It's the ChiCom Virus , stupid! Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Several people were killed in a cable car accident in northern Italy on Sunday, according to authorities. A spokesman for the National Alpine Speleological Rescue Corps, which is coordinating the rescue mission, said a team was traveling in a Stresa-Mottarone cable car that links the town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore when it plunged into a wooded area Sunday morning. 14 of 15 people on board the cable car died Authorities claimed there were 15 people on board the cable car at the time of the accident, with authorities previously stating that two children were among those who survived with injuries. "One of the two children who were flown to a Turin hospital by helicopter died. The number of people who have died today has now risen to 14, unfortunately," the National Alpine Speleological Rescue Corps tweeted on Sunday, as per CNN. According to the emergency group, the other kid is also in serious condition. The national fire service of Italy shared an image of the crash scene on social media, showing first responders encircling the mangled cable car, which is surrounded by fallen trees and severed cables. A fire department spokesman confirmed that the death toll could rise. The crash occurred when a cable snapped just as the car was finishing the 20-minute journey from the Lido di Stresa piazza on Lake Maggiore to the Mottarone station at the top of the mountain 1,491 meters above sea level. Local media ANSA reported the cable snapped 300 meters from the mountain's top. The car then crashed into a densely forested area with no easy access to the road. Alpine rescuers were lowered to the crash scene by helicopter, and the victims were lifted out. Read Also: Viral Video of Man in India Carrying Dead Body of 11-Year-Old Daughter Is Proof of India's Poor Health System Italian government expresses sympathy to the victims' families Mayor Marcella Severino of Stresa claimed a cable appeared to have broken, sending the vehicle swerving until it collided with a tower and then crashed to the ground. Per SCMP, the car overturned "two or three times before hitting some trees" at that time, she said. Some of the victims were tossed from the cabin and died as a result. The Italian government has established a commission to investigate the tragedy, which is expected to raise additional concerns about the quality and safety of the country's transportation system. The crumpled cable car was discovered near the summit of the Mottarone range, which overlooks Lake Maggiore, in a clearing surrounded by a forest of pine trees. According to Italian newspapers, the car was thought to have fallen 15 meters. Officials initially stated that there were 11 people on board at the time of the crash, with nine of them dead, but those numbers were later updated. The death toll still stands at 14, with a total of 15 passengers believed to have been on board. One of the twins on board needs surgery after getting multiple fractures. Italy Prime Minister Mario Draghi issued a statement expressing his "deepest sadness" and sympathy for the victims' families. The cable line has been in use since 1970. It recently reopened after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2014 and 2016, it was also closed for repairs and upgrades. The tragic incident is the worst cable car crash in Italy since a ski lift accident in Cavalese killed 20 people in 1998, News.com reported. Related Article: North Korea Missile Tests, Conventional Forces Could Resume To Force US Roll Back Sanctions, Top General Warns @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Kabbage, an online lending company, sent 378 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $7 million to fake companies, mostly farms. The Ocean County, New Jersey shoreline villages lined with vacation homes and ice cream parlors are a summertime getaway for crowds of city dwellers. Online lending firm sends PPP Loans amounting to $7 million to bogus farms Ritter Wheat Club" and "Deely Nuts," respectively a wheat farm and a tree nut farm, each received $20,833, the total amount eligible for sole proprietorships when the first round of the federal government's small business relief scheme came to an end last summer. Up the coast in Brielle, "Tomato Cramber" received $12,739, while "Seaweed Bleiman" in Manahawkin received $19,957. Per ProPublica, it contacted the owners of the homes where they are allegedly located and expressed concern that none of these companies exist in New Jersey's business records. "Beefy King," a cattle ranch, was registered to the home address of Joe Mancini, the mayor of Long Beach Township, as per the PPP records. Mancini said he did not have any cows at his house and only had three dogs. Kabbage, an online lending website, handled almost 300,000 PPP loans until the first round of funds ran out in August 2020, second only to Bank of America. ProPublica discovered 378 small loans totaling $7 million to fake businesses, all set up as one-person operations and secured loans close to the maximum amount available to such micro-businesses. Except in the most unusual locations, such as potato fields in Palm Beach and orange groves in Minnesota, the vast majority of them are classified as farms. The Kabbage trend is just one part of a more significant fraud issue that had plagued the Paycheck Protection Program since its inception in March 2020 as a means of keeping small businesses alive when they were forced to close. According to government watchdogs, the federal Small Business Administration's (SBA) initiative, which prioritized efficiency, initially ignored even the most necessary protections to deter opportunists from sending false identification. Read Also: IRS Begins Sending $10,200 Unemployment Tax Refunds. Will You Be One of Those Who Will Get It? Rampant farm fraud plagues PPP loans Farrah Saint-Surin, a spokesperson for the SBA inspector general, said her office was working on hundreds of cases but that she didn't "have any data to reveal or accessible for media reports at this time." According to Reuters, federal authorities are looking at whether Kabbage and other fintech lenders miscalculated PPP loan sums, and the DOJ has refused to confirm or refute the existence of any probe to ProPublica. The Department of Justice has implicated Kabbage in at least two cases of fraudulent PPP applications, including one involving two $1.8 million loans to companies that submitted forged details. And another involving a company that exaggerated its payroll figures and submitted a related application to US Bank alerted authorities. In August, South Carolina accounting firm Ratliff CPA filed a lawsuit against Kabbage, alleging that the company failed to pay agents at the firm who assisted in processing PPP loan applications, Fox Business reported. Lenders handling PPP loans would be charged a 5 percent fee on loans of $350,000 or less, a 3 percent fee on loans of more than $350,000 but less than $2 million, and a 1 percent fee on loans of more than $2 million, though they were barred from receiving payments directly from PPP applicants, per the SBA. Related Article: 3 States To Stop Giving Unemployment Benefits; Biden Said He Might Cut It Down @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cases of black fungus infection are increasing among COVID-19 patients in India. Medical experts are looking into the use of non-medical oxygen as a trigger for complications. While industrial oxygen is 99.67 percent pure than medical oxygen, the concern is on the cleanliness of the cylinder, according to experts, reported by Indian Express. Is industrial oxygen causing the Mucormycosis infection? This "rare disease" has spiked during the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in India. It has become so prevalent surprising the medical community. There were indicators that the doses of steroids, uncontrolled sugar levels, and low immunity caused the outbreak. Just recently, the experts noted to check on another factor, the use of non-medical oxygen or industrial oxygen to compensate for the scarcity of medical oxygen. Cases of black fungus were recorded among post-COVID-19 patients who were on oxygen and steroids only about two weeks earlier. Given the widespread oxygen scarcity in India, large amounts of industrial oxygen have been redirected for medical purposes. And as such, commercial cylinders were also used to compensate for the lack of medical oxygen cylinders. How the supply of medical oxygen affected the patients Although some industrial cylinders in Punjab were converted to medical grade, this was not feasible for all non-medical cylinders used by the hospital. Having to used unconverted industrial oxygen tanks is still a possible case of contracting Mucormycosis. Read also: India Mass Burial Site of COVID-19 Victims Along Ganges River Revealed by Drone Video Is there is a difference between medical and industrial-grade cylinders? According to Ramesh Chander of Ajay Gases in Mandi Gobindgarh, industrial gas cylinders are not suitable for medical purposes because they contain dust particles, moisture, and water seepage, cited the FDA. He said that if industrial cylinders are not in good condition, there is a chance of complications. They cannot be used for medical reasons without being updated, and upgrading takes time and effort, both of which have been limited in recent weeks due to the higher oxygen demand, said Chander. Could a link be established between the spike in Black fungus complications? Based on the senior medical authority in Punjab, when using industrial oxygen for medicinal reasons, the procedure is frequently bypassed. They are primarily unfit for medical use without proper cleaning and upgrading, which involves plugging leaks and changing valves due to how they are often kept and the risk of contamination via leakage. Doctors said that the Black fungus could be found in dirt, decaying organic matter, and aged materials. The oxygen cylinders with contaminated water could also cause the bacteria, especially for those with weakened immune systems, noted the Guardian. One prominent doctor remarked that a link could not be ruled out in such a case. The link between the Black Fungus infection or Mucormycosis to COVID-19 is a grave concern. There is a shortage of medical-grade oxygen. It leaves no option but to use industrial oxygen contained in non-medical grade cylinders. Related article: India Suffers Shortage of Black Fungus Drug as Deadly COVID-19 Variant Continues to Pile up More Cases @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's top adviser on the COVID-19 pandemic, has stated that he is "not convinced" that the deadly virus evolved naturally and has called for further investigations into how it spread. Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) obtained medical treatment in November 2019, months before China announced the COVID-19 pandemic, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report. COVID-19 origin report prompts for a deeper investigation On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal said that the report could add weight to calls for a deeper investigation into whether the COVID-19 virus escaped from the laboratory because it provided new information on the number of researchers involved, the timing of their infections, and their hospital visits. The report was released in a meeting of the World Health Organization's (WHO) decision-making board, which is likely to address the next steps of the COVID-19 probe. According to a National Security Council spokeswoman, the Biden administration continues to have "significant concerns regarding the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and its roots within the People's Republic of China." She claimed that the US government worked with the WHO and other member states to facilitate an expert-led investigation into the pandemic's origins free of interference or politicization. "We won't make statements that prejudge an open WHO investigation into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, but we've been aware that sound and scientifically valid explanations should be carefully tested by international experts," she added, Daily Mail reported. Current and former officials familiar with the lab researchers' intelligence shared several opinions regarding the report's supporting facts, with one anonymous source suggesting it required further analysis and additional corroboration. In March, the United States, Norway, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries voiced their dissatisfaction with the WHO-led COVID-19 origins report, calling for further investigation and complete access to all relevant human, animal, and other data outbreak's early stages. According to a person familiar with the initiative, Washington wants China to cooperate and be more transparent. Read Also: US Can Prevent Another COVID-19 Surge if 70% Of the Population Receive the Vaccine by July 4, Fauci Claims Fauci, Sen. Rand Paul spar over US-financed COVID-19 origin probe Following a visit to the virology institute in February, a WHO-led team concluded that a lab leak was highly doubtful, according to China's foreign ministry on Sunday. The US government has reason to suspect that many researchers within the WIV got sick in autumn 2019, before the first confirmed case of the disease, with signs associated with both COVID-19 and typical seasonal illnesses, per a State Department fact sheet released at the end of the Trump administration. It did not specify how many researchers were involved. According to one of the team's experts, China declined to send raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team investigating the pandemic's origins, potentially complicating attempts to explain how the virus started. At the hearing, Fauci and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) sparred about whether the US government-financed "gain of function" research at the Wuhan lab involving creating a virus more potent in a managed lab environment to develop improved vaccines to combat it. Per NY Post, Fauci said, "With all due consideration, Senator Paul, you are totally, entirely, and fully wrong. The National Institutes of Health has never and will never finance the benefit of work research at the Wuhan Institute." Last Thursday, the House Intelligence Committee released a report alleging strong circumstantial evidence that the coronavirus emerged from a leak at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology and that the US government may have supported or participated in the research that contributed to it. The Republicans wrote in the report that "international attempts to find the true origins of the virus have been held back by a lack of support from the People's Republic of China." Related Article: Ivermectin To Undergo COVID-19 Drug Trial in the University of Minnesota as Online Interest Surges @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Ethiopians in the Tigray war are casualties of the current conflict in the besieged region. Recently, there are indications of suspected phosphorous attacks leaving civilians with horrific burns. Videos and personal accounts of those smuggled out of Tigray indicate that Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers might just have unleashed potent incendiary weapons in civilian areas, reported the Telegraph UK. Many of the civilians running from the war have horrific burns that might indicate the activities of the groups engaged in the conflict. Most leading chemical weapons analysts claim that the video clearly shows white phosphorus, which is forbidden from use against people under international law. Burn victim Telegraph reported a story about one of the victims of the horrible attacks, 13-year-old Kisanet Gebremicheal, a girl from the village of Adi'ayqoro in central Tigray. She has horrific burns after her house came under attack last April 20. She retold that a heavy weapon struck the house, and fire came from the roof. It touched her skin with the smell of gun powder and burned immediately. The victim's brown flesh was already burned away from her arms, legs, face, and hands, which left a white and red paste of flesh and fat seen in hospital videos recorded moments when she came. What is seen from the chemical attack is her skin that burned to the fat, causing massive amounts of pain.She is one of the Ethiopians in the Tigray war attack that acquired burns from the alleged phosphorous weapons. Read Also: CIA Assisted Kim Jong Un's Nephew After His Dad was Killed by Deadly Chemical "Oh, my heart, what the hell is happening here? Oh, mum," she cries as the nurses cover her scorched, injured body as possible. However, the morphine is no longer working. Even her mother's light caress brings her pain, as the patient was treated. Phosphorous is against the Geneva Convention use on civilians When exposed to air, white phosphorus ignites and burns at a temperature of over 2,700 degrees Celsius. The chemical is not advised to be used on combatants and civilians. Comparable to napalm in the Vietnam war, the substance will burn on contact when it touches human skin that would not be put out easily, making it a dangerous substance to use for warfare. In a legal limbo, the flammable chemical remains. It can be used legally to provide tactical smoke screens or to brighten the battlefield at night. But, underneath the Geneva Conventions, using it against people might well be classified as a severe war crime, cited Bharat Express News. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, the former commander of the UK's Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment said, "These horrendous injuries look very identical to wounds I've seen on victims in North-east and North-west Syria." He added that the Syrian army used the chemical to burn towns and villages to scare the civilians away from territories they wanted to capture. "I expect every dictator and rogue state thought they could employ these brutally effective weapons with abandon as a result of this inaction." Mr. de Bretton Gordon, author of "Chemical Warrior" says. Ethiopians in the Tigray war are victims of phosphorous attacks as they are caught in the current military conflict there. Ethiopian Ministry's Response In a report by Addis Standard, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement pertain to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the area. It says that they "categorically reject" the allegation saying that they seriously oblioge with international obligations of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The letter also states that they will never use banned munitions. Press Statement: On the alleged use of chemical weapons in #Tigray. 23 May 2021 @mfaethiopia pic.twitter.com/V0lj88ZqG5 MFA Ethiopia (@mfaethiopia) May 23, 2021 The Ministry stated that they were aware about that such information will be released in public by The Telegraph. But they call this "malicious and irresponsible report." It also pointed out that the possible reason of the said publication is merely to fuel further tension. Related article: 100,000 Ethiopian Refugees Go Hungry as Food Runs Out According to UN @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. How totalitarianism rhymes throughout history: Czechoslovakia, China, & Venezuela By Sam Jacobs It cant happen here is a political cliche in the United States. Regardless of your personal viewpoint, there is a vast swath of the American population who simply do not believe in the possibility of any kind of totalitarianism in the United States. Its worth noting that throughout history, in virtually every place that totalitarian regimes have arisen, the residents of these countries felt the same way. Russia was seen as too traditional and backward, the power of the Czar too entrenched to be defeated. Germany had been viewed throughout most of the modern period as the home of Goethe , Schiller , and Mozart , a place where the local Jewish population had largely assimilated. Because totalitarianism emerges differently throughout history in different countries, its crucial to take a broader view of how totalitarian regimes arise. For example, when were discussing the rise of communism or the rise of fascism, we see different trends in Russia than we do in China, different trends in Italy than we do in Germany. When we examine multiple, somewhat lesser known examples of the rise of socialism throughout the world, we paint a picture of the different ways in which socialism originated and its possible resurgence. This case study of terror analyses three examples of totalitarianism throughout history. In Czechoslovakia, the Communist Party was able to establish the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic by leveraging little more than a strong showing - but not a victory - in the parliamentary elections. During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution of Communist China in the 1960s, Chairman Mao came out of relative isolation to radically remake an already communist country. Lastly, we will look right in Americas backyard at the rise of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela . More than perhaps anywhere else, the rise of totalitarianism throughout the world is an excellent example of the quote often attributed to Mark Twain, history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. If you are looking for a mechanical repeat of the past, you are looking in the wrong place. Our point is not to show you that the exact same things are currently happening here in the United States, but to highlight similarities. The Czechoslovak Coup dEtat of 1948 Standing on this side of history, its easy to take Soviet domination over Eastern Europe as a given. However, at no point during the early transition from Nazi domination to the post-war period was it a fait accompli that the formerly occupied nations of Eastern Europe wouldnt go back to being free and independent nations. Czechoslovakia is perhaps one of the best examples we have of a country that was by no means destined to go communist. The situation on the ground in Czechoslovakia was very similar to that of Italy and France - all three had been occupied by the Germans and had large Communist Parties enjoying broad, if not a majority, support. The Communist Parties of each country had a track record of cooperation with non-Communist Parties. Whats more, the Communist Party was able to get a little clout based on the role of the Red Army in liberating Eastern Europe . The broad support of the Communist Party should not be overlooked, as it is a major factor in the rise of a Communist government in Czechoslovakia. In 1945, the Communist Party had a scant 40,000 members. By 1948, this had ballooned to 1.35 million , with several fellow travelers and supporters whose strength is difficult to estimate. This numerical strength formed the basis of their participation in the National Front , a big tent parliamentary front composed of Communists, but also conservative agrarians, social democrats, Christian democrats, and liberals. Before going any further, we should take a minute to examine just what the Communist Party was doing to create such mass support. As is often the case, true aims were concealed or cloaked in doublespeak. Rather than presenting themselves as the vanguard of the international socialist revolution, the Communists instead positioned themselves as part of the broader nationalist and democratic traditions that had informed the Czechoslovakian body politic since the countrys founding. This branding exercise paid dividends in the 1946 parliamentary elections . The Communists garnered 31.2% of the vote, the strongest showing by a Communist Party in a free election, far and above the 22% showing the Hungarian Party was able to get the following year . This meant a gain of 63 seats for the Communists. They held 93 seats in the parliament; however, they were still short of having a majority of 151 seats, which was needed to form a government. Regardless, due to the National Front and the broad forces that it was host to, the Communist Party was able to form a government with the support of lesser parties. As a result, the 1946 Czechoslovak election was the last free and fair election held in the country until 1990. The Communists of Czechoslovakia were very shrewd. They did not attempt to control the whole of the government and were even content to let most of the ministry positions be occupied by members of other parties. Nine of the cabinet positions were occupied by Communists, with the remaining seventeen were held by non-Communists. What was crucial for their eventual success was that the Communists controlled the Ministry of the Interior, which was in charge of the police forces in the country. There were other areas of communist dominance that were crucial to their takeover of the country. Key positions were held in agriculture, propaganda, education, and social welfare. Soon after the 1946 election, the Communists dominated in the civil service. Most of the government bureaucrats that average people encountered daily were now members of the Communist Party. The Communists, despite being in the minority, wasted no time in pushing the envelope and moving the ball forward for their side. The police quickly started acting like Communist goons, collectivization was openly discussed and farmers were told to produce more food without any increase in wages. Even so, people still assumed that once the elections were held in 1948, the deeply unpopular Communists would be shown the door by the Czechoslovak electorate. The original plan was for the Communists to push their advantage in the parliamentary elections, but with the defeat of Communists in France and Italy after the war, Stalin scrapped this plan. Still, forces on the ground knew that a revolutionary coup detat wouldnt work in Czechoslovakia and that an approach that, at least on the surface, respected the democratic forms of government needed to be employed. To this end, the Communists decided that demonstrations and protests were the way to flex their muscles in the streets. At the same time, the Interior Minister began purging the police forces, replacing the existing police force with as many Communists as he could. The practical result is that the Communists were able to use the National Police Force as a wing of the Communist Party -- punishing their enemies and rewarding their friends. Several non-Communist ministers resigned in protest, believing that their resignations would not be accepted and that this would be humiliating for the Communists. However, Czechoslovak President Edvard Benes decided to remain neutral. This is when the Communists struck. Massive Communist demonstrations were held throughout the country. Non-Communist ministries were occupied, the relevant civil servants were fired and the army, who were, at least in theory, non-partisan, were confined to their barracks. Action Committees (a Communist euphemism for street mobs and shakedown rackets) and militias within the Communist-allied trade unions were established by the Communist Party. The Communist Party threatened a general strike unless the President agreed to form a new government, this one dominated by the Communist Party. Fearing both a general strike and the Red Army at his borders, the President capitulated. The new government was composed almost entirely of Communist, pro-Moscow Social Democrats. Only a single anti-Communist minister, Foreign Minister Jan Masaryk, remained. He was found dead two weeks after the formation of the new government under mysterious circumstances. On May 9, the parliament approved a new constitution declaring Czechoslovakia a "people's democratic state." Although the new constitution didnt mention the Communist Party, it was so similar to the Soviet Constitution that the President refused to sign it. On May 30, elections were held with a single list provided by the National Front, which garnered 89.2% of the vote. The Communists were able to win 214 of the 300 available seats, giving them majority control This majority continued to grow in the year following as the Social Democrats merged into the Communist Party. Following this election, no political parties were allowed to exist outside of the National Front a wholly owned subsidiary of the Communist Party. The President resigned on June 2 and was succeeded by the head of the Communist Party. The country remained under Communist domination until 1990. What We Can Learn From the Czechoslovak Coup The Czechoslovakian Coup is an important historical lesson for a couple of reasons. First, the Communists were able to use a strong showing in a single election to dramatically remake a country of millions. They did this by controlling key ministries within the government, astroturfing mass rallies, and replacing a politically neutral police force with a politically motivated goon squad. It all happened rather quickly, but it didnt happen overnight. Its important to note that none of the democratic forms of Czechoslovakia, which prided itself on being a pluralistic democracy , were violated. Everything was done according to the rules. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was not the imposition of socialism on a country, as that had already happened in 1948 at the end of the Chinese Civil War. However, it is an important example to include in this analysis. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution marked a dramatic change in the tone of political life in China. At its root, the Cultural Revolution was an attempt by Chairman Mao to reassert himself in public life. After the debacle of the Great Leap Forward was hung squarely on his head, he was put out to pasture. While the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) remained a Communist nation , it was one run by moderate pragmatists men who were much more interested in leading China to prosperity than they were with preserving every jot and tittle of Marxist dogma. In 1963, Mao began the Socialist Education Movement , generally seen by historians as the precursor to the Cultural Revolution. This is where the modus operandi of the Cultural Revolution began to take shape. Mao would identify an enemy and have one of his political allies attack the rival for being insufficiently orthodox in public newspapers. An example of this was General Luo Ruiqing , the Chief of Staff of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Mao felt he was too interested in military training and not interested enough in political indoctrination. He was denounced, performed a self-criticism, and eventually committed suicide. This resulted in the PLA falling into the hands of Mao and his loyalists. The next stage of the Cultural Revolution began on May 16, with the May 16 Notification . This outlined Maos thesis of the political lay of the land for the PRC. Capitalists and those seeking to return China to capitalism had infiltrated the Communist Party and were pretending to be Communists in the name of restoring the old regime to China. It was only through "the telescope and microscope of Mao Zedong Thought that these secret interlopers could be identified. The first major purge was Peng Zhen , First Secretary of the Beijing Committee of the Communist Party of China because he disagreed with Maos position that all literature should be in the service of the state. With Zhen removed, the political leadership of the capital fell into chaos. This created the perfect environment to stage independent mass demonstrations that were effectively Maos faction of the Communist Party attacking all of his opponents. Mao was able to leverage popularity among Communist youths to create massive demonstrations throughout the country. These youths were later organized into the Red Guards , paramilitary groups fanatically loyal to Chairman Mao. They first got wind in their sails during Red August , which saw 1,772 people who were mostly teachers and principals killed by the Guards and their supporters. An additional 33,695 homes ransacked and 85,196 families were forced to leave Beijing. Red August was effectively a series of politically motivated riots; however, the riots were not stopped by the police force of China. The Red Guards often received official protection from the police, who instead enacted harsh measures against anyone who dared to resist Maos Red Guards. Red August is generally considered the beginning of the Red Terror in China. Red Guards from Beijing No. 6 High School famously wrote "Long Live Red Terror!" on the wall with the blood of their victims. It is easy to get bogged down in the various details of the Cultural Revolution, but it is the broader points that are most important. The Cultural Revolution was, at least ostensibly, wages against the Five Black Categories: landlords, rich farmers, counter-revolutionaries, bad influences, and rightists and the Four Olds: Old Ideas, Old Culture, Old Habits, and Old Customs. The Five Black Categories can be further described as follows: Landlords: Anyone owning any amount of land, especially anyone who derived rental income from their land. Anyone owning any amount of land, especially anyone who derived rental income from their land. Rich Farmers: As students of Soviet history will already know, rich is a very relative term. It could mean owning one cow or many cows. As students of Soviet history will already know, rich is a very relative term. It could mean owning one cow or many cows. Counter-Revolutionaries: This refers to an alleged cabal of Chinese people who were actively working to restore either the Emperor or the Nationalist government. In reality, nearly all of these had fled to Taiwan by 1966 or else were killed. This refers to an alleged cabal of Chinese people who were actively working to restore either the Emperor or the Nationalist government. In reality, nearly all of these had fled to Taiwan by 1966 or else were killed. Bad Influences: Generally used when describing school teachers and other intellectual workers considered insufficiently enthusiastic about Mao. Generally used when describing school teachers and other intellectual workers considered insufficiently enthusiastic about Mao. Rightists: Another secret cabal, this one within the Communist Party, looking to use the Communist Party as a tool of counter-revolution. These groups were treated as if they were entrenched, oppressive forces some two decades after the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. The short version of all of this is that Mao wasnt simply looking to reassert his power in the country, he was looking to radically remake China in such a fashion that the past never really existed. Everything from the days before the Peoples Republic of China that was not tied directly to Maos strident brand of Marxism was meant to be destroyed. This meant that priceless cultural artifacts were destroyed by rampaging mobs of Maoists. Individuals were targeted for holding opinions that would have been entirely uncontroversial even just a few months before the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution. People were violently victimized dragged into the streets by rioters and forced to denounce themselves, friends, and family in what were called Struggle Sessions. The Chinese government believes that the total number of people who died as a result of the Cultural Revolution is 20 million, with another 100 million persecuted . What We Can Learn from the Cultural Revolution The important thing for contemporary Americans to understand is the mass nature of the Cultural Revolution. It was carried out by literally millions of Chinese youth, with the official sanction and encouragement of the state. The Red Guards were protected by the police and the military, while the victims were prevented from taking any measures to protect themselves. Whats more, the damage was not limited to the lives lost directly in struggle sessions or in forced relocations. The 1975 Banqiao Dam failure is considered to be the direct result of Chinas best and brightest being more concerned with divining the correct revolutionary line than with making sure the dams were in good repair. Finally, it is worth noting the ferocity with which people were attacked for holding opinions that were until very recently uncontroversial. There was a massive, hysterical push to destroy symbols of Chinese history that had become unfavorable due to the current political climate. Those who were being persecuted by the government were, somewhat perversely, painted as if they were an oppressive class being uprooted by a revolutionary government that was going to equalize society by addressing historical injustices. All of this should sound extremely familiar to contemporary American audiences. Venezuelas Bolivarian Revolution Venezuela , at least among those in the know, is the symbol of 21st Century socialism and its catastrophic consequences. Venezuela teeters on the brink its citizens are often incapable of obtaining adequate health care or even basic consumer goods, such as quality food and toilet paper. Such is the track record of socialist governments throughout history. The so-called Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela, named after Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar , began in 1998 when Hugo Chavez was elected President. He received 56.4% of the popular vote in an election that had the lowest voter turnout of any in the history of Venezuela. Chavez ran on a moderately left-populist program, railing against corruption, entrenched oligarchs, and widespread poverty. Once elected, Chavez was unable to make good on any of his promises due to the weakness of the Venezuelan economy. Unwilling to risk scaring away foreign investors with radical wealth redistribution, beefed up regulations, and increased social spending, Chavez decided to put the military in charge of various anti-poverty and infrastructure projects, instead of defending the country. In April 1999 , there was a referendum on whether or not Venezuela should adopt a new constitution. The measure passed with 71.8% in favor. In July 1999, an election was held for delegates to the Constitutional Assembly , with Chavez loyalists receiving 95% of the delegates despite receiving only 52% of the vote. Over half of eligible voters stayed home. The Assemblea Nacional Constituyente (ANC) was charged with drafting a new Constitution of Venezuela in six months. The ANC quickly became an alternate center of power to the official government of Venezuela. Chavez publicly supported the ANC over existing organs of the elected government. On November 20, 1999, the new constitution was unveiled. With 350 articles, it was one of the longest and most complicated constitutions in the world. President term limits were extended from five years to six years, presidents were now allowed to run for consecutive terms, and the President was given the power to dissolve the National Assembly, which was turned into a unicameral house and stripped of most of its powers. The new constitution included several positive rights , such as the right to housing, employment, and healthcare. In the 2000 elections , Chavez and his allies tightened their hold on the government. Despite receiving 44.38% of the votes, Chavezs party received 55.75% of the seats. The election was the subject of widespread accusations of fraud, with the Carter Center refusing to certify it as a free and fair election. At the same time, the government began demanding that all union elections take place under government supervision. After his stunning victory in the 2000 elections, Chavez rammed an enabling act through the National Assembly. This allowed Chavez to rule by decree for one year. It was towards the end of this year that Chavez began making sweeping changes to Venezuelan society. This included land reform, where squatters were given title to other peoples land, as well as encouraging the formation of pro-government paramilitary groups. Crime also began to balloon around this time. In 2002, there was a failed military coup against Chavez . In 2004, there was a recall attempt that Chavez survived, though the vote was marred by accusations of fraud. In 2009, Chavez successfully removed term limits, allowing him to become President for Life. He died in 2013 and was replaced by Nicolas Maduro , who continued many of Chavezs policies and overall socialist direction of the country. The economy and living standard of Venezuela continues to decline. What We Can Learn from the Bolivarian Revolution Hugo Chavez was not considered a far-leftist when he was inaugurated. It was only after the fact that he became an open admirer of Fidel Castros regime in Cuba. Whats more, the elections that put him in power were marred by accusations of fraud. Venezuela stands as a powerful example of how quickly a country can be changed when the wrong person gains power and uses it for their ends. The Venezuelan Constitution dramatically remade the nation, going so far as to rename it from the Republic of Venezuela to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The power of the Chavez movement is now so firmly entrenched that its not clear if theres a road back to normalcy for the people of Venezuela. It is crucial for Americans to see an example of how fast a fraudulent election can enshrine into power a radical leftist agenda. Venezuelan politics demonstrates how quickly a center-left politician can move to the radical left and how a politician can spin up a mob to act as enforcers for their agenda on the street. What We Can Learn From Three Red Terrors The three Red Terrors explored in this article provide valuable lessons about how the rise of totalitarian socialism occurs differently, in different places, at different times. Americans who are concerned about socialism should resist the temptation to mechanistically look for history repeating and should instead look for broader strokes that are common in the examples analyzed above and the rise of totalitarianism in general. These include: The demonization of political opponents. Totalitarianism doesnt see its political opponents as misguided or even good faith people with disagreements. Rather, it sees groups of people as obstacles to be overcome or destroyed. Oftentimes, groups are scapegoated because of who they are rather than what they think, but typically both types of dissent are repressed. Totalitarianism doesnt see its political opponents as misguided or even good faith people with disagreements. Rather, it sees groups of people as obstacles to be overcome or destroyed. Oftentimes, groups are scapegoated because of who they are rather than what they think, but typically both types of dissent are repressed. The formation of political mobs. Ironically, totalitarianism requires some kind of mass support on the ground to get going. These political mobs, which are effectively goon squads, are somewhere between conformity enforcement and an end zone dance. Political mobs not only demonstrate that the totalitarian movement has meaningful social power on the street, but they also consolidate and increase that power by victimizing individuals who oppose them or groups who have been chosen as a scapegoat. Ironically, totalitarianism requires some kind of mass support on the ground to get going. These political mobs, which are effectively goon squads, are somewhere between conformity enforcement and an end zone dance. Political mobs not only demonstrate that the totalitarian movement has meaningful social power on the street, but they also consolidate and increase that power by victimizing individuals who oppose them or groups who have been chosen as a scapegoat. Support from allies within the state. In each of the above cases, militias and paramilitary groups operated with impunity because they were protected by sympathetic members of the state apparatus. This need not be over political sympathy. It can simply mean looking the other way while people are victimized, while at the same time attacking anyone who defends themselves against politically motivated violence. In each of the above cases, militias and paramilitary groups operated with impunity because they were protected by sympathetic members of the state apparatus. This need not be over political sympathy. It can simply mean looking the other way while people are victimized, while at the same time attacking anyone who defends themselves against politically motivated violence. The politicization of everyday life. The personal is not political. Most people are simply trying to live their lives as best they can, without political considerations. Totalitarian groups, however, believe that everything a person does has a political character. This forces all of society to walk on eggshells. The personal is not political. Most people are simply trying to live their lives as best they can, without political considerations. Totalitarian groups, however, believe that everything a person does has a political character. This forces all of society to walk on eggshells. Rapid change of social values. When opinions that were very recently considered completely acceptable and normal are quickly and radically viewed as something one dare not express publicly, there is a cultural revolution underway that might well be a prelude to a political and economic one. When opinions that were very recently considered completely acceptable and normal are quickly and radically viewed as something one dare not express publicly, there is a cultural revolution underway that might well be a prelude to a political and economic one. Electoral chicanery. While its certainly true that totalitarian ideologies enjoy mass support, they rarely if ever, win at the ballot box without some kind of chicanery. This could be outright fraud, voter intimidation, voter suppression, or other dirty tricks designed to marginalize opposing views. One certainly can see elements of each of these in the current political climate in the United States. Hopefully, we will not have to update this article anytime soon to detail how the American people were the latest victims of the death march known as socialism. The most important thing to remember is that the enslavement of a nation is never inevitable. The lessons above are not meant to create a sense of helplessness in the face of American totalitarian impulses, but rather to arm our readers with the knowledge they need to successfully oppose such. Sam Jacobs is a writer for Ammo.com where this originally appeared. Iran works to ignite an Intifada in Judea, Samaria, and Israel By Yoni Ben Menachem The PA fears that Iran is encouraging Hamas and the Islamic Jihad to reject a ceasefire and ignite an intifada in the West Bank. The Iranians hope that an intifada will lead to the collapse of the PA Chairmans rule and give Hamas a foothold to take over the West Bank. Senior PA sources express concern that Iran is working with Hamas to ignite a large intifada in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which will also spread to the Arab sector in Israel, destabilizing the PA Chairmans rule and bringing it down. According to them, Iran is exerting pressure on the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations to continue its rocket attacks on Israel while assuring that it will help with money and weapons to torpedo any agreement on a ceasefire. The flareup in the security situation of the territories and Israel during the month of Ramadan encouraged Iran to believe the ground was ripe for an intifada against Israel. According to Hamas sources, Iran was party to the secret about Hamas premeditated plan to attack Jerusalem with rockets on Jerusalem Day. In recent days, senior Iranian officials have held telephone conversations with Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders, Ismail Haniyeh and Ziyad Nakhalah, expressing strong support for the rocket attack on Israel, encouraging them to continue firing rockets at Israel. Among those who spoke with the leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad were General Esmail Ghanni, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force (Qassem Soleimanis successor) and Ali Akbar Velayati, an aide to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On May 17, 2021, Ali Akbar Velayati told Hamas leader Haniyeh in a phone call: You have proved that Israel is weaker than a spiders web; Iran stands with the resistance and with the Palestinian people. General Esmail Ghanni said on May 17: The Palestinians need to prepare for the management of their country after the destruction of Israel. Iran will do everything possible to help liberate all Palestinian land. Ismail Haniyeh responded to Ghanni that the campaign for Jerusalem is the campaign for all Muslims, also alluding to Shiite Muslims, not just Sunni Muslims. Irans Interests Iran recognizes the weakness of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas following the cancellation of the Palestinian elections and the split in the Fatah movement, as well as the instability of Israels political system, which is struggling to form a stable government and may go to its fifth election in two years. Irans interests in bringing about a security crisis and an intifada include: Overthrow the PA chairmans rule and prepare the ground for Hamas takeover of the West Bank. Create security chaos in Israel by pushing Israeli Arabs to launch a violent rebellion against state authorities. Retaliation against Israel for its ongoing bombing of Iranian targets in Syrian territory and the Israeli Mossads covert actions against the Iranian nuclear project. The collapse of the normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. In the Iranians assessment, the conflagration between Israel and the Palestinians will help thwart any military alliance between Israel and the Gulf States against Iran. In recent years, Iran has supported Hamas and Islamic Jihad with funds and weapons beyond the funds that came from Qatar to help Hamas military buildup. Also, Hamas annual budgets came from Iran. Even during the crisis between Khaled Mashaal, former chairman of Hamas political bureau, and the Iranian leadership and Syria in 2012, Iran continued to transfer funds and weapons to Hamas military-terrorist wing. In addition, it provided Hamas with technological knowledge regarding rockets and unmanned aircraft and trained Hamas elite Nokhba and naval commando fighters within the ranks of the Revolutionary Guards Corps. According to Israeli security sources, Iran recently transferred technological know-how to Hamas military-terrorist wing in order to improve the guidance of their rockets. On May 7, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised the Palestinians new intifada, saying: Israel is a terrorist base against the Palestinian people and other Islamic peoples. It is a blood-shedding entity, and it is our general responsibility to fight the oppression and terror of the Zionist entity. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also condemned the Zionist attacks on the Palestinian people and expressed support for the resistance organizations. He attacked Egypt, Jordan, and the rest of the states in the region for their silence on what is happening to the Palestinians. Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as Director General and Chief Editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority. Home Click here to find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine or test. To find out how many local residents have been vaccinated for COVID-19, click here. Use the map to find numbers for individual counties. Find detailed statistics about COVID-19 tests, cases and deaths by county and for the state as a whole on the Indiana State Department of Health's online dashboard. Opinion Article 24 May 2021 Delivering service excellence is not only about establishing standards of service and training your employees to deliver them. It is about creating a service culture that is embraced and empowers your employees to add their personal touch. Advertisements Among companies with excellent customer service, Starbucks is always on top of my mind and here is why... Better than right: a coffee that is more than a coffee... A friend of mine, Wei (his name is of Asian origin), had invited some friends to join for a coffee at a Starbucks outlet in Geneva (oh yes, that was just before the COVID-19 restrictions). While waiting for his friends to join, he ordered a coffee and as it is done in any Starbucks he was asked his name by the attendant for it to be written on the cup. Wei is not a familiar name in Geneva and the attendant wrote Wayne onto the cup. My friend Wei amicably pointed the misspelling to the attendant. Wei enjoyed his favorite coffee and, sometime later, since his friends were late, he decided it was time for a second coffee. The logic would have been for the attendant to have it right this time. Instead, looking twice at Wei, and probably finding some inspiration in Weis outfit (well-groomed in a dark suit), he wrote on the new cup Bruce Wayne, making the link to the identity of the DC Comics character behind Batman. That came indeed with a complicit smile. When it was time for a third coffee (the friends eventually arrived - Awfully late as they say in London), the witty nonsense came to its natural conclusion with the drawing of a bat over the name Batman clearly written on the last cup. A superhero was uncovered that day, and it was just a regular customer - Wei. When I reflect on Service Excellence with the companies I work with, I often relate to this experience of my friend Wei at Starbucks because it says a lot about what is it, what it takes and how little this has to do with perfection. What is Service Excellence? From a brand or company perspective, a good service is the constant delivery of what the brand has promised would it be a luxury brand or a regular brand. The quality of service is not to be measured in absolute terms but in relation to the level of the brand promise. That is to say, in the case of Starbucks, using the words of its founder Howard Schultz We are not in the coffee business serving people but in the people business serving coffee. Starbucks is focusing the customers attention on the quality of the experience, therefore both coffee and service have a different philosophy: a people-centered approach. Does that make Starbucks coffee excellent? Not really! Different means that the service and the experience is not judged in comparison to other coffee providers but in its ability to deliver the experience that was promised. Think of the cardboard cup for instance. How can anyone expect excellence in serving coffee in a cardboard cup? The cardboard cup is not the vehicle of excellence at Starbucks, like a delicate china cup could in another coffee house. The customer experience is linked with the brand promise: a people-centered approach where you will be served a coffee with your name on it, from your favorite flavor and size within a beautiful space. You can sit and wait for your friends at Starbucks, you can work, or should you prefer, you can take your coffee away and walk with it to your next meeting. In the story of my friend Wei at Starbucks, I believe we can clearly spot the extra miles done by the employee. The employee could have decided to correct the name right away from the beginning and apologize for the misspelling mistake. Smartly enough, the employee decided otherwise and created a unique customer experience for my friend Wei to share with others. I believe, service excellence blooms when the customer experience is unique, crafted with a special care for the customer or the guest, emotional and eventually memorable. What we can recognize in this Starbucks example is not only the correct service execution but the right mindset from the employee that achieves results beyond what is expected. The work environment and service culture Starbucks - and other companies - allowed the employee to decide on his own what is right for the customer but also craft solutions for each client in a given situation that will provide a unique and memorable experience. And that is a fundamental lesson when it comes to managing service excellence. Service excellence is not only focusing on the perfect execution and the operational elements of your business but empowering each of your employees to deliver on your brand promise. It is recognizing that your customer experience is an integral aspect of your brand. It is about: creating a vision that inspires your employees making your brand values explicit articulating what it means for employees to live your brand ensuring that your business, brand and customer experience strategies are aligned being real: authentic brands deliver authentic experiences If you are expecting your employees to help you deliver on your brand promise, the relationship has to be reciprocal. Demonstrate the value and appreciation for them and their effort, in essence, its a partnership between you and your employees. In that respect, even a glitch may be transformed into a positive experience because, at the end of the day: People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did but they will always remember how you made them feel (Maya Angelou) Service excellence: creating customer experiences that build relationships Today, 84% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services. 80% of companies believe that they deliver a "superior experience", while only 8% of customers believe that this is the case. Where does this hiatus in customer experience come from? How can we approach it as a manager responsible for a service organization? How can a culture of service be established? How can we collectively find the dynamics of excellence - which is also the dynamic of value creation in the service profit chain put to work. Delivering a "good service" is not enough to transform the customer into a brand ambassador. If you treat your customers like they matter, your brand will also matter to them. Working on customer service will encourage brand advocacy among your target audience and motivate people to share what they love about your brand with others. Operational excellence, of course, needs to be integrated to customer care as it is an imperative for your company to achieve a position where every single interaction with a customer creates a memorable experience. It will contribute to long-term customer relationships and brand loyalty. The best customer experiences are achieved when a member of your team creates an emotional connection with a customer. Customers become loyal because they are emotionally attached, and they remember how they feel when they use your product or service. Delivering service excellence: The key questions you should be asking yourself What is the value that our brand and company aim to deliver to its customers? How well do we understand our customers and their expectations? How is value created and enhanced beyond our products/services and processes? How effective are we at delivering a positive customer experience? How is our company supporting and empowering our employees to deliver service excellence? How engage is our team? How is our team creating value and delivering a unique experience to our customers? How is the service culture of our company supporting the value creation for our customers? What are the tools we provide our employees to fully embrace our brand values and become our best brand ambassadors? What is important here are the people: if you regard employees and customers as human beings, everything else will take care of itself. If you engage your staff as partners, they will achieve results beyond what is thought possible. And if you think of your customers and communities as the people you serve you will make a strong connection with them, and they will come back over and over. This is what we call a people-centered approach and creating a unique customer experience. No wonder Starbucks coffee is always the same and still comes with a different flavor for each and every customer. Opinion Article 24 May 2021 A lot now happens in a month in the world of travel and, since my last monthly analysis of the SiteMinder World Hotel Index, booking momentum has rallied by 6% month-on-month, to now sit above 60% of pre-pandemic levels for the first time since March of 2020. And while the markets that Ive been highlighting in the Pacific and Americas have remained largely stable, its been the long-awaited recommencement of European booking activity thats helped to drive the fresh momentum. Excited holidaymakers are showing little hesitation to book in their summer stays at European hotels Across the European continent, the relationship between reopening announcements and booking activity, as we saw last summer, is again clear, with travellers looking to lock in their plans as soon as they possibly can. SiteMinder World Hotel Index as at May 23, 2021 Photo: SiteMinder In Portugal, for example, which began accepting all EU and Schengen area nationals, as well as thousands of UK travellers last Monday, we can see a large initial spike in booking momentum when lockdowns were eased locally on April 19 and then again from early May. Early May signifies when Portugals state of emergency was lifted, the countrys land border with Spain was reopened and plans for international travel were discussed. The viability of international travel has certainly influenced the makeup of guests for local hotels. This month-to-date, 58% of bookings to Portuguese hotels have been from foreign guests, compared to just 40% in April. In the UK, where hotels and B&Bs also opened last Monday, we saw that the Easter announcement on April 5 around loosening restrictions triggered a large-scale recommencement of booking momentum. And this has only continued, with booking volumes increasing by more than 35% month-on-month to reach 66% of 2019 levels. In Spain, too, we can see that booking numbers accelerated more sharply when the state of alarm ended on May 9. Pent up travel demand across Europe has ensured hotel bookings are being made very close to the date of arrival, with summer now just days away. In France, for example, which is amongst the leaders in Europe for last-minute bookings currently, we can see that around 60% of bookings made in the last two weeks have been for stays in either May or June, and less than 7% have been for stays beyond August. Bookings remain largely solid in the Pacific and Americas Moving across to the Americas, the United States and Mexico continue to perform very strongly, at 84% and 101% of 2019 booking levels, respectively. In both instances, we can see the positive impact that a consistent and steady lowering of COVID cases is able to have on traveller confidence. Down under, hotel bookings in Australia are again outpacing their pre-pandemic levels, led by bookings to Newcastle which are at 138% of their 2019 levels. Australia entered the World Travel & Tourism Councils global Top 10 last week, in terms of the GDP contribution made by its local tourism and travel industry, and its looking likely that it will retain that Top 10 spot over the coming year. Finally, I have long been discussing the difficulties of Pacific island nations throughout the pandemic, so its been pleasing to see Cook Islanders receive their first international visitors in over a year earlier this week, after a two-way travel bubble was established with New Zealand. Enormous demand saw booking momentum top out at 345% of 2019 levels in the World Hotel Index on May 9, with local operators calling for more flights to be scheduled. On that celebratory note, please continue to take care of yourselves, safe travels to those who can, and congratulations to all of our customers that are freshly open once again. Be sure to subscribe to real-time updates and monthly analyses like this at siteminder.com/world-hotel-index. Not long after the turn of century, Houstonian Ralph Eads began exploring the possibility of launching his own wine label. Despite being a Francophile, he made an obligatory visit to Napa Valley first. I concluded two things, he said. These were not all viable businesses. Many were hobbies. And, secondly, I didnt like the wines as much as I liked the French wines. But that sort of left me at a dead end on my project. Then luck intervened. His mother, Sarajane, who turns 95 this year and was long ago responsible for inspiring his love of La Belle France more about this flame-haired grande dame later happened to be visiting Bordeaux that summer and wound up having lunch with the mayor of a small village near Saint-Emilion. She told the mayor that she had a son who was interested in the wine business. The mayor responded, Eads said, Well, I have a nephew who needs a partner. The nephew was Benoit Trocard, then a promising young winemaker in the neighborhood. Although he hailed from the family of a large and prominent Bordeaux producer with wine roots 14 generations deep, he was trying to go it alone as a garagiste. He was short on cash, though. Not long after, Eads was on a plane to France. Despite Trocards humble operation dirt floor, window AC unit in what was quite literally a garage he had the right touch when it came to wine. After I tasted his 2004 vintage from the barrel, Eads said, I told Benoit, Were going to be partners. The wine was awesome. It took about a year to put deal together, after which expanding the vineyards became a first priority. From having a little more than 2 acres under vine, they now have about 20, most of them in the Saint-Emilion AOC. On the land that isnt AOC, theyre growing chardonnay, producing about 600 bottles per vintage as a Vin de France. The Eads-Trocard concept going ahead couldnt have been more straightforward: Just make the best wine possible, Eads, 60, said. It hasnt hurt their cause any that Michel Rolland, one of the worlds most sought-after consulting oenologists, who hails from nearby Libourne, embraced the project. Turns out he was a friend of the Trocards, too. But there was a catch. Benoit told me hed been dating Michels niece and it had ended badly, Eads said, smiling. No matter. Water under the bridge. Eads said Rolland was super enthusiastic about the project from the get-go. Trocards winemaking philosophy was to vinify wines from each small block separately, then do the blending, an approach that runs counter to how it had been traditionally been done in Bordeaux, where many of the most famous estates are quite large and homogeneous. Blending is Rollands forte, and he has been assisting Trocard since 2008. Dubreuil releases only about 20,000 bottles per vintage roughly half of it under a second label called Anna and another 600 of the chardonnay, so you wont find the wines on retail shelves anywhere. But you will see them on wine lists at Mastros and Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. They can also be purchased online or by appointment at the stylish Eads Family Vineyards tasting room at 5810-B Washington. The 2015 Clos Dubreuil flagship goes for $120 and the 2019 Anna for $50. Go to somm@eadsfamilyvineyards.com to schedule an appointment or eadsfamilyvineyards.com to make purchases. The Swiss and the Chinese have been Dubreuils best customers thus far, but greater distribution in the U.S. remains a goal. To that end, Eads 32-year-old son David, who wears the general managers hat, and his partner Anneliese Schmid, the marketing director, recently headed to North Carolina and Ohio on what became a first exploratory hands-on sales mission that, Eads fils said, felt like sending your kids off to college. As for Eads mother, who would become one of the first women to import French wines into Texas back in the 1970s, she grew up in rural Mississippi and graduated from LSU with a degree in Spanish, subsequently leaving, he said, on a banana boat to go live in Havana in the early 1950s before moving to Houston because a close friend was living here. She soon met Eads father, Ralph Sr., whom Ralph Jr. described as a serial entrepreneur. Sarajane always had a love, and an aptitude, for languages. Having mastered Spanish, she decided to tackle French, enrolling in classes at the Alliance Francaise. That, Eads said, led to Mom dragging my Aggie dad to France, which is how she developed her love of French wine. Which, by the way, she hasnt lost despite her advancing years. Sarajane couldnt be happier that her son, who was already plenty successful as an investment banker, got into the wine business. And hes about to get in a whole lot deeper. An easy-drinking under-$20 Bordeaux red called Belamour made by Trocard from biodynamically farmed Bordeaux Superieur merlot grown less than 5 miles from Pomerol home to Petrus, the worlds most renowned merlot will be released commercially later this year. Its targeted audience will be younger drinkers, particularly women, a demographic that hasnt been much inclined to embrace Bordeaux in the 21st century. Production will be 100,000 bottles with a planned expansion to 300,000 come the 2022 vintage. With a first-year marketing budget of $1 million, consumers are going to be hearing a lot about Belamour through a variety of media outlets and social networks. (A number of prominent influencers have already been recruited.) Note that the Chronicle panel recently blind-tasted the 2019 vintage, giving it a unanimous recommendation with an average score of 8.8. Belamour, Eads explained, is more accessible, fruit-driven, less oaky and lower in tannin than you would expect from a Bordeaux. Were committed to disrupting the red-wine market. Leave it to a Texan, of course, to think that big. sportywineguy@outlook.com Between rain showers Monday morning, members of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission took a big step closer to dedicating several memorials in the new Veterans Memorial Park on Memorial Day. With a law enforcement escort and trucks adorned with service flags, monuments from the former Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Conroe, arrived at their new destination Monday morning with members of the commission, city and county leaders and volunteers there to welcome them. The previous Veterans Memorial Park in downtown next to the Montgomery County Tax Office was decommissioned in November 2017. It was dedicated in 1976 when President Gerald Ford made a campaign stop in Conroe. In early 2017, Jimmie Edwards III, a Vietnam veteran and former County Judge, began a campaign to have the Veterans Memorial Park moved to a more visible and accessible location in Conroe. Since the decommissioning ceremony, the memorials to the fallen solders of Montgomery County have been stored at Bakers Signs on FM 1485. Baker Signs is also manufacturing new memorials to be placed in the park. According Janeen McSwain, chief of operations for the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission, Jeremiah Baker and Thomas Turner have spent countless hours on this project. Next Monday the granite statue and plaques that were downtown will be dedicated at the park at Texas 105 and Interstate 45 along with several others memorials at the park. The previous granite monument and surrounding plaques honoring the fallen will be placed in a circle on the north end of the park. They will be adjacent to a new memorial that honors the countys fallen. The plaques contain the names of 160 men from Montgomery County from World War I to present who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Edwards said the plaques have been cleaned but have not been disturbed in any other way. We have preserved them as they were and as nature has treated them for the past 53 years, Edwards said. The monuments were draped with a large American flag atop a trailer from Bakers Signs and the procession lead by Conroe Police Officers and Montgomery County Sheriffs Office representatives made its way from Baker Signs on FM 1485 southeast of Conroe to the monuments new home at Texas 105 and I-45. According to Councilman Duke Coon who is also a commission member for the Veterans Memorial Commission, people stopped and saluted along the processional. Thats what this is all about honoring and remembering these soldiers. These names are at the very heart of what this park is all about, Coon said. Mayor Pro Tem McDonald offered a prayer over the monuments and Edwards offered an enthusiastic Lets get to work! to cap the occasion. Monuments for the founders of the park, Montgomery Countys fallen soldiers, The Line, Remember Whispers honoring World War II Women Air Service Pilots and a refurbished Veterans Memorial from downtown Conroe and the Victory Row flags will all be dedicated in a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Memorial Day. There will also be a kids Cast and Catch event starting at 10 a.m. Sunday at the park. Its for ages three to nine and a pole and bait will be provided. There will also be motorcycles, hot rods, Jeeps and more. Hot dogs and beverages at noon. Register for Cast and Catch at https://www.facebook.com/honoredmission. Also see the MCVMP Commissions Facebook page for more information about the park. shernandez@hcnonline.com Third parties in Canada updated to 2021 (Part Four) By Mark Wegierski In the 2011 federal election, the NDP won 103 seats, thus becoming a second party the so-called Official Opposition. The Liberals were reduced to 34 seats, about the lowest number they have ever held in the federal Parliament. However, in the 2015 federal election, the Liberals came roaring back with a majority, and the NDP were reduced to 44 seats. In light of the 2015 federal election campaign, a partial reassessment of the role of the NDP in Canadian politics may have been called for. They were certainly more centrist-tending in the 2015 federal election than the Liberals. Under the leadership of Tom Mulcair, the NDP promised a balanced budget unlike Justin Trudeau, who said he was quite willing to run a deficit. However, the post-federal election NDP convention called for the replacement of Tom Mulcair. In the leadership contest of 2017, the NDP selected Jagmeet Singh as their leader thus marking a move to increased political correctness. While the NDP may have in earlier decades been the ice-breaker for left-liberalism and the so-called progressive agenda it could be argued that it is actually the Liberal Party (particularly today) that is carrying out that agenda to ever greater degrees. Nevertheless, one of the biggest illusions of Canadian politics is that the federal and provincial New Democratic Parties and the extra-parliamentary left-wing coalition groups that often work with the NDP -- are comparatively weak, and rarely able to significantly exercise power. Until the breakthrough federal election of 2011, when they won 103 seats (59 of them from Quebec), the NDP had held only about 25 to 30 seats (out of a total of about 300) in the successive federal Parliaments. In the 2015 federal election, they were reduced to 44 seats. In the 2019 federal election, they won 24 seats. Currently, they hold one provincial government (British Columbia). However, they have great influence on municipal politics, especially in Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. Until the federal election of 2011, the official NDP might have appeared to be a comparatively minor force in Canadian politics. There had also been some talk in the 1990s of the supposed triumph of free-market neoconservatism in Canada which would appear to make things more difficult for the NDP. The facts are that the NDP possesses an unusual degree of ideological strength and depth rarely seen in any of the other Canadian parties, and so has had more real influence, never holding the federal government, than, for example, the federal Progressive Conservatives. Though never holding the federal government, the NDP was able to effect such major, transformative changes in the Liberal and federal P.C. parties (especially in social and cultural areas) that it hardly needed to be in power. The NDP has counted on the support of tens of thousands of university and college professors, journalists, civil servants, dedicated social activists, and teachers all of whom wielded a far greater amount of influence on politics and social life, than the large number of more average people who supported the centre-right Reform Party in the 1990s, or the federal Progressive Conservatives in the 1980s and before. And, quite apart from the gradual percolation of their social and cultural ideas into Canadian society, the NDP has been able to enter into highly advantageous political collaborations with the Liberal Party, at critical junctures in Canadian politics. The NDP has often been able to put significant political pressure on the Liberal Party. They also significantly influenced the Progressive Conservatives in Ontario during the Bill Davis era (1971-1985). This has usually meant that the Liberals (or sometimes, P.C.s) have largely carried out NDP policies. Until the 2011 election, the NDP had appeared to be in retreat, with the apparent triumph of free trade and fiscal or economic conservatism. Even with the NDPs breakthrough in 2011, the Conservatives were, after all, able to win a strong majority. However, it could be argued that the perception of a right-wing triumph in Canada in 2011-2015 is highly misleading. Indeed, the Conservatives were decisively swept away in the 2015 federal election, without having accomplished much. The facts are that social conservatism (focussing on upholding notions of traditional nation, family, and religion) is very weak in Canada. Most people embrace the latest variants of multiculturalism; high immigration; feminism; and gay rights. To a social conservative, the triumph of fiscal conservatism, is all-but-irrelevant when compared to the cultural, social, moral, spiritual, and religious crises of late modernity. Ironically, old-fashioned social democracy, such as that represented in Canada by the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) the much-different precursor to the NDP -- could be seen as largely socially-conservative. While ferociously fighting for the working class, and for social programs that benefited the broad Canadian majority, it largely supported traditional notions of nation, family, and religion. What has occurred since the 1960s, however, is the transformation of old-fashioned social democracy into left-liberalism. While becoming ever more conciliatory to capitalism and fiscal conservatism, it at the same time took increasingly hostile outlooks towards traditional notions of nation, family, and religion. Its claim to represent the working-class majority became less and less credible. The savants and elitists who represented the leadership of the New Democratic Party realized that they could exercise meaningful power within the structures of current-day capitalism. And the things they increasingly cared about was not the well-being of the working-class majority, but rather the trendy new issues of multiculturalism, feminism, and gay rights, which had been of comparatively little interest to traditional social democracy. Indeed, such cutting-edge theorists as Frantz Fanon raged against the traditional working class. Today, one sees the NDP wrapping itself in the cloak of compassion, decency, and concern for average, ordinary people when it could be argued that it has acted largely against the working majority of Canadians for over three decades. In those places where it has avoided the excesses of left-liberalism (for example, in Saskatchewan), its success has been largely congruent with the remnants of social conservatism. However, the typical impact of the NDP in Canada, when deployed in support of the excesses of left-liberalism, appears in its own way as damaging to society as the consumerism and globalization which it sometimes quite aptly criticizes. Regardless of the partial return of fiscal or economic conservatism in Canada (especially under Prime Minister Jean Chretien) the NDP had earlier been able to fundamentally transform the social and cultural ideas and policies of the Liberal Party and most of the P.C. Party (and thereby of most of the country) away from social conservatism. It could therefore be argued that its outlooks have triumphed in social and cultural matters. At the same time, it has partially continued the CCF traditions of fighting for a more generous welfare state whose universality is now being undermined not only by fiscal conservatism but ironically, also by the NDP-led social and cultural directions of promoting designated groups rather than the commonweal. It could be argued that the NDP has, in the last four to five decades, been Canadas most influential and idea-generating party. The history of the NDP in Canada on the left, and of the Reform Party on the right, may be of some interest to those who would wish to study whether it is possible that a relatively successful, third party movement could ever get underway in the United States and what its potential impact on the U.S. polity might be. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Ronald D. Fricker Jr., Virginia Tech (THE CONVERSATION) When the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington released its estimate that COVID-19 had killed 912,345 people in the U.S. by May 6, 2021, many were shocked. Thats 60% higher than the 578,555 coronavirus-related deaths officially reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over this same period. How can two estimates differ so widely? Its not like the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation researchers stumbled upon a morgue of more than 300,000 dead people who hadnt been tracked elsewhere. Heres what goes into some of the various counts of COVID-19 pandemic deaths and how I as a statistician think about their differences. Tracking deaths When someone dies, a medical professional records the immediate cause and up to three underlying conditions that initiated the events resulting in death on the death certificate. Death certificate information is transmitted to the National Vital Statistics System for a variety of public health uses, including tabulating the leading causes of death in the U.S. But death certificate information may not reflect the actual number of COVID-19 deaths. A COVID-19 diagnosis could have been missed by health care workers, or the disease could have gone unrecorded on a death certificate. Theres always going to be some error in the data. One way to think about this is: OBSERVED COUNT = TRUE COUNT + ERROR That is, we want to know the real number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., the true count. But because the real world is messy, well never know that true count and can only approximate it. The unknown true count combines with unknown errors to give us the observed count for instance, the tally from all the nations death certificates. If the predominant error is that some COVID-19-related deaths were missed perhaps due to a lack of testing earlier in the pandemic then the observed count would be an underestimate of the true count. However, there could be additional types of errors as well, and those may cause the observed count to deviate further or in other ways from the true count. Calculating all cause excess mortality One way around this dilemma is to focus on how many deaths were recorded over and above the number expected by epidemiologists and statisticians had the pandemic not happened. This count is called all cause excess mortality. Its based on historical data. Estimates from this type of analysis suggest that the reported number of COVID-19 deaths may be an underestimate. Many more people died during the pandemic than normally would have during that time period. And its a higher number than how many people died of COVID-19 according to death certificate counts. For example, the estimated number of deaths above what was expected in 2020 was almost 412,000 people, while the number of deaths the CDC attributed to COVID19 as of Jan. 6, 2021 was 356,000. This type of analysis cannot conclude that the excess deaths are due to COVID-19 itself, only that the aggregate impact of the pandemic resulted in more deaths than would have been expected in its absence. Reconsidering the number of expected deaths So if by May 2021 there were 578,555 reported COVID-19-related deaths and perhaps as many as 663,000 excess deaths according to CDC data, how did the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation come up with the figure 912,345? Their analysis seeks to determine the true number of COVID-19 deaths by estimating other effects due to the pandemic. IHME then uses its estimates of those effects to adjust the observed COVID-19 death count. Some factors they considered would likely contribute to more deaths: health care that was delayed or deferred; mental health disorders that were untreated; increased alcohol use and opioid use during the pandemic. They also considered factors that would likely cut down on deaths: decreased numbers of injuries; reduced transmission of diseases that werent COVID-19. They then used these estimates to adjust the expected number of deaths in an effort to better quantify the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19. In effect, they were applying these pandemic-specific errors to the excess death estimates that were based on pre-pandemic historical trends. Ideally, this type of analysis should result in excess mortality being a better measure of the number of deaths that can be attributed to COVID-19. It depends, though, on having sufficient detailed data available and requires certain assumptions about that data. So which number is right? Such a simple question is actually quite hard to answer for many reasons. One is that each number is the answer to a different question. The number of all cause excess deaths quantifies how many people died from any cause above what we would have expected if the death rate during the pandemic had followed pre-pandemic patterns. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation number is an estimate of the total number of deaths that can be attributed to COVID-19. Both are useful for understanding the impact of the pandemic. Yet, even two estimates of the total number of COVID-19 deaths are going to differ because the estimates could be based on different methodologies, different sources of data and different assumptions. Thats not necessarily a problem. It may be that the results turn out to be relatively consistent, suggesting the conclusions dont depend on the assumptions. Alternatively, if the results are very different, that can help researchers understand the problem better. However, even small differences between studies can, unfortunately, sow distrust in science for some people. But its all part of the scientific method in which studies get reviewed by researchers peers, questioned and dissected, and then revised as a result. Science is an iterative process in which gut instinct and guesses get refined into theories and then may be subsequently refined into facts and knowledge. In this case, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation study provides some evidence of what researchers like me suspected: The number of excess deaths in the U.S., while larger than the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19, may also be an undercount of the true number of COVID-19 deaths. It is also consistent with a World Health Organization analysis that concludes the number of COVID-19 deaths in some countries could be two to three times greater than the number recorded. But no single study offers definitive proof, just one more piece of evidence on the path to better understanding the deadly impact of this pandemic. [The Conversations science, health and technology editors pick their favorite stories. Weekly on Wednesdays.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/578-555-people-have-died-from-covid-19-in-the-us-or-maybe-its-912-345-heres-why-its-hard-to-count-161068. BEIJING (AP) The Biden administrations solar power ambitions are colliding with complaints the global industry depends on Chinese raw materials that might be produced by forced labor. A big hurdle is polysilicon, used to make photovoltaic cells for solar panels. The global industry gets 45% of its supply from Xinjiang, the northwestern region where the ruling Communist Party is accused of mass incarceration of minorities and other abuses. Other parts of China supply 35%. Only 20% comes from U.S. and other producers. Bidens climate envoy, John Kerry, says Washington is deciding whether to keep solar products from Xinjiang out of U.S. markets. That sets up a conflict with President Joe Bidens plans to cut climate-changing carbon emissions by promoting solar and other renewable energy while also reducing costs. In Xinjiang, more than 1 million Uyghurs and other members of predominantly Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into detention camps, according to foreign researchers and governments. Authorities are accused of forced sterilizations of minorities and of destroying mosques. Chinese officials reject accusations of abuse and say the camps are for job training aimed at economic development and deterring radicalism. U.S. and some Chinese solar vendors have pledged to avoid suppliers that might use forced labor. It isnt clear, however, whether they can meet rising demand without Xinjiang, where Beijing wont allow independent inspections of workplaces. The biggest manufacturers all use raw materials from Xinjiang and have a "high risk of forced labor in their supply chains, according to a May 14 report by researchers Laura T. Murphy and Nyrola Elima of Britains Sheffield Hallam University. The possibility of forced labor is a problem, Kerry told U.S. legislators last week. He cited solar panels that we believe in some cases are being produced by forced labor. Western governments have imposed travel and financial restrictions on Chinese officials blamed for abuses. The U.S. government has banned imports of cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang, citing concerns over forced labor. The administration was assessing whether to extend that ban to solar panels and raw materials from Xinjiang, Kerry said. He said he didn't know the status of that review. At issue is the government's labor transfer program, which places workers in Xinjiang with companies. Chinese officials say it is voluntary, but Murphy and Elima argue it takes place in an environment of unprecedented coercion" and is "undergirded by the constant threat of re-education and internment. Many indigenous workers are unable to refuse or walk away from these jobs, their report says. It says the programs are tantamount to forcible transfer of populations and enslavement. Murphy and Elima said they found 11 companies engaged in forced labor transfers of Uyghurs and other minorities and 90 Chinese and foreign enterprises whose supply chains are affected. They said manufacturers need to make significant changes if they want to avoid suppliers that use forced labor. Murphy and Elima say the biggest global solar equipment manufacturers JinkoSolar Inc., LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Trina Solar Energy Co. and JA Solar Holdings Co. might have forced labor in their supply chains. Trina and JinkoSolar also have possible labor transfers in factories, while a JinkoSolar facility is in an industrial park that also has a prison, according to Murphy and Elima. JinkoSolar, LONGi, Trina and JA Solar didn't immediately respond to questions about the report. At the same time, a supply crunch as demand surges has boosted polysilicon prices more than 100% since January to a 9-year high. The market is already undersupplied, Johannes Bernreuter, head of Germanys Bernreuter Research, said in an email. China is both the biggest global market for solar equipment and the biggest producer. That reflects multibillion-dollar government spending over the past two decades to promote solar energy. The ruling party wants to curb reliance on imported oil and gas, which it sees as a security weakness, and take the lead in an emerging industry. A supply glut as hundreds of Chinese manufacturers rushed into the industry 15 years ago drove prices down. That hurt Western competitors but accelerated adoption of solar in the United States and Europe. Seven of the top 10 global producers are Chinese. Canadian Solar Inc. is registered in Canada but its production is in China. South Korea's Hanwha Q-Cells is No. 6. The only U.S. producer in the top 10, First Solar Inc., has no exposure to the Xinjiang polysilicon supply chain because the Tempe, Arizona, company uses thin film technology that requires no polysilicon. Vendors serving U.S. and European markets probably can get enough polysilicon outside Xinjiang, Bernreuter said. But he said supplies might be squeezed if other countries impose the same requirement. Potential non-Chinese suppliers include Germanys Wacker Chemie AG and the Malaysian arm of South Korea's OCI Co. However, those companies also might buy raw materials from Xinjiang's biggest supplier, Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., according to Murphy and Elima. They cited documents they said show Hoshine, also known as Hesheng, participates in labor transfer. Hoshine didn't immediately respond to questions about the report. U.S. solar equipment vendors have been trying since last year to overhaul supply chains to eliminate problem suppliers, according to their trade group, the Solar Energy Industries Association. In February, 175 companies including the U.S. arms of JinkoSolar, LONGi, Trina and JA Solar signed a pledge to oppose use of forced labor by their suppliers. Potential changes should be done by the end of June, according to the groups president, Abigail Ross Hopper. If their customers and the U.S. government are demanding it, they will need to move quickly, Ross Hopper told PV Magazine USA in February. Bernreuter warned the Chinese government might interfere with an overhaul, though there is no sign that has happened. ____ Sheffield Hallam University report: www.shu.ac.uk/helena-kennedy-centre-international-justice/research-and-projects/all-projects/in-broad-daylight Bernreuter Research: www.bernreuter.com Solar Energy Industries Association: www.seia.org WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a retired federal law enforcement officer who was put in a chokehold and wrestled to the ground at a VA hospital security checkpoint. The justices did not comment in refusing to revive a lawsuit filed by Jose Oliva, 76, against three officers who violently detained him in an altercation that was captured on camera. Oliva was 70 at the time of the incident in El Paso, Texas. LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration on Monday rescinded a rule that limits restaurant tables to no more than six people, a day after she apologized for ignoring the COVID-19 regulation while gathering with friends at an East Lansing bar. The Democratic governor has said tables at the Landshark Bar & Grill were pushed together as more people arrived in her party of roughly a dozen fully vaccinated people. A revised gatherings and face mask order, issued by the state health department, no longer includes the six-patrons-per-table provision, effective June 1. Whitmer had announced last week the planned easing of capacity restrictions on June 1 but had not specified if other changes would be coming in the new order, which was released as expected Monday. The governor also signed a revised workplace safety order that immediately no longer requires 6 feet (2 meters) of separation between tables. It was an honest mistake. I have apologized for it, Whitmer told reporters. Cory Morse/AP Violations of coronavirus orders are enforced against employers, not customers. State regulators have fined more than 280 employers. Asked if the Landshark should be fined and, if not, if she would lift fines on other businesses, the governor said the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has specifically not gone forward and penalized businesses that are trying to do the right thing. It's those that have flouted and put people's safety at risk that are the most concerning. Later Monday, the Ingham County Health Department reported having received a complaint about a party at the Landshark exceeding six guests, but said it decided against enforcement action because non-critical restaurant complaints are initially treated as education/consultation for the owner/manager." The matter is considered resolved given conversation with the owner, and the owners assurance that parties will be limited to no more than six guests in the future, spokeswoman Amanda Darche said. "There is no history of similar complaints with the Landshark." Republicans in the GOP-led Legislature said Whitmer should rescind fines that were levied on businesses. They previously complained that the six-person limit keeps large families from eating together. Whitmer also has come under criticism for waiting to release information about a flight to see her elderly father in Florida, which occurred weeks before two top aides traveled south for spring break as COVID-19 cases soared. In May 2020, Whitmer acknowledged that her husband dropped her name in an effort to get his boat in the water for Memorial Day weekend but said it simply was a failed attempt at humor." Michiganders deserve more than a hollow apology after a year of rules for thee but not for me from their governor, Tori Sachs, executive director of the conservative Michigan Freedom Fund, said in a statement. "We are calling on Whitmer to end her orders today, pardon every individual accused of a similar offense, rescind every violation issued by state and local officials, and refund every fine the states collected. Last week, Whitmer announced that capacity and crowd restrictions will be lifted July 1, citing vaccinations and new federal guidance on masks. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 Three current and former female Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constables are alleging in a lawsuit expected to be filed Monday that they were sexually assaulted, exploited, and harassed by their superiors while working on a task force to fight human trafficking. The women allege that although they were essentially rookie deputies, they were picked for undercover operations, and that superiors used so-called bachelor-party prostitution stings to try to collar pimps running call girls, according to a news release sent late Sunday night from Houston attorneys Brock Akers, Cordt Akers and Bill Ogden. A news conference is planned for Monday morning with several of the current and former deputies. The attempted stings turned into a booze-fueled playground for sexual exploitation, in which the female deputies were subjected to disgusting abuse, according to the statement. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here When deputies raised concerns with their bosses, they were ridiculed, retaliated against, and demoted to less prestigious assignments, the news release states. The plaintiffs are filing the lawsuit against Alan Rosen, two of his top assistants and Harris County. Rosen, who was first elected in 2012 to lead the constables office, was unavailable for comment late Sunday. He has made fighting human trafficking a priority of his tenure, first creating the task force and then expanding social services for victims. The plaintiffs joined in the lawsuit by Jacquelyn Aluotto, an advocate for victims of human trafficking, who worked with the taskforce. According to the news release, Aluotto alleges she shared her concerns with the Harris County District Attorneys Office, but the case wasnt pursued. She reported the matter to the Precinct 1 Constables Offices internal affairs division, and was fired the next day, according to the news release. Reached late Sunday, Precinct 1 Constables Office Spokesman Kevin Quinn said it was unfair to comment on something the department hadnt been able to review. The truth will be revealed if this makes it to court, should it go that far, he said The news conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the law offices of Cordt Akers at 3401 Allen Parkway. Metro Video Services Four people, including two Houston police officers, were injured late Sunday in a Gulf Freeway wreck when two vehicles collided with a stopped law enforcement car. The crash happened around 11:30 p.m. in the 7800 block of Interstate 45 South, near Park Place, as the officers were blocking two lanes because of a crash investigation, according to authorities. The claim: This legislation would register millions of illegal aliens to vote. It is intended to do that. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Cruz made the claim as attacks on Senate Democrats latest attempt to rewrite the nations voting laws have grown fierce. PolitiFact rating: Pants on Fire. Cruzs claim is based on a requirement in the bill that directs states to adopt automatic voter registration systems, which 19 states and Washington D.C. already have. But a section of the law instructs state agencies to share information for voter registration purposes only for citizens. People are also required to attest to their citizenship under penalties of perjury. The bill also does not change the fact that local election agencies would still be required to vet an applicants voting eligibility, as they have done in the past. Although glitches and malfunctions of automatic registration systems have been recorded, they are rare and easily corrected. Discussion Perhaps no other Republican has condemned the Democratic measure quite like Cruz, who called it the most dangerous legislation pending before the U.S. Congress during a recent meeting of the Senate Rules Committee. As it stands now, passage of the For the People Act doesnt appear likely. The bills House version, HR 1, passed nearly along party lines. But it failed to advance in the Senate Rules Committee after a 9-9 deadlock. And if it ever is taken to the floor of the Senate, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchins break from his party may sink the bill once and for all. (Manchin instead has chosen to support a more narrow voting rights bill, which he says will have a greater chance of gaining some Republican support.) The Democratic bill is indeed sweeping. At 791 pages, it does everything from prohibiting state voter ID laws to breaking the gridlock of the Federal Election Commission by removing a member. Cruz was not the first person to say the legislation would expand voting access to immigrants who are in the country illegally. In March, as the House deliberated HR 1, former Vice President Mike Pence wrote in an opinion article that the bill would ensure that millions of illegal immigrants are quickly registered to vote. Similar rhetoric then spread through viral social media posts, which claim that the bill gives immigrants in the country illegally the right to vote. PolitiFact has previously rated both these claims False on the basis that the bill does nothing to alter the legal requirement that only citizens are allowed to register to vote. The automatic voter registration provision would expand a practice that is already in place in 19 states (not including Texas) and Washington, D.C. The policy would require state agencies to share information collected on individuals with election officials to help streamline voter registration processes. People interacting with one government office like the department of motor vehicles or a public assistance agency would have their information forwarded to election officials for registration purposes. This would automatically register eligible citizens to vote or update their voter registration information unless they opt out. The stated intent of automatic voter registration is to increase voter registration rates and keep voter rolls up to date. During the 2016 election cycle, 33 percent of all voter registration applications in the U.S. originated at a DMV, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Cruzs spokesman, Steve Guest, said that although the bill purports only to allow registration for citizens, the bill nowhere requires proof of citizenship as part of automatic registration. Its true that the bill doesnt add a proof-of-citizenship step to the registration process. But theres a good reason for that, said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. In 2018, a federal judge ruled that a Kansas law requiring people to prove their U.S. citizenship was unconstitutional after the state failed to prove that a substantial number of ineligible people managed to register to vote. The absence of that requirement, however, doesnt mean millions of illegal aliens will begin registering, experts say. If a state agency doesnt know a persons citizenship status, it would direct them to a registration form where they would attest to their citizenship, as required by the National Voter Registration Act. Any voter who falsely attests to citizenship on the registration form would face penalties for perjury which, in Texas, is a class A misdemeanor punishable by fines and up to one year in jail. Local election agencies also still would be required to determine an applicants voting eligibility in the same way they already do, which experts say is effective in filtering out noncitizens. Cruzs staff also points to historical evidence of automatic voter registration registering illegal aliens. Guest cited a 2018 California case when the DMV notified the secretary of state that voter registrations for 23,000 Californians had been handled incorrectly by the automatic voter registration system. Of that total, 1,500 noncitizens were improperly registered to vote, according to ABC News. Officials traced the error back to a programming flaw, then canceled the erroneous registrations and invalidated mail-in ballots sent to people who were mistakenly registered. Automatic voter registration glitches have occurred in other states as well. In 2017, Pennsylvania officials said they found 544 ballots potentially cast by noncitizens in elections dating back to 2000 of about 93 million ballots cast. Thats about 1 out of every 172,000 ballots. Glitches also have occurred in Illinois and Nevada. But these glitches are rare and easily detectable and fixable, Becker said. Those are system glitches, technical problems that absolutely should be fixed. Proving citizenship would not fix them. They were problems in how the systems were designed and they were fixed, he said. Texas is one small, inevitable step away from becoming the largest state in the U.S. to allow anyone 21 and older to openly carry a handgun in public without a permit. Just after midnight early Monday, the Texas House put the finishing touches on the so-called constitutional carry legislation. With the Senate following suit hours later, it now goes to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has declared he will sign it into law. Ultimately, this bill restores a right to Texans that, to my knowledge, has not existed prior to 1871, state Rep. Matt Shaefer, R-Tyler, said moments before the House voted 82-62 to pass House Bill 1927. Hours later, the Senate voted 17-13 to do the same. Republicans supporters such as Shaefer say the U.S. Constitution guarantees Americans the right to have guns. But he said the state over the decades has put up barriers to gun ownership, namely a license-to-carry permit process that requires handgun owners to go through safety training and pay a $40 fee. Although gun advocates say they arent against safety courses, they say the training should be voluntary. The House and Senate had previously passed versions of the permitless carry legislation, but differences between the versions forced a series of closed-door negotiating sessions to work out a compromise. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Schaefer said the House had to give up some key provisions, but that ultimately we came out with a bill that is strong and no doubt is the strongest restoration of Second Amendment rights that any of us has ever seen in the history of the state of Texas. About 20 other states have adopted such laws; Texas would be by far the largest. Democrats including Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie condemned the legislation, recalling mass shootings in El Paso and Odessa-Midland in 2019. Instead of addressing the epidemic of mass shootings, Turner said, Republicans are putting more guns on the street in the hands of untrained people. What a slap in the face this is to all those people who have asked us, pleaded and begged, that we finally do something about the epidemic of gun violence, Turner said. Abbott has left no doubt that hell sign the bill. On Friday, the governor tweeted: Constitutional carry is moving in the #txlege. The strongest Second Amendment legislation in Texas history. Lets get it to my desk for signing. The bill nearly died in March under the weight of opposition from law enforcement, and its rise is another reminder of the dramatic turns that happen during the states once-every-two-years legislative session. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who oversees the Senate, had signaled early on that there werent enough votes in that chamber to pass the bill. But over the weeks, the Senate added amendments to toughen penalties for felons who are caught carrying a gun illegally and to bar people with convictions for domestic violence or making terroristic threats from openly carrying guns in public. Schaefer said he fought behind the scenes to strip off one of the amendments that was aimed at stopping police from disarming a person to protect officer safety. Police officials were adamant that they needed the discretion to disarm people they encounter, even if only temporarily. But Schaefer said he was able to keep a provision in the bill that expunges peoples past convictions for carrying a gun without a license-to-carry permit because that will not be a crime in Texas starting Sept. 1, when the bill is expected to take effect. Gun rights groups celebrated early Monday. Andi Turner, legislative director for the Texas State Rifle Association, told that groups members in an email there there are still steps to go before the bill becomes law, but I am putting the champagne in the refrigerator to chill. Critics of the legislation, including Texas Gun Sense, say that instead of curbing the proliferation of guns, the state is taking steps to put more of them on the streets. Guns everywhere do not make us safer, Texas Gun Sense officials tweeted early Monday. State Rep. Vicki Goodwin, D-Austin, said that instead of closing background check loopholes for gun purchases or taking other steps to help Texas fight gun violence, the state is going in the opposite direction, even as mass shootings become more common. For many of us, this is heartbreaking to think of more guns on our streets, more guns in our stores, more guns potentially in our schools, in courtrooms everywhere in Texas, she said. Even when the bill becomes law, it will have provisions to keep people with criminal records from having a gun and keep the license-to-carry permit system around for legal gun owners to still get permits if they want them. In other states, such as Arizona, which have already allowed permitless carry, many gun owners still go through the permit process voluntarily for the training and to have the paper when traveling to other states that still require a permit. Major gun bills in the Texas Legislature HB 1927: Permitless Carry What it does: Texans 21 and older would not need a permit to openly carry a handgun in public. Status: Passed Legislature, headed to governor. HB 2622: Second Amendment Sanctuary State What it does: Prohibits using state resources to enforce any new federal gun laws, a pre-emptive measure aimed at preventing gun control measures that may come from the Biden administration. Status: Passed Legislature, headed to the governor. SB 20: Hotel gun bill What it does: Allows gun owners to carry their arms to their rooms at hotels and motels. Currently, law allows hotels to ban the carrying of guns onto their property. Status: Amended version passed House on Monday, now heads back to Senate before it can go to governor HB 1500 Emergency Powers What it does: Bars the governor or local governments during a declared disaster from restricting operations of firearms or ammunition businesses including gun stores and shooting ranges. Status: Already cleared House, awaiting final vote in the Senate. See More Collapse jeremy.wallace@chron.com Houston, MO (65483) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. U.S. government finally acknowledging UFOs, thanks to Republicans By Rachel Alexander Few people will discuss UFOs, dreading the label of a conspiracy theorist. The U.S. government claimed for years that it had not discovered any UFOs or evidence of alien life. But all that may be changing thanks to Republicans. In 2019 under President Donald Trump, the Navy admitted that three leaked videos taken by Navy pilots showed UFOs. One was taken in 2004 and two in 2015. The pilot who saw one of them said it flew in a way he could not understand. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, Christopher Mellon, who is related to the late conservative billionaire funder Richard Mellon Scaife, has claimed that he was responsible for leaking the videos. He said, "We know that UFOs exist. This is no longer an issue." The Pentagon followed up last April releasing the videos with the statement, The aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterized as unidentified. Then the DOD admitted UFOs exist in December. Now Republicans are forcing the government to turn over information. Sen. Marco Rubio, chair of the Senates Select Committee on Intelligence, included a provision in Decembers $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and appropriations bill that Trump signed requiring intelligence agencies to provide a report on UFOs within 180 days. That deadline is almost here, and things are continuing to change in anticipation. John Ratcliffe, former Director of National Intelligence under Trump and known as one of the most conservative members of Congress, said during a March interview with Fox News Maria Bartiromo that there have been sightings of flying objects which are hard to explain: Movements that are hard to replicate that we dont have the technology for. Or traveling at speeds that exceed the sound barrier without a sonic boom. But Democrats are rushing to take credit first, even though Republicans set the ball rolling. Confident that the issue is no longer being framed as a conspiracy theory, they want to pretend to be the first high-level officials to acknowledge the evidence. During an interview this week with CBS's The Late Late Show with James Corden, former President Barack Obama said , "What is true, and I'm actually being serious here, is that there is footage and records of objects in the skies that we don't know exactly what they are." Its finally no longer a fringe issue. While many reputable people have come forward in recent years and vouched for their existence in large part due to the efforts of an emergency room doctor named Steven Greer who brought together a large community of authoritative people from ex-military officials to scientists it has taken years to get the government to admit anything, much less produce any of its research. Democrats may finally be coming around on the issue because of how its being framed. Greer says that the governments obsession with building up the military-industrial complex relies on oil and gas fossil fuels. Focusing on those has shut out a lot of interest in green energy sources. Reducing the military-industrial complex would make it easier to shift to alternative energy sources. The military-industrial complex always has an enemy, whether its hostile countries, terrorists, or the unknown. So far our knowledge of UFOs reveals that theyre not hostile. Letting the public have access to this type of information would remove UFOs as a pretext for keeping the military-industrial complex so huge. Why is the mainstream media barely covering the governments turnaround on UFOs? It is probably because they dont want to give Republicans the credit for turning the stigma around. Just like there are always a handful of brave journalists working for the MSM who dare to cover things that are anathema to the left, there are a few exceptions in this area. There are so few articles by the MSM about this that people actually refer to them like The New Yorker article about UFOs, The New York Times expose on UFOs and the 60 Minutes video. It may also be because of the lefts hatred for anything that might give credibility to the existence of God. Anything supernatural, outside the realm of what they can see and hear and quantify, gives weight to the argument that God exists. Billionaire Elon Musk, who is an agnostic or atheist and admired by the left, has taken the lead in making the search for aliens acceptable by his interest in life on Mars. Just as important, why hasnt the government acknowledged UFOs until now? Former Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), obviously under pressure considering Area 51 is located in his state, secured funding for UFO research, but none of the results ever reached the public until the Trump years. Reid admitted in the 2020 UFO documentary The Phenomenon that the federal government all these years has covered up, put brake pads on everything, stopped it. He discusses a 1967 incident where an object appeared over a U.S. missile base at the same time 10 of the missiles became inoperative. Much of the money Reid helped get was awarded to Robert Bigelow, a friend of Reids who owns an aerospace research company. Bigelow went public several years after the program he was involved in ended in 2019, saying on 60 Minutes that he was absolutely convinced that aliens exist and that UFOs have visited Earth. Luiz Elizondo, who led the Pentagons effort to investigate UFOs, resigned in 2017 to protest excessive secrecy and internal opposition to the program. He said he was blocked from informing superiors, including Gen. James Mad Dog Mattis. Tom Rogan, who writes about national security for The Washington Examiner, believes it is because the government is afraid UFOs have negative intentions. This is because theyve had significant interaction with U.S. Navy planes operating off of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and near Air Force nuclear weapons bases and nuclear submarines. The government doesnt want to cause panic. Dont expect to get any apology from the left for being wrong about this conspiracy theory. Theyre too busy taking credit now. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative . She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications.mericano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home Bakari Blackburn gets a Pfizer vaccine shot from nurse Melissa Ontanon in a CTA bus converted to a Chicago Department of Public Health mobile vaccination station at William H. Ray School, Saturday morning, May 22. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. 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Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas: Our team closely monitors the developments around the attack on Raman Pratasevich and the hijacking of the Ryainair flight FR4978 by the Lukashenka regime. We stand in solidarity with Mr Pratasevich and his close ones. We assess all available information related to possible Russias role in the operation, including the alleged participation of the Russian agents who left the plane upon its landing in Minsk. Should this information be confirmed, we will provide you with the updates in the next briefing issue. Recent policy developments Lukashenka on the occasion of accepting the Ambassador's credentials: there would be a joint response "if someone dares to challenge Russia or Belarus" On May 13, Aliaksandr Lukashenka accepted the credentials of Ambassadors of Iraq, Nicaragua, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and Sierra Leone. Besides commenting on Belarus' relations with each of the above-mentioned countries, Lukashenka stated that the constitutional reform effort is ongoing with broad public discussions, although "not everyone abroad likes this". Lukashenka also underlined the strategic nature of relations with Russia, stating that Belarus and Russia do not coalesce against other countries, yet if someone dared to challenge either Russia or Belarus, there would be a joint response. Lukashenka also mentioned that the dialogue on integration is proceeding at full speed, aiming to provide equal conditions for the economic entities of the two states. The ceremony of accepting Ambassadors' credentials is particularly important for Minsk in the current circumstances of isolation between Belarus' and the West. The Ambassadors of France, Greece and Luxembourg only handed over the copies of credentials to the Belarusian MFA, avoiding direct contact with Aliaksandr Lukashenka given the context of the post-electoral crisis in which the leader's legitimacy is in question. U.S. Ambassador Julie Fischer was not granted a visa to Belarus due to U.S. criticism of the regime. In such a context, the ceremony demonstrates that there are countries that recognize the current leadership and also sends a message to the states that might hesitate to introduce their Ambassadors to Minsk in the midst of the political crisis. Lukashenka also highlights the special role of Russia, signalling to the international community that Moscow sides with Minsk in terms of political support and common security issues. References to constitutional reform convey the message to the international community that Lukashenka seeks ways to solve the political crisis and quell the protest moods by taking into consideration public opinion on changes to the constitution. However, based on the comments of the Constitutional commission to the press, the reform would most likely not result in a significant redistribution of power. Thus, Piotr Miklashevich, head of the Constitutional court, stated that there is no need to limit the president's right to issue decrees that are above parliament's laws. In the background of ongoing repressions and increasingly aggressive anti-extremist legislation, it is possible to expect that the announced 14 amendments to the chapter on basic rights and freedoms could further limit civic freedoms. At the same time, constitutional reform was discussed on several occasions between Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin. Russia would likely publicly endorse the reform, stating that Lukashenka sought ways to mitigate the domestic crisis, thus declining the offers of the West for mediation and dialogue. State Secretary of the Union State Dmitry Mesentsev criticizes G7 communique on Belarus On May 9, State Secretary of the Russia-Belarus Union State Dmitry Mesentsev critically assessed the G7 Communique on Belarus which called for a national dialogue and OSCE mediation, and denounced the repressions. Mesentsev noted that "it is inadmissible to impose the will of just one country, which is seeking to build a unipolar world, either on Russia, or on Belarus". Such a statement from the representative of the Union State is consistent with Russia's position to side with Belarusian leadership, avoiding the criticism of human rights violations, and also labelling attempts by the collective West to address the Belarusian crisis as a malicious action against the Union State. Lukashenka will meet with Vladimir Putin for the third time this year According to the Russian newspaper "Kommersant", Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin are planning a new meeting by the end of May. "Kommersant" quotes several confidential sources close to Minsk and the Kremlin, who confirm that Lukashenka and Putin would likely discuss integration documents, which are now called "union programs", replacing the previous integration roadmaps. If the meeting takes place, that would be the third time Lukashenka and Putin meet in person this year. Previously, counterparts met in Sochi in February and in Moscow in April. Given that the content of these conversations is confidential, the meetings generate public speculation on whether Lukashenka might agree to some sovereignty trade-offs in exchange for the Kremlin's political support in the current post-electoral crisis. If the counterparts indeed discuss the details of the Union State integration, as reported by the presidential press service, that signifies that the negotiated issues are of high significance and thus require continuous high-level contacts and cannot be settled by the integration commissions and relevant ministries of the two countries. Belarusian MPs discussed preparations for the Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus On May 5, 2021 the Upper Chamber of the Belarusian Parliament (the Council of the Republic) held a working meeting on the preparation for the 8th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus. The main theme of this event, dedicated to bilateral cooperation in the Union State, will be "Scientific and technological cooperation between Russia and Belarus in the era of digitalization". The event will be held in the Moscow region and will include six sections, as well as the Youth Forum of the two countries. Key issues related to the organization of the Forum were discussed at the working meeting in the Parliament. The Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions is a traditional annual event attended by politicians, civil servants, officials, parliamentarians and public figures of the two countries. It is in many ways a formal event, which, nevertheless, is a platform for formal and informal communication between representatives of the two countries, which contributes to the establishment of trust and additional ties and networks between them. It is important that, in addition to the Forum itself, a separate event for young people is planned, which is aimed at forming a positive image of Russian-Belarusian integration. Energy and economy Oil and gas During the upcoming meeting between Aliaksandr Lukashenka and Vladimir Putin, the parties are set to discuss when the price of gas for Belarus will be reduced. The topic of compensation for tax maneuvers (tax maneuver is the Russian policy in the oil sector which implies a reduction of crude export duties and simultaneously raising the mineral extraction tax) in the oil sector is also in the spotlight. Now Minsk buys Russian gas at a price of $128.5 per 1,000 cubic meters and would like to reduce it to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters from January 1, 2022 until the unification of customs and tax systems planned for 2024. It is assumed that negotiations on the two issues will take at least 22.5 years. Investments From January to March 2021, foreign investments in the real sector of the economy (except for banks) totalled USD $3 billion. The main investors were business entities of the Russian Federation (37.4% of all incoming investments), Cyprus (18%), Ukraine (6.7%) and the United Kingdom (6%). The inflow of foreign direct investment amounted to $2.5 billion, or 84.5% of all incoming foreign investment. Finance, international loans Russian Bank TKB acted as the authorized lead organizer and bookrunner for a syndicated loan for Belagroprombank OJSC (75 million euros for a period of 1 year with the possibility of prolongation for a subsequent similar period). The loan was provided to the borrower for general corporate purposes and financing of trade contracts of the borrower's clients. The authorized Lead Arrangers of the transaction were TKB BANK PJSC and PJSC Promsvyazbank. The leading organizers of the syndicated loan are also JSC ROSEXIMBANK, JSC JSCB INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CLUB and Bank ZENIT. This is the 16th syndicated loan organized by TKB for Belarusian banks. Thanks to these projects, about 2 billion euros have been invested in the Belarusian economy in recent years. The organizers closed the order book for Belagroprombank in a fairly short time and under dynamic market conditions. According to the Presidential Decree No. 183 of 13 May, 2021to the Council of Ministers, loans in 20212023 should attract external government by issuing government securities in the territory of the Russian Federation as government debt in the amount of up to RUB 100 billion (now $1.35 billion) with a maturity circulation of at least 1092 days. The placement of securities will be carried out "in order to refinance the external state debt of the Republic of Belarus." The decree provides for the possibility "if necessary, to fix in the emission documents the waiver of the Republic of Belarus from immunity", including "from the application of offset of counterclaims, litigation and arbitration processes and proceedings, enforcement of court and (or) arbitral awards, as well as in relation to preliminary security of a claim and enforcement of judicial and (or) arbitral awards in disputes related to the issue, circulation, redemption and servicing of government securities and (or) arising from issuance documents ". According to the decree, the funds received from the placement of government securities in Russia will be credited to the bank account of the Ministry of Finance opened with Gazprombank. Foreign trade During the 1st quarter of 2021, the export of Belarusian goods to Russia increased by 8.3%, while imports from the Russian Federation to Belarus increased by 32.7%. Due to the prevailing growth of imports, the negative balance of foreign trade has multiplied. If in 2020 it was minus $447 million, then in the first three months of 2021 it dropped to minus $1.373 billion. A significant increase in imports has led to an increase in imbalances in foreign trade with Russia. In January-March 2020, for every $100 of imports from the Russian Federation, there were $87.7 of exports to Russia, and in January-March 2021 this figure was only $71.5. The imbalance in trade with the Russian Federation has consistently deteriorated throughout 2021. As a result, the trade balance with Russia is worsening every month (see more details in the table below). Foreign trade of Belarus in goods with the Russian Federation in 2021 (million USD) The share of Russia in the commodity trade of Belarus increased from 47.7% at the end of the 1st quarter of 2020 to 48.7% in the 1st quarter of 2021. The reasons are: the effect of the rise in oil prices. According to the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the average price of Urals oil in the 1st quarter increased by 24.1% by 2020. Also, in 2021, supplies of Russian oil in physical terms increased significantly. imports are pushing Belarusian goods off the shelves. Due to the size of the flows, goods from the Republic of Belarus are losing the competition to cheaper and higher-quality imports from Russia. Logistics In May 2021, it is expected that 673,000 tons of crude oil will be supplied to Russia's neighbouring countries via the Transneft system. At the same time, oil supplies to Belarus will decrease more than twice as much as compared with the April figure, from 1.325 million tons to 608,000 tons. However Belarusian prime-minister Golovchenko insists: "But, as it were, we buy oil not from the United States, but from our partner the Russian Federation. All contracts have been signed; oil is supplied in accordance with the terms of these contracts." The discussion on the further reorientation of Belarusian cargo to Russian ports continues. The supply of petroleum products through them has already begun. Now fertilizers, woodworking and mechanical engineering products can also pass through Russian harbours. The main condition is that enterprises should not lose because of the increase in logistical costs. Public Administration Minsk hosted a meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Heads of Legal Services of the CIS Foreign Ministries On May 6, 2021 the CIS Executive Committee in Minsk hosted the 30th session of the Consultative Committee of the Heads of Legal Services of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the CIS Member States. Representatives of the legal services of the foreign ministries of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the legal department of the CIS Executive Committee took part in the meeting. The participants of the meeting finalized and coordinated the draft of new methodological recommendations on the elaboration of international treaties concluded within the framework of the CIS. The Committee listened to the information on the elaboration of the Convention on the legal status of the delegations sent to the CIS member states as well as other issues regarding the application of international treaties and other CIS documents. The next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be held in September-October 2021 in Minsk. The event is a typical formal activity within the framework of Russia-supported integration initiatives in the "near abroad" (in this case, the CIS). The meeting was devoted to legal aspects of CIS regulation and discussions on legal projects, but not lead to agreement on any specific decisions. Such events are hardly significant in terms of real political influence, but nevertheless, they are supported by the authorities of Russia, Belarus and other CIS states, and unite officials of these countries. Military and law-enforcement agencies Ukraine remains on alert, despite Russia's recent announcement that it had withdrawn military forces that had been located near the country's eastern border. In particular, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine said that "the threat of military intervention has not disappeared", a point echoed by military experts at the international roundtable on security issues, who consider that Belarus is becoming the Western vanguard of Russian aggression. In characteristically bellicose language, the Belarusian high-ranking military officers condemn the activity of NATO forces: The First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces Igor Korol said that NATO Strategic Air Forces practice the attacks on the Union State near the territory of Belarus. He stressed that the joint forces of Russia and Belarus are prepared to repel military aggression. Healthcare On May 6, 2021, Belarusian Minister of Healthcare Dmitry Pinevich announced plans to purchase and manufacture Sputnik Light. This is the first component of Sputnik V, recently registered in Russia as a separate drug. The vaccine is approved for use by people between the ages of 18 and 40. However, according to the minister, it will enter circulation only in 2022. On May 8, the Minister reported that another batch of the Belarusian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has successfully passed quality control in Russia, and another 358,000 doses of the first component of the vaccine were shipped to the Belpharmacia enterprise, which delivers the vaccine to the regions. On May 13, 2021, Mr Pinevich also announced that the full production cycle of the Sputnik V vaccine will begin at Belmedpreparaty in October 2021. He explained that two joint projects with Russian companies on technology transfer are being implemented for that purpose. Church The delegation of the Belarusian Orthodox Church participated in the churchwide congress on the social role of the Church in Moscow On May 13, 2021, the 10th Churchwide Congress on Social Service, the largest charity forum of the Russian Orthodox Church, began in Moscow. A delegation from the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC), headed by Archpriest Kirill Sholkov, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Role of the BOC, took part in the opening of the congress. The Congress was attended by 1.500 people from different countries. The event is devoted to the 30th anniversary of charities in modern Russia and to the revival of the social service of the Church. It is known that the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC), both formally and informally, is part of and hierarchically subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church. In general, representatives of the BOC frequently participate in events in Moscow and Russia. This interaction attests to the hierarchical relationship between these parties and contributes to a common agenda (in this case, a social one) between church institutions in Russia and Belarus. Seminars on the implementation of the new cooperation strategy between the Belarusian Exarchate and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus were held in the Diocese of Homel On May 13, 2021, a series of practical seminars on the realization of the new strategy of cooperation between the Belarusian Exarchate and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus were held in the Diocese of Homel. Archbishop Stefan of Gomel and Zhlobin held a meeting with the heads of education departments of the Homel Regional Executive Committee; the management of the Homel Regional Institute of Education Development; rectors of regional universities and the administrations of special and professional secondary education institutions. The Chairman of the Synodal Department of the Belarusian Orthodox Church for Cooperation with Secular Educational Institutions, Archpriest Feodor Povny, made a report on "The Development Strategy of the BOC Synodal Department for Cooperation with Secular Educational Institutions". There were also discussions between representatives of the Church and students at the Homel State University named after Frantsysk Skaryna. This event is a typical example of intense interaction between the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC) and the Belarusian authorities. In this case, we can observe an example of such interaction at the regional level. However, the same cooperation can be seen at the national level when, for instance, Alexander Lukashenka personally congratulated the Easter Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. It is typical that not only public institutions and officials, but also state-controlled educational institutions (universities and secondary educational institutions) are involved in events under the auspices of the BOC. Thus, we see how structural connections are established and maintained between the Orthodox Church as a Russian institution in Belarus; Belarusian officials; and the educational sphere. Interestingly, the seminars in Homel were attended by Archpriest Fedor Povny, who is considered to be from Alexander Lukashenka's inner circle. Internet and Media Influence During the latest meeting between Putin and Lukashenka (April 22, 2021), both presidents reported on the advancement of negotiations in building the Union State. In particular, Lukashenka said that the parties agreed on the majority of the roadmaps, with only two to three still under consideration. Nevertheless, Russian-backed propaganda website Sonar2050 stated that current development in the Union State is unsatisfactory and suggests a comprehensive report meant to convince the population about the appealing character of the Union State. The report is biased and full of inaccuracies, with one of the highlights being that Belarusian labor migrants are said to be the channels of Russian investment into the economy of Belarus (p.4 of the report). Civil Society A number of pro-Russian events were held in Belarus on May 9 On May 9, several events were held in Belarus which were directly or indirectly supported by Russia. Several civil society organizations (CSOs) in Minsk applied to the Minsk City Executive Committee for permission to conduct an action ("Immortal Regiment") on May 9. City authorities refused the application on the pretext of the coronavirus but offered the participants the option to join the official events, which they did. Similarly, representatives of the "Immortal Regiment" joined the official events in Brest, Hrodna, Homel and Vitebsk. Brest also hosted several exhibitions supported by the news agency "Sputnik". There was also the start of the Belarusian CSO "Russian Society" and the auto race Charity Fund "Brest Fund of Assistance to War Veterans" on the "Brest - Irkutsk - Brest Commonwealth: from Bug to Baikal" route, which declared its goal to be "the preservation of memory about the feat of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War". The rally is supported by the Memorial Complex "Brest Fortress-Hero"; the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Belarus; the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in Russia; the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Brest; Brest Regional Executive Committee; and other state and public organizations of Belarus and Russia. The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and Russia launched the study guide for history teachers entitled "Russia and Belarus: Essays on Joint History". The guide is meant to "reveal the Russian and Belarusian historical approach to World War II and the Great Patriotic War, as well as to the contribution of the peoples of the Soviet Union to the common Victory." All in all, this is an ideological project to prevent "the history of victory in the Great Patriotic War" from being rewritten and to promote the Russian-centered version of history. May 9 (Victory Day) is an important symbolic component of Russian foreign policy narratives related to the desire to restore Russia's status as a great power and leader in the international arena. In addition, this day is also a part of the narratives focusing on demonstrating the unity of "Russian compatriots" abroad, in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The events held in Belarus in 2021 show that, on the one hand, Russia manages to initiate events connected with the 9th of May (for example, the motor rally) which are supported by a certain part of Belarusian society. On the other hand, we also see that the Belarusian authorities try to use Victory Day for their own ideological purposes. Due to the latter circumstance, the actions of the "Immortal Regiment" in Belarus were incorporated into the official events initiated and held by the Belarusian authorities. Pro-Russian movement publishes report about "Western influence on Belarusian opposition" One of the instruments used extensively by Russian propagandists was the defamation of the Belarusian opposition. The latter is said to be sponsored by the Western countries and willing to create a negative image of Russia in the eyes of the Belarusian population. One of the notable efforts implemented by Russia in this regard was publishing the report entitled "Mushroom Spawn. Goals and Methods of Financing of the Belarusian opposition", which was prepared by the pro-Russian movement "Civil Concord" and presented in Minsk on May 15. The Belarusian civic actors are named as direct beneficiaries of the Western donors, the main aim being to "represent Russia as an aggressive and dangerous neighbor, threatening the state sovereignty of Belarus". The authors denounced Western countries for unleashing the "hybrid war" against Russia and provoking the current crisis in Belarus. Source: https://ukraineworld.org/articles/infowatch/belarus-watch-briefing-issue-5 Adams Eliminating DPW Director Position ADAMS, Mass. Town officials plan to eliminate the Department of Public Works director position, and current Director Robert Tober will be relieved of his duties at the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1. The fiscal 2022 budget will not fund the position, and Town Administrator Jay Green said the decision was made for budgetary reasons. "The decision is a budgetary decision based on an assessment of the value that the position brings to town operations," Green said in an email correspondence. "The Board of Selectmen have asked me to continually assess the value and necessity of positions within town government, keeping an eye on cost controls and the impact to the tax rate." Without having to pay the position's salary or benefits, the town will save $103,112. Tober informed the Cemetery Commission on Wednesday that his time with the town was coming to an end this summer. "I don't know what is going to happen to my position," he said. "I don't know if they are going to reinstate it or if they just want to save some money for the town." The town has gone through several interim and permanent directors since longtime Director Thomas Satko retired in the spring of 2014. He was replaced by Joe Bettis, who lasted a little over year and Tober was hired in 2019 after the town had gone without a director for two years. Directors tended to move on after a few years and at times it felt as though the town was in a constant search process with employees from within stepping up to cover the post in the interim. "I was hired a year and a half ago. I moved here in December," Tober said. "Four months later I found out, but that is another discussion." Green said prior to hiring Tober, the town was operating efficiently without a director. "During the multi-year absence of a DPW Director prior to the January 2020 hiring of Mr. Tober, the Town learned to function without a traditional DPW Director," Green said. "The majority of the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of the DPW have been assumed by the DPW Operations Supervisor's position and the Working Foremen positions in Highway and Parks/Grounds." He said the wastewater treatment plant operates in a similar fashion. Green said higher-level tasks such as planning and purchasing have been absorbed by the Community Development Department or other town staff. "Design and wngineering is handled by contractors, which is consistent with municipalities the size of Adams," Green said. "This functionality did not change over the past year and illustrated that the position was superfluous as currently structured. Our residents and businesses should see no impact to service delivery." He said DPW-related duties had been considered in the hiring of a community development director; Eammon Coughlin was hired for that post last week. "Over the past year, it became apparent that Adams is evolving and successfully operating in a way that does not require a traditional DPW director; over the next year, in conjunction with on-boarding a new Community Development Director one with transportation planning experience (e.g., roads) we will assess what skill set we may need to move Adams ahead," he said. "This is part of a continuous improvement mindset that will we adopt." Green said these are tough decisions he has had to make throughout the town but said it is important to right-size the budget and control costs. "When a position is vacated, we assess the position as to whether it can be eliminated, reduced to par time or filled full time. For FY21, a position in Community Development was also eliminated and other tactical cuts were executed in the midst of the predicted economic downturn due to the health pandemic," he said. "Most of the sources of municipal revenue, outside of real estate tax, are elastic and thus would likely drop due to the business restrictions used to mitigate the COVID 19 virus. We had to tighten our belt in a reactive fashion in FY21, whereas in FY22, this is a proactive and strategic effort to control rising costs and potential for a revenue drop. Not an easy decision to make." Tober brought the item up at the Cemetery Commission meeting because he said he would not be around to see through a cemetery restoration grant he wanted to apply for to address many of the lingering issues at Maple Street Cemetery. He said the money could be used to stand up some fallen stones and make repairs to the Quaker Meetinghouse. The commissioners said they would coordinate with other stakeholders such as the Historical Society. Commissioner Fred Hobart was not sold on eliminating the position "I am surprised they are doing that," he said. Commissioner Bruce Shepley didn't want to delve too far into the topic but wished Tober well. "If you are not here at our next meeting then we wish you the best of luck," he said. This was the commission's first meeting since July 2020 and Shepley asked if there was even a reason for them to consistently meet every month. "The issues that have happened seemed to have been handled by the DPW there has not been the need for us to meet," he said. "We have not needed to act on anything ... That is the obvious thing, we haven't been meeting and everything has been functioning." He felt it may be better to only meet when they have actual business. He did not want to make a decision at that meeting but a meeting was scheduled in July to continue the discussion. At the beginning of the meeting, the commissioners thanked former DPW Administrative Assistant Marilyn Kolis for her many years of service to the town. "Marilyn was more than the person that was in the office answering the phone," Shepley said. "Her knowledge was second to none about the happenings in the DPW, especially for the Cemetery Commission." A projected coverage map shows areas (in green) that would be covered if AT&T located antennae on both a proposed cellular tower and an existing structure near the Williamstown-New Ashford town line. Williamstown ZBA Asks Cell Tower Developer to Lower Height A map shows areas (in green) that would be covered if AT&T located antennae on just the existing tower near the Williamstown-New Ashford town line. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday sent an applicant who wants to build a cellular tower in South Williamstown back to the drawing board one more time. The board spent two hours discussing an application for a special permit from Pittsfield's Evolution Site Services. In the end, the ZBA opted to continue the public hearing to a fourth meeting in hopes that Christopher Ciolfi can design a tower that is as short as possible and that allows for possible expansion if needed in the future. "We're considering a lattice tower, 113 feet for the lowest [antenna] position, the ability to add to the tower so that needs to be considered as part of the engineering, but currently only capable of taking three services at 11 feet per service," Chair Andrew Hoar said in summing up the changes the board would like to see in the application. "Christopher, if you could please, provide us with the best you can based on that request: lattice, three services starting at 113 feet, the ability to add to it and pipe mount to the lattice." Evolution's original application to the board was for a 165-foot cell tower on the Phelps family's farm. That would have been enough height to accommodate five cellular services with 12 foot centerline spacing between antennae. Ciolfi has been before the board with the request in March, April and May The board has heard considerable feedback from residents of the area about the potential impact to viewshed in that part of town, and the ZBA members hope that by reducing the spacing between antennae and the number of carriers in the initial design, Evolution can lower the overall height of the tower it is proposing. The town's independent consultant has previously told the board that it is possible to build shorter towers designed for expansion. And given the fact that only two "co-locators" are currently contemplated along with AT&T, which is financing the tower, ZBA members hope that the tower's height can be minimized. The potential for expansion is important, though. One of the reasons to build a tower high enough to support multiple users is that it limits the number of towers needed in a coverage area. "The last thing we want to do is have more towers popping up," Hoar said. For some residents, the last thing they want is to have any towers popping up. "I keep thinking that it's not really a matter of aesthetics or the fact that we like to look at a pretty view," Pam Weatherbee said. "I feel [the landscape] is also an economic asset to the town. The town does not have very many industries aside from the Clark [Art Institute] and the college. A lot of it is built on the beauty of the environment. "I would like to know how we are judging our scenic values. Who is judging scenic values on your board? How do you judge them? And does anyone have any expertise in this?" Attorney Daniel Finnegan of Springfield, who represents Oblong Road homeowner Donald J. Toumey, reminded the ZBA on Thursday that the federal Telecommunications Act enables local permitting authorities to consider aesthetics and that the town's bylaw on cellular towers specifically references, "Protect[ing] the scenic, historic, environmental and natural or man-made resources of the community." Hoar assured Weatherbee that the members of the board had read all of the correspondence and listened to all of the testimony from residents who have objected to locating a cellular tower at the site in question. "Many, many years ago, I spent my summers on Oblong Road at what was then the Brown estate, where my grandfather was the caretaker," Hoar said. "I share a love for that area as well. Please know that this board does not take lightly any of the decisions we're making here." ZBA member Vince Pesce pointed out that the board has to balance the need to protect the environment with the need to provide access to cellular carriers demanded in the 21st century. "For me, the thing is we are going to have an impact on our environment," Pesce said. "We build a road, we build a house, even erecting a tent has an impact." Susan Yates and Sherwood Guernsey of Hancock Road joined residents who have told the ZBA that they are concerned about the coverage gap that the proposed tower is meant to address. "The coverage is so bad that it is really a problem for the use of cell phones, which everyone has," Guernsey said. "It makes communication impossible for everyone in the area. We would support that tower from a safety standpoint, from a health standpoint and, obviously, just communication that we all rely on today." Pesce also addressed the economic impact concern that Weatherbee raised. "I work at Jiminy Peak, and, years ago, one of the complaints we heard, even to the point of not wanting to come back, was the lack of cell phone service," Pesce said. "Does Williamstown become a more desirable place for people to return knowing that they have good cell phone service here?" "It could be a selling point: no cell phones," ZBA member David Levine countered. Several years ago, when the ZBA was considering a permit tower at the junction of Routes 2 and 7 that never was built, a local hotel owner testified that he did lose business because of the poor cell service at his property. The Evolution special permit hearing will be continued at the ZBA's meeting on June 17. In other business on Thursday, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved the special permits needed to build the third and final phase of the Cable Mills residential complex on Water Street. Developers detailed a plan to build 54 units in a 64,000 square foot, four-story structure. Attorney Donald Dubendorf told the board that 17 of the new units will be designated as affordable housing. In the first phase of the project, the renovation of the existing mill building, 13 units were designated affordable for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income. An additional 17 units will mean 22 percent of the units in the complex will be designated affordable. "That's something the developer is proud of and has worked hard to promote," Dubendorf said. Engineer Charlie LaBatt of Guntlow and Associates told the board that when the project is completed, the Cable Mills complex will have nine-tenths of an acre less impervious surface than it did when the developer started the project. "I don't think we ever envisioned it would be that much [of a reduction], but obviously that's a huge asset to the [Green] River, it's a big asset to stormwater management and recharge for the well overlay district here," LaBatt said. After the board unanimously granted the permits needed for the project, Dubendorf informed the panel that Thursday marked his last appearance before it because he will be retiring at the end of the month. Board members expressed their appreciation for Dubendorf's professionalism in representing clients who have come before the ZBA over the years. "Don, I've always appreciated your honesty and your doing your homework thoroughly," Levine said. "We certainly have enjoyed being on the opposite side of the table from you," Hoar added. Protected areas now cover nearly a fifth of Earths surface, UN says by John Cannon May 24,2021 | Source: Mongabay The area of protected land on Earth has increased to seven times the size of India since 2010, according to a report released May 19 by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The addition of 2 million square kilometers (more than 770,000 square miles) brings the world tantalizingly close to meeting one of the goals set at the 2010 Convention on Biological Diversity conference held in Japans Aichi prefecture. Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, called those gains impressive. We do need to congratulate the national governments for stretching and for getting so far, Andersen said at a press conference. But we also need to understand that theres more to be done. The Protected Planet Report 2020 takes stock of measures taken to meet whats known as Aichi Target 11, which called for protecting 17% of Earths land and 10% its marine environments by 2020. The report also lays the groundwork for a new framework aimed at protecting nature, which will be decided upon at the UN Biodiversity Conference, scheduled for October 2021 in Kunming, China. The raw numbers tabulated in the report revealed that parks, preserves and other conservation-focused areas cover 16.64% of all land. The reports authors say ongoing efforts to identify all of the land thats currently conserved or managed privately or by Indigenous and local communities will almost certainly be enough to push that proportion past the 17% goal in Aichi Target 11. But although protected area coverage in the oceans has more than tripled since 2010, to 28.1 million square kilometers (nearly 11 million square miles), it falls short of safeguarding 10% of marine environments worldwide. The report also notes that some protected areas do a better job of protecting biodiversity and critical ecological regions than others. Its not enough putting up a fence, Andersen said. We also need to ensure that the quality is up to standard. She noted that protected areas are crucial pieces in the global climate puzzle, given that they hold about a fifth of the lands sequestered carbon. And a 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has shown that, even as progress was made toward the goal of increasing protected area coverage, biodiversity has continued to decline worldwide, with around 1 million species threatened with extinction. On both land and at sea, more than half of ecosystem types vital repositories of unique species in many cases dont meet the thresholds for protected area coverage laid out in Aichi Target 11. The headline message here is that the quality elements of the target have made much slower progress than the quantity elements, Neville Ash, the director of UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, said during the press conference. Not all protected and conserved areas are effective. On land, links between conserved areas are rare, with less than 8% of Earths surface qualifying as protected and connected. Research for the report also surfaced concerns about the data used to assess the effective management of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, or OECMs. The report also reveals that conservation measures need to be more inclusive and to place less of a disproportionate burden on poor communities. This remains the case, despite decades of research showing that management by Indigenous and local communities often helps maintain healthier ecosystems than traditional protected areas. We must ensure that protected and conserved areas are at the right places, well-managed and equitably governed, Bruno Oberle, director-general of the IUCN, said at the press conference. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, executive secretary of the UNs Convention on Biological Diversity, said the past decade has revealed there arent adequate monitoring mechanisms for assessing protections for land and water. The panel also acknowledged that none of the 20 Aichi targets were met in full. But Mrema said getting to 17% protection coverage on land should be encouraging, even if it was only part of the Target 11 goal. A key lesson coming from the strategic plan is that, if we take action, then we deliver, she said. We can do it, and weve done it. Theme(s): Others. Indian armed forces position their assets, keep teams ready to mitigate effects of Cyclone Yaas by Mayank Singh May 24,2021 | Source: Indian Express The Indian Armed Forces have commenced preparations to mitigate the impact of Cyclone Yaas, which is expected to hit the Eastern Coast on May 26, 2021. Indian Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard have mobilized their personnel along with equipment and have also kept response teams ready at various locations. Attention has been paid to keep the essential COVID-related supplies running through rail and road transport. The tropical storm brewing over the east-central Bay of Bengal is very likely to head towards the north Odisha-West Bengal coast by Wednesday evening as a very severe cyclonic storm. Ministry of Defence (MoD) informed on Sunday that Indian Air Force (IAF) has airlifted 950 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and 70 tonnes of load from Jamnagar, Varanasi, Patna, and Arakonnam to Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, and Port Blair in 15 Transport Aircraft, as on May 23, 2021. IAF has kept sixteen transport aircraft and 26 helicopters on standby for immediate deployment. Indian Navy, fresh from Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and rescue operations on the Western Coast, has moved 10 Human Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) pallets to Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, while five HADR pallets are ready at Port Blair, said MoD. Also, eight ships of Eastern Naval Command and Andaman and Nicobar Command have been embarked with HADR Bricks to provide succour to the people likely to be impacted. Four diving and 10 flood relief columns have been pre-positioned at Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Chilika for rendering assistance to civil administration at short notice. Indian Navy has kept seven flood relief teams and two diving teams ready at different locations in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to deal with any eventuality. In addition, Naval Aircraft and helicopters in Vishakhapatnam and Port Blair are on operational readiness to undertake search and rescue missions. Eight flood relief columns and three Engineer Task Forces of the Indian Army are ready for immediate deployment on requisition by the civil administration. Speaking on the issue of critical supplies related to the COVID pandemic, Bharat Bhushan Babu, Spokesperson MoD said, Armed Forces teams are aware of the need to keep the road & rail links open to ensure uninterrupted supply of life-saving oxygen & drugs required for treatment at COVID-19 hospitals. The Armed Forces are in constant touch with the civil administration of the affected states, added Mr. Babu. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has kept all its ashore, afloat and aviation units on high alert and ICG ships and aircraft have been deployed in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman sea. As a proactive step, ICG Remote Operating Stations have been relaying weather alert messages in local languages for the seafarers and fishermen. International safety Net (ISN) has been activated to alert the vessels in/transiting through the area. With these preventive measures, ICG has ensured safe return of 254 boats which were out at sea and alerted various merchant vessels in transit and 77 vessels at anchorage till date. In addition, 31 Coast Guard Disaster Relief Teams (DRTs) with inflatable boats, lifebuoys and lifejackets are on standby. Medical teams & ambulances have also been kept standby for swift mobilisation. Port authorities, oil rig operators, shipping, fisheries authorities and fishermen associations have also been informed about the impending cyclone for undertaking pre-emptive measures to avoid any damage. Meanwhile, the forces have continued with their search and rescue operations on the Western seaboard in the aftermath of Cyclone Tauktae. newindianexpress.com 2021 Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. On Monday, Co-chairmanship of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued resolution 129 stipulating closure of all border crossings between AANES and Damascus Government as of today at 7 p.m. until a further notification made. T/S ANHA Sierra Leone govt. sells beach and protected rainforest to China for fishing port by Emily Baker May 24,2021 | Source: Plant Based Food The government of Sierra Leone, West Africa, has sold 250 acres of beach and a protected rainforest to China, to build a fishing harbor. Its a $55 million deal that has been criticized by conservationists and rights groups who claim the move will affect local people, tarnish endangered species, and cause irreversible harm to the planet. It all began with rumors about a Chinese fishmeal plant circling on social media, The Guardian reports. Then, it was confirmed a facility was to be built along the Black Johnson coastline which would allow for bigger fishing and a move into the international market. The proposed site lies alongside the Western Area Peninsula National Park, which is home to rare animals and endangered species. Moreover, the Sierra Leone Fisheries Ministry confirmed the stretch of beach was the most suitable spot for construction. As a result, a host of environmentalist groups penned their frustrations with the government. According to The Guardian, theyre demanding studies and assessments into the social and ecological impact. However, the ministry said it would offer a funding package to affected landowners in the region. But the landowners want the deal scrapped. Greenpeace Africa deplored the plans, writing on Twitter: Permitting more extractive activities in this region will only worsen the situation. The organization says the fishing community in the country is already experiencing the effects of environmental degradation as a result of the climate crisis. Additionally, one of the Black Johnson landowners branded it disastrous for both the country and the planet. Fears are the harbor will plunder fish stocks, pollute marine life, and destroy the picturesque rainforest. Moreover, the shore is known as Whale Bay because so many dolphins and whales are spotted there. Land earmarked for the harbor is also a breeding ground for various species of fish. To help save the beach, campaigners launched a crowdfunder in order to raise legal fees for a judicial review. Moreover, they brand the deal corrupt and are calling for it to be halted immediately. It will jeopardize the entire nations food security, they say, and is an international problem. 2021 PlantBasedNews Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. Viewed of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@idahopress.com for help creating one. Community Information If you would like to submit an upcoming event or community announcement, please contact our staff at 208-232-4161 or send an email to cjohnson@journalnet.com. We will also accept news from local clubs and engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements. You can post your community or club events on our calendar. Obituaries Submit an obituary/notice All obituaries must be placed by your mortuary or onlineDeadline is 3 p.m. for publication the next day. The ISJ is not responsible for spelling, grammar, or basic mistakes. By Dong Sun-hwa The sixth episode of tvN's women-centric drama "Mine" set its highest viewership rating Sunday, garnering 8.2 percent viewership nationwide and 8.7 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area. The 16-part soap opera was also the most watched cable channel program in the 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. prime time slot on Sunday, according to Nielsen Korea. After beginning with a 6.6 percent viewership on May 8, the series has seen a rise in popularity thanks to plot twists and the actors' realistic portrayals of their characters. "Mine" follows two daughters-in-law Jung Seo-hyeon (Kim Seo-hyung) and Seo Hee-soo (Lee Bo-young) of a conglomerate owner family, who try to combat prejudice and find their authentic identities. It is directed by Lee Na-jeong, who previously took helm of Netflix's "Love Alarm" (2019-21) and KBS's "Fight for My Way" (2017). Baek Mi-kyung, the writer of "Strong Girl Bong-soon" (2017), pens the script. "'Mine' is a hot and fascinating story of strong and outspoken characters," Lee said during an online press conference, May 8. One of the series' lead actors, Kim Seo-hyung, debuted as an actress in 1994. She is best known for her roles in popular dramas "Temptation of Wife" (2008) and "SKY Castle" (2018). Lee Bo-young, who began her acting career in 2003, starred in a number of hit works such as "My Daughter Seo-young" (2012) and "Can Hear Your Voice" (2013). "Mine" is also screening on Netflix. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation2@journalnet.com for help creating one. Members of K-pop band BTS pose for photographers ahead of a press conference to introduce their new single "Butter" in Seoul, May 21. AP-Yonhap K-pop boy band BTS has won four prizes, including the major title of Top Selling Song, at this year's Billboard Music Awards (BBMA), the most for the group at the event ever. The septet was awarded Top Selling Song, Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and the fan-voted Top Social Artist during the BBMA ceremony that was aired live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. time). It is the first time the band has won more than two titles at the BBMA. In 2019, it took home the Top Duo/Group and Top Social Artist awards. BTS was named on a prereleased list of winners in the three categories of Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and the fan-voted Top Social Artist, while it was awarded Top Selling Song with its megahit "Dynamite" at the BBMA ceremony. BTS topped the Top Selling Song category with the Billboard topping "Dynamite," vying with "I Hope" by Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, "WAP" by Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, "Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyonce and "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd. Released last summer, "Dynamite," the septet's first English song, was the first song by a Korean act to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard's main singles chart and earned the group's first Grammy nomination. BTS regained the Top Duo/Group trophy since its first win in 2019. The group competed for the title with American rock band AC/DC, indie pop trio AJR, American country music duo Dan + Shay and pop rock band Maroon5. In the Top Song Sales Artist category, BTS beat Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd. It is the first time that BTS has contended for the prize given to an artist with top-selling songs. The boy band also won the Top Social Artist award for the fifth consecutive year, beating K-pop bands BLACKPINK and Seventeen, pop star Ariana Grande and Filipino boy band SB19. At this year's BBMA, BTS earned four nominations, the most for the group ever. It received its first BBMA nomination in 2017 for Top Social Artist. The seven-member band -- RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, V, Jimin and Jungkook -- attributed its multiple BBMA wins to the support of its global fan base, Army. "It's crazy to be nominated for the Top Social Artist for five years in a row," rapper J-Hope said on social media. "Thank you for your continuous support." During the BBMA ceremony, BTS performed "Butter" for the first time since its release last Friday. The video-recorded performance from Seoul featured BTS moving from a waiting area to the red carpet and the stage of the BBMA as if the seven members were participating in the event held in the United States. Dressed in black tuxedos, they performed the playful, vibrant summer pop-dance song with their signature well-organized group choreography on sets decorated with BBMA images. Since its official release, "Butter," the group's second English song after "Dynamite," has been on a record-breaking run. It became the most-watched music video on YouTube in 24 hours after its debut, racking up 108.2 million views in the first 24 hours. The figure has surpassed the previous record held by "Dynamite," released last August, which garnered 101.1 million views over the same time span. At the same time, the song earned 20.9 million global streams on Spotify, the world's biggest music streaming platform, on its first day of release. It marked the most streams in a single day in Spotify's history. The new single has also topped more than 100 regional iTunes charts, including those in the United States, Canada, Britain and Germany. (Yonhap) After responding to a homicide in 2005, former Kansas City, Missouri, patrol officer Laura Spaulding was asked a tough question. The mother of the victim wanted to know when someone would be back to clean up the mess. "I'd never been asked that before," says Spaulding. Her fellow officers said victims' next of kin usually had to take care of cleanup themselves. "I was like, 'Oh, my god, this is horrible,'" she says. Spaulding was already looking for a career change and had just gotten her MBA through night school at Baker University in Kansas. That 2005 murder was the aha! moment she needed to start her own business: crime-scene cleanup. There was just one problem: She needed to figure out how to get the money to launch the business. Four banks told Spaulding they weren't interested in her business plan. She suspected misogyny: Two of Spaulding's fellow grads from crime-scene cleanup training didn't experience the same issues when applying, even though all three of them had business degrees, similar income levels, no debt, and great credit. In fact, Spaulding may have even been a better candidate because she didn't have a family to support. But both men went to banks with their business plans and walked out with the cash, Spaulding says. "We compared notes ... I thought, 'Wow there's definitely some discrimination going on.'" So Spaulding got crafty. She told the fifth bank she needed a home equity loan to replace her windows--and walked away with $15,000 to start her business. "I never got windows," Spaulding says. But she did spend the next 15 years renovating other people's homes as founder and CEO of her crime-scene cleanup business, Spaulding Decon. Was what she did legal? "I don't care," she says. Maybe not, but the strategic ruse has definitely paid off: Tampa-based Spaulding Decon has 37 franchises across the country, and earned the rank of No. 784 on the 2020 Inc. 5000 list with $4.5 million in 2019 revenue and 608 percent three-year growth. The company's 2021 revenue is projected to be $10 million, and it has even launched a new business vertical--real estate. You can sell your dirty (potentially traumatically-so) home to them, and they'll clean it and flip it. The company has even gained some fame on top of its fortune: Spaulding Decon hosts a YouTube reality show that's raked in more than 41 million views since 2019, and launched a TikTok in July 2020 that now has 3.8 million followers. You can watch employees at Spaulding franchises across the country handle the most extreme messes--from severe insect infestations to hoarder lairs to meth labs. "People are curious about things they don't understand," Spaulding says, citing more tales of home cleanup that are not for the weak-stomached. "And everyone is curious about death." Morbid curiosity aside, the need for the company's work is pretty straightforward. "It's something that no one wants to do. And it's something that no one should do if they're related to the person," Spaulding says. EXPLORE MORE Inc. 5000 COMPANIES Screenplay idea: two women go on a crime spree. Callie Khouri was working as a production assistant for a firm in Los Angeles making ads and pop videos when she wrote this memo to herself in 1987. It was a germ of an idea, but a potent one: giving two women the kind of rule-breaking, all-action lead roles Hollywood regularly handed out to men. They're leaving town, both leaving behind their jobs and families, she continued. They kill a guy, rob a store, get hooked up with a young guy. As Khouri fleshed out the idea, she wrote her screenplay out by hand at home, and typed it up at work. Four years later it had been directed by Ridley Scott on a multimillion-dollar budget, with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in the lead roles. Thelma & Louise became one of the most talked-about films of 1991 and Khouri walked away with an Oscar, a Bafta and a Golden Globe. Back then, many people thought that Hollywood would be changed forever, that we were entering a new era of gender equality on screen; others felt that the movie represented toxic feminism with an explicit fascist theme. In the intervening years it has become ever more beloved, and you even sense its legacy in this years big Oscar hits: the free-spirited women of Nomadland, and the vengeful outsider of Promising Young Woman. But still, in the wake of #MeToo, and with gender inequality rife in the industry, Hollywoods true Thelma & Louise moment is yet to come. That phrase, a Thelma and Louise moment, has entered the language as a feminist awakening linked to a point of no return the movie in a nutshell. The plot of Thelma & Louise begins with an early shock and barrels forward to one of the most famous endings in movie history. Its the story of two working-class women from Arkansas heading to the hills for a weekend of freedom. When they stop at a bar en route, Thelma (Davis) is sexually assaulted and Louise (Sarandon) shoots her friends would-be rapist in the chest. From that point on the women are fugitives, aware that the police wont accept their self-defence story, that they cant go home, they can only keep going to Mexico, or wherever the road may take them. Along the way, Thelma has a transformative one-night stand with a young man played with overt eroticism by Brad Pitt, and the two women take stabs at revenge on the macho culture that circles them: locking a State Trooper in the boot of his car, exploding the oil truck of a sleazy roadhog. I dont remember ever feeling this awake, says Thelma, before the two women decide to take their fate into their own hands. Thelma & Louise is a turning point, I think in terms of the representation of women, says Dr Shelley Cobb, associate professor of film at the University of Southampton. There's a particular shift in the early 1990s that Thelma & Louise hits. We were moving out of the feminist backlash of the Eighties, and into third-wave feminism, post-feminism. Were moving into that period where you have the return of a new kind of strong female character, with Thelma & Louise or Terminator 2. As the film opens, Thelma is an unhappy housewife with a babyish, boorish husband who is clearly cheating on her. Louise is working as a diner waitress, stuck in a relationship that is slowly drifting nowhere. But for two hours, these women become Butch and Sundance, and even more. Khouris screenplay transforms them into the stars of a road movie, a Western, a Bonnie and Clyde-style thriller, and even a screwball comedy. No man comes to their rescue. Instead, Louise picks up a gun, and throws away her lipstick. And put-upon, girlish Thelma grows in courage, to take on Louises role as protector when its really needed. The wilful mix of genres in Thelma & Louise offers a crowd-pleasing blend of action and humour and the original trailer wildly overplayed the latter, showcasing the movie as a sexy, screwy romp, with lashings of line-dancing, topless Pitt and one-liners: Well be drinking margaritas by the sea, mamacita! For feminist film historian Dr Maggie Hennefeld of the University of Minnesota, the films humour is one of its key strengths: Thelma & Louise draws on both the more conservative tendencies of the romantic-comedy genre and the incisive absurdity of dark humour, says Hennefeld. Even their outbreaks of retributive feminist violence provoke laughter: theyre abrupt, surprising, and reveal the absurdity of the world that keeps putting female characters in the most awful, impossible situations. Case in point, the sputtering outrage of the truck driver when his tanker explodes, or Louises dry explanation to the State Trooper she has just incapacitated: My husband wasn't sweet to me. Look how I turned out. Director Ridley Scott has a key role in how we talk about the representation of women on screen. In Alison Bechdels famous 1985 cartoon, Alien is the only movie that her protagonist has been able to see in years, the one movie to pass her strict test: the film has to have at least two women in it, who talk to each other about something besides a man. Thelma & Louise cemented Scotts reputation as a Hollywood heavyweight who could grapple with feminist themes. You can see his touch in the films visual splendour, including those endless desert landscapes and the army that surrounds our heroines in the finale. The look of the film is playful too just look at the way Pitt is introduced playing with a hose. But we should be wary of taking credit away from screenwriter Khouri. I see it as a Callie Khouri film, especially when you put it alongside the other things she's written and done, says Cobb. Everything from the way they blow up the truck to the idea that Brad Pitt is a figure to be looked at and mimicked, to the idea that a one-night stand for a woman can be an OK thing the script is so important. Khouri went on to direct female-led films including Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and more recently, to create the hit TV series Nashville. Davis has called Khouri a revolutionary, because she creates characters that are in charge of their own fate to the bitter end. Female characters who are in charge of themselves. And theres more to Thelma & Louise than the action and the laughs. Its also a deeply challenging film about rape culture, something that many of the interviewees in Jennifer Townsends insightful 2017 documentary Catching Sight of Thelma & Louise dwell on. Townsend revisits men and women who filled in a research questionnaire about the film on its original release. One woman recalls her own marriage, and states: There are a lot more Thelmas out there than many people imagine. Another, Christi, weeps as she says that rape culture has not changed since 1991. Geena Daviss Thelma holds aloft a firearm in Thelma & Louise (MGM) In the films brutal attempted rape scene, Louise interrupts the attack on Thelma. She doesnt shoot the assailant in the act, though, she shoots him after he shows no remorse for his crime. The incident that criminalises Louise is arguably not the attack in the car park, but a nameless something that happened to her a few years before the film begins, in Texas. Its never quite explained, although Thelma tries to guess, but whatever it was is so terrible that the fugitives divert their journey to Mexico, to avoid the second largest state in the US, because she can never return. For Cobb, the writing of Louises Texas experience is what brings the film to another level. It creates the road genre for them, because that's the reason they end up on the road for so long, because they can't go through Texas. That's what makes them outlaws. And she praises the screenplay for not spelling it out giving the audience room to imagine what could be so traumatic as to put an entire state off-limits. Sarandon has said that the Texas angle seemed to pass many people by on the films first release. When it came out, actually, people kind of missed the rape, she said last year. Now you look at it and youre hip to what shes talking about, and that shes having this flashback of being assaulted. But I remember having to clarify that. Khouri was the only person to win an Oscar for Thelma & Louise, though both leads and Scott were also nominated. The film that swept the board at the Oscars that year was The Silence of the Lambs, another film in which a female lead confronts male violence. That films star, Jodie Foster, was one of the first actors attached to the film, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer. Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep also nearly jumped in the Thunderbird together instead they made Death Becomes Her. Driven to distraction: Thelma and Louise at the films iconic climax (MGM) Put that way, it seems like the early 1990s was shaping up to be a boom time for female creatives in Hollywood. But never underestimate the power of a backlash. There were those, including journalist John Leo of the toxic feminism take in Time magazine, who took exception to Thelma & Louise: those who saw the film as gratuitously violent (despite the fact that the films body count stands at just one), and the men as unrealistic caricatures. Its barely worth pointing out the avalanche of Hollywood action movies in which men are excessively violent, and the supporting female characters are barely sketched in at all. Khouris screenplay isnt about playing with guns but resisting oppression. I'll take store-robbing, rape-avenging, truck-exploding toxic feminism over neoliberal, lean-in, fake feminism any day, says Hennefeld. Fighting the patriarchy means throwing some elbows. When Thelma & Louise make the decision to jump, its a condemnation of contemporary America, and especially the establishment forces of law and order who offer them no protection a theme in the film that resonates even more powerfully in 2021. They have already been let down by and left out of the American dream, says Cobb. They go on the road to have a holiday from their normal lives, but the patriarchy is wherever they go, and their lack of middle-class femininity will only make their confrontation with the police the ultimate symbol of institutional authority worse. They have no way out. Davis had this to say to the detractors: If youre threatened by this movie, you're identifying with the wrong person. Which makes a powerful point about on-screen representation: some audiences are so used to men playing the lead that they identify with them even when that isnt the case. Or to put it more bluntly: sexists cant get their heads around this movie. Davis has been fighting for better roles for women in mainstream cinema ever since she played Thelma. She said recently that Thelma & Louise changed forever how I considered what parts to play. I would think: What are the women in the audience going to say when they see this movie? In 2004 she founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, an organisation whose aim is to improve female representation in film and television. And she has been outspoken about demanding change in the industry a change that hasnt happened yet. I believed all the press reaction about Thelma & Louise, that it was going to change everything and that there were now going to be far more female lead characters in movies, and I was thrilled, she has said. There have been a number of times that movies have come out and people [have said], This is going to change things, and it didnt. If youre threatened by this movie, youre identifying with the wrong person, said Davis (MGM) Thelma & Louise isnt a movie that encourages looking back, but the 30th anniversary of this film is a good enough reason to cheer for a film that smuggles feminist critique into a collection of Hollywood genres. A film about a feminist awakening, which gave women lead roles with firepower, desire and complex inner lives. Thelma & Louise is not a truly radical feminist film, but it does create space for a new kind of commercial movie that pushes the boundaries further. Films in which women dont have to die seconds after they kiss each other, films in which survivors can be free of their trauma, films in which women are in charge of their own fate to the bitter end. What I love, most of all, says Hennefeld, is what it's come to mean to female audiences over the years. It sparks the imagination toward demanding a different kind of world. And sometimes you have to follow the road wherever it leads you, even if it takes you into the unknown. Michael Jacksons nephew Taj has called for an investigation into his uncles notorious interview with Martin Bashir, and claimed that Jackson was stabbed in the back by the journalist. Last week, Bashir was found to have engaged in deceitful behaviour to gain interview access to Princess Diana in 1995. An independent inquiry concluded that Bashirs actions were also a serious breach of the BBCs editorial rules, which the corporation later covered up. In 2003, Bashir presented Living with Michael Jackson, an ITV documentary in which he trailed the late pop star over the course of eight months. During the film, Jackson admitted to sharing his bed with young boys, but insisted that there was no sexual component to the interactions. Months after the documentary was broadcast, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcohol. Jackson was acquitted of all charges in 2005. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday (24 May), Jacksons nephew Taj claimed that his uncle was betrayed by Bashirs documentary, and that his own faith in journalism died amid the resulting scandal. Its the betrayal aspect of it, someone that you let into your life and you trust, Taj said. My uncle felt safe with him, and safe that he would portray him in the right light. My uncle looked at him as a friend, and through the voiceovers and the editing, really stabbed him in the back. He continued: I always had faith that journalism meant something, and that day that faith died. Taj Jackson on Good Morning Britain on Monday (24 May) (ITV) Taj added that he and the Jackson family want accountability and an investigation into the documentary. This was a man who was let into my uncles life, trusted... and then pretty much destroyed my uncles persona, I would say, when my uncle was looking to rehabilitate it. A statement issued on behalf of Martin Bashir said: The ITV documentary team spent more than eight months filming with Michael Jackson. He signed two contracts to allow for filming and broadcast and Martin Bashir was always accompanied by a production team and crew. Following the documentary Mr Jackson was charged by the relevant authorities in the United States in relation to allegations concerning a teenage boy. It was the second time Michael Jackson had faced similar allegations in his lifetime. He was tried and eventually cleared by a court in California. Martin Bashir gave no evidence against him because, apart from a very few minutes of the documentary that featured Mr Jackson talking on camera very willingly about sleeping in bed with a child, the film did not contain any allegations of wrongdoing. To suggest the TV programme led to his death, over which his personal physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, is untrue. Michael Jackson in 2002, and Martin Bashir at Jacksons trial in 2005 (Timothy A Clary/Win McNamee/Getty Images) In his own statement in 2003, Jackson said that Bashir had told him he was the man that turned Dianas life around, and that he had promised to make an honest and fair portrayal of his life. I am surprised that a professional journalist would compromise his integrity by deceiving me in this way, Jackson said. Today I feel more betrayed than perhaps ever before; that someone, who had got to know my children, my staff and me, whom I let into my heart and told the truth, could then sacrifice the trust I placed in him and produce this terrible and unfair programme. Anup Katyal, an intensive-care physician in Missouri, was finally getting a break from treating hundreds of Covid-19 patients at the hospital where he works. Then, catastrophe descended on India, his homeland. Each day since, he has awakened to a flurry of messages from 20 relatives, friends and fellow doctors in India seeking medical advice. Then, before bed, he has hopped onto Zoom with a family in New Delhi that contracted the virus and turned to a physician 7,700 miles away because local doctors turned off their phones and shuttered their offices. The catastrophic coronavirus surge in India has devastated the countrys health-care system, with thousands of people dying as they wait for hospital beds or supplemental oxygen. Even before their conditions become dire, many newly infected Indians are struggling to find medical care as urban hospitals are stretched to their limits and bare-bones health systems struggle in rural areas and villages. Misinformation and misguided claims about purported cures, such as lemon drops, have proliferated as terrified citizens fend for themselves. Its come to the point where the infrastructure has broken down, said Achintya Moulick, the Indian-born chief executive of CarePoint Health, a chain of New Jersey hospitals, who has been in touch with hospital executives in India. Doctors throughout the Indian diaspora, including in the United States, are trying to fill this void from afar through organised and unofficial channels. Some are sharing with their Indian counterparts lessons learned on the front lines of US coronavirus surges. Others are making video calls to friends and relatives to check on their breathing and the care theyre receiving. The collective efforts can make only a dent in a humanitarian crisis regularly resulting in more than 300,000 infections and more than 4,000 deaths a day, with experts cautioning that the real toll is far higher. But they have brought relief to thousands of desperate families - and to Indian American doctors battling a feeling of helplessness as they watch the horror unfold in their native land. India is a pipeline for doctors around the world, including Mr Katyal, who came to the United States in 1993 for an internal-medicine residency after completing his medical degree in India. He still practices in St. Louis as a critical-care physician at Mercy Hospital and sometimes manages patients across the nation through a virtual intensive care unit program. In recent weeks, the St. Louis ICU where he practices has treated fewer than 10 Covid-19 patients a day. The moment we thought there was a respite here from my ICU standpoint, its unbearable now to see whats going on in India, said Dr Katyal, 54. He stumbled upon a Facebook post advertising a free telehealth platform organised by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin to connect volunteer doctors to patients with mild to moderate coronavirus cases abroad. His son Aditya Katyal, an undergraduate premedical student, joins to help him use the technology and double-check medical facts during these sessions. For several weeks, Dr Katyal has been in touch with the Garg family on the platform and directly through email and WhatsApp. He calls them after finishing his overnight ICU shifts. The family allowed The Washington Post to observe several of their sessions on the condition that the first names of family members in India not be published, citing concerns about retaliation from the Indian government and harassment from political activists who have targeted people who portray the government in a negative light. The familys nightmare began on what was supposed to be a joyous occasion - the birth of their second child. The first hospital refused to admit the mother without a negative coronavirus test result. The second hospital conducted a rapid test that came back positive - and turned her away. As her husband drove her through the streets of New Delhi while she suffered labor pains, the mother eventually found a doctor willing to deliver her baby boy. The next day, her 4-year-old son and her father-in-law - who live in the same apartment with her - tested positive. Her husband and mother-in-law soon followed. They were not able to hold the newborn child, instead seeing him on video chat while he stayed with a great-uncle until the family members recovered. Finding a doctor to navigate their recovery proved challenging. They reached a few on WhatsApp, but all shared the same boilerplate recommendations for a mix of medications without examining individual family members. The family has had to pay hefty fees to have a lab technician collect blood samples at their apartment building, where residents are trying to set up a temporary hospital bed and isolation area in a common area. Everyone is too overloaded, and the kind of experienced doctor you need is not easily available, the father of the family said in an interview. You cant go to [some hospitals] if you are a covid patient. They will not entertain you, and tell you [you] need to go to a Covid ward, which is only an emergency option. In the early days of his infection, the father depended on conflicting advice from friends and others who are not doctors but who shared tips from their own battles with Covid-19, the disease the novel coronavirus can cause. Indian doctors are treating as many as 60 patients at once and have limited time for in-depth conversations with relatives about how to best monitor and care for their loved ones when they leave the hospital. American doctors can fill the void of reliable information, said Salim Saiyed, who oversees telehealth services as a University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre executive. Mr Saiyed has witnessed the benefits of relaxing licensing rules so doctors in his hospital system can consult with US patients virtually across state lines. But when doing that across international boundaries, there is a fine line between offering medical advice and providing medical care in violation of Indian government rules, which Mr Saiyed said should be relaxed to mobilise more overseas doctors. Some doctors are sort of violating rules and [regulations] and hoping the government will not come after them because its an emergency situation, but we cant hope and wish during such times, Mr Saiyed said. Dr Katyal cannot write prescriptions for the Garg family. Instead, he offers guidance on how to use the steroids and other medications they have obtained through personal connections - now common in India, where medicines are in short supply - and how to interpret their symptoms and lab results. On their fourth English-language Zoom session earlier this month, Jatin Garg, a relative who lives in Texas, updated Mr Katyal on each of his family members conditions. His brother, who woke up at dawn, looked on from another screen with oxygen tubes in his nose, a pulse oximeter clipped to his finger and a ceiling fan rotating overhead. Dr Katyal paid attention to the brothers breathing and ability to speak, asking about his oxygen levels and the timing of his fevers. He advised him to double his dose of steroids, while warning that his wife, her condition improving, was approaching the two-week mark where steroids can do more harm than good. The virtual sessions begin with volunteers and patients logging in to Zoom before organisers match doctors with patients who speak the same language to their own video chats for private consultations. This allowed Dr Katyal to call in from Missouri, joining Jatin Garg and Gargs brother from New Delhi. But halfway through Dr Katyals session with them, a glitch kicked everyone off the platform and forced organisers to assign all the doctors and patients back to their to private individual sessions. When they returned to the platform, Dr Katyal said his advice should be shared with a family doctor in a position to offer direct care. The reality is, I will be very honest, there is no family doctor, Jatin Garg replied. We are consulting with very random places, so I will rely on your judgment and what is your science-based recommendation. Dr Katyal nodded. These are trying times, and anything I can do to help, I am more than happy to do, he said. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, president of the Indian American doctors group, said volunteers such as Dr Katyal are trying to reduce the strain on hospitals. His organisation can assist up to 100 patients at once during several Zoom sessions offered throughout the day on the eGlobalDoctors platform, which is secure and carries liability coverage, and he has urged the Indian ambassador to the United States to ease legal liability rules to encourage more doctors to participate. The Indian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment. Most of the patients have mild disease. They are scared they are going to die, Mr Jonnalagadda said. This will give reassurance they can stay home and not go to the hospital. On the fifth session, Jatin Gargs brother appeared on Zoom with no oxygen tubes in his nose and fresh from a good night of sleep. His wife felt close to normal nearly two weeks after her symptoms had first appeared. His mother had not registered a fever in four days. His son never became seriously ill. But his father remained in a small hospital, unable to use Zoom. Diabetes and previous heart surgery place him at higher risk of succumbing to the virus, but lab work suggested that he was moving in the right direction. I really want to ask this question: Is he out of the woods? Jatin Garg inquired. With this Covid stuff, Ill be very frank: If someone says they can predict accurately, they are not telling the truth, Dr Katyal replied. His response proved prescient. Although the condition of Jatin Gargs father continued to improve, his brothers oxygen levels dipped below acceptable levels overnight. Even though the brother still looked comfortable, Dr Katyal did not want to risk a rapid deterioration, so he urged him to go to a hospital where he could receive remdesivir, a drug that shortens recovery times. The brother took a cab to the same small hospital that admitted his father, who was discharged Monday. The treatment apparently worked. The younger Mr Garg returned home Wednesday and reunited with his baby boy the next day. There was no celebration with family members still weak and recovering. But for the first time in three weeks, they were all together and spared from becoming another tragic story as Indias daily Covid-19 deaths hit record highs. And they see the doctor as a new member of the family. Imagine you go to a doctors office and the doctor just comes out of examining room for just a couple of minutes and never answers any of your questions, Jatin Garg said. [Dr Katyal] was paying attention. He was giving time. He was available at any moment. The Washington Post Malian mother Halima Cisse and her nine babies are due to stay in Morocco for at least the next few months while the babies remain in incubators. From there, she will return to the troubled West African country of Mali to reunite with her husband, Kader Arby, a non-commissioned officer in the countrys army. At present, the 25-year-old Malian is among only a handful of women to have given birth to nonuplets, five girls and four boys, two more than originally anticipated. Should all survive the next few critical months, as medical staff at the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca hope, she will enter the record books. The birth presented Malis embattled transitional government, in power since a coup during the summer of last year, with both challenge and opportunity. A new study has found that Iran now accounts for 4.5 per cent of the worlds bitcoin mining and that the country is using the technology to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency assets to circumnavigate crippling sanctions imposed by the US and other countries. Washington has subjected Tehran to economic penalties since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 in opposition to its nuclear programme and its support for groups in the Middle East that the US considers to be terrorist organisations. In their current form, the sanctions amount to a near-total economic embargo and a ban on all imports, most damagingly from the countrys oil, banking and shipping industries, which has caused the former to plummet by 70 per cent in a decade and inspired recession, unemployment and periodic outbreaks of civil unrest. >> Follow all the latest updates with The Independents live coverage of the crypto market But the new research from blockchain analytics firm Elliptic suggests that the country has turned to crypto mining as a new lifeline and a means of commodifying its energy potential, which is considerable and relatively inexpensive given that Iran is the worlds biggest producer of natural gas. Since 2019, the country has recognised bitcoin mining as a lucrative business practice and swiftly established a licensing system requiring miners to pay a higher tariff for their electricity use and to sell their mined bitcoins on to the central bank. Bitcoin farms have since popped up across the country, including in mosques where electricity is free, allowing Iran to, in effect, indirectly sell its energy assets on global markets and therein bypass trade embargoes. The bitcoins earned can also be used to pay for imports, allowing miners to sidestep restrictions on carrying out transactions with Iranian banks. While the exact extent of bitcoin mining in Iran is difficult to measure, Elliptic says its 4.5 per cent figure is based on data collected from miners by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance up to April 2020, as well as statements from Irans state-controlled power generation company in January 2021 indicating that up to 600 MW of electricity was being consumed by the sector. The electricity being used by the miners would require the equivalent of around 10 million barrels of crude oil each year to generate approximately 4 per cent of total Iranian oil exports last year. While Irans crypto mining operations might currently be worth around $1bn in annualised revenues, they are also placing a major strain on the countrys creaking energy infrastructure network. To address that, several Chinese firms like RHY and Lubian have reportedly stepped in with fresh investment and established farms of their own in the Rafsanjan Special Economic Zone in the countrys south east. We have good local resources in Iran, and we have maintained good relations with the ministry of energy, the ministry of foreign affairs, and even the army in Iran, the latter said in a statement to 8BTC. Financial institutions should consider the sanctions risk they are exposed to due to Iranian bitcoin mining - particularly those that are beginning to offer cryptoasset services, said Dr Tom Robinson, Elliptics co-founder and chief scientist. If 4.5 per cent of bitcoin mining is based in Iran, then there is a 4.5 per cent chance that any bitcoin transaction will involve the sender paying a transaction fee to a bitcoin miner in Iran. Kate Garraway has said her husband Derek Draper is still devastated by Covid, a month after he was discharged from a year-long stay in hospital. The Good Morning Britain presenter provided the update on her husbands condition on the BBCs Andrew Marr programme on Sunday morning. She said that Draper, 53, still cant really move and can only communicate minimally with her and their family. Draper, a former political adviser and lobbyist, was admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms in March 2020 and was placed in a coma. The virus left Draper with kidney failure, damage to his liver and pancreas, and heart failure, as well as holes in his lungs following bacterial pneumonia and several infections. He finally returned to the couples home in north London in April, where he receives 24-hour care. Garraway, 54, told Marr: He is devastated by Covid. He cant really move, his communication is very minimal. There are moments when theyre up, so in this moments you feel that you know hes in there. He has a lot of memory but the accessing of it is very limited. She added: So how is he? He is a long way from the Derek Draper you knew, Andrew, but he is home and alive. Marr told her to give Draper all our love and all our very best wishes, to which she replied: Absolutely. Earlier this month, Garraway told Lorraine Kelly she shed happy tears when Draper wished her a happy birthday. She said: Hes home, we can hug him - thats a miracle in itself - and were looking for little bits of him to come more out of the consciousness and come back to us. Last night I said to him when I was tucking him in and doing various medical bits, I said to him, Oh, its my birthday tomorrow. He looked a bit worried and I saw, Oh dont worry, Im not expecting anything.My birthday present is you being home and Im going to pop in and see you before I go early to Lorraine. So I came in this morning and said Im all ready and my mum and dad are there and the nurses of course. I said, Im ready and Im off to Lorraine now, is there anything you want to say to me? and he said happy birthday. It makes me feel a bit emotional actually but it is happy tears. A prosecutor who was handling the case against a former suburban Minneapolis police officer charged in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright resigned Monday, saying vitriol and partisan politics have made it hard to pursue justice. Imran Ali, the assistant criminal division chief at the Washington County Attorney's Office and director of the office's major crime unit, had been working on the prosecution of Kim Potter The former Brooklyn Center officer fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist, on April 11. Potter resigned, and the citys police chief, who has since stepped down, had said he believed Potter meant to use her Taser instead of her handgun. Ali and Washington County Attorney Pete Orput charged Potter with second-degree manslaughter then faced intense pressure from activists who protested outside Orput's home and called for murder charges to be filed. On Friday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his office would be taking the case. The last several weeks have been difficult for me and my family, Ali wrote in a resignation letter dated Monday and published by KARE-11. The vitriol from some and the infusion of partisan politics by many has made my job difficult to pursue justice. Ali wrote he prays for healing and for the dissipation of partisan platforms. We must return to thoughtful discourse that unites, not impulsive, irrational talking points that divide, he wrote. "Until then, there will be no justice or peace. Orput had said publicly that he believed manslaughter was the appropriate charge. Ellison said Friday that a review of the evidence and the charges against Potter is underway, but he did not indicate whether murder charges would be filed. Orputs office had been handling the Potter case under an agreement signed last year in which metro-area prosecutors said they would take each others cases in which someone dies after an officer uses force. Orput gave the case back to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, then Ellison took it at Freeman's request. It was not clear if Ali's resignation is effective immediately. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of Daunte Wright at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright The failure of prison staff to provide a 43-year-old man with food and medicine over a 48-hour period contributed to his death at a London prison, an inquest has ruled. Winston Augustine took his own life at HMP Wormwood Scrubs on 30 August 2018, two days after he was transferred to a segregation unit. During these 48 hours, he did not receive any food and was not able to exercise, shower or make a phone call. Despite suffering chronic pain from kidney stones, Augustine only received one dose of low-level pain relief in the two days leading up to his death. At the time of his death, Augustine was in a state of ketoacidosis - suggestive of starvation - and is thought to have been in severe pain, as he had been deprived of his daily dose of the strong painkiller Tramadol. At the end of a 10-day inquest in west London, an eight person jury decided that the failure to provide food and medication were contributing factors towards his death. Among its other conclusions, it also determined that there had been inadequate supervision and welfare checks in the hours before his death. The coroner described the matter as being of greatest concern, adding that the deceaseds dignity had been violated by not being given food for so long. The prisons then head of safer custody had earlier told the inquest that she had been amazed and horrified to learn on 31 August 2018 that Augustine had not been fed. She went on to describe the failures aswrongdoing, saying that in every prison in the country men and women are offered three meals a day. Prison officers had claimed it was unsafe to open his cell door to give him food or medicines, as he was judged to be non-compliant. Wormwood Scrubs has said that improvements were made to its services in the segregation unit following Augustines death. Speaking on behalf of Augustines family, Diane Martin, his cousin, described him as a loving and caring person and said he would be greatly missed. It shouldnt have taken Winstons death for things to be rewritten. Policies should have been in place and carried out correctly, she added. Tim Lloyd, a lawyer from Matthew Gold & Co. who represented the family, said: The evidence and the jurys conclusions paint a grim picture of a dysfunctional unit marked by a basic lack of care and dignity. Meanwhile, Deborah Coles, director of the charity INQUEST, said: Prison staff lost sight of Winstons humanity and of their duty to keep him safe. Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds are planning to get married next summer, it has been reported. The couple have sent save the date cards to family and friends for an event to celebrate their wedding on Saturday, 30 July 2022, according to The Sun. Downing Street and aides to the prime minister have declined to comment, and the location of the wedding remains a closely-guarded secret. The couple announced their engagement, together with the news that they were expecting their first child, in February last year. They are believed to have delayed the wedding until 2022 to ensure it was not disrupted by Covid restrictions. Currently, a maximum of 30 people are allowed to attend a ceremony or reception in England. It will be Mr Johnsons third marriage, having finalised his divorce from his second wife Marina Wheeler in 2020. His financial affairs have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, as No 10 struggled to explain how exactly the 88,000 refurbishment of Mr Johnsons Downing Street flat, overseen by Ms Symonds, was paid for. Downing Street officials are said to be worried that embarrassing details about Mr Johnsons finances could come up again this week, when former chief adviser Dominic Cummings appears before MPs. They are concerned Mr Cummings will claim the prime minister skipped crucial Covid meetings because he was working on a biography of Shakespeare to help fund the cost of his divorce to Ms Wheeler, according to the Sunday Times. Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds have a son, named Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in a tribute to their grandfathers and the doctors who helped save Mr Johnsons life when he was in hospital with Covid. Born in April 2020, Wilfred was the third baby born to a serving prime minister in recent history. Yanolja CEO Lee Su-jin, fourth from left, poses for a photo with Citibank Korea CEO Yoo Myung-soon, fourth from right, after signing a business cooperation deal at the headquarters of Yanolja located in Seoul's Gangnam District, Friday. Courtesy of Citibank Korea By Anna J. Park Online booking platform Yanolja joined hands with Citibank Korea to cooperate in expanding its business globally, signing a strategic deal recently at Yanolja headquarters. According to Citibank Korea, Monday, Yanolja and Citibank Korea will work hand-in-hand with their expertise in global payment services as well as licensing agreements. First, Yanolja will bolster its competitiveness in the global market by tapping into the worldwide network of Citigroup, a banking giant with a global presence. Yanolja currently offers cloud-based hotel operating services to over 30,000 clients in 170 countries, and it plans to ink more licensing deals and advance into new markets through the strategic partnership with Citibank. As for Citibank Korea, it will build on Yanolja's market insights and big data to offer global payment services specialized for the hospitality industry. "We look forward to introducing our innovative technologies that lead the industry to more clients in various countries through Citibank's extensive global network," Yanolja CEO Lee Su-jin said at the signing ceremony. "Yanolja will continue to pursue active collaboration with key partners in the industry to strengthen our global competitiveness and take a leap forward to become a leading company of the hospitality industry." Citibank Korea's CEO Yoo Myung-soon commented, "Through the MOU signed with the unicorn travel company, Citibank will do its best to support Yanolja in becoming a leader in not only the domestic but also the overseas travel industry." Yoo added that Citibank will leverage its global network to serve as a stepping stone for Korean companies to make inroads into global markets. Founded in 2005 as a local booking and leisure business, Yanolja has expanded into a powerhouse of the global hospitality industry. Since 2017, Yanolja has developed and strengthened its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, a cloud-based computing system managing reservations and operations for hotels, leisure facilities and restaurants, becoming the top provider of cloud-based hospitality IT services in the global market. Now the firm offers its SaaS services in over 60 languages to more than 30,000 firms in 170 countries, and it is expanding its client pool to embrace not only advanced markets such as the U.S. and Europe, but also emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Africa, India and Sri Lanka. With over 200 years of history, Citibank boasts its global network that spans more than 160 countries. Since opening its first branch in Korea in 1967, Citibank Korea has served as a partner to domestic enterprises for them to gain insights into overseas markets and to build global networks. A family in California have appealed for anyone with information about the fatal shooting of a six-year-old boy to come forward. Aiden Leos was killed on Friday morning in what authorities believe was incited by road rage as he was being driven by his mother to school. A GoFundMe was established, which has raised over $130,000 for the family. They spoke at a press conference asking for anyone who knows to come forward. His sister emotionally pleaded for people to come forward. Please help us find the people that did this to my little brother. Hes only six and he was so sweet. He was a very loving boy so please help us find who did this to him. he said to reporters. She spoke about her mother having to hold her little boy as he died so she is very distraught right now. Aidens uncle John Cloonan also spoke to the media, saying You can tell it was a cowardly way of doing it because they shot her in the back pretty much. You have no idea what you took from us today. You took her son away, her boy. This boy was full of love and joy and laughter. he said. I hope someone knows something and that whoever did this, I hope you can see what youve done to this family. Not that it matters much now because my nephew is dead. Were never going to be full again. He continued. He described how Ms Cloonan was merging to the right side to get away from the person, and as you can see if you go online and look at the photos, theres one bullet shot in the trunk that went through the trunk and right through my nephew. The tragic killing happened at roughly 8.10 am while Aidens mother Joanna Cloonan was driving him to his kindergarten class at Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda. Ms Cloonan gestured to a driver who cut her off, as she veered her body to the right, a gunman, believed to be a passenger in the other car, shot a bullet into the car, which hit Aiden. Mommy, my tummy hurts, Aiden is reported to have said. After pulling the car over, Ms Cloonan pulled him out the car and a police officer, not on duty, performed CPR on the boy, until an ambulance arrived. Aiden was declared dead at Orange County Hospital Police are searching for the suspects, who they believe to be a man, the shooter and woman, the driver of the white Volkswagen. A spokesperson for California Highway Patrol told the Orange County Register that they were working day and night to find them, and seeking dashcam footage of passing cars. The names of the suspects have not been released, and the police are describing it as an isolated road rage incident. Officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty for the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose neck Chauvin knelt on for nine minutes and 29 seconds. It isnt often that you see an officer charged or convicted for the death of someone in custody. The Floyd familys lawyer, Ben Crump, said it marked a "turning point in history" for the US. After just one day of deliberation on the verdict, the 12-member jury in Minnesota found Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvins bail was immediately revoked and the disgraced officer will remain in custody until his sentencing. What do these charges mean? Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on three different charges, all with slightly different meanings. In Minnesota, second-degree murder is defined as a killing that was not premeditated, or is caused by reckless conduct without obvious concern for human life. Third-degree murder is known as a depraved-heart murder, that is caused without intent to kill but is inherently dangerous and thus conducted without consideration for human life. The final charge that Chauvin has been found guilty of is second-degree manslaughter, which occurs when a person continues an act that they know is reckless, despite potentially fatal risks. A manslaughter charge, however, comes when there is no intention to take a life. It is expected that Chauvin will appeal the jury, arguing that the jury was not impartial, but rather prejudiced by media coverage and a $27 million (19.3 million) settlement to the Floyd family from the Minneapolis government. Judge Peter Cahill, who was residing on the case, has previously rejected a request from Chauvins attorney to Nelsons to delay the trial because of the settlement. Chauvins attorneys will have to notify the trial court within 60 days if they plan to appeal. His lawyers then have months to review transcripts and court filings dating from the start of the case to build their arguments. Legal experts have however said that Chauvins chance of overturning this verdict is slim. How will Chauvin be sentenced? In Minnesota, the state wherein Floyd died and Chauvin has been on trial for his death, second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Third-degree can see someone have 25 years in prison, and Second-degree manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Theoretically, these charges could see Chauvin get 75 years in prison. However, state law dictates that the convicted is sentenced only to the most severe count against them - in this case, that would be a maximum of 40-years for second-degree murder. . In this instance, Judge Cahill could opt to ignore state law, but this would be unusual. Chauvin is set to be sentenced by Judge Peter Cahill on 16 June at 1.30pm local time, according to online records. A former FBI agent with top-secret security clearance was indicted this week on charges that she illegally took numerous national security documents, including materials related to al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, and kept them in her home over the course of more than a decade. The grand jury indictment, filed in federal court in Missouri and unsealed Friday, charges Kendra Kingsbury with two counts of gathering, transmitting or losing defense information, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Ms Kingsbury, a 48-year-old from Dodge City, Kansas, is accused of taking a range of materials between 2004 and 2017, many of which were marked secret because they discussed intelligence sources and methods, cyberthreats and other highly sensitive matters. One batch of documents involved internal correspondence about a suspected bin Laden associate in Africa, according to the indictment. The files were from 2005 and 2006, when bin Laden, who masterminded the 11 September terrorist attacks, was alive and on the run from US forces. Prosecutors didnt indicate a motive for Ms Kingsburys alleged offenses but said they zeroed in on her as part of their work to root out insider threats within the bureau. The breadth and depth of classified national security information retained by the defendant for more than a decade is simply astonishing, Alan E. Kohler Jr. assistant director of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, said in a statement. Ms Kingsbury is scheduled to be arraigned on 1 June. It wasnt immediately clear whether she had an attorney. A message left at a phone number listed for her wasnt immediately returned Saturday afternoon. Criminal cases against intelligence officials accused of mishandling classified information are fairly common, but unlike Ms Kingsburys case they often include allegations that the materials were leaked. In one high-profile case last year, a former Defense Intelligence Agency official was sentenced to 30 months in prison for leaking classified information to reporters. In a similar case, a former FBI agent in Minneapolis was sentenced in 2018 for sharing classified information with the media. Ms Kingsbury is not accused of leaking any of the documents she allegedly stored at home. But prosecutors say she was aware she wasnt allowed to possess them. The US government has strict rules for who can view classified information and under what circumstances. The process is outlined in a series of executive orders, requiring officials to sign a nondisclosure agreement, receive a security clearance, and have a need to know the classified information before they see it. Ms Kingsbury knew the requirements, according to the indictment. She worked as an FBI intelligence analyst for more than 13 years, from June 2004 until 15 December 2017, during which time she received training on the different types of classified information and how to handle them, according to the indictment. She was also assigned to different FBI squads focused on issues such as illegal drug trafficking, violent crime, violent gangs and counterintelligence, according to the indictment. Prosecutors say she had access to sensitive materials at a secure area of the FBIs Kansas City Division and through secure government computer systems. One count of the indictment accuses Ms Kingsbury of taking documents marked secret that covered US government efforts to collect intelligence on terrorist groups. It specifically mentions bin Laden, who was killed by US forces in May 2011 during a raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The documents include information about al-Qaeda members on the African continent, including a suspected associate of Usama bin Laden, the indictment reads. In addition, there are documents regarding the activities of emerging terrorists and their efforts to establish themselves in support of al-Qaeda in Africa. Another count of the indictment charges Ms Kingsbury with taking several intelligence notes, a presentation, an assessment, an evaluation document, and other materials dated between 2008 and 2014. Investigators said some of the papers described specific open investigations across multiple field offices. Others discussed human source operations in national security investigations, intelligence gaps regarding hostile foreign intelligence services and terrorist organisations, and the technical capabilities of the FBI against counterintelligence and counterterrorism targets, according to the indictment. Ms Kingsbury was not authorised to remove and retain these sensitive government materials, nor did she have a need to know most, if not all, of the information contained in those materials. prosecutors said in a statement. Ms Kingsbury knew the unauthorised removal of classified materials and transportation and storage of those materials in unauthorised locations risked disclosure and transmission of those materials, and therefore could endanger the national security of the United States and the safety of its citizens. The Washington Post Joe Biden is unlikely to include his campaign plans for student debt cancellation in the proposed White House budget, as the administration remains focused on other priorities already outlined in his $4 trillion domestic agenda. The exclusion is among several other campaign pledges jettisoned from his first budget outline, including a public option for health coverage and a plan to cut prescription drug costs, according to The Washington Post. The full 2022 budget proposal is due on 27 May. In an interview with David Brooks of The New York Times, the president also appeared to dismiss progressive demands to cancel student loan debt, pointing to federal loan borrowers at high-cost private universities, which make up less than 1 per cent of federal borrowers. He said: The idea that you go to Penn and youre paying a total of 70,000 bucks a year and the public should pay for that? I dont agree. The president pledged to cancel up to $10,000 in federal loan debt before he entered the White House, adding that it should be done immediately upon taking office. Meanwhile, a large group of congressional Democrats including progressive leadership and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have pushed for canceling up to $50,000 in debt per borrower. The president has extended the coronavirus pandemic pause on federal student loan payments through September, and his Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has rolled back a policy implemented by his predecessor Betsy DeVos to provide full debt relief for 72,000 borrowers defrauded by for-profit schools. During his campaign, Mr Biden proposed a debt relief plan that would cancel up to $10,000 of undergraduate or graduate student loan debt for every year of national or community service, up to five years. Individuals working in schools, government and other non-profit settings will be automatically enrolled in this forgiveness program; up to five years of prior national or community service will also qualify, according to the plan. He also modelled a plan from Senator Bernie Sanders and US Rep Pramila Jayapal to cancel federal student loan debt for borrowers from public colleges and universities earning up to $125,000 per year, including students from private Historically Black Colleges and Universities, in an effort to close the racial wealth gap. The education platform outlined in his American Families Plan would provide up to two years of tuition-free community college and universal preschool, but it does not include the measures outlined during his campaign. His higher education plan aims to ease future student loan debt burdens, but it doesnt propose eliminating it entirely. His Education Department and the Department of Justice are reportedly mulling whether the president has authority to cancel student loan debt through executive action. The White House has also urged Congress to eliminate debt through legislation, which would face immense opposition from congressional Republicans and likely fail in an evenly divided Senate, unless Democrats attached a provision through a budget reconciliation process as they did to pass the American Rescue Plan. According to the Federal Reserve, more than 45 million Americans hold more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, a figure that has surged by more than 100 per cent within the last decade as private university enrollment grew and federal and state governments made steep cuts to higher-education funding against growing wealth inequality. Most of that debt $1.5 trillion is in federal loans. In a statement to The Washington Post, White House budget spokesman Rob Friedlander said that the Presidents budget will focus on advancing the historic legislative agenda hes already put forward for this year. The budget wont propose other new initiatives but will put together the full picture of how these proposals would advance economic growth and shared prosperity while also putting our country on a sound fiscal course, he said. President Joe Biden has announced he will double funding to address extreme weather ahead of concerns the United States will experience a severe hurricane season this year. This decision came as Mr Biden visited the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Monday so he could be briefed on hurricane preparedness for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season. My administration is going to bring every resource to bear, every resource to bear, every time to help American people, Americans, weather emergencies, Mr Biden said. And were going to spare no expense, no effort to keep Americans safe and respond to crises when they arise, and they certainly will. Now is the time to get ready for the busiest time of the year for disasters in America. Hurricane season in the south and east, and the fire season out west. Todays briefing is a critical reminder, we dont have a moment to lose in preparing for 2021, he added. Ahead of the meeting, the Biden administration announced its plans for how the federal government will address and prepare for extreme weather. The administration has directed $1bn in funding for communities, states, and Tribal governments into pre-disaster mitigation resources to prepare for extreme weather events and other disasters, the White House announced in a press release on Monday. In 2020, the United States experienced an unprecedented hurricane season with 30 named storms in the Atlantic Basin, the White House said. Communities across the country also experienced losses of more than $1bn due to climate-related disasters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed on 20 May in its 2021 Atlantic hurricane season outlook that another above-normal hurricane season was expected this year. In the report, forecasters predicted a 60 per cent chance of an above-normal season and a 30 per cent chance of a near-normal season. There was only a 10 per cent chance of a below normal-season, the forecasters said. Additionally, it was anticipated that there could be 13 to 20 named storms during hurricane season, with six to 10 of them likely to become hurricanes. This has caused concern of how the storms could impact the communities hit by these storms. Now is the time for communities along the coastline as well as inland to get prepared for the dangers that hurricanes can bring, said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The experts at NOAA are poised to deliver life-saving early warnings and forecasts to communities, which will also help minimize the economic impacts of storms. Besides providing more funding to FEMA for pre-disaster mitigation resources, the Biden administration was also working with NASA to develop a new climate data system to better understand how the climate crisis will impact communities. NASAs Earth System Observatory will be a new architecture of advanced spaceborne Earth observation systems, providing the world with an unprecedented understanding of the critical interactions between Earths atmosphere, land, ocean, and ice processes, the White House said in the release. These processes determine how the changing climate will play out at regional and local levels, on near and long-term time scales. During an interview on Dan Bonginos new radio show, Donald Trump was asked about the existence of UFOs in light of the upcoming release of a report on the phenomena. In the first episode of Mr Bonginos show in what was Rush Limbaughs timeslot, the conservative host asked the former president if there was something that the government wasnt telling the public about unidentified flying objects. Im a believer in what you see, but there are a lot people out there who are into that. I get that do much: is it true, sir? said Mr Trump. Im not such a believer, but some people are, so I dont want to hurt their dreams or their fears. It could be fears more than dreams. In June, the Pentagon is scheduled to release a report to Congress compiled by the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. More credence has been given to the phenomena in recent years since the release of military footage of fast-moving airborne objects off both the east and west coasts of the US. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the most senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is leading the push for more investigation into the sightings. This was not the first time that Mr Trump has been asked about UFOs. In October 2020, Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo asked the then-president why the Department of Defense had set up a UFO task force and whether this implied that the government acknowledged their existence. Well, Im going to have to check on that, he replied. I mean, Ive heard that. I heard that two days ago. So Ill check on that. Ill take a good, strong look at that. Mr Trump then pivoted to talking about the strength of the US military implying that he felt the government was capable of responding to whatever the threat turned out to be, whether of this world or not. Former president Barack Obama recently told James Corden in an interview that he had asked questions about extraterrestrial matters when the latest videos of the phenomena had been made public during his administration. When I came into office, I asked, is there the lab somewhere where were keeping the alien specimens and a spaceship? They did a little bit of research and the answer is no, he continued. But what is true and Im actually being serious here, is there are, theres footage and records of objects in the skies that we dont know exactly what they are. He added: We cant explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern. Other former presidents have also looked into the phenomena. Bill Clinton had all the files reviewed on the famous incident in Roswell, New Mexico, but found nothing to share with the public. A new video has emerged of Donald Trump joking about the treatment of the press by North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns security guards. The footage, from a pro-Trump Instagram account, is believed to be from a fundraiser for the Republican Party held on 17 April at the former presidents Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. According to The Uprising, other speakers at the event included Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former secretary of state Mike Pompeo both seen as potential presidential candidates in 2024. In the clip, Mr Trump is standing at a podium regaling the crowd with the story of his meeting with the North Korean dictator. Hes not big on press coming in. I dont think hed ever done it before, the former president says. And the press came in and they were rough, not so much with him even not so much with me but the way they poured in physically, they tried to push guards down. And fortunately, these were North Korean guards. They didnt get pushed down. It was a rough kind of a day for the press, he adds after chuckling along with the audience. Mr Trump has a history of joking about violence against journalists, protesters, and political opponents. Maggie Haberman of The New York Times offers a different recollection of the events the former president is referring to in his remarks. She notes on Twitter that the confrontation with North Korean security occurred when his then-press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, pushed to ensure that the White House pool could have access to the leaders to observe what was happening. Video from The Washington Post shows North Korean security guards trying to block US media access and Ms Grisham scuffling to ensure reporters could get to the room where the leaders were meeting during the 30 June 2019 summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. The shaky footage shows reporters and White House aides rushing by North Korean guards through the lobby of the meeting venue as guards try to obstruct their progress. A security unit for the US commerce department has been accused of spying on Asian-American employees and critics of the census as part of an undercover bid to root out foreign influence. The Investigations and Threat Management Service (ITMS), whose job it is to protect employees, allegedly over-stepped legal limits by instead behaving like a counterintelligence agency and collecting information on hundreds of staff and private citizens, including searching their desks and reading their emails and social media, according to The Washington Post , who spoke to five ex-investigators. The 17-person team under the Trump administration reportedly had a $5.38 million annual budget and opened an estimated 1,000 cases, though very few led to any criminal cases, it has been claimed. The unit was also reportedly charged with investigating critics of the US census, which is run by the department of commerce, and which President Trump was accused of wanting to use to root out undocumented immigrants. The accusation caused waves on social media with some people claiming the unit behaved like the east German Stasi. Christopher Cheung, a former ITMS investigator, told the Post that his former unit targeted Asian-Americans in particular and searched for Chinese words, to root out foreign influence. In a resignation letter to former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, he reportedly wrote that when investigations into Asian staff or guests were inconclusive, agents were still prevented from closing the case. The news comes as the US continues to be hit by waves of anti Asian American hate crimes following the arrival of the pandemic, which reportedly began in China. This week President Biden signed a Covid-19 hate crime bill into law, protecting Asian Americans. The ITMS units supervisor was named by the Post as George D. Lee, 48, who whistleblowers claimed would force new recruits to track him through a mountain assault course in Virginia. Former supervisor Bruce Ridlen told the newspaper that ITMS actions looked as though someone watched too many Mission Impossible movies. US President Joe Biden smiles after signing into law the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on May 20, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images) A spokesman for the department told the Post that Mr Lee was not currently working in a supervisory capacity at the moment. The Biden administration allegedly ordered the ITMS to halt all criminal investigations on March 10, pending an on-going review into the accusations. A spokesman added: The current Commerce Department leadership team takes this issue seriously. The Department expects that at the end of the review it can and will implement a comprehensive solution to the issues raised. The US Department of Commerce has been contacted by The Independent. Passengers on board flight FR4978 have described the moment a super scared journalist tried to offload his mobile and laptop, as he realised he would be detained by the Belarusian authorities. The removal and detention of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, whom opposition leaders now fear could be tortured, from the Ryanair flight has drawn international condemnation. It had been an entirely uneventful flight right up until the moment the pilot announced an unexpected diversion near the Lithuanian border shortly before 1pm local time on Sunday. The pilot said the plane would be changing course for Minsk, capital of neighbouring Belarus, after Belarusian air traffic controllers contacted the flight crew to reveal a potential security threat on board. Protasevich reacted immediately. He stood up from his seat, reached into the overhead locker and pulled his laptop down. The 26-year-old journalist knew exactly what was happening. [He] took the luggage, and was trying to split things, like the computer he gave to his girlfriend, a passenger called Mantas told Reuters. Mantas added: I think he made a mistake. There were plenty of people so he could give the things to me or other passengers and not the girlfriend, who was also, I think, arrested. The Belarusian military scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk airport, with Belarusian media reporting an apparent bomb scare. But no explosives were to be found. Eyewitnesses saw Protasevich shaking and putting his head in his hands as he waited for the plane to land in Minsk. He was nervous at first, but later he understood he couldnt change anything. He calmed down and accepted it, one unnamed passenger told the AFP agency. Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich (Reuters) Soon after it touched down, security officials marched on board to pull Protasevich off the plane. As the journalist was led away, he said he feared for his life. Passenger Monika Simkiene told AFP: He just turned to people and said he was facing the death penalty. Protasevich knew he had been placed on a wanted list after last years mass street protests against president Alexander Lukashenko following his disputed election victory. We saw from the window that Roman is standing alone, and one policeman with dog was trying to find something in his luggage, Mantas said. Another passenger, who did not give her name, told Reuters the young journalist looked super scared, adding: I looked directly into his eyes and he was very sad. Roman Protasevich supporter at Vilnius airport as passengers disembark (Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty Images) The young journalist had previously worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of the 2020 mass protests against Lukashenkos regime via the Telegram messenger app. Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, was wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots allegations he denies. Protasevichs whereabouts in Minsk have not yet been made public. A university in Vilnius said one of its female students, Sofia Sapega, 23, was travelling with him and had also been detained. Ryanairs boss Michael OLeary, who referred to the incident as a state-sponsored hijacking, said he believed Russian security agents had been on the flight and had disembarked in Minsk. It appears the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist and his travelling companion... we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well, said Mr OLeary. Route taken by Ryanair Flight 4978 (Flightradar24) Lithuanian officials said on Monday that five passengers on the flight did not reach their final destination suggesting several agents may have been on board. A spokeswoman for the Lithuanian prime minister said the latest information from Ryanair suggested 126 passengers had departed the Greek capital and 121 were present on arrival in Vilnius. That would mean the operation had effectively been coordinated with spies operating on the ground in Greece, as Protasevich boarded the plane in Athens. Belarusian opposition leader-in-exile Svetlana Tikhanouskaya said on Monday that she feared for Protasevichs life. We are really afraid not only for his freedom, but for his life, she said on Monday. Holding a press briefing on Monday, Tsikhanouskaya said: We do not know where he is and in what condition. There is a high probability that at this very moment he is being tortured by the secret service staff. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (AP) The Belarus department for organised crime control also reported that Protasevich had been detained, but then deleted the statement from its Telegram channel. As for flight FR4978, Ryanair said that several hours of security checks on the runway at Minsk found nothing untoward, despite the warning from Belarusian air traffic controllers. The aircraft then left Minsk at 8.50pm local time and finally landed in Vilnius at 9.25pm. Most of the weary passengers appeared unaware of the scale of the international incident. The Lithuanian government has advised that its citizens leave Belarus immediately over safety fears, and has proposed an airline ban over Belarus. UK and EU leaders have since threatened sanctions over the forced diversion of a plane to Belarus. Nato ambassadors will also discuss the forced landing of flight FR4978 on Tuesday. The Belarusian foreign ministry bristled at what it described as belligerent statements from EU leaders insisting that the countrys authorities acted in full conformity with international rules. Iran has avoided a potential escalation in the dispute over its nuclear programme by agreeing to allow intrusive surveillance of sensitive facilities to continue amid high-stakes talks to reverse its atomic activities and remove harsh United States sanctions. Tehran and the United Nations atomic technology watchdog agreed to allow cameras to monitor the countrys nuclear sites for another month, officials announced, after a weekend deadline demanded by Irans parliament expired. Kazem Gharibabadi, Tehrans envoy to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency announced via Twitter Irans decision on the continuation of the data recording for one more month. Under a deal worked out in February, Iran was to allow cameras to continue to record images of activities inside sensitive installations. But the countrys leaders vowed to destroy the data for ever if there was no quick deal to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal forged six years ago but abandoned by Donald Trumps US administration. Weeks of intensive but indirect talks in Vienna between Iran and the US have yielded progress but no breakthrough, officials say, prompting an extension of the monitoring. It is completely clear that we have had significant progress, and we think the understanding is within reach, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said. The deal extends the surveillance capability of the watchdog just beyond Irans presidential elections on 18 June. It grants Iranian, American and other negotiators in Vienna breathing space to hammer out a possible deal in the coming weeks. Irans nuclear programme celebrated in state TV broadcast It also adds pressure on negotiators as well as inspectors wanting to monitor Irans nuclear programme. Western diplomats and nonproliferation experts are alarmed by a lack of real-time visibility on Irans nuclear facilities while Tehran is already avowedly expanding its ability to enrich uranium and increasing its stockpiles well beyond limits imposed by the JCPOA. This is not ideal, said IAEA director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi, in Vienna. This is like an emergency device that we came up with in order for us to continue having these monitoring activities. Mr Trumps withdrawal from the nuclear deal and imposition of sanctions at the behest of a narrow circle of Washington hawks prompted Iran to begin breaching limits imposed by the JCPOA on its nuclear programme. The administration of US president Joe Biden wants to revive the deal and bring both countries back into compliance, but has voiced doubts about Irans intentions. One particular dispute is over Irans continued operation of advanced centrifuges that refine uranium into fissile material. Iran wants to keep using advanced devices that replaced older models destroyed in a suspected Israel attack on its facility at Natanz last month . The US insists the JCPOA forbids their use. The flag of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency HQ (Getty Images) We know what sanctions would need to be lifted if theyre inconsistent with the nuclear agreement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News on Sunday. But as important and indeed more important, Iran knows what it needs to do to come back into compliance on the nuclear side. And what we havent yet seen is whether Iran is ready and willing to make a decision to do what it has to do. Iran insists that since the US first breached the deal, the onus was on Washington to remove sanctions. We recommend the negotiating countries to seize the extra opportunity provided by Iran in good faith for the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner, Mr Gharibabadi wrote on Twitter. The interim deal suggests that Iran is eager to return to the deal and is not seeking to provoke a crisis over its nuclear programme. Russias ambassador to the IAEA, Mikhail Ulyanov, tweeted that the agreement would help maintain business-like atmosphere at the Vienna talks on JCPOA and facilitate a successful outcome of the diplomatic efforts to restore the nuclear deal. Over 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are shipped out of SK Bioscience's manufacturing plant in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on May 17. SK group's pharmaceutical affiliate, SK Bioscience, is AstraZeneca's partner in the global supply of the COVID-19 vaccine. Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo Following a government recommendation, major conglomerates are introducing paid leave for workers getting vaccinated against COVID-19. But small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) cannot afford to do so because of a shortage of manpower, financial constraints and other problems caused by the prolonged fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. While the vaccine leave program will help employees, these factors together contribute to the widening gap between top-tier businesses and smaller ones in the "pandemic world," raising the question as to whether the vaccine leave program can be institutionalized while offsetting the financial burden for SMEs. Samsung Electronics, LG Group, SK hynix, Lotte Group and CJ Group are among the large business groups that have adopted the program; while Naver and NHN, IT giants that began as startups, are also taking part. They all allow their respective employees paid leave of one to three days without a doctor's note. These measures are in accordance with the April 1 recommendation from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH). Without being legally binding, the CDSCH, which operates under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, advised private companies to grant sick leave of up to two days for workers suffering side effects after getting the shot. The length of the leave was determined based on the general recovery time for people after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The government came up with the idea of instituting paid vaccine leave after a sizable number of people complained of difficulties in immediately returning to work. A flash and then the force of the blast wave lifts the Palestinian doctor off the ground, throws him the length of the room and slams him into a wall. The harrowing CCTV footage captures the moment an Israeli airstrike damages the clinic housing Gazas only Covid-19 testing lab. Dr Majed Salah, who was giving a medical consultation by phone at the time, is seen unconscious and curled up on the floor. His colleagues, who escaped the ferocious tornado, run for their lives. Around them, the building shudders as windows explode. Plumes of dust fill the screen. It was 17 May, and Israeli airstrikes had smacked down the nearby top two stories of a multistorey building on Wehda street, one of Gazas main thoroughfares. The strike was so intense it badly damaged the clinic housing the Covid lab, as well as the Ministry of Health offices, both of which lie opposite. Dr Saleh was critically wounded and in intensive care for several days, according to Dr Yousef Abu Reesh, Gazas deputy health minister. We were given no warning at all, the senior official said from his bombed-out office, which is in the damaged ministry building. Youssef Abu Reesh, Gazas deputy health minister, shows The Independent the destroyed building housing Gazas only Covid lab (Bel Trew) Its like they wanted to bring that apartment to us, to throw the concrete at us. Scrunching across shattered glass, masonry and office equipment, Dr Abu Reesh takes The Independent around what is left of the clinic and the ministry building. He says the sole laboratory in Gaza that processes test results was rendered temporarily inoperable. The PCR testing machine survived the blast but had to be moved. It hugely impacts the work we can do in this emergency and a pandemic, Dr Abu Reesh continues. Our offices the administrative part of the ministry of health were directly damaged and paralysed by this attack. A lot of services, like the phone consolations for people who feel it is unsafe to move from their homes, had to halt. Eleven days of intense fighting between Hamas militants and the Israeli military saw some of the most intense airstrikes ever recorded in Gaza, devastating swathes of the blockaded Strip, as well as an unprecedented barrage of rockets landing in Israel. In Gaza, 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women were killed. In Israel,12 died, including two children and a soldier. While the conflict is far shorter than previous wars in 2012 and 2014, the bombardment on both sides was among the most intense, according to UN officials. They are now warning that the subsequent humanitarian crisis caused by the fighting is also being complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. More than 300,000 cases of the deadly disease have been recorded across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) since the pandemic first reached the region in March 2020. Gaza is particularly vulnerable, as its healthcare system has been crippled by a 14-year Egyptian and Israeli blockade imposed when the militant Islamist group Hamas took control of the strip. The tiny 40km-long enclave, which is home to nearly two million people, is also one of the most densely populated territories on earth, making social distancing hard even in peacetime. A month ago in Gaza, the caseload soared to 1,000 new cases being logged every day. Health officials managed to get the spread under control just before the fighting erupted two weeks ago but now fear a new wave is imminent. More than 20 healthcare facilities were damaged during the 11 days of fighting, and one primary health care unit was completely levelled. One of the centres to suffer damage was a PCR testing lab in the north of the Strip, as well as the only remaining Covid-19 lab, located next to the ministry in the city centre. Destroyed offices of the health ministry building with the multi-storey building that was the target of the airstrikes in the background (Bel Trew) The World Health Organisation (WHO) also raised concerns about the lack of social distancing and mask-wearing as tens of thousands of people were displaced by the bombardment, with many of them camping in UN schools that have become temporary shelters. Across the OPT only seven per cent of the population has been vaccinated, which poses a huge risk, Dr Richard Peeperkorn, head of the WHO Office for West Bank and Gaza, told The Independent. Gaza is already among the most densely populated areas in the world and then, with the escalation where you have 75,000 displaced, it makes prevention measures social distances, and mask-wearing almost impossible. He said that the WHO needed regular access to Gaza to bring in supplies, including more PCR test kits. There is also a massive shortage of vaccines. Gaza has about 120,000 doses, he added. Because of the blockade, the Strip was already missing 40 per cent of the essential drug list, including key items like antibiotics and trauma supplies. With the sudden flood of injuries from the bombing, those supplies have dwindled at hospitals that, in some cases, have had to give over their Covid-19 facilities to the more immediate crisis. At Gazas main medical centre, al-Shifa, they had to change their 30-bed Covid-19 isolation ward into an emergency Intensive Care Unit, transferring three intubated coronavirus patients and 45 others who were not so ill with the virus to other hospitals. Dr Raed Kuhail, who mans a drop-in Covid-19 clinic at al-Shifa, said they did not know the extent of the damage, as testing has been interrupted and, in the meantime, social distancing rules had been thrown out of the window. We wont know the increase in cases for at least another week, and thats if the ceasefire holds, he added. Airstrikes have devastated parts of Gaza (AP) PCR test facilities at Beit Hanoun Hospital, serving the north of the strip, had to be moved to Gaza City when a slew of strikes struck a playground just five metres away from the wards. It was a disaster. We had to transfer all our Covid-19 patients. The bombing was so intense that around 6,000 people came to the hospital, said chief nurse Khalid Abu Jared, speaking from the childrens ward, which overlooks at least two neat craters in the ground. Some were injured, some were just scared, and we couldnt implement social distancing at all. Expecting a new surge in cases, Beit Hanoun has prepared a special Covid-19 field hospital in a tent provided by the WHO. Back at the destroyed health ministry, Dr Abureesh said he had little hope that they will be able to resume normal services any time soon. We still havent managed to repair the damage to all the health facilities from the last offensive in 2014. Thats seven years, so what do we do now? he asked. We are in this for at least another 10 years, just to rebuild what has been lost. This is a massive opportunity lost. The boss of Ryanair has called the forced landing of a jet in Minsk to detain a dissident journalist state-sponsored hijacking. Ryanair flight 4978 was flying from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, when it was forced to divert to Minsk because air-traffic controllers in Belarus told the pilots of a potential security threat on board. There were more than 120 passengers onboard the Boeing 737 aircraft. Belarusian dissident, Roman Protasevich, was aboard the Ryanair flight. He and his partner were apprehended when the plane landed in Minsk, the Belarus capital. Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary told Irish Newstalk radio this morning that the incident was a case of state-sponsored hijacking... state-sponsored piracy. It appears the intent of the authorities was to remove a journalist and his travelling companion... we believe there were some KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well, he said. It comes as Latvian airline airBaltic announced it will no longer use Belarus airspace for its flights, according to a spokesperson. European leaders are meeting today to discuss possible sanctions on Belarus. Additional reporting by agencies By now, you and everyones dog knows how it goes: A Republican compares basic health and safety measures during a pandemic to the Holocaust, people are outraged, and that Republican gets free advertising on social media and a potential boost from voters. This time round, its Marjorie Taylor Greene the one who thought Jewish space lasers mightve caused forest fires in California who said on a recent podcast that she thought Nancy Pelosis decision to continue mask-wearing in Congress was comparable to genocide. You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany, and this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about, Greene said, adding that she thought Pelosi was mentally ill for instituting the rule after finding out that less than half of Republican representatives are vaccinated. Greene is hardly the only GOP member given to such offensive comparisons. Lets not forget the brave ones who came before her, including Alaska Republican Ben Carpenter, who asked of stickers showing that someone had been screened for Covid that day in May 2020: If my sticker falls off, do I get a new one or do I get public shaming too? Are the stickers available as a yellow Star of David? A Kansas newspaper owned by a Republican Party chairman in July 2020 responded to the local Democratic governors lockdown law with a cartoon of Jewish people being put onto trains accompanied by the text: Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask and step in the cattle car. And in March of this year, Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn said of the idea of vaccine passports: Proposals like these smack of 1940s Nazi Germany. Grasping for a Holocaust comparison every time youre asked to follow basic safety procedures to protect others from a virus is both offensive and intellectually lazy: that much is clear to most people. But its also shocking enough that its guaranteed to create headlines. Members of ones own party are forced to respond in order to distance themselves Liz Cheney (recently ousted by the pro-Trumpers of the GOP) tweeted that Greenes remarks were evil lunacy; Peter Meijer said the remarks were beyond reprehensible; Adam Kinzinger called them absolute sickness. The American Jewish Congress called on Greene to apologize. Former Republican representative Denver Riggleman simply tweeted: What do you expect from a truther, Q believer, and gaslighting conspiracy theorist? All of this has become an excellent opportunity for Greene to get her name out there (again), trending across social media and clicked on by right-leaning potential voters who love it when people wind up the libs. Its also an excellent opportunity for those never Trump Republicans who are still being penalised for their opposition to the former president within their party. Those members of the GOP have made a bet that the Trump recovery period might last a year or so, but will probably be over by the 2022 midterms and certainly by the next presidential election. Republicans lost states like Arizona in 2020 through the kind of trolling roulette Greene and her compatriots continue to engage in. Firmly ensconced in a warm and cosy blanket of denial, they now cling to the Big Lie in order to not have to deal with the real consequences of their actions. Like the Cheneys of this world, the Big Lie Republicans have also made a bet. Theyre betting that Donald Trump whipped up enough divisive anger to last into the next election. Theyre hoping that if they amp up the volume every time something as inoffensive as wearing a mask during a pandemic comes up, the music will play them right back in to the White House. Consider what Greene and alleged sex offender Matt Gaetz are actually doing with themselves right now, media appearances about Nazi Germany aside: They are championing an audit in Arizona or a fraudit, if you prefer their punny term for it and holding rallies where they encourage people to chant about Trump being Americas legitimate president. You know, thats how we feel in Georgia too, Greene said during the rally, when shed established that everyone in the room felt like Trump mustve won in 2020. As a matter of fact, thats how Michigan feels, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. I think thats how at least 74-plus million people feel. As political editor David Knowles put it, honouring how people feel was the theme of the night. The political right used to be big on that phrase beloved of Ben Shapiro, facts dont care about your feelings. It was used to shout down those on the political left again and again, on issues ranging from white privilege to gender roles, and it was so popular that Shapiro titled two books with it. But these days, facts and feelings have become synonymous for the GOP. Indeed, at rallies like Greenes and Gaetzs, feelings dont care about your facts whether that concerns election fraud or the basic biology of how a virus spreads. What Greene et al are desperately hoping is that those feelings will get strong enough to inspire personal victories in 2022 and 2024. They are positioning themselves as pariahs, victims of the liberal media elite, and most especially as victims of the collaborators within their own party. And they also know that few will stay silent few in politics especially can afford to stay silent when they make wild comparisons with Nazis, gas chambers and yellow stars. What they say isnt especially important, in other words; whats important is the reaction and the cycle of inevitable condemnation. Whats important is to remain an outsider on the inside. But whats unclear is whether a perpetual victim complex can be kept alive in a political environment so much less erratic than Trumps. The CBSE Class XII examination is likely to be conducted and its date and format to be announced by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on May 30. A high-level meeting, chaired by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was held on Sunday to discuss how to conduct CBSE exams for Class XII and entrance examinations for professional courses. The education ministers and education secretaries of States and Union Territories, chairpersons of state examination boards and stakeholders were present in the meeting. Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani and Sanjay Dhotre also attended the meeting. BCCL According to the education ministry, the majority of states/UTs are in favour of conducting the CBSE Class XII examination. Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has requested the state governments to send their detailed suggestions/feedback on conducting CBSE exams for Class XII and entrance examinations for professional courses by May 25. He said that the government is committed to the "safety, security and future" of students. Earlier on April 14, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had notified that Class XII exams were postponed in view of the COVID pandemic. CBSE had said further information regarding the Class XII board exams would be given to students by June 1. Vaccinate all Class 12 CBSE students before exams Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that if health experts clear anti-Covid vaccine jabs for 17.5-year-olds, then all Class 12 students across the country must be vaccinated before the CBSE exams. BCCL Sisodia, who holds the Education portfolio, made the demand during the high-level virtual meeting with Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and other Union Ministers along with state education ministers to deliberate on the conduct of the exams. However, it was inconclusive. In a post meeting press conference, he demanded that the Central government should arrange vaccines for around 1.5 crore Class 12 students across the country and the same number of vaccines for teachers. Sisodia said that nearly 95 per cent of Class 12 students are above the age of 17.5 years, and suggested that Centre should talk to experts aif they can be given anti-Covid vaccines. World-renowned cooking show MasterChef Australia recently showed an Australian-based woman who has her roots in Bangladesh and cooked up a simple Bengali dish for the judges. In fact, her authentic Bengali dishes have pushed her through her journey in the competition till now. Instagram Kishwar Chowdhary is bringing Bengali cuisine to the global dining table. Using her mother's recipes as inspiration, the 38-year-old chef is impressing the judges left, right and centre. Recently, she has gone viral on social media for making a simple Bengali dish called 'Macher Jhol' - it is a fish curry made with fried fish in a soup-like gravy made with veggies and served with rice. Chowdhary's dish included Barramundi fish in a tomato curry with a Bean and Chingri Bhorta (mashed beans and prawns) and Jeera Rice. Instagram "This dish takes me straight into the heart of Chandichowk in Dhaka," she wrote on her Instagram handle. Dhaka Tribune quoted Kishwar, saying, The Bengali cuisine that I carry with me has been passed down from generation to generation. Ive always taken a little creative license with it." Instagram Chowdhary wants to place Bangladeshi's cuisine on the world map and her passion for it is definitely making it look like she will succeed with her plan. Ratan Tata is known for his empathetic nature and treating his employees like his family. There have been several instances where he has gone out of the way to help out the people who work for him and his company Tata Steel. Star Sun Fold So, during the second wave of Covid-19, Tata Steel has gone above and beyond to help its employees and extended social security schemes to the family members of the employees affected by Covid-19. The Jamshedpur-based steel manufacturer has announced that it would continue to pay monthly salary to the family of all employees who died due to COVID-19. It also added in the statement that the salary would be paid till the retirement age of the deceased - that is 60 years. The monthly pay would be the same as the last salary which the person drew before their demise. Along with the salary, the company would also provide medical benefits and residential facilities. #TataSteel has taken the path of #AgilityWithCare by extending social security schemes to the family members of the employees affected by #COVID19. While we do our bit, we urge everyone to help others around them in any capacity possible to get through these tough times. pic.twitter.com/AK3TDHyf0H Tata Steel (@TataSteelLtd) May 23, 2021 People of Twitter praised Tata Steel for its generosity and lauded it for setting a great example. Touched by the thought . Great initiative. .. Mr. Ratan Tata is a true patriot and Philanthropist. Tatas slogan- So Real Values stronger than Steel @TataCompanies @RNTata2000 Amarpreet Singh Khanuja 'Kale' (@AmarpreetKale) May 23, 2021 Touched by the thought . Great initiative. .. Mr. Ratan Tata is a true patriot and Philanthropist. Tatas slogan- So Real Values stronger than Steel @TataCompanies @RNTata2000 Amarpreet Singh Khanuja 'Kale' (@AmarpreetKale) May 23, 2021 Your Human approach towards Life & Employees make the TATA best company to work with .Hope other companies learn this & help families of employees at this tough junction !We are Just Proud of TATA ... Sandeepsinghchauhan (@Sandyschauhan) May 24, 2021 This is TATA way of working. Proud to be working for such an institution. Tatas are not a business, its a culture. Amit shandilya (@Amitshandilya16) May 23, 2021 @RNTata2000 I am proud that I was born in India, and I would be more proud to tell the next generation how big the Tata group has taken This is the difference between a business men and an industeylist. Nilesh Chouhan (@NileshC35228921) May 23, 2021 Tata has set a great example and we hope to see other companies take the same approach. An Indian American grandfather, Sureshbhai Patel, who was severely injured by Madison, Alabama police officers while walking around his neighborhood in 2015, has received a $1.75 million settlement. Patel is seen here in a hospital after the incident. (Aakash Patel/GoFundMe photo) Many companies seem eager to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, if for no other reason than to be able to let their employees, customers, and business partners know that theyre on the leading edge of technology progress. At the same time, a lot of businesses are looking to enhance the experiences of customers and channel partners, in order to increase brand loyalty, boost sales, and gain market shareamong other reasons. Some have found a way to combine these goals, using AI-powered tools to improve the way they deliver products, services, and support to their clients and business partners. Here are two examples. G&J Pepsi: Predicting stores product needs G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers began its foray into AI and machine learning in January 2020, when it partnered with Microsoft to better understand the AI and machine learning components within Microsofts Azure cloud platform. With guidance from Microsofts data science team, we spent time understanding the environment, required skill sets, and began ingesting various data components within Azure ML to provide predicted outcomes, says Brian Balzer, vice president of digital technology and business transformation at G&J Pepsi. A year earlier, G&J Pepsis executive team had approached its digital technology organization about providing predicted orders and store shelf optimization for its Pepsi products. This was driven by the large amount of manual labor required to service our customers with the vast array of products, brands, and SKUs we offer, Balzer says. The company carries more than 250 different SKUs, and typically most of those products are in stock at any number of stores across its markets. The senior executives wanted the company to have an automated order mechanism to speed up processes and improve results. Order writers at the company are required to know each store, consumer buying behaviors, sales activities, promotions, competitor tactics, weather changes, and more, Balzer says. All of this is done manually and based on their own experience, he says. Some may be great at juggling all of this, but its time-consuming and is very dependent upon an individual. Furthermore, it can take individuals a long time to acquire this knowledge, Balzer says. What if they leave the company? All of that knowledge goes with them and the next person has to be trained and learn it on their own, he adds. The reordering process is typically handled manually, with staffers counting empty spaces on shelves and in backrooms. Much of this work is acquired knowledge from years of experience in each store, Balzer says. We began collecting this data and pumping it into the Azure ML models that are already built within the platform. We spent time tweaking those models with the more data we piped into it. As various types of data are fed into the machine learning models, they generate a predicted order. G&J Pepsi is in the midst of rolling out the automated order platform to all frontline employees currently servicing Kroger stores, and it plans to roll it out to those servicing Walmart stores in the coming months. The company is looking to use the same technology to begin determining shelf optimization for its convenience and grocery store segment. One of the biggest challenges any beverage company faces is determining what products to have in the cold spaces within retailer stores, Balzer says. This requires having a clear understanding of how much quantity of a particular product should be available in each store, the proper location within the store coolers, and the profit potential for those products, he says. This can be a complicated formula, and one that changes market to market, Balzer says. For instance, infused water or teas might sell more quickly in an urban location than in a rural market, whereas the opposite might be true for an energy drink. Developing the proper sets of products and optimizing storage space is critical to G&J Pepsis success. The machine learning tool the company has developed, Cold Space Allocator, takes into account all of the variables and lays out an optimized product selection for each customer within each market. It will also provide recommendations of products that might be outperforming in similar locations to replace slower selling products, Balzer says. Product optimization is an immense market advantage when done properly to meet consumer demands. The company can also use the data to show its customers which products are increasing their profits the most and which are in the most demand. Since implementing the automated order platform, G&J Pepsi has seen a dramatic improvement in ordering efficiency. The time required to write orders has fallen from more than 60 minutes per store to about 10 minutes. The company did face a few challenges as it began deploying the new technology. The first and most important was to focus on the process, Balzer says. A great technology on a bad process will fail every time. Its critical to fix process issues before implementing technology. We took time to partner with our frontline employees to understand how they manage their current processes, gain buy-in, and fix any process issues. For example, for the predictive order process to work, the company needed to ensure that all frontline employees were servicing customers the same way. That means they need to walk the store the same way, identify backroom stock first, understand promotions, sales activities, etc., Balzer says. They also needed to understand how buying behavior impacts our ability to provide a predicted order and when they should or shouldnt adjust. G&J Pepsi also needed users to buy into why the automated order platform is valuable to them, how it makes them more efficient, and how it improves their ability to service customers. The employees had some concerns of their own. They needed to be reassured that we were not removing their job, Balzer says. Were actually making their jobs easier and giving them time back to service more customers or spend more time with store managers to focus on selling. As they have more time to build relationships with each store, they will see improved results from growing those relationships and our brands. Zipline: Delivering medical supplies where theyre most needed Zipline is a drone delivery service whose stated mission is no less than to provide every human on Earth with instant access to vital medical supplies including blood, vaccines, and personal protective equipment. The companys drones have flown more than five million miles in multiple countries and completed more than 115,000 commercial deliveries, including bringing supplies to hospitals and clinics in some of the worlds most remote communities. The company designs, assembles, and operates its unmanned aircraft system in the US and is progressing toward FAA certification of its drones and air carrier certification for its US operations. AI and machine learning were more or less baked in to Zipline from the start, says Matt Fay, data team lead at the company. I dont think you could design a cooperative fleet of autonomous aircraft without those tools. In the early stages before Zipline was flying hundreds of flight hours each day, developing intelligent behaviors needed less data-driven methods, because the company lacked the kinds of data sets that make those algorithms work, Fay says. It wasnt until we had begun flying, delivering medical products every day in Rwanda, that we had collected enough data to require new tools, he says. The companys motivation at the time was two-fold, Fay says. First off, we wanted to migrate from a local workflowindividual engineers downloading and analyzing a batch of flights on their own machinesto a cloud-based approach, where our entire flight history was already available, he says. Second, Zipline wanted to build an analysis environment, with powerful batch processing capabilities and a common, collaborative workspace. The software team was already fluent in Python, so the company deployed Jupyter Notebook, an open source web application that allows users to create and share documents that contain live code, equations, visualizations, and narrative text, running on a cluster of Apache Spark analytics engines. A key component is a data science and machine learning platform from Databricks, which combines a scalable cloud-based computing environment with data streams from all aspects of Ziplines operationseverything from flight logs to maintenance to tracking the provenance and status of parts and inventory at each distribution center. Because Databricks is a shared, collaborative environment, were able to invest in the platform: building our own set of utilities for batch processing, maintaining a plotting library of our most helpful data visualizations for flights, building a simple set of tutorials and training curriculum to onboard new team members, Fay says. When most folks think of data democratization initiatives, theyre usually thinking of dashboarding platforms that give access to analytics, Fay says. While thats an important part of any strong data teams arsenal, with [the Databricks platform], weve been able to democratize data science, giving everyone at the company the ability to combine, explore, visualize, and act on all of Ziplines data. This broadly available capability has helped Zipline provide better service. The companys customers, the health systems it serves, rely on us to reliably deliver essential medicines on time, Fay says. Achieving this requires more than just a reliable aircraft; it takes sufficient operational capacity at each step of the process involved with fulfilling an order. An emergency delivery can be delayed for any number of reasons, everything from not enough staff on hand to pick and pack each product, to running out of fully charged aircraft batteries. In order to understand the tradeoffs and bottlenecks in the larger system that is a Zipline distribution center, our team built an event-based simulation tool, modeling every step involved with delivering medical products, Fay says. Without tuning this simulation to real-life data taken from Ziplines operations, this tool would be uselessly inaccurate, Fay says. Only with that calibration complete are we able to ask and answer all kinds of invaluable hypothetical questions: How will opening three new delivery sites impact our on-time rate at this distribution center? If we increased our charge rate by 10%, how many fewer batteries and chargers might we need? What is the best algorithm for dispatching aircraft? Zipline has found that the insights from this tool impact practically every team at the company. For that reason, along with the ease of continuously calibrating and updating the model, weve chosen to host it in Databricks, Fay says. This enables analysts with different needs across the company to see the same simulation results, and investigate the relevant parts. For Zipline customers and their patients, the technology has meant more reliable delivery of vital supplies. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. gettyimagesbank By Lee Kyung-min The government said Monday that it has begun discussing ways to manage fast-growing debt on a steep rise, due to a spike in mandatory and fiscal spending brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement signals that the record-high growth of debt due to a year of expansionary policies needs to slow down, an objective the government says will be achieved by the implementation of a newly outlined fiscal discipline by 2025. An effort will follow to reduce the one-off increase in expenditures granted to state-run projects. Government spending will prioritize ways to bolster exports and corporate investments, two growth drivers underpinning the country's economy. A balanced recovery is needed that includes low-income earners who lost jobs during the past year. The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to keep the government debt-to-GDP ratio under 60 percent, while limiting the consolidated fiscal deficit to less than 3 percent of the country's GDP. A deficit of up to 4 percent of the GDP is allowed in limited situations following an economic crisis. An economic crisis is defined by a clear slowdown, as illustrated by a drop in industrial output and employment data. The government debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 43.9 percent last year, which is the first time that the figure has surpassed the 40 percent mark. The year-on-year increase of 6.2 percent resulted from a combined 67 trillion won ($57 billion) in four extra budget bills, drafted to fund emergency stimulus packages during the pandemic. The figure will be 48.2 percent this year, and is predicted to soar further to 52.3 percent in 2022. At the heart of the problem is the rapid increase of the government debt-to-GDP ratio figure, according to experts. It took nine years for the figure to rise from 30 percent to 40 percent but only three years will be needed for it to exceed 50 percent in 2022. The figure is expected to spike another 10 percent to over 60 percent in just three years thereafter. "The rapid increase in the debt can lead to a downgrade of the country's credit rating," Seoul National University economist Kim So-young said. "The ratio had remained under 40 percent for decades, but it has risen more than 20 percentage points in just five years. A drastic measure will be needed to slow the pace of the debt's growth." According to a fiscal outlook report for 2020 through 2060, released in September of last year by the ministry, if all continues in the same manner, Korea's debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to rise to 81.1 percent in 2060, nearly double the 43.5 percent that it was last year. This increase was based on the premise that economic and fiscal policies will remain unchanged from the status quo. The figure will jump further to 92 percent, if the government puts in place mandatory spending of 60 trillion won from 2025 to 2060, due to a spike in interest payments on government debt, as well as payouts to subscribers of the state pension system and elderly low-income earners. But the figure could be reduced to 64.5 percent if government efforts are successful in tackling the low birthrate adding more people to the workforce, bolstering productivity and providing more tax revenue. Korea's combined fiscal balance recorded a record-high deficit of 71.2 trillion won last year, about 3.7 percent of the country's GDP. This figure was the highest since 1982, when it was 3.9 percent. The fiscal balance, which excludes four social funds that always produce a surplus (national health insurance, the national pension fund, employment insurance, and industrial accident insurance), recorded 112 trillion won in deficit, more than double the figure of 54.4 trillion won from 2019. The fiscal balance was about 5.8 percent of the country's GDP, the highest figure to date. A Delaware man was sentenced on Friday to nearly four years in prison for his role in a plot to defraud a beauty product manufacturer out of more than $2 million. U.S. District Judge James Bredar in Baltimore also ordered Thi Van Ho, 51, of Bear, Delaware, to pay over $2.4 million in restitution and sentenced him to three years of supervised release after his 46-month prison term. Ho pleaded guilty in November to charges of conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property. Federal prosecutors say Ho and four others participated in a scheme to submit fraudulent invoices in the names of shell companies for services and products that werent provided to the defrauded company. Three of Hos co-conspirators await sentencing after pleading guilty in the case. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Barclays Plc has been dragged into a bitter feud between two French insurers over its role in a failed hostile takeover bid. SCOR SE is suing Barclays in London for breach of confidence when the bank advised Covea on its bid to acquire SCOR in 2018. Barclays was given an inside track into the strategic thinking of SCORs board and then used the information to help Covea sabotage SCORs plans to merge with another firm, SCORs lawyers said. Coveas bid for SCOR was one of Frances most acrimonious takeover attempts in years and the fallout has led to several lawsuits as well as criminal proceedings. SCOR is suing Covea in France and has started criminal action against the company and its chief executive, Thierry Derez, who sat on SCORs board at the time of the bid. Read more: Rousseau to Replace Kessler as CEO of SCOR, in Change to Succession Plan The suit against Barclays is just one battle in a much wider war between SCOR and Covea, Barclays lawyer Rosalind Phelps said at a London hearing Friday. The trial is due to begin in June. SCOR is seeking an injunction to restrain use of confidential company information, as well as a declaration that Barclays acted in breach of confidence. Barclays is seeking to dismiss some of SCORs case before the trial starts. Barclays declined to comment. SCOR declined to comment; Covea didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. SCOR says Barclays was fed confidential information by Derez about its plan to merge with another reinsurer PartnerRe. Covea, assisted by advisers including Barclays, then used this information to move fast and make a bid to acquire SCOR in order to kill the potential merger, SCORs lawyer Fred Hobson said in a filing. The information Barclays obtained included the minutes of a SCOR board meeting. Barclays then forwarded on the minutes to other advisors of Covea, noting that the email was strictly confidential, said Hobson. How Barclays thought it was appropriate to receive, and then itself to forward on to advisors of a third company, the confidential minutes of SCORs internal board meeting is a matter of serious concern which will be explored at trial. With assistance from Gaspard Sebag. Photograph: The Barclays Plc office headquarters office building stands in the Canary Wharf business, financial and shopping district of London, on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Photo credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. NEW DELHI Personal data of about 4.5 million passengers of Air India was leaked in a cyber attack on the airlines data processor but the compromised servers were later secured, the Indian state-run carrier said in a statement. The debt-laden airline, a member of global airlines consortium Star Alliance, said the breach involved personal data, such as name, contact, passport, ticket and credit card details, registered between Aug 2011 and Feb 2021. No passwords were affected. Air Indias data processor, SITA PSS (Passenger Service System), had in recent months informed the airline about a cyber attack it faced in February, following which the Indian airline investigated the matter and secured compromised servers. Our data processor (SITA) has ensured that no abnormal activity was observed after securing the compromised servers, the airline said late on Friday. SITA, which serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United , had in March said it had faced a highly sophisticated cyber-attack after which it initiated containment measures. It was not immediately clear if any other airlines were affected by the incident SITA reported in March. Asked for comment, SITA referred Reuters to its March announcement on Saturday, adding that it had duly informed Air India and the matter remains under active investigation by SITA. For Air India, the breach is the latest headache at a time when it is trying to rein in costs while the government seeks to sell its interest in the company. The airline is also embroiled in a legal battle with British firm Cairn Energy with pressure on the Indian government to pay a $1.2 billion arbitration award that Cairn was awarded by an arbitration tribunal in December. Other major cyber incidents in the recent past include easyJet, which last year said hackers had accessed the email and travel details of around 9 million customers. (Reporting by Tanvi Mehta in New Delhi and Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; editing by Aditya Kalra and Lincoln Feast.) Topics Cyber This wrap-up of international People Moves details recent appointments at broker Acrisure; Willis Re; reinsurance investment firm Acacia Holdings Ltd., and Corant Global. A summary of these new hires follows here. Acrisure, the London-based insurance broker and fintech financial services provider, announced the hiring of Mark McIlquham as president of UK Retail. McIlquham begins with Acrisure on Aug. 1 and will be based in London, reporting to Grahame Millwater, president, Acrisure Markets and International. McIlquham brings more than two decades of experience to Acrisures growing international operation. He joins Acrisure from Deloitte where is has been a partner for the past 12 years. At Deloitte, he specialized in the insurance sector, leading complex audit, M&A, restructuring and regulatory projects. He held a variety of positions on executive leadership boards and committees and was most recently head of Deloittes UK Financial Services Audit & Assurance. *** Chems-Eddine Kassali has been appointed regional director, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for Willis Re, the reinsurance division of insurance broker Willis Towers Watson. Previously associate director at United Insurance Brokers Ltd., Kassali will be responsible for the strategic development of Willis Res MENA portfolio, reporting to Natalie van de Coolwijk, regional director, Middle East and Africa. He will be responsible for client and reinsurer relationships and will focus on leveraging and developing Willis Res service offerings to deliver long term value for clients in the region. Kassalis appointment follows several key hires in the MENA region, including Reena Gandesha as executive director and local MENA team lead. *** Acacia Holdings Ltd., the Bermuda-based specialist reinsurance and retrocession investment company, announced that Lawrence Cheng has joined its executive leadership team and will become chief underwriting officer. Cheng served as managing director and head of Property & Casualty at Peak Re, where he was also a founding member of its leadership team. He led the firms successful development of third-party capital vehicles and served as co-CEO of Peak Capital, a Bermuda-based insurance linked securities asset manager. A qualified actuary, Cheng started his career at Markel Liberty in London before moving to Aon to set up and oversee their actuarial practice in China. Cheng has an impressive track record in underwriting and reinsurance, with proven success in managing a business from start-up into a leading reinsurance company. About Acacia Holdings and Oaktree Group Acacia Holdings Ltd. is a specialist reinsurance and retrocession investment company incorporated in Bermuda, backed by companies within the Oaktree Group. The company utilizes its own balance sheet alongside third-party capital to invest in the reinsurance and retrocessional markets, providing tailor-made solutions to meet the specific requirements of its investors and trading partners. Oaktree is a global investment manager specializing in alternative investments, with $153 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2021. *** Corant Global this month announced the appointment of Paul Scope as chairman of its Bermuda operations. Working alongside Chris Bonard, CEO of Corant Bermuda and Ed Broking Bermuda, and John Turner, chairman of Ed Broking Bermuda. An established veteran of the Bermuda market, Scope brings over 40 years of industry experience to Corant and joins from Willis Bermuda where he has been chairman since 2015. Prior to that, Scope founded Park International where he served as president and CEO for more than a decade, becoming chairman of The Park Group in 2003. He was appointed chairman and CEO of JLT Park Bermuda after the business was acquired by JLT in 2007. About Corant Global Completely independent, Corant provides global wholesale specialty insurance and reinsurance broking services and underwriting solutions through its specialist brands. Led by Chief Executive Officer Steve Hearn, Corant has approximately 900 employees worldwide and places approximately $2 billion in gross written premium annually (2019). Corant Global is owned by BGC Partners, Inc., a global brokerage and financial technology company. Topics Willis Towers Watson An Egyptian court rejected an appeal by the owner of a giant container ship that blocked the Suez Canal to allow it to leave the country, as a legal dispute over compensation continues. Sundays ruling marked the second time Japans Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd. lost a bid to have a seizure order lifted. The Suez Canal Authority is claiming more than more than $900 million in damages linked to the vital waterways six-day closure in March, which roiled shipping markets. The appeals court in the town of Ismailia also referred the SCAs lawsuit by the against the Ever Givens owner back to a lower trial court at the same venue. The next hearing was set for May 29. Frantic Operation The SCAs lawsuit asked for $916 million in compensation. The operator lowered the figure in out-of-court negotiations to $550 million, which the ships insurers say is still too high. Read more: Insurer UK Club Says Suez Canal Ships Reduced Claim Is Still Too Big The Ever Givens owner has offered to pay $150 million, according to the SCA, which says that doesnt cover losses of transit fees, damage to the waterway during the dredging and rescue efforts, and costs of equipment and labor. The 400-meter-long Ever Given was freed on March 29 after a frantic salvage operation and sailed to the Great Bitter Lake, about halfway along the canal, where it has been kept ever since. The SCA estimates the goods aboard the ship have a value of $775 million, Chairman Osama Rabie told Sada El Balad, a local television channel, on Sunday night. About 50 ships a day pass through the canal, which can cut a voyage between Europe and Asia by two weeks. More than 400 vessels were held up by the blockage, though most were able to pass through the channel soon after it was reopened. This month Egypt started dredging to widen the southern end, where the Ever Given got stuck. On Saturday, lawyers for the Ever Givens owner argued that a transcript of the black box from the ship showed that the captain was given conflicting messages from SCA staff on March 23, the day of the grounding. Two SCA employees argued about whether or not the Ever Given should enter the canal due to higher-than-normal winds, according to the lawyers. With assistance from Abdel Latif Wahba. Photograph: Spectators watch as the Ever Given container ship moves along the Suez Canal towards Ismailia after being freed from the canal bank in Suez, Egypt, on March 29, 2021. Photo credit: Islam Safwat/Bloomberg. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits The collapse of the deck of an Ohio home during a party with more than two dozen people present sent at least four people to the hospital and injured several others, authorities said. The Madison Township fire department in Butler County said on its Facebook page that the collapse of the rear deck was reported at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Officials said four patients were transported to Atrium Medical Center and a few others with minor injuries went to hospitals in private vehicles. There was no immediate word on the conditions of the people hospitalized or the cause of the collapse. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Ohio Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo speaks during his visit to a NongHyup Life Insurance service center in Seoul on April 29. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung The Financial Services Commission's (FSS) lackluster attitude toward the handling of the burgeoning cryptocurrency market here is escalating the confusion felt by investors. After FSC Chairman Eun Sung-soo shared his ultra-negative views of the booming digital currency market last month, the regulator remains taking a wait-and-see approach, without taking any concrete actions or sharing specific regulatory plans. This passive approach is due to fears that issuing any warnings without a detailed future policy roadmap will end up widening the volatility of major large-cap cryptocurrencies. But market experts are calling for the FSC to no longer delay announcing regulatory guidelines at a time when central governments from other economic powerhouses such as the United States and China are taking preemptive steps to minimize market confusion. For now, it is shifting the responsibility onto commercial banks, urging them to sign partnerships with crypto exchanges based on their own judgment. Major banks, such as KB, Hana and Woori, are not opening any real-name accounts for exchanges due to the risk that they will be held responsible for any financial incidents involving cryptocurrency transactions. People in their 20s and 30s the most "crypto-passionate" age groups are particularly expressing discontent over the unclear policy direction at a crucial time as the 2021 presidential election comes closer. The younger generation were already furious over the government's failed real estate policies, and so a growing number of them have jumped into crypto investments in the hope of raising money to purchase apartments whose price have soared nationwide over the past few years. The FSC is also under pressure from political parties to devise and unveil regulations in a timely manner, so as not to lose them votes in the next election. The global "crypto market" is in an adjustment period amid a series of recently-issued warnings from global overseers, so calls are growing for the FSC to issue a similar regulatory or future policy stance as soon as possible. gettyimagesbank Property owners near dams that failed in the Midland area won a key decision in lawsuits against the state. Judge Cynthia Stephens said the lawsuits can go forward, rejecting a request to dismiss by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Its an early stage in the litigation, but the ruling on May 21 was a victory for people who claim the state contributed to the disaster. This is a significant step forward in compensating these nearly 10,000 flood victims, attorney Ven Johnson said. A year ago, the Edenville Dam failed during a steady rain, draining Wixom Lake and unleashing the Tittabawassee River, which then overwhelmed the Sanford Dam, about 140 miles north of Detroit. Johnson said the state failed to demand repairs at the privately owned Edenville Dam, after federal regulators revoked the hydroelectric permit in 2018, and emphasized a high lake level to protect aquatic life. The lawsuits allege an unconstitutional taking of private property without compensation. Property owners have adequately alleged a causal connection between the governments actions and the alleged damages, said Stephens, a judge at the Court of Claims. She said the arguments were similar to those made by Flint residents whose water was spoiled by lead. The Michigan Supreme Court in 2020 said residents could make an inverse condemnation claim against the state, which allowed use of the Flint River. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Legislation Property Michigan North Dakota tops the list of states with the highest rates of severe workplace injuries, according to a new study of OSHA data covering the years 2015-2020. With nearly 135 severe workplace injuries for every 100,000 workers since 2015, North Dakota ranks 1st in the U.S. and is 47% higher than the state with the next highest rate, according to the report from HelpAdvisor.com. The Help Advisor research team analyzed new data from OSHA to identify North Dakota as the top state for injuries suffered at work, which includes broken bones, amputations, burns and traumatic injuries or disorders. Other insights into North Dakota workplace injuries from Help Advisors Workplace Injuries Report and Benefits Resource Guide include: North Dakota led the nation in several categories of severe workplace injuries, having the highest rates of bone fractures, amputations, burns and traumatic injuries or disorders North Dakota had a rate of 38.4 amputations per 100,000 workers as a result of workplace injuries North Dakota had a rate of 41.2 bone fractures per 100,000 workers The rate of serious workplace burns in North Dakota was nearly twice the rate of Alabama, the next state on the list. According to North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI), in 2019 the average cost of an indemnity claim in the state was nearly $78,946 in indemnity payments and medical expenses. Medical only claims averaged approximately $1,514 in medical expenses. Arkansas and Nebraska rank second and third in terms of the overall rate of workplace injuries, according to Help Advisor. Arkansas, where the concentration of logging jobs is 18% higher than the national average, had the second-highest rate of workplace amputations. Nationally, workplace injuries declined in 2020 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, 11,074 severe workplace injuries were reported in the U.S., the study found. In 2020, that number fell to 6,843, representing a 38% drop from the previous year. The data used for the Health Advisor report comes from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Severe Injury Reports. The data was accessed on May 10, 2021. The data includes severe workplace injuries from 2015 to 2020. To calculate per capita representation of injury frequency, the population of employed individuals in each state was used, from the 2019 U.S. Census. The calculation is as follows: (total number of injuries/population of employed people) multiplied by 100,000. Source:HelpAdvisor.com Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance North Dakota An abrupt relaxation of mask policies has left workers at some retail and grocery stores reeling as they try to sort out what the new environment means for their own safety and relationship with customers. Kroger, the countrys largest grocery chain, became one of the latest to announce that, starting Thursday, workers and customers can stop wearing masks in states where mandates are no longer in effect. Other companies that have adopted similar changes include Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Macys, Costco, Home Depot, Trader Joes and Target, following updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. Some workers have taken to social media to cheer, but many others protested. Some dont trust customers or their co-workers to be truthful about their vaccination status since most companies are not requiring proof. Others fear they will be judged if they leave their own masks on, even though their reasons for doing so are varied. William Stratford, 29, wont be fully vaccinated until next month, but shoppers and co-workers at the home improvement store where he works had been coming in without a mask even before the CDC put out its latest guidance. He has complained to management and eats lunch in his car to avoid mask-less people in the breakroom. He gets stares from shoppers and co-workers. I know for a fact people have a negative opinion of me, said Stratford of Valley Center, California, who asked that the store where he works not be named out of fear of reprisal. Its become a divisive issue in the workplace. The CDC last week said fully vaccinated people those who are two weeks past their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine can stop wearing masks outdoors and in most indoor settings. The guidance still calls for people who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing masks indoors, and for everyone to wear them in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters. That has left retailer, grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals and other employers scrambling to decide whether and how to adjust their own policies. Some companies, including Trader Joes and Macys, are allowing vaccinated customers to drop their masks but not employees. Meanwhile, some grocery chains like Safeway are leaving their mask requirements in place. Some workers worry they have been left to bear the fallout of a confusing jumble of policies. John Bartlett, a meat manager at a Safeway in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, said he is personally relieved that, for now, his store is still requiring masks for everyone but he worries that the policy will make dealing with anti-mask customers even more difficult. We have customers who literally cuss at us, said Bartlett, recalling an incident where a man stormed out of the store shouting obscenities after Bartlett pleaded with him to wear a mask. The country should just have one policy. It would make it easier because we wouldnt have deal with customers who are so rude and awful to us. The Biden administration had faced pressure to ease restrictions on vaccinated Americans, in part to show the benefits of getting the shot at a time when vaccine demand has started to plateau. Companies are also trying to incentivize their employees to get vaccinated with measures ranging from bonus payments to on-site vaccination drives. Its unclear if the relaxed mask restrictions will motivate unvaccinated workers to now get their shot. Some may feel more at risk of contracting COVID-19 but others may believe they can enjoy the same privileges as vaccinated workers because no one is checking. Amazon is among the few companies that is requiring employees to show proof they got the shot before going mask-less, asking them to upload a picture of their vaccine card by mid-June. At Walmart, workers who dont wear masks must confirm they are vaccinated by filling out a daily questionnaire, though it is not requiring proof. Still, the company will have some insight into who is vaccinated because workers must show documentation to get a $75 bonus offered to those who get the shots. Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial International Union, said about 40% of workers who participated in a recent union survey said they were vaccinated. He acknowledged that some many never get the shots, but he said the CDC and companies should have waited a few months to give people more time before shifting the guidance for indoor settings. Workplace experts warn that a two-tiered mask policy risks sowing resentment and suspicions if not properly implemented. Kristin White, a workplace safety attorney at law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP, in Denver, Colorado, believes employers should request workers to show proof of vaccination and says that many dont realize they are legally permitted to do so. The honor system carries more risk, said White, who has been advising companies on masks during the pandemic. Interrogating workers on why they are or arent wearing masks raises privacy concerns. Some of those employees may be wearing a mask because they have a disability and they cant get vaccinated; someone may be wearing a mask that is vaccinated but they feel more comfortable wearing a mask, White said. She is recommending that her clients have a written policy for employees to not ask their peers why theyre wearing a face covering. She also says that workers should be trained not tell on each other. For Bill Easton, the concern is around customers. Easton has been working as a cashier at a Safeway in Aurora, Colorado, for 27 years and he already feels helpless when customers defy his stores mask policy. He fears they will become more emboldened now that mask policies are being relaxed around the country, even though they remain in place in his store. On the other hand, some of his friendlier, longtime customers announce to him that they are fully vaccinated and give him a big hug. Easton, too, is vaccinated and even though he appreciates the show of affection, it makes him nervous. You wonder, do they really have their COVID shot? he said. Top Photo: In this Wednesday, May 19, 2021, photograph, a shopper pushes her basket filled with purchases past a sign advising the need to wear face masks while in a Safeway grocery store in Aurora, Colo. Retail workers who are fully vaccinated are concerned as retailers loosen mask-wearing restrictions in their establishments. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Louisiana is offering a $30 million voluntary buyout program to residents of a neighborhood that has flooded three times in recent years, Gov. John Bel Edwards said on May 21. Recent rains brought the latest floods to the Greinwich Terrace neighborhood in Lake Charles, a city which was hit by Hurricanes Laura and Delta last year and Harvey in 2017. This program gives our residents a reason to be optimistic about the future, no matter how painful the present, Mayor Nic Hunter said in a news release from the governors office. The money is from a $1.2 billion federal mitigation grant the state announced in 2018 and received access to in September, after plans were drawn up and approved. The floods are a painful reminder of the devastation water continues to inflict on our state something the people of Southwest Louisiana know all too well and how urgent it is that we continue making investments to create more resilient, sustainable communities, Edwards said on Friday. The buyout program will be managed by the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, which Edwards created in 2018 to manage flood-reduction programs within areas defined by waterways rather than along parish lines. Weve been working with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative to identify solutions that address the impacts of recent storms, and recently zeroed in on the Greinwich Terrace neighborhood as a community best suited for this program, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Brian Abshire said. These buyouts will not only deliver immediate relief to the residents of this area who want to relocate out of harms way but also provide greater capacity to store water and benefit many more throughout the floodplain and beyond. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Flood Houston area officials expressed shock and anger on May 21 after learning that their communities, which suffered the brunt of damage from Hurricane Harvey, would be getting only a small part of the $1 billion that Texas is awarding as part of an initial distribution of federal funding given to the state for flood mitigation. The frustration expressed by local leaders follows previous tension between the state and officials in Harris County, where Houston is located, and Houstons mayor over how to manage and distribute federal funding awarded for repairs and mitigation after Harvey in 2017. The Texas General Land Office, or the GLO, announced that cities and communities in 40 counties impacted by Harvey would receive about $1 billion in funding for such flood mitigation projects as improvements to roads and water treatment plants. Eligible cities and counties submitted applications and competed against each other for the funding, which was awarded to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. Another $1 billion was expected to be awarded at a later date. While $90 million was given to four cities in Harris County, the $1 billion in proposals that had been submitted by the county government and the city of Houston were not approved. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the countys top elected official, called the GLOs decision unconscionable as the storm was so destructive its going to take us a generation to recover from it. More than half of the 300,000 structures damaged or destroyed by Harvey in Texas were located in Harris County, and of the 68 statewide fatalities, 36 were in the county, Hidalgo said. Harvey, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Aug. 25, 2017, caused an estimated $125 billion in damage in Texas. For the state GLO not to give one dime in the initial distribution to the city and a very small portion to Harris County shows a callous disregard to the people of Houston and Harris County, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement. U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, called the GLOs decision outrageous. The lack of funding from the GLO was likely to complicate Harris Countys efforts to try and make up for a $1.4 billion shortfall that officials are facing in funding flood control projects approved by Houston area voters in 2018 in response to Harvey. Brittany Eck, a spokeswoman for the General Land Office, defended the state agencys awarding of the funding, saying the process was fair and transparent. She said there simply isnt enough money to meet the need. We had 220 applications totaling $5.5 billion in requests for $1 billion in funding, Eck said. Harris County and Houston have been at odds with the state over various issues related to funding since Harvey hit Texas. In 2019, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the GLO would allocate federal funding for flood control projects following Harvey. Officials in Houston and Harris County had hoped the funding would have been directly awarded to local governments. The GLO has also been critical of the slow pace of city and county programs funded by federal dollars to repair and rebuild Harvey damaged homes. The state took over both the city and county programs with the city suing to stop the takeover. The city and GLO reached an agreement to settle their dispute in January. Eck said there was nothing political about the awards process. Math is not political. We absolutely had to take the projects that scored the highest and award funding in that manner, Eck said. Hidalgo said she did not want to get into a political fight and instead would focus her efforts on asking HUD to review how the funding has been distributed and to see if the county can get certainty from the federal government that it will receive funds. Hidalgo and Turner both sent letters to HUD on Friday. We know we deserve these funds We were hardest hit by far not just in structures but also in deaths and we have a huge need for mitigation going forward as evidenced by the continued impacts of flooding in this region, Hidalgo said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood A law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in its latest session will give insurance consumers in the state new protections for their personal, medical and financial information, according to the Tennessee Department of Insurance. The Insurance Data Security Law was signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee earlier this month takes effect July 1, 2021. TDCI said the law modernizes, defines and toughens existing security measures that Tennessee insurance carriers must take to protect consumer information. Under the new law, insurance carriers must: Identify internal or external threats that could result in unauthorized access, transmission, disclosure, misuse or destruction of consumers private information. Develop, implement and maintain an information security program based on its individual risk assessment with a designated employee in charge of the information security program. Investigate any cybersecurity breach and notify the Insurance Commissioner of a cybersecurity event if the licensee is a domiciled insurer or if more than 250 Tennesseans are impacted. Notify consumers if they have been affected by a cybersecurity event within 45 days of the determination of such event, unless a longer period of time is required due to law enforcement needs. Each insurer domiciled in Tennessee must submit written certification to the state by April 15 of each year that it is in compliance with the law. TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence, who supported the bill, said the legislation represents an important step forward in helping Tennessee address cybersecurity threats in the insurance industry. Spearheaded by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the creation of model legislation that formed the basis for Tennessees law was formulated with the input of national regulators after a succession of data breaches exposed millions of Americans personal information. The NAIC has made cybersecurity and consumer data protection top priorities. The model legislation was the result of a two year collaborative process that resulted in a model law that could be adopted by various states. Tennessees adoption of the bill is critical for the Commissioner and the Department to have the tools they need to better protect Tennesseans sensitive consumer information, said Assistant Commissioner for Insurance Bill Huddleston. In an effort to raise greater awareness among consumers about cybersecurity, TDCI advised consumers to familiarize themselves with the NAICs Cybersecurity Consumer Protections. Source: Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Topics Cyber Tennessee Data Driven Delta-8 is generating quite a buzz over what appears to be legal loophole enabling the production and sales of the intoxicating product in both legal and non-legal states. New York just became the latest state to ban delta-8 THC, as states across the U.S. move to ban or regulate a product commonly derived from hemp extracts. In the latest Insuring Cannabis Podcast, we spoke to a scientist, an attorney, an insurer to find out what Delta-8 is, whether its actually legal and how its being insured. Following are two brief takeaways from that conversation. You can listen to the full podcast posted above or visit insurancejournal.tv. Quality Control We were told that while Delta-8 has a pharmacological effect, the real worry about it should not be the buzz, but the lab testing and quality control practices of less sophisticated extractors that may be in the business. And Im not sure that everyone has access to the equipment they need to clean that up or they have equipment that can verify that its been cleaned up, said Jeremy Riggle, Ph.D, the chief scientist in research and analytics at Bellrock Brands. Bellrock is a national cannabis company perhaps best known for its two most iconic brands, Marys Medicinals (a pioneer in the health & wellness segment) and Dixie (a cannabis-infused edibles brand). Quality control was a concerned shared by Keith Distel, the team leader in underwriting for Admiral Insurance Group. Distel described a meticulous underwriting process Admiral goes through when insuring operations that may be dealing with Delta-8. Thats why we really do go to great lengths with all of our operators whether its delta-8, its CBD operators we have a variety of cultivators and processors on the straight cannabis side, on the THC side, that has content above the 0.3% that we ensure that testing standards are met to a high degree, and that we ultimately know what the consumer is ingesting at the end of it, Distel said. Its not going to take away the bodily injury exposure fully, but at the same time, we want to work with operators that have gone through that process and that can insure us and insure what were doing is right by underwriting a policy with those folks. Legality Ian Stewart, founder and co-chair of the cannabis and hemp law practice at Wilson Elser, addressed the apparent loophole that Delta-8 makers and sellers have found in the 2018 Farm Bill. So the question is whether Delta-8 is legal or illegal at the Federal level under the Farm Bill and pursuant to the DEAs new interim rule. And the answer is, we dont know, Stewart said. The questions are whether or not the chemical conversion process that takes CBD and turns it into Delta-8 creates a synthetic THC or a synthetic cannabinoid. And the problem we have is that the term synthetic THC is not well-defined in any statutes or case law and it hasnt been tested in any meaningful way by the courts. So were left to speculate a little bit. Stewart noted that the courts have yet to weigh in. But in the meantime, if lets say it is synthetic, does that violate the controlled substances act? Well, again, we dont even know the answer to that question because the definition of hemp in the Farm Bill also talks about derivatives of hemp and derivatives are defined very broadly, Stewart said. And so, if Delta-8 were to be considered a synthetic, it could be subsumed potentially within that definition of derivative. Related: Topics Numbers Fifteen military families have filed a lawsuit against a private company that manages housing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington over living conditions they say caused property damage and health problems. The 51 plaintiffs filed the lawsuit earlier this month in Pierce County Superior Court against Lewis McChord Communities LLC and its parent company, Lincoln Military Housing. The Olympian reported. The lawsuit also names 50 John or Jane Doe defendants described as people, companies and employees who worked at the homes. The lawsuit says the plaintiffs had water leaks leading to mold growth in their homes which thrived because of mismanagement and inadequate maintenance. The families included in the JBLM lawsuit lived on base between 2016 and 2020, court documents said. The families said these issues caused blurred vision, fatigue, nasal congestion, body aches, headaches, and cough, among other symptoms. Officials from Lincoln Military Housing said in a statement they are aware of the lawsuit and are fully committed to ensuring our residents live in a safe and healthy environment every day. A spokesperson for JBLM said officials on the base will monitor the lawsuit closely. In the last five years, almost a dozen lawsuits have been brought against Lincoln in local and federal courts across the country. The families are asking for compensation in an amount to be proven at trial. In 2020, Lincoln started a $70 million project to renovate more than 400 homes on JBLM. Lincoln began managing about 5,000 homes on JBLM in 2002 and currently manages over 36,000 military homes nationwide. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Washington The family of a 16-year-old boy fatally shot by Honolulu police last month sued the city and unidentified police officers on Friday, alleging negligence, assault and battery. The lawsuit filed by Akiwine Sykap, grandmother and legal guardian of Iremamber Sykap, and Yovita Lucio, the boys mother, asks a state court to award damages, reimburse costs and declare that the officers use of deadly force was unlawful and unauthorized. The complaint asks the court to prevent the defendants from harassing or threatening the plaintiffs and their families. Honolulu spokesman Tim Sakahara said the city hasnt been served with the lawsuit and couldnt comment. Police spokeswoman Michelle Yu said the department is declining to comment on pending litigation. Police said Iremamber Sykap was driving a stolen Honda linked to a burglary, purse snatching, car theft and armed robbery and led officers on a chase before the shooting. The lawsuit alleges officers fired multiple shots at Sykap after his vehicle came to a stop, when Sykap was unarmed and posed no risk to them. It says officers kept firing after the car lurched forward and ended up in a ditch. The family says the department falsely claimed the car rammed police vehicles and that officers fired in self-defense. The lawsuit argues that the officers violated department policy and use-of-force standards when they shot Sykap. The shooting comes amid a national reckoning over police use of force. In the Honolulu teens death, police have refused to release body camera footage because there were other minors in the car. City Council Chairperson Tommy Waters told Hawaii News Now this week that he plans to discuss introducing legislation or a resolution that would push police to release the video. He said his review of statements on the Police Departments website regarding body cameras show there is no reason police should not release all video from body cameras after redacting personal information. If you want the public trust, then thats what you should do, Waters said. State Sen. Karl Rhoads told the TV station that he was concerned police released body camera footage from other high-profile events last month but not Sykaps fatal shooting. If the stance is going to be, were going to release what makes us look good and not release what doesnt make us look good, in the long run, thats very dangerous. Theyre going to lose credibility every time that happens, Rhoads said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement Its common knowledge that the employee practices liability insurance arena nationwide has been unfriendly to buyers. Earlier this year, a survey of 20 EPLI carriers showed 15 reported rate increases for the line ranging from 5% to 35%. The problem is worse by multiples it appears in the Golden State. Tyie Moore, area senior vice president in executive lines for Risk Placement Services, has been writing EPLI for 20-plus years, and while she says California has always been a different animal, the last two or three years have caused her and her clients a lot of pain and anguish. Moore, who is based in Los Angeles, said problem No. 1 is that claims in California are bigger and there are more of them. In years past, many claims she saw in California were small nuisance claims that would often get settled quickly. Looking at my book of business, maybe one out of every 40 accounts had an EPL claim on that, she said. Now, she estimates, three to four out of 10 of her accounts have EPL claim. It costs about 260% more to resolve a claim in California than it does outside of the state, and according to a recent report from Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan, 21% of reported settlements in excess of $2 million were brought in California, as were four out of the top 10 settlements. Over the last three years, Moore has been heavily shopping renewals for her clients. Weve seen this firming of the market, she said. COVID-19 hasnt done much to help Californias EPLI market, according to Chris Williams, the employment practices liability product manager at Travelers. The bulk of the EPL COVID claims are brought in California, Williams said. Williams estimates about one-fifth of all EPL COVID-related claims have been filed in the state. The Jackson Lewis COVID-19 Employment LitWatch, which tracks complaints filed in federal and state courts nationwide that allege labor and employment law violations related to the virus, showed a sharp rise in complaints per week and cumulative complaints, with more than 2,200 complaints filed nationwide in the most recent count. Moore had already seen numerous carriers taking rate and retention increases in recent years, but when the pandemic hit in 2020, it moved those still offering low terms off the fence. When 2020 hit, its like the entire marketplace decided in step to do it, Moore said. Dont expect an improvements with the pandemic winding down, Williams warned. Bringing workers back into the office especially those who may have gotten used to, and may have liked, working from home will be an added challenge in the employment practices liability arena. I think theres going to be some challenges for employers in terms of return to the office, Williams said. COVID is also ushering in a new round of employment related risks as the vaccine becomes available to the broader population. Questions now revolve around what should employers do, if they can require vaccines, if they should encourage people to get them, and what will happen if certain groups refuse to take the vaccine? COVID aside, Williams blames Californias particularly severe EPLI environment on: a litigation culture (an expectation that cases will settle for more in California; higher salaries (a driver of EPL settlements is the lost wage claim, and California tends to have higher salaries than the rest of the country); and laws and regulations that favor workers over employers. Moore agreed that numerous factors are contributing to Californias EPLI environment, but she believes litigiousness is a reason that may stand above the others. The price to settle these lawsuits has just grown at an exponential rate, Moore said. In years past, her small to mid-size accounts of 50 and under employees could get a $5,000 to $10,000 retention. Those days are gone, Moore said. Small accounts are looking at a $25,000 retention, and many mid- to large-size accounts are staring at a $50,000 retention, and she believes much of this is driven by lawsuits. The attorneys on both sidesthey know what recent claims have settled for and now the expectation is that claimants attorneys want that amount or more, she said. For example, shes seen the same type and circumstances for a sexual harassment claim in another state settle for $25,000, but in California such a claim will settle for $150,000 minimum. A Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan report lists the top EPLI settlements from 2015 to 2020, with four of the top 10 occurring in California: The $215 million University of Southern California settlement in 2018 with potentially thousands of women who were allegedly sexually abused by a former staff gynecologist. A $58.2 million verdict in 2019 in which a production assistant alleged she was sexually harassed and battered by an heir to a Greek Cocoa-Cola bottling fortune. A $47 million verdict in 2016 against the American Association of Physician Specialists Inc. in which a dermatologist claimed she was ousted for voicing objections about improprieties. A $37.2 million settlement in 2015 with the U.S. Department of Energys Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in which 129 former employees claimed they lost their jobs due to age discrimination. This has all made Moores job quite a bit more difficult. Youve got to work 10 times harder for that same renewal account, she said. Shes had to heavily shop accounts to more and more carriers, and then she must return to her clients and tell them about the high rates, educate them on the market and prep them for whats ahead and what to do next. Moore has also seen a diminished capacity for limits in the marketplace with limits dropping in many cases from $5 million to $2 million while some carriers have stopped quoting any new business, an instead saving capacity for renewals. Its due to the large losses, she said. The fallout is that shes work multiples harder and longer on accounts that previously required one or two carriers to reach their desired limits. Now were having to do that with four carriers or more, she said. Related: Topics COVID-19 California U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday the United States is waiting to see if North Korea wants to engage in diplomacy over the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday injected fresh urgency into attempts to engage North Korea in dialogue over its nuclear weapons, with Biden saying he would meet its leader Kim Jong Un under the right conditions. "We are waiting to see if Pyongyang actually wants to engage," Blinken said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" program. "The ball is in their court." "The best chance we have to achieve the objective of total denuclearization of the Korean peninsula is to engage diplomatically with North Korea," Blinken said. North Korea has rebuffed U.S. entreaties for diplomacy since Biden took over from Donald Trump, who had three summits with Kim and famously exchanged "beautiful letters" with the third-generation leader. (Reuters) Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. 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Updated on 10/7/2020 Burma Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Says NLD Will Survive as Long as the People do Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw in September 2020. / The Irrawaddy Following the military regimes plan to dissolve the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, Myanmars detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said that the NLD will be there as long as the people are because the party was founded for the people. Last Friday, the junta-appointed Union Election Commission chairman U Thein Soe said the NLD must be abolished for alleged voter fraud in last Novembers election. He also threatened action against traitors involved. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was speaking during her first in-person meeting with her legal team, before appearing in court on Monday in person for the first time at a special court convened in Myanmars capital Naypyitaw. All her previous court hearings have been held via video conferencing. Amay [Mother] conveys her well wishes to the people to be in good health and to stay healthy. She said that the NLD party was established for the people so the party will be there as long as the people are, said Daw Min Min Soe, one of five lawyers representing the ousted State Counselor. The lawyer said that they met with her in a building in the Naypyitaw Councils compound, where they were given 30 minutes to get instructions from their client. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi complained that the allocated time was too short. Daw Min Min Soe said that the lawyers also met with their other clients, detained President U Win Myint and Naypyitaw Council chairman Dr. Myo Aung at the same time. Last week, it was announced that the three would be tried in a special courtroom to be set up in Myanan Bonthe Street, Zayar Theikdi Ward in Zabuthiri Township, near Daw Aung San Suu Kyis Naypyitaw residence. But Daw Min Min Soe said that the building in the Naypyitaw Councils compound had been set up as a special courtroom instead. The next hearing is expected to be held on June 7. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been held under house arrest since her arrest in the hours after the juntas Feb. 1 coup. The military regime has filed six legal cases against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw. They include possession of imported walkie talkies and breaching COVID-19 regulations, among others. The junta has also filed another case against her in Yangon under the State Secrets Act. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Coup Leader Vows to Protect China-Backed Enterprises Myanmar Junta Troops Snatch Bodies of Four Civilians Killed in Kayah Church Give Peace a Chance to End Myanmar Crisis Asylum seekers participate in a rally organized by Amnesty and NANCEN, a local refugee rights' group in Jongno, central Seoul, September 2018, calling for better treatment and review processes. / Korea Times file By Lee Hyo-jin The number of refugee screenings conducted by the immigration authorities in the first quarter of the year has surged to a record high, according to government data, Sunday. The authorities reviewed 3,638 cases filed by asylum seekers from January to March up sharply from 6,254 cases that were screened during all of 2020 according to data released by the Korea Immigration Service under the Ministry of Justice. This is a fourfold increase from 813 screenings conducted in the same period in 2020. The data indicate that the authorities reviewed around 1,200 asylum seekers a month, marking the first time that the number of applicants screened monthly surpassed 1,000. In addition, as of March, a total 16,531 asylum seekers were on the waiting list for review. Among them, 4,044 asylum seekers had reapplied, requesting the government to review their case for a second time after being rejected. The growing number of asylum seekers has exceeded the screening capacity of the government, considering that there are just 93 civil servants screening refugee applications as of April, according to the justice ministry. "Many of the asylum seekers who are stranded in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic are choosing to reapply for screening. And those who are not granted refugee status even after reapplying choose to proceed with administrative trials," said Kim Do-gyun, a former chairman of the Korea Immigration Foundation. "The government should increase the screening capacity by employing more officials. Also, related governmental bodies the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the justice ministry should closely cooperate to solve the issue," he added. Meanwhile, the refugee recognition rate stood at 0.2 percent in the first quarter, falling from 1.1 percent in 2020. Burma Myanmar Coup Leader Vows to Protect China-Backed Enterprises Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during the interview with Phoenix Television. / Office of Commander Chief Office of Defense Services Myanmar coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has reassured Beijing that his regime will protect foreign-funded enterprises in the country, including Chinese investment, amid the political turmoil caused by his coup. We will protect all foreign-funded enterprises [in the country], he told Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television, adding that Myanmar citizens are not anti-China. This is not the first time Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has attempted to calm Beijings concerns about its economic interests, following growing anger towards China among Myanmar people due to Beijings perceived support for the military regime. In his interview with the Chinese media, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that attacks on China-backed factories are not a result of anti-China sentiment in Myanmar, saying instead that the political situation is to blame. Anti-China feeling has soared in Myanmar following the coup after Beijing failed to condemn the military takeover. Some 13 or 14 Chinese-backed factories in Yangon have since been damaged or suffered arson attacks. Pro-democracy protesters have also called for people to oppose all Chinese projects and to boycott Chinese products in the country. But China the second largest investor in Myanmar is one of the few countries willing to do business with the junta and invest heavily in the country, with international investors shunning the military regime due to western sanctions and ongoing human rights abuses. Chinese media reported that Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that China has invested more than US$20 billion dollars in 500 projects in Myanmar. Last month, the coup leader visited the damaged Chinese-backed factories in Yangons Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone after the junta declared martial law in the area. During the visit the coup leaders attempted to show that normalcy has returned to the factory zone, even though thousands of workers have fled Hlaing Tharyar after deadly crackdowns on protests in the area, and handed out sacks of rice to be distributed to factory workers. Chinese government mouthpiece the Global Times claimed that 32 factories built with Chinese investment had been vandalized, with around US$37 million in damage caused by the arson attacks. Beijing has demanded that the regimes security forces act to protect Chinese interests and citizens. However, Myanmars anti-coup protesters denied the allegations, saying the attacks were a plot by the military to justify harsher crackdowns. During the interview with Phoenix Television., Snr- Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that he had visited the industrial zones where the Chinese factories were set on fire. He said that he had urged the Yangon regional authority to exercise its responsibility for protection of Chinese-funded projects in the country. Myanmars economy is expected to contract by 10 percent this year in the aftermath of the coup. Moreover, major foreign investment projects worth billions of dollars are suspended, while many foreign investors are pulling their investment from existing projects. Military spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun told the Chinese government-owned media Xinhua in early May that the regime was appealing to the Chinese government and investors to help Myanmars economic development and trade cooperation. He said the junta would focus on maintaining stability in the country. The regime reorganized three crucial committees in March as it pushes ahead with plans to implement giant infrastructure projects which are a part of Chinas Ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. In early May the regime-controlled Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) also approved 15 projects, including a US$2.5 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project backed by China. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Troops Snatch Bodies of Four Civilians Killed in Kayah Church Give Peace a Chance to End Myanmar Crisis Myanmar Military Launches Air Raid in Karen State Burma Villager Killed by Myanmar Junta Forces: Residents Villagers from Kani Township in Sagaing Region flee into the forests. / CJ A villager was killed by junta troops during a village raid in Sagaing Regions Kani Township on Sunday. After a prolonged firefight with the civilian resistance fighters from the People Defense Force on the Kani-Mingin highway on Saturday, junta forces in nine vehicles attacked neighboring Myaunggone village. Around 500 villagers fled their homes for the forest, a villager told The Irrawaddy on Monday. Approximately 4,500 residents of another 11 villages have also fled their homes to avoid the regimes forces. Troops were still deployed at Myaunggone until Monday morning. On Monday morning, the body of villager Ko Phoe Swe, 35, who had been shot in the head, was found by villagers who ventured back to their homes. A villager said Ko Phoe Swe might have been shot on Sunday morning when he return to the village when three shots were heard. Ko Phoe Swe was married with two children. Junta troops looted food and generators and ate the villagers chickens after scouring houses, villagers said. The homeless villagers said they now lack food and water. The soldiers killed innocent people. Despite saying the army is for the people, they are a hostile force. The army is attacking the people, the villager said. On Monday afternoon, junta troops also raided two villages while heading to Kin village in the west of Kani Township. On Sunday, another shootout between junta troops and resistance fighters was reported on the Monywa-Kalaywa highway. Shootouts began in Kani on April 2. You may also like these stories: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Says NLD Will Survive as Long as the People do Myanmar Coup Leader Vows to Protect China-Backed Enterprises Myanmar Junta Troops Snatch Bodies of Four Civilians Killed in Kayah Church Guest Column Give Peace a Chance to End Myanmar Crisis A flash mob protest agaisnt the regime in Yangon in April. As the Myanmar quagmire enters a fourth month, it is clear that all protagonists are still entertaining wishful thoughts that their side will prevail. Oh Buddha, they should have realized by now that if all stakeholders do not kick off the peace process, the momentum generated by the meeting of the leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 24 will be at risk. If that is the case, not only Myanmar but the whole of Southeast Asia will fall into a dark pit. More instability, more casualties, and more armed resistance would tear up the Land of Golden Pagodas and the Indo-Pacific region. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the local and external players understand the current overall dynamic inside the besieged country. Otherwise, the conflicting parties will continue to live inside their own echo-chamber, convinced that they are winning. For any peace process to have a chance, they must be on the same page and realize that their current contestation is a lose-lose endeavor. The most important player at the moment is the Tatmadaw, headed by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Since he seized power on Feb. 1, the Tatmadaw has shown that the Myanmar people are no longer their parents, as embedded in the militarys motto. As days pass, the number of casualties continues to increase and will not subside until the junta feels confident that domestic security is under control. The Tatmadaw must stop all violence against its own people immediately. If the confrontation continues unabated as it has in the past weeks, it will further destabilize the country and induce the regime to use even more violence to contain the resistance. Worse, it would attract outside assistance and all kinds support for the underdogs. As for the brave people of Myanmar, they have to come to terms with the fact that they are now moving into a long-haul struggle with the regime. Over the past four months, they have shown their courage and willingness to die for democracy and rule of law. These martyrs will be remembered and recorded in the annals of Myanmars history. Those who are still breathing have one choicestaying alive and safe from COVID-19 to fight another day. It is senseless for them to go out and turn themselves into moving targets for the regimes foot soldiers. Although the use of lethal weapons against protestors has reduced since the Jakarta meeting, the regime has resorted to a more subtle oppression by arresting and kidnapping professionals, journalists and activists. So far, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, more than 800 persons have been killed and 4,000 have been incarcerated, including nearly 70 journalists. The situation on the ground has yet to reach a level of calm or stalemate that would allow for the jump-starting of the dialogue process. To get there, all supporters, both local and international have to act in a concerted manner and encourage their followers to move to the next stage. If there is a lull in violence and more stability throughout the 14 regions, then ASEAN can move in a more meaningful way. For the time being, the ASEAN chair, Brunei Darussalam, has to endure harsh criticism from his colleagues especially Indonesia, for the lack of action. ASEAN has already pressured the State Administrative Council (SAC), as the regime is officially known, to come up with dates for an initial visit by a joint team representating the ASEAN chair. Without the ASEAN team on the ground, it will be difficult for other operations to kick in, especially needed humanitarian assistance. From ASEANs point of view, dispatching the ASEAN team with eminent persons, including chairs representative and the groupings chief, into a conflict zone is a difficult decision. Obviously, their safety must be guaranteed and ASEAN has to make sure that no stakeholders take advantage of their visit by instigating violence or other disruptive activities that would impact on their trip. As of today, the SAC has not yet fixed the dates for the proposed visit. The announcement of the ASEAN envoy and members of the task force for humanitarian assistance will not be made until after the joint visit. With only 166 days left under Bruneis chairmanship, it is pretty urgent that a clear mandate and framework with specific timelines be agreed upon as stated in the five-point consensus. The military junta has stated earlier that it would take at least two years before the current emergency rule would come to an end with a democratic Myanmar. Given the Tatmadaws past activities and recalcitrance, nobody treats their words seriously. ASEANs tasks will never end until the people of Myanmars wish for peace and democracy is fulfilled. The next ASEAN chair, Cambodia, will take up the baton on Oct. 29 and has to continue the implementation of the agreed action plans well into 2022 or even in early 2023, when Indonesia will serve as the chair. Indonesias active role in shaping the ASEAN approach to the Myanmar crisis is indicative of its regional vision. As the worlds third-largest democracy, it would be fitting if Indonesia could guide and firm up the democratization process in Myanmar. (Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs. His views are his own.) You may also like these stories: Myanmar Military Launches Air Raid in Karen State Myanmar Swimmer to Forgo Tokyo Olympics in Protest at Junta Violence Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Chin State Fighting Facebook does its best to take your data by working its way around every loophole it could find in your Apple device. The recently released App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5 does a great job of restricting web, app activity, and location tracking. Unfortunately, Facebook is also coming up with new ways to get your data. In these last few months, news of Facebook's data breaching tendencies has flooded the internet. The social media platform does so because a majority of its revenue and income comes from digital advertising. This means that Facebook tries to collect as much data as it could about you so that it could customize a few advertisements to your interests. Businesses pay Facebook a huge amount monthly to advertise their services. Unfortunately, Facebook is also gaining an infamous reputation, especially after being hacked and leaking over 500 million user information to malicious actors. The social media platform reported on working to repair its systems. However, privacy and security matters are emphasized to be the user's responsibility. iPhone App Tracking Transparency The new feature Apple proudly presented its users is the App Tracking Transparency, where you can manually toggle on or off an app's tracking rights on your data. This feature managed to block out Facebook from tracking your data across third-party websites, like using Instagram and Whatsapp and linking these data back to your Facebook account. Unfortunately, Facebook is coming up with new ideas to steal your information. Even when using the App Tracking Transparency and input on the iPhone to "Never" allow Facebook access to your location and "location history for mobile devices," Facebook is now harvesting your data through the iPhone's systems. Forbes reported that iPhones usually add GPS tags to photos or images taken, which helps you later sort out through your smartphone's gallery according to location, dates or other useful tags. When uploading these photo-taken images on Facebook, the social media strips down the photo details and records it to their local servers. To verify this, you could try opening your "Facebook Privacy Settings," "Facebook Information, and "Download" a copy of all the data Facebook has stored about you using this method. Read Also: Android Security Features: How to Prevent Apps From Tracking Your Data 4 Ways to Stop FB From Collecting Your Data To avoid getting your data stolen, Forbes has a few recommendations and tips you could follow: Don't upload images on Facebook or Instagram with data embedded: Generally, you also have to avoid posting more information that the social media platform could steal from you when uploading images. Use third-party apps like iVerify: This would automatically strip the metadata attached to your photos, helping your upload clean and info-free data from your social media account. Avoid loading advertisements in your account: You can do this by heading to "Mail," Toggle Off the "Load Remote Images." The next time you see an email advertisement, it should have unloaded images and remain blank boxes. Lastly, try loading your Facebook through a browser like Safari or Firefox instead of the application: The browser would help buffer up your security profile a lot more effectively than the mobile app does. Related Article: Facebook Hack 2021: How to Check if Your Email, Phone Number Have Been Leaked The White House COVID-19 response team gets extra "loving" to encourage more people to get vaccinated. According to recent reports, the White House has hooked up with several dating apps to provide perks and other matching benefits to its vaccinated users. White House COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy: It's a Match! The White House hopes that partnering with dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, MLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Match, Bumble and Badoo will encourage its 50 million users across those platforms to get vaccinated, Tech Crunch noted. Vaccinated users has been promised to get several perks and freebies "like boosts, super likes and super swipes," according to the White House. Users can also filter through potential matches by vaccination status, CNN added. Moreover, users will be able to access vaccination site resources from Vaccine.gov, allowing them to book their vaccination appointments through the apps. A bunch of dating apps are announcing today that they're adding vaccination stickers to their platform, for users to be able to signal their vaccination status, per the White House. Some are also including in-app links to find a vaccination clinic. pic.twitter.com/iP1y6RtMPk Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) May 21, 2021 Tinder users who add a sticker promoting their vaccination status from June 2 to July 4 will be gifted a free Super Like. On OkCupid, BLK, and Chispa, vaccinated users will receive a free boost, allowing their profile to be promoted to potential matches. Other apps are also giving premium perks to give their users a competitive edge over non-vaccinated users. "According to research from OKCupid, people who are vaccinated or plan to get vaccinated receive 14% more Matches than people who don't plan to get vaccinated," the White House noted in a fact sheet given to reporters during an event onn Friday, per CNN. Read Also: Fourth Stimulus Check Tracker: Possible $2000 Payment Gets Boost, Other Options Revealed COVID-19 Vaccine: Biden Administration's Goals The original goal of 100 million shots administered in the first 100 days of President Joe Biden's presidency was surpassed, even doubling that goal by the 100th day in office. The numbers have plateaued since their peak in April. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention data showed it declining nearly 50 percent. Currently, more than 160 million or 48 percent of the U.S. population have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines and almost 127 million or 38 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, as per the CDC data. The White House earlier partnered with NASCAR, country music organizations, and rural campaigns to push Americans to roll their sleeves up and get vaccinated. Ad campaigns to Black and Latina Americans and partnerships with social media companies like Facebook aimed at reaching hard-hit and at-risk communities were also rolled out, CNN said. States like Ohio, New York and Maryland have also offered lottery drawings to get their residents to get vaccinated. Ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft have also joined promotional efforts, offering free rides to and from vaccination sites. This current effort is part of the White House's push to get 70 percent of adults vaccinated by the Fourth of July. CDC data revealed that 60.5 percent of the adult population is vaccinated. Related Article: Digital Vaccine Passport: Benefits, Issues, and How to Set Up Your Excelsior Pass Online Ithaca, NY (14850) Today Partly cloudy skies during the evening giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. OFS latest study, Craft Brewers Benchmark Report, reveals that while craft brewers fare well in speed and waste reduction, they are often interrupted by technical issues. OFS reveals how data can be used to improve packaging line efficiency in the fast-growing craft brewing industry in its Craft Brewers Benchmark Report. The report analysed the production of millions of beer and includes key performance benchmark data and explains why knowing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) can make a significant impact on a brewers bottom line. The data showed that while craft brewers fare well in terms of speed and waste reduction, the industry average for production was just over 50%. James Magee, OFS CEO, says for every 1,000 beers made, there are three minutes and 12 seconds lost to unplanned downtime on the packing line. There are over 50 ways this can typically happen, including equipment problems, raw material and packaging material issues as well as human errors. But it essentially means brewers are only producing just over half of the time the line is intended to be running, meaning less beer made at a higher cost, he says. The study also revealed the average time between stoppages on the line was 11 minutes and 48 seconds. Despite these interruptions, craft brewers showed they can speed things up and by barely wasting a dropwith average scores of 98.6% for speed and 99.7% for waste management. But Magee cautions that the need for speed isnt everything. Faster runs on the line dont guarantee more outputthey can often cause more stoppages and even add to waste over time, he says. Most brewers who know their good days from bad have identified an optimal speed for monitoring output over high, mid and low run speeds. Other efficiency opportunities were identified in the time it takes to set up a jobjust over 49 minuteswith reductions here necessary for a better OEE. The key message here is that craft brewers must pay particular attention to how they account for changeover time in the costing of products, because its likely taking longer than they think which impacts margins, adds Magee. Magee suggests: Given craft brewers tend to have many stock keeping units (SKUs), its imperative to accurately account for changeover time when scheduling and planning production, to avoid overtime and other issues arising from running behind plan. Theres a difference between good beer and good business, notes Guy Greenstone, co-founder of Stomping Ground Brewing, which took part in the report. You need to know whats happening on the production line for every single run, know your best performing batches and brews, product and pack types, how efficient your operations and your brewery really are, and how you compare to other more established brewers in the industry, he says. Greater need for data and insights in the brewery Magee believes most brewers are not actually losing out by falling behind on these averages, and can benefit from data insights. Data and insights are everything in a manufacturing setting, he says. We frequently speak to brewers who dont know how much beer theyre producing, how much they could produce, or what causes unplanned downtime. The inertia and an overreliance on outdated paper-based data tracking cause major inefficiency, hard costs, opportunity costs, supplier issues, and more. Magee concludes: Harnessing this data is easier and cheaper than most people think and can be achieved through simple, automated software that integrates manufacturing performance data in real time. The industry can combine better data with the buy Australian mindset and budget boost to gain a much stronger foothold in the beer Australians drink. Finder, the first comparison platform, through its CDR accreditation, can ask for consumers consent to their banking data to provide personalised recommendations and help them make better decisions regarding their finances. Finder says it is now an accredited data recipient under Consumer Data Right (CDR), Australias new government-backed data sharing framework. Finder will now be able to ask for a consumers consent to use their banking data to provide personalised recommendations through its free app, a money management tool geared toward helping consumers make better informed decisions on their finances. The app, which claims it has over 221,000 downloads, gives a mobile-based overview of the customers spending patterns as well as insights on where they could be saving money on everything from health insurance to broadband. Finder also offers consumers a free credit score and an indication for how likely they are to be accepted for certain products like credit cards and home loans. Joe Waller, Finder chief technology officer, says becoming accredited is a significant competitive advantage. Accreditation means Finder can take advantage of open banking to offer faster connections to more banks in the Finder app. In the future, write-access will allow our users to switch products in one click, making it super easy to save money, Waller says. It is the right thing to do for consumers and allows us to offer more personalised comparisons safely, Waller adds. To date, the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) has only accredited 12 data recipients under the CDR and Finder is the only comparison site. Waller concludes: The ACCC has set a very high standard for companies to become an accredited data recipient and we plan to work closely with them to make the accreditation process even more robust. For other companies looking to become accredited, Waller offers the following advice: 1. The tech is the easy part. The process and behaviour changes across the rest of the company is not. 2. The letter of the law is not as important as the spirit of it. Regulators are your partners in this and you both want to make sure that youre doing everything reasonably possible to keep data safe. 3. View accreditation as a tool to leverage growth rather than a cost. Working in partnership with the authorities, you can work to raise the bar which helps customers. Vehicle tracking systems company Trackunit has expanded its presence in the Asia Pacific Japan region by launching its first office in Sydney, opening a new office in Tokyo, and establishing regional headquarters in Singapore. Trackunit opens its first office in Sydney as part of its strategic expansion in the Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) region. The strategic expansion into APJ was implemented to better serve current and new customers in the region. Trackunit has also established a new regional headquarters in Singapore, opened a new office in Tokyo, Japan and appointed Chi Sen Gay, a global tech senior executive, to lead the APJ team and expand its operations in the region. Trackunit serves equipment manufacturers, rental companies and contractors, connecting construction equipment and processing data to the cloud to deliver value-added insights. According to Trackunit, the APJ region is highly receptive to technology. The digital transformation of the construction industry supports customers understanding of their site environments and machine asset health. Soeren Brogaard , Trackunit CEO, announces the appointment of Chi Sen Gay and the opening of new regional headquarters and offices in Asia Pacific, which, he says, is one of the largest global construction equipment (CE) markets and home to some of the most technologically advanced original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Brogaard says: We have a growing installed customer base in the region and its important that Trackunit puts feet on the ground to help them realise the efficiency, productivity and profitability benefits which digital transformation means for their businesses. On his appointment, Chi Sen Gay, Trackunit senior vice president, APJ, says: Im excited and energised by this new role at Trackunit in this strategically important and growing region. Having spent more than two decades in the regions tech industry, improving data centre uptime and availability through digitisation, I see a great deal of symmetry in what is now happening in construction. People in this region are interested in technology and keen to realise its possibilities. I look forward to leading the Trackunit team as we support construction through its own digital transformation, changing the way equipment and machines are operated and maintained and helping to eliminate downtime, he says. Chi Sen Gay brings decades of experience, having worked from the enterprise IT sector, where he focused on software, hardware, and services. Chi Sen previously worked at global companies including Schneider Electric and IBM, and has knowledge and experience of building a digital business. New buildings will be more energy efficient, use more renewable energy and support the transition to net-zero emissions, according to City of Sydney which has released a plan to include energy targets in development applications. Under its Australia-first proposed plan City of Sydney says development appications for new office buildings, hotels and shopping centres and major redevelopments of existing buildings must comply with minimum energy ratings from January 2023, and achieve net-zero energy output by 2026. The City of Sydney says the measures are expected to save more than $1.3 billion on energy bills for investors, businesses and occupants from 2023 to 2040, and help the city meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2035. Energy use in buildings is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. Commercial office space, hotels and apartment buildings contribute 68% of total emissions in our LGA. If were to meet our target of net-zero emissions by 2035, we need to ensure this sector is contributing to emissions reduction through increased energy efficiency, on-site renewable energy production and off-site renewable energy procurement. We have worked with industry and government to develop performance standard step changes that are ambitious, but achievable. Were providing a clear pathway and time for developers to improve energy performance and transition to net zero buildings. Not only will this program help us reach our target of net-zero emissions by 2035, it will provide energy savings of more than $1.3 billion for investors, businesses and occupants across Greater Sydney. As we emerge from the impacts of the pandemic, were helping ensure sustainability and resilience is at the core of business recovery. City of Sydney says the new planning controls will combine energy efficiency and the use of onsite and offsite renewables to move buildings towards net zero energy use - including the option to use offsite renewable energy purchases is another first for local planning controls in Australia. The Lord Mayor Moore the ambitious green building performance standards a first for any Australian local council have been created with support from developers, industry bodies, consultants and government agencies. The action we take locally will help reduce emissions and contribute to a positive Covid-19 business recovery for Greater Sydney, the Lord Mayor said. The performance standards and evidence base can be used by all councils across Greater Sydney and will support investment in renewable energy and create jobs in regional areas as we have already done through our investment in wind farms and solar farms in Inverell, Nowra and Wagga Wagga. The climate challenge is one that we can only meet with concerted action. The more we can work together and exchange information, knowledge and experiences, the greater our ability to meet the NSW Government net-zero emissions target and allow us to continue to create truly liveable cities. Citry of Sydney says the new energy targets have the backing of leading developers, property owners and industry groups. Greater Sydney Commission environment commissioner Emma Herd said we must accelerate industry and government action to combat global warming. Across Greater Sydney, the changing climate is a shared problem. These performance standards will help us meet our shared goal of net zero emissions and deliver progress against the Greater Sydney region plan low carbon city objective. I would encourage councils across the Greater Sydney region to look at these performance standards as a useful tool for achieving environmental targets of net zero emissions and sustainability actions in their local strategic planning statements. Neil Arckless, Lendlease executive development director, said his organisation supported the ambitious performance standards. At Lendlease we recently set our own pathway to net zero carbon by 2025 and absolute zero by 2040. We are always pushing the boundaries to innovate in sustainability and welcome the City of Sydney leading the way in the development of these performance standards. Im confident we can all rise to the challenge, Arckless said. Stockland CEO Commercial Property Louise Mason said the company strongly endorsed the Citys net-zero energy buildings performance standards. We have brought forward our target to achieve net zero carbon emissions to 2028 and extended the commitment across our entire portfolio, covering close to 170 active assets and projects Australia-wide, Mason noted. .The City of Sydney says the measures are expected to deliver substantial financial benefits, and annually office owners will save $2,750 per 1,000 square metres of floor area and hotel owners $170 per hotel room. There are also additional public benefits and savings in health, energy network and emissions costs, worth around $1.8 billion. The planning controls also support the NSW Government's renewable energy zones through investment, and create demand for jobs and new skills in energy efficiency, the City of Syney said. The performance standards address requirements in the Greater Sydney region plan and respond to local, state and industry goals, including the NSW net zero plan and electricity strategy, district plans to reduce carbon emissions and sustainability actions in local planning. President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart President Joe Biden shake hands during their meeting at the White House, Friday (local time). Yonhap Beijing warns Washington, Seoul not to interfere in Taiwan By Nam Hyun-woo Korea and the United States promised to strengthen their ties not only in security but also economic development at a summit between President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart President Joe Biden, Friday (local time). But one of the daunting tasks that remain for Moon is how to address Seoul's relations with Beijing in the immediate future. The Moon administration has been relying on a balancing act between the U.S. and China due to their respective strategic and economic importance to Korea, but a joint statement released after the summit indicated that the balance of its strategic diplomacy has been tipped in Washington's favor. In response, China expressed concern about the statement Monday, saying it was interference in its domestic affairs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, "China cannot tolerate any foreign interference on the Taiwan issue," referring to a reference made in the statement to the Taiwan Straits and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. The spokesman said neighboring countries should be careful about their rhetoric on the Taiwan issue and there were no problems regarding the South China Sea because each country was enjoying freedom of navigation and aviation. The remarks came after Moon and Biden agreed to commit to regional cooperation in the Asia Pacific region during the summit, which many believe reflects Washington's intention to indirectly contain China's influence. In the statement, Moon and Biden stated that the two countries "oppose all activities that undermine, destabilize, or threaten the rules-based international order and commit to maintaining an inclusive, free, and open Indo-Pacific." The U.S. has been using the term "free and open Indo-Pacific" to counter Chinese hegemony in the region. The term is also in joint statements from members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), an unofficial strategic forum comprised of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. viewed as a vehicle to bottle up an assertive China. The Moon-Biden statement also noted that Korea and the U.S. "reaffirm support for enhanced cooperation with Pacific Island Countries and acknowledge the importance of open, transparent, and inclusive regional multilateralism including the Quad." Though it did not clearly mention expanding the Quad or Korea's entry into it, this is interpreted that Seoul has accepted its core principles. The statement continued that the leaders agreed to "maintain peace and stability, lawful unimpeded commerce, and respect for international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and beyond," as well as emphasizing "the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." This is the first time for Korea and the U.S. to mention escalating tension in the Taiwan Strait. During a summit between the U.S. and Japan in April, Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga released a joint statement that "underscore the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," which China condemned. Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman said it "grossly interferes in China's domestic affairs and severely violates basic norms governing international relations." Concerns were also raised on Washington agreeing to end its guidelines on Seoul's missile development programs, which had limited ranges and payload capacity, because it has opened the door for Korea to develop ballistic missiles that could reach China. Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he witnesses a ground-breaking ceremony for a bilateral nuclear energy cooperation project, the Tianwan and Xudapu nuclear power plants, May 19. Xinhua-Yonhap The iPhone 12 has dominated the best-sellers list for the first quarter of 2021, both in terms of volume and revenue, the technology analyst firm Counterpoint Research says. Global revenue for the quarter crossed US$100 billion (A$129.4 billion) for the first time, with flagship models being the driving force. The wholesale average selling price was used for calculations. Counterpoint said the top 10 list of the models that pulled in the most revenue was dominated by Apple and Samsung. The iPhone 12 Pro Max was top of the list, following by the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Pro, the iPhone 11 and the Samsung S21 Ultra 5G. The only brand apart from these two to figure in this list was the Huawei Mate 40 Pro which took the eighth spot. Another notable aspect of this list was that, apart from the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2020, all the other models in the top 10 supported 5G. These 10 models made up 46% of the global revenue, in sharp contrast to a list of the top 10 for volume sales which captured only 21% of the global volume. Counterpoint said looking at volume sales, the iPhone 12 was at the top of the list, followed by the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 Pro. There were three Xiaomi models among the top 10, with the remainder being Apple and Samsung. Sales for the Redmi 9A were good in China and India, while the Redmi 9 performed well in the South East Asian market. The strong performance of the Redmi 9A, Redmi 9 and Redmi Note 9 helped Xiaomi maintain its pole position in the sub-US$150 price band globally, capturing a 19% share in the segment. Chinese smartphone brand realme has seen its sales grow by 82% quarter-on-quarter and 451% year-on-year during the first quarter of 2021, making it the seventh biggest brand in the Middle Kingdom, the technology analyst firm Counterpoint Research says. The company said this was notable in a quarter which saw the entire China market grow by just 5%. Other brands that showed double-digit gains were OPPO, Xiaomi and vivo. Despite being owned by the same company B.B.K. Electronics OPPO and vivo have been engaged in a heated battle for the top spot in the China market. In January, OPPO became the top brand, only to be eclipsed by vivo when figures for the whole quarter were released. The rise of these brands has been helped by the falling away of Huawei which has found it difficult to obtain parts due American sanctions. Counterpoint senior analyst Yang Wang said: realme grew at the fastest clip among major brands. Its distinctive yet effective marketing strategy appealed to budget-sensitive Gen Z audiences, who tend to look for premium features that support a social media, photography and gaming driven digital lifestyle. "At the same time, the brands product portfolio kept pace with bigger established incumbents, in terms of product launches and key premium specs. At extremely competitive prices, the realme brand stood out among peers." The tech analyst firm said the average selling price of smartphones in China had rebounded since the second quarter of 2020. But, apart from Apple, the ASP appeared to have peaked at about US$300, even though 5G devices dominated take-up. The mid and budget segments will be a key battleground in the next few quarters, and will no doubt garner the attention of all major manufacturers," said Wang. "This price segment is also the one where realme has a competitive edge with strong 5G offerings. "In 2020, realme followed an aggressive product launch plan despite the pandemic, with the V, Q and X series covering all price points between US$100 and US$500. These reasonably priced models come equipped with premium features such as triple or quad camera setups, AI-powered chipsets, high refresh rate displays, long battery life, and slick form factors. They have been well received by pundits and consumers alike. Counterpoint said smartphone makers who wanted to forge ahead would also have to look to management of their supply chains for the rest of the year as the global semiconductor shortage worsened. "In the very long term, however, we are still waiting for the emergence of the killer app(s) that would put to sleep any doubt on 5G smartphone adoption. The timing of this will likely determine how far the current excitement over 5G can extend," the firm said. Stefan Miklosovic, software engineer at Instaclustr, has been tasked lead the development of the Apache Cassandra project, and will have write-access to its repositories and resources. Instaclustr names Stefan Miklosovic as a committer to the open source Apache Cassandra project. Invited and voted in by the Apache Cassandra project management committee (PMC), committers have write-access to the open source databases repositories and resources. Miklosovic, who is an Instaclustr software engineer, assumes the new role ahead of the Cassandra 4.0 GA release. Cassandra 4.0 is said to deliver enhanced performance, stability and auditing capabilities. Instaclustr says it will provide a fully managed version of the open source database. Miklosovic has also been a key contributor and maintainer for Instaclustrs own open source tools for Apache Cassandra and has recently updated these tools for Cassandra 4.0 compatibility. Miklosovic says: Apache Cassandra is a uniquely powerful open source project backed by an incredibly talented and passionate open source community. Miklosovic added: The database is trusted by nearly half of the Fortune 100, myriad organisations across industries, and countless startups who require a highly available, scalable, and performant data store. Im truly honoured to be voted in as a project committer alongside peers who share a belief in the power of open source technologies, their communities, and Cassandra. I look forward to working with the Apache Cassandra PMC and helping to grow the project even further. Ben Bromhead, Instacluster chief technology officer, is proud of Stefans appointment. Bromhead concludes: Stefan has always believed in the power of pure open source technologies and the communities that work tirelessly to support them. From Linux development, to JBoss engineering, to joining Instaclustr, much of Stefans career has revolved around open source. Weve continually been impressed with his dedication and skill as a Cassandra contributor, and he is absolutely deserving of his new role as project committer. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or making a contribution today. Subscribe or contribute Travel to Costa Rica during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go The Southern Way (lots of sugar) The Yankee Way (no sugar or sweetener) The Arnold Palmer (lemonade added) Plantation Iced Tea (with fruit) Half sweet and half unsweet mixed together. Unsweet with a no calorie sweetener. With fruit garnishment such as a lemon or lime. I drink my iced tea in different way than listed here. I don't drink iced tea. Vote View Results Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support. Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, left, and Korea Foundation President Lee Geun, right, pose with heads of diplomatic missions from the G7 countries to Korea during a roundtable at The Korea Times' office in central Seoul, May 13. From left are Oh, German Ambassador Michael Reiffenstuel, EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez, Canadian Ambassador Michael Danagher, British Ambassador Simon Smith, French Ambassador Philippe Lefort, Italian Ambassador Federico Failla and U.S. Charge d'Affaires ad interim Robert Rapson and Lee. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk This is the first in a two-part series of roundtables commemorating Korea's planned participation in the G7 Summit 2021, produced in collaboration with the Korea Foundation. ED. By Kwon Mee-yoo Envoys to Korea from the G7 countries said Korea's participation in the upcoming G7 Summit in Britain shows its enhanced status in the international community, encouraging it to play a bigger role in resolving global challenges. Their remarks came during a roundtable of diplomatic missions from the G7, May 13, co-organized by The Korea Times and the Korea Foundation (KF). The event was held about a month ahead of the summit, slated for June 11 to 13 in Cornwall, England, where Korea has been invited as a guest country along with India, Australia and South Africa. At this year's summit, the participating nations will discuss how to tackle a handful of urgent global issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Envoys from the G7 countries Ambassadors Simon Smith of the United Kingdom, Michael Danagher of Canada, Philippe Lefort of France, Michael Reiffenstuel of Germany, Federico Failla of Italy, Maria Castillo Fernandez of EU and U.S. Charge d'Affaires ad interim Robert Rapson took part in the roundtable to discuss the importance of the summit and share their thoughts on the potential agenda. A representative from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, another G7 member, was unable to attend. "Since the G7 Summit is a consultative body of advanced countries and a forum for discussing many of the most important global issues, I believe that Korea's participation and contribution will be a shining moment in the country's diplomatic history," Lee Geun, president of the KF, said in his opening remarks. Lee emphasized the G7 Summit's role as a critical platform in addressing global challenges, fostering international public opinion and leading international cooperation. "Many important global issues that were, for a long time, overshadowed by the pandemic were addressed at the meeting of the G7 Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Development (in early May). Democracy and human rights issues; climate change; open society; a rules-based international order; fair trade; free and secure flows of capital, data, knowledge, ideas, and talent; cyber governance; global collaboration for vaccine distribution; human rights and gender issues; and security issues in various regions were dealt with. Now is the time for global stakeholders to join forces on these important issues," Lee said. With The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin presiding over the roundtable, the envoys spoke of their respective countries' agenda items for the G7 Summit and shared ideas on how to cooperate on global issues that need international attention. British Ambassador Smith gave a brief introduction to the G7, pointing out that it is in fact a voluntary institution without any legal standing. "The G7 cannot make the law. What it can do is show some really powerful and strong leadership by kicking off practical initiatives. It can actually kick start momentum on addressing serious global problems," Smith said. Smith spoke of his expectations for Korea to step up in global society with increasing responsibility based upon its participation as a guest country this year. "The Republic of Korea in what it has done in recent years has itself raised expectations. It has shown its capability and capacity. It's shown that it is up for a global leadership role. And this invitation to this year's G7 is very much an opportunity for the Republic of Korea to make that leadership role a reality," Smith said. Rapson of the U.S. and Castillo of the EU echoed Smith's expectations for the guests invited to the summit, especially Korea. "You're expected to act as almost a full G7 partner. And we're looking forward especially to Korea's contributions throughout this G7 year, given that Korea plays a pertinent and important role, starting with the COVID crisis and quickly over to climate issues," Rapson said. "We are all very key strategic partners of Korea and Korea is an active player in diplomacy. We want Korea to shoulder responsibilities with us, expecting Korea to play a more active role in international affairs," Castillo said. "I hope this G7 meeting will be an opportunity for Korean people to be educated about global governance, not only issues related to the Korean Peninsula or Korea-Japan relations. I do hope Korea, sooner or later, will be a very responsible stakeholder in global issues," Lee of the KF responded. Participants in a roundtable co-hosted by The Korea Times and the Korea Foundation discuss agenda items for the upcoming G7 Summit 2021 at the newspaper's office in central Seoul, May 13. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Tom Hallberg covers a little bit of everything, from skiing to long-form feature stories. A Teton Valley, Idaho, transplant by way of Portland and Bend, Oregon, he spends his time outside work writing fiction, splitboarding and climbing. AP Travelers hitting the road with pent-up demand this summer; here's what they want Page Content As the Government of Local Unity (GLU) we are determined to build a liveable, resilient and sustainable City to transform and improve the daily lived experience of our communities. We believe that our municipal entities are led by the best men and women. Thus, we are expecting all the municipal entities to govern with integrity and effective leadership. That is how the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Geoffrey Makhubo, kicked off proceedings during the signing of Shareholder Compacts for municipal entities at the Joburg Theatre on Friday, 21 May 2021. The Shareholder Compacts govern the relationship between the City of Johannesburg and municipal entities. The signing is in line with the Citys commitment to providing clean, transparent and accountable governance in the City. Mayor Makhubo said he is only a representative of the citizens of the City as they are the real shareholders of the City of Johannesburg. Today I am joined by Members of the Mayoral Committee and Chairpersons of the Boards to ensure that we pledge to deliver quality, efficient and expeditious services to our residents. He highlighted the importance of the signing of the shareholders compacts for the city to achieve its strategic long-term goal as enshrined in the City of Johannesburgs Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) 2040. We can only realise a dream of Johannesburg a world-class African city of the future a vibrant, equitable African city, strengthened through its diversity; a city that provides real quality of life; a city that provides sustainability for all its citizens; a resilient and adaptive society by working together, concluded Mayor Makhubo. Written by Luyanda Lunika 24/05/2021 Joplin, MO (64801) Today Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe, especially this evening. Low 71F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.. Tonight Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe, especially this evening. Low 71F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. A U.S. F-16 fighter jet flies during a wintertime combined exercise by the United States and South Korea, codenamed Vigilant Ace, in this December 2017 file photo. Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye U.S. President Joe Biden's promise to provide COVID-19 vaccines to fully inoculate all 550,000 South Korean troops is raising hopes that full-fledged combined military exercises between Washington and Seoul could resume in the latter half of this year at the earliest. President Biden said during a joint press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Friday (local time), "We'll provide full vaccinations for all 550,000 of those Korean forces engaging with American forces on a regular basis, both for their sake, as well as the sake of the American forces." According to the Ministry of National Defense here, the number of South Korean troops stood at about 555,000 as of the end of last year. The United States and South Korea usually carry out major combined exercises twice a year, in spring and summer, along with smaller-scale drills throughout the year. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 early last year, such exercises were scaled down, involving only a reduced number of troops and without outdoor drills amid concerns over infections. The vaccination of the entire South Korean armed forces against COVID-19 could increase the possibility of a combined military exercises, which are expected to take place in August, to be carried out without reduced troop numbers and also include outdoor drills. The inoculation rate of U.S. troops stationed in Korea has already exceeded 70 percent since vaccinations began in December last year. Biden's mention that the offering of vaccines would also be for the "sake of the American forces" was interpreted as having the combined exercises in mind. In response to Biden's announcement, President Moon said, "The measure is meaningful in that the special history of the U.S.-South Korean alliance has been expanded to healthcare." Regarding the issue, an official from the defense ministry said, "As soon as the type of vaccines and timing of delivery are finalized, we will reflect them in our inoculation plans in cooperation with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency." Opinion Columnist Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018. Defense Minister Suh Wook met with the U.S. Space Command chief on Monday in Seoul and discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation in space and other defense fields, the defense ministry said. Gen. James Dickinson is in South Korea to meet senior defense leaders here, according to officials. His detailed itinerary is not immediately available. During the meeting, Suh and Dickinson noted cooperation in the space field that began in earnest in 2013, and shared the need to continue efforts together to maintain a strong deterrence and better deal with growing space threats, according to the ministry. "The two sides discussed ways of cooperation to ensure safe space environments and to advance the Korea-U.S. alliance," the ministry said. "They vowed to beef up bilateral space cooperation further down the road." Dickinson also met with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and exchanged opinions on how to boost exchanges and cooperation between their organizations, the officials said. Seoul and Washington have been working to strengthen their military and civilian space partnership. President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden committed "to strengthening their partnership in civil space exploration, science and aeronautics research and will cooperate towards the ROK signing the Artemis Accords," according to the joint statement released last week following their summit meeting. The Artemis Accords are an international agreement among governments participating in the Artemis Program, a U.S.-led effort to return humans to the moon by 2024, and to ultimately expand and deepen space exploration. (Yonhap) Today Scattered thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible late. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible late. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Tomorrow Thunderstorms. High 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Over the coming weeks, future model plans for Alpine, Dacia-Lada, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Venucia and Nissan will be examined as part of a deep dive into whats coming later in the 2020s for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. First though, this new Just Auto series commences with a look at Renault and Renault-Samsungs passenger vehicles. The new decade has begun with much upheaval for Renault Group as it grapples with too much manufacturing capacity in Europe and South Korea, a troubled Alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi plus woes in China. The challenges are not small but thanks to the latest Clio and Captur, the Renault brand itself is already on the comeback trail in many markets. Insiders note that certain established model names such as Espace, Scenic and Megane will either end with their current generation or be rethought, becoming electric vehicles or variants of EVs. So it really is a time of Renaulution as the firm terms this shake up. Lets look first then at future cars, before moving on to SUVs and people carriers/MPVs, and end with a look at RSMs travails. Cars The 5, a small hatchback, is to return, it was announced in January. A week later Renault Group chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said the car would be manufactured at the Douai plant, the official name of which is Georges Besse. Production of the Espace and Talisman is due to end at the French factory, so the 5 can be thought of as a partial replacement for this capacity. Further CMF-B EV platform models might be built there too. Unlike the original 5 from the 1970s and its 80s Super-Cinq replacement, this one will be electric and have five rather than three doors. The Renault 5 Prototype showed some guidance for how a production model may look. It had initially been unclear how the 5 and an assumed second generation of the Zoe would relate to one another. However, Group CEO Luca de Meo stated in a February interview that the 5 would replace the brands existing B segment electric hatchback. Another car which is to be reinvented will be the famous 4, also known as the 4L. A preview of this new generation for the long out of production Quatrelle is due to be announced in July, Renault hinted in a 4 February statement to the press. The little wagon will inevitably be electric and therefore closely linked to the 5. Further details, such as the architecture and proposed launch date, can be found in PLDB (see link at the end of this report). Given how poorly the current model has been received outside France, it was thought that a new Megane might not happen. Instead, Renault stated in October 2020 that a fifth generation model will happen. The company showed some guidance for how it could look by revealing the Megane eVision at a special event that month. Luca de Meo claimed that this prototype shared 95 per cent of its looks with the production model. Build of what should be an electric-only model is due to commence towards the end of 2021 (Georges Besse is said to be the plant). The 4,210 mm long eVision was powered by a 60 kWh battery and while short for its segment, interior room was generous thanks to a long wheelbase (2,700 mm) and short overhangs. It will be a competitor for the larger VW ID.3, along with the Nissan Leaf, Citroen e4 and others in the C-EV class. The fourth generation Megane five-door is 4,359 mm long, which is 64 mm lengthier than generation three. Whether or not the eVisions drive system will make it to production unchanged isnt yet known. The prototype was said to have power and torque outputs of 160 kW and 300 Nm. A longer, seven-seat body could be added in 2023, reviving the by-then discontinued Megane Scenic name. Crossovers/SUVs The Kiger is one of Renaults newest models. The firm developed this 3,991 mm long SUV mainly for the Indian market. Although some thought it would be called Climber, the name of a Kwid-based SUV concept which debuted at the 2016 New Delhi auto expo, it is instead Kiger. Official details were announced in January, a month before production started. The Kiger concept which Renault revealed to the press in November 2020 had given a strong indication of how the production model would look. Ground clearance is 205 mm, while the boot capacity is 405 l or 879 with the back seats folded. Engine choice is between a 72 kW and 96 Nm non-turbo 1.0-litre or a 100 kW and 160 Nm 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol turbo. Transmissions for the base engine are a five-speed manual or an Easy-R robotised five-speed manual. The turbo can be ordered with a five-speed manual or a CVT. Logically, the life cycle should be seven years although as the basic vehicle is fairly aged, the Kiger might instead only be around for three-six years. The Nissan Magnite is part of the same project. Both this small SUV and the Kiger are manufactured at the Alliances Oragadam plant in Tamil Nadu. An electric SUV around the same size as the Kadjar is coming, and relatively soon (2022). The vehicle in question might even be a plug-in version of the second generation Kadjar. The company believes such a model will need a real world range of 500 km. The architecture will be CMF-EV. The Morphoz, an electric concept which was revealed in March 2020, was the first vehicle to use CMF-EV. This model is expected to be manufactured in France another model for Georges Besse/Douai. MPVs The first few details of a new Kangoo van and its surprisingly large MPV versions were announced to the media six months ago. There are diesel and petrol engines, as well as a Kangoo EV. More information was revealed in March, with vehicles due in French dealerships from June although the ongoing semiconductor crisis could well delay the Europe-wide roll-out. In addition to the 4,486 mm long Kangoo, there is a larger Express for markets outside the European region (although the Express Van is available in Europe). Unlike the Kangoo & Kangoo Z.E., plus the Kangoo Van & Kangoo Z.E. Van, which are manufactured in France (Maubeuge), the Express and Express Van are built in Morocco (Tangier). They use the older B-Zero architecture and serve as the replacements for the recently discontinued Dacia Dokker and Dokker Stepway. Engines and gearboxes announced in March were as follows: 1.3 TCE 100 with six-speed manual transmission, 1,333 cc 16v four cylinder petrol, 75 kW (100 PS) and 200 Nm 1.3 TCe 130 with six-speed manual or seven-speed EDC dual clutch transmissions, 1,333 cc 16v four cylinder petrol, 96 kW (130 PS) and 240 Nm 1.5 Blue dCi 75 diesel with six-speed manual transmission, 1,461 cc 8v four cylinder diesel, 55 kW (75 PS) and 230 Nm 1.5 Blue dCi 95 diesel with seven-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmissions, 1,461 cc 8v four cylinder diesel, 70 kW (95 PS) and 260 Nm 1.5 Blue dCi 115 diesel with seven-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmissions, 1,461 cc 8v four cylinder diesel, 85 kW (115 PS) and 270 Nm Renault will likely keep the new XFG series model in production for a decade, which means a facelift probably wont arrive until 2026. The architecture of all the new Kangoo variants is Alliance A. Renault Samsung Motors What is to become of RSM? Renault Group itself is saying nothing positive in public; a dangerous way to behave when the Samsung brand needs loud public statements of support if its parent wishes for things to improve. Instead, there have been continued threats to the union which represents some 1,900 workers at the Busan plant as it agitates for wage hikes. The factory in the port city is high-cost, Renault insists, comparing it unfavourably to other Group facilities such as plants in Spain which have been forced to undergo restructuring. As for the union, the latest response has been to announce a new strike last week which commenced earlier on 24 May. In April and this is no sudden collapse either South Korean market deliveries of RSMs three models plunged by a combined 50.4%. Samsung ended the first four months in position seven, quite some way behind Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes, BMW and GM Korea. Deliveries for 1 January to 30 April numbered a mere 18,595 passenger vehicles and with the loss of the old shape Nissan Rogue for export markets, the future of Busan (annual capacity: 300,000 units) isnt looking too good. Unless Renault finds the will and a way to fix RSMs woes, consumers in South Korea will do the obvious and continue to shun the brand. And its not as if the models offered are uncompetitive either, particularly the XM3 which is only just over a year old and beginning to be sold in ever more overseas markets as the Renault Arkana. The only other RSM vehicles are the QM6, a slightly restyled Renault Koleos; and the SM6, a version of the Renault Talisman introduced five years ago, around the same time as the QM6. The last of these will likely be phased out either later this year or in 2022. Perhaps the XM3 and QM6 will become Renaults instead of Samsungs. Alternatively, Renault could shut down RSM, killing off the Renault Samsung brand and winding up all operations in the country. With SsangYongs Pyeontaek plant similarly imperiled and GM Korea also not exactly flush with success, its hard to envisage any OEM wanting to step in and take RSM or the Busan factory off Renaults hands. Reports for many other manufacturers future models are grouped in the OEM product strategy summaries section of Just Auto. Future platform intelligence More detail on past, current and forthcoming models can be found in PLDB, the future vehicles database which is part of GlobalDatas Automotive Intelligence Center. That includes Renaults missing from this report. Aiways said it had sold 2,500 U5 battery electric SUVs in Europe in its first year. Since May 2020, the company has exported to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Further EFTA and southern Europe markets will be added by the end of 2021. Alex Klose, EVO of overseas operations, said: Weve gone quietly about building our presence in Europe, and after a year of exporting the U5, were happy with our progress so far. Theres still a lot more work to do were frequently asked by citizens of other European countries as to when they can buy. Aiways is also celebrating four years since starting construction of its fully-owned, factory in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province, China. Finished within just 14 months, U5 production started at the plant in February, 2019. Situated in the catchment area of three prosperous economic zones, the Yangtze River Delta, Haixi and Wanjiang, the Shangrao industrial park is set to become Chinas major automotive hub, with five other OEMs arriving over the next few years. This will help to streamline the local automotive supply chain and attract talent. Aiways is collaborating with Siemens on a two factories one facility concept. This uses a highly detailed cloud-based virtual model of the plant that communicates online with the physical facility. This allows the automaker to monitor every step of the production process with a self-learning system able to detect, report and correct even the smallest irregularities, without interrupting the overall production process. The 633,328 square metre plant consists of a stamping plant, body shop, paint shop, unique battery packing station and assembly shop, and can build up to 150,000 units per year currently, and will be able to produce 300,000 units in the near future. Daimler Trucks management board led by CEO Martinaum has presented strategic objectives, key financial targets and technological goals aheead of its planned flotation by the end of the year. The unit is targeting benchmark margins in each region, and an overall double-digit operating margin for the new group by 2025, in a scenario with strong market conditions. Theres also an ambitious technology roadmap for both battery (BEV) and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV), with up to 60% of sales ZEV by 2030. Multiple new technology partnerships announced: Advanced battery development with CATL, high speed charging with Power Electronics, Siemens and Engie and a 1200km hydrogen corridor in Northern Europe with Shell. Daimler said the separation and stock market listing for Daimler Truck is on track; completion is expected by year end 2021. Daimler Truck generates over 40bn of revenue and sells over half a million trucks and buses in a typical year. With strong brands across all major continents like Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz, FUSO and BharatBenz, Daimler Truck says it offers the industrys widest range of trucks and buses. Looking ahead, an independent Daimler Truck will accelerate its strategic ambitions and address its financial performance, it said. While Daimler Truck is a powerhouse in North America, dominating the region with a 40 percent market share in the heavy duty segment and benchmark profitability, its recent record in other market regions is less satisfactory. The inconsistent regional profitability records of Europe, Brazil and Asia need to be improved significantly, Daimler said. Our mission as an independent company is clear: Our ambition is to lead the way to zero emissions in the trucking business by accelerating the development of battery and fuel cell vehicles. And we will reset profitability. We will target the benchmark in each region. Every region must deliver competitive performance and we are willing to implement the measures necessary to achieve this goal. We are willing to take hard decisions to lower our breakeven and raise our performance, said Martin Daum, CEO of Daimler Truck AG Daimler Truck announced that it will reduce fixed costs, capex and R&D spending by 15% by 2025 (vs. 2019 actuals). Fixed cost reduction will include a personnel cost reduction target for Mercedes-Benz Trucks of 300 million by 2022, and new measures to reduce complexity streamline processes and drive sustained savings. Daimler Truck will also intensify its focus on the most profitable segments and regions. This will include a clearer emphasis on the more profitable heavy duty segment in the main regions, and refocusing investments from ICE powertrains towards zero emission and standardized global EV architectures. Daimler Truck also said it will put further emphasis on the growth of its aftermarket and services revenues to drive profitability, and customer retention. This includes the traditional spare parts and maintenance service business, and also financial services like tailor-made leasing, financing and insurances. New and fast growing services in the fields of digitalized, autonomous and electrified transport offer additional growth potential. Overall, Daimler Truck sees significant growth potential in services and aims to increase the revenues on the service portfolio from the current 30% towards 50% in 2030. Path to zero emissions Andreas Gorbach, the new CTO and Head of the Truck Technology Group, set out the premises of the Daimler Truck technology strategy: First of all, the company will ramp down internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrain spending and work with partners. For instance, Daimler Truck is already partnering with Cummins for medium duty engines. In addition the company is actively seeking additional partnerships in the heavy duty engine sector to share necessary investments. Daimler Truck will further reduce spending in conventional powertrain and redirect the vast majority of R&D spending to ZEV technologies by 2025. For ZEV technology, the company is committed to both battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen solutions. Having started with the fully electric FUSO eCanter back in 2017 Daimler Truck has established the broadest portfolio of ZEV commercial vehicles of all global Truck OEMs. ZEVs such as Freightliners eCascadia and eM2, Mercedes-Benz eActros and eCitaro and the iconic Thomas Built Buses Jouley are already operating on a daily basis and have driven more than 10 million kilometers in customer hands. Further products such as a 500km range eActros LongHaul will be launched in the coming years. With a dedicated next generation BEV truck planned for the coming years, Daimler Truck is aiming for a range capability of up to 800 km. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Samoas elected prime minister, Naomi Mataafa, has been excluded from the Pacific National Parliament because his political opponents refused to give way despite the April general election. Mataafa arrived at the Pacific National Assembly on Monday, accompanied by a judge, preparing to form a new government, and was sworn to become the countrys first female prime minister. But the police prohibited her from entering the legislative chamber. The secretary of the parliament said that he could only allow the parliament to sit under the order of the appointed head of state, who was the outgoing prime minister Tuilaepa Seleele Malile. Roy (Tailaepa Sailele Malielegaoi). The fast-changing events marked the latest turning point in an arduous power struggle. Malielegaoi, who has ruled Samoa for 22 years, refused to give up power, despite the fact that Mataafa won by a narrow margin in the election last month and was also approved by the court. confirm. In a speech to supporters outside the parliament, Mataafa said: Sometimes we will meet again in the house. Let us leave it to the law. Fiame: Thats it. We will not destroy our people. Let us move on and then we can leave. Give it to me and let us make a decision based on what happened today. I thank you for being here, thank you Support us towards a ruling party based on God and the rule of law pic.twitter.com/YaS2NItv6b -Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson (@lagipoiva) May 23, 2021 When the police barred the prime minister-elect from entering the parliament, Maleli Guavai held a press conference announcing that his government was still in charge. He said: Even if we are just the custodian government, Samoa has only one government. We will continue to assume this role and operate as usual. The caretaker prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi abides by cultural norms and mainly recognizes the hierarchy, judiciary, administrative staff, etc. He thanked the universal peace. He speaks at the HRPP headquarters. From the beginning, the voice of HRPP was peace. pic.twitter.com/jqCvcV6lBM -Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson (@lagipoiva) May 23, 2021 Samoa is an island country with a population of 220,000. When the April 9 election ended with a 25-25 draw between the FAST party in Mataafa and the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) in Malielegaoi, it was in crisis. The election commissioner intervened and appointed another OHCHR candidate who was said to be in compliance with the constitutional minimum quota for women in Parliament. At the same time, independent candidates chose FAST and won 26-26. Illegal takeover Then, Malielegaoi persuaded the head of state Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II to announce the second election on May 21. FAST filed an appeal, and the Supreme Court ruled last week on the nominated candidates and the new election plan, restoring Mataafas party to a 26-25 majority. Although the Supreme Court overturned this decision in a rare session on Sunday, Sualauvi responded by requesting the suspension of Parliament and appeared to refuse to revoke the order. Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese (Satiu Simativa Perese) led the judges of the Supreme Court to swear to the new parliament on Monday. However, when faced with a locked door, the judges turned around and returned to the court. The Chief Justice of Samoa was on the locked door of the Parliament less than 24 hours after the court ruled this morning to overturn the decision of the head of state to suspend the head of parliament on Saturday night. Incredible image @anetonesagaga From @samoaobserver pic.twitter.com/4TgkoCtZO2 -Tali Aualiitia (@taliaualiitia) May 23, 2021 Mataafa and hundreds of supporters stayed at the parliament site for about an hour, singing and speaking. Prior to being elected prime minister, Maleli Guy had been accused of threatening Samoas democracy. She told Newshub on Sunday: This is an illegal takeover of the government. This is a coup. We must fight for it, because we want to keep this country as a democratically governed country with the rule of law as the premise. As the constitutional crisis deepens, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she hopes that a calm and calm mind will prevail. We support democracy in Samoa, and we will call on other countries to do the same. Arden told TV New Zealand. Obviously, this is a very difficult crossroads. For Samoa, this is a huge change in what has happened in the 20 years since the election. Our appeal will be to maintain and uphold the rule of law. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne expressed similar views. Australia values ??our close friendship with Samoa. She said: It is important that all parties respect the rule of law and the democratic process. We have full confidence in Samoas institutions (including the judiciary). Samoa gained independence in 1962 after serving as the protectorate of New Zealand for nearly 50 years. The current HRPP has been in power since 1982, except for the brief 1986-87 alliance period. As many as 100,000 Britons deprived of the sun will fly to Spain this week, ignoring the governments warning not to travel to the amber country. Before the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that he would allow the British to return No proof of vaccination Or a negative test for the coronavirus in Italy and Greece. ? Read our coronavirus Live blog About the latest update 8 Tourists arriving at Palma de Mallorca Airport Credit: EPA 8 Tourists enjoying the sun in Gran Canaria today Credit: Alami 8 Holidaymakers at Heathrow Airport Credit: Rex According to the traffic signal system of the Ministry of Transport, Spain is on the amber list. The amber list covers the most popular holiday destinations such as Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Returning to the UK from a country listed in Amber means that travelers need to self-quarantine for ten days. They must also undergo PCR tests on the second and eighth days of self-isolation. Despite the lifting of the travel ban, the ministers urged travelers to avoid the amber destinations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website said today: We continue to advise all basic travel except Spain, including the Balearic Islands but not the Canary Islands. A spokesperson for Boris Johnson said: With regard to the amber list countries, our recommendations have not changed. We are very clear that people should not go to the countries listed in Amber for holiday purposes. Minister of Health last week Matt Hancock Say People shouldnt go to Amber Country Unless for necessary reasons. Education Minister Gillian Keegan told Time Radio: The countries on the Amber List are there for a reason-they are there to allow you to travel on business, and you can travel in special circumstances, such as funerals, or family Some special nursing problems. Home Secretary Priti Patel responded to their comments, urging the British not to go to the amber destination earlier today. She said on the BBC1 Andrew Marr Show: We have been in a pandemic, if I can say that, throughout the pandemic, we have always taken the right approach to protect the publics public health. Thousands of Britons are expected to fly to Spain this week Now, in terms of travel, international travel, we have a traffic light system. There is a reason for this, all of these types of things are true for the countries where our concerns are on the red list. We have taken measures to protect the public. During the holidays, of course, the public will follow the governments recommendations, such as green listing. However, this is always under review. The list may change, and it will change. However, flights to Spain are expected to soar to 80 per day, which means that despite government warnings, an estimated 16,000 passengers are still flying to the resort. On Monday, there are regular flights from Heathrow Airport to Ibiza, Barcelona, ??Palma, Malaga and Madrid. Easyjet flights from Gatwick Airport will also fly to Ibiza, Malaga, Mallorca and Lanzarote, while Vueling Airlines will fly to Barcelona and Valencia. Ryanair flies from Stansted Airport to Alicante, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Barcelona, ??from Luton to Malaga, and from Edinburgh and Manchester to Mallorca. There are halfway holiday flights from Newcastle, Cardiff and Manchester to Mallorca, as well as flights from Manchester to Lanzarote and Tenerife. Tui will also fly to Menorca from Stansted, Gatwick, Birmingham and Cardiff, and fly to Ibiza from Bristol, Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham. Spain is excluded Green list with Will not be added until June at the earliest. Despite the governments warning, holidaymakers will fly to Spain The only major tourist destination on the UKs green list is Portugal Happy Monday! Spain allows Britons to return tomorrow without having to prove whether the Covid test is negative Hi, yes! British holidaymakers dont have to wait long to get more countries on the green list we like Let the kids return to nature at this delightful Cornish caravan park by the sea Suite transaction Luxury hotels in the UK at low prices-the best stylish accommodation, starting from 99 per stay PORTU-GO! Its a bit of a hassle, but a trip to Portugal is definitely worth it exclusive Drink us The barkeeper celebrates the British returning to Spain for a pint of 1.20 starting Monday right now, Portugal It is the only major tourist destination on the UKs green list, which means holidaymakers can be isolated without returning home. However, the Spanish Minister of Tourism Maria Reyes Maroto (Maria Reyes Maroto) stated that she believes that Britains favorite foreign resort will receive Green lightThe state is very fast. At the same time, Germany has Ban the British from entering the country from midnight Fear of Covid variants. Jerusalem (AP)-The Islamic Authority monitoring the scene said Israeli police escorted more than 250 Jewish tourists to a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem on Sunday, and clashes between police and Palestinian demonstrators sparked war in Gaza. The United Nations said that the 11-day conflict between Israel and the radical Hamas ruler in Gaza was deadlocked on Friday, but left huge ruins in Gaza, including hundreds of houses that have been completely destroyed. More houses are severely damaged The Islamic religious organization Isq Waqf, which oversaw the scene, said that while tensions were still high, the police expelled young Palestinians from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and prohibited Muslims under 45 from entering. Muslims who entered were required to hand over their ID to the police at the entrance. It stated that six Palestinians were detained and four were later released. The Israeli police denied that there was an age limit and said they had arrested five people who violated public order. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the site was open for regular visits and the police had protected the area. The visit then ended without any other incidents. The Israeli police clashed briefly with Palestinian demonstrators after Fridays prayers. This was an early test of the ceasefire, which took effect several hours ago. The ceasefire in Gaza is maintained, but the violence in Jerusalem may trigger another round of escalation. Waqf said Sunday was the first time Jews were allowed to visit the site since the week before the outbreak of the war on May 4. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest place in Islam. It sits on the top of a huge hill in the Old City of Jerusalem and is regarded by the Jews as the holiest place because it is the seat of the temple in the Bible. Over the years, the site has often been the scene of Israeli-Palestinian violence and was the center of the 2000 Palestinian uprising or uprising. Until May 10, Israeli police clashed with Palestinian demonstrators at the scene several times, when Hamas fired long-range rockets into Jerusalem, saying they were protecting the city after a skirmish. Another major cause of the war was the threat of expelling dozens of Palestinian families from nearby neighboring countries. In recent years, more and more religious and nationalist Jews have visited the site. The Palestinians worry that Israel plans to eventually take over or divide the compound. The Israeli government has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of changing the status quo because Waqf is supervising the site under the custody of Jordan. Jordan said on Sunday that it will provide medical assistance for the maintenance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and Palestinians, including a coronavirus testing and vaccination center in the Gaza Strip. The Royal Courts statement did not specify the amount of funds. The recent war has caused Israel to launch hundreds of air strikes on Gaza, which is what Israel calls a militant target. Hamas and other armed groups fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israel, most of which were intercepted or landed in open areas. At least 248 Palestinians were killed, and 12 people in Israel were killed. US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken will travel to the Middle East this week. In an interview on ABC News George Stephanopoulos (George Stephanopoulos) on Sunday, he said that the ceasefire provides an opportunity that can lay the foundation for building something more positive. Brinken said that the priorities include resolving the current humanitarian situation in Gaza, rebuilding everything that has been lost in the violence, and allowing both parties to start working to truly improve the lives of the people so that Israelis and Palestinians can live under equal security measures. Peace and dignity. The Israeli strike razed many large buildings on the impoverished coastal territory, where there are more than 2 million Palestinians. This has been in a serious situation since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power from forces loyal to the organization. Under the Israeli-Egypt blockade. Internationally supported the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Lynn Hastings, the United Nations humanitarian affairs coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said that 300 buildings in Gaza (including an estimated 1,000 houses) were completely destroyed. She said that hundreds of people were severely damaged. She warned that these are very, very preliminary figures because the damage is still being assessed. Hastings said a total of six hospitals and eleven primary care centers were damaged, and one hospital was unable to operate due to lack of electricity. She said that due to the destruction of local infrastructure, about 800,000 people did not have access to tap water, while 400,000 people did not receive proper sewage treatment. Israel stated that it has done everything possible to avoid harm to civilians and only targeted the militant infrastructure, including a huge network of tunnels and rocket launchers. It blamed the war and its destruction on Hamas. In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Israel had imposed a heavy blow on Hamas and hoped This will act as a deterrent. But he also expressed the hope that the truce would continue. He pointed out that after the last round of fighting in 2014, there was relative peace and quiet for more than five years. On Sunday morning, hundreds of municipal workers and volunteers launched a week-long campaign to remove rubble from the streets of Gaza. The work began outside a high-rise building. In the early days of the Gaza air raid, Israeli warplanes razed it to the ground, and workers loaded the gravel into donkey carts and small pickup trucks. The ICRC said on Friday that the war may have left hundreds of unexploded ordnance, which could cause more casualties and hinder reconstruction efforts. Rep. So Byung-hoon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) speaks during a hearing session at the National Assembly in Seoul, May 4. Korea Times file By Jung Da-min A ruling party lawmaker has come under fire for his remarks that one of President Moon Jae-in's aides had better visit China to explain the results of the latest Korea-U.S. summit held last Friday (local time). Rep. So Byung-hoon, a two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said on Twitter, Saturday, "It would be great if one of President Moon's aides would visit China on their way back to Korea, to explain things related to the summit." The tweet was seen as a message urging the government to consider its relations with China, as Beijing has expressed opposition through state media reports about a message issued during the Korea-U.S. summit regarding the Taiwan Strait. The queen is sorrowful unable to see the great grandson Archie Ingrid Seward revealed that the Queen felt sad almost without seeing Archie. Unless they came to the UK, it would be impossible to see Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys The second child. Ingrid, the editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, shared her extraordinary insights into the relationship between the monarch and his grandson and great-grandson in this weeks Fabulous magazine. She claimed that the distance between Sussex and the royal family was indeed a low point for the monarch. Ingrid said: Since moving to the United States, the Sussex family has hardly set foot in the UK, and after being interviewed by Oprah, the royal family has almost no possibility of returning to China. Meghan is about to give birth to their daughter-the Queens 11th great-grandson, but unless Meghan and Harry bring the child to England, the Queen will not be able to meet her. Since Archie was born, she has hardly seen her , Which makes her feel sad. Although it is said that she hopes to wish him a happy birthday through Zoom, when he is two years old this month. Wellington, New Zealand (Associated Press)-Samoa fell into a constitutional crisis on Monday when the woman who won the election last month was excluded from parliament, while the previous leader claimed he was still in power. The fast-moving event marks the latest turning point in a fierce power struggle since the small Pacific nation was elected its first female leader. Samoas peace and stability are not only threatened, but also its relations with China. On Monday morning, Prime Minister-elect Naomi Mataafa (Naomi Mataafa) and his supporters appeared in Parliament to form a new government, but were barred from entering the new government. The National Supreme Court earlier ordered Congress to convene a meeting. The constitution stipulates that legislators must meet within 45 days after the election, and Monday is the last day of the day. But Tuilaepa Seleele Marieleguewai, who served as prime minister for 22 years before the unexpected defeat of the general election, does not seem to be ready to give up power. He is already one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. Two powerful allies have been supporting Tuilayepa. The countrys head of state Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II wrote in the announcement last week that he suspended the parliament for reasons that I will announce in due course. On Sunday, the speaker of Parliament supported him. After Fiame was blocked on Monday, Tuilaepa held a press conference announcing that his government would remain in power. Samoan journalist Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson will translate it back and forth into English on Twitter. Tuilayepa said at a press conference: Even if we are only the custodian government, Samoa has only one government. We will continue to hold this position and continue to operate as usual. At the same time, Fiame told her supporters: We will meet again in that House for some time. Lets leave it to the law. Fiames election victory is not only seen as a milestone for conservatives and Christians in Samoa, but it is also a milestone for the South Pacific, which has few female leaders. Fiame, who advocated womens equality, was born in 1957. He embarked on a new path during the election campaign and strongly criticized the incumbent parliamentarians. According to the news broadcaster RNZ, she has pledged to stop the $100 million port development plan backed by Beijing, saying that the project is too high for a country that already has heavy debts to China. Fiam said that she intends to maintain a good relationship with China, but there are more pressing needs to be resolved. Last months election initially ended with a 25-25 tie between Fiames FAST party and Tuilaepas HRP party, with an independent candidate. The independent candidate chose to participate in the election with Fiame, but at the same time, the election commissioner appointed another HRP candidate, stating that he must meet the gender quota. That is 26-26. The head of state subsequently stepped in to announce a new election to break the tie. The 200,000 national elections scheduled to be held last week. However, Fiames party appealed, and the Supreme Court failed to rule on the appointed candidates and the new election plan, which restored the FAST party to a 26-25 majority. Western leaders condemned the transfer of a plane to Belarus in order to arrest an opposition journalist for acts of piracy and terrorism. This was requested by the European Union and other countries on Monday to investigate the major forced landing of a Ryanair jet. As a result, this ended with the arrest of an opposition journalist. Travel between two EU member states. The airline said that the Belarusian flight controller told the crew that the plane was threatened by a bomb while crossing the countrys airspace and ordered it to land in the capital of Minsk. A Belarusian MiG-29 fighter was escorted to escort the plane. Raman Pratasevich (Raman Pratasevich), who runs a popular messaging app, played a key role in helping organize mass protests against the dictatorship of Belarus. He and his Russian girlfriend landed He was taken off the plane shortly thereafter. The plane started flying from Athens, Greece, and was finally allowed to continue to Vilnius, Lithuania. Western leaders strongly condemned this move. The presidiums of the foreign affairs committees of several western legislatures call it piracy. A joint statement signed by representatives from several European Union countries, the United Kingdom and the United States said: This kind of reckless action puts passengers and crews in serious danger. This reminds the legitimacy of the regime in Minsk. International civil aviation is required. Organize investigations. State-sponsored terrorist acts U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Brinken said that the transfer of the plane was shocking, while Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called it a state-sponsored terrorist act. He proposed to ban Belarusian aircraft from taking off from EU airports and impose serious sanctions on the Belarusian government. Pratasevich (Pratasevich) arrived in Minsk in 2017 for a court hearing. He was detained on Sunday after being transferred to the Belarusian capital by plane. (Reuters) During months of protests, the United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on senior Belarusian officials. This was triggered by President Alexander Lukashenkos re-election as the sixth presidency in a vote in August. The opposition The proposal was rejected on the grounds of manipulation. Since August, more than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus and thousands have been brutally beaten. Late Monday, the 27 EU leaders held a two-day summit, and the issue immediately became the top issue. The head of EU foreign policy, Josep Borrell, called it again, the Belarusian authorities blatantly attempted to eliminate all opposition voices. He called the rerouting of the aircraft an not allowed step. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus expressed indignation at the EUs so-called belligerent statement on Monday, insisting that the actions taken by the countrys authorities fully comply with international rules. Conflicting reports on transfers The flight tracker website shows that the plane was about 10 kilometers away from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There are conflicting reports about what happened. Lukashenkos press service said the president himself ordered a fighter jet to accompany the plane after learning of the bomb threat. Air Force Deputy Commander Andrei Gurtsevich (Andrei Gurtsevich) said that the crew decided to land in Minsk. But Ryanair said in a statement that the Belarusian air traffic control department instructed the aircraft to be transferred to the capital. Last Sunday, the Boeing 737-8AS Ryanair passenger plane from Athens was photographed at its destination, Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania, before being intercepted and transferred to Minsk. (Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images) Passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius: I saw this Belarusian boy and his girlfriend sitting behind us. When the pilot said the plane was changed to Minsk, he scared him. Broken. He said there was a death sentence waiting for him there. Rutkaskas said: We sat for an hour after landing. Then they began to release the passengers and grabbed the two men. We never saw them again. Pratasevich is the co-founder of the Telegram communication app Nexta Channel, which played an important role in helping organize large-scale protests against Lukashenko. The Belarusian authorities have designated them as extremists and have put down allegations of inciting riots against Pratasevich. If convicted, they could face 15 years in prison. The group agreed to ban Belarus from its airspace among other sanctions to force it to transfer a jet for arrest. The leaders of the European Union have agreed to a series of sanctions against Belarus, including prohibiting the use of the airspace and airport of the 27-nation group amidst the outrage of the forced transfer of a passenger plane between 27 EU countries to arrest an opposition journalist. European Union leaders called this a reckless hijacking of the Irish airline Ryanairs flight from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday. They demanded the immediate release of Roman dictator Roman Protasevich on Monday. Is the main critic of the dictator Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus. The EU leaders also decided to impose personal sanctions on officials involved in the operation, and called on the ICAO to investigate what they considered unprecedented actions and actions that some people called state terrorism. As long as legal procedures allow, the decisions made at the summit will be put into action immediately. Protasevich said in a video released earlier on Monday that he was cooperating with the authorities and admitted allegations of organizing a protest. Protasevich said in a video broadcast on national television: I am in Minsk No. 1 Detention Center. I can say that I have no health problems, including my heart or any other organs. The 26-year-old man in a black hoodie sits behind a table in an unremarkable room with a pack of cigarettes next to him. His hands were irritable when he made the statement, and some dark spots were visible on his forehead. The attitude of the employees to me is as correct as possible and to act in accordance with the law. I continue to cooperate with investigators and admit that a large-scale unrest has been organized in Minsk, he said. His allies said these comments were made under duress. This is what Raman looks like under physical and moral pressure. I demand the immediate release of Raman and all political prisoners, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Thiskanouskaya wrote in English using Belarusian names on his Twitter. Pretrial detention The Belarusian Ministry of Interior earlier confirmed the arrest of Protasevich and stated that he had been detained before trial. Minsk also rejected social media rumors that Protasevich has been hospitalized and stated that the authorities have no information about any health problems. The statement, published on the Telegram Message Service, is the first time the authorities have provided the statement since Protasevichs location, as he was forced to make an emergency landing at Minsk Airport and was detained on Sunday. The bloggers torture began on Sunday when a Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet rushed to intercept a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania in response to an alleged bomb threat and escorted it to Minsk. Ryanair said that the Belarusian air traffic control department notified its crew of potential security threats on board and instructed them to transfer the aircraft to the nearest Minsk airport. After landing, the Belarusian authorities detained Protasevich. Last year, the European Union and the United States imposed several rounds of financial sanctions on Minsk, which had no effect on the actions of President Alexander Lukashenko. President Alexander Lukashenko has endured extensive demonstrations against his rule after the controversial elections. Lukashenko denied election fraud. Since the controversial vote, the authorities have rounded up thousands of his opponents, and all major opposition figures have now been imprisoned or exiled. Belarus said it was acting in response to a false bomb threat written in the name of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum denied that his team had any knowledge or connection with the matter. Belarus stated that its ground controllers had provided guidance for the flight, but had not ordered its landing. The official media said that the intervention was ordered by Lukashenko himself. Russia, which provided Lukashenko with security, diplomatic and financial support, accused the West of hypocrisy. After Beijing stepped up its efforts to crack down on Bitcoin mining and trading, which led to a plunge in digital currencies, cryptocurrency mining operators such as Huobi Mall and BTC.TOP are suspending their Chinese operations. The State Council Committee, led by Vice Premier Liu He, announced the effort late on Friday this is the first time the council has targeted virtual currency mining, a large Chinese company that accounts for 70% of the global cryptocurrency supply. . Crypto miners use increasingly powerful, specially designed computer equipment or drilling rigs to verify virtual coin transactions in the process of generating newly minted cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin). After Chinas latest move, Bitcoin has been hit hard and has now fallen by nearly 50% from a historical high. Before making up part of the loss, it fell by 17% on Sunday and has recently stabilized in Asia. Investor protection and prevention of money laundering are issues of particular concern to the government and financial regulators, who are working hard to decide whether and how to regulate the cryptocurrency industry. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell (Jerome Powell) increased its focus on cryptocurrencies last week, saying on Thursday that they pose a risk to financial stability and that greater supervision may be needed. Shift overseas Huobi Mall, a part of Huobi Mall, said in a statement on Sunday evening that all its custodial services have been suspended. At the same time, we are contacting overseas service providers to pave the way for future export of mining machines. Huobi Mall stated in its official Telegram community, and asked customers to dont worry and calm down. The cryptocurrency mining pool BTC.TOP also announced the suspension of its business in China on the grounds of regulatory risks. The founder Jiang Zhuoer stated in a Weibo on Weibo that in the future, BTC.TOP will mainly carry out cryptocurrency mining business in North America. He wrote: In the long run, as Chinese regulators crack down on domestic mining, almost all Chinese crypto mining equipment will be sold overseas. After Beijing banned cryptocurrency exchanges in 2017, China has lost its status as a global cryptocurrency trading center. Jiang Zemin predicted the growth of mining pools in the United States and Europe, Ultimately, China will also lose its encrypted computing power in foreign markets. HashCow, another cryptocurrency miner, owns 10 mining sites in Chinese provinces such as Xinjiang and Sichuan, and sells computing power to investors. The company said it will fully comply with government regulations. In a statement to customers, HashCow stated that it will suspend the purchase of new bitcoin rigs and promised to refund all investors who have placed orders for computing power but have not yet started mining. Risk-adjusted return In addition to the absolute scale of the virtual currency crash last week, the Bloomberg Galaxy Encryption Index fell by nearly 40%, the highest level since the turmoil in March last year. The large fluctuations in intraday prices also attracted the attention of investors. Nevertheless, RBC derivatives strategist Amy Wu Silverman pointed out in a report on Sunday that Bitcoin performs better than Tesla, SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust or Invesco QQQ based on the Sharpe ratio, which measures risk-adjusted returns. Stock. Trust Series 1. In a longer time frame (such as the past year), Bitcoin, Ether and meme virtual currencies (such as Dogecoin) are still in the main gains-Dogecoin is about 12,000%. For Ben Emons, managing director of global macro strategy at Medley Global Advisors in New York, Bitcoin is consolidating its control over the market through volatility, liquidity and correlation. Beirut, Lebanon -Lebanon has had a government that has not been formally operated for nearly 10 months. President Michel Aoun and returning prime minister Saad Hariri could not reach an agreement on the cabinet. Disagreements centered on the number of ministers and how they were distributed according to sect and political representatives. The two have met 18 times since Hariri was appointed in October. Hariri and his party, the Future Movement, insist that they are pushing for a technocratic government focused on reforms. they [Aoun and allies] Hope that the government can control and have the veto power. Future Movement MP Mohamad Hajjar told Al Jazeera. The expert government of Hariri is represented in the balance of sects and the representation of Muslims and Christians, but They hope to establish a government based on quotas. At the same time, Aoun and his Free Patriotic Movement Party stated that they do not want to have a veto, but want to have a more representative government. Aoun said in a letter to Congress last week: Obviously, the prime minister-designate cannot form a government that has the ability to redeem. He is doing it. [Lebanon] Capture him, trap the people and the government, and take them into the abyss as hostages. The Presidents Office was unable to comment to Al Jazeera. In Lebanon, a country with an exquisite sect power-sharing system, political paralysis is not uncommon. Since Aoun came to power in the second half of 2016, there has been no president for nearly two and a half years. Lebanon today is free from a severe economic crisis, which has pushed more than half of its population into poverty. In addition to having to deal with the local currency, which has depreciated more than 85% of its value in just over a year, people can hardly afford basic food that has become 400% more expensive. In 2020 alone, Lebanon has witnessed the devaluation of its currency, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further shattered its economy. In August, the devastating Beirut port explosion killed more than 200 people, injured about 6,000, and paralyzed many communities in the capital. There is almost no hope anymore As the country maintains its final fiscal reserves, the international community has pledged to support Lebanon under the premise that it forms a government and carries out economic and structural reforms. In the past three years, states and international organizations have pledged billions of dollars in loans and assistance to Lebanon to repair its poor infrastructure, rebuild the destroyed Beirut port, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) plan To help the country get out of economic difficulties. The Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon said in a statement issued by Al Jazeera that the countrys rulers need to put the countrys interests on the political and personal agenda to help the country move towards recovery. The UN office said: The biggest impact of this crisis is on the Lebanese people who are paying a high price. People have almost no hope. Nevertheless, the ruler of Lebanon did not succumb. Aoun hinted that Hariri should resign several times, and some officials close to Hariri suggested that this choice is already on the table. Hajjar said: This is possible, but it is not a decision. At present, he has chosen to assume the responsibility and commitment to the government. Frances disastrous defeat Although repeated statements and meetings between the international community and Lebanese officials were of no avail, the former colonists in Lebanon tried to be more proactive. French President Emmanuel Macron flew to Beirut a few days after the port bombing in early August to provide humanitarian assistance, subject to structural reforms. Macron and other world leaders have raised about US$300 million in humanitarian aid for the country. Macron returned in late August, urging the formation and reform of the government before providing any assistance to rebuild the port and help the hard-hit economy. He issued a draft economic roadmap, often referred to as the French Initiative, which included reforms such as reforming the power sector, conducting forensic audits of central bank accounts, and resuming negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. The Lebanese authorities promised to commit to the plan. Macron and the devastating explosion seem to be a turning point, but it is not. By late September, the French president accused the countrys leaders of collective betrayal and gave them six weeks to implement the French initiative. That did not happen, and even the travel restrictions imposed by France on Lebanese officials accused of obstructing the formation of the government failed to work. Joseph Bahout, director of the Issam Fars Institute at the American University of Beirut and former adviser to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the French initiative as a failure, not a fiasco. Bacht told Al Jazeera: It left too much room for the Lebanese to make it worse. He explained that Macron initially called for the establishment of an independent technocratic government, and later traced back to a political The consensus government reached a settlement. Not enough sticks, too many carrots, Bahut said. Many of Macrons demands resonated with angry people who tried to overthrow Lebanons ruling class by the end of 2019. when he [Macron] Sitting with the Lebanese leader, he began to deprive the condition: Election? We can exclude it. International inquiries about port explosions? We will not stick to it, Bahout explained. The system is dead Even at one of the most critical moments in its short history, the tiny Lebanese ruler, trapped in a cash shortage, ignored the multi-billion dollar financial aid promised by the international community while continuing to engage in political debate. But this may just be the nature of the countrys sectarian power-sharing system. Bassel Salloukh, a professor of political science at the Lebanese American University, said the system has reached a deadlock. This iszombie power sharing; the system is dead, but it is still unable to carry out any reforms. Salloukh told Al Jazeera. No one wants to really take the risk of collapse, or the kind of policies that need to be adopted in response to the requirements of the IMF and the World Bank. In the past few decades, the ruling party in Lebanon, which dominated the political and economic landscape, may have merely committed political suicide, especially involving public sector employment and private contracts in exchange for political loyalty. Salloukh explained: The sectarian system is not for self-reform, but for self-replication. Any decision to reform the economy will destroy the economy built over the past 30 years. Santiago Hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters marched through downtown Santiago, calling on Palestinians to enjoy their rights and paying tribute to those killed in Gaza during the 11-day war between Hamas and Israel. Sundays rally was the third demonstration held by the Palestinian youth movement last week. The organization also rallied to prepare to submit a statement of action to San Diego County officials on Wednesday. We call on officials to issue a statement condemning the situation in Israel and the genocide of the Palestinian people, raising the rights of Palestine, ending American training by sending American police to the Israeli army, and coming here to cruelly treat our brown and black brothers and sisters, and Support Congress and federal bills that support the rights of the Palestinian people, said Jeanine Erikat from the San Diego branch of the Palestinian Youth Movement. Erikat hoped that San Diegans would support Palestine and called on local leaders to listen to their opinions. Ericart said: Listen to the resistance of the local and Palestinian people who have been engaged in this work for many years and speak up. Ahlam Muhtaseb from Murrieta marched with her family and said she hoped that the United States would stop assisting the Israeli army. Muhtaseb said: Stop providing Israel with about $3.8 billion in military aid each year and use it for our communities. We need them here. We need to provide social programs for the suffering communities. Rabi Yair Yelin from Chabad, San Marcos, said that he understands this is a difficult conflict, but wants to let people know that the secret to getting rid of darkness is light. Yelin said: We are surrounded by so much evil and so much suffering. We must do our best to see how we can do better for ourselves, our family, our neighborhood and the surrounding environment. The Palestinian Youth Movement will deliver the letter in person at the Federal Building in downtown San Diego at 4 pm on Wednesday, May 26. Prosecutors accused a man of being a fear and respect militia leader in a deadly attack in Sudans Darfur conflict, which was the result of the first trial of violence conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The war crimes prosecutor said on Monday that Ali Mohamed Ali Abdul Rahman, also known as Ali Kusab, was a Janjaweed supported by thousands of governments during the peak of the conflict from 2003 to 2004. The senior commander of the soldier. Abd-Al-Rahman, wearing a mask and dark suit, did not speak. Court officials read out 31 charges against him, including persecution, murder, torture and rape. Although his defense team argued in an earlier legal document that Abdul Rahman is not a person known as Ali Kushab, he still did not submit a defense. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, stated in the confirmation of the hearing that she would show that Abd-Al-Rahman had launched attacks on towns and villages , And was involved in more than 300 murders and attacks, forcing 40,000 civilians, mainly fur tribes, to leave their homes. She said at the hearing: The evidence shows that Mr. Abdul Rahman was a knowing, willing and energetic perpetrator of these crimes. She said: During the time he was accused, he was a senior leader of the notorious Yanjaweed militia in Wadi Saleh and Mukhar. Colonel the same. Darfur violence The conflict in Darfur broke out in 2003, when most non-Arab insurgents raised arms to the Sudanese government, accusing the Sudanese government of ignoring the arid western region. Khartoum mobilized most of the Arab militias to suppress the rebellion and launched a wave of violence. The United States and some militants called it genocide. Abd-Al-Rahman (Abd-Al-Rahman) surrendered in June last year and faces a pending arrest warrant. He is the first suspect to be tried in an international court because of the conflict. The former leader of Sudan, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, faces accusations that the International Criminal Court orchestrates genocide and other atrocities in Darfur. He was removed from office in 2019 and stayed in Khartoum. Mu prison. Sudan is not a party to the court, but the UN Security Council submitted the situation in Darfur to the court in The Hague in 2005. Defence lawyer Cyril Laucci (Cyril Laucci) stated that he intends to challenge the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for crimes committed in Darfur due to a referral by the United Nations. Although the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Brenda Lucki has sworn that there is no room for sexual assault and harassment in her organization, the penalties imposed on the Mounted Police for sexual misconduct vary greatly. Dismissal continues to transfer and salary reduction. CBC News review of the public RCMPs conduct committees decision also found that the reasons for retaining RCMP officers found to have engaged in sexual misconduct may be quite subjective, including evaluation of work performance and past allegations of misconduct. Or an expression of regret. . In the past five years, six mounted police officers have been identified as shameful sexual behaviors by the Conduct Committee, and their behavior has been liberalized. A person captured and printed a photo of a naked woman who was kept in a detox cell in a detachment. Another person exposed himself to a subordinate, pulled out his ponytail, and asked her to perform oral sex. Another 14 Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were punished for sexual misconduct and were eventually allowed to continue their stay. Their behavior ranges from touching without consent to peeping to establishing relationships with minors. Three other people involved in domestic violence were allowed to continue their careers with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Some people who were allowed to stay in the army were fined, transferred or declared ineligible for promotion for a period of time. Honest but wrongly believe in consent In addition to the Criminal Law, the Mounted Police shall also abide by the Royal Canadian Mounted Polices Code of Conduct for Work and get off work. In the most serious cases, a behavioral hearing can be conducted once expelled. They are formal, similar to court procedures, and the adjudicator has legal authority. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer was demoted and transferred after rubbing a colleagues leg, touching her vagina and telling her to relax. In this case, the board ruled that the police officer has outstanding performance throughout his career. He said: This is a situation of honest but false belief in consent. In deciding whether to dismiss a civilian who was drunk while drunk, groped a woman and made sexual comments to another woman, the committee also mentioned other men who had not been fired for similar activities. The civilian staff was temporarily demoted and transferred. Angela Marie MacDougall, Executive Director of Vancouver Abused Women Support Services. The board ruled that when an Alberta policeman photographed two women who performed oral sex on him without their consent, he violated the sexual integrity of the two complainants. The ruling in his case also pointed out his nine-year production service. The decision said: His performance evaluation was very positive and described him as a member with good professional ethics and great potential. The police officers salary was suspended and he was not eligible for promotion for two years. A British Columbia police officer was fined 45 days for harassing two young women driving while driving and sending harassing and threatening text, including the following: The war is on the slut! I will win! You will See!! I am willing to give my whole life, if you are a coward willing to be the same slut! In this case, the director of the Conduct Committee believes that the police officer has gone through a difficult period. He said: In terms of personal and work life stress, he experienced a perfect storm that eventually led to other people, including [the constable] Described as collapse, read the 2021 decision. The Director of Workplace Responsibility of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Chief Superintendent Stephen Drouin (Stephane Drouin) said that the guiding principle of discipline is to ensure that incidents do not occur again. The focus is on taking remedial, educated measures, and It is not a purely punitive measure. This must be in proportion to the incident, the details, and the evidence provided to them. Each case can be very different. Even if it is sexual misconduct, each adjudicator has to consider different factors and how they reach their conclusions. Their decision. A blue wall of silence Duluoin said that referees must consider both mitigating factors and exacerbating factors when mitigating penalties. So, is the member responsible for his actions? Did they accept the accusations? Are they repentant? he said. The severity of the misconduct has always been the same, the severity of the misconduct. Are members lacking honesty and integrity? What type of risk do we place members (victims) or members? Is the public at risk? Therefore, Before making this decision, they really have to consider a long list of factors. Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of the Vancouver Battered Women Support Service, said she believes these disciplinary decisions are acts of the RCMP to protect themselves. She said: Indeed, this kind of mafia-like silent code is an important part of culture. We are talking about the culture of the blue wall of silence. On the one hand, people want to say that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is taking serious sexual and domestic violence involved in police intervention. On the other hand, the blue wall of silence is actually aimed at oneself. Members are responsible. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police continues to work hard to respond to allegations of sexual misconduct. As part of the historic Merlot-Davidson settlement, which was the result of a class action lawsuit involving sexual harassment of women within the RCMP, 2,304 women received compensation out of a total of 3,086 claims. A high-profile report from the settlement says The troops have a toxic culture. When Brenda Lucki was sworn in as the first female commissioner of the RCMP in March 2018, she promised to discover the problems that need to be resolved. (CBC) After reaching a settlement, Luki promised to eliminate sexual assault, harassment and discrimination from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She said in November: This behavior continues to surface. This behavior must be stopped and must not be tolerated. There is absolutely no sexual assault, harassment, discrimination, bullying, sexism, racism, homophobia among the RCMP. Or a space for transphobia.. The important thing is that people know it will not be tolerated. McDougall said that perceptions of abusers in the military have a real-world impact on the women she serves. In terms of accountability, women have little recourse. The survivors come forward and share their stories. This is even more difficult when we talk about the police and share experiences of sexual or domestic violence. She is the RCMP Members. This is very challenging and there are very few reports. Those individual members have such powerful power over the people and the place. When members of the RCMP have domestic and sexual violence, I think they lose the right to obtain these rights. [authority]. Few RCMP members landed in front of the ethics committee. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said some members accused of misconduct resigned before their cases were publicly heard. Of the 84 decisions published on the RCMP website that may cause the troop to be infamous, 64 were deemed established. The remaining allegations have not been proven and are retained or handled as procedural matters. Of the confirmed cases, 14 resulted in dismissal. In addition to the six cases of sexual misconduct, other reasons for dismissal mentioned in the online ruling included the use of cocaine and lying to the prosecutors. Duluoin said his department is conducting a comprehensive review of behavioral measures. He said: Just make sure it meets Canadians current expectations. Whether its the COVID-19 storm in India, the exhausted workforce in the UK, organized according to a 1% salary increase, or in some parts of Kenya, nurses around the world are in crisis without payment for several months . Underpaid, undervalued and undersupported: Nurses are reporting unprecedented levels of stress and burnout. The International Council of Nurses stated that the COVID-19 effect means that the global nurse shortage has now reached 6 million, most of which are in low- and middle-income countries. This must change. If we are to overcome this epidemic and future epidemics, and solve the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and mental illnesses, then a strong and aggressive nursing team will be the foundation of our efforts. Now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reverse the situation. At this weeks World Health Assembly, the Minister of Health will be asked to approve a new five-year strategy to transform the care industry through improved working conditions, regulations, education, training, and leadership development. As the largest group of health professionals, with the greatest influence and the highest level of population trust in society, nurses play a pivotal role in fighting diseases and achieving universal health coverage. Governments that think they cannot afford it should reconsider: evidence shows that investing in care not only improves health, but also supports gender equality and economic growth. The epidemic has become an important focus of the actual work of nurses and other health workers-hard time, risks to personal safety, etc. However, there is still a trend to view them as benevolent angels rather than highly skilled professionals who combine emotional intelligence with complex problem-solving skills, because they determine the priorities of multiple patients around the clock. Considering that the vast majority of nurses are women, some of them undoubtedly come from deep-rooted cultural attitudes. Their status in the health system is very low, which means that they have not traditionally received advice on health policies, nor have they considered holding high-level leadership positions. The World Health Organization has appointed a Chief Nursing Officer, which is a good example. All countries should follow their leadership. The nurses themselves are advocating for their new career horizons. The Care Now movement has nurse teams in 126 countries/regions, lobbying to raise awareness of what they can do, and to have a greater voice in health policy decisions. In their daily work, nurses are demonstrating that they can be leaders and innovators-from Sana in Pakistan (a pioneer in the development of mental health treatment through telemedicine in the remote Northwest Frontier) to Stephan in Ghana (in the development of stroke The new platform for tele-neurorehabilitation) the victim called via WhatsApp, while Harriet of Uganda is an entrepreneurial nurse-midwife whose organization works tirelessly during the pandemic to support teenage girls who are pregnant and giving birth. When we rebuild the health system after the pandemic, there are many things to do that cannot be done without nurses. Nurses need to continue to embrace leadership skills, eliminate negative and stale stereotypes and conditions, and restrict their careers anywhere. But they cannot do this alone. Governments that want to see health improvements reach all populations and bring all benefits need to invest in nursing and allow nurses to reach their full potential. This means recognizing the key role nurses can play in designing and delivering services to the population, and creating opportunities for nurse-led care (especially noncommunicable diseases and primary and community health care). The head nurse must be part of all policy making, planning and management committees so that they can apply their opinions and experience to health decisions. As the epidemic has so strongly highlighted, the government must ensure that nurses have decent working conditions, appropriate education and regulations, and continue to hire and retain nurses to provide adequate education and employment funds. Nurses have given us a lot: we must ensure that they are supported, respected, protected, motivated and equipped to safely and optimally reach their full potential. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera. Lee Jun-seok, former member of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), visits Seomun Night Market in Daegu, Monday. Lee has placed his bid to be the PPP's next chairperson and he is enjoying high popularity in recent polls of the party's candidates for the position. Yonhap By Jung Da-min With the race for the leadership of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) heating up, a rookie politician is enjoying high popularity in recent polls about who will be the PPP's next chairperson. The PPP is set to hold a national convention on June 11 to elect new leaders, including the chairperson. The PPP's selection of its next chairperson is drawing attention, as not only heavyweights, such as Na Kyung-won, former floor leader of the PPP's predecessor, the Liberty Party of Korea, and Rep. Joo Ho-young, former floor leader of the PPP, but also rookie politicians such as Rep. Kim Woong, a first-term lawmaker, and Lee Jun-seok, a former member of the PPP's Supreme Council, have placed their bids. Lee is in particular receiving media attention, as he is leading some preference polls to be the next PPP chairperson, although he currently holds no official title in the party. Political watchers say it is an unusual situation in the country's conservative bloc such that a 36-year-old rookie politician could be receiving so much support as potentially to become the next leader. They also said it could be a reflection of the people's desire for change and innovation in the conservative bloc. According to a poll on the candidates for the PPP race, conducted of 1,008 adults by local pollster People Networks Research, Saturday, 26.8 percent of the respondents that said they support Lee, followed by Na at 19.9 percent and Joo at 9.5 percent. In another poll by local pollster Hangil Research, conducted by interviewing 1,000 adults on the same day, 30.1 percent of the respondents said they support Lee, followed by 17.4 percent and 9.3 percent, who are in favor of Na and Joo, respectively. "It seems that the people are looking for an alternative when they feel disappointed with the current Moon Jae-in administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, but they also want the main opposition PPP to be changed at the same time," said Shin Yul, a political science and diplomacy professor at Myongji University. Shin said that there is a possibility that Lee could actually be elected as the next party chairperson, although some political watchers said it has yet to be seen if Lee's popularity will continue. Some PPP members, including three-term lawmaker Rep. Ha Tae-keung and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, have publicly expressed their support for Lee. "A fundamental change for our party to make a new start is becoming a reality through a generational shift of our leadership," Ha said on Facebook, Sunday. Oh also issued a Facebook message on the same day, saying that he hopes that a candidate who could win support from young people in their 20s and 30s will become the new party chairperson a message political watchers see as showing support for Lee. Lee shared Oh's Facebook post on his own page. However, critics said that Lee's popularity could be temporary, as he lacks a political track record and the ability to mobilize party members, compared to more experienced candidates. They also pointed out that Lee's popularity would be a mere reflection of the media attention on recent controversies over gender issues, in which Lee issued strong messages supporting young men in their 20s and 30s. The heavy Israeli bombing caused severe damage in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas Media Office estimated that industrial facilities suffered US$40 million in losses and the energy sector suffered US$22 million in losses. Israeli companies lost 1.2 billion shekels (US$368 million) during this period 11 days of battle Major Israeli industrial groups held talks between Hamas between Israel and Gaza on Monday. The Israeli Manufacturers Association, which represents approximately 1,500 companies and 400,000 workers, stated that the loss was mainly due to the near uninterrupted Palestinian rocket attacks in Gaza that caused employees to stay at home. According to the association, about one-third of workers are unemployed in southern Israel, and about 10% stay in areas closer to the commercial center of central Israel. It said: The absence of workers has led to a significant decline in the output of industrial companies, a decline in sales, and direct damage to income. When the rocket fell into Israel, Israels violent bombing of the border caused serious losses in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas Media Office estimated that factories, industrial zones and other industrial facilities in the Gaza Strip suffered US$40 million in damage. In addition, Energy sector. Medical staff in Gaza said that 248 people were killed in the fighting, while in Israel, medical staff set the death toll at 13.Ceasefire Held until the fourth day on Monday. The Israeli government has not yet released estimates of losses from the conflict between May 10 and 21. According to the Israeli Manufacturers Association, 50 Israeli factories have suffered direct losses of millions of shekels due to rocket fragments. It does not include indirect losses in the estimate, such as cancelled orders. In the last major hostilities between Israel and Hamas, the 2014 war lasted for seven weeks. The Central Bank of Israel estimated that the countrys economy was hit by 3.5 billion shekels (1 million U.S. dollars). Karmas damage is almost the same. Ron Tomer, the president of the association, called on the government to establish a permanent compensation plan that will help companies more effectively in future battles. The Knesset Finance Committee is scheduled to debate the issue on Tuesday. Tomer said: Now is not the time for bureaucracy and procrastination, but to provide rehabilitation and full support for these companies. This throughout the operation proved that they know how to produce under the action of rockets. Israels economy has begun to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. Official data on Monday showed an unemployment rate of 7.9% in April, while other data indicated a surge in job vacancies. After shrinking by 2.6% in 2020, it is expected to grow by 4 to 7% in 2021. A common question that arises in ketamine clinic transactions is whether clinics or doctors (collectively referred to as healthcare providers or providers) can use ketamine for off-label use or promotion. The short answer is yes, but pay attention to the following points, as described below. However, before reaching the answer, it is important to define the meaning of off-label use and whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has jurisdiction over healthcare providers to enforce off-label promotions. What is non-label use? The term off-label refers to prescriptions for indications not listed on the drug label. The label must be approved by the FDA during the pre-market approval process and must contain certain information about the approved use. See, for example, Section 201.56(a)(3) of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (The label must be based on data derived from human experience as much as possible.). Among other things, the label was prepared after the FDA has completed clinical trials and obtained FDA approval. See, for example, Section 505(i) of Title 21 of the United States Code (Clinical trials are required before the drug is approved for marketing). For example, when the evidence fails to prove the safety of the drug or lack of sufficient evidence to prove that the drug will have the claimed effect, the FDA may reject the application for the new drug. 21 USC355(d). ([S]A lot of evidence refers to evidence composed of sufficient and well-controlled investigations (including clinical studies) conducted by scientifically trained and experienced experts who should have scientifically trained experience and be able to assess the effectiveness of the drugs involved On this basis, such experts can fairly and responsibly conclude that the drug will have the effect it claims or is alleged to have [proposed] Conditions of Use. ). Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) (codified in 21 USC 301) Wait. ) And FDA regulations usually prohibit Vendor From marketing, advertising, or otherwise promoting drugs for unapproved or off-label uses. Look 21 USC331(a) and (d) (It is forbidden for manufacturers to introduce misbranded or unapproved drugs into interstate trade); See also, for example, 21 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 202.1(e)(4)(i)(a) (Prescription drug advertisementsshould not recommend or suggest any uses other than those accepted by this label [the] Approved new drug application ). Are healthcare providers prohibited from using non-standard drugs? Although there are very strict laws and regulations for off-label promotion of drug manufacturers, healthcare providers are not subject to these restrictions (if these providers are not employed or contracted with drug manufacturers). Look Dresser, Frader J, OTC Prescriptions: Call for Strengthening Professional and Government Oversight, Law Journal No. 37. Code of Ethics 476 (2009) (In accordance with its jurisdiction, FDA controls the marketing of manufacturers products.). Healthcare providers have the absolute right to discuss with patients and recommend drugs for over-the-counter use. Buckman Co. v. Plaintiffs legal action., 531 US 341, 350-51 (2001) (because FDCA does not regulate the handling of drugs, and because prescription drugs may have therapeutic uses other than FDA-approved indications, doctors can legally prescribe for off-label use) ; You can also take a look Teo W: FDA and medical practice: Look at off-label drugs, Seton Hall Legis, page 41. J, 305, 307 (2016) (FDA has always insisted that it does not regulate medical practice between physicians and patients. (footnote omitted)). What are the approval conditions for ketamine? According to the Federal Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, ketamine is a Schedule III non-narcotics controlled substance in the United States, which means that it is a legal prescription drug that has been accepted for medical use. 21 CFR1308.13. Ketamine is commonly used as an anesthetic in surgical procedures and has been approved for the treatment of certain types of depression. Look Digital reference for prescribers (2021), https://www.pdr.net/ (Ketamine hydrochloride has been approved for inducing and maintaining anesthesia and procedural sedation, while ketamine hydrochloride has been approved for use in combination with oral antidepressants For the treatment of depression and treatment of refractory depression in adults). Therefore, use ketamine in any other situation (E.g, Analgesics) are considered off-label products. However, doctors are increasingly using ketamine to treat mood disorders, pain symptoms and other diseases. Can the provider use and promote ketamine under any circumstances? Although the FDA may not have jurisdiction over off-label uses by healthcare providers, this does not mean that providers can market (or declare) ketamine under any circumstances without fear of retaliation. Healthcare providers should pay attention to two main areas of law-claims for medical malpractice under state and federal law and claims for fraudulent business practices (under federal law, the Federal Trade Commission has the right to sue the provider). The use and promotion of ketamine in non-label situations can result in malpractice claims against careless healthcare providers. Medical malpractice claims usually revolve around whether the doctors care meets community standards for the treatment of a particular disease. In the absence of FDA approval or a lack of extensive research to support the use of drugs for specific diseases, it may be difficult for providers to persuade a jury to ensure that their care meets community standards (click here For a summary of the basis for possible medical malpractice claims, the note states: If it can be determined that the doctors off-label medical prescription deviates from acceptable and general practice standards, the plaintiff may recover from the off-medical malpractice case. ) The second concern is whether off-label promotions are deceptive to consumers. Both state and federal laws are designed to protect consumers from false or misleading advertising. click here Provides an overview of unfair and deceptive practices and practices (UDAP) regulations in fifty states and the District of Columbia. According to the theory of deceptive trade practices, if a health care provider makes a claim for a drug that is not supported by clinical evidence, it is easy to see how this will lead to deceptive trade practices when the drug does not work properly. Advertising (or worse, hurt the patient). For example, if a provider publishes on their website that ketamine injection is a cure or 100% effective treatment for mental illness, it can certainly help form the basis for fraudulent claims. Therefore, care must be taken to promote off-label use of ketamine in a non-misleading manner. The gold standard for proof and claim is a well-controlled randomized clinical trial with statistical significance (E.g, And the results can be extended to people outside the research and control groups. Of course, FDA approval requires such proof, and without FDA approval, other reliable evidence must exist to protect healthcare providers from various legal actions. Amir Levy/Getty Images The car of the man who was attacked and injured in Bat Yam, Israel After an uneasy ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Palestine, digital terror did not abate. Online hatred, harassment and coordination of physical violence have sprouted in social media channels. An Israeli group fighting disinformation and hatred cannot proceed quickly enough. FakeReporter has sent reports on online threats from its office in Israel to the Israeli authorities in order to prevent them from becoming a reality. A group of gatekeepers composed of about 10 researchers, activists and online investigators, most of whom are volunteers, have dug up false information and false accounts on the Internet. They used to focus on state-sponsored disinformation and were caught off guard by the growth of digital hatred within Israel. Executive director Achiya Schatz told BuzzFeed News: We are a false information surveillance organization, so in a sense, we are not ready for this situation. Online hatred captures only part of the ongoing violence.In battle, Israels rockets Killed 248 Palestinians, Including 66 children. Thirteen people in Israel, including two children, Was killed A rocket fired by Hamas. A ceasefire agreement was reached on May 21. But for FakeReporter, the conflict clearly shows that differences within Israeli society have led to online hatred and physical violence. Their team has been working all day and night, categorizing violent messages, many of which are crowdsourced through their website. Another organization, Democracy Group, Which is helpful for research. At present, we shoulder the mission of saving lives. Schatz said: At present, we shoulder the mission of saving lives. For the past two weeks, they have been watching the hate speech that has turned into street violence. They are monitoring nearly 100 WhatsApp and Telegram channels, most of which are in Hebrew. Shatz said that violence has occurred throughout Israel, including violence against Jewish residents, but far-right Israeli extremists are more organized. Shatzl said: Be prepared for this kind of violence, because I think the trend of racism in Israel has been on the rise for several years. Nurphoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images On May 24, 2021, Palestinian children play next to a building that was severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City earlier this month. On May 12, in Bat Yam, a seaside town south of Tel Aviv, A vicious mob attacked a man. FakeReporter watched this incident when it happened in the Telegram channel they were monitoring and it was broadcast live on TV. This is what the National Broadcasting Corporation tells. Lynching. victim About to spend a night on the beach, a person was looking at the car window. The car window was stuck in the car and asked if he was an Arab. When he said yes, he was dragged from the car and beaten as people shouted and filmed the incident on mobile phones. The father of four survived, but was eventually hospitalized and seriously injured. Im going to the beach [for] Break time.I didnt know I would return to my children like this, the victim Tell Channel 12 News, Israels top news station. Why should I blame? What should I do? Is it my fault that I am an Arab-born person? Ori Kol, the co-founder of FakeReporter, saw this scene on TV and Telegram. We tried to see what they were doing because they were uploading photos of what they saw and uploading violent photos to Telegram. Shatz said that before the attack, FakeReporter submitted reports to the Israeli police on the second and the second day of the attack, showing that extremists threatened to beat people in Bat Yam. The news that the surveillance organization saw was clear: I hereby invite you to participate in the large-scale brawl against the Arabs at the Bat Yam Promenade at 6 pm today. One person said: Bring appropriate equipment, swords, and swords , Guns, stones, planks, cars with anti-collision bars. Despite the warning, FakeReporter researchers can only monitor when the violence occurred. Schatz said: No one was sent to the ground. Then something terrible happened. In the days following Israels deportation of Israelis from East Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah and the Al-Aqsa mosque being hit by a storm, the extremists rejoiced with the weapons and expressed How to provide advice via Telegram and WhatsApp channels. According to the screenshots seen by BuzzFeed News, they posted photos of knives, guns and truncheons, and posted racist remarks, incitement, false information and coordination of when and where to meet. This is really the deadly atmosphere on the streets. Cole, who monitors some of these groups, said: This is really a deadly atmosphere on the streets. Right-wing forces like Yair Netanyahu, the son of the Israeli prime minister, incited tensions. There are more than 130,000 followers on Twitter, which is a telegram channel, Added 1,500 followers In the past two weeks, he and a podcaster both played in Israel a role similar to that of Donald Trump Jr. in the United States: rallying his fathers online supporters and spreading hatred to their opponents. After the Israeli army blew up a 12-story building in Gaza, the Israeli military claimed that it contained Hamas military intelligence assets(It no respond American officials requesting evidence), destroyed AP and Al Jazeeras offices and residences, and Yair Netanyahu intensified its attacks on the media. (In a statement after the incident, the Associated Press Say There is no indication that Hamas is active in or in buildings.) on May 19, He posted a cartoon on Twitter, which showed a group of people gathered around the drinking fountain, a man holding a rocket launcher standing between them. The woman said to the man with the rocket launcher: Sheila works for Al Jazeera and I work for the Associated Press. How about you? Yair Netanyahu has also retweeted reports from American right-wing influential figures including Ben Benpipiro, Dinesh DSouza and Andy Ngo, as well as news media such as Breitbart and Federalist. A family spokesperson told BuzzFeed News: Yair Netanyahu used his social media platform to provide an independent voice to the millions of conservatives in Israel who were rejected by the established Israeli media. People have a high degree of prejudice against the right. Your article marking his followers asextreme right is a perfect example of this kind of media distortion in most right-wing counties. Your smear work on Yair only shows why you need to be like him. Such an independent voice. On May 15th, on the same day that the Associated Press and Al Jazeera were bombed, Yair Netanyahu called for media executive Avi Weiss on Twitter. Protest in front of his house. The prime ministers son then posted a flyer calling for protests outside the media office, saying: We will no longer brainwash anti-Zionists. The protest was cancelled due to the subsequent outcry, but FakeReporter noticed that people shared screenshots of Yair Netanyahus tweets. At least two people discussed on the video that going to the executives home or the media office is a better choice. On Sunday, Yair Netanyahu again called for protests against members of the media. In recent days, the Israeli media have become victims of violence. Four reporters were attacked, According to the Jerusalem Post, Including a photo from the public broadcasting company broadcasting the Bat Yam attack. When we have finished sexual intercourse with Arabs, we will have sexual intercourse with the media, said a message in a chat in The Telegraph. Others called for the destruction of the studio and called Channel 12 Al Jazeera on the Hebrew Peninsula, which was promoted by Yair Netanyahu, expressing sympathy for Hamas. Tehilla Schwartz Altshuler, head of the media reform program at the Israel Democracy Institute, said that Yairs messages are often annoying for Israeli far-right groups. He researched Israeli social media and consulted FakeReporter. She told BuzzFeed News: I am worried, I am afraid. Because I personally think this is a very delicate dog whistle, and right-wing extremists and right-wing militants are very aware of the news that appears on Twitter. They will They took it to WhatsApp or Telegram, and then suddenly became a call to action. And when the building is attacked Horrified international observer, It Inspired extremists in IsraelSupported by Yair Netanyahus tweets, they took screenshots and distributed them. Our main contribution to these telegraph organizations is that in the past few days, right-wing elements in these organizations have really begun to target what they consider to be unpatriotic and treacherous media directed at the media. [behavior], Cole said. Cole said that on Channel 12, the personal phone number of a distinguished reporter and host Dana Weiss (Dana Weiss) was posted on an online forum with words such as Congratulations on her job. Good information. Other texts called her the spokesperson of the jihadist organization and scattered photos of her serious photo shopping wearing a headscarf.As a result, she Received dozens of threats of violence, Including death threats. Kol saw online hatred repeatedly leading to offline violence. The violence began to spread online and was on the streets. Breaking news after James Romoser At 11:27 am Supreme Court Monday Unanimous rule Against a non-U.S. citizen, he is contesting the prosecution of illegal entry. case, United States v. Palomar-San Diego, Involving a Mexican citizen, Refugio Palomar-Santiago, who obtained lawful permanent residency in the United States in 1990. Eight years later, he was deported due to a conviction in California for driving under the influence.But after he was deported, the Supreme Court ruled Leocal v. Ashcroft According to relevant federal regulations, DUIs conviction will not provide a basis for expelling people like Palomar-Santiago. In 2018, Palomar-Santiago was found in the United States and was prosecuted for illegally reentering the country after being deported.Palomar-Santiago tried to dismiss the indictment on the grounds of the Supreme Courts ruling Leocal Indicates that his original deportation order is invalid. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit supported Palomar-Santiago, but Supreme Judge Sonia Sotomayor believed that the Supreme Court disagreed. Sotomayor relies on 8 USC 1326(d), which stipulates the conditions that a defendant accused of illegal reentry must meet to challenge a previous evacuation order. In particular, unless the defendant proves (1) that they exhausted administrative remedies in the original relocation procedure, and (2) the original relocation procedure improperly deprived of their judicial review rights, they will not raise such challenges. The Ninth Circuit ruled that Palomar-Santiago could not participate in these two shows, but Sotomayor wrote that the requirements in section 1326(d) are mandatory. Sotomayor wrote in his eight-page opinion: When Congress usesmandatory language in administrative exhaustion regulations,the court may not justify non-exhaustion. But that is. The rules of the Ninth Circuit. Please check back later for an in-depth analysis of comments. A furious drinker called him n ***** the gunman said that the impact of this conflict on him was much more serious than when someone pulled a knife at him. 24-year-old Sharna Walker refused to enter the racial discrimination of the doorman Tristan Price, he refused her entry Birmingham On Saturday night. 9 Tristan Price says he wants to be brought to justice for his abuse 9 Sharna Walker was arrested in the video, calling the bodyguard n ***** and spitting at him 9 The 24-year-old boy from Worcester was filmed during her disgusting rant Credit: Facebook Walker from Worcester was denied entry to the bar and was seen as pushing the bodyguard, calling him black fist and f *** ing n ***** Turn around and spit in his body. Tristan, 26, said he wants to be brought to justice for his abuse. He told Birmingham Post: I dont want to cause trouble to her home, but this kind of behavior must be condemned. This is totally unacceptable. People commit suicide because of racial discrimination, and we cannot remain silent about this. I used a knife to pull me at work, which is really shocking. But it is worse because it is too vicious, and it has a greater impact on me. Tristan has been serving as a doorman for more than a year. He said it was easier to deal with an earlier incident in which a punter tried to attack him with a knife after being expelled. He said: To be honest, it made me think faster-it felt easier to deal with, the adrenaline started to flare up, was treated and then forgotten. Its different. It stayed with me and it did affect me in different ways. I hope people will not judge me or anyone by the color of our skin [it] Its just not acceptable. He said: I have had some incidents, but the use of racist language did not happen often. As a black man and a doorman, I realize that both things are stigmatized. I feel that I must remain calm because I know that the color of my skin may magnify my movements. In this case, I make sure that I can treat myself correctly. The footage of Walkers prank was shared on social media, but her grandmother now fights back by saying that she is not a racist. Pamela Croft, 62, told The Sun Online at her Worcester home: Sana is definitely not a racist, 100%. She is just drunk. When asked if her granddaughter regretted her actions, whether she felt sorry, Mrs. Croft replied: Yes. Weatherspoon After Walkers disgusting outbreak, she also banned life in the bar. 9 She yelled racist slander in the bar bodyguard. Credit: Facebook 9 The video shows the woman arguing with the bodyguard 9 Sharna was banned from taking food from the wind javelin after her novel Credit: Facebook A spokesperson for the drinker said: We can confirm that this incident occurred outside the bar on Saturday night. The woman was deported because of her behavior. She spat at the entrance guard and racially discriminated against him. She also caused problems when she left. This behavior is totally unacceptable, and the woman was banned for life. We will also pursue her criminal losses and forward the CCTV and Bodycam tapes to the police. The defender Tristan described the incident in a post on Facebook: I have not done security work like some people for many years, but in a short period of time, I have seen and I have experienced almost everything. I saw and experienced it at work. But its my business, or anyone who looks like me doesnt have to go through it. There was a time when I would go through something like this and then brush it under the carpet, but time has passed. 9 She has been banned for life Credit: Facebook 9 She lashed out at the security guards, pushed him away and called him a nigger. 9 Sharnas grandmother defended her, calling her 100% not racist Credit: Facebook Before the accident, the cleaning agent was fired by the engineering company Bosch in 2019. Worcester Bosch said in a statement: In contrast to social media posts about racist incidents, we can confirm that the person was never directly hired by Worcester Bosch, but through The cleaning contractor is hired. The contractor has confirmed that she was fired on May 17, 2019. Our thoughts are the victims of this hurtful and very public attack. We feel very sad that our brand has been directly attacked by unfair social media. We confirm that we have zero tolerance for racist behavior both inside and outside the workplace. The audience who watched the video slammed her behavior, while others questioned why the onlookers did not do more to help her. Someone said: The disgusting thing is that even if we are drunk, there are such people in our society, but it still exists in her heart. This may be her behavior behind closed doors. Another wrote: She was obviously intoxicated, but it is not an excuse for such vile abuse. Still spitting? Thought it was classified as an attack-it doesnt look good for her future. The video shows the brunette Sharna arguing with a bodyguard while yelling for a friend. Then, she lashed out at the security guard, pushed him away, and called him a black cat in front of shocked onlookers. Then she walked away, calling him f *** ing n *****, then turned around and spat at him. Police said today that a 24-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of racially discriminating against a barman in downtown Birmingham on Saturday night. Allegedly, the Worcester woman used racist language to security personnel outside the figure of 8 between 8pm and 11.30pm. She was also accused of racially discriminating against another man who was standing near the entrance of the bar and vandalizing the furniture inside earlier. The police said she was still being questioned in police custody. break in Stop spreading The Surge Covid test was launched in Hampshire to capture cases of the Indian variant Killer explosion The explosion in which boy 2 died was caused by cutting a gas pipe inside the home Save the date Weddings, social distancing and mask updates are delayed due to PM taking more time Virus Charge The daily number of Covid deaths dropped to 3, but as 2,439 tested positive, cases increased by 17% every week Racist arrest 24-year-old woman was arrested for racially abusing a bodyguard and spitting at him Mosley Day Fascist son Max Mosley (Max Mosley) suffered tyranny due to sadism, at the age of 81 The chief prosecutor of the Birmingham Police Department James Spencer said: This is a terrible incident and people are disgusted by it. We said that we will prioritize investigations, and a suspect has now been quickly arrested. Our downtown police team has been working hard to work with local businesses to make this city a safe and pleasant place to visit. Racist behavior is completely unacceptable, and we take this report very seriously. We are still trying to contact the victim, and we urge him to get in touch with him as soon as possible so that we can make a statement. Breaking news after Robert Percival At 11:32 am On Monday, the Supreme Court expressed support in a dispute between Guam and the federal government over the cost of cleaning up toxic waste on the island.Chief Justice Clarence Thomas wrote View The case was approved by a unanimous court only four weeks after oral arguments. case, Guam v. United StatesInvolving the territory of Guam, the U.S. Navy is required to share the cost of cleaning up Ordot Dump. Ordot Dump is the seat of the Super Fund. The Navy is said to have been dumping toxic waste for decades.The federal Superfund Act (the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act) allows claims to be included Article 113(f)(3)(B). The regulation stipulates that a person who has settled the liability to the United Statesfor part or all of the response actions or part or all of the costs of such actions shall be paid by [a] Settlement can seek donations from anyone who does not meet the conditions [already] attend parties [qualifying] settlement. Before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Navy had successfully argued that Guams request was time-limited because the Environmental Protection Agencys 2004 settlement of the Guanshui Law litigation triggered section 113(f)(3) ( B) Three-year statute of limitations. Guam argued in the Supreme Court that only by resolving the specific responsibilities of CERCLA but not the Clean Water Act can the statute of limitations be triggered. The court agreed with Guams opinion that only the settlement of CERCLAs specific liability can trigger Guams statute of limitations for contributory claims. When Thomas wrote to the court, he focused on the statutory text and its repeated references to specific CERCLA terms, such as response cost and response action. He rejected the navys argument that because the settlement of the Clean Water Act involved pollution at the Aldott dump, it was sufficient to trigger the statute of limitations. Thomas wrote: It is certain that, as the government has pointed out, the remedial measures taken by the parties under another environmental regulation may be similar to the steps taken in the formal response actions of CERCLA. But rely on To reinterpret the term resolved its responsibilitiesfor some or all of the response actions means resolved environmental responsibilities that may be taken under CERCLA to reinterpret the term resolved its responsibilities under CERCLA will make the regulation go beyond the actual language of Congress. Therefore, the court held that CERCLAs capital contribution needs to resolve CERCLAs specific responsibilities. As a result of the decision, Guam will be able to continue to take action against the Navy to recover the cleaning costs associated with the Odote dump. Please check back later for an in-depth analysis of comments. The travel agency associations in India and Thailand (both fighting the surge in infections) have warned the public to prohibit operators from propagating travel abroad for vaccinations, saying there may be hidden costs in doing so. Despite many restrictions, international travel is almost impossible, but vaccine travel advertisements mainly targeting the United States have appeared on social media in India. In Thailand, there are also more and more tour groups offering opportunities to participate in foreign vaccination queues. Jyoti Mayal, president of the Indian Association of Travel Agents, said: It is not illegal to go to the United States, it is definitely your choice. As an association, our suggestion is to check the credibility of the agent, check all the documents, and then move on. Gem Tours & Travels Pvt, headquartered in Mumbai. The first vaccination was given in the names of 5,000 people interested in living in New York for three days, and a second trip was made a few weeks later. The cost of each trip was about 150,000 rupees (US$2,000). Agwani travels to Indian soldiers. The companys owner, Pradeep Sharma, said that on a 21-day trip in New York, he bought the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for approximately US$6,100. However, as India began to introduce the vaccine, Never succeeded. Another operator, Arabian Nights Tours LLC in Dubai, promotes vaccinations and happiness tours in Russia. Itineraries start at $1,780 and include round-trip air tickets from Delhi to Moscow, 24 nights accommodation in St. Petersburg and the capital, and two doses of Sputnik vaccine. Although visa support fees are included, visa fees are not included. Russia may also close its borders to immigrants from India. Local media quoted travel agencies as saying that this is not a factor in our hands. There are also vaccine travel advertisements to the United States and Russia in Thailand. An operator in Bangkok offers trips to San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, with prices ranging from $2,400 to $6,400, depending on the time difference between the dose and the vaccine brand. Johnson & Johnson only stabs, so it needs a shorter stay. According to reports, the owner of another agent said that he had received hundreds of inquiries, but 80% of them did not have a U.S. visa. If applicable, many Thai packages do not include visa fees, air tickets, meals, or quarantine fees at either end. Suthiphong Pheunphiphop, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said that travel agencies will not be held responsible if travelers become ill due to the side effects of the vaccine. Suthiphong said: The government will not prevent any travel agency from selling such packages, but a lot of burdens and risks will fall on the traveler rather than the travel agency. Therefore, if the trip is worth the risk, then the customer should weigh it. Some people choose to fly to a place where the vaccine of their choice is available [File: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg] The demand for vaccine travel is due in part to peoples unequal access to the most effective vaccine, and rich countries have guaranteed the effectiveness of this vaccine. That has been squeezed out of most areas of developing countries and has prompted people in those places to go elsewhere if they have money. Both India and Thailand have seen a violent new wave of viruses, and lagging behind the United States and other places in shooting, the proportion of the population covered by them is 7% or less. However, there is also the question of whether some roving vaccines are practical in view of border embargoes and reduced flight schedules. For example, India has suspended regular international commercial passenger flights until May 31. Earlier this month, the United States banned most travel from India, although travel restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Some things may go wrong, Meyer said. Perhaps you should stay for a month, but you have to stay longer, and then who will bear the cost? It can be said that you have not even been vaccinated, your money has been spent, and you dont need to take a holiday. Some people walk alone, choosing to fly to places where vaccine options are available. An influential person on Thai social media did this. He named him under the pseudonym Sasdha and refused to provide his real name on the grounds that he had privacy concerns about certain government-related positions. He is currently in New York with his mother, waiting for the second shot. The cost of their trip was approximately 500,000 baht (US$16,000), including business class airfare, accommodation in the United States, and a 14-night national quarantine after returning to Bangkok. The experience is very relaxing. There is no queue at the vaccination center. He said that we have passports and my mother and I spent a total of five minutes buying vaccines at the local CVS pharmacy. Like his mother, Sasdha, like his mother, has been granted a 10-year tourist visa to the United States. He said that he embarked on a journey because he has tried to curb the latest epidemic to the Thai government and obtain the vaccine he wants. The ability is not full of confidence. He said: We all know that Pfizer and Moderna are the best choices. Everyone wants these brands. Thailand currently only offers AstraZeneca Plc and Chinas Sinovac Biotech Co. He said: We cant even choose between the two, so its like Thai people getting vaccinated with their hands tied. Kim Myung Min, in one of the latest episodes of "Law School" Episode 11, wowed many and even charmed some ladies in the courtroom, which is so out of character for his role Professor Yang Jong Hoon - known to be a pure terror in the classroom. In real life, however, the actor is not charming any lady as he is very much single and not dating anyone. Kim Myung Min Relationship Status 2021 The latest performance of Kim Myung Min as an enigmatic lawyer could have pushed many to start checking if he's very taken and if you are one of them, you'd be a bit glad to know that he is true, single. The actor is consumed by work in recent years that he probably did not have the time to go out and look for his partner in life. The last time he was publicized or rumored to be in a relationship with anyone was still back in 2013. According to reports, Kim Myung Min and his co-star in "Queen of the Night" dated after the film finished shooting. The two were so affectionate with each other that even all the staff allegedly knew about them dating. One insider said Chun Jung Myung and Kim Min Jung first met through the drama "Fashion 70's" and developed their friendship. Afterward, they met again for the filming of the movie "Queen of the Night" and through the movie became closer. However, after the rumors went viral, both the actors' agencies vehemently denied such allegations, clarifying that the two are really close friends even before the movie. They became so much closer by filming, which is only natural, but they have not gone beyond having a solid friendship. Kim Myung Min Transforming into a 'Ladies' Man' in Fans' Eyes Since then Kim Myung Min has not been linked to anyone. What he was linked to, however, are various projects. He did "A New Leaf" in 2014, "Six Flying Dragons" between 2015 and 2016, and "The Miracle We Met" in 2018. It's in "Law School," however, that his name circulated almost everywhere since this show is being streamed on Netflix. Plus, his role here is really something else. He's the so-called terror professor who intends to make his students learn. However, when a crime happened right in the middle of a semester and within the four walls of the schools, he had to be at the helm of the investigation to get to the bottom of everything, with the help of some students he terrorizes during the day. This is not the first time that he takes on the role of a professional. He has already played a doctor, a lawyer, a bank manager, a professor, and he masterfully transformed into his characters. As Professor Yang Joong Hoon, the actor was praised for being compelling and engaging to watch even if he he gives his students a hard time. Show analysts commented that the character is a complex one, harsh or the outside, but quite a soft person inside, who just wants his students to become great, humanitarian lawyers. When he's in the courtroom and therefore, in his A-game, he has a charm in his way of making statements too. It's magical to see how the actor plays around with the two sides of his character, stern on the one hand and then charming on the other, when it suits his purpose. KDramastars owns this article. Written by Annie Dee By Javier Solana MADRID In early 1981, a few days before Jimmy Carter handed over the U.S. presidency to Ronald Reagan, a short story on page 13 of The New York Times mentioned a report from the Council on Environmental Quality. This body, tasked with advising the U.S. president, sounded the alarm about the link between the increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and global warming. "Efforts should be begun immediately to develop and examine alternative global energy futures," the report stated, also emphasizing that "international collaboration in assessing the CO2 problem is particularly important." Despite this and many other warnings dating back to the 1960s, Reagan distanced himself from the Carter administration's environmentalist agenda. In a symbolic gesture, the new president even removed the solar panels that his predecessor had installed on the White House. Perhaps unsurprisingly, therefore, intergovernmental cooperation on climate change only took its first concrete steps in the late 1980s. And not until the 2015 Paris agreement did the world finally establish a binding framework mobilizing all countries in a determined quest to mitigate global warming. Reaching such a consensus was not easy. How to distribute responsibilities adequately has always been a thorny question in multilateral negotiations on climate action. But no obstacle or aspiration no matter how legitimate justifies the many years of international discord and neglect regarding this issue. The threat that already disturbed scientists a half-century ago has steadily grown since then. Between 1991 and 2019 alone, the world emitted more CO2 into the atmosphere than between 1751 and 1990. Faced with this reality, global climate summits such as this November's United Nations COP26 gathering in Glasgow are vitally important. We simply cannot afford more time-wasting and failures. Fortunately, there are reasons for hope. Many who previously regarded international relations as a struggle to preserve or alter the balance of power now assume that states will have to adjust their priorities in view of 21st century challenges. Although climate change will not affect everyone equally, the threat to our ecosystems and to humanity as a whole is so great that shortsighted tactics are out of the question. The only way out is for governments to build strategic trust aimed at generating shared benefits. Moreover, economic trends are increasingly favorable. The cost of solar and wind energy is plummeting, helping to drive the green transition even when governments' environmental policies are out of step. In the United States, for example, former President Donald Trump's deregulatory crusade did not allow him to fulfill his promise of revitalizing coal (the most polluting of fossil fuels), owing to fierce competition from cheaper natural gas and renewables. But market forces alone will not suffice. If we want the energy transition to materialize on time, governments must play an essential role. The European Union has embedded this philosophy in its European Green Deal, which aims to develop cutting-edge technologies, improve energy efficiency, and compensate the groups most affected by the transition. The Chinese government's industrial policies have led to spectacular growth in renewables, although the country's economy remains heavily dependent on coal. For its part, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration intends to launch a huge post-pandemic stimulus plan focused on building sustainable infrastructure. Whereas Trump despised renewables as if nothing had changed since Reagan's days Biden doesn't want to lose ground in the race to dominate the green technologies of the future. This competitive dynamic can generate a virtuous cycle. Add in the growing environmental awareness of citizens everywhere, and leaders have greater incentive than ever to be ambitious as generally reflected in the new emissions-reduction commitments that many countries have already made ahead of COP26. Still, we will not succeed unless we redouble our efforts. For example, the world should also agree on common indicators that allow each country's climate objectives to be measured and compared easily, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently urged. Closer international cooperation on environmental challenges should spill over into other spheres. After all, there is no shortage of global problems that require coordinated action. The most obvious example is COVID-19 another risk that caught us unprepared despite repeated warnings, and that many governments have subsequently managed in an excessively self-absorbed way. Earlier this month, two expert panels associated with the World Health Organization praised an initiative sponsored by some 30 world leaders to establish an international treaty on pandemic prevention and preparedness. Nor should we overlook the shortcomings of pandemic cooperation in the economic sphere. The G20 has not been up to the task in the current crisis, doing too little to alleviate developing countries' debt. Like the WHO and the World Trade Organization, two other fundamental pillars of global governance, the G20 is in urgent need of reform to shore up its legitimacy and responsiveness. Regulation of cyberspace also should be a high priority. The world's leading powers have remarkable offensive capabilities in this realm, but their high degree of digital connectivity makes them vulnerable, as the recent cyberattack on the largest U.S. oil pipeline has shown. These powers must urgently agree on a set of ground rules that promote security in cyberspace and address the potentially harmful effects of artificial intelligence. Some progress is already being made in this regard within the U.N. On climate change and other issues requiring multilateral responses, a critical mass of countries can alter the course of events, for better or worse. Although we live in an era of rising geopolitical tension, we must never lose sight of the major challenges that threaten us all and force us to find common ground. Anticipating crises, isolating areas of friction, competing peacefully, and cooperating in areas of mutual interest is the recipe for a safer, more prosperous, and sustainable twenty-first century. ). Javier Solana, a former EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, secretary-general of NATO, and foreign minister of Spain, is president of EsadeGeo Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics and distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate ( www.project-syndicate.org The new batch of "Youth of May" episodes are coming very soon. And while the first half showed the sweet romance between HwangHee Tae and Kim Myung Hee budding, everything might be cut short - permanently - in the second half. If you are not afraid of some of the "Youth of May" spoilers, then read on. "Youth of May" Spoilers: What Will Happen to Kim Myung Hee and Hwang Hee Tae? It is clear right from the first episode of "Youth of May" that the attraction between the two main characters will take time to become a full-fledged relationship because there are simply too many things going against them. At one point, Hwang Hee Tae even needed to become engaged to a woman he did not like! They have proven not to let these challenges ruin their budding romance though. Several scenes got viewers rooting for them, even though at first, Kim Myung Hee was obviously trying to control her emotions for Hwang Hee Tae. When they finally admitted their feelings for each other, that got some fans really elated. They did so in a very cute manner though - a trademark of young romance. "Youth of May" Spoilers: Is the Uprising Going to Ruin Everything? An impending national crisis just might prove too great of a force though, and ruin whatever they might have right now. In particular, the Gwangju Uprising is looming. In this uprising, Gwangju citizens are protesting against the military dictator and because of this, people are being brutally killed by their own government. Troops are not going to stop at anything to curtail opposition, even hurting young people. Naturally, the main characters will be affected. Hwang Hee Tae is played by Lee Do Hyun and is a medical student from an affluent family. On the other hand, Kim Myung Hee is played actress Go Min Si. She is a nurse three years to her profession and comes from a much more turbulent family. She is a fighter and does not like to see injustice being committed against people. With them both being so impassioned about societal issues, it's impossible that they would remain indifferent to what is happening. It is also impossible that their relationship will be left unscathed. The producers of "Youth of May" ascertained this. They revealed that, "if the first half of the drama depicted the way the characters are intertwined, the second half will focus on how the youths connected by fate will change when they are faced with the struggles of the times. Please pay close attention to the way their relationships and emotions change." It's fascinating to note that Lee Do Hyun and Go Min Si became household names when they both starred in "Sweet Home." An apocalyptic Netflix series released right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. They played siblings (adopted) in the series, and so it's quite interesting to see them transition into playing lovers on "Youth of May." "Youth of May" airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. KST. KDramastars owns this article. Written by Annie Dee Defending world champion gymnast Simone Biles became the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault move in competition at the GK US Classic in Indianapolis on Saturday. The Yurchenko double pike -- a high-difficulty skill historically only done by men -- is a roundoff onto the springboard, followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table, and ending with a piked double backflip into the air to landing. Biles, 24, performed the move and then added two extra hops for a slightly imperfect landing. "I was just thinking, 'Do it like training. Don't try to like overdo anything,'" she said afterward, "because I have a tendency as soon as I raise my hand to kind of overpower things, and I did a little bit, but at least I was on my feet. It's a new vault and I'm proud of how today went." Biles competed while wearing a leotard decorated with a rhinestone goat, an apparent hint to her claim as the GOAT, or greatest of all time. Overall, the four-time Olympic gold medalist successfully defended her GK US Classic all-around title with a score of 58.400 in what was her first competition in more than a year and a half. Biles took the top score on both balance beam and floor exercise. Jordan Chiles, the 20-year-old from Spring, Texas, finished second in the all-around with 57.100 points, and Kayla DiCello, the 17-year-old from Boyds, Maryland, took third with 56.100. After being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics are set to begin in late July, barring further postponement or cancellation. The US Olympic team trials will be held June 24-27 in St. Louis. A Maryland candy company is selling chocolate covered cicadas to celebrate the emergence of the noisy insects that have spent the last 17 years underground. Chouquette Chocolates is selling the cicadas -- dipped in either milk or dark chocolate -- online, but it also posted the recipe on its Facebook page for brave chefs looking for something to do with the bugs. Billions of cicadas from Brood X are emerging from their subterranean homes as temperatures warm up in the eastern United States. They'll spend the final days of their lives mating and making a tremendous racket as males work to attract females. It's is expected to be the largest emergence event since 2004. The fresh cicadas are frozen, given a quick dip in boiling water, then coated in oil and spices, before being air fried and dropped in chocolate, according to the instruction video. The video showed containers of cinnamon and Old Bay (because, Maryland), but the post said to use whatever spice you like. Chouquette Chocolates owner Sarah Dwyer told CNN affiliate WBAL that the end result tastes like chocolate covered potato chips. "It's really crunchy because we air-fry them," she told WBAL. Dwyer is also selling other cicada-themed chocolates that are insect-free for people who want to enjoy the bugs without eating them. "I just thought the whole idea of having cicadas around every 17 years, it's fascinating," she told WBAL. Dwyer isn't the only one serving up cicadas. University of Tennessee professor Jerome Grant told CNN affiliate WVLT that you can boil the bugs or roast them, and he cooked them up in a stir fry and made street tacos. Cicadas are low in fat, have a balance of vitamins and are high in protein, according to Cicada Safari, an app created by experts at Mount St. Joseph University to help map the emergence of Brood X. National Guard troops who have been deployed at the US Capitol over the past four months will be leaving Sunday, said the man tasked with leading a review of Capitol security following the January 6 insurrection. Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore said the National Guard will be leaving the Capitol grounds Sunday -- 137 days after the insurrection -- because they've accomplished their mission of securing the Capitol, in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation." However, Honore said the area surrounding the Capitol will not be able to open immediately because of the ongoing strain on US Capitol Police resources. "Well, I tell you what. If it's not, they've hit that magic date, and they're going home. And the Capitol is secure, based on the mission that the Capitol Police have now, which is secure the Capitol," Honore said when asked whether now is the right day for troops to leave the grounds. "One of the missions that they will not be able to probably accomplish as designated by both houses and all parties is the open campus. They will not be able to return immediately to an open campus where people can openly visit the Capitol because of the strain on the Capitol Police, their numbers are down over 230. And that was as of the date we completed our report." Honore stressed the urgency of the Senate passing the $1.9 billion security supplemental that passed the House last week. He particularly noted that while $1.9 billion might seem like a high price point, $700 million of the funds go to "paying bills," including covering expenses from having National Guard on site for so long. Honore also defended the $200 million in funding in the supplemental for a quick response force to assist Capitol Police forces, when needed, a provision opposed by some Republicans. "There's some talk about using regional police for that mission," he said, adding that while that security method might work for pre-scheduled events, "I don't think it will work with a threat of domestic terrorism at 3 o'clock in the morning." When asked to respond to falsehoods from Republican lawmakers who claim the January 6 attack was not a violent riot, Honore criticized the Republican Party and reaffirmed the danger law enforcement officials dealt with. "They had to face a dangerous, violent mob that fought them, tried to kill them," he said. "What I'm afraid of, John, is when I hear statements like that, is that we have a two-party system that normally would be referred to as the minority party, the opposition, and that scares me. They've gone from being a minority party to an opposition party." A US intelligence report found that several researchers at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill in November 2019 and had to be hospitalized, a new detail about the severity of their symptoms that could fuel further debate about the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, according to two people briefed on the intelligence. A State Department fact sheet released by the Trump administration in January said that the researchers had gotten sick in autumn 2019 but did not go as far as to say they had been hospitalized. China reported to the World Health Organization that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan on December 8, 2019. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the intelligence surrounding the earlier hospitalizations. Importantly, the intelligence community still does not know what the researchers were actually sick with, said the people briefed, and continues to have low confidence in its assessments of the virus' precise origins beyond the fact that it came from China. 'At the end of the day, there is still nothing definitive,' said one of the people who has seen the intelligence. The director of the Wuhan National Biosafety Lab, which is part of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, issued a strong denial of the report on Monday. 'I've read it, it's a complete lie,' director Yuan Zhiming told state-run tabloid Global Times. 'Those claims are groundless. The lab has not been aware of this situation, and I don't even know where such information came from.' Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, on Monday refuted the report and accused the US of 'hyping up the lab leak theory.' 'Through field visits and in-depth visits in China, the experts unanimously agreed that the allegation of lab leaking is extremely unlikely,' Zhao said. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers during the Worldwide Threats Hearing last month that 'the intelligence community does not know exactly where, when, or how Covid-19 virus was transmitted initially,' an assessment that has not changed, said two of the people briefed on the intelligence. The current intelligence reinforces the belief that the virus most likely originated naturally, from animal-human contact, the sources said. But that does not preclude the possibility that the virus was the result of an accidental leak from the Wuhan Institute, where coronavirus research was being conducted on bats. The World Health Organization conducted an investigation into the origins of the pandemic and concluded in a report that the risk of an accident was 'extremely low.' The report said there was 'no reporting of Covid-19 compatible respiratory illness during the weeks/months prior to December 2019, and no serological evidence of infection in workers through SARS-CoV-2-specific serology-screening.' Disease ecologist Peter Daszak, who worked on the WHO team, told CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta in February that 'there is really still no evidence that this came from a lab.' He noted that researchers were tested and there was no evidence found of Covid antibodies, and said the lab was 'very well run.' 'It's not a complete throwing out of that hypothesis,' Daszak said. 'It's a conclusion that it's extremely unlikely and that there is a much more likely hypothesis out there.' But the WHO probe was swiftly criticized by the US, UK, and other governments over its limited access to 'complete, original data and samples.' The organization was also accused of being overly deferential to China throughout the course of the study, which was co-authored by 17 Chinese scientists -- several of them from state-run institutions. Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which has long been investigating the origins of the pandemic, received a classified briefing on the matter last week, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source declined to say whether the intelligence report mentioning the hospitalized researchers was discussed during the briefing. Current and former intelligence officials say that the idea that the virus was accidentally unleashed from the lab at Wuhan is reasonable, although they caution that there is no high-confidence assessment of that possibility. In the final days of the Trump administration, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo leaned into the possibility that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, or WIV. Despite the intelligence being inconclusive, Pompeo put out a fact sheet that said the US had evidence researchers at the WIV had been sick in the fall of 2019 with Covid-like symptoms and that the lab, where coronavirus had been studied in bats, had a history of military research. The process behind declassifying the intelligence in that fact sheet took a long time, and certain details were scrubbed from the final version that was released, sources familiar with the process told CNN. In contrast, the Biden administration has not declassified any intelligence surrounding the origins of Covid-19 and has not indicated that it plans to do so. One of the challenges in developing any certainty is access to the lab itself. China delayed access to international investigators for months after the initial outbreak, virtually guaranteeing that the lab had been deep-cleaned before any forensic analysis could be done, and investigators were also not allowed to view original data logs that scientists say would be critical to understanding the virus' origins. One critical avenue to finding an answer would be to run genetic sequencing on the original samples that staff at the Wuhan lab were working on. But 'the Chinese are never going to allow that,' said one person familiar with the underlying intelligence. 'My own personal belief is we're never going to know the answer to this,' this person said. 'And the answer is not going to be found out by the CIA, because that would suggest the Chinese are looking for it themselves,' which this person said they were not. 'If the answer exists it's not going to be found by traditional spycraft,' this person added. MEDFORD, Ore-- According to data collected by the Oregon Health Authority and Jackson County Public Health, Jackson County reported 150 Covid-19 cases last week, something the county hasn't experienced since October. On Sunday, OHA reported seven new cases of coronavirus in Jackson County, which increased last week's grand total from 143 to 150. The last time that Jackson County reported 150 or fewer cases of Covid-19 by the end of the week was all the way back the week of October 11, when health officials reported 133 cases. While new Covid-19 cases are decreasing across Jackson County, Covid-19 vaccinations are continuing to increase. According to the lastest vaccine data, collected by OHA, Jackson County health officials administered more than 8,600 doses of coronavirus vaccines last week, from May 16 to May 22. Doses administered also spiked on Friday last week, after Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregonians now have a chance to win a million dollar cash prize if they receive one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine before June 28. So far almost 92,000 people across Jackson County have received at least one dose of a cornonavirus vaccine and almost 75,000 residents are fully vaccinated. The seven-day running average of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Jackson County is at 1,236. SALEM, Ore. The Oregon House of Representatives on Monday voted unanimously to pass a bill that would require a semester of civics for all high school students before graduation, sending it on to Governor Kate Brown for signature. Senate Bill 513 passed the Oregon Senate with widespread support in April. The bill ensures that students receive dedicated class time over a semester-long civics education course. Civics education is the necessary component for the security and sustainability of a Republic based upon democratic ideals and this landmark bill will give the next generation of Oregonians the knowledge and tools they need to lead, said Representative Paul Evans, chief sponsor of the bill. I have been working to pass a civics requirement for Oregon students since entering the Legislature in 2014 and was heartened to see overwhelming support for this bill expressed by hundreds of local elected officials, educators, students, members of the business community and individual citizens. Their voices were heard by this Legislature and their support was the engine that helped pass the Civics Education Act. The Oregon Department of Education already provided standards for education on civics and government, but it is usually touched on in social studies courses instead of being taught in a single course. SB 513 promises to provide a "robust, dedicated civics course" so that every student gets a strong grounding in civics, supporters say. At a time where many Americans cannot name the three branches of government and studies are showing declining faith democratic values, Oregon should no longer be one of the few states left without civics standards, said Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod. Instead of pushing agendas in the classroom, our kids need to be taught the fundamentals. Disagreement is an inherent part of democracy, but this bill will teach our kids how to participate in our institutions and use their rights and responsibilities as actively engaged citizens to shape the world around them. Having passed both chambers, SB 513 heads to Governor Brown's desk for signing into law. WASHINGTON, D.C. Oregon ranks dead last in the nation when it comes to providing a comfortable environment for veterans to retire, according to a recent report by personal finance website WalletHub. The WalletHub study looked at three major areas in all 50 states and the District of Columbia: economic environment, quality of life, and health care. Within those categories, WalletHub looked at thirty specific factors including state taxes on military pensions, share of homeless veterans, and number of VA health facilities per veteran. "As military personnel retire this year, some of whom will be the last American forces withdrawn from Afghanistan, they may find it difficult to readjust to civilian life," wrote WalletHub managing editor John S. Kiernan. "For example, the U.S. is still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more Americans than World War II did. Plus, the high unemployment rate caused by COVID-19 may stand as an obstacle to any former military personnel looking to get civilian jobs." RELATED: Veterans have a new outlook on life thanks to ColumbiaCare housing States that received top marks in the report were Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, South Dakota, and Alaska. At the bottom were Rhode Island, Nevada, D.C., Vermont, and Oregon. Oregon tied with California, Hawaii, Nevada, and D.C. with the highest percentage of homeless veterans in the nation. It also ranked in the bottom five for availability of affordable housing. Neighboring California also got low marks in a number of categories due in part to the fact that it was in the bottom five for number of veterans per capita. California emerged as the state with the very least affordable housing, in the bottom five for lowest percentage of veteran-owned businesses, and providing among the fewest job opportunities for vets. "Even without a pandemic, retirement from the military is always difficult, with many retirees facing major struggles including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, disability and homelessness," Kiernan continued. "These veterans must also consider how state tax policies on military benefits vary, along with the relative friendliness of different job markets and other socioeconomic factors, when choosing a state in which to settle down." To see more about the study and the methodology used, visit WalletHub page here. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Police say a TriMet bus driver was shot Saturday night while driving passengers. A bullet hole was found in the windshield, and the driver was being treated at a nearby hospital for what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Police say the incident happened shortly after 7 p.m. near Northeast 102nd Avenue and Northeast Halsey Street. There were no reports of injuries to passengers on the bus. Police are investigating. Less: Just look at London, Ont. Same: We hear more bad news. More: Canada is on the right path. Vote View Results By Joseph Yi and Won-dong Lee The long-simmering "culture war" between Christians and the LGBTQ community seemingly escalated in the first half of 2021. Theologically conservative evangelical Christians forcefully blocked an anti-discrimination bill sponsored by the left-leaning Justice Party in the National Assembly, and LGBTQ activists rallied around Methodist pastor Lee Dong-hwan, who appealed his two-year suspension from the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) for holding a blessing prayer at the 2019 Incheon Queer Culture Festival. Lee's case, in particular, received international publicity, as he received an International Amnesty Media Award in March and a personal, supportive meeting with Canadian Ambassador Michael Danagher on May 17. As academic researchers on Christian-LGBT relations, we find that culture war narratives are shaped primarily by a small number of activists, whose voices are amplified by the mainstream media. These narratives ignore the vast numbers, perhaps a majority, of both LGBTQ persons and Christians that do not view the other as implacable enemies and are open to communication and compromise. Through our fieldwork, we talked with many activists from both communities, who said that although organizationally they feel pressured to treat the other side as a threat individually, they did not harbor such intense sentiments. The capacity to view the other as complex human beings is more salient among persons who experienced sustained, interpersonal contact with members of the opposite group. Our longitudinal analysis of Christian media (1998-2019) finds in the past decade. Most Christian media articles discussed the "culture war" between conservative Christians and the LGBTQ community, but a growing number sympathized with the struggles of LGBTQ persons, especially that of "gay" Christians who struggled to reconcile their sexual and religious identities and who were abandoned (or were afraid to be abandoned) by their churches. The shifts in Christian discourse towards the LGBT outgroup in the 2010s parallel that towards another historic outgroup, North Koreans in the 1990s. Christian media actively reported on the dire conditions of North Koreans during and after the "Arduous March" famine in the mid-1990s. Many South Korean Christians reached out to North Korean people offering humanitarian assistance, without endorsing the North Korean regime or its communist ideology. Before recent sanctions and pandemic-related border closures, Christians had developed robust, person-to-person engagement with North Koreans, including a Christian-operated Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, medical center for disabled persons Pyongyang Spine Rehabilitation Center, and surfing camp. The post-1990 engagement with North Koreans, despite political-ideological differences, offers a template for Christians to humanely dialogue and interact with LGBTQ persons. A small, growing number of Christian organizations seek dialogue and mutual understanding between the two communities. They include small, progressive-leaning, Christian organizations (that bless same-sex marriage), such as Sumdol Hyanglin Church, Pilgrimage Church, Rodem Church, Queer Faith Korea and Open Doors MCC. More conservative-leaning organizations include Seoul Calvary Chapel, Bundang Woori Church and some others that work anonymously with LGBTQ persons. At the past three pre-pandemic Seoul Queer Culture Festivals, a conservative, evangelical group freely offered cold bottles of water at the event which was held on a hot summer day. The water symbolized the Fountain of Life ("Living Water") found in Jesus. Many festival participants appreciated the bottled water, and a few attended the group's church service the following Sunday. The evangelical group and its pastor focused on interpersonal relations, not politics, at the Queer Festival. We do not downplay serious disagreements between LGBTQ persons and Christians. Still, we highlight and encourage those many individuals, in both communities, that wish to talk and find common ground. Kind, civil gestures, big and small starting with sharing cold water on a hot day nurture an atmosphere conducive to communication and compromise, such as on legislation that protects the vital rights of both communities. We can learn from examples in other countries, for instance, in the U.S. state of Utah, Mormon Church leaders and LGBT rights advocates compromised on from employment discrimination. In today's polarized world, we have turned away from complex realities outside our narrow social circles. Behind political-ideological differences lies a person with a unique story, some of them serving actively in churches, with personal dreams and aspirations. We have witnessed their internal struggles adjusting to their faith communities and looking for a safe space to fulfill their spiritual needs. The state cannot enforce the Christian principle of loving one's neighbor. It is up to individuals to listen to, and interact with, each other for a healthy coexistence. 9 Shares Share Words can be misleading. Medical terms work really well when shared between clinicians. But we cant assume our patients speak the same language we do. If we run with whatever keywords we pick up from our patients chief complaint, we can easily get lost chasing the wrong target. Where I work, along the Canadian border, Valley French expressions tripped me up when I first arrived. The flu, or in French, le flu (if that is how you spell it Ive never seen it in writing), is the word people use for diarrhea. Mal au cur (heart pain) doesnt mean angina or chest pain, but heartburn, a confusing expression in English, too. But even if we are all English speaking, clinicians need to be careful not to assume common words mean the same to everyone. I have seen many patients complain of anxiety but not actually be worried about anything. A number of bipolar people have used the word anxiety when, in my personal vernacular, they are really describing pathological restlessness. I once had a patient complain of nerves but not have a worry in the world except for his hereditary essential tremor, which he assumed was a sign of untreated anxiety. People often resist my labeling their symptoms as chest pain, insisting that I am wrong about the location and the character of their discomfort. Instead, they might insist it is indigestion or prefer pressure, tightness, or heaviness in their throat, epigastrium, or even between their shoulder blades. Chest pain is shorthand for all that, I tell them. I hear people use the word dizzy for a gnawing feeling in their epigastrium and nauseous for a sense of early satiety after eating. Even worse is when a patient attributes a symptom to the wrong organ or body part. It seems most people assume their kidneys to be much further down their backsides than they really are, so their kidney pain is really low back pain. This can be even more misleading if the patient claims to have a urinary infection and only when prompted for more history then says because my kidneys hurt, south of their anatomic location. Often this is entirely without urinary symptoms. Abdominal pain or pressure is also often self-diagnosed as a UTI. Most people want their hip joints to be where they might put their hands on their hips, the big body part in pear-shaped people. I draw skeptical reactions when I tell them the hip joint is in the groin. The other day I saw a 45-year-old woman with a concern about burping incessantly for several weeks. She said she was hiding it the best she could. I asked her not to hide it, to let it all out. What I heard wasnt burping; it was more of a hiccup. The workup and treatment are not the same, so it took me sitting with her for a while to know which way to go with her case. We must avoid acting like bloodhounds chasing the trail we are shown without taking in the surrounding territory. There may be something more obvious and important somewhere nearby. The lesson I have learned is to use these three words that should be a famous quote if it isnt already: Tell me more! Hans Duvefelt is a family physician who blogs at A Country Doctor Writes: and the author of A Country Doctor Writes: CONDITIONS: Diseases and Other Life Circumstances. Image credit: Shutterstock.com EUGENE, Ore. A Eugene man is scheduled for sentencing in Lane County Circuit Court Monday after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two children. Robert Lewis Davis, 71, pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree sex abuse in March, a Measure 11 offense. The charges stem from the abuse of two girls who were under the age of 14. At the time of Davis's arrest, the Lane County Sheriffs Office said the crimes occurred over the course of several years with victims spanning all across the United States. According to court documents, prosecutors said Davis admitted to actually having five victims, and the state believes there are even more in other locations. However, Lane County has been the only jurisdiction to bring charges for the two victims known locally. Under the mandatory minimum sentence requirements, each count of sex abuse carries a minimum of just over six years in prison. Prosecutors are recommending a total sentence of just over 31 years for the five charges. The sentencing is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. EUGENE, Ore. --- University of Oregon students reacted to House Bills that would create transparency around college costs. On Thursday, Oregon Legislature passed two House Bills that would clearly disclose costs for public universities and community colleges. HB 2542 would require schools to display a description of all mandatory fees. This includes the general purpose of the mandatory fee, and how the collected money will be used, among a few other criteria. HB 2919 would focus on the materials required for the courses. This means students must be notified of all charges they may accrue for books or other materials before the course begins. KEZI 9 News spoke with students at the University of Oregon, and many of them were surprised that these requirements weren't already in place. "It's like taxes. You typically know what percentage of taxes are going to where," River Weston, UO senior said. "For some reason, we have no idea where our money is going." UO senior David Tillman agrees. "I'm here for an education and I want to know that my money is for my education, not all of these other things that I may not be using," Tillman said. If signed into law by Governor Kate Brown, HB 2542 starts in the upcoming 2021-22 school year, while the mandates for HB 2919 will begin in the 2022-23 school year. EUGENE, Ore. -- Eugene Police are investigating after a man showed up to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District with stab wounds early Monday morning. Officials say a 42-year-old man drove himself to the hospital around 1:45 a.m. and was immediately transported to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend for surgery after medical personnel noticed multiple stab wounds around his abdominal area. His condition is currently unknown. This is a developing story. SPRINGFIELD, Ore.--- St. Alice Catholic Church in Springfield sent out an email to their parishioners on Friday stating they will never require proof the vaccination in their churches. In the email, they wrote: "Getting vaccinated or not is a conscience decision that must be respected. The Church has said that you may get vaccinated if you wish, but it is not required. I know there is a lot of different information out there, as well as changing guidelines from the State of Oregon and CDC regarding masking and proof of vaccination. As a reminder, those who are fully vaccinated dont need to wear masks or socially distance anymore. Additionally, our Archbishop has been clear that, regardless of state regulations, we will never require proof of vaccination in our churches." They said masks will not be required for fully vaccinated people and capacity limits will no longer be in force. However, Oregon Health Authority's new guidelines states that mask mandates must be in place unless a business, employer or faith institution has a policy for checking proof of vaccination status of individuals. In the guidelines it states: "Businesses, employers and faith institutions may, at their discretion, continue to apply and enforce the mask, face covering and face shield guidance, and physical distancing requirements in state COVID-19 guidance to all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, and must continue to do so if they do not have a policy for checking proof of vaccination or have not reviewed proof of vaccination for an individual, or if the individual has declined to provide such proof." By Damali Mukhaye The opposition Forum for Democratic Change has blamed the current mess in the National Resistance Movement camp on the gaps in Ugandas constitution. There has been growing tension within the ruling NRM party after the former speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga defied the partys decision and decided to run as an independent for the Speakership race whose election is underway. Addressing journalists at their headquarters, the FDC deputy Secretary General Harold Kaija said the constitution that supports multi-partism also allows people to enter parliament on individual merit. He said if a person enters parliament as an independent, his voters cannot recall them, saying the same is happening in NRM where a party member with a card is contesting as an independent and nothing can be done to her. Kaija added that the 11th parliament members should work towards correcting this anomaly that makes some clauses of the constitution contradictory as far as multi-partisan is concerned. Jacob Oulanyah is the Speaker of the 11th parliament. He has garnered 310 votes against his closest challenger and former boss Rebecca Kadagas 197 in an exercise conducted by the Chief Justice at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. The race attracted 3 candidates; NRMs Jacob Oulanya, Independent candidate Rebecca Kadaga and FDCs Ssemujju Nganda who has got 15 votes. The official declaration has been made by the Chief Justice. Jacob Oulanyas profile Hon Jacob Oulanyah has been, Deputy Speaker of Parliament since 19th May 2011. He Represents Omoro County constituency, Omoro District, Acholi Sub-region in Northern Uganda. He was born in Omoro, then Gulu district on 23 March 1965. He attended St. Josephs College Layibi, Dr. Obote College Boroboro, and Kololo Senior Secondary School for his O-Level and A-Level education. In 1988, he joined Makerere University where he studied agricultural economics and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts. That same year, Oulanya entered law school, at Makerere University, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Law degree. He served as speaker of the university students guild during his stay at Makerere. In 1995, he attended Law Development, where he obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice. Career Following his graduation from the LDC, Oulanyah worked as a lecturer at the centre. In the same timeframe, he began private law practice at Oulanyah, Onoria & Company Advocates. [1] In 2001, he entered politics by successfully contesting for the parliamentary seat of Omoro County on UPC ticket before joining ruling NRM He also participated in the peace talks between government and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. In 2006, stood as a UPC candidate, he lost his re-election bid, quit UPC and joined NRM. In 2008 he served as the chairman of the commission of inquiry into the controversial sub-lease of Kisekka Market, one of the municipal markets in Kampala City. In March 2011, Oulanyah was elected the second time to represent Omoro, in the 9th Parliament and was elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament on 19 May 2011. After 2016, General Elections, Oulanyah was re-elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament on 19 May 2016 after beating independent Muhamadh Nsereko. Oulanyah was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by Zoe Life Theological College USA. Korea should deepen partnership with US South Korea is expected to emerge as the world's vaccine production hub after President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden agreed to forge a vaccine partnership during their first face-to-face summit in Washington, D.C., Friday. Under the agreement, the two allies plan to combine Korea's production capacity with the U.S.'s advanced technology to supply much-needed COVID-19 vaccines to the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. Now, domestic companies are poised to roll out coronavirus vaccines here on a contract manufacturing basis for global pharmaceutical giants. On Saturday, Samsung Biologics signed an agreement with Moderna of the U.S. to produce mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine in its Korean factory. SK Bioscience, along with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S.-based Novavax to conduct joint research projects to develop vaccines effective against variant strains of the coronavirus. The two deals were struck on the sidelines of the Moon-Biden summit. Korea currently produces coronavirus vaccines under consignment contracts with AstraZeneca of the United Kingdom and the Sputnik vaccine maker of Russia. But Samsung Biologics will be the first Korean firm to produce an mRNA vaccine. The global vaccine partnership agreement is one of the most successful outcomes of the just-ended summit. Korea has yet to develop its own vaccines, making the partnership with the U.S. companies indispensable in easing the vaccine shortage here. It is also meaningful for domestic firms to push research and development jointly with multinational pharmaceutical companies. In addition, the National Institute of Health, affiliated with the health ministry, signed an MOU with Novavax to cooperate in mRNA vaccine research. We hope the envisaged mass production will contribute to expanding the supply of COVID-19 vaccines not only for Korea but also the entire world. The partnership is also likely to raise hopes that the country will achieve its goal of herd immunity by the end of November. The Moon government should put more efforts into getting more vaccines produced here supplied to Koreans. For this, it needs to speed up consultations with U.S. firms. When signing the MOU, Moderna reportedly expressed its willingness to set up its own production lines in Korea. We hope this will also come true as early as possible. The U.S. also pledged to provide vaccines for all 550,000 Korean military personnel. That falls short of a vaccine swap deal South Korea had been pushing for with the U.S., failing to get the U.S. to provide spare vaccines first to Korea, which would return the favor later after it gained sufficient stocks. For Korea, early vaccine supply is crucial in overcoming the pandemic; however, the U.S. said it could not afford to provide "special favors" only for Korea. The U.S. stance is understandable considering the flood of requests for vaccines from around the world, including hard-hit countries. The provision of vaccines to Korean troops should be appreciated in light of the bilateral alliance. It is also necessary for Korean drug makers to get technology transfers from global vaccine developers. By Ruth Anderah The East African Court of Justice (EACJ)- Appellant Division has set four grounds to be determined in the appeal filed by Constitutional and Human Rights Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi. In the appeal, Mabirizi is challenging part of the judgment of the First Instance Division of the regional court against his 2018 lifting of the presidential age limit case. In a pre-hearing conference presided over by five justices led by Justice Nestor Kayobera, Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Sauda Njasiri, Kathurima Mnoti and Justice Anita Mugeni, both parties have agreed on four issues. The issues to rely on include; whether or not the Court committed irregularities in hearing and determining his case, whether the court erred in law in determining that the processes leading to the enactment of the Constitutional Amendment Act Age Limit 2018, proceedings and decisions of his 2017 Constitutional petition against the government of Uganda through the Attorney General were time-barred. On September 30th 2020, five Justices of the EACJ first Instance Division, led by Justice Monica Mugenyi, Charles Nyawello and Justice Charles Nyachae dismissed Mabirizis case on grounds that they lacked jurisdiction to entertain Mabirizis complaints in relation to Ugandas parliamentary processes. The justices also questioned Mabirizis character and accused him of abusing court processes and further held that Mabirizis case was time-barred and that he failed to adduce sufficient evidence to prove his case. By Xinhua Tanzanian authorities on Sunday issued a warning to villages adjacent to the Nyerere National Park saying at least 200 elephants have strayed from the park. Damas Ndumbaro, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, said the elephants could wreak havoc in villages in Namtumbo and Tunduru districts in southern Tanzanias Ruvuma region. A recent satellite survey has shown that about 200 elephants have strayed from the Nyerere National Park and could cause devastation in the villages, said Ndumbaro on a visit to six villages that have been raided by elephants. He said the encroachment of wildlife protected areas by livestock keepers was one of the reasons that forced the elephants to stray from their habitats. Ndumbaro said elephants avoided mixing with livestock because they were allergic to chemicals used in treating the livestock. The minister said another reason that forced the elephants to stray from their habitats was crops farmed near the wildlife protected areas attracting the elephants. Ndumbaro said incidents of stray elephants killing villagers and destroying farm crops were on the increase despite government efforts to control the animals. By AFP Indias Covid-19 death toll topped 300,000 on Monday as it tried to contain its huge outbreak, while Japan opened its first mass vaccination centres just two months before the start of the Olympics. Deadly outbreaks in India, Brazil and elsewhere have pushed global coronavirus fatalities past 3.4 million, even as many wealthy countries such as the United States, Britain and Israel have eased restrictions. The number of new daily infections has fallen in Indias big cities, but cases and deaths have been breaking records in recent weeks with shortages of hospital beds, oxygen and critical drugs. The first wave taught us about the virus, what to do, how to be, and we even got vaccinations, Sheela, relative of a Covid patient, told AFP outside a hospital in the southern city of Chennai. But this situation is scarier. Many experts also believe Indias real toll is much higher, particularly as the disease spreads into rural areas where the majority of the 1.3 billion population lives and where health facilities and record-keeping is poor. India has administered close to 200 million shots but experts say the programme needs to be ramped up significantly to effectively fight the virus. Another Asian country that has faced criticism over a slow inoculation rate is Japan, where the first mass vaccination centres opened on Monday. Its wonderful. I can rest easy now. For a long time, a year and a half, I was feeling rather anxious and tense, Hideo Ishikawa, 73, told reporters after he got the shot. Japanese authorities are trying to speed up their vaccination drive with just two months before until postponed Tokyo Olympics begin. Just two percent of Japans 125 million population has been fully vaccinated, compared with around 40 percent in the United States and 15 percent in France. US cases, deaths drop More than 130 million people in the United States have been fully vaccinated, and restrictions are being steadily eased in many parts of the country that has the highest number of known deaths and cases in the world. The seven-day average of new US cases has dropped to a level not seen since June last year, Rochelle Walensky of the Centers for Disease Control said during a briefing on Friday. Thanks to this progress, New Yorkers can now enjoy many of the activities that had become unthinkable for more than a year in a city that was once the epicentre of the deadly US Covid-19 outbreak. But some remain cautious despite the easing. At an outdoor party in the citys famous Central Park, many guests said they did not want to invite people into their homes yet except for very close friends who they would be sure have been vaccinated. I dont know if well ever go back to complete comfort with that not in the immediate future, said Merry Mathes, 58. The health ministry of Israel, another nation with a highly successful vaccination rollout, said it had proposed the lifting of all virus restrictions inside its territory from June 1. But it will keep in place restrictions on travellers coming to the country. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here. A man is due to appear before Kilkenny District Court this morning in connection with a cannabis growhouse which was located in the city in recent days. Approximately 55,000 worth of cannabis plants were seized during a search of a property on Ballybought Street on Wednesday. Detectives from gardai subsequently travelled to Cork and arrested a suspect on Saturday. He was arrested and detained at Kilkenny Garda Station and is due to appear before Kilkenny District Court later today. ROCHESTER, Minn. A man accused of beating a teenage girl takes a plea deal. Kenneth James Maclin, 23 of Rochester, was arrested in June 2019 and charged with third- and fifth-degree assault. Rochester police say he punched a female teen several times after accusing her of being a police informant. Court documents state the victim needed several stitches after the attack. After a court case long delayed by the COVID pandemic, Maclin pleaded guilty Monday to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct. Hes been sentenced to one year of probation and must either pay a $100 fine or do 10 hours of community work service. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minneapolis city leaders are announcing a combined $30,000 reward fund seeking information about three recent child shootings. KARE-TV reports that the fund includes up to $10,000 for tips leading to arrests in each case. The shootings occurred within weeks of each other and and led to the death of 6-year-old Aniya Allen, who was riding in a car with her mother. Two other children, 10-year-old Ladavionne Garrett Jr. and 9-year-old Trinity Ottoson-Smith, remain hospitalized with critical injuries. ST. PAUL, Minn. Governor Tim Walz is asking all Minnesotans to observe a moment of silence Tuesday in memory of George Floyd. Floyd died while being arrested by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder for Floyds death and three other former officers are still awaiting trial. The Governors proclamation declaring a moment of silence at 1 pm Tuesday reads: George Floyds murder ignited a global movement and awakened many Minnesotans and people around the world to the systemic racism that our Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color have known for centuries. On April 20, 2021, a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of George Floyds murder. This historic verdict was a step in the right direction, but our work to dismantle systematic racism and discrimination has not ended. True justice for George Floyd will come only through real, systemic change to prevent acts like this from happening againwhen every member of every community, no matter their race, is safe, valued, and protected. The silent observation is intended to last for nine minutes and 29 seconds, the length of time Chauvin pressed his knee in Floyds neck during his arrest. MASON CITY, Iowa Two north Iowa teens have been arrested for first-degree robbery in connection to an incident where two people were stabbed and had to undergo emergency surgery. Jaden Edel, 18, of Belmond, and David Gordon, 17 of Belmond, were booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail on two counts of first-degree robbery. The arrest is in connection to an incident on April 1 in the 200 block of 15th St. NE. Court documents state a fight began at the location and Edel assisted with holding down the victim while Gordon stabbed him multiple times in the back. Another victim was also held down and stabbed in the head before being robbed. Both victims were taken to the hospital. Edel and Gordon were booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail $250,000 bond each. A sketch of a steamship sailing through a storm in the East Sea in the late 1880s. Courtesy of Brother Anthony's collection By Robert Neff Throughout the day of April 10, 1860, the two steamships, Remi and Japanese, sailed along the Japanese coast but as darkness began to fall, the ships went their separate ways. Over the next two weeks, the voyage was relatively uneventful. On April 24, the steamship (Remi) passed Tsushima and entered into the strait dividing the Korean peninsula from Japan. Captain Laen was fairly unfamiliar with this area most of his sailing was done along the coast of China and was relying heavily upon his charts, but the charts were incomplete and often inaccurate. Earlier that year, an editorial in the North China Herald (an English-language newspaper published in Shanghai) criticized the British government's inefficient use of the navy to survey the coast of northeastern Russian instead of "having proper surveys made" of other areas essential for new trade and noted the most "pressing importance" was the strait between the Korean peninsula and Japan as it afforded a thoroughfare for shipping to Hokadate and the western Japanese ports. On April 25, the inaccurate charts were not the only problems; a thick fog pushed by a "fresh breeze" caused the captain further concern. Late in the afternoon they passed an island that he supposed was part of an unnamed island group shown on his map. He was now convinced he was "well clear of danger" and set a course to pass just south of the Korean island of Gageo. He was wrong. At about 8:20, while passing an island, the steamer struck a submerged ledge of rocks. Laen ordered the engines reversed but it was to no avail and within forty minutes the vessel was swamped as waves smashed violently into it, driving it further upon the rocks. The ship was beyond saving and the order for the lifeboats to be lowered was given. Within 30 minutes the four boats were lowered but not without difficulty and loss; one was stove in while it was being lowered and another boat began leaking threatening to sink. Fishermen's dwelling in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. Robert Neff Collection Inexplicably, one of the Chinese crewmembers jumped into the sea and swam 300 meters to the rocks near the island, and one of his peers tried to emulate his feat but paid for it with his life. The passengers in the leaky boat managed to make it to the rock and spent the night clinging to it so as not to be swept from their tenuous sanctuary by the waves and swell. The remaining two boats remained in the relative safety of the deeper water and away from the wreck. In the morning the fog lifted and revealed to the survivors (25 crew and 25 Chinese passengers) that the island was much bigger than they had originally thought. They made their way to the rocky beach and salvaged the items that were being washed ashore from the wreck and used sails to make tents. There was, undoubtedly, a great deal of apprehension. They had survived the wreck but many wondered if they would survive an encounter with the Koreans. The Chinese crewmembers and passengers were probably feeling a little more confident than their Western peers as the Chinese were said to be better treated. At the time, it was generally understood (mistakenly) by Westerners that the Koreans killed or enslaved anyone unlucky enough to be cast upon the peninsula despite anecdotal histories of shipwrecked crews, out of Shanghai, being treated well. They soon received their answer. Korean women washing clothes circa 1900-1910. Robert Neff Collection After a short time, several hundred Koreans arrived and prevented them from leaving the rocky shore but, as Captain Laen later recalled, were "otherwise behaving in the most friendly manner, lighting fires for us to dry our clothes by bringing straw and sticks for our tents." Others brought two large jars of warm congee (rice porridge) which they divided amongst the foreigners who, in turn, shared "a hearty meal" made from their salvaged goods but the Koreans preferred the foreign alcohol. For the next couple of days, the castaways salvaged during the day and slept in their tents at night. At no time were they allowed to leave the shore a Korean guard of some fifty men ensured they did not wander. On the fourth day the ship was completely broken up. Due to the weather conditions worsening, the castaways were finally given permission to move their camp farther up the slope and away from the waves. It was a wise precaution. Soon after their move, a gale wind from the east struck bringing with it very heavy rain and high waves had they not moved their camp would probably have been swept away. For the next couple of days the storm raged and all were wet and miserable especially the fifty or so Koreans who guarded them from afar. While waiting for the storm to pass, the castaways repaired the three boats and sorted through their goods collected from the shipwreck. Despite the poor weather, their Korean hosts regularly trudged through the rain and wind to supply the strangers with warm congee. A Korean boat and its passengers circa 1900. Robert Neff Collection CHARLES CITY, Iowa Plea deals have been struck over a violent home invasion in Floyd County. Chriz Paul Richard, 20 of Charles City, has pleaded guilty to attempted third-degree burglary and Booker Dean Wilder-Kapping, 18 of Charles City, has entered a guilty plea to third-degree criminal mischief and assault causing bodily injury. Both were charged with first-degree burglary for an incident on February 6. Authorities say the two men broke into an apartment in the 900 block of 13th Street in Charles City, assaulted someone inside, and stole a safe. Richard has been sentenced to 87 days in Jail, with credit for time served. No sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Wilder-Kapping. MASON CITY, Iowa - A stabbing Sunday night left one person injured and another person in custody. The incident happened at 7:26 p.m. at 324 1st St. SW. Mason City police said a female victim was stabbed in the head and the arms. Her injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening. Police arrested 23-year-old Arissa Ledvina and charged her with felony willful injury. She is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail without bond until she is seen by a magistrate. NORTHWOOD, Iowa A Kensett man is sentenced for a near head-on collision with law enforcement. Derek Kevin Christensen, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of eluding-speed over 25 over the limit and was ordered Monday to pay a $625 fine. Christensen was also given seven days in jail but credit for seven days already served. The Worth County Sheriffs Office says deputies were responding to a domestic abuse call on August 30, 2020, when they saw Christensen approaching at a high rate of speed. The Sheriffs Office says there was a near collision at Killdeer and 410th Street and Christensen then drove through a yard before hitting a patrol car at Killdeer and 430th Street. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Mercedes-Benz Korea's "Life and Mercedes" promotion poster / Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea By Kim Hyun-bin Mercedes-Benz Korea is not only the leader among import carmakers in terms of offering luxurious vehicles, but also leads the accessory and collection business, coming in close contact with customers' lifestyles to fulfill their needs better. Mercedes-Benz Korea is enabling its 41 stores nationwide to sell 4,000 accessories and 1,000 collectible items to customers. A new trend has been rising among customers seeking self-expression through their vehicles, which has led to the popularity of Mercedes-Benz Korea's Accessories & Collection products. To give more to Mercedes-Benz Korea's customers, the company has started the "Life with Mercedes" promotion, and is set to hand out gifts among the purchasers of the brand's Accessories & Collection products. The promotion comes well-suited for summertime, as it aims to provide clients with diverse forms of pleasure when enjoying camping or other outdoor activities. For the promotion, those who purchase 200,000 won or more worth of Accessories & Collection products either online or in offline stores will receive a Mercedes-Benz camping cup set. Those who purchase 400,000 won or more will receive a Mercedes-Benz box for the trunk and a wooden plate, while those who purchase 600,000 won or more will be given the company's mini travel bag. Those who purchase over 1 million won will receive a Mercedes-Benz multi-purpose camping cart as a gift. "Through the Life with Mercedes promotion, we want our clients to take home more benefits," a Mercedes-Benz official said. "We will work to come up with more promotions in the future to be able to get one step closer to our customers." Mercedes-Benz Korea is aiming to fulfill the diversifying needs of customers through offering various Accessories & Collection products. The company plans to unveil convenient and eye-catching accessories and collection items that match its reputation in the local premium vehicle brand market. In addition, to better adapt to consumer trends, Mercedes-Benz has been showcasing diverse collections in collaboration with other brands, and plans to develop diverse product lineups exclusively for the Korean market. Mercedes-Benz Korea has teamed up with the German stroller brand Hartan to launch a premium stroller this month. The newly released baby carriage has gone through the full production monitoring process, including durability and materials tests by TUV Thuringen, Germany's technology inspection association. The product amplifies safety and convenience for both the parent and the baby alike. Collaborating with the Mercedes-Benz design team has embedded the brand with a refined design. The Hartan stroller can be purchased at official Mercedes-Benz Service Center Accessories & Collection shops or through the company's online store. Mercedes-Benz Korea (led by President & CEO Thomas Klein) was founded in January 2003. It offers customers a diverse selection of cutting-edge products and differentiated services at 59 showrooms and 73 service centers across the country. Contributing to Korean society with long-term endeavors aiming to address corporate social responsibility sustainably, Mercedes-Benz Korea, in partnership with Daimler affiliates in Korea and 11 official dealer companies, runs the corporate social responsibility program, Mercedes-Benz Promise. Bourbon teen drowns while swimming in Meramec River A teenager from Bourbon, Missouri drowned while swimming in the Meramec River Sunday night. SULLIVAN, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- Ahead of a busy summer swimming season, new concerns are being raised about the safety of swimming at area lakes and rivers. Euleta and Monte Bergner are grieving the loss of their 17-year-old grandson who died in the Meramec River the evening of May 16. Its pretty awful because its something well never know what happened or what the reason is for God taking him but he took him for a reason at that age, maybe eventually well find out the reason, Monte Bergner said. It was around 6:30 p.m. when family members said Allen Bergner went to the Meramec River in Sullivan with friends. Missouri Highway Patrol said he tried swimming across the river near the boat ramp, got exhausted and eventually drowned. His grandparents said he was known as a good swimmer. That current is terribly strong and theres undertow, its real deep water by those bluffs anyway, you dont really have a chance, Monte Bergner said. According to online records, Bergner is the fourth person to drown in the Meramec River in the last year. The Department of Natural Resources said signage is posted warning visitors of risks, but the Bergners believe patrols near swimming areas are needed. We understand he was under the water for close to 30 minutes and maybe, maybe something could have happened, he could have been saved quicker if there were some type of patrolling in the area, Euleta Bergner said. As the temperatures heat up, drowning is a main concern at lakes and rivers around the bi-state. Sunday afternoon, authorities say an 11-year-old boy drowned in the Big River near Cedar Hill in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Department said the outing for the family initially started as a birthday celebration. As they continue to grieve the loss of their grandson, the Bergners pray sharing their story helps save another life. We hope it will help somebody else over the holidays, summer, Bergner said. Man wanted in Brentwood, University City murders arrested in South Carolina Police identified the suspects as Adrienne Simpson, 34, and Tyler Terry, 26. The Major Case Squad is also investigating whether the two were involved in any other violent crimes while they were in the St. Louis area. CHESTER COUNTY, SC (FOX Carolina and KMOV.com) - The Chester County, South Carolina's Sheriff's Office says that deputies are still searching for Tyler Terry, who is wanted in connection with a fatal shooting and Brentwood in University City. He is also wanted in connection with several other offenses including a murder in York County, South Carolina and two shootings in Chester County, South Carolina. He and Adreinne Simpson, 34, are accused of fatally shooting Dr. Sergei Zacharev in Brentwood and Barbara Goodkin in University City on May 15. Police believe robbery was the motive. Simpson is already in custody. On Monday morning, the sheriff's office tweeted that 300 law enforcement officers from neighboring agencies will continue their search near Highway 99 and Highway 9 in Chester County, South Carolina. Police said Terry is believed to be wearing all black with no shoes. Deputies were pursuing the suspect along Highway 9 near Richburg Road Sunday. They ask anyone in the area to lock their doors, secure their firearms, stay inside and report any suspicious activity. Dodging bullets waiting at the bus stop should not be normal. One city resident says she's seen a recent uptick in gunfire in downtown and the Downtown West neighborhood. Two Easy Ways To Subscribe! The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper. (Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, right, also chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo during the Korea-U.S. Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C., Friday (local time). Courtesy of KCCI President Moon Jae-in listens as President Joe Biden speaks during a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House, Friday, in Washington. AP-Yonhap President Moon Jae-in instructed the government and his Cheong Wa Dae team Monday to take thorough follow-up measures to implement his summit agreement with U.S. President Joe Biden, according to his office. Moon convened a meeting with his Cheong Wa Dae aides and also had a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as scheduled, a day after returning from his visit to the U.S. for the summit talks. Citing deals on economic cooperation, COVID-19 vaccines, the alliance and the Korea peace process, he issued an order for related ministries to let the people know about them in detail and feel the impact of concrete measures, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said in a press statement. Earlier in the day, Moon's Chief of Staff You Young-min had a separate meeting with senior presidential secretaries on following up on the latest summit agreements between the allies. You reported a plan to the president for operating a task force of Cheong Wa Dae as well as an interagency team to discuss ways to work together with the U.S. to implement deals on vaccines and partnerships in high-tech industries such as semiconductors and large capacity batteries, Park said. In order for the establishment of a "global vaccine partnership" with the U.S., as agreed in the Moon-Biden summit held at the White House last Friday, You also proposed the launch of an "experts' working group." In response, the president called for all-out efforts to turn the "better-than-expected" outcome of the summit into "substantive" measures and actions, the spokesperson said. Moon and Biden also reaffirmed the shared goal of achieving the complete denuclearization of Korea. Cheong Wa Dae, meanwhile, attached a special meaning to the summit agreement, saying it has presented the future direction of the alliance between Seoul and Washington. "The summit was highly meaningful" in that it has offered a chance for the two sides to look back on the past 70-year-long strategic alliance and presented ways for development in the future, a senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters on the condition of anonymity. Moon and Biden issued a five-page joint statement with the subtitles of "The Alliance: Opening a New Chapter" and "The Way Forward: Comprehensive Partnership for a Better Future." The official pointed out that the Moon-Biden talks were held at a "historically important time" when both of the allies have liberal administrations for the first time in two decades. Previously, South Korea had the liberal Kim Dae-jung administration when Bill Clinton was U.S. president. Regarding the Korean Peninsula issue, the Cheong Wa Dae official struck an upbeat note on the possibility of denuclearization talks with North Korea being resumed. The U.S. appointment of Sung Kim, ambassador to Indonesia, as special envoy on North Korea is seen as reflecting South Korea's position that dialogue with Pyongyang needs to be restarted at an early date, he added. Biden made the announcement during a joint press conference right after the summit with Moon. Their agreements on civil space exploration, including the accord to terminate the 42-year-old bilateral missile guidelines, represent the expansion and deepening of the alliance, he added. Moon and Biden also agreed to cooperate toward South Korea signing the Artemis Accords on a U.S.-led program, joined by several nations, to return humans to the moon by 2024. (Yonhap) By Yang Moo-jin Last week in Washington, D.C, leaders of both the Republic of Korea and the United States reaffirmed the rock-solid cooperation between the two countries. I hope the summit will be the gateway to restart the US-North Korea dialogue to make progress for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Along with the Korean Peninsula peace initiative, North Korean human rights issues are something that should not be overlooked. The U.S. State Department announced that the U.S. will deal with North Korea's nuclear weapons and human rights issue together. Since Biden's diplomacy and national security policy centers around human rights and democratic values, this is not a surprise. However, from the point of view of Korea, a country directly involved with Korean Peninsula issues, we are tasked with having to get the U.S. to resolve denuclearization and human rights through a diplomatic and pragmatic approach. There are three things that the Korean government can suggest to the U.S. First, the government should persuade the U.S. that humanitarian cooperation to improve access to the minimum needs of North Korean citizens is the way to promote human rights in the North practically. One of the recent developments related to the human rights debate in the international community is to expand the scope of human rights beyond the right to freedom to economic and social rights. The human right to be free from pain and starvation, to have access to drinkable water and other basics should be considered a necessity for vulnerable people including infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the United Nations have suggested can be one of the ways for humanitarian cooperation. North Korea is also positive about implementing the SDGs. Why don't we suggest the U.S. government carry out trilateral humanitarian cooperation between it and the two Koreas. The healthcare cooperation that the North Korean leadership is interested in can be one of the ways to start cooperation. The practical alternative is to start with what we can do and implement measures that would contribute to a pragmatic improvement of the human rights situation in North Korea through cooperation, and this will also contribute to expanding room for engagement. Second, the government should persuade the U.S. that connecting North Korean human rights and denuclearization negotiations is not the right approach. In 2016, the Obama administration connected these with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution and North Korean Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act to impose sanctions for North Korea's human rights violations. However, human rights and humanitarianism are important values and principles that the United Nations pursue along with international peace and security. These values should be respected in and of themselves, and adding conditions to these values can be contradictory. It is time for us to suggest to the U.S. that we should build confidence with North Korea through humanitarian cooperation to improve North Korean human rights regardless of the situation on the Korean Peninsula. If we can improve the North Korean people's humanitarian situation, they will be able to build self-reliance and capacity, which will be an important catalyst for peace on the peninsula. Lastly, the government should continue to persuade the U.S. that actual improvement in North Korea's human rights can only happen if there is peace on the Korean Peninsula. Peace is a prerequisite for human rights, and if there is no peace, an individual cannot enjoy their rights. In addition, the government can highlight the importance of delicate messaging during the process of negotiations for denuclearization to ensure human rights issues will not negatively influence this. If the U.S. continues to point out North Korean human rights as a way of "naming and shaming," the North Korean regime can use this as a justification to reject talks or use it in their favor under the current Sino-U.S. relations. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for flexible implementation of sanctions to overcome North Korean citizens' humanitarian crisis was raised in the United Nations and the U.S. Congress last year. The easiest way to communicate in the international community is to help each other in times of difficulty based on humanitarian principles. I hope cooperation that does not stop regardless of the situation will rebuild broken promises and open doors for dialogue. With the hope of restarting the Korean Peninsula peace process from the basis of humanitarian cooperation, it is time to wait and see if the government will wisely mediate the situation. Yang Moo-jin (yangmj@kyungnam.ac.kr) is a professor at the University of North Korean Studies and vice chairman of the Korean Association of North Korean Studies. He is also a standing committee member of the National Unification Advisory Council and policy consultant at the Ministry of Unification. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. South Africa: DWS to oppose court application on deployment of Cuban engineers The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says it will oppose a court application brought by trade union Solidarity, as a way to force it to reverse its decision to second Cuban engineers in the country. In a statement, the department confirmed that it has received the court papers brought forward to the Gauteng High Court by the trade union, and will work within the confines of the law regarding the deployment of the Cuban engineers. The department said it has met with Solidarity during a frank and robust virtual meeting on 10 May 2021, where a number of clarity seeking questions were raised by the trade union and eloquently addressed by the department. One of the key questions raised related to the registration provisions of the Engineering Profession Act (EPA). In this instance, the department can state that it is aware of the registration provisions of the EPA and notes that the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) has not yet made it compulsory for engineering professionals to register with the Council. Therefore, there was no need to ensure compliance with the Act in so far as it relates to the secondment of the Cuban engineers in South Africa. Moreover, the department is aware that Cuba is not presently a member of the International Engineering Alliance (IEA). However, the IEA was not meant to discredit the academic qualifications of institutions in countries that are not members of the IEA. Cuban engineering qualifications are not deemed to be inferior and irrelevant, department spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau said. Adding to this, Ratau confirmed that the department has consulted with ECSA and was advised on the process that can be followed, and the support that can be given to the department regarding the submission of applications for professional registration by the Cuban engineers. ECSA was actually invited to join the department to travel to Havana to recruit the current cohort (which is not the first) of the Cuban engineers. The department can also confirm that the qualifications of the engineers were translated into English and submitted to South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), which approved and certified the qualifications as equivalent to engineering qualifications in South Africa, Ratau said. Subsequent to this, Ratau added that a submission and approval of the engineers qualifications was completed prior to their arrival in South Africa and their appointment in the department. Cuban engineers work is very minimal The department has reiterated that the input of the Cuban engineers in the work of the department is very minimal, and only a fraction of the technical engineering work implemented by the department. Their presence is meant to support and complement the technical engineering work in the department. Therefore, the provisions of the EPA and ECSA do not prohibit the use of foreign engineers by entities and government departments in South Africa. The department also confirmed that it will continue to work within the confines of the law to ensure that issues raised relating to the matter are addressed and resolved amicably. Ratau noted that such exchanges with foreign countries are not unique to the relation between South Africa and Cuba, but form part of the broad foreign policy of the government that guides the countrys actions and activities on the global stage. South Africa is a member of the international community and has relations with a whole host of countries including international/government-to-government agreements. Such agreements would also include similar exchanges not just in the field of water but in many other fields within government, Ratau said. As an interested party, he said Solidarity does have the right to seek the kind of recourse they deem fit, but as a department, we believe that we have addressed the matters raised adequately. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi will appear in court in person on Monday to face a charge of "incitement to sedition." The sedition charge is the most serious she faces, but she is also accused of violating a state secrets law and breaking coronavirus containment measures. Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since a coup at the beginning of February and has not been seen in public since. Her lawyers are hoping to finally have access to the 75-year-old. While Suu Kyi has answered questions in court by video link over recent weeks, her lawyers have been unable to meet her in person. A special courtroom had been set up for the hearing in the capital Naypyidaw, not far from Suu Kyi's home, her lawyer Min Min Soe told DPA. In an interview published on Saturday by Chinese-language broadcaster Phoenix, Myanmar's military ruler, Min Aung Hlaing, said Suu Kyi was in good health. Nationwide protests against the coup have been met with fierce army reprisals that left hundreds of people dead. In the interview, the junta chief claimed the media had vastly overstated the number of dead, putting it at "around 300." According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, at least 812 people have been killed so far, while more than 5,300 have been detained. (DPA) HELENA, Mont. - Memorial Weekend is the unofficial start to summer in Montana and as boaters venture out to our rivers and lakes, Fish Wildlife & Parks asks you to keep in mind the rules aimed at protecting our waters and preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species. All boats must stop at all open watercraft inspection stations they encounter. Failure to stop at inspection stations could result in a fine of up to $500. All watercraft coming into Montana from out of state must seek out an inspection prior to launching. Non-residents transporting watercraft into Montana must purchase a Vessel AIS Prevention Pass before launching. The fee is $30 for motorized and $10 for nonmotorized watercraft. The pass is valid until Dec. 31. All watercraft travelling west across the Continental Divide must be inspected. All watercraft launching anywhere within the Flathead Basin that were last launched on waters outside of the Flathead Basin must be inspected. Watercraft leaving Tiber Reservoir must be inspected at an FWP decontamination station. Montana FWP and partner agencies operate more than 25 road-side watercraft inspection stations across the state. Typically, boat inspections are brief and include a short interview and check to make sure watercraft are not transporting mud, water, plants or invasive organisms. Larger or more complex boats may require additional time for an inspection. FWP says watercraft owners can make their inspection quick and easy if they consistently practice Clean, Drain and Dry every time they leave an access area: Clean all mud and debris from the watercraft and trailer. Pull drain plugs and make sure all compartments, bilges, ballasts and livewells are drained. Allow time for watercraft and gear to dry before the next trip. FWP inspectors and enforcement staff are working to make sure everyone knows the AIS rules and has a safe and fun time on the water. To find a watercraft inspection station or to learn more, go to CleanDrainDryMT.com or call the FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau at 406-444-2440. COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho, - Today the woman accused of her murdering her husband and claiming he drowned in Lake Coeur d'Alene will be sentenced. Back in February, Lori Isenberg entered an alford plea -- acknowledging there could be enough evidence to convict if the case went to trial. Isenberg originally claimed Larry fell overboard while they were on a boat in Lake Coeur d'Alene in February 2018. Larry was presumed drowned, but an autopsy later showed his cause of death was actually a lethal amount of Benadryl. KHQ obtained court documents indicating that was not the first time Isenberg allegedly attempted to poison her husband, also attempting to do so in Florida. Lori Isenberg stands silent in court, judge enters not guilty plea In 2019, Isenberg pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the North Idaho Housing Coalition, where she once worked. Four of her daughters also pleaded guilty for receiving embezzled funds. Each of them received three years of probation, along with 100 hours of community service, and repayment of the embezzled money. Isenberg was sentenced to five years in prison on those charges. Rescuers work by the wreckage of a cable car after it collapsed near the summit of the Stresa-Mottarone line in the Piedmont region, northern Italy, May 23. AP-Yonhap A cable car taking visitors to a mountaintop view of some of northern Italy's most picturesque lakes plummeted to the ground Sunday and then tumbled down the slope, killing 14 people. A young child was hospitalized in serious condition with broken bones, authorities said. Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino said it appeared that a cable broke, sending the car careening until it hit a pylon and then fell to the ground. At that point, the car overturned ''two or three times before hitting some trees,'' she said. Some of those who died were thrown from the cabin. The Italian government announced a commission to investigate the disaster, which is likely to renew questions about the quality and safety of Italy's transport infrastructure. Images from the site showed the crumpled car in a clearing of a thick patch of pine trees near the summit of the Mottarone peak overlooking Lake Maggiore. The car was believed to have fallen around 15 meters (50 feet), according to Italian media. ''It was a terrible, terrible scene," Severino told Italy's SkyTG24. The plunge on the Stresa-Mottarone line happened about 100 meters (yards) before the final pylon, said Walter Milan, spokesman for Italy's Alpine rescue service. By Sunday evening, the death toll had risen to 14 dead after one of two children taken to Turin's Regina Margherita children's hospital died. The child died after several attempts to restart his heart failed and ''there was nothing more we could do,'' said hospital spokesman Pier Paolo Berra. The other young child, who arrived at the hospital conscious, remained in serious condition, authorities said. Milan noted that the cable line had been renovated in 2016 and had only recently reopened after coronavirus lockdowns in Italy curtailed travel and forced the suspension of many leisure activities. Milan suggested many families may have flocked to the mountain on a sunny Sunday after months of restrictions. The line is popular with tourists and locals alike to scale Mottarone, which reaches a height of 1,491 meters (4,900 feet) and overlooks several picturesque lakes and the surrounding Alps of Italy's Piedmont region. The mountain hosts a small amusement park, Alpyland, that has a children's rollercoaster, and the area also has mountain bike paths and hiking trails. Premier Mario Draghi offered his condolences to the families of the victims ''with a particular thought about the seriously injured children and their families.'' Sunday's tragedy appeared to be Italy's worst cable car disaster since 1998 when a low-flying U.S. military jet cut through the cable of a ski lift in Cavalese, in the Dolomites, killing 20 people. Italy's transport minister, Enrico Giovannini, announced a commission to look into the tragedy and said he had already requested data on the maintenance work and inspections done on the line in the past. He planned to visit the site Monday. While the cause hasn't been determined, the disaster was likely to raise questions about Italy's transport infrastructure. In 2018, the Morandi bridge in Genoa collapsed after years of neglect, killing 43 people. In 2009, a freight train carrying gas derailed at the Viareggio station, near Lucca, and exploded, killing 32 people. Poorly maintained axels of the train were blamed. President Sergio Mattarella, in offering his condolences, called for the ''rigorous respect of all security norms'' in transportation. (AP) HELENA, Mont. - Watercraft inspectors in Montana found and intercepted 21 mussel-fouled boats this year so far. According to a press release, the latest boat was stopped at the Broadus watercraft inspection station on Wednesday, May 19. Inspectors say they found dry and dead mussels on a commercially hauled outboard motorboat from Ohio that was destined for Washington state. On May 18, an outboard motorboat from Lake Michigan was intercepted at the Wibaux inspection station. The boat owner had recently purchased the used boat and intended to launch in Washington state the next day. Inspectors conducted a hot water decontamination on each boat before releasing them and notifying officials in Idaho and Washington. When boat owners follow the practice of Clean-Drain-Dry they can prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Invasive zebra and quagga mussels can be transported on boats in the adult or larvae life stage. Adult mussels have hairs called byssall threads that allow them to attach to the hulls and motors underwater. Adult mussels can survive out of water for 30 days. However, microscopic mussel larvae can float unseen in water found in bilges, ballast tanks and live wells. Boaters must stop at all watercraft inspections stations they encounter. All watercraft (motorized and non-motorized) coming into Montana from out of state must be inspected. This includes Montana residents returning from a fishing or boating excursion out of state. Failure to stop at inspection stations could result in a fine of up to $500. You can learn more at CleanDrainDryMT.com or call the FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau at 406-444-2440. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have sent wedding invitations to family and friends for July 30, 2022, the Sun reported on Sunday. Details of the couple's wedding destination remains a closely guarded secret, according to The Sun. In February 2020, Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds said they were engaged to be married. Johnson, 56, and Symonds, 33, have been living together in Downing Street since Johnson became prime minister in 2019. They share a son named Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, born last year. Johnson, known for his rumpled appearance and flamboyant oratory, was previously married to Marina Wheeler, and they had four children together. They announced in September 2018 that they had separated and would divorce after 25 years of marriage. Johnson was also married once before Wheeler to Allegra Mostyn-Owen, and Symonds will be his third wife. (Reuters) A leader of the Black Lives Matter in Britain is in critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head in the early hours of Sunday, according to her political party, Taking The Initiative Party. The attack on Sasha Johnson, 27, happened "following numerous death threats as a result of her activism," the party said on Instagram. However, London police stressed early Monday morning that there was nothing to suggest that the woman was the subject of a targeted attack or had received any credible threats before the incident. The mother of two had helped organize protests against systemic racism in Britain in summer 2020. Police said that there had been a party going on near where the shooting had taken place in south London. They called on eyewitnesses to come forward with any information about the incident early Sunday. (DPA) ROME, MAY 24 - A 23-year-old Italian man was stabbed to death in a Rome street after a squabble over a girl Sunday night. The victim was repeatedly stabbed in the chest and abdomen and died in hospital. The knife-wielder, also 23, was born in Amsterdam and had a criminal record, police said. The pair were arguing over a girl in the San Lorenzo district, one of the hotbeds of Rome's bohemian night scene. The Dutch-born man has been arrested. (ANSA). PISA, MAY 24 - An 11-year-old Italian accidentally shot himself in the head and died near Pisa at the weekend. It is not clear how the boy got hold of his Carabiniere father's service revolver, which the man said was stored safely away from anyone's access. The boy was described as happy and level-headed, and was reportedly doing very well in school. Police have not completely ruled out a suicide, however. The shot entered his right temple and killed him instantly. (ANSA). World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a bilateral meeting with Swiss Interior and Health Minister Alain Berset on the sidelines of the opening of the 74th World Health Assembly at the WHO headquarters, in Geneva, Switzerland May 24. Reuters-Yonhap At least 115,000 health and care workers have died from Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, the WHO chief said Monday, calling for a dramatic scale-up of vaccination in all countries. At the opening of the World Health Organization's main annual assembly, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the sacrifices made by health workers around the world to battle the pandemic. "For almost 18 months, health and care workers all over the world have stood in the breach between life and death," he said. "They have saved countless lives and fought for others who, despite their best efforts, slipped away. "Many have themselves become infected, and while reporting is scant, we estimate that at least 115,000 health and care workers have paid the ultimate price in the service of others." He said many health workers have since the start of the crisis felt "frustrated, helpless and unprotected, with a lack of access to personal protective equipment and vaccines." And they are not alone. He described the overall inequity in access to vaccines as "scandalous", warning it was "perpetuating the pandemic." More than 75 percent of all Covid-19 vaccines have gone to just 10 countries. "The number of doses administered globally so far would have been enough to cover all health workers and older people if they had been distributed equitably," he said. "There is no diplomatic way to say it: that small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the world's vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world." He urged those countries that have large stocks of vaccines to share them, and greater cooperation to scale up production and distribution of the jabs. The WHO and others have created Covax, a global vaccine-sharing program, but it remains severely underfunded and has faced significant supply shortages, delaying efforts to roll out jabs in poorer countries. "We have shipped every single one of the 72 million doses we have been able to get our hands on so far to 125 countries and economies," Tedros said. But he lamented that those doses were only enough to barely cover one percent of the combined populations in those countries. The WHO chief stressed the need to urgently fix the imbalance. "Today, I'm calling on member states to support a massive push to vaccinate at least 10 percent of the population of every country by September," he said, calling for the coverage to be expanded to 30 percent by the end of the year. (AFP) ROME, MAY 24 - The emergency braking system failed on the cable car in Piedmont that plunged to the ground on Sunday, killing 14 people, Olimpia Bossi, the chief prosecutor of the city of Verbania, told reporters on Monday. It seems that the brakes should have held the car steady after one of the cables broke. Instead the car seems to have slid back until it hit a pylon and then plunged to the ground. The cable car, which had a maximum capacity of 35, connected the Lake Maggiore resort of Stresa to the summit of the Mottarone mountain at some 1,500 metres above sea level. Stresa declared Monday a day of mourning in the town. Five families have been destroyed by the disaster. The only survivor, a five-year-old boy, is fighting for his life in hospital. Three of the five families were resident in Lombardy, including one of Israeli origin, while one was from Emilia Romagna and one from Calabria . The victims of Israeli origin were a married couple and their two-year-old child, who died along with an elderly couple, the woman's grandparents. Their five-year-old son is the survivor. The boy's aunt said Monday that she found out about the disaster when she started receiving Whatsapp messages containing condolences and, at first, she did not understand why. A five-year-old Italian child and his parents also died. The other victims were three couples. A probe into culpable homicide and culpable disaster has been opened. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Enrico Giovannini said it was a day of "great sadness" for the whole nation after holding a meeting on the disaster with Civil Protection Chief Fabrizio Curcio, Piedmont Governor Alberto Cirio and Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino. (ANSA). Joseph officials to name names, recommend punishment Investigation of city councilors harassing staff comes to a head Thursday, May 27, during emergency meeting Voters to decide whether health care is a right in Oregon The History Channels American Pickers may be filming footage in the area this July. The hit docuseries that explores the world of antique picking follows skilled pickers as they hunt for Americas most valuable antiques. As they search for sizable, unique collections, the show highlights the interesting stories behind them. Hitting the back roads from coast to coast, the Pickers seek to recycle and rescue forgotten relics, meeting interesting characters along the way. The show plans to film episodes in Wisconsin in July, and its producers are seeking leads on large, private collections of antiques. The Pickers want to spend the better part of the day looking through these hidden treasurers. The Pickers only consider private collections, no stores, malls, markets, museums, auctions, businesses or anything else open to the public. In a statement, show producers Cineflix address the COVID-19 pandemic. Jake Scholl was eager to gather with other fruit growers after a year of pandemic restrictions, so he invited producers to his farm. Scholl hosted a twilight grower meeting on May 12 at Scholl Orchards in Kempton, Pennsylvania. Penn State Extension normally hosts spring meetings at orchards around the state, giving growers a chance to see how other operations work. Those programs were switched to a virtual format this year, but Scholl and some of his grower friends still wanted to meet face to face. People were happy to just socialize, Scholl said. A lot of us hadnt seen each other in quite a while. Industry speakers focused on strategies for chemical thinning, an important but complicated task that is affected by many variables. Scholl said he and many other growers overthinned last spring, but this years crop looks promising so far, with negligible cold-weather damage. About 75 people from across eastern Pennsylvania attended the meeting, and Scholl is already thinking about organizing more grower events. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that outdoor gatherings like Scholls pose less risk of spreading COVID-19 than indoor events do. Unless restricted by local laws, fully vaccinated people can participate in daily activities without a mask or physical distancing, the agency says. LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 7, 2021, Westcore Europe together with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-based strategic partner, 3S Capital, finalized its purchase of the Bretby Business Park in Bretby, UK for 23.5 million (~ $32.7 million US). Located on Ashby Road in Burton upon Trent, DE15 0YZ in the Midlands, the property comprises a total leasable space of 324,000 square feet situated in 23 buildings across the business park. There are also 864 parking spaces on the 30.76-acre site. This transaction demonstrates Westcore Europe's unique ability source attractive assets and access a wide base of capital, allowing it to act quickly when opportunities arise. Since its development in the late 1960s, the site has served as a research and development facility for the National Coal Board, the predecessor to the British Coal Corporation. The property was subsequently redeveloped for multi-tenant use by several prominent locally-based companies, which have operated on site in the pharmaceutical and laboratory testing sectors since the mid-1990s. Two of those companies, Socotec and Surepharm Services, are still located at Bretby Business Park. More recently, Hi-Tech Fabrication, a manufacturer and designer of specialty metal components, has joined the lineup of tenants in the business park. Alongside these major tenants are 57 other companies doing business at Bretby Business Park, in a wide variety of sectors. The property was owned by TIAA Henderson Real Estate until 2015, when it was sold to the investment group who ultimately sold it to the Westcore Europe - 3S Capital JV. Westcore Europe plans to upgrade the business park, selectively refurbish and re-let vacant units, while pursuing development angles across the site. Marc Brutten, Founder and Chairman of Westcore Europe, states, "This asset offers a high-quality income stream from the existing tenants, most of whom have operated at Bretby for at least 15 years. It also provides several opportunities to improve the business park over time, and provide existing and new tenants with the space to fit their needs." Bretby Business Park is located 0.8 miles east of Burton upon Trent, along the A511 trunk road to the M1 motorway, in the South Derbyshire district of the Midlands. With frontage on the A511, the property offers easy access to the M1, M42 and M6 motorways, making Bretby an excellent strategic location for businesses. Among the major occupiers in the area are Amazon, Palletforce, Molson/Coors, B&Q, Argos, Boots, Clipper Logistics, and TNT/FedEx. About Westcore Europe Westcore Europe, an affiliate of Westcore Properties Group, is a real estate investor-manager with a specialization in multi-tenant industrial, retail, and office properties. Globally, the company has over 2 billion (~ $2.4 billion US) in assets under management, 500 million (~ $604 million US) of which is located in Europe. Westcore Europe has a consistent record of delivering high risk-adjusted investment returns to investors through effective asset management and operating strategies. Its clients include opportunity funds, real estate investment trusts, family offices, and high net worth individuals. Westcore Europe operates from four offices in London, Geneva, Berlin, and Vienna. In 2018, Westcore Europe procured its new London headquarters at 42 St. James's Place, located 0.3 kilometer/0.2 mile from Green Park and 0.6 kilometer/0.4 mile from Piccadilly Circus. For more information, visit http://www.westcore.eu/. Contact: Beth Binger BCIpr.com beth.binger@BCIpr.com + 1 619 987 6658 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1515654/Bretby_Business_Park_in_Bretby_UK.jpg Washington, May 22: The US space agency has announced its first mobile robot to the Moon in late 2023 in search of ice and other resources on and below the lunar surface. As part of the Artemis programme, data from the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) would help the scientists map resources at the lunar South Pole that could one day be harvested for long-term human exploration at the Moon, the agency said in a statement late on Friday. Mars May Be Hiding Most of Its Missing' Water Underground: NASA-Funded Study "The data received from VIPER has the potential to aid our scientists in determining precise locations and concentrations of ice on the Moon and will help us evaluate the environment and potential resources at the lunar south pole in preparation for Artemis astronauts," said Lori Glaze, director for NASA's Planetary Science Division at the agency's headquarters in Washington, DC. "This is yet another example of how robotic science missions and human exploration go hand in hand, and why both are necessary as we prepare to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon," Glaze added. The rover will explore lunar craters using a specialised set of wheels and suspension system to cover a variety of inclines and soil types. T he rover's design significantly enhances upon a former robotic concept to prospect the Moon called Resource Prospector, which NASA canceled in early 2018. Since then, the VIPER mission duration was extended from one to three lunar days (100 Earth days). VIPER has evolved to increase its science capabilities, enabling more data collection at the lunar surface, NASA said. Running on solar power, VIPER will need to quickly manoeuvre around the extreme swings in light and dark at the lunar South Pole. "VIPER will be the most capable robot NASA has ever sent to the lunar surface and allow us to explore parts of the Moon we've never seen" said Sarah Noble, programme scientist for VIPER at NASA Headquarters. Throughout the Artemis programme, NASA will send robots and humans to explore more of the Moon than ever before. When astronauts return to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, they will follow in VIPER's wheel prints and land at the lunar South Pole. "That mission will include landing the first woman on the Moon. She will be one of two crew members paving the way for sustainable lunar exploration missions with crew," NASA said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2021 12:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). A beach party that has gone viral in TikTok gathered thousands of attendees in Southern California. Nearly 150 partygoers were arrested by the authorities for "unlawful assembly." The said event stemmed from a now-deleted video invitation on social media app TikTok that has gone viral, and the wave of partygoers arrived on Saturday evening. It can be remembered that earlier in May, the police also intervened at Chris Brown's birthday party in California, specifically in Tarzana, but lead to no arrest because everyone at Brown's party was cooperative. READ NEXT: 150 Arrested as Spring Break Crowds Flock to Miami Beach A Wave of People Gathered on a TikTok Viral Beach Party in California The gathering initially started as a meet-up called "Adrian's Kickback" in Huntington Beach. The viral TikTok invitation with at least 203 million views prompted two assemblies on a separate night that caused police to disperse the crowds on both nights, NBC News reported. (1 of 2) We are actively monitoring multiple social media posts advertising a large gathering on the beach this weekend. The safety & well-being of our residents, visitors, businesses & motorists is paramount, which is why the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD)... Huntington Beach PD (@HBPD_PIO) May 21, 2021 (2 of 2) ...is taking significant steps to prepare for the potential influx of visitors, including working closely with our regional public safety partners. Toward that end, the HBPD will also be strictly enforcing all applicable laws & ordinances throughout the weekend. Huntington Beach PD (@HBPD_PIO) May 21, 2021 As is the case with ALL large gatherings in #HuntingtonBeach, we have taken steps to prepare for a potential increase in visitors this weekend due to a promoted gathering that has received significant interest on social media. Some friendly reminders for those planning to visit: pic.twitter.com/9ZYXd4oU72 Huntington Beach PD (@HBPD_PIO) May 22, 2021 In a tweet, Huntington Police Department said they are "actively monitoring" a social media post that promoted a large gathering. Because of this, the Department enforced "all applicable laws and ordinances." Huntington Beach Police Department also reminded those who wanted to visit that alcohol, drugs, and fireworks were banned in the area. Lt. Brian Smith confirmed with Associated Press that at least 400 people showed up on Friday for a pre-party celebration around a lifeguard tower. The authorities declared an unlawful assembly and scattered the attendees when the partygoers lit fireworks near the fire pits. However, on the next day, the authorities estimated at least 2,500 people gathered at the beach before moving to the downtown area. Reports said that there were also attendees who flew to California to attend the event. Due to the fistfight and other unlawful acts the attendees showed and posted on social media, the authorities ordered the crowd to disperse and issued an overnight curfew. Associated Press underscored that some partygoers threw bottles, rocks, and even fireworks at the officers. Approximately 150 officers were deployed to handle the crowd, and they were able to disperse them after the fireworks were used. Nearly 150 Arrested in the TikTok Viral California Beach Party At least 121 adults and 28 juveniles were arrested by the authorities during the event. Several downtown businesses, police vehicles, and a lifeguard tower were damaged due to the event. Spokeswoman Jennifer Carrey confirmed that the arrested individuals during the TikTok viral California beach party faced several legal charges, including the firing of dangerous and illegal fireworks, failure to disperse, curfew violations, and vandalism. No injuries were reported in the incident, but paramedics were reported to be on the scene to deal with medical emergencies just in case. Meanwhile, due to the unlawful assembly, the officers declared a curfew effective May 22 at 11:30 in the evening through 5 in the morning of May 23. The said curfew was effective for all individuals within the downtown area. READ MORE: California Police Declare Unlawful Assembly Following White Lives Matter Protest WATCH: TikTok Party Gets Out of Control - from ONSCENE TV Republican Sen. Rand Paul said he will not get his COVID-19 vaccine because he had already contracted COVID-19 earlier, adding that he believes he now has a "natural immunity." Paul was one of the senators who tested positive for COVID-19 last March. He told on his WABC 770 AM interview that it is his personal decision to opt-out of getting the vaccine, according to a Fox News report. The Republican senator said that unless there is evidence that the vaccine is more effective than having survived the virus, he will not be getting his dose of vaccine. Paul said that getting the vaccine should be a personal choice. The senator was known to have a tirade with the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, at Senate hearings for mask-wearing and the origin of the virus. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has encouraged people who have had COVID to get a vaccine as experts are not certain how long an individual is protected against COVID-19 after recovering. The CDC said that it is possible to be infected once again after being infected with the virus, although the chances are slim, according to a New York Post report. READ MORE: COVID Vaccine Booster Shots Will Be Free, Says Biden Health Official Paul Clashes With Fauci Paul had attacked Fauci last November, telling the infectious disease expert that he "tends to gloss over the science." This changed when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has supported Fauci and publicly encouraged Americans to take the vaccine, according to a Business Insider report. Paul had said one time that people who had contracted COVID-19 and recovered did not need to wear masks. He added that people should be told to scrap the masks and go to restaurants and live again, as they are already immune. COVID-19 Vaccine in The U.S. The CDC had reported that 61.1 percent of adults have already received at least one vaccination dose, while 49.1 percent of the adult population is already fully vaccinated. Weeks ago, the U.S. had started using the vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech to vaccinate young adolescents against COVID-19. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday had authorized the vaccine for children 12 to 15, according to a Reuters report. During the trial evidence, it showed that no one in the age group who received the vaccine got infected with COVID-19. In addition, there were no severe allergic reactions. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the move will allow vaccination to about 17 million adolescents, adding that the agency officially recommends the vaccine. Fauci said that the variants are all the more reason to get vaccinated. Major vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Sputnik, and AstraZeneca had shown promising effectiveness against the British variant, also known as B.1.1.7. Clinical trial data from J&J and AstraZeneca also showed that they are highly effective against both preventing infection and serious illness in areas where B.1.1.7 is widespread. Currently, the South African and Brazilian variants are causing the most concern, according to The New York Times report. The two variants were reported to be better at curbing the vaccine antibodies as compared to other variants. READ NEXT: Pfizer's COVID-19 Pill Could Be Available This Year: Report WATCH: Rand Paul Says He's Refusing Vaccination Because He Already Had COVID - from News Today BTS and their comeback song "Butter" have been a hot topic among fans that it resulted in hundreds of millions of tweets on Twitter! Tweets Related to BTS and Their New Single "Butter" Surpass 300 Million Worldwide On May 24, news outlets reported that the number of tweets related to the group BTS and their new English-language single "Butter" has exceeded 300 million around the world. This figure is an aggregate amount for about a month from April 24 to May 23, including the teasing period for the release of "Butter," which started on May 10. After BTS "Butter" was dropped on May 21 at 1 p.m. KST, the number of related tweets reached 31 million in only a day. On that day, the time when BTS and "Butter" were the most-tweeted was from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., recording five million tweets in just an hour. ALSO READ: BTS Scores Four Wins at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards As of May 21, the most tweets occurred in different countries around the world, such as Korea, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, Thailand, India, and Peru. Immediately after BTS's "Butter" was launched, multiple hashtags in connection with the K-pop boy group and their comeback song, including "#BTS_Butter," "#BTS," "#BTSBackWithButter," "#BTSArmy," and "#SmoothLikeButter" have all risen to the top of the global trend on Twitter, proving BTS's worldwide popularity. Meanwhile, Twitter has provided a special emoji to celebrate the release of BTS's new English-language single "Butter." From April 28, if fans would use the hashtag "#BTS_Butter" when writing a post on the platform, a heart-shaped yellow butter logo symbolizing BTS's "Butter" will automatically be applied to the tweet. And if the hashtags "#BTS" and "#BTSARMY" will be used, a yellow-colored BTS logo will be included. Yes, we heard your voice ARMY #BTS_Butter all over the world Thanks for your love and support #Got_ARMY_Behind_Us#SmoothLikeButter pic.twitter.com/2xQMUYW0IM BTS_official (@bts_bighit) May 24, 2021 Previously, Twitter has already launched special emojis for the release of BTS's "Butter." On the day of release, an emoji in the shape of a melting butter was surprisingly applied for the hashtag "#SmoothLikeButter." And as for the hashtag "#Got_ARMY_Behind_Us," which expresses gratitude to ARMY (BTS's fan club), a BTS logo emoji appeared. In addition, the Twitter account "Twitter Music Account" congratulated BTS on their new release by changing the account name to "Twitter Music is listening to Butter." Kim Yeon Jeong, the managing director of Twitter's Global K-pop and K-Content Partnership, stated, "ARMY around the world generated a record of 300 million tweets in a month in the process of supporting the release of BTS's "Butter." He added, "We will do our best to connect K-pop artists and their fans so that they can communicate more closely in the future." BTS-Related Tweets during the 2021 Billboard Music Awards Surpass 10 Million Apart from the 300 million tweets generated from April 24 to May 23, BTS has also recorded millions of tweets today, May 24, during the 2021 Billboard Music Awards. During the three-hour awards ceremony, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. KST, the number of tweets in relation to BTS reached 14.4 million. Watch BTS's first performance of "Butter" during the BBMAs below! For more news updates about other K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here at Kpopstarz. Owned by Kpopstarz. Written by Mhaliya Scott Some teens stood up and expressed their support for COVID-19 shots despite their anti-vaxxer parents and family members' efforts to discourage them from taking one. The teens' messages come as the federal government also exerted effort to utilize social media in addressing the vaccine hesitancy among Americans. READ NEXT: FDA to Authorize Pfizer's COVID Vaccine on 12-15-Year-Olds by Early Next Week Teens Promote COVID-19 Shots Despite Their Anti-Vaccination Parents Ethan Lindenberger, Kelly Danielpour, and Arin Parsa addressed the vaccine hesitancy of some teens that stemmed from their anti-vaxxer parents. In an interview with NBC News, Lindenberger said that taking the COVID-19 vaccines "could save someone's life," but also emphasized that having a heart-to-heart talk with their anti-vaccination parents is important. Lindenberger noted that several teenagers face dilemmas that getting a vaccine could get them homeless, and weighing those consequences should be done seriously. Lindenberger said he heard cases wherein teens are eager to get the vaccines even though their anti-vaccination parents stopped them. "Don't get yourself kicked out or seriously in trouble," said Lindenberger as he encouraged teens to have a heart-to-heart conversation with their anti-vaccination parents before getting the shots as soon as possible. Lindenberger got his first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine three weeks ago. Kelly Danielpour, who founded VaxTeen, said she was inspired by teens on Reddit, who wanted to be vaccinated despite their parents' anti-vaccinated beliefs, to start a group intended for her peers specifically. Danielpour believed that "arming the teenagers with information and resources" they can use when conversing with their anti-vaxxer parents is necessary, which has worked in some cases. Danielpour cited a teenager who used the information available in VaxTeen to get a COVID-19 vaccine. "It's an issue of access, as well as consent," as Danielpour described the predicament teenagers are facing with their anti-vaccination parents. The VaxTeen founder already received Moderna shots. "People don't often realize that lack of teen rights for immunizations is not only for a public health issue but is a severe mental health issue for many," said Arin Parsa, 13 years old and the founder of Teens for Vaccines advocacy group. Parsa's advocacy group is helping many teens "who face vaccine hesitancy" and "extreme" anti-vaxxer views from the families. NBC News cited a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Vaccine Monitor revealed nearly a quarter of anti-vaccination parents would not allow their teenagers to be vaccinated from the survey respondents. Nearly all states require parental consent when administering COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 12 to 15. However, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Oregon have different mandates regarding parental consent. Effects of Anti-Vaxxer Campaigns Medical News Today noted that anti-vaxxer movements could influence the people's decision not to get the COVID-19 vaccines or jab, and anti-vaccination parents may enforce it on their children. Anti-vaxxers do not only endanger their well-being, but they also endanger the well-being of the people around them. Medical News Today reported that anti-vaxxers could pass a disease to other people, especially children, who could not get a vaccine because of their allergies, medical conditions, or age. READ MORE: Miami School Won't Hire Vaccinated Teachers, Citing False Claims on COVID Vaccines WATCH: Should Everyone Get the COVID-19 Vaccine? Pro Vax vs. Anti Vax - From Jubilee A COVID-detecting robot has been deployed in certain schools in the state of Queretaro in Mexico to help schools safely reopen. An artificial intelligence robot created in China, Benebot, inspects students' faces through its eyes and have their temperatures check by placing their hands through its "stomach." The COVID-detecting robot is also being used in more than 40 countries, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Benebot also has a screen on its side, where different readings from the students are shown. It can be viewed and followed every day. Aside from COVID, Benebot can also identify other illnesses such as the flu and chickenpox with its medical-grade cameras, temperature sensors, and AI software capable of evaluating in seconds a child's health. Antonio Robles, the person in charge of Benebot technology, told EFE that the robot takes a shot of the eye, reviews the redness, and analyzes where it started. Robles noted that it notices the relationship of each anomaly. READ NEXT: Mexico Suggests U.S. Citizenship For Planting Trees Schools Reopening in Mexico Many Mexican states are eyeing to reopen schools once the teachers have been vaccinated. A vaccination campaign for teachers was launched weeks ago. Currently, 15 schools in Mexico have acquired the COVID-detecting robot in Queretaro, Puebla, and Oaxaca. Mexico City had also procured the same technology. One mother of a student at the Salesiano school, Eneri Gutierrez, had already seen how the COVID-detecting robot operates. She said that it helps parents know that their children are healthy and not running into problems with their other schoolmates. Meanwhile, teachers had an experience in a simulation on how the classroom reopening will go. Gabriela Montufal also told EFE that it is important for them to emphasize that the COVID-detecting robot is for the safety of all students since they share a classroom and always at risk of infection. The students said they are comfortable with the robot in the first tests. A student noted that she liked it and felt really safe because she and her classmates can be well. In January, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that one of the 32 states would be resuming in-person classes as early as late February. PBS News Hour reported that Mexico would become the first country in Latin America to start vaccinating teachers as a group. Mexico's federal government is working closely with officials in the Gulf state to vaccinate as many as 20,000 school staff in January. COVID-Detecting Robots Almost a year ago, a Mexican technology startup, Roomie IT, has developed a robot that can determine people infected with COVID-19 from long distances, according to a Near Shore Americas report. Called RoomieBot, it can check the temperature as well as oxygen saturation level in a human body. It is also powered by AI technology, which uses Amazon's virtual assistant. The robot also has a processor developed by U.S. chipmaker Intel. RoomieBot can interact by voice and take a person's temperature via an infrared thermometer. The company officials said that the robot could be installed in places where people gather in crowds, like shopping malls and railway terminals. The CEO of the company, Aldo Luevano, said their goal is not to diagnose as it is the doctor's job. He said what they wanted to do was identify people with COVID-19 symptoms without touching them. READ MORE: Biden Says Mexico an 'Equal' but Will Not Share U.S. Vaccines With Its Southern Neighbor WATCH: New Wave of COVID-19 Turns Deadly for Mexico | Coronavirus update - From WION It is a good day for Elon Musk as Tesla Semichargers were reported to be installed in a FritoLay site in California. At the same time, Tesla Model 3 performance wowed the Australian politician, Bob Katter. Drive Tesla Canada reported that the said Tesla Semichargers would be installed specifically at 600 Garner Road in Modesto, California, and it is part of the expansion of the current facility. The announcement came less than a week after a Tesla car on autopilot crashed into a Washington patrol car, leaving the said vehicle with significant damage on the driver's side. READ NEXT: Elon Musk Calls Bill Gates 'Clueless' Following His Comments on Electric Trucks Tesla Semichargers to be Installed in California Benzinga reported that the chargers to be installed in the FritoLay site would be able to charge up to 100 Tesla Semis. PepsiCo, Inc. that owns the FritoLay expects 15 of these trucks to be delivered later this year. Drive Tesla Canada noted that the site already has a dozen 62.5-kilowatt charging point stations that energize some of the company's electric box trucks. The company did not further give details regarding how many semi-chargers are going to be installed. However, the Tesla Semichargers will be installed near the said ChargePoint stations already present on the site. Benzinga underscored that one of Tesla's Megapack battery storage systems would also be installed on the site. Tesla cars could be charged from 20 to 80 percent in under 20 minutes. Benzinga added that if the semichargers can achieve the same performance, trucks might be ready to go before the trailer is fully loaded. Bob Katter in Awe Over Tesla Model 3 Performance Tesla Model 3's performance placed federal member for Kennedy Bob Katter in awe after joining local environmental activist and Tesla owner Daniel Bleakley for a ride in the said vehicle. The Australian parliament member joined Bleakly in the 16th episode of "Miners in Teslas" YouTube series spearheaded by the local environmental activist himself. The Driven noted that Bob Katter was impressed as the Tesla Model 3 accelerated from a complete stop to 100km/hr in about 3.3 seconds. Katter reportedly responded "yee-ha" three times, as he expressed his delight in the car's performance. Bob Katter also said that the experience for him was "so thrilling." Get him behind the wheel Steve Philips (@StevePhilips16) May 21, 2021 Great work mate. Worth the trip for that alone! Edoardo Neerhut (@eneerhut) May 21, 2021 The video posted by Beakley in his Twitter account gathered praises from the people online. Some users even urged the local environment activist to get the Australian parliament member to drive the vehicle himself for a whole experience. Some users even congratulated Beakley for the episode. The 16th episode of Beakley's YouTube series, including Bob Katter and the Tesla Model 3, also prompted talks online regarding the potential economic growth in battery manufacturing in Queensland. Moreover, the episode with the Australian parliament member broke down the myths that electric vehicles cannot compete against internal combustion vehicles. READ NEXT: California Man Caught Riding in the Back of Driverless Tesla Arrested WATCH: Updated Tesla Semi Truck Is Now Better and Faster Than Ever! - From Tesla Everything As the number of missing persons in Mexico continues to rise, around 6,249 unidentified bodies are currently being held by the Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences. Citing a new report by NGO Justice Center for Peace and Development, Mexico News Daily reported that some 2,500 of those bodies entered the morgue since the current state administration took place in late 2018. The National Registry of Missing Persons noted that the total is nearly half of the 12,819 people who have been reported missing in Jalisco, Mexico. Many of the bodies in the Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences remain unknown since they have yet to undergo DNA analysis. The Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences has 117 people working on body identification of the retrieved corpses. However, not all have the needed training for the job, the Justice Center NGO said. The Justice Center NGO further noted that the lack of coordination between authorities involved in the process is crucial in the ongoing crisis. The state government had launched an investigation after images circulated online of bodies being inappropriately stored on the floor and without refrigeration. Some Guadalajara residents complained in 2018 about a smelly, refrigerated trailer full of bodies parked in various areas in the city. The mobile vehicle was reportedly a temporary solution to overflowing morgues in the Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences. Meanwhile, the Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences director, Gustavo Quezada, said many staff had stopped working because of the pandemic, which had caused delays. Last week, at least 70 bags of human remains were found at a vacant lot in Tonala City in Jalisco, Mexico Mexican authorities said that 11 bodies have already been distinguished amid the collection of body parts. READ NEXT: 70 Bags Full Of Human Remains Found at Vacant Lot in Mexico's Jalisco State Morgue Problems in Mexico In 2018, the morgue had a problem, which was the lack of space for fresh corpses. As the violence continues to peak, more bodies started to arrive every day. Jalisco authorities came up with a solution by renting a refrigerated truck and parked it at the morgue. The stop-gap solution has been unacceptable, but not until the truck had driven off the lot and started going around the Guadalajara area. Residents complained of putrid smells, while human rights advocates denounced the inhumane treatment of the corpses, The New York Times reported. The National Human Rights Commission earlier said that such events had shown a lack of respect for the dignity of the deceased and violated fundamental rights and those of their family members. Several morgues have been burdened with some administrative work, while others reach and exceed their capacity. Marisela Gomez Cobos, a top prosecutor for the Jalisco attorney general's office, said the truck carried victims of crimes, and none had been identified yet by relatives. Gomez added that the truck remained under refrigeration at all times. Officials earlier said that the state had been trying to build a new area in the morgue to handle the increasing number of bodies. However, it was stopped by a protest of neighbors. Missing Persons in Mexico In January 2019, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had established the "Truth and Justice Commission" to help families of the 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College, who went missing after they were forcibly abducted. According to a Human Rights Watch report, the disappearance of the students in Iguala had shaken Mexico due to a large number of victims and police participation in their abduction. The incident had also enraged the public since this horrific incident was not an isolated case. As 2020 neared an end, more than 79,000 missing persons were reported in Mexico. READ MORE: 18 Bags Full of Human Remains Found in Mexico's Jalisco State WATCH: Missing in Mexico - From The San Diego Union-Tribune Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro led a motorcade of his supporters despite the continuing rise in COVID cases in the country. Al Jazeera reported that the motorcade happened on Sunday, as the president remained against the face coverings. The motorcade happened days after President Jair Bolsonaro was fined in the state of Maranhao after he neglected to wear his masks during an event in the state on Friday. The Brazilian president continued to gather criticisms from detractors in the country due to his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and refusal to wear face masks. READ NEXT: Brazil Health Regulator Rejects Russia's COVID Vaccine Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Leads Motorcade On Sunday, the President joined thousands of his supporters in Rio de Janeiro. Al Jazeera noted that about 10,000 motorcyclists took part in the rally organized by one of the friends of the Brazilian president. "My army will never go into the streets to force you to stay home," said the president, who was also a former army captain. Bolsonaro also slammed the officials of the country, specifically the mayors and governors saying that the officials imposed "confinement or curfews: without any scientific proof." "We are ready to take all the measures necessary to guarantee your [Brazilians] freedom," President Bolsonaro added. The motorcyclists who took part in the rally on Sunday were reported to travel at least 25 miles along the city's Ipanema and Copacobana beaches. Bolsonaro was reported to step down from his motorcycle on Flamengo beach and then greeted the crowd. "He represents freedom, order, and progress, and the end of corruption," said one of the motorcyclists with The Guardian who expressed support to the Brazilian president. Furthermore, other motorcyclists said that they had come from across the country to support and endorse Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil COVID Cases Continues to Surge The motorcycle rally that was attended by President Jair Bolsonaro happened as the country surpasses 16 million COVID cases. La Prensa Latina Media noted that on the same day of the motorcycle rally, the country has surpassed its cases and is nearing 450,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic. The Health Ministry of Brazil also confirmed with La Prensa Latina Media that the infection curve of the country has been climbing in the recent weeks, and the daily average number of positive cases in the last seven days remained at 65,111. Meanwhile, the death rate in the country has reduced to an average of 1,902 per day over the last seven days. On April 13, more than 3,000 deaths per day were recorded in the course of seven days. However, Al Jazeera noted that Jair Bolsonaro continues to discard the need for public health measures in addressing the coronavirus in Brazil. La Prensa Latina Media noted that the Brazilian president was reported to appear without face coverings and attracted large crowds - like the motorcade - despite the prohibition of gatherings. READ MORE: 'I Warned Him': Brazil Ex-Health Chief Accuses Bolsonaro of Fueling COVID Crisis WATCH: Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro leads motorcade rally in Rio amid coronavirus surge - from Guardian News - from Guardian News Lakeview, OR (97630) Today Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 38F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 38F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. The green light for radiographers and student health workers to take up vaccination roles has been given the green light. SIPTU representatives have today, Monday, May 24 welcomed confirmation from the Department of Health that radiographers, radiation therapists and other certain student health workers can apply to be vaccinators as part of the National Covid-19 vaccination programme. Kevin Figgis is the trade union's Health Division Organiser. For months, intensive efforts were made by SIPTU representatives to ensure our members who are qualified were afforded the opportunity to participate in the Covid-19 vaccination programme. The original statutory instrument provided for nursing, medical practitioners and some other health professionals to apply to be vaccinators. "Our members then campaigned for the inclusion of radiographers, radiation therapists and certain student grades to be included in any revised statutory instrument. Our members argued that widening the eligibility of vaccinators, especially as more vaccines become available, is crucial for getting the country back up and running. We believe that the more vaccinators that can be trained up and put to work, the quicker our health service and our society can regroup and recover, he said. A 49-year-old man will go on trial on Wednesday, charged with murdering a man in Co Kildare seven years ago. The jury of has been told that there have already been two trials in the case and warned not to try to find out what happened previously. Zoltan Almasi, a Hungarian citizen with an address at Harbour View, Naas, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on Monday afternoon, May 24, charged with murdering Joseph Dunne. Dressed in a suit and tie, Mr Almasi pleaded not (NOT) guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of the 20-year-old man at Harbour View on May 16 2014. A jury of seven men and four women was sworn in to hear the trial, which is expected to last four weeks. Mr Justice Michael White told the jury that this is a case, where there have been two previous trials. I want to ensure you dont engage in any social media research, he said. Trust the courts. Dont do any Google searches or social media searches. The trial will begin on Wednesday afternoon. Seamus O'Connor Seamus O'Connor, Clonuff, Broadford MaY 21. Peacefully at his residence. Father of the late Aine. Loving husband of Kathleen, adored father of Mary, Ed, Deirdre, Paula and Declan. Brothers Tom and John, sisters Phil, Dolly, Frank, Carol. Brothers in law, sisters in law, daughter in law, sons in law, grandchildren and great-grandchild, nephews, nieces, cousins, relatives and friends. Due to government Covid-19 advice regarding public gatherings, Seamus's funeral Mass will take place on Monday next the 24th at 12 noon in St Marys Church, Broadford and burial immediately afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. For those that would have liked to attend the funeral Mass but due to regulations cannot you may view Seamuss Funeral Mass at link www.seeitonline.ie or leave a message in the condolences section at RIP.ie. Patrick Fetherston Patrick (Paddy) Fetherston, Johnstown May 20. Peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, at the Beacon Hospital in the wonderful care of the palliative team. Beloved husband of Kathryn and loving father of Ruth and Paul, and father-in-law of Steve. He will be so dearly missed by his family, sisters Eileen, Mary and Francis, nieces, nephews, extended family and his many friends. A private family funeral will take place in accordance with government guidelines. A personal message may be placed for the family in the condolences section at RIP.ie below. Family flowers only please. Donations may be made in lieu to the Irish Cancer Society https://www.cancer.ie/ways-to-help/donate/donate. The funeral Mass may be viewed on the parish webcam at 11am on Tuesday Morning (May 25th) via the following link https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/ballygall-parish-church. All enquiries to Fanagans Funeral Directors, Tallaght Village 01 451 6701. Martin Farrelly Martin Farrelly, Celbridge May 20. Peacefully in the presence of his loving brother Bernard and family, while in the tender care of the staff at Glenashling Nursing Home, Celbridge. Martin, beloved husband of the late Valerie Farrelly (nee Forbes). Deeply loved, sadly missed by his loving brothers Pat, Jim, Bernard and Richard, sisters Muriel, Ethel, Florence and Ann, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and neighbours. Martin was pre-deceased by his beloved brothers Owen, Simon and sister Ella. The Farrelly family would like to take this opportunity to thank the management, nurses and staff for the devoted and dedicated care they gave to Martin during his time in Glenashling Nursing Home. Due to Government advise and restrictions regarding public gatherings and to protect our family and friends, a private funeral service will be held for Martin. For those who would have liked to attend the funeral; but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave your personal message by selecting Condolences at RIP.ie or alternatively leaving a message at www.cunninghamsfunerals.com. Reposing Sunday evening and Funeral Mass on Monday 24th May at 10:00am. Followed by a Committal Service in the Crematorium which may be viewed by following this LINK at 11.50am (approx). Don Donnelly Don Donnelly, Coolaghknock Green, Melitta Rd., Kildare Town / Newbridge May 19. Suddenly, in the Blackrock Clinic. Don, husband of Garreth, sadly missed by his husband, mother Rosealeen, brother Aidan, sister Gaye, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, extended family, relatives & friends. A private family celebration of Dons life will take place due to current restrictions on public gatherings. Removal from Anderson & Leahy funeral home, Newbridge, on Monday May 24th to arrive at Newlands Cross Crematorium for a humanist service at 2pm. Dons service will be lived-streamed on www.dctrust.ie/location/newlands-cross/chapel-webstream.html. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family on the condolence page at RIP.ie. The family thank you for your co-operation, understanding and support during this sensitive time. PJ Spain PJ Spain, Bishopscourt, Straffan / Thurles, Tipperary May 21. Peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. Beloved husband of Mary (D'Arcy), deeply loved father of Robbie and Tony. Predeceased by his brother Neil and sister Nora. He will be greatly missed by his brothers Gerry, Kevin and Sean, sister Kathleen, daughters-in-law Marie and Claire, grandchildren, relatives and friends. In compliance with Government and HSE guidlines a private family funeral for PJ will take place, departing from his home on Monday 24th at 10.30am to arrive at St. Anne's Church, Ardclough (eircode W23 XE37) for Funeral Mass at 11am which can be viewed on webcam at http://funeralslive.ie/pj-spain followed by burial in Straffan Cemetery. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions can not, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page at RIP.ie. Ciaran Maguire Ciaran Maguire, Oughterard, Ardclough Peacefully, surrounded by his loving family after a short illness bravely borne, Sadly missed by his loving wife Guinevere, sons Peter and Oisin, parents Tommy and Sheila, mother-in-law Maria, father-in-law Brendan, brothers Seamus, Brendan and Colm, sister Adrienne, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Due to current government guidelines, a private family funeral will take place for Ciaran (limited to 50 persons). Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to the current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section at RIP.ie. Ciaran's Funeral Mass can be viewed on Tuesday at 12 noon by clicking on the following link : https://reillysfuneralhome.ie/live-stream/ The commital service in Newlands Cross Crematorioum can be viewed on Tuesday at 2pm by clicking on the following link : https://www.dctrust.ie/location/newlands-cross/chapel-webstream.html Conor Macken Conor Macken, Maynooth, / Rathfarnham, Dublin May 21. Peacefully, after a short illness, surrounded by his loving family, in the care of Connolly Hospital. Very sadly missed by his loving wife Kay, children Darragh and Maeve, mother Marie, brothers David and Barry, sister Ciara, sisters-in-law Joan and Niamh, brother-in-law Sean, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Messages of sympathy for Conors family can be left in the condolences section below. Family flowers only, please. Funeral arrangements later. John Gahan John Gahan, Kildare Town, Kildare / Clonmel, Tipperary. Ret'd Lt Col, Irish Army. May 21. Formerly of Clonmel, County Tipperary. At his residence surrounded by his loving family. Sadly missed by his beloved wife Ber, daughters Grace and Paula, son Edward, son-in-law Michael, grandson Emmet, Paula's partner Nikhil, sister Martha, brothers Tony and Ward, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Due to current government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place. 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 page at RIP.ie. Removal on Wednesday morning to arrive at St. Mary's Church, Cahir, Co. Tipperary for Requiem Mass at 12 midday. Burial afterwards in the adjoining Cemetery. The link for the live streaming will follow shortly. House Private Please. Michael Fitzpatrick Michael Fitzpatrick, Killeaney, Maynooth May 19. Suddenly, at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. Michael, loving husband of Bridie, dear father of Mark, Corina and Gary, grandad to Liam, Ciara, Shonagh, Milly and Jake. Sadly missed by his family, daughters-in-law; Deirdre and Emma, son-in-law; William, brother John, sisters; Carmel, Frances, Eileen, Kitty and Claire, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends. Due to government advice regarding public gatherings a private family funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday at 11am in The Church of St. Oliver Plunkett, Kilcloon, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Michael's funeral Mass can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/meathfuneralslive/live Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the Fitzpatrick family in the Condolences section at RIP.ie. Michael's funeral cortege will leave his home at 10:30am on Tuesday morning en route to the church, friends and neighbours are very welcome to line that route in a safe and socially distanced manner as a mark of respect. Margaret (Peg) Doran (nee Kinsella), Moanbane Park, Kilcullen / Wexford / Ringsend, Dublin May 22. Beloved wife of the late Patrick (Paddy). Sadly missed by her loving daughters Pamela, Fiona, Orlaigh, Margaret, Bernadette and Emer, brother Jim, sons-in-law Stephen, John, Sean, John, John and Michael, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Due to current Government guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place on Monday, 24th, with a Funeral Mass at 9.30am in The Church of The Sacred Heart and St. Brigid, Kilcullen. Peg will be laid to rest in the New Abbey Cemetery, Kilcullen. Those who would like to join the private funeral service remotely by webcam can do so by clicking on https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/church-of-the-sacred-heart-and-st-brigid-kilcullen House Private please. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions can not, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page at RIP.ie Con Mulrennan Con Mulrennan, Moorefield Drive, Newbridge May 23. Peacefully, at Ashley Lodge Nursing Home, Kildare. Sadly missed by his loving wife Rose, daughters Tara, Orla, Ciara and Maria, sons-in-law Paul and Paul, grandchildren Daire, Rua, Fia, Zara and Adie, brothers Barry, Padraig (R.I.P.) and sister Rosaleen (R.I.P.), brothers in law, sisters in law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. In line with Government advice regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place. 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 page at RIP.ie. Removal on Tuesday morning to arrive at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Allen for Requiem Mass at 11o'clock. Burial afterwards in Allen Cemetery. Con's funeral Mass will be live-streamed on the Farewell friends Facebook page www.facebook.com/farewellfriendslivestreaming/ Elizabeth Malone (nee Cox), Raheens, Caragh May 23. Pacefully, surrounded by her loving family. Beloved wife of the late Paddy and mother of the late Declan, deeply regretted by her loving children Patrick, Susan, Ferghal and Paul, daughters-in-law Eimear, Ines and Siobhan, son-in-law Brendan, grandchildren, brothers Pat and Tom, sister Mary, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Due to current government guidelines, a private family funeral will take place for Elizabeth (for up to 50 persons). Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to the current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section at RIP.ie. Elizabeth's Funeral Mass can be viewed on Tuesday at 11am by clicking on the following link : https://www.caraghparish.net/webcam Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues. Elizabeth's Funeral Cortege will be leaving her son Paul's on Tuesday morning at approx. 10:30am to arrive at the Church of Our Lady and St. Joseph, Caragh for 11am Funeral Mass, followed by burial in Caragh Cemetery. Those who would like to line the route, may do so in a safe and socially distanced manner. The long awaited reverse vending machine could be unveiled in Naas soon. Reverse vending machines accept empty bottles or cans in exchange for cash and Green Party senator Vincent P Martin has been campaigning for one in Naas. Kildare County Council previously allocated 20,000 towards the cost of providing one. The machines return money to the person bringing the cans or bottles back and have been deployed in Aldi stores in Germany, among other countries. Cllr Martin believes the machine in Naas will incentivise people to recycle plastic bottles and containers. He said it would be the first in Ireland to collect both bottles and cans and will be supplied by a UK manufacturer. Cllr Carmel Kelly told a Naas Municipal District meeting on May 11 that businesses should be approached in Naas to see if a premises would be used as the location for a machine. KCC official Eoghan Ryan said that two Naas retailers are discussing the possibility of accommodating a machine with Sen Martin. The County Kildare Decade of Commemorations Programme has produced a new publication detailing many of the events that took place throughout the county during the War of Independence period. The launch of A Timeline of the War of Independence in Co. Kildare 1919-1922 coincides with the 100th anniversary of the burning of the Custom House, Dublin, on 25 May 1921. The book is available to download freely at www.kildare.ie/ehistory. Physical copies of the book will be available free from May 25 via Kildares public library network and heritage centres, in line with the current Covid-19 access restrictions. Please note that libraries are operating an online booking system where users must reserve a 30 minute slot. This visit is for browsing and lending only: please book at www.kildare.ie/library/OnlineBookingSystem. Copies will also be distributed to secondary schools within the county. The publication will be of interest to anyone curious about the history of Kildare, particularly local history groups and secondary school students. It will help them navigate the period of the Irish War of Independence as it happened in the county. The main incidents on the national stage are included to give it context. According to the committee: Much of the information comes from the local and national newspapers of the day and while an event may be recorded, there may be further information in the newspapers and other sources. We hope to encourage students to look further. More research Not every arrest or raid for arms is recorded; not every incident involving the cutting of wires, roads being trenched or bridges being damaged is documented, so researchers are encouraged to go back to the sources and history books and look for more. This is a timeline, a listing of notable events by date, not a comprehensive history, but it will bring new events and information to light which hopefully will lead to further research. On May 25, 1921, the Custom House, Dublin, was burned by the IRA. Involving over 100 volunteers, the incident resulted in the death of five and arrest of about 80 Volunteers. Three civilians were also killed. Kilcullen shots On May 25-26, the IRA fired shots at Kilcullen RIC. Barracks at three different times during the night. The police in the barracks replied with rifle fire. Roads from Kilcullen to the Curragh Camp had been blocked or trenched and telegraph wires cut. About the committee The County Kildare Decade of Commemorations Committee has been active in its work since 2015. From the outset, it has proudly worked to create a legacy of research and material for future generations. It is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2021-2023 initiative, Kildare County Council and Kildare Library Services. The support of the Chair and members of the County Kildare Decade of Commemorations Committee is gratefully acknowledged. Enquiries about A Timeline of the War of Independence in County Kildare 1919-1922 can be sent to cilldara2016@gmail.com. Facebook: Kildare Decade of Commemorations Twitter: cilldara2016. An Offaly man living in Kathmandu, Nepal, has spoken of the horror unfolding there as the country grapples with a deadly surge in Covid-19 cases and fatalities. Kilcormac native Jonathan Clarke now calls Kathmandu home as he lives and works there in the shadows of the Himalayas. The South Asian country is facing a monumental battle with Covid-19 as hospitals struggle and oxygen supplies, PPE and vaccines run short. Having first visited Nepal in 2007 and relocated there in 2015, Jonathan has said the country is now fully "in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian crisis." "Nepal needs more than our sentimentality, thoughts and prayers. Nepal needs the international community to take immediate action. Nepal has asked for help at all levels. Every country that can should and must respond," he added. "Ireland and other countries responded quickly to Indias request for oxygen, ventilators, PPE, and other Covid-related essential medical equipment. I am proud of the support offered by our government and Irish aid organisations to India," Jonathan continued. "And now, Nepal needs this too now before the situation is too late. We have the power to avert the humanitarian crisis that can overwhelm Nepal if we do nothing." Nepal's daily case numbers now surpass 9,000 with a positivity rate of 65% in some rural areas as the virus ravages through villages and families. PICTURED: People wait for vaccines at Alka hospital with no social distancing taking place PIC: Jonathan Clarke Hospitals are running short on supplies with people crowded outside in need of assistance. Oxygen supplies are low. "On the ground, I constantly hear the ambulance sirens, knowing they will be too late for many," Jonathan, whose daughters were born during Covid times, explained. "I live in fear for my family, for my wife who is working on the frontline as a doctor at a national hospital dressed in full PPE every day. For my elderly relatives diagnosed with Covid who, with laboured breaths, are struggling to find oxygen cylinders, who have been refused a bed at the hospital because there are none available. For those out of work, daily wage workers who care much more about starvation than about being unable to afford even a single night at the local private hospitals," he continued. "There is a fear in the country that was not here for the first wave. Many I speak to have experienced a death in their family in recent weeks; the situation is getting worse. 214 bodies were cremated last night [Monday], staff at Pashupati are at their breaking point working day and night. "Every day more and more Nepali people are dying. If you are an average person like me, sign a petition, write to your government, and call a politician. Tell them Nepal needs the international community's support right now. They need urgent life-saving assistance, vaccines, diagnostic tools, oxygen kits, critical care medicines, and equipment sent from Ireland to Nepal," Jonathan concluded. A 49-year-old man will go on trial on Wednesday, charged with murdering a man in Naas, Co Kildare, seven years ago. The jury has been told that there have already been two trials in the case. Zoltan Almasi, a Hungarian citizen with an address at Harbour View, Naas, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court this afternoon, Monday, May 24, charged with murdering Joseph Dunne. Dressed in a suit and tie, Mr Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of the 20-year-old man at Harbour View on May 16, 2014. A jury of seven men and four women was sworn in to hear the trial, which is expected to last four weeks. Mr Justice Michael White told the jury that this is a case, where there have been two previous trials. I want to ensure you dont engage in any social media research, he said. Trust the courts. Dont do any Google searches or social media searches. The trial will begin on Wednesday afternoon. THE HSE has confirmed a walk-in Covid-19 test centre will open in Limerick later this week in response to the recent surge in cases across the city and county. The four-bay facility will operate at St Joseph's Health Campus, Mulgrave Street between 11am to 7pm for five days beginning on Wednesday. No appointment is needed and the free service is being led by the National Ambulance Service, with support from HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare and Public Health Mid-West. The walk-in test centre is for those who have Covid-19 symptoms and for people who are concerned that they may have been exposed to Covid infection in the past two weeks. Children can get tested if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Those who attend must bring a photo ID and provide a mobile phone number so they can be contacted with their results. The current test-centre - at Ballysimon Road - will also continue to operate. Public Health Mid-West has recorded more than 250 new cases of Covid-19 in Limerick since Sunday, May 16. According to provisional data, there were 51 new cases on Friday, 31 on Saturday, and 40 on Sunday. A large proportion of this rapid increase is associated with high-risk, indoor social activity across all age groups in the city and county in the past two weeks. These include house parties, indoor social gatherings among students, indoor family gatherings and celebrations, onward transmission from Eid celebrations, and multi-household clusters. High-risk social activity is also causing onward transmission into schools and workplaces. For example, more than 20 school situations and more than 20 workplace situations across the region are currently under investigation. Read also: Rise in hospital admissions as daily Covid numbers released Dr Mai Mannix, Director of Public Health Mid-West, is urging people in Limerick to avail of the walk-in and drive-through testing and to be extra vigilant with Public Health guidelines amid growing numbers of new infections. Our health service is under enormous pressure as a result of the cyber attack on our IT systems, which is furthermore being compounded by the increase of young people being admitted to University Hospital Limerick. The past two weeks have shown just how quickly this disease spreads into multiple settings when we drop our guards. But if we act now, remain vigilant, and avail of testing, we can prevent the start of a potentially large community outbreak in Limerick, Dr Mannix said. Maria Bridgeman, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare Chief Officer, added: While the vaccination programme has been a success to date, it is still the case that the majority of people remain unprotected against the risks associated with Covid-19. Therefore, it is vital that everyone continues to follow all public health guidance to prevent a further spread of this virus in our community. I am urging everyone, particularly the people of Limerick, to avail of this testing service. Colette Cowan, CEO of UL Hospitals Group says there are currently 12 Covid-positive inpatients in UHL includes "a small number" of relatively young people who require critical care. "The easing of restrictions across society and the progress of our vaccination gives us great cause for hope but the increase in hospitalisations in recent days underscores the continuing need for vigilance. This is particularly so when our hospitals continue to experience severe disruption in the wake of the cyber attack and when scheduled care has been greatly reduced to allow staff to care for the most seriously unwell and injured," said. Job Title: Manager, Connected Schools Office: Office of School Improvement and Supports Date Posted: 5/20/2021 Salary Range: 1-4 / $81,717 - $94,172 NTE Date: N/A Position Overview The mission of the Office of School Improvement and Supports (OSIS) is to ensure we support our schools and our students to succeed and to meet the Goals of our Strategic Plan. The Office works to dramatically accelerate the number of excellent schools through school transformation, including design, partnerships, Connected Schools, and Comprehensive School Planning (CSP). The Office develops, aligns, and delivers high-quality supports to ensure students, particularly students furthest away from opportunity, are in school, able to engage in rigorous learning, and have a joyous educational environment. The Office ensures our schools have excellent leaders, educators, and staff who are prepared to meet the diverse needs of the young people we serve. OSIS programs include the following: S c hool Improvement: School Performance: Promotes data-driven decision-making through an aligned system of continuous improvement designed to move schools toward a consistent standard of excellence. Design: Designs excellent school models that transform learning for our students furthest from opportunity by anchoring in data, community engagement and understanding, and elevating and integrating student voice. Partnerships: Develops and advances strategies and resources for schools and the district to maximize partner and community impact on student and school success. Student Empowerment & Equity: Advances diversity and equity for students, with an emphasis on student-focused programming elevating student voice. c Student Supports: School Mental Health: Ensures that students' behavioral and social-emotional needs are met to increase access to the curriculum. SEL and School Culture: Ensures that schools have the resources to provide a safe and supportive learning environment where all students are able to thrive academically and socially. Student Placement : Ensures that schools have the necessary supports to address the needs of the whole child and create the conditions where all students are ready to learn. Student Health Services : Ensures that all students are healthy and are supported with the appropriate services and accommodations to support their wellness and continued learning. Talent Development: Talent Acquisition: Advances talent development through an equity lens. Ensures we recruit, select, hire, and retain great people. Leadership Development: Ensures leaders are prepared at each stage of their career with the full complement of skills and capacities necessary to guarantee student and school success. IMPACT: IMPACT Operations: Supports the daily implementation of both Staff and School Leader IMPACT. The team ensures IMPACT policy is followed with fidelity and manages a helpline where staff can reach out with questions. IMPACT Align : Ensures all evaluators have the tools they need to accurately and consistently apply the DCPS classroom observation rubric (the Essential Practices) when evaluating teacher practice. Provides tools for teachers to support excellent performance with respect to the Essential Practices. IMPACT Design : Gathers and responds to feedback from DCPS leadership and staff, and uses this feedback to consider possible IMPACT design changes for the future. The team also liaises with other states, districts, education groups, and researchers to learn from the best practices and lessons learned in the field of staff and school leader evaluation. The Manager, Connected Schools will manage and oversee the implementation of the DCPS Connected Schools Model at a single DCPS school site. The incumbent will manage work under the Connected Schools initiatve to radically shift the way schools, DC agencies, and communities work together in order to fully and authentically integrate academics, social services, and student and family engagement. The Connected Schools Model is intended to create community hubs within schools and is DCPS's version of a full-service community school. The Connected Schools work is grounded in the belief that an increase in services and resources alone is not enough to affect lasting change. Instead, DCPS must look at how all stakeholders-DC agencies, partners, community members, and more-work together in new ways that fundamentally break down silos and keep students and communities at the center of our work. To accomplish this ambitious goal, the Manger, Connected Schools is a pivotal leader in each school site, charged with critical responsibilities to set this model up for lasting success. The Manager will (1) serve as a key strategic leader within the assigned school site, (2) oversee school level systems-building to coordinate and streamline service provision, (3) facilitate robust partnerships to implement programming critical to Connected Schools priorities, (4) ensure regular and ongoing data reporting and analysis that is critical for data-driven impact, and (5) lead and support family and community engagement strategies and events for the school. This role will work directly with partner organizations, school leaders, district leaders, government agencies, and other external stakeholders. This position is a safety-sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. The Manager, Connected Schools will report to the assigned school and have dual reporting to school leadership and central office. Essential Duties and Responsibilities The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned. Leads and manages the implementation of the DCPS Connected Schools Model at the assigned school site by serving as member of school leadership team and actively participating on various school teams. Facilitates relationships between and among school staff, partners, families, the community, and DCPS central office administration to incorporate a wide range of perspectives in the development and implementation of the DCPS Connected Schools Model and overall school goals. Leads and/or enhances existing community and family engagement practices to support and bolster involvement and connectivity; and helps to foster a broad sense of school community. Leads and/or enhances communication with community stakeholders, DC agencies, and external partners, raising awareness around the DCPS Connected Schools Model and an overall alignment of resources and opportunities. Facilitates an annual school-based needs assessment and asset mapping process; and collaborates with school staff to prioritize student, family, and community needs based on results. Develops annual Connected Schools goals and strategies, as part of the school's existing Comprehensive School Plan, focusing on identified student and family assets, needs, and risk factors. Assesses, onboards, and manages multiple school partners aimed at providing academic and/or personal supports for students and families to ensure a coordinated, high-quality delivery of services. Builds streamlined systems and strategies to facilitate robust resource connection to meet students' and families' academic, emotional, and physical needs. Serves as a trusted liaison to community and government services; and strategically connects and coordinates resources within the school. Serves as lead, alongside the principal, in data-driven decision making for Connected Schools programming, working with school and central office colleagues to assess attendance, behavior, and academic data with frequency. Gathers student and family data for ongoing programmatic evaluations and to report on the implementation of the school's Connected Schools strategies and their impact on school-wide goals. Facilitates quarterly partnership data deep dive meetings that provide a global view of school partner trends in the building. Leads planning and execution of multiple school-based events in collaboration with the school leadership team, partners, and the community (e.g., Back to School Night, Open Houses, literacy nights, attendance incentive parties, resource fairs, etc.) Qualifications Master's degree. Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain trusting, collaborative relationships with various stakeholders. Superb written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information concisely and to inspire multiple stakeholders. Proven ability to lead and manage multiple complex projects across distinct priorities. Demonstrated experience in using data management systems and in using data analysis to inform strategic planning and decision-making. Proven track record in taking initiative to lead new work. Proven experience developing and evaluating programs and partnerships. Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, including ability to lead without authority. Experience working with, or for, DCPS is preferred, preferably in the community to be served. DCPS Values STUDENTS FIRST : We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do. : We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do. COURAGE : We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success. : We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success. EQUITY : We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds. : We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds. EXCELLENCE : We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions. : We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions. TEAMWORK : We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically. : We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically. JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other. GARDAI have issued a warning in relation to a number of rental scams which they have been made aware of. According to divisional crime prevention officer, Sergeant Ber Leetch, people are still being tricked out of a lot of money if targeted. "The most recent one is in the rental market. This is where people are looking to rent either a long-term family home, rent a holiday house for two weeks or students looking for accommodation," she warned. "What happens is a person sees a property online and agrees to rent it following a virtual tour. They are then asked for a deposit and a months rent in advance. This large amount is paid and they only discover that it is a fraud when they call to the property for keys or they try to use keys they have been sent in the post," added Sgt leetch. Gardai say some of the fraudsters are known to request personal information such as Passport details to make the scam appear legitimate. "It is horrible to think that your personal details could be used without your knowledge. Do your own background checks be certain of who you are dealing with but be very suspicious if you cant meet the landlord in person," warned Sgt Leetch. LIMERICK City and County Council is being urged to consider purchasing the Bank of Ireland branches in Rathkeale and Askeaton following their expected closure later this year. At the May of meeting of Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District, Cllr Adam Teskey said there is great potential given the location of the two buildings. They are two fantastic buildings in central locations. The one in Rathkeale, in particular, is of historic importance in terms of its structure and its age, he said proposing that the views of members be relayed to the executive. Im asking that this district write a letter to the CEO requesting that we actively engage in the process of trying to acquire those properties if they were to come on the market and that they in turn could be used for different a variety of things, he said. Potential use for the buildings, Cllr Teskey suggested, includes the provision of Internet access and meeting rooms for community groups. Seconding the proposal, Cllr Kevin Sheahan said the Bank of Ireland branch is Askeaton is in a prime location and that it is located on a site which overlooks the River Deel. If there is an opportunity for the local authority on behalf of the people and on behalf of the county to purchase it and to make a significant mark on the (development) plan that is being prepared for Askeaton then we should push the executive to look seriously at it, he said. Cllr Sheahan noted that work on a major plan for Askeaton is underway and he suggested that the consultants working on the project should include the possible purchase of the bank in their considerations. While no time scale for the closure of the branches has been confirmed by Bank of Ireland, Cllr Teskey is calling on the bank to look favourably on his proposal. We need to be proactive when the time comes and I am calling on Bank of Ireland to show a bit of respect to the communities that supported them when times wee rough and when they came looking for their bailouts and the taxpayer stepped up to the plate. IRISH Water and Clare County Council have completed repairs to two rising main bursts that impacted on the wastewater network in Kilkee over the weekend. However, swimmers will have to wait longer to return to the sea, The bursts resulted in a discharge of wastewater to Kilkee beach via the Victoria stream, said an Irish Water spokesperson. "The network is fully operational again and no further discharges have occurred. "As a result of this incident, Clare County Council, in consultation with the HSE, placed a bathing prohibition notice at Kilkee beach. It is likely that this notice will remain in place for a number of days pending the results of sampling of the bathing waters. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other relevant stakeholders have been notified," said the spokesperson. They added that, "Irish Water and Clare County Council regret any inconvenience as a result of this issue". Local authorities are responsible for managing and monitoring bathing waters. Notices are displayed at the bathing water locations and on the Environmental Protection Agency website, www.beaches.ie, advising the public on water quality and of any bathing restrictions. LIMERICK and Clare Education and Training Board have today confirmed that their main phone line was the victim of a cyber attack. In a statement to the Limerick Leader, the board confirmed that their "telephone number has been used by criminals as part of a telephone scam. These criminals are attempting to dupe people into thinking they are calling from the television streaming service Amazon Prime. These calls are not in any way connected to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board." Once the board were made aware of the issue, they shut down their landline and have been working to restore their services. "Members of the public are advised not to engage with these callers, or return calls to these numbers, or share any personal information. The matter should be reported to the Gardai immediately. Our telephone system has been temporarily disabled to allow us to deal with this matter. If you wish to contact us, you should email info@lcetb.ie. This is continually monitored by staff." This case is a similar one to that which targeted the Attorney General office in Dublin last month. (See here) Singapore said it will conduct more targeted testing and surveillance operations to curb a coronavirus outbreak. Special ops" such as testing all residents in a particular housing apartment block, will help detect and isolate people early, including those who show few or no symptoms and would otherwise be missed, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post-Sunday. In recent weeks, the government has conducted special testing operations for clusters that broke out at airports, shopping malls and schools, extending free checks to tens of thousands of people. Two public housing blocks will have all residents screened after several cases were found in each of them, the government said Sunday. Two shopping centers on the western part of the island will be closed for two weeks starting Sunday after 10 Covid-19 infections were recently linked to the properties, authorities said. Four were detected from testing operations that were offered to those who were at the mall earlier this month, according to a statement on Saturday. Our epidemiological investigations have found that there is likely ongoing transmission among individuals who visited these malls," the health ministry said. To break any potential chain of transmission and enable deep cleaning of the premises, JEM and Westgate shopping malls will be closed to all members of the public." Ong also addressed concerns that cases of vaccinated people getting infected means theres little benefit in getting inoculated against Covid-19. In the current outbreak, 78 vaccinated individuals had been infected, many of whom are frontline workers, he said. That compares with 300 unvaccinated infections, Ong said. International studies continue to show that vaccinations are very effective in preventing infections, and severe illnesses," he said. Singapore preliminarily confirmed 22 new cases of locally transmitted Covid-19 infection as of 12 p.m. on Sunday, three of which are untraceable, according to a statement from the health ministry. There were three imported cases, according to the ministry. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A Ryanair jet landed in Lithuania after the Belarusian military forced it earlier on Sunday to divert to Minsk, where authorities arrested a journalist who covered protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. The Boeing Co. 737-800 carrying scores of passengers from Athens to Vilnius was diverted to the Belarusian capital under the escort of a Mig-29 fighter jet after its crew was notified by authorities in Minsk of a potential security threat on board," a Ryanair spokeswoman said. Authorities boarded the plane and arrested Raman Pratasevich, the former editor-in-chief of one the most popular Telegram news channels in Belarus. Pratasevich wasnt on the plane when it took off again, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in a recorded statement. An adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Pratasevich, 26, had been bundled off the flight in Minsk by police. At first he panicked, then calmed down a bit, but still was trembling. He said hell face the death penalty here. He was taken aside, his belongings dumped on the runway," Franak Viacorka said on Twitter, citing passengers. A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in Minsk declined to comment. A crackdown by Lukashenkos administration on the opposition since a disputed election last year has spurred U.S. and European Union sanctions and pushed him closer to Russia. The events on Sunday risk deepening the international isolation of a country sometimes referred to as the last dictatorship in Europe. Lukashenko is slated to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Sochi, Rossiya-1 television reported Sunday. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called the Ryanair forced landing an unprecedented kidnapping of a person by use of military force" and urged NATO and the EU to react to the threat posed by the Belarusian leadership to civil aviation. This is a serious and dangerous incident, which requires international investigation," NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter. The forced landing came before a two-day meeting in Brussels of EU leaders, who will discuss consequences and possible sanctions, EU spokesman Barend Leyts said. It has already drawn condemnation from EU countries including Greece, Lithuania, Austria, the Czech Republic and France. German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass denounced Belaruss actions, saying that forcing a plane to land under the pretext of a bomb threat was a severe interference into civil aviation travel." Such an act cannot remain without consequences from the side of the European Union, Maas said. Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister of Belaruss neighbor Poland, urged sanctions against Lukashenko for committing an act of state terrorism." Greece called it a state hijacking." There were conflicting reports of the number of people who were on board. The foreign ministries of Greece and Lithuania said there were 171 passengers from at least 18 countries. The Belarusian state news agency Belta reported, however, that there were 123 passengers. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. About 250 tombs have been found cut into the sides of a hill in Egypt's Eastern Desert. They date between roughly 4,200 and 2,100 years ago. About 250 tombs, some with fancy layouts and hieroglyphics, have been discovered cut into a hill at Al-Hamidiyah cemetery to the east of Sohag, in Egypt's Eastern Desert, about 240 miles (386 kilometers) southeast of Cairo, Egypt's antiquities ministry said. The tombs were constructed at different times in Egypt's history, the archaeologists said in a statement from the ministry. The earliest were constructed about 4,200 years ago, at a time when Egypt's "Old Kingdom," as modern-day Egyptologists call it, was collapsing. At this time, the pharaohs of Egypt were losing control of the country, as a number of local governors gained power. Why these tombs were cut into the hill is not clear but it was not an uncommon practice in ancient Egypt. Related: See photos of Egypt's majestic Valley of the Kings The tombs in the cemetery that date to the end of the Old Kingdom tended to have more elaborate architecture that included an entrance corridor leading down to a gallery with a burial room located in the southeast part of the structure. The archaeologists also found pieces of limestone with hieroglyphic inscriptions in some of these tombs; they also discovered what may be the remains of plates that were placed as funerary offerings to tomb owners, the ministry said in the statement. In one tomb that dated to the end of the Old Kingdom, archaeologists found paintings that depict the tomb owner slaughtering animal sacrifices, and people making offerings for the deceased, Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in the statement. Image 1 of 5 Animal remains, including these horns, were found inside some of the tombs. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) Image 2 of 5 In some of the tombs dating back 4,200 years, archaeologists found limestone pieces that have hieroglyphic writing on them. They may have been part of plates that were used as offerings to tomb owners. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) Image 3 of 5 The rock-cut tombs have different architectural layouts. Shown here, the interior of one of those tombs. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) Image 4 of 5 Painted spherical vessels were found in some of the tombs. They may have been used to store liquids. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) Image 5 of 5 About 250 tombs have been found cut into the sides of a hill in Egypt's Eastern Desert. They date between roughly 4,200 and 2,100 years ago. (Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) The latest of the tombs found in the cemetery date to almost 2,100 years ago, the end of what modern-day scholars call the "Ptolemaic Period." At this time, pharaohs descended from Ptolemy I, who was one of Alexander the Great's generals, ruled Egypt. Roman power in the region was growing around 2,100 years ago, and in 30 B.C., after Cleopatra VII died by suicide, Egypt became a Roman province. The team discovered numerous artifacts inside the tombs, including cups, jars and plates some of which were full-sized examples that may have been used in daily life, and others that were miniature vessels possibly used as symbolic offerings for the deceased, the ministry said in the statement. The tombs also contained painted spherical vessels that could have been used to store liquids. What was left of a round metal mirror was found in one tomb, and many of the tombs held both animal and human remains. Research at the site is ongoing and more tombs may be found in the future, Waziri said. Originally published on Live Science. Petrified Wood (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Petrified wood is a fossil that is the remains of ancient vegetation, most commonly ancient trees. It occurs by a natural action known as permineralization, a process in which mineral deposits take on the shape within the cells of organic tissue. These minerals replace all the organic materials of the ancient trees, most commonly with a silicate such as quartz. 3-D Fossils (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Petrified wood is a 3-D fossil representation of the original living organism. The petrification process occurs deep underground where the wood has become buried by sediments, blocking off any source of oxygen and thus stopping the oxygen-fueled decomposition or the organic matter. Petrification requires four basic materials: water, wood, mud and volcanic ash. Petrified Forest National Park (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Petrified wood is found in all 50 states of the United States as well as many countries around the world. In northeastern Arizona, one of the world's greatest concentrations of petrified wood has risen to the surface as a result of thousands of years of plateau uplifting and erosion. This great collection of petrified wood is protected within the boundaries of the Petrified Forest National Park. Foundations Laid (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) The story of this land that is now within the national park boundary begins some 226 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period when the Chinle Formation found here was laid down. Sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone, are most common here and buried deep within these sedimentary layers are found the petrified remains of ancient forestsa. Pangaea - Supercontinent (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) When all the Earth's land was once joined together into the supercontinent called Pangaea, this land of northern Arizona was located only a few degrees north of the Earth's equator, on the southwest shores of Pangaea. The climate was tropical and a great, sediment-filled river system, maybe as large as today's Amazon or Mississippi Rivers, constantly flowed toward the ancient sea. Thick Sedimentary Rock Layers (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Common flooding spread the continental sediment across great flood plains, laying down thick layers of sedimentary rock along with the remains of animals and plants, including great trees. The petrified remains of those trees are scattered today across the national park's landscape. Discovered Species (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Over 200 species of plants have been discovered within this Chinle Formation, including lycopods, ferns, horsetails, cycads, conifers and several types yet to be classified. Most of the petrified wood found here is from an extinct conifer given the scientific name Araucarioxylon arizonicum. Modern botanists are still not in agreement that all these ancient logs are of the same species and study into the variety of petrified trees is ongoing. Submerged Trees Begin to Petrify (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Submerged deep beneath the sediments of silt, mud, sand and volcanic ash deposited by the ancient rivers, the buried forest of trees remained for millions of years. Percolating ground water carried silica and other trace minerals downward, saturating the deeply buried ancient trees. Slowly, quartz crystals grew within the porous cell walls and the slow process of petrification began. Giant Quartz Crystals (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Petrified wood is basically a giant quartz crystal. Quartz crystals tend to be clear in color and yet petrified wood can be all the colors of the rainbow. These brilliant colors are due to impurities found in the quartz. For example, if iron oxide is present, the petrified wood will be red, brown and yellow. Cobalt results in hues of green and blue. Manganese creates shades of pink, while carbon creates streaks of black. Natural Sectioning (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Since quartz is very hard, yet very brittle, the Petrified Forest often looks as if ancient lumberjacks had come through the forest cutting the large logs into smaller sections. In fact, this fracturing is a result of the natural breaking of the logs from ground stress as the Colorado Plateau began to rise some 60 million years ago. Rising Plateaus (Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) While Colorado Plateau slowly rose, the forces of erosion and weathering removed the softer sedimentary layers leaving exposed an incredible forest of petrified logs scattered across the current high desert landscape. Some of these petrified logs are over 100 feet (30.5 meters) long, 10 feet (3 m) in diameter and weigh up to 44 tons. A newly public U.S. intelligence report is raising new questions about the idea that the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, escaped from a lab. According to the Wall Street Journal , the report states that three employees of the Wuhan Institute of Virology sought hospital care in November 2019, approximately when SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have started circulating in the Chinese city. The Institute works with coronaviruses found in animal populations. However, it's unclear how sick the researchers were or what their symptoms were. In the Chinese medical system, it's common to seek entry-level medical care directly from hospitals rather than outpatient clinics, according to the Wall Street Journal, and there is no information on whether the employees were admitted for inpatient care or seen as outpatients. Related: 14 coronavirus myths busted by science The new information is likely to increase pressure for more investigations into the origin of the novel coronavirus. Previous work on the genetics of the virus has shown no signs of human tampering : The virus resembles coronaviruses known to circulate in bats or pangolins, with a mutation in the virus's spike protein that enables the virus to more easily invade human cells, helping to enable person-to-person spread. But this mutation is not what computer simulations predicted would have made the virus more transmissible. Instead, this genetic fingerprint makes the most likely reason for the pandemic a lucky break for the virus: Random mutation appears to have stumbled upon a sequence that allowed the virus to take off in a new host in a classic case of natural selection, according to a March 2020 paper in the journal Nature Medicine . "This analysis of coronavirus genome sequences from patients and from various animals suggests that the virus likely arose in an animal host and then may have undergone further changes once it transmitted and circulated in people," Adam Lauring, an associate professor of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School who was not involved in that research, told Live Science in April 2020 . As the rise of new SARS-CoV-2 variants shows, the virus mutates regularly , and some of those mutations are associated with changes in how effectively it transmits. The earliest reported outbreak of the virus occurred at the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan. Initially, some speculated that the virus had jumped from animal to human at the market, because live animals were housed and sold there. However, it soon became clear that the wet market may not have been the original site of that leap : There were early cases of COVID-19 in the city not connected to shoppers at that market , and there have not been any SARS-CoV-2 sequences found in animals from the market. Instead, it seems that the market was simply the site of the first recorded super-spreader event . The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the most likely origin of the virus was that it spread from bats to another, unknown animal, and then from there to humans. Lab origin? The finding that SARS-CoV-2's genome was unlikely to have been genetically engineered does not preclude the hypothesis that the virus escaped from a lab. It could have been a naturally occurring virus that was being studied there that inadvertently infected humans. Chinese authorities and researchers at the Wuhan facility deny that the virus was present in the lab. Lists of the viruses studied at the lab, released by the facility, show no close cousins to SARS-CoV-2. The Wuhan Institute of Virology is China's first biosafety level 4 facility, meaning it's designed for research on potentially dangerous pathogens and that researchers take precautions against aerosol transmission. In April 2020, reporters obtained cables written by U.S. diplomats in 2018 asking for more support for the facility. The cables warned that the lab lacked adequate staff and training needed to safely conduct its potentially dangerous research on coronaviruses. The laboratory has not shared its data or lab records in the wake of the pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported. Nor has the Chinese government always been forthcoming about data from the first days of the pandemic. For example, officials have declined to make raw data about seasonal illness in the country in fall 2019 available. There has been little evidence to directly tie the Wuhan lab to SARS-CoV-2, however. The new intelligence on the three sick staffers comes from an unknown source. One person told the Wall Street Journal that the source was an "international partner" and needed collaboration. Another said the intelligence was of "exquisite quality." A State Department fact sheet released at the end of the Trump administration had already called attention to reports that lab members fell sick in fall 2019 with "with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illness," but the new report claims to add more specificity. The Biden Administration declined to comment on the new information beyond generalities, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We continue to have serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the People's Republic of China," a spokesperson for the National Security Council told the newspaper. On March 30, WHO called for continued research into the virus' origins. "As far as WHO is concerned, all hypotheses remain on the table," director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement . Originally published on Live Science. A U.S. vaccine safety working group is looking into a small number of cases of heart inflammation in young people following COVID-19 vaccines, Reuters reported . Most cases reported so far have been mild. The condition, called myocarditis, is also somewhat common, and the rate seen so far in vaccinated people does not differ from the baseline expected in the population, meaning there may be no link. And even if a link can be established, "vaccines are going to unequivocally be much more beneficial outweighing this very low, if conclusively established, risk," Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Reuters, referring to the immense benefit the vaccine provides in preventing a COVID-19 infection. The cases seem to be occurring more often in adolescents and young adults, in males and about four days after receiving the second shot of mRNA vaccines made by PFizer-BioNTech and Moderna, according to the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices . To see whether there is a link, the researchers are reviewing records and asking clinicians to be on the alert to report such cases. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that often occurs after infection with a virus , such as influenza or the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Symptoms can range from mild fatigue and chest pain that resolves on its own to heart rhythm irregularities, cardiac arrest and even death in rare, severe cases. Most cases resolve with no long-term effects, according to a 2020 review in the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia . Males tend to be more commonly affected by myocarditis, according to that study. About 10 to 22 people per 100,000 or up to 70,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with viral myocarditis every year, according to the study. However, many cases are so mild that they are never diagnosed, meaning true incidence is likely higher. So far, more than 4 million people under age 18 have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, and tens of millions ages 24 and younger have received the vaccine, according to the CDC , so many cases would be expected by chance in this population. The CDC did not say how many cases of myocarditis they were investigating. Other vaccines, such as the flu vaccine , can cause myocarditis, so it's important to evaluate any potential link between COVID-19 vaccines and the heart condition, Adalja told Reuters. Because of that, the CDC started monitoring for cases of this heart inflammation in those who have been vaccinated since COVID-19 vaccinations began. Cases of the heart condition following the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have also been reported in Israel and Europe, and regulators there have so far found no link to the vaccines, Biospace reported . Originally published on Live Science. A necropsy of a 10-day-old orca that washed up in Norway in 2017 has revealed that even as calves, these iconic whales are full of harmful chemicals, a new study finds. The young killer whale (Orcinus orca) was one of eight deceased orcas that researchers in Norway examined. Of these, seven (including the calf) had levels of the banned flame retardant polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) that were high enough to cause health problems in the animals, the researchers found. And all had lower levels of some newer pollutants of which little is known and haven't yet been banned. "Perhaps the most striking finding was that the neonate killer whale was as polluted as the adults," study co-researcher Eve Jourdain, founder and main investigator at Norwegian Orca Survey, told Live Science in an email. "This means that these new pollutants are also being passed on from mother to calf (maternal transfer through placenta and milking)." Related: Image gallery: Russia's beautiful killer whales The team carried out the animal autopsies to learn more about orca health in Norway's waters. Killer whales (which aren't actually whales, but the largest species of dolphin), are at the top of the food chain, meaning they're vulnerable to accumulating high levels of pollutants, Jourdain said. After the team had collected blubber and, in some cases, muscle and organ samples from eight whales that had died after stranding or getting caught in nets in Norway between 2015 and 2017, they got to work analyzing the cetacean tissues for human-made chemicals. Overall, the team learned that "PCBs are still found at high levels in Norwegian killer whales, despite the fact that they were banned a long time ago," Jourdain said. The researchers also screened for new chemicals that aren't yet regulated, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and found the retardents pentabromotoluene (PBT) and hexabromobenzene (HBB) at low levels in the blubber of all eight whales, the researchers wrote in the study. This orca was so young, its teeth hadn't erupted past the gum line. The research team examined its blubber, muscle, liver, kidney, heart, spleen and skin. (Image credit: Norwegian Orca Survey) These chemicals were created as replacements for PCBs, but that's of little consolation to the whales. The study reveals that "these replacement chemicals have the same accumulation properties in killer whales' tissues" as PCBs do, Jourdain said. The researchers also looked at perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) , known as "forever chemicals" because they don't break down like other chemicals in typical environments, and total mercury levels. While still concerning, PFAS and mercury levels were lower in the orca calf than in the adults, "suggesting less efficient maternal transfer of these substances," the researchers noted in the study. Some of the chemicals examined in the study the BFRs, PBTs, HBBs and PFAS are widely used on in countless products, including cosmetics, ski wax, textiles, leather, paper and foam-based fire extinguishing agents, Jourdain said. "These may end up in the ocean through local streams, sewage waters, etc. [and] then climb high and accumulate in the food chain, until reaching [their] highest levels in top predators like killer whales." Researchers found harmful chemicals in tissues of killer whales that washed up in Norway between 2015 and 2017. (Image credit: Norwegian Orca Survey) Previous research has also found PCBs in orcas, including in Lulu, an adult killer whale whose body was discovered on an island off the coast of Scotland in 2016. The PCB concentrations in Lulu's blubber were 100 times higher than what scientists deem safe for marine mammals, meaning she had some of the highest levels of PCBs ever recorded in a whale, Live Science previously reported . Scientists don't know how harmful these chemicals are to orcas, but studies have linked legacy contaminants, such as PCBs, to impairment of immune and reproductive systems in whales, she said. "This means that killer whales may be more vulnerable to pathogens and diseases and less likely to reproduce." The fact that the newer replacement chemicals seem to behave in the same way as the legacy contaminants, in the sense that they both accumulate in whale tissues, also concerned the researchers. "This is a concern since they are not regulated yet and since we know little about how harmful to wildlife they may be," Jourdain said. The study was published online May 18 in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry . The team also posted a video about their work on Facebook . Originally published on Live Science. Click here to read the full article. Dimitri Vegas Thivaios, one-half of hugely popular electronic dance music duo Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, has landed his first lead role in a feature film, H4Z4RD. Billed as an action comedy, H4Z4RD is the second film from Belgian director, Jonas Govaerts, whose debut feature, the horror flick Cub, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Thivaios temporarily broke Instagram when he filmed himself cutting off his signature locks for the role. The haircut, soundtracked by his first solo single, Pull Me Closer, has logged over half a million views. The Belgian/Greek Thivaios has made a few appearances on the big and small screen in recent years, including on Jurassic World 3: Dominion and Rambo: Last Blood. H4Z4RD, which takes place in Antwerp, in Thivaios home country of Belgium, takes place over a 24-hour timeframe and will be putting Thivaios acting chops to the test. Its about a simple job gone wrong turned into a nerve-wrecking race against the clock, says Thivaios of H4Z4RD. Its an intense script entirely rendered from the point of view of the main characters car, so that makes it a pretty unique and challenging concept. The Dutch-language film, which begins shooting this June, also stars high-profile actors from both Belgium and the Netherlands. Some names familiar to North American audiences are Frank Lammers from the Netflix crime-thriller series Undercover, Monic Hendrickx from the Netflix revenge drama Ferry, and Jeroen Perceval from the Academy Award-nominated Bullhead. Govaerts is known for directing music videos, film shorts and television series, most notably the Netflix psychological thriller, Tabula Rasa. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. U.K. culture secretary Oliver Dowden has called for an attitudinal change at the BBC following the Dyson report into the circumstances around the 1995 Princess Diana interview by Martin Bashir on the Panorama program. Writing in U.K. newspaper The Times on Monday, Dowden said: The BBC needs to improve its culture to ensure that this never happens again and that means a new emphasis on accuracy, impartiality and diversity of opinion. As others have observed, the BBC can occasionally succumb to a we know best attitude. Groupthink in any organization results in a lack of challenge and poor decision making. That is why cultural change must be a focus after the Dyson report. Dowden wrote that Dysons investigation exposed failures that struck at the heart of the BBCs value and culture and revealed the shame people whove worked at the corporation their entire lives felt about the revelations. Dysons report was published last week and noted that the BBC fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark. Dowden said that he expects the BBC to act swiftly on all of the reports recommendations. There will be action from the U.K. government too. Lord Dysons report reveals damning failings at the heart of the BBC. We will now reflect on Lord Dysons thorough report and consider whether further governance reforms at the BBC are needed in the mid-term Charter review, Dowden had tweeted on May 20, following the publication of the Dyson report. Lord Dysons report reveals damning failings at the heart of the BBC. We will now reflect on Lord Dyson's thorough report and consider whether further governance reforms at the BBC are needed in the mid-term Charter review. (1/2) Oliver Dowden (@OliverDowden) May 20, 2021 I welcome the fact that the new leadership launched this independent inquiry and expect them to ensure that this can never happen again. We will not stand idly by in government either, Dowden wrote in The Times on Monday. He said that the government should not get involved in editorial decisions, but should reflect on the lack of oversight and challenge that these decisions exposed. We will not make kneejerk reforms but will use the mid-term charter review to determine whether the governance and regulatory arrangements should be strengthened, Dyson wrote. We will start the preparatory work on this now. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had weighed in on the issue, saying: I hope very much that the BBC will be taking every possible step to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. The culture secretary also noted the looming threat from deep-pocketed global streamers, a matter that has been an ongoing topic of discussion amongst U.K. public service broadcasters, such as the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5. Of course as we look to the longer term there are more fundamental questions about the correct funding model, shape and structure of the BBC, Dowden wrote. With intensifying competition from platforms such as Netflix and Amazon, the BBC cannot retreat. It must instead be equipped to step up to project British values and distinct quality programming with renewed vigor and ambition. A BBC that the public genuinely trusts and respects and that serves the entire nation must be its defining mission, Dowden concluded. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) An agent who oversaw the 2018 investigation into the disappearance of a University of Iowa student testified Monday that a shortage of Spanish-speaking officers delayed and hindered his ability to question the man on trial in her stabbing death. Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta said he wanted to speak with Cristhian Bahena Rivera after investigators linked him to a car seen on video driving near where Mollie Tibbetts disappeared while running in Brooklyn, Iowa. But that took four days, in part because investigators knew they needed to question Bahena Rivera and his co-workers in Spanish, and we didnt have any Spanish speakers, Vileta said. Vileta testified at the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport as the first-degree murder trial of Bahena Rivera entered its second week. Prosecutors rested their case Monday afternoon, and the defense is expected to begin calling witnesses Tuesday. Bahena Rivera, 26, faces life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say Bahena Rivera followed Tibbetts while she ran on July 18, 2018, killed her after she threatened to call police then hid her body in a cornfield. They say Bahena Rivera led investigators to the body after making a partial confession on Aug. 20, 2018, and that Tibbetts DNA was a match for blood found in his trunk. Vileta acknowledged Monday that investigators never found a murder weapon and do not have physical evidence proving Bahena Rivera killed her, only that her body was in his vehicle's trunk. Bahena Rivera told police that he blacked out and couldnt remember how he killed Tibbetts. Vileta said the evidence suggests Tibbetts was abducted on a road outside Brooklyn after 8 p.m., but that he does not know precisely where or when she was killed. Data from Tibbetts cellphone provider shows her phone was moving at a running pace before accelerating to over 60 mph around 8:27 p.m. and eventually slowing down and stopping more than 10 miles away, FBI agent Kevin Horan testified. By 8:53 p.m., her phone went dark. Agents narrowed their focus to that rural area near the town of Guernsey, where her body was later found. Her cellphone and FitBit device were never recovered, Vileta said. An autopsy determined Tibbetts died of multiple sharp-force injuries consistent with stab wounds from a knife with a single-edged blade, State Medical Examiner Dennis Klein told jurors Monday afternoon. Tibbetts suffered up to 12 wounds to her head, neck, chest and other body parts, including one injury that penetrated her skull, he said. An injury to her right hand suggested she was trying to defend herself. Bahena Rivera remained largely expressionless throughout the day. He watched as the medical examiner discussed several photos showing the wounds to Tibbetts' body, which had decomposed by the time it was recovered. After identifying Bahena Rivera as a person of interest Aug. 16, Vileta said he had to find Spanish-speaking officers to question the Mexican national and other dairy farm workers, describing that four-day gap as a nervous time. Vileta noted that the political environment for immigrants living illegally in the U.S. was hostile in 2018, and said he worried that Bahena Rivera or others might flee if they knew they were being sought for questioning. That's why investigators took DNA samples from Hispanic workers at the farm, so they could be identified if they later disappeared, he said. Vileta said he asked Iowa City police officer Pamela Romero to question Rivera because she is fluent in Spanish, even though she had little interrogation experience. He said he opted not to have Romero translate his questions for Bahena Rivera because doing so would make for a choppy and frustrating discussion, and had Romero continue the interview because Bahena Rivera seemed comfortable speaking with her. Vileta said he and an FBI agent tried to manage the 11-hour interview by taking frequent breaks so they could be briefed on Bahena Riveras statements, but that it was difficult. On cross-examination, Vileta recounted looking into Mollie Tibbetts boyfriend and other men who came under scrutiny for various reasons before Bahena Rivera came on their radar. That included a reserve deputy who lived on the property adjacent to where Tibbetts body was found, Vileta said. Tipsters told police that the man had a torture room in his basement and had previously harmed women and children, Vileta acknowledged. Investigators went to the mans house, did not find such a room and never formally interviewed him, he said. Seeking to rebut suggestions that someone else could have been responsible for Tibbetts' death, prosecutor Scott Brown raised his voice to a shout as he asked Vileta whether anyone else had confessed or been linked to the death of Tibbetts by blood evidence. Vileta said only Rivera. That person is the man seated here to my right, would you agree? Brown said, pointing at Bahena Rivera. WASHINGTON (AP) With a showdown vote looming, Senate Republicans are misrepresenting the timeline of a proposed independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. The House easily approved the bill last week with 35 Republicans signing on. But the measure faces an uncertain fate in the evenly divided Senate. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is opposed and former President Donald Trump is demanding the effort be quashed. On Sunday, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, suggested that a roadblock to gaining GOP support is the commissions timing, echoing concerns from Republican leaders last week that the panels final report could extend into the 2022 midterm election year. Thats not the case. COLLINS, citing issues that could lead her to oppose the panel: I see no reason why the report cannot be completed by the end of this year. The commissioners have to be appointed within 10 days. Theres plenty of time to complete the work. And Im optimistic that we can get past these issues based on recent conversations Ive had with Democrats. interview Sunday on ABCs This Week. SEN. JOHN CORNYN, R-Texas, suggesting that Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will drag the commissions work well into the middle of 2022: Well, part of the concern is thats the plan. Thats Pelosis plan ... That would be the Democrats dream. interview with CNN on May 19. THE FACTS: Those claims of a delayed report are untrue. The bill calls for the report to be complete by the end of this year. According to the legislation, the final report from the bipartisan commission, whose members would be evenly divided among Democrats and Republicans, must be submitted to the president and Congress not later than December 31, 2021. There is a subsequent 60-day period for the commission to finish administrative tasks, such as to distribute the report and provide testimony to congressional committees, which would come in the early part of 2022. But the panel's investigation, including all findings, conclusions and recommendations, would need to be fully complete this year. So there has not been a roadblock to Senate Republican support for the panel based on the reports timing as Collins and others describe it. Collins said she wants an independent commission and is talking with House leaders about her issues with the bill, including how staffing is handled. She wants assurances that the panels staff, along with commission members, will be bipartisan. The legislation calls for the chairperson, who would be appointed by Democrats, to hire staff in consultation with the vice chairperson," who would be chosen by Republicans. Collins said Sunday that staff should be either jointly appointed by both parties or staffed in equal numbers by both sides. If approved, the bipartisan commission is expected to look at Trumps role in stoking the Jan. 6 riot, including his persistent false claims in the months beforehand that the November election was stolen. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE A look at the veracity of claims by political figures. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck The Webb County Commissioners Court meeting on Monday will be discussing topics regarding COVID-19 rental assistance, the procurement of additional computer equipment for the Sheriffs office to target internet crimes against children and the continuation of the Veterans Treatment Program amongst other items. For the COVID-19 rental assistance topic, the court highlighted the disastrous consequences that the pandemic has brought to the residents of Webb County, specifically the cost of housing and rent. They will be discussing an agreement with the National Association of Counties to request $425,388.70 from the U.S. Department of Treasury. In conjunction, they will also discuss a vendor agreement with landlords throughout the county for the implementation of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. According to the agenda, this agreement would speed up the process and funding of the ERAP for qualifying applicants. As for the Webb County Sheriff Departments request, court members will discuss the acceptance of a $4,550 grant from the Office of the Texas Attorney General to be used in the procurement of computer equipment and specialized software for the sheriffs ICAC unit. According to Sheriff Martin Cuellar, the unit has worked with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to arrest child predators in the Webb County area and the grant would supplement those efforts. The Webb County Sheriffs Office Cybercrimes Unit has been able to successfully intervene to protect children in the local community and effect the arrest of child predators in Laredo/Webb County, Cuellars request states. For veterans, the court will discuss the possible action to authorize the acceptance of the Year 3 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Grant. This would continue services for the 341st Veterans Treatment Program and continue to help those in need. The SAMHSA states that mental health and substance use disorders can affect people from all ages and as serious as they can be, they are treatable. The goal of SAMHSA is to reduce the impact of mental and substance use disorders in the U.S. Aside from these topics, the commissioners court meeting will also go over sending firefighters to an annual training at the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service at College Station. Lastly, the Webb County Head Start and Early Head Start Program will be discussed at length regarding funding, both federal and non-federal. After that, they will cover the 2021 strategic plan update that will focus on providing input and receiving feedback. cocampo@lmtonline.com Two murder cases are scheduled in to appear in the Webb County District Courts this week. Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the 111th District Court in the case of Norberto Adame. He is charged with one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. At about 2 a.m. in November 2018, police officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired between the 800 block of Olive Street and the intersection of McClelland Avenue and Travis Street. As officers were en route, Lesther Julian Castro Jr. called police saying he and his friend had been shot at. Authorities identified his friend as Jose Jesus Martinez. Officers said they found Castro and Martinez in a black Chrysler 300 in the 3800 block of Logan Avenue by East Saunders. The driver, Castro, sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his left arm and abdomen, according to reports. Martinez was bleeding in the backseat of the vehicle from multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said. He was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics took Castro to a local hospital. He was then airlifted to a San Antonio hospital for further care. Authorities recovered multiple casings from the intersections of East Saunders and Tilden Avenue, and East Saunders and McClelland, according to police. Additionally, after resetting plea hearings several times, the man accused of stabbing his mother when he was 16 years old in 2012 is scheduled for a plea hearing in the 406th District Court on Monday. In August, Jorge Rene Velasco Jr.'s attorney, Oscar O. Pena, said the prosecutor, Joshua Davila, and himself are very close to working this case out. The delay is not due to the cooperation of council, but COVID, its hard to get together and negotiate. Velasco was detained in January 2012 after Laredo police responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at a home in the 4100 block of Declaration Drive in the Independence Hills neighborhood. His mother, Martha Velasco, 48, was found with multiple stab wounds in the kitchen area. She was later pronounced dead. He was indicted in February 2016 after he was certified as an adult in January 2013. msalas@lmtonline.com Laredo is now home to an organization that not only promises to bring more awareness of the LGBTQ community, but also create activities for the comunity in honor of the upcoming Pride month. The Gateway City Pride Association was created to become a new voice for the LGBTQ community and to educate Laredoans about the community itself. The organization is planning its first ever festival, parade and rally to celebrate Pride month in June. Gateway City Pride Association will be the premier link to the Laredo LGBTQIA+ and allied community, Founder and President of Gateway City Pride Association Jorge Quijano said. This nonprofit seeks to build bridges within the community and forge new bonds among younger and older citizens living in Laredo and the surrounding areas and Mexico. Together, we plan to celebrate the strength and diversity of our community and foster an increased sense of well-being in the lives we touch. According to Quijano, they intend to complete this mission and other objectives. This nonprofit organization plans to educate and unite the diverse communities and further promote better understanding and support among the members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, Quijano said. One way to execute this is by coordinating and executing a first ever PRIDE Parade and Festival. The PRIDE Festival is a tool to bridge the diverse communities. We are working with various local nonprofits who are also participating in the festival and coordinating their own events for Pride Month in June. Quijano states that the festival and parade is an important event to host in Laredo to educate and unite the LGBTQ community and those outside of it in order to understand their needs. The parade for this year will also be very different from last year as COVID restrictions are more lenient. We are having an in-person parade following the festival on Saturday, June 26, Quijano said. We are doing things differently this year. Instead of a vehicular parade, we are having a march and rally down the street of Iturbide. We want this first-ever Pride Parade and Festival to be all inclusive and invite everyone to march with us on this day. Several of the members of the new organization are extremely thrilled about the prospects of beginning to host these activities soon in the city and at a large scale. Since last year up until now, I have seen a drastic change, Monica Marinque, Gateway City Pride Association Board Member said. From helping with the vehicular PRIDE Parade last year during the pandemic to now being a part of this board has been an exhilarating journey. She added, Bringing these rough ideas to life is exciting because it is actually happening; I cant wait for Laredo to see what is in store for our city in June and the PRIDE Parade and Festival on Saturday, June 26. Quijano states that the new organization and the activities that they will perform are all centered on the scope of tolerance, acceptance and understanding. He feels that the main goal of the organization is focused on these three things as determined by research he conducted in efforts to determine what were the needs and areas in which the local LGBTQ community needs more acceptance into the local culture. I conducted a small survey, but there is a discrepancy due to the amount of LGBTQ members that answered the question and were mostly males, Quijano said. But our local LGBTQ members feel Laredo is tolerant but not accepting. Tolerance toward our LGBTQ community is not recognized and just ignored. Acceptance toward our community means we are recognized and received in our society. Although Quijano feels that he is very well accepted by friends and families locally, he states that the fact that other members from the LGBTQ community do not feel the same is what caused him to create this organization and the related activities to help ensure that the community has a voice. I personally feel as a member of our LGBTQ community, I am accepted, but if my peers dont feel that way, I would like to help and make that difference in their lives, Quijano said. The third step to achieve is understanding. Some of our heterosexual counterparts dont fully understand the LGBTQ community and have their own preconception and misconception. Quijano also states that since Laredo has a score of 0 in the nation as the least friendly city towards the LGBTQ Community, this motivates him and his newly created nonprofit organization board members to change that score by working with the City of Laredo, other nonprofit organizations and entities to ensure that the LGBTQ community is much more accepted locally. Also, he feels that his organization will help achieve many of the pitfalls of other local organizations that try to tailor to the LGBTQ community. There are a few nonprofit organizations that target the LGBTQIA+ community, but our nonprofit will concentrate on coordinating the annual PRIDE Parade and Festival, Quijano said. Other Texan cities like San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas have been hosting PRIDE Parade and festivals for many years. Recently, Corpus Christi and Eagle Pass have hosted these events as well. It is time we have such a celebration in our city. We also plan to host events for educational purposes. Quijano states that they already have several organizations working with them in efforts to make the events happen including the Laredo Film Society, Laredo BorderSlam, PILLAR, Laredo Downtown Bar Alliance, Rio Grande International Studies Center, Pet Lovers Paradise and It Street. A calendar of events will be announced at a later date. Quijano states that people interested in joining or simply being informed of all the activities and meetings they conduct can stay informed by following the Gateway City Pride Association on Facebook, or facebook.com/956pride, and sending them a message. They can also email gatewaycitypride@gmail.com. Their website is still under construction but will launch soon at gatewaycitypride.org. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem catapulted onto the list of conservative politicians favored by former President Donald Trump with her libertarian approach to the pandemic. With the virus waning, she may be seeking to stay there by picking some legal fights sure to please the right. In recent weeks, Noem has gone to court to challenge President Joe Biden's administration for blocking an Independence Day celebration with fireworks at Mount Rushmore. She also joined a lawsuit from several states against the administration over climate change regulations one of the only plaintiffs who doesn't hail from a state heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Noem says she's simply acting in the state's interests, but the tactic has given her a chance to cast herself as one of Biden's most prominent foes. She went on Fox News to announce the lawsuit over Mount Rushmore fireworks, and later joined star host Sean Hannity for a podcast titled Noem vs. Biden." Noem told Hannity the only way to get fairness on this issue was to sue the Biden administration, and cast it as a fight not just for South Dakota but also for our nation and the ability to celebrate our independence the way that our founders encouraged us to. Instead of entrusting her attorney general with the lawsuits, Noem has filed them herself by tapping a state legal fund that has historically been used to defend against lawsuits, not launch them. Noem is taking a role usually played by the attorney general she is the only governor to be listed alongside attorneys general from nine other states in the climate regulations lawsuit. In the Mount Rushmore lawsuit, Noem has the backing of Republican attorneys general from 16 other states. By taking the lead on the states legal matters, Noem has entered a see-sawing legal battle that has played out in recent years between the president in power and states controlled by the opposing party. Members of both parties, from California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, have used a legal strategy to seize on national hot-button issues. But launching lawsuits from the governor's office is a new strategy for Noem and one that has drawn criticism from some other South Dakota Republicans. State Rep. Steve Haugaard, a former House speaker who has sparred with the governor, gave the Mount Rushmore lawsuit little chance of prevailing in court. The National Park Service, which controls the monument, cited the possible fire danger and objections from local Native American tribes for denying the states application to hold fireworks this year. When the outcome is a foregone conclusion, then there is a better use for those funds, he said, adding that state resources shouldnt be used for personal attention. Noem hired a Washington-area law firm, Consovoy McCarthy, best known for representing Trump in fending off efforts to investigate his financial records. Noem spokesman Ian Fury said the firm was chosen for its expertise." Its contract is capped at $150,000, with the state paying $600 an hour for partners and $450 an hour for associates, according to Fury. He said the legal costs of joining the multistate lawsuit over Biden's climate change order should be minimal. Fury explained Noem filed the Rushmore lawsuit herself because she's the one who has pushed to return the fireworks celebration to Mount Rushmore. The administration has noted that the monument is a huge draw for the state's tourism industry, which is South Dakota's second-largest job provider. Noem found an ally last year in then-President Trump, who cleared the way for fireworks at Rushmore despite longstanding concerns about fire danger. Trump joined Noem for a July 3 event that netted Noem pictures alongside the president, as well as a seat with him on Air Force One after the event. Troy Jones, a business consultant in Sioux Falls and a Republican, said he had no problem with Noem's lawsuit, citing the importance of the monument. A decisions been made that is objectively bad for my state, Jones said of the government blocking fireworks. Paul Nolette, a Marquette University political science professor who studies attorneys general, said it's unusual for a governor to represent a state in lawsuits against the federal government. He attributed the move to Noem's national ambitions but also a rift with the state's GOP attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg, who has been charged in a crash that killed a pedestrian last year. Noem called for Ravnsborg to resign. He refused, saying he can still carry out the duties of his office. But he has kept a low profile. Noem has made it clear she won't be hindered by the attorney general's reticence. Courting a national profile is a priority for Noem, who became a frequent Fox News guest in the past year in part due to a hands-off approach to managing the coronavirus pandemic without requiring masks or imposing any significant restrictions. Noem has also traveled the country to appear at political fundraisers and at conservative events such as CPAC, and also campaigned as a surrogate for Trump and for the GOP Senate candidates who ultimately lost critical runoff elections in Georgia earlier this year. Even some South Dakotans who enjoyed the Mount Rushmore fireworks said they would be watching to see if Noem's lawsuit holds up to judicial scrutiny. Linda Johnson, an independent voter from Sioux Falls who considers herself fiscally conservative, didn't take issue with Noem fighting for the fireworks, but she also cautioned the governor. She has to own the consequences of every battle that she is taking the taxpayers into, she said. ___ This article has corrected the misspelling of a Sioux Falls business consultant's name. It is Troy Jones, not Trey Jones. Yes, Carole Baskin is aware of the Houston tiger saga. And she's got some things to say about it. The tiger advocate, early quarantine Netflix hit "Tiger King" antagonist, and "Dancing with the Stars" contestant pointed fingers at Texas senators for lawmakers' role in tiger ownership, the Houston Chronicle's Rebecca Hennes reports. WILD WORLD OF HOUSTON: Everything we know about the tiger seen roaming a west Houston neighborhood In an appearance on CNN, Baskin opened her appearance by admonishing the Senate, specifically Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, for not signing the Big Cat Public Safety Act. "I really hope that Senators Cruz and Cornyn will sign onto the Big Cat Public Safety Act because if they had last year when the House passed this bill... this wouldn't have happened this time," Baskin said on CNN. "And the reason for that is this cub is nine months old, which means it probably aged out of being used as a pay-to-play prop in December of last year when this passed the House with a 2/3 vote." The Big Cat Public Safety Act would restrict ownership of big cats such as tigers, cougars and lions. The bill was read in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works in December 2020. Texas has no statewide laws preventing big cat ownership and reportedly has the second largest population of tigers in the world, only behind India. And because Cruz can't resist hopping on Twitter whenever he gets a whiff of someone's disdain, he responded to Baskin's CNN appearance with a simple GIF. TEXAS TIGERS: Texas has a large population of pet tigers across the state Twitter king Cornyn hasn't bothered to respond. Meanwhile, India, the 9-month-old male tiger in question, is still on the lam. The tiger's handler, Victor Hugo Cuevas, was released from the Fort Bend County Jail on bond Wednesday afternoon. Dozens of Police were involved in a major operation on Monday, May 10 after a firearms incident in Orewa led to an extensive search involving the Police helicopter and Pine Valley Road in Dairy Flat being closed for eight hours. A 42-year-old man was subsequently arrested and charged with threats to kill and unlawfully carrying a firearm. Police said afterwards they would like to acknowledge residents of Orewa and Dairy Flat who may have been inconvenienced by the search activity. Aside from that, an increase in thefts from cars has been an issue locally, according to area prevention manager Senior Sergeant Steve Pivac. We have recently seen more thefts of property from parked vehicles on the Hibiscus Coast, so we would like to encourage locking vehicles parked near roads and removing valuables, he says. Local officers have also been focusing on road safety, with schools going back and the recent change to fines for using a mobile phone while driving increasing from $80 to $150. Road safety is also causing a headache for Silverdale Fire Stations senior station officer Jim Maclean. We are noticing drivers are obviously stressed and distracted, not noticing or responding to emergency vehicles behind them, or realising approaching vehicles may turn across their path or cross to their side of the road while overtaking, he says. Please take extra care when you see an emergency vehicle responding. Let it get safely past as soon as possible. Traffic islands and turning traffic may well make safe passing impossible if you continue until they are directly behind you. He says crews are also responding to a lot of rear-end collisions and seeing red light runners. You will never get where you are going faster if the trip is via the panel beaters! he says. Silverdale crews attended three significant fires in one day on May 5. The first was what appeared to be a house fire off Grand Drive, Orewa, but which turned out to be a classic Ford Capri that had caught fire in a driveway. Later that day, crews attended a digger with its engine on fire at a building site in Silverdale and a significant grass fire from an out of control burn-off in Dairy Flat. Although the fire season has changed to Open, it is still unseasonably dry and fires get out of control quickly, Jim says. Africa Day 2021 takes place on Tuesday, May 25 and to mark the occasion, in line with public health restrictions, the Longford Africans Network is holding a virtual evening of celebration and reflection until it is possible to meet once again in person. Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the African Union, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 25 1963. It is a wonderful opportunity to draw attention to the diversity of unique African heritage, customs, languages and traditions. Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Paul Ross said, Longford County Council welcomes and supports the integration of all of our communities and this event is a great opportunity for us to learn more about the heritage and culture of African people. The Founder and Chairperson of Longford Africans Network is Leas-Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi. Commenting in advance of the event she said, Celebrations like Africa Day help us to come together, even remotely, to combat social isolation and we all know how much this has affected people especially living through this last most difficult year. The COVID-19 pandemic saw all members of the Longford community of diverse ethnic backgrounds come together to support each other making us stronger together. We are also grateful to have received funding and support for this event from Longford County Council and from Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Chief Executive of Longford County Council Paddy Mahon said, Longford County Council is delighted to be involved in funding this community event here in Longford. We hope it highlights the vibrancy that members of the African community bring to Longford, including their own individual talents, crafts, skills and other contributions that would previously have been demonstrated locally for these events and we look forward to in-person events returning next year. Cllr Adejinmi says, At the event, we will recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of our Africans in the community and recognise some of our allies. I look forward to seeing people online. The link to the event, which takes place at 7pm will be provided upon emailing africanslinklongford@gmail.com or you can find details on the Longford Africans Network Facebook page. (Alliance News) - The government must ensure a steel plant on the outskirts of Sheffield will remain open, the Labour Party has said, after Liberty Steel Group announced it was looking for a buyer for a number of sites. London-based Liberty Steel announced on Monday that it is looking for a buyer for its aerospace and steel business in Stocksbridge as part of a major restructuring in the wake of its main financial backer, Greensill Capital Pty, collapsing in March. The company has also started a formal sale process for Coventry's Liberty Pressing Solutions, and Liberty Aluminium Technologies, which has sites in Essex and Kidderminster. And it will also try to sell its manufacturing facilities in Brinsworth, South Yorkshire, and in West Bromwich. Between them all, the plants for sale employ around 1,500 people. But Labour said the government should step in, and that public ownership of the company should still be considered. Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband said: "It's absolutely vital the government and Liberty secure legal assurances that the Stocksbridge plant, which is a British asset supplying our aerospace and defence industries and providing good jobs, will remain open and the workforce will be protected. "Crucially we also need assurances about all of Liberty's other plants. "The government must show it has a plan B to protect the long-term future of our steel industry, including at Liberty a and public ownership must remain an option on the table." Labour Metro Mayor for the Sheffield city region Dan Jarvis added that the government should be "prepared to help provide finance to bridge any transition period until a new buyer is found". He said: "British steel has a bright future as a zero-carbon, high quality, internationally competitive product. "It would be a travesty for South Yorkshire and for the whole country if that potential was lost through lack of action." It comes as part of a major restructuring following the collapse of Greensill Capital in March this year. When the financing company went into administration, its lawyers revealed that it had around GBP3.5 billion of exposure to Liberty's parent company GFG Alliance, which is owned by entrepreneur Sanjeev Gupta and operates within the mining, energy and materials industries. It sparked worries about Liberty's future, and that of its 5,000 UK staff. Liberty said on Monday that it could protect thousands of jobs by restructuring the business. The aerospace and special alloys steel business in Stocksbridge is "a unique, high-quality business servicing marquee customers in aerospace, auto and other highly engineered applications", the business said. However it is not a core part of Liberty's greensteel plan to create more environmentally-friendly steel. By selling, Liberty hopes it can focus on scaling up its plant in Rotherham to make 2 million tonnes of green steel. "The plant will make use of some of the millions of tonnes of steel scrap currently exported by the UK to make more of the quality steel needed in the UK, which is currently being imported," Liberty said. The announcement follows a weekend of meetings in Dubai between Gupta, once hailed as the hope of UK steel, and Swiss bank Credit Suisse Group AG. The two sides have reached a so-called standstill agreement over Liberty Primary Metals Australia. A spokesperson for the National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee said: "Stocksbridge and its downstream plants are strategically important businesses vital to our country's defence, energy and aerospace sectors. "The future for these businesses must be secured and the trade unions will hold Sanjeev Gupta to his promise that none of our steel plants will close on his watch. "Liberty must act as a responsible seller and run a transparent sales process which fully engages the trade unions. "We will expect to meet any potential buyer to scrutinise their plans and test their commitment to the workforce and our industry." By August Graham and Geraldine Scott, PA source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Royal Dutch Shell PLC - Hague, Netherlands-based oil major - Says subsidiary Shell Oil Co has reached an agreement for the sale of its interest in Deer Park Refining Ltd, a 50-50 joint venture between Shell Oil and PMI Norteamerica SA De CV, which is a subsidiary of Petroleos Mexicanos. The consideration for this transaction is USD596 million which is a combination of cash and debt, plus the value of hydrocarbon inventory. "Shell did not plan to market its interest in the Deer Park refinery; however, following an unsolicited offer from Pemex, we have reached an agreement to transfer our interest in the partnership to them. Pemex has been our strong and active partner at the Deer Park Refinery for nearly 30 years, and we will continue to work with them in an integrated way, including through our on-site chemicals facility, which Shell will retain. Above all, we remain committed to the wellbeing of our employees and will work closely with Pemex to ensure the continued prioritization of safe operations," says Huibert Vigeveno, Shell's Downstream Director. Current stock price: 1,408.60 pence Year-to-date change: up 8.5% By Greg Roxburgh; gregroxburgh@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - John Laing Group PLC on Monday said it has received all approvals and reached financial close on an investment in retirement accommodation with developer McCarthy Stone. In April, the FTSE 250-listed infrastructure investor said the agreement will see the platform Brigid Investments Ltd, in which John Laing and Macquarie Capital are each 50% shareholders, invest in purpose-built, completed and let retirement living units. John Laing in April said 250 completed units will be acquired, with a further 400 to be acquired over the next 12 months. Combined, these acquisitions represent an investment commitment of GBP50 million. The company on Monday explained it has secured "all necessary approvals" and "achieved financial close". John Laing added: "The group has achieved its full year guidance for 2021 of investment commitments of at least GBP100 million, with GBP107 million in new investment commitments. This comprises the investments in the UK-based specialised accommodation platform, the Pacifico 2 road PPP project, and a German fibre-to-the premise roll-out platform. John Laing shares were flat at 403.80 pence each in London on Monday morning. By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Sharecast News) - London stocks closed in positive territory on Monday, as the pound stabilised, following a commodity price warning from China which sparked hopes that inflationary pressures might ease. The FTSE 100 ended the session up 0.48% at 7,051.59, and the FTSE 250 was ahead 0.38% at 22,488.73. Sterling was mixed, last trading flat on the dollar at $1.4150, as it retreated 0.24% against the euro to change hands at 1.1589. "After a shaky start this morning the pound has stabilised once again, leaving it primed to resume its move back towards the highs of the year," said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp. "While Andrew Bailey might have reiterated the 'transitory' stance on inflation so beloved of central banks right now he also took the time to remind everyone that Threadneedle Street remains decidedly unconvinced about negative interest rates. "Taken with the ongoing softer US dollar it looks like the pound has further room to appreciate for the time being." Overnight, authorities in Beijing warned against excessive speculation in commodities, saying there would be "zero tolerance" for monopolies in spot and futures markets, and for speculation and hoarding. "Instead of tanking, the FTSE's sizeable commodity cabal, the index's oil and mining stocks were broadly up on the day, with BHP and Antofagasta the outliers," said Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell earlier. He said the FTSE was likely up "on speculation that this Chinese commodity warning could help ease the inflationary pressures" that had spooked the markets so far in 2021. "It is a very quiet day - and week - all told, especially with Germany and France enjoying a May Bank Holiday," said Campbell. Several markets across Europe were closed for Whit Monday. In equity markets, Cineworld gained 3.2% as the movie theatre operator reported a strong opening weekend in the UK after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, led by the success of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods jumped 5.91% after Shore Capital reiterated its 'buy' rating on the stock. On the downside, Kainos reversed earlier gains to close down 1.77%, even after it said annual profit had more than doubled to a record as organisations invested in its digital operations during the pandemic. Doorstep lender Provident Financial slumped 2.41% amid expectations it will be ejected from the FTSE 250 in the next reshuffle. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,051.59 0.48% FTSE 250 (MCX) 22,483.73 0.38% techMARK (TASX) 4,330.15 0.51% FTSE 100 - Risers Compass Group (CPG) 1,582.50p 2.79% Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 2,585.00p 2.76% Entain (ENT) 1,620.50p 2.25% Flutter Entertainment (CDI) (FLTR) 13,245.00p 2.09% InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 4,931.00p 2.03% Intermediate Capital Group (ICP) 2,068.00p 1.92% Whitbread (WTB) 3,153.00p 1.91% Vodafone Group (VOD) 129.38p 1.49% British Land Company (BLND) 520.20p 1.48% Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 12,425.00p 1.43% FTSE 100 - Fallers Fresnillo (FRES) 867.60p -1.63% Admiral Group (ADM) 2,918.00p -1.02% Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,525.00p -0.91% BHP Group (BHP) 2,102.50p -0.66% Imperial Brands (IMB) 1,658.50p -0.39% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 750.80p -0.32% United Utilities Group (UU.) 989.60p -0.28% Evraz (EVR) 665.80p -0.24% Severn Trent (SVT) 2,488.00p -0.24% Standard Chartered (STAN) 506.20p -0.20% FTSE 250 - Risers Rank Group (RNK) 196.20p 7.80% Premier Foods (PFD) 107.60p 5.91% Mitie Group (MTO) 69.50p 5.62% Restaurant Group (RTN) 128.40p 5.25% Royal Mail (RMG) 550.00p 4.48% Dr. Martens (DOCS) 497.60p 3.99% Syncona Limited NPV (SYNC) 215.00p 3.86% National Express Group (NEX) 295.00p 3.80% Wetherspoon (J.D.) (JDW) 1,386.00p 3.66% Micro Focus International (MCRO) 506.40p 3.49% FTSE 250 - Fallers Trainline (TRN) 297.00p -5.53% Energean (ENOG) 762.50p -3.79% Essentra (ESNT) 303.00p -3.63% Tullow Oil (TLW) 50.54p -3.33% Pagegroup (PAGE) 574.50p -2.70% Helios Towers (HTWS) 160.60p -2.57% NCC Group (NCC) 290.00p -2.52% Future (FUTR) 2,720.00p -2.51% Bytes Technology Group (BYIT) 513.00p -2.48% PureTech Health (PRTC) 358.00p -2.44% (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Monday and not separately reported by Alliance News: Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income PLC - European-focused logistics real estate investor - Posts net asset value peer share at March 31 of 121.6 euro cents, up from 120.1 cents at December 31. Declares first interim dividend of 1.41 cents per share. Portfolio valuation up 1.6% to EUR437.1 million from EUR430.2 million. Accsys Technologies PLC - wood building products manufacturer - Says it has received valid acceptances under the open offer, announced early May, and the excess application facility significantly in excess of the 2.4 million new shares available. Says the gross proceeds of the open offer will be approximately EUR4 million, and the aggregate gross proceeds of the placing and the open offer will be around EUR37 million. HSBC Holdings PLC - Asia-focused bank - Issues USD2.00 billion fixed rate senior unsecured notes at a coupon of 0.976% and due 2025. Issues USD3.00 billion 2.804% fixed rate senior unsecured notes due 2032. Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd - Africa-focused transition energy company - Proposes placing, subscription and open offer to raise USD23 million for in aggregate up to an estimated 297.0 million new shares. Magna Capital LDA agreed to underwrite up to USD7.9 million of the fundraising. Says the proceeds will be used to drill an appraisal well at Anchois gas development offshore Morocco to confirm the discovery; progress work programme on the acreage surrounding the Anchois gas discovery; as well as fund other power projects. Cora Gold Ltd - West Africa-focused gold explorer - Announces third set of drill results at its Sanankoro gold project in southern Mali. Says it plans to drill up to 35,000 meters by the end of July, with a dual focus on "targeting resource growth as well as infill drilling to convert existing inferred resources to measured and indicated resources". "Following on from the first two sets of drill results, it is extremely pleasing to be reporting further strong results from Sanankoro, including 19m at [4 grams per tonne of gold from 13m] depth - our best hole of the campaign to date in more shallow oxides. These results are also in areas of limited historical drilling, offering further significant encouragement," says CEO Bert Monro. Energean PLC - London-based company, with operations in the eastern Mediterranean and North Sea - Notes shareholder dissent at AGM, where 23% of shareholders voted against the company's remuneration report and 25% voted against its remuneration policy. Kanabo Group PLC - London-based medicinal cannabis firm that listed in February - Says it has raised GBP1 million via the placing of 4.5 million shares at 22 pence per share "with a range of new and existing investors". The placing price represents a 10% premium to the closing mid-price of the company's shares on Thursday last week. Inks a memorandum of understanding to evaluate a potential off-take agreement with Hellenic Dynamics SA, a medical cannabis cultivation company. "Under the terms of the MoU, it is envisaged that Kanabo will purchase up to 1000 kilograms per year [of] certified cannabis flowers with pre-defined THC or CBD contents, subject to certain regulatory approvals, for subsequent extraction of medical standard oils," says company. Oracle Power PLC - Cambridge-based coal miner - Announces the granting of exploration tenement E53/2140 which contains the Jundee East gold project, located in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. "The granting of the Jundee East exploration tenement, located only 7 kilometers due east of one of Australia's largest gold mines, is a great milestone that allows drilling to commence once final targeting programmes have been completed. The initial orientation soil geochemistry programme results are expected in the coming weeks, and this information will be integrated with the recent gravity survey over the prime targets previously reported. Oracle is optimistic that these two programmes will provide valuable information to understand the scale of targets identified within the Project area in preparation for drill targeting," says Oracle. Power Metal Resources PLC - metals exploration and development in Africa, US and Canada - Says the company and the vendors are "making good progress with the work to finalise the transaction". The transaction includes the acquisition of a 100% interest in First Development Resources Pty Ltd, an Australian private company, and will include FDR Australia's five exploration licence interests. The vendors include shareholders of FDR Australia and various third parties with interests in the exploration properties. As part of the transaction FDR Australia is to be acquired outright by a new UK private company in which Power Metal is to hold a 75% initial interest and the vendors a 25% initial interest. "Power Metal is working with the Vendors to identify the most expeditious route to complete the Transaction and to then implement the planned listing of [the new company] on the UK capital markets," says Power Metal. Phoenix Copper Ltd - US-focused base and precious metal emerging producer and exploration company - Announces earn-in agreement with First Cobalt Idaho, the wholly owned subsidiary of Toronto-based First Cobalt Corp for its Redcastle cobalt property in Idaho. First Cobalt will pay USD50,000 and issue 200,000 unrestricted shares to Phoenix. First Cobalt can earn a 51% interest in Borah Resources Inc, the company's 100% owned subsidiary and owner of the Redcastle property, by spending no less than USD1.5 million in exploration and related work on Redcastle over an initial three year period, the company says. "The capital cost savings to Phoenix are likely to be considerable, given that the Redcastle ore will be mined and processed as an extension to First Cobalt's Iron Creek mine. In addition to this local infrastructure, First Cobalt also owns the only cobalt refinery in North America, located in Ontario, Canada. This refinery will receive cobalt from the Idaho operations, saving Phoenix additional costs which would be incurred in developing or sourcing refining capacity," says company. Predator Oil & Gas Holdings PLC - Jersey-based oil & gas company with operations in Trinidad, Morocco and Ireland - Says Predator Gas Ventures Morocco branch has awarded the contract for the construction of the MOU-1 well pad platform and the improvement and extension of up to 5 kilometres of access roads to Moroccan company Skayavers Sarl. Civil works are to start immediately to facilitate the commencement of drilling activities next month. "The preparation of the MOU-1 drilling location is an important milestone paving the way for the drilling operations to start during June," company says. RTC Group PLC - London-based recruitment company - Makes offer to all employees who hold vested share options and offered to cancel them for a one-off cash consideration of 46.5p per share, being the mid-market closing price per RTC share on Friday. Intends to make market purchases of up to 2.2 million shares. SolGold PLC - Australian gold & copper mining company - Notes drilling results from Tandayama-America porphyry copper-gold target at its Cascabel project in Chile. Says the drilling has intersected "significant copper and gold mineralisation, including numerous intercepts" of over 100% copper equivalent. Says assay results from drill holes 8-10 are pending and drilling of holes 9 and 10 is currently underway. Pembridge Resources PLC - London-based mining company - Says investee Minto Explorations Ltd, which operates the Minto mine in Yukon, Canada, has approved an exploration drilling programme aiming to explore undeveloped parts of the Minto Claims licensed area that, based on past geophysic surveys and geochemistry, are highly prospective. "We look forward to seeing the results, which I expect will indicate further opportunity to extend the life of the mine," says company. Salt Lake Potash Ltd - Western Australia-focused organic sulphate of potash miner - Says it has received binding commitments for a successful share placement to institutional shareholders and investors raising AUD28.0 million, around USD21.7 million. Says proceeds will be used for general operating expenses during the ramp up of the Lake Way project in Australia. Says the placement is a key condition to enable the Company to undertake the final USD33 million drawdown from lender Sequoia. Sensyne Health PLC - Oxford, England-based clinical technology using artificial intelligence - Signs a strategic research agreement in the US with Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine, a partnership between non-profit health system UCHealth and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Says the agreement will enable the ethical application of clinical AI research to improve patient care and accelerate medical research. "This agreement with Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine, covering both genomic and electronic health record data, will enable us to undertake research aimed at a deeper understanding of disease, and to accelerate the development of novel medicines in collaboration with our pharmaceutical partners. I'm delighted to be working with CCPM and excited about the capability that our growing international data collaborative now offers to the global life sciences research community," says Chief Executive Paul Drayson. Velocity Composites PLC - AIM-listed kitting solutions and material management services provider - Says its full-year performance, which is set to end on October 31, remains suppressed due to the impact of Covid-19. Says there is a possibility that the second half will be better year-on-year. Expects sales in the six months to end April of GBP4.4 million, down sharply from GBP9.5 million a year before. Expects and adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of GBP500,00, widening from GBP300,000. Westmount Energy Ltd - invests in companies which operate in oil & gas related industries - Notes announcement by Ratio Petroleum Energy Ltd that Hess Corp has increased its working interest in the Kaieteur Block, offshore Guyana, from 15% to 20%. This increase in Hess Corp was made via the farm-down of a 5% working interest Cataleya Energy Ltd. Westmount holds approximately 5.3% of the issued share capital of Cataleya Energy Corp, the parent company of CEL and around 0.04% of the issued share capital of Ratio Petroleum. Wey Education PLC - London-based online educational services firm - Says court has sanctioned the acquisition of Wey Education by Inspired Education Online Ltd. Wey Education has applied to the London Stock Exchange for the cancellation of admission to trading of Wey Education shares on AIM, expected to come into effect on Wednesday. Zegona Communications PLC - acquires businesses in European telecommunications, media and technology sector - Announces intention to return GBP335 million to its shareholders in cash via a capital return following receipt of the proceeds from the acquisition of Euskaltel SA by MasMovil Ibercom SAU. This represents a value of GBP1.53 per Zegona share. "Zegona is committed to returning as much of the proceeds from the sale of Euskaltel as soon as reasonably possible, while leaving the business in a position to source its next investment opportunity," says Zegona. By Greg Roxburgh; gregroxburgh@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The EU is to seal off its airspace and airports to Belarusian airlines after a flight between two EU states was forcibly diverted to Minsk, the European Council president's spokesperson announced on Twitter on Monday evening. Belarussian state airline Belavia will likely have to cancel its flights to a host of cities, including to Berlin, Paris, and Brussels. Arrested Belarussian opposition blogger Roman Protasevich, who was on the diverted Ryanair flight, says he is cooperating and admitting to charges of organising protests in a video circulated by state TV channels on Monday. "I am in Detention Centre no 1 in Minsk. I can say that I have no health problems, including with my heart or any other organs," Protasevich said in the clip that appears to have been filmed on a phone camera. The 26-year-old is wearing a black hoodie and sits behind a table in a non-descript room with a pack of cigarettes by his side. The British government earlier Monday said it had issued instructions for UK aircraft to avoid Belarusian airspace and slapped a ban on the country's flag carrier Belavia. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had told the Civil Aviation Authority to issue instructions "in order to keep passengers safe". He also suspended the operating permit of Belavia, which flies daily London Gatwick to Minsk flights via Paris in a code-share with Air France. A senior Belarus transport official said that the country had received a bomb threat claiming to be from Hamas ahead of the diversion of a Ryanair passenger flight carrying a dissident. Artem Sikorsky, the head of the aviation department at the transport and communications ministry, read out a letter to journalists that said: "We, the soldiers of Hamas, demand that Israel cease fire in the Gaza Strip. We demand that the EU renounces its support for Israel in this war... A bomb is planted on this flight. If you do not fulfil our demands, the bomb will explode over Vilnius on May 23." Germany said it had summoned the Belarusian ambassador over the forced landing of an airliner and detention of a critical journalist. "The explanations of the Belarusian government for the forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk are absurd and not credible," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement. Scandinavian airline SAS Group said it would avoid Belarusian airspace. The announcement by SAS followed a recommendation from the Transport Agency calling on Swedish airlines to consider avoiding Belarus airspace. "This recommendation is in effect until the situation and issue has stabilised. We are closely monitoring the developments," said Simon Posluk, the agency's head of maritime and aviation traffic. European nations were demanding answers after Belarusian authorities dispatched a fighter jet to force a Ryanair flight to divert to Minsk, where a dissident journalist who was on board was then arrested. Ryanair Holdings PLC said its plane was flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday when it was notified of "a potential security threat on board" by air traffic controllers in Belarus and told to divert to Minsk for an emergency landing. The airline said the plane landed safely in Belarusian capital and "nothing untoward was found" after passengers were offloaded and an inspection took place. But authorities at the airport used the opportunity to arrest Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian journalist and opposition activist, who was a passenger, according to state media and the rights group Viasna. The opposition news outlet Nexta also confirmed the arrest of Protasevich, the organization's co-founder and former editor who has been living in exile. Governments across Europe reacted with the outrage, suggesting authoritarian Belarus used the pretext of a safety threat to conduct a "state hijacking" of a civilian airliner in order to go after a critic. Belarusian state media reported that the plane's diversion came on the personal instructions of long-time President Alexander Lukashenko after he had purportedly been alerted to a possible bomb on board and was concerned about the plane's safety. He also ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet be scrambled to accompany the Ryanair plane, according to the Belta state news agency. Lukashenko, 66, has led Belarus - a former Soviet republic in Eastern Europe bordering EU states Poland, Lithuania and Latvia - for more than a quarter of a century, tolerating little dissent. Mass protests against his rule erupted after a presidential election last year that was widely seen as unfair and rife with electoral fraud. Belarus calls Nexta an extremist organization and Protasevich has been wanted by authorities. Nexta had urged on the protests against Lukashenko. Lukashenko has long considered Protasevich to be an enemy. The country's KGB secret service had reportedly put his name on a list of people accused of alleged terrorism and he faces years in prison if convicted. Condemnation of Belarus came swiftly on Sunday, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg calling for an international investigation and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying the "utterly unacceptable" incident "must bear consequences." The US demanded Protasevich be immediately released. Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly condemned the forced diversion and Protasevich's arrest. "This shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens," Blinken said in a statement. The 27 EU leaders will discuss Belarus during a previously scheduled summit in Brussels on Monday, including the possibility of imposing sanctions on Minsk, a spokesperson for EU Council President Charles Michel said. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda tweeted that Belarus had committed an "abhorrent action" and demanded the release of Protasevich. The Lithuanian Prosecutor-General's Office said the country has launched a preliminary investigation into the jet's forced diversion. The Greek Foreign Ministry said it "strongly condemns the state hijacking", while Britain, Germany, France, Poland, Austria, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands were among the chorus denouncing Minsk. Ryanair Flight FR4978 was en route from Athens to the Lithuanian capital Vilnius when it was ordered to land in Minsk. Former Belarusian culture minister Pavel Latushko, who lives in exile in the EU, said, citing his contacts, that the flight control centre in Minsk threatened the pilots with shooting down the plane if they did not land. Greece and Lithuania put the number of passengers on board at 171, although Ryanair has not provided a figure. Lithuania said most of the passengers were Lithuanian nationals. Belarus had said the plane had 123 passengers. The Irish low-cost airline said the plane spent seven hours on the ground in Minsk undergoing security checks before it was allowed to depart at 8:50 pm local time. It landed in Vilnius a little over 30 minutes later. Ryanair made no mention of Protasevich in its statement. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who many in Belarus consider the true winner of the 2020 presidential election, urged the international community to punish Lukashenko. source: dpa and AFP Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. News Around the Republic of Mexico Covid-detecting Robot Protecting Students in Mexico Benebot, an artificial intelligence robot created in China, has a simplistic look, with blue eyes that inspect students' faces and a type of "stomach" where students place their hands to have their temperature checked. Benebot, an artificial intelligence robot created in China and being used in more than 40 countries, has a simplistic look, with blue eyes that inspect students' faces and a type of "stomach" where students place their hands to have their temperature checked. On its side, the robot has a screen where different readings from the student it has just checked can be viewed and followed day by day. With medical-grade cameras, temperature sensors and AI software capable of evaluating in seconds whether or not a child has some kind of health problem, the level of detail in Benebot's analysis is high and it can identify Covid-19 and other illnesses such as the flu and chickenpox. "It takes a shot of the eye, analyzes the redness, sees where it started, where it's expanding. And thus it notices the relationship of each anomaly. It also does it for the hands and mouth," Antonio Robles, the person in charge of Benebot technology, told EFE. Mexico at present has suffered almost 2.39 million confirmed coronavirus cases and about 221,000 deaths from Covid-19, the latter figure making it No. 4 in the world in terms of its death toll. Nevertheless, recently lower levels of infection and fewer deaths are being noted in the pandemic and so many Mexican states are preparing to open their classrooms once the teachers have been vaccinated, a campaign that was launched weeks ago. Eneri Gutierrez is the mother of a student at the Salesiano school and has seen how the robot operates. "It's very interesting to me, above all because it helps us as parents to know that our child is healthy and that they're not running into trouble with other schoolmates," she said. Teachers at the school have also had access to the robot, and in a simulation on how the classroom reopening will go, Gabriela Montufal told EFE that its operation is very "simple." "It's important to emphasize that it's for the safety of all the other students because since they share a classroom they're always at risk of infection," the teacher said. The students also said they were comfortable with the robot in the initial tests. Mariana is in third grade and was one of the first kids to try out the technology in a simulation. She said "I liked it and I really feel safe because my classmates and I can be well." At present, there are 15 schools in Mexico that have acquired the robot in Queretaro, Puebla and Oaxaca states as well as in Mexico City. Mexico has not had in-person classes for its 30 million students from elementary to middle school since March 23 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Source: La Prensa Latina Certain schools in the central Mexican state of Queretaro are getting ready to reopen with the help of Benebot, a robot that can detect Covid-19 and other diseases.Benebot, an artificial intelligence robot created in China and being used in more than 40 countries, has a simplistic look, with blue eyes that inspect students' faces and a type of "stomach" where students place their hands to have their temperature checked.On its side, the robot has a screen where different readings from the student it has just checked can be viewed and followed day by day.With medical-grade cameras, temperature sensors and AI software capable of evaluating in seconds whether or not a child has some kind of health problem, the level of detail in Benebot's analysis is high and it can identify Covid-19 and other illnesses such as the flu and chickenpox."It takes a shot of the eye, analyzes the redness, sees where it started, where it's expanding. And thus it notices the relationship of each anomaly. It also does it for the hands and mouth," Antonio Robles, the person in charge of Benebot technology, told EFE.Mexico at present has suffered almost 2.39 million confirmed coronavirus cases and about 221,000 deaths from Covid-19, the latter figure making it No. 4 in the world in terms of its death toll.Nevertheless, recently lower levels of infection and fewer deaths are being noted in the pandemic and so many Mexican states are preparing to open their classrooms once the teachers have been vaccinated, a campaign that was launched weeks ago.Eneri Gutierrez is the mother of a student at the Salesiano school and has seen how the robot operates."It's very interesting to me, above all because it helps us as parents to know that our child is healthy and that they're not running into trouble with other schoolmates," she said.Teachers at the school have also had access to the robot, and in a simulation on how the classroom reopening will go, Gabriela Montufal told EFE that its operation is very "simple.""It's important to emphasize that it's for the safety of all the other students because since they share a classroom they're always at risk of infection," the teacher said.The students also said they were comfortable with the robot in the initial tests. Mariana is in third grade and was one of the first kids to try out the technology in a simulation. She said "I liked it and I really feel safe because my classmates and I can be well."At present, there are 15 schools in Mexico that have acquired the robot in Queretaro, Puebla and Oaxaca states as well as in Mexico City.Mexico has not had in-person classes for its 30 million students from elementary to middle school since March 23 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top (Alliance News) - European nations were demanding answers after Belarusian authorities dispatched a fighter jet to force a Ryanair flight to divert to Minsk, where a dissident journalist who was on board was then arrested. Ryanair Holdings PLC said its plane was flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday when it was notified of "a potential security threat on board" by air traffic controllers in Belarus and told to divert to Minsk for an emergency landing. The airline said the plane landed safely in Belarusian capital and "nothing untoward was found" after passengers were offloaded and an inspection took place. But authorities at the airport used the opportunity to arrest Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian journalist and opposition activist, who was a passenger, according to state media and the rights group Viasna. The opposition news outlet Nexta also confirmed the arrest of Protasevich, the organization's co-founder and former editor who has been living in exile. Governments across Europe reacted with the outrage, suggesting authoritarian Belarus used the pretext of a safety threat to conduct a "state hijacking" of a civilian airliner in order to go after a critic. Belarusian state media reported that the plane's diversion came on the personal instructions of long-time President Alexander Lukashenko after he had purportedly been alerted to a possible bomb on board and was concerned about the plane's safety. He also ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet be scrambled to accompany the Ryanair plane, according to the Belta state news agency. Lukashenko, 66, has led Belarus - a former Soviet republic in Eastern Europe bordering EU states Poland, Lithuania and Latvia - for more than a quarter of a century, tolerating little dissent. Mass protests against his rule erupted after a presidential election last year that was widely seen as unfair and rife with electoral fraud. Belarus calls Nexta an extremist organization and Protasevich has been wanted by authorities. Nexta had urged on the protests against Lukashenko. Lukashenko has long considered Protasevich to be an enemy. The country's KGB secret service had reportedly put his name on a list of people accused of alleged terrorism and he faces years in prison if convicted. Condemnation of Belarus came swiftly on Sunday, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg calling for an international investigation and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying the "utterly unacceptable" incident "must bear consequences." The US demanded Protasevich be immediately released. Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly condemned the forced diversion and Protasevich's arrest. "This shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens," Blinken said in a statement. The 27 EU leaders will discuss Belarus during a previously scheduled summit in Brussels on Monday, including the possibility of imposing sanctions on Minsk, a spokesperson for EU Council President Charles Michel said. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda tweeted that Belarus had committed an "abhorrent action" and demanded the release of Protasevich. The Lithuanian Prosecutor-General's Office said the country has launched a preliminary investigation into the jet's forced diversion. The Greek Foreign Ministry said it "strongly condemns the state hijacking", while Britain, Germany, France, Poland, Austria, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands were among the chorus denouncing Minsk. Ryanair Flight FR4978 was en route from Athens to the Lithuanian capital Vilnius when it was ordered to land in Minsk. Former Belarusian culture minister Pavel Latushko, who lives in exile in the EU, said, citing his contacts, that the flight control centre in Minsk threatened the pilots with shooting down the plane if they did not land. Greece and Lithuania put the number of passengers on board at 171, although Ryanair has not provided a figure. Lithuania said most of the passengers were Lithuanian nationals. Belarus had said the plane had 123 passengers. The Irish low-cost airline said the plane spent seven hours on the ground in Minsk undergoing security checks before it was allowed to depart at 8:50 pm local time. It landed in Vilnius a little over 30 minutes later. Ryanair made no mention of Protasevich in its statement. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who many in Belarus consider the true winner of the 2020 presidential election, urged the international community to punish Lukashenko. By dpa correspondents source: dpa Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. The creators of a billboard campaign inviting people to report incidents of racial profiling hope to raise awareness of the problem with a long-term goal of sparking legislation to address the issue. Racial Profiling Across 8 Mile has three billboards in the area including one on Eight Mile Road near Dequindre Road where Warren, Hazel Park and Detroit meet. Sundown towns still exist, said 8 Mile activist Kenya Fentress, 47, who is Black. Many people feel that driving across Eight Mile is traumatic. We want to bring awareness to the problem of racial profiling so that people know they are not alone. Fentress says the top five cities about which her organization has received complaints are: Eastpointe, Warren, Harper Woods, Ferndale and Hazel Park. In addition to traffic stops, reports of people being stopped by police for walking or riding a bicycle in one of the suburbs adjacent to Eight Mile are very common. - Advertisement - Fentress says her nephew, who lives in Detroit and works in Macomb County, has been stopped 13 times on Mound Road in Warren by the same Warren police officer. Each time he was stopped, he was ticketed for infractions such as a burnt out taillight or having an air freshener hanging in the window. My nephew had to start getting a ride to work just so he can come across Eight Mile, said Fentress. Most jobs are in the suburbs, so most people who live in Detroit have to leave the city to get to their jobs. Racial Profiling Across 8 Mile activist Mike Shane, 68, who is white, understands there is a fear of complaining about the police or being too vocal about racial profiling due to concerns about retaliation. He says he became aware of the problem when Black friends and family members told him about getting pulled over by police in situations where he knew he would not be stopped. One of the problems is that people want to tell their stories, but they do not want to make their situation worse, said Shane. People will typically tell us their story, but then go and fight it themselves. There is a risk in fighting it beforehand, but after the fact there is nothing you can do. So it is a quandary that people are in. Data on traffic stops in specific cities was not immediately available, but the Michigan State Police track their traffic stop data in terms of race. In 2020, 21.55% of people stopped by the MSP were Black as opposed to 14.10% of Michigans population that is Black. During that same time, 72.45% of traffic stops involved Caucasian motorists; the Caucasian population in Michigan is 74.70%. Fentress, who frequently travels on Eight Mile Road, says she has reports of people being pulled over for driving while Black directly under her organizations billboard near Dequindre Road. One caller, who like her nephew lives in Detroit but works in Macomb County, said he was at a stoplight on Eight Mile in Warren when a police car pulled up next to him. When the light turned green, the patrol car moved behind him and followed him for less than a mile before pulling him over. The caller reported being told by a Warren officer he was being pulled over for a non-working tail light and asked why he was traveling in Warren. The caller told police he had just gotten off work at his job in Warren and was heading home. The way the officer was talking to him really upset him because he was saying they were very disrespectful to him when he asked why he was being pulled over, said Fentress. The officers told him that if he had a problem with it, maybe he should stay on the other side of Eight Mile. He was very shaken by how the officers spoke to him. When he got out of his car to check his taillight later, nothing was wrong with it. Shane and Fentress would like to put together a documentary about racial profiling on Eight Mile Road and hope to find enough people willing to tell their story on film to do that. Shane is also fighting to change legislation such as severely limiting qualified immunity for police and strengthening the vetting process for new police officers to prevent those with anger issues or with white supremacist tendencies from getting hired. With qualified immunity, if a police officer thinks he is under threat he can kill someone, said Shane. That needs to be changed. We would also like to see the court system financed in a different way independent of the number of people going through the system and their ability to pay. Shane says he and those in his organization would like to see a return to community policing and having police interact with the community at times other than when making an arrest. We are not saying we dont want public safety in our neighborhoods, said Shane. We would like to see police who have a stake in the community because they live in the neighborhood they patrol. We are just trying to start a dialogue. Fentress hopes the billboards not only bring awareness to the problem of racial profiling, but that knowing there are multiple people with similar shared experiences will translate to strength in numbers bringing positive change. It is not the whole police department that is racist, but there are some individual officers who target Blacks, said Fentress. People just want to go to work so they can pay their rent and be left alone. When you start speaking up and bringing awareness to an issue, a racist person will usually back down; that is what our goal is. To report an incident of racial profiling to Racial Profiling Across 8 Mile, call 313-883-9121 or visit @RacialProfilingAcross8Mile on Facebook. Take a few minutes and scroll through some of the local news from the past week: A 21-year-old Shelby Township man surrendered to police over the weekend in connection with the Friday evening shooting of a man at a parking Can an employee with environmental sensitivity be forced to come to the office after working remotely for six month? MetroCreative Connection Jefferson, GA (30549) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Mankato, MN (56001) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. McAlester, OK (74501) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Roswell, GA (30075) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Marietta, GA (30060) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. This promotional subscription includes access to all online news and pages for a 90-day period as well as daily news delivered to your email inbox. Please allow 24-36 hours for the online account to activate as part of this subscription selection. The deal is expected to contribute to the stable and speedy supply of the Moderna vaccine in South Korea, according to Moon's office, Cheong Wa Dae.Moon pledged his government's full support for the vaccine developers and manufacturers, citing the nation's goal of emerging as a "global vaccine production hub."Moon pointed out that he and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to establish a comprehensive global vaccine partnership between the allies during their summit talks the previous day.The president described it as a "vaccine alliance" to help combine the original technologies of the U.S. and the drug production capability of South Korea.AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sputnik V vaccines are already being manufactured in the country.Moderna also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.Under the MOU, Moderna agreed to strive for investments in the mRNA vaccine production facility and hiring of manpower in South Korea. The ministries plan to offer support for Moderna's investment and business activities.South Korea's National Institute of Health also signed an MOU with Moderna on strengthening cooperation on research into infectious diseases.Source: IANS Days before the release of Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha Akkinenis much-awaited show The Family Man Season 2, it has found itself in troubled waters. The trailer has received over 40 million views already and people have been waiting for it to start streaming but the show seems to have hurt religious sentiments. Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko has sent a written complaint to Union I&B Minister, Prakash Javadekar and demanded a ban on the series' second season. For those who have been following the controversy, the show is accused of misrepresenting the Eelam Tamil community in Sri Lanka and the LTTE organization. It is claimed that the series is depicting Tamils in a bad light and branding them as terrorists. As per Vaiko, the show depicted Tamilians as terrorists and ISI Agents and having link with Pakistan. An excerpt from his letter read, These descriptions have hurt the sentiments of Tamil people and Tamil culture and offensive against the Tamil community. The people of Tamil Nadu are raising serious objections over such act and are protesting against the Serial. Heres a copy of the letter: Indian Express Not just Vaiko, Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman has also urged for a ban on the web series. He said, It was unacceptable to release this web series, which fails to feature the humanitarianism of the LTTE that stood with high morality even when the Sinhala chauvinist regime violated the conventions and rules of war through barbarian attacks, use of cluster bombs, chemical weapons and massacring a large number of Tamils, Thamizhs. Seeman also warned the makers of The Family Man 2 of dire consequences if the show goes on air. Seeman Twitter What do you have to say about this incident? Let us know in the comments section below. The only question that any Friends fan has asked anyone since the 'Reunion' episode has been announced is where will we be able to watch it?. The unscripted special of the iconic US sitcom will stream on HBO Max and HBO Go on 27th May 2021, but since the two streaming services arent available in India, desi fans of the show have been waiting to know about its Indian release. Instagram/HBO Max Good news! Indian OTT platform Zee5 announced that it is bringing the show to India and fans cannot keep calm. It shared a post on its official social media account and captioned it, #FriendsReunionOnZEE5 Could we BE more excited? #StayTuned. It also added, Buy the premium subscription for Rs. 499 & watch Friends: The Reunion exclusively on #ZEE5, which means only the premium members will be able to stream the show. Instagram/Zee5 As far as the date and time of the release goes, Zee5 hasnt revealed it but the comment section is filled with excited fans asking them to bring it on the same day of its international premiere on HBO. It makes sense because we certainly dont want spoilers which will be all over the internet in no time. A user wrote, Hope it comes on the same day when it releases on HBO. Or else, it would be a waste. Another user commented, "Try to get it on 27th or at least the same week. Zee5 responded to one of the comments saying, #staytuned for updates on the release date well be there for you. Instagram The 'Reunion' episode comes after two decades of the finale episode of the show in 2004. The six lead actors of the show Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer will appear for the special episode along with a few other supporting actors and some celebrity guest stars too. Instagram/Zee5 Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 India said in a statement, We are extremely excited to bring Friends: The Reunion exclusively on ZEE5 for the Indian market. Friends is amongst the worlds most watched and loved sitcoms and it is a great opportunity for us to present their reunion, something that the world has been talking about, on ZEE5 for Friends fans in India. Instagram/Friends We are glad that finally, wed be able to stream Friends Reunion in India and wont feel FOMO. Heres hoping Zee5 airs it on the same day as its global release! Cause, 3 days to go! With the COVID 19 outbreak, our 'normal' lives have been completely disrupted. From people being left vulnerable to the country's health infrastructure being paralysed, COVID 19 has disrupted the worldly order to the extent where even doctors are losing hope because theres no end to the impact of this deadly virus. Earlier, there were reports that the virus was a bioweapon made in the labs of Wuhan and now with the recent report (citing a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report) published in the Wall Street Journal, it does feel that there was some truth to those speculations. According to the report, three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology had taken ill and sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the very existence of the COVID-19 virus. Yes, you heard it right. Earlier this year, a team from the World Health Organization spent a month in Wuhan investigating the origin of the virus and concluded that the virus most likely jumped from bats to people. The Sunday Guardian has obtained a copy of the report dated May 19. The threads of circumstantial information suggest the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 and resulting Covid-19 pandemic could have been the result of an accidental leak from the WIV, particularly given the absence of credible information that supports a zoonotic transmission. Unfortunately, Beijing has hindered the conduct of a full, credible investigation. There is overwhelming circumstantial evidence, however, to support a laboratory leak as the origination of Covid-19, while there is no substantive evidence supporting the natural zoonosis hypothesis, the report states. The report further goes on to say, To prevent or quickly mitigate future pandemics, its crucial for health experts and the U.S. government to understand how the Covid-19 virus originated. Nevertheless, significant circumstantial evidence raises serious concerns that the Covid-19 outbreak may have been a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The Chinese government has been conducting dangerous and controversial research on bat coronaviruses ever since the original SARS outbreak in 2002. Some of this research resulted in laboratory leaks including a 2004 incident in Beijing that caused an outbreak. After the SARS epidemic, and likely as a result of the publicly known laboratory leaks, the government of China initiated a plan to construct a national high-level biosafety laboratory system to prepare for and respond to future infectious disease outbreaks. The Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory at the WIV was the first in Chinas plan to build between five and seven BSL-4 laboratories across the Chinese mainland by 2025. However, just because the laboratory has BSL-4 certification does not mean that research and experiments conducted on bat coronaviruses were done under the strictest safety procedures. The lead scientist at the WIV publicly acknowledged that coronavirus research was being conducted at that laboratory in BSL-2 or BSL-3 laboratories. BSL-2 laboratories only require that researchers wear laboratory coats and gloves, while BSL-4 laboratories require strict decontamination procedures and wearing a full-body positive pressure suit, added the report. After the report went viral, people on social media lost their cool and want China to be held responsible for the outbreak. People even attacked WHO for its incompetence. Here are the reactions: Twitter Twitter Twitter Twitter Twitter What do you have to say about this revelation? Let us know in the comments section below. As deplorable and disheartening the situation is right now across hospitals and covid-care centres in India, one thing is certainly true. Had it not been for our doctors, nurses and other health care workers, the situation might have been far, far worse. BCCL In a time like this, the least that hospital managements and the government can do, is pay them better. That too would have been a very small token of gratitude. While certain state governments have indeed raised salaries of the HCWs they employ, certain private players have decided to implement a reduction in salaries, and call them Covid Cut. BCCL A Twitter user by the name of DR PP, whose user handle is @muddledsoul23 put out a tweet earlier today, saying that nurses and other HCWs are getting a 25 per cent reduction in their salaries. Our nurses had a 25% salary deduction this time - "Covid cut" the management says. If anyone deserves to be paid fully and on time, it is the nurses, for they form the backbone of the healthcare system. There needs to be a law in place to stop salary cuts for HCWs. Dr. PP ~ (@muddledsoul23) May 22, 2021 She also said that rather than getting their salaries deducted, they should be paid fully on time, as they form the backbone of the healthcare system. This is not the first time such a piece of news has come up. Last year as well, there was a similar exercise all across the country. People have had this assumption that doctors in India ear exceptionally well. While that may be true for a small percentage of MBBS graduates, a majority of doctors dont actually get paid that well. Nurses and other HCWs, especially in private hospitals are given peanuts for the work they do. BCCL According to a number of job portals, in India, the average salaries for nurses in private hospitals range from Rs 22,000 to Rs 35,000. Many of them actually start at an average salary of about Rs 13,000. The pandemic has only made it worse. BCCL In contrast, several state governments have announced that HCWs in state-run hospitals and centres will be given a 25 per cent increase in pay or an equivalent honorarium. People on Twitter reacted strongly to this, with many claiming that given many private hospitals are making lakhs out of a single patient, they should be paying the staff at the grass-roots level, more than what they are being paid. The hospitals are making unprecedented profits. Why this cut? Pure greed, I guess Sandip Tarkas (@SandipTarkas) May 23, 2021 I strongly feel, a complete audit is required especially in small towns & semi urban areas. Heard many Hospitals r charging 10-17 lacs for a week. In many cases they claim INR 50k, 100k per injection for a better recovery. Whats this?? Some kind of menu? Bipin (@SpiritualBM) May 23, 2021 Covid cut!!!! When hospitals are running full? This is disgraceful, nurses should be paid more for putting themselves out there and working through the pandemic, they're already an underpaid, overworked lot Priyamvada (@PriyamvadaKowsh) May 22, 2021 This is inhumane. This makes me angry. Nurses should, in fact, be paid bonuses! Their service can't be quantified because it's priceless and immeasurable, but extra pay is the tiniest way we can thank them. Neha Chamaria (@NehamsChamaria) May 22, 2021 All Doctors & Nurses should be given double salary from last 1 year, in which they fought Corona by putting their and their families life at risk & facing so many difficulties at home due to no help, social distancing etc to take care of parents & kids. Observers_India (@Observers_India) May 23, 2021 Salary deductions for Drs, Nurses in these pandemic period should not be accepted. BCZ Business point of view this Sector is at its peak with good earnings compare to other usual period. We must Amplify their need. GOI always stand in support of Health Workers Why this Attitude ? Sk.Manab Lutfee (@iamlutfee_sr) May 23, 2021 Salary deductions for Drs, Nurses in these pandemic period should not be accepted. BCZ Business point of view this Sector is at its peak with good earnings compare to other usual period. We must Amplify their need. GOI always stand in support of Health Workers Why this Attitude ? Sk.Manab Lutfee (@iamlutfee_sr) May 23, 2021 Someone put up an estimate that they received for the treatment of a COVID patient. The estimate quoted Rs 22.90 Lakhs. Please do keep in mind, that the estimate does not specify the duration of the hospital stay. Management wants to get richest before the pandemic ends. pic.twitter.com/4tFLAAzlUT Urmi (@urmisgr8) May 23, 2021 Meanwhile, there were a few to point out that certain state governments, in this case, the Uttar Pradesh government had increased the salaries for their HCWs. In some places, there is extra salary for HCWs. Wish the same could be followed by all state govt considering health is a state subject pic.twitter.com/iyT4fXZsAX Rohit Mahato (@rohitmahato10) May 24, 2021 Where are you working as a matter of fact we ve paid our staff twice the normal renumeration for working In Covid times along with food and stay.....It's a matter of disgrace for the concerned hospital if they resort to such cuts. Dr Anukul Anantrao Nikam (@anukulan) May 22, 2021 This is quite shameful that at a time when health care workers are proving to be of the utmost importance, they have to face atrocities such as this. What do you make of this situation? Are hospitals justified in cutting costs by reducing the salaries of nurses and other health care workers, or is it out of pure greed that such incidents are happening? Let us know in the comments below. How long ago was it when you actually went out to meet with your friends in peace, without wearing a mask, without worrying that you might come in close contact with someone who might pass the deadly Covid-19 virus to you? iStock When was the last time you breathed an actual sigh of relief not worrying about your loved ones' health being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic that has torn our nation apart? Reuters Well, for most people, it has been quite some time, and it certainly does not look like getting over anytime soon. Yes, at a time when other nations are finally going back to normalcy, certain sections of our society will stop at nothing to ensure that we never get past this. Reuters That's right. In Karnataka's Belagavi district, hundreds of people made a mockery of the Covid-19 restrictions by attending the funeral of a horse that belonged to a local religious organization. Right now, when doctors are literally breaking down on social media due to being overworked and emotionally exhausted, the people of the village could be seen walking in close proximity and without wearing masks in order to attend the funeral. It was clearly a scary sight to see so many people flout all Covid-related guidelines to gather at a place amidst India's healthcare almost succumbing to the gigantic second wave of Covid-19 infections. As per reports, district officials were even forced to seal the village temporarily to carry out Covid tests to check for new cases. "A horse of a local religious organization in Mastmaradi village died in the morning, following which people of the village took out a funeral procession and cremated the horse. The village has been sealed and an FIR has been registered. We are conducting RT-PCR tests. This village will remain sealed for next 14 days. Nobody is allowed to come in or go out," said Laxman Nimbargi, Superintendent of Police, Belgavi while speaking to NDTV. Soon after news broke of the incident, people took to social media to express their reactions. WTH... is this how we are going to defeat corona? Unbiased Defenestrator (@Dontpushyourluk) May 23, 2021 Humans are more dangerous then corona Proud of you Karnataka Dilip Jain | (@dilipjain1979) May 23, 2021 Lockdown in force & these have made a joke out of it. Covidiots. Dilip (@DilipahaUvaacha) May 23, 2021 Donkeys in funeral of horse! (@yogeshmandhani) May 24, 2021 Now gasp for oxygen... ZXboy (@ZXboy3) May 23, 2021 Open your eyes people, when did this become more important than risk of spreading the virus and risking 1000s of lives? When did religion become more important than life of your family and fellow Indians.so many deaths are we r appreciating this, when will we learn? Aashish Muttreja (@aashishmuttreja) May 24, 2021 Why haven't anyone told me that Dorthraki are from Karnataka Dheeraj (@Dheeraj06250924) May 24, 2021 Why are people attending a horse funeral? Sharad Sri (@thinking2mucho) May 23, 2021 Abe kyu bhai .... kya baikaiti hai ye yaar ThisIsNoOne (@Nau__One) May 23, 2021 We deserve COVID. How much awareness we need. All are very well knows about the pandemic even tho chaltha hey. p c kanth (@Pckanth1725) May 24, 2021 A first-year B Tech student from Keralas Thrissur Government Engineering College has invented a mask that comes with a microphone and a speaker to help health workers communicate with ease. Kevin Jacob, a son of two doctors said that he invented the mask after he saw his parents having difficulty communicating with each other. Twitter_ANI My parents are doctors and since the beginning of the pandemic, they have been struggling to communicate with their patients. They found it very difficult to make themselves clear through multiple layers of masks and a face shield. This was when this idea came to my mind," Jacob told ANI. After designing the first iteration of the mask, he tested it with his parents - Dr Senoj KC and Dr Jyoti Mary Jose. Soon after, the demand for a mask with a microphone and a speaker increased and Jacob started to make more. The mask can be used for up to six hours on a thirty-minute charge and the microphone is attached using a magnet. "Doctors who have given feedback have said that they don't have to strain to be heard and they were able to communicate with their patients effortlessly. Overall the feedback from users has been positive," he said. The mask is a true innovation that helps many healthcare workers during their daily battle with COVID-19. Jacob is now looking for companies that can fund his project and help produce the mask on a mass scale. Kevin Jacob "I have made over 50 such devices which are being used by doctors mainly in south India. Currently, I do not have the capital or equipment to mass produce these devices. But if somebody or a large company is willing to help me with this little project, I believe it could help a lot of people," he said. Services for Bonita Deweese will be held on Monday, June 14, 2021, at 15th Avenue Baptist Church, at 10:30 am. Visitation will be Sunday, 4-6 p.m., at Webb Funeral Home. View the obituary at www.jamesfwebb.com. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 51.8% of the states adults more than 5.27 million people are fully vaccinated. The numbers include all Pennsylvania residents, no matter where or by whom they were jabbed. More than 48% of the 12-and-older population eligible to be vaccinated about 5.33 million adults and adolescents have completed their vaccination regimen. Ambassador of Belarus S.Chepurnoy meets the Mongolian Minister of Road and Transport Development On May 24, 2021, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Mongolia Stanislav Chepurnoy met with Minister of Road and Transport Development of Mongolia Khaltar Luvsan. During the meeting the parties discussed the issues of the development of the Belarusian-Mongolian cooperation and joint projects implementation in the field of roads repair and maintenance, rail and automobile transport, as well as the intensification of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of transport. print version Stanley Garbacz Jr., 68, of Caseville, and Bruce Warren, 53, of Pigeon, were arraigned in Huron County District Court recently for illegal possession of panfish, perch and walleye. Garbacz turned himself in to authorities the week of May 10 and faces two charges of over limit possessions; one charge for perch and one charge for walleye, and must pay $7,930 in restitution. Warren surrendered earlier this week and was arraigned on one charge of taking a daily over limit of perch and owes $600 in mandatory restitution. Both men face additional court fines and costs and could lose their fishing privileges when they are sentenced at a future court appearance. "Fish rules and regulations are in place to maintain a healthy natural resource," said Lt. Dave Shaw, Michigan DNR Law Enforcement Division. "Taking over limits by one or more individuals can impact the harvestable population and which could potentially reduce fish species for future generations." Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Josh Wright received a tip from the DNR's Report All Poaching Hotline in March that Garbacz was potentially at his residence in possession of a few hundred perch. While in route to the Garbacz's residence, Wright requested assistance from Huron County Sheriff's Office Deputy Joshua Loss, who arrived at the suspect's home first. Loss confirmed that there were "a lot" of perch being filleted. Wright arrived at the residence and received permission to count the 170 perch that Garbacz and Warren caught earlier in the day - putting them each over the daily catch limit by 60 perch. As Wright continued the investigation, he found 85 bags of frozen fish in four of Garbacz's freezers. Wright thawed and counted the fillets. Based on the Saginaw Bay area daily and possession limits, Garbacz was over limit by: 35 walleye; the daily limit is eight. Anglers may possess an additional two days' limit of walleye as long as they are processed, with a total possession limit of 24. 245 panfish; the daily limit it 25. An angler may possess an additional two days' limit of panfish as long as they are processed, with a total possession limit of 75. 393 additional perch; the daily limit it 25. Fishers may possess an additional two days limit of perch as long as they are processed, with a total possession limit of 75. Processed fish from previous days must be canned or frozen. Suspected poaching violations may be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the DNR's Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. Tips may be submitted anonymously and rewards may be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects. Michigan Welcome Centers to reopen for Memorial Day weekend Dan Weingarten, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-250-4809 Transportation May 24, 2021 -- In accordance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' May 15, 2021, Gatherings and Face Mask Order, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will resume tourist information services at all Michigan Welcome Centers prior to the Memorial Day holiday weekend. MDOT Welcome Center tourism services will resume on May 28, with appropriate safety protocols in place. Gov. Whitmer's MI Vacc to Normal plan ties loosening coronavirus restrictions to vaccination rates. Since more than 55 percent of eligible Michiganders had received at least one dose by May 10, businesses are allowed to resume in-person work starting May 24. "MDOT Welcome Centers play a key role in highlighting all Michigan has to offer both to in-state and out-of-state travelers," State Transportation Director Paul Ajegba said. "Our knowledgeable Welcome Center staff have a wealth of Pure Michigan information to help travelers find the destinations, events and activities they're looking for." Demand for travel and tourism information is expected to be high over the long Memorial Day weekend. The American Automobile Association (AAA) forecasts more than 1 million Michigan residents will take a trip during the holiday period, a nearly 57 percent increase from last year. Quick and cost-free COVID-19 testing continues to be available at the following high-volume Welcome Centers: Dundee (Monroe County) on northbound US-23, Coldwater (Branch County) on northbound I-69, New Buffalo (Berrien County) on eastbound I-94, and Monroe (Monroe County) on northbound I-75. A map of MDOT Welcome Centers is available online. "Pure Michigan is ready and eager to welcome back visitors and help drive Michigan's recovery by promoting safe travel across the state," said Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. "Our Welcome Centers play a critical role in ensuring a positive 'first impression' visitor experience, and the safe reopening of the Welcome Centers is great news for the industry." Taking proactive steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, MDOT closed the information lobbies at the state's 14 Welcome Centers in March 2020. For travel information, visit www.Michigan.gov/Drive and www.Michigan.org. For current and up-to-date information regarding the Coronavirus, visit http://www.Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or http://www.CDC.gov/Coronavirus. AG Nessel Leads Coalition of 23 Attorneys General Supporting Equitable Student Discipline In School AG Nessel Leads Coalition of 23 Attorneys General Supporting Equitable Student Discipline In School Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746 Attorney General May 24, 2021 LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is leading a coalition of 23 attorneys general from across the country to urge U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Attorney General Merrick Garland to reinstate and expand a 2014 guidance package designed to help public elementary and secondary schools meet their obligations under federal law to administer student discipline equitably. The coalition of attorneys general sent a letter today pointing out that exclusionary discipline remains prevalent across the country and continues to disproportionally impact students of color. In addition, years of federal data demonstrates that students with disabilities are subjected to exclusionary discipline at twice the rate of students without disabilities. Similarly, data is now emerging that LGBTQ students may also be targeted more frequently with exclusionary and other more severe forms of discipline. This data prompted the AGs' request that the guidance package be expanded to also address discrimination in school discipline based not only on race, but also on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. The letter also quantifies the lifelong impact these discriminatory practices can have on students, including contributing to an increased rate of incarceration-often referred to as the "school-to-prison pipeline." Statistics show students who receive more frequent discipline, including suspensions, are more likely to serve jail or prison time. In 2014, the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) jointly issued a guidance package that explained federal law prohibits school discipline that intentionally discriminates or unintentionally results in a disparate impact based on a student's race, color, or national origin. Four years later, DOE and DOJ withdrew the guidance. This coalition of attorneys general is asking the departments to address this critical issue affecting some of our most vulnerable children by reinstating and expanding the 2014 guidance. "Prior to withdrawing this guidance package in 2018, progress was being made across the United States for a more inclusive and equitable public education system," Nessel said. "We must get back to making this a priority to show we're committed to addressing and correcting the systemic disparities that exist. We owe it to our country's next generation of leaders." Data referenced in the letter supports the need for the coalition's request. For example, the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) 2015-2016 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) determined: Black male students represented eight percent of enrolled students yet accounted for 25 percent of students who received an out-of-school suspension; Black female students represented eight percent of students enrolled and 14 percent of out-of-school suspensions; and expulsion rates for all Black students accounted for 33 percent of all expulsions despite accounting for a total of 16 percent of students enrolled. Additionally, the National Bureau of Economic Research recently found that attending a school with an above average use of suspension increases a student's future chances of being incarcerated by 17 percent. If the student is minority, the chance of incarceration increases by an additional 3.1 percent. Attorney General Nessel initiated the letter and is joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. 70,000 MI Reconnect applicants set to receive tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate, surpassing state goal 70,000 MI Reconnect applicants set to receive tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate, surpassing state goal FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 21, 2021 Contact: Press@Michigan.gov 70,000 MI Reconnect applicants set to receive tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate, surpassing state goal More than 15,000 already enrolled in community college, state provides additional services to encourage enrollment LANSING, Mich. - With more and more jobs requiring skills and training beyond a high school diploma, the Michigan Reconnect program is providing a tuition-free path to an associate degree or a skills certificate - putting more than 70,000 Michiganders on a path to fill the state's most in-demand, high-wage careers - exceeding the state's goal of 60,000 by Memorial Day. The nation's first program of its kind, Futures for Frontliners, and the new $30 million bipartisan Michigan Reconnect program shows the state's continued commitment to its Sixty by 30 goal of ensuring 60% of Michiganders will have a postsecondary degree by 2030. Futures for Frontliners has seen more than 15,000 enroll in tuition-free paths to postsecondary education and is among Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's signature accomplishments. "A talented and skilled workforce helps build a strong economy and puts Michigan on the map as a place for opportunity," Gov. Whitmer said. "Businesses need skilled talent so they can thrive in our vibrant communities. I'm proud of the hardworking men and women who have taken the leap to continue their education and I look forward to ongoing bipartisan work with lawmakers to connect millions of Michiganders to the resources they need to succeed in a good-paying career." Within the Sept. 10 - Dec. 31 application period, over 120,000 frontline workers applied for Futures for Frontliners - 117,230 to complete a two-year degree or skills certificate, and 4,287 to receive adult education services before or while they are enrolled in postsecondary education or training. Frontliners scholarship recipients are well on their way to filling the state's most in-demand careers with more than 530,000 jobs expected to become available by 2028 in the Professional Trades alone. Frontliners have until the end of 2021 to enroll in classes to take advantage of the free-tuition program. An education beyond high school opens the door to many new opportunities - with earnings of $7,500 more per year for those with a two-year degree, and where 70% of jobs will require post-secondary Education. "Talent is one of the single most important factors in business attraction and growth," Susan Corbin, LEO acting director said. "Creating equitable access to education opens doors to develop the state's most valuable resource - our workers. Providing hardworking Michiganders with the skills to fill a high-demand career, puts more money in their pockets and creates a better quality of life for them and their families." While the state is encouraged by the community college enrollment numbers - which have seen a national decline of more than 10% - it is understood that taking the leap to continue education is not easy for some. The state and partner agencies stand at the ready to assist adult learners, whether it be to provide child care, transportation, or additional financial support. There are resources available through the following local partners: "Michigan Works! partners with regional employers, educators, economic and community organizations to remove barriers so any job seeker who requests our services can get connected with the resources they need to be successful in a rewarding career," said Ben Damerow, director, Michigan Works! Southwest. "The Michigan Works! network is the go-to resource for matching skilled talent with employers needing to fill jobs that support the local and regional economy." The state encourages Reconnect applicants to take the next step in the process and complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and begin to enroll in community college or adult education program - it's not too late. Michigan Reconnect builds on the success of the Futures for Frontliners and will pay the cost of in-district tuition, mandatory fees and contact hours for eligible adults who want to pursue an associate degree or skills certificate at a Michigan public community college. Reconnect scholarships are accepted by all Michigan public community colleges and are even available to eligible adults who are already enrolled at a Michigan public community college. The program pays the remaining balance of in-district tuition, contact hours and mandatory fees after other state and federal financial aid have been applied. For those who choose to attend an out-of-district community college, Reconnect will pay the in-district portion of tuition. To be eligible for Michigan Reconnect, you must: Be at least 25 years old when you apply Have lived in Michigan for a year or more Have a high school diploma or equivalent Have not yet completed a college degree (associate or bachelor's) Interested Michiganders 25+ should visit michigan.gov/Reconnect to explore statewide and regional in-demand career opportunities and get started on their application. Whether you're just starting your career exploration or considering a change in profession, those who may not qualify for Reconnect and are interested in education beyond high school are encouraged to explore free education and training resources at Skills to Work, including opportunities to take College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests for free through ModernStates.org. ### AP BEIJING (AP) Australia said its citizen Yang Hengjun will be tried by a Chinese court on espionage charges on Thursday amid deteriorating relations between the countries. Yang has been held since arriving in China in January 2019 and has had no access to family and only limited contact with his legal representation, according to Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. BRUSSELS (AP) Its crunch time for the European Commission in its legal battle with drugmaker AstraZeneca. At loggerheads for months with the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company it accuses of failing to deliver the promised number of COVID-19 vaccine doses, the European Unions executive branch will try to persuade a Brussels court Wednesday that the case is urgent enough to justify ordering the company to make an immediate delivery of the missing shots. AstraZenecas contract signed with the Commission on behalf of EU member states foresaw an initial 300 million doses for distribution among all 27 countries, with an option for a further 100 million. The doses were expected to be delivered throughout 2021. But only 30 million were sent during the first quarter. Deliveries have increased slightly since then but, according to the Commission, the company is set to provide only 70 million doses in the second quarter. It had promised 180 million. While the EU insists AstraZeneca has breached its contractual obligations, the company says it has fully complied with the agreement, arguing that vaccines are difficult to manufacture and it made its best effort to deliver on time. We want the court to order the company to deliver 90 million additional doses, in addition to the 30 million already delivered in the first quarter, European Commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker said. As part of an advanced purchase agreement with vaccine companies, the EU said it invested 2.7 billion euros ($3.8 billion), including 336 million ($408 million) to finance the production of AstraZenecas serum at four factories. During a procedural hearing last month, EU lawyer Rafael Jafferali told the court the company should use all four plants listed in their contract for deliveries to the EU. The contract listed a series of plants that had to be used by AstraZeneca and that still today, in breach of the contract, AstraZeneca is not using, he said. The longstanding dispute drew media attention for weeks earlier this year amid a deadly surge of coronavirus infections in Europe, when delays in vaccine production and deliveries hampered the EU's vaccination campaign. Cheaper and easier to use than rival shots from Pfizer-BioNTech, the AstraZeneca vaccine developed with Oxford University was a pillar of the European Unions vaccine rollout. But the EUs partnership with the firm quickly deteriorated amid accusations it favored its relationship with the British authorities. While the U.K. made quick progress in its vaccination campaign thanks to the AstraZeneca shots, the EU faced embarrassing complaints and criticism for its slow start. Concerns over the pace of the rollout across the EU grew after AstraZeneca said it could not supply EU members with as many doses as originally anticipated because of production capacity limits. In an interview with the Financial Times newspaper last weekend, AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said the U.K. government had been guaranteed priority for deliveries from the U.K. vaccine supply chain as part of the deal it sealed with Oxford university in return for investment. That was before AstraZeneca joined as a development partner to produce and distribute the serum. Of course when you do something like this as a government, you dont do it for free, he said. What you want in return, and its fair enough, is priority. The health situation has dramatically improved in Europe in recent weeks, with the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths on a sharp downward trend as vaccination has picked up. About 260 million doses of vaccine have been delivered in Europe a region with around 450 million inhabitants and the bloc's chief executive Ursula von der Leyen is now branding the EU's COVID-19 vaccination drive a success. In total, the Commission has secured more than 2.5 billion of vaccine doses with various manufacturers. It recently sealed another massive order with Pfizer and BioNTech through 2023 for an additional 1.8 billion doses of their COVID-19 shot to share between the blocs countries. Now that doses are free flowing in Europe, the Commission might struggle to prove the urgency of the case. There is a clear emergency," De Kersemaecker told the AP. We need to reach our target to have 70% of the adult population vaccinated this summer. And to reach that goal we need all the vaccines in our portfolio, so it's an urgent matter." Although the European Commission insists the AstraZeneca serum remains part of its vaccine strategy, the EU has clearly distanced itself from the drugmaker in recent weeks to prefer Pfizer. Strikingly, the Commission did not exercise the option to buy an additional 100 million doses on the basis of the current agreement it sealed with the company. Following Wednesday's hearing, a second audience is slated for Friday, with a judgment to be delivered at a date to be announced, Jafferali said. In addition to the emergency action, the Commission has launched a claim on the merits of the case for damages for which a hearing has not yet been set by the court. ___ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak Friends and strangers have rallied around the Kutts in the seven months since the shooting, turning out for blood drives and donating to Jasons memorial fund. The money will go back to the community, his parents said, funding a scholarship in the 2020 Pennridge High School graduates name and helping to defray the cost of researching and lobbying for potential changes in hunting regulations. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) The volcanic eruption in eastern Congo two days ago has killed at least 32 people, officials said Monday as residents searched for missing loved ones amid destroyed homes on the outskirts of the eastern city of Goma where aftershocks were detected. With little warning Mount Nyiragongo turned the dark sky fiery red Saturday night and then spewed torrents of lava into villages destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors said. The toll Monday increased from 22 to 32, and was likely to continue rising, saidccording to Joseph Makundi, head of Civil Protection for the North Kivu province. More than a dozen people died in car accidents while trying to escape, he said. Others were killed when lava hit their homes. Some died Monday from inhaling smoke or toxic gas when they were walking across a wide expanse of the cooling lava, the scientific director of the Volcanic Observatory of Goma, Celestin Kasereka Mahinda, told The Associated Press. They were traveling on the road between Kibati and Goma that was cut off by a flow of lava 1,000 meters (about a half-mile) wide, he said. The population of Goma must avoid unnecessary travel, but also not visit places that have been hit by lava from the volcano because these lavas are toxic and harmful, he said. Grief, disbelief and fear hung over the area as a delegation of government ministers, including Congo's health minister, visited Goma after flying in from neighboring Rwanda. Scientists at the volcano observatory weren't able to adequately warn the public of the eruption because of a funding cut, Mahinda said. The observatory no longer has the support of the central government or of external donors, which explains why the volcanic eruption was such a surprise, Mahinda told The Associated Press. A partnership between the government and the World Bank that had supported the observatory was cut in October 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the observatory without even internet, he said. The observatory had just started to resume operations last month thanks to new funding from the U.S. Geological Surveys Volcano Disaster Assistance Program, which means the observatory can at least gather data after the eruption, he said. The volcano remains active and earthquake tremors are being recorded, he said, calling on the population to remain vigilant. The government ministers visiting Goma Monday were assessing what aid is needed for those hurt by the eruption. The government team dispatched expressly here in Goma, following the volcanic eruption which caused a lot of damage in the city, Minister of Public Health Jean-Jacques Mbungani said. It is important that a strong signal from our government is given. We will have discussions with the military governor as well as with all the stakeholders so that we can identify avenues for quick solutions for the population. The military governor of North Kivu province, Lt. Gen. Constant Ndima called on the population of Goma not to send children to school. Goma's international airport of Goma and the airport in Kavumu in South Kivu province were closed for security reasons, he said in a statement. The volcano eruption caused about 5,000 people to flee from one neighborhood of Goma, a city of about 2 million people, across the nearby border into Rwanda. Another 25,000 others sought refuge to the northwest in Sake, the U.N. childrens agency said. More than 170 children were still feared missing, and UNICEF officials said they were organizing transit centers to help unaccompanied children in the wake of the disaster as more than 150 children were reportedly separated from their families. Goma ultimately was largely spared the mass destruction caused by Mt. Nyiragongo's last eruption in 2002. Hundreds died then and more than 100,000 people were left homeless. Goma is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies as well as a U.N. peacekeeping mission. Much of surrounding eastern Congo is threatened by a multitude of armed groups vying for control of the regions lucrative mineral resources. ___ Associated Press writer Al-Hadji Kudra Maliro in Beni, Congo, contributed to this report. Click here to read the full article. Rachel Campos-Duffy, a commentator who is also known from her time on MTVs Real World series, was named a co-host at Fox & Friends Weekend, replacing Jedediah Blia. She is slated to start on June 12. Placing Campos-Duffy in the role means Fox News has a more stalwart conservative on the program than her predecessor. Blia was known for espousing libertarian views and did not always rush to bolster the antics of former President Donald Trump during his term in the White House. Fox News has in recent months placed an emphasis on new opinion programming, launching an opinion hour at 7 p.m. on weeknights as well as a late-night program led by Greg Gutfeld at 11 p.m. Fox News also said Lawrence Jones, a conservative commentator who has recently gained traction at the network via special reports and other work, will take on a new position as enterprise reporter for all Fox & Friends programming and will continue to fill in as co-host of both the weekday and weekend editions of the show. Over the years, our audience has connected with Rachel and Lawrence through their frequent guest appearances and as fill-in hosts on the curvy couch, said Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott in a prepared statement. We are delighted to name them permanent fixtures on our signature morning franchise. Campos-Duffy is married to Sean Duffy, a former Republican Congressman representing Minnesota. She has been affiliated with Fox News since 2016, and has worked as a contributor, on the daytime program Outnumbered, and, more recently, as a guest host during the networks new 7 p.m. program. She has also appeared ABCs The View. Campos-Duffy, who is believed to be the sole anchor of Hispanic background among cable-news morning programs, will host Fox & Friends alongside Pete Hegseth and Will Cain. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. PORTLAND Local elected officials joined statewide leaders to condemn an antisemitic sign, appearing to target two school administrators, featured at an anti-mask protest outside Brownstone Intermediate School this weekend. A group gathered Sunday outside the school on Main Street to apparently protest the mask policy for students. Shortly before 11:30 a.m., an individual stood alone outside the school with two signs. One read unmask our kids, and the other showed antisemitic imagery. A statement provided by the Board of Education on Monday indicated that all decisions made for the school district were in line with guidance from the state Department of Public Health and the state Board of Education. The antisemitic sign appeared to have images of Schools Superintendent Charles Britton and Board of Education Chairwoman Sharon Peters, edited to make them look like Adolf Hitler. Below the photos were caricatures of masked children. Fashioned to the sign were an American flag and a Trump flag. The antisemitic images displayed in front of one of our schools on Sunday was abhorrent, the statement from the BOE said. The Portland Board of Education will continue to take the steps it feels are necessary to ensure the safety of everyone at our schools and will not be deterred by this hateful act. In an interview on Monday, Britton said he was disappointed in the extreme reaction to how the district has handled the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He said the school has been fully in-person for almost this entire school year and he was not aware of any in-school transmission. Weve done an amazing job, he said. How do you square up all that success that youve been in schools in-person, that you havent seen outbreaks of COVID in your schools, that theres been a real solidarity in our school with what you saw Sunday morning, which is the exact opposite of reality? Directly speaking about the sign, Britton said the individual who brought it created an environment of fear. Fear has no place in our schools, he said. For someone to do that is disgusting. He said school officials have a strong relationship with the local police department, which he said was very aware of what happened Sunday and offered additional resources beyond the schools usual security as a precaution on Monday. Its the wrong narrative. Thats not who we are, Britton said of the message the sign sends. The narrative is about how well, especially our kids, our students, theyve done. Theyve been remarkable all year. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, has drawn criticism since her comment last week comparing House members to wear masks on the chamber floor to the Nazis taking control of the Jewish population during the Holocaust. The comparison in Portland also drew a similar swift response from First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, and other local and state officials, condemning the incident in a statement released Sunday night. I am appalled and sickened at this image appearing in Portland in front of our beloved Brownstone Intermediate School, Bransfield said. Our Superintendent Charles Britton and our Chairwoman of the Board of Education, Sharon Peters, do not deserve this hateful image. It is abhorrent and I strongly condemn it. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz called the sign an offensive act of intimidation and said she stands in full support of the superintendent and BOE in protecting the health and safety of students, teachers and their families. State Rep. Christie Carpino said there is no place in society for the offensive imagery shown on that sign. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called the incident hateful. Hitler killed 11 million people, including 6 million Jews, in one of the worst human rights atrocities known to man, he said. Masks are safe, effective and safe lives. There is no comparison and to draw that false parallel is hateful, ignorant and repugnant. State Sen. Norm Needleman said any reference to Hitler and Nazis has no place in Portland. Whether you agree or disagree over policy, you do not bring this kind of hate to the very campus and classrooms that educate our children, Needleman said. It is disgraceful. Don't Miss West Haven homicide victim remembered for kindness, voice The Rev. Boise Kimber said he and his church urge the community to share any information they have about the homicide. Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media HAMDEN A town resident is facing charges following an incident in a Hamden Walgreens, according to police. Officials charged Jabron Matheney with public indecency and second-degree breach of peace, a release from Capt. Ronald Smith read. The 27-year-old has been detained on a $10,000 bond, according to Smith. GENEVA (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday were among leaders rallying around efforts to strengthen the World Health Organization and the worlds ability to prepare for and defend against pandemics. It came as the U.N. health agency opened its annual assembly, with a draft resolution in the works that acknowledges missteps in the response to COVID-19. The sweeping proposal would seek to boost pandemic response, stabilize WHO's funding and ensure greater access to health care including to vaccines, tests and treatments linked to the coronavirus. The 27-nation European Union, U.S., Canada, U.K., Philippines, Dominican Republic, Rwanda and Vanuatu were among the countries behind the resolution, which was to be considered during the eight-day assembly. It would create a working group on strengthening WHOs readiness and response to health emergencies. We have to have institutions that are up to the task, that meet our ambitions, Macron said by video during the mostly virtual meeting. WHO, he said, must be robust and flexible in times of emergency and crisis. And it must be completely transparent to make sure that people trust the organization." "There must not be any political pressure and there must not be any suspicion of pressure that has been exerted, he added. Merkel threw her backing behind the idea of a global health threat council and said leaders should provide WHO with lasting financial and personal support. We have been talking about this for years, but now it is all the more important to act, she said. The resolution a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press cites COVID-19 two dozen times. It breaks little new ground and aims mostly to garner consensus and commonality of purpose in the aftermath of the economic and human devastation wreaked by the pandemic. The resolution, which would set up a six-person working group to report to the assembly next year, acknowledged serious shortcomings in the worlds ability to prepare, prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies. The text, if approved, would ask WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to make concrete suggestions for levels of alert in times of health emergencies, with clear criteria and practical implications for countries. Diplomats behind the measure said they hoped it could garner consensus among WHO's 194 member states. The WHO chief, after leading a round of applause for health care workers who have battled the pandemic in often-agonizing conditions, said the world remains in a very dangerous situation and that while he was speaking 400 people would die of COVID-19. He reiterated his concerns about unequal access to vaccines, saying that over 75%of vaccines have been administered in 10 countries. He called for a massive push to ensure the vaccination of 10% of the population of all countries by the end of September and at least 30% percent by year end. There is no diplomatic way to say it: A small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the worlds vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world, he said. An alarming streak of anti-Semitic hate crimes in the city will not be tolerated, New York City Mayor de Blasio said Sunday, promising a stronger police presence in Jewish communities. Three men attacked two Jewish teenagers in Brooklyn on Saturday night, punching them, menacing them with a baseball bat and yelling anti-Semitic slurs, according to NYPD. They put one of the teens in a chokehold. Prior to that, the trio drove to a Borough Park synagogue, where they yelled slurs at several Jewish men, banged on the synagogues door and smashed a car mirror before taking off. They were still being sought Sunday. Anti-Semitic attacks will not be tolerated here in New York City, the mayor said in a meeting with Jewish leaders at Brooklyns 66th Precinct stationhouse. We will stomp out anti-Semitism anywhere we find it. The hateful incidents followed tense confrontations between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators last Thursday in Times Square, where a pro-Israel protester suffered a brutal beating. Hate crimes were up 71% as of May 16, compared with the same time period last year, according to the NYPD. Anti-Semitic incidents were up 5%. The NYPD will be out in force in Jewish communities to protect the people of these communities, de Blasio said. Members of the NYPDs strategic response group which is deployed for everything from terrorist threats to violent crimes were headed to Jewish communities, said Chief of Department Rodney Harrison. Mobile field forces will drive around those neighborhoods using turret lights, he added. The NYPD declined to specify the number of extra cops heading to Jewish neighborhoods, citing security reasons. Anti-Semitism has to be stopped immediately, Borough Park Rabbi Bernard Freilich said alongside de Blasio. Its just out of control. ______ BANGOR, Maine (AP) A proposal to consider the feasibility of a passenger rail service from southern Maine to Bangor is advancing through the Maine Legislature. Democratic Sen. Joe Baldacci of Bangor has proposed a study of the potential of building the rail, which could run from Brunswick to Augusta, Waterville and Bangor. A legislative committee unanimously passed the proposal late last week. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas is poised to remove one of its last major gun restrictions after lawmakers approved allowing people to carry handguns without a license, and the background check and training that go with it. The Republican-dominated Legislature approved the measure Monday, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has said he will sign it despite the objections of law enforcement groups who say it would endanger the public and police. Gun control groups also oppose the measure, noting the state's recent history of mass shootings, including those at an El Paso Walmart, a church in Sutherland Springs, and a high school outside Houston. Texas already has some of the loosest gun laws in the country and has more than 1.6 million handgun license holders. Supporters of the bill say it would allow Texans to better defend themselves in public while abolishing unnecessary impediments to the constitutional right to bear arms. Once signed into law, Texas will join nearly two dozen other states that allow some form of unregulated carry of a handgun, and by far be the most populous. The National Rifle Association was among those supporting the measure, and a spokesman called it the most significant gun-rights measure in the states history. A right requiring you to pay a tax or obtain a government permission slip is not a right at all, said Jason Ouimet, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action. Texas already allows rifles to be carried in public without a license. The measure sent to Abbott would allow anyone age 21 or older to carry a handgun as long as they don't have felony criminal convictions or some other legal prohibition in their background. But without the state background check, law enforcement groups worry there would be no way to weed them out in advance. The bill does include stiffer penalties for felons caught illegally carrying guns. The bill would not prevent businesses from banning guns on their property, and federal background checks for some gun purchases would remain in place. Texas has no state requirements for background checks on private guns sales. Texas has allowed people to carry handguns since 1995, and has been reducing the cost and training requirements for getting a license for the last decade. Texas move to further loosen gun laws galled El Paso lawmakers, including Democratic state Rep. Joe Moody, who on Sunday night delivered an emotional address on the House floor that recounted being in rooms with the governor and family members searching for loved ones after the Walmart shooting in 2019. The 2021 legislative session is the first time state lawmakers have met in session since the attack that killed 23 people. There were promises, Moody recalled, that the state would take gun safety seriously after the shooting. Authorities have said the shooter had targeted Mexicans in the border city. When the doors were closed I heard lots of promises, Moody said. I havent heard them since. ___ Associated Press reporter Paul J. Weber contributed. Among the 10 candidates who cross-filed to run for four four-year seats, Laura McKelvey and Christopher Freas, two newcomers who were critical of the school closure, clinched nominations from Democrats and Republicans. Two incumbents who voted against the closure earned the rest of the nominations on the Republican side, and an incumbent appointed after the closure vote and a newcomer took the other two slots on the Democratic side. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut man accused of killing his wife told police he kneeled on her neck until she stopped breathing during an argument that turned violent in their home earlier this month, according to an arrest warrant affidavit released Monday. Tahj Hutchinson, 22, of South Windsor, was arraigned in court on a manslaughter charge Monday in connection with the May 10 death of Jessica Edwards, the mother of the couple's 7-month-old son. He remained detained after a judge increased his bail from $1 million to $1.5 million during the brief hearing. The 30-year-old Edwards' body was found Friday in a wooded area of East Hartford, nearly two weeks after Hutchinson and her family reported her missing. Police and her relatives had searched for her at several locations in the Hartford area and handed out fliers in hopes of finding her. Edwards' family and friends went to court Monday. Holding signs outside, they called on Hutchinson to be detained without bail. On the night of May 10, Edwards' sister told police she confronted Hutchinson after Edwards went missing, and she believes he drove off with Edwards' body in the back of his SUV, according to the warrant. She said she saw a blanket covering something in the back of the vehicle, and he drove off as she demanded that he open the rear door, the warrant says. She told police he drove away as she was chasing him and holding onto a door handle. Messages seeking a response to the allegations were sent to Hutchinson's public defender Monday. The chief medical examiner's office said Monday that Edwards died from asphyxia due to compression of the torso and neck and ruled her death a homicide. The warrant provides the following details of Hutchinson's statements to police. Hutchinson initially told police Edwards left their home on the morning of May 10, telling him she was going somewhere with a friend and would be back later. Police said there were several inconsistencies in Hutchinson's accounts, and Hutchinson eventually confessed to killing her. Hutchinson said he and his wife had argued on the weekend of May 8 and 9 over guinea pigs he got her for Mother's Day. They resumed arguing the morning of May 10 and it became physical, he told police. She hit him in the head with a laptop computer and grabbed a kitchen knife, and they wrestled over the knife, Hutchinson told police. Hutchinson said he then kneeled on her neck and back until she stopped moving. Hutchinson told police that later that night, he put her body into his SUV and drove off when Edwards' relatives came over. He said he dumped her body one town over in East Hartford, then immediately went to the East Hartford police department to report her missing. Police found Edwards' body Friday after obtaining Hutchinson's cellphone records, which revealed his approximate locations on the night of May 10, police said. Hutchinson confessed to police who questioned him after the body was found, the warrant says. Edwards' family held a vigil in her memory Saturday in South Windsor and were joined by local residents who offered their support. HADLYME During a May 15 celebration of the Chester-Hadlyme Ferrys 252-year legacy of service on the Connecticut River, John Marshall, master captain of the Selden III ferry boat, cut a ribbon before welcoming new passengers aboard. Among the three dozen park supporters, visitors and ferry staff who attended the event at the Hadlyme landing of the ferry route were John Jack Hine, supervisor of Gillette Castle State Park; and state Reps. Devin Carney, R-Old Saybrook; and Christine A. Palm, D-Chester. The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park sponsored the event and refreshments were donated by Hadlyme Country Market. The ferry means so much to the people in the whole region, Carney said in a prepared statement. It seems every year its potentially on the chopping block, and weve always fought against that. Im glad to see the ferry running on a normal schedule this year, and hopefully everyone will take advantage of that to see the natural beauty of the Connecticut River. Palm thanked those assembled for their dedication in supporting the ferrys operation as well as the park itself. Its a huge connection with our friends east of the river and the tourism we depend on, she said in the release. We have to make sure its a priority. To approach the Castle from a ferry ride is the most spectacular way to start a tour of the park, Hine said. I highly recommend it, because the view is awe-inspiring on such a beautiful day. About two-thirds of those attending boarded the ferry for a round trip to the Chester landing, offering views of the river and Gillette Castle atop Seventh Sister Hill. The group took the opportunity to view recent improvements to the Hadlyme landing, including new benches and fencing, a newly leveled parking area and a historic display describing the river and its cleanup, undertaken by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation. The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry, which began its 2021 operations April 1, began service in 1769 as Warners Ferry, and is one of the oldest continuously operating ferries in the United States. The ferry is expected to operate through Nov. 30. For information, visit portal.ct.gov/DOT. STRESA, Italy (AP) The investigation into Italy's cable car disaster that killed 14 people will focus on why the lead cable snapped and why the emergency brake didn't engage and prevent the cabin from careening back down the mountain until it pulled off the support line and crashed to the ground, the lead prosecutor said Monday. Verbania Prosecutor Olimpia Bossi outlined the contours of her investigation based on what she said was objective, empirical fact of what occurred: The brakes of the security system didn't work. Otherwise the cabin would have stopped," she said. Why that happened is naturally under investigation." Bossi spoke to reporters as the lone survivor of Sunday's horrific tragedy, a 5-year-old Israeli boy living in Italy, remained hospitalized in Turin in intensive care with multiple broken bones. The Israeli foreign ministry identified him as Eitan Biran. His parents, younger brother and two great-grandparents were among the dead, the ministry said, correcting an earlier statement that had included Eitan among the victims. Italian media identified all the other victims as residents of Italy. The disaster, in one of the most picturesque spots in northern Italy the Mottarone mountaintop overlooking Lake Maggiore and other lakes near Switzerland raised questions anew about the quality and safety of Italys transport infrastructure. Transport Minister Enrico Giovannini visited the site Monday and announced a commission of inquiry to investigate the technical and organizational causes of the disaster, while prosecutors will focus on any criminal blame. Giovannini told reporters in Stresa, the lakefront town at the foot of the Mottarone peak, that the aim of the investigative commission would be to ensure this never happens again." The transport ministry said a preliminary check of the cable lines safety and maintenance record show that the whole lift structure underwent a renovation in August 2016, and that a full maintenance check was performed in 2017 and more inspections last year. In November and December 2020, other checks were performed on the cables themselves, including magnetic inspections on the primary cables of the lift: the cable that pulls the cabin up the mountain, the support cable that holds the car and the rescue cables. In December another visual check was performed, the ministry said. The mayor of Stresa, Marcella Severino, quoted witnesses as saying they heard a loud hiss," apparently when the lead cable snapped. She said the cabin reeled back down the line until it apparently hit a pylon and then plummeted to the ground. It rolled over two or three times before crashing into trees, she said. Some of the bodies were thrown from the car and were found amid the trees, rescue workers said. In on-camera comments to LaPresse news agency and other reporters in her office, Bossi noted that the emergency brake had engaged on the other cable car that was traveling in the opposite direction, down the mountain. She said the possible crimes that are being investigated are multiple manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and an attack on public transport." She acknowledged the transport crime was an unusual hypothesis, but justified it by recalling that a cable car up and down a mountain is a form of public transportation. The funicular line is popular with tourists and locals alike to scale Mottarone, which reaches a height of 1,491 meters (4,900 feet) and overlooks several picturesque lakes and the surrounding Alps of Italys Piedmont region. The mountain hosts a small amusement park, Alpyland, that has a childrens rollercoaster, and the area also has mountain bike paths and hiking trails. It only reopened a few weeks ago after Italys wintertime coronavirus lockdowns lifted, and officials hypothesized that families were taking advantage of a sunny Sunday to visit the peak and take in the view. The mayor declared a day of mourning for Stresa, which like tourist destinations around the country had suffered from COVID-19 lockdowns that not only slashed foreign tourism but cut local day-trip visits by Italians. The Israeli foreign ministry identified the five Israelis killed as Eitan's parents, Amit Biran and Tal Peleg-Biran, an Israeli-born couple studying and working in Pavia. Birans Facebook page identifies him as a medical student at the University of Pavia. Their 2-year-old son, Tom Biran, died at the scene, as were Peleg-Birans grandparents, Barbara and Yitzhak Cohen. The ministry said they had arrived in Italy on May 19 to visit their granddaughter and great-grandchildren. Amit Birans sister, Aya, wasn't involved in the crash and was at the bedside of Eitan at Turins Regina Margherita hospital, the foreign ministry said, adding that other family members were flying to Italy from Israel to join her. In a tweet Tuesday, Italy's national firefighting squad said they were cheering for Eitan even as they mourned the others: Forza Eitan (Go Eitan), all the firefighters are with you." The head of intensive care at the Turin hospital, Dr. Giorgio Ivani, said Eitan was sedated and intubated after surgery to repair his broken bones. An MRI scan was planned for Monday to assess any brain injury, though hospital officials have noted that he was conscious when he arrived. Among the other victims were an Italian researcher, Serena Consentino, and her Iranian-born companion, Mohammadreza Shahaisavandi, according to a statement from Italys National Council of Research, where Consentino had a research grant. Also killed at the scene were Vittorio Zorloni and his wife, Elisabetta Persanini. Their 6-year-old son, Mattia, died at Regina Margherita after multiple efforts to restart his heart, hospital officials said. A young couple, Silvia Malnati and Alessandro Merlo, were killed while Malnatis brother stayed down in town and frantically tried to call her, Italys La Stampa newspaper reported, quoting the brother. Another couple, Roberta Pistolato and Angelo Vito Gasparro were celebrating Gasparros 45th birthday. La Stampa said Roberta texted her sister in Puglia right before the tragedy: Were going up in the funicular. Its paradise here. ___ Nicole Winfield reported from Rome. AP reporter Laurie Kellman contributed from Jerusalem. The U.S. Air Force could retire some of its older-model F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, which are used for training, over the next decade in favor of acquiring the most advanced variants of the jet, according to a top general. Older versions of the premier stealth jet may be retired instead of receiving expensive upgrades to keep them viable for a future conflict, said Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements. "It's not in our plans right now, but that would be something that we would have to take into consideration," he said in an interview Tuesday. "Because the big question is, 'Are we going to go back and retrofit [them]?' Read Next: Space Force CO Fired Over Comments About Marxism in the Military Now Subject of IG Probe "Retrofit cost is a key consideration for, 'Do we want to take training jets that are older [software] blocks and upgrade them to new blocks?'" Hinote said. "Are we maybe overinvested in training tails? There are some indications that maybe we are." Hinote was referring to the ratio of training jets to combat-coded jets -- those ready for a wartime mission at any given time -- across the service's seven fighter fleets as it prepares for a near-peer conflict. The Air Force counts the A-10 Thunderbolt II close-air support aircraft as part of its fighter fleet, along with the F-35, F-22 Raptor, F-15C/D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and the new F-15EX Eagle II. For example, one-third of the fifth-generation F-22 fighter fleet is not combat-coded, with most of those jets reserved for training pilots. "It's true with a lot of our aircraft that we have some they're dedicated solely to training," Hinote said. "We're questioning, in a new era [of great power competition], where training is going to look different. Perhaps we have overinvested in training aircraft, and the ratio of training to fighter aircraft could be improved on the fighter side, i.e. more tails available for combat." Although the F-35 is one of the Pentagon's newest aircraft, some of the oldest Lightning II fighters in the fleet are used for training purposes. They are part of manufacturer Lockheed Martin's earliest low-rate initial production batches. As the service considers what kind of fighter mix it wants, it must decide whether it can afford the luxury of having aircraft designated only for training. Several of its fleets, including the F-35 and F-22, include training aircraft that are older and not configured for combat, Hinote explained. Upgrading them would be expensive and, in some cases, impossible. In a time of limited resources, the Air Force is reconsidering keeping dedicated trainer aircraft and investigating how much training it can move to high-quality simulations. "We've been experimenting with pilot training at all levels, and what we are learning has the potential to shift our whole approach," Hinote said. "There may be some that are not upgradeable to the full combat capability and, if that is true, that probably means we need to think about [whether] they are worth flying." The Raptor vs. NGAD The Air Force must make key decisions about which aircraft, and how many, it wants to sustain longer term, Hinote said. During a panel last week, Air Force Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown explained his plan to reduce the service's fighter fleets from seven to four. Brown calls the initiative "four plus one." The "four" are the F-35; F-16; the F-15EX, which entered the service's inventory last month; and the Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, program, which defies the traditional categorization of a single platform, featuring a network potentially including an advanced fighter aircraft alongside sensors, weapons or drones. The venerable A-10 remains as the "plus one." Noticeably absent from his list were the F-22 and F-15E. Over the next five years, the service will establish whether fledgling airframes like the F-15EX can fill the roles of its legacy fighters. Service leaders have hinted that, while the fourth-generation F-15EX is meant to replace the legacy F-15C/D models, it also could succeed the E Strike Eagle model in the future, given its weapons load. Hinote said the legacy Strike Eagle could stick around longer if the fleet receives needed upgrades; if the upgrades are not cost effective for the service, the EX will take its place. Hinote said the service will still ask Congress to fund crucial upgrades to the F-22 fleet as part of its fiscal 2022 budget request, including modifications to the fighter's sensor suite capabilities. But the F-22 "has some limitations to it that you just can't modernize your way out of," he added. When the F-22 retires will be decided by how quickly NGAD can be fielded, Hinote said. If the Air Force can secure enough funding for the NGAD in the fiscal 2022 and future budgets, and subsequently prove the technology prior to 2030, F-22s will start heading to the aircraft boneyard, he said. "All those things are interrelated," he explained. The F-35 Is a 'Special Case' Air Force Magazine reported last week that the service is considering a 10% cut in F-35 buys as part of its Future Years Defense Plan, citing a growing need to transition to the most up-to-date jets as they become available. CNN reported that some Air Force officials have expressed a desire to cap the total number of F-35s in inventory, reducing a projected procurement of 1,763 of the conventional takeoff and landing A-variant to 800 maximum to make room for NGAD. But Hinote said no decisions have been made. "The internal talk about the total buy is something we've got to do, but we have not made a decision on that because we don't know all the variables yet," Hinote said, calling the F-35 a "special case" in the jet inventory. "If we can get to the full buy, that would be the future we'd prefer," he said. The Air Force now has more F-35s than F-15s and A-10s. At 283 jets, the F-35 fleet is second in size only to the Fighting Falcon; the Air Force has 934 F-16 C and D models. But "the block that is coming off the line right now is not a block that I feel good about going up against China and Russia," Hinote said, referring to the current Block 3F software and hardware configuration. Upgrades to Block 4, the latest modernization update for the F-35's avionics and weapons systems, began in 2018. It is meant to expand the type of weapons the aircraft can carry, including Raytheon's Stormbreaker small-diameter bomb, which has the ability to attack moving targets in bad weather. The Pentagon originally estimated Block 4 modernization could be incorporated by 2024, but the project timeline has been delayed until at least 2027, according to an assessment from the Government Availability Office. Some F-35s already have elements of Block 4, such as the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, which helps prevent aircraft from flying into the ground. Unlocking the rest of Block 4's upgrades will require what is known as "Technology Refresh 3," or TR-3, which will provide the aircraft with prompt processing capability and increased memory, among other capabilities. While much of TR-3 will be incorporated in the latest batch of aircraft in 2023, its development is still "tracking 7 months later than originally planned," the GAO said. Both updates will be critical in a conflict against China in the Pacific, Hinote said. In 2019, the service flew only Block 4 F-35s in a war game because using Block 3F jets "wouldn't be worth it" in a toe-to-toe scenario with China, he told Defense News. There are other problems with the F-35, including a growing shortage of F135 engines, manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Raytheon Corp. There is also more work to be done to its comprehensive logistics system, which is used for support operations, mission planning, supply chain management, maintenance, and other processes. As sustainment and upgrade costs continue to rise, Hinote said capability, availability and affordability all play into the F-35's future with the service. "We're going to have to make that call one day but we don't have to make that decision in FY22 and, frankly, we don't have to make it in FY23," he said. "We are flying seven fighter fleets right now. No Air Force around the world can handle that much different demand on its logistics. We need to get down to a smaller number of fighter fleets, simply for the logistical concerns." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214. Related: $14 Billion Contract Marks Start of New Push to Build US F-16 Fighters for Partner Nations The leadership of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, got a major upgrade Friday as a three-star general assumed command. In an interview Thursday with Military.com, Adm. Craig Faller, head of U.S. Southern Command, said that MARFORSOUTH's increased stature and more senior commander will help the U.S. strengthen relationships with its 31 partner nations in the Western Hemisphere, including South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Marine Lt. Gen. David Bellon assumed command of MARFORSOUTH, which has typically been commanded by a one-star general, in a ceremony Friday. Read Next: These Are the First Military Bases Whose Confederate Names Could Be Changed Bellon will be dual-hatted while commanding MARFORSOUTH and continue his current command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve. MARFORSOUTH is the Marines' component command for SOUTHCOM, and Bellon will command all Marine forces assigned there. And, Faller said, the elevation of MARFORSOUTH's stature demonstrates not just the commitment of the U.S. to the region, but its recognition that global competition against major adversaries also takes place there. "They look to the United States Marine Corps [as] the gold standard," he added. Elevating the rank of MARFORSOUTH's leadership also brings additional personnel and capacity, with more skill sets, to the headquarters, Faller said. For years, Faller and other SOUTHCOM leaders have raised concerns -- particularly to Congress -- about the command being under-resourced compared to other combatant commands. This year, for example, SOUTHCOM took a "significant cut" to its intelligence funding and is now underinvested there, Faller said. But upgrading the stature of MARFORSOUTH's leadership "will add additional emphasis there, additional capabilities, additional planning, bandwidth, thought, intel, across all the things that matter," he explained. Faller said that SOUTHCOM is constantly examining the threats facing the Western hemisphere, and what the people, platforms and other resources at its disposal allow the command to do to counter those threats. "In this hemisphere, in our neighborhood, a little goes a long way," he said. "This leverage [of upgrading the leadership and visibility of MARFORSOUTH in the region] can make a huge, disproportionate benefit." Bellon succeeds Col. Michael McWilliams as MARFORSOUTH commander. McWilliams, who has been selected to receive his first star, will now serve as deputy commander for MARFORSOUTH and for MARFORRES. Faller said that he's not concerned that being dual-hatted will stretch Bellon too thin, because he will have McWilliams -- and the staffs of both MARFORSOUTH and MARFORRES -- supporting him. SOUTHCOM last March announced plans to send more assets to the region to fight high-seas drug trafficking; Faller said that effort has been successful. In testimony before the House Appropriations Committee last month, Faller told lawmakers that, on any given day, SOUTHCOM might have about 10 Coast Guard and Navy ships patrolling the region where drug smuggling routes run as part of those added assets. Counter-drug assets sent to the region also can typically include maritime patrol aircraft from the Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and international partners, as well as other land and sea assets. The U.S. decision to send more assets showed its commitment to the region, Faller said, and encouraged partner nations such as Colombia to commit more forces to the fight. He singled out Colombia as having a strong navy, both at sea and in its rivers. "U.S. leadership matters," Faller said. "When the U.S. is on the field, our partners are on the field. And we both benefit; it's a win-win." SOUTHCOM's decision last year to move more assets into the region came as the command sought to bring its mission more in line with the National Defense Strategy's focus on countering Russia and China. In Thursday's interview, Faller said China represents the "pacing threat" facing the United States today. "China is the No. 1 threat we face in the 21st century, and that competition is global," Faller said. "It's happening from the South China Sea, right to the South Atlantic, and the Caribbean, and we see China's insidious influence everywhere." Deploying the additional assets to fight transnational criminal organizations such as drug smugglers is key to SOUTHCOM's effort, he said. Chinese money launderers also help finance these criminal organizations, Faller said, which makes it increasingly important for SOUTHCOM to help stymie those efforts and counter China's influence. And if the U.S. didn't fill that leadership role and help partner nations with their readiness, he said, someone else would. "We're making a statement by being there, that the region matters," Faller said. "As we increase U.S. readiness, we increase our partners' [readiness]." SOUTHCOM's drug interdictions are up this year, he added. "That's what's key for us: Are we able to put more pressure on these organizations, and as a result of that, are we able to target more events and more organizations?" Faller said. "We've placed significant pressure [on drug traffickers], with all our interagency partners." The military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which still houses 40 detainees from the Global War on Terrorism, also falls under SOUTHCOM's authority. Faller said he doesn't expect the end of the war in Afghanistan later this year to change SOUTHCOM's mission at Guantanamo Bay. "Our mission there is the safe and humane treatment of the detainees, and that's what we focus on, so that we can, as a nation of laws, get to a place where the commission process will move forward," he said. "We will flex to whatever policy decisions are made, and we're well aware of the commander in chief's stated policy objective of moving forward on the detention facility, and beginning to look for alternatives." -- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey. Related: More Navy Ships Headed to South, Central America to Stop Drug-Trafficking A Marine F-35B Joint Strike Fighter detachment is officially underway on a British aircraft carrier for the first time ever, and their commander had high praise for the U.K.'s new warship. "Don't tell anybody back home, but it is probably the nicest ship I have been on," Col. Simon Doran, the senior U.S. officer aboard the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, told The News on Saturday as the ship departed Portsmouth in southern England. The Marines joined the British crew for the unique mission, which also includes a U.S. Navy destroyer and a Dutch frigate. Queen Elizabeth II visited the carrier and met with members of its crew this weekend ahead of its maiden deployment. Read Next: 'You Always Demonstrate True Grit:' Marines' Famous 1st Tank Battalion Folds as Mission Ends The Marines will spend about seven months deployed on the Queen Elizabeth, operating in the Mediterranean Sea, Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions. The combination of 10 U.S. F-35Bs and eight from the U.K.'s No. 617 Squadron "The Dambusters" form what leaders have called "the largest concentration of maritime and air power to leave the U.K. in a generation." Doran told the BBC that the deployment has been in the works for more than a decade. "It sends a message to potential adversaries, but also to our allies to reinforce should they ever be needed, we will be there," he said. Royal Navy Commodore Steve Moorhouse wrote in a message to the carrier strike group that the crews were ready to represent NATO "on the global stage." "Not everything will go to plan," Moorhouse said. "It rarely does. But our individual and collective training to date has been preparation for this moment and through your skill and your commitment, you have what it takes to adapt and overcome." Doran told The News his Marines love the ship's flight deck and that his team would be taking lessons about the deployment back to the Corps. "It's a very, very large flight deck, and it is enjoyable to operate from a ship that was designed from the ground up to operate the F-35," he said. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Queen Elizabeth II Visits Navy Carrier Ahead of Deployment The Naval Academy Class of 2024 almost set a new record in their effort to scale the Herndon Monument just maybe not the one they had hoped for. The now 4th class midshipmen Saturday recorded the second-slowest Herndon Climb in Naval Academy history at 3 hours, 41 minutes exactly. As the plebes fought their way to the top of the 21-foot obelisk, slick with water and shortening, the cannon signaling three and a half hours had passed boomed out over the Yard. Groans and chants of "we suck" rippled through the exhausted hoard, covered in grass, mud and sweat. But in the final hour, the class hugged tightly together around the gray granite, forming a more stable base than the one they'd cobbled together over the previous three. Forty-one minutes later, a skinny Tennessean named Michael Lancaster scrambled atop the fleshy pyramid. Lancaster stretched, both hands gripping the midshipman's cover, but he couldn't quite make it. Shimmying to the right, his foot found higher purchase atop another classmate. One shove, then another. The cap stayed, freeing the plebes from their fight just in time to avoid breaking the Class of 1998s 4 hour, 5 minute and 17 second all-time longest climb. Ushered over to the gazebo, Lancaster faced his beaming classmates and threw a fist in the air. "We are the COVID class. We've beat COVID! We beat Herndon! And we are plebes no more!" he shouted. Of course, there were people who saw the writing on the very greasy monument. Don Loren and Jim Ripley, of the Class of 1974, sat watching them trying and failing again and again to hoist a classmate high enough to end the climb. Loren and Ripley are "linked" to the Class of 2024 through the academy's Link In The Chain program, which pairs classes decades apart for moral and developmental support. Asked for their assessment, the two agreed: organizational problems. "They're going to be at least two (hours)," Ripley said. Arlington, Texas native Aubin Hattendorf of 21st Company made it up to the second tier of the human ladder before she found herself pulled down. "It was very slimy," she said, with a hose spraying her, and hot as bodies pressed together under the 88-degree sun. Sometimes, when she lost her footing, one of her classmates got a foot in the face. Around 4:12 p.m., just under three hours in, the plebes took aim at the "dixie cup" hat still resting mockingly atop the monument. A flash of something collided with the hat, sending it tumbling to the mud below. Cheers went up. But soon after, Commandant Thomas R. Buchanan stopped the celebration. The plebes had broken the rules requiring the hat to come down by a human hand, not a well-aimed water bottle. The plebes unstuck themselves from the pillar, undoing any progress they'd made and fizzling any momentum, and reset from the ground. Timing resumed. Kate Crothers, who most recently lived in Annapolis but hails from all over as an Air Force kid, threw herself into the fray. When it coughed her back out, she called the pile "chaos." "It's not as bad if you're climbing up," she said, "but as soon as you become a base, that's when it gets sticky." From the sidelines, Brycen Groess watched his friend John Weneborn scale the shoulders of their classmates. Weneborn was easy to pick out. Amid a sea of navy blue shorts and bathing-suits, Weneborn stood out in bright red shorts with "Thirsty 3rd" emblazoned across his posterior. The shorts referenced 3rd Company, which Groess and Weneborn both belong to. Groess snapped photos of his friend he joked would likely end up on Weneborn's Tinder profile and remarked how nice it felt to be outside, with people, without wearing masks. When word came down from Gov. Larry Hogan and the Department of Defense that mids no longer needed to wear masks, Groess was headed to town on liberty. He almost couldn't believe the news in his inbox. "I wanted to make sure we saw someone without a mask before we go out without one," he said. Only vaccinated plebes participated in the Herndon Climb this year, Naval Academy spokeswoman Maddie Flayler said. And Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck has previously said 99% of midshipmen chose to receive the coronavirus vaccine voluntarily. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled last year's Herndon Climb. In 2019, the Class of 2022 took an hour and five minutes to complete the challenge. This year's "Iron Company," the honor bestowed on the company that performs best during Sea Trials, happened to be the Lancaster's 14th company. He admitted for most of the climb, he hung back. "I was really scared," he admitted. But Lancaster's build, "kind of skinny, kind of tall" by his description, was an advantage. A classmate encouraged him to go up. You're the ace in the hole, he said they told him. Lancaster waited until his classmates formed a solid base. Then, they sent him up. "I just put it up there by the grace of God and some good luck," he said. This article is written by Danielle Ohl from The Capital, Annapolis, Md. and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com. Joe McFarland is a Marine and Desert Shield/Storm Veteran and Lowes Executive Vice President of Stores. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our military families for your service to our country. No one demonstrates a more selfless pledge to making home these United States of America better for all than our military community. In doing so, military families like you are often on the move and need to recreate a feeling of home in new surroundings. I am the son of a Marine and Marine Corps veteran myself, so I understand that May is an important time. The nation is recognizing Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day while so many service members and their families are preparing their next Permanent Change of Station (PCS) assignment. I will always advocate for finding ways to recognize and honor military associates and customers. It is important for companies to demonstrate that they value military service and celebrate associates and customers alike who have served. Here are some ways national retailers can support military families throughout the year, including as military families prepare for what can be a stressful PCS season: 1. Helping Families Feel #ALWAYSHOME Retailers can help ease the stress and burdens of relocating while helping military families create that unmistakable sense of home. For example, Lowes offers a 10% discount every day both online and in-store to active-duty military personnel, veterans and their spouses. This discount saves military families more than $1 billion each year on home improvement projects. 2. Provide Quality Jobs I know firsthand that transitioning from military service to a civilian career can be challenging. Veterans and their spouses are attracted to employers who support their unique needs during the onboarding process. National retailers are well-positioned to provide quality jobs for a lot of transitioning veterans due to their size and scale, and commitment to the professional development of veteran employees. Employers of choice for military families are investing heavily in teams that can translate military specialties into current job openings and targeting their recruiting efforts by creating an online presence specific to their military veteran hiring efforts. Retailers also are positioned uniquely to support veteran-owned suppliers through supplier diversity programs and by participating in programs with the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), and Disability:IN. Click here for the military career portal for Lowes, which proudly employs nearly 20,000 associates in the military community. 3. Celebrate Employee Service Its important to understand the celebration of service does not end when companies hire transitioning veterans or military spouses. Retailers can create special ways to recognize military associates and foster a military-friendly culture. For example, Lowes recognizes veteran employees by offering an optional camouflage vest for military associates to wear in celebration of their service. Military families know better than anyone: No matter how many times you move, youre always home when you take what matters with you. It is incumbent upon national retailers to continue to honor and support our military families, especially in times of inherent stress. Thank you for your service. Join Our Team No matter your career path, our military-focused recruiters and resources can help you align your skills and experience with future goals. Get started here. The Tigers placed catcher Wilson Ramos on the 10-day injured list due to a lumbar spine strain. Ramos will be replaced on the active roster by southpaw Derek Holland, who is returning from an IL stint of his own due to a shoulder strain. This is the second time this month that Ramos has been sidelined by the same injury. Ramos previous IL stint lasted the minimum ten days before he was activated on May 17, but clearly something wasnt quite right, as he hit only .087 over 24 plate appearances after his return. Ramos signed a one-year, $2MM free agent deal with the Tigers during the offseason, and got off to a very strong start in his first few weeks in Motown before cooling off at the plate. With the brutal stretch between his IL stints now severely weighing down his numbers, Ramos has a .200/.238/.392 slash line over 128 PA in 2021. Ramos had mostly been serving as a designated hitter after his return from the injured list, and thus the Tigers have already had three catchers on the roster. Eric Haase and Jake Rogers will now officially be handling all the catching duties until Ramos is healthy. Holland signed a minors deal with Detroit and ended up making the Opening Day roster, giving the veteran left-hander a 13th Major League season under his belt. Holland has struggled to a 13.00 ERA over nine innings, pitching mostly as a reliever. Joeron Pierce and James Pierce, who live in homes next to each other, said there was chaos after that. Partygoers ran through their yards and asked to come into their houses. They said cars ran into one other trying to speed away. Nana Tornado is unhappy that Ghana Police is not performing up to its task about a recent video that has gone viral. Nana Tornado claims he has sent a message to Ghana's IGP saying that if Afia Schwarzenegger is still left to go free after storming a police station to reportedly film inmates in a police cell, with one of them being naked, then Ghana is a joke. Speaking on Onua TV's 'Bribi Gye Gye Wo' show hosted by Mona Gucci, he quizzes that "how can a civilian storm a police station and the station officer will be there for Afia Schwarzenegger to go and film cell inmates to post on social media whilst one of them was naked?" Calling out Afia Schwarzenegger, Nana Tornado said "look how you run to Dome Pillar 2 police station to report Abrokwa for filming you in bed with another man after he caught you, you went to report. How about someone that was arrested in a cell?" The incident happened about 2 weeks ago when Adu Safowaa was held in custody after she dragged a businessman into her social media with Afia Schwarzenegger, claiming that Afia and the man are HIV positive. After Safowaa's arrest, Afia stormed the police station to confront her, filmed it in a video that went viral online. The video sparked outrage on social media over how lawless she acted. According to Nana Tornado, since then, he hasn't heard anything again. "IGP if you are not able to react, then I thinking we are joking," he said. Listen to article Pentecost is the festival when Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is celebrated on Sunday 50 days after Easter. The name comes from the Greek word 'pentekoste' meaning "fiftieth". Pentecost is regarded as the birthday of the Christian church, and the start of the church's mission to the world. In other words, Pentecost could also be explained to mean a Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit of the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension. It is held on the seventh Sunday after Easter. Sunday 23rd, May 2021 was another Pentecost, according to the Christian calendar and all Christians especially the orthodox churches observed it as such. Pentecost, Rt. Rev. Dr. Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, 2nd Archbishop of The Internal Province of Ghana, Anglican Communion urged Christians to celebrate this year's Pentecost in unison enjoying each other's diversity. He noted that the Church has always struggled to maintain unity. "The challenge has faced every generation of Christians. We hear the Gospel and become a part of the Church, it doesnt turn us into uniform people." He added, "While God desires unity, its important to remember that God is the author of diversity. As one student of the natural world put it, the God who created 80,000 different kinds of parasites is a God who loves diversity. There is still greater diversity among human beings. But God calls us to live together". In his message to the Anglican faithfuls in Ghana issued on Thursday, 20th May, 2021, he intimated that the church today is experiencing a lot of polarization in the society. In his view, there has been "Conflicting visions of what a healthy society looks like, conflicting visions of the truth, set up camps and battle away. The Holy Spirit calls us in a different direction". He continued, "Part of the truth that God calls us to is the truth that we as a Christian community are called to be one body in Christ. Yes, with incredible diversity within the body. But one. As we prepare to celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, let us ask for an outpouring of unity on the Church." The Metropolitan Archbishop of Asante Mampong admonished all Christians to as a matter of necessity learn to live in harmony with other people of different religious faith. "We must make a deeper attempt to live peaceably with all our neighbors especially people of other faiths notably Muslims who live and work with us. We must also make every effort at working towards the rules of the nation during this era of the Covid Pandemic". In the concluding part of his message, Rt Rev. Dr. Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith posited that "God can perform miracles even in a time of social distancing. Gods mercy can overcome any distance. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has been with us during this time of the pandemic, and will continue to be with us every step of the way". He added "May we all, individually and as the one body of the Church, come to know ever better the healing and purifying, forgiving and unifying ways of the Holy Spirit". The Chairman of Kumasi- Adum Petty Traders Association, Mr Mark Obeng has stressed the need for government to relocate the Kumasi Zoo to an appropriate place that could attract tourists to patronise the facility. He said such move will help generate more income for the state, instead of sitting it right in the heart of the Kumasi city. Speaking to the Modernghana News correspondent in Kumasi, Mr Obeng noted that the current location of the Zoo at Kumasi Mbrom is no more convenient and attractive to tourists. According to him, the noise from the commercial activities affects patronage of the facility. He added that the development of the city has overtaken the beauty and popularity of the Zoo, hence his appeal for relocation. "If the Zoo is relocated to a place like Barekesse Dam, known to be a popular tourists attraction center, it would help generate revenue to support economic development." Obeng posited that after the relocation exercise, the Zoo can be transformed into a major modernized lorry terminal among other projects to generate funds to support state projects. The government of the Democratic of Congo on Saturday ordered the evacuation of the eastern city of Goma after the eruption of the Mount Nyiragongo volcano overlooking the border city. Even before the official announcement, thousands of people had started filling the streets and carrying what they could as they headed out of the city, which has already suffered from previous eruptions. But later Saturday, Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya tweeted: "The evacuation plan for the city of #Goma has been activated. "The government is discussing the urgent measures to take at present," he added. The evacuation plan was activated after an emergency meeting of the government to discuss the situation, said the minister. The first departures from the city came earlier Saturday even before Mount Nyiragongo erupted spewing red fumes into the night sky. There was panic in the city. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP) The military governor of North Kivu province, of which Goma is capital, "confirmed the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano ... at around 7:00 pm" while appealing for calm. "Investigations are underway and people must follow the guidance of civil protection" units, General Constant Ndima said. The UN mission to DR Congo sent a helicopter "above the zone and confirmed the eruption", according to an internal note seen by AFP. "However the lava is flowing towards Rwanda. The city of Goma and its environs are safe," said the mission, known by its French acronym MONUSCO, which has bases in Goma. 'The sky has turned red' Power was already cut in large parts of the city when hundreds of residents began leaving their homes. Some headed towards Rwanda. By Moses Sawasawa (AFP) Some headed out of the southern end of the city towards the nearby border post with Rwanda, while others headed west towards Sake, in the neighbouring Congolese region of Masisi. "The sky has turned red," one resident, Carine Mbala, told AFP by telephone. "There is a smell of sulphur. In the distance you can see giant flames coming out of the mountain. "But there has not been any earthquake," she added. "People are leaving or preparing to leave," another resident told AFP, as the streets began filling up, some carrying as many of their belongings as they could. "I am taking the children and getting into the car. There is a risk that the lava will flow on Goma," another said. For the moment, there is no sign of a flow of lava from the city, the correspondent said. Map of DR Congo's eastern Goma region and Mount Nyiragongo volcano. By Patricio ARANA (AFP) But the last time Nyiragongo erupted was January 17, 2002, killing more than a hundred people and covering almost all of the eastern part of Goma with lava, including half of the airport's landing strip. Hundreds of thousands fled the city. The deadliest eruption of the 3,000-metre high volcano was in 1977, when more than 600 died. Goma sits on the mountain's southern flank and overlooks Lake Kivu. The Goma region, which lies in North Kivu province, bordering Rwanda and Uganda, has six volcanoes, all higher than 3,000 metres. President Nana Akufo-Addo's administration has promised to construct an estimated 6,000 kilometers of roads nationwide in his second term of office. Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah revealed this known at a press conference held at the Information Ministry in Accra on Sunday afternoon, May 23, 2021. According to him, the roads will include town roads, cocoa roads, Sinohydro roads and roads that come under other critical projects. The Minister pointed out that between 2017 and 2020, Government constructed about 4,000 kilometers of roads nationwide. He indicated that government intends to construct a minimum of 200 bridges nationwide over the next four years. Mr Amoako-Attah explained that by the end of the four years if nothing at all, Government will complete at least 120 of the bridges. He disclosed that between 2017 and 2020, some 50 bridges were constructed nationwide. According to him, by 2024, 20 interchanges would have been completed. Mr Amoako-Attah said that as at the time President Nana Akufo-Addo took over on January 7, 2017, Ghana had a total of 78,400 kilometers roads in terms of length. "Out of this total, 23% as at that time had been paved 18,000 kilometers. The remaining 77% percent were not paved," he revealed. According to him, conditions of road is divided into three categories namely good, fair and poor. He said 39% of the roads inherited from the NDC were good; 32% fair and 29% poor. "Around 50% of roads were considered to be in terrible, poor condition. "Over 64 years of independence, if we have done well the people of this country are better judges." According to him, the Roads and Highway Ministry continues to undertake periodic maintenance works on roads nationwide. He added that 130,671 kilometers of routine maintenance works on roads since 2017. The Roads Minister emphasised that the Department of Urban Roads undertook 18, 202 kilometers of roads. ---DGN online A cable car carrying 15 people has plunged to the ground in northern Italy near the resort town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore, killing 13 people, according to emergency services, with two children taken to hospital in Turin with serious injuries. The cable car was headed for Mottarone mountain, located at nearly 1,500 meters above sea level and offering spectacular views of the Alps. According to initial news reports, the accident in the region of Piedmont occurred around 300 meters from the summit and was believed to have been caused by a cable snapping at the top of the system. Firefighters and Alpine rescuers rushed to the scene of the accident, but operations were complicated as the cable car fell in a wooded area where a steep slope made access difficult. Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi said he learned with deep pain of the tragic accident and expressed the government's condolences to the families of all the victims. Infrastructure and Mobility Minister Enrico Giovannini and the head of the Italian Civil Defence department, Fabrizio Curcio, will travel to Stresa on Monday. The cable car had been reopened to the public after the lockdown due to Covid-19 on 24 April 24. It was busy with tourists, who chose to take the 20-minute cable car ride, as weather conditions were particularly favourable this weekend and many took the opportunity to go up to the mountains. Normally the cable car has a capacity of 40 people but due to social distancing measures, the number was reduced. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car system had been closed in 2014 and underwent extraordinary maintenance with major renovation works costing 4 million euro and then reopened in 2016. No heart, no conscience, no empathy guys, why havent you gone into politics? says a cartoon of Dorothy chatting to the tin man, the scarecrow, and the lion. Apparently, it is nearly two years since the news spiralled through that some Members of Parliament have allegedly grabbed double salaries and nothing meaningful has been done towards bringing the suspects to book. How unfair? It would thus appear that the alleged suspects are hiding behind the dowdy and largely unjust parliamentary privileges and concessions. It is, however, worth mentioning that much as the parliamentarians privileges and concessions are grounded in the Constitution of Ghana, it would be somewhat sophistic for any person or group of persons to contend that the parliamentarians immunity from arrest and issue of summons without the Speaker of Parliaments prior knowledge and permission is not dowdy and incommodious in the fight against corruption in the 21st century. However controversial it might seem, some optimists prefer to argue forcefully in favour of the parliamentary privilege. But I, for one, belong to the schools of thought that vehemently contend that the parliamentary privilege is outmoded and must therefore be expunged and tossed into dustbin accordingly. After all, we are all equal before the law. Yes, no one is above the law, so why must a section of the society have some kind of immunity in the justice delivery? Much as the controversial concession was inserted in the constitution so as to remedy needless obstructions and to allow the parliamentarians to go about their duties seamlessly, the provision somehow gives a section of the population an unfettered freedom. Indeed, we acknowledge wholeheartedly that our representatives in parliament are undertaking very important role in the nation building. But the all-important question we should be asking is: is their role more important than that of a farmer, a teacher, a doctor among others? Interestingly, the proponents of the antiquated provision contend that without the immunity, the parliamentarians may be prevented from their important duties through suppositious civil and criminal law suits. Well, such a notion is not out of place. However, my bone of contention is that the parliamentarians are not the only relevant actors in the nation building who require special protection in their line of duty. For argument sake, if the law can excuse a suspected parliamentarian from arrest on his/her way to work, whilst at work or on his/her way back from work, the law might as well make room for the equally important contributors such as farmers, teachers, doctors among others. Why must we allow a section of the population to perpetrate criminalities and then hide behind the law? The parliamentary privilege was never intended to help parliamentarians escape the criminal law, but it was rather inserted in the constitution to give parliamentarians immunity against needless civil suits for defamation whilst undertaking their parliamentary duties. It is important to note that the provision was taken from the British parliamentary privilege and transposed and given meaning in our constitution. The crucial question then is: do the originators of the controversial provision still find it prudent and expedient? Interestingly, a few years ago, three Labour MPs in the United Kingdom were charged with false accounting over their parliamentary expenses claims. However, they deny the offences and tried to avoid a criminal trial by invoking the 1689 Bill of Rights which gives oxygen to parliamentary privilege. Suffice it to stress that the parliamentary privilege stops MPs and peers from being sued for defamation. So how on earth then would the MPs try to invoke parliamentary privilege in criminal prosecutions under the Theft Act? Clearly, they were seeking to hide behind the parliamentary privilege, which in my view, was an abuse of the privilege. But despite their earlier refuge in the parliamentary privilege, the judge found them guilty and sentenced them into prison. Their sentences ranged from 18 months to 12 months. It is worth emphasising that the modern understanding of parliamentary privilege relates to immunity from litigation for words spoken in the House of Commons. And more so it has a wider historical meaning, encapsulated in the evolution of British constitution which can be open to legal interpretation. The origins of parliamentary privilege The parliamentary privilege can be traced back to the English Civil War when Parliament was fighting for the right to self-governance and independence from the monarchy. However, it was not until 1689 when the Bill of Rights established the rights of parliament after the so-called Glorious Revolution that it became enshrined in law. Take, for example, Article 9 of the Bill of Rights states that "the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament". Back then, the law was subject to the whims and caprices of the King. Suffice it to state that it was the interference from the sovereign that Parliament sought to rid itself. Parliament held MPs to account by its own strict laws which ran side by side with the criminal and civil courts. Needless to stress that back then, the rule of parliament was absolute. Are the rules of parliamentary privilege changed? Apparently, the twilight of the monarchy allowed Parliament to surrender some of its jurisdiction to the courts. Consequently, MPs accused of criminal offences are no longer dealt with by the authorities of the House of Commons and instead face the full force of the law. Take, for example, since 1979, not less than 10 MPs have been sent to prison, usually for not paying fines incurred when they were conducting political protests in Northern Ireland. However, parliamentary privilege still grants MPs immunity from being arrested on civil matters within the grounds of the Palace of Westminster. In any case, it is somewhat prudent to protect parliamentarians whilst going through their normal day-to-day activities at the Parliament. A few years ago, the MP, Damian Green, was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police at his constituency home on suspicion of "aiding and abetting misconduct in public office" and "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office". However, after the MP Damians arrest in December 2008, the Speaker of Parliament back then, Michael Martin, explained his actions to the Commons, telling MPs that parliamentary privilege has never prevented the operation of the criminal law. He alluded to the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege which in its report in 1999, said that the precincts of the House are not and should not be "a haven from the law (Source: independent.co.uk). We should, however, not lose sight of the fact that in most jurisdictions, the laws are administered equitably. Indeed, everyone could face the laws without any recourse to their status in society. Take, for example, a few years ago, the Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, was forced to resign following his disqualification from office by the countrys top court. The Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed Mr Sharif after a damning corruption probe into his family wealth. The investigative panel claimed his family was unable to account for its vast wealth, leading to the court to order a criminal investigation (guardian.co.uk, 28/07/2017). In another instance, former Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, who had been cited as the most famous president in Brazils contemporary history, was sentenced to nine years and six months in jail after being found guilty on corruption and money-laundering charges (Source: guardian.co.uk, 12/07/2017). What is more, the controversial South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, found herself in a wide-ranging corruption and cronyism scandal, which culminated in her removal from office in March 2017. President Park Geun-hye and her long- time confidante, Choi Soon-sil, were accused of conspiring to pressure companies, including Samsung, to donate large sums of money to two non-profit foundations set up by Choi. Choi was accused of using the money for personal gain, which she denied. However President Park admitted behaving naively, but denied coercing companies. President Park was also accused of giving Choi an unlawful access to state affairs and allowing her to influence policy, including Seouls stance on North Koreas nuclear weapons programme (The Guardian 2017). In sum, the parliamentary privilege is archaic and inequitable. So let us do away with it. Let us amend or expunge the seemingly irrational provision and replace it with innovative and expedient law. K. Badu, UK. [email protected] Some daredevils seem unfrightened and undeterred by the Rambo-style seizure and burning of mining equipment by the Military deployed to forest reverses and river bodies to fight illegal mining popularly known as galamsey. After the burning of hundreds of excavators and changfan machines in illegal mining areas, the illegal miners have restrategised and returned to sites to continue their nefarious activities. After weeks of successful operations, a high powered military team led by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Amoama, on Saturday, May 22, 2021, undertook a confirmatory reconnaissance to some of the locations where Operation HALT II has so far operated. In a press release after the inspection, the Reconnaissance Team of Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has disclosed that they discovered signs which indicated that there were still some illegal mining activities going on in some of the areas that had been cleared by Operation Halt II. After destroying the extra equipment found on those sites, the Ghana Armed Forces has issued a warning to the public particularly people living close to the sites that Operation Halt is still ongoing. The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to once again caution all citizens especially those living in and around major rivers and their tributaries, and forest reserves that Operation HALT is still in progress, part of a press release from GAF signed by Director Public relations, Colonel Eaggrey-Quashie has said. It continued, "Any equipment found in and around water bodies and forest reserves would be destroyed." As part of efforts to curb illegal mining in the country, government employed the use of military called Operation Halt. Earlier this month, the Ghana Armed Forces deployed 400 soldiers to begin phase two of Operation Halt II. Read the full press release from GAF below: The United States on Sunday announced visa restrictions on Ethiopian and Eritrean officials accused of fuelling the six-month-old war in Ethiopia's Tigray region, saying those involved had "taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities." "People in Tigray continue to suffer human rights violations, abuses, and atrocities, and urgently needed humanitarian relief is being blocked by the Ethiopian and Eritrean militaries," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. "Despite significant diplomatic engagement, the parties to the conflict in Tigray have taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities or pursue a peaceful resolution of the political crisis." Blinken also announced "wide-ranging" restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia, adding that the US would continue humanitarian aid in areas such as health, food and education. He said the visa restrictions targeted "current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean government officials, members of the security forces, or other individuals -- to include Amhara regional and irregular forces and members of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF)." Children (pictured December 2020) play in front of a house that was damaged during the fightings that broke out in Ethiopia's Tigray region, in the village of Bisober. By EDUARDO SOTERAS (AFP/File) The Tigray conflict erupted in early November when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops to detain and disarm leaders of the regional ruling party, the TPLF. Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, said the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. Though he vowed the conflict would be brief, more than six months later, fighting continues and world leaders are warning of a potential humanitarian catastrophe. Eritrean troops, who teamed up with the Ethiopian military, have been implicated in multiple massacres and other atrocities during the Tigray conflict, allegations Asmara denies. "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the killings, forced removals, systemic sexual violence, and other human rights violations and abuses," Blinken said. "We are equally appalled by the destruction of civilian property including water sources, hospitals, and medical facilities, taking place in Tigray." An Ethiopian Muslim stands inside a damaged mausoleum at the al-Nejashi Mosque, one of the oldest in Africa and allegedly damaged by Eritrean forces' shelling, in Negash, north of Wukro, on March 1, 2021. By EDUARDO SOTERAS (AFP/File) Ethiopia on Friday for the first time accused troops from neighboring Eritrea of killing 110 civilians in a massacre in November in the war-hit region. In earlier reports on what happened in Axum, both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty blamed Eritrean troops fighting in Tigray and said the dead were mostly civilians. The Ethiopian government has said it is committed to investigating human rights abuses committed during its fight against troops loyal to the TPLF. The Member of Parliament for the Lambussie Constituency, Hon. Dr. Bright Bakye Yelvie Baligi has posited that following the good track record and sound economic policies rolled out by the current administration of the NPP party, the good people of Ghana are likely to give the NPP another four more years after the tenure of His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo to continue with their good works. He was speaking at the Handing Over/Welcoming of freshers ceremony of the Tertiary Education Confederation of the ruling New Patriotic Party (TESCON) at the N.J.A College of Education, JAHAN Chapter-Wa. According to him, Breaking the Eight (8) is possible and charged TESCON members to work harder to achieving the mission. He was speaking on the theme: Retooling, Re-energizing and Repositioning TESCON Towards Breaking the Eight (8) Among some of the party members who graced the occasion included a representative from office of the Vice president, Salam Mustapha, the Municipal Chief Executive for Wa, the Regional Director for NADMO, the Regional Coordinator for FSHS, the Regional Youth Organizers and Constituency Organizers among others. He proposed 11 models towards the Agenda Breaking the Eight (8). Read the details below. 1.The NPP as a party should reassure, institute and recommit opportunities that seek to reward TESCON members for their hard work. The National Coordinator should work collectively with the Regional Youth organizers and Coordinators to develop a database of all TESCON members on a year-on-year basis, and assist them to secure NSS/job postings to their preferred organizations or locations of choice without any hustle or hindrance. (TESCON Leadership to lead placement and postings). 2.Most of the members, if not all, become frustrated in securing simple NSS postings to their places of choice. Regrettably, there have been instances of some party people (appointees of government) extorting TESCON members before assisting them with insignificant tasks as NSS postings, securing a job opportunity among others; after having worked so tirelessly at the students front to bring the party to power. Indeed, this is discouraging and frustrating to say the least. It makes TESCON unattractive and debilitating to the onlooker. And the earlier we address this problem, the easier and smoother for us all in breaking the eight. 3.Conscious efforts should be made, backed by a real-world strategy, aimed at securing jobs for past TESCON members who are still jobless. Most TESCON members are left on their own to secure jobs, and mostly become frustrated after many years of joblessness, and are on many occasions, become subjects of mockery to friends and neighbors, after having served TESCON yet remained unemployed after school. This is especially so when our government is in power. This development does not make TESCON attractive to some students and may consequently dampen the spirit of the few dedicated members who are willing to deploy their energies to serve the party. In our strenuous efforts and relentless quests to breaking the eight (8) year cycle pseudo-rule, the miserable situation of most TESCON members in securing jobs should be addressed by the party as soon as possible. This will invariable make members to work harder in breaking the eight, knowing very well that their labour shall not be in vain. 4.Even though TESCON plays an indispensable role in helping to explain and sell out the sound economic policies of the party/government to the citizenry, they are left at the mercy of divine interventions in their quest to further their education. To this end, it is only rational to suggest that, a scholarship scheme, should be established by the party to assist members who wish to build their capacities to further their education. This will help develop our academic faculties, strengthen the human capital base and position the party on a solid and sound academic and industrial equilibria for superior and improved governance. 5.Over the years, TESCON has remained a formidable mouthpiece of the NPP party at the students level in propagating policies and or programs as well as good works of the party. Indeed, TESCON has played, and continue to play an impressive central role in delivering massive electoral victory to the party at national elections. This indispensable role notwithstanding, the role of TESCON in most cases is only recognized and acknowledged when internal party elections are closer. Most appointees of government (DCEs and Ministers), MPs as well as party executives do not make themselves accessible to TESCON members, sometimes, turn down invitations, with excuses that remain untenable to say the least. In our eagerness to break the eight, high ranked party members must begin to appreciate and recognize the pivotal role that TESCON plays and attend invitations upon request, to inspire, motivate and mentor TESCON members. This could be another surest approach to propelling TESCON members into full swing to work to disseminate the good policies of the party and government. 6.One of the challenges that adversely hampers the efficacy and pragmatism of TESON members in delivering their mandate to the party is the inadequate resources and logistics for the Coordinators. The Coordinators are not resourced enough to enable them to effectively discharge the onerous responsibility of organizing, mobilizing and galvanizing members to help push forward our objectives. I hereby respectfully submit that, in our inexorable pursuit in breaking the eight, TESCON coordinators, Executives and as well as Youth Organizers should be adequately resourced with the needed paraphernalia. This will empower them to address the numerous needs of students and members (youth) which will translate into a robust and formidable base of propagating the sound policies of the government and the party, for the battle to break the 8 must be led by youth in general, and TESCON in particular. 7. Unity of purpose, devoid of internal divisions or sectionalism, with a determined mind, utterly focused on the agenda is one surest way of breaking the eight (8). All post internal election wrangling should be addressed as soon as possible within the laid down rules of the party. The thematic concern of TESCON should be to promote the interest of the party and not factionalism within the party. We should not allow ourselves to be divided by some party members, especially at the national level. We should remain resolute and focused on breaking the eight (8). This could only be made possible through unity of purpose and unalloyed commitment by all and sundry. 8.The influence of Political God Fathers in TESCON internal elections negatively affects the core objectives and mission of TESCON in delivering its mandate to the party. This influence allows members to elect executives that are not cut out for the job, only to satisfy the wishes of a selected few. We must re-dedicate and recommit ourselves, with a spirit unfaltering and unyielding towards the mission of TESCON with regards to the choice of leadership we make at the students front. In our quest to breaking the eight (8), dedication and commitment cannot and should not be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency. Lets elect members who are hardworking, with the mental fortitude and organizational acumen to steer the affairs of TESCON towards breaking the eight (8). 9.We have had reports that most TESCON executives do not make themselves accessible to their members after having won elections. This greatly affects the leadership structure of TESCON and limits its ability to work collectively with other members to achieving our key objectives. The real battle for the NPP, is election 2024. We must admit that everyone would have to put their shoulders to the wheels. It will be difficult to break the eight (8) if there is a disparity between leadership and TESCON members. Leadership must make themselves readily accessible to members and work collectively through round table discussions with shared opinions as to the best way forward in our quest to retain power and to consolidate the gains made in our development strides. 10.TESCON should rise to the occasion and work closely with their respective Patrons in all the campuses to help push members to student leadership positions including SRC president and NUGs.This will undoubtedly help to broaden the scope of its membership in all the campuses of both Public and Private tertiary institutions across the country. 11.TESCON members should continuously organize educational and exchange programs to help bring the students together to sharing ideas. This will make TESCON more attractive to other students, hence absorbing them into the TESCON tradition Burley, ID (83318) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Low 49F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 49F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Listen to article Lawyer Eric elanyo Alio, concerned about the worrying notion by some people that the political activities of citizens may be unnecessarily regulated, urges the Government, the Electoral Commission, and Political Parties to respect the Constitution of Ghana and Democratic Principles and allow citizens to freely embark on political activities at any time of their choice. He discusses the subject in the following lengthy and comprehensive article. READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW: QUESTION: WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AMBITION FOR POLITICAL OFFICE TO START REACHING OUT TO VOTERS? Campaigning for a political office may take various forms. Here, I am talking mainly about campaigning for national political offices but not internal political party positions, such as party executives at various levels, although, those may be covered as well, to some extent, by this article. Reaching out to voters may start with exploratory meetings and contacts with voters, before an announcement, a declaration, or a notice to the general public will be made of one's intention to run for an office, and before it will finally blossom into full campaigning in the form of rallies, public forums, and other public activities, including advertisements targetted at voters to canvass directly for their support and votes. In recent times, most of these activities may be effectively carried out online, without much hustle. These activities are generally, part of the fundamental rights of citizens, which rights are entrenched in our Constitution and cannot just be taken away from citizens or vitiated in any way, whether through legislation, internal party rules and regulations, or even by the use of force, unless by operation of law through due process. The pertinent questions here are: can some or all of these events, and particularly, their timing be regulated, however, by the State or political parties, and if yes, to what extent can they be regulated or controlled for whatever purposes? These are questions that have engaged my attention for some time now, and for which I am doing this article. Often when potential contenders for political offices begin their various political activities, and incumbent officeholders feel jittery and threatened, you would hear people, especially those who support, or are aligned to the incumbents, begin to complain that it is too early for new aspirants to start "campaigning" because it may unsettle incumbents, divide the ranks of their political parties, and break the unity in the party, etc. These complaints are obviously instigated by incumbents who are usually on tenterhooks as a result of the exploits of their potential challengers. If the new aspirants do not become intimidated enough by these signals and subtle warnings, they may subsequently be harassed or cautioned more directly by many, including their colleagues, friends, other highly-placed and respectable personalities, and these potential aspirants may even be threatened with disciplinary actions such as suspensions or disqualification later during the vetting process for the positions, etc. Sadly, there are no clear rules anywhere to indicate which particular conduct the parties are scornful of, or which they seek to proscribe just in our thoughts and imagination. At this point, they will consider every activity as "campaigning" as long as a nervous incumbent feels uncomfortable about them. If the complaining incumbent is a favorite of those who manage a political party, and that party is the ruling party, it shall even be worse for the new aspirant. This is a very sad development in the management of political parties in our democracy, and it needs to be addressed urgently. In this article, all of us, including the administrators of our political parties may learn a little further about how these issues may be handled in a manner that would not infringe the rights of citizens while allowing true democracy to develop and thrive, and keeping our political parties united and attractive to all of their members, and particularly the youth, who have a great deal of potential and energy. Per Ghana's 1992 Constitution, Political Parties May Not Do the Following: Ghana is a democratic state and is obliged to run a constitutional government and effectuate universal democratic principles. Constitutionalism is all about using Constitutions to limit the powers and actions of governments and political actors (including political parties) by law. It is therefore my considered view that political parties cannot operate in a manner to infringe the constitutional rights, interests, and welfare of their members who are citizens of Ghana. For instance, political parties cannot under any circumstances stop any individual citizen from going around a country to announce that he or she intends to contest an election in the future when political parties open nominations for such contests. This applies equally to parliamentary and presidential primaries to select candidates for national elections. Under our Constitution, individual citizens must be able to freely hold town hall meetings or public forums to declare their intentions and plan to the people at any time, and must be able to express themselves freely and explain to the electorate why they desire to contest an election and to represent them in government. Citizens must be equally free to display posters publicly, and online, and must be able to consult widely with voters anytime. The limitations that political parties may lawfully impose on these activities must be thoroughly scrutinized to ensure that they do not impair the abilities of citizens to exercise their constitutional rights freely. Some of what political parties may be able to do lawfully to regulate some of these activities within their parties have been mentioned in the conclusion part of this discussion. The activities I am concerned about here are the fundamental constitutional rights, which citizens are entitled to, and which governments and political parties are required to respect. Political parties may not in any circumstances punish their members for having engaged in such political activities at any time of the year. Article 55 of Ghana's Constitution, 1992, which provides for the organization of political parties, in subsection (5), states as follows: The internal organization of a political party shall conform to democratic principles and its actions and purposes shall not contravene or be inconsistent with this Constitution or any other law. It is provided also in article 55(2) that every citizen, who is qualified to vote can join a political party of his or her choice. From the above provisions, it is clear that political parties in Ghana are opened for all citizens of voting age, and their internal organization is required to conform to 1. Democratic Principles; and 2. The provisions of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. In interpreting and applying the provisions of the 1992 Constitution, article 34(1) of the Constitution directs political parties to be guided by the provisions of The Directive Principles of State Policy, which includes article 35(1), whose opening sentence states that "Ghana shall be a democratic state dedicated to the realization of freedom and justice. Article 12(1) also commands all organs of government and its agencies, and where applicable, "all-natural and legal persons in Ghana" to respect and uphold the fundamental human rights of citizens, which are enshrined in the Constitution. Political parties are very much part of the organs of the state, and entities, which come under this command. Articles 21(1)(a), (e), (g), and 21(3) provide the various rights of citizens, which include the freedom of speech and expression; freedom of association; freedom of movement; freedom to participate in political activities, etc., all of which empower citizens to embark freelywithout any hitch, intimidation, or threats of punishmenton political activities, which have been earlier mentioned. Article 21(3) for instance, states as follows: All citizens shall have the right and freedom to form or join political parties and to participate in political activities subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a free and democratic society and are consistent with this Constitution. Here again, it is emphasized by the Constitution that any laws or qualifications that may affect the participation of citizens in political activities have to be consistent with the 1992 Constitution. It has thus been demonstrated in this section that the constitutional authority of citizens to participate freely in political activities without fear of harassment is paramount to our democratic process and constitutionalism. In the next section, I shall discuss a few relevant democratic principles, which political parties in Ghana are bound by the 1992 Constitution to conform to in their internal operations and organization. Political Parties Must Abide by Democratic Principles: Let's recall the opening sentence of Article 55(5) of Ghana's Constitution, 1992, which states that: The internal organization of a political party shall conform to democratic principles...." My little reading on this subject reveals to me that democracy requires that each individual be free to participate in the political activities of communities with self-government. All adult citizens must have the right to vote to elect officials to represent them in government, and most adult citizens must have the right and freedom to run for political office regardless of gender, ethnicity, and levels of their wealth. Political freedom, actually, lies at the heart of the concept of democracy. Citizens' participation in the democratic process may take many forms, including running for office, voting in elections, debating issues, attending community meetings, forming or joining voluntary organizations, and protesting. It is important for everyone to have the right to organize peaceful meetings. For those who want to run for office, there must not be unreasonable restrictions to frustrate them from participating freely. Those in authority should not place unnecessary obstacles in the way of citizens who are desirous to run in elections to make it difficult for them to run the full length and to the best of their abilities. There must be transparency in the electoral processes, and there must be true and fair competition always. In fact, citizens' participation builds a stronger democracy, and so, to extend the frontiers of democracy, citizens' participation must not be seen only as a right. It must be a duty; a civic duty, which the authorities must conscientiously encourage among citizens. These are the relevant tenets or principles of democracy that the Constitution demands of our political parties to protect and promote. These are the principles that must guide the operations of political parties for them to build a stronger and better democracy for all. The foregoing is not just the idea or imagination of someone as to how political parties must be run to satisfy the selfish interests of some persons or a group of people. These are constitutional prescriptions, backed by law, and enforceable by the courts to entrench our democracy. The principal purposes for establishing democratic governments are the protection and promotion of the rights, interests, and welfare of citizens. Accordingly, when article 35(1) of our Constitution declares that Ghana shall be a democratic state dedicated to the realization of freedom and justice. .., it is understandable that the rights, freedoms, and interests of citizens shall be guarded jealously by the government and all political parties. Conclusion: Political Parties may Regulate Just to a Limited Extent Having said the foregoing, it is important to state that political parties may regulate their internal operations only to the extent that it shall not infringe the constitutional rights of citizens. For instance, while it shall violate the rights of potential contestants in an election to ask them not to hold public meetings with citizens at certain times, political parties can rightfully direct that such meetings must not be held in the name of the parties, and party apparels and paraphernalia may not be displayed at the meetings. Political parties may also banish the use and display of party symbols at certain times. Beyond these, I do not see much of what political parties may lawfully do to regulate the political activities of citizens, which activities are parts of the rights and freedoms the citizens are entitled to under our Constitution and democratic principles. Mostly, when administrators of political parties are in haste to speak against the early efforts of some of their members in preparing for contests, it is invariably the results of some incumbents and/or other potential contestants, who may be somehow connected and influential, being worried and having complained. But seriously, I don't think incumbent officeholders must be worried at all that others who want to challenge them for their positions have started reaching out to voters, or have started criticizing them too early. Generally, incumbent officials do not also deserve to be protected from competition at all. They already have a tremendous advantage over all others. In the case of Members of Parliament, their every work demands that they perform duties both in Parliament and their constituencies, so they cannot give excuses that because they are working in Parliament all others who want to challenge them must wait for them until a whistle is blown. If they are doing their jobs very well, they shall always be in better touch with the voters, and they must have nothing at all to worry about. They must develop the right attitude and welcome fierce competition in whatever form as long as it is lawful and legitimate. This is how they shall work in concert with all to make their parties more attractive to others, instead of seeking only their selfish interests regardless of the likely effect on the strength and fortune of their parties. I appreciate all who have spent time reading my rather long piece. Thank you. Eric ELANYO Alio The management of Hardford Motors on Mother's Day handed over some assorted items to the Nsawam Female Prison. The items donated included 2 packs of nose masks, 15 bags of rice, 2 gallons of cooking oil, 10 cartons of Nestle milo, 3 cartons of Mackerel fish, 4 boxes of tin tomatoes, 8 boxes of sanitary pads, 10 bags of washing powder, 20 packs of soft drinks, 10 packs of toilet tissue. The donation was done on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of Hardford Motors, Mr. Yasser Alia. According to Mr. Samuel Asante Mensah, the Aide to the CEO, who presented the items, the gesture was part of the Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR Projects) of the Company. He also underscored the importance and contributions of all mothers and women to the development of the country. "We are from Hardford Motors and we have come to the Nsawam Female Prison today to show a special love for our women particularly female convicts by presenting these items to them. We believe that this is not going to be a nine-day wonder and we will continue to visit and donate from time to time," Mr. Asante Mensah stated during the presentation of the items. The items were received by the Prison Officer-In-Charge, CSP Janet Asabea. "I stand here on behalf of the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons to say that we are exceedingly grateful that you came here today to do us this great gesture and honour. I must say this is a very timely intervention because this donation will go a long way to help the prison inmates," CSP Janet Asabea expressed. She further revealed that currently, the Nsawam Female Prison has 76 inmates and the government's feeding fee of 1 Cedi 80 pesewas is not enough to sustain them hence these donations come as additional support and are highly appreciated. "That is why we thank Hardford Motors for this donation. The management of Hardford motors could have decided to choose anywhere to donate but they settled on us. We ask for God's continuous growth and expansion of your company and we also pray for more donations from your outfit," she said. The Hardford Motors delegation was led by Mr. Samuel Asante Mensah, Personal Aide to the CEO, Mr. Yasser Alia, some members of staff and the Media Relations Manager for Hardford Motors, Mr. William Nana Yaw Beeko. The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference has called for an immediate reformation of the security system of the country. This, the Conference says, has become necessary owing to the increasing lack of public confidence, particularly in the Ghana Police Service. According to the Conference, recent events have made it clear that the nations security system is not properly set up. The comments come following the arrest of Citi FM and Citi TVs journalist, Caleb Kudah, and the subsequent raid of the premises by national security operatives. According to the Conference, the citizenry is gradually losing faith in the security agencies, partly because they are unable to get the police to respond to emergencies or receive little police action on reported crimes. The General Secretary of the Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference, Rev. Kwesi Deh in a Citi News interview called for an immediate reformation the security architecture to boost public confidence. The first thing I will say we have noticed is the amount of fear and trauma the people have to live with. Sometimes not so much because they have suffered a particular attack but just the fear of it happening. For example, if a neighbour of yours gets an attack, you are likely to be afraid of being the next victim. So it is one thing being the victim of an attack, but it is a whole other thing constantly living under this cloud of fear. Almost every Ghanaian is forced to live under fear of the breakdown of security in the country. The other thing is also that, it is obvious that the security system is not properly set up, and one of the benchmarks weve set for it is the ease of reaching the police. There is still one number that is commonly known to Ghanaians to easily access the police which we must quickly look at. ---citinewsroom The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has expressed concern over the high number of excavators parked in mining communities. According to the Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, over seven hundred excavators believed to have been moved from mining sites are likely to be taken back to mining sites. The government in its efforts to fight illegal mining launched the third phase of the new Operation Halt. This involves the use of the military to destroy all mining equipment at illegal mining sites and also apprehend illegal miners. In his address to some personnel during his visit to some illegal mining sites, the Chief of Defence Staff noted that the illegal miners now mine at night under the protection of heavily armed men. He however indicated that his personnel will adjust their operations to apprehend the miners. What is disturbing is that the excavators that have been taken from the mining sites are packed in towns, villages and by roadsides in clusters of 10 to 20, and there is a very high tendency that these excavators will find their way back to the galamsey sites during the night when our operations halt. The GAF has said its officers, deployed to curb illegal mining on water bodies and in forest reserves, will not hesitate to destroy all equipment found at illegal mining sites. It said visits by military personnel tasked to stop illegal mining activities, had shown that there were still some illegal mining activities going on in some of the areas that had hitherto been cleared by Operation Halt II. These illegal activities were mostly being done in the night or under the cover of darkness protected by armed guards, as used cartridges were found at the sites. The Operation Halt II patrol that accompanies the team was ordered to destroy logistics found in these areas, the statement added. ---citinewsroom EU leaders meet today to agree how to respond to the forced diversion to Belarus of a Ryanair plane bound for Lithuania on Sunday. In France, foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves Le Drian summoned the Belorus ambassador on Sunday following the incident. Le Drian had tweeted earlier in the day that the act was unacceptable and called for a firm and united response from the EU. The president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, is urging the EU to impose fresh economic sanctions on Belarus at Monday's meeting. There are also calls for flights to or over Belarus to be banned The EU described the incident as a 'hijacking' and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, said "the outrageous and illegal behaviour... will have consequences". The US state department called the forced diversion a shocking act. Death penalty Belarus forced the plane, which was heading to Vilnius from Athens, to land in Minsk in Belarus saying there might be a bomb on board. When the plane landed, Belarus authorities arrested passenger Roman Protasevich, as Belarusian journalist and activist. The aircraft was heading for Lithuania but still in Belarusian airspace when Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and diverted it to Minsk. A witness told AFP that Protasevich told fellow passengers he would face the death penalty. State media in Belarus said President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order for the move following the bomb alert, which turned out to be false. The plane then went on to landed in Vilnius more than six hours after its scheduled arrival. Since winning a disputed election last August, Lukashenko, has cracked down on dissenting voices. Existing EU sanctions Lukashenko, and dozens of Belarusian officials, are already under EU sanctions including travel bans and assets freezes, imposed in response to the repression on opponents. Roman Protasevich is a former editor of Nexta, a media operation with a Telegram channel. He left Belarus in 2019 to live in exile in Lithuania from where he covered the events of the 2020 presidential election. He was charged with terrorism and inciting riots. Tens of thousands of protesters thronged the capital Minsk for months last year, furious at Mr Lukashenko's declaration of victory, in a vote widely regarded as rigged. Western leaders have backed Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the opposition leader who claimed victory in the election before she was forced to leave for Lithuania. The high command of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has resolved to intensify efforts aimed at improving professional standards in the service. According to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) James Oppong-Boanuh, officer misconduct is one of the leading causes of mistrust and dwindling public confidence in the service. James Oppong-Boanuh, who made the remarks at the 2021 National Police Command Conference, said police officers must promote community safety and work to ensure that every citizen feels safe so as to improve confidence in the service. The public has shown some concern and in some cases, they do not trust us. In some situations, they do not have confidence in us and in some cases, we have lost legitimacy. We have to promote community safety and ensure that every citizen feels safe. We need to be resolute in the discharge of our mandate, we need to be proactive and we need to be professional. Ghanas police service has also been faulted consistently for being corrupt according to Afrobarometers Corruption Perception Index. In the report, the Ghana Police Service came up as the institution that the largest number of citizens complained about bribing in their quest to access their services. Among those who had contact with key public services during the previous year, four in 10 say they paid a bribe to avoid problems with the police or to obtain police assistance in 2019. ---citinewsroom Member of Parliament for Pru East Dr. Kwabena Donkor is brooding over the takeover of armed robbers in his Constituency as he calls for more security to beef up their operation. Over the weekend, local media reports confirmed that a military officer has been killed in the constituency by armed robbers. The sad incident occurred on the back of several armed robbery attacks recorded in the last few months which has instilled fear in constituents. Speaking on the Morning Starr Monday, Hon. Kwabena Donkor shared that he believes the situation in his constituency is a result of intelligence failure. I believe its an intelligence failure. Weve had too many of this so the security officials have to up their game even though we appreciate what the IGP has done for us. That whole corridor is under threat. Economic activity is under threat. We are already starting from the bottom so if our effort is negated by crime, then we have a serious problem, the Pru East MP noted. According to Hon. Kwabena Donkor, unemployment is one of the key issues leading cause of the high rate of crime in his Constituency. Theyve even brought a regional patrol team to augment what we have but the situation is still there. I think unemployment and other factors are giving birth to this high-level rate of crimes and as a country, we are sitting on a timebomb," the lawmaker added. Ethiopia's twice-delayed polls are now scheduled for June 21, giving the electoral board less than a month to overcome logistical hurdles exacerbated by war in the north and ethnic violence elsewhere. It is the first time Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, will face voters since his appointment three years ago. Here are five things to know about the elections: Why are the polls so important? Abiy came to power in 2018 when the authoritarian Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition picked him to replace Hailemariam Desalegn, who resigned following several years of anti-government protests. Despite rising through the ranks of the EPRDF, Abiy took office vowing to reshape politics. He released dissidents from jail, apologised for state brutality and welcomed home exiled groups. These changes were meant to culminate in the most competitive elections in Ethiopia's history, breaking with previous ones that observers said fell far short of international standards. Abiy wants backing from voters for his ambitious economic reform agenda. "He inherited the EPRDF's power, which itself followed from the previous sham election," said Awet Weldemichael, Horn of Africa expert at Queen's University in Canada. "To truly break new ground, to truly break with the previous order, he needs a new popular mandate to govern." In June, Ethiopians will choose national and regional parliamentarians. The national MPs then elect the prime minister, who is head of government, as well as the president, a largely ceremonial role. What caused the delays? Initially due in August 2020, officials postponed the election because of the coronavirus pandemic, then announced June 5 as the new date. However, in April, electoral board chairwoman Birtukan Mideksa said only half the country's 50,000 polling stations were operational and a mere 200,000 people had registered to vote in Addis Ababa, a city of five million, raising concerns about preparedness. Those figures have since risen sharply. Just weeks before the scheduled vote, though, Birtukan said it would be impossible to meet the June 5 deadline, citing outstanding tasks such as finalising voter registration, training electoral staff and printing and distributing ballot papers. Who will participate? Despite the pandemic, Abiy's critics bristled at the extension of his mandate beyond its expiry last October, with some declaring him illegitimate. The fiercest opposition came from the ruling party of Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which dominated the EPRDF before Abiy took office. Tigray's government defied Abiy by going ahead with its own unsanctioned elections in September. Tensions with Tigray erupted into armed conflict in early November after Abiy sent troops to detain TPLF leaders, a move he said was in response to attacks on federal army camps. Though Abiy vowed the war would be brief, fighting continues more than six months later, making Tigray's participation in the upcoming elections impossible. Beyond Tigray, inter-ethnic violence has frustrated preparations in other parts of the country, and no voter registration has occurred in parts of the Oromia, Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz regions. In late May the electoral board said voting would not take place in 40 constituencies due to issues including insecurity and complaints over irregularities. Yet the board has said voters in those areas will be able to cast ballots before a new parliamentary session begins in October. What hurdles remain? Even in the best of times, organising smooth elections is a tall order in Ethiopia, a vast country hobbled by poor infrastructure. Diplomats following the process say the electoral board is missing logistical support usually provided by the military, which is largely tied up in Tigray. The challenges promise to be daunting even with the delay, including the need to hire and train more than 100,000 additional staff. Ethiopia is also still trying to contain the coronavirus pandemic. It has recorded nearly 270,000 cases -- roughly six percent of the continent-wide total -- and has only received enough vaccine doses to protect around one percent of its population of 110 million. Who will win? Abiy's Prosperity Party has fielded the most candidates for national parliamentary races and is widely expected to secure a new term for the prime minister. In Ethiopia's most populous region, Oromia, prominent opposition parties like the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) are boycotting, complaining their candidates have been arrested and offices vandalised. The Prosperity Party faces stiffer competition in Amhara region, where the opposition National Movement for Amhara accuses the government of failing to protect Amhara civilians from ethnically-motivated attacks. The race to govern Addis Ababa is also expected to be close, with the Prosperity Party facing challenges from the Ezema and Balderas parties. Several high-profile opposition leaders are currently behind bars, including Balderas' Eskinder Nega and the OFC's Jawar Mohammed. A dozen clandestine miners died when a makeshift gold mine collapsed in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN radio Okapi reported Monday. The accident took place around midday Saturday near Bondo in Lower Uele province, the report quoted regional deputy Eddy Pascal Sinango as saying. It was the latest in a series of mine accidents that have killed around 50 people so far this year, Okapi added, quoting local Radio Tele Uele (RTU). "Seventeen people entered a gold shaft in a quarry that was closed by mine officials since last January," Okapi said in reference to the latest disaster. A landslide killed 10 immediately, while six others were injured, two of whom died after being taken to hospital, it added. Okapi quoted RTU as saying that a similar accident occurred later Saturday around 55 kilometres (35 miles) from Bondo. One miner died in that accident after he returned into a shaft to retrieve his pump after it began to rain. RTU said that around 20 landslides have occurred in the area since January. Some 69 aspirants in the North East Region have applied for the Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Chief Executives ( MMDCEs) race. Out of the 69 applicants, 6 females applied for the MMDCE position. The aspirants were vetted from six constituencies namely Chereponi District, amperage/Moagduri, Bunkpurugu/Nakpanduri, Yunyoo/Nansuan, West Mamprusi and East Mamprusi. The North East Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) Lawyer Sulley Sambian told journalists that the vetting committee has been transparent adding that the female aspirants who are impressive will be considered. We are trying as a vetting committee to ensure that woman who is impressive are considered to move to the next stage but remember that we are not the appointing authority but rather the president. He indicated that the vetting committee will be presenting four names out of the total number to the president for consideration. One of the female aspirants vying for the Municipal Chief Executive position for the East Mamprusi, Adam Mahama Rashida said she was a unifier and was optimistic that her competency in the Nalerigu/Gambaga constituency will help the party to recapture the seat from the NDC come 2024. She appealed for the Affirmative Action Bill to be passed to encourage more woman to be represented in the assemblies. The assembly is the representative of the central government and if a woman is appointed it will encourage more women to get involved and there has never been a woman as the MCE from all parties and so if I am given the opportunity I will bring in a lot of development for the people of Mamprugu. ---DGN online As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. President of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Out-growers Association of Ghana, Paul Kwabena-Amaning has called on government to commercialize the production of oil palm to boost Ghana's economy. Kwabena-Amaning says the palm oil sector is performing very well and is on the path of achieving self-sufficiency in massive palm oil production by 2021 and 2023 respectively. He attributed the high level of progress in the production of the oil palm in the country to increased demand by farmers which is a result of the governments subsidy on the inputs. We need to advance and build the palm oil sector to a larger capacity. When we see our own gari packaged and being sold by a Chinese, we chase it and are proud of it but what have we done to improve upon what we also have? He argues Malaysia learnt of oil palm from Ghana and now, they are doing better than us and it gets to a point where we even import from them when we have the capacity to produce, Paul-Kwabena-Amaning exclusively told Reynold Agyemang on Pae Mu Ka on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7 Paul believes the land tenure system which works perfectly in Malaysia helps them to grow palm trees on a large scale and process the fruits into quality oil. But the same cannot be said for Ghana. Our land tenure system does not support farming on a large scale. Farmers can be given palm seedlings to plant but they do not get the land in their own communities to start a plantation. Paul Kwabena-Amaning further stated that the commercialization of oil palm will boost the countrys economy and reduce unemployment rate. The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has cautioned Theophilus Donkor, a Defence Counsel for the 3rd and the 14th accused persons in the trial of the late Major Maxwell Mahama. When the matter was called on Monday, May 24, for the continuation of the mini-trial, which has been occasioned due to series of objections from defence lawyers in the tendering of the Investigations caution statements obtained from the accused persons, the lawyer was absent. Counsel was expected to be in court today to cross-examine independent Witnesses who were present when the statements of the accused persons were taken. The Court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, Justice of the Supreme Court was unhappy at the absence of the lawyer and warned that she will not entertain any such absence in her court. The case has been adjourned to May 31, 2021. William Baah, an assemblyman and 13 others are currently standing trial for the murder of the late Major Maxwell Mahama, a military officer murdered at Denkyira Obuasi. So far, the state has called 14 witnesses including Chief Inspector Samuel Agyakwah, the Investigator who is in the docket giving evidence. But, the series of objections from defence lawyers on the tendering of Investigation caution statements of the accused persons have resulted in a mini-trial to deal with the documents before the substantive trial resumes. ---starrfm In South Africa, tourism generates 740,000 direct jobs and more than 1.5 million indirectly. Tourism accounts for 7.1 percent of Africas GDP and contributes $169 billion to the continents economy. But the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates 100 million tourism-related jobs have already been lost globally, including nearly eight million in Africa, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of this highlighting the need to reignite tourism locally, while following safety protocols to make travellers safe and confident to travel once again. Businesses in the industry that have managed to be resilient face arguably one of the most challenging times that the sector has ever seen, needing to adapt swiftly to service the consumers changing demands. This is according to Jiten Vyas, Regional Group Chief Operating Officer - Australasia, China, Africa and Europe & CIS who says that as international travel slowly returns, businesses in the industry need to pivot in order to stay competitive and profitable. He unpacks some of the key changes that will make the customer journey safer, more convenient and seamless for travel in a post- COVID world in this interview. Q. The global pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way we travel. What does this mean for the travel industry? Response: Response: We are very conscious of the fact that in a post-COVID world, health considerations take precedence. From Visa Application Centres (VAC) to airports, or sightseeing at destinations, people will be looking for assurance that all touchpoints are safe during their journey. Thus, at every step of the visa application process, there needs to be a focus on providing that assurance to customers and client governments, including standardised health and safety measures. For example, our centres around the globe have implemented a mandatory appointment system, body temperature checks, physical distancing measures, regular disinfection of high-contact surfaces, personal hygiene, and employees wearing masks and gloves. Keeping the new focus on health and safety in mind, we are also expanding digital / minimal-contact services such as doorstep visa application options and courier services. With a fast-changing technological landscape, our focus for the next two decades will continue to be on introducing faster, safer, and better services and products that have a lot more value for todays customer. Given the sensitivity of data and information we deal with, ensuring quality control and data protection by our systems across people and geographies 24x7, 365 days of the year in an uncompromising manner, will continue to be one of our biggest focus areas. Other than investing in people development and technology, we will continue to significantly and consistently focus on specialised functions like Compliance, Information Security and Data Protection, for each of which we have highly experienced and dedicated teams, processes and controls which are benchmarked to the highest international standards. Q. Consumers in the post-COVID world are putting more emphasis on safety and convenience. How are the travel and visa industry catering to their evolving demands? Response: The pandemic has changed customer behaviour, with customers now showing a greater willingness to pay a premium for exclusivity and online or at-home services. As an example, we are scaling up our Visa at Your Doorstep (VAYD) service across various countries, allowing customers to complete visa submission and biometrics in the comfort and safety of their homes and offices. Further, we are bringing digital to the heart of the customer journey by moving more of the application process online. The Location Independent Document Processing solution (LIDProTM), which enables remote visa adjudication to deliver significant efficiencies for client governments, is another excellent innovation and we continue to sharpen the model. As LIDPro safely collects and transfers visa applications anywhere in the world, irrespective of time zone differences, some of the key benefits it offers to Governments are business continuity even if there is any interruption of services, ensuring a collaborative processing environment and increased productivity. We have partnered with local leading laboratories in 43 countries to offer pre-departure COVID-19 tests through an innovative and seamless appointment booking system. We are also adopting tools like Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for our helplines and Chatbot helpdesks to improve turnaround times and reduce errors. Some of our other initiatives catering to the changing times are Digital Document Check, though which customers get their documents checked online before submitting their visa applications; Digital Application Submission, through which customers can get assistance for their visa application through a video conferencing facility; and Click to Call option on our website. These initiatives will also allow us to focus more on the value-add for our customers. Customer and employee safety and convenience are at the core of everything we do, and we constantly aim to enhance customer experience by making the visa application submissions and other consular related services as convenient, automated, seamless, and safe as possible. Q. What about equipping employees for the future? Response: Businesses need to understand that a company is only as good as its people. Overall learning and development should not be a tick-box activity but a deliberate business strategy, closely aligned with company objectives. Because our business is fast-moving, we constantly train and retrain our employees located over a 140+countries of operations in core competencies that best match evolving business goals. Even when the pandemic forced employees to work remotely, the learning didn't stop. Instead, we put additional emphasis on digital learning and enabled and delivered value-creating efforts by adapting programmes and delivery. Through our Learn From Home programme, over 200 training courses on personal and professional development, with special attention to health and wellness, were opened for VFS Global employees to engage them and develop their skillsets while working from home, and also bring in fresh perspectives and ideas. We conducted 9270 hours of live learning hours through the 103 live sessions last year where over 300 participants on an average attended sessions on Soft Skills, Customer Services, Wellness and Essential Business Skills. Learning and development played a pivotal role in ensuring business continuity at VFS Global during the lockdown period. To ensure our Centres restart seamlessly, specific refresher training was conducted across our Centres. Over 1,100 videos were created on VAC-specific process training and rolled out to employees. Through the InstaLearn programme our employees can enroll for webinars every Thursday, on various functional and technical skills. The opening webinar was attended by as many as 600 employees on the day of launch. VideoTube, our in-house video learning platform which allows employees to learn at the click of a button hosts over 100 videos on VFS Global VAC practices which all frontline employees and managers can watch and learn from. The platform has seen an uptake of over 39,000 hits. Q. How will the industry remain resilient and future-proof? Response: In our 20th year of operations, we have witnessed some of the biggest paradigm shifts in the travel services industry, which underlines the importance of being future-ready, not just for our organisation, but for the industry as a whole. VFS Global is rolling out several initiatives across several organisation-wide functions under the transformative project mentioned earlier, around three core pillars - reimagined customer journey, process efficiency, and digital enablement. Keeping in mind the evolving needs of todays consumer, we are focusing on reimagining the customer journey by bringing digital to the heart of everything we do. Be it document pre-checks or payments, we are focusing on bringing more of the visa application process online. Being future-ready would also mean additional process efficiencies, primarily from improvements enabled through digital tools like IVR (including interactive voice response) for our helplines and Chatbot help desks, which will support employees in completing critical application tasks more easily, thus improving turnaround times and reducing errors. Initiatives such as these, will free up bandwidth from manual activities and allow us to focus only on the most value-adding part of the process for our customers. Now that digital solutions such as Health Passports and Certificates are becoming more prevalent, we are helping to digitise authentic test results. One of the initiatives we have in this space is the partnership with the technology company Accredify for a smart and hassle-free travel solution to Singapore for travellers from Indonesia to help them to save time on arrival. We want to support any solution that helps travellers and are actively looking into integrating with several other platforms, IATAs Travel Pass included and continue to enhance collaborative efforts between Governments and other companies to offer a safer and convenient experience for travellers. Given the current scenario, eVisas are being viewed as a sustainable way of minimising touchpoints and opting for contactless journeys, except in cases where physical presence is required for biometric enrolment. The solution also serves as an advantage for consulates or embassies as this move to a digital interface could help free up the consular staff to focus on the crucial activities of decision-making, leading to enhanced time and cost-efficiency. A set of pre-verified online documents can also mean a potential integration with immigration watch lists to help identity fraud. The core aim of all the initiatives under this organisation-wide initiative is to make the business more resilient and successful and transform our business model to better manage any volatility in the business. Women suffering in abusive relationships have been advised to open up in order for them to get help rather than keeping silent and enduring the torture that could negatively affect their health and economic fortunes. They are therefore advised to also report their abusers to the appropriate agencies such as the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and the Department of Social Welfare among others for support in addressing the issue. Mr Umar Yakubu Yaarun, the Nadowli-Kaleo District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) gave the advice during a community forum on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Girls (EROP) at Sankana in the district. The forum was organised by the EROP Project Support Team under the support of the African Centre for Human Rights and Sustainable Development (AfCHuRSD) in partnership with GH Alliance and WOMEN IN NEED (WIN) with funding from the Dutch Embassy in Ghana. Mr Yaarun pointed out that any form of abuse by their partners was against their human rights and dignity, adding that women should therefore not keep quiet and allow their rights to be trampled upon in the name of marriage or even in ordinary relationships. He said abusive relationships could harm the woman physically or emotionally, destroy her future plans, and render her economically unproductive and poverty stricken. The Director also appealed to men to endeavour to protect their wives against abuse so that they could continue to be happy and healthy to work and support them to take care of their families. He also encouraged the women to respect their husbands and stay away from acts that could constitute abuse of their husband's rights to build loving and peaceful families for their children to emulate. Mr David Ganye, the Regional Coordinator of AfCHuRSD noted that the project seeks to ensure that women and girls in Ghana realised their human rights and also utilize opportunities to better their lot. The women thanked AfCHuRSD and its partners for the education and pledged their readiness to continue with the education in their various homes. The Sankana basic school girls were also sensitized on the effects of teenage pregnancies, child marriage, school dropout, and sexual exploitation among others and the need for them to focus on their education in order to become successful against poverty. ---GNA Today, Monday May 25, 2021 marks the first anniversary of the tragic death of George Floyd. An illustrative account of the murder of an unarmed black man by a white policeman in the USA has been given in Chapter 12.8 of the writers forthcoming book titled "Implementing The Root-based Development". The brutality of those in power against the vulnerable goes a very long way from the times of the trans-Atlantic slave trade through colonial rule and sadly continues to this very day. No doubt, as the massive multi-racial demonstrations against his death in the "Black Lives Matter" of last year clearly demonstrate, there is hope for change. But as we remember George, we must connect his powerlessness leading to his death to the powerlessness of countless black men and women across the globe leading to their deprivation, suffering and their ultimate deaths. While the powerlessness of George was exploited by a group of white police officers to a cruel and unacceptable end, the powerlessness of countless Africans and of people of African descent are being exploited daily by countless persons in power so that as they sit on their necks and suffocate the people, they too die like George prematurely, wickedly and unjustly. The connection between being vulnerable, being excluded and suffering injustice thereby living in poverty and terrible suffering, is clear. No one should have the right to sit, stand or hold the neck of others so as to stop them from breathing. Freedom to breathe, freedom to learn, freedom to work and freedom to lead is a God-given right that is part of the universal rights of humanity adopted by the United Nations that also constitute the basic pre-requisites for peaceful and just development of all peoples. The root-based model of development pioneered by the writer establishes that the majority of people forming the citizens sector must have freedoms; they must be enabled to acquire productive economic capacities to think, to work and to contribute towards their self-fulfillments and the fulfillments of the sustainable goals of the larger community. As we remember George, we must pledge to work against the recurrence of the George Floyd tragedy. People of good conscience and people of all races must work together in good faith to significantly and permanently reduce structural and legal inequalities that create and permit the suffocation and deaths of others through impunity and through the use of force. George Floyd may have died sadly but his death reminds all of us that until we can breathe and stop others from suffocating us, we cannot be free and we cannot develop. Let the tragic death of George Floyd be a catalyst for connecting the Africans and the African Diaspora together as one people with one destiny and supporting the development of Africa within the core-values of self-sustenance, self-esteem and freedom. Let the sad episode of George generate a positive change across the world that ensures the inclusion and dignity of the black race for a better future. Under the scrutiny of a well-vexed hand in English, the necessary ingredients have been explored and included in this memoir. If respected for its ability, it would be the "light upon thy path in the night and a staff in thy hands against all odds". The author of this memoir: Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Oti Boateng is the Omanhene of New Juaben, Chancellor of All Nations University, Former President of Eastern Region House of Chiefs, former Government Statistician and the first Ghanaian to chair United Nations Statistical Commission. Five people were found choked to death on toxic fumes from the eruption of eastern DR Congo's Nyiragongo volcano on Monday, as strong aftershocks rocked the city of Goma. The deaths bring to 20 the number killed since Africa's most active volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing red-hot molten lava that engulfed houses in its wake. "We have just discovered five dead people," civil society leader Mambo Kawaya told AFP, saying that they were "asphyxiated by the gas" as they tried to cross the cooling lava some 13 kilometres (eight miles) north of Goma. A sixth person is in a "critical state with trouble breathing and has been taken to hospital," Kawaya said. Goma, a city of some 1.5 million people in the shadow of the volcano and on the shores of Lake Kivu, was on edge as violent aftershocks continued through the night and into Monday. "They're multiplying and they come at any moment," one resident told AFP, describing the aftershocks as "very worrying". "The night was long -- there is fear in our stomachs," she said. Several strong aftershocks were also felt in neighbouring Rwanda on Monday, including a 5.1-magnitude earthquake under Lake Kivu in the Rubavu district at 0837 GMT, the Rwanda Seismic Monitor said. A 4.5-magnitude quake followed at 1153 GMT, the RSM said on Twitter, adding that the tremors were being "produced by vibrations generated by the movement of magma within the volcano". A lost child sits on a curb as people flee from Goma. UNICEF has said dozens of children have been separated from their parents. By Simon Wohlfahrt (AFP) Tens of thousands of residents had fled the city in panic -- around 7,000 of them to Rwanda -- when Nyiragongo began erupting on Saturday evening. Along with the five people found dead on Monday, at least 15 other people have died, although most were not killed directly by the eruption. Authorities said nine people died in accidents during the rush to evacuate, while four prisoners were killed while trying to escape in the melee. Two people were found burned to death. Officials said 17 villages on the city's fringes had suffered major damage. Schools shut, electricity cut While the river of lava stopped at the edge of Goma and many residents have now returned, each aftershock brought anxious residents back out onto the streets on Monday. Red-hot lava from the Nyiragongo volcano swallowed up homes in its wake, although the city of Goma has largely been spared. By Justin KATUMWA (AFP) "We just had a big aftershock -- I'm scared to stay in my office," said a resident who gave her name only as Deborah, an employee at an international organisation, reached by telephone. "I'm wondering if I should stay or go home. The electricity has cut out," she said. Schools are still shut with pupils told to stay at home, although businesses and petrol stations were open again. Nyiragongo's last major eruption, in 2002, claimed around 100 lives. Hundreds homeless By Monday the blackish solidified lava was still hot and smoking, with dozens of people turning out to inspect it or even walk on it, despite the risk of inhaling toxic fumes. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes after the volcano erupted on Saturday. By Simon Wohlfahrt (AFP) The volcano appeared calm on the horizon, with the usual smoke rising from its crater. A government delegation including seven ministers arrived from Kinshasa early Monday, while President Felix Tshisekedi has cut short a European tour to supervise the aid operation. Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani said upon his arrival in Goma that the delegation was set to organise support for people made homeless after the eruption after "assessing the state of affairs". Map of DR Congo locating the Mount Nyiragongo volcano.. By Patricio ARANA (AFP) Hundreds of people spent Monday night in the street after the lava destroyed their homes. Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya warned Sunday that the prices of food and other essentials are set to rise in Goma as the eruption has cut off several hundred metres of the road to Butembo, the region's main trade route. After taking part in a UN reconnaissance flight over Nyiragongo, volcanologist Kasereka Mahinda said it was uncertain why the aftershocks were continuing and whether the volcano's burst of activity was finished. "Because of the fog we were unable to see the inside of the crater," said Mahinda, the scientific director of the Goma Volcanology Observatory. "If there is lava in the crater, the fracturing caused by the movement of the earth would represent new activity," he said. "If there is no lava in the crater, then these earthquakes are happening because the earth is in the process of refinding its balance." As Africa commemorates the AU Day today, Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of New Juaben and Chancellor of All Nations University Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Oti Boateng has urged Africans to unite, forge a definitive struggle against neo-colonialism, racism, tyranny and maltreatment of the Blacks in the diaspora. AU Day is a day set aside by the Africa Union to solely whip up the interests of the continent to collectively champion total liberation of the Blackman devoid of racism, suppression and maltreatment. In a 2-page memoir written in commemorating the first anniversary of the tragic killing of George Floyd on Tuesday 25 May 2021, the former Government Statistician Daasebre Prof. Emeritus Oti Boateng said "While the powerlessness of George was exploited by a group of white police officers to a cruel and unacceptable end, the powerlessness of countless Africans and of people of African descent are being exploited daily by countless persons in power so that as they sit on their necks and suffocate the people, they too die like George prematurely, wickedly and unjustly". "Let the tragic death of George Floyd be a catalyst for connecting the Africans and the African Diaspora together as one people with one destiny and supporting the development of Africa within the core-values of self-sustenance, self-esteem and freedom. Let the sad episode of George generate a positive change across the world that ensures the inclusion and dignity of the black race for a better future", Daasebre told Africans in his latest write-up. Below is the memoir written by Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Oti Boateng in commemorating the first anniversary of the killing of George Floyd which coincides with AU Day : Today: Tuesday May 25, 2021 marks the first anniversary of the tragic and inhumane death of George Floyd. An illustrative account of this chilling murder of an unarmed black man by a white policeman in the USA has been given in Chapter 12.8 of the writers forthcoming book titled "Implementing The Root-based Development". The brutality of those in power against the vulnerable goes a very long way from the times of the trans-Atlantic slave trade through colonial rule and sadly continues to this very day. No doubt, as the massive multi-racial demonstrations against his death in the "Black Lives Matter" of last year clearly demonstrate, there is hope for change. But as we remember George, we must connect his powerlessness leading to his death to the powerlessness of countless black men and women across the globe leading to their deprivation, suffering and their ultimate deaths. While the powerlessness of George was exploited by a group of white police officers to a cruel and unacceptable end, the powerlessness of countless Africans and of people of African descent are being exploited daily by countless persons in power so that as they sit on their necks and suffocate the people, they too die like George prematurely, wickedly and unjustly. The connection between being vulnerable, being excluded and suffering injustice thereby living in poverty and terrible suffering, is clear. No one should have the right to sit, stand or hold the neck of others so as to stop them from breathing. Freedom to breathe, freedom to learn, freedom to work and freedom to lead is a God-given right that is part of the universal rights of humanity adopted by the United Nations that also constitute the basic pre-requisites for peaceful and just development of all peoples. The root-based model of development pioneered by the writer establishes that the majority of people forming the citizens sector must have freedoms; they must be enabled to acquire productive economic capacities to think, to work and to contribute towards their self-fulfillments and the fulfillments of the sustainable goals of the larger community. As we remember George, we must pledge to work against the recurrence of the George Floyd tragedy. People of good conscience and people of all races must work together in good faith to significantly and permanently reduce structural and legal inequalities that create and permit the suffocation and deaths of others through impunity and through the use of force. George Floyd may have died sadly but his death reminds all of us that until we can breathe and stop others from suffocating us, we cannot be free and we cannot develop. Let the tragic death of George Floyd be a catalyst for connecting the Africans and the African Diaspora together as one people with one destiny and supporting the development of Africa within the core-values of self-sustenance, self-esteem and freedom. Let the sad episode of George generate a positive change across the world that ensures the inclusion and dignity of the black race for a better future. Under the scrutiny of a well-vexed hand in English, the necessary ingredients have been explored and included in this memoir. If respected for its ability, it would be the "light upon thy path in the night and a staff in thy hands against all odds". The author of this memoir : Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Oti Boateng is the Omanhene of New Juaben, Chancellor of All Nations University, Former President of Eastern Region House of Chiefs, former Government Statistician and the first Ghanaian to chair United Nations Statistical Commission. Chief Imam of Akumadan, the capital of Offinso North District in the Ashanti Region, Imam Salifu Abubakar has predicted a Muslim President to head Ghana for the first time since 1992. The Islamic cleric said a Muslim ascending to the highest office of the land is a prophesy set to come into reality in less than 10 years time from now. Imam Abubakar made this revelation when this reporter visited him at his residence in Akumadan where he expressed concern over the current state of the country's economy. "Yes, there is a prophecy to that. A Muslim will become President of this country quite sooner. it won't take much longer, maybe from now to 6 years or beyond, a Muslim will be heading this country," he stated. The aged Islamic cleric also took a bite on the recent Christian-Muslim brouhaha regarding the Wesly Girls' SHS decision to bar a Muslim student from taking part in the just ended Ramadan fasting. He said as far as Islam is concern, education in all forms is important that, aside the mandatory Islamic studies [makaranta], acquiring knowledge from any institution, whether Christian owned or Muslim owned school is encouraged without obstacles to any religious faith. He urged leaders of the clergy to forged unity, understanding and cordiality among all inter-faith organisations for peaceful coexistence. The Chief Imam further appeals to benevolent Muslim individuals and organizations to show compassion to deprived Muslim communities by helping to establish schools and scholarship schemes to enhance for needy but brilliant students. He admonishes Muslim parents and guardians to keep an eagle eye on their kids against immoralities and other social vices whiles urging them to keep them on the ways of Islamic. Touching on the current state of the economy, Imam Salifu observed that there is unbearable hardship in the country. "It's true there is hardship in the country now and the government have to tackle 4 areas where individual citizens cannot do anything about. Firstly, is for the government to look at power/electricity supply. Secondly, provision of portable water, boosting the agric sector for improved farming yields and creation of employment to its ability for the unemployed youth, are issues that lie squarely in the hands of government but citizens must also avoid some lifestyles such as reckless spending unmatched to their monthly income, learn to make use of every opportunity and time amongst other unhelpful behaviour in society." The Center for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana), is calling on government and the Ministry of National Security to embark on broader reforms to prevent future incidences of assaults on journalists and civilians. This comes on the back of action taken by the National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah following the arrest and assault on Citi FM/TV journalist Caleb Kudah by officers of the Ministry of National Security for filming abandoned properties of the state secured with taxpayers money. Gun-wielding operatives of the National Security raided the premises of the media house. On the back of investigation from the Ministry where it has admitted that its operatives acted inappropriately in contravention of standard operating procedures, it has revoked the secondment to the National Security Secretariat of certain personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service who were found to have been involved in or responsible for the incident, including Lt. Col. Frank Agyemang, Director of Operations at National Security Secretariat Although CDD-Ghana acknowledges and commends the National Security for the steps taken, it says the action taken by the Ministry is not enough. The not-for-profit research and advocacy think tank want government and the National Security Ministry to take advantage of what has happened and look at reforms that will ensure no such thing happens in the future. CDD-Ghana would like to implore the Government and the Minister of National Security to see and seize upon this incident as an opportunity to pursue more far-reaching reforms in the National Security apparatus and its operations, as the problem highlighted by the Kudah/CITI FM case is longstanding, recurring and systemic, part of a press release from CDD-Ghana has said. It concludes, This latest incident indeed highlights the importance of taking seriously the observations and recommendations of the Emile Short Commission. Among other things, the Short Commission recommended that, operatives of the National Security Council should be trained to and in the way National Security does business. Below is the full press release from CDD-Ghana: Listen to article The National Labor Commission (NLC) is set to meet the management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GALMS) and the Health Ministry next week. The meeting will seek to find an amicable solution to the stand-off over the posting of two hematologists to the laboratory service department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The Laboratory Scientists have been on a sit-down strike for close to a week now, in protest against the decision. Authorities have resorted to other private laboratories to meet the needs of patients who require such services. In an interview with Citi News, the Executive Secretary of NLC, Ofosu Asamoah, urged the members to resume work ahead of the meeting. The Ministry of Health was handling it earlier, so we were expecting that it would be solved by now. But as it stands, there is a need for us to step in. In the meantime, we want them to suspend the strike, he stated. Laboratory Scientists at KATH began a one-week sit-down strike last week to protest the posting of two medical officers to the Laboratory Services Directorate of the hospital. Calls by the Ministry of Health and management of KATH for the scientists to resume work for dialogue to begin have yielded no results. Meanwhile, the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists has announced that the strike would be escalated nationwide from Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Speaking to Citi News, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association, Dennis Adu-Gyasi, said the decision was taken at an emergency meeting with its members. What is happening at KATH is an affront on the practice of medical laboratory science in Ghana. The leadership of Komfo Anokye is not ready to give in to the request of the scientists over there, and it is still imposing the medical officers on the professionals. We think it is a matter that needs to be taken up at the national level. We think that if by Wednesday nothing happens, we will take it [issue] up and escalate the industrial action on a national scale. ---citinewsroom Listen to article The man who was withdrawn for reportedly kicking Citi FM's Caleb Kudah in his groin whiles in detention, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, the Director of Operations at the National Security Ministry has been appointed the Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Battalion. A restricted memo sighted by ModernGhana News noted. His appointment took effect from Friday, May 21, a day after he was withdrawn from the National Security Ministry, Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) source told this reporter. The secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman and three police officers was terminated for inappropriate conduct. The National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah in a press release also directed that Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman and the other officers must be probed further for the necessary actions to be taken. Caleb Kudah was arrested and assaulted by operatives of National Security for filming some abandoned MASLOC cars at the Ministry of National Security. A team of heavily-armed SWAT police officers was subsequently dispatched to arrest Citi News' Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo at the premises of Citi FM/Citi TV. Hundreds of interested persons have applied to take up the positions of the Chief Executives in the 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). After which the President make his appointment. In the Ashanti Region, 263 aspirants are vying for the position. Already, the Regional Vetting Committee, chaired by the Regional Minister has invited all the applicants to a vetting at the Regional Coordinating Council. For the position of the Chief Executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) nine aspirants were contesting. They included Osei Assibey Antwi, current acting Chief Executive, Sam Pyne, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Collins Owusu Amankwa, former Member of Parliament (MP), Manhyia North, Kennedy Kankam, former MP Nhyiaeso, Kusi Boafo Thomas, Chief Executive Officer for Public Sector Reforms, Atta Poku, Kumasi Metro Urban Roads Director, Kofi Senva, former Presiding Member for KMA and Kofi Owusu-Boateng, former secretary to the Asantehene. All applicants have been urged to go along with original certificates and copies of other relevant documents. David O. Yarboi-Tetteh, reports from Cape Coast that 181 individuals have applied to be Chief Executives of the 22 MMDAs in the Central Region. The Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District had the highest number of 22 applicants; Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly has 18 applicants while seven persons filed for the Effutu Municipality. Those who applied for the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Chief Executive position are 10, Upper Denkyira West District, nine, Gomoa East District, 10, Ajumako Enyan Essiam District and Mfantseman Municipal, both have 12 while the Ekumfi District, have nine aspirants. Ten persons applied for the Awutu Senya West District seat, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) saw five applicants, Awutu Senya East Municipality, three, Abura Asebu-Kwamankese have eight, Twifo/AttiMorkwa, 13 while Gomoa Central District has three. Agona East have six applicants, Gomoa West District, nine, Assin South, four, Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira, three, Assin Fosu has three, Gomoa West District also saw three applications while five people also applied to be considered in the Assin North District. From Tamale, Yakulm Abdul-Majeed, reports that 200 people have applied and were bring vetted for the 15 assemblies in the Northern Region. However, three out of 15 incumbent MMDCEs have declined to contest their positions. They included Musah Superior, Tamale Metropolis, Iddrisu Marian, Sangnarigu and Alhaji Abdulai Hasihm for Mion, Sangnarigu Municipal Assembly has the highest numbers of applicants with 33 while Zabzugu has only three people vying for the position. The applicants with copious supporters and sympathisers besieged the premises of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council where vetting took place. The applicants in the past weeks and days have horded homes of Chiefs, Mallams, Pastors and opinion leaders within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in order to be favoured. Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, Northern Regional Minister, who was shocked by the huge number of applicants cautioned them to conduct themselves well. He indicated that only competent and committed persons would be recommended for the positions. He emphasized that President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has a lot to achieve in this second term and only hardworking persons would be given the nod. The Northern Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Alhassan Sibdow Yakubu indicated that four applicants would be shortlisted in the areas where the incumbent DCEs were seeking re-appointment and three in the Assemblies where the incumbents were not contesting. In the Western Region, Clement Adzei-Boye, reports from Sekondi, that vetting of 66 ap-plicant for MMCDEs ended on Friday, at the Western Regional Coordination Council (RCC). The applicants, during the interviews presented their certificates and other relevant documents to the five-member committee, chaired by the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah. According to a release from the committee, Amenfi East topped the list of applicants with 10 candidates, Amenfi Central, nine, Nzema East, eight, Amenfi West and Ellembelle, seven each, Jomoro, six, Ahanta West, five. Tarkwa -Nsuaem, Shama and Wassa East, three each, Mpohor and Prestea Huni Valley, two and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) one each. Daniel Dzinsah reports from Sunyani, that in the Bono Region, 114 individuals have submitted that application to be appointed to head the 12 MMDAs in the region. Vetting of applicants started last week Monday and as expected to be concluded over the weekend. While some watchers say the number of applicants were on the high side, others were of the view that the situation would offer a fair competition among the applicants and only the best candidate could be selected for the position. David Owusu Ansah, a political analyst, observed in an interview that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the number because it would afford the appointing authority the opportunity to select from a wide-range of human resource for the benefit of the people. The Bono Regional Director of Communications for the NPP, Asare-Bediako Seth, speaking to the media said there was no cause to worry about the seemingly large number of people who have expressed interest in these positions. All the applicants are very competent to occupy the positions, but only one person will be finally chosen for each district. Whats important is that at the end of the day the President would settle on the competent and hardworking ones to help him realise his vision and aspirations, he added. Tain District has the highest number of contestants with as many as 15 individuals followed by the Jaman South District where 14 persons were also vying for the position. Meanwhile, Jaman North have 12 aspirants, Dormaa West, seven, Dormaa Central, five, Dormaa East, four, Banda, 11, Sunyani Municipal, six, Sunyani West, seven, Berekum East 10, Berekum West, eight while Wenchi have five. One of the identified hotspots is the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive position, which until recently was being held by the current Bono Regional Minister, Justine Owusu Banahene. The Sunyani East NPP Constituency Chairman, Frank Musah Damtarl, together with the Constituency Secretary, Ansu Kumi are in the race together with the Spokesperson and Special Aide to the Regional Minister, Clement Bonsu. Also in the race for the same position are Dr Kafi Bobi Barimah, the Acting Executive of the Centre for Plant Research and two others namely Frank Opoku Adjapong and Kwaku Antwi-Agyei. Mr. Alex Ofori, a senior lecturer of the Sunyani Technical University, who is one of the main contenders for the Tain District told the Ghanaian Times that he was very hopeful the President would pick him over the others owing to his longstanding loyalty and immense contributions toward the party over the years. From Ho, Alberto Mario Noretti, reports that some 146 aspirants have applied for the positions in the 18 municipalities and districts in the region. As at yesterday, the Ghanaian Times gathered that, the interview process was still ongoing behind closed doors at the Ho Residency. This reporter learnt that the five-member interviewing panel was made up of representatives of the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Regional Executive of the New Patriotic Party and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council and NASARA (national). As at Thursday, 36 hopefuls had been interviewed. 27 of them were quizzed on Wednesday and 38 faced the panel on Saturday. About 45 applicants were expected to appear before, the panel yesterday [Sunday]. There were between eight and 12 applicants from some municipalities and districts while some areas produced between four and eight applicants. The municipalities and districts are Ho, Hohoe, Ketu North. Ketu South, Kpando and Keta. Others include Adaklu, Afadjato South, Agotime-Ziope, Akatsi North, South Dayi and Anlo. The rest are Akatsi South, Central Tongu, Ho West, North Dayi, North Tongu, and South Tongu. The Ghanaian Times gathered that about 177 persons have applied to head the 32 MMDAs in the Eastern Region. In the Upper East Region, Samuel Akapule reports that 230 persons have applied to be appointed by the President as Chief Executives for the 15 MMDAs in the region. They include Pusiga with 16 applicants, Tempane 17, Garu, 20, Bawku, 20, Bawku West, 16, Binduri, 23 and Nabdam, seven. The rest are Talensi, 15. Bolga East, 12, Bolgatanga Municipal, 10, Kasena Nankana Municipal, 18, Kassena Nankana West, 16, Builsa South, 9, Builsa North, 14 and Bongo, 17. Those in the race include the former MCE of Kassena-Nankana Municipal, Mr Emmanuel Aduum and former DCE for Bolga East, Emmanuel Abole. ---citinewsroom Listen to article A Communications Consultant and Lecturer, Paulina Kuranchie, has questioned the timeliness and appropriateness of the pro-government hashtag, FixYourAttitude, in the wake of the recent social media outrage over the governments performance. She says the approach was wrong and offensive. According to her, the government should not have left the response to the #FixTheCountry trend in the hands of political communicators to muddy the waters. The best thing the government should have done was to show evidence of what they were doing and what they intend to do from the onset to tackle the rage head-on. They shouldn't have allowed party communicators to overtake them. The Communications Consultant said the way the government went about its communication actually fed in the anger of the people. Ms. Kuranchie made these remarks at the Ghana Institute of Journalism's virtual forum to analyze the recent social media protest and the concerns about the safety of journalists following the arrest of Citi FM and Citi TV's Caleb Kudah and Zoe Abu-Baidoo, and the raid of the station by National Security operatives. #FixTheCountry protest Early this month, a section of the Ghanaian public took to Twitter and other social media platforms to express their displeasure about economic hardship and the level of underdevelopment under successive governments. The protest sparked criticism from some members of the public with regard to the focus and direction of the call. Reacting to this, Ms. Kuranchie observed that the target of the call was too broad at the onset, as it does not seem to suggest specific sectors of the economy that needs fixing, and I think that was the major challenge to the issue. The discussion subsequently started picking shape when citizens began commenting on the challenges such as unemployment, taxes, utility fees, and the rest, which I think was really helpful to all of us. Media freedom Touching on the issue of media freedom, Ms. Kuranchie said the recent raid of Citi TV and Citi FM premises by the National Security operatives, and the arrest and alleged torture of Caleb Kudah are instances that call into question the safety of Ghanaian journalists. According to her, how well a democracy is doing is a reflection of how well the media ecosystem of that country is. She recounted other incidents such as police brutality against Latif Iddrissu, the killing of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale, and several other cases that never got resolved. She, therefore, urged the government to take a keen interest in this matter and come up with conclusive solutions to issues affecting media freedom. Background The Ghana Institute of Journalism organised a virtual public forum to analyse the recent social media protest and concerns about the safety of journalists, on Wednesday, May 20, 2021. The discussion focused on the #FixTheCountry campaign: Protest Movements, Communication Practices and Contentious Politics in a Digital Age and The Caleb and Zoe Abu-Baidoo saga: A critical Assessment of Press Freedom Under the Akufo-Addo Regime. Aside from Ms. Kuranchie, other speakers at the event included Dr. Ike Tandoh, a Brand Communication Specialist and Lecturer; Dr. Kojo P. Asante, Director of Advocacy & Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Winston Amoah, co-host of the Joy FM Super Morning Show, and Zakaria Tanko Musah, a Lecturer and Private Legal Practitioner. The Director of Research, Innovation and Development at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), Dr. Etse Sikanku, said the forum was held to assess the role of digital media in shaping discussions, the safety of journalists and press freedom in recent times. Listen to article The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Mr Sulemana Braimah has challenged government to be honest with Ghanaians in its dealings. He said Ghana has not been selected as a manufacturing hub for COVID-19 vaccines yet. Mr Braimah comments follow a press statement signed by Mr Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communication at the Presidency on Friday, 21 May 2021, which indicated that the European Commission has selected Ghana as a possible manufacturing hub for COVID-19 vaccines in Africa. In a Tweet, he stated, "Ghana selected as possible manufacturing hub is not the same as Ghana selected as a manufacturing hub." Mr Braimah indicated that the word 'possible' can be said to mean 'selected.' He urges government to stay true and avoid distorting facts so as not to raise the expectations of Ghanaians. "Ghana selected as Possible manufacturing hub" is NOT the same as " Ghana selected as manufacturing hub." We only pray that the Possibility becomes the Reality. Give the facts as they are to reduce expectations." Read full post below: Listen to article Never since international gold trading started over 400 years ago in the Gold Coast at El Mina has the winning of the precious metal become an existentialist threat like now. To save this nation, Government is being compelled to resort to radical measures, including burning equipment found near river bodies and in forest reserves. Strong arguments against outright destruction through burning include illegality of burning, indiscriminate approach impacting legal miners and impunity of Government. Moreover, burning equipment is an expensive waste and has failed before and that rather, equipment should be seized, processed through court and used for other productive purposes by needy state institutions. Also, using the military as the primary enforcement agent is wrong. It should be police. Attractive as these arguments are, the lived reality is one of genuine challenges to regulation and enforcement. State capacity, reflected in its footprint in terms of mining regulations management and enforcement, reach of courts, policing, advocacy and self-restraint through representative associations, have fallen short of curbing the menace. The Government needs precious time to retool regulations and bring responsible mining on stream. In the interim, irresponsible mining must be stopped from completely spiralling out of control. And that is why it is necessary to burn stray equipment once and for all to deter repetitive destructive behaviour. The state is enforcing through burning because it must necessarily do so if it is to turn the tide in the short term whilst strengthening traditional regulatory measures in the medium to long term. As has often been repeated by H.E the President, he does not intend to stop the age old business of artisanal mining but its highly destructive modern version must necessarily be stopped with all the authority and force the state commands. Necessity is a legal construct which presumes acting beyond existing law in the interest of protecting a larger public interest. Glanville Williams says; By necessity is meant the assertion that conduct promotes some value higher than the value of literal compliance with the law Judges sometimes refer to it as justification. The key argument is that extraordinary measures overriding current legal rights are permissible if the intent and action is in the line of duty and will preserve larger public interests. As a judicial officer of well over forty years standing, H.E the President is keenly aware of our capacities and what must be done to bring us up to speed. This is what he said in September 2018 to the Ghana Bar Association gathered in conference; I began this address by indicating that I wanted us to be frank in our discussions about ourselves and about our conduct in the practice of our profession. Our nation has had a lot of difficulties with our politics and governance structures, but for the past 25 years we have had a stable political system. We have had regular elections and sitting governments have been defeated, and there have been peaceful transfers of power. We are making progress in our economic sectors also, but we need to do even more to meet the aspirations of our young and growing population, and feature among the leading lights of the world. One apparent restraint to our progress, what we may term the missing link in our governance system, which hampers the rapid economic development we seek, is the deficit in the application of the rule of law. It affects everyday life. It is about breaking rules and regulations in many aspects of our lives, and wanting to, and, indeed, circumventing the laws that are meant to guide our society. It has to do with driving recklessly, and breaking all the traffic regulations and trying to bribe the police when you are pulled up. It has to do with not getting the proper permit to build a house, and it has to do with looking the other way when something wrong is going on. It has to do with sharp practice and unethical behaviour by some lawyers, which jeopardise the administration of justice and the interests of ordinary people. It has to do with judicial corruption, which, a priori, constitutes a violation of the judicial oath. It has to do with the degradation of our environment and the pollution of the atmosphere and of our water bodies. It has to do with petty bribery and corruption, and it has to do with bribery and corruption on a grand scale. I invite you to see and appreciate that many of the problems that plague our country have something to do with the mal-functioning of the law. Many a bad headline can be traced to a law and order problem. In our country, currently, the problems confronting our banking sector are dominating the headlines, as they should. The story of every bank that has had problems, be they indigenous Ghanaian banks or international banks, like Barings Bank, Lehman Brothers, Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), each one can be traced to someone or some people breaking the law, or trying to cut corners by flouting regulations. The effects of these acts of lawlessness have been, invariably, the loss, and threat of loss, of innocent depositors savings and jobs. When a building being constructed collapses and lives are lost, the cause can, in many cases, be traced to someone or some people breaking the law, or cutting corners. When a road that was built barely a year ago develops potholes, someone or some people have been breaking the law or cutting corners. The story of environmental degradation occasioned by illegal mining, what we call galamsey, is a clear case of people breaking the law. We, who are gathered in this room, know the law, which is the foundation of law and order, and the foundation of every organised and progressive society. Our work matters. It affects profoundly the ordering of the state. Promotion of the rule of law is at the heart of this Associations vocation. Its members must be the natural champions of a law-based state, whose establishments should be solid enough to sanction effectively vigilantism, bank frauds, cyber frauds, sharp practice, illegal mining, unlawful exports of fertilisers and oil products, identity thefts, stealing of public funds, bribery and corruption, criminal cartels, and criminal behaviour in general. . So, let us be up and doing. Let us put our shoulders to the wheel so that future generations will appreciate our contribution to the making of a successful, democratic Ghana, which guarantees the liberties of our people, the institutions of good governance, the cohesion of our society, the well-being of the masses, and the peace, prosperity and unity of our nation. The President is being accused of impunity for trying hard to enforce rules that people routinely ignore. Yet, this is the President who has opened up the most space in the political governance arena. He is a known advocate of media rights, representing journalists in court, helping repeal criminal libel, passing Right to Information legislation and speaking to the Press regularly. He has overseen an explosion in social media-attracting both Google and Twitter. Nana Addo does not have the right, authority, capacity or inclination to stop the media from doing its legitimate work. All he wants is mutual responsibility and accountability for our actions. He will not shy away from that. The media ought not to appear to be a den of impunity. Indeed, no institution of state ought to be above lawful enquiry, as Rule of Law demands. He has resolutely tackled political violence, taking the unprecedented steps of not only setting up a Commission after the Ayawaso West Wuogon election, but also encouraging the two major parties to dialogue face to face and then passing anti-violence legislation the success of which was more than evident in the 2020 Elections. Indeed, his tolerance for political debate was on show in the nearly two years of NDC protests against the EC and then he quietly set a great record by supporting the entire election budget from Government resources. His political equanimity is evident in his relations with the current Parliament, especially Rt. Hon Speaker. He has quickly accepted the verdict of Ghana to work together and is doing so. Significantly, he has also set up the most empowered institution to deal with political impunity. With our goodwill, The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will perhaps be the most enduring legacy of President Akufo-Addo, rivalling the mass spread of literacy that the educational reforms will bring. In conclusion, the lack of self-restraint within the general populace, if not addressed resolutely, will overwhelm every progressive initiative of Government. The Hon. Greater Accra Regional Minister, embarks on a major clean up in response to our own complaints about a clean Accra and immediately, his methods, some of which are necessary, are questioned when the affected people are mostly breaking the law and rules with impunity. There will be innocent victims. Those exceptions must be entitled to address their grievance in the context of the state institutions of redress, especially the judicial process. But the likelihood of innocent victims ought not to stop the state from exerting its authority in the interest of preserving our common heritage, be it in the cleaning of Accra or battling galamsey. Yaw Buaben Asamoa Director of Communications (NPP) One could not accuse US Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming of having a sense of irony. For some time, she has felt her party to be the hostage of a ghoulish monster who refuses to be slayed. And she fears her party has fallen out of love for the rule of law. In being ousted from the third spot in the leadership of the Republican Conference in the House, Cheney has found a new morality. In her floor speech, she called Donald Trumps canard of a stolen election a threat America has never seen before. Opposing Trumps interpretation of the result was a duty. I will not sit back and watch in silence, while others lead our party down a path that abandons the rule of law and joins in the former presidents crusade to undermine our democracy. After her speech, she told reporters that she would do everything she could to ensure that the former president never gets anywhere near the Oval Office. Cheneys seemingly shabby treatment led such papers as the Washington Post to remark that truth was again under assault. Truth is the issue upon which Cheney has made her stand truth and her unwillingness to be silent for the supposed good of the team. Peter Wehner, who served in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and the two Bushes, saw the event as a confirmation that the Republican party is diseased and dangerous, increasingly subversive and illiberal. Eric Lutz, writing in Vanity Fair, called the Cheney display defiant, laying bare the cowardice of her colleagues who, with their vote on Wednesday, affirmed what had long been clear: The GOP is the cult of Trump now, and fealty the price of admission. This is gruesomely fascinating on a few levels, given that Cheney comes from a family rather snotty about such concepts as the rule of law, verisimilitude and the Constitution. Her father Dick Cheney, the Vice Presidential dark operator in the administration of George W. Bush, was not exactly strong on such ideas, and proved rather subversive and illiberal in a number of ways. Old Dick, along with his lawyer David Addington and John Yoo of the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, did much to read executive power in a manner most imperial in nature. For Dick Cheney, US executive power needed to be restored after the damaging effects of Watergate and the Vietnam War. The time that followed, he lamented to reporters on Air Force Two in 2005, proved to be the nadir of the modern presidency in terms of authority and legitimacy. It is true to say that Trump also preferred a broad reading of executive power, one all too readily articulated by former Attorney General William Barr. But Cheney, Addington and Yoo were responsible for views that justified the bypassing and defanging of Congress, wiretapping of US citizens, torture of terrorist suspects, the establishment of military commissions, the breaching of international treaties and the waging of illegal wars. Such conduct has caused more than a smattering of commentary urging the prosecution of both Dick Cheney and President George W. Bush for a range of offences in both domestic and international law. It would be churlish to claim that a fathers blackened record should somehow compromise that of his daughters. But the co-authored father and daughter work Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America repeats the old neoconservative interventionist sins that were so important in laying the ground for a Trump victory in 2016. Father Dick and Daughter Liz supply an apologia for such murderous disasters as Iraq while piling into President Barack Obama whom they stop short of accusing of treason. The touchstone of his ideology that America is to blame, and her power must be restrained requires a wilful blindness about what America has done in the world. In 2009, Liz Cheney, along with fellow neoconservative Bill Kristol, co-founded Keep America Safe, an outfit steeped in a tattered worldview that proceeded to leave many Americans behind. As Conor Friedersdorf of The Atlantic noted in a battering piece on Liz Cheney in 2013, Most Americans understand that investing trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives in Iraq was a historic blunder. Not for Liz, who finds wars stirringly necessary. Over the years, Rep. Cheney barely warranted a mention after securing the seat her father once occupied. As the third-ranking member of minority party leadership, she was a middleweight power with exaggerated expectations. Then came President Trump. The neoconservatives were outflanked. Fires were lit, casting light upon her cause. That cause, simple as ever, was an anti-Trump, using truth and democracy as crutches of polemical convenience. To date, Rep. Cheney is pursuing a cause of martyrdom that is, like many such causes, futile. It was a martyrdom that was well-planned, as Republican political consultant Keith Naughton noted in The Hill. There are no reports she actually worked the GOP caucus, canvassing and counting heads. Cheney didnt fight back, she planned to lose. In losing, she hopes to rebuild a neoconservative base that has withered into oblivion. Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: [email protected] A joint operation by the counter-terrorism unit of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) in the Northern Region led to the arrest of two people with an AK-47 rifle and pump-action guns in Tamale. According to the Police, the suspects were allegedly planning to clash with an opposing faction in a chieftaincy dispute in the village of Bagliga Dakpem-Yili. The Deputy Northern Region Police Commander, DSP Moses Atibilla, said they had been terrorizing innocent citizens in Tamale here. On the AK-47 that was retrieved, the police suspect that it was a police weapon. The registration number of the AK-47 that was taken from the people had been erased, but it is suspected that this weapon may be police property, DSP Moses Atibilla said. A bulletproof vest was also retrieved from the suspects upon a search of their car. The police say their investigations indicate that the suspects were recruited by Yepalisi Naa, Alhaji Aminu Ayuba, to escort a newly installed chief from Banvim to the Bagliga community. The two have been remanded by the court, whereas a third suspect, Alhaji Aminu Ayuba, the Yepalisi Chief, has been granted a police enquiry bail of GHS 200,000 and will reappear on May 31, 2021. ---citinewsroom Ghanas second largest teacher union, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) face eminent protests from teachers who either left the association or the Ghana Education Service (GES). The group is set to embark on a street protest in Tamale in June, 2021 to demand their benefits. The former members of NAGRAT, made up of teachers who switched to different teacher unions including those who left the GES entirely for other jobs have complained on several social media platforms, particularly Facebook and Twitter. The move by the group follows NAGRAT alleged failure to pay them their benefits as contributors to the Mutual fund. According to Mr Carlos Amadu, a former member of the Association, many of his colleagues left NAGRAT for over a year and have since not received their money. "The annoying thing is that the executives do not tell us anything and anytime you call NAGRAT office in Accra, either you are told 'we are working on it' or they dont answer," Mr Carlos fumes. The group claims their colleagues with the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) received their benefits one month after they exited GNAT. They alleged that NAGRAT Mutual Fund is in distress and teachers who contribute to the fund stand the risk of losing their money. Mr Carlos said told this reporter that the disrespect by NAGRAT is demoralizing, considering the commitments by teachers in paying monthly dues and that of the mutual fund for years. He called on other members in similar situation to lace their boots and demand their monies from NAGRAT. The silence by NAGRAT, according to Mr Carlos, creates tension and dissatisfaction among the former members and teachers who are still with NAGRAT. "All the teacher unions in the country have mutual funds where members make monthly contributions to the funds. Any NAGRAT member who contributes to the fund is entitled to his or her contribution when exiting the union," he emphasised. The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E Sugandh Rajaram has arrived in the Northern Regional as part of his diplomatic overtures. Mr Rajaram is expected to visit Yendi on Tuesday, 25th May, 2021 where he would first pay a courtesy call on the Overload of Dagbon Kingdom, Yaa-Naa Abubakar Mahama II at the Gbewaa Palace. This comes after an earlier meeting with Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama, Member of Parliament for Yendi on 12th April, 2021 in Accra. His visit is among other things to strengthen bilateral relationship between India and the people of Yendi. It is also an avenue to attract investment opportunities from Indian to the ancient town. Ahead of his visit, Mr Rajaram said it will be exciting and great for India to collaborate with the people of Yendi in areas of skills training, Information, Technology, and Medicine. The High Commissioner together with Alhaji Farouk Mahama and other dignitaries would also visit the project site of the Yendi Water Project. The $30m Yendi Water Project is funded by a facility from the Indian Exim Bank and being executed by WAPCOS, an Indian civil engineering/consultancy firm. The Concerned Small Scale Miners Association has accused government of failing to deal decisively with the perceived Chinese role and influence in illegal small-scale mining in Ghana. The group insists that Chinese nationals are mostly responsible for the challenges in the countrys small-scale mining sector. The fight against illegal mining in Ghana has constantly witnessed the arrest of some Chinese nationals usually alongside their Ghanaian counterparts. The groups remarks come after the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, called for a closer partnership between Ghana and China to curb illegal mining activities in Ghana. The Minister said there was an urgent need for the two countries to work closely together to efficiently regulate Ghana's small-scale mining sector. But the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, claims the Chinese have largely contributed to the destruction and depletion of Ghana's forest reserves with the backing of some Ghanaian politicians. We should understand that these Chinese are the cause of whatever is happening, he insisted. The destruction of our forest reserves and our water bodies is basically being caused by these Chinese, and it is being supported by these politicians. Mr. Peprah stressed that if we really want to fight illegal mining, all guns should be pointed at the politicians who have gone for the licenses and are using the Chinese to mine. The governments anti-illegal mining campaign known as Operation Halt has intensified the fight against the menace on water bodies and in forest reserves. The operation is being undertaken by a little over 400 men of all ranks. ---citinewsroom The death toll in the wake of a volcano eruption in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 20 after five people were found dead due to toxic fumes. Strong aftershocks continued to hit Goma, a city of 1.5 million people, after Nyiragongo erupted on Saturday. Those whose homes were not destroyed by lava have returned, after some 30,000 people fled the erupting Nyiragongo in the restive Goma area. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates some 900 homes were affected by the volcano. The evaluation is to continue. That doesn't mean they are not exposed to risks in the areas where they are returning, which include toxic gases, and the continuous earthquakes we're feeling in the area, Rui Oliveira, Africa programmes and operations manager for ICRC tells RFI from Goma. Volcanologist Kasereka Mahinda, who flew over the volcano on Monday, said it was uncertain why the aftershocks were continuing and he was unsure if the volcanic activity had ceased. "Because of the fog we were unable to see the inside of the crater," the scientific director of the Goma Volcanology Observatory told AFP newswire. According to Congolese officials, some 17 villages around Goma were affected by the eruption. Government officials, including seven ministers, arrived from the Congolese capital Kinshasa early Monday. President Felix Tshisekedi altered his European tour plans to return home and deal with the aid operation to the region. Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani said upon arrival in Goma that the delegation was assessing how the government could help those made homeless by the natural disaster. Of the 30,000 who are displaced, some 8,000 have crossed the border to neighbouring Rwanda. Many are without shelter and sleeping outside. Water concerns As in many emergency situations, water access is important for those directly affected by the volcano. However, the eruption cut the main water system for Goma one quarter of the population doesn't have access to water, says Oliveira. They could start using unsafe water sources, which raise any risk of public health outbreak as well, he said, adding that the lava will interfere with the water quality. Unaccompanied children and child protection is a major concern for the ICRC. The NGO has volunteers in every community in and around Goma, and one facility is currently hosting some 60 children who have lost track of their relatives. We have received reports of at least an additional 300 who are missing or who have lost their families, says Oliveira. For now, the ICRC is organising a comprehensive emergency response, including water, hygiene promotion, shelter, and food if necessary. Nyiragongo's last major eruption, in 2002, claimed around 100 lives. The Center for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana) has called on Parliament to wake up and ensure that the country has a National Security System that is fit for purpose. The call comes on the back of the backlash on the National Security Ministry following the arrest and assault on Citi FM/TV journalist Caleb Kudah for filming abandoned MASLOC vehicles parked at the National Security Ministry. Although National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah has subsequently suspended three officers who acted inappropriately in contravention of standard operating procedures in the arrest and assault of Caleb Kudah, CDD-Ghana believes more should be done to avoid future occurrences. In its latest press release, CDD-Ghana has called on Parliament to intervene and use the power given by the people to straighten up the National Security Ministry. We call on Parliament to assume its rightful place as the peoples assembly and the principal government oversight body to ensure that the country has a National Security system that is fit for purpose, part of the CDD-Ghana release reads. It adds, A good place to start is to revisit the Emile Short Commission report and get Government to commit to credible reforms both in the way National Security personnel are recruited and trained and in the way National Security does business. Meanwhile, CDD-Ghana also wants government and the National Security Ministry to take advantage of what has happened and look at adopting longstanding reforms. CDD-Ghana would like to implore the Government and the Minister of National Security to see and seize upon this incident as an opportunity to pursue more far-reaching reforms in the National Security apparatus and its operations, as the problem highlighted by the Kudah/CITI FM case is longstanding, recurring and systemic, it notes. Below is the full press release from CDD-Ghana: The Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, has vowed to arrest and prosecuted traders in the new Kumasi Kejetia market in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region who will be caught cooking in the arena. Mr Prempeh said those who will be caught doing welding works on their shops with external technicians will also be arrested and prosecuted. He said the arrest will be made by the Ghana Police Service in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation and the Ghana National Fire Service. Speaking to the media when he toured parts of the market which were destroyed by fire some weeks ago, Mr Prempeh said the abovementioned organisations will go round to monitor the market regularly and arrest those recalcitrant traders. Mr Prempeh indicated that the government will not sit aloof for such an ultramodern edifice to get razed by fire as happened to the old market. The Managing Director of the new Kumasi market, Mr Kofi Duffour, also said the fire outbreak in the market was caused by an electrical welder, who was brought in by a shop owner to weld her shop. ---citinewsroom Listen to article H.E Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia served as the Special Guest of Honour for the launch of the book, titled, J. A Braimah: Biography of a Trailblazer on Thursday 20th May, 2021 at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Science, Accra. The book, which was launched by H.E Dr. Bawumia, sought to celebrate and honor the legacies of J. A Braimah, a co-founder of the Northern Peoples Party (NPP) who together with Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia later abandoned the UP and defected to the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) during the period of incarceration and intimidation of most of the members of the United Party (UP) by Kwame Nkrumah. It is worthy of mention that, after Kwame Nkrumah and his CPP won the 1956 elections, there was pressure on the opposition benches to cross carpet and join CPP, the governing side in Parliament. Members of the Northern Peoples Party were tabled with ministerial offers. Members who didnt agree to join the CPP suffered either detention or depose of their relatives who were Chiefs. It is also worthy of note that, due to the various intimidations, sabotages and attacks on members of the UP by the leadership of CPP, such as, the arrest and detention of Okyeame Baffuor Osei Akoto, Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah, Reginald Reynolds Amponsah, Modesto Kwasi Apaloo, among others, several UP seats were left vacant. This eventually led to the UP boycotting the District Council elections in 1959 as well as refrain from participating in the subsequent bye-elections in the Volta and Accra regions in 1960. In May 1958, during the heat of the frustration of the UP by the CPP under the Prevention Detention Act (PDA), enacted by Parliament in 1958, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, a leading member of the UP and member of the National Assembly from the Mamprusi Traditional Area, betrayed and defected from the UP to the CPP. J. A Braimah, the deputy Chairman of the UP and close confidante of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, also defected from the UP to the CPP in 1959 over disagreements with the party on its position to boycott National Assembly proceedings until UP members who were detainees under the PDA were given a fair hearing in the Court. The foregoing explicitly serve as proof that both Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia and J. A Braimah, two leading members of the UP, abandoned and betrayed the Northern Peoples Party and the UP for their personal interests and goals. The UP is the antecedent of the modern New Patriotic Party (NPP). It is instructive to note that, despite these undeniable facts of betrayals, on Thursday 20th May, 2021, the book covering the legacy of J. A Braimah, titled, J.A Braimah: Biography of a Trailblazer was launched by H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. And interestingly, during the launch, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, who as well doubled as the Special Guest of Honour for the occasion, in his desperation to hide behind and employ the legacies of some founding members of the Northern Peoples Party as a springboard to attain his Presidential Candidate ambition attempted to eulogise J. A Braimah and as well downplay the negative effects of his betrayal of the UP tradition. An indication signifying the endorsement of the neglect and abandonment of the Partys tradition by J. A Braimah and Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia. More over, the honor and eulogy of the legacy of J. A Braimah which contributed significantly to the weakening of the foundation of the UP specifically at the Northern sector of Ghana is just an indication of a ploy by H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia to rewrite the similar story of his father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, so as to regain his lost glory in the Northern Peoples Party and the United Partys respective traditions. Joseph Adam Braimah was appointed member of the Legislative Council in 1950. Under the insistence of the Governor, J. A. Braimah, a non-member of CPP, was appointed a Cabinet Minister by Kwame Nkrumah in 1951. Braimah, however, resigned in December, 1953 on allegation of bribery and corruption which came to light in the course of an enquiry by a Commission of Enquiry under Justice K. A. Korsah. He was part of the founding members of Northern Peoples Party in 1954. He became the Deputy Chairman of the UP in 1957 after its formation but later defected to the CPP in 1959. Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia was a founding member of Northern Peoples Party. He was elected the Vice-Chairman after the formation of the Party in 1954, with S. D. Dombo as the Chairman. After he was tabled with a juicy ministerial offer in 1958 by the ruling CPP government, he crossed carpet to the CPP. Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia became one of the first members of the Northern elite to join the CPP. He was very instrumental in the success story of the CPP especially with the making of inroads in the Northern part of Ghana for the CPP. After the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah in 1966, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia surfed through Peoples National Party (PNP), Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) and finally settled in the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia became the Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region and later the Minister of Local Government under Kwame Nkrumah during the 1st Republic. He then served on Ignatius Kutu Acheampong's constitutional commission in 1978. During the 3rd Republican under the Presidency of Dr Hilla Limann, Alhaji Bawumia was appointed Chief Executive of the Cocoa Marketing Board, now Ghana Cocoa Board. In the PNDC era, he was Ghana's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and later became the chairman of the Council of State during the NDC regime under the 4rd Republic under the leadership of President Jerry John Rawlings. Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia is the father of H.E Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. Reference 1. Obed Asamoah (2014) The Political History of Ghana (1950-2013): The Experience of a Non-Conformist 2. Ibrahim Babangida Ibrahim (2014) The Life and Times of a Patriot: A Biography of Chief Simon Diedong Dombo 3. Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, A Life in Political History: memoirs of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia (2004). Three persons including the driver and his mate were reportedly killed after a diesel tanker exploded at Onyinanufo near Wioso in the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region. The disaster occurred on Monday, May 24 after the speeding tanker collided with a passenger vehicle in the relatively small town. Eye witnesses say the diesel carrier caught fire instantly and overturned. The fire swept through the community of about 400 to 500 inhabitants, destroying most of the houses they live in. As a result, many of them have been rendered homeless. A two-year-old boy is said to have been burnt to death while a number of children in the community are reported missing. Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) as well as the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) were deployed to the scene to control the fire. ---3news.com Mali's Prime Minister Moctar Ouane said Monday that soldiers took him by force to the president's residence, after a government reshuffle saw two former putschists replaced. Details remain sketchy, but the prime minister told AFP by phone that soldiers affiliated with interim vice president Colonel Assimi Goita "came to take me". Several officials close to Ouane, who requested anonymity, confirmed that soldiers had led him away. The detention of the prime minister followed a sensitive government reshuffle in the unstable West African nation announced during the afternoon. Controversially, army figures have held key roles in Mali's interim government, which was installed after the August coup which toppled elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. A new government of 25 ministers was announced on Monday in response to growing criticisms of the army's overbearing influence. The military kept the strategic portfolios they controlled during the previous administration in the reshuffle. Soldiers loyal to interim vice president Assimi Goita (C) took Ouane by force. By MICHELE CATTANI (AFP/File) But two coup leaders -- ex-defence minister Sadio Camara and ex-security minister Colonel Modibo Kone -- were replaced. The reshuffle came at a time of growing political contestation in the capital Bamako, and pressure to stick to the deadline for promised reforms. Unconfirmed rumours of a potential coup were swirling around Bamako on Monday evening, but the city remained relatively calm. 'Send a message' Young military officers ousted Keita on August 18 after weeks of protests concerning perceived government corruption and his handling of Mali's jihadist insurgency. Threatened by international sanctions, the military junta later handed power to a caretaker government that pledged to reform the constitution and stage elections within 18 months. Putschists and men with military links also retained powerful roles in this interim government. Coup leader Assimi Goita is currently serving as interim vice president, and the interim president, Bah Ndaw, is a retired army officer. Coup leader Assimi Goita (C) is currently serving as interim vice president. By MICHELE CATTANI (AFP/File) The pledge to complete reforms within 18 months has spurred many doubts as to whether the military-dominated government has the will, or the ability, to stage votes on such a timescale. The country also faces a major logistical and security challenge, as swathes of territory are in the hands of jihadists. On May 14, the interim government pledged to appoint a new "broad-based" cabinet, amid growing anger over the prominence of military figures and the slowness of promised reforms. An official at Mali's interim presidency, who requested anonymity, said the reshuffle was designed to send a message that "respect for the transition deadline remains the priority". He also underscored the necessity of replacing the defence and security ministers. "They are not emblematic figures of the junta," the official said, referring to the newly appointed ministers. Political feuding In a sign of mounting unease in Bamako, the opposition M5 movement -- which spearheaded anti-Keita protests -- this month called for the dissolution of the interim government, demanding "a more law-abiding and more legitimate" body. But the M5 is divided. Two members of the Union for the Republic and Democracy party, for example, were appointed interim ministers Monday. The party is part of the M5. As well as political feuding, Mali is also currently wracked by other disputes. The country's largest union, UNTM, called a second week of strikes Monday after pay negotiations with the interim government collapsed. Listen to article Road contractors say they are capable enough to construct quality roads that will last longer. They noted that it can only be possible if government pay monies owe them for work done. According to the contractors, getting paid for jobs done has become a difficult banter between them and the government. They claim some of their members have died as a result of loans they took from banks to finance the contract. This follows claims of the Roads and Highways Minister Kwesi Amoako-Atta will be going hard on contractors in the coming weeks over shoddy jobs. The roads ministry is moving the defect liability period from 12 months to five years. Reacting to the comment, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Emmanuel Cherry said the sector minister should use the same passion with which he condemns bad roads in paying contractors for jobs done. We are now entering into the rainy season and as we speak a lot of construction has stalled. Some of the contractors have moved from sites because the contractual agreement hasnt been met. If you want to see the efficiency of a Ghanaian contractor, payment has to be made. We are challenging the minister to pay us well and then well provide the quality he wants. The passion and energy the minister spoke with yesterday, I love it but he should put that same passion into paying us, he told Francis Abban on Morning Starr Monday. Hearing of an interim injunction application seeking to halt the burial of Lilian Dedjoe, the woman who was allegedly murdered by her husband, Prince Charles Dedjoe, a business executive at East Legon, Accra has been adjourned to June 9. When sitting began at the High Court on Monday, Mr Charles Ofori, who held the brief of Captain Retired Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, informed the Court that he had been served with a notice of appearance, statement of defence and an affidavit of the defendant in opposition to the injunction application. Mr Ofori said, "We are pleading that we are given time to respond to the processes filed to enable my Lord to have a broader view of the case before you. We plead that this case be adjourned to June 9." Ms Afua Brown Eyeson, represented the Respondent. On May 17, this year, the Madina District Court was informed about an interlocutory injunction filed by Prince Charles Dedjoe at the High Court restraining the deceased's family from burying her. Dedjoe, in the application, said he was in custody and that the family could not proceed with the burial and final funeral rites of Lilian Dedjoe in his absence. Seth Charles Bladzu, the deceased's father informed the Madina Court that as a result of the injunction, he would be at the High Court and may not be at the Madina District Court on Monday. The prosecution said the complainant, the deceased's father, a retired administrator, resides at Sogakope in the Volta Region. The prosecution said the 43-year-trader, now deceased, was married to the Dedjoe and both live at East Legon, Accra. According to the Prosecution for some time now, Dedjo and the deceased's relationship had been marred with some misunderstandings leading to conflict between them. The prosecution said on March 1, this year, a misunderstanding ensued between Dedjoe and Lilian and as a result, Dedjoe assaulted Lilian who sustained injuries and then went to the Madina Polyclinic for treatment. It said when Lilian returned home, her condition deteriorated and on March 6, 2021, Lilian became unconscious and was rushed to the Lister Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival. The prosecution said a report was made to the Police and Dedjoe was arrested and during investigations, Dedjoe admitted assaulting the deceased with slippers. The prosecution said a post mortem examination was yet to be carried out on the deceased. Dedjoe is facing a provisional charge of murder. ---GNA A 43-year-old unemployed man has been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly having sex with his eight-year-old stepdaughter at Ofankor, Accra. Kwaw Ermerleh Agovi is said to have sneaked into the victim's room to have sex with her. Agovi's 18-year-old daughter, however, caught him red handed and a report was made to the Police. He has, however, pleaded not guilty to defilement. The Court, presided over by Mrs. Christina Cann, admitted Agovi to bail in the sum of GH 60,000 with three sureties, two of whom are to be civil or public servants earning not less than GH 3,500 as net salary at the end of the month. The Court restrained Agovi from getting closer to where the victim resides currently. The matter has been adjourned to Monday, June 14, for the Case Management Conference. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire, said the complainant was the 18-year biological daughter of the accused person. It said the accused person resided in a three-bedroom self-contained apartment at Ofankor, with both daughters. According to Inspector Atimbire, the victim and the complainant had their rooms, while Agovi and the victim's mother also had their room. The prosecution said Agovi had been sneaking into the victim's room to have sexual intercourse with her. However, on at about 0500 hours on Saturday, April 24, Agovi's older daughter saw her sister crying and when she asked what was wrong, she informed her that their father had been having sex with her. The prosecution said she consoled her sister and decided to monitor their father to confirm the allegation. She, subsequently, found that Agovi was sneaking into her sister's room at midnight. The prosecution said at about midnight on Thursday, April 29, he entered her room, undressed himself as well as his daughter, and in the process, his older daughter entered the room. The prosecution said Agovi threatened to kill her if she mentioned the incident to anyone or report to the Police. The prosecution said for fear of her life, she run away from home. However, on Wednesday, May 12, she reported the matter to the Domestic Violence Victim's Support Unit, Tesano. It said Agovi was picked up and the victim was also medically examined and a full report was submitted on her. ---GNA A stream of happiness is running through the Krachi East Municipality of the Oti Region. It is not the absence of 'galamseyers' but the reduction of teenage pregnancies in the regional capital, noted for child marriages. The ecstasy is felt in the voices of some educationists, health workers and traditional rulers who are quietly celebrating reduction in teenage pregnancy cases in the area during the closure of schools to contain COVID-19. The tummies are flat and we are happy, is the song on the lips of many stakeholders, including; the Municipal Director of Health Services. Background The Municipality used to record high teenage pregnancy cases with many ending up in child marriages. Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS, 2011) says one (1) in four (4) women, 27 per cent, married before age 18, with the frequency in rural areas. Reverend David Mensah, Chairman, Local Council of Churches, Dambai, in 2018, said issues of early marriage had reached the tipping point with some girls seeking refuge in churches. In that year, 2018, the Municipality recorded 16.8 per cent of antenatal care attendance for teenagers. In 2019, it recorded 14.3 per cent and 13.5 per cent in 2020-a steady decline in teenage pregnancy. This is against the teenage pregnancy cases recorded across the country following the closure of schools to contain the spread of COVID-19. World Vision report The Krachi West Area Programme for World Vision Ghana reports that Krachi-West District recorded almost nine-fold rise in teen pregnancy during the pandemic and school closure period. It said between March and May 2020, 51 children were reported pregnant, whereas six cases of teen pregnancies were recorded in all of 2018. The positive situation in Krachi-East, however, resulted in the reduction of child marriages and addressed health complications associated with teenage pregnancies, with some losing their lives like Fati. Scenario Child birth complications killed Fati at age 26 in the Municipality in 2018. It was her sixth child after she dropped out of school at age 15 to marry Musa, who was 50 years. Fati, was cajoled to marry Musah because Memunatu, 35, Musa's first wife, has had no child, after 19 years of marriage. Despite Fati's protests, her father, a good friend of Musa pushed her into it, to cement their old time friendship. Three months after the marriage ceremony, witnessed by only a handful of people, Fati got pregnant and later gave birth to Musa's first child. Soon, the second and third children came, bringing joy to Musa and Memunatu, because Fati was not only a second wife, but also a house-help. The two-acre yam farm, could not sustain the family, compelling Fati to engage in economic activities apart from farming to feed her children, her Husband and Memunatu. She wakes up around 0400 hours, prepares porridge to sell at Dambai-Zongo, where they live and does other menial jobs for people, before visiting the farm late afternoon. By 1800 hours, she must get home and prepare supper for the family, bath her children before getting ingredients ready for porridge at dawn. A few years later, the fourth and fifth children were born, with more economic pressure on Fati, because Musa and Memunati are now old and could not do any meaningful work to cater for the family. Fati turns to selling rice and beans, (waakye), which arguably, has bigger profit margin, so she could take care of the family. She carries the food to market centres and public gatherings on days that she is unable to sell all at her joint. Gradually, her natural beauty fades. She is often seen in the same dress and looks a bit unkempt, with three, four children trailing, the youngest strapped at her back. At age 26, Fati, got pregnant for the sixth time but appears unhappy with it. It is a difficult pregnancy from day one. She is unable to do most of her usual household chores and her economic activities. Some of her children tried to help, but unable to sustain the family. She gets weaker by the day, weeks and months. She has been in and out of a local clinic and made herbal preparations her companion, which she carries along when going to sell. In the seventh month, the pregnancy developed complications and she was rushed to the local clinic, from her food joint. The clinic referred her to the Worawora Government Hospital, but Fati couldn't go because she had no money. At dawn, the situation got bad, and a taxi driver neighbour was begged to help transport Fati to Worawora Government Hospital. It started quite well. It was as if we were welcoming the sixth child but mother and child died upon reaching Dambai cemetery, off the Dambai-Worawora road. Mr Abdul Amin, Municipal Director of Health Services, said constant community engagements and interactions with parents and community leaders helped in reducing teenage pregnancies during the lockdown and avoiding the story of Fati while advancing Sustainable Development Goal three ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. The celebration is on, quietly. Let's make it big by helping reduce drastically, teenage pregnancy and child marriage from the Municipality and Ghana. ---GNA The Ghana Association of Medical and Laboratory Scientists has threatened a nationwide strike over the posting of two medical doctors to the laboratory Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The Association said its members would embark on the industrial action on Wednesday, May 26, should the Ministry of Health fail to address their concerns. This is on the back of the declaration of a similar action by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital's wing of the Association, on Thursday, May 20, to demand the removal of the two medical doctors posted to the Unit. The Association at the KATH said the strike was as a result of two years of unproductive discussions with the management of the Hospital and the MOH on their demand to allow only laboratory scientists to work at the Unit. Mr Abu Abudu Rahaman, President of the GAMLS, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in an interview, Monday, that only members of the Association qualified to head all laboratories across the country as per their working policy. He said a similar situation occurred at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in 2018 when the MOH and the management of the Hospital appointed medical doctors to head the laboratory Unit, which was opposed. The KATH chapter is a branch of the national Association and as a national body, we can't leave them to fight alone, we need to support them because this in a national issue - the same issue happened in Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, which has not been fully resolved, he said. Mr Rahaman said the Association was, however, dialoguing with its members to keep calm while it continued negotiations with the Ministry of Health. We are controlling the issues and we do not want it to escalate, he said. On Monday morning, the leadership of the Greater Accra wing of the GAMLS asked members to display red bands at the entrance of their labs and wear red dress or arm bands in solidarity with their colleagues at the KATH. Meanwhile, members of GAMLS at the KATH are continuing with their sit-down strike, which started on Thursday, May 20, to demand the removal of the medical officers appointed to the Unit. They said the appointment of the two medical officers to the Unit was an intrusion into the profession of medical laboratory technicians, which was regulated by an act. ---GNA R Subramaniakumar, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-appointed administrator for Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL), late on Sunday night moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against last weeks National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) order asking lenders to consider Kapil Wadhawan's settlement offer. In its appeal, the administrator has termed the NCLT order "illegal and in breach of settled provisions of law." While reporting on the contents of the appeal, a CNBC report said that the appeal says, The adjudicating authority (NCLT), in passing the impugned order, has overlooked relevant facts, and settled law, ignoring the submissions and contentions of not only the appellant (administrator) and the committee of creditors (CoC), but also the RBI. The CNBC report also said that the appeal calls out the 19th May order for incorrectly failing to recognise any legal basis, either under Section 29A or Section 12A, which underlay the second proposal (Kapil Wadhawans settlement offer dated 29 December 2020), instead choosing to simply accept Kapil Wadhawans baseless statement that this was a precursor to a settlement proposal under Section 12A of the Code: a concept not recognised under any provision of law. While Section 29A of IBC prohibits wilful defaulters, undischarged insolvents and promoters of defaulting companies from participating in the resolution, Section 12A deals with withdrawing a company from bankruptcy proceedings, but on the condition that 90% of the creditors committee supports the resolution and the withdrawal application is filed by the applicant who initiated the insolvency proceedings in the first place. The RBI is recorded as having submitted that in these circumstances, permitting Kapil Wadhawan to even present a purported settlement could be equivalent to permitting Respondent 1 to benefit from its own wrongs. The adjudicating authority (NCLT) has declined to even deal with these submissions by the RBI, the administrator of DHFL says in the filed appeal. The CoC has also categorically opposed the grant of any relief, making it clear that it had applied its mind to the Second Proposal (Wadhawans settlement offer), and taken a conscious decision that it did not want to accept the same. Separately on Monday morning, Union Bank of India also filed an appeal in NCLAT against the 19th May NCLT order on behalf of the CoC. Both the appeals seek to challenge the NCLT order, which directed DHFLs CoC to consider the offer made by its former promoter Kapil Wadhawan within the next 10 days. Both applications ask for the 19th May order of the NCLT to be set aside and that the NCLT should also clear the resolution plan for DHFL. NCLAT will take up CoC's appeal in DHFL matter against NCLT order tomorrow itself. The move comes even as there have been major concerns in the past few days that following the 19th May NCLT order will not only derail the resolution process of DHFL but could also set a bad precedent. The RBI in its affidavit to the NCLT said that permitting Kapil Wadhawan to make an offer for DHFL could derail the companys resolution process. The RBI noted that Mr Wadhawan is in judicial custody with proceedings against him on allegations of cheating, fraud, siphoning of funds and such other serious offences. ...affording the applicant even an opportunity of presenting a purported settlement offer may amount to permitting the applicant to take benefit of its own wrong, which led to complete downfall of DHFL and resultantly, the various stakeholders, RBI said in its affidavit to the NCLT. The banking regulator further said that since the resolution process is at an advanced stage, any interim relief would derail the process and force DHFL into liquidation, adding that the application against it should be dismissed. Last week, the Mumbai bench of the NCLT had said, Creditors of DHFL did not consider the settlement proposal by its promoter Kapil Wadhawan on its merits or with commercial wisdom. NCLT had asked the CoC to put up the offer for its 'consideration, decision, voting' within the next 10 days, according to the order. It said the proposal has not been made available to the fixed-deposit and non-convertible debenture holders who constitute more than 65% of vote share. Kapil Wadhawans proposal offers more than Rs91,000 crore to the creditors, which is higher than the Rs37,250 crore offered by the winning bidder, Piramal group and, hence, the CoC must consider it, NCLT said. NCLT had noted that while promoters are barred from submitting a resolution plan under Section 29A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), Mr Wadhawan has submitted a one-time settlement offer and there is no express legal bar against such a submission. Mr Wadhawan had written to the NCLT in November 2020, offering to settle dues in full. It is now known that Kapil Wadhawans offer letter was discussed in meetings but was not considered for voting since it was not even a formal proposal. Lenders too were not in favour of considering a proposal from a tarnished promoter who is accused of fraud (and behind bars) and led the company to its current plight/ crisis. DHFL is being investigated by the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) from December 2019 through the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). Association of National Exchanges Members of India (ANMI) has urged regulatory authorities to reconsider the proposed 100 per cent levy on day trade peak margins as the margin is 300 per cent of what should have been the actual levy. ANMI has written to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), expressing its opinion that there is a great disconnect between what is being collected from clients and what needs to be collected vis-a-vis the attendant risks arising in intraday trades. ANMI, however, reiterates that they are not against collection of intraday margin levied on clients nor the levy of full margin on the Clearing member irrespective of the nature of the trade. Sharing its data with the regulator, ANMI pointed out that the rate of overnight margins, levied on intraday trades are almost 3.33 times more than what is warranted based on the risks of the trade. In the current margin structure, the current levy of Peak margins is actually 300 per cent of the margin which should have been actually levied," said ANMI spokesperson. "The levy of margin being a high multiple on intraday trades is also causing effects elsewhere" Also, nowhere in the world, clients are required to pay upfront peak margins. Already open interest in Nifty is more in Singapore compared to India though it is a product based on Indian stocks. Indian markets are already at a disadvantage compared to SGX in terms of margins, time of trading, transaction cost and taxation. Any further unwarranted restrictions will result in export of business from India to overseas markets. According to ANMI, the spike in peak margin will bring change in market behaviour by shifting from future to option buying and a shift in the mind-set of people gravitating more towards options trading and moving away from Stock / Index Futures and Stock Options. They also pointed out that higher margins would also imply prolonged carry forward of loss making trades giving a false sense of security. Due to the shift, hedging opportunities have seen a dip due to lower volumes in capital market and commodity markets have been greatly impacted. ANMI's concern over the peak margin issues rises as the deadline for the increase of current margin of 50 per cent to 75 per cent from June 1, 2021 is closing in. Between December 2020 and February 2021, traders were supposed to maintain at least 25 per cent of the peak margin. This margin was raised to 50 per cent between March 2021 and May 2021 and is proposed to be raised to 75 per cent between June 2021 and August 2021 and finally to 100 per cent from September 1st onwards. ANMI hopes that the regulating authorities will consider our suggestions and bring the peak margin back within the band of 25 per cent to 33.33 per cent from the current rate of 50 per cent. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced its Banking Ombudsman (BO) Scheme as an expeditious and inexpensive forum for bank customers for the resolution of complaints relating to certain services rendered by banks. However, over the years, the BO is also proving to be a white elephant living in an ivory tower and more interested in protecting banks at the cost of customers. One reason could be the lack of power with the BO to act against wrongdoings of banks. However, in many grievance redressal cases, it is found that there was complete lack of interest or understanding of issues raised by consumers in the BO offices. In fact, the BO even bars customers from filing an appeal or raising the grievance again. But more about it later. The annual report released by RBI for the 12 months till 30 June 2020 shows that the BO issued awards in only 68 cases, that is 0.04% of the total 173,958 maintainable cases. Maintainable complaints are those that are made to the BO, relating to the grounds of a complaint specified in Clause 8 of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme (BOS) 2006 and are in line with the requirements laid down in the Scheme. On the other hand, the BO disposed of almost 72.34% of the complaints through mutual settlement or agreement. If the parties fail to arrive at an acceptable agreement, the BO gives a decision or passes an award. At this point, the record of BO falters. During the year, 68 awards were issued by BOs of which 38 were implemented. Highest number of awards issued (24) and implemented (16) are from the BO in New Delhi-I. This is followed by Thiruvananthapuram, where 10 awards were issued, of which six were implemented. Surprisingly, there are eight BO offices, where not a single award was issued. This includes two BO offices in Mumbai, and one each from Patna, New Delhi-III, Jammu, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Coming back to the issue of lack of understanding in the BO offices, I found that my complaint was not merely rejected but the BO also closed all options for me to escalate it when I was not satisfied with the outcome. Here is what the BO, Mumbai told me: "As your complaint has been closed under a non-appealable clause, therefore, your representation, against the rejection of your complaint by the banking ombudsman is not maintainable under any of the provisions of the scheme, and hence the same cannot be examined by the appellate authority under BO Scheme, 2006. It is further advised that complaints closed under the non-appealable clause cannot be reopened under the banking ombudsman scheme, 2006." So, what exactly was my complaint, you may ask? My complaint was simple. I had applied for a Flipkart-Axis Bank- credit card. I am a customer of Axis Bank for the past 11-12 years and have good banking relations. After my application, the team from Axis Bank visited our office and collected my photo ID proof and proof of income from me for the credit card. As mentioned by Axis Bank on its portal, I submitted my ITR as proof of income. However, after accepting the documents from me, an existing customer, Axis Bank demanded income-tax (I-T) computation sheets. I said, fine, but show me where it is written or stated that I am required to submit I-T computation sheet after sharing my ITR, which is accepted by everyone as valid proof of income. Axis Bank representatives told me that they need the I-T computation sheet as per their internal policy. I asked them to share the internal policy, which mandates I-T computation sheet as proof of income. There were no answers. I escalated this to higher authorities from Axis Bank, including its managing director (MD) and chief executive (CEO) Amitabh Chaudhary. Still there was no proper reply to my query. Everyone in Axis Bank kept telling me it is their internal policy and, hence, it cannot be shared (even with a customer with long years of banking relations with them!). Since the application for the credit card would have affected my credit history and score, I told Axis Bank that I have every right to know these things. Even today, Axis Bank's own website says, "proof of income in the form of latest payslip / Form 16 / IT return copy". ( https://www.axisbank.com/retail/cards/credit-card/flipkart-axisbank-credit-card/eligibility-and-documentation#menuTab ). There is no mention of I-T computation sheet anywhere on the Bank portal.. And everyone in Axis Bank, including the MD & CEO, were shying away from telling me the exact reasons for seeking the I-T computation sheet or even sharing the application number. In fact, it took them six months even to share the application number with me, contrary to Axis Bank's own disclaimer of communicating a decision regarding a credit card application within 21 days as mentioned on the bank's website https://www.axisbank.com/retail/cards/credit-card/flipkart-axisbank-credit-card/eligibility-and-documentation#menuTab Let me also make it clear, I had no issues in sharing the I-T computation sheet, all I was asking Axis Bank was, to show me the policy, rule, or the guidelines for it. They never did. I then filed a application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with RBI seeking information on rules and regulation to be followed by Axis Bank while handling credit card issues. In the RTI application, I had asked for.. 1. Copy of the rules, regulations or guidelines stipulated by RBI to decide the eligibility criteria for an existing customer of Axis Bank, who wishes to obtain a credit card from the same bank. 2. Copy of the rules, regulations, guidelines, circular and notification, if any, issued by the Reserve Bank that allows Axis Bank to decide its own internal rules, regulation, or policy for providing credit card to an existing customer. 3. Copy of the internal policy, rules, and regulation of Axis Bank for deciding eligibility criteria for providing a credit card facility to an existing card. In its reply, RBI stated... 1. We have not issued any specific instructions in this regard. However, you may refer to para I (2.4), para I (2.5), para I (2.6) and para I (4) of our master circular DBR.No.FSD.BC.18/ 24.01.009/ 2015-16 on credit card, debit card and rupee denominated co-branded prepaid card operations of banks and credit card issuing NBFCs dated July 1, 2015 2. Para I of our master circular mentioned in the reply to above query above consolidates general guidance to banks/ NBFCs on their credit card operations, and the requisite systems and controls in managing their credit card business. You may refer to Para I (2.2) and Para I (2.3) of this master circular. 3. We do not have any specific information in this regard. However, you may refer to our master circular mentioned in the reply to the above query. Under the RBI's master circular DBR.No.FSD.BC.18/ 24.01.009/2015-16: "Each bank must have a well-documented policy and a fair practices code for credit card operations. The fair practices code should incorporate the various guidelines on the subject issued by RBI from time to time, as well as the relevant guidelines contained in this master circular." Further, as per the master circular from RBI, Axis Bank is mandated to convey in writing the decision taken and the main reason/ reasons which in the opinion of the Bank have led to the rejection, if any. Neither Axis Bank shared its policy for mandating the I-T computation sheet, nor did it take any decision on my credit card application for about eight months. Meanwhile, I again escalated my issue with many senior officials from Axis Bank, including its MD and chief executive (CEO) as well as the nodal officer. But there was no reply. I then filed a complaint with the BO after checking whether my complaint falls under its jurisdiction. The BO on its page related with frequently asked questions (FAQs) says, it can receive and consider any complaint relating to non-adherence by the Bank or its subsidiaries to the instructions of RBI on credit card operations. Or in short, not following RBI directions on credit card operations is one of the valid grounds of complaints. After filing the complaint, I received only an email from BO sharing my complaint number. Nothing happened for next two-three months. The BO sent me an email seeking my response on replies given by Axis Bank. I sent my detailed response to the BO. Then, one fine day, the nodal officer from Axis Bank sent me an email offering some other credit card without giving any explanation. The generous nodal officer informed me, "We are glad to state that basis your relationship with the bank, there is pre-approved credit card offer for you for XXX credit card & you can apply for the same through mobile banking. Please also note that in case of the preapproved offer you would not be required to submit the documents." I forwarded this email to the BO. In my email I stated, ...this offer from Axis Bank for some unrequired and unnecessary (for me) credit card sounds like an afterthought or in better words as a 'bribe' to me. Axis Bank should better explain the reasons for offering me such an unwanted credit card post my complaint to the BO." I kept checking the BO site for further updates but there was none. Then there was a mention that my complaint has been closed. I tried to open the linked document, which asked me for a one-time passcode (OTP), which I never received. I then sent an email to the BO seeking details about the decision. I also found that the BO has used a wrong mobile number instead of my registered mobile, due to which I never received any updates or the OTP. The BO on 12 May 2021, informed me that my complaint had been closed. What shocked me was that it stated, "Your Complaint was closed on 17 March 2021 under clause 13(1)(c) of BO Scheme, 2006. Clause 13(1)(c), i.e., beyond the pecuniary jurisdiction of Banking Ombudsman prescribed under clause 12 (5) and 12(6), is a non-appealable clause under the BO Scheme, 2006, against which no appeal can be entertained. "As your complaint has been closed under a non-appealable clause, therefore, your Representation, against the rejection of your complaint by the banking ombudsman is not maintainable under any of the provisions of the scheme, and hence the same cannot be examined by the appellate authority under BO Scheme, 2006. It is further advised that complaints closed under the non-appealable clause cannot be reopened under the banking ombudsman scheme, 2006." And after closing all doors, the BO told me that they have rectified my mobile number in their record. This recalls the fable of the doctor, who declared his operation as a success. The macabre reality, however, was that the patient died. My grievance was not about obtaining a credit card but how Axis Bank was openly flouting the rules, regulations and guidelines as well as violating master circulars issued by RBI. However, the BO assumed that I was seeking a credit card and in its own way had asked Axis Bank to provide me with an irrelevant one. The point is, I have a good credit history and score that is considered as top by lenders. So, if at all I need, I can apply and obtain a credit card from any lender. Summary of the BO order is to protect the integrity and authority of Reserve Bank of India from violators like Axis Bank, customers like me have to go and approach the courts at own cost. This reminds me of Dr KC Chakrabarty, former deputy governor of RBI and trustee of Moneylife Foundation. In January 2013, while speaking at the Annual Conference of Banking Ombudsmen Dr Chakrabarty, had said, "...though the fact that the offices of the banking ombudsman receive more than 70,000 complaints a year bears a testimony to the credibility of the banking ombudsman scheme, it also reflects on the poor redress system of banks as it shows that the customers repose greater faith in the banking ombudsman." He exhorted banks to make efforts to strengthen their grievance redressal mechanism by proactively reviewing their processes, improving efficiency, and delivering promised services in a fair, non-discriminatory, and transparent manner. He stressed that banks needed to address issues of safety and security in electronic banking to increase customer confidence and to bring in uniformity in the service charges levied. Looks like with the passing of a stalwart like Dr Chakrabarty, who was famous for his pro-consumer rights approach, the BOs have erected iron curtains around themselves to block customers from seeking justice from their ivory tower. Our emails sent to senior officials from RBI remained unanswered till writing the story. We will update this article as and when we receive any reply from them. In a relief for Yes Bank Ltd in the AT-1 (additional tier-1) bonds case, the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has imposed an interim stay on an order passed by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which had imposed a penalty of Rs25 crore on Yes Bank, and three of its executives: Rs1 crore on Vivek Kanwar and Rs50 lakh each on Ashish Nasa and Jasjit Singh Banga. This is a setback for the hapless AT-1 bond-holders, who include retail investors, institutional investors like Indiabulls and 63 moons technologies, who had taken the legal route and complained to SEBI. The investors alleged that they were sold these bonds by the Bank on false assurances and, hence, they need to be compensated by the Bank. The case is ongoing in Bombay High Court but both YES Bank and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have so far maintained that the AT-1 bond write-off is as per the Basel-III rules. While explaining the rationale for the interim stay, the SAT said, "We also find that the relationship manager have not been booked. Prima facie, the question as to whether the buyers were informed of the risk factor with regard to the AT-1 bonds can be best explained by the relationship managers who were part of the investigation but were not noticees in these proceedings. On the other hand, the members of the Private Wealth Management Team have been made noticees and they have been penalized by the impugned order. We also prima facie find that the risk factor was already existing on the website, and it was in the knowledge of everyone. Considering the aforesaid, prima facie a case is made out for grant of an interim order," SAT added. The Tribunal has asked SEBI to file a reply within four weeks and file a rejoinder within three weeks thereafter. The matter is to be listed for admission and for final disposal on 30th July as per the SAT order. The interim stay order by SAT is, however, subject to an undertaking by Yes Bank that in the event of failure of the appeal, it would pay the penalty amount within two weeks from the date of the order. The SAT order starts off by saying We find that under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 the central government had declared a moratorium in March 2020 and thereafter propounded a scheme pursuant to which an administrator has been appointed. The bank is under a rehabilitation scheme and lots of monies are being pumped in order to revive the bank. After receiving multiple complaints from investors of AT-1 bonds raising questions about the selling of these instruments, SEBI investigated the matter to ascertain whether there was any violation of its rules. SEBIs investigation found that Yes Bank had misrepresented the AT-1 bond product as a Super fixed deposit (FD) and as safe as an FD. The term sheet was also not shared with many investors and no confirmation was taken from the customers on their understanding of the products features and the risks associated with the bond. On 12 April 2021, SEBI issued an order penalising Yes Bank and three of its executives for allegedly not informing investors of risk factors while facilitating the sale of the AT-1 bonds in the secondary market. The investigation also observed that the down-sell of AT1 bonds were not negotiated between buyers and sellers individually. The same as facilitated by YES Bank for around 1300 individual investors most of which were existing customers of YES Bank, SEBI had noted in its order last month. The investigation noted that it was the push from the managing director and chief executive (MD & CEO) of Yes Bank to down-sell the AT-1 bonds, which led the private wealth management team to recklessly sell the bonds to individual investors. In its order, SEBI had alleged misrepresentation and fraud by Yes Bank by not informing investors of risk factors while facilitating the sale of the AT-1 bonds in the secondary market. AT-1 Bonds were sold to the customers of YBL without adopting adequate safeguards to protect their interests and without sufficient due diligence, SEBI order said and added that the allegations that YES Bank sold AT-1 bonds to investors by misrepresenting the bonds as Super FDs, is established. YES Bank, which was bailed out in March 2020 by a bank consortium led by State Bank of India (SBI), wrote off Rs8,415 crore of AT-1 bonds as per the framework of the YES Bank reconstruction scheme. AT-1 Bond are a type of perpetual bonds banks use to raise funds. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has ended a nightly pandemic curfew after more than a year in force and will allow vaccinated visitors to enter the island without a negative coronavirus test result. The island has been under a curfew since March 2020, when the first coronavirus case was reported. Even when the curfew was sometimes changed, it mostly stayed between midnight and 5 a.m. Arriving visitors who are not vaccinated will still be required to present a negative coronavirus test or promise to offer a test result within 48 hours. The government intends to impose a $300 fine to those who dont comply with the testing. MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: India passes another grim milestone: 300,000 lost to the virus Stories of the virus from a poor U.S. city that has been hit hard Japan opens mass vaccination centers in Olympics runup First steps to reopening for Berlin's clubs Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Haitis government has imposed a nightly curfew and other restrictions under an eight-day health emergency meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. All outdoor activity will be banned from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. under the decree issued Monday by President Jovenel Moise. The decree also makes the use of face masks mandatory for anyone out in public, while temperature checks and handwashing stations are required for all public or private buildings such as banks, schools, hospitals and markets. Social distancing in public places is set at 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet). The president also has ordered public institutions to reduce staff on duty by 50%, while he is encouraging that other employees work from home. MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed legislation banning so-called vaccine passports as Alabama becomes the latest state to try to prohibit proof of a coronavirus vaccination to enter a business, school or event. The legislation by Republican Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur would prohibit government entities from issuing vaccine or immunization passports or other standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying immunization status although standard child immunization forms would be excluded. It would also prevent people from being denied entry to businesses, universities, and state agencies if they have not been vaccinated for COVID-19. However, the legislation does not specify any penalty for violations. ROME The tiny island nation of Malta says it has administered at least one coronavirus vaccine to 70% of its population to lead Europe in the inoculation race. Health Minister Chris Fearne said 42% of Maltas people had been completely inoculated. The achievement has led to a 95% decrease in patients being admitted to Maltas COVID-19 hospital, he said. With a population of about a half-million, Malta is the smallest European Union member state. It has been using the four vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency. According to the ourworldindata.org website, Malta leads even Israel and Britain in administering at least one shot of the vaccine to its population. Malta has reported some 30,000 cases and 417 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. JUNEAU, Alaska About 60% of applications for a pandemic rent relief program must still be processed nearly three months after the application deadline. KTOO Public Media reports the pending applications are among the roughly 25,200 that cleared initial income and documentation hurdles by the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. are awaiting processing. The program is aimed at helping people who qualify by covering up to a year of rent and utility payments. The application deadline closed in early March. An official with the corporation administering the program says it is moving quickly and noted the high interest in the program. LOS ANGELES -- The huge Los Angeles Unified School District will start the new school year next fall with on-campus, in-person instruction for all students five days a week but will retain an online option, Superintendent Austin Beutner said Monday. Elementary school students will have full days of instruction with their teacher and classmates while middle and high school students will change classrooms for each period, said Beutner, who leads the nations second-largest school district. After-school programs will be available to students from the end of the school day until 6 p.m. Beutner said, however, that an online option must remain in place for the next school year for students who are unable or choose not to come to schools for in-person instruction. Some students and some staff members may need to stay at home until all at schools are vaccinated due to health reasons because they live with an immune-compromised family member, Beutner said, adding that he expects the majority of students and staff to be at school every day. Students and staff will wear masks until more children are vaccinated, he said. The superintendent reiterated his assertion that Los Angeles Unified has in place the highest safety standards of any school district in the nation. ORLANDO, Fla. Florida is joining a growing list of Republican-led states that plan to end participation in a federal program that gave an extra $300 per week in benefits to the unemployed during the pandemic. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Monday that the state will withdraw from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program effective June 26. State labor officials said private-sector employment increased by 18,800 jobs last month and more than 460,000 online job postings were made throughout the state for job seekers. Floridas employers are also seeing employment growth, as more Floridians, including some who completely left the workforce, are now eagerly reentering the workforce, said Dane Eagle, Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Transitioning away from this benefit will help meet the demands of small and large businesses who are ready to hire and expand their workforce. At least 22 other states also have announced plans to end the enhanced benefits early. Florida will continue to participate in other federal pandemic-related unemployment programs aimed at the self-employed, people who already have exhausted their unemployment benefits and gig workers. These federal benefit programs are set to expire in early September. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lankan government on Monday extended the on-going travel ban for another two weeks as health experts warned of a possible breakdown of the countrys health system due to the current state of the infection. Sri Lanka is currently under a weeklong travel ban which was scheduled to be eased on May 28. But on Monday, the government announced that the lockdown-style ban will continue until June 07. During this period, the ban will be eased for several hours on two days to allow people to buy food and other essentials from any outlets within the walking distance. However, the ban will not apply to those engaged in essential services such as health, food supply and power sector and those seeking medical treatment while others are banned from leaving their houses. The fresh restrictions were imposed as the islands key medical associations cautioned that the infection is rampant across the country and that the actual number in the community is more than three times the number detected. According to the latest statistics of the health ministry, Sri Lanka has 161,242 positive cases with 1178 fatalities. Doctors have predicted that the number of patients could rapidly rise in the next two weeks because of the last months celebrations and shopping by the people to mark the traditional new year. Sri Lanka has halted public transport, banned public gatherings, parties, weddings and closed schools and universities. SAN FRANCISCO The ride hailing companies Uber and Lyft have started providing free transportation to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites in the United States. Uber said Monday that it will provide four rides valued at up to $25 each through July 4 while Lyft has said that it is offering two rides of up to $15 each. The federal government said earlier this month that it would partner with the ride-hailing companies to encourage more Americans to get vaccinated as the pace of the shots nationally started to decline. President Joe Biden has set a goal of delivering at least one dose of vaccine to 70% of adult Americans by Independence Day and fully vaccinating at least 160 million by then. GENEVA French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among those rallying around efforts to strengthen the World Health Organization and the fight against pandemics as the U.N. agency opened its annual assembly with a draft resolution in the works that acknowledges missteps in the response to COVID-19. The European Union and Vanuatu are behind the resolution that would create a working group on strengthening WHOs readiness and response to health emergencies. We have to have institutions that are up to the task, that meet our ambitions, Macron said by video during the mostly virtual meeting. WHO, he said, must be robust and flexible in times of emergency and crisis. And it must be completely transparent to make sure that people trust the organization. Merkel threw her backing behind the idea of a global health threat council and said leaders should provide WHO with lasting financial and personal support. The resolution would set up a six-person working group to report to the assembly next year. The text acknowledges serious shortcomings in the worlds ability to prepare, prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies. LONDON British health officials expressed optimism Sunday that the coronavirus restrictions remaining in England can be lifted in June after an official study found that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines offer effective protection against the variant first identified in India. Authorities in Britain have expressed concern in recent weeks that increasing cases of the Indian variant could jeopardize the U.K.s so-far successful plan to reopen its economy. More than 2,880 cases of the Indian variant have been recorded in England, figures show. The government has said the variant appears to be more transmissible, but there was still uncertainty about how concerning this was. Jenny Harries, chief executive of the U.K. Health Security Agency, said officials in England are on track to proceed with the final stage of unlocking the country from June 21 if the public remains cautious. PARIS The French foreign minister says its possible that France will introduce stricter coronavirus restrictions for British visitors when tourism reopens this summer, to prevent the spread of a worrying virus variant first detected in India and causing concern in Britain. The minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, suggested that Britain could be put in a health category of its own, somewhere in between the strictest measures that France is imposing on visitors from India and 15 other countries, and more relaxed requirements being readied for visitors from elsewhere. Speaking Sunday, Le Drian said health measures that are a bit stronger could be applied for British tourists. ISLAMABAD Pakistans federal authorities on Sunday reported a decrease in COVID-19 deaths and new cases and decided to reopen tourist resorts from Monday but only for those who have either tested negative or got vaccinated. As per the earlier decision of federal body, schools and higher education institution to open by Monday as well except for the southern Sindh province which opted to keep them closed for another two weeks. Federal authorities reported 74 deaths due to COVID-19 and just over 3000 new cases of the virus in a single day. The national body countering the spread of the virus urged people continue to adhere to the precautionary measures of mask wearing and maintaining physical distance at public places and during travel in public transport. They also stressed that people should get vaccinated. BRASILIA, Brazil Brazils health minister said the government is concerned about the coronavirus variant first identified in India after the first cases of it were confirmed in the South American country. Marcelo Queiroga denied, however, that there was community transmission of the variant, which was first identified in Brazil in the northeastern state of Maranhao, where 100 people are being monitored. A case was also confirmed Saturday in Ceara state. According to Queiroga, 600,000 rapid tests will be sent to Maranhao to monitor the variants possible spread and he said health barriers would be implemented at airports, highways and roads in Maranhao to contain its movement. All passengers passing through airports or borders in the northeastern state will have to take the rapid test. Brazil suspended flights from India last week following the recommendation of the National Health Surveillance Agency. NEW YORK (AP) Eight days after Donald Trump turns 75 next month, New York City voters will cast their last ballots in an election that's sure to have consequences for the former president. Its not another White House run, but a vote in the Democratic Party primary for Manhattans next district attorney the person who would likely end up handling prosecution if an ongoing investigation of Trump's business finds criminal wrongdoing. The current district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., is leaving office at the end of the year, meaning there's a good chance he'll pass the two-year probe to his successor. The matter of who will take over has taken on new urgency after the announcement this week that the state attorney generals office had joined the DA's Trump criminal investigation a sweeping look at hush-money payments, property valuations, tax strategies, executive compensation and other dealings. In a solidly Democratic borough, the partys June 22 primary is highly likely to decide the winner. The eight candidates have made clear they're not afraid of taking on the former president, but most have been cautious to stay away from overtly anti-Trump rhetoric. While I cant say what I will specifically do without seeing all the facts and the evidence, if Donald Trump or any of the Trumps committed crimes in Manhattan, I will prosecute them, said candidate Eliza Orlins, a public defender who once appeared as a contestant on Survivor. It is more vital now than ever, that the office of the district attorney be understood not to be a political office, that the district attorney not be perceived to be in bed with anyone," said another candidate, Lucy Lang, a former assistant district attorney and former director of John Jay Colleges Institute for Innovation in Prosecution. The robust field includes three former prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney's office Lang, Liz Crotty and Diana Florence and two former federal prosecutors, Tali Farhadian Weinstein and Alvin Bragg. Three candidates have never been prosecutors, including Orlins, civil rights lawyer Tahanie Aboushi and state Assembly member Dan Quart. No obvious frontrunner has emerged in the crowded field. The Trump investigation, which the former president has decried as a witch hunt, carries major implications for his political future and the fate of his company. Trump isn't the only topic of discussion in the race, amid reignited concern over street crime and the ongoing debate about criminal justice and the role of prosecutors, renewed in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd a year ago. At the beginning of the race, maybe last year, a lot of folks thought that Trump would be a primary talking point, but he doesnt really seem to be the main issue in this crop of candidates, said Christina Greer, political science professor at Fordham University. Hes in a long list of issues, but crime and how the DA will prosecute particular cases seem to be the more prescient issues. The city has seen more than 155 homicides since the start of the year, the highest number for that period since 2011. Other major crime categories, including robberies, burglaries and felonious assaults, remain largely where they were before the coronavirus pandemic. The race could decide whether the next district attorney will continue criminal justice reforms, which in recent years have included scaling back drug prosecutions and locking up fewer defendants for long periods while they await trial. Crotty has racked up endorsements from law enforcement unions, who see her as the candidate most focused on public safety. Other candidates have garnered support from reform-minded activists and organizations. Vances office said he will continue to lead the Trump investigation through the end of his term. He has hired former mafia prosecutor Mark Pomerantz to assist in the probe and, in February, obtained eight years of Trumps tax returns, ending a lengthy legal fight. Vances former chief assistant district attorney Daniel R. Alonso, who is not a candidate, said its vital that the Trump case is left in the hands of somebody who knows what theyre doing, whos competent, whos experienced, who has judgment and who doesnt think politically. Frankly I dont think the voters are focusing enough on this issue, said Alonso. The candidates have, at the very least, sought to telegraph that they won't go easy on the powerful. Orlins knocked Vance for declining to bring charges against Trump's two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Jr., in 2012 after investigating allegations they defrauded clients in a Manhattan condominium project. Vance concluded there was insufficient evidence of a crime. I think that we might not be in this situation that were in we might never have had a President Donald J. Trump if Cy Vance had done this earlier, if he had brought those cases and not declined to prosecute, Orlins told The Associated Press. Vance's decision in the earlier Trump investigation was one of several cases in his 12-year tenure where critics say he caved to powerful interests. Vance was criticized for dropping rape charges against French financier Dominique Strauss-Kahn in 2011, declining a chance to prosecute Harvey Weinstein in 2015, five years before his eventual conviction, and striking a deal in 2016 with a well-connected gynecologist to avoid prison for allegedly sexually abusing patients. Bragg said he would do away with what he deemed the office's two systems of justice. Aboushi said shell never put a badge or bank account above the law. Crotty said: It comes down to what are the facts of your case, and it doesnt matter how powerful the person is, its how powerful your facts are." Farhadian Weinstein has touted her experience taking on complex white collar cases. Florence has talked similarly about her record prosecuting real estate and construction fraud, saying she's in best position to continue the Trump investigation. Im not intimidated by anyone, Farhadian Weinstein said in an interview. We are all equal under the law and that doesnt change if you go on to occupy a position of power including the power of the presidency. Quart said: If there is evidence a serious crime has been committed, I would certainly prosecute, and that would be true for the president as much as its true for anyone else. Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak and send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips Do you want to honor a 2021 graduate in this special section? Simply click below to fill out the form and upload their photo! Submit Sayre, PA (18840) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Congress has voted to let large cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada, a step that could clear As he arrives at Monterey Regional Airport, DACA recipient Jesus Hernandez hugs his daughters Camila, left, and Emilia, center, as his step-daughter Liana Maldonado, right, looks on as they welcome him home from his two-week-long trip to his hometown in Mexico. For the first time since the final episode in 2006, the entire cast of Friends is coming back together for a one off reunion special! "Our favorite friends are back on the set that started it all. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and special guests reunite to discuss everything from their casting process to whether or not Ross and Rachel were really on a break." a description for the TV special reads. "Witness the unbreakable bond of the group that perfectly captured the moment in life when your friends become your family." The good news if that Kiwi fans will be able to watch it here - TVNZ have secured the rights! 'Friends: The Reunion' will air in TVNZ2 on Thursday night at 7pm and will then be available to watch on TVNZ OnDemand. Fans have been waiting a long time for this, so we can't wait to see everyone's reactions in a few days time! The Warehouse have offically declared that it will no longer stock or sell fireworks in their stores. The move comes after research from a customer survey found that more than half of people preferred to attend public fireworks displays than buy their own. It also found 28% didn't participate in fireworks at all. Chief product officer Tania Benyon says the research shows Guy Fawkes has become less of an occasion, with customers having "clear concerns about people letting off fireworks at home." "We no longer feel fireworks have a place on our shelves." A growing number of Kiwis, particular from animal rights groups, have been calling on a total ban on fireworks, which often cause stress to animals. Safe chief executive Debra Ashton told Stuff that the move was great news. There is strong evidence that fireworks can cause both psychological and physical harm to animals, so reducing the public sale of fireworks should help to minimise that, Debra said. The Warehouse has shown strong leadership, so lets hope that others will follow. I hope people realize they can be transparent about the things they hurt from. People think they need to hold all that stuff in but in all reality, it is meant for us to release. My goal is for people to understand the power of transparency and the more you talk about it the freer you become in yourself, and thats a part of mental health. Mone't Roberts, author Pull Quote MAPLE HEIGHTS Local and federal authorities have arrested all three juveniles being sought in the shooting deaths of two men in an Ohio city earlier this month. Talk about spreading your wings. A Church's Chicken in Carrizo Springs sells the restaurant's usual menu as well as menudo, bunuelos, and tacos. It's not just any bowl of menudo either. According to the marquee at the 203 N. First St. location, it's the "best in Texas." GOMA, Congo (AP) Torrents of lava poured into villages after dark in eastern Congo with little warning, leaving at least 15 people dead amid the chaos and destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors said Sunday. The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on Saturday night sent about 5,000 people fleeing from the city of Goma across the nearby border into Rwanda, while another 25,000 others sought refuge to the northwest in Sake, the U.N. children's agency said Sunday. More than 170 children were still feared missing Sunday, and UNICEF officials said they were organizing transit centers to help unaccompanied children in the wake of the disaster. Goma ultimately was largely spared the mass destruction caused by the volcano's last eruption in 2002. Hundreds died then and more than 100,000 people were left homeless. But in outlying villages closer to the volcano, Sunday was marked by grief and uncertainty. Aline Bichikwebo and her baby managed to escape when the lava flow reached her village, but said both her mother and father were among those who perished. Community members gave a provisional toll of 10 dead in Bugamba alone, though provincial authorities said it was too soon to know how many lives were lost. Bichikwebo says she tried to rescue her father but wasn't strong enough to move him to safety before the family's home was ignited by lava. I am asking for help because everything we had is gone, she said, clutching her baby. We dont even have a pot. We are now orphans and we have nothing. The air remained thick with smoke because of how many homes had caught fire when the lava came. People are still panicking and are hungry, resident Alumba Sutoye said. They dont even know where they are going to spend the night. Elsewhere, authorities said at least five other people had died in a truck crash while they were trying to evacuate Goma, but the scale of the loss had yet to be determined in some of the hardest-hit communities. Residents said there was little warning before the dark sky turned a fiery red, sending people running for their lives in all directions. One woman went into labor and gave birth while fleeing the eruption to Rwanda, the national broadcaster there said. Smoke rose from smoldering heaps of lava in the Buhene area near the city Sunday. We have seen the loss of almost an entire neighborhood," Innocent Bahala Shamavu said. All the houses in Buhene neighborhood were burned and thats why we are asking all the provincial authorities and authorities at the national level as well as all the partners, all the people of good faith in the world, to come to the aid of this population. Elsewhere, witnesses said lava had engulfed one highway connecting Goma with the city of Beni. However, the airport appeared to be spared the same fate as 2002 when lava flowed onto the runways. Goma is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies in the region, as well as the U.N. peacekeeping mission. While Goma is home to many U.N. peacekeepers and aid workers, much of surrounding eastern Congo is under threat from myriad armed groups vying for control of the regions mineral resources. ___ Associated Press writer Jean Yves Kamale in Kinshasa, Congo, contributed to this report. The diversion of a Ryanair flight to Lithuania by Belarus, leading to the arrest of an opposition journalist who was a passenger, has sparked international outrage and calls for tough sanctions against the former Soviet nation. Here is a look at what happened in the sky over Belarus and its aftermath. WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FLIGHT? Ryanair Flight FR4978, traveling Sunday from Athens to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, was in Belarus airspace about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Lithuanian border when it changed direction and turned toward the Belarusian capital of Minsk. Ryanair said Belarusian flight controllers told the pilots that there was a bomb threat against the jetliner and ordered them to land in Minsk. The Belarusian military scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet in an apparent attempt to encourage the crew to comply with the orders of flight controllers. Once the plane landed, Belarusian security agents arrested Raman Pratasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that helped organize mass demonstrations against President Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus authoritarian leader. They also removed from the plane Pratasevich's Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who studies at a Vilnius university. Agents with dogs then checked the plane and the passenger luggage, and let the flight continue to Vilnius hours later. Ryanairs CEO Michael OLeary described the move as a case of state-sponsored hijacking state-sponsored piracy. WHY DID BELARUS DO IT? To arrest Pratasevich, a 26-year-old activist and journalist who left Belarus in 2019 and faced charges there of inciting riots. He was a blogger and co-founder and editor of Nexta, a popular channel on the Telegram messaging app that was a key factor in organizing protests in Belarus after a presidential election in August 2020. Lukashenko, who has run the nation of 9.3 million with an iron fist for over a quarter century, was declared the winner by landslide, but the opposition and some election workers say the vote was rigged. Months of protests followed, representing the strongest challenge to Lukashenko's rule since he took over in 1994 following the demise of the Soviet Union. The Belarusian authorities have unleashed a brutal crackdown on demonstrations. More than 34,000 people have been arrested since August, including opposition activists, and thousands have been beaten and abused by police to try to stem the protests. Pratasevich was charged in absentia with inciting mass riots, and he faces 15 years in prison if convicted. But the Belarusian state security agency, which still goes by its Soviet-era name KGB, also has put him on a list of people suspected of involvement in terrorism, a sign he could face more serious charges. Terrorism is punishable by death in Belarus, the only country in Europe that still has capital punishment. A brief video clip of him in custody was shown on Belarusian state television Monday night. He sat at a table with his hands folded in front of him and spoke rapidly, saying he was in satisfactory health, and that his treatment was maximally correct and according to law. He added that he was giving evidence to investigators about organizing mass disturbances. WHAT'S THE INTERNATIONAL REACTION? In unusually swift action, the European Union agreed to impose sanctions against Belarus, banning the country's airlines from using the airspace and airports of the 27-nation bloc. The EU leaders also urged all EU-based carriers to avoid flying over Belarus, decided to impose sanctions on officials linked to Sundays flight diversion, and urged the International Civil Aviation Organization to start an investigation. They also urged Belarus to release Pratasevich and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was taken off the plane with him. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it amounted to a hijacking, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called it a state-sponsored terror act. The bloc summoned Belarus ambassador to condemn the inadmissible step of the Belarusian authorities and said the arrest was yet again another blatant attempt to silence all opposition voices in the country. U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan raised the issue in his call with the secretary of the Russian Security Council, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. She added the U.S. was in touch with NATO, the EU, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, among others about next steps. Briitain barred Belarus national airline Belavia from operating in the U.K. and instructed British carriers to avoid Belarusian airspace. Latvian airline airBaltic said it would avoid Belarusian airspace, and Lithuanias government instructed all incoming and outgoing flights to avoid Belarus starting Tuesday, without waiting for the EU decision. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered officials to move to cut the air link with Belarus and ban Ukrainian flights via the neighbors airspace. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for Pratasevichs release and supports calls for a full, transparent and independent investigation into this disturbing incident," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Belarus can rely on its main sponsor and ally, Russia, which has provided political support and financial assistance to Lukashenko's government amid the protests. Matthew Busch, Contributor / For The San Antonio Express-News The Texas Senate voted 25-5 to pass a bill that would raise criminal penalties and require jail time for people who knowingly obstruct emergency vehicles from passing through a roadway or who block a hospital entrance. It now heads to the governors desk to be signed into law. The bill is in response to last years nationwide protests against police brutality, which were sparked by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Massive protests erupted in major cities across the country, including in Texas, where demonstrators were arrested for allegedly damaging property or blocking roadways. Lava flowed into villages in eastern Congo after dark with no notice, killing at least 15 people and damaging more than 500 houses. Eruption in Congo Activite volcanique aux alentours de Goma: la MONUSCO fait des vols de reconnaissance. La lave ne semble pas se diriger vers la ville de Goma. Nous restons en alerte. pic.twitter.com/JQmz7v16Ne MONUSCO (@MONUSCO) May 22, 2021 Late Saturday, lava from the eruption reached the airport in Goma, the capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and the government urged people to evacuate. According to the United Nations Children's Fund, the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on Saturday night forced around 5,000 people to evacuate the city of Goma over the nearby Rwandan border. At the same time, another 25,000 found shelter in Sake to the northwest. Missing Children More than 170 children were still missing Sunday, according to UNICEF authorities, who said they were putting together transit centers to assist unaccompanied children in the aftermath of the tragedy. Goma was largely spared the devastation that the volcano wreaked the last time it erupted in 2002. Hundreds of people died, and over 100,000 people were displaced. On the other hand, Sunday was defined by sorrow and confusion in outlying villages closer to the volcano. Related Article: Europe's Most Active Volcano Shows Eruptive Episodes as Earthquake Hits Mt. Etna Burning a Village When the lava flow approached her village, Aline Bichikwebo and her baby fled, but both her mother and father were killed. Community members put the death toll in Bugamba at ten, though provincial officials said it was too early to tell how many people died. Bichikwebo claims she attempted to save her father but could not carry him to safety until the lava engulfed the family's house. She clutched her baby and said, "I'm calling for support because everything we had is gone." "We don't even have a pot," says the narrator. We've been orphans of nothing." Since too many houses had caught fire when the lava hit, the air was dense with smoke. "People are always scared and hungry," said Alumba Sutoye, a local. "They have no idea where they'll sleep for the night." Authorities said at least five more people died in a truck crash while attempting to flee Goma, although the extent of the tragedy in some of the hardest-hit villages has yet to be known. Unforeseen According to residents, there was no warning until the dark sky turned a bright red, sending people fleeing in all directions. According to Rwanda's national broadcaster, one woman went into labor and gave birth while fleeing the eruption. On Sunday, smoke billowed from smoldering lava heaps near the city of Buhene. Young Bahala Shamavu said, "We have seen the disappearance of almost an entire city." "All of the houses in the Buhene neighborhood were destroyed by fire, which is why we are appealing to all regional and national officials, as well as all partners and citizens of good faith around the world, to come to the rescue of this population." Witnesses reported that lava had consumed one of the highways linking Goma and Beni. However, as in 2002, where lava poured onto the runways, the airport seemed spared. Goma, Congo Goma serves as a geographic center for several humanitarian organizations as well as the United Nations peacekeeping mission. Although several United Nations peacekeepers and relief workers call Goma home, most of eastern Congo is threatened by a slew of armed groups fighting for dominance of the region's natural wealth. Also Read: Darwin's Arch, a Rock formation Named After the British Scientist, Collapsed For more environmental news updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Muskogee, OK (74401) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading. Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Facebook on Friday announced that it may allow former President Donald Trumps Facebook and Instagram accounts to be reinstated in January 2023. At that time, the social media company will re-evaluate whether the risk to public safety of allowing Trump back onto its services has receded. This two-year suspension will prevent Trump from using Facebook or Instagram to broadcast to his followers until after the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. Do you think tech giants like Facebook are using their power to censor political speech and manipulate U.S. politics? Choices are: You voted: Jacksonvilles new Ward 1 alderman wants things in her neighborhood to be different. Im really involved with the community and I was just noticing that in my area nothing seems to change, its always the same, Darcella Speed said. We really do need a change around here. Speed, 46, a longtime Jacksonville resident, was elected April 6 and was sworn in and attended her first City Council meeting as an elected official May 10. It is her first foray into politics. Until I decided to run for office, I never even knew who the alderman was for my area, Speed said. I thought about running before, but I was like, What can I do in that position? More Information If you have a suggestion about someone who should be profiled, send their name and any contact information available to communitynews@myjournalcourier.com. See More Collapse Speed began to think seriously about running for alderman when she went to vote in the November general election and had a discussion with Polly Williams of the Jacksonville branch of the NAACP. I told her I had thought about running before, I knew there was a need, and she said, You really need to think about it, Speed said. I just happened to be somewhere and somebody else brought it up again. I was hearing it so much, so I thought maybe I should look into it again. Then things just started falling into line, people started contacting me and said if I was interested, they would definitely support me. Speed campaigned throughout Ward 1, which encompasses Jacksonvilles northeast side. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she always wore a mask and most of the people she met did, too. Although it seemed like every day I decided to canvass was just a beautiful day, Speed heard much of the same concerns from residents. They would tell me nothing happens over here, they forget about this area of town, look at these buildings, we do not have any businesses over here, Speed said. Speed also heard about concerns about vehicles speeding along Walnut Street and East Independence Avenue and witnessed that behavior as she was campaigning in the neighborhood. I noticed how cars were just speeding through there, and little kids were crossing the street, Speed said. I had people stop me and say, Something needs to be done about this. Even while we were standing there talking cars were speeding by. Speed also would like to see an area cleanup performed in the First Ward and will work with her fellow city council members to accomplish it, she said. Speed received some support from groups like the Morgan County Democrats as she campaigned. One of Speeds campaign initiatives involved distributing 100 Easter baskets in front of Minnie Barr Park along East Walnut Street. Speed has helped wherever I can in the community by volunteering with the Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, with the Community Temple Church of God in Christ food distribution program and at the Passavant Area Hospital information desk. She was a part of the United Way board for many years. Speeds family moved to Jacksonville when she was 8. She attended Jefferson Elementary School in second grade and then Our Saviour School. Speed graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1992 and attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. She has been employed at Blue Cross-Blue Shields Jacksonville office for 23 years and is a customer service supervisor. Speed has three children and three grandchildren. Speed is the only Black member of the city council and wishes more people would become involved in local government. Once people learn more about what needs to be done in the city and that anyone can be a part, I think it will draw more interest, Speed said. I think there should be representation for everybody. It is not just an African American ward. I really wish more people would become involved. Speed admitted she was a little bit nervous at the beginning of the process but is confident and ready to embark on this new endeavor. Im just excited and looking forward to getting my hands in there and getting the work done, Speed said. Theres a lot to learn and a lot to do. As the Illinois economy slowly picks up steam, businesses are struggling to find workers. The National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index rose to 99.8 in April, an increase of 1.6 points from March, but a record 44% of owners reported job openings they could not fill. NFIB state director Mark Grant said several factors may contributing to the worker shortage, including child care responsibilities, and enhanced unemployment benefits. An extra $300 per week from the federal government on top of state unemployment benefits are perhaps one of the things keeping people from reentering the workforce, said Grant. To date, at least 16 states have elected to opt-out of federal unemployment programs before their official expiration on Labor Day. Governors say they are doing so in response to labor shortages, and claim the benefits are keeping people from looking for work. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Illinois will not be opting out of the extra federal money. Despite having readily available and effective COVID-19 vaccines, he believes many people are leery about going back to work. There are circumstances as well where people are afraid to go back to work and they are staying out of the workforce or at least staying away from taking a new job, Pritzker said. President Joe Biden has rejected the notion that the supplemental unemployment payments were stifling job growth and employers hiring efforts. He said his administration will make sure that unemployment insurance rules prohibit people from collecting benefits if they reject a suitable job. Grant said the employment landscape does present opportunities for some. High schoolers or young college folks who are looking for summer work who may not have had the opportunities in the past may have more opportunities for work in the summertime, Grant said. The index also showed the percent of owners expecting better business conditions over the next 6 months fell to 15%, which the organization calls surprisingly glum. Grant said if the worker shortage continues, it may be a long summer for some businesses. Members who have talked to me about their restaurants and some of their other businesses that they have that depend largely upon a lot of employees, they are concerned of not being able to stay open, Grant said. VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) A prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president was arrested Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition and Western officials denounced as a hijacking operation by the government. Raman Pratasevich, who faces charges that could bring 15 years in prison, was aboard the Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius when it changed course to head for Minsk. I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there," passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane arrived in Vilnius following several hours in the Belarusian capital. "We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again Rutkauskas said. Flight tracker sites indicated the plane was about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There were conflicting accounts of the move. The press service of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the president himself ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the airliner after he was informed of the bomb threat. Deputy air force commander Andrei Gurtsevich said the plane's crew made the decision to land in Minsk. But Ryanair said in a statement that Belarusian air traffic control instructed the plane to divert to the capital. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called the incident a state-sponsored terror act. He said that the European Council would discuss the case Monday and that he would propose banning Belarusian planes from European Union airports and serious sanctions against Lukashenko's government. Belarusian airspace is completely unsafe for any commercial flight, and it should be deemed this not only by the EU but by the international community. Because now, this instrument could be used for any plane crossing Belarusian airspace, said Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis.. Pratasevich is a co-founder of the Telegram messaging apps Nexta channel, which Belarus last year declared as extremist after it was used to help organize major protests against Lukashenko. The protests have dwindled in recent months, but Belarus authorities are continuing to crack down on opposition with arrests. The Belarus presidential press service said the bomb threat was received while the plane was over Belarusian territory. Officials later said no explosives were found on board. Passengers were taken off the plane in Minsk. After the plane arrived in Vilnius, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said Pratasevich's girlfriend and four other people did not reboard. We will find out who are the other four that did not travel with the rest. Lithuania has launched an investigation to find out what really happened on that plane, he said on Facebook. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to begin an investigation. It is absolutely obvious that this is an operation by the special services to hijack an aircraft in order to detain activist and blogger Raman Pratasevich, she said in a statement. Not a single person who flies over Belarus can be sure of his safety. The ICAO later said it is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing. Belarusian authorities said there were 123 passengers on the plane. But Landsbergis, the Lithuanian foreign minister, said there were 171. Western countries also expressed alarm. Belarus showed again its contempt for international community and its citizens, U.S. Ambassador Julie Fisher said, calling the event dangerous and abhorrent. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: It is utterly unacceptable to force @Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that "such an act cannot be left without definite consequences from the side of the European Union and called for Pratasevich to be released. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the incident shocking and accused Lukashenkas government of endangering the lives of those aboard the aircraft, some of them Americans. He called for the release of Pratasevich and for the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review the incident. Independent media are an essential pillar supporting the rule of law and a vital component of a democratic society. The United States once again condemns the Lukashenka regimes ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of journalists, Blinken said. Months of protests erupted in Belarus after last August's presidential election that official results said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office. Police cracked down on the protests harshly, detaining around 30,000 people and beating many of them. Although protests died down during the winter, Belarus has continued to take actions against the opposition and independent news media. Last week, 11 staff members of the TUT.by news website were detained by police. ___ Associated Press writers Jim Heintz in Moscow and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. Before a global summit in June that is expected to put further heat on the Morrison government's silence on climate change, the UN's 'Group of Seven' nations have decided to suspend financing of unabated coal-fired power plants by the end of 2021. G7 Statement Environment ministers from G7 countries issued a communique on Friday emphasizing the need to phase out new direct government subsidies for carbon-intensive international fossil energy sources to meet 1.5C climate goals. Positive new agreements from G7 climate ministers. - end overseas financing of coal this year - accelerate transition from 'unabated' coal capacity - 'overwhelmingly' decarbonised power in the 2030s But it is *still* short of what is needed for 1.5C. pic.twitter.com/y2Koflt5UE Ember (@EmberClimate) May 21, 2021 "In line with this overall approach, and acknowledging that continued global investment in unabated coal power generation is incompatible with keeping 1.5C within reach, we emphasize that international investments in unabated coal must stop now, and we commit to take concrete steps toward an end to new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation by the end of the year. Related Article: 20 Companies are Responsible for 55% of the World's Total Plastic Waste, Report Shows Phasing Out Coal Power by 2030 It's cool they "recognise that coal power generation is the single biggest cause of global temperature increases"! This from the IEA Net Zero shows that of the 38% fall in global CO2 this decade, over HALF (54%) the fall is expected to come from coal power alone... pic.twitter.com/03uDEWvY8I Ember (@EmberClimate) May 21, 2021 The G7 communique refused to set a concrete date for coal-fired power's phase-out. According to a new study from the International Energy Agency, coal power in developing economies must be phased out entirely by 2030, at the least if the planet is to meet the 1.5C goals. "Recognizing that coal power production is the single largest source of global temperature rises, we pledge now to quickly scale up technology and policies that will further drive the transformation away from unabated coal capacity and toward an overwhelmingly decarbonized power grid in the 2030s, compliant with our 2030 NDCs and net-zero commitments," according to the Communique. Though the communique is welcome, UK-based analyst Dave Jones of Ember points out that it is only "two goals shy of a hat trick." "The G7 ministers have failed to take the other two critical steps: phase out coal by 2030 and achieve renewable energy by 2035." Germany Under Pressure Germany, a G7 member, is under the most pressure, with a live controversy about whether coal will be phased out in 2038, as the government now plans, or in 2030, consistent with climate targets. Pressure is mounting on the government to go ahead with its existing coal phase-out timetable due to a referendum this year and a surprise change in its climate targets imposed by court action. The country remains a significant player in coal pollution within Europe and around the world. Related Article: Sustainable New Normal: Green Energy Capacity Increases by 45% During COVID-19 Pandemic Australia Australia will make a contribution to the G7 summit, which will take place on June 11th. This is expected to repeat Australia's past efforts to project a climate-action picture amid a slew of actions in recent weeks and months to fund fossil fuel companies and attack renewables. Also Read: Future Tech Can Achieve Net Zero Goals Without Sacrificing Quality of Life, John Kerry Says For more news about Environmental Action, don't forget to follow Nature World News! VIENNA (AP) Iran and the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agreed Monday to a one-month extension to a deal on surveillance cameras at Tehran's atomic sites, buying more time for ongoing negotiations seeking to save the country's tattered nuclear deal with world powers. The last-minute discussions, including the International Atomic Energy Agency pushing back a statement planned for Sunday, further underscored the narrowing window for the U.S. and others to reach terms with Iran as it presses a tough stance with the international community over its atomic program. The Islamic Republic is already enriching and stockpiling uranium at levels far beyond those allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal. Speaking at a news conference Monday in Vienna, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi told journalists that came after a discussion with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's civilian nuclear program. He acknowledged that challenges remain, however, as the agency still can't access images taken by its cameras. Id want to stress this is not ideal, Grossi said. "This is like an emergency device that we came up with in order for us to continue having these monitoring activities. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's representative to the IAEA, acknowledged the deal at the same time on Twitter. He said Tehran's civilian nuclear agency, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, would keep the material already recorded by the IAEA cameras. We recommend the negotiating countries to seize the extra opportunity provided by Iran in good faith for the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner, Gharibabadi wrote. Under a confidential agreement called an Additional Protocol with Iran, the IAEA collects and analyzes images from a series of surveillance cameras installed at Iranian nuclear sites. Those cameras helped it monitor Tehrans program to see if it is complying with the nuclear deal. Irans hard-line parliament in December approved a bill that would suspend part of U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories did not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions by February. The IAEA then struck a three-month deal with Iran in February to have it hold the surveillance images, with Tehran threatening to delete them afterward if no deal had been reached. Iran since has broken all the deal's limits after then-President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's civilian program, said Monday that Tehran had stockpiled 5 tons of uranium enriched up to 5% purity, 90 kilograms (198 pounds) enriched up to 20% and 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) up to 60%. That's still below weapons-grade levels of 90% purity. Iran long has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The West fears it could be used to help Tehran potentially obtain an atomic bomb, though U.S. intelligence agencies say they assess that Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities ... necessary to produce a nuclear device. Negotiations continue in Vienna to see if both the U.S. and Iran can re-enter the deal, which limited Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Iran and the U.S. aren't directly negotiating, however. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador to the IAEA, called Monday's agreement commendable. It will help maintain businesslike atmosphere at the Vienna talks on #JCPOA and facilitate a successful outcome of the diplomatic efforts to restore the nuclear deal, he wrote on Twitter, using an acronym for the deal. But if a deal isn't reached in a month's time, that footage again would be in jeopardy. Asked about that, Grossi simply said: We are going to discuss that when we get to that point. He also acknowledged Irans upcoming June 18 presidential election could mean new faces at the negotiating table. So far, Grossi has been dealing with the administration of the relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani, which clinched the nuclear deal. Analysts believe hard-liners have an edge going into the vote. We deal with Iran and the Iranian people will give itself its new government in the next elections," Grossi said. "So Im not worried and Im confident that whoever comes next will, of course, continue cooperating with the IAEA. I think it's in everybody's interests. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. The Food and Drug Administrations announcement of a ban on menthol cigarettes birthed one the strangest political alliances of recent memory. Civil rights and social justice groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union align with law enforcement organizations, libertarians, and conservatives in criticizing the bid to enact one of the most significant prohibitions in decades. For now, litigation from pressure groups has put enough pressure on the FDA to advance a policy that was explicitly rejected by the Obama administration a little more than a decade ago. The rationale for prohibition rests on two assumptions. The first is that menthol cigarettes present a more significant threat to public health than their non-menthol counterparts, particularly to Black Americans. The second is that banning menthol will not produce a sizable illicit market and wont result in more interactions between cops and minorities. On the public health side, the evidence doesnt support the prohibitionist position. Most Black smokers indeed use a menthol product. But Black adults are no more likely to smoke than whites, who mostly use non-menthol cigarettes. Secondly, Black youth are less likely to smoke than their white peers. The majority of youth who smoke, which is mercifully small, use non-menthol cigarettes. Research consistently shows that menthol smokers tend to smoke fewer cigarettes per day than non-menthol smokers. A study published by Reason Foundation found states with more menthol cigarette consumption relative to all cigarettes have lower rates of child smoking. Several studies have shown menthol cigarettes are not in and of themselves more lethal than non-menthol cigarettes, with menthol smokers tending to live longer than other smokers, presumably due to lower consumption. If menthol cigarettes were especially attractive to youth and more addictive than other cigarettes, we should observe more youth smoking menthol and menthol smokers using more cigarettes. In reality, the opposite is true. The greater burden of death and disease by smoking results from non-menthol cigarettes. Advocates of prohibition insist banning a product used by millions wont produce any of the deleterious effects we see in other illegal markets such as drugs. This claim is made on the basis that the rule only bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of menthol. Users wont be criminalized, and the FDA wont be sending agents onto the streets to interrogate menthol smokers. This point is both true and irrelevant. The Volstead Act didnt criminalize the purchase or use of alcohol but was still disastrous. States, not the FDA, will determine how to enforce a menthol ban. Its simply not tenable to claim that ban will result in millions of menthol smokers quitting without any major enforcement against illicit markets. Speaking to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2008, the president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Matthew Myers, explained why he opposed banning menthol cigarettes. If you immediately withdrew a product, so many people use and are addicted to, you cant say for certain what the reaction will be. Myers went on to warn such a ban could lead to illegal trafficking. A document from the group said menthol should not be immediately banned because it would negatively impact public health. Myers is still head of the group and is now one of the most vocal supporters of prohibition. A report on Americas illicit tobacco market compiled by the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine examined the possible effect of a menthol ban. The report hypothesized that most menthol users would switch to non-menthol cigarettes but heavier smokers were more likely to report that they would seek mentholated cigarettes through the illicit market. Menthol bans in Canada and the E.U. have seen most menthol smokers switch to regular cigarettes, but a significant portion still obtains menthol products through illicit means. Whether its alcohol, gambling, or marijuana, arguments for prohibition are always tempting, especially when coated in the promise that previous failures will not be replicated. Those promises always fail to materialize. Despite so many failed experiments with one of the worst policy tools of the last 100 years, there will always be a clique of people willing to try it again. Unfortunately, the FDA has become the vehicle for yet another experiment in prohibition. Guy Bentley is director of consumer freedom at the Reason Foundation. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. Death toll from Congo volcano eruption rises to at least 32 View Photo KINSHASA, Congo (AP) The volcanic eruption in eastern Congo two days ago has killed at least 32 people, officials said Monday as residents searched for missing loved ones amid destroyed homes on the outskirts of the eastern city of Goma where aftershocks were detected. With little warning Mount Nyiragongo turned the dark sky fiery red Saturday night and then spewed torrents of lava into villages destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors said. The toll Monday increased from 22 to 32, and was likely to continue rising, saidccording to Joseph Makundi, head of Civil Protection for the North Kivu province. More than a dozen people died in car accidents while trying to escape, he said. Others were killed when lava hit their homes. Some died Monday from inhaling smoke or toxic gas when they were walking across a wide expanse of the cooling lava, the scientific director of the Volcanic Observatory of Goma, Celestin Kasereka Mahinda, told The Associated Press. They were traveling on the road between Kibati and Goma that was cut off by a flow of lava 1,000 meters (about a half-mile) wide, he said. The population of Goma must avoid unnecessary travel, but also not visit places that have been hit by lava from the volcano because these lavas are toxic and harmful, he said. Grief, disbelief and fear hung over the area as a delegation of government ministers, including Congos health minister, visited Goma after flying in from neighboring Rwanda. Scientists at the volcano observatory werent able to adequately warn the public of the eruption because of a funding cut, Mahinda said. The observatory no longer has the support of the central government or of external donors, which explains why the volcanic eruption was such a surprise, Mahinda told The Associated Press. A partnership between the government and the World Bank that had supported the observatory was cut in October 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the observatory without even internet, he said. The observatory had just started to resume operations last month thanks to new funding from the U.S. Geological Surveys Volcano Disaster Assistance Program, which means the observatory can at least gather data after the eruption, he said. The volcano remains active and earthquake tremors are being recorded, he said, calling on the population to remain vigilant. The government ministers visiting Goma Monday were assessing what aid is needed for those hurt by the eruption. The government team dispatched expressly here in Goma, following the volcanic eruption which caused a lot of damage in the city, Minister of Public Health Jean-Jacques Mbungani said. It is important that a strong signal from our government is given. We will have discussions with the military governor as well as with all the stakeholders so that we can identify avenues for quick solutions for the population. The military governor of North Kivu province, Lt. Gen. Constant Ndima called on the population of Goma not to send children to school. Gomas international airport of Goma and the airport in Kavumu in South Kivu province were closed for security reasons, he said in a statement. The volcano eruption caused about 5,000 people to flee from one neighborhood of Goma, a city of about 2 million people, across the nearby border into Rwanda. Another 25,000 others sought refuge to the northwest in Sake, the U.N. childrens agency said. More than 170 children were still feared missing, and UNICEF officials said they were organizing transit centers to help unaccompanied children in the wake of the disaster as more than 150 children were reportedly separated from their families. Goma ultimately was largely spared the mass destruction caused by Mt. Nyiragongos last eruption in 2002. Hundreds died then and more than 100,000 people were left homeless. Goma is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies as well as a U.N. peacekeeping mission. Much of surrounding eastern Congo is threatened by a multitude of armed groups vying for control of the regions lucrative mineral resources. ___ Associated Press writer Al-Hadji Kudra Maliro in Beni, Congo, contributed to this report. By JEAN-YVES KAMALE Associated Press Arab woman gets kidney from Jewish man killed in Israel riot View Photo JERUSALEM (AP) A Jewish man killed during an eruption of Mideast violence has given new life to an Arab woman in bitter times. Yigal Yehoshua, 56, died May 17 after being pelted with rocks amid clashes between Arabs and Jews in Israels mixed city of Lod. The ethnic violence was triggered by protests and clashes in Jerusalem that also ignited an 11-day Gaza War. In Lod and other mixed cities inside Israel, groups of Arabs and Jews fought each other in the streets, torched cars and businesses, and savagely beat up anyone from the other side who crossed their path. But after days and nights of war and ugliness, there was a rare moment of hope, when Randa Aweis, a 58-year-old mother of six, got one of Yehoshuas kidneys after a 10-year wait. He was registered as an organ donor; the Jewish man and the Arab woman were medically a match. I could not believe it, she said in an interview Monday at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Im telling you, I couldnt believe it. They saved me, she said. People say he was a good man, that he didnt do any harm, so why was he murdered? Thats forbidden. There must be peace between Jews and Arabs, real peace. Israelis long accustomed to periodic unrest in Gaza and the occupied West Bank were shocked by the violence, which hit closer to home than at any point since the 2000 Palestinian intifada, or uprising. At times, it seemed like the start of a civil war. Israels Arab citizens, who make up 20% of the population, said the violence was rooted in longstanding grievances. They have citizenship, including the right to vote, but face widespread discrimination. They also have close familial ties to the Palestinians and largely identify with their cause, leading many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion. I share in the sorrow of the family of the late Yigal Yehoshua who was murdered in a lynch carried out by Arab rioters in Lod, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said when the death was announced last week. We will settle accounts with whoever participated in this murder; nobody will escape punishment, he added. Police have arrested several suspects in connection with the violence. Aweis never met Yehoshua but she spoke to his widow on a tearful video call. She hopes to visit his family in person once she has recovered from the transplant. Yigal saved me, and as much as I say thank you to the family, to everyone, its not enough. By ISAAC SCHARF Associated Press Prosecutor: Late former priest killed altar boy in 1972 View Photo BOSTON (AP) Investigators were preparing to seek an arrest warrant for a defrocked Roman Catholic priest long considered a suspect in the 1972 killing of a western Massachusetts altar boy shortly before his death last week, a prosecutor said Monday. Incriminating admissions Richard Lavigne made in a series of recent interviews while in a medical facility further implicated the longtime suspect in 13-year-old Danny Croteaus death, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni told reporters. Gulluni said his office was prepared to prosecute Lavigne for Croteaus killing, but he died Friday at the age of 80 before he could be arrested. Lavigne indicated in interviews this year with investigator that he had brought Croteau to the riverbank, physically assaulted him, left him there and returned sometime later to see the boy floating in the river, Gulluni said. I just remember being heartbroken when I saw his body going down the river knowing I was responsible for giving him a good shove, Lavigne said in one snippet of the interviews played for reporters. On Friday, before learning about Lavignes death, Gulluni had authorized investigators to present the evidence to a magistrate judge in order to obtain an arrest warrant for Lavigne, the prosecutor said. Based on the accumulation of evidence, and in particular those admissions, as a prosecutor I believe that I was fulfilling my ethical duties by moving toward the charge of murder against Richard Lavigne and I believe we could prove it, Gulluni said. Lavigne, who always insisted he was innocent, never admitted in those interviews to killing the boy, Gulluni said. Joe Croteau, Dannys brother, said his family is disappointed that Lavigne will not be brought to justice, but believe theres a higher power and he will face that higher power now. Lavigne, the Croteau familys parish priest was the only named suspect in the killing of the boy found dead in Chicopee, miles from the familys Springfield home. But a lack of evidence left the case unsolved for decades. Lavigne had a close relationship with the Croteaus family and often hosted the boy for overnight visits. Days after Croteaus body was found, Lavigne asked authorities: If a stone was used and thrown in the river, would the blood still be on it? One of Croteaus other brothers told authorities a man called shortly after the boys death and apologized for what happened to Danny, saying it was an accident and that the boy had seen something he shouldnt have. The caller would not identify himself and hung up, but Croteaus brother said he recognized the voice as Lavignes. Speculation over Lavignes involvement intensified after sex abuse allegations against the priest emerged years after Croteaus death. The priest pleaded guilty in 1992 to molesting young male parishioners. He was sentenced to 10 years probation and seven months of mandatory sex-offender counseling. He was defrocked in 2003. Croteau was last seen alive on April 14, 1972. His bludgeoned body was found the next day on the banks of the Chicopee River miles from the familys home in Springfield. An autopsy concluded the boy had been killed with a rock. Croteaus family had said they believed the priest abused their son and killed the boy to stop him from reporting it. Bishop William Byrne of the Springfield diocese said in an emailed statement that Gullunis announcement brings sad closure to a tragic event that has hung over the community for decades. It is incredibly disheartening to learn that a priest, a person ordained to care for Gods people, would have committed such an evil crime and then not taken responsibility for his actions, he said. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that the district attorneys last name is spelled Gulluni, not Gullini. By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press White House, Kremlin aim for Biden-Putin summit in Geneva View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) The White House and the Kremlin are working to arrange a summit next month between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Switzerland, according to officials. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is meeting with his Russian counterpart in Geneva, the proposed host city, this week to finalize details, according to one U.S. official familiar with the preliminary planning but not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly. Geneva is now expected to be the choice for Bidens first face-to-face meeting with Putin as president, according to a second official. The Americans and Russians are eyeing June 15-16 for the summit. An official announcement was expected in the coming days. The summit would come at the end of Bidens first foreign trip as president, a weeklong swing through Europe that includes a stop in the United Kingdom for a Group of Seven summit of leaders of the worlds richest nations, and then a visit to the Brussels headquarters of NATO, the long-standing military alliance built as a bulwark to Russian aggression. A spokesperson for the National Security Council declined to comment on the summit logistics. But, in a statement, the NSC said this weeks meeting between Sullivan and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, was an important step in the preparation for a planned U.S.-Russia summit and deemed the discussions constructive despite outstanding differences. The Biden administration first called for the summit last month after Russia engaged in a series of confrontational actions: temporarily amassing troops on the Ukrainian border, the SolarWinds hacking, reports of bounties placed on U.S. troops in Afghanistan and the poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russia is also believed to be sheltering the hackers behind a May cyberattack that shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which delivers 45% of the gasoline supply to the U.S. East Coast. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the administration wants a predictable, stable relationship with Russia. Blinken met last week in Iceland with Russias longtime Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The two diplomats described their 1-hour-and-45-minute meeting as polite and constructive, even though sharp disagreements persist. Russia proposed a new strategic dialogue, and the United States seemed receptive. There is a lot of rubble, its not easy to rake it up, but I felt that Antony Blinken and his team were determined to do this. It will not be a matter for us, Lavrov said, according to the news agency Tass. Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who often aimed to cozy up to Putin. Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trumps refusal to side with U.S. intelligences agencies over Putins denials of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Under Biden, the United States has sought to pressure Russia through economic sanctions. It imposed penalties last week on Russian companies and ships for their work on a natural gas pipeline in Europe, though the Biden administration spared the German company overseeing the project, to the frustration of several Republican and Democratic lawmakers. In April, the administration expelled 10 Russian diplomats and placed sanctions on several dozen companies and people, an attempt to punish the Kremlin for interfering in last years presidential election and the SolarWinds hacking that breached federal agencies and private companies. The hacking of widely used software from Texas-based SolarWinds Inc. exposed several troubling vulnerabilities for the U.S. government and major companies. At least nine federal agencies and dozens of companies were the target of an extensive cyberespionage effort that was discovered in December. I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so I chose to be proportionate, Biden said when announcing the sanctions on April 15 at the White House. The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. But Biden added that it is his duty as U.S. president to respond with further actions if Russia continues to interfere with our democracy. Russia responded quickly to the sanctions by ordering 10 U.S. diplomats to leave, blacklisting eight current and former U.S. officials and tightening requirements for U.S. Embassy operations with bans on the hiring of Russian citizens and third-country nationals. Adding another wrinkle to the expected talks: the diversion of a Ryanair flight to Lithuania by Belarus that led to the arrest of an opposition journalist who was a passenger on the flight. President Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus authoritarian leader, is an ally of Putins. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that Sullivan brought up concerns about Belarus actions in his talks with Patrushev. Geneva, a rich, if midsize, city on the banks of Lake Geneva, offers bucolic vistas of the Mont Blanc peak the highest in Western Europe and a reputation as both a hub for international institutions and an icon of Switzerlands much ballyhooed neutrality. Geneva became a leading crossroads of diplomacy in the postwar years of Cold War intrigue, an intersection where the Soviet-dominated Eastern bloc met the American-styled capitalist West. The city last hosted American and Russian leaders in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan met Mikhail Gorbachev a summit considered short on substance but critical in breaking the ice between East and West and fostering what would become mostly friendly relations between the two men through their tenures. A Biden-Putin meeting there could revive the reputation of the city as a hub for international diplomacy, a far cry from the Trump administration which largely shunned its globalist institutions like the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization. Bidens administration has reengaged with both of those organizations. ___ Keaton reported from Geneva. Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report. By MATTHEW LEE, JONATHAN LEMIRE and JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press In the US, June officially marks the first days of summer. According to recent forecasts however, hot days could already start coming in as early as this week. Contrary to popular expectations, California is not going to be the first to experience this. High temperature days already here for some states Temperatures within the 90 degree ranges have already been reported in states of New Jersey, Tennessee and Alabama. And in Washington, these days are expected to come even more frequently before June. With stories like the horror of the California wildfires still fresh on people's minds, an early heat wave could be seen as a troubling sign (especially when it is happening on the opposite side of the continent). However it is important to first understand how heat waves work and how to see them in an environmental context before jumping to conclusions. This is going to be even more important as global warming trends could mean more of these early heat waves. Heat waves are produced as a result of high-pressure systems. Pressure is specifically from the concentrated air in a region and that air is more or less not getting carried anywhere by wind currents. This air, in turn, gets gradually heated by the sun and thus affects everything in the area. And now, this high-pressure area is growing across the southern US and is creating record highs across all states, all across the rest of this week. On the bright side, the California wildfire incidents have taught a lot about both the complexity and importance of controlled burnings and other forest fire management practices. Also read: Atlantic Storm Warning Could Signal Early Hurricane Season for the Seventh Time Preparing for High Temperature Days Aside from wildfire prevention though, it is also important to remember health-related practices that are just as important when going about in a heat wave. Don't forget the following tips. 1. Stay hydrated. 90 degree days can actually cause your body to dehydrate in as little as 30 minutes. Take no chances and always have enough water with you when you go out in the sun. If you are planning to do some workouts or even just any intense form of physical labor, then definitely double the usual amount of water you carry. 2. Get sun protection. High heat days usually mean clear skies. And while that is a pretty sight to see, it also means you are exposed to a lot of harmful UV radiation. Make sure you wear proper sun protection as well proper sunscreen when going out. 3. Keep the air moving. What does fanning yourself, opening a window and switching on the AC all have in common during the hot day? All of them involve circulating air to keep cool. Try not to spend too much time inside hot rooms and avoid leaving pets as well as small children inside vehicles. On a final note, make sure to also catch up on what some states are already doing to boost fire prevention (and what you can do to play your part). Also read: Greenhouse Gases are Shrinking the Stratosphere - New Study As Congress returns to funding earmarks, who will benefit? View Photo HUFFMAN, Texas (AP) Dont tell Laura Fields that providing $1.7 million to her flood-prone neighborhood would be wasteful spending. Her home in a Houston-area subdivision was filled with 10 inches (25 centimeters) of water during Hurricane Harvey. The stress of that was just horrific, Fields said. You know, to see fish swimming through your house, its not a good feeling, The money sought by her congressman, Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw, to improve drainage and flood prevention in Huffman, Texas, is among thousands of requests that lawmakers have submitted as Congress begins to lift a moratorium on targeted federal spending, often referred to as earmarks. Earmarking often called pork barrel spending because lawmakers would divert funds to pet projects in their states was put on hold a decade ago. Critics thought too many projects went to a handful of powerful lawmakers and fostered a pay to play culture in which campaign contributions were often solicited from lobbyists and others. Now, earmarks are marking a sudden and robust return, revamped and renamed. Lawmakers in both parties have grown frustrated by their inability to shape spending legislation and worry that Congress has ceded too much of the power of the purse to the executive branch. The experiment could rise or fall on the reaction from voters, particularly in places skeptical of Washington spending. Many Republicans in Congress are refusing to earmark as a matter of principle, characterizing it as graft. Crenshaw said in a statement that he was proud to advocate for resources that would help his constituents and that the flood control earmark will ensure that we dont have to spend even more resources recovering from future flood events. This is not wasteful spending, no, sir, not at all, Fields said. These are our homes. This is where were supposed to feel safe and secure and not have to worry about every time a storm comes through. About $14 billion, or 1% of discretionary spending, will be devoted to earmarks in this years spending bills. The requests that lawmakers made, listed on the House Appropriations Committee website, go beyond the roads, bridges and research grants earmarked in the past. Republican Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana, for example, wants $775,000 for a mobile medical clinic offering free cancer screenings to rural residents in his district. And Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania wants $650,000 for mental health professionals to team up with police or to intervene when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis. It remains to be decided which projects will get funded. Lawmakers have been told they can put in up to 10 requests, but nobody will be getting 10 requests, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee. Supporters of earmarks have set up guardrails to curb the complaints of corruption and waste that flared in the past. Still, more than 100 House Republicans and one Democrat have declined to participate in what is now being called community project funding. Graves said he requested money for the mobile cancer screening unit because some communities in his district experience a higher rate of cancer than the national average. You hear over and over again, lack of access to care, difficulty getting appointments, affordability, Graves said. This kind of addresses all those historic deficiencies or challenges because it is the provider coming to you sort of the 2021 version of the doctor with his or her little black bag doing house calls. Graves voted against reviving earmarks when members of the House GOP conference changed their rules earlier this year. He said the process could still be improved, but in the end, its better than letting federal agencies dictate where money goes. And he said theres more accountability when lawmakers have to disclose their requests and defend them. In one of her requests, Scanlon drew on the experiences of the past summer as people in Philadelphia and elsewhere protested the death of George Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police. You know, we hear stories all the time about people calling 911 when someone is in mental health distress, and then police arrive and theres misunderstandings and there can be fatal mistakes made, Scanlon said. Scanlon cited the death in Philadelphia of Walter Wallace Jr., who was fatally shot last year after he ignored orders to drop a knife. His mother said she had warned police her son was in the throes of a mental health crisis. Police arrived on the scene. They were not equipped with tasers, Scanlon said. It appears that they did not know how to de-escalate the situation, and within a minute, Walter Wallace had been shot multiple times and he died. She said that county law enforcement officials and the local emergency medical system asked for funding to help integrate mental health specialists with law enforcement. It was one of 10 projects she selected from about 60 applicants. The House Appropriations Committee will winnow that list even further. Setting the expectations very low because we dont know if well get anything has been part of the challenge of rolling out the program, Scanlon said. Earmarks still have many detractors in Congress. About half of House Republicans declined to request funding for local projects, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Club for Growth , a conservative group, said its report card grading members votes would include whether they signed a letter from Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, pledging to abstain from earmark requests. The group said earmarks are used as legalized bribery to get lawmakers to support big spending elsewhere. By virtue of members of Congress saying, Im going to get my bridge or Im going to get my museum, or Im going to get whatever it is, youre kind of beholden, Roy said. Thats what I think is the most problematic. Senate Republicans have maintained their conference rules banning earmarks, but lawmakers are not bound by them. Separately, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will include earmarks in a bill reauthorizing money for roads, bridges and transit programs. Democrats requested money for 1,775 projects and Republicans requested money for 605 projects. As part of the vetting process, lawmakers must provide evidence of community support for the earmarks they seek. In Texas, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia said 40% of the homes in the Huffman neighborhood have flooded, some repeatedly. Garcia said the money would be used to improve and widen existing roadside ditches and culverts that drain water, moving it to bayous and other waterways. The improvements are among the flood control projects that Harris County voters approved in 2018 through a $2.5 billion bond measure. In March, county commissioners said they were facing a $1.4 billion shortfall to fully fund the bond programs flood control projects. The federal money, Garcia said, will help close the gap. Weve been waiting for four years (since Hurricane Harvey). We cant wait any longer, Garcia said. Mother Nature is not going to give us any more of a reprieve. ____ Freking reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston contributed to this report. By KEVIN FREKING and JOHN MONE Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Members of George Floyds family, and others who lost loved ones to police encounters, joined activists and citizens in Minneapolis for a march that was one of several events planned nationwide to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyds death. Hundreds of people gathered for the rally Sunday in front of the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis where former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted last month in Floyd's death. Many carried signs with pictures of Floyd, Philando Castile and other Black men killed by police. Amid chants of no justice, no peace! and Say his name, Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter watched alongside a dozen of Floyd's family members as speakers called for justice for families of Black men slain by police. It has been a long year. It has been a painful year, Floyd's sister Bridgett told the crowd on Sunday. It has been very frustrating for me and my family for our lives to change in the blink of an eye I still don't know why. Tuesday will mark one year since Floyd, who was Black, died after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyds neck as he pleaded for air. Floyds death sparked worldwide protests and calls for change in policing in the U.S. Chauvin, who is white, was convicted of murder and manslaughter in his death. Speakers at the event included several local activists, Floyd family attorney Ben Crump, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who called on the U.S. Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The legislation, which would bring about the most significant changes to policing on the federal level, would ban the use of chokeholds and establish a national database of police misconduct. We want something coming out of Washington. We want something that will change federal law, Sharpton said. There's been an adjournment on justice for too long. It's time for them to vote and make this the law. The George Floyd Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where Floyd was born, was hosting a series of events in Minneapolis to honor Floyd on the anniversary. The nonprofit was launched in Floyds honor by his siblings in September 2020 to help combat racial inequities in Black and brown communities. Other events in Minneapolis ahead of the anniversary include a virtual day of action that encourages people to organize remotely and two panels with the families and other activists on Monday, followed by a community festival and candlelight vigil on Tuesday. In New York on Sunday, Floyds brother, Terrence, attended a gathering in Brooklyn in his brothers memory organized by Sharpton. Terrence Floyd told supporters not to forget his brother or victims of racist violence. If you keep my brothers name ringing, youre going to keep everybody elses name ringing, he said. Breonna Taylor, Sean Bell, Ahmaud Arbery, you could go through the whole list. Theres a lot of them. Executive director Jacari Harris said the group has received donations from the Minneapolis Foundation, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and athletic shoe and apparel retailer Finish Line, among others. Despite large grants from corporations and other organizations, Harris the average donation to the nonprofit was $47. Harris said the group has also funded an initiative in Fayetteville to help reduce homelessness, a scholarship program for law school students and an internship program at Texas A&M University, where Floyd went to school. ___ Associated Press writer Karen Matthews in New York contributed to this report. Mohamed Ibrahim is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A weeklong manhunt for a suspect wanted in the killings of four people ended without another shot fired Monday morning as hundreds of officers surrounded him in South Carolina, authorities said. Neither Tyler Terry nor the more than 300 officers searching for him were hurt during his arrest, the Chester County Sheriffs Office posted on Twitter. The manhunt finally ended after at least three confirmed sightings of Terry since he ran from a wrecked car after firing on Chester County deputies on May 17. Deputies released photos of Terry's arrest showing an officer giving him a bottle of sports drink as he sat on a pickup tailgate with his hands cuffed behind him. Terry was wearing dirty pants, socks with no shoes and a T-shirt ripped nearly in half. Investigators didnt think Terry was getting help from anyone but broke into vehicles or possibly barns and sheds and lived off the land. He managed to steal a gun, water, shirt and shoes from an unlocked work truck last week, authorities said. Terry apparently spent the week in the same small area, eluding dozens of officers who methodically shrunk where they searched and staying out of sight of helicopters that were overhead most of the time, Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey said. Terry was hiding in weeds when a team of federal agents spotted him. He had a gun nearby but was grabbed before he could react, Dorsey said. He was certainly ready to run. But he was surrounded," Dorsey said at a Monday news conference. Terry, 26, is charged with murder in a shooting in York in early May, the killing in Great Falls of the estranged husband of the woman who drove the car as he fired at officers, and the deaths of two other people in Missouri on May 15 during robberies in the St. Louis suburbs, authorities said. Arrest warrants list Terry's address as Great Falls. Sunday afternoon, deputies spotted Terry wearing no shoes and all black clothing crossing a highway. Dorsey said the search paused overnight because authorities were sure Terry was in their perimeter and they didn't want an encounter in the dark with a possibly armed man that the sheriff said was "extremely fast and agile." When the sun rose Monday, the push to find Terry began again and was successful. He was tired, thirsty," Dorsey said. "Hes all cut up. Hes got bug bites. His clothes are torn. Hes exhausted. The search grew from about 100 officers last week to 300 officers Monday. The seven-day manhunt in the same area for a suspect is one of the longest in recent memory in South Carolina. Hes been homeless for some time and may have spent long periods of time living in the woods. Im not saying he is Superman, but that could help explain some things, Chester County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Grant Suskin said, The woman driving Terry was arrested after wrecking the car. Adrienne Simpson, 34, is charged along with Terry with killing Eugene Simpson, from whom she had been separated for several years. An arrest warrant said she confessed that both she and Terry shot the father of her children, and that she helped dump his body in a ditch. On Monday, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell charged Terry and Simpson with two counts of first-degree murder and 12 other counts in the deaths of Barbara Goodkin, 71, and Sergei Zacharev, 58. Investigators said Zacharev was shot Saturday night during a robbery in a restaurant parking lot in the St. Louis suburb of Brentwood, and Goodkin was shot about 45 minutes later as she sat in her car in University City. The charges allege Goodkin's husband, Stanley Goodkin, also was shot and his cellphone saved his life. Bell said Terry and Simpson also are charged in a previously unreported shooting. A motorist, whose name was not released, reported being shot at 10 times while he was driving on Highway 170 in the St. Louis area on May 15. Three bullets hit his car, but he was not injured. Investigators are still trying to determine why the suspects were in the St. Louis area, Bell said. Simpson, who had a black eye in her booking photo, was the victim when Terry was arrested on a first-degree criminal domestic violence charge a year ago. Terry hit his girlfriend so hard that she lost hearing in one ear and an eye swelled shut, according to an arrest warrant from Chester. Police in Myrtle Beach also charged Terry with domestic violence after he hurt Simpsons hand and broke her phone in a March 31 argument, according to a police report. Simpson's mother, who said she spoke with her after her arrest, said Terry was physically and mentally abusive and her daughter was scared of him but also loved him. The couple was together in Missouri and investigators are retracing their route as they traveled there from South Carolina to see if any other crimes were committed. I pray that he comes out alive so he can face justice. And I pray Adrienne is cooperating with law enforcement. Which I know she will serve serious time for her part in it. But she dont need to take the fall for all of it, Carol DeWitt told WBTV-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ Boston Omaha Corp. (BOMN) on Monday reported first-quarter net income of $84.4 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier. The Omaha, Nebraska-based company said it had net income of $3.09 per share. San Antonio viewers will notice some changes at KSAT 12. Traffic anchor Samuel King is moving from Good Morning San Antonio to the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. evening newscasts. Samuel has covered traffic and transportation for GMSA recently and will now focus on the bigger transportation issues facing Bexar County residents in the future," said news director Bernice Kearney. Reporter Steven Cavazos will be joining King on the Traffic Authority Team. He will be handling traffic for GMSA while continuing to report on local stories for KSAT 12s morning news shows. READ ALSO: KSAT 12 announces morning show shakeup Were excited to grow our Traffic Authority team to cover our viewers from morning till night with Steven and Samuel, said KSAT 12 Vice President and General Manager Phil Lane. Kearney echoed those sentiments. Steven has shown an interest in reporting on traffic issues for morning commuters and hes thrilled about joining the team with Samuel as the lead reporter, said Kearney. We now have a complete traffic team that can cover our viewers from morning to night. With many businesses bringing employees back into the office, we feel this is the best time to grow our traffic team and add more coverage for all our newscasts." The changes went into effect on Monday. The GMSA Traffic Authority Team previously consisted of San Antonio Police Department officers. Towards the end of 2020, GMSA Traffic officers Marcus Trujillo and Nick Soliz left KSAT 12 to focus on their SAPD careers and to spend more time with their families. On the May 23 episode of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," the ever-quippy late-night host took on the problem with sponsored content. A common way for media outlets to generate revenue, sponsored content is the practice of incorporating advertising segments seamlessly (and sometimes inconspicuously) into TV news broadcasts, newspapers, and digital publications. Right now it's far too easy to make a ridiculous product that makes outlandish claims and get it on to local TV, I know this because we did it, said Oliver. In doing so, he was able to trick several TV news stations, including Austin's ABC affiliate, KVUE, into airing fake product Oliver and his team developed: the world's first sexual wellness blanket. READ MORE: Lana Del Rey is transforming from California glam to Texas cowgirl before our eyes As Oliver predicted, the phony blanket company, dubbed Venus Inventions, was aired under KVUE's "while only boasting a webpage, a lot of fake mythology (the blanket allegedly uses "magneto-genetics" pioneered in Germany 80 years ago), and a brand representative (an actress hired by Oliver). During the KVUE clip, entitled FYI Austin, the actress made a series of blatantly false medical claims about the product and was met with no protest or criticism on air from the Texas journalist. The paid segment followed actual reporting on a ceasefire in the Middle East, a local shortage of lifeguards, and bail reform. Its clear how lines could get blurry for viewers when faced with unsubstantiated sponsored content claims especially when left unchecked by journalists, a cohort that the public relies on to provide factual news. If you're going to allow that product into the body of your local newscast, you might want to have some very pointed questions ready, Oliver said of other questionable (and real) products regularly featured in sponsored content segments across the country. After buying time for his fraudulent sexual healing blanket at news stations in Utah, Denver, and Austin, the Last Week Tonight host only had to pay $7,200. READ MORE: Drone photos show ridiculously long line for oversold concert at Cowboys Dancehall As we have said for years now, the integrity of local news is crucially important, and theres real harm for everyone if that integrity is damaged. To the owners of these stations who are selling them out at a depressingly cheap price I have a simple question. The f**k are you doing?, Oliver closed. In a request for statement, a KVUE spokesperson provided the following: FYI Austin is a two-minute commercial spot that is not a part of the KVUE newscast. While it is a commercial spot, it was an error to air it, and we are reviewing our processes, so this doesnt happen again. Hopefully, no Texans looking to rejuvenate their sexual health got their hopes up, but with the hazy distinction between reporting and advertising, we can understand if you were misled even if though the blanket looks like its straight out of your local Walmart. (Oh wait, it probably is.) Camille Sauers is a freelance writer based in San Antonio. Follow her on twitter @camillesaccount. Send her emails to camillefrancissauers@gmail.com Express-News file photo Rocker Chris Perez spent his Saturday night looking back on "Fotos y Recuerdos" of his time in the Selena y los Dinos Tejano band. Perez, who was married to the icon at the time of her 1995 death, posted a throwback photo on Saturday while in New York City. Something about roaming around The Big Apple left him thinking back on his days in cow print blazers, providing the instrumentals for Selena's hits as she rose to stardom throughout the early 1990s. As the sister of District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, one could argue that Phyllis Viagran entered the race to replace her as the silent heir apparent. However, the prequel to her story brings to light a history of community involvement that has gone largely under the radar until now. In fact, throughout her sisters eight-year tenure, Phyllis has been right there alongside her and is richly familiar with the inner workings of City Hall. The [media] and others talked about me as the frontrunner so I really wanted to prove that I was a frontrunner, says Viagran via Zoom. Shes wearing a checkered blouse and a black headset that nearly matches the color of her dark brown hair. READ MORE: Progressive Teri Castillo offers a new direction for District 5 It is a unique position and Im appreciative of it," she says of both the family connection and her municipal insight. I wish I was already [on council] but I just have to be patient and be ready to work and ask the questions of City staff once I get there. Viagran firmly believes that she has the qualifications, connections, and energy for the job, which is why she initially decided to run. After looking around and seeing who was interested and who was not interested in running for the seat I finally decided that I would regret it if I dont run, she told me last December. In the general election, a field of 12 candidates competed in the D3 race and 10,269 in-district ballots were ultimately cast. Viagran finished the night leading with 22 percent of the vote (2,260 votes). Former Texas House Representative Tomas Uresti trailed with 14.7 percent of votes (1,514). The race will go to a runoff on June 5. The District 3 rematch mirrors the family-centric tenor of the South Side. Both candidates are members of two political families, the Viagran sisters and the Uresti brothers. Tomas is brother to Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti and former state Sen. Carlos Uresti. READ MORE: Catching up with District 2 Council candidate Jalen McKee-Rodriguez [Voters] really wanted to get to know me, says Viagran who previously worked for the Citys crisis response team, helping people affected by domestic violence. Some of them knew me as Rebeccas sister, but they wanted to make sure that I knew the issues. On the campaign trail, Viagran expressly made herself known to everyone she met. People knew that they were voting for me, she says in response to those who believe that some voters may have inattentively cast their vote for the outgoing councilwoman. Of the 22 percent that went out there, we made it clear who I was and what I stood for. The runoff has been Viagrans opportunity to set the record straight while continuing to build her own political brand. With 11 opponents, there were so many stories going on about who I was and what I stood for because I was labeled the frontrunner, she says. Now Im trying to talk to people and say, 'That may have been what that candidate told you [about me], but thats not who I am.' Her background includes her four-year turn at Visit San Antonio, which connected her to the business sector. Currently, she works for Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), where she helps seniors navigate technology. In regard to city issues, Viagran says the passage of Proposition A will offer the city more menu options now that the bond funding can be used for public purpose. Once we go into the bond committees, we need to see what [will be] the best course of action, if its to invest in affordable housing or expand the rehab programs for existing housing and legacy homeowners, she says. Viagrans bond wish list begins with one of her signature platforms, caring for older adults. The priority for me is seniors and their housing, she says. If [seniors] want to live in place with dignity, we have the programs to make sure that they can do that. Or do we have [an] affordable senior living [center] in District 3 so they can stay in the community and live here with dignity? I ask Viagran what the defeat of Proposition B means for D3. What that means for District 3 is were going to push very hard to get our [police] substation, she replies. And we do need to address police accountability, [but] we can get accountability without taking away collective bargaining from a union. Though the runoff can be demanding, Viagran is enjoying the thrill of her first campaign. I just want the voters in District 3 and the citizens of San Antonio to know that my work ethic and the integrity that I was raised with by my parents, its going to translate into my service at City Hall, she says. When she smiles, I notice the strong resemblance to her sister. Vietnam's elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People's Council on May 23 wrapped up in success. ASEAN-China cooperation: commitments to handling urgent issues The freshly-concluded sixth Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers Meeting offered a chance for countries to affirm their commitments to cooperation in addressing urgent issues in the region, thus ensuring sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development, a Vietnamese official has said. Vietnamese beauties to compete at global pageants Miss Vietnam 2020 Do Thi Ha, a student at the Hanoi-based National Economics University, is working to prepare for her appearance at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico in December. Yen Bai enjoys bumper spring rice crops Yen Bai province cultivated close to 19,500 ha of spring rice crops this year, 2.4 percent higher than the plan. Productivity was estimated at 55.53 quintals per ha, up 0.1 quintal per ha from last years spring harvest, and total output exceeded 108,271 tonnes, surpassing the plan by 2.64 percent. Yen Binh unveils planning of two eco-urban areas Yen Binh district of Yen Bai province on June 2 held a conference to announce the detailed construction planning of the Thinh Hung 1 and 2 eco-urban areas covering an estimated area of 94.6 ha in Thinh Hung commune. Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) last week honoured its chancellor and founder Professor Ezekiel Handinawangu Guti with a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Entrepreneurship degree for his sterling work across the world. The award was endorsed by the chief executive officer for the Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education (ZIMCHE) Professor Kuzvinetsa Dzvimbo at the universitys 5th graduation ceremony where 230 students graduated with degrees in business, economics, accounting, education and social sciences. ZEGU pro-vice chancellor Professor Evelyn Garwe said the award was a testament of the visionary leadership and inspiration of Prof Guti. To you (Prof Guti), innovation, sustainability entrepreneurship and spirituality are inseparable each leading toward the betterment of society. Entrepreneurship, social, moral and spiritual responsibility are our guiding principles as we develop outstanding graduates using the total person philosophy within education 5.0 framework, she said. We believe that your exemplary work that you imparted on corporates, small and medium enterprises, academics and philanthropists will inspire our students to become global citizens and for us to be a global giant. The university has prepared a comprehensive documentary on the life of Prof Guti to congratulate him and for public consumption. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima said Prof Gutis humble beginnings assisted him in building socio-economic entrepreneurship skills that has led to regional and international relations. This honour is in recognition of you for continuously devoting yourself to social entrepreneurship which is an approach through which individuals can produce, develop, fund and implement solutions to social economic cultural and environmental problems and issues, he said. You have sought innovative solutions to social problems. Through matarenda model of entrepreneurship, you are driving economic development. This has inspired international publications in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, sociology, business and theology. In Zimbabwe a book titled Matarenda (Talents) was recently published. A family representative Dr Steve Simukai they were happy and proud of the honour bestowed on their father for his accomplishments in the social and academic sectors around the world. I express sincere gratitude on behalf of the Guti family for recognising our father with an honour of distinction. The pride of the children is their father. He is our pride, our mentor and our role model. The magnitude and impact your life has had in this region is unprecedented. Your thirst for God unquenchable and faith unshakable, he said. Director in the office of Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Mr Admore Shereni congratulated Prof Guti saying he raised the provincial flag higher. We are the envy of other provinces for housing this prestigious institution which does not only promote educational tourism but also contributes to the development strategy within the devolution agenda. Among the graduates was Herald reporter Martin Kadzere and ZBC staffers Anna Miti and Justin Mahlahla. Herald By Lambert Strether of Corrente I had hoped to post on something slightly less mundane than a CDC study from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, but May 21s Mask Use and Ventilation Improvements to Reduce COVID-19 Incidence in Elementary Schools Georgia, November 16December 11, 2020 really does seem to be different. This time. I apologize if the post is a little thin, but every time CDC drags its sluggish body toward the light, and not the darkness does the right thing, we should take notice and applaud. Readers will recall that the first CDC guidance on school re-opening, released on February 12 of this year, was appallingly bad. As I wrote back on February 18[1], when the guidance was released: You will notice immediately that aerosol transmission is omitted; the message of Strategy is that aerosol transmission can be ignored because it is not an essential element. This message is getting through; from an acute summary of Strategy in WaPo, The CDCs plan to reopen schools seems to prioritize expediency over teachers health: Heres what the guidance does well. Unlike the Trump administrations watered-down recommendations that were couched in language such as wearing masks if possible, these new guidelines are clear on many points. They lay out five mitigation measures that every school should implement: masking, distancing, hand-washing, cleaning and contact tracing. The part I like the most is how the CDC has divided schools into four categories based on degree of covid-19 transmission in their surrounding communities. At low and moderate levels, full in-person learning can occur; at higher levels, hybrid or reduced attendance is recommended. Again, the CDCs mitigation strategies omit discussion of aerosols entirely (even to ventilation). Frankly, I was gobsmacked. I hate to deploy terms like criminal malpractice, so I wont, but such was my level of gobsmacked-ness. Further, if you accept, as I do, the SARS-COV-2 can be transmitted by aerosols, the CDC Transmission document the science backing up the recommendations rests on a very modest epidemiological base. Lets consider first the CDCs suppression of aerosol transmission. I then tabulated the 61 sources that CDC cited for scientific backing, and discovered the following: You will observe there are 14 epidemiological cases in all. Recalling the example of Norway above [where students played in the open air every 45 minutes], we throw out all the examples except those from the US. Four remain, which I have helpfully highlighted. Two are gyms, which are nothing like classrooms in their patterns of ventilation, both in Florida (!). One is a choir room, ditto. One remains. Therefore, as far as school re-opening classroom epidemiology in the United States goes, transmission depends on one case . Transmission is an enormous inverted pyramid whose apex is a single point. I have to say that balancing act doesnt fill me with confidence. Well, May 21 February 12 = 101 days later, the CDC has its own study. And things change. The Summary Section throws a number of bombshells, which I have helpfully numbered, (thus): What is added by this report? COVID-19 incidence was 37% lower in schools that required teachers and staff members to use masks and 39% lower in schools that improved ventilation(1). Ventilation strategies associated with lower school incidence included dilution methods(2) alone (35% lower incidence) or in combination with filtration methods(3) (48% lower incidence). What are the implications for public health practice? Mask requirements for teachers and staff members and improved ventilation are important strategies in addition to vaccination(4) of teachers and staff members that elementary schools could implement as part of a multicomponent approach to provide safer, in-person learning environments. Bombshell (1) Masks and improved ventilation work to prevent Covid in the schools.[2] (2) Dilution means opening windows, opening doors, or using fans, as the report says further on. Here we see CDC admitting aerosol transmission without actually using the word; obviously, since cigarette smoke is an aerosol, which floats, you open a window to get rid of the smell. But if somebody hawks up a loogie, which falls, even if droplet-sized, you dont open the window to get rid of it (though you might wipe the area clean). (3) Filtration means HEPA filters (though DIY box fan filters, which CDC does not mention, are also possible). Here again see CDC admitting aerosol transmission without actually using the word. Once again, if heaven forfend you or a friend are smoking cigarettes in hotel room, you might turn on the air conditioning unit in the hopes that its filter will clean up the aerosols. But if somebody coughs or sneezes, you dont turn on the aircon to deal with the droplets! (4) Mask requirements even with vaccination will make some teachers unions happy, although I do note this masking requirement does not (seem to, see below) apply to children. (Of course, theres some wiggle room with could implement as part of a multicomponent approach, but 37% lower incidence with masks is hard to argue with, though some will try.) I dont know whether that makes this portion of Bidens triumphalist Covid speech on May 13 inoperative or not: Just a few hours ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the CDC announced that they are no longer recommending that fully vaccinated people need wear masks. This recommendation holds true whether you are inside or outside. I say it does (and for good reason, since even a fully vaccinated teacher could transmit to a classroom, even if the odds are low). Now, whether what Biden said on May 13 also contradicts what CDC said on May 13 is a separate issue, one that demands I pull on my yellow waders, which I plan to do in due course. Following its Summary Section, CDC goes into methodology, which reads in relevant part: Using data from Georgia kindergarten through grade 5 (K5) schools that opened for in-person learning during fall 2020, CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH) assessed the impact of school-level prevention strategies on incidence of COVID-19 among students and staff members before the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Among 169 K5 schools that participated in a survey on prevention strategies and reported COVID-19 cases during November 16December 11, 2020, COVID-19 incidence was 3.08 cases among students and staff members per 500 enrolled students. Adjusting for county-level incidence, COVID-19 incidence was 37% lower in schools that required teachers and staff members to use masks, and 39% lower in schools that improved ventilation, compared with schools that did not use these prevention strategies. n = 169 schools seems like a pretty good number. Finally, the CDC underlines its multiple prevention strategies rubric. More colorfully, this is known as the Swiss Cheese Model: Now, our theory checker passes the model, but in practice the model is only as good as its layers. For example, the hand hygiene slice is directed at fomite transmission, which we now know is not primary (and leads to a lot of hygiene theatre, too). Ditto touching your face. And we might add a slice to measure CO2 levels, that being a good proxy for dilution (or lack thereof; Dont share air). In any case, the CDC was recommending multiple prevention strategies back in the days when droplet transmission ruled the earth, and so, in addition to its strategic merits, the model has much to recommend it from the bureaucratic standpoint of always deploying a gluteal shield. That said: CDC recommends implementing multiple prevention strategies (2) (e.g., physical distancing, masking, improved ventilation, and contact tracing) that have been associated with lower SARS-CoV-2 transmission in kindergarten through grade 12 settings (35). Since the completion of this study, COVID-19 vaccines have become widely available, and CDC recommends vaccination for teachers, staff members, and students aged 12 years (2). Until vaccines are available for children aged <12 years, universal and correct mask use is a critical prevention strategy CDC recommends that schools prioritize regardless of vaccination status for in-person learning (2). In the current study, the lower incidence in schools requiring mask use among teachers and staff members is consistent with research on mask effectiveness (6), and investigations that have identified school staff members as important contributors to school-based SARS-CoV-2 transmission (7). Now, and I think controversially: The 21% lower incidence in schools that required mask use among students was not statistically significant compared with schools where mask use was optional. This finding might be attributed to higher effectiveness of masks among adults, who are at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection but might also result from differences in mask-wearing behavior among students in schools with optional requirements. I think this translates to the idea that students in general are so undisciplined about mask use that it makes no difference either way. More: Mask use requirements were limited in this sample; 65.1% of schools required teacher and staff member mask use and approximately one half (51.5%) required student mask use. Because universal and correct use of masks can reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission (6) and is a relatively low-cost and easily implemented strategy, findings in this report suggest universal and correct mask use is an important COVID-19 prevention strategy in schools as part of a multicomponent approach. [U]niversal and correct use of masks, following a discussion of required masks use among staff and students, would seem to contradict mask requirements for teachers and staff members (twice repeated) in the Summary. Somebody must think its clear, since the paper has like a dozen authors, but its not clear to me. * * * So that is my reading of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports new study on mask use and ventilation in schools. Im pleased to see that CDCs scientists are coming to their senses at long last following where the epidemiology leads. If in fact, which Heaven forfend, there is a Covid uptick when the schools re-open in the Fall, we will welcome having these particular multiple prevention strategies in place. I know I do harp on whether the word aerosol is used. However, its important that we use the right names for things. We need to name the theory of transmission aerosol transmision or else were robots simply following the rules, unable to adjust to new situations. (For example, open the windows is a rule, and a good one. It doesnt tell you to think about what to do in new situations. Only a theory of transmission can do that.) More importantly hold onto your hats, here, folks elites never, ever, ever hold themselves accountable. See especially the Iraq War, where everybody who was wrong is still respected and in power, and everybody who was right was and is marginalized. If we say aerosol transmission, those who got it right are more likely to be rewarded and empowered, which is how science should work after a paradigm shift. So now, we wait to see the science translated into guidance. Over to you, Rochelle! NOTES [1] This was the post that Google suppressed, or at least had an extended hiccup while adding it to their search index. [2] I remain stunned at Kindly Uncle Joes Excellent Plexiglass Adventure, in a death trap of a closed, low-ceilinged, crowded school room with no evident fans, filters, or indeed windows, open or not. How on earth did the White House staff allow that charlie foxtrot of a photo op to happen? It would be nice if now they sent him to a properly ventilated school room and had him point to a fan or a filter or an open window or an open door. Or something. Yves here. The latest Israel-Palestine conflict has barely been declared over (despite skirmishes continuing) but the post-mortems are starting, in keeping with its significance. This was a victory for Netanyahu. As Barkely Rosser points out at Econospeak: With the welcome cease fire in Israel-Palestine, it looks like Bibi Netanyahu has achieved his near term goal of remaining prime minister of Israel, thus not only remaining power but also out of jail, with barely anybody noticing that he has done this. His rival, Yair Lapid, who was invited by President Reuvan Rivlin to form a government, was hoping to cut a deal with the Israeli-Arab members of the Knesset, but that is now out of the question, so Bibi gets to stay in office. There will probably need to be another election. And while there is officially a cease fire, this has not kept the Israeli security forces from further attacking people in the al-Aqsa mosque compound, which triggered the outbreak of this short war initially. However, and perhaps readers can make sense of this for me, I dont understand how the body count on each side supports the assertion that this battle represented a win for remote warfare. Yes, the Iron Dome prevented a lot of Hamas rockets from getting through. However, if you look at the ratio of Israeli deaths to Palestinian deaths in 2021, and apply that to the 2250 Palestinian deaths in 2014, youd expect 116 Israeli deaths. In fact, far fewer died, only 67, despite ground troops being deployed in 2014 and not in 2021. By Paul Rogers, professor in the department of peace studies at Bradford University, northern England. He is openDemocracy international security adviser, and has been writing a weekly column on global security since 28 September 2001; he also writes a monthly briefing for the Oxford Research Group. His latest book is Irregular War: ISIS and the New Threat from the Margins (IB Tauris, 2016), which follows Why Were Losing the War on Terror (Polity, 2007), and Losing Control: Global Security in the 21st Century (Pluto Press, 3rd edition, 2010). He is on Twitter at: @ProfPRogers. Originally published at openDemocracy As the 11 days of clashes between Gaza and Israel ends in a ceasefire, the military analysis truly begins. The Israeli army will painstakingly review all of its operations, especially the new weapons and tactics, to judge how successful they were and what improvements are needed. Hezbollah in Lebanon has far more rockets than Hamas in Gaza, so one of the Israeli army worries will be how Hamas and other factions were able to carry on firing from such a small area right to the end, night after night. The fact that Israels Iron Dome defences intercepted most of the rockets from Gaza and even shot down a Hamas drone will be counted as a success especially for the arms companies seeking to promote Israeli expertise to new markets. Hamas, meanwhile, will conduct its own analysis and will try to increase its stockpile and hide its missiles more effectively. It will want to improve its ability to fire multiple barrages all the better to overwhelm Israels missile defences and will seek to develop guidance systems. For now, there are celebrations in Gaza that the bombardment is over. For Hamas, its narrative is simple: We stood firm, the Israelis didnt dare invade us and we kept firing to the end. War of Narratives During the last 11 days, a total of 232 people were killed in Gaza, including 65 children, against 12 killed in Israel. These tragic statistics are still far lower than the 2014 conflict, when 2,250 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, while five Israeli civilians and 67 soldiers were killed. The difference between the two conflicts is that in 2014, Israel sent troops into Gaza and by doing so, lost soldiers, including many from its elite Golani brigade. As the post-conflict war of narratives runs its course, Israels premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, will certainly claim victory. With Israels surveillance and intelligence capabilities, including drones, satellites, communications interception and many other complex systems, the Israeli army claims to have been very effective. However, the ability of Hamas to deploy ten-round multiple rocket launchers, and hide them underground prior to launch, will be a major focus point for the Israeli armys improvement, not least with an eye to Hezbollah. According to an article in the 19 May print edition of Janes Defence Weekly, one of the barrages aimed at the coastal Israeli cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon involved firing 137 rockets in five minutes. The Israeli army will also want to work on its abilities to prevent Hamas smuggling more rockets into Gaza, especially its system of speedboats operating out of Lebanon and Egypt. Israeli arms companies will be particularly keen to put the best gloss they can on weapons performance, especially the Iron Dome system, as they aim for increased sales for their combat-proven weapons. Since Israeli companies work closely with US corporations, it will be a joint process with the US military lobby. This close relationship calls into question any US involvement in mediation but may well have given US President Joe Biden power to insist on a ceasefire. The relationship has developed over decades, receiving major boosts in the years since 9/11. When the 2003 termination of the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq went so badly wrong, the Pentagon urgently sought to learn more about Israeli counterinsurgency experience. As Barbara Opall-Rome, Israel bureau chief at the US military publication Defense News, put it in an article published in March 2004: Israel has much to offer in the technological realm, while operationally, there are obvious parallels between Israels experiences over the past three years in the West Bank and Gaza and our own post-offensive operations in Iraq. Wed be remiss if we didnt make a supreme effort to seek out commonalities and see how we might be able to incorporate some of that Israeli knowledge into our plans. From that point on, there was increased collaboration in training, weapon development and surveillance technologies, and this accelerated with increased fears of missile and rocket proliferation from Hamas. Because of this, since 2009 the US Army has operated an advanced X-band missile early warning system on Mount Keren in the Negev desert in Israel, that is able to feed missile launch data directly into Israeli defence systems. Until the US began building a permanent base in Israel in 2017, the Pentagon could claim that its interventions were temporary in that the system was mobile, but there is now a permanent set-up co-located with the Israeli armys air academy near Beersheba in the Negev desert. When construction started, the US general in charge, John Gronski, hailed it as: the first ever stationing of a US Army unit on Israeli soil. The US and Israel have long planned together, exercised together, trained together. And now, with the opening of this site, these crucial interactions will occur every day. Well have Israeli airmen and US soldiers living and working side by side. The US, therefore, has troops permanently based in Israel who are directly involved in its defence. This is hardly a good position for a mediator, even less so since last week Biden approved $735 million in military sales to Israel, including precision-guided bombs. However, if Trump had won last November, its likely that the ceasefire wouldnt have been achieved at all. Horrific Loss of Life Although the immediate context of the conflict is most felt in Gaza and Israel, there is also a much wider global assessment that makes this current clash significant for any large military force internationally. Ever since the abject failure of the Western wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there has been a pronounced move away from boots on the ground and into remote warfare using strike aircraft, armed drones, special forces and private military corporations. The Israeli army has learnt the lesson of multiple casualties when confronting well-trained, determined and experienced paramilitaries: Hamas in Gaza in 2014 and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006. It will now want to avoid invasion and occupation like the plague, so specific forms of remote warfare will continue to be developed. In the wider context though, there are two issues. One is the horrific loss of life in Gaza, which is combined with the predicament of hundreds of thousands of young Palestinians in the occupied territories, who are further provoked by the growth in violent attacks by extremist Jewish youths. A unified Palestinian government, with the heavy involvement and perhaps even the dominance of Hamas, is becoming a more likely prospect. In the short term, Netanyahu may be satisfied with the outcome of the conflict but in the longer term, the ramifications remain to be seen. The second issue is more certain. On the global level, militaries, intelligence agencies and arms companies will learn every lesson they can from this, both for use in future wars and to increase sales of weapons. Arms companies will relish the opportunity to develop new weapons as the era of remote warfare unfolds. As ever, it is the arms industry that gains the most as the Shakespeare quote goes, now thrive the armourers indeed. Pennies In Bags of Water Make Flies Flee Tennessee Farm Bureau (Furzy Mouse). Glut of cash in US financial system pressures Fed policy rate FT For Startup Leaders, SPACs Have Lost Their Allure WSJ. If Silicon Valley cant stomach them, SPACs must be quite something. Former Goldman Executive Sumit Rajpal Launches Buyout Firm WSJ. [T]argeting companies that are sitting on valuable troves of data that can be used more effectively to spur growth. #COVID19 Exclusive | Coronavirus: Post exposes undisclosed Vancouver outbreaks, as medical chief says relatives blame her for deaths South China Morning Post. SCMP breaking stories in Canada.. China? Myanmar Dutertes daughter Sara in focus as his presidency winds down Nikkei Asian Review. Another dynasty. Japan ramps up mass vaccinations in Tokyo and Osaka amid Covid surge BBC Syraqistan The BBI Judgment and the Invention of Kenya Verfassungsblog UK/EU New Cold War Biden Administration Democrats en Deshabille Why the Democrats Need an Architectural Vision to Counter the Rights The New Republic Republican Funhouse By singling out Dominion, the GOP has successfully deflected from legitimate election-security concerns involving Americas largest voting machine vendor, ES&S. Jennifer Cohn. I hate to keep harping on this, but if Arizonas election officials had used hand-marked paper ballots, hand-counted in public, the Maricopa recounting process would have consisted of simply counting the paper ballots again. Health Care Big Brother Is Watching You Watch People Are Using an Ancient Method of Writing Arabic to Combat AI Censors Hyperallergic It only looks like Chinese: At first glance, a Chinese instruction manual of some kind. But look closely: everything here every single word without exception is in English. This is An Introduction to Square Word Calligraphy, a livre d'artiste by the acclaimed Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing. 1/7 pic.twitter.com/YvwIqgnYNn Incunabula (@incunabula) March 25, 2021 Our Famously Free Press Lateral Reading: Reading Less and Learning More When Evaluating Digital Information SSRN. To investigate how people determine the credibility of digital information, we sampled 45 individuals: 10 Ph.D. historians, 10 professional fact checkers, and 25 Stanford University undergraduates. We observed them as they evaluated live websites and searched for information on social and political issues. Historians and students often fell victim to easily manipulated features of websites, such as official-looking logos and domain names. They read vertically, staying within a website to evaluate its reliability. In contrast, fact checkers read laterally, leaving a site after a quick scan and opening up new browser tabs in order to judge the credibility of the original site. Compared to the other groups, fact checkers arrived at more warranted conclusions in a fraction of the time. Lateral reading is what we do. . Black Injustice Tipping Point Nothing Has Made Me Feel More American Than Going to Jail The Marshall Project Guillotine Watch Convicted Libor trader Tom Hayes to join private spook firm FT Class Warfare Status Anxiety as a Service Noah Smith, Noahpinion Turns Out Its Pretty Good: Enemies New York Magazine Consent Theater Cory Doctorow, One Zero Antidote du Jour (Crittermom): Crittermom writes: After dropping my puppy at the vets (an hour away) for the day, I ventured a mile down the road to a small lake that was being drained, after reading about it and the bird activity as a result. There were at least three dozen White-faced Ibis, three Avocets, and this lone seagull who seemed to prefer hanging out with the Ibis, as it joined one for a stroll along the shore. See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. I began my journalism career in Nashville in 1990, with my current position with Nashville Post having evolved since October 2000 (when I was with the now-defunct The City Paper, a sister publication of the Post starting in 2008). Follow William Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today (Natural News) Over the last week, we published several bombshell interviews with extraordinary truth tellers who are red-pilling the entire world. Heres an overview of the top interviews, all hosted on Brighteon.com, the free speech alternative to YouTube. To begin, Dr. Christiane Northrup spoke with me about covid-19 vaccine shedding / transmission, specifically focusing on womens health and the horrifying blood clotting thats happening in women who are simply around vaccinated people (even if they arent vaccinated themselves). Watch the full interview here: Brighteon.com/2aaed9bc-aa22-4da2-bdf8-2b0f2059983a In another terrifying interview, Dr. Lee Merritt joined me to discuss spike proteins as bioweapons, and how there are elements of the current plandemic that dont add up if you assume this is simply a viral transmission scenario. Theres something else afoot, and its sinister. Were spike proteins mass produced and deliberately released in New York City? We discuss this possibility and more: Brighteon.com/a39081f7-59cd-415a-8233-f4a24b655b54 Another mind-blowing interview features Greg Caton, who warns about the accelerating end times global warfare thats already underway and will wreak havoc across the planet through 2024. Greg Caton knows a wealth of information and isnt afraid to go there when it comes to telling the truth. Watch and share: Brighteon.com/dce835c6-2871-4414-bd50-4482dec87299 Tim Truth publishes videos that depict weird, bizarre things in covid masks, vaccines and swabs. I spoke with Tim Truth about his mission and what hes hoping to accomplish with his startling videos. This is a younger individual who got red pilled over the last few years and is now sounding the alarm to try to warn humanity about dangerous vaccines, nanoparticle injections and more: Brighteon.com/c5e903b9-c905-487e-93fe-73732a30b7e9 Clay Clark is the producer of the Health & Freedom events, including the recent one in Tulsa that I attended in person. There are two upcoming events: One in Tampa and another in Anaheim. In this interview, Clay Clark and I discuss End Times, Christianity, why some churches are going full satanic, and what this all means for our collapsing world: Brighteon.com/3ac3325e-6ed4-408b-909a-12c750630d5f Ive got more interviews coming for you soon, plus a new Situation Update podcast each weekday at: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport Also, get ready for the launch of Brighteon TV which launches this July with a full roster of guests, shows and interviews. Its a whole new network of truth-tellers, and its completely free to watch. (Natural News) A new survey by CBS News shows that nearly two-thirds of American respondents believe alien intelligence exists, up from the last time the news outlet conducted a similar poll in 2017. Only 56 percent of respondents believed in extraterrestrial intelligence at that time compared to 66 percent this year. In 2010, less than half of those surveyed thought that intelligent life on other planets existed. Im pleased at these new poll results, but not surprised, Nick Pope, a journalist and former unidentified flying object (UFO) investigator for the now-defunct British Ministry of Defense, told Daily Mail. They reflect the newfound respectability that the UFO subject is enjoying. The topic has come out of the fringe and into the mainstream, due to a stunning series of revelations in the last three years. CBS News polled 1,009 Americans over the phone between March 23 and 28. Besides the figure above, it also shows that 32 percent of the respondents believe that contact with extraterrestrial intelligence would occur in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 10 percent believe that contact was already made. Another 24 percent think that contact will happen in the next 100 years while six percent believe humanity will never make contact with aliens. Many Americans convinced the US government isnt telling the whole truth about UFOs The poll also shows that 73 percent of the respondents think that the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is letting on, a figure that Pope said was particularly striking. While acknowledging that the figure might partly reflect general cynicism about governments, he surmised that it was mainly a reaction to recent events illustrating the federal governments lack of transparency regarding unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), which is its preferred term for UFOs. Pope noted that the government denied any official interest or involvement with UFOs. For instance, he said, it claimed that investigations ceased at the end of 1969 when it shut down Project Blue Book, the code name for the Air Forces systematic study of UFOs that started in 1952. But a federally funded effort called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) had actually been operating in secret from 2007 to 2012, leading people to realize that the government lied to them, Pope stated. The conspiracy theorists who claimed there was a secret government program had been right all along, he added. (Related: F-18 fighter plane captures stunning UFO on video government admits UFO research is real.) The New York Times reported the existence of the AATIP in 2017, but the shadowy program was virtually unknown before this. The news outlet said that this was exactly how the Department of Defense (DOD) wanted things to be, noting that the $22 million spent on the program was nearly impossible to find in the Pentagons annual budgets. The DOD confirmed the existence of the AATIP in response to questions from The New York Times and maintained that the program folded in 2012. But Luis Elizondo, a former career military official who headed the program, disclosed that the department continued to probe UFO sightings even after the program ended and its $22 million budget had been used up. Elizondo admitted that he continued to work with Navy and CIA officials after the programs closure. He also worked out of his Pentagon office until he resigned in 2017 in protest of the governments excessive secrecy and internal opposition, he said. A July 2020 report from the New York Times showed that a unit dedicated to investigating UFOs continued to operate under a different name the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force. Its primary objective was to standardize collection and reporting of UAPs. The program appeared in a June Senate committee report that outlined spending by the nations intelligence agencies for the coming year. Its establishment was then approved two months later. This comes as the Pentagon and other intel agencies are expected to submit a report next month on what they know about UAPs. The report would be unclassified but would also contain a classified supplement. Learn more about the extent of the governments UFO cover-up by reading articles at Truth.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk NYTimes.com 1 NYTimes.com 2 (Natural News) A Canadian professor has discovered that models that countries used as bases for Wuhan coronavirus lockdowns turned out to be problematic. He found that a great majority of these models were built on false assumptions. But some countries still insisted on implementing lockdown mandates grounded on these flawed models which he found troubling. Simon Fraser University (SFU) professor Doug Allen said in an interview that these early models were built on a set of assumptions. The universitys Burnaby Mountain Professor of Economics continued: Those assumptions turned out to be really important, and the models are very sensitive to them, and they turn out to be false. Allen reviewed more than 80 papers on the effects of lockdowns worldwide. He subsequently compiled his findings in a paper he published in April of this year. Allen then conducted his own cost-benefit analysis based on the life-years saved calculation. This calculation determines the number of years of lost life lockdowns would cause compared to the number of years of lost life they would save. According to his analysis, many of the lockdowns tended to over-estimate the benefits and under-estimate the costs. He found that lockdown mandates have caused 282 times more harm than benefit to Canadian society over the long term. Allens findings led him to conclude that lockdowns may be among the greatest peacetime policy failures in Canadas history. The professor added that most of the studies he looked at did not try to distinguish between mandated and voluntary changes in peoples behavior. These just assumed an exponential rise in daily infections until herd immunity is reached. These studies also surmised that government-mandated public health guidelines such as business closures and restrictions on gatherings solely caused changes in peoples behavior, he continued. Allen elaborated that the papers he examined did not consider voluntary behavioral changes people made in response to the pandemic. He said these changes have a major impact on evaluating the merits of a lockdown policy. Human beings make choices, and we respond to the environment that were in. [But] these early models did not take this into account. You dont need lockdowns to induce people to behave that way. Allen lamented politicians continued use of these flawed models and the censorship of contrary opinions The SFU professor noted that places with stringent lockdowns did not see any meaningful reduction in the number of COVID-19 deaths compared to places without lockdowns or with slightly looser ones. He pointed out that many places in Canada still follow the same policies set in place when the pandemic began in March of last year despite his findings. Allen attributed this continued reliance on lockdowns to politics. He explained that politicians often take credit for having slashed COVID-19 cases by means of lockdown measures. I think it makes perfect sense why they do exactly what they did last year, he said. According to the professor, any politician would not suggest a lockdown solely because it doesnt make a difference. This is because the alternative is [that politicians] have to admit that they made a mistake, and they caused multiple more loss of life years than they saved. Allen lamented that media outlets have carried only one side of the debate on lockdowns while the other side had little to no coverage. The professor also lamented how social media platforms take down views that go against the official government response. He claimed that social media sites have even censored his own study on the flawed lockdown models. In some sense, these are private platforms [and they] can do what they want, Allen acknowledged. (Related: SUPPRESSED: Facebook censored over 100 million posts for so-called coronavirus misinformation.) On the other hand, I feel kind of sad [that] opposing opinions [are] either dismissed, ignored, name called [and] cancelled, he commented. Fortunately, Allen is not the only one voicing out opposition toward lockdown mandates. World Health Organization (WHO) Special Envoy for COVID-19 Dr. David Nabarro advised against the use of lockdowns to address COVID-19 spread in an October 2020 interview. He told Andrew Neil of The Spectator magazine: We in the [WHO] do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus. Lockdowns just have one consequence that you must never belittle, and that is making poor people an awful lot poorer. The envoy continued: The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy time to reorganize, regroup, rebalance resources [and] protect health workers who are exhausted. (Related: WHO reverses course, again: Lockdowns as primary response to COVID-19 now said to be damaging.) Visit Pandemic.news to read more articles about the use of lockdowns in response to COVID-19. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com Spectator.us WesternJournal.com (Natural News) AstraZenecas safe and effective Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine reportedly caused a 43-year-old father from Canada to lose about six feet of his intestine after the injection triggered a deadly blood clot inside his abdomen. Shaun Mulldoon was perfectly healthy before the shot, but after doing his part to help stop the spread, he reacted so severely that his life has forever changed. He now has a gaping hole in his stomach from having to undergo emergency surgery to get the clot and part of his intestine removed. Mulldoon says he was not adequately warned beforehand that the injection might cause such a reaction. Instead, he was told what the rest of the world is being told: that Wuhan Flu shots are a safer bet than the risk of contracting the virus. Hidden deep within the literature for CoviShield is a small disclaimer that the injection could cause immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, or VITT. This is what Mulldoon suffered from his injection. Other possible side effects include severe headache, pain, swollen limbs, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath, not to mention permanent injuries and possibly even death. German scientists recently identified what they say is the cause behind the AstraZeneca jabs blood clotting issue. As it turns out, there are more than 1,000 proteins contained in the vaccine that can trigger a severe autoimmune response. While not every person who gets injected with CoviShield will experience a worst-case scenario, Mulldoon was the unlucky winner of Big Pharmas Russian roulette experiment, and will now have to live the rest of his life physically mutilated with health problems. This is life changing for us, Mulldoons wife, Tara, told the media. She is one of the rare people who, after seeing the deadly impact of the injections, is not warning others not to take them. I feel like we have a long road ahead of us as far as his recovery goes. Hes lost half of his small intestine. The Mulldoons are still encouraging others to get injected, all things considered On his social media accounts, Mulldoon has been posting buyers remorse sentiments that suggest he wishes he had not gotten the vaccine. Now, he can never go back to living a normal, healthy life. Seventeen days after my vaccine, [I] ended up going into emergency surgery to remove over six feet of my small intestine, he told his followers. I had a massive blood clot. Second surgery two days later to remove more. My surgeon told me it was very close. Unfortunately for the Mulldoons, they have two school-aged children who will now suffer as well because their father has been damaged, possibly beyond repair. We are not anti-vaxxers, Mulldoons wife stressed, still encouraging people to take the same jab her husband received. We just want people to take any adverse symptoms following the vaccine please take it seriously. Over in India, more than 100 patients at a single hospital died after getting their Chinese Virus injections. Mulldoon is at least happy that he is still alive, though there is no way to turn back time and make a different decision. Reactions to the toxins in traditional vaccines are one thing. These new designer toxins are something else entirely, wrote one commenter at Great Game India about the ordeal. Who knows all the strange reactions vaccinated victims will experience? Another expressed perplexity that the Mulldoons would still be pro-vaccine, all things considered. Not anti-vaxxers? Even now? Cant fix stupid, this person wrote. To learn more about the dangers and ineffectiveness of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) jabs, be sure to check out ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: GreatGameIndia.com NaturalNews.com FORMER Chief Justice Luke Malaba, whose term of office expired on May 15 when he turned 70, and was supposed to retire, reportedly turned up for duty yesterday in defiance of a court order which forbids him from holding office until his matter has been finalised by the courts of law. This was also despite that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has appointed Elizabeth Gwaunza acting Chief Justice until Malabas matter has been finalised in court. Government has, meanwhile, extended his term by five years and also appealed a court ruling which said his tenure had lapsed. Impeccable sources yesterday confirmed that Malaba reported for duty at his Constitutional Court offices and was barking instructions to staff as usual. But JSC secretary Walter Chikwana said he was not aware that Malaba had reported for duty. I was not at work today, but you check that issue with me tomorrow (today), he said. But lawyers, who spoke to NewsDay on condition of anonymity, said if, indeed, Malaba had reported for duty yesterday, he was in contempt of court. They said his action may be interpreted as interference and intimidation of judges who will be dealing with his Constitutional Court issue. Last week, three High Court judges Justices Happias Zhou, Edith Mushore and Jester Charewa ruled that President Emmerson Mnangagwas extension of Malabas term following the enactment of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 2) Act was a legal nullity. They ruled that the current judges could not be beneficiaries to such constitutional amendments. The judgment angered Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who immediately issued a diatribe, accusing the judges of being captured by hostile foreign forces. Newsday (Natural News) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was under intense political pressure to give emergency use authorization (EUA) to three experimental injections manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Now that these experiments have been carried out on roughly one third of the US population, serious issues have emerged. A well-cited petition has been filed by Childrens Health Defense and Millions Against Medical Mandates, calling on the FDA to revoke EUAs for all experimental covid vaccines. After a careful review of the evidence, the FDA is ethically obligated to pull covid injections off the market, or the agency and all its affiliates risk becoming complicit in crimes against humanity. The CDCs passive vaccine injury surveillance system, VAERS, has managed to capture 192,954 adverse events and 4,057 deaths between Dec. 14, 2020 and May 7, 2021. Similarly, Europes vaccine injury surveillance system, EudraVigilance has tallied 405,259 injuries and 10,570 deaths as of May 8, 2021. These crimes against humanity would never have been tolerated decades ago. In 1976, the swine flu vaccine campaign was cut short after thirty deaths and four hundred cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome. The covid vaccine holocaust is coming to light, despite the censorship Fact checking organizations that work for the vaccine industry are trying to downplay the hundreds of thousands of vaccine injuries and thousands of premature death reports, claiming that healthcare workers and patients are making their vaccine injuries up, and misleading the public with their exaggerated first-hand experiences. Even though doctors and patients are heavily discouraged from reporting vaccine injury, the reports are still flooding into the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. One forum on reddit has over 25,000 reports of vaccine injury. Facebook has taken down groups that report on tens of thousands of vaccine injuries. The CDC is now limiting the tracking of breakthrough coronavirus infections that occur in fully vaccinated people, to make the shots appear effective. The authoritarian push for vaccine compliance has led many people to hide their medical issues following vaccination or pretend their week-long sickness after vaccination is somehow a normal part of the scientific process. Some medical professionals still cling to the promise that vaccines are 100 percent safe, while many others are beginning to speak up about the problems they see with vaccinated patients. Petition calls on FDA to pull disastrous covid vaccines from the market Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Childrens Health Defense have joined up with Millions Against Medical Mandates, challenging healthcare practitioners, military members and others to speak out to the FDA. Childrens Health Defense has filed a petition on behalf of the American people, calling on the FDA to revoke the EUAs and immediately remove covid vaccines from the market. The petition states: FDA should revoke all EUAs and refrain from approving any future EUA, NDA [new drug application] or BLA [biologics license application] for any COVID vaccine for all demographic groups because the current risks of serious adverse events or deaths outweigh the benefits, and because existing, approved drugs provide highly effective prophylaxis and treatment against COVID, mooting the EUAs. Now is the time to speak up to the FDA, to stop the vaccine propaganda and predatory coercion. The industry has already begun to target children, with no data to justify it. The petition cites that children are at low risk to covid infection, and it calls on the FDA to revoke all EUAs that allow pharmaceutical companies to experiment on children under age 18. The petition also urges the FDA to revoke its recommendation to inoculate pregnant women with the experimental vaccines. The petition includes seventy-two references to support the request for revocation and to stop the fraudulent marketing of COVID vaccines as safe and effective. Pending revocation of COVID vaccine EUAs, FDA should issue guidance that all marketing and promotion of COVID vaccines must refrain from labeling them safe and effective, as such statements violate 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-3, the petition states. The FDA is now ethically obligated to protect Americans and pull covid injections off the market, or risk becoming complicit in crimes against humanity. This historic petition is available for review and comment. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com VaccineDamage.news NaturalNews.com Regulations.gov (Natural News) Donald Trump won in 2016 in large part because he promised to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. He lost in 2020 because the swamp he tried to drain stole his reelection he was that much of a threat to the status quo. Heres another example of just what Trump was up against and what any future president like him will encounter if he or she actually tries to return power back to the American people. As reported exclusively by the UKs Daily Mail, materials obtained from that laptop Hunter Biden abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop in 2019 indicate that a former FBI director, Louis Freeh, essentially paid off the then-sitting vice president, Joe Biden, so that he would oversee lucrative business arrangements using Hunter as the go-between. The Daily Mail notes: Former FBI director Louis Freeh gave $100,000 to a private trust for Joe Bidens grandchildren and met with the then-Vice President in 2016 to explore with him some future work options, emails reveal. Freeh also spoke with then-Vice President Biden in 2016 to explore with him some future work options, according to the bombshell communications. The emails suggest Freeh was trying to establish a future business relationship with Biden and the White House has failed to disclose to DailyMail.com whether Joe Biden discussed private business with Freeh while in office. Joe Biden in his current feeble state probably doesnt remember much about these interactions, but that shouldnt matter: His son certainly would, and so would Freeh. And besides, it doesnt matter if Biden remembers or not; if he was selling access, which it sounds like he might have been, then thats actionable legally anyway. According to the materials seen by the Daily Mail, the former FBI director was employed by a trio of foreign businessmen and officials at the time he was paying for Bidens grandkids to live better than 99 percent of every other American citizens grandkids. All three of them were later convicted of a multitude of crimes (go figure) to include the pillaging of a multibillion dollar wealth fund in Malaysia though conveniently, Freeh wasnt implicated. The 71-year-old, who served as FBI director under Bill Clinton and George Bush, ran a consultancy firm with highly controversial clients including a now-jailed Malaysian prime minister who stole billions of dollars from his country, a Romanian real estate tycoon convicted of bribery, and a French-Israeli diamond magnate later convicted of bribery and a $145 million property graft, the Daily Mail reported. Freeh, a former judge, emailed Joes son Hunter Biden in 2016, revealing he had spoken with the Vice President and proposed that they work together on private ventures once Biden left office, the outlet noted further. This bombshell followers several previous revealing stories, all of which were based on content found on Hunter Bidens abandoned laptop, detailing the current first familys massive corruption at home and abroad. But also, other details were provided by a former Biden family business partner, Tony Bobulinski, who dished them to Fox News host Tucker Carlson days ahead of the 2020 election. Ive seen Vice President Biden saying he never talked to Hunter about his business, Bobulinksi said. Ive seen firsthand that thats not true, because it wasnt just Hunters business, they said they were putting the Biden family name and its legacy on the line. Hunter Biden called his dad the Big Guy or my Chairman, and frequently referenced asking him for his sign-off or advice on various potential deals that we were discussing, he added. The Biden family aggressively leveraged the Biden family name to make millions of dollars from foreign entities even though some were from communist controlled China. And it looks like Freeh was trying to get in on all of that. I would like to talk with you and Dad about working together next year, he wrote to Hunter in July 2016, as the Obama administration was entering its final months in office. So if its something which interests you both, lets talk about it at some point. Im very flexible and we could set it up as an equity-share or whatever works best. It would certainly be an honor to work with you both. According to materials seen by the Daily Mail that also reportedly came from Hunters laptop, Freeh made his $100k donation to the Biden grandchildren fund around the same time he was trying to hook up with them to do business. What a swamp DC is. And nothing short of a complete change of government is going to fix it. Sources include: NaturalNews.com DailyMail.co.uk (Natural News) A self-driving taxi from Googles Waymo went rogue while ferrying a passenger in Chandler, Arizona recently. The incident was recorded by Joel Johnson who was riding in the vehicle. The vehicle halted after encountering a range of orange safety cones, which confused it enough to stop it entirely. But things got worse when Waymos roadside assistance team came to help. The car somehow decided to start moving again, driving down the road before stopping at an intersection and blocking three lanes of traffic. Johnson published the video on his YouTube page where he frequently posts about his experiences using Waymo under the username JJRicks Studios. Self-driving taxi confused by orange cones Waymo, which is owned by Googles parent company Alphabet, operates approximately 600 vehicles as part of its fleet. More than 300 of these vehicles operate in an approximately 100-square-mile service area in Arizona that includes the towns of Chanlder, Gilbert, Mesa and Tempe though Waymos fully autonomous vehicles are restricted to an area that is only half that size. In 2018, the company launched a limited public ride-hailing service called Waymo One, but the only customers given access were people who had first been vetted through Waymos early rider program of beta testers. The company said that it has around 1,500 monthly active users from both programs the same number it reported back in December 2019. Even if its fully autonomous cars have no safety drivers, Waymo still has a team of remote employees that watch real-time feeds from each vehicles eight cameras. This team can help, with the push of a button, if the cars software runs into a difficult spot and needs a human eye to figure out whats going on. That said, Waymo clarifies that this team cannot take control of the vehicles. The team can only offer suggestions to help extract the car from difficult situations. (Related: Will driving a car be illegal in the future?) Johnsons ride falls under that category. The car he was riding in wanted to make a right turn onto a street that has orange cones blocking a lane of traffic. This apparently confused the vehicle. In a statement provided to Johnson, a Waymo remote operator stated that the car had detected an unusual situation and requested the attention of a remote fleet response specialist to provide additional information. The company said that things went wrong when a remote specialist apparently provided incorrect guidance, which made it challenging for the car to resume its intended route and required Waymos roadside assistance team to complete the trip. The remote operator also told Johnson that the company does not assign a roadside assistance team to track each fully autonomous vehicle. Instead, crews are usually two to five miles out, the remote operator said. It never was assigned one-to-one. Johnson still trusts Waymo, but experts see problems Johnson, who arrived about 20 minutes late to his destination following the mishap, said the incident shows that commuters shouldnt use Waymo when they need to be on time. If you need to really be on time you dont generally take Waymo yet, Johnson said in an interview with CNN Business. Despite the incident, Johnson said he doesnt think that the general public needs to be concerned about the safety of the autonomous vehicles. Ive seen so much impressive technology, said Johnson, who claims to have taken 146 trips with Waymo. It seems disingenuous to write them off because of one incident. But some experts have raised questions about how Waymos teams operate and why, in Johnsons case, its teams did not seem to have proper coordination. According to Bryant Walker Smith, a researcher who studies autonomous vehicles at the University of South Carolina, it was surprising that the roadside assistance specialist never issued a command to halt the autonomous taxi in place so that roadside assistance could take over. There wasnt great coordination among the in-vehicle system, the remote monitoring capacity of the operator on the line and the on-ground assistance, Smith said. Follow RoboCars.news for more stories related to Googles Waymo and other autonomous vehicles. Sources include: Futurism.com TheVerge.com Edition.CNN.com (Natural News) The Chinese Communist Party would love to take down America and turn it communist, and their point man has just been caught lying, under oath, about assisting in getting the research funded and carried out in order to create and release COVID-19. Its premeditated mass genocide. Planned. Funded by an American. Funded by the lead disease specialist that most of mainstream America and the CDC take advice from daily. Fauci let it slip on the Politifact channel, with all his failed rhetoric, saying COVID-19 may have originated in a laboratory, and that its unfortunate that Sen. Rand Paul brought up the topic for Americans to hear about. Sen. Rand Paul calls out Fauci for funding/assisting risky gain of function research that made COVID contagious from animals to humans, and thus humans to humans Fauci, when confronted with his evil doings, never denied them. He said, To bring something up is really not helpful and that it is unfortunate that he brought that up. Wait, what? Then Fauci goes on to admit the whole thing, saying, It really does nothing but cloud the issue of what we are trying to do. So it was just unfortunate that he (meaning Sen. Rand Paul) said that. Well, yes, we must say, it clouds the issue of what youre trying to do, Mr. Fraudulent Fauci, because WHAT youre trying to do is spread a disease pandemic style, then inject everyone with inoculations that create prions in the human body, causing blood clots, cancer, dementia, strokes, and wait for it other variants of Covid that are more virulent and even more dangerous to the vaccinated. Oops. You were saying? Fauci lied: We now know that the NIH funded gain-of-function virus research at the Wuhan Labs in China through US grants under Faucis leadership While talking to a Lefty pundit on a far Left news show, Fauci tried to minimize his treasonous actions by admitting, So in a very minor collaboration as part of a sub-contract as part of a grant, we had a collaboration with some Chinese scientists. Oh really, so you only chatted with the serial killers and sent them a little bit of money before they went on a rampage and killed thousands of people all over the world? Sounds perfectly innocent. Lets talk more. Fauci admitted it all, in his loopy round-a-bout way, that the virus may not have originated from Nature, and that the United States DID fund CCP research at Wuhan laboratories with NIH grants, and Fauci DID sign off on them. He had to admit it because the paper trails will prove it. Fauci LIED UNDER OATH during Senate testimony directly in response to these assertions of treason and mass murder, and recently. Remembering the Smith Act trials of Communist Party leaders in New York City in the 1950s, and the execution of the Rosenbergs during the Cold War Remember the Cold War with the Soviet Union? Leaders of the CPUSA (Communist Party of the United States, now known as the Democrat Party) violated the Smith Act, that prohibited advocating the violent overthrow of the US government. It went all the way up to the Supreme Court, and after nearly a year-long trial, eleven communist leaders were found guilty and served time in federal prison. Then there were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, spies that were executed during the Cold War. Their crime? They supposedly passed along information about the American atomic bomb to the Russians. At the time, there was less proof of the Rosenbergs guilt than there is proof of Fauci committing treason right now. The couple was electrocuted to death on June 19th, 1953, at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, for supposedly overseeing a spy network that stole bomb secrets and handed them to communists. Guess what? The pandemic is worse than a bomb. So are the dirty Covid-19 vaccines. So what will Faucis fate be? Will he be tried and found guilty of treason? Will he get the death penalty for it? Lets take a vote on it from all Americans, but this time no mail-in ballots and no voting machines. Tune your internet frequency to Pandemic.news for updates on how to prepare and take care of your body and mind with superfoods, supplements and whole organic food right now and during the upcoming communist apocalypse. Now watch Fox News and Senator Tom Cotton upend Faucis false claims: Sources for this article include: Pandemic.news NaturalNews.com TheGatewayPundit.com History.com (Natural News) Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) suggest that Jupiters Europa may have pockets of water within its crust that may be able to support alien life. Europa, the fourth largest of Jupiters moons, has high odds of being habitable. Past studies suggest that an ocean of liquid water lurks beneath Europas 15-mile-thick frozen crust. This extraterrestrial ocean contains salts that prevent water from turning into ice, which makes it ideal for life. There is evidence of recent geological formations within Europas crust, including small, dark, dome-like features called lenticulae. Discovered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), lenticulae are thought to form above bodies of saline water half a mile to three miles beneath the surface. To learn more about lenticulae, the researchers developed numerical simulations using images taken using NASAs Galileo spacecraft, which explored Jupiter and its moons between the 1990s and 2000s. The spacecraft, launched in 1989, spotted lenticulae spattered across Europas surface. The simulations showed that lenticulae might contain shallow pockets of water that freeze after only a relatively short period of time. But the researchers found that lenticulae might be actively forming at present, which would mean that these pockets remain liquid to this day. We think there is still shallow water under some of these features, lead author Chase Chivers, a graduate student at Georgia Techs School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, told New Scientist. He estimated that hundreds of these liquid water pockets probably exist across Europas crust. He added that they might explain the plumes erupting from its surface, which previous studies suggested came from the subsurface ocean. Mark Fox-Powell, a research fellow at the U.K.s Open University, who was not part of the study, said that the pockets could be habitats for extraterrestrial life. If there is life in the subsurface ocean and it gets incorporated into the ice shell and later re-melted, that could kick-start a community, he told New Scientist, adding that this microbial community is doomed because the pocket would eventually refreeze. (Related: Astronomers say that Europa may have alien life, and it wont be hard to find.) The findings of the study were published in the journal JGR Planets. Europas ocean could be habitable Plenty of studies suggested that Europas subsurface ocean could be habitable. Last year, a study led by NASA researchers provided further support to this idea. Mohit Melwani Daswani, a scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and his colleagues modeled the composition and physical properties of Europas core, mineral layer and ocean using data from the Galileo mission. Their models suggested that metamorphism could take place in ocean worlds like Europa. If this were the case for the Jovian moon, heating and increased pressured caused by radioactive decay or subsurface tidal movements would break down water-bearing minerals, releasing trapped water. The breakdown of minerals would make the water mildly acidic, with high concentrations of carbon dioxide, calcium and sulfate. Daswani noted that Europas ocean could still be acidic to this day. But their models, coupled with evidence of chloride on Europas surface, suggest that the ocean most probably became chloride-rich. This would mean that its composition became more like the composition of Earths oceans. We believe that this ocean could be quite habitable for life, Daswani said, adding that Europa is among the best places in the solar system to look for alien life. Our models lead us to think that the oceans in other moons, such as Europas neighbor Ganymede, and Saturns moon Titan, may also have formed by similar processes, Daswani went on. We still need to understand several points though, such as how fluids migrate through Europas rocky interior. NASA is currently working on its Europa Clipper mission for a 2024 launch. The spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter by the end of this decade and will determine whether Europa and other ocean worlds could support life. Read more studies supporting the existence of alien life at Space.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk AGUPubs.OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com Phys.org Planetary.org (Natural News) A large number of Republican ballots in Pennsylvania could not be scanned during the primaries and local elections on Tuesday, May 18, leading to an outcry of concerns regarding election integrity in the state. Most of the unscanned ballots came from Republican voters in Fayette County, a GOP stronghold in southwestern Pennsylvania. The ballots were missing bar codes needed to get recognized and scanned by the voting machines. (Related: Investigation shows hundreds of Republican mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania were not counted.) What we know at this point in time is that a bar code thats required to allow the paper ballots to be scanned at the polling places was missing, said Republican State Rep. Matthew Dowling during an interview with the Epoch Times. The problems started appearing at around 7 p.m. on election night. George Rattay, chairman of the Fayette County Democratic Party, said nobody knew what the problem was until he and several other election workers reported the concern to the Fayette County Election Bureau. The bureau eventually discovered that it was a bar code issue and that all 77 precincts in the county were experiencing similar problems. Lorie Lambie, a resident of the county, said her ballot was rejected at the precinct in Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport. I feel suspicious after everything that happened with the presidential election, she said. Im a Republican. I went to scan a ballot and it spit it out. I tried three or four times and it kept spitting it out. Jeff Valek, who voted at the Hatfield Elementary School less than 10 miles south of the airport, had a similar experience. Just went through the normal process, he said. I took it over to the machine and it was rejected. Voters like Lambie and Valek instead placed their rejected ballots into emergency slots located at the back of the voting machines. These rejected ballots were hand-counted by Election Bureau officials. The scanning machine was not scanning, said Chris Varney, Fayette County Judge of Elections. At first, we thought it was all ballots, but then realized it was only Republican ballots. He said the poll workers at the precinct he was in began noticing the scanning problems shortly after the polling stations opened in the morning. Just to make it fair, because if someone has a ballot and they miss mark it, you know the Republicans wouldnt have a chance to correct it, but the Democrats do, explained Varney on the day of the election. So, now were not scanning any of them. Were just putting them in the back. Multiple investigations ongoing to figure out what happened Several investigations have already been opened in response to the mass rejection of ballots in the Republican-leaning county. County commissioners have already launched an internal investigation to discover how the incident happened. We are going to have to make some serious changes in the way we conduct our elections in Fayette County moving forward, said County Commissioner Scott Dunn, a Republican. Dunn said it is still unclear why the ballots were rejected in the first place. What commissioners currently know is that many of the ballots delivered to Fayette County were missing barcodes. At this point, we know the issue is printing the ballots, Dunn said. As to who is responsible, we dont know that and its being investigated as we speak. State lawmakers have also begun an investigation. Dowling, along with fellow Republicans state Rep. Ryan Warner and state Sen. Pat Stefano, have issued a right-to-know (RTK) request, demanding records from the county regarding ballot and voting machine testing. They have also demanded to see the countys financial records and contracts relating to the printing of ballots as well as all of the countys logged reports of ballot malfunctions. We do want to provide transparency and let our constituents know how this blunder happened, said Dowling. Im assuming there was nothing nefarious, although I think that does have to be investigated to see why this happened. From what I understand, the wrong file was printed and I want to find out, said Stefano. District Attorney Richard Bower said the incident is unacceptable, and he is taking matters into his own hands with his own investigation. He has also filed a search warrant for the county elections office on Thursday night, May 20. We are going to be looking at that whole scenario that has been going on because the fact that we already had one election last year that had some voter fraud, so we want to see why this happened, said Bower. According to the search warrant Bower filed against the Elections Bureau, the search is due to multiple complaints that Republican and Democratic ballots were being rejected by the voting machines. He refused to elaborate on how widespread the ballot rejection is. Bower said he and investigators spoke with election officials on election night, and after reviewing election law, they decided that a search warrant was their best course of action. It was my decision that I would rather have a search warrant than just going and asking for the information, because, quite frankly, they could say we have to file an RTK. Were not going to file an RTK when were doing a criminal investigation, said Bower. Hand recount of Fayette County elections expected to be a lengthy process As of May 20, the Fayette County Election Bureau said the unscanned ballots from the May 18 elections were still being counted, and the process is expected to be very lengthy. Were still working on it, said Larry Blosser, director of the Election Bureau. Its going to be a long, drawn-out deal. Blosser refused to divulge how many ballots were affected in the incident. The rejected ballots were collected from the emergency slots and delivered to the bureaus central office, where they were tallied by hand. The director explained that recounting the rejected ballots involves manually entering the information on the ballot into a touch screen voting machine. These machines are typically used by voters with disabilities who cannot use paper ballots. The machine then prints a ballot with a new bar code. The original and new ballots are compared to make sure all votes match, and then the new ballot is scanned into a voting machine and the votes are recorded. Learn more about recent ballot fraud incidents and revisit previous investigations regarding voter fraud by reading the articles at VoteFraud.news. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com WashingtonExaminer.com Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com 1 WPXI.com 2 Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com 2 WTAE.com HeraldStandard.com Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox. Sign Up Now NEW CANAAN The town attorney says the referendum will move forward for June 2, after he responded to a letter penned by the school districts attorney questioning its legality. Town attorney Ira Bloom addressed Town Council after distributing his written response to Board of Education lawyer Andreana Bellachs letter. If the referendum passes, the school budget would go back to the Board of Finance for reconsideration. The referendum targets a vote taken regarding $463,337 of the $92.3 million school budget. Bloom disagrees with Bellachs analysis that the budget is completed. I think you have properly scheduled the referendum for a date in June, he said to the council on May 19. So we will go forward. Bloom read section C4-15 of the town charter to Town Council: Each affirmative or negative legislative action taken by the Town Council which relates to any appropriation or bond issue, or to any ordinance or bylaw, is subject to referendum. Basically you can almost stop right there, Bloom said. My analysis is actually pretty straightforward, going by just what the charter says, Bloom told the Town Council. The previous week, Bellach wrote Bloom arguing that the budget had been completed when the Town Council unanimously approved the budget in March. Once an educational appropriation has been set according to the legal process, there is no authority under the Town Charter or Connecticut law to reduce said appropriation, Bellach wrote to Bloom. This is by design and operates to protect the stability of educational funding. Bloom acknowledged that there are some side issues, stemming from the motion councilman Mike Mauro made. Mauro made a motion, seconded by Maria Naughton, to reduce the Board of Education operating and health budget by $463,337, the amount projected for a change in start times midyear in the 2021-22 academic year. Mauro linked the reduction of funds to a specific line item the budget, dealing with the school times and that cannot be done, Bloom explained. The money was budgeted for school start times, but the Board of Education is the only town body with the authority to change line items on the school budget, according to state law. Bloom said he agreed with Bellach in there is bottom-line reduction power and that motion really went beyond authority governed by state law. Therefore he crafted the referendum question to conform with state law, by making no reference to the school start times. The question for the referendum will read shall the action of the Town Council, at its March 31, 2021 meeting, which did not reduce the Board of Education budget by $463,337 be overruled and returned to the Board of Finance for reconsideration? Councilman Tom Butterworth asked how he is to get comfrotable when the statement was changed in order to cast the question subject to referendum. Butterworth had expected the analysis would find that the referendum is inappropriate, because that is what it is all about, he said. I thought Id give the benefit of the doubt to those who would want to petition for a referendum, Bloom said. It cant be forced upon the Board of Education to take out that amount on a line item. Mauros motion was not unusual, since, it gives a reason for what the cut is for, Chairman John Engel said We are always asked to give a reason. I think it is helpful to identify where you would like it to come from, but it is only a wish, Bloom said. According to town charter, Town Council had to set a date for the referendum within 30 days from the date of the filing with Town Clerk Claudia Weber, which was on Friday, May 7, meaning a vote should be held before June 6. Weber verified the 682 signatures, or five percent of electors needed, to force a referendum on the school budget and confirmed the total had been collected and counted on May 11. Though the budget goes back to the Board of Finance for reconsideration, it does not return to Town Council. Bellach had said the fatal procedural flaw in the petition is that the legislative act of setting the initial educational appropriation was subject to review by referendum according to the Town Charter, no petition was filed for review of that action. The petition only sought review of the Town Councils negative action on Mr. Mauros motion. Proponents of the referendum claim that their goal is not to reduce the budget in fact some want to increase it but rather to force the board to reconsider the scenarios for healthier start times being considered. For the referendum to pass, there needs to be a majority of those voting and equal to at least 15 percent of the number of electors in town, equaling approximately 2,055 votes. TWO Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited board members have resigned from the board, while a third will be leaving following indications by the ZSE-listed companys majority shareholder that it intends to renew the board as the firm enters a new era of digitalisation and free-to-air public broadcasting. Dr Shingi Munyeza and Mrs Rejoice Nharaunda-Makawa have resigned while Mrs Karen Dube will be stepping down. The Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust is Zimpapers majority shareholder. In a statement last night, Zimpapers board chairman Mr Tommy Sithole said Mrs Dube and Mrs Nharaunda-Makawa have both served for over seven years. I informed the three members of the majority shareholders desire to replace them at the companys AGM next month and the two decided to leave with immediate effect, said Mr Sithole. This is normal for a company as diverse as Zimpapers and whose business model is constantly being reviewed due to the difficult economic times, to review its management, board, and the business structures to ensure the company stays ahead of fast-changing developments. All three were chairs of our finance, human resources and business development respectively. I am truly grateful for their contribution and dedication to the company and wish them well in their future endeavours. Mr Sithole said he was continually in conversation with Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust chairman about the replacements of four members, the fourth being Ms Primrose Ruvarashe Kurasha, who left earlier. Ms Kurasha lives in South Africa where she is engaged with the University of South Africa and commuting constantly to Harare in the midst of her busy schedule had become a difficult undertaking. Zimpapers recently posted good financials even though the economy is being buffeted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The company is one of the largest and diversified media businesses in Southern Africa. It publishes over 10 publications, and has four radio stations and an online television station, ZTN, which will soon be broadcasting free-to-air after being granted a licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe along five other operators. Zimpapers is also into printing with facilities in Harare and Bulawayo. Herald SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has ended a nightly pandemic curfew after more than a year in force and will allow vaccinated visitors to enter the island without a negative coronavirus test result. The island has been under a curfew since March 2020, when the first coronavirus case was reported. Even when the curfew was sometimes changed, it mostly stayed between midnight and 5 a.m. Arriving visitors who are not vaccinated will still be required to present a negative coronavirus test or promise to offer a test result within 48 hours. The government intends to impose a $300 fine to those who dont comply with the testing. ___ MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: India passes another grim milestone: 300,000 lost to the virus Stories of the virus from a poor U.S. city that has been hit hard Japan opens mass vaccination centers in Olympics runup First steps to reopening for Berlin's clubs ___ Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine ___ HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Haitis government has imposed a nightly curfew and other restrictions under an eight-day health emergency meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. All outdoor activity will be banned from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. under the decree issued Monday by President Jovenel Moise. The decree also makes the use of face masks mandatory for anyone out in public, while temperature checks and handwashing stations are required for all public or private buildings such as banks, schools, hospitals and markets. Social distancing in public places is set at 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet). The president also has ordered public institutions to reduce staff on duty by 50%, while he is encouraging that other employees work from home. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed legislation banning so-called vaccine passports as Alabama becomes the latest state to try to prohibit proof of a coronavirus vaccination to enter a business, school or event. The legislation by Republican Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur would prohibit government entities from issuing vaccine or immunization passports or other standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying immunization status although standard child immunization forms would be excluded. It would also prevent people from being denied entry to businesses, universities, and state agencies if they have not been vaccinated for COVID-19. However, the legislation does not specify any penalty for violations. ___ ROME The tiny island nation of Malta says it has administered at least one coronavirus vaccine to 70% of its population to lead Europe in the inoculation race. Health Minister Chris Fearne said 42% of Maltas people had been completely inoculated. The achievement has led to a 95% decrease in patients being admitted to Maltas COVID-19 hospital, he said. With a population of about a half-million, Malta is the smallest European Union member state. It has been using the four vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency. According to the ourworldindata.org website, Malta leads even Israel and Britain in administering at least one shot of the vaccine to its population. Malta has reported some 30,000 cases and 417 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. ___ JUNEAU, Alaska About 60% of applications for a pandemic rent relief program must still be processed nearly three months after the application deadline. KTOO Public Media reports the pending applications are among the roughly 25,200 that cleared initial income and documentation hurdles by the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. are awaiting processing. The program is aimed at helping people who qualify by covering up to a year of rent and utility payments. The application deadline closed in early March. An official with the corporation administering the program says it is moving quickly and noted the high interest in the program. ___ LOS ANGELES -- The huge Los Angeles Unified School District will start the new school year next fall with on-campus, in-person instruction for all students five days a week but will retain an online option, Superintendent Austin Beutner said Monday. Elementary school students will have full days of instruction with their teacher and classmates while middle and high school students will change classrooms for each period, said Beutner, who leads the nations second-largest school district. After-school programs will be available to students from the end of the school day until 6 p.m. Beutner said, however, that an online option must remain in place for the next school year for students who are unable or choose not to come to schools for in-person instruction. Some students and some staff members may need to stay at home until all at schools are vaccinated due to health reasons because they live with an immune-compromised family member, Beutner said, adding that he expects the majority of students and staff to be at school every day. Students and staff will wear masks until more children are vaccinated, he said. The superintendent reiterated his assertion that Los Angeles Unified has in place the highest safety standards of any school district in the nation. ___ ORLANDO, Fla. Florida is joining a growing list of Republican-led states that plan to end participation in a federal program that gave an extra $300 per week in benefits to the unemployed during the pandemic. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Monday that the state will withdraw from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program effective June 26. State labor officials said private-sector employment increased by 18,800 jobs last month and more than 460,000 online job postings were made throughout the state for job seekers. Floridas employers are also seeing employment growth, as more Floridians, including some who completely left the workforce, are now eagerly reentering the workforce, said Dane Eagle, Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Transitioning away from this benefit will help meet the demands of small and large businesses who are ready to hire and expand their workforce. At least 22 other states also have announced plans to end the enhanced benefits early. Florida will continue to participate in other federal pandemic-related unemployment programs aimed at the self-employed, people who already have exhausted their unemployment benefits and gig workers. These federal benefit programs are set to expire in early September. ___ COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lankan government on Monday extended the on-going travel ban for another two weeks as health experts warned of a possible breakdown of the countrys health system due to the current state of the infection. Sri Lanka is currently under a weeklong travel ban which was scheduled to be eased on May 28. But on Monday, the government announced that the lockdown-style ban will continue until June 07. During this period, the ban will be eased for several hours on two days to allow people to buy food and other essentials from any outlets within the walking distance. However, the ban will not apply to those engaged in essential services such as health, food supply and power sector and those seeking medical treatment while others are banned from leaving their houses. The fresh restrictions were imposed as the islands key medical associations cautioned that the infection is rampant across the country and that the actual number in the community is more than three times the number detected. According to the latest statistics of the health ministry, Sri Lanka has 161,242 positive cases with 1178 fatalities. Doctors have predicted that the number of patients could rapidly rise in the next two weeks because of the last months celebrations and shopping by the people to mark the traditional new year. Sri Lanka has halted public transport, banned public gatherings, parties, weddings and closed schools and universities. ___ SAN FRANCISCO The ride hailing companies Uber and Lyft have started providing free transportation to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites in the United States. Uber said Monday that it will provide four rides valued at up to $25 each through July 4 while Lyft has said that it is offering two rides of up to $15 each. The federal government said earlier this month that it would partner with the ride-hailing companies to encourage more Americans to get vaccinated as the pace of the shots nationally started to decline. President Joe Biden has set a goal of delivering at least one dose of vaccine to 70% of adult Americans by Independence Day and fully vaccinating at least 160 million by then. ___ GENEVA French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among those rallying around efforts to strengthen the World Health Organization and the fight against pandemics as the U.N. agency opened its annual assembly with a draft resolution in the works that acknowledges missteps in the response to COVID-19. The European Union and Vanuatu are behind the resolution that would create a working group on strengthening WHOs readiness and response to health emergencies. We have to have institutions that are up to the task, that meet our ambitions, Macron said by video during the mostly virtual meeting. WHO, he said, must be robust and flexible in times of emergency and crisis. And it must be completely transparent to make sure that people trust the organization. Merkel threw her backing behind the idea of a global health threat council and said leaders should provide WHO with lasting financial and personal support. The resolution would set up a six-person working group to report to the assembly next year. The text acknowledges serious shortcomings in the worlds ability to prepare, prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies. ___ LONDON British health officials expressed optimism Sunday that the coronavirus restrictions remaining in England can be lifted in June after an official study found that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines offer effective protection against the variant first identified in India. Authorities in Britain have expressed concern in recent weeks that increasing cases of the Indian variant could jeopardize the U.K.s so-far successful plan to reopen its economy. More than 2,880 cases of the Indian variant have been recorded in England, figures show. The government has said the variant appears to be more transmissible, but there was still uncertainty about how concerning this was. Jenny Harries, chief executive of the U.K. Health Security Agency, said officials in England are on track to proceed with the final stage of unlocking the country from June 21 if the public remains cautious. ___ PARIS The French foreign minister says its possible that France will introduce stricter coronavirus restrictions for British visitors when tourism reopens this summer, to prevent the spread of a worrying virus variant first detected in India and causing concern in Britain. The minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, suggested that Britain could be put in a health category of its own, somewhere in between the strictest measures that France is imposing on visitors from India and 15 other countries, and more relaxed requirements being readied for visitors from elsewhere. Speaking Sunday, Le Drian said health measures that are a bit stronger could be applied for British tourists. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistans federal authorities on Sunday reported a decrease in COVID-19 deaths and new cases and decided to reopen tourist resorts from Monday but only for those who have either tested negative or got vaccinated. As per the earlier decision of federal body, schools and higher education institution to open by Monday as well except for the southern Sindh province which opted to keep them closed for another two weeks. Federal authorities reported 74 deaths due to COVID-19 and just over 3000 new cases of the virus in a single day. The national body countering the spread of the virus urged people continue to adhere to the precautionary measures of mask wearing and maintaining physical distance at public places and during travel in public transport. They also stressed that people should get vaccinated. ___ BRASILIA, Brazil Brazils health minister said the government is concerned about the coronavirus variant first identified in India after the first cases of it were confirmed in the South American country. Marcelo Queiroga denied, however, that there was community transmission of the variant, which was first identified in Brazil in the northeastern state of Maranhao, where 100 people are being monitored. A case was also confirmed Saturday in Ceara state. According to Queiroga, 600,000 rapid tests will be sent to Maranhao to monitor the variants possible spread and he said health barriers would be implemented at airports, highways and roads in Maranhao to contain its movement. All passengers passing through airports or borders in the northeastern state will have to take the rapid test. Brazil suspended flights from India last week following the recommendation of the National Health Surveillance Agency. Newburyport, MA (01950) Today A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Bismah Malik By Express News Service BENGALURU: Bitcoin may be the latest asset you cant wait to get your hands on, considering it has rallied 400 per cent in the past year, but experts counsel prospective investors to exercise caution and consider the old school way of investment: Dont put all your eggs in the same basket. In India, the user base of crypto traders has grown 2-3-fold since the onset of the pandemic, with exchanges claiming to have added millions of monthly active users on their platforms. Surprisingly, since January 2021, it hasnt been just the the millennial group but also people above 45 years of age who have shown keen interest in digital assets, especially after the Supreme Court of India overturned the RBI ban on cryptocurrencies last year. As for Bitcoin, analysts at JP Morgan wrote in a note on Wednesday that institutional investors are ditching Bitcoin for gold in a dramatic change of fund flows. This was after the most valued digital token fell by almost 30 per cent to touch $30,681 in just a week. However, within the next 24 hours, the price had again stabilized at around $42,274. In April, Bitcoin had touched an all-time high of $64,863. The bitcoin flow picture continues to deteriorate and is pointing to continued retrenchment by institutional investors. Over the past month, bitcoin futures markets experienced their steepest and more sustained liquidation since the bitcoin ascent started last October.Institutions are unwinding Bitcoin futures and building up long positions in gold futures. And bitcoin funds are also seeing a steady deterioration, with four-week flow turning negative for the first time, JP Morgan wrote. Analysts pointed out that at the same time, cash has been heading to gold ETFs, reversing the pattern of Q4 2020 and the start of this year. The reason, JP Morgan says, could be to seek stability in assets like traditional gold. A top executive at a wealth tech firm based in Bengaluru agreed that the volatility in the Bitcoin and Ethereum price over the past week will make a lot of investors re-think investments in digital assets in the long-term. We saw exchanges crashing this week, because people were buying dips, there was panic selling which started with the Tesla CEOs tweets and then China central banks ban. At the moment, social media is largely driving the prices of digital assets, leading to so much volatility. The queries for investment advice on crypto have grown manifold, but we do maintain that this is a high-risk asset and the best strategy would be to include Bitcoin in a small portion of your portfolio, in addition to MFs, gold, real estate, etc. Getting caught in the crypto fad is something investors should be wary of, since those who sold their tokens last week lost 100 per cent of their investment capital, the senior executive said. In India, the regulatory uncertainty on virtual currency is also a matter of concern, since SEBI hasnt yet outlined the trading regulations for these assetsespecially making key classifications of cryptocurrencies as investment products, securities, or commodities. The RBIs tough stance doesnt help either. While amateur investors remain a confused lot, more seasoned ones observe that the digital assets are here to stay. Bengaluru-based networking engineer and a long term crypto investor, Fouad Farooq, said that from an investors perspective, the higher the volatility, the higher the risk, and eventually, the higher will be the profit/loss. There will always be crashes and sudden gains, but one needs to see it holistically. Bitcoin is up multiple times compared to what it was a year back. Ethereum, Ripple and multiple currencies are on the rise. Banks do realize the power of cryptocurrency but are working under the influence of the regulators to block usage of crypto. The crypto exchanges have realized this and have moved their operations outside India. But crypto is here to stay. These are just minor hiccups on the way, he claimed. Nischal Shetty, CEO and founder of Indias largest crypto exchange, WazirX, said that investors shouldnt buy everything in one day and should ideally monitor the price transition closely. Investors need to distribute their buying, and closely follow market movement for at least the next one week, he noted. A policy paper The Path Forward for Digital Assets Adoption in India by Ripple suggests that the country should adopt digital asset taxonomy consistent with global practice by providing clarity to the legal character of digital assets and empowering SEBI to license, regulate, and supervise digital asset service providers. Now is the time for Indian policymakers to take the forward-looking approach that many other jurisdictions in Asia, such as Singapore and Japan, have taken. Responsible usage of blockchain technology and digital assets can introduce tremendous potential to the Indian economy, said Navin Gupta, MD, South Asia & MENA, Ripple. INDIA: CRYPTO SNAPSHOT 10 million Cryptocurrency holders $1 billion Total asset holding $300+Startups dealing with crypto $350-500 m Daily trading volume THE GRAIN Marketing Board (GMB) has paid $2,89 billion covering all farmers who delivered grain to its depots throughout the country with Government saying private buying of maize is illegal and those found doing so will be prosecuted. The country has recorded a grain surplus this past summer cropping season and Government has since stopped grain imports and the move will save the country about US$300 million annually. More than 56 000 tonnes of maize have been received and the total grain tonnage delivered to the GMB including other crops is more than 65 000 tonnes. GMB chief executive officer Mr Rockie Mutenha told Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement officials who included the Minister Dr Anxious Masuka and Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ministers during a meeting held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre on Friday that grain deliveries had surpassed what they received during the same period last year. Dr Masuka chaired the proceedings where heads of parastatals and agriculture linked institutions within the agricultural sector explained to Provincial Affairs Ministers how they were contributing to the transformation of the countrys economy. Mr Mutenha said farmers are receiving payments within a week of delivery. As of yesterday, we had received 65 545 tonnes of grain and of that 56 496 was maize which is 87 percent and the balance is distributed between the traditional grains, soyabeans and so on. At the same time last year, we had received just 18 000 tonnes. We had projected that in May we would have received 45 000 tonnes of maize but it would appear that in May we will instead hit 60 000 tonnes. The performance is very good and on a daily basis we are receiving about 4 000 tonnes of grain, said Mr Mutenha. The value of the crop that we have received is $2,89 billion and we have managed to pay for all the deliveries that have been made. From Treasury we received $2 billion and we are on course in terms of farmer payments. We are managing to pay within the stipulated time that we promised farmers. We are paying within one week and to achieve this we made sure that all our 87 depots are fully functional. Mr Mutenha warned private players against buying maize saying those found will be charged with theft. Government in 2019 enacted Statutory Instrument Statutory 145 of 2019 which criminalises the private sale of maize and soya beans. The banning of private maize and soya sales is meant to protect the contractors who provide finance to farmers. We need to protect their investment against unscrupulous buyers of either soya beans or maize. We also need sanity and order in the sector. This is why we have these instruments. The instruments are very clear. What it means is that for example the only buyer of maize would be GMB or a contractor, he said. Mr Mutenha said anyone else would not be allowed to buy because its now a protected crop in terms of the instrument. He said the provisions of the instrument are such violaters will be fined up to three times the value of the crop that would have been sold or bought because they would be stealing from someone who has been contracted or from Government. He said Government finances the agriculture sector together with some private players and they need to be protected. Minister Masuka said Government is the biggest financier of agriculture through schemes such as the Presidential Input Scheme. He said the Statutory Instruments in place are meant to promote the agriculture sector and transform the sector in line with the countrys development thrust. It therefore means that if a farmer has received some form of financing either through the Presidential Inputs Scheme or through a contractor, they must honour the contractual obligations. For the first time the Presidential input scheme has generated a contract form so the 2,4 million farmers that participated in the Presidential Input Scheme should have signed a contract form that says the surplus must be delivered to GMB, he said. Minister Masuka said in the coming seasons farmers who receive inputs from Government would be made to sign contracts. The Presidential Input Scheme provided soya beans, groundnuts and sorghum so my expectation is that anything grown under that and where a surplus is generated, it should be directed to the GMB. Honourable ministers this is what we need to embrace the Presidential Input Scheme meant to uplift our communities. Government has created an environment for the upliftment of agriculture by putting a Statutory Instrument that protects these communal farmers from middlemen who come and say you have a surplus so there is no need to deliver to the GMB and are paid a substandard market price, said Minister Masuka. Chronicle By Express News Service BENGALURU: In a heart-wrenching incident, a woman suspected to be Covid-positive, was found abandoned by her family at KSR Railway Station in Bengaluru. After a three-day ordeal, during which she lay alone and helpless, the woman was rescued by Railway Police on Saturday evening. All thanks to an advocate who raised an alarm. The woman, in her thirties, had been abandoned near the rear entrance of the station, said an official release. She was later admitted to KC General Hospital by Railway Police. Advocate M Sridharan, who regularly passed by the rear entrance of the station, saw her lying near the ticket booking office for three days. I take this route to pick up my sister, who works as a doctor at the Railway Hospital, around 5 pm every day. I saw a person lying in pouring rain for two days, and surrounded by flies on another day. It really upset me. Though there were auto drivers around, no one seemed to want to help. I was worried about going near her but wanted to help, he told The New Indian Express. Sridharan found the Divisional Railway Managers number online as well as a contact number of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). I messaged them on Saturday and got an instant response, and a person was rushed to the spot immediately, he said. Assistant Sub Inspector, RPF, Shankarappa, who went to the spot, said, She was very weak and couldnt stand. We gave her water and she drank some, but couldnt eat anything. She uttered a few words in Hindi. Our doctor attended to her until the ambulance arrived, and said her pulse was weak and she had low sugar levels. We are really thankful to the person who alerted us about it, and began treatment immediately, DRM A K Verma said. Manju Shettar By Express News Service BENGALURU: While crimes such as murder, robbery, and chain snatching have dipped in the city thanks to the lockdown, offences surrounding Covid are flourishing. Many are on the prowl to make the most of the pandemic, by conning helpless people amidst this raging health crisis. The pandemic has created such an opportunity that many fraudsters are thriving by exploiting and extorting people, who are in dire need of medical help, be it an ICU bed, oxygen, or a Remdesivir injection. While conventional crimes have dipped due to increased checks to enforce lockdown, cybercrime has continued unchecked. Last year, we had cracked down on those who were producing low-quality or duplicate hand sanitisers and masks, which were in high demand. But in the second wave, there is a whole lot of new scams that are being unearthed. However, they do not pose any major challenge for us to solve, as most of those running these activities are new to the world of crime, said a senior official in the Central Crime Branch (CCB). Almost every day, the police are arresting people for their alleged involvement in blackmarketing of Remdesivir injections, and charging exorbitant prices for oxygen cylinders. The probe into the bed-blocking scam has revealed that a huge number of private hospitals were handin- glove with fraudsters. Many including doctors were also arrested for issuing fake Covid-19 negative certificates. In another instance, a doctor and another woman were caught for running a private vaccination programme in a house. COMMON COVID CRIMES Hoarding of Remdesivir injections Charging exorbitant prices for oxygen cylinders Issuing fake Covid-19 negative certificates without tests Bulk promotions claiming medicine required for Covid treatment is available, and cheating people in need By Express News Service CHENNAI: Scores of owners of two-wheelers and autorickshaws staged a demonstration in front of the Thiruvottiyur police station on Saturday evening, demanding that the authorities return their seized vehicles. The protest affected the movement of traffic for more than an hour. According to police sources, 240 vehicles have been seized since May 10. They have been parked in a school nearby, the sources said, adding that the vehicles were confiscated as the owners failed to cite valid reasons for using them to venture outdoors during the lockdown. A senior police officer told The New Indian Express that the demands of the protesters were not entertained, but an assurance was given that the issue would soon be addressed. We will return the vehicles once we receive instructions from the government, the officer said. On Friday alone, the Greater Chennai Traffic police registered more than 2,400 cases and seized 907 vehicles, while the Law and Order police registered over 1,500 cases and seized more than 2,500 vehicles across the city. Police sources said these vehicles were kept in spaces near the police stations concerned. Strict lockdown About 20,000 police personnel will be deployed in the city to enforce the week-long intensified lockdown from Monday. In case of violations, vehicles would be confiscated and stringent action would be taken against the owners, police sources said. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police's Special Cell has sent a notice to Twitter in connection with an inquiry into a complaint regarding the alleged COVID-19 'toolkit' and sought a clarification from the microblogging site for classifying a related tweet by BJP leader Sambit Patra as "manipulative", an official said on Monday. It appears that Twitter has some information that is not known to the police. This information is relevant to the inquiry, Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said. The police, however, refused to divulge the contents of the complaint or the identity of the complainant. The BJP has accused the Congress of creating a 'toolkit' that seeks to tarnish the image of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi by calling the new strain of coronavirus as "India strain" or "Modi strain". However, the Congress has denied the allegation and claimed that the BJP is propagating a fake 'toolkit' to defame it. Last week, Twitter labelled as "manipulated media" a tweet by Patra on the alleged 'toolkit'. Twitter says it "may label Tweets that include media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated". Biswal said the Delhi Police is inquiring into a complaint in connection with which a clarification has been sought from Twitter regarding the classification of a tweet by Patra as "manipulative". "It appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us on the basis of which they have classified it (Patra's tweet) as such. This information is relevant to the inquiry. The Special Cell, which is conducting the inquiry, wants to find out the truth. Twitter, which has claimed to know the underlying truth, should clarify," he said. BJP leaders, including Patra, have posted numerous tweets to attack the Congress over the purported 'toolkit'. On May 19, the Congress lodged a police complaint seeking registration of cases against BJP chief J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, BJP general secretary B L Santosh and Patra over the alleged forgery of documents. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress' students wing NSUI also lodged a complaint against Patra and former chief minister Raman Singh for allegedly "forging" the letterhead of AICC Research Department and printing "false and fabricated" content on it. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been filed against Patra and Singh at the Civil Lines police station in Raipur. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Monday sent a notice to Twitter India in connection with the probe into a complaint about the alleged 'COVID toolkit', asking it to share information based on which it had classified a related tweet by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra as "manipulated media", officials said. Two police teams also descended on the microblogging site's offices in Lado Sarai in Delhi and in Gurgaon this evening. "The Delhi police team went to the Twitter office to serve a notice to Twitter as a part of routine process. This was necessitated as we wanted to ascertain who is the right person to serve a notice, as replies by Twitter India MD have been very ambiguous," Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said. The BJP has accused the Congress of creating a 'toolkit' that seeks to tarnish the image of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the handling of the COVID pandemic. However, the Congress has denied the allegation and claimed that the BJP is propagating a fake 'toolkit' to defame it. Last week, Twitter labelled as "manipulated media" a tweet by Patra on the alleged 'toolkit'. Twitter says it "may label Tweets that include media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated". Biswal said the Delhi Police is inquiring into a complaint in the toolkit matter. ALSO READ: Delhi Police sends notice to Twitter over flagging Sambit Patra's tweet as 'manipulated media' "It appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us and on the basis of which they have classified it (Patra's tweet) as such. This information is relevant to the inquiry. The Special Cell, which is conducting the inquiry, wants to find out the truth. Twitter, which has claimed to know the underlying truth, should clarify," he said. The police, however, refused to divulge the contents of the complaint or the identity of the complainant. The notice sent earlier to Twitter India MD stated that "whereas a preliminary enquiry is being conducted pertaining to the 'Toolkit' which is allegedly released by the Indian National Congress and whereas during the course of the investigation, it has come to our knowledge that you are acquainted with the facts of the matter and are in possession of information with regard to the same." The police in the notice requested Twitter India MD to be present in the DCP office for the purpose of investigation with all the relevant documents on May 22 at 1 PM. Twitter, however, did not wish to offer any comment. The government had earlier asked Twitter to remove the 'manipulated media' tag as the matter is pending before law enforcement agency, and made it clear that the social media platform cannot pass judgment when the issue is under investigation. BJP leaders, including Patra, have posted numerous tweets to attack the Congress over the purported 'toolkit'. On May 19, the Congress lodged a police complaint seeking registration of cases against BJP chief J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, BJP general secretary B L Santosh and Patra over the alleged forgery of documents. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress' students wing NSUI also lodged a complaint against Patra and former chief minister Raman Singh for allegedly "forging" the letterhead of the AICC Research Department and printing "false and fabricated" content on it. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been filed against Patra and Singh at the Civil Lines police station in Raipur. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday granted bail to a man accused of being part of a mob which "brutally attacked" a police station, during the riots in north east Delhi last year, which resulted in the death of a head constable and grievous injuries to two senior police officers. Justice Suresh K Kait granted the relief to the accused for the reasons that the fourth charge sheet has already been filed in the case, trial shall take substantial amount of time and the petitioner, who was in prison since November 2020, "cannot be made to languish behind bars for an indefinite period of time". The court said that petitioner -- Mohd Mansoor -- shall be released on bail "forthwith" on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 20,000 with one surety of the like amount. It also directed that the accused "shall not directly or indirectly influence any witness and shall appear before the trial court as and when directed". Advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir, appearing for the accused, during the proceedings had told the court that his client was not named in the FIR or the subsequent three charge sheets in the case. He was named only in the fourth charge sheet and the allegation against him was that he was seen as part of the mob which was pelting stones, Mir had said. He had also told the court that his client was suffering from Acute Transient Psychotic Disorder (ATPD) at the time of the incident on February 24 last year. Mir had further argued that no weapon was recovered from the accused and a co-accused in the case has already been granted bail. The prosecution had opposed the bail plea saying he was part of the mob which pelted stones on on-duty police personnel. After hearing both sides, Justice Kait said that according to CCTV footage there was no doubt that Mansoor was part of the mob which pelted stones on the police, but the identification of the accused by the prosecution before the trial court and the high court was "at variance". The high court said the issues with regard to mental fitness of the accused and whether he intended to cause injury to the police personnel were all matters of trial and both sides will have to make out their case before the trial court. The high court said it was not commenting on the merits of the case and directed that the accused be released on bail. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured. By PTI NEW DELHI: The police on Monday told the Delhi High Court that as long as Matrix Cellular commits no offence, like selling oxygen concentrators or other COVID-19 related items at prices which are not legally permissible or are defective, it will not seize the goods they have imported. The police told the high court that Matrix can get released its goods awaiting customs clearance at the Delhi airport, send some of the samples for testing and can sell its products in the market, but if any of its imported items is found to be defective or if the company is selling them by making false representations or at prices which are not legally permissible, then it will seize such goods. The company told the high court that it was agreeable to the terms set by the police as it wanted its goods to be taken out of customs to avoid payment of any further demurrage charges. In view of the submissions by both the sides, Justice Asha Menon disposed of the plea moved by the company to restrain the police from taking any coercive measures like seizure of its oxygen concentrators or other related products it would be importing or has imported in connection with COVID-19 treatment. In its petition, Matrix had claimed that its import of the concentrators was legitimate and a part of the consignment was stored at businessman Navneet Kalra's restaurant 'Nege and Ju' as it was a "collection centre" from where people could purchase the units without having to crowd outside the company's office. The company had claimed that due to the increase in number of COVID-19 patients in the city, there were several persons in dire need of concentrators and it was leading to people queuing outside its office. "Accordingly, the petitioner (Matrix) decided to designate an alternate location as a collection point for the oxygen concentrators and related equipment and it was pursuant to the same, the Petitioner designated a restaurant - 'Nege and Ju'," the petition had said. It had claimed that the "collection centre" was chosen at Kalra's restaurant as it was centrally located and was accessible by people from all parts of the National Capital Region. However, on May 5, the police seized all the concentrators at the said collection centre on "baseless and misconceived" allegation that the same was as part of black market operation, it further claimed. "Thereafter, during the dead of the night, the said police officers arrived at the office of the petitioner and seized the entire stock of oxygen concentrators located therein," the petition had said. "In view of the same and in anticipation of further prejudicial and coercive action being taken by these police officers against the goods being acquired by the petitioner, similar to that already taken by these police officers in relation to the products previously seized, the Petitioner is filing the present writ petition seeking inter alia directions restraining the respondents (police) from taking such similar prejudicial and coercive action against the products being imported by the petitioner in the future," the company had said in its plea. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Foreign vaccine manufacturers have refused to directly deal with states and instead informed that they are in touch with the Centre, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday.With Delhi like other states facing a shortage of vaccine doses, the AAP government had reached out to Moderna and Pfizer for directly procuring the vials. But like its Punjab counterpart, the Delhi government also got the response that the vaccine deals would be done directly with the Centre.s came a day after a senior Punjab official said Moderna had refused to send vaccines directly to the state government stating that it only deals with the Centre. Punjab Nodal Officer for vaccination Vikas Garg, had on Sunday, COVID vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send vaccines directly to the Punjab government stating that according to their policy, they only deal with the Government of India and not with any state government or private parties. Kejriwal said the second wave of COVID-19 is declining gradually and the city government has started preparations for the third wave. "We have imported 6,000 oxygen cylinders from China. Three depots with 2,000 each are being created. These will be used in case of a third wave. MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and Indian Embassy in Beijing help us greatly, else this was not possible," he said. Questioning the Centres lack of urgency, Kejriwal asserted the government should act now given that a lot of time has been wasted already. Why is the work not being done with urgency? It is my earnest request to the Central government that our country has lost a lot of time already It has been a long time. We should not waste time anymore. Vaccine rollout for the 18-44 age group was paused on Saturday in Delhi due to the shortage of doses. The AAP government has been blaming the Centre of not having a contingency plan to meet the massive demand of vaccine given the large population of the country.Kejriwal said that why cant this be the case that the Central Government calls, invites and talks to these companies and I think within 3-4 days deals and agreements can be made with all the companies. While Delhi needs 80 lakh cases, Kejriwal had said, it had only received 16 lakh doses in May and the citys June share had also been reduced further to eight lakh doses.The chief minister also drew the Centres attention to the shortage of medicine required for treatment of mucromycosis. Suddenly this illness has emerged and there is a shortage of its medicine in the market. The Central Government is distributing all the medicines it has to the states. As there is an extreme shortage of medicine, its production also has to be increased, he said, adding that there are about 500 cases of Black Fungus are reported from city hospitals. (With agencies inputs) By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Sunday asked all the 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to instruct its ground staff and beat officers to behave politely with the violators of lockdown and not indulge in any kind of harsh behaviour. Following this direction, a special drive was conducted by the local police across the city and the ground staff presented flowers and placards with slogans on the importance of staying home to the violators. In many districts, the police also donated packed food to the needy and masks to the people without one. The violators were made to stand in a line following social distancing and were made to take a pledge that "We will follow the lockdown rules, stay home till the pandemic gets over and will not step out until it is emergency." Further, the police pasted posters, raised banners and placards with a message saying, "If you hate wearing mask, you are really not going to like the ventilator." The violators were further sensitised about the coronavirus, how dangerous it is and the consequences of not staying home and roaming outside without masks. The violators were later asked to sensitise the other violators who were seen breaking the norms. The Delhi Police issued 3,019 challans, of which 2,504 are for mask violation and 605 for not following social distancing. Further, the police have issued 7,05,958 challans till date against violations. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Over the last few months, social media has emerged as a vital tool for many city residents to get their Covid-19 emergencies addressed through SOS alerts and the likes. But for many affected by Covid-19 in the rural areas, such platforms are still a luxury. Acknowledging this gap, a few good samaritans from the city have launched fundraisers to provide assistance to people deprived of social media help. They aim to use these funds to ensure that rural areas have adequate medical facilities. Speaking to Express, Pradeep Gadicherla, one of the founding members of Feed The Needy -- an NGO providing free last rite services to kin of Covid patients -- said that the virus spread is no longer restricted to just the big cities as in the first wave of the pandemic. The second wave has seen an increase in cases in the rural areas of the State as well. But, unfortunately, in these areas, things are only worse. There are fewer medical resources here in comparison to the cities, he said. In the new wave, we have seen many people, especially from the cities, reaching out for help on Twitter and other platforms. However, as not a lot of people have access to these platforms, their calls for help dont get much much attention, he added. Gadicherla further said that there have been a few incidents in the past, wherein rural Covid patients had to travel all the way to Hyderabad to get medical facilities. I know of a few Covid patients who lost the battle against the virus while they were en route Hyderabad for oxygen supply. We are, therefore, planning to start a fundraiser through which we can set up oxygen concentrators at the district level, he said. ZIMBABWES on-going COVID-19 vaccination programme has been hit by shortage of vaccines after several people who turned up at inoculation centres for the first dose in some parts of the country were turned away, while the second dose was said to be in limited supply. The country launched a countrywide inoculation exercise in February this year, targeting to achieve herd immunity which is about 60% of the population. The vaccine shortage comes at a time when the country is facing a deadly third wave of COVID-19, as well as the new Indian variant, which has already been confirmed in Kwekwe. Investigations by NewsDay at several vaccination centres throughout the country revealed that Harare and Bulawayo vaccination centres were experiencing a shortage of the jabs, of either the Chinese Sinopharm, Sinovac or the Indian Covaxin vaccines. In Harare, only Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital was administering both the first and second doses yesterday, while centres such as Parirenyatwa and Sally Mugabe Central hospitals, as well as Mabvuku Polyclinic had recorded stock-outs. COVID-19 taskforce chief co-ordinator Agnes Mahomva confirmed the shortage, adding that government was in the process of redistributing vaccines from areas with an oversupply. We are aware of some centres that are saying they have run out of vaccines and the ministry is in the process of redistributing the vaccines from centres with an oversupply of the vaccine as we cannot have some places with vaccines expiring after we have procured more, she said. Bulawayo City Councils health services director Edwin Sibanda confirmed the vaccine stock-outs at some centres. We are expecting some extra stocks this week as we have been promised to avert the crisis, but we do not know how many. The second dose is there, meaning that we cannot increase the number of people vaccinated since these doses go in pairs, Sibanda said. Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Solwayo Ngwenya said it was worrying that the nation was experiencing vaccine stock-outs when it was under threat of the Indian B16172 variant. Actually, we should be having a variety of vaccines because each of them have different efficacy rates. Once we run out of stock, we are not going to achieve the 60% herd immunity of the population, he said. We are having a new variant, a very aggressive variant in our population and with our population behaving like we are doing, this virus is going to spread like wildfire and we are going to see mass infections. However, at places like Mahusekwa Hospital in Marondera, COVID-19 doses were said to be in abundant supply. Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health chairperson Ruth Labode said the shortage was caused by unequal response to the vaccine campaign. Some provinces have very little vaccine utilisation while others have used up their allocations. The question is should vaccines be moved from areas with low uptake to those areas with high uptake, Labode said. Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association president Johannes Marisa said the stock-outs were caused by limited stocks. Government in total ordered 600 000 vaccine doses: 400 000 of Sinopharm and 200 000 Sinovac, and so it was actually a limited number. A lot of people snubbed the vaccination process and it was not very important to order millions of doses when even frontliners were reluctant to get vaccinated, he said. I am hopeful and optimistic that government is going to order more since the uptake has increased in the past few weeks, considering that World Health Organisation actually approved Sinopharm as an emergency vaccine for use. Senior Hospital Doctors Association president Shingai Nyaguse said: It appears the vaccine stocks at hand are running low. It is understandable that they would reserve stock on hand for those still in need of a second dose. Most vaccines have shown that immunity becomes more clinically significant after the second dose. We would urge the government to rapidly acquire more vaccines as we are in a race against time to stave off a third COVID-19 wave. Newsday By PTI MUMBAI: After a Central directive, the Mumbai civic body on Monday allowed lactating mothers and pregnant women to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 at approved centres without prior registration, officials said on Monday. Lactating mothers and pregnant women can walk-in at the centres run by the Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) between Monday and Wednesday as they are now included in the list of the categories eligible for vaccination on the three days a BMC release said. However, they have to do registration at vaccination centres. The BMC cited the May 19 directive of the Union government permitting lactating mothers to take COVID-19 vaccines. "While administering vaccines to lactating mothers, all the necessary guidelines will be followed. They will have to carry necessary documents about the date and place of delivery along with medical details. Pregnant women will have to produce a certificate written on the letterhead of gynaecologists from whom they are taking treatment along with a self-consent letter," the civic body said. A BMC spokesperson said pregnant women can also walk in for COVID-19 jabs between Monday and Wednesday. At present, Mumbai has 321 active vaccination centres, and so far, 29,80,478 citizens have been administered COVID-19 vaccines including 25,211 inoculations on Monday. As of Monday, Mumbai's COVID-19 tally stood at 6,98,867 while the overall death toll is 14,671. By PTI LOS ANGELES: Actor Kevin Spacey is set to make a movie comeback with Italian independent project "L'uomo Che Disegno Dio". The low-budget film will be Spacey's first acting gig since he went through a sudden downfall in his career after a number sexual assault allegations surfaced against him during the #MeToo movement in 2017. According to Variety, Spacey is on board to make a cameo in the Franco Nero-directed film. The film's producer Louis Nero said Spacey would feature in a small role as a police detective. Franco Nero will play the lead role. Written by Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero's wife, the story follows "the rise and fall of a blind artist who has the extraordinary gift of making true-to-life portraits just by listening to human voices." Spacey was fired from his starring role in Netflix's "House of Cards" in November 2017 as sexual assault and harassment allegations against him mounted, after Anthony Rapp claimed that the actor behaved inappropriately with him when he was 14-years-old. Almost 20 men working with the Old Vic, the London Theater at which Spacey was the artistic director, reported allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Rapp's claims prompted Spacey to issue a statement where he said he had no memory of the incident but apologised for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior. The 60-year-old actor also came out as a gay in the statement, which drew further criticism from people. Spacey has till now denied accusations by more than a dozen men, including Rapp. The actor's last movie outing was 2018's "Billionaire Boys Club". A Sharadhaa By Express News Service Priyanka Thimmesh, who has been basking in the fame of Bigg Boss Season 8, is now looking forward to the release of her first Kannada album song. Titled Kanseleva Mayavi, the teaser will be released today, while the song will be unveiled on May 28. This romantic album stars Priyanka and Darshith, and has music by Sam C S. While the lyrics have been written by Suprith Sharma S, it has been sung by Arfaz Ullal, choreographed by Dileep K Gowda and has Ravindranath T handling the camerawork. The actor, who is making her debut in a single, says, The team I worked with for the music album is planning to come up with a film. And we thought this was the first step to explore our skills and build a rapport. This song will come in handy as a pitch for producers. This was done during the first lockdown when I got all of my friends together for this and invested in this music album. Priyanka has been waiting for the release of Arjun Gowda, a commercial entertainer produced by late Ramu and directed by Lucky Shankar. It has her paired opposite Prajwal Devaraj. The actor has also completed the shooting of Sugarless, a directorial debut of Shashidhar KM. This film has Prithvi Ambar in the lead. Ask about her next, and Priyanka reveals that in all likelihood, she might team up again with the production house of Sugarless. We are still in initial discussions, nothing has been finalised yet. Meanwhile, there are a couple of directors whom I am also in talks with, she says. Getting out of the Bigg Boss house or staying home owing to the pandemic-induced lockdown is one and the same, feels Priyanka. She was one of the actors who got into the reality shows through a wildcard entry and stayed in the house for a month. After her short stint in the Bigg Boss house, Priyanka says that people feel she is a girl of few words, but straightforward at the same time. Viewers felt that I was positive, and didnt take sides with any contestant. People knew me for my films like Ganapa and Pataki, but now know me better, she says. Express News Service BENGALURU: Even as college students are waiting for their examinations and the coming academic year to begin, they are keeping busy by filling the gaps in Covid-19 response, wherever needed. The State Committee of the student organisation AIDSO has started Hello Doctor, a free tele-clinic for those having Covid- 19 symptoms, from May 22. The organsiation has roped in 35-40 doctors who will work pro bono. About 10 student volunteers across the state are spreading the word about the tele-consultation, Vinay Chandra, AIDSO State Secretariat Member and Bangalore District Treasurer told The New Indian Express. Guidance from experts for home isolation and primary treatment for Covid-19, along with counselling for those in distress, is available through the tele-consultation. To begin with, two sessions of one hour each will be held from Monday to Saturday (9-10 am and 4-5 pm), and three sessions (10-11 am; 12 pm-1 pm; 5-6 pm) will be held on Sundays, said Vinay. Contact for appointment: 9164220387, 9035762866, 8951824630, 9538627750, 8880744437, 9632127094. Meanwhile, Bangalore Student Community, a forum of more than 4,000 students has split itself into various teams, each dedicated to helping out those in need. They also have an on-ground team with 100 members. The team can be reached on social media handles or 7760161751. With black fungus cases rising, the team is tying up with medical students for health checkups, said Dhruv Jatti, president, Bangalore Student Community, adding that the team is exploring a tech intervention for the registration of vaccination. By PTI CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday urged the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) not to hold their planned sit-in over his government's "failure" to tackle coronavirus, saying their three-day protest may turn into a super-spreader. The farmers' outfit has decided to hold a protest from May 28 in Patiala, the CM's home constituency. Rejecting the allegation that his government failed to tackle the pandemic, the CM said they fought hard to prevent Punjab going the way of some other states such as Delhi, Maharashtra and even Uttar Pradesh, where bodies floating in the Ganga exposed the mismanagement by the BJP government. According to a statement, he urged farmers not to act "irresponsibly" and endanger their own lives as their planned protest may negate the gains made by the state government in the fight against the pandemic, amid a complete ban on all gatherings. Such a "dharna" will draw people mainly from villages, which are in any case going through a crisis during the second wave of the pandemic, he said, adding that the outfit's action is completely unwarranted, considering the support his government has extended to farmers on the issue of the Centre's farm laws, said the CM. His government was the first to pass amendment laws in the state Assembly to contravene the farm laws, he said. "It is time for the farmers now to reciprocate by supporting the state government in the fight against the pandemic," he said. He pointed out that even during the peak of the second COVID wave in Punjab, things had not gone out of control here as they had in several other states. The state had been one of the best performing so far as the management of the pandemic is concerned, he claimed. Given the gravity of the situation, there is no scope for any laxity in COVID-appropriate behaviour and rallies or 'dharnas' of any kind are totally unacceptable when the lives of the people are at stake, he said. By PTI GUWAHATI: Defending the proposed cow protection bill in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the ruling BJP on Monday said beef should not be consumed in places where Hindus live and the bovine is worshipped. During a discussion on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address in Assam Assembly, the opposition AIUDF feared that the propsed bill will encourage incidents of mob lynching like those in the "cow belt" in northern India. "We believe that cow is our mother. We want that cattle don't come from West Bengal. We want that beef is not consumed in those places where cows are worshipped. I am not saying people as a whole should leave their natural habits," Sarma said. BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have laws for protection of cattle. The Assam chief minister said he has seen many times the statements of Darul Uloom from Lucknow that beef should not be consumed in places where Hindus live. "There is no need to have Hotel Madina in Fancy Bazar or Santipur or Gandhibasti (all in Guwahati), because people have sensitivity. Where there is no sensitivity, all personal habits will continue. Indian Constitution says cows should not be killed, it is there in directive principles. "We will keep appealing that please leave (killing cows for consumption) it slowly. But, we have to work on those places where we have sensitivity. When AIUDF MLAs will support such MLAs in the House, a new Assam will emerge," Sarma said. Addressing the first session of the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly on May 22, Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi had said people revere and worship cows, and the state government is planning to introduce a cow protection bill in the next Assembly session to ban transport of cattle to outside the state. Consumption of beef is not illegal in Assam and the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950 permits slaughter of cattle above 14 years of age with proper certificate only by a veterinary officer of the area. BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia said, "As we have a religious relation with cows, they should not be slaughtered and hanged in Hindu majority localities. In cosmopolitan places, the hotels should not openly sell beef. The proposed act should include all these aspects." Reacting to the controversies following this announcement, the second time legislator clarified that the proposed bill is not an anti-cow slaughtering bill, but a cow protection bill only. "Whenever a cow protection bill is discussed, a section tries to communalise it. Gau mata is our culture and popular belief. It was linked to religion in ancient times so that the animal can be protected for its enormous usefulness. That is why we still have many cows. "The cow gives us more than what we give it to them. We need cows. The bill will be brought only to stop its transportation," he added. The MLA said that "gau mutra" (cow urine) and "gobar" (cow dung) are more useful than the milk. In Patanjali, 100 ml gaumutra cost Rs 45. On the other hand, one litre milk is priced Rs 50 and that is the value of gau mutra. "Gobar is an organic fertiliser. Fire sticks are made from cow dung in Gujarat. If we make an industry to make sticks out of cow dung, lots of trees will be saved. Lots of trees are cut during the cremation of one Hindu person," he added. Saikia said that cattle herds are brought from UP, Bihar and inhumanely transported to Bangladesh through the river in an illegal trade and it must be stopped. Another BJP MLA Jayanta Malla Baruah said cow protection is a big question for Indian civilisation and the chief minister is planning to bring in a bill thinking about that only. "We call it gau mata. We worship cows. We cannot accept killing a cow and then selling its meat. It is like killing our mother. This cannot happen anywhere in Assam. Those whose emotions are not affected, they can do it in their areas, but in the areas where we live it cannot happen," he added. This has to be the path of the BJP government and the chief minister is thinking in that direction as the trade in the name of cow transportation will not be allowed, Baruah said. "Don't look at it through the prism of religion and don't oppose it from a religious point of view. Article 48 of Indian Constitution clearly says that killing an animal involved with agriculture is a crime. "It is our fundamental right that no activity should be carried out which will affect our religious sentiment," he added. Criticising the move, opposition AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam questioned the government why any such bill is not introduced in Goa, Mizoram or Meghalaya where the BJP or its alliance are in power. "A doubt remains that on the basis of this bill, will mob lynching start here like the ones in the cow belt? That is why we want to say that we should not bring any such law which will disturb the social fabric. "Will unemployment be solved by this bill? Will GDP grow with this bill? Will our per capita income grow with this cow protection? We need answers to these," he added. By PTI JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina and MP Jugal Kishore on Monday faced the ire of agitating businessmen during a visit to different hospitals in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch. The Rajouri unit of the Congress accused the BJP leaders of violating the COVID-19 SOPs for "cheap publicity" although the BJP president defended the visit, saying they are touring different hospitals to inspect the facilities being provided to COVID-19 patients and bring any shortcoming to the notice of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. "We voted for BJP en masse but nothing changed on the ground do something good for the society and do not ignore the people," a local leader of the business community said to the visiting BJP leaders at Sunderbani market in Rajouri district the hometown of Raina. Amid slogans of 'shame shame', the businessman alleged that a poor shopkeeper is being slapped with an FIR and a fine of Rs 5,000 if he opens his shop for a few hours to sustain his family during this pandemic. "Have we voted to get FIRs registered against us," the agitated businessman asked, claiming there is no one to listen to them. However, the protesting shopkeepers dispersed peacefully and later the BJP leaders visited Government Medical College (GMC) hospital Rajouri and other health institutions where they took stock of the facilities being provided to the COVID patients. The Rajouri District Congress Committee (DCC) described the visit of the BJP leaders as a "cheap publicity stunt" and said the COVID-19 protocols and social distancing norms were violated by them. "The BJP leaders came for a cheap publicity stunt after neglecting the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch as far as the health sector is concerned," DCC president and former minister Shabir Ahmad Khan and other senior leaders of the party said in a joint statement. Referring to the Sunderbani protest, the statement said the BJP leaders faced the wrath of angry people for their "lies and neglect" as the people of two border districts are facing hardships due to the alleged failure of BJP leadership in the timely creation of the required health facilities. "The MP and BJP leaders could have invited the principal GMC and medical superintendent and administration for discussion regarding the health facilities in the Dak bungalow but indulged in photo opportunities and the drama to get cheap publicity, after more than hundred of people have lost their lives," the statement said. The Congress leaders said the GMC Rajouri lacks facilities in terms of manpower and logistics due to "utter neglect", while the sanctioned 3,000 LPM oxygen plant is yet to made operational and the recently commissioned 1000 LPM oxygen plant does not cater to the need of the hospital and the present requirements of two districts. "There is no trained staff to make the ventilator supported beds to be fully operational as a result patients suffer," the statement said. Interacting with media persons outside the GMC Rajouri, the J-K BJP president said the second wave of the pandemic has affected all parts of the country and his party workers are risking their lives to provide assistance to the people. "We are in a grave situation and trying to reach out to the people braving the risk to our lives. We are visiting different hospitals to inspect the facilities and look for any shortcoming so that the issue is raised timely with the Lt governor for redressal," he said, responding to a question about complaints of SOP violations against them. He said BJP workers are driven by the feeling of serving humanity and it is because of the efforts of the BJP that the GMC Rajouri is functional with an oxygen plant to provide succour to the people of the border districts who otherwise had to visit Jammu for specialised treatment. "This is not the time for politics, to level allegations and counter the allegations," he said and saluted the doctors, para-medical staff and other corona warriors for their service to the society. Express News Service JAIPUR/PATNA/BHOPAL: They are qualified doctors by training, but bureaucrats or police officers by profession. They had donned the white coat of medical practitioners before clearing the civil service examinations and becoming IAS or IPS officers. Now in this hour of crisis caused by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, besides doing their jobs as a chief executive or a district magistrate, they take out time to visit hospitals and double up as doctors to treat Covid patients. Manju Sheoran Jakhar Meet Manju Sheoran Jakhar, S M Thiyagrajan and Anil Kumar among others, the first two being IAS officers of the Rajasthan and Bihar cadre respectively, and the third an IPS officer in UP. All three had studied MBBS. They are now putting their medical training to good use, playing a double role with ease. Jakhar, a 2016 batch IAS officer, is the chief executive officer of the Udaipur District Council and oversees rural development work under the MNREGA. She studied MBBS at the Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi and also completed her MS in gynaecology before cracking the civil services exam. Given her medical background, she was assigned the work of ensuring oxygen supply to patients and to fill the gap in Covid testing facilities. During her almost daily rounds of hospitals to ensure this, she takes out time to see patients in the wards of the RNT Medical College Hospital in Udaipur, among others. Jakhar also gives phone consultation to patients. A lot of treatment is done on the phone itself as every family has someone or other suffering from Covid. I check their reports, symptoms and track their treatment. This will continue as I am doctor, she said. To manage medical oxygen, her team collected data from hospitals requiring oxygen and then rationed it. Never forgot that I was a doc: IAS officer on Covid duty Our report told us that some of the hospitals had a per capita consumption of four cylinders daily, which is now reduced to two. With the same oxygen we are able to treat 200- 300 more patients without affecting the treatment quality, said Jakhar. Nilesh Deore and Thiyagrajan are IAS officers in Bihar of the 2011 batch. While Deore is the district magistrate of Saran, Thiyagrajan is his counterpart in Darbhanga. Deore completed MBBS from the Terna Medical College and Hospital in Navi Mumbai. Dr Nilesh Deore I never forgot that I am a doctor. Wherever I come across sick persons on inspection at hospitals and dedicated Covid care centres, I go through their prescription and offer advice, he said, adding doctors often consult him whenever they face confusion.Thiyagrajan completed MBBS in 2008 from the Coimbatore Medical College and later joined the IAS. My background has helped me in making arrangements. I advise doctors on usage of drugs, steroids and other lifesaving medicines, he said. Anil Kumar, a 2016 batch IPS officer of the UP cadre and currently an additional deputy commissioner with the Kanpur traffic police, was made incharge of Covid-related work a t the Kanpur Po l i c e Commissionerate. He was earlier a doctor at the Jhalawar Medical College in Rajasthan and the Hindu Rao Hospital in New Delhi before hanging up the white coat for the khaki uniform. When the second wave of the pandemic struck, a Covid care centre was opened at the hospital in the police lines. Kumar used to sit at the flu OPD, screening patients along with Kanpurs CMO. With the help of the Kanpur CMO, Covid testing also started at the same OPD. It helped in early detection of the virus followed by timely home isolation or institutional treatment, said Dr Kumar. Rajesh Sahay, SP Zonal Intelligence in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, is a 2002 batch state police service officer. He finished MBBS from Bhopals MGM Medical College and MD (Anaesthesia) from Indore. Along with another doctor, he is deployed at a Covid care centre with 16 oxygen beds where he treats patients. No doctor will ever allow the doctor in him to become dormant, said Sahay. He has been living in self-isolation in a room of his residence since April 28, away from his family. Richa Sharma By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The second Covid-19 wave has touched a peak in mid- May and the number of cases is expected to climb down by early July, a mathematical model developed by scientists at IIT indicated. The virus curve, the model shows, may touch the early February level with around 12,780 new infections (a sevenday average) recorded from around July 3. On Sunday, India registered 2,40,842 new cases, the lowest since April 17 when 2.34 lakh cases were recorded in a day. Indias total active caseload has decreased to 28,05,399 on Sunday, which is a net decline of 1,18,001 in the previous 24 hours. The Covid-19 cases, which started to rise in February, had breached the 1-lakh mark by April 7. It reached over two lakh daily cases in the next 10 days and three lakh daily case by April 24. New infections (seven-day average) reached a peak on May 8 at 3.9 lakh cases while active infections on May 13 at 37.2 lakh cases. The Susceptible, Undetected, Tested (positive), and Removed Approach (SUTRA) model, authored by IIT Kanpur professor Manindra Agrawal, deputy chief integrated defence staff (Med) Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar and IIT Hyderabad Prof Mathukumalli Vidyasagar, shows Covid cases in most high-burden states have now stabilised. Tamil Nadus peak has advanced further thanks to lockdown that brought the contact rate down by more than 20%. West Bengal lockdown also seems to have helped very significantly, Prof Agrawal said. He said the model was data-based and the estimated values of parameters were also purely based on data. By PTI DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government on Monday extended the COVID-19 related curfew period across the state till June 1. The period of the ongoing curfew in the state was scheduled to come to an end at 6 am on Tuesday morning. Giving the information here, Cabinet Minister and the state government's spokesman Subodh Uniyal said shops dealing in essential commodities like milk, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables will open daily for three hours from 8 am to 11 am during the period. The timings for the opening of shops have been changed in accordance with the demands of businessmen and traders after discussions with Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, he said. The earlier timings for the opening of shops selling essentials was 7 am to 10 am. However, PDS outlets and grocery shops will be opened for four hours only on May 28 from 8 am to 12 pm. Though COVID-19 cases in the state have begun to show a declining trend both in terms of positivity and mortality rates, the state government has extended the curfew as it does not want to take any chances, Uniyal said. The safety of people is the state government's main priority and a relaxation in curfew may be considered in future only if there is a further drop in the infection and mortality tally, he said. By listening for humpback whales in waters off New York, we found exciting evidence of humpback whale presence in winter and spring, which emphasizes both the conservation needs for this area and the many questions we still have about humpback whale occurrence in this habitat, said Julia Zeh, the studys lead author. Somrita Ghosh By Express News Service When Shubham was told to get plasma for his COVID-positive father by the Sarvodaya Hospital in Faridabad, he had no option but to arrange it. "It may work, it may not work...but there are times when a family doesnt have the strength to think scientifically. Every step appears to be the last chance to save your loved ones," says Shubham, who lost his father Raj Kumar Saxena (75) in April despite administering plasma therapy. Erick Massey had arranged both Remdesivir and two units of plasma for his COVID-infected mother, Delphin Massey (61), admitted at the Jaipur Golden Hospital hoping that it would drag her out of the critical stage. "There was no direct communication with the doctor; it only used to be the nurses who would call us in the morning to say plasma is needed, urgently, by evening. When we managed to provide both Remdesivir and plasma units, there was a ray of hope that things will get better. My mother had shown signs of improvement after the first unit of plasma was administered. But nothing helped ultimately," he recalls. What, at times, frustrates Erick is the fact that the government has now decided to drop plasma therapy from the treatment protocol for COVID-19 after much damage had already happened in the national capital and across the country. "When I think about those days or that restlessness the hurdles we all had faced just to fetch these two products. It does boil my blood. Anger, resentment - words fall short to describe what families have gone through. If doctors knew that it wont work, why did they administer plasma and made kin run post to pillar and spend lakhs," he asks. Shubham, on the other hand, says he was aware of plasma's efficacy and how much it can help to save lives. "The doctor didnt give us any false hope or raised expectations. The hospital had clearly told us that it may or may not work upon my father But your brain doesnt work that time. I was expecting that my father will improve with plasma. I was hoping for a miracle and that the theories over its efficacy may turn out to be false," he stated. Erick recollects those days when people had spent lakh of rupees for drugs like Remdesivir and waited for hours in a queue at ILBS - the plasma bank set up by Delhi government last year. "It's not just the patient who is suffering but it also takes a huge toll, physically and mentally, on the families. Acquiring plasma and Remdesivir was the biggest challenge making the situation 100 times more complex. It seems all such efforts were futile ever since the efficacy of these two on corona patients was declared," he says. When families were struggling to get even one unit of plasma or one vial of Remdesevir, many fell into trap of black-marketers who went on to demand as much as Rs 5-6 lakh. A family, who did not wish to be named, had sought help from this correspondent for plasma. They narrated their harrowing experience: "As we had put up a request on social media for plasma, we were getting many calls. One of them said that he can provide two units of plasma for Rs 40,000. We decided to go for it as it was urgent. When we called back, the number was switched off. After a while, the same person called from another number but said that he would charge Rs 1.2 lakh for one unit now. We realised it was illegal and did not go further." With the plasma therapy being dropped from the treatment protocol for COVID-19 by the Union Health Ministry, the blood donor groups and social media platforms are seeing a drop in the number of requests. Himanshu Verma, founder of CovidPlasmaIn (covidplasma.online) and a council member at TeamSOSIndia says that demands are definitely down both due to declining cases and ICMR guidelines. "At peak, we at CovidPlasmaIn and TeamSOSIndia received requests in the range of 800-1000 from Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, and via calls. Currently, were getting most of the SOS calls from the southern regions of India. Nowadays, were getting roughly 150 daily requests on average. It had been a hard struggle but I could see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel," Verma says. Arunesh Mishra from Blood Seva Parivar says that ICMRs decision will put a check on unnecessary and overuse of plasma. "There was a huge gap between demand and donors available. It was very difficult to cater to so many requests. Demand has gone down, but not completely. Some demands came from patients who are already in a critical stage. Also, this decision will surely put a check on black-marketing," he says. Verma says that in order to weed out black-marketing and plasma-related scams, the volunteer groups verified each request personally by validating the doctors prescription and other documents. Upon verification, we amplified the request in our network, and our operations team tried its best to connect donors and recipients, he adds. STILL PUTTING HOPE IN PLASMA While the Centre has decided to drop plasma therapy as a treatment for COVID-19, many - including the Delhi government - have a different view. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said that it can still be initiated at the suggestion of doctors. "It depends on a case-to-case basis and will be done only after the recommendation of the doctor. Nevertheless, we must know that there is no sure-shot specific medicine meant only for treatment against COVID-19," Jain noted. The city hospitals too voiced a similar approach over usage of plasma therapy in further courses of treatment. "It is not a ban. Its a recommendation that says plasma therapy is not beneficial. Also, there has not been any official communication from the Delhi government over its use. However, we will surely keep a cap on its usage. It doesnt help in extreme critical cases. This year we did use it on some patients but only on those we knew will be beneficial," said an official from a state-run hospital. Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine from Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said that selective usage of plasma in appropriate cases will be considered and "not using it irrationally, as has been". "The Delhi government is right at this point as recommendations and guidelines are there to guide and not binding on the treating doctors. For an individual patient what might be useful may not be generalised to the population at large" says Dr Nikhil Bante, Consultant Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine from Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj. "We would continue to use plasma therapy as well as Remdesevir in carefully selected patients who fulfil the above-discussed criteria. These are extremely useful weapons in our fight against the coronavirus, at a time when our arsenal is limited and we are running out of options. There is no sense in giving up on something which we have already tried successfully in a large number of patients," Dr Bante added. However, the experts acknowledge that plasma and Remdesevir have not worked on serious patients. According to Dr Chatterjee, while research-wise plasma and Remdesivir have both not sufficiently worked in serious patients, clinically marginal benefits have been observed in mild to moderate and earlier cases. "When plasma therapy and Remdesivir are used together or simultaneously, it is difficult to pinpoint which drug worked-- there is no plasma vs Remdesivir clinical trial yet. With many patients on oxygen support this time, all we can say is that plasma therapy comes early in, during the first 3-4 days, as per the physician's discretion while Remdesivir is administered a little late in the course of the disease. Once the disease progresses to high oxygen demand, I dont suppose plasma therapy has a role though antibody titer in plasma may be good," says Dr Vikramjeet Singh, Senior Consultant - Dept of Internal Medicine, Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka. About the impact of plasma and Remdesivir in the second wave, Dr Bante noted that these new variants are showing an immune escaping phenomenon. So the plasma therapy against these variants needs further research and study. Regarding Remdesivir, there is sufficient data recommendation to prove its efficacy against Covid-19 and the debate for its uses in my opinion are useless. The issue with Remdesivir is more logistic than scientific. The cost of medicine and limited availability in the current wave and intravenous route of administration requiring hospitalisation, when there is an acute shortage of beds have been the main reason for the government removing it from the recommendation, he adds. On the efficacy and success rate of plasma therapy on patients, Dr Bante says that his team has found that the use of high antibody titer plasma is quite useful in patients suffering from moderate diseases when used preferably within the first week or at best first 10 days of illness and no later than that. "These riders have a strong scientific basis and make all the difference in the use of plasma being effective or not. The plasma therapy failed to show positive results when either the donor was not screened for the presence of high titers of neutralising antibodies as per the international recommendation or when used too late in the course of the disease," he informs further. Dr Chatterjee states that since Covid-19 is still a new disease and its treatment is still evolving, it is natural that a few treatments would be dumped and new ones will be incorporated as evidence evolves. Had the decision of dropping plasma from protocol been announced earlier, would that have made things better? "Not at all... on the contrary I feel that this recommendation of dropping plasma therapy from the treatment protocol would in fact deprive the carefully selected patients of the potential benefit of this modality," states Dr Bante. "These are not magic bullets. There is a frenzy created around Remdesirvir. It has been shown in various trials that it doesnt have mortality benefits and is not needed for everyone. It is needed only for selected patients -- those who need early oxygen requirements. It may have a role in such circumstances and can be effective but thats also a question mark. There's no need to rush for Remdesirvir. The same goes for plasma therapy. It is not required for everybody -- this message should be loud and clear," says Dr Neeraj Nischal, Associate Professor in the department of medicine, AIIMS Delhi. Dr Anil Gurtoo, Director-Professor of Medicine at Lady Hardinge Hospital, says that for the past one and half year, he has never administered plasma therapy on any COVID patient. "Theoretically it is an interesting concept, however practically when it has been tested against scientifically designed randomized double-blinded controlled trials including one ICMR did," he said. "The study is clear that it is of no use. However, there were concerns raised over specific antibodies where it might benefit. Plasma with sufficient antibodies given to patients within the first seven days should work. But new data shows it has not shown any benefit. Biological feasibility and everything in medicine is a ratio of benefit, harm and cost," Dr Anil Gurtoo said. "Something which has no benefit then the question of harm and cost comes in. Plasma is the biological product of someone else, going into another body. It can cause so many other complications-- lungs damage, hepatitis, etc. The biggest risk of giving plasma is we are giving a fertile ground for mutants to develop," he added. The New Indian Express made several attempts to get a comment from ILBS but got no response. ICMR GUIDELINE ON PLASMA The use of convalescent plasma was dropped from the recommended treatment guidelines for Covid-19, as per an advisory from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) last week The National Task Force of the ICMR, along with experts from the Health Ministry, periodically updates guidelines on recommended modes of treatment. Registered doctors anywhere, however, arent bound by the Task Force recommendations. A recent study by the Lancet published on May 14 suggests that high titer plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes in patients hospitalised with COVID. STERIODS &MUCORMYCOSIS Mucormycosis, wrongly being referred as black fungus, was earlier commonly spotted in people suffering from diabetes mellitus, a condition where ones blood sugar (glucose) levels are abnormally high, explained Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director AIIMS, recently According to Dr Guleria, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, those who have had a transplant and people taking immunosuppressants (medications that weaken the immune system) also used to get Mucormycosis Commenting on restricted use of steroids, Dr Guleria said that if a COVID-infected persons oxygen saturation level is normal then steroids should be completely avoided. And those who are taking steroids need to keep a tab on their blood sugar levels 'Remdesivir, Plasma not magic bullets' Plasma and Remdesivir are not magic bullets. Dr Neeraj Nischal, an Associate Professor at AIIMS Delhi, says there is a frenzy around Remdesivir. Trials show that it doesn't have mortality benefits and is not needed for everyone. There is no need to rush for Remdesivir. Same goes for plasma therapy. By ANI NEW DELHI: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has committed 99 teams across Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the view of Cyclone Yaas, NDRF Director General SN Pradhan said on Monday. "#CycloneYaas Update24/5/21 @NDRFHQ commits 99 tms Across 5States/UT 52 tms(22+30 more)-Odisha 35 tms(25+10more)WBengal Rest across AP/TN/A&N," Pradhan tweeted. As many as 18 teams NDRF teams have been deployed in Odisha alone. Seven teams have been deployed in Balasore, 4 in Bhadrak, 3 in Kendrapada, 2 in Jajpur, one each in Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj. Four teams have also been kept as reserve, as per the NDRF. ALSO READ | 12,000 people in Cuttack to be shifted to safety ahead of Cyclone Yaas According to the Odisha government, 66 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and 177 fire services teams are being deployed in areas that are likely to be affected by the cyclone. The Armed Forces too, have commenced preparations to mitigate the impact of the anticipated disaster by airlifting 950 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel across the country, with 26 helicopters in standby for immediate deployment. Eight flood relief columns and three Engineer Task Forces of the Army are ready for immediate deployment on requisition by the civil administration and the Armed Forces are in constant touch with the civil administration of the affected states. ALSO READ | Andhra Pradesh built buffer stock of oxygen in view of Cyclone Yaas, says official Umashankar Das, senior scientist of IMD, Bhubaneswar said Cyclonic Yaas is likely to cross the coast between Paradeep and Sagar island on May 26. "Cyclonic storm Yaas is likely to cross the coast b/w Paradeep and Sagar island on 26 May. Windspeed will be around 150-160kmph & gusting up to 180kmph in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Balasore and Bhadrak during landfall process," Das said. IMD Director General of Meteorology Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said that the cyclone is very likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and will cross West Bengal and north Odisha coasts on the evening of May 26. By PTI NEW DELHI: The final decision on the fate of Class 12 board exams will be based on widest possible consultative process, and it will also be the best possible option keeping in mind the current situation and students' future prospects, government sources said on Monday. They said the high-level meeting, which was held on Sunday and was attended by several Union ministers and representatives from states, regarding the board exams came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for such a consultation to take into account suggestions and ideas from states. Modi had chaired a meeting on May 21 where the Union Education Ministry briefed him about the extensive consultations done with teachers and parents, and also informed him about the options at hand about the exams, they said. Noting that the government has to take a decision keeping in mind the present security of the children due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as their future prospects, he told them to hold a high level meeting with all states and senior Union ministers to take into account suggestions and ideas. "Thus, the final decision will be based on widest possible consultative process and will be the best possible option keeping in mind the current situation and future prospects," a source said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had chaired the crucial meeting on Sunday which was convened to decide on the Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance examinations that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19. Union ministers Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar and Sanjay Dhotre also attended the meeting, besides education ministers and secretaries of several states and union territories. Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' had said after the meeting that there is a broad consensus among states about conducting Class 12 board exams and an "informed, collaborative" decision will be taken by June 1. ALSO READ | Most states favour conducting Class 12 board exams, final decision on June 1 The education sector is divided on the government's plan to conduct the Class 12 board exams in a different format amid a growing call from a section of students and parents for their cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic. While many argued that the exams are "crucial and an alternative assessment will not be able to do justice", others said "wellbeing" of students and teachers should be priority in such an extraordinary situation. The Union Education Ministry, after a high-level meeting on Sunday, said there is a broad consensus among states to conduct the exams and that a final decision will be announced by June 1. National Students' Union of India president Neeraj Kundan said, "Conducting exams for these 19 subjects could be equally dangerous as it would have been for all the subjects and considering the present conditions in the country this is not the risk which the Modi government should take. Risking lives of the students is certainly the last thing this government should do." Anubha Srivastava Sahai, President of India Wide Parents Association, said, "Complete chaos in India due to no unanimous decision regarding board exams. It's all pre-planned. They have plans to conduct it in July as they could not make arrangements for online exam and internal assessment it's their failure." Ashok Pandey, Director of Ahlcon Group of Schools, said, "Exams are important but in extraordinary situations, empathy, concern for wellbeing should precede efforts to conduct exams." ALSO READ | CBSE Class 12 exams in Kerala: Online mode, self-centres suggested RC Jain, President of Delhi State Public Schools' Management Association, said, "We are ready to conduct exams. It is unfair of the Delhi government to use vaccination as an excuse for not conducting the exams. The exams are crucial and an alternative assessment will not be able to do justice." At Sunday's meeting, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said his government is not in favour of the options being explored by CBSE to conduct the exams and going ahead with the process without vaccinating students will prove to be a big mistake. Educationist Meeta Sengupta said, "It takes courage to take really safe decisions. It is easy to water down the status quo. At least make it voluntary and promise a certificate of completed requirements to standards for those who dont need to chase marks." According to sources, the CBSE has proposed conducting exams between July 15 and August 26 and the result to be declared in September. The board also proposed two options: conducting regular exams for 19 major subjects at notified centres or conducting shorter duration exams at respective schools where students are enrolled. ALSO READ | Karnataka Minister S Suresh Kumar backs holding Class 12 Board exams The first option proposed during the Sunday meet was conducting exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects. "For minor subjects assessment can be based on performance in major subjects. This can be done if three months of time period is clearly and safely available to the board. August could be a likely month for holding the exams and the whole process is likely to go on till September end," a source said. Elaborating on the second option, the source said, "the exams can be conducted twice by the board depending upon the conducive situation. If a student is not able to appear due to any COVID related matter, he or she will be provided another opportunity to sit for exams." "The exams will be of 90 minutes duration instead of three hours and will be conducted in same schools where students are enrolled. The questions will be objective and very short answer type. Students will have to appear in one language and three elective subjects," the source added. The tentative timeline for this option is the first phase of exams from July 15 to August 1 and the second phase from August 8-26. "Exams are proposed to be conducted on Sundays also," the source said. The hashtag "cancelboardexams" also trended on Twitter as the meeting was underway. By PTI GIR SOMNATH: Police have registered an FIR against nearly 2,000 unidentified people on charges of attempt to murder and rioting after members of two communities clashed with each other here in Gujarat, leaving six policemen and around a dozen other people injured, an official said on Monday. The FIR also names 47 other persons for similar offences in connection with the incident that took place on Sunday, he said. The clash broke out at Nava Bandar village in Una taluka of Gir Somnath after an altercation over collision of two fishing boats at a jetty in the village, he said. Around 1,500 to 2,000 people belonging to two communities allegedly hit each other with sticks, swords, iron and plastic pipes, and also hurled stones and empty glass bottles, the official said. When police intervened to control the mob, the rioters attacked them, injuring six personnel, including Assistant Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat, two sub-inspectors and three constables, an official from Nava Bandar Marine police station said. The police had to lob several teargas shells to control the mob, he said. An FIR was registered against 47 named and 1,500 to 2,000 unidentified people from both the communities late Sunday night under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 332, 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to public servant), 337, 338 (hurting with negligent act endangering human life), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 and 148 (rioting), he said. Efforts were on to arrest them, the official said. Following the clash, a large police team comprising personnel from three nearby police stations at Una, Gir Gadhada and Kodinar, as well as from the local crime branch and special operations group had rushed to control the mob, he said. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Monday asked the Centre as to how it can stop a person from coming to India merely because his mother used to visit Pakistan. The query was posed to the central government by Justice Rekha Palli during the hearing of a plea by three US citizens, who are also Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders, challenging denial of visa to them to visit their family here. "How can you stop a person from coming to India just because his mother used to visit Pakistan," the court said and issued notice to the ministries of external affairs and home affairs and the Consulate General of India in New York, USA, seeking their stand on the plea by June 9. The petitioner claimed that he, his wife and two daughters had applied for renewal of their OCI cards, and in January 2021, his wife's card was renewed. However, his and his daughters' OCI cards were not renewed for the reason that his mother lived in Pakistan during her childhood and visited that country even after marriage when she had become an Indian citizen, said the petition, filed through advocate Abha Roy. Roy said that according to a circular issued by the central government, OCI need not be renewed for these three card holders. According to the central government circular anyone who gets an OCI card after turning 20 years of age need not get it renewed till the age of 50 years after which he/she has to renew it once. However, if the card is obtained after 50 years of age, then no renewal is ever required, the lawyer told the court. She told the court that the central government failed to appreciate that the petitioner got the OCI card after he turned 50 years old and his two daughters got the card after they turned 20 years and therefore, no renewal was required. Despite that he was not being allowed to travel to India, Roy told the court and added that this amounted to non-application of mind by the government in interpreting its own circular. The petitioners want to travel urgently to India as the petitioner's mother is in very poor health, the plea said. By ANI DEHRADUN: Following the controversy of Ramdev's remarks about allopathic medicine, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Uttarakhand division is likely to file a defamation case against the Yoga Guru. "IMA-Uttarakhand division is most likely to file defamation case against Baba Ramdev in connection with a viral video on his remarks regarding the use of allopathic medicines in the treatment of COVID-19", informed IMA Uttarakhand President Dr Ajay Khanna to ANI. He said that a notice has been sent to Ramdev in this regard earlier. "IMA Uttarakhand will file the defamation case if a satisfactory reply is not received," Khanna said. Ramdev withdrew his statements on allopathic medicine after receiving a strong-worded letter from Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan who called his remarks "inappropriate". "We do not oppose modern medical science and allopathy. We believe that allopathy has shown immense progress in surgery and the lifesaving system and served humanity. My statement has been quoted as part of a WhatsApp message that I was reading during a meeting of volunteers. I am sorry if it has hurt anyone's sentiment," wrote Ramdev in his letter to the Union Health Minister in Hindi. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday sent a legal notice to yoga guru Ramdev over his alleged statements against allopathy and "defaming" scientific medicine. However, the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust has denied allegations by the IMA that Ramdev has misled people by making "unlearned" statements against allopathy and defamed scientific medicine. "IMA brings to the notice of our Health Minister, a video circulating in social media portraying, the celebrated Yoga Guruji saying that 'modern allopathy ek aisi stupid aur diwaliya science hai' (modern allopathy is a stupid and failed science)," the association said in its statement. According to a Haridwar-based Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust statement, Yog Guru Ramdev was reading out a WhatsApp forwarded message in the video that has gone viral on social media. By PTI NEW DELHI/PATNA: Lockdown was extended in Bihar and Himachal Pradesh on Monday till May end while Uttarakhand too decided to continue with the COVID-induced curfew, as several states said that the restrictions have led to an improvement in the pandemic situation. States and Union Territories started imposing restrictions from mid-April for varying periods as the deadly second wave of coronavirus hit the country and most of them have now extended the curbs till the end of this month to rein in the spread of infection and the mounting deaths which have crossed the three lakh mark. The Union Health Ministry on Monday said a steady decline in daily new COVID-19 cases has been observed since the last 17 days in India. Fresh COVID-19 infections in the country dipped to 2,22,315, the lowest in around 38 days, pushing the total tally of coronavirus cases to 2,67,52,447, while the death toll climbed to 3,03,720 with 4,454 fresh fatalities, according to Ministry data updated At 8 AM on Monday. India had registered 2,17,353 new infections on April 16. The active cases reduced to 27,20,716 comprising 10.17 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 88.69 percent. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,37,28,011, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.14 percent, the data stated. The Nitish Kumar government extended till June 1 the lockdown that has been in force for nearly a month in Bihar. "The lockdown has had a good impact and there has been a decline in the corona contagion. Hence, a decision has been taken to continue with the lockdown till June 01", Chief Minister Nitish Kumar tweeted after chairing a high-level meeting convened to review the pandemic situation in the state. More than four lakh people have been infected and over 2,000 have lost their lives since April when the devastating second wave hit the state The Uttarakhand government extended the COVID-19 related curfew period, which was to end on Tuesday morning, till June 1. Himachal Pradesh government has extended the corona curfew in the state till May 31, an official spokesperson said. The decision to extend the curfew till six am on May 31 was taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister Jai Ram Thakur here on Monday, he added. With the COVID-19 positivity rate coming down to less than five percent in five districts of Madhya Pradesh, the state government has allowed "restricted relaxations" in the corona curfew in those districts from Monday, a senior official said. On the basis of the experience in these districts, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Khandwa, Burhanpur and Bhind, a strategy for implementing a graded unlocking process will be considered from June 1 onwards, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr Rajesh Rajora told PTI. "The restricted relaxations have been allowed as the coronavirus positivity rate in these districts is less than five percent. The relaxations are applicable from May 24-31," he said. All government offices in these five districts will be allowed to operate with 100 percent strength of officers and 25 percent strength of other employees. Shops of essential commodities will be opened for the entire day in these districts. The Chandigarh administration too decided to allow the opening of all shops, besides announcing to continue with night and weekend curfew in the city. "All shops will be allowed to remain open from 9 AM to 3 PM," said an official statement here. The decision was taken in the wake of declining COVID-19 cases and the demand by traders and shopkeepers who were suffering due to the closure of their shops. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that the daily infection rate has declined by 50 percent but till a single death takes place in the state, the war against the second wave will not be over. The government is making all efforts to save both "livelihood and life" and will soon decide on the lockdown which is scheduled to come to an end on May 27, he said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Sunday announced that the ongoing lockdown in the national capital will continue for another week and said the process of "unlock" will start from May 31 in a phased manner if the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline. The Rajasthan government, which extended the coronavirus lockdown by 15 days till June 8, had also said the state may allow some relaxations in commercial activities from June 1 in districts where the COVID-19 situation will show significant improvement. Extending the lockdown till May 31, the Haryana government said the positivity and fatality rates have to be brought down further, though it did allow some relaxations in the curbs. Here is a look at coronavirus-induced restrictions/lockdown imposed by states and union territories: By Express News Service NEW DELHI: A high-level meeting on Sunday discussed whether to conduct Class 12 board exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects or hold shorter exams at schools but no decision was taken due to lack of consensus. The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Union ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal, Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani and Sanjay Dhotre, besides education ministers and secretaries of several states. According to sources, the CBSE proposed that exams be held between July 15 and August 26 and the result declared in September. Most states left it for the Centre to take the call, but Maharashtra said the examinations should be cancelled altogether, while Delhi and Kerala suggested that all students must be vaccinated before the tests. Following detailed discussion with states, it was decided that more deliberation will be carried out, said an official. The states were asked to send their suggestions by Tuesday. Meanwhile, sources said neither the CBSE nor the government is in favour of cancelling the examinations. The option of holding CBSE board exams in 19 major subjects found support from many states. For other subjects, a different way such as internal assessments could be chalked out, an official said. A decision is likely by June 1. Sumi Sukanya Dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Several countries are now weighing the option of mixing and matching Covid vaccines amid supply delays and safety concerns after evidence from scientific studies have indicated that it may work, but the proposition is not being explored in India presently, authorities told The New Indian Express. The first findings of an Oxford University-led study, supported by another study in Spain, found that people who received Pfizer's vaccine followed by a dose of AstraZeneca's, or vice versa, were more likely to report mild or moderate common post-vaccination symptoms than if they received two of the same type. Also, the combination of two vaccines showed that they were highly effective against Covid infection. Officials involved in Covid vaccine administration in India, however, said that the top priority for the government and scientists now is to ensure the quick management of Covid second wave and ensuring enhanced vaccine supply to states. We have discussed the new scientific evidence but there is no plan as such to carry out any related research in the country, which will essentially mean conducting clinical trials in people with two different vaccines, said Samiran Panda, chief epidemiologist at the ICMR and a senior member of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid19. The same was confirmed by a top official in the Union Health Ministry. The stand taken by the government so far found support in some specialists who fee; that the immediate priority for the country would be to ensure quick supply of vaccines. ALSO READ | Paediatric trials of Covaxin may begin in June: Bharat Biotech official confirms receiving nod From an immunology viewpoint mixing two types of vaccines is not a problem. But studies show some more reactogenicity or minor side effects, said virologist Shahid Jameel. Whether it can or should be explored in India will depend upon the basket of vaccines available in India. At this point we should not divert our attention from increasing vaccines supply, he said. In India, three vaccines are available for use at present, Covishield (AstraZenecas Indian version), Covaxin and Sputnik V. While Covishield and Sputnik V are made on viral vector platforms using adenoviruses, Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine which means that it is made up of killed SARS CoV 2. So far, there has been no study in India on mix and match of vaccines even though the country is struggling to scale up its vaccination drive and ensure a wide inoculation coverage to a large population in order to avoid future waves of the pandemic. Some experts on the other hand backed such research in Indian context. It may be an interesting proposition, given the variant strains that are running amok at present. There are apprehensions around wild-type spike-directed vaccines falling short on curbing some of the new variants, said immunologist Dipyaman Ganguly. Combining with another attenuated whole virus vaccine in different dose combinations may come out to be a better shield against the variants with spike-directed mutations. But all these require properly designed trials before taking any decision. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The mammoth task of vaccinating rural India against the pandemic has hit multiple roadblocks ranging from poor awareness to lack of internet connectivity. Ironically, the ambitious mission of making Covid vaccines available to rural households is facing a big hurdle in the form of poor execution of another ambitious project of the government; the Bharat Net project which aims to bring internet connectivity even to remote villages. While poor awareness about vaccination is cited as one of the reasons behind lack of enthusiasm for taking the jabs among villagers, digital illiteracy and lack of access to digital technologies, including smartphone and WiFi or data availability, are playing key roles in keeping the rural people vulnerable to the deadly virus. Mukesh Meena, the village head of Fatehpur in Rajasthan said many residents, particularly elderly people, are not aware of the benefits of vaccination. They are not interested in getting the jabs as they dont know the benefits, he said. However, the bigger problem seems to be the cumbersome registration process. Only a few families have smartphones and they got the vaccine. But others are in need of help, he said, adding that there is no Wi-Fi hotspot in the village. Only 1.04 lakh out of the targeted 2.5 lakh panchayats in the country have Wi-Fi hotspots installed under the Bharat Net project. However, just around 65,000 of these hotspots are operational. According to data from the Union IT and Communication Ministry, there are only 15.5 lakh active users of Wi-Fi and FTTH (fibre to the home) in nearly 65,000 panchayats where hotspots are operational. While defending its stand to have online registration for vaccinations, the Centre recently submitted before the Supreme Court that citizens who have no access to CoWIN app, can get assistance from Common Service Centres established by panchayats. For Prem Kishore, sarpanch of Barhpura Mazra, Moradabad (UP), it not just the connectivity that concerns him. The situation is very bad here. There is hardly any testing. Many people are down with fever but officials say it is typhoid, he said. Vaccine registration is not happening properly as we dont have any Wi-Fi hotspots, he added. Ram Karan, head of Maheri village in Rai Bareli district, said a hotspot was installed in the village long ago. It is not working now, he said with a pinch of sadness. Similar views were echoed by village representatives from several states including UP, Bihar, MP and Rajasthan. Internet in gram panchayats 1,04,400 Gram panchayats where Wi-Fi hotspots are installed 64,927 Gram panchayats where Wi-Fi hotspots are operational 15,50,431 Active users As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BOP has been deploying teams to review conditions at agency facilities, to include MCC New York, to ensure they are operating safely and appropriately during this uniquely challenging time. MCC New York was previously reviewed and found to be maintaining appropriate standards and adapting operations appropriately in response to the pandemic, a BOP spokesman said. By PTI NEW DELHI: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has directed its rescue teams to ensure that the country's major medical oxygen generation plants based in Odisha and West Bengal are "running and alive" during Cyclone Yaas that is developing in the Bay of Bengal, a senior officer said on Monday. NDRF director general (DG) S N Pradhan said the force has earmarked a total of 149 teams for undertaking evacuation and rescue operations, of which 99 will be deployed on the ground and the remaining 50 will be available at its various bases across the country for quick airlift, if required. Pradhan added that all the states expected to face the fury of the 'very severe cyclonic storm' have been asked to "not take any chance" and evacuate each and every person from its likely path well in time. This advisory has been reiterated specifically in the backdrop of the recent on-sea accident that took place during the onslaught of Cyclone Tauktae on the western coast where over 70 personnel working at a barge off the Mumbai coast have been killed till now. Cyclone Yaas is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island around May 26 noon. It is expected to bring in winds of 155-165 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 180 kmph. "Both Odisha and West Bengal are major supplier from the eastern grid to the south, northern and central grid when it comes to medical oxygen (required for the treatment of coronavirus infected patients)." "For example, all the oxygen from Angul (in Odisha) goes by train and roads towards central, south and parts of north India. Likewise, oxygen produced from Kolkata and Haldia (in West Bengal) goes towards the north, east and north-eastern parts of the country," Pradhan told PTI. All these have "to be kept running and alive" apart from securing any possible damage to COVID-19 facilities and even quick transport of patients to safer locations, he said. He gave a recent example where a team of NDRF rescuers "prioritised" clearing a particular road stretch used for oxygen transportation in Goa over other roads that were blocked. The road was obstructed due to uprooted trees and poles in the aftermath of Cyclone Tauktae that hit the coastal state. "That is how we worked in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa during Tauktae. This will be the case this time too as some major oxygen supplying facilities are located in Odisha and West Bengal," he said. We "prioritised" all roads and communication links that were meant for oxygen supply requirement during Tauktae, the NDRF DG said. Asked if the directions for a vigorous and complete evacuation of the population have been given to the states concerned in the wake of the Mumbai barge incident where a number of lives were lost despite advance alarms being rung for Tauktae, the NDRF chief said these have been "stressed" in all the meetings chaired by the central authorities -- from the prime minister, home minister to the cabinet secretary -- for Yaas. "It has been stressed to the states that there should be no straggler anywhere and strong persuasion skills should be insisted upon." "It should be ensured that nobody is left out. When in doubt, just clear out, that is the mantra," he said. All states have assured, he said, that they will undertake extra evacuation, if required, and evacuate on an over-drive, evacuate more than required and not taken any chance. The DG said out of the total 99 teams earmarked for Yaas, the bulk of 52 are being deployed in Odisha followed by 35 in West Bengal, five in Tamil Nadu, three at Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, one in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and possibly four in Jharkhand. He said Odisha has recently "upped" the requirement of NDRF teams as the state feels that the impact of Yaas will be severe, at least to an extent, in its districts and a lot of evacuation and restoration work may be required to be carried out. Sumi Sukanya dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The latest study indicating that the existing Covid-19 vaccines may have reduced efficacy against the B.1.617 variant of SARS CoV-2 has prompted many experts to urge the Centre to rethink its vaccination policy using fresh modelling and serosurveys. The B.1.617 variant of Covid- 19 is largely responsible for the ferocious second wave of the pandemic in India and has reached many countries, including the UK. The Indian government had recently decided to raise the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks from the earlier suggested interval of 6-8 weeks. Though the government insisted that it was being done at the behest of technical input from the expert panel on vaccinations, many believe that this was mainly done due to the acute shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in India. The new data from the UK, as per a study carried out by Public Health England, suggests that the two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine offer just 60% efficacy against the infection, while the protection after only one dose is much lower. This vaccine, however, has 66% efficacy after both doses against the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the UK, and even higher efficacy against the variants which were circulating earlier. The same study showed that the Pfizer, also being used in the UK, was 88% effective against the B.1.617 variant, while its efficacy is over 93% against the B.1.1.7 variant. This concern that the available vaccines may not be working as effectively against the B.1.617 variant, first detected in India, had earlier led to lowering of the gap between two doses of AstraZeneca to 8 weeks, from the earlier interval of 12 weeks in the UK. Sources in the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 told this newspaper that they were studying the new data while pointing out that lab studies from India have confirmed that both Covishield and Covaxin, the two major vaccines being used in the country, offer protection against various variants. Some experts, however, emphasised the need of revisiting the countrys vaccination policy in the light of new data. According to vaccinologist Gagandeep Kang, if two exposures to parts of SARS-CoV-2 are needed to protect someone from infection, either two doses of vaccine and even 3 in case of a vaccine based on inactivated virus such as Covaxin or in those already with confirmed infection, one or two doses of vaccine may be required. Modelling and serosurveys are urgently needed to optimise strategy for India in the view of the limited supply (of Covid vaccines), she said. Virologist Sudhanshu Vrati, while maintaining that the lower efficacy means reduced protection between two doses of a vaccine, said any decision will have to be taken keeping in mind the vaccine scarcity. Pushkar Banakar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: India and South Africa have floated a joint proposal at the World Trade Organization (WTO) seeking an intellectual property rights (IPR) waiver on Covid vaccines. It was met with resistance initially from western countries but has managed to garner considerable support since US President Joe Biden announced that his administration will back it. However, the proposal is likely to face challenges when it is taken up for discussion at the WTO as well as in implementation. Experts say its implementation would largely depend on the text of the proposal that is eventually passed. Pharmaceutical patent lawyer Deepshikha Malhotra said though the proposal has garnered support from many countries, there is a section of the world that is not in support. The EU, for instance, has also suggested a counter-proposal which may be more effective than the joint India-South Africa proposal. It suggests easing exports and increase supply from manufacturers to developing countries, she said. According to Malhotra, the world is currently not being able to fully utilise the vaccines that are being manufactured. Almost 90% of developed nations are vaccinated and have stockpiles. When these are not being utilised, what is the rush to ensure waiver of patent or transfer of technology? There is a wide disparity. Several African nations havent even got a single dose, she said. The pharmaceutical patent lawyer goes on to add that compulsory licensing is a tool that could be used by countries to make sure that vaccines accessible for all. The TRIPS agreement and individual laws of various countries allow for compulsory licensing. In such a situation, this can be availed and made sure that whatever is being manufactured is being compulsorily delivered to developing countries, she added. Another IPR expert and lawyer, who did not wish to be named, said despite the waiver, it would not be binding on companies to share the know-how of manufacturing. Malhotra cited the example of the US portal CTAP to elaborate on the point. CTAP was created which urged all manufacturers to upload technical aspects of manufacturing on it. Not a single firm has uploaded anything so far. Just because governments are agreeing to it, companies will not share information, she said. A professor of IPR laws in a reputed private university cited the lack of manufacturing infrastructure in many countries as a hurdle in the implementation of the waiver if cleared by the WTO. Even if the waiver is passed and there is knowhow present, will infrastructure for boosting manufacturing capacity be set up overnight? India and South Africa have said the waiver would be for three years. It would take longer than that just to build the infrastructure to fully utilize the waiver, he said. Malhotra believes that regulatory approval would also be a hurdle in the implementation of the waiver. Even if there are firms which agree to take up manufacturing the vaccine, they will still individually have to go through the regulatory process and that will take some time, she said. By PTI MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday said it would not arrest former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in a case registered against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act till June 9 provided he cooperates with the investigation into the case. Senior counsel Darius Khambata, appearing for the state government, made the statement before a vacation bench of Justices S S Shinde and N R Borkar, which was hearing a petition filed by Singh, seeking to quash the FIR registered against him on a complaint of police inspector Bhimrao Ghadge. Khambata, however, told the court that Singh should not seek any relief pertaining to this case in the petition filed by him in the Supreme Court. Singh last week filed a petition in the apex court, alleging that he is being hounded and continuously harassed with multiple cases instituted against him by the Maharashtra government as vendetta, after he complained to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray against former home minister Anil Deshmukh. He urged the SC to shift all the enquiries set up against him to another state and also sought for the FIRs registered against him to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Khambata on Monday told the HC that Singh cannot ride two horses at a time and seek reliefs from both the high court and the Supreme Court in the same case. The bench accepted the state government's statement that it would not arrest Singh till June 9, and directed him to not seek reliefs pertaining to this particular case before the SC. Singh's counsel Mahesh Jethmalani agreed to the directive. The court then posted the petition for further hearing on June 9. Ghadge's advocate Satish Talekar opposed the interim protection from arrest granted to Singh. The court, however, noted that the case dates back to 2016. The FIR has been filed after five years. You (complainant) waited for so long nothing will happen if you wait for two more weeks. He (Singh) has not been arrested for all these years. What purpose will it serve if he is arrested now, the court said. The bench also noted that Singh is still in service and is an officer of the government's police force. The HC also expressed its displeasure with a statement of Singh in the petition filed by him in the SC that says he was constrained to approach the apex court as the high court was not hearing the matter. Khambata pointed out this statement to the bench on Monday and said on May 13, the high court had heard the matter and adjourned the hearing after the government made a statement that no coercive action would be taken. We feel sad. How can you (Singh) say that matters are not heard? Justice Shinde said. Jethmalani apologised and said the statement was incorrect. We will withdraw the statement from the petition filed in the Supreme Court, he said. The FIR against Singh is based on a complaint by police inspector Ghadge, now posted at Akola in Maharashtra. Ghadge made a series of allegations of corruption against Singh and other officers when Singh was posted in Thane. The FIR, which is now transferred from Akola to Thane, claimed Singh pressured Ghadge to drop the names of some persons from a case and when he refused, the IPS officer framed him up in false cases. The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the state CID is conducting a probe into it. By PTI BHUBANESWAR/KOLKATA: A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into cyclonic storm 'Yaas' and is likely to cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts on May 26 after turning into a very severe cyclonic storm, the MeT Department said on Monday. 'Yaas' is likely to cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Islands around noon on May 26 as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 155-165 kmph, Kolkata's Regional Meteorological Centre Deputy Director Sanjib Bandopadhyay said. The system lays 540 km south-southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 630 km south-southeast of Digha in West Bengal on Monday morning and is very likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday and into a very severe cyclonic storm by Wednesday morning, the MeT Department said. The West Bengal government has opened control rooms at state secretariat Nabanna to monitor the cyclone and its fallout, an official said. The coastal districts of Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South and North 24 Parganas, along with Howrah and Hooghly will experience light to moderate rainfall in most places with heavy to very heavy downpour at one or two places from May 25 owing to the system, the weatherman said. On May 26, the spread and intensity of rain will increase with the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall in Jhargram, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata, according to the MeT Department. Meanwhile, the Odisha government on Monday relaxed the coronavirus-induced lockdown and allowed shops to remain open in 10 coastal districts from 7 am to 1 pm on May 24 and 25 so that people get more time to buy essential items before the impact of the cyclone. The shops were earlier allowed to remain open between 7 am and 11 am on weekdays due to the lockdown. The Odisha government has deployed rescue teams and is chalking out plans to evacuate people from vulnerable areas, a senior official said. The state government has deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services personnel anticipating maximum impact in Balasore and Bhadrak districts, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena said. IMD Director General Dr Mrutunjay Mohapatra, better known as the 'Cyclone Man of India', said, "Four coastal districts of Odisha -- Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur -- are likely to be most impacted by the cyclonic storm. " Mohapatra said that apart from wind blowing at 120-165 kmph velocity, Odisha will also experience heavy rain. Jena said residents of low-lying areas will be evacuated to safer places and the district administrations have been asked to be prepared for a large-scale evacuation of people. The SRC, who personally supervised preparedness in Balasore and Bhadrak districts, instructed authorities to take more buildings into possession to maintain social distancing among evacuees. He said 22 teams of NDRF, 60 ODRAF teams and Fire and Forest officials have been deployed in vulnerable areas. NDRF Director General S N Pradhan said, "We already have 22 NDRF teams in Odisha and 10 more are being airlifted from other parts of the country as per the requisition made by the Odisha government. " PTI AAM/AMR ACD ACD 05241117 NNNN By PTI NEW DELHI: After two police teams descended on Twitter's offices in Delhi and Gurgaon, the Congress on Monday alleged that the "cowardly raid" on the microblogging site's offices by the Delhi Police "exposes lameduck attempts" to hide a "fraudulent toolkit" by BJP leaders. The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Monday sent a notice to Twitter India in connection with the probe into a complaint about an alleged 'COVID toolkit', asking it to share information based on which it had classified a related tweet by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra as "manipulated media", officials said. Two police teams also descended on the microblogging site's offices in Lado Sarai in Delhi and in Gurgaon this evening. Reacting to the development, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter, "Cowardly raid on @Twitter unleashed by Delhi Police exposes lameduck attempts to hide the fraudulent toolkit by BJP leaders." Such attempts to "murder" freedom of speech lay bare the BJP's guilt, he said and tagged his video statement on the issue. In the video statement, Surjewala alleged that the "subjugation of free speech, the attempts to stifle every voice that is a dissenting voice against this government and the state-sponsored fraudulent means to propagate and to instill fear continue unabated in Modi government". He alleged that the BJP forged documents to produce a "fake toolkit". The Congress leader claimed that after the toolkit was "exposed", the BJP and the Modi government, being scared of it, was "raiding" Twitter offices both in Delhi and in Gurgaon. "Why, the guilty people are sitting in BJP headquarters and in seat of power, but, you are raiding Twitter's office in Delhi and Gurgaon, what is the reason there of?" he said. Surjewala alleged that the BJP is "running scared of its lies" and getting caught and being branded as manipulated and fraudulent by social media platforms. The BJP had accused the Congress of creating a 'toolkit' that seeks to tarnish the image of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the handling of the COVID pandemic. However, the Congress denied the allegation and claimed that the BJP is propagating a fake 'toolkit' to defame it. Last week, Twitter labelled as "manipulated media" a tweet by Patra on the alleged 'toolkit'. Twitter says it "may label Tweets that include media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated". In his statement, Surjewala said the intermediary rules, which give the power to the government to direct people to take off various posts, have not even come into play. "They come into play only on 25th May, 2021 then why the action today? Under what provision of law notices are being issued?" he said. Surjewala asked that when BJP leaders are being accused of fraud then why is the government standing in shelter thereof. "None less than the IT Minister himself and half a dozen other ministers have also tweeted this manipulated and fraudulent media. Now they are scared that their lies are going to get exposed and the oath of the constitution that they took will stand annihilated and violated and that's why social media platforms are being targeted," he alleged. "Please remember Mr.Prime Minister that free speech and rights to express opinion is our fundamental right in this country," Surejwala said. "You can't subjugate the constitution, you can't stifle free speech and you will not be able to suppress the voice of the young or voice of people of this country," he said. The government had earlier asked Twitter to remove the 'manipulated media' tag as the matter is pending before a law enforcement agency, and made it clear that the social media platform cannot pass judgment when the issue is under investigation. BJP leaders, including Patra, have posted numerous tweets to attack the Congress over the purported 'toolkit'. On May 19, the Congress lodged a police complaint seeking registration of cases against BJP chief J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, BJP general secretary B L Santosh and Patra over the alleged forgery of documents. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress' students wing NSUI also lodged a complaint against Patra and former chief minister Raman Singh for allegedly "forging" the letterhead of the AICC Research Department and printing "false and fabricated" content on it. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been filed against Patra and Singh at the Civil Lines police station in Raipur. By PTI ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh government has filed a case against a social media influencer from Punjab for his alleged racial remarks against a Congress MLA, and "ill will towards the people of the state". Paras Singh, who goes by the name 'Paras Official' on his YouTube channel, had in a video posted on Sunday termed Congress MLA Ninong Ering a "non-Indian" and apparently claimed the "state was a part of China", sparking furore among Arunchalees as well as people from other parts of the country. In yet another video, posted earlier in the day, he has apologised for his comments. "A case has been registered against Paras for racial hatred and the cyber crime branch in Itanagar is investigating the matter," DGP R P Upadhyaya said. Chief Minister Pema Khandu, taking to Twitter, condemned the racial slur and said the "video aims at inciting ill will and hatred towards the people of Arunachal Pradesh". Khandu further added that the social media account of the person is being thoroughly investigated for details about his activities and whereabouts. Social media should be used with due caution and any infringement will lead to action as per law, the CM added. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein underlined that he was "appalled and greatly dismayed" to see the YouTube post, which not just "casts doubt on the nationality of the Arunachal Pradesh MLA but also questions the existence of the state within India". "To doubt our nationality because of how we look is a problem most of us from the North East of India face regularly in the mainland. What we look like, how we dress, what we eat and how we live makes us no less Indian. "We are proud to be a state in the Union of India where even in the interior most we greet each other with a 'Jai Hind' and primary school children even in the border villages sing 'Saare Jahaan se Achha, Hindustan Hamara' with pride," he said in his official twitter handle. The deputy CM sought an unconditional apology from the YouTuber for his remarks. "I strongly condemn this racist and arrogant act of Mr Paras Singh (Bunty). Every Arunachalee and every right thinking Indian must condemn such prejudiced views. He must apologise unconditionally to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. @PemaKhanduBJP @KirenRijiju @ninong_erring," Mein added. Singh had apparently made the comments while reacting to a letter written by Ering to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wherein he had sought a ban on the relaunch of PUBG Mobile as Battlegrounds Mobile India. The Pasighat East MLA, when contacted, said he would soon file a case against Singh. Meanwhile, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) issued a statement to say that the people of the state are "greatly hurt" by the remarks. "Such incidents are not isolated ones and have been happening time and again in various parts of the country. "It is really distressing that even after over 70 years of the country's independence, people from the state and the northeast region in general still face humiliation in other parts of the country, whenever they go there for work or study," the joint statement by AAPSU president Hawa Bagang and general secretary Tabom Dai said. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: The Krishna district administration has imposed a fine of Rs 56 lakh on 13 hospitals for violating Covid-19 guidelines. The inquiry committee also found irregularities such as charging exorbitant fee from the patients, said Covid-19 nodal officer L Siva Shankar. In a press release issued here on Sunday, Siva Shankar said that a team of officials from district Aarogyasri and vigilance department conducted surprise checks in 11 hospitals across the district till May 15 and imposed a fine of Rs 44 lakh for violating the government norms. Also, during the inspections carried out on May 22, a penalty of Rs 6 lakh each was imposed on Smile Hospital on EVR Health Hospital, he said. Aarogyasri coordinator Y Balasubramaniam said that apart from imposing penalities on the hospitals, permissions were also cancelled for a few hospitals to provide Covid-19 treatment. Meanwhile, Siva Shankar inspected the Central Drug Centre in Machilipatnam. RDO Khazavali participated in the inspection. Express News Service BENGALURU: In the meeting with the Union Ministers on Sunday, Karnataka minister of primary and secondary education, Suresh Kumar, is said to have backed the idea of holding a second PUC examination and termed it beneficial for the students. He was talking at meeting with the Union Minister of Education with the education ministers of all states and union territories, where Education ministers of various states are said to have spoken about the standstill in their state and the CBSE board and a number of states are said to have advocated for holding the examination. The minister said that to prepare the students for professional courses, it was imperative that examinations for class 12 students be held in any mode. When the COVID-19 situation normalises, exams can be held in a simplified process, he said, adding that it was decided to inform students about the timetable 15-20 days prior to the examinations. The government has planned to give another chance to students to write the exam at a later date, in case they are unable to attempt the examination due to COVID19 reasons. There are many suggestions to simplify the exam process and if this model is followed, the entire process will complete in 45 days. It is said that the union education ministry has advised holding exams in a short duration. The minister, in a note, also added that from the learnings of SSLC exams last year, this year, PUC examinations could be organized efficiently, and a decision in this regard will be taken in the coming days after taking into account the learning of students, the mentality of parents, central government suggestions, and a comprehensive overview of the preparations for the examinations. The minister said the question papers have already been prepared for the second PUC examinations. Examination centers have been increased in number, and preparations have been made to hold exams in a safe manner. If the examination is held in July, results can be declared by August. Hence the NEET, JEE, CET, ICAR, and other competitive examinations could be held in August, the minister recommended. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar, during his meeting with Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Sunday, backed the idea of holding the second PU and CBSE Class 12 examination, saying it will benefit the students. He was part of the meeting the Union HRD minister held with education ministers of all states to elicit their opinion on holding the exams. It is said that most ministers wanted the exams to be held. Suresh Kumar said it is imperative to hold Class 12 examinations, through any mode, to prepare students for professional courses. When the Covid situation improves, exams can be held through a simplified process. The meeting decided to inform students at least 15-20 days before the exams. He said that the government has decided to give another chance to students to write the exams at a later date if they miss them due to Covid-related reasons. Many suggestions were given at the meeting to simplify the exam process and, the minister said that if this model is followed, the exams will be completed within 45 days. Suresh Kumar, in a note, said that PU exams can be organised efficiently as the State has learnt from holding SS LC exams last year. A decision will be taken soon based on the learning of students, mentality of parents, Central Government suggestions and a comprehensive overview of preparations for the exams. He said that the question papers have already been prepared. The number of examination centres will be increased to hold safe exams with enough distancing between students. If the exams are held in July, results can be declared by August, and NEET , JEE , CET , ICAR and other competitive examinations can be held in August, he recommended to the Union minister. Donovan also wants to blanket the citys parking spots with transponders so drivers can track open parking spaces in real time. He would also equip the citys garbage trucks and street sweepers with public GPS trackers so motorists can know exactly when they need to move their cars, which would in turn overhaul alternate side parking rules. Bansy Kalappa By Express News Service BENGALURU: The Opposition on Sunday took up the issue of shortage of medicines to treat mucormycosis or the black fungus infection, which is afflicting patients recovering from Covid-19. Opposition leaders are claiming that a number of people are dying in their constituencies, and the government has failed to respond to this new health crisis. The government has thrown up its hands, saying there are no medicine stocks, and the injections will reach hospitals only in about 10 days. While two people have died of black fungus in Tumakuru district, one death each was reported in Udupi and Hubballi. "Congress worker IG Ramesh and Ramachandra died in my constituency because they didnt get medicines in time. Four other patients are serious, and the government is saying there are no medicines available," said Kunigal MLA Dr D Ranganath. Several districts have reported a large number of cases, and local legislators, especially from the opposition, are expressing anger that the government is declaring that medicines will arrive only in about 10 days. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said, The government has shown indifference and not acted effectively against black fungus. Last week, I wrote to the government to be prepared with medicines and facilities, but it has done little." JDS leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy said, Over the past three days, Ive had reports of about 10 deaths due to mucormycosis from different parts of the state. There is a severe shortage of medicines and I spoke to the principal health secretary too. The government is saying it has informed the Union government and is waiting for them to send medicines, but it could take about 10 days. Many will succumb to the infection by then. I warned them three days ago but they have done nothing. Some states have sought to directly import the medicines as an emergency. We too should respond quickly. The facilities at Bowring Hospital and Victoria Hospital are full, he said. Each injection costs about Rs 7,500. How will the poor afford it? The government has given 15,000 injections to Gujarat, but only 1,050 injections to Karnataka. There have been deaths i n Ramanagara, Bagalkot and Bidar too, he added. KPCC president D K Shivakumar said there is an acute shortage of medicines to treat this infection. He said one of his family members is in hospital due to it, and the authorities are desperately asking for medicines. The govt should procure medicines on emergency basis, he added. According to Congress working president Eshwar Khandre, governmentdesignated hospital beds are full in Kalaburagi. Patients in Bidar need to go to Kalaburagi, but there are no beds there. There is also a severe shortage of medicines. Of 15 cases in Bidar, some have gone to Telangana and some to Maharashtra for treatment, he said. Krishnachand K By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the state government planning to drop the idea of home delivery of liquor owing to practical difficulties, it may consider bringing back BevQ app or going in for other online queue management options for selling liquor through the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) outlets. The government is likely to take a policy decision in this regard in the first week of June, said sources. The Bevco outlets and bars in the state have remained closed since April 27 following a surge in Covid cases during the second wave. However, the decision has caused a huge loss to the government as liquor and lottery sales have been the main sources of its revenue. Besides, there has been a spurt in the number of seizures of illicit liquor, arrack and other narcotic substances in the last one month. Sources said the new government is not interested in facilitating home delivery of liquor as it would invite public criticism and implementing it also has practical difficulties. Additional DGP Yogesh Gupta, chairman and managing director of Bevco, said the government is weighing various options. If the pandemic situation persists in the coming weeks, we may opt for online queue management options to avoid rush at the liquor outlets. Be it BevQ or other online apps, a decision has to be taken at the government level. We will implement it accordingly, said Gupta. During the lockdown last year, the government had shortlisted Kochi-based startup Faircode Technologies Private Ltd for developing BevQ app. However, the app initially had several technical glitches in generating the one-time password (OTP) for confirming the online registration process for obtaining the pass, which triggered a controversy. Later, the app got streamlined and Rs 750-crore worth of sales happened during the first 15 days of its implementation. While Bevco outlets did sales worth around Rs 250 crore, bars, beer and wine parlours, KTDC beer parlours and Consumerfed outlets did business worth Rs 500 crore during the period. Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Faircode Technologies said the company has not received any official information from the state government so far and hence, they cannot comment on the matter. It is governments project. If they inform us, we will take a decision accordingly, he said. At present, there are 598 bar hotels and 357 beer and wine parlours in the state. The state has 265 Bevco outlets and 36 Consumerfed outlets. By Express News Service BHAWANIPATNA: Kesinga police on Saturday seized 5.52 quintal ganja from the secret chamber of a truck that met with an accident near Kasurpada on NH-26 on April 24. The vehicle from which the contraband was seized had collided with a small container truck. While the driver of the container truck died on the spot, the one driving the other vehicle is absconding. Both the vehicles were seized and taken to Kesinga police station. Though one of the trucks was registered in Haryana, nobody came forward to claim it. Police tried to contact the vehicle's owner but the registration was found to be fake. This raised suspicion and during investigation, personnel of Kesinga police detected a secret chamber behind the truck's cabin with an entry from its ceiling. The chamber was opened in the presence of a Magistrate and the ganja, packed in polythene bags seized. Further investigation into the matter is on. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR : As Odisha braces for the very severe cyclonic storm, likey to cross its northern shores on May 26, the State government has readied its rescue and evacuation plans in the regions along its projected path. The government is gearing up to deal with wind speed ranging from 120 to 165 km per hour, rainfall between 250 and 300 cm, and storm surge of three to four metre in coastal areas. Four coastal districts likely to be most affected by the cyclone, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur, have already finalised their evacuation plans and spruced up the cyclone shelters. Evacuation of people from all vulnerable places will start either from Monday evening or Tuesday morning. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said the government has taken all preemptive and preparatory measures for evacuation of people from vulnerable areas in view of likely inundation of low lying areas due to storm surge. He said 22 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), more than 50 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and more than 175 teams of Fire Services have been deployed in vulnerable zones of the districts. Besides, 10 more NDRF teams will be airlifted to Odisha, he added. The SRC said deployment of rescue and evacuation teams will be increased considering the severity of the cyclone and the path to be taken by it. There will be a more clear picture regarding the landfall of the cyclone and its speed by Monday evening, he added. As directed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the SRC on Sunday visited Balasore, the district presumed to be in the eye of the cyclone, and reviewed the preparedness with the collector and his counterpart at neighbouring Bhadrak. Stating that drinking water provision, power restoration, uninterrupted service to Covid hospitals will be top priority during the cyclone, Jena said he advised the collectors for coordinated action for evacuation and proper shelter management. Besides, collectors were asked for better compliance to Covid protocols in all the shelters, Covid and general hospitals during the period. Meanwhile, the SRC has advised elderly people not to venture out during cyclone and asked youngsters not to roam around on bikes after wind starts gathering pace. Odisha readies rescue, restoration plan for Yaas Do not step out to collect mangoes and coconuts, store water in case not shifted to any cyclone shelter, he said. Leave of all electricity and Water Resources department employees has been cancelled due to the cyclone. Covid care centres and hospitals will be provided uninterrupted power supply and standby arrangements have been made in case of power outage. Special teams have been formed to restore power transmission in the aftermath of the cyclone, Minister of State for Energy Dibya Shankar Mishra said. State Water Resources Engineer in Chief Jyotirmaya Ratha told mediapersons that a 24-hour control room has been opened to maintain coordination with the authorities of all districts and ground level officials. At present, water level in almost all the reservoirs is much below the capacity level. There is little likelihood of any flood. However, the government is prepared for flood management as per the standard operating procedure once the cyclonic activity triggers rainfall, he added. Yaas heads for north Odisha-WB coast The low pressure over Bay of Bengal which turned into a depression on Sunday and on course to be a very severe cyclonic storm is gunning for a Wednesday evening landfall between Paradip and Sagar Islands (West Bengal). Though the exact place and time of crossing the coastline with precision will need another 24 hours, a large band between West Bengal-Odisha border could be the point of crossing when extremely heavy rains and high velocity winds in excess of 150 km per hour is expected over the sea and coastal parts. Once intensified, it will be called cyclone Yaas named by Oman. This will be the second cyclone to hit Indian coast within 10 days after cyclone Tauktae crossed Gujarat on May 17 By Express News Service CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday urged the Centre to take immediate steps either to stop or ban the release of the serial "The Family Man-2" in OTT, Amazon Prime not only in Tamil Nadu but also across the country since it depicts Eelam Tamils in a highly objectionable manner. Minister for Information Technology, Mano Thangaraj, in his letter to Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, said the trailer of The Family Man-2 serial in Hindi is aimed at discrediting and distorting the historical struggle of Eelam Tamils in Sri Lanka. "The sacrifices of their long drawn out democratic battle has been intentionally undermined and it could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered merely as a serial with any value for tamil culture. Moreover, a serial which is loaded with insults and insinuations against the glorious tamil culture could never be considered as the one having any broadcasting value," Thangaraj said. The Minister also pointed out that for example, branding Tamil speaking actress Samantha as a terrorist in the serial is directly an attack on the pride of Tamils living around the world and no one would tolerate this kind of motivated and mischievous campaign. The trailer of this serial has already evoked strong and widespread opposition from the people of Tamil Nadu as well as from the political parties in the state. While our brethren Eelam Tamils are struggling for decades to enjoy the fruits of equality, justice, peace, and dignity in the island nation, it is highly unwarranted for an organization like Amazon Prime to undertake this kind of smear campaign against the Tamils who are the builder of India as well as many nations across the globe, the Minister added. The Minister charged that the serial has not only hurt the sentiments of Eelam Tamils but also the feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu on a large scale and if allowed to broadcast, it would be prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony in the state. The previous AIADMK regime, in November 2011, banned the screening of the film Dam 999 in Tamil Nadu as it indirectly hinted that the Mullaiperiyar dam would collapse. By ANI NEW DELHI: India's aviation watchdog, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday initiated an investigation over reports of mid-air marriage ceremony and has ordered taking the crew off duty. The DGCA also has asked for registering a complaint against all passengers who were part of the onboard marriage celebration and violated COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. "Crew members are off rostered. Airline directed to lodge a complaint against those not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour with relevant authorities," a DGCA official told ANI. A couple tied the knot on-board a chartered flight from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Their relatives and guests were on the same flight. On Sunday, a SpiceJet aircraft had booked a charter flight by a Madurai-based private person for the mid-air marriage ceremony but authorities were not informed regarding the marriage on board. "A SpiceJet chartered flight was booked yesterday from Madurai. Airport Authority officials unaware of the mid-air marriage ceremony," says Madurai Airport Director, S Senthil Valavan. Earlier India's aviation regulator, DGCA had issued guidelines for air travellers and clearly mentioned to de-board passengers who are 'wearing mask incorrectly' from the plane. "Upon boarding the aircraft, in case any passenger does not adhere to wearing of mask properly even after repeated warnings, he/she should be de-boarded, if need be, before departure. In case, any passenger on board an aircraft refuses to wear mask or violates the 'COVID-19 protocol for passengers' even after repeated warnings, during the course of the flight, such passenger may be treated as 'Unruly Passenger'," the DGCA guideline said. The DGCA has sought a full report from the airline company and the Airport Authority regarding the said incident. Further, the DGCA said. "The adherence to above directions shall be ensured by all concerned with immediate effect. Strict action shall be taken in case of any violation", it added. Harish Murali By Express News Service CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday ordered that there cannot be any political colour given to the distribution of financial assistance of Rs 4,000 by the Tamil Nadu government to ration card holders. The issue pertains to a plea moved by M Devarajan, an AIADMK member, seeking to provide the Rs 4,000 financial aid through direct bank transfer and also to restrain the state government from using the symbol of the ruling party. The government is providing the financial aid in view of the pandemic and lockdown. During the hearing on Monday, the counsel for the petitioner alleged that recently during the distribution of Rs 2000 to cardholders as the first instalment, Covid-19 protocols were violated. The DMK party flags too were used. ALSO READ: Complete lockdown bitter medicine but people have to take it, says TN CM The advocate general R Shunmughasundaram, on behalf of the government, submitted that 90 percent of the distribution is complete and with the lockdown in place the entire exercise has been suspended. Recording the submission, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed that the tokens can have a picture of the Chief Minister in the capacity as the head of the government. However, the party symbol cannot be displayed during the entire process. "At any rate, the state submits that more than 90% of the relief has already been made over and for the remainder, personnel involved in distributing the relief packages or the like should refrain from giving any political colour to the functions," the court ordered. The court also directed the state to ensure strict compliance with the Covid-19 protocols during the distribution of such assistance. By Express News Service PUDUCHERRY: The French consular elections scheduled to be held on May 30 has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The announcement was made by the French Minister for French citizens living abroad Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, said Chantal Samuel-David who leads the "United for change" party (Unis pour le Changement in French) in a statement on Monday. All the voting procedures (online and on-site voting) have been cancelled. The new dates for the election will be decided shortly, said the minister Every six years, French citizens living abroad elect their representatives called "councillors for the French living abroad" at their consulates all over the world. In southern India, three representatives are elected by French citizens residing in the union territory of Pondichery, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. "We are relieved that our request to the French authorities to postpone the elections has been heard, keeping in mind the risks it involved for the voters, the candidates and the election duty staff. This decision favours general interest," said Chantal. ALSO SEE: Debjani Dutta By Express News Service PUDUCHERRY: New Covid-19 cases have been gradually declining in the Union Territory in the last few days, but the increase in fatality rate is causing concern. On Monday, Puducherry registered 922 new cases and 23 deaths. The active cases have come down to 15,835, with 1,915 persons recovering. However, the death rate increased to 1.43 percent from 1.39 on May 21. There have been deaths of very young people aged 23, 24, 30-year-old, all without any co-morbidities. The death of a nurse Niranjana, aged 40 and without any comorbidity, and four other health workers including a contract doctor has sent shock waves among the health workers. Immediate unavailability of oxygen beds or ventilators when a patient requires one has been also cited as one of the reasons for death, besides the late arrival of patients to a hospital. P Lakshmanasamy, Honorary President of Government employees Central Federation alleged that when Health Inspector Anandhan, required a ventilator there was none immediately available. Only after some time, he was put on a ventilator, but he succumbed. Similarly, former Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said that when a patient on oxygen required a ventilator, it was not available anywhere in Puducherry and later the patient passed away. The number of ventilators has been increased to 216 from 193 on May 18 in the Puducherry region, but despite that all ventilators are full. But oxygen beds seem to be adequate with 1641 occupied and 37 vacant, as per the Covid dashboard. There have also been allegations of patients in home isolation not being properly monitored, resulting in deterioration of their condition. The government has responded by introducing "doctor on wheels" to take care of those who are in home quarantine. Even in this scenario, there is still a reluctance to get vaccinated. Even health department staff are not vaccinated completely. Nurse Niranjana who died on Saturday was not vaccinated. Many of the staff working at the 30 primary health centers have been infected by the pandemic and the need for medical staff is increasing. There is an immediate need to appoint medical experts to treat patients who require intensive hospital care, says State CPM Secretary R Rajangam. Healthcare staff are not trained to handle the advanced medical equipment used in covid intensive care units. Efforts should be taken in a war footing manner to increase the ICU beds, he said. By PTI LONDON: The BBC Board on Monday announced a review of its editorial policies after an independent inquiry into its 1995 interview with Diana, the Princess of Wales, concluded last week that the media house had fallen short of 'high standards of integrity and transparency'. The inquiry by Lord John Dyson concluded that journalist Martin Bashir, who left the BBC recently, used "deceitful behaviour" to land the world exclusive over 25 years ago and that an internal BBC investigation a year later had covered it up. In an official statement, the BBC Board admitted failures and said: 'audiences had a right to expect better". "As a board we believe that the BBC is a different organisation today, with different and stronger governance, as well as improved processes," the statement read. "Nevertheless, Lord Dyson's report speaks to historic failings of oversight and these should be reflected upon. We must not just assume that mistakes of the past cannot be repeated today we must make sure that this is the case," it said. "As such, we think it is right that we review the effectiveness of the BBC's editorial policies and governance in detail," it added. ALSO READ | Shamed BBC journalist apologises over Diana interview The review will be undertaken by a group of non-executive board directors, led by Sir Nick Serota- senior independent director of the BBC. It will look at "oversight of editorial practices", the culture of the BBC, and assess the "robustness and independence of whistleblowing processes", and report to the BBC Board in September. The review will also identify "lessons to be learned" from the Dyson inquiry, which found Bashir had faked bank statements designed to suggest Princess Diana was under surveillance to win the trust of her brother Earl Spencer, and eventually gain access to the princess for the 1995 'Panorama' interview. The BBC rehired Bashir as Religion Editor in 2016, when questions had already been asked about his conduct, saying the post was filled after a competitive interview process. Bashir, a 58-year-old Pakistani-origin journalist, who has stood by his interview and claimed the fake documents had no bearing on it, has since resigned from the BBC on health grounds. The new inquiry will also look into his employment history and his rehiring process. The 'Panorama' interview featured Princess Diana giving an explosive account of her marriage to Prince Charles, famously saying "there were three of us in this marriage". Her sons - Princes William and Harry - have since issued separate statements condemning the methods deployed for the interview, two years before Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Cops released surveillance images of the suspect and asked the publics help identifying him and tracking him down. He is described as Black, between 20 and 30 and 6-foot-0. He was wearing all black. By Associated Press BEIJING: Australia said its citizen Yang Hengjun will be tried by a Chinese court on espionage charges on Thursday amid deteriorating relations between the countries. Yang has been held since arriving in China in January 2019 and has had no access to family and only limited contact with his legal representation, according to Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. "Despite repeated requests by Australian officials, Chinese authorities have not provided any explanation or evidence for the charges facing Dr Yang," she said in a statement. As relations with China have nose-dived, Beijing has blocked Australian exports including beef, wine, coal, lobsters, wood, and barley. However, Australia's most lucrative export, iron ore, still has eager buyers among Chinese steel manufacturers. Payne said Australian officials had been requested access to Yang in what has so far been a "closed and opaque process". "As a basic standard of justice, access to the trial for observers should be a bare minimum to conform with international norms of transparency," she said. A close family friend, Feng Chongyi, described the case against Yang as "fabricated for political persecution and political purposes and I have never had any illusion for a fair trial." "Given Beijing's determination to punish him and the current bad relations between Australia and China, I am deeply concerned that Yang's sentence will be harsh," Feng said. By AFP MINSK: Belarus forced a passenger plane carrying a wanted opposition activist to divert and land in its capital, provoking a furious outcry from world leaders who described it as an "act of state terrorism" ahead of an EU summit Monday expected to toughen sanctions on Minsk. Dissident journalist Roman Protasevich was detained on Sunday after Ryanair flight FR4978 was pulled from its Athens-to-Vilnius route and -- accompanied by a Belarusian fighter jet -- diverted to the capital city, state television reported. Passengers described seeing the 26-year-old, who had been living in Poland, looking nervous as the flight was diverted to Minsk. "He just turned to people and said he was facing the death penalty," Monika Simkiene, a 40-year-old Lithuanian, told AFP in Vilnius after landing -- without Protasevich -- several hours later. Edvinas Dimsa, 37, said: "He was not screaming, but it was clear that he was very much afraid. It looked like if the window had been open, he would have jumped out of it." The incident comes as the European Union is set to discuss toughening its existing sanctions against Belarus, imposed over the crackdown by the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko on opposition protesters, at a pre-planned summit on Monday. "The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted, calling for Protasevich's release, and adding those responsible "must be sanctioned". The regime forced the landing @Ryanair plane in Minsk to arrest journalist and activist Raman Pratasevich. He faces the death penalty in Belarus. We demand immediate release of Raman, @ICAO investigation, and sanctions against Belarus. pic.twitter.com/ondPBd0kU9 Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) May 23, 2021 Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki denounced Belarus's actions as "an act of state terrorism", while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called for a "strong and united response" from the EU. Lithuania and Latvia have called for international flights not to use Belarusian airspace. The International Civil Aviation Organization -- the UN's civil aviation agency -- said the forced landing "could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention", which protects nations' airspace sovereignty. Minsk's airport had released a statement earlier saying the plane had to make an emergency landing there at 1215 GMT following a bomb scare. "The plane was checked, no bomb was found and all passengers were sent for another security search," said Nexta, a Belarus opposition channel on the Telegram messaging app, which Protasevich previously edited. Lukashenko's press service said on its own Telegram channel the president had given the order to divert the flight and had ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet to accompany the plane. It comes as Belarus authorities intensify their crackdown on the opposition following historic protests that gripped the ex-Soviet country after last year's disputed presidential election. - 'Absolutely unacceptable' - The United States "strongly condemned" the arrest, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for Protasevich's release. "This shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens," he said in a statement, using an alternative spelling of the Belarusian leader's name. He added on Twitter: "We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps." European leaders reacted with fury. In Athens, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted: "The forced landing of a commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act." A young woman stands with a poster reading 'I am, we are Roman Protasevich' and the Belarus flag as passengers disembark from a Ryanair passenger plane from Athens, Greece. (Photo | AFP) Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda described Belarus's actions as "abhorrent" and prosecutors said they had opened a criminal investigation for the hijacking of a plane. The government in Ireland, where Ryanair is headquartered, described the incident as "absolutely unacceptable", while NATO called it "dangerous" and demanded an international investigation. Since last August's disputed election, Belarusians have taken to the streets demanding the resignation of Lukashenko, who has ruled for over two decades. Protasevich and Nexta founder Stepan Putilo, 22, were added to Belarus's list of "individuals involved in terrorist activity" last year. The two -- both now based in Poland -- were accused of causing mass unrest, an offence punishable by up to 15 years in jail. Belarus also labelled the Nexta Telegram channels and its logo "extremist" and ordered them blocked. With close to two million subscribers on Telegram, Nexta Live and its sister channel Nexta are prominent opposition channels and helped mobilise protesters. "It is absolutely obvious that this is an operation of secret services to capture the plane in order to detain activist and blogger Roman Protasevich," exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said on Telegram. The opposition says that Tikhanovskaya, who fled to neighbouring Lithuania after the election, was the true winner of last year's presidential vote. - KGB involved? - A member of the Nexta team, Tadeusz Giczan, tweeted that representatives of the Belarusian security agency had been on Protasevich's flight. "Then when the plane had entered Belarus airspace, the KGB officers initiated a fight with the Ryanair crew insisting there's an IED onboard," he said. A spokeswoman for state company Lithuanian Airports, Lina Beisine, told AFP that Minsk airport had said the flight was redirected "due to a conflict between a member of the crew and the passengers". In a statement -- that did not mention Protasevich -- Ryanair said the flight's crew had been notified by Belarus air traffic control of "a potential security threat on board" and were instructed to divert to Minsk, the "nearest" airport. The EU and the United States have sanctioned Lukashenko and dozens of officials and businessmen tied to his regime with asset freezes and visa bans.= By PTI ISLAMABAD: The Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Monday clarified that an official's spouse, who was reported by the Pakistani media to have been tested positive for the coronavirus, has tested "negative" for COVID on RT-PCR conducted on arrival here and in Lahore. "In response to media reports that the spouse of an official of the Indian High Commission tested + for Covid on RAT, it is clarified that said individual has tested NEGATIVE for Covid on RT-PCR, conducted on arrival in Islamabad. RT-PCR in Lahore, as per reports, was also NEGATIVE," the Indian High Commission tweeted. Earlier, Pakistan asked 12 officials of the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Islamabad to quarantine, along with their family members and drivers, after one of them reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus since their arrival from India last week, the Foreign Office said. A group of 12 officials and their family members crossed over to Pakistan through the Wagah Border on May 22, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Sunday. All 12 passengers carried negative Polymerase Chain Reaction COVID-19 reports but they were re-tested in line with the laid down COVID-19 safety protocols in Pakistan. "The wife of an official tested positive on a rapid antigen test conducted by Pakistani health officials," the spokesperson said. Pakistan's top body on the pandemic, National Command and Control Centre (NCOC), reviewed the case and advised all 12 officials, their family members and drivers to undergo the mandatory quarantine. "The Indian High Commission has been advised to strictly follow the guidelines provided by the NCOC," the official said. The Express Tribune newspaper quoted diplomatic sources as saying that as per the standard operating procedures (SOPs) agreed between the two countries, if a member of the diplomatic staff or their associates tested positive for COVID-19, they will be quarantined in the same country instead of being sent back. "Pakistani authorities have acted in accordance with the law," they added. The coronavirus has so far killed 20,308 people in Pakistan, along with 903,599 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to official data released on Monday. Anthony Billingsley By While details are sketchy, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire. That is good news for everyone involved. The dying can hopefully end and further destruction be avoided at least for now. Both sides can also claim victory. Hamas can claim to have defended the interests of Palestinians in Jerusalem in contrast to its rivals in the Palestinian Authority, while Israels embattled prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, can claim significant military and political achievements. But that is about as far as the good news goes. As the smoke clears, the vast devastation of Gaza becomes apparent and the slow and frustrating process of rebuilding must resume. The economy of Gaza has long suffered under an Israeli blockade and has been struggling to rebuild after the last war between the two sides in 2014. The devastation caused by the current Israeli air attacks has added massively to Gazas infrastructure problems and vast amounts of foreign aid will be necessary over the coming years. It is not clear who will provide the funding. The Gulf states, especially Qatar, can be expected to provide considerable assistance, but aid from the European Union and elsewhere is more problematic. Peace process on ice Equally as important, there seems to be no interest in reviving a peace process that has been effectively moribund since the Clinton administration in the US in the late 1990s. The fighting does not seem to have inspired any desire on the part of the Israelis or their steadfast allies in the US to break the stalemate and pursue a solution to this long-standing problem. The Biden administration has continued the approach of its predecessors in working to monopolise and control any attempt to promote a settlement of the dispute. Its goal is to prevent other actors, including the UN Security Council, where Russia and China have a voice, from playing a part in helping Israelis and Palestinians to establish a basis for cohabitation. The US still enjoys a significant military, economic and political advantage over Russia and China in the Middle East based on its long engagement with the region, though its standing has been in decline in recent years. And Israel, in particular, is suspicious of the motives of the other states. As a result, the US remains the only power capable of bringing change to the current stalemate. This makes Bidens approach both disappointing and puzzling. Biden has reiterated his firm support for Israels right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks. Ariel Schalit/AP Despite Netanyahus bravado in publicly defying Bidens requests for an end to the fighting, the sudden achievement of Israeli objectives in Gaza underscores the continued and significant influence the US has over Israeli governments. No one is suggesting the US will abandon its solid support for Israel. But the nature of Bidens response to the fighting has been effectively to endorse Netanyahus approach, which has been to promote the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and refuse to contemplate any solution to the dispute, be it one state or two states. Bidens handling of this latest outbreak of violence has effectively seen the US treating Netanyahus and Israels interests as the same. While the US does not want to interfere directly in Israeli politics, its close identification with Netanyahu does little to encourage hopes for progress. Hamass appeal likely strengthened It should be remembered violence had been roiling the West Bank for weeks including Jerusalem before spilling over to Gaza. The ceasefire seems to ignore that aspect of the current crisis, which could be reignited when the Israeli Supreme Court eventually releases its decision on the eviction of Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. West Bank Palestinians may be powerless to prevent the evictions and Hamas may be less inclined to intervene again for some time, however, the frustrations and tensions have not gone away and can be expected to boil over again. While the Americans have designated Hamas a terrorist organisation, it is seen quite differently in Palestine. It comfortably won the last Palestinian elections in 2006 and was expected to win again in the elections scheduled for this month before they were cancelled by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas had just conducted internal elections in preparation for the national vote and, despite the pain and suffering of this latest conflict, it has reinforced the organisations image among Palestinians as the one group that understands their concerns and is ready to defend their interests. Hamass strength extends to the West Bank and to Israeli Palestinians. It reflects the great desire for change among young Palestinians and their frustrations with the leadership of Abbas and his party, Fatah. One of the consequences of the ill-fated Oslo Accords was the Palestine Authority pledged to maintain security in the areas it controlled, which is currently limited to parts of the West Bank. As a result, the authority is seen by many Palestinians as working for Israeli interests rather than the concerns of Palestinians. It is also seen as deeply corrupt. A ceasefire but for how long? The unrest inside Israel over the past week highlights how Israeli Palestinians are equally frustrated with their status, a concern that has grown with Netanyahus promotion of the Jewish nature of Israel as they see it, at their expense. The shock to Jewish Israelis of the widespread violence between the two communities in many Israeli cities, as well as the violence in the occupied territories, highlights the need for a serious commitment by all parties to come together to seek a solution to the relationship between Palestinians and Jews. Such a prospect remains possible, albeit quite dim at this point. When then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, began working toward a peace deal in the 1990s, they inspired dramatic changes in attitudes among Israelis and Palestinians. Suddenly, peaceful coexistence seemed possible. Circumstances have, of course, changed dramatically since then, but that is no reason to abandon hope and do nothing. Like previous ceasefires between Israel and Hamas, however, this one will hold as long as it suits both parties. And there is nothing to suggest the agreement contains any more substantial elements which might lead to a settlement of their long-term conflict. The 2014 ceasefire lasted seven years but during that time, nothing was done to build on it. We can expect a similar lack of action this time and without such action, it is only a matter of time before violence breaks out again. Anthony Billingsley, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, UNSW This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. By PTI BANGKOK: Myanmars ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, appeared in court in person Monday for the first time since the military arrested her when it seized power on Feb. 1. One of her lawyers, Min Min Soe, told The Associated Press by phone that Suu Kyi was able to meet with her defense team for about 30 minutes before the hearing began at a special court set up inside the city council building in Naypyitaw, the capital. The lawyers also met with Win Myint, who was president of the government Suu Kyi led as state counsellor and faces some of the same charges. Suu Kyi's only previous court appearances have been by video link and she had not been allowed to meet in person with any of her lawyers. Min Min Soe said Suu Kyi wanted to tell Myanmars people that her National League for Democracy party will stand by them. She said that "since the NLD was founded for the people, the NLD will exist as long as the people exist, Min Min Soe said after the hearing. She appeared to be referring to the ruling junta's threat to dissolve the party. Khin Maung Zaw, head of Suu Kyi's legal team, said she seems fit and alert and smart, as always. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is always confident in herself, and she is confident in her cause and confident in the people, he said, using an honorific for a respected older woman. ALSO READ: Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing expresses intention to shift to civilian rule, says Report Monday's hearing concerned several of the six charges Suu Kyi faces and was largely procedural. There are two counts of violating the Natural Disaster Management Law for allegedly violating COVID-19 pandemic restrictions during the 2020 election campaign; illegally importing walkie-talkies that were for her bodyguards use; unlicensed use of the radios; and spreading information that could cause public alarm or unrest. The most serious charge that Suu Kyi faces is breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment, but that is being handled by a separate court. Suu Kyis supporters say the proceedings are politically motivated and are meant to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. If convicted of any of the offenses, she could be banned from running in the election that the junta has pledged to hold within one or two years of its takeover. The military ousted Suu Kyis government after her party won a landslide victory in a general election last November that would have given it a second five-year term in office. Before the start of democratic reforms a decade ago, Myanmar was ruled by the military for 50 years. The junta claims it was justified in taking power because of alleged widespread election fraud, especially irregularities in voting lists. The Asian Network for Free Elections, a non-partisan poll watching organization, in a report issued last week rejected the militarys allegations of massive fraud, saying the results of the voting were representative of the will of the people. The junta has accused Suu Kyi of corruption and presented on state television what it said was evidence that she took bribes, but has so far only said it intends to pursue charges for that offense. Her lawyers dismiss the allegations. Several cases are also pending against other senior members of Suu Kyi's party in addition to Win Myint. According to Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which has been keeping a detailed tally of arrests and deaths since the coup, almost 4,300 people are in detention, including 95 who have already been sentenced. Resistance to military rule is widespread. About 100 young people gathered Monday in a lightning protest in Yangon, the country's biggest city, carrying banners and chanting pro-democracy slogans before hurriedly dispersing. Flash mobs have replaced the mass demonstrations that were held in February and March because of the deadly response of security forces. According to the Assistance Association, 818 protesters and bystanders have been killed by security personnel since the coup. Junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said in an interview last week with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television that the death toll had been exaggerated and was actually about 300, and that 47 police had been killed and more then 200 injured.. Most resistance to the junta is still non-violent, particularly in a boycott of public schools, but armed resistance appears to be growing. There are reports virtually every day of small homemade explosives being set off in Yangon and elsewhere, and of some killings of alleged informers and local administrators appointed by the junta. Reports on social media over the weekend said there was heavy fighting between security forces and members of a grassroots anti-junta People's Defense Force in Kayah state also known as Karenni state in eastern Myanmar. Such reports, especially in remote areas, are difficult to independently verify. As many as 40 members of the security forces were killed in joint attacks launched by the People's Defense Force and ethnic Karenni guerrillas, online news services The Irrawaddy and Myanmar Now reported. The Irrawaddy also said four civilians were killed when artillery fired by government forces hit a Catholic church in Kayah. By ANI WASHINGTON: Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology sought hospital care after they fell ill in November 2019, a month before Beijing reported the first patient with Covid-like symptoms, the Wall Street Journal reported. The report provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits. The revelations come amid growing calls for a fuller probe on whether the Covid-19 virus may have escaped from the Chinese laboratory. It also comes on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of investigation into the origin of Covid-19. A US State Department fact sheet released by the Trump administration in January said that the researchers had become sick in autumn 2019 and displayed "symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illness.". China reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan on December 8, 2019. ALSO READ | While most countries battle waves of COVID-19 pandemic, life is back to normal in Wuhan "The US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both Covid-19 and common seasonal illnesses," the report read. The Wall Street Journal reported that the current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed differing views about the strength of the supporting evidence for the assessment. One person said that it was provided by an international partner and was potentially significant but still in need of further investigation and additional corroboration. Another person described the intelligence as stronger. "The information that we had coming from the various sources was of exquisite quality. It was very precise. What it didn't tell you was exactly why they got sick," he said, referring to the researchers. Recently, Anthony Fauci, a top adviser to US President Joe Biden on the coronavirus pandemic said he's "not convinced" the deadly virus developed naturally and has called for further investigations into where it emerged. Fauci was asked during a Poynter event, "United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking," earlier this month about whether he was confident that Covid-19 developed naturally, Fox News reported. "No actually. I am not convinced about that. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, said. "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," he added. It is a reversal from his earlier position in which he dismissed theories that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. ALSO READ | UK, US scientists call for fuller probe into COVID-19 Wuhan lab leak theory Last Thursday, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee released a report claiming there is "significant circumstantial evidence" that the coronavirus originated from a leak at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, and that the US government "may have funded or collaborated" in the research that led to it. "International efforts to discover the true source of the virus, however, have been stymied by a lack of cooperation from the People's Republic of China," the Republicans wrote in the report. Recently, findings in a report in an Australian daily has yet again reinforced the call that international investigators must dig deeper to rule out whether Covid-19 is a made-in-China bioweapon. The controversy about Covid-19 origins has resurfaced after the Weekend Australian newspaper revealed that Chinese scientists were thinking about bioweapons, visualising a World War-III scenario. The daily cited a Chinese government document that discussed the weaponisation of SARS coronavirus. Titled the Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons, the 2015 paper was authored by Chinese scientists, Chinese public health officials and members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). China refused to give raw data on early Covid-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic. Beijing has been accused of delaying access to international investigators for months after the initial outbreak, virtually guaranteeing that the lab had been deep-cleaned before any forensic analysis could be done. Last month, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken launched a scathing attack against China for a lack of transparency during "the early stages" of the coronavirus pandemic and called for a more thorough investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Blinken's remarks came following the publishing of a joint inquiry by the World Health Organization and China in March. The inquiry did not conclusively establish how or when the virus began spreading and did little to address Western concerns that the Chinese Communist Party bent the investigation to its advantage. The WHO report determined that the possibility the virus came from a lab was "extremely unlikely," noting there was "no record" any lab had closely related viruses. The probe was criticised by the US, UK, and other governments over its limited access to "complete, original data and samples." The organization was also accused of being overly deferential to China throughout the course of the study, which was co-authored by 17 Chinese scientists -- several of them from state-run institutions. By Associated Press DAMASCUS: Syrias foreign minister blamed Israel for mysterious attacks over more than a year targeting oil tankers heading to Syria, saying they violate international law and will not go unpunished. Faisal Mekdad told Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV in an interview aired late Sunday that oil tankers coming to Syria now move under Russian protection. He did not provide any evidence for how Israel was behind the attacks. Messages left with the Israeli defense ministry and prime ministers office Monday seeking comment were not immediately returned. Syrias oil resources are mostly outside of government-controlled areas but two of its refineries are operating. This makes Syria reliant on Iran for fuel. U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spans Syria, Iran and Russia responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government, which has been at war for more than a decade. For more than a year, vessels carrying oil to Syria, as well as some oil facilities in government-held parts of the war-torn country, have been subjected to mysterious attacks. Vessels carrying oil to Syria travel from the gulf to the Red Sea to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. There should be deterrence to Israeli attacks on ships, Mekdad said without going into details. The Israeli government and arrogant Israeli leaders must understand that these attacks cannot continue with Israel not paying a price. Last month, Syrias oil ministry said a fire erupted in a tanker on its coast after what it said was a suspected drone attack. Also in April, an attack targeted an Iranian cargo ship that is said to serve as a floating base for Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard forces off the coast of Yemen. A shadow war in Mideast waters emerged in 2019, when the U.S. Navy blamed a series of blasts in June that year in the Gulf of Oman off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Iran. By Associated Press GOMA: Torrents of lava poured into villages after dark in eastern Congo with little warning, leaving at least 15 people dead amid the chaos and destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors have said. The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on Saturday night sent about 5,000 people fleeing from the city of Goma across the nearby border into Rwanda, while another 25,000 others sought refuge to the northwest in Sake, the UN children's agency said Sunday. More than 170 children were still feared missing Sunday, and UNICEF officials said they were organising transit centres to help unaccompanied children in the wake of the disaster. Goma ultimately was largely spared the mass destruction caused by the volcano's last eruption in 2002. Hundreds died then and more than 100,000 people were left homeless. But in outlying villages closer to the volcano, Sunday was marked by grief and uncertainty. Aline Bichikwebo and her baby managed to escape when the lava flow reached her village, but said both her mother and father were among those who perished. People stand and take selfies in front of lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, in Buhene, on the outskirts of Goma, Congo in the early hours of Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Photo | AP) Community members gave a provisional toll of 10 dead in Bugamba alone, though provincial authorities said it was too soon to know how many lives were lost. Bichikwebo says she tried to rescue her father but wasn't strong enough to move him to safety before the family's home was ignited by lava. "I am asking for help because everything we had is gone," she said, clutching her baby. "We don't even have a pot. We are now orphans and we have nothing." The air remained thick with smoke because of how many homes had caught fire when the lava came. "People are still panicking and are hungry," resident Alumba Sutoye said. "They don't even know where they are going to spend the night." Elsewhere, authorities said at least five other people had died in a truck crash while they were trying to evacuate Goma, but the scale of the loss had yet to be determined in some of the hardest-hit communities. Residents said there was little warning before the dark sky turned a fiery red, sending people running for their lives in all directions. One woman went into labor and gave birth while fleeing the eruption to Rwanda, the national broadcaster there said. Smoke rose from smoldering heaps of lava in the Buhene area near the city Sunday. "We have seen the loss of almost an entire neighbourhood," Innocent Bahala Shamavu said. "All the houses in Buhene neighbourhood were burned and that's why we are asking all the provincial authorities and authorities at the national level as well as all the partners, all the people of good faith in the world, to come to the aid of this population." Elsewhere, witnesses said lava had engulfed one highway connecting Goma with the city of Beni. However, the airport appeared to be spared the same fate as 2002 when lava flowed onto the runways. Goma is a regional hub for many humanitarian agencies in the region, as well as the UN peacekeeping mission. While Goma is home to many UN peacekeepers and aid workers, much of surrounding eastern Congo is under threat from myriad armed groups vying for control of the region's mineral resources. By Associated Press ZA CITY: A few hours after the latest cease-fire took effect in the Gaza Strip, a number of Palestinian journalists in the coastal enclave found they were blocked from accessing WhatsApp messenger a crucial tool used to communicate with sources, editors and the world beyond the blockaded strip. The Associated Press reached out to 17 journalists in Gaza who confirmed their Whatsapp accounts had been blocked since Friday. By midday Monday, only four journalists working for Al Jazeera confirmed their accounts had been restored. The incident marks the latest puzzling move concerning WhatsApp's owner Facebook Inc. thats left Palestinian users or their allies bewildered as to why theyve been targeted by the company, or if indeed theyd been singled out for censorship at all. Twelve of the 17 journalists contacted by the AP said they had been part of a WhatsApp group that disseminates information related to Hamas military operations. Hamas, which rules over the Gaza Strip, is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States, where WhatsApp owner Facebook is headquartered. It's unclear if the journalists were targeted because theyd been following that group's announcements on WhatsApp. Hamas runs Gazas Health Ministry, which has a WhatsApp group followed by more than 80 people, many of them journalists. That group, for example, has not been blocked. Hassan Slaieh, a freelance journalist in Gaza whose WhatsApp account is blocked, said he thinks his account might have been targeted because he was on a group called Hamas Media. This has affected my work and my income because I lost conversations with sources and people, Slaieh said. Al Jazeeras chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael al-Dahdouh, said his access to WhatsApp was blocked around dawn on Friday before it was reinstated Monday. He said journalists subscribe to Hamas groups only to get information needed to do journalistic work. A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company bans accounts to comply with its policies to prevent harm as well as applicable law. The company said it has been in touch with media outlets over the last week about its practices. We will reinstate journalists if any were impacted, the company said. Al Jazeera said that when it sought information regarding its four journalists in Gaza impacted by the blockage, they were told by Facebook that the company had blocked the numbers of groups based out of Gaza and consequently the cell phone numbers of Al Jazeera journalists were part of the groups they had blocked. Among those affected by the WhatsApp blockage are two Agence France-Presse journalists. The Paris-based international news service told the AP it is working with WhatsApp to understand what the problem is and to restore their accounts. The 11-day war caused widespread destruction across Gaza with 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women, killed in the fighting. Israel says 12 people in Israel, including two children, also died. It's not the first time journalists have been suddenly barred from WhatsApp. In 2019, a number of journalists in Gaza had their accounts blocked without explanation. The accounts of those working with international media organizations were restored after contacting the company. Facebook and its photo and video-sharing platform Instagram were criticized this month for removing posts and deleting accounts by users posting about protests against efforts to evict Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. It prompted an open letter signed by 30 organizations demanding to know why the posts had been removed. The New York Times also reported that some 100 WhatsApp groups were used by Jewish extremists in Israel for the purpose of committing violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel. WhatsApp said it does not have access to the contents of peoples personal chats, but that they ban accounts when information is reported they believe indicates a user may be involved in causing imminent harm. The company said it also responds to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us. The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, or 7amleh, said in a report published this month that Facebook accepted 81% of requests made by Israels Cyber Unit to remove Palestinian content last year. It found that in 2020, Twitter suspended dozens of accounts of Palestinian users based on information from the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs. Al-Dahdouh, the Al Jazeera correspondent, said although his account was restored, his past history of chats and messages was erased. The groups and conversations were back, but content is erased, as if you are joining a new group or starting a new conversation, he said. I have lost information, images, numbers, messages and communications. Al Jazeera said its journalists in Gaza had their WhatsApp accounts blocked by the host without prior notification. Al Jazeera would like to strongly emphasize that its journalists will continue to use their WhatsApp accounts and other applications for newsgathering purposes and personal communication, the news network told the AP. At no time, have Al Jazeera journalists used their accounts for any means other than for personal or professional use. The Qatar-based news network's office in Gaza was destroyed during the war by Israeli airstrikes that took down the high-rise residential and office tower, which also housed The Associated Press offices. Press freedom groups accused the military, which claimed the building housed Hamas military intelligence, of trying to censor coverage of Israels offensive. The Israeli military telephoned a warning, giving occupants of the building one hour to evacuate. Sada Social, a West Bank-based center tracking alleged violations against Palestinian content on social media, said it was collecting information on the number of Gaza-based journalists impacted by the latest WhatsApp decision. Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities. Markisha Greene, 32, made the confession to cops after she turned herself in at the 83rd Precinct Saturday, one day after she ditched the tot in a stroller inside a store on Myrtle Ave. near Gates Ave. in Bushwick, prosecutors said. WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration is facing new pressure to resolve a mystery that has vexed its predecessors: Is an adversary using a microwave or radio wave weapon to attack the brains of U.S. diplomats, spies and military personnel? The number of reported cases of possible attack is sharply growing and lawmakers from both parties, as well as those believed to be affected, are demanding answers. But scientists and government officials arent yet certain about who might have been behind any attacks, if the symptoms could have been caused inadvertently by surveillance equipment or if the incidents were actually attacks. Whatever an official review concludes could have enormous consequences. Confirmation that a U.S. adversary has been conducting damaging attacks against U.S. personnel would unleash calls for a forceful response by the United States. For now, the administration is providing assurances that it takes the matter seriously, is investigating aggressively and will make sure those affected have good medical care. Ramon Espinosa/AP The problem has been labeled the Havana Syndrome, because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. At least 130 cases across the government are now under investigation, up from several dozen last year, according to a U.S. defense official who was not authorized to discuss details publicly. The National Security Council is leading the investigation. People who are believed to have been affected have reported headaches, dizziness and symptoms consistent with concussions, with some requiring months of medical treatment. Some have reported hearing a loud noise before the sudden onset of symptoms. Particularly alarming are revelations of at least two possible incidents in the Washington area, including one case near the White House in November in which an official reported dizziness. The new higher number of possible cases was first reported by The New York Times. CNN first reported the case near the White House and an additional incident in November. Advocates for those affected accuse the U.S. government of long failing to take the problem seriously or provide the necessary medical care and benefits. The government has a much better understanding of it than it has let on, said Mark Zaid, a Washington lawyer who represents several people affected. Zaid has obtained National Security Agency documents noting it has information dating to the late 1990s about an unidentified hostile country possibly having a microwave weapon to weaken, intimidate, or kill an enemy over time. Chris Miller, the acting defense secretary during the last months of the Trump administration, created a Pentagon team to investigate the suspected attacks. That was after he met a soldier late last year who described how, while serving in a country Miller wouldn't identify, he had heard a shrieking sound and then had a splitting headache. He was well-trained, extremely well-trained, and hed been in combat before, Miller told The Associated Press. This is an American, a member of the Department of Defense. At that point, you cant ignore that. Defense and intelligence officials have publicly promised to push for answers and better care for people with symptoms. Lt. Col. Thomas Campbell, a Defense Department spokesman, said the causes of any incidents are areas of active inquiry." Officials have not identified a suspected country, though some people affected suspect Russian involvement. CIA Director William Burns testified before Congress that he would make the investigation a very high priority to ensure that my colleagues get the care that they deserve and that we get to the bottom of what caused these incidents and who was responsible. Burns receives daily updates on the investigation, which covers employees who have reported cases this year. He has met with those reporting injuries as have other top CIA officials. The agency has worked to reduce the wait time for its employees to receive outpatient treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The CIA also replaced its chief medical officer with a doctor seen internally as more sympathetic to possible cases. We were treated so awfully in the past," said Marc Polymeropoulos, a 26-year CIA veteran who was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury following a 2017 visit to Russia. "Now theyre putting people in place who not only believe us but are going to advocate for our health care. One key analysis identified directed, pulsed radio frequency energy as the most plausible culprit. Published in December by the National Academy of Sciences, the report said a radio frequency attack could alter brain function without causing gross structural damage. But the panel could not make a definitive finding on how U.S. personnel may have been hit. And a declassified 2018 State Department report cited a lack of senior leadership, ineffective communications, and systemic disorganization in responding to the Havana cases. The report says the cause of the injuries was currently unknown. The document was published by George Washington Universitys National Security Archive. The report also noted that the CIA ultimately closed its Havana station, a victory for a potential adversary. Dr. James Giordano, a neurology professor at Georgetown University, consulted with the State Department on the Havana cases and has been briefed on more recent incidents in the U.S. and abroad. In reviewing records of people affected in Havana, Giordano noted evidence of neurological injuries in several people, suggesting they may have been hit with radio waves. He identified two possible culprits: a device intentionally used to target potential victims or a tool that used directed energy waves to conduct surveillance that may have unintentionally harmed the people targeted. One of the November attacks outside the White House had substantial similarities to the Havana cases, Giordano said, adding that he was not authorized by the government to be more specific. Its very difficult, if not impossible, to fake or misrepresent certain findings to objective clinical evaluations, Giordano said. I mean, there are certain things you cant make your nerves do or not do. Other scientists remain skeptical. Dr. Robert Baloh of the University of California, Los Angeles, argued that scans of healthy peoples brains sometimes display mini-strokes and that any possible weapon would be too large or require too much power to be deployed without detection. Baloh said the growing number of cases considered directed energy attacks is actually linked to mass psychogenic illness, in which people learning of others with symptoms begin to feel sick themselves. Many people are hearing about it and thats how it gets propagated, Baloh said. Lawmakers from both parties are pushing the Biden administration to take this seriously. A bill introduced in both the House and Senate on Wednesday would bolster the payment of disability benefits for traumatic brain injuries suffered in the incidents. There's no greater priority than ensuring the health and safety of our people, and the anomalous health incidents that have afflicted our personnel around the world are of grave concern, said Rep. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, in a statement. Rep. Devin Nunes, the committee's top Republican, said the people reporting symptoms were apparently subject to attack. Polymeropoulos, the former CIA officer, said he believed the U.S. would ultimately identify what was behind the incidents and who is responsible. The actual intelligence is going to take us to the truth on this, he said. If we find that a certain adversary did this, theres going to be uncomfortable decisions on what to do." WASHINGTON (AP) Nearly five months after being deployed to the U.S. Capitol to help quell the Jan. 6 insurrection, National Guard troops were set to leave and turn over security of the area to Capitol Police. Guard troops, their mission ending Sunday, were expected to be leaving on Monday, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to discuss the plan by name and requested anonymity. The Pentagon announced earlier in the week that an extension of the Guard presence 2,149 troops had not been requested. The planned departure came as Democrats and Republicans sparred over how to fund fortifications of the Capitol and whether to form an independent bipartisan commission to investigate the attack that sought to overturn former President Donald Trumps loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Some Republican lawmakers have begun downplaying the event despite the handful of deaths, injuries to scores of police officers, hundreds of arrests, damages to the building and shouted threats against lawmakers from many of those who stormed the building. Much of the violence was caught on camera. Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who oversaw a security review in the wake of the rioting, told CBS Face the Nation on Sunday that the Capitol itself will be secured by Capitol Police but that the complex will remain closed to the general public because of the strain on the police force. God bless the National Guard, Honore said. They've done significant work. The House on Thursday approved by a single vote largely along party lines a $1.9 billion measure to fortify the Capitol. The next day the House approved with 35 Republican votes the formation of an investigative commission. Both measures face an uncertain future in the evenly divided Senate. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he opposes the commission proposal, which would need significant Republican support to advance under Senate rules. Republican opponents say the commission would become a political tool as midterms elections approach, though the proposal requires its work to be concluded by the end of this year. Free access for current print subscribers As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to news-daily.com including stories, photos, obituaries, e-edition and more on your computer, tablet or phone. All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name. Don't know your subscription number? Email access@news-daily.com with your delivery address. Activate your account now. Egypt receives raw materials to produce Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine Xinhua) 09:19, May 24, 2021 Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang (C) speaks at a joint press conference with Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed (R), after attending a ceremony to receive the first batch of Chinese Sinovac vaccine raw materials and a new shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines at the Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) As Egypt receives the Sinovac vaccine raw materials, it becomes the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in producing the COVID-19 vaccines. CAIRO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has received the first batch of the raw materials to manufacture China's Sinovac vaccine, said the Chinese embassy in Egypt on Sunday. Along with the Sinovac raw materials, a new shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines also arrived at the Cairo International Airport on Friday, according to a Chinese embassy's statement. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said on May 9 that Egypt will start locally producing Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in June, and the first 2 million doses will be produced at the plants of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA). The local end-product will be distributed to medical centers across Egypt in two months after being assessed by the Egyptian Drug Authority, said Zayed at a press conference at the airport. "VACSERA will produce more than 5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine in two months, and 40 million doses within a year," she said. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed (R) speaks at a press conference with Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang (L) at the Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Zayed hailed the arrival of a new shipment of Sinopharm and raw materials of Sinovac vaccine as ushering in "a new chapter of bilateral ties," and the best way to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. China has made remarkable contributions to Egypt's diversification of vaccine sources and promoting the country's economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, she stressed. After meeting Egypt's own needs, vaccines produced in Egypt will be exported to other countries in the Middle East and Africa to help fight the pandemic, said the Egyptian minister. Vaccine cooperation has laid a good foundation for Egypt and China to expand medical and health cooperation, Zayed said, adding that the two countries will boost cooperation in medical technology transfer and strive for more results to benefit the two peoples. The two countries' joint efforts in fighting COVID-19 have not only deepened the traditional friendship and political mutual trust, but also set an example for the international community, Zayed noted. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that, as Egypt receives the Sinovac vaccine raw materials, it becomes the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in producing the COVID-19 vaccines. "This is very important for the early prevail over the pandemic not only in Egypt, but also in the whole African continent and the Arab region," Liao said. Airport staff transport the first batch of Chinese Sinovac vaccine raw materials unloaded from a palne at the Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) China calls on the international community to lend more hands to Africa through providing epidemic prevention materials, medicines, technology and funds to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines, Liao said. He reiterated that China has always been a staunch supporter of Africa in fighting the pandemic, an active participant in the continent's development and revitalization, and a strong defender of peace and stability. Egypt started in late January vaccinating the medical staff of governmental hospitals with a COVID-19 vaccine made by another leading Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm, which is the first vaccine approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority. In early March, the most populous Arab country began to vaccinate elderly people and patients with chronic diseases against the highly infectious coronavirus. So far, Egypt has reported 252,690 COVID-19 cases, including 14,670 deaths and 186,223 recoveries. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) Seven years later, Wilkins was charged with the crime because his DNA was under Statons fingernails, on a scarf that was tied around her neck, and on the drawstrings of the black laundry bag in which her body was found. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). Following a funeral that started at 11 a.m. today in Decatur, a police procession for Champaign Officer Christopher Oberheim is on its way to Monticello, where he will be laid to rest. Francisco Mendez-Escamilla, right, stands next to his defense attorney Hector Martinez May 24 as he reads a statement during his sentencing hearing. He was sentenced to 12-to-17 years in prison for causing a fatal August 2020 crash. Many people who have recovered from COVID-19 are reporting incidences of insomnia but sleep may also be the answer to preventing the symptoms of long COVID. Insomnia. Image Credit: Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock.com Discovering a link between melatonin and COVID-19 After witnessing similar coronaviruses perpetuate through China and Saudi Arabia previously, Feixiong Cheng of the Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, understood the power of coronaviruses to transmit rapidly - ruining economies and threatening human health. So when COVID-19 began spreading, Cheng instantly began exploring the structure of the COVID-19 virus to predict how it invades human cells with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Quickly, Cheng and his team uncovered an interesting link, that melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep, may have the power to block the virus. After publishing his research, scientists around the world began contacting Cheng, supporting his preliminary findings, and highlighting that while melatonin is famous for its role in sleep, it is also known to be important for calibrating the immune system. This function is vital in the progression of cases of COVID-19, melatonin is key for maintaining our self-protective responses and preventing them from going out of sync, which can influence the trajectory of the disease, causing symptoms to progress from mild to life-threatening. With additional support, Cheng was motivated to continue his investigation and in a large-scale study, the results of which were published in December 2020, Cheng produced further evidence supporting the role of melatonin in the outcomes of COVID-19 cases. He found that those taking melatonin were significantly less likely to die from COVID-19. Around this time, other researchers began producing similar results, further supporting the key role of melatonin in COVID-19. At the time when this research came out, some experts began recommending that people should immediately begin taking melatonin supplements, which are widely available over-the-counter in the US, to protect themselves in the event they are infected with COVID-19. However, Cheng highlighted that melatonin is a hormone with profound effects on the central nervous system and should not be taken lightly. Instead, he and other scientists considered what was underlying the link between melatonin and COVID-19. Given the growing body data showing that insomnia is common in those recovering from COVID-19, Cheng suggested that it may be sleep that is impacting COVID-19 outcomes, rather than melatonin, the hormone that regulates this function. Is sleep the answer to COVID-19? COVID-somnia was coined in the summer of 2020 to describe the impact the global pandemic was having on peoples sleep. Data from around the world revealed that large portions of the population were experiencing trouble sleeping, which was considered to largely be due to the serious and long-term concerns induced by the pandemic, such as economic and health concerns, as well as the psychological strain of isolation. In 2020, the British Sleep Society reported that less than half of people in the UK were getting refreshing sleep. While the psychological impact of the pandemic is very real and disturbances to sleep are an expected outcome of long-term stress, COVID-somnia may not solely be a reflection of this. Unexplained symptoms have been arising in those who have recovered from COVID-19. The disease, which affects the central nervous system, has been inducing a multitude of symptoms in those who have recovered, including brain fog, changes in attention, debilitating headaches, muscular weakness, and most often, insomnia. While it could be hypothesized that the high rates of insomnia are related to the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic, many of those suffering from insomnia after recovering from COVID-19 do not report significant levels of anxiety or worry, certainly not to levels that would explain the emergence of sleep disturbance. Often, doctors assume that the post-COVID-19 symptoms that are being referred to as long COVID are related to an autoimmune reaction, such that is commonplace after infections with other viruses. However, symptoms that arise from autoimmune reactions occur in predictable patterns, whereas post-COVID-19 symptoms occur in a sporadic nature, can happen even after mild cases, and vary in timescales, therefore. It is hypothesized that post-COVID-19 symptoms are due to haphazard inflammation due to a condition known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. The condition involves many types of cellular injury or miscommunication. Damage to cells can result, in some cases, from prolonged, low-level oxygen deprivation. In other cases, it is related to inflammatory processes that alter the functioning go neural networks. Unfortunately, myalgic encephalomyelitis is poorly understood and misrepresented. Because of our lack of understanding of the condition, diagnosis and treatment options are unreliable. However, while sleep cycles can be disturbing in cases of myalgic encephalomyelitis, scientists have not found evidence that this is irreversible, and some scientists are even exploring the use of sleep itself to reverse the impacts of the post-infectious inflammatory process. Getting sufficient sleep may, therefore, minimize the risk of developing myalgic encephalomyelitis following COVID-19 infection. However, more research is needed to conclude the nature of the relationship between sleep, COVID-19, and melatonin. Sources: Kim, H., Hegde, S., LaFiura, C., Raghavan, M., Luong, E., Cheng, S., Rebholz, C. and Seidelmann, S., 2021. COVID-19 illness in relation to sleep and burnout. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, pp.bmjnph-2021-000228. https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2021/03/03/bmjnph-2021-000228 Partinen, M., 2021. Sleep research in 2020: COVID-19-related sleep disorders. The Lancet Neurology, 20(1), pp.15-17. www.thelancet.com/.../fulltext Zhou, Y., Wang, F., Tang, J., Nussinov, R., & Cheng, F. (2020). Artificial intelligence in COVID-19 drug repurposing. The Lancet Digital Health, 2(12), e667-e676. www.thelancet.com/.../fulltext Further Reading People who come in contact with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients are high-risk individuals for becoming infected with its causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Viral transmission in hospitals is a particular area of concern, as the close interaction between the healthcare personnel and the patients helps the transmission of the virus between them, their families and subsequently to their communities. Despite various public health interventions implemented, such as adaptation of areas with negative air pressure, isolation areas for patients with COVID-19, and the mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE), controlling SARS-CoV-2's spread has had mixed results. In the absence of effective antiviral treatments, the ongoing vaccination campaign is the main strategy across the globe to prevent SARS-CoV-2. In a recent study by a team of researchers in Mexico, Russia and Spain, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers. They propose a non-pharmaceutical public health intervention consisting of mouthwash and nose rinse with an AgNPs solution to reduce morbidity among healthcare personnel exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The researchers demonstrated clinical evidence to confirm the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in health personnel who performed mouthwash and nose rinse solution with AgNPs. To our knowledge, this study is the first experimental in vitro and in vivo trial where AgNPs as mouthwash and nasal rinse solution are applied for SARS-CoV-2 contagion prevention," say the researchers. The study, published on the preprint medRxiv* server, tested a mouthwash ARGOVIT AgNPs which contains AgNPs and evaluated for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in health workers. This is an oral and nasal hygiene product registered and made in Russia. It contains metallic silver, polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydrolyzed collagen and distilled water. The hydrolyzed collagen stabilizes the AgNPs and reduces the cytotoxicity. AgNPs have been demonstrated to have robust antimicrobial, including antiviral, effects. First, they demonstrated the antiviral activity of the AgNPs in Vero E6 cell cultures. The researchers observed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of AgNPs over SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Second, the researchers designed a randomized controlled study of two-group (experimental vs. control) to evaluate the efficacy of the mouthwash and nasal rinse with AgNPs solution for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in the health personnel at the General Tijuana Hospital in Mexico. These individuals (n=231) work in high-risk areas with direct contact with patients infected and diagnosed with COVID-19 and/or atypical pneumonia. This study was carried out for 9 weeks during the declaration of the pandemic in Mexico (beginning on April 7 through June 9, 2020). The researchers confirmed the diagnosis of COVID-19 among the participants by monitoring the symptoms, conducting RT-PCR, randomly selecting for CT chest scans and clinical evaluation. Using logistic regression, the strong relationship between the fact of mouthwashes and nose rinse in the health personnel and the mitigation of the SARS-CoV-2 contagion with an efficiency of 84.8% is proved." Significantly, the study also showed no harmful side effects in the participants who used AgNPs as a mouthwash and nasal rinse for 9 weeks. The researchers observed that the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly reduced in the "experimental" group (two participants out of 114 were COVID-19 positive, 1.8%) compared to the "control" group (thirty-three participants out of 117 were COVID-19 positive, 28.2%). This calculated to an efficiency of 84.8%, suggesting that the mouthwash could be an effective use of AgNPs in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. The researchers also recommended the application to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in high-risk areas such as dental procedures. Because the oropharynx and nasopharynx are the initial entry sites for SARS-CoV-2 and it replicates to produce a viral load of 1.2 108 infectious copies/per mL, it is a high risk of exposure for the odontologist. The evidence presented in this study suggests that the application of mouthwashes and nose rinse can significantly reduce the viral load in these areas, to reduce transmission, in addition to the use of personal protective equipment by healthcare personnel," the researchers said. This study presents a new non-pharmaceutical intervention using nanoparticles in a clinical setting to reduce the spread, and/or pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 associated with COVID-19. Proving its inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in vitro it is inferred that the use of AgNPs as a mouthwash and nose rinse will be very useful as a prophylactic for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2, not only for healthcare personnel but also as additional protection for the general population, the researchers write. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. A 23 year study being presented at the 23rd European Congress of Endocrinology (e-ECE 2021), on Monday 24 May 2021 at 14:40 CET, has found that women who experience gestational diabetes (GDM) when they are pregnant, are more prone to developing type-1 and type-2 diabetes later in life. The long-term study suggests that autoantibody testing should be considered for women who experience GDM in order to have a better understanding of their prognosis. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Globally, the number of people with diabetes rose from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes women may experience during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth. However, 50% of women who experience GDM go on to develop type-2 diabetes later in life (published results from the same study), and 5.7% develop type-1 diabetes (even though it is often considered 'juvenile diabetes'). Due to the number of significant health issues diabetes can cause, this study is important as it allows healthcare professionals and women at risk of developing diabetes to be aware of their potential condition and adapt their lifestyle accordingly.1 Dr Kaisu Luiro of Helsinki University Hospital assessed 391 women who gave birth between 1984-1994 and experienced gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. A follow-up questionnaire assessing later onset of type-1 and type-2 diabetes was sent in 2012-2013. The mean follow-up time was 23 years, making this study the longest follow-up to date in relation to GDM studies. The study found that glutamic acid decarboxylase and islet cell autoantibodies present during pregnancy can reliably predict the development of type-1 diabetes later in life. The results were as follows: * Single autoantibody positivity was detected in 12% of the cohort of women who experienced gestational diabetes and in 2.3% of the control cohort. * In the cohort of women who experienced gestational diabetes, 2.6% tested positive for two autoantibodies and 2.3% for three autoantibodies, whereas only one subject in the control cohort had two autoantibodies detected. The strong relationship between women who have gestational diabetes and women who experience type-1 and type-2 diabetes later in life, suggests that women should now receive more extensive testing during pregnancy, in order to determine their level of risk. We also hope that healthcare professionals initiate conversations with their patients about the relationship between GDM and diabetes later in life. In the future, there are on-going developments for more accurate prediction models which hope to give a more specific suggestion as to who should be tested during pregnancy," Dr Kaisu Luiro of Helsinki University Hospital As diabetes is an increasingly prevalent health problem, this study is particularly important as it highlights women potentially at risk of developing type-1 or type-2 diabetes. This, and more specific prediction methods in the future, hopefully will provide an opportunity for healthcare professionals to inform and educate on the increased risk of developing diabetes in later life, and women with GDM to consider a healthy and balanced lifestyle in order to prevent or delay the onset. When the covid-19 pandemic forced behavioral health providers to stop seeing patients in person and instead hold therapy sessions remotely, the switch produced an unintended, positive consequence: Fewer patients skipped appointments. That had long been a problem in mental health care. Some outpatient programs previously had no-show rates as high as 60%, according to several studies. Only 9% of psychiatrists reported that all patients kept their appointments before the pandemic, according to an American Psychiatric Association report. Once providers switched to telepsychiatry, that number increased to 32%. Not only that, but providers and patients say teletherapy has largely been an effective lifeline for people struggling with anxiety, depression and other psychological issues during an extraordinarily difficult time, even though it created a new set of challenges. Many providers say they plan to continue offering teletherapy after the pandemic. Some states are making permanent the temporary pandemic rules that allow providers to be reimbursed at the same rates as for in-person visits, which is welcome news to practitioners who take patients' insurance. "We are in a mental health crisis right now, so more people are struggling and may be more open to accessing services," said psychologist Allison Dempsey, associate professor at University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. "It's much easier to connect from your living room." The problem for patients who didn't show up was often as simple as a canceled ride, said Jody Long, a clinical social worker who studied the 60% rate of no-shows or late cancellations at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center psychiatric clinic. But sometimes it was the health problem itself. Long remembers seeing a first-time patient drive around the parking lot and then exit. The patient later called and told Long, "I just could not get out of the car; please forgive me and reschedule me." Long, now an assistant professor at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, said that incident changed his perspective. "I realized when you're having panic attacks or anxiety attacks or suffering from major depressive disorder, it's hard," he said. "It's like you have built up these walls for protection and then all of a sudden you're having to let these walls down." Absences strain providers whose bosses set billing and productivity expectations and those in private practice who lose billable hours, said Dempsey, who directs a program to provide mental health care for families of babies with serious medical complications. Psychotherapists often overbooked patients with the expectation that some would not show up, she said. Now Dempsey and her colleagues no longer need to overbook. When patients don't show up, staffers can sometimes contact a patient right away and hold the session. Other times, they can reschedule them for later that day or a different day. And telepsychiatry performs as well as, if not better than, face-to-face delivery of mental health services, according to a World Journal of Psychiatry review of 452 studies. Virtual visits can also save patients money, because they might not need to travel, take time off work or pay for child care, said Dr. Jay Shore, chairperson of the American Psychiatric Association's telepsychiatry committee and a psychiatrist at the University of Colorado medical school. Shore started examining the potential of video conferencing to reach rural patients in the late '90s and concluded that patients and providers can virtually build rapport, which he said is fundamental for effective therapy and medicine management. But before the pandemic, almost 64% of psychiatrists had never used telehealth, according to the psychiatric association. Amid widespread skepticism, providers then had to do "10 years of implementations in 10 days," said Shore, who has consulted with Dempsey and other providers. Dempsey and her colleagues faced a steep learning curve. She said she recently held a video therapy session with a mother who "seemed very out of it" before disappearing from the screen while her baby was crying. She wondered if the patient's exit was related to the stress of new motherhood or "something more concerning," like addiction, she said. She thinks she might have better understood the woman's condition had they been in the same room. The patient called Dempsey's team that night and told them she had relapsed into drug use and been taken to the emergency room. The mental health providers directed her to a treatment program, Dempsey said. "We spent a lot of time reviewing what happened with that case and thinking about what we need to do differently," Dempsey said. Providers now routinely ask for the name of someone to call if they lose a connection and can no longer reach the patient. In another session, Dempsey noticed that a patient seemed guarded and saw her partner hovering in the background. She said she worried about the possibility of domestic violence or "some other form of controlling behavior." In such cases, Dempsey called after the appointments or sent the patients secure messages to their online health portal. She asked if they felt safe and suggested they talk in person. Such inability to maintain privacy remains a concern. In a Walmart parking lot recently, Western Illinois University psychologist Kristy Keefe heard a patient talking with her therapist from her car. Keefe said she wondered if the patient "had no other safe place to go to." To avoid that scenario, Keefe does 30-minute consultations with patients before their first telehealth appointment. She asks if they have space to talk where no one can overhear them and makes sure they have sufficient internet access and know how to use video conferencing. To ensure that she, too, was prepared, Keefe upgraded her Wi-Fi router, purchased two white noise machines to drown out her conversations and placed a stop sign on her door during appointments so her 5-year-old son knew she was seeing patients. Keefe concluded that audio alone sometimes works better than video, which often lags. Over the phone, she and her psychology students "got really sensitive to tone fluctuations" in a patient's voice and were better able to "pick up the emotion" than with video conferencing, she said. With those telehealth visits, her 20% no-show rate evaporated. Kate Barnes, a 29-year-old middle school teacher in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who struggles with anxiety and depression, also has found visits easier by phone than by Zoom, because she doesn't feel like a spotlight is on her. "I can focus more on what I want to say," she said. In one of Keefe's video sessions, though, a patient reached out, touched the camera and started to cry as she said how appreciative she was that someone was there, Keefe recalled. "I am so very thankful that they had something in this terrible time of loss and trauma and isolation," said Keefe. Demand for mental health services will likely continue even after the lifting of all covid restrictions. About 41% of adults were suffering from anxiety or depression in January, compared with about 11% two years before, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Health Interview Survey. "That is not going to go away with snapping our fingers," Dempsey said. After the pandemic, Shore said, providers should review data from the past year and determine when virtual care or in-person care is more effective. He also said the health care industry needs to work to bridge the digital divide that exists because of lack of access to devices and broadband internet. Even though Barnes, the teacher, said she did not see teletherapy as less effective than in-person therapy, she would like to return to seeing her therapist in person. "When you are in person with someone, you can pick up on their body language better," she said. "It's a lot harder over a video call to do that." Due to COVID-19 restrictions, healthcare providers are facing a considerable amount of strain when attempting to maintain office hours and treat patients with health conditions while sticking to social distancing and occupancy control measures. Image Credit: Advantech Healthcare is seen as an essential business, but maintaining patient health and safety is crucial to stay in business and prevent receiving any government penalties. Technology can assist healthcare professionals allowing them to negotiate through the lockdowns and restrictions facilitating remote diagnosis as patients capitalize on telehealth and telemedicine. Unique challenges in healthcare The Coronavirus pandemic gave rise to strict penalties for service providers who did not obey protocols. Naturally, essential businesses were granted permission to stay open. However, some healthcare providers were not regarded as essential (e.g., non-surgical procedures or elective surgery). While these businesses couldnt stay open, they still faced the challenge of supporting patients, maintain post-procedure checkups, and receive patient calls should any questions need answering. Essential healthcare businesses also faced distinctly complex challenges. They could remain open, but they had to maintain social distancing rules and limit occupancy inside the office, including staff: immunocompromised patients have a greater risk of severe complications from COVID-19, so its crucial that healthcare providers maintain strict precautions during standard procedures. Safety for essential providers using telemedicine and telehealth OSHA published a number of guidelines and approaches to offer healthcare providers assistance when safeguarding their patients, but it is still necessary for patients to see a provider to discuss concerns about their health, for regular checkups and any post-procedure follow-up appointments. This eliminates a providers capacity to remain socially distant and also requires on-site support staff to sustain the day-to-day business. Telemedicine offers a workable solution during lockdowns as telemedicine benefits health providers by providing them with the capacity to maintain revenue and care while providing immunocompromised patients with convenience and safety. Notably, both providers and patients dont need to be computer savvy to use the technology. Convenience and comfort are driving the rise in popularity of telemedicine and telehealth. Although providers and patients were suddenly dropped into situations where remote services were necessary, comfort and convenience have been acknowledged as an advantage that could be implemented permanently when businesses return to normal operations. It is no longer necessary for patients to drive or commute to an appointment, which can be difficult for some patients with no immediate access to transportation. Thus, healthcare workers have more time on-site for appointments with patients who require a physical checkup in-office. Patients often visit providers when feeling sick, so it can be a risk to everyone at a healthcare providers office, including staff and the other patients. Implementing telehealth means providers can limit the spread of infection of not just COVID-19 but other infectious diseases as well. Telehealth technology can also be utilized for the prescreening of patients prior to their appointment and visitation to the office. With a prescreen, providers can ascertain as to whether it is necessary to conduct an on-site checkup, thereby reducing patient numbers attending the office. Enabling providers to see the patients home environment can also help facilitate diagnosis. For example, a patient with certain allergies could be suffering from a chronic condition due to unknown variables within the home environment. Providers can determine the issues within the home that could be exacerbating patient symptoms. Patients can also better explain to doctors their daily routine using their home environment and, therefore, acquire a more accurate diagnosis. Telehealth saves healthcare provider costs while also saving patients money. Patients no longer need to travel, thereby reducing money spent on transportation, and the ability to take a consultation from home or even at work, limits the sick days or amount of time patients need to be absent from work. For busy parents, childcare is no longer a significant issue, and patients need no longer worry about being late to appointments due to traffic and prolonged drive times, which is also benefits the providers. Additionally, not needing to sit waiting in a waiting room is a key benefit for patients. In a number of scenarios, patients will still require access to specialists or need to ask certain questions. Healthcare providers can provide on-demand options that offer patients the ability to speak with a specialist or their general practitioner on the same day. Improved access to doctors and other healthcare providers results in better diagnosis as patients can speak to their provider more often while reducing the chance of spreading illnesses including Coronavirus to other patients, all of which effectively results in enhanced healthcare. Leveraging technology in telehealth The main component driving efficient telehealth is the technology: technology that must be user-friendly so that patients and providers can easily operate certain features and receive the benefits todays devices offer. It must also be able to withstand disinfectant (e.g., bleach) so that the device casing and enclosures do not start to erode after just a few uses. Numerous advances in the current technology are optimal for telehealth and the multitude of challenges faced during COVID-19 restrictions. The technology supports both patients and their healthcare providers. There are some aspects of remote healthcare devices necessary for maintaining the convenience and effective diagnosis: Tablets with apps that dial a centralized number and work with a functional camera so patients can conveniently talk to their providers. Camera and soundbar for video and sound during consultations. Carts that offer the capacity to move the tablet around the patients home so that they can show the home environment and supply additional information that helps the healthcare provider and thus facilitates better diagnosis. A tracking system that enables providers to identify the location of their equipment, staff, and patients. Advantech possesses the technology and equipment to facilitate telehealth, telemedicine, and remote access between patients and providers. Depending on the providers needs and patient preferences, both stationary and mounted solutions can be accessed. Mounted options offer the capacity to move devices from room to room as doctors speak to patients, and patients can use this solution to move around their homes as they consult with their healthcare provider. While the COVID-19 vaccine will soon be rolled out rapidly, telehealth is here to stay. It offers a range of benefits, including assisting busy healthcare providers by offering them the ability to see patients without leaving them waiting days for future appointments. For patients, transportation, take off from work, or have the added travel time needed is no longer an obstacle when attending a standard doctors appointment. Telemedicine is allowing healthcare providers to move towards a more efficient future as it is a convenient and intuitive technology that takes up very little space in any office. About Advantech With decades of proven experience and trusted by 23 of the top 30 medical device manufacturers, Advantech is a leading player in the global healthcare market. Advantech partners with leading medical equipment manufacturers and system integrators to transform healthcare and elevate patient-centered care. Advantechs medical device safety certifications and FDA registration, paired with high-performance and customizable products, meets the healthcare industrys demands for both turnkey solutions and comprehensive design and manufacturing services. Global headquarters located in Taipei, Taiwan, North American headquarters in Irvine, California and design center in Cincinnati, Ohio, Advantech is a global market-leader in industrial PCs and medical grade PCs. Offering a high degree of customization to meet unique customer requirements with in-house design and manufacturing, along with the deliberate selection of component, processor, and chipset for product designs, Advantech products are designed and manufactured with the primary intent of longevity and availability. Advantech has been ISO 13485 certified for medical devices since 2003; its North American Service Center located in Milpitas, CA is also a FDA Registered facility. Advantechs medical product portfolio includes medical-grade PCs, medical displays, medical tablets, mobile workstation and telehealth carts and healthcare information terminals. Medically certified for patient safety (60601), fanless and sealed for infection control, Advantechs purpose built products specific for healthcare use cases are configurable and customizable, built for both acute care and non-acute care healthcare facilities. Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. Li Ren was riding on the sidewalk before he veered into the path of a southbound silver Dodge Ram on Parsons Blvd. near 32nd Ave. in Flushing about 8 a.m., police said. The truck slammed into the scooter. As people await vaccines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, rural healthcare facilities across the United States are facing up to the challenges. Treating infected patients and limiting the spread of the virus are major priorities. Screening visitors for virus symptoms is a vital but complex issue: staffing and budgets are tightly constrained, and virus testing is expensive and invasive. Additionally, privacy and security are significant concerns. However, the potential cost of not screening people can be immense. One innovating rural healthcare provider is taking the initiative in protecting its community. Since 1922, Wayne HealthCare Greenville, OH (about 30 miles northwest of Dayton) has been the trusted provider for all medical care by Darke Countys 50,000 residents. Image Credit: Wayne HealthCare Now, since breaking ground in May 2019, a major expansion project will add 85,000 square feet to its main campus. The COVID-19 pandemic hit partway through the expansion project, with Wayne HealthCare announcing new restrictions on visitors back in March 2020. This included screening questions for visitors and prohibiting entry for anyone with flu-like symptoms. Shelton Monger, CIO and VP of Information Services for Wayne HealthCare, saw an opportunity for automation, stating, Weve never been afraid to use state-of-the-art technology when solving challenges. Out of a prior crisis, a viable solution In 2003, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak presented a public health crisis. Similar to COVID-19, an airborne coronavirus causes SARS: Increased body temperature or fever, over 38C, is an early symptom along with fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. Preventing the spread of SARS across Asia became a leading public health initiative. Isolation, masking, and contact tracing were the first of the critical key responses. Officials identified that the spread of SARS was being accelerated by air travel. Therefore, they sought rapid screening processes that could scan crowds of travelers quickly and non-invasively. As imager costs have dropped, infrared thermography has made its way from military to commercial use, begging the question, could thermal imaging perform rapid screening for elevated skin surface temperature? People efficiently radiate infrared energy, even though most clothing or masks. Thermal imaging equipment is portable, non-invasive, and requires no consumables. Real-time data allows for the immediate rerouting of people with symptoms for additional checks. Yet, there are practical limitations, including elevated skin temperatures in those who have been exercising or those exposed to heat or sunlight if they havent had a chance to fully cool down. Stimulants, including caffeine and nicotine, can also increase skin surface temperature and to acquire accurate thermal measurements, several frames of data are often necessary. Therefore, numerous subjects moving in the same frame can cause some issues. Even with 2003 technology, thermal imaging proved to be an effective tool for the rapid screening of SARS. The worst-case scenario is that it may flag someone for additional individual screening who is later found to be fever-free. While two decades have passed since the first major outbreak of SARS, the technology continues to progress. Enhanced thermal imaging is good for the rapid screening of COVID-19 today. Efficient COVID-19 screening at Wayne HealthCare Hands-on forms or tablets for every visitor walking through our doors werent a great option, Monger says. Filing paper COVID-19 questionnaires would overwhelm receptionists while using tablets meant sanitizing between each visitor. As important as it is, we couldnt afford more people to handle screening. Thermal imaging lets visitors pass a hands-off screening station without stopping. The receptionist gets an alert if a high temperature is detected. Shelton Monger, CIO and VP of Information Services, Wayne HealthCare Therefore, a receptionist can take the visitors to one side for a thermometer check if necessary. Image Credit: Advantech In April 2020, Monger contacted Tim Mitchell Advantechs District Sales Manager. Monger was aware of Advantechs line of industrial tablets, and he wanted more information regarding Advantechs Visitor Thermal Screening solution: Its a thermal imaging appliance with preloaded software, says Mitchell. Theres a visible plus infrared camera that records a visitor snapshot. A receptionist sees results on their dashboard before the visitor reaches the desk. Tim Mitchell, District Sales Manager, Advantech Facial recognition can split several people with good accuracy as they simultaneously pass a station. Each Visitor Thermal Screening station is hosted by a fanless Advantech UBX-310D embedded system running Windows 10; these communicate with the Wayne HealthCare IT network. Central management software displays IT teams trend analysis and event cross comparison for all stations. Local hosting means a big plus for security and privacy as there is no data sent to the cloud. Cameras are available in either turret or bullet styles, with a tripod mounting adapter - an optional black body temperature reference boosts the accuracy. We started with one prototype of our scanner setup in May 2020, and it worked efficiently right away. People walk up to the receptionists desk expecting a manual scan or questions. When they hear theyve already been scanned and passed, theyre impressed. Shelton Monger, CIO and VP of Information Services, Wayne HealthCare Even if visitors are wearing hats, sunglasses, and/or COVID masks the scans train their accuracy. Installing scan stations is straightforward, with standard Gigabit Ethernet or optional Wi-Fi connectivity: Were all in, Monger says. He anticipates eventually introducing 15 stations at the main hospital campus in Greenville and outpatient facilities in nearby Versailles and Union City. Healthcare technology evolving with a changing world Public health measures against COVID-19 have been compared to layers of Swiss cheese. The virus may penetrate the holes of a single layer, but overlapping layers of protection impede the flow of the virus. Hands-off rapid screening efficiently adds an additional layer of protection for Wayne HealthCare. Usually, the public doesnt directly see the technology in action, but in this case its visible yet discreet from the moment they walk in. When it comes to overcoming challenging issues Advantechs commitment to intelligent healthcare has produced a number of solutions. The Visitor Thermal Screening solution spawned from an idea that first arose almost two decades ago. Advantech predicted that similar needs would once again arise and they have. Enhanced thermal imagers and more compact, powerful computing make todays solution ready to be deployed almost anywhere. Its cost-effective and easily integrates into healthcare campus networks. Healthcare teams can rely on Advantech for dependable, cutting-edge technology that is continually evolving in an ever-changing world. Advantech sales teams are on-hand for consultation with the ability to cater to specific needs and discover the best solutions to the most difficult challenges. Automation frees people to do what they do best: offer compassionate attention and quality care. About Advantech With decades of proven experience and trusted by 23 of the top 30 medical device manufacturers, Advantech is a leading player in the global healthcare market. Advantech partners with leading medical equipment manufacturers and system integrators to transform healthcare and elevate patient-centered care. Advantechs medical device safety certifications and FDA registration, paired with high-performance and customizable products, meets the healthcare industrys demands for both turnkey solutions and comprehensive design and manufacturing services. Global headquarters located in Taipei, Taiwan, North American headquarters in Irvine, California and design center in Cincinnati, Ohio, Advantech is a global market-leader in industrial PCs and medical grade PCs. Offering a high degree of customization to meet unique customer requirements with in-house design and manufacturing, along with the deliberate selection of component, processor, and chipset for product designs, Advantech products are designed and manufactured with the primary intent of longevity and availability. Advantech has been ISO 13485 certified for medical devices since 2003; its North American Service Center located in Milpitas, CA is also a FDA Registered facility. Advantechs medical product portfolio includes medical-grade PCs, medical displays, medical tablets, mobile workstation and telehealth carts and healthcare information terminals. Medically certified for patient safety (60601), fanless and sealed for infection control, Advantechs purpose built products specific for healthcare use cases are configurable and customizable, built for both acute care and non-acute care healthcare facilities. Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. Funeral services for Thomas Armond "Tommy" Ritch, 72, will be Friday, June 11 at 11 a.m. from the Chapel of Kilgroe Funeral Home. Interment to followe at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Cemetery in Gallant. The family will receive friends on Friday from 10 a.m. until service time at funeral home Donna M. Seifried, 78, passed away on Friday, June 11, 2021, at her home surrounded by family. She was a receptionist at Price Waterhouse Coopers, a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and a native of Salina, KS. She is survived by her husband William "Bill" Seifried of Jeffersonville, I What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. (Newser) A Beverly Hills man is accused of trying to have a woman killed after she ended their romantic relationship. Scott Quinn Berkett, 24, met the woman through a Facebook fan page about an anime show, and she flew to Los Angeles to meet him in October of last year. After that trip, though, she told him it was over, but police say he wouldn't accept it and kept contacting her, even after one of her family members contacted Berkett's father and asked him to intervene, the Los Angeles Times reports. Then, the FBI alleges in an affidavit, Berkett sent about $14,000 in bitcoin payments to a group on the dark web that had advertised murder-for-hire services, but which turned out to be a scam, CBS 2 reports. story continues below Berkett allegedly told the group, "Id like it to look like an accident, but robbery gone wrong may work better. So long as she is dead." The group apparently passed along the information to a media outlet, which contacted the FBI. Berkett allegedly later sent another $1,000 to an undercover FBI agent who contacted him pretending to be the hitman he'd hired. Berkett was arrested Friday and faces a murder-for-hire charge, ABC 7 reports. If convicted, he could end up behind bars for a decade. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) Christopher Grider said he came to Washington on Jan. 6 with no intention of rioting. But he got caught up in the mob of angry supporters of then-President Trump as they surged into the Capitol, breaking through police barriers and smashing through doors. It wasn't his fault, he said, that he ended up inside the building with a yellow Dont Tread on Me flag around his neck as lawmakers ran for their lives, the AP reports. Grider, 39, is among at least a dozen Capitol riot defendants identified by the Associated Press who have claimed their presence in the building was a result of being caught up in the hysteria of the crowd or that they were pushed inside by sheer force. Judges typically dont let defendants assert at trial that outside influences made them act as they did, but theres some precedent for a version of the argument succeeding at trial. story continues below Lawyers at the California trial of two Black men charged with attempted murder in the beating of white truck driver Reginald Denny during Los Angeles riots in 1992 were allowed to call psychiatry professor Armando Morales to testify that a pervasive mob mentality meant the men couldnt have intended to harm anyone. Denny was pulled out of his truck and severely beaten after four white Los Angeles officers were acquitted of most charges in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King. One Jan. 6 rioter told investigators that walking up the Capitol steps was like a funnel. A second claimed he couldnt pull back from the crowd, even though the FBI said video showed the man made no attempt to turn around. For some, blaming the mob is part of an attempt to restore reputations tarnished by their presence at an event of such infamy. Others may try to broach the issue at trial or at least during sentencing in bids for leniency. (Read more Capitol attack stories.) (Newser) There has long been debate over the origin of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, with the WHO declaring it "extremely unlikely" that the virus leaked from a laboratory. Yet many remain unconvinced by the organization's official conclusion, which is that the virus simply jumped from a bat to another animal and then to a human, and a newly revealed report is adding fuel to the fire. The previously undisclosed US intelligence report, obtained by the Wall Street Journal, says that three researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology got sick in November 2019 "with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illness," and sought hospital care. The first confirmed case, according to China, was a Wuhan resident who got sick on Dec. 8, 2019, but sequencing indicates the virus likely started circulating weeks earlier. CNN's sources say that while current intelligence points to the virus originating naturally, that doesn't mean it couldn't have accidentally leaked from a lab. story continues below A Trump administration-issued State Department fact sheet had previously reported the WIV researcher illnesses, but the details on the severity are new. It's still, however, not clear what the researchers were actually sickened with, and at least one source warns the answer on COVID's origin might never be known. Earlier this month, Sen. Rand Paul sparred with Dr. Anthony Fauci at a Senate hearing, accusing the NIH of funding the Wuhan lab, which then "juiced up" a coronavirus found in bats to create a virus capable of infecting humans, the Hill reports. Fauci replied that "the NIH has not ever, and does not now, fund 'gain of function research' in the Wuhan Institute," meaning the funding was not meant for research into superviruses created by humans. That doesn't mean, however, Fauci is 100% sure how COVID originated; in a shift, he said at an event this month he's "not convinced" it developed naturally and believes all possible origins need to be investigated, Fox News reports. (Read more COVID-19 stories.) (Newser) Prominent Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson was shot in the head in the wee hours of Sunday near a house in London where a party was taking place. The British 27-year-old is in critical condition, the BBC reports. While the Metropolitan Police have not identified Johnson publicly, Johnson is a member of the Taking the Initiative Party's leadership committee, and the party identified her on Instagram as the victim. The Guardian says the TTIP has been called "Britain's first Black-led political party," and notes that Johnson helped to organize marches and address crowds as BLM protests spread across Britain last year. story continues below "Sasha has always been actively fighting for Black people and the injustices that surround the Black community," the post reads. "Sasha is also a mother of 2 and a strong, powerful voice for our people and our community." While the post notes that Johnson was shot after receiving "numerous death threats as a result of her activism," police say there is no evidence any credible threats had been received prior to the attack, nor that the victim was targeted. As Johnson undergoes treatment in the ICU for life-threatening injuries, no suspect is yet in custody, and police are asking any witnesses to come forward. (Read more Black Lives Matter stories.) (Newser) Rand Paul was the first senator to contract COVID, and he's skipping the vaccine because of that diagnosis. In an interview with conservative radio host John Catsimatidis on WABC, the Kentucky Republican said he doesn't need the vaccine because he has natural immunity, reports the Hill. Until they show me evidence that people who have already had the infection are dying in large numbers or being hospitalized or getting very sick, I just made my own personal decision that Im not getting vaccinated because Ive already had the disease and I have natural immunity, said Paul, an ophthalmologist. As NBC News notes, Paul's decision runs counter to the CDC's guidelines. The agency recommends that those who have recovered still get vaccinated because it's unclear how long natural immunity lasts. story continues below In a Q&A on the CDC website, for example, the answer is "yes" on the question of whether those who have had COVID should get their shots. "Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possiblealthough rarethat you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again," the answer reads. Paul, who has frequently clashed with Dr. Anthony Fauci over COVID advice, says it's a matter of personal choice. "In a free country you would think people would honor the idea that each individual would get to make the medical decision, that it wouldnt be a big brother coming to tell me what I have to do," he said. Both the Hill and NBC note that Paul's decision syncs politicallyfar more Republicans than Democrats are forgoing vaccinations. (Paul also ditched his mask earlier than recommended.) Thomas started moaning about the parking spot like he always does, according to neighbor Janie Staley, who witnessed the fight. He doesnt own the street. He puts like six cones. It used to be three, all of a sudden its six. (Newser) Only one persona childsurvived Sunday's crash of a scenic cable car in the mountains of Italy. Authorities have identified him as 5-year-old Eitan Biran, an Israeli boy living in Italy, and he is recovering in the hospital with head and leg injuries, reports the BBC. He had been on the car going up Mottarone mountain with his parents, two great-grandparents, and his 2-year-old brother, all of whom died in the accident, per Haaretz. Nine other people also were killed, and all were identified as residents of Italy. The investigation is underway, but it appears that a cable snapped before the car plummeted to the ground. The popular tourist attraction, which provides views of picturesque lakes in the Alps, had only recently reopened after COVID restrictions. story continues below "It will be necessary to understand why the safety devices have not been triggered, which should keep the cabin anchored," says a local police commander. One witness described hearing a "loud hiss"apparently the main cable snappingand then seeing the car careening down the line until it hit a pylon and crashed to the ground, per the AP. Authorities have to figure out why none of the emergency backups, including brakes, failed to engage. The cable system had been renovated in 2016 and subject to safety checks since then. An aunt of the young survivor was not in the cable car, and she is at the hospital in Turin with Eitan. Other family members were flying to Italy from Israel to join them. (Read more Italy stories.) (Newser) Earlier this month, Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services updated its guidelines regarding eating out, mandating that patrons dining together be restricted to six people, and that groups be spaced 6 feet apart. On Saturday, a notable name violated that health order: Gretchen Whitmer, the state's governor, per the Detroit Press. A photo first reported by conservative news outlet Breitbart, posted by one of the other attendees on social media, shows Whitmer with about a dozen other unmasked diners at East Lansing's Landshark Bar & Grill, seated around at least three tables that had been pushed together. Whitmer's COO, Tricia Foster, is also in the picture, which was deleted soon after it appeared. On Sunday, the governor offered her mea culpa, admitting she should've considered the seating arrangements more carefully. story continues below "Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant," Whitmer said in a statement. "As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together." She added that, as everyone in the group had been vaccinated, no one thought anything of it. "I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize," she noted. The incident is the latest in what the Detroit Free Press calls "a series of [pandemic] missteps" for Whitmer: In May 2020, when Michigan was in strict lockdown mode, her husband called a local marina to see if his status as Whitmer's spouse could speed up getting his boat put in the water; Whitmer said his request was a bungled joke. The governor also took a private flight in March to visit her dad in Florida, while two of her top aides took out-of-state vacations this spring, per the Washington Post. "A year after the boat episode & Whitmer and those around her still don't think their Covid rules apply to them," Tori Sachs, head of the conservative nonprofit Michigan Freedom Fund, tweeted Sunday. (Read more Gretchen Whitmer stories.) (Newser) Ryanair calls it "state-sponsored piracy," per CNBC. The US secretary of state calls it "shocking," and the president of the EU Commission says it amounts to a "hijacking," reports the AP. Those were some of the reactions percolating Monday to the diversion of a passenger jet to Belarus on the order of the latter country's authoritarian ruler. Once the plane was on the ground, Belarus authorities arrested an opposition journalist. Coverage: The diversion: Irish airline Ryanair says its crew was informed of a bomb threat by Belarus air traffic controllers on Sunday and ordered to change course and land in the Belarus capital of Minsk, instead of proceeding from Greece to Lithuania as planned, reports CNN. A Belarus fighter jet escorted the Ryanair jet, which was carrying about 170 passengers, to the Minsk airport. Few international officials are buying the story about the bomb threat. story continues below The arrest: When the plane landed, authorities arrested 26-year-old Raman Pratasevich, who has organized mass demonstrations against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. The latter has been in power for a quarter-century and rules with what the AP describes as an "iron fist." Authorities also detained Pratasevich's girlfriend, Sofia Sapega. When the plane landed, authorities arrested 26-year-old Raman Pratasevich, who has organized mass demonstrations against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. The latter has been in power for a quarter-century and rules with what the AP describes as an "iron fist." Authorities also detained Pratasevich's girlfriend, Sofia Sapega. Profile: The New York Times takes a closer look at Pratasevich. He is a co-founder of the NEXTA channel on a social media platform Telegram, which is a popular forum for Lukashenko's foes. Pratasevich fled the country in 2019 and had been living in Lithuania. But Belarus authorities charged him in November with fomenting unrest because of his continued political work. The New York Times takes a closer look at Pratasevich. He is a co-founder of the NEXTA channel on a social media platform Telegram, which is a popular forum for Lukashenko's foes. Pratasevich fled the country in 2019 and had been living in Lithuania. But Belarus authorities charged him in November with fomenting unrest because of his continued political work. Biden test: In the Washington Post, Ishaan Tharoor writes that the "brazen" move by Lukashenko is a test for President Biden. As a candidate, Biden denounced the "systemic repression" under Lukashenko's regime and called out electoral fraud in the last Belarus election. "But what happens next is tricky, not least as Biden prepares for a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin (a Lukashenko ally) next month," writes Tharoor. His analysis runs through some of the options on the table, with some advocating that Biden refuse to recognize Lukashenko as the nation's president and invite opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to the White House. In the Washington Post, Ishaan Tharoor writes that the "brazen" move by Lukashenko is a test for President Biden. As a candidate, Biden denounced the "systemic repression" under Lukashenko's regime and called out electoral fraud in the last Belarus election. "But what happens next is tricky, not least as Biden prepares for a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin (a Lukashenko ally) next month," writes Tharoor. His analysis runs through some of the options on the table, with some advocating that Biden refuse to recognize Lukashenko as the nation's president and invite opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to the White House. On the plane: Passengers say they received no explanation for the sudden detour. "We all on the plane had panicked because we thought we were going to crash," Lithuanian passenger Raselle Grigoryeva tells ABC News. "This was a sudden dive, changing the altitude very drastically. It was very violent. I've never felt this on an airplane. Everybody was in shock." Another passenger says Pratasevich appeared to be trying to give his laptop and other items to his girlfriend in the Minsk airport, but she was arrested, too, per the BBC. "I think he made a mistake. There were plenty of people, so he could give the things to me or other passengers." (Read more Belarus stories.) (Newser) President Biden spoke out Monday against a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic attacks in the US linked to the Gaza conflict. "The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop," the president tweeted. "I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroadits up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor." Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke out against the recent attacks, which included vandalism of synagogues across the country and an attack on Jewish diners outside a Los Angeles restaurant, the Hill reports. The Anti-Defamation League says there has been at least 26 attacks since May 10. The ADL and other Jewish groups wrote to the White House Friday, urging Biden to speak out against the rise in violence. story continues below "We are tracking acts of harassment, vandalism and violence as well as a torrent of online abuse," Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt in a statement, per USA Today. The group said that while most people who attended protests condemning Israel's actions stayed "within the lines of free and civil discourse," there have also been some clear expressions of anti-Semitism. Sen. Bernie Sanderswho has criticized both Hamas and the Israeli governmentdrew parallels between the rise in anti-Semitic attacks and the rise in attacks on Asian Americans and other minorities, the Washington Post reports. "Weve got a serious problem of a nation which is being increasingly divided, being led by right-wing extremists in that direction," he said. (Read more anti-Semitism stories.) (Newser) A man convicted of murder and sentenced to death two decades ago has apologized to his victims family, reports the Tampa Bay Times . Adam Davis was in court Monday for a short hearing in which his sentence was changed to life in prison. Davis was convicted in the high-profile 1998 murder of Vicki Robinson, as were Robinsons then-teenage daughter Valessa and their friend John Whispel. Robinson was trying to keep her 15-year-old child away from Davis, then 19 and going by Rattlesnake, per this 2018 story at Fox 13 Tampa Bay . On Monday, Davis read a prepared statement in court. Her loss is a great tragedy that should never have happened," he said of Robinson. "To her family and loved ones, I express my deepest sorrow for their loss." story continues below Robinsons family was not in court for the new sentencing. Davis originally received the death penalty by a 7-5 vote of his jury, but it was overturned when the Supreme Court barred Florida's policy of allowing non-unanimous death-sentence verdicts. Prosecutors had the option to go for a death sentence again, but chose the life sentence instead, noting that Davis was young when he committed the crime. Both Valessa and Whispel have since been released from prison. Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco expressed compassion for Davis at his sentencing, and the hope that he could set an example for other prisoners. Even though you were not a juvenile at the time, you were still young, she said. I really do wish you the best of luck. (Read more Florida stories.) (Newser) Someone wants to make a movie with Kevin Spacey again. Spacey has two Oscarsfor American Beauty and The Usual Suspectsbut he hasn't been seen in Hollywood much since allegations of sexual abuse surfaced in 2017. Now Variety reports that he's landed a small role in an Italian movie, his first since the scandal broke. The film, Luomo Che Disegno Dio, or The Man Who Drew God, directed by Franco Nero and starring Neros wife, Oscar-winner Vanessa Redgrave, is about a blind artist. story continues below Spacey plays a cop investigating accusations of child abuse against the artist. "I'm very happy Kevin agreed to participate in my film," Nero told ABC News, which first reported on the role. "I consider him a great actor and I can't wait to start the movie." Spacey has not commented on the development. He made Billionaire Boys Club before the scandal, and when it dropped in 2018, it flopped, earning only $2.7 million. (Spacey has stayed in the public eye with holiday messages like this one.) (Newser) A weeklong manhunt for a suspect wanted in the killings of four people ended without another shot fired Monday morning as hundreds of officers surrounded him in South Carolina, authorities said. Neither Tyler Terry nor the more than 300 officers searching for him were hurt during his arrest, the Chester County Sheriff's Office posted on Twitter. The manhunt finally ended after at least three confirmed sightings of Terry since he ran from a wrecked car after firing on Chester County deputies on May 17. Investigators didnt think Terry was getting help from anyone but broke into vehicles or possibly barns and shedsand lived off the land, the AP reports. He managed to steal a gun, water, shirt and shoes from an unlocked work truck last week, authorities said. story continues below Terry apparently spent the week in the same small area, eluding dozens of officers who methodically shrank the search area and staying out of sight of helicopters that were overhead most of the time, Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey said. Terry was hiding in weeds when a team of federal agents spotted him. He had a gun nearby but was grabbed before he could react, Dorsey said. Terry, 26, is charged with murder in a shooting in York in early May, the killing in Great Falls of the estranged husband of the woman who drove the car as he fired at officers, and the deaths of two other people in Missouri on May 15 during robberies in the St. Louis suburbs, authorities said. Arrest warrants list Terry's address as Great Falls. (Read more South Carolina stories.) (Newser) The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that mask violations account for about 1,900 of the 2,500 unruly passenger reports it has received this year. The agency usually handles 100 to 150 formal cases in a year. The FAA is weighing the allegations, Reuters reports, and said 395 of them might involve violations. In 30 instances, it said it has begun enforcement steps. Fines of $9,000 to $15,000 have been proposed against five passengers. In those cases, the fliers are accused of interfering with flight attendants who either told them to follow the crew's instructions or to follow regulations such as wearing a mask, per NBC. Two of the five face accusations of assaulting flight attendants, the FAA said. story continues below The $15,000 fine was proposed for an Alaska Airlines passenger who reportedly shoved a flight attendant who was walking the aisle to check for masks. "The consequences are steep" for not following the rules and not treating others with respect, Sara Nelson of Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said Monday, adding "the FAA isn't playing around on this." The agency has indefinitely extended its zero-tolerance policy on misbehaving passengers. Air traffic has been rising as pandemic restrictions have been eased. On Sunday, the TSA reported screening 1.86 million passengers, the highest one-day total since March 2020. (The FAA announced big fines earlier this month.) (Newser) With wildfires, floods and other weather-related disasters steadily worsening, President Biden doubled the budget for communities trying to mitigate the destruction through preparation. The added $500 million will make for a total of $1 billion in a Federal Emergency Management Agency program that distributes money to do things like move homes at risk of flooding and build seawalls, the New York Times reports. The president made the announcement at FEMA's offices, where he received a briefing on the coming hurricane season, per CNBC. "Now is the time to get ready for the busiest time of the year for disasters in Americahurricane season in the South and East, and the fire season out West," Biden said afterward. story continues below Last year, the White House reported, 22 weather and climate-related disasters caused more than $1 billion each in damage. Total damage approached $100 billion. Biden also announced a NASA effort to gather better data to show how the climate is changing and what the effect is on communities. The government's formula would have allowed for putting $10 billion into the FEMA program. "We can never be too prepared," Biden said. Craig Fugate, who ran the agency under President Obama, called $1 billion "a huge number for predisaster mitigation" and "a good start." Daniel Kaniewski, a FEMA deputy under President Trump, said a broad effort will be required to minimize the toll. "It will take investment from all levels of government, the private sector, and each of us individually to mitigate the risks," he said. (Read more FEMA stories.) Eastern upper New Zealand is under serious threat from beach erosion as a big offshore low, large waves and king tides combine to swamp the coastline. WeatherWatch warns waves of 4 to 6 metres are pushing in across eastern beaches from Northland to Hawke's Bay with dangerous currents and messy surf due to the strong and even gale-force winds. And with king tides increasing over the next few days, there are fears of not only coastal erosion but even possibly coastal inundation in some very low lying areas. Ruiz said the pair hatched the plan at a Shake Shack, where Teelo (Tolentino) told me to get Michael Monclus into the stairwell or he would clip us both, Ruiz told prosecutors. I came up with a plan on my own. I lied and told Michael Monclus that we could buy marijuana from my uncle. By Sarah Robson of RNZ An unemployment insurance scheme could cost anywhere between $450 million and $5 billion a year, depending on how many people lose their jobs and how generous it is, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) says. The Government is pushing ahead with designing a social unemployment insurance scheme with Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions. Such a scheme, which is common overseas, has been more seriously considered by the government in the aftermath of the economic shock from COVID-19 last year. Amid questions about the adequacy of benefit payments, as well as the eligibility criteria, the Government ended up introducing the higher paying 12-week COVID-19 income relief payment for people who lost their jobs because of the pandemic. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has indicated the Government is looking at an ACC-style unemployment insurance scheme, providing people who lose their jobs with about 80 percent of their income, with minimum and maximum caps, for a certain period of time. "I heard Mike Hosking interview a woman from Papakura and she kept saying it too. She copies me a lot. Thanks goodness we have the ACT Party." Collins is the MP for Papakura. Seymour talked up ACT's alternative Budget, and pitched his proposal to extend parliamentary terms to four years but with Opposition MPs leading select committees giving them more power over legislation. Collins says she is not a fan of the idea. "I think it showed actually, how David Seymour's never actually been a minister and he's got no one in his team who has ever actually tried to get legislation through other than his euthanasia Bill, for which was a conscience vote, anyway," she told Magic Talk on Monday. "As a minister, the last thing you want is a select committee where the Opposition holds all the cards because you end up, then, with a select committee that comes back with legislation that is actually not what you're trying to get through. "We do want select committees to improve Bills and to listen to the public and submitters and then make suggestions and also make changes. But what you don't want is an Opposition holding up any Government business, which is exactly what a select committee would do if they were all controlled by Oppositions." Dame Cindy recently took up the role of chief executive of the Royal Society Te Aparangi, which advances and promotes research in science, technology and the humanities, and raises public awareness and understanding of those fields. She was made a Dame this year for services to child wellbeing and education. "I am delighted Dame Cindy has accepted the role," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday as she made the announcement in Wellington. "She has a highly distinguished and lengthy career in academic and leadership positions and has made significant contributions across a number of fields and organisations." Ardern said she spoke to Queen Elizabeth II last week, who shared her belief that Dame Cindy was "wholly suitable" for the role. "Over many decades, Dame Cindy has demonstrated her passion for the wellbeing of children and young people, as well as education and learning. I know she will bring that same commitment to all New Zealanders as Governor-General," Ardern said. "We are privileged to have someone of Dame Cindy's mana and standing for the role and I am very grateful that she agreed to become our next Governor-General." "I believe in my lifetime," she told reporters on Monday. But Ardern is in no rush to make it happen. "I've been very clear that despite being a republican, I'm not of the view that in the here-and-now in my term of office, that this is something New Zealanders feel particularly strongly about. "I don't know that I've had one person actually raise with me generally day-to-day the issue of becoming a republic. This Government has prioritised those issues that we do see as a priority. But I do still think there will be a time and a place; I just don't see it as now." Ardern said there are "a lot of issues that would need to be resolved in terms of our constitutional arrangements to be able to move to that place". Dame Cindy wouldn't be drawn on the issue. "Clearly I accept the Queen as the head of state of the Commonwealth and I'm here to support her and I'm here to act in a role as the Governor-General to perform the duty which is around uniting the country." It hasn't always been this way. In the days of Empire, Britain appointed New Zealand's Governor-General, or the 'Governor', as it was called before 1917. In the early days of British settlement when there was no New Zealand Government, we had no say in the matter. Even after New Zealand politicians got the right to govern themselves, in 1856, they still had no say - not until the early 1900s when Britain started preparing a short list of Crown-approved candidates, which the New Zealand Prime Minister could choose from. It wasn't until 1945, under the leadership of Labour Prime Minister Peter Fraser, that New Zealand put forward the name of wartime leader Sir Bernard Freyberg to be Governor-General. Since 1972, all have been New Zealand residents. The Governor-General acts as the Queen's representative in New Zealand, a ceremonial position often referred to as the de facto head of state. The Governor-General appoints and dismisses ministers, but only on the Prime Minister's advice. Each parliamentary term begins with the Governor-General summoning in the new Parliament. The role also includes hosting events at Government House in Wellington, travelling throughout New Zealand to open conferences, and attend services and commemorations. The role is often given to accomplished Kiwis. Prior to becoming Governor-General, Dame Patsy had a career in law, business and the public sector. She was made a Dame in 2014 for services to arts and business. Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was rumoured to be a suitable candidate for the role, but Ardern ruled it out at Waitangi earlier this year. Dame Patsy told The AM Show in December the Queen loves hearing "gossip" from New Zealand but rarely supplies any of her own. She also recently called for wider understanding of history amid debate over whether to remove colonial statues. Without a doubt, Air Force One is the most famous world leader's aircraft on the planet and perhaps the most recognisable aircraft full-stop. But as well as the US President, many world leaders also have their own aircraft - including Aotearoa. During 2020's pandemic lockdowns when commercial domestic travel wasn't available, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern flew in a much smaller Beechcraft King Air 350. Boris Jet The COVID-19 pandemic is being perpetuated by a "scandalous inequity" in vaccine distribution, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. On current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year's total within the next three weeks, the WHO added. Here's the latest on the pandemic from around the world overnight. Asia-Pacific China Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, a month before China reported the first cases of COVID-19, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a US intelligence report. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday the United States could not confirm a Wall Street Journal report on the origins of COVID-19 and needed more information. China rejected the reports, saying SARS-CoV-2 could have been circulating in other regions before it hit Wuhan, and might have even entered China from another country via imported frozen food shipments or wildlife trading. India Indian government leaders appealed to farmers to call off a mass protest this week for fear it could prove a viral "super-spreader" event as the country's overall death toll from COVID-19 crossed 300,000 on Monday. The giant South Asian country has recorded a total of 26.75 million COVID-19 infections, second only to the United States. Deaths rose by 4454 to reach a total of 303,720. Health experts say the actual number of fatalities could be several times higher as many are not being reported as COVID-19 deaths. At least 13 people died and three were seriously injured on Sunday when a cable car linking Italy's Lake Maggiore with a nearby mountain in the Alps plunged 20 metres to the ground, local officials and rescuers said. The Stresa-Mottarone cable car takes tourists and locals from the town on Lake Maggiore, almost 1,400 metres above sea level to the top of the Mottarone mountain in 20 minutes. "We are devastated, in pain," Marcella Severino, Stresa's mayor told national broadcaster RAI, while Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi voiced his condolences to the families of the victims, "with a special thought" for the injured children. The accident happened as the cable car was travelling up the mountain, with the cabin dropping some 20 metres and rolling several times down the steep slopes before it was stopped by trees, Severino said. People hiking on the mountain heard a loud hiss just before the crash, she said, adding that it was believed to have been caused by one of the cables breaking. Samoa's political chaos is "shameful" and "sad", according to a political expert who says there's no sign the outgoing Prime Minister will relinquish his grip on power anytime soon. Mata'afa Keni Lesa told The AM Show on Monday it's been a sleepless few days after its Prime Minister of 23 years Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi seemingly refused to peacefully transition power on Saturday night. Lesa told The AM Show Monday was supposed to be "a wonderful day for everyone" as a new Parliament was due to be sworn in - but instead, there's turmoil. "I think a general feeling is the outgoing Prime Minister doesn't want to give up power, and everything points to that," he said. "Since 9 April the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) and their Prime Minister have done everything to deny what the law says." Samoa's constitutional crisis deepened on Sunday night when the supposedly retired Speaker of the House Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi overturned a Supreme Court order which would have allowed Parliament to convene on Monday It's the latest development in a stalemate that has been ongoing since 9 April when incumbent Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa was elected as the first female prime minister. May 24, 2021: Teen who got juvie for drag of Finest cuffed in car chase. Justin Murrell (center) is back in NYPD custody after cops said he sped off from a Brooklyn traffic stop, four years after doing the same and leaving an officer crippled. (New York Daily News) Please purchase a subscription read this premium content. If you have a subscription, please sign up for a digital website account or log in. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski received Iceland's highest award from the Iceland president, who honored her Arctic diplomacy, during the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting. Photo courtesy of the United States/Iceland Embassies. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Every hot summer months from April to October expatriates all have the same issue and concern: extremely high electricity and water bills! This year is no exception. The issue has caused a big problem among the expatriates who make up 52.6% of the population and play a key role in the development of the national economy, as it comes at a time when many have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Utility bills are a significant part of every households monthly budget. And as always, utility bills are the highest during the summer months due to the increased use of air conditioners and water, making it a struggle for many expatriates. Since 2016, when gradual increases in electricity and water consumption rates were introduced as part of austerity measures adopted by the government to offset a drop in oil revenues and address a large budget deficit, the expatriates have already been badly affected. Under current rules, expats are charged 29 fils per unit for electricity and 750 fils per unit for water. Bahrainis pay 3 fils per unit for electricity under 3,000 units, increasing to 9 fils for anything above this. This means expats pay a massive 866 per cent more than Bahrainis. Prior to the four-year phased increases in rates which ended in March 2019, both expats and Bahrainis alike paid 3 fils per unit. The abnormally high utility bills are causing a sizeable burden to low-income expats. With meat, fuel, water and power subsidies all being slashed since 2015, along with the introduction of a new sin tax on cigarettes and fizzy drinks in December 2017, the cost of living has increased. Utility bills have also been subject to VAT of five per cent since January 1 last year. This has added to the expats burden. In Bahrain, the majority of expatriates fall into the middle to lower-income bracket. Absurdly high utility bills are weighing down on them as many are unable to cope with the rising costs. Many of them struggle to pay bills and they leave Bahrain for good as their entire salary is just going towards expenses. For other expatriates, especially those with families, it is unreasonable to pay utility costs that almost amount to the rent, so they are forced to send their families home. Expenses are soaring but salaries remain the same there is no increase, in fact and in some sectors salaries are not paid on time by many employers. Statistics from the General Organisation for Social Insurance (GOSI) have revealed that 73% of the expat population earns less than 200 Bahraini Dinars per month. Compounding their miseries, in this time of the pandemic, many expats have experienced salary cuts and others suspended from work without pay. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Dr Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, met at the Ministry yesterday Palestine Ambassador Taha Muhammad Abdul Qadir. Dr Shaikh Abdullah affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrains firm support for the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, praising the Arab and international efforts that contributed to the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, paving the way to restore security and resolve the Palestinian issue in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions. He called on the international community to shoulder its humanitarian and moral responsibilities to protect and empower the Palestinian people and to intensify efforts aimed at promoting comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East region for the benefit of all people. The Ambassador valued the active and continuous efforts exerted by Bahrain to support the Palestinian cause at all levels and in all international forums, wishing the Kingdom further progress and prosperity. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Lieutenant General Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, has made an inspection visit to the Salmaniya Medical Complex and a number of isolation and treatment centres. This was within the framework of his keenness to monitor the level of health services provided to citizens and residents in light of the noticeable increase in the number of existing cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19). At the beginning of the visit, Shaikh Mohammed highlighted the continuous support and wise guidance from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the continuous follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for all the efforts made to enhance the health and safety of all. Shaikh Mohammed praised the exceptional efforts exerted by all employees of the health sector, expressing pride in the honorable positions of the medical staff who placed themselves at the forefront of the ranks in the service of the nation and its people, especially during the pandemic. His visit included the Salmaniya Medical Complex (emergency department) and the My Health building, as well as a number of complex facilities, to check on the progress of providing health services and to see the latest developments in treating patients in general and the existing cases of coronavirus in particular. He also visited the Bahrain International Hospital and Aali Comprehensive Center, which is designated for treating existing cases of coronavirus, in the presence of a number of members of the national medical team. Shaikh Mohammed said that the Kingdom of Bahrain has established an integrated series of precautionary quarantine centres and isolation as well as treatment centres, designated to receive existing cases, contacts and suspected cases of infection with the virus as part of the national vaccination campaign. He reiterated his call for everyone to fully adhere to regulatory decisions and apply all the precautionary measures recommended by the national medical team to address the coronavirus. An Amazonia, Missouri, man is charged with third-degree assault after shooting another man with a BB gun. According to court documents, Michael Admire Jr. drove through a mans yard, causing damage. The men got into a verbal altercation that allegedly ended with Admire pulling out a BB gun and shooting the man, who was hit in the face. Admire then struck the victim in the forehead with the butt of the gun, according to court documents. When authorities contacted Admire about the incident, he became confrontational and denied the incident as described by the victim, according to the probable cause statement. While being transported to jail, Admire said the victim made things worse for himself. According to the court documents, Admire also stated that he would shoot the victim with a real gun next. Garland Nelson couldve been in custody before an alleged double murder, documents show, after he was charged with illegally transporting cattle while on probation. Documents obtained by News-Press NOW show a Kansas man made several complaints to law enforcement, but Nelson was only charged with relatively minor crimes and his probation was apparently not revoked leaving him free to meet with two brothers he allegedly killed. David Foster, a Kansas farmer, reported Nelson to the Bourbon County Sheriffs Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture after Nelson allegedly dumped cattle on Fosters property. Nelson was charged with several misdemeanors for endangering the food supply, essentially for illegally moving the cattle across state lines. Nelson was charged in Kansas on May 1, 2019, according to online court records. He is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing Nick and Justin Diemel, two Wisconsin brothers, in July of that year at his Braymer, Missouri farm. Federal court records show Nelson was on supervised release during the Kansas incident and the incident at his farm. The calves had been dumped in Mr. Fosters pasture the previous week and are believed to be calves that were being grown on contract by an individual in Missouri for Mr. Foster, A USDA inspector wrote in a report, referring to Nelson. Calves appear to be underweight and size for 5-6-month-old calves. Multiple emaciated and thin calves were noted as well. Most calves had ringworm. Foster told News-Press NOW that Nelson had talked him into multiple business arrangements, including to raise cattle. When Foster didnt receive payment, he planned to travel to Nelsons farm with his banker to count how many of their shared herd remained alive. Before the banker and Foster could travel to Missouri, Nelson apparently dumped the cattle on Fosters property, though the majority of the calves had been killed, leaving only 35 of the 131 in the herd remaining. All of a sudden theres just pitiful looking calves that had just shown up in one of our pastures, Foster said. What Joey was doing was inhumane. He was starving them. It was the worst cattle I had ever seen. News-Press NOW also obtained the first page of a police report which shows the Bourbon County Sheriffs Department also responded to Fosters farm. The Bourbon County prosecuting attorney didnt return a request for comment about the decision to file misdemeanor charges against Nelson. More serious charges could have landed Nelson in jail, potentially preventing the death of the Diemels. Foster said he also made a complaint to Nelsons probation officer, hoping to have his supervised release revoked. News-Press NOW contacted that officer, who said he couldnt confirm he is Nelsons probation officer and also said he couldnt release specific details about the case. In hindsight, Foster realizes Nelson couldve confronted him over their cattle deal that went wrong, almost a carbon copy of the circumstances prosecutors allege Nelson killed the Diemels over. The biggest reason I wanted to help was because it couldve been me, Foster said. I had four kids. I believe Nick (Diemel) had four kids, I can relate to that. Nelson has entered a not guilty plea to all charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in his state murder case, which will be tried in June of 2022. Nelson also faces a federal charge for mail fraud, in which prosecutors said Nelson sent a damaged check to the Diemels to buy himself more time to pay for cattle he was supposed to sell. After that check bounced, the Diemels traveled from Wisconsin to Nelsons farm to collect the money, where both federal and state prosecutors allege Nelson killed the brothers. A thousand people die in a plane crash, you go out and look at every possible way to change policy to keep planes from crashing. A thousand people die of legionnaires disease and health departments all over the country will try to do something about that, he said. But because this plays out over 18,000 local law enforcement agencies, maybe it doesnt seem like a national crisis to people in Congress. But if they cant address this, theyre just not protecting our rights. DANBURY City police say they are cracking down on illegal motorcycle and ATV riders following the arrest of two local men over the weekend. Police made another arrest earlier this month in a similar situation. Now, the city itself could create tougher penalties for those who drive ATVs, mini bikes and similar unregistered vehicles on Danburys streets, Mayor Joe Cavo said. For the health, safety and welfare of our public, were going to have to step in and do something about it, he said. At City Councils meeting in June, Cavo plans to ask the council to reappoint an old committee that had looked at creating an ordinance to deal with this problem. Complaints have increased recently as the weather has warmed, but this has been an issue thats waxed and waned in various pockets of the city over the years, he said. Youre not going to see somebody joyriding a mini motorcycle on Main Street in the middle of December, Cavo said. Its the time of year. Its the temperature. Its the sunshine. Its springtime. As the former council president, Cavo headed this committee himself about five years ago, but the groups work stalled when members waited for sample ordinances for other communities, he said. The new committee will study what other towns and cities in Connecticut and other states have done, he said. The arrests over the weekend involve a 24-year-old Horseshoe Drive resident and 18-year-old Thorpe Street resident, police announced Sunday. In both incidents the operators were observed riding wheelies, police said. It was unclear if the two men were arrested together or in separate incidents. Both were charged with reckless driving, riding without a motorcycle endorsement, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. The 24-year-old man was also charged with driving with a suspended license. Police said they are continuing to crack down on large groups of illegal motorcycles and ATVs being operated on city streets in the downtown area. Cities around the state have reported concerns about large groups of riders on dirtbikes and ATVS, which are not registered or designed to be ridden on the street. In Connecticut, legally riding a motorcycle on public roads requires an endorsement on the riders drivers license. Like many states, the process involves a safety course and knowledge and skills tests. All-terrain vehicles need to be registered with the state unless theyre being driven only on the owners private property. ATVs are prohibited from being ridden on the street except to cross public roads. In Bridgeport, city police attached to the state police gang unit have targeted riders on bikes and quads illegally riding on city streets. During an arrest of a group of riders, police said one of them fled and then came back to curse at police and driving recklessly on city sidewalks attempting to draw their attention. The rider was also allegedly captured standing on a Bridgeport police cruiser, police said. In New Haven, groups of riders on dirt bikes and quads routinely turn out, pulling wheelies and riding on sidewalks around street traffic. The city alders passed an ordinance with fines of up to $2,000 for repeat-offending riders last year. The local rule also includes penalties for service station owners who sell riders gas. Staff writer Julia Perkins contributed to this report. WINDSOR Police presence has increased and surveillance cameras have been installed at an Amazon facility under construction where officials say seven noose-like ropes have been found in the past month. Local, state and federal authorities continue to search for those responsible for these incidents at the 1201 Kennedy Road facility. Brad Griggs, an Amazon representative, said during a press conference Thursday that the company ordered the work there halted to make sure that the necessary safety measures can be put in place. Griggs did not provide more information about what measures would be taken. The facility was closed until all of the safety measures were put in place. An Amazon spokesperson said Monday that the location has opened again. Hate, racism or discrimination have no place in our society and are certainly not tolerated in any Amazon workplace whether it be under construction like this one, or fully operational, Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson, said in a statement. The site has reopened and we are committed to working with the Town and Windsor Police Department, as well as our development partners, to hold the perpetrators accountable and ensure that all members of our community feel valued, respected and safe. In response to an inquiry from Hearst Connecticut Media about the safety measures, Amazon provided a statement, but did not offer specifics about the security. Mayor Don Trinks on Monday said it included more video surveillance. Theyre going to ramp up the cameras, Trinks said, adding that there has been a uniformed Windsor police presence at the site for nearly a week. Somebody knows, Trinks added. Im really frustrated in the lack of cooperation. ... Its time for somebody to come forward, whether its the result of the reward or finally someone deciding to do the right thing. He stressed that people of color working at the site should be respected just like anyone else, adding that they have the right to feel safe at their workplace. Its putting a dark cloud over a very diverse community, Trinks said. This is not Windsor. All of these law enforcement agencies, as well as Amazon and the contractors, are diligently working to get this resolved. The latest noose-like rope was found just before 1 p.m. on May 19. Officers working a private duty assignment at the construction site were told that a rope that could be interpreted as a noose was found hanging from one of the beams, police said. Detectives were notified and collected the rope, which will be sent to the state lab for testing. Police said detectives and officers interviewed several employees who were in the area where the rope was found. Windsor police continue to investigate this latest report along with state police detectives and agents from the FBI. These incidents do not represent the character of our community, police said on Thursday. We stand united in condemning these acts that are hateful and intolerant. Nooses are hateful and are intended to inflict emotional pain to persons of color. We stand with all of our residents to strengthen Windsors inclusiveness where every person is welcomed and valued. The apparent nooses started showing up at the site last month. On the afternoon of April 27, Windsor police first responded to the Amazon site for a complaint of suspicious activity. The construction companys supervisor told officers a hangmans noose was found on a steel beam on the second floor, police said. The site safety team documented the incident and removed the noose. An email was sent to employees about what happened, officials said. The area has not been monitored by surveillance cameras and is accessible to hundreds of employees from various companies, police said. The next day, officers responded for another report involving a rope thrown around a beam, but police said that incident was not a noose. On the morning of April 28, a full-site safety meeting was held to discuss the initial incident. An anti-discrimination training session was also held for all employees on-site, according to officials. On the morning of April 29, detectives again responded to the facility and were told five more ropes that could be interpreted as nooses were located at various locations on different floors throughout the building, police said. The ropes were collected as evidence and are being tested to identify potential suspects. There were no other messages, markings or other forms of communication in or around the facility that would provide information as to any intent or target of these nooses, police said. Evidence recovered at the scene is currently at the state lab for processing, police said in an update on May 7. The Windsor Police Department continues to work with state and federal authorities regarding this investigation. To date, no specific group has been identified as a target of this hate incident. The FBIs Civil Rights Division has been involved in the investigation since the first incident. FBI Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg said the New Haven branch of the agency is providing resources and support to local police during the investigation. The implications of a hanging nooses anywhere are unacceptable and will always generate the appropriate investigative response, Sundberg said in a statement Thursday. We stand united with all our law enforcement partners across the state in rooting out and applying the rule of law to any individual of group perpetuating hateful ideology and intimidation in our communities. Amazon and the site development team responsible for construction have been cooperating with law enforcement, according to police, and are offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to those who are responsible for these incidents. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 860-688-5273. WASHINGTON (AP) The United States has begun restricting visas for government and military officials of Ethiopia and Eritrea seen as undermining efforts to resolve the deadly fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region, saying it is time for the international community to take action in a conflict that has sparked allegations of ethnic cleansing and fears of famine. The Ethiopian government called the action misguided and regrettable in a response issued Monday. The Ethiopian government will not be deterred by this unfortunate decision of the U.S. administration," said the statement tweeted by the ministry of foreign affairs. If such a resolve to meddle in our internal affairs and undermining the century-old bilateral ties continues unabated, the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia will be forced to reassess its relations with the United States, which might have implications beyond our bilateral relationship, said the statement. Thousands of people are estimated to have died in the six months the conflict between Ethiopian troops and the Tigray People's Liberation Front has raged in the northern regional state. Atrocities including rape, extrajudicial killings and forced evictions have been part of the violence, local authorities and aid groups have alleged. Despite significant diplomatic engagement, the parties to the conflict in Tigray have taken no meaningful steps to end hostilities or pursue a peaceful resolution of the political crisis, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Sunday night. Without an immediate cessation of hostilities and a rapid expansion of humanitarian access, current and significant food insecurity could lead to famine, Blinken said. The crisis began in November after Ethiopia accused former leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, of ordering an attack on an Ethiopian army base in the region. Troops sent by Ethiopias leader, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, quickly ousted the TPLF from major cities and towns, but guerrilla fighting was still reported across the Tigray region. Troops from neighboring Eritrea joined in support of Ethiopian forces. In the U.S., the Senate last week passed a resolution condemning all violence against civilians in Tigray and calling for the withdrawal of troops from Eritrea. Blinken has alleged that ethnic cleansing was taking place in the western Tigray area. Besides the visa restrictions, Blinken said Sunday night the U.S. was imposing wide-ranging restrictions on economic and security assistance to Ethiopia and would bring U.S. defense trade control policy in line with the restrictions. The U.S. will continue humanitarian assistance and certain other critical aid to Ethiopia in areas such as health, food security, basic education, support for women and girls, human rights and democracy, good governance and conflict mitigation, Blinken said. At the same time, the U.S. will continue broad restrictions on assistance to Eritrea, he said. Citing provisions in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, Blinken said the visa restrictions would affect issuance of visas for any current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean government officials, members of the security forces or other individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the resolution of the crisis. Amhara regional and irregular forces and members of the TPLF were included, Blinken said. Also included were people who have conducted wrongful violence or other abuses against people in the region, as well as those who have hindered access of humanitarian assistance to those in the region. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to the restrictions, he said. The United States has deepening concerns about the ongoing crisis in Ethiopias Tigray region as well as other threats to the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia, Blinken said in the statement. People in Tigray continue to suffer human rights violations, abuses and atrocities, and urgently needed humanitarian relief is being blocked by the Ethiopian and Eritrean militaries as well as other armed actors, he said. The U.S. called on the Ethiopian government to meet public commitments to hold accountable all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses, to protect civilians, and to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, Blinken said. The United States reiterates its calls for a durable, political solution to the crisis, he said. With the emergence of new, deadly variants of the Coronavirus, the discourse about the emergence and the accountability of China in the whole situation has gained momentum. The paper titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons points out two crucial dimensions of biological warfare. India, along with the entire world, is grappling with an enemy that is invisible, unlike the destruction it has caused. SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus, originated from Wuhan, China, in late 2019, is still toppling health infrastructures, economies, and mental peace. In May 2020, former POTUS Donald Trump called COVID-19 China Virus, which rubbed many people the wrong way. But as the saying goes Even a broken clock is right twice a day the Coronavirus may not be a freak of nature. With the emergence of new, deadly variants of the Coronavirus, the discourse about the emergence and the accountability of China in the whole situation has gained momentum. According to a document retrieved as part of the US investigation on the origins of COVID-19, military scientists were discussing the possibility of using coronaviruses as bioweapons. The paper titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons points out two crucial dimensions of biological warfare first, the ability to freeze-dry-micro-organisms to store and aerosolise them and second, the ability of the bioweapon to collapse the enemys medical system. Robert Potter, a digital forensics specialist, a former employee of the US, Canadian, and Australian governments, authenticated the document by confirming its location on the Chinese internet. Dr Le-meng Yan, who was working on the origins of the Coronavirus in Hong Kong, confirmed that the Chinese Communist Party was working on bio-weapon technology for a long time. Dr, Francis Boyle who drafted the Biological Weapon Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, gave a detailed statement about the leak of Coronavirus from a P4 Lab at Wuhan and that it was indeed an offensive biological weapon. Also Read: https://www.newsx.com/world/genocide-of-uyghurs-lithuanian-parl-criticizes-chinas-human-rights-violations-xis-nefarious-interal-politics-exposed.html In recent reports, an Australian website revealed that China and Pakistan had signed a three-year agreement for running covert research projects to experiment with biowarfare capabilities in Pakistan. Both the nations are rogue in the truest sense, and it seems that the recent revelations throw light on the matter that these two rogue nations were working hand in glove for a bigger and broader offensive against their neighbour India and other western countries of the world. As questions about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be raised, US President's Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has joined the chorus of those calling for a more thorough investigation into whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, was created in a Chinese laboratory. Three researchers from Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital treatment in November 2019, months before China disclosed the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a report published in one of the newspapers in the US, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report. The report, which provides new details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits, may add weight to calls for a broader investigation into whether the Covid-19 virus escaped from the laboratory, according to the newspaper. The report was released on the eve of a World Health Organization decision-making body meeting, which is expected to discuss the next stage of an investigation into the origins of Covid-19. A spokeswoman for the National Security Council had no comment on the report, but said the Biden administration had serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China. Also Read:#ChinaGenocide: Lithuania calls out Uyghur Genocide; Xis nefarious internal politics exposed ? In March, the United States, Norway, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries expressed concern about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, calling for further investigation and full access to all relevant human, animal, and other data about the outbreaks early stages. It has been said that Washington is eager to ensure greater cooperation and transparency from China. Though, the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to the reports. Following a visit to the virology institute in February, a WHO-led team had concluded that a lab leak was extremely unlikely, according to Chinas foreign ministry on Sunday.The US continues to hype the lab leak theory, the ministry said in response to a prolonged request for comment. Is it genuinely interested in tracing the source or is it attempting to divert attention? As questions about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be raised, US Presidents Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has surprisingly joined the chorus of those calling for a more thorough investigation into whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, was created in a Chinese laboratory. Fauci, Americas top infectious diseases expert, has downplayed the World Health Organizations (WHO) investigation and called for the investigation to reveal the truth about what was going on in China. Its noteworthy that Dr. Fauci previously dismissed the idea that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was genetically engineered in a lab and accidentally escaped, referring to it as just one of many theories. External Affair Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar Monday landed in New York on a five-day visit to the US. Dr S Jaishankar is expected to meet UN chief Antonio Guterres and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. External Affair Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar Monday landed in New York on a five-day visit to the US. This is EAMs first visit to the US since India commenced its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council on January 1. The Ambassador of India to the UN, TS Tirumurti, received EAM Dr S Jaishankar on his first visit since the COVID-19 pandemic. Privilege to receive @DrSJaishankar on his first visit to New York after #India entered the UN #SecurityCouncil on January 1 2021, tweeted Ambassador Tirumurti. Privilege to receive External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar on his first visit to New York after #India entered the UN #SecurityCouncil on 1 January 2021. @MEAIndia @harshvshringla pic.twitter.com/08VLdInlxC PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) May 23, 2021 Also Read: https://www.newsx.com/world/researchers-find-chinas-access-to-u-s-military-biodefense-program-at-fort-detrick-xis-covid-lies-busted.html Dr S Jaishankar is expected to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. EAM Jaishankar last met Antony Blinken in early May in London during the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting. He will also be meeting the senior officials of the Biden administration and cabinet ministers to discuss bilateral relationships. The topic of discussion will also include economic and COVID-related cooperation between India and the US. As the second wave severely hit India, the shortage of vaccines in the country is emerging as a grave issue. The vaccine procurement issue will be the key agenda item between Dr S Jaishankar and the US administration. The US, as of now, hold a stockpile of 60 million Astra Zeneca vaccines, along with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson&Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. The US is playing a pivotal role in supporting India in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigators tracked down the callers location and learned he was driving near his home, Terry said. When police arrived in the area, they found Kahl driving erratically and saw him strike several parked vehicles before he tried running over the officers at the scene, according to police. HAMDEN Four new members, information sharing requirements and a path toward earning subpoena power. If passed, revisions to the town charter would mean a complete overhaul of Hamdens Police Commission. The commission currently is a five-member body, the duties of which are broadly outlined in just one page of the towns governing document. But language drafted in the ongoing charter revision process, which occurs every 10 years, bolsters the Police Commissions description by several pages, emphasizing accountability and transparency. The Charter Revision Commission approved a draft with the proposed changes last week, but the new charter still could undergo more adjustments as it awaits approval from the Legislative Council, and then from voters in November. Attorney Steven Mednick, who advises the review process, argued that, for the most part, the new language does not add to what the commission can do, but defines what it should do. 5 1 of 5 Clare Dignan / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media file Show More Show Less 5 of 5 This just really brings clarity to the role of a police commission, he said. (And) sheds a light on the need for citizen oversight. The draft contains a new, six-part purpose statement outlining the commissions goals. Those include ensuring safety in Hamden, creating a platform for public input, proposing corrective measures to manage liabilities, improving policies so the department operates in an effective and ethical manner, promoting accountability, and using best practices to eliminate police misconduct. One of the drafts more significant changes would allow the Legislative Council to designate the police commission as the towns civilian review board, thereby giving it subpoena power, according to Mednick, who stressed such a decision would be optional. The proposed changes also would increase commissioners terms from two years to three and grow the body from five members to nine, one from each of the towns council districts. Mednick said that change would ensure representation for every Hamden neighborhood. The objective here is to make sure that we have a police commission that is responsible to the entire community, he said. When it comes to transparency, the changes promise citizens electronic access to the commission, require the Police Department to share complaints with commissioners in accordance with applicable regulations, and asks that the commission make sure residents receive real-time public safety information sharing on such topics as complaint disposition, the demographic make-up of the department and crime statistics. Whereas the current charter says the commission shall review policies proposed by the chief, the revisions direct the board to proactively develop policies and recommendations with public input. It also instructs the board to review the collective bargaining agreement, assess whether police training meets community needs, and come up with recruitment strategies. And in case the commission should wish to enlist third-party assistance, Mednick said, the revised charter guarantees the board has access to funds equivalent to four-tenths of one percent of the police budget. Using the current fiscal years police budget of roughly $17 million, that means the commission would receive $68,000. Its really there to protect their ability to do an independent review if theyre uncomfortable with whatever findings theyre dealing with, Mednick said. Michael Lawlor, a criminal justice expert and professor at the University of New Haven, said the changes would benefit Hamden by providing enhanced civilian oversight. Lawlor also sits on New Havens police commission but emphasized he was not speaking in his capacity as a board member. For Lawlor, Hamdens proposal is part of a nationwide trend to have more involvement of the community (in policing) and a more potent ability to deal with clear instances of police misconduct. All of those themes are incorporated in this (proposal) in Hamden, he said, adding that such efforts aim to improve community-police relations, which in turn reduces crime. Further, by bringing in new perspectives the charters clarification that the commission can recommend policies could lead to the creation of policies that would not otherwise emerge. Several members of the Charter Revision Commission spoke to the changes. Marnie Hebron, who has advocated for police accountability, said the draft was absolutely an improvement. Frank LaDore said he was pleased with how the changes aim to increase public input and ensure geographic diversity on the police commission. He was, however, concerned nine members might be too many, he said. Because the draft implements 12-year term limits and lays out district requirements, he worried the commission could lose longtime members with years of experience. The 12-year limit only applies when served consecutively, according to the revised charter, which indicates commissioners in violation of the limit when the changes take effect can complete their terms. LaDores other primary issue with the draft was the guaranteed funding. I voted no to that because I just dont think the town has the financial wherewithal to be handing $70,000 to the commission at this time, he said. I wasnt a proponent of awarding any commission any kind of money. Frank Dixon, chairman of the Charter Revision Commission, said it used public input to inform the changes but also consulted with Chief of Police John Sullivan and Michael Iezzi, the current chairman of the police commission. Our goal was to try to put the police commission in place to have the proper oversight to ensure public confidence, Dixon said. Iezzi declined comment, and Sullivan said whatever changes come about, he intends to continue to have a positive, professional relationship with the commission. The CRC has one more meeting on May 25, Dixon said, at which point he hopes the draft will be ready for Legislative Council review. Following that review, the draft will return to the commission, which can make further adjustments before the council takes a vote, according to Dixon. If approved by the council, the new charter would be on the ballot in November. meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com HUFFMAN, Texas (AP) Don't tell Laura Fields that providing $1.7 million to her flood-prone neighborhood would be wasteful spending. Her home in a Houston-area subdivision was filled with 10 inches (25 centimeters) of water during Hurricane Harvey. The stress of that was just horrific," Fields said. "You know, to see fish swimming through your house, it's not a good feeling," The money sought by her congressman, Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw, to improve drainage and flood prevention in Huffman, Texas, is among thousands of requests that lawmakers have submitted as Congress begins to lift a moratorium on targeted federal spending, often referred to as earmarks. Earmarking often called pork barrel spending because lawmakers would divert funds to pet projects in their states was put on hold a decade ago. Critics thought too many projects went to a handful of powerful lawmakers and fostered a pay to play culture in which campaign contributions were often solicited from lobbyists and others. Now, earmarks are marking a sudden and robust return, revamped and renamed. Lawmakers in both parties have grown frustrated by their inability to shape spending legislation and worry that Congress has ceded too much of the power of the purse to the executive branch. The experiment could rise or fall on the reaction from voters, particularly in places skeptical of Washington spending. Many Republicans in Congress are refusing to earmark as a matter of principle, characterizing it as graft. Crenshaw said in a statement that he was proud" to advocate for resources that would help his constituents and that the flood control earmark will ensure that we dont have to spend even more resources recovering from future flood events." This is not wasteful spending, no, sir, not at all," Fields said. These are our homes. This is where we're supposed to feel safe and secure and not have to worry about every time a storm comes through." About $14 billion, or 1% of discretionary spending, will be devoted to earmarks in this years spending bills. The requests that lawmakers made, listed on the House Appropriations Committee website, go beyond the roads, bridges and research grants earmarked in the past. Republican Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana, for example, wants $775,000 for a mobile medical clinic offering free cancer screenings to rural residents in his district. And Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania wants $650,000 for mental health professionals to team up with police or to intervene when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis. It remains to be decided which projects will get funded. Lawmakers have been told they can put in up to 10 requests, but nobody will be getting 10 requests, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee. Supporters of earmarks have set up guardrails to curb the complaints of corruption and waste that flared in the past. Still, more than 100 House Republicans and one Democrat have declined to participate in what is now being called community project funding." Graves said he requested money for the mobile cancer screening unit because some communities in his district experience a higher rate of cancer than the national average. You hear over and over again, lack of access to care, difficulty getting appointments, affordability, Graves said. This kind of addresses all those historic deficiencies or challenges because it is the provider coming to you sort of the 2021 version of the doctor with his or her little black bag doing house calls. Graves voted against reviving earmarks when members of the House GOP conference changed their rules earlier this year. He said the process could still be improved, but in the end, it's better than letting federal agencies dictate where money goes. And he said there's more accountability when lawmakers have to disclose their requests and defend them. In one of her requests, Scanlon drew on the experiences of the past summer as people in Philadelphia and elsewhere protested the death of George Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police. You know, we hear stories all the time about people calling 911 when someone is in mental health distress, and then police arrive and there's misunderstandings and there can be fatal mistakes made," Scanlon said. Scanlon cited the death in Philadelphia of Walter Wallace Jr., who was fatally shot last year after he ignored orders to drop a knife. His mother said she had warned police her son was in the throes of a mental health crisis. Police arrived on the scene. They were not equipped with tasers," Scanlon said. It appears that they did not know how to de-escalate the situation, and within a minute, Walter Wallace had been shot multiple times and he died." She said that county law enforcement officials and the local emergency medical system asked for funding to help integrate mental health specialists with law enforcement. It was one of 10 projects she selected from about 60 applicants. The House Appropriations Committee will winnow that list even further. Setting the expectations very low because we don't know if we'll get anything has been part of the challenge of rolling out the program," Scanlon said. Earmarks still have many detractors in Congress. About half of House Republicans declined to request funding for local projects, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Club for Growth , a conservative group, said its report card grading members votes would include whether they signed a letter from Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, pledging to abstain from earmark requests. The group said earmarks are used as legalized bribery to get lawmakers to support big spending elsewhere. By virtue of members of Congress saying, 'I'm going to get my bridge' or 'I'm going to get my museum,' or 'I'm going to get' whatever it is, you're kind of beholden," Roy said. That's what I think is the most problematic." Senate Republicans have maintained their conference rules banning earmarks, but lawmakers are not bound by them. Separately, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will include earmarks in a bill reauthorizing money for roads, bridges and transit programs. Democrats requested money for 1,775 projects and Republicans requested money for 605 projects. As part of the vetting process, lawmakers must provide evidence of community support for the earmarks they seek. In Texas, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia said 40% of the homes in the Huffman neighborhood have flooded, some repeatedly. Garcia said the money would be used to improve and widen existing roadside ditches and culverts that drain water, moving it to bayous and other waterways. The improvements are among the flood control projects that Harris County voters approved in 2018 through a $2.5 billion bond measure. In March, county commissioners said they were facing a $1.4 billion shortfall to fully fund the bond programs flood control projects. The federal money, Garcia said, will help close the gap. Weve been waiting for four years (since Hurricane Harvey). We cant wait any longer," Garcia said. "Mother Nature is not going to give us any more of a reprieve. ____ Freking reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston contributed to this report. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Police in Ohio's capital city are investigating a shooting in a downtown park Saturday that left a 16-year-old girl dead and five other teenagers and young adults wounded. We know Columbus is not the only city seeing an increasing spike in violent crime, Mayor Andrew Ginther said at a briefing Monday. Far too often these tragedies involve youth as both victims and assailants. The Columbus shooting took place just hours before three people were killed and three others were wounded outside a bar in Youngstown, in northeast Ohio. Officials say the Columbus shooting was the citys 77th homicide of the year. The incident began after police received reports of a private event promoted on social media that was being held in Bicentennial Park on Saturday night. Initially, nine 911 calls were made to report loud noises and music coming from the park, Interim Police Chief Michael Woods said at the briefing. As an officer was responding to the disturbance calls, a number of calls came in about gunfire being heard from the area shortly before midnight. When officers arrived at the scene, they found six victims at the scene. One of those victims, 16-year-old Olivia Kurtz, was taken to Grant Hospital where she was pronounced dead after 1 a.m. Sunday. A 16-year-old boy was taken to Ohio State University and had surgery for a gunshot wound. A 15-year-old girl was taken to Children's Hospital. Two 19-year-old women and a 19-year-old man were also shot. Police said all are expected to recover. Two other victims sustained minor injuries as they fled. Ginther said the city is working with its partners to reduce the wave of gun violence the city has seen over the past year. The park, which is located in the heart of downtown, usually has security cameras, but they were not working at the time of the shooting, Ginther said. He added, We take responsibility for that and were fixing that immediately. No arrests have been made and investigators are asking anyone who was at the event or has photos from it to contact them. BELLA VISTA, Ark. (AP) Police in northwest Arkansas have rounded up and returned to its owner a herd of 14 buffalo that had gotten loose in a residential neighborhood Monday morning. Officers rounded up the last of the fluffy cattle safely and without any known losses or injuries about 3 p.m. Monday, said Bella Vista Police Department spokeswoman Cassi Lapp. SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) A Louisiana oilman who survived a fatal explosion and house fire in 2019 has died in the crash of a one-seat jet plane assembled from a kit. Fred L. Phillips of Shreveport died Sunday afternoon when his single-engine SubSonex plane with tail number N465JC crashed into Cross Lake, the Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office said. He was 73, the coroners office said. Phillips was president and CEO of Phillips Energy Inc., said Oliver Jenkins, chief operating officer of Phillips Energy Investments, a related company. The plane flew for about nine minutes before crashing, the sheriffs office said in a news release Sunday. It said several witnesses reported the crash. Phillips body was recovered from the plane after divers found it. Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane belonged to Pocket Jet LLC, which is at the same address as Phillips Energy Inc. Louisianas corporations database lists Phillips as its manager. The plane was built by John M. Corneal, according to the FAA records. Phillips was severely burned in an October 2019 explosion and fire that killed his longtime partner, Electra Churchill, at a house Phillips owned in Archuleta County, Colorado, news agencies reported. The plane will be stored at Shreveport Regional Airport for National Transportation Safety Board and FAA investigators, the sheriffs office said. RENO, Nev. (AP) A Russian man was sentenced Monday to what amounted to time already served and will be deported after pleading guilty to trying to pay a Tesla employee $500,000 to install computer malware at the companys Nevada electric battery plant in a bid to steal company secrets for ransom. Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, appearing by videoconference from jail, apologized after U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in Reno acknowledged the attempted hack was not successful and the company network was not compromised. Im sorry for my decision. I regret it, the 27-year-old Kriuchkov said through a Russian-language court interpreter. Chris Frey, his court-appointed attorney, said Kriuchkov speaks fluent English, but the judge provided the interpreter anyway. Kriuchkov said the nine months he has been in U.S. custody made him reflect on the pain he caused his family in Russia and the damage caused to his reputation. Several family members sent email messages to the judge seeking leniency. I understand it was a bad decision, said Kriuchkov said, who could have faced up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The judge, who agreed not to use the company name in court, went along with a plea agreement reached between prosecutors and Kriuchkov. He was sentenced to 10 months in custody for his guilty plea in March to conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer; to pay about $14,825 in restitution for company time investigating the attempted intrusion and turning the case over to the FBI; and three years of federal supervision if he remains in the U.S. or returns from abroad. He will remain in custody until he leaves the country. Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged after Kruichkovs arrest in August in Los Angeles that the company had been the target of what Musk termed a serious effort to collect company secrets. Federal authorities had said Kriuchkov was heading to an airport to fly out of the country. Tesla has a massive factory near Reno that makes batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage units. Company officials did not immediately respond Monday to messages seeking comment/ The judge put the amount Kriuchkov offered to pay the unidentified employee at $500,000. She did not address previous reports that the bribe amounted to $1 million. Federal authorities credited the employee with reporting Kriuchkov's overtures to company officials. The hack was designed as a distributed denial-of-service attack, using junk data to flood the Tesla computer system, while a second intrusion would let co-conspirators extract data from the company network and demand ransom with the threat of making the information public. Other suspected co-conspirators are identified in court document by nicknames, and references are made to at least one other failed effort to target another unidentified company. Kriuchkov told a judge in September that he knew the Russian government was aware of his case, but prosecutors and the FBI never alleged ties to the Kremlin. Theres no question the offense is serious, Du said, citing concerns about these types of cyber-ransom offenses in the U.S. and other countries. Fortunately, the scheme was not successful. ____ Ritter reported from Las Vegas. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Caleb Elfenbein, Grinnell College (THE CONVERSATION) A civil rights group is suing Facebook and its top executives in federal court over the companys failure to crack down on hate speech against Muslims. Muslim Advocates, a Washington, D.C.-based organization focused on discrimination against American Muslims, alleges in the suit that Facebook has violated a series of local and federal consumer protection laws. The suit points out that the company itself, in a July 2020 internal audit, found that Facebook has created an atmosphere where Muslims feel under siege on the platform. I am a scholar who tracks anti-Muslim activity such as violence, harassment, public speeches, property crimes and policies that target Muslims. This suit is right that many Muslims in the United States feel under siege and have for quite some time. But I am cautious about assigning too much blame to Facebook for the staggering magnitude and breadth of anti-Muslim activity in the U.S. As the author of Fear in Our Hearts: What Islamophobia Tells Us about America, I argue that this could be a convenient distraction with limited overall effect from the deeper histories and realities of white supremacy that require sustained attention. American Muslims feel under siege The years 2015 to 2019 saw a spike in hateful incidents against Muslims, with the news media reporting more than a 1,000 cases over this period. The incidents ranged from everyday harassment and violence to federal policies targeting Muslim communities. State-level anti-Sharia legislation also escalated. The idea behind these bills was that Islamic law, which was often left ill-defined or undefined by lawmakers, posed a danger to the United States. Many legislators who introduced these bills acknowledged they were not spurred by any particular cases in which Islamic law undermined the work of courts in the United States. The point was to raise suspicion of Muslims and Islam. Additionally, the real number of hateful incidents against Muslims is likely higher. The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that, in general, over 50% of hate crimes go unreported. Even when people do report them locally, there is no unified process for national tracking. Some projects have started to document the extent and effects of these incidents. For example, I contribute to Mapping Islamophobia, a website tracking reports from reputable media outlets to capture trends over time, as well as individual stories behind them. From 2016 to 2019, ProPublica addressed the hate crime data problem with Documenting Hate, a multinewsroom and crowd-sourced collaboration to create a database of hate crimes. Elon University computer scientist Megan Squire, whose work contributed to the new lawsuit against Facebook, has drawn on publicly available Facebook data to analyze the enormous volume of hateful content against Muslims circulating on the platform. The common thread: white supremacy Importantly, Squires research also shows that anti-Muslim activity was deeply connected to fear and suspicion of nonwhite communities. Over the past hundred-plus years, nonwhite and immigrant communities have often been portrayed as being threats to white America. For example, legislation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries excluded Asian immigrants. The post-Civil War era of Jim Crow segregation, and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, also reflected and contributed to this suspicion. Not all Muslims in the U.S. identify as people of color. But the idea that Muslims constitute a race has become more common in recent years. Under the Trump administration, one way this played out was in the governments ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries. But what these phenomena all have in common is that they are rooted in the history and contemporary reality of white supremacy. This makes calling for Facebook to police anti-Muslim speech more complicated than it may seem at first glance. Facebook has on many occasions pledged to strengthen its efforts to root out hate speech on the platform, most recently in December of 2020. However, systemic racism often ends up inadvertently written into the complicated math formulas at the foundation of all internet search and content curation, including Facebooks. This is called algorithm bias. Given that billions of people use Facebook and for many millions its the only way they access the internet the connections between algorithms and racism on Facebook are especially significant. Civil rights leaders have been pressuring Facebook for some time to address algorithms that are not up to the task of monitoring hate speech on the platform that targets people of color. The lawsuit filed by Muslim Advocates suggests that anti-Muslim speech remains rife despite Facebooks effort to revise its algorithms. The suit alleges that Facebooks failure to more closely control hate speech on the platform results in the proliferation of anti-Muslim content for everyone to see, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. Muslim Advocates say this seeds and cultivates anti-Muslim bigotry and leaves Muslims feeling under siege. Still, tweaked algorithms are likely not enough to solve a social problem with deep roots. [Explore the intersection of faith, politics, arts and culture. Sign up for This Week in Religion.] Suing Facebook is a small part of the picture Sustained legal, political and cultural efforts are necessary to address more than acute symptoms of the deeper problem. Muslim Advocates lawsuit against Facebook is an example of using the legal system to address expressions of public hate against Muslims. The legal system does not guarantee redress, but it does offer an essential avenue for action. Political steps could be taken as well. Congress could pass legislation creating a uniform national system for tracking hate crimes, including funding ramifications for nonparticipation. If it were implemented and maintained effectively, such a system could provide more clarity about the systemic nature of harassment, intimidation and violence against communities of color, including but not limited to Muslims. The recently passed bill addressing anti-Asian violence, which President Biden signed into law, may be a step in the right direction. It creates stronger incentives for local and state law enforcement agencies to report data about hate crimes, even if stopping short of mandatory data reporting systems. Critics, however, claim that the legislation will ultimately have limited effects because it does not address the underlying reasons that communities of color and other targeted groups experience public hate. Muslims across the United States have long engaged in a concerted effort to humanize themselves to the broader American public. Many of these efforts, reflected in the rising number of Muslims running for political office at all levels of government, emphasize local connections and the shared values and interests that come with living together in a town, city or state. But it is a burden that Muslims cannot bear themselves. Anti-Muslim hostility online and off is one manifestation of the nations deep, everyday racial inequities, and failure to come to terms with histories and realities of white supremacy will not make its effects simply disappear. As the writer James Baldwin once said, An invented past can never be used; it cracks and crumbles under the pressures of life like clay in a season of drought. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/suit-seeks-to-limit-anti-muslim-speech-on-facebook-but-roots-of-islamophobia-run-far-deeper-159418. BANGKOK (AP) Thailand placed barbed wire and checkpoints in several southern villages along the Malaysian border Monday after identifying a cluster of infections with a coronavirus variant that's believed to spread faster. The lockdown came as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sought to assure people that his government could manage a recent surge as it is set to start a national vaccination campaign next month. Please understand that we can manage this, Prayuth said as he received the second dose of his coronavirus vaccine. Also Monday, the agency managing Thailand's coronavirus response reported 2,713 new cases and 30 more deaths. It raised the nation's totals to 132,213 cases and 806 deaths, the overwhelming majority of them occurring since April 1. Bangkok reported 951 of the new cases, mostly bunched in inner districts of the capital, said Apisamai Srirangsan, a deputy spokeswoman for the COVID-19 response center. Many of the cases in Bangkok have been in prisons and housing barracks for construction workers. In Thailands far southern Narathiwat province, security forces sought to isolate about a dozen villages where the variant first discovered in South Africa was detected last week. The person infected with the variant is believed to have crossed the border from Malaysia, which is also experiencing a coronavirus surge. Thailand previously said it had found its first cases of the virus variant discovered in India, among infected construction workers in Bangkok. And a health official said last week 87% of recent cases in Thailand were from a variant identified in Britain. Health officials worry the variants are more contagious and that some vaccines are not as effective against the variants. The largest infection cluster was found in Narathiwat's Takbai district, where proactive testing was ordered, according to Narathiwat Provincial Public Health Office. It ordered a complete lockdown on the entire district, and in affected villages from May 23 until further notice. Thailand will begin its national vaccination campaign on June 7 and hopes to vaccinate 70% of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. It has administered 2.91 million doses so far, using the vaccines from AstraZeneca and Chinas Sinovac. Health officials have called on the government to diversify its vaccine procurement. Scott Quinn Berkett, 24, was arrested Friday for the failed murder-for-hire plot after he sent thousands of dollars in bitcoin to arrange the murder and then wired another $1,000 to the hitman, who was actually an undercover FBI agent, according to the Department of Justice. Yale University completed four days of commencement events Monday with both live and in-person ceremonies, but without family or other visitors because of COVID-19 restrictions. Honorary degrees were given virtually Monday to nine prominent people in various fields, including author Judy Blume and TV host and comedian Stephen Colbert. Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today A few clouds. Low around 60F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low around 60F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. The Leader Of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned that the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) wi... The Leader Of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned that the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) will be deadlier than Boko Haram, adding that another group will come up after the latter. The clergyman, who issued the prophecies while addressing his members, assured that Boko Harams leader, Abubakar Shekau is dead. He said this in a statement he forwarded. According to Primate Ayodele: Abubakar Shekau is dead and buried, anyone that claims to be Shekau is just a joker but ISWAP will become deadlier as they want to shoot down planes, another terrorist group will rise up through Boko Haram but will fade out soon. He also mentioned some states that should be on alert against deadly attacks and killings. The following states must be very watchful of major attacks that will happen; Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Plateau, Benue, Adamawa, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Cross River. They must not joke with this message, he said. Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo of being insensitive. ... Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo of being insensitive. Fani-Kayode made the remark while reacting to Buhari and Osinbajos failure to attend the burial of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and ten other officers in Abuja. The former minister insisted that there was no justification for Buhari and Osinabjos refusal to attend the burial. In a tweet, he wrote: There can be no justification for the President and Vice Presidents refusal to attend the funeral of the late COAS. He was buried in Abuja just 10 minutes away from the Villa and yet the C in C or his deputy could not attend? This is insensitive and unacceptable. He was your COAS! Attahiru and 10 military officers died while in active service on Friday. The Army Chief and the deceased officers were on an official trip to Kaduna when their aircraft crashed. The crash happened at the Kaduna International Airport at about 6 pm on Friday. Attahiru and the other officers were flown back to Abuja for burial at the military cemetery. However, Buhari, Osinabajo and their wives were noticeably absent during the internment of the deceased officers. The First Bank Plc is to be sued for disobedience and breach of contract if it failed to obey the Federal High Courts 48 hours ultimatum se... The First Bank Plc is to be sued for disobedience and breach of contract if it failed to obey the Federal High Courts 48 hours ultimatum served to to it. In a letter to the bank by the Counsel to Eleme Petro Chemical Co-operative Investment and Credit society Limited, A.A. Ibrahim SAN obtained by newsmen, it stated the position of the law as it pertains to obligations of a Bank to its customers, citing the case of Union Bank PLC vs N.M Okpara Chimaeze (2014) 9 NWLR (PT.1411) page 166 wherein Justice Ariwoola JSC. held that It stated, It is the duty of banker to its customer to honor and pay cheques drawn on it by the customer as long as it has in its possession at the material time sufficient and available funds for the purpose. The barrister told the bank that a pending appeal does not operate as stay of execution, saying that anything done contrary to the lawful order of a court is an infrigement of the customers right. Recall that First Bank despite the order of Justice N.E Maha of the Federal High Court Abuja delivered on the 15th day of February 2021, vacating the interim restriction placed on the co-operatives account by EFCC, has refused and or neglected to obey the order. Recall also that in February 26, 2009, the Federal Government through the National Council on Privatization had approved the sale of 10% of its equity shares in Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals ltd, Port Harcourt, Rivers State to the host community and interested staff of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals ltd. The 10% equity shares was shared as 7.5% to the host community while the remaining 2.5% was allotted to the Staff of Indoroma Eleme Petrochemicals. Interested Staff came together under Eleme petrochemical co-operatives in compliance to the federal government directive that a special purpose vehicle be formed where all members will belong to enable them buy the shares. According to the letter, problem began in 2013 when 10 staffs who initially subscribed to the purchase of the 2.5 equity shares had their jobs terminated from the employment of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals. It explained that lndoroma Petrochemicals since then began a legal battle as to whether the laid off staff can continue to enjoy the dividends since they were not longer staff in the company and in so doing sought to replace the laid off staff with new recruited staff. It noted that when the shareholding became an issue the laid of staff approached the River State Ministry of Commerce and Industry to arbitrate between it and the cooperative, the Ministry gave an Arbitral Award in favor of the laid off staff and consequently the laid off staffs of the co-operative, approached the federal high court to enforce the arbitral award as required by law. The award became a judgment of the Federal High Court. The newly recruited staff been instigated by their employers Indoroma Eleme Petrochemicals Company limited approached The National Industrial court stating that the arbitral award was illegally procured ,when the right thing to do was to have appealed the Federal High Court judgement, the industrial court in striking the case out stated that it can not sit on an appeal over a matter that has been decided by a court of co-ordinate jurisdiction. The newly recruited staff thereafter filed an Appeal over the decision of the Industrial court. It is to be noted that the EFCC started to investigate the ownership of the shares of the cooperative after the cases at the Federal high court and the Industrial Court had been decided. The cases pending in various courts over the ownership of the shares of Indorama was triggered by the BPE which was a party sued in the case at the Industrial court, when it petitioned the EFCC over the matter at the instigation of the newly recruited staff of Indorama and Indorama itself. We shall bring you further developments as they unfold. The strike action embarked upon by the Judicial Staff of Nigeria (JUSUN) has caused the People Democratic Party (PDP) the opportunity of sec... The strike action embarked upon by the Judicial Staff of Nigeria (JUSUN) has caused the People Democratic Party (PDP) the opportunity of securing an injunction to stop All Progressive Congress (APC) from acquiring her secretariat. Speaking at the stakeholders meeting of the party, the Chairman of the newly constituted caretaker committee Barr. Efiok Cobham assured members that the property will soon return to PDP He urged supporters of the party not to worry as the leadership of the party is doing everything within its reach to ensure that it retrieves its Secretariat from the APC led administration in Cross River State. Cobham who welcomed national members led by Senator Liyel Imoke and the national assembly caucus to the meeting said, Why would he convert our Secretariat to that of APC, when the APC has multiple offices in Calabar. The issues are just elementary. Their frustrations have just started. If previous administrations had behaved the way this present administration is behaving, where would we have been?. We have gone beyond that level. There are about three Secretariats why capitalize on converting our office? I am assuring you that we will all remain focused. Whatever that is your wish shall be ours. We are poised to bring back those values that we uphold. Whatever differences that we have as human. I want you people to put the event of last week behind. Our party still remains strong and virile in the state. Also speaking, a senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Sandy Onoh urged party supporters not to be jittery that members of the PDP have moved with the Governor to the APC, Some of them who are in his exco are still with us. In his remarks, a member representing Akamkpa/ Biase Federal constituency, Daniel Asuquo urged security agents not to take sides stressing that taking over the PDP secretariat, means Governor Ayade has declared war against a party that catapulted him to the limelight. The presidency says the southern governors proposed plan to enforce the ban on open grazing is of questionable legality. According ... The presidency says the southern governors proposed plan to enforce the ban on open grazing is of questionable legality. According to the presidency, the resolution reached in Asaba, Delta state capital, will not solve the farmer-herder clashes. The governors had said the decision was taken as part of efforts to improve security in the region. There have been mixed reactions over the Asaba resolution, and recently, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), had likened the proposed ban to prohibiting spare parts trading in the north. In a statement on Monday, Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesperson, said President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier approved the rehabilitation of grazing reserves. With this, he said, the clashes between the farmer and herders will be addressed. The President had approved a number of specific measures to bring a permanent end to the frequent skirmishes as recommended by Alhaji Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture in a report he submitted and the President signed off on it back in April, well before the actions of the Southern Governors Forum which attempts to place a ban on open grazing and other acts of politicking intended by its signatories to demonstrate their power, the statement read. It is very clear that there was no solution offered from their resolutions to the herder-farmer clashes that have been continuing in our country for generations. But the citizens of the southern states indeed citizens of all states of Nigeria have a right to expect their elected leaders and representatives to find answers to challenges of governance and rights, and not to wash their hands off hard choices by, instead, issuing bans that say: not in my state. It is equally true that their announcement is of questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) -regardless of the state of their birth or residence. Fortunately, this declaration has been preempted, for whatever it is intended to achieve and Mr. President, who has rightly been worried about these problems more than any other citizen in consultation with farmers and herders alike, commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the states, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements. With veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling through these rehabilitated reserves, the Federal Government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side: supporting farmers to till their fields, herders to rear their livestock and Nigerians everywhere to be safe. Shehu said in spite of the negative effects of COVID-19 on the economy, federal funding for the project, which had been delayed, is now being partly unlocked. He added that the process for achieving full actualisation of the modern reserve system in consenting states should take off in June. The Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practioners Association of Nigeria, TAMPAN, has suspended actors Nkechi Blessing Sunday and Kehinde A... The Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practioners Association of Nigeria, TAMPAN, has suspended actors Nkechi Blessing Sunday and Kehinde Adams popularly known as Lege. Both actors have in the last few days been at each others throats on social media over the recent arrest of their colleague, Baba Ijesha, accused of multiple defilements of a minor. TAMPAN also directed directors in the film industry not to engage the services of the suspended actors See the statement below Nkechi Blessing on her social media page had earlier called out the Lege for showing support for the embattled Baba Ijesha. In a live video with Yomi Fabiyi, Lege also accused the actress of disrespecting him. Reacting to the video, Nkechi Blessing took to her Instagram stories to further drag him. Calling him an illiterate and said she has no time to waste on him. My attention got really expensive I dont give it to classless id1ots. She wrote as she shared photo of dollar bills. When you learn how to speak good English, come back and Imma reply you. But for now, i wont let you send my brain back to Primary 1. illiterate! In another post, she commented, Mr man, Please shut the fvck up. Lege then replied, you dey mad. Nkechi Blessing Sunday added another insult, You want chop slap abi? Make Ogun no use your blood bath oh. Try dey get sense. Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has attacked former governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, saying he is a mole in the Peop... Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has attacked former governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, saying he is a mole in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said it was unfortunate that the PDP has continued to allow the former Niger State governor to remain a member of its highest decision making body after he publicly confessed to working alongside others to frustrate former President Goodluck Jonathans second term bid in 2015. Wike spoke during a media chat at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday. He stressed that it was disturbing that while governors and other stakeholders were working assiduously to strategically position the PDP to takeover the realm of power in 2023, the likes of Aliyu were working as All Progressives Congress (APC) moles in PDP. Aliyu Babangida is a mole in PDP. These are people who get information and in the night they go to the ruling party (APC) and give them the information. Wike declared that contrary to insinuation by Babangida, there did not exist any frosty relationship between him and the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus. According to him, in politics, people were bound to disagree on certain issues, but that could not be misconstrued as a rift in their relationship. The same Aliyu in 2017 was one of those who opposed Secondus to be Chairman of the party. He only came on board at the dying minute when he knew Secondus was coasting to victory. The governor also clarify that he was not aware if the PDP national chairman has disagreement with stakeholders of the party in Rivers State. He stressed that if there existed any form of conflict between Secondus and others stakeholders in the State, the national chairman would have made it known to all concern. Wike explained that the reason why Babanigda has recently embarked on a campaign of calumny against him. saying it was because he had refused to invite him to Commission some of his legacy projects in Rivers State. He maintained that only former governors and incumbent ones who had delivered or were delivering democratic dividends in their states were qualified to inaugurate projects in Rivers State. Reacting to Babangidas accusation that he was a dictator in the PDP, the governor said it was rather disingenuous for a man who has refused to allow a credible party congress take place in Niger State to cast aspersion on him. In 2015, what happened to him, he insisted his own boy will be governor. In 2019, he insisted again and PDP lost. Who is the dictator? Up till now, the reason why the State (Niger) congress cannot take place is because he wants to dictate who will be chairman of the party. He continued: We have been working hard in Rivers State to see we dont have the ruling APC in Rivers state. Ask Aliyu if he can do the same in Niger State. If there is election today, can he make PDP to win in Niger state? As I speak to you, no state congress has been held in Niger state. It is because of his dictatorial tendency. The governor described Babangidas recommendation that the NWC of the PDP should suspend him from the party as childish. He stressed that if the former Niger State governor has any modicum of self-esteem, even as a liability to PDP, he would have been circumspect and refrain from making denigrating comments against one whose state has accounted for highest votes gotten by the PDP since 1999. To buttress his claim that Babangida is a liability to the PDP, Wike noted that in 2015 while serving as a governor of Niger State, the PDP lost woefully in the general election. According to him, worst still, in 2019 general election, the PDP failed to win any elective position in Niger State. What is the impact of such a person as far as the party is concerned? In 2019, despite the federal might that was against us in Rivers State, we still were able to deliver all the senatorial candidates, all the House of Representatives candidates. So, who is more profitably to the party? Is it the man who cannot even win in his constituency? He added: If Aliyu says he will leave PDP today, nobody will shake, nobody will even bother. But if I say I will leave PDP tomorrow, you will know the consequences of it. The governor dared those who have been insinuating that he wants to contest for PDP presidential ticket in 2023 because of his tirelessness in delivering dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State, to prove he has declared such intention to them. He, however reiterated nobody could intimidate him from contesting for the PDP presidential ticket if he decided to. On Babangidas claim that PDP would win the governorship election in Ebony and Cross River states respectively in 2023, the governor described this as laughable. He dared the former Niger State to first of all deliver his state from the APC before pontificating about other States. You have heard him say that PDP will recover Ebonyi and Cross River, tell me what will be his contribution. Tell me what is his strategy for them (PDP) to recover the States? A man, who even in his own state cannot provide the votes, he is saying that PDP will recover so and so states. Recover your own first. Show the capacity that you have. The governor warned the PDP to be wary of Aliyu Babangida and other moles who are determined to ruin the partys chances of winning the 2023 general elections. He noted that while PDP governors were busy delivering democratic dividends in their respective states, the likes of Babangida were busy sowing seed of discord. That was one of those who with other governors were going round to bring down PDP (in 2015) and of course he was happy doing that. Today, look at the consequences. Today, that is the man that has the temerity, the audacity to talk to a governor whose state produced the highest vote in 2015 (1.5million votes) and the ruling party never had 25%. Ask Aliyu, in Niger state if we (PDP) got 10 percent of the votes? They claim Durst first murdered Kathie amid a bitter divorce and then shot Berman nearly two decades later because she had helped him cover his tracks in 1982 and he was worried she was about to tell New York authorities what she knew. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 57F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Assemblyman D. Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake, speaks at the North Country Chamber of Commerce, asking state officials to allow New York to vaccinate essential workers of Canada. Mr. Jones and Chamber President Garry Douglas said the move would mimic that of other northern border states, like North Dakota and Michigan, which recently began inoculating essential Canadians. McKenzie Delisle/Press Republican Gatherings are prohibited at food service establishments, whether indoor or outdoor, unless: consumption of food or beverages is permitted only in a designated dining area where patrons are seated, groups of patrons are separated by at least 6 feet, no more than 6 patrons are seated together (at a table, booth, or group of fixed seats), and groups of patrons do not intermingle, the order reads. Between weather reports, meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy has been using up the WDSU studios tissue supply. Ever since she announced her impending departure for a new job in North Carolina, shes struggled to keep the tears at bay. I carry around Kleenex, Murphy admitted, because at any point I might break down and cry. Sure enough, she got teary during a recent interview, as she discussed leaving the city that has embraced her as fervently as she embraced it. Murphys farewell on the WDSU morning show is Friday; it will likely require multiple tissues. Shell then make a final appearance on the stations 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts Sunday. After that, shes headed back to North Carolina, the state she left eight years ago for New Orleans. Shes moving for personal and professional reasons. In North Carolina, shell be closer to family in her native Pittsburgh. And Raleigh, where shell join the weather team at the local ABC affiliate, is a bigger television market than New Orleans. But that hasnt made leaving any easier. Neither have the notes, tweets and testimonials from viewers. One, in particular, got her. A woman wrote, If they dont treat you right in North Carolina, you come on back home. Besides Pittsburgh, New Orleans has been home, Murphy said. I know the place so well and feel so comfortable here. Its sad leaving a place that means so much to me. **** Murphy did not initially intend to be a meteorologist. She earned a broadcast journalism degree from Ohio University with a specialization in English and childrens television. In Pittsburgh, she worked for Fred Rogers production company, Family Communications Inc. What you saw with him was what you got, she said of the beloved host of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. He was so gracious and so kind and so wonderful. AT WQED, the public television station that housed Rogers company, she helped produce PBS doo-wop specials, fundraising events and pledge drives. On the advice of a mentor, she went back to school to become a meteorologist. She earned her certificate of meteorology from Mississippi State University, and eventually landed a weekend meteorologist job in Greenville, North Carolina. Looking for her next destination, she applied to Hearst Television stations in Panama City, Florida, and New Orleans. She was initially hesitant about taking a job in New Orleans, a city shed only visited for the 2002 Essence Festival. I knew in my heart that I needed to be full of compassion to be here, she said. I didnt know if I had what it takes. I knew we I already was saying we were still coming back from Hurricane Katrina. She decided to go for it. At the Hearst-owned, NBC-affiliated WDSU, she started as a weekend meteorologist. She eventually graduated to the stations early-morning weekday newscast, then added the noon newscast, too. She wakes up at 2 a.m. to arrive at the station by 3 a.m. and prep to go on air at 4:30 a.m. After WDSU News This Morning ends at 7 a.m., she does cut-ins with the local forecast throughout the Today show broadcast until 9. Shes back in front of the cameras for the hourlong "WDSU News at Noon." Such a schedule, she says, cuts into my entire life. Going out at night during the week is a challenge. Come Friday, shes exhausted but still makes the effort, knowing Saturday is her only day to sleep in. On Sunday mornings, either before or after church, she studies computer models to get a sense of the coming week's weather. She can function on three or four hours of sleep if necessary, praying that the Lord continues to sustain me. Brutal schedule aside, I have loved my time at WDSU, she said. My colleagues are the best of the best. Along the way, shes wholeheartedly embraced the city. I still love the Steelers, but Ive been baptized as a Saints fan. When I got here, I didnt understand what the Saints meant to the city. Now I totally understand it. She also understands that New Orleans is more than just food and music. The infrastructure is terrible, from the streets to the utilities going out. Youre always concerned and fearful when it rains how many pumps are on? You dont want to live with that, but you know your neighbors are going through it and were going through it together. The recent tornadoes that touched down in the New Orleans area reminded her of that. As sad and angry as you might be, people find the lighter moments and the steadfastness. Theres this pinnacle level of care that is settling and reassuring. That courses through this city, despite the circumstances. Theres a level of care that Ive never experienced. Beyond that, theres a freedom here that fits my personality. A license to be yourself, whatever that means to you. Be who you are, and love life. Where else can you go to a gas station and get good food? And you can find alcohol anywhere. All the necessities, you can find anywhere and everywhere. The only necessity she cant find here is family. Her parents, her 16-year-old nephew and other relatives still live near Pittsburgh. From Raleigh, theyre only a quick direct flight, or a manageable seven-hour drive, away. I dont take the opportunity for granted to be with them," Murphy said. "None of us is getting younger, and time is precious. Thats important to me. Sometimes we are gifted opportunities and we have to steward them. I felt like I couldnt pass this opportunity up right now, while I have the chance to still be flexible. From Februarys freezes to the more recent tornadoes and monsoons, shes going out with a bang, weather-wise. Some meteorologists thrive on extreme weather. Not Murphy. I dont mind 10 sunny days in a row. I dont live for severe weather. I know the impact for people. Im thinking, I hope everyone is prepared. On my way to work, Im praying, Help me see things clearly, and speak clearly. Though farther inland than New Orleans, Raleigh is still susceptible to hurricanes. Im not escaping weather of any kind by going there, Murphy said. Her new destination, WTVD, is an ABC owned-and-operated station. Shell work the same morning/noon shift she does at WDSU. I will still be sleepy. Ill just be sleepy in a different city. But I dont want to have any regrets. The door is revolving. I feel like I can come back to New Orleans. She intends to visit often and is already planning to return for the second weekend of the postponed New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in October. She hopes Frankie Beverly & Maze will occupy their usual second-Sunday slot at the festival. And then there are the wigs and costumes. I cant wear them up there (in North Carolina). I guess Ive got to come back here. People are going to be like, Wait, did you leave yet? As her time in New Orleans winds down, shes found herself bypassing the interstate on her way home from work, looping through local neighborhoods instead. Shes also been driving with her windows down to soak up as much humidity as possible. I want to feel this humidity on me. I love summer. I love the heat. New Orleans has been a blessing to me. I cant put a price on it. Its immeasurable. The cover of the New Orleans Nightcrawlers Grammy-winning 2020 album Atmosphere features the nine band members in silhouette under a starscape, with a handful of New Orleans musicians depicted with angels' wings. Theres Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and Danny Barker. Theres also Lucien Barbarin, a longtime friend and mentor to Nightcrawlers cofounder Craig Klein. Lucien was a dear friend, Klein says. He was easy to play with. He was one of the funkiest and most soulful of trombone players. Thats why Harry Connick featured him on every show. Barbarin had hired Klein to play in one of his bands in the late 1980s and was instrumental in getting him an audition for Harry Connick Jr.s big band and the two trombonists became roommates while the band was on tour. Early last year, Klein and Barbarin were planning to record a gospel album together. They had chosen songs, picked a band and were rehearsing, but Barbarin became ill. He died in late January from cancer. Klein decided to record a tribute to Barbarin called Talkative Horns, which he released in April. It features Luciens Blues, co-written by Barbarin, and a couple songs that they had chosen for the gospel album. Talkative Horns is a title inspired by a similar album, Chatter Jazz, recorded by trombonist Dicky Wells and trumpeter Rex Stewart in 1959. Klein thought the record sounded like a musical conversation, and he approached trumpeter Kevin Louis about recording the tribute with him as if they were talking to Lucien. Louis had played with Barbarin at Preservation Hall and the Palm Court Jazz Cafe. Stewart and Wells use a lot of plungers and mutes on Chatter Jazz, and since Barbarin often did as well, Klein and Louis use them frequently on Talkative Horns. Klein also enlisted Barbarins nephew, Jerry Barbarin Anderson, the drummer for Kermit Ruffins band. The rhythm section is comprised of pianist Steve Detroy, guitarist Molly Reeves and bassist Mitchell Player, who play in the New Orleans Jazz Vipers with Klein. The album opens with Luciens Blues, and then Louis takes the lead singing on Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, which starts as a dirge but changes to a more joyous tone as the band members harmonize and invoke Barbarin in the lyrics. The album includes a couple of Barbarins favorite songs, rendered as instrumental pieces. He often performed and sang on the early jazz tune Girl of My Dreams and Hoagy Carmichaels Rockin Chair. The album also includes Tomb Tune, a dirge composed by Klein, Jimmy Carpenter and Wardell Quezergue for Bernard Bunchy Johnsons funeral. (It also was recorded by the Nightcrawlers for Atmosphere.) Klein also composed "Lucien in the Sky (with Angels)." The record closes with the groups take on What a Wonderful World, which has a lively, Caribbean feel. Since the Nightcrawlers won the Best Regional Roots Music Album Grammy in March, the band has been using pandemic downtime to rehearse, write new music and perform. The Nightcrawlers took a distinctly relaxed approach to recording Atmosphere. Klein cooked food to bring to rehearsals and studio sessions, and instead of knocking the album out all at once, the band spread recording over three months. The relaxed feel comes through on the album, despite its sophisticated arrangements. Klein then took that same approach to recording Talkative Horns. Spurred by the award, the Nightcrawlers have been busy writing new material and may have an album ready to go by October, which in this altered year is festival time, with French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest on the calendar. Talkative Horns is available on Kleins website and at the Louisiana Music Factory. Klein hopes to have an album release show as pandemic conditions improve. Hundreds of Gretna residents gathered to meet with their neighbors and local law enforcement Oct. 15 at the Amphitheater on Huey P. Long Avenue and First Street for the annual Night Out Against Crime event. We want to reach out to the community, Gretna Police Chief Arthur S. Lawson Jr. said. We have a great community, and this event enables our residents to get on a personal level with our officers. Resident Melanie Dixon agreed. This is a great night to meet our neighbors and the police officers who protect us, she said as she helped her daughter, Mia Dixson, play a game. It was an evening of food, music and a good time for the entire family. Children had their faces painted and played in bounce houses and on a climbing wall. Adults danced to lively tunes by Ryan Foret and Foret Tradition. I came out to support the police, but I love this atmosphere and music, Melissa Selser said. Officers Kevin Fernandez and Payton Piglia demonstrated fingerprinting using powders, spray, developer and small particle reagent. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Jefferson Parish District Attorneys Victim-Witness Assistance Program was on hand to educate residents about victims' rights. The program is designed to guide victims, witnesses and family members of victims through the criminal justice process. The Special Response Teams tent displayed weapons and gadgets, while Capt. Scott Vinson allowed children to get into the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, which is designed to provide ballistic protection and can be driven on land and through water. This vehicle cost $15,000 and was purchased with drug seizure money with no cost to the taxpayers, Vinson said. He said the vehicle was deployed to Baton Rouge during flooding to evacuate homes in up to 6 feet of water. We use this vehicle to help people, he said. Mayor Belinda Constant remarked on the strong turnout. It shows the support and gratitude the community has for our police department. There will be a special presentation on Memorial Day morning of 15 personalized bricks at the Veterans Memorial Plaza to honor those from St. Tammany, Washington and Tangipahoa parishes who lost their lives during the war on global terror. The bricks will be a focal point of the community's annual Memorial Day ceremony at the St. Tammany Veterans Memorial Plaza at the Covington Courthouse. Wreaths will be also placed to honor of all veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice to their country. The somber service will begin at 10 a.m. Special patriotic music will be sung by Victoria Morehead and Alexandra Dawson from North Cross United Methodist Church. The guest speaker will be Matt Cole, a combat-wounded Marine from the Iraq War who, after extensive rehabilitation, has been instrumental in helping his fellow disabled veterans for more than 15 years. The bricks at Veterans Memorial Plaza have been totally redone with a new directory to help loved ones locate the names of their veterans, said Lane Carson, president of the St. Tammany Veterans Foundation. Additionally, there is a new section at the plaza that honors first responders, health care personnel and essential service heroes who have sacrificed during the COVID-19 pandemic. And members of the public can still order $100 bricks in honor of their heroes to help line the plaza pathways, Carson said. I invite all citizens to come out and show their respect for our fallen military personnel and their families at the Courthouse on Memorial Day," said American Legion Post 16 Cmdr. Dennis W. Charlesworth. The post will host a reception after the ceremony on the courthouse steps. For information, call (985) 867-0747 or (334) 303-3936. A 57-year-old Harvey woman is accused of sending a series of racist emails to the newsroom of a local television station and singling out an on-air personality, according to the New Orleans Police Department. Caroline Kain was booked Friday on a count of cyberstalking, the NOPD announced Monday. Documents police filed in criminal court accuse Kain of sending 81 emails to the station between May 5 and May 11, repeatedly referring to station employees by the N-word. The emails came from an email address containing Kains first initial, last name and the year she was born, according to the court records. Many of the emails focused on one on-air journalist, including rants that insulted the employees appearance, baselessly accused her of criminal conduct punishable by death and demanded that the station replace her, police said. They were sent to a public email address that automatically forwards messages to many of the stations staff members. +5 United Cajun Navy leader alleges cyberstalking, extortion by Seacor Power search volunteers The privately organized search for seven missing crewmen from the capsized Seacor Power lift boat fell apart earlier this month in a flurry of After receiving Kains emails, the station hired extra security for staff and alerted the authorities. Police also obtained a judges permission to search records pertaining to the Google account that was sending the emails, allowing officers to link the account to Kain, according to the court documents. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Detectives ultimately obtained a warrant to arrest Kain on a count of cyberstalking, which Louisiana law defines in part as using email or other electronic communications repeatedly threaten, terrify or harass any person, whether or not conversation ensues. Anyone convicted of first-offense cyberstalking could face up to a year in prison. The NOPD said it booked Kain Friday with the help of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office. She has since been released from the custody of the Orleans Justice Center on a $2,500 bond. Attempts to contact Kain for comment were unsuccessful Monday. The station's management didnt immediately respond to messages. To protect the journalist's privacy, The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate is not naming the station or the employee Kain is accused of targeting. A Texas man walked up to a parked truck in a Westwego driveway Saturday afternoon, fatally shot a 63-year-old man inside the vehicle and then turned the gun on himself, authorities said. The gunman was identified by the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office Monday as Willie Woods Jr., 36, of Hurst, Texas. Woods gunned down Bob Comardelle as Comardelle sat in a vehicle in the driveway of his home in the 100 block of Farman Street in Westwego, according to Lt. Eric Orlando, a spokesman for the Westwego Police Department. Woods is the former boyfriend of Comardelle's niece, according to Orlando. The couple had been together for about nine years. Theylived in Texas for the last two-and-a-half years, but were not longer seeing each other, police said. Comardelle's niece told Westwego police that she filed a complaint against Woods about a week ago, accusing him of sexually assaulting a child, according to Orlando. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up On Saturday, an unidentified witness was riding in a pick-up truck with Comardelle when they arrived at Comardelle's residence on Farman Street about 1 p.m. The pair looked up and noticed Woods walking towards the vehicle, according to Orlando. "Mr. Comardelle opened the door. Woods, said 'Bob,' and then shot one round," Orlando said. Comardelle was hit in the chest and died at the scene, according to the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office. The witness told police he lost sight of the gunman but suddenly overheard another gunshot, according to authorities. Woods had killed himself with a gunshot wound to the head. He was found lying in Comardelle's front yard, about 10 to 15 feet away from the truck, Orlando said. Detectives aren't sure whether the sexual assault allegation was the motivating factor for Saturday's violence. If it was, they don't know why Comardelle would have been the target of Woods' ire, authorities said. "We may never know a motive," Orlando said. A 21-year-old Pearl River man who was killed late Friday night at a Pearl River area home died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office, which ruled the death a homicide. The Coroner's Office, which identified the slain man as Nicholas Eugene Livingston, conducted an autopsy Monday morning. No one has been arrested, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office investigation is ongoing, according to a Sheriff's Office spokesperson. The shooting took place in the 73000 block of Mike Talley Road, according to the Sheriff's Office, but no other details have been released about the homicide. The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information to call Sgt. Adam Rudolph at 985-726-7849 or 985-898-2338. Body and dashboard cameras are coming to the Gretna Police Department, a move that will make it the largest Jefferson Parish law enforcement agency to deploy the technology. The Jefferson Parish Council last week approved $125,000 for the west bank city's police department for the cameras. That will cover about half of the cost, and the rest of the money will come from the city, Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson said. Gretna, with roughly 100 full-time officers, will become the largest of Jefferson Parish's law enforcement agencies to have the cameras, which have become a rallying point for police accountability activists after footage from the cameras has shed light on police brutality and incidents where Black people have been shot and killed by officers around the country. New Orleans Police Department officers wear body cameras. And in St. Tammany Parish, the Sheriff's Office signed a five-year, $1.6 million contract last year with a company to equip deputies with cameras. But some other agencies including the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and Kenner Police Department have said the technology is too expensive. The Gretna Police plan to get about 80-100 cameras on a lease program that will include data storage, Lawson said. The lease will be for five years, and the equipment will be upgraded after three years, he said. Storage will be handled in the cloud, which helps make the program more affordable, Lawson said. Activists have pushed for the cameras to be broadly adopted as a measure to improve police accountability, especially in encounters with minorities. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Lawson said the cameras can aid police as well. +4 Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office an outlier on body cams as criticism swirls around deadly force A shooting last month that left a Black welder dead in Marrero after he bolted from deputies was only the latest episode of fatal force by Jef "It's something that is good for the community, it's good for the officers," he said. "If the officer is acting inappropriately or violates our policies, it gives us a tool there. It also gives us a tool with citizen complaints and litigation." Lawson said he plans to put dash-cameras in about 40 traffic and patrol vehicles as well as body-cams for most officers who are on the street. Some cameras will be kept in reserve for times when extra officers are required, such as during a SWAT deployment or during large public events, such as GretnaFest. Lawson said officials are weighing options between two companies Axon and BodyWorn but hope to have a decision within a week. After that, the cameras could be up and running within 30 days, he said. Policies were written for the cameras during a trial run last year, he said. "As soon as we get them, we are going to implement them," he said. In Westwego, another Jefferson Parish city whose police department has officer cameras, Chief Dwayne "Poncho" Munch said the cameras are crucial to maintaining credibility with the public. We're public servants, Munch said, We should be accountable to the people we serve, and there shouldnt be any he said, she said." New Orleans police said 12 robberies took place across the city Sunday, including a carjacking on South Claiborne Avenue late Sunday evening. At least 5 victims were assaulted and two were threatened with a gun, according to NOPD. Carjacking on Claiborne Police said a victim was at a gas station in the 3300 block of South Claiborne shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday when a suspect physically assaulted him, took his keys and fled in his white Subaru Outback with a personalized Pennsylvania license plate. Burglary in the Seventh Ward In a case of aggravated burglary, police said two suspects entered an apartment in the 2000 block of Law Street in the Seventh Ward at 3:30 a.m. The victim was asleep, and the suspects woke him, demanding cash and drugs, police said. After assaulting the victim, suspects fled the scene with the victim's cell phone, police said. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Armed robberies downtown In two other cases, one in the 300 block of Canal Street around 2:00 a.m. and another in the 300 block of Magazine Street about 5:00 a.m., suspects approached with handguns and demanded what the victims were carrying, according to police. Another armed robbery took place in the 5200 block of Elysian Fields Avenue around 6:00 a.m. It isn't clear if the three incidents are related. Purse snatchings citywide Victims' purses or other valuables were snatched in seven other incidents Sunday, one of which occurred around 7:30 a.m., two others in the early afternoon and four of which occurred after 10 p.m. The robberies took place downtown, in the seventh ward, in the French Quarter, in Mid-City and in the Marigny. One victim, who was approached by three juvenile suspects near the corner of Baronne and Girod streets around 10:00 p.m., chased after them and got her property back, police said. In a different incident, police said a suspect approached a victim around 1:00 p.m. and knocked her to the ground on the 1100 block of Esplanade Ave. The suspect removed her wallet and cellphone from her pockets and then returned, taking additional items, police said. Xi's condolences conveyed to family of "father of hybrid rice" Xinhua) 08:11, May 24, 2021 File photo taken on Aug. 19, 2013 shows Yuan Longping inspecting the trial plantation of hybrid rice at Guanyang County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, renowned for developing the first hybrid rice strain that pulled countless people out of hunger, died of illness at 91 on Saturday. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended condolences to the family of scientist Yuan Longping, known as "father of hybrid rice," who died on Saturday at the age of 91. The condolences of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, were conveyed by the secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee Xu Dazhe, according to Hunan Daily. Xu visited Yuan's family on Sunday and conveyed Xi's mourning for Yuan's passing. Born in 1930, Yuan succeeded in cultivating the world's first high-yield hybrid rice strain in 1973, which was later grown on a large scale in China and other countries to substantially raise output. Over the next four decades, he continued to research and upgrade hybrid rice, which has now reached its third generation. In the message, Xi highly affirmed Yuan's contribution to China's food security, innovation in agricultural technology, and world grain development. Xi urged Party members, cadres, and science and technology professionals to learn from Yuan, particularly his love for the Party, the motherland and the people, dedication to the needs of the motherland and the people, and other noble qualities. Yuan's family members expressed their gratitude and said they would carry forward Yuan's legacy to make new contributions to society. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) Multiple reports said black smoke was still rising from the crash site. Unconfirmed reports said one person was killed but it was not clear whether it was the pilot of someone at the home. The New Orleans City Council took the first step Thursday toward letting voters decide whether to renew the New Orleans Public Librarys taxes at their current rate. The move comes after voters rejected a plan put forward by Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration last fall that would have slashed the librarys taxes to bolster funds for economic development and infrastructure. The council voted unanimously to hold a final vote on putting the millage on the November 13 ballot at its July 15 meeting. If the vote to put the millage before the voters passes, as it is expected to, the millage renewal would go on the ballot alongside the elections for mayor, City Council members and other local officials. Public libraries in the city are currently funded through two taxes that total 4.91 mills and bring in about $20.8 million a year. One of those taxes is set to expire at the end of this year, which would amount to a more than 50% cut in the librarys budget. The councils proposal would extend the current tax at its existing rate, meaning the library would not see any cuts. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Last year, Cantrell proposed reworking the library tax and several others that were also set to expire this year. That plan would have seen the librarys tax rate drop to allow other taxes to rise without increasing the overall tax rate. In addition, the plan would have required that some of the tax now dedicated solely to the library be split with an early childhood education program. +2 How New Orleans could reconfigure taxes if plan is passed: See propositions, funding changes, more New Orleans voters will be asked to reconfigure five soon-to-expire taxes into four new ones on the Dec. 5 ballot, leaving the overall tax rat All told, that would have cut the amount the library received from the tax from $10.5 million to $2.5 million. Cantrell administration officials said the library would be able to absorb that cut because it had run a budget surplus in recent years. But library supporters argued the cuts would quickly deplete the librarys reserves and lead to major cuts in services. Largely due to that opposition, all of the administrations tax proposals were rejected by voters in November. At least 56% of voters cast ballots against each of the three ballot measures that made up the proposal. Property tax proposals, French Quarter sales tax voted down in New Orleans New Orleans voters solidly rejected all three parts of Mayor LaToya Cantrell's tax reshuffling Saturday night, voting down a plan that would h Neither the City Council nor Cantrell have proposed a renewal of the other taxes that would have been impacted by last years vote. That means about 3.24 mills of property taxes, equivalent to about $10.2 million, will still expire at the end of the year. That money is currently split between infrastructure and housing funds. Donald Boesch, the native New Orleanian whose long career in science has made him one of the worlds leading authorities on the causes and solutions to his home states coastal crisis, has a problem with the way the climate science news is being reported. No, not the findings. He agrees the world and Louisiana are careening toward unparalleled disasters if human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced soon. His complaint is that the second part of that last sentence isnt getting enough attention. Science is always about cause and effect. Boesch is concerned the possible catastrophic scale of those effects are making the public overlook the fact they can be reduced or avoided if the cause is addressed. When these articles come out its important to pay attention to the fact that they consistently show this dramatic sea level rise that could come from polar ice melt in Antarctica and Greenland could be avoided if we actually achieve the goals of the Paris climate agreements, he said. The point is: This doesnt have to happen if we address the cause that is clearly stated in these papers. Of course, Boesch is right; the treatment to the problem is clearly stated. But his complaint is troubling to me because I think the record shows the cause of the problem has been well-reported. It hasnt resulted in action because of another cause and effect. The effect: Many politicians still feel free to delay or block the tough regulations and overhauls needed to reduce emissions. The cause: The public still has not made it a top priority when voting. A quick Google search of sea level rise and greenhouse gas emissions returned 95 million hits in less than one second. Similarly, a search of the Paris climate agreements brings 105 million hits in little more than half a second. Yet a Pew Center poll before the 2020 elections found climate change ranked 11th out of 12 issues considered by likely voters. Only 42% of those polled considered it very important. Meanwhile, one 2019 poll showed more than 70% of Louisiana voters believed in climate change and felt it was already increasing hurricane and other weather events, and a solid majority would pay higher taxes to address coastal issues. And another 2019 poll of Louisiana voters showed 97% want their elected officials to prioritize tackling coastal land loss when in office. What these signal to me is that the message about cause and effect is being received by most Louisiana voters but they keep electing legislators and congressmen who dont share their concerns. These elected officials, many supported handsomely by oil and gas contributions, spend most of their time worrying about what effects emissions reforms could have on a shrinking industry that is still laying workers off. They never mention the need: Even delaying taking action could allow the Gulf of Mexico to swallow many of the communities, and jobs, in south Louisiana. Which brings up another issue Boesch believes the public should be better informed about: Action now may well put off some of those really bad impacts into the next century. We need to act now on emissions while sea level rise is not out of control, he said. If we dont act smartly now, a lot of what we achieve with the coastal master plan could be wiped out before the end of this century. What people and policymakers need to understand is that what we do in the next 20 to 30 years will determine whether south Louisiana becomes part of the Gulf or not. Consider them told. Bob Marshall, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Louisiana environmental journalist, can be reached at bmarshallenviro@gmail.com, and followed on Twitter @BMarshallEnviro. Editor's Note This article is brought to you by Digital Work Tools. Moving into a shared apartment and worried about the new flatmate? Or perhaps youre concerned if your potential date might not be who they say they are? Read on to see the best background check services you can use! Running a background check for various reasons can help you uncover a ton of information about an individual. So, if you want to know if your spouse is unfaithful or find the right background check tool for the job this guide is for you. So lets get to it! Best Background Check Sites: First Look Best background check service overall: Truthfinder Best for verifying educational history: Intelius Cheapest background check site: Instant Checkmate A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau: Infotracer Top background checker in the U.S.: Spokeo Easy background search engine: US Search Best for finding people: PeopleFinders Best for businesses: GoodHire 1. Truthfinder Best Background Check Service Overall Pros Many search parameters available Unlimited checks with membership Search reports include social media profiles $30.00/month for one month $26.00/month for three months Cons No individual reports Unnecessary scare tactics Truthfinder claims to be one of Americas most trusted background check services, and for a good reason! It allows you to reach for anyone, including family, friends, potential dates, roommates, and much more. Information on Truthfinder is also very accurate as it goes above and beyond to dig up useful info, even scouring the dark web. Going by user reviews alone, its easy to see why Truthfinder is so popular. Customers claim the service to be very accurate, and they could uncover the info they needed. Info Truthfinder can uncover: Social media info Contact details State records County & federal records Birth and death records And much more! Another notable feature Truthfinder has is its family tree search. Dont we all want to know more about our roots? Using Truthfinders family tree search, you can learn more about your familys history simply by putting in their first and last name and the state theyre from. The only downside to Truthfinder is the fact you cant carry out individual searches. So if you want a one-off search, you might be better off using a different background check tool. 2. Intelius -- Best Educational Background Screening Site Pros Affordable Reports offer educational history $19.95 for the 24-hour people search plan Cons Customer service isnt the best Not always 100% accurate Intelius is a Seattle-based background check company that aims to provide you with accurate and detailed information. Compared to most background check services, Intelius is quite affordable and offers a wide range of different services. Going through customer reviews, most users review Intelius as accurate and fast which is a bonus! On the downside, some people claim Intelius has a habit of putting many hidden fees on the total price, so watch out for that. Info Intelius can uncover: Public records Criminal records Educational history Some of Intelius best features include identity protection. In this package, youll get bank account protection, as well as bank cards and phone monitoring. The whole thing also ensures a hefty $1 million in case of identity theft. Additionally, you can also take advantage of the reverse phone lookup feature too, which lets you find out someones info just by using their phone number. Pretty handy! 3. Instant Checkmate -- Cheapest Background Check Service Pros User-friendly interface Mobile app friendly Social media search included $22.86 for a 1-month membership Cons Not the best customer service Reports take longer The site provides all kinds of reports based on the available public information while also offering simple explanations of how you can use the data. Most user reviews are positive. Generally, people find Instant Checkmate to be very accurate and thorough. The only downside was the fact that users didnt find the customer service team very responsive. Info Instant Checkmate can uncover: Criminal records Arrest records Public records information, i.e., phone numbers, addresses, etc. Social media accounts Instant Checkmate comes with a couple of interesting special features. This includes location search, which lets you find someones address using the persons first and last name, including their address. Plus, the platform also offers a handy app so that you can search anyone up while on the go. 4. Infotracer -- Cheapest Criminal Background Check Service Pros Offers facial recognition search Affordable 24/7 customer service availability $2.95 for a 5-day trial Cons Some users have complained of false information No iOS app available yet Infotracer is popular amongst many, and for a good reason. It supports countless different searches, and it even offers a nicely priced 5-day trial. They also boast a highly responsive customer service team which is always a bonus! Plenty of users have only positive things to say about Infotracer, especially relating to the speed and accuracy of the results. While a few have complained about receiving false background check information, customer service was quick to get back to them about it. Info Infotracer can uncover: Criminal records Court records Assets Social media Vital records Political contributions Professional licenses One of Infrotracer's most notable features is its facial recognition search. This allows you to find someone using their photo, similar to reverse search, but more effective. Another helpful feature is the VIN check, which lets you identify motor vehicle records, accidents, repairs, and anything more to do with your or someone's car. All you need is a license plate number or a VIN. This can come in handy during an accident! 5. Spokeo -- Top Background Search Company in the U.S. Pros Great prices Easy to use Can search up to 120+ Social Networks $13.95 per month Cons Not the best crime reports Hidden fees Spokeo is very popular for providing accurate background check results and offers a variety of background check reports. Some of these reports include property, historical, court, and consumer records. Not to mention the extensive social media searches the service provides. The site itself doesn't offer the same user-friendly experience as the other platforms do, but the information reports are very extensive. Overall, the user experience from past customers is very positive and accurate. 6. US Search -- Top User-Friendly Online Background Check Company Pros Some search results are free Most reports also include contact info Super easy to use $20.00 per month for unlimited searches Cons Not all reports are accurate No single reports option The US Search tool is pretty effective for finding an acquaintance or an old friend. However, it isn't accurate for more serious searches such as criminal background checks or finding out if someone's on the sex offender list. On the upside, US Search lets you find out some info for free, like the person's location, before you unlock the full report. Plus, if you go for the monthly subscription, you'll get unlimited searches - which is pretty handy! 7. PeopleFinders -- Best Background Checker for Locating Someone Pros Single report purchase option Mobile-app friendly $24.95/month for unlimited search reports Cons No social media data Info isnt very extensive PeopleFinders is pretty effective at locating people using its public records system. The platform also boasts a user-friendly app and relatively accurate information, even if it isn't very extensive. You can also purchase a single reports option for $1.95 if all you need is limited information and don't fancy a full plan. However, upgrading to a premium subscription lets you carry out unlimited searches. The background reports provide information such as their history of addresses, phone numbers, and relatives. If you purchase a background report, you'll also have access to court records and a check of the national sex offender registry. 8. GoodHire -- Best Employment Background Check Service Pros Covers employment credit checks Offers employer references FCRA accredited $29.99/month for the basic plan Cons Some states require separate fees Criminal checks take longer GoodHire is one of the best options out there for employers and businesses. Since it's FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) accredited, you can legally use this service for business purposes. The platform offers a ton of different screenings for employees. The top screenings are education and employment verification and employment drug tests, and criminal background checks. All of which are useful to various types of businesses. Keep in mind that criminal check fees vary from state to state, so be sure to check that before carrying it out. However, overall, GoodHire has a very high accuracy rating and affordable rates for frequent users. Best Background Check Sites: FAQ What Different Types of Background Checks Are There? Employment Background Checks are used to uncover information such as the persons work history, criminal record, education, driving record, and more. Criminal Background Checks reveal information about someones criminal history by going through the state, national and federal reports, including any pending criminal cases Universal Background Checks are usually required during a firearms transaction in the United States. OIG Background Checks are used to find individuals that are exempt from participating in any federal healthcare program. E-Verify Background Checks ensure that a person holds a legal employment status. Often confused with a criminal background check, the E-Verify only relates to work eligibility. Fingerprint Background Checks identify a previously convicted individual who is registered in the fingerprint database. International Background Checks are used to screen any person residing in a different country. Credit Background Checks are usually carried out by an employer, is carried out to see your credit history to see how you've handled debt. Personal Background Checks reveal sensitive information like your education history, criminal records, driving records, and employment. Professional Licenses Background Checks, otherwise known as an education verification check, this service verifies if the individual holds the license as claimed. What Can Be Included in a Typical Background Check? Personal info: Personal information such as your educational and employment history and criminal records, and even previous addresses are often cited as personal info. Social connections: Online social media platforms are also included in a routine background check, including any accounts on dating sites or similar platforms. Professional and civil records: Professional and civil records usually include a person's real estate and other assets, which are accessed through civil registry records. What Wont a Consumer Background Report Uncover? Credit score: A credit score won't usually show up on a consumer background check, though a landlord may submit a request for it. Financial records: Unless you're carrying out a financial background check, the financial records aren't part of the consumer background check. Medical records: Your medical reports are legally bound by confidentiality with your doctor. Phone records: While some phone numbers linked to you may show up, the actual phone records won't. What Is the Most Accurate Criminal Background Check Provider? Infotracer is both an accurate and affordable background check company for criminal checks. The criminal reports are very detailed, and the report includes court documents that can come in very handy. Can I Run a Background Check On My New Roommate, Neighbor, Online Date, Etc.? If you have the individual's full name, address, and other necessary details, technically, you can run a background check on them. However, ethically, it doesn't mean you should. It's best to get their permission beforehand to avoid any trouble or try to be as discreet as possible about it. Which Site Is Best to Run a Background Check on Myself? Truthfinder is one of the best background check services out there, as well as the most accurate. So if you want to see what information someone else has access to, it's a good idea to run a background check on yourself. Similarly, if you're concerned about what a potential employer can uncover, you can also use GoodHire to run a background check on yourself. This will let you see what employment and educational history comes up. What Do Employers and Businesses Need to Know About Running Background Checks? Employers and businesses must choose a background check company that's currently FCRA accredited. This means the background check service is legally permitted to access the potential employee's records relating to their past work, education, and more. Not doing so can lead to legal trouble and hefty fines. The best background check service for employers is GoodHire. However, there are many other ones you can choose from, too. Also, the chosen company must provide accurate results. Usually, you can find that out by checking out other customer reviews to see if that's the case. Lastly, suppose you're planning on doing frequent searches. In that case, it's also a good idea to see if the background check company provides affordably monthly deals with unlimited or a decent amount of searches. The cost can add up quickly, so it's a good idea to look into that. Best Background Check Services: The Takeaway With so many background search companies out there, it's daunting to find the right one. Hopefully, this guide made the overall background check process more straightforward, and you have a fair idea of which service to choose. While Truthfinder is a very accurate service that provides customers with the information they need, it's one of the many. It's important first to understand the type of check you need, whether it's a criminal report or if you're a business owner - since every company is different. Have you tried any one of the background check companies above? Let us know what you think, and thanks for reading. Norman, OK (73070) Today Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early will become more isolated after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early will become more isolated after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Williamsport, Pa. Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation has made an Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program contribution that will cover fees for 15 high schools and career and technology centers that are participating in Pennsylvania College of Technologys dual enrollment program, Penn College NOW. The Penn College Foundation is approved as an Educational Improvement Organization under EITC, which is administered by the state Department of Community & Economic Development. Penn College NOW enables academically qualified high school and career and technology center students to take tuition-free courses for college credit. Last year, 1,701 students earned 6,893 credits valued at more than $3.8 million through Penn College NOW. The $25,000 donation from Cabot will pay Penn College NOW 2021-22 Academic Year participation fees for: Adams County Tech Prep, Bradford Area High School, Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science & Technology, Chester County Technical College High School, Columbia/Montour Area Vocational-Technical School, Cumberland Perry Area Vocational-Technical School, Jersey Shore Area High School, Keystone Central School District Career & Technology Center, Northern Tier Career Center, Northern Tioga School District (Williamson High School), Northumberland County Career and Technology Center, Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center, SUN Area Technical Institute, Williamsport Area High School, and York County School of Technology. We are most grateful to Cabot for this donation in support of our Penn College NOW partners, who clearly recognize the value the program offers to students exploring career pathways, said President Davie Jane Gilmour. Taking courses for college credit builds confidence and allows these students to save time and money, providing a head start toward earning a degree. This is the first year were contributing to the Penn College NOW program, and were excited to see the funds directly impacting so many students, said George Stark, director, external affairs at Cabot. We choose to put our EITC efforts toward these types of career and technology programs because we believe they are a critical component to building a stronger workforce. The department of K-12 Outreach cannot thank Cabot enough for its support in providing resources for Penn College NOW partners, said Randy J. Zangara, dean of college transitions and first year initiatives. These resources create opportunities for students to gain a better understanding of industry needs, prepare them for the college experience and, ultimately, provide them with a path to student success. For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissons@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222. Scranton, Pa. The United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sean Scott, 43, of Schuylkill County, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment to be followed by four years on supervised release on May 20, 2021 by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiring to possess and distribute fentanyl. According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Scott previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute at least 280 grams but less than 400 grams of fentanyl throughout Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties. Scotts involvement in the charged conspiracy began in May of 2017 through November 2017. The matter was investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorneys Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is also 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. Washington, DC - This week, U.S. Rep. Fred Keller sponsored a bill to permanently exempt race cars and other motorized racing vehicles from Environmental Protection Agency regulations. The EPA attempted to begin regulating racing vehicles in 2016, but the proposed rule was withdrawn and never implemented. Although racing vehicles are not subject to emission regulations, the passage of H.R. 3281, also known as the RPM Act, would ensure that racing vehicles remain immune to Clean Air Act regulations indefinitely. It is important to note that the new law would apply exclusively to vehicles that are only used on race tracks, including street vehicles that have been modified for racing purposes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, modified vehicles produce massive amounts of excess pollution. Modified vehicles often use "defeat devices" to disable emission controls including filters and catalysts in the exhaust system, fuel calibrations, and engine settings. The specificity of the RPM Act seeks to placate the EPA by limiting exemptions to vehicles that see limited use. On the legislation, Congressman Keller made the following statement: Motorsports represent a vital part of our local economy and a key component of Pennsylvanias rich automotive heritage and culture. Our district is home to the Selinsgrove Speedway, Clinton County Motor Speedway, Port Royal Speedway, Beaver Springs Dragway, and thousands of racing fansmyself included. I am proud to sign onto the RPM Act as an original cosponsor to shield motorsports from unnecessary federal regulation and safeguard the future of this important American industry. I was sitting on the porch and talking to one of my friends and I heard a series of shots. At first I thought it was just fireworks, Dalonzo Gibson told local news station WYFF. But then when I heard retaliation with an additional gun, because it sounded different, I knew they were guns. Cedartown, GA (30125) Today Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Rome, GA (30161) Today Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. WASHINGTON Dan Crenshaw had to take a break from making skydiving videos as he continues to recover from surgery on what hes called his half a good eye. If you go above a thousand feet, your eye explodes, the Texas Republican said. Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, is easily identifiable by his eye patch. Its a constant reminder of the roadside bomb blast in 2012 that destroyed his right ... Cohen, whos a key witness in multiple criminal investigations into former President Donald Trump, told the Daily News he was strolling through the park listening to music when the jogger flipped him off and dropped a barrage of F bombs at him. In 2017, Tax Equity Now decided to sue to force the city and state to reform the system. That part of the groups efforts is still underway. After a state appellate court rejected its lawsuit last year, TENNY is planning to appeal its decision in the state Court of Appeals. They will lay out specific solutions, and then its up to the legislature, of course, to act on them. We look forward to that. Napoleon, OH (43545) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Former local deputy, firefighter dies in line of duty in New Mexico Russel Kohrs, an environmental science teacher at the Massanutten Regional Governors School in Mt. Jackson, co-authored an online geology textbook for community colleges with five other authors. A new mural in Gary's lakefront Miller neighborhood honors first responders as heroes of the coronavirus pandemic. Lee Companies in Miller commissioned the First Responders Tribute Mural on Lake Streets East Wall Art Alley, in the alley behind Lee Companies' office at 563 S. Lake Street. It's a prime spot in the Miller Beach Arts & Creative Districts biannual Lake Effekt wall art painting event that turn Miller into an outdoor art gallery filled with bright, vibrant murals. Acclaimed local muralist Felix Maldonado, whose other works included the five-story Jackson 5 mural downtown and the Michael Jordan mural in East Chicago, painted the piece honoring those on the front lines caring for the victims of the coronavirus disease that's claimed more than 3.4 million victims worldwide, including more than 600,000 in the United States. The large horizontal mural features portraits of nurses and other masked health care professionals, including one making a heart symbol with her hands. It also includes a dictionary definition of the word "hero." "Celebrated local muralist Felix Maldonados vision is a powerful depiction of the firemen, police, and health care professionals who risked their lives for our safety and well-being," Karen Lee with Lee Companies said in a news release. Congressman Suozzi takes a lot of money from insurance groups and pharma groups that give him money so that he will not support Medicare For All, said DArrigo, whos a proponent of the single-payer health care system favored by progressives. If youre going to represent the people, you cannot take money from groups that work against the people. EAST CHICAGO Two men were arrested on gun charges Saturday during a traffic stop by an Indiana State Police trooper participating in a Lake County Sheriff's Department initiative, officials said. The trooper stopped a gray Volkswagen driven by James R. Nelson, 20, of Lansing, about 6:40 p.m. for going 82 mph in a 45 mph on eastbound Chicago Avenue, Indiana State Police said. The Volkswagen stopped on Columbus Drive, just west of Cline Avenue. The trooper found two illegal handguns and marijuana during a search of the car, police said. Nelson was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license and operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a driver's license. Front seat passenger Joe J. Watkins, 22, of East Chicago, was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a handgun and misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license, police said. Watkins also had a warrant for resisting law enforcement, officials said. Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez thanked the agencies that assisted with his "criminal patrol blitz" last weekend, according to a state police news release. She repeatedly identified images of the SUV including video of the vehicle near the scene of the fire as a 2003 Ford Explorer she and Ronald Gee owned. Ronald Gee had taken the keys from her before the fire and had control of the Explorer at the time, she said. Robin Gee also identified a man seen standing at the back of the Explorer as Ronald Gee, saying she recognized his clothing and the way he carried himself. Defense attorney Kerry Connor objected to Robin Gee's identification of the man as Ronald Gee, but Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota allowed the testimony because of Robin Gee's familiarity with her estranged husband. Robin Gee said Ronald Gee was upset with her the night of the fire because she had informed him she would not be returning for the night to the home they shared on Chicago's South Side. She had filed for divorce and they were sleeping in different rooms at the time, she said. Robin Gee testified Ronald Gee told her she wasn't being a good mother to their children and threatened to take them away from her. She told Ronald Gee "over my dead body," to which he replied, "That can be arranged," she said. The Indiana Supreme Court has agreed to resolve a long-running dispute over the assessed value of Southlake Mall once again putting Lake County and the city of Hobart potentially on the hook to pay more than $12 million in refunds. County and city officials breathed a sigh of relief in December when the appellate-level Indiana Tax Court largely affirmed the assessed value calculated for the 2011-14 period by the Indiana Board of Tax Review, which was closer to the value set by the county assessor than the value sought by the mall. Tax Court Judge Martha Wentworth concluded the board's determination was sufficiently supported by the evidence in the case, leaving Wentworth no choice but to deny the mall's request she reweigh the evidence and reduce the mall's assessment and corresponding property tax obligation. But the mall claims in its petition for review by the state's highest court that Wentworth and the state tax board ignored an Indiana law requiring an assessor definitively prove its assessment is correct if a property's value increases more than 5% compared to the prior year, otherwise the assessment automatically returns to the prior amount. VALPARAISO A Valparaiso man, accused of strangling his roommate, who later died, spoke incoherently at times during his initial hearing Monday morning and wore jail garb designed to prevent him from harming himself or others. Michael Bachar, 43, had pleas of not guilty entered on his behalf to felony counts of aggravated battery and strangulation during the hearing conducted via videoconferencing between the jail and courthouse. Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer told Bachar he is being held without bond and that his case was being transferred to Porter Circuit Court, where an earlier auto theft and criminal mischief case is pending. A June 8 status hearing is scheduled for Bachar before Judge Mary DeBoer and attorney status will be discussed. Bachar is accused of strangling George Batey, 60, of Valparaiso, who later died of asphyxiation, officials have said. The manner of death was ruled a homicide, and Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann has said his office will be consulting with Valparaiso police to determine if additional charges will be filed as a result of Batey's death. LANSING The village is ready to honor its Hometown Heroes. At 6 p.m. Thursday, a program is planned for the upper level of the Lansing Public Library, 2750 Indiana Ave., to celebrate the village's veterans. Mayor Patty Eidam, a veteran herself, previously told the Times she wanted to honor those who have lived or currently live in Lansing and have served in the armed forces. "We thought Lansing would be an ideal place for such a program," Eidam said then, noting the veterans memorial at Lansing Municipal Airport and the village's thriving American Legion post. "Veterans in Lansing are valued in the highest regard," she added. The village will honor veterans with 100 banners that will be displayed on Lansing streets this year and next. The banners were sponsored by family members, friends or businesses. At Thursday's event, the village will unveil miniature replicas of the banners that will be on display at the library this year. CHICAGO A Calumet City man died Sunday after reportedly driving a car off the Torrence Avenue bridge and plunging 30 feet into the Calumet River below, authorities said. Jaime Navarro, 39, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner's office. A 16-year-old boy was in the car at the time of the crash late Sunday, police said. Various media outlets have reported the teen was Navarro's son. Officers with the Chicago police Marine Unit and the U.S. Coast Guard were involved in a water rescue after the crash, which occurred about 6:49 p.m. in the 12400 block of South Torrence Avenue, Chicago police said. Witnesses told police the driver of a white Sedan was traveling northbound when he went through a retention net, sending the car plummeting into the water as the bridge was going up. The 16-year-old was rescued by a passing boat and transported to a hospital, police said. The police Marine Unit searched the water for Navarro. He was later transported to the hospital and declared dead. The boy was in good condition Sunday night following the crash, police said. Seven-day positivity rates in Northwest Indiana included 6.2% in Lake County, up from 6%; 6.6% in Porter County, down from 6.7%; 7.5% in LaPorte County up from 7.4%; 8.3% in Newton County, up from 6.1%; and 9.5% in Jasper County, down from 9.9%. Contact tracing can become difficult when the number exceeds 5%, and community spread is considered out of control when the positivity rate is greater than 10%. A total of 41.7% of Indiana's total population have been fully vaccinated. To date, 2,428,136 Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome at the former Roosevelt High School in Gary, which is offering both the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines. The Gary clinic, which runs through June 2, is offering vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 2401 Harrison St., Gary. A mobile clinic is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at First Church, 5387 Ind. 10, in Wheatfield. Walmart and Sam's Club now are offering walk-in coronavirus vaccine shots at all of its 124 pharmacies in Indiana. CVS also is accepting walk-in COVID-19 vaccination appointments at its more than 300 Hoosier locations, including in most cities and towns in Northwest Indiana. At Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, the donation process began with blood work, urine samples and a lot of meetings with medical staff to ensure she was clear on what the donor process would entail. When Allen discovered she and Alvarado were a match, she says she was elated. It just had a different feeling to it when you know a little about his story, she said. It changed everything for me. In the months leading up to the surgery, she says even everyday actions took on additional meaning. I was so much more intentional about what I ate, she said. Yet she never wavered from her plan. I have two kidneys and both work well, she said. Someone needs what I have, so why would I not give it to him? It was that simple to me. On March 31, the kidney transplant surgery took place. Unbeknownst to either of them, their hospital rooms were next to each other. A new beginning Today, Alvarado has a functioning kidney and no longer has to undergo dialysis. HAMMOND About a dozen people stood watch Sunday afternoon on a berm along the Little Calumet River, near a hotel where a 12-year-old boy was last seen more than a week ago. Kyrin Carter, who has autism, was last seen about 12:30 p.m. May 15 at the Best Western at 3830 179th St., Hammond police Lt. Steve Kellogg said. Hundreds of volunteers and more than 25 police agencies have assisted during the past week with a search for Carter. Drones, helicopters and boats have been deployed, with the focus mainly on the river that runs behind the hotel. Divers searched the Little Calumet River Friday night and Saturday morning, but Carter remains missing. Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police used a boat equipped with sonar again Sunday, searching the Little Calumet River from Oxbow Park in Hammond to just east of the hotel, Officer Terri Millefoglie said. The river level in the area of the Best Western was about 11 feet Sunday, she said. The river level has been decreasing, which created some challenges getting a boat on and off a ramp, Millefoglie said. Hammond police were conducting regular checks of the river Sunday, Kellogg said. Representing a swath of northeast Queens, Liu is a heavy hitter in local politics who formerly served on the City Council and as the citys comptroller. His support could significantly boost Yangs profile as he works to solidify support from the Asian-American community throughout Queens and across the city. In the near future, giant index funds, those low-cost investments that have helped millions of people to build nest eggs, will gain practical power over the majority of U.S. public companies. That nightmarish vision originated in a prescient 2018 paper by John Coates. Mr. Coates was a professor of Harvard Law School when he laid out his argument one that I share. Now, he is a policymaker. In February, he became acting director of the Securities and Exchange Commissions division of corporation finance. Under the new reform-minded S.E.C. chairman, Gary Gensler, Mr. Coates is in a position to address the problems he has analyzed so painstakingly. Neither Mr. Coates nor Mr. Gensler was available for an interview, but in that paper, Mr. Coates laid out his views. Index funds, which simply track the market and make no attempt to outperform it, are so effective and cheap, he said, that they have become the investment vehicle of choice for trillions of dollars of assets. Yet under current rules, it is the index fund executives, not the millions of people who invest in them, who have the power to cast proxy votes. Those votes are the heart of a system intended to give investors a voice on crucial matters like how much the chief executive is paid or whether a company is damaging the environment. Perhaps even worse, Ms. Cooper remarked early on that shed never heard of Brian Lehrer, the beloved WNYC morning host whose gently probing, public-spirited interviews embody the stations appeal, and that she didnt get why he was popular. She has since come to the view that Brian is the soul of the station and, in many ways, the city itself, a WNYC spokeswoman, Jennifer Houlihan Roussel, said in an email. In fact, Ms. Coopers mission was to jump-start the stations lagging digital transformation, something she had done with unusual success in San Francisco and that requires a willingness to make enemies. She has ambitious plans to hire 15 to 20 more reporters but first she had the near-impossible assignment of bringing together a group of traditional radio journalists, used to working for days and occasionally weeks on colorful local features, with the reporters at Gothamist, the scrappy local blog that WNYC bailed out in 2018. Ms. Cooper sought to professionalize Gothamist away from its bloggy and irreverent roots, telling reporters to be less openly hostile to the New York Police Department in their reporting, two reporters said. Ms. Roussel suggested that Ms. Cooper was trying to rein in Gothamists habit of adding an element of editorializing to its coverage that can be interpreted as bias. And Ms. Cooper started pushing the radio journalists to pick up their pace and to file stories for the web. That seemed like a reasonable request, but it led to another stumble in early February, when an 18-year veteran of the radio side, Fred Mogul, filed a story with one paragraph printed in a different font. The editor realized it was Associated Press copy; Ms. Cooper promptly fired Mr. Mogul for plagiarism without a review of whether hed ever done it before. Ms. Cooper declined to speak to me about Mr. Moguls termination. But one thing I learned this week about public radio is that no matter what is happening, someone is always recording it. And that was true when Ms. Cooper called a virtual meeting Feb. 5 over Zoom to inform the full newsroom of her decision to fire Mr. Mogul. According to a copy of the recording provided to me by an attendee, Ms. Cooper told the staffers, Its totally OK to be sad. But then several stunned radio reporters questioned the move, explaining that they regularly incorporated A.P. copy into stories on air and had imported the practice to WNYCs little-read website, crediting The A.P. at the bottom of the story. Go through every single one of our articles and fire all of us, because that is exactly what we have all done, one host, Rebeca Ibarra, told her. After this article was published online, Mr. Moguls lawyer, Cynthia Rollings, said in an email that he disputed the accusation that he had misused A.P. copy and said that his draft had included attribution to The A.P. She said Mr. Mogul has commenced legal action against Audrey Cooper and New York Public Radio for wrongful termination and defamation. (His response to an earlier email seeking comment went to my spam folder.) Yes, Charles Sobhraj and Marie-Andree Leclerc were dangerous psychopaths. In the 1970s, the suave Frenchman murdered a slew of backpacking hippies in Thailand and Nepal, while his Quebecois accomplice helped draw potential victims into their net. But the couple also possessed a singular sex appeal which helped them in luring those victims. Their real-life odyssey is the subject of the Netflix and BBC series The Serpent, where they are portrayed by Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman as equal parts glamorous and terrifyingly amoral. Charles and Marie-Andree stand in stark contrast to Herman Knippenberg (Billy Howle), the upright Dutch diplomat hot on their trail. Much of the shows appeal derives from its sexy, decadent 1970s vibe. Although we were telling a true crime story, I never felt like it had to be in a sort of documentary style, said the executive producer Tom Shankland, who also directed the first four episodes (he also helmed the 2019 mini-series Les Miserables). In an email and a video call from Buckinghamshire, England, Shankland, 52, discussed some of the aesthetic inspirations behind The Serpent. FAST FIVE (2011) 7:05 p.m. on USA. The latest chapter of the Fast & Furious franchise, F9, finally squeals into theaters next month (sorry) after some delays. The new movie will see the return of the director Justin Lin, who has helmed several Fast & Furious movies but has been absent from the series since 2013. In 2011, Lin brought a haywire energy to Fast Five, which was a slight departure: It pays less attention to souped-up cars than previous movies in the series had, opting for a more straightforward action plot with minimal street racing (for better or worse). Lin, having come of cinematic age in the maximalist era of Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay, cleaves to the principle of more, Manohla Dargis wrote in her review for The Times. About the only silence you hear in this movie, amid the crunch of metal and the hard rain of shattering glass, is the one between Doms ears. Thats Dom, the Iron Giant of a racer played by Vin Diesel, of course. INHERIT THE WIND (1960) 10:30 p.m. on TCM. When this adaptation of Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lees play first came to movie theaters, The Timess Bosley Crowther called the work of its stars, Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, one of the most brilliant and engrossing displays of acting ever witnessed on the screen. Under the direction of Stanley Kramer, the two actors play a statesman (March) and his lawyer foe (Tracy) who argue in court over a case involving a high school educator (Dick York) put on trial for teaching his students about Darwinism. (The story is based on the 1925 Scopes Trial.) TCM is showing the film alongside another classic courtroom story, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962), which airs at 8 p.m. Join Times theater reporter Michael Paulson in conversation with Lin-Manuel Miranda, catch a performance from Shakespeare in the Park and more as we explore signs of hope in a changed city. For a year, the Offstage series has followed theater through a shutdown. Now were looking at its rebound. Thursday MOLLYS GAME (2017) 5 p.m. on FX. A year before his To Kill a Mockingbird adaptation debuted on Broadway, Aaron Sorkin made his film directorial debut with Mollys Game, a biographical drama about Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), the poker entrepreneur who ran illicit high-stakes poker games for celebrities and others before getting busted in the early 2010s. Bloom documented her own fall from grace in a 2014 memoir, upon which Sorkins script is based. In addition to seeking limits on flights, European officials called for the immediate release of the journalist, Roman Protasevich, who was detained on Sunday with his partner, Sofia Sapega. His arrest was aggressive even for Mr. Lukashenko, who claimed an improbably large victory in an election last year and was already subject to European Union sanctions. Airlines are often forced to adjust operations in response to major disruptions, geopolitical and otherwise. This month, for example, several U.S. airlines canceled flights to and from Israel as a conflict there escalated. Some carriers also adjusted procedures, including adding fueling stops, after the hacking of a fuel pipeline company that serves airports on the East Coast of the United States. In 2014, nearly 300 people were killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine, where hostilities were raging, on its way to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam. Western governments blamed the Russian government and Russian-backed rebels fighting the Ukrainian government, while Moscow denied involvement. The Netherlands sued Russia in the European Court of Human Rights last year in an effort to secure evidence that would be useful to families of the victims. From 2017 until this year, Qatar Airways was forced to avoid airspace over Saudi Arabia and several neighboring countries after they imposed an air, land and sea embargo against Qatar. In some cases, that meant flying longer routes around the Arabian Peninsula. The neighbors accused Qatar of supporting terrorism. Qatar has denied those accusations. The movement to isolate Belarus will have little effect on U.S. passenger airlines, which rarely fly over the country, according to Flightradar24. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken condemned the forced landing of the Ryanair flight, calling it a shocking act that endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including U.S. citizens. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the safety of U.S. flights over Belarus should be assessed. But cargo carriers could be affected. On Sunday, for example, more than a dozen flights operated by U.S. airlines flew over Belarus, according to Flightradar24, including five by FedEx, four by UPS and two by Atlas Air. In a statement, UPS said that its network remained unaffected, but that it was evaluating other flight route options that will provide for the safety of our crews and aircraft, as well as maintain service for our customers in case it had to make changes. FedEx said it was closely monitoring the issue. Electric Truck Start-Up Lordstown Slashes Production Goal Follow our latest coverage of markets, business and the economy. Lordstown Motors halves the number of vehicles it will make in 2021. Lordstowns biggest selling point to investors was that it had thousands of pre-orders for its truck, the Endurance. Credit... Megan Jelinger/Agence France-Presse Getty Images Shares of Lordstown Motors, a start-up aiming to make electric pickup trucks, dropped 7 percent on Tuesday after the company said it would at best make just 50 percent of the vehicles it had previously hoped to build this year, unless it is able to raise additional capital. What we are saying is that if we dont get any funding, we might only make half of what we thought, Lordstowns chief executive, Steve Burns, said Monday during a conference call. Mr. Burns said the company was still on track to begin making trucks by September. Lordstown has had discussions with some strategic investors who could pump money into the company, he said, and it has looked into borrowing money by using its plant or other assets as collateral. He also said the company was looking into borrowing from a federal government program meant to support the development of electric vehicles, but it was unclear if it had any funds left. Lordstown would be able to make as many as 2,200 trucks by the end of the year if it gets funding, Mr. Burns said. Without additional capital, it would probably make fewer than 1,000. Mr. Burns has been hoping Lordstown would be the first to produce an electric pickup truck aimed at commercial fleets such as large construction and mining companies, but it will soon face some formidable competition. Ford Motor last week unveiled an electric version of its F-150 pickup that is supposed to go on sale next spring. Lordstown gained attention because it bought an auto plant in Lordstown, Ohio, that General Motors had closed. It was also once hailed by former President Donald J. Trump for saving manufacturing jobs. It became a publicly traded company last year by merging with a special purpose acquisition vehicle, a company set up with cash from investors and a stock listing. Several other electric vehicle and related businesses have gone public through similar mergers in recent months, taking advantage of investors desire to find the next Tesla. Lordstown, which is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, said it lost $125 million in the first quarter of 2021, but ended the period with $587 million in cash. United Airlines will start a ticket lottery for vaccinated loyalty program members. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that Americans who are fully vaccinated could travel at low risk to themselves. Credit... Carlos Barria/Reuters United Airlines is encouraging people to get vaccinated by offering them the chance to win free flights. The airline said on Monday that loyalty program members who upload their vaccination records to Uniteds mobile app or website through June 22 are eligible to win a round-trip flight for two in any class of service, to anywhere in the world United flies. The carrier will give away 30 pairs of tickets in June. On July 1, United will give five people a grand prize of travel for a year for themselves and a companion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April said that Americans who were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus could travel at low risk to themselves. The sweepstakes comes as the Biden administration pushes for 70 percent of adults in the United States to receive at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by July 4. Some states and businesses have created incentives of their own: Ohio will give five people $1 million each in return for having been vaccinated as part of a weekly lottery program, and Krispy Kreme is offering one free glazed doughnut every day if those take their vaccination card to any location in the United States. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Universal to release Boss Baby sequel in theaters and on Peacock on the same day. The original Boss Baby grossed $528 million in U.S. theaters when it opened in 2017. Credit... Jason Szenes/EPA, via Shutterstock Universal Pictures is finally getting into the Peacock business. The studio behind the Fast and Furious and Jurassic Park franchises announced Monday that it would release the animated movie Boss Baby: Family Business on July 2 in theaters and on Peacocks premium streaming service. It is the first time the studio has made a film available on its sister service at the same time as its theater debut. There is hope that the sequel to the DreamWorks Animation hit Boss Baby coming just three weeks before NBC and its properties broadcast the Summer Olympics could help lift the fledgling streaming service. Jim Orr, Universals president for domestic distribution, said in a statement that the move was intended to give families the freedom to choose whether to see this joyful, hilarious and heartfelt film from a big-screen theater seat or from the comfort of their own homes on Peacock. In the past year, as other studios either sold off their films to Netflix or Amazon Prime or released them in theaters and on their own streaming services on the same day, Universal entered into deals with exhibitors like AMC and Cinemark. The agreements allowed the chains 17 days of exclusivity in theaters before the films were made available through premium-video-on-demand, where exhibitors shared in the revenue. The Boss Baby release is different. Neither AMC nor Cinemark responded to questions about whether or not they would show the animated film. AMC has played every Warner Bros. movie since the studio began releasing films in theaters and on HBO Max the same day. AMC also intends to play Disneys coming Cruella, even though that film will also be available on Disney+ for an additional fee. With Pixars Luca skipping theaters for Disney+ and Netflix buying out the rights to Sony Pictures Animations Vivo, there are few animated films hitting theaters before the fourth film in the Hotel Transylvania franchise opens on July 23. That makes the Boss Baby sequel attractive to theaters looking to lure families back. The original Boss Baby, with Alec Baldwin as the voice of the title character, grossed $528 million in U.S. theaters when it opened in 2017. Netflix has run four seasons of a spinoff television series, Boss Baby: Back in Business, with J.P. Karliak replacing Mr. Baldwin as the title characters voice. In 2020, it was the eighth most-streamed series of the year, according to Nielsen. F9 could be the blockbuster Hollywood needs to kick-start moviegoing. One of the tuner cars in F9 has a rocket engine attached to its roof. Credit... Universal Pictures LOS ANGELES In February 2020, Universal Pictures used the Super Bowl to light a marketing match under F9, the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise. With any luck, the studio hoped, the movie would roar into theaters a few months later and take in more than $1 billion worldwide, just as a predecessor, The Fate of the Furious, did in 2017. But the pandemic had other plans. Some rival studios hemmed and hawed over their release schedule, but Universal shocked Hollywood in early March 2020 by delaying F9 for an entire year. It was a very unpopular decision, Donna Langley, chairwoman of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, said recently in a phone interview. A lot of people really did not agree with me. It was a $350 million-plus decision, between production and marketing costs, and Ms. Langley, like everyone at that stage of the pandemic, was operating in the dark. It really was a gut call, she said. More and more, it looks like the right one: Over the weekend, F9 arrived in theaters in eight international markets, including China and South Korea, and sold an estimated $162 million in tickets a blockbuster result that signaled a summer rebound for Hollywood, which was largely reduced to a supplier to streaming services during the pandemic. F9 collected $135 million in China alone, 33 percent higher than the initial total for Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw in 2019. The most recent film to take in more than $100 million over its first three days in China was Disney-Marvels Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Image Vin Diesel, left, in F9, the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise. Credit... Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures F9, directed by Justin Lin, will arrive in North American cinemas on June 25, the longest delay ever between an overseas Hollywood debut and a domestic one. The reason: Releasing F9 in China over the weekend allowed Universal to get ahead of the countrys usual summertime blackout on imported movies, which will begin around July 1, the 100th anniversary of the founding of Chinas Communist Party. Movie theaters in China are being ordered to screen patriotic films with titles like The Sacrifice and The Red Sun at that time. As Hollywood has contemplated how best to rev up moviegoing now that theaters are beginning to operate with some normalcy again, there has been a lot of talk about the right movie at the right time. It was not Christopher Nolans cerebral Tenet, which was released in September by Warner Bros. An old-fashioned monster mash-up, Godzilla vs. Kong, drew big crowds last month, but results were depressed because it was simultaneously available on HBO Max. Could F9 be the one? It will receive an exclusive run in theaters and features action sequences designed specifically for big screens. One of the films cars has a rocket engine attached to its roof. It feels like a big, beginning-of-summer, schools-out celebration, Ms. Langley said of the sequel. It finds Vin Diesels marble-mouthed Dom Toretto facing his younger brother Jakob (John Cena), an assassin working with the villainous Cipher (Charlize Theron). Michelle Rodriguez returns as the brooding Letty. Tyrese Gibson, Helen Mirren and Ludacris also star. Cryptocurrency prices stabilize after another wild weekend. Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, which bought $1.5 billion in Bitcoin last quarter. Credit... Michele Tantussi/Reuters Over the weekend, the price of Bitcoin briefly fell to around $31,000, more than 50 percent down from its high last month. It has recovered somewhat and is currently trading at around $37,000. About $20 billion of long positions were liquidated last week, Sam Bankman-Fried, the chief executive of the crypto derivatives exchange FTX, told the DealBook newsletter. In terms of price movements: the biggest part of it is liquidations, he said, suggesting the worst is over. But he also noted news from China late Friday of a crackdown on Bitcoin mining and trading. This added to other news of official scrutiny that has spooked crypto investors in recent days, from Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. Bitcoin price Companies with Bitcoin on their balance sheets may be getting nervous. For accounting purposes, cryptocurrency is valued at its purchase price in company accounts. If it goes up in value, this isnt reflected in a companys accounts but if it falls, the value is impaired and puts a dent in quarterly profits. Three big corporate investors in Bitcoin are Tesla, MicroStrategy and Square. Heres where they stand: Tesla: The electric vehicle company bought $1.5 billion in Bitcoin last quarter, at an average price of about $34,700 per coin, not far from its current price. Teslas chief executive, Elon Musk, has signaled that the company isnt selling, but it probably isnt buying, either. MicroStrategy: The business intelligence software company has spent about $2.2 billion on Bitcoin, at an average price of $24,450. The company bought more last week and is still sitting on big gains. Square: The payments company, led by the Twitter chief Jack Dorsey, bought two batches of Bitcoin for its treasury $50 million in October at a price of about $10,600 per coin and $170 million in February at a price of around $51,000. It took a $20 million impairment on its holdings last quarter. It doesnt plan to buy any more, its finance chief said this month. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Flight paths over Belarus should be assessed, the transportation secretary says. Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times The transportation secretary said Monday that the safety of flights operated by U.S. airlines over Belarus should be reviewed after the Eastern European country forced a commercial flight to land in order to seize a dissident on board. Thats exactly what needs to be assessed right now, the secretary, Pete Buttigieg, told CNN. We, in terms of the international bodies were part of and as an administration with the F.A.A., are looking at that because the main reason my department exists is safety. The comments came after the authoritarian leader of Belarus dispatched a fighter jet on Sunday to intercept a Ryanair plane carrying the journalist Roman Protasevich. The plane was forced to land in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, where Mr. Protasevich was arrested. The secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, condemned the forced diversion, saying it was a shocking act that endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including U.S. citizens. And Michael OLeary, the chief executive of Ryanair, an Irish-based low-cost carrier, called the operation a state -sponsored hijacking. The International Air Transport Association, a global industry group, said Saturday on Twitter, We strongly condemn any interference or requirement for landing of civil aviation operations that is inconsistent with the rules of international law. The group called for a full investigation by competent international authorities. Officials in the region also criticized the action. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, called the re-routing to Minsk utterly unacceptable, adding that any violation of international air transport rules must bear consequences. Though not a major European hub, Minsk is served by multiple international airlines, including Lufthansa, KLM, Turkish Airlines and Air France. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines offer flights to Minsk through their partnerships with those European airlines as well as through Belavia, the Belarusian national carrier. Belarus sits between Poland and Russia and also has borders with Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia, putting it in the path of some flights to and from major European airports. Niraj Chokshi and The Federal Reserve takes a closer look at digital currency as stablecoins loom large. Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, announced last week that the central bank will this summer issue a discussion paper outlining the benefits and risks of a U.S. central bank digital currency. Credit... Al Drago for The New York Times Top Federal Reserve officials have made clear in recent days that the central bank will spend this year taking a closer look at the possibility of a digital dollar a push partly motivated by concerns that private-sector digital coins could come to dominate the payment system. Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, announced last week that the Fed will issue a discussion paper this summer outlining the benefits and risks of a U.S. central bank digital currency, which would basically be a digital version of cash. He made clear that the Fed had not decided to issue a digital currency, and that the paper represents the beginning of what will be a thoughtful and deliberative process. Mr. Powell specifically cited stablecoins, digital coins that tie their value to the dollar or another underlying asset, as something that could pose risks to users and to the broader financial system because those private currencies may not come with the same protections as traditional means of payment. That means the Fed needs to understand how to oversee them. Lael Brainard, a Fed governor who has paid significant attention to payments issues, fleshed out that message during a speech on digital currencies on Monday. She outlined growing concerns about the possible widespread adoption of stablecoins as something that could fragment the payment system. A predominance of private moneys may introduce consumer protection and financial stability risks because of their potential volatility and the risk of runlike behavior, Ms. Brainard said. Indeed, the period in the 19th century when there was active competition among issuers of private paper bank notes in the United States is now notorious for inefficiency, fraud and instability in the payments system. The Fed has other motivations for exploring the possibility of a digital dollar. Other nations, including China, are further along in developing central bank digital currencies, and the United States wants to make sure it has a prominent seat at the table as the rules of future cross-border payments are drawn. Digital currencies may have financial inclusion benefits, and even if central banks dont choose to create their own, they need to understand the technology to regulate and supervise it. But stablecoins in particular Facebooks Libra project, which has been renamed Diem have played a critical role in focusing both the central bank and Congresss attention on understanding the new technologies, their possibilities and their risks. Mr. Powell said in testimony last year that Libra was a bit of a wake-up call that this is coming fast and could come in a way that is quite widespread and systemically important fairly quickly, highlighting the importance of making quick progress. The WarnerMedia-Discovery deal could have gone very differently. Robert Iger, the former Disney chief executive, reportedly called the head of Time Warner in 2016 about a possible merger. Credit... Etienne Laurent/EPA, via Shutterstock After its $100 billion deal to buy Time Warner, and spending millions more to fight a Justice Department lawsuit that delayed the deal, AT&T wants a do-over. This reversal culminated in the announcement last week that it would spin off WarnerMedia, as the former Time Warner is now known, to merge with the reality-TV giant Discovery. In the three short years since AT&T closed the deal to buy Time Warner, AT&T radically upended the business by cutting staff, angering the talent and firing executives and becoming something of a Hollywood villain. Some of WarnerMedias most successful executives, including Richard Plepler of HBO, left or were pushed out. The company cut more than 2,000 jobs. It could have been different if a phone call in 2016 had come just a few weeks earlier, according to the DealBook newsletter. In October that year, shortly before Time Warner and AT&T first announced their deal, Robert A. Iger, the chief executive of the Walt Disney Company at the time, placed a call to Jeffrey Bewkes, the head of Time Warner, according to two people familiar with those details. The Disney leader asked Mr. Bewkes if hed be interested in a possible merger. It was too late, Mr. Bewkes said: There was already something in the works. Mr. Iger wished him well and hung up the phone. Later, Mr. Iger called another media chief in the hopes of forging a deal. It was Rupert Murdoch. Edmund Lee and Advertisement Continue reading the main story Heres what happened in markets today. U.S. stocks rose on Monday, with the S&P 500 climbing about 1 percent. Stocks in Europe were slightly higher. Commodity prices Metal prices, including iron ore and steel rebar, fell as Chinese officials continued to intervene in what the government sees as excessively high commodity prices. The National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement on Monday that there would be zero tolerance for illegal activities such monopolistic behavior or hoarding after major metal producers were called to a meeting with several Chinese government departments. Oil prices rose. Futures of West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. crude benchmark, rose more than 3 percent to above $65 a barrel. Company news Cineworld shares rose in London after the movie theater chain said it had a strong opening weekend in Britain thanks to the success of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. In the United States, 97 percent of the companys movie theaters are now open, Cineworld said, which operates Regal Cinemas, the second-largest chain in the country after AMC. Virgin Galactic soared after Richard Bransons space plane completed a test flight on Saturday to the edge of space. The company also has more than 600 customers who paid up to $250,000 each for seats on its earliest flights. Beyond Meat shares jumped after the largest supermarket chain in Britain, Tesco, said on Monday it was introducing a range of frozen meals with Beyond Meat. A Black-owned bookstore survived the pandemic thanks to generosity and creativity. Dexter George asked white customers who came to his shop after the death of George Floyd to support Black businesses more consistently. Credit... Ben Sklar for The New York Times While Black business ownership rates nationwide dropped by 41 percent from February 2020 to April 2020 the largest decline for any racial group Dexter George watched as 1,200 patrons donated $69,211 to support his 30-year-old enterprise, Source of Knowledge, a bookstore on Broad Street in Newark. Personal checks and civic grants further steadied the stores finances. Unable to secure loans, he used some of the money to reinvest in his 2,700 square feet of retail space. At the end of the day, you only fit in a box, Mr. George, who was born in Tobago, said of putting the money back into the store. Cant take it with you. Mr. George, 56, has kept his business operating partly by practicing caution during the pandemic, Kevin Armstrong reports for The New York Times. Theres a lot of people we arent seeing again, he said. This virus is going around in a circle until it gets everybody. Mr. George counted 30 customers killed by the coronavirus. Almost 1,000 people have died in Newark, New Jerseys largest city, because of Covid-19 and the vaccination rate remains below 30 percent. Throughout the pandemic, Mr. George considered not only safety concerns, but also the costs of closures and curfews. He weighed reduced foot traffic against his mortgage of $6,500 per month for the two-story building that houses his bookstore. On his commute, he noted roller gates that remained down and For Lease signs going up. But Mr. George was not done building. Early in the epidemic, he created a GoFundMe page to alert customers to his status: Covid almost killed us! It was the contributions that revived him. Catch up: CNN drops Rick Santorum, and Daimler plans to switch its truck fleet to hydrogen. Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator and Republican presidential candidate, has been dropped from his role as a CNN political commentator amid controversy over recent remarks in which he seemed to erase the role of Native Americans in U.S. history. Mr. Santorums departure from CNN came after comments he made about Native Americans at a Young Americas Foundation event last month. We birthed a nation from nothing I mean, there was nothing here, Mr. Santorum said. Daimler, the worlds largest maker of heavy trucks, whose Freightliners are a familiar sight on American interstates, said last week that it would convert to zero-emission vehicles within 15 years at the latest, providing another example of how the shift to electric power is reshaping vehicle manufacturing with significant implications for the climate, economic growth and jobs. Today that down payment grew substantially, but as a nation we must still do more, said Mr. Kaniewski, a managing director at Marsh & McLennan Companies, a consulting firm. It will take investment from all levels of government, the private sector, and each of us individually to mitigate the risks. The administration also announced a new effort by NASA to measure the effects of climate change. That initiative, called the Earth System Observatory, will involve five new satellites, which will go into orbit between 2023 and 2029, at a cost of $2.5 billion. Each satellite will be uniquely designed to work with the others to provide a three-dimensional holistic view of Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere, the agency said. It will be looking at and measuring the interactions between the atmosphere, land, ocean, and ice, Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA and a former Democratic senator from Florida, said in an interview Monday. When you measure those interactions, you have a better idea of predicting, in a broad sense, climate change and in a more specific sense, the direction and velocity and the twist and turns of a hurricane. The announcement follows criticism that the Biden administration hasnt made climate resilience more of a priority. The administration has moved quickly on climate change, convening a summit of world leaders in April and announcing an aggressive new target to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. But experts are increasingly urging the federal government to help prepare communities for the destructive impact of that warming. The White House has begun to respond. Last week, Mr. Biden signed an executive order that reinstated an Obama-era rule imposing higher standards on federally funded construction in flood zones. (The White House initially said Mr. Biden had reinstated that rule on his first day in office, but later said that wasnt the case.) Mr. Spacey, 61, was swiftly excluded from the Netflix political thriller House of Cards; replaced by Christopher Plummer in the Sony film All the Money in the World; and played Gore Vidal in a biopic that never saw the light of day. Less than a year after the accusations, he appeared in a supporting role for a finished movie called Billionaire Boys Club, but has not appeared in a television show or film since. Louis Nero said the movie is about a blind artist, played by Franco Nero, who draws portraits of subjects by listening to their voices. The filmmakers hope to complete the project in September; Mr. Spacey has not yet filmed his role. Asked about the sexual assault allegations, Louis Nero said, I only know that he is a good actor thats it. Join Times theater reporter Michael Paulson in conversation with Lin-Manuel Miranda, catch a performance from Shakespeare in the Park and more as we explore signs of hope in a changed city. For a year, the Offstage series has followed theater through a shutdown. Now were looking at its rebound. Ms. Redgrave had been slated to play a woman who teaches the artist to read Braille, the producer said. But a spokesman for Ms. Redgrave said in a statement, While there have been discussions about the possibility of her joining the cast, she will not appear in the film. A representative for Franco Nero did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. For years, Mr. Spacey has been embroiled in court proceedings over sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him. Mr. Rapp sued Mr. Spacey last year, along with an anonymous man who said in the lawsuit that Mr. Spacey sexually assaulted him when he was 14 years old after meeting him in an acting class in the 1980s. A judge ruled that the man would have to identify himself publicly if he wanted to continue to trial; his lawyers said the unwanted attention associated with revealing his identity would be too much for him to bear but suggested that they planned to appeal the ruling. What a difference a week makes. New Jerseys governor, Philip D. Murphy, announced on Monday that residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus would no longer be required to wear masks inside stores, casinos and other indoor venues starting Friday. Mr. Murphys decision to relax the rules in time for Memorial Day weekend follows the lead of governors in most other states after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance that vaccinated people could choose to go maskless, indoors and outdoors, in most situations. But it also comes just a week after Mr. Murphy, a Democrat running for re-election, offered a full-throated defense of his decision to retain the states yearlong indoor mask mandate until more people were vaccinated. His against-the-grain policy announced the same day Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo adopted the federal guidance for New York was applauded by a national food workers union as life saving but panned by his Republican foes. I dont know how we can expect workers to tell who is vaccinated from who isnt, and it is unfair to put the burden on business owners and frontline employees to police every patron, Mr. Murphy said last Monday. At the beginning of the race, maybe last year, a lot of folks thought that Trump would be a primary talking point, but he doesnt really seem to be the main issue in this crop of candidates, said Christina Greer, political science professor at Fordham University. Hes in a long list of issues, but crime and how the DA will prosecute particular cases seem to be the more prescient issues. With just over four weeks left before the New York mayoral primary and with in-person early voting set to begin on June 12 the leading Democratic candidates are racing to distinguish themselves in an election that has so far remained relatively static, according to the limited polling available. The two front-runners, Andrew Yang and Eric Adams, both made news this week, but for different reasons: Mr. Yang, a former presidential hopeful, made a series of gaffes that seemed to highlight one of his critics most frequent complaints that he has parachuted into the mayors race with little knowledge of the city and no government experience. Meanwhile, Mr. Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, continued to gain steam, picking up a critical endorsement from one of the citys most powerful Latino politicians and gaining the lead in another public poll. Adams gets second dibs on an influential endorsement In the messy aftermath of Jean Kims sexual harassment allegations against Scott M. Stringer, the city comptroller and a leading mayoral candidate, Representative Adriano Espaillat, the most powerful Dominican-American politician in New York City, signed a terse joint statement rescinding his endorsement of Mr. Stringer. For the past few months, Mr. de Blasio had been saying that he expected the city to keep some kind of remote learning option for the fall. But he and his aides changed their minds in recent weeks, he said during a news conference, as virus rates plummeted throughout the city and children 12 and above were made eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. On Monday, the citys average positive test rate dropped to just over 1 percent, the lowest number since last September. Roughly four million New Yorkers have had at least one vaccine dose, including thousands of children. The city is not yet requiring eligible students or staff members to be vaccinated before they return to classrooms this fall, and just under half of educators have not yet gotten the shot. If many more teachers are not vaccinated by September, it could undermine the citys reopening plan and the mayors promises about preventing outbreaks. Mr. de Blasio said all students and adults would have to wear masks in schools this fall, in accordance with the current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But he said that requirement could change if the C.D.C. loosens its guidance. The mayor also said he expected the C.D.C. to drop its current rules on keeping three feet of distance between students in classrooms before the start of the next school year, though he added that the vast majority of schools could fit all students even with social distancing. Along with bringing students back to classrooms, some families say the city should also do more to address so much of what wasnt working well for vulnerable children before the pandemic, including segregated schools, large class sizes and poor infrastructure. When the pandemic hit, we thought this was really the wake-up call for us to do better, to really restructure the system, said Shino Tanikawa, a parent activist in Manhattan. I dont see that happening. Patrick McGeehan and Nate Schweber contributed reporting. To the Editor: This Is How Wokeness Ends (column, May 14) puzzles me because David Brooks seems to be bothered more by the intellectual excesses of wokeness proponents than the reason that wokeness is necessary. Making things right in society is particularly the moral responsibility of those who are privileged and wish to live in a more just society. I would go for the intellectual excesses of the woke any day if that brings about a more just America. Michael Granger Glencoe, Ill. To the Editor: Woke is a term originally used by Black activists. A sixth-grade English teacher would admonish it as bad grammar, much like other forms of Black English. Thats the point. I doubt that the Black activists intended for the term to spread much outside their community. So its puzzling to see woke so quickly evolve to describe intellectuals talking down to others. The seemingly bad grammar is supposed to emphasize that the term comes from the streets, not the ivory tower. The number of immunocompromised people in the United States is not insignificant. Over 700,000 organ transplants have taken place in the United States since 1988. In 2016, more than 4 percent of the U.S. population reported being told by a health professional that they were immunocompromised in some way. While studies show some are able to develop antibodies, the future for many of us is uncertain. After being vaccinated, I was given a spike protein test to see if I had immunity. When I learned I had developed no antibodies, I felt sick to my stomach: How will I persuade others to continue to be careful? How many vulnerable people dont realize they arent protected? C.D.C. guidelines on masking rely on an honor system, and its impossible to know whether people are unmasked because they are vaccinated or because they oppose vaccination and masking. Polls show that many people who plan not to get vaccinated already feel safe going unmasked indoors. The messaging from the C.D.C. suggests that we can choose safety: Youre protected if youre vaccinated, youre not if youre not vaccinated, said the C.D.C. director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky. For many Americans that isnt necessarily true, but theres no colorful infographic for the immunocompromised about what we can or cannot do, only the statement that we should talk to our doctor. In the meantime, public spaces feel less safe. Only 38 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, and masking works better when compliance is high. So people like me wait for better medicine and wonder what happens to us if herd immunity remains elusive. The vaccine passport on my phone is comically meaningless. Yes, Im vaccinated, but that doesnt actually protect me. Thankfully, I have been able to spend the pandemic working from home and shielded from danger. Like everyone else, I nurtured dreams of socializing, travel and seeing relatives I have not seen in over a year. I am tired of my apartment. I feel guilty for forcing my immediate family to continue distancing, but the mortality rates for people like me are high. Im delighted for friends and relatives who have more freedom, but I feel stuck. Id like to go back to February, when I thought that vaccination meant safety, or even March when I knew others would wear masks at the grocery store. The pandemic exposed societys ageism and ableism, with many people in the beginning months arguing that only the sick and the elderly were at risk. I thought we would learn to be more thoughtful about accommodating the vulnerable. But the invitations to large gatherings that I receive, which omit any reference to safety measures or remote attendance, feel like conscious avoidance of any disparities. Americas democratic experiment may well be nearing its end. Thats not hyperbole; its obvious to anyone following the political scene. Republicans might take power legitimately; they might win through pervasive voter suppression; G.O.P. legislators might simply refuse to certify Democratic electoral votes and declare Donald Trump or his political heir the winner. However it plays out, the G.O.P. will try to ensure a permanent lock on power and do all it can to suppress dissent. But how did we get here? We read every day about the rage of the Republican base, which overwhelmingly believes, based on nothing, that the 2020 election was stolen, and extremists in Congress, who insist that being required to wear a face mask is the equivalent of the Holocaust. Id argue, however, that focusing on the insanity can hinder our understanding of how all of this became possible. Conspiracy theorizing is hardly a new thing in our national life; Richard Hofstadter wrote The Paranoid Style in American Politics back in 1964. White rage has been a powerful force at least since the civil rights movement. Whats different this time is the acquiescence of Republican elites. The Big Lie about the election didnt well up from the grass roots it was promoted from above, initially by Trump himself, but whats crucial is that almost no prominent Republican politicians have been willing to contradict his claims and many have rushed to back them up. archived recording (SINGING) When you walk in the room, do you have sway? kara swisher Im Kara Swisher, and youre listening to Sway. [MUSIC PLAYING] My guest today is Eliot Higgins. He created Bellingcat, the open source investigative team thats part online detective agency and part news outlet. Higginss group has broken some of the biggest stories in recent years. Bellingcat found evidence linking Russia to the downing of flight MH17, identified alt-right protesters in Charlottesville, and unveiled the alleged poisoners who targeted Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny. Bellingcat has become a major thorn in the side of powerful and dangerous people like Vladimir Putin. I wanted to understand how Higgins decides whats worth investigating and what distinguishes his organization from online vigilantes. But first, I asked him how he came up with the name Bellingcat in the first place. eliot higgins So Bellingcat is based off the fable of Belling the Cat, where theres a group of mice who are very frightened of a large, ferocious cat. So they decide that they need a plan to deal with that. And they come up with the idea of putting a bell around the cats neck. But then they realize they dont actually know how to do that because it was a huge cat, and theyre mice. So were, in a way, teaching people how to bell the cat. kara swisher So that they can hear the cat coming. eliot higgins So you can hear it coming and be kind of warned of it. kara swisher So you are the mice, presumably, in this scenario. eliot higgins Yeah, people always call us the Bellingcats, and no, were the mice, so. [CHUCKLES] kara swisher All right. Well, anyway, but you are the mice in this idea, is that are facing some ferocious people that could eat you, essentially, and that you are going to make sure people can hear them coming or hear them when what theyre doing in a stealthy way, for example. eliot higgins Yeah, and that takes all kinds of different forms. I mean, the work of Bellingcat covers a pretty wide range of topics. I mean, a lot of it does end up focusing on Russia. But thats because Russias up to quite a lot of pretty bad stuff at the moment. But we write on a whole range of different topics. And recently, weve been writing a lot about the kind of origins of Q and clues to who his identity might be. Weve written about the kind of violence of January 6 in Washington, DC. Weve looked into kind of Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, just a whole range of different topics, looking at how open source material can be used to investigate those topics. kara swisher I want you to explain what open source means. eliot higgins So open source information is anything that is basically publicly available information, information that you can either kind of go out and find, or you can buy for example, satellite map imagery. What changed over the last 10 years or so is how much of that information is available and who it is available to because of, really, the rise of smartphone technology from 2007 onwards and around that, the development of social media sharing apps. People are sharing information all the time. Alongside that, you have the development of things like Google Earth making satellite imagery accessible to everyone, Google Street View, so you have a view from the ground of near anywhere in the world, virtually. And by combining those two kind of almost revolutions in technology, that allows us to do this kind of new form of online open source investigation, where anyone with a laptop and internet connection can look at videos and images and information coming from a range of different instance and countries and start actually piecing together and verifying what this is actually showing. kara swisher I want to know how you got started in doing this kind of digital forensics. eliot higgins For me, actually, it really started off in 2010 with the events of the Arab Spring. Back then, I was just working in kind of finance and admin jobs, nothing really kind of grand. But I had an interest in what was happening in the Arab Spring. And I was someone who also spent an awful lot of time on the internet. So I was part of these kind of online debates and discussions. So over about a period of a year, I did that more and more and started to build up a following, particularly among people who were interested in the conflict in Syria, be they journalists, people at think tanks, even people in the kind of political classes and various experts. Because no one else was really bothering to look at these videos in a kind of any sort of analytical way. And then, in 2013, I actually, using these videos, discovered the Saudi secret smuggling operation to the Syrian rebels. Because they were getting all these new weapons from the former Yugoslavia. I figured out where they were coming from. And actually working with The New York Times, we were able to establish that this was part of a secret smuggling operation. kara swisher So what you were doing was basically gumshoe journalism using online tools. I mean, most journalists would go in and see them or take pictures of them. I assume, in this case youre being provided photos because everybody is taking and uploading photos all around the world, essentially. eliot higgins Yeah, I mean, its basically just looking at the evidence and figuring out what it said. One advantage I had, funnily enough, was because I didnt speak a word of Arabic, I could only see what was being shown. So someone would say something in a video, and they were telling a whole story. It didnt matter to me. But I could see that that object on the ground was a cluster munition or a very particular kind of barrel bomb design. kara swisher And youre doing all of this online from England. eliot higgins Yeah, I mean, I just sat on my sofa every night, kind of looking through the latest videos. kara swisher So how much of Bellingcats open source forensics are based on social media like this? eliot higgins Yeah, I mean, it is really any public information that we can find. Its people posting on internet forums or YouTube or weird social media sites you never really hear about because theyre for some really minor obscure groups. So for example, when we were doing our work on the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight 17, we were looking into the soldiers who were connected to the Russian military brigade that sent the missile launcher over the border. And we looked into them using the VKontakte profile of the 53rd Air Defense Brigade, which they belonged to. So thats Russias equivalent of Facebook. Then we looked at all the people who were following them. And a lot of them were the soldiers serving in that brigade. And then, we looked at their user IDs and searched for those user IDs on different social media platforms, which then revealed more and more information about them, what they were doing, who their friends were. And we used that basically to map out the entire network of the 53rd Air Defense Brigade, so every member, photograph, rank. We also used an internet forum for the wives, girlfriends, and mothers of the soldiers, where they were discussing their concerns about their sons and husbands or boyfriends, giving details of their military operations because they all kind of felt like it was this secure place, where it was a public forum. So its anywhere where theres information being shared online. And obviously, thats a lot of different places. kara swisher Right, the Russian government has cracked down on soldiers selfies and things like that because essentially, they were saying where they were, what they were doing. And so, you could make links between them, which is a banquet for intelligence services and you yourself. eliot higgins Yeah. kara swisher So your investigations really build on platforms that do a terrible job with privacy Facebook, for example, or YouTube. And are you troubled by the idea that your success depends on their surveillance and their terrible privacy? eliot higgins Its almost a paradox of the kind of work we do. Because a really good example of this is Facebook Graph Search, which was a search tool being introduced several years ago, that allows you to do very complicated searches on any individuals or groups of individuals. You could find out people who work in Washington, DC, who go to the nearest Starbucks to the White House, really granular searches, which is fantastic if youre investigating people because you could find out all sorts of things and getting connections. Its also fantastic if youre Cambridge Analytica and you wanted to swing the vote. kara swisher Thats right. eliot higgins Or if you were Russia and you wanted to swing the 2016 election. So that got shut down. So we lost a really good investigation tool. But it also meant that society also lost something that was beginning to become quite toxic to it. And you have all these kind of paradoxes. We want people to be safe and secure online, but we also want people to be sharing as much information as possible about certain specific things. kara swisher Yeah, you kind of benefit from the shitty privacy settings that these companies have or and peoples demented need to share at this point. Because people are carrying surveillance devices every day of their lives. eliot higgins We see every single day of our work how often people overexpose them. Its like when were looking into cases of corruption, the easiest way to look into a corrupt individual is look at their children and their wifes social media accounts because they will have all their sports cars and their holidays all over that while, obviously, the person might be quite humble in their kind of own social media posts. So kara swisher This is why Ive switched off all location and access to Facebook, for example. eliot higgins This is the thing. And so people have got a way to share really useful information about incidents that were interested in. And we want people to kind of pull out our phone and film an air strike or the remains of a bomb or someone committing a crime. But we dont want them kind of overexposing their lives. Its like the My Activity thing on Google, where you can simply go there, and theyve got a map of every single place youve been to. kara swisher So you also helped ID violent extremists at the 2017 Charlottesville rally. On January 6, there was a riot at the Capitol. So walk me through it step by step how your investigators sprang into action on January 6. When did you first learn about the attack? eliot higgins I mean, really, I was kind of on Twitter and then watching it kind of escalate because you had Donald Trumps speech. And so, we were kind of just generally watching it as kind of consumers of news. And then when we realized what was happening, thats kind of when we sort of got into action collecting these videos. kara swisher What did you call first? I want actual details. So what did you do first? Youre like, I bet these people are going to record. Were doing crimes. Look at us. eliot higgins Yeah, I mean, we were discussing it in the buildup to it, should we do what we did with Charlottesville? And we were thinking surely they wouldnt be stupid enough to kind of record what theyre doing again, but we were wrong. So with Charlottesville, we collected as many videos as possible. So we did the same thing with January 6. We put our big kind of call for material. But the real difference there was the massive amount of material there was from January 6 compared to 2017 because everyone had a phone there. Everyone was streaming. So then when that was happening, we already had a Google sheet and a Google form set up for people to fill in. And on Twitter, we just said if you have a video, could you pull it into this sheet? And then wed go through it. So we have these 1,000 videos or so. And then we kind of de-duplicated them or figured out which ones had clips in them. And that was literally watching every video, just recognizing Ive seen that video 200 cells beforehand, and then sorting them by kind of location. So we had the inaugural entrance was one location. I spent several weeks looking at all the videos of that to put them into sequential order and also figure out their physical position. So we had kind of then 1,000 videos from all over the area. But we knew when they were filmed and where they were filmed. And that was weeks of work to do that. kara swisher But what do you do? Law enforcement is also working on trying to identify rioters, continuing to do. Do you partner with them, our intelligence services? eliot higgins No, we are actually approached by the FBI on this one, saying if we could kind of give them any assistance, but we dont want to do the job of law enforcement for them, especially when theyre so well resourced. I mean, were a small organization. We have a budget of about $1.7 million a year, which is something we had to build up to. But we didnt want to do those and end up in a situation where were saying, oh, weve got to figure out who that guy or that guy is because we know from experience, even if you get some people right, plenty of people get misidentified. And thats exactly what happened. The kind of internet community formed to hunt down the people responsible. And they identified a bunch of wrong people who ended up getting harassed online. And weve seen that going back years, the Boston Marathon Reddit investigation being a good example of that, where they identify two suspects because of this kind of groupthink that occurred by having hundreds of people involved. And in my experience, the more complicated the investigation, the less people you want involved, because thats when you start having a ton of groupthink emerge. kara swisher Right, so one of the things that I think was important that you mentioned just now was this idea of people misidentifying people. There are a lot of online vigilantes, so we saw after the Capitol attack many citizens in online forums comb through social media, trying to identify rioters. Theres a thing called due process. Theres a thing called presuming innocent before guilt. How do you think about that? eliot higgins Well, in the specific case of January 6, we knew from past experience that we didnt want loads of people looking into the identities of these people because we knew that would just be a disaster. So we said on our social media account that we arent looking for people. It was the FBIs job to do that. We knew that wouldnt stop people from doing it, but we tried to discourage it wherever we could. But when were doing our own work, when we do identify people, were looking at details that arent just, oh, that guy has a similar face. When were looking at the Charlottesville kind of individuals we were looking into, one guy had a very distinct pattern of moles on his neck. And thats kind of the key thing that allowed us to be 100% sure we were looking at the right person. So thats also quite distinct when were looking, for example, for these Russian spies, looking at their fake passports and their real identity documents. Not only do you have the shape of their face, but their ear shape is actually quite distinct as well. So you can use that almost as a fingerprint, if you look at their ear shapes kind of very carefully in passport photographs. We also now work with universities who have expertise in facial recognition. kara swisher Which can be wrong. One of the things that I think you probably are aware of most journalists, even though they sort of get pilloried, are in fear of getting things wrong and hurting people. I think its drilled into you at a very early age, as a journalist. And especially with online, people make all these leaps. eliot higgins In a sense, for me, it was always informed by the origins of my own career path, which is basically arguing with people on the internet and knowing that people on the internet, A, will argue over any point to a ridiculous length. kara swisher They indeed will. eliot higgins And if you get something wrong, they will never let you forget it. So those are the two things that inform our work. Plus, now, we also have Russia basically doing the same thing, because if we get something wrong, Russia wont let us forget it, either. So that, I think, informs all our work. Plus, the way we actually work is, were often its quite collaborative. For example, with the Russia stuff were doing at the moment, theres four or five of us in a group who are discussing this stuff quite regularly, examining each others works, questioning each other. And then that goes to the editorial team, who then go through it and then ask more and more questions on top of that. kara swisher All right. Last summer, Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny was hospitalized in Siberia after being poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok. He was then treated in Germany. You launched a major investigation into who was behind this. How did you start working with Navalny? eliot higgins Well, funnily enough, it was really a part of an ongoing investigation weve been doing since 2018 with the poisoning of kara swisher Around poisonings. eliot higgins Yes, because in 2018, we started looking into the identities of the two people connected to the Sergei Skripal poisoning in Salisbury in the UK. Using Russian bureaucratic sources, we were able to find their real identities and show they were two GRU officers. That then led us to the identity of a third GRU officer who was involved with that case and that they were part of this Unit 29155. kara swisher The GRU thats Russias military intelligence service. Go ahead. eliot higgins Yeah, and then that led, then, to an investigation in Bulgaria where that same unit was involved with another poisoning. That investigation led us to phone records, which connected them to basically a series of research laboratories in Russia where there were chemists working there who had been working on the Novichok program. kara swisher Right. So this is a daisy chain of poisoners. And so if they did it in one place, it stands to reason they might try it in another, or they might use the same people. eliot higgins And with the same source for the poisoning. So when Navalny was poisoned, we got the phone records of the scientists who work at these places. And they were actually calling up FSB teams and being called by these FSB officers. So we had to identify who these numbers were. They were FSB officers. We got their travel records. And it just happened they kara swisher How did you get those? By the way, FSB is Federal Security Service for Russia. How did you get those records? eliot higgins You could literally go to some Russian internet forum where some guy is sending them for 1,000 rubles for anywhere you want in the if youve got the passport number. kara swisher So these are things, presumably, our government keeps under wraps. eliot higgins Yeah. So we got phone records, for example. Now, phone records arent just the phone numbers theyve called, but the cell-phone tower they connected to, which means you can track their movements. We were also able, then, to get along with the flight records, we got their real identity documents and their fake identity documents, because we realized there was a process they used when they created a fake identity, which allowed us to identify their real identity. They would use the same first name, a date of birth that was exactly one year different, and usually the maiden name of their wife or girlfriend. kara swisher And their password eliot higgins And kara swisher was 1234. eliot higgins Well, honestly, we have done some investigations where we have found the passwords. And its always really stupid passwords they use, like GRU1 and stuff like that. We found some kara swisher Wow. eliot higgins when we found their social-media accounts where they literally called themselves something like the Terminator or some kara swisher Oh my god. eliot higgins assassination-related, and theyre utterly ridiculous. But we pieced this together. And then we went to Navalnys team and started talking to him and his team about what had happened. He was really surprised because he thought he would find out in, like, 40 years time that the FSB poisoned him, not literally, the people were at his hotel the night he was poisoned. kara swisher Not these chuckleheads. eliot higgins And then we basically worked with him. He wanted to make sure everything we were using was also not coming from, like, MI5 or the CIA. So he wanted to know every single source we were using. So he went through, I think, about a month-long process of him and his team double-checking all our findings. We got CNN involved as well, who also double-checked all our findings and sources as well. And then we published. And on the day of publication, we decided it would be fun if we phoned up these poisoners, because we had their phone numbers. So Navalny calls them up, like say hi, Im Navalny. Why did you poison me? kara swisher This is in a 33-minute YouTube video with over 28 million views. eliot higgins Yeah, that was a we built up to that. So what we did is used a phone-number-spoofing app, which allowed us to pretend to be calling from the FSB head office, called one of the FSB officers, saw his call where ID had the FSB head office, and then Navalny pretended to be an assistant of one of the most senior FSB officers way, way above this guy archived recording [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] eliot higgins and demanded a full report on what happened. And if we hadnt have caught it on camera, no one would have believed us. And Navalny basically bullied him into doing it as well, because the guy was like, oh, are you sure we should be doing this on an unsecured line? And he said, no, this is really urgent. It has to be done now. You must tell me. And then he asked him to give performance reviews for each of the people involved. The thing is, because we had all this information about the case, we could give him names. archived recording [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] eliot higgins And he would basically say, oh, yeah. He did this. He did this. And that was confirming every single part of our investigation. Now, we didnt publish that on the day, because we knew Putin would be giving his big yearly press conference. And he would be asked about this. And we wanted to see his response before we published the audio of this conversation. So he gets his press conference. Hes asked about Navalny. And he basically says archived recording (vladimir putin) [CHUCKLES] [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] eliot higgins if we were going to kill him, we would have done it properly. Then, on the following Monday, we published this video of this guy saying, oh, I dont know where it went wrong. Or, its probably because they got him off the plane explaining exactly where they put the poison on his underpants, all these different details. And that made it a really, really big story in Russia and internationally as well. kara swisher So essentially, you pantsed Putin. eliot higgins Yeah. We knew he would be giving this talk. This was a strategic choice when we were publishing, because we knew if he had something on record about it, and we still had this thing in the tank, it would kara swisher Yeah. eliot higgins Yeah, it would be more entertaining for the readers. kara swisher Well, this is dangerous work. Going after Putin has put you on the Kremlins radar. They have no problem killing people. Theyve referenced Bellingcats work before. You have a family. How worried are you about retaliation yourself? eliot higgins Im certainly a lot more careful. In a sense, coronavirus has been almost a blessing because I havent had to go on foreign trips where stuff could happen. I havent been staying at hotel rooms with balconies. But you have to have that level of paranoia. There was one time I was staying at a hotel in the Netherlands where Id stayed there several times before previous years. And there was a knock on the door one evening I was there. And a door opened, and there was a guy in a suit with a name badge for the hotel saying, oh, Mr. Higgins, thank you for staying here so many times. Wed like to give you this gift. I was like, oh, OK. This is a bit weird. But when I closed the door, I thought, that guy could have been literally anyone with a name badge he picked up from reception. kara swisher Right. eliot higgins And I cant eat these cookies theyve given me, even though theres a lot of them. They look delicious. So I ended up throwing them in the bin. And it was quite gutting when I came down the next morning and checked out, and they said, oh, we hope you enjoyed the cookies that we gave you yesterday. kara swisher You suddenly become Jason Bourne in this situation. Like, Im not going in there. eliot higgins Its the crappy parts of being Jason Bourne. Its the kind of, you know kara swisher Yeah. eliot higgins having to be a bit more careful. kara swisher What about your family? Do you think about that? eliot higgins Yeah, again, my wife she is concerned about my safety and that kind of stuff. And my kids are quite young, so they dont quite understand what Im doing. Theyre six and nine. So maybe as they grow older and get a bit more context to what Im doing, they might start worrying a bit more. [MUSIC PLAYING] kara swisher Well be back in a minute. If you like this interview and want to hear others, follow us on your favorite podcast app. Youll be able to catch up on Sway episodes you may have missed, like my conversation with the CIAs chief technologist, Dawn Meyerriecks, and youll get new ones delivered directly to you. More with Eliot Higgins after the break. So let me ask you about the ethics, because The New York Times doesnt partner with Navalny in that way. Do you see a problem in partnering? Because youre doing journalism in a different way. Why didnt you do the investigation on your own, or at least have an arms-length relationship with Navalny? eliot higgins Well, we do a lot of collaborative work at Bellingcat, anyway. Its not usually with the targets of poisonings. But its just our natural way. If we are working on a topic, well find another media organization who is working on the same topic in a more local sense. And weve done that on a whole range of topics. Its just, in the case of Navalny, he was the victim of a poisoning attack. And he was also this big media figure in Russia. So hes really the ideal person to approach with this. Plus, it meant, by working with him, we could get more details of his travel records and other information that we didnt have, which is unusual. kara swisher Well, most journalism organizations would want to do that, maybe, but dont do that, right? eliot higgins I think, as well, because Bellingcat is this weird hybrid of an organization as well, in a way, the journalism is one outcome of the investigations that were doing. I think, primarily, were investigators. And then what we do with those investigations can be a whole range of different products. kara swisher That become journalism. eliot higgins Yeah. We break down our process to three steps identify, verify, and amplify. So we identify material, verify it, and then we amplify it. But that amplification stage can be a more traditional journalistic output, or it could be a document for a justice and accountability process. It could be a YouTube video, a documentary. It could be all of them because its all using the same verified information. kara swisher So journalism is just a byproduct of the investigation. It could be a byproduct. So Russias state-run uh, Russia Today, did come after you. They homed in on one line item for 1,800 pounds paid to Bellingcat from the UK Foreign office in December of 2018. It was for, quote, consulting management and public relations. Can you explain what that was about? eliot higgins Yeah. So basically, we run workshops that are publicly available. Anyone can join them. Someone did a Freedom of Information request and found those in kind of one of these kind of things. And basically, they would say, a journalist from Eastern Europe who went to one of our courses and then had their course fee paid by the Foreign Commonwealth Office, which was 1,800 pounds, which was the same as the other 20 participants paid so thats pretty much the entire story. But of course, Russia Today has been desperately looking for proof that were secretly working for MI6. And this was all the proof they needed. Theres this six degrees of CIA station they like to play. If they can find one connection, then the rest just come naturally. The thing is, its evolved over time. And early on, it was really more the Russian media who were like Russia Today and Sputnik who were either saying Im some amateur and no one should listen to me or that Im probably connected to the intelligence services. And that intelligence-service angle certainly ramped up after the Skripal thing. kara swisher Sure. So let me ask, are you connected to the intelligence services? eliot higgins No, were not. And many, many people seem to think that. And one fun thing about the internet is, the people who think that all find each other and then constantly tell each other, yeah, were working with the CIA, and make all these connections. But its like, when youve got Russia saying that and the Russian ambassador to the UK gave a press conference following the Skripal poisoning where he repeatedly said that Bellingcat was working for the British Deep Establishment, as he called it, and was paid for by the intelligence services. But when the journalists asked him for evidence, he said, oh, well, we have a feeling. I cant show you the evidence. And this is the thing. If Russia cannot show evidence that Bellingcat is working for the CIA, then what hope does a bunch of conspiracy theorists on the internet have? Because Russia has the resources behind it. kara swisher But has the CIA or any other intelligence service, like MI6, ever offered you leads and information? Or, you say you dont do sources. But would you accept help from those sources? eliot higgins No. I suspect theyre a little bit worried about exactly what we would do with that. If the CIA came to me, I would probably tweet, oh, the CIA has just been in touch, because Im not the kind of person who is great at keeping secrets. It seems like spy work. But its all publicly-available information were using. Its not often really big secrets. kara swisher Right. So you wouldnt want to accept their information. eliot higgins Yeah. And the thing is, it would be, again, not open source if they did that. If they came to us with a list of YouTube videos, that would just be more weird than anything. So if they came to us with a bunch of secret videos saying, you cant tell anyone where you got this from, then that would be a completely absurd situation for us to be into. And we wouldnt accept any information from any kind of intelligence service anyway. kara swisher OK. So I want to talk about Bellingcats methods because you do things like paying for data sets, like you talked about, which is probiv, as they call it in Russia. Youre buying black-market data, essentially. eliot higgins Mm. Its basically, Russia is this huge, corrupt bureaucracy. So you can buy any data you want, from phone records to passport application forms of anyone you want. So weve been using that data, which obviously isnt open source in a traditional sense, even though its very available to anyone. But there, we would use multiple other sources to cross-reference every single piece of information to make sure its correct and it hasnt been altered. And its like, OK, there is one assassination here. Theres one here. Oh, heres the secret weapons lab. And it was all coming from this data. So considering the value and the importance of this, we thought it was justified, ethically, because if we didnt do it, then there was a good chance that these guys would still be doing what they were doing today murdering more people. kara swisher OK. So you weigh that in a way a journalist organization wouldnt pay for it. Now, would you pay for controversial facial-recognition software like Clearview AI? Have you considered that? eliot higgins The thing is, its difficult. Having facial-recognition reverse-image search is something that weve used elsewhere in other investigations. Like, in Russia, there are sites that basically scrapes the entire social media site VKontakte and used facial recognition. So if you plug in a picture that youve taken or found online, it will find a matching face in that entire data set. And that will include Russian soldiers, Russian spies really useful information. So I can see the value of that. But we wouldnt be going, OK, weve got this facial-recognition match. Thats the job done. Lets go and arrest that guy, as often happens with some of the people using these platforms, especially US police. Its tricky, as well, because Clearview clearly is scraping a huge amount of information that I suspect it doesnt necessarily have the right to be scraping. kara swisher Are you using Clearview? eliot higgins No, were not. No. I think, as well, because of our position, we scare off some organizations like Clearview, who might have a slight degree of shadiness around the way they collect data, because they dont want to be an article on Bellingcat. kara swisher Right. OK. So talking about information-selling, TMZ pays for information. I know Harvey very well. The National Enquirer pays for tips. Rupert Murdoch pays for it. Should, in the future, American news outlets think about paying for data? Is that the way journalism is going? Bought and paid for, in a way? eliot higgins The thing with Russia is, it is extremely unique in the way that you can buy this kind of data. Its not like you can do this in any other country in the world that weve looked into or done investigations in. So it is very unique. Its also very unique of the severity of the case that were looking into nerve-agent assassination programs targeting, obviously. kara swisher You didnt pay to hack into her phone. eliot higgins Yeah, we arent paying people to hack into stuff or anything like that. And one thing we did when we published the Navalny case we knew straightaway that Russia would say, oh, this is MI6 or the CIA giving me information. So we did a very long piece explaining where this information came from, what those kind of sources were, without linking directly to the sources. But that meant media organizations inside Russia, as this story was being attacked by the Russian government, actually went and bought the same data and said, oh, actually, this is exactly what Bellingcat says it is. And that actually undermined the attempts to attack Bellingcat for doing this investigation. So even though its not open source in the traditional sense, it is so freely available that, even with a little bit of understanding of it kara swisher You dont need that. eliot higgins you can go and do it yourself. Yeah. And this is why I think, when were having this conversation about the ethics of using this kind of data, its very difficult to put it in the context of other countries, because you dont have that you wouldnt be able to do that in the US. kara swisher But you certainly can buy information. eliot higgins Oh, yeah. Absolutely. But its also, what are you buying it for? If youre buying it for some celebrity gossip, then I dont think theres any justification for that, in my mind. kara swisher Yeah. So Fusion GPS is another entity that does that says they do open-source investigations. Fusion is famous for commissioning the infamous Steele dossier on President Trump. That work was thought to be funded by an unknown Republican client during the Republican primary. Fusion was founded by a former Wall Street Journal reporter, Glenn Simpson, who left journalism to make money as he put it, We dont use the word sold out. We use the word cashed in. Explain how Bellingcat is different. eliot higgins Well, Bellingcat now, as it is, is actually a charitable foundation in the Netherlands. So we arent a private company thats trying to do this work for profit. Were funded through donors small donors and larger organizations. Were funded from running workshops. So for us, its not about making a profit to make ourselves rich and happy, and we dont really care about whats happening. Were doing this because we want to grow and develop the field of online open-source investigation and look at where it can be applied in a whole range of different fields. Thats why, at the moment, were doing a lot of focus, for example, on justice and accountability and developing online open-source-investigation methodologies and processes that we can use in these justice and accountability-focused investigations, knowing that they meet a standard that they can be used in a courtroom. kara swisher I get that. But I think the question and I think its a fair one to ask is, who are you actually accountable to? Now, I know youre a charitable organization in the Netherlands. You have an independent supervisory board to oversee Bellingcat management. And you said, if we fail to live up to board-member scrutiny, they may take action against any of us. But theres only three names listed a tech entrepreneur in Amsterdam, a pretty well-known international policy director at Stanford Cyber Policy Center, and a director of cultural center in Amsterdam. So they dont ring out Bob Woodward to me or something like that, not that he would be necessarily the right person to pick for here. But who are you actually accountable to? eliot higgins Well, this comes in a number of different forms. I think we do have the supervisory board. And we are accountable to those people. And its something that were growing as the organization is growing as well. Were also legally accountable as well, as any organization is, when we publish something. kara swisher You can be sued. eliot higgins Yeah. Plus, were also accountable in the sense that were willing to go to court with the information that we have, and sit in front of a judge and explain it in detail and be cross-examined as well, which I think is something thats very unusual as well. So theres that accountability there. Also, if we publish stuff thats untrue, were accountable to the people who are reading us. So we have to be very careful about making sure that what were publishing is accurate that is, can be stood up not just for our audience, but also to a courtroom, both from the perspective of being sued, but also actually using this evidence for accountability. And also just accountable to the supervisory board. kara swisher Right, but who chose these three individuals? Did you? eliot higgins Not myself personally. We now have a management team as well. So its not a WikiLeaks situation where Im the Julian Assange of Bellingcat. kara swisher No. Then youd be in an embassy with a cat an actual cat. But go ahead. eliot higgins [CHUCKLES] Then Im part of a board of directors at Bellingcat. So its myself, our business director, and my colleague Aric Toler, who was one of the first people who joined Bellingcat. kara swisher But how did you get these individuals, and can they fire you? eliot higgins No. Yeah, they can fire me. Part of the reason we became a charity was to make sure that I couldnt become the king of Bellingcat and do what I wanted to also because were required to have a yearly audit, because we want us to be transparent about who was funding us and where this money was coming from. So we approached figures so Marietje Schakke is someone that I had known from doing some work around Brussels. The other two people, I didnt know. But they were recommended to us as people who understood the areas we were working in. And we wanted a supervisory board, as well, that wasnt just made up of investigators who could get very excited about our investigations. We wanted people who had an understanding of when were getting a bit overexcited or when kara swisher Is that going to get larger? That board going to get larger? eliot higgins Yeah, absolutely. Were growing as an organization. Generally, weve doubled in size every single year since I launched. I launched in 2014 with a Kickstarter for about $80,000. And weve basically doubled in size every year since then. And now we have I think our budget is about $2.1 million now. kara swisher Theres no journalists on the board. Thats really interesting to me. eliot higgins Yeah. We did have a journalist on the board the thing is, the journalists we know are all very excited about Bellingcats work. And we wanted people who wouldnt get excited about Bellingcats work every single time we get over on a new investigation because they wanted to be 100% sure we had a reason for doing what we were doing. kara swisher You could put Dick Cheney on it. eliot higgins No, I really kara swisher [CHUCKLING] Dont put Dick Cheney eliot higgins No. Gosh, that would make me feel dirty if I did that. kara swisher Id Im saying he doesnt like the media, and he has a lot of spy experience. I think you could use. eliot higgins [CHUCKLES] That would be terrible. No. kara swisher So lets finish up talking about the business. You mentioned the workshops. How are you paying your bills? eliot higgins So we get, I think, about 30% of our yearly income from running workshops. And they were in-person, but theyre now all online. I would say about 10% to 15% comes from small individual donations. So this would be from things like Patreon or direct donations through the websites of our readers. Then the remaining percen t it comes from a combination of different funding organizations. I think weve got, like, eight or nine. Were actually about to publish our yearly audit, so itll be on there for anyone who really cares about the secrecy of it. kara swisher OK, but not a big Bill Gatesian kind of thing or suddenly eliot higgins Yeah, it would be nice if someone came along and gave us a billion dollars to do with what we want. But we actually rather prefer that we have lots of different sources of income, because then were never really kara swisher Yes. eliot higgins Like, if someone says, Im not going to pay you any more money unless you do this, we can say, well, goodbye. Well post an article about that and then kara swisher Yeah, dont be beholden to a billionaire. But one of the things you do is these workshops where you train people in open-source investigations. Do you ever worry about putting powerful tools in the hands of bad guys or teaching wrong people to avoid detection? eliot higgins Were pretty careful about who we invite. Theres only so much we can do to look into the background of people. But generally, well have people coming from places that are big NGOs or news organizations, so theyre known quantities. We sometimes get private individuals who want to learn how to do open-source investigations. But if someone comes to us saying, Im from the British Ministry of Defence, or Im from the CIA, then we say no, because we dont train military or intelligence or kara swisher Well, they dont tell you that. eliot higgins Well, this is the thing. Its also, how do we know who they are? But fortunately, being open-source investigators, we always have a bit of a dig into people to make sure theyre representing themselves, because equally, it could be someone coming from Russia Today or the Russian Ministry of Defence or the GRU whos coming to our workshops. So we have to be careful. But now everything is online as well. Theres less worry that our cups of tea are going to get poisoned whilst youre at workshop. kara swisher Fair point. So one of the things you also arent you training your competition? News outlets are hiring their own visual investigation teams. The New York Times poached one of your investigators, Christiaan Triebert. Do you worry about giving away your secret sauce? eliot higgins I think were still quite unique in the sense that its not just about doing the open-source journalism side of it, but the other outcomes that we have. So that keeps us fairly unique in that sense, because the New York Times team does really amazing work. That kind of stuff, for me, is actually good to see because thats bringing the work we are developing into the mainstream. kara swisher Would you consider selling Bellingcat to a major news outlet? eliot higgins Well, we cant sell Bellingcat, because its a charitable foundation now. So its not something I could do. But I wouldnt want to do that anyway, because once you sell it to one specific kind of organization, like a news organization, it becomes a news organization. kara swisher So has anyone tried to buy you? eliot higgins No. Ive tried to when I first started doing this, and I realized it was something I wanted to do, I applied for jobs at, like, the BBC and ITV as a trainee journalist. And I immediately kara swisher And they said no, right? eliot higgins got rejected. Yeah. And then now, Im training them. So thats very satisfying. But the thing is, its like, now when people are actually asking me if I want to work for them, its like, no, Im really happy with where I am at Bellingcat. kara swisher Thats funny. I still keep all the rejection letters I got from every newspaper. And there is a pile of them. And sometimes like, I really admire you, Kara, as a journalist. Im like, you wouldnt hire me. Anyway, so Bellingcat is choosing specific cases and stories to investigate. As you said, theres so many to do. Some critics question your impartiality. How do you answer people who have said, whats your agenda? Why do you pick what you pick? eliot higgins With the Russia stuff, its not like we wake up thinking, well investigate Russia today. Its more like, Russia wakes up, and someone decides to assassinate someone. And we discover that. kara swisher Yeah. There they go again eliot higgins Yeah. kara swisher as Ronald Reagan would say. eliot higgins But were looking now at topics for example, weve been looking at Columbia, working with local journalists there during the protests and mapping out the police and security forces violence there. Theres a million things we could do across the world, and were already 20 people. We have to select a region where we can start actually building the capability there through education, through collaboration. kara swisher Regional versus you were looking into, who is Q, essentially? Tracing metadata and looking where Q drops occurred. eliot higgins Yeah, and thats actually come from a small community of researchers whove been looking into that independently of Bellingcat. And were now giving them a platform where we can review their work, have it edited properly, and then published on the website. kara swisher And so what would you like to investigate most of all right now? What is of interest to Eliot Higgins? eliot higgins Oh God, thats so- - this situation in Ethiopia and with Eritrea was really interesting because we did a bit of work there, and there was a lot of video footage coming from there that showed some really horrific stuff. But then you look at another part of the world where theres new stuff. And the stuff thats happening with Israel and Palestine is worth investigating as well. For me, its always about seeing if theres any kind of sense of accountability that can be brought to whats happening, even in the smallest kind of senses. Ive been helping an organization just a few hours here and there called doglost.co.uk, which is a website for people whove had their dogs lost or stolen. And weve been using a number-plate-analysis technique we developed to investigate murders to help detect dog thieves. And weve already reunited two dogs kara swisher Oh, wow. eliot higgins with their families. Its literally just a couple of hours work. But its kara swisher Well done, Eliot. eliot higgins The thing is, you dont usually get that. If youre investigating a Syrian war crime, its like, OK, I will have a result in 10 years. kara swisher So the cats are saving dogs, right? eliot higgins Yeah. kara swisher Is that line pretty much? eliot higgins Its the mice saving dogs. kara swisher The mice eliot higgins Thats what that is. kara swisher The mice who bell the cats are saving dogs. eliot higgins Its very confusing. [CHUCKLES] kara swisher All right. Eliot, thank you so much. I really appreciate this. eliot higgins Thank you. kara swisher Bye. eliot higgins Cheers. [MUSIC PLAYING] kara swisher But to be fair and successful, Covax must abandon its purely population-based distribution formula, developed by W.H.O., which has led to precious vaccine doses being destroyed or left sitting in freezers in countries without many cases or which lack the ability to distribute them effectively. Fair distribution of vaccines must be based primarily on need. South Sudan, for instance, recently destroyed nearly 60,000 doses it received from Covax; Malawi destroyed 20,000. Neither was able to distribute its entire allotment before the vaccines expired. Ivory Coast similarly distributed less than a quarter of the over 500,000 doses it received in late February, raising fears that doses will expire before they are used. On the other hand, Kenya, with more than 50 million people, was able to administer about 877,000 doses by late April with the roughly one million doses it received from Covax in early March (and an additional 100,000 donated by India), according to the countrys health ministry. The problems are not confined to lower-income countries. More than 600,000 Covax-provided AstraZeneca vaccines sit in Canada at risk of spoilage while Canadians debate whether it is safe to use them. Vaccinations can begin to confer meaningful protection in under 14 days. Freed from freezers, these vaccines could have saved many lives in Peru, India or Brazil, where the pandemic is raging. The Covax distribution plan calls for providing each country with enough vaccine doses for roughly 20 percent of the population. Only after that would countries health needs be considered. True, every country needs vaccines in the pandemic. But those needs are not equally urgent. Distributing vaccines purely on the basis of population means some vaccines will fail to reach those whose actual current risk is highest. Consider Ghana and Peru. They have roughly the same populations, 31 million versus 33 million. Ghana reported about 93,000 cases since the start of the pandemic, 630 of them in the two weeks beginning May 5, and 783 total deaths. Its hospitals are not overrun and there is no indication morgues are overwhelmed. Peru has had about 1.9 million cases, about 80,000 of them in the same two-week period, and 67,000 cumulative deaths. Both countries probably have significant undercounts of cases. W.H.O. estimates a two- to threefold undercount of deaths worldwide. But even if Ghanas real total is 10 times its reported number, giving it 930,000 cases and 7,830 deaths, its needs pale in comparison to Perus. A team of scientists announced Monday that they had partially restored the sight of a blind man by building light-catching proteins in one of his eyes. Their report, which appeared in the journal Nature Medicine, is the first published study to describe the successful use of this treatment. Seeing for the first time that it did work even if only in one patient and in one eye is exciting, said Ehud Isacoff, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in the study. The procedure is a far cry from full vision. The volunteer, a 58-year-old man who lives in France, had to wear special goggles that gave him the ghostly perception of objects in a narrow field of view. But the authors of the report say that the trial the result of 13 years of work is a proof of concept for more effective treatments to come. Its obviously not the end of the road, but its a major milestone, said Dr. Jose-Alain Sahel, an ophthalmologist who splits his time between the University of Pittsburgh and the Sorbonne in Paris. When I was a kid, I had the sense things were more difficult for me, Tiffany Bui recalled. It was hard for her to focus in school, and she was often forgetful. Throughout her life, she said, members of her family criticized these traits as faults. In the fall of 2020, when she was a senior at the University of Minnesota, Ms. Bui, 21, was struggling with anxiety and depression. She visited the schools health clinic, where she was prescribed an antidepressant, but her attention troubles persisted. When she later returned to the clinic, the doctor asked if she had considered that she might have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or A.D.H.D. I started reading up, just doing some self research about what A.D.H.D. looks like in women, and it was like, Wow, no ones ever talked to me about this before, Ms. Bui said. She wasnt exclusively consulting medical websites; on social media, she saw posts from women talking about their experiences with A.D.H.D., which she said were incredibly specific and so relatable. INDIANAPOLIS On a breezy, 80-degree evening, the sun still in the sky, the actor Chandra Lynch walked to the center of the Fonseca Theater Companys outdoor stage-in-the-round. At her back was a semicircle of oversized blocks, each with printed words that together formed the sentence Blackness iz not a monolith. She turned to face a section of a dozen mostly white audience members, part of the sold-out opening night crowd of 50. White folks call what Im about to do exposition, she said, her mouth visible through a clear face shield. But the Black folks in the audience know Im about to preach. The Fonseca Theater, located in a working-class neighborhood on the citys west side whose actors are more than 80 percent people of color, staged its first show on Friday night since its founder, Bryan Fonseca, died from complications from Covid-19 last September. And you bet Ill tell him right now if he ever succeeds in this and doesnt do that, I know how to go to court and sue him, too, Siegel said. Why should he be different than any other of these mayors? A spokesman for Mr. Pompeo said in a statement the lawsuit was ludicrous. Mr. Pompeo is confident the court will see it the same way, according to the statement. Mr. Sondland, a wealthy Oregon-based hotelier who went on to join Mr. Trumps administration, testified that Mr. Trump told him to pressure Ukrainian officials to conduct investigations into Mr. Trumps political rivals. He also said that there was a quid pro quo that conditioned a White House meeting for the new Ukrainian president in exchange for the Ukrainians announcing the investigations Mr. Trump wanted. During impeachment, Mr. Sondland was represented by Robert Luskin, a well-known Washington lawyer who spent weeks preparing Mr. Sondland for his testimony. Although Mr. Sondland gave testimony that hurt Mr. Trump, he faced backlash in Portland, where his businesses were hurt as they became synonymous with Mr. Trump. Mr. Pompeo may have his own legal bills to contend with. Though the allegations against Mr. Pompeo relate to his conduct during his time as secretary of state, it was not clear whether the Justice Department will defend him. A Justice Department spokesman did not return an email seeking comment. During the Trump administration, Mr. Sondland submitted his legal bills to the State Department, which agreed to pay only a small sliver of the $1.8 million tab, according to two people familiar with the matter. Mr. Sondland then relayed to Mr. Pompeo that he would sue if the State Department declined to honor what Mr. Sondland claimed was Mr. Pompeos initial commitment to pay, one of the people said. Mr. Pompeo maintained that he never committed to having the fees paid by the State Department, the person said. A former police officer in Minnesota has been sentenced to six years in prison for kicking a Black man who was on the ground being bitten by a police dog after officers mistook him for an armed suspect from a street fight in 2016, according to the authorities and court documents. The former officer, Brett Palkowitsch, 31, was found guilty in a jury trial of a civil rights violation for using excessive force against an unarmed civilian, a Justice Department statement said. He apologized in court for what prosecutors described as an abuse of authority. You flagrantly abused that trust, Judge Wilhelmina Wright of the United States District Court in Minnesota told him at a sentencing hearing on Friday, according to the statement. Mr. Palkowitsch was indicted in January 2019 on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, according to court documents. He was found guilty in November 2019. Then, if Ms. Sanders prevails, she may prompt a long-shot challenge in the general election from a Republican-turned-independent who left the party in disgust with Mr. Trump, and just happens to be Mr. Hutchinsons nephew. At the same time, Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hutchinson will be circling one another, perhaps in Iowa as often as in Arkansas, as they both eye 2024 presidential bids with very different bets about the future of the party. There will be a lot of complicated relationships, State Senator Jonathan Dismang, an influential lawmaker, said with maximum delicacy. For many veterans of Arkansas politics, the intra-Republican competition is a full-circle moment, reflecting the states rapid shift from an overwhelmingly Democratic state to an overwhelmingly Republican one. This period is also eerily familiar to an earlier era when it was Democrats like then-Governor Bill Clinton and former Senators Dale Bumpers and David Pryor who were vying for supremacy. Whats different about today is how much politics in a small, mostly rural state at the intersection of the Deep South, Midwest and Southwest is shaped by a figure who has almost certainly never let the phrase Woo Pig Sooie slip from his lips. Arkansas Republicanism is defined by President Trump right now, said Trent Garner, a south Arkansas state lawmaker who defeated one of the remaining rural white Democrats when Mr. Trump was first elected. If there was any doubt about that after Mr. Trumps romp in the state last year, it was erased in February when Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin abruptly pulled out of the 2022 governors race. A longtime political operative and former House member, Mr. Griffin had been collecting chits for what many here assumed was an inevitable run for the states top job after returning home from Congress in 2014 to serve as lieutenant governor. WASHINGTON President Biden is coming under increasing pressure to abandon a Trump-era immigration rule that has sealed off the United States to most migrants during the pandemic, with human rights officials and two of the administrations own medical consultants saying the measure endangers vulnerable families. The policy, known as Title 42, allows border agents to turn away migrants at the southern border without giving them a chance to apply for protections in the United States. The order justifies the expulsions as a health measure to prevent the coronavirus from spreading in holding facilities. On Monday, two physicians who work as consultants for the Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to members of Congress saying the rule has had the perverse impact of encouraging parents to send their children to cross the border alone, since Mr. Biden has chosen not to immediately turn away minors and instead is processing them into the United States. Most single adults and many migrants traveling together as a family, however, continue to be immediately turned around. The complaint comes days after Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, who rarely criticizes U.S. immigration policy, said the expulsions have had serious humanitarian consequences. Georgia has already counted its 2020 presidential vote three times, with the same result: President Biden defeated Donald J. Trump narrowly yet decisively. But now portions of the vote will be inspected for a fourth time, after a judge ruled late last week that a group of voters must be allowed to view copies of all 147,000 absentee ballots cast in the states largest county. The move carries limited weight. The plaintiffs, led by a known conspiracy theorist, will have no access to the actual ballots, Georgias election results have already been certified after recounts and audits showed Mr. Biden as the winner with no evidence of fraud, and the review will have no bearing on the outcome. But the order from Judge Brian Amero of Henry County Superior Court was a victory for a watchdog group of plaintiffs that has said it is in search of instances of ballot fraud, parroting Mr. Trumps election lies. Election officials in Fulton County, which contains most of Atlanta, worry that if such a review does occur there, it could cast further doubt on the states results and give Republican lawmakers ammunition to seek greater power over the administration of elections. Where does it end? Its like a never-ending circus, this big lie, Robb Pitts, the Democratic chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, said in an interview on Monday. When they were accusing Fulton County and me in particular, I listened and I said I said to the president, his representatives and I said to the secretary of state: If you have evidence of any wrongdoing, bring it to me. If you do not, put up or shut up. And I repeat that again today. But, he added, it was better than the alternative of severe restrictions on inspectors that would leave the atomic agency flying completely blind and unable to assess whether Iran might be sprinting toward nuclear weapons capability. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. In an analysis on Monday for the Eurasia Group, a New York-based risk consulting firm, Henry Rome, a senior analyst who focuses on Iran, wrote that the extension provided another data point that Tehran remains serious about reviving the nuclear agreement, despite frustration from hard-liners. The extension avoids an enormous distraction in talks, he added. Mr. Rome echoed the view of other analysts that a restoration of the nuclear agreement appeared to be unlikely before Irans presidential election on June 18. The fourth round of talks concluded in Vienna last week. They have included the parties to the 2015 agreement, which also include Russia, China, Britain, France and the European Union. Their goal is to persuade Iran to scale back its nuclear program in compliance with the deal and for the United States to lift sanctions that are strangling Irans oil exports and economy. Because Tehran refuses to negotiate directly with the United States over the 2015 deal, which it says that Mr. Trump violated without cause, American negotiators have been working from a nearby hotel and communicating with Iranian officials through intermediaries. Appearing on This Week on ABC on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said that the talks had made progress but suggested that Tehran was delaying further progress. Iran, I think, knows what it needs to do to come back into compliance on the nuclear side. And what we havent yet seen is whether Iran is ready and willing to make a decision to do what it has to do, he said. Thats the test, and we dont yet have an answer. Analysts said Israel was looking to prevent Hamas from siphoning off cash and reconstruction materials for rebuilding its own military infrastructure and rearmament. Mr. Indyk noted that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Ramallah, in the West Bank, are fierce political rivals. He questioned how the Biden administration expected to empower reconstruction efforts in Gaza, the Palestinian coastal territory that was under an indefinite blockade by Israel and Egypt even before the latest conflict. A senior State Department official, speaking to reporters before Mr. Blinkens departure on Monday, signaled that the American diplomatic effort in the region would seek in part to reintegrate the Palestinian Authority into Gaza which would require marginalizing Hamas grip there and would most likely fuel a power struggle between them. The official said the move sought to create the conditions for better stability in Gaza. But in the wake of the violence, Mr. Indyk suggested Hamas was acting emboldened. The idea that they concede controlling Gaza on an issue like reconstruction to the Palestinian Authority I just dont see how that can happen, he said. The State Department official said that the animosity between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority presents a significant challenge in getting aid to people in Gaza. Working out a way to do that, coordinated through the United Nations, will be a key priority in coming days, said the official, who briefed journalists on the trip on condition of anonymity. As the only regional power that maintains working relationships and a border with both Israel and Hamas, Egypt sent delegations of security officials to Gaza and Tel Aviv while its diplomats huddled with American and Jordanian envoys. Its helpfulness in ending the crisis was rewarded with a call from Mr. Biden to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, who said triumphantly on Twitter on Friday that he had received, with great pleasure. The chair of the Senate Rules Committee, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, is set to introduce legislation on Monday to ban political campaigns from guiding online donors into recurring donations by default, a practice that has drawn criticism for luring supporters into making unintended gifts that sometimes total in the thousands of dollars. The bills planned introduction follows a bipartisan recommendation from the Federal Election Commission that Congress act to rein in the practice of prechecking boxes that automatically enlist donors into making repeated donations. The F.E.C. voted unanimously, 6-0, to recommend the change, after a New York Times investigation into the practice showed it led to a surge of refunds and fraud claims from contributors to former President Donald J. Trump. Ms. Klobuchar, who leads the rules committee that oversees the administration of federal elections, is calling the bill the RECUR Act for Rescuing Every Contributor from Unwanted Recurrences. For now, she has only Democratic co-sponsors, including Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, who is the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate leadership and the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. But Ms. Klobuchar said she was hopeful that she could lure Republican co-sponsors after the F.E.C.s three Republican commissioners joined Democrats in recommending the practice be banned a rare moment of agreement at an agency often defined by partisan gridlock. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed the House in March on a largely party-line vote, and aims to reform a broad range of police practices and policies. It includes language that would end the use of police chokeholds and so-called carotid holds, and would ban no-knock warrants like the one that led to Breonna Taylors death at the hands of the police in Louisville, Ky. It seeks to increase accountability for police misconduct by creating a nationwide misconduct registry to help hold problematic officers accountable. It contains language to prohibit racial and religious profiling, and would take steps to redirect funding toward community-based policing, a key demand of activists. One of the most conspicuous sticking points in the legislation is the debate around ending qualified immunity, a set of legal protections that shield officers from civil prosecution for alleged brutality and other misconduct. As passed by the House, the George Floyd bill would roll back qualified immunity by disallowing officers to escape a lawsuit by using the argument that they were acting in good faith. A group of progressive lawmakers in the House led by Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush sent a letter on Friday urging their colleagues in the Senate to support an end to qualified immunity. They didnt directly threaten not to support a bill that did not include an end to qualified immunity, but the 10 lawmakers who signed the letter would be enough to tank a vote in the closely divided House, if it failed to receive Republican support. We are concerned by recent discussions that the provision ending qualified immunity for local, state and federal law enforcement may be removed in order to strike a bipartisan deal in the Senate, they wrote, saying the protections allow law enforcement officers to do harm with virtual impunity. Puneet Cheema, a manager of the Justice in Public Safety Project for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, has been working with Democratic lawmakers to shape the legislation, and she called ending qualified immunity the heart of the accountability provisions in the bill. Qualified immunity was enshrined by the Supreme Court as a legal doctrine in the waning years of the civil rights movement, as a way to protect law enforcement officers from needless lawsuits. WASHINGTON Over the dissents of its three liberal members, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from a death row inmate in Missouri who said the way the state planned to execute him would cause him excruciating pain. The inmate, Ernest Johnson, had asked to instead be put to death by a firing squad. As is the courts custom, it gave no reasons for refusing to hear the case. Mr. Johnson was convicted of murdering three people during a 1994 robbery of a gas station. He later learned he had a brain tumor and underwent surgery to address it, leaving him with a seizure disorder. Mr. Johnson sued to challenge Missouris execution protocol, which uses a lethal injection of pentobarbital, saying it would very likely cause him to suffer intense and painful seizures. As required by Supreme Court precedent, he proposed alternative methods of execution, starting with nitrogen gas, a method contemplated by state law but never used. In a separate case from Missouri in 2019, Bucklew v. Precythe, the Supreme Court ruled that nitrogen gas was not a feasible alternative because it was, as Justice Neil M. Gorsuch wrote for the majority, an entirely new method one that had never before been used to carry out an execution and had no track record of successful use. Lava from the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo cuts through Buhene north of Goma, Congo Monday, May 24, 2021. Residents returned to destroyed homes and searched for missing loved ones on the outskirts of Goma as officials called for vigilance amid small tremors after the large volcano erupted Saturday May 22, 2021 . Mount Nyiragongo sent torrents of lava into villages after dark with little warning, leaving at least 15 people dead amid the chaos and destroying more than 500 homes. (Justin Kabumba/AP) Several states have already indicated that they will restrict remote learning. In New Jersey, Gov. Philip D. Murphy, has said families in his state will no longer have the option of sending their children to school virtually in the fall. Illinois plans to strictly limit online learning to students who are not eligible for a vaccine and are under quarantine orders. Connecticut has said it will not require districts to offer virtual learning next fall. Massachusetts has said that parents will be able to opt for remote participation only in limited circumstances. In California, which lagged behind the rest of the nation in returning to in-person schooling this spring, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would compel districts to offer traditional school in the fall, while also offering remote learning for families who want it. Some lawmakers there have proposed an alternative approach that would cap the number of students enrolled in virtual options. It is a major staffing challenge for districts to simultaneously offer both traditional and online classes. Before the pandemic, teachers unions were typically harsh critics of virtual learning, which they called inherently inferior. But with some teachers still hesitant to return to full classrooms, even post-vaccination, many unions have said parents should continue to have the choice to opt out of in-person learning. Similar to the end of a lowercase cursive Z, Ms. Trubek said, cursives fade will be gradual. Cursive would linger like the way there are still typewriters, she said. I think Im just like most Americans where cursive is a much, much smaller part of their lives than it was 20 years ago for those who are old enough to remember that and its continuing, with each passing day, to become a smaller part of their daily lives. At Woodland Consolidated School, there has been a longstanding effort to maintain the craft. I feel that our students across our nation are losing the ability to sign their name, Ms. Lord said. I always tell my students: You should be proud of your name. You should be able to write it as beautifully as you can because it represents your spirit, and you, and what you can accomplish. To enter the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest, whose organizers say attracts about 80,000 participants every year, all students must write two sentences. One that says what they like about handwriting, and one that includes every letter of the alphabet: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The contest, which has run for 30 years, is organized by Zaner-Bloser, a company that produces educational materials and traces its roots to an Ohio college of penmanship founded in 1888. A panel of outside judges, including current and former educators, evaluates the submissions, and two occupational therapists select the Nicholas Maxim winners. The winning students take home an engraved trophy, a $500 check and a $1,000 voucher for their schools. (Teachers get a certificate.) Allison and Christian were not the first students from Woodland Consolidated School to be recognized for their cursive skills. In 2011, a seventh grader at the school won the national prize for his grade, according to The Bangor Daily News. And in 2017, another seventh grader was a semifinalist in the handwriting contest, according to The County, a hub for Maine news outlets. Everybody loves to teach the handwriting course, Ms. St. Peter said. Its important that they can read historical documents that are in cursive, and they can sign their signature when theyre asked to sign forms. Should you take antibiotics for a simple respiratory infection? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that health care personnel prescribe antibiotics sparingly, for many reasons. First, the overuse of the drugs leads to the development of resistant strains of bacteria, a growing problem that is reducing the effectiveness of all antibiotics. The drugs can also have serious side effects, ranging from mild rashes or diarrhea to less common and severe allergic reactions. Because antibiotics can destroy normally helpful bacteria in the gut, their use can lead to life-threatening intestinal infections with Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff. The use of antibiotics in infancy and childhood has been linked to the development of allergic and autoimmune diseases, probably because they disturb the bodys normal balance of microorganisms. According to one estimate, adverse reactions to antibiotics result in 143,000 emergency room visits annually. For all these reasons, most doctors have been trying to limit antibiotic use. For doctors and their professional organizations, antibiotic stewardship has become the watchword. In some cases, the C.D.C. recommends an approach called delayed prescribing. With this approach, the doctor gives a patient a prescription for antibiotics, with instructions to wait a few days to fill it, and see if they get better without medicine. There is good evidence that this procedure is safe and effective for otitis media, a common ear infection, and for the nasal congestion of sinusitis. This is very significant, Tsedale Lemma, editor of The Addis Standard newspaper, said of the American measures. Ethiopia is a bulwark of American security in the Horn of Africa. If anyone in Addis Ababa is taking this lightly, they are not reading the writing on the wall. The American measures against Ethiopia, the harshest in several decades, aim to rally wider international pressure to force a halt to fighting in Tigray, which has been accompanied by widespread atrocities. Some 5.2 million people need urgent help and officials warn the region could plunge into famine by September unless large-scale relief aid, currently blocked by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers is allowed through. It is unclear, though, if the U.S. measures will work. Mr. Abiy has often appeared impervious to outside pressure, instead strengthening his alliance with Isaias Afwerki, the autocratic leader of Eritrea, whose troops have been accused of many atrocities in Tigray. Mr. Abiy tried to deflect international criticism by promising to protect civilians, to increase humanitarian access and to send home Eritrean troops promises that American officials say he has failed to keep. More recently Mr. Abiy has sought to rally supporters by turning his fire on Western critics. He relishes riling up his base, said Ms. Tsedale, who lives in Germany. Some of his speeches in the last week went on and on, using offensive language and saying things that make your skin crawl. The American measures announced Sunday were presented as an initial diplomatic salvo that aimed to stop the fighting in Tigray and allow immediate humanitarian access to stave off a possible famine. For the first time since Myanmars military locked her up in a pre-dawn raid as part of its coup on Feb. 1, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmars ousted civilian government, was seen in person on Monday when she sat briefly at a court hearing. The short appearance at a special court in Naypyidaw, the Southeast Asian countrys capital, was also the first time that most of her legal team had caught a glimpse of their famous client. They have been defending her against a raft of criminal charges that the United Nations and foreign governments say are clearly politically motivated. Many of the countrys elected leaders have been jailed. In a 30-minute meeting with her lawyers before the hearing, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, who had previously appeared by video link, seemed healthy and resolute, if unclear about just how Myanmar had changed since the coup, a member of her legal team said. Since the putsch, the military has imposed a reign of terror, isolating the country once more from the international community. Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi was determined to defend the integrity of her political party, the National League for Democracy, or N.L.D., her lawyers said. Ms. Moody, who worked for the World Bank and the consulting firm Deloitte during her time abroad, said it was important that she not feel like Im trapped, career-wise or physically or psychologically. If she returned to New Zealand, she said, I was scared I would lose that outward-looking global connection. But as the pandemic dragged on, the couples reasons for staying in the United States dwindled, and early this year they moved back to Auckland. They are so certain they will remain, despite the lower wages and less affordable housing, that Ms. Moodys husband has begun the lengthy process of training as a doctor locally. Wages in her field are about 20 percent lower in New Zealand than in the United States, Ms. Moody said, so she has kept her job as the global head of leadership for the strategy firm OneLeap, headquartered in London. She is among many newly returned New Zealanders who hope to retain their overseas salaries for as long as they can. Time zone differences mean workdays in New Zealand and the United States or Europe scarcely overlap. Those working remotely are relying on a new willingness from their multinational employers to consider making flexible work arrangements permanent. For people returning to New Zealand in hope of finding work in the public sector, as Ms. Imam had planned, salaries are constrained. The government announced this month that wage increases would be prohibited for the next three years for those earning more than $71,000 and tightly restricted for those earning above $43,000. The prospect of accepting such low pay, said Ms. Moody, who was a public servant before she left New Zealand, was rough. MOSCOW The tray tables were being raised as passengers on Ryanair Flight 4978 prepared for the scheduled landing in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Then the plane made an abrupt U-turn. For many passengers, it initially seemed like one of those unexpected delays in airline travel. But after the pilot announced the plane had been diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, one passenger Roman Protasevich, a prominent Belarusian opposition journalist who had been living in exile since 2019 grew terrified, certain that he faced arrest. He panicked because we were about to land in Minsk, Marius Rutkauskas, who was sitting one row ahead of Mr. Protasevich, told the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT upon arrival in Vilnius. Sundays ordeal described by many European officials as an extraordinary, state-sponsored hijacking by Belarus to seize Mr. Protasevich quickly led to one of the most severe East-West flare-ups in recent years. A day after it brazenly forced down a commercial airline so it could seize a dissident journalist traveling on board, Belarus found itself increasingly isolated on Monday, as other countries considered measures that would effectively make Belarusian airspace off limits to airlines. The reaction should be swift and be severe, Belgiums prime minister, Alexander de Croo, declared as European leaders prepared to gather in Brussels to discuss the next steps. Condemnation grew over the diversion of the Ryanair flight, which had been ordered by the countrys strongman leader so that a Belarusian journalist traveling from Greece to Lithuania through Belarusian airspace could be detained. President Biden was briefed Monday morning about the incident. We think this was a brazen affront to international peace and security, said the White House spokeswoman, Jen Psaki. For now, a rise in cases of the variant from India has not caused an overall surge in the virus in Britain. And not all scientists are convinced that the variant is as contagious as feared. The true test will be whether it surges in other countries, especially those unlike Britain that are grappling with high case counts of other variants, Andrew Rambaut, a professor of molecular evolution at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, wrote on Twitter. In Britain, part of its rapid growth may have to do with the particular places it was first introduced. Bolton, in northwest England, where the new variant is most advanced, is a highly deprived area with tightly packed housing that could be hastening its spread, scientists said. We do not know if the increase in transmissibility is the result of specific mixing patterns, or super-spreading events, a group of researchers led by Robert Challen of the University of Exeter reported on May 11, in a study that was among those presented to an influential government advisory group. That government advisory body said several days later that it had high confidence that the variant first seen in India was indeed more contagious, warning that a substantial resurgence of hospitalizations was possible. It said that the variant was gaining a foothold in diverse parts of Britain where contact patterns or behaviors alone could not explain its spread. It is not clear if the variant from India is any deadlier than B.1.1.7. With cases of B.1.1.7 falling, the variant first seen in India now accounts for roughly half of the sequenced coronavirus cases being monitored by Public Health England. The agencys scientists have said it was likely to replace B.1.1.7 as Englands dominant virus within a month, a startling turnabout so soon after B.1.1.7 swept much of the world. For countries that are starting to struggle with B.1.1.7, they now know they have an even faster one close by, said Devi Sridhar, a professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. The 36-year-old driver admitted to his superiors last week that he abandoned his controls as the train moved at 93 mph after experiencing abdominal distress, the Central Japan Railway Company told local media. He later said he didnt want to cause a delay by stopping the train for his toilet emergency, a move that would have been a major red flag in a country known for its punctuality. LONDON The thieves broke into an imposing castle in the English countryside and took a rare bounty: rosary beads that once belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots, along with other gold and silver artifacts that the authorities said were worth over $1.4 million. The theft came just days after historical sites in England were allowed to reopen after months of lockdown, and the police are asking visitors who might have witnessed suspicious behavior before the crime last Friday at Arundel Castle, about 60 miles southwest of London, to come forward. Apart from their material value, the items stolen had immeasurably greater and priceless historical importance, a spokesman for the castles trustees said in a statement. We therefore urge anyone with information to come forward to the police to assist them in returning these treasures back where they belong. The castle and its grounds, a near thousand-year-old site that is the principal home of the Duke of Norfolk, had reopened to visitors only on Tuesday. The police said in a briefing on Sunday that the thieves had taken the items from a display cabinet along a route used by visitors, and were investigating whether an abandoned car on fire found in a nearby village shortly after the burglary was related to the crime. At least six people who boarded the Ryanair flight in Athens were not on the plane when it finally arrived in Vilnius, Lithuania, the police commissioner of Lithuania said on Monday. Among the six were the dissident journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who were both detained. The identities of the other four people who apparently got off the plane after it was forced to land in Minsk, Belarus, on Sunday are not publicly known and are being investigated by the Lithuanian police. What I know is that six people did not arrive in Vilnius, Renatas Pozela, Lithuanias police commissioner general, said in a telephone interview with The New York Times. PepsiCo senior director of communications Gina Judge talks about the varying effects the pandemic had on different parts of the company in the latest PRs Top Pros Talk video interview with Doug Simon. Judge works on the food service side of PepsiCo. Think restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, stadiums, workplaces, schools, she says. So really, it was everything that was shut down during the pandemic. But the other side of the companys businesssales of such brands as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Cheetos and Doritos directly to consumersheld up very well, she adds. The strategies that PepsiCo put into place to deal with those differing scenarios had their roots in internal communications. We started first and foremost by focusing on our employees, recognizing that the people who make, move and sell our products were essential workers, Judge tells Simon. And also, our headquarters team members were making a lot of adjustments, learning how to work from home. But the company also turned its attention outward. We also really took a step back as a company and thought about who are the people outside of our company that need help as well. One way PepsiCo did that, she says, was through working with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundtation on the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, a grant program to help displaced restaurant workers with funds to cover basic necessities. On the racial equality front, she tells Simon, PepsiCo was one of the first companies to step up and make a 400-million-dollar commitment over the next five years to advancing racial equality within our company, with our people, with our suppliers and with black-owned businesses. Judge also talks about some key principles for PR pros looking to advance their careers. No matter what role you're in, she says, I think we all need to focus on being lifelong learners. She also says its also important to practice co-creation with your stakeholders. You can have a bigger impact if you make a team effort instead of trying to go it alone, and usually get to better ideas if you're involving your stakeholders in the ideation process as well. Listening and prioritizing feedback is also essential, Judge says, especially at a time where interpersonal communication are more complex than ever. When people are willing to give you that feedback, it truly is a gift that can help you be stronger in the future. View all of the interviews in the PR's Top Pros Talk series. Subscribe to get notified when new episodes are available. Interested in taking part? Contact Doug Simon at dougs@dssimonmedia.com D S Simon Media helps clients get their stories on television through satellite media tours and by producing and distributing content to the media. The company also produces live social media events. Major funding has been awarded to Banagher which will go towards regenerating the empty buildings in the town and upgrading the marina. Cllr Clare Claffey welcomed the funding, which is 527,000, pointing out that it is badly needed. I am glad to hear that there will be a painting scheme for the houses on the main street. The white house in the Square is also an eyesore and we would like to do that up. She said there are quite a few derelict and empty buildings in the town and they need to be tackled. We need to improve the appearance of the town, for both the locals and for the tourists coming off the boats. She said the Shannon Hotel, which has long been an eyesore, had work done on its roof by the Council. Banagher has a population of 1,760 (Census 2016) and is idyllically positioned on the River Shannon. However it suffered badly during the recession which created a number of empty buildings on its Main Street, some of which are eyesores. Last year it was announced that Offaly County Council had been successful in its application for funding to the Department of Rural and Community Development, Rural Regeneration and Development Fund under Project Ireland 2040 for a number of regeneration projects in the town. This funding was confirmed this week. It's also been announced that a Request for Tender is underway which seeks to appoint an Architect led integrated design team to develop an Architectural and Tourism Master Plan for Banagher Marina and its Environs. The development of this Master Plan has five key stages, including a detailed report on the preferred project options for the Master Plan. Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr. John Carroll said the investment in Banagher will enhance the towns potential as an attractive and sustainable place to live, work and visit. Cllr. John Leahy, Cathaoirleach of Birr Municipal District, also welcomed the co-operation between the local authority, local development groups, businesses and the wider community that led to the success of the funding application. The funding provided will enable the various projects to be developed to a high standard. This Banagher Regeneration funding, said Cllr Leahy, gives an unprecedented opportunity to deliver the scale of investment necessary to allow a rural community to further develop and prosper. This investment is more important than ever to help address the challenges arising from the pandemic crisis and to drive economic recovery and sustainable development in rural areas. The funding will go towards the design and planning of a digital hub, library and exhibition space to be housed in the currently vacant three-storey building (referred to by locals as the white building in the Square in Banagher. The county council has been involved in negotiations to purchase this building. The funding is also expected to help advance plans for improvements to the currently derelict hotel in the town centre, the regeneration of the marina, and public realm works. Councillor Clare Claffey described it as great news for the area. Banagher needs help and investment. The town has so much potential, so this is really exciting for Banagher and I am looking forward to working on the project with the council and Banagher Development Group. She said she was hopeful that the design and planning stages of the process will be completed relatively quickly and the physical work will start. A couple of years ago a report was published on the progress of Banagher and the five other towns that are part of the Government's pilot 'Town Centre Living Initiative'. In October 2018, Banagher was one of the six rural towns awarded up to 100,000 in Government funding to explore how to encourage increased residential occupancy while also addressing the issue of vacant properties. Prepared independently by Space Engagers, the report mentioned the plans to create a digital hub, library and exhibition space in the white building. There is a sense that this innovative reuse could energise the town, attract remote workers to live in the town centre, and provide a strong amenity anchor function for the whole town population, the report explained. Turning an existing ten-unit development into a community-run self-catering accommodation project, was another proposal being considered locally, the report added. An Offaly boy has reared and sold his first calf and kindly given all the proceeds to help build a hospice for the midlands. Patrick Kelly, 9, who lives in Glebe, Annabrack in Offaly and goes to school in Castlecuffe NS got a record sum for his Simmental calf that he called Paddy. The two year old calf was sold at auction in Tullamore Mart last Thursday May 20, for 2,100. Below: Patrick and Paddy at the mart. Patrick himself was brought up on the podium to help pull the heartstrings of buyers, and it worked a treat, with the calf getting an estimated 500 to 600 above value, bought by a regular customer of the mart from Northern Ireland. He told the Leinster Express all about it. "I had heard my daddy and grandad talking about Hooves for Hospice, and they had given me a calf to mind, so I just decided to do it. I enjoyed feeding him and dosing him and minding him. I was with him most days." Getting up on the podium and hearing all the bids come in was a big moment. "It was exciting, I liked that," he said. His parents Amanda and Brendan are hugely proud of his generosity. "Patrick didn't realise the significance of his donation, he's only 9, but he will when he is older. We are very proud of him. It is such a worthy cause," said Amanda. Brendan said that Patrick, the third of their four children Niamh, Emma and Daire, has always had an interest in farming, and visits his grandad Gerry Kelly in Clonaslee after school every day where he helps out. "It was his first time to rear a calf. We don't normally have calves, I rear bullocks but we had bought a cow in calf so we gave it to Patrick. He shows a strong interest in farming. We are all very proud of him," he said. Antoinette Daly, manager of the mart also praised Patrick. "Patrick is a lovely young lad who took the day off school to be at the mart. I think it helped that we can have everyone physically back at the mart now, they could see him on the rostrum. I am thrilled for him. Almost every week we have a farmer selling an animal for Hooves 4 Hospice, it is getting a great response. Farmers are being very both in giving donations and in bidding," she said. Hooves 4 Hospice is a fundraiser begun by Tullamore Lions Club aimed at farmers, to raise money for a Midlands hospice. The hospice is proposed to be based in Tullamore serving Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford, the only region in Ireland left without an in-patient hospice. Each county is asked to give money towards building it, a request met with some resistance by county hospice groups who want to use their funds locally. Amanda said for them there is no county border issue. "A hospice would be good for the midlands as a whole, we live on the Laois Offaly border, we do a lot of stuff in both counties so we are neutral. A hospice would still be for the local region so people wouldn't have to travel too far when they are sick and need care, it would be good to do something for the locality," she said. Brendan said farmers in general have responded hugely to the Hooves 4 Hospice fundraiser, where they are asked to rear cattle and sell them specifically for the fundraiser. "They have been overwhelmed with the amount of farmers who took it on, above and beyond what they expected. It's very important, it's badly needed. While no-one close to me has been in need of a hospice, we have close friends who have been. It's an exceptionally great cause," he said. Meanwhile, asked what he wants to be when he grows up, Patrick had a bit of a surprise. "I want to be a lorry driver, and a farmer too," he said. See Hooves 4 Hospice website here. The Midlands hospice would cost 9.5 million to build, with five hospice groups asked to contribute. After that the HSE will pay the 2.5m annual running costs. CEO of the Irish Hospice Foundation Sharon Foley from Laois has described the region as a "blackspot" for palliative care. Everyone deserves a good death and we have a duty to work together to ensure that can happen. This is about people who are dying and the families that are left behind. The Midlands is being very much denied a full range of palliative care services. IT appears the further away some commuters are from Heuston Station in Dublin the cheaper the train fare. For example a flexi ticket from Tullamore station to Heuston station which is a distance of 93km costs 11.69. However, Offaly commuters living in Portarlington pay 13.59 for their flexi ticket to Dublin a distance of 66km. Those travelling by train from Portlaoise station to Heuston a distance of 80km pay 15.79 for their flexi ticket. A flexi ticket from Athlone costs 14.49 a distance of 127km. A spokesperson for Irish Rail said: ''We do have pricing by zone which is governed by distance however, they are also governed by the line they are on i.e. Express, Economy 1 and Economy 2 these lines are denoted by the Level of Service on each.'' Tullamore station to Heuston station = Economy 1 Route Portlaoise station to Heuston = Express Route Portarlington to Heuston = Express Route. Athlone station to Heuston = Economy 1 Route. But this does not explain how an Economy train leaving Tullamore can suddenly become an Express train from Portarlington when there are the same number of stops. For example the 5:44 train from Tullamore to Heuston has its first stop at Portarlington. Once it leaves Portarlington the train stops at Kildare, Newbridge, Sallins and Hazelhatch and finally Dublin Heuston - price 11.69. The people who got onto the train in Portarlington are on the same train and experience the same number of stops whether the train is called Express or Economy. Yet they pay 13.59. It appears that commuters travelling from Portarlington may be paying a premium because they are on the Dublin/Cork line which is the busiest line in the country and is classed as high demand. Meanwhile the Dublin/Galway line is classed as low demand. On the positive side travellers from Clara have the best of both worlds as they can go to Heuston for the same price as people from Tullamore - 11.69. However, it doesn't work the other way round as Clara people can travel to Ceannt Station in Galway also for 11.69 while Tullamore people pay 12.49 for their ticket. Members of the Tullamore Mens Shed gathered at Tullamore Tool Hire to collect a donation of battery powered tools from Husqvarna Ireland in replacement for those that were recently stolen in an unfortunately robbery of the Tullamore Mens Shed last month. A selection of battery powered Husqvarna tools including trimmers, will be stored at local Husqvarna dealer, Tullamore Tool Hire for the Tullamore Mens Shed to use for local projects. Over 2,500 worth of tools were stolen in the break in at the Men's Shed in Tullamore. The doors were kicked in and sanders, drills, routers, and other valuable equipment were all stolen in the raid. Mr Finnery said he cannot understand the mentality of the people who did it. ''There were 14 items taken. This is the only source of interaction for these men. It's an outlet for them. We have 30 members and during normal times we have between 15 to 20 men a day.'' Speaking of the donation, Brian Parker - National Business Manager of Husqvarna Ireland said, we are delighted to be able to help replace tools of the Tullamore Mens Shed by donating some Husqvarna battery products which will be facilitated by local Husqvarna dealer, Tullamore Tool Hire. Mens Sheds play a vital role within local communities and we hope our donation will help ensure the Tullamore team can continue to do the amazing work they do for their local area. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. World remembers China's Yuan Longping as "true food hero" Xinhua) 08:31, May 24, 2021 Photo taken on Sept. 28, 2019 shows a portrait of Yuan Longping after receiving the Medal of the Republic. (Xinhua/Li He) Having spent over five decades in hybrid rice research, Yuan, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has helped China work a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total land. BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- World leaders, representatives of international organizations and experts have been mourning the death on Saturday of Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, whose lifelong research in high-yield rice varieties help feed people around the world. "Today, we mourn the passing of a true food hero. Chinese scientist Yuan Longping saved millions of people from hunger by developing the first hybrid rice strains," the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs tweeted. "He passed away today at 91 (due to illness) but his legacy and his mission to end hunger lives on," it said. Having spent over five decades in hybrid rice research, Yuan, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has helped China work a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total land. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, on Saturday expressed his sadness over Yuan's passing. "Deeply saddened by the death of Prof. Yuan Longping, my dear Master. He devoted his life to the research of hybrid rice, helping billions achieve food security," wrote Qu on his Twitter account. "You were my Inspiration. May you rest in peace," Qu added. File photo taken on May 10, 2007 shows Yuan Longping inspecting the trial plantation of hybrid rice. (Xinhua/Zhao Zhongzhi) Born in Beijing in 1930, Yuan succeeded in cultivating the world's first high-yield hybrid rice strain in 1973, which was later grown on a large scale in China and other countries to substantially raise output. "We have learned with great sadness the passing of the Chinese academician, father of hybrid rice, professor Yuan Longping," said Fanomezantsoa Lucien Ranarivelo, minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Madagascar, in a condolence message on behalf of the ministry and in his own name published Saturday on Facebook. In Madagascar, the output of rice was raised from 3 tons to 10 tons per hectare, thanks to Yuan's fruitful research and a hybrid rice R&D center in the town of Malagasy co-built with China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center, an institution he founded. Nowadays, sponsored by the center's training program, Madagascan technicians can travel to the Chinese central city of Changsha, where Yuan's team headquartered, and receive tailored advices. Otilia Tomo, director of Mozambique Agricultural Research Institute, said that during a visit to China in 2019, she was impressed by varieties of saline-alkali tolerant or higher-yield rice that Yuan's team presented. Mozambique was also challenged by the task of increasing yields, said Tomo, adding that in 2020, three varieties which her team brought from China and tested in Mozambique have delivered "satisfactory results." The results are single-season and preliminary, noted Tomo, "but I can say they are promising," and her institute will carry on the studies to fight hunger, she said in an interview with Xinhua. Students light candles to mourn the passing away of Yuan Longping at University of South China in Hengyang, central China's Hunan Province, May 22, 2021. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua) Yuan's passing is not only sad news to the Chinese people, but also a great loss to humanity, said Shahzad Ali Malik, CEO of Guard Agriculture Research and Services Co., Ltd in Pakistan. Speaking of his first meeting with Yuan in 1998, Malik said the scientist had told him "businessmen usually wish for a speedier benefit through their investment, yet seed-breeding is not an industry with quick profit, there may even be no profit." The talks showcase Yuan's high hopes of serious interest in rice-breeding from a potential partner, he noted. Later on, the two sides have undergone two decades of cooperation in developing hybrid strains, and Pakistan's rice planting has ushered in an era of great economic and social benefits, helping many in the rural area to shake off poverty, according to Malik. Ivo Mello, a renowned rice expert in Brazil, was also saddened by the news of Yuan's passing. "His legacy will be remembered for generations," said Mello, technical director of the Rice Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's leading rice-producing state. Ramping up research input to develop higher-yield hybrid rice strains is a matter of great importance to countries with a huge population, such as China and India, and more broadly, to the eradiation of global hunger, said Mello, whose institute has for years been promoting the growing of hybrid rice in Brazil. By early 1970s, most biologists and agronomists around the world believed that a sustainable way of cross-breeding robust and high-yield rice varieties was a mission impossible, yet Yuan, with his research, proved the opposite and has since become a science hero of his motherland, wrote the German public broadcast ARD program "Tagesschau" in an obituary on Saturday. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) What I did understand is that anti-Semitism is everywhere. That people who will swear up and down that theyre not anti-Semitic are often still a little anti-Semitic, much like people who argue that they dont see color are still a little racist. That Jews can never be too comfortable, because there is always a threat lurking around the corner, whether its an outspoken white supremacist or a human rights activist who, for all her sympathy for oppressed people, decries the idea that Jews need a home, too. Siena poll: 53% of New Yorkers prefer 'someone else' for governor; James frontrunner Ontario government's medical advisers share their views on delivering guidance about the pandemic's projected path, while knowing the decisions about public health measures are ultimately not theirs to make. 2008-2021 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Paralympics Australia confirmed all Australian team hopefuls they would need to be vaccinated to be eligible for Tokyo selection after consulting with biosecurity experts. The European Court of Justice has ruled in favor of Ryanair that state aid for embattled airlines has not been divided equally. But environmentalists are angry for other reasons over the huge pandemic-induced bailouts. The changes we made came about because we had no choice. But in reality, even absent COVID-19, we have no choice. We need to deliberately strategize about what we want our institutional lives to look like once we get back to normal. Higher education, one of the sectors most dramatically upended by the pandemic, must now take a lead in redefining what normal is, and capitalize on the disruption of the past year to drive change long-term. We need to provide our employees with greater flexibility in composing their work schedules, and to radically rethink our use of space and other resources. BEIJING (AP) The Biden administrations solar power ambitions are colliding with complaints the global industry depends on Chinese raw materials that might be produced by forced labor. A big hurdle is polysilicon, used to make photovoltaic cells for solar panels. The global industry gets 45% of its supply from Xinjiang, the northwestern region where the ruling Communist Party is accused of mass incarceration of minorities and other abuses. Other parts of China supply 35%. Only 20% comes from U.S. and other producers. Bidens climate envoy, John Kerry, says Washington is deciding whether to keep solar products from Xinjiang out of U.S. markets. That sets up a conflict with President Joe Bidens plans to cut climate-changing carbon emissions by promoting solar and other renewable energy while also reducing costs. In Xinjiang, more than 1 million Uyghurs and other members of predominantly Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into detention camps, according to foreign researchers and governments. Authorities are accused of forced sterilizations of minorities and of destroying mosques. Chinese officials reject accusations of abuse and say the camps are for job training aimed at economic development and deterring radicalism. U.S. and some Chinese solar vendors have pledged to avoid suppliers that might use forced labor. It isnt clear, however, whether they can meet rising demand without Xinjiang, where Beijing wont allow independent inspections of workplaces. The biggest manufacturers all use raw materials from Xinjiang and have a "high risk of forced labor in their supply chains, according to a May 14 report by researchers Laura T. Murphy and Nyrola Elimaat of Britains Sheffield Hallam University. The possibility of forced labor is a problem, Kerry told U.S.... European leaders are meeting to discuss further sanctions against Belarus after it intercepted a flight by Irish budget airline Ryanair to detain an opposition activist. Obama's strategy at the 2016 Oval Office meeting was to "start by buttering up Trump," according to a copy of a forthcoming book obtained by Insider. Al Jazeera STUDIO 25 May 2021 The bloc agrees to ban Belarus from its airspace amid other sanctions after the forced diversion of a jet and the arrest of an.. Germany summons the Belarusian ambassador over the forced landing of a passenger flight and the arrest of a critical journalist. EU leaders are set to discuss additional sanctions against Belarus. Chancellor Angela Merkel has dismissed Belarus's explanation over the forced landing of a passenger flight and the arrest of a critical journalist. EU leaders are discussing additional sanctions against Belarus. Eurasia Review 29 May 2021 Reporters at major newspapers and magazines are hard to reach by telephone. Today it is increasingly difficult to converse with.. Spain will allow visitors from the UK and Japan for holidays without a negative PCR test for COVID-19 from Monday, the country's.. Sky News 21 May 2021 Spacey was booted from his starring role in Netflixs House of Cards in late 2017 after the first round of accusations, beginning with Star Trek: Discovery star Anthony Rapp, who was 14 at the time of the alleged assault. He was also erased from Ridley Scotts All the Money in the World and replaced by Christopher Plummer, who was nominated for an Oscar for the role. The gold standard for shamelessness has long been the guy who murders his parents and then pleads for the mercy of the court.. Eurasia Review 27 May 2021 Eurasia Review 28 May 2021 I will start by pleading mea culpa for two sins I am about to commit: Only covering sub-Saharan rather than the whole.. CBS 5 SF KPIX 12 Jun 2021 Swelling of the heart appears to be a rare side effect that mostly strikes young people after vaccination for COVID-19, the CDC.. There are fears for the life of a journalist who was arrested when his Ryanair flight was diverted to Belarus. Activist Sasha Johnson was seriously wounded in a shooting in London, her political party has said, adding that she has recieved death threats. British police said there is no evidence so far of a targeted attack. Japan Today 29 May 2021 A teenager from south London appeared in court Saturday on charges that he was involved in the shooting of a prominent member of.. PA - Press Association STUDIO 19 May 2021 The Government said a further three people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the UK.. A cable car of a funicular which travels between the resort town of Stresa to the top of Mottarone mountain in Italy's Piedmont region, crashed to the ground Sunday The father of an activist who was detained after his flight was diverted tells the BBC he is "really afraid". President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a new law sharply restricting media activities in Belarus. The government can now order a media outlet's closure without a court decision. The lawsuit says plaintiff Andrew Ramirez was terminated when he inquired about his rights as an employee and that plaintiff Andrew Ramirez Jr. was only 16 years old when he was permitted to work longer than the maximum allowed for minors. US-based Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer Pfizer on Monday said it will supply its vaccine only to central governments and "supra-national organisations". "Pfizer will supply Covid-19 vaccine only to central govts & supra-national orgs for deployment in national immunization programs. Allocation of doses & implementation plan within a country is a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidance," the company said in a statement on Monday. Zee News 24 May 2021 The company said that it is having discussions with the Indian government to start the supply of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the.. The U.S. government strongly condemned the forced diversion of a Ryanair plane to Belarus on Sunday and the detention of an opposition journalist who was on board, and it called for a quick meeting of an international civil aviation group. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a stark reprimand of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday over allegations that he personally ordered fighter jets to scramble in part of the effort to divert a commercial airliner carrying an opposition figure. Passengers on Ryanair flight FR4978 described the anxious minutes for opposition blogger Roman Protasevich after he realised that the plane was being diverted to Minsk, where he was later detained. He started panicking and saying this was because of him, Monika Simkiene, a 40-year-old Lithuanian, told AFP after the plane finally landed in Vilnius several [] A defiant Belarus on Monday defended its forced diversion of a European plane carrying an opposition activist, after the unprecedented move provoked a global outcry and calls for a tough response. The Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius carrying dissident journalist Roman Protasevich was diverted while in Belarusian airspace on Sunday over a supposed bomb threat. [] EU leaders agreed to cut air links with Belarus on Monday, as leader Alexander Lukashenkos regime paraded a dissident journalist arrested after his flight was forced to land in Minsk. Strongman Lukashenko sparked international outrage by dispatching a fighter jet Sunday to intercept a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius carrying wanted reporter Roman Protasevich, 26, [] All three were arrested on Saturday in connection with the killing of Tim Hipperson. A British hotel owner and an Italian tourist have been arrested for alleged possession of narcotics on Indonesias resort island of Bali. As the violence between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, we are witnessing a dangerous and drastic surge in anti-Jewish hate right here at home, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement Friday. We are tracking acts of harassment, vandalism and violence as well as a torrent of online abuse. Its happening around the world from London to Los Angeles, from France to Florida, in big cities like New York and in small towns, and across every social media platform. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease official, said he and many experts felt it was more likely that COVID-19 was.. Reuters - Politics 25 May 2021 Eurasia Review 03 May 2021 When all is said and done, this is not a government that has our best interests at heart. This is not a government that values.. Iran will proceed with the negotiations on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal until reaching a final agreement, President Hassan Rouhani said. Speaking at a Sunday meeting of the Administrations Economic Coordination Headquarters, Rouhani said Iran will keep holding negotiations in Vienna until achievement of a final... (RFE/RL) -- The United States formally blacklisted more than a dozen Russian ships involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, days after exempting the pipeline's Russian operator and CEO. The widely expected move, announced late on May 21 by the U.S. Treasury Department, came amid vehement criticism from... Israeli officials have privately expressed regret for blowing up a tower in the Gaza Strip that contained foreign media offices, it... A prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president was arrested on Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition and Western officials denounced as... CBS 13 Sacramento 03 Jun 2021 One person has been killed and three others have been injured including the shooter, say police. The incident happened at a mobile.. Sasha Johnson, one of the leading Black Lives Matter activists in the United Kingdom, is in critical condition after she was shot in the head early Sunday, according to reports. European leaders call for tougher sanctions on Belarus fewer than one in 60 rape cases lead to charges ... Johnson to marry fiancee next year Roman Protasevich, 26, was arrested after his Ryanair flight was forced to land in Belarus, where he was arrested and accused of terrorism. I would love to go back because you get to interact with people, you get to make them feel good about coming to your store. Its just the pay has to be competitive, and it has to match todays market, Rice said. Thats the No. 1 motivator, I believe, why the workforce is not returning to these jobs. Because if youve moved on to something better, with benefits, better work environment, why would you go back? A British hotel owner has been arrested on the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali on suspicion of possessing drugs. Newsflare STUDIO 25 May 2021 In the early hours of Sunday morning, Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson was shot while at a party and is currently in.. Claims of a bomb on a Ryanair flight are phony. The plane was forced down to arrest a journalist critical of the Belarus dictator. Oskaloosa, IA (52577) Today A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 69F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 69F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. AGENCY [mdash]MaryAnn Wanner, 75, of Agency, died at 4:45 a.m. June 9, 2021 at Ridgewood Specialty Care. She was born February 18, 1946 in Lake City, IA to Lubbert and Erma DeVries. She married Martin Joseph Wanner and he preceded her in death on March 18, 2021. MaryAnn had worked as a beaut Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. A new satellite office hopes to decrease wait time and drive time for Midland residents seeking dermatology services. Dr. Derek Hirschman opened his first dermatology office, H2 Dermatology in Saginaw, about eight months ago. Soon he noticed a trend: many of his patients were from Midland. They were often willing to make the drive because they couldnt find an appointment soon enough anywhere else, he said. Hirschman and his wife, Sarah, decided to alleviate the need by launching a second H2 Dermatology location, at 6225 Jefferson Avenue in Midland. The new office is open on Mondays to start, but a positive response so far has them excited, and Hirschman hopes to expand to four and a half days a week in the near future. Its pretty wild, Hirschman said. I knew there was a big demand. (But) I didnt expect it to pick up this fast, to be honest. Dr. Jack Pfenninger, a retired doctor and founder of the Medical Procedures Center in Midland, isnt surprised. A few years ago, Hirschman, a fourth-year medical student at the time, shadowed Pfenninger in his office for a month. He was just very well informed, very smart, very good with his hands, Pfenninger said. ...He knew dermatology so well. He was very knowledgeable for his level of training. Hirschman said he noticed Pfenningers strong reputation in the community and caring manner, traits he tries to emulate. His time with Pfenninger also showed him the importance of creating a comfortable, almost home-like atmosphere in his office. The building and the ambience play a role, he said. Besides the sheer demand, Hirschman said H2 Dermatology is growing because his office can connect well with patients and offer the latest techniques. Both Sarah and I are pretty down-to-earth providers. We communicate with patients effectively, he said. Were young, fresh out of training. I think it gives us some advantages. Newer technology and newer techniques. We are up on the latest and greatest. Derek Hirschman attended medical school at Michigan State University and completed his dermatology residency at Beaumont Hospital. Sarah Hirschman attended Grand Valley State University to become a certified physician assistant and is dermatology-trained. The Hemlock natives enjoy being back in mid-Michigan and closer to family and friends, especially with the addition of their now-18-month-old daughter to their family, Hirschman said. As the COVID pandemic subsides, Hirschman will continue to recruit more staff and accept more patients as the Midland office matures. He is glad he took the risk of opening the second office. There was a need here, Hirschman said. We know its a big need. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Nashville's top prosecutor said Monday that he will not enforce a newly enacted law that requires businesses and government facilities open to the public to post a sign if they let transgender people use multiperson bathrooms and other facilities associated with their gender identity. I believe every person is welcome and valued in Nashville," Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk said in a statement. Enforcement of transphobic or homophobic laws is contrary to those values. My office will not promote hate. Funk's office clarified that this refusal to enforce transphobic or homophobic laws specifically included the first-of-its kind measure signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee earlier this month. The move, along with the flurry of other anti-transgender laws approved by Lee, has sparked alarm among LGBTQ advocates. Many have decried the latest measure as discriminatory and said the required signs are offensive and humiliating. The law will go into effect July 1. However, questions have remained about how specifically it will be enforced. Republican Rep. Tim Rudd, who sponsored the legislation, told a legislative committee in March that the bill does not provide any fines or penalties at this point, and the amended version passed by that committee became law. Rudd has also said that the law could be enforced by people filing lawsuits or district attorneys asking a judge to force businesses to comply. Yet Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference President Amy Weirich argued that the language in the new law doesnt speak to anything having to do with enforcement." The way its written, I dont see anything that allows or provides me the responsibility or right to go to civil court and ask a judge to enforce it, said Weirich, Shelby Countys district attorney. Lee did not have a strong reaction when pressed by reporters Monday on Funk's refusal to enforce the bathroom sign law. I think his decision will be his own," he said. "I signed the law; it's his decision how he wants to respond to it. Lee's response was markedly different than when Funk announced in September he would not enforce a new law that required abortion providers to tell their patients it may be possible to reverse the action of abortion medication half-way through the procedure. Funk said at the time he believed the law was unconstitutional. Without naming Funk, Lee's office tweeted that, A district attorney purposefully disregarding current, duly enacted laws by the legislature is a grave matter that threatens our justice system and has serious consequences. ___ Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise contributed to this report. Its gonna take community engagement and transforming our mindset, where children now are becoming accustomed to death, Hill said. Because they can wake up on a Monday morning and a friend or student that they love and know isnt there, and it continues to happen. ... Its up to us, the community, to start giving these young kids hope again, love again, conditionally. So weve got to start working on prevention, intervention and recovery. To the editor: The fourth mobile food pantry by the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network this year was hosted on Thursday, May 13, in the parking lot of the Trinity Church Youth Center, located on Jefferson Avenue in Midland. Because of the pandemic guidelines, our mobile food pantry events continue outside as drive-through, no-contact distributions. Masks are worn by all the volunteers. The giveaway of 21,756 pounds of food from the Farmers-to-Families program was provided at no cost (i.e. federally sponsored) from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint. The 30 volunteers served 110 families with generous amounts of milk, apples, potatoes, peppers, bananas, grapefruit juice, yogurt, bologna, cheese, assorted produce and snacks. After the distribution at the youth center, some boxes of bananas were shared with Hidden Harvest in partnership with their ministry to the food-insecure. The network is very grateful to the many donors of food, money and time to the network's mission of "Always food in every home." The next drive-through MFP is scheduled tentatively for Thursday, June 10, in the parking lot of Blessed Sacrament Church on the corner of Swede and Ashman roads. Midland County residents in (financial) need of food during the year may dial 211 and request the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network for food assistance or may dial the network directly at 989-486-9393 and press 1 to leave a message. SALLY ANN SUTTON Midland County EFPN The new mask wearing guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) apply to fully vaccinated individuals. There are exceptions for non-vaccinated people who may go without masks in certain situations. Additionally, changes in healthcare and preparedness have already begun due to the pandemic. It is predicted that better advance preparation will allow for less difficult response efforts to emergency health situations in the future. Mask guidelines and exceptions With the new CDC mask guidelines in effect May 16, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has also updated state mask requirements. No masks are required for fully vaccinated people, but there are numerous exceptions to the mask mandate for unvaccinated people. They include medical, identification, communication, disability and other exceptions. Among those exempt in Michigan are children 2 years old and under, anyone seated who is eating or drinking, and anyone who cannot tolerate wearing a mask for medical reasons. Those involved in public safety activities that a mask could hinder are also exempt, including law enforcement, firefighting and emergency medical agencies. For those receiving medical care, whether emergency or not, if a mask could impede treatment, it should be removed. For anyone communicating with people with certain disabilities, such as deafness or poor hearing where the mouth should be seen to be understood, masks should be removed. It is also not necessary to wear a mask with those diagnosed as being deaf-blind. Deaf-blindness refers to anyone with both hearing and visual impairments, sometimes resulting from aging, systemic disease or a syndrome, such as rubella. Activities and events where masks are not required include swimming, engaging in a religious service, and public speaking, under certain conditions. Those engaged in public speaking or broadcasting should be at least 12 feet away from the audience. Vaccinations still important Across the United States, the COVID-19 infection rate decreased by 23.6% over the seven-day period ending May 18. While the decrease in new cases reflects the effectiveness of vaccines and health precautions. vaccination remains critical in efforts to eliminate COVID-19. Nationwide, 47.7% of the total population has had at least one vaccine dose, with 37.5% fully vaccinated. In Michigan, 50.9% have received at least one dose, with 43.3% fully vaccinated. Full vaccination refers to those who have had the two required doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, or the single dose required of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The statistics now include those age 12 and up. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends vaccination of those age 12 and older and states that the vaccines are safe and effective. Because COVID-19 focuses on respiratory issues, the American Lung Association (ALA) is encouraging everyone eligible to get a vaccine. Evolving changes in healthcare due to COVID-19 The way the pandemic will affect the future of medical care is already being seen. One example is the fact that ALA partnered with Cleveland Clinic to provide advanced training for healthcare providers with critically ill patients during the pandemic. Additionally, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has stated that the pandemic has underlined the importance of maintaining reserve supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), intensive care unit (ICU) equipment and other essential supplies and materials available on national and regional levels. NLM information released earlier this year also predicts that advanced ICU practices in case of patient influx and other procedural elements will be modified. More defined preparation for unexpected patients and plans for staffing in such situations should be reviewed and refined to ease the burden during an emergency. This could involve a restructuring of workflow in certain situations and improving communications among medical staff and between other personnel and the relatives of patients. Beyond medical equipment and procedures between providers and patients, technology will play an ever-increasing role in managing health care, especially during an emergency. The expansion of wireless monitoring and remote communications between medical staff and patients families were specifically cited. The importance of access to digitally stored data, including epidemiological registries, has also been emphasized as patient care during the pandemic has progressed. To learn more about a variety of health conditions, management and treatment, log on to vascularhealthclinics.org. Do you have questions about your heart health? Ask Dr. Haqqani. If you have questions about your cardiovascular health, including heart, blood pressure, stroke lifestyle and other issues, we want to answer them. Please submit your questions to Dr. Haqqani by email at questions@vascularhealthclinics.org. Omar P. Haqqani is the Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Vascular Health Clinics in Midland. BLOOMINGTON A year after George Floyd's murder, Bloomington-Normal community members who took to the streets demanding change say the mission is the same and so are many of the feelings. Then was exasperation and hopelessness; now is exasperation and hopelessness, but for two different reasons, said Miltonette Craig, a criminal justice professor at Illinois State University. Tuesday marks 12 months since Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old Black man, was killed May 25, 2020, by white Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin. The death, captured on a bystander's camera, touched off waves of protests across the country, some of which became violent, and a national conversation about equity and police training and hiring. Today, Chauvin has been convicted of murder, but for those who demonstrated, additional progress and serious questions remain. It felt like we couldnt see an end to police violence against Black people, and we couldn't have our voices heard as much as we wanted to around the country because we were in the midst of a pandemic, Craig said. Now I would say that the hopelessness is from an OK we got a conviction why are these things still happening? The names Andrew Brown, Daunte Wright and Ma'Khia Bryant were mentioned by activists, community leaders and academics reflecting on the last 12 months, as examples of more Black lives taken this year. Then what happens? What is going to change? said Ashley Farmer, a criminal justice professor at ISU. Thats usually the biggest question after any incident like this what are we going to see thats different? And usually the answer is not much. Linda Foster, president of the Bloomington-Normal branch of the NAACP, said this unveiled the ugliness of how a group of people can be treated. The group is holding a prayer Tuesday to remember Floyd. Theres no way in the world that no change is supposed to come from this. We cannot continue to allow these types of behaviors, Foster said. 9 1/2 minutes Chauvin was convicted by a Minneapolis jury last month, found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The bystander video showed the officer kneeling on Floyds neck for 9 minutes, pinning him to the pavement as he pleaded for Chauvin to stop. After the video spread online, the summer was punctuated with protests, marches and rallies across the U.S., including several in Bloomington-Normal organized by local activist groups like NAACP, Black Lives Matter and Not In Our Town. Two nights of looting in Bloomington-Normal occurred hours after the organized rallies, resulting in extensive property damage to police vehicles and local retailers and more than 40 defendants eventually charged for their involvement. Craig said it was important for her to participate last year because I felt like the common refrain from the community was enough is enough. Like we have to speak and we need to show that were united in our quest for justice. We cant continue going like this. Brandon Thornton, a math and English special education teacher at Bloomington High School, said he was proud of the community, especially young people, last summer. It felt nice to know the community was kind of grieving together and we were acknowledging that this was a crime. It was a murder, he said. "I feel like weve done a really good job of immediately organizing when someone in our community is feeling trauma ... Weve done a really good job of getting together and holding vigils and holding rallies that say Were not going to take this in our community. However as a country, Thornton said, its been more difficult because theres still this narrative that it is within your constitutional rights to hold bigoted, racist, xenophobic views. Mike Matejka, co-chairman of Not In Our Town Bloomington-Normal, which works to improve race relations, said the Chauvin video woke white people up. The idea of police brutality was not a new thing to African American communities, but that the vividness and the video of what happened to George Floyd I think brought home to many white Americans that this was not just an extraordinary event, but the kind of thing that many African Americans face on a regular basis, he said. Matejka pointed to the at least 224 other Black people who have been killed by police since Floyds death. The 224 deaths are of 1,032 people killed by police many of whom the race was unknown since Floyds murder, according to a database maintained and last updated May 9 by the research group Mapping Police Violence. This was not just a one-time accident, Matejka said. After Chauvins guilty verdict was returned, James Black, president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, issued a statement calling this result justice served in Floyds tragic death. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A bad police officer is no longer wearing a badge, said Black, who is a police chief in Crystal Lake. As a profession, we must not tolerate hate, discriminatory practices or abuses of power. The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police is committed to collaboratively working with our lawmakers and the citizens we serve to effectuate positive change and build trust within our communities. It is my sincere hope that we can slowly begin to heal as a nation. Officials for the Normal and Bloomington police departments, as well as McLean County Sheriff's Office, have repeatedly said they are working to hire a more diverse staff of officers but are hampered by a severe shortage of applicants. McLean County Sheriff Jon Sandage has also said an "anti-police sentiment that is being pushed" has had an impact on hiring. Law enforcement have also pointed to renewed efforts to meticulously review training standards, as well as to boost connections with the community. The Normal Police Department recently adjusted its intervention guidelines, expanding requirements for officers to intervene if they witness excessive force being used by officers in other agencies and not just their own. What comes next Foster and NAACP First Vice President Carla Campbell-Jackson said they believe some progress has been made, including the criminal justice reform bill the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus drafted and then passed this year. However, as the reform package was one of four pillars proposed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus with health care, economic access, and education as the others theres still more work to be done, they said. Its not over with yet, Foster said. And we want to say loudly that were not going to continue to stand by and just let loss of life be had. Farmer said substantial change is slow and while policy changes may result from Floyds death, It really comes down to addressing police culture. While the world saw Chauvin kneel on Floyds neck, they also saw three other officers who stood there and didnt see a problem at the time," Farmer said. "You have to change that culture within policing so officers feel comfortable coming forward if they see a problem and they know that they can do so without retaliation and you want to change the culture to where these things like leaning on someones neck for nine minutes is not just a normalized part of arresting someone. Craig agreed: The blue code of silence is something that needs to come down. We don't want new recruits going in thinking that you cant intervene and you cant do anything. The first step toward addressing this violence is to listen to people of color, Farmer said. Ive never experienced police brutality. Ive studied police brutality for almost a decade, but thats not the same thing, the professor said. Can I understand what different factors influence police brutality or what types of cultures within police departments allow police brutality to happen? Sure. But I think listening to people who have been brutalized by police or have been targeted by the police for years and years on end is where you start. Craig said the silver lining in that horrible dark cloud was the video showed this was not a split second decision by the officer and exposed this reality to those who were unaware or did not want to believe it. In other (cases) you could try to excuse them away. But this time, We had to sit through what felt like an endless amount of time and actually see someones life leave their body. Thats just something that no one should have to see, she said. Despite being only a junior at Bloomington High School, Marley Pleines said they already feel desensitized to the violence seen in the video of Floyds death. "What was more alarming for me last summer was after that seeing how much I felt like things got worse," Pleines said. Seeing protests across the country, "I was feeling like police were getting more violent and conservatives were getting more aggressive so that scared me more than seeing the event itself unfold, like watching the dominos fall because that was very alarming to me. A year later, Pleines said some fear remains but theyre still finding hope. I feel like now theres some sort of hope that its going to get better or that people are more aware now, Pleines said. This has definitely raised a lot of awareness about police and the misuse of power that can happen. Campbell-Jackson said the visibility of Floyds death and others' emphasizes the stark reality of racial disparities. While the NAACP has always remained extremely aware of the mass disparities, cameras now align the world to witness what weve known forever, for generations, Campbell-Jackson said. The bystander video helped galvanize many people to start talking about racism in not just policing, but in other aspects like education and healthcare. But Campbell-Jackson said while the dialogue is good, it is largely the people who are not involved in the conversations that need to be. The people who are not at the table are the ones that need to be present, so that we can make those changes, Campbell-Jackson said. Usually the ones that are participating in these conversations are already aware, and theyre already willing to help with leveling the playing field. Prior to an interview with The Pantagraph, Foster had met with Sandage about working to make the department more diverse, which she said needs to happen for every law enforcement department. These different agencies need to be able to have their administration look like our community. They just do, Foster said. That is why were on the forefront and thats why well continue to speak, and to remind people, and to encourage people, and to educate people that until were all there, were not there. Craig said that while diversity is important, Its not the end all be all and officers need to engage with their community and get to know people instead of waiting for someone to commit a crime. "We have to have something that is truly a joint effort ... from a place of bettering relations and saving lives," Craig said. Because, "the wounds are still open and its just like every news flash of another life lost in this way is just opening and reopening the wound, and it feels like it cant heal." Love 2 Funny 7 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 2 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Kelsey Watznauer Education Reporter Follow Kelsey Watznauer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Editor's note: This story contains graphic language. EUREKA A Eureka patrolman was suspended after a lewd conversation with another police officer regarding a woman pulled over for a traffic stop, according to materials obtained by the Journal Star in a Freedom of Information Act request. Further, Eureka police officer Andrew Burgess was upbraided by a department superior for "prolonging" the stop and requesting a K-9 inspection of the woman's vehicle because of her tattoos and body piercings, according to the FOIA materials. In the wake of the traffic stop, Burgess was suspended four days for "misconduct" for violating multiple tenets of the the department's conduct policies, according to a departmental disciplinary letter. He also was directed to undergo remedial training regarding "sexual harassment and sensitivity" as well as other issues, the letter stated. Meanwhile, the Woodford County Sheriff's Office, though acknowledging the role one of its deputies played in the traffic-stop conversation, has refused to identify that officer, who was not disciplined. The woman in the traffic stop, Hannah "May" Reliford, 21, of Eureka, feels Burgess' suspension is too light a punishment. Further, Reliford who at the end of the stop was issued a warning for speeding wants the county to come forward with information about its officer involved in the matter. Reliford, who told the Journal Star that she is a survivor of sexual abuse, said she "freaked out" upon hearing the recording of the officers' conversation. "I felt very dirty and scared," she said. "I didn't want to ever run into a police officer again, because I was scared of what they might do." Reliford said she grew up home-schooled outside Mackinaw and now lives in a mobile home park near Eureka College, where she has been taking classes on and off. Tri-County court records show no traffic citations or criminal proceedings against her. "I don't get into trouble," Reliford said. About 2 a.m. March 19, she got a call from a friend in Peoria who was suffering a bout of anxiety. Reliford said she offered to drive over to calm her friend. Pulling from the mobile home park, she noticed a car following her. Apprehensive, she wanted to put distance between herself and the other car, she said. "I sped up," she said. As the other vehicle continued to follow her for about a minute over several blocks of Reagan Drive, she realized it was a police cruiser. When the emergency lights flashed on, she signaled right and pulled over onto a side street. The dashcam video, obtained through a public records request, shows Burgess, the Eureka officer, exit his vehicle and walk to Reliford's car, then engage in conversation with her. During that two-minute portion of the video there is no audio recording. The Eureka city administrator, who later played a role in investigating the matter, believes Burgess likely forgot to turn on his microphone. Reliford said Burgess asked what she was doing out at that hour, and she explained the call from the friend. He then said her tail light was either out or dim, and she had been speeding. On the video which is in a fixed position, eyeing the rear of Reliford's car Burgess returns to his vehicle. He calls a radio dispatcher to run a check on Reliford's name, but no information is audible regarding any response. Burgess eventually issues a speeding warning, which notes Reliford had been driving 38 mph in a 25-mph zone. He walks back to Reliford's driver-side window, now with his microphone on. He announces he is giving her "just a warning," and she replies, "Thank you." Burgess asks why she had reached around the car's interior when he first stopped her. She apologizes, then says that she had been hunting for her insurance card. "You're not trying to hide anything, right?" Burgess asks. When she says no, he says, "You haven't been in trouble for anything before?" "No, sir," she replies. He then starts explaining that his suspicions had been aroused when she "reached real hard" inside the car. Reliford, maintaining politeness throughout the stop, offers, "If you want to look in my car, no problem." Burgess disregards the offer and wishes her a good night. As he walks away, he briefly pauses, lifts his flashlight and peers toward her backseat. Then he returns to his vehicle, where his cellphone is ringing. He answers the phone with, "What's up, buddy?" Though Burgess does not identify the other party, Eureka police later determined him to be an officer with the Woodford County Sheriff's Office. On the video, Burgess says he had tried to reach the officer during the traffic stop to see if the sheriff's K-9 was available to walk around Reliford's car, apparently to check for illicit drugs. However, during that call, the county officer was busy otherwise. As the conversation continues, Burgess then shares the driver's name, which the county officer does not recognize. Burgess then says, "Not that this means much of anything, but she's got all of these tattoos, piercings, lip piercings, nose piercings and cheek piercing." The county officer mumbles something. Burgess says, "What's that?" The county officer says, "What about her pussy?" Burgess replies, "Yeah, I saved that for you, buddy." The county officer says, "Yeah, OK" prompting a chuckle from Burgess. The video ends shortly thereafter, with no further references to Reliford or the traffic stop. Reliford remained unaware of that police conversation until weeks later. After the stop, she discussed the matter with her father, Frank Reliford, saying she thought the officer had seemed to be pushing hard to find evidence of a crime. Coincidentally, over the next several days, Frank Reliford a former principal at Deer Creek-Mackinaw Intermediate School was pulled over twice in Eureka by the same officer for allegedly failing to come to a complete stop at stop signs. That officer turned out to be Burgess. "I'm pro-police," the 50-year-old Mackinaw resident told the Journal Star. "I back the blue." But Reliford, who served with the military police in the Army, thought he might be able to go to court and prove he had stopped properly at the stop signs. So, he filed a Freedom of Information Act request with Eureka police to seek dashcam videos of those two traffic stops. Plus, in that his daughter had complained to him about her run-in with Eureka police, he asked for the dashcam video of that traffic stop as well. When he saw the video of his daughter's stop, he was stunned by the officers' comments after she had driven away. "When I first heard it, I had to replay it," he said. "I thought, 'That can't be what I thought it was.'" He repeated the video and the lewd comments. "I was floored," he said. Plus, he was alarmed that tattoos and piercings triggered the officer's suspicions. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. "That's his first thoughts? That's who we trust?" Frank Reliford said. He shared the video with his daughter. Hannah Reliford told the Journal Star that she was staggered and scared by the vulgar language, especially in that in her younger years she was sexually abused by an extended family member. "It was a person I trusted, and police are in a position of trust," she said. As the officers' comments echoed in her head, she started to freeze up and breathe fast, as if suffering a panic attack. "I was really grossed out and scared that they might follow up on that," she said. Like her father, she is astonished that a police officer might think tattoos or piercings are immediate indicators of criminal behavior. Reliford said she has multiple tattoos, though only one an image of flowers, on one of her arms was visible during the stop. She has three piercings, a thin nose ring, plus small studs above and below her lip. Still, even if she had tattoos and piercings all over her face and visible on other parts of her body, that would be no justification for police to suspect her of any wrongdoing, she said. "It still isn't a reason," she said. Frank Reliford contacted Eureka police to request a meeting to discuss the video. Police Chief Alex Collinge was away on vacation. So, Assistant Chief Kim Jones and City Administrator Melissa Brown met with the Relifords. After hearing the account of Hannah Reliford's stop, Jones and Brown promised to look into the matter further. "I have nothing but praise for them," Frank Reliford said. "I was impressed by how Eureka handled it." Hannah Reliford felt likewise, adding that Brown "seemed apologetic." On April 8, Jones drafted a letter "Notice of Proposed Disciplinary Action" to Burgess. The letter briefly summarizes Hannah Reliford's traffic stop, including the comments by Burgess and the county officer, along with Burgess' chuckling. "In the context of the entire video, Ms. Reliford's sex and body piercings are not only the subject of your lewd comment, but also appear to be motivating factors for you prolonging the traffic stop beyond what was reasonably necessary," the letter states. "You discuss her appearance with the (county) officer in the context of explaining why you had called for a canine inspection of Ms. Reliford's vehicle. Your prolonging of the stop for a possible search is particularly questionable, where you conducted no search despite Ms. Reliford's giving consent to a search." The letter cites multiple violations of the department's conduct code, including: "Discourteous, disrespectful or discriminatory treatment of any member of the public." "Use of obscene, indecent, profane or derogatory language while on-duty or in uniform." "Any other on- or off-duty conduct which any member knows or reasonably should know is unbecoming a member of this department, is contrary to good order, efficiency or moral, or tends to reflect unfavorably upon this department or its members." The department's prohibition of "discrimination on the basis of sex" and the requirement of "objective law enforcement, without inappropriate reliance on perceived or actual characteristics of an individual, such as an individual's sex, age or economic status." The letter notes that Burgess previously had been suspended for three days for "different misconduct." After a subsequent FOIA request by the Journal Star, Police Chief Collinge provided a March 6, 2018, letter to Burgess. On that date, the letter states, Collinge got a call about a police officer sleeping near the city's water plant. When Collinge arrived there, he spotted the squad car assigned to the on-duty Burgess. "I notice you were slumped over with (your) mouth open," Collinge wrote in the letter. "I pulled up next to the car and stated, 'Burgess, Burgess, Burgess, wake up.' I received no response from you. I then took a picture to document the incident and yelled, 'Burgess, wake up.' You then shook your head and attempted to hand me a remote control for a radar unit." The letter states that Burgess violated multiple tenets of the departments policy on "Fitness for Duty," including, "During working hours, all employees are required to be alert, attentive and capable of performing their assigned responsibilities." The chief, in concluding to suspend Burgess for three days without pay, described the matter as "serious misconduct, which violated the public trust and jeopardized the operations and mission of the Eureka Police Department, especially where you were unable to respond, should an emergency had occurred." The April 6, 2021, letter, citing the "severity of the misconduct" in the Reliford stop, along with the previous suspension, calls for a four-day suspension of Burgess. Citing the city's contract with the Fraternal Order of Police, Burgess is offered the opportunity (with a union representative) to rebut the charges leading to the suspension. No information has been available as to whether a rebuttal was made. In an April 19 letter to Burgess, "Notice of Suspension," Assistant Chief Jones states that Burgess would be suspended for four days without pay, starting the next day. "This (is) serious misconduct which violated the public trust and brought the Eureka Police Department into disrepute," Jones wrote. " ... I am admonishing you to correct this behavior when you return to your normal duty schedule." Further, according to both letters, Burgess is to undergo non-disciplinary "remedial training" regarding probable cause for traffic stops; sexual harassment and sensitivity issues; profiling; and "proportionate and appropriate responses in responding to incidents or in dealing with the public." Brown, the city administrator, said the city and police department follow terms outlined in the city's contract with the police union. Five days is the maximum suspension allowable by the city and department. Meantime, Brown said, the city and department follow progressive discipline. "Four days was chosen because his last suspension had been for three," she said. Any discipline harsher than a five-day suspension would be at the hands of the city's police commission. Chief Collinge said, "Requests that an officer be disciplined more severely than a five day suspension go before the police commission. The commission acts when it receives a signed complaint, which can be filed by the city or any person." Hannah Reliford does not think the suspension is adequate. "He needs to be fired," she said. "And he shouldn't be able to be a police officer again." Burgess did not return a Journal Star request for comment for this story. In 2015, he was featured in the Journal Star regarding police departments' attempts to find funding to add body cameras to officers' standard equipment. At the time, with the Eureka Police Department hoping to provide body cameras for the entire force, Burgess was six months into a trial period to see what the cameras could do for policing. "I come across a lot of people third shift that I want to know what they're doing," Burgess said at the time. "As soon as I make contact with somebody I turn the camera on so you can get the whole conversation of what happened." Meanwhile, Hannah Reliford and her father also believe the Woodford County Sheriff's Office should release the name of the county officer involved in the traffic-stop chatter with Burgess. Eureka Police Chief Collinge said that his department "has spoken" with the sheriff's office but offered no specifics to the Journal Star. Dennis Tipsword, the sheriff's office's chief deputy, confirmed, "It was an officer with our agency." However, Tipsword deeming the matter a "personnel issue" declined to divulge the deputy's name. With the sheriff's office, the Journal Star filed a FOIA request seeking investigative reports and the officer's name. However, after consulting with Woodford County State's Attorney Greg Minger, Tipwsord replied with a written statement that said in part, "We do not have any written records of this event." Further, he stated, "To be clear, no documents exist at the sheriff's office." Tipsword said that the deputy was not disciplined and thus the name will not be revealed. "It has been addressed internally," Tipsword said. To that, Hannah Reliford said, "I'm completely blown away and ashamed of the Woodford police department. To allow officers sworn to protect us to talk about assaulting young women this way without consequences is disgusting. ... I personally don't feel safe with cops anymore." Meantime, regarding the traffic-stop cop chatter, she is bothered by a lingering question: "If they're this comfortable when they know they're being recorded, what do they say when they know they're not being recorded?" Love 1 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 6 CORRECTION TO MILLER PARK MEMORIAL DAY 2021 EVENTS The Memorial Day 2021 Parade in Bloomington has been cancelled, however, the VFW Post 454, American Legion Post 56 and AMVETS Post 270 will have a Memorial Day recognition event at Miller Park Bandshell beginning at 10 a.m. May 31. This event will feature guest speaker Jean Henning, 1st Vice-Commander, Illinois Department of AmVets, and other recognition activities to honor those who have served our nation in the armed forces in all the wars. There will not be a ceremony this year at the Korean War and Vietnam War Memorial following the Miller Park Bandshell ceremony as the bandshell ceremony is to honor all veterans. There will be a ceremony at the Danvers Cemetery at 11:15 a.m. May 31, honoring John Krause, the post namesake of VFW 454 in Bloomington. Even with no parade it is appropriate and meaningful to attend Memorial Day ceremonies lest we forget whose sacrifices have permitted us to enjoy the freedoms and liberty that they have won for us. FLAG PLACINGS FOR MEMORIAL DAY Bloomington VFW Post 454 will continue its tradition of inviting members of the public to help place flags on the graves of military veterans ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Flags will be placed on veterans' graves on Thursday with a rain date of Friday. Memorial Day is Monday, May 31. People wanting to be a part of the project are asked to meet at the participating cemeteries: 8 a.m. at East Lawn Cemetery; 8 a.m. at St. Marys, then moving to St. Josephs and Twin Grove; and finally at 8:30 a.m. at Park Hill Cemetery. If the rain date is needed, the times and locations will be the same on May 28. Flags will be collected on June 1 using the same schedule as the placing schedule. Email vfw454@comcast.net or call 309-827-9733 to sign up to help or for more information. American Legion Post 56 may also need assistance for their gravesite decorations and can be contacted at 309-828-3641. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. CHENOA MEMORIAL DAY 2021 Chenoa VFW Post 8350 will conduct a Memorial Day ceremony at the Chenoa Cemetery Soldier Monument on Route 24. The ceremony will include the VFW Post 8350 Color Guard, Posting of the Colors; the national anthem by the Prairie Central Band; invocation by Pastor Jefferson Williams of Chenoa Baptist Church; speaker Jerry Vogler, superintendent of the McLean County Veterans Assistance Commission; the laying of the wreath ceremony conducted by VFW 8350 officers and VFW 8350 auxiliary officers; God Bless America by Prairie Central Band; Taps by the Honor Guard; and retiring the Colors. Mike Herrin, VFW 8350 service officer and McLean County VAC representative, will be Master of Ceremony. MEMORIAL DAY REMINDER The Communal Military Rites and Memorial Day event at Evergreen Cemetery on May 31 still has available slots for families to reserve a spot at the Communal Military Rites featured in last weeks Veterans Corner Column. For further information and to register to participate in the event, contact Butch Ekstam at 309-825-2703. Veterans! Stand tall for it is your sacrifices that make Memorial Day necessary and the enjoyment of the day for everyone to be possible. Vogler is superintendent of the McLean County Veterans Assistance Commission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO Two men died and 16 other people including four teens were injured in shootings in Chicago between late Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, according to police. At least 37 people have been shot since 5 p.m. Friday in Chicago, eight of them fatally, according to police. Just after midnight Sunday, a 49-year-old man died after being shot multiple times in the face and body by another man who had exited a silver sedan in the first block of Kilbourn Avenue in the Garfield Park neighborhood, police said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. No one was in custody, police said. About 7:30 p.m. Saturday, a 46-year-old man died and two other men were injured after shots were fired at them from a gray Jeep and blue Acura SUV in the 5500 block of South Michigan Avenue in the Washington Park neighborhood, police said. The 46-year-old man, who had been shot in the back, died at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said. A 30-year-old man was shot in the head and was in critical condition, and a 50-year-old man was shot in the arm and was in good condition, both at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said. No one was in custody. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. About 1:30 a.m. Sunday, a 35-year-old woman was seriously injured in a shooting in River North, Chicago police said. The woman was among a group of people who got into an argument with another group in the 200 block of Illinois Street when a male fired shots, hitting her in the lower back. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition. One person was arrested, and charges are pending, police said. Investigators dont know if the woman was the intended target. Several teens were also injured by gunfire, according to police. A 17-year-old male was shot in the hand about 4:30 a.m. Sunday in the 5300 block of South Justine Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, police said. He was described as being stable at the University of Chicago Medical Center. An 18-year-old male suffered five gunshot wounds after he was fired at from a dark-colored SUV about 1:30 a.m. in the 10-100 block of East Cermak Road in the Near South Side neighborhood, police said. He was described as stable at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the leg about 1:20 a.m. Sunday in the 4100 block of West Arthington Street in the Garfield Park neighborhood from an occupant of a black vehicle, police said. He was in fair condition at Mount Sinai Hospital. No one was in custody. A 16-year-old was in good condition at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston after he was shot in his left leg about 9 p.m. Saturday while he was in the front yard of a residence in the 2000 block of West Touhy Avenue in the Rogers Park neighborhood, police said. Shots were fired from a dark-colored vehicle. A 12-year-old girl who was with the teen suffered a laceration to her left arm from glass during the incident. Police were investigating all of those incidents. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD House and Senate redistricting committees will hold a series of public hearings this week on a proposed new set of legislative maps that Democrats released late Friday, despite the fact that official census data wont be available until later this year. The Democrats decision to release the maps after 7:30 p.m. Friday, combined with the fact that the majority party also has not divulged all of the data sources they used to draw the maps, drew sharp criticism from Republicans, who called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to veto the maps if they pass. The proposed new maps establish new lines for the General Assemblys 59 Senate districts and 118 House districts, an action the Illinois Constitution requires lawmakers to take at least once every 10 years following the decennial census. But the census process has been delayed this time around because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of natural disasters in 2020, which combined to make it nearly impossible for census workers to get accurate and timely counts of residents in many parts of the country. That has complicated things in Illinois, where the state constitution gives lawmakers only until June 30 to complete the mapmaking process. After that, it is handed to an eight-member bipartisan commission, which would take away the Democrats partisan advantage. And if that commission fails to produce maps by Aug. 10, the name of a ninth member from one of the two parties is drawn at random by the secretary of state and added to the group, and the deadline is extended to Oct. 5. So instead of waiting on census data and extending the timeline to automatically trigger the commission process, Democrats have said they are relying on other data sources, including the Census Bureaus American Community Survey, which uses sampling to estimate population shifts on an ongoing basis. The U.S. Census Bureau works year-round to track population shifts with the American Community Survey, Democrats said in a news release Friday night. The most recent ACS data varies by just 0.3 percent from the states official population count released by the U.S. Census Bureau in April 2021. While that may be true on a statewide basis, many watchdog groups have argued that it is less true when it comes to tracking smaller populations such as small towns and rural areas where the sampling error rate can be much higher. Immediately following the release of the proposed maps, a group of 24 voting rights advocacy groups, including the League of Women Voters Illinois, the Better Government Association and Common Cause Illinois, issued a joint statement urging lawmakers to reject maps based on ACS data. While the delay from the U.S. Census Bureau was unprecedented, the current predicament is manufactured by lawmakers for partisan advantage, the statement read in part. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Those groups argued that instead of using incomplete or inaccurate data, lawmakers should ask the Illinois Supreme Court for relief from the state constitutional deadlines as the states of California and Oregon did. Democrats, however, have defended the process, arguing that their proposed maps incorporate input they received following an extensive series of public hearings held over the last few months. They also said the maps are designed to ensure fair representation across demographic lines in accordance with the Voting Rights Act. Redistricting is about making sure all voices are heard, and thats exactly what this map accomplishes, Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, who chairs the Senate Redistricting Committee, said in the news release. This is a fair map that reflects the great diversity of our state and ensures every person receives equal representation in the General Assembly. In addition to the ACS data, Democrats have also said they would use additional data sources to obtain accurate counts, but so far they have not disclosed what those data sources are, despite assurances that they would make all the data public. Yes, you will know all the data that was that was used to determine, yes, Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero, chair of the House Redistricting Committee, said during a news conference one day before Democrats released the maps without divulging the info. In a separate news conference Monday, Republicans blasted the proposed maps as a blatant attempt to ensure Democrats retain their supermajorities while undercounting minority populations. This is Gerrymandering 101, said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs. And it's impossible to determine whether or not minority interest will be protected. But we do know that when you use ACS data, we know for a fact that minorities will be underrepresented using that information. Durkin also said that Republicans have not tried to draft their own map proposal because they dont think maps should be based on anything other than official census data. He also said the GOP is keeping our options open as to whether it will file a lawsuit challenging the legality of the maps. Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who is the Republican spokesperson on the House Redistricting Committee, echoed that sentiment. Redistricting is often litigated, not only in Illinois, but around the country, Butler said. It was litigated in Illinois 10 years ago. ... Many of the advocacy groups have talked about litigation or potentially going to the Supreme Court and things like that as well. So, you know, I would assume any of the 12.8 million people in Illinois would have standing to go to the courts to talk about how terrible these maps are. And we'll see if that happens if the governor doesn't veto these things. Democrats, on the other hand, counter that unlike some state constitutions, the Illinois Constitution does not require the use of official census data, and that because of the unusual delays this year, it is appropriate to use the best data available. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 interactive_content HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST, WATCH LIVE AND PARTICIPATE Listen to the podcast using the player above or subscribe to Orlando Sentinel Conversations to listen to all the daily updates using these providers: CHICAGO Your pet eased the loneliness of the COVID-19 pandemic, sitting close as you binge-watched Bridgerton, making cameos on your Zoom calls and forcing you outside for walks. But now youre vaccinated, your boss wants you back in the office at least part-time, you just bought Lollapalooza tickets and youd really like to travel. What happens to your faithful companion, the one who enjoyed the pandemic routine? The health crisis created a new group of pet parents who emptied shelters in search of companionship while the dogs, cats, rabbits and birds already in homes got used to their owners suddenly being around all the time. Theres a transition ahead, particularly for dogs, and it might be rocky, warn the people who care for pets while youre away. Dogs in their perfect world would just be sitting on your laps, and thats really what they did for a year, said Betsy Puterbaugh, co-owner of Yuppy Puppy, a dog day care, boarding and grooming business in Lake Bluff. No matter what you do, youre about to mess up their perfect world. After a tough 2020, Yuppy Puppy boarded 65 dogs during spring break and is half booked for summer boardings. At Windy City Dog Walkers in Chicagos River West neighborhood, owner Tony Schreck said business is at 60% of its pre-pandemic level, and new clients calling to make arrangements are worried. Theyve had their puppies 24/7, he said. Theyre very worried about what happens when they go back to work. Allyn Huston said he didnt spent a lot of time with his Shih Tzu Emma when he was working in the front office of a West Loop hotel. That changed in March 2020, when he was laid off in the early days of the pandemic. Huston and Emma hung out together and took more walks. He has been a near-constant presence for half the 3-year-old dogs life. She helped me, said Huston, 48, of Lawndale. I wasnt as stressed. On Thursday, the hotel called Huston back to work, starting in early June. Hes mulling what that will mean for Emma, whether he should hire a dog walker, and how confused shell be at the start of the day. She sees me putting on my clothes, she assumes were going, he said. Its definitely going to be an adjustment period. While there have been news reports of people bringing animals back to shelters, Chicago adoption organizations The Anti-Cruelty Society and PAWS Chicago say they arent getting more returns than normal. However, there are worries that shelters will see an influx of animals as eviction moratoriums end and people have to find alternate housing where pets may not be allowed or the pet deposit is unaffordable. The Anti-Cruelty Society offers financial assistance to help with pet deposits. During the pandemic, both groups tried to educate new pet owners that the responsibilities would last far longer than the pandemic. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. It was an ideal time to get a puppy, said Joan Harris, director of canine training and behavior at PAWS Chicago. However, we cautioned people from the get-go that you need to teach your puppy about alone time. Experts advise getting pets used to new schedules far in advance of when household routines change. Invest in toys that are likely to keep them engaged. Hire a dog walker or make appointments at a day care facility for occasional visits so your pet has time to acclimate to other humans and dogs before a changed work schedule or vacation. And if a hybrid workweek is planned, on the days at home, maintain the heading-to-the-office routine. Theyre creatures of habit, said Lydia Krupinski, chief program officer at The Anti-Cruelty Society. They thrive on routine. Naperville resident Beth Wawrzaszeks 17-year-old dog died in March and while she intended to foster dogs rather than adopt, a 2-year-old yellow lab mix changed her mind. She began doing tests to see how Summer behaved, gradually building up the time she was left alone at home. The real test will come this week. Wawrzaszek, 37, started a new job Monday, but she feels prepared. Shes hired a dog walker and stocked up on puzzle toys and good bones that she hopes will last a few hours. Were going to see how it goes, she said. Sonia Pathania, 36, and Rup Singh, 35, of Oak Park, have kept their mini Aussie Hershey on a schedule during the pandemic despite largely working from home. They tried to find opportunities to go out, leaving Hershey alone, but it was never for more than four hours. With their work situations changing, the couple said the dog camera they bought, which dispenses treats, might come out of the box. I know its going to be hard, Pathania said. Experts agree it will be pets, not their parents, who have the harder transition. The owners are clamoring to get back to their pack, Harris said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) A prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president was arrested Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition and Western officials denounced as a hijacking operation by the government. Raman Pratasevich, who faces charges that could bring 15 years in prison, was aboard the Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius when it changed course to head for Minsk. I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there," passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane arrived in Vilnius following several hours in the Belarusian capital. "We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again Rutkauskas said. Flight tracker sites indicated the plane was about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There were conflicting accounts of the move. The press service of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the president himself ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the airliner after he was informed of the bomb threat. Deputy air force commander Andrei Gurtsevich said the plane's crew made the decision to land in Minsk. But Ryanair said in a statement that Belarusian air traffic control instructed the plane to divert to the capital. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called the incident a state-sponsored terror act. He said that the European Council would discuss the case Monday and that he would propose banning Belarusian planes from European Union airports and serious sanctions against Lukashenko's government. Belarusian airspace is completely unsafe for any commercial flight, and it should be deemed this not only by the EU but by the international community. Because now, this instrument could be used for any plane crossing Belarusian airspace, said Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis.. Pratasevich is a co-founder of the Telegram messaging apps Nexta channel, which Belarus last year declared as extremist after it was used to help organize major protests against Lukashenko. The protests have dwindled in recent months, but Belarus authorities are continuing to crack down on opposition with arrests. The Belarus presidential press service said the bomb threat was received while the plane was over Belarusian territory. Officials later said no explosives were found on board. Passengers were taken off the plane in Minsk. After the plane arrived in Vilnius, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said Pratasevich's girlfriend and four other people did not reboard. We will find out who are the other four that did not travel with the rest. Lithuania has launched an investigation to find out what really happened on that plane, he said on Facebook. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to begin an investigation. It is absolutely obvious that this is an operation by the special services to hijack an aircraft in order to detain activist and blogger Raman Pratasevich, she said in a statement. Not a single person who flies over Belarus can be sure of his safety. The ICAO later said it is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing. Belarusian authorities said there were 123 passengers on the plane. But Landsbergis, the Lithuanian foreign minister, said there were 171. Western countries also expressed alarm. Belarus showed again its contempt for international community and its citizens, U.S. Ambassador Julie Fisher said, calling the event dangerous and abhorrent. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: It is utterly unacceptable to force @Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that "such an act cannot be left without definite consequences from the side of the European Union and called for Pratasevich to be released. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the incident shocking and accused Lukashenkas government of endangering the lives of those aboard the aircraft, some of them Americans. He called for the release of Pratasevich and for the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review the incident. Independent media are an essential pillar supporting the rule of law and a vital component of a democratic society. The United States once again condemns the Lukashenka regimes ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of journalists, Blinken said. Months of protests erupted in Belarus after last August's presidential election that official results said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office. Police cracked down on the protests harshly, detaining around 30,000 people and beating many of them. Although protests died down during the winter, Belarus has continued to take actions against the opposition and independent news media. Last week, 11 staff members of the TUT.by news website were detained by police. Associated Press writers Jim Heintz in Moscow and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Today, Samsung launched two advertisements for its Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G comparing its cameras with the iPhone 12 Pro. Samsung also released their new M7 High Def 43 and 24-inch displays that offers various new features including AirPlay 2. Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday added more products to its monitor lineup with enhanced connectivity options as the South Korean tech giant targets to boost sales amid the pandemic-induced stay-at-home trend. Samsung said its latest Smart Monitor, powered by the Tizen operating system, includes a 43-inch M7 model supporting ultra-high definition resolution. The company previously introduced a 32-inch M7 last November. The 43-inch M7, which supports 65W charging through a USB Type-C port and Bluetooth 4.2 solution, will be sold at 650,000 won (US$575) in South Korea. It will come with a solar-powered remote control. (Click on image to Enlarge) Samsung said the latest monitors offer enhanced connectivity options for PCs and smartphones as they support various features, including Apple AirPlay 2 and Samsung DeX. For more on this, read the full report by The Korea Herald or Samsung's full press release here with much more details. Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G v iPhone 12 Pro Cameras Last Friday Patently Apple posted a report titled "In Q1 Apple's iPhone 12 Captured One-Third of Smartphone Industry Revenue with more Volume than their Top Competitors Combined." The report presented two charts. The first chart covered the top 10 smartphones by revenue share and the second by volume share for Q1 2021. Apple's iPhone 12, 12 Pro Max and 12 Pro took the top three spots accounting for 12% of the market as presented in the chart below. In contrast, Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, aimed at competing with Apple's high-end iPhone, failed to make the top 10 smartphones by volume that would indicate it sold less than 1% in the market. Baffled by the iPhone 12 Pro's success over their Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Samsung posted two ads today to point out the superiority of their cameras in terms of detail, especially when it comes to their high-end zoom lens. The first commercial used a grilled cheese sandwich as the subject. Through the horizontal split screen, the picture of the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is on the top and the picture of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is on the bottom. Through the close-up of the sandwich, Samsung pointed out that its camera can provide "pinpoint details" and questioned whether the images produced by the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max's camera are "detailed enough." The ad ended with one sentence: "Upgrade to epic detail." The second ad focused on the telephoto function of the two phones, with the moon as the theme, showing the difference between the digital 100x spatial zoom of the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and the maximum 12x digital zoom of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Samsung once again used the horizontal split screen to show this difference. Samsung marked its moon image as "100 times." For the moon image from the iPhone, Samsung asked: "Is it close enough?" There's no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has a superior zoom lens with its powerful periscope lens. That particular point was covered in a comparison report by C/Net back in January. We equally know that Apple is working on a periscope-type lens, according to a 2021 patent. It's also been rumored be on target for release in 2023. For now, Samsung's zoom is superior to what the iPhone 12 Pro is offering and if that's the only lens that you care about, then Samsung's phone wins hands down. But the statistics revealed on Friday would indicate that while the zoom lens is important, it's not a deal breaker. For everyday photos, including using night mode, Apple's camera quality is on par or better than Samsung's Galaxy in many other comparisons, including the C/Net review. While Samsung was number one overall in smartphone shipments in Q1 2021 , their victory comes by way of producing more low-end phones where Apple doesn't really compete in as much. On the high-end, the public voted with their wallets and the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G got thumbs down. Even Apple's iPhone 11 did better last quarter than Samsung's high-end smartphone. It's understandable that Samsung feels the need to put out ads to make their customers feel like they have a superior smartphone over Apple's Phone 12 Pro, but we know by statistics that the public clearly disagrees with Samsung. While the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G can currently take a better photo of the moon, most humans don't have pictures of the moon in their photo collections. It's a one-trick pony that just isn't the killer app that Samsung thinks it is. It's true that iPhone users wish that they had better zoom power on their phones and will be thrilled to have it in the future. Yet it's just not a feature that will lead to iPhone users switching to the Galaxy phone, no matter how Samsung wishes it so in their ads. In support of their comparison ads, Samsung released another video this morning that presents their ISOCELL HM3 image sensor, promoting refined details and redefined colors. Samsung message: "The 108MP ISOCELL HM3 ensures crisp, clear nighttime shots with Nonapixel and multi-sampling technology. Equipped with Smart-ISO Pro and staggered HDR, it creates stunning HDR photos full of colors and details both in highlight and shadow. Plus, you can capture all the motion-packed scenes still clearly in focus thanks to its Super PD Plus. Be a better photographer with a better image sensor." Atheist Jonathan MS Pearce has fun in his latest attack on the historical accuracy of the Bible: Debunking the Exodus III: Camels (5-22-21). In it he presents the findings of various archaeologists. He opines: I have in other posts mentioned a Tel Aviv University Press Release reporting research that has built on work hinted at in Israel Finkelsteins The Bible Unearthed which claimed that camels were not domesticated in the Ancient Near East [until] long after they are claimed to be existent and members of a goodly number of biblical stories. In other words, these anachronisms strongly suggest that the claims of the Bible were made up. . . . Mentions of camels are problematic because camels were simply not used at the time [19th c. BC in Egypt, by Joseph] as domesticated animal transportation. . . . [end of article] The narratives and the facts claimed about them (i.e., their dating) are thus found to be riddled with problematic holes. This is the joy of skepticism doubting even the most innocuous things and analysing claims to see if they stand or fall. He cites several people who conclude that camels were not domesticated in the ancient near east until the 9th century BC. The folks he cites take shots at camels in Egypt during the time of Moses and the Exodus (generally dated by non-radical scholars at 13th-12th c. BC). It looks like he ignored a ton of evidence to the contrary. I guess thats the joy he refers to: ignoring and making out that a bunch of sources dont even exist. That doesnt sound like true joy to me; it sounds like either 1) stupefied ignorance or 2) deliberate intellectual dishonesty. In charity to Jonathan, I will assume that the first scenario is true in his case. He doesnt strike me as a deliberate liar. But woeful ignorance about biblical matters and biblical scholarship among atheists (especially the many who were former fundamentalists and who think that small sub-community is the sum and height of Christian scholarship) is both endemic and relentlessly pathetic and uninformed / misinformed. As but one example of this rank ignorance, Pearce mentions Rebecca Bradley, who wrote the chapter, The Credibility of the Exodus, in John Loftus Christianity in the Light of Science. She wrote: Equally damning is the mention of Jobs herd of six thousand camels (Job 42:12) at the impossibly early date of 2100 BCE according to conventional Bible chronology. Conventional Bible chronology?? Way back in 1910, the Catholic Encyclopedia (Job), stated: The author of the book is unknown, neither can the period in which it was written be exactly determined. . . . It is now universally and correctly held that the book is not earlier than the reign of Solomon [approximately 960-920 BC]. Protestant evangelical (conservative) scholar Gleason L. Archer, in his book, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody Press, 1964, gave his opinion: Inasmuch as Job contains no references to historical events and reflects a non-Hebraic cultural background concerning which we possess little or no information, it is not easy to assign a probable date for the lifetime and career of Job. . . . A distinction must be drawn between the historical period when Job actually lived and the time when this record of his ordeal was composed. . . . In general there are five main views maintained by biblical scholars today: (1) in the patriarchal age; (2) in the reign of Solomon; (3) in the reign of Manasseh; [r. c. 687-c. 643] (4) in the generation of Jeremiah; [c. 650-c. 570 BC] (5) during or after the Exile. [after 586 BC] . . . In our present century there are rather few scholars even among leading conservatives who would venture to insist upon a pre-Mosaic date. . . . (pp. 440-442) Despite all of this, Bradley somehow (inexplicably) thinks that 2100 BC for the time of Job is conventional Bible chronology. She couldnt possibly adopt such a date if she actually looked at what Christian scholars held in actuality. The only way we can understand such a ludicrous claim is to be aware that atheists habitually assume that fundamentalist Christian thinking is somehow representative of Christianity as a whole (as I have been pointing out for at least twenty years now). As it is, what she thinks is conventional in Christianity about the dating of Job is held by vanishingly few scholars, even among the most conservative and traditional (its an extreme, fringe position even among fundamentalists). The dates held by the vast majority of Christian scholars are within or not chronologically distant at all from even the claims of Pearce in his paper: 10th century BC (Solomon) or earlier (thus making Jobs possession of camels a complete non-issue). As an archaeologist, Bradley should know far better than to make such a ludicrous claim. But misrepresenting Christian scholarship is the order of the day among anti-theist atheists. When your constant goal is to make Christians and Christianity look stupid and anti-intellectual / anti-scientific (and to foster wrongheaded prejudice against them), this is what you do. Dr. Dewayne Bryant, in his article, Abrahams Camels (Apologetics Press, 2014), blows all these claims out of the water. Here are his academic credentials: M.A. in Bible from Reformed Theological Seminary (2000) and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Old Testament from Amridge University (2017). He has additional coursework in Biblical and Near Eastern Archaeology and Languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (2004-2006). He has participated in archaeological excavations at Tell El-Borg in Egypt and holds professional memberships in the American Schools of Oriental Research, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Archaeological Institute of America, and the International Society of Christian Apologetics. I cite a large portion of his case from the article (with my bracketed geographical interjections): Evidence shows that camels were known as early as the 4th millennium B.C., and domesticated before the beginning of the second. Biblical scholar Joseph Free surveyed the available evidence and concluded that the camel was well known in Egypt from earliest times, as early as the Fourth Dynasty [c. 2613-2494 BC] (Free, 1944). Michael Ripinsky notes that excavations carried out over a century ago established the presence of camels in Egypt dating back at least to the First Dynasty (3100-2850 B.C.) with additional evidence indicating they were known in Pre-Dynastic times (prior to 3100 B.C.) (1985, 71:136-137). Although the domestication of the camel may have come much later, it nevertheless preceded the age of the patriarchs. Ancient texts mention the camel in passing, but do so in ways that indicate they had been domesticated early in Mesopotamian history. A lexical text found at Nippur [ancient Sumeria; present-day Iraq] known as HAR.ra-bullum, alludes to camel milk (Archer, 1970, 127[505]:17). To risk stating the obvious, one does not simply milk a wild animal. Another text from the ancient city of Ugarit [present-day Syria] mentions the camel in a list of domesticated animals during the Old Babylonian period (1950-1600), suggesting that it, too, was domesticated (Davis, 1986, p. 145). A fodder-list from Alalakh [present-day Turkey] (18th century B.C.) includes the line 1 SA.GAL ANSE.GAM.MAL (269:59), translated as one (measure of) foddercamel (Wiseman, 1959, 13:29; translation in Hamilton 1990, p. 384). Animals in the wild do not need feeding; they forage for themselves. A cylinder seal from Syria (c. 1800 B.C.) depicts two short figures riding a camel. Gordon and Rendsburg state, The mention of camels here [in Genesis 24] and elsewhere in the patriarchal narratives often is considered anachronistic. However, the correctness of the Bible is supported by the representation of camel riding on seal cylinders of precisely this period from northern Mesopotamia (1997, p. 121). While the riders on the seal seem to be deities, it nevertheless demonstrates the concept of camel riding (for illustration and discussion, see Gordon, 1939, 6[1]:21; Collon, 2000, Fig. 8). Numerous discoveries of figurines depicting domesticated camels have been found from a wide range of locations in the ancient world. From the territory of Bactria-Margiana near present-day northern Afghanistan (late 3rd to early 2nd millennium) comes a copper alloy figurine of a camel equipped with a harness, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Terracotta models of camel-drawn carts (dating as early as c. 2200 B.C.) have been discovered at the city of Altyn-Depe in present-day Turkmenistan (Kirtcho, 2009, 37[1]:25-33). A bronze figurine of a kneeling camel found in Byblos [ancient Phoenicia; present-day Lebanon] (19th-18th century B.C) is incomplete, with the hump (and its load) missing. However, the figurine has a slot in its back where the hump could be attached separately. Early in the 20th century, excavations conducted by the British School of Archaeology at Rifeh, Egypt explored a tomb and discovered a pottery figurine of a camel bearing a load of two water jars. Based on the pottery in the tomb, William Flinders Petrie dated it to the Nineteenth Dynasty (c. 1292-1187 B.C.) (Ripinsky, 1985, 71:139-140). A rock inscription in hieratic (a type of Egyptian script) found near Aswan has an accompanying petroglyph of a man leading a dromedary camel. It is thought to date to the Sixth Dynasty (c. 2345-c. 2181 B.C.; Ripinsky, p. 139). If interpreted correctly, this petroglyph gives evidence of the domestication of the camel in Egypt roughly 2300-2200 B.C., centuries before the patriarchs ever visited. Additional petroglyphs in the Wadi Nasib, Sinai include a depiction of a man leading a dromedary. One author tentatively dates these petroglyphs to 1500 B.C. based on the presence of nearby inscriptions whose dates are known (Younker, 1997). Finally, a curious piece of evidence comes from the ancient city of Mari [present-day Syria]. A camel burial (c. 2400-2200 B.C.) was discovered within a house. Ancient people often buried their animals, and this could hardly be explained away as a wild camel wandering into a home and subsequently buried by the occupants. . . . The Bible records the existence of domesticated camels in the patriarchal narratives, but their footprint is actually quite small. They are listed among the very last items in the total wealth of both Abraham (Genesis 12:16) and Jacob (30:43; 32:7,15). They are mentioned as being used for travel by the patriarchs (Genesis 24:10-64; 31:17,34) and by the Midianites (Genesis 37:25). The Egyptians used them for transport as well (Exodus 9:3). Despite their use for transportation, however, the donkey appears as the favored mode of transportation for the patriarchs. In the ancient Near East as a whole, the same might be said during the early second millennium B.C.the camel was known and domesticated, but not widely used until later. Free makes an important observation that applies today just as much as it did a half century ago: Many who have rejected this reference to Abrahams camels seem to have assumed something which the text does not state. It should be carefully noted that the biblical reference does not necessarily indicate that the camel was common in Egypt at the time, nor does it evidence that the Egyptians had made any great progress in the breeding and domestication of the camel. It merely says that Abraham had camels (Free, 3:191). Kitchen sums up the matter: [T]he camel was for long a marginal beast in most of the historic ancient Near East (including Egypt), but it was not wholly unknown or anachronistic before or during 2000-1100 (2003, 339, italics in orig., emp. added). Those claiming the absence of domesticated camels during the patriarchal age must deny a wealth of evidence to the contrary. Indeed, the evidence is both early and spread over a large geographical area. It includes figurines, models, petroglyphs, burials, seals, and texts. While some of this evidence is relatively recent, some of it has been known for over a century. Critics often claim that believers refuse to consider any evidence that has a bearing on the validity of their faith. It would appear that in the case of Abrahams camels, the opposite is true. REFERENCES Archer, Gleason (1970). Old Testament History and Recent Archaeology from Abraham to Moses, Bibliotheca Sacra, 127[505]:3-25. Collon, Dominque (2000), Lanimal dans les echanges et les relations diplomatiques, Les animaux et les hommes dans le monde syro-mesopotamien aux epoques historiques, Topoi Supplement 2, Lyon. Davis, John J. (1986), The Camel in Biblical Narratives, in A Tribute to Gleason Archer: Essays on the Old Testament (Chicago, IL: Moody Press), pp. 141-150. Free, Joseph P. (1944), Abrahams Camels. Journals of Near Eastern Studies, 3[3]:187-193. Gordon, Cyrus H. (1939), Western Asiatic Seals in the Walters Art Gallery, Iraq, 6[1:3-34. Gordon, Cyrus H. and Gary A. Rendsburg (1997), The Bible and the Ancient Near East (New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Co.), fourth edition. Hamilton, Victor P. (1990), The Book of Genesis: Chapters 1-17 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans). Kirtcho, L. B. (2009), The Earliest Wheeled Transport in Southwestern Central Asia: New Finds from Alteyn-Depe, Archaeology Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, 37[1]:25-33. Kitchen, Kenneth A. (2003), On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans). Ripinsky, Michael (1985), The Camel in Dynastic Egypt, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 71:134-141. Wiseman, Donald J. (1959), Ration Lists from Alalakh VII, Journal of Cuneiform Studies, 13:19-33. Younker, Randall W. (1997), Late Bronze Age Camel Petroglyphs in the Wadi Nasib, Sinai, Near East Archaeological Society Bulletin, 42:47-54. The Website ABC Religion & Ethics offers the article, Did the camel break the Bibles back? Nice try, but no (2-27-14), by George Athas (a Fellow of the Centre for Public Christianity, who teaches Hebrew and Old Testament at Moore Theological College. He specialises in ancient Israel and is the author of The Tel Dan Inscription: A Reappraisal and a New Interpretation [Sheffield Academic Press, 2003]): [W]e have carvings from Egypt of humans leading one-humped dromedaries from circa 2200 BC, and perhaps earlier. How did these camels get there from their native Arabia? These ships of the desert didnt sail across the Red Sea. And Moses wouldnt be born for centuries yet, so they cant have opportunistically crossed at the parting of the Red Sea either! They must have swung through or close by Israel instead. Whats more, we have texts from ancient Syria dated to circa 1900 BC mentioning people using camels milk. This is roughly the time Abraham would have ridden a camel through that area on his way to Israel. We have similar texts dated to the same period from Mesopotamia, where Abraham was born. . . . I fear its not the ancient authors demonstrating their flaws on this one, but the modern ones. . . . The evidence is clear: camels were domesticated throughout the Ancient Near East well before 930 BC. . . . Perhaps the Bible is more than a collection of moral parables. Perhaps its an account of Gods tortured relationship with humanity, marvellously retold by those at the historic heart of the relationship. Or is it easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for us moderns to admit we might learn something even something divine from our ancient forebears? In any case, swallowing this headline about camels is little more than straining over a gnat. Jews have weighed in on this debate as well. Orthodox rabbi and Bible scholar Joshua Berman wrote in The Times of Israel an article, Yes, Virginia, the Patriarchs really did ride on camels (11-12-20): [subtitle] The New York Times was wrong: Archaeological data about the camel actually affirms the accuracy and antiquity of the Genesis accounts. . . . The NY Times piece was an exercise in journalistic sin. . . . [T]he NY Times article was not only sensationalist but incorrect. Camels in Genesis are right where they belong. It is true that camels were not domesticated in Israel until the time of Solomon. But read Genesis carefully and you see that all its camels come from outside of Israel, from Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, where there is ample evidence of domestication of the camel during the period of the patriarchs. . . . But what about the camels that carried Joseph off to Egypt (Gen 37:25)? Here, too, Scripture tells us that the camels arrived from outside of Canaan. And just as the spices they bore surely came from the east, so, too, we may surmise, did the camels. And while Jacob rode camels on his trek back from Mesopotamia (Gen 31:17; cf. 30:43), nowhere in Genesis does anyone ride a camel originating in Canaan. In the Joseph story, the brothers descend to Egypt exclusively on donkeys (Gen 42:2627; 43:24; 44:3.13); thats what people rode in Canaan. And thus when Joseph sends them to fetch Jacob, he provides them with donkeys and she-asses (Gen 45:23); those were the animals they knew how to handle. . . . Camels in Genesis appear right where they should be in the patriarchal period and, on that score, thats all the news thats fit to print. See also: Did Camels Exist in Biblical Times? (5 reasons why domesticated camels likely existed) (Megan Sauter, Biblical Archaeology Society / Bible History Daily, 11-12-18) Were There No Camels During the Time of Biblical Patriarchs? (Mikel Del Rosario, Apologetics Guy, 12-1-17) Yes, Abraham Had Camels (Alice C. Linsley, Just Genesis, 2-9-17) Camels: Proof That the Bible Is False? (Christopher Eames, Watch Jerusalem, 3-29-19) Patriarchal Wealth and Early Domestication of the Camel (Associates for Biblical Research / Bible and Spade, Summer 2000) Research: Did the Patriarchs Have Camels? Adulterating the Bible (Ministry: International Journal for Pastors, May 1953) Abraham, Camels and Egypt, or, Where did Abram get his Camel from?: Genesis 12:16 (KJ Went, Difficult Sayings, 2021) Was the Bible wrong about Abraham having camels that early? (Glenn Miller, Christian Thinktank, 4-18-98) The Date of Camel Domestication in the Ancient Near East (T. M. Kennedy, Associates for Biblical Research, 2-17-14) *** I got into this pathetic exchange with one of the regular commenters on Pearces blog (and actually one of the few nice guys and non-insulters), Geoff Benson. He wrote: I suppose I should look at the actual text of the comment you posted but Im fairly sure that its perfectly reasonable to consider Dr Dewayne Bryant. I Googled him and there was absolutely no prompting to his name. He may be a nice guy but he has no claim to anything remotely in the way of credentials. I did trace his presence to, as I expected, an evangelical church of which he is pastor. I have little doubt that his doctorate will be in theology, possibly even one he purchased. Its certainly not a discipline connected with that about which he writes. If I were a flat earther I actually could come up with arguments that appear compelling to anyone who is not familiar with the subject. It would rapidly become clear, however, that the better evidence was being presented by those opposing the assertion, and that would have to include the credentials of the people who were providing that evidence. Similarly its reasonable to assume that the better evidence on the subject of camels in the context of the OP comes from those who are qualified. In short, quoting Bryant makes me even more certain that the OP is correct, as you would otherwise have found a better authority. And then twelve minutes later: Exactly as I thought. No academic background. I replied: Yeah, always a good policy to read what you are responding to. And so you draw me in to comment again with this inanity: [Dr. Bryant credentials; green portions added presently] . . . graduate of Lipscomb University, where he received a B.A. in History (1998) and a M.A. in Bible (2003). He also holds a M.A. in Bible from Reformed Theological Seminary (2000) and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Old Testament from Amridge University (2017). He has additional coursework in Biblical and Near Eastern Archaeology and Languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (2004-2006). He has participated in archaeological excavations at Tell El-Borg in Egypt and holds professional memberships in the American Schools of Oriental Research, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Archaeological Institute of America, and the International Society of Christian Apologetics. Funny: one can look up Jonathan MS Pearce for his credentials, but one learns very little. He doesnt seem to have a doctorate degree. I think (after he got angry with me for asking) he told me he had one article published in a peer-reviewed journal or one about to be published. Yet you sop up everything he says about biblical archaeology (obviously not his field). Jonathan is an expert about every subject he writes about! Relevant degrees be damned! Do you atheists ever tire of exercising ridiculous double standards? And of course there are tons of credentials in the many people cited. But no matter. The atheist can never be wrong, about anything, ever. The Christian is always wrong, and usually an intellectual troglodyte to boot. Kenneth Kitchen in particular is probably the greatest living biblical archaeologist. A second person I cited is George Athas. He teaches Hebrew and Old Testament at Moore Theological College, specialises in ancient Israel and is the author of The Tel Dan Inscription: A Reappraisal and a New Interpretation [Sheffield Academic Press, 2003]). He worked with two other people on Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: A Readers Edition, a work of massive biblical scholarship. Hes authored several other books about the Bible, too. I also cited Orthodox rabbi and Bible scholar Joshua Berman: A.B. at Princeton University in 1987 and PhD at Bar-Ilan University in 2002. He has two books published by Oxford University Press. Does that meet your exalted criterion (JMS Pearce being the exemplar of universal / renaissance man scholarly excellence and dependability)? *** See my follow-up refutation: OT Camels & Biblically Illiterate Archaeologists [5-24-21] *** Photo credit: OpenClipart-Vectors (4-1-16) [Pixabay / Pixabay License] *** Summary: Atheists argue that it is historical anachronism & inaccurate to refer to Abraham & Moses & camels; that the domestication of camels in the ancient near east dated from much later. Wrong!: as I show. Qualcomms lower-end Snapdragon 7c chips carved out a space for Chromebooks and other value devices that aimed for long battery life and consistent connectivity. Now Qualcomm is announcing an upgraded Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip aimed at powering the low-end $350 Chromebooks and PCs that flood Amazons most popular list. Comparing 2019s Snapdragon 7c and the new Snapdragon 7c Gen 2, the main difference is in clock speed: the Snapdragon 7c used a Kryo 468 CPU running at up to 2.4 GHz, which the new chip uses an identical Kryo 468, yet running 6 percent faster at 2.55GHz. It appears every other feature on the two different chips remains identical. The latest chip also uses the same X15 4G LTE modem as the 7c Gen 1. What else has changed is the competitive landscape for low-end PCs and Chromebooks, which the original 7c seemed headed for. Intels Celeron N4020 processor and Pentium Gold N5030 are now viable solutions for low-end PCs and Chromebooks, as is the Mediatek 8183. You probably wont look for any of these on a spec sheet, but you will notice how peppy the resulting performance is. What Qualcomm cant really quantify is the battery life since thats dependent on the hardware manufacturer. Qualcomm The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2s feature set remains largely unchanged. One hardware maker that will use the Snapdragon 7c will be Lenovo, which has often built laptops like the Lenovo Flex 5G around Snapdragon processors like the Snapdragon 8cx. Qualcomm executives said they expect the first Snapdragon 7c devices in summer, without specifically identifying Lenovo. We look forward to launching new Lenovo devices with the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 compute platform later this year, Emily Ketchen, chief marketing officer of Lenovos Intelligent Devices Group, said in a statement. Qualcomm declined to publish actual performance numbers backing the Snapdragon 7c. Instead, it published relative comparisons against its competition from Intel and Mediatek across a variety of benchmarks. However, weve already completed early testing on the HP Elite Folio, which uses the faster Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 chip, the premium offering in Qualcomms lineup. We also performed hands-on testing with the original Snapdragon 7c, and it felt quick enough. Qualcomm Qualcomms performance estimates are disappointingly vague. Meet the Snapdragon NUC Two other key things have changed since Qualcomm released the original Snapdragon 7c. First, Microsoft now allows users to run 64-bit apps via emulation and via the Windows Insider program, allowing the vast ecosystem of Windows apps to finally run unimpressively on top of Snapdragon hardware. (The capability has not yet been pushed to the mainstream release build of Windows 10, however.) Second, more apps now have versions specifically coded for Windows on Arm. To kickstart development even further, Qualcomm and Microsoft said this week that theyve co-engineered a low-cost development platform consisting of a NUC-like box with a Snapdragon processor inside of it. The Snapdragon Developer Kit will be commercially available at The Microsoft Store this summer, the two companies said. The price and configuration werent immediately available. Qualcomm Microsoft and Qualcomm have co-developed a Snapdragon development it, which developers will be able to purchase from the Microsoft Store this summer. The development work has also paid off in another area as well. This summer, Zoom will be available in a native version coded for Windows on Arm that can run on Snapdragon. In a demo video, Qualcomm said that the added efficiency would allow a Snapdragon test notebook to run for up to almost eight hours while continually running Zoom. Thats up to 12 percent more than the un-optimized version, the company said. A former Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Mr Ernest Thompson, and four others have pleaded not guilty to causing financial loss of more than $15.3m to the state. They denied any wrongdoing when they appeared before the Accra High Court yesterday. The five persons are facing criminal prosecution over the $66m SSNIT Operational Business Suite (OBS) project, which was meant to revamp the operations of SSNIT through Information and Communications Technology (ICT). This is the second time the accused persons have been arraigned. They were initially dragged to court in July 2018, but the trial was put on hold following a legal tussle over the charges which culminated in a ruling by the Supreme Court that 10 of the 29 charges relating to wilfully causing financial loss did not have sufficient particulars as required by the 1992 Constitution. In view of the ruling by the apex court, the Attorney-General (A-G) dragged the accused persons back to court by amending the charge sheet to include sufficient particulars. Charges The four other accused are John Hagan Mensah, a former IT Manager at SSNIT; Juliet Hassana Kramer, the CEO of Perfect Business Systems (PBS); Caleb Kwaku Afaglo, a former Head of Management Information Systems (MIS) at SSNIT, and Peter Hayibor, the lawyer for SSNIT. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to 29 charges, including various counts of conspiracy to willfully cause financial loss to the state and willfully causing financial loss to the state. Thompson and Kramer separately pleaded not guilty to three counts of contravening the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), while Kramer and Afaglo also pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretence. Afaglo is alleged to have secured his employment at SSNIT with fake certificates and was accordingly charged with various counts of possession of forged documents and uttering forged documents. Bail At Thursdays hearing, the court, presided over by Justice Henry Kwofie , a Justice of the Court of Appeal, sitting as a High Court judge , admitted the accused persons to self-recognisance bail. That followed submissions by lawyers for the accused persons urging the court to maintain the same bail conditions granted to their client when they were previously arraigned in 2018. Hearing continues on May 26, 2021. Prosecutions facts It is the case of the prosecution that in June 2010, SSNIT initiated the $34m OBS project to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to revamp its operations to enable it to provide a state-of-the-arts pension administration system in the country. It said the objective of the project was to automate all of SSNITs core processes in the administration of pension and integrate all internal systems, as well as external stakeholders of SSNIT. The contract sum, the A-G argued, also ballooned from $34m to over $66m, although the OBS system failed to perform efficiently as the project contract had envisaged. The so-called variations or change orders were carried out at the instance of A1 (Thompson), A2 (Mensah), A3 (Kramer) and A4 (Afaglo) and authorised by A1 (Thompson), even though some of the payments were above his threshold as director-general and contrary to the Public Procurement Act, the prosecution said. The prosecution further said the OBS system was not working but Thompson continued to pay for its related expenses. Investigations established that although the OBS system was not performing as efficiently as contracted for, A1 (Thompson) gave authorisation for various payments which culminated in the losses. Investigations also indicated that PBS, purportedly represented by A3 (Kramer), is a non-existent company, the prosecution said. According to the prosecution, investigations also revealed that Afaglo relied on certificates purporting to be educational certificates he did not possess to gain employment at SSNIT as its General Manager for MIS on October 1, 2015. 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 The Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG) honored Ghanas Greatest Entrepreneurs, Business and Corporate Executives who have distinguished themselves over the years last Saturday 22nd May, 2021. The prestigious 11th Ghana Entrepreneur and Corporate Executive Awards is an initiative of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG). The 2021 event had some sponsors such as M&G Pharmaceuticals, McDan Foundation, Electrochem Ghana Ltd., JRA Cosmetics and Blowchem Industries. The awards ceremony was held under the theme Promoting Entrepreneurship Excellence for Sustainable Economic Development in the Post-pandemic transformation. Award winners were honored through a live Virtual broadcast on TV3 Network, DSTV CH-279, StarTimes CH-503 and live streaming on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. The Virtual Special Guests on the night were Kathleen Csaba, Canadian High Commissioner; Dr. Daniel Mckorley, Executive Group Chairman-McDan Group; H.E. Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Namibian High Commissioner; Sugandh Rajaran, Indian High Commissioner; Lim Jung-Taek, Korean Ambassador; and Ms. Grace Jeanet Mason, South African High Commissioner. Mr. Charles Antwi-Boahen Managing Director & CEO of Kab-Fam Ghana Limited was adjudged Outstanding Young Entrepreneur of The Year 2020 at the virtual Awards ceremony. Having had a significant and positive impact on society over the years as well as continuously building a legacy and still demonstrating Entrepreneurial and Corporate Leadership, Sustained Business Performance, Integrity, Corporate Vision and Innovation in the electronics and Home Appliances industry, organisers of the award ceremony honored the Managing Director & CEO of Kab-Fam Ghana Ltd. Through the sterling leadership of Mr. Antwi-Boahen, KAB-FAM has risen steadily within a very short period of Six (6) years to become Ghanas Best Electronics and Home Appliances company with Twelve (12) branches and counting, winning several awards both locally and internationally. Mr. Antwi-Boahen is a marketing and advertising luminary, one of the core reasons for the success of his businesses and a strong champion of data research and analytics. Aside KAB-FAM, Mr. Antwi-Boahen has interests in real estate, construction and automobile which has gainfully employed hundreds of Ghanaian men and women. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with Political Science (First Class Honours) from the University of Ghana and is married to Joycelyn Antwi-Boahen with two (2) adorable children. A special interview with Mr. Antwi-Boahen after the event witnessed an exclusive thank you remarks to organisers of the event. He also seized the opportunity to challenge young entrepreneurs and business owners to execute their mandates diligently as good citizens, for one day, the good works will pay off. He further added that, due to its good works in a space of six (6) years, Kab-Fam has received numerous nominations and won many international and local awards. Global Excellence Business Leader of the Year 2020 and International Business Achievers Award 2021, Awarded by Swiss School of Business and Management, Geneva (SSBM) are two of such notable international awards won by Kab-Fam Ghana Ltd and its CEO. Mr. Charles Antwi-Boahen is a proud member of West Africa Nobles Forum Club 100 and KAB-FAM is yet again a nominee, Ghana International Products Awards (GIPA) slated for 25th June this year. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video About 656 children in the Gomoa West district of the central region of Ghana have completed all four doses of the malaria vaccine since the implementation of the malaria vaccination in 2019. Gomoa west district is one of the 42 selected areas with the pilot implementation exercise in the central region amidst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Denis Na-Ebong Soorimwin, Gomoa west district director of Ghana health service in an interview disclosed that the malaria vaccine in the district is so far not up to their expectation, because they want all eligible children in district to be vaccinated,, so the children will be protected against malaria. He explained, at the beginning mothers were very hesitant and reluctant about taking the malaria vaccine which resulted in low rate of coverage during the implementation stage, adding "but we continued to educate them on the need for the child to be vaccinated and this as a result improved the coverage as time went by. Dr Soorimwin emphasized that they're using all the available means to get all those children to be vaccinated. Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Soorimwin indicates so far there hasn't been any challenge due to the Covid-19, saying mothers bring their children to be vaccinated with the malaria vaccine amid the covid-19 pandemic. He therefore indicated that the overall uptake of vaccination in the facilities in 2020 last year, the first dose of the vaccine was around 77%, second dose 66.8%, and the third dose was about 65.6%. He said, as at 2021, this year, the first dose of the vaccination so far is around 15.9%, second dose 15.8% and the third dose is 17%. "In Gomoa West the malaria vaccine implementation is going on as expected, so far so good in terms of its implementation", Dr Soorimwin assured. The implementation of the malaria vaccine is currently underway in three selected countries that's Ghana, Kenya and Malawi and is expected to cover at least 600,000 children who would have received the first dose of the malaria vaccine by the World Malaria Day, which coincides with the African vaccination week. In Ghana, the vaccination is being provided through the routine system in some 42 districts in seven region, given some eligible children in Ghana have begun receiving their fourth and final dose of the vaccine. Source: Sally Ngissah/Peace News Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Thousands of people fled their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the night after a large volcano erupted. As the sky turned red and rivers of lava streamed from Mount Nyiragongo, there were concerns that its past deadly tragedies would be repeated. A mass evacuation was launched in the city of Goma, which has a population of about two million people. However, the city was largely spared and some residents are now returning. The volcano, located 10km (six miles) from Goma, last erupted in 2002, killing 250 people and making 120,000 homeless. There has been no official report of casualties during the latest eruption and it is unclear how many homes have been damaged. On Sunday morning, Communications Minister Patrick Muyay tweeted to say the intensity of the lava flow had slowed and an assessment of the humanitarian situation was ongoing. The BBC's Emery Makumeno in DR Congo's capital Kinshasa said a greater quantity of the lava took the direction of the forest, flowing away from the city. Our reporter said it stopped short of the international airport, despite earlier reports to the contrary. However, it did set some houses on fire and crossed a graveyard. One resident, Zacharie Paluku, told the Associated Press news agency that the eruption had sparked fear and people began running. "We really don't know what to do," he said. Some locals complained about the lack of information from the authorities amid conflicting accounts circulating on social media. Crowds were seen with mattresses and other belongings, fleeing even before the government's announcement, which came several hours after the eruption started. Many residents headed across the nearby Rwandan border, while others went to higher ground to the west of the city. Rwandan authorities said about 3,000 people had officially crossed from Goma. The country's state media said they would be accommodated in schools and places of worship. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako-Atta has disclosed that 6,000 kilometres out of 11,000 kilometres of roads are to be completed under the governments second year of roads programme. His update follows the 4,000 kilometres of roads constructed in the first term of the Akufo-Addo administration. Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Sunday May 23, 2021, Mr. Amoako-Atta established that the 6,000 kilometres of roads to be completed falls under critical, cocoa, town roads and asphalt overlays and the Sinohydro Master Project Support Facility. On critical roads programme, the Minister said part of the roads to be completed are Navrongo to Naga stretch of roads, the Wa to Bulenga to Yaala road, Salaga to Ekumdipe to Kpandai road which is 60% complete, upgrading of Yagaba to Mankarigu road as well as the upgrading of Daboya to Mankarigu road among hosts of road projects As part of governments year of road programme, 81 number of critical roads of total length 2,167.2 kilometres were identified in all the 16 regions of the critical for rehabilitation at a cost of GHS 7.827 billion, he said. Under the cocoa roads programme, the Minister noted that 325 projects are currently ongoing across cocoa growing areas across the country establishing that 4,853 kilometres of roads are being constructed at a cost of GHS14.511 billion. Providing more details, the Minister said these include the Aboabo to Esikuma to Dunkwa road, Have to Hohoe road, Sefwi to Wiawso to Akontobra stretch, the Dodokorpe to Borae junction road, Hohoe to Jasikan road among other road projects. He said 563.3 kilometres of roads are to be completed under the town roads programme at a total cost of GHS 1.083 billion including the rehabilitation of Gambaga, Nalerigu and Walewale town roads as well as phase 1 of the upgrading of Prestea and Tepa town roads among others. Touching on the asphalt overlay programme, the Minister said the Ministry of Roads and Highways has programmed to undertake 1,500 kilometres of asphaltic overlay in major towns and cities across the country including hospitals, schools, courts, police barracks, army garrisons and other security service compounds. This he said 1,301 kilometres of roads will be completed under this programme in towns such as Obuasi, Kumasi, Akwatia, Oda, Winneba, Swedru, Berekum among others at a cost of GHS 1.665 billion stating that by the end of this government, 3,000 kilometres of roads would have been completed. On Sinohydro Master Project Support Facility, Mr Amoako-Atta said 4 road projects are ongoing including 2 interchanges. The road projects he said include the Accra inner-city roads, Kumasi inner-city roads, dualization of Adenta to Dodowa and the rehabilitation of Ajumako to Afransie road. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video He said they are still working to track their success, but hope that if they can expand the unit, ideally to working seven days a week, they can have more of an impact. And as the team continues to explore the best ways to support the community, they started collaborating monthly with mental health experts and providers, as well as other local law enforcement agencies, to expand their reach and collaboration, because the need for better mental health response is not going away. Presidential candidate aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, has received the coveted Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Award. The Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours was presented to Hon. Ghartey; Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanteng; for Trade and Industry Minister, Ekow Spio-Garbrah. In all, 15 former and serving ministers of state were honoured at the maiden Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours held in Accra last Saturday. The other awardees included former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Prof. Joshua Alabi; a former Defence Minister, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor; a former Minister of Information, Nana Akomea; a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hackman Owusu Agyemang; a former Minister of Tourism, Catherine Ablema Afeku; a former Minister of Works and Housing, Kwamena Bartels. Others were former Minister of Local Government and a former Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Julius Debrah; a former Minister of Energy, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah; Majority Leader in the current Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu; and the Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh. Event Organised by Big Events Ghana, the award ceremony was meant to recognise the contributions of former and serving ministers of state towards the development of the country. It was a night of glamour and music performances as people from all walks of life, including chiefs, musicians, actors and other distinguished personalities converged on the Movenpick Hotel to celebrate the statesmen. This Award is given in recognition of your sterling performance as a Minister of State in the Republic of Ghana, serving with DISTINCTION and EXCELLENCE in the performance of your duties to the people and nation of Ghana in the Fourth Republic. Ghana truly appreciates you. Congratulations, a citation presented to Hon. Ghartey read. In all 297 Ministers in the 4th Republic were nominated from the Rawlings era to Akufo - Addos tenure and 15 were chosen. In the Akufo - Addos era, Hon. Ghartey, Catherine Afeku, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and Mathew Opoku Prempeh, were awarded. Hon. Ghartey once served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General under the former President John Agyekum Kufuors government. He was Railways Minister under President Akufo-Addo from 2017 to 2021. Under his watch, the railways sector which was once dead, received a major boost. He spearheaded the development of the railways sector. He established the School of Railways and Infrastructure Development as part of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT). Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video NPP member, Nana Fredua Agyeman Ofori-Atta says he has no compassion for any person involved in galamsey in the country, hence supporting the punitive measures against such persons. There is an ongoing war against galamsey or illegal gold mining as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor and Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul have both sanctioned a Military jont task force of the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Navy and Ghana Air Forces to remove people and machinery at mining areas, particularly on river bodies such as River Pra by using every legitimate force possible. Currently, over 200 Chanfang machines and a sizeable number of excavators have been destroyed by the task force in attempts to stop the illegal miners. This action is part of President Nana Addo's pledge to end the galamsey menace. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Nana Fredua likened galamsey to robbery. To him, should Ghanaians see galamsey as robbery, there will be no complaints about the task force going to remove the illegal miners. He explained that those who engaged in illegal gold mining are robbing the communities they operate in and the entire nation by their activities, therefore they must not go scot free. "Galamsey is robbery. If you do galamsey, you're robbing the nation. If this wasn't so, we wouldn't fight against it . . . So, let's admit that galamsey is robbery. If you put it that way, there will be no compassion because there's no person in the world who will work hard and allow someone to rob him/her without doing something about it," he stated. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A traditional chief in Zimbabwe has ordered that the remains of the country's former president Robert Mugabe be exhumed and reburied at a national cemetery. Mugabe died in 2019 and was buried in his rural home Kutama town as per his wishes and not at the National Heroes Acre in the capital, Harare, as his successor President Emmerson Mnangagwa and others had hoped. His family said Mugabe had expressed fears that his political nemesis who ousted him from power in 2017 would use his remains for rituals if he was buried at the national cemetery. On Monday, a traditional chief in Zvimba district, west of the capital Harare, ruled that he had received a complaint from a member of the Mugabe clan about his burial place. He ruled that former first lady Grace Mugabe was guilty of breaking traditional norms by burying her husband in the courtyard of his home. Mrs Mugabe did not attend the hearing, but the chief fined her to pay five cows and a goat. "He [chief] has no jurisdiction over Kutama. And even if the correct chief had made that ruling we would have appealed to the court," Leo Mugabe, the family spokesman, told news agency Reuters. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) organised a one-day working visit for the Ministers responsible for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, as well as Public Enterprises, Mr Joseph Cudjoe, to its Gas Processing Plant at Atuabo on Thursday, 20th May, 2021. Accompanying the ministers on this visit were the Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Chief Director for Ministry of Public Enterprises, Christina Edmund and Chief Director for Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Kizito Ballans. Representing the GNGC was the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr Ben Asante and the following members of management: Emmanuel Appiah Essel, Head of Finance, Robert Asmah, Head of Technical Services, Augustina Asare Osei, Head of Government Relations, Robert Lartey, Head of Technical Operations, Stephen Jomo, Head of Commercial Operations and Stephen Donkor, Head of Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. The purpose of the visit was for the ministers and the Director-General of SIGA to familiarise themselves with the operations of the company and to help strengthen the coordinating roles among the three institutions with regards to their oversight responsibility on the activities of GNGC. During the visit, Dr Ben Asante briefed the ministers on the history of the company and recounted some interesting developments within the gas sector. He also discussed the infrastructural plans of the company, emphasising significant projects being undertaken by the company. On his part, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations stressed on the strategic role being played by the company in the countrys national development agenda and therefore, urged the leadership and staff to eschew complacency but continue with the hard work to build on the status of the company. In connection with this, he entreated the management of the company to invest in its human capital through training. He also reminded management about the importance of the welfare of staff to the success and reputation of the company. Accordingly, he urged management to adopt and implement policies that would ensure staff cohesion and safety, including a well-sustained pension scheme. The Minister for Public Enterprises could not hide his excitement at the progress of ongoing work with respect to the Takoradi-Tema Pipeline, the Fertilizer Plant in the Jomoro District, Ghana-Cote dIvoire Pipeline, the Gas Act as well as the Gas Master Plan. He noted that the successful completion of these projects would speed up the industrialisation agenda of the government. At the end of the discussions, the CEO led the delegation on a tour of the Gas Processing Plant to obtain first-hand information on how the company processes raw gas into its various product lines: Lean Gas, LPG, Condensate and Pentanes. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Pieter Smidt Van Gelder, the Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Ghana, has lauded Ghanaian women for their continued sacrifices and efforts towards Ghanas socio-economic development. He said Ghana did not lack competent women, citing Mrs Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, first woman Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana and first woman Speaker of Parliament. Others are: Madam Sophia Akuffo, Chief Justice of Ghana (2017-2019) and Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, an academic icon and first woman to hold the position of Vice Chancellor in Ghana, before becoming a politician, and first Vice Presidential Candidate for one of the main political parties in Ghana. He also mentioned the late Dr Esther Ocloo of Nkulenu Industries, an industrialist, a preservationist, an Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) Hall of Famer, and a national legend who created employment for many people. Mr Gelder gave the commendation in his address at the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) - European Union (EU) seminar on the Affirmative Action Bill held in Accra. Hence, there is obvious indication that Ghana has strong competent women. The question, therefore, is what exactly holds back progress? Why is stronger female representation in politics so difficult? What are the challenges that Ghanaian women face in rising to top political and governance positions and how can these be addressed? he asked. We know that the issues start from structural and societal barriers blocking women from entering politics. They include; factors such as unequal access to resources such as time and money, unequal family responsibilities, male-dominated political cultures and prevailing gender roles and stereotypes, as well as abuse and harassment against women. We should also mention misogynistic comments on the not always social media. However, he said none of the themes were carved in stone or unchangeable; adding that so, these issues should be addressed. Mr Gelder suggested the issues would be resolved by tackling the high cost and monetization of politics, adopting the Affirmative Action Bill and fighting hate speech, women unfriendly discourse both online and offline. It will not be easy task. It will require patience, perseverance and courage. But together, men and women working together, we will get there. Change is possible; when you put your mind to it, he said. Women are change agents and I believe that Ghana would be even better if it gave women roles that are more prominent in politics. The solutions are not outside, they are right here with us. Where we find challenges, we also find the solutions. He noted that women were still significantly underrepresented in elected positions, stating that the statistics showed that 51.7 percent registered Ghanaian voters were women and that in Parliament, they were a mere 14.5 percent - (40 out of 275). He maintained that Ghanas recent Parliamentary elections had slightly increased the number of female Members of Parliament (MPs) to 40, from 37, and described it as a modest improvement. Mr Gelder said with that, Ghana ranked 150th in the world in terms of womens representation in Parliament and said that was far behind other African countries like Rwanda (61.3) and Ethiopia (58.8 percent). He said the EU Election Observer Mission report for the 2020 general election recommended that Ghana should enact and implement the Affirmative Action Bill with at least a 30 percent quota of women in governance and decision-making positions, towards a progressive increase to parity of 50 per cent. The report also urged political parties to adopt party quota to promote womens participation in politics. He reiterated that equality started at party levels with the primary. And it is urgent. Because when we continue with this pace, one per cent improvement every electoral cycle, Ghana will hit gender parity by the year 2160, so, we cannot, and should not rely on social change alone. Mr Gelder, who noted that quota did work, said in Europe, womens representation in parliaments had significantly improved in countries where such measures were in place. He said France, which had recorded the largest increase in the EU in the share of women parliamentarians, had adopted legislation supporting gender parity in elected offices. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Dambai District Police Command has arrested three suspects of Fulani extraction for their alleged roles in the murder and kidnapping of a 45-year-old Gariba Manga and his junior brother Bube Manga aged 35. The suspects are; Issah Goma, 25, Mamari Osumanu, 51 years and 30-year-old Seifu Malami alias Mario or lce Kenkey. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr John Nchor, Acting Oti Regional Public Affairs Officer of the Ghana Police Service in a signed statement disclosed that the suspects had been remanded into police custody by the Nkwanta District Court and would re-appear on June 3. He said the suspects were arrested following a report of the murder of one Gariba Manga and the kidnapping of one Bube Manga, when some armed men attacked a cottage at Ankra Akura on May 5, this year. The Public Affairs Officer said the alleged kidnappers demanded an amount of GHS 100,000.00 for the release of the victim. However, Police-Public cooperation led to the rescue of victim Bube Manga on May 10 by members of the Hunters Club in the bush at Yariga No. 2, a community along the Dambai-Nkwanta Road network. He said the victim, who looked pale and weak, was sent to the hospital for examination and treatment. ASP Nchor said a spent cartridge/shell, raincoats, improvised hood suspected to have been used by the kidnappers were recovered by Police. He said the Oti Regional Police Command was encouraging the public to report persons involved in criminal activities to face the rigours of the law and assured informants of absolute confidentiality. 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 Charles Owusu, Head of Monitoring Unit of the Forestry Commission, has backed the new election proposals by the Electoral Commision. The EC has proposed to do away with the system of periodic nationwide registration exercises and institute an all-round system where citizens who turn 18 or persons who have not previously registered may visit any district office with their Ghana Card or passport and register as voters. This is aimed at reducing the cost of elections. The Commission also proposed to build efficient collation process by focusing on data entry only at the Constituency Collation Centre. They also have proposed to change the voting time by ensuring the election end at 3pm instead of 5pm. Touching on the issue, Charles Owusu believed the new proposals will help in streamlining Ghana's electoral system He stated that the EC's proposal to close the elections at 3 pm will help curb the violence that normally characterizes the elections, particularly during the counting of ballots. ''In my opinion, it will end the election violence in the sense that 3 pm means the afternoon, if you pick a stick, everybody will see you bringing a stick. If you pick a stone, you will be spotted by everybody. You can't pick a ballot and run away with it. But sometimes, around 7 O'clock or 8 O'clock, there will still be counting of ballot papers and when that happens, it results in commotion and so forth'', he stated on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo''. Listen to his full submissions below: Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Coordinator of the Universal Peace Federation- Ghana, Dr Mrs Helen Osei, has called for the establishment of a Ghana chapter of the International Association of Members of Parliament (MPs) for Peace (IAPP). The International Association of MPs for Peace is an international network of parliamentarians created to take on crucial issues of territorial disputes, religious conflicts, climate change, violent extremism and poverty through the common solidarity and cooperation of the parliamentarians of the world. Speaking during a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, she said attempts were made during the seventh Parliament but it could not see the light of day. She said the association helped to promote the development of humankind along the path of coexistence and mutual prosperity for future generations. Dr Mrs Osei, who led a delegation of the Universal Peace Federation-Ghana to call on the Speaker, therefore, appealed to Mr Bagbin to help push for the establishment of the association in Ghana to promote peace and development. Dedication Mr Bagbin commended the federation for its dedication to building a world of peace centered on universal spiritual and moral values. He tasked the protocol department of Parliament to ensure that all necessary structures were put in place to advertise the association for members when the second meeting of the first session of the 8th Parliament commenced. Peace, he said, could only exist when justice prevailed in any society. Mr Bagbin, therefore, charged the federation and its leadership to do more to promote global dialogue and mutual coexistence. 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 The General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, Mr. John Boadu, has disclosed that, as many as 715 people have applied for appointment as MMDCEs in the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in the 5 Regions of the North, comprising Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Savanna, and North East Regions. He made this disclosure in an interaction with media personnel in Bolgatanga, on May 24, after touring these 5 regions on a working visit, which occasion, he used to monitor the ongoing vetting exercise for persons who have applied for appointment as MMDCEs, as part of the appointment process. The General Secretary was concerned about the sheer number of party faithfuls who have applied to be considered as the President's nominee for the position of MMDCEs across the country, particularly in the 5 Regions of the North, and the inevitable possibility that most of them will be disappointed at the end of the selection process. This is because, there are 55 positions for grabs, and so, only 55 persons will be appointed out of the 715, leaving as many as 660 party people disappointed. The chief scribe of the governing party, was thus deeply concerned about the morale of these 55 applicants and indeed party faithfuls, who may feel let down after the appointment, hence his decision to reach out to the applicants and help manage their expectations. In his address to some of the applicants at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Tamale, where the vetting of applicants from the Northern Region was taking place, Mr. John Boadu stated among other things that, We cannot allow this process and the aftermath of it to derail the gains that have been made in uniting the party ahead of the 2024 general elections and beyond. We all should be mindful of the ramifications and manage our expectations, understanding the principle that what unites us as a party must be greater and bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions, differences of birth, wealth, tribal and ethic affiliations." In the Upper East region for instance, over 237 people applied to occupy 15 MMDCE positions in the region, out of which only 15 are women. In the Savana region, 83 people presented themselves to be considered, out of whom 4 are women. In Upper West, 123 individuals applied, 4 of whom are women, whereas in the North East Region, there were 71 applications, with 6 being women. The situation is not any different in the Northern Region, where as many as 204 persons applied, 11 of whom are women. The Sagnargu Municipality recorded the highest number of applicants which stood at 26, whereas Zabzugu and Mion districts both received 4 applications each, the minimum in the region. In his interaction with the applicants at the various vetting centres, the NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, admonished them to remain committed to the party regardless of the outcome of their dreams and aspirations to lead their local assemblies as the President's representative. While commending the various regional vetting Panels for each of the 5 regions, under the chairmanship by the respective regional Ministers, for doing an excellent job, John Boadu was quick to express his excitement at the quality of party faithful who made themselves available for appointments as MMDCEs. Per the guidelines put in place by the President of the Republic to assist him appoint MMDCEs pursuant to his mandate under Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution, the regional vetting committees are to shortlist a maximum of 4 applicants for each local assembly, to move to the next stage of the selection and appointment process, which shall be held in Accra. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament(MP) for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, has cast doubt on the successfulness of 'Operation Halt'. 'Operation Halt' is a team of over 200 military personnel put together to fight illegal mining popularly known as galamsey in the country and to restore the nation's water bodies to their original form. The Minister of Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul after a third phase of the team's operation revealed that 49 excavators, 228 changfans, 87 water pumping machines, 76 wooden structures were destroyed (during just one exercise). The exercise was carried out by some 561 military personnel. However, the Former Deputy Education Minister told Kwami Sefa Kayi in an interview on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' that until the architects of galamsey are dealt with, operations of the team will come to nothing. "I've followed closely; it's the same thing that is happening . . . this will not change the modus operandi if we don't go for those at the top . . . in terms of sustainable permanent solutions we must go for the overlords," he pointed out. Just like how other teams formed in the past reportedly got corrupted, Okudzeto Ablakwa has projected that if care is not taken "after three months the personnel (Operation Halt) will also get corrupted; they will get sucked in and consumed by the iniquities of the whole enterprise". Listen to him in the video below Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video At UCP Bailes, the former employee said she was pushed to review the IEPs of a number of students who were at lowest matrix level and to add more services to their plan. She did not do that and said she wasnt sure if others changed the plans. A bride had to marry a wedding guest after her groom suddenly disappeared from the ceremony in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. The Tribune reported that the incident took place on Monday, May 16, in the town of Maharajpur, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. According to the news outlet, the couple had just completed their jaimala, or exchange of garlands, when the groom went missing. At the time, their families were getting ready for the main ceremony. After a search by the brides family, they concluded that the groom did not just disappear, but intentionally fled the scene. Following several deliberations, the bride then tied the knot with one of the baraatis, a member of the marriage party from the grooms side whose family also agreed to marrying him off to the woman. After the ceremony, the brides family reportedly lodged a complaint against the groom and his family. An official later released a statement on the matter. "We have received a complaint in this regard from both the bride and groom sides. While the bride's side has sought suitable action against the groom and his family members, the groom's father, Dharampal, in his complaint, has sought police help to trace his missing son. Investigations are continuing in this regard." Source: The Tribune Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune. You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.25 per week for 13 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month. The National Wilderness Preservation System was created so that the American people could enjoy our countrys priceless natural areas. This bill would enrich Americans enjoyment of the outdoors by expanding recreational opportunities in wilderness areas. Senator Lee Senator Mike Lee has re-introduced a bill that could help bikes return to wilderness areas. The Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act would empower local managers of Wilderness areas to decide whether to allow and how to regulate non-motorized travel.Senator Lee's previous Bill, S.B. 1695, was introduced in May 2019 and was supported by the US Forest Service and the Department of Interior but legislators ran out of time to vote on it before the congressional session ended. This new Bill, referred to as S.B. 1686 is a re-introduction of S.B. 1695 that will hopefully be voted on this time.The current legislation, written as part of the Wilderness Act of 1964 prohibits the use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment, motorboats, and other forms of mechanical transport. This means that the current Department of Interior policy considers mechanical transport to include non-motorized mountain bikes but also other outdoor equipment such as strollers and game carts. In 1984, as mountain biking emerged and riders started to explore off-road, the term mechanized transport was clarified by the Forest Service under increasing pressure from traditional environmental groups like the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society, and mountain bikes were deemed unwelcome.However, the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act could change that. This bill would insert language to the Wilderness Act to ensure that the rules restricting mechanical transport do not include forms of nonmotorized travel in which the sole propulsive power is one or more persons. However, S.B. 1686 would not be a blanket permit for bicycling in the Wilderness as local land managers could continue to prohibit any bicycle access depending on what is required to preserve the character of the Wilderness.We'll keep you updated with the progress of the bill as it passes through Congress. For more information on the Wilderness debate, click here . For more information on the Bill, click here Police arrested a 34-year-old for allegedly killing Dexter Sullivan, an Aiken man, over the weekend. Aaron Azeem Williams has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to the Aiken County Sheriffs Office. Williams was being held at the Aiken County detention center as of Monday morning. Williams and Sullivan, 26, got into an argument on Sunday afternoon, according to police, before things turned violent. Witnesses reported six or seven shots fired and saw a blue Honda Civic in the area. Sullivan was found bleeding and unresponsive in a wooded area along Iris Lane, where he died, according to the Aiken County Coroners Office. Investigators found Williams along the same road at another house. Williams was arrested without incident, the Sheriffs Office said in an announcement. Police are seeking information about the blue Honda and its driver. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at 803-648-6811. Check back with the Aiken Standard; this article will be updated. Miracle, Inspiration -- CPC leadership, Chinese path in eyes of world party leaders Xinhua) 08:43, May 24, 2021 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Over the 100 years since its founding, the CPC has navigated China, the world's most populous country, towards a path of rapid development, having achieved admirable success that has earned global respect. Party leaders and senior officials of different countries recently expressed appreciation for China's achievements, noting that China's success, a result of the CPC's strong leadership and a right development path, offers significant inspiration for other countries in pursuit of their own development. STRONG LEADERSHIP INDISPENSABLE "The whole world might not imagine that a huge country like China would develop into the world's second largest economy in just over 40 years. This is a very remarkable achievement," said Somsavat Lengsavad, former Lao deputy prime minister and former politburo member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. The wise and strong leadership of the CPC is the decisive factor for the achievements, he said. "In my opinion, the Chinese miracle is mainly due to the leadership of the CPC because they found a model of development in this dynamic world," which is socialism with Chinese characteristics, said Alexandar Paunov, first secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party, when commenting on "the Chinese miracle." "The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that the Communist Party of China follows is original and responds to the demands of today's world, as well as to the conditions of China," said Alberto Moreno, president of the Communist Party of Peru (Red Fatherland). Raed Fahmi, secretary of the Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party, said that socialism with Chinese characteristics is a huge historical experience, which his party is keen to study and follow up. In each stage of the CPC's history, "there have been capable leaders, taking the lead from the party to drive each stage and accomplish goals," said Hector Aleman, secretary of international relations of Panama's ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party. DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS PEOPLE Najm al-Deen al-Kharit, secretary-general of the Unified Syrian Communist Party, said that he had visited China twice, and was impressed by China's development, especially the construction of buildings and the improvement in people's livelihood. Al-Kharit is not the only one who has been impressed by how China has brought tangible benefits to its people with rapid development. "The secret behind China's ability to control the pandemic lies in putting people's health first," said Adham Sayed, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lebanon, highlighting the CPC's dedication to the well-being of the Chinese people during the pandemic's darkest hours and beyond. "If a party wants to survive, it must put the interests of the people first, which is what the CPC has done throughout its march," Sayed said. Impressed by China's technological achievements, former Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy, said, "The quality of life in China has also changed a lot, and this is perhaps even more important than technical progress." "The success of the party is based on two things, one is that it has represented a stable set of values that can be maintained in the long run, and the other is its very good ability to renew itself," Medgyessy said. Mahdi Dakhlallah, a leading member of Syria's ruling al-Baath party, said that the notion of "putting the people first" has pushed China forward. INSPIRATION FOR WORLD Adan Chavez, vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, visited China four times between 2017 and 2019. He said that the CPC is a pillar of the scientific and technological development made by China, and achievements attained by its people are not only a "role model for the rest of the world, but a symbol of hope." "We have witnessed how the Chinese people have rendered huge support for their government and the CPC while working together in keeping with principles of socialism with Chinese characteristics," he said. Referring to the third volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," the senior Venezuelan party official said the book portrays steps to be taken to succeed in the construction of socialism and a new vision of the Chinese leadership. He said that China is an inspiration for nations fighting for freedom and sovereignty, adding that the huge progress made by the Chinese people is a clear proof that socialism is an effective solution "to the problems affecting humanity." As a century-old party, the CPC has always kept pace with the times and innovated continuously, said Sofia Carvajal, secretary of international affairs of Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party, adding that in this regard, her party can learn from the CPC to continuously innovate, develop, and adjust itself to people's changing needs, so as to gain public support. Medgyessy also noted that China's fast development has created opportunities for markets and investments on a global scale, and China's impact on the world has been "very significant." China's reform and opening-up is important experience for other countries, including Belarus. "There are a lot of interesting things in the socio-economic development of China, which today I see as very relevant for our country," former Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Tozik said. "The growth of China's power and its economic strength is not a threat to humanity, but an additional chance for everyone to overcome today's terribly difficult time and terribly difficult period in the life of human civilization," he said. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) If police are correct about the time of death, Greyson and his father were already dead by the time the attorneys letter was sent. Judges are prohibited from commenting on pending proceedings and cannot discuss the specifics of any orders, said Broward Chief Administrative Judge Jack Tuter. It cannot be stressed enough that if someone has reason to believe a child or any other person is in danger, they should call law enforcement in all instances. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. COLUMBIA A weeklong manhunt for a suspect wanted in the killings of four people ended without another shot fired Monday morning as hundreds of officers surrounded him in South Carolina, authorities said. Neither Tyler Terry nor the more than 300 officers searching for him were hurt during his arrest, the Chester County Sheriff's Office posted on Twitter. The manhunt finally ended after at least three confirmed sightings of Terry since he ran from a wrecked car after firing on Chester County deputies on May 17. Deputies released photos of Terry's arrest showing an officer giving him a bottle of sports drink as he sat on a pickup tailgate with his hands cuffed behind him. Terry was wearing dirty pants, socks with no shoes and a T-shirt ripped nearly in half. Investigators didn't think Terry was getting help from anyone but broke into vehicles or possibly barns and sheds and lived off the land. He managed to steal a gun, water, shirt and shoes from an unlocked work truck last week, authorities said. Terry apparently spent the week in the same small area, eluding dozens of officers who methodically shrank where they searched and staying out of sight of helicopters that were overhead most of the time, Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey said. Terry was hiding in weeds when a team of federal agents spotted him. He had a gun nearby but was grabbed before he could react, Dorsey said. "He was certainly ready to run. But he was surrounded," Dorsey said at a Monday news conference. Terry, 26, is charged with murder in a shooting in York in early May, the killing in Great Falls of the estranged husband of the woman who drove the car as he fired at officers, and the deaths of two other people in Missouri on May 15 during robberies in the St. Louis suburbs, authorities said. Arrest warrants list Terry's address as Great Falls. Sunday afternoon, deputies spotted Terry wearing no shoes and all black clothing crossing a highway. Dorsey said the search paused overnight because authorities were sure Terry was in their perimeter and they didn't want an encounter in the dark with a possibly armed man that the sheriff said was "extremely fast and agile." When the sun rose Monday, the push to find Terry began again and was successful. "He was tired, thirsty," Dorsey said. "He's all cut up. He's got bug bites. His clothes are torn. He's exhausted." The search grew from about 100 officers last week to 300 officers Monday. The seven-day manhunt in the same area for a suspect is one of the longest in recent memory in South Carolina. "He's been homeless for some time and may have spent long periods of time living in the woods. I'm not saying he is Superman, but that could help explain some things," Chester County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Grant Suskin said, The woman driving Terry was arrested after wrecking the car. Adrienne Simpson, 34, is charged along with Terry with killing Eugene Simpson, from whom she had been separated for several years. An arrest warrant said she confessed that both she and Terry shot the father of her children, and that she helped dump his body in a ditch. Simpson, who had a black eye in her booking photo, was the victim when Terry was arrested on a first-degree criminal domestic violence charge a year ago. Terry hit his girlfriend so hard that she lost hearing in one ear and an eye swelled shut, according to an arrest warrant from Chester. Police in Myrtle Beach also charged Terry with domestic violence after he hurt Simpson's hand and broke her phone in a March 31 argument, according to a police report. Simpson's mother, who said she spoke with her after her arrest, said Terry was physically and mentally abusive and her daughter was scared of him but also loved him and thought he would change. The couple was together in Missouri and investigators are retracing their route as they traveled there from South Carolina to see if any other crimes were committed. "I pray that he comes out alive so he can face justice. And I pray Adrienne is cooperating with law enforcement. Which I know she will serve serious time for her part in it. But she don't need to take the fall for all of it," Carol DeWitt told WBTV-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina. COLUMBIA A former Westinghouse official is pleading guilty in the multi-year criminal investigation of South Carolinas $9 billion nuclear fiasco. Carl Churchman, who oversaw the end of the failed expansion of the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant in Fairfield County, has admitted to lying to federal investigators as part of a plea deal that was filed late last week. The Charlotte resident becomes the third person to be criminally charged since two South Carolina utilities S.C. Electric and Gas and Santee Cooper pulled the plug on the costly project in July 2017. Churchman's May 21 plea deal provides the first concrete evidence that investigators with the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office for South Carolina are targeting the project's lead contractor, Westinghouse, in addition to S.C. utility executives who continued bankrolling the doomed project with ratepayers' money. The plea deal requires Churchman, Westinghouses top official at the Jenkinsville construction site from May 2015 to October 2017, to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify against other utility executives and construction managers who led the project. The effort to add two nuclear reactors at the single-reactor Midlands plant was supposed to create thousands of jobs and usher South Carolina into a clean, nuclear-powered future. Instead, its sudden collapse left millions of South Carolinians on the hook to pay billions of dollars more on their power bills for a pair of reactors that never generated a watt of electricity. Behind the scenes, cost overruns, construction delays and supply-chain dysfunction had crippled the project for years. But utility executives misled the public, lawmakers and state regulators to believe the V.C. Summer venture would come online in time to meet crucial deadlines, prosecutors have said. Churchman faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine after lying to investigators in May 2019, court filings show. He also might have to pay restitution. Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email Sign Up! Prosecutors have already secured guilty pleas from Kevin Marsh, the former president and CEO of SCE&G's parent company, and his second-in-command, Steve Byrne. Both men admitted to defrauding ratepayers by lying to cover up the project's poor performance right up until the end. They have agreed to cooperate as witnesses in the ongoing state-and-federal investigation. Before Churchman's plea deal, prosecutors had hinted their investigation would not stop with utility executives like Marsh and Byrne. Churchman's agreement appears to underscore a new focus on other players in the project, including lead contractor Westinghouse. Reached by phone Monday, Westinghouse spokeswoman Sarah Cassella said, "We do not have any comment as it's part of ongoing legal action." An FBI agent interviewed Churchman on May 21, 2019, nearly two years after SCE&G and Santee Cooper abandoned the project, court documents show. During that interview, Churchman falsely told the agent he had no involvement in reporting the project's estimated completion dates to SCE&G in February 2017, according to the plea deal. In truth, emails showed Churchman had communicated with his Westinghouse colleagues about the viability and accuracy of those estimated completion dates. Then Churchman reported those dates to SCE&G and Santee Cooper during a Feb. 14, 2017, meeting just a few months before the project's collapse the plea deal states. Efforts to reach Churchman's attorney for comment May 24 were not immediately successful. After the V.C. Summer venture went belly-up, SCE&G and Santee Cooper pinned the blame on Westinghouse, saying the company that designed the new AP1000 reactors failed to meet construction deadlines and lied to the utilities about its progress at the site. Westinghouse ultimately declared bankruptcy in March 2017, one of the first and only signals to the public that the project might not be completed. The reactors were initially supposed to come online in 2016 and 2019. Since the project's failure, SCE&G has been taken over by Virginia-based Dominion Energy. State lawmakers spent years considering whether to sell Santee Cooper before ultimately deciding to restructure the utility to make it more accountable to its ratepayers and regulators. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. COLUMBIA A major backer of President Donald Trump says his focus has shifted to business since he returned to South Carolina. The only likely way that would change is if Trump launches another presidential bid, said Ed McMullen, Trump's ambassador to Switzerland. McMullen focused on diplomacy and business as he spoke May 24 at the Columbia Rotary meeting, describing his four-year tenure in Bern, Switzerland. McMullen, who settled in Charleston after returning home in January, said he has no political plans to seek office himself. "Never, ever, ever," he said. He said the former president remains the most popular figure among likely Republican primary voters, according to early polls, if he wants to run again. Hes clearly the front-runner in any race you see, and I think he feels like he has unfinished business," McMullen said. If Trump did run again and seek his help, he would have it, McMullen said. Having known Trump for decades, McMullen was one of the first to back him in South Carolina, acting as his S.C. campaign director. Sign up for our Columbia business and real estate newsletter. Get all the latest industry happenings from the Midlands, plus exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email Sign Up! McMullen previously led the S.C. Policy Council, a conservative think tank, and operated his own communications firm in the state. For now, McMullen said he would like to focus on business, which also was the prime focus of his ambassadorship. McMullen is a partner at Bartons Family Capital, an equity fund based in London. Building stronger ties between Swiss companies and the U.S. market was a major achievement of his term as ambassador a post he said Trump urged him to take after he rejected the idea of a role in Washington, D.C. Switzerland moved up from eighth to sixth for foreign investment in the United States during his term, McMullen said. During his time there, he also was able to work with the Swiss government to help get two Americans released from captivity in Iran. The Swiss ties were crucial because the United States for decades had no diplomatic relations with Iran, he said. Now he's looking to build on the economic ties he built there both through work at Bartons and through economic development work for the law firm of Adams and Reese in its Columbia office. "Politics today has gotten so bitter and negative, I just dont have any interest in participating in it," McMullen said. The Post and Courier Food section since August has been checking in weekly with four downtown Charleston restaurants coping with the coronavirus pandemic and recovering from restrictions designed to contain it. The following three restaurants are still finding their way back to normalcy.For previous installments of the series, as well as more information about the featured restaurants and their chosen strategies for success, click here. Chasing Sage: Dinner time After running a series of takeout-only pop-ups for close to a year, the Chasing Sage team has plenty of experience with shutting down. First, at the breakneck pace of every two weeks followed by more reasonable interludes of one month or more, the folks waiting patiently to bring Chasing Sage to the public bid farewell to yet another cuisine. Racing through themes faster than a prom committee, they sloughed off menus along with the drinks, graphics and social media messaging designed to accompany them. Ma salama, Morocco. Au revoir, France. To stave off the sadness of COVID-19 delaying the debut of their long-planned restaurant, and to reduce the stress of coming up with a whole new identity in less time than most people take to prepare a potluck dish, they developed a ritual of mock solemnity. When it came time to put a concept to bed, they pretended as though the pop-up was supposed to have lasted forever. Its been a good run, owner Walter Edward would say, slowly exhaling in imitation of chefs whove seen their dreams collapse. We tried, guys. Of course, Walter and Cindy Edward, Forrest Brunton and Max Clarke could laugh because their dream of opening a scrupulously sourced restaurant in a rehabilitated building at the corner of Rutledge and Line streets was intact. It was just deferred and deferred and deferred again. Until now. With victory over COVID on the horizon and Restaurant Revitalization money in hand, Chasing Sage has settled on an opening date of June 23. Were pumped, Walter Edward said. Were excited to have people in the dining room. (Editors note: Among the first people in the dining room will be subscribers to The Post and Courier, who will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to a special preview dinner June 22. Additional details will be announced shortly, but in the meantime you can subscribe here.) In preparation for the launch, Chasing Sage has to say one last goodbye. Its popular Everybody Loves Ramen pop-up will end after service May 29. This time, Cindy Edward fears, customers will be asking if the team really tried. Theyre not going to be pleased about losing their ramen supply. People are going to have a hard time, she said. Still, Edward and Brunton arent ruling out ramens return. When they start serving brunch, they said, there might be room on the menu for noodles. Sign up for our food & dining newsletter. We publish our free Food & Dining newsletter every Wednesday at 10 a.m. to keep you informed on everything happening in the Charleston culinary scene. Sign up today! Email Sign Up! Harold's Cabin: Out of the money The application portal for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund slams shut May 24. Just over three weeks after opening the federal program for restaurant recovery assistance, the U.S. Small Business Administration is putting a hard stop on grant requests. After 8 p.m., food businesses can no longer ask for a share of the $28.6 billion set aside by Congress. At this point, though, the money is largely spoken for. The SBA by last week had received applications from more than 300,000 owners, amounting to $69 billion in desired funding. According to a May 19 press release issued by the agency, 57 percent of the applications came from women, veterans and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners. Under the terms of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, those owners get first crack at the cash. That provision didnt sit well with the owner of Greers Ranch Cafe in Stephenville, Texas. Greer, a White man, on May 16 brought a discrimination suit against the SBA with the help of Stephen Miller, formerly a senior adviser to President Donald Trump. A federal judge agreed with Greer, but the program at this point is proceeding as planned. In other words, its exceedingly unlikely that Harolds Cabin will see any federal money during this round of funding, despite the Westside restaurant filing its application on the programs first day. Harolds Cabin owner John Schumacher is not the litigious type. And as a member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, he supported setting up the fund to prioritize owners left out of the Payroll Protection Program. Schumacher's strategy now is to keep lobbying Congress to replenish it. Referencing a recent Bloomberg article that framed the permanent loss of 90,000 restaurants as good news considering initial projections, Schumacher said, Im sorry that doesnt make me feel better. I mean, if 10 to 15 percent of any other independent industry lost that many businesses, we would certainly be hearing more about it. Butcher & Bee: Catching up Over the past few weeks, Charleston-area diners have gone from being shocked by restaurants slashing hours from their opening schedules to grasping the situation. There arent enough people to work, they now say knowingly, and that there has to be space for downtime. In many cases, that explanation is not wrong. But at Butcher & Bee, its only half right. Butcher & Bee last week revoked Tuesday lunch because its employees needed extra time to tend to tasks other than hustling out food at top speed. Its employees on Tuesday came to work as usual, but they cleaned and organized and dealt with everything else postponed when hundreds of guests need to get fed. Catching up will free people up to think creatively again, owner Michael Shemtov said. As he sees it, when youve already run to the brink of collapse youre probably not about to carve out a new path. Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. A person wearing face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus walks near a sign Jan. 25, 2021, advertising a rapid COVID-19 testing site in Philadelphia. U.S. healthy officials say that most fully vaccinated Americans can skip testing for COVID-19, even if they were exposed to someone infected. File/Matt Rourke/AP Though COVID-19 rules and guidelines are being relaxed as people get vaccinated, some of the state's top children's experts say they are still concerned about MIS-C, a rare syndrome that develops in adolescents who have had COVID-19. With older age groups in South Carolina largely vaccinated, COVID-19 cases in South Carolina have been trending younger. The Medical University of South Carolina has treated 28 children diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory syndrome; all have survived, but three required life support. "When parents say, 'My kids can't be affected by COVID,' they forget sometimes that MIS-C really is a risk," said Dr. Allison Eckard, director of MUSC's division of pediatric infectious diseases. As of May 3, between 100 and 149 cases of the syndrome had been reported in South Carolina, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eckard said most patients diagnosed with the syndrome end up being hospitalized, and the long-term effects of the disease are still under study. Some of MUSC's patients with the syndrome have inflammation in their hearts six to nine months into their recovery. "It is a big deal," Eckard said. "We want people to have a respect for this virus." To stave off the condition, Eckard and a team of physicians at MUSC encouraged families with kids age 11 or younger to keep using masks. And they urged parents of children 12 and older to get their kids signed up for the Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Mileka Gilbert, a pediatrician and director of diversity for the pediatrics department at MUSC, said the majority of MIS-C cases seen at the Shawn Jenkins Children Hospital have affected Black or Hispanic kids. That said, the cases span all demographics and have been identified in toddlers to teenagers. Gilbert said people hesitant to get a vaccine themselves or to sign up their children for a shot should ask their health care provider the questions holding them back. "Don't sit on your questions and continue to be hesitant," she said. Statewide numbers New cases reported: 210 confirmed, 104 probable. Total cases in S.C.: 490,638 confirmed, 100,727 probable. Percent positive: 3.3 percent. New deaths reported: 6 confirmed, 0 probable. Total deaths in S.C.: 8,534 confirmed, 1,156 probable. Sign up for our new health newsletter The best of health, hospital and science coverage in South Carolina, delivered to your inbox weekly. Email Sign Up! Percent of ICU beds filled: 66 percent. How S.C. ranks South Carolina ranks 42nd in the nation in the number of vaccines administered per 100,000 people as of May 23, according to the CDC. Hardest-hit areas In the total number of newly confirmed cases, Greenville County (22), York County (20) and Spartanburg County (19) saw the highest totals. What about tri-county? Charleston County had 11 new cases on May 24, while Berkeley County had 12 and Dorchester County had three. Deaths Of the deaths confirmed from COVID-19, one person was age 35 to 64. Five of the patients were 65 or older. Hospitalizations Of the 287 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of May 24, 85 were in the ICU and 43 were using ventilators. What do experts say? A small subset of young Pfizer or Moderna vaccine recipients have had heart issues, the CDC said in a statement dated May 17, but whether there is a definitive link between the vaccine and the condition is unclear. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices gave few details but said "relatively few" of the cases have been reported, and it is recommending further study into the issue. The cases have been mild. The symptoms typically present themselves within four days of vaccination. The condition, called myocarditis, is commonly caused by viruses. Symptoms include chest pain, arrhythmias, shortness of breath and fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. A Florida teacher was arrested and jailed after he sent lewd text messages and images to a student over a period of several months, the Citrus County Sheriffs Office said Monday. ISLE OF PALMS In the latest skirmish over beach parking, Gov. Henry McMaster signed a law that says free beach parking along state roads can't be removed or converted to paid parking without the state's permission. The Statehouse legislation came in direct response to Isle of Palms' 2020 attempt to eliminate some free parking along state-owned Palm Boulevard near the public beach and to charge for most parking that would remain. The barrier island dropped those plans after the S.C. Department of Transportation intervened. The new law signed May 24 is primarily a clarification of existing state law, and McMaster described it as such, but opponents say it infringes upon the powers held by municipalities under the Home Rule Act. In particular, the ability to regulate parking. "Although some have raised legal concerns regarding this legislation, it is clear that the source of the controversy is not the law but rather the recent circumstances the bill was intended to address," the governor said. Municipalities would be required to get prior approval from DOT before making changes to parking along state roads. In beach communities, parking could only be restricted if DOT agrees restrictions are necessary and issues a permit. Some IOP officials said the matter deserved to be settled locally. "When home rule is threatened at this scale, issues that local leaders and communities know how to address are suddenly being managed by politicians in Columbia," Isle of Palms Councilman John Moye said May 21. That day, Isle of Palms City Council unanimously approved a resolution titled "A resolution to oppose the implementation of S 0040 by all lawful means" urging McMaster to veto Sen. Larry Grooms' legislation, Senate Bill 40. It described the legislation sponsored by Grooms, R-Bonneau, as "seeking to pander to a vocal minority of citizens." Rival legislation by Rep. Joe Bustos, a Mount Pleasant Republican whose district includes Isle of Palms, would have given municipalities the right to manage all parking along roadsides. That bill died in committee after most co-sponsors removed their names from the legislation. Grooms' legislation supporting free parking at beaches was broadly popular, with the Senate approving it 44-0 and the House 102-10. The legislation would have become law at 12 a.m. May 25, without the governor's signature, unless he vetoed it. "We are proud that all members of the Charleston Legislation (legislative delegation) voted in favor of the bill, save and except Rep. Joseph Bustos who opposed," The Charleston Beach Foundation said in a prepared statement after McMaster signed the legislation. The foundation is a nonprofit group established in 2020 to fight for beach access and free parking. Grooms' legislation was endorsed by the Town of Mount Pleasant, and opposed by the City of Isle of Palms. Unfortunately, theres been a small group of island elites that have tried to shut off our folks access to the beach, Mount Pleasant Councilman Rambo said at the time. And its not right. Mount Pleasant is among the state's largest cities, with roughly 90,000 residents, many of whom visit the beach on Isle of Palms. The barrier island is home to fewer than 4,500 residents, but the summer population swells due to a large number of rental properties and off-island visitors create regular traffic jams. On the island, Barrier Island Preservation Alliance President Bev Miller said the group is disappointed with the new law, and will consider options for challenging its constitutionality. "For members of our community, the discussion surrounding traffic and parking has been about the safety of our families, neighbors and visitors," she said in a prepared statement. In practice, the DOT already regulates parking along state-owned roads and has used its authority to increase parking on Isle of Palms and to block the city's plan to charge for parking along state-owned Palm Boulevard. Isle of Palms also has paid parking areas, as does a Charleston County park on the island. The city collected more than $1.2 million in parking revenue in 2020, while the city's expenses related to beach visitors were $401,788, according to budget documents. One strategy to help ease parking kicks in May 29 when a free summer weekend shuttle bus from Mount Pleasant to the Isle of Palms beachfront begins. The shuttle will run hourly on Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 6 from a stop at the Towne Centre shopping area in Mount Pleasant to the Isle of Palms beach access at Ocean Boulevard and 9th Avenue. The shuttle will also run on Memorial Day and on Labor Day. The hourly shuttle will depart Towne Centre, from a stop on Market Center Boulevard near the Belk Mens store starting at 9:15 a.m. The last return bus from Isle of Palms will leave at 5:35 p.m. Riders will need to wear masks, shoes, shirt and pants, or beach cover-ups. Coolers will be allowed, but not bulky items such as surfboards or large beach umbrellas. Route details and bus tracking will be available on the free Transit App, which can be downloaded from Apples App Store or Google Play. 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. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. Insights What counts as culture? Is it simply the original culture, as we understand it, or should it include the cultural features introduced over time? Read more FAMILY: An African elephant calf, which was born at African Safari zoo as part of its breeding program, is seen with its mother at their enclosure, in Valsequillo, Mexico, on Aug. 12, 2020. Imelda Medina/Reuters There are no plans at this time to evacuate Afghan allies, either to Guam or other U.S. territories, but their special immigrant visa applications are being processed as quickly as possible, according to the federal government. "We are processing special immigrant visas in Kabul and have no plans for evacuations at this time," a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told The Guam Daily Post. No One Left Behind, a group helping former Afghan and Iraqi interpreters and translators resettle in the United States, said time is running out to rely on the special immigrant visa, or SIV, process to save thousands of Afghan allies threatened by the Taliban. A co-founder of No One Left Behind said it's time for the U.S. to airlift Afghans who served as interpreters and translators for American troops, to Guam, while their visas are being processed to resettle to the states. No One Left Behind and other advocates said in 1975 and 1996, the U.S. evacuated its Vietnamese and Kurdish allies, respectively, to Guam, while their permanent visa applications were processed, and the same can be done now for Afghan allies. There's a little over three months left before the U.S. completes its withdrawal of all American troops from Afghanistan on Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks that drew America into its longest war. Sen. Jose "Pedo" Terlaje, a Vietnam War veteran and chairman of the Legislature's military and veterans affairs committee, is so far the only one speaking on the subject, saying these Afghan allies risk death if they're not given temporary sanctuary elsewhere. Terlaje said Guam hosted more than 100,000 of these refugees while they were waiting for their immigration visas to be processed, and Guam as a tourist destination used to have 125,000 visitors a month. The fate of Afghan allies after Sept. 11 is one of the looming uncertainties of American troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan, advocates said. "No One Left Behind appreciates Guams interest and compassion for our Afghan allies. We will continue to urge the State Department and Congress to expedite Special Immigrant Visas as quickly as possible," No One Left Behind told The Guam Daily Post on Monday. The State Department said "the United States remains deeply committed to Afghanistan and will use our full diplomatic, economic, and assistance toolkit to support the peaceful, stable future the Afghan people want and deserve." "While we remain focused on the peace process, we also have a commitment to Afghans who served the U.S. government at great personal risk to themselves and their families, and we are processing Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications as quickly as we possibly can," a spokesperson for the department said. The agency spokesperson also said "the Biden Administration takes seriously our role in working with the interagency to manage the Special Immigrant Visa program, and we are engaged at the highest levels to ensure we are serving SIV applicants as promptly as possible." A co-founder of No One Left Behind told media organizations that there's about 18,000 Afghan translators and interpreters who applied for the special immigration visa and are still waiting approval. On average, they bring three people with them to the U.S., typically a spouse and two children, so that means the numbers would be more than 70,000, and there's not enough time to process all their applications. The Guam Visitors Bureau said it's seeking a shorter wait for visiting American expatriates to receive COVID-19 vaccination, while still in quarantine, which they hope could make GVB's Air V&V, or "vaccination and vacation" program, more successful. Right now, travelers who are not fully vaccinated are required to go through a 10-day quarantine in a government-paid hotel, with free daily meals, when they enter Guam. This is shorter than the initial quarantine period of up to 14 days prior to May 15. GVB Vice President Gerry Perez said the bureau continues to work with the Governor's Surgeon Cell and Physicians Advisory Group to develop the Air V&V program "and shorten the time it would take to get vaccinated while in quarantine." The bureau is also working with the Department of Public Health and Social Services in developing the plan. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero is waiting for the Air V&V plan for her to, among other things, approve GVB's request for 1,500 doses to help launch the program. Even without the formal Air V&V program, American expats living in Thailand, the Philippines and other countries where the vaccine rollout is still at a slow pace, have already started coming to Guam to get vaccinated. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge to American citizens, whether living on or visiting Guam. GVB maintains that the vaccine priority is for those living on Guam, but the federal government said it could boost Guam's allotment if there's increased demand for vaccines from American expats. After the mandatory quarantine period, American expats get their free vaccination and stay at a hotel or accommodation of their choice while waiting for the second dose or while preparing to go back to their host country. GVB and the Reopening Task Force are looking to develop this tourism market especially because the island's main source markets of Korea and Japan are still grappling with COVID-19 and vaccination. At this time, GVB still cannot market its vaccination and vacation program for non-American visitors because no private clinics on Guam have been authorized to sell and distribute FDA-authorized vaccines. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@postregister.com for help creating one. In 2020, King is accused of calling a California police station stating hed heard someone was going to cut the heads of a particular U.S. senator and a specific member of the House of Representatives. Remember when liberals were up in arms because President Trump referred to the China virus or the Wuhan virus? That was awful, racist, xenophobic, the kind of thing that would cause Chinese-Americans to be attacked in the streets. Such reticence about the source of a disease was entirely new. Until last year, it was routine to refer to the Spanish flu, the Hong Kong flu, the Asian flu, the Middle East respiratory syndrome, and so on. But suddenly liberals imposed a new standard, ostensibly in the interest of public safety and as part of the effort to combat pervasive racism. That standard didnt last long, though. These days the news is full of concern about the India (or Indian) variant. Somehow, the same liberals who went berserk over China virus have no problem with India variant. As these Google searches reflect: These are some of the outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, Reuters, NPR and BBC, that use the phrase India[n] variant. Washington Post: It almost seems like the press hysteria over China virus was 100 percent bullshit, part of the Democratic Partys effort to bring down President Trump, and nothing more. In the last three presidencies, either the president or the vice president has attended the Notre Dame commencement during the first year in office. George W. Bush gave the commencement address in 2001. President Barack Obama gave the address in 2009. Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the ceremony in 2017. But Joe Biden, only the second Catholic president in U.S. history, will not speak at or attend this years Notre Dame commencement. Biden, who recently addressed graduates of the Coast Guard Academy and Syracuse University (where he attended law school without distinction), was invited but begged off due to scheduling commitments. (Its not clear whether Notre Dame invited Kamala Harris.) Bidens absence wont disturb a goodly portion of the Notre Dame community. Some 4,300 members of that community had signed a petition urging Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins not to invite Biden. The petition stated that Biden should neither speak at commencement nor be given an honorary degree. The signers said they were dismayed by the pro-abortion and anti-religious liberty agenda of President Joe Biden. They added: He rejects Church teachings on abortion, marriage, sex and gender and is hostile to religious liberty. He embraces the most pro-abortion and anti-religious liberty public policy program in history. The case against honoring him is immeasurably stronger than it was against honoring President Obama. The case against honoring Obama wasnt bad, either. Many in the Notre Dame community were unhappy when he gave the commencement address in 2009. Whats immeasurably different now, I suspect, is the intensity of the culture war generally, and of the lefts assault on religion, in particular. The Claremont Review of Books has just published its new (Spring) issue. I reviewed the issue in galley to pick out pieces to roll out for Power Line readers this week (subscribe here for $19.95 and get online access thrown in for free). The issue weighs in at 114 pages. It took me a little longer than usual to get through the issue, which actually arrived in subscribers mailboxes late last week. I picked two essays and two reviews that I thought readers should find of interest. First up is William Voegelis essay Progressively Worse. Subhead: Activist governments crisis of competence. Bill is author of Never Enough: Americas Limitless Welfare State (with a foreword by Steve Hayward), senior editor of the CRB, and the magazines regular essayist. He seeks to elevate our view of the eternal crisis of ginormous government. In this essay he begins with the current administration: The Biden Administrations shock-and-awe statismtrillions of dollars in additional federal spending for COVID relief, infrastructure, and economic opportunityis not being devised from scratch. According to the Los Angeles Times, Democrats in the White House and Congress are treating California as both a de facto policy think tank and an inspiration. Former governor Gray Davis told the paper that Vice President Kamala Harris, the first California Democrat elected to national office, will be sharing ideas, innovations, and breakthroughs from California that might help solve problems on the national level. The more you know about Californias recent governance, however, the less enthused youll be about replicating its policy triumphs on a national scale. Dan Walters, a journalist who has covered California government for more than 50 years, wrote in 2020 that the Golden State is beset by a crisis of competence. As a result, government agencies chronic inability to provide rapid and efficient serviceto simply do their jobshas created boundless frustration and anger. His list of particulars is long and depressing: accounting systems that dont mesh; housing programs that dont mitigate homelessness; a high-speed rail initiative that the Times, once an enthusiastic supporter, recently called the project from hell; schools that dont teach; a power grid that takes sabbaticals. Bill gives us the long view: Progressives like to think of themselves as forward-lookingthinking about tomorrow, candidate Clinton said in 1992, by way of Fleetwood Mac. Or, as Clintons hero John F. Kennedy declared in 1960, the modern liberal welcomes new ideas because he is someone who looks ahead and not behind. But yesterday is not gone, Kennedy, Clinton, and Fleetwood Mac to the contrary notwithstanding. William Faulkner was closer to the truth when he said that the past isnt even past. Its continuing, pervasive effects frustrate progressives desire to confine retrospection to criticizing our ancestors misdeeds or surpassing their achievements. In particular, progressivism pays scant attention to its own past. Unending difficulty follows from the assumption that the earlier history of activist government provides nothing but vindication and encouragement for todays progressives who want even more activist government. As sociologist Nathan Glazer wrote at the dawn of the Great Society, How one wishes for the open field of the New Deal, which was not littered with the carcasses of half-successful and hardly successful programs, each in the hands of a hardening bureaucracy. Its a long essay, all of it here and all of it worth reading. One of the more curious spectacles of recent years is the Democrats periodic attempt to appear patriotic and pro-military. Everyone who pays attention knows that they are indifferent, at best, to American military power, and most of the time they dont try to hide it. But now and then they see an opportunity to fly a false flag; sometimes, as in this case, the results are humorous. Start with Ted Cruz pointing out that wokeness is probably not the key to an optimal military force: Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea. https://t.co/8aVFMW98NM Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 20, 2021 I think most of us would readily agree that a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea. But Democrats tried to twist Cruzs words, bizarrely attacking him as anti-military. To which he responded: Im enjoying lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that Im attacking the military. Uh, no. We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies. The new Dem videos are terrible. https://t.co/19pYGa8cYk Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 21, 2021 A case in point is Brian Williams, formerly an alleged journalist and now a Democratic Party spokesman at MSNBC. Williams accused Senator Cruz of promoting Russian propaganda and of being pro-Russia: "Remember, as you watch this, just how much Ted Cruz dreams of being president of a country someday, perhaps not this country for reasons like this," Brian Williams says after Sen. Cruz was criticized for sharing Russian propaganda. More: https://t.co/0YiwrJEWAb pic.twitter.com/0oVmwjbq6y MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 22, 2021 This was too much. Cruz responded with a Twitter thread that left Williams a smoking ruin: 1/x Is there a more pitiful example of corrupt corporate media than Brian Williams? He was fired as the anchor of NBC Nightly News for "misrepresenting events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. Now, hes a left-wing hack at MSNBC. https://t.co/0lGt3noUbQ Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 22, 2021 3/x Now, with his trademark ignorant snark, hes dubbed me Kremlin Cruz. Three problems: (1) I hate communists, my family was imprisoned & tortured by communists, and Brian is a shameless apologist for Russian (and Chinese and Cuban) communists. Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 22, 2021 5/x And (3) JUST THIS WEEK Biden gave Putin a multi-billion-dollar gift, when he waived mandatory U.S. sanctions to allow Russia to build Nord Stream 2, a massive natural gas pipeline to Germany. Who authored the sanctions that STOPPED NS2? That would be me. Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 22, 2021 6/x Cover that, Brian. But that would be actual news, something you dont do. Use your condescending wit to call Biden Kremlin Joehes the one illegally giving billions to Putin. But your corporate overlords wouldnt let you. Congrats, Brian. You are Pravda. Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 22, 2021 Is anyone dumb enough to fall for the Democrats nonsense? I doubt it. Everyone knows that: 1) It is Republicans who want the U.S. to be strong militarily. 2) It is Democrats, not Republicans, who think it is terrific for the Army to be woke. And 3) Wokeness is not the key to an effective military force. In short, the Republicans win this one, which is why Democratic Party mouthpieces like Jake Tapper and Brian Williams try so hard to distort what is going on. Via RedState. It will not come as a great shock to Power Line readers to learn, as the Wall Street Journal reports from previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence: Intelligence on Sick Staff at Wuhan Lab Fuels Debate on Covid-19 Origin. Subhead: Report says researchers went to hospital in November 2019, shortly before confirmed outbreak; adds to calls for probe of whether virus escaped lab. With a New York Times-style byline listing three reporters, the story relates from previously undisclosed intelligence that the reporters themselves have not seen: Three researchers from Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care[.] Alright, it may shock you that U.S. intelligence has the information, but the substance of it will shock only the willfully blind, whose numbers should not be underestimated. According to the Journal, however, the information was obtained via another service: Current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed differing views about the strength of the supporting evidence for the assessment. One person said that it was provided by an international partner and was potentially significant but still in need of further investigation and additional corroboration. Another person described the intelligence as stronger. The information that we had coming from the various sources was of exquisite quality. It was very precise. What it didnt tell you was exactly why they got sick, he said, referring to the researchers. The Biden administration will leave the heavy lifting to international experts who have served us so well during the pandemic: The Biden administration declined to comment on the intelligence but said that all technically credible theories on the origin of the pandemic should be investigated by the WHO and international experts. We continue to have serious questions about the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China, said a spokeswoman for the National Security Council. Were not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, the spokeswoman said. As a matter of policy we never comment on intelligence issues. The Journal story is laughable with its gingerly handling of the sensitivities involved. We dont want to be too rash. However, we do have this from happier days: David Asher, a former U.S. official who led a State Department task force on the origins of the virus for then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, told a Hudson Institute seminar in March that he doubted that the lab researchers became sick because of the ordinary flu. Im very doubtful that three people in highly protected circumstances in a level three laboratory working on coronaviruses would all get sick with influenza that put them in the hospital or in severe conditions all in the same week, and it didnt have anything to do with the coronavirus, he said, adding that the researchers illness may represent the first known cluster of Covid-19 cases. Long characterized by skeptics as a conspiracy theory, the hypothesis that the pandemic could have begun with a lab accident has attracted more interest from scientists who have complained about the lack of transparency by Chinese authorities or conclusive proof for the alternate hypothesis: that the virus was contracted by humans from a bat or other infected animal outside a lab. Conspiracy theory and confusing coincidence, or what? Rockin pneumonia or the Wuhan flu? The Journal story concludes: Members of the WHO-led team said Chinese counterparts had identified 92 potential Covid-19 cases among some 76,000 people who fell sick between October and early December 2019, but turned down requests to share raw data on the larger group. That data would help the WHO-led team understand why China sought to only test those 92 people for antibodies. Team members also said they asked for access to a Wuhan blood bank to test samples from before December 2019 for antibodies. Chinese authorities declined at first, citing privacy concerns, then agreed, but have yet to provide that access, team members say. Its not too late to apply common sense to the available evidence, including the circumstantial evidence provided by the behavior of the Chinese Communist Party authorities. My study of the data convinces me that mask mandates are utterly useless. The one thing in their favor is that, unlike shutdowns, they do not inflict vast human and economic damage. Rather, they are what many call a minor inconvenience, or what I think are mostly a symbol of submission to authority. In free states around the country, people have been going maskless for a while. But here in blue/purple Minnesota, it took updated CDC guidance to cause our proto-fascist governor to suspend his mask mandate. This weekend was the first time I was able to observe the state of freedom here. My experience was in the suburbs. (Minneapolis and St. Paul continue to impose mask requirements not recommended by CDC, apparently because they are such a beacon to visitors despite exploding crime rates.) Last night we ate at a nice Japanese restaurant in our neighborhood. On the way in, we saw two young women, obviously close friends, having drinks outdoors, on the patio. One was normal, while the other was double-masked. Why? God only knows. Somehow, young people are especially susceptible to mask mania. Inside, the restaurant followed what seems to be the usual practice here: they insisted we wear masks for the 10 seconds or so, tops, it took to walk the 15 feet from the entrance to our table. After that, forget about it. Servers were masked, customers were not, although one guy near us had his mask hanging from one ear. Just in case, I guess. There is no conceivable theory on which it makes sense to wear a mask for a few seconds while you walk to your table, and then discard it, along with everyone else. But that ritual is enacted many thousands of times, every day. Other than restaurants, businesses have generally thrown in the towel, or rather the mask. Target initially wavered, saying that it was considering requiring masks despite the CDC guidance. Then Costco and Walmart said they were going mask-free for vaccinated people, and Target quickly fell into line. Over the weekend we shopped at two grocery stores in our area. Both had signs saying that people who have not been vaccinated should wear masks. Of course, no one knows who those people are, so there is no possible enforcement. Happily, most people in those grocery stores were unmasked. Today I went to a Walgreens drug store and brought a mask along, thinking that a pharmacy might be a lagging indicator. No need to worry: the sign said that only non-vaccinated people should consider wearing a mask. Still, in all of these stores, quite a few people did wear masks. The same thing happened at Total Wine, where the sign said they recommend that people who have not been vaccinated wear masks. Here in Minnesota, more than 60% of the population has been vaccinated, and that percentage is no doubt much higher among adult shoppers at the suburban stores we frequented this weekend. It seems clear that quite a lot of people have been vaccinated, see the signs saying that masks are not required or recommended for them, and wear masks anyway. Why is this? Are some people ignorant of the science and think that masks will somehow protect them, even though no one has claimed that masks can protect the wearer? Or has mask wearing become a form of virtue signaling that some people, having internalized the message, are reluctant to give up? I think the latter explanation is more likely. If so, we will continue to see limited mask wearing for some months until those who wear masks feel so silly that they give them up. The last place I visited today was my gym. In Minnesota, gyms have been closed, re-opened, closed and re-opened again. For some months, masks have been required, even though everyone I know of agrees that it is unhealthy to wear a mask while you are exercising. Today was bliss: no sign on the door, no masks in sight. Back to normal life. One nice thing was that gym employees as well as customers were mask-free. I am concerned that many restaurants and stores continue to require their employees to wear masks, even though there is no scientific basis for this, and it is contrary, as I understand it, to current CDC recommendations. I think all of us should urge owners and managers of businesses to stop making their employees risk their own health for no possible benefit. I look forward to the day when I can see all of the people in stores, restaurants and bars with whom I interact. And I look forward also to being able to understand what they are saying, when it is no longer mumbled through a pointless face covering. The anti-mask tide is running strongly, but I cant close without noting this: the Minnesota Zoo, literally in my own backyard, continues to require masks for a reason you probably didnt foresee: No matter how irrational masks might appear, if there is a tapir or a tahr that might come down with a cough or sniffle, there is still a case to be made for them! Leftists will never give up, apparently. We are currently experiencing a preference cascade. Most people want to get back to their normal livesnot some insipid new normal, but life as we knew and liked it. We are seeing the effects all around us. But some liberals are holding out, wearing their masks and trying to force the rest of us to do the same. These liberals are like the Japanese soldiers who tried to keep fighting WWII long after it was over. Normality is winning out, and we should extinguish pockets of liberal mask wish fulfillment wherever we find them. ADVERTISEMENT A fast-growing investor, Platform Capital, is set to launch the Africa House Fund for entrepreneurs and innovators of African descent in the United States of America. This development, the firm said, is in partnership with Eshirya Africa (a 501c3 Exempt Non-profit, inspiring 1% of the African population as well as people of African descent everywhere to function unlimited in thought and action, embracing their socioeconomic and political destiny in Africa and across the world). To drive the initiative, the organisation said it set aside $1 million to black entrepreneurs and innovators across the USA, noting that African entrepreneurs can close the wealth gap through job creation, strengthen communities, and create economic opportunities for everyone. Explaining its decision in a statement, the platform said, United States of America (USA) has the largest number of Unicorns globally and continues to be the foremost leader in innovation. African Americans and other minorities are increasingly building businesses with novel solutions for global problems. As Africans continue to innovate and position the continent as an increasingly attractive destination for investment, competition on the global stage, and technology-based solutions. The company said it is committed to supporting an ecosystem that will empower entrepreneurs to bring their ambitious ideas to life and propel us toward the Africa we desire. This, it said, will be achieved by fostering partnerships, exchanging ideas, ensuring the transfer of knowledge, capital flow, and market access between the two continents. This is why we are excited to announce the launch of Africa House and the Africa House Fund for black entrepreneurs in the USA. Africa House is a 5- star member-only business club tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs and innovators worldwide with global access to offices, networks, mentorship, training, events, funding and resources for business success. Members have the pride of belonging to an exclusive group of individuals and companies interested in Africa. To drive this initiative, Platform Capital through the Africa House Fund, will award $1,000,000 in funding to 10 black entrepreneurs and innovators across the USA. The focus of this fund is to transform business ideas into world-class products and services through operational funding. Africa house and the Africa House Fund will be launched in Dallas, Texas, on June 15-16, 2021, the statement said. The Chairman of the business club, Akintoye Akindele, said: To build the Africa we desire, we must collaborate, share ideas, innovate and build global partnerships and solutions that help solve our unique problems. A lot of progress has been made towards the growth of African American entrepreneurs in the USA and our goal at Platform Capital is to build a bridge between these entrepreneurs in the diaspora and the people in the continent. We look forward to working with Eshriya Africa, Unicorn Group and all our partners in making the launch a success. Similarly, the Founder of Eshriya Africa, Olakunle Soriyan, said: We are excited to be part of this project. We believe that innovators and entrepreneurs are critical, they are the carriers of the promise of socio-economic transformation Africa indeed deserves. ADVERTISEMENT Following unprofessional conduct on social media, the umbrella body of Yoruba actors and filmmakers, TAMPAN, has suspended Nkechi Blessing and Adams Kehinde aka Lege Miami from appearing on movie sets indefinitely. Ms Blessing became embroiled in a social media spat with Lege Miami because he appeared sympathetic to Baba Ijeshas plight. Lege Miami shared two videos (now deleted) captioned say no to rape on Instagram to urge social media commentators to stay calm and await the courts verdict. He, however, apologised after being dragged by fans and some of his colleagues, including Ms Blessing. The show of shame got heated when Ms Blessing told her colleague to shut the fuck off already. He replied, Nkechi Blessing, you dey mad and they went back and forth hurling insults at each other. In a live video chat with Yomi Fabiyi, Lege Miami reminded Ms Blessing that he is her senior colleague and deserves some respect. He also advised her to concentrate on making movies to gain popularity. TAMPAN Damola Olatunji, chairman of the TAMPAN Guild of Directors, in a statement on Monday, decreed that no director from the association must engage the services of the two actors adding that failure to obey the directive would attract punitive measures. The attention of the National Body of TAMPAN (Theatre Arts and Motion pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria) has been drawn to the unruly acts, exchange of detrimental verbal utterances, and other acts that are causing disrespect to the image of the association and our noble profession in general. All Guilds under TAMPAN has been directed to henceforth desist from having professional dealings with Sunday Nkechi Blessing and Mr Adams Kehinde (Lege) until further notice in accordance with the directive from our parent body, Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) concerning the show of shame currently going on between two practitioners, Sunday Nkechi Blessing and Mr Adams Kehinde on social media, creating a bad image for our noble profession punitive order becomes imperative to redeem our battered image, the statement read. TAMPANs statement did not deter Ms Blessing from confronting her colleague. In a video on her page, she said, referring to Lege Maimi, My attention got really expensive I dont give it to classless idiots. She also advised him to enroll in an English class to better his communication skills. Since April 22, 2021, when PREMIUM TIMES reported the rape incident, Baba Ijesha has faced some serious backlash and lost all goodwill. However, a few of his colleagues, who many have described as rape apologists, have thrown their weight behind the embattled actor while some appear to sit on the fence. Baba Ijesha was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghre on May 17 on health grounds but his team of lawyers has said he will be released on Monday because he has met his bail conditions. Consider the restrictions on the use of drop boxes, a convenient and safe method for depositing absentee ballots, particularly after hours. Black and Hispanic voters often turn to these boxes to cast their ballots. Though the law does not outright ban them after all, they are an important tool for casting ballots it will make them unusable for many voters who will not be able to deliver a ballot during business hours. The embattled Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha is still in police custody due to his inability to meet his bail conditions, Oyeniyi Akande, one of his legal representatives, has said. Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghre granted Baba Ijesha bail on May 17 on health grounds. The comic actor has been detailed for over one month without arraignment due to the ongoing strike by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN). Baba Ijesha was previously represented by a former chair of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, Adeshina Ogunlana but currently has three counsels-Kayode Olabiran, Jane Ogunbiyi-Oluwaseyi, and Oyeniyi Akande. But it was Mr Ogunlana who told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday morning that he had been assured that the actor would be released today (Monday) However, Mr Akande, his new counsel, would later tell this newspaper on Monday evening that the actor was yet to fulfill part of his bail condition-a level 16 officer in the civil service as one of his sureties. Challenge Mr Olabiran had told PREMIUM TIMES that the bail condition includes two relatives of Baba Ijesha, one civil servant of grade 16 and a refundable sum of N500,000 to be paid into the Lagos High court account. Mr Akande said they were still looking for a civil servant to stand as a surety for the actor. He hasnt been released, up till today, they are looking for the level 16 officer. And today, I learned that he even went to the hospital for treatment, you know he is not feeling fine, he said. He also assured that the actor will fulfill all bail conditions and regain freedom unfailingly before the end of May. Im sure before the end of the week, he will get a level 16 civil servant to stand as his surety by Friday. I can assure you Baba Ijesha will get out of that place this week. The deposit of N500,000 has already been paid. Legal representatives tussle The controversy around the actor deepened on Friday as at least four counsels have claimed to be representing him. Mr Ogunlana has been at the forefront of fighting for his release while Mr Olabiran is also laying claim to be the thespians lawyer. Kayode Olabiran, Oyeniyi Akande, Oluwaseyi Ogunbiyi have also claimed they were engaged as a group of lawyers to represent Baba Ijesha. Mr Ogunlana, a former chair of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, has been at the forefront of fighting for the actors release and in the last two weeks wrote several letters to the Lagos Commissioner of Police seeking Baba Ijeshas bail. But on Saturday, Baba Ijesha through Mr Olabiran released a disclaimer, stating that he never engaged the service of Mr Ogunlana. Mr Olabiran in a statement described Mr Ogunlana as a self-paraded lawyer in a statement issued on the actors behalf. Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Ogunlana said he was in a state of deliberate withdrawal due to the disclaimer and would wait for BabaIjeshas release before he makes any possible reaction. Im in a state of deliberate withdrawal, somebody has purportedly disowned me and Im giving him the benefit of the doubt because he is incarcerated. ADVERTISEMENT You know he is in detention, a whole lot of things could happen and so, it does not seem like forcing oneself to someone who appears to be unwilling, that is important, though the people who spoke to me assured me that he will be released today. Mr Ogunlana directed this reporter to the other lawyers for comments, he said. Baba Ijesha is under investigation by the Lagos State police command on allegations of rape and has been in police detention since April 22 for the alleged offence. The actor is being accused by a Nigerian comedienne, Princess, of raping a minor (when she was 7-year-old) who was kept in her care. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju is a writer, farmer and activist. A member of the Premium Times Editorial Board, she writes a weekly column for this newspaper in addition to her regular engagements with friends and followers on social media. Mrs Ademola-Olateju was a close friend and confidant of the popular writer and Carleton University professor, Pius Adesanmi, who died in a plane crash in late 2019. She clocked 55 on May 3. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Ademola-Olateju reflects on her friendship with Mr Adesanmi, her writing, business and political life as well as her plans for the future. Excerpt: PT: How time flies! It was like yesterday when we all gathered in Lagos to usher you to the golden age. Now you are 55. How does it feel? Ademola-Olateju: Wow! Two weeks to my birthday, I finally came to grasp the fact that I will be eligible for the big 6-0 in a few years. Where did the time go? I dont feel that old but 55 seem so much older than 54. According to the calendar, I have spent over 20,000 days on this planet. At 55, I could feel my shortening mortality but I am so thankful for the gift of life. I am fascinated and curious about what the future holds for me. PT: Congratulations madam! Looking back, how fulfilled are you? What regrets do you have? Ademola-Olateju: I think fulfilment is not a point in space and time. It is a continuum because I still have a lot in me to give and to serve humanity. To answer your question, I will say I am fulfilled because I live a life of meaning and I have since found my purpose. I have sufficient understanding that this is my life, my chance and my choice of how to live. I am pursuing my passions and passions are the gateway to fulfilment. Following ones passion yields a high Worthiness Quotient. My Worthiness Quotient is high and that is a measure of how often I am giving and receiving love, to nurturing and supporting others. I am happy that I have a solid foundation, strong-rooted markers, that I am happy, appreciative and healthy. Do I have regrets? I am really confused about that. I am confused because there are no coincidences in the lives of men. Robert Frost in Mountain Interval specifically in the Poem The Road Not Taken said; Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth. Given my foray into writing, my late literary sprout and life as an advocate, should I have studied law, sociology or philosophy? I think about that a lot. It is the road not taken. PT: What exactly delayed your literary sprout? You suddenly erupted on all of us like a volcano. The world only encountered you as a fierce, engaging and brilliant thought leader and public advocate in 2013, about eight years ago. We were all wondering: where has this woman been all this while? Ademola-Olateju: I often describe myself as a gatecrasher to the writing scene. Writing for me is an experimental and experiential career. What pushed me into writing is my social conscience and my urgent sense of equity, fairness and justice. I did not have liberal arts education. When I got to graduate school in the United States in the mid-1990s, three things collided. One, the internet has been commercialised and the University was one of the first to be on the web. The Nigerian academic community took that opportunity to establish a Newsgroup called Naijanet to galvanise academics and students to fight the junta. Two, I was exposed to endless texts in the school library dating back to St. Thomas Aquinas. Three, the critical and interrogatory nature of graduate business school sharpened my mind. I started writing on Naijanet and realised people like the way I string my words. I gained confidence but it wasnt enough. Then came Pius Adesanmi. On a visit to our home in Michigan, he asked to read anything I have written lately. I gave him something abstract that crossed my mind what is self?. He exclaimed! My God! Bamidele you can write! That marked my journey into public intellection. I credit him for watering the shrivelled cotyledons of my late literary sprout. Looking back the last seven years, I have produced thousands of pages of work. I have compiled a few pages into my first book; For The Love Of Country. It reinforced my belief that there is no deadline for success. Creativity can be found in every demographic. For me, my creative juices flow from self-directed education, passion and a life dedicated to learning. I spent my youth learning, observing and understanding the world we live in. I left Nigeria as a Pupa and emerged in America as a butterfly. In 2014, Premium Times became the lepidopterarium for this butterfly. PT: Yes. You arrived at Premium Times with a bang that shocked some of us. I recall that email in 2013 through which Pius Adesanmi introduced us. I could feel pride in his words as he told me: Musikilu, I am giving you a writer of distinction. Were you under pressure to perform after being introduced by a writer of that stature? Ademola-Olateju: The story of my introduction to Premium Times will forever be etched in my memory. I had earlier written two articles. One was on Buhari, with the title: Buhari Is A Damaged Brand. Pius sent it to Sahara Reporters and it was published. Next, I wrote a three-part series titled; Education In Nigeria, The Missteps, The Gaps. Again he sent it to Sahara Reporters. Whoever knew Pius, knows he was a great promoter of talent. He just called me and told me by fiat that I have what it takes to maintain a column and that I would start writing for Premium Times. On a Tuesday night in May of 2013, he asked; what day of the week would you like? I said Tuesday. You know how Pius was, he gave that his witch cackle laugh and said; ehn nau, today is Tuesday, get me a thousand words in the next two hours. Ha! Bamidele, no ha. No ha! You can do it. O dabo, lo koo. I sent my introductory article to him an hour later. He called back within minutes and was almost crying. Bamidele, you have done it! Go forth and make your mark; he said. I was shivering. The title of that article, For The Love Of Country became the title of my book. For some reasons, I still think it is the best I have written. ADVERTISEMENT PT: What are the other articles that stand out for you? Are there impacts of your writing you want to share? Ademola-Olateju: I have written many articles that have impacted policy. From writing about those who stole to calling on the government to reduce the number of foreign missions. Many of my articles have gone viral; three of them really stand out for me. One was a liars paradox on who we are as a collective; The other is on Tinubus politics; and the best of them is. The above was written in 2017 and every quarter since then, it makes its way back to the top as the most popular. The message therein resonates. It has gone viral beyond my imagination. PT: You did not talk about the in-depth article you wrote about Chief Okupe and his Agbonmagbe Bank which became Wema Bank. His estate is threatening a lawsuit. Ademola-Olateju: [Laughs] Chief Doyin Okupe lawsuit is a joke, actually a farce. What did I write that is not in the public domain? How did I disparage his father, Chief Mathew Adekoya Okupe? Or is he angry because I reminded those who knew and informed those who did not know? I dont blame him, I blame those who removed history from our curriculum. Some of us know history and what we do not know, we search and learn. I say it again; Agbonmagbe bank was hardly a glorious incursion. It was a run of the mill loan shark wrapped up in sleaze and shady deals. The bank was not an edifying example of indigenous entrepreneurship and never really transited out of being a loan shark until it was acquired. You know I dont write anyhow. The records are there and public if you know where to search. I got all the information from a University in America Midwest. The problem with we Nigerians is we think because we burn buildings and destroy historical records, that they automatically disappear. No, they dont. They end up digitized in libraries abroad. When we meet in court, we will present Coker Our lawyer will ask him; why did the Marketing Board convert the 200,000 deposit into shares and acquired majority holding? What prompted Western Nigeria to do a hostile takeover of the bank to protect its investment and prevent bank failure? Agbonmagbe bank was wrapped in muck. The Coker Commission of Enquiry detailed everything. On the record are incriminating and scathing pronouncements by Oba C. D Akran who was regional minister of finance at the time. We will put all the muck on the table. It is history. For those who might be interested, the entire report of the Coker Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of Certain statutory corporations in Western NIGERIA. 1962 VOL II can be found here; PT: Now you have written consistently for eight years churning out contents for your PREMIUM TIMES column, and social media where you enjoy huge followership. What value will you say writing has brought to your life and country? Ademola-Olateju: I have a baked-in sense of responsibility and accountability. As a writer, I feel this urgency to be accountable and responsible to society. In the last two decades, long before I started my journey into public intellection, I have always seen myself as privileged especially in terms of sterling upbringing, education and exposure. I believe privilege ought to count for some good. I have brought that sense of wanting to do some good, into my writing. I want to inform and shape life within the limits of the little knowledge I have. Writing to me is an escape, it is liberating, calming and a way to changing the world. As a writer, I reflect and interpret my society, my geographic world and the planet. For millennia, the writer has always been a custodian and an interpreter of culture. Personally, I have been a writer who sounds the alarm, a warner. I like to think I am doing my best possible to inspire, guide and challenge my readers, followers and hopefully our leaders. PT: You mentioned our friend Professor Pius Adesanmi earlier. For those of us who knew him well and related closely with him for years, his passage was a huge blow. You were even closer to him than some of us. How are you dealing with that huge loss? Ademola-Olateju: I am not a stranger to loss. All kinds of loss. Loss of friends, opportunities, money, many things. Every loss is a form of death but with death comes finality. A sense of never. Piuss death was a big blow. My dear friend Dipo Famakinwa died in 2017. Pius, Dipo and I had great plans for the Yoruba. We had it all mapped out with some great, brilliant minds of our generation. Without warning, Dipo died. Two weeks after, Pius asked me; Bamidele, what would you do if I die? That would mean you would be alone you know. There was this picture three of us took at DAWN commissions office, Cocoa House, Ibadan. It felt the two of them were deleted, erased, with me alone standing. I felt alone and still feel alone. It is very tough to lose two great friends within two years. Pius Adesanmi was not just a person. He was an experience, he was a thing, he was an idea, he showed myself to me. In a way, he prepared me for his death. I was close to his mum. He brought his first daughter to me and she spent four good days with my daughter and me. I knew him inside out. He knew he wasnt going to live long. He told me what to do but I never took him seriously until it happened. He even told me he would die in a plane crash. When it happened I was numb for weeks. I couldnt cry. I still deal with the regret. I wonder what I could have done differently. I am at acceptance that I will never experience him again except in dreams and arinako (chance encounter). Many times, I feel an internal emptiness and pain. That sense of Never. That really hurts. Well, in life we forge relationships. Relationships with people, groups, community, ideas, activities, career and so on. These relationships give our lives meaning and, therefore, make us feel good about ourselves. When we experience loss, part of our identity is destroyed. It has been a little over two years. I have tried to be his best friend, even in death. PT: What are the other things Mr Adesanmi told you which you have kept to yourself so far? Ademola-Olateju: Things my dearest friend, Pius told me that I kept, were things I would still like to keep within me. One thing though, he was in search of happiness till his death. He was very brilliant and accomplished in his career as you all know but there were parts of him that felt like a turbulent gush of winds. I mean real buffeting headwinds. I regret being very dismissive of his pains. I wish I had let him do some things he wanted. He relied so much on my approval. My counsel each time he told me his pains was we all have our cross to bear and that there is no human dignity without pain because pain is a measure of happiness. Without his pain, would he have been on that flight he fought to be on? I doubt it. Again, there is destiny and I said it at the beginning of this interview; there are no coincidences in the lives of men. No one can ever have it all. He lived the way he was created to live. PT: We all miss him. May God continue to be pleased with him. Hope his mum, wife and children are doing well. Ademola-Olateju: Piuss mum is doing well. My gratitude goes to our mutual friends on Facebook who rallied support and created a befitting memorial service for him. Among these are very close friends of Pius and me, some met him when he was alive, some never did. They contributed money and independently sponsored the event. Lola Shoneyin, Kayode Ogundamisi, Wale Adebanwi and so many others. In the last 18 months, my dearest friend and mentor, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, has single-handedly taken care of Mama Adesanmis monthly stipend thus relieving us. There are some things I will not like to comment on. The memory of my late friend is very important to me. I was true to him when he was alive. I will remain true and committed to his memory. My prayer is: may we be blessed with good and God-fearing people who will superintend over our affairs when we die. PT: What about his wife and children? Ademola-Olateju: I referred to those as things I would not comment on towards the end of my response to the last question you asked above. PT: Lets come back to you. With all the time you commit to writing, advocacy and activism, those are not what pays your bills. What are your revenue yielding engagements? Ademola-Olateju: Good question. Serious activism, not jeun-jeun activism and advocacy, is for those who have the means and are not enamoured by material stuff. I do not earn a penny from those. The business environment in Nigeria is very hostile. When I ventured into Nigeria earlier in the 2000s. I had an office and we trained people in Enterprise Applications with the government as our major client. Working with the government in Nigeria is fraught with booby traps for anyone with a social conscience. When I could not cope, I invested in farming, hoping to be free of encumbrances and compromising situations. I was making headway until kidnapping became a thing. Even before then, we were facing herders issue. The Bororo Fulanis were grazing their cattle on farms. The resident Fulani seem at a loss on what to do. There are many friendly resident Fulani around my farm who supply me with cottage cheese and they have been there for ages. Everyone in the area knows me as the American woman. I suspended operations because I could be targeted. People pay for me to speak, and I do some freelance writing but that is nothing. I owe everything, I mean everything to my backbone, my unconditional supporter and cheerleader; Ademola Olateju. He is the propeller of everything I do. PT: Thumbs up to your husband. But despite these business and security challenges, you have remained largely in Nigeria even when you have the option of returning fully to America. At a time that a popular pastor is asking people to have Option B about the country, whats holding you down here? Ademola-Olateju: The short answer is: it is too late for me to give up. In one of my earliest memories. I was three and a half years old. The teacher handed us sippy cups with the Nigerian flag emblazoned on them. She opened the green bottles and poured us a clear liquid with beads of air stuck to the sides of our cups and sometimes popping into nothing at the surface. It was sweet and different! 7 years later, I got to know it as Sprite. That day was October 1, 1969, in Igbogila, Egbado Division, Abeokuta Province, Western Nigeria. Sprite was served to us courtesy of the Western Nigerian government to celebrate Independence day. The seed of patriotism was sown in me that day even if I was too young to understand it. I heard lots of stories from my parents on how they looked forward to and celebrated Empire day before Nigerias independence. It was never to be, many things went down the hill after the civil war, in conjunction with the discovery of oil. Sixty years plus later, we are still groping in the dark. Finding our way has become a nightmare. But somehow I believe in this land and its potential. Since nothing is static in nature, I believe we will reach entropy and order will be restored. What I feel is not denial, order will happen. As disorder and randomness persist in a system, the chances of order increases. It is the second law of thermodynamics. We will get there, even if not in my lifetime. It is too late for me to give up! My head touched the earth in Igan-Okoto. My placenta was buried in its bowels. This land pulls me in all directions. I love this land with all its craw-craw and jagajaga. PT: When you announced before the last Ondo election that you were going to canvas for votes for Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, some of us thought that perhaps thats your tactical entry into Nigerian politics. Is that the case? Ademola-Olateju: It really is. French poet Alfred de Musset famously said, Il vaut mieux faire que dire (Doing is better than saying). I dont speak French by the way but I have read the translation. Ive always tried to live by those words. In 2018 when I started accompanying Her Excellency, the First Lady of Ekiti State Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi on her women empowerment tours, the deficiencies and limits of my advocacy on civic leadership, youth engagement and politics became so glaring. There are a lot of false assumptions and elite disconnect in politics and grassroots mobilisation. I knew I had to step it up. Talk is cheap. I needed to walk the talk. Yes, I am in politics now. I am not planning to contest but I am very involved in electing candidates. I worked for Governor Akeredolu and my approach increased voters turnout. PT: Meaning you are an APC chieftain now. What roles are you now playing in the governance of your state? Any appointment in the offing? Ademola-Olateju: [Laughs. I am not a chieftain. I am not playing any role beyond my efforts in my local government. No. No appointment. I am not lobbying or asking for one. PT: What if you are offered one? Especially at this time that many people, including Premium Times, are clamouring for more women in politics and in the governance of our country. Ademola-Olateju: I will take a political appointment if I think I will be a good fit and I have an assurance that I can bring workable new ideas, improve process and innovation to the position. PT: Regarding your writing, advocacy, business and politics, what irons do you have in the fire? Ademola-Olateju: Business-wise, I hope the security situation improves soon. For now, nothing is worth risking my life for. On the writing front, Im working on a faction (fiction and fact) that is taking me too long. I plan to get serious about it and get it published soon. In advocacy, I am very concerned with identity, values and civic participation issues among the Yoruba. I am bothered particularly about the youth demographic and the 18-35 psychographic. Some of our work will soon come to the fore. On Politics, I plan to actively support a candidate for the presidential election. PT: Who is that presidential hopeful you are planning to support? Ademola-Olateju: I have my eyes on someone who has the leadership character, the temperament, the charisma, the learning, the exposure and the moral strength to steer the ship of this country to greatness. Since he hasnt declared his intention to run, I would not mention his name. I hope he runs. PT: Thank you very much, madam. Any other thoughts you like to share? Ademola-Olateju: I would like to thank my readers on Premium Times and my friends and followers on Facebook. They have kept me going strong all these years. Every week, they put me at the top of the most popular. I owe them a lot of gratitude for their interest and dedication. I also thank you and Dapo Olorunyomi for the vibrant platform you have given me to share my thoughts. Thank you PT: Thank you! ADVERTISEMENT Palpable coup scare has gripped Mali after military sources said the junta seized the West African countrys president, prime minister and defence minister on Monday. Reuters quoted multiple diplomatic and government sources as saying that President Bah Ndaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and defence minister Souleymane Doucoure are currently being held at a military base in Kati, a city just 15 km northwest of the capital, Bamako. The arrests occurred after the countrys interim government on Monday had a cabinet reshuffle, raising further political uncertainty in the landlocked country whose military, in August, overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in a coup. Concerns had been raised by government insiders and opposition leaders over the militarys control of key positions. This perhaps informed why the cabinet shakeup had two members of the military junta both of whom were part of August putsch replaced. In turn, this sparked discontent within the military. It is believed that the arrests may not be unconnected with this. Before their arrests, Messrs Ndaw and Ouane had been tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition back to civilian rule. The latest uncertainty in Mali joins the spate of coups that have bugged West African countries like Chad and Niger in recent months. The United States Department of Justice has written to the United States Magistrate Judge in Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, claiming that the surety provided by Dapo Abioduns aide, Abidemi Rufai, is a suspected fraudster. The Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorma, in a letter obtained exclusively by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, said the surety is suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme. This newspaper reported how Mr Rufai was arrested while trying to get out of the U.S. on May 14. He was accused of allegedly using the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Mr Rufai has since been suspended by Governor Abiodun. Last Tuesday, his lawyer, Michael Barrow, said Mr Rufai denied involvement in these transactions. His first appearance in court was Wednesday and he was denied bail because his brother, Alaba Rufai, who is listed in court records, could not post the $300,000 surety bond for his bail. However, a surety was presented on Friday with the court ruling that a New York state resident and family friend of Mr Rufai could post the bond. The surety, Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria, told the court that she would guarantee the $300,000 bond and allow Mr Rufai to stay at her and her husbands home. However, the Magistrate Judge, Mr Reyes, delayed the release of Mr Rufai until May 25 to give enough time to federal prosecutors to appeal the order. Mr Rufai and a suspected fraudster as surety The Acting U.S. Attorney, Ms Gorma, said in her letter to the court that Ms Soyemi is a suspected fraudster and should not be allowed to stand surety for Mr Rufai. First, the FBI has conducted research into the Surety and has learned information indicating that the Surety is not an appropriate person to perform that role, the letter partly read. In 2015, the Suretys bank (Bank of America) issued a report naming the Surety as a suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme. According to the banks report, a person purporting to be a donor deposited $134,000 into the bank account of a legitimate nonprofit. The donor (who was never identified) then contacted the non-profit and stated that some of the deposited funds were intended for a different recipient. The donor asked the non-profit to wire the excess funds to three different accounts, one of which was a Bank of America account in the Suretys name. The report indicates that the Surety then made cash withdrawals of the proceeds at two different B of A locations. The Surety did not respond to inquiries from Bank of America. Second, FBIs research was unable to confirm that the Surety owns the listed real property. Mortgage and deed records for the property indicate that it was last purchased by an individual with the initials L.S.G. on November 7, 2014. She further said that the FBI could not locate records showing that the Surety has an interest in the property. The Surety has also submitted records showing that she has $335 in Robinhood investment account and $1,838 in a checking account. Neither submission suggests the Surety is in a position to secure a $300,000 bond. ADVERTISEMENT The U.S. government earlier told the court that it is dangerous to release Mr Rufai on bail, claiming the suspect presents an extreme risk of flight and if he does escape to Nigeria, extradition will be extraordinarily difficult or impossible because of his ties to the Nigerian government. The sudden death on Friday of the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, has thrown up a controversy over who becomes his successor. Mr Attahiru and 10 other military officers died in a military plane crash that occurred in Kaduna. They were on their way to Zaria for the passing out parade of regular recruits slated for the next day. The officers, including three brigadier generals, have since been buried at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja. Mr Attahiru was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the 21st COAS on January 26 alongside other service chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Naval Staff, Gambo Awwal, and Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao. The late army chief replaced Tukur Buratai, a retired lieutenant general. However, with the demise of the COAS who would have clocked 55 years in August, the army is currently without a substantive head. To be sure, the president, who is the commander-in-chief, does not necessarily pick the most senior officer as the COAS. Going by the history of the Nigerian Army, the appointment of the COAS is political. It is clearly the prerogative of the president, which means that he (president) might ignore seniority in choosing Mr Attahirus successor. Even so, there are speculations that Mr Buhari, who has been accused of nepotism in key appointments, will pick the next COAS from the South-east, one of the regions which repeatedly cries of being marginalised in the area of appointments. Since the end of the civil war in 1970, the region has produced only one COAS. Azubuike Ihejirika from Abia State was the army chief between October 2010 and January 2014. He was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Attahirus likely successors There are currently over 30 major generals qualified for the office of the COAS. Some of them are: Major General Ben Ahanotu: He is currently the Chief of Policy and Plan of the Nigerian Army. By virtue of the position, Mr Ahanotu, PREMIUM TIMES checks reveal, is second in command to the COAS. Mr Ahanotu, a major general, who hails from Anambra State, is a member of regular course 35, same as the late Mr Attahiru. He was the commander of the military operation that captured the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, and his followers at their hideout in Maiduguri in 2009 before handing them over to the police. Danjuma Ali-Keffi: Also a contender for the office, Danjuma Ali-Keffi is currently the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna. Shortly after the interment of the officers, the social media was abuzz with reports of his appointment as acting COAS by Mr Buhari. The information turned out to be a hoax. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Ali-Keffi, a major-general, is a member of the 38th regular course and has many superiors ahead of him. PR Nigeria, a news agency with close ties to security agencies, reports that the general has about 30 generals ahead of him and the consequence of his appointment will be that it will force many brilliant generals into retirement, which may not be desirable at a time the country is faced with huge security challenges. Major General AM Aliyu A. M. Aliyu, a major general, is a member of the regular course 36. Like Mr Ali-Keffi, he has many seniors who are members of Course 35. He is an operation officer who hails from Gombe State. He is the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army and former Director, Foreign Liaison at the Defence Intelligence Agency. He was responsible for processing actionable intelligence for military operations, PR Nigeria reports. Major General Ibrahim Yusuf Ibrahim Yusuf, a major general, is a member of regular course 37. He is from Yobe State. He is a former Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). He is currently the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and is experienced in the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North-east. He has also taught in many military colleges including Nigerian Defence College (NDC), Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), and Nigerian Army Peace-keeping Centre (NAPKC), Jaji. Apart from having many senior major generals, another factor that may count against him is that he is from the same state as the acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo: Mr Okonkwo, a major general, is also a member of the regular course 35 of the army. He is currently the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian Army Welfare Limited/Guarantee (NAWLG). Until a few months ago, he was the commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) based in Jos, Plateau State. Mr Okonkwo hails from Imo state, South-east Nigeria. ADVERTISEMENT The targetted attacks on police and INEC facilities continued on Sunday with an attack on a police division and an office of the electoral agency on Sunday evening. The latest attacks occurred in Awka, Anambra State. The gunmen Sunday evening attacked the B Division of the Nigeria Police Force and the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Awka. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the fully armed attackers came in three Hilux trucks at about 8 p.m. on Sunday. A witness who almost ran into the troubled area located between the popular Ekwueme Square, Awka, said the bandits shot into the air close to one hour at B Police Division before proceeding to INEC office. The source, who asked not to be named, said before proceeding to INEC, the gunmen drove to Aroma junction and shot in the air for about 10 minutes which made residents scamper for safety before they headed down to INEC. Though the source said he could not speak on causality figure, he added that there was the likelihood of colossal damage at both institutions with many feared killed. I saw flames of fire going up from the police station and INEC offices, but I cannot say whether people were killed or not because I did not go closer, he said. When contacted, Nkwachukwu Orji, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, said he had received information on the attack in his office, but he could not officially comment on the matter. I need to get clear picture of what happened in my office before I can speak, he said. Also, Tochukwu Ikenga, the state Police Public Relations Officer, said he was still making contacts to get the correct situation of things around the two federal institutions in the state. Dozens of police officers have been killed in the past two months and many police facilities destroyed in attacks that have occurred in the South-east and South-south regions. The gunmen have also targeted INEC offices with the electoral agency warning that the attacks could affect future elections. The police have blamed an outlawed secessionist group, IPOB, for the attacks. Many IPOB leaders and members have also been killed or arrested for allegedly masterminding some of the attacks. The group, which wants an independent country for the Igbos, has, however, denied responsibility for the attacks. ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the rehabilitation of grazing reserves across the country as from June, to curb the bloody clashes between herders and farmers across the country. The president, who questioned the legality of the recent ban on open grazing in the southern region of the nation, said his administration is working on other alternatives to bring peace between farmers and herders. A statement by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, announced that other measures are being finetuned to address the security challenges occasioned by armed herders across the country which have led to the loss of lives. This development comes a few days after southern governors banned open grazing in the entire region. The move was criticised as unconstitutional by the nations justice minister, Abubakar Malami. Mr Buhari, who also chided the governors for their resolution, in Mondays statement said he has approved a number of specific measures to bring a permanent end to the frequent skirmishes as recommended by Alhaji Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture in a report he submitted. The President signed off on it back in April, well before the actions of the Southern Governors Forum which attempts to place a ban on open grazing and other acts of politicking intended by its signatories to demonstrate their power, the release added. Read full statement below: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT BUHARI OKAYS DEEP ROOTED SOLUTIONS TO HERDSMEN ATTACKS, CLEARS WAY FOR RANCHING AND REVIVAL OF FOREST RESERVES President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed a strong resolve to address the conflicts of herders and farmers in a sustained and lasting manner that should lead to the emergence of a permanent solution to the frequent clashes between them, as well as the associated problem of the gun-wielding killer herdsmen. The President had approved a number of specific measures to bring a permanent end to the frequent skirmishes as recommended by Alhaji Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture in a report he submitted and the President signed off on it back in April, well before the actions of the Southern Governors Forum which attempts to place a ban on open grazing and other acts of politicking intended by its signatories to demonstrate their power. It is very clear that there was no solution offered from their resolutions to the herder-farmer clashes that have been continuing in our country for generations. But the citizens of the southern states indeed citizens of all states of Nigeria have a right to expect their elected leaders and representatives to find answers to challenges of governance and rights, and not to wash their hands off hard choices by, instead, issuing bans that say: not in my state. It is equally true that their announcement is of questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) -regardless of the state of their birth or residence. Fortunately, this declaration has been preempted, for whatever it is intended to achieve and Mr. President, who has rightly been worried about these problems more than any other citizen in consultation with farmers and herders alike, commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the states, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements. With veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling through these rehabilitated reserves, the Federal Government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side: supporting farmers to till their fields, herders to rear their livestock and Nigerians everywhere to be safe. The entire country is acutely aware of the strain the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on public finances, for both Federal and States. Still, given the pressing urgency of addressing the perennial challenges, the federal funding for the project that has been delayed is now being partly unlocked. Actual work for the full actualization of the modern reserve system in a few of the consenting states should take off in June. ADVERTISEMENT A Nigerian fintech organisation, Mono, announced Monday it has closed a $2 million in seed investment to power the internet economy in Africa. Launched in 2020, Mono helps digital businesses in Africa access their customers financial accounts for data and payments. The investment comes just nine months after the company raised $500,000 in pre-seed last September and two months after receiving $125,000 from Y Combinator. The company announced it has received a total of $2.625 million in investments. The investors in this seed round include Entree Capital; Kudas co-founder and CEO, Babs Ogundeyi; Gbenga Oyebode, partner at TCVP; Eric Idiahi, co-founder and partner at Verod Capital; VC Lateral Capital. Our expansion is mostly inspired by our customers looking to expand to other markets, same with some of our products. We work with our customers to give them the right tools to build new experiences for their customers, said Abdul Hassan, CEO of Mono. We are very excited to be working with Abdul, Prakhar and the entire Mono team as they continue to build out the rails for African banking to enable the delivery of financial services to hundreds of millions of people across the African continent, Avil Eyal, managing partner and co-founder of Entree Capital said. Mono has partnered with more than 16 financial institutions and over a hundred businesses in Nigeria like Aella Credit, Autochek, Carbon, Credpal, Renmoney and Inflow Finance. The company accesses customers bank accounts for bank statements, identity data, and balances. It has also connected over 100,000 financial accounts for its partners and analyzed over 66 million financial transactions so far according to Techcrunch. ADVERTISEMENT The police in Lagos say they repelled hoodlums who attempted to burn down two police stations in the state on Monday. Muyiwa Adejobi, the police spokesperson, said in a statement that 12 suspects were arrested in connection to the incidents. The attempted arson occurred at Oke-Odo Police Division, Ile-Epo, and Elemoro Division, Ajah. A clash reportedly occurred between police officers and motorcycle riders (popularly known as Okada riders) at Ile-Epo area on Monday, which caused unrest and the attempted arson. The Lagos State Police Command has tactically repelled some hoodlums who attempted to set ablaze the Oke Odo Division of the command today 24th May 2021 and 12 of them were arrested. The command wishes to state clearly that no life was lost and the Police Station was never burnt, Mr Adejobi said in the statement. Following the #EndSARS protests last year, police officers and their formations have continued to be the target of attacks, especially in the south-eastern part of the country. The police said the Ajah incident was due to a fatal accident being handled by the police division. Mr Adejobi said hoodlums tried to set the Elemoro Division ablaze. This division now accommodates the Area J Command, following the destruction of the command during the #EndSARS protest. Similarly, the command has restored normalcy to Elemoro where another set of hoodlums attempted to set ablaze the newly built police station which accommodates the Area J Command, Ajah and Elemoro Division of the command, in connection with a case of fatal accident recorded in the area, on Monday 24th May, 2021. The spokesperson said police officers have been deployed to the areas to forestall further attacks, while the incidents are being investigated. The details of the incidences will be revealed as soon as possible, the police said. ADVERTISEMENT Nigerias electoral body, INEC, on Monday, said the fresh attacks on its facilities have undoubtedly become a national emergency which may alter its plans for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State. The commissions pavilion which serves as its collation centre during major elections in Anambra was burnt, alongside two of its facilities in Imo and Enugu, at various times on Sunday night by unknown persons. The latest attacks are a sequel to a series of similar incidents recorded by the INEC at its facilities in south-eastern states in the last 23 days. So far, not less than 10 of the commissions facilities in Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Anambra have been attacked by arsonists. The INEC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Festus Okoye, on Monday, said two stores housing electoral materials, 376 generating sets and seven utility vehicles (Toyota Hilux) were completely burnt in the coordinated attack on its state headquarters in Awka. In what is a major blow to our preparations for the Governorship election scheduled for 6th November 2021, two stores housing electoral materials were burnt down. New and old (but serviceable) electric generating machines numbering 376 for all the Electoral Wards and the extra numbers for backup were completely burnt. The electric generators were recently relocated from the Local Government Areas (LGAs) to the State HQ in the belief that it is more secure than the LGA offices. Similarly, as part of the Commissions proactive measures to ensure the success of the Governorship election later this year, about 50% of the non-sensitive materials required for the November 6, 2021 Governorship election already delivered to the State have also been lost in the fire. In addition, seven utility vehicles (Toyota Hilux) were burnt, Mr Okoye said. While there has not been loss of lives in any of the attacks, the commission lost properties worth millions of naira in the Sunday attack in Enugu, barely two weeks after the destruction of its local government office in Udenu. Mr Okoye said the store of the INECs LGA office at Igboeze South of Enugu was completely burnt before the state fire service prevented other parts from getting affected. With the exception of the windows and roof, he said the commission confirmed that no electoral materials or office equipment were destroyed in the attack launched at its office in Imo. The attacks on the Commissions facilities have now become a national emergency. Accordingly, the Commission will brief the Government and stakeholders on these incidents, the commission said, reiterating its commitment to discharge its duties. Members, were going to pass something that we have very strong reason to think is unconstitutional, said Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, said during debate on the bill. Ultimately were probably going to lose [in court] and the people who are going to pay are really not us sitting at these tables, its going to be the taxpayers. ADVERTISEMENT The Police Command in Zamfara on Sunday said several bandits were neutralised in the state on Saturday night when criminals attempted to attack Magami village of Gusau Local Government Area. This is contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Shehu Mohammed, in Gusau. Yesterday night, the command received a report that bandits in their large numbers stormed Magami town in Gusau LGA with intent to attack the community. The Commissioner of Police, CP Hussaini Rabiu, directed Police Tactical units, comprising of PMF/CTU/Special forces and Operation Puff Adder based in the area to synergise and ensure protection of lives and property of the people. The tactical units moved in courageously and engaged the assailants to a gun duel. As a result of the encounter, the attack was successfully repelled, while unspecified number of bandits were neutralised with many of them escaping with possible gun shot wounds, Mr Shehu said. He, however, said two of our their operatives paid the supreme price while defending the innocent members of the communities, but there was no loss of life in the communities. He also disclosed that the CP had further deployed additional tactical operatives to the area to complement ongoing bush combing operations aimed at forestalling further attacks on the nearby villages. The CP reiterates his warning to all recalcitrant bandits in the state to either surrender their arms and embrace peace or face the consequences of their actions. The CP also urged police operatives in the command to aggressively defend themselves and the community in any engagement with bandits and ensure that they dominate the ungoverned spaces on a continuous basis, the statement added. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all public buildings, facilities and official residences to fly the Nigerian flag at half-mast in honour of his late Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other officers who died in a plane crash on Friday. Mr Buhari also approved May 24 as a work-free day for the members of the armed forces. Mr Attahiru and the officers were on official assignment to Zaria, Kaduna State when the military plane crashed. They were buried on Saturday at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja. While the event was graced by many dignitaries, Nigerians on social media condemned the absence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, at such a crucial moment in the history of the country without substantial reasons. His absence at the Saturday national event was not the first, PREMIUM TIMES in a report captured other instances where the president missed burial of officers who lost their lives fighting the insurgents in different parts of the country. Rattled? However, the president, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Sunday night, mandated all its facilities and buildings to fly at half-mast effectively from Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th May, 2021 in honour of the demised officers. His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria has authorized that the National Flag should be flown at half- mast in all public buildings, facilities and official residences with effect from Monday 24h to Wednesday 26h May, 2021. This approval is to honour the memory and services of the Late Chief of Army Staff, Lt General lbrahim Attahiru, ten senior military and service members who lost their lives in the plane crash on Friday 21st May, 2021, an excerpt from the statement read. At least 77 people were killed and 29 abducted in violent attacks across Nigeria last week. The figures were gathered through the use of newspaper reports and family sources. Sunday Gunmen attacked the Nsukwa Divisional Police Station in the Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta state, killing three officers and a suspect. Residents of Angwan Baafada and Utsua Daa communities in the Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State on Sunday said they had buried 13 persons killed by suspected herdsmen. This is just as another resident, Stephen Lortile, said 17 people were killed by suspected herdsmen in a fresh attack in Bornon Kurku village of the Bali LGA. Four people were reportedly killed at Yelwata community in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, when suspected herdsmen invaded and attacked people on the farm. Monday A professor with the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Jos, Grace Ayanbimpe, was abducted by gunmen. The professor was abducted alongside her husband by the gunmen who stormed their residence behind Haske Quarters, Lamingo, in Jos North Local Government Area of the state. Five people were killed on Monday as armed terrorists opened fire on troops stationed at the Libale Construction Company in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria. Those familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES that the terrorists descended on the troops location in large numbers at about 11:47 a.m and immediately began to shoot sporadically. Tuesday It was reported on Tuesday that bandits terrorising communities in Niger State opened fire on themselves, leaving 12 dead in Shiroro Local Government Area. Beside those killed, several others suffered various degrees of injuries but managed to escape the battle ground. Gunmen abducted a judge at a Sharia Court in Bauren Zakat village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. The attackers broke into the court around 3 p.m. on Tuesday and abducted the judge identified as Husaini Samaila. Niger State Governor Sanni Bello says three soldiers were killed by bandits in Magama Local Government Area of the state. Mr Bello added that some of the bandits were killed and two bodies recovered when security agencies were trailing the rest of the bandits. He said this while addressing journalists after a meeting with security chiefs in the state at the Government House, Minna, on Tuesday. Also, kidnappers killed a driver, Adamu Usman, and abducted 13 passengers on the Shafa-Abakpa-Umaisha road in Nasarawas Toto Local Government Area. Two people were killed in Ikire, Osun State, as members of Oodua Peoples Congress and Oodua Peoples Congress Initiative reportedly clashed. Wednesday The Kaduna State Government, on Wednesday, said bandits killed eight residents and razed buildings in Chikun Local Government Area of the state. ADVERTISEMENT The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, made the announcement in a statement. Mr Aruwan said: Security agencies have reported that bandits attacked Ungwan Gaida community, near Kurmin Kaso, Chikun Local Government Area. As of the time of this update, eight residents have been confirmed killed in this attack. Thursday Armed bandits on Thursday killed the son of the Emir of Kontagora, Bashir Namaska, during a raid of the emirs farm in Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State. Two other persons sustained injuries in the attack. The states police commissioner, Adamu Usman, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria but did not disclose the name of the deceased prince. Also, 12 persons were reportedly abducted by gunmen in Madalla, a major town near Nigerias capital city, Abuja. One was killed on the spot. The gunmen, according to residents and police official stormed Kwankashe, an area located along Suleja expressway on Thursday morning to carry out the operation. Friday The lifeless body of Alphonsus Bello, a reverend father, was found on a farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malumfashi in Katsina State. Mr Bellos death followed an earlier report at about 1.35 a.m. on Friday by the Dean of Malumfashi Deanery, Stephen Ojapah, that the parish house of St. Vincent Ferrer Church was attacked by bandits numbering about 15. Mr Bello and Joe Keke, another reverend father, were taken away by the bandits during the attack. Dare-devil armed men attacked an expatriate in Umuahia, Abia State, on Friday, killing his police orderly and driver. The police spokesperson in Abia, Godfrey Ogbonna, who confirmed the attack, said the bandits robbed the expatriate of N3 million. Saturday Gunmen killed two officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Anambra State. While their rifles were taken away, their operational vehicle was set ablaze after a gun duel. Confirming the incident on Saturday, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer in the state, Okadigbo Edwin, said the incident happened in Nneyi, Umueri in the Anambra East Local Government Area of the state. ADVERTISEMENT No fewer than seven persons, including children, have been reported killed by unknown gunmen in Dong village in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. According to the police, the incident happened Sunday evening. On Sunday 23/05/2021 at about 2000hrs, the Command received a distress call that yet to be identified gunmen came out suddenly from a nearby bush, invaded Dong Village, Jos South LGA and killed seven persons, the spokesperson of the police in the state, Gabriel Ubah, said. He added that a combined team of police officers, STF and Vigilante operatives led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operation, was deployed to the scene but the hoodlums had already fled back into the bush before the arrival of the team. According to Mr Ubah, while an investigation is ongoing, operatives were making efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in that area to prevent escalation of violence, he said. However, the Management Committee Chairman of Jos North Local Government, Shehu Usman, has condemned the killing. In a statement issued on Monday, Mr Usman described the incident as unacceptable and a setback on the peace process in Plateau State. He, however, called on residents of the area not to take laws into their hands as security agencies are doing everything possible to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book. It should be noted that before this latest attack, yet-to-be-identified gunmen had launched several attacks, killing innocent people in many communities in the state. ADVERTISEMENT The American University of Nigeria (AUN) has announced the reappointment of Maggie Ensign as President/Vice-Chancellor, with effect from June 1, 2021. Dr. Ensign, who on May 14 announced her resignation as President of Dickinson College, one of the oldest and most distinguished liberal arts universities in the United States, had first served as President of AUN from 2010 to 2017 before departing to take up the presidency at Dickinson College. The Chairman of AUNs Governing Council, Ben Obi, a former senator, who announced the reappointment on Tuesday, said the Board and Council are fully confident that Dr. Ensign has the very best credentials and experience to lead the university through this critical stage in its development and pledged their unstinting support for her success. Welcoming Dr. Ensign back to Yola, AUN Founder and Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, described the decision to ask Dr. Ensign to return to the AUN presidency as one of the easiest in recent times, in order that she might, continue the excellent work that you have started at AUN. He charged Dr. Ensign with relaunching and achieving the bold strategic plan she developed for the University in her first seven-year tenure, which aimed at building on the American style of pedagogy using the latest technologyincluding a superb new digital libraryto train a new generation of African leaders, and to find solutions to the crucial economic and social challenges besetting Africa. Atiku also challenged the returning President to reposition the university and intensify the recruitment of the brightest and best students from all over Nigeria and across Africa, students inspired by the call to leadership and service. Your return to Yola must bring back those creative community outreaches that enabled our institution to impact so greatly not only on the Yola community but across the country and the world. I remember, with a combination of pride and humility, how you mobilized the Yola community and personally led the fight for the continued education of the abducted Chibok girls. You opened the AUN campus, first to those Chibok girls that escaped the onslaught of Boko Haram, and eventually to those few that were freed in 2016. You will be reuniting with some of this determined generation of young women who have continued to pursue their education dreams at AUN, Atiku said. It was under Dr Ensigns first tenure that AUN transformed itself into a pioneering and innovative Development University. She invested exceptional energy in promoting academic research while deepening entrepreneurship and hands-on leadership training as an essential component of AUN students learning experience. By empowering the academic support systems on campus the Mathematics Resource Centre, the Writing Centre, and the Student Advising and Retention Centre and strengthening the Universitys connections with the Global Liberal Arts Alliance of universities, AUN students partook in exchange programmes in universities in the US, the UK and Asia. ALSO READ: Nigerian professor named president of American university Students of AUN made an outstanding impact in major global forums, scooping awards at the annual Model United Nations Conference in New York, the Facebook Challenge and the campus Hult Prize competition. In 2015, the American University of Paris honored Dr. Ensign with a causa honoris for successfully aligning the development mission and core values of the American University to the specific needs of Adamawa State. President Ensign was cited for her leadership role in using education to promote peace, community development, and empowerment through a local platform, the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API) which she chaired as it took on a leading role in helping the many hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Boko Haram. In the same year, the Adamawa State Womens wing of the Jamaatul Nasril Islam in Nigeria (JNI) conferred an award to honor her contributions to leadership, philanthropy, and the education of women and girls in northeast Nigeria. The entire AUN community joins with His Excellency Atiku Abubakar who wrote: I feel most profoundly honoured to welcome you back to the American University of Nigeria, Yola, your home away from home. ADVERTISEMENT The Plateau State Government says it is deeply saddened by the reoccurrence of violence in parts of Dong Kasa in Jos North Local Government Area and Kwi in Riyom on Sunday night. Nigerian citizens, including children and women, were murdered in cold blood. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how seven persons, including children, were killed in Dong Kasa on Sunday night and that the police are on the trail of the criminals. Meanwhile, this newspaper was reliably informed that at about 11p.m. on the same day, suspected herders stormed a hamlet known as Kohorok in Kwi in Riyom LGA. Although he was yet to confirm the number of casualties, the coordinator of Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria (ECCVN), Dalyop Solomon, said a whole family was wiped out in the attack. The state Commissioner of Information and Communication, Dan Manjang, in a statement on Monday, described the act as barbaric, callous and a desperate attempt to rupture the peace and security of Plateau State. While commiserating with families that lost loved ones and valuables in the two separate attacks, Mr Manjang said Governor Simon Lalong was deeply distressed by the incidents and has vowed to ensure that the cherished values of peace and security and the sanctity of lives remain sacrosanct in the state. Mr Manjang said the government would continue to take measures and work hand in hand with security agencies for the protection of lives and property of citizens. ALSO READ: Seven killed in fresh attack in Plateau He said as soon as the government was alerted about the attack, it quickly reached out to security agencies who responded immediately and have been in pursuit of the attackers with a view to apprehending them and bringing them to justice. The commissioner said the capacity of security agencies for rapid response and intervention will be boosted once the approved 50 patrol vehicles and 200 security motorcycles were supplied. Mr Manjang assures the citizens that the Rescue Administration through the Plateau Peace Building Agency, State Inter Religious Council and other non State actors will continue to strengthen the peace and cohesion of people of the state while criminals are fished out and dealt with according to the law. He also encouraged the citizens to continue to provide useful information that will lead to the prevention of crime and arrest of criminals, assuring the government is resolved not to allow anyone or group to return the state to the dark days of sorrow, tears and blood. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Igboeze-South local government Area of Enugu State was on Sunday gutted by fire. Romanus Ezekwueme, the chief security officer (CSO) of the local government, confirmed the incident to reporters on Monday. I was on duty with some neighborhood security around 11 p.m. on Sunday when we saw the flame coming out from the INEC office and immediately rushed to the scene. We broke the gate of the INEC office because it was locked, only to see that fire had started from the store room in the INEC building. We immediately made a distress call to Nsukka and Udenu fire service who came and helped us to quench the fire, Mr Ezekwueme said. The CSO said the intervention of the fire men prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the building. It is only the store in the INEC building that was completely razed down by fire, he said. The Chairman of Igboeze-South Local Council, Andy Omeje also confirmed the fire incident and thanked the fire-fighters for their quick response. We thank the fire service for their intervention that prevented the fire from spreading to other rooms in the building. When I was called last night that the INEC building was on fire, I rushed to the local government secretariat where the building is located, I was there till the fire was quenched before I left, he said. Mr Omeje, however, expressed concern that INEC officials had continued to deny security men access to the compound at night by locking up the gate. This is to know when hoodlums strike so that they can work together. Last night, when the fire incident started, it was difficult for the neighborhood security to gain access to the INEC compound; they had to force the gate open in order to help to stop the fire, he said. Lorretta Uroko, the INEC electoral officer in Igboeze-South, confirmed the incident but declined to make further comment. Also when contacted, Okwudili Ohaa, the Enugu State chief fire officer said the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. NAN could not immediately get a police reaction to the incident as the police spokesperson in Enugu, Daniel Ndukwe did not respond to calls made to his telephone line. NAN recalled that the INEC office in Obollo-Afor, Udenu Local Government Area was razed on May 13. And on May 16, INEC headquarters in Enugu was attacked, while vehicles and part of the building were razed. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The House of Representatives committee investigating recovered assets, on Monday, discovered some discrepancies in the records of the Office of Accountant General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria. Sabo Mohammed, the representative of the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, was unable to defend the differences discovered by the committee during the hearing. According to a document submitted by Mr Mohammed, N15 million was transferred to the asset recovery account on February 14 but the committee chairman, Adejoro Adeogun (APC, Ondo), said the bank statement obtained from the CBN did not contain the said amount. Mr Adeogun also accused the OAGF of violating section 80(3) of the 1999 constitution by approving the disbursement of funds from the recovery accounts without appropriation of the National Assembly. The record of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was also queried by the panel. Panel fumes over non-appearance by heads of agencies The committee also expressed displeasure with heads of agencies who sent representatives. The committee had invited Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of CBN, Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, Chairman of EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, and others. Also invited are; former Ministers of Justice; former National Security Advisers; former Chairmen of EFCC; Former Chairmen of ICPC; former IGP and former Comptrollers General of Customs. Majority of the agency heads invited only sent representatives to appear before the committee. The panel is probing the status of all recovered loots as well as movable and immovable asset recovered from 2002 to 2020. Mr Adeogun condemned the non-appearance of the MDA heads. He lamented that heads of agencies found it easy to appear before parliament during screening, but reluctant when summoned for investigation. The committee resolved that Mr Idris, Mr Monguno and others should appear before the committee on Wednesday while Mr Malami is to appear on Tuesday. The Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Bawa, is to appear on Thursday. We are not satisfied with the representation of the agencies we have interacted with so far, Mr Adeogun said at the hearing. The hearing was adjourned till Tuesday. As Nigeria continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has emphasised the importance of setting aside special funds for public health emergencies. Mr Osinbajo, while speaking at the 4th annual legislative summit on health in Abuja on Monday, said such funds should only be utilised when a public health emergency is declared. The summit is Themed Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Health Security; Two Sides of a Coin for an Efficient Health System. Represented by the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, Mr Osinbajo said the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the vulnerability of the countrys health system and the importance of preparedness, diagnosis and response mechanism. He noted that public health security requires proactive and reactive measures to minimise the danger and impact of acute public health events. One of such proactive steps was to ensure that there are funds set aside always and which can be made available whenever there was a public health emergency, he said. Mr Osinbajo said the legislature must ensure that adequate budgetary allocation is made for preparedness activities. He noted that reactive and response activities must include ensuring the continuity of routine services such as immunization, family planning and keeping sight on other diseases like malaria. About legislative network The organizer of the summit said the objective of setting up the Legislative Network was\to effectively leverage statutory functions of the legislature in Nigeria for improved health financing, toward effective and efficient utilisation of the resources for UHC. The Network, according to the legislators, consists primarily of legislators (National and States) with members of the Executive Arm of Government (State and National) and non-state actors, collaborating to provide institutional contexts focused on the health sector. It is convened annually to provide a platform for legislators to confer towards addressing matters pertaining to the resilience of the health sector to provide equitable, quality care for citizens. Adequate funding A Senior Health Specialist at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, Olumide Okunola, said the UHC cannot be achieved without adequate funding. Mr Okunola stated that issues around public health financing and institutional structures should be prioritised in the country. This, he said, will ensure the country is prepared for future epidemics. We must set up institutional structures to combat pandemics because COVID-19 will not be the last, he said. In his remarks, Mr Mamora said participants need to constantly remind themselves on the principles of UHC in terms of availability, accessibility and affordability of health care He explained that UHC and Health Security were like six and half a dozen, as both complement each other to achieve the same goal. ADVERTISEMENT The 3As of UHC are Availability of care, Accessibility of care and Affordability to all particularly the vulnerable groups- the elderly, those with disabilities, women and children, without hardship, he said. In order to make UHC a reality, there is need for partnership, collaboration and synergy at both horizontal and vertical levels between the executive and the legislature. He said the legislature must put in place better funding for public health issues through appropriations. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, the chairman, Senate Committee on Health, said the purpose of the summit was to review the state of Nigerias health system in the light of emerging pandemic to strengthen health security. We have to ensure that all health needs of people are met with sufficient quality without leading to financial hardship, he said. ADVERTISEMENT The weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) scheduled for Wednesday has been cancelled in honour of the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers and men who recently died in a plane crash. The next meeting of the council will now hold on June 2. Also, a meeting of the Police Council, which was billed for May 27, has also been shifted to June 3. These were contained in a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Monday. Mr Attahiru and the 10 officers and men of the Nigerian Army died when their NAF plane they were travelling in crashed in Kaduna on Friday. They were on their way to the Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria in Kaduna State to attend the passing out parade of regular recruits scheduled for the next day. The victims have since been buried at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES had reported earlier directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that the National Flag be flown half-mast nationwide in honour of the departed soldiers while May 24 should be observed as a work-free day by all members of the armed forces. He also said the president urged all citizens to use this period of mourning to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and strength for the family to bear the painful loss. Below is the full statement: POSTPONEMENT OF THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL & THE POLICE COUNCIL MEETINGS Further to the directive of Mr. President for the National Flag to fly at half-mast nationwide from 24th 26th May, 2021 and the declaration of today, Monday 24th May, 2021, as work free-day for members of the Armed Forces, the President has also directed that the Federal Executive Council Meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 26th May, 2021 be postponed to Wednesday, 2nd June, 2021. Similarly, the Police Council Meeting which was earlier scheduled for Thursday 27th May, 2021 be postponed to Thursday 3rd June, 2021 in honour of the memory of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other Senior Military Officers and Service Men. President Muhammadu Buhari urges all citizens to use this period of mourning to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed and strength for the family to bear the painful loss. Demings entry into the Senate race, after she had been thought to have been considering a challenge to Gov. Ron DeSantis, ultimately may have been too much for Murphy to overcome, despite the insistence by an adviser last week that she could have defeated Demings in a primary. ADVERTISEMENT A bill to amend the 1999 constitution to scrap the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The bill was introduced last week by Awaji-Inimbek Abiante (PDP, Rivers). It is seeking to repeal section 315(5a) of the 1999 constitution and the National Youth Service Corps Act. According to the synopsis of the bill obtained by PREMIUMTIMES, Mr Abiante cited insecurity, exploitation by place of primary assignment and poor state of orientation camps. The scheme was set up in 1973 by the Yakubu Gowon administration, as part of strategies to foster unity in the post-civil war era. It was established by decree 24. However, the scheme has come under heavy criticism of late because of the deteriorating security situation in the country. PREMIUMTIMES had reported the neglect of a corps member affected by the Suleja bomb blast of 2011. In December, armed robbers attacked 17 corps members, killing one along Abuja-Kaduna road. Argument Sadly, after several decades, the programme has failed to address the essence of its establishment, while several reform efforts have also not yielded desired results, but has continued to be a drain on our scarce resources and exposing families to several nightmares and even loss of loved ones after so much investment, Mr Abiante argued. He added that public and private agencies/departments are no longer recruiting able and qualified Nigerian youths, thus relying heavily on the availability of Corps members who are not well remunerated. Due to insecurity across the country, the NYSC management now gives considerations to posting Corps members to their geo-political zones, thus defeating one of the objectives of setting up the service corps. The road ahead for the bill The bill, which is a constitution alteration bill, will have to go through second reading, committee stage, the committee of the whole, third reading, concurrence with Senate and passage by two-third of the Houses of Assembly in states. The presidents assent is the final hurdle for it to become law. The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it would hold its congresses and national convention in June. This is however subject to ratification by its leadership. Secretary APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), James Akpanudoedehe, disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the end of an emergency meeting of the committee on Monday in Abuja. He, however, assured that there would not be a crisis in the party as speculated in some quarters, even if the committee failed to organise the national convention in June. The APC national convention is expected to usher in a new National Working Committee (NWC) for the party. I want to assure that there will be no crisis in our party in June. Convention can be done in June and congresses can start and end in June, but it all depends on what the leaders of this party agree on. This committee is honest and we have never lied to Nigerians, we can always fight and resolve at family level, we are aware that party members are desiring to hear from the committee, he said. Mr Akpanudoedehe, a former senator, said the committee was looking at many issues and consulting extensively before taking decisions. We have major stakeholders like the President, Vice President and governors among others. We have to consult so that when we are coming out, there will be no dissenting voice. We have lots of problems in the country, not only the national congress of the party. We have serious security issues like the agitations in the zones, we are very conscious of Nigeria as a country not only the congresses, he said. Mr Akpanudoedehe added that the CECPC was mindful that the unity, peace and progress of the party was critical to ensuring delivery of its campaign promises to Nigerians and for the countys development. He said the meeting, among other things, discussed the primaries for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council poll slated for February 2022. He added that the issue was, however, stepped down because of the additional information the committee needed, especially with regards to disqualifying aspirants. He said the committee was mindful of the election deadline of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and would work within the time frame. He added that the committee was taking lots of things into consideration to ensure the party was peaceful and united ahead of the 2023 general election. On the party`s membership registration/revalidation, Mr Akpanudoedehe said the exercise had officially ended. ADVERTISEMENT We are collating figures from the state committees and over 21 states have submitted, he said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The House of Representatives Special Committee on Constitution Review has fixed June 1 to June 3 for its zonal public hearings taking place across the countrys six geopolitical zones. Umar Puma, chief press secretary to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. He said the committee had invited the general public, executive and judicial bodies, traditional institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies and all other stakeholders. The statement quoted Mr Wase, who is the chairman of the special committee on constitution review, as saying that each zone would have two centres. The committee chairman further stated that the North-central zonal public hearing would hold in Jos, with Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa States and FCT, in attendance, while Lokoja would serve as the second centre, with Kogi, Niger and Kwara states. The North-East has Bauchi centre, which is made up of Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states, while Yola centre has Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe States. The North-West centre is in Birnin Kebbi, with Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto states, while Kano centre, which will hold on June 2 and June 3, with Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jigawa states. The South-East which has Enugu centre, will host Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states, while Owerri centre will host Imo and Abia states. The South-West with a centre in Akure, will host Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states, while Lagos centre will host Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states. The South-South zone comprising Delta, Bayelsa and Edo States, will hold in Asaba centre on June 2 and June 3, while Uyo centre will hold on June 1 and June 2, with Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River States. Mr Wase appealed to members of the committee to always put Nigeria first and work for Nigeria to ensure it delivered for the country the best constitution. He revealed that the members of the committee would be posted outside their zones to have a feeling of what obtains in other geopolitical zones. We have an opportunity to write our names in gold, let us not waste this golden opportunity as all eyes are on us. We must ensure that we do not betray the confidence Nigerians have in us, he said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari has received the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, who was in the Presidential Villa, to console him on the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 military officers. Mr Fayemi, who is also the governor of Ekiti State, was accompanied by the National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mai Mala Buni, and Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger State. Speaking at the event, the president expressed sadness over the loss of officers at a time the country was battling with security challenges, saying that last Fridays fatal air crash had increased the countrys problems. Mr Buhari, however, stated that he would continue to do his best in addressing the nations security challenges, and enjoined all well-meaning citizens to also continue to pray for the country. He said: This is a situation that only God knows when it will happen and it happened at a time when the security situation in the country is a fundamental issue. And to lose choice officers has increased our problem but we know what we are in for and we will continue to work hard and pray hard so that God will give us the power to appreciate and apply ourselves to the problem. The people who elected us, they know the promises we made within the timethe circumstances in which we find ourselveswe will keep on trying and continue to do our best. Mr Fayemi had earlier commiserated with the president over the death of the officers. The governor recalled that when governors requested for the change of service chiefs, the president heeded noting that the impact of the action was already being felt. He, therefore, affirmed that the death of the officers was a big blow, saying, however, the war against terrorism and banditry must be won. Weve read your statement and this delegation of governors consider it a duty and as part of our obligation as your representatives to commiserate with you over the loss of your gallant officers, Mr Fayemi said. We know it is an event that has touched you. When we mentioned the necessity for a change of service chiefs, you were determined to get the best set of people, you gave your assurance and the military was beginning to feel the impact. We know that this is a major blow and you are unrelenting in your quest/commitment to ensure peace and security in our country. Its unfortunate the losses we have suffered. We only pray God gives both the families and the country the fortitude to bear the loss, pray that God gives our country greater resolve to continue on the path that the late COAS towed. For us, we must defeat banditry, insurgency and criminality. Thats the mandate you gave them. This should not lead to any retreat or surrender on our part. As you have promised, we know that our country will do everything to ensure that the administration will do all to take care of the families of the departed officers. Its an indication of how protected the active officers would be. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT in determining the purpose of MDAs in the run up to their restructuring, it would matter how well each promotes private sector-led activity and or protects consumers The problem is how to get our governments to understand this and to arrange their operations and processes in a way that helps optimise its achievement. That the Kaduna State government and organised labour came to blows over the formers attempt to tidy its budget by trimming the number of civil servants in its employment is no longer news. Nor is the fact that both parties resorted to pretty unconventional tactics to advance their cases. Even as each side rolled out tear jerkers to underscore how untenable the opposing case was, the consensus is that the States economy will be the worse for the events of the past two weeks. The economy was ailing anyway. As with most governments in the country, Kaduna State does not earn enough to cover its daily spend. Dwindling oil export earnings and a rapidly growing population have ensured this for quite a while. An addiction to oil export earnings has also meant that since the early 1970s, our governments forswore the investment in domestic capacity required to support private sector economic activity enough to generate non-oil revenue for government. In the absence of the personal income taxes that thriving private sector activity would bring, most have imposed levies on informal sector activity that have further throttled commerce. Meanwhile, the Federal Government continues to build up liabilities against future generations of Nigerians by borrowing huge sums in foreign currency to support shortfalls in its budgets. Now this would not have mattered that much if the borrowings led to a boost in domestic productivity. Government could then continue to argue that the increased output from its spend would pay for itself. Instead, a large part of our burgeoning debt portmanteau goes to meeting recurrent spending. Reforms to other MDAs should, of course, start with a statement of purpose. Not what they do. But how this feeds into the national goal of growing the economy by eliminating poverty? At this point, the newly-laid off staff may be paid their salaries and wages for the first five years The Kaduna State governor may have detonated a nuclear bomb under this dynamic in his State, but in truth the core of the civil service was already heading for a far more severe meltdown. Given the generally poor outcomes (health, education, security, etc.) for the economy, it was inevitable that the question would be asked whether spending two-thirds of the public sectors budget on recurrent items is value for money. Arguably, an efficient bureaucracy is a non-negotiable requirement for effective policy outcomes. In the Nigerian example, though, dirigiste impulses, especially over the last six years, and a longer tailed incompetence in government have meant that we favour public sector supply responses over private sector ones. This is as much a structural problem easy funding for start-ups and easier listing requirements for small stock IPOs as it is an ideological one. Our governments simply loathe the coming together of youth, new ideas, and entrepreneurship. And so in the communication sector, to take but the most obvious example, we have about five agencies of the state at the federal level saddled with helping government make its case. You can only wonder how bad this case is that it needs so many cooks brewing its broth. Beyond that, however, there is the worry that salaries and wages are but a small share of what passes for recurrent spending in our public expenditure. In other words, the spend of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government on providing their own infrastructure might make up a bigger share of what currently masquerades as the recurrent spend. This possibility opens a window for reform and invites conversation on the design of an appropriate safety net. A clear reform path would eliminate the overlaps between the Federal Ministry of Information, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). And without cutting down on these institutions staffs wages and salaries, the country could still save a princes ransom. Reforms to other MDAs should, of course, start with a statement of purpose. Not what they do. But how this feeds into the national goal of growing the economy by eliminating poverty? At this point, the newly-laid off staff may be paid their salaries and wages for the first five years after the reforms that eliminated their workplaces, or for as long as it takes each to get a new job, whichever comes first. Asked how governments may square the cycle of rising expenditures and falling revenues, most people will argue for an increase in the tax base, and the boosting of internally generated revenues. These, of course, are not ends in themselves. The latter part of the design of this quasi-safety net is the nub of the problem, though. Asked how governments may square the cycle of rising expenditures and falling revenues, most people will argue for an increase in the tax base, and the boosting of internally generated revenues. These, of course, are not ends in themselves. Rather, they presuppose a thriving private sector able to pay both company income and personal income taxes, and of unrestrained interstate commerce. If we attend to our infrastructure deficit, we address the latter. But by far the bigger need is how to make real that shibboleth around which we have couched successive governments commitment to economic growth and development. In other words, in determining the purpose of MDAs in the run up to their restructuring, it would matter how well each promotes private sector-led activity and or protects consumers. Which, truth to tell, are two sides of the same coin. A competitive market structure is the best protection for consumers. The problem is how to get our governments to understand this and to arrange their operations and processes in a way that helps optimise its achievement. Uddin Ifeanyi, journalist manque and retired civil servant, can be reached @IfeanyiUddin. we must learn is that when you want to destroy yourselves, the world will watch you, and you will still not be the primary concern of many The real casualties are the Palestinians and the Israelis. Nigeria should learn from this. When we allow conflict to engulf Nigeria, we will be the ones to suffer all the consequences. Perhaps no conflict in the world has lasted so long, generated as many news headlines, or engendered as much controversy as the Israeli-Palestinian one. This conflict has received a lot of international attention, and it usually inflames passion from both the supporters of Israel and of Palestine. Most Christians usually support the Israelis for different reasons. On the other hand, an overwhelming majority of the Palestinians are Muslims, so they have support from a vast population of Muslims worldwide. However, despite the high degree of international attention every Israeli-Palestinian conflict generates, the skirmishes are still widely misunderstood. While Israelis and Palestinians and their respective supporters trade accusations, many outside observers remain confused by the conflicts complexity and are perplexed by the passion it arouses. The latest fighting between Israeli and Palestinian militants in Gaza began on May 10, after weeks of rising tension between the two nationalities in East Jerusalem, which culminated in clashes at al-Aqsa, a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. Hamas began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory airstrikes. Media reports indicate that, in the Gaza Strip, Israeli strikes have done enormous damage to buildings and civil infrastructure, bringing down several apartment and office towers and levelling government buildings, service facilities such as schools and banks, homes, and security compounds, including several police stations. As of 13 May, Hamas had fired over 2,000 rockets and mortars at Israel (several which misfired, and most of which Israel intercepted with its Iron Dome air defence system, but some of which landed in Tel Aviv and other urban areas); and Israel had carried out hundreds of air and artillery strikes. Hamass firepower, both in terms of number of rockets and their reach, far surpasses earlier escalations, and Israeli retaliation has been swift and devastating, making this episodes destruction more comparable to the four earlier Gaza wars in 2006, 2008-2009, 2012 and 2014 than any of the flare-ups in between. There have been talks of One-State and Two-State solutions. Most observers favour the Two-State solution. This essentially means creating two states for two peoples, Israel and Palestine. On paper, the Israeli state would have a Jewish majority, thus remaining a Jewish state, and the Palestinian state would have a Muslim Arab majority. However, there are problems with this, mainly with regard to borders and the status of Jerusalem. For Jews, Jerusalem is the holiest city in the world it is where the First and Second Temples of antiquity stood, on what the Jews now call the Temple Mount, and where the Western Wall stands as a remnant and reminder of the Second Temple. For Muslims, Jerusalem is the third holiest city, because it is where Muhammad ascended to heaven and since the 7th century, it has been the site of the gilded Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, which are also also located at top of the Temple Mount. For Christians, Jerusalem is where Jesus was crucified and it contains the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which, according to tradition, holds the two holiest sites in Christianity the locations of the crucifixion and Jesus empty tomb. The world has been horrified by images of Arab women and children and Israeli civilians killed in the conflict. Both parties should stick to the rules of engagement to minimise the loss of lives and wanton destruction of properties. International mediation led by the United States should not appear to take sides, as was the case during the Trump administration. That was not helpful. Given the activities and agitations of secessionist groups in Nigeria in recent times and the various conflicts with ethnic and religious undertones, what lessons can Nigeria learn from the Israeli-Palestinian brouhaha? What must we do to avoid a similar fate of either the Israelis or Palestinians? It should be clear to the leaders of the Israelis and the Palestinians that unless they embrace peace and work out a viable way to exist side by side rancour-free, their children and generations unborn would inherit an environment of hostility, fear, angst, and permanent conflict. They should heed the call for a ceasefire immediately. There are significant similarities between the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and the crises among ethnic nationalities in Nigeria today. Land is a vital issue of contention between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Land and the perceived attempt to force people out of their lands are some of the critical issues at the root of the agitations in Nigeria. History has shown that people are usually inflamed and emotional when encroachment or displacement from their original homelands arises. Furthermore, isolation and rivalry for influence and access to resources define the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The tension in Nigeria today equally revolves around the positioning for power of different ethnic groups and their being denied headway by others in this regard, or their inhibition in having greater access to national resources. Given the activities and agitations of secessionist groups in Nigeria in recent times and the various conflicts with ethnic and religious undertones, what lessons can Nigeria learn from the Israeli-Palestinian brouhaha? What must we do to avoid a similar fate of either the Israelis or Palestinians? The first lesson is the danger of cultivating and solidifying lines of suspicion and hatred among people of different ethnic identities. This often leads to sowing seeds of generational crisis that will not go away. This is evident in the apparent suspicion among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria. This suspicion has held Nigeria hostage for years. It has led to ethnic champions calling for the secession of their nationalities from Nigeria (Biafra, Islamic State of West Africa, Niger Delta Republic and Oduduwa State). Besides, Nigerians judge all appointments on an ethnic basis and every nationality clamours to obtain the ultimate political power and believes that whoever gets it has dominion over the others. That is why the presidency of Nigeria is not given to the most qualified person but to someone from a preferred ethnic group at any given point in time. This undermines the well-bieng and prosperity of the nation. The hatred and suspicion among ethnic groups have never been as high in our history than it is now, except during the civil war. A cursory look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict shows the cost of ethnic hatred and suspicion. May Nigeria never become like that. The second lesson is the danger of reducing complex issues to simplistic, competing, single narratives. The Palestinians claim that Israelis are occupying their territory; the Israelis claim that Arab countries want to wipe them out of existence, and that Palestinians (especially the group, Hamas) are terrorists. None of these narratives is entirely accurate. Each statement summarises how each side views the conflict. Still, when this narrative is sold to the population of each side as the only and ultimate truth, they consider the opposing view as false and see people from the other side as enemies. This is even made worse by various hate speeches and hate propaganda peddled by both sides. Nigerians must eschew all forms of hate speech. Those clamouring to secede from the country should not use words that dehumanise other Nigerians who are not from their ethnic group or who do not believe in their cause. When humans are called cockroaches and rats, then Rwanda-style ethnic cleansing is loading. Hate speech along the line of ethnicity and religion can only dovetail into war. The third lesson for Nigeria is that sub-national groups must learn to live side by side in peace, enjoying an equal measure of freedom and prosperity and de-emphasise areas of discord. Anything that creates the impression that one group is trying to dominate another can lead to untoward consequences. With all of Israels military might, Palestinians do not mind dying, instead of allowing what they deem as the domination of Israel and annexation of their land. The solution to issues like this is never the use of force. No power will make people who feel dominated stop agitating for what they may rightfully or wrongly regard as freedom. The Nigerian government should encourage dialogue and use force only when it is inevitable in dealing with secessionist elements in the country. The situations of conflict both in the Middle East and Nigeria may look complex, and the solutions may look farfetched. But as with every human endeavour, there is always a way out. The time to look for that way is now. The fourth lesson is for leaders to know that people are not stupid, and they can read in-between the lines to isolate strategies that the dominant power uses to achieve its military objectives. For instance, one can argue that Israel benefits from conflating the Palestinian struggle for freedom with Hamas Islamist ideology and indiscriminate rocket fire at residential areas. It can use the latter to justify responding with even greater force, highlighting the severe power imbalance between the two sides and the dodging of responsibility for its attacks on civilians. It is claiming that Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, is using Gaza residents as human shields for its military facilities. Operation Python Dance and other similar operations deployed against some ethnic militia by the military are evident to all. Besides, the seemingly non-conviction of marauding Fulani herdsmen across the South sends a conflicting message to people and spurs the claims of domination. The adoption of equity and fairness by government will help to douse tensions during periods of ethnic suspicions and hatred. The fifth lesson we must learn is that when you want to destroy yourselves, the world will watch you, and you will still not be the primary concern of many. We are watching how lives are wasted, infrastructure destroyed, property incinerated, and the world powers have been holding meetings and calling for a ceasefire from their faraway capitals. The real casualties are the Palestinians and the Israelis. Nigeria should learn from this. When we allow conflict to engulf Nigeria, we will be the ones to suffer all the consequences. The sixth lesson for Nigeria is understanding the superiority of technology and economic growth over religiosity and ethnic irredentism. Israel, a state created less than 70 years ago, is dominating the whole Middle East. It is interesting to point out that this small nascent nation developed its economy to become part of developed nations globally and it is a leading nation in science and technology. It is satirical that when the Christians and Muslims in Nigeria and Palestine are busy praying to the God to fight their wars and rescue them from poverty and damnation, Israel is working out their salvation through scientific breakthroughs and military superiority, whilst still believing in God. Nigerians over-reliance on religiosity and willingness to even kill in the name of God should be examined and reduced to the barest minimum. We should embrace science and technology and work hard to build our country, economically and militarily. This way, we can cope with and resist external aggressions from Boko Haram and other terrorist elements within and outside Nigeria. ADVERTISEMENT The situations of conflict both in the Middle East and Nigeria may look complex, and the solutions may look farfetched. But as with every human endeavour, there is always a way out. The time to look for that way is now. Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert. everyone knows that investment in the education of these children is the best gamble this country could ever take, as our future will be bleak for as long as that ugly culture persists. To take 800,000 children off the streets in Kaduna State, they probably need a new task force that can absorb as many as 5,000 workers, constantly on the streets to ensure compliance. The roforofo fight between Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna State and leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has come and gone. Let us assume that was the phase 1, because both parties had to sheathe their swords only upon the intervention of the Federal Government. While the standoff lasted, hateful words were hauled back and forth. El-Rufai became Hell Rufai, and the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba was labelled a fugitive from law and bandit. Over and above, what we saw in Kaduna was a clash of ideologies, and that made the issue very symbolic for the wellbeing of the soul of Nigeria, and indeed a sign of things to come, given that El-Rufai heads a faction of APC middle-aged men who believe they are smart and are angling for the presidency in 2023. Kayode Fayemi is his sidekick. The arrogance with which Governor Nasir wanted to waste civil servants in Kaduna was taken out of a neoliberal playbook. As elegant as the ideology looks on the surface, it has held Nigeria down and dragged her backwards since the days of General Babangida in the 1980s. One should have thought that with the vast exposure of Nigerians to education, we should have stepped away from practicing what Lant Pritchett and Matt Andrews at Harvard call Isomorphic Mimicry like when a country tries to act like what she is not, because leaders believe they have arrived. I had written, begging the governor to change tact, in another forum. But El-Rufai still surprised me, that he could so simply seek to foist policies on his people, and that he would take such an unfeeling stand, ignoring that it is peoples lives he is kidding with. Everyone knows how the mans policies played out in Abuja some years back. Some people still carry their scars till date, but El-Rufai has not changed. If anything, the gentleman may have become worse in his deliberate dalliance with a self-advertised lack of emotional intelligence. Yes, El-Rufai is a smart guy. He may even be considered a very sharp leader in some European nation, but he will clearly be a puritan right-winger harassing the poor and those not of pure blood, like those ones gaining grounds in Western Europe on the basis of anti-immigration policies. The fight between the State government and Labour is being put forward by El-Rufai and his people as an operational issue. They talk in terms of naira and kobo and put out figures to show that proportionally, Kaduna State is paying too much to workers and, as such, the civil service needs to shed some weight. Somewhere in the rhetoric, one also gets the feeling that Governor Nasir does not think highly of the civil servants. He believes they are lazy, and that many are not doing anything, anyway. He could be right. But has he not had enough time to institute a credible performance management system in the State, with his exposure and the smart people he works with? As I stated in an earlier article to the governor, I also do not believe that people should be employed just to fill space. I believe that unproductive people should be let go. But the process should be scientific, and I believe there is much work yet undone in our public service so many services unmanned such that we should be growing the service for now, not shrinking it. I will provide evidence. The fight is, therefore, an ideological one, not an operational or finance issue. From what Ive seen and heard so far, and what I know about the governor, he is trying to operationalise a neo-liberal agenda. The evidence is replete. In past interviews, El-Rufai said he does not believe in the concept of rural areas; that everyone should live in cities. As a town planner, that is a dire vision to have for your people. It means that if he had his way, all those in our villages will be displaced by large, rich, mechanised farmers, to become farmhands or sharecroppers, or they would have to find their levels in the cities, where they might as well perish trying to survive. He says the civil service should be rightsized, utilising a much-discredited terminological relic of the Washington consensus era by which African nations were laid prostrated from the 1980s. Even the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have repented of some of the egregious policies they encouraged us to embark upon in the past. Also, on the day Labour called off the strike, El-Rufai, speaking at the Governors Forum, unveiled the findings of the committee he chaired on the subject of oil subsidies. His committee recommended a fuel price of between N385 and N410 per litre, barraging listeners with all the market terminologies in the world. I realised then that this is an ideological war, and Kaduna just happens to be the epicentre He was also the one who asked anyone earning below N50,000 to leave Abuja and return to their villages in 2006. If El-Rufai gets his way, other governors will do the same. And when they do, it will be blood on the streets, as many families will gnash their teeth. I had advised the governor to try and repurpose the staff and not sack them all in one fell swoop. Again, those who are not cooperative amongst them and who do not want to work should be let go. That advice stays. However, we can see that there is a manner in which the governor has already muddied the waters. Now, he may no longer get the cooperation of the workers. Since the governor approached the matter from an apocalyptic point of view, regaling the world with how much of a parasite the civil servants are, he has opened an ugly vista that will dog the rest of his tenure in the State. If he didnt have such an agenda, and wasnt ideologically driven, he could have seen that a bigger vision could emanate from the challenges besetting the State right now. Imagine if the governor inspired his people, and let them see his vision, and painted a picture of great things he wishes to achieve with the cooperation of others in the State. Imagine if he let the people see how their contributions can help, and how their taxes are also needed (that was how Fashola made strides in Lagos). Imagine if he focused on public goods security, the environment, social services, agriculture, health services many of which are in short or no supply in Kaduna, just as all over Nigeria today? That way he could employ a lot more than he is sacking, and will have no problems today. The environmental sector could employ two million people in Nigeria immediately. Nigeria is the worlds biggest open-defecation country. Yeah, D.J. Trump was right about that shithole reference Come to our glistening city, Abuja, where all the road medians and gutters are perfect spots for people to take the dump in broad daylight. The gaps are there to fill. Why the governor is not showing his people visions of a brighter tomorrow is anyones guess. Hear one M. Kure, who responded to one of my tweets: Less than Two weeks ago I lost my daughter in Kaduna State University Teaching Hospital simply because for 3 days, only a Nurse was in afternoon duty @SBCU & there was need for her to be wheeled for X-Ray. There was nobody to cater for the remaining patients. This is an example of where a life was lost because the required investment in staffing and performance management had not been made by the same people who allege inefficiency. At his own risk, and out of the abundance of his heart, driven by ideology, Governor El-Rufai chose the route of portraying scarcity, where he could have painted a picture of abundance. Public goods are presently unmanned in Kaduna and thats where the attention should be. El-Rufais dominant ideology is one of the things that have damaged the minds of many youths who now have an apocalyptic, I-am-on-my-own, no-work-in-government mentality. It must be repeated that public sector workers are the largest in every functioning country in the world, including all the Western nations we flock to. Imagine how many workers El-Rufai needs to take Almajirai children off the streets and keep them in schools? Many Nigerians are still in doubt about what we can do with the public sector. Most Nigerians have given up on themselves and believe that the government need not provide services that they enjoy abroad. When we travel to countries that work, do we think the serenity, cleanliness, order, aesthetic beauty that we see were born with those countries? No! They worked for them. It is a daily grind. And their leaders have long-term visions. This is also what gives those nations the edge in everything else over the rest of us. In fact, many Nigerians constitute a significant part of the labour force that makes those things happen. I also realised that in those countries, they would rather take much time in fixing their public spaces than in acquiring private mansions. People there sometimes live in hovels, but the local parks look pristine and peaceful. Here, the inverse is the case. Nigerians especially our leaders are chasing large mansions, but once you step out of those mansions, you step into filth, disorder, chaos, ugliness. This is where the work is. Imagine Kaduna. If there are 10 million children roaming about in Nigeria, there could be say 800,000 of these national assets in Kaduna. What we have had so far are halfhearted, fleeting attempts to get them off the streets and into schools. Yet, everyone knows that investment in the education of these children is the best gamble this country could ever take, as our future will be bleak for as long as that ugly culture persists. To take 800,000 children off the streets in Kaduna State, they probably need a new task force that can absorb as many as 5,000 workers, constantly on the streets to ensure compliance. They will also need at least 4,000 teachers, if one teacher is to handle 200 kids. It will cost untold billions, but it would pay off soon. Why did El-Rufai choose to ignore this possibility and would rather shrink his workforce? It can only be that like every other government in Nigeria, El-Rufais is not ready to make the needed investment. What is the option? The option is to find ways of pushing the people into despair, in the hope that they will disappear or die off. Our current leaders are certainly not interested in helping our people find a better life. The Almajirai children example is just one. There are others. The environmental sector could employ two million people in Nigeria immediately. Nigeria is the worlds biggest open-defecation country. Yeah, D.J. Trump was right about that shithole reference. Daily Trust newspapers carried a report two weeks ago about how all the roundabouts in Bauchi metropolis have turned into public toilets. Bauchi is far. Come to our glistening city, Abuja, where all the road medians and gutters are perfect spots for people to take the dump in broad daylight. I see why this country has no respect from foreigners. I also dont understand what government thinks its role is negotiating loans abroad, perhaps, while leaving the real issues at home. What a crying shame. Open defecation, meanwhile, is only one aspect of environmental issues, but an aspect wherein India has created so many jobs in the last 10 years and caused the worlds biggest behavioural and culture change in recent times. There is desertification, erosion, waste management, beautification and other works that our states can create but have refused to. Yet El-Rufai is not ignorant of the truth. He is just being egotistic He was a chief backer of the same labour unions he attacks today. They demonstrated together. But today, he sees workers as irritants and has populated his government with the shallow, over-educated, disconnected-from-reality, consultant types who only end up emptying any states treasury. What about security? El-Rufai is more concerned with laying off workers, in a State under siege from kidnappers and all sorts; in a State that is still a flashpoint of communal clashes. Listening to the villagers in some of those places ravaged by bandits and kidnappers, the simple message that jumps out for me is that the same villagers should be employed as security operatives by government, to guard their domains, not left to their own devices and made to suffer in the hands of marauders. If El-Rufai wanted to beef up security in that State, he could employ up to 10,000 young men to guard their areas and villages. Inclusion works wonders. These young boys will be so happy to contribute. The civil service of a State can never be too large when the State is under the jackboot of terrorists. This is where the investment is needed. I refuse to give up on the potentials of our people. Our governors should be reminded that they are here to supervene on the issues of the PEOPLE. The people are their key charge, not machines, or books of accounts. That job is not all about looking good for the cameras. The people may be dirty and stinking and unwashed. The people may be untrained and uneducated and uncouth. Still, the role of leaders is to take the people to where the people need to be sometimes kicking and screaming. You do not abandon the people to their fates and seek validation abroad. This is the problem Nigeria now has. Unfortunately, young Nigerians have been infected by the same disease. They believe there is no space for the improvement of lives through governance. They have been miseducated to go and all become entrepreneurs, pushing wares in peoples faces, trying to make a buck that does not improve the quality of their lives. We need to slow down and realise that there is great value in service to humanity. Most of our idle, angry youths should be in the security services, serving as teachers, working on the environment, functioning as social workers. The U.S.A has 680,000 social workers in employment. Those are the types we need to take care of the millions of traumatised children all over Nigeria. The big fallacy being pushed that the private sector creates employment is what I come against. The IMF/World Bank-types sowed this terrible seed in us and our policymakers and politicians have carried it forward. How so wrong! This is also how they propagate their ideologies through falsehood. What a shame. But we too are meant to be educated, arent we? The internet is there for anyone to research the truth. For in truth, in ALL the most developed nations of the world, the government is the largest employer the NHS in the UK and the Department of Defense in the U.S. are the largest single employers, with 21 per cent and 17 per cent the workforce in the public sector in those countries respectively. I have laboured to open the minds of Nigerians to this truth but too many have been brainwashed. The El-Rufai types are in the vanguard of that brainwashing. Yet El-Rufai is not ignorant of the truth. He is just being egotistic. When he was on the other side, he gave the leaders hell. On May 16, 2010, he tweeted that teachers should be paid like bankers to attract the best by cutting unnecessary luxuries. He advocated for education. He was a chief backer of the same labour unions he attacks today. They demonstrated together. But today, he sees workers as irritants and has populated his government with the shallow, over-educated, disconnected-from-reality, consultant types who only end up emptying any states treasury. I recall that Aregbesola had them in Osun way back. They devastated the State and the debt overhand is still there today. I close by quoting the serving British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, who said just last week: I do have some sympathy for Nigeria because if we as the UK have one of these problems your country is having today, we will be struggling. Here, you deal with everything, from insurgency to kidnapping, to piracy off the Gulf of Guinea and you dont have such a large army and police force for a country of this size. The only way you turn this thing around is that government has to build the trust of its people, to have the people working with the government to deal with criminality. Thats how successful anti-criminal operations work. Since they only listen to white people, maybe this will sink. You have a security challenge, and a small police force and army which you have privatised. Then, how best to get the trust of the people, than to put some cash in their pockets? Let us not forget: PUBLIC GOODS is our next bus stop. We must create all the things that make life worth living and it is our people that will do it. This country can work. The adopted strategy is dead on arrival. Without security, no youth entrepreneur can thrive. And by the time you sack the few who have jobs, plummeting purchasing power in society, tell me who will buy anything from anyone? ADVERTISEMENT Tope Fasua, an economist, author, blogger, entrepreneur, and recent presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), can be reached through topsyfash@yahoo.com. LASG is on the right track with the proposed electricity policy and we applaud the State government for this pioneering effort to decentralise and democratise the supply of electricity to Lagosians. Other States should emulate the LASG electricity policy and start to fashion out their own electricity policies and state electricity laws. This is what weve termed Energy Federalism. The Lagos State government recently released a consultation paper on the Lagos State Electricity Policy. The consultation paper, signed by Mr Olalere Odusote, the Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, highlights the need for Lagos State to develop its own electricity policy to address the rapid urbanisation of Lagos State, leading to increasing demand for electricity, and the inherent electricity shortages that have hindered the socio-economic growth of the State. The electricity policy will also focus on reducing environmental pollution from diesel and petrol generators that residents and businesses in Lagos State (and Nigeria) have had to resort to as alternative sources of power to the epileptic and unreliable national grid. The objective of the Lagos State electricity policy is to develop a holistic policy that will provide the legal, engineering and commercial frameworks required by the State to create a viable sub-national electricity sector that is entirely off-the-national-grid but nevertheless caters fully to the needs of its citizens, while enabling significant socio-economic growth and development both for Lagos State and the country at large. The policy paper highlights eight factors for a viable electricity market in Lagos State. These are: (1.) an enabling constitutional and legal framework; (2.) an integrated resource plan; (3.) an autonomous, credible regulatory body; (4.) competitive and transparent procurement of generation resources; (5.) a bankable commercial framework; (6.) an Independent System Operator; (7.) well-funded, well-managed generation, transmission and distribution players; and (8.) collaborative Federal and State Government support for market growth/customer satisfaction. Our analysis will focus in general on these eight factors as enumerated by the consultation paper, as well as provide our ideas on some of the policy intentions of Lagos State, as stated in the consultation paper. An Enabling Constitutional/Legal Framework The consultation paper rightly starts off with interpreting the constitutional provisions for electricity under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and seeking a legal foundation and framework to situate the proposed Lagos electricity policy and the putative Lagos Electricity Market. Many public commentators and even law makers at both the federal and state levels, erroneously believe that electricity is on the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 constitution. This is incorrect. In actual fact, electricity is on the Concurrent Legislative List and the State Houses of Assembly are vested with powers under the Constitution to make laws for electricity business in their states. Unfortunately, the erroneous belief that electricity is on the Exclusive Legislative list, may have guided the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (2005), which is the extant federal law on electricity in Nigeria. The EPRSA is a holistic national law for the regulation and operation of electricity business in Nigeria. It also creates the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), charged with the mandate to regulate the power sector within the provisions of the EPSRA. The consultation paper raises the matter of who is constitutionally responsible for making laws for the electricity distribution business within states. The policy paper argues brilliantly that by virtue of Section 13(b) and Section 14(b) of the Concurrent Legislative list in the 1999 Constitution, the power to make law for electricity distribution is the responsibility of the state Houses of Assembly, not the Federal Government. We concur with the argument put forth by the paper that Lagos State has the constitutional powers to enact laws and policies for the regulation, administration and management of electricity in the State. Given the provisions of sections 13(b), 14(b) and the definition of Transmission and electricity Distribution in section 15 of the Concurrent Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution, it is our view that the sections dealing with electricity distribution to end users in the EPRSA (2005) is a possible breach of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. And this is a fundamental constitutional matter. Many State governments Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and more recently, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Cross Rivers, Kano, and Kaduna, to name a few have built or are building Independent Power Plants (IPP) with the intention to generate, transmit and distribute electricity to end users within their spheres of influence. While the establishment of state owned IPPs have gone without any regulatory hindrances from the Federal Government since the enactment of the EPSRA, no State government has been successful in participating in electricity distribution within its territory, due to the provisions of the EPSRA. At best, these state owned IPPs are operated as captive power generation plants. The privatisation programme created private electricity distribution monopolies with geographical network areas covering multiple states. Some electricity distribution companies (DisCos) cover geographical areas larger than many countries! Interestingly, NERC has attempted to somewhat circumvent the monopoly of DisCos to distribute electricity to end-users within these geographical areas by introducing several regulations, such as the captive generation regulation, embedded generation regulation, eligible customer regulation, franchising regulation, Independent Electricity Distribution Network (IEDN) regulations and the mini-grid regulations. Unfortunately, either by design or chance, these regulations have not yielded their intended objectives to whittle down the monopoly of DisCos and provide more reliable electricity to Nigerians. Those who concede that States Houses of Assembly can make laws for electricity regulation interpret Section 14 (b) to mean that States can only make laws on electricity for areas not covered by a national grid system within the State. However, the Constitution is silent on the definition of a national grid system. From an engineering perspective, Lagos State can be said to be largely covered by a national grid system operated by electricity generating companies (GenCos), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and DisCos. Notwithstanding, it is our view that this position is not a constitutional ground to prevent state governments from enacting laws to regulate the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity to end users within their territories, as well as the creation of viable electricity markets within the States. According to the World Bank, Nigeria has the largest number of people without access to electricity in the world. The LASG electricity policy and proposed electricity law should be viewed as complementary to the electricity reform policies of the Buhari administration, which aims to provide affordable and reliable electricity to millions of Nigerians without access to electricity. Besides, it is a known fact that the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure in many towns and communities covered by the national grid system were actually provided by State and local governments. Perhaps State governments should seek to take back their electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure and cede their equity shareholding in DisCos back to the Federal Government, if their right to enact electricity laws within their territories is not acceptable to the Federal Government or the DisCos. All DisCos, with the exception of Ikeja and Eko DisCos, cover up to four states. The immediate drawback of States developing their own electricity laws to cover distribution would mean that a DisCo covering more than one State would operate under multiple state regulatory jurisdictions. But we cannot blame the drafters of the Constitution for this problem. No one envisaged that the electricity distribution business of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA)/Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) would be privatised into the geographical areas that DisCos have today. State Electricity Grids In Parallel With the National Grid In our opinion, the LASG electricity policy, as envisaged, would drive competition at the last mile, as it would establish state licensed electricity transmission and distribution grid systems, in parallel with the existing national grid system operated by the DisCos and the TCN within Lagos State. The absence of competition at transmission and distribution levels is one of the structural challenges that continue to bedevil the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Without competition from state licensed electricity service providers, the TCN and the DisCos will not deliver on all counts, to the peril of all Nigerians and the Nigerian economy. ADVERTISEMENT The suggestion of having a national grid system operate in parallel with a private transmission and/or distribution network within a State or community is not a new model. As an example, Jos Electricity Distribution Company (Jos DisCo) operates an electricity distribution network in Jos, while the Nigeria Electricity Supply Company (NESCO), a privately owned generation, transmission and distribution company operates a parallel transmission and distribution network in the Bukuru area of Jos (under license from NERC). In Aba, Geometric Power, a private company founded by Professor Barth Nnaji, a former Minister for Power, has established a private transmission and distribution network within the Aba and Ariaria metropolis, in parallel to the national grid system operated by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and the TCN. Many private residential estates within Lagos State are operating private distribution networks, in parallel with the Eko and Ikeja DisCo grid networks. Even the Lagos State government has its own generation, transmission and distribution networks, supplying electricity to government buildings and streetlights in Alausa and Lagos Island. According to the World Bank, Nigeria has the largest number of people without access to electricity in the world. The LASG electricity policy and proposed electricity law should be viewed as complementary to the electricity reform policies of the Buhari administration, which aims to provide affordable and reliable electricity to millions of Nigerians without access to electricity. It is thus gladdening that the LASG electricity policy, as one of its eight key requirements, envisages a robust collaboration framework with the Federal Government and existing market structures and operators in the NESI, to implement the Lagos Electricity Market (LEM). We support the view that LASG should create its own electricity regulatory body. We continue to remain advocates for the decentralisation of electricity regulation in Nigeria and the creation of state electricity regulatory commissions (SERC) to drive further investments across the power sector value chain. Several power experts have suggested that Lagos State should include developing a regional electricity market with neighbouring states as part of its electricity policy. It is our considered opinion that any electricity law underpinning the Lagos State electricity policy should only apply within Lagos State alone. Pending when the Constitution is amended in this regard, Lagos State would be specifically breaching Section 14(b) of the Constitution and the provisions of the EPRSA, should it pass electricity laws that would create a regional electricity market with other states. Proposal For a State Electricity Trader The provision of electricity is as much a social service as it is a business to Lagos State. If LASGs goal is to ensure that all Lagosians, rich and poor, have access to available, affordable and reliable electricity as a social service, it must realise that there are many unserved and underserved communities that will not be viable to both private sector investors and the DisCos. Hence, it would require some form of investment assurance and/or investment incentives from the LASG to ensure that the provision of electricity to these communities are bankable or commercially viable. Our recommendation would be for LASG to establish a private sector led State Electricity Trader or agency that would also participate in the LEM by buying and selling power on a bilateral basis from the different stakeholders licensed under the LEM, and also from the national grid i.e. Eko DisCo, Ikeja DisCo, Egbin GenCo and the TCN. Setting up the LASG electricity trader provides the framework to provide electricity both as a social service to citizens and at same time operated as a viable business. The state electricity trader would also ensure that underserved and unserved communities are able to procure the least-cost power from private project developers licensed under the putative LEM. Establishing the Lagos State Electricity Trader does not require the State committing scarce public resources and guarantees thereto and assuming payment risks of electricity customers. The colossal failure of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) in this regard comes to mind. The Lagos State electricity trader can be structured as a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) framework arrangement where private sector investors, communities, corporate organisations, donor organisations and perhaps individuals, who want to either procure and guarantee the sale and purchase of reliable electricity within certain localities, are empowered under a commercial electricity trading framework with electricity service providers, which is facilitated and managed by the State (bulk) Trader. Establishment of An Independent Systems Operator (ISO) and A TransCo In our opinion, LASG would not require an ISO structure nor the establishment of a state owned transmission company (TransCo). Our view is that the LEM should be designed to facilitate and attract investments into the development of distributed power infrastructure, mini-grids, micro-grids, embedded generation, franchising arrangements with DisCos and establishment of IEDNs, as well as empower the creation of community based electricity co-operatives (CEC). This would allow LASG electricity policy leverage on existing NESI structures and also introduce new players in the LEM. LASG already has a private sector gas pipeline network, which it can leverage on to deliver power generation closer to communities and key target load points that are underserved or unserved, without requiring expensive transmission infrastructure build-outs and systems operations. Another policy suggestion is for LASG electricity laws to legislate on new voltage levels for new transmission and distribution infrastructures within the state that are below and would not conflict with TCNs voltage levels of 132kV and 330kV. For instance, LASG electricity law can introduce the 66kV or 110kV as voltage levels for state approved IPPs and even existing GenCos within Lagos State (e.g. Egbin GenCo) to utilise in wheeling power to end users in Lagos State. We expect there would be legal challenges from existing stakeholders in the NESI, specifically the DisCos, GenCos, TCN and perhaps the Federal Government and the National Assembly. The legal challenges to the policy are imminent, particularly as several provisions of the proposed electricity policy are in conflict with the EPRSA. There may be a need for LASG to have new voltage levels for its IPPs, but we do not support the assumption that LASG would require setting up its own TransCo to achieve this goal. Rather than create a State Transco, our view is that LASG should legislate right of ways (RoW) and license investors to establish parallel off-grid transmission and distribution infrastructure/corridors along these RoWs that are independent and not connected to the existing national grid network operated by Eko DisCo, Ikeja DisCo and TCN in Lagos State. In our opinion, Lagosians should have the option to connect to the existing DisCo network or connect to these independent state licensed private electricity off-grid networks on a willing-buyer, willing seller basis. In other words, the key objective of LASG policy should be to create a competitive electricity market that would democratise electricity access within Lagos State, by providing end user customers with the commercial freedom and option to choose their last mile electricity service providers, regardless of the coverage of a national grid system. If end users in the telecommunication sector are able to choose their telecoms service provider with ease by porting, same reasoning and regulations should apply in the electricity sector. In other words, electricity customers should be able to port their electricity service providers. We expect that both the Lagos SERC and the NERC would agree on the framework modalities for end users to switch their electricity service providers. Of course, Lagosians and businesses would be looking at network availability and reliability offered by both the DisCo and the state licensed off-grid service providers to make their connection decisions. Availability and reliability of electricity are not the only key drivers to the LEM. Competitive tariffs across the value chain are a big consideration to end-users as well. Thus the LASG electricity policy and the proposed electricity law should develop a putative LEM that would focus on competitive tariffs (NOT cost reflective, or service reflective tariffs) to end-users. The licensing/approval process, existence of state backed monopolies in the LEM, absence of competitive and transparent procurement and contracting processes, multiplicity of taxes and fees, autonomy of the proposed LASG electricity regulator, investment incentives by LASG to investors and overregulation (rather than de-regulation), are key concerns and risks that investors and other stakeholders keenly eager to participate in the putative LEM, would look out for. Lagos State already has a reputation for multiple taxes and fees through its various agencies and tax authorities. The new electricity policy must thus ensure that the LASG electricity law will not create multiple licensing or approving agencies, requiring multiple taxes and fees for participants and end-user customers. Legal Challenges Expected We expect there would be legal challenges from existing stakeholders in the NESI, specifically the DisCos, GenCos, TCN and perhaps the Federal Government and the National Assembly. The legal challenges to the policy are imminent, particularly as several provisions of the proposed electricity policy are in conflict with the EPRSA. Thus, Lagos State and indeed other States pushing for their electricity laws should brace up for the legal challenges ahead. However, any successful legal challenge to States being able to make laws for electricity generation, transmission and distribution within their territories would only be a pyrrhic victory, as the times have shown that this is the trajectory the Nigerian power sector is headed. With the clamour for true federalism, devolution of (constitutional) power and on-going legislative processes to amend the 1999 Constitution, the decentralisation of electricity regulations and electricity supply to end-users is an inevitability that is already happening and cannot be stopped. It can either be allowed to happen lawfully by permitting state governments to make laws and regulations for electricity within their states, or it can continue to happen in a lawless manner where the provisions of the EPRSA and the regulatory powers of NERC are being disregarded. Nonetheless, considering the present state of the NESI, it would be rather dumbfounding if the Federal Government and the NERC should oppose or challenge the constitutional powers of Lagos and other States to initiate their own electricity laws that would see sub-national governments take charge of the electricity sector within their states, particularly underserved and unserved areas not covered by the national grid system. Regardless, existing DisCos and Gencos operating under the national grid, are and will remain key players in the putative LEM, thus all parties should collaborate in a constructive manner to achieve the objectives envisaged in Sections 13 and 14 of the Concurrent Legislative List in the1999 Constitution, as well as the overriding objectives of the power sector reforms of the Buhari administration. Conclusion The business of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in our federation is not, and should not be solely vested in the Federal Government. Lagos State, being the undisputed economic hub and foremost centre of commerce in Nigeria, bears the brunt of the poor and parlous state of the power sector under the control and administration of the Federal Government. In our opinion, the LASG is on the right track with the proposed electricity policy and we applaud the State government for this pioneering effort to decentralise and democratise the supply of electricity to Lagosians. Other States should emulate the LASG electricity policy and start to fashion out their own electricity policies and state electricity laws. This is what weve termed Energy Federalism. In our view, the proposed LASG electricity policy is designed to be complementary, and not adversarial to existing legal and regulatory structures set up under the EPRSA. However, to reduce potential areas of conflict with the Federal Government, the LASG should avoid enacting an electricity law that may seek to also regulate a national grid operator such as the DisCos, GenCos and TCN, who are already regulated by NERC. Our analysis of the Lagos State electricity policy is also applicable to the Edo State electricity policy document. Odion Omonfoman is an energy expert and the CEO of New Hampshire Capital Ltd. He can be reached on orionomon@outlook.com ADVERTISEMENT The Yobe State Government says it has approved the sponsorship of 32 students to Al Azhar University, Cairo to study Quran and Arabic Language. The Executive Secretary of the state Arabic and Islamic Education Board, Muhammad Gujba, made this known on Monday while briefing journalists in Damaturu. Mr Gujba, represented by an official at the board, Umar Muhammad, said the sponsorship was part of the present administrations effort to improve the quality of education in the state. The present administration, led by Governor Mai Mala Buni, has variety of programmes aimed at promoting the system of education by impacting sound knowledge among the students, he said. He said the students were selected from across the local government councils of the state. Mr Gujba appealed to the students to be good ambassadors of the state and the country and to reciprocate the gesture by concentrating on their studies. Umar Abubakar, a representative of Yobe State Students in Cairo, thanked the governor for giving them the privilege to further their education abroad. Mr Abubakar also called on the students to be good ambassadors of the state. The beneficiaries and their families lauded the governor and the state government for the magnanimity, pledging their utmost loyalty and patriotism during their programme. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had sponsored 233 students to study in Indian educational institutions in February. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Oyeronke Blessing Otunla, a graduate of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), has been found dead with signs of being raped. A member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State, Olajide Olatunbosun, who broke the news on social media, said Miss Otunlas body was found in the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday. He described the death of the woman as tragic and heartbreaking, adding that she was from his constituency in Oyo state. I feel a deep sense of loss that a promising young lady will be so gruesomely murdered. I commiserate with her immediate family, her friends, colleagues and all the people of my constituency. For this matter to be investigated and justice served, Ill bring a motion at the next Plenary of the House, the lawmaker wrote. Otunla Oyeronke a young lady from my constituency and a graduate of UNIABUJA was brutally raped, murdered and her body was found inside a gutter at Iddo Sarki in the FCT. Hon. Olajide Olatubosun, FCA (@Jide_Olatubosun) May 23, 2021 However, the FCT Police Command, through a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mariam Yusuf, has condemned the murder of Miss Otula. Ms Yusuf said the Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the unfortunate incident. She said the police had launched a manhunt for the perpetrators while commiserating with the family of the deceased. The Command implores residents to report all suspicious movements, emergency or distress, through these numbers: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653,08028940883, and to report the conduct of Police Officers, call the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) number :09022222352, she stated. We are excited to once again serve our guests from the U.S., and we express our deep gratitude to all national, state and local officials who have worked collaboratively with us, the CDC and our entire industry to make this possible, said Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald. It is great news for cruising, for travelers ready to again explore the world and for all the communities in Alaska that depend on cruising and have suffered great hardships over the past year. ADVERTISEMENT The Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Arzika Tureta, has died at the age of 62 after a protracted illness. The Ministrys Public Relations Officer, Muktar Dodo-Iya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto, that Mr Tureta passed on in the early hours of Monday at the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUS), leaving behind two wives and seven children. He said Mr Tureta once represented Tureta local government area in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, before becoming a federal lawmaker representing Bodinga/DangeShuni/Tureta Federal Constituency. ALSO READ: Bandits kill 14 in Sokoto attacks He also served as commissioner during former Governor Aliyu Wamakkos administration for eight years and was later reappointed by Governor Aminu Tambuwal for an additional six years. His burial has been scheduled for his hometown of Tureta, NAN reports. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT A coconut refining factory in Akwa Ibom State will create 1,300 direct jobs when completed in September, the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, has said. Also, more than 3,000 people would be employed indirectly by the factory, according to Mr Emmanuel. The governor disclosed this on Friday while inspecting the St. Gabriel Coconut Factory in Mkpat Enin. The factory is owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government. He expressed satisfaction with the project and said it would help in technology transfer to people in the state and also help to boost the state economy. Mr Emmanuel, according to a Government House statement, blamed the delay in the completion of the project on the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. He, however, called on youths of the area to support the governments industrialisation programmes and protect the facility from being vandalised by hoodlums. If you check some of these units, there is a combination of Asian and European technology. We still need those Indians because a lot of them will take up training our locals and they will also take part in technology transfer to our locals. So our prayer is that the (COVID-19) situation in Indian improves so they can be allowed to travel and interact with other people. We should be able to troubleshoot certain things, for example once we are not processing coconut, we should also have a production line that can process palm kernel oil without changing a pan because we are very rich in palm kernels in this region, Mr Emmanuel said. ALSO READ: Agriculture proves to be pathway to sustainable development of Akwa Ibom Meanwhile, the projects consultant of the project, Francis Uwah, who conducted the governor round different units in the factory said the by-products from the factory like oil will be further repackaged and sold in shops and supermarkets. He said other companies will be attracted to handle the packaging. The factory has the capacity of processing 300,000 coconuts per shift which will produce 66 tons in a day from the three shifts, said Ganze Aydingenc, an architect with VKS Company which is handling the construction of the factory. Akwa Ibom, like several other states in Nigeria, is grappling with a high rate of unemployment. ADVERTISEMENT Three persons on a motorcycle were crushed to death on Sunday night by a truck around Ago Oko in Abeokuta. Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Spokesman, Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Mr Akinbiyi explained that the accident occurred at 8 p.m. The TRACE spokesman stated that the rider of the motorcycle was trying to overtake the truck from the right, saying that in the process, it collided with another speeding motorcycle which threw them under the truck. We gathered from eyewitness that the motorcycle was trying to overtake a Dangote truck from the right, unfortunately another speeding bike collided with the victims bike from the rear throwing them underneath moving truck on the fast lane,. The three of them on the motorcycle were crushed to death in the process. A phone retrieved at scene was used to connect the relations of the deceased and the corpses were taken away by their family, he said. Mr Akinbiyi, however, said the truck was still at the accident scene, saying that hoodlums used the opportunity to loot the truck after chasing away police and TRACE officials from the scene. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State says it has shifted primaries for its councillorship aspirants to May 28. This is to enable the party to conclude screening of candidates ahead of the July 24 local government elections. The PDP Chairman in Lagos, Adedeji Doherty, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos in Monday that the primaries, earlier scheduled for May 25, would now hold three days later. We have moved it a bit forward. Most likely it is going to happen on Thursday or Friday. We have opted to move it forward because we have quite a lot of responses in the aspirants for the councillorship seats. We didnt think we were going to have that many aspirants, but we have quite a lot. So, our screening procedure has been extended, Mr Doherty said. On the chairmanship primaries earlier slated for May 28, the PDP boss said that party was still looking at it. He added that the party would field candidates in all the chairmanship and councillorship seats across the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state. ALSO READ: PDP wins Oyo LG election by landslide NAN reports that Lagos PDP had fixed May 25 forward congresses/councillorship primaries, while appeals arising from the congresses would be heard on May 26. May 28 has been scheduled for local government congresses/chairmanship primaries, while appeals arising from the congresses would be heard on May 29, before the submission of names of PDP candidates to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) on May 31. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Students of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) on Monday stormed the streets of Abeokuta, Ogun State, to demand the rescue of their colleague kidnapped by gunmen. PREMIUM TIMES reported how a 400-level student of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management of the institution, Nathaniel Olayinka, was kidnapped in a private farm in Abule Itoko, Odeda Local Government Area around 8 a.m on Saturday. The incident was confirmed in a statement issued by the Head, Directorate of Public Relations of FUNAAB, Kola Adepoju, on Sunday. Mr Adepoju said the institutions management had reported the case at the state police headquarters while working with the command to ensure the safety and release of the kidnapped student. Two other persons were also reportedly kidnapped alongside the student. The kidnappers had already established contact with the wife of one of the victims, demanding N50 million ransom from each of their victims. Not pleased with the development, FUNAAB students stormed the streets, asking authorities to act. They were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as Na book I come read, no be ransom I come pay, Free our student, Free Nathaniel Olayinka, Free Funaabite, Kidnappers should fight Buhari, not students, among others. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, was contacted, he said that he was not yet aware of the incident. Kidnapping for ransom has been the order of the day in most parts of Nigeria. PREMIUM TIMES earlier today reported that at least 77 people were killed and 29 abducted in violent attacks across Nigeria last week. ADVERTISEMENT An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area chairmanship seat, has stepped down citing party supremacy. Wuraola Agbajeola-Owolabi, Founder, Touch of Love and Lifting Hands Foundation, had obtained nomination and expression of interest forms for the July 24 council poll out of her desire to better the plights of the vulnerable people in the area. But in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos, the female aspirant announced her withdrawal from the race, citing respect for party supremacy. Mrs Agbajeola-Owolabi, whose race for the Ifako-Ijaye council chairmanship seat was already was gathering massive momentum, however, thanked her teeming supporters. We brought renewed energy and vision as a reference to the political class. However, for well-meaning political considerations, the need to maintain and instill discipline within the party, and following due consultation with my supporters and stakeholders in Ifako-Ijaiye, I hereby wish to redefine my approach to this position. I will be stepping down from the chairmanship race of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government for mutually benefitting reason for all of us. My decision to step down is borne out of respect for party supremacy and leadership, she said. The aspirant expressed appreciation to the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu, for his confidence in her and his assurance to women of fair play in the theatre of politics. She equally thanked all supporters and party leaders including the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, and the state party chairman, Tunde Balogun, for their support and counsel. According to her, she has been able to inspire and connect with the people who hitherto had no interest in party politics within the short period of her entry into the chairmanship race. She added: Our message of hope and a future assured resonated with them. Using technology, our campaign post insights today has reached 113,993 people virtually and 23,937 more engaged with us. We intend to make good use of this privilege for the greater good of our great party. The plights and the despairs of our people are the reasons why I choose to contest and resonate with the people through our vision for a better life for all irrespective of economic class, political affiliation, gender or other affiliate they belong to. Mrs Agbajeola-Owolabi said that while she stepped down, she would continue to serve the party diligently, selflessly and her loyalty to the party would even remain stronger. She directed her campaign team, Wuraola Atinuke Agbajeola-Owolabi (WAAO), to deploy personnel and resources at its disposal to support the emerging chairmanship candidate of the party in the council. (NAN) The 2021 CYO Track and Field Championship Meet was held at Divine Child on Friday, June 4. It marked the first time that Divine Child served as host for the event. ASIF420 Cannabis Ventures is pleased to announce that its subsidiary WeGROW Lesotho has entered into the final construction phase of its 17,000 sqm medical grade cannabis cultivation facility in Lesotho, South Africa. BERLIN, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ASIF420 Ltd. ("ASIF420" or the "Company"), announced it's in the final stages of constructing the biggest (17,000 sqm) and most modern (powered by Israeli agro-tech innovation) cultivation center in Lesotho: 'WeGROW Lesotho', which is fully built to comply with EU's good manufacturing practice standards (GMP), which will allow the company to export medical grade cannabis flower, oil and extracts as an active pharmaceutical ingredient to European markets by the end of this year. The medical cannabis market in Germany is estimated to be a $4B Euros market size (as of 2020) and WeGROW is uniquely positioned to capitalize by cultivating high quality strains at affordable prices for European patients as early as the end of 2021. Located 1,600m above sea level in the mountain region just outside the capital Maseru, WeGROW currently employs over 100 people on its 17,000 sqm cultivation facility in a unique hybrid greenhouse environment, but it has plans to increase its workforce to over 500 by 2025. Mr. Tal Arbeli, CEO of ASIF420 stated: "As an international licensed cultivator and exporting manufacturer of medical grade cannabis products, WeGROW has built a state-of-the-art medical cannabis factory that will provide hope to hundreds of thousands of patients around the globe. we have great confidence that due to its patient-oriented vision focused on high quality products in an affordable price 'WeGROW Lesotho' is on the path to become a leader in the emerging global medical cannabis industry" About WeGROW: WeGROW is a promising, vertically-integrated cannabis company that cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, oils, and concentrates. Halo continues to evolve its business and scale efficiently, partnering with trustworthy leaders in the industry, who value the Company's operational expertise in bringing top-tier products at the most competitive prices. Current growth includes expansion in key EU markets, the United Kingdom and Middle East, with planned expansion into the German retail market. WeGROW is led by a strong, diverse, and innovative management team with deep industry knowledge and proven track record with cannabis experience. WeGROW operates in accordance with strict GAP, GACP and EU-GMP Principles for cultivation, extraction and the processing of cannabis for the medicinal and pharmaceutical markets. About the Facility: WeGROW has both its cultivation and state-of-the-art processing facilities based 1,600 meters above sea-level in the mountains of Lesotho, where clean air and pristine environment ensure the growth of high-quality plants. The greenhouse is built to harness the power of the sun and improve the quality of the cannabis flower. The unique greenhouse design utilizes the power of the sun to increase terpenes and resin development throughout the life cycle of the plant. This unique growing technique, paired with innovative processing techniques, allows for a finely cured and polished product that consumers across Canada enjoy. Overview Capacity Scaled Facility Total of 60,000 sqm. facility Stage A Cultivation 17,000 sqm. of cultivation space Expected end of 2021 Stage B Cultivation 30,000 sqm. of cultivation space Expected end of 2023 Hybrid Facility Indoor sealed cultivation with greenhouse roof Advanced Processing Proprietary whole-plant dry and hand-trim finish Automated Packaging Packaged to high quality visual specification Genetics Practice Israeli Science Institute operates with 'WeGROW' Contacts: General Information: Info@asif420.com PR & Marketing: pr@asif420.com Website: https://www.wegrowls.com https://www.asif420.com SOURCE ASIF420 "We believe this farm-in transaction reflects confidence in the prospective resource potential of the Kaieteur Block and augurs well for the continuing exploration of the area," said Westmount executive chairman Gerard Walsh ( ) noted that Hess Corporation has increased its interest in the Kaieteur Block, offshore Guyana, to 20% from 15%. Hess has acquired its additional working interest (WI) from Cataleya Energy. It follows the drilling of the Tanager-1 well back in November when it made a discovery, deemed as non-commercial on a standalone basis. London-listed Westmounts interest in the project is indirect, via shareholdings in minority partners Catelya and Ratio Petroleum (5.3% and 0.04% respectively). "We are very encouraged to see Hess, one of the Stabroek Block partners and a leading player in the Guyana-Suriname Basin, increase its WI in the Kaieteur Block on the back of the 2020 Tanager-1 oil discovery, said Gerard Walsh, Westmount executive chairman. "This move is consistent with the Stabroek partners' assessment that the total basin potential of the Guyana-Suriname Basin is now more than twice the discovered resource to date - indicating a potential yet-to-find resource in excess of 10bn oil-equivalent barrels across the basin. It is also consistent with the view that considerable hydrocarbon resource potential may be present in the newly emerging deeper plays, such as the Lower Campanian/Upper Santonian play, where the 3D seismic data suggests that the channel systems are at least as extensive in area as they are in the shallower Maastrichtian/Upper Campanian Liza play fairway." "We believe this farm-in transaction reflects confidence in the prospective resource potential of the Kaieteur Block and augurs well for the continuing exploration of the area." The Stabroek block is presently host to 18 discoveries, hosting some 9bn barrels oil-equivalent resources. Catelya Energy retains a 20% interest in the Kaieteur Block, whilst Ratio holds 25%. ExxonMobil, via Esso Exploration, is the blocks operator with a 35% stake. HYDERABAD, India, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Balaxi Pharmaceuticals Limited (Balaxi), a branded IPR-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Hyderabad, reported its results for the quarter and year ended 31st March 2021. Financial Highlights - Q4 & FY21: Particulars (INR mn) Q4FY21 Q3FY21 FY21 Revenue 530 660 2,313 Gross Profit 151 165 592 EBITDA 100 119 424 EBITDA Margin % 18.9% 18.0% 18.3% PAT 84 110 381 PAT Margin % 15.8% 16.6% 16.5% The Company recorded a revenue of INR 530 million for Q4F21, the drop in revenue in the fourth quarter is normal as China is shut down for most of the quarter due to the Chinese New Year holiday. is shut down for most of the quarter due to the Chinese New Year holiday. EBITDA of INR 100 million for Q4FY21; EBITDA margin stood at 18.9%. Reported PAT of INR 84 million for Q4FY21. Revenue Mix: Segment Q4FY21 Q3FY21 FY21 Pharmaceuticals 58% 53% 59% Ancillary 24% 34% 28% Branded Consumer Products 18% 13% 13% Gross Profit Breakup Segment Q4FY21 Q3FY21 FY21 Pharmaceuticals 72% 67% 73% Ancillary 16% 23% 18% Branded Consumer Products 12% 10% 9% For Q4FY21, Pharmaceutical business segment contributed 58% of the consolidated revenues and 72% of the total gross profit. Share of Pharmaceuticals business in Total revenue increased on account of higher contribution from Guatemala and Dominican Republic . On gross profits front as well the Pharmaceutical segment contribution increased by 500bps Q-o-Q. and . On gross profits front as well the Pharmaceutical segment contribution increased by 500bps Q-o-Q. Ancillary business contributed 24% to the revenue in Q4FY21 and 28% in FY21. Share of YAP branded consumer products revenue increased from 13% in Q3FY21 to 18% in Q4FY21. Biscuits continues to remain a major contributor in this segment, contributing more than 90% of Revenue from this segment. Update on Pharmaceutical Product Registrations/Import Permits: Particulars Angola Guatemala Dominican Republic Honduras El Salvador Central African Republic Nicaragua Existing Product Registrations 289 83 136 24 20 - - Product Registrations in Pipeline - 115 52 120 120 175 90 Commenting on the performance, Mr. Ashish Maheshwari, Chairman and Managing Director said, "Balaxi set its footprints into the newer geography of Nicaragua, with registration pipeline of 90 products which reflects the company's 'Land and Expand' strategy. As on date Balaxi has 552 pharmaceutical product registrations/import permits, spanning across 5 countries, and has a pipeline of 672 product registrations spanning across 6 countries. Balaxi saw an increase in the share of pharmaceutical business from Guatemala and Dominican Republic, showcasing that the newer geographies have started contributing in the company's overall pharmaceutical segment. The company remains confident about achieving its long-term growth aspiration and looks forward to expanding in additional geographies. Balaxi aims to expand in 20 frontier markets over the next 5 years." Pharmaceutical Business Overview: Geographical Mix % Q4FY21 Q3FY21 FY21 Angola 72% 81% 77% Guatemala 9% 6% 7% Dominican Republic 19% 14% 16% The Company generated 72% of the pharmaceutical revenue from Angola followed Dominican Republic and Guatemala in Q4FY21. followed and in Q4FY21. The share of Guatemala and Dominican Republic increased during the quarter, which would help the company in further strengthening its geographical mix. and increased during the quarter, which would help the company in further strengthening its geographical mix. The product split between Branded & Generics is at 25:75 in FY21. Balaxi is focused on growing share of branded generics in its overall pharma sales. Other Highlights: Balaxi Global DMCC, Dubai (BGD) the wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company has acquired 100% shares of Balaxi Healthcare Honduras (BHH). (BGD) the wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company has acquired 100% shares of Balaxi Healthcare Honduras (BHH). Mozambique Subsidiary : Angola model is being replicated in this subsidiary (also an erstwhile Portuguese colony). Would commence the business with consumer products in the coming quarter, whereas pharmaceutical business will commence in the latter part of the year. : model is being replicated in this subsidiary (also an erstwhile Portuguese colony). Would commence the business with consumer products in the coming quarter, whereas pharmaceutical business will commence in the latter part of the year. The Company as per its strategy continues to remain debt free as on FY21. About Balaxi Pharmaceuticals Limited: Balaxi Pharmaceuticals Ltd is a branded IPR-based pharmaceutical player focusing on frontier markets, with a vast and growing portfolio of prescription and OTC drugs, across multiple therapeutic segments. The Company is engaged in supplying branded and generic medicines through its well-built distribution network across Angola, Guatemala and Dominican Republic. These products are procured from WHO GMP certified contract manufacturers based in India, China and Portugal. Balaxi is present in Ancillary business and building a Branded Consumer Products business which complements pharmaceutical business and provides operating leverage on the back of well-established on-ground infrastructure and channel relationships. Forward-Looking Statement: Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties like regulatory changes, local political or economic developments, technological risks, and many other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statements. Balaxi Pharmaceuticals Limited will not be in any way responsible for any action taken based on such statements and undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. SOURCE Balaxi Pharmaceuticals Limited Q1 2021 Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue of $31.4 million, an increase of 26% over Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Adjusted EBITDA of $5.9 million, representing an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 19% Reiterated FY2021 guidance for Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue of $170-180 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $40-50 million The Company's existing licensed projects at maturity represent a long-term revenue and EBITDA opportunity upwards of $650 million and $250 million, respectively Conference call to be held today, May 24, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET PHOENIX, Ariz., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - 4Front Ventures Corp. (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) ("4Front" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021. All financial information is presented in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. First Quarter 2021 ("Q1 2021") Financial Results Highlights Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue was $31.4 million GAAP-reported revenue was $23.0 million Adjusted EBITDA was $5.9 million Operational Highlights Strong performance in sales and product adoption across retail locations, exceeding all internal projections; positive momentum continues in Q2 California Company's state-of-the-art 170,000 square foot production facility in Commerce, California is on track for planned Q2 2021 opening is on track for planned Q2 2021 opening Certificate of Occupancy anticipated in the next ten days Signed distribution agreement with Nabis, a leading wholesale cannabis distributor to more than 750 stores in California Massachusetts The Company received its Certificate of Occupancy and approval to operate from the Town of Brookline for its third adult-use dispensary in Massachusetts for its third adult-use dispensary in Grand opening in June 2021 pending final approval from the Cannabis Control Commission pending final approval from the Cannabis Control Commission Illinois Secured land and funding for new cultivation and production facility in Illinois ; groundbreaking scheduled to occur in Q3 2021 Management Commentary "Our strategy of replicating low-cost production methods in new markets began to take shape and grow at scale in Massachusetts, Illinois and California in our first quarter, extending the momentum we created in 2020," said Leo Gontmakher, Chief Executive Officer of 4Front. "Utilizing the cultivation and production techniques developed for our facilities in Washington, we have increased the yields and quality of our products produced in both Illinois and Massachusetts, which has enabled us to supply our adult use dispensaries to meet the ever-increasing demand in those markets. As production increases, we plan to begin selling excess product into the wholesale market as well." Mr. Gontmakher added, "Continued positive momentum following the initiation of adult use sales in late 2020 in both Georgetown and Worcester, Massachusetts, along with an exceptionally strong launch of our Calumet City, Illinois dispensary in December, contributed to our robust sequential Q1 sales increases and exceeded all internal expectations. Looking ahead, with the completion and opening of our manufacturing facility in Commerce, California just a few weeks out, we expect to be in the market imminently with our suite of high-quality, branded products. As the largest legal cannabis market in the world, California offers a unique opportunity to build efficient operations and create incredible products that are replicable across our nationwide footprint." Mr. Gontmakher concluded, "With revenue-generating operations now in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington, we are poised to further scale the business according to our expansion strategy for 2021. We continue to track towards our stated financial guidance for the year, anticipating $170-$180 million in Pro Forma Systemwide Revenue and $40-$50 million in Adjusted EBITDA." Business Updates and Developments Systemwide pro forma revenue increased 26% to $31.4 million in Q1 2021, compared to $25.0 million in Q4 2020. Retail sales and product adoption exceeded internal expectations. This increase was primarily due to higher sales from the two Massachusetts dispensaries following the start of adult use sales in the second half of 2020, and a very strong launch from the Calumet City dispensary that opened in December 2020. Q1 2021 Adjusted EBITDA was $5.9 million, steady with Q4 2020 representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 19%. EBITDA margin in the quarter was negatively impacted by the ramp up of the Company's expanded grow facility in Illinois. While the tripling of the Company's Illinois cultivation facility's flowering canopy was completed on time and under budget, the first harvest from the expanded facility was not completed until April, leading to a one-time, higher than expected average cost per gram for manufactured products in Q1 2021. Through the first month of Q2, 4Front has more than tripled its Illinois harvest output and expects a meaningful rebound in margins in Q2. The Company's fully-funded, state-of-the-art 170,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Commerce, California is nearing completion and remains on track to be ready to serve the California cannabis market beginning in Q2 2021. The Company's first suite of products will include edibles, tinctures, capsules and infused pre-rolls, including Marmas, Pebbles, Chewees, Hi-Burst, Verdure and Terp Stix. The Company has signed a distribution agreement with Nabis, a leading distributor of cannabis products. Nabis distributes brands to more than 750 dispensaries in California, covering 99% of licensed retailers in the state. Construction of the Company's third Massachusetts Mission Dispensary in Brookline is complete. The Company also announced that it has cleared all municipal processes with the City of Brookline including receiving its Certificate of Occupancy. Pending final approval from the Cannabis Control Commission, the grand opening is slated for June 2021. In Illinois, the recently announced development of our new cultivation and production facility continues as scheduled with construction beginning in Q3 2021. The first phase, a 258,000 square foot building with 65,000 square feet of flowering canopy and approximately 70,000 square feet of manufacturing space is on track to break ground in Q3 2021. Conference Call The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Monday, May 24, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET to review its operational and financial results and provide an update on current business trends. To join the call, dial 1-877-407-0792 toll free from the United States or Canada or 1-201-689-8263 if dialing from outside those countries. The webcast can be accessed at this link . The call will be available for replay until Monday, May 31, 2021. To access the telephone replay, dial 1-844-512-2921 toll free from the United States and Canada, or 1-412-317-6671 if dialing from outside those countries, and use this replay pin number: 13719936. About 4Front Ventures Corp. 4Front (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) is a national multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, with a market advantage in mass-produced, low-cost quality branded cannabis products. 4Front manufactures and distributes a portfolio of over 21 cannabis brands including Marmas, Crystal Clear, Funky Monkey, Pebbles, and the Pure Ratios wellness collection, distributed through retail outlets and their chain of strategically positioned Mission branded dispensaries. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, 4Front has operations in Illinois, Massachusetts, California, Michigan, and Washington state. From plant genetics to the cannabis retail experience, 4Front's team applies expertise across the entire cannabis value chain. For more information, visit www.4frontventures.com . Financial Statements 4FRONT VENTURES CORP. Formerly 4Front Holdings, LLC Consolidated Balance Sheets As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 March 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 ASSETS Current assets: Cash $ 17,806 $ 18,932 Accounts receivable 390 437 Other receivables 195 1,341 Current portion of lease receivables 3,495 3,450 Inventory 18,971 18,037 Current portion of notes receivable 292 264 Prepaid expenses 3,105 2,275 Total current assets 44,254 44,736 Property and equipment, net 39,542 33,618 Notes receivable and accrued interest 91 Lease receivables 7,486 7,595 Intangible assets, net 28,207 28,790 Goodwill 23,155 23,155 Right-of-use assets 61,593 62,466 Deposits 4,685 4,305 TOTAL ASSETS $ 208,922 $ 204,756 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY LIABILITIES Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 6,576 $ 4,722 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 8,213 6,427 Taxes payable 13,308 11,502 Derivative liability 8,339 5,807 Current portion of convertible notes 2,160 1,652 Current portion of lease liability 1,795 1,909 Current portion of contingent consideration payable 2,393 Current portion of notes payable and accrued interest 3,852 3,372 Total current liabilities 44,243 37,784 Convertible notes 11,466 14,722 Notes payable and accrued interest from related party 45,704 45,362 Long term notes payable 1,838 1,907 Long term accounts payable 1,600 1,600 Contingent consideration payable 3,212 3,103 Deferred tax liability 7,162 6,530 Lease liability 51,334 51,545 TOTAL LIABILITIES 166,559 162,553 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY) Equity attributable to 4Front Ventures Corp. 259,431 250,583 Additional paid-in capital 44,512 42,116 Deficit (261,637) (250,548) Total 4Front Ventures Corp. shareholders' equity 42,306 42,151 Non-controlling interest 57 52 TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 42,363 42,203 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 208,922 $ 204,756 4FRONT VENTURES CORP. Formerly 4Front Holdings, LLC Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020 Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2020 REVENUE Revenue from sale of goods $ 20,080 $ 9,755 Real estate income 2,890 2,897 Total revenues 22,970 12,652 Cost of goods sold, sale of grown and manufactured products (5,335) (2,815) Cost of goods sold, sale of purchased products (3,790) (1,834) Gross profit 13,845 8,003 OPERATING EXPENSES Selling and marketing expenses 5,157 6,816 General and administrative expenses 5,165 5,108 Equity based compensation 2,396 1,227 Depreciation and amortization 774 913 Accretion (37) Total operating expenses 13,492 14,027 Income (Loss) from operations 353 (6,024) Other income (expense) Interest income 3 56 Interest expense (2,461) (2,136) Amortization of loan discount upon conversion of debt to equity (2,915) Change in fair value of derivative liability (2,532) Loss on lease termination (879) Total other income (expense) (8,784) (2,080) Net loss before income taxes (8,431) (8,104) Income tax expense (2,653) (550) Net loss from continuing operations, net of taxes (11,084) (8,654) Net income from discontinued operations, net of taxes 872 Net loss (11,084) (7,782) Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest 5 12 Net loss attributable to shareholders $ (11,089) $ (7,794) Basic and diluted loss per share $ (0.02) $ (0.01) Weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic and diluted 558,997,571 531,521,620 Note Regarding Non-GAAP Measures, Reconciliation, and Discussion In this press release, 4Front refers to certain non-GAAP financial measures such as Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. 4Front defines Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue as total revenue plus revenue from entities with which the Company has a management contract, or effectively similar relationship (net of any management fee or effectively similar revenue) but does not consolidate the financial results of per U.S. GAAP ASC 810. 4Front considers this measure to be an appropriate indicator of the growth and scope of the business. Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization less share-based compensation expense and one-time charges related to acquisition, financing related costs and other non-recurring expenses. 4Front considers these measures to be an important indicator of the financial strength and performance of our business. This news release was prepared by management of 4Front Ventures, which takes full responsibility for its contents. The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue Reconciliation Revenue (GAAP) $22,970 Less: Real Estate Income 2,890 Plus: Systemwide Revenue Adjustment 11,322 Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue (non-GAAP) $31,402 Forward Looking Statements Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in 4Front Ventures' periodic filings with securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements related to future developments and the business and operations of 4Front Ventures, statements regarding when or if transactions will close or if/when required conditions to closing are attained, the impact of the transactions on the business of 4Front and other statements regarding future developments of the business. Although 4Front Ventures has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on satisfying closing conditions, [obtaining regulatory approvals]; and engagement in activities currently considered illegal under U.S. federal laws; change in laws; limited operating history; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. 4Front Ventures disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and 4Front Ventures does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein. SOURCE 4Front Related Links https://4frontventures.com MANILA, Philippines, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer advocacy groups in the Asia-Pacific region under the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) are joining the celebration of World Vape Day on May 30, with a call on the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments around the world to provide smokers with a better choice and spare them from almost 50-percent mortality rate linked to smoking. Join the celebration of World Vape Day on May 30. "The World Vape Day is a celebration of personal stories of smokers who have found a humane way out of smoking, thanks to the advent of innovative smoke-free products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and Swedish snus," said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of the CAPHRA. This year's World Vape Day highlights smoke-free products as "the better choice" to combustible cigarettes which are linked to more than 8 million premature deaths each year among 1.1 billion smokers globally. "We celebrate World Vape Day because it symbolizes hope for millions of smokers in Asia-Pacific and around the world who now have an access to innovative nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products that were not available in the previous decades," said Loucas. "Vaping is the safer choice based on our experience and on the numerous independent studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Along with heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes are considered a part of tobacco harm reductiona public health strategy which aims to provide alternatives to reduce risks caused by smoking cigarettes," she said. Loucas said these smoke-free nicotine products provide countries an opportunity to end the global problem of smoking. "We have an opportunity to save millions of lives by making the switch to better alternatives. It is also a reminder to governments and health authorities that smokers should be given the freedom of choice for their health and for their future," she said. Asa Saligupta, representative of Ends Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST), said that while World Vape Day is being celebrated in many countries, some nations like Thailand still prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and HTPs. "In several Asian countries, vapers continue to face imprisonment and fines for making the switch to e-cigarettes which were found to be at least 95-percent less harmful than traditional cigarettes. It is a violation of consumer rights for safer alternative products and accurate information about e-cigarettes," he said. "But we remain hopeful that authorities will listen to science and give tobacco harm reduction a chance to make a difference in the lives of smokers who represent a fifth of the population in Thailand," he said. Saligupta noted that Public Health England, in its 2018 independent evidence review, concluded that "e-cigarettes are around 95-percent safer than combustible cigarettes." Peter Paul Dator, president of Vapers Philippines, said more than 50 million smokers around the world have already switched to vaping, which means they have significantly reduced their exposure to toxins and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke. "This is because unlike cigarettes, vapor products and HTPs do not burn organic matter at very high temperatures and therefore do not produce toxic fumes. I believe that vaping can achieve what existing tobacco control policies failed to accomplish in many yearsend smoking," Dator said. Dator pointed to the dismal smoking cessation rate of 4 percent in the Philippines which he said reflects the ineffectiveness of existing smoking cessation strategies such as the 'quit-or-die' approach. "Smoke-free products can help 16 million Filipino smokers quit smoking or switch to these less harmful alternatives," he said. Mirza Abeer, the founder of the Association for Smoking Alternatives in Pakistan (ASAP), said he could attest to the effectiveness of vaping as a part of tobacco harm reduction. "Quitting smoking is a tough challenge to surmount, but e-cigarettes helped me and other smokers quit. Switching to vaping after smoking for 13 years resulted in my improved health. This also saved me from asthma attacks, and now I feel much better. I hope to share this personal experience to more than 15 million smokers in Pakistan so that they too will have a choice," he said. "As head of ASAP, we advocate the adoption of scientifically-substantiated smoking alternatives among adult consumers and policy-makers, to help significantly reduce smoking rates in Pakistan and positively impact public health, as soon as possible," said Abeer. World Vape Day is celebrated a day before World No Tobacco Day on May 31. CAPHRA said that with more than 50 million vapers worldwide and growing, the campaign is expected to gain ground in more countries in the coming years. About CAPHRA The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates (CAPHRA) is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organizations. Its mission is to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use products that reduce harm from tobacco use. About ECST Ends Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST) is a consumer advocacy organization that strives to promote tobacco harm reduction in the face of blanket bans, fines and jail time for consumers who wish to use alternative nicotine consumption products, specifically Electronic Liquid Vaporizers. About ASAP The objective of the Association for Smoking Alternatives in Pakistan (ASAP) is to get every Pakistani smoker, who cannot quit, to switch to alternatives to help reduce smoking rates in Pakistan and positively impact public health, ASAP. About Vapers PH The Vapers Philippines is a consumer advocacy group with over a thousand members all over the Philippines. Based in Metro Manila, there are various chapters in cities in Northern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. We believe in responsible vaping and we aim to educate the public about the distinction of e-cigarettes from combustible tobacco cigarettes and the former's potential as a risk-reduced product. For more details, please contact: Jena F. Fetalino JFPRC [email protected] Related Images world-vape-day.png World Vape Day Join the celebration of World Vape Day on May 30. caphra.jpg CAPHRA Vaping is the safer choice. asian-vapers.jpeg Asian Vapers World Vape Day is celebrated because it symbolizes hope for millions of smokers in Asia-Pacific. SOURCE CAPHRA - Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates PORTLAND, Ore., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Autonomous Ships Market by Level of Autonomy (Semi-autonomous and Fully-autonomous), Ship Type (Commercial, Passenger, and Defense), Component (Hardware and Software) and Fuel Type (Carbon Neutral Fuels, LNG, Electric, and Heavy Fuel Oil/Marine Engine Fuel): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202030". As per the report, the global autonomous ships industry was pegged at $85.84 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $165.61 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2020 to 2030. Major determinants of the market growth Rise in demand for cargo transportation through marines and surge in operational safety of ships have boosted the growth of the global autonomous ships market. However, risk of exploitation by hacking and complexity of the network hampers the market growth. On the contrary, anticipated trend of automation in marine transportation and increase in marine safety norms are expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market players in the future. Download Report Sample (298 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures) at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/5428 Covid-19 scenario: The spread of Covid-19 impelled the industry to implement remote working for continuation of businesses and fleet observation. The suspension of import and export activities have further impacted the demand for autonomous ships. Original equipment manufacturers and shipping companies, on the other hand, have started relying on artificial intelligence, owing to lack of labor force. The government bodies are also aiding various industries with economic benefits by easing off the regulations. And, this factor is anticipated to assist the industry as well. Request for Customization of this report at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/5428 The semiautonomous segment dominated the market Based on level of autonomy, the semiautonomous segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for 98% of the global autonomous ships market. Implementation of fully automation in the ocean at larger pace requires time. Which in turn, augments the demand for semiautonomous ships presently. However, the fully autonomous segment is estimated to manifest the highest CAGR of 27.5% from 2020 to 2030, due to multiple factors including trend of adoption of automation in transport sector and multiple features offered by autonomous ships. The hardware segment held the largest share Based on component type, the hardware segment held the lion's share in 2020, contributing to more than three-fifths of the global autonomous ships market. The rise in new applications and innovations in hardware for vessel management has created companies to invest in the ship telematics sector. However, the software segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period. Active step by providing software-based application that supports the functionality and integration of data center and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities along with sophisticated edge computing in shipping intelligence systems drive the growth of the segment. Interested to Procure The Data? Inquire here at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/5428 Asia-Pacific held the lion's share, North America would grow at a significant pace- Based on region, the market across Asia-Pacific dominated in 2020, accounting for nearly half of the market. Availability of top players in terms of implementation of automation in their transport sector, continuous adoption of trending technologies, and faster pace toward automation in this region drive the growth of the market. However, the global autonomous ships market across Europe is projected to portray the highest CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period. High adoption of autonomous technology in the transport segment and constant development and adoption of new technology in this region proliferate the growth of the market. Moreover, the market across North America region is expected to portray the CAGR of 8.1% throughout the forecast period. Major market players ABB Ltd. L3 ASV Honeywell International Kongsberg Gruppen Marine Technologies LLC Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Northrop Grumman Rolls-Royce Ulstein Group ASA Wartsila Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solution for Your Business at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/5428 Similar Reports We Have on Autonomous Technology in Automotive Industry: Autonomous Vehicle Market by Level of Automation (Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5) and Component (Hardware, Software, and Service) and Application (Civil, Robo Taxi, Self-driving Bus, Ride Share, Self-driving Truck, and Ride Hail) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026. Autonomous Train Technology Market by Grade of Automation (GOA 1, GOA 2, GOA 3, and GOA 4), Train Type (Passenger Train and Freight Train), Technology (CBTC, ETRMS, ATC, and PTC), and Component (Camera, Accelerometer, Odometer, Tachometer, Radio Set, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026. Autonomous Aircraft Market by Component (Radars &Transponders, Propulsion Systems, Cameras, Sensors, Actuation System, Air Data Inertial Reference Units, Flight Management Computers, Software and Others), Technology (Fully Autonomous and Increasingly Autonomous), End Use (Passenger Air Vehicle, Personal Air Vehicle, Combat & Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Air Medical Services, Cargo & Delivery Aircraft and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027. Semi-Autonomous & Autonomous Bus Market by Type (Diesel, Electric and Hybrid), Automation (Level 1, Level 2 & Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5), Application (Shuttle and Intercity/Intracity) and Sensor (Ultrasonic, Camera, LiDAR and Radar): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027. Semi-Autonomous & Autonomous Truck Market by Feature (Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Detection, Intelligent Park Assist and Lane Assist), Automation Level (Level 0, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4/5), Component (Embedded System, Camera, Radar, LiDAR and Other), Application (Logistic, Mining and Construction) and Fuel Type (Diesel, Petrol, Gasoline, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric & Hybrid): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212027. About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 [email protected] Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Allied Market Research Blog: https://blog.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | SOURCE Allied Market Research LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Overview Boies Schiller Flexner (UK) LLP ("BSF") is building a group of investors across Europe and Asia who invested in Credit Suisse's US$10bn Supply Chain Finance Funds ("SCFFs"). It is intended that the group will pursue Credit Suisse, including through litigation if necessary, to recover losses suffered with respect to the investments made in or with Greensill Capital. The firm takes the view that investors have credible claims against Credit Suisse for misrepresentation and mis-selling, which should be brought in a co-ordinated manner across jurisdictions. Investors should contact [email protected] for further details. Background Credit Suisse entities pro-actively marketed and sold investments in the SCFFs as cash-equivalent and low risk investments. In fact, the SCFF assets were notes backed by existing and future trade receivables originated and structured by Greensill Capital. In March 2021, Greensill Capital, the main trading entity and treasury company for the Greensill group, ceased trading and went into administration. Whilst facts continue to emerge, there appear to be multiple failures which led to the collapse, including an over-exposure to certain businesses, financing of risky future (as well as current) receivables, and an inability to maintain insurance coverage. The SCFFs were closed by Credit Suisse on 1 March 2021 and the funds are being liquidated. It is anticipated that there will be a significant shortfall in recoveries for investors into the funds. The Investor Group BSF is putting together a group of international investors to pursue a cohesive and proportionate litigation strategy to recover losses, namely the shortfall that will not be met through redemptions from the Greensill estate. This litigation strategy is anticipated to span relevant jurisdictions across Europe and Asia, with BSF acting as global litigation counsel. Investors will be eligible to join the investor group if they held (as at 1 March 2021) or hold (at the time of participation in the group) shares or interests in shares in the SCFFs, being: (i) Credit Suisse (Lux) Supply Chain Finance Fund, (ii) Credit Suisse Nova (Lux) Supply Chain Finance High Income Fund, (iii) Credit Suisse Nova (Lux) Supply Chain Finance Investment Grade Fund, and (iv) Credit Suisse Supply Chain Finance Investment Grade. There is no jurisdictional restriction: investors across Europe and Asia are able to join the group. The Litigation Strategy A cohesive investor group acting together will be well-placed to maximise recoveries with respect to the SCFFs, and protect interim value. Whilst there is uncertainty as to recoveries via the Greensill estate and losses have not yet crystallised, the litigation strategy is designed to recover losses for which Credit Suisse is responsible both through the sale of the securities as well as its management of the portfolio. The litigation will focus on mis-selling claims against Credit Suisse entities involved in the structuring and sale of investments, mis-management claims regarding the SCFFs investments, and, potentially, broader conspiracy and other tortious claims. It is anticipated that litigation will be brought in England and potentially Luxembourg and/or Switzerland, making use of case management procedures to maximise the efficiency of a group of investors acting together. BSF can provide detailed advice once an investor is a member of the group (and subject to diligence of the investor's interests in the SCFFs). Risk / Secondary Trading There is significant interest in both third party funding of litigation and of secondary trading in the shares and litigation rights. BSF is working with various parties in this regard. Investors interested in secondary trading should take advice to ensure rights and claims are transferred. BSF can provide further details to interested parties. The BSF team can also arrange third party funding for interested investors, creating zero economic risk in the bringing of proceedings to recover their losses. BSF BSF is an elite litigation practice with significant experience in creditors' rights, class actions and strategic litigation in restructuring and insolvency matters. It has a track record of delivering value for its clients through strategic litigation in England and across Europe. BSF and its lawyers have created value for investors through cohesive litigation strategies in respect of the Icelandic banks (Kaupthing, Glitnir, Landsbanki), Lehman (US and UK), bank restructurings and collapses in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Austria, and multiple corporate restructurings. It is currently litigating against Credit Suisse before the English Courts, with respect to the Proindicus debt. The BSF team will be led by Natasha Harrison, Deputy Chair and Managing Partner of BSF, and Fiona Huntriss, Partner. BSF is working with Luxembourg, Swiss and other local counsel. CONTACTS: Media: Camarco Julia Tilley, Associate Partner +44 (0)7815 068 387 Investors: Natasha Harrison: [email protected] BSF Greensill team: [email protected] SOURCE Boies Schiller Flexner LLP BRASILIA, Brazil, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, is pleased to announce that it will be supporting 16 Brazilian companies as they remotely showcase their top products throughout the Natural Products Expo West Virtual Week, taking place exclusively online from May 24-27, 2021. These companies will utilize Expo West's virtual platform to display popular natural and organic food products native to Brazil including Brazilian nuts, sugar, baked goods, acai and other fruits, yerba mate and other beverages, and more. The Expo West platform provides a unique opportunity for selected companies to highlight new and exciting products, stay connected to the natural products community, including influential buyers and members of the press, and deliver rich company content. Global demand for healthy and organic Brazilian food has been on the rise in recent years; according to Apex-Brasil's association partner, Organis, Brazilian organic food sales reached USD $1 billion in 2020. This is due in part to Brazil's unique biodiversity, which has proved essential to the country's ability to supply a significant variety of healthy, organic food products to consumers across the globe. "We're thrilled that Expo West has returned this year and is offering a virtual way for Brazilian companies to safely share their most exciting natural and healthy food products with a wide-reaching international audience," said Marcio Rodrigues, Agribusiness Manager at Apex-Brasil. "Brazil is home to a bounty of natural resources and serves as one of the largest food and agricultural producers worldwide. Expo West will allow thousands of international buyers and industry professionals to learn more about what Brazil has to offer in the organic food and beverage sector." Supported by Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian companies chosen to showcase at Expo West 2021 will exhibit their products throughout the week. They will also have the opportunity to attend keynote sessions and seminars featuring renowned industry experts. During these sessions, participating companies will learn about advancements in the natural and healthy food and beverage sector relating to artificial intelligence (AI) in food innovation, meatless food products, sustainability and more. Below is a list of the Brazilian companies that will have a virtual presence this week during Expo West: Be Ingredient: Be Ingredient is a fruit processing company that sells natural and concentrated fruit juices, tea, coconut water and tonic water. BRAVO Acai: BRAVO offers tasty and healthy foods that are made with natural ingredients and are free of GMOs, refined sugar, soy, dairy and gluten. Fhom: Fhom's mission is to create quality, pure and healthy food products. Floresta em pe: Floresta em pe sources its products including Brazil nuts from the Amazon rainforest through sustainable extraction. nuts from the Amazon rainforest through sustainable extraction. Gluten Free: Gluten Free Alimentos boasts one of the only 100% gluten and allergen-free facilities in South America . The company specializes in rice and cassava flour. . The company specializes in rice and cassava flour. Goola Acai: Goola utilizes circular and sustainable agriculture techniques to lessen its environmental footprint. The company offers native Brazilian acai products in the form of organic sorbet and pulp. Jalles Machado: Jalles Machado practices sustainable management techniques when sourcing its organic sugar. Labra: Labra promotes and represents products that are natural, organic, nutrient-rich and derived from sustainable production practices. Litholife: Litholife offers Brazilian food products containing Lithothamnion algae, which is a rich and complex mineral compound and one of the healthiest sources of calcium. Onvit: Onvit is a Brazilian cashew nut processing and exporting company focused on producing safe and high-quality products. Qualita Brasil : Qualita Brasil produces yerba mate through a process that is low carbon and completely smokeless. The company values sustainability and ecological balance. : produces yerba mate through a process that is low carbon and completely smokeless. The company values sustainability and ecological balance. Triunfo do Brasil: Triunfo do Brasil is a family-owned business that has been producing organic Yerba mate in southern Brazil since 1934. since 1934. Usina Monte Alegre : Usina Monte Alegre manufactures and markets sugar with the goal of preserving the environment. : manufactures and markets sugar with the goal of preserving the environment. YBI Brasil: YBI Brazil provides services and botanic ingredients for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical and food industry. 100% Amazonia: 100% Amazonia focuses on the preservation and vitality of nature and values social and environmental responsibility in their day-to-day business. Mn Propolis: MN Propolis is a Brazilian company that develops natural and organic products; the company specializes in Brazilian Green Propolis. To learn more about Apex-Brasil, please visit: http://www.apexbrasil.com.br/en/home. About Apex-Brasil The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad, and to attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. Apex-Brasil organizes several initiatives aiming to promote Brazilian exports abroad. The Agency's efforts comprise trade and prospective missions, business rounds, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international trade fairs, arrangement of technical visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, and other select activities designed to strengthen the country's branding abroad. Apex-Brasil also plays a leading role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, by working to identify business opportunities, promoting strategic events and lending support to foreign investors willing to allocate resources in Brazil. Apex-Brasil is an agency linked to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry (Itamaraty). Media Contacts McKenzie Naylor Ruder Finn PR on behalf of Apex-Brasil in the U.S. [email protected] +1 212-593-6434 SOURCE Apex-Brasil Watch the video Players will instantly recognize how Buffalo Link combines the thrill and functionality of Aristocrat's legendary Lighting Link and Dragon Link games with the theme and features of the gaming industry's most recognized slot brand, Buffalo. Every player's favorite Hold & Spin functionality is in Buffalo Link, and from that feature, players have an opportunity to win the linked Grand Jackpot, standalone Major, or static Minor and Mini bonus awards. Buffalo Link has exciting new features, such as first-ever 2x and 3x multipliers on the last reel of a Buffalo game. Unique to Buffalo Link is a new mystery must-hit-by bonus, awarding either Free Games or the Hold & Spin bonus feature. Players will enjoy Buffalo Link on Aristocrat's all-new MarsX Portrait cabinet, which provides an incredible gaming experience with amenities like a curved 4k display, 4.1 Spatial KineticSound, virtual button deck, and wireless USB charging for mobile phones. Ask your favorite casino about Buffalo Link and get the Buffalo gear you want at Aristocrat's Winners Warehouse online shop. Get the latest news on all your favorite Aristocrat games on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. ABOUT ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES INC. Aristocrat Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), a global games leader with more than 6,000 employees. 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AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, recently shared the company's innovation roadmap and latest enhancements to its next generation Nintex Workflow Cloud during its largest virtual event of the year, Nintex ProcessFest 2021 on 21 May which is now available on-demand. Watch Nintex ProcessFest 2021 at https://www.nintex.com/nintex-processfest-2021/. The interactive on-demand experience includes a 90-minute keynote featuring customer stories and the latest innovations in process mapping, digital forms and automation; 13 technical deep dives, 10-plus partner sessions, and valuable customer success resources. "Innovation is a significant part of our product DNA at Nintex," said Nintex Chief Product Officer Neal Gottsacker. "We remain committed and focused on continuously enhancing our process platform's powerful and easy-to-use features and capabilities to meet and exceed the end-to-end process management and automation needs of our global Nintex community." The latest release of Nintex Workflow Cloud features more than 30 new connectors that integrate with Gmail, Stripe, Bitly, GoToMeeting, Github, Azure Computer Vision, and more; SharePoint Web Part integrations for forms; a brand-new intelligent PDF forms convertor; and My Nintex, a new in-product experience that gives workflow participants the same control and visibility over forms, tasks, and workflows that workflow designers enjoy with the platform. Committed to improving the way people work Today, more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across nearly every industry are accelerating their digital transformation initiatives with the process mapping, workflow automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and document automation software capabilities Nintex offers. During Nintex ProcessFest 2021, Nintex customer Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, which serves more than 20 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, discussed how the organisation has successfully leveraged the complete Nintex Process Platform to create a process excellence culture and drive business outcomes. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/coca-cola-beverages-florida/. Hernando County School District, which serves more than 23,000 students on Florida's central west coast, also presented and shared how the district has successfully put the Nintex Process Platform to work to manage increasing workloads for its construction and facilities departments and ensure that business processes are not only documented but consistently followed across the organisation. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/hernando-county-schools/. To put The Power of Process to work today, request a free demo of Nintex Workflow Cloud at https://www.nintex.com/request-demo/ . Media Contact Laetitia Smith Nintex [email protected] cell: +64 21 154 7114 About Nintex Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). SOURCE Nintex Related Links http://www.nintex.com - Leading Sign, Graphics and Visual Communications Franchise Also Wins Silver in Annual CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising - CARROLLTON, Texas, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FASTSIGNS International, Inc., the franchisor of FASTSIGNS, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today it has been recognized as the Canadian Franchise Association's (CFA) Franchisees' Choice Designation for the ninth consecutive year. Additionally, FASTSIGNS was honored as a silver recipient in the CFA's Awards of Excellence in Franchising in the traditional franchises category. "The CFA Awards of Excellence and the Franchisees' Choice Designation are the pinnacle of franchise achievement in Canada, and we are honored to once again be recognized as a proven business model and strong investment," said Mark Jameson, CFE, Chief Support and Development Officer at Propelled Brands. "We value our presence in Canada and continue to focus on growing our brand throughout the country by staying true to our mission of providing franchisees with the tools and resources necessary for them to produce high-quality visual communications for their communities. We are beyond thankful for the ongoing support for our FASTSIGNS team over the years and look forward to helping them reach their business goals for years to come." The Franchisees' Choice Designation is awarded by franchisees who were asked to rate their franchisors in key areas of the franchise business model, including leadership, business planning and marketing, training and support, ongoing operations and the relationship between the franchisee and franchisor. FASTSIGNS currently has 40 centers throughout Canada in markets such as Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver. "After running an independent business for 22 years, I felt that we needed a better way to promote our services through marketing and bringing more credibility to the business. Knowing FASTSIGNS' authority and prominence in the industry, it was a natural fit," says Ian Nichols, FASTSIGNS owner of an Alberta location. "After the first 3 months of business, I've already been impressed by the support FASTSIGNS provides its franchisees. Everyone is incredibly helpful." FASTSIGNS is known in the industry for equipping its franchisees with tools vital to securing the ongoing success of each individual location. In addition to the brand's online FASTSIGNS University, FASTSIGNS partners with 1HUDDLE, a workforce-training platform that converts unique training content into science-backed, quick-burst training games that are proven to accelerate workforce productivity. FASTSIGNS reported exceptional results in 2020, including the signing of over 31 franchise agreements in the U.S and Canada to develop new, co-branded, and conversion centers and the opening of more than 30 locations, including its first center in the Dominican Republic. FASTSIGNS is continuing to target Canada for further franchise development. FASTSIGNS is particularly focused on its co-brand and conversion programs, which help existing business owners add a FASTSIGNS to their store or fully convert their business to a FASTSIGNS franchise. FASTSIGNS has helped countless owners of print shops, photography studios, camera stores, embroidery shops, and more, diversify their product lines and services to meet the growing demand for signs, graphics, and visual communication solutions. Both the co-brand franchise opportunity and conversion can be started with only $15,000 down on the initial franchise fee. FASTSIGNS also offers a special incentive for first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs, and firefighters, which includes a 50% reduction on the franchise fee a savings of $24,875. For more information about Propelled Brands, visit propelledbrands.com. To learn about franchise opportunities with FASTSIGNS, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or call 214.346.5679). About FASTSIGNS FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the leading sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 750 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in 9 countries including the United States and Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Grand Cayman, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, the Dominican Republic and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive signage and graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, promote their products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touchpoints. FASTSIGNS is consistently ranked as a top franchise opportunity. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the Franchise 500 ranks FASTSIGNS as #44 overall the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100 for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. In 2021, FASTSIGNS was named one of Franchise Direct's Top 100 Global Franchises and Franchise Gator recognized FASTSIGNS as one of the Top 100 Franchises . In 2020, Entrepreneur magazine named FASTSIGNS a Top Growth Franchise and one of the Top Franchises for Veterans . Additionally, FASTSIGNS was ranked on Franchise Times' annual Top 200+ list and Franchise Business Review named FASTSIGNS one of its Top Franchises for Second Careers and Top Franchises for Veterans . In 2019, the brand was named to America's Best Franchises to Buy list by Forbes magazine. Franchise Business Review has also recognized FASTSIGNS as one of the "Best of the Best" for franchisee satisfaction for the last 10 years, as well as one of its Top 50 Franchises for Women and Top Service Franchises lists in 2019. FASTSIGNS has also received the Canadian Franchise Association Franchisees' Choice for 9 consecutive years. In 2021, Propelled Brands was formed, the corporate umbrella that includes FASTSIGNS, SIGNWAVE in Australia where FASTSIGNS centers operate under the SIGNWAVE brand, and NerdsToGo, an emerging IT services franchise brand acquired in September 2020. With a focus on business-to-business franchises and the people behind those businesses, Propelled Brands will help each franchise confidently navigate forward based on their unique position, momentum and purpose. Learn more about sign and graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com . Follow the brand on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fastsigns , Twitter @FASTSIGNS or Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS . For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or call 214.346.5679). Media Contacts: Nate Rubinstein Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc. Related Links http://www.fastsigns.com Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a Free Sample Report Technavio's research study provides comprehensive information on the factors affecting the growth of the automotive connected car platform market across the following regions. APAC Europe North America South America MEA Automotive Connected Car Platform Market in APAC: "APAC occupied about 42% of the market share in 2020 and the region is offering significant growth opportunities for market vendors. The rising disposable income of consumers is creating strong demand for premium vehicles equipped with advanced features such as telematics and infotainment systems. Additionally, the growth of the luxury car segment will increase the market value in APAC during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio. The increasing number of road accidents, especially in countries such as India and rising incidence of vehicle thefts, and safety and security issues are driving the growth of the market in APAC. The revenue contribution to the market in APAC will be maximum from China. Automotive Connected Car Platform Market in North America: "The increasing deployment of ADAS by automobile manufacturers is positively influencing the market in North America. In addition, the strong growth in the sales of EVs and high adoption of luxury cars are providing significant growth opportunities for vendors in the region," says a senior analyst at Technavio. The market is expected to register an 11.4% CAGR in North America during 2021-2025. About one-third of the population in the region is over 50 years of age. This has triggered the need for comfort and safety levels in vehicles, which is compelling automakers to introduce connected car technologies in their offerings. The revenue contribution to the market in North America will be maximum from the US and Canada. Automotive Connected Car Platform Market in Europe: "Europe is home to several luxury automobile brands such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz that offer high-end connectivity solutions in their vehicles. In addition, the increasing push from governments toward the adoption of safety systems is driving automakers to incorporate connected technologies even in entry segment vehicles. Such developments will foster the market growth in Europe during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio. The market is expected to register a 9.25% CAGR in Europe during the forecast period. Factors such as continuous advances in automobile technologies and the high adoption of in-vehicle solutions by automakers are driving the growth of the automotive connected car platform market in Europe. Germany and the UK are the major markets for automotive connected car platforms in the region. Know about the major factors impacting the growth of the market across other regions by downloading our free sample report: www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44780 The global automotive connected car platform market is driven by the following factors: Increased focus of OEMs on the development of autonomous and connected vehicles Improved smartphone ecosystem to act as an enabler for autonomous and connected vehicles Rise in the adoption of cloud technologies and IoT to reduce the capital expenditure Based on the service, the report segments the automotive connected car platform market by infotainment services and telematics services. The infotainment services segment registered maximum growth in the market in 2020. The segment is driven by the growing incorporation of news, weather, social networking, and audio/video streaming by vendors. Also, the introduction of features such as touchscreens, voice recognition, and handwriting recognition are contributing to the growth of the segment. Subscribe to our most popular "Lite Plan" at only $ 3000 per year and avail following benefits View 3 reports monthly! Download 3 reports annually! Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Top vendors highlighted in the Automotive Connected Car Platform Market Report: The report offers insights on key products offered and business strategies adopted by major vendors including, Airbiquity Inc. AT&T Inc. Capgemini SE Cisco Systems Inc. CloudMade Browse Related Reports: Customers who bought this report also purchased, About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ Technavio's Newsroom: newsroom.technavio.com/news/automotive-connected-car-platformmarket Report: www.technavio.com/report/automotive-connected-car-platform-market-industry-analysis SOURCE Technavio All data supplied to Sensyne for research will be anonymised by CCPM and will remain in the US. The provision of the data will operate under an agreed set of data processing procedures ( ) has signed a strategic research agreement with the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM). It is the second strategic research agreement in the US signed by Sensyne, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to ethically use mass patient data to support medical research; the company announced a similar agreement last Friday with St Luke's University Health Network in Pennsylvania. READ Sensyne Health inks strategic research agreement with US healthcare provider The latest agreement will enable the ethical application of clinical AI research to improve patient care and accelerate medical research. Sensyne said the adoption of its model in the US demonstrates a growing appetite for more advanced ethical data sourcing supported by patient information protection. The CCPM houses one of the largest health data warehouses in the US and has been a pioneer in driving large-scale personalised medicine and return of clinically actionable results through a research biobank, integrating personalised genomic information with clinical data, Sensyne said. Should the medical research undertaken by Sensyne using CCPM's data lead to medical discoveries commercialised by Sensyne, CCPM will share a proportion of Sensyne's revenues generated from that research. "This collaboration will take an already notable programme at the CCPM and expand the depth and breadth of its capabilities, allowing us to give more back to patients everywhere through our collaborations, said Kathleen Barnes, a director of CCPM and a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Our partnership with Sensyne Health will lead to an optimisation of patient care, using personalised results to better inform research, clinical decision making, and potentially leading to new ways of diagnosing, preventing and treating illnesses," she added. Paul Drayson, the chief executive of Sensyne Health, said the latest agreement would enable Sensyne to undertake research aimed at a deeper understanding of disease, and to accelerate the development of novel medicines in collaboration with Sensynes pharmaceutical partners. SAN RAFAEL, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice, the San Rafael, California-based alcohol industry watchdog and the California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA) are charging the California Legislature with being under the influence of restaurants, bars and the alcohol spirits industry. "Watching California legislators race through so-called 'small business relief' bills is like watching a gasoline tanker speeding down the Grapevine in the fast lane during a snow storm," stated Bruce Lee Livingston, Executive Director/CEO of Alcohol Justice. "They are ignoring the ongoing dangers of public, open carry drinking and cocktails-to-go getting into the hands of underage youth." Over the past year the ABC has issued numerous "Regulatory Relief" orders that were only meant to be temporary lifelines for restaurants and bars. However, as the pandemic is subsiding the big spirits trade association is pushing hard to make many of those privileges permanent, with small bars and restaurants making the noise that the pine boxes obstructing sidewalks, alleys and parking spaces should be a permanent part of California's urban life. "Emergency measures put in place by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) are being rammed through into permanent law," added Livingston. "It is part of a national campaign by Diageo and the Distilled Spirits Council to flood our communities with public drinking and unregulated, unlicensed home delivery." Over 30 states allowed cocktails-to-go during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and since then eleven states have made it permanent, including five in May 2021 led by Texas, Florida and Georgia. Washington D.C. has made it permanent, and numerous states are extending it for a year or two. This level of coordinated, state-house lobbying does not take place without national big bucks from Big Alcohol players like Diageo and its lobbying association, the Distilled Spirits Council. The California legislature has responded with a case of bills to expand and extend alcohol sales and consumption on public sidewalks, alleys, parking lots, and "parklets," along with the creation of "party zones," and permanent cocktails-to-go without strong licensing requiring Responsible Beverage Service training for home delivery companies. "It's clear, even when our communities are facing racial, health and socioeconomic inequities, the alcohol industry and governing bodies continue to prioritize economic profit over people's lives," said Veronica De Lara, MPA, Chair California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA). "We need to stop enabling policies that continue to disproportionately impact our communities. Policies that make alcohol more accessible and available are business-sided and not in the best interest of communities facing alcohol related harms. They just add to many other hardships in the middle of a global pandemic. What is our priority? Is it only about making money?" "The priorities of California legislators do not include responding to over 10,500 alcohol-related deaths, 165,000 alcohol-related hospitalizations, $14.5 billion in government costs, and $35 billion in total related economic harm annually," stated Michael Scippa, Public Affairs Director at Alcohol Justice. "There is no relief from these catastrophic numbers in the current round of legislation. Our elected leaders are myopic in their praise of these bills which are designed to encourage alcohol consumption, which research tells us will just make matters worse. They choose to ignore the science and the facts about alcohol-related harm in the state." The worst of the worst are: SB 314 (Wiener) This bloated bill allows public drinking just about anywhere on public property, among many other bar industry giveaways. SB 793 (Wiener) Allows beer, wine and spirit sales wherever there is live music, and allows underage youth entrance. SB 389 (Dodd) Permanently allows restaurants to sell and/or deliver cocktails-to-go. AB 61 (Gabriel) Requires local governments to allow outdoor dining and alcohol sales without review. AB 1242 (Bauer-Kahan) Duplicates AB 61. "These bills are an attempt to make California cities look like Bourbon Street and allow public drinking anywhere," said Livingston. "Opportunistic deregulation and expanded alcohol availability are not magic bullets for saving restaurants and bars. They will produce negative health outcomes, including more underage and binge drinking. The legislature so far is rolling over on making ABC's temporary deregulation into permanent law, but it's a power grab by the spirits industry that will last a generation unless the legislature sobers up." Alcohol Justice and CAPA believe it's time for California legislators to honor their oaths of office to protect health and safety. Harm reduction should be the goal not misdirected economic recovery promoting outdoor, public consumption of products that cause so much pain, suffering and death in California communities. The public is encouraged to take action and tell their elected leaders to VOTE NO on this legislation public health is more important than public drinking. Click here now: https://bit.ly/3oFz1uo or text PUBLICHEALTH to 313131 to tell California legislators to VOTE NO on these dangerous bills. Contact: Michael J. Scippa 415 548-0492, Jorge Castillo 213 840-3336 SOURCE Alcohol Justice; California Alcohol Policy Alliance Related Links http://www.AlcoholJustice.org WASHINGTON and DALLAS, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Value Chain, "MVC", the Bahrain-based subsidiary of US based AVC Global, who provides the Kingdom of Bahrain with the leading track-and-trace platform for global pharmaceutical supply chain compliance, today announced the completion of a strategic technology integration with the Hedera network and the Hedera Consensus Service. Hedera Hashgraph is the most used enterprise-grade public network for the decentralized economy MVC's SmartHub with SmartPass technology is a quantum leap forward in how nations implement and finance GS1 standard pharmaceutical traceability programs, which increase patient safety, reduce fraud, and optimize cash flow, trade finance and customs clearance across the global supply chain. Sheikha Dheya Bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, MVC Co-Founder and Chairperson, said; "It is an honor to have Hedera Hashgraph, a best in class technology and the most used enterprise-grade public network globally, partner with us in Bahrain. Our team and partners have brought online the world's first blockchain and distributed ledger-powered track-and-trace platform, with a trusted secure value chain that includes supply chain financing options with traditional banks and emerging DeFi instruments. Today it is being deployed here in my home country of Bahrain for the benefit of our Bahraini citizens in our pharmaceutical delivery system, and soon we will provide this technology around the world." "Supply chain management software is a $17 billion market1 and supply chain finance2 is a $1.3 trillion dollar market which are both ripe for disruption by platforms that take advantage of the cost, transparency, and security benefits that distributed ledgers offer," said Mance Harmon, CEO and Co-founder of Hedera Hashgraph. "We congratulate MVC on the completion and deployment of their SmartHub and SmartPass technology to bring computational trust to the pharmaceutical supply chain in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and look forward to seeing other nations and organizations benefit from their innovation going forward." The MVC platform enables complete visibility of the pharmaceutical supply-chain. The SmartPass cryptographically represents the entire life-cycle of a supply chain including all of its events and transactions for all stakeholders involved including buyers, sellers, customs, 3rd party logistics, banking, customs and support operations. How It Works The SmartPass is a unique combination of two Decentralized Application (DApp) technologies operating on the SmartHub permissioned blockchain: Supply Chain Track-and-Trace and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Infrastructure for FinTech processing. At the core of the SmartPass computing engine is a fabric of smart-contracts implemented with proprietary Track-and-Trace state machine algorithms, chaining rules, and well-engineered supply chain tokens. SmartPass employs a double digital notarization with its cryptographic signatures in the SmartHub blockchain and with the global-scale, Hedera Consensus Service. This provides increased assurance for transparencies for independent audits, increases trust in the SmartHub operations, and scales for nation-state scale operations. About MVC, a subsidiary of AVC Global Medical Value Chain is a subsidiary of AVC Global and it currently operates the Kingdom of Bahrain's Track and Trace system for Pharmaceuticals. It is a leading-edge supply chain track and trace technology solution on a Blockchain with Supply Chain Financing available through an integrated Fintech platform. MVC's value chain platform is designed for government and industry customers for the delivery of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, which ensures that all global regulatory compliance requirements and financing needs are met. For an overview, visit www.MVC.Global About AVC Global AVC's Value Chain platform is designed for industry and government customers to purchase, deliver goods and provide financing while ensuring that all global regulatory compliance requirements are met. The platform is designed to reduce risk, speed cash flows, and increase profit margins, and grow revenue for all participants. The platform's network dynamics advance the development of sustainable value chain infrastructures and ecosystems in the form of their SmartHub and SmartPass enabled networks. AVC Global is headquartered in Washington D.C., with offices in the Kingdom of Bahrain. www.AVC.Global About Hedera Hashgraph Hedera is the most used enterprise-grade public network for the decentralized economy. The platform is governed by a council of the world's leading organizations, including Avery Dennison, Boeing, Chainlink Labs, Dentons, Deutsche Telekom, DLA Piper, EDF (Electricite de France), eftpos, FIS (WorldPay), Google, IBM, LG Electronics, Magalu, Nomura, Shinhan Bank, Standard Bank Group, Swirlds, Tata Communications, University College London (UCL), Wipro, and Zain Group. For more information, visit www.hedera.com, or follow us on Twitter at @hedera, Telegram at t.me/hederahashgraph, or Discord at www.hedera.com/discord. The Hedera whitepaper can be found at www.hedera.com/papers. For Media Enquiries: Hedera, Zenobia Godschalk [email protected] AVC/MVC, CEO David Todd [email protected] 1 https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/software/enterprise-software-/supply-chain-management-software/worldwide 2 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_chain_finance SOURCE Hedera Hashgraph Related Links https://www.hedera.com MELBOURNE, Australia, May 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Welding is one of Australia's most in-demand trades and can offer lifelong employment. As one of the most prominent labour agencies Melbourne businesses turn to for their recruitment needs, AIO Contracting says they are struggling to hire enough welders to meet the demand from their clients. Currently, they are hiring for multiple welder positions within the Melbourne, Geelong, and Ballarat regions. Labour Hire Agency To help them satisfy the huge demand, the labour hire company in Melbourne has introduced a free one-day 'Introduction to Welding' short course. The course is designed to upskill students' welding skills and capabilities, helping them to kick-start a career in the industry. At the conclusion of the one-day course, successful students will be given the opportunity to be employed by the labour hire company to fill the roles they have available, which require basic welding and fabrication skills. Full-time employment opportunities are on offer with highly desirable day shifts within the engineering and manufacturing industries. To be eligible for the free course, applicants need only minimal MIG Welding experience. In addition, basic MIG Welding capabilities are desired, but not essential. Instead, AIO is looking for applicants with aspirations for a long-term welding career, a desire to work in a fabrication shop and confidence with hand tools. The free course runs over one day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with places limited to five students per day due to workshop capacity restrictions. The small class size will also ensure students receive invaluable one-on-one training with their instructor and the opportunity to learn more about the industry and opportunities available. At the end of the course, students are required to successfully pass a weld test, after which they will be eligible for placement with the labour hire Melbourne company. Whether those interested are looking for a career change or wanting to gain new skills, AIO strongly encourages prospective students to register their interest in the free course by visiting their website. Classes begin running from Tuesday, 1 June, and will continue to run for a limited time, dependent on demand. AIO advises businesses or agencies who want to access the course for a small group of five or more individuals, should get in touch with them directly to discuss specific requirements. Related Images labour-hire-agency.png Labour Hire Agency Labour Hire Agency SOURCE AIO Contracting smartBeemo is an educational platform with thousands of students all around Latin America and the world. Their expertise includes educating the students about digital marketing, social media influencer marketing, e-commerce, and much more. They are helping to accelerate the data transformation in the Spanish-speaking communities. Sharing his views, the CEO says, "Today, entrepreneurship is booming in Latin America. The pandemic has brought a positive revolution in the area, and now everybody knows that it's quite easy to connect to the internet and launch their own brand in e-commerce and other sectors. Over here, there is a bridge between e-commerce and digital marketing major due to the language barriers as all the great content out there is in English. But now I think people are starting to learn and understand more about social media, e-commerce and I can now see thousands of people launching their businesses. Even in my own country-Columbia, with the increasing response from business enthusiasts, it's starting to look like a 'Little Silicon Valley.'" smartBeemo is an independent educational platform, and that's why it's easy for them to understand where the needs are in the market and what is trending. The courses last for over 12 months depending upon the student's needs. And not just that, smartBeemo also comes up with new exceptional courses for students in a timespan of just a week. The marketing sector moves super fast and new strategies, concepts, and content are added every other moment. And thereby, when these educational institutions launch their programs, everything has been changed and some content even becomes outdated. smartBeemo arranges pre-recorded diplomates, integrated by courses for the students. Tutors discuss the latest content and ongoings in the respective fields to keep them updated with every detail. In addition to this, students can access live Q&A sessions, and live chat with their academic tutors for doubt resolution. People seek YouTube videos as a major source of studying programs, but they lack the curriculum or the syllabus that is required with well-structured content covering every concept from A to Z. It is very important to learn with logic, that includes the introduction, the fundamentals, and then practice the knowledge gained. The YouTube videos further have certain limitations, and the student often misses out on some key knowledge areas. These days, educational academies are established merely for profits. Students pay at smartBeemo, but they charge for their services, and every single day, they are working to make the services better. The customers and students see that difference in production, content, new teachers, superior experience, and much more. With 2.5x growth per year, and more than 60,000 paid students, they are one of the fastest-growing online schools in the Spanish-speaking communities. Every program on the smartBeemo platform covers all the steps and content right from the building phase to the end result. For example, if the student is learning an e-commerce program, then their first step begins from how to find the products, how to build a website, how to buy products from a country, or how to do dropshipping and how to market the product in the end. In a nutshell, each program has a lot of courses, and each course has lots of models to offer the students. Thereby, they can study online at their own pace. smartBeemo also conducts weekly sessions online for the students wherein the tutors answer each and every question, doubts, or further queries within a timeframe of 30 seconds once the student has raised his/her hands from 8 AM to 8 PM. The entire idea is to give a classroom experience to the students. Not every great content exists in English and that's why smartBeemo welcomes everybody who wants to learn including Spanish-speaking and Latin Americans to their platform and leverage the best from it. Watch smartBeemo Pressful Video Interview Media Contact: Pressful [email protected] 415-741-5111 SOURCE smartBeemo WASHINGTON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) today announced the 79th Annual OBIE Award Winners. Each year the OBIE Awards honor the year's most accomplished creative campaigns in out of home (OOH) advertising, and this year OAAA presented 58 awards via a virtual ceremony. This year's top honor, the Platinum OBIE Award, went to Google Brand Studio for its groundbreaking "The Most Searched" campaign. The impetus behind the award-winning campaign stemmed in 2019 around Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the hunch that Dr. King's iconic "I Have a Dream" could be the most searched speech of all time." Google data scientists tested the theory, combing 15+ years of U.S.-based Trends Data, from January 1, 2004 (when U.S. Google Search Data first became available) to July 1, 2019. "'I Have a Dream" was, indeed, the most searched. This insight inspired a deeper search for other African Americans and African American-led movements that were the "most searched" in the United States. "To celebrate Black History Month, we used Google Trends data to identify the most searched Black American individuals and achievements in US Google Search History," said Michael Tabtabai, Executive Creative Director, Google Brand Studio. "From the most searched speech ("I Have a Dream") to the most searched NASA mathematician (Katherine Johnson), these individuals and moments have defined American history and inspired millions to search and ask questions. Our creative challenge became finding the right visual language to acknowledge these iconic humans and the unique achievement of being the most searched. We arrived at a beautifully simple conclusion the human, the query, and a physical location, all coming together to celebrate the history makers and those they inspire to ask questions in the pursuit of learning and progress." The Gold OBIE Award winners were presented to: In Media: R/GA California (Reddit Up The Vote) for Reddit, Inc. (Reddit Up The Vote) for Reddit, Inc. In Nonprofits & Public Service: William Ransom & Clear Channel ( George Floyd I Can't Breathe Mama) for NE Sculpture Co & Clear Channel ( I Can't Breathe Mama) for NE Sculpture Co In Nonprofits & Public Service: The Buntin Group (OUTPOUR) for The Buntin Group In Nonprofits & Public Service: Extra Credit Projects (Ruth Bader Ginsburg Tribute) for Extra Credit Projects In Consumer Goods & Services: Alto NY (In honor of all the brave nurses. Now and forever) for Montefiore-Einstein The OBIE CRAFT Award winners are: Copywriting: OUTFRONT Studios (Accessories for Your Batteries) for Adam & Eve Digital Design: OUTFRONT Media (GIFS OF TIME) for OUTFRONT & GIPHY Illustration: Alto NY (In honor of all the brave nurses. Now and forever.) for Montefiore-Einstein "I am so proud of our members and the OOH community for their powerful responses to this year's particular challenges. From beating back the advance of a deadly virus to meeting our communities' enlivened commitment to diversity and inclusion, these creatives have stepped up and really won the day." said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA. In addition to the platinum and gold awards, 16 silver and 33 bronze OBIE Awards were presented. This Year's OBIE AWARD judges included: Jury Chief, Tiffany Rolfe , Global Chief Officer, R/GA , Global Chief Officer, R/GA Shepard Fairey, Artist Keven Grady , EVP, Head of Design, FCB Chicago , EVP, Head of Design, FCB Chicago Susan Hoffman , Chairman, Wieden+Kennedy , Chairman, Wieden+Kennedy Jonathan Midenhall, Co-Founder & Chair, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand Jim Wilson , CEO, Talon North America , CEO, Leslie Wingo , President and CEO, Sanders/Wingo Jury Chief Rolfe added, "It was quite an adventure to look at what our industry has been able to accomplish during this very trying year. These winners all gave us a lot to think about and a wonderful preview of what we can expect in the future as the whole world moves out of home and brings new eyes to our work." The complete list of OBIE winners and Finalists can be found on the website at www.obieawards.org. High resolution digital files are available for all OBIE winners by contacting Carol Wong, [email protected]. About the OAAA The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the national trade association for the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry. OAAA represents more than 800 members, including leading media companies, advertisers, agencies, ad-tech providers, and suppliers which comprise over 90 percent of the industry. OOH media includes billboards, street furniture, transit, place-based media, and digital formats (DOOH) across every sector of the channel. OAAA is the unifying voice for the industry, the authoritative thought leader, and the passionate advocate for advancing OOH advertising in the United States. The legislative unit of OAAA advocates for the responsible growth of OOH with federal, state, and local government. OAAA-member media companies generously donate over $500 million in public service advertising annually. Founded in 1891, OAAA is headquartered in Washington, DC with offices in New York City. For more information, please visit oaaa.org. SOURCE Out of Home Advertising Association Related Links https://oaaa.org/default.aspx "A large part of our business is about helping communities, municipalities, cooperatives, utility companies, and commercial and industrial loads achieve their energy decarbonization objectives in a cost-effective manner," said Marc Merrill, President & CEO, Uniper North America. "We provide customized energy solutions that collectively address both reliability-of-supply and environmental concerns, which is why we're happy to be working with Pattern Energy to bring additional renewable generation benefits to New Mexico and other western states." "We welcome this partnership with Uniper and look forward to providing New Mexico wind power to New Mexico consumers from our new Western Spirit Wind project," said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. "Construction on Western Spirit Wind the largest wind project in North America is on schedule with 1,000 workers on site. The wind resource at Western Spirit Wind is one of the strongest in the country and has an evening ramp that creates an ideal complement to daytime solar power." Western Spirit Wind will be constructed in conjunction with the Western Spirit Transmission Line, an approximately 150-mile 345kV AC transmission line that will add much-needed accessibility for New Mexico's powerful wind resources to reach the electricity grid in the state and the broader western markets. The Western Spirit Transmission line is being developed jointly between Pattern Energy and the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA) and will interconnect directly into the Public Service Company of New Mexico system (PNM). PNM will acquire and operate the transmission line upon its commissioning. About Uniper Uniper is an international energy company with around 12,000 employees in more than 40 countries. The company plans to make its power generation CO2-neutral in Europe by 2035. With about 35 GW of installed generation capacity, Uniper is among the largest global power generators. Its main activities include power generation as well as global energy trading, including a diversified gas portfolio that makes Uniper one of Europe's leading gas companies. In 2020, Uniper had a gas turnover of more than 220 bcm. Uniper is also a reliable partner for municipalities, public utilities, and industrial companies for developing and implementing innovative, CO2-reducing solutions on their way to decarbonizing their activities. As a pioneer in the field of hydrogen, Uniper is active worldwide along the entire value chain and is implementing projects to make hydrogen usable as a mainstay of energy supply. The company is headquartered in Dusseldorf and currently the third-largest listed German utility. Together with its main shareholder Fortum, Uniper is also the third-largest producer of CO2-free energy in Europe. Uniper in North America In North America, Uniper conducts sales, trading and marketing activities across a range of energy commodities in all major markets. The company provides sophisticated and reliable solutions to assist customers in meeting their decarbonization and wider energy needs. Uniper's North America operations are located in Houston, Chicago and Calgary. About Pattern Energy Pattern Energy is one of the world's largest privately-owned developers and operators of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects. Its operational portfolio includes 28 renewable energy facilities that use proven, best-in-class technology with an operating capacity of 4.4 GW in the United States, Canada and Japan. Pattern Energy is guided by a long-term commitment to serve customers, protect the environment, and strengthen communities. For more information, visit patternenergy.com. Contacts: Matt Dallas Pattern Energy 917-363-1333 [email protected] David Slack Uniper North America 202-591-6465 [email protected] SOURCE Pattern Energy Group LP Related Links http://www.patternenergy.com MILLBURN, N.J., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey's effort to educate on the risks of opioids and safe and responsible prescribing has now reached 1,000 professionals in the health care field and has potentially benefitted millions of New Jersey residents. Yvonne Olthuis, a nurse from Cape May Courthouse, became the 1,000th medical professional over the past two years to take the pre-recorded webinar, "Do No Harm: Exploring Strategies for Safer Prescribing of Opioids," on May 19. She will receive a gift card to commemorate the milestone. "Educating medical professionals on the risks and proper ways to treat pain and prescribe opioids is crucial to combatting the opioid epidemic our state and country are facing," PDFNJ Executive Director Angelo Valente said. "Medical professionals in New Jersey are receiving better education on prescribing practices through this webinar, and that knowledge has helped them to make the best decisions for their patients. It is encouraging to see that 1,000 New Jersey heal care professionals have now taken this course." In June 2019, PDFNJ and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (BCBSNJ) launched the webinar, which has provided information vital to responsible prescribing practices that keep patients safe from opioid misuse and addiction. The knowledge from the course has benefitted an estimated 2.6 million patients, based on self-reported information from participating medical professionals. The initiative is currently supported by the Opioid Education Foundation of America. The webinar highlights the roots of the opioid crisis and the current status of the issue from medical, legal and law enforcement perspectives. The course is designed to fulfill the New Jersey one-hour continuing education requirement concerning prescription opioids. It is specifically tailored for healthcare professionals including doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathic medicine, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, residents, fellows and medical students. The accredited curriculum is accessible through the website, www.KnockOutOpioidAbuse.DrugFreeNJ.org/NJSafeRx. Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey: Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $100 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership's New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey's history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 188 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations. SOURCE Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey Related Links http://www.drugfreenj.org HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEX: 2318; SSE: 601318) announced a new poverty alleviation program for Cambodia at the International Forum on Poverty Governance and Development Towards Modernization in Nujiang, Yunnan on 18 May. For its Mother's Needlework public welfare program, Ping An will look for women in Cambodia with specific handicraft skills for technical training and handicrafts production to promote local women's employment and the economic and social development of their communities. In August 2020, Ping An and Economic Daily Press Group launched the Mother's Needlework women handicraft entrepreneurship project in China in the Yi-populated areas of Liangshan, Sichuan Province. The project recycled old clothes by embellishing them with Yi ethnic clothing patterns, a valuable part of China's intangible cultural heritage, and invited the local Yi women to make and sell exquisite handicrafts. While protecting the cultural heritage of ethnic minorities, the program also promoted flexible employment of ethnic minority women. Ping An Puhui, a subsidiary of Ping An, donated 60 sets of sewing machines, cloth cutters, clothes irons and other equipment for the project. More than 80 women participated, and their per capita income increased from RMB3,200 per year to more than RMB10,000 per year. Richard Sheng, Secretary of the Board of Directors and Brand Director of Ping An, shared at the forum how Ping An leveraged its resources and strengths in finance and healthtech to facilitate China's poverty alleviation. He said, "Our original aspiration remains unchanged even after a century. Ping An will focus on consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation and facilitating rural revitalization, while using its strength in finance, technology and the healthcare ecosystem to actively promote poverty alleviation efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative, and contribute to China's strength to build a community of shared future for mankind." The forum was organized by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, the People's Government of Yunnan Province, the China Public Relations Association and Renmin University of China. About 150 Chinese and foreign diplomats, officials, and scholars from 18 countries and four international organizations, including the United Nations, attended the forum. They discussed the lessons from China's poverty alleviation efforts, and how they might be applied to promote global poverty alleviation, sustainable development and modernization. Handicrafts in Cambodia have a long history, but much of the traditional culture has almost vanished. Ping An hopes its Mother's Needlework program will create women's jobs in Cambodia, alleviate poverty and achieve socio-economic development in local regions. Ping An is committed to supporting improved standards of living and reducing development gaps, while facilitating China and Cambodia's development of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Economic Development Belt. For more information on Mother's Needlework public welfare program, please watch the video here. About Ping An Group Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 220 million retail customers and 611 million internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An focuses on two over-arching domains of activity, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", covering the provision of financial and health care services through our integrated financial services platform and our ecosystems; in financial services, health care, auto services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" transformation strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Ping An ranked 6th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2021 and ranked 21st in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. Ping An also ranked 38th in the 2020 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list. For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn - PING AN. SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. Related Links www.group.pingan.com POST FALLS, Idaho, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pipl, a leading provider of online identity information, today announced that it took home top honors in the 2021 CNP Awards as winner of the Customer Choice Award for Best Identity Verification/Authentication Solution. Pipl customers nominated the company for being the solution that most effectively authenticates and verifies cardholder identity in a CNP environment through directory services, two-factor authentication, 3DSecure, or other means. Pipl One of nine first-time winners in the CNP Awards, Pipl was favored over LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Kount, Ekata, and Sift. Altogether, 20 high-performing companies won top honors in 14 categories. "We're delighted with the recognition," said Robert Nendza, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Pipl. "Fraud prevention and investigation capabilities have become business-critical for retailers, payment processors, and other organizations that must comply with KYC requirements. Being chosen by customers from among such strong competition is gratifying and speaks to the power of our platform." As a powerful search engine, the Pipl solution collects, corroborates, and connects online identifiers from publicly available information sources across 150 countries. Individual identity records validate and display connections between people and datagiving reviewers an accurate picture of the person behind the transaction in seconds. The Pipl search index includes more than 3 billion identities with email addresses, social media usernames, and mobile phone numbers. Customers cited the solution's ease of use and Pipl's excellent customer service as reasons for their votes. "You guys should be winning every award you're nominated for," said a current customer. "Pipl is truly the most accurate, lowest-friction, fastest, and most affordable solution we've used in the past decade of being in business. We absolutely love it, and we tried more than 10 other providers before settling on Pipl." Card Not Present is a leading media company in the online payments industry. It provides news, information, education and inspiration for organizations operating in the e-commerce fraud/payments landscape. The company has more than 15,000 engaged readers. More information about Pipl and its use in e-commerce can be found at https://info.pipl.com/lp/global-identity-verification-for-ecommerce-and-retail. About Pipl Pipl is the online identity information company, providing unmatched global coverage with an index of over 3 billion identities. We serve fraud and investigation professionals in a wide variety of industries. Pipl SEARCH and Pipl API are reducing customer friction, speeding case resolution times, and mitigating the risks associated with fraud. Media Contact Robert Nendza Vice President, Corporate Communications Pipl +1.719.659.5298 [email protected] Related Images image1.png SOURCE Pipl BEIJING, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Puxin Limited (NYSE: NEW) ("Puxin" or the "Company"), a successful consolidator of the after-school education industry in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021. First Quarter 2021 Financial and Operational Highlights Net revenues were RMB686.8 million ( US$104.8 million ), a decrease of 8.6% from RMB751.3 million in the first quarter of 2020. ( ), a decrease of 8.6% from million in the first quarter of 2020. Operating income was RMB6.5 million ( US$1.0 million ), an increase of 78.9% from operating income of RMB3.7 million in the first quarter of 2020. ( ), an increase of 78.9% from operating income of in the first quarter of 2020. Net income attributable to Puxin Limited was RMB37.8 million ( US$5.8 million ), compared to net loss attributable to Puxin Limited of RMB43.5 million in the first quarter of 2020. ( ), compared to net loss attributable to Puxin Limited of in the first quarter of 2020. Adjusted net income attributable to Puxin Limited [1] was RMB9.6 million ( US$1.5 million ), a decrease of 62.1% from adjusted net income of RMB25.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. was ( ), a decrease of 62.1% from adjusted net income of in the first quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA [2] was RMB46.1 million ( US$7.0 million ), compared to RMB65.0 million in the first quarter of 2020. was ( ), compared to in the first quarter of 2020. Student enrollments decreased by 7.1% to 539,355 from 580, 661[3] in the first quarter of 2020. [1] Adjusted net income attributable to Puxin Limited is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as net income (loss) attributable to Puxin Limited excluding share-based compensation expenses and gain (loss) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. [2] EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as net income (loss) excluding depreciation, amortization, interest expense, interest income and income tax expenses; adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as net income (loss) excluding depreciation, amortization, interest expense, interest income, income tax expenses, share-based compensation expenses and gain (loss) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. [3] This number indicates the number of student enrollments excluding Puxin Online School in the first quarter of 2020. Mr. Yunlong Sha, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Puxin, commented, "During winter break in the first quarter of 2021, we had to once again close some of our learning centers and move the courses online, in line with local epidemic prevention measures in certain cities. To ensure the safety and health of every student and staff member, we have strengthened epidemic prevention health measures in our learning centers. Our topline has temporarily experienced some headwinds. Although net revenues have been slightly declined year-over-year, our K-12 business still grows at a steady rate and achieved an increase of 5.2%[4] year-over-year. Puxin has implemented a blended learning model, providing students with both online and offline learning formats. Puxin has been investing in upgrading its data-based and systematic platform which seamlessly integrates offline and online K-12 tutoring services to ensure smooth delivery of courses. In the first quarter of 2021, the Company developed the business intelligence analysis platform, which integrates smart data statistics, data analysis, and data prediction. The various statistical analysis reports provide the basis for more efficient decision-making. At the same time, we have developed our proprietary ERP system based on our specific needs, which can better support our operations, improve our overall operational efficiency and enhance the accuracy and depth of data analysis. Moving forward in 2021, with the rebound of China's economy and ease of epidemic risks with vaccine distribution, Puxin is confident to achieve a high-quality growth in the following quarters." Mr. Peng Wang, Chief Financial Officer of Puxin, added, "In the first quarter of 2021, net revenues of K-12 tutoring services achieved RMB550.6 million, compared to RMB523.3 million[5] for the same period last year. Puxin has continued to focus on developing K-12 tutoring services. We strengthened teacher training nationwide, and constantly increased R&D investments in enriching the content of products to arouse students' interest in learning. These strategies effectively improved teaching quality and increased customer satisfaction and customer stickiness. The K-12 group class student retention rate[6] rose to 80.6%. With the implementation of cost reduction and efficiency measures, operating expenses have decreased by 15.0% compared with the same period last year. The bottom line has been significantly improved on a year-over-year basis. Net income attributable to Puxin was RMB37.8 million in the first quarter of 2021, compared to a loss of RMB43.5 million for the same period in 2020. Looking forward, as student retention increases and our PBS system is strengthened, we are confident in improving our profitability in a long run." [4] This number represents the growth rate of net revenues of K-12 tutoring services in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to net revenues of K-12 tutoring services (excluding Puxin Online School) in the first quarter of 2020. [5] This number has excluded the net revenues of Puxin Online School in the first quarter of 2020. [6] This term refers to the number of students who continue to enroll in K-12 tutoring group class courses (excluding promotional programs) at our learning centers after completing a K-12 tutoring group class course in a particular period as a percentage of the total number of students who complete K-12 tutoring group class courses during the same period. Financial Results for the First Quarter of 2021 Net Revenues Net revenues decreased by 8.6% to RMB686.8 million (US$104.8 million) from RMB751.3 million in the first quarter of 2020. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in student enrollments from 580,661 in the first quarter of 2020 to 539,355 in the same period of 2021. Net revenues of K-12 tutoring services were RMB550.6 million (US$84.0 million), an increase of 5.2% from net revenues of K-12 tutoring services (excluding Puxin Online School) of RMB523.3 million in the first quarter of 2020. This increase was primarily driven by our improved teaching service quality and enriching content of products. Cost of Revenues Cost of revenues decreased by 3.8% to RMB385.0 million (US$58.8 million) from RMB400.3 million in the first quarter of 2020, primarily due to decreases in teaching staff's compensation and lease cost for classrooms. Cost of revenues, excluding share-based compensation expenses, decreased by 3.8% to RMB384.5 million (US$58.7 million) from RMB399.6 million in the first quarter of 2020. Gross Profit and Gross Margin Gross profit was RMB301.8 million (US$46.1 million), a decrease of 14.0% from RMB351.1 million in the first quarter of 2020. Gross margin was 43.9%, compared to 46.7% for the same period in 2020. Operating Expenses Total operating expenses decreased by 15.0% to RMB295.2 million (US$45.1 million) from RMB347.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. Selling expenses decreased by 19.5% to RMB185.6 million (US$28.3 million) from RMB230.5 million in the first quarter of 2020. Selling and marketing expenses, excluding share-based compensation expenses, decreased by 19.3% to RMB182.9 million (US$27.9 million) from RMB226.5 million in the first quarter of 2020. The decreases were primarily due to decreases in marketing expense and marketing staff compensation. General and administrative expenses decreased by 6.3% to RMB109.6 million (US$16.7 million) from RMB116.9 million during the same period of 2020. General and administrative expenses, excluding share-based compensation expenses, decreased by 5.2% to RMB107.3 million (US$16.4 million) from RMB113.1 million in the first quarter of 2020. The decreases were primarily due to decreases in staff compensation. Total share-based compensation expenses decreased by 34.5% to RMB5.5 million (US$0.8 million) from RMB8.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in the number of options vested in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period of 2020. Operating Income and Operating Margin Operating income was RMB6.5 million (US$1.0 million), an increase of 78.9% from operating income of RMB3.7 million in the first quarter of 2020. Operating margin was 1.0% in the first quarter of 2021, compared to 0.5% for the same period in 2020. Adjusted operating income[7] was RMB12.1 million (US$1.8 million), a decrease of 0.2% from RMB12.1 million in the first quarter of 2020. Adjusted operating margin[8] was 1.8%, compared to 1.6% in the same period of the prior year. Net Income (Loss) Net income attributable to Puxin Limited was RMB37.8 million (US$5.8 million), compared to net loss of RMB43.5 million during the first quarter of 2020. Basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited were RMB0.44 (US$0.06) and RMB0.06 (US$0.01), compared to basic and diluted net loss per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited of RMB0.50 during the same period of 2020. Adjusted net income attributable to Puxin Limited was RMB9.6 million (US$1.5 million), a decrease of 62.1% from RMB25.4 million during the first quarter of 2020. Adjusted basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited[9] were RMB0.11 (US$0.02) and RMB0.11 (US$0.02), compared to RMB0.29 and RMB0.29 during the same period of 2020. EBITDA EBITDA was RMB74.2 million (US$11.3 million), compared to RMB (3.9) million in the first quarter of 2020. EBITDA margin[10] was 10.8% in the first quarter of 2021, compared to (0.5)% in the same period in 2020. Adjusted EBITDA was RMB46.1 million (US$7.0 million), compared to RMB65.0 million in the first quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA margin[11] was 6.7%, compared to 8.6% in the same period in 2020. [7] Adjusted operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as operating income excluding share-based compensation expenses. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. [8] Adjusted operating margin is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as adjusted operating income divided by net revenues. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. [9] Adjusted basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as basic and diluted net income (loss) per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited excluding share-based compensation expenses and gain (loss) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. [10] EBITDA margin is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as EBITDA divided by net revenues. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. [11] Adjusted EBITDA margin is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenues. See "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" elsewhere in this earnings release. Cash and Current Bank Balances As of March 31, 2021, the Company had total cash and cash equivalents and the current portion of restricted cash of RMB795.7 million (US$121.4 million), compared to RMB563.0 million as of December 31, 2020. The current portion of restricted cash consisted primarily of deposits with Chinese commercial banks as collateral for our bank borrowings within one-year term. Business Outlook For the second quarter of 2021, based on the information available as of the date of this press release, the Company expects net revenues to be between RMB661.2 million and RMB691.3 million, which represents an increase of 10% to 15% year-over-year. These forecasts reflect the Company's current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change. Conference Call Information Puxin's management team will hold a conference call on May 24, 2021, at 7:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time (or 7:00 PM on the same day, Beijing/Hong Kong Time) following the quarterly results announcement. Participants may access the call by dialing the following numbers: International: +1-412-902-4272 Mainland China: 4001-201203 US: +1-888-346-8982 Hong Kong: +852-301-84992 Passcode: Puxin Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. When prompted, ask to be connected to the Puxin Limited Call. Participants will be required to state their name and company upon entering the call. A replay of the conference call will be accessible two hours after the conclusion of the conference call through May 31, 2021 by dialing the following numbers: International: +1-412-317-0088 US: +1-877-344-7529 Passcode: 10156728 A live webcast and archive of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Puxin's website at http://ir.pxjy.com/. Exchange Rate The Company's business is primarily conducted in China and all of the revenues are denominated in Renminbi ("RMB"). This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD" or "US$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the readers. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to USD are made at the rate of RMB 6.5518 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board on Mar 31, 2021. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted, realized or settled into US$ at that rate on Mar 31, 2021, or at any other rate. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement the Company's financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company also uses non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income attributable to Puxin Limited, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA margin, as supplemental measures to review and assess the Company's operating performance. Adjusted net income attributable to Puxin Limited is defined as net income (loss) attributable to Puxin Limited excluding share-based compensation expenses and gain (loss) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes; EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) excluding depreciation, amortization, interest expense, interest income and income tax expenses; adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) excluding depreciation, amortization, interest expense, interest income, income tax expenses, share-based compensation expenses and gain (loss) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes; adjusted operating income is defined as operating income excluding share-based compensation expenses; adjusted operating margin is defined as adjusted operating income divided by net revenues; adjusted basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited are defined as basic and diluted net income (loss) per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited excluding share-based compensation expenses and gain (loss) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes; EBITDA margin is defined as EBITDA divided by net revenues; and adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenues. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about the Company's operating results, enhance the overall understanding of the Company's past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company's management in its financial and operational decision-making. Non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and when assessing the Company's operating performance, investors should not consider them in isolation. In addition, calculations of this non-GAAP financial information may be different from calculations used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited. The Company mitigates these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable U.S. GAAP performance measures, all of which should be considered when evaluating our performance. For more information on this non-GAAP financial measure, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" set forth at the end of this press release. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "aim," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "continue," "confident" and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but not limited to the following: its goals and strategies, its ability to achieve and maintain profitability, its ability to attract and retain students to enroll in its courses, its ability to effectively manage its business expansion and successfully integrate businesses it acquired, its ability to identify or pursue targets for acquisitions, its ability to compete effectively against its competitors, its ability to improve the content of its existing courses or to develop new courses, and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company's corporate structure, business and industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law. About Puxin Limited Puxin Limited (NYSE: NEW, "Puxin" or the "Company") is a successful consolidator of the after-school education industry in China. Puxin has a strong acquisition and integration expertise to effectively improve education quality and operational performance of acquired schools. Puxin offers a full spectrum of K-12 and study-abroad tutoring programs designed to help students achieve academic excellence, as well as prepare for admission tests and applications for top schools, universities and graduate programs in China and other countries. The Company has developed a business model effectively combining strategic acquisitions and organic growth achieved through successful post-acquisition integration, which has differentiated the Company from other after-school education service providers in China. For more information, please visit http://www.pxjy.com/. Contacts Puxin Limited Phone: +86-10-6269-8930 E-mail: [email protected] Institutional Capital Advisory (ICA) Mr. Kevin Yang Phone: +86-021-8028-6033 E-mail: [email protected] PUXIN LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data) As of December 31, As of March 31, 2020 2021 2021 RMB RMB USD ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 48,497 279,088 42,597 Restricted cash, current portion 514,496 516,609 78,850 Inventories 15,210 14,411 2,200 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 141,894 112,586 17,184 Loan receivables 222,895 172,240 26,289 Total current assets 942,992 1,094,934 167,120 Non-current assets Restricted cash, non-current portion 25,814 21,452 3,274 Operating lease right-of-use assets 940,568 981,798 149,852 Property, plant and equipment, net 265,029 252,717 38,572 Intangible assets 225,170 219,815 33,550 Goodwill 2,083,151 2,083,151 317,951 Deferred tax assets 3,522 3,457 528 Rental deposits 71,948 71,016 10,839 Long-term investments - 6,000 916 Other non-current assets 59,400 59,400 9,066 TOTAL ASSETS 4,617,594 4,793,740 731,668 LIABILITIES Current liabilities Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (including accrued expenses and other current liabilities of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group of RMB743,499 and RMB575,496 of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, r espectively) 784,894 596,537 91,049 Income taxes payable of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group 32,445 28,740 4,387 Deferred revenue, current portion (including deferred revenue, current portion of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group of RMB1,013,606 and RMB927,074 as of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively) 1,023,037 927,074 141,499 Operating lease liabilities, current portion (including operating lease liabilities, current portion of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group of RMB251,572 and RMB260,713 as of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively) 254,002 262,348 40,042 Bank borrowings of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group 585,000 593,300 90,555 Loans payable to third parties, current portion (including loans payable to third parties, current portion of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group of RMB136,600 and RMB138,700 as of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively) 301,850 254,218 38,801 Promissory notes 163,125 163,795 25,000 Total current liabilities 3,144,353 2,826,012 431,333 PUXIN LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data) As of December 31, As of March 31, 2020 2021 2021 RMB RMB USD Non-current liabilities Deferred revenue, non-current portion of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group 81,805 51,601 7,876 Deferred tax liabilities of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group 71,674 70,222 10,718 Franchise deposits of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group 2,549 2,549 389 Operating lease liabilities, non-current portion (including operating lease liabilities, non-current portion of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the Group of RMB594,624 and RMB637,992 as of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively) 605,827 649,399 99,118 Loans payable to third parties, non-current portion 121,870 121,193 18,498 Amounts due to related parties 170,393 60,491 9,233 Convertible notes - 549,041 83,800 TOTAL LIABILITIES 4,198,471 4,330,508 660,965 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Ordinary shares (par value of USD0.00005 per share; 1,000,000,000 and 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 188,653,468 and 188,653,468 shares issued and 174,453,992 and 174,926,784 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021, respectively) 62 62 9 Additional paid-in capital 2,396,406 2,402,177 366,644 Statutory reserve 11,444 11,444 1,747 Accumulated other comprehensive income 43,711 44,577 6,804 Accumulated deficit (2,026,891) (1,989,092) (303,595) Total Puxin Limited shareholders' equity 424,732 469,168 71,609 Non-controlling interest (5,609) (5,936) (906) TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 419,123 463,232 70,703 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 4,617,594 4,793,740 731,668 PUXIN LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data) For the three months ended March 31, 2020 2021 2021 RMB RMB USD Net revenues 751,345 686,757 104,820 Cost of revenues (including share-based compensation expenses of RMB681 and RMB443 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, respectively) (400,278) (384,992) (58,761) Gross profit 351,067 301,765 46,059 Operating expenses: Selling expenses (including share-based compensation expenses of RMB3,989 and RMB2,786 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, respectively) (230,497) (185,643) (28,335) General and administrative expenses (including share-based compensation expenses of RMB3,775 and RMB2,306 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, respectively) (116,918) (109,590) (16,728) Total operating expenses (347,415) (295,233) (45,063) Operating income 3,652 6,532 996 Interest expense (20,853) (20,704) (3,160) Interest income 11,956 9,529 1,454 Foreign exchange income (loss) 142 (8,865) (1,353) (Loss) gain on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes (60,435) 33,705 5,144 Other income, net 21,848 17,659 2,695 (Loss) income before income taxes (43,690) 37,856 5,776 Income tax expenses (693) (384) (59) Net (loss) income (44,383) 37,472 5,717 Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest (920) (327) (50) Net (loss) income attributable to Puxin Limited (43,463) 37,799 5,767 Net (loss) income per share attributable to Puxin Limited -Basic (0.25) 0.22 0.03 Net (loss) income per share attributable to Puxin Limited -Diluted (0.25) 0.03 - Net (loss) income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited -Basic (0.50) 0.44 0.06 Net (loss) income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited -Diluted (0.50) 0.06 0.01 Weighted average shares used in calculating basic net (loss) income per share 174,056,517 174,469,883 174,469,883 Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted net (loss) income per share 174,056,517 184,218,083 184,218,083 Note: Each ADS represents two ordinary shares. PUXIN LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (In thousands of RMB and USD) For the three months ended March 31, 2020 2021 2021 RMB RMB USD Net (loss) income (44,383) 37,472 5,717 Other comprehensive income, net of tax: Change in cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments 2,406 866 132 Total comprehensive (loss) income (41,977) 38,338 5,849 Less: comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest (920) (327) (50) Total comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Puxin Limited (41,057) 38,665 5,899 PUXIN LIMITED RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data) For the three months ended March 31, 2020 2021 2021 RMB RMB USD Operating income 3,652 6,532 996 Add: Share-based compensation expenses 8,445 5,535 845 Adjusted operating income 12,097 12,067 1,841 Adjusted operating margin 1.6% 1.8% 1.8% Net (loss) income attributable to Puxin Limited (43,463) 37,799 5,767 Add: Share-based compensation expenses 8,445 5,535 845 Loss (gain) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes 60,435 (33,705) (5,144) Adjusted net income attributable to Puxin Limited 25,417 9,629 1,468 Net (loss) income (44,383) 37,472 5,717 Add: Income tax expenses 693 384 59 Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 21,628 19,860 3,031 Amortization of intangible assets 9,262 5,355 817 Interest expense 20,853 20,704 3,160 Less: Interest income 11,956 9,529 1,454 EBITDA (3,903) 74,246 11,330 EBITDA margin -0.5% 10.8% 10.8% Add: Share-based compensation expenses 8,445 5,535 845 Loss (gain) on changes in fair value of derivative liabilities and convertible notes 60,435 (33,705) (5,144) Adjusted EBITDA 64,977 46,076 7,031 Adjusted EBITDA margin 8.6% 6.7% 6.7% Net (loss) income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited - Basic (0.50) 0.44 0.06 Net (loss) income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited - Diluted (0.50) 0.06 0.01 Adjusted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited - Basic 0.29 0.11 0.02 Adjusted net income per ADS attributable to Puxin Limited - Diluted 0.29 0.11 0.02 Weighted average shares used in calculating basic adjusted net income per share 174,056,517 174,469,883 174,469,883 Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted adjusted net income per share 178,101,179 177,831,972 177,831,972 Note: Each ADS represents two ordinary shares. SOURCE Puxin Limited Related Links www.pxjy.com The 300mln investment will see 1,800 new motorway points and 1,750 installations in other places "Drivers need to be confident that they can charge their car quickly when they need to" Britain is to more than triple its electric vehicle charging capacity with 1,800 new ultra-fast points to be installed at motorway service stations and a further 1,750 in cities. UK regulator Ofgem said the electricity distribution companies will invest 300mln into the project as part of a 40bn investment plan for the countrys green energy system. The move will be funded by a 65p increase in customer bills for the next two years, which drops to 15p in 2023. The new charging points are expected to be installed over the next two years said Ofgem and will help tackle a reluctance of people to buy an elctriv vehicle because of the uncertainty over getting it charged. An extensive motorway charging network and more points in cities and train stations will help address this range anxiety', said the regulator. Ofgem added its research found that 36% of households that do not intend to get an electric vehicle are put off making the switch over a lack of charging points near their home. Some 39 motorway service areas will benefit from the new investment while Glasgow, Kirkwall, Warrington, Llandudno, York and Truro will get a boost to their network capacity to support more ultra-rapid charge points. The 300mln investment also covers more rural areas with charging points for commuters at train stations in North and Mid Wales and the electrification of the Windermere ferry. Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem's chief executive, said: Drivers need to be confident that they can charge their car quickly when they need to. Were paving the way for the installation of 1,800 ultra-rapid charge points, tripling the number of these public charge points. Drivers will have more charging options for longer journeys. In the year that Glasgow hosts the COP26 climate summit, the energy networks are rising to the challenge and working with us and partners to accelerate projects that can start now, benefiting consumers, boosting the economy and creating jobs. Currently, the UK has 918 ultra-rapid charge points. The UK governments target is to have at least 6 high powered, open access charge points at motorway service areas in England. "Trice is building a large business in small procedures and we are looking forward to Ryan's contributions." Tweet this He will be responsible for developing and executing the Global Marketing strategy including; Health Economics and Reimbursement, Clinical Strategy and Product Development across Trice Medical's growing, innovative business. Over the course of his career, Mr. Hartman advanced through multiple leadership roles within Sales, Marketing and Market Development. In his most recent position as Vice President for Single-Use Scopes and Global Markets, Mr. Hartman was instrumental in positioning Boston Scientific as a global leader in the Gastrointestinal Single Use Endoscopy space, where he led a team that would be the first to launch several disruptive disposable endoscopes. Trice Medical is known for its disruptive imaging technology that enables orthopedic procedures to be performed on its portable, tablet-based system. Trice developed the world's first and only platform that combines a disposable needle camera (mi-eye) with a high-quality 15mghz ultrasound transducer (mi-ultra). In 2020, Trice launched a fully-disposable endoscopic carpal tunnel system with the disposable mi-eye angled camera, making Trice the first company in the world to enable surgeons to perform this procedure anywhere: in the operating room; a procedure room; or in the office. In 2021, Trice acquired Tenex Health, whose cutting-edge, minimally invasive technology improves overall functionality and significantly decreases pain, by precisely targeting and removing damaged tissue and bone without the need for conventional surgery. "Ryan is a visionary, innovative, thoughtful and patient centric leader in the industry. His background with regards to understanding the market opportunities for small, disposable cameras is a perfect match for where our business is headed," said CEO and President, Mark Foster. "Trice is building a large business in small procedures and we are looking forward to Ryan's contributions." "We are at the very beginning of a massive wave of change in the way disposable cameras will be used, to unlock value throughout the global healthcare world. Many of these future innovations will enable healthcare providers to deliver better patient outcomes, with more efficiency. I am very excited to join the talented team at Trice to help bring their vision to life," said Chief Commercial Officer, Ryan Hartman. About Trice Medical: At Trice Medical, our mission is to Build a Great Company That Enhances Quality of Life. We continuously strive to improve physician experience and patient outcomes by delivering cutting-edge, minimally invasive, imaging solutions for faster diagnosis and recovery. To learn more about Trice Medical, headquartered in Malvern, PA, visit www.tricemedical.com. SOURCE Trice Medical Related Links https://tricemedical.com SEOUL, Korea, May 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene Inc. (KQ 096530), a biotechnology firm specializing in molecular diagnostics has once again been recognized for its unique system for diagnosing COVID-19 variants at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology, the ECCMID. Seegene's Dr. Guy Willem Lee, Director of Marketing Strategy introduced the diagnostic system under the theme of "SARS-CoV-2 and Variants 'Full Screening' Solution" using its latest COVID-19 variant diagnostic tests. "The backdrop of Korea's outstanding control at the onset of the pandemic is because of the one-platform diagnostic system that enables mass testing," said Lee. He added that "the system enabled the diagnostic process from sample collection through PCR testing all at once, helping local authorities to quickly control the pandemic." The effectiveness of the current diagnostic system, however had been put to question due to a growing number of COVID-19 variants spreading fast, with reports saying vaccines may not offer enough protection against them. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention have previously said variants are poised to drive an increase in new cases in the U.S. in May after having projected that the global COVID-19 cases will sharply increase over the continuous surge in variants. Referring to Seegene's 'Full Screening Solution,' Director Lee proposed that the system will efficiently help counter the protracted COVID-19 pandemic. The 'Full Screening Solution' is a one-step system that can verify whether an individual has contracted coronavirus wildtype or the virus variant with a single real-time PCR test. Currently, health authorities are forced to go through an extra round of genomic sequencing to distinguish the existence of COVID-19 variants after standard PCR tests, automatically leading to a more prolonged testing time. Against the backdrop of Seegene's 'Full Screening Solution' are the company's latest variant diagnostic tests, the AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay and AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Variants I Assay. The AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master is an ideal way of screening for the COVID-19, as it provides results of whether a person is positive of the COVID-19 or even its variants. After an initial round of testing, Seegene's AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Variants I Assay will help identify multiple mutant variations in a single reaction. The AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay can detect a total of 10 targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) as well as five defined virus variants notably spotted in the most recognized lineages including B1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1 and B.1.1.207. Seegene's variant diagnostic test is the first such kind to simultaneously detect multiple coronavirus genes and differentiate virus variations, including those found to be more contagious and fatal. It's an ideal and an economic way of screening coronavirus genes as the pandemic continues to rage with both the wildtype and its virus variants. Director Lee added "Seegene's 'Full Screening Solution' will play a critical role in controlling the spread of COVID-19 pandemic amid fast spreading virus variants." Also at this year's world scientific symposia, Dr. Nakmoon Sung of Seegene Medical Foundation announced outcomes of clinical researches on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 mutations, known to be associated with the variants, as well as the detection of coinfections with respiratory pathogens among COVID-19 patients. Among the COVID-19 positive cases, the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 with the COVID-19 variant associated mutations have surged to 3.5% in late February from the 1.2% a month earlier. Such clinical researches show that Seegene's diagnostic tests are capable of screening COVID-19 and screen for variants with single PCR test. Looking at the coinfection cases, 8.8% of COVID-19 positive cases have also been coinfected with respiratory diseases including Flu A, RSV, rhinovirus, metapneumovirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Reflecting on the clinical data, Dr. Sung said "swift diagnostic system is extremely critical in helping to control the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic," and added that "the one-step and accurate diagnostics will become the global standard in detecting coronavirus and other respiratory diseases, for the purpose of accurate treatment". SOURCE Seegene The photography team, composed of the overseas online celebrities, will interact with the artists at the Datang Everbright City, learn to make dumplings at the famous Defachang restaurant, ride bikes on the city wall, learn to perform the shadow puppet show at the Former Residence of Gao Yuesong, watch performances at the Huaqing Palace and the Tang Paradise and learn to make Terracotta Warriors. Photos, texts and videos about their fun experience will be released on Chinese and foreign media accounts such as Visit Shaanxi. By the end of April 2021, Visit Shaanxi had had altogether 714,000 fans worldwide. Among them, over 585,000 were fans on Facebook, over 92,000 on Twitter and nearly 36,000 on Instagram. There had been more than 5,060 text or video posts, more than 40.77 million views and more than 2.35 million times of interaction. Online and offline activities are held, such as Resurrecting the Terracotta Warriors, Mr. Bing's Travel Notes, 2048 Little Games, Christmas Crossword, Shaanxi Spring Festival Atmosphere Competition, Lantern Festival Riddles, Celebrating Chinese New Year by the Yellow River, Shaanxi Impression, as well as Traveling in Shaanxi. Shaanxi has won an "Overseas Communication Excellence Award" organized by the People's Daily and ranked third in the Top 10 Provincial Cultural and Tourist New Media International Communication Index List for March 2021 issued by the Cultural and Tourist Industries Index Laboratory co-organized by the Chinese Tourism News, the Chinese Public Opinion Investigation Laboratory under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Alibaba Group, which proves that Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism has achieved remarkable results in the overseas publicity campaign via overseas social media. SOURCE Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today may be the beginning of the end of combustible tobacco sales, as organizations from around the world call on governments to do just that. Many other products have been removed from store shelves for causing far less harm than tobacco. The tobacco industry has been given a free pass for far too long: consumer goods shouldn't kill consumers. Click here to read our sign on letter with 148 organizations from 27 countries calling for governments to begin their plans to phase out the sale of combustible tobacco> Click here to read The Washington Post's coverage> Click here to tweet about the world #AfterTobacco> In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced their intention to ban menthol in cigarettes. But the FDA is explicitly barred from banning the sale of all cigarettes. So, it's up to state and local governments to follow the lead of Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach, CA and begin phasing out the sale of tobacco products. "For decades, tobacco companies have falsely claimed they'd stop selling cigarettes if proven deadly," said ASH Executive Director Laurent Huber. "Clearly, they didn't mean it, and will continue as long as it is profitable. It's up to governments to protect their citizens from tobacco products and from the tobacco industry by planning to phase out the sale of combustible tobacco." Combustible cigarettes are the only consumer good that kills when used exactly as intended. Other products require over-use or misuse to cause damage. There has already been progress in the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United States (especially in California), as well as in several European nations. Read more on the momentum here> The joint letter released today is the result of an ever-growing network of researchers and advocates who agree that it cannot be normal for a retail product to kill its consumers. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH US) and several other key partners host this community under the umbrella program named Project Sunset, which seeks to set the sun on big tobacco. "At what age would you want your child to start smoking cigarettes?" asked Micah Berman, JD, Associate Professor of Public Health and Law, Ohio State University. "The vast majority of people around the worldvery much including people who currently smokewant the next generation to live in a world free from the death and devastation caused by cigarette smoking. It's long past time for our policy discussions to reflect that shared goal." The tobacco pandemic death toll rivals that of the COVID-19 pandemic, with one substantial difference: the tobacco pandemic reaches that death toll every year, not just once in a lifetime. It's time for governments to act. ASH > https://ash.org Media Contact: Megan Arendt [email protected] (202) 390 9513 SOURCE Action on Smoking and Health Related Links http://ash.org WHIPPANY, N.J., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE:SPH) ("Suburban Propane"), a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, announced today the completion of its previously announced offering of $650 million aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2031 (the "2031 Senior Notes"), in a private offering to "qualified institutional buyers," as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and non-U.S. persons outside the United States under Regulation S under the Securities Act. Suburban Energy Finance Corp. (together with Suburban Propane, the "Issuers"), a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of Suburban Propane, is the co-issuer of the 2031 Senior Notes. The 2031 Senior Notes were issued under an indenture for senior debt securities, dated as of May 24, 2021, with The Bank of New York Mellon as trustee (the "Trustee"). The net proceeds of the offering of the 2031 Senior Notes, after deducting estimated offering expenses, was approximately $639.9 million, all of which has been or will be used, together with borrowings under a revolving credit facility, to fund the refinancing, by repurchasing or redeeming, (i) all of the outstanding $525,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Issuers' 5.500% senior notes due 2024 (the "2024 Senior Notes"), and (ii) all of the outstanding $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Issuers' 5.750% Senior Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Senior Notes," and together with the 2024 Senior Notes, the "Tender Offer Notes"), including fees and expenses associated with the refinancing. As previously announced on May 10, 2021, Suburban Propane launched a cash tender offer for the Tender Offer Notes (the "Offer"). In addition, Suburban Propane announced that as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 21, 2021 (the "Withdrawal Deadline"), (i) approximately $365,083,000 million principal amount of the 2024 Senior Notes (or approximately 69.54% of the outstanding principal amount of the 2024 Senior Notes), and (ii) approximately $168,976,000 million principal amount of the 2025 Senior Notes (or approximately 67.59% of the outstanding principal amount of the 2025 Senior Notes) have been tendered in connection with the Offer. Suburban Propane also received the requisite consents for the proposed amendments to the indenture governing the 2024 Senior Notes and the indenture governing the 2025 Senior Notes, in each case, to, among other changes, eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants, certain events of default and related provisions with respect to the Tender Offer Notes, and shorten the minimum notice period for redemptions of the Tender Offer Notes to three business days. Title of Note CUSIP No. Outstanding Principal Amount(1) Principal Amount Tendered(2) 5.500% Senior Notes due 2024 864486 AH8 $525,000,000 $365,083,000 5.750% Senior Notes due 2025 864486 AJ4 $250,000,000 $168,976,000 __________ (1) As of May 10, 2021. (2) As of May 21, 2021. Payment for the Tender Offer Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn on or prior to the Withdrawal Deadline and accepted for purchase will be made today, May 24, 2021 (the "Early Settlement Date"). The Issuers will make cash payments to (i) all holders who validly tendered their 2024 Senior Notes and delivered their consents in the Offer of $1,012.00 per $1,000 principal amount of the 2024 Senior Notes tendered, and (ii) all holders who validly tendered their 2025 Senior Notes and delivered their consents in the Offer of $1,020.42 per $1,000 principal amount of the 2025 Senior Notes tendered, in each case plus accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date. The complete terms and conditions of the Offer were set forth in the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated May 10, 2021 (the "Offer to Purchase") and in the related Consent and Letter of Transmittal, which was made available to the eligible holders of the Tender Offer Notes on May 10, 2021. Additionally, today, the Issuers (i) distributed notices of redemption to holders of the Tender Offer Notes not accepted for tender on the Early Settlement Date, and (ii) satisfied and discharged the 2024 Senior Notes and the 2025 Senior Notes in accordance with their terms. The redemption price of any 2024 Senior Notes so redeemed is 100.917% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the date of redemption. The redemption price of any 2025 Senior Notes so redeemed is 101.917% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the date of redemption. The Issuers have deposited with the Trustee sufficient funds to redeem, on the respective redemption dates, any and all of the Tender Offer Notes that were not tendered and validly accepted prior to the Withdrawal Deadline. Tender Offer Notes subject to redemption are to be surrendered to the Trustee in exchange for payment of the redemption price. The redemption of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of all of the 2025 Senior Notes is scheduled to occur on May 27, 2021, and the redemption of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of all of the 2024 Senior Notes is scheduled to occur on June 1, 2021. The notice of redemption distributed to holders of the 2025 Senior Notes supersedes the previously announced conditional notice of redemption distributed to the holders of the outstanding 2025 Senior Notes, which provided for a redemption on June 9, 2021 of all outstanding 2025 Senior Notes not purchased pursuant to the Offer, and which has been withdrawn. Suburban Propane retained BofA Securities, Inc. to act as Dealer Manager in connection with the Offer. Copies of the Offer to Purchase and the related Letter of Transmittal may be obtained from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Tender Agent and the Information Agent for the Offer, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers) or (866) 745-0273 (all others). Questions regarding the Offer may be directed to the Tender Agent and the Information Agent at this phone number. Questions regarding the Offer may also be directed to the Dealer Manager at (980) 388-3646 (collect) or [email protected]. This announcement is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The Offer is being made solely by means of the Offer to Purchase and the related Consent and Letter of Transmittal. The 2031 Senior Notes are not registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold except pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. About Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE:SPH), a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, servicing over 1 million customers through its 700 locations across 41 states. The company proudly celebrated 90 years of innovation, growth and quality service in 2018. The brand is currently focused on three core elements including Suburban Commitment - showcasing the company's 90+ year legacy of flexibility, reliability and dependability, Suburban Cares - highlighting dedication to serving local communities across the nation and Go Green with Suburban Propane - promoting the affordable, clean burning and versatile nature of propane as a bridge to a green energy future. Suburban Propane is a New York Stock Exchange listed limited partnership headquartered in Whippany, NJ. For additional information on Suburban Propane, please visit www.suburbanpropane.com. About Suburban Energy Finance Corp. Suburban Energy Finance Corp. is a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Suburban Propane formed for the sole purpose of acting as the co-issuer of the Notes and as co-obligor for other debt securities Suburban Propane has issued and may issue in the future. It has nominal assets and does not and will not conduct any operations or have any employees. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Suburban expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding actions taken by the holders of the notes or by Suburban Propane with respect to the Offer and the offering of the 2031 Senior Notes. These statements reflect Suburban Propane's expectations or forecasts based on assumptions made by the partnership. These statements are subject to risks including those relating to market conditions, financial performance and results, prices and demand for natural gas and oil and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. These risks are further described in Suburban Propane's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and Suburban Propane undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. * * * SOURCE Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. Related Links http://suburbanpropane.com INDIANAPOLIS, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A central Florida television station, an Illinois newspaper and a popular website will receive The American Legion's Fourth Estate Award during the 102nd National Convention of the nation's largest veterans organization in Phoenix, on September 2. The Fourth Estate Award has been presented annually by The American Legion since 1958 for outstanding achievement in the field of journalism. Nominations in 2021 were considered in three categories: broadcast, print and online media. They were selected by the organization's Media & Communications Commission earlier this month and announced today. Taking top honor in the broadcast category is the ABC Action News (WFTS-TV) I-Team in Tampa, Fla. In a comprehensive series titled "The Price of ProtectionProblems with Court-Ordered Guardianship," the E.W. Scripps-owned station examined problems with many of Florida's court-ordered guardians who victimize vulnerable seniors while profiting from their care. The reporting is believed to have influenced the firing of an agency head by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and reforms passed by the state's legislature. Daily Herald of Arlington, Heights, Ill., is being recognized in the print category for its series articles about deceased veterans who died with no relatives willing to arrange funerals. The articles quickly went viral, prompting hundreds of people from the Chicago area to show support and attend memorial services for the veterans, which included military honors. The Fourth Estate Online Media Award is going to Military.com, a previous recipient of the award. Reporter Gina Harkins was the first to report of a Marine Corps proposal to close its recruit depot at Parris Island, S.C. The proposal was short-lived as several members of South Carolina's congressional delegation voiced strenuous opposition to any plan that would close the historic facility. Rep. Joe Wilson cited Military.com's reporting as a direct cause of The Parris Island Protection Act. "The American Legion has always respected important role of a free press," said James W. "Bill" Oxford, national commander of The American Legion. "The American Legion would not be nearly as effective without media coverage of our positions and programs on the national and community level. The Fourth Estate Awards represent the best of the best. These award winners are being recognized for outstanding works of journalism that not only stand far above normal media reporting, but have also resulted in outcomes that have positively impacted the lives of people and issues. Our 2021 award winners reflect that. These committed journalists have devoted long, hard hours into investigating, researching, writing and producing reports that have truly made a difference. "I will be honored to present each of these deserving recipients with our highest recognition of journalistic accomplishment, The American Legion Fourth Estate Award, at our national convention this summer," Oxford said. "They are all credits to their profession." Previous winners of the award include CNN, CBS, USA Today, ABC News, C-SPAN, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Life Magazine, among others. About The American Legion The American Legion is the largest veterans service organization with nearly 2 million members in more than 12,000 posts across the nation. Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans. Contact: John Raughter, Media Relations [email protected] or 317-630-1350 SOURCE The American Legion Related Links http://www.legion.org DENVER, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Integer Group , the world's leading commerce agency and a key member of Omnicom Group Inc., has announced the launch of its Growth Sciences practice, the data-driven underpinning that drives Integer's creativity and innovation as "The Growth Company." Growth Sciences is a new practice area powered by an unmatched combination of data, tech and talent coupled with a suite of deep analytics applications. Growth Sciences serves as the foundation of Integer's offering and mission to deliver growth for clients through media, creative campaigns, social and research. The practice is fueled by a proprietary data engine, launched in partnership with Omnicom Commerce Group, that anticipates, predicts and shapes shopper behaviors and outcomes. Through this data engine, Integer will be able to deliver faster and more cost-effective insights, innovations and activations to solve modern and complex commerce and business challenges. "What sets Integer apart is that our Growth Sciences team will expertly merge data, tools, AI predictors and data-mining modules with our extensive commerce and retail expertise to significantly drive measured and proven growth," said Ellen Cook, CEO of The Integer Group. "As we move into the next chapter of our agency's evolution, we will fuse creativity with custom and holistic data, analytics and tech in new ways that will shape the future of the commerce and retail landscape." Leading the practice area is Dr. Eamon Boyle, SVP of Growth Sciences, who joins Integer from IBM. Boyle is an analytics, data strategy and measurement professional with more than 15 years of experience in complex multi-disciplinary consulting and agency models. He holds a PhD in applied modeling from the University of Illinois. After serving as a university professor, he moved into marketing to lead analytics departments at JWT, the Martin Agency, Havas, Assembly Media and IBM. Boyle has extensive experience in data mining, insights, predictive modeling, forecasting, data visualization, and the connecting of structured and unstructured data. In 2018, Boyle worked with University of Technology Sydney in Australia to develop a first-of-its-kind Data Arena to visualize media and medical data in 3-D. His past client experience features top Fortune 500 brands including 20th Century Fox, WarnerMedia, Warner Bros, NBCU, Comcast, Ford, BMW, VW, Mercedes, Toyota, Kaiser Permanente, Pfizer, AT&T, Verizon, Walmart, Kohl's, Microsoft, UPS, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Allstate, American Express, Citi, Morgan Stanley, Discover Card and E*TRADE. Boyle will be reporting into Scott Hauman, who was recently promoted to Chief Innovation Officer, leading and advancing Integer's IP, growth-building methodologies and tools, as well as championing Integer's data-first creative strategies. Boyle's team will also include Heidi Bailey, VP of Futures and AI, and Sean Narog, Director of Data & Analytics, along with Growth Sciences SMEs and talent across the globe. The past year has seen significant growth for The Integer Group's global network, coupled with recent executive leadership shifts. Integer has secured new clients including Ferrero North America, Purell and Coty's Covergirl; grown existing clients including AT&T, Duracell, J&J, Michelin and Red Robin; and elevated Ellen Cook to Global CEO and John Kiker to President of the Network's headquarter agency in Denver. Under its new leadership, Integer has evolved its offering to partner with clients as The Growth Company, focusing on data-driven business outcomes and performance on behalf of clients. For more information about The Integer Group, visit the agency's new website at www.integer.com . About The Integer Group We are The Growth Company. The challenges that marketers lose sleep over are the very things we dream about: uncovering, creating and sustaining Growth for the brands we work with. We believe in the power of data-driven intelligence to uncover the most rewarding Growth opportunities with our clients and to fuel creativity that delivers results. Our work starts conversations, creates connections and drives conversion that can be measured and optimized in real-time through our core capabilities: Retail Experience Design, Retail Marketing, eCommerce & Social Commerce, Connected Commerce Media, Brand Communications & Activation, and Technology & Innovation. Integer is a key member of Omnicom Group Inc. and Omnicom Commerce Group. Integer also serves as the commerce arm of TBWA\Worldwide. With more than 1,000 data and culture-driven associates in 21 offices around the globe, we are all commonly focused on growth for clients, including AT&T, FedEx, Frito-Lay, Michelin, Nestle, PepsiCo, Starbucks and more. www.integer.com About Omnicom Group Inc. Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) ( www.omnicom group.com ) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. SOURCE The Integer Group Related Links www.integer.com BOSTON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Starved of lithium-ion batteries and pumped storage sites, the stationary energy storage business is urgently looking for alternatives. See them in the new IDTechEx report, "Stationary Energy Storage Without Batteries: Grid, Microgrid, UPS, Trackside 2021-2041". Tesla now sells its Powerwall house battery only to those buying the full solar house and, like its competitors, it has delayed electric vehicle launches also due to battery shortage. Metals shortages are taking over from too few gigafactories as the primary impediment ongoing. Demand for electric vehicles and grid renewables storage is rocketing even before solar houses reach the tipping point and need tens of millions more. In addition, energy-independent smart cities need distributed energy storage for their ocean, wind, and ubiquitous solar power. Self-leakage makes lithium-ion batteries useless for the new requirement of 6-month storage season-to-season arising from all that cheap solar. Pumped storage cannot do it because it is busy with shorter-term needs. Alternative batteries are gaining traction and IDTechEx has a new report, "Redox Flow Batteries 2021-2031" which clarifies how they are succeeding, but more is needed. Best non-battery options The IDTechEx report, "Stationary Energy Storage Without Batteries: Grid, Microgrid, UPS, Trackside 2021-2041" scopes gravitational, compressed air, liquified air, thermal energy, li-ion capacitor and supercapacitor stationary energy storage and other options. See them used in uninterruptible power supplies, peak shaving, frequency correction, intermittency compensation, peak power delivery, voltage compensation, and pulse power. Add stationary kinetic energy recovery systems KERS, notably trackside tram and electric train recovery integrated with pulse starting. See the pick-and-mix options for each application. The same is true of distributed energy storage compared to massive grid storage both short-term and seasonal. Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx, advises, "Battery-less stationary storage will surge to a $6.5 billion business in 2031 with much more beyond. Compressing air or lifting weights can win for the developing market for massive seasonal storage of solar power but there are subsets and other options. Electric train systems save 15% of their energy bill if 95% efficient supercapacitors grab train braking energy then surge it into trains leaving. Not batteries." Das observes that, "For electricity supply, see how there is scope for storing hydrogen for fuel cells, using flywheels, new lithium-ion supercapacitors, pseudocapacitors, thermal storage, liquifying or compressing air and so on. These non-battery solutions mostly involve no precious metals, toxins or explosions and the research pipeline of improvement is formidable. Many non-battery options are promised to reach half the levelized cost of storage of lithium-ion batteries. We determine which ones are believable." Billion-dollar companies emerging The report is commercially oriented, serving all in the value chain by clarifying where the technology and demands are leading, the players, and the gaps in the market. It is researched by IDTechEx analysts worldwide, often at PhD level, and carrying out interviews in local languages. Many new infograms, pictures, diagrams, graphs, and ongoing 2021 news items make it both easily readable and up-to-date. A comprehensive glossary helps with the tortured jargon in this industry creating giant new manufacturers. Questions answered for grid, microgrid, UPS and trackside rail include: What is the full picture of emerging stationary-storage needs 2021-2041? What is the complete portfolio of non-battery options 2021-2041? What does the research pipeline tell us? What is the bad and good of these vs emerging batteries for stationary storage? Projected costs vary from low to high. Which, why, what prospective improvement? Why is there a place for technologies with a few minutes to effectively infinite storge time? What do combinations as "hybrid energy storage systems" achieve? What are the many gaps in the emerging market for smart city distributed storage? Who will emerge as leading players making billion-dollar new businesses out of all this? What companies will make ideal collaborators? The Executive Summary and Conclusions is sufficient for those with limited time, its many new infograms and tables comparing the options, technologies, achievements and opportunities with many roadmaps and forecasts to 2041 to reveal even the later-arriving challenges and opportunities. See some mainstream battery uses being challenged by later-emerging cleaner, better-performing, safer, more affordable options covered in the report. The rest consists of the following topics all including many actual examples in action or under trial: Introduction: Understand ongoing battery problems leading to the adoption of alternatives for reasons of safety, performance and cost. See the contestants for more affordable, better performing, safer and more environmental energy storage than batteries can provide. We introduce the electricity grid structure, the service which the grid requires and microgrids and give new storage examples from 2021. Supercapacitors and derivatives: Technology, success, best practice and potential for pure, symmetrical supercapacitors and derivatives lithium-ion capacitors and pseudocapacitors in MW banks 1kWh and above, including multipurpose backup/ peak shaving/ power factor correction etc. Manufacturers compared. Gravitational Energy Storage: Potentially GWh, this includes pumping heavy liquids up hills given the shortage of mountains for water pumped storage. Very useful is also the modern version of the grandfather clock storage by lifting huge weights, dropping them much later to make electricity. A chart gives energy provided by masses of different size and heights. See the many options and differing capability to reach the market. Compressed Air Energy Storage: CAES Technical features, options, companies and future prospects, which look good. Liquid Air Energy Storage: LAES technology, market and potential, again very promising. Thermal Energy Storage: TES technology, market and potential explaining how this is more speculative and longer term. Company profiles as links to IDTechEx database and detailed tables with critical appraisal. For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/SESBatteryless, or for the full portfolio of Energy Storage research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/ES. About IDTechEx IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com. Media Contact: Natalie Moreton Digital Marketing Manager [email protected] +44(0)1223 812300 Social Media Links: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/IDTechEx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDTechExResearch Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/478371/IDTechEx_Logo.jpg SOURCE IDTechEx The coffee shop layout is designed to combine East-meet-West culture, reminiscent of the country and people of Vietnam. Grab & Go area provides a feeling of convenience and comfort to visitors. The coffee shop's arrangement ensures to comply with current Covid-19 regulatory from States like mask mandate, social distancing and disinfect through the store frequently. At King Coffee Anaheim offers visitors an extensive range of traditional Vietnamese coffee: Vietnamese Iced Coffee aka Cafe Sua Da, Vietnamese Black Iced Coffee, Egg Coffee along with other popular option like Caramel Macchiato, Cafe Latte, Americano, etc. Their hand-crafted drink is made entirely with coffee beans imported from Vietnam and around the world. Beside hand-crafted coffee, King Coffee also offers various meal option -Vietnamese Beef Pho, Banh Mi, Ham & Swiss Croissant, Caesar Salad together with more than 20 options of popular pastry. With a broad menu selection, King Coffee is a one-stop station for any time of the day - breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. In addition, visitors can purchase King Coffee's products directly at the store. They have a wide range products from instant coffee (best seller 3in1 Instant Coffee Bag 88 Sticks, Espresso, Gourmet Blend and Expert Blend) to ground and whole beans coffee. "The opening of the first restaurant in the United States marks a strong development of TNI King Coffee in the world market," said Ms. Le Hoang Diep Thao - Founder and CEO of TNI King Coffee brand. In 2020, the TNI King Coffee international market is expanded from 60 countries to more than 120 countries and territories. Revenue and market share increased by 200%, the Russian market alone grew by up to 350% despite the on-going global pandemic. The opening of TNI King Coffee cafe-chain in Anaheim California marks the very first global expansion plan for the coffee magnate in the United States. The company plans to open additional 20 stores this year and 100 stores by 2022 in the United States thru franchising business model. Globally, the company aims for further expansion into many countries such as China, Middle East, Europe, Russia and all over Southeast Asia. With those successes, in 2020, the brand was voted by Global Brands Magazine as "Fastest Growing Coffee Brand for Global" and "Most Popular Coffee Brand. in Vietnam "(The most famous coffee brand in Vietnam) The United States is the first market that Ms. Le Hoang Diep Thao chooses to launch TNI King Coffee in October 2016. To date, TNI King Coffee products have been sold at multiple Asian supermarkets across United States - Hoa Binh Supermarket (Westminster, California), Saigon City Market (Westminster, California), ABC Supermarket - (Anaheim, California). , Hong Kong Grand Prairie (Dallas, Texas), Hiep Thai Supermarket (Houston, Texas), City Farmer Market 6 (Duluth, Georgia), Native American supermarkets such as Tawa Services Inc (Buena Park, California), Supervalu (Commerce, California), Aliments Inc (Ronkonkoma, New York) and various e-commerce platforms such as Amazon's (https://amzn.to/37ZP6UI), Walmart (https://bit.ly/3uKKaN9) and on official webstore of TNI King Coffee in the USA (https://kingcoffeeusa.com) In 2020, TNI King Coffee also opened its USA Headquarter office in the United States to facilitate transactions with domestic partners: 25651 Atlantic Ocean Dr Unit A15 Lake Forest California 92630. The California-based headquarters are equipped with training center, logistic center as well as product development center to cater to the rapid market development in the United States thru its FMCG distribution as well as cafe franchising business. About TNI King Coffee TNI King Coffee is a coffee brand that was enthusiastically built by Mrs. Le Hoang Diep Thao - a veteran coffee expert. Mrs. Diep Thao is known as the co-founder and co-founder of Trung Nguyen Group - she has been instrumental in leading Trung Nguyen to become Vietnam's No. 1 coffee brand and bringing Trung Nguyen and G7 brands to the world. Less than 5 years of inception, her team has successfully built the TNI King Coffee brand in the world market and effectively managed the global distribution network. Currently, King Coffee products are present in more than 120 countries and territories, including major markets such as China, the US, Japan, Russia, Singapore, Korea King Coffee's success comes from product quality. King Coffee is made from the best coffee beans in the world, selected from famous coffee material regions such as Ethiopia, Brazil, Kenya, Indonesia, and especially Robusta from the coffee capital of Vietnam - Buon Ma Thuot, Arabica of Cau Dat region (Lam Dong). The best ingredients together with the oriental know-how that used to make the No. 1 coffee brand in Vietnam, modern processing technology, love and passion for coffee, King Coffee wants to bring the products to consumers all over the world TNI King Coffee's "World of Coffee" - includes: The excellent Whole Bean coffee product line from famous coffee growing regions of Vietnam and the world: Colombia , Brazil , Indonesia , Guatemala , Ethiopia , Buon Ma Thuot (Daklak), Cau Dat ( Da Lat ) ..., since then came out with 9 types of excellent products suitable for the most demanding markets. and the world: , , , , , (Daklak), Cau Dat ( ) ..., since then came out with 9 types of excellent products suitable for the most demanding markets. The capsule coffee line (Capsule) has caught up with the latest coffee-enjoying trend in the world. Besides the Premium Blend Capsule, the Cappuccino Capsule, the outstanding product of Capsule Weasel is a unique combination of Vietnamese weasel coffee and world trends, demonstrating the world's highest level of enjoying coffee. Traditional coffee lines of Vietnam and Southeast Asia Expert Blend. Mrs. Diep Thao said that this is a traditional secret of the East that has created a rich flavor that enchants millions of coffee lovers. and Southeast Asia Expert Blend. Mrs. said that this is a traditional secret of the East that has created a rich flavor that enchants millions of coffee lovers. Instant coffee, coffee mix, Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, are superior to G7 instant coffee before. In addition, there is also a line of instant RTD coffee products that are favored by worldwide consumers. Website: https://www.kingcoffeenetwork.com/ SOURCE King Coffee Related Links https://www.kingcoffeenetwork.com/ A slimmed down version of the classic Vitamix, the Vitamix ONE offers a streamlined design for simple operation and a countertop-friendly size, making it ideal for all types of kitchens. The blender is perfect for those looking to easily consume more healthy foods. Compact but powerful, the Vitamix ONE seamlessly blends tough, fibrous fruits and veggies perfect for users desiring the most popular blends. The intuitive speed dial allows users to get flawless texture with every blend, and its laser-cut blades are crafted from hardened stainless steel, delivering better blends and longer life. "At Vitamix, whole-food nutrition has always been our one true passion. This year, in honor of our 100th anniversary, we created the ONE so more people would have access to whole foods through Vitamix," said Steve Laserson, Chief Commercial Officer at Vitamix. "We realize there are many people who use their blender only for simple applications, such as smoothies, sauces and baby food. The ONE produces Vitamix-quality results for these popular whole-food blends." The Vitamix ONE can also serve as a secondary blender for a patio or vacation home, or for a student to use in their dorm. Available in sleek black, the new blender comes with a 32-ounce Tritan BPA-free container for single or multiple servings. A tamper to assist with blending is included with the purchase. Additionally, built-in handles make it easy to move around the kitchen. The Vitamix ONE is available today at vitamix.com and is backed by a two-year warranty. The new blender will also be available at Costco, and at other major retailers, including Amazon; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Best Buy; and Williams-Sonoma (online only), in June. For more information on the Vitamix ONE and the 100th anniversary, visit vitamix.com. About Vitamix The Vitamix family of companies, privately held and family-owned and -operated since 1921, is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary, with a tribute to healthy, whole-food eating. Millions of people around the world employ Vitamix machines as a means of preparing nutritious foods in their home kitchens. The company also manufactures high-performance blenders and accessories for commercial kitchens. The company's commercial customer list reads like a "Who's Who" of major restaurant chains, and gourmet chefs say their Vitamix machines are as important to them as their knives. The company developed the first true commercial blender in the early 1990s, which ignited the smoothie movement, and has been named the Best in Class Overall beverage blender for nine consecutive years by readers of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine. Vitamix continues to win awards for its products, culture, and user experience, and is found in more than 130 countries. The company is headquartered in Olmsted Township, Ohio, near Cleveland. For more information, please visit https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/?cid=PR-ss . SOURCE Vitamix Related Links https://www.vitamix.com Jewish-Arab ties in region hang in balance after Hamas-Israel heaviest fighting since 2014 Xinhua) 08:50, May 24, 2021 Palestinian protesters use slingshots to hurl stones at Israeli security members during a protest against the continued Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on May 20, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua) After 11-day-long war between Israel and Gaza that only ended last Friday, tension between Arabs and Jews in the region that grew dramatically during the war can still be felt, leaving a big question mark over the future of their relations. JERUSALEM, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Despite the cease-fire reached between Gaza's ruler Hamas and Israel for a round of their probably heaviest fighting since 2014, the tension between Arabs and Jews in the region that grew dramatically during the fighting can still be felt, leaving a big question mark over the future of their relations. In Israel, there are many mixed cities of Jewish and Arab residents. The 11-day-long war between Israel and Gaza that only ended last Friday pushed the underlying turmoil in the region to a climax. The trigger for this round of fighting, as most previous cases, was from the Old City of Jerusalem. The Palestinians accused Israel of restricting movement in and around Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City, after the Israeli police took a rare step of blocking buses of Arab worshippers heading to the mosque on the holiest night of the Ramadan month. "Al-Aqsa is a red line. It is a consensus among Arabs. It is explosive and the issue needs to be handled properly," said Afif Abu Much, a political analyst and contributor to the U.S.-based Al-Monitor news website that reports and analyses developments of the Middle East. Israeli border policemen are positioned during a protest against the continued Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on May 20, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua) In addition, Arabs protested what they said was illegal eviction of Palestinian residents from an East Jerusalem neighborhood to make room for Jewish settlers. Clashes with police erupted throughout Jerusalem and quickly spread to other places in the region. In the mixed Israeli city of Lod, an Arab man was shot dead by Jews who claimed they were acting in self-defense, while a Jewish man was killed by rocks thrown at his car. Scenes of lynches being committed by both Jews and Arabs were seen across the country. According to the Israeli police' foreign media spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, 280 policemen were injured in nationwide violence, while more than 1,000 suspected of being involved in the unrest were arrested. A Palestinian protester uses a slingshot to hurl a stone at Israeli security members during a protest against the continued Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on May 20, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua) "There is intense bitterness which blew up this time," said Thabet Abu Rass, co-director of the Abraham Initiatives, a non-governmental organization that promotes Jewish-Arab co-existence. "The combination of the issues together with the ethnic, religious and identity crisis (makes) Arabs feel humiliated." As a whole, Arab residents in Israel have a lower participation rate in the workforce and lower salaries than Jewish Israelis. Many of the mixed cities are undergoing a gentrification trend, in which the real estate prices have risen and made home ownership for Arabs unattainable. The predominantly Jewish cities are even more expensive and often not welcoming to Arabs. In addition, the rate of crime and violence in the Arab society is significantly higher than that in Jewish society. Years of empty promises to tackle the problem have resulted in pent-up frustration and ethnic undertones that have the potential of spiralling into a violent internal conflict. Worse still, the Israeli parliament passed the Jewish-Nation State law in 2018, which essentially downgrades the status of the Arabs that make up 20 percent of the population in the country. Many believe the law was a turning point in the already tense relations between Arabs and Jews. "Israel has still not come to terms with the fact that it has Arab citizens," said the political analyst Abu Much. "We still see Jewish paternalism and supremacy. This makes the Arabs feel like they are outsiders." Israeli security members are positioned during a protest against the continued Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on May 20, 2021. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua) "The disparity, the uneven development and radical and racist statements ... the years of neglect of civilian projects and development, policies of discrimination ... led to the explosion. If these things will not be taken care of now ... we will witness another outbreak in the coming years," Abu Rass noted. After what has occurred recently, the possibility of an Arab party joining a government likely to be formed in Israel in the coming weeks may have been ruled out, representing yet another setback for Arab-Jewish relations. "It is unacceptable that Arabs are not part of the political game," said Abu Rass. "We need to think about how to incorporate them in the decision-making process to promote a sense of belonging and a sense of ownership." (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) "We are thrilled to kick off our partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing and the Coca Cola 600 is the perfect opportunity to bring awareness for the work Feeding America is doing," said Dave Marson, Founder, Marson Foods. "By partnering with Feeding America, we are able to help fuel America and distribute meals directly to the communities that need it most around the country. We look forward to supporting Cole Custer and the #41 car in Charlotte." Feeding America projects that 42 million people (1 in 8), including 13 million children (1 in 6), may experience food insecurity in 2021. Marson Foods will be donating individually packaged Wow Wow Classic Waffles to Feeding America food banks around the country, equaling 10 million meals* over the next three years, going directly to children and families who are experiencing food insecurity. "It has been an incredible experience already to work with Wow Wow Classic Waffles in their effort to fight hunger with Feeding America. There are so many communities across the country that benefit from the work Feeding America does and having them on the car for the race at Charlotte is a great way to bring more attention to all their programs," said Cole Custer. "It doesn't take much to get involved, and this is a perfect opportunity for not only me and the guys on the 41 team do our part, but for the fans to be involved too. Hopefully, we're able to use these races to drive awareness and help out as many families as we can." Fans will be able to see the #41 Wow Wow Classic Waffles and Feeding America Ford Mustang hit the track again on October 17 at Texas Motor Speedway for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500, and October 24 at Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400. Across the country, K12 students will soon be able to enjoy Wow Wow Classic Waffles as part of the school meal program this summer. For more information about Wow Wow Classic Waffles, a Marson Foods brand, please visit marsonfoods.com/wowow or follow on Instagram . MEAL CLAIM: *$1 helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. SOURCE Marson Foods Huang Qin, Secretary of the CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee, Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, Gong Xixiang, Member and Secretary General of the Party Leadership Group of Xinhua News Agency, and Jian Qin, Deputy General Manager of China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd. also delivered speeches at the event. In his speech, Shen Haixiong stated that as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping pointed out, next generation artificial intelligence is flourishing worldwide, bringing fresh impetus to economic and social development, and profoundly changing our mode of production and way of life. An integrated national cross-sectoral branded event in intelligent communication, the forum is dedicated to establishing an international communication platform to further consolidate consensus and jointly promote high-quality development in the global intelligent communication industry. Shen Haixiong said that the era of intelligent communication is promoting in-depth media convergence and closer people-to-people ties all around the world, and is distinguished by richness of information and extensive information sharing. CMG, upholding the principle that "even giant corporations must keep themselves up to date", is strategically building a "5G+4K/8K+AI" landscape, and accelerating the pace towards its goal of building a world-class new-type mainstream media group. He added that efforts are required to deepen scientific and technological innovation and jointly create opportunities for changes in media. It is essential to stay open and inclusive so as to promote exchanges and mutual understanding between civilizations and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. It also requires further attention to reject bias and narrow-mindedness, and communicate objective and impartial news and information to the world. Wu Zhenglong said in his speech that General Secretary Xi Jinping highlighted the mission for Jiangsu "to set a model and lead the way" on our new journey to the new era of development. Jiangsu is set to seize the opportunities presented by this new stage of development, implement new development ideas and build up new development paradigm. It will take the initiative to adapt itself to new situation and new requirements along with the development of the IT sector, working actively to seize opportunities, address challenges and navigate through the waters. Jiangsu will leverage intelligent communication to better serve economic development and people's livelihood, practically fulfilling its mission to construct an economically developed, prosperous, and modern province with favorable environment and highly civilized society. Wu Zhenglong stressed that Jiangsu considered the intelligent communication forum as an opportunity to utilize intelligence as a driver, intermediary and concentrator to facilitate the sound development of the intelligent communication industry and construct a globally-oriented intelligent communication platform. Huang Qin stated that the forum was successfully opened to not only provide a high-end platform for enabling media innovation with intelligent technologies, but also inject strong impetus into the development of digital and cultural industries in Wuxi. Wuxi will employ advanced technologies to guide the sound development of intelligent communication, and establish a national hub of digital and cultural industries worth up to 100 billion yuan. The city will strive to create a national demonstration base for the integration of culture and technology, and develop into a culturally developed city of greater leadership, cohesion and influence. Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium, extended congratulations via video to the forum on its successful opening. He said that technological developments contributed to the wide global coverage of information and communication technologies. Initiatives such as the Belt and Road have offered a wealth of opportunities internationally for world citizens to learn more about their own cultures and reach out to other civilizations around the globe. Siddharth Chatterjee said that he was honored to participate in the forum in his capacity as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China. He saw the world as a collection of diverse cultures. Different countries should be more inclusive, seek common ground while putting differences aside, and pool together the wisdom of our mankind to promote sustainable development. Gong Xixiang observed that media competition has shifted onto a path of intelligent communication. It urges us to embrace the era of intelligent communication, make breakthroughs in this crucial stage of integrated media convergence and development, and pursue a new future for new-type mainstream media. That requires efforts to seize the trend of innovation and development, persist with the duty and mission of media, and build greater capacity for integrated development in the era of intelligent communication. According to Jian Qin, China Mobile is now vigorously implementing its "5G+" plan in order to accelerate the integration of information technology into all industries, and to better serve the public. Moving ahead, China Mobile stands ready to strengthen external cooperation, create a ubiquitous intelligent communication landscape, enrich the supply of high-quality content, safeguard network and information security, and promote continuous innovation of intelligent communication in terms of content and models. At the forum opening ceremony, CMG launched the special project on 4K/8K UHD restoration of classic video materials concerning the history of the CPC. The participating guests also witnessed the signing of a strategic cooperation framework agreement between CCTV.com and Wuxi City. At the opening ceremony, keynote speeches were delivered by Peng Jianming, Du Xiaogang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee and Mayor of Wuxi, Cao Guowei, Chairman and CEO of Sina and Chairman of Weibo, and other guests. They shared views and opinions on the prospects of intelligent media, technological applications, and their real-world impacts, along with cutting-edge achievements in this field. The opening ceremony was also attended by relevant department heads of CMG and the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, together with experts in artificial intelligence, 5G communications, and other fields at home and abroad, media industry leaders, and entrepreneurial representatives. Themed "New Era, Intelligent Communication", the forum was celebrated with one main opening summit and three sub-forums to highlight international vision and Chinese style, and was dedicated to establishing a high-end open platform for communication and cooperation. CMG's innovative applications for building a new strategic "5G+4K/8K+AI" landscape were also on display on the site. SOURCE CCTV.com SEOUL South Korea, May 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Bioscience (KOSDAQ 048410) announced on the 24th that CNPharm, its major shareholding bio tech company, published an article containing the research results of CP-COV03, a Niclosamide-based oral treatment for COVID-19 based on its proprietary oral formulation technology, in a special issue of Pharmaceuticals. This article reveals CNPharm's in vivo study, where they administered a single dose of CP-COV03 to rats, and as a result the maximum drug concentration in blood (Cmax) was approximately 300 times the IC50 level, while maintaining the drug concentration level at or above 50% viral inhibition (IC50) for 24 hours. CP-COV03 has been recognized globally to be a candidate for a 'game changing' treatment that may compete with other oral antiviral drugs for COVID-19 being developed by Merck, Pfizer and Roche, or Tamiflu which was an oral drug developed for the H1N1 pandemic. In particular, the 300-fold gap between Cmax and IC50 concentrations confirmed by in vivo study is an indicator that the therapeutic window of this drug is wide enough not only to increase its possibility of success as an antiviral drug but to attract the attention from Big Pharma that has been in need of such game changer drugs for COVID-19. Now, Hyundai Bioscience is ready to proceed to clinical trials in Korea and internationally for CP-COV03 based on the results of preclinical studies of CNPharm, and announced that it plans to simultaneously seek collaboration or licensing opportunities with global pharmaceutical companies. Roche, one of the biggest pharmaceutical firms, has licensed-in Tamiflu, a game changer for the H1N1 flu, from Gilead. COVID-19 game changer antiviral drugs in clinical stage by Roche and Merck have also been licensed from other original developers. Niclosamide, the API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) of CP-COV03, not only inhibits viral replication as other game changer antiviral drug candidates do, but it also degrades and eliminates virus within the cell as well as preventing lung damage caused by coronavirus. These additional mechanisms were recently reported by articles published in Nature, which suggests Niclosamide to be a promising COVID-19 drug candidate. Without cutting-edge biotechnology, it is nearly impossible to maintain Niclosamide's concentration in blood at or above IC50 level for 24 hours by a single dose. There has been no such success case reported thus far, with only an exception of a nasal inhalation formulation case that is in clinical trials at the University of Cambridge, which achieved IC50 for 24 hours only in the lung tissue though. Last year, CNPharm developed the antiviral drug, CP-COV03, by dramatically improving the bioavailability of Niclosamide, which had been the biggest obstacle for 60 years in the repurposing of Niclosamide along with an extremely low absorption rate in the body and excessively short half-life of drug concentration in blood. It is notable that Dr. Jin-Ho Choy, Chief Scientist of CNPharm, recently drew attention from Asian scholars at the 'Science Council of Asia' (SCA) conference held in Guangzhou, China, on May 13th and 14th, where he presented the efficacy results of CP-COV03 from hamster model. His research team reported a study titled 'COVID-19 Game Changer Drug' that revealed an excellent antiviral efficacy of CP-COV03. Dr. Choy, Chair Professor at Dankook University in Korea, is a member of Korea National Assembly of Science as well as Korean Academy of Science & Technology. Pharmaceuticals, in which this research article is published, is a monthly SCI (Science and Technology Journal Citation Index) journal published by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), one of the world's four major academic publishers. MDPI's impact factor is 4.286 and it is a world-renowned journal that is ranked at the 1st quartile (Q1) in the field of pharmacology and pharmaceuticals. About Hyundai Bioscience HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes bio-fusion technology with the purpose of delivering active ingredients safely and efficiently to targeted areas of the body. Hyundai Bioscience's Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Technology is a novel drug delivery system technology that allows the selective and effective delivery of active substances on the target area in combination with bio-friendly delivery vehicles. Applying its technology in the fields of tumor-targeted drugs and even skin & scalp care, Hyundai Bioscience will continue to expand its business scope by introducing innovative biotechnology and new effective products. SOURCE Hyundai Bioscience Related Links http://www.hyundaibioscience.com/ "From my upbringing in Mexico, with close ties to Oaxaca, and through my career analyzing the Latin American spirits market, I noticed mezcal's explosive growth was making the category increasingly commoditized and industrialized," comments Rafael Shin, Founder of Agua Magica. "My mission with Agua Magica is to initiate conversations around redirecting mezcal's current growth trajectory, through a premiumization and recontextualization of mezcal consumption occasions. To start, we prioritize quality, which is how we can encourage Agua Magica to be sipped neat. To be able to sip mezcal is to take part in upholding artisanal production practices," adds Shin. A romance between exclusively sourced and harvested single-village agaves, espadin and tobala, provides the backdrop to the brand's ensamble stemming from the terrain of San Juan del Rio. This mythical location is blessed with ideal natural elements for crafting the finest mezcal. The rich soil, sublime weather conditions, fresh river water and high-mountain altitude help the agaves retain less water, increasing their sugar concentration, in turn developing a complex and rich flavor. Agua Magica's smooth and flavorful notes lures consumers into enjoying it during moments of introspection, commemoration, and transcendence. "Agua Magica is a blend of Espadin and Tobala that celebrates the traditional process of making mezcal from more than just one agave type. It shows a softer approach to a sipping mezcal with notes of cucumber, melon, and green chili on the palate. It warms as it moves through the body with an uplifting energy for the spirit," explains Yana Volfson, Director of Beverages at Cosme and Beverage Consultant to Agua Magica. Agua Magica strives to contemporize Mexican lore and prehistoric rituals, where mezcal is a celebratory spirit playing a crucial part in all festividades - from weddings to funerals to births. The brand embraces Oaxacan traditions, such as bestowing the responsibility of mayordomo on a fellow party-goer to keep the drinks flowing, through the lens of magical realism. "We want to show the world the beauty of the land as well as the roots and customs that accompany mezcal. In order to do so, we've partnered with locals to narrate the region's cultural richness in an abstract film," states Shin. By investing in small batch producers, Agua Magica honors them as entrepreneurs, not as manufacturers. Mezcaleros are often faced with increased pressures of delivering at scale, leading to overstimulation of land and industrialization at the expense of their traditional techniques and pricing. Agua Magica has partnered with maestro mezcalero, Rogelio Juan Hernandez, providing additional resources to grow his palenque and family farm while increasing wages for his team. Additionally, Agua Magica strives towards broadening opportuni- ties to mezcaleros in Oaxaca through the brand's "Empowering Mezcaleros" program, by donating 5% of yearly profits to five family-run palenques, helping them with the certification process to sell their mezcal. Agua Magica's inaugural ensamble will be limited to an exclusive 2,000 bottles to continue producing in small batches. The bottle retails for $65 USD and the set, including the bottle and illustrated box, retails for $95 USD. Agua Magica is available for purchase online at aguamagica.com, select retailers, for delivery through Drizly and Thirstie and can be found on the cocktail menu at Cosme, Atla and Soho House. Investors of Agua Magica include founders of leading direct-to-consumer brands and influential entrepreneurs in lifestyle and hospitality like Jeff Raider (Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Harry's and Co-Founder of Warby Parker), Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal (Co-Founders & Co-CEOs of Warby Parker), Joey Zwillinger (Co-Founder of Allbirds), Karlie Kloss (Supermodel, Entrepreneur and Founder of Kode With Klossy), Babba Rivera (Founder & CEO of Ceremonia), Hannah Bronfman (Founder of HBFIT) and Penni Thow (Founder & CEO of Copper). Media Requests For press inquiries and high res imagery, please contact Virginia Ross, Founder of ASHE at [email protected]. SOURCE Agua Magica SANTA ANA, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys with Aitken Aitken Cohn secured a maximum settlement of $11 million from the California Republican Party on behalf of a catastrophically injured husband and father of six children. The plaintiff, Richard Ruehle suffered severe injuries in a freeway crash caused by a paid campaign worker, ending nearly five years of intense litigation by Aitken Aitken Cohn's Chris Aitken and Megan Demshki that exposed serious dangers associated with the lax standards of paid political campaign precinct walkers. In addition to compensating plaintiff Richard Ruehle for a life-changing tragedy that left him a quadriplegic, the public resolution helps expose the ongoing dangers of political campaigns which have become big business, with goals far beyond a single election. It brings needed responsibility and accountability to an arena that required tenacious advocacy and ingenuity to investigate. "Politicians have responsibilities just like any other employer, and this settlement ensures that the California Republican Party or any party will not escape accountability," said lead counsel Chris Aitken of Aitken Aitken Cohn. Ruehle was commuting on the 91 freeway on August 5, 2016, as do so many Inland Empire residents, near the Orange County/Riverside border, when he was struck by a Chevrolet Malibu driven by an unlicensed driver. Aitken Aitken Cohn's team discovered the unlicensed driver was connected to a much larger enterprise through his work as a paid employee of the 2016 Eric Linder for State Assembly campaign, which was uninsured. They painstakingly found evidence establishing that the unlicensed driver was an employee of Linder's campaign which was in a joint venture with the California Republican Party to collect data from potential voters. The precinct driver's work went beyond what citizens might expect from a State Assembly campaign in a defined district: He and other paid campaign workers weren't just trying to get Linder elected; they were helping the California Republican Party enhance an already detailed statewide voter database that can be used in campaigns at every level of government (local, state and national). That meant his work didn't just benefit Linder's campaign, it benefited the state California Republican Party. Together, the efforts constituted a legal joint venture that made both entities liable for Ruehle's injuries. The California Republican Party considered victory in Linder's Assembly District 60 in Riverside County to be so important that they poured extra money, services, equipment and attention into extensive data-gathering efforts that had employees contacting as many voters as possible. The unlicensed precinct walker himself had no experiencing canvassing or campaigning and was not familiar with the district. "Why should those large political employers be less accountable than Amazon drivers, Domino's pizza drivers and others using our highways at potential risk to others? These are paid campaign precinct walkers in districts they're largely unfamiliar with, and seeking broad information from the voters they're contacting," said Wylie Aitken. Ruehle was the provider for his wife, Christel, and their six children. Ruehle loved to hike, practice martial arts and explore the outdoors with his family. Since his injuries, he's started participating in an adaptive CrossFit program to regain strength, in addition to regular physical therapy. He also volunteers with the Triumph Foundation as an inspirational speaker and counselor for people who have been newly diagnosed with spinal cord injuries. Christel, a front-line nurse, cares for him. "Richard and Christel represent triumph over tragedy and are role models for us all. This settlement will pay for his lifelong medical care and help him focus on spending time with his family and building his new life. This will also help them help other spinal cord injury victims," said Megan Demshki, co-lead counsel and head of Aitken Aitken Cohn's Riverside office. The $11 million will be paid by the California Republican Party's insurance carrier and is the maximum available under their policy. The plaintiff's legal team includes attorneys Chris Aitken, Megan Demshki, Wylie Aitken, Darren Aitken and Casey Johnson of Aitken Aitken Cohn. The case was litigated in Orange County Superior Court. (Court # 30-2017-00912044) For further information contact Chris Aitken or Megan Demshki at 714-434-1424. SOURCE Aitken Aitken Cohn LAVAL, QC, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) ("Bausch Health" or the "Company") announced today that it has priced its previously announced offering of $1.6 billion aggregate principal amount of 4.875% senior secured notes due 2028 (the "Notes"). The Notes will be sold to investors at a price of 100% of the principal amount thereof. The proceeds from the offering of the Notes, along with cash on hand, are expected to be used to fund the Company's offer to purchase (the "Tender Offer") any and all of its outstanding 7.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes") and to pay related fees, premiums and expenses. If, following the consummation of the Tender Offer, any of the 2024 Notes remain outstanding, the Company will use the remaining net proceeds of the offering of the Notes to redeem such 2024 Notes (the "Redemption"). The Notes will be guaranteed by each of the Company's subsidiaries that are guarantors under the Company's credit agreement and existing senior notes and will be secured on a first priority basis by liens on the assets that secure the Company's credit agreement and existing senior secured notes. Consummation of the offering of the Notes is subject to various closing conditions. The Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Notes will be offered in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes have not been and will not be qualified for sale to the public by prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws and, accordingly, any offer and sale of the Notes in Canada will be made on a basis, which is exempt from the prospectus requirements of such securities laws. This announcement does not constitute an offer to purchase or notice of redemption with respect to the 2024 Notes. The Tender Offer is subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described in the offer to purchase related to the Tender Offer, including the completion of the offering of the Notes. The Redemption is conditioned upon the completion by the Company or its subsidiaries of one or more debt financings in an aggregate principal amount of at least $1.6 billion, which the Company expects to satisfy upon closing of the offering of the Notes. This news release is being issued pursuant to Rule 135c under the Securities Act and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Bausch Health Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global company whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of pharmaceutical, medical device and over-the-counter products, primarily in the therapeutic areas of eye health, gastroenterology and dermatology. We are delivering on our commitments as we build an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information and statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including, but not limited to, our financing plans and details thereof, including the proposed use of proceeds therefrom, our ability to close the offering of the Notes and the other expected effects of the offering of the Notes, and the Tender Offer, the details thereof and other expected effects of the Tender Offer. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's most recent annual and quarterly reports and detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which risks and uncertainties are incorporated herein by reference. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's proposed plan to separate its eye health business from the remainder of Bausch Health, including the expected benefits and costs of the separation transaction, the expected timing of completion of the separation transaction and its terms, the Company's ability to complete the separation transaction considering the various conditions to the completion of the separation transaction (some of which are outside the Company's control, including conditions related to regulatory matters and a possible shareholder vote, if applicable), that market or other conditions are no longer favorable to completing the transaction, that any shareholder, stock exchange, regulatory or other approval (if required) is not obtained on the terms or timelines anticipated or at all, business disruption during the pendency of or following the separation transaction, diversion of management time on separation transaction-related issues, retention of existing management team members, the reaction of customers and other parties to the separation transaction, the qualification of the separation transaction as a tax-free transaction for Canadian and/or U.S. federal income tax purposes (including whether or not an advance ruling from either or both of the Canada Revenue Agency and the Internal Revenue Service will be sought or obtained), potential dis-synergy costs between the separated entity and the remainder of Bausch Health, the impact of the separation, including the leverage of Bausch Health and of the eye health business after the separation, transaction on relationships with customers, suppliers, employees and other business counterparties, general economic conditions, conditions in the markets Bausch Health is engaged in, behavior of customers, suppliers and competitors, technological developments and legal and regulatory rules affecting Bausch Health's business. In particular, the Company can offer no assurance that any separation transaction will occur at all, or that any separation transaction will occur on the terms and timelines anticipated by the Company. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties caused by or relating to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the fear of that pandemic, the availability and effectiveness of vaccines for COVID-19, and the potential effects of that pandemic, the severity, duration and future impact of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, and which may have a material adverse impact on the Company, including but not limited to its supply chain, third-party suppliers, project development timelines, employee base, liquidity, stock price, financial condition and costs (which may increase) and revenue and margins (both of which may decrease). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Bausch Health undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law. SOURCE Bausch Health Companies Inc. LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Domineum, a London-based software development firm, today announces that it has entered into a partnership arrangement with nChain, a provider of data integrity solutions built by their in-house blockchain experts. The companies will work together to identify further commercial opportunities to migrate Domineum's current data solutions to become 'Blockchain-as-a-Service' (BaaS) products built on the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain. Domineum provides a range of enterprise and government data applications across several different sectors, with a particular focus on emerging and developing markets in Africa. Domineum's Cargo Tracking Note product helps government agencies better track product shipments and increase customs revenue including as Domineum Marine for port management systems; it has been successfully deployed in Sierra Leone. Domineum's land registry solution is being implemented in Abia State, Nigeria to help digitise property records. To support its market focus in Africa, Domineum operates local hubs in both Freetown, Sierra Leone and Lagos, Nigeria. As part of today's announced partnership, nChain will advise Domineum on transitioning its portfolio of products to the BSV blockchain. BSV is an enterprise-grade public blockchain, functioning as both a peer-to-peer electronic cash system and a global data ledger for government and enterprise applications. The BSV network scales unbounded to support high volumes of transactions (the BSV blockchain is expected to demonstrate 50,000 transaction per second throughput capacity later this year) at minimal cost, with median transaction fees that are a small fraction of a U.S. cent. In addition, BSV offers micropayment, smart contract, tokenisation and diverse data functionalities. Domineum expects to expand its current suite of offerings as a result of today's announced partnership. The two companies will collaborate to identify opportunities for the development of innovative new blockchain-based services for additional e-government services, as well as enterprise solutions for real estate, RegTech, supply chain management and more. Speaking on today's announcement, Domineum CEO Geoffery Weli-Wosu, said: 'At Domineum, we believe that the true potential of blockchain technology lies in its ability to enhance trust in data and fundamentally reinvent business models particularly for applications run by government agencies designed to better serve the public good. These benefits of blockchain technology can especially help countries in Africa, as they accelerate the continent's digital transformation. Today's partnership with nChain will enable us to apply these principles to different e-government and enterprise sectors with greater speed and agility, unlocking all-new efficiencies, opportunities and billions of dollars of economic potential in developing markets.' Also commenting, Simit Naik, Director, Commercial and Strategy at nChain, said: 'As a company dedicated to the development of blockchain solutions for enterprise, we are excited to explore how we can assist Domineum access the benefits of blockchain. Their focus on developing economies offers an exciting proposition to support countries accelerate their digital transformation and provide citizens with improved outcomes across a range of government services." About Domineum Domineum is a software development company working across several different sectors specialising in the provision of Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions. Domineum works predominantly in developing markets, developing digital and technical infrastructure for both governments and businesses that will facilitate leap-frog technological advancement. About nChain Founded in 2015, nChain AG offers a suite of products and services benefitting from its portfolio of over 250 patented blockchain inventions. The company's products enable its customers to focus on generating value by eliminating dependence on unreliable data and enhancing data integrity without the need for blockchain development expertise. nChain has offices in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Slovenia. SOURCE Domineum ATLANTA, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia), CAIR Legal Defense Fund and the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) today welcomed a "major victory" in their lawsuit against Georgia's Israel boycott law after a federal district court ruled that the State of Georgia's 2016 law punishing boycotts of Israel is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. [MEDIA ADVISORY: There will be a briefing on this case live at 3 p.m. ET on CAIR's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational ] In an order released today, Judge Mark Cohen ruled that the University System of Georgia violated journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin's constitutional rights when it cancelled her speaking engagement on a college campus because she refused to sign a state-mandated oath pledging not to engage in boycotts of Israel. Martin is a well-known advocate of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, which the court ruled is protected by the First Amendment. READ THE COURT'S DECISION HERE: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MartinDecision.pdf [NOTE: In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law SB 327 , which requires any person or company that enters into a contract with the State of Georgia worth $1,000 or more to sign a loyalty oath pledging not engage in political boycotts of the Israeli government based on its treatment of Palestinians.] In his 29-page decision, Judge Cohen identified extensive constitutional problems with Georgia's anti-BDS law. He held that the anti-BDS law "prohibits inherently expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment," which "burdens Martin's right to free speech." Judge Cohen also ruled that the anti-BDS law's requirement that Martin sign an oath to refrain from boycotting Israel is "no different than requiring a person to espouse certain political beliefs or to engage in certain political associations." The court relied heavily on NAACP v. Claiborne, the Supreme Court's landmark decision protecting the right to boycott. "This outrageous effort by Georgia politicians to censor free speech rights for a cause they oppose was ruled unconstitutional today," said Partnership for Civil Justice Fund counsel Mara Verheyden-Hilliard. "This ruling comes at a crucial moment, when millions of Americans are questioning the use of U.S.-provided weapons in the onslaught against the Palestinian people and makes clear that the Constitution protects participation in the BDS movement, just as it protected the seminal civil rights and labor organizing boycotts that moved our society forward." In a statement, CAIR Georgia Executive Director Murtaza Khwaja said: "Whether in speaking out against voter suppression laws here in Georgia or human rights violations against the Palestinian people, Georgians are actively engaged in their constitutionally protected right to free speech and coordinated boycott. Now, as much as ever, these rights must be cherished and preserved. The court's decision's today is a significant step in ensuring Georgians are able to do so freely today and in future." "Israel's latest violent onslaught against Palestinians underscores the importance of advocacy for Palestinian human rights," said CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas. "By standing up against this illegal anti-BDS law, Abby Martin ensures that all Americans have the freedom to stand up for Palestine." In a statement, award-winning journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin said: "I am thrilled at the judge's decision finding this law unconstitutional as it so clearly violates the free speech rights of myself and so many others in Georgia. My First Amendment rights were restricted on behalf of a foreign government, which flies in the face of the principles of freedom and democracy. "The government of Israel has pushed state legislatures to enact these laws only because they know that sympathy and support for the population they brutalize, occupy, ethnically cleanse and subject to apartheid, is finally growing in popular consciousness they want to hold back the tide of justice by preemptively restricting the right of American citizens to peacefully take a stand against their crimes." While the judge's opinion clearly indicates his view that the law is unconstitutional, the decision does not yet strike down the law. The next stage of the case will regard what steps the court will take to address to the constitutional violation identified. BACKGROUNDER Numerous advocacy groups and state legislators, including then-House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams , opposed Georgia's anti-BDS law as a violation of free speech when the state legislature first considered it. Similar measures have been enacted in 25 other states as part of an effort to block the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Modeled after the global South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS movement's stated goal is to pressure the Israeli government to end its occupation of Palestinian territory. CAIR, the American Civil Liberties Union, and other civil rights organizations have filed free speech lawsuits against anti-BDS laws in Arkansas, Arizona, Maryland, and Texas, where CAIR won a landmark legal victory in 2019. SEE: Texas Judge Blocks Law Banning Contractors from Engaging in Boycotts of Israel SEE: Arizona Lawmakers Running Scared After Anti-Boycott Law Ruled Unconstitutional The federal court in Texas held that the state's anti-boycott law "threatens to suppress unpopular ideas" and "manipulate the public debate" on Israel and Palestine "through coercion rather than persuasion." The Court concluded: "This the First Amendment does not allow." The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, based in Washington, D.C., is a public interest legal organization that has litigated on behalf of political organizations and activists across the country to protect and defend First Amendment rights. For more information go to www.JusticeOnline.org . CAIR's mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational Subscribe to CAIR's Email List https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed http://twitter.com/cairnational Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/cairtv Follow CAIR on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/ Donate to CAIR https://action.cair.com/a/general Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR's work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR's advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR . CONTACT: Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, [email protected]; Partnership for Civil Justice Fund counsel Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, 202.232.1180 x202, [email protected], National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected] SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Related Links http://www.cair.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CAMO and deck-building contractor Simcoe Decks partnered on two decks with four winning entries in the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) National+ Deck Competition. Michael Scott, owner of Simcoe Decks of Barrie, Ontario, placed in the Alternative Deck, Refinished/Restored Deck, Deck Inlay and Manufacturer Project categories. Open to pro deck builder members from the United States and Canada in 24 categories, NADRA hosted its 11th Annual Awards Celebration last month in Clearwater, FL. "As a system, CAMO provides a fastener and a tool for every application," said Michael Scott. "We now use CAMO products exclusively because we want to provide the best for our customers," explained Michael. "It's an amazingly easy system for my crew to learnand if we ever have a problem, I know CAMO has our backs." Simcoe's composite deck that won Second Place in the Alternative Deck Under $25K category and Third Place in the Deck Inlay category featured an intricate "X" inlay. Michael chose CAMO EDGEXMETAL Clips to fasten grooved composite boards to the deck's metal frame at any angle, creating the distinctive X pattern in their award-winning design. In addition, Simcoe Decks went from modern to historic, earning Second Place in the award's Manufacturer Project category and Third Place in Refinished/Restored Deck category using CAMO EDGE Clips. Expertly built with CAMO EDGE Clips, the deck maintained the elegant character of the original deck's stone-clad supports. Simcoe Decks relied on the entire CAMO Deck Fastening System to fasten up to 5X faster, including CAMO DRIVE stand-up fastening tool and LEVER board bending and locking tool. CAMO DRIVE saves back strain and gets contractors off their knees, while LEVER enables smaller crews to straighten rows of grooved boards and lock them in place, freeing up both hands for fastening. Check out the NADRA winners at https://www.nadra.org/awards/2020-awards To learn more about CAMO's deck fastening solutions, visit http://camofasteners.com About CAMO CAMO products are engineered to save you time and ensure your work looks and performs as you expect it should. CAMO. The Better Way to Build a Deck. For more information or to locate a dealer, visit http://www.camofasteners.com or call 1-800-968-6245. Be sure to "Like" @camofasteners on Facebook and @camodeckfasteners on Instagram. Search CAMO Fasteners on YouTube to find our channel or check us out on Pinterest. SOURCE CAMO Deck Fastening System Jiang Jianguo, vice-minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said on Sunday that as the RCEP covers a large size of economy, population and trade, it will help participating countries reduce barriers, forge a more open regional economic environment, increase the level of trade liberalization and the trade volume, as well as improving people's well-being. He stressed that the media and think tanks can play a vital role in informing the public on government policies related to the RCEP and helping build a consensus among the participating countries and achieve win-win outcomes. Jiang made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of the RCEP Media & Think Tank Forum in Haikou, Hainan province, on Sunday. Speaking at the event, China Daily publisher and editor-in-chief Zhou Shuchun noted that while the world is facing profound changes rarely seen in a century, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy is recovering amid tremendous challenges. "It is widely agreed that the RCEP is bringing significant confidence to Asia and the world, and the trend of economic globalization is unstoppable," Zhou said. "As an important force in promoting human development, news media and think tanks shall further leverage their unique role of enhancing mutual understanding and expanding cooperation. They should take the world forward in the right direction by promoting regional economic development and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations," he added. Zhou said he expects the forum to become a regular event for media and think tanks in Hainan, to further improve communication and to lay a more solid foundation for building consensus and expanding cooperation. The event on Sunday, taking place both online and offline, attracted more than 300 participants from home and abroad. When addressing the opening ceremony via video, former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd said that he "has always supported free trade, because it is conducive to the people, to economic development and to world peace". "Free trade has played a significant role in China's economic growth. It has also contributed greatly to the improvement of Chinese people's lives. The economic rise and future growth of Asia will require free trade to play a bigger role," he said in the video. Arthayudh Srisamoot, ambassador of Thailand to China, said the RCEP will attract more investment from outside the region, especially against the backdrop of COVID-19, and hence help reduce the impact on economies in the region. "We believe that the RCEP can be an economic recovery tool against COVID-19 that will help to ensure opening of markets as well as uninterrupted supply chains," he said. Dino Rachmadiana Kusnadi, minister and deputy chief of mission of the Indonesian Embassy to China, said that the purpose of the RCEP is to improve the livelihoods of people and bring prosperity to the region. Next month will mark the one year anniversary of the Hainan Free Trade Port, which makes the island province better positioned as a platform for an open regional economy. Also at the event on Sunday, Xiao Yingzi, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, said the province is in full swing developing itself into an export-oriented economy and is playing a positive role in promoting two-way investment in services. Hainan will improve its business climate and work together with RCEP countries to enhance recognition of rules and standards and to provide consumers with more diversified and affordable goods and services of higher quality, she said. In November, 15 countries signed the RCEP agreement. China's Ministry of Commerce said in March that the Chinese government has officially ratified the agreement. Other participating countries have either done so or are on their way to completing ratification before the end of this year and pushing for it to become effective on Jan 1, 2022. Chi Fulin, head of the Hainan-based China Institute for Reform and Development, said that the process of regional trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be significantly accelerated by the RCEP. "Measures such as tariff reduction will release the huge trade growth potential in the region. After the RCEP takes effect, more than 90 percent of trade in goods in the region will eventually enjoy zero tariffs. This will greatly reduce trade costs and product prices in the region, and have a huge impact on trade creation," he said. He said that the pact's unified, open and inclusive market rules will significantly improve the efficiency of trade and investment in the region. In addition, industrial chains, supply chains and value chains will be further developed in an integrative manner. Zhang Xiaoqiang, executive vice-chairman and CEO of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said at the forum that the RCEP is expected to boost the production network of East Asia. "With significant tariff reduction, participating countries will see their product costs notably reduced, and this will help them build their production layouts within the region in a more flexible way," he said. By ZHANG YUE and MO JINGXI Please check out China Daily SmartEdition at chinadaily.pressreader.com, where you can read China Daily online in its true printed format from anywhere in the world and keep up with the latest on markets, economics, politics and more, in and outside China. SOURCE China Daily "Although COVID-19 continues to present challenges, we continue to deliver upon all of our promises that are within our control, said chief executive Mathios Rigas ( ) reported above guidance production volumes for the four months ended April 30. Production averaged 44,200 barrels oil equivalent in the four month period, 15% above the mid-point of guidance range for the full year. At the same time, the company increased its guidance to 38,000-42,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from its previous guidance of 36,000-41,000 barrels. However, the company also noted the reintroduction of enhanced COVID-19 restrictions in Singapore, and said it now expects first production from the Karish field by mid-2022. In the update, Energean also noted that a final investment decision had been taken on two growth projects offshore Israel with infrastructure to boost both oil and gas production volumes. It also greenlit an investment at the Epsilon project offshore Greece, where a well tie-back nearby infrastructure is set to deliver first oil before the end of 2022. The company inked a new rig contract in the period, for a five well programme in 2022/23 offshore Israel. "Although COVID-19 continues to present challenges, we continue to deliver upon all of our promises that are within our control, said chief executive Mathios Rigas. Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in Singapore, we are prudently updating our guidance for Karish first gas to reflect revised forecasts from our EPCiC contractor, TechnipFMC; but we continue to work together to improve the timetable. Although unfortunate, the revised timetable should not have a material impact on the 15+ year secured revenue stream of our Israeli gas business. "After 20 years of building the Cigarette product line and brand, I look forward to seeing Ophir and John's vision for the company become a reality. Lionheart Capital and John H. Ruiz share my commitment to quality and performance, as well as my passion for Cigarette's brand, and I'm confident in their ability to take the company to even greater heights based on their own successful ventures, resources and business knowledge," said Skip Braver, former owner of the Cigarette Racing Team. Cigarette Racing Team specializes in custom-made, hand-crafted, high-performance powerboats. Its clientele has the most discerning taste for luxury and performance. Cigarette's reputation as the market's premier powerboat builder has roots deep in offshore racing's history where performance made its early run for glory. From its inception in 1969, the company grew in size and reputation, based on the hard-racing, fast-lane living of its founder, Don Aronow. "I am thrilled about our acquisition of Cigarette Racing and believe that Cigarette Racing's brand is daring, defiant and pushes barriers. With that, my partner John H. Ruiz and I, look forward to taking the company into its next chapter where we build upon the legacy of the brand and create significant value in the future through powerful partnerships and unique collaborations, production amplification and increased distribution channels," said Ophir Sternberg, co-owner of Cigarette Racing. Since its inception, the Cigarette brand has grown in sophistication, becoming a product excellence company which focuses on impeccable engineering and beautiful design. Cigarette now builds the finest powerboats for the most loyal and discriminating performance boaters, using only the best in materials, technology and workmanship. "Ophir and I both are excited about Cigarette Racing and what we can contribute to the company," said John H. Ruiz, co-owner of Cigarette Racing. Ruiz, who brings expertise in building hugely successful technology platforms, is excited about incorporating the most cutting-edge technological advancements, innovations and safety features to take performance to the next level. "I have been an avid fan for decades. I personally own numerous Cigarette hand-crafted powerboats and believe that the brand is on the verge of a new wave of acceleration. Cigarette Racing is such an iconic American name in the world of boating, that it is truly an honor to be a part of the continuation of its legacy that's been going strong for over 50 years, and look forward to taking it into unchartered waters." Always on the cusp of redefining luxury, Cigarette recently collaborated with Italian Architect and Designer Giorgio Cassetta, the 2019 World Superyacht Award winner, to create a boat of unconventional strength and style. That know-how and innate elegance with a passion for new challenges, led Poltrona Frau to array the interiors of the powerful Tirranna 59'. Cigarette as a lifestyle is visible on waterways around the world, but it started and continues to be headquartered in Miami, Florida. Cigarette Racing powerboats range from $600K to $3.5M. For more information, please visit www.cigaretteracing.com Media Contact: Ashley Spitz, [email protected] SOURCE Cigarette Racing Team Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado signed the law approving Costa Rica's OECD Accession Agreement and the OECD Convention. signed the law approving OECD Accession Agreement and the OECD Convention. This signing signals Costa Rica's imminent entry as the 38th member of the group that represents 80% of the world's gross domestic product. SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado signed last Friday a law approved by Congress which recognizes Costa Rica's OECD Accession Agreement and the OECD Convention. That is a key milestone for the country's integration as the 38th member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that was founded in 1961 and, in May 2020, invited Costa Rica to join the group. Although a few more steps are needed to become an official member, Costa Rica celebrates the presidential signing as the successful outcome of a series of evaluations by 22 OECD committees. With its membership, Costa Rica will be part of a group that conglomerates 80% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) and 60% of international trade. One of the sectors that unquestionably benefits from this is foreign direct investment (FDI), an effort led the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency CINDE. According to CINDE, this membership will strengthen and benefit the 3Ps of the country's value proposition: people, planet, and prosperity. People. Why do companies continue to grow and invest in Costa Rica? Among the many reasons, Costa Rica's human talent leads the response. Not by chance, the World Economic Forum ranked Costa Rica number one in human capital in Latin America, as well as in digital skills of its population. The Costa Rican DNA is highly valued in the labor market, a result of the efforts of the country's educational system, which was analyzed in depth by the OECD. The OECD Reviews of National Policies for Education: Education in Costa Rica, highlighted that education has been "an engine for the country's development and has been crucial in building one of the most stable democracies, most skilled-based labor markets, and highest levels of well-being in Latin America." The review considers that Costa Rica is at a turning point in its promoting of development, so its OECD membership will reinforce a key country goal: educate more Costa Rican human talent in line with the needs of the knowledge economy. With this, the country can continue to generate ever-more knowledge intensive processes, as it has done in the services sector, in which Costa Rican exports double the average of OECD member countries. Planet. Costa Rica is renowned not only for being one of the oldest democracies in Latin America, but also for its beaches, flora, and fauna, as it hosts 6% of the world's biodiversity. Joining the OECD will reinforce the country's goal of sustainability. Costa Rica has aimed to become a carbon-neutral nation by 2050, and as of today, 99% of its electricity generation comes from renewables: water, wind, geothermal, biomass, and solar energies. Sustainability is one of the key principles of the OECD, which ascertains that the idea is to "use economic development to promote a fairer society while respecting ecosystems and natural resources." Costa Rica agrees that these standards should also be reflected in investments with a real purpose. According to CINDE's managing director, Jorge Sequeira, "Costa Rica believes in FDI that can grow efficiently, providing investors with the ideal conditions for sustainable growth, thereby adding value to companies, the citizenry, and the planet." Prosperity. Costa Rica is looking for more improvement in public-private ventures, public policies, and business climate to strengthen its integration in the knowledge economy and global supply chains. Through the evaluation committees, the country's rule of law was measured; the review showed that companies investing in Costa Rica will have both legal certainty and institutionality on their side. The country's free trade zone regime was also studied, an instrument that provides highly competitive incentives for investment. The OECD ratified that the system of incentives for foreign investment fully meets the applicable international standards and criteria for international oversight and transparency. "The OECD's invitation to Costa Rica safeguards the soundness of the free trade zone regime for FDI and projects its seal of excellence, already internationally recognized, so that all investors have the certainty that, when investing in Costa Rica, the incentives granted under these standards are fully in line with the highest international best practices and requirements," explained CINDE's managing director. Over its 60 years of existence, the OECD has taken part in almost all policy spheres through its standards, which are based on evidence, statistics, and reliable reviews. With this new step, Costa Rica will adhere to these best practices, becoming the fourth Latin American country to join this prestigious organization. SOURCE CINDE Related Links https://www.cinde.org DENVER, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Coloradobiz announced today that it has named Jon Haubert, founder and managing partner of H.B. Legacy Media, as its new publisher. Coloradobiz is the only statewide print publication dedicated to coverage of the Colorado economy, business, finance, technology industries and the leaders behind them. "Our readers are affluent, influential and active in their communities, and I'm proud of the product we have continued to deliver for nearly 50 years," said Dan Wiesner, owner of ColoradoBiz parent company WiesnerMedia. "ColoradoBiz has proven to be a vital resource to the business community in good times and in bad, and those driving the economic success of our state rely on us. Jon will be a tremendous asset and fit in perfectly with our talented team. In our continued commitment to deliver stories showcasing top companies, business leaders, entrepreneurs and young professionals making their mark, Coloradobiz will be well-served with Jon as our new publisher. He's proven that he holds that right mix of thought-provoking story ideas, businesses and people to profile, and the advertising support needed to maintain business operations that any successful magazine needs not only to survive, but to thrive," Wiesner said. Haubert launched his first advisory and consulting business in 2007 and has since built H.B. Legacy Media into a successful strategic communications firm designed to tackle complex and difficult-to-message topics. He has more than 15 years of government and public affairs experience and specializes in media relations management, custom media projects and promotion of client interests primarily based in energy and natural resource industries that collectively contribute $25 billion to the Colorado economy according to Metro Denver EDC. In its 48-year history, Coloradobiz has successfully integrated the power of print and digital media, while harnessing strategic partnerships and events. Surveys indicate 85% of Coloradobiz readers identify themselves as holding C-suite level, leadership positions, and 82% represent small or mid-sized companies, including influencers from every sector of Colorado's economy. According to Magazine Media, households with the largest financial assets prefer magazines over other media, and 95% of U.S. adults read magazines. In addition to its eNewsletters, exclusive interviews, content and networking events, Coloradobiz is known for special issues such as Best of Colorado, Top Company and Top Women in Business. Every year, ColoradoBiz performs extensive research, collects industry data and facilitates reader voting to produce various business rankings. As publisher, Haubert will be responsible for managing Coloradobiz's business operations and ensuring the magazine is an editorial and commercial success. He replaces Sylvia Harmon, who served as publisher for the last 12 years. Haubert will maintain his media consulting business though H.B. Legacy Media and continue to serve clients' communications and earned media needs. About Coloradobiz ColoradoBiz magazine has been the authoritative voice of businesses statewide since 1973. In print and online, its mission is to inform and engage readers with coverage of the people, trends, issues and enterprises impacting Colorado's business landscape. In addition, individual and company standouts are recognized through numerous awards programs and performance-based lists. Learn more at cobizmag.com. SOURCE WiesnerMedia BELLEVUE, Wash., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, recently shared the company's innovation roadmap and latest enhancements to its next generation Nintex Workflow Cloud during its largest virtual event of the year, Nintex ProcessFest 2021 on May 20 which is now available on-demand. Watch Nintex ProcessFest 2021 at https://www.nintex.com/nintex-processfest-2021/. The interactive on-demand experience includes a 90-minute keynote featuring customer stories and the latest innovations in process mapping, digital forms and automation; 13 technical deep dives, 10-plus partner sessions, and valuable customer success resources. "Innovation is a significant part of our product DNA at Nintex," said Nintex Chief Product Officer Neal Gottsacker. "We remain committed and focused on continuously enhancing our process platform's powerful and easy-to-use features and capabilities to meet and exceed the end-to-end process management and automation needs of our global Nintex community." The latest release of Nintex Workflow Cloud features more than 30 new connectors that integrate with Gmail, Stripe, Bitly, GoToMeeting, Github, Azure Computer Vision, and more; SharePoint Web Part integrations for forms; a brand-new intelligent PDF forms convertor; and My Nintex, a new in-product experience that gives workflow participants the same control and visibility over forms, tasks, and workflows that workflow designers enjoy with the platform. Committed to improving the way people work Today, more than 10,000 public and private sector organizations across nearly every industry are accelerating their digital transformation initiatives with the process mapping, workflow automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and document automation software capabilities Nintex offers. During Nintex ProcessFest 2021, Nintex customer Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, which serves more than 20 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, discussed how the organization has successfully leveraged the complete Nintex Process Platform to create a process excellence culture and drive business outcomes. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/coca-cola-beverages-florida/. Hernando County School District, which serves more than 23,000 students on Florida's central west coast, also presented and shared how the district has successfully put the Nintex Process Platform to work to manage increasing workloads for its construction and facilities departments and ensure that business processes are not only documented but consistently followed across the organization. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/hernando-county-schools/. To put The Power of Process to work today, request a free demo of Nintex Workflow Cloud at https://www.nintex.com/request-demo/ . Media Contact Kristin Treat Nintex [email protected] cell: (215) 317-9091 About Nintex Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organizations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimizing business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). SOURCE Nintex Related Links http://www.nintex.com MELBOURNE, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, recently shared the company's innovation roadmap and latest enhancements to its next generation Nintex Workflow Cloud during its largest virtual event of the year, Nintex ProcessFest 2021 on 21 May which is now available on-demand. Watch Nintex ProcessFest 2021 at https://www.nintex.com/nintex-processfest-2021/. The interactive on-demand experience includes a 90-minute keynote featuring customer stories and the latest innovations in process mapping, digital forms and automation; 13 technical deep dives, 10-plus partner sessions, and valuable customer success resources. "Innovation is a significant part of our product DNA at Nintex," said Nintex Chief Product Officer Neal Gottsacker. "We remain committed and focused on continuously enhancing our process platform's powerful and easy-to-use features and capabilities to meet and exceed the end-to-end process management and automation needs of our global Nintex community." The latest release of Nintex Workflow Cloud features more than 30 new connectors that integrate with Gmail, Stripe, Bitly, GoToMeeting, Github, Azure Computer Vision, and more; SharePoint Web Part integrations for forms; a brand-new intelligent PDF forms convertor; and My Nintex, a new in-product experience that gives workflow participants the same control and visibility over forms, tasks, and workflows that workflow designers enjoy with the platform. Committed to improving the way people work Today, more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across nearly every industry are accelerating their digital transformation initiatives with the process mapping, workflow automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and document automation software capabilities Nintex offers. During Nintex ProcessFest 2021, Nintex customer Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, which serves more than 20 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, discussed how the organisation has successfully leveraged the complete Nintex Process Platform to create a process excellence culture and drive business outcomes. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/coca-cola-beverages-florida/. Hernando County School District, which serves more than 23,000 students on Florida's central west coast, also presented and shared how the district has successfully put the Nintex Process Platform to work to manage increasing workloads for its construction and facilities departments and ensure that business processes are not only documented but consistently followed across the organisation. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/hernando-county-schools/. To put The Power of Process to work today, request a free demo of Nintex Workflow Cloud at https://www.nintex.com/request-demo/ . Media Contact Laetitia Smith Nintex [email protected] cell: +64 21 154 7114 About Nintex Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). SOURCE Nintex Related Links http://www.nintex.com LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, recently shared the company's innovation roadmap and latest enhancements to its next generation Nintex Workflow Cloud during its largest virtual event of the year, Nintex ProcessFest 2021 on 20 May which is now available on-demand. Watch Nintex ProcessFest 2021 at https://www.nintex.com/nintex-processfest-2021/. The interactive on-demand experience includes a 90-minute keynote featuring customer stories and the latest innovations in process mapping, digital forms and automation; 13 technical deep dives, 10-plus partner sessions, and valuable customer success resources. "Innovation is a significant part of our product DNA at Nintex," said Nintex Chief Product Officer Neal Gottsacker. "We remain committed and focused on continuously enhancing our process platform's powerful and easy-to-use features and capabilities to meet and exceed the end-to-end process management and automation needs of our global Nintex community." The latest release of Nintex Workflow Cloud features more than 30 new connectors that integrate with Gmail, Stripe, Bitly, GoToMeeting, Github, Azure Computer Vision, and more; SharePoint Web Part integrations for forms; a brand-new intelligent PDF forms convertor; and My Nintex, a new in-product experience that gives workflow participants the same control and visibility over forms, tasks, and workflows that workflow designers enjoy with the platform. Committed to improving the way people work Today, more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across nearly every industry are accelerating their digital transformation initiatives with the process mapping, workflow automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and document automation software capabilities Nintex offers. During Nintex ProcessFest 2021, Nintex customer Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, which serves more than 20 million consumers across 47 Florida counties, discussed how the organisation has successfully leveraged the complete Nintex Process Platform to create a process excellence culture and drive business outcomes. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/coca-cola-beverages-florida/. Hernando County School District, which serves more than 23,000 students on Florida's central west coast, also presented and shared how the district has successfully put the Nintex Process Platform to work to manage increasing workloads for its construction and facilities departments and ensure that business processes are not only documented but consistently followed across the organisation. Read the case study at https://www.nintex.com/case-study/hernando-county-schools/. To put The Power of Process to work today, request a free demo of Nintex Workflow Cloud at https://www.nintex.com/request-demo/ . Media Contact Kristin Treat Nintex [email protected] cell: +1 (215) 317-9091 About Nintex Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). SOURCE Nintex Related Links http://www.nintex.com HOUSTON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Crypto currency and financial management entrepreneur, Bryce Thompson, is preparing to host the third annual iMillenials 3 conference in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium on May 28 and 29, 2021. This event, which will be limited to 13,000 people due to COVID restrictions and will be available virtually, is being made possible through Thompson's company, TradeHouse Investment Group. Thompson was featured in Forbes magazine in August 2020 for his charitable work when he created a $100,000 scholarship for ten HBCU students to assist in their education. https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophergray/2020/08/27/meet-bryce-thompson-24-year-old-serial-entrepreneur-who-just-launched-a-100000-scholarship-for-hbcu-students/?sh After attending Morehouse College and being offered a few promising internships and working in the engineering field, Thompson learned that climbing the corporate ladder was not in his plans. Instead, he followed his calling to create his own path of success, and helping others, after consulting with his role model and older brother, Branden who introduced him to cryptocurrency. This venture launched Thompson into a successful ongoing career that made him a millionaire at only 22 years old. In addition, he built a network of 75,000 people in ten countries that currently rely on his TradeHouse imprint to teach them how to become financially literate. iMillennials 3 is a one-of-a-kind production that focuses on advancing financial literacy and investment knowledge to young Millennials. It kicks off the Memorial Day Weekend in Miami on Friday, May 28 with iHeart Media's 103.5 The Beat's DJ Bulletproof spinning live outside the Hard Rock Stadium from 4:00 6:00 p.m. The two days of "Edutainment" will combine keynote seminars from investment experts and entrepreneurs, social networking activations, and two exciting live music experiences which will feature chart-topping surprise artists, Back At Zero recording artist Sir Trilli and new Latin recording artists ULB. For information, tickets to attend in person or virtually, please go to https://goim3events.com/. What started as a small intimate conference in Atlanta a few years ago with only 700 people, to now over 10,000 tickets sold is a testament to Thompson's ability to move young adults and inspire them to create their own success through entrepreneurship no matter their age, skin color, or circumstance. Media Relations Contact Christopher Brown / [email protected] Karen Lee /310-283-9171/ [email protected] Stay connected to Bryce Thompson: Bryce Thompson /IG @Bthompsonofficial @Iamsworldwide and iamsworldwide.com SOURCE iMillenials 3 ATLANTA, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax (NYSE: EFX) is bringing new decision intelligence to lenders and other businesses with the cloud-based OneView report which now includes access to real-time income and employment information from The Work Number database. The visual OneView report sets a new industry standard in the delivery of consumer credit insights by providing access to traditional credit data and differentiated data sources that only Equifax can provide in a single inquiry to help businesses quickly and responsibly open up new financial opportunities. Equifax analysis shows 91.5 million consumers in the U.S. with thin credit files or no credit files. Layering data from The Work Number into credit decisioning could improve access to credit for 7 million people, many of whom are currently credit thin or credit invisible. "When employment and income data from The Work Number is included in credit decision models, lenders can paint a more informed financial picture of each individual to help consumers get the credit they need," said Joel Rickman, Senior Vice President of Verification Services at Equifax Workforce Solutions. "OneView delivers a simple, seamless process for business customers to simultaneously request data from multiple sources in a single request and configure the output into a summary that can help improve speed to decision." Getting the most accurate assessment of consumer credit risk and opportunity requires starting with the most complete and current data possible. The Work Number database delivers real-time employment and income data provided directly by employers and payroll providers and is updated every pay cycle. In a recent study, Equifax analytics found that utilizing traditional credit reports alongside The Work Number data could lift approval rates by more than 5 percent in a card portfolio. "We understand that every business is singular, and every customer interaction must be highly personalized," said Mark Luber, Chief Product Officer for Equifax United States Information Solutions (USIS). "Two people with exactly the same credit score can have very different financial profiles and very different financial needs. Two businesses may have different appetites for risk and different underwriting guidelines. The Equifax Cloud enables us to create unique, multi-data source solutions like OneView to provide the tailored, customizable insights each lender needs to power more intelligent decisions for their business and their customers." OneView summarizes certain information on a single page to help financial institutions focus on the information that matters most to their decisioning. Powered by the industry's first drag and drop configuration engine, OneView allows businesses to customize their reports to focus on the information that best suits their decision models and priorities. Graphical charts provide historical credit data analysis and directional insights, helping lenders more quickly visualize key credit decisioning drivers. Leveraging the Equifax Cloud, OneView is the next generation of the Equifax TotalView product, which provided the industry's first full view into credit, employment and income status, with traditional credit data delivered alongside employment and income data. Current Equifax OneView customers with existing access to The Work Number service for digital verifications can leverage this new functionality today. The Work Number database, which is separate from the Equifax credit reporting database, is the largest commercial source of consolidated employment information, with nearly 115 million active employee records. For more information on The Work Number, visit TheWorkNumber.com . For more information on OneView, visit Equifax.com . ABOUT EQUIFAX INC. At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by more than 11,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com FOR MORE INFORMATION Kate Walker for Equifax [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. Related Links http://www.equifax.com Each profile is free to view and packed with high-quality insights, providing businesses with detailed company information. Users can take advantage of these insights to identify, target, and connect with the right decking manufacturers and suppliers. This company information includes employee insights, company competitors, the impact of emerging trends and challenges, the latest news, and more. Free Insights Included for all Decking Manufacturer and Supplier Profiles: List of product and service category offerings and primary operating industries Risk of doing business score across four different metrics List of key executives and their roles within the company Company financials and general organizational information Global, national, and regional competitors List of key clients Top trends and challenges within operating industry and expected influence on business impact Latest company news with the ability to sign up for timely news alerts Get Started to View Free Company Insights Decking Companies on BizVibe BizVibe's platform contains 10M+ company profiles, spanning across 200+ countries, categorized into 40,000+ products and services. There are 100+ company profiles related to decking on BizVibe, covering 5+ product and service categories. Each company profile contains detailed insights dedicated to helping procurement and sales teams find trusted suppliers and target sales prospects. Examples of decking manufacturer and supplier company profiles that can be discovered on BizVibe include: Composite decking manufacturers Metal decking suppliers Deck lumber suppliers Bamboo decking suppliers Fiberglass decking suppliers Get Free Company Profile Access for all Categories Company Profiles for Buyers and Sellers BizVibe's modern B2B platform is designed to help both global buyers and sellers. Powered by the latest best-in-class solutions, BizVibe provides outstanding product features for both category managers and sales professionals. Features for Buyers: Quickly discover the right suppliers Create short lists and custom alerts Mitigate supplier risk and evaluate suppliers Send RFIs/RFPs Learn how BizVibe helps buyers: https://www.bizvibe.com/find-suppliers Features for Sellers: Target the right sales prospects Qualify leads Analyze buyer potential API integration and data enrichment Learn how BizVibe helps sellers: https://www.bizvibe.com/sellers About BizVibe BizVibe has been conceptualized and built by a team based out of Toronto, Bangalore, and London. We are a branch of Infiniti Research and have dedicated units in all three locations. BizVibe helps buyers find the most relevant suppliers from around the world and help sellers target prospects who need their products and/or services. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com and start for free today. Contact BizVibe Jesse Maida Email: [email protected] +1 855-897-5880 Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/ SOURCE BizVibe Related Links https://www.bizvibe.com/ "We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer back to the firm. She is a unique and valuable addition to our team, combining superb technical skills, creative problem solving, and a client-centric mindset," said Jim Arnone, Global Chair of the firm's Environment, Land & Resources Department. Roy has built a strong reputation in project entitlement matters, administrative and municipal hearings, land use litigation, and federal environmental review and permitting issues, particularly in the energy and infrastructure sector. DJ Moore, Global Co-Chair of the firm's Project Siting & Approvals Practice, added, "Jennifer brings broad-based experience, formidable advocacy skills, and sophisticated regulatory knowledge to our team. In particular, her extensive work in the energy space will help us further develop our platform in line with clients' needs." Roy has frequently advised on regulatory compliance, environmental policy, diligence, and financing matters related to the development, environmental review, permitting, construction, and operation of a wide range of land use and infrastructure projects, ranging from desalination projects to renewable energy projects to multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas export facilities and pipelines. "It is with much enthusiasm that we welcome Jennifer back to the firm and the San Diego office," said Cheston Larson, San Diego Office Managing Partner. "Jennifer is a proven talent and leader with substantial experience with many of California's large-scale developments, energy regulations, and litigation. Complimented by her private sector experience, our clients will benefit immensely from her vast knowledge and insight." "I was very fortunate to begin my career at Latham, so I know it is the ideal place for me to further build my practice," said Roy. "I look forward to working with such a skilled and collaborative team that consistently delivers the highest level of client service." Roy received her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law and her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary. About Latham & Watkins Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability. Notes to Editors 1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Contacts Jim Arnone, Global Chair, Environment, Land & Resources Department, +1.213.891.8204 DJ Moore, Global Co-Chair, Project Sitting & Approvals Practice, +1.213.891.7758 Cheston Larson, San Diego Office Managing Partner, +1.858.523.5435 SOURCE Latham & Watkins Related Links www.lw.com Tech sector corporate earnings pick up in the UK as March year end results begin to roll while in the US there is a steady flow of quarterly results with April period ends, including graphics giant NVIDIA and Dow Jones constituent Salesforce. The week ahead In the UK, earnings announcements pick up pace this week, including maiden results from ( ) and (LON: BYIT) and maiden finals from ( ). These results will be a test for the market, as all three companies have performed tremendously well since their initial public offerings (IPOs). Auction Technology is up 64% on its IPO price and capitalised at nearly 1bn while Bytes is up 94% and capitalised at 1.25bn and Calnex is up 140% and capitalised at 100mln. Also, Group PLC (LON: KNOS) reported finals this morning, while AVEVA Group PLC ( ) reports finals tomorrow and PLC (LON: OMG) reports interims on Wednesday. AVEVA, the FTSE giant that provides engineering and industrial software, reports March year-end final results tomorrow. In its trading update in late April, it said it achieved double-digit revenue growth during the second half on an organic constant currency basis. Consequently, full-year revenue was flat year-on-year, on the same basis, reflecting the COVID-19 disruption during the first half. This was in line with AVEVA's plan for the year. The acquisition of OSIsoft completed on March 19. On an organic constant currency basis, OSIsoft grew revenue by a mid to high single-digit percentage rate in the year. The company also announced that its chief executive officer (CEO), Craig Hayman, had decided to return to the US for personal reasons. Peter Herweck has been seconded from Schneider Electric on request of the AVEVA board to the role of AVEVA's CEO. Calnex, which provides test and measurement solutions for the global telecommunications sector, announces final results tomorrow. In its trading update in February, it said that the strong levels of customer spend experienced in the first half had continued into the second half of FY21. Hence, revenues for FY21 will be ahead of market expectations. Management noted that the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced certain customers' spending patterns, resulting in some revenues being brought forward into FY21. In addition, due to lower travel and event costs related to the COVID-19 restrictions, higher margins are expected to be achieved in FY21 than would have been anticipated, which will result in profitability also being ahead of market expectations in FY21. reports interims on Wednesday. In its AGM trading update in February, it said it was trading in line with achieving market expectations for the full year ending September 2021. In line with previous years, the group expects to be second-half weighted in terms of revenue and management said it remains encouraged by the strong pipelines building across the business. Earlier this month, the company announced that its Vicon unit had secured a contract with game developer Sharkmob. Auction Technology, which provides scalable marketplace technology for curated auctions, announces interim results on Wednesday. This will be the groups first set of results since it floated on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market in February. Bytes Technology, the technology services provider, announces final results on Wednesday. The company listed on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market in December and this will be the groups first set of results as a quoted company. In a trading update in February, the company said it expects to report preliminary results somewhat ahead of market expectations. It said adjusted operating profit growth was in the upper teens, which was entirely organic. The net cash position at 28 February 2021 was ahead of management's expectations at 20.7mln. Across the pond, tech-related companies expected to report this week include Agilent, Intuit, Zscaler, NVIDIA, DXC, GSX Techedu, Snowflake, , QAD, Nutanix, Workday, Okta, , Box, Anaplan, , Dell, , Salesforce and VMware. Date Company Event Period ending 24-May Final results 31-Mar 24-May Cloudcall AGM trading update 25-May AVEVA Final results 31-Mar 25-May Calnex Final results 31-Mar 26-May Oxford Metrics Interim results 31-Mar 26-May Auction Technology Interim results 31-Mar 26-May Bytes Technology Final results 28-Feb 01-Jun CentralNic Q1 trading 31-Mar 01-Jun Deep Matter Final results 31-Dec 03-Jun discoverIE Final results 31-Mar Early June Trackwise Final results 31-Mar Week of 14/6 SEEEN Final results 31-Dec 15-Jun CML Microsystems Final results 31-Mar 15-Jun Final results 31-Mar 15-Jun IDOX Interim results 30-Apr 15-Jun Kin + Carta Virtual capital markets day 17-Jun Tribal Virtual capital markets day 17-Jun Blue Prism Interim results 30-Apr 21-Jun Sysgroup Final results 31-Mar 24-Jun Alpha FMC Final results 31-Mar 24-Jun Redcentric Final results 31-Mar 29-Jun D4T4 Final results 31-Mar June Osirium Final results 31-Dec June Iomart Final results 31-Mar June Intercede Final results 31-Mar June Napster Final results 31-Mar June Eckoh Final results 31-Mar 01-Jul Micro Focus Interim results 30-Apr 01-Jul AVEVA Virtual capital markets day 05-Jul Panoply Final results 31-Mar 06-Jul Ocado Interim results 31-May 08-Jul Bango Onsite capital markets day Early July AdEPT Technology Final results 31-Mar Early July Quartix Trading update 30-Jun 13-Jul Final results 31-Mar Approx 22/7 Ideagen Final results 30-Apr 28-Jul FDM Interim results 30-Jun 29-Jul SRT Marine Final results 31-Mar July Access Intelligence Interim results 31-May July Shearwater Final results 31-Mar Late summer GRC Final results 31-Mar Source: Data from regulatory news and company websites FALMOUTH, Mass., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association at Falmouth Hospital will hold an informational picket on May 26 to call attention to Cape Cod Healthcare executives refusing to negotiate a new contract that creates safer patient care conditions. Informational Picket Details Date: Wednesday, May 26 Time: 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Location: Outside Falmouth Hospital, 100 Ter Heun Dr., Falmouth, MA Details: Attendees will don masks and maintain responsible social distances. Picket speakers will include nurses, elected official and community supporters. "Falmouth Hospital nurses have put our own health and the safety of our families at risk during the pandemic to care for our patients. Cape Cod Healthcare executives are continuing to deny our contract proposals which would greatly improve safe staffing and patient care," said Lauren Seitz, RN, and Co-Chair of the MNA Bargaining Committee at Falmouth Hospital. "Cape Cod Healthcare agreeing to a fair contract and thus providing us the support we need would mean we would be able to more safely care for our patients and our community." A contract agreement is hinging on the nurses' proposal for charge nurse without an assignment. This would contribute significantly to making patient care conditions safer at both Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals by ensuring charge nurses can coordinate the overall needs of patients, nurses, and the flow on each individual floor/unit. A charge nurse should also be available to assist less experienced nurses with more complex cases, while also picking up patient assignments when staff become overburdened. The nurses' latest version of their safe staffing proposal gave the hospital until the signing of the next contract (at least four years) to solidify language around a charge nurse without an assignment. This was a significant compromise because staffing conditions are critical right now, but nurses are making every effort to reach an agreement. CCH executives rejected this compromise. Cape Cod Hospital Nurses Held Picket for Safe Staffing on May 19 Dozens of Cape Cod Hospital nurses joined with community members, elected officials, and union supporters on May 19 for their informational picket. "Cape Cod Healthcare executives call us heroes in public and pass out candy as a thank you but are actually disrespecting the care nurses provide by not agreeing to basic patient safety improvements we are seeking as part of a fair contract," said Michelle Brum, RN, and member of the MNA Bargaining Committee at Cape Cod Hospital. "We are calling attention to unsafe conditions inside our hospital that are impacting patients and nurses, and which must be addressed in a lasting way." Brum, of Mashpee, told the Cape Cod Times, "Nurses are overwhelmed. The patient assignments are too burdensome to give the care patients deserve." Emergency room nurse Kristi Dyott told the newspaper that emergency department nurses have to care for up to five to seven patients at a time, and there is no accounting for cases when critically ill patients take up all of a nurse's time. "I've been in a room with a critical patient for four hours" while other ER nurses struggled to care for the rest of the patients, Dyott said. Cape Cod and Falmouth Hospital Post Significant Profits During fiscal year 2020, both Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital greatly exceeded the statewide hospital margin average of 3.1%. According to the state's Center for Health Information and Analysis, Cape Cod Hospital made $27.6 million in profit (4.7% margin) and received $152 million in COVID funding. Falmouth Hospital made $10.6 million in profit (6.1% margin) and received $41.3M in COVID funding. During the three quarters ending on December 31, 2020, the hospital did even better financially. Cape Cod Hospital made $18.3 million in profit at an 11.2% margin and Falmouth Hospital made $10.2 million in profit at a 19.7% margin, according to CHIA. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Instagram.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association Related Links http://www.massnurses.org ATLANTA, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power today announced the company and the Georgia Power Foundation are committing to invest $15 million annually from 2021-2025, $75 million over the five-year period, to help advance racial equity and social justice efforts in Georgia. The social justice funding supports initiatives focused on education equity, criminal justice and economic empowerment. The company's investment is a part of the commitment by Southern Company, Georgia Power's parent company, and its charitable foundations to invest a combined $200 million over five years in community investments to support these efforts. "At Georgia Power, we're standing with our communities as, together, we tackle systemic equity issues across our state," said Chris Womack, president of Georgia Power. "This financial investment and our commitment to mentoring, while just a part of our overall equity efforts, are so incredibly critical because they're one way we can make a real impact in distressed and disadvantaged communities. Through them we can support and partner with organizations that assist with education equity, criminal justice and economic empowerment, as well as build personal relationships with kids now that can help shape Georgia's future leaders." Georgia Power's $75 million commitment will be distributed through strategic, focused investments in: Education equality direct community investments, scholarships for underrepresented groups and investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We also will commit to providing 250 employee mentors within the communities we serve. direct community investments, scholarships for underrepresented groups and investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We also will commit to providing 250 employee mentors within the communities we serve. Criminal justice organizations working to lower criminalization rates, support transition and re-entry into society, create prearrest diversion options and reduce racial profiling. working to lower criminalization rates, support transition and re-entry into society, create prearrest diversion options and reduce racial profiling. Economic empowerment Through grants and impact investments, invest in communities to build social and economic opportunity for Black-owned businesses and individuals and to create a just transition as we seek a net-zero carbon future. Mentoring Initiative The company will not only be investing financially, but also investing resources and employee volunteerism across the areas of education equity, criminal justice reform and economic empowerment to help make an impact on social justice issues across the state. Georgia Power is working to build a team of 250 employees statewide that are engaged in mentoring annually. This effort is a part of Southern Company's larger commitment of 5,000 mentors. The company believes that by sustaining a relationship between a youth and an adult through continued involvement, support and guidance, academics, career and life journey, youth are more likely to overcome more of life's hardships. To learn more about Georgia Power's commitment to communities across the state, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/Community. To keep up with Georgia Power's active volunteer and giving efforts every day, follow the company on Twitter @GeorgiaPower and #GaPowerfulService and #WeHelpBecauseItsHome. About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power). SOURCE Georgia Power Related Links http://www.georgiapower.com BRIDGEPORT, Conn., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of the University of Bridgeport begins today as Goodwin University announces the completion of its acquisition of the majority of academic programs and real estate comprising the University of Bridgeport (UB). UB will function as an independent institution with its own leadership and Board of Trustees under the ownership and operation of Goodwin University. This change of ownership has received approval from the State of Connecticut Office of Higher Education, as well as institutional and programmatic accreditors including the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Dr. Danielle Wilken has been appointed by the University of Bridgeport Board of Trustees as the next president of the University of Bridgeport. "This partnership cements the future of higher education in Bridgeport and ensures the University of Bridgeport name and legacy will live on for generations to come," said Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. "We look forward to the university playing an even more active role in supporting our community and the educational and career goals of our students as we reimagine the future of our city." The $32 million acquisition comes nearly one year after the schools announced an innovative higher education partnership in Bridgeport. Under the terms of the deal closing, the Connecticut Department of Economic Community Development (DECD) has committed funding to assist in sustaining UB as an independent institution. Citizens Bank, a longtime partner of UB, has also contributed substantial financial support to ensure the university lives on for years to come. KeyBank and Liberty Bank are providing financing to Goodwin University for the acquisition. "The University of Bridgeport not only plays an important role in educating our young people, but also plays a vital role for the City of Bridgeport, providing educational opportunities to residents throughout the region and hundreds of jobs both directly and indirectly," said Congressman Jim Himes. "I'm thrilled that UB will remain part of the growing economy in Bridgeport as we begin to recover from the economic effects of the past year." "I know how important the University of Bridgeport is to many in the city, and I am thrilled that current and future Bridgeport residents will continue to benefit from its presence," said Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves. "Citizens is pleased that this transaction will result in the City of Bridgeport continuing to host a thriving institution of higher learning with current and future students of UB benefitting from access to even more offerings and opportunities," said Lisa Maass, executive vice president and Connecticut state president, Citizens Bank. "We acknowledge the bold decision by UB's leadership to seek out a more stable foundation for the school and applaud Goodwin for making a strong commitment to preserve the institution as a resource and cornerstone for this community." "KeyBank is pleased to support the continued growth of our valued, long-time client, Goodwin University, and be a part of the University of Bridgeport's exciting next chapter," said KeyBank Market President, James R. Barger. "One of Key's fundamental community focus areas is Higher Education and the preparation of the next generation of business and community leaders. We are proud to help bring to fruition this well-aligned partnership that will benefit current and future students, the city of Bridgeport and the entire state." "When it comes to Goodwin University and Liberty Bank, it's more than just a lending relationship. It's a strong partnership in helping them achieve their mission in aligning education, commerce and community. And it's exactly what they're doing in collaboration with the University of Bridgeport and the City of Bridgeport," said Jeff Hubbard, Regional Manager, Commercial Banking Executive-New Haven, Liberty Bank. "This is a milestone day for Goodwin, the City and the entire UB campus community and we know today's announcement is another historic step in the advancement of delivering a world class higher education right here in Bridgeport." New Leadership for a New Era at the University of Bridgeport To usher in this new future for UB, the university has also re-envisioned its Board of Trustees and senior leadership. Members of the new Board of Trustees of UB include Ann Clark, Kathleen Engelmann, George Estrada, Ruben Felipe, Jeffrey Goldwasser '70, Barbara James '74 '77, Arthur Landi '74, Fred Moses '74, Susan Heckman O'Hara '84, Mark Scheinberg, Lambert Shell '92 '96 '08, Michon White-Bernard and Joe Young. "In addition to ensuring that UB's rich history of higher education would continue in its namesake city for years to come, we wanted to also be sure its leadership reflected UB students and the City of Bridgeport," said Mark Scheinberg, president of Goodwin University. "We have brought together an accomplished new Board of Trustees that we are confident will guide the university through this new beginning and for decades to come." As their first order of business, the new Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Danielle Wilken as the twelfth president of UB, effective immediately. The appointment was announced to students, faculty, and staff earlier today. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Wilken comes to UB from Goodwin University where she has served as provost and dean of faculty. She earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Hartford, and a master's degree in Health Care Policy & Management and bachelor's degrees in Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Biology all from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. "I am honored to have the opportunity to lead UB in this next chapter as we help our students grow both personally and professionally to achieve their goals," said Dr. Wilken. "I look forward to working with members of our faculty, staff, and the City of Bridgeport to continue to make UB a supportive and diverse learning environment that serves the needs of our students and the community." Dr. Manyul Im will become provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at UB. He has been with the university for seven years, most recently serving as interim provost. Dr. Im earned both his Ph.D. and master's degree in Philosophy from the University of Michigan and his bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley. Dan Noonan will also join the UB cabinet as vice president and chief administrative officer. Mr. Noonan has previously served as Goodwin University's vice president of Enrollment, Marketing & Communications for more than two decades. He will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of UB. Robert Schmidt will remain on as UB's chief operating officer. "I am so grateful to the leadership of Goodwin University and the University of Bridgeport for all they have done to restore our confidence in the future of UB," said Kathleen Engelmann, associate professor, Faculty Council president and faculty representative to the Board of Trustees at the University of Bridgeport. "I look forward to working with my faculty colleagues and the new Board of Trustees to ensure a bright future for our institution and our students." About Goodwin University Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Founded in 1999, Goodwin University is focused on serving a diverse student population in a dynamic environment that aligns education, commerce and community. Its innovative programs of study prepare students for professional careers while promoting lifelong learning and civic responsibility. As a nurturing university community, Goodwin challenges its students, faculty, staff and administration to fully realize their highest academic, professional and personal potential. To learn more about Goodwin University, please visit www.goodwin.edu. About University of Bridgeport The University of Bridgeport offers career-oriented undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees and programs for people seeking personal and professional growth. The University promotes academic excellence, personal responsibility and commitment to service. Distinctive curricula in an international, culturally diverse and supportive learning environment prepare graduates for life and leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. The University is independent and non-sectarian. www.bridgeport.edu Media Contacts: Jen Asaro [email protected] 860-306-9310 Josh Silverman [email protected] 203-216-0488 SOURCE Goodwin University GrandView Aviation has a fully owned and operated fleet of aircrafts that, unlike a managed fleet of aircrafts, is able to accommodate late-notice flight requests since its aircraft do not require owner approval. Its common fleet of aircraft gives customers a consistent and reliable experience and features the latest in in-flight amenities, like high-speed Wifi from Gogo Business Aviation . GrandView's Phenom 300 jets (manufactured by Embraer Executive Jets ) offer unmatched reliability and its nonstop flight range and cabin sizes far exceed similar jets in the "light" category. "To rank in #29 of charter operators nationwide is an incredible achievement by our team." says Jessie Naor, Chief Operating Officer at GrandView. "We are leading the industry in operational efficiency and safety, as well as providing incredible consistency for our clients. None of this is possible without the incredible team of aviation professionals we have building our operation." In addition to private flight services for VIP clientele, the company is one of the nation's leading jet operators in the organ transplant industry. In 2021 so far, GrandView Aviation has transported over 100 transplant surgical teams and life-saving donor organs. The company just took delivery of their 11th Phenom 300 and has plans to add additional aircraft and locations in 2021 and into 2022. GrandView Aviation GrandView Aviation operates a fleet of Phenom 300 private charter jets and helicopters giving access to departure points across the United States from the company's bases in Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, Phoenix, Denver, and Los Angeles. GrandView Aviation is a FAA Part 135 certificated aircraft operator & carries the elite Wyvern Wingman safety rating. For more information about GrandView Aviation, please visit www.flygv.com. SOURCE GrandView Aviation Related Links flygv.com Climate change has massively increased the likelihood and intensity of wildfires, with record-breaking reported wildfires across many U.S. states. Each of the past 4 years has brought another devastating fire season that burned homes, took lives, and left hundreds of thousands of people without power. This financing round will support Gridware's efforts towards deploying cutting-edge technology to solve one of the world's most burning challenges. Spurred by California's impending fire season, the company will use these funds to accelerate its engineering and R&D efforts and expand its utility partnership network. "We're investing in an increasing number of climate technologies that not only help to set the path for an environmentally conscious future but also help to reduce risk for humanity in the immediate term," said Priscilla Tyler of True Ventures. "Gridware's technology is focused on a problem we have a responsibility to solve. It has the potential to be hugely impactful in reducing rampant wildfires, and the company aligns keenly with our experience of investing in SaaS-enabled hardware." Gridware Solution: Be At The Right Place, All The Time Gridware believes that strong collaboration between all stakeholders to support technologies that make the grid more robust and reliable are key to minimizing the impact of fire seasons. To help solve this huge problem, Gridware is building a system that provides millimeter visibility into the internal integrity of each and every grid component transporting electricity through high fire threat areas. Armed with the ability to observe the health of grid equipment individually or collectively, decision makers will be able to perform upgrades efficiently, equitably, and effectively towards a future where suburban wildfires a thing of the past. "It's clear to us that Gridware has the perfect solution for the wildfire crisis. They understand the need to not only reduce fire risk, but also solve the fundamental problem with how we maintain and inspect our aging power infrastructure," said Shuo Yang of Fifty Years. "This is a team that has not only deep technical experience, but also practical, personal understanding of what it's like to be out there maintaining utility poles. They can work with all parties and help solve this problem." The company is currently hiring for several engineering roles based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn about open roles here SOURCE Gridware Inc. Related Links www.gridware.io "Today marks the culmination of years of work and affirms our commitment to Kalaeloa's history and our investment in its future," said Steve Colon, President, Hunt Development Group, Hawaii. "After many community meetings and meaningful conversations, we are excited to continue the revitalization of this region that will be a place for local residents to live, work, and play." Hunt is investing more than $40 million into infrastructure improvements in the Kalaeloa area ahead of development over the next couple of years. Upon completion, the 88,675 square-foot Advanced Leeward Outpatient Healthcare Access (ALOHA) project will be a multi-specialty VA clinic that will provide primary, mental health, x-ray, laboratory, diagnostic, pharmacy, and specialty care for the area's veterans. Hunt is also working with Gentry Homes to develop a new community of nearly 400 homes in the area. The first of the multi-family attached units and 130 single-family detached homes are expected to be completed in 2023. The first phase of construction will result in significant area road improvements. These improvements are planned to begin this summer and will continue over the next two years. Traffic will be impacted in and around Barbers Point Elementary School. Hunt Companies has been working with school officials, elected officials, and area residents to minimize impact and ensure safety and accessibility. About Hunt Companies, Inc. Hunt has been active in Hawaii for three decades and has long been recognized for its innovative renovation of underutilized military properties, as well as its commitment to creating premier master-planned communities that complement the cultural and geographical riches of the Hawaiian Islands. Hunt is a diversified, family-owned holding company that invests in operating businesses, real estate assets and infrastructure assets. Since its founding in 1947, Hunt's size and scope have grown substantially while gaining considerable expertise across multiple real asset sectors. Hunt's reputation is built on integrity and performance. Hunt is committed to a culture of transparency for employees, clients, investors, and the communities it serves. Hunt and its affiliates employ over 3,000 employees across the United States and Europe. SOURCE Hunt Companies, Inc. NEWARK, Del., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- eHealthcare company Healthstore Holdings Inc. ("Healthstore") today announced that it has raised US$4M in its series A round funding. The capital will be used to commercialize and monetize the key online assets within its portfolio of digital direct-to-consumer marketing. They will also be building out the team across North America, investing in pharmacy infrastructure, and entering key market segments like chronic care. "When Mark Catroppa, Dr. Sarai and I founded Healthstore earlier this year, the goal was to build it into the preeminent brand for eHealthcare across North America," said Monty Sikka, co-founder & Executive Chairman of Healthstore. "We are incredibly fortunate to welcome our Series A investors as partners, and respect the need for transparency, end-to-end compliance, and strong corporate governance principles to steward the company going forward." The global healthcare industry is witnessing long-term structural shifts due to technology and Healthstore's co-founder & Chief Executive Officer Mark Catroppa states, "Healthstore will succeed by providing consumers a technology enabled platform that not only leads to more efficient delivery, but also to more personalized healthcare for all users. We are now uniquely positioned to layer our financial capital and human capital on top of our unique portfolio of digital assets." Launching Enhance Club Enhance Club Canada Launched as the Discreet Solution to Men's Sexual Health & Wellness Concerns Enhance Club (www.enhanceclub.com) is a digital platform to address sexual health and well-being that is now serving Canadians. Erectile dysfunction impacts the lives of millions of men across the US and Canada, many of whom are not addressing the issue. With no wait times, long lines or booking of appointments, Enhance Club can provide everything - from licensed healthcare provider consultations to valid prescriptions issued in just a few clicks. "Enhance Club is as real as it gets. Our commitment to our customers is expressed through our values and commitment to compliance, plus the safety and quality of our products and digital services," says Jodhvir Sarai, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Healthstore. Enhance Club delivers the convenience of a health clinic, the service of a local pharmacy, and the security of a doctor's office and all from the privacy of your home. Enhance Club will be launched in the US in the near future and be closely followed by large-scale commercial launches of Healthstore's other digital assets. These include healthstore.com, birthcontrol.com and pet.net. Launch of Virtual Care Network Healthcare is proud to announce that in relatively short order following the close of Series A financing, it has been able to establish a virtual health network across all 50 states of the US whereby customers can conduct both synchronous and asynchronous visits with licensed physicians. "The ability for our customers to access licensed physicians in all 50 states and 24 hours per day demonstrates our ability to not only offer personalized care experiences but our ability to develop the infrastructure necessary to enhance our vertically integrated digital healthcare model," says Healthstore co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Jodhvir Sarai, M.D. Dr. Sarai who is responsible for all of Healthstore's medical operations will spearhead the company's strategic move into chronic care across the US with an emphasis on technology driven solutions to enhance medication adherence for all consumers. The robustness of Healthstore's virtual care platform will be essential to offering chronic care customers personalized solutions to enhancing their health outcomes. "Dr. Sarai has a strong acumen for scaling businesses in the healthcare industry and means of bringing the worlds of science and business together. His experience in founding private technology companies with values in excess of US$500 million along with playing the leading role in creating virtual health platforms across the US, positions Healthstore in a unique competitive position in an industry that is not only growing rapidly but that is becoming increasingly accountable to enhancing delivery of healthcare," says Monty Sikka. Strengthened Leadership Team Healthstore Appoints Executive with Global Financial Services Experience and Execution Capabilities to Help Disrupt the Healthcare Industry Karim Salamatian, CFA has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of Healthstore. Following a 15-year career with top-tier investment banks including Credit Suisse and BMO Capital Markets in Toronto, London and Hong Kong. Karim joined the start-up world in 2015 and helped build value in excess of US$700 million across a number of private ventures. With 20-years of focus on consumer-facing businesses across five continents, Mr. Salamatian brings tremendous experience in capital raising, M&A and strategic partnerships for both public and private companies. His expertise with building financial systems & controls, corporate governance practices and growth expansion makes Karim ideally suited to lead all finance, capital raising, investor relations and strategy functions for Healthstore. "We are delighted to add Mr. Salamatian to Healthstore at an early stage," said Mark Catroppa. "Attracting world-class talent with global experience scaling disruptive companies is a testament to the vision of Healthstore and the market opportunity. We look forward to Mr. Salamatian's contributions and guidance to enhance Healthstore's value for all stakeholders." About Healthstore Healthstore Holdings Inc. was founded in 2020 and is focused on redefining customer experiences and personalization in eHealthcare through a vertically integrated Rx platform. Healthstore is uniquely positioned in the industry given their portfolio of digital assets and the industry's only 'plug-and-play' digital platform that is capable of supporting rapid business growth, from sourcing through to virtual health delivery. Healthstore is committed to the goal of diversity and race & social equality in all communities it operates in so that all employees, partners, and customers face no barriers to individual achievement. Contact Details: Karim Salamatian, Chief Financial Officer [email protected] +1-778-700-8813 Mandeep Khara, Chief Growth Officer [email protected]e.com +1-604-725-7794 SOURCE Healthstore Inc. HOUSTON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hicks Thomas LLP has been named among the top commercial litigation firms in Texas by the highly regarded Chambers USA guide. Hicks Thomas partners John B. Thomas and Robin Harrison have also earned individual honors based on their commercial litigation expertise. Hicks Thomas joins a select group of Texas law firms included in what is one of the most sought-after listings among business lawyers. Firm rankings, which are published annually by London-based Chambers & Partners, are chosen through Chambers' rigorous process that begins with peer and client feedback, followed by comprehensive vetting by Chambers researchers. Chambers USA received feedback from one source who called Hicks Thomas attorneys, "consummate professionals who are proactive and strategic thinkers." Another Chambers interviewee said, "The firm has a wealth of talented people whose support work is unmatched. As a team, they have an incredibly strong work ethic and an unfailing drive to win. They have outstanding trial skills and no fear of going to trial. They approach every matter from a business perspective and provide wise counsel with regard to the risks and rewards of the available strategies." A Hicks Thomas client also said the firm, "is very responsive and provides practical guidance, quick and immediate help, and effective and supportive counsel." Chambers USA described Mr. Thomas as "very experienced and insightful." It noted his strong track record representing clients in complex disputes and highlighted that "he reviews everything and develops an overall strategy" and is "highly strategic and detailed." Mr. Thomas, who has spent more than three decades representing a diverse range of clients in state and federal courts across the country, was recently named to the Lawdragon 2021 list of 500 Leading Lawyers in America. He has also been recognized by Benchmark Litigation, listed in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property, and has been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers by Thompson Reuters every year since its inception. Chambers USA describes Mr. Harrison as "an A+ business trial lawyer" and "a strong choice to handle high-stakes commercial disputes." Commentators also call Mr. Harrison "a great lawyer and good in trials." For more than 35 years, Mr. Harrison has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in trials and arbitrations across the country and internationally. Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, he has been honored by Best Lawyers in America for commercial and oil and gas litigation. He has also been recognized by Benchmark Litigation and in Thomson Reuters' Texas Super Lawyers listing every year since 2004, including being named one of the top 100 lawyers in Houston each year since 2018. Founded in 1997, Texas-based Hicks Thomas LLP is a premier litigation firm representing plaintiffs and defendants across the nation. With offices in Houston, Austin, Beaumont, Amarillo, and Sacramento, California, the firm provides in-depth experience in cases involving oil and gas, environmental, complex commercial, toxic tort, construction, products liability, corporate governance, securities, banking, insurance coverage, transportation, trade secrets and business litigation. Visit the firm at http://www.hicks-thomas.com . SOURCE Hicks Thomas LLP Related Links http://www.hicks-thomas.com AUSTIN, Minn., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, announced today that its quarterly dividend on the common stock, authorized by the Board of Directors at 24.50 cents ($0.2450) a share on May 24, 2021, will be paid August 16, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on July 12, 2021. The August 16 payment will be the 372nd consecutive quarterly dividend paid by the company. Since becoming a public company in 1928, Hormel Foods Corporation has paid a regular quarterly dividend without interruption. ABOUT HORMEL FOODS Inspired People. Inspired Food. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement Inspired People. Inspired Food. to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com. SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormelfoods.com A look at some of the major movers in London on Monday OnTheMarket PLC (LON:OTMP) advanced 6.1% to 87.5p after it announced a commercial partnership with rental platform Canopy. The partnership will enable OnTheMarket to provide its agent customers with free comprehensive tenant referencing, including employment and landlord references, for all tenancy applications. Canopy's RentPassport includes Experian credit history, adverse financial history and provides verification of identity and address along with Know Your Customer, Anti Money Laundering and other information. The Canopy and OnTheMarket rental platform will be live in July 2021. 3.30pm: Synairgen wanted after its inhaled interferon beta shows potential antiviral activity Synairgen PLC (LON:SNG) rocketed 23% higher to 130.1p after positive news on its coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment. The company said lab tests of its inhaled interferon beta, which is being developed to treat people with severe effects of COVID, has shown potent antiviral activity against two new variants of the SARS-CoV-2. The lab tests of SNG001 also demonstrated the broad-spectrum antiviral activity", which bodes well for its use across a number of respiratory viruses. 2.35pm: 4d pharma lifted by IBS treatment study results 4D pharma PLC (LON:DDDD, NASDAQ:LBPS) climbed 7.2% to 104p after provided a more detailed analysis of its live biotherapeutic, Blautix. The data, presented as a poster at the medical and scientific conference Digestive Disease Week, builds on the top-line results released last October on the companys treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. The poster revealed strong and statistically significant activity on the key symptom of bowel habit, which 4D describes as a potential approvable primary endpoint per regulatory guidelines. 1.40pm: Cadogan Petroleum leaps as chief executive buys a million shares Cadogan Petroleum PLC (LON:CAD) has taken over as Londons biggest riser with a 26% gain to 5.5p. The shares shot up after it was revealed that chief executive officer Fady Khallouf has stuck his hand in his pocket and bought 1mln shares at 4.2p a pop. The purchase takes Khalloufs holding up to 4.27%. 12.45pm: Hurricane Energy gains altitude as High Court sanctions bondholder plan meeting Hurricane Energy PLC (LON:HUR) shares have, to put it mildly, been volatile this year and they were on the move again this morning after the latest update on the highly dilutive financial restructuring. The shares surged 25% to 1.875p after the company confirmed that the High Court of Justice has given directions for the convening and conduct of the bondholder plan meeting, which will be held on June 11. The shareholder plan meeting will take place after the bondholder meeting. READ Hurricane Energy lifts lid on debt deal that will significantly dilute value of existing shareholdings 11.50am: MJ Gleeson continues the run of upbeat updates from housebuilders MJ Gleeson PLC (LON:GLE), the housebuilder, rose 2.3% to 882.79p after it raised earnings guidance for the year ending June 30. Strong demand for new homes has led to higher selling prices, which has more than offset recent increases in certain material costs, the builder said. Demand for high-quality consented land from large and medium-sized housebuilders has also returned to pre-COVID levels, the statement added. 10.55am: Mobile Streams ebbs as it launches new content platform Mobile Streams Streams PLC (LON:MOS) rolled downhill, declining 7% to 0.26p after it launched a new version of its content platform. The mobile content and data intelligence company said the new platform features a transformed user interface, increased functionality and an increased price of 150 per month for users requiring additional functionality. The company said it plans to introduce more higher price points throughout the year. 10.00am: Digitial 9 to raise 100mln Digital 9 Infrastructure PLC (LON:DGI9) shares subsided to 107p from 113p overnight after the company announced its intention to place shares at 105p each. The company is looking to raise 100mln from the share issue. Retail investors will be able to buy shares via the PrimaryBid platform. The net proceeds of the placing will be used to acquire further assets in line with the company's investment objective. 9.05am: Kanabo places shares at a premium; SIMEC Atlantis higher after Japanese regulatory decision Kanabo Group PLC (LON:KNB) was 10% higher at 22p after it took a stake in a Greek medical cannabis cultivation company. Kanabo is paying 750,000 for a stake in Hellenic Dynamics SA ahead of the Greek companys expected listing in London via a reverse takeover. The developer of cannabis-derived products raised 1mln to fund the acquisition through the placing of around 4.5mln shares at a price of 22p each, a 10% premium to its closing price last Friday, from new and existing investors. Elsewhere, SIMEC Atlantis Energy Ltd (LON:SAE) shares rose 16% to 7.15p after the company said its tidal power generation facility in Naru Island, Japan, has passed the Japanese government's pre-use inspection tests and is now recognised as an official power generation facility. The turbine tests were undertaken by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), a key stakeholder in consenting renewable energy projects in Japan, during one of the strongest tides expected this year. SIMEC also provided an update on its Uskmouth waste-to-energy conversion project in Newport, Wales. The company said it submitted a "Statement of Case" (SOC) to the Planning Inspectorate on 21 May 2021. The SOC is a routine part of a 'call in' process and addresses the matters raised in the 'call in' decision letter that the company announced in March. Proactive news headlines NetScientific PLC (LON:NSCI) said ProAxsis, its wholly-owned respiratory diagnostics business, has built a solid platform for growth. Norman Broadbent PLC (LON:NBB) has reported positive earnings for 2020 despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as well as an increase in gross margins. Salt Lake Potash Ltd (ASX:SO4) (LON:SO4) (OTCMKTS:WHELF) has received binding commitments to raise A$28mln via a share placing that it said will enable final debt drawdown and access to additional funding through a bank guarantee provided by Sequoia and ramp-up of the Lake Way Project in Western Australia. SIMEC Atlantis Energy Ltd (LON:SAE) announced that its tidal power generation facility in Naru Island, Japan, has passed the Japanese government's pre-use inspection tests and is now recognised as an official power generation facility. The company also provided an update on its Uskmouth waste-to-energy conversion project in Newport, Wales. Frontier IP Group PLC (LON:FIPP) said its portfolio group, Pulsiv, has completed a fundraising and appointed electrical engineer Darrel Kingham as its chief executive officer. Sensyne Health PLC (LON:SENS) has signed a strategic research agreement with the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine that will enable the ethical application of clinical AI research to improve patient care and accelerate medical research. Pembridge Resources PLC (LON:PERE) has announced the 2021 exploration plans for the Minto copper project in Canada, in which it owns a significant stake. Minto is already an established producer, and the plan is to boost the resource base. Prince William was given a masterclass in electric racing at Knockhill Racing Circuit over the weekend, driving a car powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology produced by AFC Energy PLC (LON:AFC). The test drive at the Extreme E event was organised ahead of COP 26, the international climate change conference, which takes place in Glasgow later this year. Westmount Energy Limited (LON:WTE) has noted that Hess Corporation has increased its interest in the Kaieteur Block, offshore Guyana, to 20% from 15%. Deltic Energy PLC (LON:DELT) has noted that Fugro GB North Marine Limited has been hired to conduct a geophysical and geotechnical site survey ahead of the planned drilling of the Pensacola exploration well. The survey programme is slated for July, before drilling which is anticipated in 2022. Iconic Labs Plc (LON:ICON) announced the appointment of Marija Hrebac as a non-executive director with immediate effect. ImmuPharma PLC (LON:IMM) said its chief science officer, Dr Robert Zimmer, is to retire and quit the board at the end of June. Nuformix PLC (LON:NFX) has appointed Dr Alastair Riddell as non-executive chairman. Simultaneously, Dr Karl Keegan, a non-executive director and Dr Joanne Holland, chief scientific officer, have resigned. Dr Riddell has over 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical, life science and biotech industries, with 20 years as a board director. Panther Metals PLC (LON:PALM) notified that its annual general meeting will be held on 15 June 2021. The meeting will be held online but the company said it will be using a platform that allows shareholder participation and voting on the poll. Savannah (LON:SAV) announced that its chief executive, David Archer, will present an overview of the company and its current activities at the London South East Natural Resources Webinar on 25 May 2021, currently scheduled for 7pm. Impax Asset Management Group plc (LON:IPX) announced the appointment of Berenberg as its joint broker with immediate effect. EDISON, N.J., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Indecomm Global Services, a leading provider of automation, outsourcing, compliance services and technology for the U.S. mortgage industry, had a record year of growth during its fiscal year that ended in March 2021, with the addition of 30 new clients and a 36% increase in head count. During this record-breaking year of growth and innovation, Indecomm continued to give back to the community and serve its employees, despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Indecomm Key Business Metrics Graphic "Over the last fiscal year, Indecomm has achieved a phenomenal list of achievements and milestones in business growth, client acquisition, and product evolution and maturity," said Rajan Nair, CEO of Indecomm Global Services. "We must recognize our exceptional staff for their agility and commitment to excellence during a period of extreme growth, meeting the technology and business scalability needs of our loyal and growing client base. As industry trends continue to evolve, Indecomm will be standing at the forefront of mortgage automation technology and business outsourcing services to meet the mortgage banking industry's needs." COVID-19 Response In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Indecomm evaluated business processes and transitioned the staff working at its United States and India locations to a work from home model. The transition was completed swiftly with no downtime, while maintaining business continuity and production levels for its clients. This quick response fostered the health and safety of Indecomm's 1,500+ employees and led to winning the confidence of its clients all during a time of record mortgage volumes. Key Business Metrics for FY2020-21 The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported that 2020 was a banner year for housing, origination, and profitability, with over $3.5T in mortgage originations. Indecomm responded to client needs by supporting clients with its scalable mortgage outsourcing services and automation solutions. Indecomm's Automation business realized a record-breaking business growth of 300%, managed the process of over 4M loans and touched over $8B in mortgage loan origination volume. These technology platforms have spurred Indecomm's growth in recent years, with FY20-21 seeing a 44% revenue growth. 77,000 users of AuditGenius 502,000 AuditGenius transactions 5,000 users of IncomeGenius 28,000 IncomeGenius transactions 1.5M ViewPoint transactions ViewPoint transactions 9,000 loans processed 63,000 loan underwrites 5,300 loans closings 746,000 loan audits 30,600 post-closing quality control and/or post-funding quality control audits 1,576,000 final documents managed 435,000 mortgages recorded 1,057,000 title transactions handled Automation Focus and New Product Releases Indecomm's automation solutions have been carefully designed with the "Automation Continuum" in mind, focusing on the automation of the middle-office (i.e., processing and underwriting), where the bulk of origination time and expense lies. Since June 2020, three new automation solutions were launched in a matter of months to support client needs: BotGenius, DecisionGenius, and Business Health Check. Enhancements were also made to its flagship IncomeGenius product. BotGenius is a collection of pre-programmed software robots designed to emulate human computer interaction functions for mortgage processes, tasks, and workflows. By employing robots, or "digital workers", BotGenius mitigates inefficient processes, enhances the overall borrower experience, and increases return on investment, with an estimated 40% to 60% cost-savings for the processes available for automation. BotGenius has the potential to automate over 70% of the tasks in the loan production process. is a collection of pre-programmed software robots designed to emulate human computer interaction functions for mortgage processes, tasks, and workflows. By employing robots, or "digital workers", BotGenius mitigates inefficient processes, enhances the overall borrower experience, and increases return on investment, with an estimated 40% to 60% cost-savings for the processes available for automation. BotGenius has the potential to automate over 70% of the tasks in the loan production process. The DecisionGenius underwriting automation solution includes two predecessors: AuditGenius , a quality control and risk management software, and IncomeGenius, an automated income calculation software. These successful platforms provide the foundation and intelligence for the holistic DecisionGenius automation approach. Users will see the information needed to make an underwriting decision in one place, comparing application data to sourced data to investor guidelines. Mortgage lenders will be able to reduce risk with consistency in underwriting decisions; reduce cycle-time and underwriter touches; increase pull-through rates; and improve processor productivity. underwriting automation solution includes two predecessors: AuditGenius , a quality control and risk management software, and IncomeGenius, an automated income calculation software. These successful platforms provide the foundation and intelligence for the holistic DecisionGenius automation approach. Users will see the information needed to make an underwriting decision in one place, comparing application data to sourced data to investor guidelines. Mortgage lenders will be able to reduce risk with consistency in underwriting decisions; reduce cycle-time and underwriter touches; increase pull-through rates; and improve processor productivity. Indecomm made several feature enhancements to its flagship IncomeGenius automated income calculation solution, which supports increased client adoption. automated income calculation solution, which supports increased client adoption. Indecomm launched Business Health Check , an automated analysis of self-employed loan applicants' current business income and expense streams that helps mortgage lenders make better-informed loan qualification and underwriting decisions. , an automated analysis of self-employed loan applicants' current business income and expense streams that helps mortgage lenders make better-informed loan qualification and underwriting decisions. IncomeGenius Retail was launched for mortgage brokers and small and mid-size lenders. Licenses are available in packages of 8, 15, and 25 loans. New Corporate Brand and Website While addressing the needs of clients and employees based on the pandemic, Indecomm launched a new brand and website to reflect the evolution of the company's technology solutions, products, and services. This new brand reflects Indecomm's core values and client feedback on the company's strengths: ingenuity, agility, efficiency, innovation, reliability, knowledge, accuracy, and integrity. The new logo, a lotus flower, represents renewal, wisdom, purity, and transformation. While a new logo was launched, Indecomm's tagline and its commitment to it, remains: Partnerships at Work. Industry Accolades Indecomm was named to the prestigious HousingWire 2021 Tech100 listing of the most innovative mortgage technology companies in the U.S. housing industry. The Tech100 program provides housing professionals with a comprehensive list of the most innovative and impactful companies that can be leveraged to identify partners and solutions to the challenges that mortgage lenders and real estate professionals face every day. Indecomm was also approved by DBRS Morningstar as a third-party due diligence provider for securitizations. Based in New York, DBRS Morningstar is a globally recognized provider of timely credit rating opinions that offer insight and transparency across a broad range of financial institutions, corporate entities, government bodies and various structured finance product groups. Community Involvement Indecomm's commitment to partnerships at work encompasses relationships with partners, clients, employees, and within the community. Indecomm participated in the following initiatives during the last year: In lieu of client gifts during the pandemic, Indecomm donated to the MBA Opens Doors Foundation . MBA Opens Doors provides the comforts of home to families in crisis. . MBA Opens Doors provides the comforts of home to families in crisis. Indecomm is committed to fostering innovation and striving for excellence with its clients, as well as the core of its operations, its employees. To support this goal, the company launched its Indecomm University training initiative in India . This program will focus on hiring college graduates and training them through an intensive 8-to-16-week training program to prepare them for careers in the mortgage industry. The program launches in May 2021 with the goal of 100 graduates during the first year alone. in . This program will focus on hiring college graduates and training them through an intensive 8-to-16-week training program to prepare them for careers in the mortgage industry. The program launches in with the goal of 100 graduates during the first year alone. To support the community of its St. Paul, Minnesota office, Indecomm is participating in the local "Step Up" initiative for youth in Minneapolis . Step Up connects young people with jobs in the Twin Cities . In a typical year, Step Up trains and places 1,400 youth in paid internships with over 200 employers and 15 industries. Through this program Indecomm provides mortgage banking industry and technology internship opportunities to students who come from challenging socio-economic backgrounds. To learn more about Indecomm's products, services, career opportunities, and community involvement, visit www.indecomm.com. About Indecomm Founded more than 25 years ago, Indecomm Global Services is a leading provider of business services and technology for the US mortgage industry. The company is headquartered in New Jersey with over 1,200 employees worldwide. Indecomm services and solutions support every stage of the mortgage lifecycle with automation and software, outsourcing and project management, and compliance and education. With a focus on technology solutions first, we partner with large and mid-sized lenders, servicers, mortgage insurers, and title companies to achieve one specific goal-to help them grow. Our longevity in the ever-changing mortgage industry is our strength. We have worked diligently in the outsourcing and consulting spaces to develop tools and resources using extensive feedback from both clients and internal associates. Indecomm is a 2021 HousingWire HW Tech100 Mortgage Award Winner. Visit us at http://www.indecomm.com. Press Contact: Krista K. Sabol Marketing Director, Indecomm [email protected] 540-533-0991 SOURCE Indecomm Global Services Conference Website: https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2021-conference A recent conference presents factual data and eye witness accounts verifying ritual abuse and mind control (RAMC) events. Dr. Ellen Lacter, PhD., a well known clinical psychologist, presented information on the production of sadistic child abuse materials on the Internet while discussing the psychology of the perpetrators of these crimes. She discussed how ritual abuse and mind control victims can begin to heal from these crmes by using parables for healing from dissociation and programming. https://endritualabuse.org/ https://ritualabuse.us/smart/ellen-lacter/ Wendy Hoffman, a well published eyewitness and survivor of ritual abuse and mind control crimes presented on ways victims can rebuild their self esteem and begin to heal in their lives. https://ritualabuse.us/smart/wendy-hoffman/ Neil Brick, an eyewitness and survivor of ritual abuse and mind control crimes, presented scientific evidence, research and specific examples of how mind control, programming and hypnosis can be use to manipulate victims thoughts and actions in various settings. http://neilbrick.com https://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick/ Dr. Randy Noblitt, a professor, researcher and clinical psychologist, Annika Lundin and Eileen Aveni presented evidence of institutional child abuse in residential, religious and health care settings. Dr. Noblitt reviewed the data around trauma and ritual abuse allegations. https://ritualabuse.us/smart/randy-noblitt/ https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/an-empirical-look-at-the-ritual-abuse-controversy-randy-noblitt-phd Dr. Sarah Nelson OBE, former advisor to to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament, presented evidence of ritual abuse in the Orkney ritual child abuse case in Scotland. u https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2020-conference/dr-sarah-nelson-the-discourse-of-disbelief/ Olivia presented personal eye witness evidence of severe abuse and ritual abuse crimes and her battle for freedom and justice. Elana Christiansen and Eileen Aveni, well trained trauma informed clinicians, presented information on how victims of ritual abuse and mind control crimes can find qualified professional help to heal from their traumas. https://survivorship.org/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/I-Believe-You-by-Eileen-Aveni.pptx Research Resources Ritual Abuse Evidence https://survivorship.org/ritual-abuse-evidence/ Child Abuse Wiki - Ritual Abuse http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse Empirical and Forensic Evidence of Ritual Abuse http://endritualabuse.org/empirical-and-forensic-evidence-of-ritual-abuse Large List of Scientific Ritual Abuse References http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/studies/satanic-ritual-abuse-evidence-with-information-on-the-mcmartin-preschool-case/ Proof That Ritual Abuse Exists http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/ Hell Minus One signed verified confessions of satanic ritual abuse Anne's parents confessed their atrocities both in writing and verbally. http://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/survivor-stories/hell-minus-one-signed-verified-confessions-of-satanic-ritual-abuse/ SOURCE Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control Conference Related Links https://survivorship.org RALEIGH, N.C., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Enact Holdings, Inc. (Enact) a leading provider of private mortgage insurance through its insurance subsidiaries, is introducing its new brand and visual identity. Formerly known as Genworth Mortgage Holdings, Inc., Enact is a wholly owned operating subsidiary of Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW). The rebrand includes a new name, visual identity and corporate websitewww.EnactMI.comand reflects the Enact group of companies' proactive and responsive approach to serving their customers. "This rebrand is an exciting new journey for us, and while our name and visual identity has changed, what will not change is our commitment to our customers and to our mission: helping people buy houses and stay in their homes," said Rohit Gupta, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enact. "We look forward to continuing to grow with our customers, providing responsive solutions and insightful expertise so lenders can positively impact the lives of more borrowers." Gupta continued: "Our new name, Enact, represents our commitment to action and concrete results, which is demonstrated by our track record of strong performance. We bring together a greater understanding of our customers' businesses, proactive service and innovative solutions to go the extra mile to serve them, giving them a competitive edge. We look forward to continue focusing on these strengths to drive results for our customers and shareholders." The new brand reflects a pivotal moment in our 40-year operating history. Since 1981, Enact's insurance subsidiaries have successfully navigated several housing market cycles and significant shifts in the housing finance industry. While maneuvering through this constant change, the Enact group of companies have built a strong reputation for trusted, quality service and success, characterized by longstanding customer relationships and a borrower-centric approach. The Enact group will continue to build on this legacy by providing tailored solutions and insightful expertise to its over 1,800 mortgage insurance customers while investing more in the areas that have driven its success to date, including value-add products and services that meet the changing needs of today's lenders and homebuyers, as well as technology that supports our industry-leading customer service in a competitive market environment. These investments, combined with Enact's expertise in risk management and strong industry tailwinds, can provide the foundation for Enact's future growth. For more information about the rebrand or to learn more about Enact, visit www.EnactMI.com. About Enact Holdings, Inc. Enact, operating principally through its wholly owned subsidiary Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation since 1981, is a leading U.S. private mortgage insurance group committed to helping more people achieve the dream of homeownership. Building on a deep understanding of lenders' businesses and a legacy of financial strength, we partner with lenders to bring best-in class service, leading underwriting expertise, and extensive risk and capital management to the mortgage process, helping to put more people in homes and keep them there. By empowering customers and their borrowers, Enact seeks to positively impact the lives of those in the communities in which it serves in a sustainable way. Enact is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, visit www.EnactMI.com. SOURCE Enact Holdings, Inc. Related Links http://www.enactmi.com LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JDX, the global financial services consulting firm, announced today that Rosalind Secker-Walker will join the firm as US Head of Client Lifecycle Management, effective 24th May. Rosalind joins having spent the last 9 years at JP Morgan, working within Client Onboarding Transformation for both the Corporate Investment Bank (CIB) and Commercial Bank. The breadth of knowledge gained as Global Head of Onboarding for Prime Brokerage and leading the JPM Onboarding Operating Model Design, ensures Rosalind is uniquely positioned to help JDX grow and succeed in this space. Prior to this, Rosalind was the European Head of Transition Team at Credit Suisse Securities, having also previously spent time at Goldman Sachs International Ltd in Compliance. Rosalind brings a wealth of experience in client engagement, onboarding, change management, transformation, and global team leadership. She joins at an important time for JDX; her expertise will prove instrumental in the continued growth and future development of the Firm. Rosalind will be a member of the JDX US leadership team working closely with CEO Americas, Gil Koenigsberg and also support the development JDX's global solutions capability working with JDX Managing Director Stuart McClymont. CEO Americas Gil Koenigsberg commented: "We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Rosalind to the JDX team. Rosalind's appointment marks yet another milestone in the continued growth of JDX in the US. Our teams are stronger than ever, and Rosalind's global leadership and CLM expertise will be pivotal in the next stage of growth for the Firm. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next 6 months brings for us and our clients." MD Global Head of JDX Delivery, Stuart McClymont said: "Rosalind is joining us at the perfect time JDX is growing fast, and our continued expansion in the US is a crucial part of our growth strategy. Rosalind's expertise will bolster our CLM capabilities and complement our other key domains of expertise in Post Trade Services, Market Infrastructure, Regulatory Services & Payments, putting us in an even better position to support our new and existing clients. We can't wait to have her on board." Rosalind commented: "I am thrilled to be joining the JDX team at this exciting time and very much looking forward to playing a central role in the future development of the Firm. JDX has all the key attributes to excel itself as the 'go to' consultancy for financial services and I embrace the challenge." About JDX Consulting Formed in 2012, JDX is a global market-leading specialist consulting business focussed on delivering solutions for investment banks, financial market infrastructure and technology enablement. JDX helps by advising on and implementing innovative change, adapting to evolving market structure, and supporting operations delivery and improvement. SOURCE JDX Consulting Related Links https://www.jdxconsulting.com/ WASHINGTON, Vt., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeremy Orr, MPAS, PA-C, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Top Professional in the field of Medicine as an Emergency Medicine Physician's Assistant at Central Vermont Medical Center. Jeremy Orr, MPAS, PA-C, is recognized by Continental Whos Who With more than 20 years of wide-ranging experience, Mr. Orr is highly adept at patient care. After he obtained his initial bachelor's degree, he served for the U.S. Army National Guard in 2005, spending time in Iraq medical departments. He concluded his military service with the rank of lieutenant colonel. For his dedication and successes during his service, he was bestowed various commendations and achievement awards. Mr. Orr earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology from Johnson State College, then graduated from the University of Omaha Medical Center with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies. He also obtained his Master of Science degree in Intermediate Leadership and History from the University of Omaha. He previously worked at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where he worked in critical care alongside doctors in a Level II Trauma Center. In his current capacity, he treats patients at Central Vermont Medical Center. Here, he works in Emergency Medicine as a Physician's Assistant. He prides himself on always caring for his patients, providing compassion and top-quality medical care to every patient he treats. Mr. Orr also teaches at the Franklin Peirce University Physician's assistant program, educating students as an adjunct professor. A respected voice in his areas of expertise, Mr. Orr has served on the American Health Council's Board of Physicians since 2018. A noted humanitarian, he formed an Iraqi Children's Relief Fund while serving in the Army. Previously, he served as a delegate to the National Conference and key note speaker for the American Academy of Physician's Assistants. Mr. Orr is a member of the American Association of Physician Assistants and the Physician Assistant Academy of Vermont. Awards for Mr. Orr's contributions to the medical field include the Leader in Medicine Award presented by Best in Medicine. He has been lauded for his bravery while serving in Iraq, where he helped children with severe congenital disabilities by assisting them to get treatment and raising thousands of dollars for their care. In the next phase of his career, Mr. Orr plans to complete an Emergency Medicine Certification at the Catholic Medical Center, and continue to teach at the Franklin Peirce University Physician Assistant Program as an adjunct professor. Mr. Orr dedicates this honorable recognition to Mark Depman, MD, Jarid Mashkuri, MD, Beth Carriere, PA, and Amy Dennis, FNP. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634 [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com NEW YORK, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) today announced that it has raised more than $400 million for its Project 10X initiative to bridge racial gaps in health, wealth and opportunitybringing it 40 percent of the way to its $1 billion goal for the 10-year investment effort. LISC, one of the nation's largest community development financial institutions (CDFIs), launched Project 10X in November 2020. The initiative builds on more than 40 years of LISC investments in affordable housing, economic development, health, safety, education and jobs, all designed to create opportunity for people and communities that have been excluded from full participation in the nation's prosperity. LISC's initial Project 10X investments are supporting a broad range of opportunities in Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communitiesfrom capital for minority-owned banks and businesses to grants for health and education programs to new levels of support for homeownership and family wealth-building. "We are working with public, private and nonprofit partners to make investments that take on entrenched inequalitywhether that means making sure BIPOC-led developers have better access to capital or helping Black and Brown families get fair home appraisals so they can build intergenerational wealth and invest in their communities." noted Lisa Glover, LISC's president and CEO. "In that way, Project 10X is additive to work we have been doing for decades." LISC is deploying Project 10X capital as equity, debt, and grants that are specifically designed to address the drivers of the racial wealth gap and build wealth for BIPOC families, businesses and communities. Most of the capital raised to date is through LISC's Black Economic Development Fund and the Emerging Minority Developers Fund, created by LISC's National Equity Fund (NEF) affiliate, with additional grant and loan funds assembled as well. "Year after year, study after study, we see data that demonstrates how much more difficult it is for entrepreneurs of color to access the capital they need to build and grow," noted George Ashton, managing director of the LISC Strategic Investments group, which oversees the Black Economic Development Fund. "If we can help address that with investments in minority-led banks, businesses and anchor institutions, the positive ripple effect extends throughout the communities where they operate." Project 10X is also helping address specific local challenges. In the Twin Cities, for example, LISC is working with partners in Minneapolis and St. Paul to create and support the Community Asset Transition Fund, a $30 million fund designed to help BIPOC communities rebuild from the civil unrest and pandemic losses of the past year. The CAT Fund helps nonprofit community organizations finance the temporary acquisition of critical properties that might otherwise be lost to outside speculators, which helps protect community ownership and build community-based wealth. It is designed to give hard-hit business and property owners the chance to rebuild and lay the groundwork for additional investments in the years to come. "This is what LISC doesassembles capital, convenes partners, and supports the kind of community infrastructure that not only attracts additional economic activity, but protects the interests of long-time residents," said Peter McLaughlin, executive director of LISC Twin Cities. "The Project 10X approach raises capital specifically devoted to efforts that address deep disparities, so we can invest right now to safeguard BIPOC assets, while also laying the foundation for transformational growth in the future." In addition to investments, LISC is also deploying Project 10X grants to support a range of targeted, community-based solutions and demonstrate approaches that can be replicated across the country. Some are national in scope, like a recent multi-city program to help fund BIPOC-led nonprofits that are empowering young people, or a new partnership to connect professional athletes with community development opportunities. Others are locally designed and implemented. For example, in Indianapolis, LISC is helping fund a systemic strategy focused on healthy food access, supporting a plan that links urban farms, farmers markets and community kitchens to schools, homes and wrap-around services. The goal is to support both BIPOC food businesses and BIPOC residents as part of a comprehensive community-driven strategy. In Chicago, LISC is fueling health and employment programs to narrow BIPOC disparities, including efforts that help prepare people to enter the workforce after time in jail or prison. And in Louisville, where LISC is preparing to open its first local program office in the coming months, the organization is working with partners to seed grants to Black entrepreneurs and Black-led nonprofits through local business development organizations. LISC is continuing to raise funds to support efforts like these in urban and rural communities throughout the country, Glover stressed, as it moves toward its $1 billion Project 10X goal. "We are still in the early phases of this effort, and we will not let up in our commitment to it," she added. For more about Project 10X, visit https://www.lisc.org/project-10x/. Learn more about the corporations and organizations supporting Project 10X at https://www.lisc.org/project-10x/supporters/. About LISC With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Since 1979, LISC has invested $24 billion to build or rehab more than 436,320 affordable homes and apartments and develop 74.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. For more, visit www.lisc.org. Media Contact: Colleen Mulcahy, for LISC 312-342-8244 [email protected] SOURCE Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) DALLAS, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, locked-out workers from the ExxonMobil (NYSE: EOM) oil refinery and blending and packaging plant in Beaumont will demonstrate outside the company's offices in Irving during its annual shareholders meeting, which is taking place virtually this year. On May 1, members of USW Local 13-243 reported for work and were turned away by ExxonMobil, despite the company recording 2.7 billion in earnings for the first three months of 2021. The union has filed unfair labor practice charges with Region 16 of the National Labor Relations Board over the company's serious unlawful actions. The group will depart Beaumont by bus and arrive for the rally in Irving at 8:30 a.m. They will be joined by USW members from ExxonMobil's Baytown, Texas, facility and Dallas area union activists, who will be attending in solidarity with the locked-out workers. The union also will have a proxy-holding delegate attending the virtual meeting to raise questions about the unfair labor practices and lockout with the company's shareholders and top executives. Attention Assignment/Editors: Speakers, Interviews & Photo Opportunities WHO: Locked-out USW Local 13-243 members from ExxonMobil's refinery and blending/packaging plant in Beaumont; other union members; local and international union leaders WHAT: Rally outside ExxonMobil's annual shareholders meeting WHEN: Wednesday, May 26, 2021 - 8:30 until 10 a.m. WHERE: 5959 Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas 75039 More information, contact: Bryan Gross, 409-920-0575, or Tony Montana, 412-562-2592, [email protected] SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW) Related Links http://www.usw.org SAN JOSE, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumina Communications, a B2B technology-focused Public Relations firm with offices in Silicon Valley and New York City, has been named the Market Leader in PR Firms for InfoSec Companies at the 2021 Global InfoSec Awards. These awards are handed out each year at the RSA Conference by Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industry's leading electronic information security magazine. "Lumina is honored to be named Market Leader in PR firms by Cyber Defense Magazine. Our agency has built a reputation as the PR agency of choice for today's leading, global technology and cybersecurity companies, representing the best and brightest companies in cybersecurity. With high profile judges, who are leading InfoSec experts from around the globe, we could not be more excited about this recognition," said Hugh Burnham, CEO of Lumina Communications Lumina Communications is comprised of a diverse team of PR professionals who are passionate about helping businesses develop strong brands and capture the media spotlight that will differentiate them in crowded markets and achieve their strategic objectives. With a leadership team having more than 40 years of experience in cybersecurity, technology and business communications, the firm is well-positioned to serve global technology and cybersecurity brands. "We scoured the globe looking for cybersecurity innovators that could make a huge difference and potentially help turn the tide against the exponential growth in cybercrime. Lumina Communications is absolutely worthy of this coveted award and consideration for deployment by organizations in the cybersecurity field," said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. This latest award comes on the heels of news from Lumina Communications Partner, Executive Vice President and Cybersecurity Practice Lead John Kreuzer being named the Communications or PR Executive of the Year | Cyber and Information Security at the 2021 Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards. Additional information on this year's winners of the Global InfoSec Awards can be found at http://www.cyberdefenseawards.com/. About Lumina Communications Lumina is a strategic, B2B technology-focused communications firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, with offices in New York City. The company offers media and analyst relations, original content development, corporate messaging and social media marketing services. To learn more about Lumina's services, please visit www.luminapr.com; on Twitter at twitter.com/luminacomms or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Lumina-Communications. Lumina is on the web at www.luminapr.com. About CDM InfoSec Awards This is Cyber Defense Magazine's ninth year of honoring global InfoSec innovators. Our submission requirements are for any startup, early stage, later stage or public companies in the INFORMATION SECURITY (INFOSEC) space who believe they have a unique and compelling value proposition for their product or service. Learn more at www.cyberdefenseawards.com About the Judging The judges are CISSP, FMDHS, CEH, certified security professionals who voted based on their independent review of the company submitted materials on the website of each submission including but not limited to data sheets, white papers, product literature and other market variables. CDM has a flexible philosophy to find more innovative players with new and unique technologies, than the one with the most customers or money in the bank. CDM is always asking "What's Next?" so we are looking for Next Generation InfoSec Solutions. About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 5 Million monthly readers and growing, and thousands of pages of searchable online infosec content, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information for B2B and B2G with our sister magazine Cyber Security Magazine for B2C. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that InfoSec knowledge is power. Lumina Communications Media Inquiries Contact: John Kreuzer, Partner, Executive Vice President and Cybersecurity Practice Lead Email: [email protected] CDM Media Inquiries: Contact: April Palanca, Director of Marketing Email: [email protected] Toll Free (USA): 1-833-844-9468 International: 1-646-586-9545 Website: www.cyberdefensemagazine.com SOURCE Lumina Communications Related Links http://luminapr.com NORFOLK, Va., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the designation of Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy ("MAMA") as one of 27 Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE). The CoE designation recognizes community colleges and training institutions that prepare students for careers in our nation's maritime industry. These academic institutions are in 16 states and one U.S. territory. "When the United States has as its foundation a strong Merchant Marine service, all components of the economy and national defense benefit greatly" said Capt. Ed Nanartowich, MAMA's president who received the award on behalf of the company. "MAMA brings great credit to Virginia as a significant contributor toward enhanced maritime training and enabling Virginians to work in a dynamic and growing industry aboard ship and boats locally and upon oceans." U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pointed out that "Our collaboration with these institutions represents an important expansion of MARAD's role in supporting maritime education and will help form pathways to good-paying American jobs in our nation's maritime industry." MARAD will now embark on working with the Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy and the other designees to enter into cooperative agreements to help advance recruitment of students and faculty, enhance facilities, award student credit for military service, and potentially receive assistance in the form of surplus equipment or temporary use of MARAD vessels. Authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018, the CoE program is designed to assist the maritime industry in gaining and sustaining a well-trained labor force while enhancing diversity and inclusion in the industry. "The CoE designations recognize the high standard of maritime education and training provided by the designated community and technical colleges and maritime training centers. These institutions play vital roles in our nation's maritime industry by providing the training and skills students need to begin and advance careers afloat and ashore," said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. Information regarding the training opportunities for mariners and prospective mariners can be found on the Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy website www.mamatrains.com. Media Contact Ed Nanartowich 757-227-5702 [email protected] SOURCE Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy Related Links http://www.mamatrains.com The 1776 Commission met at Hillsdale College's D.C. campus to discuss civic education and the future of the Commission. Tweet this We are grateful for the widespread support of the work of The President's Advisory 1776 Commission, and we commend the many efforts, some new and many long established, underway to advance the principles and address the concerns voiced in The 1776 Report. The restoration of American education can only be grounded in a history of America and its principles that is accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling. This decades-long restoration will only succeed through the great efforts of the millions of good-willed, intelligent, and patriotic Americans, who long, as all human beings long, to know the truth. There is no more powerful force than parents' love for their children, and this restoration will depend on mothers and fathers demanding that their children are no longer taught false narratives or fed hateful lies about our country. We affirm, as a bulwark for the protection of American principles, the core constitutional principle that parents have the natural right to direct the education of their children. All those concerned about education in America should organize and run for school board and vote in school board elections. Through that and other means they can restore the natural sovereignty in education of the school, the place where students, parents, and teachers are united in the sublime work of helping children to grow. Parents and local school boards will be strengthened in this effort by greater choice and variety in curriculum at the state and local levels. We reaffirm the role of the states and localities in overseeing the nation's K-12 public educational system, and commend those states and localities that have reformed or are considering reforming their curricula to sustain our common principles and teach our true history to America's children. We are concerned that the U.S. Department of Education's Proposed Rule defining priorities for the American History and Civics Education programs, whether as Critical Race Theory or under the misleading name of "anti- racism," actually encourages and seeks to direct federal funds to the teaching of racial discrimination in America's elementary and secondary school systems. This Proposed Rule should be withdrawn, and individual states should oppose any such race-based pedagogy as part of their curricula, especially if that curricula is imposed by the federal government. The Constitution leaves education to the states and localities and denies the federal government any authority to impose national curriculum standards. The federal government should not circumvent this obstacle by using federal funding to entice states and localities to adopt what it wants taught in the nation's schools. We learned from the failed Common Core experiment that one-size-fits-all national models are a blueprint for trivializing and mechanizing learning. Instead, we encourage a genuine civics education that will rebuild our common bonds, our mutual friendship, and our civic devotion and eagerly look forward to the forthcoming release of curricula designed in the true spirit of 1776. Lastly, recalling the long history of citizen participation in our civic life, we call on states, counties, and local communities to form their own 1776 Commissions to advance this great work of American renewal as we prepare for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026. The meeting was hosted by Chair Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College; Vice Chair Carol Swain, retired professor of law at Vanderbilt University; and Executive Director Matthew Spalding, vice president for Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. operations and dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government. "History is complete and cannot be changed," said Arnn. "These controversies about history can only be resolved by looking at the facts. To help the young know this history is the work of the commission, and its importance has not diminished since inauguration day." All media inquiries go to Emily Stack Davis, Hillsdale College, at [email protected]. A PDF of The 1776 Commission's May 24 statement can be found here. Photos from the meeting can be found here. Headshots of commission members can be found here. The 1776 Commission's letter to the Department of Education can be found here. About The 1776 Commission The 1776 Commission was established in 2020 to prepare for the 250-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and to combat false narratives about the American Founding, like those proposed by the "1619 Project." Its first overview document, The 1776 Report, was submitted to the President and released as a public document on January 18, 2021. The President's Advisory 1776 Commission was abolished by an Executive Order of the next President on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2021. The 1776 Report, which was removed from the White House website on inauguration day, can be downloaded here. About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 5.6 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu. CONTACT: Emily Stack Davis 517-803-3745 [email protected] SOURCE Hillsdale College Related Links http://www.hillsdale.edu Under the reverse takeover plans, the company has agreed to acquire CiiTECH for 17.5mln through the issue of shares in the group at a price of 5.25p each Fragrant Prosperity Holdings Limited ( ) said it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) regarding a potential reverse takeover with CiiTECH Ltd, a British-Israeli cannabis wellness firm. Under the deal, the company said it has conditionally agreed to acquire CiiTECH for 17.5mln through the issue of shares in the group at a price of 5.25p each, a 36.4% premium to its closing price on Friday. As part of the tie-up, Fragrant said completion of the deal is conditional upon an agreement on the composition of its new board and the renaming of FPP as CiiTECH Group in addition to satisfactory financial, legal and commercial due diligence. In a separate announcement, the company said its shares have been suspended on the LSE pending the publication of a prospectus and an application to have its enlarged share capital listed on the standard segment of the main market. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, is honored to be selected as the lead designer for the Interstate 15 (I-15) Freight Corridor Improvement Project by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA). Located in San Bernardino County, California, the more than $200 million project involves widening a six-mile stretch of high-volume, high-speed, multilane freeway for a new tolled Express Lane facility. The completed I-15 Freight Corridor Improvement Project will add one to two Express Lanes in each direction between Cantu-Galleano Ranch Road and Baseline Avenue, reducing traffic congestion, increasing throughput and enhancing regional mobility. The project is the design phase as of early 2021 and will go into construction in 2024. "I-15 is an economic lifeline connecting San Bernardino County to the rest of the nation, and this project will address one of the most congested portions of the corridor," said Malcolm Dougherty, National Practice Executive at Michael Baker International. "Our team will draw on our vast experience completing large-scale, complex transportation projects including our work on the adjacent I-10 Corridor Express Lanes as we partner with SBCTA to encourage growth, a sustainable environment and a high quality of life for everyone who lives, works and travels in and through San Bernardino County." I-15's daily traffic averages 223,000 vehicles per day and this number is expected to increase significantly during the coming decades as the population and economic standing of the High Desert continues to grow. The new tolled Express Lane facility will provide critical access to both the connecting Interstate 10 (I-10) and State Route 60 (SR-60) freeways, with a focus on safety, cost and time efficiency. To accommodate the added Express Lanes, the project proposes to widen 16 bridge structures, including three over-railroad widenings and approximately 12,000 feet of retaining walls. The project will tie in to the recently opened Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) Express Lanes to the South and work with the Brightline West Rail Design Project to the North to ensure seamless coordination through construction. As lead designer, Michael Baker will manage the overall design process, which includes ensuring that the design meets the schedule and established design criteria, as well as coordinating with major project stakeholders, SBCTA, RCTC and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), as well as various rail authorities, to integrate design and construction. The firm will oversee the design of roadway, structures, drainage, intelligent transportation systems, tolling design, signals, lighting, landscape architecture and survey activities for the entire corridor. About Michael Baker International Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services. The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner, providing comprehensive services and solutions to commercial clients and all branches of the military, as well as federal, state and municipal governments. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations like intelligent transportation and design-build project delivery Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/. Contact: Julia Covelli [email protected] (866) 293-4609 SOURCE Michael Baker International Related Links http://www.mbakerintl.com LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Modulaire Group, the leading business services company specialising in modular space, today announced that it will hold its first quarter financial results conference call on Wednesday 26th May 2021 at 3:00pm BST (10:00 a.m., Eastern Time). Prior to the call, the slide presentation, Q1 2021 financial information and dial-in details will be available at https://www.modulairegroup.com/investors/financial-reports that includes a password-protection feature. Access will be granted to existing and prospective lenders and noteholders and certain other eligible parties (including securities analysts and rating agencies) who have registered for an account. Modulaire Group invites all interested parties to register at their earliest convenience by visiting https://www.modulairegroup.com/investors/apply About Modulaire Group Modulaire Group is the leader in European modular services and infrastructure. We create smart spaces for people to live, work and learn. Our business is designed to help customers find the right space solution, no matter what their requirements. Modulaire Group has operations in 25 countries with approximately 259,000 modular space and portable storage units and 3,400 remote accommodations rooms. The company operates as Algeco in Europe and Scandinavia, Elliott, Advante and Carter in the United Kingdom, BUKO Huisvesting, BUKO Bouw & Winkels and BUKO Bouwsystemen in The Netherlands, Ausco in Australia, Portacom in New Zealand, and Algeco Chengdong in China. For further information: Investor relations: Phil Vellacott [email protected] +44-7841-563-541 Media enquiries: Tulchan Communications [email protected] +44-207-353-4200 SOURCE Modulaire Group Related Links https://www.modulairegroup.com/investors/login BUFFALO, N.Y., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- M&T Bank Corporation ("M&T") (NYSE: MTB), the nation's fifth largest Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in fiscal year 2020, today announced more than 58,000 of its business customers received approval for a total of about $9.8 billion in funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which has now closed to most new applicants. M&T has disbursed nearly all of the approved funding to these companies, which employ more than 850,000 people across the bank's eight-state footprint. In its work with customers to secure PPP loans, M&T reported: Average loan size was $164,410 . . The average loan size for the most recent round of applications was $117,442 . . More than 70 percent of the approvals were for loans less than $100,000 ; 86 percent were for less than $250,000 . ; 86 percent were for less than . Approximately 67 percent were loans to businesses with 10 or fewer employees; 93 percent employ fewer than 50 people; and 97 percent were to companies with 100 or fewer people. During the first 24 hours after opening its funding application portal for both the first and second PPP rounds, M&T processed and submitted nearly 30,000 customer applications alone. "The Paycheck Protection Program provided us with an unprecedented opportunity to help our communities navigate one of the most challenging periods any of us have ever experienced and we did everything we could to be sure we met the moment," said Richard Gold, M&T Bank President and Chief Operating Officer. "Thanks to the inspired work of our teams who served as economic first-responders, we were able to live out our purpose to make a difference in people's lives. Working quickly and collaboratively, M&T employees helped local businesses secure the PPP funding they needed to keep people employed and make it through these difficult times. Still, there's more work to be done, and we're committed to doing our part to help accelerate our communities' recovery." Across the regions it serves, a significant number of businesses accessed PPP funding through M&T: Greater Baltimore /Chesapeake 11,314 companies employing 136,121 people 11,314 companies employing 136,121 people Buffalo / Niagara 9,237 companies employing 110,992 people 9,237 companies employing 110,992 people Greater Washington 5,340 companies employing 60,370 people 5,340 companies employing 60,370 people Delaware 4,191 companies employing 48,329 people 4,191 companies employing 48,329 people Syracuse 3,568 companies employing 49,074 people 3,568 companies employing 49,074 people New York City 3,532 companies employing 130,537 people 3,532 companies employing 130,537 people Rochester 3,451 companies employing 49,842 people 3,451 companies employing 49,842 people Albany / Hudson Valley 3,447 companies employing 36,960 people 3,447 companies employing 36,960 people Philadelphia 1,717 companies employing 38,774 people 1,717 companies employing 38,774 people Harrisburg / Altoona 1,542 companies employing 24,068 people 1,542 companies employing 24,068 people New Jersey 1,288 companies employing 24,340 people To help customers secure the funds they needed, M&T expanded its SBA loan team from 20 to over 2,000 people after the PPP launched. Building on the bank's expertise as a nationally recognized top 10 SBA lender, these team members worked around the clock to complete the processing necessary to secure PPP loan approval. The bank also brought together talent from across the company, including technology and operations to build its digital application and its processing and funding units. Meanwhile, frontline employees, such as branch staff and business relationship managers, were tasked with communicating to customers and assisting them in preparing the information needed for application submission. M&T today continues to assist customers with the PPP loan forgiveness process. Karasch & Associates, a West Chester, Pennsylvania-based, woman-owned business that provides accessibility solutions and court reporting services, is among the thousands of businesses that navigated the application and forgiveness processes with M&T's support. "As a small business primarily focused on helping our clients create a more accessible world for people with disabilities, it was critical that we find a way to make it through these difficult times. The people we serve needed us," said Karasch & Associates Owner Linda Karasch. "M&T Bank understood the uncertainty and challenges we were facing, and they went above and beyond to help us secure the funding we needed. Their responsiveness and guidance were incredibly helpful during the first and second PPP lending rounds and the forgiveness process. Thanks to M&T's support, we're still serving our community and clients today. We're grateful for all they've done to help our business and so many others emerge from the pandemic ready to grow." In addition to the PPP, M&T has taken a multi-faced approach to help its customers and communities through the pandemic. The company empowered its staff with the tools and authority to help customers with specific needs, including fee relief on deposit or lending solutions, payment deferrals and low-interest personal loans. M&T also activated its charitable foundation to respond to the pandemic, awarding $35 million in grant funding to more than 2,800 nonprofits in 2020. It remained agile and pivoted quickly to provide funding to emerging needs as they arose, while also supporting longtime nonprofit partners. It directed $3.7 million specifically to regional COVID-19 relief and recovery funds set up across its communities About M&T Bank M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Trust-related services are provided by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank. Media Contacts: Upstate New York Julia Berchou 716-842-5385 [email protected] New Jersey, Connecticut, New York City David Samberg 201-368-4515 [email protected] Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC: Scott Graham 410-244-4097 [email protected] National Media and Trade Publications: Maya Dillon (212) 415-0557 [email protected] 2021 M&T Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. SOURCE M&T Bank Related Links http://www.mtb.com NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The North Carolina State Board of Education recently recommended Curriculum Associates' i-Ready to be used as the competency-based assessment for schools' extension learning recovery programs. These programs will provide in-person instruction on specific subjects, as well as offer additional enrichment activities, to students in Grades K12 to address learning losses and negative impacts students have experienced due to COVID-19 during the 20202021 school year. Today, the award-winning i-Ready program serves more than nine million students and 25 percent of all K8 students in the United States, including 70 percent of North Carolina's local education agencies (LEAs) and charter schools. "This summer will be critical as educators work with many students to get them up to grade level and prepare them for the rigor of next school year," said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. "A large majority of schools throughout the state are already using i-Ready, and we are committed to supporting themas well as schools new to i-Readywith their assessment needs during this time." As stated in North Carolina's recent legislation on school extension learning recovery and enrichment programs, the state Board of Education shall make available to local school administrative units a single competency-based assessment per grade and subject for students in Grades K8 that may be taken at the beginning of the program and at the conclusion of the program. The Board recommended i-Ready as the competency-based assessment for schools to use because it has the largest footprint in the state. i-Ready makes the promise of differentiated instruction a practical reality for K12 teachers and students. It combines powerful assessments and rich insights with effective and engaging instruction in Reading and Mathematics to address students' individual needs. The Diagnostic provides educators with actionable criterion-referenced and normative data to deliver impactful, equitable learning experiences. Traditionally, teachers administer the Diagnostic at the beginning of the school year to chart a course for their instruction and to personalize i-Ready instructional paths. A midyear and end-of-year Diagnostic helps students and teachers measure growth and have data chats. Teacher-led and personalized instruction continues throughout the year to help students grow and access their grade-level learning. In August 2020, the North Carolina State Board of Education additionally selected i-Ready as an approved assessment for Read to Achieve. This multifaceted initiative is designed to help ensure all students are reading at grade level by the time they reach Grade 4 by eliminating social promotion, facilitating early-grade reading proficiency, promoting developmental screening and a kindergarten entry assessment, providing a comprehensive plan for reading achievement, supporting successful reading development for retained students, outlining notification requirements to parents and guardians, and implementing the accountability process. To learn more about i-Ready, visit CurriculumAssociates.com/i-Ready. About Curriculum Associates Founded in 1969, Curriculum Associates, LLC designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. The company's products and outstanding customer service provide teachers and administrators with the resources necessary for teaching diverse student populations and fostering learning for all students. Contact: Kati Elliott Charlotte Fixler KEH Communications Curriculum Associates (410) 975-9638 (978) 901-6066 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Curriculum Associates, LLC Related Links www.curriculumassociates.com CHICAGO, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Novack and Macey LLP is pleased to announce Chambers and Partners USA has recognized the firm for its work in Commercial Litigation in Illinois and ranked co-founding partners Stephen Novack and Eric N. Macey as leaders in their field. Co-founding partner Chambers and Partners USA, the annual guide to the world's best lawyers and law firms, described Novack and Macey as "a well-regarded litigation firm that assists plaintiffs and defendants with a broad range of complex matters. The firm is known for its representation of legal industry professionals, its significant appellate offerings and has expertise in consumer fraud and breach of contracts work." During Chambers' research process, clients interviewed said Novack and Macey "is one of the finest law firms in the city of Chicago" highlighting the legal team's "tireless preparation and excellent quality and work ethic." Chambers described Stephen Novack as having "a wealth of experience defending corporate clients in large-scale class-action suits and institutional litigation involving civil fraud, breaches of contract and wrongful conduct, among other issues." Steve's clients said "he's one of the finest attorneys in the city. His preparation is unmatched and he is extremely thorough." Chambers described Eric Macey as being "recognized for his strength in both state and federal court proceedings involving a range of commercial disputes, including consumer fraud and unfair business practice suits." His clients said "Eric is an experienced trial lawyer who knows his way around the courtroom." And, "he is a master of strategy, a forceful advocate, and is excellent at cross-examining witnesses." "We are extremely proud of this recognition from Chambers USA," said Novack and Macey's managing partner Donald Tarkington. "This truly shows the extent to which our lawyers are recognized by their peers and clients for their commitment to providing outstanding client service. We are grateful to those clients that participated in the interview process with the Chambers researchers and know the resulting rankings are based on the solid partnerships we have with them." Stephen Novack is listed in Band One for Commercial Litigation Eric N. Macey is listed in Band Three for Commercial Litigation About Chambers and Partners Chambers and Partners USA annually ranks the leading U.S. firms and attorneys based on in-depth research, as well as client and peer interviews. Attorneys are evaluated on their legal knowledge and experience, ability and effectiveness, as well as client service. Chambers undertakes an independent and objective process and inclusion in the guide is based solely on the research team's findings. About Novack and Macey LLP Novack and Macey LLP is a Chicago-based boutique commercial litigation firm that represents both defendants and plaintiffs in a wide variety of disputes, involving trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts and in arbitration. Contact: Joni Radaszewski Marketing Director [email protected] 312.419.6900 Related Images stephen-novack.jpg Stephen Novack Co-founding partner eric-n-macey.jpg Eric N. Macey Co-founding partner SOURCE Novack and Macey LLP The 20,000-square-foot facility, located in Cleveland, Ohio, was redesigned with versatility in mind to meet the industry's changing needs serving trade professionals, Oatey associates, customers and community partners all in one convenient, collaborative space. Oatey University offers full-size mockups of various applications settings, such as a hotel bathroom and a residential rough-in plumbing system, where individuals can perform installations and earn continuing education credits/certifications alongside Oatey's Applications Specialists. Additionally, the facility houses two interactive labs dedicated to solvent welding and heating/chemical applications. There is also a large classroom on site designed for lecture-style learning, virtual and in-person meetings, community outreach events and more. While the Oatey University is built for robust, in-person experiences, it has also served as a hub of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, Oatey University introduced a wide variety of virtual training courses, now available on BlueVolt, to help industry professionals expand and reinforce their skills in the safety of their own homes. "Oatey is constantly looking for innovative ways to promote, support and engage with the trades, our associates and communities," says Matt Rodgers, Vice President of Customer and Technical Support. "Oatey University is the place where those efforts can truly come to life. We are greatly looking forward to using this state-of-the-art facility to further connect with all those we serve." Oatey University is looking forward to safely welcoming visitors in person July 2021. To learn more about Oatey University and its virtual and in-person programs, visit oatey.com or view this video for a behind-the-scenes look at the facility. ABOUT OATEY CO. Since 1916, Oatey has provided reliable, high-quality products for the residential and commercial plumbing industries, with a commitment to delivering quality, building trust and improving lives. Today, Oatey operates a comprehensive manufacturing and distribution network to supply thousands of products for professional builders, contractors, engineers and do-it-yourself consumers around the world. Oatey is based in Cleveland, Ohio, and has locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and China. For more information, visit www.oatey.com, call (800) 321-9532 or follow Oatey on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. SOURCE Oatey Co Related Links oatey.com From the start of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, ONT officials expect approximately 1,453,000 passengers, based on analysis of current airline schedules and load factor trends. The figure is 87.7% of the total number of passengers (1,657,185) who arrived and departed ONT pre-pandemic during the comparable period in 2019. The Summer 2021 travel period begins Friday, May 28, and ends Monday, Sept. 6. "The Inland Empire's strong economy and rapidly growing population have combined to put ONT at the forefront of airline recovery plans in Southern California," said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). "We look forward to a near-normal summer travel season and welcoming many travelers we haven't had the pleasure of serving in more than a year." Airlines are offering nonstop service to 25 destinations this summer, with six new destinations -- Charlotte, Chicago (O'Hare International Airport), Honolulu, Houston (William P. Hobby Airport), Mexico City and San Salvador. Service to San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador, is the first from the Inland Empire to Central America. The 10 airlines serving ONT have scheduled 66 departing flights per day on average from May 28 through September 6 with more than 1.8 million seats available. By August, the number of daily departures will have increased to 74. ONT forecasts more than 75% of the seats will be occupied. Air travelers, greeters and other ONT visitors are reminded that face coverings are required in the airport and onboard aircraft. About Ontario International Airport Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which, before the coronavirus pandemic, offered nonstop commercial jet service to 26 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario Mayor Pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner). OIAA Media Contact: Steve Lambert, (909) 841-7527 [email protected] SOURCE Ontario International Airport Related Links www.flyontario.com LA FARGE, Wis., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Phase one of Organic Valley's dairy life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluated on-farm greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms in a diverse range of climates using different management practices. The results are in: Farming practices of Organic Valley farmers have a measurable benefit for the planet, reinforcing the cooperative's commitment to bringing ethically made organic food to families everywhere. University of Wisconsin-Madison's assessment reveals that, on average, the dairy farms of Organic Valley's members have a smaller carbon footprint than average U.S. conventional and organic dairy overall. Organic Valley dairy farms have a smaller carbon footprint than average U.S. conventional & organic dairy overall. Tweet this The most significant difference in calculations of the carbon footprint of Organic Valley milk is in the inclusion of carbon sequestration from pasture as well as from forage and crop production. Including carbon sequestration in the LCA reduced the net farm emissions of the cooperative's dairy farms by an average of 15%. On average, Organic Valley farmers report engaging in 50% more pasture grazing than that required by the National Organic Program, and the LCA results are impacted by this significant difference. In 2022, the full LCA will be completed, and Organic Valley will publish the overall impact of the cooperative's organic milk. "This LCA represents the most comprehensive organic dairy environmental impact assessment in the United States completed to date. The LCA covers a wide range of regions and management practices and includes the development of an innovative accounting method for carbon sequestration by Dr. Aguirre-Villegas," said Dr. Rebecca Larson, UW - Madison professor. In light of the study, the cooperative is debuting its commitment to a carbon-neutral supply chain by 2050 at New Hope's Expo West. The cooperative is setting milestones to reach the goal, aiming for 15% of the way to being carbon neutral by 2030 and 30% by 2035. "Our LCA provides evidence of our lower-than-average farm carbon footprint. Our company-owned facilities are powered with 100% renewable electricity, and we're continually exploring ways to reduce the business's impact further," said Nicole Rakobitsch, director of sustainability at Organic Valley. "Together, our farms, our business, and our supply chain will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon." Organic Valley is taking a direct, hands-on approach to carbon neutrality, as it plans to achieve its climate goal without purchasing external carbon credits. Instead of offsetting emissions with credits like many U.S. companies, the cooperative's efforts will reduce or eliminate emissions in the first place and maximize carbon sequestration on Organic Valley family farms across the country. About Organic Valley Organic Valley is America's largest cooperative of organic farmers and one of the nation's leading organic brands. Founded in 1988, the cooperative represents more than 1,700 farmers in 34 U.S. states, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom and achieved $1.2 billion in 2020 sales. Focused on its founding mission of saving family farms through organic farming, Organic Valley produces a wide range of organic dairy, egg and produce products. As a leader in pasture-based, regenerative organic farming, Organic Valley works with nature, not against it. For more information visit www.organicvalley.coop. Organic Valley is also @OrganicValley on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Media Contact: Elizabeth McMullen [email protected] 608-632-6083 SOURCE Organic Valley Related Links www.organicvalley.coop DUBLIN, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Commercial Hand Dryer Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global commercial hand dryer market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 8% during the period 2020-2026. The global market for commercial hand dryers is undergoing several transformations. The adoption of innovative commercial hand dryer products has increased among end-users worldwide, fueled by the rising emphasis on sustainable and smart infrastructure development such as infrastructure 4.0, along with IoT. Intensifying competition among key players has led to the introduction of innovative and advanced solutions in the market. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic across the world, there has been an increase in handwashing at homes, workplaces, and public spaces. This is because regular handwashing is one of the best weapons against the virus, which causes a flu-like respiratory illness that can prove to be fatal and spread rapidly among people across countries. Although there are hygiene norms at homes, it is critical in the public environment to promote proper hand drying solutions in toilets and washrooms to reduce the potential transmission of bacteria and viruses. The following factors are likely to contribute to the growth of the commercial hand dryer market during the forecast period: Focus on Reducing Energy Consumption Enhanced Focus on Hand Hygiene Emphasis on Infrastructure Development A shift toward Eco-friendly Technology The study considers the present scenario of the commercial hand dryer market and its market dynamics for the period 2020-2026. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market. Global Commercial Hand Dryer Market Segmentation In terms of revenue, hot air hand dryers dominated the market with a share of over 51% in 2020. The segment is expected to record an incremental revenue of over USD 310 million during 2020-2026. The demand expects to grow rapidly in the APAC region owing to the rising hygiene concerns and the adoption of new technologies. The APAC region projects to grow at a CAGR of over 8% during the forecast period. While the application of hot air hand dryers is universal, increasing concerns over hygiene and bacterial infections are likely to hamper the commercial hand dryer market growth. With the growing popularity of jet air hand dryers, the segment accounted for over 48% in terms of units. The COVID-19 outbreak created turmoil in the market, which has slowed down the demand for hand dryers. Vendors are increasing awareness of hand dryers through a combination of direct advertising, niche targeting, trade shows, and holistic marketing. However, with the advent and rising popularity of digital and social media marketing, gaining customers has increased drastically. Commercial hand dryers accounted for a share of approx. 27% in terms of revenue and volume in 2020. The retail hand dryers market expects to grow at a CAGR of approx. 9% in APAC between 2020 and 2026. Expansion of airports, coupled with metro and railway station development, is a significant factor boosting the adoption of hand dryers. The demand for long-distance rail transport has already grown and is anticipated to grow as the rail network develops in Europe and Asia. Therefore, modernization of railways offers high scope for the growth of commercial hand dryers during the forecast period. The global commercial hands-under dryer segment expects to reach over USD 950 million by 2026. The use of these dryers is safe, which expect to drive their application during the forecast period. Although hands-under dryers are mostly conventional products, increased emphasis on innovations and technological advances influence the market growth. A major factor affecting the growth is the introduction of automatic sensor-based dryers with heat advances. Europe is expected to generate the highest revenue by 2026, followed by APAC and North America. A key strategy adopted by key players is the introduction of differentiated products and solutions for different application segments. Hence, companies strive to offer differentiated channels for distribution and a better product mix, thereby catering to target customers' changing needs and requirements. Key manufacturers are offering and expanding their product line-up to launch innovative techniques, thereby gaining an edge over their market rivals. The hands-in hand dryer segment expects to project an absolute growth of 50% in Europe during 2020-2026 by unit sales. Hands-in dryers are comparatively higher than hands-under dryers; hence their preference is considerably increased in developed regions such as Europe and North America. The commercial hand dryer market by offline segment expects to witness an incremental revenue of over USD 600 million during 2020-2026. Vendors have promoted sales via retail stores such as specialty stores and electronic stores, although selling these devices online is increasing in recent years. The online segment in Europe is likely to reach over USD 57 million by 2026. Retail sales constituted over 92% of the distribution model in 2020. Vendors in countries such as the US primarily sell their finished products through dealers, distributors or the internet. In 2020, the retail segment was the largest revenue contributor to the global commercial hand dryer market. The online segment faces strong competition from the retail segment because of the established and growing retail network of manufacturers with mass orders, which has increased the visibility of these products on store shelves across the world. However, the online segment is witnessing high traction in the US and other APAC countries, particularly China and India. Product Jet Air Hot Air Operation Hands-in Dryer Hands-under Dryer Application Education Hospitality Healthcare Commercial Spaces Corporate Spaces Government Spaces Industrial Other Distribution Offline Dealers Mass Market Players Specialty Stores Electronic Stores Online Insights by Geography The Europe commercial hand dryer market expects to reach over USD 668 million by 2026. One of the primary reasons for the high adoption of commercial hand dryers among European households is increased per capita disposable income. The improving economy in several European countries has grown the disposable income in the population. Further, higher living standards across societies in the region and the favorable trade environment are expected to drive the Europe commercial hand dryer market share. In addition, end-users in these countries are known to have a high annual savings ratio. European customers, especially Germans and the British, realistically take advantage of retail discounting fueled by retailers' destocking as they are willing to pay more for a lavish lifestyle. This can increase the footfall in the hospitality sector, thereby fueling the demand for hand dryers in the hospitality and corporate sectors during the forecast period. By Geography North America US Canada Europe UK Germany France Spain Italy Nordic Benelux APAC China Japan South Korea India Australia Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East & Africa & Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey UAE Insights by Vendors Excel Dryer, Mitsubishi Electric, Mediclinics, TOTO, and Rexnord are the prominent vendors in the commercial hand dryer market. The market has witnessed the entry of several vendors due to the high demand and the increased scope for innovations. These players compete on various factors such as price, operational efficiency, quality, eco-friendliness, and variety. However, pricing and operational efficiency are set to become a major criterion for competition among players to gain an edge over other vendors in the market. Further, the growth of vendors depends on GDP growth and urban development. Therefore, to attain sustainability, expansion into other geographies and revival of domestic demand are essential factors for market vendors. Vendors can enhance their revenue and profitability by practicing sound production techniques that minimize product costs and mitigate associated risks. As the market demand is mainly met via dealers and distributor networks, vendors can consider developing strategic channels with prominent commercial infrastructure construction players to gain a stronghold on existing demand in the respective markets. Prominent Vendors Excel Dryer Mitsubishi Electric Mediclinics TOTO Rexnord (World Dryer) Other Prominent Vendors Aike ASI Group Askon Hygiene Products Bobrick Bardley Corporation Comac Corporation DIHOUR Dyson Electrostar Hokwang Industries JVD Jaguar Group Jie Da Electrical Metlam Australia Palmer Fixture SPL Stiebel Eltron Lovair Toshi Automatic Systems (TASPL) Sloan Valve Company KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED: 1. How big is the commercial hand dryer market? 2. What is the growth rate of the market? 3. Who are the key players in the commercial hand dryers market? 4. Who are the major end-users of commercial hand dryers? 5. Which region is likely to generate the highest revenue during the forecast period? Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of The Study 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 7.2 Impact Of COVID-19 8 Market Opportunities & Trends 8.1 Focus On Reducing Energy Consumption 8.2 Enhanced Focus On Hygiene Maintenance 8.3 Partnerships With Hospitality Sector 8.4 Emphasis On Infrastructure Development 9 Market Growth Enablers 9.1 Shift Towards Eco-Friendly Technology 9.2 Growth In Product Innovation 9.3 Rising Installations Of Hand Dryers 9.4 Increased Investment In IoT Technology 10 Market Restraints 10.1 Concerns Over Noise Levels 10.2 Rising Health Concerns 10.3 Frequent Launches Reducing Product Stability 11 Value Chain 11.1 Overview 12 Market Landscape 13 Product 14 Operation 15 Application 16 Distribution 17 Geography 18 Europe 19 APAC 20 North America 21 Middle East & Africa 22 Latin America 23 Competitive Landscape 24 Key Company Profiles 25 Other Prominent Vendors 26 Report Summary 27 Quantitative Summary 28 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/n8m051 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com LAKEWOOD, Colo., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning, one of the nation's greenest and fastest-growing carpet cleaning franchises, is looking to expand the brand in California to cover Sacramento and surrounding communities. Oxi Fresh plans to have franchise locations operating throughout the greater Sacramento area, covering everywhere from Lodi to Yuba City. With ten protected territories available in a carpet cleaning franchise system that has seen robust growth, this could be an excellent opportunity for the right entrepreneur. "The Sacramento area and surrounding suburbs are ripe for Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning franchise locations," said Matt Kline, Director of Franchise of Development. "We'd love to see these territories in the hands of qualified, talented entrepreneurs within the next 12 months." With nearly 450 locations in the U.S. and Canada, quality territories such as these are becoming rarer and rarer. Based on growth rates seen in other California locations, Sacramento could be a strong starting point for the right entrepreneur. Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning A Modern Cleaner The carpet cleaning franchise company has, since first opening in 2006, stood out in its industry. This is thanks to many things, but the first most people will encounter is Oxi Fresh's green cleaning system. Rather than rely on traditional steam cleaning practices that saturate carpets, Oxi Fresh employs a low-moisture cleaning process. "Our green concept is powerful," said Kline. "We've created a revolutionary cleaning system that combines the best equipment with the highest quality products. Through our network of customer service focused franchisees, customers will receive high-quality cleanings that dry in just about one hour." Customer demand for the carpet cleaning franchise was strong even during 2020 and the pandemic. Oxi Fresh saw its strongest week in terms of the number of appointments booked and regularly had higher numbers of appointments booked per week in the second half of 2020 compared to the second half of 2019. This increased demand exemplifies the brand's excellent position for even further expansion in 2021. Furthering the efforts of the carpet cleaning franchisees is Oxi Fresh's advanced support system, including its centralized Scheduling Center and innovative marketing programs. These tools provide Oxi Fresh's franchisees the opportunity to focus on business development rather than mere daily tasks. "With almost 450 locations open throughout the United States and Canada, we want to keep pushing forward and continue our mission of providing communities with access to high quality, eco-friendly carpet cleaning services," said Jonathan Barnett, founder and CEO. "We are eager to surpass the 500-unit mark in 2021 and further strengthen our presence throughout the U.S. and Canada." About Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Through innovative products and modern technology, Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning offers green carpet cleanings and exceptional results. The company's powerful combination of knowledgeable people, innovative technology, and strong processes has landed the brand in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500, ranked in Inc. magazine's Inc. 500|5000, and saw them named as one of "America's Best Franchises to Buy," by Forbes magazine. Oxi Fresh has nearly 450 locations throughout the United States and Canada with more locations currently in development. For more information, visit oxifresh.com. SOURCE Oxi Fresh Related Links https://www.oxifresh.com A sustainable way of extracting lithium has been developed by Cornwall-based , following three years of research and development. The company has filed a patent application at the UK Intellectual Property Office for its low-energy, chemical-free process for physically separating the mica in granite that contains lithium. The invention, called Mi-Sep, now has official patent pending status, the company revealed in a statement on Friday. Helped by dedicated lithium metallurgical research laboratory, British Lithium has identified a resource of over 100mln tonnes of lithium in a former china clay mine near St Austell, which would be enough to support projected annual production of 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate. Registering through the wear blue: run to remember hero match website, runners and walkers from across the nation will create a living memorial by taking purposeful steps on Memorial Day for the fallen hero they receive through their match. With each registration and with each step, participants are ensuring that the stories and sacrifices of these brave men and women are not forgotten. This year's Memorial Day event is striving to match each fallen hero since the first days of the Vietnam War with a runner or walker. To learn the stories, speak the names, and honor the legacies of these 65,502 fallen service members, runners and walkers can join the Memorial Day mission by registering now at http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org for no cost. Participants receive a unique bib to share the name of the service member whom they honor with their steps. "It's critically important to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and the loved ones they left behind," said James Schenck, president/CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of PenFed Foundation. "wear blue: run to remember provides a unique opportunity for Americans to honor fallen heroes, and we are proud to support them this Military Appreciation Month." In addition to a $25,000 donation from PenFed Credit Union, PenFed Digital is producing a social media campaign highlighting we are blue: run to remember and the stories of resiliency and bravery of Gold Star Families. Led by Andrea McCarren, an award-winning nationally recognized journalist with decades of experience, PenFed Digital will be sharing excerpts of inspirational interviews with Gold Star Children and encouraging everyone to register to run or walk in honor of the fallen on PenFed's social media channels. Please click here to watch Gold Star Daughter, Heidi Hallett, share a heartfelt message about her dad and her reasons for running this Memorial Day. Additional media assets can be found via the following dropbox link. "On Memorial Day, no family member of a fallen service member should remember alone," said we are blue: run to remember Executive Director & Co-Founder and Gold Star Spouse Lisa Hallett. "Join us in actively remembering our nation's fallen service members and support our mission to honor the 65,502 killed since the beginning of the Vietnam War." wear blue: run to remember has an active global running community across 26 states, Germany and Japan. Those unable to join a run in-person, are encouraged to join a virtual Circle of Remembrance on the wear blue website, during which names of military members killed in war will be spoken. About PenFed Credit Union Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving 2.3 million members worldwide with $28 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services with members' interests always in mind. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org , like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter . Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn . We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. About wear blue: run to remember: wear blue: run to remember was founded following the redeployment of 5-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, a unit that, while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, sustained a significant amount of combat losses and casualties. During that deployment, a small group of 5-2 wives and battalion support staff met weekly to run, seeking to create a support network for one another during this challenging and heartbreaking deployment. When the brigade returned, two of those Army wives and avid runners, Lisa Hallett and Erin O'Connor, turned this small group into a nationwide vision that now helps thousands heal from and work through the more challenging aspects of military life during a time of war. Lisa's husband, CPT John Hallett, was one of four soldiers killed in that unit on August 25, 2009, while returning from a goodwill mission in Southern Afghanistan. SOURCE PenFed Credit Union Related Links http://www.PenFed.org ALBANY, N.Y., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Resistance welding process has been widely employed in component manufacturing for electrical and electronics industry. A wide range of electrical components are fabricated with the help of the technology. Expansion of welding power supplies and the general advancement in manufacturing technologies have propelled the growth prospects in the U.S. resistance welding products market. In particular, the regional market has been active in adopting robotics in the operations plants of end-use industries. Another key trend that has helped players see new revenue streams is the use of additive manufacturing technologies. Resistance welding can be used to set a unique set of parameters, thereby enabling manufacturers to meet high-quality metal-metal joints. Cases are point are aluminum-aluminum and steel-steel joints for the automotive industry. Focus on eliminating all key drawbacks of spot welding through the integration of automation will help expand the revenue potential in the U.S. resistance welding products market. The opportunities are projected to touch ~US$ 200 Mn by 2031-end, clocking modest CAGR of ~5% from 2021 to 2031. Some of the key end-use industries are food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, white goods, and electronics industries. Request for Covid-19 Impact Analysis on Resistance Welding Products Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/Covid19.php Key Findings of Resistance Welding Products Market Study Technological Advancements to Overcome Limitations of Earlier Welding Devices: spot welding has churned out a sizable demand. However, a few limitations are restraining end users to adopt this. In this regard, manufacturers are leveraging the potential of automation technologies, so that spot welding can be used for high-volume production of heavy machinery and components such as for railway tracks and fuel tanks. The automation technology being adopted eliminated the need of fillers, thereby further reducing the overall cost of welding, thus making them more attractive. Download PDF Brochure - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php Consumer Electronics and other High-Volume Production Spurs Applications: Rise in demand for precise electronics components to meet the demand for consumer devices is rising in the U.S. and is viewed as a generator of substantial revenue streams. The the U.S. smartphone revenue has proliferated over the past few years. With governments' ban on imports from China , in-house production has also received a fillip since 2020. Further, rise in production volumes by carmakers is a key factor spurring the utilization or application of resistance welding products. Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly demanding components that comply with ISO standards and norms that support the unified numbering system (UNS). Examples are the demand for standardized electrodes, plates, and flat bars. Thus, the automotive industry is likely to be the value-grab opportunity for players in the U.S. resistance welding products market. Of note, a growing number of automotive manufacturers are getting into agreements and partnerships with producers of resistance welding products. Rise in demand for precise electronics components to meet the demand for consumer devices is rising in the U.S. and is viewed as a generator of substantial revenue streams. The the U.S. smartphone revenue has proliferated over the past few years. With governments' ban on imports from , in-house production has also received a fillip since 2020. Further, rise in production volumes by carmakers is a key factor spurring the utilization or application of resistance welding products. Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly demanding components that comply with ISO standards and norms that support the unified numbering system (UNS). Examples are the demand for standardized electrodes, plates, and flat bars. Thus, the automotive industry is likely to be the value-grab opportunity for players in the U.S. resistance welding products market. Of note, a growing number of automotive manufacturers are getting into agreements and partnerships with producers of resistance welding products. Industrial Robotics to Underpin Next-Wave of Automation: Cutting-edge technology in industrial robotics is considered as next wave of innovation for manufacturers of resistance welding products and for their customers. For instance, recent advances in welding cables have extensively benefitted food and beverages industry. Adoption of advances machining technologies has enabled players to offer customized needs of businesses in the U.S. market. View Detailed Table of Contents at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/81957 Resistance Welding Products Market: Key Driving Factors and Avenues Strides being made in instrumentation and machining technologies in various manufacturing sectors are bolstering the demand potential in the U.S. resistance welding products market Swelling appetite of middle-class consumers boosts market Swelling demand for automobiles, particularly electric vehicles, is spurring the growth momentum Key Participants Tuffaloy Products, Inc T. J. Snow, Co Spotco Milco Manufacturing Cal Manufacturing Inc. CenterLine Holdings Inc. Spotwelding Products, Inc. Purchase Premium Research Report on Resistance Welding Products Market @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Chemicals and Materials Industry, Metal Fabrication Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/metal-fabrication-market.html Welding Products Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/welding-products.html Explore More Upcoming Reports: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/upcoming.htm About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact: Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/us-resistance-welding-products-market.htm Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com SOURCE Transparency Market Research LAFAYETTE, La., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RedHawk Holdings Corp. (OTC: SNDD) ("RedHawk" or the "Company"), a diversified holding company engaged primarily in sales and distribution of medical devices, reported today a net loss from operations of $425,479 for the nine month period ended March 31, 2021 on gross revenues of $867,841. Net of distributor and introductory discounts of $177,095, net revenues for the nine month period ended March 31, 2021 were $690,746. For the trailing twelve month period ended March 31, 2021, RedHawk reported a net loss from operations of $211,986 on gross revenues of $1,831,297, and net revenues of $1,606,035. For the nine month period ended March 31, 2020, the Company previously reported a net loss from operations of $818,311 on gross revenues of $313,497. Net of introductory discounts of $95,508, net revenues for the nine month period ended March 31, 2020 were $217,989. For the trailing twelve month period ended March 31, 2020, RedHawk reported a net loss from operations of $1,019,436 on gross revenues of $313,497, and net revenues of $177,919. Commenting on the 3rd Quarter results, G. Darcy Klug, RedHawk Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, "The three month period ended March 31, 2021 was a transition period for our medical device business unit. During this same three month period, we restructured our inventory of products offered to our customers to include SANDD, our line of needle incineration devices, and select personal protection equipment limited to UV disinfection lights, select types of the most popular particulate N95 respirators and certain makes of nitrile examination gloves. "While medical facilities and some schools have re-opened, complete access to schools and most hospital procurement departments, remains challenging. Revenues for the three month period ended March 31, 2021 (net of introductory discounts) were $29,786 as compared to $148,674 for the same three month period ended March 31, 2020. Sales during the three month period ended March 31, 2021 were limited primarily to select areas of our personal protection equipment and UV lighting units as much of our customer base remained closed. Sales for the comparable three month period ended March 31, 2020 were primarily from our SANDD mini needle incineration devices sold to schools and first responders. Schools were open until the pandemic closures started at the end of March 31, 2020. Subsequent to March 31, 2021, we have started to see renewed sales of the SANDD mini to a few schools in Texas that have re-opened. "Our order backlog and order inquiry logs remain strong but availability of select particulate N95 respirators continues to be difficult. Additionally, we have sometimes been forced to reject unacceptable shipments of nitrile examination gloves. Both of these challenges have delayed the timely execution of our business plan. "We launched the sale of our SANDD Pro at the end of the three month period ended December 31, 2020. Customer testing of the SANDD Pro during the three month period ended March 31, 2021, has been very positive and has been shown to increase workplace safety and provide our customers significant savings on bio-hazard waste disposal. "While sales of the SANDD Pro to private physicians, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are important, we believe placement of the SANDD Pro into hospitals and outpatient centers is critical to the ultimate success of this medical device. However, the cessation of elective surgeries during the pandemic has resulted in severe financial strain on the many medical facilities around the country. To address this adverse financial impact on the nation's medical facilities, we developed a leasing model for our SANDD Pro specifically designed for medical facilities. This new leasing model has been well received by the medical community as it eliminates the hospitals' need for immediate capital expenditures. We have partnered with a new medical device distributor group who has been instrumental in negotiating the possible placement of more than 50,000 leased SANDD Pro needle incineration devices over the next twelve months. They have also arranged on our behalf, for discussions about a possible governmental mandate for using the SANDD Pro in hospitals, clinic and private physicians located in a certain United States Territory." About RedHawk Holdings Corp. RedHawk Holdings Corp., formerly Independence Energy Corp., is a diversified holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in the sales and distribution of medical devices, sales of branded generic pharmaceutical drugs, commercial real estate investment and leasing, sales of point of entry full-body security systems, and specialized financial services. Through its medical products business unit, the Company sells the Sharps and Needle Destruction Device (SANDD), WoundClot Surgical - Advanced Bleeding Control, and the Carotid Artery Digital Non-Contact Thermometer. Through our United Kingdom based subsidiary, we manufacture, and market, branded generic pharmaceuticals. RedHawk Energy holds the exclusive U.S. manufacturing and distribution rights for the Centri Controlled Entry System, a unique, closed cabinet, nominal dose transmission full-body x-ray scanner. For more information, please visit: http://www.redhawkholdingscorp.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements about management's view of RedHawk Holdings' future expectations, plans and prospects, among other things, including within the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act, and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of RedHawk Holdings, its divisions and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the ultimate extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our business and future financial condition, results of operations and cash flows will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time; changes in the effects of the significant level of competition that exists in the medical device distribution industry, or our inability to attract customers for other reasons; the unexpected cost of regulation applicable to our industries, and the possibility of future additional regulation; our expectations regarding our impairment charge estimates and the potential for future impairment charges; our lack of adequate insurance coverage in the event we incur an unexpected liability; our lack of a proven operating history and the possibility of future losses that are greater than we currently anticipate; the possibility that we may not be able to generate sufficient revenues or access other financing sources necessary to operate our business; our inability to attract necessary personnel to run and market our business; the volatility of our stock price; changes in the market prices for our products, or our failure to perform or renew the distribution agreements for our products; our failure to execute our growth strategy or enter into other lines of business that we may identify as potentially profitable for us; changes in economic and business conditions; changes in accounting policies and practices we may voluntarily adopt or that we may be required to adopt under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States; the impact of competitive services and products; economic downturns both in the United States and globally; risk of increased regulation of our operations and products; disruptions in the infrastructure that we and our partners rely on; the lack of capital available on acceptable terms to finance our continued growth; and other risk factors included from time to time in documents RedHawk Holdings files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Form 10-Ks, Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks. These reports are available at www.sec.gov. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on RedHawk Holdings's future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. RedHawk Holdings cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, RedHawk Holdings undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by RedHawk Holdings. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Company Contact: G. Darcy Klug, Chairman and CEO (337) 269-5933 [email protected] SOURCE RedHawk Holdings Corp. Related Links http://www.redhawkholdingscorp.com CHICAGO, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rewards Network , a provider of loyalty services and dining rewards programs for the restaurant industry, has engaged in strategic partnerships immediately expanding its network of restaurants at which consumers can earn rewards for placing online orders. This expansion is vital as both consumers and restaurants across the country have depended on takeout and delivery solutions throughout the pandemic. The addition allows consumers to earn rewards for every dollar they spend at more than 27,000 restaurants. When ordering online, consumers not only avoid paying service fees added on by third-party platforms, but earn rewards of their choice - either from various well-renowned loyalty brands, or earning 5-10% back on Neighborhood Nosh . Restaurants on the other hand can capture more online orders for a much lower fee compared to other third-party online ordering options, along with verified customer reviews. Restaurants on the Rewards Network online ordering program are charged a flat 10% fee per order, plus a standard processing fee -- a fraction of what other third-parties charge. "We believe that both consumers and restaurants deserve an online ordering solution that is mutually beneficial," said Rewards Network Chief Product and Marketing Officer James Roedding. "Through the expansion of our online ordering program, restaurants are charged a fraction of what other third-party delivery companies charge while consumers earn rewards and support their local restaurant at the same time. Everyone wins." Rewards Network's online ordering program gives consumers the ability to earn rewards by ordering delivery/takeout from about 17,000 restaurants or dining in at more than 12,000 restaurants - with about 2,000 restaurants offering rewards for both. Members receive rewards of their choice through our hospitality partners, such as airline miles, hotel points, or AMEX gift cards. Online ordering is available through Rewards Network's Neighborhood Nosh site and select partner sites. Restaurants can inquire about becoming a part of the online ordering program by contacting Rewards Network directly. For more information on Rewards Network, visit https://www.rewardsnetwork.com/ . About Rewards Network Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Rewards Network is a privately held fintech company powering the largest card-linked dining rewards programs in the United States and providing financial and marketing services to thousands of restaurants nationally. Currently, Rewards Network has more than 27,000 restaurants on its platform in the US. Since 1984, Rewards Network has offered its dining programs in partnership with major airlines, hotel chains, and other leading loyalty marketing programs in the country. Our millions of members include guests who spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually at participating restaurants and in return, earn cash back, airline miles, hotel points, college savings, fuel discounts, and retail savings. For more information, visit RewardsNetwork.com. SOURCE Rewards Network Related Links http://RewardsNetwork.com HOUSTON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI) (the " Company ") announced today that it has successfully completed its previously announced public offering of $800 million aggregate principal amount of 4.000% Senior Notes due 2031. The offering was made by means of an underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC "). The Company will use net proceeds from the offering to fund the redemption of all of its outstanding 8.000% Senior Notes due 2021 (the " Existing Notes "), repay the outstanding loans under its revolving credit facility and pay related fees, interest and expenses. The Company intends to use any remaining net proceeds for general corporate purposes. J.P. Morgan acted as the lead joint book-running manager for the offering. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or purchase, nor the solicitation of an offer to buy or an offer to sell, the securities described herein, including the Existing Notes, nor shall there be any sale or purchase of such securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful. This press release does not constitute a notice of redemption with respect to the Existing Notes. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements made in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be accompanied by words such as "believe", "estimate", "project", "expect", "anticipate", or "predict" that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable; however, many important factors could cause our actual consolidated results in the future to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein and in any other documents or oral presentations made by, or on behalf of, the Company. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties, see our SEC filings, including our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. Copies of this document as well as other SEC filings can be obtained from our website at www.sci-corp.com. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by us, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Service Corporation International Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of funeral, cemetery and cremation services, as well as final-arrangement planning in advance. We offer families exceptional service in planning life celebrations and personalized remembrances. Our Dignity Memorial brand serves approximately 500,000 families each year with professionalism, compassion, and attention to detail. At March 31, 2021, SCI owned and operated 1,461 funeral homes and 484 cemeteries (of which 296 are combination operations) in 44 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Please visit us at www.SCI-Corp.com and www.DignityMemorial.com . J.P. Morgan Securities LLC c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions 1155 Long Island Avenue Edgewood, NY 11717 Attention: Prospectus Department Telephone: (866) 803-9204 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Service Corporation International Related Links http://www.sci-corp.com NEW YORK, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLP, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating the following companies: VEREIT, Inc. (NYSE: VER) concerning potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties relating to its sale to Realty Income Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, VEREIT shareholders will receive 0.705 shares of Realty Income stock for every share of VEREIT stock they own. If you are a VEREIT shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options. Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) concerning potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties relating to its spin-off of its National Media Group portfolio and simultaneous sale of its Local Media Group assets to Gray Television for $2.7 billion in cash. Under the terms of the transaction, Meredith's National Media Group portfolio will be spun out to shareholders as a standalone publicly traded company, with shareholders receiving approximately $14.50 in cash per share and 1-for-1 equity share in post-close Meredith. If you are a Meredith shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options. EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) concerning potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties relating to its merger with Alta Resources Development, LLC. Under the purchase agreement, EQT will acquire all of the membership interests in Alta's upstream and midstream subsidiaries for approximately $2.925 billion in cash and stock. EQT is expected to issue approximately 105 million shares of EQT common stock in connection with the merger. If you are an EQT shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options. At Home Group Inc. (NYSE: HOME) concerning potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties relating to its sale to funds affiliated with Hellman & Friedman for $36.00 per share in cash. If you are an At Home shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options. Equity Commonwealth (NYSE: EQC) concerning potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties relating to its merger with Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation. Under the merger, Equity Commonwealth will acquire Monmouth in an all-stock transaction. Upon closing, Equity Commonwealth shareholders are expected to own approximately 65% of the pro forma company. If you are an Equity Commonwealth shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options. Halper Sadeh LLP may seek increased consideration, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders. Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email [email protected] or [email protected]. Halper Sadeh LLP represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Halper Sadeh LLP Daniel Sadeh, Esq. Zachary Halper, Esq. (212) 763-0060 [email protected] [email protected] https://www.halpersadeh.com SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP Related Links www.halpersadeh.com THE HAGUE, Netherlands, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shell Oil Company, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, has reached an agreement for the sale of its interest in Deer Park Refining Limited Partnership, a 50-50 joint venture between Shell Oil Company and P.M.I. Norteamerica, S.A. De C.V. (a subsidiary of Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex). The transaction will transfer Shell's interest in the partnership, and therefore full ownership of the refinery, to Pemex, subject to regulatory approvals. "Shell did not plan to market its interest in the Deer Park refinery; however, following an unsolicited offer from Pemex, we have reached an agreement to transfer our interest in the partnership to them," said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell's Downstream Director. "Pemex has been our strong and active partner at the Deer Park Refinery for nearly 30 years, and we will continue to work with them in an integrated way, including through our on-site chemicals facility, which Shell will retain. Above all, we remain committed to the wellbeing of our employees and will work closely with Pemex to ensure the continued prioritization of safe operations. We're proud of our 90-plus year history as an operator and neighbor at Deer Park and we will continue to play an active role in the community". The consideration for this transaction is $596 million which is a combination of cash and debt, plus the value of hydrocarbon inventory. This transaction allows Shell to further focus its refining footprint while also maintaining integration optionality and retaining value through its Chemicals and Trading activities. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2021. Notes to Editors The transaction covers the sale of Shell Oil Company's 50.005% interest in Deer Park Refining Limited Partnership. Shell Chemical L.P. will continue to operate its 100% owned Deer Park Chemicals facility located adjacent to the site. Deer Park employees will be assigned to either the Refinery or Chemical Plant assets. Employees assigned to the Refinery assets in scope for divestment will be offered employment by Pemex with effect upon closing in accordance with the transaction, and employees assigned to the Chemical Plant assets not in scope for divestment will continue employment with Shell. Pemex will recognize the United Steel Workers and adopt the Collective Bargaining Agreement. employees will be assigned to either the Refinery or Chemical Plant assets. Employees assigned to the Refinery assets in scope for divestment will be offered employment by Pemex with effect upon closing in accordance with the transaction, and employees assigned to the Chemical Plant assets not in scope for divestment will continue employment with Shell. Pemex will recognize the United Steel Workers and adopt the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Deer Park Refinery has a crude oil capacity of 340,000 barrels per day. The refinery processes crudes from Mexico , Canada , the U.S., Africa and South America . Products produced by the refinery include gasoline, aviation fuels, diesel fuels, ship fuel and petroleum coke. , , the U.S., and . Products produced by the refinery include gasoline, aviation fuels, diesel fuels, ship fuel and petroleum coke. The hydrocarbon inventory will be valued at closing based on actual volumes and prevailing market prices. The current value of the hydrocarbon inventory would range from $250 to $350 million in cash assuming current market prices and historic inventory volumes under normal operating conditions. to in cash assuming current market prices and historic inventory volumes under normal operating conditions. Deer Park Refining Limited Partnership is proportionally consolidated into Royal Dutch Shell plc's International Financial Reporting Standards results. plc's International Financial Reporting Standards results. In our 2020 Q3 results, we outlined the future of our Chemicals and Refining business. Shell plans to concentrate its refining portfolio to a smaller set of core sites that are integrated with Chemicals and Trading, which we refer to as Energy and Chemical Parks. These locations will maximize the integration benefits of conventional fuels and chemicals production while also offering new low carbon fuels and performance chemicals. They also offer future potential hubs for sequestration. The United States will remain a key Manufacturing hub globally for Shell. Shell will retain a meaningful presence in Texas through its chemicals facility in Deer Park and its activities in the Permian Basin, and in Louisiana through its integrated refining and chemicals site at Norco , its chemicals facility at Geismar , midstream infrastructure assets, branded retail presence, Gulf of Mexico operations and offices in Houston and New Orleans . Shell will also maintain its marketing presence and continue to honor branded wholesale agreements within the Gulf Coast region. In addition, Shell will continue to invest in its Pennsylvania chemicals project. Cautionary Note The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this press release "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this press release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest. This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition", ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, May 24, 2021. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this press release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov. SOURCE Shell Related Links http://www.shell.com MCLEAN, Va., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SpaceLink, a company that is building an information superhighway for the space economy, welcomed two industry experts to its team. Robert Conrad joined the company as Vice President of NASA and Civil Space business development, and Phil Robinson is Vice President and Chief Security Officer. They join a group of exceptional business and technology professionals who have demonstrated confidence in the prospects for a relay service that provides secure, continuous, high-capacity communications between Low Earth Orbit spacecraft and the ground. Robert Conrad has supported dozens of satellite missions with NASA, NOAA, the NSF and JPL on behalf of technology-based government contractors. He has deep domain knowledge of TDRSS and experience working with the NASA Space Communications Network and Satellite Ground Network. He spent 17 years at LJT & Associates, a small business government contractor that provided a range of aerospace services, where he was President and CEO. As Vice President and Chief Security Officer, Phil Robinson is responsible for SpaceLink's tactical and strategic security operations. A retired U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, his more than 30-year career encompasses protection of sensitive technologies and classified information, human and counterintelligence operations, and information systems. He has been recognized by the DoD for administering exceptional security, risk, and technology protection programs and he holds a graduate degree in Security Management from Webster University. "SpaceLink continues to attract the industry's top professionals who are inspired by our business strategy and the opportunity to contribute to our game changing data relay service," said David Bettinger, Chief Executive Officer at SpaceLink. "Robert Conrad and Phil Robinson each bring skills and experience that will be essential to SpaceLink's success and I couldn't be more pleased to welcome them to the team." The SpaceLink relay network is designed to pick up where the U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) leaves off and go beyond with unprecedented capacity that leverages today's technology advances. It helps close the business case for Earth observation companies, commercial space stations, satellite servicers and tugs, and meets requirements for the U.S. government and close allies that need to leverage industry solutions to maximize capabilities. About SpaceLink SpaceLink will help advance humanity to a new age of space commerce, exploration, environmental awareness, and security. The Always in Sight data relay system provides global coverage to empower space system operators to maximize use of their assets. SpaceLink Corporation is headquartered in the Washington DC area and has offices in Silicon Valley, California. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited, a public company traded on the Australian stock exchange. SOURCE SpaceLink BETHESDA, Md., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SpringHill Suites by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, celebrates today the significant milestone of its 500th hotel opening with the debut of SpringHill Suites by Marriott Amelia Island. The oceanside property is ideally situated in a pristine coastal location on Amelia Island, known as Florida's jewel of the Sea Islands. As travelers continue to seek under-the-radar destinations to escape the crowds, SpringHill Suites has introduced a number of notable new properties across charming coastal towns, from San Diego to Cocoa Beach, to offer tranquility on secluded beaches for a memorable summer excursion. SpringHill Suites Amelia Island "SpringHill Suites continues to delight travelers with unexpected style and space, and diverse locations in laidback destinations that are off the beaten path," said Diane Mayer, Vice President & Global Brand Manager for SpringHill Suites. "We've seen heightened interest for our National Parks hotels and now, for coastal beach town retreats as we strive to provide comfort and quality with small indulgences for guests to unwind." The all-suite brand offers a fresh take on mixing business and leisure, providing more space and extras that surprise and delight guests throughout their stay. Its spacious suites feature contemporary design outfitted with upscale West Elm furnishings and is ideal for travelers looking for a chance to escape their everyday routine. Guests can look forward to a refreshing stay with SpringHill Suites, accented by popular amenities including outdoor firepits, complimentary hot breakfast, modern fitness centers, and free Wi-Fi to stay on top of it all. The new SpringHill Suites Amelia Island, connected under one roof with Courtyard by Marriott Amelia Island, beckons travelers to enjoy a quaint seaside getaway with 239 modern guest rooms featuring balcony and ocean views, a resort-style pool deck, and multiple dining venues including Tides Pool Bar & Grill. Equipped with 6,060 square feet of flexible meeting space, the property provides an idyllic backdrop for any special occasion. The hotel is in close proximity to Amelia Island's main attractions such as Main Beach Park, Fort Clinch State Park, and historic Fernandina Beach. SpringHill Suites invites travelers to explore even more serene landscapes and breathtaking coastlines this summer with its newest hotels in relaxing beach town destinations: SpringHill Suites San Diego Carlsbad Newly opened in December 2020, this beachfront, all-suite property located in Carlsbad Village is a breath of fresh air within close distance to Carlsbad State Beach. The 104-room hotel offers ocean-view suites with plenty of natural light to give travelers a little extra California sunshine. Guests can take a leisurely stroll to upscale shops and restaurants downtown or relax on the Rooftop Lounge with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. With 4,245 square feet of event space including an outdoor venue, it is the perfect location to host inspiring meetings or events. SpringHill Suites Panama City Beach Beachfront The recently opened oceanfront hotel overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and is steps away from the Emerald Coast's famous beaches and nearby family attractions such as Shipwreck Island Waterpark, Pier Park Panama City Beach, Shell Island and Frank Brown Park. The property includes 200 all-suite guest rooms and an outdoor pool and lazy river, offering something a little extra for kids and adults alike. The hotel is home to multiple dining venues including Compass Wine Bar and Latitudes Bar and Grill, featuring an expansive outdoor patio to watch the sun set over the ocean waves. SpringHill Suites Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach Nestled just east of Orlando and located minutes away from Port Canaveral, the Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach and more, the new hotel is ideal for sun-seekers looking for pristine beaches in an area rich with history on land, sea and space. Each of its 151 spacious suites seamlessly blends design and functionality, with modern amenities that help guests stay refreshed and focused, whether traveling for business or leisure. Guests can experience the laidback Cocoa Beach lifestyle in this legendary surf town graced by iconic astronauts and explore outer space adventures on Florida's Space Coast. With the opening of Spring Hill Suites Amelia Island, the SpringHill Suites brand currently operates 500 properties across the U.S. and Canada with additional openings to come. For more information, visit www.springhillsuites.com. About SpringHill Suites by Marriott SpringHill Suites by Marriott is the largest all-suites hotel brand in the upscale segment that is refreshingly different. With stylish surroundings that are beyond the ordinary at 500 properties across the U.S. and Canada, guests are provided thoughtful, focused service in an uplifting atmosphere. Each spacious suite features an open, airy design that puts guests at ease, with separate living and sleeping areas. At SpringHill Suites, travelers can escape their routines and enjoy their time away. SpringHill Suites is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.com. For more information or reservations, visit www.springhillsuites.com. SOURCE Marriott International, Inc. Related Links www.marriott.com DUBAI, U.A.E, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global sterilants market is forecast to surpass the valuation of US$ 3.2 Bn by the end of 2031 projects ESOMAR-certified consulting firm Future Market Insights (FMI). Surging demand for sterilized medical equipments and rising inclination towards low-temperature sterilization are leading sterilants market drivers. Hospitals are working tirelessly to avoid cross contamination by using sterilants wherever necessary, boosting the market demand. COVID-19 pandemic heightened the demand for hygienic environment to curb the transmission and control the virus outbreak. This created a surge in demand of sterilants from hospitals and clinics. Governments across the globe changed their approval policies for new product as a measure to combat the viral infection. Many market players are working towards developing aseptic and effective sterilants creating conducive environment for market growth. Lethal nature of sterilants is one of the leading restraints to market growth. Prolonged exposure to sterilants can cause adverse reproductive effects, respiratory irritation, shortness of breath, neurotoxicity among others. The difficulty related to disposal of biomedical waste and harmful environmental effects of chemical sterilants will further hinder the market growth. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has levied heavy restrictions biomedical waste disposal and chemical usage in sterilants. Increasing R&D towards developing safer sterilants will elevate the market demand in upcoming years. "Increasing government initiatives and campaigns to spread awareness regarding hygiene coupled with growing research towards creating better sterilizing agents will fuel the sterilants market growth," says the FMI analyst For more Insights into the Market, Request a Sample of this Report https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-13126 Key Takeaways Growing customer preference towards better hygiene in the wake of pandemic has significantly boosted the demand for sterilants in the U.S. The sterilants market in China is forecast to experience am impressive growth of 6.2% CAGR throughout 2021 to 2031. The growth can be attributed to growing affordable healthcare services, better insurance policies and increasing purchasing power of the customer. is forecast to experience am impressive growth of 6.2% CAGR throughout 2021 to 2031. The growth can be attributed to growing affordable healthcare services, better insurance policies and increasing purchasing power of the customer. India is expected to offer lucrative market growth opportunities during the forecast period. Rising clinical trials, low research and development cost and emergence of new market players will increase the sterilant demand in the country. is expected to offer lucrative market growth opportunities during the forecast period. Rising clinical trials, low research and development cost and emergence of new market players will increase the sterilant demand in the country. Soaring popularity of ethylene oxide for medical device sterilization along with its high effectiveness against the bacteria and viruses will increase its market demand. Hospital will continue being the highest consumer of sterilants on the backs of increasing cases of human associated infections (HAIs), rising number of surgical procedures and escalating number of hospitals globally. Competitive Landscape FMI has profiled some of the prominent market players providing sterilants that include Steris Plc., Evonik Industries AG, Thor Group, Ecolab Inc., LANXESS, OZU Corporation, Veltek Associates, Inc., Gul Biyoloji Laboratuvari, 3M Company, Cantel Medical Corporation, Arkema S.A., Metrex Research, LLC, Solvay SA, Contec, Inc., Cetylite, Inc., Whiteley Corporation. Industry leaders are developing customized sterilants to satisfy the consumer needs. They are expanding their product range to expand their global foothold. Strategic acquisition, merger, collaboration with regional distributors are in the cards to gain competitive edge among leading players. COVID-19 pandemic surged the demand for versatile sterilants promoting market players to develop efficient products to cater the demand. For instance, Lanxess launched "Rely+On Virkon" disinfectant in response to the pandemic in 2020. The product works best on hard surfaces and equipment and reduces the contamination of surfaces. Get Customization on this Report for Specific Country https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-13126 More Insights on the Global sterilants Market Future Market Insights, in its new offering, provides an unbiased analysis of the sterilants market, presenting historical demand data (2016-2020) and forecast statistics for the period from 2021-2031. The study divulges compelling insights on the sterilants market with a detailed segmentation on the basis of product type (ethylene oxide (ETO), glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (HPGP), vaporized hydrogen peroxide, immersion and vapor phase peracetic acid, others), form (liquid, spray), end use (hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic laboratories, reference laboratories, rehabilitation centers, long term care centers, critical care centers, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, academics and research institutes, homecare settings) across major regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and Middle East and Africa) Key Questions Covered in the Report How will the sterilants market expand through 2031? Which top manufacturing companies are leading the global sterilants market? What are the key drivers and trends that will stimulate the sterilants sales? What are the challenges that will affect the sales of sterilants market? Which region will remain the most lucrative throughout the forecast period? What is the impact of Covid-19 on sterilants market? For any Queries Linked with the Report, Ask an [email protected] https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-13126 Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage on the healthcare domain Terminal sterilization market: The terminal sterilization market study by Future Market Insights (FMI) provides deeper insights on the new trends while incorporating the impact of ongoing trends, and growth & restraining factors during the forecast period of 2017 to 2027. Market dynamics have been presented on the basis of prominent drivers, trends and opportunities prevailing across key geographies for the aforementioned decade. Sterilization monitoring market: ESOMAR-certified market analysis and consulting company Future Market Insights (FMI) provides insights driving sterilization monitoring market demand in latest report. Additionally, to find the effect of COVID-19 on the sterilization monitoring market in general, the study monitor global sterilization monitoring sales in 20+ high-growth markets and address their end-user in particular. Sterilization wrap Market: In its latest study, ESOMAR-certified market research and consulting firm Future Market Insights (FMI) offers in-depth insights on key factors that influence the demand for sterilization wraps. The report covers global demand for sterilization wrap in more than 20 high potential markets, in addition to an in-depth analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the global sterilization wrap market. About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, and has delivery centers in the UK, U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact: Abhishek Budholiya Future Market Insights, 1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower, Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates For Sales Enquiries: [email protected] For Media Enquiries: [email protected] Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sterilants-market Press Release Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release/sterilants-market SOURCE Future Market Insights Big chains like Cineworld rely on blockbusters and snacks to bring in money, so the upcoming releases will be crucial for their path to recovery The latest James Bond has been postponed several times Cineworld PLC ( ) said it is looking forward to the release of Cruella and A Quiet Place 2 next week as they are expected to draw customers to the screens. The cinema operator reported a bumper reopening weekend in the UK thanks to Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Big chains like Cineworld and smaller rivals like ( ) rely on blockbusters and snacks to bring in money, so the hotly-anticipated releases this year will be crucial for their path to recovery. Many have been postponed during the pandemic, even when cinemas were open, over concerns viewers wouldnt flock to cinemas in fear of catching the virus. Hamilton Fans: Movie released early (July 2020) In The Heights Fans: Movie releases July 2021 Dear Evan Hansen Fans: Movie releases September 2021 West Side Story Fans: Movie releases December 2021 Be More Chill Fans: pic.twitter.com/FUcxhBjBQL Ryn The Roman Stan (@PrinceySlays) May 18, 2021 In fact the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, is now scheduled for release in September after being moved five times. Marvels Black Widow and Steven Spielbergs West Side Story, which suffered a similar fate of repeated delays, are now earmarked for July and December respectively. Also on the calendar over the next weeks we have Disneys Cruella, In the Heights, Fast and Furious instalment F9 and Space Jam: A New Legacy. The cinema industry is celebrating the success of Fast & Furious 9 in China over the weekend, so Cineworld will be hoping that title will be also be a blockbuster hit once released in the UK and US in late June, said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. The success of the cinema is heavily dependent on the quality of the film slate and there arent that many big films lined up for release until later in the summer. This suggests Cineworld will still have to keep its fingers crossed that the past weekends trading boost wasnt a one-off. Shares in Cineworld rose 3% to 89.42p on Monday in the early afternoon, while Everyman was down 1% at 154.2p. NEW YORK, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters and striking oil workers rallied outside of billionaire John Catsimatidis' Manhattan offices today in protest of the low wages paid to essential workers at Catsimatidis' United Metro Energy. Workers have been on strike since April 19. "We were essential enough to report to work through the pandemic, but not essential enough for a raise and better health and retirement benefits," said Andre Soleyn, a Terminal Operator at United Metro Energy. "We are on strike for a better future for our families." "As a fellow Greek-American, I know John Catsimatidis will know what I mean when I say he should show these workers his philotimo," said Demos P. Demopoulos, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 553. "There is no direct English translation, but at its core philotimo is our duty to do good in the world, and it is central to the moral code of Greek people. John Catsimatidis should show his philotimo to the essential workers who labored every day through the pandemic, and before, to make his company into what it is today." United Metro Energy workers have provided gasoline, diesel, and heating oil to New York throughout the pandemic, but are paid much less than workers at other city oil companies and receive poor medical and retirement benefits. "My hourly wage is half what other companies pay for the same job in New York," said John Thompson, a service technician at United Metro Energy. "We took care of New York through the pandemic, but we need to be able to take care of our families too." UMEC terminal workers, fleet mechanics, and service technicians voted to join Teamsters Local 553 in February 2019, but the company has dragged out negotiations for a first contract. In retaliation for the strike, the company began firing workers, telling them that they are being permanently replaced. "I'm a single father and I'm on strike because I need to be able to provide for my two children," said Ramesh Hardowar, a service technician at United Metro Energy. "This is dangerous work and we need good health care and a decent retirement for our families." The United Metro Energy oil terminal distributes heating oil to New York City schools, hospitals, and the MTA, as well as fuel to area gas stations. Contact: Alex Moore, (718) 289-0204 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 553 MILLVILLE, N.J., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Authority's mission is the development, financing and integration of projects, strategies, and initiatives integral to the sustainability of the economic and environmental future of the county. With this mission at the forefront of their objectives, The Authority, with the help of Energy Power Partners (EPP), has developed an in-house Energy Hub at the Solid Waste Complex located at 169 Jesse Bridge Road, Millville, NJ. The Authority's Energy Hub is located at the Solid Waste Complex at 169 Jesse Bridge Rd, Millville, NJ 08332. www.theauthoritynj.com The leachate evaporation system from Heartland Water Technology can evaporate 20,000 gallons of water into clear, odorless, steam, every day. As a result of a Public-Private Partnership, EPP owns and operates a 4,800-kilowatt landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Authority's Solid Waste Complex. There are three landfill gas fueled engines that produce approximately 20 million kilowatt-hours, enough electricity to power 1,600 homes. This project reduces annual emissions by 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide. According to the EPA, the emission reduction of this plant is equivalent to removing 3,000 cars from the road, or planting 18,500 acres of U.S. forest, or reducing the import of 32,700 barrels of oil. "EPP appreciates the vision of The Authority with its forward-looking Energy Hub project. This project combines many innovative, sustainable ideas at one location for the benefit of the county and the residents of New Jersey," remarked Steve Gabrielle, partner at Energy Power Partners. Landfill gas is a methane gas that forms from the decomposition of garbage in the landfill. Landfill operators extract the methane through a network of pipes and gas wells located throughout the landfill. The Solid Waste Complex currently operates 160 methane gas wells and this number will increase as the landfill expands. The greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of methane is up to 84 times worse than CO2, so collecting this gas and destroying it is important. Many landfills in the U.S. simply flare their landfill gas. The Authority, however, saw the opportunity to use this gas beneficially to further reduce GHG emissions and simultaneously create economic value for the County. To do this, The Authority provides this renewable methane as fuel to produce electricity. The Authority is proud to be the only landfill in the State of New Jersey to operate a microgrid, maintaining and operating its own electrical infrastructure. The microgrid allows The Authority to more completely recycle on-site energy produced from its own landfill gas. The total economic impact for The Authority landfill microgrid is $13,500,000. In an effort to further maximize the impact and efficiency of the microgrid initiative, The Authority saw an opportunity to continue to reduce GHG emissions and create economic value by using cogeneration to treat its landfill leachate. Cogeneration is a concept where the hot exhaust from power plant is used beneficially as thermal energy. Landfill leachate is the fluid that collects in the landfill. The Solid Waste Complex treats on average 100,000 gallons per day (GPD) of leachate using a membrane technology called reverse osmosis (RO). However, the RO process creates 30,000 GPD of highly concentrated leachate that still must be trucked offsite for disposal. Working with EPP, The Authority installed a leachate evaporation system from Heartland Water Technology. Heartland's solution, called the Heartland Concentrator, is a patented process that can use the hot exhaust from a power plant beneficially for evaporation, creating an energy efficient cogeneration solution. By evaporating the leachate concentrate, The Authority eliminates GHG emissions and environmental risks associated with nearly 1,500 truckloads per year that were previously hauling leachate offsite, saving the county thousands of dollars per year. Says Heartland's CEO, Earl Jones, "Forward-thinking organizations such as The Authority recognize that improving the environment and reducing costs are simultaneously possible with the right vision, partnership, and solutions." The Authority's mission to sustain the environmental future of the county does not stop there. The Authority's Solid Waste Complex has an on-site public Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station and a fleet of eight CNG-fueled vehicles. CNG emits 50 percent less carbon dioxide than coal when burned. The fueling station was constructed in 2018 and commissioned on January 1, 2019. The fueling station provides the opportunity for businesses who have made the switch to CNG to fuel their vehicles quickly and conveniently. The Authority and EPP share mutual goals of reducing the carbon footprint of Cumberland County through the creation of renewable energy for vehicles. This is a future addition anticipated for the Energy Hub. "The Authority understands and values its founding mission and objective to provide an environmentally safe and effective solid waste program to county residents," added President/CEO of The Authority Gerard Velazquez, III. "The ability to implement these programs while creating environmentally friendly and sustainable systems is integral to the ongoing operations of The Authority and its energy partners." Joseph Derella, Director of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, lauded The Authority's "visionary mission" stating, "The Authority is proving that innovative green technology not only improves our environment through the reduction of greenhouse gases, but it also is the engine that will drive the economy of the future, a future that has arrived in Cumberland County." In addition to its environmental related initiatives, The Authority is responsible for the development, financing and project management of projects and programs most vital to sustaining the economic and environmental future of Cumberland County and the state of New Jersey. The Authority works in tandem with the Cumberland County Board of Chosen County Commissioners to foster greater economic growth, business development and quality of life for all Cumberland County residents. Contact: Samantha DeFrancisco 856-825-3700x2170 [email protected] www.theauthoritynj.com SOURCE The Authority Related Links http://www.theauthoritynj.com OAKLAND, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After launching the first-ever Black Climate Week and Women's Climate Week earlier this year, The Solutions Project announces the first-ever Asian American and Pacific Islander Climate Week , running today through Sunday, May 30. The Solutions Project will run a digital campaign on its website and social media accounts celebrating the extraordinary contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander scientists, advocates, and organizers to the climate justice movement. "The launch of the first-ever Asian American and Pacific Islander Climate Week is especially important to me, given the historic bonds between Black and Asian Americans building power in solidarity over this country's longer arc towards justice," said Gloria Walton , president and CEO of The Solutions Project. "The Solutions Project stands with the AAPI community, and is dedicated to supporting and recognizing the critical role that Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders and youth activists play in the climate justice movement, not just this week but every week and throughout history." The Solutions Project launched AAPI Climate Week to coincide with Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month; Women's Climate Week to coincide with Women's History Month; and Black Climate Week to coincide with Black History Month. These climate week initiatives reflect The Solutions Project's everyday mission to spotlight and shift racial and gender injustices in climate philanthropy, thought leadership, and media coverage. The inaugural AAPI Climate Week will celebrate intergenerational leadership, including: Miya Yoshitani , also a participant in the inaugural Women's Climate Week, is the executive director of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network. APEN fights polluters and develops the leadership and power of poor and working-class Asian American immigrant and refugee communities, winning policy solutions in occupational safety, affordable housing, transportation and land use. Miya co-authored the Principles of Environmental Justice and sits on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. , also a participant in the inaugural Women's Climate Week, is the executive director of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network. APEN fights polluters and develops the leadership and power of poor and working-class Asian American immigrant and refugee communities, winning policy solutions in occupational safety, affordable housing, transportation and land use. Miya co-authored the Principles of Environmental Justice and sits on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Lauren Kim is an Environmental Studies student coordinator and peer mentor at Yale University , double majoring in Urban Studies. Through her work as an environmental justice peer mentor, organizing with farmworkers, and building food forests in Taiwan , she advocates for an intergenerational and inclusive climate movement. She prioritizes the voices of front-line communities in her organizing and research, and plans to pursue graduate studies in climate resiliency and disaster mitigation. She is a Udall Scholar, UW Doris Duke Conservation Scholar, Greening Youth Woman of Color Environmentalist, and the 2018 Project Green Challenge Co-Champion. is an Environmental Studies student coordinator and peer mentor at , double majoring in Urban Studies. Through her work as an environmental justice peer mentor, organizing with farmworkers, and building food forests in , she advocates for an intergenerational and inclusive climate movement. She prioritizes the voices of front-line communities in her organizing and research, and plans to pursue graduate studies in climate resiliency and disaster mitigation. She is a Udall Scholar, UW Doris Duke Conservation Scholar, Greening Youth Woman of Color Environmentalist, and the 2018 Project Green Challenge Co-Champion. Vandana Shiva is a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, world-renowned author, global thought leader, and a tireless defender of the environment. She is the founder of Navdanya International, a movement for biodiversity conservation and farmers' rights. She is also the founder and director of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy. Shiva fights for changes in the practice and paradigms of agriculture and food. TIME magazine identified Shiva as an "environmental hero," and Asia Week has called her one of the five most powerful communicators in Asia . is a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, world-renowned author, global thought leader, and a tireless defender of the environment. She is the founder of Navdanya International, a movement for biodiversity conservation and farmers' rights. She is also the founder and director of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy. Shiva fights for changes in the practice and paradigms of agriculture and food. TIME magazine identified Shiva as an "environmental hero," and Asia Week has called her one of the five most powerful communicators in . Charlie Jiang is an organizer for 350 DC and a climate campaigner with Green Peace USA , fighting for a Green New Deal that brings justice for communities and workers most impacted by the climate crisis and fossil fuel extraction. He has a background in clean energy engineering and organizing with youth climate movements. From Chicago , he's currently based on unceded Piscataway lands in Washington, DC . "I'm honored that The Solutions Project selected me to participate in both Women's Climate Week and Asian American and Pacific Islander Climate Week, especially given how difficult this past year has been for Asian Americans, and Asian American women in particular," said Miya Yoshitani, executive director of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN). "APEN is working to create healthy, thriving, and resilient communities free of racism, sexism, pollution, and injustice in all forms. These climate week initiatives help to raise awareness and support for this critical work." "I'm encouraged by the work of APEN and other Asian American-led organizations that are taking an intersectional approach to dismantling systemic racism in order to achieve justice and equity in all forms, including climate justice," said Walton. Climate Week NYC will take place from September 20-26, 2021. In response to Black Climate Week, Climate Week NYC invited The Solutions Project to be a core partner in making this year's event more inclusive of Black, brown, Indigenous and people of color, including frontline climate leaders like Miya Yoshitani. "Asian and Pacific Islanders are at the forefront of the climate crisis, and we're excited to see The Solutions Project amplify these important voices during AAPI Climate Week," said Adam Lake, Head of Climate Week. "Their work is critical in moving towards a just and equitable future. Climate Week NYC 2021 is about Getting It Done; we look forward to working with The Solutions Project to continue elevating Black, Indigenous, and People of Color voices." TED and Seventh Generation are also proud endorsers of The Solutions Project's climate week initiatives. As part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Climate Week, The Solutions Project has posted reading recommendations for learning more about the AAPI community's contributions to the climate justice movement. About The Solutions Project The Solutions Project is a national nonprofit organization that promotes climate justice through grantmaking and amplifying the stories of frontline community leaders in the media. The organization seeks to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy and equitable access to healthy air, water, and soils by supporting climate justice organizations, especially those led by women of color. Media contact: Carina Daniels [email protected] 510-847-1617 SOURCE The Solutions Project Related Links https://thesolutionsproject.org TEL AVIV, Israel, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ittai Ben Zeev, CEO of TASE, says today: "The rebuilding of financial certainty and the gradual awaited resuming of economic operations in the first quarter following the vaccination campaign resulted in a growing number of IPOs by new companies, most notably in the high-tech sector, with strong trading volumes and a surge in prices across all leading indices. We are thrilled that TASE is now able to more accurately and correctly reflect the Israeli economy. It is our mission to encourage more Israeli companies, especially major technology companies, to join TASE and allow a greater number of Israeli investors to partake in the success of the Israeli economy through TASE." The Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange Ltd. (TASE: TASE) today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021: Highlights of the Results : The revenue in the first quarter of 2021 amounted to NIS 78.4 million, compared to revenue of NIS 81.2 million in the corresponding quarter last year, a decrease of 3%. The decrease was due mainly to the 14% reduction in revenue from trading and clearing, which amounted to NIS 34.1 million. Most of the aforesaid reduction stemmed from the lower trading volumes of shares and corporate bonds and the decrease in clearing of mutual funds compared to the corresponding period last year, in which they were relatively high mainly as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing volatility in the financial markets. The reduction in revenue that resulted from the lower trading volumes was partly offset by the increase in revenue from other sources. Revenue from listing fees and levies increased by 10% due to multiple prospectuses, amounting to NIS 16.4 million. Revenue from data distribution and connectivity services increased by 9%, totaling NIS 15.1 million. The costs in the first quarter of 2021 amounted to NIS 65.7 million, compared to costs of NIS 63.6 million in the corresponding quarter last year, an increase of 3%. The increase in the costs is due mainly to employee benefits expenses resulting from salary updates and to an increase in depreciation expenses in respect of projects activated between the periods. Net financing income in the first quarter of 2021 amounted to NIS 0.1 million, compared to net financing expenses of NIS 4.4 million in the corresponding quarter last year. The transition to financing income in the quarter resulted from positive yields of 0.02% on the Company's investments in Israeli Government bonds managed in marketable securities' portfolios, compared to negative yields of 2.1% in the corresponding quarter last year, as a result of the implications of the coronavirus outbreak on the trading on TASE and the reduction in the prices of securities. The profit in the first quarter of 2021 totaled NIS 9.7 million, compared to NIS 10.2 million in the corresponding quarter last year, a decrease of 6%. The decrease in profit was due to lower revenue from services, primarily revenue from trading and clearing services, and to higher expenses, which were partly offset by the transition to financing income, as described above. The adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2021 totaled NIS 24.6 million, compared to NIS 28.9 million in the corresponding quarter last year, a decrease of 15% resulting from the reduction in revenue, primarily from trading and clearing, and the higher costs, mostly employee benefits expenses. The adjusted profit in the first quarter of 2021 totaled NIS 9.9 million, compared to NIS 10.6 million in the corresponding quarter last year, a decrease of 7% resulting mainly from the reduction in revenue, primarily from trading and clearing, the higher costs, mostly employee benefits expenses and depreciation expenses, which were mostly offset by the transition to financing income. TASE notes that the success of the vaccination campaign alongside the emergence from the crisis and the reduced unemployment rate was well reflected on TASE. The data for the quarter shows a growing number of IPOs, most notably in the high-tech sector, with strong trading volumes and a surge in prices across all leading indices. The upward trend of new IPOs gathered momentum in the first quarter, garnering 33 IPOs, which raised NIS 3.1 billion, mostly in the high-tech sector, more than the number of IPOs in the full year 2020 and the highest quarterly number of IPOs since 1993. Since the end of the first quarter to date, 9 new companies joined TASE, bringing the total number of new companies that joined TASE since the beginning of 2020 to 73. To the date of the report, the shares of 490 companies are listed in TASE. It is further noted that, this April, TASE signed an agreement with the UAE for the lease of a floor at the TASE building that will be used as an embassy, which is expected to open in the next few weeks. Click here for the link to the financial statements for the first quarter of 2021> Click here for the link to the financial presentation of the first quarter of 2021 > This announcement is not a substitute for perusing the Company's periodic reports for the first quarter of 2021, in which full and precise information is presented. Contact: Yehuda van der Walde EVP, CFO Tel: +972-76-8160442 [email protected] Orna Goren Head of Communication and Public Relations Unit Tel: +972-76-8160405 [email protected] SOURCE The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Ltd. Related Links https://www.tase.co.il/ DUBLIN, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Artificial General Intelligence Market: General Purpose Artificial Intelligence, AI Agent Platforms, and Software 2021 - 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report evaluates the artificial general intelligence market including leading companies, services potential, technology integration, and application ecosystem. The report also analyzes the AI agent market and the relationship between general purpose AI with other technologies including edge computing, 5G networks, and blockchain. The report provides forecasts from 2021 through 2026 for the artificial general intelligence market by application and industry verticals, globally and regionally. The report also estimates the AI agent-driven market for software and platform globally and regionally along with AI embedded deployment forecasts for IoT devices, semiconductors, and software. Select Report Findings: Embedded AI in building infrastructure and equipment will reach $18.1 globally by 2026 globally by 2026 The general-purpose AI market will reach $4.25B globally by 2026 for enterprise apps and solutions globally by 2026 for enterprise apps and solutions The global market for general-purpose AI support of big data and prescriptive analytics will reach $1.35B Over 35% of enterprise value will be directly or indirectly attributable to general-purpose AI solutions by 2027 The productivity gain potential for business use of AI represents approximately $1.8T in economic value by 2027, which will be nine times more with the use of general-purpose AI solutions market as compared to today's silo AI approach. Productivity gains will be achieved by transactions conducted by AI autonomous agents or "bots". It is estimated that more than 8% of the global economic activity in 2027 will be done autonomously by some kind of AI solution whereas this amounts to less than one percent today. This represents a dramatic rise in the use of AI for enterprise, industrial, and government automation. Currently, less than 20% of enterprise and industrial organizations are deploying AI-embedded smart machines. This will grow to nearly 70% of growth companies by 2027. More than 75% of business analytics software will use AI capabilities by 2027, but much of it will continue to require human intervention of some type. The primary productivity gains for general-purpose AI will be those systems and processes that may act autonomously with minimal errors and virtually no threat to human health and welfare. The evolution of public policy governing AI remains an impediment to general-purpose AI and will remain the case through 2027. The critical area of concern will continue to be security and privacy, but other areas include innovation policy, revenue recognition and taxation. Second, only concerns for general privacy/security concerns are the need for laws and policies governing civil and criminal liability. For example, when an AI-enabled machine causes damage (physical and/or cyber), there needs to be a basis of determining fault and liability for all parties including user, operator, owner, manufacturers, etc. Also known as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), General Purpose Artificial Intelligence represents silicon-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) that mimics human-like cognition to perform a wide variety of tasks that span beyond mere number crunching. Whereas most current AI solutions are limited in terms of the type and variety of problems that may be solved, AGI may be employed to solve many different problems including machine translation, natural language processing, logical reasoning, knowledge representation, social intelligence, and numerous others. Unlike many early AI solutions that were designed and implemented with a narrow focus, AGI will be leveraged to solve problems in many different domains and across many different industry verticals including 3D design, transforming customer service, securing enterprise data, securing public facility and personnel, financial trading, healthcare solution, highly personalized target marketing, detecting fraud, recommendation engines, autonomous vehicles and smart mobility, online search, and many other areas. AGI is rapidly evolving in many areas. However, scalability and other issues remain as challenges, which will likely not be fully resolved until the 2025 to 2030 timeframe. Report Benefits: General AI market forecasts for global and regional from 2021 to 2026 Understand the technology and application stack for general purpose AI Identify leading AGI solution providers, strategies, and market positioning Identify leading applications and industry verticals for general AI solutions Understand the relationship between AI and 5G, edge computing, and blockchain Key Topics Covered: 1.0 Executive Summary 2.0 Introduction 3.0 Technology and Application Analysis 3.1 Cognitive Computing and Swarm Intelligence 3.2 Machine Learning and Intelligence 3.2.1 Deep Learning 3.2.2 Supervised and Unsupervised Learning 3.2.3 Reinforcement Learning 3.3 Human-Level AGI Tools 3.4 Simulation Human Brain 3.5 Human Factor Considerations 3.6 Machine Intelligence for Business Innovation 3.6.1 Applying Machine Learning 3.7 Enterprise Benefits 3.7.1 Virtual Assistant 3.7.2 Hardware Optimization 3.7.3 Enterprise Decision Support System 3.7.4 Biometric Solution 3.7.5 Factory Automation 3.7.6 Predictive Analytics and Pattern Recognition 3.7.7 Productivity Gain 3.8 AI Patent and Regulatory Framework 3.9 Conversational Interface: Human + AI 3.10 Edge Computing and 5G Network 3.11 Smart Machine and Virtual Twinning 3.12 Building Automation and Smart Workplace 3.13 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning as a Service 3.14 Enterprise Adoption and External Investment 3.15 General Purpose Applications 3.15.1 Predictive 3D Design 3.15.2 Transforming Customer Service 3.15.3 Data Security 3.15.4 Personal Security 3.15.5 Financial Trading 3.15.6 Healthcare 3.15.7 Marketing Personalization 3.15.8 Fraud Detection 3.15.9 Recommendations 3.15.10 Smart Cars 3.15.11 Online Search 3.16 General Purpose Machine Intelligence Ecosystem Analysis 3.16.1 Technology Stack 3.16.2 Application Stack 4.0 General Purpose Intelligence Case Studies 4.1 Artificial General Intelligence in Healthcare Case Study 4.1.1 AI in "Emergency Room and Surgery" is saving lives 4.1.2 AI in "Hospital Information System (HIS)" can enrich the delivery of healthcare services 4.1.3 Healthcare "Data Mining" with AI 4.2 Artificial General Intelligence in Security Case Study 4.2.1 AI in digital security 4.2.2 AI in Surveillance 4.3 AI in financial services 4.3.1 Credit scoring 4.3.2 Financial technology lending 4.3.3 AI for cost reduction in financial services 4.4 AI in Transportation services 4.5 AI in Agriculture 5.0 General Purpose AI Market Analysis and Forecasts 5.1 General AI Market Forecasts 2021 - 2026 5.2 General Purpose AI Agent Market Forecasts 2021 - 2026 5.3 AI Embedded IoT Device Deployment Forecasts 2021 - 2026 5.4 AI Embedded IoT Things Deployment 2021 - 2026 5.5 AI Embedded IoT Semiconductor Unit Shipment 2021 - 2026 5.6 AI Embedded IoT Software Unit Deployment Forecasts 2021 - 2026 6.0 Company Analysis 6.1 IBM Corporation 6.1.1 Company Profile 6.1.2 Recent Development 6.2 Intel Corporation 6.2.1 Company Profile 6.2.2 Recent Development 6.3 Microsoft Corporation 6.3.1 Company Profile 6.3.2 Recent Development 6.4 Google Inc. 6.4.1 Company Profile 6.4.2 Recent Development 6.5 Baidu Inc. 6.5.1 Company Profile 6.5.2 Recent Development 6.6 H2O.ai 6.6.1 Company Profile 6.6.2 Recent Development 6.7 Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) 6.7.1 Company Profile 6.7.2 Recent Development 6.8 Apple Inc. 6.8.1 Company Profile 6.8.2 Recent Development 6.9 General Electric (GE) 6.9.1 Company Profile 6.9.2 Recent Development 6.10 LG Electronics 6.10.1 Company Profile 6.11 Digital Reasoning Systems Inc. 6.11.1 Company Profile 6.11.2 Recent Development 6.12 SparkCognition Inc. 6.12.1 Company Profile 6.12.2 Recent Development 6.13 Nuance Communications Inc. 6.13.1 Company Profile 6.13.2 Recent Development 6.14 InteliWISE 6.14.1 Company Profile 6.14.2 Recent Development 6.15 Facebook Inc. 6.15.1 Company Profile 6.16 Salesforce 6.16.1 Company Profile 6.16.2 Recent Development 6.17 Amazon Inc. 6.17.1 Company Profile 6.18 SK Telecom 6.18.1 Company Profile 6.19 motion.ai 6.19.1 Company Profile 6.20 PointGrab Ltd. 6.20.1 Company Profile 6.20.2 Recent Development 6.21 Tellmeplus 6.21.1 Company Profile 6.22 SAS Institute Inc. 6.22.1 Company Profile 6.22.2 Recent Development 6.23 AIBrain Inc. 6.23.1 Company Profile 6.23.2 Recent Development 6.24 Brighterion (MasterCard) 6.24.1 Company Profile 6.24.2 Recent Development 6.25 General Vision Inc. 6.25.1 Company Profile 6.25.2 Recent Development 6.26 Sentient Technologies Holdings Limited 6.26.1 Company Profile 6.26.2 Recent Development 6.27 CloudMinds 6.27.1 Company Profile 6.27.2 Recent Development 6.28 Tend.ai 6.28.1 Company Profile 6.28.2 Recent Development 6.29 TensorFlow 6.29.1 Company Profile 6.29.2 Recent Development 6.30 Infosys Nia 6.30.1 Company Profile 6.30.2 Recent Development 6.31 Wipro HOLMES 6.31.1 Company Profile 6.31.2 Recent Development 6.32 Premonition 6.32.1 Company Profile 6.32.2 Recent Development 6.33 Rainbird 6.33.1 Company Profile 6.33.2 Recent Development 6.34 Ayasdi 6.34.1 Company Profile 6.34.2 Recent Development 6.35 MindMeld 6.35.1 Company Profile 6.36 Vital AI 6.36.1 Company Profile 6.37 KAI 6.37.1 Company Profile 6.37.2 Recent Development 6.38 Receptiviti 6.38.1 Company Profile 6.38.2 Recent Development 6.39 Meya 6.39.1 Company Profile 6.39.2 Recent Development 6.40 DigitalGenius 6.40.1 Company Profile 6.41 GoodAI 6.41.1 Company Profile 6.41.2 Recent Development 6.42 Vicarious 6.42.1 Company Profile 6.43 Agent.ai 6.43.1 Company Profile 6.44 X.ai 6.44.1 Company Profile 6.44.2 Recent Development 6.45 Zebra Medical Vision Inc. 6.45.1 Company Profile 6.45.2 Recent Development 6.46 Fair Isaac Corporation 6.46.1 Company Profile 6.46.2 Recent Development 6.47 Bigml Inc. 6.47.1 Company Profile 6.47.2 Recent Development 6.48 AT&T Speech API 6.48.1 Company Profile 6.48.2 Recent Development 6.49 Wit.ai 6.49.1 Company Profile 6.50 Diffbot 6.50.1 Company Profile 6.50.2 Recent Development 6.51 PredictionIO 6.51.1 Company Profile 7.0 Conclusions and Recommendations For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5x8moh Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com The top three scorers again this year on the WRI graph were Toyota at 347 and Honda at 316 who gained only two and six points respectively, and General Motors in third place. GM jumped 20 points to 289, further distancing itself from Ford in fourth place which dropped 15 points to 249. Nissan scored only 211 but gained 21 points enough to retake fifth place from FCA/Stellantis which lost 28 points and is in a distant last place in the rankings at 170 (Fig. 1). "Without a doubt, the industry went through a trial by fire this past year, but seeing the positive results for four of the six automakers was a surprise in many ways," said Dave Andrea, Principal in Plante Moran's Strategy and Automotive & Mobility Consulting Practice, which conducted the study. "Typically, a crisis is not the time to improve established relations, but the OEMs' efforts to enhance mutual trust, transparency, and communications moved relationships forward through the worst of COVID-19 and the stop and restart of their operations. "The automakers will have to continue building on these fundamentals to survive near-term parts shortages like the scarcity of microchips, and truly deepen relations to support the development of electric vehicles and related technologies in-house or out-sourced, or through acquisitions or partnerships. These industry challenges put more pressure on purchasing organizations to respond and resolve issues more effectively." The WRI survey identifies specific supplier feedback on many attributes contributing to a purchasing organization's throughput effectiveness. Looking across these attributes (Table 1) Honda is rated the best in purchasing effectiveness overall, Toyota in second and the others following in the same order as the 2021 WRI rankings. Further, the table shows you don't have to be the biggest to have the best throughput as Honda shows with its top ranking in five of the seven variables measured. On the other hand, it suggests GM used its size and resources to improve its perception with suppliers, ranking first on buyer accessibility and, as the full Study shows, improving on all these variables except Effective Product Development Involvement, which slipped. "We're often asked by automakers what's the key factor the "silver bullet" that will improve their Index ranking," said Andrea. "The answer is: there isn't one simple thing. It's making many small, incremental improvements to the foundational elements over time such as paying invoices, and training knowlegeable buyers and aligning top leadership and all functions to support value-add by the supply chain." A nine-year comparison of the OEMs' performance supports this premise. Although Toyota only gained two points this year, its corporate mantra of "continuous improvement" has paid off with a 51-point gain since its low point in 2012, while GM improved by 38 points, and Honda, 23 points. But, over the same nine-year period, Ford dropped 18 points, Nissan was down 45 points, and FCA/Stellantis fell 78 points (see nine-year comparison, Fig.1). WRI CORNERSTONE: OEM-SUPPLIER TRUST AND COMMUNICATION The Study has shown the cornerstone of good working relations to be trust and communication, particularly important factors in the current uncertain business environment with billions of dollars and thousands of jobs at stake. Figure 2 shows how suppliers have ranked the six automakers in terms of trust over the past three years. The three-year average of Supplier Trust of OEM shows Toyota first with significant improvement; Honda and GM relatively steady at second and third; Ford down slightly at fourth; Nissan gaining and in fifth place and FCA/Stellantis dropping significantly this year to last place. MORE TRUST, MORE BENEFITS The level of perceived Trust and Communication of OEMs by suppliers when dealing with their customers is directly correlated to benefits the OEMs receive from them. In Fig. 3, note how the overlaid Supplier Benefits Index line closely tracks the bars for Trust and Communication. These two factors also play a major role in which OEM is the beneficiary of suppliers' willingness to invest in new technology in product development activities (Fig. 4). This year, GM took over first place from Toyota in supplier willingness to invest in technology, with Nissan is up significantly but still in last place. "The buyers, while always on the front line, played an essential role to increase communication frequency, transparency and correctness. In the Buyers Characteristics Index (Fig. 5), GM jumped 15-points to first place. The BCI focuses on key attributes of the buyers' knowledge, communication, and overall working characteristics, such as integrity and trust. Suppliers rated GM's buyers higher year-over-year on every variable the BCI measures." PURCHASING AREA WRI The rankings in the overall WRI provide high-level insight, but the study also delves deeply into OEMs' specific purchasing areas. By examining each specific area, management can determine where improvements are needed. As shown in Table 2, Toyota ranks best in seven of the eight specific purchasing areas with Honda best in Body-in-White. It is especially noteworthy that in the two most important areas going forward -- autonomous vehicles and EVs -- Toyota ranked highest in EV & Hybrid Powertrain and Electrical & Electronics. ENGINEERING PERFORMANCE IMPACTS SUPPLIER RELATIONS For a number of years, automakers have been trying to speed time to market, lower cost, and improve quality by having departments involved in product design, development, engineering and purchasing work more closely and streamline decision making. Two graphs show the results of these efforts. The OEM's engineering organization causing unnecessary costs is falling at five of the six OEMs with Toyota and Honda clearly doing the best job, but Ford is challenged in this area (Fig. 6). Further, the study asks suppliers to rank the OEMs on the degree they feel they receive conflicting objectives between purchasing and engineering which leads to higher costs (Fig. 7). This includes late or excessive engineering changes; whether the supplier is given enough flexibility to meet cost and quality objectives; and if the supplier is involved early enough in OEM product development -- and kept involved throughout the process. All of these are critical to reduce cost, improve quality, and speed time-to-market. Although still number one in this area, Toyota lost some ground and Honda improved in 2021. "These are critical functions that must be properly aligned and working together for the OEMs to take cost and time out of the entire supply chain while helping suppliers achieve their cost and financial performance goals as well," said Andrea "Focusing on improving supplier relations across purchasing, engineering and product development, is critical for the automakers right now and essential for competitive advantage in the future. Suppliers contribute 60-70 percent of the value of the vehicle, so it is clearly in the OEMs' best interest to have these teams working collaboratively with their suppliers." For years, Toyota has led the industry in supplier relations. As Table 3 shows, Toyota was first in three of four indexes -- and continues to improve. Toyota is also the automaker that suppliers prefer to work with, and receives the benefits that go with preference. The annual Study is conducted by Plante Moran and this year ran from mid-February to mid-April. Respondents represented 728 salespersons from 479 Tier-1 suppliers, representing about 50% of the six OEMs' annual buy. Demographically, the supplier-respondents represent 41 of the Top 50 NA suppliers and 64 of the Top 100 NA suppliers. The study is watched carefully by automakers because their supplier relations rating on the Working Relations Index (WRI) is highly correlated to the benefits that the OEM receives from its suppliers, including better pricing, more investment in innovation and technology, more sharing of technology, and better supplier support, all of which contribute to the OEM's operating profit and competitive strength. Two decades of Working Relations and profit-per-vehicle data back this up and show that strong working relations reduce the cost to OEMs of doing business, help improve efficiency and productivity, and reduce time to market. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION BELOW: About the Working Relations Index Study: Now in its 21th year, the 2021 North American Automotive OEM-Tier 1 Supplier Working Relations Index Study was conducted by Plante Moran from mid-February to mid-April. Respondents are salespersons from Tier-1 suppliers serving the Top 3 Detroit and Top 3 Japanese automakers. The annual study tracks supplier perceptions of working relations with their automaker customers in which they rate them across the eight major purchasing areas broken down into 20 commodity areas. The results of the study are used to calculate the WRI which can then be used to calculate the economic value of working relations based on a proprietary economic model. Respondents represented 728 salespersons from 479 Tier-1 suppliers, representing about 50% of the six OEMs' annual buy. The sales personnel provided data on 2,333 buying situations (e.g., supplying brake systems to FCA US, tires to Toyota, seats to GM). Demographically, the supplier-respondents represent 41 of the Top 50 NA suppliers and 64 of the Top 100 NA suppliers. The study was founded in 2001 by Dr. John Henke, CEO of Planning Perspectives, Inc., and acquired by Plante Moran in 2019. About Plante Moran: Recognized as a leader in automotive and mobility strategy, Plante Moran is among the nation's largest accounting, tax and consulting firms and provides a full line of services to organizations across many industry segments. In addition to automotive, Plante Moran has depth of expertise in manufacturing and distribution, private equity, Japanese-owned businesses, financial institutions, service, health care, public sector and real estate and construction. Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, Plante Moran has a staff of more than 3,000 professionals throughout Colorado, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio with international offices in China, Mexico, India and Japan. Plante Moran has been recognized by several organizations, including FORTUNE magazine, as one of the country's best places to work. For more information, visit plantemoran.com. SOURCE Plante Moran Related Links http://plantemoran.com With new variants of COVID-19emerging in different regions and countries, the pandemic continues to heavily disrupt life around the world. During the "Global IoT Press Meeting" North America session, representatives from Tuya Smart together with key players in the North American IoT market came together to discuss challenges set by the pandemic, how the IoT industry can support consumers during this time and opportunities for growth in the future. The press meeting was attended by guest of honor Jeff Immelt, Chairman of Tuya Smart US; Fritz Werder, General Manager of Tuya Smart North America; Andrew Howard, Tuya Smart's Head of Business Development for North America; and representatives from key players in the IoT space Monster, BAZZ, SATCO, Bluetooth SIG and ioXt. With the theme "Connecting Every Thing and Every Person," the press meeting introduced Tuya's IoT cloud platform and go-to-market strategy, how Tuya's IoT solutions help innovators and developers, and reviewed trends in the IoT market. With global experience in nine major industry verticals, Tuya's robust platform has proven to be a strong partner for brands looking to innovate in the IoT field. During the press visit representatives from Monster, BAZZ, SATCO, Bluetooth SIG and ioXt shared insights with attending media on key business opportunities ahead. Industry trends discussed in the meeting included voice control, data security and subscription models. Kevin Lee, SVP of Brands and Corporate Development at Monster, known for their Beats by Dr. Dre headphone and electronics series, shared insights on how IoT has transformed the music industry. Daniel Goulet, Executive Vice President of BAZZ Smart Home, spoke on the changes in modern urban living brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on IoT. In his comments to the media, Mr. Immelt affirmed the importance of constant innovation and the development of exponential growth technology, highlighting how Tuya is addressing this challenge. As the former CEO of General Electric and an IoT industry veteran of over a decade, Mr. Immelt spoke on long-term trends in IoT and technology. He remarked "IoT has the ability to connect every thing and every person. This offers a growth opportunity similar to that of the mobile internet. As developers create more smart devices and IoT services, they need a platform that enables them to develop efficiently and manage the complexities of the full development cycle." Other representatives from Tuya shared company developments, highlighting the fact that using the Tuya IoT development platform and networking modules, developers can easily create branded smart apps in less than 10 minutes and bring products to market in under 15 days. With coverage of over 1,100 product categories, over 324,000 developers globally use Tuya'splatform and tools. Tuya Smart's IoT cloud platform reaches across many verticals including agriculture, tourism, education, medicine and retail. This was the first event in a series of virtual press meetings, with others to be hosted soon focusing on other regions. Kicking off the series by focusing on North America signifies the strategic important of the region in the IoT space. Not only are North American tech companies at the forefront of global IoT innovation, but it is also one of the largest IoT markets. According to a recent report by Statista on IoT, by 2025 North America will have over 5.4 billion IoT connections alone, a near doubling in six years. This rapid growth can be in part attributed to the wide range of applications and industries that are seeing the benefit from increased connectivity of devices and IoT systems. The "Global IoT Press Meeting" virtual series will further focus on key regions including Southeast Asia, East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and so on. Tuya's focus for 2021 is to galvanize the global IoT industry during a pandemic, leading the charge to support like-minded partners in various markets. The series will showcase Tuya's tailored IoT solutions for the unique needs of each regions and share insights from leading local brands and associations on IoT business strategies, partnerships and opportunities. Together Tuya and its partners will continue to explore the future of IoT and discover how smart systems and devices can make things easier, more intuitive and more delightful. About Tuya Smart (Tuya Inc.) Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA) is a global leading IoT cloud platform with a mission to build an IoT developer ecosystem and enable everything to be smart. Tuya is the largest IoT PaaS business in the global market of IoT PaaS in terms of the volume of smart devices powered in 2020, according to CIC. Tuya has pioneered a purpose-built IoT cloud platform that delivers a full suite of offerings, including Platform-as-a-Service, or PaaS, and Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS, to businesses and developers. Through its IoT cloud platform, Tuya has enabled developers to activate a vibrant IoT ecosystem of brands, OEMs, partners and end users to engage and communicate through a broad range of smart devices. For more information, please visit: Tuya Smart's Website , LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter,YouTube SOURCE Tuya Smart DEARBORN, Mich., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Henry Ford Village ("HFV," "the community") today announced that the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Michigan has approved the sale of substantially all of HFV's assets to HFV OPCO, LLC, an affiliate of Sage Healthcare Partners ("Sage"), for $76.3 million, subject to entry of final agreed orders. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, and HFV anticipates the sale will be completed in approximately 90 to 120 days. The path forward for the community centers around its inclusion in Sage's network of senior living communities, and includes plans to increase programmatic activities for residents and employees while investing to improve HFV's campus more broadly. Sage has also pledged to uphold HFV's current commitments to maintain the health, safety and lifestyle of its residents. "We're starting a new chapter in the Henry Ford Village story, and we're pleased to do so having achieved a stronger financial foundation and maintained the best interests for the full HFV community. Sage is already showing commitment and engagement with the people who make HFV so special, and we're confident that it will uphold HFV's values. Now, we look forward to emergence and seeing the long-term positive impact that Sage has on our community," said Bruce Blalock, Henry Ford Village's Executive Director. "We are pleased to have executed a strong sale process that brought a proposed order to the Court, supported by all major constituencies. We are grateful to HFV's stakeholders for coming together to support the combination and path forward for the community," said Sheryl Toby, Partner at Dykema Gossett PLLC. "We're excited to give HFV a chance to thrive for years to come and, more importantly, to begin focusing on what truly matters: the health and safety of every HFV community member," said Avi Satt, President of Sage Healthcare Partners. "Our priority is forming deep and meaningful relationships with staff and residents, and collaborating to carry on the legacy of a long-standing and wonderful senior living community." Additional Information All relevant sale-related court filings, as well as additional information about Henry Ford Village's Chapter 11 case are available at http://www.kccllc.net/HFV or by calling (866) 476-0898 for U.S./Canadian calls or (781) 575-2114 for international calls. Henry Ford Village is represented in this matter by Sheryl Toby of Dykema Gossett PLLC. FTI Consulting is serving as Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) and restructuring advisor. About Henry Ford Village Henry Ford Village is a Senior Living Community in Dearborn, MI, that encourages making the most out of every life opportunity. Henry Ford Village offers three levels of care for those 62 and older including independent living options, rehabilitation services, and assisted living. Henry Ford Village sits on 35 acres of land, which is home to over one hundred clubs and activities, and top-of-the-line residential care facilities for its residents to engage in and rely on. For more information, visit www.henryfordvillage.com. About Sage Healthcare Partners Sage is a premier operator of senior housing and healthcare facilities. It was founded on the principles of providing high-quality resident-focused care, with genuine diligence and dedication, and to create a work environment of equal caliber. Sage owns, operates, manages and consults across the full continuum of care in the senior housing and healthcare space, specializing in independent living, as well as continuing care retirement communities, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care. Media Contact: Rachel Chesley FTI Consulting [email protected] SOURCE Henry Ford Village Related Links http://www.henryfordvillage.com LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking (www.viking.com) announced today that it will expand its presence in the Mediterranean this summer, adding a third ship to sail roundtrip voyages from the Maltese capital city of Vallettaa cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site. Offered as part of Viking's Welcome Back collection, Viking Star will now join sister ships Viking Venus and Viking Sea and will sail a new 11-day itinerary, Malta & the Western Mediterranean. With the addition of this new voyage, vaccinated guests now have three new options for experiencing the Mediterranean between July and early October 2021. Guests on the Malta & the Western Mediterranean itinerary will overnight in Valletta and then sail to Sicily, Italy and Spain, calling in Messina, Naples (Pompeii), Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Genoa and Barcelona, before returning to Valletta. Those on the Malta & Adriatic Jewels itinerary will overnight in Valletta and then sail to Montenegro and Croatia, calling in Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Sibenik, before returning to the Maltese archipelago, with a stop on Gozo Island and finally back to Valletta. And guests on the Malta & Greek Isles Discovery itinerary will also overnight in Valletta and then sail to Greece, calling in Kalamata, Athens, Santorini, Rhodes and Souda Bay, before returning to Valletta. "Once again we thank the government of Malta for being such a supportive destination partner as we begin welcoming guests back on board for ocean voyages," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "Malta's central position in the Mediterranean, as well as its historic sites and many cultural experiences, make it is an ideal destination for travelers who want to explore the Mediterranean from the comfort of a Viking vessel. We are pleased with the response we have received thus far, and we look forward to introducing even more guests to this fantastic European country." Today's news follows Viking's recent announcements of initial Welcome Back ocean voyages in England, Iceland, Bermuda and the Mediterranean, beginning in May 2021as well as the restart of European river operations beginning in July 2021. Just last week, Viking named its newest ocean ship, Viking Venus, and she is currently sailing in England with guests. Those who sail these new voyages will also experience Viking's industry-leading health and safety program. Grounded in scientific research, the Viking Health & Safety Program was developed in partnership with an international team of medical advisors, including Raquel C. Bono, M.D., Viking's Chief Health Officer. Dr. Bono is a board-certified trauma surgeon and retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy Medical Corpsand most recently led Washington State's medical and healthcare systems response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a full-scale laboratory installed on every Viking ocean ship, all guests and crew will receive daily quick and easy non-invasive saliva PCR tests. New air purification technology has also been installed on all Viking ships, which have always featured independent air handling units for all guest staterooms. And additional health checks, sanitization and physical distancing measures will provide further protection for Viking guests and crew at all points of the journey. A complete overview of the Viking Health & Safety Program can be found at: www.viking.com/health-safety. About Viking Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world. Designed for experienced travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests The Thinking Person's Cruise in contrast to mainstream cruises. In its first five years of operation, Viking has been rated the #1 ocean cruise line in Travel + Leisure's 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 "World's Best" Awards. In addition to the Travel + Leisure honors, Viking has also been honored multiple times on Conde Nast Traveler's "Gold List" as well as recognized by Cruise Critic as "Best Overall" Small-Mid size ship in the 2018 Cruisers' Choice Awards, "Best River Cruise Line" and "Best River Itineraries," with the entire Viking Longships fleet being named "Best New River Ships" in the website's Editors' Picks Awards. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visit www.viking.com. For Viking's award-winning enrichment channel, visit www.viking.tv. SOURCE Viking Related Links www.viking.com CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company today announced further investment in Poland with the establishment of a world-class global shared service center in Krakow. The new location, Westinghouse's first in Poland, will open in Zalbocie Business Park B in August 2021. In the first stage, the center will employ nearly 150 highly skilled workers in various functions supporting the global organization of Westinghouse. "Westinghouse is well-positioned to help Poland meet its energy goals through in-country investments in nuclear technologies," said Westinghouse President and CEO Patrick Fragman. "High-quality, in-country talent will expand our diverse team of more than 9,000 employees across the world and help Westinghouse to play an even stronger role in Poland's viable energy industry, while also leveraging our Polish capabilities in the rest of the world." The announcement of the shared service center comes shortly after a series of milestones reinforcing Westinghouse's commitment to Poland's carbon-free future. This includes the finalization of an Inter-Governmental Agreement between Poland and the United States on cooperation for the implementation of the country's nuclear energy program, as well as a recent meeting between Mr. Fragman and Poland's Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure Piotr Naimski. The Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plant is best-in-class technology with the highest safety and operational ability in the market. The operating plants continue to set industry records in the ease and duration of commissioning and refueling outages, as well as outstanding capacity factors, in addition to the unique passive safety features. This innovative nuclear energy technology would not only provide Poland with clean and carbon-free energy and greater energy security, but also a vast amount of qualified and durable jobs in-country through the nuclear supply chain networks, and during the whole lifetime of the operating plants. Westinghouse Electric Company is the world's pioneering nuclear energy company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa., U.S. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. For more information, please visit www.westinghousenuclear.com. Contact: Sarah Cassella Director, External Communications Westinghouse Electric Company Telephone: +1 412-374-4744 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Westinghouse Electric Company LLC Related Links http://www.westinghousenuclear.com The International Energy Agency suggested it was time to stop investing in hydrocarbons and positive outcomes on Iran sanctions were announced In Friday trading, Brent crude lost ground, having topped US$70 a barrel mid-week and finished the week close to US$66 with WTI below US$63 a barrel There was good news and not so good news on the market this week and the oil price reacted accordingly. The International Energy Agency suggested it was time to stop investing in hydrocarbons and positive outcomes on Iran sanctions were announced. In Friday trading, Brent crude lost ground, having topped US$70 a barrel mid-week and finished the week close to US$66 with WTI below US$63 a barrel. The world will welcome an end to any deal that might encourage a more cordial relationship with Iran and the US and the wider international community. Talks with key global officials and the EU have been going on for several weeks with sceptical progress. Irans President Hassan Rouhani announced that all parties had agreed "to lift sanctions on Irans oil and shipping sectors as well as sanctions on the Central Bank and others". Not a done deal Reported comments from various European officials said they were making progress, but it was not a done deal yet as many issues remained. The lifting of sanctions will certainly impact global oil supply, but its not likely that millions of barrels will return to the market immediately. Energy infrastructure will need to be upgraded after years of neglect due to sanctions, but its estimated that the country could revamp by up to 1.5 million barrels a day by the end of the year. Iran has managed to export limited quantities of oil in recent years, but with the possible lifting of sanctions, many refineries in India and other countries will be doing deals. A report from PVM Oil says, this points to pent-up demand for Iranian crude, adding that "the looming wave of fresh Iranian supplies will unlikely upend the prevailing supply deficit". The big news of the week had to come from the IEA suggesting that all investment in exploration and production for new hydrocarbons must stop now. In their report, New Zero by 2050: A roadmap for the global energy system, the IEA argues that in order to achieve emissions targets and give the world a fighting chance of bringing global warming to 1.5 degrees ; then fossil fuel has to go. Not discriminating The agency is not discriminating, saying coal, gas and oil have to go in the long term. The IEA would like to see greater advances in transportation and says that combustion engines must be halted by 2035 when all road transportation will hopefully be electric. The new greener focus from the Biden administration will not be sympathetic to big oil in the US in the coming years but the shift will not be an easy one. Speaking at the virtual Columbia Global Energy Summit, the executive director of the IEA, Fatih Birol appealed to the US to send an unmistakable signal to investors to expand green energy in emerging economies. Hydrocarbons account for about 80% of the global energy mix right now and while many oil companies talk about getting to net-zero; they had not factored in such a drastic directive in exploration and production. The report suggests that total energy investment will need to rise to US$5 trillion by 2030 from the current estimated US$2 trillion. Critical of pledges The IEA was critical of pledges made by oil producing governments, urging them to do better to reach net-zero and adding, no new oil and natural gas fields are needed in the net-zero pathway". Middle Eastern producers can claim the low-cost producer spot but all have announced new exploration and new finds in the last few months. Countries like Iraq and Iran will find a fast transition challenging as the health of their economies are so closely ties to oil exports. Theres been little comment from oil producers as they digest this report, but many analysts fear investment funds will be swayed by this IEA report in the months to come. Theres been no official response from OPEC producers this week but this will no doubt be high on their agenda when the group meets next week. OPEC has always argued that sustained investment in oil and gas is needed to fund the energy transition and any shortfalls will mean a near future of unwelcomed volatility and possibly unacceptable high prices. DUBLIN, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Smart Coatings Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global smart coatings market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 18% during 2020-2026. APAC expects to witness the highest incremental growth of over 178% during 2020-2026. The availability of inexpensive labor and the easy accessibility of raw materials have shifted the attention of global automotive manufacturers toward the region, which indirectly influence the smart coatings market share. Marine, consumer electronics, and automotive industries are driving the demand from China. China accounts for approximately 90% of shipbuilding activities globally; hence the demand for anti-fouling and anti-corrosive coatings is expected to be reasonably high. Owing to rapid industrialization and foreign investments, China expects to be the significant growth driver in the region. However, the APAC infrastructure sector, which has been affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, has witnessed unprecedented disruptions, leading to the decline in the development of major infrastructure and construction activities. Owing to the pandemic, the government has mandated lockdowns that have further slowed down the development of infrastructure and construction projects. However, construction and infrastructure activities are likely to increase in India and China from mid-2021, thereby offering an impetus to the smart coating market. The following factors are likely to contribute to the growth of the smart coatings market during the forecast period: Corrosion Indication and Prevention Growing Demand from Automotive Industry Superior Properties of Smart Coatings The study considers the global smart coating market's present scenario and its market dynamics for the period 2020?2026. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market. Global Smart Coatings Market Segmentation The global smart coatings market research report includes a detailed segmentation by layer, function type, end-user, geography. The global single-layer smart coatings market expects to reach over USD 5 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of over 16% during the forecast period. These are widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries. Single-layer anti-reflective coatings are one of the key factors for developing the efficiency of solar cells. Hence, the increasing application of solar cells for the production of electric current is likely to increase the usage of single-layer technology. Self-cleaning and antimicrobial sectors are likely to grow at CAGRs of over 19% during 2020-2026. Several industries widely adopt smart self-cleaning coatings to improve the usability and functionality of materials. These are applied on solar panels, glass windows, stain-resistant textiles, corrosion prevention, and anti-biofouling surfaces to ease the cleaning process. Self-cleaning surfaces are extremely water repellent, which increases the lifespan of several metals. Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of high resilient surfaces, which are resistant to wear and tear and can be used in a wide range of applications. Antimicrobial coatings prevent the growth of pathogens, bacteria, and microbes. A rising number of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the demand for antimicrobial in several end-user industries such as healthcare institutions, industrial buildings, and the packaging industry. Advanced research and innovations are likely to develop safe, effective, and innovative smart antimicrobial products. The demand for antimicrobial medical coatings is growing from North America and Europe due to growth in HAIs. Automotive, transportation, marine, construction, aerospace & defense, and healthcare are the primary end-user industries. The automotive sector accounted for over 20%, followed by aerospace (over 16%) and consumer electronics (over 15%). The demand from the automotive and transportation sectors will drive the market due to the increased application of smart coatings on door closures, lock parts, exhausts, suspensions, engine components, and clamps & hose connections. In addition, the demand expects to increase in the APAC region due to increasing manufacturing activities. Layer Type Single Layer Multi-Layer Function Type Anticorrosion Antimicrobial Anti-Fouling Self-Healing Self-Cleaning Anti-Icing End-user Automotive Aerospace Consumer electronics Construction Marine Healthcare Others INSIGHTS BY GEOGRAPHY The APAC region accounted for the largest market for smart coatings, contributing over 46% to the global market. China, India, and Japan are the major contributors to the market in the region. China accounted for over 27% by value, followed by India and Japan with a revenue share of over 20% and 12%, respectively. The increase in construction, marine, and defense industries investment is a major factor for the high demand for smart coatings in China. The increasing need for energy and maintenance of transportation also fuel the growth of smart coatings in the country. Strong economic growth, coupled with growing construction activities and increasing disposable income, has primarily supported market growth in the region. APAC is also the largest construction industry and will continue to dominate the industry during the forecast period. However, the growth in construction activities declined in H1 2020, mainly due to the slowdown of construction in China and other key Asian countries, which was further worsened due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Rapid urbanization and infrastructure development have resulted in the rise of megacities in the region's fast-growing economies. Geography North America US Canada Europe UK Germany France Russia Spain Italy APAC China Japan South Korea India Indonesia Thailand Australia Singapore Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa & Saudi Arabia UAE South Africa INSIGHTS BY VENDORS Sherwin -Williams, AkzoNobel, PPG Industries, 3M, and Axalta Coating Systems are the major players in the smart coatings market. These companies are at the forefront of delivering innovative and high-quality smart coatings. Companies have increased their R&D expenditure and are focusing on developing environment-friendly materials that are less toxic and have no health hazards. Small vendors such as Protech Oxyplast, Prism Surface Coatings, Kastus technologies are also focusing on capitalizing the product portfolio that suits domestic demands and requirements. The market has been witnessing a spree of mergers and acquisitions over the past decade. Most manufacturers have adopted waterborne, high solids, powder coatings, and UV cure coatings. Prominent Vendors AkzoNobel NV Sherwin-Williams Axalta Coating Systems PPG Industries RPM International Inc. Other Prominent Vendors DSM 3M Hempel Jotun AK Coatings Ancatt Autonomic Materials Diamond Vogel Specialty Coating System Silco Tek Dow Silicon Corporation NEI Corporation Clariant Parker Hannifin Dupont Sciessent SABIC Polygiene AB Parx Material NV Optical Coating Technologies Acciona Burke Industrial Coating Fiberlock Technologies Flora Coatings LLC Nano - Carre Deutschland Aereus Technologies Protech Oxyplast Prism Surface Coating John Desmond Limited Innovative Chemical Product (ICP) Group Sono -Tek Corporation Jamestown Coating Technologies Weilburger Kastus Technologies KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED: 1. How big is the smart coatings market? 2. What growth rate the smart coating market is likely to grow during the forecast period? 3. Who are the key players in the smart coatings market? 4. Which region witnessed the largest share in the smart coatings market in 2020? 5. What are the key factors driving the smart coatings market? 6. Which layer type is projected to grow at the highest rate? Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 7.1.1 End-user Industries 7.1.2 Smart Coatings by Layer 7.1.3 Smart Coatings by Function 7.1.4 Smart Coatings by Geography 7.1.5 Supply Chain Analysis 7.1.6 Raw Material Analysis 8 Growth Opportunity By Segment 8.1 By Layer 8.2 By Function 8.3 By End-User 8.4 By Region 9 Impact Of COVID-19 10 Frequently Asked Questions 10.1 What Are The Key Factors Driving The Market For Smart Coatings? 10.2 At What Rate Is The Smart Coatings Market Expected To Grow? 10.3 Which Region Accounts For The Largest Share In The Global Smart Coatings Market? 10.4 Which Type Of Coating Witnesses The Highest Demand? 10.5 What Are The Major Factors Hindering The Adoption Of Smart Coatings? 10.6 Who Are The Major Players In The Market? 11 Market Opportunities & Trends 11.1 Corrosion Indication & Prevention 11.2 Growing Demand From Automotive Industry 11.3 Superior Properties Of Smart Coatings 12 Market Growth Enablers 12.1 Growth In End-User Industries 12.2 Emergence Of New Technologies 13 Market Growth Restraints 13.1 High Cost of Smart Coatings 13.2 Stringent Government Regulations 14 Market Landscape 15 Layer 16 Function 17 End-Users 18 Geography 19 APAC 20 Europe 21 North America 22 Middle East & Africa 23 Latin America 24 Competitive Landscape 24.1 Competition Overview 25 Key Company Profiles 26 Other Prominent Vendors 27 Report Summary 27.1 Key Takeaways 27.2 Strategic Recommendations 28 Quantitative Summary 29 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/f9w2o2 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Washington, May 24 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that it remains unclear if Tehran is willing to take steps to return to compliance with the Iran nuclear deal. "The outstanding question, the question that we don't have an answer to yet, is whether Iran, at the end of the day, is willing to do what is necessary to come back into compliance with the agreement," Blinken said in an interview with CNN, Xinhua news agency reported. He raised the same question during an interview with ABC on Sunday morning. The top US diplomat said that the indirect talks between Washington and Tehran in Vienna had clarified what each side needs to do to come back into compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "And what we haven't yet seen is whether Iran is ready and willing to make a decision to do what it has to do. That's the test and we don't yet have an answer," he added. The US and the remaining parties to the JCPOA -- Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia -- will reconvene next week for the fifth-round talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said earlier in the day that Iran would continue nuclear talks until a final agreement is reached, the official IRNA news agency reported. Rouhani said on Thursday that the "main agreement" to revive the nuclear deal had already been reached in the talks, and Iran's counterparts have agreed on the need to lift "all main sanctions." The US government under former President Donald 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. Cairo, May 24 : Egypt has received the first batch of the raw materials to manufacture China's Sinovac vaccine, said the Chinese embassy in Egypt on Sunday. Along with the Sinovac raw materials, a new shipment of China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines also arrived at the Cairo International Airport on Friday, according to a Chinese embassy's statement, Xinhua news agency reported. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said on May 9 that Egypt will start locally producing Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine in June, and the first 2 million doses will be produced at the plants of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA). The local end-product will be distributed to medical centres across Egypt in two months after being assessed by the Egyptian Drug Authority, said Zayed at a press conference at the airport. "VACSERA will produce more than 5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine in two months, and 40 million doses within a year," she said. Zayed hailed the arrival of a new shipment of Sinopharm and raw materials of Sinovac vaccine as ushering in "a new chapter of bilateral ties," and the best way to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. China has made remarkable contributions to Egypt's diversification of vaccine sources and promoting the country's economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, she stressed. After meeting Egypt's own needs, vaccines produced in Egypt will be exported to other countries in the Middle East and Africa to help fight the pandemic, said the Egyptian minister. Vaccine cooperation has laid a good foundation for Egypt and China to expand medical and health cooperation, Zayed said, adding that the two countries will boost cooperation in medical technology transfer and strive for more results to benefit the two peoples. The two countries' joint efforts in fighting COVID-19 have not only deepened the traditional friendship and political mutual trust, but also set an example for the international community, Zayed noted. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that, as Egypt receives the Sinovac vaccine raw materials, it becomes the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in producing the Covid-19 vaccines. "This is very important for the early prevail over the pandemic not only in Egypt, but also in the whole African continent and the Arab region," Liao said. China calls on the international community to lend more hands to Africa through providing epidemic prevention materials, medicines, technology and funds to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines, Liao said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Barabanki : , May 24 (IANS) Despite a sustained campaign and widespread publicity, vaccine hesitancy continues to prevail in the rural hinterlands of Uttar Pradesh where the pandemic is spreading its tentacles. In Sisoda village in Barabanki -- where a group of residents jumped into the Saryu river to evade vaccination on Sunday -- the residents remain firm in their decision of not getting the jab. Shishupal, a local farmer, said, "People have died even after getting vaccinated. I know of those who have had to be hospitalised after the jab. Jab marna hi hai to vaccine kyon?" Shishupal, who has done matriculation, is convinced that the Covid vaccine is 'harmful' and spreads this 'information' among others. "I have got this information from several of my friends who work in big cities. I am convinced as the local officials have not answered my queries. My own uncle, who worked in Delhi, died a month after having both vaccine shots. What more proof do I need," he asked. Mohd Ahsan, another resident, was also unwilling to take the jab. "Is there a guarantee that we will not get infected after the vaccine? There are many in adjoining village who rushed to take the vaccine and then got infected. Why is the government pushing for vaccination-they should give it to those who want it," he stated. Besides this, rumours abound in the village that the vaccine causes 'impotence' and this is mainly responsible for driving the men away. On Sunday evening, a group of people in Sisoda village in Barabanki district had jumped into the Saryu river after seeing a team of health officials. The health team had gone to the village to give Covid vaccination to the local residents. Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Ramnagar tehsil, Rajiv Kumar Shukla, said about 200 people of the village ran away from the village because of the fear of vaccine and reached the Saryu shore. When the health team reached the river, these people jumped into the river. Shukla said he made the villagers understand the importance and benefits of vaccination, and tried to dispel the myths, following which only 18 people in the village got the jabs. The villagers said they jumped into the river because some people had told them that this was not a vaccine, but a poisonous injection. It took a great deal of convincing to get people come out of the river. Sisoda is a village with a population of 1,500 people located in the Terai, 70 km from the district headquarters of Barabanki. Nodal Officer Rahul Tripathi said that they were continuing efforts to convince the local people about the benefits of vaccination and also dispel misconceptions. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced reward for Covid-free villages with 'Mera Gaon-Corona Mukt Gaon' campaign. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Muzaffarnagar : , May 24 (IANS) A man from Sujud village in Muzaffarnagar has appealed to chief minister Yogi Adityanath to help him trace his three missing daughters. The father, Mohammad Shaukeen alleged that he had filed a police complaint against a woman and three youths but no action has been taken. The local police said that Shaukeen's eldest daughter, aged about 20 years, had eloped and had got married on her own. "She even approached the high court for protection. The two minor daughters left home because their father and brother blamed them for their elder sister's elopement. Efforts are on to trace them. Their location has been traced to Delhi," said a police officer. According to reports, Shaukeen's eldest daughter had disappeared three months ago and married her boyfriend, Azad. Shaukeen had lodged a police complaint against Azad, his brother Zubair and their father Abrar, who live in the same village, for 'kidnapping' his daughter. A day before Eid, Shaukeen's two minor daughters, aged 14 and 15, went out shopping and never returned home. Shaukeen is convinced that all his daughters have been abducted by Azad and his brother and father and approached police for help. During investigation, police learnt that Shaukeen's elder daughter had sent a copy of her marriage certificate to the high court while moving an application for anticipatory bail for her husband and his family. Yogesh Sharma, station house officer of the Nagar Kotwali police station, said, "We have registered two cases in the matter. In the first case, we have booked five accused - Azad, Zubair, Abrar and their relatives Firoz and Taki. We have arrested Firoz and Taki and sent them to jail." In the minor girls' disappearance case, he said that a missing complaint had been registered and a police team has been sent to Delhi to bring them home. Jitender Singh, investigation officer of the case, said, "It has been found that both minor girls had gone to Dehradun in search of work and later, moved to Delhi. Before leaving home, the girls had told their teacher that they were fed up of being blamed by their father and brother for helping their elder sister elope. We have traced their location to Delhi." Efforts are on to find all the girls, he added. Washington, May 24 : Three people were shot dead and five others injured at a bar in the US state of Ohio, local police sources have confirmed. Police responded to the reports of shooting at the Torch Club Bar & Grille in Youngstown city, shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, Xinhua news agency quoted a CNN report as saying. Detectives said some sort of argument broke out near the bar, and there was "an exchange of gunfire", local media outlet WKBN reported. There was a four-car accident across the street from the bar that came after shots rang out, said WKBN. It is not clear if any of the shooting victims were involved in the accident. A police investigation is underway. The city has seen 11 homicides this year, with 42 people shot and wounded, said WKBN. Thiruvananthapuram, May 24 : On his 76th birthday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote himself into assembly records when he took oath as a legislator in the floor of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday. This is the first time that a sitting Left government is getting a second term in office. Vijayan arrived early and was seen exchanging pleasantries with his fellow treasury bench legislators. This is the first session of the 15th Kerala Assembly when the pro-term Speaker P.T.A. Rahim read out the oath to the legislators. The order of taking the oath of the legislators was based on the alphabetical and hence P. Abdul Hameed, Indian Union Muslim League legislator was the first to take the oath. In the 140-member Kerala Assembly the ruling Left has 99 legislators while the Congress-led Opposition has 41 members, and the BJP which opened its account in the 2016 assembly polls, this time drew a blank. In the Opposition benches there has been a change after Ramesh Chennithala, the leader of opposition in the previous assembly, was replaced by 57-year-old V.D. Satheesan. And for the records this time, there are 53 first time legislators, an all time high in the recent history of the legislature. There are 10 women legislators with K.K. Rema of the RMP, the lone lady in the Opposition benches. With regard to the 20-member cabinet of Vijayan, 17 of them are first time ministers, besides three women ministers in a cabinet, is also happening for the first time. With regard to experience, the 41 member Opposition is a power house of experience when compared to the treasury benches. Two time former Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also wrote himself into record books when he equalled late K.M. Mani's record of winning a successive 12 terms - the highest by any legislator in Kerala. The next comes veteran P.J. Joseph with 10 terms, P.K. Kunhalikutty with 8 terms, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan with 7 terms, are all legislators from the Opposition. Vijayan then comes next with six terms and there are few others also in this category. In the treasury benches there was a big vacuum after veteran Ministers like Thomas Isaac, A.K. Balan, G. Sudhakaran, C. Raveendranth and E.P. Jayarajan were not given a seat to contest while those who got the seat did not make it to the cabinet this time, which includes K.K. Shailaja, A.C. Moideen, T.P. Ramakrishnan, M.M. Mani, Kadakampally Surendran and K.T. Jaleel. Incidentally in the Opposition benches, Chennithala was seated in the second row. Meanwhile on Tuesday the assembly will meet to elect the new speaker and while the result is a foregone conclusion as former two time Lok Sabha member M.B. Rajesh of the CPI-M has been nominated by the CPI-M and opposing him would be three time legislator P.C. Vishnunath of the Congress. On Friday, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan will read out his address which would be the policies of the new Vijayan government. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Tehran, May 24 : Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the country will continue talks in Vienna over the 2015 nuclear deal until a final agreement is reached. Despite all the pressures from US-imposed sanctions and "economic war" and the economic consequences of Covid-19 pandemic, Tehran's industry has been able to achieve production growth in the past Iranian calendar year ending March 20, Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying on Sunday. The US' maximum pressure campaign against Iran has proved "ineffective", he noted, lauding what he called the "triumph" of the Iranian nation in the face of the American sanctions. Earlier, Rouhani said the "main agreement" to revive the nuclear deal, commonly known as the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has already been reached in the talks, and Iran's counterparts have agreed on the need to lift "all main sanctions". On May 19, the fourth round of negotiations on the deal ended in Vienna, and the participants agreed to reconvene this week. The US administration under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran. In response to the US' decision, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019. However, incumbent US President Joe Biden has vowed to return to the deal and ease sanctions against Iran. The JCPOA Joint Commission began its meetings on April 6 in Vienna to continue previous discussions in view of a possible return of the US to the agreement and on how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the landmark deal. New Delhi, May 24 : China has developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with plateau operations capabilities and plans to deploy it at Line of Actual Control with India in Kailash mountain range, sources said. The UAV has been developed in Shaanxi and completed its first flying and control task at Gar Gunsa in Tibet Autonomous Region, the sources said. The flight was undertaken by the Hailan Aviation team. "The UAV took off from an elevation of 4,700 metre -- Baga Township -- and completed its task of patrolling, control and search operation in the Kailash mountain region," said the source. The Kailash mountain range originates from the southern bank of Pangong Tso and runs northwest to southeast for over 60 km. It had been contested by India and China after the border dispute started in May last year. The Kailash Ridge is characterised by rugged, broken terrain with heights varying between 4,000-5,500m. The ridge's key features include Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Muggar Hill, Mukhpari, Helmet Top, Rezang La and Rechin La. It dominates Chushul Bowl -- an important communications centre. Last year, after the border dispute at the northern bank of Pangong Tso in Eastern Ladakh, China made an attempt to take over Kailash mountain range on the night of August 29 and August 30, 2020. Indian Army thwarted Chinese People's Liberation Army attempt and took control over most of the hills in the Kailash range. Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen their positions and thwarted Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground, Indian Army had stated. This exposed Chinese deployment of its forces in Moldo. In February this year, India and China started disengagement at the southern and northern bank of the Pangong Lake at Line of Actual Control. The disengagement happened after several rounds of military and diplomatic talks. As per agreement, Indian troops vacated the mountain hills in Southern bank of Pangong Lake. China moved back to Finger 8 and Indian troops pulled back to the Dhan Singh Thapa post between Finger 2 and 3. The north bank of the lake is divided into 8 Fingers. The mountain spur jutting into the lake are referred to as Finger in military parlance. India claims Line of Actual Control at Finger 8 and had been holding on to the area till Finger 4 but in a clear alteration of status quo the Chinese have been camping at Finger 4 and have set up fortifications between Finger 5 and 8. Since then Indian and Chinese military have met twice to resolve border disputes at other friction areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and 900 square km Depsang plains. Amid this, China has again started enhancing troops, artillery and armour deployment in three sectors of Line of Actual Control -- western (Ladakh), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal). The Indian forces are keeping a close watch on Chinese activities at LAC. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) New Delhi, May 24 : The CBI has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta High Court order allowing the house arrest of Trinamool Congress' four heavyweights in the Narada bribery case. The CBI wants Monday's High Court hearing cancelled. A five-judge bench is scheduled to hear the politicians' bail plea. The matter was referred to the five-judge bench after the two judges of the High Court division bench differed with each other. The top court is likely to take up the matter any time in the day. The hearing scheduled is scheduled at 11 a.m. in the High Court. The acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on Friday had constituted a five-member bench to hear the interim bail plea of four Trinamool Congress heavyweights in West Bengal, who were arrested on Monday by the CBI in the Narada sting operation case. The state has been witnessing high drama since last week, after CBI arrested two Trinamool Congress ministers -- Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee - along with present MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Corporation Mayor Sovon Chatterjee in connection with the Narada sting tapes cases, in which several politicians and a high-ranked police officer were allegedly found accepting cash for providing unofficial favours to a fictitious company. On Friday the High Court denied interim bail for all four. In an order issued by the court on Friday, it was said that a five-member bench has been constituted that includes acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, and justices I.P. Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Arijit Banerjee. The larger bench was formed after the division bench comprising Bindal and Banerjee had a difference of opinion on the judgement pertaining to the interim bail to the heavyweight leaders. The court also declined to entertain a CBI request seeking to stay its order - which allowed the four to leave jail. The agency said the politicians are influential leaders and could threaten witnesses, and it also wanted to shift all the proceedings out of the state. A CBI special court granted bail to the four, which was later put on hold when the agency sought the transfer of the case to the High Court. Soil sampling and a ground-based gravity survey are underway ( ) has been awarded an exploration tenement for licence E53/2140, which contains the Jundee East gold project, located in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. The project represents a previously unrecognised significant greenstone belt proximal to Northern Star's Jundee Gold Mine, host to previous production and resource of over 7Mln oz gold Soil sampling and a ground-based gravity survey are underway with as a next step an Induced Polarisation (IP) survey. Naheed Memon, Oracles chief executive, said: "The granting of the Jundee East exploration tenement, located only 7km due east of one of Australia's largest gold mines, is a great milestone that allows drilling to commence once final targeting programmes have been completed. The initial orientation soil geochemistry programme results are expected in the coming weeks, and this information will be integrated with the recent gravity survey over the prime targets previously reported. Ramallah, May 24 : Palestine has warned Israel about actions against Palestinians, especially in East Jerusalem, noting they may lead to more tension in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The warning was issued by Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh here on Sunday after social media activists published short videos of Israeli police forces attacking Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, reports Xinhua news agency. "The Israeli government is fully responsible for sabotaging the efforts of ending the Israeli aggression," Abu Rudeineh said. Renewing the measures against the Palestinians in East Jerusalem "would sabotage the international and Arab efforts to reconstruct what had been destroyed in the Gaza Strip", he added. Abu Rudeineh called on the US "to immediately intervene to stop the provocative Israeli actions and measures". On May 10, the Israeli police restricted Arab worshippers' movement in and around Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem, stirring up tension and violence that soon expanded to the entire West Bank and Gaza. Later, militant groups in Gaza fired barrages of rockets toward Israel. In response, Israeli fighter jets carried out dozens of airstrikes on the Palestinian coastal enclave. The trade of fire that lasted 11 days and ended on May 31 with an Egypt-brokered ceasefire killed 248 Palestinians and 12 Israelis, according to official figures from the two sides. New Delhi, May 24 : Homegrown short-video-making platform Chingari on Monday said it has partnered with TrueFan, a celebrity fan engagement platform that has onboarded actors like Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Tiger Shroff for personalised video calls with their fans. As part of their collaboration, Chingari and TrueFan have launched a contest called #TrueFanChingari that will help users and fans easily connect with their favourite celebrities. "Chingari is really excited to partner with TrueFan, another exciting app with similar mindset. The #TrueFanChingari contest can be called the first such fun collaboration for true fans to reach out to their stars," said Sumit Ghosh, Co-founder & CEO of Chingari App. The app currently has more than 56 million users in India. The platform is available in more than 12 vernacular languages along with English and Spanish. Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in April invested in Chingari. Earlier, Bengaluru-based telecommunication firm OnMobile led a $13 million (nearly Rs 95 crore) funding round in Chingari. Nimish Goel, Co-Founder and CEO, TrueFan, said that the participants must promote their content on Chingari while TrueFan is set to release its 'Fan Anthem'. "They can share how their favourite inspiring stars sparked a 'Chingari' in their heart while they prove themselves to be TrueFan. Winners will receive a video message from Kareena Kapoor," said Goel. May 24 : Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who presented Billboard Music Awards 2021 in Los Angeles on Sunday night along with her injured husband Nick Jonas, shared a husband appreciation post on her Instagram profile today, as she showered love on him. Taking to her Instagram handle, The White Tiger actress shared a lovely picture with her husband from the Billboard Music Awards 2021 event. In her post, Priyanka showered love on Nick, while she praised him and his work ethic for continuing to work despite a fractured rib. Husband appreciation post. Not even a cracked rib can stop this force of nature. So proud of you baby. With everything you do! Your work ethic, your pursuit of excellence! You inspire me everyday! Crushed it today! I love you so much," she wrote. In the picture, the couple can be seen backstage, while Nick is seen holding Priyanka in his arms and giving a kiss on her forehead. The adorable moment was captured by the cameramen, whose reflections can be seen in the mirror behind them. Reacting to her post, Nick wrote, "I love you more." A fan also commented, "You are killing me." Another wrote, "Stapppppppp.. the cutest couple ever." The Sky Is Pink actress was a part of the award function in support of her husband Nick Jonas, who was the host of the musical night. Recently, Nick suffered an injury after "a spill on a bike". Priyanka, who is currently in London, returned to Los Angeles to make an appearance as a presenter for at the ceremony to support Nick. Nick was recently hospitalised after he suffered a rib injury while shooting for the NBC project Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers alongside his siblings. Nick also performed at the musical event with his brothers, Joe and Kevin Jonas. The actress shared a bunch of pictures from the event, wherein she can be seen donning a nude and shimmery outfit by Dolce and Gabbana that featured thigh-high slit with a plunging neckline. Accessorising with Bulgari jewels and an iconic belt from Dolce Gabbana couture, the global icon looked stunning as usual. Nick wore a bold green Fendi suit, as the couple posed on the carpet together. Kochi, May 24 : The two arrested -- Firoz Khan and Sathaar by the local police here, have been remanded to two weeks judicial custody for their involvement in an alleged fraudulent recruitment scam, which left several nurses from the state languishing in the UAE. A police official attached to the Ernakulam North Police station said, both the accused after their arrest were produced before the court, which remanded them to judicial custody. The accused were running a recruitment firm, here and had collected Rs 2.5 lakh from several aspirant nurses offering them a job in the UAE. The police made the arrest in the nick of time after the two were planning to escape to Delhi. After the recruited nurses reached UAE, they were left in the lurch and their promised jobs of nurses for giving Covid vaccine jabs never happened, leaving many of them in dire straits. Following this, while some returned empty handed and took up the case of being cheated with the police and those who were unable to come back got in touch with the media through emails of their sob stories. The police here, got into the act and after a while arrested the two who were responsible for this. After the sob stories of the nurses who were stranded in the UAE, healthcare groups there have offered work to them as they were stranded in the country due to this job scam. Among those who have come forward include Azad Moopen, chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, Sanjay M. Paithankar, Managing Director of Right Health. During the continuing Covid pandemic, one fraternity, which has been eulogised for its dedication and services in India, is the medical fraternity. Till date as per the Indian Medical association (IMA), 1017 doctors have died during the current pandemic since last year. The actual numbers may be higher as the doctors association only keeps a record of doctors registered with it. India has more than 12 lakh practicing doctors. Though every Indian is appreciative of the doctors and para-medical staff for their commitment to their profession and their unparalleled services to the needy, yet the overall medical system in the country seems to have collapsed and this forces us to ponder and analyse the reasons for this and its plausible answers. India's Health Budget It may not be wrong to say that since independence though India's defence budget has grown at an annual average rate of 9 per cent, with India being the third largest military spender in the world in 2019, its spending on health sector has been coming down. It is a fact that the government's spending on health sector in India has been stuck at around 1% of GDP for close to 15 years. In 2004, the Government of India made a commitment to raise public spending on health to at least 2-3 per cent of GDP over the next five years. That did not happen. A similar commitment was reiterated in the 2017 National Health Policy, which commits to increasing public spending on health to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2025. Till now, we have not seen signs of any significant increase in health spending by the government. The allocation for health in the Rs 20-lakh-crore ($260 billion) stimulus package announced by the central government last year on May 12, amounts to only 0.008 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The package in reality incentivises the private health sector, whose contribution has been negligible during the pandemic. It is reported that private hospitals, handled less than 10 per cent of the critical load of Covid-19 patients, besides charging an exorbitant price for treating Covid-19 patients. Since Independence, though the successive governments built a robust system of a primary health centre in big villages and densely populated localities, supplemented with a District Hospital in every district of the country. However, over the years this system has been led to rot and collapse, due to the pressure from the business lobbies, which made entry into the healthcare system of the country by 1990. Basic infrastructure in the form of primary health care included maternal and child health care and family welfare services. Specialised health services were provided through government hospitals in the urban areas. Though since 1951 the number of doctors in India has increased nine times. Yet, due to the population growth the average number of doctors per ten thousand population has increased only by three times. In addition, India has fared poorly in its universal health coverage (UHC). This is the barometer by which every developed or developing country is judged as to how professionally, emphatically and proactively the respective governments provide medical care to its citizens. UHC is critical to ensure that all, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised groups, such as women, daily labourers, homeless and migrants are cared for and attended to medically at the least or negligible cost. The UN has included achievement of UHC by 2030 in its Sustainable Development Goals and proclaimed December 12 as the International Universal Health Coverage Day. The Planning Commission in 2010, guided by the high-level expert group on UHC for India, envisioned UHC as a means to ensure that all people and communities could access preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services of assured quality. However, we can't say with confidence that India has been able to achieve any parameters of the UHC. What ails our medical system? Maybe, the current scenario of the poor medical system in the country has arisen due to the crass commercialisation of the healthcare sector in India, from education to management. First, medical education was made expensive and then the corruption seeped in. This assured seats at the medical colleges for the undergraduate courses and post-graduate courses being allotted to people with deep pockets through the discretionary management quota of the private medical institutes, which mushroomed throughout the country. Though the medical student or future doctors seemed committed professionally to the ethics and professional standards of their profession, but in reality they too had to recoup the investment, once they became active professionally. Secondly, the corporate hospitals, which lured doctors at big salaries, further muddied the waters. They were governed mostly with strict corporate policies of generating more business for the management, which was guided only by the profit generation of his enterprise. Further, an impartial analysis will reveal that the generalists' bureaucrats, not the professional doctors manage every sector connected with providing health care facilities in the country. In such a scenario everything becomes expensive and a source of corruption. India, which is known as pharmacy of the developing nations, is famous for its counterfeit medicines also. Added to this is the fact that the people who manage Drug Pricing are not professionally qualified. This further leads to seeping corruption and inflating prices, which might be 400-500 per cent of the actual production cost. Additionally generic drugs are not encouraged in the country, so ultimately a patient my have to shell out a bigger price for a product which might have cost a few rupees to manufacture. The mushrooming of private speciality and multi-speciality hospitals across the country has also led to treatment getting costlier, as these hospitals are guided more by the profits than providing welfare or cure. Way forward To provide universal medical aid to every citizen of the country at the lowest cost we'll have to restructure the whole medical system of the country. First, we'll have to ensure that medical education is in government's hand not with private institutes. Secondly, after becoming a certified doctor, through statutory guidelines every doctor should be made to work at a primary healthcare centre, which will make him more aware of the people's troubles and also make him more emphatic to his patients. Thirdly, drug pricing should be through a fair and transparent mechanism and should be focussed at providing the drug at the least cost to the patients and to generate not unhealthy but reasonable profits for the manufacturer. Fourthly, there should be strict laws against pharmaceutical companies approaching individual doctors at hospitals to help promote their products. Lastly and most importantly, the government should ensure that the management and administration of hospitals is in government's hands and not the private sector, so as to ensure providing cost-effective medical facilities to every citizen of the country. Overall, we may not be able to come out of this vicious cycle of corruption and nepotism, till the time we are able to give the reigns of managing the country's healthcare system in the hands of the professionals instead of the bureaucrats. (Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He writes on Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs. Email: asad.mirza.nd@gmail.com) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : The Centre on Monday opposed the urgent hearing in Delhi High Court on a batch of pleas seeking recognition to same-sex marriages in India under the Hindu Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act and Foreign Marriage Act. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a division bench of Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Amit Bansal that law officers were struggling with COVID-19 issues amid the pandemic and the government is focussing on urgent issues. As a counsel argued that the matter requires urgent hearing as it affected the daily lives of lakhs of people. Mehta submitted, "You don't need marriage certificate for hospitals nobody is dying because they do not have marriage certificate," as the counsel pleaded that people are being left out in hospitals and medical treatment. The Centre also submitted a letter seeking adjournment, pointing out the High Court was only hearing "extremely urgent" cases currently. Mehta also raised the issue with respect to the roster of the division bench hearing the petitions. Senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, appearing for one of the petitioners in the matter, argued that the urgency of the subject matter should be looked upon in a neutral manner and only decided by the court. Kirpal urged the court to take up the petitions next week after clarity on issue of roster. The High Court noted that the Union government may obtain clarification with respect to the roster, and after a brief hearing in the matter, the court adjourned the hearing on the batch of pleas to July 6. The Centre had opposed the petitions stating that in spite of decriminalisation of homosexuality under Section 377 of the IPC, there was no fundamental right of same-sex marriage. The Centre had said the acceptance of the institution of marriage between two individuals of the same gender is neither recognized nor accepted in any uncodified personal laws or any codified statutory laws. Washington, May 24 : US' top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has said he is "not convinced" Covid-19 developed naturally, and has called for an open investigation into China to unravel the virus' origins, the media reported. Fauci was asked during a Poynter event, "United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking", earlier this month, about whether he was confident that Covid developed naturally. "No actually. I am not convinced about that, I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened," Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was quoted as saying, Fox News reported on Sunday. "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," Fauci added. The Coronavirus was first reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. Reports have claimed of the virus' origin from a lab there. Further, Fauci called for an investigation into China during a Senate hearing last week, the New York Post reported. aceDo you think it's possible that Covid-19 arose from a lab accident a in Wuhan, and should it be fully investigated?" Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), a doctor, asked Fauci during a Senate hearing on May 11. "That possibility certainly exists, and I am totally in favour of a full investigation of whether that could have happened," Fauci replied. Another Senator had claimed that funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had been funneled to the controversial Wuhan Institute of Virology -- the Chinese lab that is believed to have played a role in the initial outbreak of Covid-19, the Fox News reported. Rand Paul specifically zeroed in on gain of function research -- which works on making pathogens deadlier or more easily transmissible. He alleged that a US virologist had been working with the Chinese institute on such research and said it was funded by the NIH. "I do not have any accounting of what the Chinese may have done, and I'm fully in favour of any further investigation of what went on in China," Fauci said. "However, I will repeat again, the NIH and NIAID categorically have not funded the gain of function research to be conducted in the Wuhan Institute of Virology," he added Fauci, who is also a top adviser to President Biden on the coronavirus pandemic, had in the initial months of the pandemic last year dismissed the theory that Covid originated from China. He stated that the virus most likely "evolved in nature and then jumped species", as opposed to being "artificially or deliberately manipulated". While the Trump administration officials have long argued there is a high chance Covid-19 was the result of a lab leak, the World Health Organization declared, last week, that the lab leak theory "extremely unlikely". However, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the research team's assessment on whether the virus entered the human population following a laboratory incident was not "extensive enough" and requires further investigation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, this week, the Biden administration has conveyed both publicly and privately that the Chinese government was "not transparent from the beginning", the report said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Perth, May 24 : The state of Western Australia (WA) will on Tuesday launch a new online booking system for Covid-19 inoculation as part of the government's efforts to ramp up the vaccine rollout, authorities said on Monday. The system would provide online process for booking and confirming vaccination appointments at community and hospital-based vaccination clinics across the state, reports xinhua news agency. When booking online, search results will display relevant clinics and dates based on the information entered by the user, along with the recommended vaccine and timing between doses. The launch of the online bookings also coincides with a new cohort of eligible people, including younger adults with specified underlying medical conditions and people with disability, as part of the Phase 1B cohort, who will now have increased opportunities to be vaccinated through WA's State-run clinics. Previously people in this category were eligible to be vaccinated through the Commonwealth's arrangements. However, they had fewer opportunities to get vaccinated due to limited supply of Pfizer vaccine. "Making the vaccine available for more of the Phase 1B cohort through State-run clinics will assist in getting the vaccination rate up," WA Premier Mark McGowan said. WA Health Minister Roger Cook expected more than 300,000 Western Australians with chronic conditions or disability would get vaccinated from this week. In addition, community clinics will soon roll out Pfizer vaccine. Claremont Showgrounds clinic in early June will firstly offer the Pfizer vaccine to eligible people under 50 via phone or online booking. The AstraZeneca vaccine will also be available in the clinic through pre-booked appointments from May 31. As of Sunday, more than 361,000 vaccines had been administered in WA, which were above the national average. "Getting your Covid vaccine when you're eligible is one of the best things you can do to keep your fellow Western Australians safe," said McGowan. "My priority is to ensure we have as many people vaccinated as possible which is why we need more people who are already eligible to roll up for WA and get the Covid-19 vaccine." Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : Thirty years ago this month, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem. Today, as the 74th WHA gets under way, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa is urging countries not to overlook leprosy amid the global coronavirus pandemic and aim for zero leprosy. The resolution adopted at the 44th World Health Assembly in 1991 called for the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem at the global level by the year 2000. "Elimination" was defined as reaching a prevalence rate of the disease of less than 1 case per 10,000 population. This was achieved globally by the end of 2000 and almost all countries have since replicated that success at the national level. Leprosy is not yet a disease of the past, however. Each year, around 200,000 new cases are reported and there are still endemic areas and scattered hot spots of leprosy in many countries. Some 3-4 million people are thought to be living with visible impairments or deformities due to leprosy, while stigma and discrimination towards those with the disease persist. In April, the fight against leprosy entered a new phase with the launch by the WHO of "Towards Zero Leprosy: Global Leprosy (Hansen's disease) Strategy for 2021-2030". The targets include zero leprosy patients in 120 countries and a 70 percent decrease in new cases detected globally by 2030. Yohei Sasakawa, who has visited over 100 countries since first being appointed Goodwill Ambassador in 2001, welcomes the new strategy and believes it will accelerate momentum towards a leprosy-free world. But he cautioned: "These are ambitious targets, so commitments from national governments will be required if they are to be achieved. I realize these are challenging times, but we mustn't allow leprosy to be overlooked amid COVID-19." Noting that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been particularly hard on already-marginalized communities such as persons affected by leprosy, Sasakawa said this underscored the needed to tackle the social and economic consequences of leprosy. For that reason, he hailed the focus on combating stigma and ensuring respect for human rights in the new global leprosy strategy. "Tackling discrimination is as important as curing the disease if we are to truly achieve a leprosy-free world. Key to this will be the full implementation of the UN principles and guidelines," he said, referring to principles and guidelines accompanying the landmark 2010 UN General Assembly Resolution on elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. Goodwill Ambassador Sasakawa, who has been involved in efforts against leprosy for nearly half a century with The Nippon Foundation, the Japanese nonprofit grant-making organization he serves as chairman, said the 30th anniversary of the WHA resolution on eliminating leprosy is an appropriate moment to recall the spirit that brought countries together in a sense of common purpose against leprosy. "Armed with the new global strategy, let's join together once again and redouble our efforts to defeat this disease, which has been a common enemy of humankind for millennia. Tokyo, May 24 : The Japanese government on Monday opened large-scale inoculation centres in Tokyo and Osaka waimed at speeding up the country's sluggish Covid-19 vaccination rollout. With just two months to go until the Tokyo Olympics and with the country's vaccination campaign the slowest among OECD countries, the government has enlisted Self-Defense Forces' (SDF) doctors and nurses to operate the facilities for three months, reports Xinhua news agency. The SDF personnel will be administering jabs using the newly-approved Moderna Inc Covid vaccine, developed in the US and formally approved here on May 21. Up until now Japan had only been using the vaccine developed by Pfizer, but the government has also approved the use of Britain's AstraZeneca Plc., although jab may not be rolled out immediately amid concerns over extremely rare instances of blood clots. The government is hoping that the two mass vaccination centres will be able to compete administering the vaccinations to 36 million seniors aged 65 or older by the end of July. The centres will be accepting reservations for jabs from seniors living in prefectures neighbouring those where the large-scale facilities are located, the Health ministry has said. "The government will continue to make all-out efforts so that as many people as possible can be inoculated as quickly as possible," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press briefing on the matter. Japan began inoculating its elderly population of about 36 million in April, after its vaccination campaign for health care workers started in February. Japan has the lowest rate among OECD countries of administering vaccinations to its population of 126 million people and according to recent government data, the nation had administered at least one shot to around just 4 per cent of its population. Meanwhile, multiple municipalities have said they expect to miss the government's end-of-July deadline to finish inoculating the elderly, due to a lack of healthcare workers available to administer the shots and reservation systems being plagued with technical issues. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The market is expecting a prolonged period of strong prices as demand is outstripping supply ( ) believes it is well placed to benefit from the current uptick in demand for copper. In his annual statement for the 2020 financial year, chairman Tony Manini said copper supply will not meet demand in the foreseeable future, with most market analysts suggesting that the gap between supply and demand is widening and predicting a prolonged period of strong prices. Many of the major economies are planning large infrastructure-related development programs focussed on decarbonisation and the transition to renewable energy and electrification of transport. Copper is expected to be a major beneficiary of these policies as the energy transition will require significant additional supply over and above the current baseload requirements, Manini said. This anticipated surge in demand comes at a time when supply is likely to be constrained due to prolonged underinvestment in exploration and new mine development, he added. Indonesia-focused Asiamet has projects in development at BKM, where it is awaiting a final permit, and the earlier-stage Beutong where field studies are scheduled to start this year. Some metallurgical test work to better understand the development optionality for the project is also planned. Last year, Asiamet relocated the corporate head office from Melbourne to Jakarta as it moves into the development phase of the BKM Project. In the year to 31 December 2020, Asiamet posted a total loss of US$4mln from US$7mln in 2019 and concluded the period with US$1mln in cash. It has since raised US$14mln through a placing in February. Shares rose 1% to 2.35p on Monday before close. Chennai, May 24 : Five workers have died and about 850 have been infected with coronavirus at Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd since last year, said a top leader of Renault Nissan India Thozhilalar Sangam (RNITS). He also said in 2021 alone 420 employees have tested Covid-19 positive. The Renault Nissan Automotive is a joint venture car manufacturing plant of French auto major Renault and Japan's Nissan Motor Company. "All our workers are young and they are dying. There is no social distance maintained at the factory. We had suggested reducing the number of cars produced per hour. This in turn would reduce the number of workers per workstation. But the management didn't agree," K.Balaji Krishnan, President RITS told IANS. There are about 3,580 permanent workers, about 2,000 staff, about 2,000 contract workers and about 1,000 apprentices at the Renault Nissan Automotive factory near here. If one takes into account the family members of the workers and those working in the vendor companies then the total number of persons at risk will run into a couple of Alakhs. According to Krishnan, the Union had requested the factory to be closed till the workers are vaccinated or the demand for beds at the hospitals come down. Though the automobile and the component makers did not function during the March 2020 lockdown, they are allowed to operate with the state government bringing them under the continuous process industries. A worker said the paint shop and the foundry is classified as a continuous process and hence the automobile factories are classified as a continuous process industry. "The paint shop and the foundry can be kept alive without production happening. But the companies are agreeable for that," industry workers told IANS. Krishnan said the Tamil Nadu government's order classifying automobile manufacturers as Public Utility Service ended this February. According to Krishnan, Renault Nissan Automotive has taken out an insurance policy covering Covid-19 for a value of Rs1,00,000 per worker and not their dependents. "There is the usual health insurance cover for Rs 2,00,000 for workers and their dependents but the coverage is insufficient as the hospital expenses incurred for Covid-19 are very high," Krishnan added. The union has filed a case in the Madras High Court against the Tamil Nadu Government and Renault Nissan Automotive challenging the former's order classifying the units that are continuous process industries. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- Syndicated from IANS Kabul, May 24 : Twenty Taliban militants and three Afghan security personnel were killed after forces foiled the group's attacks on six districts in Badakhshan province on Monday, an official said. The Taliban militants, according to the official, launched simultaneous attacks on Raghistan, Wardoj, Jarm, Khash, Darayem and Yaftal Payan districts early Monday but their offensives have been repulsed, Xinhua news agency reported. A total of 10 militants and five soldiers were also injured in the fighting which lasted for a couple of hours, the official added. Taliban militants are yet to comment. Violence lingers in the Asian country as Taliban militants have been attempting to seize small towns or districts by launching hit-and-run ambushes against Afghan national security forces. While the US and NATO troops have started withdrawing from the country since the beginning of this month, violence has spiked again. Chennai, May 24 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's office has informed that as on May 23 an amount of Rs 180 crore has been received in the Chief Minister Public Relief Fund (CMPRF). Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has already ordered to sanction an amount of Rs 50 crore from this fund for the purchase of RT-PCR testing kits. Tamil Nadu has on Sunday conducted a whopping 1.6 lakh RT-PCR tests. Stalin has already ordered that Rs 25 crore be used to source Remdesivir and other life saving drugs for the state and another 25 crore for liquid oxygen for hospitals in Tamil Nadu from other states. Stalin earlier appealed to the corporates and general public to donate generously to the CMPRF to help the state government in its fight against Covid. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has donated 100 Oxygen concentrators to the newly formed Covid-19 care centre at the Government hospital, Saidapet. The oxygen concentrators were handed over by KN Arun Kumar, Sub-regional team leader of WHO to Stalin in Saidapet in the presence of Tamil Nadu Health Minister M. Subramaniam. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : At a time when vaccines are necessary to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, people between 18-44 age groups in Delhi will not be administered vaccines at any government-run centres on Monday as the administration claimed no stock left for youth. Since the first week of May, the Delhi government had set up vaccination centres for 18-44 age groups and around 400 centres were opened at government-run schools across the capital, but they are closed now. However, vaccination drives for 45 and above age groups which were already operational at hospitals and other healthcare centres though have been extended with the idea of 'walk-in vaccination' at government-run schools. Delhi has been raising alarms time and again regarding shortage of vaccines and knocking every possible door to get jabs for the citizens. Covaxin, which is manufactured by Bharat Biotech, was out of stock for 18-44 age groups for the last two weeks and now Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) too have gone out of stock now. Over 300 vaccination centers to administer vaccines for 18-44 age groups remained shut on Monday as no stock was left for this age group, however, walk-in vaccination drive for 45 and above ages groups was continued. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal repeated word vaccines three times, as SOS call for vaccines for Delhi. "Vaccinate, Vaccinate, Vaccinate," Kejriwal wrote on his Twitter handle in reply to a tweet by Jai Kotak, AVP at Kotak Mahindra Bank on Monday. As per the Delhi government, a total of 64,240 people were vaccinated on Saturday, of which 44,676 received their first dose and 19,538 their second. Over 50 lakh doses of vaccines were administered in Delhi so far, and 11,51,356 people have been fully vaccinated after receiving both shots. "No one knows how many more Covid waves will come till then, how many more people will die. I request the Centre to ensure the delivery of the required number of vaccine doses to Delhi," Kejriwal had said on Sunday. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, May 24 : Unless their safety is ensured at the plant, workers of the Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd have decided to boycott duty from May 26 onwards, the Renault Nissan India Thozhilalar Sangam (RNITS) has said. The RNITS or the Renault Nissan workers union has put the company management on notice on Monday in a letter by its Joint Secretary T.Tamizh Kumaran. Citing the Madras High Court order which states steps to be take to reduce the footfall in office and factory RNITS said the company has not taken any steps to reduce the footfall in the company's plant to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Renault Nissan Automotive is a joint venture car manufacturing plant of French auto major Renault and Japan's Nissan Motor Company. In his letter Kumaran also said the company management does not consult the worker's union on any matter and has been taking decisions unilaterally and want to use the union as its loudspeaker. "Five workers have died and about 850 have been infected with coronavirus at Renault Nissan Automotive since last year," K.Balaji Krishnan, President RITS told IANS. He also said in 2021 alone about 420 employees have tested Covid-19 positive. "All our workers are young and they are dying. There is no social distance maintained at the factory. We had suggested reducing the number of cars produced per hour. This in turn would reduce the number of workers per workstation. But the management didn't agree," Krishnan. There are about 8,550 workers/staff/apprentices/contract labour (about 3,547 technicians/workers, about 2,000 staff, about 2,000 contract workers and about 1,000 apprentices) employed at the Renault Nissan Automotive plant near here. If one takes into account the family members of the workers and those working in the vendor companies then the total number of persons at risk will run into a couple of lakhs. According to Krishnan, the Union had requested the factory to be closed till the workers are vaccinated or the demand for beds at the hospitals come down. Though the automobile and the component makers did not function during the March 2020 lockdown, they are allowed to operate with the state government bringing them under the continuous process industries. A worker said the paint shop and the foundry is classified as a continuous process and hence the automobile factories are classified as a continuous process industry. "The paint shop and the foundry can be kept alive without production happening. But the companies are agreeable for that," industry workers told IANS. Krishnan said the Tamil Nadu government's order classifying automobile manufacturers as Public Utility Service ended this February. According to Krishnan, Renault Nissan Automotive has taken out an insurance policy covering Covid-19 for a value of Rs 1,00,000 per worker and not their dependents. "There is the usual health insurance cover for Rs 2,00,000 for workers and their dependents but the coverage is insufficient as the hospital expenses incurred for Covid-19 are very high," Krishnan added. The union has filed a case in the Madras High Court against the Tamil Nadu Government and Renault Nissan Automotive challenging the former's order classifying the units that are continuous process industries. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) -- Syndicated from IANS New Delhi, May 24 : The Supreme Court on Monday said its main concern is that benefits which are meant for migrant workers must reach them and stressed the process of their registration is woefully slow. The top court said the Centre and state governments must expedite registration of migrant workers and also those working in the unorganised sectors. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M. R. Shah told the Centre's counsel: "Our main concern is that benefits meant for migrant workers must reach them. We have taken a cursory look at your (Centre) affidavit but there is nothing about registration of migrant workers in it." The top court also queried that how will the government give dry ration to labourers who do not have ration cards? The top court also queried, why there is no national data on workers of unorganised sector? The court emphasised that data and the portal are essential to ensure benefits reach the needy during the lockdown. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed with the top court's suggestion that identification and registration of migrant workers is necessary, which would help in transfer of money directly in their accounts, besides other benefits. The top court also queried the Centre, who will monitor government schemes are reaching the beneficiaries, there should be supervision these benefits are reaching the needy, and suggested appointed of nodal officers. Justice Shah said: "On paper, we have government has spent thousands of crores, but the concern is that whether it is reaching the needy persons?" The bench said: "The government must approach them (migrant workers) to get them registered." The bench added governments could extend benefits to migrant workers, those who lost employment amid the pandemic, only if they were registered. The bench emphasised, "It is a difficult task, but has to be achieved." The bench added that the Centre and states must expedite registration of migrant workers along with those working in the unorganised sectors. Advocate Prashant Bhushan pointed out that migrant workers aren't only construction workers but rickshaw pullers, small vendors and street hawkers, who have been severely affected due to the pandemic. Bhushan submitted that cash transfer is a must to provide succour to them. The bench agreed with Bhushan that process of registering migrant workers is very slow. Justice Bhushan stressed on registration of all unorganised workers so that they can avail benefits of schemes. However, the bench made it clear it would not order cash transfers which is a policy decision. The top court noted that the earlier lockdown and the ongoing lockdown may be different, but mentality of the migrant workers will be the same, psychologically they would want to go their home, and this cannot be said that they do not require any help. The top court also queried the Gujarat government, how illiterate workers will register on the government portal, and suggested the government should reach out to them. The bench told the Gujarat government counsel to consider cancelling licences of contractors and employers who drag their feet on registering migrant workers. The bench emphasised that all registration of migrant workers should come on a national database, and it should not be localised. The top court said it will pass orders by 4 pm today. The top court made these observations during the hearing of an application by activists Harsh Mander, Anjali Bhardwaj and Jagdeep Chhokar, who filed an urgent application through advocate Prashant Bhushan seeking directions to ensure that migrant workers are not deprived of ration and food security, and they should also be able to travel back to their homes at nominal cost. The application was filed in the suo motu case initiated by the top court last year to address migrant labourer crisis during the national lockdown. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 24 : Delhi Police Special Cell has sent a notice to micro-blogging site Twitter over the alleged toolkit row, sources said on Monday. A Delhi Police source said that the Special Cell has sent notice to Twitter for describing a tweet as "manipulated media" in connection with the alleged toolkit controversy, that erupted last week. In the notice, police has asked Twitter to share all the information with it, on how it described the toolkit as manipulated media. Delhi Police is yet to register a case in the matter. The Congress last week had approached Delhi Police with a complaint against BJP national president J.P. Nadda, party spokesperson Sambit Patra, party leader B.L. Santhosh and Union Minister Smriti Irani and others over the alleged toolkit matter and accusing them of "forgery". Patra had tweeted, accusing Congress of defaming the Prime Minister and also shared an alleged toolkit of the Congress. However, the tweet of Patra was marked as manipulated media by Twitter. Nay Pyi Taw, May 24 : Myanmar's ousted de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in court on Monday, her first in-person appearance since the February 1 coup, to face a charge of "incitement to sedition". The sedition charge is the most serious she faces, but she is also accused of violating a state secrets law and breaking coronavirus containment measures, reports dpa news agency. Defence lawyer Thae Maung Maung said lawyers were able to meet with Suu Kyi separately before the hearing and they discussed the legal matter. The 75-year-old has been under house arrest since the coup. He told dpa news agency that Suu Kyi was in good health. Her next court hearing is scheduled for June 7. While Suu Kyi has answered questions in court via video link in recent weeks, her lawyers have been unable to meet her in person. A special courtroom had been set up for the hearing in the capital Nay Pyi Taw, not far from Suu Kyi's home, lawyer Min Min Soe told dpa. Nationwide protests against the coup have been met with fierce army reprisals that left hundreds of people dead. In an interview published on May 22 by Chinese-language broadcaster Phoenix, Myanmar's military ruler, Min Aung Hlaing claimed the media had vastly overstated the number of dead, putting it at "around 300". According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, at least 818 people have been killed so far, while more than 5,300 have been detained. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 24 : A relatively unknown US based company Landomus Group has announced a Build India programme under which it would like to invest $500 Billion in Equity as the first phase of the $2 Trillion investment. This would be into the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) and Non-NIP projects listed by the Government of India under the India Investment Grid for "Invest India" initiative. Landomus announced this through a newspaper advertisement addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Eyebrows are being raised as to why ads are put out for investments into NIF addressed to PM Modi when there are well laid out channels for foreign and domestic investors. Landomus said Government of India, under its Invest India initiative, has created India Investment Grid (IIG) which outlines the National Infrastructure Pipleline (NIP) and Non-NIP projects, which it aims to complete by 2025, with a vision to provide quality lifestyle to its citizens, make India a global destination and reach the target of $ 5 Trillion economy. "Due to the Covid Pandemic and the resulting loss of lives and livelihood, it is the need of the hour to invest in NIP and Non-NIP projects to boost the economy and generate jobs", it said. Build India initiative by Landomus Realty Ventures, aims to invest $500 Billion in Equity as the first phase of investment out of $2 Trillion and complete the NIP and Non-NIP projects through its group of investors and developers. "Build India also aims to provide covid health care to the citizens of India to create a covid free and a healthy India", Landomus led by Pradeep Kumar Satyaprakash said. In the advertisement addressed to PM Modi, Landomus said it aims to assist the Government in its endeavour to rebuild India. "Landomus Group requests you to provide us an opportunity to contribute towards your vision of a New India", the ad said. The website of Landomus Realty Ventures Inc lists a New Jersey address. The website has no other details of its businesses, networth or financials. The Chairman and CEO is Pradeep Kumar Satyaprakash and directors are Mamatha H. N, Yashas Pradeep Kumar, Rakshith Gangadhar and Gunashree Pradeep Kumar. The Indian entity is called Landomus Realty Ventures Private Limited incorporated on 17 July 2015. It is classified as Non-govt company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Bangalore. Its authorized share capital is Rs 1,000,000 and its paid up capital is Rs 100,000. It is inolved in Real estate activities with own or leased property. [This class includes buying, selling, renting and operating of self-owned or leased real estate such as apartment building and dwellings, non-residential buildings, developing and subdividing real estate into lots etc. Also included are development and sale of land and cemetery lots, operating of apartment hotels and residential mobile home sites.(Development on own account involving construction is classified in class 4520).] Landomus Realty Ventures Private Limited's Annual General Meeting (AGM) was last held on September 30, 2018 and as per records from Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), its balance sheet was last filed on March 31,2018. Minsk, May 24 : The whereabouts of dissident Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich, who was taken into custody after a passenger plane he was on was forced to land in Minsk, remain unknown on Monday. Protasevich, a 26-year-old blogger and activist who was wanted in his homeland for inciting protests against long-time President Alexander Lukashenko, among other charges, was arrested after his Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania made an emergency landing on Sunday, reports dpa news agency. His father, Dmitry, said in an interview with Belarusian radio broadcaster Radio Svoboda that he was convinced that the careful operation did "not only involve" the country's secret service. Russia is a close ally of Belarus. "The operation was of a large enough scale to spit on the entire international community and their opinion," added the dissident's father, who called the forced landing "an act of terrorism." "We are very worried about our son," said Dmitry Protasevich. "Unfortunately, we don't know where he is and how he's doing." Governments across Europe reacted with outrage, suggesting authoritarian Belarus used the pretext of a safety threat to conduct a "state hijacking" of a civilian airliner to go after a critic. Belarusian state media reported that the plane's diversion came on Lukashenko's personal instructions, after he had purportedly been alerted to a possible bomb on board. He also ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet be scrambled to accompany the Ryanair plane, according to the Belta news agency. Lukashenko, 66, has led Belarus, a former Soviet republic in Eastern Europe bordering EU states Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, for more than a quarter of a century. Italian agronomists, media pay respect to China's late "father of hybrid rice" Xinhua) 09:33, May 24, 2021 ROME, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Agronomists and media in Italy paid their respects to Yuan Longping, the Chinese scientist considered the "father of hybrid rice," who died of organ failure at 91 on Saturday. According to Giovanni Zollo, an agricultural researcher specializing in rice at the University of Verona in northern Italy, Yuan's research helped set the stage for big steps forward in rice research, creating benefits not only in Yuan's native China, but also globally. "Rice producers around the world owe a debt of gratitude to Yuan Longping," Zollo told Xinhua. "He was a pioneer." Yuan, an agronomist and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, is known for producing the world's first hybrid rice in the 1970s, resulting in rice strains that grew faster, produced larger yields and were more resistant to disease. Since the first strains Yuan developed, hybrid rice has been grown in dozens of countries around the world. In Rome, the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) paid homage to Yuan. FAO director-general Qu Dongyu, a former vice-minister at the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said he was "deeply saddened by the death of Prof. Yuan Longping, my dear master." Qu went on to write that Yuan "devoted his life to the research of hybrid rice, helping billions achieve food security." "You were my inspiration," Qu wrote. "May you rest in peace." Over the years, Yuan's work has also been recognized by the World Food Program and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the other United Nations food agencies based in the Italian capital. Hybrid rice has been grown in Italy since 2012, as the country searched for ways to make its production more sustainable. Yuan's death was reported in multiple news sites in Italy, which "bid farewell" to what the Giornale di Brescia -- a publication based in Italy's rice-producing zone -- called the "world-famous father of hybrid rice." AGI, an Italian news service, praised Yuan's work for "helping feed millions of people in China," while Riso Italiano -- a news site focused on the country's rice industry -- referred to him as "the supreme Chinese rice scientist." (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) 's ( ) Russell Fryer joins Proactive London to discuss the latest on the agreed terms for its first potential acquisition, with a deal to buy a majority stake of a copper-cobalt project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The firm has signed heads of terms on a deal to potentially acquire a 57% stake in Madini Occidental Ltd (MO), which will hold a 70% beneficial interest in the Molulu project in the DRC. Fryer explains why the company has requested its shares be suspended pending a further announcement providing more details, the publication of a prospectus or a calling off of the deal. He is expecting to be re-listed in about three months or so. Mumbai, May 24 : Acting swiftly, a Mumbai Police team swooped on two cyberbullies in Haryana and nabbed them for trolling and harassing 'Mahabharat' fame actor Aayush Shah and his sister Mausam Shah, officials said here on Monday. Following a complaint by the Shah siblings to the VP Road Police Station, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Rajendra Chavan, Senior Police Inspector Hemant Bawdhankar and Police Inspector Avinash Mandale acted swiftly. Using tech-intel, they managed to zero in on the duo - the Shahs' ex-employee Rohit Goyal and his partner Harshit D. Mittal - both based in Cheeka, Haryana, for allegedly abusing Mausam Shah on social media and attempting to extort money through blackmail. A special team of officials comprising Police Sub-Inspector Abhijit Deshmukh, Dinesh Suryawanshi, Santosh More, Jitendra Salve, Maruti Kumbhari and Kumar Patharut probed the matter diligently, and finally managed to track down the accused duo in Haryana last week. At one point, Goyal gave the slip to the police team searching for him in Haryana, but they went undercover and finally managed to nab him from his hometown. The two were arrested, brought to Mumbai and are presently in custody of the Mumbai Police even as further investigations are underway, said officials. Los Angeles, May 24 : Hollywood star Salma Hayek has hailed her "House Of Gucci" co-star Lady GaGa as an incredibly talented actress. Gaga plays Patrizia Reggiani, fashion trailblazer Maurizio Gucci's former wife, in the Sir Ridley Scott film. Reggiani was convicted of orchestrating Gucci's murder after he had an affair. Hayek portrays Pina Auriemma, a close confidante of Reggiani, has gushed over how "professional" and "extraordinary" Gaga was on set, and heaped praise on her "perfect" accent, reports aceshowbiz.com. "We were talking on the phone and she was already Patrizia. Her accent was perfect. I think we had a lot of fun reliving scenes that are not even in the movie and she is the ultimate professional, and I could not wait to get on that set," Hayek said of working with the 35-year-old Grammy winner on the upcoming true crime drama. She added: "We really couldn't wait to get on the set and just do it and do it together and play off of each other." Hayek added Gaga has "extra abilities that not every brilliant actor has," beginning with being "good with the accent." "She has an amazing ear. She is extraordinary improvising, and not everybody has that. She really embodies the character. Her level of commitment - I've only seen maybe once or twice somebody commit to a character like she does." Mumbai, May 24 : When it comes to food, Bollywood actor Siddhant Chaturvedi seems to bear a likeness with Matt LeBlanc's "Friends" character Joey Tribbiani. Siddhant has posted two pictures on Instagram. The first picture is a still from "Friends" featuring Joey, and the Bollywood actor gives a quirky spin to the popular dialogue "Joey doesn't share food" from the sitcom. He changed it to: "Siddy doesn't share food." Underneath, Siddhant shared a selfie that had: "(Also, Siddy sees food on Friend's plate)." "Still be my friend?" Siddhant captioned the image, which currently over 40.5K likes on the photo-sharing website. The "Friends" reunion special will premiere on May 27. It was originally set to film in February 2020 but the unit was only able to start in April. The special stars the original cast of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer with several guest cameos. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text London, May 24 : Sergio Aguero is close to agreeing a deal to move to Barcelona, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Aguero signed off at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday with a brace in the Premier League champions' 5-0 thrashing of Everton. The 32-year-old Argentinian will bring an end to a record-breaking decade at the club after Saturday's Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto. City's all-time top goalscorer had been heavily linked with a free transfer to Barcelona once his contract expires this summer and his boss Guardiola -- a former manager of the La Liga giants -- confirmed it was his likely destination, DPA reports. "I'm pretty sure -- maybe I reveal a secret -- he is close to agreeing a deal for the club of my heart, for Barcelona," Guardiola told BBC's Match of the Day. "He is going to be playing alongside the best player of all time, Lionel Messi. I'm pretty sure he is going to enjoy. And maybe Barcelona are stronger and stronger with him on the pitch," Guardiola added. Kathmandu, May 24 : Nepals opposition on Monday moved the Supreme Court against Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis decision to dissolve Parliament, holding the mid-term elections and President Bidhya Devi Bhandaris rejection to appoint the opposition leader as the next prime minister. On May 21, President Bhandari dissolved the House at the recommendation of the Oli government and announced the mid-term elections for November 12 and 19. Nepali Congress President and leader of the opposition party, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of the Janata Samajbadi Party Uprendra Yadav, former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and dozens of other leaders and lawmakers had moved the Supreme Court. A writ petition, which was filed on the behalf of Deuba, demanded the restoration of House, appoint him the next Prime Minister by removing Oli who no longer enjoys a parliamentary majority. "Due to the Prime Minister who always thinks he is above the constitution and law, we were forced to move the Supreme Court again and again," said Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa. Oli too had earlier dissolved the house in December last year, but it was reinstated on by the apex court. "We have the support of the majority lawmakers and Supreme Court will look after our grievances," said Thapa. Of the 275 members of the House of Representatives four are suspended and 136 is the magic number needed for a majority. Deuba is backed by 147 lawmakers and all of them signed in the writ petition. All 147 lawmakers from different political parties have verified their signatures at the Supreme Court after the writ petition was filed. Before dissolving the House, President Bhandari had also rejected the claim by Deuba to form the new government saying that both opposition party leader and Oli secured signatures of the majority lawmakers, and hence it was impossible. Oli had claimed that he had the support of 152 lawmakers. The opposition parties called the President's move as "unconstitutional and undemocratic" and had attempted a coup with the support of Prime Minister Oli. Deuba's move was supported by his own party, Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), a section of ruling party led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and a section of the Janata Samajbadi Party. Oli's ruling party, Nepal Communist Party-UML, is a divided house. Out of its 121 lawmakers, 23 lawmakers have signed in favour of making Deuba as Prime Minister. More lawmakers would support Deuba but some of our lawmakers are not well and some are infected by Covid, Birod Khatiwada, a lawmaker said that due to Oli's working style, the ruling party is on the verge of a split. Janata Samajbadi Party is also on the verge of split as 13 out of its 32 lawmakers have decided to support Deuba. A section of the Janata Samajbadi Party is all set to join the Oli government. It was formed last April after the merger of Rastriya Janata Party and Samajbadi Party Nepal. Chennai, May 24 : Two Lok Sabha members belonging to DMK has demanded probe into the sexual harassment complaints against a teacher of the Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan School here. The Padma Seshadri group runs a clutch of schools and has notched up a good reputation. "The sexual harassment allegations against a commerce teacher in PSBB School, Chennai has been shocking. Inquiry should be conducted and action must be taken against those who are involved including school authorities who failed to act against the complaints from students," DMK's Member of Parliament Kanimozhi tweeted. "As a parent, I'm extremely horrified by the reports of sexual harassment by a teacher in #PadmaSeshadriBalaBhavan school, Chennai. It's of utmost importance to ensure a probe into the matter & accountability from the management to provide a safe environment for the children #PSBB," tweeted Dayanidhi Maran, another MP from the DMK. The MPs' demand followed social media posts by school students and alumni alleging the commerce teacher of indulging in sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour like appearing topless for an online class. The school management has said it is taking suo moto notice of the allegations and will take necessary steps to address the situation in a free, fair and transparent manner. Assuring the parents of its students, the school said it has zero tolerance towards any behaviour that adversely affects the physical, emotional and psychological well being of the students. The school management also said these allegations were not brought to its notice earlier. Following the allegation against the teacher, the school alumni have written to the management to take action against the alleged offender and suspend him immediately pending probe. This is the second instance of sexual harassment complaint against a reputed educational institution here. The earlier one was the Loyola College. Last year The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women ordered Chennai's Loyola College to pay Rs 64,30,000 to a former staffer towards damages for sexual harassment, mental agony and in back wages. New Delhi, May 24 : Association of National Exchanges Members of India (ANMI) has urged regulatory authorities to reconsider the proposed 100 per cent levy on day trade peak margins as the margin is 300 per cent of what should have been the actual levy. ANMI has written to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), expressing its opinion that there is a great disconnect between what is being collected from clients and what needs to be collected vis-a-vis the attendant risks arising in intraday trades. ANMI, however, reiterates that they are not against collection of intraday margin levied on clients nor the levy of full margin on the Clearing member irrespective of the nature of the trade. Sharing its data with the regulator, ANMI pointed out that the rate of overnight margins, levied on intraday trades are almost 3.33 times more than what is warranted based on the risks of the trade. In the current margin structure, the current levy of Peak margins is actually 300 per cent of the margin which should have been actually levied," said ANMI spokesperson. "The levy of margin being a high multiple on intraday trades is also causing effects elsewhere" Also, nowhere in the world, clients are required to pay upfront peak margins. Already open interest in Nifty is more in Singapore compared to India though it is a product based on Indian stocks. Indian markets are already at a disadvantage compared to SGX in terms of margins, time of trading, transaction cost and taxation. Any further unwarranted restrictions will result in export of business from India to overseas markets. According to ANMI, the spike in peak margin will bring change in market behaviour by shifting from future to option buying and a shift in the mind-set of people gravitating more towards options trading and moving away from Stock / Index Futures and Stock Options. They also pointed out that higher margins would also imply prolonged carry forward of loss making trades giving a false sense of security. Due to the shift, hedging opportunities have seen a dip due to lower volumes in capital market and commodity markets have been greatly impacted. ANMI's concern over the peak margin issues rises as the deadline for the increase of current margin of 50 per cent to 75 per cent from June 1, 2021 is closing in. Between December 2020 and February 2021, traders were supposed to maintain at least 25 per cent of the peak margin. This margin was raised to 50 per cent between March 2021 and May 2021 and is proposed to be raised to 75 per cent between June 2021 and August 2021 and finally to 100 per cent from September 1st onwards. ANMI hopes that the regulating authorities will consider our suggestions and bring the peak margin back within the band of 25 per cent to 33.33 per cent from the current rate of 50 per cent. Hyderabad, May 24 : Telangana police continued to strictly implement the lockdown across the state, which entered its 13th day on Monday. Following the direction of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday, the police became strict with the implementation of lockdown norms from Saturday. Police in the three police commissionerates in Hyderabad and surroundings and in the rest of the state are dealing firmly with the lockdown violators. Traffic jams were seen at several places on Monday after four-hour relaxation ended at 10 a.m. Motorists found on roads after 10 a.m. were stopped at various points and cases were booked against them. Police have asked people to return home before the end of the relaxation period. The police commissioners and district superintendents of police have already been directed to be firm with those coming out on roads after 10 a.m. Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy on Monday visited few areas under Rachkonda police commissionerate in Greater Hyderabad. He personally checked the lockdown enforcement at few checkpoints. He interacted with Rachakonda Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat and other officials on creations of zone wise holding areas for checking of violators in long stretches. The police chief, however, asked officers to display restraint with those exempted from lockdown. His direction came in the wake of few complaints of police high handedness with those moving in medical emergencies or those permitted to deliver services during the lockdown. Following some incidents of police in and around Hyderabad beating up delivery boys of food apps and e-commerce companies and seizing their vehicles on Saturday, the DGP advised police to ensure seamless delivery of essential services. The food and e-commerce good delivery was restored since Sunday. Meanwhile, Rachakonda police commissioner said 4,000 cases were booked for lockdown violations on Sunday in the commissionerate limits. He appealed to people to cooperate with the police in enforcement of the lockdown. "People have four-hour relaxation from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. They may use this period to move around to buy essentials and attend other works but many individuals even after 10.30 a.m. are seen moving on roads without a valid reason," he said. The commissioner warned that the vehicles of those not having any pass or identity card will be seized. Police are imposing a fine of minimum Rs.1,000 for violation of lockdown norms. Their vehicles will also be seized and they will be returned only after lockdown. Mahesh Bhagwat said for medical and other emergencies people can apply to police for e-passes. London, May 24 : Canadian Denis Shapovalov has pulled out of the French Open with a shoulder injury. The 14th-ranked Canadian, 22, had recently hit form on the European clay. Shapovalov pushed 13-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal all the way in the third round in Rome, holding two match points, and he backed that up by reaching the final of the Geneva Open on Saturday. But, after losing to Casper Ruud, Shapovalov underwent tests on a sore shoulder and has decided not to play in the year's second grand slam, which starts on Sunday, DPA reports. Shapovalov tweeted: "I'm saddened to share that after consulting with my medical team I've made the difficult decision to withdrawal from @rolandgarros. Unfortunately my shoulder has been bothering me and while medical tests look good, it is for the best to rest. See you in 2022, Roland-Garros." Shapovalov has played in the main draw at Roland Garros three times, with his best performances coming in 2018 and 2020, when he reached the second round. Kochi, May 24 : Experimental farming on a commercial scale with participation of local fish farmers, for the first time in Kerala, by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) at Moothakunnam near here has yielded a bumper harvest of green mussel. The attempt has shown that innovative farming technology Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), which combines appropriate proportions of fish, seaweeds and filter feeding bivalves to create balanced systems for environmental and economic stability, is economically feasible and well-suited to Kerala's ecosystem, as per CMFRI experts. The CMFRI started the venture in December last year as part of its research initiative for developing a sustainable cage fish farming model suitable to Kerala's ecosystem. In the first harvest among the three crops of the integrated farming, around one tonne of green mussel was yielded from 150 strings hung around as many as four fish cages. Individual mussel grew to the size of 72 grams which is a successful growth rate in mussel farming. A scientific team led by CMFRI's Principal Scientist, Shoji Joseph, also observed that the fishes inside the cage attained better growth and seaweed being cultured around the cage also showed healthy status with fast growth rate. The fishes will be harvested by the end of the next month. Joseph said that apart from enhanced income through diversified crops from a particular area during the same time period, the IMTA helps maintain environmental sustainability. "Excess nutrients and carbon dioxide from the cage farm are directly or indirectly utilized by green mussel and seaweeds," she said. CMFRI Director A. Gopalakrishnan said that the institute would take steps to popularise the IMTA practice across the coastal states, as in the case of cage fish farming. "The popularisation of this innovative technology in line with the increasing trend of adoption of cage farming technology will help transform the lives of coastal community," he said. ( ) (FRA:TN6) is focused on the development of its Yarrabubba Iron-Vanadium Project this year, with recent test-work confirming an exciting mix of high-quality, high-value products that are highly sought as economies continue to emerge from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high-purity, high-grade Yarrabubba iron ore product is attracting significant customer interest, underpinning the development of this lower entry cost project that is complementary to, and expected to reduce funding and implementation risk for, the low cost, long life Gabanintha Vanadium Project. The project has an ore reserve of 9.4 million tonnes at 45.3% iron and 0.97% vanadium and a mineral resource of 27.7 million tonnes at 38.7% iron and 0.9% vanadium. Strong test work results The company is confident that Yarrabubba will produce premium iron ore for a booming market, with large-scale test work confirming the high-grade, high-purity iron ore (magnetite) product and delivering 64.3% iron and 62.6% iron at 125-micron grind size (average 63.4% iron). Low levels of deleterious elements at weighted average included 0.62% silicon dioxide, 0.96% aluminium oxide, 0.017% sulfur and 0.001% phosphorus. The company is now preparing bulk sample composites. Titanium (Ilmenite) by-product Notably, test work on larger scale non-magnetic tails delivered an indicative specification for the titanium by-product (YIP1) containing 46 to 47% titanium dioxide, with generally low deleterious elements. The companys industry consultants TZMI estimate YIP1 will achieve US$140 US$180/tonne FOB (real 2020) in the medium term. Test-work is continuing to optimise the Yarrabubba titanium by-product and refine the flowsheet for the titanium separation circuit, including investigating flotation to remove base metals (cobalt, copper and nickel) from the nonmagnetic tails stream. The company's project locations in Western Australia Gabanintha DFS completed At the companys Gabanintha Vanadium Project, which has a resource of 109.5 million tonnes at 0.8% vanadium, the definitive feasibility study (DFS) has been completed. A crushing milling beneficiation (CMB) circuit will be built at Gabanintha, which pilot test work has demonstrated will produce very high yield to magnetic concentrate with low deleterious elements. Additionally, 7.5 tonnes of magnetic concentrate processed through the pilot-scale rotary kiln delivered average vanadium recovery of 88.6%, confirming an end-to-end vanadium recovery of 77% for fresh massive magnetite ore. The project is expected to achieve average annual production of 27.9 million pounds of premium +99% purity product at the lowest cost quartile operating costs with crusher feed in excess of 1.0% vanadium for at least the first 12 years. Collaborations and offtake The company is progressing negotiations for a life-of-mine iron-vanadium offtake and EPC contract with Sinosteel Equipment & Engineering Co., Ltd (MECC). This technical collaboration supports the ongoing development of the final flowsheet design for the project. Offtake and project development partner engagement has also progressed, with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) executed with Japanese VRFB group LE System and the MOU with Big Pawer expanded and extended. To date, around 6,000 to 10,000 tonnes of TMTs proposed production of 12,800Tpa V205 are covered under the Binding Offtake and MoU. Iron ore and vanadium outlook Iron ore prices (62% Fe, CFR China) have increased from US$63/tonne to US$180/tonne over the last 12 months, with prices for 63.5% Fe iron ore (delivery Tianjin) up to more than US$190/tonne. China produced 1.05 billion tonnes of steel in 2020 with the March quarter 2021 output 15% higher than March quarter 2020 and producers struggled to keep up with strong demand in March quarter 2021 due to operational challenges and weather issues. Looking forward, the premiums for higher purity product are increasing due to desire for higher quality with lower environmental emissions. According to Fastmarkets (April 2021), high-grade iron ore with Fe more than 63.5% looks set to expand by 17.5% over the decade of the 2020s and attract higher prices than standard and lower grade iron ore, with customers willing to pay a premium for higher-grade iron ore with lower impurities such as alumina and silica. In addition, vanadium prices are looking favourable, with a tightening domestic Chinese market due to increased consumption in steel as part of stimulus spending in infrastructure in response to COVID-19. Indicative CMB Flowsheet for Yarrabubba. Ongoing development activities Upcoming activities at the companys projects include: Ghaziabad, May 24 : As the country battles the Covid pandemic, besides its twisted off-springs the Black and White fungi wreaking havoc, now the first case of Yellow Fungus has also cropped up in Ghaziabad. ENT Specialist B.P. Tyagi has claimed that there is a patient of Yellow Fungus in his hospital, who is undergoing treatment. The 45-year-old patient, resident of Sanjay Nagar in Harsh Hospital, Ghaziabad, is suffering from yellow fungus as well as black and white fungus. Professor Tyagi said, "A patient came to me, who after the initial test appeared to be normal, but after doing another investigation, I came to know that the patient is suffering from black, white as well as yellow fungus." "This fungus is found in reptiles. I saw this disease for the first time. Amphotericin B injection is used to treat this disease. It takes a long time to heal. This patient's condition cannot be said to be very good, he is still undergoing treatment." According to Tyagi, as far as the symptoms of this disease are concerned, there remains sluggishness or lethargy in the body while there is less appetite, due to which the weight starts decreasing. Body wounds also heal very slowly. Cleanliness is very important to avoid this disease, as infection starts off due to poor hygiene. The more you keep cleanliness around you, the more you can stay safe from this disease. According to the patient's son Abhishek, "His father was undergoing treatment for corona and he was recovering well. In the last two-three days, his eyes started swelling and suddenly they closed altogether. There was nose bleed and urine leak." Mumbai, May 24 : Moving swiftly, a Mumbai Police team swooped on two cyberbullies based in Haryana and nabbed them for trolling and harassing 'Mahabharat' fame actor Aayush Shah and his sister Mausam Shah, officials said here on Monday. Following a complaint by the Shah siblings to the VP Road Police Station, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Rajendra Chavan, Senior Police Inspector Hemant Bawdhankar and Police Inspector Avinash Mandale acted quickly. Using tech-intel, they set up a team which managed to zero in on the duo - the Shahs' ex-employee Rohit Goyal and his partner Harshit D. Mittal - both based in Cheeka, Haryana, for allegedly abusing Mausam Shah on social media and attempting to extort money through blackmail. A special team of officials comprising Police Sub-Inspector Abhijit Deshmukh, Dinesh Suryawanshi, Santosh More, Jitendra Salve, Maruti Kumbhari and Kumar Patharut probed the matter diligently, and finally managed to track down the accused duo in Haryana last week. At one point, Goyal gave the slip to the police team searching for him in Haryana, but they went undercover and finally managed to nab him from his hometown. Shortly after their arrest, the two accused Goyal and Mittal were brought to Mumbai for further investigations, said the officials. They were sent to police custody for six days by a Mumbai Court, and on Monday (May 24), further remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. Aayush is an actor while Mausam is a publicity professional for several celebs and brands, and Goyal was in their employment which they terminated on grounds of non-performance. Thereafter, Goyal allegedly started issuing threats and demanding large sums of money from the Shah siblings, and when they refused to oblige, they started harassing their friends, threatened them with death threats and demanded money from them also. "The accused harassed us by leaking my phone number and Mausam's identity on social media in a sexually-offensive context, and called me her 'dealer', leading to huge trauma, loss of reputation and obscene calls," Aayush Shah told IANS. "Though social media is a powerful tool, some misuse it for personal propaganda or vendetta that can result in traumatic situations for the victim. We are extremely thankful to the Mumbai Police for their support and prompt handling of the sensitive matter," said Mausam Shah. The siblings called upon such elements to refrain from misusing the social media to tarnish someone's fair reputation, especially women, so that such crimes can be curbed. Chennai, May 24 : A post wedding joy ride by a marriage party onboard a SpiceJet aircraft has put the private airline in a spot with videos of the celebrations going viral on social media. According to SpiceJet, a travel agent in Madurai had chartered one of its Boeing 737 on Sunday for a group of passengers for a post-wedding joy ride. "The client was clearly briefed on the Covid guidelines to be followed and was denied permission for any activity to be performed onboard. The approval for this flight was taken as a joy ride for the wedding group," the airline said. A couple tied the knot on-board a chartered flight from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Their relatives & guests were on the same flight. "A SpiceJet chartered flight was booked y'day from Madurai. Airport Authority officials unaware of the mid-air marriage ceremony," says Airport Director pic.twitter.com/wzMCyMKt5m ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021 "The agent and the guest passengers were briefed in detail, both in writing as well as verbally, on social distancing and safety norms to be followed as per the Covid guidelines, both at the airport and onboard the aircraft throughout the journey," the airline added. The airline also said that the cabin crew briefed the group in the aircraft to follow the protocols laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), including restrictions on photography and videography. "Despite repeated requests and reminders, the passengers did not follow the Covid guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules," SpiceJet said. However, the airline declined to answer whether it was aware of the proposed celebrations at the time of booking the flight, and the number of passengers who had boarded the flight. The airline is also silent on the action taken by the cabin crew against the marriage party post flight. The videos and images that have gone viral on social media clearly show violation of Covid-19 safety norms, with a large number of people standing extremely close to each other. Incidentally, even the aircraft seats sported the pictures of the newly married couple. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- Syndicated from IANS New Delhi, May 24 : The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday said that more than 21.80 crore vaccine doses have been provided to States and 1.80 crore doses are still available with States/UTs to be administered. The Government of India has so far provided, both through the free of cost category and through direct state procurement category, more than 21.80 crore vaccine doses (21,80,51,890) to States/UTs. Of this, the total consumption, calculated based on average up to May 23, including wastages is 20,00,08,875 doses (as per data available at 8 a.m. Monday). More than 1.80 crore COVID Vaccine doses (1,80,43,015) are still available with the States/UTs to be administered. Furthermore, more than 48 lakh (48,00,650) vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the States/UTs within the next 3 days. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. The Government has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the States/UTs. Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour. Implementation of the Liberalized and Accelerated Phase-3 Strategy of Covid-19 Vaccination has started from May 1. Under the Strategy, in every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by Govt of India. It would continue to make these doses available to the State Govts totally free of cost as was being done earlier. The Health Ministry said on Monday that a total of 19,60,51,962 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 9,42,722 who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, May 24 : The Delhi Police is probing if one of the three vehicles, seized from the Chhatrasal Stadium following the brawl involving Olympian Sushil Kumar that left a wrestler dead, is linked to the Neeraj Bawania gang. A Delhi Police source said that the police has seized three vehicles, including a Mahindra Scorpio and a Honda City, from the stadium campus on May 4. All the vehicles are currently parked in Model Town pollice station. The source said that the police is investigating if Sushil Kumar had any links with the members of Bawania gang. Police is gathering the details of the Scorpio vehicle. The star wrestler was arrested by Delhi Police's Special Cell from Mundka area on Sunday morning along with his aide Ajay Kumar, after being on run for over 18 days in several states following the death of 23-year old wrestler Sagar Dhankar of injuries sustained in the brawl. The police had earlier issued Rs 1 lakh reward of Sushil Kumar and Rs 50,000 on Ajay Kumar, while the the ace wrestler got no relief from courts which rejected his plea for anticipatory bail. New Delhi, May 24 : The radio network BIG FM recently culminated the second season of one of its celebrated shows, "Dhun Badal Ke Toh Dekho", hosted by the visionary humanitarian and Padma Vibhushan recipient, Sadhguru. In collaboration with Isha Foundation, the four-month-long show saw the renowned author and Yogi host engaging in conversations pertaining to a plethora of topics. With emotional and mental wellness being an utmost priority for people during the current testing times, BIG FM, through the show, played the role of a constant companion and a guiding light by raising their spirits and helping them with their various concerns. Through the show, Sadhguru aimed to bring listeners moments of clarity, so as to gather thoughts around oneself and their surroundings. Keeping the current situation in mind, the last week of the show was completely dedicated to handling stress during the second wave of Covid, where Sadhguru shared his views on how the pandemic should be treated with utmost caution and how one can take care of their mental and physical well-being. The show also featured a segment where Sadhguru addressed questions raised by popular celebrities such as Ranveer Singh, Kangana Ranaut, Sonakshi Sinha, Virender Sehwag, Abhinav Bindra, Juhi Chawla, Shekhar Kapoor, Chetan Bhagat and Divyanka Tripathi amongst many others. Addressing a host of topics, the show received an overwhelming response across the country and listeners across all demographics and walks of life. This included educationists, professionals, entrepreneurs, corporate heads and youngsters who shared their thoughts on the show and added how it became a part of their daily morning routine that enabled them to lead a better life. With the goal to reach out to as wide and diverse an audience and spread the message of hope and positivity, the multi-platform property was extensively promoted across BIG FM and its partners' social media platforms. Available across multiple platforms, listeners were able to tune in to the show on BRO (BIG Radio Online) and BIG FM's YouTube channel. It is also going to be available on over 10 leading audio streaming platforms such as Spotify, Hubhopper Studio, Gaana, Apple Podcast amongst others and on smart speaker universes like Alexa. The show garnered a reach of over 44 million listeners on Radio along with a 37-plus million digital reach and nine-plus million reach on the podcast platforms. Commenting on bringing about a change through the show, Sadhguru shared how he feels about the positive impact it has created on the listeners and the love that people have showered on the show. He said: "I hope in some way if I have been of help to everybody, that's a wonderful thing." Addressing the current situation and the role youth can play, he added: "At a time like this, the youth of the nation have a special responsibility. If the youth do not panic and react to the situation in a responsible manner, we can make a huge change in our lives. This is the time the youth of the nation should stand up and see how we can provide a solution." Talking about the impact of the show, Sunil Kumaran, Country Head, Product, Marketing & THWINK BIG, BIG FM said: "We are going through one of the toughest crises humankind has ever witnessed and it is imperative to reach out to our listeners and address their issues and concerns and help them sail through with a positive spirit. We are thankful to Sadhguru ji for helming 'Dhun Badal Ke Toh Dekho' season 2 and sharing his insights and helping our listeners in these trying times. We are overwhelmed with the response we have received for the show and the impact it has created. At BIG FM, we look forward to curating more such offerings that provide immense value to our listeners and bring about a constructive change in the society." Striking the right chord with its audience, BIG FM has played a crucial role through the show in reaching out to its listeners and taking care of their emotional and mental wellness. With the onus to inform, educate and entertain its listeners, the radio network continues to exemplify credibility, authenticity and purpose in each of its efforts. New Delhi, May 24 : More trouble is brewing for two time olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, who was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell on Sunday morning from the national capital, as his job with the Indian Railways also hangs in balance. Kumar, employed with the Indian Railways, is posted as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Chhattrasal Stadium, where the brawl allegedly took place on May 4. Northern Railway spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said: "We will take action as per extent rules once letter is received from Dehi government." Kumar was arrested on Sunday morning along with his aide Ajay Kumar, who have been on the run for over 18 days in several states after the death of wrestler Sagar Dhankar after the brawl on May 4 at Chhatrasal stadium here. Dhankar succumbed to injuries later in a hospital. According to Delhi Police officials, Kumar had travelled to Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana during the 18 days long cat and mouse chase game. He was finally arrested from Delhi's Mundka area on Sunday morning, when he had come to collect some cash and also borrowed a scooty from a national level player. Delhi Police had also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Kumar and Rs 50,000 on his aide Ajay. According to Special Cell officers, Kumar had got the thrashing of Dhankar recorded on mobile phone to terrorise the wrestling circuit in the city. Kumar was sent to six days' custody by a Delhi court. Police informed the court that Kumar had asked his friend Prince to make the video of thrashing Dhankar. "He wanted to instill fear in the wrestling community in Delhi," police informed the court. On May 18, Kumar had moved an anticipatory bail in New Delhi's Rohini court, but the court rejected his bail plea. On May 4, two groups of wrestlers clashed with each other at Chhatrasal Stadium leading to the death of 23-year-old Dhankar due to injuries he sustained during the brawl. The Delhi court had also issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Kumar. Delhi Police had also issued a lookout notice for Kumar who won bronze in 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and silver in 2012 London Olympic Games in 66 kg category. May 24 : Veteran actor Anupam Kher made his acting debut with social drama, Saaransh, as the movie clocks 37 years tomorrow, actor takes to his social media profile and expresses his gratitude to God! Released in 1984, the film, Saaransh directed by Mahesh Bhatt, also starred Rohini Hattangadi, Madan Jain, Nilu Phule, Suhas Bhalekar and Soni Razdan. The film revolved around an elderly Maharashtrian couple living in Mumbai who come to terms with the loss of their only son. This was the screen debut of Anupam Kher. It was chosen as India's official entry for the 1985 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but it wasn't nominated. Anupam Kher dropped a video post on his social media. He captioned it, Even today when I see my name in the opening titles of my first film #Saaransh as introducing #AnupamKher I get choked with emotions. Cant believe that tomorrow, 25th I will complete 37 years in cinema. Wah! God has really been kind!! #1DayToGo for my 37th birthday in movies! More tomorrow! #1DayToGo #Saaransh #Introducing Even today when I see my name in the opening titles of my 1st film #Saaransh as introducing #AnupamKher I get emotional. Cant believe that tomorrow, 25th I will complete 37 years in cinema. God has really been kind!! #1DayToGo for my 37th birthday in movies! More tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/2VioNmyOSP Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) May 24, 2021 Anupam Kher is a force to reckon with, he is noted actor, producer, author, talk show host among many others roles. He is not only popular in Hindi cinema, but enjoys a massive fan following overseas and English movies and sitcoms as well. On the work front, Anupam Kher will be next seen in Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Kashmir Files' which is based on the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990's. He will also be seen in 'The Last Show' and 'Mungilal Rocks'. His new show, New Amsterdam, an American medical drama television series, based on the book Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Eric Manheimer, entered its third season. Chandigarh, May 24 : Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Monday said the current Covid-19 positivity rate in the state was around nine per cent, and no relaxation cannot be granted to the people till it fell below five per cent. Vij said shopkeepers were given permission to open shops as per odd-even formula under which they will now be able to open their shops between 7 a.m. and 12 noon. He said there was a complete lockdown in Uttar Pradesh and other nearby states, including Delhi, but the Haryana government has given some relaxation on the appeal of the people. The minister expressed concern over the surging cases of black fungus in the state and said the shortage of injections was being overcome. "We had received 550 vials two days back and previously we had arranged 600 vials. Hopefully soon, enough injections will be available." He said the support of the Opposition parties to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's protest was a clear reflection of their "negative politics". "Keeping in view the current pandemic situation, the Opposition parties should motivate the farmers for vaccination," added Vij. New Delhi, May 24 : Production of the Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus will begin in India this summer, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and pharmaceutical company Panacea Biotec announced on Monday. Sputnik V was registered in India under the emergency use authorisation procedure on April 12 and vaccination against coronavirus with the Russian vaccine started on May 14. As announced in April, RDIF and Panacea have agreed to produce 100 million doses per year of Sputnik V. "The first batch produced at Panacea Biotec's facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Centre [in Russia] for quality control. Full-scale production of the vaccine is due to start this summer. Company's facilities comply with GMP [good manufacturing practice] standards and are prequalified by WHO," RDIF said in a statement. "Launch of production in India in partnership with Panacea Biotec marks an important step for helping the country fight the pandemic. Production of Sputnik V supports efforts of India's authorities to leave behind the acute phase of coronavirus as soon as possible while the vaccines will also be exported at a later stage to help prevent the spread of the virus in other countries around the world," said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, in the statement. "This marks a significant step as we initiate production of Sputnik V. Together with RDIF, we hope to help bring a sense of normalcy back to people across the country and around the world," added Rajesh Jain, Managing Director, Panacea Biotec. Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots. It is developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Center. It will be the third vaccine to be cleared for the immunisation programme in India after Covaxin and Covishield. Last month, regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted restricted use authorisation to Sputnik V amid an alarming rise in the country's fresh Covid-19 infections. With an efficacy of 91.6 per cent, Sputnik V is reportedly the first vaccine against Covid-19 in the world. On August 11 last year, Russia gave approval to the Sputnik V. It is reported in the Lancet Medical Journal that the vaccine has been cleared and approved for mass use in more than 50 countries. The RDIF has signed a deal to produce 750 million doses of Sputnik V in India. The price of Sputnik V is less than $10 per shot, making it affordable around the world. The first consignment of 150,000 doses had arrived in Hyderabad on May 1 and the second consignment of 60,000 doses arrived on May 16. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The 2021 program is aimed at extending the gold mineralisation footprint at known deposits while testing multiple new greenfield targets, all within 15 kilometres of existing resources. ( ) (OTCMKTS:MZZMF) (FRA:MA3) has started its 2021 diamond drilling program at the Cape Ray Gold Project in Newfoundland, Canada. The program aims to extend the gold footprint at known deposits while testing multiple new greenfield targets, all within 15 kilometres of existing resources. Three holes of the program have been completed, with the first target following up on potential high-grade extensions to the Window Glass Hill deposit, which remains open along strike and at depth. Rapid progression to diamond drilling In 2020 the average drill hole depth was only 120 metres, with 80% of the gold mineralisation encountered less than 80 metres from surface Matador executive chairman Ian Murray said: Following our strong start to the 2021 season with the ramp-up of the auger drilling program, the rapid progression to diamond drilling is a credit to the exploration team. The proposed program will be the largest completed by the company and we look forward to continuing this positive momentum with auger and diamond drill results over the coming months. Similar to previous exploration programs, our primary focus is on shallow gold mineralisation suitable for open pit mining. We anticipate in excess of 170 holes to be drilled on targets covering the full spectrum of pipeline stages, with the expectation of new targets being continually generated from our systematic approach. Drill rig at the Window Glass Hill deposit. MSPU improves assay turnaround times A dedicated Mobile Sample Preparation Unit (MSPU), run by SGS Canada, has been installed next to the companys core processing facility in Port aux Basque. The MPSU will significantly improve assay turnaround times for diamond and auger drilling compared to last years program. This improved turnaround time should allow the company to rapidly test new target areas and enhance the efficiency of the exploration program. Murray said: In addition to the exploration program, the company is also advancing several other technical aspects relating to the Cape Ray Gold Project, including environmental permitting, metallurgical test-work and other project development studies. Updates on each of these programs will be released in due course. Brownfield and greenfield drilling The brownfield drilling program will initially focus on Window Glass Hill to Angus trend, which has excellent potential to contribute to additional mineral resource growth. With around three kilometres of prospective geology associated with shears and faults adjacent to, and striking through, the Window Glass Hill Granite, this area is a priority for early drilling. The greenfield program will consume considerably more drilling, as multiple high priority targets continue to be identified, all within 15 kilometres of existing mineral resources. None of the new targets identified have been previously effectively tested due to the shallow till cover (0.5 to 5 metres). The company is confident that exploration success at any of these prospects could significantly change the scope of the exploration program and could enhance the Projects potential production profile. Chennai, May 24 : Two Lok Sabha members belonging to the DMK have demanded a probe into the sexual harassment complaints against a teacher of the Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan School here. "As a parent, I'm extremely horrified by the reports of sexual harassment by a teacher in #PadmaSeshadriBalaBhavan school, Chennai. It's of utmost importance to ensure a probe into the matter & accountability from the management to provide a safe environment for the children #PSBB," tweeted Dayanidhi Maran, Member of Parliament (MP) from the DMK. Maran has also written to Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank urging him to probe the conduct of the management and trustees with regard to this issue and also why action was not taken when the school management received a complaint for the first time. Maran in his letter also said as the school is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the body should also an initiate inquiry into the lapses in the protection of students. According to Maran, the Tamil Nadu government has asked the school for its response to the allegations. Former Union Minister Maran said that CBSE has issued several circulars since 2004, advising schools to set up a permanent cell and committee and to develop guidelines to combat sexual harassment and violence against women at the schools. "The sexual harassment allegations against a commerce teacher in PSBB School, Chennai have been shocking. Inquiry should be conducted and action must be taken against those who are involved including school authorities who failed to act against the complaints from students," another MP from the DMK, Kanimozhi tweeted. The Padma Seshadri group runs a clutch of schools and has notched up a good reputation. The two MPs' demand followed social media posts by school students and alumni accusing the commerce teacher of indulging in sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour like appearing topless for an online class. The school management has said it is taking suo moto notice of the allegations and will take the necessary steps to address the situation in a free, fair and transparent manner. Assuring the parents of its students, the school said it has zero tolerance towards any behaviour that adversely affects the physical, emotional and psychological well being of the students. The school management also said these allegations were not brought to its notice earlier. Following the allegation against the teacher, the school alumni have written to the management to take action against the alleged offender and suspend him immediately pending a probe. This is the second instance of a sexual harassment complaint in a reputed educational institution here. The earlier one was at Loyola College. Last year The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women ordered Chennai's Loyola College to pay Rs 64,30,000 to a former staffer towards damages for sexual harassment, mental agony and in back wages. Curiously there was no political uproar against Loyola College like now. Chandigarh, May 24 : To ensure proper health care facilities in rural areas amidst Covid-19, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday virtually launched 'Sanjeevani Pariyojana', a pilot initiative of quick medical care at home, from Karnal city. The Chief Minister said there was a sudden surge of cases with the virus reaching villages in the second wave. "Sanjeevani Pariyojana" would extend medical care to rural areas where awareness of the second wave of Covid and how to treat it remained low, an official spokesperson said. Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global, said the project would extend the medical wards by delivering help to those who can recover at home, thereby freeing larger hospitals to treat the critically ill. With the implementation of the project, the state will be able to enhance the medical facilities and will provide three-tier medical infrastructure for the patients, including isolation wards at the village and sub-centre levels and at primary health care centres for patients with mild symptoms, community health centres or field hospitals at a zila or sub-district level for patients with moderate symptoms in need of oxygen and advance medical centres at major hospitals equipped with ICU facilities for critical patients. This project enables management of critical resources like hospital beds availability, oxygen supply, ambulance tracking and door-to-door awareness campaign to enable a crystal-clear overview of the healthcare system for the district administration, an official statement said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : NEC Corporation India (NEC India) on Monday pledged Rs 10 crore to support employee well-being and community welfare in the fight against the pandemic. The NEC India COVID Task Force is already supporting employees and their families across India by providing real-time details about hospitals, ICU beds, plasma donors, and access to medication and 24/7 online medical consultation. To further protect employees, the organisation which is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies said it is providing an enhanced medical insurance policy that covers Covid-19. "We share the pain, and we are grateful for the resilience shown by the frontline workers as well as our team members during these testing times. NEC has had a presence in India for the last seven decades and our teams have played an instrumental role in improving the lives of all," said Aalok Kumar, President and CEO, NEC Corporation India. Meanwhile, ZTE, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions, on Monday said it has adopted various key measures to provide aid and support for the well-being of its employees in India. In an effort to combat the ongoing pandemic swiftly, a COVID Review Team, consisting of ZTE India senior management, has been formed to accommodate and drive employee COVID welfare actions. ZTE India has also secured an exclusive Covid insurance for its employees. This insurance will cover the costs of hospitalisation and home isolation. "We at ZTE have always believed in the holistic development of our employees and community as a whole. Our employees' wellbeing is our primary concern, and the company will support and assist them at every step of the way," said Ashoka Li, CEO, ZTE India. KareXpert, one of India's fastest growing healthcare technology companies, announced the launch of its Cloud-based Virtual care platform for hospitals and other healthcare institutions. "One of the most important aspects of this new technology is its user-friendliness. The users require a minimal amount of training to operate the system. Therefore, the hospitals can subscribe, install and immediately start using the platform." said Nidhi Jain, Founder and CEO of KareXpert. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Hyderabad, May 24 : Sahayata Trust, a Hyderabad-based NGO, plans to set up four medical oxygen generation plants to cater to the requirements of hospitals treating Covid patients. Each plant will have a capacity of 4,500 litres per day and will come up at a cost of Rs 1 crore each. Two plants will come up in Hyderabad and one in Gujarat. The NGO is yet to decide on the location for the fourth plant. "The first plant is expected to be up and running in Hyderabad next month," Prof Amirullah Khan, coordinator of Sahayata Trust, told IANS on Monday. The development economist said the NGO would be importing the plants. He said these plants would meet the requirements of various hospitals treating Covid or other critically ill patients. He pointed out that the NGO is also receiving 400 high quality oxygen concentrators from different charities in the United Kingdom and the United States. He described it as the world's largest donation of oxygen concentrators. The first consignment comprising 170 devices arrived in Hyderabad from the UK by a special flight of Qatar Airways on Friday. The second consignment of 270 concentrators is scheduled to arrive next week. Sahayata Trust has started distributing concentrators to different healthcare organizations in Telangana and other states. "The relief effort will add oxygen to the efforts of NGOs scrambling to procure oxygen to save as many lives as they can," said Sahayata Trust CEO Syed Aneesuddin. The devices will be allocated on a per-need basis to different NGOs across Hyderabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Delhi, Ranchi, Bhopal and other cities. The organization included Access Foundation, Safa Baitul Maal and SDIF. Different NGOS across international borders have joined hands for the noble cause at a time when several lives are being lost across India due to shortage of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators during the second wave of Covid-19. Donation of concentrators is a meticulously coordinated relief effort by UK-based charities managed by the Indian diaspora including Maahir Charity, Deccan Medical College Alumni Association, and Medical Aid in coordination with the US-based Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC), the parent body of Sahayata Trust. Syed Aneesuddin thanked Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi who played an important role in helping the consignment reach India within a short span of time. "These are high quality oxygen concentrators with dual outflow of oxygen enabling two patients to use the same machine at a time. We are training people to use the device using the device manuals received from England. This is a daunting task to coordinate the allocation as well as train and equip the personnel to handle the device in a very short time, especially since every passing minute increases danger of loss of life for people struggling to find oxygen support," said Amirullah Khan. India needs about one lakh oxygen concentrators. "The government has been able to import only 1000 from the USA, which means there is a deficit of 99%. In such savaging times, the import of 400 units is a small but significant effort in saving more lives", said former civil servant Prof Amirullah Khan. He thanked the state and central governments for waiving the import duty on the equipment. He also thanked Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar for taking up the matter on an urgent basis and Commissioner Commercial Taxes Neetu Prasad who went out of the way working late at night to grant 'real-time approval'. Due to her personal interest in expediting the process, the consignment was ready for pickup within three hours after arrival. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai, May 24 : The merger of Regional Rural Banks (RRB) with their sponsor banks would avoid business cannibalization and reduction in administrative overheads, the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) said on Monday. In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, AIBEA General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam said instead of further reforms in the RRB sector, it would be better to merge them with their sponsor banks as this will add to the rural network of the latter and at the same time, eliminate the weaknesses that they suffer presently. "Monitoring would be much more effective since they would become part of the bank and come under the direct control of the management of the sponsor banks. This would also obviate a lot of administrative overheads and expenses," he said. While the objectives of RRB are laudable, their very nature of the business makes them fragile and vulnerable, he noted. "More often than not, these RRBs even face competition from their own sponsor banks too. In this background, there have been many efforts to restructure the RRBs to make them strong and vibrant but the results have not been that encouraging because of the intrinsic reasons and they are bound to be so," Venkatachalam said. The world headquarters of Pfizer in New York sports a sign on its window proclaiming the victory of science over COVID-19. The pharmaceutical company made the first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by western nations. (Photo: Arul Louis/IANS) Image Source: IANS News Chandigarh, May 24 : After Moderna, another Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer Pfizer has refused to send direct vaccination to Punjab, citing its policy to only deal with the Central government, state Nodal Officer (Vaccination) Vikas Garg said on Monday. He said the company, in a communication to the state, said: "Pfizer is working with federal governments across the world to supply its Covid-19 vaccine for use in national immunisation programmes. "Our supply agreements at this time are with national governments and supra-national organisations with allocation of doses and implementation within the country being a decision that governments take based on relevant health authority guidance. This approach Pfizer has followed across the world," the pharma major said. Garg said various vaccine manufacturers, including Sputnik V, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, were approached for direct purchase of Covid vaccines, as per the directions of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to explore possibilities of floating a global tender for the procurement of the vaccines. He said the reply from Sputnik V and Johnson & Johnson was awaited. The state was forced to stop vaccination for Phase I and II categories in the last three days because of non-availability of the vaccine. Punjab has so far received about 45.3 lakh vaccine doses from the Centre. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Gurugram, May 24 : The lockdown seems to have given an opportunity to anti-social elements to resort to liquor smuggling in Gurugram. Crackdown on such elements by the Gurugram police has led to the seizure of 2,074 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), 2,837 bottles of country-made liquor and 96 bottles of beer during the lockdown in 2021. During the lockdown in 2020, the district police had recovered 51,652 bottles of IMFL, 49,710 bottles of country-made liquor and 15,393 bottles of beer. Subhash Boken, spokesperson of Gurugram police, said that they have registered 380 criminal cases and arrested 389 persons involved in liquor smuggling in 2021, while in 2020, around 1,886 cases were filed and 1,941 persons were nabbed. He informed that the police have set up 70 'nakas' (check-posts) besides forming patrolling parties for round-the-clock checking across the district. "Strict instructions have been issued to all the concerned SHOs in the district to identify liquor smugglers/suppliers/bootleggers in their areas. The officers have been asked to take all possible legal action against all such persons, including under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management and Epidemics Act, etc.," Boken said. The officer said the DCPs have been asked to put the SHOs of all police stations, especially in the bordering areas, on alert mode, and directed them to ensure that no smuggling of liquor into Gurugram takes place. Also, all concerned officials have been asked to monitor inter-state smuggling of liquor on a daily basis. "The officers have also been directed to remain in touch with the Excise Department officials and also the contractors for feedback, and to make sustained and focused efforts against drug smugglers/suppliers/distillers etc. Any failure in this regard would be viewed very seriously and necessary action will be initiated against those found guilty," said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity. New York, May 24 : Pfizer on Monday announced a study to explore coadministration of its pneumococcal vaccine along with a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in older adults. Pfizer, in a statement, announced that "the first enrolled subjects have received their immunisations as part of a new study in adults ages 65 or older exploring the coadministration of the company's 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (20vPnC) candidate following a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, currently authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under an emergency use authorisation (EUA)". The trial aims to describe safety when both vaccines are co-administered, with follow-up six months after vaccination and to describe immune responses produced by each of the vaccines. The trial will include 600 adults who will be recruited from the pivotal Phase 3 Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine trial and will have received their second dose of the vaccine at least six months prior to entering the coadministration study. The participants will be randomised to one of three groups: 20vPnC plus Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine booster; 20vPnC plus placebo; and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine booster plus placebo. Boosters and new versions of vaccines that target the Covid variants are already being explored by both Pfizer and Moderna. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla had announced that Covid vaccine recipients will "likely" need a third dose between six to 12 months after they're fully vaccinated. The company is now testing a third booster shot of its vaccine on fully vaccinated people. US pharmaceutical Moderna in its Phase 2 study found that a third booster shot of its Covid vaccine can rapidly increase the level of antibodies in previously inoculated people. The 20vPnC candidate vaccine is in development for the prevention of invasive disease and pneumonia caused by 20 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the vaccine in adults ages 18 years and older. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : As many as 2,093 women lawyers from across the country have made a representation to the Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, to constitute a special investigation team (SIT), fast-track court and set up an effective complaint mechanism in matters connected to post-poll violence in West Bengal. The women lawyers said there is a constitutional crisis in Bengal, where the condition of the citizens due to the post-poll violence continuing since May 2 is deplorable. "It is stated with utmost grief that the perpetrators of violence have not even spared women and children. The current situation of gross violations of human rights in the state of West Bengal requires the immediate attention of the highest court of the country," said the representation. The lawyers urged the top court to issue directions to the DGPs in Assam, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand to prepare a complete data of the people who have taken shelters in their respective states. The lawyers said the police are hand in glove with the goons, and the victims are not in a position to even register their complaints. "There is a complete breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state. Even the media is silent for the past few days and not showing the true and current picture of the state of affairs in West Bengal," added the plea. The leading signatories of the petition claimed to have impeccable pieces of evidence like photographs of the victims in camps, complaints from victims, registers maintained in the shelter homes, and specific affidavits etc. They said the evidences can be provided to the top court in a sealed cover as and when it directs. The plea also urged the top court to constitute an SIT to register FIRs and investigate the deaths and other vengeful attacks. "Direct a court monitored investigation in a time-bound manner, trial by specially constituted fast-track court wherever chargesheet is filed by the SIT regarding cases emanating from the post-poll violence in West Bengal. Issue directions that all post-poll violence victims/family members may be duly compensated for death/ injuries, loss of property etc. by the state of West Bengal," added the plea. Ayodhya : , May 24 (IANS) The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), the trust formed for mosque construction in Ayodhya, has submitted the drawings of the plans of its proposed project at Dhannipur with the Ayodhya Development Authority on Monday. A mosque and other facilities are to be developed at 5 acres allotted to the trust by the state government on the directives of the Supreme Court. Trustee, Captain Afzaal Ahmad Khan, held meeting with Vice Chairman Vishal Singh and other officials of the Ayodhya Development Authority and discussed the project that includes a 300 bed super specialty hospital, a community kitchen that will feed about 1,000 people daily, a research centre dedicated in the name of great freedom fighter martyr Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah and a mosque that can accommodate 2,000 people at a time. The building plans, in 11 sets, have been submitted to the authority. The Trust has also deposited Rs 89,000 as processing fees for the approval of the plans. Khan said that the plans of the project are big in size and very much different from normal plans so they cannot be submitted online. The Ayodhya Development Authority has been requested to approve the plans off line. Khan also expressed his deep concern over non-issuance of tax exemption certificate of Section 80G by the Income Tax Department to the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation due to which the donations for Trust are held up. Multiple sulphide zones were intersected over 250 metres in the two holes in the drilling program, with disseminated copper sulphides observed, consistent with target PGE mineralisation style. Disseminated to stringer chalcopyrite-rich sulphides at 308.8 metres in diamond hole YAD0017. s ( ) diamond drill program at the Yarawindah Brook Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Elements (PGE) Project in Western Australia has intersected broad sulphide zones. Two holes for a total of 601.6 metres both encountered significant widths of copper and nickel sulphides. The first hole intersected several zones of disseminated sulphide, typically around 1 to 3% by volume, with sulphide mineralisation occurring from 66.2 to 314.3 metres downhole, with distinctly more intense sulphide zones (locally up to about 15% based on visual inspection) at around 68 metres, 156 metres and 308 metres. Disseminated copper sulphides observed are consistent with the targeted PGE mineralisation style The second hole, YAD0018, also encountered similar styles of sulphide mineralisation between 71 to 187.2 metres down hole, hosted by mafic to ultramafic rocks. While the visual observations are encouraging, samples now being prepared for assay. Good visual proxy for potential PGE The company has not confirmed whether PGE mineralisation is present, given that can only be determined through laboratory analysis, however, the presence of disseminated chalcopyrite is a characteristic of PGE mineralisation at s ( ) ( ) (FRA:C8U) Julimar Project. Caspin chief executive officer Greg Miles said: The two holes at Yarabrook Hill have delivered exactly what we wanted to see, that is, mafic and ultramafic rocks with broad zones of copper and nickel sulphide mineralisation which we believe is a good visual proxy for potential PGE mineralisation. The holes are 1.25 kilometres apart, so the scale of the opportunity is significant. Now we wait with anticipation for the assay results. Drill hole locations and electromagnetic conductors at Yarabrook Hill Prospect. Next steps All holes will be surveyed by downhole electromagnetics (DHEM) to evaluate the potential for off-hole conductors and secondary drill targets. Both holes at Yarabrook Hill terminated in a predominantly barren gabbro unit, although it is unclear if this represents the basal unit of the host intrusion or if additional mineralisation is hosted deeper in the intrusion. The company has been awarded a co-funded drilling grant through the WA government Exploration Incentive Scheme to test this concept and planning is already underway. Miles said: We are extremely grateful to have received a co-funded drilling grant through the WA Government Exploration Incentive Scheme. This is going to allow us to drill the deepest hole at Yarabrook Hill to date which will give us a huge amount of new geological information as well as another opportunity for discovery. While we wait for assay results, we will also commence work on our Mount Squires Project which is highly prospective for gold, copper and nickel. Assays for the XC-29 Prospect are also pending. Lucknow, May 24 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is preparing to connect children to the 'AYUSH Kavach App', an initiative of the AYUSH Department under the government of India. This will help people access prescriptions to strengthen their immune system through Ayurveda and to educate people about the effective home-remedies, especially for children who are likely to be impacted by a possible third wave of the pandemic. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already ordered to set up at least 100 paediatric beds in every district. Ensuring top class treatment, the department of medical education has prepared 432 paediatric ICU (PICU) beds in medical colleges and medical institutes across the state. PICU wards are being set up at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) and the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (with a capacity of 120 beds), while a 54-bed PICU ward is to be set up at the Gorakhpur Medical College with all the resources. According to a government spokesman, the experience of the Yogi Adityanath government in tackling the Japanese Encephalitis will help control the spread of the third wave of the pandemic. "A total of 38 hospitals that were constructed to deal with Japanese Encephalitis are also included to combat the possible third wave, which the experts fear will affect children more," the spokesman said. The expert committee has given details of human resources, equipment and medicines for 10-bed PICUs to which the UP government has given instructions to purchase as required. In view of the third wave, work is going on a war-footing in Jhansi, Amethi, Mathura, Moradabad, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, Azamgarh and other districts. PICU beds will soon be ready in Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Jalaun and Kaushambhi. The state government has already formed a committee of expert doctors, headed by the Director of PGI, Lucknow. Meanwhile, the principal secretary in the medical education department, Alok Kumar, said that detailed guidelines have been issued recently on the recommendations of the expert advisory committee and accordingly, complete preparations are being made. Kolkata, May 24 : Even before cyclone 'Yaas' made an entry, chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused the central government of displaying partial attitude in disbursement of advance funds for impending disaster management. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that when Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been given more than rupees 600 crore each, while West Bengal has been given only a little more than rupees 400 crore. "West Bengal is a large state with a density of population more than Odisha or Andhra Pradesh. I am not against their getting money but why will West Bengal be deprived of its due? We have more districts and according to the meteorological department 20 of our districts will be affected by the storm. It's not that they are giving the money from their fund, they are giving our legitimate money in advance," CM Banerjee said in a press conference on Monday. "I have asked Amit Shah ji why are we getting a lesser amount when we are a bigger state than Odisha and Andhra Pradesh? He said that the allocation of money depends on certain mathematics and I decided not to continue with the issue further. During Amphan also they gave only 1,000 crore and I don't know what they will do this time?" the chief minister said. Speaking on the state government's preparation she said, "Our primary concern is saving lives and so we have created 4,000 relief centres, taken schools and colleges where we hope to give shelter to 10 lakh people. The process of evacuation has started and we hope to shift the people before the landfall. We have also made arrangements for uninterrupted power supply in hospitals and vaccine centres so that there is a medical emergency and vaccination process doesn't get hampered". "The impact might be even more than Amphan last year and so the state government has made every possible arrangement in rescue and relief operations. We have 1000 power restoration and 450 telecom restoration teams who will start working after the storm is over and we hope to restore power and telecom connectivity as soon as possible. We have also made arrangements for 51 disaster management teams," she added. Besides seeking help from all clubs, puja committees, NGO and other social organisations the chief minister said that all ferry services have been cancelled and many trains have been cancelled. "The tourism activity has been totally cancelled and there has been an absolute ban on fishing in the sea for the next few days. We have supplied all relief materials to the block and panchayat level and we will be monitoring everything from the state secretariat," she said. Panaji, May 24 : The Goa government will submit its policy related to procurement of vaccines from private sources to the Bombay High Court, even as the Court said that there is no clarity on hiring of more personnel to deal with the COvid crisis in the state. "In addition to these issues, the learned Advocate General also offers to communicate to this Court the State's policy decision, if any, on the procurement of vaccination shots from sources other than the Union Government," a division bench of M.S. Sonak and S.C. Gupte said on Monday. "We are also of the view that whilst the State has proposed much-needed augmentation of medical infrastructure for Covid treatment, there has been no clarity on proportionate increase of manpower required for handling this additional infrastructure to enable it to cater to additional patients," the Bombay High Court further said. The Court is hearing a bunch of petitions which have questioned the state government's Covid management mechanisms. Nearly 80 persons have died at the state's top government hospital due to oxygen shortage earlier this month. The next hearing is scheduled to be held on May 28. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : A forum of retired judges, senior functionaries of civil and police services, Ambassadors and senior armed forces officers has submitted a petition to President Ram Nath Kovind over the recent political violence in West Bengal in the aftermath of the declaration of Assembly election results on May 2. The petition has been signed by 146 retired persons, including 17 judges, 63 bureaucrats, 10 Ambassadors and 56 armed forces officers. Referring to media reports, the forum said that they show unabated attacks after the declaration of results for the Assembly elections in West Bengal and "deficient and inappropriate response of the local administration and police". "These unfortunate developments, if unchecked, could establish a trend which will undermine and ultimately destroy the deep-rooted democratic traditions of India," read the petition, adding that the state government, as well as the institutions set up by the Constitution, has the "solemn constitutional duty to protect the life and liberty of the citizens which this political violence gravely undermines". In the petition, the forum sought the intervention of the President to ensure that 'unabated' post-election violence in West Bengal is not allowed to hit at the roots of Indian democratic values, tarnishing democracy and damaging it at the cost of the future generations. "It is further requested that the culprits must be punished without exception -- firstly, by identifying the public servants who failed to take any action and abandoned their duty; secondly, by identifying the political provocateurs; thirdly, cases should be registered in respect of all offences in the wake of violence; and finally, effectively proceeding against the actual offenders to bring them to justice," the petition read. It is recommended that an SIT monitored by a retired Supreme Court judge appointed by the top court should be formed for fair investigation and speedy justice, it added. Further, since West Bengal is a sensitive border state, the petitioners said, "We request that these cases should be handed over to the NIA to deal with the anti-national onslaught on the culture and integrity of the country." The petitioners said they have unshakable belief in the greatness of Indian democracy and its sacred institutions and are fully committed to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, build a robust economy and a healthy cohesive society infused with the country's millennia old culture and civilisation. "Recent targeted political killings and bloodshed after the Assembly elections in West Bengal highlight the need for every right-thinking citizen to observe non-violence at all costs and respect a democratic process which inherently rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. "We are submitting this memorandum as we are greatly disturbed by the mindless instigation of reported violence in electoral vengeance against the people who exercised their democratic right to vote for one political party or the other," said the petition. According to the petition, the media has widely reported that over a dozen people, including women, have been killed in post-poll violence in the state. Over 15,000 incidents of violence have reportedly taken place in Bengal, it said. As per credible reports, the petition said, out of the 23 districts in West Bengal, 16 have been badly affected by violence. As a result, 4,000 to 5,000 people have reportedly fled to Assam, Jharkhand and Orissa. In the petition, the forum sought for a special relief package to be announced for the victims of violence, and that all efforts should be made for their rehabilitation with full sense of security. "Offences reportedly of rape, attempted rapes, and violating the modesty of women, targeting scheduled castes and tribes, and incidents of religious sacrilege are the worst manifestation of post-poll violence in West Bengal," it said. According to their information, many offences have not even been registered, the petitioners alleged. The democratic process provides for political change without violence, which, as a corollary, means that the retention of political power must eschew violence, the petition said. Popularity should come from winning the hearts of the people and not by shedding the blood of those who do not support any particular political group or party, the petition added. "The shocking nature and degree of retributive violence in West Bengal after the election results is the negation of the fundamental principle that there is no place for violence in retention of power or change of power through a peaceful democratic process under the Constitution of India," it said. It further went on to say that the response of the state machinery, particularly that of the police, in such a situation should have been spontaneous, protective and unfailingly public spirited, rising above any political influence to act in one way or another. It is clear, the petition said, that the overwhelming majority of civilian deaths resulting from political violence were the result of what should be understood as serious acts of commission and omission of the law-and-order enforcement machinery of the state, or, in the worst-case scenario, induced "state terror". Noting that political violence is the bane of democratic values, the petition said that these values must be preserved at all costs. "The state of West Bengal and its government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must act in accordance with the Constitutional mandate to maintain law and order, curb violence with an iron hand and ensure peace and tranquility amongst all sections of its people. "The Centre must keep a close eye on the situation on the basis of the reports of the Governor in discharge of his Constitutional obligations, reinforce the state's law and order machinery by inducting sufficient number of CAPF personnel wherever and whenever necessary for peace and tranquility," it said. Hyderabad, May 24 : The 25th Kisan Rail from Lingampet Jagtiyal in Telangana left for New Delhi on Monday with 585 tonnes of mangos, as the Indian Railways, overcoming the challenges of the Covid pandemic, continued to provide support to the agricultural sector. The Jagityal area in Telangana is well known for cultivation of export quality mangos. Till now, during the mango season, the traders, cargo aggregators and farmers were transporting these superior quality mangoes by road to different parts of the country, which is expensive, time taking and prone to relatively more enorute damages and losses, said South Central Railway (SCR). Introduction of Kisan Rail concept by Indian Railways, along with 50 per cent tariff concession provided by the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries under the scheme "Operation Greens - TOP to Total" was extensively publicised by the newly-formed Business Development Unit (BDU) team of Secunderabad Division across all segments of freight customers including traders, cargo operators, bulk transporters and farmers in and around Jagityal region, it said. The BDU also explained to the freight customers of this area about various schemes and concessions being offered by the Railways. All these factors provided a path for initiating mango loading by Rail from Jagityal area. Within a short span of 42 days, the 25th Kisan Rail from Lingampet Jagityal could be achieved transporting around 13,590 tonnes of load and earning a revenue of Rs 5.50 crore, notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic. Kisan Rail rakes are proving to be game changers for boosting rural economy by providing faster and timely transportation of horticultural produce. These trains are immensely helping the farming sector of this area in finding new avenues for marketing their farming produce across the country. Further, it provides a smooth, hassle-free and economical transportation facility with least enroute damages to the farmers, traders and cargo operators. Also, with the commodities being loaded in parcel vans, where the requirement is only 23 tonnes per van, this has helped the farmers and traders with small to medium quantities also to avail the facility. SCR General Manager Gajanan Mallya has expressed his happiness on loading of 25th Kisan Rail from Lingampet Jagityal to New Delhi. He complimented the efforts of Secunderabad Division Team for operation of Kisan Rail loaded with mangos from Lingampet Jagityal to Adarsh Nagar, New Delhi. He advised freight customers to utilise the Kisan Rail facility for transportation of their farming produces at concessional tariffs. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Hyderabad, May 24 : A top Telangana government official on Monday made a surprise visit to crematoriums in Hyderabad amid public complaints that caretakers are charging hefty amounts for the last rites. Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Arvind Kumar visited the crematoriums located in Punjagutta, Bansilalpet and Jubilee Hills to check whether extra money was being charged from people. To make sure people were not forced to shell out extra money to perform the last rites of their departed, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has started displaying the charges at crematoriums last week. The rate for conducting the last rites on a funeral pyre using wood is Rs 8,000 and the charge for electric cremation is Rs 4,000. Arvind Kumar also looked into the amenities at the crematoriums and checked the electric cremation facility in Punjagutta as well. He was accompanied by GHMC Khairatabad zonal Commissioner P. Pravinya and other civic officials. The inspection came amid reports that caretakers of crematoriums in the city were charging anywhere between Rs 25,000 to Rs 70,000 for the last rites as the number of cremations has increased in view of deaths due to Covid-19. The caretakers are reportedly collecting the charges in cash and not issuing any receipts. Though the rules say that those who die at government hospitals should be cremated free of cost, their families are being make to shell out money. In view of the complaints of overcharging, the GHMC, apart from fixing the prices for cremations, has also set up help desks at the crematoriums and put up banners on the charges to be collected. It said that if any citizen finds that crematoriums are collecting more than prescribed charges, they can call on 040-21111111. Mumbai, May 24 : Karishma Tanna shared her lockdown pose on Instagram on Monday. In a set of four images, Karishma is dressed in a tie-dye T-shirt paired with blue denims. In one of the photos, she sits on the edge of a sofa, playing with her hair. "Lockdown Pose," she wrote as caption. Karishma was last seen in "Lahore Confidential", Kunal Kohli's spy drama that dropped digitally earlier this year. Last year, her dance number "Basanti" comedy release "Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari" became popular. New Delhi, May 24 : The Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, Randeep Guleria, said on Monday that Mucormycosis, a fungal infection also known as 'black fungus, can infect the lungs, eyes and the gastrointestinal tract, and can even spread to the brain. Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection which is being detected quite frequently in Covid patients across the country for the past few weeks. Guleria said that three type of fungal infections are found in patients with high diabetes and steroid doses -- Candida, Aspergillosis and Mucormycosis. Mucormycosis can be categorised depending on which organ is attacked by it, he said, adding that signs and symptoms of the infection also vary depending on the affected body part. "The Rhino orbital cerebral Mucormycosis infects the nose, orbit of eye/eye socket, oral cavity and can even spread to the brain. The symptoms include headache, nasal congestion, nasal discharge (green colour), pain in sinus, bleeding nose, swelling on face, lack of sensation on face and skin discolouration. "The Pulmonary Mucormycosis affects the lungs. It causes fever, chest pain, cough and coughing of blood. The fungus can also infect the gastrointestinal tract," Guleria said "The Candida fungal infection can manifest with symptoms such as white patches in the mouth, tongue and oral cavities; it can infect the private parts and can also be found in the blood (in which case it can become serious). "Aspergillosis, which is relatively uncommon, affects and invades the lungs by creating cavities in the lungs. What is observed during the pandemic is mostly Mucormycosis; Aspergillosis is observed occasionally, while Candida in found in some people," the AIIMS Director noted. Speaking about the high-risk category of people who are being infected by Mucormycosis, Gularia said: "90-95 per cent of patients getting infected by Mucormycosis are found to have been either diabetic and/or taking steroids. This infection is seen very rarely in those who are neither diabetic, nor taking steroids." Guleria also said that Covid positive patients, who have uncontrolled diabetes and use steroids, should immediately report to the doctors. "If the warning signs for Mucormycosis -- such as headache, rusting or bleeding from nose, swelling below the eye, lowering of facial sensation -- are observed in high-risk patients or those taking steroids, they need to inform to doctors so that early diagnosis and treatment can be given," Guleria said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Thiruvananthapuram, May 24 : Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran has extended support to the people of Lakshadweep. Calling out the reforms and restrictions imposed by the new administrator Praful Patel, he also reminisced about shooting in islands. "Lakshadweep. My first memories of this gorgeous little group of islands are from a school excursion when I was in my 6th grade. I remember being in awe of the turquoise waters and the crystal clear lagoons," he wrote. He added: "Years later, I was part of the crew that brought film making back to the islands with Sachy's ANARKALI. I spent a good 2 months in Kavarati and made memories and friends for a lifetime. Two years back I went back again to film what was probably the most challenging sequence of my directorial debut LUCIFER. None of these would have been possible if not for the wonderful, warm hearted people of Lakhsadweep." Prithviraj shared that he has been getting desperate messages from people in these islands, requesting and sometimes even pleading with him to do what he can to bring public attention to what is going on there. "I'm not going to go on and write an essay about the islands and why the new administrator's 'reforms' seem completely bizarre. All such material should by now be easily available online for those of you interested in reading about it," he wrote. He added: "What I do know for sure though, is that none of the islanders I know, or none of those who've spoken to me are happy with what's happening. I strongly believe that any law, reform or amendment should never be for the land, but for the people of the land. It's never the geographical or political boundary that makes a country, state or a union territory but the people who live there. How does disrupting the way of life of a centuries old peaceful settlement become an acceptable means of progress? How will threatening the balance of a very delicate island ecosystem with no regard for the potential consequences pave the way for sustainable development?" Prithviraj shared that he has faith in our system, and even more faith in our people. "When an entire community is unhappy with decisions taken by a nominated authority, upon whose posting the people there had no say, and they vociferously bring it to the attention of the world and their government, I would like to think there is no way other than act on it," he said. He urged the people concerned to listen to the voice of the people of Lakshadweep. "Trust them to know what is better for their land. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth, with even more beautiful people living there," he wrote. New Delhi, May 24 : With the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to decline in the last few weeks in the capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government has started preparations for the next wave of Covid-19, which could require nearly 40,000 oxygen supported beds. During the period April-May, when daily Covid cases were over 25000 and the positivity rate was over 35 per cent, not only did the healthcare system of the capital almost collapse, but the Delhi government's Covid management system too was under total stress. To meet the challenges, the state administration had then deployed all its senior officials and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was appointed as the nodal minister for Covid management. Taking a lesson from the second wave, during which Delhi lacked a number of ICU beds with inadequate stock of oxygen resulting in several deaths in and outside the hospitals, the state administration seems geared up to ensure that the same situation is not repeated, if a third wave of the Covid pandemic hits the capital. For this, the Kejriwal government has not only started augmenting the number of general and ICU beds, but is also working to ensure that Delhi does not grapple with a shortage of medical oxygen again. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday visited the oxygen depot in Mayapuri, which has been prepared to store the consignment of the oxygen cylinders received from China. He informed that around 6000 oxygen cylinders have been airlifted from China, out of which 4400 have been received and 1600 will be received within this week. "These cylinders can be given to the individuals in need and if another wave emerges and the cases rise again then with these 6000 cylinders, the Delhi government can prepare 3000 oxygen beds, as two cylinders are needed on each oxygen bed," Kejriwal said. The Chief Minister stated that for the country, this is the second wave but for Delhi this is the fourth wave, and this time, in the last week of April around 28,000 cases were recorded but now they have come down to 1500. The infection rate had also declined to 25 per cent. "It seems that this wave is subsiding but there has been no laxity in the efforts by the Delhi Government. We have already started preparing for the next, what is being called the third wave." Kejriwal said the Delhi government faced a lot of challenges in importing oxygen cylinders from China; however, it could be made possible with the help of the Centre. "Apart from all these, Delhi government is in the process to import concentrators on a big scale of which many have been received already. Oxygen Concentrator Banks have been installed across the various districts. Whosoever needs oxygen concentrators, they are provided. We are also going to buy oxygen tanks and are creating oxygen storage space. Whatever problems we face during this wave are now being resolved," Kejriwal said. As of today, Delhi has 4380 beds for Covid patients in both government and private hospitals, out of which over 2000 are vacant. At present (till Monday, 6 p.m.) Delhi has a total of 2564 IBUC beds with ventilators, of which around 2000 are still occupied. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The company has lodged a prospectus with ASIC for an Initial Public Offering to list on the Australian Securities Exchange and to issue up to 165 million fully paid ordinary shares at A$0.40 per share. Commitments have been received from existing shareholders and new investors, including international and domestic institutions. is well on track to raise A$66 million in its Initial Public Offering (IPO) to list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) with firm commitments received from existing shareholders and new investors for A$60 million. In a prospectus that has been lodged with ASIC, the company is targeting an additional A$6 million for 15 million shares at A$0.40 per share which is being sought under a General Offer to the Australian public. Shares in the company are anticipated to begin trading on the ASX under the code TBN by the end of June. Tamboran intends to use proceeds from the IPO to fund its 25% interest in the Santos-operated EP 161 Tanumbirini #2H and Tanumbirini #3H horizontal wells and the drilling of the Maverick #1H horizontal well on Tamborans adjacent 100%-owned EP 136 licence in the first half of 2022. Largest in nearly a decade Tamboran CEO and managing director Joel Riddle said lodging the prospectus supported by the capital committed from high-quality institutional investors in Australia, the US, Asia Pacific and Europe was a significant day for Tamboran Resources, our employees and our shareholders. He said: The committed capital represents the largest E&P IPO in Australia in nearly a decade. This is an incredible achievement for the company, and demonstrates the strong institutional investor demand in Australia, US, Asia Pacific and Europe to fund Tamborans high-growth business plan. The General Offer is expected to close on or about June 10, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. MST Financial Services Pty Ltd served as lead manager of the IPO, Jermyn East Capital Pty Ltd served as corporate advisor and Squire Patton Boggs served as legal advisor to the company. Well-funded for drilling Mr Riddle added, Following the completion of the IPO, Tamboran will be funded for the drilling of two horizontal wells on EP 161 and one horizontal well on EP 136 in the core of the Beetaloo Sub-basin and, subject to drilling success, the company will be well-positioned to deliver the first commercial development from the Beetaloo Sub-basin by 2025. As well as funding of up to three horizontal wells, proceeds will be used for 2-D seismic acquisition and other working capital. READ: Tamboran Resources spuds Tanumbirini #2H horizontal gas well at EP 161, Beetaloo Sub-basin in Northern Territory The drilling campaign in EP 161, operated by Santos, in which Tamboran has a 25% interest, began on May 11 with the spudding of the Tanumbirini #2H horizontal well. Drilling of this well is expected to be completed in July 2021. The rig will then drill Tanumbirini #3H and both wells will be flow tested in the second half of this year. 2-D seismic acquisition is anticipated to occur over Tamborans 100% EP 136 licence in the second half of 2021 and the Maverick #1H horizontal well is anticipated to be drilled in the first half of 2022. Geneva, May 24 : Nearly 1,15,000 health and care workers have died due to Covid since the pandemic began last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday, hailing their sacrifice and asserting the need to protect and invest in healthcare workforce as a matter of urgency. "We estimate that at least 1,15,000 health and care workers have paid the ultimate price in the service of others. Health and care workers do heroic things, but they are not superheroes. They are humans like the rest of us. Many feel frustrated, helpless and unprotected, with a lack of access to personal protective equipment and vaccines, and the tools to save lives," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at the opening of the WHO's 74th World Health Assembly (WHA). The 74th WHA is taking place online from May 24 to June 1. "We owe them so much, and yet globally health and care workers often lack the protection, the equipment, the training, the decent pay, the safe working conditions and the respect they deserve. If we have any hope of achieving a healthier, safer, fairer future, every Member State must protect and invest in its health and care workforce as a matter of urgency," Ghebreyesus added. He lamented that so many healthcare workers lost their lives in the last 18 months and many more will lose as long as the pandemic rages. Based on current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year's total within the next three weeks, Ghebreyesus said. "Since our Health Assembly started this morning, almost 1,000 people have lost their lives to Covid-19. And in the time it takes me to make these remarks, a further 400 will die. This is very tragic," he said. Lauding healthcare workers' efforts, particularly through the pandemic, the WHO chief said: "Today I ask you not for a moment's silence, but to make the loudest noise you can. Please join me in clapping, shouting and stamping your feet for every health and care worker everywhere." Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New delhi, May 24: The suspicion that a lab leak from a Chinese facility in Wuhan was the root cause of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to gather momentum with an investigative report by a leading US daily pointing out that three researchers working at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) developed Covid like symptoms ahead of the official date of the breakout. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), these researchers from WIV sought hospital care in November 2019, months ahead of China's disclosure of the Covid-19 pandemic. The newspaper on Sunday based its findings on a previous US intelligence report, which provided fresh details on the number of researchers affected at the WIV, the timing of their illnesses, and their visits to the hospital. The report may add more weight to growing clamour for a fresh and impartial probe into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially after an inconclusive investigation by the World Health Organisation (WHO) had earlier said that a lab leak was unlikely to be the cause of the pandemic The WSJ report has been published on the eve of a WHO meeting, which is expected to discuss the next phase of a probe into the origins of Covid-19. The WSJ writeup builds on earlier credible reports that strongly suggest that a lab leak could have been the likely cause of the Covid-19 outbreak. In a detailed article, the authoritative Bulletin of Atomic Scientist (BAS) had cited five reasons to build a case for a fresh investigation on the possibility that the virus had escaped from WIV. The BAS report points out that WIV has been engaged in what are called gain-of-function experiments. In simple language, it means that the facility had been conducting experiments to enhance the ability of dangerous animal viruses to infect people. Was SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic also a result of gain-of-function experiments? In that case, its accidental leakage cannot be ruled out. Nicholas Wade, the author of the article further identifies Shi Zheng-li as a nodal researcher at WIV, who was engaged in gain-of-function experiments. The author points out that Shi had earlier collaborated with coronavirus researcher Ralph S. Baric. In November 2015 the duo created a novel virus by taking the backbone of the SARS1 virus and replacing its spike protein with one from a bat virus. The development of SARS-CoV-2 could therefore have been a logical extension of her earlier work. Second, the safety standards of WIV were simply not fool-proof to prevent an accidental leakage of a lab developed Coronavirus. Wade spotlights that gain-of-function experiments were being carried out in the less safe BSL-2 level labs. Third, Chinese lack of transparency during the conduct of investigations to determine the origin of the pandemic at Wuhan has further strengthened the lab escape proposition. Fourth, the Chinese authorities went out of their way to sell the theory that the SARS-CoV-2virus evolved naturally. Why did they have to mount such an extraordinary effort? Finally, the Chinese attempted to manipulate the composition of the WHO investigators, who visited them in February, and controlled the team's information access, generating further speculation of foul play. Earlier the Weekend Australian newspaper revealed that Chinese scientists were thinking about bioweapons, visualising a Word War-3 scenario. The daily cited a Chinese government document which discussed the weaponisation of SARS coronavirus. Titled the Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons, the 2015 paper was authored by Chinese scientists, Chinese public health officials and members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Released five years ahead the Covid-19 outbreak, it nails Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronaviruses as a "new era of genetic weapons" that can be "artificially manipulated into an emerging human Adisease virus, then weaponised and unleashed in a way never seen before". The question then arises: Was the WIV engaged in developing bioweapons, resulting in the accidental escape of SARS-CoV-2? Reporting on the WSJ story, Reuters contacted a US National Security Council spokeswoman for comment. Without directly commenting on the WSJ report, she said that the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China. (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/ Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Geneva, May 24 : The ongoing vaccine crisis is a "scandalous inequity" that is perpetuating the Covid pandemic, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. In his address at the WHO's 74th World Health Assembly, taking place online from May 24 to June 1, he said: "More than 75 per cent of all vaccines have been administered in just 10 countries." The fate of the rest of the world is controlled by a small group of countries that are making and buying the majority of the vaccines, he added.. If the vaccines had been distributed equitably, the doses "administered globally so far would have been enough to cover all health workers and older people". "We could have been in a much better situation," he lamented. Further, Ghebreyesus stated that countries vaccinating children and other low-risk groups now "do so at the expense of health workers and high-risk groups in other countries". While 72 million doses have been shipped to 125 countries through COVAX, they are sufficient for barely 1 per cent of the combined population of those countries. Ghebreyesus called on member states to support vaccination of at least 10 per cent of the population of every country by September, and at least 30 per cent by the end of the year. "We must be very clear: the pandemic is not over, and it will not be over until and unless transmission is controlled in every last country," he said. The global health body chief urged all countries to increase surveillance, testing, sequencing, and sharing information; surge supplies needed to protect health workers; fight misinformation and disinformation; empower people and communities to play their part; support businesses and workplaces to take steps to open up safely, where appropriate; implement national vaccination strategies, vaccinate those most at risk, and donate vaccines to COVAX. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Srinagar, May 24 : There was decline in both new cases and Covid-related deaths in J&K on Monday with 2,237 new cases and 45 deaths reported during the last 24 hours. Officials said more patients recovered on Monday than tested positive as 3,999 patients were discharged while 2,237 new cases came to light. A total of 854 cases and 29 deaths were reported from Jammu division and 1,383 cases and 16 deaths from the Kashmir division. So far, 272,858 people have been infected with coronavirus out of which 223,619 have recovered, and 3,609 have succumbed. The number of active cases is 45,630 out of which 18,738 are from the Jammu division and 26,892 are from the Kashmir division. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : A high-powered committee meeting began at the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday to select the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Besides the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, will discuss the names for the top CBI post for a fixed term of two years. The CBI got an acting Director in the form of Praveen Sinha after the term of R.K. Shukla ended on February 3. According to sources, several officers of the 1985 and 1986 batches are in the race for the top post. After the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) chooses the names of at least three or four officers for the CBI Director's post, they are sent to the Select Committee comprising the Prime Minister, the CJI and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which decides the final pick for a fixed term of two years. Currently the Congress is the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. According to the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in 2004, officers from the four oldest serving batches of IPS are considered for the top post. As per the guidelines, officials having experience in anti-corruption investigations or CBI, from the senior most four batches of IPS cadre, will be empanelled, following which a screening of three officers would be sent to the Appointments' Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. New Delhi, May 24 : National Students Union of India (NSUI) national President Neeraj Kundan has written a letter to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank over the issue of holding Class 12 board exams and said that the government is not following its own guidelines. Kundan in his letter said, "I am writing to bring this to your attention that while making the decision to conduct the 12th board examinations, you failed to consider your own guidelines which mention that, the vaccination drive so far is just for the citizens above the age of 18 and majority of these students are below the age of 18." He said that keeping this fact in mind the decision of conducting this exam could be life threatening to the students appearing for the exams. "There is also a fear that our country will be facing the third wave, and I hope you are totally aware that the scientific advisor to the Prime Minister K VijayRaghavan himself said, 'Phase 3 is inevitable given the high levels of circulating virus. But it is not clear on what timescale this Phase 3 will occur. Hopefully, incrementally, but we should prepare for new waves'. "So, rather than taking precautionary measures to prevent the third wave, the decision taken by you to conduct the 12th board examinations is putting the lives of these innocent children at risk," the NSUI leader wrote. He also said that another important aspect to be kept in mind before implementing this decision is proper vaccination of these children. "The Central government has not come up with a concrete plan to vaccinate the children and it has not been even taken into consideration yet. On the other hand countries like US have already immunised almost 6 lakh children between the age of 12-15, UK has its roadmap to vaccinate their children but India is till date is struggling to vaccinate the 18 year plus individuals of the country and there seem to be no plan under considerations vaccinate the population below 18 years," he said. He also pointed out that the studies of these children are at stake but there is nothing more important than the lives of the students. "Hence it is requested to keep the safety of these students at priority and reconsider the decision to conduct the exams in July-August. No such decision must be taken before there is a definite plan of vaccination on paper," he added. He further said that the children, who were so far safe from the pandemic as they were at their homes will now be at risk when they come out for their exams. Chennai, May 24 : The trademark war between 35-year-old Rs 400 crore medical syringes brand Dispovan owned by Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices and the Vanguard Diagnostics' Dipcovan antibody detection kit has ended amicably, said a top official of the former company. "The dispute has ended amicably. Vanguard Diagnostics has informed us that it has withdrawn its application from the Trade Marks registry," Rajiv Nath, Managing Director, Hindustan Syringes, told IANS. Though both the products are different in nature, they are classified as medical devices which may result in confusion at the marketplace, Nath had told IANS earlier. He had also said the confusion would happen as Vanguard Diagnostics will be manufacturing and marketing the Covid-19 antibody detection kit and people may associate the product as belonging to the house of Hindustan Syringes, the makers of Dispovan syringes. For Nath, the stakes were high as the Dispovan brand of syringes fetches his company about Rs 400 crore. Last Friday, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) had said that one of its labs, the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), along with Vanguard Diagnostics has developed an antibody detection-based kit named Dipcovan. Perhaps the brand name Dipcovan was arrived at by combining DIP from DIPAS, Co from Covid and Van from Vanguard Diagnostics. New Delhi-based Vanguard Diagnostics will commercially launch the product during the first week of June 2021. Nath had written to DRDO pointing out its brand sounding similar to that of syringe brand Dispovan. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : WhatsApp on Monday said it has sent a reply to the notice by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) after the ministry directed the Facebook-owned platform to withdraw its controversial user privacy policy. In its fresh notice to the company, the MeitY told WhatsApp to respond to its concerns by May 25. A WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement that the company has responded to the Government of India's letter and assured them that the privacy of users "remains our highest priority". "As a reminder, the recent update does not change the privacy of people's personal messages. Its purpose is to provide additional information about how people can interact with businesses if they choose to do so," the spokesperson said. Noting that many Indian users depend on WhatsApp for communicating on a daily basis, the ministry had said in the notice that it is irresponsible for WhatsApp to leverage its position in the Indian market to impose unfair terms and conditions. As per the ministry, the changes to WhatsApp privacy policy and the manner of introducing the changes undermines the sacrosanct values of informational privacy, data security and user choice and harms the rights and interests of Indian citizens. The WhatsApp spokesperson said that the company "will not limit the functionality of how WhatsApp works in the coming weeks. "Instead, we will continue to remind users from time to time about the update as well as when people choose to use relevant optional features, like communicating with a business that is receiving support from Facebook," the spokesperson added. "We will maintain this approach until at least the forthcoming PDP (personal data protection) law comes into effect". The MeitY communication had noted that WhatsApp's new privacy policy is a violation of several provisions of the existing Indian laws and rules. WhatsApp has rolled out its privacy policy globally including in India, where it has more than 400 million users. The users will not immediately lose their accounts or face curtailed functionalities, but they will have to eventually go through limited functions if they fail to accept the new norms in the due course of time. After persistent reminders, the users will encounter limited functionality on WhatsApp until they accept the updates. Srinagar, May 24 : The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ganderbal district of J&K, Krittika Jyotsna during a press briefing on Monday revealed that the Covid-19 positivity rate has declined from 11.4 per cent to 8 per cent in the district. Giving details on the status of tests conducted across the district during this week, she said that over 9500 tests were conducted this week, and the trajectory of the positivity rate has shown decline in the district which is a positive development. Elaborating on the status of Vaccination campaign in the district, the DC said that 99 per cent of vaccination of people above 45 years of age is completed and appealed the rest to get vaccinated at the earliest adding that sufficient doses of vaccination are available in the district. She also briefed on the screening and testing of persons coming from Kargil at Sonamarg and said that one check post has been installed at Sonamarg and till date 1950 persons have been screened and 246 were tested for Covid out of which 4 tested positive and were sent for home isolation. Regarding Micro Containment strategy, the DC said that 15 new Micro Containment Zones have been added this week to break further spread of the virus thus taking Micro Containment Zones to 454 in the district. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : With global vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna refusing to deal with states like Punjab and Delhi, saying that they will deal only with the Central government, Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Monday attacked the Narendra Modi government over its vaccine procurement policy. In a statement he said, "The central government's direction to the states to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers abroad was a cynical move.If Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have not yet been approved for use by the central government, how will they deal with or sell to the states? " Chidambaram alleged that the government has rebuffed Congress advice as well as the suggestion of the Courts, that procurement of vaccines must be centralised. "The Modi government is callous and cruel. Meanwhile, the shortage of vaccines will continue and the people will suffer and thousands will die. What a tragedy!" he said. Citing its policy, Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send the vaccine direct to Punjab, state nodal officer for vaccination Vikas Garg said on Sunday. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday said US pharmaceutical companies manufacturing Covid vaccines -- Pfizer and Moderna -- have made it clear they won't sell vaccines directly to the Delhi government. "We have spoken to Pfizer and Moderna for vaccines, and both the manufacturers have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said they will deal with the central government. We appeal to the Centre to import vaccines and distribute to the states," Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister for Covid management in Delhi, said. Punjab nodal officer Garg said all vaccine manufacturers were approached for direct purchase of vaccines, including Sputnik V, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Garg said a reply was received only from Moderna in which the company refused to deal with the state government. The state was forced to stop vaccination for Phase 1 and 2 categories in the last three days because of non-availability of vaccines. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The presentation provided the opportunity to respond to queries on the current status of the project and highlight the essential support the company requires from the European Battery Alliance and the Spanish government. The government recognises the geostrategic importance of one of the EUs largest lithium deposits as part of Spains long-term roadmap for the transformation. ( ) ( ) has welcomed the continuing commitment by the European Commission (EC) to develop self-sufficient lithium supplies to service Europe's burgeoning electric vehicle transition. The company met with the EC vice-president Maros Sefcovic and presented the San Jose Lithium Project in Spain during the European Battery Alliance (EBA) Day in Madrid. Infinity Lithium managing director and CEO Ryan Parkin addressed the current status of the project with Sefcovic at the Madrid meetings and reinforced the critical importance for all stakeholders - including at European and national level - to ensure the timely progression of the project in line with the strategic objectives of the EBA. The company believes it is vital for all levels of government to support the project to utilise the EUs limited lithium raw materials that underpin the European automotive transition to electric vehicles. Covering the whole value chain EIT InnoEnergy CEO Diego Pavia co-hosted the EBA with Sefcovic, which showcased the five industrial projects that comprise the Battchain initiative. The Spanish consortium, which includes San Jose, covers the entire battery value chain and is eligible for European funding as represented in an EOI led by EIT InnoEnergy. Sefcovic highlighted the critical importance of lithium and the development of the entire ecosystem around electric vehicles, with EVs representing 15% of all EU vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2021. He said: There are the critical raw materials, there is the anecdotal evidence of how far we have moved and I would highlight the piece of information that just two years ago we did not have lithium on the list of critical raw materials for Europe. Now we know that by 2030 we will need 18 times more, by 2050 we will need 60 times more and when I talk to the industry, they still tell me this is a very conservative estimate. On top of this, we still do not have one single refinery for lithium in Europe. I am so pleased that from the start we have been working on making sure that we are covering the whole value chain. Espana 2050 Project On the day, the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, unveiled the first step of the Espana 2050 project through the Fundamentos y propuestas para una Estrategia Nacional de Largo Plazo (Foundations and proposals for a Long-Term National Strategy) study, serving as a blueprint for other EU Member States. Sanchez recognised Spains geostrategic raw materials as an asset for the EU and the existence in Spain of one of the largest lithium deposits on the continent in the San Jose Lithium Project. The project is progressing the development of a major European hard rock lithium resource for the production of battery-grade lithium chemicals and the largest JORC-compliant lithium resource in Spain. Notably, the long-term national strategy also highlighted the need to achieve greater efficiency in the use of materials that are essential to prevent the future digital and ecological transition, which Sanchez said [Will] require greater use of raw materials such as lithium, and for our country to replace its dependence on foreign fossil fuels with that of these resources. The availability of raw materials that underpin the countrys transition to electrification and digital transformation is indicative of the central government's position on the challenges facing Spain Looking forward The San Jose Project is the second-largest JORC hard rock lithium deposit in the EU which is anticipated the become the second-largest market for battery-grade lithium after China. It is the first lithium project to secure EIT InnoEnergy Funding and the company continues to engage with major project stakeholders following the cancellation of the Investigation Permit Valdeflorez, a research permit that is required to facilitate the progression of the project which meets the primary objectives of the EBA and the Espana 2050 national strategy. The strategy was coordinated by the Oficina Nacional de Prospectiva y Estrategia and supported by organisations such as the AIReF, the Bank of Spain and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. New Delhi, May 24 : A team of Delhi Police reached the offices of Twitter India in Delhi and Gurugram on Monday evening to "serve notice" in connection with its probe into the alleged toolkit case. A source in Delhi Police told IANS, "The Special Cell has sent a notice to Twitter. In its reply, Twitter said it has no more knowledge in the matter. So a team of Special Cell officers went to the offices of Twitter to record the statements of the persons there, but they were found closed." The source also clarified that there no raids or searches are being carried out at the offices of Twitter in Delhi and Gurugram. Later, Delhi Police issued a statement which said, "The Delhi Police team went to Twitter office to serve a notice to Twitter, as a part of routine process. This was necessitated as we wanted to ascertain who is the right person to serve a notice, as replies by Twitter India MD have been very ambiguous." The action comes after the Special Cell sent a notice to Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari over the alleged toolkit case on May 21. Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police had said, "We are inquiring into a complaint in which clarification is sought from Twitter regarding the classification of a tweet by (BJP spokesperson) Sambit Patra as 'manipulative'." The statement said that "it appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us on the basis of which it has classified it as such". "This information is relevant to the inquiry. The Special Cell, which is conducting the inquiry, wants to find out the truth. Twitter, which has claimed to know the underlying truth, should clarify," the statement added. In its notice to Twitter India MD, the Delhi Police had asked Maheshwari to be present in the office of the Special Cell on May 22 at 1 p.m. with all the relevant documents. The Delhi Police also said that they were carrying out a preliminary inquiry pertaining to the 'toolkit' allegedly released by the Congress. A war of words had erupted between the Congress and the BJP last week after Sambit Patra released a set of pages alleging to be the 'toolkit' of the Congress to defame the Narendra Modi government. The Congress had approached the Delhi Police with a complaint against BJP chief J.P. Nadda, Patra, B.L. Santosh, Union minister Smriti Irani and others. Guwahati/Agartala, May 24 : Cyclone 'Yaas' is likely to affect three northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim - causing moderate to heavy rains on May 26-27, IMD officials said on Monday. India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that the intensity of rain depends on the cyclone movements. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a tweet, said : "Cyclone 'YAAS' is likely to affect the (northeastern) region on 26-27 May. Hon'ble UHM Amit Shah called and enquired about preparedness of Assam, Sikkim and Meghalaya. "Informed that emergency services have been pressed into action. Grateful, to Hon'ble UHM for his continued concern for the region." IMD Director in Tripura Dilip Saha said that light to moderate rain is likely to occur in many states of the northeastern region. "In few places in the region might witness heavy rain. However, the rain and wind speed of the Cyclone 'Yaas' would depend on the strength and direction of the storm," Saha told IANS. Meanwhile, in view of latest advisory of the IMD, eight teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Guwahati were airlifted to Odisha for search and rescue operations. NDRF 1st Battalion Commandant H.P.S. Kandari said that the Odisha government had requisitioned more than 50 teams of the NDRF while West Bengal governemnt requested 35 teams. Teams from NDRF battalions in Assam and Bihar are being airlifted to Odisha and West Bangal in addition to those from the battalions stationed in these states. The teams consisting 200 personnel including engineers, paramedics, technical experts were airlifted from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati to Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar by Indian Air Force transport aircraft. These teams are equipped with flood rescue boats, collapse search and specialist rescue operation equipment. Cases against farmers in Hisar to be withdrawn after show of strength Image Source: IANS News Cases against farmers in Hisar to be withdrawn after show of strength Image Source: IANS News Cases against farmers in Hisar to be withdrawn after show of strength Image Source: IANS News Cases against farmers in Hisar to be withdrawn after show of strength Image Source: IANS News Cases against farmers in Hisar to be withdrawn after show of strength Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, May 24 : The cases filed against the farmers in Hisar on May 16 following their protest against the Centre's three farm laws will be withdrawn, it was decided in a meeting between the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and the district administration after another large demonstration in the Haryana town on Monday. Meanwhile, one of the protesting farmers succumbed to a heart attack. According to the SKM, the detailed discussion between the two sides saw the district administration seek apology for the police action on May 16, which came ahead of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's visit. Three decisions were taken in the meeting. Firstly, the police cases filed on May 16 against the protesters will be withdrawn; secondly, the administration will get the farmers' vehicles damaged by the police on May 16 repaired; and thirdly, a government job will be provided to an eligible kin of the deceased farmer, Ramchandra. Ramchandra had suffered the heart attack while coming to the farmers' protest venue at the Krantimark Park. "The Haryana government is continuously seeking to defame the farmers, and blame them for spreading coronavirus. The famers want to make it clear that the disease is spreading in the state because of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. "If the farmers held a protest, it was due to Khattar's visit. If the Chief Minister stops issuing statements against the farmers and not file false cases against them, then he can turn his attention to combating the spread of coronavirus, and the farmers will not need to come out onto the streets to protest," the SKM said. Appealing to the Centre to withdraw the three contentious farm laws and bring in a law assuring the minimum support price (MSP) so that the protesters can go home, the farmers alleged that for some reason, the government is holding out. The farmers also said that they would observe Buddh Purnima on May 26 at their protest sites on the borders of the national capital and elsewhere. As the date marks the completion of six months of their protests and the seventh anniversary of the Narendra Modi government, the farmers, several labour organisations and others have decided to hold protests on that day. SKM leaders said that on May 26, they would raise their voice against the "repressive" actions of the Modi government, which is, according to them, "oppressing" the farmers and various other sections of the people. "On May 26, various people's organisations will observe the day as 'Virodh Divas' to send a message to the Modi government that in a democracy, it is the people who are paramount, not the government," one of the leaders said. New Delhi, May 24 : Apple on Monday sent media invites for its flagship developer conference 'WWDC 2021 from June 7-11 in a virtual avatar. The annual conference will announce latest software and technologies from Apple. "And away we go. WWDC21, June 7-11 Join us on June 7 at 10 a.m. PDT as WWDC21 takes off with an Apple Keynote announcing our latest software and technologies," the company said in a media invite. Free for all developers, WWDC21 will offer unique insight into the future of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. "We love bringing our developers together each year at WWDC to learn about our latest technologies and to connect them with Apple engineers," Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations and Enterprise and Education Marketing had said in an earlier statement.. "We are working to make WWDC21 our biggest and best yet, and are excited to offer Apple developers new tools to support them as they create apps that change the way we live, work, and play." WWDC21 is an opportunity for developers to learn about the new technologies, tools, and frameworks they rely on to build innovative and platform-differentiating apps and games. WWDC21 will provide Apple's worldwide community of more than 28 million developers, as well as the next generation of app developers, with the information and tools needed to turn their ideas into reality. This year's conference will include announcements from the keynote and State of the Union stages, online sessions, 1:1 labs offering technical guidance, and new ways for developers to interact with Apple engineers and designers to learn about the latest frameworks and technologies. New Delhi, May 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the names for the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with the Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The three members of the Select Committee discussed several names for the top CBI post for a fixed term of two years. The meeting started around at 6 p.m. and lasted for over 90 minutes at the Prime Minister's residence here. According to sources, the names of Hitesh Chandra Awasthi, a 1985 batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, along with two others -- SSB DG R.K. Chandra and Special Secretary in MHA, VSK Kaumudi -- were discussed in the meeting. Awasthi was appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) in Uttar Pradesh in March last year. The CBI had got an acting Director in the form of Praveen Sinha after the term of R.K. Shukla ended on February 3 this year. After the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) chooses the names of at least three or four officers for the CBI Director's post, they are sent to the Select Committee comprising the Prime Minister, the CJI and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which decides the final pick for a fixed term of two years. Currently the Congress is the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. According to the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in 2004, officers from the four oldest serving batches of IPS are considered for the top post. As per the guidelines, officials having experience in anti-corruption investigations or CBI, from the senior most four batches of IPS cadre, will be empanelled, following which a screening of three officers would be sent to the Appointments' Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. New Delhi, May 24 : The Supreme Court on Monday said it was concerned with the slow process of registering workers from the unorganised sector and sought the Centre's response for a national database for them undertaken by the Labour and Employment Ministry along with the states. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M.R. Shah said: "We are of the view that process which has been initiated by Ministry of Labour and Employment for creating a national database for unorganised workers, should be completed with collaboration and coordination of the states, which may serve registration for extending different schemes by the states and Centre." "We are of the view that for accessing of any benefit percolating from any scheme framed by the Centre or the states for the benefit of unorganised workers or migrant workers, registration of workers is essential, which shall facilitate the unorganised workers to assess the scheme and reap the benefit," it said. The bench emphasised that registration of unorganised sector workers should be completed as early as possible and there should be a common national database for all organised sector workers situated in different states. During the hearing, the top court had queried Centre as to why there is no national data on workers of the unorganised sector. It asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to expedite the process of registration of such workers by the Labour Ministry in accordance with direction passed in a separate matter in 2018. The bench noted that in Section 112 of the Code of Social Security, 2020, registration of unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers was contemplated. "Instructions also need to be obtained by the SG as to steps which are proposed to be taken by Union of India regarding above," it noted. The bench stressed that there should be a suitable mechanism to monitor and supervise whether the benefits of the welfare schemes reach the beneficiaries which may be from grassroot levels to higher authorities with names and places of beneficiaries. "On paper, we see government has spent thousands of crores, but the concern is that whether it is reaching the needy persons," Justice Shah had observed during the hearing. "We also impress upon the Central government and the state governments to complete the process of registration of organised workers at an early date so that unorganised workers are able to reap the benefit of different schemes of the Centre and the states, which, without proper registration and identity card, seem to be difficult to implement on the ground." The top court also directed that migrant workers, wherever stranded throughout the country, should be provided the dry ration under the Atma Nirbhar Scheme or any other scheme is found suitable by the states/Centre. However, it declined to pass any direction to either Centre or state governments for direct cash transfer of Rs 1,000 to Rs 6,000 to such workers, who got unemployed during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. "We are of the view that cash transfer is a matter of policy and scheme framed by each state/Union Territory and no direction for cash transfer can be issued by this court to any category of person unless they are covered by any scheme formulated by the state/Union Territory," it said. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing activist Anjali Bharadwaj and others, had contended cash transfer was a must to provide succour to the migrant workers as the situation was grim. The top court also directed all states and Union Territories to make operational the community kitchen for the stranded migrant workers. The top court was hearing of an application by activists Harsh Mander, Bhardwaj and Jagdeep Chhokar, through Bhushan, seeking directions to ensure that migrant workers are not deprived of ration and food security, and they should also be able to travel back to their homes at nominal cost. The application was filed in the suo motu case initiated by the top court last year to address migrant labourer crisis during the national lockdown. Chennai, May 24 : Covid-19 related labour unrest is slowly brewing in the automobile sector in Tamil Nadu, with workers demanding shutting down of the factories during the lockdown period and maintaining social distancing at work. On Monday, workers of country's second largest car maker Hyundai Motor India Ltd stopped production demanding closure of the factory as about 750 workers turned Covid-19 positive during April and May. "In the last two months, 750 workers have turned Covid-19 positive. Seven workers have succumbed to coronavirus. Hence today all the workers protested. Initially the management did not agree on factory closure. But when the workers started maintaining social distance at their workstations, production stopped automatically," Hyundai Motor India Employees Union (HMIEU) President E. Muthukumar told IANS. Later Hyundai Motor India agreed to close the factory for five days, from May 25 to May 29. Muthukumar said Hyundai Motor India has 16,450 workers - about 2,450 permanent, and about 12,000 contract labour/apprentice and others. Similarly, the Renault Nissan India Thozhilalar Sangam (RNITS) on Monday put the Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd's management on notice saying that the workers will boycott duty from May 26 onwards. RNITS' Joint Secretary T.Tamizh Kumaran, in a letter to the management, said that unless their safety is ensured at the plant, workers will not come to work. Citing the Madras High Court order which states steps to be taken to reduce the footfall in office and factories, the union said that the company has not taken any steps to reduce the footfall in the company's plant to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Renault Nissan Automotive is a joint venture car manufacturing plant of French auto major Renault and Japan's Nissan Motor Company. "Five workers have died and about 850 have been infected with coronavirus at Renault Nissan Automotive since last year," RNITS President K.Balaji Krishnan told IANS. He also said in 2021 alone, about 420 employees have tested Covid-19 positive. "All our workers are young and they are dying. There is no social distance maintained at the factory. We had suggested reducing the number of cars produced per hour. This in turn would reduce the number of workers per workstation. But the management didn't agree," Krishnan said. There are about 8,550 workers/staff/apprentices/contract labour (about 3,547 technicians/workers, about 2,000 staff, about 2,000 contract workers and about 1,000 apprentices) employed at the Renault Nissan Automotive plant near here. It is also learnt that worker dissatisfaction is brewing at Ford India Private Ltd's car plant near here. Workers cite Japanese two wheeler company India Yamaha Motor as a responsible one as it has announced closure of its two plants from May 15 to May 31 due to Covid-19 spread, citing "the health and safety of its employees is the top priority for the company". According to Krishnan, the RNITS had requested the factory to be closed till the workers are vaccinated or the demand for beds at the hospitals come down. Though the automobile and the component makers did not function during the March 2020 lockdown, they are allowed to operate with the state government bringing them under the continuous process industries. A worker said the paint shop and the foundry is classified as a continuous process and hence the automobile factories are classified as a continuous process industry. Krishnan said the Tamil Nadu government's order classifying automobile manufacturers as Public Utility Service ended this February. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 24 : The CBI has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta High Court order allowing the house arrest of four Trinamool Congress heavyweights in the Narada sting operation case. The investigating agency has also claimed that the Calcutta High Court ignored the disturbing pattern wherein Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee 'terrorised' it by remaining present at the CBI office along with a well-engineered crowd of 'thousands of miscreants' outside the probe agency's office in Kolkata. The top court is likely to hear on Tuesday CBI's appeal against the Calcutta High Court order sending four Trinamool leaders to house arrest after cancelling their judicial custody. Kolkata witnessed high drama last Monday after CBI sleuths arrested two Trinamool Congress ministers -- Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee -- along with present MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Sovon Chattopadhyay -- in connection with the 2016 Narada sting tapes case, in which several politicians and a high-ranked police officer were allegedly found accepting cash for providing unofficial favours to a fictitious company. While a lower court granted bail to the four Trinamool leaders on Monday evening, the order was stayed by the Calcutta High Court late on the same night. The CBI said in its plea in the top court that the West Bengal Chief Minister had rushed to its office on May 17 and passed several derogatory and defamatory comments about the probe agency, and even threatened to register cases against the officers under the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act, among others. She shouted "you also arrest me", and demanded unconditional release of the arrested accused, said the petition. The CBI has named Banerjee, Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak and Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee as parties in the petition. The CBI said that thousands of followers of Trinamool Congress had laid siege on the CBI building at Nizam Palace in Kolkata last Monday, constantly trying to disrupt the process of law by engaging in stone pelting. The CBI contended that the Chief Minister did not bat an eye and stood in support of it all till the end. The petition said: "The terror was created by and at the behest of the respondent persons, including the Chief Minister who herself who remained present at the CBI office [in the very room where the arrested accused persons were kept] along with a well-engineered crowd of thousands of miscreants and after ensuring media presence." The CBI added that it is most relevant to note that it did not pray for police custody of the accused on May 17 before the competent court due to the terror unleashed by the Trinamool workers and leaders, including the Chief Minister of the state. The agency claimed that the accused involved in economic offence of grave nature are influential members of the society. Therefore, putting them under house arrest is subject to a constant risk of them tampering with the witnesses or the administration of justice, the CBI said. "The visit of the CM to the CBI office where the four accused were kept broke all rules and norms and violated the very rule of law which the Chief Minister took the oath to abide by," argued the CBI. The probe agency said that the Kolkata Police have even registered a case against CBI officials, who were discharging their lawful duties. The CBI contended that after the high court order, the accused chose to stay back in the hospital where they continuously met guests and other political workers. The acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court had on Friday constituted a five-member bench to hear the interim bail plea of the four Trinamool heavyweights. The matter was referred to the five-judge bench after the two judges of the high court division bench differed with each other. Hyderabad, May 24 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday directed officials to implement a two-pronged strategy to curtail the Covid-19 spread in the state. He asked them to continue fever survey, and distribute medical kits, while also ramping up testing. Reviewing the Covid situation at a high-level meeting, he said that the on-going fever survey and distribution of medical kits, the first of its kind in the country, is yielding good results and it should be continued. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, directed the Medical and Health Department to increase the number of Rapid Antigen Test Kits in all the medical centres. He said from Tuesday the number of kits should be increased and if need be, the manufacturers should be asked to increase the production and supply. He wanted officials to ensure that no one coming to primary health centres is denied a Covid test. "A majority of people who come to take the tests are the poor. Hence don't deny even a single test. Increase the distribution of medical kits as well as number of tests," he said. He directed them to increase Rapid Antigen Test Kits to 50 lakh and distribute them to the PHCs and all the testing labs. He also reiterated that the funds and spending money should not be any constraint to take measures to control the spread of Corona in the state. KCR asked Finance Minister Harish Rao to review on the departments such as police, medical and health whose expenditure is increased due to the lockdown and enhance their budget, and also identify the departments whose expenditure is reduced due to the lockdown. Stating that the government is ready to spend any amount to curtain Covid, he said if necessary, the government would take loans. He said the entire situation is grim due to Corona and black fungus. The CM also instructed the officials concerned to be on a high alert to face the situation arising out when a third wave occurs. He suggested that all the beds should be converted into oxygen beds and measures be taken to increase oxygen production in the state to 600 tonnes. He asked Corona Task Force Team chairman and minister K.T. Rama Rao talk to the vaccine manufacturers to supply the required vaccinations to the state to administer the second dose to the people who are waiting in large numbers in the state. Stating that the percentage of corona positivity rate is on the decrease, KCR said that "if we can get the percentage to 5, we will be called victorious". He called for a study of the situation in places like Delhi where the Corona spread was controlled and if need be, a medical team should visit Delhi. "So far we are getting good results in reducing percentage of corona. But we have to work to reduce its percentage of spread further. We have to learn from the good experiences and there is nothing wrong in it. Reports suggest that Delhi government is successfully curtailing the spread. Maharashtra also achieved good results in curtailing the spread. Find out what are the other states where the corona spread is curtailing to a large extent and what are the measures and action plan they have taken," the CM told the officials. The Medical and Health Department officials informed the CM that for the black fungus patients, 150 beds were allotted in Gandhi Hospital and 250 in the ENT Hospital. He said the bed strength for the black fungus patients should be increased to 1,500 - 1,100 beds in Hyderabad and 400 beds in districts. KCR wanted all the medicines used in the treatment of black fungus should be made available and orders should be placed for the required numbers. He called for increasing the stock of posaconazole medicine and recruitment of doctors on a war footing to contain the spread of black fungus. "People from the neighbouring states are coming here for the treatment of Covid and black fungus. The state's population is four crore. But in the case of corona treatment, it should be counted as 10 crore. It appears that we cannot escape from giving treatment to people coming from other states," he said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Bengaluru, May 24 : Amid surging cases during the pandemic's second wave, the Karnataka government has fined nine state-run and 31 private diagnostic labs for delaying over 10,000 Covid tests results beyond 24 hours, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said on Monday. "In all, 10,103 cases were filed against 40 defaulting labs and they were collectively fined Rs 20,20,600 for delaying and not uploading Covid tests results on the Indian Council of Medical Research portal in 24 hours between May 8-22," Narayan told reporters here. Of total cases, 7,069 were against 31 private and 3,034 against 9 state-run labs. "The defaulting labs were fined Rs 200 for each case, as they continued to delay the results despite warnings," said Narayan, who also heads the state's Covid task force. Among the labs finedare MedGenome, for 1,100 cases, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (862 cases), Eurofins Clinical Genetics India (659 cases), Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory of Dr Ambedkar Medical College (156 cases), and Lifecell International (144 cases). Labs in the state capital topped the list of delayed cases. "In addition, five labs have been closed for sharing positive reports without uploading on the ICMR portal, while notices issued in 41 cases for delay in uploading samples," said Narayan. Meanwhile, state Forest Minister and city civic body's Covid war room in-charge Arvind Limbavali directed officials to increase testing of construction workers. "Covid tests should be doubled to 200 per day at every primary health centre across the city to control the pandemic," he said in a statement. The minister also advised the civic nodal officers to vaccinate more citizens across the city. "War room operators should call Covid patients in self-isolation at home twice in a day and enquire about their health status to ensure their speedy recovery," he added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The company relocated to Lot Fourteen as part of its strategy to align with quantum computing end users. Archer joins an impressive list of technology organisations at Lot Fourteen. ( ) ( ) (FRA:38A) has relocated its head office to the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct in Adelaide, South Australia. The company relocated to Lot Fourteen as part of its strategy to align with quantum computing end users. Shares have been as much as 10% higher intra-day to A$0.76 while Archer Materials' market capitalisation is approximately A$156 million. Impressive list of high-growth industries Archer joins an impressive list of organisations at Lot Fourteen, including the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, Stone & Chalk and the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre (A3C). Earlier this year, the Australian Space Discovery Centre and Mission Control Centre opened their doors at Lot Fourteen. Lot Fourteen is focusing on the high-growth industries of space; defence; hi-tech, encompassing cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data; and creative industries. It has already attracted world-leading organisations from these industry sectors. New address The companys new registered office and principal place of business address details are: New office address: Lot Fourteen, Frome Road, Adelaide SA 5000 Its new postal address is: PO Box 190 Belair SA 5052. All other contact details remain unchanged. New Delhi, May 24 : Delhi Police on Monday said that they have arrested two persons for black marketing of Amphotericin B injections and recovered 20 vials of the same from their possession. Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South Delhi, said, "We have arrested two persons -- Rajnish Srivastava and Murtaza Khan -- who were black marketing black fungus-related life saving drugs Amphotericin B at exorbitant prices." Thakur said the police recovered 20 Amphotericin B Injections, three mobile phones and one car from the accused persons. The DCP said that on Sunday, the police got a secret tip-off that some persons were selling Amphotericin B Injection for a black fungus patient at an exorbitant price of Rs 11,300 per jab. The DCP said that the alleged person had agreed to deliver 20 injections for Rs 2,26,000 near the Max Hospital in south Delhi's Saket area. "At about 2 p.m., a car was seen coming near the Max Hospital. It was signalled to stop but instead of slowing down, the driver accelerated and tried to flee from the spot. After some efforts, the car was intercepted and the occupants were overpowered," the officer said. The police recovered 20 Amphotericin B injections and three mobile phones, including the one used for communicating with the complainant, from the car. Further interrogation revealed that the accused had brought these injections from Lucknow and were trying to sell them at a very high price. The DCP said that Rajnish Srivastava is a resident of Ghaziabad and had done his Masters in tourism from the Lucknow University. In 2012-13, he started a firm namely AmbuSmith Inc. which dealt in medical equipment and ambulance modification. Murtaza Khan, a resident of Delhi, worked as a driver for Srivastava. Amaravati, May 25 : A district court in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district on Monday sentenced 12 persons to death in the sensational highway killings case of 2008. The 8th Additional Sessions Court in Ongole also handed down life imprisonment to seven persons for their involvement in the case which involved the disappearance of several persons, and the goods-laden trucks they were driving, on the Kolkata-Chennai national highway. Main accused, Abdul Samad alias Munna, was awarded death sentence on three counts. The sensational case of truckers and their goods-laden trucks, disappearing on the national highway in Prakasam district, in 2008, had baffled the police. Finally they stumbled upon a clue and discovered that Munna and his gang were killing the truckers and disposing off the vehicles. According to police, Munna and his gang would pose as officials on the national highway, stop the trucks, and demand to see their papers. They would then strangle the unsuspecting truckers and bury them in surrounding forests, before disposing off the vehicles and goods. The gang was finally arrested and seven cases filed against them. Investigations showed that the gang had murdered 13 persons. In between, the main accused had jumped bail, but was later arrested again. New Delhi, May 25 : The deadline to comply with the new legal rules meant for big social media platforms, which were issued by the government three months ago, is ending on Tuesday, threatening the operations of the likes of Twitter in India. According to top official sources, social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and others, which were required to abide by the rules notified in the gazette of India on February 25 under Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021, have failed to comply on many accounts till date. The government's rules will come into effect from May 26. "If social media companies do not obey the rules, they may lose their status and protections as intermediaries and may become liable for criminal action as per the existing laws of India," top official sources said. Except one Indian social media company, Koo, sources said that none of the top social media intermediaries have appointed a resident grievance officer, a chief compliance officer and a nodal contact person yet. Sources said the failure of social media companies to make these appointments in three months has not gone down well with the government. With arbitrary suspensions of accounts and inaction over abuses and bigotry on social media platforms, users in India have been persistently complaining against tech giants like Twitter, Facebook and others. In the latest alleged Congress toolkit controversy, Delhi Police visited Twitter India's local offices in the National Capital Region on Monday after Twitter had marked one of the tweets of BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra as "manipulated media". Twitter's presumptive judgement has triggered widespread outrage among Indian users across the country. Sources said the social media platforms which were required to furnish monthly reports as to how many grievances were filed and settled, have failed to do so. Some of the platforms, sources said, have sought more time of up to six months for furnishing compliance. For some platforms, sources said, the standard reply has been that they will await instructions from their company headquarters in the US, who in turn on their own will have an "expert assessment" to take a view. The US-based social media platforms have grown huge, thanks to their massive user base and profitable revenues in democracies like India. However, none of the platforms have shown any inclination to comply with India's domestic laws. Instead, social media platforms have refused to be transparent about their fact-checking mechanism and their criteria to label tweets. Rome, May 25 : All Italian regions turned to "yellow" on Monday, indicating a low risk of contagion, and the lowest level of anti-Covid-19 restrictions, according to national health authorities. Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced this last Friday following the latest monitoring report by the National Institute of Health (ISS), the Xinhua news agency reported. During the week from May 10 to May 16, the national Covid-19 reproduction number (R number), an indicator used to determine how fast the Covid-19 is spreading, dropped to 0.78 from 0.86 registered in the previous ISS weekly survey. Overall, the R number below 1 shows the pandemic is in a regressive phase. The coronavirus incidence rate also dropped to 66 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the week from May 10 to May 16, against 96 in the previous week. All major pandemic indicators kept improving, and especially the number of active infections, of people hospitalised, and of patients in serious conditions admitted to intensive care units, all of which have been dropping steadily in the latest weeks. Italy has registered 4.19 million coronavirus cases, including 125,225 deaths. The positive trend was directly linked to the ongoing vaccination campaign, which has been gaining steam in the latest weeks, according to the health minister. Some 30 million vaccine doses have been administered so far, and over 10 million people have been fully immunized after receiving both doses, according to the Health Ministry. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Patna, May 25 : Amid the coronavirus pandemic, "poster politics" kicked off in Bihar on Monday with black and white posters slamming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar found pasted at several key locations in Patna. "How long will the people of Bihar pay for the inefficiency of Nitish Babu (Nitish Kumar)," read the posters pasted at several places including the Veerchand Patel Path where the main officers of the ruling Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party, as well as the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India, and others are located. No party or individuals have so far claimed to have put up the posters. Nitish Kumar is on the firing line of the opposition parties during the second wave of corona pandemic this year, with many like RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, Jan Adhikar Party's Pappu Yadav and Congress leaders claiming that the state's health infrastructure has completely collapsed during the pandemic, and people of Bihar are struggling to get beds, medicines, and ambulances. JD-U lawmaker Neeraj Kumar accused the Lalu Prasad family of being responsible but not having the "guts to claim the posters". The RJD denied any role, but said that it agreed with the sentiments. "The content of the posters is absolutely correct. It shows the mirror to CM Nitish Kumar. It is a voice of common people of Bihar. (However), We or any other RJD members are not posting posters in Patna," party spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari said. New Delhi, May 25 : Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha and member of the selection committee to pick the new CBI Director, which met on Monday evening, proposed deferment of the meeting citing of 'procedural lapses. "I proposed for deferment of the meeting because of procedural lapses," Chowdhury told IANS. During the selection panel meeting on Monday, the Congress leader raised objections over the selection process, saying the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had followed a "casual approach" in choosing the names of candidates for the top post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening discussed the names for the new CBI chief with Chowdhury and the Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana. "I was given 109 names on May 11, and today afternoon it was 10 and by the time the meeting began, it came down to six names," Chowdhury said in a dissent note, according to sources, adding that the approach of the DoPT is "highly objectionable". The select committee meeting started at around 6 p.m. and lasted for over 90 minutes at the Prime Minister's residence here. According to sources, the names of Hitesh Chandra Awasthi, a 1985 batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, along with two others -- SSB DG R.K. Chandra and Special Secretary in MHA, VSK Kaumudi -- were discussed in the meeting. The CBI had got an acting Director in the form of Praveen Sinha after the term of R.K. Shukla ended on February 3 this year. After the DoPT chooses the names of at least three or four officers for the CBI Director's post, they are sent to the selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the CJI and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which decides the final pick for a fixed term of two years. Currently the Congress is the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha with Chowdhary as its floor leader. Washington, May 25 : US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely hold a summit in Geneva in June, US media reported on Monday. Citing sources familiar with the matter, several media outlets said that the Swiss city of Geneva is expected to be the venue for Biden's first in-person meeting with Putin as President, the Xinhua news agency reported. The reports came as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held consultations with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev. "The meeting was an important step in the preparation for a planned US-Russia summit, the date and location of which will be announced later," the White House said in a statement on Monday. The meeting between Sullivan and Patrushev was "constructive" despite "outstanding differences," according to the statement. The two officials also discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest, with a high priority given to the topic of strategic stability. "The sides agreed that a normalisation of US-Russian relations would be in the interest of both countries and contribute to global predictability and stability," it added. Relations between Washington and Moscow have been adversarial in recent years. The two sides have obvious differences on issues related to Ukraine, cybersecurity, human rights, and US election interference. The Biden administration noted it seeks "a more predictable, stable relationship" with Russia. During their meeting in Iceland last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov expressed willingness to cooperate while admitting "serious differences" amid the two countries' tense relations. Biden said earlier this month that he expected to meet with Putin during his trip to Europe in June, when he would attend the Group of Seven Summit in Britain and then the NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium. Kuwait City, May 25 : The Kuwaiti Health Ministry reported on Monday 1,240 new Covid-19 cases, raising the total infections in the country to 300,455. The ministry also announced seven more fatalities, taking the death toll in Kuwait to 1,741, while the tally of recoveries rose by 1,081 to 286,199, the Xinhua news agency reported. A total of 12,515 Covid-19 patients are receiving treatment, including 145 in the intensive care units, it said. At a meeting of Kuwait's government on Monday, Minister of Health Bassel Al-Sabah said the recovery rate in the country has reached 95.3 per cent along with a drop in daily deaths. Meanwhile, the government urged citizens and residents of the country to continue taking precautions such as avoiding crowds and receiving vaccines. On Sunday, restaurants and cafes in Kuwait started to receive dine-in customers from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. local time. After 8 p.m., only takeaway and home delivery orders are permitted. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) TWO urban licks "We're proud to represent Atlanta and the grown here' tech companies," relates Scott Rosenblum, CEO, SkilletWorks. During a challenging 2020 that derailed the restaurant industry globally, Atlanta-based Hugo Posh, LLC was busy putting its head together with several well-known restaurant groups to launch its procurement technology SkilletWorks, which would ease some of the burden of doing business. With a simple scan and click of the button, chefs and managers can process food and liquor orders from their smartphone or tablet. Created in late 2019 by Hugo Posh LLC, a holding company with interests in technology, hospitality, and real estate, SkilletWorks, communicates directly to Food and Beverage operator's suppliers, creates, and processes orders through a product barcode, taking the manual process out of product orders, saving time and money. SkilletWorks was conceived in a restaurant on Canton Street in Roswell, GA when an owner expressed his dissatisfaction with how cumbersome it was to order from his suppliers. Fast forward 18 months, and SkilletWorks has taken off nationwide. This is a game-changer, says Hicham Azhari, co-owner of five restaurants in the metro Atlanta area, including Little Alley Steak. Not only can I do all of my ordering with my iPhone without manual input, but this app also seamlessly connects with our accounting system, eliminating the need to input inventory receipts and payments into our back-office system. The success of SkilletWorks has attracted the attention of several national restaurant chains, with Texas-based Twin Peaks and Florida-based cocktail concept, Blue Martini being amongst the first to jump on board. They join a list of highly regarded restaurant groups and independent concepts, including: Little Alley Steak, Concentrics Restaurants, TWO urban licks, RO Hospitality Group, Table & Main, Osteria Mattone, Coalition Food and Beverage, Char Koren Bar & Grill, Establishment, Maven Restaurant Group, South Main Kitchen, Butcher & Brew, Lapeer Seafood Market, Tocayo, and F&H Trading Group which includes multiple Salt Factory Pub locations. The quick adoption and growth of SkilletWork's customer base has warranted the burgeoning tech company to expand its headcount in sales and operations by 400 percent over the past 12 months and has also furthered the storyline of Atlanta emerging as a competitor to the once tech hotbed of Silicon Valley. "We're proud to represent Atlanta and the grown here' tech companies," relates Scott Rosenblum, CEO, SkilletWorks. SkilletWorks is supporting intrigued chefs and the restaurant industry while it gets rolling again, with a free three-month trial to see how the app will improve their procurement challenges. For more information on the app and pricing, visit http://www.skilletworks.com or call 404.614.0006. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-05-15/Yanghang-Mosque-Religious-venue-by-Xinjiang-and-overseas-Muslims-10hCevSpDLa/index.html Xinjiang is a multi-ethnic region full of multiple religions. (This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.) CGTN releases a series of seven segmented pieces taking a closer look into the various religious venues in Xinjiang. These segments give viewers a look at several religious venues and gatherings, from the Yanghang Mosque in Urumqi, to the pilgrimage in Mecca. Xinjiang is a multi-ethnic region full of multiple religions. By welcoming various religions, they are reminding other countries that a region can accept different religious beliefs while still working and living together as a community. Here's a link to the first segment: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-05-15/Yanghang-Mosque-Religious-venue-by-Xinjiang-and-overseas-Muslims-10hCevSpDLa/index.html Viewers are encouraged to view all seven segments for an inside look at these religious venues on https://www.cgtn.com. The suite offers improvement in critical mine geology processes through automation - resulting in improved short-term scheduling and excavation of the ore body. The five-year contract Roy Hill has a total contract value (TCV) of $2.44 million. ( ) has secured the first contract for its full Mining Technical Assurance suite from Roy Hill since acquiring the full suite of SATEVA applications in the December quarter of 2020. The five-year contract with Roy Hill, a world-class iron ore operation and the largest single ore mine in Australia, has a total contract value (TCV) of A$2.44 million. Roy Hill ships more than 60 million tonnes per annum of iron ore, with approval to move to 70 million tonnes per annum, and among the many benefits in adopting this suite of products will be an improvement in critical mine geology processes through automation - resulting in improved short-term scheduling and excavation of the ore body. In large-scale open pit mines, such as Roy Hill, small improvements in grade recovery or excavation efficiency deliver significant additional value to the operator. Delighted to expand relationship Demand continues to grow for K2fly Mining Technical Assurance suite across tier 1 miners globally, with the companys ARR (annual recurring revenue) growing 9% in the quarter to date to $3.3 million per annum. K2fly chief executive officer Brian Miller said: We are delighted to expand our relationship with Roy Hill across the Technical Assurance suite and are very excited by the opportunities for both companies that will come from this contract and further solution collaborations. Roy Hill and its management have been a great partner to SATEVA and now K2fly. First contract of full suite of products The contract marks two major milestones for K2fly: Ordinance supporter Thaddaus Breckenridge states, This hair is our experience and everything weve lived through. City of Beckley CROWN Ordinance Supporters Commemorate the Passing of Ending Hair Discrimination Within City Limits In the fight for racial equality on May 11, 2021, the City of Beckley became the second municipality in West Virginia to pass a CROWN ordinance. The acronym stands for Create a Respectful and Open Workspace for Natural Hair and bans hair discrimination based on hair styles and textures. To continue the celebration of the ordinance passing, on May 15, 2021, the group met for a photo shoot showing their natural hair in all its glory. Beckley Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Kristi Williams Dumas states, This ordinance is of profound importance. It represents the city taking a stand against race-based hair discrimination by extending protections to include hair state, styles, and texture to the nondiscrimination order. It sends the strong message that every lived experience of discrimination is important and will not be tolerated henceforth. This is a huge win for the City of Beckley as the statewide West Virginia CROWN Act (Senate Bill 850) was rejected by the House Judiciary Committee in 2020. Had the bill passed, it would be illegal to discriminate against a person for their hair texture or hair style, which includes protective styles commonly worn in the black community such as dreadlocks, twists, afros, and braids. The uniqueness of the ordinance passage here lies in the demographics of the group of organizers and vocal supporters. Young, older, LGBTQ, trans, African American, and Caucasian individuals make up the group which is nestled in the mountains of a city boasting the value of human rights. The community supporters of Beckley CROWN Ordinance gathered on the Beckley Council Chambers front lawn during the remote city council meeting to show their support. Ordinance supporter Thaddaus Breckenridge states, This hair is our experience and everything weve lived through. Bills banning hair discrimination have been introduced in numerous U.S. states through the CROWN Act, which was created by Dove and the CROWN Coalition in 2019. According to Dove Crown Research Study 2019 Black women are 1.5x more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair and 80% of black women compared to white women change their hair from its natural state to fit in at the workplace. The ordinance doesnt affect me personally. I have white hair. I would never be discriminated against for my hair. But it is important to our city and residents. Human rights are basic rights, said ordinance supporter Dr. Melissa J. Keaton. The supporters of the Beckley CROWN Ordinance are hoping the State of West Virginia will reconsider supporting the CROWN Act but in the meantime, they are delighted to know they are safe from hair discrimination within the City of Beckley. Contact: Kristi Williams Dumas City of Beckley Human Rights Commissioner (310) 242-1447 The mission of Nest Realty is to serve its clients with a person-to-person approach, supported by world-class marketing and useful technology. Nest Realty, an award-winning boutique real estate brokerage, has expanded into the Phoenix market. Local long-time real estate agent, Jono Friedland, has opened the companys first office west of the Mississippi, with Phoenix being a prime focus as the brokerage grows. Phoenix is the hottest market in the country right now, says Jonathan Kauffmann, CEO and founder of Nest Realty. It only makes sense to open the next Nest Realty there, as we take the company from regional to national markets. We are excited to offer a real estate experience that is unlike any other to the area. Jono Friedlands local expertise and focus on exceptional customer service makes him a perfect fit to lead the Nest brand in Phoenix." The mission of Nest Realty is to serve its clients with a person-to-person approach, supported by world-class marketing and useful technology. Harkening back to the roots of real estate brokerage, the company philosophy is based on building trusted, long-term relationships. Its all about our clients. We want to help them make great real estate decisions and create a buying or selling experience thats unlike any other, says Friedland. Were not here to churn deals for the sake of big dollars or braggy stats. In todays cutthroat market, you really need someone who cares about you, listens to you and advocates for your interests. Nest Realty Phoenix is currently recruiting successful, full-time agents who seek a supportive, culture-based environment. Friedland is building the brokerage with a quality over quantity mentality and hand-picking agents based on their client philosophy, professionalism & peer reputation. Nest Realty Phoenix is an equal opportunity employer serving clients at every stage of life and budget level. Nest Realty Phoenix is located at 4108 E Indian School Road in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix, AZ. For more information, please visit https://www.nestrealty.com/phoenix. ABOUT Nest Realty Nest Realty is a full-service real estate brokerage built around people and the passionate moves they make. Whether you're selling an estate, buying a condo, or building from the ground up, we see every interaction as a chance to inspire, engage, empower, and delight you. Learn more at https://www.nestrealty.com/. The Computer Shop, a trusted computer repair and IT service company in San Antonio, Texas, is happy to announce that they are now offering a network security service called the Bulletproof Network. The Bulletproof Network is a suite of tools that is used to make a network more secure. The suite of tools provides an automated scheduled data backup and monitoring service that reduces operating costs, safeguards business information, ensures business continuity, and provides detailed reporting. A companys data is crucial and having sufficient backups is an important part of keeping that data safeguarded. Whether it be a cyberattack or a hardware failure, a business will come to a halt when disaster strikes unless business owners have the proper data backups and plans in place. The Computer Shops new service offering is one of the best ways to guarantee an organization has reliable and secure access to their data when the unexpected happens. According to Steven Smith, a spokesperson from The Computer Shop, We understand that in todays ever always-on world, protecting businesses from downtime and data loss is critical. With this service expansion, our partners and clients can capitalize on our backup services through Bulletproof Network solution. Even though many businesses have a backup, the unfortunate reality is that most of them arent ready for recovering from a major data loss. It can have devasting impacts on those that experience a loss. Let our team help. Our managed backup service offers you the best-in-class protection for your data and systems, Smith added. Bulletproof Network automatically backup the data on a schedule, which works best for a businesss needs. These backups fix any problems that may arise. With the help of such interoperable solutions, organizations can enhance their service levels, application responsiveness, and data availability, helping them cut their expenses. Further, data is backed up where a business owner needs it to be and staged to be easily returned to them when an emergency happens. Knowing that their business data is safe and being taken care of by professionals indicates business owners can concentrate on more important things. With The Computer Shops new service, businesses can rest easy knowing their data is secure. Their team of experts is managing and monitoring the solution to make sure its functioning optimally. About The Computer Shop The Computer Shop is a computer repair and IT service company operating in San Antonio, Texas, since 1998. They take pride in providing fast and reliable computer services for their customers. Whether a customers home or business computer is having issues or needs to be faster, their team of experts can help. For further details about The Computer Shops Bulletproof Network services, call Steven Smith at (210) 615-7671 or send him an email at info@thecomputershopsa.com. To find out more about the companys computer repair or managed IT services, visit their website on https://thecomputershopsa.com. ESQ Business Services, Inc., today announced the launch of Cloudexa Technology, Inc. a FinTech company that specializes in cloud-based device monitoring and management solutions. By leveraging over 25 years of expertise from ESQ, Cloudexa will lead the FinTech disruption for this sector of the financial services industry through a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform and feature-rich product portfolio. There is a digital transformation taking place across several industries due to the introduction of the cloud. said Cloudexa founder and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Sandhu. The technologies available in the cloud have significantly advanced over the past decade from the ease of scaling to risk mitigation. We strongly believe that the future is cloud-based, and all of us at ESQ are extremely excited to officially launch this subsidiary to fill the void in the financial services industry. According to Sandhu, Cloudexa was a strategic initiative started back in 2018 and will enter the market to address new challenges that became apparent during the global pandemic. Throughout the course of the past year, the pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the need for digital transformation and has found many organizations adapting traditional business models to support a distributed workforce. Cloudexa eases digital transformation journeys and enables organizations of various sizes to take advantage of everything the cloud has to offer. said Sandhu. Our SaaS platform empowers distributed workforces to access critical resources in the cloud at anytime, from anywhere. Organizations are already utilizing our product portfolio to offer services at higher levels of productivity and efficiency to their customer bases. With Cloudexa, financial institutions and managed service providers can leverage the cloud to reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and improve operational efficiency. The platform encapsulates a complete device monitoring and management experience by giving customers more control over various devices including ATMs, ITMs, CDMs, Cash Recyclers, Kiosks, and more. Although the company is focused on this specific sector of the industry, Cloudexas diverse product portfolio expands into other business environments that influence operations such as device analytics and cash management. Cloudexa will be attending the Self-Service Banking 2021 virtual conference, hosted by RBR, on May 25-27. Visit their virtual booth or attend the scheduled fireside chat to learn more. -- About ESQ For over 25 years, ESQ has been one of the top trusted providers of business transaction monitoring and management solutions. These solutions assist banks, credit unions, retailers, and services providers in proactively monitoring and managing their business-critical payment infrastructures. Through a forward-thinking mindset, ESQ leverages the insight of their vast customer base and continues to offer new solutions that are sought out in the industry. ESQ is a global company with headquarters located in Silicon Valley and additional offices in North America, Mexico, United Kingdom, Singapore, and India. For more information please visit https://www.esq.com. About Cloudexa Cloudexa is an independently operated, wholly-owned subsidiary of ESQ that builds upon 25+ years of industry expertise, client feedback, and iterative engineering. With operations headquartered in Canada, Cloudexa is a global FinTech company that specializes in next generation, cloud-based device monitoring and management solutions. Cloudexa is leading the FinTech disruption for this sector of the financial services industry through a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform and feature-rich product portfolio. For more information please visit https://www.cloudexa.com. HIFU is ideal for the appropriate patient with localized prostate cancer who wishes to avoid radiation or prostatectomy. American HIFU today announced that for the first time in Connecticut high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a minimally invasive procedure using ultrasound technology to treat prostate cancer, was performed by Jonathan Bernie, MD. HIFU directs high-frequency sound waves that destroy prostate cancer tissue, with a low risk of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, compared to traditional therapies. HIFU therapy for prostate cancer is indicated for men with localized prostate cancer and is an alternative to radiation or prostate removal. Through a partnership with American HIFU and using the EDAP HIFU system, we are now able to bring advanced solutions to care for our prostate cancer patients across Connecticut, said Dr. Bernie. HIFU is ideal for the appropriate patient with localized prostate cancer who wishes to avoid radiation or prostatectomy. In 2015, the FDA cleared HIFU for prostate tissue ablation. Urologists around the world, like Dr. Bernie are now using HIFU to treat parts of the prostate in patients with localized disease. According to the Urology Care Foundations, more than 90% of men who are told they have prostate cancer have localized disease, meaning a majority of these patients could benefit from a minimally invasive procedure like HIFU. In Europe and around the world, HIFU has been used to treat more than 65,000 patients with encouraging results. For instance, a multicenter study conducted by the French Association of Urology (AFU) showed optimal preservation of continence for 97 percent of patients and erectile function for more than 78 percent of patients. If you would like to know more about the ASD6 LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047. The San Diego employment law attorneys, at Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC, filed a complaint alleging that ASD6 LLC violated the California Labor Code. The ASD6 LLC lawsuit, Case No. 37-2021-00016864-CU-OE-CTL, is currently pending in the San Diego County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here. The lawsuit alleges ASD6 LLC violated the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), which gives rise to civil penalties as a result of ASD6 LLC's conduct. PAGA authorizes aggrieved employees to file a lawsuit to recover civil penalties on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the State of California for Labor Code violations. PAGA allows aggrieved employees to step into the shoes of California state regulators to recover civil penalties, which means ordinary citizens are deputized as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code. The complaint alleges ASD6 LLC violated the California Labor Code by failing to: (1) provide compliant meal and rest periods; (2) allow employees to take duty-free, off-the-premises rest periods; (3) pay all minimum, regular and overtime wages; (4) provide accurate itemized wage statements; (5) reimburse employees for required business expenses; and (6) timely pay wages due during, and upon termination of employment. If you would like to know more about the ASD6 LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047. Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC are labor and employment law firms with offices located in California that dedicate their practices to fighting for employees who have been wronged by their employers due to unfair employment practices. Contact one of their attorneys today if you need help with workplace issues regarding wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment. -THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT- Chris Williams named Senior Vice President, Registration & Housing, MCI USA Chriss expertise is the perfect synergy of sales and technology. We are glad he is joining our executive leadership team where he will continue the growth and oversee daily operations of our convention business. As MCI USA continues to expand its conventions, conferences and expos services, it is pleased to welcome Chris Williams as Senior Vice President, Registration & Housing. In this new position, Chris will lead MCI USAs Strategic Events, Meetings & Incentives team in providing registration and housing services to some of the largest, most complex events in the trade show and meeting industry. Chris Williams has an impressive track record of delivering cutting-edge registration services to the largest trade show market, said Shawn Pierce, President, Strategic Events, Meetings & Incentives, MCI USA. Chriss expertise is the perfect synergy of sales and technology. We are glad he is joining our executive leadership team where he will continue the growth and oversee daily operations of our convention business. Prior to joining MCI, Chris spent 25 years at CompuSystems (CSI), one of the leading registration companies in the US. For last seven years as CSIs president, he focused on customer success and next-generation technology. Chris spent the fifteen years prior to that as their senior vice president of sales where he grew annual revenue by over 100%. I took a good hard look at my professional goals during the pandemic, and I realized it is important to align myself with a strong brand that focuses on the strategy behind the event to deliver excellent results to its clients, said Williams. I found the business model of the future at MCI, where we provide our clients the full suite of convention services, strategic thinking, and innovative solutions. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University. He is a member of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) and serves on IAEEs Technologies Committee. Originally from Chicago, Chris is relocating to the Dallas area with his wife and two children and will be based out of MCI USAs Dallas office. ABOUT MCI MCI is a global engagement and marketing agency. We design human-centric solutions that unleash the power of people to deliver innovation and growth for our clients. Our offering includes live & virtual events, strategic & digital communications, consulting & community solutions. We help brands, companies, associations and not-for-profits solve their challenges, bringing their people together to shape their tomorrow. MCI is an independently owned company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a global presence in 60 offices across 31 countries. http://www.mci-group.com MCIs US headquarters is in the Washington, DC area with offices in New York, Baltimore, Dallas, and Chicago. http://www.mci-group.com LearningMate Transform provides the technology to continue our commitment to providing access to dynamic degree programs characterized by career-relevant skills and engaging student experiences. LearningMate, a leading education technology company, announced that Salem University has selected LearningMate Transform to unify courses across all programs while improving the student learning experience. Salem Universitys approach to postsecondary education prioritizes modern learning, flexibility, and accessibility while offering degree programs focused on careers and advanced studies. Programs are offered on campus in West Virginia and online throughout the world. Utilizing Quality Matters components to support an engaging student experience, Salem Universitys new course framework includes animation videos, interactives for student practice, and course learning handouts. LearningMate Transform includes proven course frameworks, a learning outcomes manager, a learning object repository, and a collection of best practices and teaching and learning research. The Course Starter Kit is customized during a two-week launch process to meet the individual needs of colleges and universities and includes service hours that complement faculty and institutional use of the platform. LearningMate Transform provides the technology to continue our commitment to providing access to dynamic degree programs characterized by career-relevant skills and engaging student experiences, says Dr. Karen Ferguson, Provost, Salem University. As we continuously evolve to meet the growing needs of our online learners, Transform provides support for our vision to rapidly innovate to meet, or exceed, student and faculty needs. We are honored to support Salem Universitys goals to effectively cater to the growing needs of their online and on-campus learners, says Nachiket Paratkar, SVP & Business Unit Head of Higher Education at LearningMate. The LearningMate Transform platform and our team of instructional designers and LMS experts will enable Salem University to fast track and streamline their course design and development process through faculty empowerment and collaboration across the institution. About LearningMate Solutions, Inc. LearningMate focuses on the needs of next-generation learners. The company builds on a strong foundation of learning design with progressive technology, digital media, and engineering solutions to connect todays learners, educators, administrators, policymakers, and content creators with the information, tools, and solutions they need to be successful. With six consulting offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India, LearningMate serves a global clientele of education publishers, traditional and nontraditional EdTech companies, K-20 schools, universities and career colleges, government agencies, non-profits, corporate learning departments, and education consortia. Learn more at http://www.learningmate.com. About Salem University. Established in 1888 as Salem College, Salem University has a tradition of academic excellence and innovation. The beautiful 100-acre campus is nestled in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. With over 130 years of experience, Salem University is an established and trusted provider of quality postsecondary education. Salems degree programs are fully accredited and well-respected in both academic and professional circles with curricula designed to help our graduates grow their careers. The one course a month format gives all our students both traditional and online the ability to focus and progress at the pace that works for them. Salems approach to postsecondary education prioritizes modern learning, flexibility, and accessibility. Salem offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs on campus in West Virginia and online throughout the world. You can learn more about Salem University by visiting http://www.salemu.edu. ### For more information about this release or to schedule an interview, please contact Taya Bures at 605.838.8108 or via email at taya.bures@learningmate.com or Karen Ferguson with Salem University at 304-326-1465 or via email at karen.ferguson@salemu.edu. Melissa Alonso and Marina Bargouti Im so honored to be a part of the South Floridas Home Design and Remodeling Show, as this is truly one of a kind experience. Social Media influencer with 233 thousand followers, Marina Bargouti, goes from viral profile to top interior designer at South Floridas largest Home Design and Remodeling Show. The show makes its West Palm Beach debut for the first time this year! COVID-19 taught everyone a new way of doing business with social media. Bargouti found a way to show up as an authority in the interior design space. Marina is available for interviews on how she made it to the top all from Instagram. This new way of business helped her connect with vendors, manufacturers, and representatives of every niche in the home remodeling industry. Im so honored to be a part of the South Floridas Home Design and Remodeling Show, as this is truly one of a kind experience, said Bargouti. Its the best way to learn each others needs, answer any questions we all might have, teach and educate each other so we all can grow together and benefit equally, to make the home improvement process smooth and easy. WHERE: Palm Beach County Convention Center WHEN: May 28-31, 2021 We will also showcase a local South Florida artist, Laurie Duncan. There will be a variety of marketplace industry leading exhibitors showcasing thousands of products and services to inspire and educate what is available to South Florida homeowners. Admission is only $12 a ticket with a BOGO special included for a limited time. We will be selling tickets at the door. This is an annual event that homeowners cannot afford to miss! We hope to see you there. # # # About the Home Design and Remodeling Show: For more than 40 years, Home Show Management Corp. has been bringing together industry-leading professionals from the entire spectrum of home renovation products and services in South Florida. With home renovation shows in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach every year, the Home Show always features the latest trends and brands in the home improvement industry. Due to its regular interactions with the local market, Home Show Management Corp has established strong relationships with many of the best companies in the area to allow home improvement events to consistently meet impressive standards in terms of quality and size. Learn more at https://homeshows.net/. Additional Contact: Wizard Digital Jenna Kelley jenna@wizarddigital.com Sullivan University will return to in-person learning for summer quarter, beginning June 28th. "Being back on campus ensures that our students have the opportunity to learn hands-on and connect to faculty, staff and fellow students, and all those things are very important in fostering academic success,." - Nina Martinez, Vice President of Enrollment Management Sullivan University will return to in-person learning with the June 28th start of the summer quarter, allowing students to get into the program of their choice now instead of waiting until later in the school year. "After being in quarantine and away from campus for the better part of last year, students, staff and faculty are anxious to get back to some semblance of normal," said Sullivan University Vice President of Enrollment Management Nina Martinez. "They are eager to re-experience the buzz of campus academic and social life." "In-person classes help build strong human connections, help develop interpersonal skills and help with motivation," Martinez said. Sullivan's year-round quarter system allows new and re-entering students to begin taking classes in June instead of waiting until later in the summer or fall. "Being back on campus ensures that our students have the opportunity to learn hands-on and connect to faculty, staff and fellow students, and all those things are very important in fostering academic success," Martinez said. Sullivan will also continue to offer robust online learning programs for students who are unable to attend in-person classes but who still want to pursue educational opportunities. "The future of university education is giving learners choices and todays technologies make this possible," Martinez said. "Our plan is to continue offer virtual/online and in-person classes to ensure every learner has access to the type of learning that best fits their needs." As preparations are being finalized to return to in-person learning, Sullivan University leaders are reflecting on the resiliency and dedication its student, faculty and staff exhibited during the pandemic shutdown. "The sense of loss that we experienced last spring when we were forced into exile from our offices, classrooms, libraries and labs inspires gratitude for the chance to resume the daily work of helping our students achieve their dreams," Martinez said. "Right now, in-person teaching and learning feel more precious and more important than ever." To learn about attending Sullivan University visit here for more information. About Sullivan University: Sullivan University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award Associate, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Sullivan University or visit them online at http://www.sacscoc.org. The University offers numerous certificates, diplomas, and degrees in career-oriented programs, ranging from business, pharmacy, human resources, I.T. and cyber security, supply-chain management, culinary and baking and pastry arts, hospitality studies, conflict management, nursing, allied health sciences and HVAC-R. Sullivan University has campuses in Louisville and Lexington, an extension in Fort Knox on the U.S. Army Post, and a Learning Center in Louisa. Sullivan University also has many programs available partially or wholly online. For more information, visit http://www.sullivan.edu. During the last 36-hours, the liner was successfully set and cemented at the designed depth at the Jewell Well. Forward operations include continuing to drill ahead in the horizontal section of the wellbore. ( ) (OTCMKTS:RDEEF) (FRA:8F3) is continuing its drilling operations on schedule at the high-impact Jewell 13-12-1S-3W SXH1 well in the SWISH area of the world-class Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma. The Jewell Well curve has now landed in the Sycamore Formation at the designed depth and the liner has been set and cemented. Brookside is now drilling in the horizontal section at a measured depth of around 8,715 feet. Future production of oil and gas The Jewell Well is operated by Black Mesa Energy, a controlled subsidiary of Brookside, with the well being drilled by Latshaw drilling company. It will be drilled to a total measured depth of around 14,700 feet with 7,100 feet of lateral section drilled in the Sycamore and subsequently cased with production tubing to be perforated and treated to allow for the production of oil and gas. First company-operated well This will be the first Brookside operated well to be drilled and completed in the Jewell DSU in the SWISH AOI. Importantly, this well is the first well in a potential five-year, 20-plus well development drilling program across the three operated DSUs (Jewell, Flames and Rangers) that Brookside controls to develop around 11,6060,000 net BOE prospective resource. The Jewell Well will be targeting one of two primary formations in the SWISH AOI, the Sycamore formation. Future wells in the Jewell DSU will also target the Woodford formation, which just like the Sycamore formation, continues to deliver impressive productivity in nearby offsetting wells. Theora Connect Wearable Clairvoyant Networks, Inc., developer of award-winning technology for remote monitoring, announced that Sumter County Sheriffs Office has chosen the Companys Theora Connect cellular wearable as part of its new community program called Dementia Recovery, Education and Management (DREAM). The program, funded by a grant recently awarded to the Sheriffs Office from the Bureau of Justice Administration (BJA), uses Theora Connect wristwatch style wearable to provide older adults more active independence while enabling families or professional caregivers to remotely monitor the wearers location, have automatic two-way communications, and be alerted if the wearer exits a safe area. Empowering family and caregivers to proactively diffuse potential wandering events supports the goals of the DREAM program: to enable older adults to live in their home of choice; promote peace of mind for their family or caregivers by knowing an individuals location with the ability to communicate directly; and reduce the increasing number of wandering incidents requiring law enforcement assistance. The smartwatch-style wearable and monthly cellular service are provided free of charge to those participating in the program. Wandering is a rapidly growing safety issue with older adults. Persons aged 65 and above now comprise the fastest growing age group in America and globally. According to the Alzheimers Association, approximately 6.2 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and by 2050 it is projected to double to 13 million people. Studies have shown that 60% of people with dementia will wander sometime during their illness. A wandering event that requires law enforcement assistance can strain already strapped departmental resources. A typical search and rescue operation can cost taxpayers $1,500 per hour, with low-tech operations (e.g., without a helicopter or water rescue), averaging nine hours and $13,500 per search and rescue effort. Federal government agencies recognize the need to support the health and wellness of a rapidly growing Baby Boomer population who are living longer than ever. Law enforcement agencies can find and apply for federal funding grants through the Department of Justice, which is where the Sumter County Sheriffs Office located the BJA grant. The BJA recognizes the funding issues facing law enforcement agencies as their mission to provide leadership and services in grant administration to support local, state, and tribal law enforcement to achieve safer communities. As part of the multi-year DREAM program, Sumter County required a cellular wearable with the latest 4G technology. They liked the stylish wristwatch-style design, as many of their residents are in retirement communities with lots of activities and would not wear a more stigmatizing form factor. Family members or other trusted contacts, such as a professional caregiver, can stay connected with the Theora Connect wearable using the Theora Link app on their smartphones. If the individual wearing this smartwatch for older adults should wander from a safe area, the primary family member or caregiver is alerted via the app and can call the wearer directly using auto-answering audio on the wearable. This enables trusted contacts to check in or reassure the wearer that they are on their way if a loved one has started to wander. Part of the overall solution required by the Sheriffs Office is Theora ESP a secure, web-enabled monitoring dashboard that shows the wearers activity and location. If the law enforcement agency is contacted for assistance, the dashboard shows the deputies the Theora Connect wearers current GPS location for faster response. The dashboard continues to update until the individual is found. It also provides wearable usage information, part of the grant required reporting. Dozens of Theora Connect mobile PERS wearables have already been given to Sumter County citizens with Alzheimers, dementia, or other conditions that can benefit from remote monitoring. Sharon Doncourt, Victims Advocate at Sumter County, explained, We wanted to offer a proactive solution to families that would help them prevent wandering and give them peace of mind. The goal of this program is to help bring family members home quickly and safely and decrease any risk to the person. It is a very scary event for caregivers when a loved one goes missing. Offering the Theora Connect watch as one of our options allows family members to stay connected to their loved one and locate them quickly in the event they are missing. Our deputies are able to assist with fast location and rescue through the dashboard access, and we are able to significantly decrease the time it takes to locate a participant of this program. We are fortunate to have received this grant funding to provide these devices to families at no cost. The Sheriffs Office shares a strong collaborative partnership with Clairvoyant Networks with a joint goal of providing care, safety, and peace of mind to families. DJW (name withheld for privacy), a participant from The Villages, uses the Theora Link app on his smartphone to monitor his wife, who wears the Theora Connect wearable she was provided through the DREAM program. I was on the telephone and had my back turned for just a minute. I hung up, turned around, and my wife was gone. I went to our neighbors to check, and they had not seen her either. Three of us were looking for her when I remembered to look at my Theora Link phone app and immediately saw where she was located. I called my wife using the auto-answering audio on her Theora Connect watch, asked her if she knew where she was and she said, I dont know but at least I could reach her. She was walking in the middle of the road, she could have been hit by a car, or fallen and hit her head. I thought, What would have happened if she hadnt been wearing the watch? It was a lifesaver. Stephen Popovich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Clairvoyant Networks, Inc., commented, Congratulations to Sumter County for their grant award and for being resourceful innovators with the DREAM Program. The Sheriffs Office is involved in their community, recognizing developing issues and seeking solutions. They are visionaries in how they support the safety of their residents while providing a technology-forward template to other law enforcement communities in how to address this growing issue now. Remote monitoring is now an important part of caring for older persons in their homes, with both professional and non-professional requirements. If you live in Sumter County and would like more information about the DREAM Program, please call 352-569-1600 or send an email to dream@sumtercountysheriff.org. About Clairvoyant Networks, Inc. Clairvoyant Network, Inc. delivers situational awareness solutions to maximize the quality of life for older persons and those with chronic conditions. The Company provides a cloud platform, Theora 360, that uses machine learning, artificial intelligence, and neural networking to collect, analyze and create actionable information. The Theora 360 platform works with clinical and non-clinical devices and can be easily integrated into enterprise applications to provide businesses with end-to-end solutions. The Company participates in ongoing research studies with government health organizations and academia to support healthier living, working, and activity for consumers, patients, and employees. Clairvoyant Networks, Inc., has offices in Austin, TX, and Raleigh, NC. For further information and to see how we can help you, please call us at 512-371-6164 or go to http://www.theoracare.com or http://www.clairvoyantnetworks.com. Follow us on Twitter @Theora_Care, Facebook at TheoraCare, Instagram @ClairvoyantNetworks, and LinkedIn.com/ClairvoyantNetworks. CONTACT: Melanie Guthrie Clairvoyant Networks, Inc. 512.751.8478 Melanie.guthrie@clairvoyantnetworks.com 2021 Clairvoyant Networks, Inc. Theora, Theora Connect, Theora Link, and Clairvoyant Connect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Clairvoyant Networks, Inc. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. ACLS is proud to support faculty at these schools who remain committed to work in their classrooms, as well as contributing scholarly excellence to the academy. The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to announce 14 new awardees for its Project Development Grants program. Now in its fourth year, this ACLS program offers flexible support to faculty at teaching-intensive colleges and universities whose research projects will significantly advance humanistic studies and interpretive social sciences. The program targets faculty teaching a greater number of courses per year than their colleagues at more research-focused institutions, such as community colleges, baccalaureate colleges, and regional comprehensive universities. At a time when teaching-intensive colleges and universities continue to be disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of funding and resources, ACLS is proud to support faculty at these schools who remain committed to work in their classrooms, as well as contributing scholarly excellence to the academy, said ACLS President Joy Connolly. We are pleased to recognize these dedicated scholars, whose promising work advances the humanities and interpretive social sciences and directly engages with students and communities across the nation. Projects awarded grants for the 2021-22 academic year represent schools from across the country and a wide range of subject materials, disciplines, and methodologies, reflecting ACLSs commitment to inclusive excellence. This years awardees are: The Borderlands of Inclusivity: Jovita Gonzalez and the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, which explores the life and work of Jovita Gonzalez, an historian, folklorist, writer, teacher, and civil rights activist in the first half of the twentieth century. (Philis M. Barragan Goetz, Assistant Professor, History, Texas A&M University San Antonio, San Antonio, TX) Electing Violence: Post-Election Violence in Africa, which provides an explanatory framework addressing what accounts for post-election violence, and variations in its intensity, in Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote dIvoire. (Faith Okpotor, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA) To Be Seen and Heard: Dignity, Language, and Educational Rights in the United States, examines a high school Ethnic Studies program as a framework for more humanizing and liberating educational policy, English Learners program development, and teacher practice. (Luis Ernesto Poza, Assistant Professor, Teacher Education, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA) Learn more about the 2021 Project Development grantees and their projects here. Each grantee receives $5,000 which may go toward any costs that will support their project, including travel; research assistance; course buyout or summer salary; and other research- or project-related expenses. Project Development Grants are competitive and awarded as a component of the ACLS Fellowship program. The program is funded by the ACLS endowment, to which many individuals and institutions have contributed, including The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Arcadia Charitable Trust, the ACLS Research University Consortium and college and university Associates, former fellows, and individuals and friends. Formed in 1919, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 78 scholarly organizations. As the preeminent representative of American scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences, ACLS holds a core belief that knowledge is a public good. As such, ACLS strives to promote the circulation of humanistic knowledge throughout society. In addition to stewarding and representing its member organizations, ACLS employs its $140 million endowment and $35 million annual operating budget to support scholarship in the humanities and social sciences and to advocate for the centrality of the humanities in the modern world. Dave Lawlor, Kelly Van Winkle The Roofing Alliance, celebrating 25 years as the foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), proudly announces their Board of Trustees for 2021-2022. Dave Lawlor of ROCKWOOL North America will serve as the new president and Kelly Van Winkle of King of Texas Roofing Company LP will serve as the first female vice president. The Roofing Alliance mirrors the best of the roofing industry. Made up of roofing professionals including manufacturers, distributors, service providers, and contractors, they sit next to each other with equal voting rights, working on how they can fund important programs, educational initiatives and charitable efforts that advance and elevate the professionalism of the roofing industry. The volunteer leadership are dedicated roofing professionals who offer their combined talents and commitment to guide this important foundation. Additional announcements at the Roofing Alliance virtual spring meeting beyond incoming new leadership included: An increase to 13 scholarships for the number of awarded Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarships for the Accredited Post-Secondary Institution Scholarship Category. This is an increase from 11 scholarships granted in the previous year. Changes were approved to the scholarship program criteria for both the Accredited Post-Secondary Institution Category and the Accredited Career Technical Education Scholarship Category. Eligibility to apply for scholarships was expanded beyond Roofing Alliance and NRCA members to include the larger roofing industry in general. Scholarship applications will also be offered to construction management schools, vocational and technical trade schools associated with SkillsUSA. SRS Raise the Roof Foundation will establish a new diversity scholarship with the Roofing Alliance by donating a portion of the proceeds from their upcoming IRE concert event being held during the August International Roofing Expo (IRE) in Las Vegas, NV. Working with Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Roofing Alliance and hundreds of roofing professionals continue to help maintain the roofs of the 165 existing standalone House programs in the U.S. The Roofing Alliance is looking forward to connecting members with any new House programs that are built. A special event is planned for the fall to recognize and thank all partners and material donors. The two winning teams from the 2020-21 Construction Management Student Competition will attend the August IRE as guests of the Roofing Alliance. Members look forward to connecting with the Clemson University and Colorado State University students. Plans are also underway to identify a project in the New Orleans, Louisiana area for the 2021-22 CM Student Competition. A new two-year funding project was approved, Heat Stress Conditions and Awareness for Roofing Workers. The Roofing Alliance will be partnering with Dr. Kenneth Sands and his research team at the Department of Construction, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University. The Roofing Alliance continues to partner with: Clemson University in developing Principles of Roofing from Design to Installation and Beyond, Phase II. The projected completion date is August 2022. When fully developed, a formal Roofing Certificate Program for both university students and managerial-level industry professionals will be available. The second continuing partnership is with the research team at Mississippi State University, Evaluating the Efficacy of Virtual Reality Technology for Improving Roofing Workers Safety. When this study is completed in September 2021, a virtual reality model geared at new hires will be available. The goal is to provide an additional resource that can help train new hires by giving them the experience of identifying jobsite hazards and ladder safety before actually going up on the roof. For more information on these initiatives and overall information about the Roofing Alliance contact Bennett Judson, the Roofing Alliances executive director, at bjudson@roofingalliance.net or visit http://www.roofingalliance.net. About the Roofing Alliance The Roofing Alliance is committed to shaping the industrys future by funding education, research, scholarships and philanthropic initiatives, all for the purpose of securing the industrys future excellence. Composed of 175 members representing extraordinary leaders from the contracting, manufacturing, distribution and service provider communities, the Roofing Alliance has committed $13 million to enhance the performance and long-term viability of the industry and allocated more than $5.9 million to fund 51 research, education, technical and philanthropic programs and projects. Serving as the foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Roofing Alliance members are focused on giving back and supporting high-quality educational programs and ensuring timely and forward-thinking industry responses to major economic and technological issues. For more information about Roofing Alliance initiatives, visit http://www.roofingalliance.net. New Operations Center Jakarta Menara Tendean The newly opened "Jakarta Menara Tendean" will offer customer support and other services for the travel and FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) industries, located within a 5-minute drive from the headquarters of Indonesia, which enables the two centers to cooperate smoothly. transcosmos inc. hereby announces that the company has opened a new operations center "Jakarta Menara Tendean" in Jakarta, Indonesia. Along with the opening, the company has moved its digital marketing function to "Jakarta RDTX," an existing center that offers contact center services and acts as headquarters in the country. Together with two other existing centers - "Jakarta Ariobimo" and "Semarang"- transcosmos will offer diverse services including contact centers and digital marketing from its four locations with 1,300 workstations in Indonesia. With the move, transcosmos has reorganized and transferred operational functions among the three Jakarta centers with the aim of optimizing all three centers. The newly opened "Jakarta Menara Tendean" will offer customer support and other services for the travel and FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) industries. The center is within a 5-minute drive from "Jakarta RDTX," the headquarters of Indonesian business, which enables the two centers to cooperate smoothly, and build a staff sharing scheme to handle peak times and emergency situations. At the same time, transcosmos has reinforced the IT facilities to ensure business continuity. With the solid BCP in place, transcosmos will ensure stable center operations. Jakarta Menara Tendean Center Overview Name: transcosmos Jakarta Menara Tendean Center Location: MTen 7F, 8F, 9F Jl. Kapten Tendean No.20C, RT.1/RW.3, Kuningan Bar., Kec. Mampang Prpt., Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12790 Number of workstations: 570 Supported languages: Indonesian and English Services: Contact centers, mail support, chat support, digital marketing, social media support, and E-Commerce one-stop shop transcosmos co-established PT. transcosmos Indonesia (President Director: Hiroyoshi Hara) with PT Cyberindo Aditama (Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia), an IT company under the major Indonesian conglomerate, Salim Group. Today, the company delivers services with 1,300 workstations and over 1,500 employees. In the Indonesian market that is expected to grow further, transcosmos will assist Japanese companies that plan to expand into Indonesia whilst focusing on providing business outsourcing services to both local and global companies in order to help clients boost sales whilst optimizing costs. *transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. *Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies. About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior "people" with up-to-date "technology" to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients' business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 167 bases across 30 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 48 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the "Global Digital Transformation Partner" of our clients, supporting the clients' transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/ The U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has designated 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders. Today, the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announced it has designated 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as this years annual Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders, recognizing their noteworthy engagement with the Fulbright Program, which is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. The Fulbright Program has given more than 400,000 accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research in the United States or in one of over 160 partner countries worldwide. These Fulbrighters contribute to mutual understanding between the United States and participating countries, and many go on to work across cultures to find solutions to complex global challenges. Fulbright students and scholars are from or hosted by more than 800 colleges and universities across the United States, and thousands more campuses in over 160 countries. From its founding in 1946, the Fulbright Program has engaged with all types of U.S. institutions, including minority serving institutions, across the country. ECA created the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders initiative in recognition of the special role the nations 105 HBCUs play in making sure students, faculty, and administrators from all backgrounds are able to participate in and benefit from the Fulbright Program. The campuses highlighted this year demonstrated engagement with Fulbright exchange participants and promoted Fulbright Program opportunities on their campuses during the 2019-2020 academic year. Congratulations to this years 20 Fulbright Historically Black College and University Institutional Leaders, said Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Matthew Lussenhop. We salute you and your institutions for your engagement with the Fulbright Program, and for your commitment to providing life-changing opportunities to students, faculty, and administrators. HBCU participation is critical to fully representing the diversity of the United States through the Fulbright Program. This initiative is part of the U.S. Department of States long-standing commitment to build diversity and inclusion within the Fulbright Program and within the Bureaus international exchange programs overall. On June 3, the Fulbright Program will host a Fulbright HBCU Symposium to discuss Fulbright opportunities and resources for HBCUs, the benefits of a Fulbright experience, and the role that the Fulbright Program plays in supporting HBCU campus internationalization, global awareness, and engagement. This public workshop is open to all HBCU faculty, staff, and stakeholders, as well as individuals from other institutions who are interested in attending. This symposium will celebrate the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders by spotlighting the unique role HBCU students, faculty, and administrators play in representing American higher education and the American experience both in our country and around the world. Highlights will include remarks by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Matthew Lussenhop; a keynote address by Fulbright alumna and President of Prairie View A&M University Dr. Ruth Simmons; and workshop sessions to assist HBCUs in strengthening their relationship with the Fulbright Program. The event will close with a panel of representatives of Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders who will share how their campuses use the array of Fulbright Program offerings to support campus internationalization goals and global engagement efforts, and to build worldwide networks, which are essential for success in our 21st-century world. Registration is required. Please register here. Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders* Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL Bluefield State College, Bluefield, WV Central State University, Wilberforce, OH Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL Howard University, Washington, DC Jackson State University, Jackson, MS Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Lincoln University, PA Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC Spelman College, Atlanta, GA Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN Texas Southern University, Houston, TX Tougaloo College, Jackson, MS University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA *based on their engagement with the Fulbright Program in 2019-2020 # # # FACT SHEET: HOW DO U.S. CAMPUSES ENGAGE WITH THE FULBRIGHT PROGRAM? Dedicated professionals from campuses celebrated as Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders have taken part in a wide range of Fulbright Program activities that benefit their faculty and students, including: Advising students about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, to help them prepare a competitive application for this opportunity to study, conduct research, or teach abroad Hosting Fulbright Foreign Students on their campuses, to share their culture and perspectives as they study alongside their American classmates Hosting Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants to enhance language acquisition and cross-cultural competency, including in less-commonly taught languages such as Chinese, Swahili, and Arabic Enabling U.S. faculty members to gain career-enriching international experience through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Creating empowering connections through Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) seminars, in which senior higher education officials learn from their counterparts and higher education systems of other countries Enabling U.S. faculty members to share their expertise with a foreign institution for project-based, short-term exchanges through the Fulbright Specialist Program Hosting Fulbright Visiting Scholars and Scholar-in-Residence participants to teach courses, conduct research, assist in curriculum development, establish long-term institutional linkages, and engage with the campus and the local community Hosting Visiting Scholars for short-term lectures and cultural engagements through the Fulbright Outreach Lecturing Fund For U.S. Students, Faculty, and Administrators The 2022-2023 Competitions for Fulbright U.S. Student Program and Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program are currently open. Students and faculty members can explore how to apply on these websites, and by contacting the Fulbright Program Adviser or Fulbright Scholar Liaison on their campus. Featured Videos: What Is Fulbright? I am Fulbright We continue to add brilliant and capable people to stay ahead of the curve, so that our service and solutions are world class. On the tail of a banner year, and the increasingly complex commercial insurance market, specialty wholesale insurance broker, Founders Professional, is very excited to announce three new hires! Please join FoundersPro in welcoming three new Assistant Brokers to the FoundersPro team: Alanna Morrison, Pete Arcidiacono and Kevin Wunker. Alanna Morrison - Alanna is a recent graduate of The Florida State University where she participated in various organizations including Gamma Iota Sigma (Insurance Business Fraternity), Kappa Alpha Theta (Social and Service sorority), Student Alumni Association, and Seminole Student Boosters. She graduated in Spring 2021 with a degree in insurance and risk management and is very excited to use this degree and begin her journey as an Assistant Broker at Founders Professional. She will be focusing her time on supporting our Architects & Engineers team, and will be working out of our St. Petersburg, Florida corporate headquarters. After four years of college studying insurance and risk management, Im excited to finally use my knowledge in the real world. I was drawn to the close-knit family culture at Founders and cannot wait to learn from everyone and grow as a young business professional. commented Morrison. Pete Arcidiacono Pete is joining Founders Professional as an Assistant Broker, and will be helping our California team with their operations and rapid growth. Pete is a graduate of St. Petersburg College with a degree in Business Administration and Management. Pete has worked in customer service and management roles for the past 20 years, and is excited to leverage that experience to his new role at FoundersPro. He will be based out of our St. Petersburg, Florida corporate headquarters. I am excited to work for Founders because it is a start of a new career path for me and I look forward to learn and grow alongside a great team and great leadership. Commented Pete. Kevin Wunker Kevin is a recent graduate of The Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Real Estate. During college, Kevin interned at Bass Underwriters, New Market Advisors, and Enterprise Florida - where he was an assistant to the Florida Secretary of Commerces strategic development team. At Founders Professional, Kevin will be focusing his time assisting the Miscellaneous Professional Liability division with their operations and growth. He will be based out of our St. Petersburg, Florida corporate headquarters. Im excited to be part of Founders because of the impressive growth the firm is experiencing, and the opportunity to be able to grow with them and learn from them while starting out my professional career. commented Wunker. Robb Williams, President of Founders Professional, says Were excited to add three very talented people to our ever-growing team. We continue to add brilliant and capable people in order to stay ahead of the curve, so that the service and solutions we offer our agent partners is world class! Our six Practice Leader led teams are rapidly growing, and well continue to invest in our future with new people. If youre interested in a new career, lets talk! Welcome to Team Founders Alanna, Pete and Kevin. Were excited to have you! About Founders Professional Founders Professional is a national wholesale insurance brokerage focused exclusively on the placement of management liability & professional liability insurance risks. The Founders Professional practice leaders and their respective teams have deep expertise and market access in the areas of Architects & Engineers, Law Firms, Healthcare/Life Sciences/Social Services, Cyber Liability, Management Liability, and Miscellaneous Professional Liability Insurance. Founders Professional represents a majority of the admitted and surplus lines insurance carriers that focus on professional liability insurance in the United States, additionally representing many exclusive or semi-exclusive programs. For additional information, contact Aaron Lipson at 312.848.6970 or aaron.lipson@founderspro.com. An uncle who enacts a deranged Christian test of faith, a high school teacher who encourages poetry writing, and an ill-fated joyride in a stolen maintenance vehicle. These are the characters and events that shape the sprawling debut bildungsroman from J. William Lewis, set in the lawyer-novelists home state of Alabama in the 1950s and featuring Kit Biddle, who obsesses about the meaning of life while processing the killing of his cousin Nathan by his uncle, Nathans father, the year before. Lewis began writing the book, his first novel, in the 1980s. I wrote the first draft fairly quickly and then put it aside for gestation, he says. I also put it aside because I had a large and demanding law practice and legal writing commitments. The impetus for the book came from revisiting The Catcher in the Rye as a father of young children and reflecting back on the angst of his own adolescence. While blurbs have compared the book to Catcher, classic Southern fiction also comes to the readers mind, such as Walker Percys interest in the spiritual and the profane, and John Kennedy Tooles colorful dialogue. In a barroom scene, Kit meets a disgraced, Shakespeare-quoting former pastor who describes his literal fall from grace: I regret to say that I became inebriated before a Wednesday evening prayer meeting and, as a consequence, fell spectacularly and ignominiously from the chancel into the nave. For Lewis, the references to Catcher are spot on, as he wrote it while imagining what an 18-year-old Holden Caulfield would be like. It might be strange if the comparison were not made, he told PW. Holden is distressed but he never really verbalized why; hes sort of smitten with old Margaret but he doesnt yet know what that means. I have presumed that by the time he reached 18, Holden would be struggling with deeper and more elusive questions and perhaps seeing old Margaret as the scintillating Anna who shuts down his systems with the hint of a smile. And hell focus on the fact that the real thing thats haunting him is the irrepressible why. Indeed, girls are a source of both heartache and ambivalence for Kit. Early in the novel, hes distraught over his rejection by Anna, his first love. Later, he gives in to the newly voluptuous Sarahs advances but feels conflicted. Still, he drinks wine with her and they park under a viaduct, where their awkward and painful (for Sarah) tryst is interrupted by a scuffle outside the car, at which point Kit baffles her by jumping out to intervene. By this point in the novel, Kits restlessness has been building, and its not long before he makes the bizarre move of joy-riding in a truck stolen from a country club. He gets into a bad accident, and Lewis then spends the second half of the book on Kits struggle to regain his identity. Though Lewis identifies with Kit in the sense that they both grew up with similar struggles, the character is a fictional creation. For dramatic and structural purposes, Lewis says, I added struggles that I never experienced, for example, the murder of a relative, which I added to isolate Kit in a singular way, or that I experienced in a way that did not fit the story line well enough; I, for example, was not in a high school fraternity because my father said no, not because I was blackballed. Now, Lewis writes poems for his family members, and has penned endless legal documents throughout his career, but The Essence of Nathan Biddle holds a special place in his heart. The story became my refuge from the world to which I retreated, he says. I continue to be reluctant to let it go, despite the fact that I know in my heart that it is done. Its like parting with a dear old friend. If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit DEPPEN VS. DONST, LAWLESS, BOAR, VEDA SCOTT & MORE: COMPLETE 5/21 LVAC REEL RUMBLE NIGHT ONE COVERAGE FROM LEHIGHTON, PA LVAC Wrestling held a "bonus" event at the Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton, PA for those attending the second annual "Reel Rumble" weekend featuring pro wrestling themed movies. They had a ring set up in front of the drive-in screen with fans invited to bring chairs or blankets to sit around ringside in a festival atmosphere. They announced that due to an injury, A Very Good Professional Wrestler would be replaced by Tim Donst against Tony Deppen in the main event. *First Friends, The Boar (formerly of Moldova) & Erica Leigh defeated The Lone Rangers, Jeff Cannonball and Mitch Vallen. An entertaining tag with some fun comedy, *Masha Slamowich, billed from Russia vs. Veda Scott, who has been seen in Ring of Honor and on AEW Women's Tag Team Tournament commentary. Scott played the babyface in peril, being worked over by the larger Masha early on. She cut off Masha with a clothesline and a slam. Scott scored several near falls. Scott finally scored a submission victory. Fun. *Tim Donst vs. Tony Deppen. Deppen is the current ROH TV Champion. Donst played full heel, complaining about Deppen pulling hair and tights. He took control kicking Deppen in the guts and playing up to the crowd. Deppen came back with a dropkick that sent Donst to the floor outside. Deppen teased a dive but Donst dove back into the ring, where he was dropkicked out again. Donst regained control, working over Deppen's back. Donst distracted the referee, allowing his seconds, Sidney Bakabella and Dan the Champ to work over Deppen. He missed a charge into the corner and Deppen cleaned house until missing a Bronco Buster in the corner. Donst suplexed him off the buckles but missed a follow-up. Donst nailed a leaping DDT and scored a near fall. Fun back and forth match. Donst cut him off on the top and went for a superplex but was blocked. Deppen knocked him into the ring but missed a double stomp. Donst covered him for a two count and argued with the referee over whether it was a 2 or 3 count. Deppen beat down Donst with a series of forearms and a big leaping knee for another two count. Deppen nailed a big basement dropkick. They went to the ground, where Deppen escaped a powerbomb attempt. Deppen hit a tope con hilo to the floor, which is basically all rocks and dirt, so he's pretty fearless. Donst cut him off and scored several two counts, again arguing with the referee. He shoved the referee. Deppen rolled him up and scored the pin. Good stuff. *The Batiri & Ziggy Haim & Haunted Francis vs. Rex Lawless & CC Boost & King Crab & Merlok. One of the Batiri battled Merlok, who missed a splash in the corner. One of the Batiri hit a dive to the outside. Haim tagged in and hit a running knee. CC Boost, dressed in stripes and a mask because he's a robber. Haim was elevated and tossed to the outside onto everyone. Lawless tagged in and did some power spots. Haim broke away from Francis and made the hot tag. Lots of back and forth action. Team Boost regained control. One of the Batiri cut off Boost and went for a superplex, executing the move. Everyone battled and built to a Tower of Doom spot. The crowd rallied everyone to continue. Haim took out Boost with a tiltowhirl into a DDT. Everyone hit big moves. Lawless hit a package piledriver on Francis and scored the pin. The crowd really enjoyed this one and it went for quite awhile. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! TRIAL FOR FORMER IMPACT STAR PUSHED BACK TO SEPTEMBER Court records indicate that the trial for former WWE developmental and Impact Wrestling star Trenesha Daniyall Biggers aka Rhaka Khan before the 409th District Court in El Paso, Texas on charges of interference with child custody and "aggravated kidnapping facilitate" has been pushed back to Friday 9/24/21 at 8 AM. The trial has already been pushed back several times, likely due to the slowdown in the court system brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was most recently scheduled to begin just last week on 5/21. Biggers was indicted on the charges in August 2019, leading to her being listed as one of El Pasos most wanted fugitives after failing to appear in court. There are two court instances where her no-shows led to her bail being revoked. She was finally arraigned in December 2019. Biggers is being represented by a public defender. In the State of Texas, interference with child custody is when someone "takes or retains a child when that person knows that the taking or detention of the child violates a judgment or order." It is considered a state jail felony and can be punishable by up to two years in prison. Biggers last wrestled in 2011 for the now-defunct Lucha Libre USA promotion, which aired on MTV. Biggers was part of the 2005 WWE Diva Search and was signed to a developemental contract after failing to make it past the top 25 contestants in the search. She was sent to Deep South Wrestling but was released in May 2006. She worked for a number of independent promotions and in Japan before signing with Impact Wrestling in 2008, departing that promotion in 2009. She worked for Lucha Libre USA in 2010 and 2011. Biggers released the following videos in the wake of her arrest: If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! The company also provided an update on its Uskmouth waste-to-energy conversion project in Newport, Wales Simec Atlantis Energy Ltd (LON:SAE) announced that its tidal power generation facility in Naru Island, Japan, has passed the Japanese government's pre-use inspection tests and is now recognised as an official power generation facility. The turbine tests were undertaken by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), a key stakeholder in consenting renewable energy projects in Japan, during one of the strongest tides expected this year. The site features a AR500 tidal turbine that has been generating electricity since it was installed in January 2021 and has generated more than 90MWh of power at a high turbine availability. The company said the pilot test was the first large-scale project of its kind in Japanese waters and has shown how the tidal industry can make a meaningful contribution in Japan's ambition to diversifying its energy supply towards renewable sources. We are all delighted to have achieved this accreditation from METI as this confirms the capability and reliability of our technology and is a huge step forward in paving the way to the next phase of this exciting project and other future projects in Japan," said Graham Reid, chief executive of Simec Atlantis. Elsewhere, the company also provided an update on its Uskmouth waste-to-energy conversion project in Newport, Wales. The company said it submitted a "Statement of Case" to the Planning Inspectorate on 21 May 2021. The SOC is a routine part of a 'call in' process and addresses the matters raised in the 'call in' decision letter that the company announced in March. READ: Simec Atlantis says Welsh government to handle Uskmouth planning application The application is not for the conversion of the plant itself as a change in the fuel source from coal to waste derived pellets does not require planning permission and there is no change of use of the existing power station as its primary purpose would be thermal combustion to generate electricity, Simec Atlantis reiterated. The next step in the 'call in' process is for the Planning Inspectorate to conduct a review of the environmental statement for the Uskmouth conversion project. Coronavirus New Berks cases continue to fall New COVID cases continue to fall in Berks as 34 new cases are reported Crime Man arrested after multicounty crime spree Suspect stole several vehicles in a 1-afternoon multi-county crime spree, state police say He had been sought last week by police in Bethel Township Bloomsburg University, a public university in Pennsylvania, announced on May 13 that it is terminating its relationship with all fraternities and sororities formerly associated with the school. The announcement came days after sophomore Leah Burke reportedly died after an incident outside a fraternity house. A spokesman told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the universitys decision was unrelated to Burkes death, which the county coroner said is not considered suspicious nor was it trauma related, and nothing nefarious was involved. Although Burkes death was not blamed on the fraternity, it was not the first fatal incident in which a Bloomsburg fraternity was involved. In 2019, a freshman named Justin King was found dead after consuming large amounts of alcohol in an alleged hazing incident. Kings family sued the fraternity and sorority allegedly involved, claiming that the accused students negligently and/or recklessly coerced, encouraged or otherwise caused unauthorized Bloomsburg University pledges, including freshman Justin King, to consume life-threatening amounts of alcohol. The university was not a subject of the litigation and implemented a zero-tolerance policy for misbehavior in Greek organizations in December 2019. In January 2021, university president Bashar Hanna sent a letter to Bloomsburgs Greek-involved students, warning that any future significant violation of Greek specific rules or Code of Conduct violations will result in the cancelation of the entire FSL community at Bloomsburg University. In response to the January letter, Zach Greenberg of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) claimed that Hannas warning threatened students First Amendment rights. If Bloomsburg truly wants to better its Greek life system, it may want to consider punishing the students and groups that have actually broken university rules, Greenberg wrote. For whatever ails its fraternities and sororities, punishing the innocent cannot be the cure. Greenberg sees the Universitys May 13 decision to disaffiliate from all Greek organizations, regardless of conduct, as another assault on students associational freedoms. Bloomsburgs decision derecognizes over a dozen groups with hundreds of student members, limiting their expressive and associational rights, and hindering their ability to meaningfully engage with the university community. Without university recognition, these groups lose access to university resources and the various benefits reserved for recognized student groups, he told RealClearEducation. Bloomsburgs decision also disappointed representatives of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), a trade association of 58 national and international fraternities affiliated with two Bloomsburg fraternities. NIC sent RealClearEducation a statement expressing its frustration with the universitys decision. We are disappointed by the Universitys decision to end support of fraternity and sorority life without meaningful dialogue or collaboration. We believe students are best served and held accountable through collaboration between host institutions, inter/national fraternities and advisors, the group said. Its not clear how and why Bloomsburgs decision to disassociate from all Greek organizations regardless of group conduct was made. Asked about the process by which the school reached its decision, spokesman Thomas McGuire told RealClearEducation that it was a University administrative decision and declined to comment further. Greenberg argued that the public universitys decision to disaffiliate from all Greek-life organizations violated the spirit of the First Amendment. Bloomsburg University appears to have terminated its Greek life program based on allegations of misconduct against individual students or specific groups. If so, the universitys guilt-by-association approach is antithetical to the First Amendment and fundamental fairness, he said. Greek-involved students across the country regularly report being subject to guilt-by-association, according to RealClearEducations Survey of Greek-Letter Organizations. Sixty-eight percent of the more than 4,500 Greek-involved students surveyed said that they sometimes or very often felt as though entire student groups were punished for the misdeeds of one student or a small group of students. To Greenberg, guilt-by-association is not only an immoral principle but an impractical one. Rather than punishing innocent students by banning an entire category of student groups, he said, Bloomsburg should only discipline those found responsible for violating university rules. First-time heroin users, according to the substance abuse treatment center The Recovery Village, often feel a rush of euphoria and a false sense of well-being, but upon subsequent use that feeling tends to dissipate or disappear altogether as someone develops a tolerance to heroin, and they may just use the drug as a way to avoid withdrawal, rather than feeling a true high. To the Republican Party, Donald Trump is heroin. Using Trump the first time was euphoric. He picked the Electoral College lock and thwarted the presidential candidacy of the Republicans bete noire, Hillary Clinton. But that initial high has never been replicated. Using Trump in 2018 threw away the House. Using him in 2020 sacrificed the Senate and the White House. In the four months since Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, his favorable rating in the NBC News poll dropped from 40% to 32%, yet Trump trounces all potential rivals in every 2024 Republican presidential primary poll. After Al Gore lost the controversial 2000 election while winning the popular vote, polls in early 2002 showed about a quarter of the his party wanted a rematch in 2004. Today, recent polls find Trump winning between 48% and 57% of the Republican primary vote, far outpacing any potential rival. The euphoria is long gone, yet the GOP still cant quit using Donald Trump. As he remains the partys focal point, Republicans can now be divided into three categories: addicts, enablers and interventionists. Those hoping to stage an intervention are very few. Leading that small faction is Rep. Liz Cheney, who was purged from her House leadership post for having the audacity to insist that the party ignore Trumps delusions and accept that the 2020 election result was legitimate. The addicts actively want him to continue to play a central role in the GOP, even if they know of the dangers. In a March interview with Axios on HBO, Sen. Lindsey Graham was disturbingly candid: Theres something about Trump. Theres a dark side, and theres some magic there. What Im trying to do is just harness the magic. He could make the Republican Party something that nobody else I know can make it. He can make it bigger. He can make it stronger. He can make it more diverse. And he also could destroy it. Earlier this month when talking to Fox News Sean Hannity, Graham was even more insistent that the GOP should not quit Trump: Can we move forward without President Trump? The answer is no. The enablers seem to understand the party should move beyond Trump, but arent willing to confront the addicts. Take Senate Minority Whip John Thune as an example He was recently asked by CNN about the House bill for a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The proposal incorporated demands from the House Republican leadership that the commission give both parties an equal number of members and equivalent subpoena powers, but still did not win the support of the Republican leaders nor most House Republicans. Aligning himself with the majority of House Republicans, Thune expressed concern that the commissions findings "could be weaponized politically and drug into next year." Thune further said, "I want our midterm message to be on the kinds of things that the American people are dealing with: that's jobs and wages and the economy and national security, safe streets and strong borders -- not re-litigating the 2020 elections. Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020 elections, I think, is a day lost on being able to draw a contrast between us and the Democrats' very radical left-wing agenda." Thunes political logic is backwards. Turning the proposed commission into a point of partisan conflict has drawn more media attention to those Republicans who refuse to accept the legitimacy of Joe Bidens victory, and away from the bread-and-butter issues most voters care about. Agreeing to the commission would have minimized the controversy around it, and created more media space for Republicans to battle Democrats over domestic and foreign policy differences. But accepting the commission requires confronting the addicts. It requires acknowledgement that Trump and the rioters are the illegitimate actors, not Biden, not the secretaries of state, not the vote counters. It requires saying Trumps protestations go beyond mere difference of opinion they actively undermine our democracy. Thune did not do this. He made excuses for the addicts and justified their self-destructive behavior. Conventional wisdom is that Republicans will take back the House in 2022. The presidents party almost always loses House seats and Republicans only need to net-gain five. Pollster Charles Franklin analyzed the shift in the House popular vote between presidential elections and midterm elections in the years since 1946, and estimated Democrats would lose 26 seats. That doesnt account for House redistricting, which, according to Cook Political Reports Dave Wasserman, could give Republicans up to eight additional seats. But the estimate also doesnt account for unpredictable party behavior between the presidential election and the midterms, or as Franklin put it, Political skill or folly might shift the balance away from the models. A partys hearty embrace of a just-defeated one-term president with a 32% favorable rating should qualify as folly. It simply hasnt happened before. We have no model to estimate the potential effect. Of course, the possibility maybe even the probability exists that Republicans still take the House in 2022 as well as the Senate. That may not give them as powerful a dopamine hit as Trumps presidential victory, but it could be enough of one to keep injecting Trump into their veins. The unknown is whether losing in 2022 would represent the intervention from the voting public that Republicans couldnt undertake themselves. If Republicans cant net five House seats and one Senate seat, when the average midterm yields far more for the opposition party, then that might constitute the addicts rock bottom. The enablers better hope so. Good morning, its Monday, May 24, 2021. On this date in 1844, Samuel Morse sent the first public message via telegraph. It went over the newly installed wire on Capitol Hill to his collaborator, Alfred Vail, who was awaiting the signal at a Baltimore railroad station. The words Morse typed out in the code that bears his name came from the Bible: What hath God wrought? It was a fitting message, as much in our time as it was then. Ill have a brief additional observation about this technological milestone in a moment. First Id point you to our front page, which aggregates, as it does each day, an array of columns and stories spanning the political spectrum. We also offer a complement of original material from RCP reporters and contributors, including the following: * * * Republicans Make Jan. 6 an Issue for 2022. A.B. Stoddard warns the GOP that its refusal to help find the truth about the Capitol assault will come back to haunt it. Can Republicans Break Their Addiction to Trump? Bill Scher writes that the party can now be divided into three categories -- addicts, enablers and interventionists -- and without more of the latter, it is doomed to minority status. The Real Big Lie: You Cant Question Elections. Frank Miele argues that Liz Cheney and those who support her fail to acknowledge that the American electorate has the right to think for itself. RCP Takeaway. In the new podcast episode, Susan Crabtree, Phil Wegmann, and Andy Walworth join me in talking about Jan. 6, and we discuss Susans reporting on new attack ads against woke capitalism messaging. Republicans, Take the Next Step in Fight Against Discrimination. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Trey Grayson urge bipartisan support for the Equality Act, which would prohibit all forms of discrimination against gay and transgender people. Oklahoma Is Wrong to Sue J&J Over Opioid Deaths. At RealClearPolicy, Jacob Rich argues that the recent increase has less to do with the number of people prescribed opioids and more to do with drug users resorting to black market drugs after government-mandated decreases in prescribing. The Epic Trial to Squeeze More Profits Out of Apple. Also at RCPolicy, Carl Czabo asserts that its hypocritical for Epic to attack the Apple App Store while running its own successful online store and charging the same commission its suing against. The Supreme Court Reins In the IRS. Joe Bishop-Henchman and Andrew Wilford spotlight a case they say makes the agency more accountable to taxpayers. Energy Transitions Demands a U.S. Mining Revolution. Jude Clemente writes that minerals vital to creating a green power grid will be in short supply without policy priority changes. Cyber and EMP Preparedness. At RealClearDefense, Peter Pry pens an open letter to a National Security Council official in light of the Russian hack of the Colonial Pipeline. To Unite the Nation, Biden Should Take Up School Choice. Cooper Conway explains the connection in RealClearEducation. * * * Innovations in science and tech, in fields ranging from communications to miracle medical advances, are most often brought about through the cooperative efforts of government and private enterprise. This was certainly true of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines developed last year. It was also true of the telegraph. Samuel Morse first heard about electromagnetism while sailing to Europe. Returning stateside, he labored with Alfred Vail and New York University professor Leonard Gale on the mechanics of the device while also working out the dot-and-dash system still called the Morse code. An unsuccessful foray into partisan politics had taught him enough to know that congressional support would be valuable in more ways than one, and Morse and his friends lobbied Congress to allocate $30,000 for construction of the telegraph lines between Washington and Baltimore. The appropriation almost didnt happen. It came about largely because of the dogged efforts of Henry L. Ellsworth, a college friend of Morses who was then commissioner of patents. Ellsworths efforts bore fruit just minutes before adjournment, when Congress finally approved the funds. It was Ellsworths wife who came up with idea for the initial words to be spoken over the wire, an inspiration she imparted to Morse via her daughter, Annie. Fast-forward to Oct. 29, 1969. On that date, the first message was sent over what we now call the Internet when UCLA student Charley Kline typed the letters LO on his computer, a message that was received by a similar machine at Stanford. Ive always assumed Kline was starting to type the word login, but the computer crashed after hed typed only two letters. That research project by the forerunner of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was also funded by Congress, and by much more than 30 grand. But it paid off. Or did it? Maybe that initial message should have given us pause. It was inadvertent, but it turned out to be prophetic and powerful that the message we delivered was LO -- as in, lo and behold, said UCLA professor Leonard Kleinrock, who headed the project. Or, to paraphrase the biblical verse, What hath man wrought? Carl M. Cannon Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics @CarlCannon (Twitter) ccannon@realclearpolitics.com Liz Cheney doesnt get to decide what is true for the rest of us; neither, as hard as it is for some of them to believe, do the media pundits and philosopher-kings whom our society breeds like rats in a junkyard. But they sure do try, and for the most part they have gotten away with it for decades. Cheney has become the darling of the oligarchs the last several months because she first voted to impeach Donald Trump and because she then elected to condemn the Republican Party for disagreeing with her. Cheney, the lone Wyoming representative in Congress, has deemed herself the conscience of the GOP. Of course, what is obvious is that she is the latest in a long line of self-appointed saviors of the party who believe the way to save the village is to first destroy it. Her pretend friends in the media take offense when Cheney is described as a traitor, but anyone who still thinks the Republican Party stands for something fundamental and principled certainly is within their rights to question her loyalty, as her obsession with destroying Donald Trump and excising the 75 million Americans who voted for him has only one effect to give aid and comfort to the Democrat Party and to its agenda of transforming America into a post-constitutional Marxist regime. Listen to her preening speech the night before she was stripped of her title as chair of the House Republican caucus: "We must speak the truth. Our election was not stolen. And America has not failed. Every one of us who has sworn the oath must act to prevent the unraveling of our democracy. This is not about policy. This is not about partisanship. This is about our duty as Americans. Remaining silent and ignoring the lie emboldens the liar. I will not sit back and watch in silence while others lead our party down a path that abandons the rule of law and joins the former president's crusade to undermine our democracy." Cheneys arrogance is only exceeded by her ignorance. The only truth is Cheneys truth, which just so happens to coincide with the Democrats truth. Our duty as Americans is apparently to accept election results without question, and to sacrifice our rights and responsibilities on the altar of the rule of law. But despite her certainty that the 2020 election was not stolen, many of us remain unconvinced. According to Cheney and her media champions, we are being deceived by the former president. Apparently, it is impossible for the elitist establishmentarian to conceive of an electorate that thinks for itself. There have always been politicians like Liz Cheney, those who see their role as protecting the people from themselves, but it is a much more recent phenomenon for the media to take the side of politicians over the people, and in particular to accept the word of politicians without testing it against the evidence. The Watergate break-ins connection to President Nixon never would have been discovered if the media were as obeisant to authority then as they appear to be now, but there is virtually no mainstream reporter who has done a deep dive into the many anomalies that marred the last election. What we have instead are dutiful pundits who parrot the official party line of Democrats and call it journalism. They never tire of repeating the provocation that this was the most secure election in American history. You can read their mournful condemnations of Trump and anyone who still believes in him virtually every day at RealClearPolitics and other political websites. At the heart of every such story or column lies one fundamental fact the authors were too lazy (or too biased) to investigate the evidence of a corrupt political process for themselves. Its as if they had never heard of Watergate, or the alleged weapons of mass destruction that justified a deadly invasion of Iraq, or the Steele dossier. Last week, I read one such condemnation of Trump and paean to St. Cheney by an author who should have known better. Elizabeth Drew covered Watergate, and hundreds of other stories of political and government malfeasance, in a long and celebrated career as someone with a reputation for objectivity and common sense. I grew up watching her on PBS and Meet the Press and thought I could trust her to keep her head when others were losing theirs. But it turned out that Drew was more in love with Washington than with her job. When Donald Trump came into office on a pledge to rip the guts out of the bureaucratic Deep State that was auctioning off our American heritage, she instinctively sided with the politicians over the man she called bombastic, crude, and manifestly unprepared to be president. Her lengthy list of articles attacking Trump was unknown to me at the time I read her recent column, but the title of her new piece told me everything I needed to know about Drews politics: The Big Lie and Its Consequences. The teaser declared that By questioning the very integrity of America's electoral system, [the Republican Party] now represents an open threat to the U.S. constitutional order. Talk about a Catch-22! If you fear that someone is tampering with elections, you are a threat to the Constitution, but if you actually are tampering with elections, you have nothing to worry about because those who figure it out will be denounced as enemies of the Constitution. Thats a sweet deal for the bad guys. Still I plowed on, hoping that this childhood hero of mine wasnt completely out of touch with reality. That hope was dashed by the second paragraph when Drew informed a gullible public that the U.S. constitutions promise and central premise that the people elect the president has never been totally fulfilled. I have two issues with that sentence. First, Drew and/or her editors lower-cased Constitution, which gives some suggestion of how low a view they hold of that remarkable document. Second, what bizarre theory is she advancing when she claims that popular election of the president is the central premise of the Constitution? That proposition does not exist in the Constitution, not even as a promise, and certainly not as a central premise. It is well known Drew certainly knows it -- that the nations Founders feared the results of allowing direct election of the chief executive, and installed the Electoral College as a protective mechanism to guard against demagogues and democratic (small d) mobs. So here we have Elizabeth Drew, who cant even tell the truth about a basic historic fact, scolding millions of Americans for supposedly promoting a Big Lie because we have questions about what happened on Nov. 3, 2020. The underlying assumption of Drews column, like that of all the columns that paint Trump as the author of the so-called Big Lie, is that election fraud is impossible, and that therefore anyone who tries to prove it is a fraud or worse. In Drews case, this is not a guess. She admits it: To question the veracity of the official election result is to undermine the assumption of the integrity of the election system. To me, that sounds like top-down Soviet-style orthodoxy. But that is what the Democrats and their fawning phalanx in the media most passionately desire. In their perfect world, they talk and the rest of us just shut up and listen. Or even better, we are supposed to dutifully embrace the party line and become true believers like Liz Cheney. Free thought and free speech be damned. Drew ends her column by invoking the rule of law as her presumed ally, just as Cheney did in her speech to Congress. But Drew makes it clear that for her, the rule of law is nothing but the yoke of subservience. For her, democracy cannot succeed without voluntary cooperation, trust and restraint. What she doesnt grasp is that the same can be said much more accurately about dictatorship. The real Big Lie is that America is great because Americans are obedient. In fact, America is great because Americans are independent, rebellious and rowdy just like Donald Trump. Voluntary cooperation be damned. Let the evidence speak for itself, and let the people make up their own minds. We certainly dont need Liz Cheney and Elizabeth Drew to tell us what to think. South Africa: Land reform gaining momentum President Cyril Ramaphosa says the countrys land reform programme is gaining momentum, with over two million land claimants having benefitted from land restitution, resulting in the transfer of around 2.7 million hectares. To date, government has redistributed over five million hectares of land, totalling around 5 500 farms to more than 300 000 beneficiaries, President Ramaphosa said. He was speaking at the handing over of land and title deeds to farmers in Tafelkop in Groblersdal, Limpopo, on Saturday. The handover ceremony, the culmination of a land reform process, saw 30 black farmers presented with title deeds. The farmers have been successfully farming various agricultural produce for 25 years on the land and the Public Works and Infrastructure Department transferred the land on a gratis basis for land redistribution purposes. In 2000, the then Department of Agriculture entered into lease agreements with the Tafelkop Farmers Association in terms of the Land Redistribution through Agricultural Development (LRAD) program. In 2009, the former Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDA) recommended to the Department of Public Works, as the custodian of the land, that the land be transferred to the farmers who had been in occupation since 1996. The deeds were registered earlier in 2021 in the names of the farmers who officially became the beneficiaries of the land over the weekend. The land is currently being used to farm tobacco, cotton and fresh produce. A total of 32 households are supported by the land, with farming activities providing employment to 128 permanent workers and about 320 seasonal workers. President Ramaphosa commended the farmers for their resilience and determination, which is an inspiration to us all. You have reminded us indeed that nothing is so full of victory as patience, and that where there is unity, there is always victory. This land is this communitys most valuable asset, and now it is officially yours. You will now be able to use it as security to secure loans to expand, to secure long-term supply contracts and to form partnerships with bigger commercial farmers, President Ramaphosa said. Land reform is about economic development He noted that land reform is not just in the interests of redress, justice and social cohesion but it is also about economic development. Agriculture and the agriculture value chain can and must transform rural economies. Through the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan we are developing the agricultural sector, and making it more inclusive so that it can play an even greater role in driving inclusive growth, the President said. He added that the transfer of the state land is part of governments nationwide process to speed up land reform. Our Constitution obliges the state to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within our available resources, to facilitate equitable access to land. The release of state-owned land is one of the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture. Last year, we announced that 529 000 hectares of state-owned land would be released for agricultural activities, President Ramaphosa said. He acknowledged that land reform process has been beset by many challenges, including among others, the management of farmland leases, as it was highlighted by Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza, during her recent Budget Vote. The President noted that in recent months, government had to respond to complaints from several black emerging farmers. These have revealed the weaknesses in the implementation of our policies, and call for an overhaul of our property management processes. We are listening carefully to what farmers are saying, the President said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. At least 9 killed, dozens injured in multiple weekend shootings across U.S. Xinhua) 09:38, May 24, 2021 Police officers investigate at the scene where the gunman was killed in Fullerton shootout in Los Angeles, California, the United States, April 27, 2021. (Xinhua) WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- From east coast to west coast, at least nine people, including two girls, were killed and dozens injured in multiple shootings in several U.S. states over the weekend. A 16-year-old girl died just after 1 a.m. local time on Sunday, shortly after gunfire broke out at the Bicentennial Park Amphitheater in Columbus, the capital city of Midwest state Ohio, local police said. Five other teens were injured in the shooting. The incident occurred at a private event that was promoted on social media, according to the police statement, NBC Columbus affiliate WCMH reported. What sparked the shooting remains unclear, and police have not identified a suspect, said the report. In Youngstown, the ninth largest city in Ohio, three people were shot dead and five others injured at a bar on early Sunday morning, according to a CNN report, citing local police sources. Police responded to the reports of shooting at the Torch Club Bar & Grille in Youngstown shortly after 2 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), said the report. Detectives said some sort of argument broke out near the bar and there was "an exchange of gunfire," local media outlet WKBN reported. In Bridgeton, the eastern U.S. state of New Jersey, two people were killed with 12 others injured in a house party shooting just before midnight, the authorities said on Sunday. The dead were a 30-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, state police said. One of the injured, all adults, is in critical condition. Troopers responded to the scene at 11:50 p.m. Saturday, the state police said. More than one hundred people were at that home for a party at the time, according to an ABC News report. In North Charleston, South Carolina, a 14-year-old girl was shot dead and another 14 people were injured after an unauthorized neighborhood concert on Saturday evening, local media outlet WCIV reported on Sunday. Authorities said the shooting occurred after a fight broke out near the concert stage. Police are investigating the incident. In downtown Minneapolis, the U.S. state of Minnesota, two people died and another eight were injured in a shooting incident early Saturday morning. The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) said officers responded to "an exceptionally chaotic scene" at 1:59 a.m. CT at a bar in downtown Minneapolis. Preliminary investigation revealed two people both pulled out guns and began shooting at each other as they got into a verbal confrontation. "The two deceased are males. One male is in critical condition and the remaining 7 have non-life-threatening injuries," the MPD said in a statement. Despite the frequency of multiple mass shootings across the United States, major gun control legislation is unlikely due to deep partisan and cultural divide in the country, experts say. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) "In vitro experiments were carried out to assess the drugs potential efficacy against the Kent and South African mutations ( ) said lab tests of its inhaled interferon beta, which is being developed to treat people with severe effects of COVID, has shown potent antiviral activity against two new variants of the SARS-CoV-2. The lab tests of SNG001 also demonstrated the broad-spectrum antiviral activity", which bodes well for its use across a number of respiratory viruses. The in vitro experiments were carried out to assess the drugs potential efficacy against the Kent and South African COVID mutations. They found SNG001 potently reduced the virus to undetectable levels in cells infected with the Wuhan-like Coronavirus as well as the two strains. Synairgen co-founder, professor Sir Stephen Holgate, said: "Emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 are of great concern as they may negatively impact on the effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutics. These data are not surprising, and confirm the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of SNG001, which has shown activity against a range of respiratory viruses such as RSV, rhinovirus, adenovirus and influenza, and reassuringly confirm its activity against these SARS-CoV-2 variants. Holgate said the latter point was important in the context of the companys ongoing phase III trial in hospitalised patients as well as the future use of the treatment against the Coronavirus and other emerging viral threats. 63 of Kewadin, passed away June 1, 2021 at her home. A memorial for Sandra will be held at a later date this summer. Sandy's wishes are for you not to get sappy, but have a big bash to celebrate because she'll be up "there" preparing for the after party. Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service, Got some scoop for our reporters or editors? Click on the link below to send us your information. Send your news Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Periods of rain. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Driver Catie Munnings, who races for the Andretti United team, was on hand to show the Prince how to get the best out of the series electric race vehicle Prince William was given a masterclass in electric racing at Knockhill Racing Circuit over the weekend, driving a car powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology produced by ( ). The test drive at the Extreme E event was organised ahead of COP 26, the international climate change conference, which takes place in Glasgow later this year. BENNINGTON The Blue Benn has a new addition to its decor: a wooden plaque that attests to its appearance on national TV last Friday. CBS host Stephen Colbert mentioned the Bennington diner on his program, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, in a segment designed to give a boost to small businesses nationwide. The Blue Benn was one of eight businesses featured that night chosen among the many who responded to Colberts earlier call for entries. If youre near any one of these places, go check out the plaque and support your local businesses, Colbert said last week. The Blue Benns owner, John Getchell, said he was sleeping soundly when the diners photo and name were broadcast to hundreds of thousands of TV viewers. He only found out about his businesss media exposure on Saturday morning from a fellow Benningtonian. It was a complete surprise, Getchell, 59, said. Im a real fan of Stephen Colbert. Im really thrilled. The segment has also gotten close to a million views on the Late Shows YouTube channel. It turns out that without Getchells knowledge, the guy who manages The Blue Benns social media accounts made the late-night TV pitch. David Dubov-Flinn became friends with Getchell after they both graduated from Bennington College in the 80s, and he volunteered to help with the diners social media presence to give back to the town. Dubov-Flinn, who now lives in Maryland, said he tagged #ColbertSmallBizBump in March 10 posts on Facebook and Instagram, which included a photo of The Blue Benns facade. And forgot about it when he didnt hear anything back from The Late Show. He learned about diners TV appearance after the segment aired Friday evening, when he came across someones post about it on a Bennington-based Facebook group. It was incredible, he said, and such a great boost to local businesses and The Blue Benn. The 73-year-old diner apparently has not immediately seen an increase in business since it appeared on national TV. Getchell said not a lot of folks in Bennington know who Colbert is, including many of his employees. But he expects to see the biz bump down the road, particularly since the business has many loyal customers out of state who might not know the diners current status: We are back, that we made it through the pandemic. The diner is still operating at half-capacity, in accordance with the states latest coronavirus guidelines. Getchell said he is eager to get back to full capacity as more people are vaccinated and the COVID-19 cases go down. Meanwhile, he is working on adding a patio, with flower boxes, for outside dining. He expects it will be ready for customers sometime next month, maybe even travelers who will come to see The Late Show plaque. Beckley, WV (25801) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey and Poland have signed a deal for the sale of Turkish-made combat drones, making Poland the first NATO and European Union member country to purchase Turkeys Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday. The agreement was signed during Polish President Andrzej Dudas three-day visit to Turkey. We would love for you to join us to share your memories of Daryl with family and friends. Daryls full obituary can be view at http://www.myersmortuary.com/ A celebration of life will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on 2021-06-27 at Fraternal Order of Eagles , 2140 N Lebanon St, Lebanon, IN 4 To glimpse the future of the Republican Party if Trump and Trumpism continue to prevail, just look at whats happening in Arizona. Cheered on by the former president, the Republican-controlled state senate is sponsoring a wackadoodle recount aimed at overturning Joe Bidens narrow victory last November. That victory has been reaffirmed numerous times by state officials, federal judges and the Republican governor, Doug Ducey. Nevertheless, the senate persists. That caused the Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richter, a Republican, to brand the whole effort unhinged and add: We cant indulge these insane lies any longer. As a party. As a state. As a country. Insane is the right word, which Merriam-Webster defines as exhibiting a severely disordered state of mind. One of the tactics employed by Cyber Ninjas, the Florida firm owned by a Trump supporter thats conducting the recount: using microscopes and high-intensity lights to search for traces of bamboo in paper ballots, which might indicate ballots were illegally smuggled from Asia, reports The Washington Post. Trump has fully embraced the nuttiness, recently telling a crowd at his Florida retreat: Some very interesting things are happening in Arizona ... I wouldnt be surprised if they found thousands and thousands and thousands of votes ... This was a rigged election, everybody knows it, and were going to be watching it very closely. That is a Big Lie, and everybody knows it, but a very popular one among True Trumpists. Two-thirds of Republicans in the latest CBS/YouGov poll said Biden was not the legitimate winner of the election the same number that pledged loyalty to Trump. Thats why Larry Hogan, the Republican governor of Maryland and a frequent Trump critic, told CNN that the ex-president is toxic for the Republican Party and for the country. That toxicity plays out on two levels, and the first is Trumps demand that the party purge itself of any heretic who wont pledge total fealty to him personally. From a purely political perspective, that makes absolutely no sense. Politics is always about addition, not subtraction; about expanding your appeal, not shrinking it. And yet House Republicans overwhelmingly booted one of their leaders: Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, an orthodox conservative and party loyalist who committed exactly one sin telling the truth about Trumps Big Lie. And 80% of Republicans in the CBS survey supported her ouster. Heres the problem: Trumps core base of support has never exceeded 40%, and Republicans who can still count, like Hogan, know that a party composed solely of True Trumpists cannot succeed. As he put it, To ostracize somebody, remove them from their leadership position, is crazy. I mean, its kind of doubling down on failure. Weve lost the White House, the House, the Senate over the past four years, and to continue to do the exact same thing and expect a different result is the definition of insanity. But Trumps toxicity pollutes much more than the GOPs electoral prospects. His unyielding and totally unjustified refusal to accept the results of the last election threatens to erode a basic pillar of democracy: the rule of law. Faith in the system. The willingness of the losers to accept the judgment of the voters. Cheney emphasized that point on Fox News, telling host Chris Wallace: Those millions of people that you mentioned who supported the president have been misled. Theyve been betrayed. And certainly, as we see his continued action to attack our democracy, his continued refusal to accept the results of the last election, you see that ongoing danger. Which brings us back to Arizona. This is not just Trump spouting off at a rally, railing to Sean Hannity or tweeting some conspiratorial nonsense. This is the real world, with real actions and real consequences. The whole exercise might be unhinged, but that doesnt make it unimportant. It is Trumpism at its worst, and it foreshadows the future. Trump predicts that in the months ahead, unwarranted and undemocratic challenges to well-established election results could happen in other swing states, as well. And they will almost certainly recur after the 2022 and 2024 elections if Republicans lose again. Elected Republicans, I think, are afraid of the next election, and they cant be, said Bill Gates, the Republican vice chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Theyve got to stand for what is right. Otherwise, why did they run for office in the first place? Good question. But right now, most of those Republicans are choosing between Trump and Truth and Truth is losing. (Roberts is a writer for United Feature Syndicate) The company will now review all test data gathered and inspect the spaceship and mothership An image of the VSS Unity near its highest point above the earth ( ) completed its long-delayed third spaceflight over the weekend, leaving just two regulatory hurdles ahead before it can begin carrying paying passengers into space. Following an aborted mission in December and then after being beset by technical issues and postponements in recent months, the company's spaceship VSS Unity was finally carried into the upper atmosphere by mothership VMS Eve on Saturday before being released and firing its own rockets. Under the control of pilots CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, Unity achieved a speed of Mach 3 as it reached an altitude of 55.45 miles (89.2km) before gliding smoothly to a runway landing at Virgin Galactic's Spaceport America site in New Mexico. The US officially considers anyone who has flown above 80km to be astronauts. Following the flight, and in line with normal procedures, Virgin Galactic said it will conduct a review of all test data gathered and inspect the spaceship and mothership. Once the results have been confirmed and sent to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the company plans to proceed to the next flight test milestone. Some of the data collected during the flight will used for the final two verification reports that are required as part of the current FAA commercial reusable spacecraft operators licence. Michael Colglazier, chief executive of Virgin Galactic, said: Todays flight showcased the inherent elegance and safety of our spaceflight system, while marking a major step forward for both Virgin Galactic and human spaceflight in New Mexico. Space travel is a bold and adventurous endeavour, and I am incredibly proud of our talented team for making the dream of private space travel a reality. We will immediately begin processing the data gained from this successful test flight, and we look forward to sharing news on our next planned milestone. As well as collecting the crucial data needed to win its licence, other test objectives fulfilled during the flight include testing the spaceships upgraded horizontal stabilizers, flight controls and EMI reductions, while the ship also carried revenue-generating scientific research experiments as part of NASAs Flight Opportunities program. The controversy over the web series The Family Man 2 continued over the portrayal of alleged anti-Tamil visuals involving Samantha Akkineni. After NTK founder Seeman, another politician, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, and MDMK general secretary Vaiko joined the fray seeking a ban on the show. The politician has urged Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar to take action against the show. Vaiko seeks ban on The Family Man 2 A section of netizens had expressed their displeasure against The Family Man 2 after the trailer that released on May 19, over the alleged portrayal of Samanthas character Raji as a soldier of the LTTE, the organisation involved in the Sri Lankan civil war. Netizens termed the show as anti-Tamils for showcasing Tamilians as terrorists. Vaiko wrote a letter to Javdekar, calling the The Family Man 2 as an objectionable show that depiticted Tamilians as terrorists and ISI agents and having links with Pakistan. The leader claimed that Tamil speaking Samantha was being depicted as a terrorist having links with Pakistan terrorists. He wrote that the visuals had hurt the sentiments of Tamil people and Tamil culture and was 'offensive against Tamil community.' The people of Tamil Nadu are raising serious objection over such act and are protesting against the serial," he wrote in his letter. He urged the Ministry to take immediate action to stop the release of The Family Man 2. Otherwise, the people of Tamil Nadu will react very seriously and the Government has to face serious consequences, his letter read. The Family Man 2 Controversy Recently, NTK founder Seeman, who has had a fascination and personal association with the LTTE, had opined, "The preview of 'The Family Man 2', which has been announced for release on the Amazon Prime website, and the footage featured in it are shocking. It is obvious that the series, which portrays the LTTE as terrorists and seeks to portray Tamil people as violent, is portrayed as such intentionally and the mere thought of broadcasting it is akin to causing violence against the Tamil community." Seeman had also warned of the worst possible consequences if the Tamil community was misrepresented. The Family Man 2 has been created and directed by Raj & DK and stars Manoj Bajpayee as an undercover intelligence officer attempting to battle the organisation. The series hits Amazon Prime on June 4. Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. Shows like Solos on Prime have the question, "What does it mean to be human?" at its heart and simultaneously attempt to answer that question as well through the means of a show that belongs to the science fiction genre. These character-driven stories are spearheaded by the likes of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier star Anthony Mackie, Anne Hathway, screen legend Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, amongst others. If you're someone who is fond of Sci-fi shows like Solos on Prime and are impressed by the performance of Solos cast members, the following list of Sci-Fi shows that are similar to the latest addition to the list of Amazon Prime Original may be of interest to you. Read on for the list. 1) Upload The first in the list of shows like Solos is Upload, a satirical Science Fiction dramedy that is set in the future where humans have essentially managed to build an after-life of their own. The interactions between the beings of the two realms given way to some intense character-driven moments and hilarity. The show, which has a rating of 8.0 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. 2) Electric Dreams Electric Dreams is a 10-episode-long science-fiction anthology series that is set in a handful of unique worlds that are beyond the reach of the human imagination. Every single episode, based on the short stories by Philip K. Dick, touches upon a different philosophical question and also explores what it means to be human. The show, which has a rating of 7.3 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. 3) 12 Monkeys A movie-to-television series adaptation of the film of the same name, tells the story of James, a scavenger in 2043, who has to time travel back to 2015 to prevent the contagion of a deadly plague. In order to do so, he has to destroy the Army of the 12 Monkeys who released the virus. The show, which has a rating of 7.7 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. 4) Sense8 From the minds of the directors and screenwriters who brought their viewers the Matrix film trilogy, Sense8 tells the tale of eight people who find themselves neurologically connected to each other and their tryst with a secret organization that is trying to take them down. The series is shot in various parts of the globe, ranging from India to Germany and Iceland. The show, which has a rating of 8.3 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Netflix. 5) Away Away on Netflix is the saga of Emma Green, who embarks on a seemingly arduous mission to planet Mars as a leader of an international crew, which meant that she had to leave behind her husband and daughter. This series touches up the themes of tragedy, heartbreak, and familial bonds during its runtime. The series, which has a rating of 6.6 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Netflix. 6) Black Mirror This critically-acclaimed science fiction series, one of the episodes of which features Solos cast member Anthony Mackie, explores the adverse consequences of technological advancement. The show is part comedy, part drama, and part thriller. This anthology-like series, which has a rating of 8.8 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Netflix. 7) Stranger Things One of the biggest Netflix Original shows in terms of viewership and fandom, Stranger Things explores unbreakable bonds of friendship and the morally questionable act of experimenting on youngsters through a show that has the guise of a science fiction show on. The drama that is set in the '80s is also known for redefining what an other-worldly creature can look like on-screen. The show, which has a rating of .8.7 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Netflix. 8) Alice in Borderland This Japanese drama sees Arisu (Played by Kento Yamazaki), an obsessive gamer, suddenly finding himself in a strangely quaint and emptied-out version of Tokyo. Against the backdrop of a Tokyo that very much doesn't feel like the city anymore, he and his friends must compete in dangerous games in order to survive. The show, which has a rating of 7.7 on IMDb. is available for streaming on Netflix. 9) Love Death + Robots Taking cues from Black Mirror and every other Sci-Fi show involving seemingly sentient technology, Love Death + Robots explores the complicated relationship between humans and technology in a dystopian future. The second volume of the series, which has a rating of 8.5 on IMDb, was released by its makers quite recently. The show is now available for streaming on Netflix. 10) Biohackers Biohackers is the revenge saga involving a medical student who enters a top German university on a secret mission to uncover a conspiracy linking a family tragedy to a biology professor. The series then takes a turn into various genres, one example of the same is a whodunit. The show, which has a rating of 6.8 on IMDb, is available for streaming on Netflix. Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. With the growing outcry over season 2 of webseries 'The Family Man' even ahead of its release, the Tamil Nadu government has now lodged a strong protest with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting against the web series produced by Amazon Prime India. In an official communication to Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar, the Tamil Nadu government has claimed that the 'condemnable, inappropriate and malicious contents' of The Family Man - 2 depicts the Eelam Tamil community in a 'highly objectionable manner'. Claiming that the broadcast of the web series would be prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony in Tamil Nadu, the state government has sought a stay or ban on the release of The Family Man season 2, not only in Tamil Nadu but across India as well. "The sacrifices of their (Eelam Tamil) long drawn out democratic battle has been intentionally undermined and it could not, by any stretch of imagination be considered merely as a serial with any value for Tamil Culture. Moreover, a serial which is loaded with insults and insinuations against the glorious Tamil culture could never be considered as the one having any broadcasting value," the Tamil Nadu government said in its communication to Union Minister Javadekar. Tamil Nadu govt seeks ban on The Family Man S-2 Citing an excerpt from the trailer, the state government has said that branding Tamil-speaking actress Samantha as a terrorist is directly an 'attack' on the pride of Tamils living around the world. The State has also informed that the trailer of The Family Man - 2 has already evoked strong and widespread opposition from the people of Tamil Nadu as well as political parties in the state. "While our brethren Eelam Tamils are struggling for decades to enjoy the fruits of equality, justice, peace and dignity in the island nation, it is highly unwarranted for an organisation like Amazon Prime to undertake this kind of a smear campaign against the Tamils who are builders of India as well as many nations across the globe," the State government added. The Family Man season 2 release date The hit Hindi web series 'The Family Man' starring Manoj Bajpayee will see the protagonist return as Srikant Tiwari in the sequel, along with Priyamani and Samantha in pivotal roles is directed by Raj & DK. It is expected to be released on Amazon Prime on June 4 this year. The show's trailer which was released recently shows Samantha as a Sri Lankan woman, who presumably essays the role of an LTTE member and someone with links to Pakistan and other terrorist outfits. Pertinently, the second season of The Family Man was supposed to be hit home screens earlier this year. However, a major controversy surrounding Tandav forced Amazon Prime to stay the release of the web series and review its contents before announcing the new release date. As per reports, the new release date i.e. June 4 was announced only after the contents were deemed to be 'safe'. Reports have also suggested that almost no scene or aspect of the original show shot had to be edited except some minor tweaks following the controversy that broke out. NMK issues warning to makers Among those criticising The Family Man season 2 is Naam Tamilar Katchi, a Tamil nationalist party, chief Seeman. In his statement to the media regarding the matter, Seeman said that the footage featuring in the trailer is shocking. "It is obvious that the series, which portrays the LTTE as terrorists and seeks to portray Tamil people as violent, is portrayed as such intentionally and the mere thought of broadcasting it is akin to causing violence against the Tamil community," Seeman has said. Seeman also warned the makers of the series that if refuse to pay heed to their demand and broadcast The Family Man 2 online, they will face the "worst possible repercussions" if the Tamil people are misrepresented. Notably, there is opposition not only to the web series but also against Samantha who starred in the series. Some have raised banners against the actor for allegedly insulting Tamil people and Tamil identity. Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane on Monday spoke to Chief Operations Officer of the Royal Bhutan Army Lt Gen Batoo Tshering and discussed issues relating to bilateral defence cooperation. The telephonic conversation between the two military officials came amid China's increasing assertiveness in the region. "General MM Naravane #COAS had telephonic interaction with Lt Gen Batoo Tshering, #ChiefOperationsOfficer of the Royal Bhutan Army #RBA and discussed issues of bilateral defence cooperation," the Army tweeted. According to a white paper on Tibet issued by the Chinese government on Friday, China is ramping up efforts to develop the infrastructure in remote villages located along Tibet's border with India, Bhutan and Nepal. China shares an over 450-km-long border with Bhutan and it is yet to be delineated. Bhutan is a strategically important country for India due to its location, and both sides have been steadily ramping up overall cooperation including in areas of defence and security. PTI MPB ANB ANB (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) After INS Jalashwa Monday arrived in Vishakhapatnam with the largest oxygen consignment from Singapore and Brunei under the ongoing Operation Samudra Setu II, ship's Commanding Officer Captain Pankaj Chauhan spoke exclusively to Republic Media Network. As per the Indian Navy, INS Jalashwa has brought 300 metric tonnes of oxygen and more than 3,600 oxygen cylinders, ventilators and other critical medical equipment. When asked to speak about Operation Samudra Setu II, Captain Pankaj Chauhan said, "We had sailed out last month on April 25, in response to the cry of the nation under the pandemic. We had sailed out to South-East Asia, where we went to Brunei, followed by Singapore and we picked up critical medical care equipment like cryogenic tankers, oxygen cylinders, ventilators, etc." Operation Samudra Setu II: Capt Pankaj Chauhan speaks to Republic TV While stating that INS Jalashwa had been a part of Operation Samudra Setu I, which was held during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic, the Commanding Officer said that the ship had gone to bring back stranded Nationals from the foreign countries to India. Speaking further about Operation Samudra Setu II, the Captain said that this mission was a joint effort by the Government of India (GOI), Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Embassies in foreign countries, local diaspora and the Indian Navy along with its Easter and Western Naval Command. Captain Pankaj Chauhan said, "When we were told to deploy, we were ready in a moments notice. This is the Hallmark of the Indian Navy. The items have already started being unloaded and are already on the move to the state and the NGOs so that the people who are suffering from Coronavirus infection can be cured." When asked to speak about the major problems faced by the Indian Navy while accomplishing this mission, the Commanding Officer of INS Jalashwa said that the Navy faced 2 major problems. He said, "During the on-boarding, where we had to sit and do planning to establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). A ship is a very confined space and therefore, people have to be very careful while carrying vessels like oxygen cylinders, ventilators, etc. Hence, we had established places, where this equipment could be put. We made sure that these places were properly ventilated." The Captain further said, "The second problem, which we faced, is the cyclone Tauktae, which passed through the Arabian Sea and cyclone Yaas in the Bay of Bengal. We also had to cater for the challenges posed by the weather because we cant lose a battle against the sea. We had to make sure that the items, which were kept on-board are secured properly." While replying to the question on how is Indian Navy keeping its men safe amid the pandemic, the Captain said that everyone maintains social distancing on the ship and wears a double mask. "In addition to this, we follow a healthy regime by exercising twice a day. Yoga has become an important part of our routine," he added. COVID-19 situation in India As the world continues to battle against the pandemic, India so far has recorded over 2,67,52,447 positive cases, out of which, 2,37,28,011 have successfully recovered and 3,03,720 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours, 2,22,315 new cases, 3,02,544 fresh cases and 4,454 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases in the state is 27,20,716. (Image: Republicworld.com, Facebook- Rajeshwari Panchal) New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) The Indian Navy on Sunday brought to India 340 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen, more than 3,700 oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies from abroad as the country continued to reel under a severe second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The supplies were brought by two warships from Singapore, Brunei and Qatar. Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said naval ship INS Jalashwa arrived at Visakhapatnam bringing 300 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) and over 3,600 oxygen cylinders from Singapore and Brunei. It was the largest consignment of LMO brought to India from abroad. The ship also transported some other medical equipment including ventilators and empty cryogenic oxygen containers. Another ship, INS Trikand, arrived in Mumbai carrying 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen and 100 oxygen cylinders from Qatar, Commander Madhwal said. The two warships are part of nine ships deployed by the Indian Navy under operation 'Samudra Setu II' for shipment of liquid medical oxygen and associated equipment from friendly foreign countries in the Persian Gulf and South-East Asia. The Indian Navy stepped up its efforts as ships from all three naval commands in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kochi were deployed to bring oxygen and other medical equipment under operation 'Samudra Setu II' following a shortage of oxygen supply in the country triggered by rising COVID-19 cases. Last year, the Indian Navy had launched Operation Samudra Setu as part of the Vande Bharat evacuation mission under which it brought back to India around 4,000 stranded Indians from Maldives, Sri Lanka and Iran. The Indian Air Force also brought to India a large number of cryogenic oxygen containers and other medical equipment from several countries in the last few weeks. On Saturday, the IAF brought oxygen containers from three countries. An IL-76 airlifted three cryogenic containers from Bangkok to Hyderabad while four such containers were brought to Hindan from Frankfurt and four from Ostend in Belgium to Panagarh in West Bengal. As India battles a devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, around 40 countries have sent medical supplies including oxygen-related equipment to help it tide over the situation. The leading countries that have supplied assistance to India included the US, Russia, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg, Singapore, Portugal, Sweden, New Zealand, Kuwait and Mauritius. PTI MPB SMN SMN (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A day after Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar, along with his associate Ajay was arrested in Delhi, the Delhi Police said on Monday said that its Crime Branch will investigate the Chhatrasal Stadium brawl case that led to the death of a 23-year-old wrestler Sagar Dhankar. Sushil Kumar has been currently sent to six days of police custody by a Delhi Court. The Delhi Police on Sunday informed a local court that way in which Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar and his associates thrashed the victims in the Chhatrasal incident was "gruesome" and was done so that Kumar could "establish his terror" in the area. A police official also informed on Sunday that Sushil was using more than 14 cell phone numbers to evade his arrest and he was using all his contacts to get help, his friends had given him cash which he used while he was absconding. "He knew that withdrawing cash will lead him in a fix, hence he avoided that," the police added. The Delhi Police had earlier announced a reward of Rs one lakh for information leading to the arrest of Sushil Kumar, who had since been on the run. Another reward of Rs 50,000 was announced for Ajay Kumar's arrest. Non-bailable warrants were issued against him and six others. This came days after a lookout notice was issued against the wrestler. Chhatrasal Stadium Brawl Case On the intervening night of May 4-5, a quarrel had broken between wrestlers at Chhatrasal Stadium which quickly escalated after someone from the group fired shots. Following this, the Chhatrasal Stadium video also went viral on social media. The injured wrestlers had to be rushed to the Trauma Centre, Civil Lines, where one of the wrestlers, former junior national champion Sagar Rana succumbed to his injuries. Days later, 24-year-old Prince Dalal from Jhajjar, Haryana was arrested in the case with double-barrel-loaded guns. Another accused in the firing, Sonu Mahal is touted to be a close associate of gangster Kala Jathedi. (With Agency Inputs) The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday said that the narco module busted on Sunday was on forces radar for the past few weeks and more chains and links related to the case will be identified during the investigation. Police said 8 kgs of Heroin has been recovered from the one arrested person which has a market value of Rs 50 Crore. Accused drug module associated with Pakistan Addressing a press conference Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Kupwara Dr. G.V Sundeep said that the busted narco module was in close touch with Pakistan-based operatives and the accused apprehended was tasked to smuggle drugs into the valley to extend financial support to the militant outfits in Kashmir valley. Flanked by top police officials, the SSP said that this particular narco module was under forces radar for the past few weeks and some suspected places were also searched but finally, on Sunday evening the teams following them were able to apprehend the accused. He said that the accused has been arrested along with a huge consignment of 8 kilograms of heroin having a market value of Rs 50 crore. The SSP said that the accused was in touch with Pakistan-based militants and was tasked to extend help to the militants within the Kashmir valley adding that these drug consignments are moved to convert them into money. He informed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe this case further and more arrests and links of this chain are expected to come to the fore during the further course of the investigation. Less infiltration, more narcotics operation The district police chief said that this year infiltration has been very negligible but there have been more attempts to send drugs to make the flow of money without a move of money. He further informed that a total of 32 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered in NDPS acts in which around 40 to 45 accused people have been arrested. "In all these cases a total of 28 Kilograms of heroin has been recovered having a market value of Rs 120 crore", he said Image Source: Arawat Mehraj The UNs International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on May 23 said that it was strongly concerned by the forced landing of Ryanair flight in Belarus. Flight FR4978 was carrying Roman Protasevich, a 26-year-old opposition activist, who was detained before the plane was allowed to resume its flight. A MiG-29 fighter jet escorted the passenger aircraft to Minsk because of a bomb scare, however, no explosives were found. Following the incident, aviation leaders reacted with shock and called for an investigation. While taking to Twitter, the ICAO said that the incident may have contravened a core aviation treaty, part of the international order created after World War II. The UN aviation agency said that it is now looking forward to more information and confirmation by the countries concerned. ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. We look forward to more information being officially confirmed by the countries and operators concerned. ICAO (@icao) May 23, 2021 The International Air Transport Association also strongly condemned the incident and called for a full investigation by authorities. It is worth mentioning that the flight was en route from Athens to Vilnius when it turned east to Minsk shortly before it reached the Lithuanian border. According to the Flighttrader24 website, the flight path suggested that the plane was actually nearer to Vilnius than Minsk when it turned. We strongly condemn any interference or requirement for landing of civil aviation operations that is inconsistent with the rules of international law. Details of the event with flight #FR4978 are not clear. A full investigation by competent international authorities is needed. https://t.co/pqq46QNSdT IATA (@IATA) May 23, 2021 Flight data related to todays forced diversion to Minsk of Ryanair #FR4978. https://t.co/VXMo77yTmp pic.twitter.com/0Sf3lozB6u Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) May 23, 2021 Ryanair flight hijacking The plane from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus for several hours. Arriving passengers said that they had been given no information about the reason for the abrupt diversion to Minsk. In a statement, the airline said that the crew of Flight FR4978 had been notified by Belarus (Air Traffic Control) of a potential security threat onboard and were instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk. Greece and Lithuania put the number of passengers on board at 171. It was noted that the Ryanair statement did not mention that Protasevich didnt continue to Lithuania, instead it said that the aircraft departed together with passengers and crew after approximately seven hours on the ground in Minsk. Belarus state-owned news agency Belta reported that President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order for the plane to land in Minsk following the bomb alert and approved despatching the MiG-29 fighter jet. Following the hijacking, both Latvia and Lithuania said that the airspace over Belarus should be recognised as unsafe. Latvias Foreign Minister even said that the Belarusian airspace should be closed to all international flight. The incident has angered world leaders across the globe and even called for the EU and NATO to intervene. (Image: Twitter) Belarus on May 23 forced a Ryanair flight carrying a wanted opposition activist to land in the capital Minsk, provoking a furious outcry from world leaders who described it as state terrorism. According to BBC, Roman Protasevich, a 26-year-old dissident journalist, was detained before the plane was allowed to resume its flight. A MiG-29 escorted the jet to Minsk because of a bomb scare, however, no explosives were found. The plane from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus for several hours. Arriving passengers said that they had been given no information about the reason for the abrupt diversion to Minsk. In a statement, the airline said that the crew of Flight FR4978 had been notified by Belarus (Air Traffic Control) of a potential security threat onboard and were instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk. Our FR4978 flight has landed safely in Vilnius at 19:25hrs UK time (21:25hrs local time). Here is Ryanairs statement on todays diversion to Minsk Airport pic.twitter.com/i0xhdpwTAF Ryanair Press Office (@RyanairPress) May 23, 2021 Lukashenko approved dispatching fighter jet Greece and Lithuania put the number of passengers on board at 171. It was noted that the Ryanair statement did not mention that Protasevich didnt continue to Lithuania, instead it said that the aircraft departed together with passengers and crew after approximately seven hours on the ground in Minsk. The flight was en route from Athens to Vilnius when it turned east to Minsk shortly before it reached the Lithuanian border. According to the Flighttrader24 website, the flight path suggested that the plane was actually nearer to Vilnius than Minsk when it turned. Belarus state-owned news agency Belta reported that President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order for the plane to land in Minsk following the bomb alert and approved despatching the MiG-29 fighter jet. The incident has angered many and even called for the EU and NATO to intervene. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab warned the outlandish action would have serious implications. Attack on freedom of expression EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also called the incident outrageous and illegal and further warned of consequences. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly condemned the Belarusian regimes brazen act and demanded an international investigation. Ukraines foreign ministry spokesperson, on the other hand, called the incident an attack on freedom of expression. The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. Those responsible for the #Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned. Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately. EUCO will discuss tomorrow action to take. Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 23, 2021 The UK is alarmed by reports of the arrest of @nexta_tv journalist Roman Protasevich & circumstances that led to his flight being forced to land in Minsk. We are coordinating with our allies. This outlandish action by Lukashenko will have serious implications. Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) May 23, 2021 Alarming reports about a @Ryanair plane that was diverted to #Minsk. All passengers must be allowed to continue their travels & we need an independent international investigation into this incident. We urgently demand the release of activist Roman #Protasevich. MFA Austria (@MFA_Austria) May 23, 2021 More worrying news coming from Belarus as we learned Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich has been detained in Minsk. This is yet another attack on freedom of expression by Belarusian authorities. We demand his immediate release. While in detention, his rights must be upheld. Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) May 23, 2021 We strongly condemn the Lukashenka regime's brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist. We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps. The United States stands with the people of Belarus. Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 23, 2021 Following the hijacking, both Latvia and Lithuania said that the airspace over Belarus should be recognised as unsafe. Latvias Foreign Minister even said that the Belarusian airspace should be closed to all international flight. Moreover, European Council chairman Charles Michel said EU leaders would discuss "this unprecedented incident at a Council summit and it would not "remain without consequences". NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, on the other hand, called the incident serious and dangerous. IMAGE: Twitter/AP Agronomics Limited's ( ) Jim Mellon and Anthony Chow join Proactive London to introduce their firm which invests in businesses focused on cultivated meat and alternative protein. They focus mainly on 'clean meat' which is grown in laboratory conditions as well as dairy products, fish and certain materials. The company have a portfolio of 16 companies as well as new opportunities in cultivated meat, which is produced in bioreactors by using animal cells. France on May 23 warned that Israel is facing the risk of long-lasting apartheid in Israel if Palestinians fail to secure their own state. Just two days after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict agreed for a ceasefire in a truce brokered by Egypt with France also playing a role, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian became the first senior official of the European nation to use the term apartheid in reference to Israel. In an interview with RTL radio and Le Figaro newspaper, Le Drian made the comments considering the violent clashes between Jews and Arabs that erupted in major Israeli cities during the latest armed conflict. While Israeli forces and Palestinian militants engaged in offensive engulfing Gaza Strip and West Bank into chaos, many incidents of violence also occurred in Israeli cities with Arab mobs assaulting Jews and torching synagogues. These attacks prompted retaliation with Jews attacking the other side and devastating the years of peaceful coexistence within Isreal. Its the first time and it clearly shows that if in the future we had a solution other than the two-state solution, we would have the ingredients of long-lasting apartheid, Le Drian said using the word for the white supremacist oppression of the black community in South Africa between 1948 and 1991. The French Foreign Minister added that the risk of apartheid is high if Israel continues to take action according to a single-state logic but also if it maintains the status quo. He said, Even the status quo produces that. Le Drian on Israeli- Palestinian conflicts end While Le Drain mentioned apartheid in another television appearance on the LCI TV channel, he also talked about the world leaders who made the perception that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would end soon. Alluding to former US President Donald Trumps striking pro-Isreal policy and the two-state solution that recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and pushed for a peace plan, the French Foreign Minister said that it created an impression that the decades-long crisis would soon cease to exist. "Those who thought that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would gradually be extinguished were mistaken. It shows the urgency of finding a political process," he said while highlighting the crucial need for a resolution. Or else, he added, we would then have the ingredients of long-lasting apartheid...if we continue to adopt a logic of one state or the status quo. IMAGE: AP A cable car taking visitors to a mountaintop view of some of northern Italy's most picturesque lakes plummeted to the ground Sunday and then tumbled down the slope, killing 14 people. A young child was hospitalized in serious condition with broken bones, authorities said. Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino said it appeared that a cable broke, sending the car careening until it hit a pylon and then fell to the ground. At that point, the car overturned two or three times before hitting some trees," she said. Some of those who died were thrown from the cabin. The Italian government announced a commission to investigate the disaster, which is likely to renew questions about the quality and safety of Italys transport infrastructure. Images from the site showed the crumpled car in a clearing of a thick patch of pine trees near the summit of the Mottarone peak overlooking Lake Maggiore. The car was believed to have fallen around 15 meters (50 feet), according to Italian media. The plunge on the the Stresa-Mottarone line happened about 100 meters (yards) before the final pylon, said Walter Milan, spokesman for Italys Alpine rescue service. By Sunday evening, the death toll had risen to 14 dead after one of two children taken to Turin's Regina Margherita children's hospital died. The child died after several attempts to restart his heart failed. The other young child, who arrived at the hospital conscious, remained in serious condition, authorities said. Milan noted that the cable line had been renovated in 2016 and had only recently reopened after coronavirus lockdowns in Italy curtailed travel and forced the suspension of many leisure activities. Milan suggested many families may have flocked to the mountain on a sunny Sunday after months of restrictions. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A cable car taking visitors to a mountaintop view of some of northern Italy's most picturesque lakes plummeted to the ground Sunday and then tumbled down the slope, killing 14 people. The lone survivor, a young child, was hospitalized in serious condition with broken bones, authorities said. Six of the dead were Israeli citizens, including a family of four who lived in Italy, the Israeli foreign ministry said. It wasn't clear if the other couple was related. The mayor of Stresa, where the incident occurred, said it appeared that a cable broke, sending the car careening until it hit a pylon and then fell to the ground. At that point, the car overturned two or three times before hitting some trees," said Mayor Marcella Severino. Some of those who died were thrown from the cabin. The Italian government announced a commission to investigate the disaster, which is likely to renew questions about the quality and safety of Italys transport infrastructure. (Image Credit: AP) (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Belarus' airspace should be deemed "completely unsafe for any commercial flight," Lithuania's foreign minister said Sunday after a Belarusian activist was detained in Minsk when his plane was grounded over a bomb threat The Ryanair flight, headed from Athens to the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, was carrying Belarusian activist and blogger Raman Pratasevich. It was diverted in what Belarus' opposition is calling a hijacking operation by the government. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suggested that "any plane crossing Belarusian airspace" could be treated in the same way, and demanded a "very clear answer" from the international commmunity and European Union. He added that the EU should consider widening the scope of its fourth round of sanctions on Belarus, or introduce a fifth. Pratasevich, who was arrested Sunday, is a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app's Nexta channel, which Belarus last year declared as extremist after it was used to help organize major protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. Pratasevich, who had fled the country for Poland, faces charges that could carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Passengers on a Ryanair flight, diverted to Belarus following a bomb alert which led to the arrest of a prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president, finally reached Vilnius - the flight's original destination - on Sunday evening. Raman Pratasevich, who faces charges that could bring 15 years in prison, was aboard the Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius when it changed course for Minsk. The opposition and Western officials denounced the incident on Sunday as a hijacking operation by the Belarus government. The press service of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the president himself ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the airliner after he was informed of the bomb threat. Deputy air force commander Andrei Gurtsevich said the plane's crew made the decision to land in Minsk. Passengers from the plane complained of hours spent with no information and seeing Pratasevich disembarking and being led away calmly by security. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called the incident a "state-sponsored terror act." He said that the European Council would discuss the case Monday and that he would propose banning Belarusian planes from European Union airports and "serious sanctions" against Lukashenko's government. "It's not normal," said a French passenger who only gave his name as Arthur. "You cannot have this power to do this, and I think our government should not accept that and there should be some sanctions on Belarus to have done that." He added: "They can pretend there is a bomb alert, to stop your plane, so for sure it wasn't true. The dogs were more there to cover their excuse, but the facts are, they just wanted to arrest a man." (Image Credit: AP) (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Protesters including local Belarusians took to the streets of Ukraine's capital on Sunday after a Belarusian opposition figure was detained in Minsk when his plane was grounded over a bomb threat. The Ryanair plane, headed from Athens to the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, was carrying Belarusian activist and blogger Raman Pratasevich. It was diverted in what the opposition is calling a hijacking operation by Belarus' government. Demonstrators in Kyiv waved old white-red-white Belarusian national flags a symbol of the opposition and held placards with messages against Belarus' authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Polina Brodik, coordinator of the SOS Free Belarus Center, called for Ukraine to take stronger economic measures against Belarus' "de facto terrorist regime." Another protester, Sergei Luk'yan, insisted that Ukraine should stop trading altogether with its northern neighbor. Pratasevich, who was arrested Sunday, is a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app's Nexta channel, which Belarus last year declared as extremist after it was used to help organize major protests against Lukashenko. Pratasevich, who had fled the country for Poland, faces charges that could carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A 130-truck convoy with humanitarian aid and medical supplies began entering Gaza from Egypt on Sunday. Trucks crossed into the territory some two days after an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militant groups ended an 11-day war. "We brought this aid to our people in Gaza after the war," said Hussein Al-Sayyed, a driver of a truck carrying supplies. "We came to support you with this aid in terms of food, medical tools and other materials." The fighting caused severe damage to Gaza's already decrepit infrastructure. The ministry of public works and housing said that 769 housing and commercial units were rendered uninhabitable, at least 1,042 units in 258 buildings were destroyed and just over 14,500 units suffered minor damage. The United Nations said about 800,000 people in Gaza do not have regular access to clean piped water, as nearly 50% of the water network was damaged in the fighting. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Libya has invited Qatar to reopen its embassy in Tripoli, as the Libyan interim government pushes to renew its ties with the outside world after ten years of turmoil and civil war. The invitation came from Libyan foreign minister Najla Al-Manqoush who held talks Sunday with visiting Qatari foreign minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. During a joint news conference in Tripoli, al-Manqoush praised Qatar for its role in helping to end the conflict in Libya, which had seen the country split between two rival governments, each with its own armed forces. For his part, the Qatari minister said his country looked forward to reciprical visits with the aim of increasing cooperation between the two countries. Earlier he met the head of Libya's interim government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) An Egyptian court on Sunday (May 23) rejected a complaint submitted by the Japanese owner of MV Ever Given that held the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) responsible for the mega container ships stranding halting global trade in March. In a statement released on Sunday, the prosecutors ordered the continued detention of the ship by the canal authorities as the investigations are underway. Egyptian media reported that the vessel owner Shoei Kisen attached a complaint to the case at the economic appeals court in Ismailia holding Suez Canal Authority guilty after it sought US$916 million in compensation. Ahmed Abu Ali, one of the lawyers representing the Japanese firm told the press reporters Sunday that the complaint was rejected and the case was bounced back to Egypts court of the first instance for hearing on May 29. This could trigger appeals by either side, dragging the case further. Suez Canal Authority defended its $916 million claims with the court saying that it covered the loss incurred for maritime trade blockage, material, and reputational damage, as well as covers the costs of freeing the ship and salvage bonus stipulated in maritime law. [This satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows the cargo ship MV Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal near Suez, Egypt. Authorities prepared to make new attempts to free the giant container vessel stuck for the fifth day and reopen a crucial east-west waterway for global shipping. Credit: Maxar Technologies via AP] One rescue boat sank, worker dead The SCA lashed out at the shipping company saying that at least one rescue boat sank during the flotilla of tugboats operation to free skyscraper ship resulting in the death of a worker, whose family was paid compensation. It warned that Panama flagged MV Ever Given would not be allowed to leave the country until a compensation amount is settled. SCA lambasted Ever Givens owner for filing an appeal on April 22 as the Economic Court of Ismailia upheld the seizure. [MV Ever Given was successfully re-floated at 04:30 on 29 March. Credit: Twitter/@Inchcape_SS] "The investigation establishes those who are responsible for the accident and so designates the sides, which will pay compensation, head of Egypts Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Lt. Gen. Osama Rabie in a live interview with state TV. "The Suez Canal is not to be blamed for the accident, it is the affected party, he stressed. "Strong winds have never led to closing the canal," Rabia noted, adding that the vessels captain bears sole responsibility for directing the vessel. MV Ever Greens marine pilot fulfills the consultative function of steering the ship, as he reiterated that it was always up to the ships captain to make final decisions, Rabie stressed. In an explosive revelation, former Afghan President, Hamid Karzai said that Pakistan wants Afghanistan to break relations with India. The ex-president was speaking in an interview with a German publication where he also talked about the increasing Pakistani offensive. Karzai also explained how Pakistan has intentions of breaking relations between India and Afghanistan and exert strategic influence in the country through the Taliban. The former President added that Afghanistan won't give up on sovereignty and independence and break off relations with India. "Pakistan actually would like Afghanistan to break off relations with India. That is impossible. If we give in to this, we would give up our sovereignty and independence. If we want to send our police or our army or our boys and girls to India for training because it is good for our country, we should do so," added the former president. He continued that Pakistan wants to 'exert strategic influence in Afghanistan through the Taliban.' Afghanistan won't give in to Pakistan's threats While talking about how Afghanistan has reacted to this, Karzai added that dominating Afghanistan did not work for the British, for the Soviets, United States, and 'Pakistan will not succeed either.' He further advised Pakistan to be reasonable and begin a civilized relationship between our two neighbours. Karzai also talked about his tenure and added that he realised Afghans have been used against each other and this is not even their war. The revelation from the former leader comes amid the US's decision to retract military presence in the country. Afghanistan has been the target Hamid Karzai pointed out the 'strategic importance' of Afghanistan while adding that foreign countries are pursuing global ambitions of dominating the nation. "After September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US, Washington took the historic opportunity to pursue its global ambitions in Afghanistan. Just look at our position on the map. Afghanistan is the most strategically important place in today's global contest for supremacy. At the same time, Pakistan started using the Taliban to further its own agenda in Afghanistan," said ex-president Karzai. He made an appeal to Afghans, including the Taliban to come together against all the foreign powers. After US started pulling back its Army from Afghanistan, the nation has witnessed several violent incidents. (Inputs from ANI) (Image: ANI) The Roth analysts said they believe Silvercorp remains undervalued compared to its peer group and that there is significant upside for the company's equity investments, which could provide external catalysts for the company. The Roth analysts estimate that Silvercorp will report production of 6.6 million ounces of silver, 27.4 million pounds of zinc, 67.6 million pounds of lead, and 2,800 ounces of gold in fiscal 2022 Roth Capital has raised its target price for . ( ) (NYSEAMERICAN:SVM) (FRA:S9Y) to $9.00 from $8.75 and reiterated its 'Buy' rating on the stock following recent fiscal Q4 and full-year 2021results from the company. In a note to clients, Roth's analysts noted that Silvercorp's revenue of $35.7 million in Q4 was slightly below their estimate of $36.2 million due to price realizations, however, Q4 EPS of $0.04 was in line with the analysts' estimate. They concluded: "Other than the slight revenue shortfall, results were uneventful, in our view." The Roth analysts estimate that Silvercorp will report production of 6.6 million ounces of silver, 27.4 million pounds of zinc, 67.6 million pounds of lead, and 2,800 ounces of gold in fiscal 2022. As a result, they estimate the company's fiscal 2022 free cash flow (FCF) to equity to be $50.9 million. The analysts noted that Silvercorp's fiscal 2022 and 2023 cash flow should benefit from a temporarily lower take rate. The Roth analysts also said that they anticipate Silvercorp should generate strong free cash flow in 2022 and beyond. Additionally, they believe the company remains undervalued compared to its peer group and that there is significant upside for the company's equity investments, which could provide external catalysts for the company. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com Kathmandu, May 24 (PTI) Nepals ruling Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) on Monday expelled 11of its lawmakers for going against the party and supporting the Opposition alliance in its bid to topple the government led by embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. The Standing Committee of the CPN-UML decided to take action against the lawmakers, including former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, during a meeting held here on Monday. The expelled lawmakers will not even remain general members of the party for siding with the opposition parties to oust the Oli government. They were expelled hours after the deadline given to them to furnish clarification expired on Monday morning. The lawmakers refused to submit an explanation to the committee for their decision to go against the party and support the Opposition alliance, The Himalayan Times reported. The move by prime minister Oli to expel is seen as the formal beginning of a split in the ruling party. A new party called CPN (Unified) has already been registered with the Election Commission by a student leader close to Madhav Nepal. Meanwhile, Oli has decided to seek clarification from 12 other leaders from the Nepal-Khanal faction, allotting them a 24-hour ultimatum for an explanation in supporting the Opposition alliance. These lawmakers, providing their signatures to make Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba the new Prime Minister, are also likely to be expelled from the party's general membership, My Republica website quoted party insiders as saying. President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the 275-member House of Representatives on Saturday for the second time in five months and announced snap elections on November 12 and November 19 on the advice of Prime Minister Oli, heading a minority government. She rejected the bids of both embattled Prime Minister Oli and the Opposition alliance's claims to form a government. Oli and Opposition leader Deuba had staked separate claims to the premiership. Oli claimed the support of 121 lawmakers from his party CPN-UML and 32 lawmakers of Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N) for his reappointment under Article 76(5) of the Constitution. Nepali Congress President Deuba claimed to have garnered the support of 149 lawmakers. However, a dispute emerged after a few lawmakers from the Madhav Nepal faction put out statements claiming that their signatures were misused and that they did not sign any paper to install Opposition leader Deuba as the prime minister against their party chief. Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President 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, in a setback to Oli who was preparing for snap polls. PTI MRJ AKJ MRJ (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Thailand placed barbed wire and checkpoints around several southern villages along the Malaysian border after identifying a cluster of infections with a coronavirus variant that's believed to spread faster. In Thailands far southern Narathiwat province, security forces were seeking to isolate about a dozen villages where the variant first discovered in South Africa was detected last week. The person infected with the variant is believed to have crossed the border from Malaysia, which is also experiencing a coronavirus surge. The largest infection cluster was found in Narathiwat's Takbai district, where proactive testing was ordered, according to Narathiwat Provincial Public Health Office. It ordered a complete lockdown on the entire district, and in affected villages from May 23 until further notice. One village leader told TPBS that nine villages were being locked down in Takbai district. Thailand previously said it had found its first cases of the virus variant discovered in India, among infected construction workers in Bangkok. And a health official said last week 87% of recent cases in Thailand were from a variant identified in Britain. Health officials worry the variants are more contagious and that some vaccines are not as effective against the variants. The lockdown came as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sought to assure people that his government could manage a recent surge as it is set to start a national vaccination campaign next month. The agency managing Thailand's coronavirus response reported on Monday 2,713 new cases and 30 more deaths. It raised the nation's totals to 132,213 cases and 806 deaths, the overwhelming majority of them occurring since April 1. The government has announced it will begin its national vaccination campaign on June 7, and hopes to vaccinate 70% of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. It has administered 2.91 million doses so far, using the vaccines from AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac. Health officials have called on the government to diversify its vaccine procurement. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The World Health Organizations (WHOs) decision-making body, World Health Assembly (WHA) met for its 74th session on May 24 including delegations from all UN health agencys member states. WHA is focused on the specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. According to WHO, the main functions of the WHA are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. It is held every year in Geneva, Switzerland and this year it was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. What has happened at 74th WHA so far? While the session began shortly after noon (IST) and it has been a couple of hours since heres what has happened so far: Tedros opening remarks WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus opened the session with a main focus on the impact of COVID-19, equality in vaccine roll out and noting that The COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant setback in our efforts to support the Member States to progress towards universal health coverage. He also said that "For almost 18 months, health and care workers all over the world have stood in the breach between life and death. While addressing the COVID-19 vaccine inequity, the WHO chief said, There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the s vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world." Ahead of the 74th WHA, WHO had signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' to launch the first WHO 'BioHub Facility' for the research of the deadly pathogens. "This facility will enhance the rapid sharing of viruses and other pathogens between laboratories and partners globally," the WHO said in a statement. Tedros said, We have a choice: between cooperation, competition or confrontation. In fact, the only choice we have is between cooperation and insecurity. A safer world is not a zero-sum game; it is the opposite. WHA 74 elects 5 vice presidents Further, the 74th World Health Assembly has elected 5 vice president of the WHOs decision-making body including Benin, Estonia, Guatemala, Mongolia, Qatar. The #WHA74 has elected the 5 Vice-Presidents of the 74th World Health Assembly: Benin Estonia Guatemala Mongolia Qatar More information on the World Health Assembly https://t.co/3GJsOy28xG World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 24, 2021 Bhutan FM elected as President of WHA This year, the assembly elected Bhutans Minister of Health, Dechen Wangmo as the President. The WHA74 will take place from May 24 to June 1 in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The theme for this years session is Ending this pandemic, preventing the next: building together a healthier, safer and fairer world. The #WHA74 has elected Mrs Dechen Wangmo, Minister of Health of #Bhutan, as the President of the 74th World Health Assembly. More information on the World Health Assembly https://t.co/3GJsOy28xG World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 24, 2021 IMAGE:@WHO/Twitter Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday was penalized for flouting the COVID-19 protocols as he organized mass public events without social distancing or masks, including a motorcade rally along Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Bolsonaro was slammed for his lackadaisical approach despite rising COVID-19 cases in Maranhao state. The far-right leader who had dismissed COVID-19 as a little flu adding that we all die someday was seen greeting a crowd of hundreds of thousands during his walkabouts with no mask. Brazils President had earlier criticized lockdown measures implemented by state governors despite the mounting death toll. He had specifically lambasted the governor of the northern state of Maranhao for enforcing lockdown.Since they dont want to open, we will, Bolsonaro told a news conference. As Bolsonaro conducted the massless rallies congregating crowds in large numbers, Maranhaos leftist governor, Flavio Dino announced a fine as he tweeted, We are living in an especially challenging phase of COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare staff and doctors have been working very hard. So today, I decided to draw up a Notice of Infraction against the President of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro for the promotion in Maranhao of agglomerations without any health guidance adherence. The aggravated governor added, The law is for everyone. Furthermore, Governor of the states, Dino continued, President of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro must comply with federal and state legislation. A rule is in effect prohibiting events of over 100 people due to COVID-19 and mandating the use of masks. The president may exercise his right of defense. The amount of the fine as provided for in Federal Law. Health authorities in Maranhao state filed a legal case against Bolsonaro for the promotion of large gathering in Maranhaowith without health safeguards. Presidents office now has15 days to appeal. Meanwhile at the rally, Brazilian President Bolsonaro berated Gov. Dino in the press calling him a chubby dictator. Probe against government's handling of COVID-19 Last month, Brazil's Senate launched a probe into the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, amid criticism of President Jair Bolsonaros no restrictions approach that plunged the Latin American country into a devastating crisis with bungled vaccine campaign, and the worlds second-highest COVID-19 death toll. Seen as potentially damaging for the Brazilian leaders re-election bid next year, and eventually his presidential runoff, the probe could lead to criminal charges as a jury will investigate thousands of Brazilians' deaths succumbed to the coronavirus due to inadequate medical assistance. Vaticans Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his appeals for a serious dialogue as he defended the right to peaceful protests in Colombia. Indicating dialogue as the path to peace and justice, the Pontiff asked believers to join him in prayer for the suffering people during the Regina Coeli in St Peters Square. I pray that the beloved Colombian people may receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that through serious dialogue just solutions may be found to the many problems they are inflicted with, especially for those who suffer poverty due to the pandemic, Francis said. #LetUsPrayTogether for the situation in Colombia, which continues to be worrying. I exhort everyone to avoid, for humanitarian reasons, behaviours that are damaging for the population in exercising the right to peaceful protest. Pope Francis (@Pontifex) May 23, 2021 Furthermore, Pope urged that everyone must avoid potentially dangerous behaviour for the good health of all and for humanitarian reasons as civilians exercise their right to demonstrate peacefully. The Argentinian pontiff, who had visited Columbia in 2017, called the civil unrest in Colombia worrying. He appealed that the country needed to advance through serious dialogue, whereby fair solutions are found to the many problems it faces. He also asked Colombias security forces to exercise restraint. Popes appeals come as reports emerged that at least 40 protesters have been killed, and hundreds were wounded by security forces and armed men dressed in civilian clothes, meanwhile, scores of protesters were taken into detention. I pray that the beloved Colombian people may be able to welcome the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that, through serious dialogue, they can find just solutions to the many problems that especially the poorest suffer, due to the pandemic, said Pope Francis, according to The Vaticans statement. The Vatican on Sunday said in a release, The Popes appeal for prayers for Colombia comes in the wake of an appeal issued by the Colombian Catholic Bishops Conference who uphold dialogue as the path to a solution. It added, that the bishops insist, It is fundamental to listen, understand and efficiently find solutions to the demands of those who protest peacefully. This is the only way to build the peace we all want together. Protest sparked by 'tax reform proposal' Columbia has witnessed major clashes between the demonstrators and the police across different cities over the past weeks after the right-wing administration of President Ivan Duque introduced the tax reform proposal hiking financial pressure on low- and middle-income groups. Despite pulling back the proposal, protesters continued the marches condemning the Columbia governments mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as they alleged that the withdrawal of the tax proposal wasnt enough. Thousands of motorcycle riding supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro surged through the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, in a massive and colorful display of loyalty to the embattled head-of-state, who is facing increasingly hostile hearings in congress over his handling of the pandemic, and economic policies that have heavily impacted the poor. Bolsonaro led the rumbling assembly of motorcyclists, at least 20,000 strong, many waving Brazilian flags to cheers and honks from bystanders in the upscale suburb of Barra de Tijuca, through city streets and ending at the WW ll Memorial in the center of town. At the rally, the president declared "every death hurts us, every one of them," referring to the country's COVID-19 casualties, ranking Brazil as number two in the world for virus deaths. But he reaffirmed his oft-stated position that closing down the country in response to the pandemic was not an option. Rally goers chanted "We authorize!" and "above all God rules!" in response to the leader's comments, dancing to the music of a band playing theme songs from the presidential campaign that led to Bolsonaro's election in 2018. Bolsonaro faces a tough re-election battle in 2022 with the prospect of running against popular former President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, amidst questions over his administration's handling of the pandemic. "We are ready, if needed, to take all necessary measures to guarantee your freedom. It's unacceptable when a power usurps individual rights foreseen in the 5th article of the Constitution," said Bolsonaro, calling lockdown measures a "dictatorship." Many in the enthusiastic crowd applauded the president's stance on resisting calls for lockdown's in the fight against the coronavirus, and were wary of what they perceive as possible illegal election manipulation in next year's presidential contest, which they believe could affect the outcome against Bolsonaro. Jessica and Jonatas Pereira, who attended the motorcycle rally, said they were pleased to see "everybody in favor of Brazil, in favour of the best for our nation". (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 23 said that it still remains unclear if Iran is ready and willing to take the required measures to rejoin to compliance with the multination nuclear deal, more popularly known as Iran Nuclear Deal. While speaking ahead of the fifth round of talks in Vienna on rescuing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Blinken was reportedly asked about the Iranian reports that the United States has already agreed to lift crippling sanctions from the Islamic Republic. In an interview with ABC, when asked about Iran, Blinken simply said, we dont know. Blinken said, "We know what sanctions would need to be lifted if they're inconsistent with the nuclear agreement, before adding that, Iran, I think, knows what it needs to do to come back into compliance on the nuclear side, and what we haven't yet seen is whether Iran is ready and willing to make a decision. "That's the test and we don't yet have an answer, he added. Former US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in2017 and slapped heavy sanctions on Iran after saying that Tehran violated the deals spirit and continues to be a regional threat. Now, Trumps successor, US President Joe Biden is willing to revive the plan with Blinken working with other signatories to reach a common ground in negotiations with Iran. While Tehran wants Washington to first agree to lift sanctions imposed by Trump, the US wants Iran to first comply with the terms of the deal. Iran's President Says 'main Deal Has Been Reached' Earlier, on May 20, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed that the US has agreed to lift major sanctions on his countrys oil, banking and shipping sectors that were imposed after former US President Donald Trump exited a 2015 nuclear deal three years ago. While speaking during a televised cabinet meeting, Rouhani said that negotiators in Vienna, where Iran and the US have engaged in indirect talks to restore the nuclear deal, have taken a major step. He added that diplomats are still discussing details and finer points before there is a final agreement. The talks in Vienna are about minor issues. They have accepted to lift sanctions on Iran's oil and shipping sectors as well as sanctions on the Central Bank and others. The main deal has been reached," Hassan Rouhani said. IMAGE: AP Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email please call (208) 542-6777 for help. We get it. You don't want to see the ads. We'd just ask you to understand that those ads help us pay the bills and our reporters. Please, consider white-listing the Standard Journal in your ad-blocker or, even better, purchase a subscription so that you can help support quality local journalism. US Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas): I understand from whats been testified to the Forest Service and the BLM [Bureau of Land Management], you want very much to work on the issue of climate change. We know theres been significant solar flare activity, and so is there anything that the National Forest Service or BLM can do to change the course of the moons orbit, or the Earths orbit around the sun? Obviously that would have profound effects on our climate. Jennifer Eberlein, associate deputy chief for the National Forest System, responded that she would have to follow up with you on that one, after a brief pause. Gohmert: Well, if you figure out a way that you in the Forest Service can make that change, Id like to know. Within weeks of accepting global recognition and responsibility, Indias health system was shaken by an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 infections. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) members take part in a protest against the government for not providing them with essential safety kits and paying them minimum remuneration despite being frontline workers outside a primary health centre in Hyderabad, May 24, 2021, Indias mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis may have dealt a blow to the South Asian nations big power aspirations. According to an article published in the magazine Foreign Affairs, the leaders of a coalition among Australia, India, Japan, and the United States met virtually last month. The four nations proclaimed a new chapter in Indo-Pacific collaboration. A more assertive China was extending its influence across the Indo-Pacific, and existing alliances werent up to the task of addressing the consequences, the writer Mandakini Gahlot wrote in Foreign Affairs. The four-nation group, nicknamed The Quad, has become a test case for a new kind of multilateral partnership designed to shape the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. But Nayan Chanda, the founding editor of YaleGlobal magazine, said that Indias deficient Covid-19 handling could deal a blow to its big power aspirations. In a commentary written on April 30, Chanda said that not long ago, buoyed by the QUADs decision to invite India to mass produce U.S.-made vaccines, officials crowed about India being the pharmacy of the world. Mere weeks later, images of Indias mass cremations plastered the front pages of international newspapers, cementing Indias position as the most dangerous Covid-19 hotspot in the world. A particularly humbling blow Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and others have banned flights from India, and the United States is advising its citizens to leave the South Asian country as soon as possible. The pandemic has, of course, devastated other countries as well, but recent weeks have delivered India a particularly humbling blow, Chanda wrote. Since 1991, Chanda said, reforms had begun to reverse Indias low economic growth rate. The nuclear-armed country began to be regarded by many as a major world power. Against the backdrop of a growing US-China rivalry, India thanks in part to its own escalating border dispute with Beijing has acquired ever-greater prominence, said Chanda. Despite growing unease about the countrys recent authoritarian turn, the US and other Western nations have embraced the idea of India as a key strategic partner. They calculated that however problematic the governments divisive policies might be, Indias market economy and traditions of democracy and openness were now too deeply rooted to be reversed. Despite suffering some loss of territory, the Indian army has stood up to Chinese pressure and even delivered a counter-punch that surprised Beijing. Stepped-up military cooperation and interoperability between the US and Indian forces, combined with bipartisan U.S. Congressional support, has provided India a cushion it has not had for a long time. Meanwhile, Indias recent enthusiastic embrace of the Quad grouping has afforded it greater prominence on the world stage. US President Joe Biden (L), with Secretary of State Antony Blinken (2nd L), meets virtually with members of the "Quad" alliance of Australia, India, Japan and the US, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC,, March 12, 2021. On screens are Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit: AFP Running on empty Last Novembers Malabar joint naval exercises with Quad partners sent a clear message about the groups regional security priorities. At the first Quad summit in March, India was given a key role in fighting Chinas vaccine diplomacy as U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshide Suga, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison entrusted India with producing billions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, funded by Japan, and distributed via Australian supply networks. Yet, within weeks of accepting this global recognition and responsibility, Indias health system was shaken by an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 infections. And thanks to mismanagement, Indias vaunted vaccine production was reduced to running on empty. As of May 24, India had recorded 26 million cases second only to the U.S. and became only the third country in the world to record more than 300,000 deaths - following the U.S. and Brazil. The Economist Magazine, in article published on May 8, said that Modi and his team have struggled to respond to a calamity far greater than India has experienced in generations. Many Indian vaccine doses have ended up in the hands of profiteers while others were exported while failing to reach Indians in need of them at home. The New York Times explained in an article published on May 2, although India is a vaccine powerhouse, producing vaccines to protect the world, it didnt purchase enough doses to protect itself. The Times reported that India exported more than 60 million shots to bolster its standing on the world stage. The two also described how profiteers belonging to one vaccine supplier had been repainting fire extinguishers and selling them as oxygen canisters. The consequences could be deadly. The less sturdy fire extinguishers might explode if filled with high-pressure oxygen. Fortunately, that practice ended when the owner was jailed. Premature victory laps Remdesivir, the antiviral drug, was the focus of a number of scams. Police in New Delhi said that they had arrested four people working at medical facilities who had stolen unused vials of remdesivir from dead patients and sold them for about $400 each. It had been sold previously for about $65. But scarcity boosted the price, according to The Times. Meanwhile government leaders were taking premature victory laps for having vanquished the virus, inviting millions of devotees to swim in the holy Ganges, and organizing mammoth election rallies with unmasked crowds. Bloomberg Businessweek magazine described the swim in the Ganges as the worlds largest human gathering. At the same time, plans to build oxygen plants gathered dust. As the second wave of the pandemic gathered momentum, prolonged electioneering wasnt curtailed, vaccination plans faltered, and health care was left unprepared. As if all this were not enough, on May 17 Indias first cyclone of the year slammed into the countrys west coast. According to a website called Down to Earth (DTE), the cyclone had been generated by an unusual warming of the Arabian Sea, which is itself a consequence of global warming resulting from the greenhouse gases generated by human activities. Getting a fix on the total death toll caused by the cyclone or the much larger total caused by the pandemic has proven difficult because officials are widely believed to be underestimating when they issue reports on the casualties. On May 13, the Wall Street Journal reported that the pandemic has had a huge impact on most Indians. Many Indians have no savings to fall back on, the report said. During last years lockdowns, millions of migrant workers returned to their villages in rural India as their jobs in cities evaporated. Many Indian doctors and health care workers have also paid a heavy price. The Indian Medical Association said that more than 1,000 doctors have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic struck last year. At least 40 percent are believed to have been infected, according to one estimate. The final words on all of this go back to the writer Nayan Chanda. Indias public health experts knew well that that the countrys health system was susceptible to being overwhelmed, he said. But the hubris of being the inheritor of an ancient civilization combined with unchallenged political power and media dominance, Chanda said, allowed the leadership to ignore science and created the conditions for carnage. Dan Southerland is RFA's founding Executive Editor. Authorities in China have detained at least five people across the country for posting derogatory comments online about Yuan Longping, who died at the weekend at the age of 90 after developing a number of hybrid rice strains that revolutionized agriculture. Police in Beijing detained a netizen with the handle @nanwangshanxia on after they posted comments judged disrespectful of Yuan on the social media platform WeChat, according to an official Weibo post. The person is being held under criminal detention by the Chaoyang district police. Police in Rizhao city in the eastern province of Shandong detained an 18-year-old man surnamed Jia on the same day, after he posted critical comments on Weibo following a spate of state media coverage lauding Yuan as the "father of hybrid rice." Yuan, who died on , had received the "Order of the Republic" as part of an honor system set up under ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping for his contributions to agriculture. Chinas rubber-stamp parliament, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), passed a law in 2018 criminalizing anyone deemed to have smeared the reputation and honor of the ruling partys canon of heroes and martyrs. The law, which came into effect on , 2018 aims to "protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs." It bans "insults or slander" of heroes and martyrs, as well as any damage to memorials of revolutionary martyrs or heroic deeds. Mobilizing state power Meanwhile, a social media user surnamed Li was detained in the northern port city of Tianjin, a social media user surnamed Wang was detained in the southeastern port of Xiamen, while a user with the handle @shiwaitaoyuan was detained in the eastern province of Jiangsu. Those detained had "posted insulting comments along the lines of 'dead at last' online," the Beijing police report said, without giving specific details of the posts. All detained users had posted comments voicing approval at Yuan's death. All Weibo accounts belonging to the detainees were shut down, Weibo said in a statement. Independent journalist Liu Quan said the punishments were likely being meted out under the new laws governing "insults" to revolutionary heroes. "Once people start questioning these heroes online, the power of the state can be mobilized to detain and even prosecute and jail them," Liu said. He said that many of those the CCP lauds as heroes and martyrs were actually fabricated characters used for propaganda purposes, however. "They fabricated the reports of their deeds in many cases, so as to project this image of somebody totally amazing and covered in glory," Liu said. "Actually, it's just about burnishing the CCP's image." An online writer surnamed Lu said anyone honored with Xi's Order of the Republic counts as a national hero. "Criticizing and questioning state leaders, including dead ones, can also lead to arrest," Lu said. "You will also be arrested if you criticize or try to scrutinize the government." World Food Prize The Weibo official account issued a statement saying that some posts had been promoting "insults and attacks" on honored heroes on the platform, and the accounts that generated the comments had been shut down for a year as a penalty. "We will deal severely with any harmful content of this kind, and make an announcement if we find it," the statement said. "We have a zero tolerance policy for content that distorts, debases, vilifies and denies the spirt and the actions of our heroes and martyrs," it said. Yuan's death prompted a spate of coverage in state media, including a spot on the main CCTV news broadcast on . However, his achievements, far from being fabricated, are well-documented. Honored with the World Food Prize in 2004, Yuan's breakthrough discoveries meant that one-fifth of the world's current cultivated rice strains trace their lineage back to his work. Yuan carried out much of his research on his own time, conducting scientific experiments involving asexual crosses between crops, eventually outlining unique genetic tools in a 1964 paper that laid the foundations for the first ever hybrid rice crop. When he completed the project in 1973, Yuan's first-ever hybrid rice strain, titled Nan-you No. 2, produced yields that were 20 percent higher than previous varieties. Now, almost half of Chinas rice production area is planted in hybrid rice, and feeds 70 million more people per year in China alone. Researchers and producers of other crops in China have also used Yuan's research to develop high-yield hybrid sorghum and rapeseed varieties, according to the World Food Prize Foundation website. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Chan Chun-ho for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Illnesses and deaths have long been reported among workers at foreign-owned banana farms in Laos. A Chinese-owned banana farm in Borikhamxay province's Borikhan district, where two Lao workers died, is shown in an undated photo. Two Lao workers at a Chinese banana plantation in Borikhamxay province in central Laos have died in recent weeks, and coworkers believe the deaths were caused by chemicals used on the farm while authorities say they succumbed to natural causes, Lao sources say. Banana farming for the Chinese market is a major source of employment in rural Laos, with hundreds of hectares of planted land employing Lao villagers and other workers in nurseries, planting, and harvesting, researchers say. But illnesses and deaths have long been reported among Lao workers exposed to chemicals on foreign-owned banana farms. Khieu, 18, the first to die, suffered respiratory failure on April 29 at the Chinese-owned VS Companys 500-hectare banana farm in Borikhamxays Borikhan district, coworkers said. He had lung disease for months and then started having symptoms such as coughing and vomiting five months ago, one of his fellow workers on the plantation told RFAs Lao Service on May 6, speaking on condition of anonymity. He had difficulty breathing and had never been treated. Thats why he died, RFAs source said. Khieus body was immediately returned to his home Nakhoun Yai village In Xieng Khouang provinces Nong Het district, the source said. No autopsy was performed, and no compensation was paid to his family, he added. A second worker, 30-year-old Bochiam, an ethnic Hmong who had worked at the plantation as an insecticide sprayer for more than a year, died on May 16, the source told RFA three days later. He died because he was coughing and vomiting up blood, his coworker said. Blood was also oozing from his nose when he died. During the time that he was sick, he was never taken care of, treated, or brought to a hospital. And our employer didnt pay any compensation for his death except to pay for the transport of his body back to his home village in Luang Prabang province, he said. A second coworker confirmed the two mens deaths, saying that the owner of the plantation had reported the deaths to local authorities, but paid only for the bodies to be sent home to their villages, with nothing more given to the surviving families. After these two deaths, all 500 workers on the plantationboth Lao and Chineseare frightened, and are being more careful around the chemicals. This banana plantation uses a lot of chemicals to kill weeds and insects and wash the bananas, and the workers who spray them dont wear masks, he said. The two men who died both had chemicals building up in their systems for over a year. A villager living near the plantation noted that both the men who died had shown similar symptoms. The first one coughed, and then threw up and died, and the second worker also coughed and vomited up blood, he said. Our village chief went to observe the two mens bodies, which were then sent back right away to their parents. Many have fallen ill Speaking to RFA on May 15, a Borikhamxay district office said that after viewing the dead workers bodies, police officers and village authorities concluded that the men had died of natural causes, and not from chemical exposure. But I personally believe that the chemicals killed them, because many workers at this banana farm have fallen ill because of the chemical use. They have all shown the same symptoms and conditions, and no autopsies were ever performed, he said. The only observations that were carried out were made on dead bodies, he added. District authorities are now in talks with the VS Company, which was granted a land concession by the Lao government in 2019, and are asking them to take better care of their workers by taking them to hospitals when they become ill, the official said. The VS Company has violated several articles of the Lao labor law, he said. For example, it doesnt take sick workers to the hospital and doesnt pay for their treatment. The employer also fires workers who make even a few minor mistakes. The district has warned the company about these things many times in the past, he said. As many as 600 workers had worked at one time on the plantation, but because they protested to demand unpaid wages, around 100 of them were later fired, the official said. Another worker at the VS Company plantation has now fallen ill and can no longer work at her job, a third worker at the banana farm said. My coworker, whose name is To, is now very sick, the worker said. Her nervous system has been badly affected, and she is almost completely unable to work, but she doesnt know how to get back to her home in the Ngoi district of Luang Prabang province. She needs help, the worker said, adding that Tos younger brother and sister had come with her to work at the plantation but have now left because of concerns over the farms use of chemicals. Three young men from a nearby village had also quit work at the plantation over fears of chemical exposure, another source said. Workers poor, uneducated Speaking to RFA, a Lao agricultural development tried to explain the deaths. Chinese [businesses] come to Laos to invest, and they employ locals who are poor and uneducated and tend to blame themselves for their fate when theyre sick, the expert said, speaking on condition that his name not be used. They would never say theyre sick because of the chemicals, and most employers take no responsibility for their workers health, he said. When their workers die, the employers just say that they died from their own diseases and not because of the use of chemicals. I would like to call on the government to set up rules requiring companies that use chemicals to take care of their workers. The workers themselves should wear protective clothing and masks, but when they fall ill the employers should have to pay for their treatment, he said. For now, workers almost never go to the hospitals for care, though, a worker at the Borikhan district hospital told RFA. We havent seen any banana plantation workers being treated at our hospital, he said. Chemical run-off from the farms has also polluted many of the countrys waterways, killing fish and fouling drinking water. In January 2017 the central government announced a ban on new banana plantations, prompted by concerns about chemical run-off and reports of sickened farm laborers. But by 2019, local officials around Laos had granted concessions for new plantations in provinces including Xayabury, Oudomxay, and Borikhamxay, and bananas were Laos' top agricultural export that year, pulling in an estimated $160 million. Many in Laos are also concerned about growing Chinese influence as a result of massive investment in hydropower dams and other infrastructure projects under Beijings $1.3 trillion Belt and Road Initiative. China is Laos largest foreign investor and aid provider, and its second-largest trade partner after Thailand. Reported by RFA's Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary Reported in English by Richard Finney. The regional bloc's failure to take follow-up action on Myanmar is wasting time and costing lives, rights groups and analysts say. Myanmar junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (left) is shown on his arrival before the ASEAN leaders' summit at the Soekarno Hatta International Airport on the outskirts of Jakarta, April 24, 2021. ASEANs failure to take any follow-up action on Myanmar, a full month after the regional bloc unveiled a diplomatic roadmap to address the military coup there, is eating up precious time and costing lives, rights groups and analysts said. Meanwhile, the Burmese junta chief told a Chinese television channel that he was not ready to implement the so-called Five-Point Consensus reached at a special ASEAN leaders summit, which he attended in Jakarta in late April. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations needs to do more than just talk to stem the violence that has claimed more than 800 lives since the Feb. 1 Myanmar military coup, said ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, a regional group of lawmakers that promotes democracy. It has already been a full month and nothing has changed. [Myanmar junta chief] Min Aung Hlaing is blatantly ignoring ASEANs calls and wasting their time, said Charles Santiago, a Malaysian Member of Parliament and chair of APHR. The consensus that was reached in April was a good initiative, but now ASEAN must prove that they can pay more than just lip service. It must take bold action by holding him accountable, putting in place binding measures, and laying out consequences for the militarys brutality. According to Gerard McCarthy, a postdoctoral fellow at the National University of Singapores Asia Research Institute, ASEANs delay to appoint a Myanmar envoy is claiming lives. As millions starve, ASEANs humanitarian effort meant to be the easy part of [the] leaders consensus commitment remains hamstrung without an envoy to decide modalities. Huge cost to ASEAN relevance the longer this drags on, he said via Twitter. On April 22, the U.N.s World Food Program warned that within six months, an additional 3.4 million people would go hungry in Myanmar, particularly in urban centers, over and above the 2.8 million people considered to be food insecure before the military takeover in February. The ASEAN consensus, which Min Aung Hlaing reportedly agreed to during the April 24 meeting in Jakarta, also called for an end to the violence that had killed hundreds of civilians by then. But that, too, is nowhere in sight a whole month later, Forum-Asia, a network of members in 21 regional countries, said on Monday. ASEANs inaction signals a lack of urgency in fulfilling its five-point consensus on the Myanmar crisis, Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu, executive director of Forum-Asia, said in a statement. It has been a month since the ASEAN Leaders Meeting but the regional body has not rolled out any concrete plans in responding to the distressed asylum-seekers along Myanmars borders and has not even appointed its special envoy. Myanmars Civil Disobedience Movement group said ASEAN was not making any effort whatsoever to resolve the crisis almost four months after the Burmese military toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyis elected government. Stop saying ASEAN centrality at least till the time they prove their worth. Myanmar is burning and ASEAN is doing nothing, the group tweeted. It was addressing the international community, which has said that the regional bloc has a key role in resolving the situation in member-state Myanmar. The United Nations Security Council also endorsed the ASEAN consensus. ASEANs Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar called for an immediate cessation of violence, with all parties exercising utmost restraint. Myanmar military and security forces have killed 824 people, mainly anti-coup protesters, since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a Thai-based NGO. The ASEAN consensus also called for constructive dialogue among all parties, the mediation of such talks by a special ASEAN envoy, the provision of ASEAN-coordinated humanitarian assistance, and a visit to Myanmar by an ASEAN delegation to meet with all parties. However, in what was probably his first interview since the coup, Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing told Chinese Phoenix Television that his priority was to calm the situation in the country. An interviewer said to the military chief: So the conclusion is that Myanmar is not ready to implement the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN yet? Correct, answered Min Aung Hlaing, according to tweets by a reporter for Phoenix TV. In fact, ASEANs consensus began to unravel almost immediately after the special meeting in Indonesias capital. Myanmars junta did not stop the violence and has continued to turn its guns on pro-democracy protesters. On April 26, a statement from the State Administration Council the juntas official name said it would act on the ASEAN agreement only after there was stability in the country. And on May 7, a Myanmar military spokesman said that only after we achieve a certain level of security and stability, we will cooperate regarding that envoy. Momentum has dissipated Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, said ASEAN has been left behind. Whatever momentum the grouping carried out of the 24 April summit has dissipated, Poling wrote in a column on Monday for East Asia Forum, an online policy platform for analysis on Asia. As all sides arm themselves, the protester death toll soars past 800, and the Myanmar economy faces collapse, ASEAN leisurely deliberates over the name of an envoy no one is interested in meeting. ASEAN should have still gone ahead and appointed an envoy, observers had said. ASEANs capacity to shape the Myanmar militarys policies is limited, according to Barry Desker, an academic at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. It is a reminder that ASEAN is paying the price for including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam between 1995 and 1999 without any conditions, following the end of the Cold War, Desker wrote in East Asia Forum, referring to authoritarian or one-party states who were admitted into the regional bloc. There is still scope, though, for individual ASEAN members to do more, Poling of CSIS wrote. Thailand, for instance, could play an important role in reducing the flow of revenue to the junta while mitigating the impact on Myanmar citizens, he said. If anyone could convince the junta to accept such a bitter pill, it would be the Thai leadership. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. Four dead and eight wounded after junta attacks church in Kayah state. This screengrab provided via AFPTV and taken from a broadcast by Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) in Myanmar on May 24, 2021 shows detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi (2nd L) during her first court appearance in Naypyidaw, since the military detained her in a coup on February 1. Myanmars ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi Monday appeared in court for the first time since the military took control of the country Feb. 1, saying she had been cut off from contact from the outside world and didnt know what had happened in the past nearly four months, her lawyers told RFA. Prior to the start of Mondays hearing, the deposed state counsellor met for about 30 minutes with defense lawyer Min Min Soe and five other members of the defense team alongside President Win Myint and Naypyidaw Council Chairman Myo Aung. The 75-year-ol Nobel laureate is one of about 4,000 detained by the junta since the coup, and she faces six charges including illegal possession of walkie-talkies and violating a law on state secrets. If convicted she could face up to 14 years in prison. We were taken to a compound in Naypyidaw where we met [Aung San Suu Kyi] in a room. We were told we would have half an hour to explain the instructions for the hearing, Min Min Soe told RFAs Myanmar Service. In the next room was the courtroom used for the hearing Nobody came into our room; it was just us and the defendants and there were surveillance cameras there. But half an hour was not enough when you consider all the charges against her. She said herself that half an hour was not enough, she said. Min Min Soe said that during the meeting Aung San Suu Kyi expressed her concern for the health of the people of Myanmar, and said that her party, the National League for Democracy, was built for the people, so it would continue to exist as long as the people exist. She said she and President Win Myint had lost all communication with the outside world since the day of their arrests and they were not totally aware of what has been happening on the outside, Min Min Soe said. The leader of the defense team, Khin Maung Zaw, told RFA, She didnt even know the exact location of todays special court hearing or where she was being held. This is what she told us. Aung San Suu Kyis trial had been conducted since late February by online video, with Monday the first time she appeared in person for a special tribunal set up by the junta-appointed supreme court. The court also heard the other two defendants cases on Monday. They face charges of violating COVID-19 restrictions and causing public unrest. Min Min Soe noted that Aung San Suu Kyi appeared without a flower in her hair, which has been her iconic look, but she and the others appeared to be in good health. They said that with communications cut off with the outside, they dont know anything about what has been going on, and all they do is eat and sleep most of the time, she said. They are scheduled to appear in court again on June 7. Violence in Kayah state An artillery shell fired by junta security forces killed four civilians and injured eight others who were taking shelter in a church in the countrys eastern Kayah state, which borders northwestern Thailand. A resident of Kayantharyar village outside Loikaw, the state capital, said women and children were inside the church, which was flying a white flag to denote a safe zone after intense fighting the previous day. Some were taking shelter in churches and the military was deliberately firing at places where refugees were hiding, said the resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons. They knew people were hiding in the church and they fired on it with heavy weapons. One of the shells hit the church and four people inside were killed. Others were wounded and the building was damaged quite badly, he said. The resident said he did not have accurate details about the number of casualties in the town because of the large troop presence on the streets Monday morning. To the north in Shan state, meanwhile, junta troops on Monday occupied a police station in the town of Moebye that had been targeted by a local militia Sunday morning. The militia killed 14 policemen and took four others prisoner, local residents said. In reports about the attack, the junta did not reveal how many were killed. Following Sundays fighting, thousands of residents fled to nearby mountains, leaving Moebye virtually empty on Monday. Local militia in Kayah states Demwawso township fought with the military near that towns police station on Saturday, and four militia members were injured, while the militarys artillery destroyed several buildings, including homes in Dawt Ngan Kha village. They havent yet come into the village. They were just shelling from afar. There was a clash near the police station with some of their ground troops. They will surely come into the village, and we are expecting them, a resident of Dawt Ngan Kha said. Tens of thousands of people in Kayah and southern Shan states have gone into hiding in the jungle. An aid worker said an exact number was not possible to determine, and it was difficult to send people to safer places because of transportation and safety issues. Thailand-based rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said that as of Monday, at least 824 people have been killed by the junta, and 4301 are in detention. Also Monday, authorities detained a U.S. citizen editor of a Myanmar-based news outlet in Yangon as he tried to board an international flight. Frontier Myanmar Editor Danny Fenster, 37, was taken in at Yangon International Airport as he was preparing to journey to meet his family. The outlet confirmed the arrest on its Twitter account. "We do not know why Danny was detained and have not been able to contact him since this morning. We are concerned for his wellbeing and call for his immediate release," the news outlet said. "Our priorities right now are to make sure he is safe and to provide him with whatever assistance he needs." Contacted in Washington, a U.S State Department spokesperson confirmed it had received reports of the journalists detention. We are aware of reports of a U.S. citizen detained in Burma. We take seriously our responsibility to assist U.S. citizens abroad, and are monitoring the situation, the spokesperson said. Frontier Myanmar told AFP that it believed Fenster was taken to Yangons Insein prison, the same facility where Japanese reporter Yuki Kitazumi had been detained after his arrest last month. Upon Kitazumis return to Tokyo last week, he reported that other prisoners told him they were tortured and beaten and deprived of sleep. According to the Reporting ASEAN monitoring group, at least 34 journalists and photographers remain in detention in Myanmar. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Eugene Whong. A chorus of EU leaders called for swift sanctions after Belaruss authoritarian ruler forced a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk and detained a prominent opposition journalist, in what was widely condemned as a state-sponsored hijacking of a commercial flight. Ahead of a preplanned EU leaders summit on May 24, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen urged a toughening of the blocs existing sanctions against Belarus imposed over the crackdown by the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences. Those responsible for the #Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned, von der Leyen wrote on May 23 in a late-night tweet. Raman Pratasevich, an opposition activist and journalist who faces charges in Belarus that could bring 15 years in prison, was aboard the Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius when it changed course between the two EU members to head for Minsk. Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenka had personally ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the Ryanair plane to land in Minsk, ostensibly due to a bomb threat. Officials later said no explosives were found on the plane. Pratasevich and his girlfriend were taken away by police shortly after the Ryanair flight landed in the Belarusian capital. Ryanair said the flight arrived safely in Vilnius on May 23 after a delay in Minsk of several hours. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda slammed the arrest of Pratasevich, calling it an unprecedented event" and saying the Belarusian regime is behind this abhorrent action. He said EU leaders would discuss a state-sponsored terror act by Belarus at the summit in Brussels and serious sanctions against the regime. A senior EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told RFE/RL that potential measures may include suspending overflights of all EU airlines over Belarus, banning Belaruss state airliner Belavia from landing at EU airports, and suspending transit from Belarus to the EU. Belarusian airspace is completely unsafe for any commercial flight, and it should be deemed this not only by the EU but by the international community. Because now, this instrument could be used for any plane crossing Belarusian airspace, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said. EU leaders will also call for an investigation by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which earlier described the incident as a possible violation of international air travel rules under the Chicago Convention. The EU was already preparing a fourth round of sanctions before the Ryanair event, including further asset freezes and visa bans on individuals and entities over the crackdown on the opposition and what the West and opposition deem a fraudulent presidential election last August. The diversion of the flight between two EU members and the detention of Pratasevich was met by a torrent of criticism from Western governments. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki earlier asked the European Council's president to discuss immediate sanctions against Belarus, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the incident requires a "strong and united" response from the European Union. The government in Ireland, where Ryanair is headquartered, described the incident as "absolutely unacceptable," while NATO called it a serious and dangerous" incident and demanded an international investigation. "This is an Irish Airline with EU citizens on board, forced to land in Minsk, while travelling between EU cities...EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus," Irish Foreign Minister and Defense Minister Simon Coveney said on Twitter. The German and British foreign ministries also expressed alarm and called for consequences, and European Council President Charles Michel said an investigation by the ICAO "will be essential." U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Julie Fisher condemned the Ryanair incident as an example of Lukashenkas contempt for the international community. Faking a bomb threat and sending MiG-29s to force @RyanAir to Minsk in order to arrest a @Nexta journalist on politically motivated charges is dangerous and abhorrent, she wrote on Twitter. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States supports an ICAO investigation and was closely coordinating a response with the EU, Lithuania, and Greece. "The United States strongly condemns the forced diversion of a flight between two EU member states and the subsequent removal and arrest of journalist Raman Pratasevich in Minsk. We demand his immediate release," he said in a statement. Pratasevich was a key administrator of the Telegram channel NEXTA Live, which has been covering the protests that broke out in Belarus following the countrys disputed presidential election last August. Belarusian authorities in November 2020 launched investigations into Pratasevich and a colleague, Stsyapan Putsila, on suspicion of the organization of mass disorder, disruption of the social order, and inciting social hatred. "It is absolutely obvious that this is an operation of secret services to capture the plane in order to detain activist and blogger Raman Pratasevich," exiled opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Telegram. The opposition says that Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to neighboring Lithuania after the election due to concerns about her safety, was the true winner of last year's presidential vote. Pratasevich was a 2017-18 Vaclav Havel Journalism fellow in Prague. The Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship -- a joint initiative of RFE/RL and the Czech Foreign Ministry -- is available to aspiring, independent journalists in the European Union's Eastern Partnership countries and Russia. Pratasevich spoke to Current Time from an undisclosed location in Poland on November 19 after Belarusian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. "It seems to me that the [state] power now considers nearly any expression of a different opinion in general to be a crime, Pratasevich said, saying this was clear from the number of people who were being detained. Current Time is a Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the landslide winner of the poll amid allegations of vote-rigging. Since then, more than 30,000 people have been detained, hundreds beaten or tortured, and journalists targeted in the crackdown by Lukashenka, whose government has been hit by Western sanctions. In October 2020, a court in Minsk designated the NEXTA Live channel and its logo as extremist and instructed the Information Ministry to restrict access to information resources using the name and logo of the Telegram channel, as well as their distribution in the Belarusian segment of the Internet. Fearing prosecution, Pratasevich and Putsila fled the country and their whereabouts have not been known. In October 2020, Putsila, along with several Belarusian activists, received the European Parliament's 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Media in Belarus have been targeted by the Lukashenka government in the ongoing crackdown. The watchdog Reporters Without Borders has designated Belarus as the most dangerous spot in Europe for journalists. Students in Belarus are facing arrest and expulsion from school for peaceful activism against the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Amnesty International said in a report issued on May 24. Belarus has been thrown into turmoil since Lukashenka was declared the winner of the countrys presidential election last August, despite opposition and Western assertions the poll was rigged to maintain the authoritarian leader's rule after more than two decades in power. More than 30,000 people have been arrested, hundreds beaten or even tortured, and journalists targeted in a sweeping crackdown that has led to the government's international isolation amid Western sanctions targeting Lukashenka and his inner circle. In its news publication, Amnesty International described brutal reprisals against students and exposed the impact of the states repression of academic life in Belarus. Students and teachers who protested across Belarus began their current academic year in a country radically transformed by events over the summer. From the outset, it was clear that their dissent would not be tolerated by either the authorities or many university administrations. On October 27, Alyaksandr Lukashenka called for universities to dismiss them. We then saw with dismay how universities did exactly this to scores of students, said Aisha Jung, Amnesty Internationals senior campaigner on Belarus. As of May, according to the Belarusian Students Association, an independent student union, at least 466 students have been detained. Many were put under administrative detention or fined an average of 120 euros, a quarter of the average monthly salary in Belarus. At least 153 students have been arbitrarily expelled from universities and many have fled to neighboring countries fearful for their safety. Forty-two students have become suspects in criminal cases and six have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment. Amnesty International highlighted the launching of a criminal investigation against 11 student activists and one teacher, many of whom were apprehended at their homes on November 12, 2020, a date which has since become known as Black Thursday. Their trial started on May 14 and is expected to continue until mid-June. All are facing charges under an article of the criminal code for "violating public order that carries a prison sentence of up to two years. The targeting of politically active students and teachers is not a new tactic in Belarus. However, as with all those currently speaking out against the government in the context of the presidential election, the scale of harassment, persecution, and violence against them is unprecedented in the former Soviet state's postindependence history. Amnesty International calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately end the repression against students, academics, and all peaceful protesters. The Belarusian authorities must abide by their obligations under international human rights law and respect students rights to peacefully express their opinions, together or in association, and to peacefully demonstrate without fear of harassment or reprisals, said Jung. We call on student unions and student leaders across the world to show solidarity with their peers in Belarus and demand that their countries authorities take immediate steps to put pressure on Alyaksandr Lukashenkas government to end the strangulation of public life, of academic life, of the brightest youth in the country, she said. It is fair to say that, until the forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk this past weekend, the European Union had appeared to suffer a severe form of "Belarus fatigue" this year. The multiple issues facing the bloc's beleaguered eastern neighbor and its embattled democratic opposition had simply stopped registering very high in Brussels with the ongoing COVID pandemic, deteriorating relations with Russia and, most recently, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sucking up all the bandwidth. That is, until the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka forced an EU-registered plane, flying between two EU capitals, to land in Minsk so that it could arrest journalist Roman Protasevich. Suddenly, Belarus is back on the top of the agenda in the EU with leaders scrambling to come up with an appropriate response when they meet for an already pre-planned summit in Brussels on the evening of May 24. And judging from their statements, Brussels is set to react with possibly more than statements of concern and condemnation. An EU declaration, signed by all 27 members -- quite a rare feat these days as Budapest, in particular, has blocked most foreign-related items recently -- noted that "the EU will consider the consequences of this action, including taking measures against those responsible." The otherwise very measured European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen tweeted last night that "the outrageous and illegal behavior of the regime in Belarus will have consequences." She added that "those responsible for the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned." So what measures can we expect Brussels to take? Calling for an investigation by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is almost certain. There are also talks of banning Belavia, the state-owned Belarusian national airline, from landing at EU airports and suspending all flights of EU airlines from entering Belarusian airspace. There are indications that these measures can happen relatively quickly but of course they would have the greatest effect if all member states, as well as other Western countries joined in, making some sort of coordination necessary. Suspending all transit, including ground transit from Belarus into the bloc has also been suggested even though it remains to be seen if neighboring states such as Poland will agree to this considering the potential economic impact. Then, of course, there is a question whether EU member states will move to block payouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Minsk is entitled to in the effort to combat the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. Then, there are traditional sanctions, both on entities and people, as well as possible economic ones. After the crackdown on demonstrators, which followed a presidential election in August that was widely seen as rigged, the EU imposed asset freezes and visa bans on a total of 88 individuals and 7 entities in three rounds in the autumn of 2020, including on Lukashenka himself. A fourth sanctions package has been in the works since early this year and was slated to come out before or at the EU foreign affairs council on June 21. But the work on this package illustrates quite well the "Belarus fatigue" in Brussels mentioned above. Work should have started on it in February, but it has all been painfully slow. There has been reluctance by the EU diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service (EEAS), to initiate a sanctions package, arguing it is normally the member states that do so. The usual suspects, such as Lithuania, have long argued that it shouldn't be Vilnius or other Eastern EU member states that always kick-start these sorts of initiatives and that others should take ownership as well. In the end, nine countries stepped forward some weeks ago to present some lists containing 70 or so names of people and entities, largely from the justice sector in Belarus. But again, it was largely eastern ones doing the pushing. And again, the list was reportedly watered down as relevant working groups in Brussels started dissecting it, with businesspeople close to Lukashenka and sensitive entities being crossed off as they have trade links with various EU countries. Left on the list would most likely be people who hardly have bank accounts in the bloc or who wouldn't travel to the Greek islands or the Cote D'Azur anyway a pattern seen in the previous three sanction rounds as well. So, it's perhaps little wonder that Lukashenka felt emboldened to do what he did on May 23. Ever since last year's election, which has been roundly condemned as stolen, he has continued to turn the screws on the opposition with little real action or reaction from the EU -- at least in the last six months. He must have noticed with delight that Belarus has not really been on the agenda as a serious discussion point at a single EU foreign affairs council this year and it wouldn't have featured at the EU summit tonight if it weren't for the Ryanair incident. Privately, various EU officials had told me earlier that they had conceded that he had "won" and would remain in charge of the country, despite the fact that the EU does not recognize his authority officially. The feeling was that Belarus slowly but surely would be consigned to the usual state of comfortable Western neglect with opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya becoming yet another feted but exiled Belarusian leader. There might be a chance to change that now -- if the EU and the rest of the West really want to. U.S. Representative Chris Smith, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and a leading congressional critic of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has told RFE/RL that "it is time to be thinking about a tribunal" to bring the long-ruling Belarusian strongman and his associates to account. Smith, a Republican from the state of New Jersey and the primary author of four successive versions of the Belarus Democracy Act, legislation that seeks to support civil society and independent media in Belarus while punishing its leaders, said that sanctions imposed by the Trump and Biden administrations were "just not enough." "This has to be a full-court press," Smith said in an interview on May 23, hours after a passenger jet was forced to land in Belarus and journalist Raman Pratasevich was detained. "And the seriousness has to be unmistakable, so that Lukashenka gets the message, 'You're done.'" RFE/RL: What kind of actions should be taken against Belarus to send a message that such an act is unacceptable? Chris Smith: Well, I think first and foremost, the sanctions have to be very, very widely applied. We know many of the people that are doing these horrible things each and every day. So the sanctions list needs to be quadrupled, even more. It's not enough as to how many people have been put on the sanctions list. And I think this needs to be brought to every venue possible, including the United Nations. I mean, if they can send a MiG up and bring down an aircraft -- a forced landing -- because it happens to have a pro-democracy activist or activists inside that plane, nobody is safe. This is really a violation of airspace and aviation rules. I frankly think it is time to be thinking about a tribunal. We need to be holding Lukashenka and his cronies to account in a hybrid court like that one [that heard the war crimes case against former Liberian President Charles Taylor]. You know, [former Serbian President Slobodan] Milosevic never thought he would be held to account. This is the kind of thing that needs to be brought to a tribunal and as soon as possible. RFE/RL: Would holding a tribunal have any real impact if he continues to retain power in Belarus? Smith: Well, it can be, because then if he travels anywhere, there's extradition. The International Criminal Court (ICC) needs to go wherever the atrocities are occurring, whether or not there's a concurrence by Russia or China in terms of allowing it. It can be done, but there has to be the will. Nobody thought the International [Criminal] Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia would happen because Serbia was so close to Russia, and they thought they would simply stop it. Well, that court did take place. A lot of awful people who did terrible things were held to account. And there were a lot of lessons learned since then, both in Rwanda, as well as in the court for Sierra Leone. And I think it's time that we proceed for the court. Whether it be through the ICC or a hybrid court, like we had with Yugoslavia. RFE/RL: How do you think this event impacts the aviation industry going forward? Smith: I think it puts on notice that any one of your passengers who happens to be a human rights defender -- you could find that plane [and] force it to make an emergency landing. This is a precedent that if it is not challenged aggressively, the airlines and all flights will be in a very precarious position going forward because routinely, planes fly over places that are dictatorships. And it's dictatorships that have the will to orchestrate something like happened here. They can arrest and now in this case, very severely hurt, I believe, this journalist. RFE/RL: Belarus reportedly has deep ties, including financial, to the Middle East. Is the United States putting any pressure on the region? Smith: Whatever pressure is being brought to bear -- it is done stealthily and it's not been effective. Lukashenka, as he has done in the past, feels that he can wait out the initial storm of pushback from the international community, including the United States, and then do what he just did, go and arrest Mr. Pratasevich, who was flying over Belarusian airspace. So more pressure has to be put on our allies, friends, and those with whom we have a relationship, but that may not be that warm and friendly, just to make sure that he has no place to turn or to hide. RFE/RL: What did you think of the Biden administration's update on Belarus and its reaction to events there that was recently presented to Congress? Smith: It's not enough. They [Biden administration] have sanctioned some people, as did Donald Trump, so both Biden and Trump have sanctioned a number of individuals, but it's just not enough. This has to be a full-court press. And the seriousness has to be unmistakable, so that Lukashenka gets the message, 'You're done. You better find refuge somewhere like so many dictators do.' He'll probably go to Russia should he be compelled to leave. But there's not enough pressure and that's the problem. RFE/RL: Your bills have given administrations the power to impose sanctions on the country. Can the sanctions regime be effectively monitored? Can Belarus get around them? Smith: If there's anything slipping through those cracks, we need to make sure that doesn't happen either. If you recall, during Milosevic's horrible war against Bosnia and Croatia, where was a lot of his munitions and military hardware coming from? Belarus. They were joined at the hip in solidarity. 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. But [sanctions avoidance] needs to be very aggressively looked at as well. I think this [2020] act should be the final straw for Lukashenka. I remember when we passed the 2004 act and the 2006 act, there were a lot of people who said, 'Well, let's just turn the page, you know, we've done enough,' and I said, '[Lukashenka] has not changed his stripes.' You know, he is a consummate dictator, who is so cruel, as [are] his police who rape and kill every day of the week. And now they're doing it on steroids. RFE/RL: Should the United States recall its ambassador to protest the forced downing of the civilian airplane and arrest of Pratasevich? Smith: I'm one of those who believe a presence is important. But it has to be extraordinarily robust or else it becomes not effective. We have removed ambassadors before from there and elsewhere. And it's still an open question, if that really has any impact. We need to be pushing hard to make sure that our ambassador, as well as the mission, which is greatly reduced, is an oasis of freedom and democracy and it's just working on pointing out what Lukashenka is doing. RFE/RL: Europe and the United States have put some officials and tycoons close to Lukashenka on the sanctions list following the brutal crackdown on protesters. During a hearing in March, you named a few more tycoons that you would like to see hit with sanctions by the United States, including the Karic brothers from Serbia and Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriyev. Are you calling for expanding that list? Smith: My argument today, especially after this very brazen incident, is that we have to just manifestly increase the number of people on that [sanctions] list, and there are many who qualify, so it's not hard to do so. Many people have to feel the economic hurt. So much of the money that's made, like in any dictatorship, comes from those who are doing the misdeeds and the cruelty to people. They run the companies, in many cases, they certainly get a lot of money from them. When they're prevented by both Europe and the United States from doing any of that, where's their market? Where are they going to sell? After a passenger jet travelling between two European Union capitals was forced to land in Minsk and a Belarusian journalist was arrested on the tarmac, observers are wondering whether Moscow approved what one Western official called an "act of state terrorism" -- or even made it happen. Raman Pratasevich was detained on May 23 after Belarusian authorities scrambled a warplane to escort the Vilnius-bound Ryanair plane to Minsk, a move widely denounced in the EU and the United States as a hijacking. The dramatic development is stoking already substantial Western anger at Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the strongman who claimed victory in an August 2020 election opponents say was rigged to extend his harsh rule of just over 26 years, setting off protests that he has met with a violent and persistent crackdown. Does it play into Russian President Vladimir Putin's hands, or set up a new complication that could hamper efforts to reach his foreign policy goals? And if the Kremlin thinks it could be a boon for Moscow, is it possible that Russia was behind it. Opposition politician Ilya Yashin, a staunch Kremlin opponent who is seeking to run in parliamentary elections in September, certainly thinks so. "It looks like this was a joint operation by the FSB and the Belarusian KGB," Yashin wrote on Twitter on May 24, referring to the main security agencies of the two closely linked neighbors. "If so, it's a disgrace for our country." Yashin based his suspicions in part on reports that the passengers on the flight from Athens included four Russian citizens who did not reboard and fly on to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, after the hourslong stop in Minsk. Those reports have sparked speculation that the Russians could have been security agents involved in the operation to deliver Pratasevich to the Belarusian authorities. Russia's Ready Response Another catalyst for suspicion was the Russian response: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the incident, saying little more than that "international air travel authorities should assess whether existing standards were followed. But in a swift response that observers said seemed closely coordinated, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and others in the Kremlin orbit drew parallels with an incident in 2013, when a flight from Moscow carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales was diverted to Austria after reports that fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden might be on board. Critics of the Kremlin just as swiftly dismissed the suggestion that the 2013 incident justified the interception of the passenger jet carrying Pratasevich and more than 100 other people on a flight between two EU countries. But if Russia did initiate or accede to the action by the Belarusian state, one potential motive might have been to set a precedent for similar moves by Moscow in the future. Analysts at the German Council on Foreign Relations believe that Putin's Russia could have been "testing a new method of 'rogue' action, using Belarus as a testing ground," Milan Nic, a senior fellow at the Berlin-based think tank, wrote on Twitter, citing an exchange between experts there. That possibility could be a particularly strong source of concern for Russian opponents of Putin's government, including members of jailed Kremlin foe Aleksei Navalny's organizations, which appear likely to be branded "extremist" in the near future. Pratasevich, 26, was a key administrator of the Telegram channel NEXTA Live, which has been covering the protests that broke out in Belarus following the disputed August election. He and colleague Stsyapan Putsila fled Belarus late last year, fearing prosecution after a Minsk court labeled the channel and its logo extremist. In November 2020, Minsk launched investigations into Pratasevich and Putsila on suspicion of organizing mass disorder, disrupting social order, and inciting social hatred -- similar to the accusations that Russian authorities have made, without evidence, against Navalny and his organizations. On Twitter, Nic indicated that experts at the independent research institute believe that because the Russian and Belarusian air defense systems are integrated, the passenger jet carrying Pratasevich could not have been diverted as it was without Moscow's approval. Regardless of whether it could have done so on its own, "Belarus would not have hijacked an EU plane without Russian approval," Timothy Snyder, a U.S. historian and author of several books focusing on the region that includes Belarus, wrote on Twitter, adding: "Possibly the hijacking was even a Russian initiative." Snyder suggested that Moscow's aim would be to force Belarus into an even tighter embrace with Russia by increasing its isolation from the West. "The Russian play would be: foreseeable EU sanctions on Belarus drive Minsk closer to Moscow," he wrote. 'Kadyrov Of The West' Putin has been seeking to integrate Belarus more closely with Russia for almost two decades and has seemed to step up the effort in the past few years. Lukashenka has long resisted moves that could compromise Belarusian sovereignty but the post-election crackdown on protests has pushed Minsk closer to Moscow by raising the ire of the West, upsetting his balancing act. The incident could also be useful for the Kremlin as a way to try to suggest to the West that Russia's persecution of government opponents is child's play compared to the clampdown by Lukashenka, who years ago was dubbed "Europe's last dictator" by some U.S. officials. Still, other observers believe that the Kremlin may not be happy about the drama that unfolded over Belarus on May 23, suggesting that it complicates Moscow's diplomatic efforts at a delicate time as Russia and the United States prepare for a possible summit between Putin and President Joe Biden in June. Russia may have more influence over Belarus than it did in the past, but the dependence is a two-way street to some extent: By supporting Lukashenka in the face of street protests and Western criticism, Putin has hitched his wagon to the Lukashenka for the time being, at least. "I doubt [the] Kremlin is excited about Lukashenka now. Putin has a stressful summit with Biden coming up," Anton Barbashin, editorial director at Riddle Russia, a platform for analysis on Russia, wrote on Twitter. "But due to the nature of the [Russia-Belarus] relationship Putin has to back up Minsk," Barbashin wrote, referring to Lukashenka as a "Kadyrov of the West" -- a reference to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed head of Russia's Chechnya region. Kadyrov runs Chechnya like his own fiefdom, frequently flouting Russian law, and stands accused of countless egregious human rights abuses by activists and opponents. Critics of the Kremlin say that he should be an embarrassment to Putin, because his actions undermine efforts to cast the Russian president as the strong leader of a law-based country. But analysts say Putin turns a blind eye to Kadyrov's conduct, because the Kremlin relies on him to keep order and control separatist sentiment and violence in Chechnya, the site of two devastating post-Soviet wars and an Islamist insurgency that spread to other mostly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus. RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has been the authoritarian leader of Belarus for decades, is no stranger to international censure. The 66-year-old former collective farm manager faces isolation and sanctions because of his government's brutal, and sometimes deadly, crackdown on pro-democracy opponents after an election last August that was widely believed to be fraudulent extended his rule for another five years. More than 33,000 people have been detained, thousands beaten or tortured, and journalists targeted in the government's crackdown that appears to have intensified in recent months even as large-scale demonstrations have vanished amid growing fear and fatigue. Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, seen by many as the rightful winner of the election, left for Lithuania after the vote amid threats to herself and her family. On May 23, Lukashenka appeared to up the stakes further, taking his hunt for opponents to unprecedented heights -- literally -- as his government scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a civilian aircraft to land in Minsk. Authorities then detained Raman Pratasevich, co-founder and a former editor of the Nexta channel. Much of the international community reacted with shock and fury to the news of the forced landing of the Ryanair plane on a scheduled flight from Athens to Vilnius. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Pratasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for "the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned," adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on May 24 would discuss what action to take. As European officials threatened new sanctions against Belarus, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a "shocking act," demanded Pratasevich's immediate release, and said President Joe Biden's administration was "coordinating with our partners on next steps." Lukashenka Miscalculates? Given an EU-based airline was involved, Lukashenka may have underestimated the West's possible reaction, explained Valer Karbalevich, a Belarusian political analyst based in Minsk. "Before now, the regime has operated on its territory. For politicians in the West, it was a humanitarian question, a question of human rights. Now, after the incident with the airplane, it becomes a question of international security," Karbalevich told RFE/RL's Belarus Service. "This is a huge scandal. Western politicians view the situation unambiguously that a civilian plane was forced to land in Minsk with the use of military force," Karbalevich added. Lukashenka appears to have put a "higher priority on suppressing dissent within his own country than on a working relationship" with the West, explained Keir Giles, a consulting fellow at London's Chatham House with a focus on security issues in the former Soviet area. "This means he may feel domestic political opposition is a bigger threat to control of the country than it appeared -- or that Belarus sees no downside in returning to the status of a pariah, that it sees no value or hope in being at peace with the West," Giles explained to RFE/RL in emailed comments. For Lukashenka, the opportunity to nab Pratasevich was too tempting to resist, offered Alesia Rudnik, a Belarusian analyst based in Sweden. Until last November, the 26-year-old journalist worked for the Polish-based online Nexta news service, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Lukashenka last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to cover the events. Pratasevich who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organizing mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies. "For Lukashenka, according to his line of reasoning, Telegram channels are to blame for 'organizing revolution.' Finding a way to arrest the editor of one of those channels proved a temptation Lukashenka couldn't resist," Rudnik told RFE/RL in emailed comments. According to pro-government media in Belarus, Lukashenka himself ordered a MiG-29 fighter jet to be scrambled to intercept the Ryanair jet because of the purported bomb scare. No bomb was found on the plane. Data from Flightradar24.com showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers. "The Belarusian authorities are expanding their operation beyond the borders of the country. 'Coup plotters' were detained in Moscow; a plane belonging to an Irish company is forced to land in Minsk," said Karbalevich, referring to the April arrests in Moscow of Yuras Zyankovich, a Belarusian-born lawyer who also holds U.S. citizenship, and Alyaksandr Fyaduta, who served as Lukashenka's spokesman in the 1990s. The arrests were part of a bizarre claim that an assassination attempt was being prepared against Lukashenka and his two sons, as well as a military coup, to be carried out by a "group of foreign security services, probably the CIA and the FBI" and approved "by the top political leadership" in the United States. Washington quickly denied what it called "absurd" allegations. Meaningful Action? The European Union has imposed three rounds of sanctions on Belarus, imposing asset freezes and visa bans on 88 individuals and seven entities, including Lukashenka himself. And even before the Ryanair incident, the bloc had been working on a fourth round targeting more senior officials. Washington's response has largely mirrored that of Brussels. In its latest action on April 19, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it was revoking a license that had allowed transactions with nine sanctioned state-owned companies in Belarus since 2015, including the oil company Belneftekhim, which accounts for 30 percent of Belarus's industrial output. U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as "an act of piracy." They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus's "ability to use Interpol." An EU declaration, signed by all 27 members, noted that "the EU will consider the consequences of this action, including taking measures against those responsible." RFE/RL European correspondent Rikard Jozwiak reported there is also talk of banning Belavia, the state-owned Belarusian national airline, from landing at EU airports and barring all flights of EU airlines from entering Belarusian airspace. Air Baltic has already announced it is suspending flights over Belarusian airspace over safety concerns, meaning a loss of overflight fees for the cash-strapped Lukashenka government. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), however, only said it had raised "awareness of the situation" with European national aviation authorities. "The national authorities were recommended to pass this information on to their airlines for inclusion in each airline's own risk assessment process," the EASA said in a statement shared with RFE/RL. Failure by the West to act, Giles cautioned, could send a worrying signal to other authoritarian regimes. "Lukashenka may be counting on the EU's reliable pattern of statements of concern not being followed up with meaningful action," Giles said. "This would be disastrous, as it would set a precedent for authoritarian regimes around the world to act against airliners overflying their territory. Air travel would become immeasurably more hazardous, including on the hundreds of routes that cross Russia and China on their way from Europe and North America to Asia." On May 23, the Belarusian authorities forced the pilots of a Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius over the territory of Belarus to divert and land at Minsk airport. In an interview with Current Time on May 24, Russian aviation expert Vadim Lukashevich spoke about how Minsk could have forced the plane to land and about the consequences Belarus could face if airlines decide not to fly over the country. The European Union has agreed to impose fresh sanctions against Belarus, including moves to seal off the bloc's airspace to Belarusian airlines, amid strong Western condemnation over the forced diversion of a commercial airliner on a flight between two EU member states to arrest an opposition journalist. The Ryanair flight was forced to land on May 23 in Minsk, where 26-year-old Belarusian journalist and opposition activist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend were detained. The EU demanded their immediate release, with some leaders calling the incident "state hijacking." Following an EU summit in Brussels on May 24, the bloc instructed officials to "adopt necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports," European Council President Charles Michel's spokesman Barend Leyts said in a statement posted on Twitter. The summit's conclusions came as Pratasevich, in a video released on Belarusian state TV on May 24, said he was "confessing" to charges of being behind civil disturbances, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. "I can say that I have no health problems.... I continue cooperating with investigators and am confessing to having organized mass unrest in the city of Minsk," he says in the video, in which he appears to have black marks on his forehead. The Belarusian opposition and Pratasevich's allies dismissed the comments as made under duress. Dmitry Pratasevich, the detained Belarusian journalist's father, told RFE/RL the family was "very worried about what is happening to our son." Pratasevich's parents said they feared their son, who has lived in Lithuania and Poland since he fled a brutal crackdown against the opposition in Belarus, would be tortured. In the statement adopted at the summit, the leaders said the EU "demands the immediate release" of Pratasevich and his girlfriend and called on the European Council to adopt additional sanctions on Belarusian persons and entities. Leaders also urged the bloc's airlines to avoid Belarus's airspace and called on the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate the incident, which it called "unprecedented and unacceptable." The UN agency said its 36 diplomatic representatives will meet on May 27 to discuss Belarus's actions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also backed calls for an independent investigation into the plane diversion. The EU also voiced its solidarity with member Latvia, which announced it was expelling all Belarusian diplomats, including the Belarusian ambassador, in a tit-for-tat measure. Earlier on May 24, Belarus expelled Latvia's ambassador to Minsk and all the embassy's employees apart from one staff member. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced that move after the Latvia-based airBaltic joined other airlines that are avoiding Belarus airspace. Polish national carrier LOT, Hungarian airline Wizzair, Scandinavian airline SAS, and Dutch airline KLM were among airliners announcing a halt to using Belarus's airspace. Lithuanian Transport Minister Marius Skuodis announced that all flights to and from Lithuanian airports must avoid Belarusian airspace from midnight GMT on May 25. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK would suspend the air permit that allows flights in British airspace by the Belarus's national airline, Belavia -- a move that effectively blocks it from using Britain's transit hub at Heathrow International Airport. Raab also said British authorities are instructing British airlines to cease all of their flights over Belarusian airspace. Raab told Parliament that Belarus "must be held to account for such reckless and dangerous behavior. "The scenario as reported is a shocking assault on civil aviation and an assault on international law," he said. "It represents a danger to civilian flights everywhere." The diversion of the flight and the detention of Pratasevich has also been met by criticism from the United States, which has pledged to coordinate a response with its European allies. The Ryanair flight from Athens to Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, was diverted on the orders of Belarusian strongman leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka as it was flying through Belarusian airspace. Belarusian authorities said the flight to Vilnius was diverted because of a bomb threat from Hamas, a claim the Palestinian militant group rejected. Rolandas Kiskis, the Lithuanian chief of criminal police, said five of the 126 passengers who boarded the Ryanair flight in Athens did not reach Vilnius, though he would not elaborate. But Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O'Leary said the airline believes "there were some [Belarusian security agency] KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well." Although the Ryanair flight was closer to Vilnius when it was intercepted, Minsk claims the diversion and forced landing with a MiG-29 fighter jet escort was necessary because Belarusian authorities were informed there was a bomb on the plane. No explosive device was found. German Chancellor Angela Merkel dismissed that explanation as "completely implausible." "We have seen a forced landing that led to the arrest," Merkel said on May 24 ahead of the summit. "All other explanations for the landing of this Ryanair flight are completely implausible." "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored," Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said. Ryanair is headquartered in Dublin. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg denounced the diversion as a "serious and dangerous incident." NATO officials say the military alliance will discuss the matter on May 25. Many European leaders already have called for expanded sanctions against the regime of Lukashenka, who has led a sometimes violent and deadly crackdown on dissent in his country since mass protests broke over the disputed results of last August's presidential election. Russia accused the West of hypocrisy, reiterating accusations that in 2013 a flight from Moscow carrying then-Bolivian President Evo Morales had been diverted to Austria after reports that fugitive U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden might be on board. Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov wouldn't say if the Belarusian authorities had contacted Russia about the incident. Russia and Belarus have close political, economic and military ties, and Lukashenka has relied on Moscow's support amid Western sanctions. The EU has already imposed three rounds of sanctions against Belarus and was preparing a fourth round before the Ryanair event, including further asset freezes and visa bans on Belarusian officials and entities amid the ongoing crackdown on the opposition and pro-democracy protesters. Belarus has been rocked by protests since Lukashenka, in power since 1994, was declared the landslide winner of a presidential election in August 2020 that the West and opposition deem fraudulent. 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. Since then, more than 30,000 people have been detained, hundreds beaten or tortured, and journalists targeted in the crackdown by Lukashenka. The opposition says Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to neighboring Lithuania after the election due to concerns about her safety, was the true winner of the vote. Pratasevich was a key administrator of the Telegram channel Nexta Live, which has been covering the protests that broke out in Belarus following the disputed presidential election. Belarusian authorities in November 2020 launched investigations into Pratasevich and a colleague, Stsyapan Putsila, on suspicion of the organization of mass disorder, disruption of social order, and inciting social hatred. Describing Pratasevich as a high-profile opponent of Lukashenka, Tsikhanouskaya told Sky News on May 24 that she was "really afraid not only for his freedom, but for his life. Pratasevich spoke to Current Time from an undisclosed location in Poland on November 19, 2020, after Belarusian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. "It seems to me that the [state] power now considers nearly any expression of a different opinion in general to be a crime, Pratasevich said, saying this was clear from the number of people who were being detained. Current Time is a Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. In October 2020, a court in Minsk designated the Nexta Live channel and its logo as extremist and instructed the Information Ministry to restrict access to information resources using the name and logo of the Telegram channel, as well as their distribution in the Belarusian segment of the Internet. Media in Belarus have been targeted by the Lukashenka government in the ongoing crackdown. The watchdog Reporters Without Borders has designated Belarus as the most dangerous spot in Europe for journalists. With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Reuters, AP, and AFP Upon learning last year that a warrant in Belarus had been issued for his arrest for allegedly organizing mass anti-government protests through a popular Telegram channel he helped administer, independent Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich appeared unsurprised about the lengths the authorities would go to stifle dissenting views. "If people are being sent to jail for expressing a different opinion," the former Nexta-Live editor in chief told Current Time from an undisclosed location in Poland in November, "then what can be said about possibly the biggest Belarusian media outlet?" On May 23, after Belarusian security agents allegedly used a bomb hoax to force the commercial airliner carrying Pratasevich to Lithuania to be diverted to Belarus, fellow passengers said the 26-year-old journalist became visibly panicked. After landing in Minsk, an unidentified traveler told the Latvian news site Delfi that Pratasevich was immediately detained and his luggage spread out on the tarmac and searched. "We asked him what was happening," the passenger said, describing Pratasevich as "trembling." "He said who he was and added: 'Theyll execute me here.'" So what had this young blogger turned so-called digital revolutionary -- a co-recipient of the European Parliament's 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought -- done to draw the wrath of the Belarusian authorities? Pratasevich was a co-founder and editor in chief of Nexta-Live, a Belarus-focused news channel that had earned a reputation as a trustworthy alternative source of information and had attracted the ire of Belarus's authoritarian government. The outlet's hard-hitting coverage -- often based on exclusive materials provided from within government circles and also featuring videos that exposed the brutality of strongman leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime -- had made it a go-to source for Belarusian political coverage by the time the country's contentious presidential election rolled around last August 9. When Lukashenka was declared the winner of a sixth straight term in office, protesters who believed the vote was stolen were ready -- in part due to information provided by Nexta, whose use of the Telegram messaging platform allowed it to circumvent government efforts to restrict online information. As mass protests became a daily feature of life in Belarus, Nexta published times and places for demonstrators to meet, suggestions for countering and avoiding police, and instructions to keep the movement peaceful. For their efforts, demonstrators were met with a brutal crackdown by the Belarusian authorities, resulting in the arrests of tens of thousands of civilians and shocking scenes of police violence that were made available to the outside world in part due to Nexta. Journalists not working for state-run media were also targeted through arrests and police violence. Pratesevich had already left Belarus in 2019 to escape pressure from the authorities, and he left Nexta-Live in September 2020 to work for another popular Telegram channel. But as the protests continued, Nexta-Live and its logo were declared extremist by a Belarusian court and orders came for its distribution to be restricted. The news site merely switched its logo and carried on under the safety afforded by Telegram's encryption features, but Pratasevich was placed on a terrorist watch list and charged with organizing mass disorder, disrupting public order, and inciting social hatred. Pratasevich himself posted a copy of an official Belarusian list of terrorists on which his name appeared and has rejected all the charges as politically motivated. "This [arrest order] sounds like a special prize from the state authorities," Pratasevich told Current Time by video link from Poland on November 19 after hearing about the government's move. "It seems to me that the [state] power now considers nearly any expression of a different opinion in general to be a crime," Pratasevich told the Russian-language outlet operated by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. "We can see it from the statistics of the detained, from the statistics of the people who are currently being held in jails, and so on. " 'Politically Motivated' In addressing the detentions of at least 33,000 people, Amnesty International accused the Belarusian authorities of launching "hundreds of politically motivated criminal cases against political opposition members, protesters, and their supporters." In many cases, the global rights watchdog said, "they detained, beat, fined, or deported journalists who covered the protests and stripped them of their accreditation." By then, Pratasevich was working for Belarus of the Brain -- another Telegram news channel also banned by the government. Pratasevich is also a former recipient of the Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship, awarded jointly by RFE/RL and the Czech Foreign Ministry to continue the former Czech president and dissident's promotion of open societies through journalism. In being named a winner of the award in 2017-18, when he was still a journalism student at Belarus State University, Pratasevich was credited with having "live-streamed mass protests in Belarus that were otherwise not reported by the countrys tightly controlled media." According to Media Solidarity, a group that supports Belarusian journalists, Pratasevich had recently moved from Poland to Vilnius, where self-exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya is based. He had traveled to Greece recently to cover a visit there by Tsikhanouskaya. Dzmitry Pratasevich, the journalist's father, told RFE/RL's Belarus Service on May 24 that he first learned of his son's arrest on Telegram. "This information was then confirmed that our son had been detained," he said. "Gradually, information appeared on TV channels, and we learned about it." The journalist's parents, who moved abroad eight months ago to escape to pressure in Belarus, were aware their son was in Greece but did not know the details of his return to Vilnius. "He did not fully inform us about all his movements, probably did not want many to know where he was," said Dzmitry Pratasevich, a former soldier who said he was recently stripped of his rank due his time outside the country. Raman Pratasevich had been open about the fact that his parents did not always share his views, and his father admitted to RFE/RL that "we feared political persecution for our son's activities." However, Dzmitry Pratasevich said of his son's work, "eventually life showed that he was right. As it turns out, all the people who are fighting for freedom and independence in our country are right, he said. He said he believes Lukashenka's regime is targeting his son because "the current government is afraid of independent journalists, freedom of speech, afraid that its actions will become known to the world community." But by conducting operations such as the one that nabbed his son -- an incident that has been decried as a "hijacking" of a commercial airliner by EU officials -- "they forget that they show the whole global community what methods they use." "They are completely inhumane -- torture, detentions," Dzmitry Pratasevich said of the tactics used by the state to stamp out dissent. "Its all very sad." Hundreds of activists blocked the main Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, Georgia, to protest the construction of the Namakhvani hydropower plant by a Turkish company. At the May 24 rally, protesters condemned what they described as the negative environmental impact of the project and declared that they will continue to block streets in Tbilisi until the contract for the construction of the plant is canceled. Iran and the UN's nuclear watchdog say they have agreed to extend by one month an agreement to monitor Tehran's nuclear activities, a move that will give more time for ongoing diplomatic efforts to salvage the country's tattered nuclear deal with world powers. "The equipment and the verification and the monitoring activities that we agreed will continue as they are now for one month expiring on June 24, 2021," the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told a news conference in Vienna on May 24. The Iranian representative to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, acknowledged the agreement on Twitter. Under a three-month agreement struck with Iran on February 21, the IAEA was allowed to collect and analyze images from surveillance cameras installed at Iranian nuclear sites. Those images have helped the Vienna-based agency monitor whether Tehran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal. But Iran said on May 23 the monitoring deal had expired and that IAEA access to images from inside some Iranian nuclear sites would cease. Gharibabadi said that under the new agreement, IAEA access to images from inside some Iranian nuclear sites would cease. "The data from the last three months are still in the possession of Iran and will not be handed over to the IAEA. The data for the next month will remain only with Iran," Gharibabadi said, according to state media. Grossi said that Tehran had agreed that information collected so far by agency equipment in Iran would not be erased. He said the outcome of this "long discussion" was "important" but the situation was "not ideal." "We should all be reminded that the temporary understanding is a sort of stop-gap measure. It is to avoid flying completely blind," he said. Iran and the United States have engaged in indirect talks in Vienna since April to renew the 2015 deal with world powers. The agreement was put on hold three years ago after then-U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the pact and reimposed crippling sanctions on Irans economy. In response, Tehran steadily overstepped the accords limits on its nuclear program designed to make it harder to develop an atomic bomb -- an ambition Tehran denies. Diplomats are expected to resume the negotiations this week. With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters Kazakhstan has officially refused to grant citizenship to three ethnic Kazakhs who fled China's northwestern region of Xinjiang for illegally entering the country as they fled persecution. Qaisha Aqan, Murager Alimuly, and Kaster Musakhanuly are three of several ethnic Kazakhs from Xinjiang residing in Kazakhstan after they were convicted for illegally crossing the Chinese-Kazakh border in recent years, but later given temporary refugee status in October 2020. Locked Up In China: The Plight Of Xinjiang's Muslims Radio Free Radio/Radio Liberty is partnering with its sister organization, Radio Free Asia, to highlight the plight of Muslims living in China's western province of Xinjiang. Aqan told RFE/RL on May 23 that she had received a letter signed by Deputy Interior Minister Arystangali Zapparov that said they would not be granted citizenship because their place of permanent residence was outside Kazakhstan before they were convicted of illegally crossing the border. The three have insisted that they fled China fearing they would be placed in so-called reeducation camps for indigenous ethnic groups in Xinjiang. In January, Aqan and Alimuly were both violently attacked in the Central Asian country by unknown assailants in separate incidents in different cities. The U.S. State Department has said that as many as 2 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and members of Xinjiang's other indigenous, mostly Muslim, ethnic groups have been taken to detention centers. China denies that the facilities are internment camps. Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang after Uyghurs. The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Hui, also known as Dungans. Latvia's airBaltic says that it has changed its flight routes to avoid Belarusian airspace after the forced diversion and landing of a Ryanair plane to Minsk that was carrying a prominent opposition journalist on an internal EU flight. The air carrier said on May 24 that it would avoid Belarus airspace until "the situation became clearer" or authorities issue a decision on how to proceed. Talis Linkaits, Latvia's transport minister, added in an interview with Latvian state radio that the national airline "continuously keeps a close eye" on the security situation over the airspace of different countries. "It has already decided not to use Belarusian airspace when operating its flights. The Latvian Civil Aviation Agency will also announce its recommendations," he added. Belarusian authorities scrambled a military jet to escort the civilian plane, which was en route to Vilnius from Athens on May 23, over what turned out to be a false bomb report. Once the plane landed, police detained Raman Pratasevich, a 26-year-old opposition activist and journalist. EU officials and several Western governments have condemned the incident as the state-sponsored hijacking of a commercial flight, with some calling for fresh sanctions against authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has led a crackdown on dissent in the country since a disputed presidential election last August. Belarus's authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has signed into law legal amendments severely restricting civil rights and the free flow of information amid a crackdown on the countrys pro-democracy movement. The amendments, signed by Lukashenka on May 24, make it tougher for protest organizers to hold rallies by making it compulsory for all mass events to be authorized by municipal authorities. They also make political parties and public associations responsible if their leaders make public calls for organizing a mass event before the permission to organize the event is granted. One part of the legislation also states that reporters cannot act as organizers or participants of mass events in the course of their work, and cut off the ability to raise funds to hold events, providing additional ammunition for authorities to use draconian tactics to silence protesters and opposition forces challenging the official results of a presidential election last year that handed Lukashenka his sixth consecutive term. 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. In the wake of the election, thousands of Belarusians have taken to the streets in what has become the largest and most-persistent show of opposition to Lukashenka. More than 33,000 people have been arrested in a crackdown that has left much of the opposition leadership in exile or prison. The amendments signed into law by Lukashenka also give municipal authorities and law enforcement agencies the right to suspend the operation of infrastructure in areas where mass events are to take place and along the routes their participants use. Security officials have cracked down hard on the demonstrators, arresting thousands, including dozens of journalists who covered the rallies, and pushing most of the top opposition figures out of the country. Several protesters have been killed in the violence and some rights organizations say there is credible evidence of torture being used by security officials against some of those detained. Lukashenka, who has run the country since 1994, has denied any wrongdoing with regard to the election and refuses to negotiate with the opposition on stepping down and holding new elections. The European Union, the United States, Canada, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate leader of Belarus and have imposed sanctions on him and several senior Belarusian officials in response to the "falsification" of the vote and the postelection crackdown. The main amendments take force one month after their official publication. With reporting by BelTA Russia's communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has given Google 24 hours to delete what it said was prohibited content as it faces the possibility of a punitive slowdown measure on it. Google faces a fine of up to 4 million rubles ($54,300) if the company does not respond to Roskomnadzor's May 24 notifications about the removal of prohibited information within 24 hours, the watchdog was quoted as saying by TASS. Roskomnadzor said that YouTube, which is owned by Google, did not remove about 5,000 "prohibited" videos, out of which some 3,500 incite "extremism." "To date, about 5,000 banned materials have not been removed from YouTube. Most of all -- 3,500 -- with calls for extremism. More than 900 materials recognized as banned by the court," the watchdog said. "Roskomnadzor sent more than 26,000 notifications to the management of Google about the need to delete illegal information. If, after receiving the Roskomnadzor notification, the Internet platform does not restrict access to prohibited information within 24 hours, it will be fined 800,000 to 4 million rubles," TASS quoted the watchdog as saying. "In case of a repeated offense, the amount of the fine will be increased to one-10th of the total amount of the company's annual revenue." Google Russia did not immediately comment on the demand by Roskomnadzor. Russia has already placed a punitive slowdown on U.S. social network Twitter for not deleting banned content, part of a push by Moscow to rein in Western tech giants and beef up what it calls its Internet "sovereignty." Roskomnadzor claimed that the content it wanted removed included videos of how to buy drugs, scenes of cruel animal killings, videos calling for violence, and materials from terrorist and extremist organizations. "Google does not fully fulfill its obligation to ban links to Internet resources with information prohibited in our country from search results in Russia. On average, from 20-30 percent of links to content prohibited in Russia are not removed from search results, including websites of terrorist and extremist organizations, websites with pornographic images of minors, as well as online stores selling drugs," the regulator's spokesperson told TASS. On May 20, the Russian arm of Google appealed a court ruling that its YouTube unit unblock the accounts of the Tsargrad TV channel in Russia and its former chief editor, pro-Kremlin analyst Aleksandr Dugin. Google said on May 20 it was appealing a decision last month by the Moscow Arbitration Court that ruled it must restore Tsargrad's account or face a daily fine of 100,000 rubles.($1,360). Failure to comply would result in a doubling of the fine each week, the court said. Google said in July 2020 that the accounts were blocked due to the violation of laws on sanctions and trade regulations. In January and early February, a series of massive anti-government rallies actively promoted on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok ushered in an intensified push to fine-tune the online censorship apparatus. In 2019, Russia passed a "sovereign Internet" law that gives officials wide-ranging powers to restrict online traffic, up to the point of isolating the country from cross-border Internet connections during national emergencies. Moscow has repeatedly warned that it is ready to use the new measure if unrest were to reach a serious scale. With reporting by Reuters and TASS What would Russia look like today if some of the late Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharovs ideas had been realized? Also, legislation barring people with ties to Aleksei Navalny and his organizations from running in elections is set to advance in the State Duma this week. RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss. Editor's Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles by author Paul Lintern. It is set in 1831 and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of a young girl. During the next month, Amelia became a Zeiters. She learned to feed the animals, and even overcame her fear of pigs. She served meals at the tavern, walked through the woods, worked side-by-side with Autumn at whatever her task, visited Mansfield and did everything she could to become a 10-year-old rural Ohio girl for a summer. She even started wearing one of Autumns dresses, which Autumn gladly gave her, even though she only had three. Amelias beautiful gowns remained in the trunks. And, she did go swimming again, but only with Autumn and Emily Pittinger, a girl from a nearby farm. While she loved the feeling of becoming a Zeiters, she also remained a Pendergast. She played her Mozart Concertos for the visitors, ate properly with the correct silverware (whenever it was available), used no contractions, such as cant, wont, and most of all, aint, and longed to taste a steamed oyster, which was her fathers treat on special occasions. The stream of guests became the most interesting part of Amelias stay. Every night she met people who were on their way somewhere, some with means, most with very little, some visiting family, others moving to another place to start over their lives, some on business, others on missions. They were from the states of Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia and Indiana, and from the Michigan territory. Some even came from Canada. Isaac was happy to point out that Canada is much closer than Boston to Mansfield. They all brought news, and had stories to tell. Each night Uncle Jacob would interrogate his guests for news he could share with those who would follow. If his guests were not talkative, then he would read the newspaper to them, although sometimes he needed Autumns help in reading the small type by candlelight. Look here. It says that President Washingtons great granddaughter was married two weeks ago, Jacob said. Which one, a longbearded guest asked. Mary Anna Randolph Custis, he said. Custis? That would have been from Marthas first marriage, the guest said. That would make her the Presidents... Step-great-granddaughter, yes, I know, said Jacob. Still, that makes her almost royalty. Who is the bloke she married? another guest asked. Not familiar with this one, Jacob said. It says he is related to an important Virginia family, to Henry Lighthorse Lee, the one who convinced Virginia to join in the War for Independence. He is a new West Point graduate, this Robert E. Lee. Probably be stuck in a fort out in Kansas, while his bride keeps house in Virginia, longbeard laughed, and everyone joined in. Uncle Jacob seemed happiest when he was being a source of information. It says here that over in Europe, Belgium has become independent from the Netherlands, Jacob would say, or Look, they have a new bridge in London, England, just opened for traffic -- the London Bridge. I guess thats a good name for it. He read of a steam engine that pulled several wagons along a track from Albany to Schenectady in New York, and that many places, including Mansfield, were organizing companies to build these new railroads from town to town. It had only been earlier that year, while Amelia was in Boston, that she had heard about the first railroad in the United States. In Baltimore, a steam locomotive traveled 12 miles in only 25 minutes, faster than a horse can run at full speed. It seemed strange to Amelia that even in this dark building in the middle of the wilderness, news of the day was reaching people, just as it did in the taverns and public squares in Massachusetts. Word came of new inventions. A young man, Cyrus McCormick, had built a mechanical reaper for harvesting grain. One night Jacob gave a toast to Ohios brand new Carroll County, and its namesake, Charles Carroll, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. Although his death someday soon will bring an end to the beginning of our country, may it not be the beginning of the end. Soon after the Independence Day celebration, news had come that former President James Monroe died on July 4. Amelia and Autumn, here, are too young to remember this, but five years ago we had the same sort of news, times two, Uncle Jacob said to everyone gathered. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on that July 4. It was the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which they wrote. Imagine that. My parents have talked many times about the great John Adams, Amelia said. His home was only a few miles from where we live. Just last year, my mother saw his son, President John Quincy, at a lecture by Mr. Emerson. As she spoke, she noticed an unusual gleam in Uncle Jacobs eyes. I wonder if he misses Boston, too, she thought. One story in particular seemed to upset Uncle Jacob, and caused much discussion and arguing in the tavern. President Jackson was forcing Cherokee Indians from Georgia to move west, even though the Indians had adopted American ways, and had won a Supreme Court case to allow them to stay. Thousands are being forced out of their homes, illegally. The Indians here are being forced to move as well, within two more years, he said. Wolf Paw, too? Amelia asked. Jacob nodded. Its unfair, she said. And unnecessary. We have always gotten along with our Indian neighbors, at least around here. Not all the guests saw it that way. Some told stories of dishonest Indians-- violent, drunk, mean-spirited, or foolish -- while others replied with stories of brave, helpful, peaceful and generous Indians. Many opinions were expressed in the tavern, but none so loudly as those about Indians. I suppose it is really about the land, Jacob suggested. Land is what makes us rich and each generation wants new land to settle. My father wanted new land, so he came to America from Prussia; I wanted new land so I came to Ohio from Massachusetts. Thats just how things are, but it is unfortunate for those in the way. It had already been a full evening of food and music and storytelling, when suddenly Autumn stepped inside the doorway. Johns here, she said. Your Uncle John? Jacob asked. Autumn gave a disapproving look. No, if it were I would have said Uncle John. You know who I am talking about. Appleseed John. You sure? Jacob asked. Father, you can tell its him from the other hillside. He is just up the road. Come out here, Amelia, and meet our friend. Im sure he has news and stories and maybe a song, and certainly a sermon or two. You go greet ol Appleseed and welcome him in. I have too much to do in here, doing all the chores my girls dont have time to do because they are outside running around, Jacob said. Autumn wrinkled her nose at her father and out the door the girls went. MANSFIELD -- North Central State College celebrated its first graduating class of Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology (BASMET) on May 7. The eight graduates were honored during a drive-through ceremony on campus. "I'm proud that the first NC State bachelor's degrees were awarded from our division. These graduates are in demand. Many are employed with a local manufacturer, says Dan Wagner, dean of the Business, Industry, and Technology Division who helped develop the BASMET program and teach some of the classes. We're proving that we can provide relevant programming that meets the needs of employers in our region. "At the same time, it's a great value for our graduates. Wagner said by earning credit in high school through College Credit Plus and College NOW, some of these graduates brought two years of credits forward into the bachelor's program. "That saved them thousands of dollars in tuition," Wagner said. "We're providing BASMET degrees to younger students and many are graduating debt-free. It's directly in line with the mission of NC State." BASMET is the first bachelors program offered at NC State in its 50-year history of serving the communities of north central Ohio. In the spring of 2018, Ohios community colleges were invited to explore offering bachelor's degrees that responded to the specific needs of local employers in the regions they serve. North Central applied to the State of Ohio and the Higher Learning Commission to offer the Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology with the support of numerous businesses in North Central Ohio. This request was approved in March 2019. MANSFIELD The elders were happy to attend the celebration only for them even it was a drive-thru event. The Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging hosted the 2021 Spring Senior Extravaganza on Monday at Richland County Fairgrounds. More than 200 senior citizens joined the activity to celebrate Older Americans Month. Many people lined up at the gate before the door was open at 10 a.m. They participated in the vendor parade by visiting each organizations table taking pamphlets, sampling chips, candies and all kinds of gifts. Later in the morning, they enjoyed the free lunch and live music onsite in their cars. Mary Ann Sautter, 87, and Betty Smollen, 86, were two of those early birds. The duo said they come to the event every year. Dont stop is the message that Smollen wanted to send to other elders, she said. The Ontario resident elaborated on the idea by showing a picture of her riding a Can-Am Spyder, a three-wheel motorcycle, on Sunday. Nicole Williams, vice president of outreach and development for the Area Agency on Aging, said about 19 percent of Richland Countys population is 65 and older, according to the 2019 census report. That percentage is higher than that of Ohio, 17 percent, and the U.S., 16 percent, Williams said. The agency used to hold the annual event at the Renaissance Theatre before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Williams said the agency tried to think of something out-of-the-box when planning the celebration this year. The organizer was once hesitant to host the event, Williams said, but it also wanted to reduce social isolation through the celebration. Social isolation has always been a concern with seniors, but then COVID kind of made it even moreso because they're not able to get out as much as they want to, the vice president said. The theme for this year is Communities of Strength. Williams said the theme reflects that everyone came together and did what they needed to do even though last year was a difficult one. The senior extravaganza was sponsored by UnitedHealthcare, CareSource and many other community organizations. About 30 vendors participated on Monday. Latonda Williams, operations director for Liberty Nursing Center of Mansfield, said it's a wonderful idea to give the seniors who are used to participating in the event on a yearly basis some sense of normalcy with the drive-thru option. She said the nursing home gave out wireless cell phone chargers to help the elders come into more of the technological age. Eleanor Debaltzo came to the fairgrounds with her husband, Don, on Monday. She said the vendors talked and explained things more this year, which helped her better understand their service. School Name Status Buckeye Central Schools Not Reported Bucyrus City Schools Not Reported Clear Fork Christian Preschool Not Reported Clear Fork Valley Local Schools Not Reported Colonel Crawford Schools 2 Hour Delay Crestline Village Schools Not Reported Crestview School District Not Reported Discovery School Not Reported Fairway School Not Reported Foundation Academy of Mansfield Not Reported Galion City Schools Not Reported Heartland Academy Not Reported IMAC Not Reported Lexington Child Development Center Not Reported Lexington Local Schools Not Reported Lucas Local Schools Not Reported Madison Adult Education Not Reported Madison Local Schools Not Reported Mansfield 1st EPC Preschool Not Reported Mansfield Christian School Not Reported Mansfield City Schools Not Reported Mansfield Seventh-Day Adventist School Not Reported Northmor Local Schools Not Reported Ohio Heartland Headstart Not Reported OSU-Mansfield/NCSC campus Not Reported Ontario Local Schools Not Reported Pioneer Career & Technology Center Not Reported Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools Not Repprted Richland School of Academic Arts Not Reported Richland Newhope Not Reported Sacred Heart School - Shelby Not Reported Shelby City Schools Not Reported St. Joseph's School - Crestline Not Reported St. Joseph's School - Galion 2 Hour Delay St. Marys School - Mansfield Not Reported St. Marys School - Shelby Not Reported St. Peter's School - Mansfield Not Reported Sullivan Head Start Not Reported Temple Christian School Not Reported Trinity Shining Lights Preschool - Shelby Not Reported Valley View Christian Preschool Not Reported Wynford Local Schools Not Reported School closings in and around Richland and Crawford Counties can be seen here. To view closings and delays in Ashland, visit ashlandsource.com, and if interested in closings and delays in Knox County, visit knoxpages.com. For the latest news on school closings related to COVID-19, click here. Richmond, KY (40475) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Management at The Oaks Course is dedicated to growing the game of golf. One segment of the population that is a focus is junior golf. The Oaks regularly hosts junior events where young players can develop the future of the game and have fun. On Friday, June 11, The Oaks hosted a US Kids Golf Click for more. Rocky Mount, NC (27804) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. According to the estimates of the international consulting company Bain & Company, the world diamond production in 2020 decreased relative to 2019 by 20% to 111 mn cts1. Industry analyst Paul Zimnisky gives a similar estimate of 113 mn cts2. One question currently worries all those involved: How quickly will the diamond industry recover from the COVID-19 crisis? In February-March 2021, many diamond miners published their data on their performance in 2020 and the guidelines for 2021. Based on the data, we try to understand the current situation in the upstream, which is basic for the industry. ALROSA In 2020, the Russian ALROSA company reduced its diamond production by 22% compared to the previous year to 30 mn cts. At the same time, the reduction in its diamond production was part of the companys plans, but only by 11% to 34.2 mn cts. The production target was lowered in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when the company announced the suspension of its Aikhal and Zarya mines. According to the latest ALROSAs forecast (March 2021), the company plans to slightly increase the diamond production in 2021 to 31.5 mn cts3. It is expected that the main growth will come from the Verkhne-Munskoye deposit (+2 mn cts), Udachny underground mine (+1.5 mn cts), and the Botuobinskaya pipe (+1 mn cts), with a significant reduction in the alluvial diamond production (-2.2 mn cts at the Almazy Anabara division) and the Nyurba pipe with the associated placer (-1.2 mn cts). Also, the Russian diamond mining giant plans to increase its capital expenditures by almost 1.5 times in 2021, from 17 bn roubles (in 2020, it was originally planned to spend 26 bn roubles) to 25 bn roubles. About a third of this amount (8 bn roubles) will be allocated for the mine development - the operating mines on the basis of the Udachnaya pipe and Verkhne-Munskoye deposit, as well as the mines under construction on the basis of the Mayskoye deposit. In addition, by the end of 2021, ALROSA expects to make a decision on the feasibility of the mining resumption at the Mir underground mine. If it is positive, the work will begin approximately in 2025 and about $1.2 bn will be spent on the work during 6-7 years. In 2020, the rough diamond sales by ALROSA decreased by 19% by value and by 4% by volume compared to 2019 and amounted to 32.1 mn cts for $2,652 mn. In Q4 2020, the growth was high by 29% by value (compared to Q4 2019) and by 2 times by volume4. The sales results in January 2021 were also encouraging5. It is important to take into account that ALROSA (unlike its foreign competitors) has a unique opportunity to sell its rough diamonds to Gokhran (State Precious Metals and Gems Repository), which was successfully used by the company in the global financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009. In this regard, in 2021, the Russian government increased the payments for the purchase of precious stones and precious metals by Gokhran to 39.82 bn roubles (in 2020, the limit was 10.5 bn roubles)6. So far, ALROSA has not taken this advantage, but it is just the beginning of 2021 and such an opportunity to have a rainy-day fund inspires confidence, certainly. De Beers De Beers (part of the Anglo American holding), the main ALROSAs competitor, reduced its diamond production in 2020 by a comparable amount - by 19.4% to 25.1 mn cts. The main reason for the decline was the lockdowns in South Africa. But in 2021, De Beers plans to catch up and outperform the Russian giant through increasing the diamond production to 32-34 mn cts7. The optimistic expectations are based on an increase in the ore production and average diamond grades at the companys two large assets - Jwaneng in Botswana and Venetia in South Africa. The life extension projects are underway at both mines - at the Venetia mine (CAPEX is $2.1 bn) where the plans are to switch to the underground operations from 2023, and at the Jwaneng mine ($2 bn) where they plan the expansion starting from 2027 under the Cut-9 project. In 2020, the De Beers rough diamond sales decreased by 30% by value and by 27% by volume against the previous year and amounted to $2.8 bn and 21.4 mn cts, respectively. The sales results at the beginning of 2021 inspire optimism as at the first sight (January 18-22), $663 mn worth of rough diamonds were sold, which was by 20% more than at the first sight in 2020, while at the second sight (February 22-26), according to preliminary data, the sales amounted to $550 mn, up 55% compared to the second sight in 20208. Rio Tinto The main event for Rio Tinto - as well as for the entire diamond industry - was the closure of the Argyle lamproite pipe mine in Australia in November 2020. The mine had operated since 1983 and had been the largest diamond mine in the world for the last several years. In total, the deposit produced over 865 mn cts of rough diamonds, including rare fancy pink stones. In 2020, Rio Tinto recovered 14.7 mn cts, which was by 14% less than in 2019. In addition to the Argyle mine, the company also holds a 60%-share in the Canadas Diavik mine, which is now its only active diamond asset. In 2021, Rio Tinto forecasts its diamond production at 3-3.8 mn cts9. At the current production rate, the Diavik deposit reserves will last for about 3.5-4 years. It is likely that by 2025, Rio Tinto will exit the industry, as BHP Billiton did. Dominion Diamonds and Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Dominion Diamonds owns the remaining 40% in the Diavik mine, but in April 2020, it filed for bankruptcy. In February 202110, Dominion sold its second asset, the Ekati mine, to the Arctic Canadian Diamond Company and thus gained the opportunity to reduce its debt obligations. The mine was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, the production recovered. In 2021, Arctic plans to produce 4.5 mn cts at Ekati and increase its production up to 5 mn cts by 2022. Catoca The Angolan Catoca company (ALROSA holds a 41%- share, 41% belongs to Endiama, 18% to LLI Holding) that operates the Catoca mine also reduced its production in 2020 by about 8%11 and recovered about 6.8 mn cts of rough diamonds. The main prospects for increasing the Catocas diamond mining volumes are associated with the planned commissioning of the Luaxe kimberlite pipe discovered in 2013 in co-operation with ALROSA. The mining operations may begin as early as 2021, and by 2023, the mine is expected to produce 5.7 mn cts of diamonds12. Petra diamonds The Petra Diamonds company, which mines diamonds in South Africa and Tanzania, publishes its statements for financial years, so its production in 2020 can be estimated approximately only and it is about 3.5 mn cts. During 2020, the company experienced serious difficulties, however, it remained afloat thanks to the successful restructuring. Nevertheless, Petra is very cautious about the development prospects in 2021 and does not exclude further financing problems. The companys Tanzanian asset, the Williamson mine, is still under care and maintenance, and Petra has not yet published its forecasts for 2021. Mountain Province Diamond Canadas Mountain Province Diamond owns a 49%-stake in the Gahcho Kue mine in partnership with De Beers. In 2020, the companys share in the diamond production amounted to 3.2 mn cts, 4% less than in 2019.13 Despite the increase in demand for diamonds, the company has so far refrained from publishing its production forecasts for 2021 due to the suspension of the operations at the mine for 3 weeks in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stornoway diamonds Another Canadian mine, Renard, owned by Stornoway Diamonds, remained under care and maintenance from March to September, 2020. Despite the permission from the authorities to resume mining, the mine did not reopen due to the downturn in the global diamond market. Lucara Diamond Lucara Diamond operating the Karowe mine in Botswana recovered 381,700 cts in 2020, down 12% from the previous year. In 2021, the company expects to recover even less stones - from 340 to 370 thousand cts14. At the same time, the forecasted sales volume is slightly higher and makes 350-390 thousand cts. The Karowe deposit is a source of special size diamonds (larger than 10.8 cts). In 2020, 34 stones weighing over 100 cts were recovered, including the rough diamonds weighing 998 and 549 cts. At the same time, the diamond sales in 2020 decreased to $125.3 mn (by 35%) compared to 2019, and the average price for rough diamonds sold dropped to $335/ct (by 28%). Gem Diamonds Gem Diamonds, another company focused on the production of large size diamonds, recovered 100,800 cts in 2020 at its Letseng mine in Lesotho (down 12% compared to 2019). Interestingly, 2020 was a record year for the company in terms of the number of large size stones as it recovered 762 rough diamonds weighing more than 10 cts, including 16 stones weighing over 100 cts15. At the same time, the average price for the diamonds sold was $1,908/ct, which is by 16.5% higher than in 2019. In 2021, Gem Diamonds plans to increase its diamond production to 123-127 thousand carats. Fig. 1. The rough diamonds production by major diamond mining companies in 2020 and the forecast for 2021, mn cts. If we put all these numbers together, we can see a very positive trend (Figure 1). In 2021, according to the companies forecasts, the diamond production may increase by 2.5%. However, if the very optimistic expectations of De Beers or, more likely, the Arctic Canadian do not come true, the production level may equal the current one or even drop below it. In general, when describing the industry sentiment at the end of Q1 2021, the words very cautious optimism can be used. Very - because any forecasts, especially favourable ones, in the so-called new reality are made with a high degree of probability, and this situation is unlikely to change in the short and medium term. Anastasia Smolnikova, analyst, The Institute for Natural Monopolies Research (IPEM), for Rough&Polished 1Bain & Company. Brilliant Under Pressure: The Global Diamond Industry 202021. 08.02.2021. URL: https://www.bain.com/insights/global-diamond-industry-2020-21/ 2Investing News. Diamonds. Diamond Outlook 2021: Market Poised for Growth. 25.01.2021. URL: https://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/gem-investing/diamond-investing/diamond-outlook/ 3ALROSA. To investors and shareholders. Presentation - Strategy Day 2021. 02.03.2021. URL: http://www.alrosa.ru/documents/ 4ALROSA. ALROSA Group operating results for Q4 and 12M 2020. 21.01.2021. URL: http://www.alrosa.ru/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ALROSA-Q4-2020-Trading-Update-IR-release-21-01-2021-RUS.pdf 5 ALROSA. Press center. ALROSA presents sales results for January 2021. 10.02.2021. URL: http://www.alrosa.ru/ 6TASS. Economy. Alrosa has no plans to sell rough diamonds to Gokhran in 2020. 12.11.2020. URL: https://tass.ru/ekonomika/9988269 7AngloAmerican. Integrated Annual Report 2020. 2021. URL: https://www.angloamerican.com/~/media/Files/A/Anglo-American-Group/PLC/investors/annual-reporting/2021/aa-annual-report-full-2020.pdf 8De Beers Group. Rough Diamond Sales. 2021. URL: https://www.debeersgroup.com/reports/rough-diamond-sales 9Rio Tinto. Presentations & Webcasts. Annual Results 2020. 17.02.2021. URL: https://www.riotinto.com/invest/presentations 10Business Wire. Dominion Diamond Mines Sells Ekati Mine to Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd. 03.02.2021. URL: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210203005998/en/Dominion-Diamond-Mines-Sells-Ekati-Mine-to-Arctic-Canadian-Diamond-Company-Ltd. 11Rough and Polished. News. Catoca registers losses in the first half of 2020. 16.09.2020. URL: https://www.rough-polished.com/ru/news/118664.html 12Mining.Com. Angola seeks to boost diamond output, negotiating with major players. 02.03.2021. URL: https://www.mining.com/web/angola-seeks-to-boost-diamond-output-negotiating-with-major-players/ 13Mountain Province Diamond. Financial Reports. December 31, 2020 - Year-End Management Discussion & Analysis. 2021. URL: https://www.mountainprovince.com/financial-reports 14Lucara Diamond. Presentations. 2020 Results Conference Call. 23.02.2021. URL: https://www.lucaradiamond.com/site/assets/files/62783/lucara_q4_2020_investor_call_presentation.pdf 15Gem Diamonds. Full Year Results 2020. 11.03.2021. URL: https://www.gemdiamonds.com/downloads/2021/reports/presentation.pdf Sources: company reports, peer review (for Catoca, Petra Diamonds (2021), Dominion (2021), Arctic Canadians (2020)) Danvers, MA (01923) Today Periods of rain. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Detention of two police generals extended until mid-June - 15:53 24/05/2021 MOSCOW, May 24 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Monday extended detention two former deputy chiefs of the Interior Ministrys Investigations Department, generals of justice Alexander Biryukov and Alexander Krakovsky, until June 15, the courts press service told RAPSI. One more defendant, senior investigator for major cases Alexander Bryantsev will also remain detained for the same term. All the men are charged with abuse of power. According to the investigation, the defendants illegally assisted in the release of the owner of Optima Development construction company Albert Khudoyan charged with a 2-billion-ruble embezzlement (about $30 million) from detention and placing him under house arrest. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Bangladesh politician mourns "father of hybrid rice" in China Xinhua) 09:51, May 24, 2021 File photo taken in 1976 shows Yuan Longping (R) observing the growth of hybrid rice with his colleague Li Bihu. Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, renowned for developing the first hybrid rice strain that pulled countless people out of hunger, died of illness at 91 on Saturday. (Xinhua) DHAKA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, renowned for developing the first hybrid rice strain that relieved countless people of hunger, died of organ failure at 91 on Saturday. Dubbed as the "father of hybrid rice," Yuan had devoted his life to the research and development of hybrid rice, which helped not only China but also many other countries and regions including Bangladesh feed billions of their people. "We mourn the death of Yuan Longping, a great friend of Bangladesh," said Squadron Leader (Rtd) M Sadrul Ahmed Khan, a leader of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League party, on Sunday. "His theory and hybrid seeds had given us the Green Revolution dreamt by our Bangladeshi founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman." He believes that developing and strengthening Yuan's hybrid rice research such as saline water-tolerant rice strains can significantly contribute to ensuring food security in Bangladesh. Khan said Yuan's hybrid rice immensely helped Bangladesh achieve food sufficiency. So far, he said, 160 Chinese varieties of rice are registered in Bangladesh, with an annual acreage of 900,000 acres. "China is the largest hybrid rice seeds exporter to Bangladesh. China has also brought advanced seed production technology," Khan said. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) Expert warns of cyberattacks on major political actors ahead of elections in Russia RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 18:21 24/05/2021 MOSCOW, May 24 (RAPSI) Hackers will try to compromise the voting process and hinder large political actors to communicate with voters, First Deputy Chair of Russias Civic Chamber Commission on Development of the Information Community Alexander Malkevich believes. The first target of hacker attacks is United Russia, the largest political party in the country, the expert said pointing out that the operation of a website the United Russia created for its primary elections was disrupted on Monday. The civic activist believes that by the Single Election Day attacks can only become more frequent, especially against major players in the pre-election race. The incident, Malkevich says, is an example of the digital threats that he has been constantly talking about. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. The Rajasthan government on Sunday extended the ongoing lockdown by 15 days to June 8, with more strict rules, including extending the 'week-end' curfew from Friday to Monday, as against only Saturday and Sunday earlier. The state government also issued new guidelines under which the penalty for those roaming /working without masks in public places has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. The "public discipline lockdown" announced earlier was operative till May 24, and had led to a slight decline in the number of Covid cases in the state. On Saturday, ministers held a Covid review meeting, through video-conferencing, and decided that that the lockdown-like curbs should continue in view of the posititivity rate being more than 15 per cent and the death rate still being high. The second wave of virus infection was not over yet and the hospitals and other medical resources were still facing the pressure of patients, they said. As per new guidelines, marriage ceremonies have been strictly prohibited till June 30, though those in court or houses are permitted with a guest limit of 11 people. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that huge gatherings at wedding ceremonies was identified as one of the major reasons for spreading infection and hence weddings have been prohibited till June 30. Markets, except shops of essential commodities including milk, grocery, vegetables and fruits, shall remain closed from 12 noon on May 28 (Friday) to June 1 (Tuesday) and from Friday, June 4 to June 7. This shall be a three-level lockdown, At the first level, people from outside should be restricted from enter the house to protect children and old age people from infection, said officials. At the second level, people in villages and towns should avoid gatherings of five or more people at one place. At the third level, inter-city, inter-village, and city to village travel will not be permitted under the guidelines. In the past several months, Seattleites have weighed in on names for both a tunnel boring machine aptly named after the grunge band Mud Honey and are currently deciding on the name of the Department of Transportation's new bike lane sweeper, with OK Broomer and Sir Sweeps-A-Lot as finalists. Now, Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo is asking for the help of the public in naming a newborn red ruffed lemur, born in March to first-time mother Sally in a pair of triplets. The sex of the newborn is currently unknown. FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) A family house party in South Jersey turned into a crime scene where at least two people were fatally shot and 12 others were wounded, state police said. Authorities arrived at the house in Fairfield Township, about an hour outside of Philadelphia, late Saturday night. A resident who runs a local anti-violence organization said he was called out to assist families at the 90s-themed party. John Fuqua, of Life Worth Living, said guests who attended the party were of all ages. New Jersey State police said a 30-year-old man and 25-year-old-woman were fatally shot. There were 12 other people who were injured and transported to local hospitals. No arrests have been made. Photos show overturned pop-up party tents, tables and chairs, and debris throughout the home's yard. A long driveway was still filled with cars late Sunday morning. Two cousins who live in the area of the shooting said they heard music from the party until after midnight, then a series of shots at least 15 of them over a few minutes. Joeron Pierce and James Pierce, who live in homes next to each other, said that there was chaos after that. Partygoers ran through their yards and asked to come into their houses. They said cars ran into one other trying to speed away. Fairfield Township Mayor Benjamin Byrd Sr., who was at the scene Sunday, said that New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy offered his support and help. Nobody knows when someone's going to come out of the woods with a gun, Byrd said. He did not have any details about the shooting. Murphy called the shooting horrific. This despicable and cowardly act of gun violence only steels our commitment to ensuring New Jersey leads the nation in passing and enforcing strong and commonsense gun safety laws, Murphy said in a statement. No community should ever experience what occurred last night in Fairfield. WPVI-TV reported that the reverend of a nearby church heard the gunfire. "I just started hearing at first what I thought was fireworks, it was really gunshots, and I heard nine in rapid succession, said the Rev. Michael Keene of the Trinity AME Church. Messages seeking additional information have been left with multiple organizations. State police scheduled a press conference for Monday morning. Thank you for reading! You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below. We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here. The state Supreme Court upheld the death sentence Monday of a man who fatally shot a Sonoma County sheriffs deputy shortly after being released from prison in 1995, rejecting defense arguments that the case should have been transferred to another county because of extensive and hostile press coverage. Robert Walter Scully was 37 when he was freed from maximum-security Pelican Bay State Prison in March 1995 after serving 11 years, mostly in solitary confinement, for robbery convictions in San Diego. Five days later, while a friend was driving him to San Diego, they were arguing at the side of the road when Deputy Frank Trejo, 58, pulled up behind them about a mile east of Sebastopol. Scully, who was carrying a shotgun, disarmed the deputy, forced him to lie on the ground and shot him in the head. He later broke into a local home before his arrest. Scully testified at his trial that the gun had discharged accidentally when he stumbled while walking backward. But a jury found the killing intentional, and he was sentenced to death in June 1997. Arguing that Scully could not have received a fair trial in Sonoma County, his lawyers said a pretrial survey found that 85% of potential jurors had heard of the case, and of that number, 76% thought Scully was definitely or probably guilty and 59% thought death was the appropriate punishment. The lawyers said local coverage described an execution-style slaying, cited Scullys criminal record and ties to a white-supremacist group, referred to him as a threat to the community, and portrayed Trejo, justifiably, as a fallen hero. But the court said it had examined 68 local news articles, mostly from the first two months after the shooting, and found them generally fair and factual. The court also noted that coverage had lessened considerably by the time of Scullys trial more than a year and a half later. The publicity in this case was not so inflammatory as to preclude a fair trial, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said in the 7-0 ruling. Although nine of the 12 jurors said in pretrial questioning that they had heard of the case, she said, all of them said they could put aside any personal feelings and base their verdict on the evidence. Although Trejo was honored in the community after his death, Cantil-Sakauye said, he had not been well-known earlier, a factor courts consider in deciding whether an accused killer can get a fair trial locally. She also noted that Sonoma Countys population at the time, 421,500, ranked 16th among Californias 58 counties, and that the court has usually required changes of venue only from smaller counties where publicity is more pervasive. The court also upheld Superior Court Judge Elaine Rushings decisions to allow evidence of Scullys armed robbery convictions in San Diego, his violent acts against fellow inmates and a guard in prison, and 18 photographs of Trejo, including some with his wife and children. Scully is one of 704 condemned inmates in California, which has the nations largest Death Row. The states last execution was in January 2006, before a federal judge found that the flawed lethal injection procedures posed an undue risk of a prolonged and torturous death. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on executions after taking office in 2019. The case is People vs. Scully, S062259. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko SACRAMENTO State legislators have accused San Franciscos school district of trying to exploit a legal loophole to receive $12 million in state funding to reopen schools for in-person learning, arguing the district did not bring back enough students to qualify for the money. California set aside $2 billion earlier this spring to help school districts reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. To qualify for the money, districts needed to reopen for all elementary grades and at least one grade in middle or high school by May 15. The San Francisco Unified School District chose to bring back high school seniors but instead of offering in-person instruction to the entire grade, only some seniors were invited to return before the deadline. District officials have said they launched a hybrid schedule for seniors by the deadline, which might not qualify under the law. In a letter to the office of the state controller and superintendent of public instruction Monday, San Franciscos legislative delegation said the district has made a poor attempt to exploit a perceived legal loophole by only allowing a few high school students to return by the deadline. The letter was signed by Democratic Assembly Members Phil Ting and David Chiu, along with state Sen. Scott Wiener. The push to withhold extra funding for the district is a stunning rebuke for school officials from their hometown legislators. For SFUSD, its the latest setback in a string of controversies and lawsuits as the district navigates how quickly to bring students and teachers back to the classroom. Currently, fewer than half of all students district-wide are receiving at least some in-person instruction, angering many parents whose children have been stuck in distance learning for more than a year. Ting has been critical of the district for its slow reopening and is pushing hard for a full reopening in the fall, which the school board has pledged to do. This money was used to incentivize reopening, and clearly, the district cared more about getting the money than actually bringing back children into the classroom, Ting told The Chronicle. We have to send a strong message that we expect them to be fully open in the fall. It will be up to state auditors to determine in the coming weeks if the district met the letter of the law and will get the funding. San Francisco public schools Superintendent Vincent Matthews said the district has intentionally staggered its return to in-person learning, so it could strongly support schools as they reopened. He said it was unclear, every step of the way, if the district had enough available teachers and staff to move forward. We look forward to in-person graduations for every senior next week and bringing all of our students back for a full return in the fall, Matthews said in a statement. District officials have not said how many students who opted to return for in-person learning were allowed to return before May 15, or in subsequent days. They also did not address the accusations in the letter. The United Educators of San Francisco, a teachers union, urged legislators to reconsider their stance. The union said removing funding would ultimately hurt students. It is reprehensible and morally wrong to punish our students when they need our support more than ever, Susan Solomon, the unions president, said in a statement. Legislators also allege the district is not eligible for the funding because it has not offered in-person instruction for all students who are higher needs, including English learners and those who are in special education or homeless. They said the district has provided classroom learning only for select groups of such students while the majority of its middle and high school campuses remain closed. They clearly didnt meet the requirement for the most vulnerable students, Ting said. San Francisco Unified was among the last large districts in the country to reopen, despite the city having some of the lowest coronavirus infection rates of any large urban area nationwide. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. Earlier this month, the district angered some parents and elected officials with the news that seniors returning to school would get no instruction, only supervision, and might only go back for one day before graduation. District officials later said that seniors who opted to return would receive at least a three days in person with their peers before the academic year ends June 2. Thousands of private-school students in the city returned for in-person instruction last fall, and many education and mental health experts say public-school students have suffered academically and emotionally over the past year. Meredith Dodson, founder of the parent advocacy group Decreasing the Distance, said she understood the effort by state legislators, though the district desperately needs funding given its recurring budget deficit. She said she was deeply disappointed when she saw the districts plan for reopening a few weeks ago. They worked really hard to pass this legislation and the intention of it was to get our kids back, Dodson said of legislators effort. Chronicle staff writers Emma Talley and Jill Tucker contributed to this article. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner Two weeks ago, when the current Israel-Palestine crisis began unfolding in the Gaza Strip, I noticed that a lot more peopleespecially non-activistswere talking about it in public. But in my part of the woods, the food world, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories hasnt really been a topic of conversation, though diners have long-embraced the regions cuisines at Israeli restaurants like Philadelphias Zahav and Orens Hummus in San Francisco. If there was any conversation about Palestine, it was largely driven by Arab American women like chef-activists Amanny Ahmad and Reem Assil. More commonly, we in food whisper about the issue similarly to how London chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi bring it up in their popular cookbook, Jerusalem: While they allude to the ugliness of the long-running military occupation in their introduction, the text tends toward a laissez-faire attitude toward it. Conflicts over the ownership of land, culture and food are futile, they write, because it doesnt really matter, and worrying about it would spoil the pleasurable act of eating. Its a very political answer, seemingly designed to not piss anybody off. But then again, why are we asking restaurant folks to say anything about this? People listen to chefs, said Preeti Mistry, a local chef and podcast host who is also known for speaking up about issues as broad as whiteness in fine dining culture and prejudice in food media. Recently, they began sounding the alarm on COVIDs brutal impact on India, using a fundraiser at Windsor restaurant PizzaLeah to raise money and awareness. Whether you admit it or not, Mistry said, youre a leader and people look to you. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle I asked the same question of Essam Kardosh, Bahman Safari and Andrew Paul Nelson, the founders of Habibi, a Russian Hill wine bar. On May 12, the team published an Instagram post that encouraged their followers to donate money for Palestinian refugee aid and learn more about the human rights atrocities committed by the apartheid state of Israel. At that point, Habibi was one of a tiny handful of local establishments that had said anything publicly about Palestine. For Habibis founders, two of whom are of Middle Eastern descent, speaking out is a clear way to signal that their bar is about more than just selling wine: Its about being a community space for people who usually feel excluded from the wine world. Muddled political messaging is not an option for them, having experienced it firsthand. Kardosh said that during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, he and his colleagues saw how the businesses they worked for struggled with maintaining neutrality out of fear of alienating customers and generating backlash. It was an attitude that they pledged not to replicate at Habibi, a place where they would be the ones calling the shots. We didn't want to perpetuate that cycle of silence, he said. And to that point, their May 12 Instagram point specifically included the sentiment that silence is violence. Safari, a gay Iranian American who says he has often felt like an outsider at predominantly white queer-owned establishments in the Bay Area, emphasized that inclusivity should be more than just ambience: It also means speaking up when there are injustices being enacted. According to Nelson, many non-Black-owned businesses felt pressured to make statements about racial injustice last year, sometimes by employees and customers alike. That pressure was good for this country and was good for the worldto finally begin to have a conversation about racial injustice and police brutality. And if you think talking about the Black Lives Matter movement in mixed company is tough, bringing up Palestine is practically impossible. Palestinian Americans are prolific in the Bay Area food scene, but several have said that talking about these issues in public forums historically sparked massive amounts of backlash and harassment, including accusations of anti-Semitism. Its hard for members of the Jewish diaspora to talk about too, as writer Marisa Kabas articulated in a recent piece for Rolling Stone. She wrote, because the conflict has so often been boiled down to a binaryyou either support Israel or you support its destructionfor many of us it felt like a betrayal to even consider the other side. Yet Kabas has also observed more young American Jews being vocal about their opposition to the occupation. So far, few Bay Area establishments have said anything at all, but not because the people behind them havent been thinking about this. Ive been quiet because its so complicated, said Mike Raskin of Oakland pop-up Ediths Pie. Raskin, like Kabas, has struggled with how to talk about these issues among others of the Jewish diaspora. Judaism and Zionism are not the same thing, he wrote to me. As a Jew for the liberation of Palestine its important to recognize that when people advocate for a Jewish ethno-state, it unavoidably implies ethnic cleansing. We cannot rest on the laurels of historic harms done to Jews to justify causing harms. Hell likely say something on his public social media channels about this, but hes still mulling on it. Even making a seemingly neutral statement about how both sides are suffering equally during this recent crisiswhich has killed hundreds of Palestinians and 12 people in Israel and displaced 74,000 Gaza residentscould upset people, as Yotam Ottolenghi recently learned. Discussing the issue in-depth takes more of a commitment than simply posting a black square on Instagram. Despite the political risks of declaring unequivocable support for a free Palestine, Nelson said, it's more worth it to us to let those people know that we love them, that we care about them, that we're thinking about them. According to Habibis founders, many customers and colleagues in the wine world reached out to thank them for saying something. Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle 2017 Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the Bay Areas food scene is that the idea of hospitality folks taking activist turns isnt so strange, with a legacy that includes the thrilling early days of California cuisine in the 1970s and the essential present-day work of Ohlone chefs who preserve their culture through food. There is plenty of space for political allyship here, and plenty of people willing to listen to what hospitality workerscommunity leaders, as Preeti Mistry called themhave to say. On the podcast Courtesy Susanna Zaraysky Listen on your favorite app This weeks episode of Extra Spicy is all about the things weve cooked during the pandemic, with tender tales of feeding loved ones and culinary catastrophes alike. We catch up with writer Danny Lavery and Chronicle reporter Annie Vainshtein to ask them what theyve learned about their eating habits, as well as their ovens. And we talk to San Jose author Susanna Zaraysky about the experience of cooking for her father who lives in a nursing home. Listen and subscribe here. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. What Im eating Chicken Dog Bagels, a pop-up at Mission pizza spot PizzaHacker, makes the best bagels Ive had in San Francisco. The sourdough everything bagel ($2.50) is chewy and robust, speckled generously with poppyseeds, toasted garlic and all the rest. Try it with the horseradish shallot cream cheese ($7) or as a sandwich. At the Tailors Son, a new Northern Italian restaurant in Pacific Heights, I tried the phenomenal rotolo pasta ($21), a sort of roulade of fresh pasta wrapped around a filling of tender braised rabbit, spinach and fontina cheese. Its nestled in a savory demiglace and rich bechamel sauce that youll absolutely be mopping up with bits of pasta. The roulade is gently broiled to finish, and the resulting caramelized cheese makes the dish reminiscent of a Tijuana quesotaco. I bought an electric tabletop grill from H Mart, hoping to do a giant Korean barbecue grill-out once the weather stopped being such a bummer in San Francisco. So on one of the sunnier days last week, I gathered up lots of vegetables and meats from Chinatown markets and Korean grocery stores Queens and First Korean Market and set up a massive spread of bulgogi, spicy chicken, chile-marinated eggplants and seafood mushrooms and garlicky spot prawns on my balcony. For your information: First Korean Market sells those big, flavorful perilla leaves that are essential to making barbecue wraps. Recommended reading In case you missed it, I wrote a little ditty on my return to eating inside of restaurants. Janelle Bitker and Esther Mobley delve into craft beers #MeToo moment, which sparked resignations, firings and promises for change at several Bay Area beer businesses. They include many accounts from craft beer professionals who earnestly want their industry to be better, and as I finished reading, I was left with a sense of hope. Im really excited to watch High on the Hog, a new Netflix docuseries about Black American food, and this powerful essay about the series by Osayi Endolyn made me even more excited. As Endolyn writes, the shows truth-telling about the history of American cuisine has been long overdue. Over at KQED, new food editor Luke Tsai has launched an ambitious project on Taiwanese food in the Bay Area. You might ask, What Taiwanese food? Tsai and his collaboratorsa whos who list of local Taiwanese American writerswill reveal where you can uncover the sprouts of the under-represented cuisine here. Bite Curious is a weekly newsletter from The Chronicles restaurant critic, Soleil Ho, delivered to inboxes on Monday mornings. Follow along on Twitter: @Hooleil Several leaders of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), claimed they have been put under house arrest, by the police in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The development unfolded in several districts, as leaders prepared to embark on a 'Bharisa' program to commiserate with patients receiving treatment in Covid hospitals of all districts. The TDP leaders who were subjected to house arrest, include deputy party leader in the assembly, Nimmala Ramanaidu, MLA Ganni Veeranjaneyulu, MLC BTech Ravi, and several district level leaders. The TDP has condemned the house arrests and criticised the YSRCP government for the move. The TDP has been stridently attacking the state government over the growing number of Covid cases in the state. It has been providing support to Covid patients and victims. TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh accused Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of indulging in vendetta politics. In its latest initiative, 'Bharosa' the TDP decided to fan out to hospitals to meet Covid patients, and express solidarity, and also obtain first hand information about the problems they're facing. A man who refused to pull a face mask over his nose on a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Houston in February faces a $9,000 fine, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The case was among about 1,900 reports that the agency says it has received this year of passengers refusing to comply with the federal mandate to wear masks on flights to reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus. The agency proposed civil penalties of up to $15,000 against a total of five passengers Monday for unruly behavior. The passengers allegedly interfered with or assaulted flight attendants who instructed them to obey federal rules or airline instructions. None of the five was identified. The Oakland case involves a passenger on a Southwest flight to Houston on Feb. 20 who allegedly refused to comply with a flight attendant's request to pull his mask up to cover his nose. When the attendant offered him an alternate mask, the man allegedly threw it on the floor and said he would not wear it. The man said Texas would not enforce mask wearing, the aviation agency said. Airline passengers are covered not by state mask laws, however, but by a Transportation Security Administration mask mandate on public transportation and in stations and airports. The Southwest captain arranged for law enforcement to meet the plane when it arrived in Houston. The aviation agency also said Monday it was seeking a $15,000 fine against a passenger who allegedly shoved a flight attendant who was checking for face masks aboard an Alaska Airlines flight in January from Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., to Seattle-Tacoma airport. A passenger on a JetBlue flight from Orlando to New York in March faces a $10,500 fine for refusing to wear a mask, shouting profanities at flight attendants and refusing to get off the plane, the aviation agency said. The enforcement actions announced today are part of the FAAs zero-tolerance policy for unruly and dangerous behavior by passengers, the agency said in a statement. Those facing fines have 30 days to respond to the agency. The round of civil penalties comes as air travel continues to set new pandemic records. TSA data shows 1.86 million people were screened at U.S. airports on Sunday, which is about 90% of the 2.1 million passengers screened on a similar date in 2019. Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com When Tracey Mixon walks through the Tenderloin with her 11-year-old daughter, she often shouts a warning as she winds past tents and people shooting up on the sidewalk: Theres a kid coming! She calls that her Mama Bear instincts, which have hardened during the past two years living in the neighborhood. Over the past year, she said, there have been so many tents and drug dealers outside her apartment that shes often wary of stepping outside. This is the worst Ive seen it, she said. Despite the hundreds of millions of local, state and federal dollars spent on emergency homelessness programs this past year, Mixon and many others in the neighborhood feel the Tenderloin has devolved during the pandemic. At the same time, city officials say theyve made major strides: Thousands who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets are now sheltering in hotels or sanctioned tent sites, where they get three meals a day, services and around-the-clock security. Hundreds more have been moved into permanent supportive housing. Between April 2020 and April 2021, data released by the mayors office shows the number of tents lining the sidewalks dropped 65%, from 1,108 tents to 383. Thats the lowest point in two years. The tents counted on the streets dont include the 262 inside the tent villages. Meanwhile, a Chronicle analysis of reports made to the police related to homelessness and encampments defined as six or more tents clustered together decreased by 69% during the pandemic, while 311 calls related to encampments dropped by 74% during the same time period. While city officials say those numbers are encouraging, the emergency programs that helped move people off sidewalks will soon start winding down as the city slowly emerges from the pandemic and federal funding eventually runs out. Mayor London Breed and other officials are optimistic that theyll keep people from tumbling back out to the streets. But many who live and work in the Tenderloin worry theres simply not enough housing and resources to save the neighborhood from sinking into further despair. COVID forced the city to take a really long look at the problems, and Im hoping it will get better, said Mixon, who is also an advocate for the Coalition on Homelessness. But Im not seeing a whole bunch of differences. In the early, chaotic days of the pandemic, when shelters suddenly had to close and cut capacity, the number of tents in the Tenderloin exploded by nearly 300%. That prompted UC Hastings and a group of residents and businesses to sue the city over what they said had become a public health hazard. Two days after the lawsuit was filed, Breed unveiled a massive plan to improve conditions in the long-troubled neighborhood. The intent was to clear people off the sidewalks and offer them slots in the newly available hotel rooms and tent villages. Jeff Kositsky, who as director of the Healthy Streets Operations Center leads the effort to move people off the citys sidewalks, said that effort directly led to safer and clearer conditions on the streets. On Friday, the city had about 2,000 people living in the hotels and 273 people in the tent villages. But many of those resources that Kositsky and his team have relied on are only temporary. The city plans to gradually close hotels between the fall and mid-2022, according to an internal document obtained by The Chronicle. At least one tent village is closing by June 30, while an emergency shelter at Moscone West which now has 86 guests will close by June 30. Meanwhile, the citys shelters are still operating at partial capacity, and its not clear when they will fully reopen. Officials promised everyone who moved into the hotels before November at least three housing options. While 374 hotel residents have moved into permanent housing so far, many have also turned down offers for reasons that include tiny units and placements in dilapidated single-room occupancy hotels. Breed is simultaneously working on the biggest expansion of permanent supportive housing in 20 years. But, Joe Wilson, director of Tenderloin shelter Hospitality House, says demand for housing still far outstrips supply. He worries that the city is woefully unprepared for the deluge of people who will soon be without somewhere to go. The majority of the citys 8,000-plus homeless population also struggles with mental health and substance use issues, and the city lacks enough resources to adequately help them. There are more people needing more services and more resources, and (they) have less access and fewer options to connect with those options and resources, Wilson said. Sara Shortt, the director of public policy at Community Housing Partnership, said the hotels have been a boon for some peoples physical and mental health. It would be a tragedy, she said, for them to go back out to the streets. If the city doesnt think carefully about how to create permanent solutions out of these temporary measures, a number (of people) could take many steps backwards, she said. Ultimately, Shortt wants more accessible, affordable housing as well as the city to stop homeless sweeps particularly those involving police. Carmen Barsody, co-founder of Faithful Fools, a Tenderloin nonprofit on Hyde Street, said that when officials clear tents, theyre not addressing the poverty causing homelessness, which means it doesnt solve the problem. And over the past few weeks shes noticed the tents on her block have returned in full force. On a recent afternoon in the Tenderloin, some blocks were entirely clear of tents and people lying on the streets. But other areas like near Jones Street and Golden Gate Avenue were packed. About 15 tents lined the entire block, as people sprawled among piles of bicycles, shopping carts and clothes. A knot of people lingered on the sidewalk around Turk and Hyde streets, as some injected themselves with needles. Anyone have fentanyl? one woman asked loudly as she approached the crowd. Such scenes frustrate Mixon, the Tenderloin resident. She didnt want to move to the neighborhood, but after living in shelters for several years, she took the first housing placement that she could get. Now, shes working hard to eventually move out. Its sad that things are this way, she said. But it is what it is. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer; David Deloso is a Chronicle news developer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, david.deloso@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @DavidMDeloso The Saturday night rush at Sams begins around 9 p.m. when Brian Basmajian drops by on his evening rounds of North Beach. You guys sell hamburgers? he inquires. No. Just cheeseburgers, the grill man answers. You ought to try hamburgers, Basmajian offers. Youd have a six-month run. Then he moves on. Its a running gag because Sams has had a 55-year run of selling hamburgers and cheeseburgers 500 of them on a Saturday night pre-COVID, when Sams was open until 4 a.m. and there was a line down Broadway for the 12 stools at the counter. The joint closes at 1 a.m. right now, but the flames still rise off the grill well past midnight and the thin patties of fresh-pressed ground chuck are served on paper plates, one, two or three to the bun. According to a sign outside, and one inside, Anthony Bourdain, the late chef and connoisseur of dives, sat on one of these stools and said, Thats a good burger. Top 3 in the world. Sams is an authentic San Francisco experience, said Basmajian, a manager at China Live, on his way out the door. This is us. This is character. What gives Sams character is that the decor does not change, to the point of leaving the broken stool on the back wall broken. They did remove pizza from the menu four or five years ago, but they left it listed on the backlit sign out front. Sams Pizza, it reads in peeling paint, Charcoal-broiled hamburgers. Regulars should brace for an additional sign coming because Sams has been nominated for the Legacy Business Registry, a symbol of status and longevity. Last week a resolution to honor Sams passed through the citys Historic Preservation Commission and is expected to be finalized by the Small Business Commission. If approved, Sams will join Beeps Burgers, a Happy Days style drive-in on Ocean Avenue, as the only working burger joints on the registry. Also listed is Hamburger Haven in the Inner Richmond, but it is currently closed, an indication that legacy business status cannot save a place. All it can really do is offer prestige, a plaque and a cash grant for any landlord willing to sign on to a long-term lease at favorable terms. Sams Burgers has been serving the North Beach community seven days a week, 365 days a year since 1966, and its post-pandemic reopening is essential to North Beachs nightlife recovery, said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who nominated Sams for the registry. Even though its a small spot, theres always a barstool open for celebrities and neighborhood night owls alike who need a juicy burger with a steaming pile of onion rings after work or hitting up a club. The seven-day workweek is an Elshawa family tradition, started by Mike Elshawa, a Palestinian immigrant who partnered with his uncle, Sam Elshawa, to open a narrow storefront on the borderlands between Chinatown and North Beach. Mike Elshawa ran it for 50 years before his death in 2016. Everything we do is in honor of him, said his son Emad, proudly leaning on a veneer counter that reflects the harsh light from two fluorescent tubes in the cottage-cheese ceiling. We dont want to mess with the history of the place, said Elshawa, who is 32 and expects to put in his own 50 years at the grill. He weighs 145 pounds and limits himself to a few burgers a week. I dont want to die at 45, he said. Elshawa grew up in the Sunset and has been working at Sams since graduating from Lincoln High School in 2007. When he mentions that, Rory Davis, seated at the end of the counter, gives a shoutout for his own class at rival Lowell, 2004. Davis discovered Sams in the time-honored fashion. I was out in North Beach, and the sign was like a beacon of hope after 2 a.m., he said. You smell it and youre hungry, and it lives up to your expectations. Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle Davis wife, Michelle, has developed her own loyalty. When she was pregnant, she got a craving and stopped in at Sams for a cheeseburger, fries and a Coke. It was her last meal before Klay Davis was born, on Jan. 15, 2021. Klays first restaurant experience is on this Saturday at the end of the counter at Sams. What I love is that it is no-frills, said his dad. When advised of the legacy appellation, he added, It deserves it. It is as authentic as authentic can be. That claim is confirmed by Michael Schaff, a visitor from Mandan, N.D. He had not been to San Francisco in 20 years and came directly to Sams. It hasnt changed, he said. On every stool you get another story. The story Schaff got on this night came from Israel Aguirre, up from Mexico. On Friday night he had gotten down on his knee at Fort Point and proposed to Nelly Lebay. On Saturday night they were at Sams next to Schaff. Shes worried about my idea of romantic places, Aguirre said of his fiancee. Outside on the sidewalk stood a group of four recent graduates of UC Berkeley. Theyd been at Belle Cora wine bar and asked their waiter where to go for a cheap dinner. He sent them to Sams. It was a solid burger, and I have strong opinions about burgers, Asia Firebaugh said as she mustered her group into their Uber. I like that its a hole in the wall, she added. If its been here 50 years and they still dont take credit cards, something has to be working. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@samwhitingsf Good morning, Bay Area. Its Monday, May 24, and those strange lights in the night sky over the weekend werent visitors from space instead, think SpaceX. Heres what you need to know to start your day. Before the pandemic, 1 in 4 San Franciscans was at risk of hunger because of low income. As unemployment exploded, the problem only grew, with needs highest among communities of color. The city pumped money into new programs, and the Human Services Agency expects to spend $81 million on food insecurity this fiscal year up from $22.5 million the year before. As the crisis continues, community leaders and city officials want to re-envision how to serve people in need. Officials want to see more culturally relevant and community-led solutions to hunger that empower people, instead of traditional handouts. One proposal by Supervisor Ahsha Safai would establish a grant fund for nonprofits to establish and operate hubs that include a free food market, kitchen and referrals to city food assistance. Read more from Mallory Moench. S.F. touts successes in moving homeless off the streets. But the reality is complicated. Businesses in Santa Clara County must track employee vaccinations. What does that mean? The most vaccinated country in the world is seeing a COVID outbreak. Should the Bay Area be worried? These California metro areas now have the lowest coronavirus case rates in the U.S. The pandemic disrupted many Bay Area lives. For those with dementia, it was catastrophic. The Bay Area is racing ahead of the country on vaccines. These factors may explain why. Windsor mayor resigns after sexual assault allegations Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2020 Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli has resigned from office, bowing to pressure that continued to build six weeks after a Chronicle investigation first detailed several womens allegations that the politician and winemaker sexually assaulted them. The move came less than three hours after Chronicle reporters emailed Foppoli seeking comment about an investigation by Palm Beach police. A Los Angeles woman alleged that Foppoli sexually assaulted her in the Florida town in March, her attorney said in an interview. Foppoli announced his resignation, effective immediately, in a written statement. I have always and will always maintain that I did not engage in any non-consensual sexual acts with any woman, he said. Read more from Alexandria Bordas, Cynthia Dizikes and Julie Johnson. Foppoli may be out as Windsor mayor, but his accusers say the fight is not finished. Timeline of sexual assault allegations against Foppoli. Around the Bay Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle As authentic as authentic can be: Sams Burgers, a fixture in San Franciscos North Beach for more than five decades, has been nominated for the Legacy Business Registry. No recovery yet: A Chronicle analysis of national ridership data shows the Bay Areas public transit was hit harder than other major metro areas. Another epidemic: Drug overdoses in San Francisco resulted in more than twice as many deaths than the coronavirus last year, and 2021 may be even worse. From Justin Phillips: An Oakland lake became a symbol of Black resilience. Then the neighbors complained. Political tensions: For many in the transgender community, Caitlyn Jenner has become the figurehead we dont want. Also: Wealthy progressives are spending $10 million, even if it means beating other California Democrats. Improving states jobless agency: California budget proposal targets millions for agency struggling to handle wave of unemployment claims. UFOs? Nope: Some Bay Area residents took to Twitter about strange lights in the sky, but they were not visitors from another planet. The return of wedding season Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle When the pandemic hit, many couples eager to walk down the aisle were forced to cancel their big days. Some opted for stripped-down, intimate ceremonies in 2020 with plans for big celebrations down the line. Others postponed, sometimes more than once. Now as restrictions ease, wedding planning is beginning to rev up again. Theres definitely a sigh of relief with our current climate, said Alex Quintana, owner of an eponymous event-planning company in Oakland. It feels like the joy and excitement are coming back. Reporter Carolyn Said talks to wedding industry experts and shares the stories of four Bay Area couples who have had to postpone, pivot, and reimagine their weddings in a big way because of the pandemic. Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown, Anna Buchmann and Kellie Hwang and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com, and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com. The Marin Municipal Water District is considering banning new water service hookups to homes in response to worsening drought conditions. But the move could hurt future housing development in an area already in dire need of more homes. The move would come amid historic drought conditions in the area, with county officials declaring a local drought emergency last week in light of a grim and deteriorating situation. The National Drought Mitigation Centers drought monitor recently deemed most of the Bay Area as extreme drought zones for the first time since 2015. We need to do everything that we can to save water, said Jeanne Mariani-Belding, spokesperson for the water district. The water district board expressed support for a potential ban at its meeting on May 18, but also wanted to take time to explore alternatives, including allowing developers to pay a fee funding local water conservation efforts to offset demand created by the new connection. The board is expected to consider an official proposal at its June 1 meeting. While Marin County typically issues permits for fewer than 100 new housing units a year, the state is asking the cities and county to plan for roughly 17,600 units over the next eight years. While it might not seem like much compared to the almost half a million units that should be planned for in the Bay Area, a long-term ban would affect Marin Countys ability to meet state goals. Were in a crisis moment, and I think we do need to act with some urgency, MMWD director Larry Bragman said at the meeting, adding that a ban is going to have real-world effects. Its going to inconvenience people, he said. Its going to ripple out into our economy. I know none of us are taking it less than very seriously but its a serious decision. Water district staff said they plan to meet with local planning committees to gain feedback on the potential impacts before finalizing any proposed ban. This wouldnt be the first time the district has paused new service hookups during a drought. Bans have been enacted twice before, most recently from February 1989 to March 1993. We don't see this as a development issue, we see this as a water shortage emergency, Mariani-Belding said. Restrictions on housing production in the form of service hookups could strain the market in Marin, making it even more unaffordable. Tom Lai, director of the Marin County Community Development Agency, said if the area cannot meet its state mandates for permitting new housing, the deficit could also perpetuate racial inequalities with respect to where housing is located, what types of housing are available, and who lives in that housing. Marin is a slow-growth, almost built-out community, Lai said via email, explaining that the area issues permits for fewer than 100 new units of housing (including accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as granny flats or in-law units) each year. While most of Marins development is composed of remodel or reuse of existing structures, Lai said most cities and counties typically wont issue building permits if a water provider wont supply water. In Lais opinion, an outright ban on all new service connections for an extended time would be shortsighted. I would urge those making decisions to ban new hookups to look holistically at the problem, he said, including reevaluating existing and new conservation programs. There are so many other options that we can consider, said Newsha Ajami, director of urban water policy with Stanford Universitys Water in the West program. She explained its much better to think more strategically about how we want to be more water conscious and have a smaller water footprint. Compared to the rest of the Bay Area, Marin County is in a particularly dry position. The water district, which serves about 190,000 residents from Sausalito to San Rafael, relies completely on local water supply in the form of rain-filled reservoirs, making it particularly vulnerable to dry spells. The area is an interesting case, said Ajami because unlike most of the Bay Area, the county does not have a tie-in to state or federal water projects or draw supplies from snow in the Sierra. The MMWD became the first major water agency in the Bay Area to impose a number of restrictions on customers in late April, including bans on car washing and power washing homes and driveways. By considering a ban on hookups, the district is taking these measures to the next level. It's not something we look forward to, obviously, but the conditions are such that were in a severe shortage, Mariani-Belding said. While there's always this tension between development and water use, Ajami advocates for connecting land-use planning and water-use planning, explaining that often the two are considered separately. She said when considering new developments, cities should focus on building structures that are much more efficient in the way they use water. I think that is actually a much more productive place to focus on, she added. Emma Talley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: emma.talley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EmmaT332 For Alicia Figueroa, the third time was the charm. The City College of San Francisco student twice came up short when she tried to land a coveted scholarship at FashionSphere, the annual student fashion design showcase hosted by the colleges fashion department. That changed Sunday when Figueroa, Alysia Chang and Haydee Quesedos design collections won the top honors at the 20th annual showcase, earning the three of them two-year scholarships to the citys Academy of Art University. I was finally able to reach my goal of getting the scholarship, Figueroa said, which Im just ecstatic to get so I can continue my education. Seven finalists vied for the scholarships. They showcased their fashion collections that took months to design, in a competition that was at risk of not happening, as City College came breathtakingly close to cutting its fashion department entirely this year. That it survived in a tradeoff involving faculty pay cuts turned out to be an especially thrilling gift to the three scholarship winners. Quesedo said it gave her a huge opportunity to pursue her chosen career as a fashion designer. Students were judged on their mood boards showing designs that depicted their collections themes, as well as workmanship and creativity in their fashions. This years FashionSphere was livestreamed on Twitch due to the pandemic, but allowed Figueroas close family in Minnesota to tune in to watch her win with the collection she named Stellar. It included slim pants and one-sleeved jacket tops, among other designs. Also tuning in, from Chile, was Haydee Quesedos mother. Quesedo won with her collection of dresses, In the Middle of Chaos, that included silk chiffon, rayon velvet and mushroom leather. We just came here to this country four years ago to see what life would be like here, Quesedo said. I had the opportunity to go to CCSF and pursue my passion. The fashion department was among the programs in jeopardy this spring as the institution sought to close a $35 million deficit through employee layoffs. Natalie Smith, chair of CCSFs fashion department, was among the 163 full-time faculty members who had been given pink slips before faculty members agreed to take pay cuts ranging from 4% to 11% to avoid layoffs. The layoffs threatened to eliminate or drastically reduce entire fields of study, including fashion. Smith is the only full-time faculty member in the fashion department. By everybody rallying together, we saved our jobs, Smith said. Smith said Sunday was an oh, happy day for her and the students who spent months of hard work to present their designs. The pandemic meant a much more isolated creation process for Sundays winners, which was both a blessing and a curse, said Alysia Chang, who had spent the past eight years as a dancer, including for the San Francisco Opera. She has been able to dance less during the pandemic, but spent most of her time since January on her collection called Alysian that was inspired by her dance background. Students in a normal school year would collaborate more in person, but the pandemic brought fewer opportunities to use classmates as a sounding board, she said, adding, It was a lonely process. Normally we would be together in the classroom bouncing ideas off of each other, Chang said. But a lot of this was very much like self and individualized work and time alone stressing. But I think it was also really good to have that to kind of just, like, trust yourself and go with your initial gut instinct. Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByRicardoCano Florida police are investigating an accusation that Dominic Foppoli, who on Monday resigned as Windsors mayor, committed sexual battery with his hands/feet/teeth at a home in Palm Beach, according to new documents released Monday. An attorney for Farrah Abraham, a 29-year-old social media influencer and former reality television star, said Foppoli injured Abraham during the alleged March 2021 assault. Some of the evidence provided to police were photographs of the injuries she sustained, said Spencer Kuvin, who is based in West Palm Beach, Fla. Foppoli, 39, did not respond Monday to a request for comment. Last week hours after The Chronicle emailed him questions about the April 2 police report in Florida he released a statement denying non-consensual contact with Abraham and announcing his resignation from the top post of Windsor, a town of about 27,000 in Sonoma County. Windsor officials said Monday that Foppoli had resigned his post, effective immediately. We are relieved to have this negative and tragic chapter behind us. The residents of Windsor deserve the complete focus of the At-large Mayor and the Town Council on the many vitally important matters we face, said Town Manager Ken MacNab. This has been a distraction, to say the least. We can now turn to helping everyone who has been impacted by these allegations to heal. MacNab said the Windsor Town Council would explore several options for replacing Foppoli at its June 2 meeting. Windsor officials said last week they had not been aware of the Palm Beach investigation into Foppoli. Although not named in the redacted police report, Foppoli is involved in the investigation that the report is linked to, Palm Beach Police Captain Will Rothrock said in an interview Monday. Rothrock said the alleged sexual battery occurred at a Palm Beach home that does not belong to either Foppoli or Abraham. The weapon designation of hands/feet/teeth is a uniform crime code, Rothrock said, typically selected by detectives when the alleged assailant doesnt use an outside weapon such as a gun or knife. It is an active and ongoing investigation and in order to preserve the integrity of it, there is nothing else we can release at this time, Rothrock said. Kuvin declined to answer questions about the nature of the relationship between Abraham and Foppoli prior to the assault. Foppoli will come up with as many ideas for the defense as possible and claim that it was all consensual even when it clearly was not, Kuvin said. So we are being intentionally careful with everything we share. Abraham is one of nine women who have accused Foppoli of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. The allegations of four women, including groping and rape, first came to light in an April 8 Chronicle investigation. Foppoli has denied assaulting any women. In announcing his resignation and denying Abrahams allegation Friday, Foppoli said in a statement that he recently learned that a woman in Palm Beach, Florida is accusing me of non-consensual acts while I was visiting there in March of this year. She made her allegations after she learned of the April 8, 2021 San Francisco Chronicle story. I have no doubt she is making these allegations in an attempt to leverage the situation to her advantage. Chronicle composite Abraham filed her police report three days before Chronicle reporters first contacted Foppoli about their upcoming investigation, and six days before the article was published. Last month, in response to the Chronicle investigation, the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office launched a criminal probe into sexual assault allegations made against Foppoli, the co-owner of Christopher Creek Winery outside Healdsburg. Local authorities said they were in communication with detectives in Palm Beach. Kuvin said he expects the Florida investigation to unfold slowly, which he said is in line with his experience representing women in high-profile sexual assault cases. His previous clients include women who brought civil cases against financier Jeffrey Epstein and actor Bill Cosby. Through her attorney, Abraham declined to be interviewed. The Chronicle does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual assault, but Abraham agreed to be named by the newspaper. Kuvin said that Abraham has been trying to stay calm as the criminal investigation moves forward; she recently returned from a trip he described as a mental health break. Its difficult for her, given her high-profile nature, and shes seeing a lot of things posted online that she would like to be able to respond to, Kuvin said. But she is doing as best as she can to stay away from the internet, because there is also a lot of hateful things as well, which hurts her feelings. Foppoli and Abraham, who first rose to fame on MTVs 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom series, both visited Palm Beach in March, The Chronicle previously reported. Abraham attended a dog rescue fundraiser at former President Donald Trumps residence, Mar-a-Lago, while Foppoli promoted Christopher Creek Winery at various South Florida businesses, according to social media posts. Until The Chronicle sent him questions about Abrahams police report, Foppoli had repeatedly and emphatically refused to resign his office. Dozens of other North Bay politicians had demanded he step down; but because Foppoli was an elected official, he could only be ousted through limited means, including a recall election or a felony conviction. On Friday, Foppoli said, I know that I will eventually be cleared of all wrongdoing, but I have come to appreciate that it will take time. He said he would resign because he did not want undue national attention to have a negative impact on the Windsor community because of lawful, but poor choices, I have made in the recent past. Alexandria Bordas and Cynthia Dizikes are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexandria.bordas@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @crossingbordas, @cdizikes Some Bay Area residents were startled Saturday evening to see a mysterious row of bright lights gliding across the sky. But they were not UFO sightings. Rather, it seems most likely they were a chain of Starlink satellites, part of a program being developed by Elon Musks SpaceX company to provide high-speed internet access to people living in remote areas. Residents across the Bay Area from Oakland to San Francisco, Redwood City to San Jose, reported the bright lights Saturday night. Paul Lynam, a resident astronomer at Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton near San Jose, said that the Starlink cluster was most likely from the March 9 launch catching and reflecting sunlight either in the couple hours after sunset or before sunrise. Such sightings are becoming more common as SpaceX continues to populate its constellation apace, he said. On May 15, SpaceX launched its latest wave of 52 satellites from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The company has now launched more than 600 of its 12,000 planned satellites, usually set off in batches of 60. They are known as megaconstellations because they are a group of satellites moving together, and as they increase in numbers, they can affect astronomical observations. Geoff Mathews, a professor of astronomy at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, agreed that the satellites Saturday appeared to be from the L27 launch in the early morning hours of May 9. These should have been easily visible from the San Francisco Bay Area last night from about 9:38 to 9:49, passing almost directly overhead, he said. They would have been just a little bit fainter than Polaris, the pole star. The estimate from Mathews is based on calculations from Heavens Above, a website that provides reliable satellite tracking information. Mathews said according to the website, A chain of 10 should be visible again tonight from about 9:06 to 9:13, passing from the SW to the NE and passing pretty high overhead. When the satellites are released from the rocket that carried them to orbit, they will all be moving in roughly the same direction, and thus appear to be moving in a line, Mathews said. Over time, thanks to slight differences in their motions, they will spread out and join in with the cloud of satellites orbiting the Earth. He said satellites from previous launches have already spread out so they can provide constant internet connections to all of their designated locations. Typically, as time passes after launch, the clusters become less noticeable, Lynam said. Raja GuhaThakurta, department chair of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, said while these particular satellites are meant to be good for human society, their potential effect on astronomical observations is a major concern. The satellite surfaces are often made with highly reflective material, and they can interfere with radio astronomy frequencies. GuhaThakurta said astronomers are rapidly moving into a phase of study of the universe that has to do with the dynamic universe, not the static universe, and looking at the changing sky. You throw into that mix a constellation of satellites like that, and all of sudden youve got human interference to these studies, which is a downside for astronomy, he said. This is not unlike when we light our cities. We are doing it for human safety and doing this for human convenience, but it also has a cost and damages our view of the night sky. Mathews said the impact of Starlink is pretty staggering: It will multiply by sixfold the number of satellites in low orbit around Earth, currently about 2,000. And with thousands of other satellites planned from other companies, the increase presents a very real challenge for astronomical research. Even when they are not bright enough to be seen with the human eye, they are bright enough to interfere with many research observations, he said. The more bright satellites are orbiting the Earth, the more difficulty astronomers will have in working around the interference. Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang The COVID-19 mass vaccination site at the Oakland Coliseum shut down Sunday after administering more than half a million doses, as the Bay Area shifts to a new, more targeted phase of the vaccine effort. The site administered its last round of first doses of the coronavirus vaccines on May 8 and had switched to giving out only second shots in the two-shot series for the remaining two weeks. At its peak, the site was administering up to 8,000 doses per day. But with more than half of all Californians having received at least one dose of a vaccine, and the Bay Area vaccinating residents at an unusually high rate, appointment requests dropped rapidly from 4,000 a day to 400 at the end of April. Bay Area health officials have transitioned from mass vaccination strategies and toward efforts such as mobile clinics that target people who may be hard to reach or persuade to get vaccinated. When it opened in mid-February, as a partnership between the state Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the site was just the second of its kind in the U.S., Alameda County health officials said in a news release. The site, meant to deliver large numbers of shots in low-income areas, was a hub and spoke model, with mobile units going out daily to supplement the large stationary site at the Coliseum. The site nearly closed in April after a battle over dosage supply, but FEMA left and handed control of the operation to state and Alameda and Contra Costa county authorities while continuing to finance costs. Alameda County had assumed control May 5 for the final weeks of operation. The Coliseum has been an essential part of a multi-pronged strategy to vaccinate Alameda County residents quickly, Dr. Kathleen Clanon, medical director in Alameda County, said in the news release. We could not have met the initial mass demand for vaccine without the Coliseum. According to Alameda County health officials, more than 55% of doses administered at the Coliseum went to county residents, and more than 18% of fully vaccinated county residents were inoculated at the Coliseum or its mobile units. Officials said the mass site struggled to reach communities of color, but the FEMA mobile clinics in partnership with community groups were better able to reach neighborhoods and populations disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. The success of the FEMA mobile units has informed our strategy to add more small scale and pop-up sites in order to reach people where they are rather than focusing on getting as many people as possible vaccinated through a single location in a short amount of time, said Kimi Watkins-Tartt, Alameda County public health director, in the news release. Alameda County health officials said all county residents 12 and older can access appointments by contacting their health care provider or visiting a local pharmacy (visit MyTurn.CA.GOV) or a county-supported site. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required: Call 510-208-4829 or visit bit.ly/AlCoSignUp. Anna Buchmann is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @AnnaBGedit The pandemic brought a world of pain to the nations public transit systems. Ridership plunged across the board. Services were slashed. Even as California and the nation aim to fully reopen this summer, U.S. cities with the largest transit systems predict it will take years to return to pre-pandemic ridership numbers. But few regions saw as much public transit disruption as the Bay Area, where ridership and services have been among the most depressed during the pandemic, according to a Chronicle analysis of national ridership and service-level data. In some cases, the disparities are wide. Rail ridership in New York City, which brought back 24/7 subway service this month, remains slightly under 40% of pre-pandemic levels, but is much higher than BART, which is at 15%, and Muni (7%). Rail ridership in Los Angeles is about 43% of what it was before the pandemic. Progress in other cities such as Chicago and Boston both at around 25% of pre-pandemic rail ridership is more sluggish but still higher than the Bay Areas largest operators. The data gathered from the National Transit Database is self-reported by local agencies. For this analysis, The Chronicle compared monthly data on unlinked passenger trips any time someone boards a transit vehicle and vehicle revenue hours, a proxy for level of service, with each agencys figures for that corresponding month in 2019. Public transit in the Bay Area, home to some of the nations most stringent public-health measures, has especially taken a hit as large swaths of white-collar workers have been allowed to work from home during shelter in place. The data, though, also shows that it was among the most conservative regions when it came to maintaining service levels during the pandemic. For example, no other large transit system included in The Chronicles analysis went as far as Muni did in cutting rail service during the pandemic. The agency shuttered Muni Metro and streetcar service for most of the pandemic while running some lines with bus substitutions. Its biggest rail restoration to date happened this month when SFMTA restored subway service and the historic F-line from the Castro to Fishermans Wharf, though these services are not captured in the most recent national data that runs through March. As the nations economy reopens, most transit systems are seeing gains in ridership, though not at the same rate as their dramatic declines last spring. The demand for transit services will be there when cities begin reopening offices, schools and businesses in full force, said Paul Skoutelas, president and CEO of the American Public Transportation Association. I wish it were faster, but it is happening. As California plans to reopen this year, both BART and Muni are grappling with how to restore service and regain riders. BART is preparing to restore pre-pandemic service hours Aug. 30, when trains will again run on stations every 15 minutes and is adding 26 trains in its rotations by that date. The system, which has seen incremental ridership gains this spring, is offering 50% discounts on Clipper Card fares in September as a way to incentivize riders and expects to be back at near 100% pre-pandemic service this fall. Muni plans to restore some bus lines and services Aug. 7 and expects to be at 85% of pre-pandemic service levels by January. The agency, however, does not have a firm timeline for restoring 100% of the services it offered before the pandemic, and a financial cloud that looms over Munis head makes it hard to say when, exactly, that will happen, according to officials. San Franciscos transit agency is also at the center of a proposal by some supervisors to pilot free transit this summer. The proposal, which will be voted on Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors, has generated intense discussion about which strategy would be more effective in regaining Muni ridership: free fares for all, or improved services that are offered more frequently? Data shows similar programs have been successful during the pandemic in keeping riders on public transit. Bus ridership is at more than 80% of pre-pandemic levels in Kansas City, the nations first city to implement zero-fare public transit in March 2020 after the city council there approved funding, and Worcester, Mass., which did not charge fares this year. Both agencies oversee smaller bus operations than Muni, which also is responsible for operating cable cars, street cars and light rail service. Leaders from Kansas City and Worcester told The Chronicle that not charging fares during the pandemic helped keep riders on buses, but also pointed to the fact that their systems kept services near what they were before the pandemic. The Worcester Regional Transit Authoritys bus service is practically at 100% of 2019 levels, according to federal data. Dennis Lipka, WRTA administrator, expects the agency to lose riders in July when it will resume charging fares again, but said the pause on fare enforcement helped jump-start Worcesters post-pandemic recovery. Kansas City bus service was at 80% of pre-pandemic levels as of December, the most recent data reported to the Federal Transit Administration. Muni officials, who have been lukewarm to the prospect of piloting fare-free transit, raised more concerns about the proposal this week. They say it could siphon revenue from BART, which relies on fares to support the majority of its budget. SFMTA officials have repeatedly expressed concerns that fare-free transit would increase demand beyond the agencys capacity to deliver reliable service. Isnt that a problem we all want to have? said Robbie Makinen, CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByRicardoCano US' top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has said he is "not convinced" Covid-19 developed naturally, and has called for an open investigation into China to unravel the virus' origins, the media reported. Fauci was asked during a Poynter event, "United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking", earlier this month, about whether he was confident that Covid developed naturally. "No actually. I am not convinced about that, I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened," Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was quoted as saying, Fox News reported on Sunday. "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," Fauci added. The Coronavirus was first reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. Reports have claimed of the virus' origin from a lab there. Further, Fauci called for an investigation into China during a Senate hearing last week, the New York Post reported. "Do you think it's possible that Covid-19 arose from a lab accident a in Wuhan, and should it be fully investigated?" Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), a doctor, asked Fauci during a Senate hearing on May 11. "That possibility certainly exists, and I am totally in favour of a full investigation of whether that could have happened," Fauci replied. Another Senator had claimed that funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had been funneled to the controversial Wuhan Institute of Virology -- the Chinese lab that is believed to have played a role in the initial outbreak of Covid-19, the Fox News reported. Rand Paul specifically zeroed in on gain of function research -- which works on making pathogens deadlier or more easily transmissible. He alleged that a US virologist had been working with the Chinese institute on such research and said it was funded by the NIH. "I do not have any accounting of what the Chinese may have done, and I'm fully in favour of any further investigation of what went on in China," Fauci said. "However, I will repeat again, the NIH and NIAID categorically have not funded the gain of function research to be conducted in the Wuhan Institute of Virology," he added Fauci, who is also a top adviser to President Biden on the coronavirus pandemic, had in the initial months of the pandemic last year dismissed the theory that Covid originated from China. He stated that the virus most likely "evolved in nature and then jumped species", as opposed to being "artificially or deliberately manipulated". While the Trump administration officials have long argued there is a high chance Covid-19 was the result of a lab leak, the World Health Organization declared, last week, that the lab leak theory "extremely unlikely". However, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the research team's assessment on whether the virus entered the human population following a laboratory incident was not "extensive enough" and requires further investigation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, this week, the Biden administration has conveyed both publicly and privately that the Chinese government was "not transparent from the beginning", the report said. Mark Ralston/AFP Via Getty Images Biden administration environmental officials say they will consider restrictions on the worlds most widely used herbicide because of concerns about potential harm to monarch butterflies and other species. But the Environmental Protection Agency told a federal appeals court Tuesday it has not identified any risks to humans from the main ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, whose manufacturer, Monsanto, has been hit with multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in suits by cancer victims. The EPA is not proposing to limit the use of Roundup or add label warnings, at least until after it reviews the chemicals environmental effects. If Roundup were taken off the market, vast sectors of the agricultural economy, including the most commonly grown crops in America, would be affected, and farmers would use herbicides that were more environmentally damaging, lawyers for the agency told the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The filing was in response to lawsuits, including one by farmworkers, farmers and conservation groups seeking a ban on Roundup and other products containing its main ingredient, glyphosate. We will ask the court to deny this extraordinary request to paper over glyphosates ecological harms only to approve it anyway down the road, said the plaintiffs lawyer, George Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety. While the EPA has repeatedly found that Roundup and glyphosate pose no danger to human health, the International Association for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, said in 2015 that glyphosate was a probable cause of human cancer. Tens of thousands of cancer victims nationwide have sued Monsanto. Last week a Ninth Circuit panel upheld $25.2 million in damages to Edwin Hardeman, a Sonoma County man who sprayed Roundup on his properties for 26 years and whose case was the first to go to trial in federal court. California courts have upheld $21.5 million in damages to Dewayne Lee Johnson of Vallejo, a former school groundskeeper who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Bayer, Monsantos parent company, has settled some of the pending lawsuits, with a settlement fund of nearly $10 billion. Bayer has also proposed $2 billion to settle future suits by Roundup users who have not yet gone to court. At a hearing Wednesday on the $2 billion proposal, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of San Francisco, who also presided over Hardemans trial, questioned why anyone exposed to Roundup would give up the right to sue in exchange for limited compensation and the companys promise of medical monitoring. The EPAs court filing Tuesday did not mention the cancer cases and said its planned reassessment of glyphosate would be limited to its potential environmental effects. Federal law requires the EPA to re-evaluate pesticides every 15 years, In a preliminary assessment in January 2020, the agency under President Donald Trump said glyphosate was safe and effective. But in July, the Ninth Circuit ordered the EPA to revoke its approval of another glyphosate herbicide, dicamba, because of the harm it caused to crops other than the soybeans and cotton on which it was sprayed. In August, another Ninth Circuit panel found that the EPA had failed to assess the damage to monarch butterfly habitat caused by a weed killer containing glyphosate called Enlist Duo, though it did not require the agency to withdraw its approval. In November, the EPA issued a biological evaluation that found glyphosate could affect more than 90% of endangered species in the areas where it was used. President Biden, in an executive order 10 days after his inauguration in January, directed federal agencies to reconsider all Trump administration environmental regulations. In view of those developments, government lawyers told the court, the agency is planning a new analysis of the ecological risks and other potential costs associated with glyphosate and EPAs weighing of such risks against the benefits. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Regarding Prosecutors need to examine mistakes, too (Open Forum, May 19): I was very glad to see Karyn Sinunu-Towerys article. The description of the prosecutorial errors that lead to wrongful convictions of factually innocent defendants highlights the problem that prosecutors lack oversight. Unlike the decisions of police and court personnel, which receive more scrutiny, prosecutors make many key decisions without routine oversight or transparency about the factors underlying the decisions. Prosecutors are also largely legally immune from legal consequences of their actions, even when they are willful. Prosecutors have a huge amount of discretion, and this is why conviction integrity units should be part and parcel of every jurisdiction. Diana Grant, Petaluma Unfair surcharges Regarding Debate heats up over states solar program (Front Page, May 20): Legislation (AB1139) would impose estimated $70 per month surcharges on those who have installed rooftop solar. It is unfair. Were retired and acted in good faith to help the environment and our budget. We recently had clean energy rooftop panels installed and are saving Pacific Gas and Electric Co. from having to build more fossil fuel fed generation plants. The proposed bill would also reduce the credits homeowners can receive for sending extra power to the grid. If these additional burdens are imposed on rooftop solar panels no one will have these energy savers installed in the future. Is that any way to treat those who took action to promote sustainable clean energy and healthier air? Michael McCarthy, Livermore Cost of electricity The cost of electricity is not less for people with solar cells on their houses as stated in the article if costs not stated in the article are taken into account. One cost is the cost of placing a solar cell array onto a roof. Another cost is the monthly fee for the maintenance of the transmission lines, which has to be paid for in cash or bank transfer. Additionally, the great number of solar cell arrays in California, half on roofs and half in large arrays on the ground, has reduced the cost of electricity in the daytime from the highest rate to the lowest rate on time-of-use meters. Everybody benefits from lower rates. Another benefit produced by all the solar cells installed in the last 20 years is that the cost of the cells now is one-fifth of the cost of cells then. A full accounting of costs shows that, depending on when and where solar cells were installed, any cost differences between solar and non-solar customers can benefit one or the other group a slight amount. Eric Arens, Berkeley Re-engage the world I know for the last year it has been hard to think beyond the borders of the United States. With COVID-19 ravaging our country, and with the vaccine rollout starting the way that it did, it was hard to make space in our minds for the rest of the world, with occasional exceptions and pitiful glances at TV screens during the early days of the pandemic when countries like China and Italy were suffering from what at the time we did not know was coming. However, our light at the end of the tunnel is coming. That does not mean that everyone elses is. Now that we in the United States and the Bay Area are returning to a sense of near normalcy, it is the time to re-engage in the world. It is time to expand foreign aid, so that we can beat COVID-19 once and for all, and afterwards build a stronger, safer and more economically sound world. Please, call your representatives today. Tell them that you care about ending the pandemic and about ending global poverty, and that they have the power to help you do that. We are finishing strong. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin is facing a recall effort for what critics have characterized as a "soft on crime" approach. But in a lengthy interview with CBS SF, Boudin pointed a finger at the San Francisco Police Department's clearance rate and said the department needs to do more to investigate crimes and make more arrests. Frankly, when it comes to crime, we need to increase police clearance rates, he said. Right now, police are only making arrests in about 10% of all reported crimes. There is no way we are going to lock up our way out of a problem when police are only clearing 10% of reported crimes. In criminal justice, the clearance rate is often used as a measure of police effectiveness. It's calculated by dividing the number of crimes that are "cleared" (through the arrest, charging and referral of a suspect for prosecution) by the total number of crimes recorded. The majority of crimes never get solved in San Francisco, and clearance rates are down this year in nearly all categories of crime compared with last year, according to the police department's dashboard. Here's one example: Just 9% of burglaries in S.F. have been solved since Jan. 1 compared with 12.8% in the same time frame last year. And more: 22.6% of robberies have been cleared since the start of the year, compared with 26.2% at this time last year; 18% of rapes have been cleared this year, compared with 20.5% last year. By comparison, police nationwide cleared 45.5% of violent crimes that were reported to them and 17.2% of the property crimes that came to their attention in 2019, according to a report from the Pew Research Center. Boudin also criticized the San Francisco police officer's union in his interview, calling out the scandal when racists and homophobic text messages sent between police officers in 2011-12 surfaced amid a federal corruption probe of an SFPD officer. "They want to get away with allowing their officers to send racist text messages, to use excessive force against the community and to engage in systematic violations of civil rights of Black and brown drivers on our streets," he said. "And Im pushing back and demanding that they modernize, that they reform and that they respect all the members of our community. Find the full interview with Boudin on CBS SF. Since taking office in January 2020, Boudin has been billed as America's most progressive district attorney, with initiatives to ban cash bail, decrease prison populations and emphasize rehabilitation over incarceration. His background is unusual, too; his parents were both imprisoned for their roles with the radical group the Weather Underground. An effort is underway to recall the city's top prosecutor and two groups are collecting signatures to get a recall election on the ballot. SFGATE reached out to the San Francisco Police Department for this story and will update it if we hear back. SFGATE Managing Editor Katie Dowd contributed to this story. PG&E has reached a deal to sell its San Francisco headquarters to real estate joint venture Hines Atlas for $800 million, part of the utility giant's move to cut costs after it emerged from bankruptcy last year. PG&E, which plans to move to Oakland next year, needs approval from state regulators to sell the iconic 1.7 million-square-foot (158,000-square-meter) complex, which includes 77 Beale Street and 245 Market Street, according to a statement Monday. The sale comes as office markets around the globe have been battered by the coronavirus pandemic. One broker estimated in 2019 that PG&E's headquarters could bring in more than $1 billion. The utility giant is one of the most high-profile companies to leave San Francisco for Oakland, a less expensive city located just across San Francisco Bay. PG&E intends to distribute about $400 million from its gain on the sale to customers over five years to offset bill increases as it invests in safety and operational improvements. In an added benefit, most PG&E workers will have shorter commutes to their new office, the company said. The company filed for bankruptcy in early 2019 after collapsing under liabilities from wildfires sparked by its equipment. Though the company exited Chapter 11 last year, it remains burdened by about $42 billion of debt, raising concerns about its financial durability and ability to make the investments required to fire-proof its grid. Hines is one of the biggest private real estate investors and managers in the world, according to its website. Hines Atlas is a joint venture between Hines and another investor, a Hines spokesperson said. He declined to name the other investor. Remote work has kept employees home, emptying office buildings and prompting companies to put their space on the market as subleases. San Francisco's overall office vacancy rate in the first quarter shattered the previous record high hit during the dot-com bust at the turn of the century, according to CBRE Group. That's pushed rent down and weighed on the value of buildings. A Texas man was found alive in Mount Whitney Sunday, two days after he was reported missing by his hiking partner. Edward Lee Alderman, a 33-year-old Austin man, was successfully located and rescued Sunday a few miles west of the mountain summit. Despite injuries, fatigue and sub-freezing temperatures," said a release from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Alderman was found alert and in good condition. He was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. He was first reported missing Friday by his hiking partner, who said they separated the day before right as they were approaching Mount Whitneys summit. The search, however, was encumbered by a late-winter storm that made ground search difficult. The mountain, the tallest in the contiguous United States, has an elevation of 14,505 feet. When the weather proved to be less inclement Sunday, representatives from the National Park Service and officers from the Inyo County Sheriffs Office continued their search and found him near Timberline Lake. Officials say they were aided by hikers who heard a voice in the area, reported KPIX. Mount Whitney has proven to be the site of many missing hiker incidents including some that turned fatal. Another Texas man, 36-year-old Saulo Escalante, was found dead in April after he seemingly slipped and fell from a snowy chute on the mountain. Last year, a 34-year-old woman died after falling 100 feet and enduring below-zero temperatures for two nights. With large numbers of people heading into the wilderness this summer, we urgently remind everyone to prepare carefully for their trips and understand that there are real risks out there, said Dave Fox of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in a statement. San Francisco became eerily quiet in early March 2020 as the full impact and spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus began to become apparent. In the days before the official shelter-in-place orders took effect, San Francisco turned into a ghost town. Tourists disappeared, people stopped buying specialty coffee drinks or lunches at the Ferry Building, and work-from-home became the norm, emptying the city's once-bustling downtown streets. SFGATE visually documented the city quietly grinding to a halt at the time. Fourteen months later, COVID-19 cases have dropped significantly in San Francisco, thanks largely to many city residents receiving the coronavirus vaccines. With many pandemic restrictions being eased, SFGATE revisited several locations to see what has and has not changed since the pandemic began more than 14 months ago. What we found was a city just starting its journey back to "normalcy." Google Street View/Screenshot Officers from the Elk Grove Police Department arrived at Elk Grove High Friday afternoon after they received calls about a possible active shooter situation. Accompanying them were officers from nearby agencies. But after the high school and the nearby Markofer Elementary were put on lockdown and officers performed a precautionary sweep of the area, it turned out that the situation was a false alarm. MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) A ranger and two game wardens rescued a pair of West Virginia residents who spent 90 minutes in the cold water after their canoe capsized in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, officials said Monday. Joshua Tinnel, age 43, and Shawna Robinson, age 51, both of Nitro, West Virginia, were canoeing on Chamberlain Lake when their canoe capsized during strong winds Sunday morning about 60 miles north of Millinocket, officials said. LOS ANGELES (AP) Two former California Highway Patrol officers have been charged with accepting $35,000 in bribes in exchange for falsifying records for exotic cars, authorities said. Jessie Anthony Carrillo and James Yao Kuo pleaded not guilty Monday during their arraignment in Los Angeles County Superior Court on one count each of conspiracy and three counts of accepting a bribe, according to the California Attorney General's Office. Kuo's attorney, Daniel V. Nixon, said his client denies any wrongdoing. He flatly rejects the allegations made against him in the complaint and we expect to vigorously defend the case in court in the weeks ahead, Nixon said in an email. Carrillo's attorney, Sam Tyre, said his client looks forward to the truth coming out. The truth will show Jessie has done nothing wrong and he is not guilty of any charges, Tyre said in an email. The charges were filed on Jan. 19 by the state's Department of Justice, and the former officers surrendered to authorities six days later. Carrillo and Kuo conspired to alter documents intended for Carfax and the state's Department of Motor Vehicles for two so-called gray market vehicles in 2016 and 2017, authorities said. Such vehicles are imported into the U.S.and are often illegal to drive in California because they may not meet safety or emission standards and cannot be registered. Authorities did not uncover the scheme until 2019, according to court documents, when Kuo's former girlfriend told the CHP that the two officers had been accepting money to submit false paperwork to the DMV. Kuo was no longer employed with the CHP as of August 2020, the agency said, and Carrillo was no longer employed as an officer as of January 2020. It was not clear what led to their departures from the highway patrol last year. Kuo worked out of the East Los Angeles Area office and Carrillo was assigned to the agency's Southern Division office. The CHP declined to comment further. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/24/2021 -- Latest released the research study on Global Home Fragrance Market, offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. Home Fragrance Market research report shows the latest market insights, current situation analysis with upcoming trends and breakdown of the products and services. The report provides key statistics on the market status, size, share, growth factors of the Home Fragrance. The study covers emerging player's data, including: competitive landscape, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are 3M Company (United States),Firmenich (Switzerland),Arechipelago (United States),Takasago International Corporation (Japan),Johnson SC (United States),Mane (France),Nest (United States),Gold Canyon (United States),Sedafrance (United States),Northern lights (United States),Illume (United States),Virginia candle company (United States),Paddywax (United States). Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/31890-global-home-fragrance-market Definition: Home fragrance is referred as a functional ingredient in home care products to hide unpleasant odors. Home fragrances are becoming an essential item in several households owing to their properties of creating a favourable environment at homes. These products are made up of various types fragrances such as lavender, jasmine, eucalyptus and others that help to liven up the mood of the consumers, thereby creating a stress free environment. The market of the home fragrance is increasing due to the rising discretionary income in developing region, while the market may also hinder due to the presence of some of the harmful chemicals in the various home fragrance products Analyst at AMA have conducted special survey and have connected with opinion leaders and Industry experts from various region to minutely understand impact on growth as well as local reforms to fight the situation. A special chapter in the study presents Impact Analysis of COVID-19 on Global Home Fragrance Market along with tables and graphs related to various country and segments showcasing impact on growth trends. Market Trend: Wide-scale consumer awareness coupled with product modifications Manufacturers are experimenting drastically with fragrances in order to pacify consumer preferences in this market Market Drivers: Growing demand for natural essential oils in home fragrance products Rising discretionary income leading to increasing inclination of consumers towards various types of home fragrance products Challenges: Compliance with quality & regulatory standards Use of chemical ingredients in the fragrance product may harm human health Opportunities: Growing middle class population contributing to the growth of the home fragrance industry Various offers and discounts offered seasonally The Global Home Fragrance Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: by Type (Sprays/aerosol, Air fresheners, Candles, Others), Application (Department Stores, Specialist Stores, Specialist Online), Distribution Channel (Specialty Retail Stores, Multi-Retail Stores, Online & Others), Fragrance (Rose) Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/31890-global-home-fragrance-market Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. What benefits does AMA research study is going to provide? - Latest industry influencing trends and development scenario - Open up New Markets - To Seize powerful market opportunities - Key decision in planning and to further expand market share - Identify Key Business Segments, Market proposition & Gap Analysis - Assisting in allocating marketing investments Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Home Fragrance Market:? Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Home Fragrance market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Home Fragrance Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Home Fragrance Chapter 4: Presenting the Home Fragrance Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying market size by Type, End User and Region 2015-2020 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Home Fragrance market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries (2021-2026). Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Finally, Home Fragrance Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies in decision framework. Get More Information: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/31890-global-home-fragrance-market Key questions answered - Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Global Home Fragrance market? - What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Global Home Fragrance market? - What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Home Fragrance market? - What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. STEVENSVILLE, Md. (AP) A juvenile has been charged with vandalizing dozens of vehicles at a high school on Maryland's Eastern Shore, authorities said. The Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post Monday that the school resource officer at Kent Island High School was called to the student parking lot on Thursday and saw multiple vandalized vehicles. Officials determined that 82 vehicles were vandalized with orange paint. JERUSALEM (AP) A Jewish man killed during an eruption of Mideast violence has given new life to an Arab woman in bitter times. Yigal Yehoshua, 56, died May 17 after being pelted with rocks amid clashes between Arabs and Jews in Israels mixed city of Lod. The ethnic violence was triggered by protests and clashes in Jerusalem that also ignited an 11-day Gaza War. In Lod and other mixed cities inside Israel, groups of Arabs and Jews fought each other in the streets, torched cars and businesses, and savagely beat up anyone from the other side who crossed their path. But after days and nights of war and ugliness, there was a rare moment of hope, when Randa Aweis, a 58-year-old mother of six, got one of Yehoshuas kidneys after a 10-year wait. He was registered as an organ donor; the Jewish man and the Arab woman were medically a match. I could not believe it, she said in an interview Monday at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Im telling you, I couldnt believe it. They saved me, she said. People say he was a good man, that he didnt do any harm, so why was he murdered? ... Thats forbidden. There must be peace between Jews and Arabs, real peace. Israelis long accustomed to periodic unrest in Gaza and the occupied West Bank were shocked by the violence, which hit closer to home than at any point since the 2000 Palestinian intifada, or uprising. At times, it seemed like the start of a civil war. Israels Arab citizens, who make up 20% of the population, said the violence was rooted in longstanding grievances. They have citizenship, including the right to vote, but face widespread discrimination. They also have close familial ties to the Palestinians and largely identify with their cause, leading many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion. I share in the sorrow of the family of the late Yigal Yehoshua who was murdered in a lynch carried out by Arab rioters in Lod, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said when the death was announced last week. We will settle accounts with whoever participated in this murder; nobody will escape punishment, he added. Police have arrested several suspects in connection with the violence. Aweis never met Yehoshua but she spoke to his widow on a tearful video call. She hopes to visit his family in person once she has recovered from the transplant. Yigal saved me, and as much as I say thank you to the family, to everyone, its not enough. LA VISTA, Neb. (AP) The search for an autistic 11-year-old Nebraska boy who has been missing since last week continues to focus on a lake and surrounding park in the Omaha suburb of La Vista. Over the weekend, authorities started lowering the lake at Walnut Creek Recreation Area by several feet to help searchers get a better view of what lies along the shore of the lake. Debris in the lake, including tires and tree limbs, has hindered the water search for Ryan Larsen as divers scoured the lake over the past several days. Sergei Sheleg/AP KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The authoritarian president of Belarus on Monday signed a law sharply restricting news media activities and allowing them to be shut down without a court hearing. The move by President Alexander Lukashenko came a day after the arrest of a prominent opposition journalist whose commercial flight was forcibly diverted to Belarus because of an alleged bomb threat. The arrest and flight diversion was condemned by Western countries and drew new attention to Belarus crackdown on media since widespread protests against Lukashenko arose last year. LAS VEGAS - Fred Campbell plans to head here in early June with an ambitious goal: to build a flawless 26-foot wall, with 800 bricks, in an hour. That will be enough, he figures, to make him the world champion of bricklaying for a record fourth time and secure his reputation as a masonry superstar. "It's going to happen," said Campbell, a mason from Greeneville, Tenn. "It's set in stone." But a more critical test looms. World of Concrete - the convention that is staging the bricklaying competition - is the first large, in-person trade show scheduled in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic began. The stakes are high, even for a city accustomed to high stakes. "Everyone has their eyes on this," said Tommy Blitsch, director of trade shows and conventions for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and principal officer of Local 631 in Las Vegas. If the show hosts tens of thousands of attendees without a major problem, such as a virus outbreak, it will be a milestone, signaling the revival of the convention business across the country, Blitsch said. But if there is a big snag or people stay away, it could be a setback for cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami, and especially Las Vegas, where tourism is rebounding but big-spending business travelers are scarce. "Las Vegas is like a Ferrari and the trade shows and conventions are the engine," Blitsch said. "You can have a really nice shiny Ferrari, but it won't go very far with a four-cylinder engine." By any measure, the risks involved in holding a big trade show are much lower than they have been in more than a year. Cases of covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, are declining. World of Concrete plans several safety precautions. Casinos, where conventioneers are likely to spend free time, have prodded workers to get vaccinated; several large casinos say 80 to 90 percent of their employees have received at least one shot. That compares with about 54 percent of eligible people 16 and over in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located. Last week,local officials announced with fanfare that the county, which is operating at 80 percent capacity, will lift all pandemic restrictions on June 1, allowing restaurants, hotels and bars to fully open. But even as officials here and elsewhere express confidence about the future, they are watching warily for potential surprises from a dangerous and unpredictable foe: Are they moving too fast or too slowly? Are variants a threat? How can they reach the people who have not yet been vaccinated? "It feels as though we are in the front seat of a roller coaster," said Alan Feldman, a distinguished fellow at the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. "We see clear skies ahead, but will we continue to go up - or will we go down?" Brian Labus, an assistant professor of epidemiology at UNLV, said his concerns center on the new federal guidance that vaccinated people don't need to wear masks in most places. "It relies on the honor system, which is a lot to ask of people who are taking their first vacation in a year and a half and are coming to Las Vegas to escape their worries about the pandemic," he said. World of Concrete, which is dedicated to the concrete and masonry construction industries, will operate under previously approved limits of 80 percent capacity and social distancing of three feet, according to a spokesperson for Informa Markets, the company that is putting on the trade show. The three-day show, which begins June 8, will use extra-wide aisles, temperature screenings at the entrance and hand-sanitizing stations. But attendees will not be required to be vaccinated and masks are recommended but not mandatory, according to the show's website. No one expects this year's convention to draw 50,000 to 60,000 people, as it has in the past. Blitsch hopes attendance will reach half that. Informa Markets said it does not share attendance estimates in advance because they can fluctuate widely before an event. In pre-pandemic years, conventions and trade shows generated about $11 billion in annual revenue for the Las Vegas area and employed tens of thousands of workers, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. For more than a year, that spigot has been almost totally shut. Now Las Vegas is desperate to lure back business travelers, who spend more on restaurants and rental cars than casual tourists and fill up hotel rooms during the week. With its heavy reliance on tourism, the metropolitan area took an especially brutal battering during the pandemic, posting an unemployment rate of more than 33 percent in April 2020, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. "I felt like I was watching the Apocalypse," said Jeremy Aguero, principal analyst with Applied Analysis in Las Vegas. Brandon Geyer, 50, who was laid off more than a year ago after working 25 years as a bartender in a downtown casino, remains out of work. "It's a lot of stress," said Geyer, who has frequently turned to an emergency food program run by the nonprofit Culinary Academy of Las Vegas. His union, Culinary Workers Local 226, says about half of its 60,000 members remain out of work. But encouraging signs have been popping up for months, as hordes of weekend visitors flock to the soaring fountains at the Bellagio Las Vegas, the 550-foot High Roller Observation Wheel and the Mob Museum. Buffets, pool parties and strip clubs are open and Cirque du Soleil is preparing to resume its aerial acrobatics. In March, gambling revenue for Nevada totaled a staggering $1 billion, the highest monthly tally in more than eight years. Local officials had said earlier this spring they would wait until 60 percent of the eligible population was vaccinated to fully reopen, but last weekthey dropped that requirement. Now, with vaccinations slowing, they are pivoting to smaller, more targeted venues, said the Southern Nevada Health District. Free vaccinations were offered Friday at Larry Flynt's Hustler Club, a strip joint, and will be available Monday at the iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" sign on the Strip, with a professional photographer on hand for the Instagram crowd. Meanwhile, casinos, which are among the biggest employers in Las Vegas, have turned out to be a bright spot on vaccinations - which could help convince business travelers that it is safe to return. In early April, the Nevada Gaming Control Board announced a policy designed to supercharge vaccinations among casino workers. The regulator said it would consider raising capacity limits beyond 80 percent on gaming floors where resorts made "measurable" efforts to inoculate staff. The board oversees casinos but not hotels or restaurants. "I didn't want people to think things were over," said board chairman J. Brin Gibson. "I wanted them to get vaccinations up. I worry about a spike in positive cases in the fall and winter." Within days, Wynn Resorts, which owns the Wynn and Encore hotel towers and sprawling casinos, told workers they would be required to get vaccinated or submit weekly coronavirus tests. On-site tests are $15 a pop. Now, nearly 90 percent of employees are fully vaccinated, the company says. The control board quickly allowed Wynn to open its casinos to 100 percent capacity and remove the plexiglass dividers between slot machines and seats at gaming tables. Wynn had been trying to counter the pandemic from the beginning. When it hit in March 2020, the gambling industry was shut down for 78 days. Rather than wait for government guidance, Wynn chief executive Matt Maddox consulted medical experts and epidemiologists "to help guide the company in a very confusing and tumultuous time," said Feldman of the UNLV gaming institute. MGM Resorts, which owns several big casinos in Las Vegas including the Bellagio, took similar steps, he said. When casinos partially reopened last June, Wynn published a 35-page safety plan on its website. In January, it set up a vaccination site for the community and its employees with a partner, University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, in an Encore ballroom usually used for weddings and corporate shindigs. It also opened a 3,000-square-foot lab with another company, Lighthouse Lab Services, to process coronavirus tests for workers and interested meeting participants. After administering 55,000 shots, the vaccine facility moved in mid-May to a location near UMC's hospital. MGM Resorts, which set up an employee vaccination site at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and pop-up clinics at eight other properties, ran lotteries for vaccinated employees that offered cash, spa vouchers and tickets to a Dave Chappelle show. The Cosmopolitan, which had its own inoculation site, distributed $1 million in cash bonuses to reward its workforce for a high vaccination rate - which stands at 84 percent, the company said. Anthony Tsatas, 28, who manages pools at Wynn, recently got his second Pfizer-BioNTech shot at Encore. He said he had no issue with being required to get vaccinated or to submit weekly test results: "I think it's a good way to go about" getting the vaccination rate up, he said. The control board over the last several weeks has allowed many big casinos in Las Vegas to open to full capacity, weeks earlier than the county's June 1 date. The casinos "made it convenient to be vaccinated and inconvenient to not be vaccinated," said UNLV's Labus. "Their vaccination rate is much, much higher than the general population's. They are doing something right, and we should learn from that." In a crowded lobby at the Bellagio one recent day, Sharon Merritt, who lives near Pasadena, Calif., and was celebrating her 80th birthday, said she was not worried about covid-19. "I feel safe," she said. Tourists like Merritt are welcome, but Las Vegas is eager to resume hosting big conventions, such as CES - formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, which attracts 180,000 attendees. CES is planning to return in person to Las Vegas early next year after staging a virtual meeting this year. While resorts say convention bookings are running high for later this year and next year, some analysts say it could take a year or longer for business travel to reach pre-pandemic levels. "Unemployment and underemployment could be a problem for us," said Aguero, the Las Vegas analyst. For World of Concrete, the Teamsters would normally provide 1,500 workers to set up exhibits, said Blitsch. This year, no more than 500 will be needed because of fewer exhibits, he said. The trade show will take place in a new $989 million addition to the Las Vegas Convention Center and in outside parking lots. The convention center has been equipped with an underground transportation system that uses Teslas to ferry people and was built by Elon Musk's Boring Co. Donna Bellantone, executive vice president for infrastructure and construction for Informa Markets, said the company considered requiring attendees to be vaccinated, but a survey of possible conventioneers indicated that would deter attendance. Campbell, the 49-year-old bricklaying champion, expects 30 friends and relatives to be on hand to cheer him as he defends his title. He's hoping a fourth win will put him in the record books. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Theres no road trip, no soul searching. No beard or blogging. But Beto ORourke is making a political life decision again. Three years after becoming Democrats breakout star out of Texas, and a year removed from crashing back to Earth in a short-lived presidential run, ORourke is again weighing another campaign this time for governor. But now ORourke, who teased an announcement of his bid for the White House on the cover of Vanity Fair, is being quiet about it. He says he hasnt ruled out anything, but isn't saying much else. And Texas Democrats are itching for an answer. Impatience is not the word for it," Texas Democratic Party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said. But anxious is. For months, O'Rourke has kept his options open. A top aide to the former Texas congressman and presidential candidate said O'Rouke, 48, has not ruled out challenging Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022 but has taken no formal steps toward a campaign, like calling donors or recruiting staff. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private deliberations more freely. If O'Rourke jumped in, it would be his third straight election cycle as a candidate, following his narrow loss for U.S. Senate in 2018 and failed White House run last year. A comeback in Texas could be complicated by liberal positions he took while seeking the presidency, but likely no other Democrat would enter the governor's race with the same ability to quickly raise the massive campaign funds needed to compete in the state. There is no timeline on a decision, according to the aide, who said O'Rourke only recently has been able to think more about running now that he's finished teaching virtual classes at two Texas universities. For one he led a seminar on the struggle for voting rights O'Rourke's most visible cause lately, as state lawmakers are set to approve a sweeping bill that would restrict polling hours and reduce options to cast a ballot. Texas is the last big battleground in the GOP's nationwide campaign to impose new voting restrictions, driven by former President Donald Trump's false claims that the election was stolen from him. That fight is the latest way O'Rourke has remained an out-front presence, following the coronavirus pandemic and February's catastrophic freeze and blackouts across much of Texas that killed more than 150 people. He hasn't let up on Abbott, who is expected to seek a third term. These jokers can't even keep the lights on, or the heat on, or the the water on when the temperature drops. Now they want to take away our election?" O'Rourke told protesters this month at the Texas Capitol. The decision facing O'Rourke comes at a dark moment for Texas Democrats, even by the standards of a hapless 25 years of getting clobbered in statewide elections and steamrolled in the Legislature. For one, they are still wobbling after their massive expectations for a 2020 breakthrough flopped spectacularly. The party had hoped to flip the Texas House and O'Rourke led a massive campaign to do just that, but failed to give Democrats a single extra seat. The Election Day wipeout emboldened Texas Republicans, who have responded by muscling through staunchly conservative measures over guns, abortion and teaching curriculum that Democrats are all but powerless to stop. Any Texas Democrat running for governor faces long odds against the well-funded Abbott, who could ultimately face a stiffer challenge from actor Matthew McConaughey and his musings about joining the race himself. Still, O'Rourke went from virtual unknown to nearly upsetting Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, and relishes the role of underdog. While weighing his presidential run in early 2019, ORourke briefly grew a beard. He hit the road and wrote long, quasi-philosophical blog posts. When he did finally announce, it coincided with the Vanity Fair cover, which proved more memorable than most of his time actually campaigning. Hinojosa said he encouraged O'Rourke to consider running for governor after last year's letdown for Democrats. He said he's itching for an answer because the current hole at the top of the ticket is keeping others in the party sidelined for 2022 until they know whether there will be a strong gubernatorial candidate who could boost their own chances downballot. I told him that I thought that we needed a strong candidate for governor and he certainly fit that mold, and that, in my opinion, if anybody could beat Abbott, he could beat him," Hinojosa said of his conversation with O'Rourke. Republicans who already hold massive advantages statewide are looking to extend their territory along the Texas-Mexico border, historically a Democratic stronghold, which swung heavily toward Trump in November. In Webb County, which includes Laredo, Trump cut in half his vote deficit from 2016. Sylvia Bruni, the county's Democratic Party chairwoman, said she hopes O'Rourke runs but knows his presidential bid could hurt his chances. O'Rourke remade his campaign after a mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso in August 2019 and during one debate even made a full-throated call on national TV for confiscating assault rifles, saying Hell, yes, were going to take your AR-15. That kind of comment isn't forgotten easily in Laredo, which Bruni describes tongue-in-cheek as an area where your guns are more important than your wife. In April, O'Rourke drove 600 miles to Laredo to knock on doors and canvass for new voters. Bruni registered another 256 new voters Thursday at a high school, and worries the election bill heading to Abbott's desk will make casting their first ballot harder. No one else has surfaced, she said of Democrats' non-O'Rourke prospects for governor. I haven't seen anyone out there. ___ Weissert reported from Washington. DENVER (AP) Colorados Supreme Court ruled Monday that lawmakers can allow revenue-starved school districts to raise property taxes without the voter approval thats normally required for tax increases under the state constitution. The opinion came after lawmakers, most of them majority Democrats, asked the court to determine whether a bill that would gradually raise local district property taxes to generate millions of dollars for K-12 schools is legal. The Colorado Sun reports that the bill passed the Legislature on Monday and is headed to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis for consideration. Public school funding that partly relies on property tax revenue has suffered for years, largely because of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, a 1992 constitutional amendment that requires voters to OK proposed tax hikes. The same applies to state K-12 funding, which has lagged because of limits imposed by the amendment. Residents in 174 of Colorados 178 school districts have voted to allow their districts to ignore caps on spending. But the state education department advised districts that they had to reduce their property tax rates to meet limits on spending contained in the amendment. Reduced rates couldnt be raised again without voter approval. The bill approved Monday essentially allows districts to gradually raise property tax rates starting the fiscal year that begins July 1. Bill sponsors say it could generate more than $90 million next fiscal year and roughly $288 million a year by 2040. They also say it can alleviate inequitable funding among wealthy and poorer districts under Colorado's complicated tax policies. The state has sent more money to wealthier districts where property values have risen but property taxes have fallen. Attorney General Phil Weiser helped argue the case for the governor before the state Supreme Court. Chief Justice Brian Boatright dissented in the opinion, agreeing with Republicans that voters must approve property tax hikes. Fully funded schools are essential, and the value of education cannot be overstated, Boatright wrote. The plain language of our state constitution, nevertheless, requires that the state or any local government entity obtain advance voter approval for any new tax, tax rate increase, (or) mill levy above that for the prior year. House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar celebrated the ruling. The decision handed down today will help us start to make up for years of deeply inequitable funding processes that have hamstrung certain districts like mine in Pueblo and held our schools back, she said in a statement. A team of microbiologists from Cornell University has isolated five new non-pathogenic species of Listeria soil samples from an agricultural water sample from New York and different locations in the United States. The discovery will help food facilities identify potential growth niches that until now, may have been overlooked thus improving food safety. Listeria is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacteria that includes over 20 distinct species. The genus received its current name, after the British pioneer of sterile surgery Joseph Lister, in 1940. Listeria species are known as saprophytes in soil. Several species are pathogens carried by sheep and goats. The major human foodborne pathogen is Listeria monocytogenes. It is usually the causative agent of listeriosis, an infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria. Our research increases the set of Listeria species monitored in food production environments, said Catharine Carlin, a doctoral student in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University. Expanding the knowledge base to understand the diversity of Listeria will save the commercial food world confusion and errors, as well as prevent contamination, explain false positives and thwart foodborne outbreaks. The five newfound species are Listeria cossartiae, Listeria immobilis, Listeria portnoyi, Listeria rustica, and Listeria farberi. Listeria immobilis lacked motility, or the ability to move. Other Listeria species move a lot. Among scientists, motility was thought to be common among Listeria species closely related to Listeria monocytogenes. This discovery effectively calls for a rewrite of the standard identification protocols issued by food safety regulators, Carlin said. This paper describes some unique characteristics of Listeria species that are closely related to Listeria monocytogenes, which will be important from an evolutionary perspective and from a practical standpoint for the food industry. Likely, some tests will need to be re-evaluated, said Professor Martin Wiedmann, also from the Department of Food Science at Cornell University. Understanding different Listeria species is key to comprehending their similarities. This will help us to get better about identifying Listeria monocytogenes, and not misidentifying it as something else, Professor Wiedmann said. When youre inspecting the environments of food processing plants or restaurants, you need to know the pathogenic Listeria from the non-pathogenic species. You need to tell the good guys from the bad guys. A paper describing the discovery was published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. _____ Catharine R. Carlin et al. 2021. Listeria cossartiae sp. nov., Listeria immobilis sp. nov., Listeria portnoyi sp. nov. and Listeria rustica sp. nov., isolated from agricultural water and natural environments. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 71 (5); doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004795 BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Two new seats would be added to the Louisiana Supreme Court, under a measuring nearing final legislative passage Monday that is expected to create at least one new majority-minority district on the high court and require a redrawing of districts for the first time in decades. The proposal, co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Patrick McMath and Democratic Sen. Jimmy Harris, received the backing of the House civil law committee in a 10-5 vote and heads next to the full House for debate. It's already won overwhelming, bipartisan support from the Senate. McMath said the measure is a first step to have a court that more properly represents the makeup of the state of Louisiana. If approved by the Legislature and voters in a statewide election, the measure would boost the state Supreme Court to nine justices, up from seven with the new terms starting in 2025. The proposal would require the Legislature to redraw the high court's districts every 10 years after the latest U.S. Census data is released, the same way lawmakers redraw their own districts and U.S. House districts. If lawmakers don't agree on a redistricting plan for the state Supreme Court, the redesigning of the districts could fall to the court. I really do believe that we need to do something about the numbers. One district's got 300,000 people. One districts got 600,000 people. One districts got 400,000. Its all over the place, said Rep. Wilford Carter, a Lake Charles Democrat and a former judge, during last week's House and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the proposal. Lawmakers say they expect one, and possibly both, of the new districts would be drawn to create new majority-minority districts on a court that currently has one Black justice, in a state where one-third of residents are African American. I think theres a recognition at the high court and across the state that the court does not currently reflect this state, Rep. Royce Duplessis, a New Orleans Democrat, said during a committee debate on the legislation. We have not touched the districts since what, the early 90s? Its time for there to be changes at the court." Carter wants to force the districts to be redrawn sooner than what is called for under the constitutional amendment, saying he doesn't consider it fair to delay addition of a new majority-minority seat on the court any longer. He's suggested the timeline for the change is designed to help the sitting justices maintain their seats. McMath told Carter: This is a big change. Let's give ourselves as a Legislature and a state time to do this. While McMath and other lawmakers said the proposal was crafted in consultation with sitting justices on the court, the Louisiana Supreme Court has taken no public position on the legislation. The court didn't respond to written and emailed requests for comment about the proposal. ___ The bill is filed as Senate Bill 163. ___ Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte. ORANGE, Calif. (AP) The family of a 6-year-old Southern California boy who was shot to death by another driver in a road-rage attack announced a $50,000 reward on Sunday for information leading to the arrest of a suspect. The mother of Aiden Leos told KNSD-TV she was driving her son to school Friday morning when a white Volkswagen station wagon cut her off on State Route 55 in the city of Orange. As I was merging away from the carpool lane, I heard a loud noise and I heard my son say ow and I pulled the car over as soon as possible, and he had been shot," Joanna Cloonan, said. She said the bullet went through the trunk and struck her son, who was strapped into his booster seat in the rear passenger side. "I tried to save him by calling 911, but he was losing a lot of blood... he just didnt deserve that. No one deserves that. Reyes Valdivia, who along with his wife pulled over to help, said Cloonan told them she flipped off the car, and when she started transitioning to the right, the suspect vehicle slipped behind her before one of the occupants fired the shot. Investigators believe a man and a woman were inside the Volkswagen at the time of the shooting. The California Highway Patrol asked for assistance from any drivers who were on that section of freeway between 7:55 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., especially if their vehicles have dashboard cameras. FARGO, N.D. (AP) Fargo police on Monday identified a man who was fatally shot outside nightclub on the west side of the city. Police say 28-year-old Dominque Dewayne McNair was killed Sunday in the parking lot of the Africa Restaurant and Nightclub. McNair worked at the club, police said. He does not have a permanent address. SEATTLE (AP) Thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations from two federal health care providers have not been counted in official Washington state vaccination statistics, complicating the state's pandemic response, officials said. Vaccinations from the Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs remain in the federal computer system, meaning county health officials cannot consider the statistics when determining restrictions or reopening plans in the state, The Seattle Times reported. It also artificially lowers the vaccination rate, officials said. We would very much like to have vaccination data info from the VA and Department of Defense, like all other vaccine providers in Washington state are required to report, so we can fully understand vaccine coverage rates and potential disparities across our communities, King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said. Health officials in King County, which includes Seattle, have urged people this week to continue wearing facial coverings in public areas indoors until 70% or more of residents age 16 and older are fully vaccinated. Other counties are expected to implement similar guidelines. Federal and state lawmakers, including the state Department of Health, have pushed the federal agencies to share more detailed patient data, but they only have shared aggregate vaccination numbers, which can include duplicates. More than 600,000 active-duty military and veterans live in Washington, or about 8% of the population as of 2018, the most recent year for comprehensive federal statistics. Washington has the seventh-largest active-duty military population in the U.S., the Times reported. The state Department of Health requested more detailed data from the Department of Defense earlier this month, but state officials said they have not yet heard back. The Department of Defense has attributed the lack of data sharing to national security concerns a problem not unique to Washington state. Probably here it is more of an impact than places without as much military presence, said Jennifer Coiteux, acting director of the state DOH Office of Immunization and Child Profile. It is really challenging to know whose information we have and whose information we dont have. Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, which represents public health agencies nationwide, said a major obstacle is the difficulty syncing the two federal agencies' electronic medical records with immunization registries in all states and territories, most of which have customized systems. More than 50% of eligible residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some 35% of the population is fully vaccinated. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites, though it is not clear if it would pass constitutional muster because it might violate the First Amendment. The new law will enable the state to fine large social media companies $250,000 a day if they remove an account of a statewide political candidate, and $25,000 a day if they remove an account of someone running for a local office. It takes effect July 1. Some of these massive, massive companies in Silicon Valley are exerting a power over our population that really has no precedent in American history, DeSantis said during a bill-signing ceremony at Florida International University in Miami. One of their major missions seems to be suppressing ideas. But its questionable whether Florida will be able to enforce it. Federal law prevents internet companies from being sued for removing posts and federal law trumps state law when there is a conflict. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act exempts websites from being sued for removing content deemed to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable as long as the companies are acting in good faith. DeSantis said big tech companies are controlling accounts to remove content that doesn't suit their ideology. Republicans have accused companies like Twitter and Facebook of censoring conservative thought. DeSantis pointed in particular to then-President Donald Trump being banned by Twitter while still allowing Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to maintain an account. When you de-platform the president of the United States but you let Ayatollah Khamenei talk about killing Jews, that is wrong, DeSantis said to thunderous applause. Twitter didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Facebook declined to comment. But the tech lobbying group NetChoice, which includes Twitter and Facebook as members, criticized the new law in a press release. By forcing websites to host speech, this bill takes us closer to a state-run internet where the government can cherry pick winners and losers, said NetChoice vice president and lawyer Carl Szabo. By carving out companies like Disney and Universal, Floridas legislature revealed its anti-tech fervor and true intent to punish social media for allegations of anti-conservative bias. The law will give Florida's attorney general authority to sue companies under the states Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. It will also allow individual Floridians to sue social media companies for up to $100,000 if they feel they've been treated unfairly. The bill targets social media platforms that have more than 100 million monthly users, which include online giants as Twitter and Facebook. But lawmakers carved out an exception for Disney and their apps by including that theme park owners wouldnt be subject to the law. The law will require large social media companies to publish standards on how it decides to censor, deplatform, and shadow ban. Regardless of the federal law, the new Florida law is constitutionally flawed, said Computer and Communications Industry Association President Matt Schruers. Gov. DeSantis says that this bill is about protecting free expression, but an internet service saying, We dont want to host Nazis and people encouraging self-harm' is exercising its own First Amendment rights and that is one of the critical infirmities of this bill, Schruers said. Democrats opposed the bill and defended the right of social media companies, as private entities, to control the flow of information on their platforms. Democratic Sen. Audrey Gibson said in a press release that the bill was passed in an effort to placate Trump. These enterprises take responsibility for what appears on their platforms and have the right to do so, Gibson said. Vulgarity and inciting violence are not their business model and our legislature should appreciate rather than legislate against such a concept. While similar bills have been filed in other states, DeSantis is the first governor to sign one into law. ___ AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report. ___ This story corrects the name of the Computer and Communications Industry Association. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman has regained his state law license, years after being released from federal prison in a government corruption case. The Alabama Bar Association on Monday confirmed that Siegelman's license was restored in December after he went through an application process. The former governor, 75, told The Associated Press that he expects to do a mix of criminal and civil work. He said he would like to work with public defenders or advocacy groups to take on criminal defense cases. I look forward to finding those special cases in which I believe and feel like I can make a difference and working either pro-bono or with another lawyer, Siegelman said in a telephone interview. Siegelman has become an advocate for making changes to the criminal justice system, including providing a measure of justice to families who lose someone to the abuse of power or use of excessive force by police. Siegelman for decades was a dominating figure in Alabama politics, holding the offices of secretary of state, attorney general, lieutenant governor and governor. He served as Alabamas governor from 1999 to 2003. He was the last Democrat to hold the position in the conservative state. Siegelman was released from prison in 2017 after serving a six-year sentence for his conviction on charges of bribery and obstruction of justice. A federal jury in 2006 convicted Siegelman on charges that he sold a seat on a state regulatory board to HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy in exchange for $500,000 in donations to Siegelmans signature political issue his 1999 campaign to establish a state lottery. Siegelman was convicted on a separate obstruction of justice charge that he tried to hide money he received from a lobbyist. Siegelman maintained his innocence and unsuccessfully waged a lengthy battle in court, and in the media, to try to overturn his conviction. His lawyers argued his prosecution was motivated by Republicans upset by the Democrats political success and that the conviction was backed up by scant evidence. STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) The board overseeing a mountain park near Atlanta with a giant carving of Confederate leaders voted Monday to relocate Confederate flags from a busy walking trail and create a museum exhibit that acknowledges the site's connection to the Ku Klux Klan. The moves were part of an effort by the Stone Mountain Memorial Association to address criticism of the park's Confederate legacy and shore up its finances. The chairman of the association's board promised more changes. We've just taken our first step today to where we need to go, the Rev. Abraham Mosley said at a news conference after the vote. Mosley, appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp last month, is the board's first African American chairman. The board did not address the carving at Monday's meeting, but Mosley did not rule out changes to it in the future. Critics have called on the board to remove the colossal sculpture of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Gen. Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson from the mountain's northern face. Completed in 1972, it measures 190 feet (58 meters) across and 90 feet (27 meters) tall. It is the largest Confederate monument ever crafted and has special protection enshrined in Georgia law. The changes approved Monday come amid a national reckoning on race that brought down dozens of Confederate monuments last year. Many of the Confederate monuments that are now controversial were erected in the early 1900s by groups composed of women and veterans. Some honor generals or soldiers; others bear inscriptions that critics say wrongly gloss over slavery as a reason for the Civil War or portray the Confederate cause as noble. Work on the Stone Mountain sculpture languished until the state bought the mountain and surrounding land in 1958 for a public park. Finishing the monument gained renewed urgency amid resistance from Georgia and other Southern states to the civil rights movement and efforts to end segregation. Today, the park 15 miles (25 kilometers) northeast of downtown Atlanta markets itself as a family theme park rather than a monument to the Confederacy. It attracts large numbers of tourists and other visitors interested in hiking to the top of the mountain or walking the grounds. Still, it is replete with Confederate imagery. Former DeKalb County NAACP President John Evans told the Stone Mountain board before the vote that they needed to do more. We need to take down the flags. We need to change all the street names and do what we said we were going to do: eliminate the Confederacy from Stone Mountain Park, he said. A member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans who spoke at Mondays meeting said maintaining the carving at Stone Mountain is not racist but a way to honor the soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. Eric Cleveland said he did not have a big problem with the changes the board approved, calling them a compromise," but he said they would embolden critics. These people will not stop until our history is completely erased, he said. The museum exhibit approved by the board will relate the history of the carving, including its roots in efforts to maintain segregation, said Bill Stephens, Stone Mountain Memorial Association's CEO. It will also reflect the site's role in the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan. The group marked its comeback with a cross burning atop the mountain on Thanksgiving night 1915. The board also voted to change the park's logo, which currently features the Confederate carving, and seek federal recognition of a bridge built by a prominent African American. Dolores Ochoa/AP PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) Haitis government imposed a nightly curfew and other restrictions Monday under an eight-day health emergency" meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. All outdoor activity will be banned from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. under the decree issued by President Jovenel Moise, who was in Ecuador on Monday for the inauguration of that country's new president. In new research, an international team of scientists sequenced and analyzed mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of living and extinct caballine horses (Equus spp.) to explore the possible impacts of the Bering Land Bridge on genetic diversity within, and connectivity among, populations of this once wide-ranging group. They found that Eurasian horse populations initially diverged from those in North America, their ancestral continent, around 1 million years ago; subsequent to this split, they identified two bi-directional long-range dispersals across the Bering Land Bridge 875,000-625,000 and 200,000-50,000 years ago. Paleontologists have long known that horses evolved and diversified in North America. One lineage, the caballine horses (which includes domestic horses), dispersed into Eurasia over the Bering Land Bridge about 1 million years ago, and the Eurasian population then began to diverge genetically from the horses that remained in North America. The new study shows that after the split, there were at least two periods when horses moved back and forth between the continents and interbred, so that the genomes of North American horses acquired segments of Eurasian DNA and vice versa. This is the first comprehensive look at the genetics of ancient horse populations across both continents, said Dr. Alisa Vershinina, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz. With data from mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, we were able to see that horses were not only dispersing between the continents, but they were also interbreeding and exchanging genes. Dr. Vershinina and colleagues sequenced 78 new mitochondrial genomes from ancient horses found across Eurasia and North America. Combining those with 112 previously published mitochondrial genomes, they reconstructed a phylogenetic tree, a branching diagram showing how all the samples were related. With a location and an approximate date for each genome, they could track the movements of different lineages of ancient horses. We found Eurasian horse lineages here in North America and vice versa, suggesting cross-continental population movements, Dr. Vershinina said. With dated mitochondrial genomes we can see when that shift in location happened. The analysis showed two periods of dispersal between the continents, both coinciding with periods when the Bering Land Bridge would have been open. In the Middle Pleistocene, shortly after the two lineages diverged, the movement was mostly east to west. A second period in the Late Pleistocene saw movement in both directions, but mostly west to east. The researchers also sequenced two new nuclear genomes from well-preserved horse fossils recovered in Yukon Territory, Canada. These were combined with 7 previously published nuclear genomes, enabling the team to quantify the amount of gene flow between the Eurasian and North American populations. The usual view in the past was that horses differentiated into separate species as soon as they were in Asia, but these results show there was continuity between the populations, said Dr. Ross MacPhee, a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History. They were able to interbreed freely, and we see the results of that in the genomes of fossils from either side of the divide. The new findings help reframe the question of why horses disappeared from North America, said Dr. Grant Zazula, a paleontologist with the Government of Yukon. It was a regional population loss rather than an extinction. We still dont know why, but it tells us that conditions in North America were dramatically different at the end of the last Ice Age. If horses hadnt crossed over to Asia, we would have lost them all globally. The results were published in the journal Molecular Ecology. _____ Alisa O. Vershinina et al. Ancient horse genomes reveal the timing and extent of dispersals across the Bering Land Bridge. Molecular Ecology, published online May 10, 2021; doi: 10.1111/mec.15977 WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court is leaving in place an appeals court decision that the family of a Black driver who was fatally shot by a white police officer in an Ohio city can't sue the city or the officer. The high court declined on Monday to hear the case involving the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Luke Stewart, which inflamed racial tensions in Euclid, in suburban Cleveland. As is typical, the court did not comment in turning away the case, one of many it declined to hear. Stewart's family had filed a federal civil rights lawsuit after he was shot by Officer Matthew Rhodes in 2017. Stewart's family had contended that police training in the city encouraged, or at least condoned, excessive force. The training included the use of a sketch by comedian Chris Rock, in which he gives tips on how to avoid being beaten by police, and cartoons allegedly making light of police violence. Stewart's death came after police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle and found him sleeping behind the wheel of a car. Police said they believed Stewart was intoxicated and saw signs suggesting drug use. Officers woke Stewart, and Rhodes ultimately got into the car in an attempt to get Stewart out. But Stewart drove away with Rhodes still in the car. The two struggled, and Rhodes shot Stewart, who was unarmed. A trial court dismissed the case, and an appeals court agreed, saying there was no clearly established law barring the officers conduct. Rhodes wont face charges in the case after a grand jury declined to indict him after hearing evidence from prosecutors. The Stewart family's lawsuit came as activists had been criticizing Euclid police for an arrest in which a white officer with a history of disciplinary issues was caught on video punching a Black man more than a dozen times in a traffic stop. Stewarts shooting and the traffic stop arrest prompted other people to step forward to complain about police abuse, provoking racial tensions in the city, which is about 46% white and 54% Black, according to 2010 census figures. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina cant wait any longer on costly improvements to public education in light of court rulings that declare the state hasnt met constitutional obligations, Democratic lawmakers and education advocates said Monday. Sponsors of a House measure that would take the first steps to carry out a comprehensive remedial plan presented to a Superior Court judge in March held a news conference to urge the bills consideration by the Republican majority. The remedial plan, which envisions spending over at least $5.6 billion on new education expenditures through 2028, stems from school funding litigation known as Leandro that began in 1994. The legislation seeks to initiate and fund programs contained in the remedial plan for at least the next two years. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has backed the remedial plan and has sought funding in budget proposals this year. By 2004, the state Supreme Court had declared in the Leandro litigation that the states children have a fundamental right to the opportunity to receive a sound basic education, and that North Carolina had not lived up to that mandate. Interest in compliance grew in 2019 when a consultants report declared little progress had been made to meet the constitutional directive. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare educational inequities, said Rep. Rachel Hunt, a Mecklenburg County Democrat and bill sponsor. The urgency of this moment is now. And we have to be having this conversation at this crossroads, Rep. Ricky Hurtado, an Alamance County Democrat and another sponsor, said during the virtual news conference. The remedial plan presented to Judge David Lee included funding improvements to help low-income students and those with disabilities, and to hire more school support personnel. Increased pay for teachers, principals and assistant principals is included in the plan, but no dollar value for the increases has been set. The plan also focuses on increasing teacher diversity and competency and expanding prekindergarten access. Lee said last month he wouldnt try to tell the General Assembly how much money they need to spend. Other speakers said there was no time for more excuses about why at-risk children, including those in rural and poor settings and some immigrants, fail to receive the education they deserve, especially when the states coffers are flush. It is time for North Carolina to fulfill its promise to children, said Patricia Beier, CEO of WAGES, an anti-poverty community action group based in Goldsboro. Does leaving behind yet another generation of children from rural communities or from families with low wealth align with our values as a state? GOP House Speaker Tim Moore said in a written statement that while spending is the purview of the legislature rather than the courts, some of the policy suggestions in the report are worthy of consideration. Moore also said House Republicans expect teacher pay and K-12 funding will continue on an upward trajectory. Republicans, particularly in the Senate, have been critical of declarations that education spending has declined over the past decade in real dollars, saying instead that K-12 spending actually increased cumulatively by billions in recent years. The House bill currently sits in a committee where bills from the minority party often get parked during the two-year session. Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Wake County Democrat and a bill sponsor, said she was hopeful that GOP lawmakers would incorporate the bills ideas into the chambers two-year budget proposal, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially given the states healthy fiscal condition. We cannot put it off any longer, she added. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) The Republican floor leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday proposed keeping in place some parts of Gov. Tom Wolf's coronavirus disaster declaration until October, but ending fast-track contracting rules and other provisions much sooner. Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff of Centre County introduced a concurrent resolution under constitutional amendments that voters approved last week that give lawmakers much more power over disaster declarations. Benninghoff's resolution aims to halt the use of no-bid contracts, force those getting jobless benefits to look for work and end social distancing mitigation orders. The four-page resolution would require approval by the full House and Senate, but does not need the governor's signature to take effect. It would extend the disaster emergency until Oct. 1 except, for specific parts it aims to repeal. Mitigation orders are currently being phased out, and on Monday Wolf's acting labor secretary outlined a schedule for resumption of job search requirements. Wolf's office offered no immediate comment, but has said repeatedly that measures designed to limit the spread of the virus are unaffected by the constitutional amendments because they are authorized under powers given to the health secretary. The House State Government Committee was expected to take up the proposed resolution on Tuesday. Legislative Republicans leveraged their majorities to hasten passage of a pair of constitutional amendments to limit the governor's powers under a disaster emergency declaration. COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) An Idaho woman was sentenced to life in prison Monday for killing her husband, after the judge told her that her explanation for the man's death did not hold up. KXLY-TV reported that 67-year-old Lori Isenberg made a deal to plead guilty to second degree murder in February. Isenberg is already serving time after she was convicted of embezzling $579,000 from the North Idaho Housing Coalition, where she worked. Right around the same time in 2018, her husband was found dead in Lake Coeur dAlene. An autopsy revealed he had lethal levels of diphenhydramine or Benadryl in his system. In court Monday, Isenberg gave a long and often-rambling statement to the court, saying she wasnt trying to kill her husband. Instead, she insisted that she was planning to end her own life because of the shame of committing the embezzlement. She said that was her intention when she and Larry Isenberg went out on their boat that day. After her statement, Idaho Judge Scott Wayman told Isenberg I have no doubt that the statements you made today are your truth." But, he said, Your truth doesnt hold up. Wayman sentenced Isenberg to life in prison with 30 years fixed. That means shell spend 30 years in prison before shes eligible for release. NEW DELHI (AP) Indias eastern coast is on alert ahead of a severe cyclone brewing in the Bay of Bengal, days after a powerful storm battered the country's western coast and killed at least 140 people. Cyclone Yaas is expected to make landfall on Wednesday and could pack sustained winds of up to 165 kilometers per hour (102 miles per hour), the India Meteorological Department said. It said the storm was forecast to hit the eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha. Disaster relief teams have already been deployed in the two states for potential rescue and recovery operations and the coastal areas are being evacuated. Indias air force and navy said they have kept some of helicopters and vessels ready to carry out relief work. Yaas will be the second storm to hit India in 10 days after Cyclone Tauktae killed at least 140 people across western states last week. Nearly 70 victims were on a barge that ripped free of its anchors in the storm and sank off Mumbai's coast. The massive storms come as India is battling a devastating coronavirus surge, complicating efforts to deal with both. In neighboring Bangladesh, authorities asked all fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay of Bengal and the deep sea to move closer to the coast ahead of Yaas. A weather bulletin from the countrys Meteorological Department in Dhaka said that ships should leave maritime ports of Chattogram, Mongla, Coxs Bazar and Payra. Scientists say cyclones in India are becoming more frequent and changing climate patterns have caused them to become more intense. Last May, nearly 100 people died in Cyclone Amphan, the most powerful storm to hit eastern India in more than a decade. It flattened villages, destroyed farms and left millions without power in eastern India and Bangladesh. ___ Associated Press journalist Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to this report. JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday the appointment of David Barnea as the new head of the country's spy agency, the Mossad. Barnea, a former longtime Mossad operative, will succeed Yossi Cohen as head of Israel's intelligence agency on June 1. Cohen has served as Israel's spymaster since taking office in 2016. JERUSALEM (AP) An Israeli soldier and a civilian were stabbed near a light rail station in east Jerusalem on Monday before the assailant was shot and killed by police, who described it as a terrorist attack. The attack came in the the tense aftermath of an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers that was triggered by protests and clashes in Jerusalem. The Magen David Adom emergency service said it treated two men in their early 20s with stab wounds to their upper bodies. The military identified one of those wounded as a soldier. Both were being treated at nearby hospitals. Police did not provide any details about the attacker but referred to him as a terrorist, a term usually reserved for Palestinian assailants. The stabbing took place near the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in east Jerusalem, where dozens of Palestinian families face the threat of eviction by Jewish settlers, one of the underlying triggers of the recent violence. Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for their future state and view east Jerusalem as their capital. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally and considers the entire city its unified capital. Monday's attack came after a cease-fire took effect early Friday, halting 11 days of intense rocket barrages from Gaza and airstrikes by Israel. More than 250 people were killed, the vast majority of them Palestinian. Late on Monday, the Israeli defense ministry body in charge of crossings with the Gaza Strip said it would allow humanitarian aid to enter the Palestinian enclave on Tuesday. It also said it was expanding the fishing zone for Gazans to six nautical miles from shore. The fighting began May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Al-Aqsa is the third holiest site in Islam and it lies on a hilltop in Jerusalem's Old City that is the holiest place for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount because it was the location of the biblical temples. The site has seen several outbreaks of Israeli-Palestinian violence over the years and was the epicenter of the 2000 Palestinian intifada, or uprising. Brief clashes between police and protesters broke out after Friday prayers but did not set off wider violence. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A federal judge has ruled against a conservative legal group that sought an immediate halt to the priority status for restaurants and bars owned by women and certain minorities in President Joe Biden's COVID-19 relief package. U.S. District Judge Travis McDonough in Knoxville, Tennessee, issued the opinion denying a temporary restraining order last week in the lawsuit brought by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. The group is appealing the decision. The judge wrote that Congress has gathered myriad evidence suggesting that small businesses owned by minorities ... have suffered more severely than other kinds of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the Governments early attempts at general economic stimulus ... disproportionately failed to help those businesses directly because of historical discrimination patterns. Similarly, McDonough said Congress had before it evidence showing that woman-owned businesses suffered historical discrimination that exposed them to greater risks from an economic shock like COVID-19, and that they received less benefit from earlier federal COVID-19 relief programs. The lawsuit targets the three-week period from May 3 until Monday during which the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund has only been processing and funding requests from businesses owned by women; veterans; or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Eligibility was slated to open broadly afterward. However, the Small Business Administration reported on May 18 that it had already received more than 303,000 applications representing over $69 billion, with nearly 38,000 applicants already approved for more than $6 billion. Of the applications, 57% came from women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners, who had already applied for $29 billion in the $28.6 billion program by May 12, the SBA has said. The application portal remained open through Monday because money set aside for establishments with 2019 annual revenue of not more than $50,000 was potentially still available. Plaintiff Antonio Vitolo, owner of Jakes Bar and Grill in Harriman, Tennessee, applied for aid on May 3 but doesn't qualify as a white male, according to the lawsuit, which argues white men are being pushed to the back of the line for aid for their eateries. The law says a business is required to have 51% ownership by someone in one of the priority groups to qualify for the early priority for aid. The program relies on a definition of socially disadvantaged that is limited to people subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Groups presumed to be socially disadvantaged include: Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians; Asian Pacific Americans; and Subcontinent Asian Americans. Attorneys for the federal government said people could also check a box on the application if they thought they met the broader definition of socially and economically disadvantaged, the judge wrote. The lawsuit said the limited funding put white male applicants at significant risk that, by the time their applications are processed, the money will be gone" an argument that did not sway the judge. While this is certainly unfortunate, Congress cannot reasonably have been expected to predict with precision the level of demand for funds nor how the demand would break down between priority and non-priority applications, the judge wrote. Under the Biden restaurant relief program, restaurants and bars can qualify for grants equal to their pandemic-related revenue losses, with a cap of $10 million per business and $5 million per location. NZX listed retirement village and aged care operator Arvida Group Limited today reported a record full year IFRS net profit for the year ending 31 March 2021 up 207% on the prior year at $131.1 million. Results included the impact of unrealised movements in the fair value of investment property. Arvida Chief Executive Bill McDonald said performance had been strong this year despite disruptions from New Zealands response to the Covid-19 pandemic impacting first half results. Underlying profit for the year at $51.9 million was in line with the prior year. Second half performance for the Group was significantly improved, 53% higher than the first half. Additional expenditure was incurred in the first half to ensure resident safety and staff wellbeing was the priority and we were able to keep Covid out of our communities. Mr McDonald said Arvida maintained strong operating cash flows and resilience in care revenues throughout the year. While we continued to operate throughout the pandemic as an essential business, care admissions, sales and construction activities were significantly disrupted in lockdown periods, said McDonald. Dividend and outlook Arvida Chair Mr Peter Wilson said Arvidas shareholders will receive an increased unimputed dividend of 1.50 cents per share for the final quarter. The dividend is to be paid on 10 June 2021 with a record date of 2 June 2021. Mr Wilson said, We are pleased to return a total of $29 million to our shareholders in dividends during this year. The dividend is evidence of the strong momentum in the business even in a pandemic-impacted year. The Arvida board also announced the intention to move the target distribution band to 40-60% of underlying profit. A dividend reinvestment plan would be implemented at the next dividend payment with payments becoming six monthly. Mr Wilson said the dividend reinvestment plan would help support Arvidas capital base as it looks to recycle capital into growth opportunities including greenfield development activity. Both our care operations and retirement villages continue to perform strongly, and our development activities continue to grow, said Mr Wilson. The current level of dividend is expected to be sustainable for FY22. However, Mr Wilson noted that Covid-19 would be a factor globally for some time yet with the outcomes unknown on the business and domestic economy as New Zealand opens its border. The Governments move to dampen residential house prices and possible review of the sectors regulatory framework are factors that could impact the sector and performance of Arvida. Please see the links below for details Media Release Investor Presentation Annual Report Results Announcement Distribution Notice Source: Arvida Group Limited Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Tower Limited (NZX: TWR) Update on Financial Impact of Canterbury Floods SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) Earnings Guidance for FY21 Result 11th June 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Announces $284 Million Revaluation Uplift 10th June 2021 Morning Report Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Opening of Offer to Retail Investors Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) FY2021 EBITDAF Guidance Revised to $460 Million 9th June 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) AUSTRAC ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION 8th June 2021 Morning Report FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) A panel tasked with reviewing the search warrant process in Kentucky is holding its first meeting. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the Search Warrant Task Force meeting in Frankfort on Monday would be open to the public and livestreamed on his YouTube page. A federal lawsuit filed Monday accuses St. Louis correctional officers of putting jail detainees in a room and spraying so much Mace that they struggled to breathe. Other inmates at the downtown City Justice Center were beaten or denied water as a form of punishment sometimes for days according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on behalf of detainees Derrick Jones, Jerome Jones and Darnell Rusan. The suit names the city, Corrections Commissioner Dale Glass, City Justice Center Superintendent Adrian Barnes and several correctional officers. It seeks unspecified damages and a court order prohibiting unconstitutional treatment of detainees. A phone call to Glass went unanswered. Mayor Tishaura Jones' spokesman, Nick Dunne, said officials were still reviewing the lawsuit. The City Justice Center has been the site of two significant uprisings this year. Inmates in February and again in April were able to get out of their cells because of a faulty lock system that is still being replaced. Once out, they set fires and tossed chairs and file cabinets out windows. No one was seriously hurt. Inmate advocates blamed conditions and treatment inside the jail, where many pre-trial inmate have been housed well over a year as efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus forced the courts to temporarily close. Detainees also complained about what they saw as a lack of protocols to protect them from COVID-19. City leaders said at the time that COVID-19 protocols were in place and there were very few cases of the virus inside the jail. Jones, who was elected in April and has promised changes to St. Louis' criminal justice system, toured both city jails just days after taking office, along with U.S. Rep. Cori Bush and others. Jones and Bush, both Democrats, said they were appalled by conditions. The lawsuit describes as torture the treatment of some detainees. I know thats a strong word, but I really do think it approaches that," said Amy Breihan, an attorney for the MacArthur Justice Center, which filed the lawsuit along with three other legal organizations ArchCity Defenders, St. Louis University's Legal Clinic, and Rights Behind Bars. In December, Jerome Jones was sprayed in the face with an irritant and beaten by correctional officers without provocation, the suit contended. In February, the suit said he was placed in a small visitor's room as jail staff sprayed the room with large amounts of what the lawsuit says was Mace and says Jones was left shouting out for nearly a half-hour that he couldn't breathe. The lawsuit said Rusan got similar treatment. It said jail staff commonly use Mace on detainees who are restrained, confined inside a secure cell, or only passively resistant. The suit said jail staff also have a practice of depriving detainees of water to their cells sometimes for hours, sometimes for days on end simply because detainees talk back, bang on their cell doors, or get an attitude. The lawsuit said that in addition to denying drinking water, correctional officers, in response to the February uprising, turned off the water supply that allows toilets to flush for some cells. Glass has long denied mistreatment of detainees. He announced his resignation earlier this month, effective June 1. While Jones said she did not force Glass to step aside, she blamed failed leadership for the plight of the City Justice Center and the city's other jail, known as the Workhouse, which has long been criticized for allegedly inhumane conditions. Derrick Jones claimed in the lawsuit that in December he sought to be moved to a different cell because his cellmate exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever and lack of taste. A short time later, according to the lawsuit, several correctional officers sprayed Jones with Mace and kicked him. The lawsuit said that with Jones crying out in pain, a supervisor came into the room, sprayed him with more Mace, and said, Let him marinate. JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (AP) A Louisiana detective who was shot multiple times while serving a warrant in 2016 has died from his injuries, according to authorities. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said in a statement Sunday that Detective Stephen Arnold, a 12-year veteran of the sheriffs office, was under intense medical care since being shot. Arnold was previously a district deputy and a narcotics detective, according to Lopinto. He was assigned to a federal Drug Enforcement Administration task force at the time of his injury. Detective Arnold was well-known and held in the highest regard by his peers, the sheriff said. His commitment to serving our community was the standard we all strive to meet. Arnold and other law enforcement officials forced their way into Jarvis Hardys New Orleans home in January 2016 after not receiving a response to a knock at the door, the Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported. Hardy, who was in possession of crack cocaine, shot Arnold five times, according to the news outlet. He eventually pleaded guilty to the shooting as well as other drug and gun charges. Lopinto said Hardy is serving a 35-year sentence in a federal facility. The news outlet reported that Arnolds brain didnt receive oxygen for the first 30 minutes after he was shot. He couldnt speak or walk and used a tracheotomy tube to breathe. Arnold received two Distinguished Service Awards and an Award for Valor while with the sheriffs office, according to Lopinto. He was awarded a Purple Heart after his injury and will be posthumously given a Medal of Honor from the sheriffs office. SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) A Louisiana man has been found guilty of shooting an AK-47 at random from his car on an interstate highway and killing another driver. Jurors on Friday convicted John Fitzgerald Chatman, 34, of Shreveport of second-degree murder in the 2016 death of 25-year-old Donald Young of Shreveport, the Caddo Parish District Attorneys Office said. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Police in Louisiana are trying to determine what happened to a woman whose body was discovered with gunshot wounds inside of a crashed car. Baton Rouge Police found the woman's body at around 2:15 a.m. Sunday in a car that had crashed into a ditch, the agency said. VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) A 17-year-old boy has been arrested and accused of fatally stabbing his stepfather north of Vancouver in the Amboy area. The teen was arrested early Monday and booked into the Clark County juvenile detention center on suspicion of second-degree murder, The Columbian reported. KANSAS CITY. Mo. (AP) A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday after he admitted that he shot and killed a Kansas City rapper in 2015. Derius Taylor, 32, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 20-year-old Dominique Stafford, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office said. DETROIT (AP) A man who has vigorously contested his murder conviction after 48 years in prison is likely to be released under a deal disclosed Monday by the Wayne County prosecutor's office. Ray Gray, 69, has been serving a life sentence with no chance for parole. Prosecutors anticipate that he will appear in court by video Tuesday and plead no contest to second-degree murder. Gray would get credit for time served and immediately be released, the prosecutor's office said. Gray is not admitting guilt but will not contest the charge. In 1973, he was convicted of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a drug dealer in Detroit. Gray went from arrest to a life sentence in just three months; the trial lasted less than three days. In March, Gray filed a request for a new trial. He has repeatedly declared his innocence and has an affidavit from a witness who would identify others as the culprits. This is not an exoneration. However, this case does present many questions that cannot be answered," said prosecutor Kym Worthy, who noted the passage of time and other issues. Attorney Gabi Silver, said there is credible evidence to clear Gray, but she also acknowledged that another witness still insists he was the gunman. She has remained steadfast, Silver said. He's doing this because he wants to come home, Silver said of the no-contest plea. While it's not the resolution we wanted, we are very grateful he will have an opportunity to come home and have a life. ___ Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez LAS VEGAS (AP) A pilot has died after an aircraft operated by a military contractor out of Nellis Air Force Base crashed in a nearby residential area, authorities in Las Vegas said Monday. A statement attributed to base spokesman Lt. Col. Bryon McGarry confirmed the crash occurred about 2:30 p.m. Florida-based company Draken US owned the aircraft, and said in a statement that the pilot, whose name has not been released, had died and no one else was on board. It's unclear whether there were injuries to people on the ground. The plane crashed in a yard where a neighbor, Alex Reyes, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he heard a loud thump and then saw black smoke billowing from the home. Neighbor Eugenia Brackeen told the newspaper she heard a boom so loud that she couldn't hear her television. She said her power went out for a short time. Witnesses posted online images of a plume of smoke not far from a southern fence to the base, of city and base fire crews arriving, and a helicopter circling. In a Twitter post, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said he and his wife, Kathy, were praying for all those involved in todays incident, including Nellis service members and first-responders. Deputy Clark County Fire Chief Warren Whitney confirmed only that fire crews were called to the area in unincorporated county territory. He directed follow-up inquiries to Nellis. Police cordoned off the neighborhood about 7 miles (11 kilometers) northeast of downtown Las Vegas. Nellis is best known internationally as host of periodic training exercises where U.S. and allied pilots conduct mock battles over a restricted military reserve in central Nevada that is half the size of the state of New Jersey. Aircraft based at Nellis include F-16 Falcon and F-22 Raptor fighter jets and A-10 Warthog attack jets. The base also is home to the elite Thunderbirds flight demonstration team. Retired Brig. Gen. Robert Novotny, who stepped down last year after commanding the 57th Wing at Nellis, told KTNV-TV that contract aircraft and pilots take part in some exercises as participants to train against. A National Transportation Safety Board investigator is traveling to site of the crashed Dassault Aviation Mirage F-1, the agency tweeted. The crash was the first out of Nellis since Thunderbirds pilot Maj. Stephen Del Bango of Valencia, California, died in April 2018 during a training flight over the Nevada Test and Training Range. In September 2017, an Air Force pilot died after a crash about 100 miles (160.93 kilometers) northwest of Nellis. Israeli imports from China up 37.5 pct in first 4 months Xinhua) 09:57, May 24, 2021 JERUSALEM, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli imports from China, excluding diamonds, rose by 37.5 percent year-on-year in the first four months of 2021, according to a report issued by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics on Sunday. According to data, Israeli imports from China in January-April totalled 3.92 billion U.S. dollars, compared to 2.85 billion dollars in the same period in 2020. In April, Israel's imports from China totalled 884 million dollars, an 18.4-percent rise from 746.8 million dollars in 2020. Israeli exports to China rose by 14.1 percent, from 1.7 billion dollars in January-April last year to 1.94 dollars this year. Total Israeli imports in the first four months of 2021 amounted to 27.8 billion dollars, an increase of 20.6 percent, while Israeli exports amounted to 18.2 billion dollars, an increase of 8.4 percent. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) by Ali Sukhanver Extremism leading to militancy is no doubt the most grievous threat to the calm and peace of society all over the world. It is something very encouraging that the whole world has joined hands together to curb the menace of extremism but things become very horrible when at some places the Allegation of Militancy is used as a weapon against the Persona-Non-Grata. The only target of such malicious activity is nothing but to malign the repute and credibility of the individuals, groups, organizations and the countries not in ones good-books. The worst example of this malpractice could be noticed in the Indian Illegally Occupied State of Jammu and Kashmir where the Indian troops themselves are involved in the cruelest violation of human rights. In the mid of this May the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar claimed in a press statement that the police got information about two terrorists hiding somewhere in the Khanmoh area of Srinagar. In search of those terrorists a joint team of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force was assigned to launch a search operation to find out the terrorists. He claimed that during that search operation the security team had an encounter with the wanted terrorists in which at least two terrorists were killed. The IGP blamed that the deceased terrorists were affiliated with the Al-Badr terror outfit. On the other hand the residents of Khanmoh in Srinagar have categorically refuted the claim that the two youth brutally murdered by the Indian security forces were militants and had links with any militant organization. They said that it was a clear case of fake encounter and this practice of murdering the Kashmiri youth has ever been a practice of the Indian troops in the illegally occupied territory. They told the media that the gunshot-wounds on the dead bodies were mainly on legs and feet which indicated that it was not a firefight. It appears that the youth had tried to flee and were shot in the legs and after getting hold of them they were killed. Different eye-witness to this horrible incident said that the youth were totally unarmed and it was a false claim of the Indian army that two pistols and grenades were recovered from them. If they were the so-called militants, they would have proper fighting weapons in their possession and they would have certainly given a tough-time to the security-forces. Moreover a white bandage on injured left hand of one of the innocent boys was a strong proof that before this encounter the security forces had kept them in their custody. According to the media reports, the security authorities claimed that during the encounter the parents of the murdered militants appealed to them to surrender but they didnt listen to their appeals. But the local people reject this cock and bull story concocted by the security authorities. They said that their parents were not in the area; they were in Pulwama and the boys had just come to Khanmoh to meet their friends and relatives. Unfortunately the Indian authorities in the region could give no justification and no explanation to the allegations levied upon them by the local people. Killing of Kashmiri youth under the cover of fake encounters is not a new practice. In the name of so-called battle against the militants and militancy, every year hundreds of young boys and even girls are brutally murdered by the Indian forces and every time the official statement says It was a police-encounter though we tried our best to avoid it. Last year in the month of July, in the Amshipora area, three young boys were shot to death in the same way in a fake encounter by the Indian security forces. According to the details in the village of Amshipora, Indian military personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles killed three Kashmiri laborers on 18th of July 2020; one of them was a minor. Initially the Indian Army claimed that the three victims were foreign terrorists who opened fire on a security team without any reason. The matter was somewhat full of ambiguities and media-men were raising a lot of questions on credibility of the security forces, so an Inquiry Commission was set up for the detailed investigations. The Inquiry Commission said in its findings that it was simply a fake-encounter staged by the Indian Army. The terrorists were in fact laborers working for daily wages in local orchards. Their murder was staged to claim a cash bounty of 20 Lakh rupees equivalent to US$28,000. This is the amount granted by the Indian Army as a reward for killing militants. Reports say that an Indian Military Court is currently conducting a court-martial proceeding against Army Captain Bhoopendra Singh of the Rashtriya Rifles, as well as an unnamed non-commissioned officer whereas proceedings against two civilian informants are ongoing in local courts in Kashmir. The military authorities could have been buried Amshipora Murder under the dust of time but the media did not let them do it. Same is the case with the Lawaypora fake encounter that occurred on 30th December 2020. One of the so-called three militants was 19 year old Aijaz Maqbool a resident of south Kashmirs Pulwama District. He was a fresh graduate of Government Degree College Pulwama. The other two included Athar Mushtaq a college student from Putrigam village and a 22 year old mason Zubair Ahmad. Their families say that the three youngsters were abducted by security forces and killed in cold blood. The families claim that all of them were leading normal lives till the news of their fake-encounter came in. It is also a point to be pondered over that the name of none of the three was in any list of militants and none of them had any record in any police station. It was pointed out in media reports that the motive behind this fake-encounter was also the same traced in Amshipora fake-encounter incident; the prize money. It is something very pathetic that in greed and lust of prize-money, the Indian Security personnel are slaughtering the innocent children of those people who have even never touched a gun. Certainly the human rights organizations would do something to save the wretched Kashmiris from this tyranny of the Indian security forces in the Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) The Navajo Nation has reported 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths. Tribal health officials said the latest figures released Sunday pushed the total number of cases since the pandemic began more than a year ago to 30,778 on the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. BATH, Maine (AP) The Navy's speedy littoral combat ships had propulsion failures. The gun on its stealthy destroyer is a dud because of expensive ammo. Its newest aircraft carrier had problems with the system that launches aircraft. On top of that, embarrassing photos of rusty ships online have underscored delays in maintaining warships, made worse by the pandemic. The Navy's troubles have caused delays and cost billions of dollars. They come as tensions are growing in the South China Sea, Russia's navy is emboldened, and Iranian speedboats are harassing vessels in the Persian Gulf. Are we ready to meet the threat from China? No, said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lexington Institute. Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, insists the Navy is now on a positive trajectory but the Navy will have to rebuild confidence under congressional scrutiny as it prepares a new strategic plan thatll include another long-term investment: unmanned vehicles and hypersonic missiles. The Biden administration is readying a Navy budget proposal this week to send to lawmakers. The Navy fleet currently falls shy of 300 ships, despite a stated goal of 355 ships. The Chinese fleet now outnumbers the U.S. Navy. The Chinese are closer to our goal than we are, said Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who sits on the Appropriation Committee and wants to boost Navy spending. Democratic Sen. Jack Reed and Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe, chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, have criticized delays and cost overruns on lead ships, and urged the Navy to ensure technology is ready before putting it aboard. Members of Congress, who control the purse strings, say the Navy must also spend billions of dollars more in its public shipyards that maintain the ships. The Navy has got to get their derriere in gear, said Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican from Virginia, who described the Navy as at one of those crossroads. The Navy's problem, as Thompson sees it, is that leaders rushed ambitious new ship classes to production and started construction before designs were finalized and technology fully tested. It tried too hard to leap ahead technologically at the beginning of the last decade, Thompson said. As a result, every vessel that it started had severe problems. For example, the electric-drive Zumwalt, commissioned in 2016, was designed to get close to shore to bombard land targets. But its 155mm advanced gun system is being scrapped because each rocket-propelled, GPS-guided shell costs nearly as much as a cruise missile. Meanwhile, two versions of the speedy littoral combat ship were envisioned as chasing down pirate ships. One version had class-wide propulsion problems, and both were criticized as too lightly armored for open ocean combat. The Navy is already scrapping the first four of them. The most expensive ship in Navy history, meanwhile, is the newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, which has had problems with the system that launches jets and the elevators that move weapons. It was supposed to cost $10.5 billion but the price tag has risen to $13.3 billion, and the reliability of key systems is low," said Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma. Together, the costs on the first ships in each of those classes were 23% to 155% or about $5 billion higher than original estimates, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Congress has mandated the Navy not put the cart before the proverbial horse by requiring system integration between platforms and new technologies and fully testing prior to rolling out new programs, said Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawaii Democrat and chair of the Armed Services seapower subcommittee. Lawmakers have scrutinized the Navy's readiness and overextended crews since 17 sailors were killed in two separate collisions involving Navy destroyers in 2017. The Navys unceasing tempo continues to cause stress on ships and crew. Photos of the USS Stout, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, showed plentiful rust as it returned from a 210-day deployment last fall to Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia. The rust was cosmetic but underscored the toll of deferred maintenance and long deployments on ships and sailors, who made no port calls during the pandemic. Its wearing out the Navy, the crews, their personnel, their families, said Matt Caris, a defense analyst at Avascent, a consulting firm in Washington, who said investments are needed in sailors, maintenance and new ships. The Navy has acknowledged problems in the shipbuilding programs, while having success in others, including submarines. But aging ships 60% of todays fleet was commissioned in 2001 or before has caused maintenance and operation costs to grow at a time when the Navy wants to spend on new ships and research. It would take 4.1% in annual funding growth to boost the fleet to 355 ships within about a decade while meeting other obligations including investments in shipyards, Gilday said. Speaking at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works on a recent afternoon, Gilday insisted things are getting better. The length of time that ships were delayed has declined by 80% at public shipyards and 60% at private yards compared to where things were 18 months ago, Gilday said. And even those ships that suffered delays and cost overruns hold potential. The stealthy Zumwalt destroyer built at Bath Iron Works will be the first naval vessel equipped with hypersonic missiles, he said. Im not saying that were satisfied with where we are, Gilday said. What I will say is that I think that certainly the trends are headed in the right direction. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) A man and a woman convicted in separate murders who fought the state of Nebraska for years for the right to marry each other will never have that chance after one of them died earlier this year. The death of 40-year-old Nicole Wetherell in February also ended the court case she and 49-year-old Paul Gillpatrick had waged since 2014 before any precedent could be established. Gillpatrick and Wetherell got engaged in 2011, but officials consistently denied their request to marry because the corrections department was unwilling to transport either of them to the others prison for a wedding ceremony. They were also not allowed to marry via video conference, because the law requires them to be physically in the presence of witnesses and a magistrate or minister. A U.S. District Judge ruled in the couples favor in 2019, but that decision was put on hold while the state appealed. They had met through a mutual friend in the 1990s, before they were imprisoned. Gillpatrick, who is in a Lincoln prison, was sentenced in 2010 to 55 to 90 years for second-degree murder in the 2009 killing of former Omaha firefighter Robby Robinson. Wetherell was serving a life sentence at a prison in York for first-degree murder for the 1998 stabbing of Scott Catenacci in Bellevue. Wetherell died Feb. 26 with an undisclosed medical condition, officials said. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case Wednesday before deciding the state's appeal, according to the Omaha World-Herald. The executive director of the Nebraska American Civil Liberties Union Danielle Conrad said the case is a reminder that justice delayed is justice denied. The ACLU represented the couple. The bottom line is this: Our clients were simply asking for the ability to marry. Marriage is a fundamental right, including for Nebraskans who are incarcerated, Conrad said. She said Gillpatrick and his legal team are evaluating his options. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) New Jersey will lift its indoor mask mandate for people vaccinated against COVID-19 beginning on Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday. The announcement comes about a week after Murphy, a Democrat, rejected similar mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, saying he wanted more time on the clock for people to get vaccinated. Also on Friday, the state is lifting the requirement for maintaining 6 feet at all indoor and outdoor businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, gyms and casinos. New Jersey had been an outlier, with neighboring Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania aligning with the CDC soon after its advice came out. The states vaccination rates have been climbing, with Murphy pledging to fully inoculate 70% of the population by June 30. Murphy faced a torrent of criticism over the delay, especially from Republicans who are hoping to defeat him in November as he seeks reelection to a second term. He dismissed it, though, and said the decision focused on avoiding more deaths from COVID-19. Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli pointed to daily deaths still in the double digits and the daily infection rate hovering above lows seen last summer as rationales for continuing the mask mandate. The steps weve announced today are the clearest signs of our commitment to carefully and deliberately reopening our state, Murphy said. Businesses that oversee indoor spaces, however, may continue to require masks for customers and employees. Masks are still required in public state offices, such as motor vehicle commission buildings, in all health care settings, on airplanes, buses and other forms of transportation and in transportation hubs like airports. Masks will also still be required in schools, child care centers and summer camps. On June 4, all indoor gathering limits will be lifted. Last week, the state did away with a mandate to wear them outdoors for vaccinated people. In addition to wanting more time to vaccinate people, Murphy also explained his decision to delay relaxing mask requirements by saying he thought it was unfair for front-line workers at grocery stores, for example. He said they'd have to unfairly police every patron. Nearly 4.1 million New Jersey residents have been vaccinated. That's nearly half of the state's population. CEDAR HILL, Mo. (AP) An 11-year-old boy drowned over the weekend while swimming in the Big River in Jefferson County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. The boy was with his family Sunday for a birthday celebration near the river and was wearing a life jacket, officials said. Investigators said the boy was trying to swim downstream when he became hung up on a log in the middle of the river and went under the water. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Ohio Supreme County on Monday sided with a county elections board in a dispute over the purchase of voting machines tied to unfounded allegations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. At issue before the high court was a rift between the bipartisan elections board in Stark County and that northeastern countys GOP-dominated board of commissioners, involving Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems machines. Under a 2018 law approved by Ohio lawmakers, the commissioners must acquire the voting machines selected by the elections board, the Supreme Court said in a 6-1 ruling. Although the current selection process doesn't allow commissioners to scrutinize the election's board choice of voting machines, that's a matter for state lawmakers, not the court, the justices said. Stark County commissioners respect the court's ruling and will comply with it, said their attorney, Mark Weaver. He added that commissioners "remain disappointed that taxpayers were not given, and now may never receive, the information necessary to discern whether this proposed purchase is the best value and most effective. Messages were left for for the elections board and for Dominion Voting Systems. Elections board officials argued that without an order from the high court forcing the purchase, the machines wouldn't be available in time for the November election Dominion machines became a flashpoint during the election because of unfounded allegations that the company changed votes through algorithms in its voting machines that had been created in Venezuela to rig elections for the late dictator Hugo Chavez. Dominion has pushed back against these allegations, including in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit filed last month against Fox News, arguing the cable news giant falsely claimed that the voting company rigged the 2020 election in an effort to boost faltering ratings. Because of such claims promoted by on-air Fox personalities, the company is now widely targeted by conservatives who falsely believe it manufactured former President Donald Trump's defeat, the lawsuit said. In December, the Stark County board voted to move ahead with a $1.5 million purchase of new machines manufactured by Dominion Voting Systems. The board says it reviewed and rejected unfounded allegations that the companys machines altered the results of the presidential election. Members of the elections board argued it followed state law in voting to adopt the Dominion machines. The county commissioners all Republicans delayed the purchase, saying more information was needed. That decision followed dozens of complaints from local supporters of Trump, who argued without evidence that Dominion machines helped sway the election, The Repository reported. There was no known widespread fraud in the 2020 election, a fact that a range of election officials across the country and even Trumps attorney general, William Barr have confirmed. The elections board sued in the state Supreme Court last month to force the county to follow state law and buy the machines based on the elections board recommendation. The elections board argued the $1.5 million purchase price is more than competitive and well below the initial estimated cost of $6.4 million. The commissioners argued that any delay was on the elections board, saying it has declined to provide information requested by the commissioners. Among the information requested by commissioners was a list of the top three options, including vendor and equipment type, that the elections board considered, along with a summary the pros and cons for each one. In its lawsuit, Dominion argues that Fox News, which amplified inaccurate assertions that Dominion altered votes, sold a false story of election fraud in order to serve its own commercial purposes, severely injuring Dominion in the process. New York-based Fox News says it stands by its journalism and will defend itself against the claims. Justice Sharon Kennedy dissented in Monday's ruling, arguing that state law doesn't require the commissioners to buy the machines selected by the elections board. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed key legislation Monday to implement a $9 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The general appropriations bill Stitt signed outlines state funding for various agencies. Stitt and Republican legislative leaders announced an agreement two weeks ago on an $8.3 billion spending plan. Still, Stitt spokeswoman Carly Atchison says the final budget bills approved by the Legislature authorize a total of $9.06 billion in spending for the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Among the key provisions of this year's budget agreement is an increase in funding for public schools of $171.6 million, or 6%, from last year's funding levels, and a diversion of more than $800 million into a state savings account. The Legislature also fully funded an expansion of the state's Medicaid program approved by voters last year. The budget agreement includes cuts to the corporate and top individual income tax rates and restoration of the refundability of the earned income tax credit, which is designed to help low-income Oklahomans. The budget deal reflects a much-improved relationship between Republican leaders and Stitt, who vetoed the Legislatures budget last year and forced a veto override by members of his own party. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A man was shot and killed at a 24-hour medical marijuana dispensary on Oklahoma City's south side, police said Monday. Jobe Bicksler, 39, was shot early Sunday morning by a security guard at the Stability Cannabis Shop on south Meridian Ave, police said. Bicksler was initially refused service, left the shop and then returned a short time later, police said. After reentering the store, police say Bicksler pulled out a knife when a security guard tried to stop him. The security guard then shot Bicksler, who was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead. No arrests have been made, and police say the shooting remains under investigation. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Minnesota's coronavirus vaccination rate has accelerated after several weeks of sluggish inoculation numbers. The state pace remained above 40,000 shots a day on Sunday, a level not previously seen for more than two weeks. Data shows a big increase in first vaccine doses which now average nearly 18,000 a day, up from about 10,000 a day a week ago. Some of the increase can likely be attributed to 12- to 15-year-olds who are now eligible for the vaccine. Minnesota was averaging 60,000 shots a day at one point last month before the numbers began dropping, Minnesota Public Radio News reported. Officials continue to encourage Minnesotans to keep their guard up during proms, graduations and other spring events, noting that more coronavirus variants are driving new cases across the state. The states largest number of confirmed cases is among people in their 20s, more than 110,000 since the pandemic began. The number of infected high school-age people has also grown, with more than 49,000 15-to-19-year-olds known to be infected during the pandemic. Experts say young people are less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease, but worry they can spread it unknowingly to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations. The latest numbers show about 63% of Minnesotans 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose and 56% have been fully vaccinated. What is particularly shocking is that while Chinas military dominance over Tibet and economic dominance over Pakistan , which are part of Chinas territorial expansion strategies , are clearly evident, Sri Lankan government seems to learn nothing from Chinas actions in Tibet and Pakistan. by N.S.Venkataraman China is now celebrating the 70th anniversary of Chinas atrocities in Tibet , when China forcibly entered Tibet, massacred thousands of protesting Tibetan people and forced the respected the Dalai Lama to leave Tibet along with his followers and flee to India as refugees. Over the last seventy years, China has tightened its control over Tibet with ruthless administration and by keeping the Tibet region behind the iron curtain. The worlds conscience remains unconcerned about the plight of Tibet , as the countries are more concerned about the trade and economic benefits that they get from China and not about human rights violation and aggression of China in Tibet. Control over Pakistan : While China conquered Tibet by force, it is now adopting an alternate strategy to gain control over Pakistan and China appears to have already succeeded in bringing Pakistan under its control to a very large extent. Under the guise of ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scheme , which is a collection of infrastructure projects that are under construction throughout Pakistan since 2013 , and by deploying technology and providing loan,China has gained nearly total control over Pakistan now, making it impossible for Pakistan to relieve itself out of Chinas control in the foreseeable future. As part of the CPEC scheme, China is involved in implementing several projects and schemes in Pakistan and have extended huge loan to Pakistan ,which Pakistan will never be able to pay back, China has now gained total control over the critical Gwadar Port in Pakistan, which is situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea in the city of Gwadar, located in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. The port is located 533 km from Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, and is approximately 120 km from the Iranian border. This is a very critical and strategic project for China and China will never give up its control over Gwadar port at any time. While murmurs of protest by people are heard in Pakistan against Chinas increasing influence, if such protests were to become massive in the coming years, China will not hesitate to use force to get complete military control over Pakistan in the name of defending its economic interest, in the same way that it has done in Tibet. Control over Sri Lanka : What is particularly shocking is that while Chinas military dominance over Tibet and economic dominance over Pakistan , which are part of Chinas territorial expansion strategies , are clearly evident, Sri Lankan government seems to learn nothing from Chinas actions in Tibet and Pakistan. The Sri Lanka Parliament has passed the Port City Economic Commission Bill, which officially declares 269 hectares of land reclaimed from the ocean and annexed to the city of Colombo as the country's first special economic zone (SEZ) for services-oriented industries. The CHEC Port city Colombo company, a unit of China communications Construction company, invested $14 billion for reclamation of land and construction of infrastructure adjacent to the port of Colombo.. In return , the Chinese company obtained the right to use 62 hectares (153 acres) of marketable land on a 99 year lease from the Sri Lankan government, according to the projects website. Sri Lanka has already lost the Hambentota port by virtually handing over the port to the Chinese company. Though there is a clause that China will not use Hambentota port for military purposes, Sri Lankan government can do nothing if China would do so. With land area of Sri Lanka not being very large and with the above two critical projects now going under Chinas control, there is no doubt that the Sri Lankan government has allowed China to have a strong foothold to a significant extent. With a few more projects in Sri Lanka now being executed by China, the question remains as to whether the Chinese dragon will give up its control over Sri Lanka at any time in future. Knowing the ground reality that China has definite expansionist greed and it is a highly self centred and dictatorial government, Sri Lanka should have been extremely cautious in its dealings with China. For whatever reasons, the present government in Sri Lanka has failed to exercise the much needed caution in dealing with China. Sri Lanka already has taken a huge loan from China and it is not in a position to repay the loan in the foreseeable future. In such circumstances, Sri Lanka has unwittingly driven itself to a scenario , where it is at the mercy of China. How the future will view the present rulers in Pakistan and Sri Lanka ? While many discerning observers all over the world clearly understand the expansionist motives of Chinese government, it is surprising that the rulers in Pakistan and Sri Lanka do not see the writing on the wall. The future historians will view the control that China has gained over Pakistan and Sri Lanka as due to the historical mistakes of the rulers of these two countries. While the world will view Tibet with sympathy as a victim of aggression, it will view the rulers of Pakistan and Sri Lanka as responsible for reducing the country to the level of willing tools in the hands of China. EASTON, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania state police trooper shot and killed a man after responding to a domestic dispute over the weekend, authorities said. Police were called Sunday afternoon to a home in Williams Township, near Easton, by a distraught, screaming woman, according to Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Monday marked the last day for people to comment on plans by U.S. wildlife managers to relocate a pair of wolves and their pups to one of Ted Turners properties in New Mexico as part of a decades-long effort to return the endangered predators to the American Southwest. Environmental groups have been being pushing for the release. They used a recent meeting of the New Mexico Game Commission to make public their support and urged followers via emails and social media to join the campaign and send letters to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before the deadline. But ranchers have concerns given the wolf pair's previous conflicts with livestock. Some have sent their own letters to the federal agency, voicing frustrations that they did not learn about the plan until recently and that ranchers and residents who will be affected were not adequately notified. The New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association said it contacted a few dozen of its members in the area and not one had received notice from federal officials about the plan. The group contends that the two adult wolves were removed from other ranching areas due to multiple instances of cattle and horse deaths. Translocating wolves with this kill history is a threat to New Mexico livestock and is disingenuous to producers and other citizens, the group wrote in a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Translocating wolves with this history to private lands will only increase the animosity between producers and the Fish and Wildlife Service over its management of the Mexican gray wolf program. The proposal for letting the wolves go on the Ladder Ranch comes as federal managers try to boost genetic diversity among the wild population in New Mexico and Arizona. Ranchers argue that theres nothing to keep the wolves from wandering to other parts of the Gila National Forest. They noted the previous conflicts happened about 15 miles (24.14 kilometers) from where the wolves would be released. Officials with the Ladder Ranch welcome the plan, saying the offer to have wolves roaming the property was made years ago. Mike Phillips, director of the Turner Endangered Species Fund, has said the pair and their pups deserve a shot at trying to make a go of it in the wild. The Fish and Wildlife Service did not immediately say how long it would take for the agency to review the comments. Plans called for releasing the wolves next month. Under the proposal, the wolves and their pups would be moved from their temporary home at a wildlife refuge in central New Mexico to the Ladder Ranch, where they would be kept in a remote chain-link pen for a couple of weeks so they can acclimate to the area. Officials expected the wolves to establish a home range near the translocation site. North Americas rarest subspecies of gray wolf, the Mexican gray wolf was listed as endangered in 1976 after being pushed to the brink of extinction. Since the first wolves were released in the 1990s as part of the reintroduction program, the population has seen its numbers grow, with the latest annual census finding about 186 Mexican wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. The latest quarterly report from wildlife managers shows eight wolves have died since the beginning of the year. One died after being captured so its GPS collar could be replaced, another was hit by a car and the other deaths remain under investigation. The report also shows more than three dozen livestock were killed by wolves between January and March, and federal officials logged more than 130 efforts during the period to keep the wolves away from cattle and other livestock. BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) A man accused of holding another man in a dog cage against his will at a West Virginia home has been arrested, police said. On Saturday evening, a witness told Beckley police that the unidentified male victim appeared to be badly beaten, according to a statement released Monday by Lt. David S. Allard. Court documents say the witness also saw three men threaten to kill the victim if he didnt give them a large amount of money, WVNS-TV reported. Much of the video that the witness provided to police wasnt able to be seen, the station said, but three people could be heard taunting the victim. Beckley police obtained a warrant after corroborating the witness report and searched the home Saturday night alongside a team from the Raleigh County Sheriffs Office, according to Allard. The victim found inside was suffering from multiple lacerations, contusions, and a significant injury to an upper extremity, the statement said. He was transported to a hospital for treatment. Investigators found a large dog kennel when they searched the home, according to WVNS. Allard said Joshua Lafferty was arrested at the scene. He was charged with kidnapping, malicious wounding and conspiracy to commit a felony. The 32-year-old is being held in the Southern Regional Jail without bond. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney who could comment. The incident is believed to be drug related, according to police, and additional charges are expected as investigators work to identify the other people involved. LAUREL, Del. (AP) A Laurel man fired shots at a bar after he was escorted out, Delaware State Police said. Troopers were called to the RnR Grill N Bar on Sussex Highway in Laurel on Friday night for a report of a person shooting a gun and found Aaron Givens, 38, near a shed behind the business. PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (AP) A West Virginia man who stabbed a neighbor and then charged at a responding officer with a weapon has been fatally shot, police said. Officers were called to Oakwood Village apartments Sunday and found a 60-year-old woman outside her apartment with multiple stab wounds," Parkersburg Police Chief Joe Martin said. The suspect, Rufus James Ramsey III, 34, was found outside his apartment still armed with what Martin described as basically a meat cleaver." ATHENS, Ga. (AP) State law officers are investigating after police shot and killed a man in an Athens park. Athens-Clarke County police responded to multiple 911 calls late Sunday morning about a man with a gun at Walker Park, The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The officers were told that a man had carjacked someone at gunpoint in the park, the GBI said. When officers found the stolen vehicle, 38-year-old Juan Joseph Daniele Castellano got out of the vehicle with a gun and began yelling at the officers, authorities said. The officers ordered Castellano to surrender, but he refused and was shot, the GBI said. No officers were hurt. Police say Castellano is suspected of threatening several people at the park, including children, with a gun before the officers confronted him. LOS ANGELES (AP) Two U.S. Postal Service employees pleaded guilty Monday to charges they purchased postal money orders with thousands of dollars in California unemployment benefits obtained through false claims of pandemic-related job losses, prosecutors said. Christian Jeremyah James, 31, and Armand Caleb Legardy, 32, each pleaded guilty in separate hearings to one count of use of unauthorized access devices, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement. PHOENIX (AP) Lawyers are seeking a federal civil rights investigation of the policies that let Arizona corrections workers forcibly shave off the beard of a prisoner who is Sikh and told the employees that his religion forbids shaving. Attorneys representing Surjit Singh alleged his religious freedoms were infringed on Aug. 25, 2020 when prison employees restrained him and cut off his beard before taking his photo as he was entering the states prison system. A complaint filed Monday with the U.S. Justice Departments civil rights division said Singhs faith requires him to wear a beard and that uncut hair is historically a central feature of the Sikh identity. His lawyers said Singh suffered shame and depression as a result of having his beard cut off for the first time in his life. The complaint said Singh became distraught and asked a medical staff member to cut my throat, but dont cut my beard! Corrections officers eventually handcuffed and surrounded Mr. Singh, who began to cry and moved his head to avoid having his beard cut and shaved, Singhs lawyers wrote. Singh alleged prison staff tried to shave him again on Oct. 6 when he was transferred to the Douglas prison, because his beard had grown beyond the one inch thats allowed under prison policy. Prison employees relented after a lawyer intervened on the prisoners behalf. His lawyers said prison officials had attributed the encounter to a miscommunication between corrections staff members and a chaplain. Singh, a native of India who has limited English proficiency, also accused the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry of denying him access to a Punjabi interpreter, saying he struggled to communicate with prison staff during the forced shaving encounter and that the only language assistance he received at that time came from a staff member who spoke Hindi. In a statement, the corrections department said it has since resolved the issues raised by Singh and expressed regret in apology letters sent to the Sikh Coalition in New York. The agency said Singhs experience arose from an honest but unfortunate miscommunication between people working at the prison facility. There was no ill will, merely a miscommunication, for which the department apologized in writing, twice, the agency said, adding Singh can now grow his beard and wear a turban. The Justice Department didnt immediately return a message seeking comment on the complaint. Singh, who worked as a commercial truck driver, was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of reckless manslaughter in a vehicle wreck that killed a person on December 2017 in Yuma County. Prosecutors said Singh drove a commercial tractor-trailer rig through a stop sign and claimed his brakes didnt work, but prosecutors said there was no evidence of a brake failure. Singhs lawyers said shaving his beard put pressure on him to abandon his religious beliefs and alongside the policy barring beards of more than one inch without religious exceptions, runs afoul of the law. They said Justice Department officials should take action to ensure that Arizonas prison system adopts easy-to-follow religious exceptions within its facial hair policies and that documents are translated for prisoners with limited English proficiency. BOSTON (AP) Investigators were preparing to seek an arrest warrant for a defrocked Roman Catholic priest long considered a suspect in the 1972 killing of a western Massachusetts altar boy shortly before his death last week, a prosecutor said Monday. Incriminating admissions Richard Lavigne made in a series of recent interviews while in a medical facility further implicated the longtime suspect in 13-year-old Danny Croteau's death, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni told reporters. Gulluni said his office was prepared to prosecute Lavigne for Croteau's killing, but he died Friday at the age of 80 before he could be arrested. Lavigne indicated in interviews this year with investigator that he had brought Croteau to the riverbank, physically assaulted him, left him there and returned sometime later to see the boy floating in the river, Gulluni said. I just remember being heartbroken when I saw his body going down the river knowing I was responsible for giving him a good shove," Lavigne said in one snippet of the interviews played for reporters. On Friday, before learning about Lavigne's death, Gulluni had authorized investigators to present the evidence to a magistrate judge in order to obtain an arrest warrant for Lavigne, the prosecutor said. Based on the accumulation of evidence, and in particular those admissions, as a prosecutor I believe that I was fulfilling my ethical duties by moving toward the charge of murder against Richard Lavigne ... and I believe we could prove it," Gulluni said. Lavigne, who always insisted he was innocent, never admitted in those interviews to killing the boy, Gulluni said. Joe Croteau, Danny's brother, said his family is disappointed that Lavigne will not be brought to justice, but believe there's a higher power and he will face that higher power now. Lavigne, the Croteau family's parish priest was the only named suspect in the killing of the boy found dead in Chicopee, miles from the family's Springfield home. But a lack of evidence left the case unsolved for decades. Lavigne had a close relationship with the Croteau's family and often hosted the boy for overnight visits. Days after Croteau's body was found, Lavigne asked authorities: If a stone was used and thrown in the river, would the blood still be on it?" One of Croteau's other brothers told authorities a man called shortly after the boy's death and apologized for what happened to Danny, saying it was an accident and that the boy had seen "something he shouldn't have. The caller would not identify himself and hung up, but Croteau's brother said he recognized the voice as Lavigne's. Speculation over Lavigne's involvement intensified after sex abuse allegations against the priest emerged years after Croteau's death. The priest pleaded guilty in 1992 to molesting young male parishioners. He was sentenced to 10 years' probation and seven months of mandatory sex-offender counseling. He was defrocked in 2003. Croteau was last seen alive on April 14, 1972. His bludgeoned body was found the next day on the banks of the Chicopee River miles from the family's home in Springfield. An autopsy concluded the boy had been killed with a rock. Croteaus family had said they believed the priest abused their son and killed the boy to stop him from reporting it. Bishop William Byrne of the Springfield diocese said in an emailed statement that Gullunis announcement brings sad closure to a tragic event that has hung over the community for decades. It is incredibly disheartening to learn that a priest, a person ordained to care for Gods people, would have committed such an evil crime and then not taken responsibility for his actions, he said. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that the district attorney's last name is spelled Gulluni, not Gullini. COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) Workers are in the process of moving a Confederate monument in northeast Mississippi. Crews spent part of the weekend taking down the monument outside the Lowndes County Courthouse, news outlets reported. It includes statues of three soldiers, and has been there since 1912. Lowndes County supervisors voted last summer to move the Confederate soldier statue away from the courthouse after protesters said it glorified slavery. The vote happened as protests against racial injustice were happening across the U.S. after the killing of a Black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody. Weve looked around the nation and people are wanting to remove symbols of hatred and discrimination. And so its not different here. For a number of people, it just didnt represent the same value system, Lowndes County Supervisor Leroy Brooks recently told WCBI-TV. The monument will be put up near the graves of unidentified Confederate soldiers in Friendship Cemetery in Columbus. Officials have said the work, start to finish, could take weeks. In November, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History approved the plan to move the 32-foot (9.75-meter) monument. Excavation started in April near the graves of unidentified Confederate soldiers the cemetery, the Commercial Dispatch reported. Workers at the cemetery site built a concrete slab for the monument. The Southern Poverty Law Center says about 780 Confederate monuments and statues stand on public property in the United States, and at least 50 are in Mississippi. Many of the monuments were put up in the early 20th Century, as groups such as United Daughters of the Confederacy pushed a Lost Cause narrative that minimized slavery as a central cause of the Civil War. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff2a19d88)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29d5040)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff2a19d88)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29d5040)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff29d8af8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29d5040)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29d5040)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff20c6ce0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbff2a783d0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbff2a783d0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 WAHOO, Neb. (AP) A county board in eastern Nebraska has approved plans by Omaha Public Power District to build the states first solar power plant. The Saunders County Board voted unanimously last week to approve a conditional use permit for the solar farm, despite some local opposition to the project and a vote by the countys local planning commission against it, the Omaha World-Herald reported. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A South Carolina woman was convicted of shooting into her African American and Mexican neighbors homes while shouting racial epithets, prompting the sheriff on the case to say the state needs a hate crimes law. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told The State newspaper that such a law would have let the judge enhance the 20-year sentence given to Mandy Fortson after a jury on Friday found her guilty of attempted murder and other charges. Prosecutors said Fortson went into her backyard in 2017 and shot at two of her neighbors homes an apartment with an African American family and a house with a Mexican family while children were inside both dwellings. Authorities said Fortson, who is white, yelled racial epithets about African Americans and Mexicans while firing a nearly foot-long revolver. An African American man was struck by the bullets in the wrist and the hip, 5th Judicial Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson said. No one was physically injured in the other home, though the family's children remain traumatized, Gipson added. During her trial, Fortson, a former county paramedic, denied shooting into the homes. Prosecutors said they never identified a motive for the crime despite the amount of evidence against Fortson. Gipson told the newspaper that if a hate crimes law existed, he would have prosecuted Fortson under it. This shows the need for a hate crime law, Lott said. South Carolina is one of only three states without such a law. Legislators are considering a bill that would allow prosecutors to ask a jury to recommend extra punishment for a violent crime motivated by the victim's race, religion, sex, gender, national origin, sexual orientation or physical or mental disability. The measure passed the state House this year and is now on the Senate floor. Senators didn't take up the bill before adjourning earlier this month. BAGHDAD (AP) A single rocket struck close to a military base hosting U.S. troops in western Iraq on Monday without causing any injuries, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said. The rocket struck near Ain al-Asad air base, a sprawling complex in Anbar province, at 1:35 p.m., Col. Wayne Marotto said on Twitter. He said damages were being assessed and an investigation was launched. An Iraqi security official said the rocket struck close to a village outside the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Rocket and missile attacks against U.S. installations have been frequent since a Washington-directed strike against top Iranian general Qassim Soleimani outside Baghdad airport last year. That operation also killed powerful Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The attacks have continued since U.S. President Joe Biden assumed office this year. No one claimed responsibility for Monday's attack, but U.S. officials have previously blamed Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups for assaults against the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and other military bases hosting American forces. Recent attacks have been more sophisticated with the use of drones. Earlier this month, a drone targeted Ain al-Asad base causing minor damage. The killing of Soleimani on Iraqi soil sparked the anger of mostly Shiite lawmakers who passed a non-binding resolution calling for the ousting of U.S. forces from the country. The future of the U.S. 's military presence in Iraq has been the focus of strategic talks between Baghdad and Washington, with Shiite militia groups insisting on a timeline for withdrawal. ATLANTA (AP) A Georgia man wanted in the slaying of his ex-girlfriend was found dead following a high-speed chase Sunday night, according to authorities. John Bussey, 42, crashed into another car at an intersection in south Atlanta, then killed himself before authorities could apprehend him, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told news outlets. CAIRO (AP) A Sudanese court sentenced to death on Monday a paramilitary officer charged with killing a demonstrator during a deadly breakup of a protest camp in the capital, Khartoum, two years ago. The court ruled that the officer, Youssef Mohieldin al-Fiky, a major with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, rammed a protester with his car as security forces were dispersing a sit-in outside the military headquarters in June 2019. The protester, Hanafy Abdel-Shakour, was one of over 120 people killed during the brutal crackdown on demonstrators in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan that June. It followed two months after the military ousted then-President Omar al-Bashir amid a public uprising against his nearly three-decade autocratic rule. Al-Fiky rammed his car into 22-year-old Abdel-Shakour, in Omdurman, a city adjacent to Khartoum, according to the state-run SUNA news agency. The report said the trial had started more than a year later, in July 2020, in Khartoums Judicial and Legal Science Institute. Judges held 26 hearings before their ruling on Monday. The verdict can be appealed before a higher court. According to videos distributed on social media, dozens of people outside the courthouse cheered the court ruling. Abdel-Shakours family were also seen hugging each other and praying. Since al-Bashir's ouster, Sudan has since been on a fragile path to democracy and is ruled by a joint military-civilian government. Monday's ruling was the first of its kind. The 2019 breakup of the sit-in camp was a turning point in what had until then been relations between the military and the protesters. Protesters had called for an international probe into the breakup, but an African Union-brokered agreement in August 2019 between the generals and the protesters said a local commission would investigate. The panel, however, repeatedly missed its deadlines for reporting, angering the victims families and protest groups. Protesters accused the paramilitary force of leading the crackdown. The force grew out of the notorious janjaweed militias implicated in the Darfur conflict, and is now part of the military. A military-backed prosecutor said in 2019 that eight officers, including a major general, were charged with crimes against humanity in the crackdown. But there has been no word since of any being tried or detained. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court says the U.S. territory of Guam can pursue a $160 million lawsuit against the federal government over the cost of cleaning up a landfill on the island. The justices on Monday unanimously overturned a lower court decision that had said Guam had waited too long to pursue the claim. The case before the justices involves a long-running dispute over the Ordot Dump on Guam. The lawsuit says the Navy built the dump during the 1940s and then deposited toxic military waste there before turning over control to Guam in 1950. Guam operated the dump for decades. The U.S. has said Guam vastly expanded it and failed to provide even rudimentary environmental safeguards. In 2002, the government sued Guam over pollution from the dump. Guam ultimately agreed in 2004 to close the dump and take steps to stop pollution from the dump, among other things. In 2017, Guam sued the United States, arguing that it's responsible for some of the costs of the cleanup, which Guam estimates to be more than $160 million. A trial court had allowed the lawsuit to go forward, but an appeals court had dismissed it. In an email, Guam's attorney Gregory Garre said: We are thrilled with the Courts decision in favor of Guam today, which paves the way for the United States to pay its fair share for the cleanup of the Ordot Dump. The case is Territory of Guam v. United States, 20-382. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) A teenager charged with first-degree murder and other counts in the fatal shooting of another man in downtown Sioux City has pleaded not guilty. Dwight Evans, 17, pleaded not guilty Monday to the murder count, as well as going armed with intent and two drug counts, the Sioux City Journal reported. Prosecutors have said Evans shot and killed 22-year-old Martez Harrison, of Sioux City, on May 1 following a fight between Harrison and Evans friend, 20-year-old Lawrence Canady. Theranos Inc. founder Elizabeth Holmes appetite for fame and fortune can be presented to jurors as a motive for her alleged fraud, a judge ruled. At her criminal trial set to start in late August, prosecutors have said they want to describe Holmes travel on private jets, stays in luxury hotels and her reliance on multiple assistants, one of whom took care of home decorating, clothes, jewelry and grocery shopping. The government wants to showcase the former chief executive officers status as well as her association with celebrities, dignitaries and other wealthy and powerful people as evidence that she had a financial incentive to commit fraud. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, who is winnowing the evidence and testimony jurors will consider, agreed with some limitations. The judge said in a ruling late Saturday hell allow prosecutors to demonstrate that Holmes enjoyed a lifestyle comparable to other technology CEOs. This includes salary, travel, celebrity, and other perks and benefits commensurate with the position, Davila wrote. Each time Holmes made an extravagant purchase, it is reasonable to infer that she knew her fraudulent activity allowed her to pay for those items. But Davila tempered his ruling by prohibiting prosecutors from referring to specific purchases, brands of clothing, hotels and other personal items because, he said, the information risks biasing jurors. The judge said hes aiming to eliminate improper appeals to class prejudice. One legal expert said the ruling seems fair. People should not be punished merely for being wealthy, just as they should not be punished merely for being poor, but if someone profited from a crime, then the fruits of their crime is fair game to show their guilt and motive, said Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. Attorney who teaches at the University of Michigan law school. Holmes criminal trial in San Jose, California, has been repeatedly delayed because of the pandemic and, more recently, her pregnancy. Arguments that were presented to the judge earlier this month, and Davilas rulings on them Saturday, reveal both sides strategies and make the trial tangible. Holmes, 37, reigned briefly as the worlds youngest female self-made billionaire before her blood-testing startup once valued at $9 billion unraveled. Holmes lawyers argued that prosecutors want to use her wealth and spending to inflame the jury and the subject should be off-limits. Her lifestyle was commensurate with many other CEOs, and doesnt speak to whether she committed fraud to obtain or maintain it, theyve argued in court filings. The real value of the evidence to the government is to paint a misleading picture of Ms. Holmes as a woman who prioritized fashion, a luxurious lifestyle, and fame, and to invite a referendum on startup and corporate culture, they said in the filing. The government disagreed. Theranoss stock both literal and figurative soared as a result of Holmess fraud, prosecutors said in a court filing. The evidence at trial will show that these benefits were meaningful to the defendant, who closely monitored daily news to cultivate her image. Holmes lawyers, Kevin Downey and Lance Wade, didnt immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the ruling. 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29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff29e6058)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29cd330)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff29e6058)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29cd330)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff29addb0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29cd330)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff29cd330)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff20c7680)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbff28c0f00)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbff28c0f00)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistan's top health official said Monday the COVID-19 variant that devastated neighboring India, causing record infections and deaths, has not yet been found in Pakistan. Faisal Sultan said Pakistan was still in the middle of a third wave of infections that began earlier this year, flooding hospitals with COVID patients. But he said he hoped the tide of new cases would subside in the coming weeks. I don't foresee an India-like situation in Pakistan," he told The Associated Press. Pakistan recently offered medical aid to India to help handle the COVID-19 crisis there, but the Foreign Ministry says New Delhi did not respond. Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations and they have fought two of their wars over Kashmir since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. Sultan said Pakistan avoided a similar scenario to India because thousands of beds were added to hospitals and the production of oxygen was increased as part of a contingency plan. However, Sultan said that we are not out of the woods yet" and people should get vaccinated if they want to return to a normal life. His comments came hours after Pakistan reported one of the lowest single-day death tolls from COVID-19 in recent months, with 57 fatalities Pakistan has repeatedly expressed grief over the COVID-19 situation in India, where authorities reported 4,454 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing Indias total fatalities from the virus to 303,720 out of 27 million cases. Pakistan has registered about 903,600 cases and 20,308 confirmed deaths since the pandemic began in early 2020. Sultan said Pakistan would try to vaccinate a third of the country's population by the end of this year. Pakistan is offering free vaccinations to all, there is no discrimination between rich and poor," Sultan said. The government offers Pakistanis the Chinese-made Sinovac, Sinopharm and CanSino vaccines as well as AstraZeneca doses. Sultan said the Pakistani government has so far vaccinated more than 5 million people, compared to only 35,000 who were vaccinated with doses imported commercially. He said Pakistan after months of wait received its first supply of COVID-19 vaccines through the U.N.-backed COVAX initiative, over 1.2 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, earlier this month. However, he said Pakistan is relying on vaccines purchased from China and enough funds were available for such purchases. TIPTON, Iowa (AP) The murder trial for a man charged in the stabbing death last year of another man in rural Iowa has been moved from Cedar County to Dubuque County. The change in venue ordered Friday came after an estimated 1 in 4 people in Cedar County had formed an opinion on whether Milton Serrano Jr., 21, was guilty of killing 19-year-old Chantz Stevens, of Wilton, the Quad City Times reported. WASHINGTON - In 2007, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called his colleagues Ted Stevens and Daniel Inouye to a specially secured room in the Capitol where highly classified information was discussed. Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, and Inouye, a Democrat from Hawaii, controlled funding for supersecret Pentagon operations. Reid wanted to put an idea on their radar, one that needed to be kept hush-hush not just for national security but because it was, as Reid's aides told him, kind of crazy. He wanted the Pentagon to investigate UFOs. "Everyone told me this would cause me nothing but trouble," said Reid, a Democrat who represented Nevada, home of the military's top-secret Area 51 test site, a central attraction of sorts for UFO hunters. "But I wasn't afraid of it. And I guess time has proven me right." That's because official Washington is swirling with chatter - among top senators, Pentagon insiders and former CIA directors - about UFOs. What was once a ticket to the political loony bin has leaped off Hollywood screens and out of science-fiction novels and into the national conversation. There are even new government acronyms. Washington Post photo by Bill O'Leary. "This used to be a career-ending kind of thing," said John Podesta, who generally kept his interest in UFOs to himself when he was President Bill Clinton's chief of staff. "You didn't want to get caught talking about it, because you'd be accused of walking out of an 'X-Files' episode." But now there isn't just talk. Last summer, the Defense Department issued a news release with the following headline: "Establishment of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force." The mission of the UAPTF, an acronym mouthful, "is to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security," according to the Pentagon. A few months later, as part of President Donald Trump's spending and pandemic relief package, the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., included a provision calling for the director of national intelligence to help produce an unclassified report on everything government agencies know about UFOs, including scores of unusual sightings reported by military pilots. That report is due next month. In the meantime, ex-government officials have been saying remarkable things. Late last year, former CIA director John Brennan, appearing on a podcast hosted by George Mason University economics professor Tyler Cowen, said it was "a bit presumptuous and arrogant for us to believe that there's no other form of life anywhere in the entire universe." Last month, former CIA director James Woolsey said in an interview with the Black Vault, a website that collects paranormal sightings, that he was not "as skeptical as I was a few years ago, to put it mildly, but something is going on that is surprising to a series of intelligent aircraft, experienced pilots." The former CIA directors were referring to Air Force and Navy pilot videos that have surfaced in recent years showing unexplained objects on radar traveling at unusual speeds and performing aerial maneuvers that defy logic when compared with what even the most advanced military planes are known to be capable of. "Look at that thing!" a pilot screams in one video as his radar homes in on a strange flying object. "It's rotating," another pilot says. "My gosh," the other pilot says. The authenticity of the videos have been confirmed by Pentagon officials. Some of them were recently featured on "60 Minutes." "I've seen some of those videos from Navy pilots," Brennan said, "and I must tell you that they are quite eyebrow-raising when you look at them." He added, "I think some of the phenomena we're going to be seeing continues to be unexplained and might, in fact, be some type of phenomenon that is the result of something that we don't yet understand and that could involve some type of activity that some might say constitutes a different form of life." This is not the first time UFOs have appeared on Washington's radar - literally or figuratively. In 1952, there were reports that "flying saucers" were seen on radar flying around the nation's capital, prompting front-page headlines across the country. "SAUCERS SWARM OVER CAPITAL," a breathless headline in the Cedar Rapids Gazette declared. The Washington Post was a bit more sedate on its front page: " 'Saucer' Outran Jet, Pilot Says; Air Force Puts Lid on Inquiry." Television owners reported that their TVs were acting wacky. Air Force fighter jets were scrambled. They found nothing. Senior military officials blamed the weather. In 1966, future president Gerald Ford, a congressman from Michigan, demanded a congressional investigation after his constituents reported seeing UFOs back home. He did not get one. A few years later, future president Jimmy Carter reported seeing a UFO shortly before giving a speech at a Lions Club supper in Leary, Ga. "There was a bright light in the sky," Carter told GQ magazine in 2005. "We all saw it. And then the light, it got closer and closer to us. And then it stopped, I don't know how far away, but it stopped beyond the pine trees. And all of a sudden it changed color to blue, and then it changed to red, then back to white." Washington's more modern, post-"X-Files" interest seems to have started with Reid's meeting in the Capitol. His own interest in UFOs dates to the mid-1990s, when a TV reporter in Las Vegas invited him to a UFO conference among academics and the UFO-curious. "I found it really interesting and compelling," said Reid, who has yet to see a UFO for himself. A decade or so later, Reid was contacted by Robert Bigelow, a wealthy acquaintance in the motel industry whose father died in a plane crash and whose family reportedly blamed UFOs. Bigelow, a UFO enthusiast, owned a ranch in Utah, where there had been a number of paranormal events. Cattle vanished. UFOs were spotted. Strange magnetic fields appeared. A Defense Intelligence Agency official wanted to visit, so he called Reid. His interest persuaded the majority leader that it was time to get serious about UFOs. It only took about 10 minutes to convince his colleagues, Stevens and Inouye, to support about $22 million for the Pentagon to start a program to investigate. Stevens was a particularly easy sell, Reid recalled, because as an Air Force pilot during World War II he had seen weird stuff, including an object that did not appear to be a plane and that mimicked his movements in the air. Reid is retired but still talking about UFOs to anyone who asks. The man at the center of Washington chatter on the matter these days is Luis Elizondo, a former military intelligence officer who, according to Reid, ran the Defense Department unit that emerged from the secret meeting held in the Capitol building. Elizondo recently appeared on "60 Minutes," saying, "I'm not telling you that, that it doesn't sound wacky. What I'm telling you, it's real. The question is, what is it? What are its intentions? What are its capabilities?" In an interview with The Washington Post, Elizondo explained why the issue in Washington had turned from farce to serious inquiry. "We are now relying on military and intelligence-collection capabilities to collect the data and then try to interpret the data," he said. "This is not a conversation about how Grandma saw some lights in the backyard and then people wind up scratching their heads wondering what it was." The country cannot wait any longer to take the matter seriously, he said. "We're seeing these things on a daily basis," he said. "The longer we keep a lid on it, the more problematic it becomes. It actually works against our interests to keep a cork on this." But the willingness to publicly discuss UFOs is, for some Washington officials, still complicated. Warner, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, declined an interview request. "We won't have a comment on this," his spokeswoman said. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar warned Monday of possible civil war in the country, saying people are arming themselves against the military junta and protesters have started shifting from defensive to offensive actions, using homemade weapons and training from some ethnic armed groups. Chrisrine Schraner Burgener told a virtual U.N. news conference that people are starting self-defense actions because they are frustrated and fear attacks by the military, which carried out a coup on Feb. 1 against the democratically elected government, and is using a huge scale of violence. A civil war could happen, she said, and thats why for the past three weeks from her base now in Thailand she has discussed with many key parties the idea of starting an inclusive dialogue that would include ethnic armed groups, political parties, civil society, strike committees and the army, known as the Tatmadaw, as well as a small group of witnesses from the international community. Clearly it will not be easy to convince especially both sides to come to a table, but I offer my good offices ... to avoid more bloodshed and civil war which would last a long time, Schraner Burgener said. We are worried about the situation and clearly we want that people on the ground ... decide how they want to see the country going back to normal. Calling the situation in Myanmar very bad, she pointed to more than 800 people killed, over 5,300 arrested, and more than 1,800 arrest warrants issued by the military. The U.N. envoy also cited reports of unconfirmed deaths, injuries, and damage to houses and civilian property in the town of Mindat in western Chin state, where the junta declared martial law because of armed resistance to military rule. She also pointed to new reports of increased violence in Kayah state also known as Karenni state in eastern Myanmar and in southern Shan state. Myanmar for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions. As the generals loosened their grip, culminating in Aung San Suu Kyis rise to leadership in 2015 elections, the international community responded by lifting most sanctions and pouring investment into the country. The coup took place following November elections, which Suu Kyis party won overwhelmingly and the military contests as fraudulent. Suu Kyi appeared in court in person for the first time since the coup on Monday on a variety of charges, amid threats by the military to disband her National League for Democracy party which won 82% of the vote in Novembers election. Her lawyer, Min Min Soe, said Suu Kyi wanted to tell Myanmars people that the party was founded for them, and the NLD will exist as long as the people exist. Schraner Burgener called the militarys attempt to ban the NLD unacceptable and said, I also hope the NLD will survive because this is the will of the people. The U.N. envoy had an hour-long meeting with the juntas military commander, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of a meeting last month of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, which includes Myanmar. ASEAN issued a five-point action plan that calls for stopping violence, constructive dialogue, appointment of an ASEAN special envoy as mediator, humanitarian aid and the mediators visit to Myanmar. But Schraner Burgener said a day later general Hlaing said he would consider the five points when the situation in Myanmar is stable. And on Sunday he reportedly said in an interview with Chinese television that he doesnt see those five points can be implemented. So clearly its up to ASEAN how to react, she said. Clearly, we should be aware that time is ticking and we have not a lot of time to see action on the ground, because time will just play in the hands of the military junta. Schraner Burgener said the Tatmadaw declared on Sunday that it had changed the rules for the retirement age of the commander-in-chief which means Hlaing could stay for life in this position. After her meeting with general Hlaing, which they agreed to keep private, the U.N. envoy asked to go to Myanmar to continue the discussion, but she said he replied still its not the right time. She said she isnt giving up her efforts because she believes people would probably be encouraged by her presence. She still has an office in the capital, Naypyitaw, and said she receives daily reports from many people in the country. Schraner Burgener has been holding talks with regional leaders and individuals and groups in Myanmar. She said she is flying to Japan on Tuesday to meet the foreign minister. She said she is also ready to talk to Chinese officials. Schraner Burgener stressed that the U.N. is trying to stop the violence, which started with the military coup. Clearly its sad to see that people have to use arms, she said. Local citizens have formed a so-called Peoples Defense Force with the National Unity Government, which must try and bring them under a single command structure, Schraner Burgener said, and protesters are shifting to offensive actions. Every day, she added, explosions happen anywhere, which is scaring the people. Schraner Burgener said ethnic armed groups told her in meetings that they support the people and now have a common enemy, but she said its difficult to see how their mainly home-made weapons can go up against a very strong army who have a lot of lethal weapons. JERUSALEM (AP) After weeks of unrest and a devastating 11-day war in Gaza, the U.S. and the international community plan to engage with the Palestinians to revive peace efforts. But when U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits on Tuesday, he will meet with Palestinian leaders who were sidelined by the protests and outmaneuvered by the militant Hamas group and who seem to be more despised by Palestinians than at any time in their long reign. The Palestinian Authority is no closer to statehood than it was when Mahmoud Abbas, now 85, was elected president in 2005 after the death of Yasser Arafat, and the Palestinians are far more deeply divided. Abbas called off the first elections in 15 years last month, when it looked like his splintering Fatah party would suffer an embarrassing defeat. However, the PA maintains close security ties with Israel and is deeply invested in the idea of a two-state solution. Internationally, that's seen as the only way to resolve the conflict, even though there have been no substantive peace talks in more than a decade. The Islamic militant group Hamas won a landslide victory in the last elections in 2006 and was poised to do well again. But it does not recognize Israel's right to exist and is blacklisted as a terrorist organization. The protests in Jerusalem and elsewhere are mostly leaderless. The option is either to engage with Hamas or an incredibly unrepresentative and defunct governing somewhat of a governing authority that holds absolutely no legitimacy," said Tahani Mustafa, an analyst at the Crisis Group, an international think tank. Israel and the U.S. appear to be taking the second route, with officials in both countries saying they hope to strengthen the PA at the expense of Hamas, something that has been tried and failed repeatedly since Hamas seized power in Gaza from Abbas' forces in 2007. Many Palestinians have come to see the PA as part of an entrenched and increasingly unbearable system of Israeli domination that extends far beyond the occupied West Bank, where the PA administers major population centers under overarching Israeli control. Their anger boiled over last month with protests and clashes in Jerusalem that eventually spread across the region, drawing in Palestinian citizens of Israel and triggering the Gaza war. It was on vivid display at Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the combustible holy site at the heart of the recent unrest, when thousands of Palestinian worshippers chanted Dogs of the authority, get out! in response to a sermon from a PA-appointed mufti. That was in sharp contrast to raucous rallies held at Al-Aqsa and elsewhere in support of Hamas and Mohammed Deif, the shadowy commander of the group's armed wing. Unlike the PA, which released sternly-worded statements against Israel's policing of Al-Aqsa and attempts by Jewish settlers to evict dozens of families from a nearby neighborhood, Deif issued an ultimatum. When time ran out, Hamas fired long-range rockets that disrupted an Israeli parade celebrating its claims to the city. That triggered a devastating Gaza war that killed more than 250 people, the vast majority of them Palestinians, and caused widespread destruction in the impoverished territory. But it also allowed Hamas to portray itself as a wily defender of Jerusalem, to which both sides in the Middle East conflict have deeply emotional ties, and to say it had struck a blow against the far more powerful Israel. Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, says that even there support for Hamas has risen amid widespread disappointment with the PA. At the end of the day, its Israel that destroyed these buildings," he said. We suffer because of Israeli occupation, we suffer because of Israeli oppression... The Palestinians are not going to blame Hamas. Hanan Ashrawi, a former senior Palestinian official and veteran of the peace process who broke with the Palestinian leadership last year, partly blames Israel for the downfall of the PA, saying it sabotaged attempts at a two-state solution, including by expanding settlements. The more this happened, the more (Palestinian leaders) were seen as helpless before Israeli violations," she said. "Israel proceeded with full impunity to make life more and more miserable for Palestinians. Israel says it made various proposals over the years for a Palestinian state in most of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem territories it seized in the 1967 war that were rejected. The Palestinians, negotiating from a position of weakness, said the offers did not go far enough. Khalil Shikaki, a respected pollster who has been surveying Palestinian public opinion for more than two decades, said Hamas' popularity normally rises during periods of confrontation only to return to normal when things settle down. But he says the PA's crisis of legitimacy is real. This last war between Israel and Hamas has shown that the emperor is truly naked," he said. Hamas was able to argue that it defended Jerusalem when no one else neither Abbas, nor Arab countries, nor the international community was willing to do anything, Shikaki said. This narrative is absolutely fantastic in terms of its effectiveness, and Hamas got away with it because Abbas has zero credibility among Palestinians," he said. That won't keep Abbas from welcoming Blinken to the presidential palace in Ramallah this week as the leader of the Palestinians, even though he administers less than 40% of the West Bank and his presidential mandate expired more than a decade ago. His forces have no presence in Gaza, and with the elections cancelled, are unlikely to return anytime soon. For that reason, it's widely expected that any rebuilding money will go through the U.N. and Qatar. They were already funneling aid to Gaza and carrying out humanitarian projects there as part of informal cease-fires between Israel and Hamas the only meaningful Israeli-Palestinian agreements reached in recent memory. ___ Follow Joseph Krauss on Twitter at www.twitter.com/josephkrauss. WASHINGTON (AP) The White House and the Kremlin are working to arrange a summit next month between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Switzerland, according to officials. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is meeting with his Russian counterpart in Geneva, the proposed host city, this week to finalize details, according to one U.S. official familiar with the preliminary planning but not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly. Geneva is now expected to be the choice for Biden's first face-to-face meeting with Putin as president, according to a second official. The Americans and Russians are eyeing June 15-16 for the summit. An official announcement was expected in the coming days. The summit would come at the end of Bidens first foreign trip as president, a weeklong swing through Europe that includes a stop in the United Kingdom for a Group of Seven summit of leaders of the worlds richest nations, and then a visit to the Brussels headquarters of NATO, the long-standing military alliance built as a bulwark to Russian aggression. A spokesperson for the National Security Council declined to comment on the summit logistics. But, in a statement, the NSC said this week's meeting between Sullivan and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, was an important step in the preparation for a planned U.S.-Russia summit and deemed the discussions constructive despite outstanding differences. The Biden administration first called for the summit last month after Russia engaged in a series of confrontational actions: temporarily amassing troops on the Ukrainian border, the SolarWinds hacking, reports of bounties placed on U.S. troops in Afghanistan and the poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russia is also believed to be sheltering the hackers behind a May cyberattack that shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which delivers 45% of the gasoline supply to the U.S. East Coast. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the administration wants a predictable, stable relationship with Russia. Blinken met last week in Iceland with Russias longtime Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The two diplomats described their 1-hour-and-45-minute meeting as polite and constructive, even though sharp disagreements persist. Russia proposed a new strategic dialogue, and the United States seemed receptive. There is a lot of rubble, its not easy to rake it up, but I felt that Antony Blinken and his team were determined to do this. It will not be a matter for us, Lavrov said, according to the news agency Tass. Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who often aimed to cozy up to Putin. Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trumps refusal to side with U.S. intelligences agencies over Putins denials of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Under Biden, the United States has sought to pressure Russia through economic sanctions. It imposed penalties last week on Russian companies and ships for their work on a natural gas pipeline in Europe, though the Biden administration spared the German company overseeing the project, to the frustration of several Republican and Democratic lawmakers. In April, the administration expelled 10 Russian diplomats and placed sanctions on several dozen companies and people, an attempt to punish the Kremlin for interfering in last years presidential election and the SolarWinds hacking that breached federal agencies and private companies. The hacking of widely used software from Texas-based SolarWinds Inc. exposed several troubling vulnerabilities for the U.S. government and major companies. At least nine federal agencies and dozens of companies were the target of an extensive cyberespionage effort that was discovered in December. I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so I chose to be proportionate, Biden said when announcing the sanctions on April 15 at the White House. The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. But Biden added that it is his duty as U.S. president to respond with further actions if Russia continues to interfere with our democracy. Russia responded quickly to the sanctions by ordering 10 U.S. diplomats to leave, blacklisting eight current and former U.S. officials and tightening requirements for U.S. Embassy operations with bans on the hiring of Russian citizens and third-country nationals. Adding another wrinkle to the expected talks: the diversion of a Ryanair flight to Lithuania by Belarus that led to the arrest of an opposition journalist who was a passenger on the flight. President Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus authoritarian leader, is an ally of Putin's. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that Sullivan brought up concerns about Belarus' actions in his talks with Patrushev. Geneva, a rich, if midsize, city on the banks of Lake Geneva, offers bucolic vistas of the Mont Blanc peak the highest in Western Europe and a reputation as both a hub for international institutions and an icon of Switzerlands much ballyhooed neutrality. Geneva became a leading crossroads of diplomacy in the postwar years of Cold War intrigue, an intersection where the Soviet-dominated Eastern bloc met the American-styled capitalist West. The city last hosted American and Russian leaders in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan met Mikhail Gorbachev -- a summit considered short on substance but critical in breaking the ice between East and West and fostering what would become mostly friendly relations between the two men through their tenures. A Biden-Putin meeting there could revive the reputation of the city as a hub for international diplomacy, a far cry from the Trump administration -- which largely shunned its globalist institutions like the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization. Bidens administration has reengaged with both of those organizations. ___ Keaton reported from Geneva. Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Wichita mother was convicted Monday of first-degree felony murder after her 2-year-old son ingested methadone in a Wichita motel room in 2019. A Sedgwick County jury deliberated about two hours before convicting Kimberly Compass, 25, in the May 31, 2019, death of Zayden JayNesahkluah. She will be sentenced Aug. 12. Zayden was found dead after spending the night with his mother, sister and one of his mothers friends at the Sunset Motel. Prosecutors alleged Compass mishandled three bottles of methadone that had been prescribed to help her kick a heroin habit. It was not clear how Zayden got ahold of the drug. During the trial, witnesses testified the boys DNA was found on the mouth of one of Compasss prescription bottles. The contents of a fruit punch juice bottle and a Coke can found in the motel room also tested positive for methadone, The Wichita Eagle reported. Prosecutors say a box where the drugs were supposed to be kept had a broken lock but Compass brought it into the motel room where her children could reach it. They also suggested during the trial that Compass had dosed Zayden with the methadone because he was hard to handle. During closing arguments, prosecutor Kelsey Floyd said Compass was reckless with the drugs, KSN reported. It was her methadone that she was responsible (for) that was in his system at the time he died, Floyd said. "She is responsible. She killed him because of her recklessness, and Im asking you to hold her accountable for that. Compass' defense attorney, Steve Mank, argued that she didn't know how her son ingested the drug, and that she should not have faced a felony murder charge for the boy's death. A witness also testified during the trial that someone else had confessed to poisoning the child. There are too many questions, too many unanswered questions, too much speculation, and too many what if, is it possible?," Mank said. "The state needs to prove each and every element required by law under a reasonable doubt, and they can not do that in this case. After the verdict was announced, Zaydena father, Caleb Bear JayNesahkluah, said he was glad that the trial was over but Im not really relieved. Id just rather have my baby, he said. The Kansas Department of of Children and Families acknowledged in September 2019 that it had received repeated reports about the treatment of Zayden and and older sibling before he was found dead. LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) A priest in Wisconsin who has been ignoring COVID-19 gathering restrictions at his masses and criticized Democrats for their stance on the virus vaccines says the leader of the Diocese of La Crosse has asked him to resign. The Rev. James Altman announced the request from Bishop William Callahan during his sermon Sunday at St. James the Less Catholic Church in La Crosse. The sermon was recorded and posted to YouTube. As the bishop has stated to me: I am ineffective. So for the record dear family, Bishop Callahan has asked me to resign as pastor as of this past Friday, two days ago, because I am divisive and ineffective, Altman said. Audible no sounds from the crowd can be heard during the video, the La Crosse Tribune reported. Altman came under fire last fall for calling Democrats godless and warning they would go to hell if they dont repent. Later, he called COVID-19 protocols Nazi-esque controls." Let us be clear, God damns every single one of those godless moves, whether it be in civil government or worse, in the complicity of many in the church," Altman said during a Palm Sunday mass. "In fact, if hell itself has many levels, the lowest, hottest levels are the final burning place for those shepherds who were complicit in the godless restrictions. Altman said his lawyer is challenging the bishop's request to resign. The priest told the congregation Sunday that Callahan could appoint a parish administrator while he remains a pastor without duties until the appeal goes through Rome, which could take up to a year or more. A spokesperson for the diocese did not immediately respond to the newspaper's request for comment. The diocese has chosen to handle the matter internally, stating earlier it was working with Altman privately. WASHINGTON (AP) Ecologist Rolf Peterson remembers driving remote stretches of road in Michigans Upper Peninsula and seeing areas strewn with deer carcasses. But that changed after gray wolves arrived in the region from Canada and Minnesota. When wolves moved in during the 1990s and 2000s, the deer-vehicle collisions went way down, said the Michigan Tech researcher. Recently, another team of scientists has gathered data about road collisions and wolf movements in Wisconsin to quantify how the arrival wolves there affected the frequency of deer-auto collisions. They found it created what scientists call a landscape of fear." In a pretty short period of time, once wolves colonize a county, deer vehicle collisions go down about 24%, said Dominic Parker, a natural resources economist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and co-author of their new study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Both thinning of the deer population by wolves and behavior changes in fearful deer are factors in the drop-off, Parker said. When you have a major predator around, it impacts how the prey behave, he said. Wolves use linear features of a landscape as travel corridors, like roads, pipelines and stream beds. Deer learn this and can adapt by staying away. Gray wolves, among the first species protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1973, were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. But in other regions of the U.S., gray wolves have dispersed naturally; the population in the lower 48 states now totals about 5,500. The new study said that the presence of wolves, maligned by ranchers whose livestock suffers predation, also can save money by indirectly reducing deer-vehicle collisions. In 2008, a study for the U.S. Department of Transportation estimated those crashes cost more than $8 billion annually. Most economic studies of wolves have been negative, focusing on livestock losses, said Dave Mech, a senior research scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey in Minnesota, who was not involved in the new study and praised it. "But wolves also reshape ecosystems in many ways, although thats hard to measure economically. Some studies have looked at tourism revenue generated by wolf-watchers in Yellowstone, but that money doesnt flow directly to communities living alongside wolves, said Jennifer Raynor, a natural resources economist at Wesleyan University and a co-author of the new study. We wanted to look at other ways the wolves impacted the region," Raynor said. These auto collisions are happening, or not happening, in rural areas, and so are livestock damages. Michigan Tech's Peterson, who was not involved in the research, said, If anything, the researchers underestimated the value of the deer-vehicle crashes. The deeper dimension of these collision costs can include large medical bills and, sometimes, human fatalities. A 2016 study found that cougars decreased the number of deer-vehicle crashes in parts of the eastern U.S. by about 22%. The wolf study adds to growing awareness that scientists should consider both the costs and the benefits of having large carnivores on the landscape, said Adrian Treves, a University of Wisconsin conservation biologist not involved in the study. ___ Follow Christina Larson on Twitter: @larsonchristina ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. PHOENIX (AP) A woman has been found fatally shot at an apartment complex in Phoenix and police said Monday that it is a homicide case. They said officers were called around 11 p.m. Sunday about a shooting. Joshua Reynolds, new director of the citizen police review board, appears during a press conference Monday inside the County-City Building in South Bend. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Idaho education officials said Monday the states primary challenge in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is helping students make up lost ground. The State Department of Education identified that as a top priority in its draft plan for spending $440 million Idaho is receiving in federal rescue money for more than 300,000 students in grades K-12. The U.S. Department of Education requires the plan to receive money from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund that's part of the American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in March. The foremost challenge for students and schools across Idaho is continuing to identify and employ effective strategies for assisting students who lost instructional time, the draft plan said. State officials face a tight timeline. They're taking comments on the plan through June 1, then will send it to the Idaho State Board of Education for approval. The plan must be submitted to the U.S. Education Department by June 7. Mike Keckler, a spokesman for the board, noted its eight members had a role in coming up with the draft plan. One of them, Linda Clark, coined the term unfinished learning in describing what the pandemic has caused among Idaho students. Addressing unfinished learning is a top priority of the board, Keckler said. State officials said last falls early reading assessment showed a 5% drop from the previous year in K-3 students reading at grade level. Students from low-incoming families fell further behind than their peers. Similar patterns were seen among many, but not all, traditionally underserved groups, highlighting the need for targeted support, the draft plan said. Officials said they are waiting on results from this spring's early reading assessment to see whether the gap narrowed. Other metrics, officials said, will also be used to identify priorities. Some school districts halted in-person instruction as coronavirus infections and deaths rose in the state in spring 2020, and some used a hybrid model. The 2020-2021 school year began with similar precautions, but districts have been aiming to return to normal now that there's a vaccine against COVID-19. State officials in the draft plan also said there will be an effort to develop strategies to analyze intervention priorities outside of the academic context, such as student social/emotional health and economic need, which may have changed based on the ongoing COVID-19 disruptions. State officials said K-12 enrollment dropped by several thousand students from the previous school year, and some districts saw declines of more than 5%. The plan includes a breakdown of how the money will be spread among some 800 entities that include school districts, charter schools and the Idaho Bureau of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind. Overall, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund is providing about $122 billion to states to support the safe reopening of schools while meeting students' academic, social and emotional needs. In Idaho, the coronavirus has sickened more than 190,000 residents and has killed more than 2,000. But those numbers have slowed as more people have been vaccinated. About 580,000 of Idaho's 1.8 million residents are fully vaccinated. Its the tale of two missing es. UC Berkeley professor and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich tweeted out a rhetorical question Sunday: Can we all agree that Marjorie Taylor Green must be expelled from Congress? Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been a firebrand of controversy, even before she first stepped foot into congressional halls. Most recently, she was found to have repeatedly harassed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and likened mask mandates to the Holocaust. It's to the point where more than 70 of Greenes liberal colleagues in the House of Representatives answered Reich's rhetorical question with a resolution to expel her from Congress. Greene threw a fit on Twitter first trying to correct the record after he misspelled her name. She followed her grievance up with two of her own typos, and claimed that she is unaware of who he is. (For the record, Reich has worked for four presidents before his Berkeley professorship, most famously serving as former President Bill Clinton's Secretary of Labor.) Dont know you, but when I saw Berkley in your bio, I got it, she said, before calling Reich a communist and telling him to put the hammer and sickle in his bio. Being a communists professor, youve never done the real hard work that builds the economy, you just teach ideas that will destroy it, she said. Then, she linked to a 2017 story in Berkeleys student newspaper about Chinese and Chinese American nonprofits and businesses donating to the university as proof that Berkeley is linked back to communism and calling folks like Reich everything wrong in America. Reich only responded, "All you do is promote hate. Hate is destroying our country. (Oh, and Berkeley is spelled with an 'e' after the k.)" You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short. ARISS contact with school in Valdivia, Chile An ARISS educational school contact is planned for Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP with students at Windsor School and Liceo Industrial de Valdivia High School, Valdivia, Chile. The contact is scheduled on Tuesday May 25, 2021 at approximately 18:33:34 UTC, which is 20:33:34 CEST. The link to the ISS will be operated by the amateur radio telebridge station ON4ISS, located in Belgium. Downlink signals will be audible in Europe on 145.800 MHz narrow band FM. School Information: The Center for Scientific Studies of Valdivia, together with Windsor School and Liceo Industrial School, have worked to inspire people in Chile, through the first contact of Chilean students with the International Space Station. Students First Names & Questions: 1. Isaias: Can you see any human building from space? 2. Fernanda: What are the most interesting things you have seen while in orbit? 3. Rodrigo: Has been there any Latin American astronaut at ISS? 4. Letizia: What strikes you about space and what is something that you can currently see? 5. Vicente: What do you like most about being an astronaut? 6. Monica: Do you think it is possible that human beings will be able to overcome their feelings of isolation and loneliness in order to colonize another planet? 7. Alan: What was your reaction the first time you were in space? 8. Leon: Has being in space changed your perception on how people live on Earth? If so, how? 9. Benjamin: What is the longest time an astronaut has been on the ISS? 10. Fernanda: What motivated you to be an astronaut? 11. Letizia: What should someone study to get the opportunity to go to space? 12. Isaias: How does fire move in space? 13. Monica: We saw in the news that you cultivated greens in space, how did the salad taste? ARISS CALENDAR The ARISS Operations Team meets weekly by telephone conference and much more frequently via e-mail and telephone. Activities coordinated by the ARISS operations team will be announced in this public Google Calendar. These are the ARISS school contacts, HamTV activities (other than blank transmission) and SSTV activities. Calendar integration features On this page we show the ARISS contacts calendar in a Google Calendar format. This calendar allows you to share ARISS contacts with other calendars or it allows you to integrate info about ARISS activities into your own calendar. https://www.amsat-on.be/ariss-calendar-with-scheduled-contacts-by-the-ariss-operation-team/ TO CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS Changing the e-mail address for ARISS-Europe News Bulletins takes two steps: 1. Using the old e-mail address, unsubscribe from the subscribers list with the link available at the bottom of each Bulletin. 2. Subscribe with the new e-mail address using the procedure available at https://www.amsat-on.be/ariss-europe-news-bulletin-mailing-list/ About ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation(AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For further information, please see www.ariss.org. Gaston Bertels ON4WF The police have registered a total of 3,980 cases for violating lockdown norms and seized 3,446 vehicles till Saturday, according to a press release from the city police. Chennai: The Greater Chennai Police have deployed 20,000 policemen to enforce a strict lockdown that came into effect early Monday and will continue till May 31. Greater Chennai Police commissioner Shankar Jiwal has made the restrictions strict by dividing the city into 348 sectors. E-registration was made mandatory to travel within the city and 320 checkpoints were set up to restrict travel. Police have erected barricades even in interior stretches and all the flyovers are closed. The police commissioner appealed to the public not to venture out and warned them they will be booked if found unnecessarily loitering around. Police have also said that those motorists who are found violating the lockdown protocols regularly will be arrested and the vehicles will be confiscated and not let off immediately. However those travelling to buy medicines will be allowed through and delivery executives will also be given relaxations at specific times of the day. On Sunday the police made announcements through the public address system warning the public of stringent action if found violating the police measures as cases touched. Tamil Nadu reported 35,483 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday and with 422 deaths its overall toouched 20,468 -- the fourth highest in the country. "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk, Belarus on May 23, 2021," Xinhua news agency quoted European Council President Charles Michel as saying in a communique issued after the incident on Sunday. Brussels, May 24 (IANS) European Union (EU) leaders have condemned the diversion of an Athens-Vilnius Ryanair flight to Minsk and warned possible sanctions against Belarus during the bloc's summit scheduled for Monday. Michel said that EU leaders will discuss this "unprecedented" incident on Monday. "The incident will not remain without consequences," he added. The Irish airline Ryanair said that the flight FR4978 was directed to an airport in Minsk on Sunday as crew on the plane had been alerted to a possible security threat by Belarusian authorities, adding that nothing untoward was found. The flight later took off and landed in the Lithuanian capital at 9.25 p.m. following the the detour. "It is utterly unacceptable to force Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on her Twitter account. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also said on Twitter that the event is "an unprecedented, shocking act", calling for EU action to "step up pressure on Belarus. Enough is enough". Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda described Belarus's actions as "abhorrent", and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that it is a serious interference in civil air traffic in Europe. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has also tweeted on Sunday that "this is a serious and dangerous incident which requires international investigation". --IANS ksk/ Madrid, 24 May 2021 (SPS) -The Spanish Foreign Ministry has again denied the claims and untruths of the Moroccan regime, aimed at damaging the image of the symbols of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), in particular President Brahim Ghali, affirming that the Saharawi president did not arrive in Spain with a falsified passport, as reported by several media. In its most recent reaction, sources from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the Agency "Europe Press" on Friday that the Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali did not arrive in Spain with a false passport, asserting that he traveled with his passport that meets "the ordinary requirements". For his part, the representative of the Polisario Front in Spain, Abdullah Arabi welcomed in a statement to the APS, the denial of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the claims and untruths of the Moroccan regime, Stressing that the clear response of the Spanish Government has prompted the media in this European country to re-disseminate information widely, with a view to correcting the untruths that some media had previously relayed. For Mr. Arabi, "there is a fierce campaign and disinformation that Morocco is conducting in Spain, through which it tries to undermine the Sahrawi cause and its national symbols, including President Ghali, Secretary General of the Polisario Front. Mr. Abdullah Arabi believes that Morocco follows any means in the framework of the propaganda campaign, through which it wants to pressure Spain and Europe, in order to follow the step made by the former U.S. President Donald Trump who announced his alleged sovereignty over the Western Sahara. (SPS) 062/090/T Despite all the pressures from US-imposed sanctions and "economic war" and the economic consequences of Covid-19 pandemic, Tehran's industry has been able to achieve production growth in the past Iranian calendar year ending March 20, Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying on Sunday. Tehran, May 24 (IANS) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the country will continue talks in Vienna over the 2015 nuclear deal until a final agreement is reached. The US' maximum pressure campaign against Iran has proved "ineffective", he noted, lauding what he called the "triumph" of the Iranian nation in the face of the American sanctions. Earlier, Rouhani said the "main agreement" to revive the nuclear deal, commonly known as the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has already been reached in the talks, and Iran's counterparts have agreed on the need to lift "all main sanctions". On May 19, the fourth round of negotiations on the deal ended in Vienna, and the participants agreed to reconvene this week. The US administration under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran. In response to the US' decision, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019. However, incumbent US President Joe Biden has vowed to return to the deal and ease sanctions against Iran. The JCPOA Joint Commission began its meetings on April 6 in Vienna to continue previous discussions in view of a possible return of the US to the agreement and on how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the landmark deal. --IANS ksk/ On May 21, President Bhandari dissolved the House at the recommendation of the Oli government and announced the mid-term elections for November 12 and 19. Kathmandu, May 24 (IANS) Nepals opposition on Monday moved the Supreme Court against Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis decision to dissolve Parliament, holding the mid-term elections and President Bidhya Devi Bhandaris rejection to appoint the opposition leader as the next prime minister. Nepali Congress President and leader of the opposition party, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of the Janata Samajbadi Party Uprendra Yadav, former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and dozens of other leaders and lawmakers had moved the Supreme Court. A writ petition, which was filed on the behalf of Deuba, demanded the restoration of House, appoint him the next Prime Minister by removing Oli who no longer enjoys a parliamentary majority. "Due to the Prime Minister who always thinks he is above the constitution and law, we were forced to move the Supreme Court again and again," said Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa. Oli too had earlier dissolved the house in December last year, but it was reinstated on by the apex court. "We have the support of the majority lawmakers and Supreme Court will look after our grievances," said Thapa. Of the 275 members of the House of Representatives four are suspended and 136 is the magic number needed for a majority. Deuba is backed by 147 lawmakers and all of them signed in the writ petition. All 147 lawmakers from different political parties have verified their signatures at the Supreme Court after the writ petition was filed. Before dissolving the House, President Bhandari had also rejected the claim by Deuba to form the new government saying that both opposition party leader and Oli secured signatures of the majority lawmakers, and hence it was impossible. Oli had claimed that he had the support of 152 lawmakers. The opposition parties called the President's move as "unconstitutional and undemocratic" and had attempted a coup with the support of Prime Minister Oli. Deuba's move was supported by his own party, Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), a section of ruling party led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and a section of the Janata Samajbadi Party. Oli's ruling party, Nepal Communist Party-UML, is a divided house. Out of its 121 lawmakers, 23 lawmakers have signed in favour of making Deuba as Prime Minister. More lawmakers would support Deuba but some of our lawmakers are not well and some are infected by Covid, Birod Khatiwada, a lawmaker said that due to Oli's working style, the ruling party is on the verge of a split. Janata Samajbadi Party is also on the verge of split as 13 out of its 32 lawmakers have decided to support Deuba. A section of the Janata Samajbadi Party is all set to join the Oli government. It was formed last April after the merger of Rastriya Janata Party and Samajbadi Party Nepal. --IANS ag/ksk/ Indian Railways has delivered more than 15,284 Metric Tonnes (MT) of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) in more than 936 tankers to various states across the country. About 234 Oxygen Expresses have completed their journey so far and brought relief to various states. In a statement Ministry of Railways said, "Nine loaded Oxygen Expresses on run with more than 569 MT of LMO in 31 tankers." First Oxygen Express to Assam with 80 MT of LMO in 4 tankers reached Assam today at around 11.30 am. Delivery of LMO by Oxygen Expresses to Karnataka crossed 1,000 MT. "Oxygen Expresses have been delivering more than 800 MT of LMO to the Nation each day now," the Ministry said. It is Indian Railways endeavour to deliver as much LMO as possible in the shortest time possible to the requesting states. Oxygen relief by Oxygen Expresses reached out to 14 states namely Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. According to Ministry, 614 MT of Oxygen has been offloaded in Maharashtra, nearly 3,609 MT in Uttar Pradesh, 566 MT in Madhya Pradesh, 4,300 MT in Delhi, 1,759 MT in Haryana, 98 MT in Rajasthan, 1,063 MT in Karnataka, 320 MT in Uttarakhand, 857 MT in Tamil Nadu, 642 MT in Andhra Pradesh, 153 MT in Punjab, 246 MT in Kerala, 976 MT in Telangana and 80 MT in Assam. Railways has mapped different routes with Oxygen supply locations and keeps itself ready with any emerging need of the states. States provide tankers to the Indian Railways for bringing LMO. Oxygen Expresses started their deliveries 29 days back on April 24 in Maharashtra with a load of 126 MT. Criss crossing the country, Indian Railways is picking up oxygen from places like Hapa, Baroda, Mundra in the West and Rourkela, Durgapur, Tatanagar, Angul in the East and then delivering it to States of Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Assam in complex operational route planning scenarios. In order to ensure that Oxygen relief reaches in the fastest time possible, Railways is creating new standards and unprecedented benchmarks in running of Oxygen Express Freight Trains. "The average speed of these critical Freight trains is way above 55 in most cases over long distances. Running on high priority Green Corridor, with a highest sense of urgency, operational teams of various zones are working round the clock in most challenging circumstances to ensure that Oxygen reaches in fastest possible time frame. Technical stoppages have been reduced to one minute for crew changes over different sections," the Ministry said. Tracks are kept open and high alertness is maintained to ensure that Oxygen Express keeps zipping through. All this is done in a manner that speed of other Freight Operation doesn't get reduced as well. The Ministry explained that running of new Oxygen is a very dynamic exercise and figures keep getting updated all the time. More loaded Oxygen Expresses are expected to start their journeys later in the night. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Bangladesh should give a careful forethought before taking any final decision in respect of China, the past enemy number three and a prankish player then and may be now under a veiled cover! by Anwar A. Khan During Bangladeshs liberation war in 1971, China was our enemy number three, Pakistan stood number one and America brooked as number two. But during our pre-liberation years, pro-Peking (now Beijing) politics had a very strong support base among the student and youth leaders, even among the political leaders in Bangladesh because of the powerful leadership of Mao-Tse-Tung and Chou Enlai for the mass-people. But once we started our liberation war in March, 1971 taking the full-fledged support from human-centered India and former Soviet Union, China stood against us with all its might and sided with Pakistan to crush our life and death bloody battle to establish our own homeland, an independent and sovereign state Bangladesh. Finally, Bangladesh came into being on 16 December, 1971. Thereafter, so many countries recognized the new country Bangladesh across the world. But it is very outrageous that China even didnt care to recognize Bangladesh until the later part of August, 1975. We cognize very well this mischievous foe since our liberation war. Now if we turn back the pages of history, we find that since its foundation in 1949, the Peoples Republic of China has made substantial moves into South Asia. Besides Pakistan, it seems that over the last years Bangladesh in particular came into the focus of Chinese strategic thinkers. There is no doubt that Beijing made far-reaching inroads into Bangladesh by taking advantage of the need for urgent development in all spheres of economic life. With its extraordinarily large cash reserves China created by its extensive trade surplus is best equipped to help out. Subsequently, Beijings approach towards the subcontinent in general and Bangladesh in particular is mostly economic and diplomatic including a strong military component- in nature. But Chinas attitude to most of the South Asian states is opportunistic, and rather aggressive with coercive elements than determined by friendship. The annexation of Tibet, the Indo-China war of 1962 and other armed skirmishes with Chinese involvement in 1967 (Chola incident) and 1987 (Sumdorong Chu Valley), the questionable takeover of Aksai Chin (Kashmir region) can be seen as a proof for that too. Also, Chinas current over-assertiveness towards Japan and South East Asian states as well as its behaviour in the South China Sea should be interpreted as an alarming trend. However, Chinese interests in Bangladesh were only made possible through the departure of British colonial rule and the subsequent transfer of power (1947) to the newly independent states of India and Pakistan, the latter of which was divided into a Western and Eastern Wing (today known as the independent state of Bangladesh). It is often argued that the fact that China has no real contentious issues with Bangladesh helped to bolster bilateral relations. However, such statements ignore the grievous negative role China played in the liberation struggle of the Bangladeshs people in 1971. China strongly supported Pakistan and its policy of internal colonization and exploitation of the-then East Pakistan. Furthermore, Beijing opposed Bangladeshs entry into the United Nations. A major reason was to appease Pakistan (which was facilitating a rapprochement between the US and China at that time) by supporting its efforts to undermine each step towards secession or substantial autonomy of its eastern wing. Having this in mind, one can state that quite from the beginning Bangladesh was an element of a larger strategy of China in South Asia in order to realize its national interests. It is significant to point out, that the proclaimed shift in Chinas policy towards Bangladesh in the following decades, meaning from hostility to friendship, must be seen as a misnomer. It is argued here that Beijing did not change its attitude regarding Bangladesh, at all. Hence, Bangladesh is merely seen as a platform for the realization of Beijings strategic goals in the Indian-Ocean and Pacific region. But what are the Chinese interests in Bangladesh? First, building-up a strategic foothold in South Asia to undermine each non-regional influence, especially Russia and the United states. In this context, it seems obvious that China wants to establish Bangladesh (besides Pakistan) as another bridgehead for Chinese interests in South Asia. Second, countering all interests of India in the South Asian region. Therefore, to avert Indias development into a major Asian power which would be in a position to challenge Chinas claim to be Asias leading might. Second and consequently, the containment and encirclement of India is essential for Beijings strategy towards the region. The fact that China maintains a keen interest in doing business with India is not seen as a contradiction to the above-mentioned goals among Chinese political leadership, but rather as a logical outcome. If China manages to bring Bangladesh within its sphere of influence, it would definitely jeopardize Indias as well as the USs grand South Asian strategy of containing Beijings geostrategic ambitions. Third, another significant element on Chinas agenda, which gained increasing importance parallel to the countrys growing economy and its desperate need for energy and raw materials, is the unhindered access to and exploitation of Bangladeshs natural resources. Fourth, for the same reason, the Chinese developed a keen interest in establishing and controlling overland trade routes (e.g., Pakistans Karakoram highway) as well as by sea (especially the Straits of Malacca and Hormuz). One of the latest examples is the project to establish the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor (BCIM). Another Chinese idea is the re-establishment of a maritime Silk Road", which should not only help to connect South and South East Asia, but also to entrench the cooperation with peninsular South East Asia. Fifth, China also sees an opportunity to have an additional option to extend its relations with the Muslim world, which is already promoted via Pakistan. This was made possible especially due to the increasing trend of so-called Islamisation and attempts to undermine the secular foundation of the state by the past military rulers (Major General Ziaur Rahman 1975-81 and under Lieutenant General Hussain M. Ershad 1982-90) in Bangladesh. Sixth, rebalancing Chinas relations with South East Asian states is also an element of Beijings strategic objectives. After a series of disputes about territory and resources in South East Asia and an increasing tensed relationship with Japan, it seems that Chinese foreign policy thinkers are trying to regain more leverage in the South Eastern sphere of Asia. Apparently, Chinas objection in this direction is to win over as many of the littoral states in South and South East Asia as possible under its umbrella. This is done not only to undermine Chinas claims in the Indian and Pacific Ocean, but also to support its goal to tighten control over maritime routes. Due to its geographical location, Bangladesh could gain an important role in the Chinese attempt to establish and consolidate partnerships, especially in mainland South East Asia. Therefore, one can state that Dhaka has a less known, but eminent role in Beijings regional rebalancing efforts. Seventh, in order to maintain its huge trade surplus China depends heavily on trade of its export goods and resources. Therefore, it is essential for Beijing to enter and ensure Bangladesh as market for its products. Taking all these interests into account, the territory of Bangladesh fits perfectly into the puzzle of Chinese interests of its South Asian policy. However, many observers believe that Dhaka is just seen as one piece in the so called "string of pearls" helping to manifest China's bid for regional primacy in the Southern Asian region. In sum, Beijings agenda towards independent Bangladesh (as well as former East Pakistan), as in all other areas in which China is active, is strictly guided by its strategic interests. This is, of course, not an unknown phenomenon and illegitimate behaviour of states in international politics. However, Dhaka should be aware of the fact that Beijings priorities in South Asia are not necessarily in line with the national interests and an optimal socio-economic and political development of Bangladesh. So, Bangladesh should give a careful forethought before taking any final decision in respect of China, the past enemy number three and a prankish player then and may be now under a veiled cover! -The End The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs The Nuix board has set up an independent sub-committee to address investor concerns about its disastrous initial public offering (IPO) by its largest shareholder, Macquarie Group, and promised it will appoint more independent board members. In a statement to the ASX on Monday morning, Nuix said the initiatives were in response to recent market feedback. It follows a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review last week that revealed questions about the companys governance and financial accounts in the years before it floated. To ensure appropriate oversight and review of recent matters raised by market participants, the board has established an independent board sub-committee comprised of independent directors Jeff Bleich, Sir Iain Lobban and Sue Thomas. The sub-committee will work with external advisers and Nuixs internal legal and risk management functions, the company said. Nuix chairman Jeff Bleich told shareholders he was incredibly sorry during the investor meeting on Tuesday. It declined to specify what matters investors raised with the company, but also said it has appointed an international search firm to recruit more independent board members. Victorias royal commission into the James Packer-backed casino giant heard on Monday that suspected money laundering had been identified in 14 new bank accounts that were not examined in last years damning Bergin inquiry. Credit:Scott McNaughton Perhaps it looked like things couldnt get much worse after last years Bergin inquiry prompted NSW to suspend the licence for its new Sydney casino and triggered a mass exodus of senior executives and directors. Crown Resorts must have abandoned any hopes that Victorias royal commission into its sprawling Melbourne casino will be relatively painless. Having been galvanised by the scorching heat of Commissioner Patricia Bergins 18-month inquiry, surely the new and improved Crown would easily slip through Ray Finkelsteins speedy Victorian probe? Counsel assisting Meg OSullivan answered that definitively on Monday, when she revealed that some of the most damning evidence that prompted Ms Bergin to find Crown unfit to hold a licence in NSW could be just the tip of the iceberg. Loading Ms Bergin spent weeks looking at how Crown enabled money laundering in two Crown bank accounts which patrons used to deposit money (often large bundles of cash, just below the $10,000 limit that would have notified authorities) to gamble at its Melbourne and Perth casinos (or, potentially, have Crown transfer back to their own bank account, ostensibly as clean winnings from a lucky night at blackjack). We learnt on Monday that Crown ordered a review of all its patron bank accounts in February this year - a hasty seven years after its banks first warned they were being used for money laundering, and almost two years since this masthead reported it was happening. The latest slump in the prices of bitcoin and many of its peers has put a serious dent in their credibility as a reliable means of payment, let alone as a store of value or a sound investment. But this is certainly not the end for digital currencies. If anything, the crash in the prices of the purely private coins has strengthened the appeal of other digital models, whether led by central banks or developed through public-private partnerships. Indeed, there is a huge opportunity here for the UK to lead the Western world - and to rival China in this field. Bitcoins latest slump has again raised question marks. Credit:Bloomberg Lets deal first with the bitcoin crash. Bitcoin is the largest of the cryptocurrencies, with crypto referring to the way in which secure technology is used to record ownership and payments anonymously. It is decentralised and was originally intended to be used for peer-to-peer transfers between private individuals or businesses. Wednesday nights super blood moon might be Australias best astronomical event of the year and its happening in prime time. On Wednesday afternoon, a huge full moon will slowly rise into the sky before turning a light copper-red as the Earths shadow crosses its face. Super blood moons represent a rare coming together of supermoon and lunar eclipse and it could be several years before we see one so clearly again. The eerie glow of the super blue blood moon as seen from Kew, in this pic from Melbourne Express reader Joseph. Credit:Joseph Hsu Most good stargazing happens in the early hours, but the super blood moons peak viewing time will be a little after 9pm (Eastern Standard Time), and it will be visible across the city, no telescope needed. Mr Holt said the task-force would operate as a self-contained Australian task-force under Australian command embracing all personnel serving there. Troops board the HMAS Sydney at Garden Island bound for Vietnam on 25 May 1966 Credit:Laurie OShea Canberra. Wednesday - Assurances by the Prime Minister, Mr Holt, on March 8 that the Australian task-force in Vietnam would be self-contained are already under question. First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on May 26, 1966 The questions arise from the Army announcement in Canberra today that Private Errol Wayne Noack, 21, single, of Gilberton, South Australia, had been killed - the first Australian National Serviceman to be killed in action in Vietnam. Saigon messages make it clear that he was killed in a combined U.S.- Australian operation against the Vietcong. Private Noack was member of the Fifth Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, part of the 4,500-man task-force which is replacing the 1st Battalion, R.A.R. HMAS Sydney Departure. May 25, 1966 Credit:Lamont Elements of the Fifth Battalion are known to have arrived in Vietnam although the full force has not yet reached there. A 68-year-old horse breeder has been found guilty of a string of sexual and indecent assaults against young women who stayed on his NSW farm. Gregory Richard Douglas was charged with 15 counts involving six women, five of whom were foreign backpackers with the same number working in a volunteer capacity on his property at Peelwood in the NSW Southern Tablelands between 2014 and 2019. Following a month-long trial and four days of deliberating, on Monday afternoon a NSW District Court jury of five women and seven men found him guilty of 13 out of the 15 counts. Greg Douglas is accused of a string of assaults against six women volunteering on his Peelwood horse stud. Credit:Facebook All 13 of the charges of which Douglas was convicted occurred during massages the farmer convinced or coerced the women to accept within days of their arrival on the farm. Snowy Mountains power station opens Mr Frederick Selmer, of the Selmer Engineering Co. of Norway, arrived in Sydney yesterday to attend the official opening of the Guthega power station. His engineering company has designed and built the first power production scheme of the Snowy Mountains Authority. Mr Selmer said it took 3-1/2 years to complete, employing about 800 men and would cost nearly 7 million. Fire hoax at Sinatra show Three fire engines raced to the Frank Sinatra show when a hoax call was received that the Town Hall was ablaze back stage. The show was transferred to the Town Hall when the West Melbourne Stadium was destroyed by fire early this morning. Comedian Frank DAmore had just finished his act dressed in a firemans cap and belt joking about being prepared when the firemen arrived. Dying art Eligible NSW residents have been urged to come forward for their coronavirus vaccines as a group of four mystery cases in Melbourne showed Australia remains vulnerable to community transmission of COVID-19. People aged 50 and over in NSW are eligible from Monday to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at GPs, Commonwealth respiratory and NSW Health clinics, including the Sydney Olympic Park vaccination hub. The Sydney Olympic Park mass vaccination clinic administered more than 31,000 doses last week. Credit:Dean Sewell Following reports of people in their 50s who were delaying receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in the hope of receiving a different brand, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant urged anyone eligible for their shot to come forward. Those people that are contemplating delaying vaccination need to consider that this risk is present and they cant assume that they will not be exposed to COVID in the coming months, she said on Monday, noting colder winter months presented another challenge. A Catholic priest charged with indecently assaulting 12 boys in a NSW Southern Highlands boarding school in the 1980s allegedly wrote if he could change something about himself it would be this feeling I have towards young boys, a court has heard. Father Anthony William Peter Caruana, 79, allegedly assaulted the boys when he was a dormitory manager, rugby coach and band teacher at Chevalier College, in Burradoo, between 1982 and 1988. Father Anthony Caruana is facing trial for the alleged indecent assault of 12 boys during the 1980s. Credit:Kate Geraghty He has pleaded not guilty to 29 charges, including four counts of homosexual intercourse with a student and several counts of indecent assault of a person aged under 16. In her opening statement at the Sydney Downing Centre on Monday, crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay outlined the allegations and told the jury what they could expect to hear from the 12 complainants over the course of the eight-week trial. The new head of NSWs 2200 public schools says she sends one of her two daughters to a private school because she believes in parents rights to make the best decision for their children. Georgina Harrisson, who was named as the new secretary of the NSW Department of Education on Monday, is a career bureaucrat who has spent 20 years working in government agencies in Australia and the United Kingdom, including the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. New Department of Education secretary Georgina Harrisson, right, with NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell. Credit:Nick Moir This is her first position as the head of a government department. She takes over from former ABC managing director Mark Scott, who will begin as vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney in July. Ms Harrisson said she could not be happier or more proud to take on the role. Ms Harrisson has a daughter in kindergarten at a Sydney public school, but her older daughter attends a high-fee independent school in Sydneys north. Ive made a choice thats really worked for my own child, she said. The response of Victorian forensic scientists to a critique of their methods in assessing so-called baby shaking cases shows that there is some disagreement among those in this field. Perhaps this ought to be the trigger for a much-needed independent inquiry and review of the use of forensic science and evidence in the criminal justice system. The decision of attorneys-general across Australia to abandon such a review, commissioned in 2019, should be reversed immediately. As The Age has revealed, an article by Dr Chris Brook, published in 2019 in the Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, took issue with a 2018 conviction of Joby Rowe, who was jailed for nine years for the homicide of his three-month-old daughter. The case involved the evidence of forensic pathologist Dr Linda Iles and forensic paediatrician Dr Jo Tully. Their evidence was based on a triad of internal head injuries bleeding in the brain, retinal haemorrhage and swelling of the brain as the cause of death. Dr Chris Brook, astrophysicist and critic of shaken baby syndrome. As The Age reported, the diagnosis that triad-only injuries are caused by the violent shaking of a baby is now hotly contested globally. Proponents claim the triad is conclusive of abuse, while detractors say faulty science means such convictions are unsound. Dr Brook is one of those critics . After correspondence,the article was pulled from the Journal website. Whether Drs Tully and Iles on the one hand and Dr Brook on the other are correct, or if both have valid points, is a matter that seems unresolved. But then it is not unusual in science to have disagreements between professionals over such issues as methods and theories. Regional and rural councils will take out loans for their own social housing projects and are selling off public land to make way for property developments in response to soaring house prices and rents in regional Victoria. Policymakers are grappling with ballooning house prices in regional areas, with last weeks state budget papers showing house prices rose 12.9 per cent in the seven months to April across rural communities. Hazel and Alan Boxall, with Joy Mitchell, are residents of the Woomelang retirement units, among social housing projects built by Yarriambiack Shire. Credit:Erin Jonasson The affordability crisis has prompted an unusual response from some councils, which plan to deliver their own housing projects and hope to garner financial support from the state government. Others have earmarked large pieces of land for property developments to increase housing stock. Victorias once-famed events sector may not recover from the pandemic as an end to the JobKeeper wage subsidy pushes its skilled workers out and into other careers, industry representatives and economic analysts say. Events industry equipment supplier Stav Hatzipantelis has had to put off staff since JobKeeper subsidies were cut. Credit:Joe Armao A lack of substantial funding for the events sector in last weeks state budget has intensified concerns that the industry which was worth $12 billion to the Victorian economy before the pandemic may never fully recover. The calls for support emerged as part of a special series by The Age and University of Melbournes The Citizen examining the impact the end of JobKeeper payments has had on the workers who received them. The employment figures released last week indicated the end of the $89 billion JobKeeper subsidies in March had not led to the surge in unemployment anticipated by Treasury. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg hailed the speed of the economic recovery and said the jobs data vindicated the March decision to halt JobKeeper. The prediction from our political opponents that the sky would fall in was a false prediction. Labor went into overdrive on Monday to defend Anthony Albanese against claims of a threat to the party from blue-collar workers it will need on its side at the next federal election. Albanese and his defenders threw everything at critics who want a shift in the federal partys direction after seeing the 7.3 per cent swing against Labor on primary votes in the byelection for the NSW state seat of Upper Hunter on Saturday. The swing after preferences was only 2.7 per cent. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Sydney MP Tanya Plibersek during question time on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The state loss is about much more than the regional towns of the Hunter Valley because the reaction to the result plays into a real divide inside the party over how to take on Scott Morrison. While former Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon launched a media blitz on Monday morning to urge a different approach to defeating the Prime Minister, he is not the only one who fears Labor is losing ground. Franz Josef Land: Chunky green trucks carry Bastion anti-ship missiles that can be prepared for launch in just five minutes. A barracks building, sealed off from the elements like a space station, accommodates 150 or so soldiers. And a new runway can handle fighter jets, two of which recently buzzed the North Pole. Franz Josef Land, a jumble of glacier-covered islands in the Arctic Ocean named after an Austro-Hungarian emperor, was until a few years ago mostly uninhabited, home to polar bears, walruses, sea birds and little else. But thanks to a warming climate, all that is changing and quickly. Nowhere on Earth has climate change been so pronounced as in the polar regions. The warming has led to drastic reductions in sea ice, opening up the Arctic to ships during the summer months and exposing Russia to new security threats. Russian soldiers near a cargo plane at the Trefoil Base on Franz Josef Land, Russias northernmost military outpost. Credit:Emile Ducke/The New York Times As the sea ice melts, Russia is deploying ever more soldiers and equipment to the far north, becoming essentially the first military to act on the strategic implications of climate change for the region in what some have called the beginnings of a very cold war. Brussels: Belarus has effectively become a commercial no-fly zone after the European Union called on the blocs airlines to stop flying over the east European nation and banned its airlines from flying over European airspace. The fake bomb threat that prompted a Lithuania-bound Ryanair flight from Greece to make an emergency landing in Minsk on Sunday has been described by the airlines chief executive Michael OLeary as a state-sponsored hijacking by Belarus. Detained Belarus journalist Raman Pratasevich speaking on a video released by the Belarus government. Credit:AFR The ruse allowed officials to arrest Raman Pratasevich, the 26-year-old activist and journalist who had been placed on a list of terrorists by the KGB, Belarus intelligence service, still known by its Soviet-era initials. Pratasevichs girlfriend was also detained, and the couples whereabouts were unknown for several hours. New York: There had been rumours all day that the yearbook photos had been altered, said Riley OKeefe, a ninth grader at Bartram Trail High School in St Johns County, Florida. When she finally got her copy, OKeefe, 15, opened the page to her photo and laughed in disbelief. A black bar had been added to cover more of her chest, she said. Then OKeefe thumbed through the rest of the yearbook. Dozens of other students all girls had similar edits, many of them clumsy alterations that covered more of their chests. Riley OKeefe said a black bar had been digitally added to her photo for the Bartram Trail High School Yearbook. OKeefe said she had been confused at first, then furious. Other girls approached her and said the alterations made them feel sexualised and exposed. Ashley-Ann Davis in the greenhouse in Butler-Carlton Hall at S&T. As part of the universitys Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience program, Davis studies how hyperspectral images of plants can be used to determine their chemical composition. The goal is to develop a technology that can be used in classrooms as early as high school thats both inexpensive and user-friendly. Dear Reader As a concerned volunteer of Sint Maarten Red Cross and a true humanitarian at heart. I have been a volunteer of Sint Maarten Red Cross for more than 15 years. I have seen the Sint Maarten Red Cross turn over many boards and managers. So, I question many aspects of the managers and boards for points of clarity over the years. Sint Maarten Red Cross is a volunteer-based organization. Hence, volunteers have the right according to the Sint Maarten Red Cross statutes to vote on vital points of the organization. Furthermore, this voting process is done through a process called General Assembly. During the General Assembly, the volunteers can ask questions directly to the board and the manager of Sint Maarten Red Cross. During the last General, Assembly questions arose about the actual cost of repairs of the Senior Home in Belvedere. As the home dwellers made it clear that the repairs were mostly cosmetic such as painting and not focusing on improving their indoor living space. Red Cross as a movement is to provide human life with overall general well-being. According to sources, the project cost between 100000- 120000 USD. An as a volunteer, I deem it necessary to have clarity on these points. How much did the building cost, what repairs were done, was there a public bid, if not why? I demand an external audit of the Sint Maarten Red Cross be done. It is vital to understand what procedures or protocols are being used to have a check and balance, especially, in terms of fund expenditures. Nadia Chirlias president and Reanda Brandy treasurer have never made it clear on the following questions to us the volunteers. I personally feel that Sint Maarten Red Cross is not upholding any form of transparency or accountability to the public or its volunteer. On the other hand, we are not prepared for the hurricane season. We do not even have a number of volunteers trained in First Aid. There is no disaster preparedness or response plan. The Current Branch Manager Hans de Bruyne is leading Sint Maarten Red Cross into the abyss. If there is a hurricane plan, disaster plan, and at least 40 volunteers First Aid. If so, Then the Sint Maarten Red Cross should make it publicly know. The Netherlands Red Cross, I have felt so disappointed in your approach. You have done nothing to support us as volunteers. You cannot deny the fact that you are aware of the failures of Sint Maarten Red Cross, especially, with the board president Nadia Chirilias constantly undermining us the volunteers, and what Sint Maarten Red Cross should be doing for the communities on the island. There are so many funds available to promote, create and sustain social well-being but nothing is being done. The Netherlands Red Cross cannot deny it. Carla Jonkers and Marion van der Reijden what are you waiting for? Are you waiting for Sint Maarten Red Cross to be completely non-functional? We the volunteers are one the most important lifelines of the movement. You know it. Act like to you it. Sint Maarten Red Cross culture is dead. I wonder why I volunteer my hours to an organization that does not value my time. Nadia Chirlias made me a promise that I cannot disclose. Let us just say bribery. You are not fit to sit on that seat. Reanda Brandy, you have failed to ever sit with us or via the manager to remedy our grievances. Both Nadia Chirlias and Reanda Brandy need to step up or leave Sint Maarten Red Cross. You are not functioning. If you have been functioning. Please make it publicly know what decisions have you made to improve Sint Maarten Red Cross or its' activities since your tenure as board members? Not publicly answering these questions is to fail at providing the public and us the volunteers with accountability and transparency. I would like clear answers to the questions with no fallacies by June 30th, 2021. Failing to do so will prove the fact that the board of Sint Maarten Red Cross and The Netherlands Red Cross has no sense of Accountable and Transparency. 1. What are the core social projects and hurricane/disaster plans for us as volunteers to part take in? 2. When will the operational development project start, as this project's focus is to develop the Sint Maarten Red Cross in the area of First Aid, Disaster Preparedness, and Response amongst other essential facets of the Sint Maarten Red Cross? 3. When will Sint Maarten Red Cross carry out an external independent Audit of its financials, programs, procedures, and protocols as only then improvements can be made? 4. When will the board of Sint Maarten accept the request of the volunteers to commence the General Assembly? Concerned Sint Maarten Red Cross Volunteer ~Visit Us Again Saturday, May 29, 2021, at Carrefour Bush Road to Register~ PHILIPSBURG:---Carrefour Markets Sint Maarten and Celebrity Cruises have continued their COVID-19 Vaccination Registration and Appointment Drive along with a special 20% discount offer on Saturday, May 22nd at Carrefour Market on Bush Road. A team of more than 12 volunteers spent the entire day on Saturday speaking with Carrefour customers and answering their questions. The team included local experts on the Dutch side vaccination and registration process as well as medical staff from Celebrity Cruises. The team spoke to more than 425 people on Saturday, May 22nd and due to a last-minute rush, the team stayed until 6:15 PM to answer questions, register residents, and make appointments. Jeffrey "Dr. Soc" Sochrin of Island 92 radio said, "We continue to have lengthy conversations with residents who want to learn more about the benefits of receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. The team continues to provide detailed information to everyone that asks. I am incredibly thankful to all the volunteers that have been working with us to encourage vaccination. A special thank you to Dr. Byron Hidalgo and his medical team from Celebrity Cruises who have been available to answer medical questions from residents. Seventy (70) residents have taken advantage of this special discount program offered by Carrefour Market and Celebrity Cruises. We have two more Saturdays, May 29th and June 5th, when residents can take advantage of registering for the COVID-19 vaccination, getting an appointment and receiving a 20% discount at Carrefour Market after receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Please don't miss this opportunity to get vaccinated and save at Carrefour Market". Bregje Boetekees of the Vaccination Management Team (VMT) added, "The VMT is pleased to see that an increasing number of residents are taking the time to engage and learn more about the importance of being vaccinated against COVID-19. These conversations are seeds planted for future vaccination appointments. It's this hard work that will pay off as we move forward to reach our goal, 'the drive to 85%', vaccinating 85% of our eligible population against COVID-19". The Carrefour Markets Sint Maarten and Celebrity Cruises COVID-19 Vaccination Registration and Appointment Drive continue Saturday, May 29, 2021, from 9 AM - 5 PM at the Carrefour Market Bush Road location. For more information about the Celebrity Cruises/Carrefour Market COVID-19 Registration and Appointment Drive, please contact Dr. Soc of Island 92 radio at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at +1 721 544 3377. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Omar Ottley hereby informs the public that there were no laboratory reports received today. The total number of confirmed cases remains at two thousand three hundred sixty-six (2366). Minister Ottley extends his sincere condolences to the family and friends of Sint Maartens 28th COVID-19 victim, who passed away today. He wishes the family peace and strength during their time of bereavement. The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring eighty-three (83) people in home isolation. Five (5) patients are hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to twenty-eight (28). The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten remains at two thousand two hundred fifty (2250). One hundred nineteen (119) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS. The Minister urges the public to realize that COVID-19 is real and encourages everyone to be cautious and follow all protocols in place. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Committee of Constitutional Affairs and Decolonization (CCAD) will meet on May 25, 2021. The Committee meeting which was adjourned on April 15, 2021, will be reconvened on Tuesday at 10.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. Representatives of Sint Maarten Anti-poverty Platform and Sint Maarten Consumers Coalition will be in attendance. The agenda point is: Discussion on the concerns regarding human rights and inequality in the relationship between St. Maarten and the Netherlands (IS/171/2020-2021 dated November 16, 2020) This meeting was requested by MP R. Brison, MP O.E.C. Ottley, MP S. M. Bijlani and MP G.S. Heyliger-Marten. Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten Secure access control is helping to shape the post-pandemic world With the continued rolling back of COVID restrictions in the UK, there is a palpable sense of relief. A mixture of mass vaccinations, widespread testing, and track and tracing of the infection is helping to enable a healthy bounce back for businesses with secure access control taking an important role in facilitating this. However, rather than just being a reaction to the wake of the pandemic, there is every sign that the economy, and consequently the security sector as well, are both rebuilding and reshaping for the long-term new normal. Prioritising Safety Already deemed an essential service even during the first wave of the pandemic, the security industry has of course taken a vital role in protecting people and property throughout the crisis. Now that venues in the UK are starting to reopen again, our services are key to occupancy management and ensuring that disease transmission is limited as far as possible. Access control is also key in reassuring people that their safety is a priority. Making the upgrade Its all been about choosing the most suitable components and technology that already existed with a few tweaks Businesses and organisations have a duty of care to their employees and the safety of visitors so controlling access, employing lateral flow testing, and deploying suitable Track & Trace mechanisms are all key components. I think those outside our industry are surprised to learn that most of the technology being deployed and used hasnt just magically developed since COVID appeared its all been about choosing the most suitable components and technology that already existed albeit with a few development tweaks or adjustments for the situation at hand. This includes using or installing facial recognition readers rather than using fingerprint or contact tokens, it is swapping to automatic request to exit sensors instead of buttons; it is using powered secure doors rather than having people all grab the same handle. Using mobile credentials is also a key technology choice why not use the highly secure, easy to manage, cost-effective, and of course contact-free benefits of this approach? Touchless solutions We have seen a clear shift in organisations looking to protect their staff and visitors. For instance, we have a big utility customer in Southeast Asia that has just replaced close to 200 sites using fingerprint readers with an additional facial recognition capability. We have also seen a big rise in demand for touchless request to exit sensors and Bluetooth Low Energy Readers for use with smartphone authentication. Working together Integration of security systems is of course nothing new, but in the post-pandemic or endemic age, it has perhaps never been more important. Installations need to be simple, straightforward, and rapid to help maintain safe distancing but also to ensure systems can be deployed as soon as they are needed. The world is changing and developing rapidly and there is simply no place for systems that dont work with others or cause the end-user considerable cost and inconvenience to upgrade. This flexible delivery of security solutions perfectly matches the evolving and increasing demands of the market. Its clear that end-users want systems that work well and can easily integrate with their existing systems not only security but all the other business components which work in unison with each other over a shared network. Great opportunities ahead The recent work-from-home trend is also clearly changing the way organisations and businesses interact with the built environment. Lots of companies are downsizing, offices are being split up, there is lots of revitalisation and reuse of existing office space all of which creates considerable opportunities for security providers. UK inflation more than doubled in April 2021 with unemployment figures dropping and the Pound rising in value There are also, in the UK at least, clear signs that the construction industry is rapidly growing again -with a forecast of 8% rebound and growth this year. UK inflation more than doubled in April 2021 with unemployment figures dropping and the Pound rising in value all positive signs for UK-based security providers. Undoubtedly the highly successful UK vaccination rollout has helped considerably, but there are signs that the Eurozone looks set to improve considerably over the next few months as well. Using integrated access control Undoubtedly the pandemic has made security markets around the world more aware of the benefits of integrated access control in managing the needs of the new normal COVID endemic environment. For example, as a business, we have always had keen interest from the UK healthcare sector, but over the last 12 months, we have seen a big growth in previously modest international markets including Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand all of which are very keen to adopt improved access control solutions. Learning the lessons Nobody would deny the last year or so has been unprecedentedly tough on everyone, as a society we have had to make huge changes and sacrifices. Governments, organisations, and businesses all need to be better prepared in the future, to understand the things that went wrong and those that were successful. However, there is a world beyond the immediate pandemic and its effects. Flexible working practices and the changes these will have to the way we live and work will undoubtedly present great opportunities for the security sector in helping the world evolve. The pandemic has been a wake-up call for many organisations with regards to their duty of care to employees particularly when it comes to mental health and providing a sensible work/life balance. Where we work and the safety of these facilities has received far more scrutiny than before. Flexible security systems Integrated security solutions have a vital role to play in not only protecting the safety of people during the post-lockdown return to work but also in the evolution of the built environment and move towards smart cities - which inevitably will now need to consider greater flexibility in securing home working spaces rather than just traditional places of work. Importantly, powerful access control and integrated security systems need to be flexible to the uncertainties ahead. The COVID pandemic has shown that nothing can be considered certain, except the need for greater flexibility and resilience in the way we operate our professional and personal interactions. Kevin Jacob, of Berrien Center, receives his coronavirus vaccination shot from Judith Montes, a HealthLinc worker, during a COVID-19 vaccine clinic held by HealthLinc and the South Bend Cubs at Four Winds Field on Monday in South Bend. SPEAK OUT The Tribune invites readers to express their views in the Voice of the People column and in Viewpoint. Letters to the Voice of the People are limited to 200 words. Viewpoint columns should be no more than 700 words. Both Viewpoint and Voice of the People submissions are subject to editing. All submissions must include the writer's full name, which will be printed. Letters, including e-mail, which do not include the writer's street address and telephone number will not be considered for publication. This information is kept confidential but is necessary for verification purposes. Letters may be mailed to the Editorial Department, South Bend Tribune, 635 S. Lafayette Blvd., Suite 138, South Bend IN 46601; emailed to vop@sbtinfo.com, faxed to 574-236-1765, or submitted through our online form here. Due to volume, it is not possible to print all submissions. Except in special circumstances, we do not print poetry or thank-you letters. We do not print letters announcing events to come, extensive quotations from other material, open letters or form letters. MISHAWAKA A male victim was shot in the parking lot just outside of the food court entranc China foundation launches community oxygen station program to help Nepal curb COVID-19 Xinhua) 10:02, May 24, 2021 Patients infected with COVID-19 are seen outside the corridor of a hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 11, 2021. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Nepal Office of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) on Sunday launched an Emergency Community Oxygen Station program to help the Himalayan country fight a second wave of COVID-19. In coordination with local governments, CFPA Nepal is planning to support more than 10 communities with medical equipment in the Kathmandu Valley, the Bagmati province and Province 2, the foundation's Nepal Office said in a press release. The foundation has handed over 20 oxygen cylinders, each with a capacity of 40L, 200 personal protective equipment, 100 face shields, 1,000 masks and two sanitation machines for community disinfection to Ward No. 17 of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, while five oxygen cylinders with the same capacity and some medical materials were sent to the city's Ward No. 19. The targeted areas are tourist attractions as well as densely populated wards in the Nepali capital. "This program had been carried out as a prompt response to the second wave of COVID-19 in Nepal," said Zou Zhiqiang, the country director of CFPA Nepal. Zou spoke of front-line doctors failing to save lives due to the lack of oxygen cylinders, biomedical equipment and medicines as the raging coronavirus is sickening more people and leaving more dead. "More than 100,000 low-income people will benefit from our program," Zou said. "Now our program mainly focuses on building oxygen stations for civilians who desperately need oxygen." Receiving CFPA supplies, Nabin Manandhar, Ward No. 17 president, expressed his gratitude to the Chinese people and the CFPA for their prompt support at a crucial time. He also recalled support given by the foundation when a devastating earthquake hit Nepal in 2015 and when coronavirus first ravaged the country last year. "Thanks for CFPA Nepal Office which has always stood with Nepal at challenging times -- from earthquake, flood to this pandemic," he added. In the next phase of its program, the CFPA will launch disinfection for communities, food pack distribution and schoolbag distribution with sanitation items. On Sunday, Nepal registered 7,598 new COVID-19 cases and 193 new deaths, bringing the national tally to 513,241 and the total death toll to 6,346. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) Carla Harris takes medication for diabetes and heart palpitations. Her husband has bronchitis. Like many African Americans, she worries that their pre-existing conditions make them more susceptible to COVID-19. Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute With Father James Altman back in the news for his anti-vaccine rhetoric and largely maskless services at St. James the Less Catholic Church in Sarah Williams is a third-year student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and is part of the Advanced Community Justice Project Clinic. Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. STAMFORD Small flocks of Canada geese roamed around Cummings Park on Friday, gathering near the water or in the grass under the shade of some trees. People walking dogs steered them away from the geese, one of which hissed at a dog as it neared a couple of goslings. Seagulls joined the geese in swarming around a woman and young boy as they ate a meal at a picnic table. Theyve always been here, said Stefan Driehuizen, a Shippan resident walking with his daughter in a stroller. This is their home, too, so were sharing. Its kind of just the way the world works. Driehuizen noted that there were droppings all over the park, saying it does create a bit of a nuisance, especially with the ball fields. I mean, this place is so beautiful, and the geese do take away from it, he said. Kevin Murray, Stamfords parks and facilities manager, said he is hoping to pilot a goose control program at Cummings Park and its beach this summer once the new fiscal year kicks in July 1. Last year, Murray received a quote for about a dozen solar-powered lights designed to drive away geese. The product by a business called Away with Geese works at night, flashing an amber light at a gooses eye level every couple seconds. The light flashes in every direction, covering a radius of about 100 yards. The light is scarcely noticeable to humans but is very disruptive to the sleep of the geese, according to the Away with Geese website. The light causes them to no longer feel secure at night. Because geese prefer to sleep and eat in the same area, they will no longer find this area attractive during the day either, and will leave to find another habitat usually after just a few restless nights. The website states that while the lights annoy the geese enough to relocate, they have no ill effect on them. Murrays quote included not only the lights but also steel cages to protect them. The total cost came to nearly $8,300. Among the towns and cities around Stamford, a few have a couple programs in place for geese, Murray noted. So, the geese are pretty much coming our way. Therefore, it is worth an attempt to try to implement this test pilot at Cummings Park to see if this could deter the geese population in some fashion. Murray may look to install Away with Geese units at other beaches, depending on how the pilot program goes. He had heard that nearby Norwalk was using the same product at Calf Pasture Beach. Ken Hughes, Norwalks interim parks director, said the city has nine units installed at the beach. It also has a contract with Geese Relief, a company whose trained border collies chase away the birds. Murray received a quote from Geese Relief in 2017. It would have cost about $18,000 to deploy the dogs at Cummings Park for a year. The Away with Geese product is more budget friendly, Murray said. In Greenwich, the Conservation Commission contracts the organization GeesePeace to haze geese at some parks using dogs and puts vegetable oil on goose eggs at predetermined properties during their nesting season, according to a page on the towns website. Egg oiling is considered the most humane and effective method of stabilizing the resident goose population, the page states. The president of Friends of Animals, a nonprofit headquartered in Darien, was critical of the plan for Cummings Park. The advocacy group believes that geese-harassment methods are not only unethical, they offer only temporary solutions, Priscilla Feral said in a statement. Whatever the gimmick from garlic sprays to black-powder guns to flashing strobe lights geese usually figure out what humans are doing and ignore the efforts. Or, the harassment just shifts the goose problem to a nearby property. The group would rather see park habitats modified creatively to make them less attractive to geese, according to Ferals statement. As for droppings, she noted that there is equipment available for collecting them. Murray briefly mentioned the goose control program when he presented his departments budget to the Board of Representatives Fiscal Committee earlier this year. Im not sure where theyll go. They might go to Darien. They might go to another beach, Murray told city representatives. With the years that Ive been here, its always been a problem down at Cummings Beach, and also West (Beach), so wed like to institute that program this year. Lake Charles, LA (70615) Today A few passing clouds. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. 5 1 of 5 Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 STAMFORD There will be a Memorial Day parade in the city on Sunday, with the procession beginning at Latham Park at 11:30 a.m. and ending at Veterans Memorial Park. Stamfords Patriotic and Special Events Committee is holding the event along with the Stamford Veterans Park Partnership and the Veterans Council, according to the citys website. Gold Star families will be the grand marshals of the parade. When we follow a yellow school bus and the lights start to flash, we groan. We have to stop, wait for kids to cross the street, hop on the bus, sit down, and then, finally, the driver gets the bus moving again. Five minutes of our time gone. But, in actuality, we are watching heroes in action. Norwalk school bus drivers have been on the job since September, through rain, snow, sleet and quarantines, delivering the kids to school. I just pray every day, said Kimberly Brown, a school bus driver for 32 years. I keep my distance and keep my mask on and do what I can to stay safe. I know God is going to take care of me, said Magene Baptiste, a driver for 25 years. I dont live in fear. Others were not so fortunate. Two local drivers died from COVID during the pandemic, and a number of drivers did not return in September because of their own health issues. Most drivers, however, did return to drive the 6,000 students on more than 200 routes, according to Johanna Zanvettor, transportation coordinator for the Norwalk Public Schools. It has not been easy to make this work during a time of change and COVID. She listed their challenges: A new bus company after 20 years, new propane-powered buses with air brakes instead of hydraulic brakes, new school starting times, all new bus routes, and of course, COVID. Drivers have to take attendance, make sure the kids are wearing their masks properly and sitting far apart, keep windows open for air flow, wipe the bus after each run, and spray the bus when they return to the depot. When school opened in September, she said, they were short 19 drivers, and during the height of the pandemic on average, five drivers were quarantined each day and had to stay home. But the buses kept running, mostly because of the drivers commitment. Benita Hargett, the general manager for Durham School Services, is returning to Norwalk in October after working for another company. Working with the same team of drivers was a plus for me, she said. Without them, this terminal wouldnt be where it is. We are constantly giving them praise for being here. As part of the new contract, Durham promised to bring in drivers to fill in where needed. We had about nine or 10 drivers come from Massachusetts daily, some driving two hours each way, Zanvettor said. We also had four from California. This was Durhams promise to make it work. Since Hargett arrived in October, seven drivers who knew her from other terminals have been hired. And when drivers are out, some routes get doubled up. The key to making the transportation system work is strong relationships. I want the drivers to feel respected at all times. I go out and see how they are doing, talking and waving, and checking in on them every step of the way, Hargett said. We made T-shirts for them, got gift cards at Christmas. We want to show them our appreciation. Some parents do the same. Parents have been thanking the drivers daily, Hargett said. One driver told of a parent who prepared coffee and oatmeal every day to show her appreciation. And the best bus drivers work at building relationships with the kids on their bus. Brown said she gets good behavior by respect and consistency. I treat them like human beings, she said. I always give them a chance, but Im direct about it. I have no tolerance for bullying or arguing. My favorite part is dealing with the kids, said Baptiste. As long as you show them love, they show you love back. When kids get into trouble on his bus, he tells them to stay after everyone gets off and then talks to them about their lives. He tells them to come to him with a problem and not use their hands. Just tell me the truth and let me fight for you, he said. Wear your truth clothes. When you lie, you always have to fix your clothes, but when you wear your truth clothes, you never have to fix them. Hargett is also a big believer in truth-telling when problems erupt with parents. By being transparent with parents, Ive been able to diffuse a lot of things that could have been worse, she said. When parents say the bus is too late or too early, Hargett checks the Zonar GPS system which shows the location of the driver, the path of the bus, and where and when it stopped. I ask drivers to open their doors at every stop even if the kid is not there because it alerts Zonar that they made the stop, she said. She gives the parent the information and that usually fixes the problem. But everyone is tired. The kids are about as sick of COVID as we are, said Brown. Now that its getting warmer out, having that mask on your face is getting to be too much. I have to keep saying, Make sure you keep your masks on and sit far apart so we can all be safe. And Baptiste will wear his mask, keep his distance, and trust in his faith: God already tells me that he puts me under his wing. Roz McCarthy is a former Norwalk school board member and employee of the Norwalk Public Schools. She can be reached at rozmcc2@gmail.com. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) Alabama's largest city will let its COVID-19 face mask requirement expire after Monday in what officials said was a step toward returning to pre-pandemic normalcy. Begun more than a year ago and most recently extended in early April, before the state dropped its mask requirement, the rule will end at a time when fewer patients are hospitalized with the illness caused by the new coronavirus since early April 2020. Noticeably more people have worn masks in the city than in outlying areas, and Mayor Randall Woodfin said the end of the requirement was a sign that vaccinations were making a difference. "I urge everyone to remain vigilant. If you havent received the vaccine, please do so. If you have loved ones or friends who have not been vaccinated, help them make an appointment, he said, according to al.com. The head of the area chamber of commerce, the Birmingham Business Alliance, said member companies were split over whether the requirement should continue. One-third said get rid of it, Ron Kitchens, chief executive of the organization, told WBRC-TV. And one-third said let's keep it a little while and one-third said whatever leadership decides, we support. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University said that over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Alabama has decreased by 50, a decline of 14.6%. But there were still about 228 new cases per 100,000 people in Alabama over the period, which ranks fourth nationally per capita. Jefferson County, where Birmingham is, and heavily populated neighboring Shelby County led the state in case increases, the researchers found. Nearly 37% of the state's residents have received at least one vaccine dose and almost 29% are fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins. City Council President William Parker said anyone who isn't vaccinated needs to continue wearing face masks to prevent another uptick in cases. Were making a lot of progress, but we still have a long way to go, he said. RIGA, Latvia - European leaders on Monday agreed to significantly toughen sanctions on Belarus and to bar European Union airlines from flying over the country's airspace, dealing a potentially crushing blow to the economy, a day after Belarusian authorities forced down a civilian jet and pulled off a dissident journalist. The measures, backed by all 27 E.U. leaders, were an unusually fast and powerful response to the brazen move by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who on Sunday sent a MiG-29 fighter jet to snatch a Ryanair plane out of the sky as it was flying from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, and arrest one of its passengers, Roman Protasevich, the founder of an opposition media outlet. Protasevich faces 12 years or more in prison. E.U. leaders meeting for a prescheduled summit in Brussels asked the bloc's foreign policy team to draw up a list of targeted economic sanctions to impose "without delay" and said the country's national airline would be barred from flying over or landing in E.U. territory. Officials involved in forcing down the plane will also face personal sanctions. The Belarusian power play set a fearsome precedent for journalists and political dissidents, who must now worry about flying through the airspace of repressive regimes, even if they are moving from one free capital to another. The detained journalist surfaced for the first time Monday evening in a video posted on a Belarusian Telegram channel, saying in what appeared to be a coerced statement that he was being treated "as correctly as possible" and that "I continue to cooperate with the investigation and give confessional testimony about the fact of organizing mass riots in the city of Minsk," a crime that can carry a hefty prison sentence. Wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and with a pack of cigarettes and a yellow box of matches on a desk in the otherwise barren room, he said he was in Detention Center No. 1 in Minsk, where many political prisoners are held, although there was no way to independently verify the origin of the 29-second video. Nor was it possible to ascertain his condition, although he appeared to have abrasion injuries and bruises on his face. President Joe Biden in a statement called the diversion of the plane and arrest of Protasevich "a direct affront to international norms." "This outrageous incident and the video Mr. Pratasevich appears to have made under duress are shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press," he said, calling for the release of the dissident and others held by the Lukashenka regime. Biden welcomed the European sanctions and said he asked his own administration to collaborate on "appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible." The Federal Aviation Administration did not issue any new flight restrictions on Monday, but Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN the safety of flight paths over Belarus should be assessed, following the lead of the European Union and Britain, which also announced a ban. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., sent a letter to Biden urging the administration to prohibit U.S. airlines from entering Belarus airspace. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said in an interview with The Washington Post that he and others would seek "harsh economic sanctions," far beyond measures currently in place, in a bid to isolate Lukashenko and starve his regime of funds. "Yesterday I think was the test of the West," Rinkevics said. "But it was also a show of force and confidence to his own people and the opposition: 'Look, I can come and get you anyway.' This is an inter-European flight, from Athens to Vilnius, with a European company performing the flight, with a person who is under European protection because he is an opposition activist. This is a direct attack against Europe." Sanctions could include full-scale bans on doing business with Belarus's biggest companies, state-owned operations that are crucial to keeping Lukashenko afloat. A list will be subject to final approval by E.U. member nations. Lithuanian authorities have taken the lead on investigating the event, interviewing the Ryanair crew to try to understand the sequence of events that forced them to make a steep banking turn within minutes of the Vilnius airport, which is just over the border from Belarus. The Lithuanians are also trying to verify the identity of three passengers who stayed behind in Minsk, along with Protasevich and the woman he was traveling with, both of whom were forced to remain in Belarus. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor general's office, Elena Martinoniene, said 126 people were aboard the plane when it departed from Athens, but 121 people landed in Vilnius. Verifying the identity of the passengers could help Western officials understand whether Belarus pulled off the operation itself, or whether it had help from Russia, a possibility some officials were not ruling out Monday. "This was a major operation. These were skilled professionals, skilled guys on board," a senior European official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the details of the investigation. "It's as though we are in a very bad movie, with a dictator rerouting a plane because someone is critical of his regime," Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel told reporters before the Brussels summit. "If we are not able to react to this, we will never have free movement, with a dictator who makes us land with many people on planes." All explanations for the forced landing of the plane other than to detain Protasevich "are completely implausible," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters on her way into the meeting. Fresh accounts of what happened were still emerging Monday. The pilots had already announced an imminent landing in Vilnius when they suddenly came over the loudspeaker and told everyone to "take their places as quickly as possible," said Gintaras Mikalauskas, a Lithuanian doctor who was returning from a Greek vacation with his wife. Suddenly, the plane made a steep, unusual banking turn, Mikalauskas told The Post - one that sharply turned the two-thirds-full plane nearly 180 degrees. Passengers sitting near Protasevich said he became intensely anxious as he realized that the plane was landing in the Belarusian capital. "It was obvious that he was beginning to panic," Marius Rutkauskas, a passenger who said he was in the row ahead of Protasevich, told Lithuania's LRT broadcaster. "He said, 'The death penalty awaits me in Belarus.' " Not long after, the plane landed in Minsk, with no explanation from the plane's crew, Mikalauskas said. He was in the seventh row, and watched as a uniformed Belarusian official boarded, spoke to the crew and instructed them to tell everyone to get off. What followed was a seven-hour ordeal, as Belarusian security services carefully searched passengers and their baggage repeatedly. Some families were traveling with babies and small children. "We were asking everyone: 'What is going on? What is happening?' Nobody was telling us anything. It was really a terrifying thing," Mikalauskas said. "We felt like hostages." "It's really hard to believe that in the 21st century, in the middle of Europe, some kind of terrified paranoid terrorist can do something with our freedom," he said. Belarusian authorities appear to have engineered a false bomb threat against the airplane. "It was intercepted, there was effectively warning given to the pilots and crew that there was a security risk on board, and then the plane was escorted by military jet to the Minsk airport, which was not the closest airport," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told Ireland's RTE radio Monday. A Belarusian official appeared on state television Monday to read out what he said was a threat that had been received to the safety of the plane, which he said was from "Hamas soldiers" demanding an Israeli cease-fire in Gaza. European officials gave little credibility to the announcement from Artem Sikorsky, the director of the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. After all the searching, the plane continued onward Sunday without Protasevich or Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen reported to be his girlfriend who is studying at the European Humanities University in Vilnius. The university said in a statement Monday that she had also been detained "on groundless and made-up conditions" and called for her release. In a statement posted on the Belarusian Foreign Ministry's website, spokesman Anatoly Glaz said Belarus would "guarantee full transparency" and is open to receiving experts and presenting materials on what happened. There is "no doubt that the actions of our competent authorities were also in full compliance with the established international rules," he said, criticizing the "openly bellicose" statements from European leaders. Lukashenko on Monday doubled down on his crackdown on dissent, banning live-streaming protests and publishing opinion polls that aren't officially sanctioned. Belarus's heavy-handed ruler since 1994, he has waged a campaign of violence and repression for months. In August elections, he arrested most of his opponents and then, according to Western observers, falsified results to produce a crushing victory against the lone remaining candidate. Protasevich became an enemy for helping to organize protests against the widely doubted win. Protasevich's Nexta and Nexta Live channels on Telegram, a popular social media and messaging app, became a main source for news during the demonstrations as Belarusian authorities often moved to shutter Internet and mobile service. Telegram continued to work during the outages, and Nexta, then run by Protasevich, became a resource for where, when and how to protest. It went on to expose police brutality against protesters. In November, Belarus placed Protasevich and Nexta's founder, Stepan Putilo, on a terrorist watch list, charging him with three protest-related crimes that could land him in prison for more than 12 years. Protasevich and Putilo were the only Belarusian citizens on the list at the time. Protasevich and the candidate, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, have been separately living in exile in Lithuania. And he went to Athens to cover her visit there last week. The E.U. imposed sanctions following the election. But Sunday's actions - which European officials said they were certain had been approved by Lukashenko - crossed a new line. There appeared to be little precedent for a nation-state to use its military to force down a commercial flight for political ends. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary called the situation a "state-sponsored hijacking." But despite his concern, Ryanair continued to fly over Belarusian airspace for most of Monday, with a flight from Cyprus to Estonia entering Belarusian territory. Several other airlines rerouted away from the country even before the E.U. request for a full halt. Analysts said further sanctions could drive the Belarusian leader closer to the Kremlin, with which he has had an up-and-down relationship. The Kremlin has long pushed for the two countries to form a unified state - something they agreed to in 1999 but have not fully implemented, in part because Lukashenko has dragged his feet. But Moscow issued a $1 billion loan to Belarus in December. And with additional E.U. sanctions, the Belarus economy may become even more dependent on Russia. "I would assume that in this circumstance, Russia will help, and Lukashenko relies on Russia to help," said Artyom Shraibman of Sense Analytics, a Minsk-based political consultancy. "He's now a very anti-Western actor, and he thinks that these anti-Western actions must be rewarded or covered up by Moscow." Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet with Lukashenko in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi this week. A spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that "what's shocking is that the West calls the incident in the airspace of Belarus 'shocking.' " In a statement on Facebook, she listed other aviation incidents that she said drew a muted response. Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Tikhanovskaya, said on Twitter that he and the former opposition candidate took the same Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius just a week earlier. "We were lucky we got to Vilnius safely," he said. "After [Sunday's] incident, Belarusian airspace must be closed for international flights, the perpetrators - brought to justice." - - - - Khurshudyan reported from Moscow. The Washington Post's Mary Ilyushina in Moscow, Quentin Aries in Brussels and John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report. STONINGTON, Conn. (AP) Fishermen in Connecticut and along the northeastern U.S. coastline who have struggled to survive in the face of regulations meant to rebuild stocks of cod, flounder and other species say they are facing another threat offshore wind projects. Some say they are not opposed to green energy projects, but that they want more input on the projects' potential effect on their business. Just dont put it on prime fishing grounds," Joe Gilbert, who owns four scallop and fishing boats based at Stonington's Town Dock, told The Day. Were racing forward with all these projects, with no science. This has never been done on this scale any place on earth. Gilbert and others said many of the projects seek to lease large tracts of ocean bottom in prime fishing areas. That can cause additional problems when turbines are spaced too close together, making it difficult for boats towing gear to stay apart from each other, especially in bad weather. It's another challenge for an industry that has had to adapt and reinvent itself over the years due to strict regulations on how much they can catch. Now, fishermen feel their voices aren't being heard in the offshore wind debate. The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, a national coalition of fishing industry members, last month sent a letter to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the body overseeing the projects, charging the current permitting process for offshore wind projects "provides no meaningful opportunity to include the needs of sustainable seafood harvesting and production in strategies to mitigate climate change. The alliance alleged the federal government did not even consider any mitigation measures it proposed before approving the Vineyard Wind I project last week, the country's first major offshore wind project that calls for erecting 62 turbines south of Marthas Vineyard off Cape Cod. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management told The Day the fishing community can communicate its concerns directly during the standard environmental review process. Stephen Boutwell added that the bureau also requires companies leasing ocean bottom tracts to develop communications plans and hire liaisons to have discussions with fishermen. Vineyard Wind developers have agreed to pay $37.7 million to commercial fishermen as compensation for future losses, The Day reported. QUITO, Ecuador (AP) Former banker Guillermo Lasso was sworn in as president of Ecuador on Monday, saying he will escalate efforts to vaccinate people to protect them from COVID-19 and work to revive an economy hit hard by the pandemic. So far, Ecuador has vaccinated just 3% of the total population of 17 million, and the country is struggling with high unemployment and debt levels. Lasso wants his new government to vaccinate nine million people in his first 100 days in office, and he has reached out to pharmaceutical companies in the United States, China and Russia in hopes of reaching that goal. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) The former manager of a Denison credit union pleaded guilty Monday for her role in an embezzlement that cost the institution nearly $1.5 million. Janine Keim pleaded guilty to making false statements during a hearing in federal court. Over the past 30 years, the LGBTQ community in Boynton Beach and Delray Beach has gone from being nearly invisible to being tolerated, to being acknowledged, to being granted equal rights and benefits, to having our families recognized, and now, to having the diversity of the LGBTQ community publically celebrated, Palm Beach County Human Rights Council President and founder Rand Hoch said in a statement. That is quite an achievement. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) As the United States scales back its military presence across the Middle East to focus on great power competition with China and Russia, it risks giving those two countries a chance to fill the gap and expand their influence around the Gulf, the top U.S. commander for the region said Sunday. While traveling through the Middle East over the past week, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, who heads U.S. Central Command, fielded a persistent question from the military and political leaders he met: Is the U.S. still committed to their country and the region, and what more support can they get. From the dusty battlefields in Syria to the rocket-pummeled neighborhoods in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, they worry that America's pivot to Asia means they will be left without the troops, ships, aircraft and other military aid they need to battle Iranian-backed militant groups attacking their people. And if the U.S. is slow to respond, they may look elsewhere for help. The Middle East writ broadly is an area of intense competition between the great powers. And I think that as we adjust our posture in the region, Russia and China will be looking very closely to see if a vacuum opens that they can exploit, McKenzie told reporters traveling with him. "I think they see the United States shifting posture to look at other parts of the world and they sense there may be an opportunity there. Speaking in his hotel room after meeting with Saudi officials, McKenzie said weapons sales would be one need that Moscow and Beijing could exploit. Russia, he said, tries to sell air defense systems and other weapons to whomever it can, and China has a long-term goal to expand its economic power and ultimately establish military bases in the region. In the few short months since President Joe Biden took office, he has ordered the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and begun to review America's force presence in Iraq, Syria and around the globe. His administration is cutting U.S. military support for the Saudi-led offensive against Iranian-back Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the Pentagon has moved ships, forces and weapons systems out of other Middle East countries. At the same time, however, Biden this month dispatched senior administration officials to the Gulf region to reassure nervous allies as the U.S. looks to reopen talks with Iran on the 2015 nuclear deal, which former President Donald Trump scrapped three years ago. The effort to restart talks with Iran triggers worries in a number of Middle East nations who rely on the U.S. to maintain pressure on Tehran and its campaigns to fund and supply weapons to militant groups in the region. But there is ongoing discussion within the Pentagon about sending more assets to the Pacific to fight a rising China. And U.S. military commanders around the globe, including McKenzie, may lose troops and resources as a result. Those could include warships such as the aircraft carrier now sitting in the Gulf, providing security for the Afghanistan withdrawal. The Biden administration views Chinas rapidly expanding economic influence and military might as Americas primary long-term security challenge. Officials believe the U.S. must be more ready to counter threats to Taiwan and China's development of military outposts on manmade islands in the South China Sea. Military commanders caution that Chinas growing assertiveness isn't limited to Asia, noting that Beijing is aggressively seeking footholds in Africa, South America and the Middle East. I agree completely that China needs to be the pacing threat we orient on," McKenzie said in the interview with reporters from The Associated Press and ABC News. At the same time, we are a global power and we need to have a global outlook. And that means that you have the ability to consider the globe as a whole. In meetings Sunday, Saudi leaders were very concerned about the ongoing U.S. military posture review, McKenzie said. The kingdom is under almost daily bombardment from Houthi rebels with a variety of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and small drones. And Saudi leaders rely on the U.S. to help them defend themselves. McKenzie said his message to them was that the number of troops and weapons is not as important as the overall capability of the integrated U.S. and Saudi air and missile defense system arrayed around the country. And more broadly, he said, that strategy of doing more in the region with less military presence may prevent China and Russia from cashing in on any U.S. void. Im not sure its actually going to turn out to be an opportunity for them when its all said and done, he said. The troop numbers may not be the same as the hundreds of thousands that were in the region five to seven years ago, he said, but the U.S. will have a presence in the region. I think were going to play a very smart game ... to leverage what we have, he said. The United States is the partner of choice. Its only when that option is not open are countries going to hedge and seek other opportunities. Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi. Why: There were many reasons, but heres the biggest: an infestation of 135 live roaches found crawling on the floor behind the front counter reach-in cooler, crawling on clean plates at the sushi station, on the ceiling and dining-room floor, and on a preparation table with cooked sushi rice. At least 50 dead roaches, meanwhile, were spotted on the dining-room floor, on a prep table and on shelves that hold cooked white rice at the front counter. Another employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to handle raw shrimp. The restaurant also was ordered to stop selling and throw away raw shelled eggs for improper food temperatures. This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Taking this data, the student researcher calculated the average sentences, separating data for Black and white people with convictions, and determined which judges were closest to the averages in the sentences. No other races were considered, and not all of the judges imposed the same number of sentences during the study period of July 2016 through June 2020. Monday, 24 May 2021 10:38:58 (GMT+3) | Istanbul In the January-April period this year, Georgias total external trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $594.9 million, including exports worth $104.46 million, up by 65.1 percent, and imports worth $490.47 million, increasing by 20.4 percent, both on year-on-year basis, according to the data provided by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat). In the January-April period, semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel ranked third among Georgias most exported products to Turkey, amounting to 19,834 metric tons, rising by 43.1 percent year on year. Meanwhile, the value of these exports totaled $9.76 million, up by 90.9 percent year on year. Monday, 24 May 2021 17:10:30 (GMT+3) | Istanbul Turkish integrated long steel producer Kardemir Karabuk Demir Celik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (Kardemir) has announced that it started exporting rails to Afghanistan State Railways. Meanwhile, according to the companys statement, the rail and section rolling mill of the company, which was established in 2007 for the production of rails of up to 72 meters in length, has produced 1,446,787 mt of rails so far. Our company will continue to provide foreign currency inflow to the national economy as its export network expands day by day, Kardemir said in its statement. 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The Ministry, through the Consulate General of Romania in Turin, acted on its own initiative after seeing the information in the mass media in Romania regarding the incident that took place on May 23, in the Stresa resort, Piemont region, and immediately got in touch with the local authorities to get information related to the identity of the persons involved, specified MAE. According to this source, until now, the local authorities haven't notified the consular office in relation to Romanian citizens being among victims, and also no requests for consular assistance were recorded related to this accident.According to the preliminary data obtained by the representatives of the Consulate General of Romania in Turin from the local authorities, there have been 10 out of 13 victims identified until now, with no Romanian citizen being among them.The Consulate General of Romania in Turin monitors the situation with priority and keeps in touch with the local authorities, and it is ready to grant consular assistance if needed.The Ministry also reminded Romanian citizens that they can ask for consular assistance from by calling the phone numbers of the Consulate in Turin: +39 011 249 57 75; +39 011 249 52 64; +39 011 18 95 83 90, with the calls being re-directed to the Contact and Support Centre for the Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and taken over by the operators from the Call Centre, which works around the clock.Moreover, the Romanian citizens facing a difficult, special, emergent situation can also call the emergency number of the diplomatic mission: +39 338 756 8134.Thirteen persons died and two others were seriously wounded after a cable car in the Stresa resort located in the Italian region of Piemont, on the shore of the Maggiore Lake, fell, according to a new report of the rescue teams, informs the AFP. Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna and Labour Minister Raluca Turcan, both MPs representing Sibiu, urge the population to quit smoking, especially in this pandemic year, when lung health is very important, informs a press release sent to AGERPRES. "(...) On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, I urge you to quit smoking, if you still have this habit. Put your health and the health of those around you first. (...) Health to all!," said Dan Barna, in a message meant for a campaign of the Sibiu Pneumoftiziology Hospital, on the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day, marked annually on May 31st. Also, Minister Raluca Turcan insisted, in a message sent during the campaign, that it is very important that young people do not start smoking."On the World No Tobacco Day, I want my message to reach teenagers and young people first and foremost. There has already been talk in recent years, worldwide, of the growing number of tobacco users among children in adolescence, especially against the background of the emergence of new types of products of this kind. (...) It is a major health hazard and, therefore, I think it is important that together, public institutions, NGOs, doctors, families, communities to help adolescents and young people understand how important it is to learn about the harmful effects of smoking, not to start smoking and to protect their health," said Raluca Turcan. The former rector of the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" Police Academy, Adrian Iacob, and the former vice-rector of the educational unit, Petrica Mihail Marcoci, on Monday received from the Bucharest Court of Appeal a suspended prison sentence of 3 years for blackmail, being accused of convincing a police officer from the Academy to send threatening messages to journalist Emilia Sercan, agerpres reports. The Court ordered a 4-year supervision period, during which the two must attend one or more social reintegration programmes carried out by the probation service or organised in collaboration with community institutions. Also, Adrian Iacob and Petrica Mihail Marcoci will perform unpaid work for the benefit of the community, for a period of 120 days, in one of the following institutions: the Bucharest Lakes, Parks and Recreation Administration or the Foundation for the Promotion of Community Sanctions.The judges partially admitted the civil action filed by Emilia Sercan, who will receive 80,000 lei in moral damages.The decision is not final and can be appealed. World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned today, in the speech given at the opening of the organization's main annual assembly, the sacrificial power shown by Piatra Neamt hero doctor Catalin Denciu, as he announced that he is being honored with the Director General's Award for Global Health, the WHO announced on its Twitter account. "Dr. Catalin Denciu is an intensive care specialist in Romania. He was on duty in November last year, caring for patients with COVID-19, when a fire broke out in the hospital. Ten patients died in the fire, and in trying to save others, Dr. Denciu suffered third-degree burns to 40% of his body," the WHO head said. "Today we will honour him with an award for his service, sacrifice and example he set," the WHO Director General said of the Romanian selfless physician, bringing to mind that such cases are just a few examples of the millions of stories about courage, suffering, despair, struggle and triumph of the medical workers fighting the pandemic, agerpres.ro confirms. "I am impressed and deeply touched to receive recognition from the World Health Organization for my contribution and work. I never expected this award. I thank Director General Tedros for the distinction and Regional Director Kluge for nominating me. I am forever grateful and thankful to my Belgian colleagues, as I am standing here today before you. I am honored to accept this award on behalf of all healthcare workers in Romania and around the world who are in the first line of this fight. (...) It's an award for those resilient, for those who do not give up and keep on going," Dr. Denciu said in a thank-you response to receiving this recognition. President Klaus Iohannis said today that the EU's Covid digital green certificate will facilitate free movement, but emphasized that it must not result in discrimination between European citizens. "We have important topics on the agenda of discussions tonight and tomorrow all day. We have a discussion scheduled about the evolution of the pandemic and in relation to this there are two topics of major importance to us. The first is the Covid digital certificate that should be made available to European citizens within a reasonably fast timeframe and I think it is a good thing, this certificate will facilitate free movement, but we must take care that it doesn't lead to discrimination between European citizens," the Romanian President said before the Special meeting of the European Council taking place in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday, Agerpres informs. Ford was arrested in 2009 after she was video recording police officers in Boynton Beach as they arrested her son, a teenager at the time. The State Attorneys Office declined to prosecute Ford, but she sued the cops in a false arrest claim. The litigation continued for over a decade, as a trial court judge agreed with the officers and Ford appealed. President Klaus Iohannis said today, before a two-day Special European Council meeting, that the EU leaders will also discuss the Belarus plane hijack, an "unprecedented" incident. "We have two highly topical (foreign policy) subjects: developments in the Middle East, where things are apparently slowly calming down and then, unfortunately, we have the hijacked plane in Belarus, something unprecedented, and it is clear that we must also discuss sanctions and investigations. Discussions will be quite complicated," the Romanian head of state declared before the Special meeting of the European Council taking place in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday, Agerpres informs. The chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Ludovic Orban, declared on Monday, in Pitesti (northwest of Bucharest), that there are no resources available for increasing child allowance this year. "Opinions have surfaced... I would rather not comment. I am certain that we will reach a solution. PNL, and not only PNL, the majority of this coalition has decided upon a form in the Senate through which child allowance would increase only as of the 1st of January. Let's be honest, there are no resources available in order to afford another increase of allowance this year if we want to increase them next year as well. As such, we support the formula for increasing children's allowance which was made on January 1, instead of July 1, and to happen next year," Orban said, quoted by Agerpres. Asked by the journalists if there are USR PLUS (Save Romania Union and Party of Liberty Unity and Solidarity alliance) or UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania) to oppose this variant, Orban answered: "I will not comment, let them express it publicly." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) expresses its deep concern at the "inadmissible approach" of the Belarusian authorities, which has forced the landing of a passenger plane on the Athens-Vilnius route in Minsk, and firmly condemns it, agerpres reports. According to a statement sent to AGERPRES on Sunday, the MAE considers the incident to be particularly serious and, through the Romanian Embassy in Minsk, conveyed to the Belarusian authorities, after forcing a landing in Minsk, the need for all passengers to continue their journey immediately and safely. At the same time, the MAE expresses its concern over the arrest, following the forced landing of the aircraft in Minsk, of a Belarusian journalist on board the plane.The MAE supports the need to urgently launch an independent international investigation to determine the exact circumstances in which this serious incident occurred, the source said."All these above elements will be communicated tomorrow [Monday] to the Belarusian ambassador to Bucharest, who will be summoned to the MAE at the request of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu," the MAE states.The MAE has made sustained efforts since the incident, through diplomatic missions in Minsk, Athens and Vilnius to determine whether Romanian citizens were on the plane.''At the request of Minister Bogdan Aurescu, the Romanian ambassador in Minsk went to the local airport to clarify the situation, but, given the difficulty of dealing with the Belarusian authorities, it was not possible to determine with certainty whether there were also Romanian citizens on the plane,', the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentions.The Romanian ambassador in Vilnius was also at the Vilnius airport and was in constant contact with the Lithuanian authorities, who processed the passengers of the plane that arrived at its destination. The Lithuanian authorities confirmed to the Romanian ambassador, after disembarking all the passengers, that no Romanian citizen was aboard the aircraft.The MAE states that during the evolution of this situation, no request for consular assistance was received from any Romanian citizen. The anti-COVID vaccine is and will remain free in Romania, the Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on Monday, during a video conference with the county prefects, adding that there have already been orders launched for continuing the vaccination campaign in the fall and next year as well. "You all need to be involved during this period because the vaccine remains free to all Romanians. And here I would like to clarify - the free vaccine must be available for all Romanians, because, in Romania, the vaccine is free and will remain free. There are no talks at this moment within the Romanian Government of changing things, on the contrary, we already have orders made for continuing the vaccination campaign in the fall as well, in order to continue this vaccination campaign next year as well, because we do not know exactly how the pandemic will evolve. So, in Romania, the vaccine stays, it is free, there are no talks within the Government that would change these matters and (the vaccine, ed. n.) remains free during this period," Citu said, quoted by Agerpres. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Ludovic Orban, declared on Monday, in Pitesti (northwest of Bucharest) that the anti-COVID vaccination could be done at a cost, based on the anti-flu vaccination model. Orban did not specify when the chargeable vaccination could begin, saying that it will occur "in a certain future". The leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Ludovic Orban, said, on Monday, in Pitesti, that his relationship with President Klaus Iohannis is "very good", "suffered no modifications" and that he discusses with the latter whenever necessary, agerpres reports. "My relation is very good, it suffered no modification. I communicated and I communicate with the President whenever necessary, any time important decisions need to be made and even in the past weeks we have communicated very intensely on topics important for Romanians," said Orban. Asked if he goes as often to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace as he once did and when was the last time he saw President Iohannis, Ludovic Orban replied: "I won't tell you now, during a meeting, in order to make a meeting public both sides must agree to make the meeting public."Orban added that he conveyed to the participants in the celebrations on the occasion of the 146th anniversary of the National Liberal Party, organized in Stefanesti, a message from President Klaus Iohannis."I conveyed the President's message. (...) The President is attending the European Council," Ludovic Orban also said. On Monday, national chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban told the Liberals that they must take into account the interests of the citizens first and foremost, because they are in power and are judged for the way they govern, agerpres reports. "We are at rule and we are judged for what we do in government. That is why we must never turn our backs on people and we must face people, their needs, be constantly mobilised, find the best solutions in order to take advantage of the immense opportunities that Romania has," Orban said at Stefanesti, Arges County, at an event dedicated to PNL's 146th anniversary. At the same time, he underlined that the next decade will be decisive for the further evolution of Romania."The next 10 years are vital years for the further evolution of Romania; we have some opportunities that we have rarely had in history, from the resources that are made available to Romania, to the movements of the tectonic plates in world politics. We have extremely many opportunities that we have to capitalise on. We must have the intelligence, we must have the seriousness and especially the capacity of effort necessary to be able to capitalise on these opportunities. (...) The National Liberal Party as a whole wants a strong Romania, a Romania respected and appreciated in the world, a Romania that offers every citizen the chance to live a beautiful, decent life, to succeed in life, to be part of an internationally affirmed nation, respected and setting the tone in many areas (...) It is time for affirmation and, for the most part, that affirmation depends on each of us, on our ability to understand the direction in which the world is moving and to put Romania at the forefront," said Orban.The events at Stefanesti began with the laying of wreaths at the Chapel of the Bratianus, PNL's forerunners, followed by evoking the main moments in the history of Romanian liberalism, held before Villa Florica, a former residence of the Bratianus. President Klaus Iohannis, speaking today before the Special European Council meeting in Brussels, said that the fight against climate change must be fair for every EU member state, so that it is bearable both for the national economies and for each and every citizen. "A very important topic on the agenda of the debates at this Council meeting is related to climate change. Back in December we had a very long discussion I was deeply engaged into and we decided to be ambitious and pursue an ambitious target. It is known that we seek climate neutrality by 2050, but already by 2030 we want a significant cut in pollution compared to 1990. In the meantime, we are obviously talking about a 55 reduction by 2030. A very ambitious goal, but we believe it is achievable," Iohannis said. Pointing out that climate change knows no national borders, the President referred to the drought spells or flooding events that affected Romania, causing serious damage to farmers. "We are not safe either, and that is why we want to be part of a Europe that fights to prevent climate change, but on the other hand we must be careful that this fight is fair," the head of the state added, emphasizing that the burden needs to be shared in a fair manner, according to the development level, the economy and the population of each country, agerpres.ro confirms. "The fight against climate change must be bearable for both the national economies and for each and every citizen and I will continue to stay deeply involved for us to reach a solution, a fair regulation that allows us to fight climate change while ensuring an equitable burden sharing," explained Klaus Iohannis. He mentioned that the EU leaders will also discuss the Covid digital green certificate, the relationship with Russia, the post-Brexit relationship with the United Kingdom, the situation in the Middle East, as well as the Belarus plane hijack. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis will attend an extraordinary European Council meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels to call for a swift and uniform implementation of digital green certificates at European level, reiterating the idea that they should not impinge on the exercise of the fundamental right of citizens to free movement, agerpres reports. The main topics on the European Council meeting's agenda are co-ordination at European Union level amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fighting against climate change, the European Union's relations with Russia and the United Kingdom. According to a statement from the Presidential Administration, as far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, Iohannis will endorse ensuring close coordination among member states, as well as maintaining a vigilant approach."President Klaus Iohannis will advocate for a swift and uniform implementation of digital green certificates at European level, reiterating the idea that they should not affect the exercise of the fundamental right of citizens to free movement. The President of Romania will also endorse making operational, as soon as possible, a European mechanism for donating vaccines to countries outside the European Union," says the Presidential Administration.Iohannis will underscore the need to create a flexible legal framework for combating climate change enabling the member states of the European Union to identify the best solutions to achieve the European Union's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 as against 1990."The President of Romania will also call for ensure an equitable sharing of efforts, so that the contributions of each member state, especially in terms of costs, may not become an obstacle to their economic development," the Presidential Administration said.Regarding the relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation, Iohannis will advocate for a unity and solidarity approach on the part of the European Union based on the five previously agreed guiding principles. He will also advocate for the need to draw up a European Union strategic document on the future approach to relations with the Russian Federation.Iohannis will emphasise, in relation to the European Union's relations with the UK, the need for the European Union to maintain a constructive approach based on the principles of unity, solidarity and non-discrimination."On the other hand, with regard to the differential treatment applied by the British authorities to European citizens regarding work visa fees, the President of Romania will insist that the European Union member states and institutions take sustained steps to persuade the British authorities to apply a non-discriminating treatment towards all the citizens of the European Union," the Presidential Administration also shows. PSD (Social Democratic Party) spokesman Radu Oprea on Monday said that a delegation of Social Democrat specialists will continue discussions regarding the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNNR) with government representatives to find out all the details to this project, agerpres reports. "Last Thursday, at the Victoria Palace, President Marcel Ciolacu together with the social partners presented the PSD solutions to have a National Recovery and Resilience Plan. It is inadmissible to find out from mass media what this plan provides that Minister Ghinea and Prime Minister Florin Citu intend to send to Brussels, so today we decided to have a delegation of PSD specialists to continue the dialogue, the discussions regarding the PNRR, in order to find out all the details regarding this plan. We have several questions with no answer: first of all, if it's true that they intend to freeze salaries, pensions, raise the retirement age and ban early retirement. This is an anti-reform, it is not a reform. PSD will never agree to this," Oprea told a press conference, after the meeting of the National Political Bureau of PSD. He added that PSD also wants to know if it is true "that the government wants to increase taxes and duties." Romania receives a new vaccine tranche from Pfizer BioNTech on Monday, which consists of 698,490 doses. The vaccines will be delivered by air and will arrive at the airports in Otopeni, Cluj-Napoca and Timisoara, informs the National Committee for Coordination of Vaccination Activities Against COVID-19 (CNCAV). Transport to storage centres is provided by the manufacturing company, including by land.The vaccines are transported in optimal conditions, in special containers, with dry ice and sealed foil, states CNCAV.Thus, the vaccination process continues both in the centres in Bucharest and in the country, the doses being distributed as follows:* Bucharest National Storage Centre: 231,660 doses;* Brasov Regional Storage Centre: 60,840 doses;* Cluj Regional Storage Centre: 99,450 doses;* Constanta Regional Storage Centre: 60,840 doses;* Craiova Regional Storage Centre: 70,200 doses;* Iasi Regional Storage Centre: 81,900 doses;* Timisoara Regional Storage Centre: 93,600 doses.To date, Romania has received 7,214,669 doses of the vaccine produced by Pfizer, and 5,847,392 have already been used to immunise the population.The vaccination centres will use both doses received by Romania in the current tranche and in the previous tranches, based on the requests sent to the National Centre and the regional storage centres, through the county and Bucharest public health directorates.In Romania, the allocation of serum doses is made according to the delivery schedule provided by the manufacturing company, meaning that, weekly, the country receives the vaccine tranches necessary for the immunisation of the population, the same source also shows. The families also discussed the rarity of convictions in cases of Black men killed by police and whether convictions alone amount to substantial accountability. Allisa Findley, whose brother Botham Jean was killed in his own home in September 2018 by ex-Dallas officer Amber Guyger, said the families, activists and citizens need to keep applying pressure despite the conviction of Derek Chauvin who was convicted of murder and manslaughter last month for Floyds death to prevent similar killings in the future. The unemployment rate remained at 1.21% in Bucharest, in April 2021, according to data from the Bucharest Municipal Employment Agency (AMOFM), with 14,891 unemployed registered, of whom 8,061 women, agerpres reports. In March 2021, the unemployment rate in Bucharest was 1.21%. According to an AMOFM Bucharest release, out of the 14,891 unemployed, 4,466 were beneficiaries of unemployment benefits, and 10,425 were unpaid unemployed.Unemployed people with high school education have the highest share in the total number of jobless people registered in the records of AMOFM Bucharest (34.24%), followed by those with higher education (26.90%), and 18.72% graduated from the vocational / arts school and jobs. Unemployed people with a high school level represent 16.90% of the total registered unemployed, those with post-secondary education - 2.11%, and those with primary and uneducated education - 1.13%.The structure of registered unemployed on the level of employability is as follows: 1,983 people very hard to employ, 4,479 hard to employ, 4,349 medium employable, and 4,080 are easily employable people.The classification in an employability category is made as a result of the profiling activity of the persons registered in the AMOFM records. Q: You have said the global semiconductor shortage will halve your normal production in the second quarter. Do you see that shortage ending this year? A: These components are a high percentage of our build-of-material these days, and we cant really continue to run just-in-time inventory on components like this. Its a real game changer in how we look at our supply chain. We are seeing some positive indications from chip producers. The big change is the Renesas facility (a chip factory in Japan that was damaged by fire) coming back online. As that facility ramps up to 100%, well feel a lot more confident. So were not through this. Im not going to give any predictions about what the second half looks like. Q: Does that 50% production loss figure for the second quarter change? A: Certainly in the second half we see much less impact. We had about 200,000 units of lost production in the first quarter. The second quarter is going to be the most difficult. We see, conservatively, a couple of hundred thousand units of risk in the second half. Q: Youve mentioned that you may buy chips directly from the factories and stockpile them. Is this going to change the way Ford buys critical parts? Schram, a vice president of a major sushi supplier, is quoted as saying, When you look at the Millennials, this is something thats their go-to food. Where us, it wouldve been a burger and fries. For that generation, its sushi. The idea is similar to what Page calls the bagelization of America. Bagels, like sushi and pizza, came to America from other lands. At first, they were known only to people of the ethnic groups that imported them. Then other Americans discovered them, and the foods began changing to suit their taste. Bagels became larger, softer, sweeter (part of the reason they are softer is that the mass-production machines required to feed a nation cannot handle the stiffer dough of a real bagel). And they are now being made with so many regional American ingredients and toppings that at one place in Alaska you can get reindeer sausage on a cheddar bacon bagel. Similarly, sushi restaurants started using less raw fish to appeal to the American palate. They also put rice on the outside to hide the seaweed many people find unappetizing and use ingredients never found in Japan, such as cream cheese. What's clear is that Fauci is significantly more open to the idea of the lab theory than he was a year ago. While he did leave himself some wiggle room in his statements about the origins last year (he said he was "very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated,") there was no doubt about where Fauci stood on the question. The issue, then, is not whether Fauci has moved his position on the possible origins of the virus but rather why he is doing so. Fauci defenders will insist that he is simply evolving his view based on information that has come out over the last year. Fauci opponents will insist he knew all along that the lab theory was a possibility and downplayed it solely to make Trump look bad. In the midst of that debate, it's important to remember that Trump never provided any evidence for his vague claims about the origins of the virus. "Something happened," was as far as he would go. FARMINGTON, Mo. Two men were charged over the weekend with dumping a Farmington teenagers body after she died of an accidental drug overdose, authorities told the Daily Journal Online. Eighteen-year-old Mikayla Jones body was found Friday west of Farmington between Caledonia and Irondale, Washington County Sheriff Zach Jacobsen said. She had been missing since May 7. On Saturday, Andrew Franklin Pierce, 32, and Ethan H. Civey, 23, were charged with tampering with physical evidence, abandonment of a corpse and hindering prosecution. Civey was arrested Saturday, posted bail and was released, Jacbosen said. Pierce was not in custody but he was expected to turn himself in Tuesday. If there are more people involved were going to seek them to the end of the earth, figure out who they are, and were going to charge them, too, Jacobsen said. The highway shooting happened about 10 p.m. About an hour later Terry and Simpson shot and killed Goodkin on Delmar Boulevard in University City, and just after 11:30 p.m. they killed Zacharev in Brentwood, authorities have said. Goodkin and her husband were shot while inside a car. Her husband survived the shooting. Zacharev was shot while waiting for an Uber outside of a Bonefish Grill, and the two suspects stole his satchel, according to court documents. Robbery was the motive in all three shootings, according to court documents. In all, Terry and Simpson are each charged in St. Louis County with two counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of armed criminal action, two counts of assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and robbery. Authorities are still unaware of any connection the suspects have to St. Louis County, Bell said Monday. Before his capture, Terry was seen Sunday afternoon running into woods in Richburg, South Carolina, about 50 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Officers then surrounded the area and closed roads to prevent Terry from slipping away. EDITOR'S NOTE: This report has been updated to correct the name of the officer who shot the motorcyclist. RED BUD, Ill. A St. Charles man was killed and a police officer was injured during a shootout early Sunday in Randolph County after a man fled from police on a motorcycle. Officers from Red Bud, Illinois, began pursuing Timothy J. Snyder, 27, of St. Charles at 12:20 a.m. Sunday. Police said Snyder drove the motorcycle more than 100 mph during the chase, and police lost sight of him. Just before 1:30 a.m., while Snyder was being chased again by two Red Bud police officers, his motorcycle went in a ditch near Illinois Route 3 and Clarence Drive. Officer Michael Collins fought with Snyder and officer Luke Horrell deployed a stun gun while Snyder continued to resist, police said. Snyder then pulled a pistol and shot Collins in the leg, police said, and Horrell shot Snyder four times. Snyder was pronounced dead at the scene. Snyder's backpack contained a "very large amount of methamphetamine" along with scales and baggies, said Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker. The motorcycle had been stolen from St. Louis, police said. ST. LOUIS The citys 60 tornado warning sirens are about 22 years old, potentially vulnerable to hacking and getting more difficult and expensive to repair as they age, the head of the City Emergency Management Agency says. And, acting commissioner Sarah Gamblin-Luig adds, maybe theyre no longer needed as much. In recent years, Gamblin-Luig noted, the city also has used other ways to reach residents and businesses during emergencies, such as a system of phone and text alerts people can sign up for. Residents and businesses get the needed information as well via phone apps, news media reports and social media, Gamblin-Luig added. Its one tool in that toolbox and it just happens at this point in time to be a very expensive tool, Gamblin-Luig said. The acting commissioner raised the question of what to do about the sirens at an aldermanic committee meeting on Thursday. Replacing the sirens, which are already older than the equipments typical life span of 15 years, would cost at least $5 million. I am proud to support Omari Hardy for Congress. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elect a bold, progressive leader who will prioritize the lives of Americans, Berger wrote in an email that accompanied the fundraising invitation. Omari Hardy is a fierce and reliable advocate for working-class and marginalized folks who is running for Congress to fill the seat of the late Congressman Alcee Hastings. He has what it takes to win this special election and fight for healthcare, housing, good jobs, and a Green New Deal in Washington, D.C. JEFFERSON CITY In another example of the out-of-state outsourcing that has marked Gov. Mike Parsons response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a company hired to provide temporary health care workers to Missouri hospitals has received $6.7 million for its work. State payroll records show Texas-based Vizient was paid the money out of federal emergency stimulus funds beginning in December and continuing through mid-May, when it received a check for $955,000. When announced last year by Parson, the program was supposed to bring nearly 200 nurses, nursing aides, patient care technicians and respiratory therapists to the state to help hospitals that were overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases. That initial plan was for 12 weeks of work. But, amid the ongoing surge of cases at the time, some of the services provided by Vizient are still being used by hospitals. Hospitals, including BJC HealthCare and SSM Health, were among the facilities that used the program to help assist in the care of coronavirus patients. Walker, in his decision, also cited two legal opinions, issued in the 1950s by the Missouri attorney generals office, that correctly concluded legislative attempts to control conservation spending through appropriations acts were unconstitutional attempts to insert general legislation in a budget bill. The same analysis applies in this case, Walker ruled. Chris Nuelle, spokesman for the attorney generals office, said Friday the state was appealing the ruling. The dispute dates to last year, when the Legislature removed wording from the state budget that had authorized land purchases using the state Conservation Fund. Despite the seeming restriction, the Conservation Commission on July 9 approved the purchase of 510 acres of land in St. Clair County, 350 of which were classified as imperiled tallgrass prairie habitat, according to court records. The commission asked the Office of Administration to approve payment for the land on Aug. 24, but the judgment said the office had not authorized the requested payment for the property. BANGKOK (AP) An American journalist working for a news magazine in Myanmar was detained Monday by the authorities there, his employers said. Frontier Myanmar, which publishes in both English and Burmese and also online, said on Twitter that Danny Fenster, its managing editor, was detained at Yangon International Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It said the magazine did not know why Fenster was detained and had not been able to contact him, but it understood that he had been taken to Insein Prison in Yangon, which over decades has housed thousands of political prisoners. The junta that took power in February after the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi has arrested about 80 journalists, roughly half of whom remain detained awaiting charges or trial. Fenster is the fourth foreign journalist to be detained, after Kamayut Media editor-in-chief and fellow U.S. citizen Nathan Maung, who is detained at Insein Prison, and freelancers Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan, who were expelled. According to Myanmars Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which keeps a detailed tally of arrests and deaths since the military takeover, almost 4,300 people are in detention, including 95 who have already been sentenced. KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) Some Big Island officials questioned the need to pump money into tourism promotion, but a measure to reallocate budget funds was voted down. The issue came up at a county council budget meeting last week, West Hawaii Today reported Monday. North Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba was concerned that other areas of Hawaii County's $609.1 million budget were being neglected. Inaba proposed removing $359,000 from the Department of Research and Developments $459,000 line item for tourism promotion contract services. I feel that this money could be better used elsewhere, Inaba said. We have goals that state that tourism is compatible with historic and natural resources. That its not intrusive on our local communities, that it helps to strengthen private, public and international partnerships and makes us a resilient community," Inaba said. "And I dont believe that to be true, as weve seen over the last year. With tourism gone, we were in the hole. Inabas measure died on a 3-5 vote. Those voting against the measure said the funds focus on the importance of responsible tourism. Bell said Terry and Simpson also are charged in a previously unreported shooting. A motorist, whose name was not released, reported being shot at 10 times while he was driving on Highway 170 in the St. Louis area on May 15. Three bullets hit his car, but he was not injured. Investigators are still trying to determine why the suspects were in the St. Louis area, Bell said. Simpson, who had a black eye in her booking photo, was the victim when Terry was arrested on a first-degree criminal domestic violence charge a year ago. Terry hit his girlfriend so hard that she lost hearing in one ear and an eye swelled shut, according to an arrest warrant from Chester. Police in Myrtle Beach also charged Terry with domestic violence after he hurt Simpsons hand and broke her phone in a March 31 argument, according to a police report. Simpson's mother, who said she spoke with her after her arrest, said Terry was physically and mentally abusive and her daughter was scared of him but also loved him. The couple was together in Missouri and investigators are retracing their route as they traveled there from South Carolina to see if any other crimes were committed. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Boko Haram appears to have ended its five year-long internal feud between the larger ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) faction and the smaller faction composed of originals who were more comfortable operating like al Qaeda or the Afghan Taliban. A recent battle in northeast Nigerias Sambisa forest ended with Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, badly wounded and soon dead from his wounds. The initial split in Boko Haram began in 2015 as ISIL recruiters approached Boko Haram factions offering assistance and accepting those who wanted to pledge allegiance to ISIL. By 2016 the transformation of Boko Haram ISIL fans into ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) had taken place and many Boko Haram members did not agree with this new development. Those Boko Haram traditionalists comprised nearly half the members and they joined together and announced Boko Haram still existed and condemned the more violent and media savvy tactics of ISIL, which had recently suffered major defeats back in the Middle East. But not in Nigeria. The larger faction continued to call itself ISWAP and the true successor to Boko Haram. The two factions feuded and occasionally clashed until 2018, when continuing military pressure from Nigeria and neighboring countries led to an unofficial truce and until early 2021 the two groups even carried out occasional joint attacks on the army. After one last joint operation in January 2021, the feud reignited, more violent than ever. This led to a second major clash in mid-May that left the Boko Haram leader dead, or at least badly wounded. ISWAP has long been the cause of most of the violence near Lake Chad, the northern border of Nigeria and Borno state. Many of these new ISIL members had been with Boko Haram since 2004 and were disappointed at the failure of Boko Haram to take and hold territory, something the group had done briefly before a major military offensive by troops from Nigeria and neighboring nations defeated but did not destroy Boko Haram. ISWAP offered new, and seemingly more effective tactics that emphasized fewer attacks on civilians while concentrating on the security forces and local politicians. ISIL made better use of the mass media while establishing a worldwide communications network using the Internet and encrypted messaging apps to keep most messages secret. ISWAP personnel have operated mainly in northeastern Nigeria with smaller numbers in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon. What remains of the original Boko Haram started out about half the size of ISWAP and steadily shrank until ISWAP had twice as many members. This diminished Boko Haram operated south of ISWAP territory ISWAP was also known as the Barnawi (or Albarnawi) faction of Boko Haram that terrorized, but did not constantly attack, the local civilians as long as the Islamic terrorists could extort (raise taxes) cash and other goods from the local population. In return ISWAP would protect loyal villages from bandits and go after corrupt local officials or army units that had mistreated the villagers. Like Robin Hood but with a religious angle and a better publicist. The smaller Shekau faction of Boko Haram diehards operated further south near the Borno State capital of Maiduguri and the Sambisa Forest. It was in that forest where the two recent clashes took place. ISWAP had apparently been seeking the location of a forest camp that Shekau was using as a headquarters. It is believed ISWAPs recent cooperation with Boko Haram was part of an effort to obtain details of Boko Haram presence in the forest and that intel effort was eventually noted and triggered the renewed fighting. Sambisa Forest is a large (60,000 square kilometers), hilly, sparsely populated area where the borders of Borno, Yobe and Adamwa states meet. It has long been a hideout for Boko Haram and outlaws of all sorts. There is no cell phone service in most of the forest and only in a few villages on the edges of the Sambisa. Some Boko Haram bases in the forest have one or two satellite phones of captured army radios, which can at least provide some warning of an army attack if the troops are sloppy about how they use their radios. Boko Haram is not yet dead. Many Nigerian Moslems see ISWAP as an unwelcome and dangerous foreign invader. ISIL is not only more violent than other Islamic terror groups, they also tend to limit their growth by fighting everyone, including other Islamic terror groups. ISIL considers itself the only authentic Islamic terror group and always turns on non-ISIL groups it encounters. No matter how terrifying you are, if you are at war with everyone you always end up a small faction of fanatics, hated by all Moslems, and non-Moslems. Other Threats While ISIL activities make for exciting news, there are less-spectacular problems in Nigeria that are doing more damage and lasting longer. In the southeast Igbo separatism continues to gain strength. In central and southern Nigeria, the fighting between aggressive and heavily armed Fulani herders against Moslem and non-Moslem farmers. This has been a growing problem since the 1990s and now there are serious proposals to enact laws prohibiting open grazing in any grasslands not explicitly allocated for that. The Fulani promise armed resistance to such a law, but that would be nothing new as the Fulani and farmer militias have been clashing more often. There are more farmers than herders and the Fulani reputation as warriors cannot overcome that, especially if the police and army are obliged to automatically enforce any law making open grazing a crime. Fulani call it a shoot on sight law but the Fulani have been doing that to farmers for generations and for the last seven years deaths from these grazing feuds have been higher than those caused by Islamic terrorist violence. The south also contains the oil and natural gas wealth, most of it in the Niger River Delta. That is where criminal gangs continue tapping into oil pipelines to steal and refine oil in remote improvised refineries. This has become big business, with support from some local politicians. Navy and police crackdowns are often weakened by large bribes offered to navy and police commanders to avoid certain groups while concentrating on gangs that did not supply the bribe money or have the support of the right politician. This organized crime culture also supports the growing piracy offshore, near Nigerias largest port. The pirates raid large cargo and tanker ships anchored offshore waiting their turn to load or unload cargo. The pirates carry off portable valuables and kidnap some of the ship's officers, who are often from countries that will tolerate a large ransom being paid. May 23, 2021: In the north (Zamfara state) and southeast (Ebonyi state) police stations were attacked by gunmen, leaving four policemen and one attacker dead. These attacks are an increasingly common occurrence. May 21, 2021: In the northeast (Borno state) the army detected and attacked a remote village near Lake Chad where several hundred Boko Haram gunmen were assembling for a surprise attack on Maiduguri, the state capital. The army received a tip from locals about the location and aerial reconnaissance confirmed it. A quickly organized ground and air attack surprised the Boko Haram force. After more than a day of fighting and pursuit the Islamic terrorists suffered over a hundred casualties, including about 40 dead. A lot of the assembled fighters were teenagers, recently convinced or coerced to join. These fighters can be deadly against civilians but not much use when attacked by troops and aircraft. Local civilians with cellphones and a grudge against the Islamic terrorists has long been a growing trend. In the 21st century cell phone service became widely available in remote areas of Africa and Asia that never had affordable landline phone service for everyone. Cell Phones changed that and Islamic terrorists consider it a major problem, as well as an occasional asset because they use the cell phones as well. Attacks on cell phone towers and threats against cell phone providers has had a limited impact and makes the Islamic terrorists even more unpopular with the locals. In the last decade the Nigerian military, especially the 7th Division assigned to Borno, has improved its tactics, training and use of aerial surveillance to take advantage of the cell phone warnings from locals. In response Boko Haram has relied on more small attacks, using local Boko Haram groups that can quickly muster a dozen or more gunmen mounted on pickup trucks and motorcycles to carry out unexpected raids, mainly for looting. This is how many such Boko Haram groups obtain supplies and new vehicles. While the 7th Division troops only serve in Borno for a year or so, the division has created an institutional memory of what tactics and training work best. New officers and soldiers assigned to the 7th learn how it is done in Borno, if only because that improves their chances of surviving their time on the dreaded northern front. Elsewhere in the northeast (Kaduna state) the commander of the army, COS (Chief of Staff) Ibrahim Attahiru died in a plane crash. He was travelling in an air force twin-propjet passenger aircraft along with nine other passengers and crew. Attahiru had been COS for only five months and had already made changes that put more pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP. President Buhari had removed Attahiru from the COS job in 2017 but, as a former general himself, saw potential in Attahiru and persuaded him to serve in other senior commands. By 2020 Buhari saw a more experienced Attahiru as suitable for the COS job. May 20, 2021: A national police warning was leaked to the press. The single page alert warned police commanders in the capital and elsewhere in central Nigeria that ISWAP was planning more attacks, like that one that hit the Boko Haram leaders in the Sambisa Forest recently, are planned for towns and cities in, including the capital Abuja, which is in central Nigeria. While the military has made progress in overcoming its history of corruption and incompetence The 360,000 national police are in worse shape than the 310,000 military personnel. For over a year there have been nationwide protests against police corruption and misconduct. The immediate cause of this round of protests was the revelations about illegal, and often fatal for victims, SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) behavior. The government promised to deal with this problem but many protesters are unconvinced. Police misbehavior has been around for decades and survived multiple efforts to reform it. The government has to come up with something new to calm things down, especially since many of the protests have also pushed for a reduction in corruption and an increase in government competence. These issues are what got Boko Haram going in the north. At first Boko Haram was non-violent, but that changed when the security forces began killing large numbers of Boko Haram leaders and members. The senior leaders of the National Police now have a major problem on their hands. In many parts of the country where there is armed resistance from organized groups of locals, the police are demoralized and afraid to start a fight they would probably lose. The national police intelligence collection and analysis still works, but the police ability to muster enough capable police to deal with a major problem has diminished. Nigeria never had enough police to provide an acceptable level of public safety. The national police were seen as corrupt tools of corrupt politicians and gangsters. In France, president Buhari and other African leaders facing increased Islamic terrorist violence, met in Paris. Buhari gave media interviews and pointed out that Boko Haram and ISIL have taken advantage of the covid19 pandemic, which has reduced counterterrorism efforts worldwide, to expand their operations. He thanked France for maintaining a major counterterrorism force in the region and remaining active during 2020. The African leaders were there to discuss foreign aid for African countries that suffered from the worldwide covid19 economic recession as well as the increased terrorist activity. May 19, 2021: In the northeast (Borno state) an escalating feud between Boko Haram and ISWAP led to the second and larger battle between them. The fighting went on for several days as hundreds of ISWAP fighters attacked the Sambisa Forest base of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. The target was clearly Shekau and the attacker deliberately surrounded the camp, not just capturing it and tolerating the surviving defenders getting away. The battle went on for days and eventually Shekau was cornered and rather than surrender he detonated the explosive vest he was wearing. That did not kill him, but he was so badly wounded he soon died. Shekau had been active in Boko Haram from the beginning, in the 1990s, and has been leader since 2009. The army claimed to have killed Shekau several times and the dead Boko Haram leader soon put a video on the Internet mocking the military and saying they would never kill him. He was right. May 14, 2021: In the northeast (Yobe state) increased Boko Haram raids on rural communities have caused over 40,000 civilians to flee their homes. The military and police presence in neighboring Borno state has forced Boko Haram to shift their operations to Yobe state. Boko Haram is largely a Borno organization and when they operate in Yobe they are seen as foreign invaders and eventually encounter more resistance and have to return to Borno or an adjacent country. Boko Haram is mobile while local police and military units are not. May 11, 2021: In the northeast (Borno state) the national police in Maiduguri, the state capital, were alerted that about a small (under twenty) Boko Haram gunmen sneaked into a suburban area to attack local Moslems assembled for the after dark meal. During the month of Ramadan most Moslems do not eat or drink during daylight, only before dawn or after dark when the main meal of the day is consumed, often at large gatherings. The Boko Haram raiders planned to attack one of these gatherings but the police were alerted in time to send one of their rapid response teams, which arrived in a wheeled armored. Boko Haram was expecting this and fled but eight of them were killed and others wounded or captured. Boko Haram attempts these risky operations in order to terrorize the population and demoralize the security forces. These raids are carefully planned because just getting into the city means planning a route that avoids the many checkpoints. One risk planning cannot minimize is the random civilians with a cell phone who is often unseen by the raiders. A decade ago Boko Haram had a lot more popular support because the Islamic terrorists said they were fighting against corruption and bad government in general. Boko Haram soon came to be viewed as a cure that was worse than the disease. April 28, 2021: In the southeast it was revealed that leaders of the separatist IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) group and a similar Ambazonia separatist organization across the border in Cameroon met and agreed to cooperate and support each other in their shared goals of more autonomy for Igbo in Nigeria and English-speaking people in Cameroon, where most people use French as a common national language. The close links between Igbo separatists and nearby like-minded Anglophone (English speaking) Cameroonian separatists has grown over the last few years as both separatist movements grew in size despite efforts of local political and military forces to shut down these increasingly violent movements. The Nigerian Igbo want a separate Igbo state of Biafra, while the Cameroonians want a separate state of Ambazonia, consisting of terrain in southwest Cameroon dominated by the English-speaking minority of largely Francophone (French speaking) Cameroon. Unlike Biafra, which has never existed legally, Ambazonia was separate from French speaking Cameroon as one of the two former German colonies that France and Britain administered from 1919 (the end of World War I) until 1961 when it was agreed by Britain, France and the UN that the two Cameroons could either merge as one Cameroon or the smaller (and less economically developed) Ambazonia could choose to join either Nigeria or Cameroon as one of the federal states each nation was using for their new governments. Most Ambazonia would have prepared to be an independent state. Ambazonia was considered too small (42,000 square kilometers), poor and sparsely populated (under a million people) for independence. French Cameroon offered more autonomy and economic assistance and that persuaded most to vote for joining Cameroon. The language difference was not believed to be a problem because the English speakers tend to treat the language as a tool, not something more. The Ambazonians soon discovered that adopting French language meant a more hostile attitude towards other languages, especially English. By 1972 the French speaking majority removed most of Ambazonias autonomy and were vigorously trying to get the Ambazonians to adopt French. That caused more resentment and by the 1980s the two million Ambazonians were getting more enthusiastic about regaining their autonomy, or even independence. Now there are nearly four million Ambazonians and they have a substantial separatist movement going. The Igbo people in southern Niger had a different problem and wanted to solve it by doing what has long been forbidden, openly partitioning Nigeria. In southeast Nigeria Imo, Enugu and Anambra states are meant to be the core of the independent Igbo Biafra. Pro-Biafra groups began to appear again in the late 1990s, trying to revive the separatist movement. Since then, over a thousand separatists have been killed, and many more imprisoned, while the government continues to insist that Biafra is gone forever. But as details of the extent of government corruption during the last few decades came out, Biafra again seemed like something worth fighting for. Senior government officials, including president Buhari, are paying attention and seeking to work out a compromise with the Igbos. The Fulani are less amenable to any compromise, especially since the Fulani are Moslem and consider themselves defenders of Islam against non-believers like the Christian Igbo. In response IPOB has formed an armed security component, the ESN (Eastern Security Network), to defend Igbos in Imo State from Fulani and government violence. The government has responded by sending a battalion of infantry to an area thought to be a base for ESN members. This was unpopular with the locals as Nigerian soldiers are notorious for their violent behavior. These troops had been ordered to behave but that proved difficult for them to do so in the face of Igbo contempt and hostility. The troops were withdrawn so the government could deal with growing violence in central and northeast Nigeria. Since 2016 separatists have been organizing armed militias and threatening to expel Moslems recently arrived from the north, by force if necessary. This is another escalation in Igbo efforts to gain autonomy, if not a separate state. This movement has been around for over half a century and is commemorated every May 30th by a growing number of Igbos who have not forgotten the 1967 war for Igbo independence. This is all about reminding the Nigerian government that the Igbo are still a force to reckon with. Biafra Day is increasingly visible, especially in urban areas and major cities in the region like Port Harcourt. IPOB is the main organizer of public, and sometimes violent, demonstrations in support of Biafra. The Biafra separatist rebellion in the south has not only returned but is resisting suppression. During 2017 there were thousands of arrests related to the Biafra demonstrations and other pro-independence activities. That simply made Igbos angrier. In 2018 police were ordered to deal with the protests and unrest carefully and avoid bloodshed. Someone in government apparently remembers that the original 1967 rebellion began because in 1966 over 40,000 Igbo in the north were murdered by Fulani groups after a much smaller number of Moslems were killed. The subsequent Biafra rebellion did not end until 1970 and left more than a million Igbo dead. Yet the Igbo remain a major force in Nigeria, comprising nearly a fifth of the population and dominating even more of the economy. This is particularly resented in the Moslem north, where the Igbo returned in greater numbers after 1970 and are now a key part of the northern economy and, as Christians, a favorite target of Boko Haram. In the last five years hundreds of Igbo have been killed during police attacks on demonstrators and anyone suspected of separatist activity. That has backfired in a big way and now most of the local police are afraid to confront Igbo demonstrators with force. The police fear retaliation from armed Igbo groups. The separatist violence next door in Cameroon has also escalated in the last five years, with over 30,000 English speaking Cameroonians fleeing to Nigeria and most are still there. The Cameroonian government wants Nigeria to send these refugees back and reopening the border crossing makes it easier for refugees to come and confirm that it is safe to return. Conditions in Anglophone areas of Cameroon deteriorated because of the increasing violence. In addition to over 30,000 refugees in Nigeria there are another 80,000 English speaking Cameroonians made homeless (at least temporarily) by the violence and are still in Cameroon. The Nigerian government owes Cameroon a lot because of Cameroonian aid in dealing with the Boko Haram crisis. Nigeria is willing to do whatever Cameroon wants to help deal with the separatist crisis. That includes expelling some Cameroonians who have fled to Nigeria. That did not happen and now both Nigeria and Cameroon see their separatist movements growing and threatening to evolve into a major crisis like the 1967 Biafra war. How to Simplify Complex Remote Productions With NDI, Microsoft Teams, and vMix At present, Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business are the only two videoconferencing apps that support NDI. We have built our remote streaming solutions around Teams. Here's how it works. Page 1 Network Device Interface (NDI) is a standard developed by NewTek that enables compatible video products to deliver HD video over a computer network. NDI is royalty-free software and is suitable for use in a live production environment. As part of my Streaming Media University "Live Production With vMix" session, I explained how producers can use NDI in the context of a vMix workflow. The same principles apply in workflows with NewTeks NDI switchers and other software switchers that support NDI, like OBS. Using vMix in Remote Productions vMix software plays many roles as an all-in-one video switcher, recorder, and streaming encoder. In addition to these three main functions, it is also a very capable audio mixer, graphics generator, and media playback program. As the owner of SLV Live (slvlive.ca), I have the choice of which hardware and software solutions I use in my productions. Our work varies, as we collaborate with more than 100 clients a year, all of whom have different sets of needs. vMix is the solution we build most of our solutions around, although sometimes we pair it with external hardware solutions when we need features like auto-mixing on a soundboard or the low latency of a hardware SDI switcher. These days, we rely a lot on videoconferencing tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams (Figure 1, below), Google Meet, and vMix Call. These four services are used to bring in remote presenters in a real-time production. Then, we use vMix to switch the production and stream it. Figure 1. Broadcasting over NDI in Microsoft Teams We typically use IBM (formerly Ustream) for our live streams, and Vimeo Live is our backup. If all we did was webcast the videoconference services default gallery views, we wouldnt be adding much value for our clients. So we treat each participant as a discrete video source, akin to a traditional dedicated video camera feed, and composite our own multiview looks. NDI is one of the tools we use to build out our offeringsbut it didnt start that way for us. Leveraging NDI The first job that required us to deploy our big remote production workflow was a court case in which the judge, counsel, witnesses, experts, and court registrar were all communicating in real time over Zoom. We used our equipment to remix and stream, to the public and press, a video feed in which our producer could control who was visible at all times. Typically, there were between two to six participants who needed to be seen at the same time. Our solution required the client to dedicate eight computers to connect to Zoom and to pin one participant each. We duplicated the signal via HDMI to a vMix system that had an eight-input video capture card, and the producer created a set of looks for all of the countless combinations of participants who needed to appear simultaneously at any given time. This workflow performs well for the clients and has been extremely stable for several months of daily use. But I discovered a simpler approach using NDI. Instead of connecting an SDI cable or an HDMI cable, you can connect multiple computers and NDI-supported devices together over an Ethernet connection. Ethernet and network switches are very inexpensive compared to SDI cables. In this alternative approach, you use free NDI tools or vMix Desktop Capture to send the signal from one computer to NDI-capable video switching software such as vMix or OBS. You can repeat this process on multiple devices and turn each computer on your network into an NDI video source. This solution works great for videoconference services that dont natively support NDI and for when you want to capture multiple participants fullscreen on their own screens and send the feed to your video switcher. Working With Microsoft Teams and NDI The downside of using this workflow with a videoconference service that doesnt support NDI natively is that your signal isnt a clean feed. The name that identifies each participant is part of the signal that is sent to you, along with any pop-ups that enter the screen, including the chat. A bit of cropping of your input can cut off the name, but pop-ups are a real hazard that can be difficult to deal with. Whats more, working with multiple computers at the same time in order to isolate individual speakers requires, of course, multiple computers. So, while consumers like the ease of use of Zoom, video producers prefer using videoconference services that natively support the NDI protocol, because it allows them to input each of the participants as a clean, isolated NDI input in their software. At present, Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business are the only two apps that support NDI. We have built our solutions around Teams (Figure 2, below). Figure 2. Adding an NDI Microsoft Teams source as an input in vMix As I write this article, my assistant is recording a panel discussion over Teams. There are five panelists, and on one monitor, he has the Teams session open so he can communicate with the panelists. On the laptop, he has vMix open, and each of the five panelists has his or her own clean, isolated video input. Then he switches the video among one, two, and all five panelists at a time, depending on who is speaking. For this workflow, our production gear is a single laptop with a single second monitor, vMix software, and a Teams subscription with NDI enabled. A lot of our clients may already have their own Teams subscription. But as a producer, I want control, so I have my own subscription to send the meeting invites, manage the recording, and enable NDI. Many client accounts will not have NDI enabled by their administrators (see Figure 3 on the next page), so you dont want to assume that it is going to automatically be available just because you are on a Teams call. Microsoft 365 Business Basic is only $5 per month and includes online video meetings of up to 24 hours as well as cloud recordings. One of the best parts about bringing a Teams call into vMix over NDI is that the audio is very easy to manage. If you had a Zoom call on your same system, you would need to use virtual cables software to patch your audio (go2sm.com/vac). With Teams and NDI, the audio from all of the participants, except for yourself, is embedded in each Teams feed. So I normally just turn off the Teams speaker and monitor my audio through vMix. I can still speak with the participants using my headset mic, and my audio is available over NDI as a local input. Having my audio separated from the general mix is a nice feature, because if needed, I can speak with the participants while they are live, and my voice wont be heard on the recording or live stream. Once you have an NDI connection with Teamswhich sometimes requires toggling the start of the recording, starting the NDI broadcast, and re-enabling the NDI setting in the Teams app settings (Figure 3, below)you can switch which participant is coming in on a specific input (Figure 4, below Figure 3). I typically establish one connection for each of the participants, but having the ability to switch a connection on-the-fly can come in handy too. You can even add an NDI input that is tied to the active speaker. Figure 3. Microsoft Teams Administrator settings to enable NDI to be available in individual meetings Figure 4. This shows a shared-screen Microsoft Teams input and the ability to switch which source is coming into a specific NDI input in vMix. The quality of the Teams signal varies, just as it does with all videoconference services that use WebRTC. Once, I had a connection that was 1920x1080, but typically, the highest-quality signal is 1280x720. Having more participants on a call tends to result in a lower individual resolution. I can see this in vMix by clicking on the cog on an individual input that displays the resolution. The resolution can and does change during calls as internet connections fluctuate. Normally, this isnt a big issue on a larger panel discussion where no one is shown fullscreen and they are resized to smaller video signals within a multiview display, but it does leave something to be desired when we want a higher-quality fullscreen signal. To be fair, this is a Teams restriction and not a limitation with the NDI protocol. Sharing PowerPoints in This Workflow One other workflow consideration that you need to be aware of with Teams is that there are three share options for presenters (Figure 5, below). The Desktop share option allows the presenter to select which screen to share, if the user has multiple connected monitors. It can also generate an NDI signal, but depending on the users desktop settings, it may or may not show the Windows taskbar and runs the risk of accidentally showing whatever content ends up in the screen that is selected. Figure 5. Available share options I prefer to instruct my presenters to share the second option, a Window, and to select the specific application they want to share. For PowerPoint, this would be the fullscreen PowerPoint Slide Show, and it would still allow the presenters to see their presenter view notes. This workflow generates a clean NDI signal, but presenters first need to launch their PowerPoint presentation before they toggle the Teams share function for it to be available. This can also get a bit tricky for users to manage if they only have a single computer monitor and arent comfortable using the ALT+ Tab Windows shortcut to move between applications. The third option is named PowerPoint, and it allows the presenter to upload a PPTX file. Unfortunately, this workflow does not generate an NDI signal, and thus is to be avoided. Page 1 FILE PHOTO: A sign is displayed in the reception of Goldman Sachs in Sydney, Australia, May 18, 2016. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo/File Photo By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall NEW YORK (Reuters) -Goldman Sachs Group Inc said on Monday that media lawyer Kimberley Harris would become its newest board member, a move that means nearly half of the Wall Street bank's board of directors will be women. Harris is NBCUniversal Media's general counsel and an executive vice president at the Comcast Corporation. Her appointment comes as banks face growing calls to add diverse and women candidates to their top rungs of leadership. The financial industry is almost entirely run by men, although a handful of women have broken through to executive ranks in recent years. Last September, Jane Fraser became the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank when she was named chief executive of Citigroup Inc. Goldman has publicly set specific internal targets aimed at hiring and promoting more women into its senior ranks. Last August, bank management said that by 2025 they want 40% of Goldman vice presidents to be female. That followed a goal set in 2019 that half of new analysts and entry-level associates hired at the bank in the United States be women. In 2020, Goldman said it would only help take a company public if that company's board had at least one diverse board member, such as a woman. On Goldman's own board, Harris' appointment means that six of 13 directors are women. By comparison, JPMorgan Chase & Co's board has 10 directors, including four women, and Bank of America's board has 16 directors, including six women. Prior to her work at NBCUniversal and Comcast, Harris was a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. She also worked as senior counsel to the assistant attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice, and during President Barack Obama's administration, she was principal deputy counsel and deputy assistant to the president. Among her duties as board member, Harris will sit on Goldman's governance, compensation and public responsibilities committees. (Reporting by Elizabeth Dilts Marshall; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Bill Berkrot) North Americas Leading Outdoor Living Company to Award Belgard Firepit and Prize Package to Lucky Homeowners ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Belgard, the leader in outdoor living essentials for the patio and beyond, calls on all homeowners to kick off its summer giveaway in honor of Canada Day. Open for entries from May 24 to June 7, homeowners across western Canada can nominate a friend or family member to win a Belgard cozy backyard retreat. The prize package consists of a Belgard Firepit with four moon chairs, as well as Belgard customized items to elevate the backyard experience. Eligible homeowners can submit their nomination at Belgard.com/CanadaDay for a chance to win the prize for a loved one. Over the past year, Canadians spent most of their time isolated in their homes. People are looking for reasons to visit safely and celebrate with the friends and family who helped them through these unprecedented times, and Canada Day is a great time to do that, says John Moroz, Director of Marketing, Expocrete Concrete Products. A new cozy backyard retreat can provide a safe and inviting space to reconnect and create memories for years to come. In honor of Canada Day, Belgard invites people to nominate a friend or family member who could benefit from a backyard feature. For more information, including how to nominate and to download an outdoor living inspiration guide, visit Belgard.com/CanadaDay. Valid only to residents of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. About Belgard Belgard, part of Oldcastle APG, offers a complete collection of paver and wall products for outdoor living spaces, walkways, driveways, parking areas and retaining walls. Available in a range of styles, premium Belgard products have been found in Americas finest homes and award-winning commercial and retail properties since 1995. For more information, visit Belgard.com or call 1-877-Belgard (235-4273). Oldcastle APG is part of CRHs Building Products division. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005009/en/ Elisa Suri esuri@trevelinokeller.com 404-214-0722 x 119 Source: Belgard Appointment is Effective May 24, 2021 Mr. Velis will continue his role on Noveomes Board of Directors William J. Golden steps down as CEO, remains as Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation biologics for the restoration of cellular integrity of damaged tissues, has announced that Christopher J. P. Velis has joined the Company as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Velis was appointed to the Companys Board of Directors in March 2021. We are thrilled to have Chris take on this additional role as our new CEO. His vast experience in innovative medical technologies will help guide Noveome as it continues to develop and commercialize its novel platform biologic, ST266, said William Golden, Founder, Chairman and prior CEO of Noveome. Mr. Velis added, Im proud to join Noveome as CEO. Its a very innovative company with next generation therapeutic applications such as traumatic brain injury and COVID-19. I intend to apply my leadership experience to guide the Company, advance commercialization, and get therapies to patients in need as quickly and safely as possible. Mr. Velis, who has pioneered some of the most innovative medical technologies brought to market, brings extensive entrepreneurial and venture capital experience to Noveome. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Miraki Innovation, where he forecasts global health and medical challenges, uncovers innovative technologies and assembles teams of industry experts to build companies that solve these global problems. He brings a differentiated approach to venture investing through entrepreneurial science. Auris Health is one of several ventures founded, grown or brought to exit by Mr. Velis leadership. Chris has set the gold standard for motion preservation, regeneration of cartilage and soft tissue through the use of novel peptides, tissue regeneration using DNA pairs, and stem cell and PRP technologies for use in regenerative medicine. Throughout his 27-year career, Mr. Velis has also represented more than 150 medical device companies in a variety of business transactions. He is now focused on revolutionizing the way we battle infectious disease, greater advancements in surgical robotics, and bringing technologies that optimize human performance to the world. Mr. Velis graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and earned a Master of Business from the Questrom School of Business at Boston University. He has given talks at the Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics, Chinas Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair, the U.A.E.s Innovation Week, Massachusetts General Hospitals Biotech Funding Panel, LSIs Emerging MedTech Summit, and Harvard Universitys Medical and Kennedy Schools. He has been featured on NBC10, the Wall Street Journal, Boston Business Journal and PE Hub. Companies he has founded have won numerous awards including MedTech Insight Award for Best Technological Innovation, CNBC Disrupter 50, Acquisition International Finance Award for Best Medical Technology VC Firm and Corporate LiveWire M&A Award for Health & Medical Technology Consultancy of the Year. About Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. Based in Pittsburgh, Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation biologics for the promotion and restoration of cellular integrity of inflamed or damaged tissues. Noveome has completed a Phase 2 open-label clinical trial that demonstrated the benefit ST266 had in healing persistent corneal epithelial defects (PEDs). ST266 is also being evaluated in a Phase 1 open-label clinical trial to establish the safety of ST266 in intranasal transcribriform delivery from nose-to-brain and eye. The company is actively planning a follow-up clinical study to further characterize the efficacy and safety of ST266 for the treatment of PEDs and has initiated a Phase 1 study evaluating the safety of intravenously administered ST266 in COVID-19 patients. For more information, visit www.noveome.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005017/en/ Erik Clausen CG Life for Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. 781-608-7091 noveome@cglife.com Source: Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) announced today that it has entered into a purchase agreement with TG Geothermal Portfolio, LLC (a subsidiary of Terra-Gen, LLC) to acquire two contracted geothermal assets in Nevada with a total net generating capacity of 67.5 MW (net), a greenfield development asset adjacent to one of the plants, and an underutilized transmission-line. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2021, subject to regulatory and other customary closing conditions. Transaction Details Under the terms of the agreement, Ormat will pay TG Geothermal Portfolio, LLC $171 million for 100% of the equity interests in a portfolio of entities that own the assets described below and will assume debt and associated lease obligations of approximately $206 million book value as of March 31, 2021. The acquired entities own, among other things, the following assets: Two operating geothermal power plants in Nevada comprising: 56 MW (net) Dixie Valley geothermal power plant, one of the largest geothermal power plants in Nevada. Dixie sells its electricity generation to Southern California Edison (SCE) under a long term PPA expiring in 2038 11.5 MW Beowawe geothermal power plant that sells its electricity generation to NV Power, Inc. under a PPA expiring in December 2025 Rights to Coyote Canyon, a greenfield development asset adjacent to Dixie Valley with high resource potential An underutilized transmission line, capable of handling between 300MW and 400MW of 230KV electricity, connecting Dixie Valley to California. Doron Blachar, CEO of Ormat Technologies, said, This transaction bolsters our leadership position in the western United States, and particularly in Nevada, and increases our ability to provide electricity to both California and Nevada to help each states utilities meet their expanding clean energy requirements. This transaction aligns with our strategic goal of enhancing our geothermal portfolio through M&A activities. We are confident that we can leverage our distinctive core capabilities to unlock value by achieving synergies and enhancing generation and efficiency of the acquired assets. Additionally, to maximize our returns, we plan to use our strong balance sheet and low-cost capital sources to reduce over time the cost of assumed debt. Together with the projects skilled employees, I am confident that we can increase significantly the profitability and value of the acquired assets. Value Creating initiatives Accelerates Ormats electricity segment growth plans This acquisition aligns with Ormats strategic goal of enhancing its profitable Electricity segment through organic growth and M&A transactions. Ormat is confident that with its technological expertise it can optimize the efficiency and productivity of the operating assets over the next four years, with the intention to increase the geothermal revenue and EBITDA of the projects by more than 20%. Ormat also plans further expansion of the assets through utilization of nearby greenfield resources. Accretive transaction - The two operating power plants sell electricity under PPAs. Ormat expects these assets to generate $55 million in revenue and approximately $37 million in EBITDA in 2022. Ormat management expects to update 2021 guidance towards closing. Significant strategic synergies - Improved efficiencies and cost savings through a combination of operational proximity to Ormats power plants in Nevada, expansion of the assets using our technology and expertise and the refinancing of the current debt structure supported by Ormats strong balance sheet position are expected to drive additional shareholder value. Transmission line connecting Nevada and California The transaction includes a materially underutilized transmission line that has a direct connection to CAISO. This transmission line may allow Ormat in the future to enhance its capabilities in transferring additional capacity from Nevada to the California power market, subject to third party grid connectivity. This asset can materially reduce Ormats electricity transmission expenses in the future or alternatively provide additional sources of revenues from third parties. Advisors Norton Rose Fulbright acted as Ormats legal advisor and Citi acted as its Financial Advisor ABOUT ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES With over five decades of experience, Ormat Technologies, Inc. is a leading geothermal company and the only vertically integrated company engaged in geothermal and recovered energy generation (REG), with robust plans to accelerate long-term growth in the energy storage market and to establish a leading position in the U.S. energy storage market. The Company owns, operates, designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and REG power plants primarily based on the Ormat Energy Converter a power generation unit that converts low-, medium- and high-temperature heat into electricity. The Company has engineered, manufactured and constructed power plants, which it currently owns or has installed for utilities and developers worldwide, totaling approximately 3,200 MW of gross capacity. Ormat leveraged its core capabilities in the geothermal and REG industries and its global presence to expand the Companys activity into energy storage services, solar Photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage plus Solar PV. Ormats current 932 MW of geothermal and Solar generating portfolio is spread globally in the U.S., Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guadeloupe and its 83 MW energy storage portfolio is located in the U.S. FILE PHOTO: Students' desk adhere to social distancing requirements in a classroom during a news conference at New Bridges Elementary School, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in New York, U.S., August 19, 2020. Jeenah Moon/Pool via REUTER By Peter Szekely and Dan Whitcomb NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -New York City and Los Angeles, the two largest U.S. public school districts, on Monday announced plans to fully reopen schools, part of a parent-led nationwide trend amid a sustained decline in COVID-19 infections and rise in vaccinations. "It's time for everyone to come back, it's time for us all to be together, time to do things the way they were meant to be done," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news briefing. The city's 1.1 million public school students have adopted different learning practices so far this year. Some have split their time between school and home, while others are still being taught full time by "remote learning". Neither of those options will be offered as of September, de Blasio said. In Los Angeles County, all students in elementary, middle and high schools - more than 600,000 pupils - would be allowed to attend class full time, said district superintendent Austin Beutner. However, students and some teachers would have the option to remain at home, he said. "We expect the vast majority of students, teachers and staff to be at school every day but recognize that we must provide the online opportunity for those who need it," Beutner said. United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing most teachers in the district, has resisted fully reopening schools until additional health and safety measures are in place. New York and Los Angeles join New Jersey and several other states reopening schools as officials make progress tackling the spread of the coronavirus. Nationwide, the number of new infections fell to a seven-day average of 22,877 on Sunday, the lowest since June and less than one-tenth of its post-holiday peak of more than 250,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of the U.S. population has had at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the CDC. In New York, 52% of residents have had at least one shot, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday. The pace of vaccinations has been trailing off to a seven-day average of about 1.7 million doses a day, according to the CDC data, from its April peak of about 3.3 million. BALLGAMES AND BROADWAY The decline in infections has prompted political leaders to offer an array of incentives, such as free tickets to ballgames and lotteries, including New York State's $5 million "Vax & Scratch" game. De Blasio on Monday upped the state's ante by adding weekly drawings of prizes, including Broadway shows, hotel packages and one-year gym memberships for residents who get vaccinated at city-run sites through early July. He also announced that late-night comedian Stephen Colbert will resume taping The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in front of a live, vaccinated New York audience on June 14. Given the declining number of new COVID-19 cases, de Blasio said he expected the CDC to relax its current guidelines that require students to maintain social distancing of 3 feet (1 meter) before the start of the next school year. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy last week said his state's indoor mask mandate would be lifted starting May 28 and restrictions on outdoor gatherings would end on June 4. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month approved the Pfizer Inc coronavirus vaccine for children as young as 12 years old, and Moderna Inc said it planned to seek approval of its vaccine for children, as well. (Reporting by Peter Szekely in New York and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Matthew Lewis and Jane Wardell) A correction from UA Multimedia, Inc. is issued for the news release disseminated earlier today, 2021-05-24. The correction relates to an error in the paragraph under the subheader, Specialist Crypto Exchange where Georgia was mentioned as new state. The corrected release now mentions Georgia as new country . Irvine, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2021) - UA Multimedia, Inc. (OTC Pink: UAMM), a holding company and solution provider in the area of blockchain, cryptocurrency, fintech and decentralized finance (DeFi), is pleased to provide updates on its crypto exchange and non-fungible token (NFT) business. Specialist Crypto Exchange The acquisition candidate crypto exchange has selected Georgia as the new country to redomicile. Certain certification has taken longer than expected to be obtained. With the most time-consuming part completed, the company is now focusing on finalizing the registration process and expected to take on new business sometime in June. The exchange will offer competitive listing fees allowing entities to easily list and offer their tokens for sale. The exchange will also offer marketing and capital raising services. The platform is non-custodial and will interface with selected popular digital wallets to forward proceeds directly to the wallet owners using smart contracts. The two companies have been lining up new listing candidates and will provide more details about the offerings once the business is operational. Decentralized Exchange (DEX) UA is also considering to offer crypto trading via its own decentralized exchange. Unlike centralized exchanges such as Coinbase or Binance where the exchange function as a trusted intermediary to facilitate trades and store customers' tokens, DEX trading is peer-to-peer and the users retain full custody of their cryptos via their own wallets. As cryptocurrency trading gain more popularity, decentralized exchanges are becoming more user friendly and common. DEXs are also less prone to hacking since they don't have custody of the customers' funds. Another attractive feature of decentralized exchanges is privacy. Because they are not under any central control, there is often no registration requirements where sensitive user information must be provided. Non-Fungible Token (NFT) The software development of the NFT marketplace is making steady progress. The marketplace will initially accept listing of digital arts but will eventually be expanded to other areas of collectibles such as music, gaming and sports. The platform will also aim to make NFT transactions more efficient and less expensive. Using social tools and promotion services, creators can improve the NFTs selling probability. To address the prohibitive high fees often faced with NFT transactions on the Ethereum blockchain, the marketplace will also interface with Binance blockchain where NFT transaction fees will be negligible. The dual interface will allow creators and collectors to transact on both blockchains while keeping a single profile and collection on a single platform. The platform is scheduled to go live by the end of this quarter. Incremental updates will be provided as progress is made. ERC-20 Utility Token The Company is planning a partnership with a non-US entity to offer ERC-20 utility tokens. The tokens can be earned from community participation or marketplace usage. They can also be traded, swapped or used to purchase NFTs. Additional information about the tokens and trading will be forthcoming. "Cryptocurrency trading and NFT activities have been growing rapidly," said Michael Lajtay, CEO of UA Multimedia. "We are looking forward to capture these market shares with our advanced blockchain solutions which we believe will provide more potential profit opportunities for crypto traders and better experience for NFT market participants." About UA Multimedia, Inc. UA Multimedia, Inc. is a solution provider specializing in blockchain, cryptocurrency, fintech and decentralized finance (DeFi). It is also a holding company seeking to acquire domestic and foreign entities who are in the same space. Company website: http://www.uammedia.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uamultimedia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/uamultimedia TryShowTime: https://tryshowtime.com/BlueSkyNFT Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27a of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and section 21e of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Those statements include the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and its management team. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Accomplishing the strategy described herein is significantly dependent upon numerous factors, many that are not in management's control. UA Multimedia, Inc. does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Contact: UA Multimedia, Inc. Investor Relations 949.229.1208 ir@uammedia.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84980 Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2021) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed NaturalShrimp, Inc. (OTCQB: SHMP) ("the Company"), a publicly traded aquaculture Company, headquartered in Dallas with production facilities located near San Antonio, Texas and Webster City, Iowa. CFO of the Company, Bill Delgado, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly. Jolly began the interview by asking about the Company's background and current projects. "We are really similar to a biotechnology company; we have developed a process to grow aquatic species, primarily shrimp but we're moving into other areas to help with the growing and disease remediation," said Delgado. "We are basically a biotechnology company that has figured out a way to grow seafood indoors." "Could you elaborate on your acquisition of F&T Water Solutions?", asked Jolly. "F&T was a very critical piece of our overall intellectual property," said Delgado. "We've been working with F&T since 2014. We originally have a joint patent with them on the system and we've done several developments over the last few years," he continued. "The basis of it was that we owned 100% of the patent as it related to shrimp and we owned 50% of it as it related to the other aquatic species," said Delgado. "We felt it was extremely necessary that we consolidate that because we believe that the company is going to have two major lines of business; we're going to have the production side, where we have the shrimp, and then the licensing side." "What is the RAS System and why is it so important to your company?", asked Jolly. "RAS stands for 'recirculating aquaculture systems' and that is what we have been working on since the company started in 2001," said Delgado, adding that the Company's RAS system allows them to grow shrimp at a commercial capacity. "As we continue to reduce the costs of the operations, we're seeing an increase in the cost for shrimp. So, we really have a perfect storm brewing here." "How do you plan on raising expansion capital going forward?", asked Jolly. "We are very fortunate in that we have a very strong retail base of shareholders, which has helped the company get through a lot of those tougher times," said Delgado. "We have a good partner in GHS Capital, who we just raised $15 million with through our S3," he continued. "But we also have an investment banker, who I unfortunately cannot name right now," shared Delgado. "They're a pretty large player and one of their niches is going to be the aquaculture space. We also have a couple of other investment banks lined up as partners with it." "When you have a technology like ours, it is so disruptive that it takes time to get out there," continued Delgado. "Every step we take is a step towards that goal and we're almost at the doorstep now." "Could you explain your acquisition strategy going forward?", asked Jolly. "We have kind of a two-step process," said Delgado, adding that this includes technology and licensing. "We've already made an announcement that we're going to be acquiring a majority in Hydrenesis, which is another very important technology," he explained. "It is also going to be more applicable to that licensing side." To close the interview, Delgado thanked shareholders for their continued support and encouraged listeners to keep up-to-date on the Company's upcoming announcements and projects. To hear Bill Delgado's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7872786-naturalshrimp-inc-discusses-its-acquisition-and-capital-expansion-strategies-with-the-stock-day Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/ ABOUT NATURALSHRIMP: NaturalShrimp, Inc. is a publicly traded aquaculture Company, headquartered in Dallas with production facilities located near San Antonio, Texas and Webster City, Iowa. The Company has developed the first commercially viable system for growing shrimp in enclosed, salt-water systems, using patented technology to produce fresh, never frozen, naturally grown shrimp, without the use of antibiotics or toxic chemicals. NaturalShrimp systems can be located anywhere in the world to produce gourmet-grade Pacific white shrimp. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements." The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond the Company's control and could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those described. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements include statements regarding moving forward with executing the Company's global growth strategy. The statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict. The Company is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Important factors that could cause such differences include but are not limited to the Risk Factors and other information set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 30, 2015, and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact: Paul Knopick 940.262.3584 pknopick@eandecommunications.com About The "Stock Day" Podcast Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84975 KALAELOA, Hawaii, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A first step in preparing Kalaeloa for future development took place today as Hunt Companies held a groundbreaking ceremony near Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Avenue and Boxer Road. The area is the future site of two upcoming catalytic projectsthe recently announced state-of-the-art Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic and the building of nearly 400 new homes by local homebuilder, Gentry Homes. "Today marks the culmination of years of work and affirms our commitment to Kalaeloa's history and our investment in its future," said Steve Colon, President, Hunt Development Group, Hawaii. "After many community meetings and meaningful conversations, we are excited to continue the revitalization of this region that will be a place for local residents to live, work, and play." Hunt is investing more than $40 million into infrastructure improvements in the Kalaeloa area ahead of development over the next couple of years. Upon completion, the 88,675 square-foot Advanced Leeward Outpatient Healthcare Access (ALOHA) project will be a multi-specialty VA clinic that will provide primary, mental health, x-ray, laboratory, diagnostic, pharmacy, and specialty care for the area's veterans. Hunt is also working with Gentry Homes to develop a new community of nearly 400 homes in the area. The first of the multi-family attached units and 130 single-family detached homes are expected to be completed in 2023. The first phase of construction will result in significant area road improvements. These improvements are planned to begin this summer and will continue over the next two years. Traffic will be impacted in and around Barbers Point Elementary School. Hunt Companies has been working with school officials, elected officials, and area residents to minimize impact and ensure safety and accessibility. About Hunt Companies, Inc. Hunt has been active in Hawaii for three decades and has long been recognized for its innovative renovation of underutilized military properties, as well as its commitment to creating premier master-planned communities that complement the cultural and geographical riches of the Hawaiian Islands. Hunt is a diversified, family-owned holding company that invests in operating businesses, real estate assets and infrastructure assets. Since its founding in 1947, Hunt's size and scope have grown substantially while gaining considerable expertise across multiple real asset sectors. Hunt's reputation is built on integrity and performance. Hunt is committed to a culture of transparency for employees, clients, investors, and the communities it serves. Hunt and its affiliates employ over 3,000 employees across the United States and Europe. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/groundbreaking-kicks-off-kalaeloa-master-plan-development-301297827.html SOURCE Hunt Companies, Inc. MIAMI, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 54-year history of breaking boundaries, today announced that it expects to resume cruise operations from the U.S. beginning Aug. 7, 2021 with week-long voyages from Seattle to Alaska, one of the top cruise destinations among its guests. The news follows the temporary waiver of the Passenger Vessel Services Act, allowing cruising to Alaska to resume upon obtaining the pending Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC"). In partnership with local governments and guided by the robust protocols of the SailSAFE health and safety program, which at its cornerstone includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark, travelers will once again be able to explore the "Last Frontier" and all its beauty with NCL. "Seattle has always been our second home, and we are beyond excited to return to this incredible homeport and to once again bring our guests to Alaska," said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. "Twenty-one years ago, we were the first to offer itineraries to Alaska from Seattle, and we continue to celebrate a strong relationship with our partners in this spectacular destination. We have been waiting for a very long time to announce a resumption of cruising from the U.S. We are so proud to be sailing for the first time in over a year from our special homeport of Seattle to the breathtaking state of Alaska." This summer, travelers will be able to recommence their cruise adventures to Alaska with week-long voyages aboard Norwegian Bliss. She will sail revised itineraries from Aug. 7, 2021 through Oct. 16, 2021, offering seven to 13 hours of port time in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska. On select sailings, guests will also have the chance to take in the serene views of Glacier Bay National Park or the Holkham Bay Glacier Fjord. Guests will also benefit from the opening of the second cruise pier in Icy Strait Point, which NCL's parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., developed in partnership with Alaska Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation. Initially scheduled to open during the 2020 summer cruise season, the recently expanded Wilderness Landing on Icy Strait Point caters to visitors in search of individualized experiences with the land, wildlife and native peoples of Alaska. The enhancements include upgraded retail and restaurants, as well as shore excursion offerings, including the world's largest ZipRider zip line, the most accessible coastal brown bear viewing platforms in Southeast Alaska, whale watching, fishing adventures and walking trails as well as Alaska's first gondola connecting the new Wilderness Landing development to the Adventure Landing and Historic Hoonah Packing Company Cannery. In 2022, the guest experience will continue to evolve with the opening of the Mountain Top gondola that will provide easy, vehicle-free access through the treetops, unlocking additional areas of exploration and spectacular views of icefields, the Fairweather Range and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit people. "Alaskans are ready to welcome visitors from across the globe to Alaska, where they can personally experience the scenic and cultural wonders that can only be found here," said Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. "I am grateful for the teamwork and thoughtful planning that many people from Norwegian Cruise Line, Alaska's local governments, our congressional delegation, tourism industry, and the state's public health team put into preparing for a cruise ship season that promises to be both safe and rewarding for everyone." Norwegian Cruise Line will continue with its thoughtful approach to redeploying its fleet, working with destination partners and the leading experts of the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council. The Council will regularly evaluate the robust protocols of the SailSAFE health and safety program and make science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits. As protocols evolve and additional information becomes available, updates will be published at www.ncl.com/sail-safe. For more information about the Company's award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/norwegian-cruise-line-announces-plans-for-highly-anticipated-return-to-cruising-from-the-us-301297655.html SOURCE Norwegian Cruise Line BETHESDA, Md., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SpringHill Suites by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy's portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, celebrates today the significant milestone of its 500th hotel opening with the debut of SpringHill Suites by Marriott Amelia Island. The oceanside property is ideally situated in a pristine coastal location on Amelia Island, known as Florida's jewel of the Sea Islands. As travelers continue to seek under-the-radar destinations to escape the crowds, SpringHill Suites has introduced a number of notable new properties across charming coastal towns, from San Diego to Cocoa Beach, to offer tranquility on secluded beaches for a memorable summer excursion. "SpringHill Suites continues to delight travelers with unexpected style and space, and diverse locations in laidback destinations that are off the beaten path," said Diane Mayer, Vice President & Global Brand Manager for SpringHill Suites. "We've seen heightened interest for our National Parks hotels and now, for coastal beach town retreats as we strive to provide comfort and quality with small indulgences for guests to unwind." The all-suite brand offers a fresh take on mixing business and leisure, providing more space and extras that surprise and delight guests throughout their stay. Its spacious suites feature contemporary design outfitted with upscale West Elm furnishings and is ideal for travelers looking for a chance to escape their everyday routine. Guests can look forward to a refreshing stay with SpringHill Suites, accented by popular amenities including outdoor firepits, complimentary hot breakfast, modern fitness centers, and free Wi-Fi to stay on top of it all. The new SpringHill Suites Amelia Island, connected under one roof with Courtyard by Marriott Amelia Island, beckons travelers to enjoy a quaint seaside getaway with 239 modern guest rooms featuring balcony and ocean views, a resort-style pool deck, and multiple dining venues including Tides Pool Bar & Grill. Equipped with 6,060 square feet of flexible meeting space, the property provides an idyllic backdrop for any special occasion. The hotel is in close proximity to Amelia Island's main attractions such as Main Beach Park, Fort Clinch State Park, and historic Fernandina Beach. SpringHill Suites invites travelers to explore even more serene landscapes and breathtaking coastlines this summer with its newest hotels in relaxing beach town destinations: SpringHill Suites San Diego Carlsbad Newly opened in December 2020, this beachfront, all-suite property located in Carlsbad Village is a breath of fresh air within close distance to Carlsbad State Beach. The 104-room hotel offers ocean-view suites with plenty of natural light to give travelers a little extra California sunshine. Guests can take a leisurely stroll to upscale shops and restaurants downtown or relax on the Rooftop Lounge with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. With 4,245 square feet of event space including an outdoor venue, it is the perfect location to host inspiring meetings or events. SpringHill Suites Panama City Beach Beachfront The recently opened oceanfront hotel overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and is steps away from the Emerald Coast's famous beaches and nearby family attractions such as Shipwreck Island Waterpark, Pier Park Panama City Beach, Shell Island and Frank Brown Park. The property includes 200 all-suite guest rooms and an outdoor pool and lazy river, offering something a little extra for kids and adults alike. The hotel is home to multiple dining venues including Compass Wine Bar and Latitudes Bar and Grill, featuring an expansive outdoor patio to watch the sun set over the ocean waves. SpringHill Suites Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach Nestled just east of Orlando and located minutes away from Port Canaveral, the Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach and more, the new hotel is ideal for sun-seekers looking for pristine beaches in an area rich with history on land, sea and space. Each of its 151 spacious suites seamlessly blends design and functionality, with modern amenities that help guests stay refreshed and focused, whether traveling for business or leisure. Guests can experience the laidback Cocoa Beach lifestyle in this legendary surf town graced by iconic astronauts and explore outer space adventures on Florida's Space Coast. With the opening of Spring Hill Suites Amelia Island, the SpringHill Suites brand currently operates 500 properties across the U.S. and Canada with additional openings to come. For more information, visit www.springhillsuites.com. About SpringHill Suites by Marriott SpringHill Suites by Marriott is the largest all-suites hotel brand in the upscale segment that is refreshingly different. With stylish surroundings that are beyond the ordinary at 500 properties across the U.S. and Canada, guests are provided thoughtful, focused service in an uplifting atmosphere. Each spacious suite features an open, airy design that puts guests at ease, with separate living and sleeping areas. At SpringHill Suites, travelers can escape their routines and enjoy their time away. SpringHill Suites is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.com. For more information or reservations, visit www.springhillsuites.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/springhill-suites-by-marriott-celebrates-500th-milestone-opening-with-debut-on-amelia-island-301297923.html SOURCE Marriott International, Inc. IRVINE, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Memorial Day weekend approaches, bringing along one of the most popular car-buying weekends of the year, shoppers face a difficult marketplace with low vehicle inventory supply and record high prices due to strong consumer demand. Yet despite the challenging market conditions, car shoppers remain undeterred as they continue to buy cars at a record pace. Likely fearing even less choices and higher prices in the months ahead, new data from Kelley Blue Book reveals that car shoppers clearly are in buy-now mode. Simply put, you can't buy what's not there, and dealers' inventories are extremely tight. "Shoppers are expecting high prices and limited choices, and that's exactly what they're finding," said Vanessa Ton, senior industry intelligence manager for Kelley Blue Book. "But even with the tough buying conditions, Kelley Blue Book's data shows most consumers expect to push ahead with a purchase, even in a difficult and competitive marketplace." The latest research from Kelley Blue Book reveals Americans are aware of the rising demand for cars as supply continues to fall, and 73% of in-market car shoppers said they expect to find higher prices than in a normal market. Heading into the big Memorial Day sales weekend, more than 60% of consumers said they are not planning to delay their vehicle purchase. In addition, 42% of shoppers expect to pay over sticker price for a new vehicle, and nearly 60% expect to find lower incentives. The current conditions are not changing people's minds on what to buy, either. Despite high prices most consumers are not considering smaller or less expensive vehicles, as 81% of shoppers said they plan to stay in their intended segment. Only 37% of car shoppers said that high prices and lower incentives would likely delay their purchase, and of those willing to wait, 70% expect to sit the market out for three months or more. "We are in uncharted territory as the auto industry tries to maintain robust sales alongside low inventory levels, and this market really demands patience from shoppers," said Matt DeLorenzo, senior managing editor for Kelley Blue Book. "Simply put, you can't buy what's not there, and dealers' inventories are extremely tight. At this point, shoppers who can wait to buy a car probably should. But for those who can't afford to wait, it's more important than ever to shop smart. Do your research before making the trek to the dealership so you can keep as much cash in your pocket as possible when all is said and done. And despite the tough market out there, bargain shoppers will still be able to find a few deals." The combination of strong demand and low supply continues to push prices higher. At the end of April 2021, the average vehicle listing price was $39,833, which is 7.9% above comparable 2019 numbers. For luxury cars, the figure sat at $60,691 only the second month it ever eclipsed the $60,000 mark. Meanwhile, incentives are down 25 percent from one year ago, as manufacturers and dealers hold confidence that buyers will come soon for most cars on their lot. The conditions currently affecting the automotive marketplace including a global microchip shortage affecting new-car production, pent-up demand from delayed purchases during last year's pandemic shutdown, supply chain issues and more also continue to make a mark for used-car shoppers. Used-vehicle prices hit an all-time high at the opening of May, with the average listing price surpassing the $22,000 mark with a new high of $22,568. The pace of price increases also continues to speed up, as last summer prices surpassed $20,000 for the first time and have been rising ever since. Yet even with sky-high prices and limited inventory choices, shoppers are buying cars at a record pace. In April, more than 1.5 million vehicles were sold, up 111% from the same time last year, making it the highest April on record. As this historically busy car-shopping weekend approaches during a difficult marketplace for buyers, Kelley Blue Book's editors have rounded up some of the best deals available. To learn more about which new models currently have ongoing deals, in-market car shoppers should visit the 10 Best Memorial Day Car Deals for 2021. For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/kelley-blue-book/, Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb and follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kbb_com/ (or @kbb_com). About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides market-reflective values on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book Trade-In Values and Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor tool, which provides a range for what consumers can reasonably expect to pay for a vehicle in their area. Car owners looking to sell immediately can also get a redeemable, transaction-ready offer with Kelley Blue BookSM Instant Cash Offer. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive brand. About Cox AutomotiveCox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using vehicles easier for everyone. The global company's more than 27,000 team members and family of brands, including Autotrader, Dealer.com, Dealertrack, Dickinson Fleet Services, Kelley Blue Book, Manheim, NextGear Capital, VinSolutions, vAuto and Xtime, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with annual revenues of nearly $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uncharted-territory-new-vehicle-bargain-hunters-will-find-limited-supply-high-prices-this-memorial-day-weekend-notes-kelley-blue-book-experts-301297508.html SOURCE Kelley Blue Book These actions have emboldened Hamas, whose one goal is the destruction of the state of Israel. We must not enter into any agreements with Iran, which cannot be trusted. Otherwise, the Middle East will remain in chaos for the foreseeable future. Trumps peace through strength initiatives were the right way to go in the region, isolating Iran and forging partnerships with Israel and its neighbors. More people will miss out on elective surgery this week at Waikato Hospital as the DHB struggles with no computer system because of last week's massive ransomware cyber attack. The DHB is likely to manage 80 per cent of the scheduled elective surgeries, and who was seen depended on how much laboratory and radiology services are required for their surgery, it says. Last week, it carried out 299 elective surgeries and cancelled 60, and it expects similar figures this week. The same applies to outpatient clinics and it expects 20 per cent of them will be cancelled. Last week, 2776 outpatients appointments were seen and 602 were cancelled. DHB chief executive Dr Kevin Snee told Morning Report it will probably be next week before the IT systems are fully operational again. "We're a very complex system and this has proved more complex to address than was first thought," says Snee. "We also have to careful in addressing the problem that when we stand up the system, it doesn't run into problems again." Carrying out hospital procedures is more difficult than usual. "We can't send, for example, lab tests electronically to the wards, it has to be done by paper and printing out ... everything is much slower than usual. "Staff are getting into a routine now about how they manage things." Snee says there has not been any further communication from whoever carried out the ransomware attack. "I think our ability to respond to this as a country and an organisation is being tested - we're coping well so far and we're getting good help from our national and regional colleagues. I'm confident we'll continue to provide good service and I'm incredibly impressed by what work staff are doing." Executive director of hospital and community services Chris Lowry says while they know the number of clinics and patients booked, they are having to manually track down names and vital clinical information. Staff are having to search for the original referral. ''This means GPs refer patients to our services to see if we can pull out their referral letter which will have clinical information on it, which will be relevant to their visit.'' Lowry says patients could check on clinics on the DHB website, but if in doubt, they should phone. Extra staff will be needed to put the patient notes into the new IT system, Lowry says. ''There will be a whole lot of patient information which we will look to scan on to the electronic clinical record and other patient activity data, lab results etcetera that we will need to get into the system.'' It's all part of a recovery plan being worked on now, she says. Pay errors Snee says last week there were errors in pay which were corrected over a pay run the following day, and minor corrections were needed the day after that. "As soon as we realised there was a problem we pulled out all the stops to sort it out. "We had credit cards as a backup with $50 on them for people in particular hardship but none have been used. Small errors are likely again, and staff have been given phone numbers to call and speak to a manager in case of hardship, Snee says. "I'm very confident that pay this week will be much more representative of the true pay ... if there's any errors we will rectify them immediately." New Zealand Nurses Organisation kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says there's some anxiety and frustration about pay errors. "But I think hearing that when there had been errors, that they had been rectified relatively quickly, gives nurses and healthcare workers some reassurance ... but it doesn't stop the fear and anxiety. "The nurses I've spoken to are just concerned and I think once they get through this week and see that the glitches may not be something that impacts on their lives, it might be a lot easier." -RNZ/Andrew McRae. Click the image above to watch the video All walking track in and around Mount Maunganui are now open. Access to Moturiki/Leisure Island was closed on Sunday due to heavy seas poising a danger to the public. Mauao Base Track was also closed, as swells breached across the track. Tauranga City Council confirms that all tracks are now open. Please be mindful that there is some damage to the tracks due to the storm, says a council spokesperson. We'll have our people on site this afternoon to assess whether the base track will need to be closed for the next high tide. During Sundays sea swells, waves of up to 6.5m were recorded in Bowentown, while MetService recorded 8m swells in Pukehina. A strong wind warning remains in place. The MetService is forecasting southeast gales for parts of the North Island A deep, slow-moving low northeast of New Zealand directs a strong, moist southeast flow across the North Island through to Tuesday, says the weather organisation. "A strong wind warning remains in force for eastern Bay of Plenty and Gisborne north of Ruatoria, while Strong Wind Watches are in force for western parts of Taranaki, and the area near the ranges of eastern Bay Of Plenty, eastern Taupo, eastern Taihape and inland Hawkes Bay between Opotiki and the Napier-Taihape Road. "Strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures. Driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles." Area: The eastern Bay of Plenty east of Opotiki and Gisborne north of Ruatoria Valid: 30 hours from 8pm Sunday to 2am Tuesday Forecast: Severe gale southeasterlies in exposed places at times, with gusts reaching 120km/h, especially during Monday. The mayor of Kawerau says the town is unsettled to hear that up to 160 jobs could be on the line as staff consultations begin at Norske Skogs operations at Tasman mill. Norwegian owned Norske began talking with staff on Wednesday about the results of a strategic review it began last September. But it declined to say what the reviews conclusion was at this stage. Mayor Malcolm Campbell says news that the mills future is coming to a head was no surprise, but still sobering. The briefing they gave me was that things are not good in the newsprint industry, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that, it's a dying thing, and all of this from yesterday is no surprise to us, weve been expecting this for 20 years. But I think theyre reckoning its here, so weve got to be mindful of that and make plans. He says he has rung the Mayor of Whakatane Judy Turner as a courtesy, because the majority of the workers lived there. Whakatanes own packaging mill is facing closure next month, with 210 jobs at stake, although discussions are underway with a possible buyer. Campbell will not be drawn on where the staff, many of whom are skilled and well paid, might find alternative work if the mill closed. However, he says it will have a big effect on knock-on industries like electrical contractors, truck drivers and tradespeople. Kawerau, a small central North Island town of 7500 people, would feel the effects of any closure but it was also a growing town, with many retirees moving there for cheaper housing, Campbell says. Weve been through all these downturns and banks closing and all that, and the populations gone up. Norske Skog says no final decision have been made and the key union on site, Etu, says it also wants to respect the consultation process by not commenting. But David Turner, executive director of Sequal Lumber mill in Kawerau, says there is an air of weariness about the town and frustration at lack of action from central government over years of under-investment in the wood industry. Part of that frustration was due to the possibility the mill could be turned to other uses, but he felt that was unlikely to happen. What weve seen not just with this government but multiple New Zealand governments is we really fail in this area. Our bureaucracy is weak when it comes to strategic thinking and the impact is it affects communities like ours in Kawerau. We already have 62 per cent beneficiaries in our town. David Turner says Norske Skog is also one of his biggest customers, taking chips from his mill and wood pellets for its thriving Natures Flame business. Business has been so good lately, he has just put on a third shift and had about 100 staff. If the mill closed, he will be searching for replacement customers. Norske Skog and other mills have also been highly critical high commercial power prices. John Harbord, chairman of the Major Electricity Users Group MEUG, says prices have been high for three years and it seemed unlikely they could be blamed completely on low lake levels. "People are renewing part of their hedges this year, and in a lot of cases they're being told their electricity price for their new hedge is going up to increase 100 per cent. The ability to insure yourself against high prices doesn't really exist any more." He says Whakatane Mill has been "quite explicit" about how high power prices had played a part in its difficulties, NZ Steel had periodically stopped making production runs of some products, and Norske Skog had been operating only about half the time to avoid high spot prices. "We know from talking to members that high electricity prices are causing a lot of hardship and there's only so long people can absorb those prices, and people have been absorbing them for three years now." Figures out on Wednesday showed March quarter wholesale power prices - paid by the electricity suppliers and generators was up 28 per cent, and they were passing on prices that were up 17 per cent. -Stuff/Catherine Harris. Extra KiwiRail services have helped clear a large backlog of containers filled with imports which were unloaded at the Port of Tauranga, after ships were diverted there from Auckland at the peak of the international supply chain crisis. Weve worked hard to put more freight trains on to this route, which is the busiest in the country, and to increase the volumes we are shifting, KiwiRail Group Chief Executive Greg Miller says. The impact of the additional capacity has really made a difference. At the height of the congestion in early April, when ship arrivals were occurring out of planned sequence, there was a two to three week wait between a container being unloaded from a ship in Tauranga, and it being railed to Auckland. Now it is down to three days. KiwiRail is now running 86 trains a week between Tauranga and Auckland 43 each way. Thats up from 72 trains a week in early April or an additional 1500 standard (20 ft) containers each week. We managed to increase it to 78 trains a week later that month, and to help improve freight flows we also cancelled some planned stoppages for work on the line. The number of services increased again at the beginning of May. Miller says the extra trains had been made available by rescheduling KiwiRails train plan to prioritise the Tauranga services, including access to the Auckland network. KiwiRail is also working with other ports facing congestion issues to provide more capacity. There are still pressures on supply chains both here and internationally and it will take some time before things return to normal. "For example, empty containers are not always available where they are needed. We will continue to do all we can to increase capacity options to support importers and exporters throughout the country. There is still some way to go but, working with Port of Tauranga and our other customers, we are making good progress. Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. Activation will allow you to view unlimited online articles each month. To activate your Premium online account, the email address and phone number provided with your paid newspaper subscription needs to match the information you use in setting up your online user account. If you are having trouble or want to confirm what email address and phone number is listed on your subscription account, please call 952-345-6682 or email circulation@swpub.com and we'll be happy to assist. Tahlequah, OK (74464) Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Our Top 5 Magazines + Digital We get it. You live by the Ski Valleys snow report even when youre hours away. You follow every Taos post on Instagram. Our small town occupies a BIG part of your heart. Keep in touch with all things Taos when you subscribe to FIVE of our national award-winning magazines, plus access to the website and e-edition for a full year at the special low rate of just $55. Iran to continue nuke talks until final agreement: president Xinhua) 10:06, May 24, 2021 TEHRAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Iran will continue nuclear talks in Vienna until a final agreement is reached, official IRNA news agency reported. Despite all the pressures from U.S.-imposed sanctions and "economic war" and the economic consequences of COVID-19 pandemic, Iran's industry has been able to achieve production growth in the past Iranian calendar year ending March 20, Rouhani said. U.S. maximum pressure campaign against Iran has proved "ineffective," he noted, lauding what he called the "triumph" of the Iranian nation in the face of U.S. sanctions. Earlier, Rouhani said the "main agreement" to revive the nuclear deal, commonly known as the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has already been reached in the talks, and Iran's counterparts have agreed on the need to lift "all main sanctions." The U.S. government under former President Donald 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. Incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden has promised to return to the deal and ease sanctions against Iran. The JCPOA Joint Commission began to meet offline on April 6 in Austria's capital Vienna to continue the discussion about a possible return of the United States to the JCPOA and how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) Lockdown should be at least 14 days now, otherwise it wont work expert By Kumudini Hettiarachchi and Ruqyyaha Deane View(s): View(s): There is a major deterioration in the global COVID-19 situation largely driven by outbreaks in South and South East Asia, warned world famous virologist, Prof. Malik Peiris. Now there are outbreaks not only in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka but also in Malaysia and Thailand, this expert who was recently awarded the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for his work on the containment of SARS in 2003 and bird flu, said on Wednesday. Looking closely at India before turning his sights on Sri Lanka, Prof. Peiris, Professor of Virology at the School of Public Health, Hong Kong University (HKU), told a Zoom meeting of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA), that case numbers dramatically increased over the last few months there, following a marked reduction in the stringency of public health and social distancing measures. This was amplified by permitting very large gatherings of people for religious and political events. The recent surge in India is attributed to: the relaxation of public health and social measures since October 2020; the low vaccination coverage; and the emergence of a more transmissible and concerning variant. According to Prof. Peiris, only about 7% of Indias population has been vaccinated, who have even received a single dose. This is not very different to Sri Lanka. There has also been the emergence of a more transmissible variant of concern B.1.617 (often called the double mutant), which has squeezed out all other variants very rapidly. This is the classic signal of a more transmissible virus. One of the variants it has replaced is the B.1.1.7, the so-called UK variant, which is responsible for the current surge of cases in Sri Lanka. We, therefore, have to assume that B.1.617 may be even more transmissible than the virus currently wreaking havoc in Sri Lanka. Worse is the possibility that this B.1.617 virus may be able to evade, at least partially, pre-existing immunity by natural infection and also by vaccination, he said. The Sri Lankan situation Turning his focus to the Sri Lankan situation, Prof. Peiris said that when looking at data, one finds COVID-19 positive cases in every province with an increasing trend in most provinces. Limiting travel between provinces is not likely to be of relevance any more. Maybe, if they had been introduced in mid-April, they might have had an impact reducing the spread of B.1.1.7 out of the Western and North Western Provinces, but not now. How do lockdowns work? The propagation of an epidemic occurs when one infected person comes into contact with other people and the virus may transmit to some of them. What is achieved with the lockdown is that you compartmentalize these infected people into households or small units, said Prof. Peiris. His explanation is: Then, this person would possibly transmit the disease to others in the household. Hopefully most of them will be mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic. If somebody is seriously ill that person will be taken to hospital. But these people will rapidly develop immunity and soon the virus runs out of new people to infect and dies out. A virus cannot survive if it does not have new non-immune people to infect. As long as these infected people are confined to one household, the virus has no chance of spreading further. Once the virus runs out of people to infect, it burns out. The next question is how long this confinement or lockdown will have to be? Overnight? Obviously not. The science is based on the period of infectiousness of an individual and the incubation period of the illness. We know that the period of infectiousness of an individual is 5 to 7 days. If he/she is infectious at the beginning of a three-day lockdown, he/she will remain infectious at the end of the three-day lockdown and will be out in the community on the fourth and fifth days, continuing to spread the virus. The incubation period is the number of days from getting infected to developing symptoms and/or becoming infectious, explained Prof. Peiris, pointing out that the median is about 5 days. If a person in a household is infected and there is a lockdown, he/she may transmit the disease to other members. This interval on average would be around five days for these people to get infected and become infectious. Thereafter, for them to become non-infectious it will take a further 5-7 days. This is why a lockdown has to be at least 14 days to break the chain of transmission. This is also why three-day lockdowns are going to have minimal effect, he added. SL will continue to see exponential rise in severe cases & deaths Addressing concerns whether the current testing was providing an accurate reflection of the dynamics of the epidemic (the epidemic curve), Prof. Malik Peiris noted that the number of tests done per day had flattened out at maximum capacity. This means that the number of positives detected is likely to remain flat in spite of a continued increase in cases. Even in spite of this, the case numbers have jumped from around 2,500 to 3,500 in the past few days. We have to conclude that we are still in the exponential growth phase of this epidemic. With deaths inevitably lagging behind the cases by about 7-14 days, we will continue to see an exponential increase in cases requiring ICU admission and those who die, he said. Sadly, said this virologist, it will continue to rise for a number of weeks more because of infections that have already taken place. Doctors and nurses tell us that hospital capacity is already overrun. How will we cope with the increase in demand? Although new emergency hospitals are being built, the expertise such as ICU specialists and nurses cannot be manufactured in a similar way. In addition to the clinical staff, the public health staff, the PHIs and the laboratory staff are all overloaded and exhausted. This is the scale of the challenge we face. The imagery Prof. Peiris gives is that a pandemic of this nature is like a super-tanker sailing at full speed in the ocean. We cannot stop or turn such a vessel in a short period of time, within a short distance. We have to anticipate the obstacles ahead far in advance and adjust course. By the time we see the obstacles clearly, it is too late to avoid a collision. We only have to look north of the Palk Strait for an example. Country after country has paid a high price for complacency and exceptionalism about this virus, which led to the belief that the terrible scenes we saw in other places will not befall us in our own country. This occurred in America, parts of Europe and most recently in India. Hope we do not allow this to befall us in Sri Lanka, he added. Thank you for Reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and Purchase a Subscription to continue reading. TusharK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Pune Posts: 3,327 Thanked: 29,559 Times Re: Next-gen Mahindra Scorpio (Codenamed: Z101) caught testing Next-gen Mahindra Scorpio spied dune bashing in Rajasthan The next generation Mahindra Scorpio has been spotted testing once again. This time, the SUV was seen testing in the sand dunes of Rajasthan. The new Scorpio has been featured in a The new Scorpio appears larger than the outgoing model. The new design also gives it a rather mature and bold look. The SUV is likely to be offered with a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 158 BHP. The engine could be paired with either a 6-speed manual or an automatic transmission and it could get all-wheel-drive as well. Source: Link to Team-BHP News The next generation Mahindra Scorpio has been spotted testing once again. This time, the SUV was seen testing in the sand dunes of Rajasthan.The new Scorpio has been featured in a video posted by Rajasthan Motorsports on Instagram. The video is clearly meant to be a teaser as it gives us a brief glimpse of the test mule.The new Scorpio appears larger than the outgoing model. The new design also gives it a rather mature and bold look.The SUV is likely to be offered with a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 158 BHP. The engine could be paired with either a 6-speed manual or an automatic transmission and it could get all-wheel-drive as well.Source: Rajasthan Motorsports Last edited by TusharK : 17th May 2021 at 11:16 . prajakt_23 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Pune Posts: 54 Thanked: 122 Times Day 6 : Thanga to Advance Base camp Day 6 : Thanga to Advance Base camp It was a bright and sunny when we woke up early next morning. We were told that it's going to be one long and hectic walk towards the base camp. So we were winding up fast. Sunrays were moving down the valley slowly lighting up yesterday's trail. We could see clouds gathering up at the other end of the valley. Soon we were served the breakfast and we collected our packed lunch for the day. By now those clouds had started moving up the valley towards us. It was really a beautiful scene where we were actually above the clouds. We had to rush back to our tents to finish packing our sacks and get ready for the walk. But I honestly couldn't guess how much time we had before the clouds reach us. When I came out of the tents, the entire area was as if washed out. We were standing amidst thin layers of white clouds. It took me couple of minutes to reach on top of the ridge next to our campsite from where I tried to capture the scene. However, I was certain that I had missed the opportunity by perhaps few minutes! Now we saw couple of porters and Bachan started walking towards the ridge on the backside of our campsite. Bachanji asked us to follow them. It was almost like a whitewash and the visibility was reduced to few feet. Within next few minutes everybody slowed down realizing that it's not something which we can hurry up and cross in few minutes. By now, the porters walking ahead of us had disappeared in the clouds. But since the trail was visible clearly, we continued following it up the mountain. I don't remember exactly but after walking for 45 minutes or so we reached a plateau where few porters were visible standing next to streams coming out of glaciers. I looked back at few figures emerging out of the thick layer of cloud. Within next few minutes I saw Bachan and Abhishek standing next to two huge boulders ahead on the trail. When I reached that spot, Bachan pointed me to the clearing on right side of the trail and mentioned that it's called the Odari campsite. It's one very beautiful place to stay during July - Aug season. However, when I looked at it, I could hardly see flat surface to pitch tents. And now that we had gained good height, this entire campsite was surrounded with snow deposits. That's the reason Bachan had decided to make us stay at Thanga instead of Odari and this saved us from staying on snow for two consecutive days. We saw multiple streams emerging out of glaciers and Bachan mentioned that this would be perhaps the last place where we could refill our water bottles. Beyond this point, we were about to enter mountain ranges covered with fresh snow. So, the possibility of getting a fresh water stream was scarce. Beyond this point a big sheet of snow was lying ahead of us. In this trek, this is for the first time we were actually stepping on the snow so I was bit cautious about it. The good news was that the snow was fresh and hence was very soft. We were leaving good footprints on that trail for sure! Now the trail was again moving up the mountain and we could see a rocky terrain ahead. When I looked back, Manish had just crossed the snow and was relaxing a bit. Perhaps he was the last trekker to cross it. His ankle was giving him tough time on this trek and thats why he was walking very slowly putting minimum pressure on it. I was about to stay back with Manish but Milind sir asked me to move forward since he was going to accompany Manish for a while. Our porter team was as usual early and were lying on the slopes with their luggage tied to their back. The weather was getting worse now and soon it started raining. Its always difficult to cross the boulders while it rains. We were forced to take out our ponchos and continue further. The rain soon got converted into light snowfall and we were all covered with snow flex within few minutes. I looked back at the huge landscape and saw trekkers in their blue ponchos at the backdrop of Swargarohini Peak. Now I reached on top of the ridge and I saw one porter ahead of me standing there looking at the trail ahead. Since I was still at lower height than him it took me a while to reach on top of the ridge and was stunned by the view ahead! Ahead of me was one perpendicular mountain line which was penetrating the scene with number of connected snowy ridges. The visibility was very poor and I couldn't actually see the point where the last ridge was ending. I was now much ahead of my friends so I decided to wait there for a while to catch my breath. On my right there was a 100 feet deep ravine which was covered in fresh snow however the left side of the ridge was completely covered with boulders and scree. Most probably this part of the landscape gets sunlight only from left side and thus snow on the entire left side of the ridges ahead was melted. I saw Abhishek ahead of me trying to capture some part of this mesmerizing view. Milind sir was behind me at some distance so continued to wait there for a while. I was standing on the edge of the ridge practically, when somehow I lost my control and my walking stick, which I was balancing in my hands, slipped. I was drinking water from my water bottle and hence I couldn't hang on to it, losing my grip on it. It continued to slip on the snow in the ravine and fortunately stopped after 10-15 feet! I sighed in relief when I realized that the matter could have become worst if it would have slipped till the end of the ravine which was more than 100 feet deep. Although getting down on that slope was not perhaps that risky, it would have cost me another 30 minutes to go down and then attempt to come back to the same point in that soft snow. Having said this, even getting down for 10 feet was not an easy job. Since it was fresh and very soft snow, it would have easily resulted in breaking the snow formation and the entire blanket of soft snow could have rushed to the bottom of the ravine taking me along with it. There was no point in waiting for others and requesting help since each one was fighting his own battle! So I decided to put down my sack on the ridge carefully and give it a try myself. I was also worried that in this attempt, if my sack slips, it would take along my camera bag along with it, making the matter worst than what I could have imagined. But somehow I trusted my instinct and stepped on the soft snow on my right side. I took a step forward and waited for a while to see if I am getting any reaction from the soft snow. Fortunately, the soft snow helped my shoe to get buried completely providing me with good grip and thus confidence to take next step. I wanted to keep my center of mass low to avoid any mishaps. I went down on the slope slowly and reached my stick which was playing dead for all this time. I carefully stretched my arm and grabbed its grip to pull it back. And there we were standing again united!! Soon I was back on the ridge where Mr. Date and Milind sir had gathered and we decided to eat something before continuing further. Temperature had dropped quite now and we weren't actually prepared for it. Fortunately, I had put in my pair of gloves in sack before starting, which helped me to keep my palms warm. Milind sir had somehow forgot to take his gloves out before handing over his sack to porters. But the good part was I was carrying an extra pair of gloves in my day sack. We stopped for while to take it out and soon we were all geared up for the cold. I saw a line of porters ahead of me on the ridge and that was for the first time I realized the scale of the landscape. Initially it was creating an impression of small mountain with a trail going on top of it. But looking at the porters now, we realized that it's going to take long to reach the campsite which was nowhere visible. Although the climb was quite monotonous, I was very cautious while stepping on the footprints made by trekkers and porters ahead of me. We were continuously gaining height since the trail was leading us from one mountain to next mountain ahead of it. I reached a point where Abhishek was sitting on a small rock. I stopped next to him and looked back to see the place from where we had started in the morning. I could see the spot where I had almost lost my stick. I can still see some trekker and porters mingling around there. Anand and Mr. Date were just behind me. This time I decided to move forward crossing Abhishek. When I looked at the ridge ahead of me, I saw someone in red / pink jacket standing midway on the ridge enjoying the scenery around. It must have been either of Mr. / Mrs. Bisht since they were walking ahead of me in colorful jacket. This is one part which I keep on requesting my fellow trekkers again and again. I always tell them to wear something bright like Red / Orange. This helps in creating the missing contrast in such low contrast black and white landscapes. But somehow they are always happy with green, brown, grey colors which make them literally indistinguishable in photos :-D I continued to move forward slowly but steadily ahead on the trail. When I looked back, many of them had reached where Abhishek was standing, however I still saw Manish at the bottom of the ridge. Good part was I also saw couple of porters behind him so I was really now worried about him. Soon I reached the top of the ridge where I was standing on a knee deep snow carpet. I was taking utmost precaution to ensure that snow doesn't enter my shoes from above. This would have not only made my shoes wet from inside, it would have frozen my feet within few minutes. I was still not able to see campsite even at a distance. Since I was not much tired, I decided to continue forward, trading snow carefully. When I looked back, I saw Anand and Hrishikesh equally struggling on that soft snow. Milind and Mr. Date were visible behind them at a distance. Now the trail was almost horizontal and hence I hurried up ahead since the weather was worsening by each moment. It was snowing heavily and visibility was very poor. We were shivering with cold and what we were able to see was only the top of ridge ahead of us. No one had any idea about how much we had already covered and how much distance was remaining so we had no choice that to march forward. Finally the moment arrived, when I saw the mountain line ahead of us. When I moved further, I could see our bright orange dining tent pitched up at the bottom of the mountain line and our porters had dumped our sacks next to it. Snow flex were hitting our faces due to blowing wind making it difficult to see further. Our entire support crew had gathered in front of the dining tent to save themselves from snow blizzard. I looked back for a while to convey this good news that we had almost made it to the campsite but I could only see Anand and Hrishikesh behind me. I took out my video camera to capture these moments live and shot a video or two before moving towards the dining tent. It might have only taken a minute or two but when I turned back, to my surprise, I couldn't see a single soul around our dining tent. Imagine a scene where all 13-14 members of the support team along with 4 trekkers all hiding in that small dining tent! Soon I reached the dining tent and stood below one of its side flaps looking back at the trail for signs of my friends. Soon I saw and Anand and Hrishikesh at the end of the visible trail. Milind and Mr. Date followed them in some time. I don't recollect when Raju reached but he certainly was not lagging behind much. Milind sir I were waiting under the flap when we realized that Manish had not made it yet to the campsite. And that was the moment when we all were really scared. We all knew that he was lagging behind due to his ankle problem but since we all started on those ridge, none of us had actually tracked him. We waited there for another 10 minutes but there was no sign of Manish. By now, porters had pitched our tents so almost everyone else went inside the tents and we two decided to wait further for Manish. Time was clicking and there was no point in waiting further so we decided to send a porter to look for Manish. He grabbed a walking stick and started going back on the trail in that snowfall. It was almost 15 minutes passed now and there was no sign of neither that porter nor Manish. So another porter left hurriedly looking out for both of them. We were shivering in cold but continued to wait for them by the side of the dining tent although we knew that it won't help the situation. Soon we saw the latest porter coming back from the trail and he confirmed that he saw Manish and the first porter and also mentioned that they should reach the campsite in next few minutes. We all breathed a sigh of relief! Soon Manish joined the gang but he looked completely exhausted. So we decided to take some rest till the weather clears up. Bachan had reduced one tent so that we all could wind up early in the morning. Accordingly, Raju had joined Mr. Date and Hrishikesh and Abhishek had joined Deepak and Rakesh. Manish decided to sleep for a while and so did Raju. Soon it stopped snowing and we were called for some hot lunch which was dal khichadi. Abhishek, Raju, Manish decided to skip lunch since they were very tired. This was perhaps more to do with the altitude sickness. After having dal khichadi, I also joined Manish in the tent and took some rest. Within the next few hours the weather cleared and we could see some peaks around through clouds. I was searching for the toilet tent so Bachan pointed me towards the backside of our tent and mentioned that porters had pitched it down somewhere there. I walked for more than 10 minutes in that direction and went down the mountain, trading that soft snow to find nothing! It was snow snow everywhere. I understood that something must have gone wrong. When I came back, I got to know that the tent although was pitched as soon as the porter team arrived at the campsite, was blown away by the strong wind. After hearing this, we were actually worried about our tents as well since we could see that the tent pegs were really not reaching the hard soil beneath the snow. To work around this issue, Suru had used my walking stick as one of the pegs for our tent. He had tried the same with Rakeshs stick. This had created one hell of a problem but let me hold onto it till time comes.. In the evening, the weather cleared to an extent where we could actually see the pass itself on the mountain behind our campsite. Swagarohini Peak was exactly in front of our campsite. Manish was now looking fresh after some rest. Everyone gathered in the dining tent now and got divided into two teams for the game of cards. While I was standing next to the dining tent, I saw one member of our crew coming towards our dining tent walking through the same trail which was much clearly visible now. Swargarohini peak was peeping through the dark clouds behind him. Meanwhile, during the afternoon, Bachan had asked to collect extra luggage from each individuals and it was clubbed together in few sacks. He then asked few of the porters to do the load ferry to take all that extra luggage up the mountain, cross the pass and hide it safely on the other side of the pass. This would have helped the porter to be free to assist trekkers while crossing the actual pass. Theoretically this sound exceptional and that's why we all assisted it with whatever was possible. Those porters had travelled all the way up to the pass through that snow, crossed it and put the luggage on the other side and come back to the campsite by sliding on the soft snow around the pass. They all had also joined the team in the dining tent for playing cards. When I looked at the pass, I could see the trail was clearly visible till the pass since our porters had to actually dug steps to reach the pass. It was actually looking scary since the trail had become almost vertical near the pass and it was visible even with naked eyes from where I was standing. I decided to take a walk beyond our campsite. It was becoming really difficult to walk on it since I was trying my level best to stick to the footprints of our porters which were already knee deep. Still I managed to walk around 40-50 steps and when I turned back, I was stunned with the beauty of the campsite. This was the most scenic location which I had seen on this trek. Rather, this is for the first time, we were camping on actual soft snow and were to spend almost a day on it. I saw that Suru was trying his hands on his mobile camera and was explaining something to fellow support crew member. Swargarohini pick was glittering in bright sunshine behind our campsite. Our green tents and orange dining tent were adding real flavor to the scene making it absolutely mesmerizing landscape. Soon the clouds started again charging in and we lost whatever sunrays reaching our campsite. Since we were surrounded by snow from all sides, we did not have any arrangement for drinking water. So, the crew had fetched some snow around and melted it using gas stove to provide us with drinking water. Bachan mentioned that we would be given bed tea by 3:30 am in the morning and we need to move out of the campsite by 4:30. I was not believing my ears with what I was hearing. It was horribly cold and we were even struggling to come out of the tent for dinner at 6-6:30 pm. In this scenario, starting for the trek at 4:30 am next morning was seemingly impossible task. However, it's one of the important notions of Himalayan trek that the one who starts on time, reaches the destination safely and on time. Since we knew that it's important to cross the pass before the snow starts melting in sunlight, we were keen on following all instructions to an extent possible. After an early dinner and hot chocolate we were all back to our tents preparing for the night. I remember, I had taken out all warm cloths which I had carried on this trek and decided to wear them all to safeguard my body from the bone chilling cold of the freezing night. I was wearing 4 layers but still I was feeling cold while I tried to move within my sleeping bag. The poor quality sleeping mats had made the matter worst since they were of almost the same size of the sleeping bag. So invariably, some part of the sleeping bag was directly in touch with the tents outer, which was touching the snow on the other side. It was one freaking cold night I had ever survived in my trekking experience. I was trying to sleep but was not successful for quite some time perhaps due to extreme cold and much higher altitude. Sooner or later, I went into deep trance or sleep only to wake up at around 2:30 am in night to attend to my biological needs. The only promising point which I realized was, I still had 1 hour to remain in the confines of my tent before the cook yells at us with bed tea in his tray. It was a bright and sunny when we woke up early next morning. We were told that it's going to be one long and hectic walk towards the base camp. So we were winding up fast. Sunrays were moving down the valley slowly lighting up yesterday's trail. We could see clouds gathering up at the other end of the valley.Soon we were served the breakfast and we collected our packed lunch for the day. By now those clouds had started moving up the valley towards us. It was really a beautiful scene where we were actually above the clouds. We had to rush back to our tents to finish packing our sacks and get ready for the walk. But I honestly couldn't guess how much time we had before the clouds reach us. When I came out of the tents, the entire area was as if washed out. We were standing amidst thin layers of white clouds. It took me couple of minutes to reach on top of the ridge next to our campsite from where I tried to capture the scene. However, I was certain that I had missed the opportunity by perhaps few minutes!Now we saw couple of porters and Bachan started walking towards the ridge on the backside of our campsite. Bachanji asked us to follow them. It was almost like a whitewash and the visibility was reduced to few feet. Within next few minutes everybody slowed down realizing that it's not something which we can hurry up and cross in few minutes. By now, the porters walking ahead of us had disappeared in the clouds. But since the trail was visible clearly, we continued following it up the mountain. I don't remember exactly but after walking for 45 minutes or so we reached a plateau where few porters were visible standing next to streams coming out of glaciers. I looked back at few figures emerging out of the thick layer of cloud.Within next few minutes I saw Bachan and Abhishek standing next to two huge boulders ahead on the trail. When I reached that spot, Bachan pointed me to the clearing on right side of the trail and mentioned that it's called the Odari campsite. It's one very beautiful place to stay during July - Aug season. However, when I looked at it, I could hardly see flat surface to pitch tents. And now that we had gained good height, this entire campsite was surrounded with snow deposits. That's the reason Bachan had decided to make us stay at Thanga instead of Odari and this saved us from staying on snow for two consecutive days.We saw multiple streams emerging out of glaciers and Bachan mentioned that this would be perhaps the last place where we could refill our water bottles. Beyond this point, we were about to enter mountain ranges covered with fresh snow. So, the possibility of getting a fresh water stream was scarce.Beyond this point a big sheet of snow was lying ahead of us. In this trek, this is for the first time we were actually stepping on the snow so I was bit cautious about it. The good news was that the snow was fresh and hence was very soft. We were leaving good footprints on that trail for sure! Now the trail was again moving up the mountain and we could see a rocky terrain ahead. When I looked back, Manish had just crossed the snow and was relaxing a bit. Perhaps he was the last trekker to cross it. His ankle was giving him tough time on this trek and thats why he was walking very slowly putting minimum pressure on it. I was about to stay back with Manish but Milind sir asked me to move forward since he was going to accompany Manish for a while. Our porter team was as usual early and were lying on the slopes with their luggage tied to their back.The weather was getting worse now and soon it started raining. Its always difficult to cross the boulders while it rains. We were forced to take out our ponchos and continue further. The rain soon got converted into light snowfall and we were all covered with snow flex within few minutes. I looked back at the huge landscape and saw trekkers in their blue ponchos at the backdrop of Swargarohini Peak.Now I reached on top of the ridge and I saw one porter ahead of me standing there looking at the trail ahead. Since I was still at lower height than him it took me a while to reach on top of the ridge and was stunned by the view ahead!Ahead of me was one perpendicular mountain line which was penetrating the scene with number of connected snowy ridges. The visibility was very poor and I couldn't actually see the point where the last ridge was ending. I was now much ahead of my friends so I decided to wait there for a while to catch my breath. On my right there was a 100 feet deep ravine which was covered in fresh snow however the left side of the ridge was completely covered with boulders and scree. Most probably this part of the landscape gets sunlight only from left side and thus snow on the entire left side of the ridges ahead was melted.I saw Abhishek ahead of me trying to capture some part of this mesmerizing view. Milind sir was behind me at some distance so continued to wait there for a while. I was standing on the edge of the ridge practically, when somehow I lost my control and my walking stick, which I was balancing in my hands, slipped. I was drinking water from my water bottle and hence I couldn't hang on to it, losing my grip on it. It continued to slip on the snow in the ravine and fortunately stopped after 10-15 feet! I sighed in relief when I realized that the matter could have become worst if it would have slipped till the end of the ravine which was more than 100 feet deep. Although getting down on that slope was not perhaps that risky, it would have cost me another 30 minutes to go down and then attempt to come back to the same point in that soft snow. Having said this, even getting down for 10 feet was not an easy job. Since it was fresh and very soft snow, it would have easily resulted in breaking the snow formation and the entire blanket of soft snow could have rushed to the bottom of the ravine taking me along with it. There was no point in waiting for others and requesting help since each one was fighting his own battle! So I decided to put down my sack on the ridge carefully and give it a try myself. I was also worried that in this attempt, if my sack slips, it would take along my camera bag along with it, making the matter worst than what I could have imagined. But somehow I trusted my instinct and stepped on the soft snow on my right side. I took a step forward and waited for a while to see if I am getting any reaction from the soft snow. Fortunately, the soft snow helped my shoe to get buried completely providing me with good grip and thus confidence to take next step. I wanted to keep my center of mass low to avoid any mishaps. I went down on the slope slowly and reached my stick which was playing dead for all this time. I carefully stretched my arm and grabbed its grip to pull it back. And there we were standing again united!!Soon I was back on the ridge where Mr. Date and Milind sir had gathered and we decided to eat something before continuing further. Temperature had dropped quite now and we weren't actually prepared for it. Fortunately, I had put in my pair of gloves in sack before starting, which helped me to keep my palms warm. Milind sir had somehow forgot to take his gloves out before handing over his sack to porters. But the good part was I was carrying an extra pair of gloves in my day sack. We stopped for while to take it out and soon we were all geared up for the cold.I saw a line of porters ahead of me on the ridge and that was for the first time I realized the scale of the landscape. Initially it was creating an impression of small mountain with a trail going on top of it. But looking at the porters now, we realized that it's going to take long to reach the campsite which was nowhere visible.Although the climb was quite monotonous, I was very cautious while stepping on the footprints made by trekkers and porters ahead of me. We were continuously gaining height since the trail was leading us from one mountain to next mountain ahead of it. I reached a point where Abhishek was sitting on a small rock. I stopped next to him and looked back to see the place from where we had started in the morning. I could see the spot where I had almost lost my stick. I can still see some trekker and porters mingling around there. Anand and Mr. Date were just behind me.This time I decided to move forward crossing Abhishek. When I looked at the ridge ahead of me, I saw someone in red / pink jacket standing midway on the ridge enjoying the scenery around. It must have been either of Mr. / Mrs. Bisht since they were walking ahead of me in colorful jacket. This is one part which I keep on requesting my fellow trekkers again and again. I always tell them to wear something bright like Red / Orange. This helps in creating the missing contrast in such low contrast black and white landscapes. But somehow they are always happy with green, brown, grey colors which make them literally indistinguishable in photos :-DI continued to move forward slowly but steadily ahead on the trail. When I looked back, many of them had reached where Abhishek was standing, however I still saw Manish at the bottom of the ridge. Good part was I also saw couple of porters behind him so I was really now worried about him.Soon I reached the top of the ridge where I was standing on a knee deep snow carpet. I was taking utmost precaution to ensure that snow doesn't enter my shoes from above. This would have not only made my shoes wet from inside, it would have frozen my feet within few minutes. I was still not able to see campsite even at a distance. Since I was not much tired, I decided to continue forward, trading snow carefully.When I looked back, I saw Anand and Hrishikesh equally struggling on that soft snow. Milind and Mr. Date were visible behind them at a distance. Now the trail was almost horizontal and hence I hurried up ahead since the weather was worsening by each moment. It was snowing heavily and visibility was very poor. We were shivering with cold and what we were able to see was only the top of ridge ahead of us. No one had any idea about how much we had already covered and how much distance was remaining so we had no choice that to march forward.Finally the moment arrived, when I saw the mountain line ahead of us. When I moved further, I could see our bright orange dining tent pitched up at the bottom of the mountain line and our porters had dumped our sacks next to it.Snow flex were hitting our faces due to blowing wind making it difficult to see further. Our entire support crew had gathered in front of the dining tent to save themselves from snow blizzard.I looked back for a while to convey this good news that we had almost made it to the campsite but I could only see Anand and Hrishikesh behind me. I took out my video camera to capture these moments live and shot a video or two before moving towards the dining tent. It might have only taken a minute or two but when I turned back, to my surprise, I couldn't see a single soul around our dining tent. Imagine a scene where all 13-14 members of the support team along with 4 trekkers all hiding in that small dining tent!Soon I reached the dining tent and stood below one of its side flaps looking back at the trail for signs of my friends. Soon I saw and Anand and Hrishikesh at the end of the visible trail. Milind and Mr. Date followed them in some time. I don't recollect when Raju reached but he certainly was not lagging behind much. Milind sir I were waiting under the flap when we realized that Manish had not made it yet to the campsite. And that was the moment when we all were really scared. We all knew that he was lagging behind due to his ankle problem but since we all started on those ridge, none of us had actually tracked him. We waited there for another 10 minutes but there was no sign of Manish. By now, porters had pitched our tents so almost everyone else went inside the tents and we two decided to wait further for Manish. Time was clicking and there was no point in waiting further so we decided to send a porter to look for Manish. He grabbed a walking stick and started going back on the trail in that snowfall. It was almost 15 minutes passed now and there was no sign of neither that porter nor Manish. So another porter left hurriedly looking out for both of them. We were shivering in cold but continued to wait for them by the side of the dining tent although we knew that it won't help the situation. Soon we saw the latest porter coming back from the trail and he confirmed that he saw Manish and the first porter and also mentioned that they should reach the campsite in next few minutes. We all breathed a sigh of relief!Soon Manish joined the gang but he looked completely exhausted. So we decided to take some rest till the weather clears up. Bachan had reduced one tent so that we all could wind up early in the morning. Accordingly, Raju had joined Mr. Date and Hrishikesh and Abhishek had joined Deepak and Rakesh. Manish decided to sleep for a while and so did Raju. Soon it stopped snowing and we were called for some hot lunch which was dal khichadi. Abhishek, Raju, Manish decided to skip lunch since they were very tired. This was perhaps more to do with the altitude sickness. After having dal khichadi, I also joined Manish in the tent and took some rest. Within the next few hours the weather cleared and we could see some peaks around through clouds. I was searching for the toilet tent so Bachan pointed me towards the backside of our tent and mentioned that porters had pitched it down somewhere there. I walked for more than 10 minutes in that direction and went down the mountain, trading that soft snow to find nothing! It was snow snow everywhere. I understood that something must have gone wrong. When I came back, I got to know that the tent although was pitched as soon as the porter team arrived at the campsite, was blown away by the strong wind. After hearing this, we were actually worried about our tents as well since we could see that the tent pegs were really not reaching the hard soil beneath the snow. To work around this issue, Suru had used my walking stick as one of the pegs for our tent. He had tried the same with Rakeshs stick. This had created one hell of a problem but let me hold onto it till time comes..In the evening, the weather cleared to an extent where we could actually see the pass itself on the mountain behind our campsite. Swagarohini Peak was exactly in front of our campsite. Manish was now looking fresh after some rest. Everyone gathered in the dining tent now and got divided into two teams for the game of cards. While I was standing next to the dining tent, I saw one member of our crew coming towards our dining tent walking through the same trail which was much clearly visible now. Swargarohini peak was peeping through the dark clouds behind him.Meanwhile, during the afternoon, Bachan had asked to collect extra luggage from each individuals and it was clubbed together in few sacks. He then asked few of the porters to do the load ferry to take all that extra luggage up the mountain, cross the pass and hide it safely on the other side of the pass. This would have helped the porter to be free to assist trekkers while crossing the actual pass. Theoretically this sound exceptional and that's why we all assisted it with whatever was possible. Those porters had travelled all the way up to the pass through that snow, crossed it and put the luggage on the other side and come back to the campsite by sliding on the soft snow around the pass. They all had also joined the team in the dining tent for playing cards.When I looked at the pass, I could see the trail was clearly visible till the pass since our porters had to actually dug steps to reach the pass. It was actually looking scary since the trail had become almost vertical near the pass and it was visible even with naked eyes from where I was standing.I decided to take a walk beyond our campsite. It was becoming really difficult to walk on it since I was trying my level best to stick to the footprints of our porters which were already knee deep. Still I managed to walk around 40-50 steps and when I turned back, I was stunned with the beauty of the campsite.This was the most scenic location which I had seen on this trek. Rather, this is for the first time, we were camping on actual soft snow and were to spend almost a day on it. I saw that Suru was trying his hands on his mobile camera and was explaining something to fellow support crew member. Swargarohini pick was glittering in bright sunshine behind our campsite. Our green tents and orange dining tent were adding real flavor to the scene making it absolutely mesmerizing landscape. Soon the clouds started again charging in and we lost whatever sunrays reaching our campsite.Since we were surrounded by snow from all sides, we did not have any arrangement for drinking water. So, the crew had fetched some snow around and melted it using gas stove to provide us with drinking water. Bachan mentioned that we would be given bed tea by 3:30 am in the morning and we need to move out of the campsite by 4:30. I was not believing my ears with what I was hearing. It was horribly cold and we were even struggling to come out of the tent for dinner at 6-6:30 pm. In this scenario, starting for the trek at 4:30 am next morning was seemingly impossible task. However, it's one of the important notions of Himalayan trek that the one who starts on time, reaches the destination safely and on time. Since we knew that it's important to cross the pass before the snow starts melting in sunlight, we were keen on following all instructions to an extent possible. After an early dinner and hot chocolate we were all back to our tents preparing for the night. I remember, I had taken out all warm cloths which I had carried on this trek and decided to wear them all to safeguard my body from the bone chilling cold of the freezing night. I was wearing 4 layers but still I was feeling cold while I tried to move within my sleeping bag. The poor quality sleeping mats had made the matter worst since they were of almost the same size of the sleeping bag. So invariably, some part of the sleeping bag was directly in touch with the tents outer, which was touching the snow on the other side. It was one freaking cold night I had ever survived in my trekking experience. I was trying to sleep but was not successful for quite some time perhaps due to extreme cold and much higher altitude. Sooner or later, I went into deep trance or sleep only to wake up at around 2:30 am in night to attend to my biological needs. The only promising point which I realized was, I still had 1 hour to remain in the confines of my tent before the cook yells at us with bed tea in his tray. nerd1200 BHPian Join Date: May 2014 Location: (Ex)Garden city Posts: 280 Thanked: 835 Times View My Garage Re: From Bangalore, in search of the Sleeping Buddha Day-2: 11th April, 2021 - Onwards Sandakphu SB dropped his mum and relatives at Lepchajagat and we started off from there at noon, making our way to Maneybhanjang. As expected, at the checkpost, we were asked to get permission from LR association to drive in our own vehicles. It took us a while to convince LR association guy and were finally successful, thanks to SBs clever negotiations and credentials. It was around 2PM when we started the climb from Maneybhanjang. Due to the delay, we decided to visit Chitrey monastery the next day and skip lunch. Our only stops were the check post near Meghma and Garibas. SB posing next to his Thar - Meghma monastry in the backdrop Rhododendron - It grows only in this region in India and blossoms only during the spring season. The locals use it as an ingredient to brew wine. At Garibas, we leave the concrete path behind and the 12 KM climb up from here is the real deal. Very steep and narrow, difficult switchbacks and jeeps/LRs coming the other way seldom announced. Add to it, the path is made out of stones which due to constant travel gets dislodged often forming deep ruts. The first 600-700 meters was manageable for the Yeti. Kept good momentum and it was able to climb up without much hesitation, although it encountered a few underbelly hits. The first point where it started struggling had deep ruts on either side and a raised portion in the middle of loose stones and mud. A major drawback of the Yeti, especially in such circumstances, apart from the car like ground clearance is the absence of anti-stall, a very aggressive (due to the gradient) Hill-hold and minimal low end grunt. So you effectively cannot start off at a steep incline because the engine will stall. Your only option is to build up revvs and launch Cant do that either because if you dont time it perfectly, Hill hold doesnt disengage and the car stalls. So only option is to slip the clutch, which at that gradient will eat into the clutch pack in no time. To handle that effectively, we can put stones behind the rear wheels to ensure theres no loss of torque countering the effect of gravity. We did that, however after a while I realized that whatever approach angles I try, there just wasnt enough usable traction for the car to climb the rock at the end of it without damaging the bumpers or clutch or something else. Thats where you need a proper low range box to crawl. The LRs were struggling a bit at this point too, but the high ground clearance and a properly lockable low range gearbox meant they were able to climb. Moreover, they were seasoned drivers on that route and am sure wouldve driven through the trail in much worse conditions. They mentioned that the path ahead was much worse. I took their advice seriously and felt there was no point in pushing the car beyond its limit at a place where backup is hard to find (Good luck getting a tow truck or recovery van to reach there) and any breakdown could lead to very horrid experience, for all of us. Giving it a bit of thought, I took the decision to reverse down while MD spotted for me. Unfortunately, we missed taking pictures at this point. SB and I were connected through walkie-talkies. He was waiting slightly ahead of where I was stuck and was kind enough to come back to Garibas and give us a ride up to the top in his Thar. This however costed us precious time, compounded by the earlier delays. We missed the opportunity to experience sunset at Gote view point, towards Phalut while compelling us to drive in that terrain after dark. The trail did become worse thereafter. There are several points where one actually crosses into Nepal. Also, its said that the trail on Nepals side is a little more forgiving than the corresponding Indian trail. As luck would have it, Gmaps decided to route us through the latter. As I recall, SB completed most of path in 4H. The new Thars rear MLD and front BLD + wider track + wide A/T tyres from the factory make it more competent off the road when compared to the last generation (which had an open front differential). He engaged 4L for just about few 100-200 meters where we were literally crawling over huge boulders. It was already getting dark by the time we crossed Kalapokhri and was completely dark by the time we reached our destination Sherpa Chalet Lodge, Sandakphu IIRC at 7PM. At Kalapokhari Crossing into Nepal for the first time We were ecstatic but tired. Had a quick snack with tea before freshening up. MD and I decided to relax in our room till dinner time while SB went back to his car to download the dashcam footage. Below is a compilation of the same. We had dinner at 9PM and retired for the night. SB dropped his mum and relatives at Lepchajagat and we started off from there at noon, making our way to Maneybhanjang. As expected, at the checkpost, we were asked to get permission from LR association to drive in our own vehicles. It took us a while to convince LR association guy and were finally successful, thanks to SBs clever negotiations and credentials. It was around 2PM when we started the climb from Maneybhanjang.Due to the delay, we decided to visit Chitrey monastery the next day and skip lunch. Our only stops were the check post near Meghma and Garibas.At Garibas, we leave the concrete path behind and the 12 KM climb up from here is the real deal. Very steep and narrow, difficult switchbacks and jeeps/LRs coming the other way seldom announced. Add to it, the path is made out of stones which due to constant travel gets dislodged often forming deep ruts. The first 600-700 meters was manageable for the Yeti. Kept good momentum and it was able to climb up without much hesitation, although it encountered a few underbelly hits. The first point where it started struggling had deep ruts on either side and a raised portion in the middle of loose stones and mud. A major drawback of the Yeti, especially in such circumstances, apart from the car like ground clearance is the absence of anti-stall, a very aggressive (due to the gradient) Hill-hold and minimal low end grunt. So you effectively cannot start off at a steep incline because the engine will stall. Your only option is to build up revvs and launch Cant do that either because if you dont time it perfectly, Hill hold doesnt disengage and the car stalls. So only option is to slip the clutch, which at that gradient will eat into the clutch pack in no time. To handle that effectively, we can put stones behind the rear wheels to ensure theres no loss of torque countering the effect of gravity. We did that, however after a while I realized that whatever approach angles I try, there just wasnt enough usable traction for the car to climb the rock at the end of it without damaging the bumpers or clutch or something else. Thats where you need a proper low range box to crawl.The LRs were struggling a bit at this point too, but the high ground clearance and a properly lockable low range gearbox meant they were able to climb. Moreover, they were seasoned drivers on that route and am sure wouldve driven through the trail in much worse conditions. They mentioned that the path ahead was much worse. I took their advice seriously and felt there was no point in pushing the car beyond its limit at a place where backup is hard to find (Good luck getting a tow truck or recovery van to reach there) and any breakdown could lead to very horrid experience, for all of us. Giving it a bit of thought, I took the decision to reverse down while MD spotted for me.Unfortunately, we missed taking pictures at this point.SB and I were connected through walkie-talkies. He was waiting slightly ahead of where I was stuck and was kind enough to come back to Garibas and give us a ride up to the top in his Thar. This however costed us precious time, compounded by the earlier delays. We missed the opportunity to experience sunset at Gote view point, towards Phalut while compelling us to drive in that terrain after dark.The trail did become worse thereafter. There are several points where one actually crosses into Nepal. Also, its said that the trail on Nepals side is a little more forgiving than the corresponding Indian trail. As luck would have it, Gmaps decided to route us through the latter. As I recall, SB completed most of path in 4H. The new Thars rear MLD and front BLD + wider track + wide A/T tyres from the factory make it more competent off the road when compared to the last generation (which had an open front differential). He engaged 4L for just about few 100-200 meters where we were literally crawling over huge boulders. It was already getting dark by the time we crossed Kalapokhri and was completely dark by the time we reached our destination Sherpa Chalet Lodge, Sandakphu IIRC at 7PM.We were ecstatic but tired. Had a quick snack with tea before freshening up. MD and I decided to relax in our room till dinner time while SB went back to his car to download the dashcam footage. Below is a compilation of the same.We had dinner at 9PM and retired for the night. With a big smile that could be still be seen behind the mask, Sasha and Samuel made an effort this Monday, 24 May, to find a taxi that would take them to their apartment in Benalmadena. The British couple had just landed at Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport and had not set foot on the Costa del Sol for more than a year because of the Covid crisis, We are pleased to be back; Malaga is our second home and we don't know how to live without spending a few months here, he confessed, struggling to speak in Spanish. From this Monday, travellers from the United Kingdom do not have to provide a PCR test to enter Spain, which will undoubtedly facilitate the arrival of tourists. Visitors from Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Thailand and Rwanda, which are now considered safe non-EU countries, will not need this document either. Sasha and Samuel arrived on the Costa del Sol at 4.15pm on a flight from London and plan to stay for a minimum of two weeks. Their intention is to get everything ready for the family to come in July, "We British love the Costa del Sol because the weather is very good and we are tired of being at home." Although the flight was full, the tourists were not in the majority, as many people also came on business trips. For now, the obligation to quarantine on the return to the UK has stopped many families, who will wait for the situation to improve somewhat. Louis Williams, appreciated being able to travel without having to present a negative Covid test. "I understand that it is a measure to contain the virus, but it makes tourists think about it more when travelling." In his case, he was flying on business, something he had not done for five months. "The plane was full, although at the moment there are only a few flights from London," he explained. During Monday, the arrival of four flights from London is expected, and another three on Tuesday. However, it is estimated that the number of travellers will increase as June approaches and the bulk of hotels will open along the entire coast. Steve Wozniak will soon face the courts for a copyright lawsuit due to a technology school venture initially called "Woz Institute of Technology" but was scrapped and did not push through. The Apple co-founder has since distanced himself from the project after partnering with two individuals for two separate projects, which both flopped miserably. From the two projects for a tech school, one individual is now seeking at least a million dollars in damages due to his copyright protection from the venture. It is said to have been used in another idea called "Woz U" in 2017. Initially, Wozniak and Ralph Reilly had plans for the Woz Institute of Technology in 2011, which closed with an "on-camera" handshake. Read Also: Apple Macbook Pro 2021: Will It Bring Back Old Ports For Maximum Connectivity? Steve Wozniak to Face Million-Dollar Lawsuit for Copyright Disputes Instead of being board members or chairpersons of what is supposed to be a technology school that would focus on engineering and pushing forth the development of modern gadgets, both parties are square one in court. According to Business Insider, Wozniak is facing the claims of allegedly "stealing" the idea to a tech school despite having the name "Woz" to it. Reilly, who was supposed to be Wozniak's partner, has now turned into the one who pushes a suit between both sides and aims to get paid for having his idea taken from him. While Wozniak wants to distance himself from the failed tech institute of learning, he can not go away for now, especially as an appearance is required from him in the coming months. Despite distancing himself from the project after its initial failure, Wozniak is still tied to it, especially as he signed the document and has an actual website called "Wozniak School of Technology" as the center of the suit. Steve Wozniak's Failed Schools The two ventures for the school have been brought up in two separate years, with the first in 2011, which involves Reilly with "Woz Institute of Technology," and the next is with "Woz U" in 2017. Both projects did not launch and failed to take off, despite both initially having a partner website intended for it, with Woz U starting as a virtual launch. Wozniak and Reilly's partnership has taken a turn for the worst, particularly as the co-Apple Founder's decision to distance himself after having signed contracts for it. Initially, Reilly launched a website in 2013 in partnership with a Connecticut-based online school. The co-Apple Founder has initially claimed that the idea wouldn't have come to him if it was not for Reilly, hence the impending million-dollar copyright lawsuit Wozniak now faces. Related Article: Steve Wozniak Wishes Apple Split Up A Long Time Ago To Break Big Tech Monopoly This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. India has clarified that there are no "India variants" of COVID-19. It wants social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to remove or censor posts that pertain to false claims. While it is true that India has been hit with one of the most grievous cases of COVID-19 in this pandemic, it would like to correct claims of a new strain. Information like the "India Variant" of COVID-19 has spread like wildfire, especially as it had joined the news of the staggering rise in cases of infected people and deaths in the country. It was known that India is severely overpopulated and that it has faced a lot of challenges regarding Healthcare in the country, hence leading to this crisis. Despite rolling out the COVID-19 vaccines and some countries reopening up the public for socialization like Israel (and no more face masks), there are still which still struggles amidst this health crisis like India. Other countries have been extending their help to the South Asian country, including France, which has shared oxygen tanks for medical use. Read Also: COVID-19 Vaccine Effectivity: Not That High with 'Immunocompromised' People, Transplant Recipients, Says Study India Claims Falsity on 'India Variant' Mentioned in Social Media Despite the initially discovered "Double Mutation" COVID-19 variant to be found in the states of the country, India is now claiming false on the spread of the so-called "India Variant" attributed to them. The severe case of COVID-19 in the country has led people from social media platforms to believe that the country has developed a new strain of the virus. According to Reuters, India's Information Technology (IT) ministry has addressed the different social media firms worldwide to help in stopping the spread of the false information that is spreading. Due to India's case, the belief and fast traveling word regarding the India variant are high, hence its spread which have been established. The likes of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking platforms have been sought out by India for its removal and censorship, but up to this writing, none have commented or started actions. India's COVID-19 Case Amidst this pandemic and a massive case of COVID-19 in India, the country has suffered from multiple cases of "Black Fungus," which also brings a deadly threat to the infected. According to BBC's report, India has an epidemic case rising, and it is because of mucormycosis, which has a mortality rate of 50 percent. The country has been seeing these spikes for those who have been infected by COVID-19, particularly in 12 to 15 days after diagnosis. This phenomenon has been observed in the past week, amidst India finally lowering its cases and infection rate. Related Article: Facebook Removes 14 Million COVID-19 Misinformation Posts Globally in 2020 This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Twitch Streamer, "Alinity," has recently called out "creepy" stranger fans who randomly showed up at her doorstep. She was shaken up by the incident, which was later reported to the police. Alinity said that this is considered harassment and is unacceptable in any way, as she and other streamers are still entitled to privacy and safety despite being public figures. Being a person in the limelight is hard, as actors and actresses gather a massive amount of fandom, which sometimes turns into more than admiring one's talent; it turns into obsession. There are a lot of cases in Hollywood and artists worldwide involving obsessed fans who are "creepy" and do unimaginable things such as stalking and harassment. The world has evolved from only having artists or stars from the TV, Film, Theater, Radio, and print media, which now has rising stars from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and other content sharing or streaming websites. Being a streamer has now been letting people earn and gain the "popularity" they so desire, especially during this time of digital convergence. Read Also: Twitch Cheaters Spotted: 7.5 Million Bots Found Improving Streamer's Following and Viewing Numbers Twitch Streamer Alinity Calls Out Harassment Among Fans Streamers are people too, and they can feel scared or creeped out by random strangers appearing on their doorsteps and not stating the reason for their presence in a place considered to be a safe environment. People feel unsafe whenever there are random individuals following them, and more so if they appear on your doorstep, despite the world being on lockdown. The good thing is that Natalia "Alinity" Mogollon has taken this issue with finesse and conviction, affirming the rights of content creators worldwide, as they are people who have a right to privacy as well. In the streamer's recent tweet, she explained that invading one's private space or appearing on a content creator's home is a form of "harassment." I'm fine, I was pretty shaken up. It was just a bunch of bored children that thought it would be funny? Alinity (@AlinityTwitch) May 24, 2021 Alinity expressed her dismay and ranted on social media, saying that she would not tolerate this and has brought in the police regarding the matter. Stalking is Unacceptable Despite Being Online Personalities According to Be On Air's report, online streaming platforms have grown more popular nowadays, especially as it brings in-demand shows and content right at people's hands and discretion. No need to wait for a certain film or artist to show up, making the streaming industry one of the fastest-growing platforms in the world. A content creator still has rights, despite being online and public personalities as they have showcased a lot of their life stories, lifestyles, and more online. Alinity's case is only one of many cases of harassment and stalking in the world, and this stigma is something the Twitch streamer wants to be changed. Related Article: Streamer Banned for Earning $7 Million from Fake Engagement | Ban Effective for 630 Years This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Conti ransomware gang has targeted another ransom-prone system. The notorious group of hackers and cybercrime attackers have tried to access at least 16 healthcare systems in the US along with the first responder organizations. Now, it penetrated Ireland's healthcare system. Overall, more than 400 companies globally have already encountered the ransomware group. 290 of them came from the US, Dodo Finance reported on Monday, May 24. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the activity of the infamous network crashers has been detected on Thursday, May 20. The law enforcement agency has immediately warned the vulnerable networks for a possible comeback of the gang--and now in the Irish ground. The US intelligence and security service also aimed to help the security experts to bar the Conti crew from accessing the networks of the organizations and healthcare. How can you protect yourself from the Conti ransomware threat? Conti Ransomware Squad Locks Down Ireland Healthcare According to Gizmodo's report on Sunday, May 23, what recently happened to Ireland was not an isolated case of a ransomware attack. Earlier, the FBI warned that the said group behind the Irish healthcare system hi-jacking is also the same group that had launched a cyber breach to a dozen of the US-based healthcare networks last week. The 911 and police dispatch centers are also included as their targets. The agency said that the Conti ransomware was the one responsible for this. Moreover, what the crew does is expose the healthcare information of the system and later encrypt them. The worst part about their actions is the ransom scheme, where the victims will be forced to pay them or else their data will be leaked, sold, or posted online. Despite the warning, the FBI was not able to recognize the victims involved and also if they have released the money to the intruders. Read Also: FiveHands Ransomware Seen to be Exploiting SonicWall--Similar to 'HelloKitty' Ransomware? Conti Ransomware and the Wizard Spider Gang The Conti ransomware gang is speculated to be managed by the Wizard Spider cybercrime gang based in Russia. Most probably, the Ryuk ransomware is believed to be connected to this group. The dangerous hackers are said to utilize the malware in exposing the vulnerability of the channels. The modus starts with the discovery of the victim's true identity. The group will later negotiate with the person about their data--in short, a ransom attack. The problem could be worse than expected since many healthcare networks have been keeping the private data of the patients. The FBI said that the Conti group has been engaging in blatant participation-- which covers a discussion that could hit as high as $25 million. Using the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services, the group could now infiltrate the exposed data. FBI said that they are encouraging the victims to share their information with them so that they could detect the individuals under the Conti ransomware fiasco. Victims are urged to share information on Conti ransomware attacks that hit their networks to help the FBI prevent future attacks and determine the gang members' identities. How to Remove the Conti Ransomware? According to a guide written by PC Risk, you should know the following information so you won't encounter this harmful ransom malware in your system. Do not open distrustful emails from unknown senders. Do not access links or attachments in the emails. They could contain the infected files. Download contents from verified and official sources. Update the programs via legitimate developers. Refrain from using third-party updated or cracking tools Use trusted and updated anti-virus software. Regularly run a cleaning in your system. If Conti has entered your system, use the Combo Cleaner Antivirus to completely remove the ransomware. Related Article: Ransomware Healthcare Faces the Wrath of Ransomware Hackers: is it Worse Than the Pandemic? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SpaceX announced that the succeeding launches of the Falcon Heavy rocket will be delayed for some months. The reason?--the US payload accommodation issue, which is unrelated to the said mission. SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Delay The director of the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) of the United States released an official email about the delays in the Space Force launch on May 19, Satellite Today reported. According to the emailed statement, USFF-44, the Falcon Heavy lift-off will be rescheduled in October from its usual July take-off. Furthermore, the director said that the postponement will happen to "accommodate payload readiness." The satellite payload has previously faced delays last 2020, and this time. The April 2021 spaceflight was also affected by the said reason that's why it was moved to July. In conjunction with several delays, the USSF-52 was also linked to the same case scenario, specifically to the fifth launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket. Originally, it should have started for some time around June, but it would be pushed to October of this year and to even a later month of January in 2022. Read Also: SpaceX Now En Route to Eight Orbital Falcon 9 Launches in Six Weeks After the Successful Release of Starlink-26 The next launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has been delayed from July to October to await readiness of its US military payload. The following Falcon Heavy flight has been pushed back until next year, military officials said. : @scriptunasphotohttps://t.co/NsfVMTDLEf pic.twitter.com/lFMvKFvTcA Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) May 23, 2021 On top of that, this means that in 2021, there is only one launch left for the Falcon Heavy rocket. The spaceship imbued with an expandable center core, and two retrievable side boosters could have been released in April at SpaceX's facilities in Florida. However, the Elon Musk-owned space transportation services would have to rest for a while for its intended Q2 2021 schedule. The Falcon Heavy rocket would have to wait for the latter part of the year before it happens. Falcon Heavy Boosters Underwent Testing According to Teslarati, the expendable Falcon Heavy center core B1066 underwent testing last March at SpaceX's McGregor facilities in Texas. The four recent boosters have been transported to Florida after some weeks. In 2020 and early 2021, the Falcon Heavy side boosters, B1064, and B1065 have successfully accomplished static fire acceptance testing in the same location. SpaceX's USFF-52, which will fly in 2022, could adopt another Falcon Heavy center core or two of them. Most probably, the new center core could be either B1068 or B1609. Indeed, the payload delays from the USSF-44 and USSF-52 have impacted all the schedules, which only gave the space agency a few more months for the preparation. Overall, the 2022 flight mission will allow as many as five Falcon Heavy releases. SpaceX could possibly launch USSF-52 in 2022. The next one could be the ViaSat-3 and the USSF-67 satellite, which will likely be released in Q1 and Q4, respectively. Next year, we could also expect that the Falcon Heavy rocket could deliver two Inmarsat I-6 satellites. To summarize, the gap of SpaceX rocket's third and fourth launch will now be over 28 months in duration. Related Article: SpaceX Contract: Falcon 9, Heavy Rockets Prepare to Release Six Moon Landers in Next Launch This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google Play Services will soon be more enjoyable, thanks to the upcoming Neural Network API updates. If you don't know what is Google Play Services, it provides the latest updates for the applications you install from Google Play Store. On the other hand, this service is also a layer of software that connects your apps, Google services, and Android in one place. Google Play Services also runs in the background of your Android device. Thanks to this capability, it can manage things such as push notifications, app location permission, and other essential features that you need to check before activating. Since most Android devices are still using Qualcomm's Snapdragon, the new Neural Network API updates will be beneficial since they can improve their chips' performances. To give you more idea, here's how you can benefit from Google Play Services' upcoming Neural Network API updates. Google Services' Neural Network API Updates Details According to Android Police's latest report, Qualcomm's Neural Network API is one of the complex things that make parts of Android better. These updates can do these without the smartphone user even noticing it. Also Read: What Makes Google Flutter 2.2 Different Flutter 2.0? Here are Its Android Updates To make it more simple, the upcoming Neural Network API updates of Google Play Services allow developers to apply some of the extremely complicated parts of neural network processing to local Android hardware. This means that Android users will have a chance to enjoy a boosted background app performance, as well as Snapdragon performance. As of the moment, Qualcomm and Google haven't revealed the exact release date of these updates. But, they said that it could arrive sooner than expected. Things to Expect by Android Users Once the new Neural Network API updates arrive on Google Play Services, Android users can expect a lot of things that they can surely enjoy. Developers NDK provided the exact details of the benefits that you can receive. Here are some of them: Enhanced Availability (Android users can soon run the app even when there's no WiFi signal) Improved Privacy (Smartphone owners can feel safer since their sensitive data will no longer leave their handsets) Better Latency (Android users no longer need to send a request over a network connection. On the other hand, they also don't need to wait for a response) More Speed (Android fans can expect significantly faster computation than a general-purpose CPU) For more news updates about Google Play Services and its upcoming innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: 100 Million Android Users Affected by Google Play Store Massive Breach: Apps to Uninstall This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) conducted a new asteroid simulation to show the thing needed to destroy an approaching, giant heavenly body that could lead to Earth's destruction. The space agency's latest experiment revealed that the plot twist of the popular iconic movie "Armageddon" is unlikely to happen. NASA claimed that the reason behind this is the movie's very short time frame to prevent the collision of the giant asteroid with Earth. The international space agency's latest simulation experiment was specifically conducted to test its ability to respond to an imaginary or hypothetical asteroid crisis. NASA's training exercise depicted a giant asteroid at 35 million miles away. The simulation also showed that the hypothetical approaching heavenly body will hit Earth's atmosphere within six months. NASA's Main Weapon to Destroy a Giant Asteroid According to CBR's latest report, NASA said that the 18-day timeline of "Armageddon" is not enough to destroy an upcoming Texas-sized asteroid. "Time is the most valuable commodity you could possibly wish for if faced with a real asteroid threat," said Richard Binzel, an MIT astronomer. Also Read: Solar Flares, Storms from Sunspots Can Cause Power Disruptions, Radio Problems Here on Earth-Soon Coming to the World "What that means is, for now, we are relying on luck to keep us safe from major asteroid impacts. But luck is not a plan," added the space expert. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration claimed if there's a giant asteroid that will hit Earth in the future, it needs to be detected five years before it nears the planet. Binzel even said that it takes more time to know your "enemy" before you can defeat it. He added that the best thing that the international space agency can do is invest in technologies that will allow them to know how large and how fast a giant asteroid is, such as the Asteroid SW 2020, which was previously predicted to pass really close to Earth. As of the moment, NASA is still developing machines and other innovations that could prevent the feared Earth-meets-asteroid scenario. Right now, there's no asteroid or meteor that made a huge impact on Earth's surface. What Protects Earth From Asteroid Collisions? As of the moment, Earth is protected by the so-called Asteroid Belt, which is found in the region between Mars and Jupiter. Aside from this, NASA Gov previously explained that this area is where asteroids orbit. However, since the gravity force of Jupiter and other giant planets in the solar systems, these asteroids are getting pulled into their orbits, preventing them to reach the Earth and other smaller planets. Without them, the Earth would have been hit by various asteroids a long time ago. If you want to see more details, all you need to do is click this link. For more news updates about NASA and its upcoming space innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: NASA Hubble Discover 'Deep Space' Radio Signals, FRBs From Distant Galaxies Which Are Still Forming This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Tehachapi, CA (93561) Today Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Wisdom Keepers: Carol Casey-Newell - 'Appreciate the moment because its not going to come around again' Virtually no one in the Spanish scientific community doubted that sooner or later a booster dose would be necessary to maintain immunity against coronavirus among those already vaccinated. But that third dose (or second in the case of single-dose vaccines) could be much closer than people imagined. It is very likely that Spain, like many western countries, will start administering a booster dose among the most vulnerable groups in the last quarter of 2021. The booster campaign could begin in September before the country has finished vaccinating 100 per cent of the population with their first jabs, according to what officials at the Ministry of Health have said. For some weeks now, the department has been considering the possibility of having to start the revaccination of some groups from autumn onwards and has closed agreements with the four authorised laboratories in the EU (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen) for the delivery before 30 September of 93.5 million doses of vaccines, sufficient to immunise 55 million people, some eight million more than the total population of the country. In the coming months it is also expected that vials from the other three laboratories with which the EU has closed contracts (Curevac, Sanofi and Novavax) will be added to the supplies. Spain has started to develop this new vaccine campaign, which will depend on the availability of the different vaccines and the scientific studies available at the time. And the country's eyes have turned to the UK after Health minister Matt Hancock announced the first trial in the world to study the immune response of a third Covid vaccine dose. In the trial, called Cov-Boost, some 2,886 patients from the United Kingdom will participate in the trials and the results of the study are expected at the end of August 2021. The volunteers in this study, who will start to be jabbed from the beginning of June under the supervision of the University of Southampton, will be mainly in the higher age ranges. Ugur Sahin, CEO of BionTech, Pfizer's German partner, announced last April that immunity begins to decline six months after vaccination, so a 'booster' inoculation would be necessary at nine months. And this Sunday, Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, pointed out that it will be necessary to "vaccinate with a third dose all those who are at risk from the end of summer" and warned that "two or three months of delay in that calendar could mean "numerous hospitalisations and deaths". Wahlert Catholic High School Graduates: 142 Commencement speaker: Logan Lynch, Class of 2013 Student speakers: Kathryn Nedder, student body vice president; Daniel Steele, student body president Quotable: COVID-19 made us to appreciate the simple things. Things we would have taken for granted in a normal senior year. Theres a saying that you dont know what you have, until its gone. The end of our junior year was taken away from us, and our senior year was really up in the air. -- Kathryn Nedder What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 712-243-2624 or email circ@ant-news.com. Look out, Stephen Colbert your bandleader, Jon Batiste, will get in some hosting experience this week on 'CBS This Morning.' Multi-talented entertainer Batiste grew up in Kenner, and has led the house band for 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' since 2015. Iberville and Ascension parishes have prevailed, at least temporarily, in a dispute with East Baton Rouge Parish over portable dams that were installed to block flood water from spilling out of Bayou Manchac, as water levels continued to decline in the bayou. In a late Friday letter, the Louisiana Supreme Court vacated an emergency order issued by an East Baton Rouge Parish judge on Wednesday that had blocked deployment of the structures, known as AquaDams. The Supreme Court order also halted "all proceedings" in the dispute "pending further orders of this court," a letter from the high court says. That means a hearing over the dispute that had been planned for Monday afternoon has been pulled from the docket in East Baton Rouge Parish, city-parish attorneys confirmed. What are AquaDams, and why are they controversial in the Baton Rouge area? After heavy rains dropped more than 13 inches on the Baton Rouge area in less than 24 hours earlier this week, Iberville Parish sought to hold On news of the order, Iberville Parish officials notified residents on their council Facebook page Saturday about the developments and asserted the dams would remain. They had already been installed in the days before Judge William Morvant issued his order blocking their deployment. "The aqua dams will be in place to ensure the safety of all East Iberville residents until the flood waters start to recede," the page post says. "Lets continue to work together and stay safe Iberville! 'In your heart you know I'm right!'" Iberville Parish President Mitch Ourso, who disputed that Morvant even had jurisdiction in his parish, reiterated the view Monday that the legal fight over the dams is finished. "It's done. It's over with," he said. East Baton Rouge city-parish officials had contended the dams along the south side of the bayou would worsen flooding for their residents on the north side of the bayou and filed emergency petitions last week in attempt to block their installation. In a statement, Parish Attorney Andy Dotson said the city-parish doesn't comment on the specifics of litigation. He said the city-parish does plan to respond to "the writ filed by Iberville Parish with the Louisiana Supreme Court and will, of course, take all action necessary to protect the citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish." +9 EBR judge orders Iberville, Ascension not to deploy AquaDams along Manchac; order's authority questioned With distant storm clouds and high water stirring worries of flooding along Bayou Manchac, a Baton Rouge judge ordered Wednesday that portable Events have also caught up with the court actions. Bayou Manchac at Alligator Bayou in eastern Iberville has fallen more than a foot since early Friday. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The bayou fell to 13.22 feet as of 11 a.m. Monday down from 14.37 feet shortly after midnight Friday, the National Weather Service says. On Monday, Ascension Parish officials announced they had started siphoning water on Sunday from the Bluff Swamp and sending into Bayou Manchac. Three portable pumps and large pipes have been set up at the parish's Frog Bayou floodgate, which can't be used to drain the swamp basin while Manchac's waters are elevated. John Connelly, spokesman for parish government, said crews were working on the fabrication of additional piping and other equipment to install three more pumps. Once in place, the combined array of six pumps will be able to move 120,000 gallons per minute into Manchac, parish officials said. Iberville Parish installed the water-inflated, synthetic fabric dams on both sides the Mississippi River to hold back high water from heavy rains last week. One set was installed along La. 75 in the Bayou Pigeon and Bayou Sorrel's areas on the fringes of Atchafalaya Swamp basin on the parish's west bank. Another set was installed on the east bank of the Mississippi in the Spanish Lake basin east of St. Gabriel. +9 Evacuation order issued after high waters breach Iberville Parish AquaDam at Bayou Sorrel Louis Pete Kelley was sitting in his chair outside his home near Bayou Sorrel Friday morning when he heard a loud pop followed by gushing water. Iberville Parish workers installed that set along the south bank of Bayou Manchac early last week. Ascension Parish officials have declined to comment about whether the dams extended into their parish, but an Advocate photographer observed them extending at least a quarter mile past the Iberville-Ascension line east into Ascension Parish. About a 100-foot section of the dams broke open on the west bank of Iberville late last week. Residents and emergency workers had to install sandbags and concrete blocks to shore up the breach. Clint Moore, homeland security director for Iberville, said he wasn't sure why the dam in Bayou Sorrel failed but speculated it may have simply been the amount of water pressure on the dams. Others have suggested the dam was overfilled. Moore said that, along Bayou Manchac, the dams did end up holding back some water from the waterway, but the flood water reached less than a foot high along the dam's face. Ascension and East Baton Rouge officials were still preparing to respond to a request for comment Monday. Houses stood as islands along an Ascension Parish community Monday as ibises and other waterfowl amassed in flooded yards, while residents shuttled supplies using boats and kayaks across the floodwater. Some parts of the Baton Rouge region saw a sudden rush of water seep into their homes last week during a deluge that dumped more than 13 inches of rain in some places. But the flooding in the Bluff Swamp area happened more slowly as water form overflowing creeks and bayous accumulated. A week later, the water now has nowhere else to drain, and it could take weeks before the ground dries unless the vast pools are pumped out "We're stuck because the water can't go anywhere," said Catherine Zeringue, 66, who lives along Bluff Road, on the edge of the Spanish Lake Basin. +5 AquaDams can stay up on Bayou Manchac amid flooding fight, state Supreme Court says Iberville and Ascension parishes have prevailed, at least temporarily, in a dispute with East Baton Rouge Parish over portable dams that were Many of her neighbors' homes, including her own, suffered significant damage from the 2016 summer floods. It took about a month before the water receded from that flood. Several miles north, many homes along Bayou Paul Road near St. Gabriel were in a similar situation. Floodwaters there were still encroaching on sandbagged homes Monday morning as residents pumped water that seeped through the temporary barriers. Zeringue, whose family has owned the land she built her home on since the late 60s, said they haven't experienced floods until 2016 and this past week. She pointed to a waterline on a tree from nearly five years ago, just a few inches above where the pooling water remained Monday morning. Though residents in the area still have electricity, many homes haven't been able to use their plumbing because they rely on septic systems that could become backed up and create an even bigger mess. Susan Breaux, who also lives off Ridge Road, said she worries about her 88-year-old mother, who lives with her. High water still surrounded her home Monday, and she joked it resembled a moat. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Were just stuck, said Breaux, 63. "Hopefully, it doesn't rain more this week." She and other residents credited Iberville Parish for inflating their AquaDams near the Spanish Lake Basin last week, saying that the flooding would have been considerably worse for people in the area. The inflatable devices have been a long source of contention between local leaders, leading to a renewed legal battle about their use. +9 Evacuation order issued after high waters breach Iberville Parish AquaDam at Bayou Sorrel Louis Pete Kelley was sitting in his chair outside his home near Bayou Sorrel Friday morning when he heard a loud pop followed by gushing water. Iberville and Ascension parishes prevailed, at least temporarily, in a dispute with East Baton Rouge Parish over the portable dams when the Louisiana Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Baton Rouge judges earlier ruling that the dams needed to come down. Iberville Parish leaders say the devices are crucial to protecting residents on the east side of the Mississippi River from floodwater that flows from Baton Rouge. Meanwhile, East Baton Rouge Parish lawyers argue the barriers push water back across parish lines into homes. While the legal fight continues to lumber along in court, frustrated residents in still-flooded areas say the regional parish governments need to collaborate on fixing the problems and studying the impacts of commercial and residential development that could be worsening flooding. "They need to work together," Zeringue said, adding that she would be open to accepting a state or federal buyout of her property. "If they want to make this a retention pond for EBR and Ascension drainage, then we'll get out of here. The driver that died Sunday after her vehicle struck an abandoned car next to Interstate 55 has been identified as 28-year-old Sarah Martin of Ponchatoula, Louisiana State Police said. The incident happened just before 1 a.m. on Interstate 55 near Manchac. Driver dies after car hits abandoned vehicle, lands in water in Tangipahoa Parish, police say A three-vehicle crash in Tangipahoa Parish early Sunday took the life of one driver, whose vehicle went over a guardrail and was submerged in Investigators determined the crash happened when a 2014 Toyota Corolla, driven by Martin and travelling northbound on I-55, veered onto the right shoulder of the road and crashed into a 2000 Ford Explorer that was parked and abandoned there. After the crash, the Toyota Corolla went over the right guardrail and landed upside down in the water, completely submerged. The abandoned Ford Explorer was forced into the lanes of travel and struck a 2010 Toyota Tacoma in the left lane. The driver of the Tacoma truck was not injured, State Police said. St. Charles Sheriffs Department divers and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agents responded to assist with recovery efforts of the submerged vehicle and its driver. Despite their efforts, Martin was pronounced dead at the scene by the Tangipahoa Parish Coroners office, State Police said. NEW ORLEANS (AP) In perhaps the strongest evidence yet of an attempted cover-up in the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene, the ranking Louisiana State Police officer at the scene falsely told internal investigators that the Black man was still a threat to flee after he was shackled, and he denied the existence of his own body camera video for nearly two years until it emerged just last month. New state police documents obtained by The Associated Press show numerous inconsistencies between Lt. John Clarys statements to detectives and the body camera footage he denied having. They add to growing evidence of obfuscation in Greenes death, which the white troopers initially blamed on a car crash at the end of a high-speed chase and is now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. The highly secretive case has drawn national attention since last week, when the AP began publishing graphic body camera videos that showed troopers repeatedly jolting Greene with stun guns, putting him in a chokehold, punching him and dragging him by his ankle shackles. And like George Floyds death a year ago, it once again highlighted the importance of video as key evidence in police misconduct cases. +8 Louisiana State Police unseal 9 videos in deadly Ronald Greene arrest; here's what they show After leaked copies of body cam footage showed state troopers repeatedly punching and stun-gunning a Black man during a deadly traffic stop ne Video doesnt lie, and the best way to protect the integrity of law enforcement agencies is with body camera footage, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a New Orleans-based watchdog group. But Clary, the highest-ranking officer among at least six state troopers at the scene of Greenes May 10, 2019, arrest, told investigators later that day that he had no body camera footage of the incident a statement proven to be untrue when his 30-minute body camera video of the arrest emerged last month. Clary, who arrived at the scene just seconds after troopers stunned, choked and punched Greene to get him into handcuffs, told investigators that Greene was still, yelling and screaming ... and he was still resisting, even though he was handcuffed. He was still trying to get away and was not cooperating. Investigators wrote in a six-page report filed less than three weeks ago that Clarys description of Greenes demeanor after he was was cuffed on a dark roadside near Monroe was clearly a mischaracterization. Though they did not state it explicitly, the false statements were apparently intended to justify further uses of force by troopers against the prone Greene that included dragging him facedown by his ankle shackles and spraying him in the face with pepper spray. +2 Louisiana State Police release more video of Ronald Greene incident after footage leaks Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Lamar Davis on Friday released what he said was all video of the encounter with troopers that left The video evidence in this case does not show Greene screaming, resisting or trying to get away, Detective Albert Paxton wrote in the new report. The only screams revealed by the video were when Greene responded to force applied to him. The report added that Clarys own video, published last week by the AP and later released by the state, shows Greene lying on the ground, face down, handcuffed behind his back, leg shackles on his ankles, uttering the phrases, Im sorry, or Im scared or Yes sir or Okay. Clarys video shows troopers ordering the heavyset, 49-year-old Greene to remain facedown on the ground with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes a tactic use-of-force experts criticized as dangerous and likely to have restricted his breathing. Greene can be seen on Clarys footage struggling to prop himself up on his side. Dont you turn over! Lay on your belly! Lay on your belly! Trooper Kory York yells before briefly dragging Greene by the chain that connects his ankle shackles. Lt. Clarys video clearly shows Greene to be suffering, Paxton wrote in the new report, adding that the handcuffed man can be heard gasping for air. Though what happens to Greene next cannot be seen on the video, investigators wrote that Greenes eyes are squeezed shut as he shakes his head back and forth moaning in pain, movements consistent with having been sprayed in the face with (pepper) spray. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The records noted that around this time Trooper York asked Greene if he has his attention now and a local deputy assisting in the arrest added, Yeah, that sh-- hurts, doesnt it? Another false statement noted in the report was when Clary told investigators that his troopers sat Greene up and immediately held his head up so he could get a clear airway. Clarys video, however, showed troopers saying they didnt want to sit Greene up because they were afraid he would spit blood on them. Then dont do that, Clary tells them. Even after Greene became unresponsive and troopers sat him up, his head was slumped down on his chest and they did not make a move to lift his head to make a clear airway for nearly six minutes. The officers have the duty and obligation to ensure that he is capable of breathing ... and they chose not to do that, said Andrew Scott, a former Boca Raton, Florida, police chief who testifies as an expert in use-of-force cases. When he was in handcuffs, he was completely compliant. The only thing he wanted to do was turn over onto his side, Scott added. He couldnt resist. He was incapable of resisting. Clary, who has been with the Louisiana State Police for 31 years, did not return phone and text messages seeking comment Monday. A State Police spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. +2 State Police Troop F, under fire for Ronald Greene death, lacks diversity at just 9% Black As Ronald Greene lay gashed and spitting up blood on a dark Union Parish road, he took his last breaths surrounded by a group of Louisiana sta Clary cannot claim he was unaware his body camera was recording, the investigators noted, citing a moment on his video when he points to his own camera in an apparent warning to one of his troopers at the scene of Greenes arrest. At another point, the records say, a trooper pointed out that Lt. Clarys body camera was recording, causing Lt. Clary to immediately turn it off. The concealed video is only the latest anomaly in the law enforcement response to Greenes death. Troopers initially told Greenes family he died in a car crash, and later the state police issued a brief statement acknowledging there was a struggle with officers and that Greene died on the way to the hospital. There was no mention made of any use of force by troopers. State police also did not open an administrative investigation into the troopers use of force until 474 days after Greenes death. And Louisiana officials from Gov. John Bel Edwards on down repeatedly refused to publicly release any body camera video of Greenes arrest for more than two years, until last week after AP began publishing videos it obtained. The AP last week also obtained a 10-page autopsy report that shows state police failed to turn over to forensic pathologists even the most routine documents relating to Greenes arrest, including police reports, collision details or emergency medical records. The lack of transparency reeks of a potential cover up, Goyeneche said. If the Louisiana State Police were vigilant and on top of its game, there would have been discipline and terminations years ago in this case. Letters: What ever happened to governing? Trumplicans need to think again Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission The former Australian head of the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance has called for greater regulation of crypto trading platforms as more institutional and retail investors begin to eye off digital assets such as bitcoin and ethereum. Jeff Yew, who resigned as Binance Australias chief executive officer in April, said he believed while Australia was more advanced with its regulation compared with other economies, much more still needed to be done to prevent everyday investors from being exploited by dodgy operators. Jeff Yew, the former CEO of Binance Australia, has called for more regulation in the crypto space Credit: It really hurts me to see players exploiting that lack of [regulatory] clarity with users, he said. Thats not what we want to see when youre talking about long-term progression of the crypto sector in Australia. Cryptocurrency exchanges - online platforms where investors can buy and sell assets such as bitcoin - are almost entirely unregulated in Australia, with operators only required to be registered with the financial crime watchdog AUSTRAC for anti-money laundering purposes. HSBC has no plans to launch a cryptocurrency trading desk or offer the digital coins as an investment to customers, because they are too volatile and lack transparency, its chief executive Noel Quinn says. Europes largest banks stance on cryptocurrencies comes as the worlds biggest and best-known, Bitcoin, has tumbled around 40 per cent from the years high, after China cracked down on mining the currency and prominent advocate Elon Musk tempered his support. HSBC chief Noel Quinn remains sceptical of bitcoin. Credit:Nic Walker It marks it out against rivals such as Goldman Sachs, which Reuters in March reported had restarted its cryptocurrency trading desk, and UBS which other media said was exploring ways to offer the currencies as an investment product. Given the volatility we are not into bitcoin as an asset class, if our clients want to be there then of course they are, but we are not promoting it as an asset class within our wealth management business, Quinn said. With its latest live-action reworking of an animated classic, Disney has given us a surprisingly dark and dirty princess. Cruella is an origin story for the villain of 101 Dalmatians that draws wild, anarchic inspiration from Londons mid-1970s punk scene. Never mind that Dodie Smiths book The One Hundred and One Dalmatians was released in 1956, or that the original animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians was released in 1961; if you take Glenn Closes Cruella De Vil from the live-action 101 Dalmatians of 1996 as the reference point, the chronology kind of stacks up. Almost. This films Cruella, originally known as Estella, is about 10 when we first meet her in 1964; flash forward a decade or so and shes a wannabe fashion designer (played by Emma Stone) living in a squat with a couple of salt-of-the-earth thieves, reduced to cleaning toilets in upmarket department store Liberty until the night she drunkenly defaces a window display and catches the eye of The Baroness (a fabulously cold-hearted Emma Thompson), who hires her as a junior in her haute couture atelier. Emma Stone as Cruella. The live-action origin story is suffused with a punk aesthetic and energy. Credit:Disney But vindication soon gives way to vendetta when Estella unearths a dark secret from the past. Determined to unseat the Baroness by fair means or foul, she sets about sabotaging her collections, photobombing her events, and generally trashing the established fashion order with a good dose of anarchy in the UK. Think of it, says production designer Fiona Crombie, as a kind of generational battle in a way; you have the world of Dior meets Vivienne Westwood [the fashion designer and one-time partner of Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, who is sometimes called the Mother of Punk for the ripped T-shirts and safety-pin chic she sold in her boutique Sex]. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... The importance of high-quality early education in setting children up for lifelong learning is well known but when it comes to mathematics, it is equally obvious Australian students are falling significantly behind. One of the main reasons for Australian students poor performance has just been revealed some students are unable to recognise numbers higher than 10 or to write letters of the alphabet when they start primary school. New research, which shows students are unable to do simple addition or read basic words when they start kindergarten, highlights just how important quality early learning is. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has found that students starting primary school with lower literacy and numeracy skills may have contributed to Australias poorer performance in year 4 mathematics in international tests. As the ACERs Sue Thomson says, the findings underline the importance of providing all children with consistent access to quality pre-school and early childhood education to tackle inequity in later years. This may not be surprising to many. The late University of Sydney academic and education reformer Tony Vinson revealed in 2006 that some children started school with no idea of what to do with a pen, paintbrush or book. At the time, Professor Vinson argued that funding for preschool education needed to double to help children, particularly those from disadvantaged families, develop a foundation for lifelong learning. The high number of children beginning school without basic literacy and numeracy skills, such as recognising letters and numbers, is contributing to Australias poor results in international primary school maths tests. An analysis of the results also found almost a quarter of year 8 students were taught maths by teachers who were not trained in the subject, compared with an international average of 10 per cent, while Australian students spent less time studying science than their overseas peers. Almost 15,000 year 4 and year 8 Australian students sat the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) tests in 2019, which are held in 64 countries every four years. Australian high school students achieved their best-ever results, finishing in the top 10 on the back of a significant improvement from NSW. But flat lining primary school maths results across all jurisdictions worried experts. Australias maths results are also falling in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), another international test. Two people have been charged over the murder of a woman who was stabbed in the neck with a hunting knife in north Queensland. Police attended a residence on Riverway Drive at Condon, where the victim allegedly staggered outside a unit to the footpath and collapsed about 7.20pm on Friday. The footpath and driveway outside the unit complex in Condon, Townsville, where the victim collapsed. Credit:Nine News Queensland The 29-year-old was rushed to Townsville University Hospital in a critical condition but died a short time later. A 39-year-old man surrendered himself to police by 1.30pm on Sunday. His phone lit up. Lockdowns were beginning across the country and companies were cancelling long-planned events in a panic. Brett Cooper was in Perth conducting an International Womens Day lunch for NAB on March 13 last year when Australia started shutting down. He recalls sitting backstage and anxiously eyeing his coughing, sweating technical operator. In this special series The Age and the University of Melbournes Centre for Advancing Journalism speak to those who qualified for the unprecedented support to find out what it meant to them and how its end has affected them. Each of the case studies will be published in this one article over several days with the most recent at the top of the story so come back to read for updates. JobKeeper was one of the defining economic policies of Australias response to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Its end in March prompted a number of warnings about the consequences for those it had sustained. Theyre working on the assumption that they need to make the money last. As other workers around the country started swinging back into gear in recent months, Mr Cooper finds his industry and opportunities are still stalled. It will be months, even years, before businesses have the confidence to start scheduling big events. Now, with JobKeeper gone, theyre drawing on that nest egg again. Theyre still pulling in their belts, but are happy to be in a position to keep their 10-year-old daughter active with her gymnastics and netball. The payments took the pressure off a bit, covering household bills. Through lockdown, with little opportunity to splurge on luxuries such as meals out, the couple even managed to restore some of their savings. The Preston couple were already dipping into that rainy-day fund when the federal government introduced JobKeeper subsidies in April last year. Since then, the 52-year-old corporate events freelancer has had only about four weeks of work. His wife, who has spent her career in the same game, also lost all of her work. But the couple were well-prepared. Given the ups and downs of freelancing, theyve always been careful with money, paying off their home and putting aside savings. I had pretty much all of March booked up and part of April. Within 24 hours, it was all gone, he says. Everything just disappeared. Corporate events freelancer Brett Cooper says the shutdown of JobKeeper has left people in his industry behind. Credit:JOE ARMAO He suspects COVID-19 will change his industry for good. Companies have discovered webcasting conferences is considerably less expensive than flying people about. Mr Cooper is adapting, co-ordinating some online events and working with a friend on technologies to improve the virtual conference experience, which they hope to license. His role is backstage the conductor of the show and hes invisible if all goes well. But theres plenty of scope for things to go wrong, and Mr Cooper enjoys solving the technical and logistical problems that arise during his 12-to-14-hour working days. Hes travelled around the country running corporate events for the past 20 years for the likes of BHP, Kmart and Officeworks, mostly staff conferences and awards nights. From there I just sort of worked my way up: a bit of theatre, a bit of rocknroll through Darwin, then discovered corporate theatre where you fly everywhere and you stay at five-star hotels. Its much nicer hours than rocknroll and you get paid better. Mr Cooper got a taste for what would become his lifelong career working on the crew of high school theatre productions. Then came a stint behind the spotlight at Expo 88 in Brisbane, a six-month extravaganza attended by millions and a hoot of a time, and he was hooked. The businesses want to spend the money, but theyre scared of another lockdown, he says. If theyre comfortable the borders will stay open, theyll start spending. Despite his optimism, Mr Cooper is hedging his bets and plans to train as a teachers aide a job he could juggle alongside gigs. Given their contribution to the economy, he argues they deserve more support until the events scene recovers. A report from the Business Events Council of Australia found business events contributed $35.7 billion to the national economy in 2019 and employed 229,000 people. Mr Cooper is indignant at the shut down of JobKeeper, accusing the federal government of leaving people in his industry behind. Of the freelancers who did receive JobKeeper, when asked what the end of payment would mean for them, 69 per cent of respondents said they would need to look for work in other industries. But many of his peers are not so confident. A survey by industry group Save Victorian Events in February found 35 per cent of events freelancers had left the game since the pandemic began. Many never qualified for the JobKeeper wage subsidy because they were casual workers. Hes optimistic that his business will recover in some form. Its still the same thing, just that our audience isnt in the room. I have a theory the universe will always bring something up for me. Something always comes up. Whether he remains in events or changes course entirely, Mr Cooper is confident things will work out. Hes worked a few days this month and has more jobs pencilled in for the coming months, but this wont cover the gap left by JobKeeper. Thats enough to cover our bills, but not enough to live on, he says. This past pandemic year hasnt been without its advantages, he says. He has looked at it as a bit of a rehearsal for retirement, spending time with the family, building garden beds, draught-proofing the house hes feeling grateful to own. By Nell Geraets Some might call his decision crazy brave. Robert Cooke puts it down to his grab it by both horns philosophy of life. In March, the businessman upped stakes from his life on the Gold Coast to purchase a restaurant in Melbournes CBD. He arrived in a city struggling to shake off the harshest lockdowns in the land. Just a few months after taking the plunge to buy Vapiano a cosy inner-city pizza and pasta franchise popular with young families and tourists he reported business was buzzing. Some nights the tables are full and bookings are at capacity. Through March and April, as Melburnians revelled in their freedom, turnover and profits grew stronger. As it emerged from a 10-month shutdown, Vapiano was beginning to look like its old self, Mr Cooke says. Many of the old staff are back. Even the olive tree in the centre of the restaurant, which had also been looking like it had a hard year, was showing signs of renewed vigour. The wages of some of the returning workers those who qualified were subsidised by the federal governments JobKeeper wages scheme for the year it lasted. This assistance has allowed Mr Cooke to hire new staff, and hes looking for another 30. In many ways, the stars aligned for us, says Mr Cooke. [COVID] has been a chance to reset. But it has also been a rollercoaster. The erratic nature of the hospitality industrys recovery becomes evident as The Age checks in with Mr Cooke over several weeks. When the pace of trade wobbles, his tone becomes more apprehensive. With the virus still out there, hes not taking anything for granted. Were still quite far from being on track, he says. Despite some bumper weeks, he says business overall is only at about 60 to 70 per cent of where sales were pre-COVID. We need to get that to 100 per cent, or even beyond. The end of JobKeeper assistance in late March left the business exposed to fluctuating circumstances. At the same time as payments stopped, the pandemic pause on expenses such as rent, loan repayments and liabilities ended. JobKeeper paid our workers. Even though it wasnt technically the business money, it meant that we could maintain our employee base and keep the restaurant afloat at a time when nothing was coming in, Mr Cooke says. It was Vapianos lifeline. And despite the return of local diners, the restaurant is still keenly missing big segments of its pre-COVID market. In 2020, foot traffic in Melbournes CBD was down by about 90 per cent. Although the tempo on the streets was rising as state borders reopened, with international visitors still missing and returning office workers dragging their feet, it is still not where it was two years ago. A big slice of Vapianos trade historically has come from city workers and the lunchtime crowd. Were by no means out of the woods yet, Mr Cooke says. So where is the process to catch the fall of those last few industries that are still struggling to find their footing? The latest of the University of Melbournes ongoing Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) surveys reveals that industries forced to shut down during Victorias lockdown, particularly hospitality, have been hit hardest regardless of any fiscal stimulus. Mr Cooke says the federal government should have provided an alternative support package targeted specifically at hospitality and retail to replace JobKeeper, echoing an unsuccessful campaign by the Restaurant & Catering Industry Association of Australia for a HospoKeeper wage subsidy scheme. Support for industry is all over. Hospitality is back to square-one, he said. Unsurprisingly, however, the man who decided to buy a business in the midst of a global pandemic is not ready to give up. If the olive tree can come back, then we can too. Caitlin Lavery By Josh Nevett For university student Caitlin Lavery, all the difficulties of COVID-19 and 2020 also came with something of a financial windfall. When JobKeepers $1500 fortnightly payments started landing in her account in April last year, the then 19-year-old students income from her part-time job at McDonalds effectively doubled. The hasty deployment of the emergency program meant that, initially, even part-time workers qualified for the full payment. University student Caitlin Lavery. Credit:Wayne Taylor. By September the payments were scaled back to reflect hours worked. But in the meantime, shed never seen so much money. It was definitely a lot more than I had usually been getting, says Ms Lavery. I was not expecting to get that much since I dont think Ive ever worked enough to even earn the fortnightly $600 payment that we were getting. Now 20 and in her second year at Deakin University, the psychology student is relishing being back in the world. With classes still mostly online, she takes a break to walk the short distance from the home she shares with her parents to St Kilda Library to speak to The Age and reflect on her pandemic year. Income and job security were at the top of many peoples list of anxieties during lockdown. Ms Laverys stable 15 hours a week of work, which continued throughout Melbournes 2020 restrictions underwritten by JobKeeper support, meant that she had enough peace of mind to put herself on a savings regime. Which is not to say that she got through the pandemic unscathed. I was just at home by myself all the time and it got very, very lonely, she says. Like so many others in locked-down Melbourne, she invested in a pandemic puppy. Mable the sausage dog provided much-needed companionship during the COVID-19 restrictions. I bought a dog with what I was paid, because emotionally getting a dog made me a lot happier person. Online shopping also became a means of coping with the chaos outside her window. Nonetheless, she still managed to stash away a JobKeeper nest egg, which she credits to her organised nature and a determination to be independent. Ms Laverys experience is reflected in the University of Melbournes Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey. In her age bracket (18-44) financial stress was affecting almost 50 per cent of respondents in mid-February, but by mid-March even with the end of JobKeeper looming that had dropped to 30 per cent. The proportion making ends meet was similar, while 39 per cent were feeling comfortable. While grateful for the payments, Ms Lavery is ambivalent about the policy that delivered her windfall. The criteria for payments meant older teenagers like her, who still lived at home and were supported by their parents, were eligible for similar payments to those who were independent and dealing with significant financial distress. There were a lot of people in my position that didnt really need it, she says. Ms Lavery is still working her regular shifts at McDonalds and still trying to put away some money. Her priorities are putting essential spending first food, university costs and pet insurance. I try to allocate at least 75 per cent of my pay into savings and the rest for spending, whereas when I was getting JobKeeper it was kind of just whatever, she says. With a stable part-time job and the security of parental support, shes looking forward to getting on campus, having some real-world university lifestyle and hopefully doing some travel when its allowed. David Silvester By Joy Braddish It was St Patricks Day 2020, and lighting technician David Silvester was backstage at Melbourne Universitys Union House, working on a production of Oedipus Schmoedipus, a comedy bloodbath of death as portrayed in the worlds great theatre classics. But then the show was itself suddenly dead in the water. More than a year on, Mr Silvester vividly recalls the production manager walking in and announcing shows cancelled. It simply stopped. It was like a cliff. Lighting technician David Silvester has been been getting by on savings and casual work since JobKeeper payments dried up. Along with the rest of the crew, Mr Silvester was abruptly stood down when the pandemic pulled the plug on the arts and entertainment sector in Australias cultural capital. At 29, Mr Silvester was hitting his straps in Melbournes thriving live events scene. After completing a bachelors degree at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts, majoring in lighting, hed clocked up gigs including major concerts for the likes of Pink and Coldplay. Hed worked major festivals and boutique shows, lighting Bob Dylan at the Forum Theatre. About 600,000 Australians work in the arts and entertainment sector, and one in five of them like Mr Silvester found themselves on JobKeeper payments when the pandemic hit. And they were the lucky ones. Many didnt qualify, despite pleas from across the sector to open up access to the payment to short-term casuals and contract workers, but Mr Silvester did because he was on the books with a production company. While some arts organisations have received financial assistance from the government via various rescue packages, many backstage crew were almost entirely dependent on JobKeeper. He initially received $1500 a fortnight, which dropped by half when the scheme was adjusted in September. How that compares to what he might have earned in an ordinary working year is hard to say, he says, given the vagaries of his industry. When the $90 billion job subsidy program ceased at the end of March, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg argued that there were strong signs of jobs coming back and recovery in some sectors notably retail and wholesale trade, financial services and manufacturing. But the arts sector continues to lag behind. There is no way his gigs were going to return any time soon, Mr Silvester says. Its not just a question of lifting restrictions. The industry turns on public confidence and return on investment. Even with the pandemic largely under control in Australia, companies and organisations are still reluctant to plan new events due to the risk of further outbreaks, he says. It has profoundly changed Mr Silvesters life plans. Hed been house sitting when the pandemic hit, and saving to get his own place. He had to move back with one of his parents but that arrangement has a finite amount of time. Since the JobKeeper payments dried up, hes been getting by on savings and a little casual work. Hes grabbed any events work he can but with the industry still in the doldrums its slim pickings. Because theres not enough happening, it means that theres only enough [work] for a certain number of people, he says. Mr Silvester is aware that many in the industry are wondering whether they need to give it up. I know someone, she has completely exited the industry, and she doesnt look like shell be coming back. Others are trying to keep their hand in while taking whatever other work they can get. But hes hearing that for some its proving just too hard to try to juggle two different sorts of lives and two different sorts of ways of working. For now, at least, Mr Silvester is keen to stay in the job. To do otherwise would be to give away years of determined effort. But as he watches others walk away, he wonders if hes only delaying the inevitable. Reluctantly, he has started a JobSeeker application. But it requires him to apply for a crazy amount of jobs, increasing the likelihood he may be obliged to accept work not suited to his skill set and nudge him further away from the job he loves. I did a year or so of data entry work, effectively admin work, and by the end I couldnt do it any more. I dont think I could be stuck in a cubicle, he says Nine to five for weeks, months, years on end. That would make me go around the bend. Jessica Binion By Chloe Macmillan Jessica Binion had built a life around her passion for cheerleading. Being thrown in the air is like nothing else I have ever experienced, she says. Melbournes COVID-19 lockdowns cut her off from that world, in which she worked as a coach, and forced her onto a new path. Her passion for the sport was not all about the adrenaline. What kept her turning up for training and performances for 11 years of competitions was the bond she felt with her teammates. Jess Binion from when she was on DreamTyme All Stars. Cheerleading went from being a recreation to a way of life for Ms Binion, who moved into coaching the sport six years ago. When Melbourne was thrown into its first COVID-19 lockdown last year, she was working full time at a cheerleading gym. Coaching and administration staff continued to work throughout the year of pandemic restrictions, beaming online classes to athletes from their homes. The abrupt switch from live to remote training was challenging, requiring rethinking of techniques and approaches that would work in the virtual world. It was a complete whirlwind and there was also the challenge of teaching a sport that cant really be done on your own, let alone on Zoom in your living room, Ms Binion says. The 26-year-old started receiving JobKeeper from the gym at the beginning of April 2020, and the payments continued through to the end of the program in March. Reflecting on the subsidies scheme and what it meant to her, she describes some mixed feelings. I was very, very grateful that I did have an income, but it was hard to not resent it in the end, she says. I would be working really hard and doing 25 hours a week and pushing myself to do that, and then there were other employees who were doing an hour a week and getting the exact same pay. It happened that way through no fault of anyone, but it was just the way that worked out. You shouldnt have to feel guilty for wanting a day off during a pandemic. Jessica Binion When JobKeeper was hurriedly launched as the emergency escalated, all employees eligible for the scheme were entitled to receive the full payment of $1500 per fortnight. This was changed in September, when the amount of money an employer could receive was calibrated to the hours an employee had worked. Ms Binion says that while the payments provided her with financial security they also gave rise to conflicting emotions. I kind of started to feel guilty if I wasnt working, she says. You shouldnt have to feel guilty for wanting a day off during a pandemic. Obviously it was only 25 hours a week, but even that by August, mid-stage-4 lockdown, was exhausting. On the upside, assisted by the fact that she spent Victorias lockdowns at her parents place in the Yarra Ranges, Ms Binion says she was able to take control of her finances and save a lot more than I had in the past because I wasnt out spending. Australian households saved more than $200 billion during the pandemic, likely due to increased economic support and fewer spending opportunities. When JobKeeper came to an end and Ms Binion considered her options, that nest egg gave her some choices. In December, she and her partner found a new place together. And instead of returning to her previous work life, shes started working part-time as a classroom support assistant in a junior school and returned to university to study education. A report from ING group published in March found that one in three Australians had chosen to focus on their career goals and education after the pandemic, with lockdowns providing the perfect opportunity to reflect and think through life decisions. Thats kind of a positive that came out of COVID, she says. I had a bit of a forced pause after a decade of going non-stop, and had the chance to be like, Oh no, its time to relax a little bit and take the time to concentrate on things like uni and slow down a little bit. Lisa By Rebecca Pridham In the video Lisa* proudly shares, her two young children sit on the wooden floorboards of their home in one of Melbournes new, far-flung suburbs, happily scooping birthday cake into their mouths. The cake, made from a 75-cent packet mix, testifies to Lisas determination to rise above the week-to-week struggle of running a single-parent household on a budget that never goes the distance. The trick, she says, is to treat it as a game. There have been plenty of moments when Lisa has found herself reflecting on how such hardships were formative for her grandparents. She sees this period in her life defining her in a similar way. Shes cooking economical meals in big batches. Scooping spoonfuls of Nescafe instead of buying barista coffee. Putting the sidelined health and household insurance policies to the back of her mind. Im learning all these really important lessons ... I feel like Im living through what my grandparents lived through in the depression, she says. Lisa recalls her grandmothers and their ability to make full family homes with little money, and shes determined to do the same for her children. Im not really on my own. Im part of this tradition of women trying to keep it all together. Lisa has a PhD, a sessional university teaching gig and was developing a fledgling communications business when coronavirus hit. With universities excluded from JobKeeper subsidies, and more than 17,000 full-time equivalent jobs lost to COVID-19, many academics found themselves in dire straits. Lisa qualified because of her business. JobKeeper was just a lifesaver, because it meant I could cover my rent, keep my business ticking along, and keep us afloat. When the payments ceased at the end of March, her financial situation plummeted. Shes had to get by without child support, with the fathers of both children out of work and one of them now requiring support from her. Shes largely scraped by on sessional teaching and marking. I think if I hadnt have got that, then Id be really rooted, she says. While she questions her former partners financial claims, she wont confront him, she says, for fear it would only cause more grief. [My child] is so sensitive and doesnt miss a thing ... I dont want them to have to carry anything extra. The year of JobKeeper payments provided more than just financial security for Lisa. Getting JobKeeper helped me make the shift in my mind from academia to business and take myself seriously as a business owner ... it sustained me in the business sphere, she says. But while the subsidy has gone, the business has yet to generate any income, and likely wont for a while. And so for now she is heading back into academia. Lisas just been offered a short-term university research position, which means she can stop relying on her parents to help her cover rent and bills a huge relief. I just feel like Im going to be able to better support [the children]. Knowing that Ive got that work coming in gives me a bit more certainty, at least for the near future, and makes me feel more confident that were going to pull out of this pandemic period. She celebrated by buying a lamb roast, albeit the smallest one on the shelf. It occurs to her that she can probably afford the odd flat white now. [But] Im happy with my Nescafe, she laughs. So maybe Ive changed. Learning how to really watch my money, like almost every cent, I dont know if Im ever going to change that. *Lisa requested not to be named. Stav Hatzipantelis, whose business supplies equipment to the events industry, has had to let staff go after the JobKeeper wage subsidies ended. Credit:JOE ARMAO Stav Hatzipantelis By Angus Thomson It was Australias last big recession that led Stav Hatzipantelis into the casual gig that became his career and a thriving business. In 1990 he was fresh out of high school and gearing up to start a chiropractic course. But the economy was struggling, student numbers were cut, and he got pushed into the intake for the following year. He was enjoying an unscheduled gap year as a DJ when then Treasurer Paul Keatings recession we had to have hit in earnest. With youth unemployment peaking at 17 per cent, many reconsidered their dreams and ambitions. Mr Hatzipantelis started a business hiring DJ equipment to nightclubs. If it wasnt for the recession, I probably wouldve stuck to school, he says. He is less optimistic about his prospects this time around. Mr Hatzipantelis, 52, was one of thousands of employers who used the federal governments JobKeeper wage subsidy to keep employees on their books during the coronavirus recession. With the closure of the program at the end of March, and little sign of recovery as yet in his sector, hes facing a tough reality. Years from now, well be looking back and saying: look at how much was lost. Stav Hatzipantelis With JobKeeper gone, that means our employees must be gone. His manner is direct and his voice gravelly, as might be expected of someone who has spent decades making himself heard backstage at some of Victorias biggest events. Nonetheless its tough, he reflects, because many of those losing their jobs are his friends. Its a very close-knit community, he says. The events industry is really tough but its a lifestyle people enjoy they like the late nights, they get the satisfaction of building things together and creating things together. He worries that people will struggle to find alternatives. Its very difficult to go find a job when youre 40 years old. Before the pandemic shut down festivals, weddings and corporate events, Mr Hatzipantelis sound and lighting business employed eight full-time staff and an army of weekend warrior casuals. Within a month of JobKeeper finishing, he says there will be only two full-time staff left: himself and his wife, Renata. Weve been through a lot, my wife and I, he says. This is just another one of those things that were going to have to get through. He gets frustrated hearing the Prime Minister and Treasurer talk about economic recovery as the events industry struggles, and believes state and federal governments should be doing more to encourage local government and the private sector to host events. Hes concerned that important skills and years of experience will be lost as people seek out other, more stable opportunities. The fallout wont be noticed until summer kicks in and everybodys going to want to do events. In September, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a $50 million injection into the business events sector, but Mr Hatzipantelis says it is not enough for an industry worth $36 billion a year. That trickle-down mentality hasnt worked ... years from now, well be looking back and saying: look at how much was lost. While the Andrews government did respond to an industry rally at the steps of Parliament House in March by raising capacity limits for events, Mr Hatzipantelis says the lack of engagement by government has been disappointing. Loading I wouldve loved to see the government take a more active role and more of a leadership role, he says. Theres just so much disappointment in our federal and state government, that weve been left high and dry. Mr Hatzipantelis knows how to adapt to the prevailing winds. As well as changing tack in the 90s recession, he weathered the 2008 global financial crisis by moving into weddings when the corporate scene collapsed. And its the resurging wedding scene saving him now. Pre-COVID, people didnt get married in [winter] months, he says. So, were lucky in that respect that we have got weddings during that period of time which would normally have been our corporate events. Despite the upheaval and uncertainty in his industry, Mr Hatzipantelis points to his own unexpected career trajectory as a source of optimism. Its during interesting times that careers are made. This special reporting project is co-published with The Citizen, a publication of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne. Bars and restaurants will continue seating diners on top of parking spaces permanently in Melbournes bustling inner-north under a plan being devised by Yarra City Council. The council will next week vote on a temporary extension of the parklet program initially designed to help the hospitality industry survive COVID-19 from the end of June until October 31. Yarra mayor Gabrielle de Vietri and Gertrude Street resident Peter PK Kaylor make use of the parklets at Archies All Day cafe on Monday afternoon. Credit:Eddie Jim As part of the scheme, traders would be asked to pay a daily fee for taking up a parking space on hospitality strips such as Brunswick, Smith and Gertrude streets if the four-month extension is supported by the Greens-led council at next weeks meeting. Parklets are expected to remain forever, with the extension considered a test-run for winter before a permanent proposal comes back to councillors later in the year. A man has been taken to hospital after he was shot by police who say he approached them while holding an edged weapon at a KFC in Melbournes south-east. Police were called to the fast food outlet on the corner of Lauderdale Road and the Princes Highway in Narre Warren about 2.45pm after reports of people causing trouble. When officers arrived, there was an agitated man wielding an edged weapon who charged at them, a spokesman said. Police shot at the man and he received a non-life threatening injury to his lower body. He was taken to hospital. The cold fury in the eyes of the bereaved parents of Aishwarya Aswath is driving Andrew Miller to push the government to fix the systemic problems across the states hospital system. The Australian Medical Association WA, of which he is president, and the Australian Nurses Federation are expecting a horde of medical staff from across the state to attend a Perth rally on Tuesday to show their support for the nurses and doctors they feel are under fire from the Perth Childrens Hospital executive. AMA WA president Andrew Miller and ANF state secretary Mark Olson. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola Together they will call for the government to accept the problems at the hospital were not exclusive to that hospital. ANF State Secretary Mark Olson said it was too early to confirm how many hospital staff would attend, but about 97 per cent of union members supported the rally, with the ANF having received about 2000 responses to a survey on the issue, and staff from as far as Albany were hopeful to join. The traditional owners of Juukan Gorge have placed the WA government in their crosshairs over its role in sanctioning the destruction, claiming the state held information that should have made it think twice. The narrative that has emerged over the past year has effectively excused the government from heat over its role in approving Rio Tintos application under Section 18 of Indigenous heritage laws, which grant ministers absolute power over heritage sites. PKKP director Burchell Hayes in the Pilbara. Credit:PKKP It has been thought the government was not aware of Juukans significance as one of Australias most important archaeological sites at the time it granted approval in 2013. But marking the one-year anniversary of the May 24 blast, Burchell Hayes, the director of the Aboriginal corporation representing the traditional owners, said he was confident information detailing the importance of the site was provided early enough for the government to protect it. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Farahnaz Salehi calls them the lost years. There have been seven of them for the 21-year-old Hazara refugee since she fled Afghanistan with her parents and her seven brothers and sisters in 2014, ending up in Indonesia. We are stuck here and we cannot do anything, she said from Cisarua, a mountainous district an hours drive outside Jakarta. Afghan refugees gather outside the UNHCR office in Jakarta on Tuesday after a deadly bomb blast in Kabul. Credit:Jefri Tarigan Stranded there amid dwindling global refugee resettlement numbers that have shrunk even further due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her family is among 14,000 living in limbo in Indonesia in a situation that has become increasingly desperate amid a rising rate of suicides. Six refugees have taken their own lives since July last year and 13 in all since 2014, according to fellow Afghan refugee Mahdi Alizada who himself has been trapped in transit in Indonesia for seven years and is director of the Refugee Community in Indonesia (RCI) representative group. All but three who committed suicide were ethnic Hazara from Afghanistan. While the United States and Australia withdraw from Afghanistan, there remains 7612 refugees from the war-torn country among those marooned in Indonesia. Their helpless predicament is not only a glimpse into the ongoing impact of the two-decade long war for those forced out of their homeland but into the plight of the more than 20 million refugees around the world, only 22,770 of whom were resettled last year. The psychological toll of the uncertainty and the years wasting away is such that Farahnaz, whose family is from the south-eastern city of Ghazni in Afghanistan, admits she has sometimes been wishing my death to come to me. Advertisement It is very sad and heartbreaking to people who really want to do something with their life but they cannot do it, she said. Most of the time Ive been feeling desperate and lost in my own mind or mentally lost. Im very grateful for my friends that they were keeping me positive. Farahnaz Salehi has been in Indonesia for seven years. Indonesia receives asylum seekers rescued from boats and has long taken in thousands of refugees. Among the current number, according to the UNHCR, are 1366 from Somalia, 729 from Iraq and 354 Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar given shelter in Aceh province. But with Indonesia being a non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol on refugees, their rights are limited and crucially they dont include the ability to work. The 14,000 refugees in Indonesia do not have access to their most basic human rights. Letter from refugee groups to embassies in Jakarta including Australias Their hopes of starting a new life in a third country are also fading with resettlement numbers dropping even before the virus took hold. According to the United Nations refugee agency there were only 403 refugees in Indonesia resettled last year but the figure had already dropped from a high of 1273 in 2016. The UNHCR concedes that of the 13,745 in Indonesia, only a small number will be able to benefit from resettlement because of limited places available. The falling intake by Australia, which once was responsible for the majority of refugees resettled from Indonesia, is a contributing factor. After taking in 433 in 2017, it found spots for only 84 in 2018, 66 in 2019 and 41 in 2020. Advertisement The Australian governments refusal to accept anyone who registered with the UNHCR in Indonesia after July 1, 2014 has added to the logjam. That position was reached in the wake of Operation Sovereign Borders but after the spate of suicides starting midway through last year, refugees have launched a fresh plea for Australia to soften its stance. Mahdi Alizada spent five years in a detention facility on Borneo and is now a refugee representative. Credit:Jefri Tarigan Refugees residing in Indonesia are grateful for Australias humanitarian action on the closure of the sea border to prevent human casualties but the truth is that suicide and the uncertain situation of refugees in Indonesia is no different than drawing into the water, Mahdis RCI wrote in a letter to the Australian government in February seen by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. In an additional written appeal to the Australian, US, Canadian, British and New Zealand embassies in Jakarta, refugee groups in Indonesia have urged resettlement numbers to be raised and for the selection process to be more transparent. The letter attributed the long waiting times for resettlement to the suffering by refugees from various neurological, mental and physical ailments, saying the slow and prolonged resettlement process has taken away most of our beings here in Indonesia. The 14,000 refugees in Indonesia do not have access to their most basic human rights, it said. They do not have the right to work, to study, to travel interstate, to trade or to have a driving licence. The list of limitations and prohibitions is endless. Advertisement In a statement a spokesperson for Australias Department of Home Affairs said the July 1, 2014 deadline was designed to reduce the movement of asylum seekers to Indonesia and Australia through dangerous journeys. Loading The government is funding the support of refugees by the International Organisation for Migration through a long-standing regional co-operation agreement with Indonesia to which it this week committed $38.1 million. But as it stands, few of them will make it to Australia. Within our resettlement intake of up to 13,750 for 2020-21, we continue to accept a modest intake from Indonesia for those who registered before 1 July 2014, the spokesperson said. That category includes Mahdi, who registered in April 2014, but the 36-year-old is still in Jakarta after spending five years inside the Balikpapan detention centre for refugees on the island of Borneo. He initially submitted himself to the facility because of financial problems but was later involved in a 300-day protest about conditions for refugees there. He said he was treated like an animal and until April 2019 was refused release from a complex with a six-metre wall, barbed wire and electricity wires surrounding it. Refugees in Indonesia have limited rights. Credit:Jefri Tarigan Indonesias 13 detention centres have since been closed Mahdi was among the last let out two years ago, he said and the countrys refugees now in large part either live independently in community housing or with the assistance of monthly allowances of about $120 each from the IOM, which has also distributed COVID-19 relief assistance. Advertisement The consequences of being indefinitely stateless and effectively idle, however, are a disturbing pattern. Muzafar Ali, a co-founder of the volunteer-led Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre that was established in 2014 and has been supported by Australian donors, saw it for himself when conducting video interviews with teachers and school management this year. The school and other ones set up by the refugee community have been shut for many months due to the virus, with lessons instead online, and Muzafars Adelaide-based Cisarua Learning organisation has partnered with the UN Human Rights Council in a project providing psycho-social support. The common words we found [from interviewees] were about being alone, being useless, being worthless, said Muzafar, who was resettled in Australia after fleeing Afghanistan to Indonesia. One of them said that the term buying a rope is commonly used among refugees these days. This was very shocking for me. Cisarua has been home to thousands of refugees in Indonesia. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen He reported one of the staff members he had spoken to told him he was thinking about suicide because he couldnt see any light in the tunnel. Advertisement The Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC) has announced the launch of its newest program, Reimagining Equitable Productions (REP). BAC will initially work with the companies of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and Company. Disney Theatrical Productions will be working with BAC on a customized pilot process alongside members of the companies of Aladdin (Broadway), Frozen (Tour), and The Lion King (Broadway & Tour). These custom workshops are designed to address the ways that racial inequalities pervade the rehearsal rooms and performance spaces of the American Theatre. Many of these issues were identified during the Broadway for Black Lives Matter Again forum, which took place amid a summer of mass street protests for racial justice. BAC has created a process inspired by its Theater of Change course at Columbia Law School. The program leads companies through a process of understanding internal patterns of inequity, developing new ways of collaborating, and generating individualized and collective plans for meeting those aspirations and currently unmet needs. "The industry is finally awakening to the importance of utilizing the first day of rehearsal for naming a standard of equity within the workplace and measures of holding that standard accountable," said co-founder and president of BAC Britton Smith. "REP encourages producers to provide a space to create a set of values with their cast and crew to enable everyone's full participation in the workplace." REP creator Leia Squillace added, "As reopening comes into focus we must now move beyond our vision and into action and execution, into a place of providing the support required to get everyone to meet those standards. REP is a process that recognizes that change happens in little moments, in developing trusting relationships, and in acknowledging that making lasting change is as necessary as it is challenging." REP was developed by Britton Smith (Be More Chill, Shuffle Along), Zhailon Levingston (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Leia Squillace (Community Partnerships for Roundabout Theater Company) and Columbia Law School professor and Director of the Center for Institutional and Social Change Susan Sturm. Illinois State Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, left, talks with Illinois State Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, during debate of SB 671, a bill extending emergency rules on telehealth provisions related to the coronavirus pandemic, during an extended session of the Illinois House of Representatives at the Bank of Springfield Center, Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Springfield, Ill. Up for debate: Live legislation tracker Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson delivers the State of the State address Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Jefferson City, Mo. The speech is traditionally given in the House chamber but was moved to the smaller Senate chamber at the last minute due to concerns about COVID-19. As New York gears up to fully reopen schools in fall, Cuomo suggests vaccinations may be required Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. In this July 25, 2017, file photo, State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, speaks during debate in the Senate Chamber in Austin, Texas. Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until 2022 or until program funds run out. In most cases, payment will be made directly to the landlord or utility provider. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom. Follow Melanie Tucker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks. Monsters at Work will star the franchises original voice actors John Goodman and Billy Crystal and is set six months after the events of the 2001 movie; after Sulley and Mike transform the way energy is produced for the city of Monstropolis. The series will also welcome back the likes of Roz and Celia (ICONIC), as the employees of Monsters Inc get used to their new policies. When speaking about the spin-off earlier this year, Billy Crystal the voice of Mike Wazowski also promised the arrival of some new, young, great characters. The show, time-wise, starts six months after Monsters Inc ended, he explains So now were on the Laugh Floor. Weve created all of the new, young, great characters with some great voice actors, and John and I are reprising our parts. I tell ya, its been 20 years (since the release of Monsters Inc) and that movie looked amazing 20 years ago. Its fantastic looking, its hilarious, and were having a lot of fun doing it. He enthused about the Disney+ Original. Are you as excited as we are? Check out the trailer for Monsters At Work above. A graphic shows the flightpath of Ryanair flight 4978, flying from Athens to Vilnius and carrying Belarusian opposition activist and blogger Roman Protasevich, diverting and landing in Minsk, Belarus, on May 23, 2021. (flightradar24.com/Handout via Reuters) 5 Passengers Did Not Reach Vilnius After Forced Belarus Landing VILNIUSFive passengers on board a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius that was intercepted by a Belarusian warplane and forced to land in Minsk on Sunday did not reach their final destination, Lithuanian officials said on Monday. Belaruss action, which resulted in the detention of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich who had been on board, drew international condemnation. A spokeswoman for the Lithuanian prime minister said the latest information available from Ryanair suggested 126 passengers had departed the Greek capital and 121 were present on arrival in Lithuania. Earlier comments by Lithuanian officials put the number of passengers at between 123 and 127, plus crew. None of the officials commented on the identity of the passengers who remained in Minsk. Ryanair corrected the stated passenger numbers three times to us. The latest correction is that 126 passengers left Athens and 121 landed in Vilnius. This does not include the crew of six, spokeswoman Rasa Jakilaitiene told Reuters. Ryanair boss Michael OLeary, who referred to the incident as a state-sponsored hijacking, said on Monday he believed security agents had been on the flight and had also disembarked in Minsk. A Belarusian university in Vilnius said one of its students, Sofia Sapega, 23, who had been travelling with Protasevich, had also been detained in Minsk. The university demanded her release. Lithuanian police are questioning the passengers who later disembarked in Vilnius after the flight finally reached its destination, and are examining the aircraft, the chief of criminal police, Rolandas Kiskis, told reporters. The investigation could take months, Lithuanias deputy general prosecutor said. The Lithuanian government advised its citizens to refrain from travelling to Belarus and urged those currently in the country to leave immediately. It has also told aircraft using Vilnius airport to avoid Belarusian airspace. By Andrius Sytas and Nerijus Adomaitis Palestinians inspect the rubble of their destroyed houses after a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza fighters, in Beit Hanun, northern Gaza Strip, Gaza City, on May 22, 2021. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appeared to be holding, despite fresh clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. (Fatima Shbair/Getty Images) A Ceasefire Solves Nothing Commentary In outlining the goal for winning the Persian Gulf War against Saddam Hussein for invading and occupying Kuwait in 1991, Gen. Colin Powell, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, Our strategy to go after this army is very, very simple. First, were going to cut it off, and then were going to kill it. The ceasefire announced last week between the terrorist organization Hamas and the state of Israel is the opposite of that strategy and solves nothing. As with previous ceasefires it simply gives Hamas an opportunity to regroup and reload in time for the next assault, perhaps with even more sophisticated and deadly weapons supplied by Iran. Some critics of Israel said that it did not respond proportionately to the Hamas attacks. Was proportionality a consideration after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor? President Truman ordered nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki because Japan refused to surrender at the end of World War II. Did we respond proportionately to the threat from Nazi Germany when we carpet bombed German cities, especially Dresden? Winston Churchill put it best when he stated the goal of Allied forces: What is our aim? Victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror; victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. The Biden administration has pledged to help rebuild Gaza with money we dont have. Yes, we rebuilt Germany under the Marshall Plan following World War II, but that was after we won the war. We did the same for Japan, after achieving victory. Israel should never have withdrawn from Gaza. It did not take a prophet to know what would follow its unilateral decision. At the time, I wrote that Gaza would become one more base for terrorists to launch attacks against the Jewish state. Under pressure from the United States and Europe to withdraw from Gaza, Israel gained nothing, but instead lost another level of security. As U.S. blogger Larry Levine has written: Israel needs to take over Gaza, kill all Hamas terrorists and demilitarize it. This time when the world rebuilds, it will not be with Hamas at the helm. There will be casualties, but no country in the world can live like this. President Biden has withheld direct criticism of Israel, possibly because of his longtime friendship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but others in his administration, who are veterans of the Obama years, have a track record of favoring Israels enemies. Still, Biden has said a two-state solution is the best approach to resolving the conflict that existed even before Israels re-establishment in its ancient homeland in 1948. The problem is and always has been that radicals desire a one-state solution that doesnt include Israel or the Jewish people. Since these radicals believe their motivation is rooted in their religion, it is impossible for them to make peace with a nation and a people they believe their god wants destroyed. The Economist magazine gets it. In its May 20 edition it said, Even with a ceasefire, Israel and Hamas will not stop fighting each other. The agreement to restore calm is welcome. Pity it wont last. The response to this continuing warfare should not be a false sense of satisfaction about a ceasefire, or a pledge to rebuild Gaza while the terrorist occupiers re-arm. Rather, Israel should be encouraged to wipe out the terrorists who do not even put the interests of their own people first. A ceasefire is worse than a truce and even a truce is no substitute for victory. John Calvin Thomas has been a syndicated columnist, author, and radio commentator for more than 35 years. His latest book is Americas Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires and Superpowers and the Future of the United States. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The School of Athens fresco by Renaissance artist Raphael depicting the Platonic Academy, a famous school in ancient Athens founded by the philosopher Plato in the early 4th century B.C. In the center are Plato and Aristotle, in discussion. (Public Domain) A Tribute to the Greatest Western Thinkers: A School of Athens The School of Athens is one of the most important and fascinating frescos in Western art history. Pope Julius II commissioned the prolific young artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino to decorate his private chambers in the Vatican. The first room that Raphael (14831520), as he is better known, tackled was the Stanza Della Segnatura, or Room of the Signature, so-called because it was where the Churchs most significant documents were signed, sealed, and set into enforceable doctrine. The room also served as the Popes library and as the meeting place for The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signaturathe most powerful judicial body of the Catholic Church. Whatever colors and shapes, narratives and rhythms would ultimately adorn the four walls of this momentous chamber would oversee, if not potentially influence, some of the most consequential decisions affecting the lives (and afterlives) of all those who inhabited the sprawling Holy Roman Empire. The stakes could not have been higher, and Raphael knew it. The huge fresco which measures over 16 feet high by 25 feet long was a formidable challenge for a young man still in his 20s. There was a tradition of decorating private libraries with portraits of great thinkers, but Renaissance-artist Raphael took the idea to a different stratosphere. Fulfilling the Zeitgeist The Renaissance was a manifestation of the renewal of the interest in Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, art, religion, and culture. Raphaels genius was to represent this in a painting. His subject depicts the central debate in Western philosophy: The different premises between philosophers concerned with matters of the spiritual world and those concerned with the physical world. Thus, Raphaels iconography was sheer genius. It is a depiction of those thinkers who have shapedand continue to shapeWestern civilization. These are the minds that celebrate truth acquired through reason. School of Athens was a visual manifestation of the zeitgeist. Not only did Raphael beat competitors such as Michelangelo and Leonardo to win the commission, but Raphaels work gained rapturous reviews. The School of Athens fresco by Renaissance artist Raphael. (Public Domain) The School of Athens There are 50 figures depicted, including Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, in an imaginary architectural scenario. The two most prominent and central characters are the founding fathers of Western philosophy: Plato and his disciple Aristotle. Plato points up because in his philosophy presents a spiritual premise: The changing world that we see around us is just a shadow of a higher, truer reality that is eternal and unchanging and includes things like goodness and beauty. For Plato, this otherworldly reality is the ultimate reality, and the seat of all truth, beauty, justice, and wisdom. Plato holds his book called the Timaeus, suggesting his cosmological theories, depicting the divide between his and Aristotles philosophies. By his palm facing down, Aristotle is suggesting the basis of his practical ethics, because in his philosophy, the only reality is the one that we can see and experience by sight and touchexactly the reality dismissed by Plato. Aristotles Ethics, the book that he holds, emphasized elements of the human world such as justice, friendship, and government. Each figure to Platos right represents Platos theories on philosophy, while on Aristotles left, they represent Aristotles. The characters in The School of Athens celebrate classical thought, but homage is also paid to the liberal arts, symbolized by the two statues of Apollo, God of light, archery, and music, and Athena, goddess of wisdom in the Roman form of Minerva. The setting in which all are gathered is Roman. The ceiling is inspired by the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, the largest building in the ancient Roman Forum. The architectural structures seem to symbolize and underline the depth and monumental import of what the protagonists believe. Raphaels Genius The painting shows Raphaels intellectual use of linear perspective, with a central vanishing point at Socratess left hand. Raphael also mastered the signature techniques of High Renaissance art such as sfumato (softening the transitions between colors), precise anatomical correctness, and authentic emotionality and expression. His individual style had a singular grandeur. Still it was filled with humanism and noted for its clarity, rich color, and effortless composition. Michelangelo and Leonardo, who, together with Raphael, comprise the genius triumvirate of the Renaissance, appear in the painting. Leonardo is disguised as Plato, Michelangelo is Heraclitus, and Raphael appears at the extreme right, in a dark hat. Renaissance chronicler of art Vasari acknowledged that Raphael gave the elder artist Michelangelo a run for his money: Raphael of Urbino had risen into great credit as a painter, and his friends and adherents maintained that his works were more strictly in accordance with the rules of art than Michelangelo, affirming that they were graceful in coloring, of beautiful invention, admirable in expression, and of characteristic design; while those of Michelangelo, it was averred, had none of those qualities with the exception of the design. For these reasons, Raphael was judged, by those who thus opined, to be fully equal, if not superior, to Michelangelo in painting generally, and decidedly superior to him regarding coloring in particular. It is said that the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. So, it was with Raphael. His brilliant career in Rome represents the most fulminating jewel in the crown of Western civilization that is the Renaissance. He died at only 37 and was buried in the Pantheon. Jani Allan is a journalist, columnist, writer, and broadcaster. A recent report found evidence of a clear and significant political bias on the left in universities in Canada as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom. (Katherine Daly Morris/Shutterstock) Academic Left-Wing Bias in Canada Threatens Dissenting Voices Some three-quarters of Canadian academics describe themselves as being on the political left, leaving right-wing professors quiet about their contrary views. The U.S.-based Centre for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology surveyed academics and PhD students at universities in Canada, the United States, and the UK. In a recent report, it found that 73 percent of Canadian social sciences and humanities (SSH) academics identify with the left, while only 4 percent identify with the right. Those in the right-leaning minority said they censored their own ideas and research as a result. Other bright right-leaning people left academia entirely. A majority reported a hostile work climate. The survey focused more on the SSH, as political considerations are a larger aspect of these fields conceptual foundation. However, the 73 percent figure includes academics in both the SSH and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Christopher Dummitt, a professor of Canadian history at Trent University, told The Epoch Times that an academic monoculture hurts everyone and that ultimately, universities should be about figuring out what the truth is. The best way to do that is to build a system of checks on any one way of thinking, [to prevent] any one individual having the right to say, I know what the truth is here, and to disagree with me is to say something really evil, unsafe. or dangerous, or racist, hateful, or discriminatory, Dummitt said. The real danger is if all the scholars in a certain community either think the same way or are too frightened to speak up for fear of repercussions, he said. [Then] were not testing knowledge claims in the way that we really have to be. Dominated by One Side Even the University of Calgary, reputed in the 1990s to have the most right-leaning political science department in Canada, never had more than six conservative professors, said Tom Flanagan, a professor emeritus of political science. I was on the staff affairs committee when several of the so-called Calgary School were hired, but they were hired because of their academic credentials, not because they happened to have a conservative point of view. In the same period, we also hired several people who were anything but conservative, Flanagan said in an interview. I think the point is that in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, political opinions, left or right, werent usually decisive in hiring, at least in Canada. U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthys efforts to expose communists in the 1950s helped facilitate a larger leftist presence in Canada decades ago, said Flanagan. When I joined the University of Calgary in 1968, I had colleagues who were communist refugees from McCarthyism as well as other colleagues who had worked for the CIA. I wont say everyone always got along swimmingly, but the university was capacious enough to hold people of very different orientations, he said. However, the situation has changed, Flanagan said. One new development is that universities as organizations have embraced various social justice ideologies, setting up programs and departments that have to be staffed by people with certain viewsWomens Studies, Native Studies, Environmental Studies, etc. Dummitt said he believes universities should not create programs or post jobs that have a built-in political bias. The evidence that Im aware of shows that people on the left and right are equally happy to discriminate against their political opponents, he said. No one side has the moral high ground here. But when an institution is so dominated by one side, if youre a conservative scholar, your ideas are going to face so much more scrutiny at every levelevery time you apply for a job, apply for a grant, and submit an article to get published. Value of Academic Freedom Geoffrey Hale has spent 22 years as a political science professor at the University of Lethbridge, where the recruitment webpage reads, At uLethbridge, you learn how to think, not what to think. He told The Epoch Times that this is not an empty slogan. It certainly reflects the attitude that we have taken in our department, and I know some other departments have taken, in terms of commitment to academic freedom. It is very strong in the faculty association. It is one of the hills that my colleagues there are prepared to die on. And I do not believe that it is ideologically predetermined how that should play out. Dummitt says academic freedom is the goal, not a political consensus. Were always the loser if any one way of thinking would take over. I would say the same if a conservative strain of thought were to take over and dominate as well. A countermovement against discrimination in academia is growing worldwide. Jonathan Haidt, Chris Martin, and Nicholas Rosenkranz founded Heterodox Academy in 2015 as a venue for social researchers to share their work and challenges. It soon grew into an international network dedicated to advancing the values of constructive disagreement and viewpoint diversity as cornerstones of academic and intellectual life, the academys website says. Dummit is an academy member but has a larger vision for Canada: a new think tank that would promote diversity of opinion and conduct in-depth polling on problems academics face with ideological censorship. He said many academics support him in private but are afraid of professional consequences if they join his initiative publicly. I wouldnt be doing what Im doing now if I didnt have tenure. I wouldnt dare becausejust too much at stake, he said. The first repatriation flight from India was marred by a large number of positive COVID-19 results. (LAC Stewart Gould/Australian Department of Defence via Getty Images) Australias Second Repatriation Flight From India Lands in Darwin The second repatriation flight from India has landed in Darwin on Sunday with 165 Australians, who will quarantine in the Howard Springs facility for 14 days. The Qantas flight left New Delhi at 12:35 am (AEST) at midnight and landed in the citys RAAF base at around 10:00 am (AEST). It is the second government-facilitated repatriation flight since the controversial ban on Indian arrivals was lifted. No passengers were stopped from boarding after taking a COVID-19 test, which is a stark contrast to the first repatriation flight a week ago when only 80 of the 150 seats were filled due to a large number of positive COVID-19 results. Its still possible that the passengers may test positive after arriving or during the quarantine, but no one exhibited flu-like symptoms when landing on Sunday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. More than 40 passengers tested positive for the virus on May 15 before boarding the first flight, with about 30 of their family members deemed close contacts. However, concerns were raised that false-positive tests caused some passengers to be turned away while Qantas said that all positive results were re-run under additional medical supervision, which led to the same outcomes. Considering all of these data points, Qantas and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade do not believe that any passengers booked on this flight were denied boarding in error, the airline said. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), passengers who failed to board the first flight had been contacted and would be prioritised for future flights, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne wrote in a post on Twitter that she was pleased to see the flight that would return Australians from India leave from Sydney on Saturday and noted it also would be carrying aid supplies for Indias COVID-19 response. The flight is carrying 1056 ventilators & 60 oxygen concentrators to support s COVID-19 response. We will continue to support our friends during this challenging time, Payne said. Pleased to see a government facilitated Qantas flight leaving Sydney today to return Australians from India. The flight is carrying 1056 ventilators & 60 oxygen concentrators to support s COVID-19 response. We will continue to support our friends during this challenging time. pic.twitter.com/8brvIAKovP Marise Payne (@MarisePayne) May 14, 2021 Eight more repatriation flights from India have been scheduled by June 4. New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia have indicated they will assist by receiving passengers from India, the DFAT said in a statement. Darwin in Northern Territory has one more to receive of all three flights, with Victoria, NSW, and Queensland each to take one flight in the upcoming weeks. Vulnerable Australians in India will be prioritised for the repatriation flights, according to the department. Around 1000 of the 11,200 Australians stranded in India who has registered as wanting to return to Australia are listed as vulnerable. India is still seeing around 4000 deaths per day in the past week. The country has recorded over 26,000,000 infected cases and over 300,000 deaths in total, according to Worldometer COVID-19 Data. AAP contributed to this report. A BBC sign is displayed outside the BBC headquarters in Portland Place, London, on July 2, 2020. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images) BBC Probes Reporter Who Compared Israel to Nazi Germany The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the UKs national broadcaster, said it has launched an investigation over controversial statements made on social media by one of its reporters, who in a since-deleted tweet compared Israel to Nazi Germany and wrote, Hitler was right. Digital journalist Tala Halawa, who works as a Palestine Specialist for the BBC Monitoring service, reportedly posted the comments on Twitter on July 20, 2014. Israel is more Nazi than Hitler! Oh, #HitlerWasRight IDF go to hell #PrayForGaza, Halawa wrote, according to the Honest Reporting Twitter media monitoring group. Tala Halawa is a digital journalist for the @BBC. Halawa directly influences and creates news content watched by many millions around the world. In what world can someone like this work for a professional news outlet? pic.twitter.com/r2LIHmZfF2 HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) May 23, 2021 Halawas post came about three years prior to her joining the BBC in 2017. In a statement to British news outlet The Telegraph, the BBC said: These tweets predate the individuals employment with the BBC but we are nevertheless taking this very seriously and are investigating. The Epoch Times was unable to reach Halawa for comment, while her Twitter account appears to have been deleted. It comes as the BBC continues to reel from a scandal after an inquiry (pdf) by former senior judge Lord Dyson found that then-BBC reporter Martin Bashir used forged documents to secure an interview with Princess Diana in 1995, two years before her death. The inquiry led to the resignation of former BBC director general Lord Hall as National Gallery chairman. Hall was director of news when Bashir used deception to get the interview. Following the outcry, the BBC issued an apology. Tim Davie, the BBCs current director general, said in a statement: Although the report states that Diana, Princess of Wales, was keen on the idea of an interview with the BBC, it is clear that the process for securing the interview fell far short of what audiences have a right to expect. We are very sorry for this. While todays BBC has significantly better processes and procedures, those that existed at the time should have prevented the interview being secured in this way, Davie said, adding, While the BBC cannot turn back the clock after a quarter of a century, we can make a full and unconditional apology. Bashir has since apologized and admitted his wrongdoing, but denied that the interview had any impact on Diana. Everything we did in terms of the interview was as she wanted, from when she wanted to alert the palace, to when it was broadcast, to its contents, Bashir told the Sunday Times in an interview, in which he said hes deeply sorry. Two women self-administer a COVID-19 test at a mobile novel coronavirus testing centre on Clapham Common in south London, UK, on April 13, 2021. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images) Before Traveling to Europe, Read the Fine Print on COVID-19 Testing By Lauren Zumbach From Chicago Tribune Theres good news for travelers eager to dust off their passports after spending 2020 stuck at home: The list of countries lowering COVID-19 travel restrictions is growing. After being largely closed to American tourists for more than a year, the European Union recently recommended expanding the list of EU countries considered safe enough to allow tourists and opening the doors to vaccinated travelers from other countries. Individual countries are just starting to announce reopening plans, but anticipation of Europes reopening has sparked a flurry of interest in destinations that have been off limits to Americans for months, including London, Paris, Barcelona, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam, according to travel search company Hopper. Even with loosening restrictions, overseas trips still require navigating COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements, forcing travelers to plan ahead and potentially budget a little extra, since tests may not be covered by insurance. The general question I get is just Helphow do I make sure I get to my vacation? said Carrie Wallace, founder and president of Chicago-based Cerulean World Travel. International flights account for only about 25 percent of bookings on Hopper, suggesting many travelers are still sticking closer to home, but interest is growing as destinations reopen, said Adit Damodaran, an economist with the company. The most frequently booked international destinations on Hopper are cities in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean already open to tourists. But the day after Iceland announced it would open to all vaccinated tourists in March, searches for flights from the United States to the country jumped 93 percent, and searches for European countries have been trending higher since late April, according to Hopper. United Airlines said searches for flights to Europe were up 19 percent the day after reports first surfaced in April that Europe would soon reopen. The airline is starting new flights between New York and Dubrovnik, Croatia, a week earlier than expected and adding a fourth weekly flight. The Croatia flights will start July 1, the same day as two other recently announced flights from Chicago to Reykjavik, Iceland, and Washington, to Athens, Greece. United also said it will resume service to Barcelona and Madrid and add additional flights to Italy in July. American Airlines said last month it expects to fly about 80 percent of its 2019 international capacity this summer and will have more seats available to destinations like Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still advises people to avoid travel until fully vaccinated and says even fully vaccinated people should monitor the spread of new variants and global impact of COVID-19. Travelers might feel ready to hit the road once vaccinated, but the vaccine isnt permission to skip COVID-19 testing. Some countries require a negative test result regardless of vaccination status, like Aruba and Italy, which require U.S. tourists fly on COVID-tested flights to avoid quarantine. The type of test required can also vary by destination. U.S. travelers also will need a test to get home. Anyone entering the United States, including people who have been vaccinated, must test negative within three days before their flight departs unless they can prove they previously recovered from COVID-19 by showing a recent positive test and note from a doctor or public health official saying they were cleared to travel. And while many domestic destinations have loosened travel restrictions, Hawaii still requires a negative COVID-19 test from one of the states approved test providers to avoid a 10-day quarantine. Whether those tests are covered by insurance can vary. Federal legislation passed in response to the pandemic requires insurers cover COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic people at no cost except when testing for employment purposes or public health surveillance, but guidance from federal agencies on testing coverage doesnt address tests required for travel, Nisha Kurani, a senior policy analyst at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an email. Insurers cover medically necessary tests, but that typically isnt meant to include travel, said Kristine Grow, spokeswoman for health insurance trade association Americas Health Insurance Plans. But if a clinician bills for a COVID-19 test and says its necessary, insurance companies pay regardless of the reason, and many will cover at-home tests, Grow said. Travelers should contact their insurance provider to get a better understanding of which tests are or arent covered. A couple of Chicago travel advisers said they have had pre-departure tests covered, but clients have had to pay out of pocket while abroad. Doctors Test Centers, with locations at both OHare International Airport and Midway Airport, does not submit insurance claims but will provide customers with information needed to request reimbursement, said program administrator Nick Toscano. Some people have had trouble getting reimbursed, but in many cases insurers have covered the tests, he said. At Doctors Test Centers, PCR tests, which take two days to process but can be expedited, cost $145 and rapid antigen tests cost $120. Travelers can also get advice on entry requirements, and the test centers are hiring additional staff ahead of the summer travel season, Toscano said. Major U.S. airline websites and apps have information on destinations entry requirements and options for places to get tested. When it comes to getting tested overseas, some travel advisers and tour operators will handle logistics. At Downers Grove-based luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, clients are responsible for pre-departure testing but once abroad, the company will arrange for a doctor to bring tests to their hotel rooms or set up appointments at a private clinic, said Stefanie Schmudde, vice president of development. That may not be an option for people planning a trip independently, but travel advisers said they hadnt had trouble finding options, and suggested looking to hotels or airlines for information. Most places are making it very accommodating. They want travel to come back, so theyre making it as easy as they can once you get there, said Debbie Wilensky, a travel consultant at Lake Shore Travel in Glencoe. Many resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean provide on-site testing, and some will cover the cost, said Hannah Nowicki, travel adviser at Chicago-based Sunset Travel and Cruise. Travelers may also be able to find tests at the airport. Airports in Mexico City, Cancun, Paris, and Zurich all have on-site COVID-19 testing. In Paris, the tests are free. There is one way to skip finding a test while on vacation. The CDC recently gave travelers the option of packing an FDA-approved self-test, as long as it includes a telehealth service with a provider who can supervise the test. That disqualifies many home COVID-19 tests. Abbotts BinaxNOW COVID-19 Home Test meets the requirements, as long the antigen test is purchased through eMed.com or certain pharmaciesa similar version without the telehealth component does not qualify. United Airlines lets travelers link test results to its app, but travelers on other airlines can also use the tests, Abbott said. American Airlines has an at-home PCR test option with LetsGetChecked, but its available only on flights departing the United States. A separate home test is available for travelers heading from the UK to the United States. Unlike the Abbott test, which provides results in about 15 minutes, travelers using LetsGetChecked ship their sample in for same-day analysis. American said it is evaluating more preflight testing options and will share more soon. The BinaxNOW test is sold in packs of six for $150 and Americans LetsGetChecked test costs $119. Both companies say they provide itemized receipts that can be submitted to an insurance provider, though its up to the provider to determine whether to reimburse the traveler for a test. While traveling with a self-test likely isnt necessary, Wilensky said it could be a good option for people who will feel more comfortable knowing they have testing covered. Travelers should think about designing their trip to accommodate any testing needs, such as ensuring they depart from a city where testing is readily available, or the internet connection is strong enough to accommodate a telehealth call, travel agents said. Wallace advised carrying paper copies of test results or vaccination status even if travelers can submit their records to an app and double-checking that any personal information on their test result matches whats on their ticket and passport to avoid problems at the airport. And while test access and processing times have improved enough that getting results in time for a flight generally isnt an issue, Wallace still recommends getting them as early as possible. She said the demand for COVID-19 testing has eased, so people are getting results faster, but three to five months ago, it was dicey. 2021 Chicago Tribune. Visit at chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President Joe Biden speaks at the White House in Washington, on May 17, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Biden Calls Recent Attacks Against Jewish Community Despicable, Condemns Anti-Semitism President Joe Biden on May 24 denounced recent attacks against the Jewish community, calling them despicable, while calling for an end to anti-Semitic assault incidents. The recent attacks on the Jewish community are despicable, and they must stop, the president wrote on Twitter. I condemn this hateful behavior at home and abroadits up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor. Bidens comments come as multiple violent anti-Semitic attacks have taken place across the United States and overseasincluding in the Times Square area of New York City, as well as in Los Angeles, southern Florida, Germany, and the United Kingdom, among other places. Some of the attacks were reported during or shortly after pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations coinciding with the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has since ended in a cease-fire agreement. In a letter dated May 21, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) urged Biden to call out anti-Semitism and recommended specific actions, including fighting hate on college campuses and enhancing security for religious institutions. The Jewish non-governmental organization, based in the United States, has noted numerous anti-Semitic incidents, including on social media, since the start of the IsraelHamas conflict. The perpetrators of these attacks deliberately targeted Jewish institutions and individuals for no other reason than their religion, justifying it with age-old antisemitic tropes, exaggerated claims, and inflammatory rhetoric, the letter claims. Biden isnt the first high-profile politician who has publicly condemned recent attacks against the Jewish community. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on May 21 he unequivocally condemns attacks on visibly Jewish New Yorkers and the state wont tolerate anti-Semitic violent gang harassment and intimidation. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference in New York, on May 10, 2021. (Mary Altaffer/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) The governors comments came after a 29-year-old Jewish man was attacked by a group of men in Times Square on May 20 amid dueling demonstrations over the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas. The attack, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, drew the attention of several politicians. Police said the incident is being investigated as a hate crime, and Cuomo also ordered a special task force to assist in the investigation. The pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in midtown Manhattan over the fighting in the Middle East resulted in dozens of arrests. That same night, a cease-fire was also called between Israel and Hamas. Reuters contributed to this report. From NTD News Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he departs for the Middle East from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on May 24, 2021. (Alex Brandon/Pool/AP Photo) Biden Sends Secretary of State to Middle East to Speak to Israel, Palestinian Leaders President Joe Bidens secretary of state will travel to the Middle East this week to speak with leaders in Israel and other partners in the region, the White House announced on May 24. Biden, a Democrat, credited Americas quiet, intensive diplomacy with helping to bring about the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will speak with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israels security, Biden said. He will continue our administrations efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders, after years of neglect. And he will engage other key partners in the region, including on the coordinated international effort to ensure immediate assistance reaches Gaza in a way that benefits the people there and not Hamas and on reducing the risk of further conflict in the coming months, Biden said. Blinken left from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland outside Washington on May 24. He wont meet with any Hamas leaders during the trip. Rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip just before the start of the ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and the ruling Islamist movement Hamas, in Gaza City on May 21, 2021. (Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images) One complicated issue is helping rebuild Gaza while preventing funds from going to Hamas, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington shortly after Blinken flew to the Middle East. Another is creating sustainable conditions for a ceasefire, which is holding for now, she said. Hamas started launching rockets at Israel on May 10 and Israel responded with counter-strikes. The fighting left hundreds dead, primarily Palestinians. The two sides reached a ceasefire late May 20, a day after Biden told Netanyahu that he should engage in a significant de-escalation today on the path to a cease-fire. Bidens administration has expressed support for Israels right to defend itself but has also said Palestinians deserve to live safely and securely. He told reporters on May 21 that he believes the only answer to the on-and-off conflict is two separate states, including one ruled by Palestinians. Black Lives Matter Activist Sasha Johnson Shot in the Head, in Critical Condition A London-based Black Lives Matter activist, Sasha Johnson, is in critical condition after she was shot in the head over the weekend, according to her political party. It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has been brutally attacked and sustained a gunshot wound to her head, the left-wing Taking the Initiative Party (TTIP), her political party, said in a statement. She is currently in intensive care and in a critical condition. TTIP alleged that she was shot following numerous death threats as a result of her activism, and it noted that Johnson, a mother of three children, is both a member of BLM and a member of Taking the Initiative Partys Executive Leadership Committee. Londons Metropolitan Police confirmed in a news release that a woman was shot in Londons Southwark neighborhood at around 3 a.m. on Sunday in the vicinity of a house where a party was taking place. Its not clear if she was attending the party. Police forensic officers on Consort Road as they investigate the shooting of Sasha Johnson in London, England, on May 24, 2021. (Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) The Metropolitan Police also appeared to dispute TTIPs suggestion that she was targeted in the shooting due to her political viewpoints or Black Lives Matter activism. There is nothing to suggest it was a targeted attack or that the woman had received any credible threats against her before this incident, the department said, according to the statement. The Metropolitan Police didnt name her. Imarn Ayton, a friend of Johnson, told ITV that its likely that she was shot in an incident that was more related to rival gangs in the area. I do believe that it was a party and there was some type of dispute between two individuals or two gangs, and it was wrong place, wrong time, Ayton continued, adding that she doesnt believe [Johnson] was the intended victim. Ayton continued to say: I cant speculate, I wasnt there. Again, just based off of the information that Ive been given from closer friends and family, as far as we are aware, she was at a party or some sort of gathering and this incident is more related to rival gangs as opposed to her activism, lets just say that. Detectives from the Metropolitan Polices Specialist Crime Command are conducting an investigation and want to speak with individuals who were at the party. A dedicated team of detectives is working tirelessly to identify the person or persons responsible for this shooting, said Detective Chief Inspector Jim Tele, reported CNN. Black Lives Matter Supporter at Capitol Breach Said He Brought My Megaphone to Instigate Trump Supporters: DOJ The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed new charges against reported Black Lives Matter activist John Sullivan for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, saying that Sullivan allegedly told others later that he brought along a megaphone to incite riots inside the building. According to court documents filed last week by federal prosecutors, Sullivan, of Utah, is facing new weapons charges. Sullivan, in statements online and in reports, said he attended a number of Black Lives Matter protests last year, posted numerous anti-police and anti-Trump statements, and also allegedly posted support on Twitter for armed revolution. After leaving the Capitol on Jan. 6, Sullivan was seen, according to federal prosecutors, telling a witness that he brought my megaphone to instigate [expletive] and wanted to make these Trump supporters [expletive] all this [expletive] up inside the Capitol building. Sullivan, they said, also portrayed himself as a journalist who was documenting the incident. However, they said that he was actively participating in the breachand even apparently broke a window. Sullivan allegedly cheered after he and others entered the Capitol: There are so many people. Lets go. This [expletive] is ours! [Expletive] yeah, according to DOJ documents. He also said in the Capitol: We accomplished this [expletive]. We did this together. [Expletive] yeah! We are all a part of this history, and Lets burn this [expletive] down, according to the court papers. Federal prosecutors alleged that he attempted to incite others to burn the Capitol down several times. Appearing to reference his participation in Black Lives Matter events, at one point on Jan. 6, he also was allegedly heard saying, I am ready, bro. Ive been to too many riots. Ive been in so many riots, the documents said. And at one point, Sullivan allegedly told Capitol Police officers in the building to stand down, prosecutors said. There are too many people, you gotta stand down, the people out there that tried to do that [expletive], they got hurt, I saw it, Im caring about you, he allegedly said. Hey guys, I have a knife, Sullivan also said, according to federal prosecutors. I have a knife. Let me up. Sullivan, notably, recorded a video of the confrontation between protesters and police near the House chamber that included the fatal Capitol Police-involved shooting of Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt and, according to the court filings, boasted to a witness that my footage is worth like a million of dollars, millions of dollars. As a result, the DOJ last week said it had seized about $90,000 from Sullivan after he sold the footage to several unnamed news outlets. Sullivans lawyer declined to comment on May 23 to The Epoch Times. According to reports, Sullivan was involved in organizing Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Utah. He was also charged last July with alleged rioting, threatening violence, and criminal mischief for his part in a demonstration and riot that led to the shooting of a motorist. As a protest organizer, John Sullivan is heard talking about seeing the shooting, looking at the gun, and seeing smoke coming from it. John did not condemn the attempted murder nor attempt to stop it nor aide in its investigation by police, police said in an affidavit last year. Sullivan, who used the name Jayden X onlineapparently in reference to Malcolm Xfrequently posted on Twitter his support for Black Lives Matter and armed revolution. Black Lives Matter groups in Utah disavowed him in January, describing Sullivan as a loose cannon. Sullivan, according to his lawyers in a filing, sold his footage to CNN for $35,000, sold footage to NBC for $35,000, and sold more to other media outlets. His lawyers balked at the asset seizure and asked a judge to have the federal government return his money. At the outset, defendant notes that he needs the funds in the seized bank account in order to pay his rent and household necessities, his lawyers wrote. Additionally, the proceeds of the seized bank account are not the product of criminal activity alleged in the indictment. Defendant is being deprived of his needed asserts is in violation of the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution. To date, federal prosecutors have charged more than 400 people in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. House Democrats and a small number of Republicans are also pushing for a Congress-backed 9/11-style commission to investigate the matter. Sullivan was arrested by the DOJ on Jan. 14 in Utah and charged with being on restricted grounds without authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct, and interfering with law enforcement. He was released conditionally without bail. California Pushes More Housing But Will It Solve the Affordability Crisis? | John Mirisch California is one of the most expensive housing markets in the country making it really hard for a lot of people to buy a home. Beverly Hills City Councilman John Mirisch, who also served as mayor for three terms, discusses why he thinks California is not having a housing crisis but an affordability crisis. 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. A security person moves journalists away from the Wuhan Institute of Virology after a World Health Organization team arrived for a field visit in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, China, on Feb. 3, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) China Responds to Report of Wuhan Lab Staff Becoming Sick Before COVID-19 Outbreak The Chinese regime denied on Monday that lab staff in Wuhan were infected with COVID-19 before the pandemic, in response to a question about a report by The Wall Street Journal. On May 23, the Journal reported on an undisclosed U.S. intelligence report about three researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) who sought hospital care with COVID-19-like symptoms in November 2019one month before the onset of the communist regimes claims of patient zero. The regime asserted again that the CCP virus originated outside China. Zhao Lijian, the spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, accused the United States of releasing the CCP virus from Fort Detrick military base in Maryland during a news briefing in Beijing on May 24. Zhao ignored the fact that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, started infecting people in Wuhan, central Chinas Hubei Province, where the WIV is located, in late 2019. All of the first patients in other countries were infected weeks later and were connected to Wuhan directly or indirectly. Zhao repeated the CCPs claim that: The WIV hadnt been exposed to novel coronavirus 2019 before Dec. 30, 2019. Until now, the staff and students at WIV keep a zero-infection record. Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli is seen inside the P4 laboratory in Wuhan, capital of Chinas Hubei Province, on Feb. 23, 2017. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) On Jan. 15, the U.S. state department released a fact sheet about the WIV, in which it said: The U.S. government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses. Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told PolitiFact on May 11 that he is now not convinced that COVID-19 developed naturally. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in Senate testimony on May 19 that it certainly was one possibility that the CCP virus could have originated in a laboratory. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing on May 24 that the government still needs to do more research. We dont have enough information to draw a conclusion of the origins. There is a need to look into a range of options. We need data, we need independent investigation. Security personnel are seen as members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 arrive at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China on Feb. 3, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) The WSJ Report The Journal reported on Sunday that the undisclosed intelligence report provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits, which adds to calls for probe of whether [the] virus escaped [the] lab. The newspaper spoke to two different unnamed current and former officials who are familiar with the report. One described the report as potentially significant but still in need of further investigation and additional corroboration, while the other said: The information that we had coming from the various sources was of exquisite quality. It was very precise. What it didnt tell you was exactly why they got sick. The Journal reported that the three researchers received hospital treatment in November 2019, more than one month before the first announced COVID-19 patient by the Chinese regime. This isnt the first time information about three WIV researchers getting sick in autumn 2019 has been released. Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans told NBC News on March 11 that she had learned of three researchers falling sick at the lab, but felt it is certainly not a big, big thing. David Asher, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who specializes in financial policy and Asian strategy, said at a Hudson Institute seminar on March 17: Im very doubtful that three people in highly protected circumstances in a level three laboratory working on coronaviruses would all get sick with influenza that put them in a hospital or in severe conditions all in the same week. Asher said: We have to understand that they were nagged in bat borne, live bat research at the Wuhan Institute, Theres a possibility that this is the first known cluster that were aware of, of victims of we believe to be COVID-19. This general view shows the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, in Chinas central Hubei province on Feb. 3, 2021. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) Since the early stage of the first COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, there has been a hot discussion about whether the CCP virus escaped from the WIV. Facing such questions, the WIV refused to share its raw data, safety logs, and lab records about their work on coronaviruses in bats. Shi Zhengli, the WIV virologist nicknamed Bat Lady for her research on coronaviruses of bat origin, rejected the lab leak hypothesis, as well as denied the connection between the WIV and military. In February 2020, Chinese researchers wrote in a research article (pdf) that the CCP virus is 96 percent identical at the whole-genome level to a bat coronavirus, which Shis team collected from Yunnan Province. Official documents show that Shi and the WIV have participated in the project that cooperated with military leaders for years. Medical workers treat a woman after an strong earthquake in Yangbi Yi Autonomous County in southwestern China's Yunnan Province on May 22, 2021.(Hu Chao/Xinhua via AP) Chinese People Take Rescues Into Their Own Hands After 2 Massive Earthquakes, 2,750 Tremors China endured a pair of intense earthquakes on May 21 and May 22, with at least 2,754 foreshocks and aftershocks affecting areas across the western regions of the country. Many residents in quake-hit areas of Yunnan and Qinghai Provinces told The Epoch Times that they had to take rescue measures on their own, as help didnt arrive soon enough. They also said that many houses are also no longer safe to live in, and local residents had to set up temporary tents in the streets and were taking risks to collect necessities from their damaged houses due to a lack of aid. Almost all old houses collapsed. The others are cracked, Zhaluo (pseudonym), a hotel owner in Yangbi County, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on May 22. Im scared. We have to self-rescue with our friends and relatives. A woman looks out from a building damaged by an overnight earthquake in Yangbi County of Dali Prefecture, in Chinas southwest Yunnan province on May 22, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images) Residents also said they were hearing updates from neighbors that many people were injured during the earthquakes. But official news channels controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced only limited injuries. Yangbi County in southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province was hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake near the border with Burma (also known as Myanmar), approximately 20 miles northwest of Dali, on late May 21. The quake came from a depth of eight kilometersfive mileskilling three and injuring 28, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. A resident from Tiezhu Road, Cangshan West Township in Yangbi, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on May 22: The regime didnt set up a relief tent here. We just went back home to find something to eat when it was relatively calm (without aftershocks). Some people had nowhere to go and sat on the side of the road at night. On May 23, the state-run Global Times, quoting Chinese earthquake experts, reported that there had been at least 1,585 foreshocks and aftershocks in Yangbi, with the strongest registering as a 5.6 magnitude quake that struck roughly 27 minutes before the 6.4 magnitude quake. A man cooks in front of tents set up for people displaced by an overnight earthquake in Yangbi County of Dali Prefecture, in southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province on May 22, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images) A second strong earthquake, registering as a 7.4 magnitude quake, hit Madoi County in northwestern Chinas Qinghai Province on May 22. The quake destroyed local bridges and houses, injuring at least 13 people, according to an official announcement. The state-run Peoples Daily reported on May 23 that 1,169 aftershocks hit Madoi, and some others hit three counties in Qinghai: Henan, Dulan, and Maqen. The three counties span across a distance of approximately 300 miles. Chinese officials claimed that the earthquakes in Madoi werent related to the quake in Yangbi, which is about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) south of Madoi. The Peoples Daily reported that the quakes were related to the tremors felt in the other three counties in Qinghai Province. Widespread Tremors A girl looks out from between tents set up for people displaced by an overnight earthquake in Yangbi County of Dali Prefecture, in Chinas southwest Yunnan province on May 22, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images) On May 22 and May 23, four other Chinese provinces also reported earthquakes. A 3.4 magnitude quake hit Xuyong County in Sichuan Province on the early morning of May 22. A 3.6 magnitude quake shook Shangnan county in Shaanxi Province hours later. Then, a 3.6 magnitude quake hit Tashkurgan county in Xinjiang, followed by a 4.4 magnitude quake in Maqu County, Gansu Province, minutes later. These earthquakes also occurred in western China. Its unclear whether the quakes were related. Peoples Cries Unheard Chinas communist regime only briefly reported on the earthquakes in the news, without providing many details. Locals impacted by the natural disasters are suffering the consequences of a lack of public awareness as they call out for aid. They said the regime supplied disaster relief only to more populous areas, leaving many to fend for themselves. Zhaluo also told The Epoch Times that all shops and hotels in the county had to close after the earthquake. Madoi has about 10,000 residents, and a large percentage of us dont dare to sleep at home because of the aftershocks, Zhaluo said. Many houses in Huanghe township collapsed. Some residents slept inside their cars; some went to their relatives houses in other cities; some set up tents on the street. Zhaluo said most houses in downtown Modoi County were fine, but that houses in the rural areas were badly damaged. A Madoi resident who works for another hotel told The Epoch Times: Some of the houses are cracked. Some houses arent solid and have collapsed. I heard people were injured. Both the resident and Zhaluo said they didnt receive any warning before the earthquake hit or notices that there could be aftershocks. Now, theyre living in survival mode, ready to flee the next quake and subsisting on very simple food. A resident in Yangbi County in Yunnan told The Epoch Times: I dont want to recall my memory of the quake. Its horrible. We dont dare to go back home now. We are waiting for the tent that the communist party promised to set up for us. Firefighters set up temporary tents for people displaced by an overnight earthquake in Yangbi County, Dali Prefecture, in Chinas southwest Yunnan province on May 22, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images) A restaurant worker in Cangshan West Township said: We have co-workers injured [during the earthquake]. We sleep inside our cars. A hotel owner in the township told The Epoch Times that he has had to close his hotel and set up tents beside the road with my friends and relatives. We sleep in the tents at night. The Madoi earthquake is the largest to hit China since the 8.2 magnitude quake in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, on May 12, 2008, which killed at least 69,227 people. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yushu City in Qinghai Province on April 14, 2010, killing 2,698 people; and a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou County in Sichuan Province on Aug. 12, 2017, killing 25 people. Rick Santorum arrives for a meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York on Dec. 12, 2016. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images) CNN Drops Rick Santorum Over Comments About Native Americans CNN this week dropped former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) as a senior political commentator over remarks he made about Native American culture last month. Santorum, a former two-time presidential candidate, sparked controversy after saying in a political speech on April 23 that there isnt much Native American culture in American culture. American settlers birthed a nation from nothing, Santorum said on the founding of the United States at a summit held by the conservative group Young Americas Foundation. He said, there was nothing here when American settlers arrived, seemingly ignoring the history and culture of the Native American people. Yes, there were Native Americans, but there isnt much Native American culture in American culture, he continued. It was born of the people who came here pursuing religious liberty, to practice their faith, live as they ought to live, and have the freedom to do so, he added. His remarks sparked backlash from groups that advocate for Native Americans, including the National Congress of American Indians, whose president Fawn Sharp called Santorum an unhinged and embarrassing racist who disgraces CNN and any other media company that provides him a platform. To correct the record, what European colonizers found in the Americas were thousands of complex, sophisticated, and sovereign tribal nations, each with millennia of distinct cultural, spiritual, and technological development, Sharp said in a statement. Sharp warned that CNN may face a boycott from more than 500 tribal nations and its allies worldwide if the station didnt fire Santorum. The Native American Journalists Association also joined called for his dismissal, and that it cautions Native American and Alaska Native reporters from working with, or applying to jobs at, CNN in the wake of continued racist comments and insensitive reporting directed at Indigenous people. Santorum apologized on Chris Cuomos CNN show on May 3, saying that he misspoke and that he was not trying to dismiss Native Americans. People say Im trying to dismiss what happened to the Native Americans, he said. Far from it. The way we treated Native Americans was horrific. It goes against every bone and everything Ive ever fought for as a leader in the Congress. When I signed on with CNN, I understood I would be providing commentary that is not regularly heard by the typical CNN viewer, Santorum said in a Twitter post Saturday. I appreciate the opportunity CNN provided me over the past four years. I am committed to continuing the fight for our conservative principles and values. Responding to news of Santorums dismissal, Sharp wrote on Twitter: It wasnt a matter of if, but when. Justice is served. The Epoch Times has reached out to CNN and Santorum for comment. A conveyor belt transports coal at the Westmoreland Coal Company's Sheerness Mine near Hanna, Alta., on Dec. 13, 2016. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) Community Involvement Key to Safe, Reclaimable Coal Mines: Industry Scientists Coal mines can be environmentally safe and can become useful, enjoyable landscapes when the seam runs out, say scientists working with industry. But they admit that there are risks and costs, and urge communities and miners to work together from the start to understand and minimize them. Theres a lot of mitigative measures you can take when youre designing a mine, said Guy Gilron, a biologist and toxicologist who has worked on many mine projects, including some proposed for Albertas Rocky Mountains. Gord McKenna, a Calgary-based geotechnical engineer, said mines can become attractive and useful landscapesas long as people dont expect them to look the same as they did before. We can make landscapes that are pretty good, he said. Its not always put back to the same land uses. (But) if we dont over-promise, I think mines can meet what they set out to do. The United Conservative government is looking to increase surface coal mining on the foothills and summits of the Rocky Mountains. Plans from several companies covering tens of thousands of hectares have caused widespread concern over potential contamination and destruction of much-loved landscapes. Gilron said modern mines are designed to reduce the release of contaminants such as selenium, which is toxic in excess and is released as it oxidizes from waste rock. Gilron said less is released if that rock is covered. If you cover that waste rock with water or with backfillthe engineers use a special paste to cement it back in placeyou reduce the amount of selenium that goes into water. Bacteria in the water then reduce the selenium to a form that plants and animals cant absorb, Gilron said. He points to at least six examples of where so-called end-pit lakes have been used successfully to bring selenium well below dangerous levels. Sphinx Lake, near Hinton, Alta., is an example of an artificial lake used to treat selenium, he said. Golder Associates, an international environmental consultancy, published a 2020 report on selenium reduction technology in 30 locations across North America. Various industry sectors are investing in selenium treatment technology and making progress in performance, it said. Some technologies have multiple successful full-scale installations. The report includes caveats. Selenium treatment technologies have not reached full maturity and should still be regarded as developmental, it says. It also suggests that Canadian coal mines that contain high levels of selenium are challenging to mitigate. Gilron said it can be done. You dont see it as much of an issue in new mines where theyve had a chance to engineer and treat waste rock in a way to avoid the selenium getting into water bodies. McKenna said that part of the problem in reclamation is that mining companies are pressured during the regulatory process to promise more than they can actually deliver. Right now, the mines promise the worldand the regulators require them to promise the worldto get their first permit. They promise what is possible rather than what is deliverable. Its crucial to make a distinction between restoration and reclamation, he said. You can never put all the dirt back in the hole again. We ought not to be promising restoration. We ought to be promising pretty good reclamation. People also need to understand that a reclaimed coal mine will have to be monitored for many decades to ensure its stable and behaving as desired. To think were going to build these landscapes (that) cover many square kilometres, were going to get that perfect the first time and after 10, 20 years we can walk away, kind of makes no sense. Were going to manage these lands for a long, long time. McKenna said the key to building a mine that can be satisfactorily reclaimed is consultation with communities and other users right from the start. Theyre part of the decisionmaking, which is tough for mines to give up. Weve got to stop building these landscapes for the local people and start building them with the local people. By Bob Weber Ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it was fully floated in Suez Canal, Egypt, on March 29, 2021. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters) Court Allows Suez Canal to Keep Holding Ever Given: Lawyers CAIROAn Egyptian court on Sunday rejected a complaint by the Japanese owner of a container ship that blocked traffic in the Suez Canal for six days in March against the vessels continued detention by canal authorities, a lawyer said. The Ever Given, one of the worlds largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds on March 23, halting traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade. The complaint was attached to a case at the economic appeals court in Ismailia in which the Suez Canal Authority is seeking $916 million in compensation from the Ever Givens owner Shoei Kisen over the blockage and the operation to free the ship. A view shows Ever Given container ship in Suez Canal in this Maxar Technologies satellite image taken on March 29, 2021. (Satellite image 2021 Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters) The court on Sunday referred the case back to a court of first instance, which is due to consider it on May 29, said Ahmed Abu Ali, one of the lawyers representing the owner. Any ruling made by the lower court could trigger appeals by either side, said another lawyer on the case, Ahmed Abu Shanab, indicating that legal wrangling could drag on. In a statement following Sundays ruling the SCA said it bore no responsibility for the Ever Givens grounding, reasserting that responsibility lay with the ships captain alone, and rebutting arguments made a day before by Shoei Kisens legal team. It also defended its $916 million claim, citing the costs of freeing the ship and a salvage bonus stipulated in maritime law, material and reputational damage, and the diversion of some shipping away from the canal. One boat sank during the operation to free the ship, resulting in the death of a worker, the SCA said. A 15-year-old receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the CCP virus in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on May 13, 2021. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images) COVID-19 Vaccine IP Waiver Will Benefit Foreign Rivals Like China, Critics Warn WASHINGTONThe debate is growing over whether developed countries including the United States should temporarily waive intellectual property (IP) and patent rights on COVID-19 vaccines to expedite global vaccination efforts. The Biden administration on May 5 announced that it would support the waiver of those protections for vaccines to expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution around the world to end the pandemic. Experts, however, believe waiving patents wouldnt resolve the vaccine shortage problem, due to the complexity of producing the mRNA-based vaccines. They also argue that the move would allow countries such as China to exploit American innovation and technology to their advantage. There is absolutely no need or compelling rationale for the IP waiver, according to Stephen Ezell, vice president at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a technology think tank. Once a country forces the disclosure of know-how, there would be no control over who has access to it, he told The Epoch Times. This will not only affect the COVID-19 vaccines, but also non-COVID-related drugs and therapies using mRNA technology. Whats absurd is their assertion that such a waiver wouldnt lead to China getting their hands on technologies innovative companies have invested billions to develop; and instead of China getting through stealing it, our own government would be complicit in compelling its handover, Ezell said. Traditional vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into peoples bodies to trigger an immune response. Vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna, however, use messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that teaches cells how to make a protein to trigger an immune response when someone gets infected. The mRNA vaccine technology established a new platform for vaccine and gene-therapy industries, and while some Chinese firms have also started to develop their vaccines using this new technology, Western companies are still leaders in this space. China also doesnt have any prior experience in industrial-scale production of mRNA vaccine, according to Sean Lin, a microbiologist and a former lab director of the viral disease branch of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The intellectual property waiver for mRNA vaccine would encourage more Chinese biotech and pharmaceutical companies to jump into mRNA vaccine industry, he told The Epoch Times. This would definitely create more competition for the demand of related raw materials, such as different enzymes and NTPs, he said, adding that major companies that produce the molecular biology reagents are based in the United States and Europe. When more companies emerge to work on mRNA technology, relying on the same high-quality molecular biology raw materials, it will significantly challenge and complicate the supply market for key molecular biology raw materials needed. The waiver of related technologies is a nice political gesture, but its impact on the industry and the efficiency of vaccine rollout might be harmful. Progressives Urge IP Waiver A group of progressive lawmakers and advocacy organizations has been pressing the White House to endorse lifting patent barriers. Advocates claim that waiving the IP rules on vaccines will help many poor nations, as it will allow more manufacturers around the world to produce the vaccines. According to estimates, widespread vaccination coverage in poorer countries wont be achieved before 2023. Public Citizen, a progressive consumer advocacy organization, accused Big Pharma lobbyists of blocking expanded vaccine production and using China as an excuse. The organization called the claims that IP waivers would help China absurd and a distraction. South Africa and India were the first countries that requested waivers that would allow members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to not enforce rules protecting patents covered under the organizations Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement. More than 100 countries have supported the proposal by South Africa and India. U.S. Trade Representative Trade Katherine Tai issued a statement on May 5, voicing the Biden administrations support for the waiver of IP protections. The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines, Tai wrote. She said that the U.S. government would actively participate in the WTO negotiations to make that happen but also cautioned it would take time to reach a consensus among WTO members. Senate Republicans called on the Biden administration to reverse its disastrous decision to support the waiver. In a May 19 letter addressed to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Tai, the senators criticized the administration for putting Americas interests last and Chinas interests first. At best, all President Bidens giveaway to China and India and others will do is foster uncoordinated vaccine nationalism, as countries jump in to try to coerce technology transfer and manufacturing locally, they wrote. At worst, this action will provide a boost to the Chinese Communist Partys vaccine diplomacy and enable Beijing to undercut American leadership on vaccine distribution throughout the developing world. German pharmaceutical company BioNTech, partner of Pfizer, opposed the proposal to temporarily lift IP rights for vaccines. Ugur Sahin, the chief executive of BioNTech, during an earnings call on May 10 said waiving patents wouldnt ease supply shortages in the coming months. We believe, together with the other vaccine developers, in the next nine to 12 months, that there will be more than enough vaccine produced, and there is absolutely no need for waiving patents, he said. The U.S. proposal to waive patent rights has faced opposition from Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed back against the proposal, saying that the production capacities and the high-quality standards, not the patents, are the problem. The protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation, and it must remain so in the future, she said. Cruz Accuses Squad Members of Acting as Press Secretaries for Hamas Terrorists Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Saturday accused the progressive Squad of acting as press secretaries for Hamas terrorists, as he announced that he is introducing a resolution backing arms sales to Israel. Rep. [Ilhan] Omar accused Israel of carrying out acts of terrorism. That is a vicious lie. And to be honest, the Squad is acting more like the press secretaries for Hamas terrorists than they are like United States congressmen, Cruz said during an appearance on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. The Texas Republican was referring to a group of progressive women with a socialist agenda who became known as the Squad, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.). They have supported the defund the police movement, Medicare for All, free college education, the Green New Deal, and other socialist policies. The women come under fire in recent days for their controversial anti-Israel tweets as violence intensified between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist group since 1997, before a ceasefire agreement was eventually reached Thursday. The 11-day conflict started when Hamas launched rockets into Israel over a court case to evict several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem that triggered riots. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) speaks as Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) listen during a news conference in Washington on July 15, 2019. (Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images) Ocasio-Cortez last week said President Joe Bidens defense of Israels use of force to protect itself against the terrorist group was siding with the occupation. Tlaib meanwhile accused Israel of promoting racism and dehumanization under a discriminatory apartheid system. Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism, Omar wrote. Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, dont exist to protect Palestinian civilians. Its unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid. Cruz said that their rhetoric makes them sound more like theyre acting as press secretaries for Hamas terrorists than as members of the United States Congress defending American national security and the security of our allies. Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back at criticism from the group. They were firing thousands of rockets on our civilian population. They were trying to murder our people in their homes. We were defending ourselves, Regev told Fox News. They were firing out of schools. They were firing out of built-up areas. They were firing out of homes, out of mosques, even out of playgrounds. People need to understandHamas is not just Israels enemy, he added. Hamas is the enemy of everyone who wants to see peace and reconciliation in our part of the world. They are a brutal jihadist terrorist group. No one should make excuses for them. Rockets are launched toward Israel from the southern Gaza Strip on May 17, 2021. (Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images) Cruz told Fox News his resolution will show whether lawmakers are willing to support Israel or sashay up to the anti-Israel left. Lets decide if youre willing to send weapons to support Israel, or if youre going to sashay up to the anti-Israel left, then you need to own it and I hope were going to have a vote next week and decide which side of the line everyone stands on, he said. The senators plans for a resolution comes after progressives, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), pushed to block a $735 million arms sales to Israel last week. Im introducing a resolution to approve the arms sales, and Im going to fight for a vote because there are a lot of Democrats in the Senate who want to play footsie, who want to say: Well, no. I dont agree with that antisemitic language from the Squad. Well, lets vote, Cruz added. Lets decide if youre willing to send weapons to support Israel, or if youre going to sashay up to the anti-Israel left, then you need to own it. The Epoch Times has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, Omar, and Pressley for comment. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs into law Senate Bill 7072 at Florida International University in Miami on May 24, 2021. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) DeSantis Signs Bill to Stop Big Tech Censorship of Floridians MIAMIFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a billthe first of its kind in the United Statesallowing Floridians to sue Big Tech platforms. A number of free speech advocates, including Cuban and Venezuelan exiles, state senators, and deplatformed influencers, stood behind DeSantis as he made the announcement at Florida International University on May 24. Courts may award up to $100,000 in damages to an individual if a social media platform censors or shadowbans a users content, deplatforms a user, or if it hasnt applied censorship or deplatforming standards in a consistent manner, according to the text of the bill. We will be the first state to hold Big Tech accountable, DeSantis said at a press conference. They are exerting a power that really has no precedent in American history. Big tech companies that violate the bill, SB 7072 Social Media Platforms, can be sued by Floridians for monetary damages. The states attorney general can bring action against companies that violate this law under Floridas Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. As an example, the governor mentioned that people were deplatformed for discussing the Wuhan lab leak theory regarding the origins of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, whereas now that theory has become a topic of mainstream discussion. 2021 looks more like the fictitious 1984, the governor said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference before signing into law Senate Bill 7072 at Florida International University in Miami on May 24, 2021. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) The law also blocks Big Tech from deplatforming Floridian political candidates. The Florida Election Commission will impose fines of $250,000 per day on any social media company that deplatforms any candidates for statewide office. The fine is $25,000 per day when deplatforming candidates for other offices. While Floridians have the right to block anyone, its not the role of Big Tech to censor, said DeSantis. SB 7072 is a bold first step to reining in Big Tech tyranny by defending the rights of all Floridians in the digital space, DeSantis said. Over the years, these platforms have changed from neutral platforms that provide Americans with the freedom to speak to enforcers of preferred narratives. Florida is the first state to hold Big Tech accountable by empowering each and every Floridian silenced by arbitrary corporate censorship to fight back. This is a groundbreaking bill that protects Floridians from Silicon Valleys power grab. If social media platforms are found to have violated antitrust law, theyll be restricted from contracting with any public entity. That antitrust violator blacklist imposes real consequences for Big Tech oligopolies bottom line. According to DeSantis, the law will also require social media companies to be transparent about their content moderation practices and give users proper notice of changes to those policies. According to Florida state, the new law will likely be able to withstand legal challenges, as it contains language that explains how Big Tech companies are different from other corporations, and that Section 230 requires companies to act in good faithsomething the governor accuses Big Tech of not always following. Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez said at the same conference that Florida is taking back the virtual public square as a place where information and ideas can flow freely. Many of our constituents know the dangers of being silenced or have been silenced themselves under communist rule, she said. Thankfully, in Florida we have a Governor that fights against big tech oligarchs that contrive, manipulate, and censor if you voice views that run contrary to their radical leftist narrative. Florida wont be the only state enacting such a law, according to DeSantis. We are seeing other states now following suit, he said. It starts in Florida but it doesnt end in Florida. Malaysian company ramps up local fill-and-finish of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines Xinhua) 10:12, May 24, 2021 KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga is ramping up local fill-and-finish of COVID-19 vaccines developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac, a senior official said Sunday. Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a press conference that Pharmaniaga had completed the fill-and-finish process of 1,889,800 doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccines and the production is ramping up to some two million doses per month. "As of today, this factory has prepared 1.8 million doses of the locally filled and finished vaccine, and by the end of June another two million more doses will be prepared," he said after a visit to Pharmaniaga's facility. Sinovac and Pharmaniaga in January signed an agreement for cooperation on the local fill-and-finish process for the COVID-19 vaccine, representing a milestone for Malaysia's pharmaceutical industry. "I am proud for the first time our country has produced and manufactured vaccines for humans with the expertise and skills of local talents," said Ismail Sabri. Both the finished products of Sinovac vaccines imported from China and the ones manufactured by Pharmaniaga have been used in Malaysia's national immunization program after receiving approval from the country's regulators. Malaysia is currently rolling out its national COVID-19 immunization program in three phases: phase 1 for frontliners, phase 2 for high-risk groups and phase 3 for all adults aged 18 and above with the whole exercise expected to be completed by February next year. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) Contractors working for Cyber Ninjas, which was hired by the Arizona Senate, examine and recount ballots from the 2020 general election at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 1, 2021. (Courtney Pedroza/Getty Images) Election Audit Resumes in Arizonas Largest County Workers in Arizonas largest county on May 24 resumed reviewing ballots and election machines in a 2020 election audit. Approximately 500,000 ballots from the nearly 2.1 million cast in Maricopa County in the presidential election have been reviewed by the audit team, which was hired by the state Senate. The team took a break as high school graduations were held in Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. Workers moved the ballots and election equipment back to the arena over the weekend. The Arizona Senate has control of the building through June 30 to finish the audit, according to an agreement obtained by The Epoch Times. We have a lot more tables and people that they trained during the one week off, and so we think the throughput is going to pick up significantly, Ken Bennett, the former Republican Arizona secretary of state who is serving as the audit liaison for the state Senate, told The Epoch Times. We have the colosseum this last week of May and all of June, so were confident that we can get it done during that time. Workers put up 44 circular tables for recounting ballots and 32 rectangular tables for inspecting ballots; 27 of the counting tables were in use on May 24 shortly before 11 a.m., along with 11 of the inspection tables. Auditors are considering adding a third shift that would go from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Auditors, led by Florida-based Cyber Ninjas, initially said theyd take about six weeks from start to finish. The audit started on April 23. Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, told state senators during a meeting last week that the delayed timeline is due to a number of technical issues, as well as a lack of workers. Firms hired by the county completed a machine audit earlier this year, and workers reviewed a sampling of ballots as part of a statewide hand recount in November 2020. Neither uncovered any problems, county and state officials have said. Those primarily focused on ensuring the version of the software that was supposed to be running on ballot tabulator machines was, in fact, in use, Logan said. At no point in any of those audits did they actually take a look at actual ballots and run those ballots through the system or do actual counting of it to validate the results, he said. Maricopa County, Ariz., ballots cast in the 2020 general election are examined and recounted by contractors working for Florida-based company Cyber Ninjas, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, on May 6, 2021. (Matt York/Pool/AP Photo) The new audit is being done at the request and the direction of the Senate, so that people can have confidence that the election was done correctly, Bennett told The Epoch Times. It has nothing to do with trying to change the results from November 2020. Auditors have said they found irregularities, including a deleted database and ballot batches that didnt match the documentation given to them by Maricopa County. Top county officials have condemned the audit, calling for it to end. The officials are refusing to fully comply with subpoenas deemed valid by a county judge, withholding routers and router images. Dominion Voting Systems, which also opposes the audit, has declined to provide auditors with passwords that would grant them top-level access to election machines. The countys lawyer, Allister Adel, on May 21 demanded that Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, a Republican, preserve all documents related to the audit. Adel suggested the county might file lawsuits over the audit in the future. Bennett, in response, said, thats something we were planning on doing anyway. Resistance to the process goes up to Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who told county officials in a recent letter that they shouldnt use the machines that are being audited in the future because of concerns they may be compromised. This is everything but an audit that were seeing. Protecting the election is not necessarily their endgame here, their endgame is trying to disrupt in the future, undermine voters confidence, and continue to perpetuate the big lie' Hobbs said during a May 24 appearance on MSNBC. A county spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email that theyre reviewing the letter. A spokesperson for the countys Elections Department said it wouldnt use any of the equipment being audited unless the county, state, and vendor are confident that there is no malicious hardware or software installed on the devices. Bennett called the assertions by Hobbs, a Democrat, ridiculous and unfounded. The machines were under 24/7 video security and physical guarded security, theres been nothing done to the machines that would make them unusable, he said. He says hes not clear about why there has been such strong opposition to the audit. Im not sure, but it makes you think that the more they resist, the more important it is that we do it, he said. Extending the California Advantage: The Golden States People Power Is a Model for the Nation Commentary With a steadily worsening homeless crisis, unemployment fraud of more than $30 billion, and fathomless pension debt, California would hardly seem a model for the nation. On the other hand, beyond the favorable climate, Californians do enjoy considerable advantages. For example, Californians can reject judges who do not follow the law, such as state Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso, who passed away this month at the age of 90. The UC Berkeley law grad made a name for himself with California Rural Legal Assistance, and in 1982 Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to the state Supreme Court. During the confirmation process, Cruz Reynoso denied he would favor minorities and criminal defendants and claimed, I will follow the law. Once on the states highest court, he didnt. Reynoso joined Brown appointees Joseph Grodin and Chief Justice Rose Bird. She had previously served as Browns campaign chauffer and when Brown appointed her in 1977 Bird was only 40 and without judicial experience. In 10 years, Chief Justice Bird never voted to uphold a death sentence. Even for staunch death-penalty opponents, including those on the court, it defied belief to think that every single case was unfounded. Theodore Frank, for example, had been duly convicted of torturing, raping, murdering, and mutilating 2-year-old Amy Sue Seitz in 1978. Reynoso and Grodin sided with Bird on the death-penalty cases. That did not enhance Reynosos popularity with crime victims in particular and the people of California in general. In the Golden State, the governors Supreme Court appointees must be confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, and at the next general election the people vote to confirm or reject. On Nov. 4, 1986, 60.2 percent of California voters rejected Cruz Reynoso, second to the 66.2 percent opposed to Bird, with a full 56 percent of voters turning down Grodin. Joseph DeAngelo, suspected of being the Golden State Killer, appears in Sacramento County Superior Court as prosecutors announce they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted in his case, in Sacramento, Calif., on April 10, 2019. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo) As the unprecedented smackdown confirmed, the people didnt care that Rose Bird was the states first female chief justice and Reynoso the first of Mexican extraction. What mattered most was their performance in office. Reynoso, Bird, and Grodin elevated their own ideology above the law, and cared more for the rights of criminals than their victims. So the people gave them the boot, and did not hesitate to use their power in other ways. Gray Davis, elected governor in 1998, had some trouble keeping the lights on. In accord with California law, the people gathered enough signatures to authorize a recall election. In 2003 the people turned Gray Davis out of office by a margin of 55.4 to 44.6. In the case of other underperforming politicians, a recall election was not necessary because California imposes term limits. California law limits politicians to a total of 12 years in office, in either the state Senate or Assembly. Such term limits do not apply in the U.S. Congress, where Rep. John Dingell remained in office for a record 59 years. After decades in power, politicians can easily come to represent Washington to their constituents, instead of the other way around. As the late Frank Zappa said, the folks in Washington look out for number one, and you aint even number two. Term limits might change that reality, hardly the only aspect of the Washington establishment that needs reform. For example, U.S. Supreme Court justices serve for life, in effect, a robed politburo beyond the reach of the voters. With that kind of power, the justices can easily elevate their own ideology above the constitutional law they swear to uphold. If the justices were subject to a vote of the people in the next general election, that sort of malpractice might stop. Presidents also make all sorts of promises they proceed to ignore or break the moment they gain office. For example, George H.W. Bush, a former CIA director, said read my lips, no new taxes, but on his watch taxes did increase, and the nation was soon at war in Iraq. If the people had the power to recall the president, that could make a huge difference, particularly after an election freighted with irregularities, charges of fraud, and lawsuits. Vice President George H.W. Bush gives his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Aug. 18, 1988. (George Bush Presidential Library and Museum/Handout via Reuters) In California, recall elections have already succeeded in removing an incompetent governor. In similar style, Californians have used retention elections to remove judges such as Cruz Reynoso, who put themselves above the law. Californias term limits serve as a check on corruption and expand the prospects for reform. Applying these measures at the national level would shift more power to the people. As they may have noted, the status quo and Washington establishment arent working too well just now. 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. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing to discuss the ongoing federal response to COVID-19 in Washington on May 11, 2021. (Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images) Fauci Now Not Convinced COVID-19 Developed Naturally, Backs Origin Probe Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted that he is now not convinced that COVID-19 developed naturally and called for a deeper probe into the origins of the virus. Fauci, head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was asked by PolitiFact whether he was confident that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus developed naturally. No actually. I am not convinced about that. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened, Fauci said during a Poynter event, United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking, on May 11. Certainly the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals. But it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, thats the reason why I said Im perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus. On the same day, when asked by a doctor during a Senate hearing about whether its possible that COVID-19 arose from a lab accident in Wuhan, Fauci responded: That possibility certainly exists. I am totally in favor of a full investigation of whether that could have happened. Early reports about an outbreak of the CCP virus first appeared in Chinas central city of Wuhan in late 2019, when a cluster of cases was reported by state-controlled media to be linked to a local wet market. More than a year later, the origins of the virus remain unknown, though the possibility that the virus leaked from a laboratory at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) is now receiving wider recognition. Days after the Poynter event, PolitiFact quietly retracted a September 2020 fact check that labeled a Hong Kong virologists claim that COVID-19 originated in a lab as inaccurate and a debunked conspiracy theory. The claim is inaccurate and ridiculous, the now-archived fact check previously stated. We rate it Pants on Fire! In an updated editors note published May 17, PolitiFact explained why it had removed the label. When this fact-check was first published in September 2020, PolitiFacts sources included researchers who asserted the SARS-CoV-2 virus could not have been manipulated. That assertion is now more widely disputed, the note states. For that reason, we are removing this fact-check from our database pending a more thorough review. Currently, we consider the claim to be unsupported by evidence and in dispute. The original fact check from PolitiFact cited a Sept. 15, 2020, Fox News interview with Hong Kong virologist Li-Meng Yan, in which she said that she has solid scientific evidence that COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, is not from nature. It is a man-made virus created in the lab, the virologist and former postdoctoral fellow at the University of Hong Kong told the news network at the time. She also claimed in the interview that the virus was intentionally released by the Chinese regime, without elaborating. Yan said the viruss genome indicates that it was modified. PolitiFacts editor-in-chief Angie Drobnic Holan told The Epoch Times that she has no further comment on the matter. Faucis latest remarks mark a reversal from comments he made in an interview with National Geographic published in May 2020, in which he asserted that theres no scientific evidence that the CCP virus was made in a lab. If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and whats out there now, [the scientific evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated. Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species, Fauci told the publication. Meanwhile, Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee say they believe it to be more likely that the CCP virus originated within a Chinese laboratory than from an animal. There is overwhelming circumstantial evidence to support a lab leak as the origination of COVID-19, according to a May 19 report, led by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking member on the committee. By contrast, little circumstantial evidence has emerged to support the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] claim that COVID-19 was a natural occurrence, having jumped from some other species to humans. A laboratory leak could involve either a naturally occurring virus being kept at the facility or a virus that has undergone lab manipulation. The Wuhan Institute of Virology is home to Chinas only P4 labthe highest level of biosafetyand is located not far from the citys wet market where the cluster allegedly first emerged. A State Department fact sheet released in January stated that the WIV had been conducting experiments on bat coronavirus starting as far back as 2016. The institute has also carried out laboratory animal experiments for the Chinese military since at least 2017. The department also stated that it had reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses. The Chinese regime has denied that the viruss origin was linked to the WIV and has pushed a natural zoonotic hypothesisthat the virus was transmitted to humans from an animal host. However, Beijing has so far failed to identify the original animal species that allegedly passed the virus on to humans. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said this week that the Biden administration has asserted both publicly and privately that the Chinese regime was not transparent from the beginning. Frank Fang contributed to this report. Dave Layzell for NSW Upper Hunter electorate greets voters alongside Deputy Premier John Barilaro (third from left) on polling day at the Muswellbrook Indoor Sports Centre in Muswellbrook, Australia on May 22, 2021. (AAP Image/Darren Pateman) Federal Leaders Circumspect on Byelection Result in Coal-Rich Mining Region Australias Federal Finance Minister Simon Birmingham is circumspect on the national implications of the weekend New South Wales (NSW) byelection in the coal-rich mining region of Upper Hunter, just north of Sydney. The byelection was watched closely by major political parties keen to see how popular support for the incumbent New South Wales (NSW) state government was tracking, particularly considering its handling of COVID-19 and recent sexual assault allegations against several MPs including retiring Member for Upper Hunter Michael Johnsen. Likewise, the Australian Labor Party (ALP), which polled poorly at the 2019 federal election in the region, was keen to see how voters would respond to the partys recent attempts to refocus its policy agenda towards its traditional base of mining and blue-collar communities. Ultimately, the Nationalswhich have held the seat for over 90 yearsretained control (albeit with a marginal drop in votes), while the ALP suffered a major swing against it, losing 7 percent of the primary vote compared to its previous result in 2019. Senator Birmingham said, It was a state byelection, and I would treat it as such. Senator Simon Birmingham, Canberra, Australia, May 14, 2020. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) It had a range of different factors at play, and certainly many of them were very much local, very much state politics, he told ABC radio on Monday. Meanwhile, Deputy Federal Labor leader Richard Marles played down the defeat, saying he would not be rushing to overreact to the result. Ultimately, the incumbent won, he told Sky News Australia on Sunday. In Australia, typically, incumbent governments poll poorly or lose byelections. Loss Causes Internal Friction in ALP Despite Marles comments, the loss has caused concern for the ALP with Labor MP for the region, Joel Fitzgibbon, threatening to quit the party. I plan to run for Labor at the next federal election, he told reporters in Canberra on Monday. But I will say this; I wont stick around if the Labor Party doesnt wake up to itself. The ALP has struggled in recent years to balance the interests of its traditional working-class voterswhich featured heavily in Hunterand its newer inner-city, left-leaning base, who are interested in action on climate change. Labor member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon walks through the press gallery at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 24, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) In 2019, Fitzgibbon nearly lost his seat when voters reacted negatively to the federal ALPs green energy and taxation agenda. Fitzgibbon subsequently has been vocal on the need for the ALP to bolster support for blue-collar workers and has been at odds with ALP leadership on the issue. In November 2020, the MP quit the shadow cabinet to move to the backbench after disagreements over the partys support for climate change policy. Fitzgibbon said voters were still suspicious over whether or not the ALP still supports the industry. We have been at best whispering. We have tried to walk both sides of the fence on issues like work and, on the other side, the environment. Theyre suspicious and sceptical, he told 2GB radio on Monday. Coal operations at the Port of Newcastle, Australia, on Nov. 18, 2015. (William West/AFP/Getty Images) The NSW Labor Party attempted to shore up support in the electorate by appointing former coal miner Jeff Drayton to stand as a candidate. However, one in three voters ended up ignoring the incumbent Liberal-National government and the ALP, instead siding with independents and minor parties. One Nation was a major winner gaining 12.5 percent of votes, while Independent Kirsty OConnell won 8.6 percent of the vote. But minor parties and independents have lacked staying power in past elections. For example, while the Shooters, Fishers, Farmers (SFF) party won 22.4 percent of the vote at the 2019 election, this time around, the SFF saw a 10 percent swing against it. Birmingham would not be drawn on the Liberal-National Coalitions chances at the next federal election. Its a long way away to start making those sorts of predictions, but we will put up a strong fight in those regions, he said. They are regions which clearly have large numbers of working Australian families who want to know theyve got a government that is with them and backing them. Australias federal parliament suffered a brute force attack for less than 24 hours in late March. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images) Federal Parliament Targeted by Brute Force Cyber Attack Australias federal parliament was the target of a brute force cyber-attack that lasted less than 24 hours in late March which resulted in the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) staff losing access to their phones and tablets for 10 days. On March 26, 2021, the DPS was the subject of malicious cyber activity, Scott Ryan, president of the Senate, told an estimates hearing on Monday. A malicious actor sought to access the DPS network accounts through MobileIron [managed] devices using unsophisticated brute force tradecraft. The malicious activity lasted just under 24 hours. It was unsuccessful, and DPS networks were not compromised. The network controls implemented were successful in blocking the attack. But they also affected legitimate users when accounts were locked down to prevent compromise, causing an outage to department-issued phones and tablets from March 27 to April 5. DPS has been and will remain an attractive target for malicious cyber activity, which is increasing in frequency and sophistication, the president said. Richard Pye, the clerk of the Senate, said the committee report builder is not compatible with the newly updated Microsoft Office products used at the parliament. Its a little bit frustrating because the whole point of the new Microsoft suite that has been adopted throughout the building is to enable people to share information and collaborate more easily, he said. And weve had an experience over the last six months where the reverse has been the case. Senator Ryan refused to give conjecture of who was behind the attack. Im not going to get into a backdoor discussion of attribution, he said. Cyber-attacks targeting Australian facilities and organisations have been a frequent occurrence during the first half of 2021, with both state parliament and news outlets being targeted. On March 4, Western Australias parliamentary email network was attacked during the middle of a state election. It was suspected that Beijing-backed hackers were behind the incident, which was a part of a global cyber-attack involving Microsoft software. Prior to that, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) had warned organizations to follow Microsofts instructions to patch vulnerable systems, which were hacked by a cyber actor based in China. On March 28, the Nine Network was attacked by hackers, with the cybersecurity director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) suggesting that the attack could have been politically motivated. Florida Police Department Makes College Graduation Memorable for Fallen Officers Daughter A Florida police department has made college graduation day extra special for the daughter of a fallen officer by showing up in full force for the celebration. Honor student Aleena Kondek graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Florida. Tragically, her late father, Tarpon Springs officer Charles Charlie Kondek Jr., was not in attendance; he was killed in the line of duty in December 2014. Aleena with her late fathers picture. (Courtesy of Teresa Kondek) Yet Tarpon Springs Police Department (TSPD) made sure their fallen hero was represented at his daughters milestone event. Officers from TSPD were joined by members of the University of Central Florida Police Department (UCFPD) to take photos with the happy graduate. Aleenas mother, Teresa Kondek, told The Epoch Times that Pasco County Sheriffs Office also sent an honor guard to their house, and a Huey military helicopter performed a fly over to congratulate her daughter. The Pasco County Sheriffs Office sent an honor guard and a Huey military helicopter over to Aleenas house to congratulate her. (Courtesy of Teresa Kondek) Since her fathers passing, Aleena, the youngest of five siblings, has told teachers and peers that she owes her determination to her dad and intends to make him proud by reaching her academic goals, according to a GoFundMe college fund started when Aleena was in high school. Following in her fathers footsteps, Aleena also worked at UCFPD while completing her college studies. Fallen Tarpon Springs Police Officer Charlie Kondek Jr. (Courtesy of Teresa Kondek) The TSPD wished Aleena the greatest success in a Facebook post, pledging full confidence in her ability to rise to the occasion and help others as her career progresses. The UCFPD, adding their own congratulations, wrote: We know our officers cant fill the shoes of her father on this milestone day, but we hope that our presence reminded her of how proud he and her extended law enforcement family are. Do great things, Aleena! Charge on! Aleena has hit the ground running. The young woman has accepted a job as a registered nurse at a prestigious hospital in Florida. Aleena (R) and her siblings stand next to the obituary pole with their dads name. (Courtesy of Teresa Kondek) 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 An Air India plane is seen in the background of slums adjoining the the international airport in Mumbai, India, on May 25, 2010. (Rajanish Kakade/AP Photo) Indias National Carrier Says Hack Leaked Passengers Data NEW DELHIPersonal data of an unspecified number of travelers has been compromised after a company that serves Indias national carrier was hacked, Air India said. The hackers were able to access 10 years worth of data including names, passport and credit card details from the Atlanta-based SITA Passenger Service System, Air India said in a statement Friday. It disclosed the scale of the breach nearly three months after it was first informed by the IT provider. The breach that happened in late February had compromised the data of some major global airlines, too. SITA at that time had said that Singapore Airlines, New Zealand Air and Lufthansa were among those affected. Air India said almost 4.5 million passengers globally were affected in the highly sophisticated attack but did not specify how many of them were its travelers. It said no password data was breached during the attack and that the company was investigating. The company said it recommended in an email to its customers that they should change their account passwords as a precaution. Air India started as a mail carrier in 1932 before gaining commercial popularity. It has been incurring losses since its 2007 merger with a state-owned domestic carrier, Indian Airlines. The debt-laden carrier is currently in the process of finding new buyers. A ball of fire erupts from the Jala Tower as it is destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, controlled by the Palestinian Hamas terrorists, on May 15, 2020. (Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images) Israelis Should Take the Lessons of War to Heart Commentary So the Israelis have once again let themselves and much of the rest of the world down by calling a halt to their latest skirmish with the Palestinians of Hamas, to whom they unwisely transferred control of the Gaza Strip in 2005. The recent round of rocket-launching and retaliatory air strikes accomplished nothing strategic, but merely kicked the can of resolution down the road yet again, in the vain hopes that the elusive peace process might someday resolve the conflict. Theres only one resolution to this fight, however, and thats total victory for one side or the other. And thatll be the side that wants it more, and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that end. Of course, this ruthless bellicosity offends the modern sensibility that victory is looked upon as rude and victimhood is prized as moral authority. American foreign-policy objectives, even prior to the end of the Cold War, have included a balance of power in which nobody loses, everybody wins, and all must have prizes. Such a philosophy has kept the striped-pants set at the State Department in expense account travel and meals for 75 years, but it hasnt done anything to sort out the underlying, intractable political and historical problems, nor has it contributed to the sum total of human happiness. Diplomacy, its said, is war by other means. But unconditional-surrender makes diplomacy irrelevant, which is why diplomats are so dead set against solutions. So lets start with this proposition: What happened in Gaza was not terrorismas far too many have been calling itbut war. War is an ugly word for an ugly thing, but one thats dispositive in the course of human events. Generals as disparate as Napoleon and William T. Sherman instinctively understoodand said sothat the best war is violent, bloody, and as short as possible. No lasting peace was ever won at the bargaining table; it was merely ratified after the war was over, as it was at the Congress of Vienna after the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. The war between the Israelis and the Palestinians will be over when one side has either annihilated the other, or stripped it of its capacity to make war. Too much of the commentary on the pro-Israel side has relied on the notion that the Jews have an inviolable, permanent claim to the Holy Land. They dont. The ancient Hebrews took it in battle from the Canaanites, then lost it to a succession of conquerors, including the Greeks, Romans, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Egyptian Muslims, Byzantines, Frankish Christians, and the Ottoman Empire, just to name a few. In the matter of nation-states, possession is ten-tenths of the law, and no amount of Bible stories can change that. Which is why Israel needs to defend and even expand its turf. Israels pre-1967 borders were essentially indefensible, but the fledgling nation held on to most of its gains during the Six-Day War, and added even more after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. By any historical standard, the Israelis have the right to hold on to conquered territory for as long as they can maintain it, and no appeals of international law can make them return itexcept by force of arms. Countries that contract, however, are on their way out. The Roman Empire started to shrink with Hadrian, who succeeded Trajan in 117 AD and promptly started pulling back from his predecessors expansion of Roman territory to its farthest limits. Three centuries later, Rome fell. In the east, the Byzantine Empire managed to hold on for another 1,000 years, gradually ceding territory to the Turks and others until its capital of Constantinople was finally captured by the sultan Mehmet II in 1453. Russia today is just a shell of the former Soviet Union. In addition to military prowess, a key element in the survival of nations is birthrates, something that does not bode well for Western civilization at the moment. Were it not for the fecundity of its women, the Roman Republic might not have withstood three successive and devastating defeats by Hannibal during the Second Punic War. The Romans lost upward of 50,000 men on a single day at Cannae, but replacements were already in Roman wombs by the time the few survivors struggled home. Within less than a generation, Hannibal and his army were expelled from Italy. Britain wasnt so lucky; the British Empire, and with it, the Pax Britannica of the Victorian and Edwardian eras post-Napoleon, was fatally wounded during World War I, in which roughly 57,000 men were killed, wounded, or missing in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, which took place on July 1, 1916, alone. Britains best, brightest, and fittest from across the United Kingdom and elsewhere were the first to volunteer to fight for king and country, and those the Great War didnt kill or incapacitate, suffered that fate in the Second World War. Last year, the U.S. birth rate fell by 4 percent from 2019, to 55.8 births per 1,000 women. Its been steadily declining for years, and not even immigrationlegal or otherwisecan take up the slack. The American armed forces are already having a hard enough time finding physically able young people to fill its ranks and, with the increasing numbers of women joining up instead of having babies, are being forced to lower their physical standards overall. This raises the question: Could the United States win a war with, say, China? The Chinese are having their own problems finding fit young men. Earlier this year, the government complained that its youth are too effeminate to fight, but China seems the likeliest opponent at this point should shooting start over Taiwan. And then what? Could the United States hang onto its possessions in the Pacific? Can the new woke Army and Navy even project overwhelming force anymore? As I wrote in my current bestseller Last Stands: Why Men Fight When All Is Lost, war is the most elemental of human activitiesindeed, mankinds natural state. And no matter how sophisticated modern weaponry may get, unless and until a war is fought exclusively with nuclear weapons, the ancient masculine virtues of courage, duty, honor, and yes, ferocity are always going to come into play. Because when and if the apocalypse comes, what will be more prized than literal toxic masculinity? Part of fighting is the resolve to get the war over with as quickly and definitively as possible. If you make war, wage it with energy and severity, said Napoleon to one of his generals in 1799. It is the only means of making it shorter and consequently less deplorable for mankind. This is a lesson the Israelis should take to heart if their country is to survive. Never again is the national motto, and its time an increasingly anti-Semitic world remembered that. As for the Americanstied down for 20 years in perhaps the stupidest war in its history in Afghanistan, a place of no strategic interest to the nationits time for us to recall that weakness is not strength and that guilt about the past is not conducive to a bright future. When you have difficulty defeating a rabble of goatherds for lack of willpowerand your last total victory came in 1945its time to sack your officer corps, empty out the Pentagon, get women off the front lines, bring back the male-only draft, train warriors and not guidance counselors, and elect an administration that understands the natureand, more importantly, the purposeof warfare. Michael Walsh is the editor of The-Pipeline.org and the author of The Devils Pleasure Palace and The Fiery Angel, both published by Encounter Books. His latest book, Last Stands, a cultural study of military history from the Greeks to the Korean War, was recently published. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Lithuanias Heroic Stand Against China: The World Should Listen Commentary Lithuania is a small Baltic country with a population of 2.8 million and a land area of 65,300 square kilometers. Compare that to Chinas 1.4 billion population and 9.6 million square kilometers. Yet, Lithuania has taken a series of steps against the Chinese Communist Party in recent months that would at times have struck fear into the hearts of larger nations such as the United States, Japan, Germany, and France. Apparently precipitated by a recognition of the genocide in Chinas Xinjiang region, Lithuania blocked Chinese investment, started a trade office in Taiwan, and most recently on May 22, pulled out of a Beijing-led forum for economic cooperation in central and eastern Europe. Lithuanias actions are indicative of a worsening relationship between the European Union, of which it is a member, and China. Agence France-Presse reports that Lithuanias actions are angering Beijing. People take part in a human chain protest in support of the Hong Kong Way, a recreation of a pro-democracy Baltic Way protest against Soviet rule three decades ago, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Aug. 23, 2019. (Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty Images) On May 22, Lithuania terminated its relationship with Chinas 17-plus-1 forum for cooperation with eastern and central European states. The forum is now 16-plus-1 and includes 11 EU countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) along with Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The latter two are considered a single country. In an apparent effort at divide-and-conquer, and to increase its influence, Beijing is providing the latter five countries with extensive free vaccines and masks. But a $1 billion loan to Montenegro for a road turned sour, with Chinas monopolization of the money for its own construction company, allegations of kickbacks to thief politicians, repayments in arrears, the stalling of construction, and a threat of a Chinese takeover of key Montenegrin assets like its main port, which the country might have hocked as loan collateral. Any such takeover, according to EuroNews, could give China sovereign territory in Montenegro. Given the increasingly overbearing circumstances of Chinas global economic expansion and influence, Lithuania did the right thing. There is no such thing as 17+1 anymore, as for practical purposes, Lithuania is out, Lithuanias Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote in an email to Politico. The wealthier and more democratic EU is obviously the better choice for the country. Vaccination rollout, tackling pandemics are just [a] few recent examples of the EU27 united in solidarity and purpose. Unity of [the] 27 is key to success in EUs relations with external partners. Relations with China should be no exception, the foreign minister told Politico. Lithuania called the Beijing-led organization divisive of European Union unity. Lithuania urged other EU members to leave the forum given the deterioration of ties with China over Uyghur forced labor and the sanctioning of EU officials. According to Agence France-Presse, Landsbergis called upon EU members to seek a much more effective 27+1 approach and communication with China. On May 20, Lithuanias Parliament recognized Chinas genocide and crimes against humanity as such. It called for an investigation by the United Nations of the Uyghur concentration camps in the Xinjiang region of China, and asked for a review of relations with Beijing by the European Commission. The same day, the European Parliament froze the EUChina investment deal, until China lifts sanctions against members of the European Parliament and European scholars. The vote was a major blow to Beijing, which through its genocide and wolf-warrior diplomacy, is steadily alienating its biggest trade partners around the world. The two votes likely precipitated the foreign ministers announcement of a break with Beijings 17-plus-1 grouping. Its singular break, however, indicates continued confusion among EU member states over the need for political and economic distance from Beijing. Lithuanias History of Resistance Against Tyranny Lithuania has extensive experience in trying to maintain its independence from foreign authoritarian rule, including multiple partitions and occupations of its territory in the 18th and 19th centuries by Russia, Prussia, France, Germany, and Poland. This deep historical understanding of authoritarian imperialism likely in part drives Lithuanias leadership in objecting to Beijings attempts to assert influence over the European Union. Revolts against Russian rule over Lithuania in the 19th century led to Moscows attempts at Russification of the country, which lost its legal code, dating to the 16th century, in 1840. Russian cultural imperialism spurred Lithuanian nationalist and cultural resistance. Beneath the Russian yoke, Lithuanians continued to promote their culture and language through informal schools that utilized Lithuanian-language books smuggled in from Germany. People form a human chain under the motto The Baltic WayIts Us from Gediminas Tower to the City Limits in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Aug. 23, 2019. From Catalan separatists to Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, the human chain that helped the Baltic states win independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago still inspires freedom-seekers the world over. (Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images) A 1905 Congress, which took advantage of liberalization during the Russian Revolution of 1905, demanded the establishment of an autonomous Lithuanian political entity. But in 1915, the German military occupied Lithuania with the goal of creating a satellite state. The state was proclaimed independent in February 1918, only to remain under German military control until the armistice in November 1918. In early 1919, the Soviet military occupied the country, to be pushed out by the Polish army in mid-1919. The Western Allies protected some territory for Lithuania, and two years later after some fighting with Poland, Lithuania joined the League of Nations as an independent sovereign state. The Red Army, allied with Nazi Germany, re-occupied Lithuania in 1940 and absorbed the country into the Soviet Union. 35,000 Lithuanians were deported. Germany attacked the Soviets in 1941, and occupied Lithuania again. Approximately 250,000 Lithuanians died, most of whom were Jewish. In 1944, the Soviets reoccupied Lithuania, which fought back through guerrilla warfare into the early 1950s. Joseph Stalin deported approximately 220,000 Lithuanians from 1947 to 1949 and forced his cultural reforms on the country. Lithuania retained a fiercely nationalist underground movement, producing more underground publications than did any other republic of the Soviet Union. Perestroika and glasnost (restructuring and openness) in the Soviet Union created the conditions for an independent Lithuanian legislature that declared independence in 1990. In 2004, after a decade of work, Lithuania achieved membership in the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Lithuania and China Today The current Lithuanian population isnt particularly anti-China. A 2019 Pew survey found that only 33 percent of Lithuanians had an unfavorable view of China, while 45 percent held a favorable view. Compare that to 85 percent of Japanese, 70 percent of Swedes, and 67 percent of Canadians who hold an unfavorable view of the Asian superpower. The view of China in Lithuania is affected by the economic outlook of the respondent, which makes sense as a major complaint about China is that it steals jobs and technology. In Lithuania, 55% of those who grade their economy as good have a favorable view of China; just 33% of those who say the economy is in poor shape share that opinion, a 22-point gap, according to Pew. The median unfavorable view of China across 34 countries polled by Pew in 2019 was 41 percent. Lithuanians have suffered at the intersection of empire for hundreds of years. The last thing they should want is another aspirant, this time to global hegemony, from as far away as Beijing. The Lithuanian government has taken a strong stand against the Chinese Communist Party, and its divide-and-conquer tactics should be a signal to the rest of the EU and to the world. These strong people, who experienced hundreds of years of foreign domination and finally achieved freedom in 1990, are telling us something about China. We should listen. 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. Man Who Worked at Chick-fil-A Since Age 16 Gets His Own Restaurant in Hometown 15 Years Later When a North Carolina teen got a job working at a Chick-fil-A in 2006, after just one month working there, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. He dreamed of one day owning and operating a Chick-fil-A franchise in his hometown of Greensboro. After 15 years of traveling to and working at restaurants hundreds of miles from home, that dream is now about to become a reality. Andrew White was just 16 years old when he joined the Chick-fil-A team at their Wendover location so many years ago. Chick-fil-As Wendover location in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Screenshot/Google Maps) In 2012, the Ragsdale High grad moved to Raleigh to be general manager for a couple of restaurants, before he and his family packed up and moved to Milwaukie, Wisconsin, in 2015 to assist a franchise operator there. In 2018, White moved again, this time to Iowa, and got his first chance to be an owner and operator in Coralville, just outside Iowa City. But White and his family had always dreamed of owning their own Chick-fil-A restaurant back in their hometown of Greensborothough they never expected their dream to come true. Next month, White will get his wish when his own franchise opens in Grandover Village Shopping Centre, just miles from the house he grew up in. Its surreal, it truly is a homecoming, White told CBS during the breaking ground ceremony. When we left in 2015 and moved to Wisconsin, we didnt think there was a chance to come back to North Carolina. Although we had that desire, and we loved that idea, we just didnt think itd be possible. For all those who are aspiring toward a purpose in life, White shared a message. I think my encouragement to everybody will be pursue your dreams. Truly, anything is possible, he said. 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 U.S. flags are placed in front of every grave site ahead of the Memorial Day weekend in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 21, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Memorial Day 2021: Greater Meaning This Year Than Ever Before Commentary Memorial Day had its origin as Decoration Day, a day set aside to honor those who lost their lives in the Civil War by placing flowers on their gravesites. Although the Civil War was Americas most costly war with some 620,000 lives lost, Decoration Day wouldnt become a national holiday for nearly a century, until after the two World Wars and the Korean War cost America another 559,000 lives. In the midst of the Vietnam War, Decoration Day was renamed Memorial Day to honor all servicemen who died in the line of duty in any war or engagement. It became an official national holiday when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, legislation that changed the dates of a number of American holidays so that they would fall on Mondays, thus creating three-day weekends for federal employees. While remembering those who lost their lives in serving America in wartime is a central purpose of this holiday, Memorial Day takes on its deepest meaning when we connect it with our roots. Americans were unique in sacrificing their treasure and giving their lives to found the first country in history establishing that all people have natural rightsof living in freedom, having equal value, and being able to pursue opportunity and happiness. These rights as expressed by the Declaration of Independence came from God and were thus unalienablethat is they couldnt be infringed upon or taken away by the state or any ruling authority. The U.S. Constitution, drafted to protect these rights, prescribed a representative and limited government with the checks and balances of three branches, and at the same time embraced a federalist system of state laws and authority which also checked the federal governmenta system designed to ensure accountability to its citizens whose vote and consent gave legitimacy to it all. There were times and places in human history when there were nation-states of cultural achievement, virtue, and efflorescence, such as in Periclean Athens, in the Florence of the Medicis, and in England of Elizabeth and Shakespeare. But none was founded in the way the United States wasthat is, by a collection of human genius who prayerfully approached drafting a constitution that would mitigate corruption and abuse of power, while also protecting the citizens unalienable God-given rights and providing them the opportunity to achieve their dreams and rise to levels closer to the divine image in which all were created than would be possible under any government previously conceived anywhere in the world. For the first time in human history, a government was established by the people and for the people, with its legitimacy established exclusively by the peoples vote that balanced the interests of the large population states with the smaller states through the Electoral College. It was these ideas at that time in history that made the founding of the United States absolutely unique and exemplaryprobably the most profound single event in shaping the modern world and continuing to influence other nations worldwide well into the 20th century. Thus, when Americans sacrificed their lives in military service, it wasnt just to defend the United States, it was also to uphold the natural rights and transcendent values associated with the nations founding that was understood to provide inspiration for others worldwide. Thus, after remembering and honoring men and women who lost their lives in serving their country this Memorial Day, it also seems appropriate to ask how we are doing as a nation in living up to the ideals of the founding. Said another way, what is the current state of patriotism in America? How is our government measuring up and how are we faring as citizens? Although denial runs deep, a cloud hangs over America from the November 2020 elections. And that cloud is getting darker with substantial evidence of voting irregularities surfacing on several fronts, such as the forensic audit of election tabulation in Maricopa County, Arizona. Should findings of various pattern irregularities be substantiated in a vote recount that changes the electoral outcome in Arizona, it should be incumbent on the people of other states with similar irregularities to undertake similar forensic audits. The legitimacy of our elected government comes only from the people and that must be determined by them and not by who counts the votes or how machines count the vote. On the second front, Americans are rapidly losing their rights and increasingly flying blind. With censorship and cancel culture being a fait accompli in the mainstream and social media, many are simply ignorant of critically important developments, such as the flood of illegal aliens crossing our southern border and also the demoralization taking place within all branches of the military. In the U.S. military, the Biden administration has reinstituted the indoctrination of the racially divisive critical race theory. Memorial Day reminds us that U.S. military personnel are asked to put their lives on the line. Defending the nation and fighting wars is the most serious and important job of all. There simply is no place for programs or policies that would divide our troops or demoralize our soldiers. In sum, this year2021Memorial Day takes on a greater two-fold meaning than it has previously. We are called to remember those who died in military service to the country and recommit to the conviction that those lives lost shall never be in vain. Equally important, we are called to remember and internalize a heritage that began with a courageous, brilliant, and faithful group of founders, who risked their lives for the birth of freedom and the creation of a new nation based on an accountable governmenta constitutional republicwhose legitimacy resides solely with the people and whose primary responsibility is to serve and protect the people. Scott Powell is senior fellow at the Discovery Institute in Seattle, a contributor to The Epoch Times, and author of a forthcoming book, Rediscovering America. Reach him at scottp@discovery.org. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Matthew Murphy, 4, places a rose on a tombstone beside his father, Kevin Murphy, of Springfield, Va., during a volunteer event at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day in Arlington, Va., on May 26, 2019. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images) Memorial Day: Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives On the lawn of the county courthouse in Waynesville, North Carolina, is a rough stone memorial honoring the countys Vietnam War dead. Engraved on this monument are the names of Haywood Countys Sons Who Sacrificed Their Lives in the Republic of South Vietnam. At the foot of this stone slab is a cast metal pair of unlaced combat boots. Many of the names inscribed on this simple memorialBrown, Frazier, Moody, Rogers, and othershave echoed in Haywoods hills and hollers for generations. The ancestors of these dead men probably fought as well in American conflicts ranging from the American Revolution to the Korean War. Moreover, many of the men whose names are written on this memorial undoubtedly have some relatives who knew them and who are still living, brothers and sisters, cousins, and perhaps even children. Those few who remember these dead soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen surely recollect them as they were in their youth, still saddened after 50 years by the loss of their loved ones. And many of those who knew them and who now share the dust of this earth with them, especially their parents and grandparents, surely went to their graves still mourning the loss of these young men in their hearts. The rest of us may think little of the sacrifices these men made. Some pedestrians passing the courthouse, and other places of honor like it around our country, may pause for a few moments to read the inscription and the names, to look at the G.I. boots, and even to say a prayer, but most of us go about our daily business without giving too much consideration of those who came before us and who built our country, especially those who saw service in the military and who paid with their lives in the wars weve fought. But then comes Memorial Day. Veterans carry a huge American flag during the 152nd Memorial Day Parade in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 27, 2019. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images) A Day of Remembrance We celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of May, which allows us a three-day weekend for various activities. Some head off to the beach, some throw backyard barbecues or picnics in the park, some watch stock car races, and some take advantage of holiday sales and head for the local mall. Most of us also regard Memorial Day as the kick-off for summer. And on that day, many do remember the dead of our wars, the men and women who lost their lives fighting for their country. Arlington Cemetery features a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Some cities host Memorial Day parades. In places across the country such as Waynesville, some visit the graves of those fallen in our nations wars. Both these groups are appropriately celebrating this day of commemoration. Those who honor the dead abide by the meaning of the holiday, but those who take vacations or join together for a meal with friends are also paying their respects. They are enjoying those American freedoms for which our men and women in uniform gave their lives. A Brief History Though Memorial Day didnt become an official federal holiday until 1971, Americans across the country for 100 years prior to that declaration had set aside time in the late spring to remember those who had died in the defense of our nation and our way of life. The first calls for a memorial day, or Decoration Day as it was then known, came after the Civil War in response to the enormous casualties suffered during that conflict. In 1866, a year after the wars end, Waterloo, New York, first set aside a day when businesses closed and attention was paid to the graves of soldiers. A hundred years later, the federal government recognized Waterloo as the birthplace of Memorial Day. Decoration Day in St. Paul, Minn., on May 31, 1870, by Charles Alfred Zimmerman. (Public domain) In May 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, the leader of a large Union veterans group, declared May 30 as Decoration Day, when Americans should visit cemeteries and decorate the graves of dead soldiers whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. By 1890, most states had proclaimed May 30 Memorial Day and regarded it as an official holiday. Southern states had their own memorial days but, after World War I, began to join the rest of the nation. It was after that war as well that Memorial Day became an occasion for honoring all the dead of Americas wars. Brave Hearts Some of these dead we commemorate on this day were heroes. The farmers and merchants who died on Lexington Green in 1775 facing British regulars were some of our first American patriots. Frank Luke Jr., famed for his balloon busting against the Germans in World War I, died after being shot down behind enemy lines and while firing his pistol at the approaching Germans. In the same war, John Pruitt captured 40 Germans, only to be slain later in the battle. In 1943, Army pilot Neel Kirby and three other comrades attacked nearly 50 Japanese aircraft. Kirby shot down six of these planes, received the Medal of Honor, and died later that year in another aerial combat against the Japanese. Our recent Middle Eastern conflicts have seen similar heroes killed in the line of duty. Several of these gave their lives for their comrades by throwing themselves on grenades or trying to rescue others from enemy fire. On Jan. 25, 2008, Army Staff Sgt. Robert Miller, for instance, was killed in Afghanistan while providing cover so that his comrades in arms could escape enemy fire. On Dec. 4, 2006, Ross McGinnis saved the lives of four of his fellow soldiers in Iraq by smothering a grenade pitched into their Humvee. Both men posthumously received the Medal of Honor. Sacrifice We honor these men for their bravery, but on the last Monday of May, we also honor all of our nations war dead: the infantrymen who charged up the slope at the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Marines who fell fighting the Germans at Belleau Wood, the sailors and pilots lost while fighting the Japanese at the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Americans who faced the massive attacks of the Chinese troops in the sub-freezing temperatures of the Korean War, and all the others who have since given their lives in places such as Hue, Kamdesh, and Fallujah. Canadian John McCrae reflects the poignancy of these deaths in his World War I poem, In Flanders Fields: We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, saw dawn, felt sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders Fields. Instructing the Young A young girl at the annual Memorial Day Parade in Staten Island, N.Y., on May 25, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Only the dead have seen the end of war. George Santayanas words, often misattributed to Plato, are a grim reminder that we live in a dangerous world and that the young men and women of our military are the wall protecting America and her people. As we pay homage to the dead of our many wars this Memorial Day, partying over the weekend and perhaps remembering a friend or relative who made the final sacrifice, we might engage in some other acts of recollection as well. In particular, we might set aside some time with our children or grandchildren, and read them some of the stories of those who gave their lives for their country. Such accounts can be found in our public libraries or by searching online. War means fighting and fighting means killing, Confederate cavalry leader Nathan Bedford Forrest declaredand we must never glorify the brutal business of war or soften its deadly costs. At the same time, however, we must aim to raise young people willing to defend their country if called upon to do so. Learning about those who came before them who rallied to the flag should help inculcate that patriotism. Old Glory While handing on these examples and stories to the young, we can also use Memorial Day as an occasion to explore our own thoughts on patriotism. What does it mean to be an American in 2021? What makes us Americans? What do the words life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness mean to us? How much value do we place on our Bill of Rights in the Constitution, on such natural rights as free speech, or freedom of assembly and freedom of religion? What do we owe this sweet land of liberty? Many of us will put flags in our yards or on our porches to honor Memorial Day. As we look at those stars and stripes, its right and fitting we remember those who died in service to their country. But its also fitting that we remember why they died. To find the answer to that question, all we have to do is open our eyes and look around us at the people and places where we live. Both here and abroad, as the line from The Battle Hymn of the Republic tells us, Americans in uniform have died to make men free. As their heirs, we still possess our precious liberty, in no small part because of the many sacrifices they made. We can best repay the debt we owe them by keeping the fires of that freedom bright and burning. Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog. Michele Steeb: Americas Homeless Crisis Drastically Increased Due to Obamas One Size Fits All Policy Americas homeless crisis has dramatically increased over the past decade because of an Obama-era policy that incorrectly implemented a one size fits all solution, says former CEO of Saint Johns homeless shelter, Michele Steeb. In an interview with The Epoch Times Crossroads program, Steeb, who is also the author of Answers Behind the Red Door: Battling the Homeless Epidemic, said Obamas Housing First policy had ultimately failed and led to an increase in the unsheltered population across the country. Housing First is an approach first launched under President George W. Bush and dramatically expanded into a one-size-fits-all policy under President Barack Obama in 2010, when the administration released its Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness (pdf), called Opening Doors. The policy prioritized getting homeless people under a roof with no preconditions, such as pursuing sobriety, attending regular job training classes, or getting a minimum income threshold. Steeb pointed to data published (pdf) by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2020 which showed a more than 16 percent increase in homelessness in the past decade, and a 22 percent increase in the unsheltered population. The Obama administration took a policy that HUD was using for the chronically street homeless in 2008. And they took it and rolled it out as a one size fits all solution for the homeless population, Steeb explained. President Barack Obama, standing with Vice President Joe Biden to talk about the Iran Nuclear Deal on July 14, 2015. (Andrew Harnik/Pool/Getty Images) HUD says theres about 600,000 homeless Americans across the country, The Department of Education has much different numbers; theyre showing probably between two to three million homeless Americans. But it doesnt matter if youre even looking at the 600,000. Steeb noted that there is no one size fits all solution for everyone struggling with homelessness. But the Obama administration took this policy developed for a very narrow, small segment, rolled it out as a one-size-fits-all and promised that over the decade, between 2011 and 2021, that it would end homelessness, she continued. And instead we see the 16 percent increase across the country and 22 percent increase in the unsheltered population. Its been a massive failure. No wonder, because there is no one size fits all. And it certainly isnt a house for everyone whos struggling with homelessness. Steeb said that the policy ultimately failed because the vast majority, roughly 60 to 70 percent of homeless people, are suffering with mental illness and addiction, and need more than just a home in order to fix their problem. She said: If you look at them, were saying that all they need under this policy is a house and that house is going to fix everything. And I would argue, again, thinking about this, this population in the middle, think about a hospital, think about sending them to a hospital, then think about taking away, the doctors, then think about taking away the nurses. These are people that are struggling with diseases, mental illness, and addiction, these are diseases, theyre classified as diseases by the Center for Disease Control. A man walks past tents housing the homeless on the streets in the Skid Row community of Los Angeles, Calif. on April 26, 2021. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) So were putting them in a hospital with beds, but were taking away the doctors and nurses, and were taking away the medicine. And all we have left is a roof and four walls and a bed. And thats not going to fix these people. Thats not going to fix the vast majority of people that are struggling with homelessness. Seeb noted that many people suffering from mental illness also suffer from Anosognosia, a lack of ability to perceive the realities of their own condition. In turn, they are less likely to engage in services such as those relating to mental health, addiction, or job training, which are typically the underlying cause of their homelessness. She continued, So you have now a system where, just like the old days, people were entering the system. In the old days, they were also exiting, they were getting temporary help kind of a hand up, and then they were moving on and they were able to reassimilate. Today, you have no one leaving the system. So weve increased the number of permanent housing beds, weve completely done away with transitional housing beds, weve done away with a lot of shelters, again, the more temporary beds, and weve made everything permanent housing. So you have people lining up out on the streets because the system has no one leaving. Seeb pointed to her own work at Saint Johns homeless shelter, which focuses on helping homeless people change their lives through an 18-month program that provides housing, a mental health unit, a case management unit, and drug and alcohol counseling. It also has two restaurants and a daycare program that provides job training programs for women, as well as a high school diploma attainment program and school services. Seeb said the program provides homeless people with everything they need to become self-sustaining and productive members of their community, while helping them to heal and grow. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks to members of the press in Detroit, Mich., on April 6, 2021. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images) Michigan Gov. Whitmer Apologizes After Photograph Showed Her Breaking Her Own Rules Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over the weekend said she made a mistake when she broke her own rules while gathering with a dozen others in a crowded restaurant on Saturday. Throughout the pandemic, Ive been committed to following public health protocols, Whitmer, a Democrat, said in a statement to news outlets. Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together. Because we were all vaccinated, we didnt stop to think about it. In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize. The photograph showing Whitmer with the group, none of whom wore masks, was posted on Facebook before being obtained and published by Breitbart News. The group was eating at the Landshark in East Lansing. An order Whitmer issued earlier this month states that gatherings at restaurants are prohibited unless theyre comprised of six or fewer people. Consumption of food or beverages is permitted only in a designated dining area where patrons are seated, groups of patrons are separated by at least 6 feet, no more than 6 patrons are seated together (at a table, booth, or group of fixed seats), and groups of patrons do not intermingle, the order states. Tori Sachs, executive director of Michigan Freedom Fund, a freedom-oriented nonprofit, called for the governor to immediately end restrictions on restaurants in light of what happened. Will @GovWhitmer & @MichiganHHS show us the science that proves its safe for Whitmer to drink at a bar with over 6 people at her table but not safe or allowed for the rest of us? This is ridiculous, Whitmer must end the restrictions now! Sachs wrote in a tweet. The governor last week said she will likely end most mandates issued during the COVID-19 pandemic on July 1. On July 1st, the broad mask rule will be lifted, but I want to be clear about the fact that businesses and workplaces are well within their rights to require masks as patrons go in. So, lets give them our support as they navigate whats best for them and their workforce and their patrons, Whitmer said. She also said that because of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions new guidance on masks, she would be going mask free. The health agency recently updated its mask recommendations, advising fully vaccinated people that they could go without the face coverings indoors. Whitmer, in her first term, is already facing an IRS complaint regarding a trip she took to Florida last month. Lawmakers in Michigans House of Representatives plan this week to vote on a bill that would require the governor to notify them when she plans to leave the state. (L) New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a news conference in New York City on Sept. 8, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (R) Then-President Donald Trump speaks at an event in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington on March 22, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) New Yorks 2-Tiered Justice System Commentary New York clearly has a two-tiered justice system, at least for high-profile figures. I experienced this double standard of justice myself several years ago, as the Southern District of New York, working in conjunction with the Obama Department of Justice, prosecuted me for exceeding the campaign finance laws by $20,000. I did indeed do that, but it was a first-time offense with no corruption or quid pro quo, and no American in the countrys history has been prosecuted, let alone locked up overnight for eight months, for doing what I did. Much more typical than mine is the case of Sant Chatwal, a New York hotelier who gave more than $180,000 to a slew of Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton, using straw donors, as I did. Chatwal, however, did expect political favors in exchange for his money. Moreover, he engaged in witness tampering, urging one associate to lie to the FBI. Chatwal got a fine and community service but no prison timea vastly lighter sentence than mine for a vastly more serious violation. My experience, as it turns out, was an early sign of things to come. Now, the New York attorney general is going after Donald Trump. For what? Well, they arent exactly sure. What began as a civil investigation into Trumps business operation has now expanded into a criminal inquiry. New York Attorney General Letitia James is working closely with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance to find something that they can use to criminally indict Trump. This seems to have been partly the goal of the FBIs dawn raid on Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani, of course, is Trumps attorney, and presumably, the government is examining not merely what Giuliani did but also what Giulianis records might reveal about Trump. The newly expanded criminal inquiry into the Trump Organization is a further escalation. Criminal investigations of this sort are typically crippling for any business because they make other parties wary of entering into contracts with a company under prosecutorial scrutiny. Trump himself recognizes whats going on. In a passionate statement, the former president lambasted James. Trump pointed out that she campaigned on a promise to go after him, to shut his business down, to pin whatever she could on him. And now, Trump says, shes making good on that promise, launching what he accurately termed a witch hunt. No American president has ever been charged in a criminal case, let alone gone to jail or prison, and one can only imagine the political ramifications of this occurring. But beyond this, what exactly has Trump done? The prosecutors wont say. Thats because they dont know themselves. There is nothing more corrupt, Trump noted, than an investigation that is in desperate search of a crime. Its hard to disagree with Trumps conclusion: If you can run for a prosecutors office pledging to take out your enemies, and be elected to that job by partisan voters who wish to enact political retribution, then we are no longer a free constitutional democracy. The objective, here as with the Trump impeachments, seems clearly directed at preventing Trump from running again, which is to say, at preventing the American voters from choosing him again in 2024. All of this is going on at the same time that the New York attorney generalthe very same Letitia Jamesis conducting a non-investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. I use the term non-investigation because this is an investigation that seems to be functioning more as a cover-up. The contrast between the aggression of the Trump investigation and the passivity of the Cuomo investigation couldnt be more stark. With Trump, theres no clear-cut offense. With Cuomo, there are at least two. First, multiple women have credibly accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. These are credible accusations because some of these women worked for Cuomo, they are all Democrats, and their descriptions of Cuomos behavior all fit together to create a pattern. A single charge of sexual harassment, uncorroborated by a single witness, from decades ago, by a woman who was clearly a political adversary, almost sunk the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. If Cuomo was a Republican, he would have resigned already. Leading Democrats in New York have called for Cuomo to step down. But he refuses, while the attorney general investigation is underway. Two months into this investigation, the women involved have only just received subpoenas to testify. This is obviously a delaying tactic. Meanwhile, The New York Times cites a source saying the probe is likely to continue through the summer, possibly into the fall. Bottom line: The New York prosecutors are hoping to stall and take the political heat off the governor. Maybe the women will also become frustrated and move on. Then theres the other, even more serious, Cuomo scandal. This isnt merely the scandal of sending COVID-19 patients to nursing homes, where they infected elderly residents and may have caused upwards of 15,000 deaths. This was horrible political judgment, in part the result of Cuomos refusal to make use of the Navy ship that Trump sent to New York harbor to alleviate the stress on New York hospitals. But public officials cant be criminally prosecuted for lapses in judgment. Cuomos real crime would seem to lie in his cover-up. Under specific direction from the governor and his staff, the New York authorities concealed the death toll in the nursing homes. At first, it seemed like Cuomos motivation for this cover-up was to avoid giving political ammunition to the Trump administration. Now, its clear that Cuomo also sought to conceal the body count from Democratic officials in New York. He didnt want the information to get out to the media. Why? Because Cuomo was at the time writing a book. He was being lionized in the media as a genuine leader who knew how to deal with COVID. Cuomo sought to portray an image of New York doing better than other states, even though his own data showed that it was doing markedly worse. This is potentially criminal. Its also impeachable conduct, even by the most exacting standard. Yet, New York Democrats have blocked impeachment proceedings. Why? Pending the investigation. So once again, the attorney general is the point person here, and her actionsor more accurately, inactionsclearly suggest that shes stalling for time to tamp down the political heat. Democrats, of course, are part of the scheme. They dont want to impeach Cuomo. They merely want it to appear publicly like theyre taking the two scandals seriously. So James isnt merely covering for Cuomo; shes also covering for the New York Democratic establishment. Bottom line: When we contrast the disparate treatment of Trump and Cuomo, we can hardly deny that Lady Justice in New York is not blind but rather ideologically motivated. Dinesh DSouza is an author, filmmaker, and daily host of the Dinesh DSouza podcast. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. One Killed, 14 Injured In Illegal South Carolina Concert Shooting One teenager died and 14 people were injured when an unidentified gunman opened fire on an illegal concert in North Charleston, South Carolina, Saturday, an ABC affiliate reported. Law enforcement officials suspect the involvement of multiple gunmen, though no suspects were identified and the motive remains unclear, ABC News 4 reported. An unnamed 14-year-old girl died of her injuries and several others were found suffering from gunshot wounds. Something happened here that should have never happened. They should have never been set up in the first place here, North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess said during a Sunday press conference. That young girl lost her life and 14 other people got victimized. The shooting occurred after an altercation near the stage, authorities said, ABC News 4 reported. Burgess said the unauthorized event was set up like a concert within the neighborhood where organizers illegally sold alcohol on private property. We in law enforcement had no clue about this, if we would have, we probably would have been able to save lives, Burgess said. A reporter asked whether there was some form of security at the event as advertised on the flyer and Burgess confirmed there was a security presence during the Sunday press conference. Law enforcement officials investigated the scene until around 5 a.m. Sunday morning, Burgess said. Crime scene technicians from the Berkeley County Police Department assisted with the investigation. The North Charleston Police Department did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment. By Kaylee Greenlee From Daily Caller News Foundation Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (2nd R), joined by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan (R), speaks while facing Yang Jiechi (2nd L), director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office, and Wang Yi (L), China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister, at the opening session of U.S.China talks at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 18, 2021. (Frederic J. Brown/Reuters) Peace With the CCP: Echoes of Soviet-Era Peace Posturing Commentary A cousin forwarded me a statement by 64 leading organizations, headlined by the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security. Im not sure if the paper should be categorized as a position paper, a petition, or a plea. But whatever it is, it denounces what they see as a growing bipartisan American Cold War mentality toward China. They would like to avert a hot war with Chinaespecially one involving nuclear weapons. So far, so good. I cant imagine any Americans, regardless of political stripe, relishing the prospect of such a destructive conflict. However, the reasons they invoke in support of their plea for U.S. leaders to avoid antagonizing Chinas leaders are more problematic. The Campaign for Peace paper states, Worryingly, both political parties are increasingly latching onto a dangerously short-sighted worldview that presents China as the pivotal existential threat to U.S. prosperity and security. Actually, it would be short-sighted not to act with an awareness of the threat the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses. And while I would be willing to concede that the preposterous binge-spending by our national government, combined with seemingly unlimited monetary expansion by a compliant Federal Reserve, may exceed China as the greatest existential threat to our countrys prosperity, theres no entity anywhere that rivals the CCP as a threat to our national security. Incredibly, the Campaign for Peace argues that outdated Cold War thinking undermines the human rights agenda, providing ammunition for the Chinese governments claim that criticism of abuses is aimed at weakening China. Ergo, what? Should our leaders remain silent about human rights abuses? Should they abandon the human rights agenda entirely to avoid the possibility of offending the perpetrators? This is the same kind of naive (or subversiveyou decide) approach the American peace movement favored in dealing with the USSR: Oh, please dont offend those people. If were nice to them, maybe theyll be nice to us. Sorry, folks, but communist leaders who oppress, enslave, and murder some of their own citizens arent just like uspeople who just want to get along. They have ambitious plans, and being nice to others isnt one of them. What is the agendathe end gameof the Campaign for Peace initiative urging a nonconfrontational stance toward the CCP? Judging by their own statements, their primary objective seems to be the adoption of domestic socialism here in the United States. With religious zeal, they urge our leaders to beat our nukes into a cornucopia of free handouts. In their own words, they seek a fundamental restructuring of our own economy through investment in innovation and green jobs; strengthening labor and raising wages; rooting out systemic racism, sexism, and inequality; and ensuring affordable health care, housing, education, and a livable planet. Wow. This couldve been copied almost verbatim 40 years ago, during the Cold War. The parallels are astonishing. Just as was the case then, todays left-wing peace movement asks us to downplayif not ignorean aggressive and malevolent state actor because our countrys only moral course of action is to channel all of our resources into creating a domestic utopian socialism. I doubt most Americans would agree that passively accepting the spread of totalitarian communism constitutes a moral foreign policy. Indeed, the most glaring omission from the Campaign for Peaces paper is that theres not a shred of acknowledgment in the peace organizations statements that the CCP, like the Communist Party of the now-defunct Soviet Union, has been a brutal aggressor against human rights. Theres no recognition that the CCP exhibits the kind of behavior one expects from a thuggish expansionist regime. In the eyes of the Campaign for Peace, if tensions escalate between the United States and the CCP, it must, ipso facto, be our fault. As was the case during the Soviet Cold War, the current peace paper clearly favors a U.S. policy of unilateral nuclear arms reductions, if not total nuclear disarmament. Theres zero willingness to even consider the possibility that a world with the CCP having nuclear superiority would make the world a less peaceful place. Practically speaking, do todays peace advocates really believe that pouring trillions of dollars into green energy instead of billions into nuclear weapons will improve the prospects for peace? What a strange non sequitur! Oh, and the Campaigns professed concern about racism? How about a little bit of balance, please? You would have a hard time finding more hardcore racism in this world than that of Xi Jinping. The Chinese belief in their racial superiority is far older than our country. The movie Seven Years in Tibet gave a rare cinematic peek into that repugnant mentality. For a more scholarly treatment, check out this book-length treatise titled, The Strategic Consequences of Chinese Racism. (pdf) If nothing else, read the conclusions from p. 221 to about p. 234. Frankly, the Campaign for Peace tribe, with their implied glib assurance of peace if we refrain from objecting to the CCPs crimes against humanity made me think of a verse in Jeremiah that decries the false assurance of saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace (Jer. 6:14). In March 1775, American Founding Father Patrick Henry incorporated the Biblical text into his famous Give me liberty or give me death speech, saying, Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peacebut there is no peace. The war is actually begun! Perhaps if Henry were here today, he would reprise that speech. Has a war actually begun? Future events will provide a clearer picture, but clearly the time for American passivity is long past. We dont need the hollow bluster of empty threats as practiced by Barack Obama (as seen in his lack of action when Syrian leader Bashar Assad crossed the line). I much prefer the dignity and seriousness of Teddy Roosevelts motto in foreign relations, Speak softly and carry a big stick. Knowing specifically how to respond to CCP aggressions is above my pay grade, but our leaders would do well to tune out the people who minimize the threat from China. What we need is for our leaders with the moral backbone to avoid showboating and theatrical saber-rattling while quietly and unambiguously showing the CCP that there are real consequencesactual prices to payfor crossing certain lines. Mark Hendrickson, an economist, recently retired from the faculty of Grove City College, where he remains a fellow for economic and social policy at the Institute for Faith and Freedom. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Turow lignite coal mine and Turow power plant near the town of Bogatynia, Poland, on Nov. 19, 2019. (Petr David Josek/AP Photo) Poland Defies EU Court Ruling to Close Major Lignite Mine WARSAW, PolandPolands government on Monday defied an injunction by the top European Union court that ordered the immediate closure of a major brown coal mine, with officials saying it would shake the nations energy system and lead to the layoff of thousands of employees. Development Minister Jaroslaw Gowin said Poland wouldnt shut the lignite mine in Turow, on the border with Germany and the Czech Republic, but instead was engaged in very intensive diplomatic and law-related efforts, to secure undisturbed operation of the mine and connected power plant that generates some 7 percent of Polands energy. The EUs Court of Justice on Friday ordered Poland to immediately stop operation of the mine, heeding Pragues complaints that it drained groundwater from Czech territory and that Poland recently extended its license without proper prior environmental assessment. Its a temporary measure, pending the courts full ruling. Gowin said he considers the courts decision scandalously incommensurate to the situation and one that would lead to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and very serious disturbances in Polands energy system, cutting power to millions of households. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland will engage in negotiations with Prague and will also make new points before the EU court to clearly describe the situation to avoid a disaster. Smoke rises from chimneys of the Turow power plant located by the Turow lignite coal mine near the town of Bogatynia, Poland, on Nov. 19, 2019. (Petr David Josek/AP Photo) Later Monday, he was meeting with his Czech counterpart, Andrej Babis, before the EU summit in Brussels to discuss solutions to the spat. The courts decision is very dangerous from the point of view of potential threats to the ecology, but it is also dangerous for Polands energy security and for the employment of some 5,000 people working at Turow, Morawiecki told reporters in Poland. He noted that both the Czech Republic and Germany are operating lignite mines and power plants close to Polands borders. Czech Environment Minister Richard Brabec said senior Czech and Polish government representatives and other officials were already meeting to discuss the Turow situation. At the moment, we are introducing our ideas and proposals about what we would like the Polish side to do or what it should offer to us, he said. Were ready to negotiate. Weve said so for several years. Weve never received any clear written guarantees about how Poland would compensate the negative impact (the mine) has on the Czech citizens, Brabec said. In an effort to follow the EUs ambitious carbon dioxide reduction goals, Poland is gradually phasing out its main fuel, black coal, but still relies on lignite. Critics says the departure from coal and ushering clean energy is much too slow, amid traditional attention given to coal-mining. The EU wants at least 32 percent participation of renewable sources in the 27-nation blocs electricity generation by 2030, but Polands plan aims at some 23 percent participation of green energy, and still up to 56 percent participation of coal in its energy mix. Government authorities say they have been in talks with Praguea close political and economic partnerover the Turow mine for years and believed an understanding had been reached. Critics and the opposition say it hasnt done enough, but all in Poland agree that closing the mine and the power plant is not possible. Steam and smoke rises from the Belchatow Power Station pictured from a viewing point over the open-pit coal mine in Rogowiec, Poland, on Feb. 23, 2021. (Omar Marques/Getty Images) An unexpected automated outage last week at another PGE lignite power plant, in Belchatow, was felt across the European energy grid and made operators scramble to make up for the lost power. On Saturday, Belchatow plants largest power unit was shut after coal being conveyed to the unit went on fire. A smaller, reserve unit was put to work in its place. The head of Polands PSE power grid, Eryk Klossowski, told a meeting of the parliamentary energy security group Monday that it wouldnt be acceptable for the grid to lose Turows input. He said the plant is connected to a power transmission station that is key for the southwestern region and for interconnection with east Germany. PGE deputy head, Pawel Sliwa, told an emergency meeting of a parliamentary commission that closing the mine would also entail closing the power plant that it supplies. He estimated the costs at around 13.5 billion zlotys ($3.6 billion or 3 billion euros), the layoff of thousands of employees and lost investment into filters and other pro-environment modernization. Coal makes up 65 percent of Polands energy sources, including 17 percent from lignite, while about 25 percent of the countrys energy comes from renewable sources and biofuels. Another 10 percent come from gas and other sources. Police Make Arrest in New Jersey House Party Mass Shooting Police have arrested a male suspect in connection with the fatal mass shooting over the weekend at a house party in Bridgeton, New Jersey, that left two people dead and 12 others injured, officials said. The New Jersey Police Department said in a statement on May 24 that 36-year-old Kevin Dawkins, of Bridgeton, has been arrested and taken to Cumberland County Jail pending a bail detention hearing. Dawkinss connection to the shooting remains unclear, with police saying he has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a large-capacity magazine, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The two victims killed in the shooting have been identified as 25-year-old Asia Hester and 30-year-old Kevin Elliott, both of Bridgeton, police said. Speaking at a press conference on May 24, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called the shooting horrendous and horrific, adding that the demands of the active investigation preclude some details of the incident from being made public. While some of the 12 injured escaped with minor injuries and have been released from the hospital, others continue to fight for their lives, Murphy said. Many others who were in attendance will carry the emotional scars of Saturday night. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said at the press conference that the mass shooting, which took place during a house birthday party, was a targeted attack. This was not a random act of violence, Grewal said, adding that investigators have recovered multiple firearms and are working to determine if they had been used to commit other acts of violence in the area. Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the state police, told reporters at the press conference that he expects more arrests. Witness interviews are still being conducted, digital evidence is being recovered, Callahan said. Search warrants are being executed and forensic evidence is being analyzed. A number of firearms have been recovered from various locations, and, as the AG stated, one individual has been arrested, and we anticipate additional arrests. Grewals office said in a statement (pdf) that police responded to a house on East Commerce Street at around 11:50 p.m. on May 22 in Fairfield Township, about an hour outside of Philadelphia. They discovered two victims with fatal gunshot wounds and at least one with critical injuries. This was a birthday party, Murphy said. A birthday party is supposed to be a joyous event, not a target for those hellbent on inflicting harm on a community. Wanted Quadruple Murder Suspect Arrested in SC After Days-Long Manhunt A man suspected of killing four people was captured in South Carolina on Monday after a days-long manhunt that involved local, state, and federal law enforcement, according to authorities. Tyler Terry was captured near Highway 9 and Highway 99 in Chester County, South Carolina, officials said. Tyler Terry is in custody. No shots were fired by any party. Everyone (including Terry) is safe, the Chester County Sheriffs Office wrote on Twitter. Other details about his capture were not provided. Terry was considered armed and dangerous by police, who urged residents to stay indoors, lock their doors, and secure their firearms and valuables. They also called on locals to check barns, crawl spaces, or other locations where the suspect could hide. Photos posted on Twitter showed Terry, who appeared unkempt and was wearing a torn shirt, handcuffed and surrounded by officers. He was accused of fatal shootings in Chester and York counties, officials told WSPA, and he was considered a suspect in fatal shootings in St. Louis, Missouri. Considering the conditions he was in, he is in relatively good health, said Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey with regard to his arrest, WSOC reported. He was provided medical assistance and was hydrated. TAKE A LOOK: @ChesterSheriff sent us these photos of Tyler Terry in custody. The sheriff told us Terry spoke to him about feeling good healthwise, despite being out for seven days. @WBTV_News pic.twitter.com/Gcao7SQ53c Morgan Newell WBTV (@MorganNewellTV) May 24, 2021 Dorsey said Terry didnt resist arrest when he was captured. He was still conscious, the sheriff told WSOC. I believe he was ready to run but he was surrounded and had nowhere to go. He was tired and thirsty. He was all cut up, bug bites, clothes torn. Hes exhausted. Authorities began their search for Terry after he and an alleged accomplice, Adrienne Simpson, fled a traffic stop in a car in Chester County. They crashed, leading to Simpsons arrest, while Terry escaped, said police. Simpsons husband, Eugene OBrien Simpson, is believed to have been one of the victims who were killed by Terry. Eugene OBrien Simpsons body was found last week after he was reported missing earlier in May. Sheriffs officials said on May 21 that Terry and Simpson were charged in his death. Meanwhile, the office noted that about 300 law enforcement officers from several different agencies were deployed to conduct aggressive search operations in the vicinity of where Terry was captured in Chester County. Terry will now be taken to the Chester County Detention Center and will be quarantined for 10 to 12 days for COVID-19, officials told WBTV. If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News. Young unaccompanied migrants, that range in age from 3 to 9, sit inside a play pen 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/ Pool) Rep. Ruiz: Very Confident in Kamala Harris Ability to Resolve Crisis at US Southern Border Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) expressed confidence during an interview Sunday, in Vice President Kamala Harriss ability to solve the southern border crisis, even with a record number of families and unaccompanied minors arriving each day. Were very confident under Vice President Harriss strong leadership that she will find a way, Ruiz told MSNBC. Shes already working with local human rights leaders, local organizations that are legitimate, in order to ensure that they receive the aid and that theres strategic transparent, accountable funding to the government, but mostly going to legitimate non-government organizations who are on the ground with the people. Ruiz praised Harriss reaching out to CEOs of influential corporations to put pressure on those countries to follow the rule of law, create local job opportunities, and work with the Secretary of Agriculture. Ruiz said this is crucial because of the hurricanes that devastated that regions subsistence agricultural industry. Ruizs comments come close to a week after he led the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to meet with Harris on May 17 to discuss how to mitigate the growing influx of migrants from the Northern Triangle. Vice President Kamala Harris listens while holding talks with Guatemalas President Alejandro Giammattei via video conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) The Biden-Harris Administrations professional, humane, and smart method to address the root causes of migration is the right approach to reduce the cyclical nature of mass migration. I look forward to collaborating under Vice President Harriss strong leadership to combat corruption and impunity, increase economic opportunity, reduce violence in the region, and provide humanitarian assistance for natural disasters, Ruiz said in a press statement after the May 17 meeting. More than 178,000 immigrants were stopped at the U.S.Mexico border in April, marking a 21-year high in monthly apprehensions, according to figures published by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Of those, over 13,000 were unaccompanied minors. Although Ruiz did acknowledge the influx of migrants as a problem, he said it was not caused by Bidens policies but by the root causes of hunger, violence, and corruption in the migrants home countries. We know that the reason why they have mass caravan migration to the north is not because of whos in the White House, its because of the conditions in their home countries, Ruiz said. However, Republicans have been critical of Harriss handling of the border crisis. Since being assigned the role over 2 months ago by President Joe Biden to lead the administrations response to the migrant crisis, Harris has not held a news conference on the issue. GOP Senators and Representatives have visited the southern border to draw attention to the massive influx of unaccompanied minors, overcrowded detention facilities, and the drug cartels role in the crisis. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey answers a question about the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine in Arizona, while Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ listens, in Phoenix, Ariz., on Dec. 2, 2020. (Ross D. Franklin, Pool/AP Photo, File) Unlike Ruiz, 20 U.S. governors who sent a letter (pdf) to Biden and Harris on May 11, blame the situation at the border on Biden immigration policies and want immediate solutions. The governors urged the White House to take action to end policies that have created the crisis at the southern border. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said in a press release: As a border state, Arizona is on the front lines of the border crisis. We feel the impacts of human trafficking, drug smuggling, and this humanitarian crisis first. Now, the Biden-Harris border crisis is affecting other states too. And its clear the crisis is the direct result of this administrations broken policies and botched messaging. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, Harris told the CHC that the crisis at the border would not be solved in the short term, during their meeting. Therefore, we know that the work we will do together is going to have to be a function of our commitment to a long-term approachunderstanding that were not going to see results overnight, Harris said. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 3, 2017. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images) Rep. Stephanie Murphy Wont Challenge Sen. Rubio, Avoiding Tough Primary Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) is opting to run for another term in the House of Representatives, avoiding what she said would be a bruising primary battle for one of Floridas two U.S. Senate seats. Murphy told supporters on May 24 that shes been traveling across the state since February, listening to Democrats to try to regroup and re-energize the state party ahead of the 2022 elections. She said she had been seriously considering a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2022 or 2024 because shes disappointed by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who is up for reelection next year, and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who is next up for reelection in 2024. I wouldnt be considering a run if I didnt think Id be a strong nominee. Ive won every single race Ive run, including a primary and tough generals in one of the toughest seats in the country, Murphy said in a video statement. But the reality is that Marco Rubio will not be an easy opponent, especially if its on the heels of a bruising primary, where Democrats spend millions attacking each other instead of using those millions to build the infrastructure we so desperately need to win here. Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) has reportedly decided to challenge Rubio. If Murphy was also running, it would set up a tough primary battle even before a Democrat faced the sitting senator. I think shes thinking strategically, that she does not want to get into a large multi-person primary, Aubrey Jewett, associate professor at the University of Central Floridas School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs, told The Epoch Times. In 2018, five strong Democrats duked it out in a primary in the gubernatorial race. Andrew Gillum emerged with under half of the vote and went on to lose to Ron DeSantis, a Republican. Demings said last week that she was humbled to see messages encouraging her to launch a bid. I know the stakes are too high for Republicans to stand in the way of getting things done for Floridians, which is why Im seriously considering a run for the Senate, she wrote in a statement. Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) speaks during a congressional hearing in Washington on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) A Rubio campaign spokesman told The Epoch Times in a recent email that Democrats are tripping over themselves in a race to the left to find a candidate who will help advance [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosis socialist agenda. Murphy, 42, was born in Vietnam before her family immigrated to America. She was first elected in 2016, ousting Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.). Demings, 64, the former police chief of Orlando, also won a congressional race in 2016. While about a half-dozen Democrats have declared their candidacy for the Senate seat held by Rubio, none rival the name recognition Demings and Murphy hold. The closest is Allen Ellison, who twice launched failed bids for Floridas 17th Congressional District. Regardless of who emerges from the Democratic field, it will be hard to beat Rubio, according to Jewett. Not impossible, but obviously, itll be tough, he said. Murphy said she would continue working to help the Democratic Party achieve success in Florida, while indicating she will run again for the lower chamber. Depending on how redistricting goes, Murphy likely has a better chance of being reelected than winning the Senate race, Jewett said. If they do not change her district too much during redistricting, she would have a much better chance of getting reelected there than going through that grueling primary and then following up with the grueling general election after that. Neither of those is guaranteed; no guarantee that you get your House seat back, but political science research shows that 90 percent of incumbents get reelected that choose to run, he added. Sen. Roy Blunt: Too Early to Establish Commission to Probe Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) says Senate Republicans are likely to decide that its too early to establish a commission to examine the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, he told Fox News on May 23. I think its too early to create a commission, and I believe Republicans in the Senate will decide that its too early to create that commission, Blunt said on Fox News Sunday. He commented ahead of a scheduled vote in the Senate this week, after the House approved a bill last week that would set up such an investigative body. The Jan. 6 commission, which would feature 10 membersfive appointed by Republicans and five by Democratswould be modeled on the commission that probed the 9/11 terror attacks. Its aim would be to investigate factors that contributed to the Capitol breach, including how technology, including online platforms, financing, and malign foreign influence operations and campaigns may have factored into the motivation, organization, and execution of the incident. While most Republicans in the lower chamber voted against the bill, 35 crossed the aisle to vote with Democrats. The measure now faces an uncertain fate in the evenly divided Senate, with Democrats needing at least 10 Republican votes to overcome the filibuster. Blunt said that hes been against forming a Jan. 6 commission from the outset, due to concerns over delays and effectiveness. Ive actually opposed the idea of a commission from the very first because I think well start waiting for a commission rather than moving forward with what we know we need to do now, Blunt told Fox News. He suggested that current efforts to probe the Capitol incident were sufficient. Theres a bipartisan effort in the Senate with two committees to produce not only a report but also a number of recommendations, and we should be able to do that in the first full week of June, and we havent even waited for that to decide what a commission should do, he said. Blunts remarks follow a statement made by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who last week signaled Senate GOP opposition to a Jan. 6 commission, calling the House-approved measure a slanted and unbalanced proposal. Former President Donald Trump has also spoken out against the Jan. 6 commission, saying in a statement that Republicans in both congressional chambers should not approve the Democrat trap of the January 6 Commission, calling the initiative from Democrats just more partisan unfairness. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told CNN on May 20 that if Republicans in the Senate vote against the Jan. 6 commission bill, Democrats are going to insist on getting answers one way or the other. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Struggling Single Mom of 7 Turns Her Last $5 Into Cupcake Company Worth Millions A single mom of seven had a moment with God when a neighbor called upon her baking skills to fulfill a massive catering order. The order represented her chance out of poverty, but the struggling mom had nothing but $5 with her. She used the $5 to purchase baking supplies. Twelve months later, Mignon Francois was running a business, The Cupcake Collection. Today, the company has an annual turnover of millions. I opened my business with one KitchenAid mixer and a dorm-size refrigerator, Francois told Southern Living. I didnt have any credit or money. The very house that my Nashville bakery is located in was up for foreclosure sale on the day that I opened my doors for business. Married young after becoming a teen mom, once on the verge of homelessness, and eventually divorced, Francois describes herself as everything that youre not supposed to be in order to be a success. In 2005, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, with her then-husband and kids. But her husbands new job fell through, and he went to work as a foreman. The income was limited and thus the family was really struggling to make ends meet. She spent her days in the dark so that her kidsfrom toddlers to teenshad power when they came home from school. Without utilities, she would buy water to fill the tub so that her children could bathe, and would buy food in bulk, often eating the same staples for a week at a time, Insider reported. One afternoon in 2007, a neighbor knocked at her door with a request. Francoiswho learned to cook from her grandmotherhad started baking after hearing on the radio that bake sales could help alleviate debt. The neighbor wanted 600 cupcakes at $1 each. Since she didnt have the budget to purchase ingredients for 600 cupcakes, Francois pledged to make the first batch of 60, investing her last $5, the familys dinner budget, into ingredients. When I closed the door, I had a real come-to-Jesus moment with God and said like, Seriously? You offer me this opportunity when I dont have any money? I literally have $5 to feed us,' Francois said. I turned that $5 into $60 that day, and that $60 into $600 by the end of the week, Francois told Nashville Lifestyles. I have been flipping that same $5 into a tune of over 5 million cupcakes sold. Since founding The Cupcake Collection at the end of 2008, Francoiss baking has branched out from artisanal cupcakes to birthday and wedding cakes, with the company now reaping nearly $1 million in annual sales. Sweet potato, she says, is the bakerys most popular flavor. But the industrious moms journey from home baking to cake empire owes to some scrupulous budgeting strategies. Francois explained how she felt her community had often grown used to rejection from banks. Having my money in a bank account at that time, if I had messed up even a dollar, it would have caused me to get a bank overdraft, she reflected. Thats just a vicious cycle of snowballing in a negative way. Based on personal finance expert Dave Ramseys advice, Francois adopted an envelope system, allocating money for her four walls (shelter, utilities, transportation, and food) before tackling other expenses, fun money, and savings. Sales profits paid for items on her growing kitchen wish list. Reducing expenses and saving money became a game for Francois and her kids, and before long, Francois was able to address her student loans and medical debt. She used the snowball methodmaking the minimum payments only, starting with the smallest debtsto emancipate herself. Letters to debt collectors resulted in settlements of up to 80 percent on her medical bills. Francoiss renewed joy is reflected in her big hair and the bright colors of her wardrobe. I try to be a bright existence in the world, she told Southern Living. Theres this light on the inside thats shining out for other people to see. Her journey out of poverty has also inspired her to become an advocate. The thriving business owner, now with a second bakery in New Orleans, helps others realize their financial goals as a board member and mentor at Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., the Entrepreneur Center, Pathways Womens Business Center, and Lipscomb Universitys College of Business. The Cupcake Collection funds a scholarship at Tennessee State University, and also works with a number of community groups helping combat food insecurity. Francoiss business is both a baking legacy and a testament to the power of hard work. Her mission today, she claimed, is to be a lighthouse in the community to serve as an example of what good business looks like. 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 The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington on May 7, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Supreme Court Slaps Down 9th Circuit, Rules Against Illegal Alien Overturning a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that a previously deported illegal alien isnt excused on appeal from the legal requirement of demonstrating that he had previously exhausted all administrative remedies and was improperly deprived of judicial review. The high courts opinion in the case, United States v. Palomar-Santiago, court file 20-437, was written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Refugio Palomar-Santiago, a Mexican national, was granted permanent resident status in 1990. He lost that status in 1991 following a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction in California state court, which, at the time, was deemed a crime of violence and therefore, an aggravated felony under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that warranted deportation. He was deported in 1998. Before that, Congress enacted the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which limited collateral attacksthat is, challenges to previous court rulings in unrelated caseson deportation orders. Defendants facing unlawful reentry charges have to meet three prerequisites before they can challenge their original removal orders, Sotomayor wrote in the ruling dated May 24. The legal provision, known as 8 U.S. Code Section 1326, states: In a criminal proceeding under this section, an alien may not challenge the validity of the deportation order unless the alien demonstrates that (1) the alien exhausted any administrative remedies that may have been available to seek relief against the order; (2) the deportation proceedings at which the order was issued improperly deprived the alien of the opportunity for judicial review; and (3) the entry of the order was fundamentally unfair. In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled in Leocal v. Ashcroft that DUI crimes that lack mens rea, or criminal intent, or merely require negligence for a conviction, arent crimes of violence or aggravated felonies under federal law that necessarily require the convicted alien to be deported. Palomar-Santiagos removal order thus never should have been issued, Sotomayor wrote. In 2017, Palomar-Santiago was living in the United States again and was indicted for reentering illegally after being deported, a more serious offense than first-time unlawful entry. He fought the indictment, arguing the crime for which he was originally deported was no longer considered a deportable offense and that his removal in 1998 was therefore fundamentally unfair. The U.S. District Court agreed and dismissed the indictment. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit affirmed the ruling on May 14, 2020, holding that the government may not prosecute for reentry where a previous removal order was invalid. During a telephonic hearing on the case on April 27, Erica L. Ross of the Department of Justice said Palomar-Santiagos arguments would create a significant loophole in the law. He should have previously made the case in court, as other individuals did, that his prior offense wasnt an aggravated felony, instead of raising it as a defense to the illegal reentry charge, she said. Sotomayor explained the Supreme Courts reasoning for its decision. The question for the Court is whether Palomar-Santiago is excused from making the first two of these showings, as the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held, because his prior removal order was premised on a conviction that was later found not to be a removable offense, the justice wrote. The Court holds that the statute does not permit such an exception. The Ninth Circuits interpretation is incompatible with the text of 1326(d), which provides that defendants charged with unlawful reentry may not challenge their underlying removal orders unless they demonstrat[e] that three conditions are met. Sotomayor wrote, citing the 2016 precedent of Ross v. Blake: The requirements are connected by the conjunctive and, meaning defendants must meet all three. When Congress uses mandatory language in an administrative exhaustion provision, a court may not excuse a failure to exhaust. Yet that is what the Ninth Circuits rule does. The first two procedural requirements of Section 1326(d) are not satisfied just because a noncitizen was removed for an offense that did not in fact render him removable. Indeed, the substantive validity of the removal order is quite distinct from whether the noncitizen exhausted his administrative remedies or was deprived of the opportunity for judicial review, the justice wrote. The Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) applauded the new court ruling. This decision is encouraging for a number of reasons, Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of IRLI, said in a statement provided to The Epoch Times. Founded in 1986, IRLI is a public interest law firm that describes itself as being dedicated to achieving responsible immigration policies that serve our national interest. First, protecting Americans from immigrants who turn out to be criminals is paramount, since such criminal aliens usually go on to commit more crimes if allowed to stay, and the Ninth Circuit had created a loophole weakening that protection, Wilcox said. Second, todays ruling shows that the full Supreme Court, without dissent, is capable of applying the law as written, even when immigration is concerned, and of reversing a lower court that had rewritten that law based on its own policy preferences. We applaud todays decision for its sound logic, and for upholding the will of the American people as expressed through their representatives in Congress. A military helicopter flies with Taiwan's national flag during the National Day in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei on Oct. 10, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Taiwan: A Moral Challenge for Democratic Countries Commentary It has been reported in various media outlets, including The Epoch Times, The Australian, and The Guardian, that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison mistakenly referred to the one country, two systems framework when discussing the Republic of China, better known as Taiwan. However, since 1972, Australias official policy, which has bipartisan support, recognises Chinas sovereignty over Taiwan, which is regarded as a renegade province. The joint communique between the Peoples Republic of China and Australia, signed in the early 1970s, clearly states that the Australian government does not recognise the ROC [the Republic of China] as a sovereign state and does not regard the authorities in Taiwan as having the status of a national government. Currently, Taiwan is recognised by 14 countries, mainly in South America (including Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua), Vatican City, and some Pacific islands, as a sovereign nation. But both Australia and the United States adhere to the One China policy. Chinas controversial Anti-Secession Law, adopted on Mar. 14, 2005, does not mention the one country, two systems framework with regards to Taiwan. This framework is only in place for Hong Kong and Macau and recently has been substantially dismantled by Beijings subsequent adoption of the National Security Law in July 2020, which condones the arrest of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. Now that Australias One China policy has been in place for about half a century, it is appropriate to question the acceptability in maintaining this policy, especially at a time when Beijing pursues its geo-political objectives and ostentatiously seeks world domination. There are various reasons why the continued adherence to the One China policy is problematic and should be revised. First, it is important to stress that Taiwan has never been part of Communist China. China only ruled it for about two hundred years from the middle of the 17th century. Japan originally colonised Taiwan between 1895 and 1945 and, as such, became a Japanese island. When Japan surrendered in August 1945, thereby ending the Second World War in the Pacific, Chiang Kai-shek was asked by the United Nations to administer Taiwan. Taiwan was never a breakaway or renegade province of Communist China. Hence, the Chinese narrative on this issue is seriously flawed. Second, in a revealing article by Frank Mount, published in Quadrant Online, it is argued that an independent Taiwan is essential to the continued existence of Japan because if China occupied Taiwan it would be able to amass significant and seriously threatening naval power both east and west of Japan. He adds that China wants Taiwan because it is a key strategic link in the First Island Chain. If China can take control of Taiwan, its navy will gain strategic level access to the North Pacific. Third, the current geopolitical ambitions of China are destabilising the free world. These ambitions are evidenced by its wolf warrior diplomacy in its relationship with Australia and the United States; its use of vaccine diplomacy, which involves donating or selling COVID-19 vaccines throughout the world; Beijings initial reluctance to allow a team of experts to investigate the origins of the virus; the Belt and Road Initiative, which effectively subjugates some developing countries to China; its adoption of legislation to crush Hong Kongs freedoms; and human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Fourth, as leading Western democracies, Australia and the United States have a moral obligation to meaningfully respond to the geopolitical ambitions of China. In this context, I am reminded by the prophetic words of German theologian and Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller. In discussing the failure of German leaders and intellectuals in the 1930s to speak out against the evil of Nazism, he poetically remarked: First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for meand there was no one left to speak for me. This observation has been a poignant reminder that evil actions inevitably spawn more evil actions because evil needs to be fed to stay relevantthere is a kind of historical determinism about this. There is, of course, no doubt that China would respond furiously if Australia and/or the United States were to go the route of recognising Taiwan as an independent country. Undoubtedly, it would dramatically affect Australian exports to China, with serious, perhaps devastating, consequences for diverse sectors of the economy. But how could a failure to address an international abomination be morally justified? In any event, the recognition of Taiwan would provide Australia with an opportunity to further redirect and diversify its economy, which may well be an unintended benefit of any Chinese action in this regard. Alternatively, at a minimum, Taiwan should be invited to participate in the work of international agencies. The international community would do itself a disservice if it were to disregard any legitimate attempt by Taiwan to participate in world affairs. In this context, it is useful to mention that Taiwan reportedly sent an email on Dec. 31, 2019, to warn the World Health Organisation (WHO) of a possible viral infection cycle in Wuhan. If these concerns had been taken seriously at that time, perhaps it would have been possible to halt the spread of COVID-19. However, the WHO failed to take Taiwans request for information seriously because it did not recognise it as a state, a clear example of shooting the messenger to favour certain political ideologies. Taiwan is a de facto country; it has a functioning democracy and is self-governing. It is a wealthy neighbour of Australia with a confident populace. It should be supported by like-minded democracies in the world because, as Martin Niemoller reminds us, next time, they might come after us. Gabriel A. Moens AM is an emeritus professor of law at The University of Queensland. He served as dean of law and pro vice-chancellor at Murdoch University. He is also the emeritus editor-in-chief of the International Trade and Business Law Review and has taught extensively across Europe, Asia, and North America. He is the author of short stories and a novel on the origins of the COVID-19 virus, A Twisted Choice (Boolarong Press, 2020). Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A passenger wearing a mask rides an escalator at a metro station following the recent spike in COVID-19 virus infections in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 22, 2021. (Ben Blanchard/Reuters) Taiwan Promises Quick Fix to COVID-19 Testing Issue After Criticism TAIPEITaiwans health minister promised on Sunday to resolve a logjam with reporting positive COVID-19 tests after abruptly raising case numbers, a move that prompted criticisms from opposition politicians and jokes online about questionable statistics. Taiwan is dealing with a spike in cases after months of keeping the pandemic well under control, with restrictions in place across the island to limit gatherings. On Saturday and Sunday, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced a total of 570 new cases whose positive tests had not been included in previous reports due to reporting delays following the surge in cases. Chen said they were working to resolve the traffic jam problem by simplifying the reporting system and adding more machines that can perform quicker and more accurate tests. I believe that we will quickly be able to resolve this systemic issue. Taiwans Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung arrives at a press conference at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 11, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) He added this week would be a crucial one in terms of observing how well the virus was being brought under control, with the peak day for cases being seen last Monday. Chen has said the regression calibration of case numbers was needed to more accurately reflect the state of infections. But the move has gone down poorly with Taiwans opposition parties, who say Chen is inventing words and spreading fear. Today the command centre created a new expression, regression calibration, adding 400 new infections, Johnny Chiang, chairman of the main opposition party the Kuomintang, wrote on his Facebook page late on Saturday. This information has terrified everyone, as the daily numbers being received were inaccurate. Local residents line up for the COVID-19 testing at the Wanhua District in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 19, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) A healthcare frontline worker prepares people to get their rapid test following a surge of COVID-19 infections in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 17, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters) The small Taiwan Peoples Party, led by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, called on the government not to engage in cognitive warfare, riffing off accusations Taiwan has leveled at China about spreading propaganda and misinformation. Ko said the rise in tests and infections was causing delays in reporting numbers to the central government for collation, but added the reporting system needed improving, rather than creating new expressions. The term regression calibration has also caused some amusement online, and black humor. In one joke, a woman asks her boyfriend how many girlfriends he has had before, to which he replies just you. After getting married, with regression calibration Id had about 50. Taiwan has now reported 4,322 cases including 23 deaths since the pandemic began. By Ben Blanchard People rally against Bill C-14, the medically assisted dying bill, during a protest organized by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, on June 1, 2016. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press Terminally Ill Patients Choosing to Die Out of Hopelessness, Abandonment: Queensland Doctors Queenslands peak medical association has warned that terminally ill patients choose to take poison and die out of hopelessness or abandonment. The Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) said patients were less likely to agree to euthanasia if better palliative care options were on the table. The president of the AMAQ issued the stinging rebuke in the lead up to the state Parliaments impending vote on euthanasia this week. Dr. Chris Perry said the euthanasia experience in Victoria, Canada, and Oregon in the United Statesone of the earliest jurisdictions to legalise the practicesaw many candidates choose euthanasia because they felt trapped or incapacitated. He said there was a false perception that euthanasia was the answer for patients to alleviate suffering, whereas proper palliative care, including painkillers, could achieve the same effect. Palliative care physicians can keep people very, very comfortable, and they can go when its meant for them to go, rather than feeling, Im so abandoned, Im going to take this poison and believe it, Perry told reporters. Elderly persons hands. (Sabine van Erp/Pixabay) So, its not the right way to treat human beings; we should be treating human beings as wed like to be treated with dignity and respect, he added. You dont want people being feeling hopeless, and being neglected, not being well cared for, and ending up taking a drink which will result in them dying in 20 to 30 minutes, he said. The Queensland government has committed to spending $28.5 million per year over the next four years. However, this figure fell short of the $275 million needed annually, according to Perry and Palliative Care Queensland CEO Shyla Mills. We calculated that an extra $275 million per year was required to reach the World Health Organisation definition of palliative care and provide equal access to palliative care (from diagnosis to bereavement) for all Queenslanders living with a terminal illness and their loved ones Mills said in a statement. This week, the Queensland government will submit its Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill for a conscience vote, following the release of a report on the practice by the Queensland Law Reform Commission. State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was motivated to legalise the practice after witnessing the deaths of her grandmother and uncle last year. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk talks to the media on January 07, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Jono Searle/Getty Images) Im a Catholic; Ive thought about this long and hard, Palaszczuk told reporters last week. Ive had a lot of personal experiences in the last 12 months, and I have made up my mind based on what I have seen and those experiences. If successful, Queensland would follow Victoria, Western Australia, and Tasmania in legalising euthanasia. South Australias upper house has already voted to approve the passage of similar laws, with the lower house yet to vote on it. In Queensland, the Greens and Independent Sandy Bolton support the Bill, while three members of Katters Australian Party oppose it. Under the proposed law, patients must have a disease, illness or medical condition that is advanced, progressive and will cause death. The eligible condition must cause intolerable suffering and be expected to cause death within 12 months. However, Mills argued that patients were only eligible for palliative care for the final three months of their life. Thats quite a big discrepancy that needs to be considered, and with the current funding, its just not possible, Mills told reporters. Medical practitioners have been vocal in their opposition to introducing euthanasia as it contradicts their training and oaths, which focuses on the wellbeing of patients. Euthanasia laws typically place the responsibility of assessing prospective euthanasia candidates on doctors. Doctors must also prescribe the lethal substance for the patients. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces the reopening of more Texas businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on May 18, 2020. (Lynda M. Gonzalez-Pool/Getty Images) Texas Gov. Abbott Says Hell Take Action Against Cities That Try to Defund Police Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on May 23 that he would support legislation that would prevent cities from issuing directives or voting to reduce funding to police departmentscoming in the wake of Black Lives Matter protesters calls to defund the police last year. In a tweet, the Republican governor highlighted an incident in Austin where there were no police units available for 12 minutes following a shooting that left a victim critically wounded. This is what defunding the police looks like, he wrote in reference to the incident. Austin is incapable of timely responding to a victim shot in the head. The Austin City Council voted last summer to reallocate up to $150 million from its police department, coming at the same time as demonstrations and riots across the United States and Texas. The defund the police slogan became a common cry during the Black Lives Matter protests, leading some cities to reduce their police budgets. However, Texas wont tolerate this, Abbott said, adding that the state is about to pass a lawthat I will signthat will prevent cities from defunding police. Sanity and safety will return. In April, the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 1900, legislation that would prevent cities from defunding their police departments. The state Senate is still debating the bill. As municipalities across this nation are defunding their police departments, are taking money away from the police budgets and putting them elsewhere in their city budgets, this bill makes sure that in the state of Texas, that is not going to be allowed, Republican Texas state Rep. Craig Goldman said in comments to The Texas Tribune. Earlier this year, Austin interim Police Chief Joe Chacon said hes opposed to the bill because it would penalize cities. We need to be clear, Chacon said, according to the Austin-American Statesman newspaper. Just because money was moved out of our budget does not mean that whatever that money was responsible for is no longer being done. It simply resides in another budget now. The bill stipulates that if a city has more than 250,000 residents and cuts police funding, as determined by the governor, it would allow the state to acquire some of that citys sales taxes and use that money to pay expenses for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas cities with more than 250,000 residents include El Paso, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Laredo, Plano, Lubbock, Arlington, and Corpus Christi. Polls taken in March revealed that only 18 percent of Americans support the defund the police movement. A recent New York Times article, citing polls, revealed that support for Black Lives Matter has plummeted following months of unrest and riots. Texas Governor: COVID Metrics Keep Improving After Ending Mandates Texas Gov. Greg Abbott noted on May 23 that his state keeps seeing improved COVID-19 metrics after he lifted most capacity restrictions and the statewide mask mandate in March, despite harsh criticism from Democrats. The numbers just continue to improve, Abbott, a Republican, said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures. President Joe Biden was among the Democrats to denounce Abbott for lifting restrictions, accusing the governor of Neanderthal thinking. But statistics indicate there was no ill-effect from the rescinding of the rules, with Texas actually seeing lower COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations, and cases. In March, we had the entire economy open up 100 percent and no more masks, and of course President Biden and the Democrats railed against it. You heard what President Biden said; other Democrats said that I issued a death warrant,' Abbott said. Deaths have declined steadily, reaching zero on May 16. Hospitalizations among those with COVID-19 dropped from 5,508 on March 2, the day Abbott announced he was pulling back on most restrictions, to just over 2,000 on May 22, according to state data. More than 11,000 hospital beds are available across the state, including nearly 1,000 beds in intensive care units. Confirmed cases have decreased to 1,500 on May 19 from approximately 6,600 on March 2. We continue to have a decline in deaths after we opened up 100 percent until we reached that mark of a day with zero deaths, and hospitalizations continue to go down even more, Abbott said. Yesterday was the lowest positivity rate that weve had on record during the history of the entire pandemic, and so it shows that the right move was to make sure that we did open up, get things back to normal. The Biden administration later advised states and local governments to roll back masking orders, particularly for those who are fully vaccinated against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, which causes COVID-19. Abbott, in his second term, said the improved metrics are why he recently pushed for all students to return to in-person learning in his state while barring local governments and schools from requiring masks indoors. That was to make sure that students would all be back in school, the governor said. No more masks in school. Its time to get back to normal, both with regard to business openings, as well as children back in schools with no more masks. The Fake Outrage From Democrats Over the Removal of Liz Cheney | Larry Elder More hilarious, fake outrage from the Democrat party after the GOP dumped Rep. Liz Cheney from her House leadership. Watch as Larry exposes how the Democrats and mainstream media went from accusing Cheney of lying about the Iraq war, supporting torture, and advancing her fathers cruel neoconservative agenda to becoming their new heroine for standing up against The Big Lie. Larry Elder with Epoch Times show available on YouTube, Youmaker, and The Epoch Times website. It also airs on cable on NTD America. Find out where you can watch us on TV. UK Airlines Told Not to Fly Over Belarus Following Flight Diversion Incident The UK government has asked airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace following an incident on Sunday during which an Irish passenger aircraft was diverted to land in the Belarus capital of Minsk over a bomb alert and a dissident was arrested. Transport Secretary Grant Shapp said he has instructed the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) to make the request to airlines. Following the forced diversion of a @Ryanair aircraft to Minsk yesterday, Ive instructed @UK_CAA to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe, Shapps said on Twitter. I have also suspended Belavias operating permit, he added, referring to the national airline of Belarus. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has said earlier on Monday that she would work with Lithuanias international partners to close the airspace of Belarus to international flights. Belarusian ambassador to the UK Maxim Yermolovich has also been summoned to the Foreign Office after the incident, according to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. The flight diverted on Sundaywith Belarusian opposition journalist Raman Pratasevich on boardwas on its way to Vilnius, Lithuania from Athens, Greece, when a fighter jet escorted it to land in Minsk. Security use a sniffer dog to check the luggage of passengers on the Ryanair plane with registration number SP-RSM, carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich which was traveling from Athens to Vilnius and was diverted to Minsk after a bomb threat, in Minsk International airport in Belarus on May 23, 2021. (ONLINER.BY via AP) Pratasevich was arrested in Minsk after the plane landed. According to the Belarusian presidential press service, President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered the escort. The incident has sparked outrage from the United States and European countries, the leaders of which say they are coordinating responses including sanctions. A spokeswoman for the Lithuanian prime minister said on Monday that information from Ryanair suggested 126 passengers had departed the Greek capital and 121 were present on arrival in Lithuania. Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary had said earlier on the day that he believed some KGB agents were also offloaded from the aircraft in Minsk. When asked in Parliament about Russian involvement, Raab didnt rule out the possibility. We dont have any clear details on that and Ill be careful on what I say at this point, Raab replied to Scottish National Party MP Alyn Smith. But as he [Smith] says its very difficult to believe that this kind of action could have been taken without at least the acquiescence of the authorities in Moscow, but as I say its unclear as yet, Raab told Parliament. A prominent opponent of Belarus authoritarian president Raman Pratasevich attends an opposition rally in Minsk, Belarus, on March 25, 2012. (AP Photo) The Kremlin denied involvement. I do not know, I cannot say anything. I do not have any information, Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told media outlets. After a reporter asked about claims from Belarusian opposition that says Russia was involved in the operation, Peskov responded: This is the last thing Id like to comment on. We do not have information about who was there. You see: They say.' The spokesperson also said that Russia now would rather not participate in this race of condemning anybody or supporting anything. On Monday afternoon, Belarusian officials claimed that the bomb threat on Sunday came from Hamas terrorist group. Also on Monday afternoon, Lithuanias European Humanities University said its student Sofia Sapega was also detained in the same incident. Reuters and PA contributed to this report. Correction: The original version of this article misnamed Sofia Sapegas university. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 13, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images) US Again Extending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians WASHINGTONThe Biden administration is allowing eligible Haitian nationals residing in the United States to apply for a new 18-month designation for temporary protected status, reversing a Trump administration effort that had sought to end the special consideration. In a statement Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas cited security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty and other problems in Haiti for the decision. After careful consideration, we determined that we must do what we can to support Haitian nationals in the United States until conditions in Haiti improve so they may safely return home, Mayorkas said. DHS says a foreign country may be designated for temporary protected status, or TPS, because of conditions that temporarily prevent the countrys nationals from returning safely or because the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. While a person with TPS cannot be removed from the United States, DHS notes that it is a temporary benefit that doesnt lead to lawful permanent resident status or give any other immigration status. DHS initially designated Haiti for TPS in January 2010 in the aftermath of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated the country. The designation was extended several times until the Trump administration announced in January 2018 that Haitis TPS designation would end effective July 22, 2019. The Trump administration argued that the emergency conditions that initially led to people being invited into the United States occurred a long time ago, and that they no longer require a safe haven. Several lawsuits challenging the termination have allowed the designation to remain in effect. Migrants, mostly from Haiti and Africa, at the main immigration detention center in Tapachula, Mexico, on June 24, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella group for policy and advocacy organizations in the state, estimates that 5,200 Haitian recipients of TPS reside in New York. Saturdays renewal of TPS affects more than the 50,000 Haitians living in the United States while redesignating TPS for Haitians who arrived in the United States after 2010 could benefit up to 100,000 more, according to the NYIC. DHS said the new TPS designation enables Haitian nationals residing in the United States as of Fridayas well as individuals without nationality who last resided in Haitito file initial applications for TPS, so long as they meet eligibility requirements. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after the announcement will not be eligible for TPS and may be sent home, the agency said. Haitis 18-month designation will go into effect on the publication date of the Federal Register notice, which DHS said will come shortly and provide instructions for applying. Individuals eligible for TPS under the new designation must file an application for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the registration period, DHS said. Current beneficiaries under Haitis TPS designation also must apply, the agency said. Epoch Times staff contributed to this report The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, on Aug. 23, 2016. (Ken Scar/U.S. Army/Handout via Reuters) US-China Chip Hegemony War: South Korea Under Pressure to Pick a Side South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden held talks at the White House on the 21st and issued the U.S.-ROK Leaders Joint Statement. The two sides reached consensus on a number of issues including the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and economic investment. The countries agreed to cooperate on increasing resiliency in supply chains, including in priority sectors such as semiconductors, eco-friendly EV batteries, strategic and critical materials, and pharmaceuticals, according to the joint statement. Biden and Moon agreed to strengthen their partnership on critical and emerging technologies and on careful screening of foreign investments and cooperation on export controls of those technologies. Hours before the summit, Four major South Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK Group, LG Energy Solution, and Hyundai Motor Company, announced plans to invest $39.4 billion in the United States during a business roundtable. The investment plans involve semiconductors and electric vehicle batteriestwo core areas that the United States sees as intrinsic to rebuilding supply chains to counter Chinas dominance and addressing manufacturing vulnerabilities laid bare during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, according to Yonhap News. Semiconductor Supremacy The White House convened a virtual summit last month with 19 multinational enterprises to address the global semiconductor chip shortage. Biden stressed during the videoconference the necessity of investing in the semiconductor industry and the expansion of U.S.-centric supply chains. Prior to the summit, some experts had predicted the issue of supply chains in four core areas, including semiconductors, would be the focus of the summit. Cho Dong-geun, an honorary professor of Economics at Myongji University, South Korea, told The Epoch Times that the United States is the tech-powerhouse of semiconductors, but heavily relies on foreign manufacturers for production. In February, the Semiconductor Industry Association had sent a letter to Biden, urging him to provide substantial funding for incentives for semiconductor manufacturing as part of his economic recovery and infrastructure plans, as the U.S. share of semiconductor manufacturing has dropped from 37 percent in 1990 to 12 percent this year. The shortage of semiconductors has forced U.S. auto manufacturers to cut production. The U.S. is thus working on technology alliances to ease the demand for chips. South Korea, the worlds leading vendor in semiconductor memory, and Taiwan, the worlds top foundry supplier, have become two major semiconductor production bases. Cho said, Being self-reliant in dominating the semiconductor ecosystem is difficult for the United States, so the U.S. dearly wants South Korea to roll out foundry production. US Moves to Block Chinese Semiconductor Dominance While the United States ramps up its domestic semiconductor production, it also working to block China from usurping semiconductor hegemony. Cho believes that the Sino-U.S. battle for semiconductor hegemony is a foreseeable war that is inevitable. He said, The idea of Thucydidess Trap warns that when a rising power threatens an established power, the two nations are set on a collision course toward war. As the Chinese regime realizes its so-called Chinese Dream by promoting its communist ideology and socialism with Chinese characteristics worldwide, it runs counter to American values, setting off the alarm. War is inevitable and looming on the horizon. According to Cho, in the semiconductor sector, the CCPs Achilles heel is its lack of research and development capacity and ability to innovate. Basically, the success of semiconductor research and development cannot be achieved overnight, Cho added. The U.S. semiconductor industry has gradually evolved and developed to this point while the CCP has only recently started. The strong technological strength of the U.S. apparently dwarfs that of the CCP, and the development of cutting-edge technologies takes time. Cho added: Although the Chinese regime has poured huge amounts of capital into fostering its semiconductor industry, experts believe that the CCP is unlikely to gain hegemony over the semiconductor industry with the U.S. sanctions. Not to mention the U.S. has mastered most semiconductor core technologies that the CCP cannot catch up with. US for Security, China for Economy? Cho believed that if South Korea cannot partake in the U.S.-led semiconductor supply network, its semiconductor industry will be adversely affected amid the Sino-U.S. tech war. Moreover, Biden signed an executive order to review U.S. supply chains in February for four core productssemiconductor chips, batteries for electric vehicles, rare earth minerals, and pharmaceuticalsthe results of which will come out in June. Speaking of semiconductor supply chain and semiconductor value chain, from an economic perspective, it is in South Koreas best interests to join the alliance, Cho said. If it decouples from the alliance, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will take business away and South Korea will not have a piece of the action. On the contrary, if TSMC, Intel, and Samsung form a coalition, like fighter jets in action, South Korea will benefit from it. The current semiconductor war has posed a new challenge for South Korea, given that it has been under the strategically ambiguous banner known as anmi gyeongjung, meaning cooperate with the U.S. for security, China for economy. However, Cho says that it should restore an alliance of values based on liberal democracy and free market economics. The argument for security alliance with the U.S. and economic dependence on China is ridiculous, he said. Which socialist authoritarian state thrives? With freedom, the economy will grow, the culture will prosper, the nation will get stronger, and the political system will get healthier. Therefore, the system will only develop when people get to exercise their liberty. Is it not the nation with a healthy political system now dominating the global economy and politics? A member of the Uyghur community holds a placard as he joins a demonstration to call on the British parliament to vote to recognize alleged persecution of China's Muslim minority Uyghur people as genocide and crimes against humanity in London on April 22, 2021. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images) Uyghur Groups Frustrated by US Inaction Against Genocide Commentary Uyghur groups are quietly frustrated with slow action by the president and Congress against the Uyghur genocide, as the government appears unable to override business interests bent on appeasing China. The Chinese Communist Party-led government detained, for reeducation, forced sterilization, and forced labor, approximately 2 million Uyghurs over the past years in what amounts to genocide in Chinas Xinjiang region (East Turkistan). Four months into his term, President Biden is noncompliant with a key U.S. law, enacted on June 17, that requires the President to produce a report that lists individual foreign human rights violators against the Uyghurs. The report must by law have been delivered to Congress within six months of the laws enactment, by Dec. 15, 2020. That report is now over five months late, as are comprehensive sanctions against identified perpetrators that must by law immediately follow. Louisa Greve, Director of Global Advocacy for the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), wrote by email that Uyghurs are now suffering the 5th year of ongoing atrocity crimes. The deadline for the Presidents Magnitsky sanctions list passed 5 months ago (under the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020). Its past time for Congress to step up with concrete action. Uyghurs of the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement (ETNAM) hold a rally to protest the 71st anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China in front of the White House in Washington, on Oct. 1, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) She believes that it is Congress responsibility to hold the president accountable for not complying with the reporting and sanctioning requirements in the law. Greve was also critical of the new China omnibus bill that could pass the Senate as early as this week or next. Any serious bills addressing Chinas threats to a rules-based international order need more forceful action on the genocide against Uyghurs, she said. The omnibus, shepherded through Congress by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), omits key bills on the Uyghurs, including the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act. The latter designates Uyghurs who are subject to forced return to China (refoulement) as priority refugees. Also missing is the Uyghur Stop Oppressive Sterilizations Act. That bill is being introduced by Representatives Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.). According to one source, the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act was stripped from Schumers omnibus. Two sources, who asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about retaliation, claim that the failure to include stronger language on Uyghurs in the upcoming omnibus is the result of corporate influence on the Democratic leadership, including a leading Democratic senator, and obstructionism from the U.S. Treasury Department. Republicans, one Republican source wrote, are trying to coax a tougher stand in the omnibus bill from the Democrats. A few Democratic lawmakers are also pushing for stronger language, he wrote. Earlier this month, Nury Turkel, U.S. Commissioner on International Religious Freedom, called for the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act to be passed. He denounced, to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, the lackluster international response to rights abuse in Xinjiang. He said, I want to emphasize that genocide denial is in full swing. Rushan Abbas, founder and executive director of the Campaign for Uyghurs, wrote of the China bill, It is very encouraging to see that more actions are being taken and to welcome omnibus bills like this. However, as an Uyghur American whose own sister has been detained by the Chinese regime, I would have liked to see the issue of Uyghur forced labor included. The China bill effectively excludes measures against Uyghur forced labor as the sparse language it does include duplicates measures found in existing vehicles such as the Magnitsky Act. Abbas said, While prioritizing strategic competition and addressing malign activities by the Chinese State is very important to the Uyghur American community to protect our democracy from this barbaric regime, we must also recognize that addressing U.S. corporate complicity in genocide should be equally prioritized. Highlighting the prevention of modern-day Uyghur slavery should be vital. Congress and the Biden Administration, especially the Treasury Department, are reportedly beholden to corporate special interests that do business in China. The same was arguably true of the Trump administration and Republican-controlled 115th Congress. The following congress, split between a Republican Senate and Democratic House, was also affected, according to a November 2020 New York Times report. It found that Business groups and major companies like Apple have been pressing Congress to alter legislation cracking down on imports of goods made with forced labor from persecuted Muslim minorities in China. The Times noted that Nike and Coca-Cola allegedly sought to weaken the legislation, and cited the Congressional-Executive Commission on China as listing Adidas, Calvin Klein, Costco, H&M, Campbell Soup, Patagonia, and Tommy Hilfiger as having suspected ties to forced labor in Xinjiang. The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 was sponsored by Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Senator Rubio, Senator Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Julie Millsap, director of public affairs and advocacy, Campaign for Uyghurs, wrote We are pleased that the Endless Frontier Act includes some addressal of the ways in which Sister City partnerships can be used by the Chinese State to contribute to malign activities including activities relating to human rights abuses. As our organization has supported accountability for the ways in which programs like Sister City relationships are exploited by the Chinese regime, we will be happy to see reporting measures passed. Concurrently we hope that beyond investing in measures for the long-term that the United States will continue to take decisive action in the short-term to stop genocide and the use of Uyghur Forced Labor. We also would have hoped for more points to address the PRCs coercion and threats used against Uyghurs in the United States. The CCP is seeking to stifle free speech here in the United States, and this ought [to] be of paramount concern. In Turkels congressional testimony, he called on the U.S. government to urge signatories to the 1949 U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to uphold their obligations relative to Xinjiang. Even without making a legal atrocity-crimes determination, Article I [of the convention] obligates states to take action to prevent an unfolding genocide, he said. He called on the committee to ensure that American Olympic athletes are not forced to compete in the shadow of concentration camps at the 2022 Olympics and urged coordination with like-minded countries to relocate the Olympics away from China for the duration of human rights abuse in Xinjiang. Turkel appealed to the Government to decisively prevent U.S. corporations, including technology companies and universities, from cooperation with Chinese surveillance companies whose technology is used by the regime to monitor Uyghurs. According to Greve, Its already illegal to sell to 31 of these companiesthe 31 tech companies on the Entity list. Greve, whose organization is in part funded by Congress, wrote that the UHRP appreciates that the Biden team recognized the genocide in August 2020, brought up the genocide in negotiations with China and the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States), imposed sanctions on March 22, and coordinated sanctions and supporting statements with the European Union, Canada, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. She also showed appreciation for the efforts of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), including Pelosis mobilization of support for prior Uyghur bills, and for proposing a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Greve noted, diplomatically, that the slow pace of the Senate is often true in American legislation. She wrote that President Donald Trump was also late, by 45 days when his term ended, in his reporting and sanction requirements per the Uyghur law of 2020. The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020, Section 6, requires that Not later than 180 days [December 15, 2020] after the date of the enactment of this Act [June 17, 2020] the President shall submit a report to [Congress] that identifies each foreign person, including any official of [China] that the President determines is responsible for Torture degrading treatment disappearance [etc.] against the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities and persons in Xinjiang. The President shall impose sanctions with respect to each person identified in the report [including] Asset blocking [and] prohibit all transactions in property [and] ineligibility for visas . A watchtower on a high-security facility near what is believed to be a re-education camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained, on the outskirts of Hotan, in Chinas northwestern Xinjiang region, on May 31, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) Since 2004, Uyghur groups, including the UHRP and Campaign for Uyghurs, received just $8 million in largely U.S. government funding. This puts them in the unenviable position of being both financially dependent on a shoestring government budget, and forced by circumstances beyond their control to be critical of the government for its slow action on the Uyghur genocide. The work of Uyghur advocates is essential to keeping the public informed and true to American principles, and these groups should be excused if they feel slightly frazzled and under-resourced. Their work is critical to the defense of not only Uyghurs, but the ideas of freedom and liberty that form the foundation of American democracy. Upcoming China bills should increase their funding tenfold to maximize their important international advocacy. Confronted by the governments inadequate action, American and other Uyghurs should be disappointed, if not enraged. The United States, in addition to China, is the most powerful country in the world. The Democrats have control of the presidency, the Senate, and the House. It is now their responsibility to stop the genocide, and they are failing due to special interests. To end the genocide, citizens must turn their anger into constructive action. Strengthen the spines of our democratically-elected representatives by removing the corporate influence on politicians that so determines their inaction against the China threat. 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. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 27: Victorias Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton speaks to the media on April 27, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Victoria's COVID-19 death toll rose to 17 following the death of a man in his 90s over the weekend, with just 67 active coronavirus cases in Victoria and 1265 people having recovered. Tough restrictions on movement and gatherings implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 remain in place despite a steady decline in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia. All non-essential businesses remain closed or are restricted in operation, while public gatherings are limited to two people and social distancing measures require people to keep a safe 1.5m distance from one another. New South Wales and Victoria have enacted additional lockdown measures permitting police to fine people who breach the two-person outdoor gathering limit or leave their homes without a reasonable excuse. Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have all closed their borders to non-essential travellers and international arrivals into Australia are being sent to mandatory quarantine in hotels for 14 days. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Victoria Identifies Further COVID-19 Exposure Sites Victorian health authorities now have identified 10 exposure sites as they race to contain a Melbourne COVID-19 outbreak. They hope genomic sequencing will establish the source of four new COVID-19 cases among a family in the citys north. Nandos Epping and Woolworths Epping North joined Jump! Swim Schools Bundoora and Highpoint Shopping Centre as tier one sites, meaning anyone who attended those places at specified times must be tested and isolate for 14 days. Futsal Brunswick, Epping North Shopping Centre, House and Party at Epping, Urban Diner Food Court at Pacific Epping Shopping Centre, Shells Coles Express Reservoir and B.T. Connor Reserve are tier two sitesmeaning affected people must get tested and isolate until they have a negative result. The family cluster involving a man in his 30s, a man in his 70s, a woman in her 70s and a pre-school aged child from three households in the Whittlesea areaemerged on Monday. Health Minister Martin Foley said there was no indication the infections were linked to exposure sites visited by a Victorian man who contracted coronavirus in South Australian hotel quarantine. The health department last week admitted it had listed the wrong supermarket as an exposure site during the outbreak earlier this month. With the first Whittlesea mans infectious period potentially starting on May 18, Mr Foley noted the COVID-infected returned traveller had already re-entered hotel quarantine well before then. We do not rule out the prospect that there is a link, he said. The dates do not line up immediately so we cannot rule out if there is a missing link out there. Genomic sequencing results may establish if there is a link between the pair and are expected back as early as Tuesday. More household contacts of the cases have been put into isolation despite testing negative so far. Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the first Whittlesea man is carrying a high viral load and warned the community to brace for more possible cases. He is likely to be quite infectious, Professor Sutton said. We have to ready ourselves for any other positives, and when there are close contacts who do become positive, that raises the possibility that even a casual contact could become positive as well. Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong and the Bundoora swimming school were listed as initial exposure sites. Mr Foley flagged no immediate changes to COVID-19 restrictions, and all domestic borders remain open despite most states and territories issuing updated travel advice for recent Victorian arrivals. The latest outbreak snapped Victorias 86-day streak without a locally acquired case. Travellers From Melbourne To NSW Must Confirm No COVID-19 Exposure Meanwhile travellers to Sydney from Greater Melbourne will be required to confirm on arrival that they have not attended a COVID-19 exposure site after four people in the citys northern suburbs caught the virus. NSW Health said in a statement on Monday afternoon that arrivals from Greater Melbourne would be required to complete a declaration form confirming they had not visited an exposure site. Those in NSW who have been in Victoria since May 10 and attended one of the sites should contact authorities immediately, NSW Health said. Anyone in NSW who has been in the Whittlesea Local Government Area which includes Donnybrook, Epping, Lalor, Thomastown and Whittleseashould also avoid aged care homes. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday called for an increase to the vaccination target. The premier said her target of 30,000 weekly jabs at the Sydney Olympic Park vaccination hub was exceeded last week, and she wanted that target to be increased by NSW Health. The mass COVID-19 vaccination centre on Monday also began to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine. Almost 1.1 million vaccinations have been administered in NSW to date, which includes the parts of the rollout overseen by the Commonwealth. Berejiklian also said it was too early to discuss whether the COVID-19 cases in Melbourne should prompt a hotspot declaration. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Mich., on May 24, 2021. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP) Whitmer Administration Axes COVID-19 Rule She Violated at Michigan Bar Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers administration rescinded a rule capping restaurant parties at six people on May 24, two days after she was caught violating the restriction herself. The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services released a new order that doesnt include the provision, which barred groups of more than six from sitting at the same table in establishments that serve food or drinks. Consumption of food or beverages is permitted only where patrons are seated, groups of patrons are separated by at least 6 feet, no more than 6 patrons are seated at a table, and groups of patrons do not intermingle, the May 15 order stated. The new order, which goes into effect on June 1, doesnt contain that restriction. Whitmer, a Democrat in her first term, said on May 23 that she made a mistake when gathering with roughly a dozen others in a crowded bar in Lansing, violating the states rule on indoor gatherings. It was an honest mistake and I have apologized for it, she told reporters in a May 24 briefing. Whitmer previously announced that the order, which deals with masks and capacity limits, would be altered on June 1, but didnt specify which changes would be made. On July 1, Whitmer plans to lift limits on indoor gatherings and mandates on wearing masks entirely. The rollbacks stem from improving COVID-19 metrics, such as lower cases and hospitalizations, officials said. Im excited about this. I know were all excited to spend time this summer with our families and friends and get back to the things that we love doing. Long dinners, bonfires by the lake, maybe even taking in a concert with friends. And we can enjoy the occasions and ceremonies that we had to forego last year, celebrating birthdays and graduations, family reunions and weddings together, Whitmer told reporters in a briefing on May 24. Whitmer also announced that the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration was easing its COVID-19 emergency rules because the state has reached the threshold of 55 percent of the population being vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19. The governor said she didnt think the Landshark Bar & Grill, where she broke the states rules, should be fined by state authorities. I think that we have specifically not gone forward and penalized businesses that are trying to do the right thing. Its those that have flouted and put peoples safety at risk that are the most concerning, she said. Eric Ventimiglia, executive director of Michigan Rising Action, a group that seeks to hold liberal groups and individuals accountable, told The Epoch Times that Whitmer should immediately lift all of the COVID-19 related orders. He also called on the governor to rescind violations and refund fines paid by people and businesses accused of violating COVID-19 orders. We also think that she should pardon those that have been fined and accused of similar offenses and refund all the fines, he said. Why You Should Drink Moringa Tea Drought resistant miracle tree offers therapeutic benefits Moringa is a tree with a rich nutritional profile thats native to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. There are several different species, but the most common and widely consumed is moringa oleifera. This is sometimes referred to as the miracle tree. Its also been called the tree of life, mothers milk, drumstick tree, and horseradish tree. The tree is fast-growing, drought-resistant, and can reach 40 feet in height. Nearly every part of the plant is edible and has medicinal qualities, but the pods, leaves, flowers, and bark are most frequently used. Its valued in Ayurvedic therapy for a range of uses, including its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral and antidepressant properties. Its bark is thick and white-colored and its leaves are long and oval-shaped. The tree has been used since ancient times and was valued by the Greeks and Egyptians. Currently, several humanitarian organizations are encouraging its growth in rural communities to help combat malnutrition. The plants grow so quickly that within six months of planting a cutting, the first harvest can be taken. By the second year, one tree can produce nearly 300 seed pods that might be parboiled and added to curry or roasted and eaten like nuts. Moringa tea can be made from dried leaves, seeds, or flowers, but dried leaves are the most popular. While moringa tea is frequently consumed in India, the benefits of the tea have only recently reached the Western world. Roughly 1 teaspoon of dried loose-leaf tea is used in 1 cup of freshly heated purenot distilled or flavoredwater. For added health benefits and a different flavor, try blending it with some green tea. Unique Glucosinolate Found in Moringa Other health benefits from moringa plants are the unique glucosinolates that are unique to the tree. A glucosinolate is an inert sulfur-containing phytochemical that is most notably found in cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage. According to one paper in Scientific Reports, moringa contains not only high levels of glucosinolates but a unique formulation that is responsible for many of its medicinal properties. When glucosinolates are metabolized by an enzyme called myrosinase, they produce a bioactive isothiocyanate compound. The isothiocyanate found in broccoli and many other cruciferous vegetables is sulforaphane. However, the unique glucosinolate (glucomoringin) found in the moringa plant is metabolized to moringin. Researchers recently discovered a new glucosinolate in wild forms of moringa oleifera called 4-(-L-glucopyranosyloxy)benzyl GS (4GBGS). Domestic forms of moringa oleifera grown for human consumption had some levels of 4GBGS but in much lower concentrations. Researchers speculated that this may be due to breeding the plant to reduce the naturally bitter taste. Since glucosinolates contain sulfur, they have a distinct, sometimes off-putting flavor. In addition to glucomoringin and 4GBGS, moringa oleifera also contains at least 10 other glucosinolates that work together to provide many of the health benefits of the plant. According to Jed Fahey, a nutritional biochemist from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the overall nutritive value of the moringa tree has led to widespread use in order to reduce the burden of undernutrition. In a 2009 article in the journal Ecology of Food and Nutrition, he wrote: However, scientifically robust trials testing its efficacy for undernourished human beings have not yet been reported. If the wealth of anecdotal evidence (not cited herein) can be supported by robust clinical evidence, countries with a high prevalence of under-nutrition might have at their fingertips, a sustainable solution to some of their nutritional challenges. In the years following Faheys article, human and animal studies have begun to reveal some of the health benefits that have been enjoyed by traditional medicine practitioners for hundreds of years, including improving iron levels in lactating women, reducing malnutrition in children, and showed promising results in treating malaria and malnutrition in a study using mice. 7 Benefits From Drinking Moringa Tea Many of the benefits associated with drinking moringa tea are likely the result of the trees nutritional profile, including the unique glucosinolates discussed above. Additionally, the plant is rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids, which are protein building blocks. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100 grams of the pods contain 45 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, 15 mg of phosphorus, and 461 mg of potassium. Theyre also rich in zinc, vitamin C, folate, and vitamin A. Drinking moringa tea is a satisfying and relaxing way of ingesting many of the health benefits associated with it. If youd like to experiment with a different flavor, try adding cinnamon or lemon basil to your drink. Seven of the potential health benefits of adding moringa tea to your routine include: Reducing arsenic toxicity: A review of the literature revealed M. oleifera may be useful in people with chronic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and dyslipidemia. Chronic exposure to arsenic in contaminated drinking water or food is associated with an increased risk of high blood sugar and cardiovascular disease. Long-term exposure to arsenic can lead to several types of cancers and can contribute to the development of neurological, lung, and kidney diseases. Animal studies also show the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of moringa help reduce those long-term risks. Helping to control blood sugar: One animal study demonstrated moringa could reduce blood sugar by up to 29.9 percent in normal subjects, up to 32.8 percent in mildly diabetic subjects, and 69.2 percent in severely diabetic subjects. Supporting cardiovascular health: Animal studies show moringa helps normalize elevated levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides in diabetic subjects. Cardiovascular disease is a significant complication associated with a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Moringa may also help reduce the formation of plaques in the blood vessels. Offering possible anticancer effects: Moringa has a cytotoxic effect on breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers. It may also be a potential adjunctive treatment in benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is one of the most common conditions in men as they age. Supporting brain health: In an animal model, moringa helped alleviate the effects of homocysteine on the brain in the development of Alzheimers disease and mitigated memory impairment in age-related dementia. Preventing chronic disease: Moringa tea is rich in phytochemicals, including tannins, saponin, and polyphenols. These compounds play a role in resisting the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), high blood pressure, cancer, and overall inflammation. Supporting male reproductive health: Animal studies have suggested that moringa has a beneficial effect on male reproduction, including libido and fertility. However, the same is not true for females, who, in one study, experienced negative fertility effects from supplementation. Plant Protein With All Essential Amino Acids Moringa is also a source of high-quality amino acids. They are the building blocks of protein, which are used in a variety of functions. There are 20 different amino acids that have been identified and are classified as either nonessential or essential. Your body can make the nonessential amino acids but needs to get the essential amino acids from food. There arent a lot of plant foods that contain all the essential amino acids, but moringa is one. According to the African Journal of Biotechnology, the plant has 19 amino acids, including all nine essential amino acids. Each of these has important biological roles including being used to stabilize blood sugar, being used in the production of collagen, being necessary in the production of red and white blood cells, and playing a role in memory formation and nervous system function. Antibiotic and Anti-Inflammatory Activity Biological effects of moringa extend to having potent antibiotic properties against a variety of pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Candida, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Specifically, the isothiocyanate 4--L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl isothiocyanate (4RBITC) is a potent antibiotic against H. pylori, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The anti-inflammatory effects from moringa may also help protect your skin from pollution. Moringa leaves are rich in antioxidants that contribute to healthy skin as well as sulfur, which is a key ingredient in the production of collagen and keratin. Moringa oil, pressed from the seeds of the tree, keeps for years without turning rancid and is easily absorbed into the skin. Although the product hasnt gained widespread popularity, there is evidence that it helps reduce wrinkles. The oil is also naturally moisturizing and nourishing. Use Caution When Ingesting Moringa Its important to remember that certain plants, like moringa, are bioactive and may interfere with medications or supplements youre taking. The leaves are considered to be generally safe and edible, but there is a slight controversy about the roots and stems. The information about using moringa before or during pregnancy, or while nursing, is also unclear. Until theres more evidence that moringa is safe during pregnancy, women who are pregnant or who want to become pregnant shouldnt use it. Early studies have also demonstrated theres an immunosuppressive effect from the seeds or extracts that contain the roots and seeds. The plants can also have a mild laxative effect. Since moringa has an effect on blood sugar, inflammatory response, and may interact with other medications, its important to first check with your pharmacist, inform your holistic physician of the addition, and monitor your blood sugar frequently if you are a diabetic. Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com. An osteopathic physician, best-selling author, and recipient of multiple awards in the field of natural health, his primary vision is to change the modern health paradigm by providing people with a valuable resource to help them take control of their health. This article was originally published on Mercola.com Woke Social Engineering With a Big Price Tag: Victorian Budget Commentary One of the most intriguing announcements in last weeks Victorian state budget was the removal of a land tax exemption for gender-exclusive clubs (affecting men-only or women-only clubs). It was also one of the smallest changes in a big-spending, big-taxing budget, reaping the state just $100,000 or so out of a total revenue of $75 billion (US$58 billion) a year. But the highly selective move against clubs says a lot about the budget and the government that produced itnot that it reveals any devotion to sound principles of taxation, but because this is a government and budget of social engineering. Hence no stone will be left unturned in pursuit of its thoroughly woke goals, including penalising perceived gender discrimination in every nook and cranny. It is social engineering with a big price tag, and Victorias public finances are in a frightful mess. The government blames this on the COVID-19 pandemic, but the rot set in long before the virus reached our shores. State government expenditure and debt were rising rapidly. The pandemic has merely propelled it even higher. The broadest measure of state public sector debt will reach $200 billion four years from now, the highest of any Australian state or territory in absolute terms and relative to economic and revenue size. Melbourne CBD skyline (Adrian Malec/pixabay) Regrettably, the recent federal budget has much in common with Victorias. They both face a smashed fiscal position but venture into new and ongoing social spending programs that will ultimately make the budgets repair more difficult. However, if Victorias approach is to be praised for anything, it is that the government at least does not pretend that it can ramp up spending without ramping up taxation. That is more than can be said for the current federal government. The Victorian budget contains tax increases of around $1.5 billion a year. If the federal government did proportionately the same, it would raise fifteen times as much. But it is not lifting taxes at allindeed, it is planning to cut income tax in 2024. The income tax cut is desirable in itself, but the governments spending plans clash with it. Victorias tax increases have been heavily criticised for targeting property and payrollsbut given the highly centralised nature of broad-based taxes in Australia, and the narrowness of the tax bases available to states, there is nowhere else for a state to turn if it wants more revenue. The more telling point is there would be no need for more revenue if they were disciplined in their spending. The previous Labor governments under Premiers Steve Bracks and John Brumbyin office from 1999 to 2010were relatively disciplined in their spending and actually cut payroll and land tax rates. The current government, although of the same party, is undoing all that work. Cafes in Melbournes Degraves street open for dine in customers in Melbourne, Australia, on June 1, 2020. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) The graduated increases in payroll tax rates on firms with national payrolls above $10 million are labelled as a levy dedicated to financing new mental health initiatives. This is an accounting gimmick for presentational purposes. There is no reason for mental health to have its own revenue stream any more than the myriad other state government programs. The levy is a payroll tax increase, pure and simple. To the extent business cant pass it on to someone else, it will come at a cost to employment in Victoria. The land tax increases are said to target the wealthy because they only apply above a high-dollar threshold. But the government is apparently oblivious that most of the gleaming office towers and retail hubs sitting on high-value land in Melbourne are indirectly held by many millions of ordinary people through listed and unlisted real estate investment trusts and property development companies in which superannuation funds have large investments. The increase in property transfer duty (better known as stamp duty) is just extracting yet more revenue from a thoroughly damaging and over-worked tax that, by general agreement of economists, should be abolished. Victorians who do not own or run businesses might think this is a good budget for them, but it contains many wasteful spending and stores up huge fiscal problems that will burden all Victorians in the future. Robert Carling is a senior fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, Australia, and a former World Bank, IMF and federal and state Treasury economist. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. NEW YORK (AP) New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio promised a return to normal next fall for the nation's largest public school system, announcing Monday that classrooms will open for in-person instruction in September with no remote option. Its time for everyone to come back, said de Blasio, a Democrat. Its time for us all to be together. Its time to do things the way they were meant to be done. All the kids in the classroom together getting a great education from educators who care, staff members who care." De Blasio said the roughly 1 million students who attend traditional public schools will be in their classrooms with some version of the coronavirus protocols that have been in place in the current academic year, including mask wearing and COVID-19 testing. After closing schools in March 2020, New York City was one of the first large U.S. cities to reopen school buildings in the fall of that year, but the majority of parents chose online-only learning for their children. Children and staff members who have been in physical schoolrooms have been randomly tested for COVID-19, and the city has reported very low rates of virus transmission in the schools. The head of the union that represents city teachers signaled it would accept the plan, saying there was no substitute for in-person instruction, though it said some students might still need a remote option next fall. We still have concerns about the safety of a small number of students with extreme medical challenges," said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. For that small group of students, a remote option may still be necessary. Asked about the mayor's decision Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has clashed with de Blasio throughout the pandemic over who has the right to set COVID-19 rules, also suggested he was on board. Cuomo, a Democrat, said he anticipated schools statewide would fully reopen in September, unless there is a dramatic change in the COVID trajectory. Were going to set a statewide policy which will govern all school districts. But if you ask me today, by the current trajectory that we are on, I think theres no reason why every school shouldnt be open in September. The governor didn't address whether the state would allow districts to continue remote learning for students whose families don't want them to return to classrooms. De Blasio, who outlined his plan for September at a virtual news briefing after first announcing it on MSNBC's Morning Joe," said city educators would reassure parents who have kept their children home for fear of the coronavirus by inviting them to visit schools and see how safe they are. Anyone who has a question or concern, come into your childs school. See whats going on. Get the answers," the mayor said. De Blasio said declining COVID-19 infection rates and rising vaccination rates mean that a remote learning plan will no longer be necessary. We cant live in the grip of COVID the rest of our lives, de Blasio said. It is going to be in our past as a crisis. It may be yet another disease out there like the flu and other things but it will be manageable. Mark Cannizzaro, the head of the union that represents principals, said in a statement that "with the proper resources and support, our schools will continue to be safe, and the return of all staff for in-person instruction will allow schools to properly program in advance. The announcement came as officials elsewhere in the country were promising a return to classrooms. Los Angeles Unified School District officials will offer five-day-a-week, in-person learning next fall, but they expect a few students will still need a remote option, Superintendent Austin Beutner said Monday. Some students and some staff members may need to stay at home until all at schools are vaccinated due to health reasons because they live with an immune-compromised family member, Beutner said, adding that he expects the majority of students and staff to be at school every day. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced last week that the state's public schools would open for in-person learning only in the fall. De Blasio said city schools would be able to accommodate all students under current guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for 3 feet of separation, but he speculated that the standard may be relaxed before schools open Sept. 13. The school plans come as state and local officials try to entice people hesitant to get vaccinated with incentives ranging from free beers to scratch-off lottery tickets. Cuomo on Monday announced at Jones Beach that anyone who gets vaccinated in New York through the end of the month can receive a free two-day pass to any state park. The governor also announced that 15 state parks in New York will open pop-up COVID-19 vaccination sites. ___ Associated Press writer Michael Hill contributed from Albany, New York. NORWALK As investigators search for the culprit behind last weeks fatal shooting at Colonial Village, police are taking steps to increase security at the public housing complex. More than a dozen officers in recent days have been assigned to patrol the streets surrounding Colonial Village, which is located off Connecticut Avenue, according to a department log tracking police activity in the city. Police have been a near constant presence in the area since 19-year-old Timothy Cantey was shot just after noon on Thursday in the 100 block of Suncrest Road. Cantey, a South Norwalk resident, died the next morning at Norwalk Hospital. On Monday, officers from the police departments community policing unit toured the complex with housing authority officials to discuss potential security upgrades, according to Adam Bovilsky, the authoritys director. As a result of the meeting with police, Bovilsky said the authority plans to install surveillance cameras and additional lighting to help deter criminal activity. He said the cameras will be directly accessible by police. The recent events in Colonial Village are of grave concern to the Norwalk Housing Authority, Bovilsky said. We are hoping that these are isolated incidents and that there's no continued criminal activity on the property. A police department spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. Police have released few details about the shooting, but in a statement last week, a spokesperson for the department described it as a targeted attack. The investigation, now a homicide investigation, is active and ongoing. Detectives believe that the attack was not random, but targeted, and continue to follow all possible leads, Norwalk police said in a statement on Friday. Police have not offered a motive behind the shooting, and no one has been charged in connection with Canteys death. The shooting marks at least the third time police have been called to Colonial Village for reports of gunfire in the last year. Last December, a man in his early 20s was shot in the leg. At the time, police described the mans injuries as minor. In August, several vehicles at the complex were damaged in an apparent drive-by shooting, but no one was injured. Colonial Village, which was built in 1951, is undergoing a major renovation. The housing authority is in the process of upgrading each of the existing 200 units with new kitchens, bathrooms and porches. As soon as next summer, the authority will begin expanding the housing complex onto a nearby plot of vacant land. The latest plans call for the construction of a new community center and 69 apartments, including 18 one-bedroom units. The expansion, Bovilsky said, is aimed at alleviating Norwalks housing shortage. Last year, as the housing authority sought city approval for the planned expansion, some Colonial Village neighbors suggested more low-income housing in the area would lead to an uptick in crime. But Bovilsky noted the expanded housing complex will feature on-site management and a mix of deed-restricted workforce housing, affordable apartments and market-rate units. When you deconcentrate poverty, there's all kinds of positive outcomes, he said. And one of those can be a reduction in crime. richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com Hearst file photo EDWARDSVILLE The Edwardsville/Glen Carbon chapter of Habitat For Humanity will host home ownership orientations to find a prospective area family to inhabit their own home. During these orientations, prospective owners will learn more about Habitat For Humanity, the homes it builds, how to qualify and the application process. Construction will likely begin in August. TROY An Oklahoma man is dead following an officer-involved shooting Saturday night in Troy. According to the Illinois State Police, at about 7 p.m. Saturday, May 22, Troy Police responded to the TA Gas Station at 819 Edwardsville Road, Troy, for 911 calls of an active shooter in the parking lot. State police said the shooter later identified as Kody C. Waters, 31, of Dewey, Oklahoma was reportedly suicidal and discharging a firearm into the air. The first Troy Police officer to arrive, in fear for his life and the lives of others, fired seven shots in the direction of Waters, according to the state police. Authorities on Sunday said it is not if the officers gunfire struck Waters or if Waters shot himself. The Troy Police officer has not been identified by authorities. State police reported that Troy Police rendered aid to Waters who, at about 9:10 p.m., was pronounced deceased by the Madison County Coroners Office on scene. An autopsy was scheduled for Sunday morning. No officers or patrons were injured during the incident. Troy Police Chief Brent Showers contacted the ISP Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 6 Investigations to investigate a fatal officer-involved shooting. State police said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact ISP Zone 6 Investigations at 618-571-4124 or Crime Stoppers at 866-371-8477, where callers can remain anonymous. A Mt. Pleasant man accused of raping the child of a former romantic partner will spent at least 18 years in prison as part of a plea deal he reached with prosecutors. Eric Steven McVeigh, 39, of Mt. Pleasant, pleaded no contest to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a relation before Judge Stuart Black on Friday. As part of the plea deal, five additional charges -- including two for first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a defendant younger than 13 -- were dismissed. The deal calls for McVeigh to spend at least 18 years in prison. He faces sentencing on June 23. - Advertisement - McVeigh was arrested last October in his Mt. Pleasant residence after the Clare County Sheriff's Office turned over information it received about him. He was accused of raping the boy while living in Union Township with his former partner between 2016-17. Originally, he was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim younger than 13, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim younger than 13, accosting a child for immoral purposes. CSC-1 carries a maximum sentence of life, CSC-2 is a 15-year felon and accosting a minor for immoral purposes is a four-year felony. READ MORE: Mt. Pleasant lifts crowd limit for high school graduation In response to the governor's latest reopening plan, Mt. Pleasant Public Schools' administration has lifted its limits on tickets for the Clas Showers are likely throughout the week A chance of showers are expected throughout the week. National Weather Service issues flood advisory in mid-Michigan The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for multiple counties in mid-Michigan and west-central-Michigan Sunday, May 23. Two more COVID-19 deaths were reported over the weekend in Gratiot County, but new confirmed cases continue to decline at a rapid pace. The two new deaths bring Gratiot's total to 114, the highest in mid-Michigan. No information about the people was immediately available, and Mid-Michigan District Health Department -- the health department to which Gratiot belongs -- stopped releasing information about deaths shortly before Christmas. - Advertisement - New confirmed cases in Isabella, Gratiot and Clare counties all continue to decline, however. Just 25 new cases were reported in all three counties over the weekend, a daily average of a smidge higher than eight per day. New cases weighted for population also continue to decline, with Clare County poised to move into a new, safer category in a county-level dashboard hosted by the Brown University School of Public Health. Clare County's latest seven-day average confirmed and probable cases fell to 10.2 per 100,000 people over the weekend. Below 10, it would move into the second safest risk category. Michigan's seven-day average continues to be among the highest in the nation, but has dramatically improved over the last two weeks. Over the weekend, it's seven-day average stood at 14.4 new confirmed and probable cases per 100,000 people. Isabella's average was 18.8 and Gratiot's was 15.8. All three counties -- plus Michigan -- have also shown improvement in seven-day averages in positive diagnostic test rates. A high average means that some disease is likely taking place undetected. Isabella, Gratiot and Clare counties all have seven-day averages higher than the state as a whole at 5.25 percent, with Clare the lowest at 5.36 percent. Isabella is in the middle at 5.68 percent and Gratiot the highest at 6.98 percent. Seven new confirmed cases were reported from Friday to Monday in Isabella County on Monday for a cumulative total of 5,345, with 89 deaths; 13 in Gratiot County for a cumulative total of 3,199; and five in Clare County for a cumulative total of 2,028, with 79 deaths. Elsewhere in mid-Michigan, three deaths were reported, with new and cumulative cases and deaths as follows: In Gladwin County, two additional cases were reported for a cumulative total of 1,902, with 53 deaths; In Mecosta County, an additional six cases were reported for a cumulative total of 2,991, with 31 deaths; In Midland County, one new death was reported for a total of 85an additional 15 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 6,768; and, In Montcalm County, two deaths were reported for a total of 108 and an additional 23 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 5,375. Statewide, 100 new deaths were reported for a total of 18,953 and another 2,391 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 884,580. READ MORE: Showers are likely throughout the week A chance of showers are expected throughout the week. National Weather Service issues flood advisory in mid-Michigan The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for multiple counties in mid-Michigan and west-central-Michigan Sunday, May 23. Clare County Sheriff's Department warns of attempted child abduction The Clare County Sheriff's Department reported a complaint of a possible attempted child abduction at the Harrison City Park around 2 p.m. Sun +4 Campus Habitat murder hearing wraps up A hearing for two men accused of taking part in a drug robbery gone wrong last April wrapped up Friday, but a decision on whether they'll stan In response to the governor's latest reopening plan, Mt. Pleasant Public Schools' administration has lifted its limits on tickets for the Class of 2021's graduation ceremony. In a letter sent out Friday, Superintendent Jennifer Verleger said that because the ceremony is scheduled for June 6 and because outdoor capacity limits are set to expire June 1 that graduates are no longer limited in the number of people they can bring. "Graduates are encouraged to invite all immediate and extended family members, along with their friends, to celebrate this momentous occasion!," the letter read. - Advertisement - The letter goes on to say that graduates will still process around the stadium, and asks people to spread out around the entire stadium, allowing photo opportunities. Guys and Dolls Photography will provide every graduate with a photo. Gates will open for the ceremony at noon on June 6, and graduates need to report to their spot at 12:30 p.m. READ MORE: Showers are likely throughout the week A chance of showers are expected throughout the week. Mid Michigan hosts multiple Memorial Day events to honor the those fallen in the line of duty With the Memorial Day coming soon on Monday, May 31, Mid Michigan has a plethora of events to honor military personnel who have passed on. Clare County Sheriff's Department warns of attempted child abduction The Clare County Sheriff's Department reported a complaint of a possible attempted child abduction at the Harrison City Park around 2 p.m. Sun Salida, CO (81201) Today A clear sky. Low 48F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph, becoming N and decreasing to less than 5 mph.. Tonight A clear sky. Low 48F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph, becoming N and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Instant unlimited access to all of our content on thenewsguard.com. The News Guard E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Pamela Hutchens found herself in a situation Thursday she didnt think anyone could help her with, but two Southgate Department of Public Works employees proved her wrong. Listen to article At a time when Nigeria is coping with the Buhari-era depression and anxiety due to mass insecurity, ethnic tension and remainphysically sick with terror 11 military lives would be lost suddenly and tragically around Kaduna. During a tragedy like this especially when it involves servicemen that included top leaders a President usually pays direct tribute. Many, if not all Nigerians expected you PresidentMuhammadu Buhari to be the one and the first to welcome the bodies for their final home at the National Military Cemetery, inAbuja, where you reside. Nigerians all over the world would have gained some feelings of solace if you had come out to offer words of comfort to thegrief-stricken families. Nigerians are used to you remaining out of sight, but this time is different, especially for your co-military brothers! They were servicemen of diverse backgroundssuch as the North, West, Islam, and Christianity. A missed opportunity as you know is a lost opportunity! At a time when there is ethnic agitation and religious tension everywhere. In the face of this tremendous loss, your presence and words would have meant a lot. Mr. President no amount of excuse for your absence will change minds about your unfair conduct. For Gods sake, Mr. President, you, and your advisers cannot claim security concerns as you would have been in one of the most secured environments ever. Most of the Nigerian public are aware of your health strugglesso, that cannot be an excuse as they saw you recently returned from London after a private visit and from France after an official visit. Mr. President, these were your fallen brothers and compatriots. Even if you were under quarantine in Aso Rock, mentally or physically weak or confined to a wheelchair, a five-minute live presence or a nearly five-minute video would have done it in terms of your farewell messageI Feel Your Pain. Mr. President, how did this happen? Especially when you are the father of our country. It was just last month that America, whose Constitution Nigeriahaphazardly model after, that your counterpart, President Joe Biden eulogized a fallen Capitol Police Officer William Evans at a memorial service in Washington D. C. Remember, you and Biden are generally of the same age. President Barack Obama in a memorial service in July of 2016 addressed the families of five police officers who died in the line of duty in Dallas, Texas. President Goodluck Jonathan in December of 2012 attended the memorial service of former national security adviser, General Andrew Azazi, who died in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa State. President Buhari, had you attended the funeral of these fallen military men and offered condolences to their families, it would have reflected to the world, our nation's caring character. Mr. President you had your moment, you blew it. I will tell you this much, should you and your advisers privately or public invite these grieving families to Aso Rock, you will be widely slammed as an emotionless and uncaring man who in their darkened hour failed them. Mr. President, I hope you do not go down in history as a totally heartless, detached, and unsympathetic President especially towards a deeply pained nation and family that experienced imminent loss. Mr. President, I hope and pray no one wish you die suddenly from any bodily harm, plane crash or debilitating sickness, and should you die after an exceptionally long life, I hope the military who takes seriously its obligation to honor fallenservicemen and support their families during time of grief and sorrow will not treat you like you did to these 11 patriots who died defending Nigeria. President Joe Biden eulogized a fallen Capitol Police Officer. President Barack Obama At Dallas Memorial Service. President Goodluck Jonathan attending late General Andrew Azazi's burial in Bayelsa State. Author: Prof. John Egbeazien Oshodi, an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal [email protected] Listen to article Lagos, May 23, 2021 - The Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan has disclosed that the Bank has dedicated N100 billion for the financing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. This, he said is to enable them contribute more meaningfully to the growth of the nations economy. The Managing Director stated this in his welcome address during the Ecobank / Vanguard Virtual Summit for MSMEs in Nigeria, reiterated that apart from closing the funding gap, the bank will upskill and avail them its state of the art digital platforms to promote their products. The virtual summit with the theme: Unlocking Credit Growth in a Changing MSME Lending Landscapeis to promote and encourage lending to small businesses in the face of changing operating environment in the country. According to Mr. Akinwuntan, We can see clearly that in terms of moving the majority of Nigerians from the realm of poverty to financial inclusion and wealth creation, it is important that we pay attention and explore the potentials of MSMEs. Given the focus of Ecobank to contribute positively to the financial integration and economic advancement of Africa, it is critical that we focus on this segment and ensure it is given the empowerment to play its rightful role in the development of our economy. He pointed out that feedback from survey embarked upon by the bank indicated that the MSMEs were basically faced with several constraints including access to market, inadequate skill set, infrastructure deficits and inability to track cash flow among others. He noted that the bank had put measures in place to address the challenges. Given this market feedback, we have aligned at Ecobank to provide the MSMEs some capacity building support. This is about up-skilling their competencies to fulfill the potentials. We are doing this in partnership with the African Union through the AUDA-NEPAD academy. This is a digital academy where MSMEs are able to access skills in inventory management, accounting record, market analysis, market penetration and access to finance. Secondly, we are actively involved in conjunction with the CBN to open up easier access to funding, be it in the agriculture segment, through the agric loan; the creative industry for various talents in our economy and the healthcare industry amongst others. In each of these areas, Ecobank has been playing a leading role. In terms of access to market, we do have an e-Commerce club for the MSMEs, we also have the Emerald Business Club, Google my business e Solution that enables MSMEs to build simple website and be able to promote their products particular across Africa. There are opportunities for MSMEs to promote their products through digital platforms including the capability to receive payments from nearly all other foreign currencies into their naira accounts seamlessly using our NQR based Ecobankpay collections platform. This is one of the key advantages we have in Ecobank Nigeria. We also have agency banking services currently at about 26000 locations across the country. We have our digital banking solutions called Omnilite, we also have *326# ussd code for transactions, mobile app and lots more to support the small businesses. He stated. In her goodwill message, Minister of State, Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, of Ambassador Mariam Yelwaji Katagum commended Ecobank Nigeria for complementing the efforts of the Federal Government at developing the MSME segment of the economy. She urged the financial sector as a whole to continue to provide the much needed support for Federal Government initiatives by facilitating and granting accessible financing for the small businesses at single digit. There is no doubt that MSMEs are regarded as the driving force behind structural changes and sustainable growth and development particularly with their contributions to job and wealth creation. These enterprises play a big role in the economy and are crucial drivers for innovation and competition in many sectors of the economy. As you are all well aware, the Federal Government has over time provided platform to improve access to finance for the MSMEs in order to boost production, increase the value of trade, enhance the investment climate, foster innovation and entrepreneurship. She stated. Also speaking, Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole who was the Special Guest of Honour at the Summit opined that access to finance for small businesses has become more imperative against the backdrop of the ravaging effects of covid 19 pandemic. While commending Ecobanks various initiatives at supporting the growth of MSMEs, she urged the financial sector to complement the efforts of the Federal Government N2.3 trillion economic sustainability plan. Other speakers at the Summit included Managing Director/Chief Executive, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr Olukayode Pitan; Director General, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Rada; Executive Director, Fate Foundation, Adenike Adeyemi and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (NASME), Eke Ubiji, amongst others. Listen to article President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed a strong resolve to address the conflicts of herders and farmers in a sustained and lasting manner that should lead to a permanent solution to the frequent clashes between them, as well as the associated problem of the killer herdsmen. A statement on Monday by Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the President had approved a number of specific measures to bring a permanent end to the frequent skirmishes as recommended by Alhaji Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture in a report he submitted to the President. Recall that the Southern Governors had in Asaba, declared a ban on open grazing as a measure to address the herder-farmers conflict in the region. However, reacting to the ban, the statement said Buhari had endorsed his signature on the Nanono report back in April, well before the actions of the Southern Governors Forum, which attempts to place a ban on open grazing and other acts of politicking intended by its signatories to demonstrate their power. The statement further said that the Southern governors ban on open grazing was no solution offered from their resolutions to the herder-farmer clashes that have been continuing in our country for generations. But the citizens of the Southerners states indeed citizens of all states of Nigeria have a right to expect their elected leaders and representatives to find answers to challenges of governance and rights, and not to wash their hands off hard choices by, instead, issuing bans that say: not in my state. The statement added that, It is equally true that their announcement is of questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) -regardless of the state of their birth or residence. Fortunately, this declaration has been preempted, for whatever it is intended to achieve and Mr. President, who has rightly been worried about these problems more than any other citizen in consultation with farmers and herders alike, commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the states, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements. With veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling through these rehabilitated reserves, the Federal Government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side: supporting farmers to till their fields, herders to rear their livestock and Nigerians everywhere to be safe. The entire country is acutely aware of the strain the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on public finances, for both Federal and States. Still, given the pressing urgency of addressing the perennial challenges, the Federal funding for the project that has been delayed is now being partly unlocked. Actual work for the full actualisation of the modern reserve system in a few of the consenting states should take off in June Oakland County high school and college students will be able to gain real-world work experience through a fellowship program organized by the Office of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Rochester Hills). The fellowship program is open to high school and college students who live and/or attend school in Michigans 11th Congressional district. Stevens said that through this fellowship, students will work a minimum of 30 hour per week at a local small business or franchise, while partnering with her office staff to learn how federal policies affect small business operations. - Advertisement - I am thrilled to announce the launch of my summer small business fellowship, she said. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy in Michigan and employ countless Michiganders. This is an opportunity for students to have a one-of- a-kind experience learning firsthand what it takes to run a small business or franchise while learning directly from Congressional staff how we support small businesses legislatively." +3 Dave Coulter touts resiliency of community, pandemic recovery during State of the County Address Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter talked plenty about the historic challenges faced over the past year, but also highlighted the resilienc The fellow will also participate in weekly discussion sessions with members of Stevens' staff to communicate key takeaways and explore policy impacts on local business. At the end of the summer, fellows may submit a final project to recap and summarize their experience, and advocate for new policy initiatives with our office. Those interested in applying for the program must apply by Tuesday, June 8. The application link can be found here: http://bit.ly/smallbizfellow. For questions pertaining to the fellowship program, email Abby.May@mail.house.gov. In addition, a virtual information session will also be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, at https://bit.ly/stevensinfosession. Sir, May I first pass words of comfort to all who have lost their loved ones under questionable, unexplained and unexpected circumstances. It is heartbreaking to witness the current state of affairs in the Kingdom of Eswatini. How one wishes sanity would for once find its way into our government and its agencies, especially the police service. What they are doing to the nation is uncalled for. Hurting and throwing teargas canisters at protesting citizens is not and will never be the answer. Insults are becoming a standard police language in our so-called Christian country. We were better off with policemen of the past, who wore shorts and carried wooden batons. Criminals They knew how to handle criminals and they worked well with communities. To them, policing was a calling to maintain peace and order. They were not like chained animals raring to be let loose and get a bite on innocent citizens like its happening nowadays. The current crop should refrain from fighting citizens of this country, but protect them instead. Nobody takes to the streets willingly; certain circumstances drive them to that point. Thats their last resort to get answers that are always hard to come by, even after so much peaceful efforts have been displayed. Shooting The police should take that to account too before deciding to start shooting at protesters. Its a pity that the church in Eswatini is silent and saying nothing. Come on now church, get to a round table with government and find solutions that will save these precious citizens from vicious treatment. Remember, these are the same people who are paying their tithes and offerings at your churches. Stand up and tell government its not right to be brutal. Bullets Tell it to account for all the bullets and teargas canisters, as well as the souls it has taken all these years. There is never a reason good enough to do that. Please government, teach yourself to listen and bring solutions. A government is a government for the people, by the people. That kind of government is in office for and by the people. Lead and stop pushing people, you are going against God Almighty. You are worsening our current situation in the eyes of God. There is a lot we need to repent from as a nation that God has revealed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. With the holiday weekend approaching, many can still get a COVID-19 vaccination at one of 14 clinics. Heavy weather warning for Phuket, Andaman coast PHUKET: The South West Meteorological Center based in Phuket has issued a weather warning advising all small boats to stay ashore as heavy weather along the Andaman coast is expected to continue through Saturday weathermarineSafety By The Phuket News Monday 24 May 2021, 10:15AM The Phuket MArine Office issued an order for all small boats to stay ashore. Image: Phuket Marine Office heavy weather is forecast to continue throughout this week. Image: Phuket MET heavy weather is forecast to continue throughout this week. Photo: Khao Phuket / file In its forecast issued this morning (May 24), winds off the coast are to average 22-24km/h, with gusts rising to 45km/h on Friday before easing on Sunday (May 30). The notice issued today repeated the centres warning yesterday, noting that an active low pressure cell in the east of the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify, and is moving northward to the west to the north of the Bay of Bengal. In addition, the strong southwest monsoon prevails over the South, the west coast and the Andaman Sea. This causes more rain and heavy to very heavy rain in the southwest in some areas of Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, the warning noted. As such, waves in the Andaman Sea are stronger, rising to two to three metres high, and even higher during thunderstorms, the notice warned. Avoid sailing in thunderstorm areas. Small boats should refrain from leaving shore, the advisory said. People were asked to follow announcements from the Meteorological Department closely. The weather warning followed winds across Phuket reaching in excess of 40km/h with rain lashing many parts of the island on Saturday (May 22). The weather monitoring station near Phuket airport recorded more than 28mm of rainfall during the storm. The Phuket Marine Office yesterday issued its own weather warning of heavy to very heavy rain in some areas of Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun. Nachaphong Pranit, Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office, also warned of strong waves rising above three metres during thunderstorms and called for all small boats to stay ashore. All boat operators were asked to be careful in their navigation. Small boats should not leave the shore from May 23 and check the ships readiness, Mr Nachaphong ordered. All boat operators were ordered to ensure that all life-saving emergency equipment was available and ready for use. Phuket Must Win on hold to counter outsiders registering for vaccination PHUKET: Phuket officials are scrambling to douse panic rising from people receiving official notices that their appointment to receive a vaccination injection through the governments mass-vaccination campaign had been cancelled. COVID-19CoronavirusVaccine By The Phuket News Monday 24 May 2021, 11:59AM Phuket Vice Governor Piyapong Choowong speaking during the live broadcast this morning (May 24). Screenshot: PR Phuket Through a live video broadcast online just after 7am today, Phuket Vice Governor Piyapong Choowong called the move a temporary suspension. The key motivation for the upheaval was that certain groups had complained to the Phuket Governor that people from outside Phuket were registering through Phuket Must Win[www..com] to receive a state-provided vaccine, Vice Governor Piyapong said. That may leave people in Phuket not being vaccinated, thus prompting Phuket Province [Phuket Provincial Government] to conduct a review of the information of people who have registered through Phuket Must Win, especially those who do not have a house registration in Phuket, [to check] whether they really work or live in Phuket or not and whether they have provided accurate and complete information, he added. Phuket Province, therefore, postponed the [vaccination injection] appointments of registrants not registered as living in Phuket from May 25 to allow such people to enter the review process and to make it clear that those people are actually working or living in Phuket. This may cause inconvenience to people, but I confirm that once you go through the eligibility review process, you will be offered a vaccination appointment next for sure, he said. However, those who have received the message to temporarily postpone your vaccination, please hurry and proceed with the steps recommended by Phuket Province, Vice Governor Piyapong urged. Of the people who have received such messages, people who work in Phuket are to present a formal document from the organisation or business they work for proving that they do so to the district office, local administrative organisation (OrBorTor) or municipality for the relevant area to confirm their right to register through Phuket Must Win, Vice Governor Piyapong explained. In case you are a self-employed person, please coordinate with your village headman in order to certify your right to register, then bring the certified documents to the district office, local administrative organisation (OrBorTor) or municipality to confirm your right to register through Phuket Must Win, he added. Phuket vaccinations will continue until June 16, Vice Governor Piyapong assured THE PANIC The move to suspend some peoples vaccination appointments follows officials on Saturday night (May 22) announcing that the Phuket Must Win vaccination registration web portal will no longer accept registrations from Thais from June 5, and no longer receive registrations of foreigners after tomorrow (May 25). Vice Governor Piyapong this morning gave no indication when the web portal will resume receiving registrations. Since that announcement the Official COVID-19 Information Center Phuket, operated by the Ministry of Interior Phuket office (also commonly called by officials Phuket Province, meaning the Phuket Provincial Government) has posted two clear warnings for people to not provide false information to to officials along with assurances that Phuket residents who have legitimately registered to receive a vaccination injection will be vaccinated. The centre issued an URGENT NOTICE yesterday afternoon announcing that vaccination appointments had been cancelled for people registered as living outside Phuket, effective from May 25 (tomorrow). The urgent notice called for people to confirm their right to register in the same manner as explained by Vice Governor Piyapong this morning. However, the urgent notice also warned that providing false information to officials was an offence under the Criminal Code punishable by up to six months imprisonment or a fine of up to B10,000, or both. Hours later, the centre issued another notice yesterday evening explaining the process for people to register. The centre issued another notice at 7am today, this time toning down its message, urging people to follow the steps instructed by Vice Governor Piyapong this morning. The centre issued yet another notice at 9am, urging people to not panic and follow the instructions given. MASS VACCINATION PLAN UPDATED Called in this morning to explain the ongoing mass-vaccination plan was Bhummikitti Raktaengam, President of the Phuket Tourist Association, who explained that the plan is to vaccinate people in Phuket in four groups: Group 1: 417,402 people registered as living in Phuket, minus 106,865 children under 18 years old, leaving 310,537 people to be vaccinated. The province aims to vaccinate 100% of this group. Group 2: Workers in tourism businesses who are not registered as living in Phuket, 94,100 people (100% vaccination required). Group 3 Workers in other businesses who are not registered as living in Phuket, 7,500 people (70% to be vaccinated, equivalent to 5,250 people). Group 4: 80,000 migrant workers (70% to be vaccinated, equivalent to 56,700). The breakdown gave a total of 466,587 people required to be vaccinated in order to reach the goal of inoculating 70% of people on the island, which will require 933,174 doses of the vaccine, Mr Bhummikitti said. Also present for the live broadcast this morning was Pracha Asawathira, Director of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency Phuket office. Mr Pracha maintained that registrations for people to receive a vaccination in Phuket must be made through the Phuket Must Win portal. He also repeated all the requirements for people not registered as living in Phuket as already explained by Vice Governor Piyapong. As for foreigners working for businesses or organisations registered in Phuket, register [through Phuket Must Win] for the type of organisation [the foreigner works for] and wait for the injection queue [scheduled appointment], Mr Pracha said. The system will have a SMS notification to select the next vaccination queue, he added. Todays briefing made no recognition announcement by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok on Friday that all expats in the country will be able to register for state-provided vaccination through on-site registration at public or private hospitals where the expats medical records are kept, or at any other venue designated by provincial health officials from June 7. Roanoke, AL (36274) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. @rachelravina on Twitter Rachel Ravina is a journalist covering news and lifestyle features in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Blue Bell and graduated from Penn State. She's also a news enthusiast who is passionate about covering topics people want to read. Media Content Creator Ian Ostroff is a writer/reporter who resides in Montreal. He is passionate about getting to know the people and places that make his hometown so great. In his spare time, you can find him at the gym, eating ice cream, or working on his novel(s). Please note The Sun Chronicle is providing this story and all of our local coronavirus coverage for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the pandemic. Please visit our dedicated coronavirus coverage page for more stories. If you'd like to support our mission, please subscribe. MANZINI Over 100 homesteads have been in darkness following challenges in getting electricity supply due to a dispute between the Moneni and Lwandle chiefdoms. Some residents who reside on Farm no.9, popularly known as The Peebles Block in Moneni, have been wrought with conflict following the long-standing dispute between Lwandle and Moneni areas. The Peebles Block is believed to be at the centre of both Moneni and Lwandle, and according to an order issued by Manzini Kings Liasion Officer Thamsanqa Thikazi, residents of Farm No. 9 are expected to pledge allegiance to the Lwandle umphakatsi. All along, Prince Mshoshi II, also known as Polycarp Dlamini, has been the overseer at Moneni, while Lwandle is under the leadership of Chief Nkamane Mkhatshwa. Moneni is the same area where there is contestation of a farm belonging to the King, known as Farm No.9. It is said Prince Mshoshi II and Chief Nkamane had allocated a piece of land to residents, while it was ruled that Chief Nkamane was the rightful authority to allocate the land. According to the court, residents of this area had to pay allegiance to Lwandle umphakatsi, due to the fact that most residents of Moneni had chief code from Lwandle. However, while the rulings were made and life appeared to return to normal, over 100 residents of Farm no. 9 have expressed their dissatisfaction at being sidelined when seeking certain services, such as obtaining letters to install electricity poles in their area. In 2017, some of the residents were allocated land in the area called Luhlelisweni by libandla, which was led by former Indvuna Yenkhundla Henry Nene, which is an area on Farm No.9, which is between Moneni and Masekweni. It is said that after being allocated the land, the residents went to the Moneni umphakatsi, which is overseen by Prince Mshoshi III, where they paid their allegiance in the form of E20 000, after which the plots were allocated. After a ceremony was held, the residents were advised to build structures on their plots, however, while building the structures, the residents claimed that police officers arrived, delivered summons to the effect that it was illegal for them to build structures when the land they were building on was unlawfully allocated to them. Those summons, it is alleged, were issued by officials from Lwandle, who alleged that the land had been wrongfully allocated to them. Confused about these latest developments, the residents are said to have then approached the Moneni chiefdom, where they questioned the former Indvuna about the allocation of the land. However, the former Indvuna is alleged to have assured them that the land was under Moneni chiefdom, and they should continue building the structures. More good news from the aviation industry. Some airlines are now contemplating weighing passengers prior to the flight. Im sure this will go over like a lead balloon and fly like one too. Humans have evolved over the years having gotten taller and wider. And its getting to the point that it is affecting fuel costs and how to properly distribute the load on ever-smaller airplanes. Theyve been doing this for years with our luggage and now were next. After all, arent some of us carrying some extra baggage like a spare tire already? One idea is to have the airlines do this by discretely putting a scale at the gate where you scan your ticket before boarding so as not to embarrass or offend anyone. It would secretly record your weight and feed it into the computer which calculates how much fuel the plane needs and if the pilot needs to redistribute any over-sized passengers causing an imbalance on one side of the plane. Officials say not to worry. The recorded results would be kept strictly confidential and only be accessible to airline employees, hackers on the dark web and probably Russia. I am reminded of other officials who swore up and down years ago our personal data held by the government was secure before turning over all of it to the Chinese. One suggestion is just to simply ask passengers how much they weigh. And if people lie about their weight the way they lie about their age, they should probably take what they tell them and add at least 50 lbs. All of this data will be used with existing data about luggage and cargo weight to determine how much fuel the pilot needs to request before takeoff and if he needs to use the extra long runway for take off. Lucky for us engines have consistently gotten bigger and that has managed to keep technology a little ahead of waistlines for the time being. Then theres the gender issue. Arent men generally heavier than women? And if weve all been paying the same for a ticket all these years, havent women been sub-sizing (I mean subsidizing) men for decades? Id say its high time for men to start pulling their weight and paying for it too. Another idea is to randomly select passengers and have their weight checked in the open. I can just see the new system running like a well-oiled machine. Hey you, chubby! Could I have your name please? Yes, Otis Beese. But I go by my first initial for my first name. OK, Mr. O. Beese, could you scan your ticket and step on the scale without breaking it, please? Sure. Just curious, how many pounds did it say? It didnt. It said, One at a time please. Plane-ly speaking, I think the new system is going to cause a lot of angst and consternation among the flying public. Nobody has asked the passengers how they feel about this, but Im sure theyd be happy to weigh in on the matter. Joe Crawford is a longtime Alton resident who writes weekly columns for The Telegraph. He can be contacted at crawfordjo@aol.com. ALTON A drive-up window is being added as part of the repairs to the fire-damaged Imos on Godfrey Road. On Monday, workers were removing blocks and cutting a hole in the north side of the restaurant at 2704 Godfrey Road for a drive-up window. The restaurant, owned by brothers Tyler and Thomas Shereck, formerly did not have a drive-up window. WOOD RIVER Only eight new confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases were reported Sunday by the Madison County Health Department. The figure is the lowest number of cases reported for any one day since four cases were reported on June 22. Additionally, the MCHD reported 556 tests on Sunday and 12 COVID-19 patients in Madison County hospitals, two on ventilators. On Monday the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 196,744 COVID-19 vaccinations so far in the county. IDPH officials said 96,475 county residents or 36.48% of the countys population are now fully vaccinated for COVID-19. The MCHD no longer releases daily COVID-19 vaccination numbers. The Telegraph will continue to report Madison County vaccination data as released by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Fifteen COVID-19 vaccination clinics are now planned by the MCHD through June 9. To schedule an appointment, people can click the green appointment link at www.madisonchd.org. People needing help scheduling appointments can call 618-692-8954 ext. 2 on Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The MCHD will accept walk-ins at the vaccination clinics, but appointments are requested. Vaccinations are available for people 12 and older. As of midnight Sunday 10,940,769 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 76,133 doses. More Information Vaccinations Total: 196,357 Fully: 96,321 (36.42%) Source: IDPH COVID-19 cases by county Madison - 30,233 (499 deaths) Jersey - 2,689 (49 deaths) Calhoun - 524 (5 deaths) Greene - 1,386 (48 deaths) Macoupin - 4,920 (113 deaths) Montgomery - 3,758 (73 deaths) St. Clair - 28,035 (517 deaths) Clinton - 5,772 (90 deaths) Bond - 2,072 (24 deaths) Monroe - 4,362 (94 deaths) Randolph - 4,141 (84 deaths) Washington - 1,647 (25 deaths) Source: IDPH & MCHD See More Collapse On Monday the IDPH reported 35.58% of the residents in Jersey County were fully vaccinated according to the IDPH. Other fully vaccinated rates were 30.05% in Calhoun County, 34.28% in Macoupin County and 26.15% in Greene County. No COVID-19 related deaths were reported Sunday by the MCHD, leaving the county total at 499. On Monday, the IDPH reported no additional COVID-19 related deaths in Madison County. To date, Madison County has recorded 30,233 cases and 326,100 tests. The IDPH on Monday reported 933 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 10 additional COVID-19 related deaths statewide. To date, the IDPH has reported 1,376,411 cases, including 22,633 deaths. Statewide there were 1,393 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Sunday night, including 334 in intensive care units and 180 on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from May 17-23 was 2.2%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity for the same period was 2.7%. The MCHD on Sunday reported a three-day positivity rate of 2.48%, a seven-day rate of 2.71% and a 10-day rate of 2.86%. For more COVID-19 information, visit https://coronavirus-response-madcoil.hub.arcgis.com/, www.madisonchd.org or Facebook @madisonchd. Also visit www.co.madison.il.us or Facebook @madisoncountyil for more vaccination news and daily updates. For The Telegraphs online vaccine tracker, visit https://www.thetelegraph.com/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker-alton-illinois/. For additional vaccine locations visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location. Local and statewide information also is available at www.dph.illinois.gov. Click the coronavirus banner. For health-related questions about COVID-19, people also can call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov. SPRINGFIELD Three Republican state Senators allege Gov. J.B. Pritzker is using a procedural maneuver to allow his Prisoner Review Board appointees to continue serving without undergoing the constitutional required confirmation process. State Sens. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, Steve McClure, R-Springfield, and Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, on Monday said four unconfirmed Prisoner Review Board members have served for more than two years. What we have here is an intentional tactic by the governor to skirt the process in an effort to hide these individuals from scrutiny, and the Senate Executive Appointments Committee is covering for him, said Plummer. How much longer are we going to allow these individuals to serve without ensuring that they go through the appropriate and constitutionally required process? Plummer asked. With just days left of session, the Chair of the Committee must schedule a hearing immediately. In March and April 2019, Pritzker appointed four people to the Prisoner Review Board. Under the Illinois Constitution, the appointees are to be confirmed by the state Senate within 60 session days of their appointment. Instead of the Senate Executive Committee taking up the individuals, Pritzker withdrew their nominations and then reappointed them days later resetting the 60 session-day clock. This week the Senate Executive Committee is slated to hold its 11th committee hearing since the Prisoner Review Board appointments were made. The Senate Executive Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 25 at 8:30 a.m. None of the Governors Prisoner Review Board appointees are scheduled to testify. Since their Prisoner Review Board appointments, 98 other state appointees have been nominated and confirmed to various boards and commissions. Another 82 have appeared in front of the committee and are on the Senate Calendar; 44 more are scheduled to appear in committee on Tuesday, May 25. These appointees are making life-altering, serious, and potentially dangerous decisions and have been for over two years all while never testifying before the Committee and never being confirmed by the Senate, said McClure. We have an obligation to uphold our constitutional duty. We must take up these individuals before leaving Springfield at the end of the month to prevent them from serving unconfirmed for another one or even two years. Legislation has been filed to require Prisoner Review Board members are confirmed by the Senate in a timely fashion. An appeals court upheld the conviction but vacated part of the six- to 12-year prison sentence of a former Army boot camp deserter who lied about his military service while stealing almost $17,000 from an American Legion post in South Scranton. State Superior Court sent the case against Christopher Michael Crawford, 33, back to Lackawanna County Court for resentencing after finding some of his charges should have merged for sentencing purposes. Judge Vito Geroulo, who presided over Crawfords nonjury trial in February 2020, found the West Scranton man guilty of theft and other charges for stealing $16,701 from American Legion Post 568 in Minooka by using post debit cards to make unauthorized withdrawals and purchases while serving as an officer in 2019. Crawford was also convicted of lying about his veteran status. He presented himself to Post 568 as a combat-wounded Iraq War veteran, but service records showed he received an other than honorable discharge after he went AWOL from an Army boot camp in 2007. Geroulo sentenced him last May to six to 12 years in prison, including a total of five to 10 years of imprisonment on two counts of receiving stolen property, plus a total of four years of probation on two counts of theft by unlawful taking. He received an additional one to two years in prison on the stolen valor-related charges. In remanding the case to Geroulo for resentencing, a three-judge Superior Court panel agreed with Crawford that the county court should have merged the receiving stolen property and theft offenses for sentencing. In each case, the charges arose from a single criminal act and (Crawfords) intent was the same, the appeals court found. No date for Crawfords resentencing was set as of late last week, according to Geroulos office. Superior Court shot down the rest of Crawfords arguments, including a contention that the Pennsylvania law criminalizing misrepresentation of past military service is unconstitutional. Crawford argued the statute is vague because it doesnt clearly define who qualifies as a veteran and is overly broad by criminalizing First Amendment-protected free speech. In a pointed rejection of the vagueness argument, Superior Court said veteran refers to someone who has actively and honorably served in the military. This definition would exclude those who have been discharged prior to finishing boot camp, and certainly those who have received something other than an honorable discharge after going AWOL before that initial training has been completed such persons have not yet undertaken any active military service, the court said. The judges said there was every indication from Crawfords conduct that he knew his real background fell short of qualifying him as a veteran. Otherwise he would not have lied about it, the court said. The court also found no merit in Crawfords free speech claim. Pennsylvanias statute is narrowly tailored to criminalize speech and impersonation done with the intent to obtain some benefit, such as Crawfords deceitful statements about past military service, the court said. The prohibited conduct is a form of fraud, which has historically been unprotected speech under the First Amendment, the judges said. Borough police are asking for the public's help in locating a missing woman. Shelli Prynkiewicz, 32, who lived on South State Street before recently moving to Philadelphia, was last seen Wednesday in the Kensington area of Philadelphia, Police Chief Chris Yarns said. She left behind all of her personal effects, including her phone and identification, he said. Yarns, whose department has been in contact with Philadelphia police, said it's possible Prynkiewicz may try to contact friends in the Clarks Summit area. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to call borough police at 570-587-3026 or the Lackawanna County Communications Center at 570-342-9111, he said. May 24, 1911 Vreeland addresses banking institute The Honorable Edward B. Vreeland, U.S. representative from New York and vice chair of the national monetary commission, was the guest speaker at the seventh annual banquet of the Scranton Chapter of the American Institute of Banking at the Hotel Casey. During his talk, he told the 200 local bank officials and employees that financial panics had cost the United States more money than all the wars the country has engaged in. He said, Defective currency laws are responsible almost entirely for these financial convulsions which sweep the country every 10 years, leaving devastation in their wake. They usually start as nothing, yet they throw men idle, cause banks to fail, factories to close down and even railroads to go into the hands of receivers. Vreeland suggested that establishing a central bank would help to control the financial panics. Catholic charities got $78,943 in 1910 The Rev. A.J. Brennan, S.T.D, chancellor of the Diocese of Scranton, released details on how much money in 1910 was donated to the dioceses charities and how the money was used. That year, $78,943.37 was donated to help support the dioceses charities House of the Good Shepherd, St. Patricks Orphanage, St. Josephs Foundling Home, Maloney Home for the Aged, St. Vincent de Paul Society and Cathedral Parish. House of the Good Shepherd and St. Josephs both received state funding, plus Poor Board payments totaling $5,961. The largest portion of the funds was directed to operation of the House of Good Shepherd, followed by Maloney Home, St. Josephs, St. Patricks, St. Vincent and the Cathedral Parish. In 1910, the House of Good Shepherd had 60 students in its care, and the St. Josephs Foundling Home took care of 307 babies. Democratic Rep. Leslie Herod had no luck persuading her colleagues in the Colorado Legislature to ban police from using chokeholds after the death of a 23-year-old Black man in suburban Aurora in 2019. She couldnt gather enough support to even introduce a police reform bill that included a ban. That changed when George Floyd died after being pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer and the video set off a summer of protests over police killings and racial injustice. Within a month of Floyds death, Colorado lawmakers took the step they had avoided after the death of Elijah McClain and approved a ban on chokeholds as part of broader police reform legislation. The law overrode more limited chokehold restrictions that were put in place four years earlier. Making it clear that is completely banned in all circumstances has the potential to save lives, said Herod, who is Black. Colorado is among several states to prohibit or severely limit the use of chokeholds and neck restraints by police officers in the year since the world watched Floyd plead for air as he was pinned under the knee of former officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murder and manslaughter last month. At least 17 states, including Minnesota, have enacted legislation to ban or restrict the practice, according to data provided to The Associated Press by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Before Floyd was killed, only two states, Tennessee and Illinois, had bans on police hold techniques that restrict the airway or blood flow to the brain when pressure is applied to the neck. A majority of the bans enacted over the past year are in states controlled politically by Democrats, as Colorado is. They include California, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia, among others. This past week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a broad legislative package that will implement numerous police accountability and reform measures, including an outright ban on chokeholds and neck restraints. The efforts also have generated support among some Republicans. Bans or restrictions have been signed into law by GOP governors in Massachusetts and Vermont, which have Democratic legislatures, and have passed in fully Republican-controlled states such as Indiana, Iowa and Utah. Just a month after Floyds death, Utah lawmakers voted to ban knee-to-neck chokeholds, though the legislation stopped short of a ban on all types of neck restraints. The bill was sponsored by Democratic Rep. Sandra Hollins, the only Black member of the Utah Legislature. Our community is feeling unsafe, Hollins said at the time. Thats why youre seeing the protests. They are in fear of their lives. This bill sends a very powerful message as legislators saying, We hear you, and were going to do something about it. Many of the new laws include criminal penalties for officers if a chokehold or neck restraint leads to death or injury, unless they can show it was necessary to protect their life or someone elses. In Vermont, officers can face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. Those consequences are important to gain compliance, said Lorenzo Boyd, director of the Center for Advanced Policing at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. If we say chokeholds are prohibited, police will still use chokeholds, he said. If we say, Chokeholds are now felonies and if you use a chokehold we can now prosecute you, I think that would change the narrative. Floyds death was not the first police case involving a neck restraint to capture wide public attention. In 2014, a New York City police officer put Eric Garner in what appeared to be a chokehold while arresting him on suspicion of illegally selling cigarettes on Staten Island. On amateur video, Garner can be heard saying I cant breathe. While the city had previously banned chokeholds, no statewide legislation followed Garners death. It wasnt until the Floyd killing that the New York Legislature passed a bill to effectively ban police use of chokeholds and make it a felony. The lawmaker who pushed the ban said a similar bill introduced in 2014, shortly after Garner died, failed to gain traction. When I came to the Senate, I came looking for this bill, state Sen. Brian Benjamin said of the legislation he introduced in 2019. But it wasnt until George Floyds murder occurred that the nationwide, global energy around Weve got to do something, really changed the dynamics in New York. When asked to speculate why the Legislature didnt act after the Garner death, Benjamin said there was room for detractors to give the officer the benefit of the doubt. He said what happened in Minneapolis was different. With the Floyd video, theres absolutely no wiggle room of any kind around the evilness of what was happening there, he said.The legislation related to chokeholds and neck restraints is part of a broader effort in many states to address police procedures, training and discipline since Floyds death. Since May 2020, at least 67 police reforms have been signed into law in 25 states related to specific topics the National Conference of State Legislatures analyzed at the APs request. In addition to neck restraints and chokeholds, the laws address police-worn body cameras; disciplinary and personnel records; independent investigations of officer conduct; use of force restrictions; qualified immunity; and no-knock warrants. At least 13 states enacted restrictions on officer use-of-force and at least eight have implemented laws beefing up officer reviews and investigations, according to the NCSL data. While the Floyd killing prompted reforms in many states, legislatures elsewhere took no action or went the other direction and gave police even more authority. City police and county sheriffs departments also have wide leeway to set many of their own rules, including around use-of-force. A number of large cities and police departments banned or restricted the use of chokeholds even before Floyd was killed. But officers still employed the technique and used it disproportionately against Black men, said Paul Weber, a former federal prosecutor and author of the book, Chokehold: Policing Black Men. Even in jurisdictions where restraints and chokeholds are banned, as a practical matter theres no consequence when officers engage in those bad practices, Weber said. A statewide ban would apply to more departments but again, the policies arent going to be more effective than the enforcement. Associated Press writers Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Sophia Eppolito in Salt Lake City contributed to this report. Amiri, Eppolito and Fassett are corps members for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd MBABANE Lawyers are not warming to the idea of having a politician appoint a tribunal to deal with attorneys who commit misconduct. Section 44(1) of The Legal Practitioners Bill, 2020, which is still at draft level, states that, for the purpose of exercising disciplinary control and other powers conferred by this Act, there is established a disciplinary tribunal which shall be appointed by the minister (of Justice and Constitutional Affairs). Part (a) to (d) Section 44(1) states that the disciplinary tribunal shall consists of a chairperson, who, under the Constitution, qualified to be appointed a judge of the High Court; two members recommended by the council (of the Law Society) among members of the Law Society by council who have practised as a lawyer in Eswatini for at least 10 years post admission; one nominated by the attorney general with at least 10 years experience post admission and two members who shall be qualified in accounting or administration. Regulations According to Section 44(2), the procedure of the tribunal shall be prescribed under regulations made by the minister in consultation with the chairperson of the tribunal, the council and attorney general. The members of the tribunal shall be entitled to such allowance as may be determined by the council from time to time, reads Subsection 3. Functions of the tribunal, among others, include hearing and determining all charges of professional misconduct, to summarily dismiss a complaint which lacks any merit and to record any settlement reached between a practitioner and a complainant. Last Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and lawyers met at the SMVAF Office Park to discuss the Legal Practitioners Bill. The Principal Secretary in the ministry, Lorraine Hlophe, made a presentation on the Bill and the lawyers, according to Vice President of the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) Sidumo Mdladla, are yet to meet on their own to deliberate on the draft Bill and report back to the ministry. During the presentation, Advocate Patrick Flynn said it was unfortunate to place the appointment of the disciplinary tribunal in the hands of the minister. The difficulty I have with that is the independence of the legal profession on having the minister appointing people to the tribunal. So, I think we as a law society need to possibly come up with suggestions. I dont believe that it is a good idea to remove the appointment of the tribunal from under the profession and place it in the hands of a politician, no matter how good the minister is; it is unfortunate, said Flynn. The realization that 10 years and hundreds of hours of work will soon be a reality finally set in for Olyphant artist Mark Zinskie when he broke ground on a miniature park for his Freedom Fighter monument. It hit me, and it hit me just now, Zinskie said during a phone interview Thursday. I started crying just now. Zinskie spent an estimated 440 hours sculpting a 6-foot-tall statue of a Gulf War soldier, which was then cast in stainless steel. He started the project in 2011. The statue will stand atop a black granite base laser etched to resemble Desert Storm camouflage, but the statue is meant to honor all modern-day soldiers. Initially, plans called for the monument to be placed at the Queen City Station on Lackawanna Avenue in the center of Olyphant, but it will now stand guard behind the Borough Building on Willow Avenue. In March, the borough demolished the former Olyphant Hose Company 2 firehouse in the rear of 113 Willow Ave. with plans to turn it into a parking lot with spaces for disabled parking. However, borough council will use a portion of the lot for a small park dedicated to the monument, council President Jimmy Baldan said. Council made its decision after the borough manager and borough engineer pointed out they could still have plenty of room for disabled parking while also creating a park for residents, he said. They could go pay their respects. They could rest when they come in and out of the Borough Building, Baldan said, explaining people often walk to the building. It just makes an enjoyable entranceway into the borough. Plans for the veterans park include a green space, benches, a tree or two, a flagpole, lighting, memorial pavers and the monument, said Kim Onda Atkinson, coordinator of the Freedom Fighter Committee. There will be two black granite benches, one engraved with the Lackawanna County logo as a thank you to county commissioners for their help with the project, and the other with Olyphants logo to thank borough council, Atkinson said. They want to really make it welcoming and a place where people can park, walk out, contemplate, read the bricks, visit the Freedom Fighter and just relax, she said. Atkinson said she had worried about placing the monument at the train station. She noted both the location, which made it less accessible for people to park and walk up to it, and the worst-case scenario of a train derailment damaging it. This is the best choice, she said. At the Borough Building, there will also be security cameras monitoring the statue, Baldan said. To fund the project, the committee has raised about $75,000, including selling memorial pavers, Atkinson said. So far, they have 250 orders for the bricks, which require a $100 donation, and Atkinson estimated the park can fit about 1,000. Were pretty much very well where we need to be, she said. Organizers initially hoped to have the project completed by Sept. 12, 2020, but COVID-19 stalled those plans. Now, Atkinson hopes to open the park in either the second or third week of September to coincide with President Joe Bidens announcement to withdraw all U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan by Sept. 11. In the hours leading up to the parks groundbreaking last week, Zinskie spent the day reflecting on soldiers he spoke to who served throughout Desert Storm. I started thinking again about what inspired me to do the artwork in the first place, he said. I just keep thinking of my experiences chatting with guys that went through some hell in the desert, and it is absolutely dedicated to them. Scranton School Board President Katie Gilmartin effectively won reelection Tuesday by winning the nominations of both major parties for a four-year term and for a two-year term. She withstood a vigorous effort to oust her led by the teachers union and others who oppose the state-mandated recovery plan under which the district operates. School board and judicial candidates are allowed to file for both nominations under the theory that political affiliation shouldnt have a role in school and court governance. That, of course, does not match reality especially regarding school boards because a candidates political affiliation is one indicator of how they might act in office. But the practice is useful in illustrating another folly of Pennsylvania election law. The commonwealth is one of just nine state governments that do not allow third-party or unaffiliated voters to vote for major party candidates in primary elections. Because Gilmartin, for example, in effect has been reelected, the closed primary has in effect disenfranchised Scranton independent voters. They can vote for or against her in the fall but the reality is that the die is cast. So, the state allows cross-filing to diminish the importance of political affiliation. But voters who have no political affiliation arent allowed to vote. Welcome to Pennsylvania. In primary elections, unaffiliated and third-party voters are allowed to cast ballots only on referendums. (They were allowed to vote Tuesday in the 22nd Senatorial District race, but that was a special election rather than a primary.) Statewide, primary disenfranchisement can only grow because more and more voters register as unaffiliated. According to the state Department of State, 1,272,122 of the states 8,758,376 registered voters, 14.5%, are unaffiliated or members of minor parties. On Election Day, Republican state Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County introduced a bill that would allow unaffiliated or third-party voters to declare a party and vote in its primary on primary election day. Most other states have such systems, some that go even further in opening primaries to all voters. Doing so here would invigorate the process and make candidates accountable to a larger swath of the electorate. Lawmakers should open the process. London, KY (40741) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. MARISSA BERGEL, Wheeler softball, senior: Bergel hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning to lift Wheeler past Holy Cross, 9-7, in the Class S state tournament. The hit was part of a five-run rally in the inning. JOEY GUARNIERI, Westerly track & field, senior: Guarnieri placed first in two sprints at the Southern Division championships. He won the 100 (11.19) and the 200 (22.73). JOSH MOONEY, Stonington track & field, sophomore: Mooney placed first in the 110 hurdles at the Class M state meet in 14.65. He also finished second in the 300 hurdles (39.87) and second in the javelin (160-0). MARGARET WEEDEN, Chariho track & field, junior: Weeden finished first in the high jump at the Southern Division championships. Weeden cleared 5-1 and also placed sixth in the triple jump at 31-5. Vote View Results Home bias offers some natural advantages, in terms of local knowledge and being invested in your own currency. But there are clear downsides to focusing too narrowly on one market, which defies the usual investing wisdom to spread your risk, and cuts you off from valuable opportunities. We asked financial experts how investors should approach splitting an Isa portfolio between the UK and the rest of the world. They discuss the pros and cons of home bias, how much domestic exposure is about right considering the UK only represents around 5 per cent of the world market, and whether it's a good time to be 'overweight' in local investments. Domestic outlook: How should investors approach splitting an Isa portfolio between the UK and the rest of the world? What are the advantages of 'home bias' towards the UK? Knowledge: 'Its no bad thing to know and understand the companies you invest in, which is often the reason investors skew their portfolios towards their home market at the expense of other regions,' says Ed Monk, associate director of personal investing at Fidelity International. Special features: The risk from home bias is reduced somewhat because the UK market includes many large companies which earn their money around the world, notes Monk. He says: 'As much as 70 per cent of the earnings of FTSE 100 companies are made overseas - so when you buy a slice of the UK market you are actually getting exposure to the growth in many other economies as well.' Monk adds that the UK market has high exposure to sectors like commodities, financials and consumer staples, which have defensive characteristics that do well during certain periods. For example, he says home bias worked in investors' favour for several years after the financial crisis, but the picture has become less rosy in the past few years as the rapid rise of US tech companies has left the UK in its wake, including during the pandemic. Dividends: The sectors mentioned above have also historically paid a good income, which has made the UK appealing to many small investors, says Monk. They might either want the income, or like the stability that dividends provide to a total return when they are reinvested, he explains. Ed Monk: 'Its no bad thing to know and understand the companies you invest in' Iain Barnes, head of portfolio management at Netwealth, points out that the larger UK stocks represented by the FTSE 100 now offer twice the level of dividend yield as the US stock market. In the US, companies tend to reinvest their profits more readily for future growth, rather than distribute them to investors, he says. 'At times, this dependability of cashflow is sought after, although we would be wary of any concentrated strategy that relies on the dividends of any one company, as accidents can happen.' Currency: Currency management is key to prospective returns, and UK equity allocations are an effective lever to control exposure to currency risk, according to Barnes. 'Investing on an international basis brings either an additional layer of currency risk or the additional cost of hedging,' he says. 'That said, looking under the bonnet of a UK fund is key to understanding where many of the global companies that make up the FTSE 100 earn their revenues, as that will influence the dynamic between currency movements and companies share prices.' What are the disadvantages of favouring your home market? Opportunity: 'A higher international weighting over the past 10 or 25 years has made little difference to a portfolios volatility while giving one access to a much wider universe of stocks,' says Rupert Thompson, chief investment officer at Kingswood. Will Hobbs, chief investment officer at Barclays Wealth & Investments, says geographical bias not only limits your opportunities, but also skews a portfolio towards certain sectors and styles which can have a significant impact on performance. Iain Barnes: Political uncertainty and sluggish economic growth have caused international investors to ignore FTSE firms 'The more narrow you fashion your investment net, the more likely you will miss or only partially gather the incoming profits haul. The other linked point is associated with risks. 'Not only do you narrow your return horizons by focusing on the overly familiar, but you concentrate the idiosyncratic risks you are exposed to - political, economic and beyond.' Winners: Thompson says UK investors with a greater international weighting in their portfolio would have had more exposure to the big winner of the last decade the tech sector, in which he says the UK is 'woefully underweight'. 'Maintaining an exposure to the key long term growth areas be it tech or now climate change is at least as important as having the right regional exposure.' Innovation: 'History has shown that the next technological breakthrough could come from anywhere, at any time, and from anyone. As such, focusing on one particular country, sector or company, may inhibit your return prospects,' says Hobbs. How much should you allocate to the UK? 'While the decision to overweight the UK is important, an equally crucial but sometimes overlooked consideration is the appropriate neutral allocation to base an overweight on,' says Thompson. 'The UK now only accounts for no more than 4 per cent of the global equity index and a critical judgement is how large a home bias is justified. 'We believe an appropriate neutral UK allocation is no more than 25 per cent, whereas traditionally it has been allocated as much as 50 per cent.' Ed Monk, of Fidelity, says that while the UK only makes up around 5 per cent of the global stock market by value, many investors would see that as quite low exposure to their home market. He puts the proportion investors should aim for just above this, saying: 'Between 5 per cent and 10 per cent is a typical allocation. 'If youre confident in the UK, an allocation at the top of this range, with a tilt towards mid and small-sized companies, makes sense.' Is it a good time to give a heavier weighting to the UK? Rupert Thompson: UK is 'woefully underweight' in the big winner of the last decade the tech sector The UK market is cheap compared with the rest of the world, and the economy is on the cusp of a sharp rebound after the rapid vaccine roll-out, says Rupert Thompson of Kingswood. 'That said, with 75 per cent of FTSE 100 revenues coming from overseas, the primary reason for overweighting the UK is its cheapness, unless one is focusing on the more domestic-oriented areas of the market such as small and mid-cap stocks.' Iain Barnes says at the moment, Netwealth portfolios are exposed to the small and medium-sized companies in the FTSE 250 index. 'Political uncertainty and sluggish economic growth have caused international investors to ignore these companies which are more geared to the domestic outlook that we think is now improving.' Monk says: 'The situation right now, with Britain among the first countries to roll out vaccines, means the UK is trading on a valuation that seems at odds with the countrys immediate prospects. 'The IMF expects a 5.3 per cent rise in GDP this year, faster than for advanced economies generally. 'UK shares are cheap, however you choose to measure them. Against earnings, against assets and notably when compared with dividends, even after last years cut in payouts. Home bias to the UK may not be the worst idea.' Top British companies have been forced to pump 200billion into their pension schemes to avoid a drop in funding, figures reveal. Law firm Lane Clark & Peacock said the sum equivalent to the economic output of Czechia was needed to counter tumbling share prices and bond yields. 'Running just to stand still': Law firm Lane Clark & Peacock said the 200billion sum was needed to counter tumbling share prices and bond yields It warned that firms were 'running just to stand still' and that the overall surplus stood at just 10billion in 2020 broadly similar to 2007. The findings come amid fears that forthcoming changes to pension regulations could worsen the situation. Firms may have to double their pension contributions and prioritise them over other demands such as dividend payments. LCP partner Jonathan Griffith said further 'challenges on the horizon' included market volatility and the uncertainty of the impact of Covid on life expectancies. Bitcoin was dealt a fresh blow after HSBC's chief executive declared the bank would not touch it. Noel Quinn said the lender will not offer the crypto-currency to clients, blaming its volatility and lack of transparency. The stance is in contrast to rivals such as Goldman Sachs, which in March started a crypto-currency trading desk, while established fund management giants like Fidelity are offering bitcoin to clients. Crypto snub: HSBC chief exec Noel Quinn said the lender will not offer Bitcoin to clients, blaming its volatility and lack of transparency Quinn said: 'Given the volatility we are not into bitcoin as an asset class. If our clients want to be there then of course they are, but we are not promoting it as an asset class within our wealth management business. 'I view bitcoin as more of an asset class than a payments vehicle, with very difficult questions about how to value it on the balance sheet of clients because it is so volatile.' Quinn added that his sceptical attitude towards crypto-currencies arose from the difficulty of working out who owns them, which could leave the bank vulnerable to money laundering. Bitcoin prices have fluctuated wildly in recent weeks. In April the coin was closing in on the $65,000 mark but it was trading at around $31,000 over the weekend. Last night it was worth around $37,600. The decision by HSBC is another blow to the currency after Tesla chief executive Elon Musk last week backtracked on previous statements allowing the electric car maker's customers to buy its vehicles using bitcoin. Musk had been one of Bitcoin's biggest fans with Tesla snapping up 1billion worth in February. Last Wednesday China's three main financial watchdogs also banned its banks, insurers and payments firms from processing transactions in bitcoin. The virtual coins were not 'real currency' and 'should not and cannot be used as currency in the market', the regulators said, warning that 'speculative trading' was 'disrupting the financial order'. The People's Bank of China's said in a statement that financial and payment institutions should not accept crypto-currencies as payment or offer services and products related to them. Virtual currency 'is not a real currency' and 'should not and cannot be used as currency in the market', the bank said. The Chinese have historically taken a hard line to crypto-currency trading, worried that the asset class encourages money laundering. In 2017 China closed the country's bitcoin exchanges, which had previously accounted for the majority of global trading. Nevertheless more than 75 per cent of bitcoin mining when new bitcoins are entered into circulation around the world is still done in China. Some of HSBC's largest customers are in China and so it comes as no surprise that the bank and the government are aligned. Sanjeev Gupta has put seven UK factories up for sale as he tries to save his Liberty Steel Group from collapse. The troubled metals tycoon, who is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), wants to get rid of the giant speciality steel plant in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire, which employs 762. He will also look to sell plants in West Bromwich and Brinsworth, South Yorkshire, which together employ another 268 workers, as he attempts to hold the core of his business together. Sanjeev Gupta wants to get rid of the giant speciality steel plant in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire, which employs 762 Liberty part of Gupta's GFG Alliance has also kicked off the sale of its Aluminium Technologies business, which operates plants in Kidderminster, Coventry and Witham in Essex, and its Pressing Solutions business in Coventry. Together these businesses provide jobs for another 475 workers. The near-collapse of Liberty, which has sent shockwaves through Britain's steel industry, came after its major lender Greensill tumbled into administration in March. Gupta, 50, is being investigated by the SFO over 'suspected fraud, fraudulent trading and money laundering' and GFG's financing arrangements with Greensill. The planned sale of various Liberty plants came after representatives from Credit Suisse, which is owed millions of pounds by GFG through Greensill, met with Gupta in Dubai where he has holed up during the pandemic. In tense talks throughout the weekend, Credit Suisse and Gupta (pictured) made 'significant progress' in agreeing a deal to get the bank and its clients their money back. But in the towns where Liberty employs hundreds of staff, workers were nervous about what the break-up of the company might mean for their livelihoods. Miriam Cates, Tory MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: 'This is clearly an anxious time for steel makers in Stocksbridge, their families, and our community, and I will be available to talk to steelworkers and union reps at the plant this week. 'I believe passionately that there is a strong future for steelmaking in Stocksbridge, and I will do everything I can to work with the Government and Liberty to find the right buyer.' She said she had written to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, urging him to 'intervene to help find a suitable buyer for the site'. Clive Royston, who sits on the national executive council for industrials union Community and has been a steelworker at Stocksbridge since 1978, said it had become 'quite clear that [Gupta] doesn't want us'. Royston added: 'He's had us for four years and he's not been a bad employer he's never missed payments or anything. But I don't think he's ever really understood how Stocksbridge works we're a speciality business.' Stocksbridge makes metals and special alloys for the aerospace and vehicle industries. Royston said there were worries about who might buy the plant, and urged the Government to be ready to step in if the factory needed a cash injection to keep going. The Chinese owner of British Steel, Jingye Group, is understood to be eyeing some Liberty assets, but has not yet made a formal announcement of its interest. Though Stocksbridge was the biggest steel plant in the Liberty group, Gupta said it was 'not core to the 'Greensteel' vision of Liberty'. Under this plan, he is aiming to turn Liberty into a carbon-neutral business by 2030. Selling the Stocksbridge plant, or running it as a joint venture with another firm, would reduce the amount of cash that Liberty would have to pour into running it meaning Gupta's group should have more money available to repay its creditors, including Credit Suisse. The bank is in 'advanced discussions' with Gupta over an agreement that will see it halt legal action against Liberty's Primary Metals Australia business, while the division refinances so it can pay Credit Suisse back in full. The two parties also made 'significant progress' in agreeing a framework to get Credit Suisse its money back from other GFG firms. Tifton, GA (31794) Today Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tifton, GA (31794) Today Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Here Interview: Love for people makes Chinese communists' source of strength, says French party chief Xinhua) 10:19, May 24, 2021 BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese communists have accomplished great achievements in the country's development by living up to their all-for-the-people commitment, Jacques Cheminade, chairman of the French political party Solidarity and Progress, recently told Xinhua via video link. For the Communist Party of China (CPC), loving people is not only a political commitment, but also the source of strength, said Cheminade. In his view, a political party must know well about and be linked to the history of its own country, which is exactly what the CPC has been doing. "In China, there is a vision of the future nourished by the past, by the Chinese history," said the party leader, referring to the Belt and Road Initiative as a case in point. In 2019, Cheminade visited China for the first time and participated in the Euro-Asia Economic Forum in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. During the trip, he noticed that people's living standards in this country had been growing incredibly fast and that local people were more optimistic about their future compared with people in the West. Talking about relations between France and China, Cheminade expressed his hope that the two countries could forge a more rational and active link in safeguarding multilateralism. "It is by building multilateralism through different ways that we will achieve the same commitment to the development of all," he said. In March, Cheminade co-signed a declaration with experts from different countries, calling on the West to face up to China's development achievements and to strengthen cooperation with the Asian country. Denouncing the anti-China propaganda organized by some Western countries, Cheminade stressed that China has never imposed its own political system on other countries. In dealing with adverse situations created by the West, China has also been showing patience and good political will, he added, expressing appreciation for "the sense of common welfare" of the CPC and the Chinese people. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) Zain Group, a leading telecom innovator in seven markets across the Middle East and Africa, announces the launch of Rise, a groundbreaking mental health initiative for Zain personnel, and the brainchild of Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi. The timely introduction of Rise coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month 2021, which runs the course of May. The pioneering initiative within Zain is one of the first such programmes to be offered across a private organisation in the Middle East region and is aimed at creating a more inclusive organisation that considers and supports its employees given rising work pressures in modern commercial environments and at a time when Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on working norms. Zain firmly believes that when leaders actively engage in mindfulness practices, the psychological capital of an organisation rises. It is expected that Rise will increase employee retention, loyalty, morale and engagement as well as reduce medical costs and employee absenteeism. Two activities that will immediately be available under the new initiative include a Group-wide subscription to Headspace for all Zains 7,000 employees, and mental health counselling and therapy from psychologists provided either in-person in Kuwait or virtually across six other operating markets in partnership with Kuwait Counselling Centre (KCC). Commenting on the Rise initiative Al-Kharafi said: We consider our peoples mental health as our psychological capital. Throughout our history, Zain has shown time and again that we are not afraid to tackle sensitive or taboo issues. Given the ongoing pandemic and its resulting disruption to working norms and rising levels of uncertainty in normal life, we have identified mental health issues for our people as an important area to be managed. Al Kharafi continued: Our greatest asset is our people, and for Zain to remain successful, we need to make the conditions of employment as supportive and uplifting as possible. We are determined to confront all our peoples mental issues head-on and remedy through Rise, ensuring they love their work and perform at optimal levels. Headspace is a global leader in mindfulness and meditation, with more than 70 million members across 190 countries. Headspace was one of the first meditation apps in the world and remains a leader in mindfulness and mental training through its app and online content offerings that cover everything from stress, movement, sleep, focus and more. Headspace for Work (H4W) is its science-based employee mental health solution, working with more than 2,000 companies to help them build healthier, more productive cultures and higher performing organisations. H4W is an upstream, preventative workplace mental health solution that focuses on keeping healthy people healthy, not just on treating the unwell. Jolawn Victor, Chief International Officer at Headspace said: We are delighted and honoured to work with Zain on their Rise initiative. The last year has exacerbated the challenge of balancing our work and home lives and we believe in the need to integrate well-being routines across all 24 hours of the day, not just during business hours or when we finish work. Mindfulness has many scientifically proven benefits, and we are thrilled that Zain leadership is prioritising their teams mental health and leading the way for other organisations in the region. Kuwait Counselling Centre is one of the regions leading psychological centres providing psycho-educational, comprehensive assessments, therapy, training services for more than 10 years. KCCs corporate programmes have served more than 30 multinational companies and will now be working on assisting and educating staff at Zain with personal and work-related problems on destressing techniques, mindfulness, and ways to create a calmer, more productive working environment. Dr Joanne Hands, Clinical Director of Kuwait Counselling Centre and President of the Middle East Psychological Association said: Your current emotional circumstances should not limit where you can go, they tell you where you need to start. You are not alone! We firmly believe that addressing workplace mental wellbeing can help strengthen the positive, protective factors of employment and reduce risk factors for mental illness and burnout and improve general health and productivity. We are delighted to partner with Zain and support this unique initiative which will set the standards for corporate wellbeing and mental health in the region. Among early initiatives being introduced under Rise, Zain will roll out mandatory 15-minute breaks during working days between 10am and 3pm to afford staff the opportunity to access content from Headspace. Moreover, both Headspace and KCC will provide therapy to Zain personnel to overcome: Stress and burnout; Family problems; Substance abuse; Eating disorders; Depression and Anxiety. Absenteeism is often a by-product of negative working environments created by stressful conditions, do end up costing the organisation as a result of lost working hours. Working from home, as many of people are being forced to do given the pandemic, gives rise to stresses of its own, be it a sense of isolation or disconnection, or difficulty in managing how and when to transition from work to personal time while occupying the same space. The issue of well-being at work and the effects of the negative environment that can be created by stress was articulated in a study by workforce consulting firm Life Meets Work, which revealed that when manager and leaders are stressed, their anxiety can be felt across the entire organisation, often to the point where good employees will walk away from a job to save their own health. The study also found that when leaders fail to manage their stress in a constructive way, more than 50% of their employees perceive their leader as harmful or ineffective. Further, when leaders are unable to manage stress, employees lose their drive to advance within the company. One of the most effective ways to manage stress is through mindfulness, which relates to a mental state achieved by focusing ones awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting ones feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. In due course, Zain intends to evolve the Rise initiative to also include use of Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health in line with the companys 4Sight digital transformation strategy. -- TradeArabia News Service remaining of SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. How Does Your Newspaper Get to You? ... I am particularly proud and grateful of all the extraordinary people that I met and worked with in my 35 years at Stages. - Michael Hamilton Myanmars state television on Monday aired pictures of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time since a military coup nearly four months ago, showing her first in-person court appearance since her arrest. MRTV in its nightly news bulletin showed Suu Kyi, 75, in the dock sitting upright with her hands in her lap and wearing a surgical mask. Beside her was ousted President Win Myint and another defendant, former Naypyitaw mayor Myo Aung, as two police officers stood behind them. Suu Kyi looked in good health during a 30-minute meeting with her legal team, but said she had no access to newspapers in detention and was only partially aware of what was happening outside, her legal team head, Khin Maung Zaw, told Reuters. This image breaks my heart, said one Twitter user identified as Nay Win Aung, in one of a series of similar posts reacting to the pictures of Suu Kyi in court. Another user, Su Mon Hlaing, said: I love Mother Aung San Suu Kyi, we stand with our leaders, we want our country back. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, for decades the figurehead of Myanmars struggle for democracy, is among more than 4,000 people arrested since the Feb. 1 coup. The latest include an American journalist Danny Fenster, 37, who was detained on Monday as he tried to board a flight out of Myanmar, his news organisation said. Suu Kyi is being prosecuted in cases in two courts, for offences that range from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating a state secrets law, punishable by 14 years in prison. The military has also accused her of taking bribes. Myanmar has been in chaos since the army took power on Feb 1, with daily protests, marches and strikes nationwide against the junta, which has struggled to impose order as opposition against it grows. It has responded with lethal force, killing more than 800 people, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. Suu Kyi wished people good health in her meeting with her lawyers and also made a reference to her National League for Democracy (NLD) party that could be dissolved soon. Our party grew out of the people so it will exist as long as people support it, Khin Maung Zaw quoted Suu Kyi as saying. The presiding judge adjourned the session until June 7, the lawyer said. Myanmars junta-appointed election commission will dissolve the NLD on the grounds that its victory in a November election was secured by fraud, media reported on Friday, quoting a commissioner, who threatened action against traitors. The accusations had been dismissed by the former election commission. LIMITED INFORMATION Suu Kyi said the only information she received from outside was when police asked her opinion on some matters, said Khin Maung Zaw. She refused to respond because she was unaware of the full situation, he said. In his first interview with foreign media since the coup, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had also said Suu Kyi was in good health. Min Aung Hlaing also told Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster Phoenix Television that about 300 people had been killed in the unrest, including 47 police. The military is fighting on a growing number of fronts, against established ethnic minority armies, and rag-tag local militias formed in the past few weeks, many armed with rudimentary rifles and home-made weapons. Fighting has intensified in eastern Myanmar in recent days near the border of Southern Shan and Kayah states, with thousands fleeing their homes and dozens of security forces and local fighters killed, according to residents and media reports. Local people and activists estimated at least 10,000 people had fled their homes in Kayah, bordering Thailand, after the latest violence. They fled into nearby forests or nearby villages where their relatives live. We dont have an organised group to help, said an activist, who asked not be identified. Other residents said there was an immediate need for humanitarian aid including food, shelter and medicine, with pregnant women, children and the elderly among the displaced. On Monday, a resident in Loikaw said shooting could still be heard and several military planes landed at an air base, after tanks and helicopters were patrolling the area a day earlier. On the northwestern side of Myanmar, bordering India, 12 police officers in the Chin State town of Kanpetlet had switched sides on Saturday to join the fight against the coup, Myanmar Now quoted the local militia, the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), as saying. Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing played down the risk of violence spiralling into a bigger conflict. I dont think there will be a civil war, he told Phoenix in the May 20 interview. SOURCE: REUTERS Guitarist and vocalist Rhett Miller, a Texas native and Gardiner resident well-known for his band the Old 97s, wondered during the last year if he would ever again perform for a live audience. I didnt know if musicians would ever be returning to stages, Miller said. There were times when it seemed like, I dont know, it would all be this weird new thing all concerts would be this Zoom-based thing for the rest of my life. Its probably safe to say that many of us felt the same way as the COVID-19 pandemic tightened its grip and restrictions on public gatherings gutted the live music industry, in the Hudson Valley and across the country. But the rising vaccination rates and easing restrictions surrounding gatherings this spring resuscitated the music scene. Now live, warm weather concerts, particularly outdoors at the regions most popular venues, are re-emerging with a vengeance. For fans, promoters, crew, venue staff and musicians like Miller, the return of live concerts couldnt have arrived soon enough. The first live music performance that many of us will attend since the COVID lockdown began last winter could be a late spring or summer festival or music series this year. From Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on the original Woodstock festival grounds in Sullivan County to SummerScape at Bard College in northern Dutchess County, the Hudson Valleys outdoor music season is ramping up. Miller cannot wait to perform June 13 at City Winery Hudson Valley in Montgomery, Orange County. In the coming months the venue will host a series of outdoor, vineyard concerts with legendary musicians like Dar Williams, Joan Osborne, 10,000 Maniacs, and Chris Thile, among others. City Winery owner Michael Dorf is equally eager to finally host his first live concert since he opened his Hudson Valley location in April 2020. Im super excited, he said, to welcome live music to his venue starting June 6. But for all the offerings that await Hudson Valley music lovers, things won't be exactly as they were prior to the pandemic. Most venues are requiring proof of vaccinations or a negative COVID-19 test to enter, and masks when social distancing is not possible. A few longstanding shows will not be returning this year, like the popular Mountain Jam festival, last staged at Bethel Woods. And Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, typically held at Croton Point Park in Westchester County, will be a virtual event held June 19. The tentative state of live music that remains, despite all the progress, was underscored when drive-in theaters and cinemas showed a recorded Bon Jovi concert on May 22. Gary Chetkof, the founder of Mountain Jam and owner of Ulster County-based Radio Woodstock (100.1 FM/WDST), said the planning of his festival can begin a year in advance. The uncertainty 12 months ago made it difficult to predict whether Mountain Jam could be held now, during its typical late spring time frame. But Chetkof is hoping to stage a one-day, outdoor concert this summer in the region and will likely stage a music series or festival in 2022. Details were not available, but Chetkof believes the concert industry is on the cusp of a quick rebound. Everybodys pent-up demand for live music is so great, both from the fan perspective and the artist perspective, he said. I think its going to be explosive. For now, Hudson Valley music fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks and months. And if youre shut out by a sold-out show, remember that a reseller like StubHub can offer options for tickets. Heres a look at the upcoming concert season at select, mostly outdoor settings in the Hudson Valley. Kaatsbaan Spring Festival: Tivoli, Dutchess County Suzi Pratt/Getty Images Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is a 153-acre artist sanctuary and presenter of live music and performing arts. Their Spring Festival is a two-weekend-long affair, and the final weekend takes place over Memorial Day weekend. May 27-28: American Lyric: A Kaatsbaan live music and dance site-specific commission American Lyric: A Kaatsbaan live music and dance site-specific commission May 29 : Yo La Tengo : Yo La Tengo May 30: Guitarist and songwriter Steve Gunn COVID protocol: Masks must be worn while walking the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park ground. Attendees are asked to maintain six feet of social distance from those outside of their party and a health questionnaire must be completed prior to arrival. Tickets and information: kaatsbaan.org Bethel Woods Center for the Arts: Bethel, Sullivan County Located on the site of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair, Bethel Woods is home to an open-air pavilion with a lawn. July 20: Chicago Chicago Aug. 6: Zac Brown Band Zac Brown Band Aug. 21: James Taylor and Jackson Browne James Taylor and Jackson Browne Aug. 23: Dead & Company Dead & Company Sept. 23: Chris Stapleton Chris Stapleton Sept. 25: The Black Crowes COVID protocol: Masks and social distancing required; proof of a negative test or vaccination required. Tickets and information: bethelwoodscenter.org Related: Bethel Woods is planning concerts again City Winery Hudson Valley: Montgomery, Orange County Al Pereira/Getty Images This location marks the Hudson Valley outpost of the City Winery franchise, which includes locations in New York City, Chicago and Nashville. June 6: Damn the Torpedoes: A Live Tom Petty Concert Experience Damn the Torpedoes: A Live Tom Petty Concert Experience June 13: Rhett Miller & the All Stars Rhett Miller & the All Stars June 19: Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes June 26: 10,000 Maniacs 10,000 Maniacs June 27: Chris Thile Chris Thile July 4: Amy Helm Amy Helm July 10: Early Elton Trio Early Elton Trio July 11: Joan Osborne Joan Osborne July 24: Brett Dennen Brett Dennen July 25: Jorma Kaukonen Jorma Kaukonen Aug. 1: Raul Malo Raul Malo Aug. 15: Dar Williams Dar Williams Aug. 22: Martin Sexton Martin Sexton Sept. 11: The Weight Band COVID protocol: Vaccine or negative test required. Masks required when entering and moving through public areas where social distancing is not possible. Tickets and information: citywinery.com/hudsonvalley Glimmerglass Festival: Cooperstown, Ostego County, July 15-Aug. 17 The summer opera and musical theater festival in Cooperstown is moving its performances outdoors to a new stage this year. Glimmerglass on the Grass" will offer 90-minute, re-imagined performances of opera and musical theater. July 15-Aug. 17: Mozarts The Magic Flute" Mozarts The Magic Flute" July 16-Aug. 8: To the World, a concert of musical theater favorites To the World, a concert of musical theater favorites July 30-Aug. 13: Offenbachs Songbird (La Perichole) Offenbachs Songbird (La Perichole) Aug. 1-14: Verdis Il Trovatore" Verdis Il Trovatore" Aug. 3-16 : Gods and Mortals, featuring the works of Wagner : Gods and Mortals, featuring the works of Wagner Aug. 5-13: World premiere of The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, a new work about the founder of the National Negro Opera Company COVID protocol: Masks and proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test or vaccination required. Tickets and information: glimmerglass.org Catskill Mountain Jubilee: East Durham, Greene County, Aug. 12-14 This festival, taking place at Blackthorne Resort over three days, will showcase Grateful Dead rock-n-roll and hip-hop to livetronica, reggae and house music, according to organizers. Musical acts include Dark Star Orchestra, Lotus, Melvin Seals and JGB, Digable Planets, Circles Around The Sun, Karina Rykman and BoomBox. COVID precautions: Not announced yet Tickets and information: catskillmountainjubilee.com Bard SummerScape, Annandale-on-Hudson, Dutchess County, July 8-Aug. 15 Oluwaseye Olusa Bard College's annual SummerScape festival, on hiatus last year, returns with its signature mix of live music, dance, and opera, with a special two-week focus on Black roots music. This year, its annual music festival is the first that features the work of a female composer. All performances will be held either in the school's Frank Gehry-designed Fisher Center for the Performing Arts or the Montgomery Place campus, a 380-acre estate adjacent to the main Bard campus that overlooks the Hudson River. SummerScape Performances: July 8-10: World premiere dance program with Pam Tanowitz and Jessie Montgomery: I Was Waiting for the Echo of a Better Day World premiere dance program with Pam Tanowitz and Jessie Montgomery: I Was Waiting for the Echo of a Better Day July 1517: Your Auntie Glams Midsummer Flutter By with Mx. Justin Vivian Bond, Matt Ray, Nathann Carrara, and Claudia Chopek Your Auntie Glams Midsummer Flutter By with Mx. Justin Vivian Bond, Matt Ray, Nathann Carrara, and Claudia Chopek July 2324: Mwenso & the Shakes: Love Will Be the Only Weapon Mwenso & the Shakes: Love Will Be the Only Weapon July 29: Genius Mother Mary: A Sonic Retrospective of Mary Lou Williams Genius Mother Mary: A Sonic Retrospective of Mary Lou Williams July 3031: The Sound of (Black) Music The Sound of (Black) Music July 25Aug. 1: King Arthur (Le roi Arthus) King Arthur (Le roi Arthus) Aug. 57: Most Happy in Concert Bard Music Festival: Nadia Boulanger and Her World August 68: Music in Paris Music in Paris August 1315: The 20th-Century Legacy of Nadia Boulanger COVID protocol: Masks and social distancing required. Tickets and information: fishercenter.bard.edu/summerscape BLUEprint Summer Series, Ulster, Ulster County BLUEprint event organizers, who have worked on previous Hudson Valley events like the O+ Festival, are still accepting proposals to perform at Enterprise West, the former IBM campus in Ulster. So far, at least one night of the Woodstock Film Festival and the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, which includes performances by the New York City Opera, are on the calendar. Aug. 27-29: Phoenicia Festival of the Voice COVID precautions: Not announced yet Tickets and information: blueprinthv.com Until former President Donald Trump overhauled the U.S. tax code in 2017, New Yorkers were able to deduct state and local taxes, or SALT, from their federal taxes without any limitations. However, the Trump administration implemented a $10,000 cap on this deduction per year, or $5,000 for married taxpayers filing separately, through the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The move particularly affected residents in high-tax states, like New York. Now, with President Joe Biden in office and Charles Schumer as U.S. Senate Majority Leader, local leaders like Ulster County Executive Patrick K. Ryan are pushing to repeal, or at least partially lift, the cap to aid Hudson Valley taxpayers. Critics, meanwhile, argue that the movement to repeal the cap is another effort to benefit wealthier Americans. Locals feel impact of SALT cap The SALT deduction is applicable to state and local property, income and sales taxes, with most Americans who itemize their tax deductions opting to focus on the property tax component, which is generally costlier. New York is one of the highest taxed states in the country, ranking number one with an average overall tax burden of 12.79 percent, combining property taxes, individual income taxes and total sales taxes, according to WalletHub. In the Hudson Valley, it is not uncommon for owners of even modest homes to find their tax burden easily exceeds the $10,000 SALT cap. The tax burden across the Hudson Valley varies widely, as each household pays a unique mix of property, school and income taxes, in addition to miscellaneous local taxes (like Newburghs library tax, for example) making things complicated, said Newburgh resident and businesswoman Christina Amato, who has seen her taxes fluctuate over the years. Amato said she has been directly impacted by the SALT deduction cap and she doesnt think she is alone. Orange County, where Newburgh is located, had the highest number of households in the Hudson Valley over 72,000 who claimed the SALT deduction in 2017, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus supports the repeal of the deduction cap. Four years after purchasing her home, Amato saw her local and property taxes go up by 166 percent, only to then settle to a level that is still 77 percent higher than her original tax burden in 2007. Today, the taxes are still a struggle to pay, she said, prompting her to rent out her third floor for extra income. The additional money she used to receive from the SALT deduction went back into home maintenance and improvements. Communities like ours, it hurts us, she said of the tax deduction limit. Who it hurts the most are people who are struggling to be there and really dont have the disposable income. Amato said she has seriously considered leaving Newburgh because of the taxes, a burden that she says the SALT cap made harder. One way to make it work is to say okay youre paying huge property taxes but at least theyre deductible, said Amato. I know a lot of politicians who think the deduction is only helping the wealthy, but you come to a city like Newburgh where you have families who have been there for years and are literally losing their houses to back taxes. Local, federal support and opposition Ryan and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone are among a coalition of county executives who have formed a partnership to call on federal representatives to support full SALT restoration. In Ryans Ulster County, one out of every three Ulster County tax returns more than 30,000 residents have been impacted by the limit of this tax deduction. A lot of the things were talking about now is the economic recovery, said Ryan. How do we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic and get people the help they need? To see more tax burden put on residents is the opposite of what we need to do. At the state level, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has supported rolling back the deductions limits. Some argue that eliminating the SALT cap only helps a wealthier subset of New Yorkers, however, and keeping tax deduction limits in place helps the broader community. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the repeal of the deduction a giveaway to the rich and cited reports that repealing the cap would exclusively benefit wealthy households who make $1 million or more a year. According to the Tax Policy Center, 70 percent of those who would benefit from restoring unlimited SALT deductions are higher earners making $500,000 or more. Although many people are moving out of New York City to the Hudson Valley, Ryan suggests that not restoring the full deduction could push wealthier people to other states, creating a potential shortfall in income and property tax revenue back to the state. Its about New Yorks competitiveness with the rest of the country, said Bellone. We have to understand that we are in a global economy and we are competing with places around the world but also 49 other states. Bellone cautions against potentially losing residents to states like Florida, which has a lower overall tax burden. At the end of January, Schumer released a statement launching a new push for legislation to permanently restore New Yorks full SALT deduction. Double taxing hardworking homeowners is plainly unfair, said Schumer in the January press release. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also backs the repeal of the cap. Speaker Pelosi represents California, another high-tax state aside from New York. There is a bigger war brewing: 17 New York Democrats in Congress say that if the SALT cap isnt repealed, they wont sign Bidens $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan or the $1.9 trillion American Families Plan, which is intended for infrastructure projects, green energy and expansion of social services. A letter, signed by local U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney and U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado among 15 others, calls for the full repeal of the cap, stating it is especially important as economies recover from COVID-19. However, critics say they are holding up beneficial legislation over the repeal. Ocasio-Cortez is not the only one against repealing the SALT deduction cap. Sen. Bernie Sanders told Axios on HBO that he opposes the efforts of Schumer and Pelosi for the same reasons as Ocasio-Cortez. Locally, Village of New Paltz Mayor Tim Rodgers took to Facebook expressing his indifference on the SALT cap and its effect on New Paltz residents. Sure, Trump instituted a cap on SALT deductions to unfairly punish blue states, but how is this an Ulster County priority?, wrote Rogers on Facebook. I understand why elected officials from Long Island, Westchester, and Manhattan where constituents have median household incomes [greater than] $100k are pounding the table but Village of New Paltz [median household income] is less than $50k. Homeowner Amato wants the deduction cap repealed to encourage residents to stay in state. A lot of people in my industry and small business owners are pulling up roots here theyve had for generations and moving to more business-friendly states, said Amato. It doesnt have to be that way. We have a beautiful, beautiful state with things to do, amenities and people here. ALBANY Police believe the bullet that killed 18-year-old Chyna Forney was intended for someone else, the Albany County District Attorney's Office said Monday. Alvin Foy, 18, of Albany, was arraigned on two counts of second-degree murder, attempted murder and weapons possessions by Judge Roger D. McDonough in Albany County Court Monday morning. An indictment alleged Foy "recklessly caused the death" when he opened fire on Essex Street at about 2:50 p.m. on May 3. Foy pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in custody. He is being held without bail. Tabitha Foy, the suspect's mother, told the Times Union on Thursday her son is innocent. "Alvin and Chyna were like brother and sister," she said. Foy's attorney Trevor Hannigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. No new court dates have been scheduled. Forney was two weeks from her graduation at Albany Leadership Charter High School For Girls when she was killed in a drive-by shooting. Police answered calls about a daylight shooting on Essex Street, arriving to find Forney had been shot in the back. Over 40 spent bullet casings littered on the ground. Several cars in the area were also struck with bullets during the shootings. Police indicated that Foy was allegedly shooting towards a man when Forney was hit. Albany police Chief Eric Hawkins said there may be other arrests in connection with the killing. "We know the individuals who were involved," Hawkins said. After the shooting, the charter school's principal, Carina Cook, described Forney as a bubbly teen with a "radiant, infectious smile and personality" and a career focus. Cook said she chatted with the high school senior earlier Monday about graduation, where she had applied to college, and her plans to enroll in a nursing program. The school community was in shock, she said. "I, and many in our ALCS community, have had the privilege of watching Chyna grow and mature over the past four years," Cook said. "Her transition from a bright-eyed and fun-loving freshman to a young woman with focus and determination as she charted her future was exciting to watch." Her death prompted a community outpouring, as a large memorial grew around the shooting site, with candles, stuffed animals, poignant messages and a "2021" graduation sign. A GoFundMe donation effort for her family had raised over $7,000 by Monday. All travellers arriving in Saudi Arabia, including citizens of the GCC countries and holders of new visas, who have been vaccinated with one of the Covid-19 vaccines, need to register their vaccination status online, said a report. Saudi Arabia's Public Health Authority (Weqaya) has announced that all those entering the Kingdom, whether they are citizens, residents, or vaccinated passengers, need to complete the vaccination registration process online before their arrival by visiting https://muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home, said a report in Saudi Gazette. Registration is available only to those who have completed taking the doses for the following approved vaccines: Two doses for the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna One dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Presenting proof for vaccination on arrival As to those who received one dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines, they cannot register on the website, and institutional quarantine measures will be imposed on them on arrival. For Saudi citizens and residents, the Immune status shown on the Tawakkalna app, either with the first dose or both, and those who have recovered from the virus for a period not exceeding six months, is sufficient, the report said. ALBANY A Halfmoon man who allegedly fired an AK-47-style assault rifle at a rival in East Greenbush last year went on trial Monday in the first criminal trial in the James T. Foley U.S. Courthouse since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Romano McCain, 48, who is not allowed to possess guns because of domestic violence-related restraining order against him in Albany City Court, is charged with possessing a weapon and ammunition as a prohibited person, as well as making illegal threats affecting interstate commerce through threats on Facebook. The trial got under way before U.S. District Court Judge Mae DAgostino. On May 19, Chief U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby issued an order allowing fully vaccinated visitors to enter without wearing masks. Non-vaccinated visitors still must have masks and not bandannas, the ruling specified. Signs will be posted at the courthouse on Broadway. U.S. marshals will tell visitors the rules, but are prohibited from asking anyone their vaccination status. In Jaunary 2020, the defendant got into a dispute on Facebook with two former friends, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Rieck stated in a pre-trial brief. The prosecutor said McCain had wanted one of the men to pay $65 for a motorcycle vest and, in addition, owed money to another man. In a Jan. 10 discussion on the social media platform, McCain threatened to kill both men and the second mans daughter, Rieck stated. Bro ... just have my money. .... i play with guns ... no fighting ... and I always have one on me ... you on that bs .... pay me pay money...., McCain wrote to the first man, according to Rieck. The man responded, I tote too, adding, I was gunna pay up but now u just talking crazy. I will blow your f__g head off, McCain wrote, according to the brief. The next month, McCain lost a fistfight to another person at an area called "the Strip" in East Greenbush, according to the brief. It described the area as a spot where people ride all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles. Rieck said McCain went to the rear seat of a Ford F-150 registered to his girlfriend, retrieved an AK-47-style rifle and fired at another person. "Fortunately, the defendant missed and no one was shot," Rieck stated. He noted that McCain's girlfriend, Shonda Cheers, and his young child were in the truck. North Greenbush police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives obtained a warrant and searched Cheers' home in Colonie, where they found a loaded .38 caliber revolver and rounds of ammunition. They did not recover the long gun allegedly fired at the Strip. Messages on Facebook referenced the incident, Rieck said. Benjamin Hill, the attorney for McCain, said in a trial brief that McCain's girlfriend said she possessed the weapon. The lawyer said the .38 pistol came from a relative of Cheers in Ohio and contained no DNA from McCain. VENICE, Italy (AP) In the time it has taken to prepare for the Venice Biennale, violence in the Middle East has overtaken a Palestinian family farm in Gaza featured in one of the exhibits. It gives real-time urgency to the question posed by the Biennale curator: How will we live together? The 17th International Architecture Exhibition opens Saturday after a one-year pandemic delay, during which time architecture has emerged as one of the key disciplines in the global coronavirus response. One exhibit Border Ecologies and the Gaza Strip, looks at how Israeli control of the border impacts the Qudaih family farm in the Gaza village of Khuza'a. It recounts, for example, that 20 of the Qudaih familys olive trees were bulldozed to create a buffer zone, and a greenhouse necessary to grow tomatoes has been repeatedly destroyed. Since 2014, the village had been more or less quiet, said curator Malkit Shoshan. But as she prepared for the Biennale opening, violence erupted anew. The farm, near the border fence, has been destroyed by bombs and the family is sheltering in their home, which has been damaged by shells, about a mile away, said one of the sons, Amir Qudaih, who lives in the United States and who helped put the exhibit together. Qudaih, a 27-year-old recent engineering graduate, was supposed to be in Venice for the opening. But he said he is too anguished by the bombing and uncertainty over his familys safety to travel. Communications are spotty due to interruptions in electricity and the internet, and his last contact was earlier in the week. My family cannot access the farm anymore because it is very close to the border and no one can leave the house. They are running out of the food," which mostly comes from the farm, Qudaih said by phone. Every time I text them or call them, it could be the last call because things are happening 24/7 there. It is very stressful. Not every exhibit in Biennale carries the same immediacy, but the issues driving it are fundamental to shared existence, also with other species. The event curated by Hashim Sarkis also examines how architecture can address other global issues, ones that helped him formulate the title question well before the pandemic: climate change, political polarization, increasing inequalities and population displacement. Exhibits look at how climate change and an international presence is affecting Antarctica; illustrate how global warming endangers sea life and how rising seas may be left as hollow spaces without life; and trace the architecture of man-made infrastructure on the outside of a globe, while making a more utopian proposal on the inside of how it might look under a regime of strategic preservation. The strongest lens for this Biennale, though, is the pandemic. More than ever before, architecture is present in our lives, and in our thinking, said Sarkis, a Lebanese architect who is the dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's architecture and planning school. We are now able to measure with our eyes what a meter is, what two meters are. That is a new skill everyone has had to acquire. Some architectural responses to the pandemic have already emerged in everyday life: Zoom meetings have replaced conference rooms, giving new importance to virtual architecture, restaurant tables have taken over sidewalks, parking spots and traffic islands while public and private spaces from train stations to art galleries are being repurposed as vaccine centers. People are more aware of the impact of ventilation systems, and everyone has become an interior decorator, Sarkis noted. Even the new rituals on public behavior that have emerged during the pandemic, and are part of Biennale protocols, signal a paradigm shift that emphasizes architecture: Visitors must maintain social distancing, have their temperatures checked and wear masks. Some 112 architects from 46 countries are participating in the main show curated by Sarkis, while 61 countries have organized national pavilions. Some projects had to be rescaled, due to pandemic complications on shipping, with some architects sending plans for Italian artisans to construct projects out of locally sourced materials. Due to rolling travel restrictions around the globe, a handful of pavilions will open late and the arrival of some participants and jury members has been delayed. Sarkis decided, as a result, to delay the awarding of prizes, which usually happens on opening weekend, until August. The Biennale runs until Nov. 21. After a year when public assembly has been mostly outright banned, the idea of presence is key in several exhibits. The Canadian pavilion is covered with a green textile, and visitors can download a smart phone application that uses CGI technology to transform the pavilion into the backdrop of a film that used a Canadian city as a stand-in for other places, from Tokyo to Moscow or Paris. The opening backdrop scene is from the The Handmaids Tale. Germany facilitates virtual visits to its pavilion, which is empty apart from some QR codes on the interior walls, putting virtual users on the same footing as physical visitors. Both wander the virtual pavilion with avatars that can interact and even speak with each other. The Venice Biennale also is seen as a neutral place that creates space for dialogue. Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, who curated the 2016 event, has created a space where he hopes Chileans and the Mapuche indigenous people can meet to discuss age-old disputes over land. The architecture created by his Elemental studio meets criteria stipulated by Mapuche tradition: that it be circular with an eastward orientation, and made of wood placed vertically. Aravena said the Mapuche accepted the design. Aravenas team took wooden piles of the sort used to support Venetian palaces and criss-crossed them in a circular pattern to create an interior courtyard. It has been built on the side of a canal inside the Arsenale, the spiked tops of its piles visible from a distance, with the hopes that both Mapuche and Chileans could travel to Venice and hold a parley, or traditional negotiation. But COVID has made that uncertain. It is not clear if they will come at some point during the Biennale. If not, this thing is traveling back to Chile in any case, Aravena said. If all goes well, this could be one concrete legacy to the question: How will we live together? BETHLEHEM Erin Rightmyer's report came in at 7:27 a.m. Saturday to the Albany Running Exchange's Facebook page. "FYI theres a big bear on the rail trail near the [Veterans of Foreign Wars] in Delmar," Rightmyer wrote, adding a smartphone photo of what appeared to be a black bear roughly 24 feet down the trail. The animal's pose gave the appearance of an early morning walk. Rightmyer realized later that the sighting was a little further east, just before the American Legion post off Elsmere Avenue. About three hours later, neighbors a few miles away north in Albany were posting on the Nextdoor website about a black bear strolling through a backyard on Woodside Drive off New Scotland Road, adjacent to Academy of the Holy Names. It's unclear if it was the same bear. Rightmyer thinks that's unlikely as the animal would have had to go east all the way to the Normans Kill to avoid crossing busy Delaware Avenue, and then go north through Albany's Capital Hills golf course. "Exciting Day!" a Woodside Drive resident posted on social media along with her neighbor's closeup photos of the bear, adding "#DaBears" and "#bearyscary." Rightmyer said she's seen deer and foxes on her Albany County Rail Trail runs before, but never a bear. "It was a pretty exciting experience," she said Sunday. "You expect to see them in the Adirondacks...but not necessarily in suburbia." Bethlehem police Commander James Rexford said Monday that the town had gotten 34 calls about bears in the last two weeks. They think it's the same bear, "but at this time we are not completely certain." On Monday, a bear was spotted in Guilderland on Church Road, just south of busy Western Avenue. The state said it may be the Bethlehem bear, "but it could be more than one bear in the region." The DEC said several calls have been coming in to its Division of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Law Enforcement. Officers will not trap a bear unless it's absolutely necessary, the state agency said. "The Bethlehem Police Department hit an approximately 125lb juvenile bear with rubber buck shot on May 18 and 19 while it was at backyard bird feeders," DEC previously stated. "DECs Division of Law Enforcement has been working with Bethlehem PD, giving them additional 'Living w/Bear Pamphlets' to distribute to the community." The DEC's website says black bears are rarely seen by humans, "but increasingly, bears can be found in semirural environments, agricultural areas, and occasionally in urban centers." Bear sightings in the Capital Region happen particularly after the hibernation season is over and young males are kicked out of the den by their mothers. As bears approach breeding season in June, yearling bears disperse and adult male bears increase their movements in search of mates, the DEC told the Syracuse Post Standard last June after a Steuben County resident caught some incredible photos of a black bear feasting at a bird feeder. Inevitably some of these bears, particularly the yearlings, end up in places where they'd probably prefer not to be (urban areas) or where people inadvertently set the dinner table for bears by leaving their bird feeders in place and storing garbage outside. The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry says black bears are the second largest New York mammal, behind the moose. The college says, "Bears have been described as 'big, black eating machines' because foraging for food is a near constant activity except in winter. Adequate food resources are important for growth, reproduction, and building fat reserves for winter survival in their den." Environmental officials encourage people to remove anything that attracts a bear to their property including taking down bird feeders, securely storing garbage if it's outside, not feeding pets outside, and cleaning barbecue grills of leftover food. It should go without saying that one should not attempt to get close to a bear. If one stumbles upon a bear and is close, experts recommend making noise by yelling and banging objects. "Bear attacks on humans are extremely rare and its important to give them room if encountered," the DEC said in its earlier release after the initial Bethlehem sightings. "Not crowding the bear and removing food sources usually results in the bear leaving on its own and returning to its own natural habitat." A commenter on Nextdoor expressed the same sentiment, stating of the Albany bear, "That is a young bear. Probably just left his mother. I sure hope he winds back in the Catskills and not hit by a car." Will Waldron/Albany Times Union HOOSICK FALLS A Hoosick Falls high school student was taken into custody by the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office Monday for allegedly bringing a BB gun to school, according to school officials. The student revealed the information to other students, who then shared the information with administrators, district officials wrote in a memo to families. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia's lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, has long had lofty political ambitions, and even after being accused by two women of sexual assault he's pressing forward with a bid for governor. The womens allegations, which hes spent two years trying to refute, are a dark cloud over what might have otherwise been a strong campaign, making it nearly impossible to fundraise or secure endorsements. Outside observers say theres no way he can win, raising the question of why he's running. Fairfax's first answer when asked: I think its important to stand up for the truth." His team acknowledges that the allegations, which exploded into public view in 2019 and have not resulted in criminal charges, have changed the state of the race. But Fairfax insists voters, particularly those who are Black like him, will see through what he insists -- without proof -- is a smear campaign. Ive had many African American mothers and grandmothers, come up to me and say, you know, Ive lived through this. Ive seen men marched out of homes on false accusations and we never hear from them again. So there is a particular history here, Fairfax said. To his critics, Fairfax's candidacy is just an attempt to regain legitimacy and rehab his image. Hes running to try to clear his name and at the same time wield even greater power over his accusers and those who have criticized him, said Adele McClure, his former policy director, who resigned over the allegations. A former federal prosecutor and civil litigator, Fairfax unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2013, then won the race for lieutenant governor in 2017. The job pays about $36,000 a year and involves considerable tedium as the procedural conductor of the Senate, a task Fairfax handles with verve and efficiency. It's one of only three statewide elected offices in Virginia, and can be a launching pad to higher office. For a brief period in 2019 when Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam became engulfed in a scandal over a racist photo on his medical school yearbook page Fairfax seemed poised to become governor without ever running. Northam faced nearly unanimous calls to resign. Then Fairfaxs accusers came forward. Vanessa Tyson said Fairfax -- at the time a Columbia Law School student serving as an aide to Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards -- forced her to perform oral sex in his hotel room during the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004. Two days after Tyson's statement, Meredith Watson issued her own, accusing Fairfax of raping her in 2000, when they were students at Duke University. The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but both women came forward publicly. Fairfax adamantly denied the allegations, saying the encounters were consensual. He refused loud calls to resign and now says hes done all he can to clear his name. Hes requested law enforcement investigations, which were never opened as far as he knows. Hes taken lie-detector tests and released the results. Hes talked relentlessly about the situation, including in hours of on-the-record interviews for this story. Hes filed a federal defamation lawsuit against CBS News over its interview with his accusers, now pending before a federal appeals court. He also decided to share a sensitive detail: He says a third person was in the room for the entirety of the encounter with Watson, who has also accused another Duke student of rape. Fairfax says the other person in the room spoke with him and several of his friends after Watson raised her allegations, saying they were false. This person has not responded to interview requests from the AP, which could not independently confirm the claim that there was an eyewitness. The friends Fairfax cited couldnt be reached by the AP. Watson and her attorney have not commented on whether a third person was present and a spokesman did not respond to an inquiry from AP for this story. The outcome has been the same with other news outlets that have asked. Fairfax calls the nondenial exonerating. Its dramatically unfair whats been done to publicly accuse someone of something so serious, for it to be false, and then to simply walk away, he said. As for Tyson, who also declined an interview request through her attorneys, Fairfax says they stayed in touch after the encounter and she once asked him to meet her mother. In her initial statement, Tyson said they never spoke again. Most Democrats, including his opponents in the race, dont seem to want to talk about Fairfax. He finds himself stuck in a kind of political limbo, dancing around the edges of the establishment -- like when he shared an elbow bump with Northam at a recent event celebrating marijuana legalization but not fully welcomed back into the fold. Some of his critics have asked why he's even been invited to fundraising events and debates. While some polling has shown the 42-year-old married father of two running a distant second to former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in the five-way Democratic field, his fundraising has been bleak. He raised around $25,000 in cash in the last quarter, while McAuliffe raised more than $4 million. Also competing are state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy and Del. Lee Carter. Fairfax has a tiny campaign staff, no big endorsements, a mostly empty website and a fairly quiet social media presence. I just cannot construct a scenario where hes competitive, said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University. During their first debate, it was Fairfax who raised the allegations in headline-grabbing fashion. While answering a question about the future of law enforcement, he said: Everyone here on this stage called for my immediate resignation, including Terry McAuliffe three minutes after a press release came out. He treated me like George Floyd, he treated me like Emmett Till, no due process, immediately assumed my guilt. The comparison to the victims of extrajudicial killings was not well received. Tyson, now a political science professor at Scripps College in California who in 2019 mounted an unsuccessful bid for a California Assembly seat, tweeted that night in response: My primary concern was (and remains) the good people of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I believe they deserve better, and that they have a number of phenomenal candidates to choose from. Voters will get a chance to decide soon: The primary is June 8. ALBANY New York will "encourage" but not require children aged 2 and older to wear masks in child care settings such as summer camps following days of protests about the directive, including from county officials who pledged they would not enforce the mandate. The state health department and the Office of Children and Family Services issued a joint statement late Monday saying they had agreed to "revise guidance allowing child care providers to continue the practices and protocols that have been in place since the start of the pandemic by encouraging, not requiring, children aged 2-5 to wear masks, effective immediately." Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin is among a multitude of county leaders who have issued public statements in recent days indicating they would buck the directive and urging the state to reconsider. "Children have not been required to wear a mask during the first year of the pandemic, a move rooted and common sense and recognition of research showing children are less susceptible to COVID-19," McLaughlin wrote in a letter to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo earlier Monday. He added that children experience less severe symptoms of the infectious disease and that requiring them to wear masks, sometimes for up to nine hours per day, would be a hardship. "It was too far-reaching. These kids are in activities and now they're outside this time of year; it just didn't make any sense," said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. "A lot of parents were up in arms. ... It was really more of an outrage on this one than anything else I've seen over the past 12 months." Last week, a group of county leaders in the lower Hudson Valley from Dutchess, Putnam, Sullivan, Rockland and Orange counties wrote a similar letter to Cuomo urging him to abandon the new directive. They also said that children could not be "reasonably expected" to wear masks for hours in childcare and summer camp settings. "This mandate was never based in science or simple common sense, especially at a time when (the governor) was signaling that mask-wearing will soon be a thing of the past for many adults," state Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt said in a statement after the rule was rescinded. "It caused unnecessary frustration and confusion for providers and parents alike, and Im glad to see it lifted." Dutchess County Executive Marc J. Molinaro, head of the state association of county executives, also commended the state for swiftly rescinding the directive. "We trust this will extend to all children in these safe settings," Molinaro said. "Like too many decisions coming from the executive's offices, forcing young children to wear masks never made any scientific sense." State officials said the "safety of the children in child care programs is of paramount importance" and that they are encouraging "any remaining child care staff who have not been vaccinated to do so as soon as possible to prevent the spread of COVID." Cuomo, at a news conference earlier Monday, said the state is moving to require coronavirus vaccinations from students in school settings as they had done two years ago for measles vaccine amid an outbreak of that disease. But the state cannot mandate someone be vaccinated unless the vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which has not formally approved the vaccines being given to millions of U.S. citizens. The governor noted that the mandate requiring measles vaccinations for children attending schools led to some people pulling their children out of schools. "It was very controversial," Cuomo said. "Were going to set a statewide policy which will govern all school districts. Now, September is relatively a long way away and we follow the science, we follow the data." SELKIRK SABIC Innovative Chemicals is facing a nearly $41,000 fine from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding last Septembers leak of styrene gas from a rail car at the plastics factory. The leak resulted in a shutdown of local roads with orders for people within a half mile to shelter in place until it was contained by fire crews, who spent hours hosing down the car until a faulty valve was sealed. Prior to the incident, SABIC "did not develop written operating procedures with clear instructions for movement and storage of styrene monomer railcars ... exposing employees to toxic, fire, and explosion hazards, reads part of the citation, which falls under OSHAs category of serious violations. The company is contesting the citations from OSHA as well as the total fine of $40,959, according to the agency. Styrene is a substance used in the making of the raw plastic that SABIC produces. According to OSHA, it can cause headaches, fatigue, dizziness, confusion and drowsiness. It can become highly combustible under heat and pressure. Because the material had been sitting in a railcar, which can heat up significantly in the sun, the fear is that a pressurized leak could have presaged an explosion. There was no explosion or reported injuries from September's leak, which was contained in about an hour. But there have been cases over the years in which rail tankers of styrene have exploded like bombs, which accounted for the initial alarm and precautions. The leak which released a total of 15,825 pounds of styrene vapor emitted a sweet, plastic-like odor that alarmed people as far as miles away. One of those was state Environmental Commissioner Basil Seggos, who said he smelled it at his Voorheesville home that morning and came to the site to investigate. The state Department of Environmental Conservation in October issued a "notice of violation" to SABIC for alleged failure to follow its own safety protocols; that agency as well is continuing to investigate the incident. Based in Saudi Arabia, SABIC is one of the largest petrochemical manufacturers in the world, according to the company's website. The company did not respond Monday to an email seeking comment. One of the concerns at the time centered on how long the tanker full of styrene had been sitting on a rail siding at the plant. The car was there due to what authorities said was a maintenance delay stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The OSHA citation alleges that SABIC did not implement management of change (MOC) procedures to manage changes associated with extended onsite storage period(s) for railcars containing styrene monomer, which resulted from a production shutdown and delayed contract maintenance issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing employees to toxic, fire, and/or explosion hazards. The state DEC said the car had been at the siding since May 2020 due to a problem with a valve. Stabilizers are added to tanker cars full of styrene, but they can wear out over time. rkarlin@timesunion.com (518) 454-5758 @RickKarlinTU ALBANY The fortress-like look around the state Capitol is starting to fade. Barricades blocking cars from driving down State Street next to the Capitol building were removed on Sunday morning. The fencing blocking pedestrians from walking on the grass throughout West Capitol Park is gone, too. On Monday morning cars were parked along both sides of State Street and walkers and joggers ran freely through the park. The barricades were first put up in January. City of Albany spokesman David Galin told the Times Union in March that the road was closed because of unspecified threats. On Monday, he said Mayor Kathy Sheehan has been in contact with the state during the closure of State Street and had asked that it be reopened as soon as practicable. "We conduct periodic security assessments for the Capitol and following the most recent assessment, it was determined that the closed section of State Street could be reopened," wrote Beau Duffy, the Director of Public Information for the New York State Police, in an email. The fencing in West Capitol Park was to protect the grass while the ground "firms up," wrote Michelle Rosales, a spokesperson from the state Office of General Services in an email. When the White House got crazy, it started getting crazy here, so they put [the barricades] up, said Taijay Lanier, a security guard who works at Empire State Plaza, about the barricades previously blocking State Street. I think it is a good thing that they are gone, but I also think it was necessary for the barricades to be there in the first place. Fencing around the grass next to Corning Tower still stands, as well as fencing around areas under construction all throughout the plaza. The sidewalk in front of the Governors Mansion is also still blocked off. Galin also told the Times Union in March that the city understands the sidewalk closure to be about protecting the wall alongside the mansion from graffiti. The Albany Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Street barriers between Swan and Eagle streets went up after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and after a stabbing took place on the same day outside of New York's state Capitol. The stabbing occurred as suspected Antifa supporters clashed with members of the right-wing Proud Boys during a rally supporting then-President Donald J. Trump. The violence in Albany took place as the state Legislature was opening its 2021 session. One of the Trump supporters was stabbed multiple times and underwent emergency surgery to repair an eviscerated bowel at Albany Medical Center Hospital. The suspect, 37-year-old Alexander S. Contompasis of Albany, was arrested at the scene by State Police. He is accused of stabbing two people during the incident that erupted in East Capitol Park. Eric Gay Some 400 people were killed or wounded by guns, with 25 incidents of mass shootings from May 1-May 9, in multiple states, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Such incidents put the efforts by the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association to allow concealed carry in New York state in fear of our safety. I visited a state with open carry and it made me stop in my tracks as I walked the streets of Dallas. The appearance of gun-toting men in full view of strangers not accustomed to the sight of guns is chilling. I cannot imagine a similar image in Saratoga Springs, Albany or New York City. The Ascott Limited revealed its dynamic Middle East, Africa and Turkey expansion plans at this years Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021, adding over 1,856 units across 14 elegantly designed and luxurious serviced residences, all slated to open by the end of 2022. The groups tenacious growth pipeline puts it on track to achieve its regional target of adding extra 6,000 units to its Middle East, Africa, and Turkey (MEAT) portfolio, to reach a total of 10,000 units by 2025. Vincent Miccolis, Ascotts Regional General Manager, Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and India commented on Ascotts diverse expansion plans, saying: The Middle East source markets have always been a priority for The Ascott Limited and we are proud to share the brands expansive MEAT pipeline at ATM 2021. We are on course towards a steady incline in occupancy rates and we are committed to achieving the growth target we set at the beginning of 2021. This year, the conference has adapted to the market conditions, allowing us to re-connect with fellow industry professionals and peers to create a dialogue for the future of travel and tourism. The international lodging owner-operator is set to open its highly anticipated third property in Dubai in Q3 2021. Designed to exuberate the vibrant lifestyle of the city, Citadines Culture Village Dubai will offer residents 81 spacious and sophisticated guestrooms, conveniently situated only minutes away from Dubai International Airport. Ascott is set to further enhance its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) by adding 461 units across its expansive source markets by 2022. The expansion includes the waterfront scenic district of Al Khobar with the opening of Citadines Al Aziziyah Al Khobar and Somerset Downtown Al Khobar; as well as the launch of Ascotts first designed to exclusivity, community villas property in the capital; Ascott Villas Riyadh will boast 90 elegantly furnished units, comprising of 2, 3 and 4-bedroom Villas. Furthermore, the launch of Citadines Abha in Saudi Arabias popular tourist attraction Abha, will showcase 140-units that will offer residents scenic mountainous views of the Asir Mountains, ideal for both leisure and business travellers. Omani locals and residents can take comfort in the upcoming opening of Citadines Al Ghubrah Muscat, which will offer them 96-units of lavishly designed serviced apartments in the heart of Muscats central business district. In Turkey, Ascott aims to open a second property Citadines Nivo Istanbul across one of the biggest malls in the city- Mall of Istanbul - boasting an additional 150 lavishly decorated one-bedroom units overlooking the serene Istanbul skyline. Qatari nationals and residents seeking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Dohas vivacious lifestyle can unwind in sophistication and comfort within the capital, with the relaunch of Ascotts highly anticipated 228-unit Somerset West Bay Doha. Enriched with the countrys deep-rooted cultural heritage, the property promises residents the perfect recluse to relax in a home away from home. The group also plans to expand its portfolio in East Africa with three new property openings slated for 2021 and 2022 in Kenya and Ethiopia; Somerset Westview Nairobi will offer the perfect blend of exquisite and contemporary lifestyles. Kenyas capital will also witness the launch of Somerset Rosslyn Nairobi, a safely gated 150-unit community property, which will feature a host of comprehensive lifestyle amenities. In Ethiopias capital, Ascott is set to open Somerset Bole Addis Ababa within a strategically located mixed use developed community in Bole by end of 2022. In North Africa, Ascotts first 123-unit Citadines Racine Casablanca will open its doors in early 2022 to stylish travellers in the vibrant Casablanca community. Despite the challenges faced by the hospitality sector due to the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic, Ascott globally exceeded the number of units secured in 2019, adding over 14,200 units across 71 properties worldwide in 2020, and marking a fourth consecutive year of record growth for the group. Currently, Ascott has more than 70,000 operating units and over 52,000 units under development, marking an illustrious and expansive global portfolio of 122,000 units in over 770 properties. This years ATM has witnessed the launch of a special Ascott corporate offer during the period of the event. The promotion will be available for all visitors of the hybrid events virtual platform, offering up to 25 per cent discount on flexible rates across all participating properties in the Middle East and Turkey. Guests can avail the special Corporate Promotion 2021 via Ascotts exhibitor page at the virtual event. - TradeArabia News Service Farmington, WV (26555) Today Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. An Alaska man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for trying to set fire to a Seattle police precinct during last summer's racial justice protests Authorities say a Louisiana detective who was shot multiple times while serving a warrant in 2016 has died from his injuries 2021 SIIA CODiE Awards Select Two Wolters Kluwer Digital Nursing Education Finalists Wolters Kluwer, Health today announced that Lippincott CoursePoint+ and vSim for Nursing were named as finalists in the 2021 Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) Education Technology CODiE Awards. Finalists include educational software, digital content, online learning services and related technologies across the PreK-20 sector. "We are honored to be recognized by the SIIA CODiE Awards for our comprehensive digital learning solutions; Lippincott CoursePoint+ and vSim for Nursing have helped nursing educators and students transition to remote learning and virtual clinical replacements throughout the past year," said Julie Stegman, Vice President, Nursing Segment of Health Learning, Research & Practice business at Wolters Kluwer. "We are committed to supporting nurse faculty in preparing practice-ready nurses, helping them build and apply students' critical thinking and clinical judgement skills throughout their education." Over 300,000 enrolled in 2020 Named a finalist in the Best Virtual Learning Solution category, Lippincott CoursePoint+ is a fully integrated, adaptive, digital course solution that had over 300,000 enrollments in 2020 helping students transition successfully to virtual learning while maintaining a high-quality nursing education. Combining instruction and expert content written by nurse educators with tested technology to deepen student knowledge and skills in nursing courses, Lippincott CoursePoint+ includes integrated tools such as virtual simulations and assessments to build clinical judgement and prepare nursing students for practice. With Lippincott CoursePoint+, nursing educators and nursing students can track student progress and outcomes and have greater flexibility to incorporate as part of a hybrid or fully online learning experience. Virtual simulation delivers real-world scenarios anytime/anywhere vSim for Nursing, developed in collaboration with Laerdal Medical, is an interactive, personalized imulation experience, and was named as a finalist in the Best Virtual Lab category. vSim for Nursing is designed to help nursing faculty deliver real-world clinical experiences for students to hone the clinical judgement, competence and confidence needed to transition to practice. Based on simulation scenarios developed with the National League of Nursing, each course area includes a variety of patient diagnoses and situations that help students develop complex decision-making and reasoning skills. Detailed, personalized feedback is presented post-scenario and then stored for reflective practice and continued learning. (See vSim in action at UNM.) "In a year when remote learning has been the norm, we are very excited to see that vSim for Nursing has been a valuable tool for many students across many leading teaching institutions," said Alf-Christian Dybdahl, CEO at Laerdal Medical. "vSim for Nursing and our collaboration with Wolters Kluwer and the National League of Nursing is part of our commitment to helping strengthen nurse education." Jeff Joseph, SIIA President, said: "The CODiE Awards recognize the most exciting and transformative products in Ed Tech. This year, these leaders helped our nation respond to the historic pandemic, enabling learners, educators, administrators and parents to remain connected to each other and to critical educational resources via an array of innovative services and platforms. Congratulations to this year's finalists for demonstrating the vitality, resilience and importance of this important industry." About the SIIA CODiE Awards The SIIA CODiE Awards is the only peer-reviewed program to showcase business and education technology's finest products and services. Since 1986, thousands of products, services and solutions have been recognized for achieving excellence. Educators and administrators serve as judges and conduct the first-round review of all education nominees. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists which accounts for 80% of the overall score. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Education Technology category winners will be announced during an online winner announcement celebration June 23, 2021. Details about each finalist are listed here. About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students in effective decision-making and outcomes across healthcare. We support clinical effectiveness, learning and research, clinical surveillance and compliance, as well as data solutions. For more information about our solutions, visit https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/health and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter (News - Alert) @WKHealth. For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005210/en/ [May 24, 2021] AR Medical Technologies Launches MaskFit AR: Helping You Sleep for Better Health Positioned at the forefront of helping people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) improve their health and quality of life, AR Medical Technologies launches MaskFit AR. Powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, MaskFit AR overcomes a 30-year problem of improper patient mask fitment for people who use CPAP or BiPAPTM to treat their OSA. MaskFit AR is much more than just a facial scanner or a measurement tool, it is a next generation mobile app platform that overcomes the guess work of accurate mask fitment which is essential in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Having the largest global CPAP mask database that's integrated with a neural network of input from facial measurements, demographic data, clinical data and user satisfaction scores, MaskFit AR's patent pending smart algorithms are able to automatically provide a selection of best suited masks for individuals of any age, gender and ethnicity. MaskFit AR is compatible with any smartphone or tablet and additional software or proprietary hardware is not required. Available for download on the App Store or Google Play for both iOS and Android (News - Alert) , users can take immediate advantage of MaskFit AR's patent pending 3D image capturing capabilities available on the latest iPhone X and iPad Pro "TrueDepth" camera technology. Current and older Apple (News - Alert) or Android smart phones with high-resolution cameras can also provide accurate 2D image scannin. To maximize privacy and security, MaskFit AR does not transmit, record, or process any images or photos on our servers. MaskFit AR is purpose built to support institutions (sleep labs, DME providers, and online CPAP equipment vendors) towards improving clinical outcomes and inventory efficiencies while reducing waste from discarded masks. Through the MaskFit AR Web Portal, institutional partners can safely and securely manage patients while connected to a HIPAA compliant and high-performance server network. MaskFit AR can be used in-person or for remote telemedicine contactless mask fitting, especially in pandemic environments. AR Medical Technologies is currently working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic for continued system validation of the MaskFit AR technology platform. With research and development since 2013, MaskFit AR has now officially launched and is available for consumer download and will be deployed through our institutional partners across Canada, the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South America, United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia. About AR Medical Technologies Inc. Founded by an accomplished team of medical professionals and engineers passionate about transforming and revolutionizing healthcare, AR Medical Technologies strives to be a world leader in digital mask fitting while contributing to a vision of better health outcomes for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Website: http://maskfitar.com; Contact: Media Relations; findyourmask@ar-medical.com or Sales and Marketing: Dave Bonenko; dave@ar-medical.com; More about MaskFit AR https://youtu.be/t8c-BIT4TjA View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005505/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Ault Global Holdings Reports Q1 2021 Financial Results Ault Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: DPW) a diversified holding company (the "Company"), reported financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2021 on its Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Q1-2021 highlights Revenue of $13.2 million, an increase of 136% from $5.6 million in the prior first fiscal quarter; Revenue from lending and trading activities of $5.2 million due to the allocation of capital to the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Digital Power Lending, LLC; Revenue from cryptocurrency mining of $130,000 as the Company resumed cryptocurrency mining operations with approximately 1,000 miners during March 2021; Net income of $2.0 million for the quarter, which represents the first quarterly profit under current management; and Cash of $107.8 million, marketable securities of $18.2 million and other investments of $36.5 million as of March 31, 2021. Revenues Revenues by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 are as follows: For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2020 Increase % GWW $ 6,350,019 $ 4,387,447 $ 1,962,572 45 % Coolisys 1,382,349 1,181,835 200,514 17 % Ault Alliance: Revenue, cryptocurrency mining 129,896 - 129,896 - Revenue, lending and trading activities 5,210,222 36,152 5,174,070 14,312 % Other 172,143 - 172,143 - Total revenue $ 13,244,629 $ 5,605,434 $ 7,639,195 136 % Gresham Worldwide Gresham Worldwide, Inc.'s revenues increased by $2.0 million, or 45%, to $6.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, from $4.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in revenue from our Gresham Worldwide segment for customized solutions for the military markets reflects the benefit of capital that was allocated to our defense business based on the overall improved capital structure of the Company. Gresham Worldwide's revenue in 2021 includes $1.8 million from Relec Electronics Ltd., which was acquired on November 30, 2020. Revenue from Enertec Systems 2001 Ltd., which largely consists of revenue recognized over time, for the three months ended March 31, 2021 increased $133,000 or 5.8% from the prior-year period. Coolisys Coolisys Technologies Corp.'s revenues increased by $201,000, or 17%, to $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, from $1.2 million for three months ended March 31, 2020. Ault Alliance Revenues from our cryptocurrency mining operations revenues increased by $130,000 from the three months ended March 31, 2020, as we resumed our cryptocurrency mining operations during the first quarter of 2021 due to improved business conditions. Our decision to resume cryptocurrency mining operations in 2021 was based on several factors, which had positively affected the number of active miners we operated, including the market prices of digital currencies, and favorable power costs available at our Michigan data center. Revenues from our lending and trading activities increased to $5.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, from $36,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, which is attributable to a significant allocation of capital from our recent equity financing transactions to our loan and investment portfolio. Under its business model, Digital Power Lending generates revenue through origination fees charged to borrowers and interest generated from each loan. Digital Power Lending may also generate income from appreciation of investments in marketable securities as well as any shares of common stock underlying convertible notes or warrants issued to Digital Power Lending in any particular financing. Gross margins Gross margins increased to 61.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to 31.3% for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Our gross margins have typically ranged between 33% and 37%, with slight variations depending on the overall composition of our revenue. Our gross margins of 61.4% recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2021 were impacted by the favorable margins from our lending and trading activities. Excluding the effects of margin from our lending and trading activities, our adjusted gross margins for the three months ended March 31, 2021, would have been 36.4%, consistent with our historical average. Operating Expenses Operating expenses increased to $6.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, representing an increase of $2.2 million compared to $4.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in operating expenses from the three months ended March 31, 2020 was due to the following: Engineering and product development expenses increased by $161,000 due to costs incurred at Coolisys related to the development of our electric vehicle charger products; Selling and marketing expenses increased $903,000 as result of increases in personnel costs directly attributable to an increase in sales and marketing personnel and consultants primarily at Ault Alliance related to digital marketing, digital learning and the lending and trading platform; General and administrative expenses increased $2.2 million mainly due to higher consulting, audit, legal and insurance costs. In addition, general and administrative costs increased due to expenditures related to the Michigan Data Center, operated by Alliance Cloud Services. General and administrative expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2021 include $341,000 of costs from Relec, which was acquired on November 30, 2020; and The three months ended March 31, 2020 included a $1.0 million provision for credit losses. The Company's Chief Financial Officer, Kenneth S. Cragun, said, "The financial results for the first quarter of 2021 demonstrate that we are achieving our objectives to grow revenue and improve operating results, with revenue growth of 136% over the prior first fiscal quarter and net income of $2.0 million. We saw tremendous growth from our lending and trading activities with the infusion of capital and continued growth in our defense business. Our gross margins for the three months ended March 31, 2021 improved considerably, up $6.4 million, or 364% from the prior first fiscal quarter. We significantly improved our balance sheet as well, ending the first quarter of 2021 with positive working capital of $119.5 million due to our ability to raise capital in the public market." Ault Global's Founder and Executive Chairman, Milton "Todd" Ault, III said, "Our positive financial results in the first quarter of 2021 result from years of strategic planning. During this time, we have strengthened our operating businesses, funded Digital Power Lending, our financial services subsidiary, and improved our balance sheet tremendously. We are pleased to report significant revenue growth and are optimistic of the long-term potential of Digital Power Lending. As I said in the previous quarter when commenting about our fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, with the strongest balance sheet in the Company's history, a capable management team and a talented group of CEOs at the subsidiary level, the future prospects look bright for the Company in the short and long term." Mr. Ault added "I believe the current quarter results demonstrate that our holding company platform works as envisioned and provides the Company strength through the diversity of our holdings. Our recent capital raise of approximately $165 million has enabled us to fund our subsidiaries and eliminate our high-cost debt. We see strength across all our subsidiaries and expect to allocate additional capital to our lending and investment platform in the second quarter. Simply stated, we are in the strongest position of our company's 52-year history. The first quarter results constitute a promising start to 2021. Our key initiatives for 2021 include: exploring a potential IPO or other transaction to access capital markets for our Gresham Worldwide defense business; exploring a potential IPO for our power electronics and electric vehicle charger business; completing the initial 30,000 square foot buildout of our Michigan data center; ramping up cryptocurrency mining operations at our Michigan data center; ramping up fulfilment of the $50 million MTIX purchase order for MLSE plasma-laser systems; expanding our loan and investment portfolio at Digital Power Lending; and considering further acquisitions. Considering our subsidiaries operating in the sectors of defense, electric vehicle chargers, power electronic businesses, data center, crypto mining, lending and investment platform, the road ahead is bright." For more information on Ault Global Holdings and its subsidiaries, the Company recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read the Company's public filings with the SEC (News - Alert) and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at www.AultGlobal.com or available at www.sec.gov. About Ault Global Holdings, Inc. Ault Global Holdings, Inc. is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact. Through its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, the Company provides mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, telecommunications, medical/biopharma, and textiles. In addition, the Company extends credit to select entrepreneurial businesses through a licensed lending subsidiary. Ault Global Holdings' headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89141; www.AultGlobal.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "may," "will," "should," "could," "potential," or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company's business and financial results are included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company's website at www.AultGlobal.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005812/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Ben Crump Joins Paul Napoli, Napoli Shkolnik PLLC in Support of Bone Lead Testing Program for Flint Water Crisis Victims Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, as co-liaison and negotiating counsel in the Flint Water Litigation, is pleased to announce Ben Crump's continued support of the bone lead testing program in Flint, Michigan. The Flint Water Crisis devastated the community for six years after the City of Flint switched to a new water source as a money-saving measure. Officials failed to treat the water to avoid lead in the pipes from contaminating the water and families were exposed to dangerous levels of lead. Lead exposure is especially detrimental to children, potentially resulting in many serious health conditions, including neurological and developmental delays. After extensive research, our firms discovered Harvard PhD and New York University (NYU) pediatricians who have dedicated their lives to childhood lead exposure and its health effects. These experts identifiedthe portable XRF machine to detect lead deposits in bone for the purpose of uncovering the true nature of the community lead exposure. This method provides an accurate measurement of lead concentration compared to blood tests, since lead dissipates from the body very soon after exposure. The XRF machine has been used for decades to determine bone lead levels in children and adults. Peer reviewed research and tests have shown that the XRF scan process is safe for humans, including pregnant women and children. There is a far higher dose of radiation from dental x-rays, MRIs, and airport metal detectors than from an XRF scan. The test can also be used at trial. A safe, reliable lead testing program is an asset to the health of the Flint community. "That's why we are making bone lead testing available six days a week for our claimants," Napoli said. "We want to do whatever we can to help them overcome any and all barriers and get full justice." Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, supported by Ben Crump Law, has worked tirelessly litigating this case against the defendants to obtain the families of Flint the compensation they deserve. We believe in the bone lead testing program and its ability to get the victims of the Flint Water Crisis on a path towards fair compensation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005156/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2021] CDB Aviation Agrees First-Ever Lease for Two A330-300 P2F Aircraft with Mexico's MasAir CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited ("CDB Leasing"), announced today the company has reached an agreement with Mexico-based MasAir Cargo Airline ("MasAir") for the lease of two Airbus A330-300 Passenger-to-Freighter ("P2F") aircraft, marking the lessor's first-ever lease transaction with an airline operator for the aircraft type. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210523005025/en/ CDB Aviation and its newest customer in the Americas, Mexico-based MasAir, have agreed to a long-term lease for two A330-300 P2F, marking the lessor's first leasing transaction with an airline operator for the next generation A330 P2F freighter. (Photo: Business Wire) The A330 P2Fs on long-term lease to its newest customer in the Americas represent the first two positions from CDB Aviation's agreement with Germany-based EFW for the aircraft type's conversion announced in November 2020. The aircraft are scheduled to deliver to MasAir during the first half of 2022. "We are thrilled to welcome MasAir as the newest member of our growing customer base in Mexico and the Americas," commented CDB Aviation Chief Marketing Officer Peter Goodman, pointing to the lessor's distinctive provision of a customized fleet solution that will aid the dedicated freighter operator's strategic move to expand the fleet with more efficient and capable medium-sized widebody freighters. "With the increasing demand for express air cargo driven by robust e-commerce activity, our A330 P2Fs will deliver the desired combination of capacity and operating economics to support MasAir's expansion plans, equipping their fleet to effectively cater to the needs of the expanding e-commerce infrastructure," added Goodman. Luis Sierra, MasAir CEO, emphasized in his message to stakeholders: "The A330-300P2Fs from CDB Aviation will provide bigger capacity and efficiency, marking the continued process of MasAir on becoming a global player in the air cargo arena. Adding these two A330s to the two A330-200s we agreed to lease last month, we continue the path of growing our fleet with more efficient and longer-range aircraft." "The medium widebody freighter segment, served nowadays by aging twin-jet aircraft, is poised for growth with the need fo a new generation of medium widebody freighters," asserted Patrick Hannigan, CDB Aviation Chief Executive Officer. "Our decision to enter the A330 P2F conversion market was motivated by the potential of this asset." "We are very glad to have MasAir on board becoming the first A330-300 P2F operator in the Americas in 2022," said Dr. Andreas Sperl, Chief Executive Officer of EFW. "The A330 P2F is considered as very popular especially for the express cargo market, as it is a wide body program with great capacity offering more cargo volume and lower cost-per-ton than other available freighter aircraft types with a similar range." The lessor expects the A330-300 P2F to bring next generation technology and efficiency to the segment, offering more volumetric space than older freighters in this category. This aircraft can also seamlessly slot into the fleets of A320 Family, A330, and A350 operators, in line with what cargo operators and freight forwarders are seeking. "We are delighted to see MasAir strengthen their position on the A330 freighter by committing to the A330-300 P2F. This new addition to their fleet will also allow MasAir to benefit from the unique Airbus Commonality with the proven technologies of the A330 Family, such as Fly-by-wire," remarked Arturo Barreira, President of Airbus Latin America. Hannigan concluded: "As a major lessor of passenger A330s, we are at the forefront of the industry leveraging the capabilities of this highly efficient aircraft to offer our customers the next generation of medium widebody freighters, which will enable them to meet cargo demand near-term and into the future." Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions, including with respect to CDB Aviation's business, financial condition, results of operations or plans. CDB Aviation cautions readers that no forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual results or other financial condition or performance measures could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as "may," "will," "seek," "continue," "aim," "anticipate," "target," "projected," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "believe," "achieve" or other terminology or words of similar meaning. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of CDB Aviation's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to, and will not, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About MasAir Cargo Airline Aerotransportes Mas de Carga, SA de CV (dba MasAir Cargo Airline) is a Mexico City-based cargo airline, operating freighter aircraft since 1992. Since 2001, MasAir has been a B767-300Fs operator. An IATA member, MasAir holds IOSA, ISAGO, TCO-EASA, CCAR-129 and IATA-CEIV Pharma certifications. Since December 2018 MasAir is under a new ownership structure and management, with Discovery Americas -a leading Mexican Private Equity Fund- as majority shareholder. MasAir has a scheduled and charter network that spans along the Americas and is now expanding its new ACMI division with additional freighter aircraft. www.masair.com About CDB Aviation CDB Aviation is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited ("CDB Leasing") a 36-year-old Chinese leasing company that is backed mainly by the China Development Bank. CDB Aviation is rated Investment Grade by Moody's (A1), S&P Global (A), and Fitch (A+). China Development Bank is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Council of China and is the world's largest development finance institution. It is also the largest Chinese bank for foreign investment and financing cooperation, long-term lending and bond issuance, enjoying Chinese sovereign credit rating. CDB Leasing is the only leasing arm of the China Development Bank and a leading company in China's leasing industry that has been engaged in aircraft, infrastructure, ship, commercial vehicle and construction machinery leasing and enjoys a Chinese sovereign credit rating. It took an important step in July 2016 to globalize and marketize its business - listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX STOCK CODE: 1606). www.CDBAviation.aero View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210523005025/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Connection Programs Will Bring Together Key Decision Makers at FDIC International 2021 FAIRLAWN, N.J., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The need for connecting with peers across the country became even more important in 2020 when the COVID pandemic created supply chain issues and shortages for many of our first responders. With the postponement of in person meetings, a number of support services, logistics and R&D Chiefs approached FDIC (Fire Department Instructors Conference) for assistance connecting them with peers. FDIC's Metro Officers Quarterly Meetups were launched (virtually) to facilitate resource sharing and best practices during the pandemic. As the year went on and the group grew, so did requests for additional engagement opportunities beyond the quarterly meetups. This customer feedback paved the way for the first in person Metro Officers Innovation Briefing that will take place August 4, 2021 at FDIC International in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Metro Officers Innovation Briefing will help officers learn what's new in the industry, meet with their trusted suppliers and network with fellow metro officers. The day will feature market leaders presenting new products and innovations for feedback, peer-to-peer networking and one-to-one meetings. There will be 70 officers accepted into the one-day program representing 30 distinct metro fire departments. Innovation briefings will be presented by: Image Trend, Draeger, Target Solutions, Task Force Tips, Sutphen, Lenco Armored Vehicles, MSA, TNT Rescue and Waterous. The following day at FDIC International will host the return of the MATCH! program for its second iteration. This popular meeting program first launched in 2019 and after much success and demand for more, it will nearly double in size in 2021. MATCH! will take place on August 5-6, offering fire department officers the ability to schedule time with vendors, off of the show floor for one-one meetings. New in 2021, FDIC's MATCH! program will be extended virtually, four days after FDIC International, from August 10-11. The virtual MATCH! will be available to all decision makers that could not make it in person or any participant that wants a follow up meeting for their team back home. These programs are complimentary and open to deciion makers who are actively participating in selecting products or services for their departments. Participants will enjoy networking with fellow officers during FDIC and informally through access to a special block of hotel rooms in downtown Indianapolis. "We heard over and over again that there is a lot to cover at FDIC International and just not enough time. That is why we dedicated extra time outside of normal exhibit hall hours for these two programs. Our MATCH! technology in addition to the personal assistance from our program manager provides participants the ability to meet with vendors based on their sourcing needs. The convenience and ability to choose who they want to meet with is in their hands. It's been a long year and like most, we are ready to get back business at FDIC International," said Eric Schlett, Senior Vice President, Clarion Events Fire & Rescue Group. Fire department decision makers who are interested in participating in either one of these programs can find out more information and sign up today at: Metro Officers Innovation Briefing: https://www.fdic.com/event-information/metro-officers MATCH!: https://www.fdic.com/event-information/match-program Vendors who are interested in participating in MATCH! can find out more information and sign up today at: https://www.fdic.com/exhibition/match About FDIC International FDIC International offers Fire & Rescue professionals from around the world, quality-world class instructors, classrooms, workshops, H.O.T. evolutions and the most innovative products and services available to the industry displayed by over 800 exhibiting companies. The FDIC Experience is more than your traditional trade show it's about the learning and sharing with your peers formally and informally through hallway conversations, developing life-long friendships and recharging your passing for the industry. Simply, there is no other event like FDIC International and to experience it, you simply have to attend. www.fdic.com About Clarion Events Fire & Rescue Group The Clarion Events Fire & Rescue Group provides critical cutting-edge firefighting and emergency medical service news, education, equipment and hands-on training. Through our industry-leading publications, digital media and events Clarion's Fire & Rescue Group covers the latest developments and standards in apparatus and equipment, clinical breakthroughs, and training for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and those professionals serving in the Fire & EMS Industries. We at Clarion Fire & Rescue hold ourselves to the strictest of standards, ensuring that our service to the first responders equals the industry's tireless service to us all while maintaining our long-standing mission to "Train and Inform the Fire & EMS Industry." View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/connection-programs-will-bring-together-key-decision-makers-at-fdic-international-2021-301297801.html SOURCE Clarion Events [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] CrowdStrike and EY Announce Expansion of Alliance to Provide Joint Cyber Offerings to Help Combat Ransomware and Accelerate Zero Trust CrowdStrike Inc., a leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection and workload protection, and Ernst & Young LLP (EY US), a leading organization in cyber risk consulting services, today announced that CrowdStrike Falcon has been selected as one of the EY preferred cybersecurity technology platforms, strengthening the alliance between the two industry leading organizations. The development of the alliance introduces an expansion into new geographies as well as new joint offerings: Ransomware Readiness and Resilience, Incident Response (IR), Recovery and Remediation, and the acceleration of Zero Trust capabilities. The CrowdStrike-EY Alliance seamlessly integrates cybersecurity operations and risk management to help aid enterprises around the world, and bolster business resiliency. The CrowdStrike and EY teams are committed to helping customers in new areas as the alliance continues to grow outside the U.S. Recently, the alliance expanded into Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada and Italy. Combating ransomware threats and attacks A key focus of the EY and CrowdStrike alliance is aimed at thwarting ransomware attacks, as this form of cyberattack continues to gain momentum and sophistication from both cyber criminals and state-sponsored threat actors. Ransomware attacks take advantage of security gaps at multiple levels when it comes to people, process, and technology and continue to plague entities ranging from small businesses all the way up to mature, global organizations. In response, EY and CrowdStrike professionals have joined forces to create the Ransomware Readiness and Resilience solution - a multi-pronged strategy to effectively combat these threats. The Ransomware Readiness and Resilience solution combines EY Next-Generation Security Operations and Response (NGSO&R) services with the CrowdStrike Falcon platform, providing industry-leading protection and detection capabilities with cyber threat intelligence and 24/7 threat hunting to offer a leading solution in the fight against ransomware threats. The solution offers immediate, real-time visibility into the organizations' environments, identifying and eliminating potential compromises and curtailing silent failure. This powerful combination helps to contain active threats immediately and efficiently mitigates the threat of ransomware attacks. Shawn Henry, CrowdStrike chief security officer and president of Services, says: "We continue to hear from our customers that dangerous cyber actors threaten the livelihood of their business operations. CrowdStrike and EY have teamed up to offer our joint customers market-leading technology paired with leading transformational consulting services to aid organizations and positively impact their business objectives through the prioritization of cybersecurity. We are thrilled about the maturing of this collaboration and look forward to helping more businesses around the world grow their business resiliency and security posture." Response, recovery and remediation EY and CrowdStrike teams have also joined forces to offer customers a new broad approach to respond quickly and precisely in the wake of an incident. Incident Response, Recovery and Remediation helps customers rapidly contain an attack and recover from a breach with speed and surgical precision, using the threat intelligence and real-time response capabilities of CrowdStrike's technology and services. CrowdStrike's IR strengths, along with EY's proactive and reactive incident response plans, encompass all aspects of a client's cybersecurity program and threat response IR, Recovery and Remediation provides an understanding of the full threat context to rapidly recover endpoints and get customers back to normal business operations faster. This helps clients to increase overall business resiliency while meeting compliance and governance requirements. Additionally, EY and CrowdStrike teams have integrated the acceleration of Zero Trust adoption, leveraging CrowdStrike Falcon's Zero Trust solutions to process trillions of events in real-time and continuously validate the access of resources for all users, devices and applications, regardless of the location. Utilizing the expansive telemetry of the CrowdStrike Security Cloud, customers benefit from high fidelity attack correlation, fast policy enforcement, and dynamic conditional access based on continuous, real-time security risk assessments, helping ensure frictionless Zero Trust adoption and identity protection for organizations of any size. Dave Burg, EY Americas cybersecurity leader, says: "The threat of cybersecurity attacks remains top of mind for EY clients and the expanded global alliance with CrowdStrike will be invaluable as they continue navigating increasing cyber threats. Through this collaboration, EY and CrowdStrike teams aim to address growing concerns regarding ransomware and how to manage a potential incident through the new Ransomware Readiness and Resilience, and IR, Recovery and Remediation solutions. Strengthening this alliance means supporting clients where they're most vulnerable so they can focus on running their business." To find out more about this alliance, please visit the CrowdStrike website and blog, and the EY website. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding benefits customers may experience as a result of CrowdStrike and EY's collaborations. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements, as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those anticipated or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. About CrowdStrike CrowdStrike, a global cybersecurity leader, is redefining security for the cloud era with an endpoint and workload protection platform built from the ground up to stop breaches. The CrowdStrike Falcon platform's single lightweight-agent architecture leverages cloud-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and offers real-time protection and visibility across the enterprise, preventing attacks on endpoints and workloads on or off the network. Powered by the proprietary CrowdStrike Threat Graph, CrowdStrike Falcon correlates over 5 trillion endpoint-related events per week in real time from across the globe, fueling one of the world's most advanced data platforms for security. With CrowdStrike, customers benefit from better protection, better performance and immediate time-to-value delivered by the cloud-native Falcon platform. There's only one thing to remember about CrowdStrike: We stop breaches. Qualifying organizations can gain full access to Falcon Prevent by starting a free trial. Learn more: https://www.crowdstrike.com/ Follow us: Blog | Twitter 2021 CrowdStrike, Inc. All rights reserved. CrowdStrike, the falcon logo, CrowdStrike Falcon and CrowdStrike Threat Graph are marks owned by CrowdStrike, Inc. and registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and in other countries. CrowdStrike owns other trademarks and service marks, and may use the brands of third parties to identify their products and services. About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In doing so, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005054/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2021] DocuSign, the global leader in document management, partnered with Trans Sped one of the most dynamic digital transformation companies in Romania "Trans Sped is both a leading Trust Service Provider in Europe and also a key stakeholder in building the digital trust in Healthcare and Life Science industries" - Thibault de Valroger, Sr Director Business Development, DocuSign. BUCHAREST, Romania, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trans Sped, one of the few digital transformation services providers with a global presence, has partnered with DocuSign to provide integrated electronic signature with qualified digital certificate on DocuSign market -leading platform. The move confirms the high standards of security and reliability of Trans Sped services and offers a new valuable tool for DocuSign users. "We are delighted that Trans Sped decided to join our Trust Service Providers partner network. We value a lot this starting cooperation with Trans Sped who is both a leading Trust Service Provider in Europe and also a key stakeholder in building the digital trust in Healthcare and Life science industries. With the contribution of Trans Sped, DocuSign continues to build the widest trust eco-system in the eSignature space to serve the expansion of our customers' digital transformation," said Thibault de Valroger,Sr Director Business Development, DocuSign. "This integration widens the opportunities for DocuSign users. They can sign contracts and important documents using Trans Sped qualified digital signature, on any device, without leaving the platform. Our qualified digital signature is compliant with United States and European laws and it can be used in any country that recognizes North American or European legislation. The electronic signature with qualified digital certificate issued by Trans Sped is legally binding, holds the same authority as a hand written signature and it is already used by major companies worldwide. All these benefits are now available on DocuSign platform," said Camelia Ivan, CEO Trans Sped. The integration is already helping many companies to optimize their processes. Some of the largest companies in Healthcare and Life science industry are using Trans Sped digital qualified signature for Clinical Trails and for procedures under FDA 21 CFR part 11. Having Trans Sped signatures integrated with DocuSign platform, helped them improve their internal flows. Trans Sped is a SAFE Identity member since 2008 and contributed to the development of the trust service ecosystem for pharma and biotechnology industry. "We support the advancement of digital identity and cryptography in healthcare, in order to ensure high levels of security and assurance for healthcare sensitive date. Trans Sped is a very dynamic member of our industry consortium and this new integration with DocuSign will be very useful for pharma and biotechnology companies," said Kyle Neuman, CEO SAFE Identity. Trans Sped offers digital transformation services, fintech solutions, digital and process automation, digital certificates for electronic signature (qualified certificates, advanced or simple), qualified time stamps, qualified electronic seals and long term preservation services. Trans Sped is a Trust Service Provider operating in the international market. Trans Sped digital certificates are included in the EU Trusted List and are cross-certified with the Federal Bridge of the US. Thus, they are recognized as legal binding by US and EU institutions, companies and government bodies. Trans Sped is a SAFE Identity, ETSI and Cloud Signature Consortium member. Trans Sped solutions help global companies in pharma and biotechnology, banking, insurance, retail, automotive and other industries to digitize their business processes and to become more efficient. SOURCE Trans Sped [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Dun & Bradstreet Announces Appointment of New Executives Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc. (" Dun & Bradstreet (News - Alert) " or the "Company") (NYSE:DNB), a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, announced the appointments of Virginia ("Ginny") Gomez as Chief Product Officer and Michael ("Mike") Manos as Chief Technology Officer. Gomez joins Dun & Bradstreet from TransUnion, where she was Executive Vice President of Product & Portfolio Management, bringing a strong track record of global product innovation and execution to her new role. Manos, a well-known and innovative technologist, joins the company from Fiserv where he was Chief Technology Officer, with a solid reputation of enhancing business operations by effectively building and evolving technology. "The impressive experience Ginny and Mike each bring will help us to advance our strategy to provide our best-in-class data and analytics in new, modern solutions that will give our clients a competitive advantage and position our company for long-term growth," said Anthony Jabbour, Chief Executive Officer for Dun & Bradstreet. "The combination of Ginny's track record of creating new offerings that meet clients' ever-evolving needs and Mike's proven ability to deliver those solutions through a modern, cloud-based architecture, will create immense value for us. Capitalizing on the foundational efforts we have made over the past two years, we are excited to add these two talented individuals to continue on our journey of growth and innovation." Gomez will lead Dun & Bradstreet's global product portfolio, focusing on driving rapid innovation and developing products at scale that enable the company's more than 137,000 clients worldwide to effectively manage risk and accelerate growth. With over 20 years of experience leading product teams, Gomez brings extensive strategic, commercial, operational, product and marketing expertise to drive th development of new solutions. "Dun & Bradstreet has built a brand that organizations worldwide trust to help them make data-driven decisions that shape their business," said Ginny Gomez, Chief Product Officer of Dun & Bradstreet. "I look forward to unlocking new areas of potential for the company as it seeks to capitalize on its expansive data footprint and strength in the analytics industry, and I am eager to partner with the talented Dun & Bradstreet Product team to redefine our space and create category-leading solutions that benefit our clients and grow our business." Manos brings more than 25 years of industry experience and deep technological insight to Dun & Bradstreet. He has a proven track record of modernizing and scaling existing platforms for companies such as AOL Services, Nokia (News - Alert) and most recently Fiserv, while simultaneously working with product teams to leverage the industry's latest technologies to develop new solutions. Manos' passion for solving the most complex problems for clients of all sizes will deliver immediate value to Dun & Bradstreet as he leads the company through the next chapter of technological innovation to enable the rapid growth and delivery of products, services and data-driven insights. "It is an honor to join a company that recognizes the criticality of technology to fuel product innovation and deliver seamless, unified experiences to clients as they continue to navigate this dynamic world," said Mike Manos, Chief Technology Officer of Dun & Bradstreet. "Technology can have a powerful impact in the way that we provide clients the data, analytic insights and solutions they need to solve the world's most challenging business problems, and I am ready to make that happen on a whole new level for Dun & Bradstreet as it continues to grow and create greater value for clients. The company recently announced that it is opening a new location in Jacksonville, Florida, which will become its new corporate headquarters, and plans to grow its workforce there with 500 new jobs over the next five years. Gomez and Manos will be based in Jacksonville when the company opens its new office in the Fall of 2021. Biographies Ginny Gomez joins Dun & Bradstreet from TransUnion where she served as Executive Vice President of Product & Portfolio Management. Ginny also spent time at First Advantage where she was Executive Vice President of Product Management and Marketing and managed product strategy, marketing, and business development for the company's global screening solutions (formerly LexisNexis (News - Alert) Risk Solutions Group) and initiatives. She also served in leadership roles at Lulu and PeopleFluent. Gomez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Old Dominion University. Mike Manos joins the Company from Fiserv where he was Chief Technology Officer and oversaw the company's technology operations, infrastructure, platform automation, and development of payment, banking and e-commerce platforms. Prior to Fiserv, Manos held senior leadership positions at AOL Services, Nokia, Digital Reality Trust, Microsoft and Walt Disney (News - Alert) . He maintains multiple industry certifications and is a proud holder of numerous infrastructure technology, software development, and process-related patents. Manos holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology. About Dun & Bradstreet Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Dun & Bradstreet's Data Cloud fuels solutions and delivers insights that empower customers to accelerate revenue, lower cost, mitigate risk, and transform their businesses. Since 1841, companies of every size have relied on Dun & Bradstreet to help them manage risk and reveal opportunity. Twitter (News - Alert) : @DunBradstreet View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005783/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Everest Re Group Announces Investor Day Webcast Everest Re Group, Ltd. ("Everest" or the "Company") today announced that it will host an investor day webcast on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 starting at 8:00 am Eastern Time, and concluding at approximately 11:30 am Eastern Time. The investor day webcast will include detailed presentations from Everest President and Chief Executive officer Juan C. Andrade and other members of the executive team. The content will focus on the Company's three-year strategic plan. The investor day webcast will be presented live and all interested parties are invited to join by registering in advance at Everest Re Group, Ltd.. A replay will be available after the event. About Everest Re Group, Ltd. Everest Re Group, Ltd. ("Everest") is a leading global provider of reinsurance and insurance, operating for close to 50 years through subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, Canada, Bermuda, and other territories. Everest offers property, casualty, and specialty products through its various operating affiliates located in key markets around the world. Everest common stock (NYSE:RE) is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information about Everest, our people, and our products can be found on our website at www.everestre.com. All issuing companies may not do business in all jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005791/en/ [May 24, 2021] Former Delivery Dudes market in Franklin, TN is joining delivery.com NEW YORK, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- delivery.com today announced that it will power local online food and alcohol ordering and delivery in Nashville suburbs Brentwood, Franklin, Thompson Station and Spring Hill, Tennessee. The Franklin market was formerly operated by a Delivery Dudes licensee, who now joins the delivery.com platform to serve consumers and corporate clients. This market is now available on the delivery.com website and app. delivery.com now connects more than two and a half million customers and corporate clients to more than 19,000 restaurants, liquor stores, dry cleaners and other local businesses in 2,500 cities and growing. Customers who live in Franklin and the surrounding area can continue to order from their favorite local restaurants and liquor stores for delivery or pickup, and can now access the delivery.com suite of offerings: Technology and mobile apps: consumers can experience a frictionless, easy-to-use platform to order from their favorite neighborhood restaurants and liquor stores. Order tracking: After placing their order, customers receive a link designed for tracking the progress of their order and stay up-to-date on its ETA. Delivery Points: popular loyalty program from delivery.com that allows customers to earn free food and other rewards. delivery.com Office: corporate clients can order catering, set up individual ordering for their offices, or use the Group Order feature. Franklin market joins our platform, it's important to us to be able to bring their customers the quality they've come to expect," said Jed Kleckner , CEO of delivery.com. "This market is well established in the community, and we're proud to be able to use our tech and tools to power a better ordering experience." Local places customers love will be available for ordering, such as Mere Bulles, Mellow Mushroom, Burger-Up, and Pueblo Real/Tito's Mexican restaurants. The current management in Franklin will remain local. "Serving our community with delivery.com will allow us to provide great service to customers, restaurant partners, and delivery partners," said Guy Stanke, a former Delivery Dudes licensee. "delivery.com allows us to offer great technology across the board while still remaining locally owned and operated." The announcement in Franklin is part of a rapid series of acquisitions and partnerships and comes after delivery.com announced a rapid series of launches nationwide. The former Franklin, TN Delivery Dudes market plans to roll out a full set of delivery.com services in their markets, including Group Ordering and office ordering features, as well as expanded offerings beyond food delivery. For a limited time, the Franklin market is offering $10 off orders of $15 or more to first-time users of delivery.com with the code ORDERNOW (see the website for details). About delivery.com delivery.com empowers the neighborhood economy by enabling consumers and corporate customers to order online from their favorite restaurants and other local businesses. More than two and a half million delivery.com customers and delivery.com Office clients explore their communities and order from over 19,000 local businesses in more than 2,500 cities while at home, at work, or on the go. With headquarters in New York and a growing presence across the country, delivery.com makes e-commerce an integral part of local daily life, enabling customers to order, companies to provide, businesses to grow, and neighborhoods to thrive. Trademarks and/or trademark registrations referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Each party's statements are made by such party solely on its own behalf and each party is solely responsible for the accuracy of its respective statements. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-delivery-dudes-market-in-franklin-tn-is-joining-deliverycom-301297662.html SOURCE delivery.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Goddard Systems, Inc. Expands Teacher of the Year Program, Celebrating 12 Outstanding Early Childhood Educators From Across the Country Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School, the leading childcare provider in the U.S., expanded its Teacher of the Year program in 2021 to celebrate additional teachers for their outstanding efforts and commitment to students during the pandemic. In its 15th year, the Teacher of the Year program was broadened to include four classroom categories (infant, toddler, preschool/pre-k, and kindergarten/school-age), and the country was separated into three regions (East region, Central region, and West region) to allow for 12 regional winners. And, of these 12 outstanding early childhood educators, one was selected as the grand prize Teacher of the Year winner. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005689/en/ The Goddard School recognizes its 2021 Teachers of the Year (Graphic: Business Wire) "After a year like no other, we are grateful for the dedication, passion and tenacity of Goddard School teachers across the country," said Dennis R. Maple, Chairman and CEO of GSI. "All teachers deserve our appreciation and respect for their tireless work, in and outside the classroom. They are essential to running a successful School and have remained a steadfast source of care and comfort for their students during a tumultuous year. We are delighted to celebrate even more teachers this year for all they do to make the world a better place through early childhood education." 12 Regional Winners The 12 winning teachers were selected from a record-breaking number of nominations this year. They each embodied competence, leadership, creativity, and a nurturing demeanor. From initiating service projects to teach children about giving back to their communities during a pandemic, to creating take-home learning kits, to dressing in costumes to accompany lesson plans, all 12 regional winners created strong bonds between home and school, incorporated their own passions into their teaching, and ensured the health and safety of their students. In addition to being named a 2021 Teacher of the Year, Goddard Systems gifted each of the regional winners a $1000 cash award. Goddard is proud to honor the following teachers: East Region Winners: West Region Winners: Grand Prize Winner In addition to being named the regional winner of the toddler classroom in the West region, Hallie Brady from McKinney, TX was awarded the grand prize Teacher of the Year winner. Bringing a unique passion to her toddler classroom, Brady was dedicated to implementing age-appropriate lesson plans that are tailored to the individual needs of students and fully embraced an emergent curriculum. As multiple parents and families shared with Goddard Systems in Brady's nomination, she consistently made them feel welcome, loved, and comfortable with their child's early childhood learning journey. As the grand prize winner, Goddard celebrated Brady with a $5000 cash gift. For more information about The Goddard School, the Teacher of the Year awards, and this year's winners, please visit GoddardSchool.com. ABOUT GODDARD SYSTEMS, INC. Established in 1988, Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School, is the acknowledged leader in the premium early childcare and education market segment. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, GSI has been consistently named one of the top childcare franchises in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine and one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) by Franchise Times. GSI currently licenses more than 550 Goddard School franchises that serve more than 70,000 students in 38 states. For more information, visit goddardschoolfranchise.com. ABOUT THE GODDARD SCHOOL Learning for fun. Learning for life. Children learn best through experience. The Goddard School uses current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children have fun while learning the skills they need for long-term success in school and in life. The distinctive structure positions Schools to support the needs of families and helps ensure that children are known and appreciated for their individual talents and personalities. The Goddard School's F.L.EX. Learning Program (Fun Learning Experience) helps children explore and discover their interests in a safe, nurturing environment. And a team of acknowledged experts in various fields of early childhood education guides the course of study. Additionally, this program has earned AdvancED Corporation Accreditation and Middle States Corporate Accreditation for creating policies, programs and standards that help franchised locations meet high standards in early learning, child development and childcare. The Goddard School serves more than 70,000 students from six weeks to six years old in more than 550 Goddard Schools in 38 states. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005689/en/ [May 24, 2021] Homeland Security & Defense Business Council Adds Tamara Greenspan to its Board of Directors The Homeland Security and Defense Business Council (HSDBC) announced the recent election of Tamara Greenspan, Group Vice President and General Manager for Public Sector Applications, to its Board of Directors for a three-year term. "The addition of Tamara Greenspan to the Council's Board of Directors is a major plus for our organization, as Tamara brings a wealth of experience in leadership and oversight of government/industry associations," said Rafael Borras, president and CEO of HSDBC. "Tamara brings an accomplished record of supporting the federal government through her work at Oracle (News - Alert) and her years of service helping to lead government/industry associations. We are thrilled to have her join the board of directors." Greenspan will help guide the overarching vision and direction of the Council and its programs and initiatives. She joins a group of Directors who represent the Council's diverse membership of the small, mid-tier, and large companies that provide the technology, product, and service solutions to the Homeland Security Enterprise. "I am honored and excited to have this opportunity to serve on the board of directors of the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council, Greenspan said. "The missions of DHS and HDBC have never been more important. I truly believe that helping to build a bridge between DHS and industry advancements will accelerate modernization and agility to assist in their difficult and ever-changing directives." About Tamara Greenspan Tamara Greenspan is the Group Vice President and General Manager for Public Sector Applications. She is responsible for a team of account executives, solution engineers and business development leaders that deliver software solutions for complex business problems. The team assists the Federal Government, the International Agency community, and Canada Public Sector with their digital transformation to realize greater business value through the adoption of the Oracle Cloud in areas including ERP, SCM, EPM, and HCM. Ms. Greenspan joined Oracle in 1989 and has held various sales and management positions within Public Sector. She has received numerous performance awards for achievement, including Oracle's prestigious Leadership 2000 award chosen by her peers for sustained superior management and leadership success. She is the Community Leader for the Oracle Women's Leadership (OWL) organization for the DC area and was awarded the 2014 Oracle Woman's leadership award. This award recognizes exemplary leaders who significantly contribute to Oracle's business results, model Oracle's leadership attributes, and demonstrate support of OWL's global mission. Ms. Greenspan received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bucknell University. About the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council The Homeland Security & Defense Business Council is a not-for-profit, non-partisan corporate membership organization comprised of the leading large, mid-tier, and small companies that support the Homeland Security Enterprise with technology, product, and service solutions. Our mission is to bring government and industry leaders together to build and strengthen relationships, increase knowledge sharing, and improve the way we conduct business together. Towards that end, our programs and initiatives focus on building better engagement models between the public and private sectors and facilitating collaborative dialogues on the best ways to address our nation's critical homeland security issues. Learn more at https://www.homelandcouncil.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005585/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Italy Life Insurance Report 2021: Key Trends, Analysis and Opportunities, 2015-2019 & 2019-2024 - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Italy Life Insurance - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. 'Italy Life Insurance - Key trends and Opportunities to 2024' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Italian life insurance segment. This report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into Italian life insurance segment. It provides values for key performance indicators such as direct written premium, assets and penetration during the review period (2015-2019) and forecast period (2019-2024). The report gives a comprehensive overview of the Italian economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country. The report brings together the publisher's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure. Key Highlights Key insights into the dynamics of the Italian life insurance industry. Comparison of the Italian life insurance segments, along with premium and claim trends. A comprehensive overviewof the Italian economy, government initiatives and investment opportunities. Italian insurance regulatory framework's evolution, key facts, taxation regime, licensing and capital requirements. Italian life insurance industry's market structure giving details of retail and commercial lines of business. Details of the competitive landscape, M&A and competitors' profiles. Scope It provides historical values for the Italian life insurance segment for the report's 2015-2019 review period, and projected figures for the 2019-2024 forecast period. It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Italian life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2024. It profiles the top life insurance companies in Italy and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Executive Summary Chapter 2 Economy Overview Key Macroeconomic Indicators Country Risk Index Chapter 3 COVID-19 Impact Assessment Chapter 4 Summary Trend and KPIs Penetration and Growth Premiums and Lines of Business Consumer Segments and Retention Chapter 5 Regulatory Risk Evolution Key Facts Licensing Requirements Chapter 6 Key Trends by Lines of Business Retail Line of Business Commercial Line of Business Chapter 7 Business Performance Life Insurance Pension Chapter 8 Distribution Overview Chapter 9 Competitive Landscape Chapter 10 Competitor Profiles Chapter 11 Insurtech Chapter 12 Consumer Insight Survey Chapter 13 Appendix Companies Mentioned Poste Vita Intesa Sanpaolo Vita Generali Italia Alleanza Assicurazioni Creditras Vita Genertellife Bnp Paribas Cardif Vita Unipolsai Assicurazioni Credit Agricole Vita Fideuram Vita For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pmodu8 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005640/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Patna, May 24 (UNI) The Lockdown imposed in Bihar to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection was extended till June 01 in the state. The decision for the extension of the lockdown from May 25 till June 01 was taken in a meeting of the crisis management group held on Monday under the chairmanship of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Soon after the meeting, the Chief Minister informed about the decision through his official tweet on social media. In his tweet, Mr Kumar said that in view of the surging cases of coronavirus infection, the lockdown was imposed on May 5 for a period of three weeks. Mr Kumar said that the situation was reviewed in the meeting of the crisis management group attended by his cabinet colleagues and senior officers. Mr Kumar said that the lockdown had a positive impact and the number of cases declined following which the lockdown was further extended in the state. UNI RS RN [May 24, 2021] KE Holdings Appoints New Chairman and New Director KE Holdings Inc. ("Beike" or the "Company") (NYSE: BEKE), a leading integrated online and offline platform for housing transactions and services, today announced that its board of directors (the "Board") has appointed Mr. PENG Yongdong, the Company's co-founder, chief executive officer and executive director, as the new chairman of the Board to succeed Mr. ZUO Hui who passed away on May 20, 2021. The Company also announced the appointment of Mr. XU Wangang, the Company's chief operating officer, as a new executive director to the Board to fill the vacancy left by Mr. ZUO. Going forward, the audit committee of the Board will consist of Ms. CHEN Xiaohong, Mr. XU Wangang and Ms. CHEN Yu, with Ms. CHEN Xiaohong serving as the chairperson; the compensation committee of the Board will consist of Ms. CHEN Yu, Mr. PENG Yongdong and Ms. CHEN Xiaohong, with Ms. CHEN Yu serving as the chairperson; and the nominating and corporate governance committee of the Board will consist of Mr. SHAN Yigang, Ms. CHEN Xiaohong and Ms. CHEN Yu, with Mr. SHAN Yigang serving as the chairperson. In addition, the Company announced that Mr. ZUO will be the permanent Chairman Emeritus of the Company to commemorate his invaluable contribution and legacy. The Company's executive directors and executive officers, as well as Propitious Global Holdings Limited (together with the family trust administering its shareholding interest), which is the Company's principal shareholder, have also covenanted with the Company that, for a 365-day period from today, they will not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of the Company's ordinary shares or American depositary shares they currently hold. The Company and relevant parties will implement certain pre-planned contingency arrangements with respect to the class B ordinary shares held by Propitious Global Holdings Limited and make an announcement in due course. "We remain deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. ZUO, our visionary founder, the pioneer of our mission, and a leading figure in the industry who, at alltimes, devotes himself into exploration and innovation. From Lianjia to Beike, Mr. ZUO has established legendary milestones in China's housing transactions and services industry. His invaluable legacy will continue to lead the growth of the Company. Meanwhile, Mr. ZUO's beliefs and values are embedded in our corporate DNA, guiding the stability of our management team and the organic growth of our Company," said by Mr. PENG Yongdong. "As the founder of Beike, Mr. ZUO was our chairman and will be honored as our 'chairman emeritus' going forward, with the belief that Mr. ZUO and his spirit will be imprinted in our hearts. I hope all of us could carry Mr. ZUO's belief of 'doing the right thing even if it's difficult' and move forward on the long journey ahead of us in the housing transactions and services industry," Mr. PENG added. "We are confident that, with the support and trust of our customers, employees, shareholders and business partners, our management team will collectively and unswervingly strive to accomplish Mr. ZUO's wish as well as our mission of 'admirable service, joyful living.'" Mr. PENG concluded. About KE Holdings Inc. KE Holdings Inc. is a leading integrated online and offline platform for housing transactions and services. The Company is a pioneer in building the industry infrastructure and standards in China to reinvent how service providers and housing customers efficiently navigate and consummate housing transactions, ranging from existing and new home sales, home rentals, to home renovation, real estate financial solutions, and other services. The Company owns and operates Lianjia, China's leading real estate brokerage brand and an integral part of its Beike platform. With more than 19 years of operating experience through Lianjia since its inception in 2001, the Company believes the success and proven track record of Lianjia pave the way for it to build the industry infrastructure and standards and drive the rapid and sustainable growth of Beike. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "confident," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to," and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release, as well as Beike's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Beike may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) "), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about KE Holdings Inc.'s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in KE Holdings Inc.'s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and KE Holdings Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005392/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Lufax Announces Share Repurchase Plan by the Company and Senior Management Lufax Holding Ltd ("Lufax" or the "Company") (NYSE: LU), a leading technology-empowered personal financial services platform in China, today announced that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to US$300 million of its American depositary shares ("ADSs") for the next six months. The Company's proposed repurchases may be made from time to time in the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The Company plans to fund repurchases from its existing cash balance. The Company was also informed by its Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer and other members of senior management of their intention to use their personal funds to purchase up to an aggregate of US$5 million worth of the Company's ADSs during a six-month period following today, pursuant and subject to applicable laws and the Company's securities trading policy. The proposed senior management share purchases may be made from time to time in the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The senior management has agreed to be subject to lock-up restrictions for a period of at least six months with respect to the proposed purchased shares. The proposed senior management share purchase plan demonstrates the management'sconfidence in the fundamental and long-term growth of the Company. After the purchase, the interests of the senior management will be even more closely aligned with those of the Company's shareholders. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Lufax's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Lufax has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends, which involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Lufax's goals and strategies; Lufax's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; expected changes in Lufax's income, expenses or expenditures; expected growth of the retail credit facility and wealth management markets; Lufax's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its services; Lufax's expectations regarding its relationship with borrowers, platform investors, funding sources, product providers and other business partners; general economic and business conditions; and government policies and regulations relating to the industry Lufax operates in. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Lufax's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Lufax does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. About Lufax Lufax Holding Ltd is a leading technology-empowered personal financial services platform in China. Lufax Holding Ltd primarily utilizes its customer-centric product offerings and offline-to-online channels to provide retail credit facilitation services to small business owners and salaried workers in China as well as tailor-made wealth management solutions to China's rapidly growing middle class. The Company has implemented a unique, capital-light, hub-and-spoke business model combining purpose-built technology applications, extensive data, and financial services expertise to effectively facilitate the right products to the right customers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005344/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Missouri Virtual Academy Recognizes Class of 2021 with Senior Celebration After a school year unlike any other, Missouri Virtual Academy (MOVA), a full-time online public school serving K-12 students throughout the state, will recognize the Class of 2021 with a senior celebration on Wednesday, May 26th, 2021. The virtual celebration will bring together the 28 members of the Class of 2021 to recognize this important milestone. Students and MOVA staff will connect and reflect on the unique achievements they have reached during their time with online school. "We want to recognize all of the hard work our graduating seniors have made to reach this moment," said MOVA Head of School Steve Richards. "I hope that our senior celebration provides them with the recognition they deserve as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives." Collectively, the Class of 2021 reports it has been accepted to technical schools, colleges and universities across the country, including: The University of Missouri, Southeast Missouri State University, Truman State University, and St. Louis Community College. Students choose online school for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment, and the ability to support medical needs or extracurricular pursuits. MOVA's online platform gives students the ability to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment with an appropriate pace for their learning style. Details of the senior celebration are as follows: WHAT: Missouri Virtual Academy 2021 Senior Celebration WHEN: Wednesday, May 26th, 2021 | 1:00 PM CST WHERE: Live stream available upon request About Missouri Virtual Academy Missouri Virtual Academy is a full-time public-school program serving students in grades K through 12 with prior public-school enrollment the semester prior to enrollment. As part of the Grandview R-2 School District, MOVA is tuition-free and gives families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build their skills for the future. For more information about MOVA, visit mova.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005001/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Motorola Solutions Foundation, Boeing to Host Virtual Chicago STEM Signing Day On Tuesday, May 25, the Motorola Solutions Foundation (NYSE: MSI) and Boeing (News - Alert) (NYSE: BA) will jointly host the annual Chicago STEM Signing Day event for the fourth year in a row. This special event celebrates students from across the Chicagoland area as they make commitments to attend some of the country's top technical schools, colleges and universities. These students will apply their talents in pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers in fields such as software development, engineering, aviation and user experience design, putting themselves on the fast track for success. Fifty Chicagoland area students will be honored, signing STEM letters of intent in advance of the event which will be hosted virtually. These students, who are currently underrepresented in STEM fields, were selected to participate after applying through the Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative, a Project Exploration initiative aimed at addressing inequities in the STEM learning landscape from early childhood to career. The virtual celebration will include keynote speaker and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot; Sharon Hong, Motorola (News - Alert) Solutions vice president of Safety Reimagined, Service Offer Management and Worldwide Education; and Candice Smith, Boeing engineering director. "On behalf of an immensely proud city, I want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to each of these talented, Chicagoland students on their hard-earned accomplishments," said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "Their success not only marks the beginning of their careers in STEM, but it also serves as a huge step forward in our mission to build a better, stronger, and brighter future for our city by ensuring that our tech, science and engineering sectors have diverse talent. I am grateful for the Motorola Solutions Foundation and Boeing's partnership with our My CHI. My Future. anchor, Project Exploration, and thank them all for celebrating and empowering our young people." The Motorola Solutions Foundation has proudly participated in Chicago's STEM Signing Day since its inception in 2018, supporting more than 175 students with over $150,000 in scholarships. This year, the Foundation will award each student with a $1,000 educational scholarship. "Today's event is a celebration of these students' incredibl accomplishments as the next generation of top tech talent in our community," said Karem Perez, executive director of the Foundation. "The Motorola Solutions Foundation is honored to play a small role in their future success, and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the years to come." Boeing supports STEM Signing Day events across the United States and will aid more than 600 students in 2021 through participation in events similar to this. Since the inaugural STEM Signing Day in South Carolina in 2017, nearly 2,000 STEM students have been recognized. This year, all STEM Signing Day students are being offered exclusive access to a mentorship program that will match them with a Boeing employee currently working in a STEM field. "We are thrilled for these students as they start the next chapter of their educational journey and are proud to help them reach their STEM goals," said Bernice Billups, Boeing Global Engagement director, Chicago-Midwest region. "Committing to the STEM field will enable you to do amazing things in your future, and all of us at Boeing are here to support you." About the Motorola Solutions Foundation As the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions, the Motorola Solutions Foundation partners with organizations around the globe to create safer cities and equitable, thriving communities. We focus on giving back through strategic grants, employee volunteerism and other community investment initiatives. Our strategic grants program supports organizations that offer first responder programming and technology and engineering education, and align to our values of accountability, innovation, impact, diversity and inclusion. The Foundation is one of the many ways in which the company lives out its purpose of helping people be their best in the moments that matter. For more information on Motorola Solutions corporate and foundation giving, visit our website: www.motorolasolutions.com/foundation About The Boeing Company As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Learn more at www.boeing.com. About Project Exploration Since 1999, Project Exploration (PE) has worked to change the face of science. With equity at our core, we serve youth from communities historically underrepresented in the STEM fields and recruit students who are curious and interested in STEM but may face challenges accessing high-quality programs, such as academic prerequisites or program fees. Project Exploration makes STEM education accessible through: Our out-of-school time Youth-Science Pathway (YSP) programs empower and mentor underrepresented minority youth. Our Community-building strategies for schools, students, and families through leadership in the Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative (STEM Co-op). The Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative is a collective impact strategy, engaging stakeholders in Chicago's STEM ecosystem who work together to address inequities in the STEM learning continuum, especially in underrepresented communities. A STEM Co-op initiative is STEM Signing Day. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005182/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Paian IT Solutions Selects Corent Technology's ComPaaS to Build Continuous Cloud Optimization and Modernization Services Paian IT Solutions and Corent Technology announce the extension of their existing partnership, adding optimization and modernization of Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure for customers using Corent Technology's SurPaaS ComPaaS platform. Paian IT Solutions is a leading provider of state-of-the-art cloud services to the German, Austrian and Swiss markets. Paian has been working with Corent Technology for more than one year, using SurPaaS MaaS to scan customer environments and help identify options for cloud adoption as part of broader digital transformation initiatives - all now accelerating and growing in demand due to increased remote working driven by Covid-19. Paian has extended this commitment to include SurPaaS ComPaaS - Corent's platform for continuous optimization and modernization of existing cloud architectures. SurPaaS is an end-to-end platform that allows leading Cloud Service Providers to take customers successfully through the entire cloud transformation journey. Beginning with assessment and discovery of existing IT systems, SurPaaS provides feasibility and pricing information for the adoption of cloud services. It then automates the migration of legacy systems and provides ongoing optimization and modernization of workloads once in the cloud to ensure continued best practice and value for money. Ronny Wittig, Managing Director at Paian, explained: "Corent Technology already gave us great tooling to help clients adopt cloud services. We chose to add their ComPaaSplatform because this gave us ongoing added value for clients, providing 'on the cloud' capability for optimization and modernization, to add to the 'before the cloud' assessment and migration services we already provide." Feyzi Fatehi, Corent Technology CEO, said, "We are delighted to be working with Paian IT Solutions. Their vision for cloud adoption and continuous improvement matches our passion for developing SurPaaS - the very best platform for cloud enablement and ongoing management." About Corent Technology Corent Technology, Inc. is a leading innovator in the cloud migration and SaaS (News - Alert) -enablement technology space. Corent's SurPaaS Platform is used by key enterprises, system integrators and cloud providers to enable rapid discovery, analysis, planning, optimization, and migration to the cloud; and optionally, automated transformation of software applications to efficient, scalable SaaS. Corent is managed by a team of industry veterans from Microsoft, IBM, HP, EMC (News - Alert) , Oracle, and VMware, among others. For more information about Corent, please visit www.corenttech.com and to contact Corent please drop a note to info@corenttech.com. About Paian IT Solutions GmbH Paian IT Solutions GmbH is a professional partner for companies and institutions in the field of consulting and IT solutions. It was founded in February 2010. Based in our locations in Switzerland and Germany and always keeping in mind possibilities, opportunities and current trends, our experienced experts provide advice to medium-sized companies, public sector institutions as well as reputable enterprises in the German-speaking areas. For more information about Paian IT Solutions, please visit www.paian-itsolutions.com/en.html, and to contact Paian please email info@paian-itsolutions.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005221/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Phonexa CFO and EVP Lilit Davtyan Nominated for Executive of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal GLENDALE, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lilit Davtyan, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President for software company Phonexa, has been nominated as Executive of the Year for the 2021 Los Angeles Business Journal's Women's Leadership Series & Awards, the trade publication announced. Davtyan's nomination arrives on the heels of an award-winning 2020 when the fast-rising executive was awarded "CFO of the Year" by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Davtyan is one of the first hires of Phonexa, a turnkey solution for calls, leads, clicks, email marketing, and more. Her rise through the ranks has been highlighted by a membership in the Forbes Finance Council , as well as Chief, a private network designed specifically for female leaders. More recently, Davtyan was featured in OpenEnvoy> in the "Women in Finance" series. "It's an honor to be nominated for this distinguished award," said Davtyan. "I've called Los Angeles my home throughout most of my life and career, and I'm humbled by the recognition from an esteemed organization like the Los Angeles Business Journal. I'm excited to be competing amongst my fellow peers and nominees." The Los Angeles Business Journal will host the 2021 Women's Leadership Series & Awards throughout the month of June in a free three-part series of events . The panel series kicks-off on June 9 and continues again on June 16. The awards ceremony announcing the winner for Executive of the Year will take place on June 23 at 2:30 p.m. PST. "With the goal of continuing to engage, inform, educate and inspire, this year's panelists will cover topics of ongoing importance from leading through change and mentorship, to the road to entrepreneurship and navigating today's work-life balance demands," the Los Angeles Business Journal wrote in a statement. Davtyan has been with Phonexa ever since its inception in 2016. She currently oversees the company's business development, supervises on questions of compliance and internal finances, and maintains relationships with key clients. Having previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and multiple other professional tax and legal firms, Davtyan has over 10 years of experience in business and tax planning. She's worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies in her career and has extensive familiarity with the financial industry. Davtyan is also a Certified Public Accountant. Davtyan received her B.B.A. from Woodbury University and received her Masters of Business Taxation from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Davtyan is situated in Phonexa's sprawling space in the splendor of Glendale, California on the famous Brand Boulevard. The company also has headquarters in the United Kingdom and Ukraine. For more information about Davtyan, connect with her on LinkedIn . About Phonexa: Phonexa is a lead tracking and distribution platform that empowers marketers to optimize inbound web and call campaigns. Phonexa's customizable tools for calls, leads, clicks, and email marketing maximize workflow efficiency for direct advertisers and lead generators. Phonexa has the scalability, tools and partnerships to serve clients in all industries, especially those with high consumer demand products and services. For more information, please visit www.Phonexa.com. Media Contact: Manouk Akopyan 818-800-0000 310536@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phonexa-cfo-and-evp-lilit-davtyan-nominated-for-executive-of-the-year-by-the-los-angeles-business-journal-301297344.html SOURCE Phonexa [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Pictos Technologies Files Lawsuit in Texas Against Samsung Alleging Patent Infringement and Theft of Trade Secrets Samsung (News - Alert) , the world's largest manufacturer of smartphones, was today served with a lawsuit by Pictos Technologies, Inc. seeking damages for Samsung's infringement of Pictos's patented digital imaging technology. Pictos's technology, developed by its predecessors for the U.S. government and then for the first consumer digital cameras, is fundamental to the cameras in nearly all consumer electronics today. Pictos filed its complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division alleging that Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America, Inc., and Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. engaged in industrial espionage, violated non-disclosure agreements and has infringed Pictos' patents. These actions, Pictos alleges, destroyed its camera sensor business and continues to cause Pictos harm. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has been outspoken on free and fair trade. He took note of Samsung's trade practices in a letter to Jason Kearns, Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), stating that "The ITC was created to protect the rights of inventors and patent holders. Pictos i a small American company suffering abuse from a large multinational corporation." The battle between Pictos and Samsung is playing out against the backdrop of Samsung's efforts to expand its U.S. operations and concerns in Congress about foreign intellectual property predators. Samsung is seeking to build a $17 billion semiconductor facility in Austin, Texas, according to its filings with officials in Austin and with the state of Texas. The U.S. Senate is presently looking to address industrial espionage by foreign companies in the CHIPs, Endless Frontiers, or other legislation soon to be considered by Congress to support the development of the U.S. semiconductor industry. Pictos's story, being only one of many companies that have been damaged by Samsung's actions, has piqued the interest of legislators looking to protect US industry and national security interests. U.S. ITC is also actively investigating a Sec. 337 trade complaint lodged by Pictos. That complaint against Samsung is seeking an exclusion order that would protect its intellectual property rights by prohibiting the importation of Samsung consumer electronic and mobile devices with infringing digital imaging components such as mobile phone handsets, tablet computers, laptop computers, digital cameras, and web-based cameras that are designed, operated, distributed, sold, or offered for sale by or for Samsung. Such an embargo, if fully implemented, would stop over $16 billion in imports of infringing Samsung products. The Commission is now investigating Samsung's behavior; an initial decision should be made by the end of 2021. About Pictos Pictos Technologies Inc. is a U.S. owned company based in San Jose CA (News - Alert) and organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Pictos is the successor in interest to ESS Technologies, which, along with its predecessors, developed and patented much of the technology underlying the cameras in mobile devices consumers use on a daily basis. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005237/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Plant Nanny Relaunch to Help Users Track Their Daily Water Intake TAIPEI, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fourdesire announces the release of the upgraded Plant Nanny app, aiming to help users improve their water drinking habits and remain hydrated while having a fun-filled experience. Launched in 2019, Plant Nanny is the playful, gamified water intake tracking app named the Best App by Google Play in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Italy and Spain the same year. Upon registration, the user needs to input some personal information such as height, weight and activity levels. Plant Nanny will then recommend the daily water intake and send alerts to remind the user to drink water. By drinking, the user also waters the app's plant. When the user achieves that objective, the plant will look happy, indicating the user is adequately hydrated. But if the user somehow skips a drink, the plant will be sad and become depressed if not watered regularly. Plant Nanny has rapidly gained popularity, especially in the U.S. Only one year after its launch, the app has amassed over five million fans globally, with American users accounting for 25% of the total. Its U.S. fan base continues to amplify, showing a significant 30% increase this year to date. Fourdesire is now relaunching Plant Nanny with premium features. Users can subscribe to the new daily hydration plan, an ads-free version that enables them to create and grow their own customized plant with unique personality and dialogue pop-ups. "Users particularly like our super cute plants and having the ability to customize certain features," Wei-Fan Chen, CEO and founder of Fourdesire, explained. "That is why, this time, we're focusing our efforts on developing an upgraded Plant Nanny to offer even more customization and visually appealing plants. We hope this will encourage users to drink more water and live a healthy life." Fourdesire is offering a free, seven-day trial for the enhanced wellness app, which will be available for download on Google Play and in the App Store from May 24 onward. The relaunch comes just a few months after the Taiwanese developer announced their surpassing 30 million downloads earlier this year. To learn more and download the Plant Nanny app (FREE), please visit: https://plantnanny.app/ View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plant-nanny-relaunch-to-help-users-track-their-daily-water-intake-301296630.html SOURCE Fourdesire [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Rare Earth Supply Disruptions Have Long-Range Impacts, Computer Model Shows From phones to fighter jets, a range of devices and machines rely on rare earth elements that are mined and refined largely in China. Disruptions to this supply can have wide-ranging consequences, but the understanding of how those disruptions play out in global markets is limited. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are using a unique computer model to understand the effects. Most of the 17 elements classified as rare earths are not actually rare, but they are difficult and expensive to extract from the ground and separate from each other. Rare earth elements are essential to many emerging technologies, including those that support a clean energy future. They include neodymium, praseodymium and dysprosium, which are components of energy-efficient permanent magnets used in wind turbines and electric vehicles, among other products; and gadolinium, which you might recognize as the contrast agent you take before an MRI. The U.S. government classifies these elements as critical materials in part based on their importance in manufacturing products that support national security. China dominates the global rare earths market. The country produces an estimated 58 percent of mined rare earths, and it controls roughly 85 percent of te world's refining capacity. The U.S. accounted for more than 15 percent of rare earth mining output in 2020, but this material is exported for value-added processing and production. A variety of disruptive events can affect the supply of rare earth materials, including natural disasters, labor disputes, construction delays and - on everyone's mind at the moment - a pandemic. In a recently published study, Argonne researchers analyzed the potential effects of three supply disruption scenarios on 10 rare earth elements, along with a handful of associated compounds, to determine the market effects. To conduct the analysis, which was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency, they used Argonne's Global Critical Materials (GCMat) tool. GCMat is an agent-based model, which is a computational framework for simulating interactions among different entities in a given system. The results of the study highlighted which rare earth elements may be particularly vulnerable to disruptions. In general, the analysis found that in the case of temporary scenarios - a one-year export stoppage and a two-year mine shutdown - price impacts tended to extend years beyond the disruption period. To learn more, visit the Argonne website or contact partners@anl.gov. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005094/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Regional Management Corp. Raises More than $120,000 in Support of the American Heart Association Upstate Heart Walk Regional Management Corp. (NYSE: RM), a diversified consumer finance company, announced today that it raised more than $120,000 in support of the American Heart Association (AHA) Upstate Heart Walk through its community outreach program, Regional Reach. The company participated in the walk, which was held virtually this year, on Saturday, April 24, and held wellness challenges in the weeks leading up to the event to inspire healthy habits within the community. "Our team is beyond grateful for the continued commitment from Regional Finance," said Margaret Stegall, Director of Development for the Upstate AHA. "Because of its generous contributions, we are able to fund our life-saving mission to end heart disease and stroke and continue meeting critical needs right here in the Upstate." Regional Management has ranked as the top fundraising team in the Upstate for two years running and is one of the top partners for AHA nationwide. Its continued success is attributable to the combined dedication and creativit of its headquarters team members in Upstate South Carolina, and its branch team members throughout the country. Many of the company's business partners contributed generously to the AHA on behalf of Regional Management, as did its employees and customers. In total, more than 600 walkers across the loan provider's 366 branches in 12 states participated in the Upstate Heart Walk. "We are honored to have the opportunity to support the American Heart Association and the great work that they do," said Robert W. Beck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Regional Management. "Giving back to the community is a vital piece of who we are, and we take pride in the collective work of our team members throughout the country and right here in the Upstate." Moved to a virtual setting this year due to COVID-19, the AHA Upstate Heart Walk allows members of the community to come together to engage in physical activity, honor survivors, and raise funds that support heart disease research. This year, the AHA introduced Heart Walk Week, a new tradition in the days leading up to the walk with daily exercises and themed activities designed to inspire participants to maintain healthy lifestyles beyond the one-day event. Learn more about the AHA and how you can get involved here. About Regional Management Corp. Regional Management Corp. (NYSE: RM) is a diversified consumer finance company that provides attractive, easy-to-understand installment loan products primarily to customers with limited access to consumer credit from banks, thrifts, credit card companies, and other lenders. Regional Management operates under the name "Regional Finance" in 366 branch locations across 12 states in the Southeastern, Southwestern, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern United States, as of April 2021. Most of its loan products are secured, and each is structured on a fixed rate, fixed term basis with fully amortizing equal monthly installment payments, repayable at any time without penalty. Regional Management sources loans through its multiple channel platform, which includes branches, centrally-managed direct mail campaigns, digital partners, retailers, and its consumer website. For more information, please visit www.RegionalManagement.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005605/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ferre-Pikal Receives UWs Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award Eva Ferre-Pikal A longtime University of Wyoming faculty member who has helped hundreds of students navigate difficult required coursework in electrical engineering has been honored for her excellent work with students. Eva Ferre-Pikal, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is one of two recipients of the 2021 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award. The award was established in 1977 by businessman John P. Jack Ellbogen to foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW. The other Ellbogen winner is Lori Howe, a visiting assistant professor in UWs Honors College. Ferre-Pikal displays such an amazing and intense dedication to providing the best possible student experience while still ensuring that the students learn the needed concepts and are held to very high standards, says Cameron Wright, College of Engineering and Applied Science acting dean. She continually examines her own teaching and coursework, with a proactive introspection and a dedication to growth as a teacher that Ive seldom seen in anyone else. Dr. Ferre-Pikal has gone far beyond the call of duty to offer highly relevant courses to our students, keep them engaged in difficult material, and treat them every step along the way with the utmost care and respect, says Professor John McInroy, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Ferre-Pikal, who has been a member of UWs faculty since 1998, teaches courses in electronics and circuits, along with a first-year seminar she developed, Bits & Bytes: A Taste of Electronics. The topics Eva teaches are considered difficult even by electrical engineering standards. They are hard, yet our electrical engineering students love taking Evas courses, Wright says. Students have attested to her excellence for many years, as she has received the Mortar Board Top Prof honor three times, along with multiple teaching awards from campus engineering organizations. If it were not for Dr. Ferre-Pikals guidance and support, I would not have graduated an engineer, says Hannah Miller, now an advanced systems engineer who develops electrical architectures for Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). She is an excellent teacher, guiding students through challenging materials with patience and dedication. She routinely goes above and beyond, supporting and taking time for students at an unparalleled level. Lets face it: Every engineering class is like experiencing an hour in a dunk tank; Dr. Ferre-Pikal understands this but ensures her dunk tank is not a one-hour session under water, says Jason Vap, a former student who now is a U.S. Air Force colonel with a Ph.D. from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Her teaching methodology is one that provides the occasional breath. She does this in a way that ensures her students maintain a persistent understanding throughout the class, while also building the necessary mental endurance required to solve tough engineering problems. Ferre-Pikal also is an adviser for UWs student chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, which encourages more women to enter the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. I know that things are changing in the STEM fields; more women and girls are becoming interested in being involved. To have a role model like Dr. Ferre-Pikal helped me remember throughout my collegiate career that I could pursue this field of study, too, says former student Merritt Singley, now an electrical engineer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash. Ferre-Pikal earned her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, her masters degree from the University of Michigan, and her bachelors degree from the University of Puerto Rico, all in electrical engineering. Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP Investigates Ormat Technologies, Inc.'s Directors and Officers for Breach of Fiduciary Duties - ORA Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP ("Scott+Scott"), an international securities and consumer rights litigation firm, is investigating whether certain directors and officers of Ormat Technologies, Inc. ("Ormat") (NYSE: ORA) breached their fiduciary duties to Ormat and its shareholders. If you are an Ormat shareholder, you may contact attorney Joe Pettigrew for additional information toll-free at 844-818-6982 or jpettigrew@scott-scott.com. Scott+Scott is investigating hether Ormat's board of directors or senior management failed to manage Ormat in an acceptable manner, in breach of their fiduciary duties to Ormat, and whether Ormat has suffered damages as a result. On March 1, 2021, Hindenburg Research released a report accusing Ormat of multiple instances of foreign corruption and bribery, including in Guatemala, Kenya, and Honduras. The report also noted that Ormat's General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer as well as one former Ormat director are facing corruption allegations before an Israeli court. What You Can Do If you are an Ormat shareholder, you may have legal claims against Ormat's directors and officers. If you wish to discuss this investigation, or have questions about this notice or your legal rights, please contact attorney Joe Pettigrew toll-free at 844-818-6982 or jpettigrew@scott-scott.com. About Scott+Scott Scott+Scott has significant experience in prosecuting major securities, antitrust, and consumer rights actions throughout the United States. The firm represents pension funds, foundations, individuals, and other entities worldwide with offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Connecticut, California, Virginia, and Ohio. Attorney Advertising View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005538/en/ [May 24, 2021] Sensor Tower Acquires Pathmatics, Scaling Trusted and Actionable Insights for the Digital Economy Pathmatics, a leading marketing intelligence company, today announced that it has been acquired by SaaS (News - Alert) mobile analytics company Sensor Tower with a growth investment from Riverwood Capital for an undisclosed amount. Through this agreement, the companies will combine Pathmatics' paid digital and social media platform with Sensor Tower's mobile app and publisher analytics platform to offer the largest footprint of digital advertising and mobile intelligence in the enterprise market. With this addition, Sensor Tower will be uniquely positioned to provide insights into the entire digital ecosystem including expanding Pathmatics' global market coverage and launching new insights for TikTok and Snap, powered by Sensor Tower. The announcement comes at a time of substantial growth for Pathmatics. Since its launch in 2011, the company has become a leading business intelligence layer for the digital economy, seeing over 100% growth year-over-year in its brand vertical SaaS business in 2020. Pathmatics has become a vital resource for the digital marketing industry, providing increased visibility into corporate activity and spend in the broader advertiser landscape. The company now counts over 250 brands, media, and advertising agencies as customers, and more than 7,000 users of its platform, accounting for over 200% SaaS growth since 2018. "Our goal since day one has been to turn the world's digital data into trusted and actionable insights. Joining forces with Sensor Tower is a step that will fast-forward our efforts in reaching that goal," said Gabe Gottlieb, Co-Founder and CEO of Pathmatics. "Pathmatics has provided insight for the ever-changing digital and social media landscape, and we're thrilled to expand our global footprint with the addition of mobile app analytics to customers." According to eMarketer (News - Alert) , digital advertising has grown to account for 58% of media spending in 2021, eclipsing all traditional media channels. Last year, as the world moved indoors and began operating fully online, advertisers spent over $368 billion on digital advertising globally, a 12.7% increase from 2019. Sensor Tower data shows that the most prominent brands in key categories such as food delivery, learning, and wellness increased their share of impressions on the largest mobile ad networks by up to 225% as smartphone and tablet use surged during the pandemic. As more commerce and advertising activity shifts to digital and mobile, Pathmatics and Sensor Tower have revealed a joint mission to be the strategic partner for trusted and actionable insights in the digital economy. Alon with industry-leading insights, the companies share a commitment to protect and uphold privacy protections for panel and end-users. "We are very excited to bring Pathmatics into our suite of data and product offerings," added Sensor Tower CEO and Co-Founder Alexey Malafeev. "Pathmatics' reputation for providing panel-based insights and analytics to their customers fits in perfectly with what we offer our clients through Sensor Tower." "As the global economy increasingly shifts to digital, it's imperative that companies can understand and navigate the entire digital landscape (from mobile to web and desktop), using accurate and insightful data," said Ramesh Venugopal, Principal at Riverwood Capital. "The combination of Sensor Tower and Pathmatics presents a unique and valuable offering to customers allowing them to take advantage of a broad range of datasets with increased focus on consumer privacy and deep digital insights that leaders in every industry will need." Pathmatics and Sensor Tower will bring to market new solutions including: New social insights for TikTok, YouTube (News - Alert) mobile, and Snap Digital TV (OTT) insights Global expansion of social and digital coverage for Pathmatics Explorer Expanded coverage for mobile app ad insights About Pathmatics Pathmatics turns the world's marketing data into actionable insights. As consumption rapidly shifts to digital, media decisions have become complex and opaque. Pathmatics Explorer, the Pathmatics marketing intelligence platform, creates trust and transparency, bringing visibility into the digital ad performance of brands, their competitors, and entire industries across display, social, video, mobile, and native advertising data. Brands and agencies get access to the creative used by all advertisers, spend and impression data, and path from publisher to viewer, empowering them to minimize waste from their budgets, better position their marketing, and predict the next moves of their competitors. Founded in 2011, Pathmatics is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and has raised $7.7 million to date backed by Upfront Ventures, BDMI, and Baroda Ventures. About Sensor Tower Sensor Tower is the leading provider of market intelligence and insights for the global app economy. Founded in 2013 and based in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) , Sensor Tower provides enterprise-level data on mobile apps and publishers through our Store Intelligence, Ad Intelligence, Usage Intelligence, and App Intelligence platforms, which offer download, revenue, share of voice, and engagement metrics at unparalleled accuracy for the world's most important markets. About Riverwood Capital Riverwood Capital invests in high-growth companies in the technology and technology-enabled industries. Riverwood offers a unique combination of operational, strategic, technology, and financial insight to portfolio companies that typically need growth capital and expertise to scale on a global basis. The firm seeks to invest in established businesses with a proven technology and business model, and the proper fit in terms of culture and values. Riverwood has offices in Menlo Park, CA; New York, NY; and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Please visit www.riverwoodcapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005722/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Sensyne Health Signs Strategic Research Agreement with the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine Sensyne Health plc (LSE: SENS) ("Sensyne" or the "Company" or the "Group"), the Clinical AI company, today announces that it has signed its second Strategic Research Agreement ("SRA") in the U.S. with the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine ("CCPM"), a partnership between non-profit health system UCHealth and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The agreement will enable the ethical application of clinical AI research to improve patient care and accelerate medical research. This is in line with Sensyne's strategy of building a world-leading health data platform with industrial scale and robust patient data protection. The uptake of Sensyne's model in the U.S. demonstrates growing appetite for more advanced ethical data sourcing supported by patient information protection. The CCPM houses one of largest health data warehouses in the United States and has been a pioneer in driving large-scale personalized medicine and return of clinically actionable results through a research biobank, integrating personalized genomic information with clinical data. CCPM's significant advancements in making pharmacogenomics a standard of care are already providing benefits, and with plans to expand the provision of personalized healthcare, patients will soon have access to more clinically-actionable results, including genomic mutations that confer risk to diseases such as cancer and cardiomyopathies. In tandem, through its partnership with UCHealth, CCPM is scaling efforts to include as many as 100,000 additional UCHealth patients per year. The CCPM dataset covers 7.3 million de-identified and anonymized patients, including anonymized patient records from a UCHealth population of approximately 2.4 million active patients and a biobank of >180,000 research participants for which clinical genetic test results are being generated. UCHealth cares for patients through its network of 12 acute-care full-service hospitals and hundreds of clinic locations across Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska. Consistent with Sensyne's approach with all of its Strategic Research Agreements, research will be undertaken to the highest standards of information governance and data security and in accordance with The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). All data supplied to Sensyne for research will be de-identified by CCPM beforehand and will remain in the U.S., and the provision of the data will operate under an agreed set of data processing procedures. Under the terms of the agreement, should the medical research undertaken by Sensyne using CCPM's data lead to medical discoveries commercialised by Sensyne, CCPM will share a proportion of Sensyne's revenues generated from that research. The agreement quickly follows Sensyne's first U.S. SRA announced on May 21, 2021 with St. Luke's University Health Network, a leading U.S. health system servig patients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. These new U.S. partners follow 11 National Health Service (NHS) Trusts in the U.K., covering more than 13% of the U.K. population, which have partnered with Sensyne sharing anonymized clinical datasets to enable the discovery of new treatments, increase disease understanding, and advance clinical trial design. Kathleen Barnes, PhD, University of Colorado School of Medicine Professor and Director of CCPM, said: "This collaboration will take an already notable program at the CCPM and expand the depth and breadth of its capabilities, allowing us to give more back to patients everywhere through our collaborations. Our partnership with Sensyne Health will lead to an optimization of patient care, using personalized results to better inform research, clinical decision making, and potentially leading to new ways of diagnosing, preventing and treating illnesses." Lord (Paul) Drayson, PhD, CEO of Sensyne Health, said: "This agreement with Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine, covering both genomic and electronic health record data, will enable us to undertake research aimed at a deeper understanding of disease, and to accelerate the development of novel medicines in collaboration with our pharmaceutical partners. I'm delighted to be working with CCPM and excited about the capability that our growing international data collaborative now offers to the global life sciences research community." About Sensyne Health: https://www.sensynehealth.com/ Sensyne Health plc (LSE: SENS) is a clinical artificial intelligence company operating a unique business model - a for-profit plc making a positive social impact, sharing the financial returns it makes with health systems. The company applies clinical AI in the healthcare and life science industries. In healthcare, Sensyne delivers remote patient monitoring and real-time decision-making systems for healthcare organizations and their patients. In life sciences, Sensyne analyses large complex anonymized data sets to help life sciences companies accelerate the development of new medicines. About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus: www.cuanschutz.edu The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education, and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centres and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals that treat more than two million adult and paediatric patients each year. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, together we deliver life-changing treatments, patient care, professional training, and conduct world-renowned research. About UCHealth: www.uchealth.org UCHealth is an innovative, nonprofit health system that delivers the highest quality medical care with an excellent patient experience. UCHealth includes 25,000 employees, 12 acute-care full-service hospitals and hundreds of physicians across Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska. With University of Colorado Hospital on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus as its academic anchor and the only adult academic medical center in the region, UCHealth is dedicated to providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Offering more than 150 clinic locations, UCHealth pushes the boundaries of medicine, providing advanced treatments and clinical trials and improving health through innovation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005171/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Smithers Launches Information Security Services AKRON, Ohio, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, is pleased to announce the launch of its information security services department. This department will deliver auditing certification services for both NIST SP 800-171 and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) as well as other tailored information security offerings. Smithers Quality Assessments Division brings 25+ years of high touch, value-added third-party auditing experience in support of the CMMC program and provides trained, professional auditors to conduct CMMC assessments for organizations that are current suppliers to the United States (US) Department of Defense, as well as those looking to meet the requirements of becoming a supplier. Smithers information security service offering ensures clients' critical data is kept secure by providing accurate assessments, on time with high touch. "Information security threats continue to escalate as a major risk to organizations across all types of industries," states Jeanette Preston, President, Smithers Quality Assessments Division. "As a matter of business continuity, many firms are going to be mandated to ensure that critical data is protected as a requirement to do business with defense, governmental agencies, and with highly regulated industries." Aaron Troschinetz, General Manager for Smithers Quality Assessments Division in North America, will launch and lead the information security services department. "During audits, we observe that clients have a real need for these services," states Troschinetz. "By offering information security along with our current auditing and certification services companies don't need multiple vendors. Smithers is now equipped to be their full-service trusted partner." For inquiries about these services, contact Aaron Troschinetz at atroschinetz@smithers.com. About Smithers: Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Smithers is a multinational provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. With laboratories and operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Smithers supports customers in the transportation, life science, packaging, materials, components, consumer, and energy industries. Smithers delivers accurate data, on time, with high touch, by integrating science, technology, and business expertise, so customers can innovate with confidence. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smithers-launches-information-security-services-301297936.html SOURCE Smithers [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Synairgen announces results of in vitro studies showing antiviral activity of interferon beta against key SARS-CoV-2 variants Press release Synairgen plc (Synairgen or the Company) Synairgen announces results of in vitro studies showing antiviral activity of interferon beta against key SARS-CoV-2 variants SNG001 shows potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants Demonstrates broad-spectrum antiviral activity of host-targeted antiviral treatment delivered directly into the lungs Southampton, UK 24 May 2021: Synairgen plc (LSE: SNG), the respiratory company developing an inhaled formulation of interferon beta (SNG001) as a broad-spectrum antiviral for the treatment of severe viral lung infections, currently in COVID-19 trials in the hospital and community settings, today announces results from in vitro studies showing the antiviral activity of SNG001 against two SARS-CoV-2 variants. Interferon beta ('IFN-beta') is a naturally-occurring protein, which orchestrates the body's antiviral responses by triggering the production of hundreds of antiviral proteins which act across the viral replication cycle to confer broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Nebulised SNG001 is delivered directly into patients lungs, the primary site of virus infection, to prevent severe lower respiratory tract illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Since the first outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, a number of variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged that are spreading globally.1 Changes to the virus have the potential to make it more transmissible or to enable the virus to evade the immune system, prompting concerns that some vaccines and therapeutics developed to prevent/treat COVID-19 may become less effective against certain variants. So-called variants of concern such as the Kent, South African and Indian variants2,3 have potential to halt or slow the reopening of societies despite progress with vaccination programmes. In the UK, alarm about the rapid growth of the so-called Indian variant has led to speculation that authorities may need to bring in renewed restrictions. In vitro experiments were conducted at Viroclinics-DDL in the Netherlands to confirm that SNG001 had activity against the B.1.1.7 (UK or Kent) and B.1.351 (South African) variants. In these experiments, Vero E6 cells were treated with SNG001 prior to and after infection with SARS-CoV-2. 16-24 hours after infection, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins was determined using an immunostaining method. SNG001 potently reduced virus to undetectable levels in cells infected with Wuhan-like (virus strain: Germany/BavPat1/2020), the UK/Kent variant and the South African variant. Concentrations, readily achievable following inhaled delivery of interferon beta, that gave 90% inhibition (IC 90 ) were 3.2, 4.0 and 3.4 IU/mL respectively. Prof. Sir Stephen Holgate CBE, Medical Research Council Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton and Co-Founder of Synairgen, said: Emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 are of great concern as they may negatively impact on the effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutics. These data are not surprising, and confirm the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of SNG001, which has shown activity against a range of respiratory viruses such as RSV, rhinovirus, adenovirus and influenza, and reassuringly confirm its activity against these SARS-CoV-2 variants which is important in the context of our ongoing Phase III trial in hospitalised patients and the future use of this drug against SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging viral threats. Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen, added: As expected, these data confirm that SNG001 is a broad-spectrum antiviral product, now also demonstrating applicability against SARS-CoV-2 variants. The SARS-CoV-2 virus suppresses the production of the essential antiviral protein IFN-beta t evade the host immune system; it is therefore to be expected that when IFN-beta is reintroduced into an infection experiment that the host cells are able to repel the virus. Alongside vaccines, our lines of defence for this pandemic and future outbreaks rely in part on access to effective antivirals with broad-spectrum activity against a range of viruses and variants. The current focus on the Indian variant demonstrates how concerned Governments are about the risk that a variant may render the vaccines less effective, and we are pleased to see initiatives being put in place to accelerate and support development of antiviral therapeutics as a backstop for patients who are admitted to hospital. We are pleased to report that we will start dosing patients at trial sites in India in our Phase III study imminently. Synairgen has previously shown the antiviral activity of SNG001 in cell-based assays against key respiratory viruses, including rhinovirus, the most frequent cause of the common cold, RSV and influenza, including pandemic H1N1 2009 and H5N1 bird flu strains and SARS-CoV-2. SNG001 also showed broad-spectrum antiviral activity in man with clinical efficacy seen in clinical studies conducted in asthma and COPD patients with respiratory viral infection caused by common cold (e.g. rhinovirus, RSV, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, HMPV and seasonal coronaviruses) and flu viruses. References Lauring AS, Hodcroft EB. Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2-What Do They Mean? JAMA. 2021 Feb 9;325(6):529-531. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/variant-surveillance/variant-info.html https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/986380/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_11_England.pdf For further enquiries, please contact: Synairgen plc Richard Marsden, Chief Executive Officer John Ward, Chief Financial Officer Tel: + 44 (0) 23 8051 2800 finnCap (NOMAD and Joint Broker) Geoff Nash, Kate Bannatyne, Charlie Beeson (Corporate Finance) Alice Lane (ECM) Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Numis Securities Limited (Joint Broker) James Black, Freddie Barnfield, Duncan Monteith Tel: +44 (0) 20 7260 1000 Consilium Strategic Communications (Financial Media and Investor Relations) Mary-Jane Elliott, Jessica Hodgson, Carina Jurs synairgen@consilium-comms.com Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700 MKC Strategies, LLC (US Media Relations) Mary Conway MConway@MKCStrategies.com Tel: +1 516 606 6545 Notes for Editors About Synairgen Synairgen is a clinical-stage respiratory drug discovery and development company founded by University of Southampton Professors Sir Stephen Holgate, Donna Davies and Ratko Djukanovic. Synairgen is currently focused on developing its product candidate, SNG001 (inhaled interferon beta) for the treatment of COVID-19. SNG001 is potentially the first host-targeted broad-spectrum antiviral treatment delivered directly into the lungs. The Company is evaluating nebulised SNG001 in its Phase III clinical programme, which has been deemed an Urgent Public Health study by the UKs National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). SNG001 has also been granted Fast Track status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In a Phase II trial, COVID-19 patients with marked/severe breathlessness demonstrated a threefold greater chance of recovery when treated with SNG001 versus placebo. Synairgen is quoted on AIM (LSE: SNG). For more information about Synairgen, please see www.synairgen.com COVID-19 COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is an ongoing global pandemic and there is widespread recognition of the urgent need for antiviral therapies, alongside vaccination programs, both for this and future pandemics. Such therapies could be used to prevent and effectively treat the severe lower respiratory tract illness that can occur with these types of diseases. SNG001 (inhaled Interferon beta) applicability to COVID-19 Interferon beta ('IFN-beta') is a naturally-occurring protein, which orchestrates the body's antiviral responses. It is used widely in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and is a safe and well tolerated drug. There is growing evidence that deficiency in IFN-beta production by the lung could explain the enhanced susceptibility in 'at-risk' patient groups to developing severe lower respiratory tract (lung) disease during respiratory viral infections. Viruses, including coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2, have evolved mechanisms which suppress endogenous IFN-beta production, helping the virus to evade the innate immune system. The addition of exogenous IFN-beta before or during viral infection of lung cells in vitro either prevents or greatly reduces viral replication, potentially reducing the severity of infection and accelerating recovery. Synairgen's SNG001 is a formulation of IFN-beta-1a for direct delivery to the lungs via nebulisation. It is near to pH neutral, and is free of mannitol, arginine and human serum albumin, making it suitable for inhaled delivery direct to the site of action. Phase I and II trial data have shown that SNG001 activates lung antiviral defences as measured in sputum cells, and that SNG001 has been well tolerated in approximately 280 asthma/COPD/COVID-19 patients to date. SNG001 has the potential to address the urgent need for antiviral therapies for COVID19 and for future pandemic respiratory infections, alongside vaccination programmes. In July 2020, Synairgen announced the results of its Phase II double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 101 randomised COVID-19 hospitalised patients, which showed that SNG001 given for 14 days was associated with greater odds of improvement versus placebo on the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI) and more rapid recovery to the point where patients were no longer limited in their activity, with a greater proportion of patients recovering during the 28-day study period. The results were published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine: "Safety and efficacy of inhaled nebulised interferon beta-1a (SNG001) for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial". Monk, P D PhD, et al., 12 November 2020, accessible here. The Companys global Phase III trial (SG018) evaluating SNG001 for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients is ongoing. The trial is deemed an Urgent Public Health study by the UKs National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). In the US, SNG001 has been granted Fast Track status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company is seeking further equivalent prioritisations and support from governments in participating countries. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Sysorex CEO Wayne Wasserberg Discusses Advantages of TTM's US-based Ethereum Mining Operations Herndon, VA, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Sysorex (OTCQB: SYSX), the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded Ethereum mining company, today provided a business update addressing certain advantages of its US-based operations. Last week, it was widely reported that Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and the Chinese State Council issued a statement calling for increased cryptocurrency regulation in China, specifically referencing Bitcoin mining and trading, said Wayne Wasserberg, CEO of Sysorex and President of wholly-owned TTM Digital Assets & Technologies (TTM). If China moves to regulate Bitcoin mining and perhaps the mining of other cryptocurrencies, this could cause a decline in Chinese participation in the Ethereum Blockchain network hashrate, which could prove advantageous for our business in several ways. Should Chinese-based Ethereum mining decline as a result of actual Chinese regulation or even based on the prospects of such future regulation, TTM may benefit from an increased participation in the overall network hashrate. In turn, TTM would likely see an increase in participation in daily profits. It is estimated that 70% of all global cryptocurrency mining is occurring in China, notwithstanding that various Chinese government officials have been discussing restrictions on mining activities for several years, commented Peter Salanki, co-founder of TTM. A true ban on mining in China could therefore significantly increase the profitability of miners outside the region, while possibly increasing decentralization. During the last several months, we have been encouraged that more market participants, including certain institutional investors, are seeking to ecrease reliance on Chinese mining operators, continued Mr. Salanki. Such investors seem to be placing a premium on crypto assets responsibly sourced by United States-based mining operators such as TTM. We are proud that our ETH is mined in the U.S.A. All of us at Sysorex and TTM believe in the incredible opportunity set presented by the Ethereum Blockchain including decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on a variety of these opportunities, stated Mr. Wasserberg. It is important that shareholders realize that one of the primary considerations of our founders in choosing to mine Ethereum is the fact that the environmental impact is highly mitigated since our GPU-based Ethereum mining operations require less than 1/20 of the power consumption of ASIC-based Bitcoin mining on a transaction comparative basis. Moreover, we are committed to seeing our operations become carbon-neutral this year. Please visit our TTM Website for more information. We will retain the SYSX stock ticker symbol until further notice. For more information: Company info@ttmdigitalassets.com Investor Relations ir@ttmdigitalassets.com Jimmy Caplan, Market Makers Public Relations pr@ttmdigitalassets.com Rick Eisenberg, Eisenberg Communications Safe Harbor Statement All statements in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. While management has based any forward-looking statements included in this release on its current expectations, the information on which such expectations were based may change. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the control of Sysorex, Inc. and its subsidiaries, which could cause actual results to materially differ from such statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not limited to, the fluctuation of economic conditions, the impact of COVID-19 on Sysorex's results of operations, Sysorexs ability to integrate the products and business from recent acquisitions into its existing business, the performance of management and employees, the regulatory landscape as it relates to privacy regulations and their applicability to Sysorexs technology. Other factors that are detailed in Sysorex's periodic and current reports available for review at sec.gov. Furthermore, Sysorex operates in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment where new and unanticipated risks may arise. Accordingly, investors should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Sysorex disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, update or revise forward-looking statements. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] TAOS Data Completes $47 Million Series B Financing led by MatrixPartners China, followed by Sequoia Capital China, GGV Capital, and Index Capital BEIJING, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 24, 2021, Taos Data, the world's leading IoT big data platform, announced the completion of a $47 million Series B financing round. The round was led by Matrix Partners China, with participation from Sequoia Capital China, GGV Capital, and Index Capital, with Index Capital acting as the exclusive financial advisor. The financing proceeds will be used for technology development and market expansion. Founded in 2017, TAOS Data focuses on storage, query, analysis, and computation of time-series big data. Without relying on any open source or third-party software, the company has independently developed the proprietary IoT big data platform TDengine which features high performance, scalability, high reliability, and zero management. TDengine outperforms other time-series databases by at least 10 times in terms of insert/query performance. The community edition of TDengine was open-sourced in July 2019, with the addition of clustering features in August 2020. It has been ranked first in the GitHub global trend list for many times. Now, TDengine has attracted 15,000 stars, 3,800 forks on GitHub, and is one of the most popular open-source projects. TAOS Data has previously received angel investment from Future Capital, Manzi Fund, Yonghui Ruijin Capital, Wenqing Capital, and other institutions. In January 2020, it received nearly 10 million USD in the Pre-A round of funding from GGV Capital, Sequoia China Seed Fund, and Yonghui Ruijin Capital, and in April 2020, it received over 10 million USD in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital China and GGV Capital. With the world's leading technology & product capabilities, TAOS Data defines the next generation of IoT core infrastructure TAOS Data's products are highly standardized, require no custom development, and facilitate fast global-scale replication. It also features remote deployment and management. Its IT infrastructure platform is positioned to comprehensively carry customers' IoT big data application scenarios, which can further enhance customers' IoT business for the long term by being a powerful infrastructure. TAOS Data's flagship product, TDengine, outperforms other time-series databases by at least 10 times in terms of insert/query performance. TDengine is user-friendly, supporting C/C++, Java, Python, and other types of interfaces, can be installed directly without three-party software, with zero cost to learn to use. TDengine has an extensive technical ecosystem built for the characteristics of the Internet of Things without the need to integrate peripheral components, out-of-the-box, perfectly compatible with all types of IT environments and applications. Compared with existing technologies, the demand for computing resources decreases by 80% and storage resources by 90%, achieving a TCO saving efficiency of nearly 50%. Open source community impact builds high value commercialization path As a leading domestic open-source software enterprise, TAOS Data has formed a complete CI/CD process based on GitHub early, and can be connected with Telegraf, Prometheus, Grafana, Matlab, R, and other third-party tools in convenient ways. The open-source model significantly reduces the learning and deployment threshold for customers. And it also significantly shortens the customer's decision path due to quantifiable performance and TCO optimization performance. In terms of commercialization, the low-cost transformation path from "open-source" to "commercial" purchase has formed a closed loop, and its customers basically come from their open-source community, who can all complete he installation and deployment independently. The renewal model of pricing by data volume and annual subscription further enhances the LTV potential of customers. In addition, with the core code open source, TAOS Data's technical services and technical support have become an important source of commercial revenue, and the development and sales of auxiliary functions such as data encryption, off-site disaster recovery, auditing, and multi-level storage have also gained better commercial conversion. Currently, TDengine has three versions, including Open Source Community Edition, Enterprise Edition and Cloud Service Edition. Open Source Community Edition is used to build a brand, expand the influence of the developer community, and establish an ecology. Enterprise Edition supports independent deployment and is sold under the TBL (Term Based License) annual subscription model, with billing based on the amount of data (number of measurement points, amount of collected data) . Cloud Service Edition provides PaaS services directly on Alibaba Cloud, AWS and other cloud platforms, with billing based on data volume and duration. As of 2020, TAOS Data has provided services to head customers in many fields such as energy and electricity, high-end manufacturing, and smart cities, with a contract value growth rate of 329% and a customer unit price increase of 179%. TAOS Data has a team with top technical skills, rich entrepreneurial experience and global vision TAOS Data's Founder, Jeff Tao has worked in the US for more than 10 years, and has successfully founded two companies, "Hexin" and "Happy Mommy". Based on his continuous entrepreneurial experience in the technology field, Mr. Tao has a deep knowledge of the scenarios and pain points of IoT and smart hardware, as well as rich technical experience in the processing of time-series data. In addition, all of TAOS Data's R&D team graduated from well-known universities or institutions with master or doctoral degrees, such as The University of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, University of Michigan and University of Maryland. They all have many years of R&D experience in distributed computing, data storage and database. The team's background combines both technical academic genes and industry management experience, providing a solid guarantee for TAOS Data's strategic pattern and business strength. Investment institution views Michael Zuo, partner of MatrixPartners China, the lead investor of this round, said: "IoT is upgrading the real world comprehensively, along with IoT applications landing in various industries, the number of IoT access devices and data volume will continue to grow rapidly, and the way of using data has also changed greatly. TAOS Data to time series database as the core of the big data products have been in the energy and electricity, logistics, high-end manufacturing, Internet, smart city and other industries of the head of the customer has been verified, and its open-source community is active, the product continues to rapidly iterate. Mr. Tao is a sustainable entrepreneur, always has great enthusiasm for technology and products. Their team has a global vision and champion mentality and has been committed to building the world's most Top products. We believe that in the future, TAOS Data's products will become one of the most core infrastructures in the IoT era." Phairy Wu, an investment partner of Sequoia Capital China, believes: "With the rapid penetration of IoT applications in many fields such as consumer, energy, industry and smart city, the number of IoT access devices and data volume are growing at a high speed. Targeting the growing IoT big data market, TAOS Data has formed a strong competitive edge in the IoT market with precise product positioning. Its flagship product, TDengine, has received a lot of positive feedback from the open-source community and has been able to continue to iterate rapidly. The influence of open source has also brought about the rapid growth in the number of paying users. After the Series B financing, TAOS Data will continue to expand its advantages in the field of IoT big data and will make TDengine a leading global IoT data processing platform." "China has the world's leading cumulative technology and number of device links in the IoT space, and it is growing rapidly," said Jixun Foo, Managing Partner of GGV Capital. "TAOS Data, as a time-series database specifically applied to IoT scenarios, can significantly improve the efficiency of storage, query, analysis and computation, making IoT application development more convenient. We are optimistic that TAOS Data will continue to expand its influence in the open source community and empower more developers, and GGV Capital will continue to support the company's development to become a Chinese infrastructure software company with global influence." Wei Wei, Executive Director of Index Capital, believes that the rapid explosion of data scale and strong demand for data mining and analysis along with the development of IoT is driving the innovation of next-generation underlying data technology. At the same time, open-source software has become one of the important development paths for basic software overseas. In recent years, with the accumulation of talents and technology reserves, China's local open-source software companies have also shown an increasingly strong influence in the global arena. Under the leadership of Mr. Tao, TAOS Data has gained wide recognition in the global open source community and commercial customers with its forward-looking technology innovation, and leaped to be the best solution in the field of IoT big data. Its flagship product, TDengine, has also shown vigorous vitality and high development speed in the open-source community with its keen technical insight and excellent community operation capability. Index Capital is firmly optimistic about the development potential of TAOS Data and believes that the company will be able to continue to solidify its global technical influence and commercial momentum in the future, and become the core support for enterprise data processing in the era of IoT. We hope that with the help of top investors, the company can amplify its existing advantages and continue to lead the global IoT big data technology ecological innovation. Contact: Xiaxin Li, xxli@taosdata.com, +86-13701014596 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/taos-data-completes-47-million-series-b-financing-led-by-matrixpartners-china-followed-by-sequoia-capital-china-ggv-capital-and-index-capital-301297577.html SOURCE Taos Data [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Truck-Lite Moving to Penn State Behrend's Knowledge Park Truck-Lite Co., LLC, a worldwide leader in LED lighting systems for commercial vehicles, is relocating its headquarters to Knowledge Park at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania, improving future access to engineering and technology talent as the company prepares for the transportation industry's shift to electric vehicles in the years to come. "As the transportation industry shifts toward electric vehicles, developing new innovations for customers relies on our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified talent," said Brian Kupchella, CEO of Clarience Technologies, parent company of Truck-Lite. "Relocating our headquarters to Knowledge Park and expanding our association with Penn State Behrend-a major college of one of the country's top universities and a long-standing Truck-Lite partner-creates a strong pipeline of future electrical engineers, data scientists and business leaders in the years to come." Truck-Lite will lease nearly 30,000 square feet from Penn State Behrend, a long-time partner, for its back-office operations. Meanwhile, Penn State Behrend will invest in enhancements to its Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center (AMIC) which will contain Truck-Lite's laboratory and test space. "Truck-Lite is a manufacturer renowned for innovation in its field with an established Pennsylvania footprint, and with its new proximity to and support from the talent pool at Penn State Behrend, the possibilities for continued growth and product development are endless," said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. "My administration is pleased to welcome another Truck-Lite site to the commonwealth and eager to witness the collaborative work that will result from its longtime partnership with one of the state's top higher education facilities." Approximately 90 Truck-Lite employees, including engineering, planning, product testing, finance, marketing and customer service, will work at the new location, which is targeted to open late 2021. New Skillsets Required for Electric Future With truck manufacturers shifting significant resources toward development of electric powertrains and with full-scale production of electric vehicles on the near horizon, Truck-Lite is working to align its research and development capabilities with the evolving technology requirements being set by vehicle manufacturers. "Future electric vehicle technology is fundamentally different than what's offered in vehicles built today," said Shane Brown, general manager of Truck-Lite. "Future solutions need to do more than lead the way in lighting technology; they need to seamlessly integrate into electric vehicle hardwre and software platforms." Truck-Lite believes the future research and development capabilities needed to design components in next-generation electric vehicles will require its workforce to have deeper electrical engineering, software programming and advanced analytics expertise. By locating its new headquarters at Knowledge Park at Penn State Behrend, the company seeks to elevate its viability with future job seekers to unlock access to a larger talent pool. Existing employees will also benefit from this move, as the proximity of subject matter experts at Penn State Behrend means future technology advancements will stay within close reach. An Expanded Collaboration with Penn State Behrend The move to Knowledge Park will increase opportunities for Truck-Lite to engage in Penn State Behrend's Open Lab environment, which provides access to student and new graduate talent, faculty expertise and facilities. Truck-Lite will also build two research labs in the college's Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center, a 1,745-square-foot product-modeling lab and a 4,075-square-foot photometric testing facility, which will be used to study the light emitted by LEDs, lamps and other devices. Truck-Lite and Penn State Behrend have a long history of collaboration, sponsoring student research projects in the School of Engineering since 2006 and later opening its innovation center at Knowledge Park. Last March, Truck-Lite parent company Clarience Technologies announced an Early Career Professorship program at Behrend. The company will work with a faculty member to guide four senior design projects in the field of data analytics. "We look forward to this new phase in our longstanding partnership with Truck-Lite and Clarience Technologies," said Ralph Ford (News - Alert) , Chancellor of Penn State Behrend. "The most valuable resource for any company is its people. By moving to Knowledge Park, Truck-Lite is investing in Erie as both a source of talented employees and a place where the Truck-Lite team can grow and thrive." Longstanding Commitment to the Region With today's announcement, Truck-Lite reaffirms its commitment to the Erie/Jamestown region. Truck-Lite was established in Jamestown, NY, in 1955 and is currently based in Falconer, NY, where it has been located since 1966. The current Falconer headquarters and the new Erie headquarters are separated by only 45 miles. The Knowledge Park headquarters will be Truck-Lite's fourth location in Pennsylvania. Truck-Lite has more than 800 employees in manufacturing and distribution hubs in Coudersport, McElhattan and Wellsboro, as well as six additional sites in North America and Europe. "Truck-Lite headquarters has been in this region for over 65 years," Brown said. "Today we can officially say we will be here for many more." About Truck-Lite Co., LLC Truck-Lite Co., LLC, a division of Clarience Technologies, is headquartered in Falconer, NY, with additional US facilities in Coudersport, McElhattan and Wellsboro, PA and international facilities in Harlow, England and Puebla, Mexico. Truck-Lite is a leading producer of forward and safety lighting, wiring harnesses, turn signals and safety accessories for the medium- and heavy-duty truck, trailer, off-road and commercial vehicle industries. About Clarience Technologies, LLC Clarience Technologies focuses on bringing total visibility to commercial and recreational transportation. Through our data and insights, we improve fleet management, streamline supply chains and enhance safety on and off the road. And for decades, our collaborative, transparent approach has been turning customers into long-term partners. Since our flagship brand introduced the first sealed marker light in 1955, our companies have unveiled a steady stream of innovation ever since. Today, Clarience Technologies is a global company known for its quality and dedication to sustainability - and to a simple principle: in transportation, the more you can see and be seen, the better. About Penn State University Erie, at Behrend College Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, is a four-year and graduate college offering the resources and opportunities of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered environment. With 5,050 undergraduate and graduate students, more than 45 academic programs and an 854-acre campus, the college offers an academically rigorous, globally respected Penn State education in a setting where students can have close interaction with faculty and meaningful out-of-classroom experiences. Penn State Behrend's Open Lab environment of learning and discovery advances the student educational experience, furthers the initiatives of business and organizational partners, and drives economic and community development. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005760/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] UNITE HERE Local 11 Opposes Federal Handouts to Hospitality Industry in Proposed "Save Hotel Jobs Act" UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents over 32,000 hospitality workers across Southern California and Arizona, sent a letter to the American Hotel and Lodging Association and dozens of members of Congress in firm opposition to the "Save Hotel Jobs Act" today. The policy being considered by Congress would hand over $20 billion in federal aid to encourage hotels to bring back their veteran workers. This aid is in addition to the millions in Paycheck Protection Program loans multiple hotels received, originally intended for small businesses to keep workers on their payroll. Local 11 has estimated the country's hospitality industry has already received $13.7 billion in public support, while 75% of our members in the hospitality industry remain unemployed. In California, the hospitality industry and hotel employers lobbied against a right to return bill that would have guaranteed veteran workers their jobs back as the industry reopens. In the face of the industry's opposition, UNITE HERE Local 11 was successful in getting right-to-return legislation passed in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, and most recently across the state of California, extending these protections to 700,000 hosptality workers. "Bringing back veteran workers should not come with a $20 billion price tag (News - Alert) . This is a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, and hotel workers who lost lives and livelihoods because of the pandemic. Any hotel employer using this as an opportunity to make money should be ashamed of themselves," said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. Hospitality workers, who tend to be majority women of color, have suffered the brunt of this pandemic, with many losing their lives to COVID-19. Employers like Terranea Resort and Chateau Marmont fired their veteran workers and cut their healthcare during the pandemic. "The federal government has given millions in relief to these hotel conglomerates. It is time to put workers first. The Biden administration and Congress have an opportunity to build back better and hold employers like Chateau Marmont and Terranea accountable," said Susan Minato, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. "We ask Congress to take the responsible path. First by fixing the Paycheck Protection Program so there is genuine transparency and accountability. Second, any federal handouts to the hotel industry should be conditioned and provide enforceable COVID-19 protocols to ensure worker safety and any direct payments should go to struggling workers," said Ada Briceno, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. "I gave 40 years of my life to the Chateau Marmont. I lost my healthcare after they fired me and now, I drive part-time delivering pizzas. Yet Andre Balazs, the owner of the Chateau Marmont, was approved for a $1.95 million federal loan. Workers like me have yet to see any of that money or to be brought back to work," said Carlos Barrera, garage attendant at Chateau Marmont. UNITE HERE Local 11 is a labor union representing over 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona who work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers, and airports. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005842/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Vivint Smart Home Announces Leadership Transition Plan Vivint Smart Home, Inc. (NYSE:VVNT), a leading smart home company, today announced founder and Chief Executive Officer Todd R. Pedersen has decided to step down as chief executive officer of Vivint Smart Home, effective once the board of directors of the company appoints his successor. Mr. Pedersen will remain a member of the board of directors. "I have decided that after 20 years of building a successful company, it is time for me to pursue my other entrepreneurial goals and devote myself to those investments and businesses," said Mr. Pedersen. "I am proud of the company's achievements since Vivint's founding and remain excited about the performance and outlook as a premier smart home service provider. I believe the company is well positioned for success and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the company's growth as a member of the board." "We thank Todd for his years of dedicated leadership, which have helped Vivint grow from a small security systems company into an integrated smart home provider with strong operations, a resilient business plan and an attractive financial model. We are pleased that he will remain on as CEO until the board has identified a new leader," said David F. D'Alessandro, Vivint's chairman of the board of directors. Mr. Pedersen founded Vivint in 1999, and it has become one of the largest residential security and smart home technology companies in North America. Mr. Pedersen has been named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Utah's Entrepreneur of the Year by Mountain West Capital Network, and was inducted into the David Eccles School of Business Hall of Fame. The company's board of directors has commenced a deliberate and thoughtful search process to identify a candidate who has the right experience to lead the company into its next phase of growth. About Vivint Smart Home Vivint Smart Home is a leading smart home company in North America. Vivint delivers an integrated smart home sstem with in-home consultation, professional installation and support delivered by its Smart Home Pros, as well as 24/7 customer care and monitoring. Dedicated to redefining the home experience with intelligent products and services, Vivint serves more than 1.7 million customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.vivint.com. Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding, among other things, the Company's plans, strategies and prospects, both business and financial, including without limitation statements regarding the Company's planned chief executive officer transition. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning the Company's possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "forecasts," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "plans," "scheduled," "anticipates" or "intends" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the date of this press release, and they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in the Company's Amendment No. 1 to its Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) ") on May 12, 2021 (the "Form 10-K/A"), as such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC, that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Although Vivint Smart Home believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in those statements will be achieved or will occur, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Vivint Smart Home does not undertake and expressly disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. You should read the documents Vivint Smart Home has filed with the SEC, including the Form 10-K/A and the Company's other periodic filings, for more complete information about the Vivint Smart Home. These documents are available on both the EDGAR section of the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of Vivint's website at www.vivint.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005264/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] UWs Howe Receives Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award Lori Howe Over the past two decades, Lori Howe has gone from being a University of Wyoming undergraduate student to one of the universitys most accomplished teachers. Howe, now a visiting assistant professor in UWs Honors College, is one of two recipients of the 2021 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award, established in 1977 by businessman John P. Jack Ellbogen, to foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW. The other Ellbogen winner is Eva Ferre-Pikal, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Not only is Lori extremely successful in her teaching for the Honors College, but nearly every student also speaks to the passion, zeal and personal impact she has made upon their lives and careers, both academically and professionally, says Leigh Selting, associate dean of the Honors College. I can think of no more deserving faculty member for this award. Howe received her bachelors degree in Spanish and English from UW in 2000, then earned a masters degree in English in 2002. Over the next eight years, she served in various teaching roles with UW and Laramie County Community College, before receiving a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from UW in 2012. She continued as an instructor in several UW programs while working toward her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, which she received in 2017. Before taking her current position in the Honors College, she was an associate professional lecturer in UWs Department of English, as well as a fellow in UWs Learning Actively Mentoring Program. Since 2018, she has taught the Honors Colloquium; the Honors College Summer Bridge course; an Honors College first-year seminar, A Walk Across the World: Popular Film and Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving; an upper-division Honors College elective, Saffron, Silk and Broadswords: A Trek Through Great Civilizations; and an Honors College summer study-abroad course in Spain. For the past three years, Howe has won UWs Promoting Intellectual Engagement Award for excellence in first-year teaching. Lori Howe stands out from the crowd in her professional experience and dedication to her students, says Mary Katherine Scott, also a visiting assistant professor in the Honors College. I cannot emphasize enough just what an asset she is to the Honors College teaching faculty and the ways she motivates her colleagues to reach for bigger and better. Through a mindfully created environment, she empowers her students to voice diverse points of view, engage in critical thinking and challenge their own perspectives, says Breezy Taggart, an Honors College assistant lecturer. Seeing Dr. Howes students interact with her and each other on challenging topics reveals her care, attention and compassion in cultivating such a rich, robust and safe educational environment. Students describe Howe as caring and supportive. I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to have Dr. Howe as a professor, says Anna Steele. Her student-centric work elevates the experience of all her students, as it shows that our thoughts and opinions are valued. Dr. Howe is the type of educator all students dream of getting -- someone who is intelligent, caring, creative and inspires passion in students for learning and discussions, says Alea Denney. I will be forever grateful for having been given the privilege to learn with her. [May 24, 2021] Walker Edison, a Leading E-commerce Furniture Company, Receives a Significant Minority Investment from Blackstone WEST JORDAN, Utah, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker Edison, a leading supplier of furniture with an exclusive focus on the e-commerce channel, announced today that funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities (NYSE: BX; "Blackstone") have made a significant minority investment in the Company. The Company's Founders, Brad Bonham and Matt Davis, and controlling investor Prospect Hill Growth Partners maintain a majority stake. Walker Edison designs and supplies affordable, ready-to-assemble furniture. Their extensive logistical network and data-driven business model provides an end-to-end solution to leading global e-commerce platforms allowing their partners to seamlessly offer a wide variety of products with fast shipping to consumers. Brad Bonham, Co-Founder and CEO of Walker Edison, said: "We've made tremendous progress since partnering with Prospect Hill Growth Partners in 2018. Adding Blackstone as a partner alongside Prospect Hill is an exciting step in our evolution as a data-centric e-commerce enabler. Our hyper-growth has been driven by our pivot to data, and we believe that growth will only accelerate by partnering with Blackstone's unique offerings in data science, logistics, and supply chain as we continue to expand across the globe." Jasvinder Khaira, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: "Walker Edison is a pioneer in its sector and trusted partner to many of the world's leading e-commerce platforms. The continued shift toward online purchasing and strengthening consumer recovery are two of Blackstone's highest conviction investment themes and the company is poised for significant further expansion. We are excited to work with their first-class management team to help further accelerate their growth in the years ahead." Ann Chung, a Managing Director at Blackstone, said: "Walker Edison's combination of scale, technology, and product offerings have made it a leader in the fast-growing online furniture industry. We believe their business is well positioned to benefit from strong tailwinds moving forward as e-commerce adoption continues to rise particularly among younger furniture customers." David Fiorentino, a Partner at Prospect Hill Growth Partners, said: "We continue to believe strongly in the value proposition of Walker Edison as a data-driven, e-commerce enablement solution. We are excited to continue our partnership with the Founders, Brad and Matt, and welcome Blackstone's expertise in e-commerce as we continue to build a category-leading company across the globe." Terms of the transaction were not disclosd. Ropes & Gray served as legal advisor and Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Lincoln International, LLC served as financial advisors to Walker Edison. Simpson Thacher Bartlett served as legal advisor to Blackstone. About Walker Edison Since its establishment in 2006, Walker Edison has become a leading partner and drop-ship solution for the biggest names in e-commerce. Driven by data, they strive to cultivate a culture that inspires customers to Live Outside the Box with innovative furniture. Walker Edison is a global organization with operations in Brazil, Asia, the UK, and Germany. To learn more visit www.walkeredison.com. Follow Walker Edison on Instagram @WalkerEdisonCo. About Blackstone Blackstone is one of the world's leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $649 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone. Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Tactical Opportunities (Tac Opps) is Blackstone's opportunistic investment platform. The Tac Opps team invests globally across asset classes, industries and geographies, seeking to identify and execute on attractive, differentiated investment opportunities. As part of the strategy, the team leverages the intellectual capital across Blackstone's various businesses while continuously optimizing its approach in the face of ever-changing market conditions. About Prospect Hill Growth Partners Prospect Hill Growth Partners is a Boston-area private equity firm that makes equity investments of up to $100 million in North American consumer and healthcare growth companies. The partners of Prospect Hill Growth Partners have invested $2.8 billion of capital in 37 portfolio companies while working together over the last two decades. The partners' successful investment track record has been built on a sector-focused strategy, a robust operational value-add model, and strong alignment of interests. For more: www.prospecthillgrowth.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/walker-edison-a-leading-e-commerce-furniture-company-receives-a-significant-minority-investment-from-blackstone-301297471.html SOURCE Walker Edison [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] X Financial Announces New President Appointment SHENZHEN, China, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- X Financial (NYSE: XYF) (the "Company" or "we"), a leading technology-driven personal finance company in China, today announced that Mr. Shaoyong (Simon) Cheng has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and has resigned as President of the Company with effect from May 24, 2021 and that Mr. Kan (Kent) Li has been appointed as President of the Company with effect from May 24, 2021. Mr. Shaoyong (Simon) Cheng joined us in 2015 and has served as our Director since December 2017. Mr. Cheng served as our President starting from October 2017. Prior to serving as our President, Mr. Cheng served as our Chief Risk Officer from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Cheng served as deputy General Manager in charge of retail lending management at Bank of Communications, senior credit risk manager at HSBC North America and HSBC Asia Pacific. Mr. Cheng also served as head of CEO office and head of business banking at Hang Seng Bank China Limited, and manager at Capital One. Mr. Cheng received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in engineering and a bachelor's degree in economics from Tsinghua University, a master's degree in industrial engineering and an MBA degree from University of Southern California. Mr. Kan (Kent) Li joined us in 2015 and served as our Chief Risk Officer starting from November 2017. Prior to serving as our Chief Risk Officer, Mr. Li served as a division director in charge of unsecured loan risk from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, he served as a Sr. manager at Capital One Financial from September 2008 to November 2015, and had served many capacities in various position, including customer acquisition, customer management, as well as collections and recoveries. Before that, he worked as a Sr. Strategy Analyst for ATB Financial, a regional bank in Canada, from May 2005 to August 2008. Mr. Li received his bachelor's degree and master's degree in economic from Southwestern University of Economics and Finance. He has published several academic papers, including a research paper in Review of Economics and Statistics (edited by Harvard University). About X Financial X Financial (NYSE: XYF) (the "Company") is a leading online personal finance company in China. The Company is committed to connecting borrowers on its platform with its institutional funding partners. With its proprietary big data-driven technology, the Company has established strategic partnerships with financial institutions across multiple areas of its business operations, enabling it to facilitating loans to prime borrowers under a robust risk assessment and control system. For more information, please visit: http://ir.xiaoyinggroup.com. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," "targets," "guidance" and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; its future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the credit industry, and marketplace lending in particular, in China; the demand for and market acceptance of its marketplace's products and services; its ability to attract and retain borrowers and investors on its marketplace; its relationships with its strategic cooperation partners; competition in its industry; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the corporate structure, business and industry. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this announcement is current as of the date of this announcement, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For more information, please contact: X Financial Mr. Frank Fuya Zheng E-mail: ir@xiaoying.com Christensen In China Mr. Eric Yuan Phone: +86-10-5900-1548 E-mail: eyuan@christensenir.com In US Ms. Linda Bergkamp Phone: +1-480-614-3004 Email: lbergkamp@christensenir.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/x-financial-announces-new-president-appointment-301297476.html SOURCE X Financial [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2021] Hivestack Appoints Aileen Ku as General Manager, China SHANGHAI and MONTREAL, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hivestack, ???, the global ad tech leader in programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising, today announced the appointment of Aileen Ku as General Manager, China, based in Shanghai. Reporting to Troy Yang, Managing Director, North Asia, Ku will be responsible for driving revenue, growth and strategy focused on channeling incremental advertising dollars into China and also helping Chinese brands to activate on DOOH screens all over the world. Ku brings to Hivestack over two decades of digital advertising experience and a strong track record of consulting for foreign companies on their entry strategy and operational set up in China. Ku joins Hivestack from RTBAsia, the advertising verification service provider, where she held the position of Chief Growth Officer leading the sales operation of its advertising tracking and verification business unit. As the leading global programmatic DOOH full stack offering, Hivestack connects Chinese DOOH publishers with growing demand from global brands and allows Chinese brands to buy outside of China. By integrating with Hivestack, publishers are able to monetise their DOOH inventory programmatically and media buyers are able to utilise the very best channel-specific programmatic DOOH technology to reach audiences with impression based targeting across multiple supply partners through one platform. Ku's appointment follows Hivestack's entry into China in January 221 with the hiring of Troy Yang, formerly Senior Vice President North Asia for The Trade Desk. China , we are well positioned to continue to support our global network of partners and clients helping them navigate a unique and multi-faceted market through our data-driven solutions. Building a talented local team is critical to our growth in China '', commented Troy Yang , Managing Director, North Asia at Hivestack. "I am delighted to welcome Aileen Ku to the team. Aileen's experience will play a key role in expanding our long-term growth strategy in China as she helps to partner with Chinese media owners, domestic DSPs, data partners, brands and agencies to build up the programmatic DOOH ecosystem and adapt our offerings for the China market." Ku is actively involved in associations such as China Advertising Association (CAA) and Mobile Marketing Association China (MMAC), where she supports international projects with key industry bodies including the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and IAB Tech Lab. Aileen Ku, General Manager, China at Hivestack commented: "There is a massive opportunity for programmatic DOOH in China and I'm thrilled to be joining a company that is driving its adoption by delivering the data-driven choices and effectiveness that global brands need right now and facilitating the connection with premium media owners in the region. I'm looking forward to using my experience to build on Hivestack's success in China to date and continue to position the company at the forefront of this fast-growing industry." About Hivestack Hivestack is the global, full stack, marketing technology company that powers the buy and sell-side of programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. On the buy side, marketers use Hivestack's Demand-Side Platform to create measurable campaigns that activate DOOH screens in real time based on consumer behaviour and audience movement patterns. On the sell-side, DOOH media owners use Hivestack's Supply-Side Platform & Ad Exchange to attract programmatic revenue. DOOH media owners can also use Hivestack's Ad Server to power audience-based, directly sold campaigns. Attribution is a first class-citizen throughout Hivestack's platform, offering buyers and sellers the ability to measure business outcomes at all stages of the consumer sales funnel. Hivestack is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, and has global operations in Toronto, London, Spain, France, Italy, New York, Mexico City, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Guadalajara. Media contact: Vivian Yang, Marketing Director | China, (+86) 166 2877 3033, vivian@hivestack.com https://hivestack.com/news-resources/gm-china-aileen-ku SOURCE Hivestack [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2021] Gibraltar BSN Launches New e-Commerce Platform, i2u KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Purchasing life insurance is no longer a complicated affair. Gibraltar BSN Life Berhad ("Gibraltar BSN") today unveiled its e-Commerce platform, i2u, allowing customers to purchase affordable insurance plans and receive coverage in less than the time it takes to finish a cup of coffee. The timely introduction of i2u rides on the rapid growth of Malaysia's e-Commerce market which is projected to reach US$11 billion in 2025[1]. Gibraltar BSN's Chief Executive Officer Lee Kok Wah said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified awareness of life insurance and significantly accelerated the shift in online consumer behaviour in Malaysia. Customers want affordable insurance products that they can understand and it is hassle-free to purchase. With i2u, we hope to capitalise on this perfect opportunity to deepen insurance penetration by providing Malaysians with affordable direct products purchased on a user friendly platform and a simple customer journey that delivers instant protection the moment their payment goes through." On i2u, customers can purchase one or all three of Gibraltar BSN's most popular direct products without any need for medical tests or paperwork. All applications undergo a quick online underwriting process, with the customer receiving the e-policy in their email instantly. Currently, i2u offers three (3) simple and affordable direct products; i-Care, a term life insurance plan from RM9.75 per month, i-Med, a medical card plan from RM41.85 per month, and i-Protect, a critical illness coverage plan from RM7.60 per month. The life insurer plans to include other direct products on i2u in the near future. A key differentiator of i2u is the nomination section in the online application form for its product, i-Care. Expanding on this, Kok Wah said, "Seeing how unclaimed monies held by the Accountant General's Department ballooned to RM8.75bil in December 2019[2], we wanted to remind our customers to name their beneficiaries so their loved ones are protected in the event of an unfortunate event." i2u can be accessed at www.gibraltarbsn.com/i2u. The Live Chat feature on the website also provides after-sales support by Gibraltar BSN's Customer Care representatives. [1] 'Malaysia remains attractive for e-commerce', New Straits Times, 22 February 2021 [2] 'Govt can use unclaimed monies', The Star, Saturday, 28 Nov 2020 SOURCE Gibraltar BSN [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2021] Technology with Heart: Blue Prism's COVID-19 Impact for Frontline Healthcare Workers in Singapore SINGAPORE, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past year, Blue Prism, a global leader in intelligent automation, has donated resources to those most in need during the pandemic as part of its COVID-19 Response Programme. COVID-19 struck industries quickly and with force and it was imperative that solutions were deployed rapidly to meet the challenges head on. Blue Prism's AI-powered robots have been at the forefront of this effort. By relieving humans from resource-heavy and time-consuming processes, Blue Prism technology has enabled workers to focus on what really matters high value, customer-centric care. The Response Programme has donated more than 500 licenses globally, with a value of more than S$ 7.4m worth of software, to help organisations under strain become more efficient and capable in handling the operational challenges they face. Through the programme, organisations, who lacked access or means to implement or scale intelligent automation have been able to make use of best-in-breed technology or extend their existing services for free to alleviate the impact of the pandemic. In Singapore, several digital worker licenses have been donated to the National University Health System (NUHS), one of Singapore's healthcare clusters operating several hospitals, national specialty centres, and polyclinics. During the peak of the pandemic, NUHS was required to administer more than 1,000 COVID-19 tsts daily, with patient information and swab test results to be manually inputted into Singapore's national electronic health record system. The implementation of Blue Prism's digital workers has helped to significantly reduce patient registration time from two minutes to 30 seconds. In just over two months, NUHS successfully conducted 72,000 registrations with average time savings close to 282 man-days. "With Blue Prism's expertise, we were able to leverage the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline business processes and improve workflow efficiency on both the frontline, and for our back-end processes, during this challenging time for the healthcare sector. We were able to host and manage the RPA solutions in a secure environment supported by our partner, Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS) and crucially, RPA has allowed us to optimise our resources to focus on supporting essential frontline COVID-19 activities," says Lily Loo, Director, National University Health System. "From supporting frontline health workers to maintaining business continuity in uncertain times, we are honoured to have been able to give something back. Providing support for our local community through technology was an obvious way for us to contribute during this crisis, as we transitioned online to cope with the challenges that we all faced." added Bill Taylor-Mountford, Vice President, ASEAN and Korea, Blue Prism. Helping organisations globally across 14 industries so far, the COVID-19 Response Programme has been instrumental in keeping health workers stay safe with PPP supplies, helping small businesses stay afloat and people keep their jobs through accelerating loan applications, making it easier to record and report on essential statistics and in facilitating the remarkable effort to get vaccines in arms. On average, across more than 60 projects, 8,000 hours have been saved by these organisations (equating to more than three years in human hours worked) per project, representing millions of dollars of financial return. Blue Prism is still helping organisations by donating digital worker licenses and services. Find out more about how you can apply to the COVID-19 Response Programme. Notes to editors: About Blue Prism Blue Prism is the global leader in intelligent automation for the enterprise, transforming the way work is done. At Blue Prism, we have users in over 170 countries in more than 2,000 businesses, including Fortune 500 and public sector organisations, that are creating value with new ways of working, unlocking efficiencies, and returning millions of hours of work back into their businesses. Our digital workforce is smart, secure, scalable and accessible to all; freeing up humans to re-imagine work. Blue Prism's vision is to provide a digital workforce for every enterprise. To learn more visit www.blueprism.com and follow us on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn. 2020 Blue Prism Limited. "Blue Prism", the "Blue Prism" logo and Prism device are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Blue Prism Limited and its affiliates. All Rights Reserved. SOURCE Blue Prism [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 23, 2021] 2021 China International Intelligent Communication Forum Held in Wuxi WUXI, China, May 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Focusing on the future of intelligence and media convergence, the 2021 China International Intelligent Communication Forum (CIICF), jointly organized by China Media Group (CMG) and Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, took place in Wuxi of eastern China's Shen Haixiong, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and CMG President and Chief Editor, and Wu Zhenglong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Governor of Jiangsu Province, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered speeches. The opening ceremony was also attended by Zhang Aijun, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Deputy Head of the Publicity Department, Peng Jianming, Member of the CMG Editorial Board and General Manager of CMG General Manager's Office, and Chen Jiangang, Secretary General of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government. Huang Qin, Secretary of the CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee, Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, Gong Xixiang, Member and Secretary General of the Party Leadership Group of Xinhua News Agency, and Jian Qin, Deputy General Manager of China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd. also delivered speeches at the event. In his speech, Shen Haixiong stated that as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping pointed out, next generation artificial intelligence is flourishing worldwide, bringing fresh impetus to economic and social development, and profoundly changing our mode of production and way of life. An integrated national cross-sectoral branded event in intelligent communication, the forum is dedicated to establishing an international communication platform to further consolidate consensus and jointly promote high-quality development in the global intelligent communication industry. Shen Haixiong said that the era of intelligent communication is promoting in-depth media convergence and closer people-to-people ties all around the world, and is distinguished by richness of information and extensive information sharing. CMG, upholding the principle that "even giant corporations must keep themselves up to date", is strategically building a "5G+4K/8K+AI" landscape, and accelerating the pace towards its goal of building a world-class new-type mainstream media group. He added that efforts are required to deepen scientific and technological innovation and jointly create opportuniies for changes in media. It is essential to stay open and inclusive so as to promote exchanges and mutual understanding between civilizations and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. It also requires further attention to reject bias and narrow-mindedness, and communicate objective and impartial news and information to the world. Wu Zhenglong said in his speech that General Secretary Xi Jinping highlighted the mission for Jiangsu "to set a model and lead the way" on our new journey to the new era of development. Jiangsu is set to seize the opportunities presented by this new stage of development, implement new development ideas and build up new development paradigm. It will take the initiative to adapt itself to new situation and new requirements along with the development of the IT sector, working actively to seize opportunities, address challenges and navigate through the waters. Jiangsu will leverage intelligent communication to better serve economic development and people's livelihood, practically fulfilling its mission to construct an economically developed, prosperous, and modern province with favorable environment and highly civilized society. Wu Zhenglong stressed that Jiangsu considered the intelligent communication forum as an opportunity to utilize intelligence as a driver, intermediary and concentrator to facilitate the sound development of the intelligent communication industry and construct a globally-oriented intelligent communication platform. Huang Qin stated that the forum was successfully opened to not only provide a high-end platform for enabling media innovation with intelligent technologies, but also inject strong impetus into the development of digital and cultural industries in Wuxi. Wuxi will employ advanced technologies to guide the sound development of intelligent communication, and establish a national hub of digital and cultural industries worth up to 100 billion yuan. The city will strive to create a national demonstration base for the integration of culture and technology, and develop into a culturally developed city of greater leadership, cohesion and influence. Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium, extended congratulations via video to the forum on its successful opening. He said that technological developments contributed to the wide global coverage of information and communication technologies. Initiatives such as the Belt and Road have offered a wealth of opportunities internationally for world citizens to learn more about their own cultures and reach out to other civilizations around the globe. Siddharth Chatterjee said that he was honored to participate in the forum in his capacity as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China. He saw the world as a collection of diverse cultures. Different countries should be more inclusive, seek common ground while putting differences aside, and pool together the wisdom of our mankind to promote sustainable development. Gong Xixiang observed that media competition has shifted onto a path of intelligent communication. It urges us to embrace the era of intelligent communication, make breakthroughs in this crucial stage of integrated media convergence and development, and pursue a new future for new-type mainstream media. That requires efforts to seize the trend of innovation and development, persist with the duty and mission of media, and build greater capacity for integrated development in the era of intelligent communication. According to Jian Qin, China Mobile is now vigorously implementing its "5G+" plan in order to accelerate the integration of information technology into all industries, and to better serve the public. Moving ahead, China Mobile stands ready to strengthen external cooperation, create a ubiquitous intelligent communication landscape, enrich the supply of high-quality content, safeguard network and information security, and promote continuous innovation of intelligent communication in terms of content and models. At the forum opening ceremony, CMG launched the special project on 4K/8K UHD restoration of classic video materials concerning the history of the CPC. The participating guests also witnessed the signing of a strategic cooperation framework agreement between CCTV.com and Wuxi City. At the opening ceremony, keynote speeches were delivered by Peng Jianming, Du Xiaogang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee and Mayor of Wuxi, Cao Guowei, Chairman and CEO of Sina and Chairman of Weibo, and other guests. They shared views and opinions on the prospects of intelligent media, technological applications, and their real-world impacts, along with cutting-edge achievements in this field. The opening ceremony was also attended by relevant department heads of CMG and the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, together with experts in artificial intelligence, 5G communications, and other fields at home and abroad, media industry leaders, and entrepreneurial representatives. Themed "New Era, Intelligent Communication", the forum was celebrated with one main opening summit and three sub-forums to highlight international vision and Chinese style, and was dedicated to establishing a high-end open platform for communication and cooperation. CMG's innovative applications for building a new strategic "5G+4K/8K+AI" landscape were also on display on the site. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2021-china-international-intelligent-communication-forum-held-in-wuxi-301297477.html SOURCE CCTV.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Firstsource in Collaboration with UiPath Unveils the Firstsource Automation League Program Firstsource Solutions Limited (NSE: FSL, BSE: 532809), a leading provider of Business Process Management (BPM) services and an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group company, unveiled the Firstsource Automation League - a citizen development program to democratize automation and empower the workforce. The program equips employees, even those without a programming background, to identify automation opportunities and build solutions, accelerating efficiency and cycle time. The Firstsource Automation League training methodology has been developed in collaboration with the company's automation partner UiPath. The research conducted during the run-up to the project highlighted the importance of both instilling an automation mindset as well as establishing automation skilling and rigorous mentoring programs. In keeping with the findings, Firstsource developed a structured curriculum in partnership with leading digital transformation trainers Tiny Magiq. The curriculum harnesses the cumulative power of making small changes using motivational techniques, based on Stanford behavioral scientist B.J. Fogg's model of creating tiny habits. "The urgency and need for automation technologies is stronger now than ever. As part of the First Automation League pilot program, citizen developers have built ovr a hundred bots. The program is helping build a digital mindset culture across Firstsource, driving innovation, boosting efficiency, and enhancing customer experience," said Sundara Sukavanam, Chief Digital Officer at Firstsource. Citizen developers across Firstsource are currently being trained on the UiPath platform. First, they identify tasks that are best suited for automation using the Automation Hub and follow it up by building and publishing the solution in Studio X - the no-code platform with pre-designed templates for accelerated development. "Firstsource is embracing the power and potential of citizen developers with StudioX. It's a pleasure to partner with an organization as committed to unlocking human potential through automation, as we are," said Brandon Nott, SVP Product Management at UiPath. In an increasingly digital-first world, Firstsource is pioneering the democratization of automation within the enterprise by integrating its people, processes, and technology to drive meaningful business outcomes. The Firstsource Automation League is transforming work at Firstsource by helping employees inculcate a digital mindset and become more client-focused and productive. About Firstsource Solutions: Firstsource Solutions Limited, an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group company, is a leading provider of transformational solutions and services spanning the customer lifecycle - across Healthcare, Banking and Financial Services, Communications, Media and Technology, and other industries. Our 'Digital First, Digital Now' approach helps organizations reinvent operations and reimagine business models, enabling them to deliver moments that matter and build competitive advantage. With an established presence in the US, the UK, India, and the Philippines, we act as a trusted growth partner for over 100 leading global brands, including several Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. www.firstsource.com About UiPath UiPath has a vision to deliver the Fully Automated Enterprise, one where companies use automation to unlock their greatest potential. UiPath offers an end-to-end platform for automation, combining the leading Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution with a full suite of capabilities that enable every organization to rapidly scale digital business operations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005308/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Stem, Inc. Appoints New Vice President of Corporate Development Stem, Inc. ("Stem" or the "Company") (NYSE: STEM), a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven clean energy storage services, today announced the appointment of Matt Tappin as Vice President of Corporate Development and his addition to the Stem executive leadership team. In this role, Tappin will lead the development and execution of the Company's inorganic growth strategy, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), investments, joint ventures, and related matters. Tappin brings significant experience in developing corporate strategy related to the energy transition and executing those plans to drive growth. Prior to joining Stem, he held senior corporate development positions at Royal Dutch Shell, where he focused on investments in the electricity sector, and Centrica, where he led global corporate development for the distributed energy business. In these roles, he combined strategy development with transaction execution, completing a range of corporate acquisitions, investments, partnerships, and new business initiatives. Earlier in his career, he was an investment banker in Lazard's Power, Energy & Infrastructure Group and a corporate attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Tappin earned his J.D. from Duke University School of Law nd B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. "There are significant tailwinds driving storage growth, from the Biden administration's commitment to renewables, to corporate demand for sustainable solutions, and global adoption of both behind the meter and front of the meter energy storage," said John Carrington, Director and CEO at Stem. "As Stem adds new capabilities and geographic scale to its business, we welcome Matt's expertise in corporate development and M&A. Matt will help us frame and prioritize the wide array of strategic opportunities available to us with our strong balance sheet and lead execution as we grow inorganically." "Stem has unmatched energy storage experience and market leading software and is providing transformational value-added services to the grid. I look forward to helping the Company develop and execute its growth strategy during this pivotal chapter as a new public company," said Tappin. About Stem, Inc. Stem (NYSE: STEM) provides solutions that address the challenges of today's dynamic energy market. By combining advanced energy storage solutions with Athena, a world-class AI-powered analytics platform, Stem enables customers and partners to optimize energy use by automatically switching between battery power, onsite generation and grid power. Stem's solutions help enterprise customers benefit from a clean, adaptive energy infrastructure and achieve a wide variety of goals, including expense reduction, resilience, sustainability, environmental and corporate responsibility and innovation. Stem also offers full support for solar partners interested in adding storage to standalone, community or commercial solar projects - both behind and in front of the meter. For more information, visit www.stem.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005261/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] How IMcoin is revolutionizing cryptocurrency asset management TALLINN, Estonia, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There is a chance that at least one in five of the last articles you read is about cryptocurrency. The tremendous growth of cryptocurrencies has stunned the world. Statistica reports that there are 101 million cryptocurrency users in the third quarter of 2020, which is stunning because there were just 5 million cryptocurrency users in 2016. Holding cryptocurrency assets is a great way to store your wealth, but it can be damaging if you fail to protect your assets properly. You dont need to worry because IMcoin is a company that is creating a powerful way for you to store and earn with your cryptocurrency assets. IMcoin provides stability with cryptocurrency assets The IMcoin team is implementing a completely new concept which is known as hybridcoin. In simple terms, a hybrid currency is the combination of a cryptocurrency asset and a stablecoin. The main advantage of the hybrid currency is that users can earn money in the cryptocurrency market that is booming. They will also have a stable currency that supports it through a reserve fund in case the market is not favorable. The truth is that cryptocurrencies are now used as a medium of exchange. Companies like Tesla that accept Bitcoin for cars are also adding cryptocurrencies to their portfolio, but there is currently a major problem affecting the cryptocurrency market. The challenge is stability; Many crypto enthusiasts know that their crypto assets are volatile as cryptocurrencies can lose ten percent of their value in an hour. The use of cryptocurrencies for payments is still scarce; This is why the IMcoin team is creating a product that will make cryptocurrencies safe for everyday use, like buying a cup of coffee. IMcoin reserve fund IMcoin has a public and audited reserve fund , each IMC is backed by the reserve fund. Unlike other stablecoins, the reserve fund works with different strategies to increase in value and thus cause the price of IMC to rise. This is where the Hybridcoin concept comes from, IMC users can have a currency that is backed and stable against volatility and in turn a currency that generates value over time. IMcoin improves globalization The word globalizatin in cryptocurrency terms means that individuals and businesses will use everyday transactions and cross-border transactions. The US dollar is currently the world's dominant currency; The US dollar represents approximately 60% of world trade. This dominance means that the United States has an unfair advantage in the commercial advantage; sometimes they impose sanctions on other countries because of the excessive power they wield. Blockchain is a solution to those unfair advantages; blockchain is decentralized, which means there is no central authority. Everyone on the network can operate in place of the main body, such as the federal reserve, that dictates its currency. Bitcoin and Ethereum would have been a perfect solution to enable fitness in global trading due to decentralization. Still, the problem with Bitcoin or Ethereum is volatile, and transactions are sometimes slow and expensive. That is why IMcoin is the perfect solution for cross-border transactions because the currency also works as a stable currency, which means that each IMC is backed by a reserve fund. Transactions on IMcoin are fast and transaction fees on IMcoin are very low. The network that IMcoin is building means that it will likely become one of the largest cryptocurrencies for crypto asset exchange in the future. IMcoin platform will allow users to trade their cryptocurrency assets IMcoin is a hybrid currency that helps users trade their cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency trading is one of the largest markets in the industry. IMcoin understands that some users will only test HODL the coins, but some are traders who want to speculate on the coins for profit. IMcoin will provide a platform for users to exchange their coins. The user interface of its trading platform is friendly and interactive. IMcoin will also provide an artificial intelligence algorithm that allows merchants to share their trading results with other users. The authenticity of the commercial results of the users will be verified through the blockchain technology and the users will be able to create their own hybridcoins supporting them with their commercial results. IMcoin helps in lending The arrival of cryptocurrency has disrupted almost all the traditional industries, one of the major industries in the banking and finance industry. Banks are ineffective in giving out loans to their customers. It sometimes takes hours of paperwork to be filled until a user can get a loan, but with blockchain technology, users can get loans easily without banks. IMcoin enables users to get loans on the platform loans gotten IMcoin are without intermediaries, which means that users can apply for loans and get them within seconds on the platform. The loans on IMcoin are backed by encryption guarantees based on the security and transparency of blockchain technology. Users who get loans on the platform are also allowed to deposit multiple cryptocurrencies to stabilize their collaterals, and all accounts are also properly audited by the necessary bodies. IMcoin provides constant innovation One of the major reasons projects fail is that many project founders dont invest their time and resources to improve the project. IMcoin project is different; they have developers who are constantly working to take the project to the next level. The users in the online community can report bugs in the codes, and those bugs will be fixed by our team of developers instantly. The developers will also add updates that are requested by the community. How to invest in IMcoin Users can learn more about this fantastic project by visiting the official website https://imcoinproject.com/es/ , and you can purchase the coin on Binance DEX through this link: https://www.binance.org/en/trade/mini/IMC-D5AM_BUSD-BD1 Ask questions and interact with the most friendly community in crypto by visiting this link: https://www.t.me/imcoinproject Media Contacts IMcoin Project info@imcoinproject.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Blockchain-as-a-Service provider Domineum announces partnership with nChain & BSV blockchain LONDON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Domineum, a London-based software development firm, today announces that it has entered into a partnership arrangement with nChain, a provider of data integrity solutions built by their in-house blockchain experts. The companies will work together to identify further commercial opportunities to migrate Domineum's current data solutions to become 'Blockchain-as-a-Service' (BaaS) products built on the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain. Domineum provides a range of enterprise and government data applications across several different sectors, with a particular focus on emerging and developing markets in Africa. Domineum's Cargo Tracking Note product helps government agencies better track product shipments and increase customs revenue including as Domineum Marine for port management systems; it has been successfully deployed in Sierra Leone. Domineum's land registry solution is being implemented in Abia State, Nigeria to help digitise property records. To support its market focus in Africa, Domineum operates local hubs in both Freetown, Sierra Leone and Lagos, Nigeria. As part of today's announced partnership, nChain will advise Domineum on transitioning its portfolio of products to the BSV blockchain. BSV is an enterprise-grade public blockchain, functioning as both a peer-to-peer electronic cash system and a global data ledger for government and enterprise applications. The BSV network scales unbounded to support high volumes of transactions (the BSV blockchain is expected to demonstrate 50,000 transaction per second throughput capacity later this year) at minimal cost, with median transaction fees that are a small fraction of a U.S. cent. In addition, BSV offers micropayment, smart contract, tokenisation and diverse data functionalities. Domineum expects to expand its current suite of offerings as a result of today's announced partnership. The two companies will collaborate to identify opportunities for the development of innovative new blockchain-based services for additional e-government services, as well as enterprise solutions for real estate, RegTech, supply chain management and more. Speaking on today's announcement, Domineum CEO Geoffery Weli-Wosu, said: 'At Domineum, we believe that the true potential of blockchain technology lies in its ability to enhance trust in data and fundamentally reinvent business models particularly for applications run by government agencies designed to better serve the public good. These benefits of blockchain technology can especially help countries in Africa, as they accelerate the continent's digital transformation. Today's partnership with nChain will enable us to apply these principles to different e-government and enterprise sectors with greater speed and agility, unlocking all-new efficiencies, opportunities and billions of dollars of economic potential in developing markets.' Also commenting, Simit Naik, Director, Commercial and Strategy at nChain, said: 'As a company dedicated to the development of blockchain solutions for enterprise, we are excited to explore how we can assist Domineum access the benefits of blockchain. Their focus on developing economies offers an exciting proposition to support countries accelerate their digital transformation and provide citizens with improved outcomes across a range of government services." About Domineum Domineum is a software development company working across several different sectors specialising in the provision of Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions. Domineum works predominantly in developing markets, developing digital and technical infrastructure for both governments and businesses that will facilitate leap-frog technological advancement. About nChain Founded in 2015, nChain AG offers a suite of products and services benefitting from its portfolio of over 250 patented blockchain inventions. The company's products enable its customers to focus on generating value by eliminating dependence on unreliable data and enhancing data integrity without the need for blockchain development expertise. nChain has offices in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Slovenia. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] UWs Molina Recipient of Hollon Family Off-Campus Teaching Award Adrian Molina Adrian Molina is among the University of Wyomings own who excelled as a student, receiving the Tobin Memorial Award for Outstanding Male Graduate his senior year. He later received a juris doctor degree from the UW College of Law. And now, he has earned a reputation as an excellent and valued UW instructor. Molina is the recipient of the Hollon Family Award for Teaching Excellence in Off-Campus Programs. In 1986, C.E. Jerry Hollon, a former UW trustee, established the award to recognize contributions to the general extension outreach programs of the university. As an adjunct faculty member since 2006, Molina has taught more than 90 courses for various UW departments, primarily through the Honors College, and the former Outreach School and Chicano Studies Program. Since 2010, he has taught in the Honors College, where his courses include Modes: Mass Media and Collective Consciousness and Art and Culture of Hip-Hop. All of these distance courses are impactful, relevant topics that UW students flocked to and profited from, says Peter Parolin, dean of the Honors College. Joslyn Cassady, an instructional professor and honors capstone co-coordinator for the Honors College, says Molinas overall professional background makes him a hidden treasure in our community. But, he is far from hidden outside our university. Molina is a Denver-based creative force, poet and musician who has 22 albums to his credit; founded Youth on Record and other meaningful youth programs; and has dedicated countless hours to community-based initiatives. After reviewing Mr. Molinas syllabi and teaching evaluations, I have come to believe that his success in getting students to show up is his investment in not what they do or who they become but, rather, that they become, Cassady says. Through his assignments that require reflection and self-assessment, journaling and creating conversation with each other, he is inviting students to be active agents in their educational experience and in their lives. Parolin says that many past Hollon award winners are full-time tenured faculty members but, in his nomination letter, Parolin wrote he hoped that the awards committee would recognize the vast and critical contribution to our off-campus operations of a part-time instructor. In contemporary academia, it is so often colleagues in adjunct roles who enable the university to fulfill its mission, Parolin says. In Adrian Molinas case, he has inspired students with his excellent teaching, connected brilliantly with students via distance, and shown that the distance education UW promotes is not only consistent with excellence, but actively advances our frontiers of teaching and learning. Expanding on teaching and learning is what inspired one of Molinas students. Mr. Molina has inspired me to think about the world around me and critique it for what it really is and how it plays in our culture, the student says. He has shed light on the fact that everything that is and will be is a product of our social nature as humans and will continue to be the driving force for how our society is shaped. Another student praises Molinas online teaching style. The class was amazing and a lot of fun, the student writes. He created assignments with the purpose of us learning something about ourselves and the world around us, not just learn something and then move on like most professors. Molina earned bachelors degrees in sociology and criminal justice, with a Chicano studies minor (2003), and his law degree (2006), all from UW. [May 24, 2021] LightInTheBox to Report First Quarter 2021 Financial Results on Monday, May 31, 2021 SHANGHAI, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LITB) ("LightInTheBox" or the "Company"), a cross-border e-commerce company that delivers products directly to consumers around the world, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021 before the open of U.S. markets on Monday, May 31, 2021. LightInTheBox's management will hold a conference call to discuss the results at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on May 31, 2021 (8:00 p.m. Beijing Time on the same day). Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, operator assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. All participants wishing to attend the call must preregister online before they can receive the dial-in numbers. Preregistration Information Participants can register for the conference call by navigating to http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/4692327. Once preregistration has been complete, participants will receive dial-in numbers, an event passcode, and a unique registrant ID. To join the conference, simply dial the number in the calendar invite you receive after preregistering, enter the event passcode followed by your unique registrant ID, and you will be joined to the conference instantly. A telephone replay will be available two hours after the conclusion of the conference call through June 7, 2021. The dial-in details are: US/Canada: +1-855-452-5696 Hong Kong: 800-963-117 International: +61-2-8199-0299 Passcode: 4692327 Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's Investor Relations website at http://ir.lightinthebox.com. About LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd. LightInTheBox is a cross-border e-commerce platform that delivers products directly to consumers around the world. The Company offers customers a convenient way to shop for a wide selection of products at attractive prices through its www.lightinthebox.com, www.miniinthebox.com, www.ezbuy.com and other websites and mobile applications, which are available in 25 major languages and cover more than 140 countries. For more information, please visit www.lightinthebox.com. Investor Relations Contact Christensen Ms. Xiaoyan Su Tel: +86 (10) 5900 1548 Email: ir@lightinthebox.com OR Christensen Ms. Linda Bergkamp Phone: +1-480-614-3004 Email: lbergkamp@ChristensenIR.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lightinthebox-to-report-first-quarter-2021-financial-results-on-monday-may-31-2021-301297489.html SOURCE LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Yext Launches Support Answers to Streamline Resolution Process for Customers and Agents NEW YORK, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT), the AI Search Company, today launched Support Answers, a suite of enterprise search solutions built for customer support teams. The launch comes as people increasingly look online to find solutions independently, yet are unable to successfully resolve their issues. According to Gartner, 70% of a business's customers use self-service tools, but only 9% can fully resolve their issues through these more automated channels.* As a result, many ultimately end up turning to live support options, driving up costs for the business and increasing the time to resolution for already frustrated customers. Yext's modern, AI-powered solutions now tailored for a range of support use cases understand the meaning behind customer questions and deliver direct answers drawing from a business's FAQs, product manuals, help articles, and more. By providing a comprehensive self-service solution, Yext streamlines the resolution journey not just for customers who search for information on a business's website, but also for customer support agents who look for information in their internal portals while guiding customers through troubleshooting. Yext's Support Answers includes the following solutions: Help Site Search: Businesses can now implement Yext's advanced natural language processing (NLP) on their help site so that when customers ask a support question in the search bar, they can get instant answers drawn directly from the business's FAQs, guides, tutorials, videos, ebooks, product manuals, and more without ever having to contact customer support. Multiple algorithms , including Extractive Question Answering (QA) and Semantic Text Search, enable the search experience to surface the best result instead of a list of hyperlinks. Consumers can currently see the solution in action on the help sites of Yext and Three UK , among others. Businesses can now implement Yext's advanced natural language processing (NLP) on their help site so that when customers ask a support question in the search bar, they can get instant answers drawn directly from the business's FAQs, guides, tutorials, videos, ebooks, product manuals, and more without ever having to contact customer support. , including Extractive Question Answering (QA) and Semantic Text Search, enable the search experience to surface the best result instead of a list of hyperlinks. Consumers can currently see the solution in action on the help sites of and , among others. Case Form Deflection: Businesses can proactively deflect customer support ticket submissions and provide another opportunity for customers to self-serve with case form deflection, which suggests relevant answers to customers as they are filling out the details of their issue. Businesses can proactively deflect customer support ticket submissions and provide another opportunity for customers to self-serve with case form deflection, which suggests relevant answers to customers as they are filling out the details of their issue. Agent Desktop Search: To reduce information silos and hold times for customers, businesses can centralize all support-related content in each agent's internal portal. When agents have access to accurate, up-to-date information in one convenient location while working with a customer, they can troubleshoot more efficiently and drive faster case resolution. To reduce information silos and hold times for customers, businesses can centralize all support-related content in each agent's internal portal. When agents have access to accurate, up-to-date information in one convenient location while working with a customer, they can troubleshoot more efficiently and drive faster case resolution. SEO for Help Center : If customers ask support questions on a third-party search engine like Google, businesses can still answer those questions via search-optimized landing pages and synced FAQs that improve ranking on the results page and increase the chances of appearing as a featured snippet. : If customers ask support questions on a third-party search engine like Google, businesses can still answer those questions via search-optimized landing pages and synced FAQs that improve ranking on the results page and increase the chances of appearing as a featured snippet. In-App Support: With just a few lines of code, businesses can implement a digital concierge on their web, mobile, and desktop apps that expands into a dynamic, chat-like search experience. By providing customers with an intuitive way to get answers to their questions directly within an app, businesses can reduce unnecessary costs for their support team. With just a few lines of code, businesses can implement a digital concierge on their web, mobile, and desktop apps that expands into a dynamic, chat-like search experience. By providing customers with an intuitive way to get answers to their questions directly within an app, businesses can reduce unnecessary costs for their support team. Knowledge Base: Yext's knowledge base solution hinges on the Yext Knowledge Graph, a central, brain-like database for businesses to store, view, edit, and approve all of their support-related information (and the relationships among that data). This solution allows teams to create their own self-service repository of information complete with FAQs, support articles, product manuals, and more that can be surfaced through a world-class search experience. USA , Three UK, and Advantage Dental have already been experiencing significant success with Yext's support solutions. Just two weeks into Three's use of Answers, the UK's leading mobile service provider saw a 42% reduction in customers who clicked "contact us" after using its site's search feature, indicating that more customers were now able to find answers to their questions directly in the search results. "Customers have consistently expressed their aversion to contacting customer support, but for the longest time, businesses have not had the technology powerful enough for them to resolve their issues independently," said Marc Ferrentino, Chief Strategy Officer at Yext. "Today, that changes with the launch of Support Answers, which leverages our platform's multiple search algorithms to interpret people's intent and deliver contextually relevant, direct answers in a way that meets consumers' needs and expectations, and saves a business time and money." Click here to learn more about Yext Support Answers, available starting today. * Gartner About Yext Yext (NYSE: YEXT) is the AI Search Company and is on a mission to transform the enterprise with AI search. With the explosion of information and data online, search has never been more important. However, while the world of consumer search has innovated over time, enterprise search has not. In fact, the majority of enterprise search is powered by outdated keyword search technology that only scans for keywords and delivers a list of hyperlinks rather than actually answering questions. Yext, the AI Search Company, offers a modern, AI-powered Answers Platform that understands natural language so that when people ask questions about a business online they get direct answers not links. Brands like Verizon, Vanguard, Subway and Marriott as well as organizations like the U.S. State Department and World Health Organization trust Yext to radically improve their business with answers-led AI search. CONTACT: Amanda Kontor, pr@yext.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yext-launches-support-answers-to-streamline-resolution-process-for-customers-and-agents-301297487.html SOURCE Yext, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Transparent Energy Hires Industry Veteran Nancy Gardner as Vice President, Channel Partners FAIRFIELD, N.J., May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparent Energy, the national leader in online energy procurement, today announced it has hired industry veteran Nancy Gardner to lead its growing channel partner network. As Vice President, Channel Partners at Transparent Energy, Gardner will draw on her 20 years managing and growing high-performing teams and programs, a history established at Hess and later at Direct Energy. Nancy Gardner is so well known in our industry and literally could have landed a senior position anywhere in the deregulated energy ecosystem, she is that well-liked and respected, said Paul Shagawat, Founder and Managing Partner of Transparent Energy. As an energy broker ourselves, we worked directly with Nancy at Hess and Direct Energy, recognizing her passion for people and problem solving, and her absolute professionalism in ensuring the best results for her customers. We are so happy to have her here at Transparent Energy, where her people- and relationship-management skills will help us grow our channel partner program, improve channel partner productivity, and extend the benefits of our auction-based procurement approach to a wider circle of large commercial, industrial and institutional customers. Hired in 2000 by Hess as a sales trainee, Gardner grew with the company as it expanded its product lines and services, establishing herself as a deft manager of people and customer and partner relationships, while advancing into Senior Sales and Support roles, including managing broker relationships of which Transparent Energy was one. She continued her career arc through Direct Energys acquisition of Hess n 2013, further burnishing her reputation as an outstanding mentor and manager, strategic problem solver capable of handling the most complex deals, and leader who measured success based on customer satisfaction. Ive had an incredible career in the energy industry and am looking forward to making a positive impact at Transparent Energy, said Nancy Gardner, Vice President, Channel Partners, Transparent Energy. Having worked closely with company founders Dustin Scarpa and Paul Shagawat over the years, I have seen what a talented team they have built, along with the process and technology needed to deliver C&I customers the best electricity, natural gas, and renewables prices in the industry. Transparent Energy has one of the best value propositions in the entire energy space, and I cant wait to use it as a catalyst to grow our channel partner business. To learn more about Transparent Energys channel partner program and how your organization can bring the benefits of advanced energy procurement and advisory services to your clients, please contact ngardner@transparentedge.com. About Transparent Energy Transparent Energy is the go-to resource for C&I companies, institutions, associations, and government agencies for energy procurement and energy advisory services. The companys clients include Associations and automotive, education, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, municipalities, real estate (REITS, CRE, and property management), retail, and technology firms. With a proven process delivered by retail energys most experienced professionals and state-of-the-art online auction technology, Transparent Energy has driven hundreds of millions of dollars in operational savings for clients across North America. For more information, see www.transparentedge.com. Contacts: Business inquiries: Jamil Ahmed jahmed@transparentedge.com (862) 210-8770 Media inquiries: Dan Mees for Transparent Energy Mees Communications LLC dan@meescommunications.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] mPhase Appoints Venkat Kodumudi Chief Operating Officer Gaithersburg, MD, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- mPhase Technologies, Inc. (OTC Pink: XDSL) (mPhase or the Company), a technology company specializing in EV charging and consumer engagement, announced that it has appointed industry veteran Venkat Kodumudi as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Kodumudi brings over 29 years of experience in information technology senior management that includes a 14-year career as software developer and architect. Previously, he had been involved in over 5 companies and a Federal Government Agency, in the information technology industry holding positions including chief technology officer, health product practice lead, director, and deputy director for IT operations. From 2017 through May 2021, Venkat was a Director for CGI, Inc., (NYSE: GIB) an IT services company, with diverse duties including practice lead for blockchain and intelligent automation technology. From 2016 to 2017, he was CTO for FocalCXM, Inc., a company involved in building and supporting consumer engagement solutions for the Lifesciences industry. We are excited to have Venkat join the team during this transformational time, said CEO Anshu Bhatnagar. His experience in information technology, software development and intelligent automation technology aligns with our focus to diversify our revenue streams. The Company is actively pursuing multiple projects in its core learning, travel and data analytics businesses, its legacy battery space, and other technology categories not yet included in the current revenue forecast. mPhase is in the process of hiring engineering, sales and othe support personnel in its U.S. operations to coincide with the launch of new growth initiatives designed to add additional recurring revenue sources in future quarters. About mPhase Technologies mPhase is a technology driven, innovative development company that creates and commercializes products and applications that impact everyday people. The Company is assembling industry-leading teams specializing in artificial intelligence, machine learning, software, consumer engagement, and other advanced technologies. Additional information can be found at the mPhase website, www.mphasetech.com . Please follow us on twitter: @mPhase_Tech for the latest updates. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are identified by the use of the words could, believe, anticipate, intend, estimate, expect, may, continue, predict, potential, project and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these plans, objectives, expectations or intentions will be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience and present expectations or projections. Actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and the trading price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. Forward-looking statements also are affected by the risk factors described in the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investor Contact: ir@mphasetech.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] CACI Awarded $373 Million Contract to Provide Geospatial Intelligence Expertise to U.S. Special Operations Command CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today that it was awarded an eight year, single-award contract, with a ceiling value of $373 million, to provide geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) analysis expertise to U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Under the contract, seasoned CACI intelligence experts will provide mission expertise, including full-lifecycle geospatial intelligence analytic support. Additionally, CACI system engineers will help maintain and evolve SOCOM's intelligence information technology infrastructure. Full lifecycle GEOINT expertise, a unique offering provided by CACI, will apply to all phases of processing intelligence, including the immediate reporting, corroboration, and contextualization of data. Meanwhile, CACI will update and maintain SOCOM's geospatial architecture infrastructure and tools to ensure intelligence data is correctly and efficiently distributed to analysts. John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "CACI is a proven partner for SOCOM, and has demonstrated it can dynamically support the command with the intelligence expertise it needs. CACI looks forward to applying the latest techniques in geospatial intelligence to support SOCOM's global mission." CACI's approximately 23,000 talented employees are vigilant in providing the unique expertise and distinctive technology that address our customers' greatest enterprise and mission challenges. Our culture of good character, innovation, and excellence drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. As a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index, we consistently deliver strong shareholder value. Visit us at www.caci.com. There are statements made herein which do not address historical facts, and therefore could be interpreted to be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in CACI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, and other such filings that CACI makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon and only speak as of the date hereof. CACI-Contract Award View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005085/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Wells Fargo Completes Investments in 13 Black-Owned Banks, Fulfilling $50 Million Pledge Made in 2020 Wells Fargo (News - Alert) & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced it has finalized investments in two additional African American Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs): The Harbor Bank of Maryland and Industrial Bank of Washington, D.C. By making these last two equity capital investments, the company has made investments in a total of 13 MDIs and has fulfilled the bank's March 10, 2020, announcement to commit $50 million to Black-owned banks in communities across the country. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005139/en/ Wells Fargo invests in 13 MDIs in total (Graphic: Wells Fargo) "We are pleased to announce our investments in the Harbor Bank of Maryland and Industrial Bank, bringing the total number of MDIs in which we've made an investment to 13. We are a proud partner to all these banks as each serves as a cornerstone to the communities they serve," said Gigi Dixon, head of External Engagement for Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion at Wells Fargo. "The way we've structured this program goes beyond a simple capital investment; we've worked to understand these MDIs, their needs, their strategic aspirations, and their challenges. We want to help them grow so they can continue to be important drivers of economic vitality for years to come." As part of the investment, Wells Fargo is offering access to a dedicated relationship team that can work with each MDI (News - Alert) on financial, technological, and product development strategies to help each institution strengthen and grow. In addition, Wells Fargo will be making its nationwide ATM network available for customers of these 13 MDIs to use without incurring fees. "Honoring our 86+ year commitment of educating and helping our communities build generational wealth, Industrial Bank is excited to partner with Wells Fargo in expanding these efforts," said B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr., president and CEO of Industrial Bank. "Being one of only 20 African American banks in the country, this partnership will enhance our ability to grow and create more opportunities to provide capital to thos communities we support. We appreciate Wells Fargo for its commitment to invest in minority institutions and partnering to alleviate the negative impact of financial inequalities on communities of color and closing the racial wealth gap." Wells Fargo has made investments in the following MDIs: City First Bank , in Los Angeles, California , in Los Angeles, California Carver Federal Savings Bank , in New York, New York , in New York, New York Carver State Bank , in Savannah, Georgia , in Savannah, Georgia Citizens Trust Bank , in Atlanta, Georgia , in Atlanta, Georgia Citizens Savings Bank & Trust , in Nashville, Tennessee , in Nashville, Tennessee Commonwealth National Bank , in Mobile, Alabama , in Mobile, Alabama First Independence Bank , in Detroit, Michigan , in Detroit, Michigan The Harbor Bank of Maryland , in Baltimore, Maryland , in Baltimore, Maryland Industrial Bank , in Washington, D.C. , in Washington, D.C. Liberty Bank , in New Orleans, Louisiana , in New Orleans, Louisiana M&F Bank , in Durham, North Carolina , in Durham, North Carolina Optus (News - Alert) Bank , in Columbia, South Carolina , in Columbia, South Carolina Unity National Bank, in Houston, Texas "Wells Fargo has honored their commitment to make meaningful capital investments in Black banks, and they have further extended their resources to help the banks effectively deploy this new capital to the benefit of historically underserved communities. As the National Bankers Association and our members pursue our vision to eliminate the racial wealth gap in America, we look forward to building on this relationship," said Robert E. James, II, chairman of National Bankers Association. The structure of Wells Fargo's investment is in the form of critical equity capital, which is foundational to the MDIs' ability to expand lending and deposit-taking capacity in their communities. The investments, primarily non-voting positions, are designed to enable the banks to maintain their MDI status. Wells Fargo is also supporting each MDI's development through a banking relationship in the form of a single touchpoint coverage model that will help them access Wells Fargo's expertise and pursue strategic priorities like entering new markets, expanding locations, designing new products, and hiring staff to support loan growth. External partners that assisted Wells Fargo include the National Bankers Association and Sullivan & Cromwell. External advisory committee members are Kim D. Saunders, president and CEO of NBA; Aron Betru, managing director of the Center for Financial Markets at Milken Institute; and John W. Rogers Jr., chairman, co-CEO, and CIO of Ariel Investments. About Wells Fargo Community Lending and Investment Wells Fargo Community Lending and Investment (CLI) specializes in offering debt and equity capital to organizations that provide economic development and affordable housing in communities of need nationwide. It is primarily focused on economic redevelopment and housing development nationwide, and is the No. 1 Affordable Housing Investor in the country and No. 2 Affordable Housing Lender. In 2019, CLI provided more than $4.3 billion in capital commitments via New Markets Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Community Development Financial Institutions, and construction lending. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets and proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of all middle market companies and small businesses in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 30 on Fortune's 2020 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health and a low-carbon economy. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter (News - Alert) : @WellsFargo. WF-CF WF-DI WF-SB View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005139/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Zoetis to Participate in the Stifel 2021 Virtual Jaws & Paws Conference Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) will participate in the Stifel 2021 Virtual Jaws & Paws Conference on Thursday, June 3, 2021. Kristin Peck, Chief Executive Officer, will represent the company and respond to questions from analysts. She is scheduled to present at 2:00 p.m. ET. Investors and other interested parties will be able to access a live audio webcast of the presentation by visiting http://investor.zoetis.com/events-presentations. A replay of the presentation will also be available on the Zoetis website at the conclusion of the event. About Zoetis As the world's leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After nearly 70 years innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide - from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The company's leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. In 2020, Zoetis generated revenue of $6.7 billion with ~11,300 employees. For more, visit www.zoetis.com. ZTS-COR ZTS-IR View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005172/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] DSS Expands Footprint of DSS Securities through Acquisition of 24.9% of Broker-Dealer Sentinel Brokers Company ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Document Security Systems, Inc. (DSS or the Company) (NYSE American: DSS), a multinational company operating business segments in blockchain security, direct marketing, healthcare, consumer packaging, real estate, renewable energy, and securitized digital assets, today announced the further expansion of its DSS Securities, Inc. business through an acquisition of 24.9% of Sentinel Brokers Company, Inc. (Sentinel), a FINRA-registered broker-dealer. Terms of the agreement include the option to acquire an additional 50.1% of Sentinel. We are thrilled to further expand the footprint of DSS Securities, stated Frank D. Heuszel, CEO of DSS. Owning a broker-dealer will help to accelerate our plans to build out an ecosystem around this high-growth, high-return potential segment of our operations. Founded in 1996 by Joseph Lawless, Sentinel primarily operates as a financial intermediary, facilitating institutional trading of municipal and corporate bonds as well as preferred stock. Markets are continually evolving, commented Lawless. As Sentinel celebrates our 25th anniversary this year, it's exciting to engage a synergistic strategic partner the caliber of DSS that has tremendous vision and resources giving it the ability to capitalize on a wealth of opportunities. I am excited to work with the DSS team as we move forward. This is great opportunity to accelerate the trajectory of our digital securities business, commented Jason Grady, Chief Operating Officer of DSS. We plan to continue to invest qualified ventures as opportunities warrant, effectively allocating the capital we have available to drive growth and maximize returns. DSS Securities completed its acquisition of 24.9% of Sentinel through its whlly owned subsidiary, Sentinel Brokers, LLC. About Document Security Systems, Inc. DSS is a multinational company operating business segments in blockchain security, direct marketing, healthcare, consumer packaging, real estate, renewable energy, and securitized digital assets. Its business model is based on a distribution sharing system in which shareholders will receive shares in its subsidiaries as DSS strategically spins them out into IPOs. Its historic business revolves around counterfeit deterrent and authentication technologies, smart packaging, and consumer product engagement. DSS is led by its Chairman and largest shareholder, Mr. Fai Chan, a highly successful global business veteran of more than 40 years specializing in corporate transformation while managing risk. He has successfully restructured more than 35 corporations with a combined value of $25 billion. For more information on DSS visit http://www.dsssecure.com. Investor Contact: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Inc. 407-491-4498 Dave@redchip.com Safe Harbor Disclosure This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the Company's intended use of proceeds and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include: risks relating to our growth strategy; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; risks relating to the results of development activities; our ability to attract, integrate and retain key personnel; our need for substantial additional funds; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the prospectus and in our other filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, our reports on Forms 8-K and 10-Q, all of which can be obtained on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management's current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Invoca Acquires DialogTech to Become the #1 Conversation Intelligence Platform with $100M in Revenue SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Invoca , the leader in conversation intelligence for revenue teams, today announced that it has acquired DialogTech, an AI-powered call tracking and analytics solution for marketers, in a combined cash and stock deal. With this acquisition, Invoca extends its leadership in the $4.8 billion conversation intelligence market and is on track to exceed $100 million in revenue. The company now has over 2,000 customers, more than 300 employees, and serves the top consumer brands in considered purchase industries, including ADT, AutoNation, DISH, Mayo Clinic, TELUS, and The Home Depot. Enabling Revenue-Focused Teams to Harness the Power of Conversation Intelligence This acquisition comes at a major inflection point for the conversation intelligence category. Due to recent policy changes from Apple and Google , brands can no longer rely on third-party cookie data to drive their marketing campaign strategies. At the same time, call volume is surging due to changes in buying behavior brought on by the pandemic. So, brands are increasingly relying on robust first-party data from conversations to better understand those consumers and make critical business decisions. From marketing and sales to eCommerce and customer experience, Invoca enables revenue teams to create better buying experiences, drive more leads, and increase revenue. Invoca's acquisition of DialogTech will bring a stronger investment in product innovation, deeper expertise in key industries, and a broader ecosystem of technology partners, agencies, and digital consulting firms. "In this digital era, companies ar embracing AI to better understand their consumers and changing market dynamics. In industries where consumers are making complex buying decisionslike financial services, health care, and automotivebrands need to embrace the right combination of digital experience and human expertise," said Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca, who will lead the combined company. "With the acquisition of DialogTech, Invoca strengthens our AI-powered conversation intelligence platform. Together, we will empower marketing, sales, and eCommerce teams to optimize digital + human buying experiences and accelerate revenue growth." Chosen by the Leading Consumer Brands Across Considered Purchase Industries DialogTech has been recognized as a pioneer in call tracking and analytics and serves Fortune 500 brands, agencies, and fast-growing companies. With the newly combined customer bases, Invoca serves market leaders across a broad array of industries, including: Telecom: top 3 US wireless carriers, top 3 Canadian telecom providers, and 6 of the top 10 US cable companies top 3 US wireless carriers, top 3 Canadian telecom providers, and 6 of the top 10 US cable companies Healthcare: 3 of the top 10 US health systems, and 4 of the top 6 US dental service organizations 3 of the top 10 US health systems, and 4 of the top 6 US dental service organizations Financial services: 4 of the top 6 US property & casualty insurers, and 3 of the top 10 US mortgage lenders 4 of the top 6 US property & casualty insurers, and 3 of the top 10 US mortgage lenders Senior care: 4 of the top 10 US home care franchises, and 2 of the top 4 US senior living providers "This move enables us to be an even better partner to enterprises and agencies looking to optimize their marketing and drive sales," said DialogTech CEO, Doug Kofoid. "Together as Invoca, our combined company will deliver an unrivaled solution for conversation intelligence, with the most innovative technology, expertise, experience, and resources in our industry." The acquisition of DialogTech follows Invoca's recent release of Invoca for Sales , expanding its solution set to serve revenue teams in contact center sales as well as marketing, customer experience, and eCommerce. As part of the transaction, DialogTech divested the Swydo operating unit. Swydo will continue to partner as an independent entity with Invoca and DialogTech. Union Square Advisors LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to DialogTech. More information: Invoca + DialogTech - Accelerating Revenue with Conversation Intelligence: https://www.invoca.com/blog/invoca-acquires-dialogtech About Invoca Invoca's Active Conversation Intelligence platform enables marketing, sales, customer experience, and eCommerce teams to understand and immediately act on the information consumers share via conversations. Through deep integrations with leading technology platforms, revenue teams can turn conversation data into automated action to enhance every digital touchpoint and human interaction, leading to better experiences, more conversions, and higher revenue. Invoca is trusted by top brands like ATI Physical Therapy, Comfort Keepers, DISH, Mayo Clinic, Mutual of Omaha, Sylvan Learning, Truist, and others. Invoca has raised $116M from leading venture capitalists, including Accel, Upfront Ventures, H.I.G. Growth Partners, Morgan Stanley, and Salesforce Ventures. For more information, visit www.invoca.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/invoca-acquires-dialogtech-to-become-the-1-conversation-intelligence-platform-with-100m-in-revenue-301297754.html SOURCE Invoca [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Incorta Named a 2021 "Cool Vendor" in Analytics and Data Science by Gartner Incorta, the Direct Data Platform, today announced that it has been named a "Cool Vendor" by Gartner (News - Alert) in the 2021 Cool Vendors in Analytics and Data Science report. The report recognizes the company's proprietary Direct Data Mapping technology and describes the unique ability of Incorta's unified data analytics platform to address "complex data and analytics challenges" by "eliminating the need for data modeling, cubes, extraction, transformation and loading (ETL) batch jobs, or optimization." "We believe this recognition speaks about Incorta's unified data analytics platform and Direct Data Mapping technology," said Scott Jones, CEO of Incorta. "Incorta is not only setting new standards for innovation within the analytics and data science industry - we are empowering teams across every sector to think differently about data analytics and push the boundaries of what's possible in their industry as well." Incorta is a unified data analytics platform that enables companies to acquire, enrich, analyze, and act upon business data with unmatched speed, simplicity and insight. Powered by Direct Data Mapping, Incorta can make tens of billions of rows of data across multiple source databases analytics-ready in a matter of minutes. The platform is built for power users and novices alike, ad provides simple, yet powerful tools for individuals and teams to freely explore, enrich and innovate with data. According to the report, "By 2023, 60% of organizations will compose components from three or more analytics solutions to build business applications infused with analytics that connect insights to actions." For a complimentary copy of the full report, please visit incorta.com/gartner-cool-vendor. To learn more about Incorta's unified data analytics platform, visit www.incorta.com. Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner Cool Vendors in Analytics and Data Science, Julian Sun, David Pidsley, Shubhangi Vashisth, James Richardson (News - Alert) , 10th May 2021. About Incorta Incorta is the only unified data analytics platform powered by Direct Data Mapping. Purpose-built to help companies stay ahead of the accelerating rate, volume, and complexity of modern enterprise data, the platform delivers unmatched speed and visibility. Incorta is built with open standards and integrates with cloud-friendly tools and platforms, making it easy to consolidate data in the cloud and extract meaningful insights. By making any data source continuously available for analytics, the platform helps business leaders, business teams, and data scientists make more accurate, timely and transparent decisions with faster access to richer data sets. Backed by GV (formerly Google Ventures), Kleiner Perkins, M12 (formerly Microsoft (News - Alert) Ventures), Telstra Ventures, and Sorenson Capital, Incorta powers analytics for some of the most valuable brands in the world, including Broadcom, Credit Suisse and Shutterfly. To learn more and try it for yourself, visit www.incorta.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005570/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] UW in the News State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage: Aerospace and Defence News reported that UW Assistant Professor Thomas Boothby is among participants in NASAs briefing May 26 to discuss select science investigations launching on the next SpaceX commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station. Boothbys project examines how tardigrades (water bears) adapt to conditions in low-Earth orbit, which could advance understanding of the stress factors affecting humans in space. Technology.org published a similar article. A book by UW Professor Jeff Lockwood was cited in a Bloomberg article that focused on the return of the 17-year cicada hatch in the U.S. The story noted that, for those who have insect phobias, the arrival of Brood X promises a season of fear and anxiety, traits that Lockwood discusses in his book, titled The Infested Mind: Why Humans Fear, Loathe and Love Insects. Niche, a website that connects colleges and schools with students and families, rated UW among the Top Public Universities in America. The designation is based on analysis of academic, admissions, financial and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education, along with reviews from students and alumni. SweetwaterNOW interviewed UW President Ed Seidel about the Wyoming Innovation Network (WIN), Gov. Mark Gordons initiative for modernizing and refocusing Wyomings higher education system. WIN calls for closer collaboration between UW and the states community colleges to address the states economic needs. For several years, industry analysts have warned there are too many Powder River Basin coal mines chasing a shrinking customer base. WyoFile interviewed UW economist Rob Godby about the future of Wyomings coal industry. USA Today published an article that quoted UW anthropology Associate Professor Melissa Murphy about cone-shaped skulls found in Peru, which some say prove an extraterrestrial origin. Murphy, who specializes in the analysis of human remains, says they are human skulls. Chicagos Daily Herald carried a similar article. Matt Kauffman, unit leader for the U.S. Geological Surveys Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at UW, is among panelists discussing the federal and state collaborations of mapping ungulate migrations. The Pew Charitable Trusts noted that several organizations are hosting a series of webinars on wildlife migration issues across the western U.S. The Jackson Hole News & Guide interviewed UW Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources Assistant Professor Abby Sisneros-Kidd about a recreation and wildlife coexistence forum she moderated last week in Jackson. UW Assistant Professor Karen Vaughan wants to bring awareness about one of the most important, but least-discussed natural resources -- soil -- by running 130 miles from the high alpine of Colorado to the red rocks of Moab, Utah, over six days. Runners World featured Vaughan and her two colleagues adventure that is planned later this summer. The Billings Gazette reported that UW and other entities are publishing Greater Yellowstone Climate Assessment: Past, Present and Future Climate Change in Greater Yellowstone Watersheds, which is due out next month. WyoFile interviewed UW alumna Caitlin Long and UW computer science Professor Jim Caldwell on how the recent collapse of cryptocurrency prices affects Wyoming. They say it is inaccurate to compare the volatility of cryptocurrencies to the states boom and bust cycles of fossil fuels. The UW Board of Trustees recently approved designs for two new residence halls, a dining facility and a parking facility. Sheridan Media and Hits 106 published UWs release announcing that the total cost of the projects is about $250 million. The Greybull Standard featured UW student Jared Henderson, from Greybull, for his business plan that received seed money for placing high in both UWs John P. Ellbogen $50K Entrepreneurship Competition and the Fisher Innovation Launchpad competition. He has developed a computer program to increase business efficiency. Mohammed Ahsanul, a UW doctoral student from Bangladesh, discussed with Wyoming Public Radio the difficulties he had to endure for his parents to visit him in the U.S. during a pandemic, navigating health restrictions and the immigration system. Wyoming News Now reported that Willimena Spoonhunter, a UW Extension Cent$ible Nutrition Program educator from the Wind River Indian Reservation, led an activity at St. Stephens Indian School. Students and parents painted with stencils to encourage cultural education and physical activity. Caspers John Jorgensen is the recipient of the 2020 Carol Mead Leaders in Literacy Award, reported The Casper Star-Tribune. The UW Literacy Research Center and Clinics Outreach Advisory Board sponsors the award. Sheridan Media reported that the Sheridan County Conservation District collaborated with UW to build a historical profile of the site of the former Acme Power Plant in the county. UW will host the Teton STEM Academy, a science camp for high school students, this summer. Chip Kobulnicky, a professor in the UW Department of Physics and Astronomy, and co-director of the academy, told Wyoming Public Radio that the camp will offer hands-on activities in the interdisciplinary sciences, all covered under the theme of planning a journey to Mars. The Laramie Boomerang featured the UW Science Initiative Roadshow. Teams of UW students and instructors facilitate hands-on learning in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) education in K-12 classrooms throughout Wyoming. The Sublette Examiner noted that local students competed in two different competitions hosted by UW. Perri Meeks, from Big Piney, placed high in the annual John P. Ellbogen $50K Entrepreneurship Competition. Big Piney High School students did well in the TEAMS competition, which stands for tests of engineering aptitude, mathematics and science. Wyoming News Now noted that six finalists would pitch their businesses during the Wind River Startup Challenge Pitch Day May 22. The Uinta County Herald reported on UWs The World Needs More Cowboys marketing campaign. UW personnel and students visited three communities in the county earlier this month. The Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, a UW academic unit, is collaborating with the Federal Communications Commission to help build consumer awareness about the emergency broadband benefit. Sheridan Media and KGAB Radio published UWs release on the announcement. [May 24, 2021] ISACA Survey: IT Security and Risk Experts Share Ransomware Insights in the Aftermath of the Colonial Pipeline Attack In the aftermath of the Colonial Pipeline attack, global IT association and learning community ISACA polled more than 1,200 members in the United States and found that 84 percent of respondents believe ransomware attacks will become more prevalent in the second half of 2021. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005588/en/ In a survey conducted by global IT association ISACA a week after the Colonial Pipeline attack, more than 1,200 IT risk, security and governance experts weighed in on ransomware attacks. (Graphic: Business Wire) The Colonial Pipeline attack caused massive disruptions to gasoline distribution in parts of the US this month, resurfacing preparedness for ransomware attacks as a front-burner topic for enterprises around the world. Colonial reportedly authorized a ransom payment of US $4.4 million. In the ISACA survey, four out of five survey respondents say they do not think their organization would pay the ransom if a ransomware attack hit their organization. Only 22 percent say a critical infrastructure organization should pay the ransom if attacked. "In a vacuum, the guidance not to pay makes total sense. We don't want to negotiate with criminals," said Dustin Brewer, senior director of emerging technology and innovation at ISACA. "But when you need to get your business back online, a cost/benefit analysis is going to come into play, and a company is going to do what it needs to do to have continuity. Good cyber-hygiene has to be a focus to avoid getting to this point." Among the survey's other findings: 85 percent of respondents say they think their organization is at least somewhat prepared for a ransomware attack, but just 32 percent say their organization is highly prepared. Four in five respondents say their organization is more prepared for ransomware incidents now than four years ago, when the WannaCry, Petya and NotPetya attacks inflicted major damage. And two-thirds of respondents expect their organization to take new precautions in the aftermath of the Colonial Pipeline incident. Nearly half of respondents (46 percent) consider ransomware to be the cyberthreat most likely to impact their organization in the next 12 months. Despite the clear risks fom ransomware attacks, 38 percent of respondents say their company has not conducted any ransomware training for their staff. ISACA recommends 10 steps companies can take to be better prepared for, and help prevent, ransomware attacks: Understand risk profiles-Organizations should have their risk assessed to accurately prepare for potential attacks. To do this, cybersecurity teams must take inventory of responsibilities, products and services, and the technical requirements affiliated with each. By defining these risk areas, cyberteams can better assess areas that require the most attention when allocating cybersecurity resources. Realize data responsibilities-Each employee on a cybersecurity team should realize the types of data that they are responsible for storing, transmitting and protecting. Test for incoming phishing attacks-Most attacks start with a phishing campaign, and they continue to be effective. Try testing filters by sending yourself de-weaponized phishing emails identified by others from an external test email account. How often will they make it through? Test it. It is possible that email filters need to be strengthened. Assess all cybersecurity roles on a regular, event-controlled basis-Regularly assess and audit cybersecurity controls to ensure that they are applied and maintained appropriately. A truly mature organization will test these controls on both a time-based schedule and in response to incidents. Evaluate patches on a timely basis-Ensure that patches are applied in an organized and methodical fashion. For vulnerable legacy systems that cannot be patched or updated, isolate them in the network and ensure that those systems do not have access to the Internet. Perform regular policy reviews-Make sure that all pertinent cybersecurity policies not only exist, but are also regularly evaluated and updated based on the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape. Specifically, update these policies based on both time-based schedules and event-based instances. Leverage threat intelligence appropriately-Reading and disseminating threat intelligence throughout a cybersecurity team can be overwhelming. Hacks and cyberattacks occur on a 24/7 basis, with different branches of similar attacks emerging overnight in many instances. Understanding which type of intelligence applies to your organization and parsing it out correctly increases understanding of what threats may pose the greatest danger. Protect end-user devices-We often forget to ensure 100% protection of end-user devices-not only for devices within the network, but for all devices used by remote users to access systems. Exclusion lists should be minimal. Communicate clearly with executive leadership and employees-To gain executive support, ensure that reporting and communication to the leadership level is clear and accurate. Once leadership understands the threat, the risk and its potential impacts, cybersecurity teams are more likely to receive the funding and support required to protect the organization. Comprehend organizational cybermaturity-All points listed here are a part of comprehending an organization's cybermaturity, or its developed defensive readiness against potential cyberattacks and exploitations. Tools like the CMMI Cybermaturity Platform can help organizations understand and improve their cybermaturity. For more information, see cybersecurity expert and ISACA Emerging Trends Working Group member Chris Cooper's analysis of the survey results and today's ransomware landscape here. About ISACA ISACA (www.isaca.org) is a global professional association and learning organization that leverages the expertise of its more than 150,000 members who work in information security, governance, assurance, risk and privacy to drive innovation through technology. It has a presence in 188 countries, including more than 220 chapters worldwide. In 2020, ISACA launched One In Tech, a philanthropic foundation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005588/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] UBITQUITY ANNOUNCES BRONZE MEMBERSHIP INTO PROPERTY RECORDS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (PRIA) United States, Delaware, Wilmington, May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ubitquity LLC, the leading enterprise blockchain-secured platform for real estate and title recordkeeping, is pleased to announce that it has officially joined the Property Records Industry Association (PRIA) as a bronze member. Working together towards a common goal PRIA manifests the idea that government and business can work together, with mutual respect, to address issues of common concern in the world of property transactions. Ubitquity is proud to be one of the first blockchain companies to join PRIA as bronze members, said Nathan Wosnack, Founder & CEO at Ubitquity. By PRIAs commitment to developing and promoting national standards and best practices for the land records industry PRIA and its members are playing a leading role in making property transactions faster, safer, and more convenient for everyone. Ubitquity shares PRIAs passion for creating the best possible version of the land records industry. Our partners at VeChain and Proton Chain will also allow us to bring the latest blockchain technology and innovation to this well-respected organization. Ubitquity has a number of Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) tools available on its unanimity platform, that it has successfully integrated across a variety of industries including aviation and real estate for escrow and title closing support, title abstracting, smart contract management, as well as secure document management. With the recent announcement of the launch of SmartEscrow 2.0 coming in Q2 2021, a blockchain-based cryptocurrency escrow product for buying property, it is clear that Ubitquitys vision for the property industry synergizes with PRIAs vision of making property transactions faster, safer, and more convenient for everyone, added Wosnack. PRIA is a place for all participants of the property records industry to come together and openly discuss issues of common concern. PRIA members include recorders, title and escrow companies, lenders, notary associations, technology companies, and industry groups from across the real estate and mortgage industries. About Ubitquity, LLC UBITQUITY, the leading blockchain-secured platform for real estate and title recordkeeping, offers a simple user experience for securely recording and tracking property deeds and land records. The company is partnered with academia, aviation companies, municipalities, and real estate companies. Version 1.1 release of the platform is now available on their newly relaunched website: www.ubitquity.io. Learn about Ubitquity Tokenization and NFTs for real estate and title (MyNFTs) and how it can help your firm by visiting www.ubitquity.io/tokenization. Ubitquity Contacts: Ignacio Landaez Duin, Global Client Account Manager email: info@ubitquity.io tel: 1+ (724) BITCIN [2482046] Tatiana OBrien, Global Social Media Account Manager email: tati@ubitquity.io twitter: @ubitquity_io About PRIA PRIA develops and promotes national standards and best practices for the property records industry. PRIA was created based on the concept that participants from all industry segments come together as equals to openly discuss issues and develop best practices and standards for the industry. PRIA Contact: Property Records Industry Associations e: info@pria.us t: 1+ (919) 4592081 For the original news story, please visit https://prdistribution.com/news/ubitquity-announces-bronze-membership-into-property-records-industry-association-pria.html# Attachment PRIA Media Company: UBITQUITY LLC, Media Name: Ignacio Landaez Duin, Media Phone: 7242482046, Media Email: info@ubitquity.io, Media URL: https://www.ubitquity.io [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] 360 Clinic CEO Vince Tien Named to Alzheimer's Orange County Board of Directors with Goal of Elevating Care and Conversation Within Local AAPI Community 360 Clinic, a physician-led organization and comprehensive network of community-based healthcare providers, is thrilled to announce CEO and Co-Founder Vince Tien has joined the Board of Directors for Alzheimer's Orange County (AlzOC). Having spent the past year leading 360 Clinic at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 providing resources, testing, and care to underserved communities throughout Orange (News - Alert) County, Tien adds a fresh perspective and first-hand experience to the Board's ongoing commitment to serve and care for the more than 84,000 residents affected by Alzheimer's and dementia-related illnesses. Tien plans to address how this disease deeply impacts Orange County's Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005224/en/ CEO and Co-Founder of 360 Clinic, Vince Tien, has joined the Board of Directors for Alzheimer's Orange County (AlzOC) (Photo: Business Wire) "It's truly an honor to join such an impactful organization that supports local individuals and families suffering from this terrible, terminal illness," said Vince Tien, CEO and Co-founder at 360 Clinic. "I wanted to partner with the Board to help care for people in my community and provide better access to the resources they need to understand how Alzheimer's oprates, how it will impact their loved ones and what they can do to improve and maintain the steadiest lifestyle possible throughout. "The AAPI community, in particular, often has trouble speaking openly about this disease, despite how widely it has already impacted many of our families. I want to help spark a conversation within our community that encourages education, empathy, collaboration, and support whenever one of our loved ones is diagnosed." Born in Vietnam, Tien emigrated to the United States with his family at a young age. After seeing the unique medical care needs of the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community in Southern California, particularly among its elders, Tien has been on a mission to give back to the AAPI community and help those who struggle to get the care they need from the current system. Now, Tien joins 360 Clinic's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dung Trinh, as a fellow Asian-American representative on the Alzheimer's Orange County Board of Directors. Tien plans to use his new position to empower the underserved local AAPI community impacted by Alzheimer's to seek care, utilize all available resources, and lean into a healthy, collaborative conversation about this deadly disease. The overarching goal is to increase support, empathy, and community amongst those affected by it. Tien plans to work closely with local AAPI groups to help address these concerns, arrive at solutions, and work together to support patients and families in need. "People often think the numbers reflect the true nature of how prevalent this disease is within the Asian community," said Tien. "But the truth is, so many cases go unreported and undiagnosed. I believe that if we create a climate that helps open the door for more people to speak out, we'll see more families getting the resources and care they need." Alzheimer's hits home for Tien and his family, who've been coping with his father's recent diagnosis of Frontotemporal Dementia. "It's been hard on my family, as my mom still thinks his condition is curable. It's been a very tough topic to address, even for myself. But I feel this will allow me to empathize with my fellow community members who are also struggling to come to terms with the progressive nature of this disease." Alzheimer's Orange County has been OC's center for Alzheimer's disease resources since 1982, providing top-quality care and support services to the thousands of OC residents who are affected by Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related illnesses. In 2020, the organization focused on providing COVID-19 resources, distributing over 65,000 masks to senior care homes, senior meal delivery services, hospitals, clinics, healthcare providers, food pantries, and homeless shelters. They also conducted over 6,000 calls with people seeking resources to help care for someone living with dementia during the pandemic and connected more than 2,000 families to AlzOC social workers for direct support. Tien is committed to a proactive approach to his position on Alzheimer's Orange County's Board of Directors. "No matter what responsibilities I'm put in charge of, my mission remains the same: to provide all patients and their families the resources they need, regardless of their current caretaking circumstances," said Tien. About Alzheimer's Orange County Alzheimer's Orange County provides programs and services, free of charge, to Orange County residents with Alzheimer's and related dementia disorders, their families, caregivers, and the community. Alzheimer's Orange County began as an independent 501c3 nonprofit in 1982, became a chapter of a national association in 1984, and in December 2015, became an independent nonprofit again with all fundraising going toward care, support, and research in Orange County, Calif. Alzheimer's is a devastating neurodegenerative illness that weakens the memory and other cognitive and emotional functions. Alzheimer's Orange County is located at 2515 McCabe, Irvine, 92614. More information can be found at http://www.alzoc.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 1-844-HELP-ALZ About 360 Clinic: 360 Clinic is a minority-owned, physician-led organization that offers a continuum of integrated healthcare services within its comprehensive network of community-based healthcare providers. Partnered with municipalities and Federal Agencies, 360 Clinic drives solutions via drive-through, walk-up, and mobile sites. To date, over 361,000 community members have been serviced with this model. 360 Clinic currently operates more than 50 access locations in Orange County and its surrounding cities, throughout Southern California and in Bremerton, Washington. 360 Clinic continues to expand its offerings and locations throughout California and the Western United States. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005224/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Code42 Earns Two Industry Accolades for Insider Risk Management Solution Code42, the Insider Risk Management leader, announced that it has won two security industry awards. Both of the awards recognize the company for leading the Insider Risk Management market with the launch of its innovative Code42 Incydr data risk detection and response product. The solution surfaces the top indicators of Insider Risk and accelerates an organization's ability to detect and respond to data exposure and exfiltration events. The Code42 Incydr product received the following recognitions: Insider Threat Detection Market Leader from Cyber Defense Magazine's Global InfoSec Awards 2021. Code42 was recognized for its understanding of tomorrow's threats, today, providing a cost-effective solution and innovating in unexpected ways that can help stop the next breach. Silver Winner for Insider Threat Solution by the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. The 2021 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards honor individuals, products and companies that demonstrate excellence, innovation and leadership in information security. The Code42 Incydr product helps companies manage growing Insider Risk issues. A SaaS (News - Alert) solution purpose-built for Insider Risk Management, it allows security teams to effectively mitigate data exposure and exfiltration risks of intellectual property, source code and trade secrets without disrupting legitimate collaboration. Organizations looking for detailed security intelligence about on- and off-network file movements can use Incydr data risk detection and response to help identify and act on the greatest indicators of risk to their data. "Employees email, message and use the cloud to share files as a normal course of business everyday and those simple acts leave data at a heightened risk of being leaked. In fact, employees are 85% more likely today to leak files than they were pre-COVID," said Joe Payne, Code42 president and CEO. "As business leaders, we need to make sure employees have the freedom to move files, collaborate with each other and stay productive, while protecting our most valuable corporate data - our IP, source code, customer lists and personnel info. Code42 Incydr data risk detection and response gives CISOs a path for securing company data, a longtime challenge, in today's new work environment and we are honored to be recognized for that with these awards." Winning the Global InfoSec Award and Cybersecurity Excellence Award are just two of the latest milestones for the Code42 Incydr solution. The company recently: Launched enhanced Insider Risk Indicators with actionable prioritization of data exfiltration events. Introduced Incydr Browser Upload Detection, which detects and alerts security teams to unsanctioned browser upload activity. Integrated with Okta Identity Cloud to accelerate the right response during Insider Risk investigations. Announced automated workflows with Slack to expedite insider risk response. Achieved Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Agency Authorization, which makes Code42 Incydr Gov available for use across the federal government. interactive demo in our free sandbox environment. Last year Code42 was identified as a Representative Vendor in the Gartner (News - Alert) 2020 Market Guide for Insider Risk Management Solutions. The company also was named as a Top 25 Cybersecurity Company by The Software Report, a Gold Winner in the 12th Annual 2020 Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Awards for Data Protection Innovation, the winner of the Data Security Tekne award from the Minnesota Tech Association and as a finalist for the 2021 SC Awards. About Code42 Code42 is the Insider Risk Management leader. Native to the cloud, the Code42 Incydr solution rapidly detects data loss, leak, theft and sabotage as well as speeds incident response - all without lengthy deployments, complex policy management or blocking employee productivity. With Code42, security professionals can protect corporate data and reduce insider threats while fostering an open and collaborative culture for employees. Backed by security best practices and control requirements, Code42's insider risk solution can be configured for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI (News - Alert) and other regulatory frameworks. More than 50,000 organizations worldwide, including the most recognized brands in business and education, rely on Code42 to safeguard their ideas. Founded in 2001, the company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and backed by Accel Partners (News - Alert) , JMI Equity and Split Rock Partners. Code42 was recognized by Inc. magazine as one of America's best workplaces in 2020 and 2021. For more information, visit code42.com. About CDM InfoSec Awards This is Cyber Defense Magazine's ninth year of honoring global InfoSec innovators. Our submission requirements are for any startup, early stage, later stage or public companies in the INFORMATION SECURITY (INFOSEC) space who believe they have a unique and compelling value proposition for their product or service. Learn more at www.cyberdefenseawards.com About the Judging The judges are CISSP, FMDHS, CEH, certified security professionals who voted based on their independent review of the company submitted materials on the website of each submission including but not limited to data sheets, white papers, product literature and other market variables. CDM has a flexible philosophy to find more innovative players with new and unique technologies, than the one with the most customers or money in the bank. CDM is always asking "What's Next?" so we are looking for Next Generation InfoSec Solutions. About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 5 Million monthly readers and growing, and thousands of pages of searchable online infosec content, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information for B2B and B2G with our sister magazine Cyber Security Magazine for B2C. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that infosec knowledge is power. 2021 Code42 Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Code42, the Code42 logo and Incydr are registered trademarks or trademarks of Code42 Software, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are properties of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005660/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Protective Life Corporation Appoints Michael J. Morrissey as Board Chairman Protective Life Corporation (Protective), a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. (TSE:8750), is pleased to announce that Michael J. Morrissey, former President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Insurance Society (IIS), has been appointed Chairman of its Board of Directors, effective May 11. Mr. Morrissey has served on Protective's Board of Directors since May 2020. "Serving as a member of the Protective Board of Directors for the past year has been a privilege, and I'm honored to now serve as Chairman of the Board," said Mr. Morrissey. "As we navigate an industry full of opportunities, Protective has a strong leadership team in place, and I'm looking forward to continuing our work to build the business for the future and deliver on promises to customers." Prior to joining the IIS, where he served as President & CEO for more than a decade, Mr. Morrissey was chairman and CEO of Firemark Investments. As a founder of Firemark, he was also the chief investment officer for the company and portfolio manager of the Firemark Tiger Fund. Before establishing Firemark, Mr. Morrissey was president of Manhattan Life Insurance Co. and senior vice president of Crum & Forster. Mr. Morrissey is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Selective Insurance Group, and has chaired its Finance, Corporate Governance and Compensation Committees. He is also an insurance working group member of the National Bureau of Economic Research, a special advisor to the Asia Pacific Financial Forum, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Asia Pacific Risk & Insurance Association. He was a member of the Board of Overseers of the St. John's University of School of Risk Management, and the Steering Committee of the Insurance Development Forum, a pblic/private partnership of the insurance industry, the United Nations and the World Bank. He was also a member of the Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum's Mitigating Risk in the Innovation Economy initiative. Mr. Morrissey holds a B.A. from Boston College and an MBA from Dartmouth, and he has completed the Harvard Business School Corporate Finance Program. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and former President of the Association of Insurance and Financial Analysts. Stepping into the role of Chairman, Mr. Morrissey succeeds W. Michael Warren, Jr. who has served as Chairman of Protective's Board since November 4, 2019. Warren will continue serving on the Protective Board of Directors, as he has since 2001. Effective April 23, Hidehiko Sogano was elected to Protective's Board of Directors. Mr. Sogano currently serves as Managing Executive Officer of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. He also serves as Director of DLI NORTH AMERICA Inc., Chair of Dai-ichi Life International (Europe) Limited, Non-Executive Director of Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Limited and CEO of Dai-ichi Life Reinsurance Bermuda Ltd. He has previously served as Advisor of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc., Director of DLI ASIA PACIFIC PTE. LTD,. DAI-ICHI LIFE INSURANCE (Cambodia) PLC. and before joining Dai-ichi Life Group, he served 32 years at the Bank of Japan, mainly in the international field. He holds a Certificate of Institute d'Etudes Politiques de Paris and a Bachelor of Economics from Keio University. For more information about Protective's Board of Directors, visit https://investor.protective.com/board-of-directors. About Protective Life Corporation Protective Life Corporation (Protective) provides financial services through the production, distribution and administration of insurance and investment products throughout the U.S. Protective traces its roots to its flagship company, Protective Life Insurance Company - founded in 1907. Protective's growth and success can be largely attributed to its ongoing commitment to serving people and doing the right thing - for its employees, distributors, and most importantly, its customers. Protective's home office is located in Birmingham, Alabama, and its 3,500-plus employees work across the United States. As of December 31, 2020, Protective had assets of approximately $127 billion. Protective Life Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. (TSE:8750). For more information about Protective, please visit www.Protective.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005680/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] TuxCare Services from CloudLinux Help Support U.S. Department of Defense and Space Force National Security Mission TuxCare services from CloudLinux provide automated security patches and updates for the systems supporting the Atlas V rocket. Through this work, TuxCare supports Department of Defense and Space Force missions to protect U.S. National Security. "Protecting U.S. national security means having the ability to launch important payloads into space. TuxCare from CloudLinux is proud to do our part to support the Department of Defense and the Space Force by providing critical security patches for ULA's Atlas V rocket," said Jim Jackson, president and CRO of CloudLinux. Last week, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched SBIRS GEO Flight 5, the fifth flight of Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The U.S. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center mission will send new satellites to join the SBIRS constellation, which works to detect missile detection and early warning satelltes for the United States and its allies. This will be the 144th mission for United Launch Alliance. It is the 87th Atlas V launch and the 8th in the 421 configuration. Atlas V successfully launched the first four SBIRS GEO satellites between 2011 and 2018. Atlas V delivers the most sensitive and critical missions - including planetary exploration missions, classified defense systems and key commercial assets. ULA boasts more than 15 years of 100% mission success founded on a heritage of more than 600 Atlas program launches. "The Atlas V has delivered sensitive and essential missions including classified defense systems, planetary exploration spacecraft and key commercial assets with precise orbital accuracy," said Tory Bruno, president and CEO of United Launch Alliance. ABOUT CLOUDLINUX CloudLinux is on a mission to continually increase security, stability and availability of Linux servers and devices. Headquartered in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, CloudLinux Inc. develops a hardened Linux distribution, Linux kernel live security patching, extended support options for Linux, and web server security software used by enterprises, service providers, governments and universities all over the world. CloudLinux has more than 4,000 customers and partners, more than 500,000 product installations globally, and dedicated analysts and developers that together have more than 450 years' worth of Linux experience along with a passion for delivering the best customer care. ABOUT ULA ULA is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider, with more than a century of combined heritage. ULA has successfully delivered more than 140 missions to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, deliver cutting-edge commercial services and enable GPS navigation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005695/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] GE Appliances Partners with Kitchen Possible to Support Chicago Families GE Appliances (GEA), a Haier company, partnered with Chicago nonprofit Kitchen Possible to provide GE Digital Air Fry 7-in-1 Toaster Ovens to 46 households in Chicago's Pilsen and East Garfield Park neighborhoods as part of GEA's community engagement investments with nonprofit organizations and community partners who connect people with the resources they need to be successful. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005734/en/ Kitchen Possible Pick Up (Photo: GE Appliances, a Haier company) Kitchen Possible teaches weekly cooking lessons to young people ages eight through 12 in underserved Chicago neighborhoods. The mission of Kitchen Possible is to build empowered mindsets in kids through cooking. In each eight-week session, the kids experience powerful life lessons firsthand. Lessons learned include the importance of patience, that it's ok to ask for help, and how to course-correct when things aren't going as planned. Each class follows the "5 Steps to Cook Anything" - a model that can be applied outside of the kitchen toward the children's challenges and goals in life. As a result of COVID-19, classes were taught virtually, and Kitchen Possible Founder and President Katie Lowman noticed barriers to student participation. "Our volunteers and instructors recognized not every family had the same resources," said Lowman. "Seeing children left out, and not able to participate inspired me to reach out to GE Appliances to request appliance donations for those families. The company responded by offering appliances to all of our winter session participants." The 7-in-1 Toaster Oven is one of GEA's new small appliances launched in late 2020. It is a toaster oven, but also functions as a convection oven and air fryer, essentially allowing the children to have a fully functioning oven on their countertops. "At GE Appliances, we come together to make good things for life through our people, productsand the places where we operate," said Katina Whitlock, GEA senior manager of community engagement. "When we received Katie's request, we recognized an opportunity to remove barriers and provide equitable resources to every student in the program- this way every child has the same resource to participate. Kitchen Possible uses cooking to not only promote self-efficacy, but also teaches transferrable skills and exposes youth to future career opportunities. That's an investment in the future of those families and communities we're honored to support." During the pandemic, GEA focused on three guiding principles: protecting the health and safety of employees, delivering for customers, and helping to build stronger communities. In 2020, GEA released the company's first-ever Corporate Citizenship Impact Report titled, "We Come Together to Make Good Things, for Life," outlining the company's goals and demonstrating its progress in five key pillars that reflect the company's top priorities and serve as the foundation for its citizenship work: Community Engagement; Inclusion & Diversity; Operations Sustainability; Product Sustainability; and Compliance & Ethics. About GE Appliances GE Appliances strives to make the world a better place and is committed to leading in the communities where its 14,000 employees live and work. A purpose-rooted and passion-driven organization, GE Appliances believes there is always a better way. Its corporate headquarters is in Louisville, Ky., and it sells products under the Monogram, Cafe, GE Profile, GE Appliances, Haier, and Hotpoint brands. Its appliances, which are in half of all U.S. homes., include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems, water heaters, wine & beverage centers, and small appliances. To learn more about GEA's economic impact, visit www.geappliancesco.com. Included Media Assets: Video Sound Bite (News - Alert) from Katie Lowman, Founder/President of Kitchen Possible Video of Kitchen Possible students and families picking up donated appliances at Gads Hill Center https://vimeo.com/552686077/44e55a141a Photos: Kitchen Possible pick up Family picking up GE Toaster Oven Family receiving toaster oven Student standing in front of toaster oven Students receiving instructions from Katie Lowman Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and geappliancesco.com for more news and updates from GE Appliances. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005734/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Philadelphia's Larry Walker Finally Free 38 Years After Wrongful Conviction On Friday, May 21, 2021, Larry Walker was released from prison after nearly 38 years of wrongful incarceration. Centurion (501c3), the first innocence organization in the world, worked on Mr. Walker's case for more than nine years, reinvestigating the crime and representing him in his legal proceedings. Footage of Mr. Walker's first moments of freedom can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuQiR4insWQ&t=3s. In October 1983, Larry Walker was convicted of a murder he did not commit and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On Friday, he walked free for the first time in almost 38 years after his conviction was vacated by Common Pleas Court Judge Tracey Brandeis-Roman when the Conviction Integrity Unit of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office moved that Mr. Walker's petition for post-conviction relief be granted. Mr. Walker was the victim of a misidentification, an incompetent trial attorney and a tunnel vision police investigation which failed to investigate an eyewitness' account fingering the actual murderer and one of his two accomplices and then covered up their failures by falsely testifying the eyewitness was "unfindable," "uncooperatve" and unreliable. In fact, the eyewitness was readily findable because she was cooperating with the same police unit in their investigation of the shooting of her fiance and killing of his friend, cooperation which led to her being killed a few months after Mr. Walker's trial. Fortunately, after all these years the Conviction Integrity Unit recognized the injustice suffered by Mr. Walker and his family and agreed to his immediate release but only on the condition that he plea nolo contendere to a reduced charge of third-degree murder. Left with the choice of immediately walking free and being united with his supportive daughter, son, grandchildren and other family members or staying in prison for years to come litigating his post-conviction petition that the Commonwealth presented false testimony and suppressed exculpatory evidence, the now 60-year-old Mr. Walker felt freedom was his only choice knowing he walks out of prison as he walked in, an innocent man. Mr. Walker's case is a classic example of harms caused when the police fail to conduct a proper and fair investigation, not only is an innocent man convicted but also the actual murderers get away when they so easily could have been caught and brought to justice. Centurion championed Mr. Walker's case for the past nine years. He is represented by Centurion Legal Director Paul Casteleiro, along with David Rudovsky and Susan Lin of Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing Feinberg and Lin, LLP, and assisted by Centurion Investigator Alan Maimon. Mr. Walker returns to court to enter his nolo contendere plea on Thursday, June 3. ABOUT CENTURION Founded in 1983, Centurion was the first organization in the world established to investigate claims of factual innocence and help victims of wrongful convictions secure their freedom. Centurion takes on the most challenging cases, specifically those with no DNA evidence to prove our clients' innocence. Centurion is almost always the last hope - the only hope - for the innocent in prison. Centurion receives approximately 1,100 requests for help each year and is currently developing over 100 cases. All investigative, legal, and post-release services are provided free of charge. To date, Centurion has freed 66 wrongly convicted men and women. It is almost always the last hope for the innocent in prison. For more information, please visit www.Centurion.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005777/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] INVESTIGATION ALERT: The Schall Law Firm Announces it is Investigating Claims Against Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and Encourages Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. ("ReconAfrica" or "the Company") (OTC: RECAF) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. ReconAfrica is the subject of an article published by National Geographic on May 11, 2021, titled: "Oil company exploring in sensitive elephant habitat accused of ignoring community concerns: Namibians allege ReconAfrica disposed of wastewater unsafely, without permits, and ignored concerns about potential impact of oil drilling on water and wildlife." The article claims that "ReconAfrica, a Canadian company eploring for oil and gas in Namibia upstream of a world-famous UNESCO World Heritage site that's home to elephants and other wildlife is disposing of wastewater without permits, according to a government minister." The article continues, "drilling for the first test well began in January, and waste fluids are being stored in what appears to be an unlined pond, where they could leach into the ground and contaminate the water supply in this desert region," and "Namibia's minister of agriculture, water, and land reform, the agency responsible for water-related permits, told National Geographic in a written statement that ReconAfrica does not yet have permits approved to extract water to use in its drilling operations nor to dispose of the waste water." If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com. The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005779/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 24, 2021] Jenny Arnold Named Sales Manager of Sonora Office, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties Jenny Arnold recently joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties as Sales Manager of the Sonora office in Tuolumne County. The announcement was made by Gretchen Pearson, President/CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties. "We are excited to announce the addition of Jenny Arnold to our leadership team," said Ms. Pearson. "Jenny's dedication to her community and service excellence align perfectly with our values at Drysdale Properties." "I'm so excited and honored to be the new Sales Manager of the Sonora office," said Arnold. "I look forward to carrying on our office culture and traditions with our agents while welcoming all the new, innovative technology and support that Drysdale Properties has to offer. It will be nice to see our office grow in new ways as we continue to offer our clients the highest level of customer service." Ms. Arnold will be responsible for leading and strategically growing the residential brokerage business of the Sonora office in Tuolumne County. Arnold was raised in Tuolumne County and brings with her 13 years of real estate experience in the Sonora Area. She currently serves as a member of the local MLS Committee and regularly assists local charities such as Habitat for Humanity. Jenny Arnold can be reached at (209) 770-2201 or jenny.arnold@bhhsdrysdale.com. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties is the 13th Largest Brokerage in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Network, No. 42 in Sales Volume by RealTrends and is ranked No. 71 in RISMedia's Power Broker Top 500 Report. Additionally, it's President/CEO, Gretchen Pearson, was featured in California Real Estate Magazine's March/April 2018 article titled "The Lead." Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties is home to over 800 real estate professionals in 40 offices throughout Northern California and Nevada. About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties Northern California and Nevada's fastest growing full-service real estate brokerage specializing in residential, luxury, relocation, commercial and property management. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties is Good to know when buying or selling a home because of our agents' unmatched market expertise, straightforward advice and forward-thinking approach when working with their clients. www.bhhsdrysdale.com About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, based in Irvine, CA (News - Alert) , is a brand-new real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. About HSF Affiliates LLC Irvine, CA-based HSF Affiliates LLC operates Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate franchise networks. The company is a joint venture of which HomeServices of America, Inc., the nation's second-largest, full-service residential brokerage firm, is a majority owner. HomeServices of America is an affiliate of world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005826/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The King Christian Hotel on the waterfront in Christiansted is home to Cream & Co., St. Croix, Carolines and Breakers Roar Tiki Bar. Customers can eat inside, or at tables under the arches. [May 24, 2021] Award Winning IP Firm FB Rice Launches Intranet Built on the Elcom Digital Employee Experience Platform SYDNEY, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FB Rice, a leading provider of intellectual property (IP) services in the Asia Pacific region, has launched their new intranet on the Elcom Digital Employee Experience Platform. The intranet, aptly named Compass, helps team members easily navigate the vast pool of information, and work better together to enhance their service offering, while also promoting a culture of superior service, industry excellence and the best people, underpinning everything FB Rice does. As a patent and trademark firm working with hundreds of local and international clients, FB Rice has accumulated significant client related and technical knowledge. However, the firm did not have a system that could store this knowledge in a way that could easily be found. Judy Ryan, Intranet Project Manager at FB Rice explains, "The nature of our business is to rely heavily on emailing colleagues for information. Various email groups are in place, but with the high volume of emails, messaging is often overlooked. We have a system where we manage all our cases and associated files. However, because it's a typical filing system, we can't create contextually relevant and user-friendly pages and communities around these files. We needed a repository to share and leverage knowledge, in an easy to use and visually attractive way. We also wanted to support the continuation of the collaborative culture at FB Rice. A new modern intranet would help improve internal communications and efficiency in the firm, while also fostering a sense of community among our staff who work across multiple offices." After a thorough search, FB Rice selected the Elcom Digital Employee Experience Platform. Elcom's out-of-the-box intranet had all the modules FB Rice required, while offering the flexibility to personalise the design. Josh Anstey, Customer Solutions Director at Elcom, describes the process, "It was fantastic working with the FB Rice team. They had a clear vision on how they wanted to improve their employee experience, efficiency and access to information with the Elcom Platform. The FB Rice team was focused and committed to delivering a quality solution to empower and support its national and agile team members." Compass, the new intranet, provides timely and contextual information and communication, centrally housed for staff to access anywhere, at any time. This includes the various communities of practice, the FB Rice board, and other initiatives. Judy Ryan further explains, "There is an icreasing realisation by staff of Compass' potential and how it can assist in the management of their accumulated knowledge for easy access to department resources. More and more staff are contacting the project to talk about how it can better work for their committees or technical departments. We are slowly building a database of information that is both easy to find, easy to read and visually attractive." Key benefits experienced by the FB Rice team: Streamlined knowledge management. The intranet is integral to knowledge management through improved access to and control of information, sharing of knowledge, and the connection between staff to drive improved practices. Departments can add information relevant to their technology and specialist area, such as a new Country and Jurisdiction area with content on patents, trademarks, designs, fees, charges and contacts for each country. Supports a single source of truth. Compass supports the idea of a single source of truth, so files can be uploaded in one place and then shared across multiple sections of the intranet. The homepage, for example, dynamically updates to display content from other sections including the latest news. Federated search also pulls in results from the FB Rice public website, so there is no need to double handle information. Improved communication and processes. Compass offers processes and workflows to enhance the service offering from FB Rice and provides a new, more efficient channel for communication. With information in one place staff do not have to rely on emailing colleagues. For example, Standing Instructions provides instructions on how to work with any given client on day-to-day and non-standardised transactions including contact and billing preferences. The main support areas that manage this content would normally spend valuable time sending out directions after someone requests it by email. There is now an easy place for people to access the information immediately without waiting for a response. If instructions need to be updated, staff can fill in an online form on Compass asking for it to be updated. Supports performance and development. During COVID-19, training was accessed at a higher degree than in the pre- COVID-19 era, and several staff members were engaged in training. With Compass, FB Rice staff can easily access training material. This includes past training presentations and webinar recordings, links, calendars, and other resources. Fosters a sense of community. From the first and initial contact with the organisation through to ongoing interaction - the tone of voice, imagery, content and business processes supported through the intranet - reflects and supports the FB Rice culture and external key messaging. The firm can now share the latest news, as well as celebrate the social aspects of the firm, in an easy to find and visually appealing way. For the full FB Rice Success Story, visit: https://hubs.li/H0NW14N0 About FB Rice FB Rice was established over 70 years ago, and to this day remains privately owned and is known as Australia's leading independent intellectual property firm. As champions of innovation, the FB Rice team works with local and international clients seeking IP protection and strategy within Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia and across the globe. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Parramatta they pride themselves on offering clients a local touch, with global reach. The team is committed to supporting the Australian IP ecosystem and believes in the integral role IP plays in an economy. Their wide-ranging technical and industry specialists give practical advice by combining outstanding intellectual capability, creativity and commercial insight. Their clients include companies, research organisations and institutes, universities, startups, government bodies, law firms and overseas IP firms. About Elcom Elcom partners with organisations to build meaningful and productive intranets and digital workplaces that empower staff to perform their best, anywhere and on any device. Elcom's out of the box intranet built on the Elcom Digital Employee Experience Platform comprises over 100 modules of functionality, together with multiple third-party connectors that can easily be activated depending on your organisation's requirements. The platform can also be deployed for portals (board portal, client portal, member portal and supplier portal), and has a built-in learning management system for online training, eLearning, staff onboarding and compliance which includes tests, SCORM compliance and reporting. Siv Rauv, Marketing Manager 02 8064 0937 marketing@elcom.com.au SOURCE Elcom Technology [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Project represents $7.5 million investment in Macon County Company is leading manufacturer of helicopter kits NASHVILLE, Tenn. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Safari Enterprises, LLC officials announced today that the helicopter manufacturer will relocate its headquarters and manufacturing operations from Marianna, Fla. to Lafayette, Tenn. Safari Enterprises, LLC, known as Safari Helicopter, is a leading manufacturer of two-seater helicopter kits. Over the next five years, Safari Helicopter will invest $7.5 million and create 85 jobs in Macon County. As phase one of the relocation, the company will build a 16,000-square-foot facility at the Lafayette Municipal Airport. Phase two will include construction of additional buildings to accommodate for future growth. The company manufactures and sells home build helicopter manufacturing kits for aviation enthusiasts with an in-house build option for those uncomfortable with the building process. Over the last five years, TNECD has supported nearly 40 economic development projects in the Upper Cumberland region, resulting in 3,700 job commitments and nearly $450 million in capital investment. QUOTES Thank you to Safari Helicopter for creating 85 new jobs in Macon County. We are committed to driving high-quality investments in our rural communities, and this project will encourage additional growth in the Upper Cumberland region. Gov. Bill Lee Safari Helicopters decision to relocate its headquarters from Florida to Tennessee and create new family-wage jobs in Lafayette is a huge win for Macon County and the entire Upper Cumberland region. We welcome Safari Helicopter and thank the company for investing in Tennessee. TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe There were multiple factors in our decision to move to Lafayette. I have to say, it was the incredible assistance from TNECD and the genuine welcome we received from the mayor and city council in Lafayette that clinched the deal. We cant wait to open the hangar doors this summer. Abe Gaskins, co-owner, Safari Enterprises TVA and Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation congratulate Safari Helicopter on its decision to locate operations in Macon County. Helping to support job creation and investment in our region is at the core of TVAs mission of service. We are proud to partner with Tennessee Central Economic Authority, Macon County and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to further that mission and support companies, like Safari Helicopters business success in the Valley. John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development We could not be more excited for Safari Helicopter and Macon County. These jobs will provide a significant boost to our local economy. I congratulate them and all our state and local officials who helped secure these jobs. Macon County offers a multitude of benefits for businesses looking to locate or expand operations, including our skilled workforce and a wonderful quality of life. We will continue to make job creation our top priority. Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) Im very proud to welcome our newest employer to Macon County. Tennessee continues to be a top choice for companies looking to establish advanced manufacturing facilities and our talented workforce makes Lafayette an exceptional choice. We thank Safari Helicopter for their investment and wish them success for many years to come. Rep. Kelly Keisling (R-Byrdstown) About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Developments mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment to the state and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @tnecd. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd. TNECD Media Contact Molly Hair, Public Information Officer (615) 878-0063 Molly.Hair@tn.gov ### There has been a historic homicide uptick across the nation amid the pandemic. Here's a peek at an embattled local suburban on the Kansas side coping with the ongoing crisis . . . Check-it . . . Overland Park police identify victim of homicide near Greenbrier Condos off 85th Street The Overland Park, Kansas, police department is investigating an early morning homicide in a busy area of the city.Police said the incident happened in the 8500 block of West 8th Street - that area is near the Overland Park City Hall, and not far from Shawnee Mission West High School.News Chopper 9's Johnny Rowlands flew over the scene and noted most of the Greenbrier Condominiums, across from Shawnee Mission West, have been roped off with crime scene tape. Man killed in shooting near 85th, Antioch in Overland Park OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -- Police in Overland Park are investigating a homicide early Monday morning. The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Jeren Hinton of Overland Park. Officers say a man is dead after a shooting about 5:20 a.m. in the 8500 block of West 85th Street. Overland Park police investigating deadly shooting at condos near city hall OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Police are trying to identify a killer who shot a man early Monday morning at a condo complex right across the street from city hall. At about 5:20 a.m., police say witnesses who live in the Greenbrier Condominiums reported hearing a gunshot in the parking lot. Developing . . . Here's a sign of the times and a "return to normal" in this town's embattled party district. Check confrontation, gun play and reminder that this town's drinkers can be exceptionally violent. Read more . . . Here's a peek at ongoing coverage, a rallying cry and our local example of "advocacy journalism" in action . . . Which takes far more work than blogging but isn't nearly as fun, captivating or entertaining to read. Check-it . . . Get ready to hear our Northland neighbors cry bloody murder as radical housing changes at the federal level hope to alleviate an upcoming eviction crisis. Even better, we want to give a shout out to a BRILLIANT COMMENT FROM A KICK-ASS TKC READER. A mostly worthless newspaper article syndicated across a string of partisan-hack-blogs alleged a sketchy connection betwixt the Kansas City murder rate and the end of the CDC eviction moratorium . . . However, a bit of common sense gave us a moment of pause. Here's the word . . . "Just so I understand, eviction moratorium last year and record breaking number of homicides. And the claim is evictions lead to increase in homicides? Ok. Got it." Brilliant. Think about that for a second . . . Half-a-dozen journalists and dozens of support staff worked to publish that Sunday newspaper front page report but a comment that completely debunked the screed was probably written before/after/during a toilet break. Accordingly . . . The Shoal Creek housing project in the form of emergency vouchers currently under consideration is just one outcome in the works as the Biden White House advances a rapid-fire series of initiatives to completely transform American housing before midterm elections . . . Checkit . . . Biden's 'infrastructure' plan wages war on the suburban dream If you saved your money and bought a house in the suburbs, your investment and lifestyle may soon come under attack. The single biggest item in President Biden's "infrastructure" bill, now being negotiated with Congress, is $213 billion he claims will be used to increase affordable housing. Biden Wants to Offer More Housing Vouchers. Many Landlords Won't Accept Them. Over 2.2 million households receive subsidies through the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Advocates see Biden order as new tool in eviction, immigration fights An order signed by President Biden Joe Biden Harris to 2021 grads: Pandemic prepared you for 'pretty much anything' Senate Armed Services chair throws support behind changing roles of military commanders in sexual assault prosecutions Biden adviser says reducing red meat isn't sole climate change solution MORE this past week seeking to make legal representation more attainable has advocates hopeful it could improve access to civil courts - including for those facing eviction or immigration penalties. HUD changes make housing vouchers easier for illegals to obtain The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently made changes to its emergency housing voucher program that make it easier for illegal immigrants to receive "free" housing on the taxpayers' dime. The American Rescue Plan that President Biden signed in March awarded $5 billion for emergency housing vouchers to be distributed to people experiencing homelessness, victims of human trafficking and survivors of domestic violence. The Limits of the Fair Housing Act beautifulcataya/Flickr In the 2020 presidential campaign, a relatively obscure Fair Housing Act regulation briefly took center stage. In an extended series of tweets, Donald Trump announced that he was repealing the 2015 Obama-era Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Rule-which sought to promote residential desegregation-to protect "Suburban Housewives of America" from rising crime and plunging property values. Supreme Court may be asked to consider CDC eviction freeze The Supreme Court may soon be asked to weigh in on the nationwide eviction freeze enacted by public health officials to keep cash-strapped renters in their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement came Monday from a group of landlords that successfully challenged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) eviction moratorium in federal court earlier this month. Some Say the COVID-19 Housing Crisis Hasn't Even Started Yet It's hard to imagine the real estate crisis getting worse, but some believe the housing crisis is only just beginning. The market is experiencing record demand at a time when housing is in short supply, pushing both housing and rental prices sky high. Developing . . . (Photo: Pixabay) It's probably safe to say that we all want to stay safe and healthy while we're traveling. Catching a cold or fending off a bout of a stomach bug can put enough of a damper on a trip; add a global pandemic into the mix, and all we can think of is sanitizing our hands and figuring out how to keep our immune systems at their peak. Now imagine that you're a mom. You're not just responsible for yourself while you travel; you have other people depending on you, too. That's where health supplements can come into play. Selecting the right herbs, extracts, and oils can go a long way towards giving traveling moms that extra boost. Here's a packing list of health supplements for vegan moms who love to travel. The Tried & True Vegan Classics First thing out of the gate: don't forget your B12 supplement. Pretty much all the prominent plant-based doctors will tell you that vegans--and non-vegans, too--should take one. And don't forget your favorite adaptogens, like tulsi or ashwagandha. Since traveling can put you in the direct path of stress, the boosted brain function, lowered cortisol levels, and better resistance to anxiety that adaptogens are thought to supply can come in handy. Traveling vegan moms often pack essential oils for aromatherapy while traveling, also. A dab of lavender can help a stressed child relax, and ginger or peppermint oil can help with nausea. If you're worried about flying with essential oils, don't be. You should double-check the TSA guidelines before you head to the airport (after all, essential oils can be expensive), but most oils come in 15-milliliter bottles, and the TSA limit is three ounces. So even if you wanted to bring them essential oils in your carry-on, as long as they fit into a one-quart ziploc bag, you should be fine. Supplements for Traveling Expecting Mothers If you're a vegan expecting mom, you'll want a few extra supplements in your travel arsenal. If you happen to be dealing with ailments or STDs that could effect your fertility, look into solving those problems first. Researching things like what does chlamydia look like or how to deal with HPV is a good way to start. One popular brand of vegan prenatal vitamins include vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K, iron, biotin, zinc, manganese, and others. Don't forget those nausea-fighting essential oils we talked about in the last section, either. On the other hand, there are some things that you'll want to avoid taking: The FDA recommends that expecting mothers avoid meal replacement shakes. Supplements for Older Moms Who Travel Older moms should talk to their doctor about which supplements they should be taking with them. One of the most common, based on bloodwork, is Vitamin D. This vitamin is especially beneficial for older women who are not exposed to the sun, as in the case of traveling during the winter in the far northern hemisphere. Additional supplements include hot flash relief and menopause, vitamin B6, and acetyl-l-carnitine. How to Pack Supplements When Traveling If you're flying, you might be tempted to pack the bulk of your travel supplements in your checked bag(s). But what happens if they get lost? It's better to take your supplements with you in your carry-on. Some veteran travelers recommend carrying vitamins in a pillbox, plastic sandwich bag, or Tupperware container, partly to stay organized and partly to avoid carrying a plethora of individual supplement bottles. Other travelers prefer to bring the whole bottle. If you download the TSA app, you can search for items that you can bring with you in carry-on bags. For example, if you search "vitamins," the app returns the result that they are allowed in both checked and carry-on bags, with the caveat that "the final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether or not the item is allowed through the checkpoint." See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Traveling is fun, but not when your documents are not in order. One faulty document is enough to ruin your entire trip, and that's something you'd love to avoid beforehand. Here are some common mistakes travelers make related to documents and how to avoid them. Incorrect Information Travel documents with incorrect information will most likely ruin your trip. When traveling internationally, you want to ensure that your documents have accurate information, and that's what you get when you hire a travel form completion service. Wrong Travel Documents It is quite disappointing to realize that you do not have the correct documents you need to facilitate your travel overseas. Planning a trip to a foreign country can be hectic because you'll have to deal with more complex paperwork than you would when traveling locally in the U.S. That's where TravelVisaPro.com comes in to help you with complex paperwork. Examples of travel document services to expect include: Expedited U.S. passport Visa applications Corporate travel and planning Form filling Document preparation And so much more! Outdated Documents Some travel documents may be outdated and not suitable for traveling out of the United States. Unfortunately, you may not know about this until when you arrive at the airport. To avoid last-minute disappointments, always ensure you have updated documents, or better still, let travel document experts handle all the travel paperwork for you! Insufficient Documents The exact number of travel documents you need primarily depends on your destination and reason for travel. A passport, visa, and air ticket may not be enough to guarantee a smooth trip. Suppose you want to travel overseas for studies. In that case, you may need your U.S. academic documents apostilled if you are traveling to a country that is part of the Hague Convention of 1961. But, if the country you intend to travel to is not a member of the Hague Convention, you will need to have your U.S. academic documents authenticated by an authorized party. Sometimes, you may find out about all these right after arriving at your destination, forcing you to begin a lengthy, expensive and frustrating process of acquiring the necessary documents from the United States. Not Having A Travel Visa While most countries do not require U.S. citizens to have a travel visa before visiting, there is still a considerable number that will need you to have a visa. The tricky part is that these rules keep changing, depending on government policies, political factors, etc. Examples of countries that do not require U.S. citizens to have a visa in advance before visiting include: Mexico Canada France Italy Iceland Belize And more. On the other hand, the following are examples of countries that will require travelers with U.S. passports to have a visa: China India Russia Saudi Arabia Vietnam Bolivia And many more. Given that this list of countries changes frequently, hiring a travel document service is a great idea. You'll never have to worry about which country needs you to have a visa before traveling or upon arrival. How To Avoid Common Travel Document Mistakes Staying up-to-date with international travel regulations is a realistic way of avoiding common travel mistakes. But let's face it; international travel regulations keep changing unexpectedly, making it difficult for you to keep up with everything. For example, a change of administration in a foreign country could lead to an overhaul of immigration laws, and that's something you may not be aware of until you are unable to travel because you do not have the required documents. The bottom line is, if you want hassle-free travel internationally with a U.S. passport, it would be best to consider hiring a travel document processing agency. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 (Photo: Pexels) 2020 was the year that the COVI-19 pandemic impacted the world's health, economy, and logistics. 2021 has not started too much better! However, with the roll-out of vaccines across the US, UK, and many other countries, international and domestic travel is progressing back to something close to pre-2020 normality. This article will look at how to prepare for business travel in 2021 with tips specifically covid related and some more generic ideas to make your journey more comfortable. Choose Your Flight Carefully In regards to the pandemic, it is a good idea to book your flight in the off-hours or to book on a flight that isn't full. There are less popular flights, and most airlines have eliminated their change fee since the pandemic. Some people love to fly the red-eye flight, while other people recommend that you avoid it. The overnight flight is often the most expensive, and you will rarely get a good night's sleep. Download the Airline's App Most major airlines have detailed apps and allow you to make use of a contactless experience - you don't have to exchange a physical boarding pass with the app; you can scan your phone and get going. The app will also inform you of any flight changes, and you can access the seating plan or chart as the system uploads different passengers. Pay Extra Attention at the Boarding Gate Pay attention to any new announcements and notifications. It used to be normal to board by your boarding group. To help with social distancing, airlines have started to board passengers from the back of the airplane. They call sections or rows of passengers at a time to stop people from passing each other back and forth. There is a similar process when people land. Don't Waste Your Time in the Air Once you are up and away, try and use this time in the air productively. Read a book, or prepare yourself by taking some work that you can do on your flight. If you have a flight that is several hours long, the time alone can be very productive. Consider Using a Business Travel Service Using a business travel service can save you lots of time. They get to know you and select the best accommodation suited to your needs and preferences. It is a premium service, but it can actually save you money if they can negotiate deals for bulk bookings with their company. It will also save time when it comes to organizing everything for your trip. They also give you tips on maximizing and using your flyer points, and they can put the travel information directly into their app so that you don't have to do anything other than remember your phone and luggage. If something does go wrong, you can call a personalized travel consultant to help get everything sorted. Use an Answering Service If you are a business owner or a director that can't afford to miss any important calls, then using a dedicated receptionist service like Moneypenny or Callnovo can be a cost-effective way to ensure that you don't miss any calls while you are traveling. With a dedicated service, you get a receptionist who is handpicked for your business, in accordance with their training and experience in your industry. They get to know you and your company so that they can answer your calls in the same way a full-time, in-house receptionist would. If you have a website, you may also want to consider using a 24 hour managed live chat service to ensure that you answer any queries and capture leads around the clock. Use the Same Airlines If you are a regular traveler, use the same airlines. If you can use the same one or two airlines for the majority of your flights, you can enjoy premiere statuses with those airlines, in the majority of cases. With this, you can enjoy several perks, such as not having to pay for bags, free upgrades that make things easier and more comfortable. So it's not necessarily a good idea to pick the cheapest flights, it's often best to use the same airlines. Using the same airlines can also help you maximize the reward points, and in some cases, you can get to know the staff, which can make check-in quicker or at least more pleasant. Have a Specific Suitcase Having a robust and well-made suitcase can be an excellent investment. Cheaper suitcases don't tend to last that long. Briggs & Riley bags, for example, are more expensive than the average suitcase but come with a lifetime guarantee. If anything goes wrong with the bag, send it in, and they fix it for you. If you are a regular flyer, you can leave your travel essentials in the suitcase to not have to pack from scratch each time you fly. A travel kit with toiletries is a great idea too. If you hate hotel coffee, which is expensive and not great, consider taking a coffee-making kit, including a travel kettle. You may also want to invest in a quality backpack for your hand luggage. Again, if you are a regular flyer, it can make sense to keep a number of items always in your bag and ready for your next flight. You may want to keep your noise-canceling headphones in the top compartment. A fanny pack or a wallet that you hang around your neck can be a good idea for carrying money, spare change, and travel documents. Conclusion Whenever you go to a public place during a pandemic, it is always a good idea to wear a mask, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. Try not to touch your face or mask, and stay at least 6 feet away from others - when possible. Some people also recommend wearing wrap-around glasses when you fly. You can learn more about these recommendations in this YouTube video from Dr. Mike Hansen. Most airplane cabins these days have very clean air. Airplanes have compressed air passing through the jet engines (which are very hot). The air is then cooled and put under pressure. The high temperatures and the compression makes the air sterile, and the air is exchanged every 3 to 4 minutes. As long as you wear a well-fitted mask and adhere to the other COVID hygiene procedures, there's no reason why you shouldn't enjoy your flight, and most importantly of all, stay safe! See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 (Photo: Pexels) A life well-traveled is a life well-lived, for memories are the greatest treasure one could possess. While the older generations were busy hoarding material possessions, millennials seem to be interested only in hoarding experiences. Professionals find themselves yearning for and embracing remote lifestyles that allow them to travel the world alongside pursuing career goals. Is there a better goal than feasting your eyes on all the beauty and splendors native to planet Earth? Certainly not! Even if you manage to see a dozen marvels, you will grow incredibly rich in spiritual enlightenment and cultural diversity. We've put together a list of the most breathtaking places to visit before you die. Here's all the inspiration you need to upgrade your bucket list: Smoky Mountains, USA A region drenched in natural beauty, cultural diversity, and modern-day luxury, the Smoky Mountains National Park is utterly breathtaking. Home to soaring peaks, scenic snow-laced vistas, picturesque waterfalls, and exotic nature trails, there's much to do and explore here. You will find yourself transported into a paradisiacal expanse of spellbinding natural beauty. The region hosts over 100 exotic and vibrant nature trails that will take you deep into the heart of the wilderness. Birdwatchers and wildlife photographers have much to rejoice in, for everywhere the eye turns, there's something rare to marvel at. Families, honeymooners, and comfort-conscious travelers typically flock to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for luxury accommodations. You can explore luxury cabins, such as the high-rated Dollywood cabins, with spectacular views of the mountains. We urge you to indulge in the cultural scene, especially the local wine and cuisine and iconic Smoky Mountains festivals. Sighisoara, Romania Here's the ultimate destination for a budget-friendly European adventure: Sighisoara, Romania. Tucked in the heart of ancient Transylvania, the city of Sighisoara is laden with fascinating medieval wonders and intriguing mysteries. A charming medieval city, Sighisoara doesn't enjoy much popularity in mainstream travel circuits, making it more appealing for unconventional travelers. It's a must-have, once-in-a-lifetime adventure for history buffs, being the best-preserved medieval European city. The history of Sighisoara dates back to the 12th century, constructed by the Saxons Are you a fan of supernatural mysteries? Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, the vicious ruler who ruthlessly presided over Walachia back in the 15th century. The city is a treasure trove of medieval architecture, such as the Church of Dominican Monastery, the Venetian House, and Sighisoara Citadel. Machu Picchu & the Inca Trail, Peru The Inca Trail welcomes serenity seekers and nature lovers deep into the heart of the Andes Mountains and Mayan cultures. The trail that leads up to the ancient site of Machu Picchu is a life-changing and spiritually invigorating journey. It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that will broaden your horizons, leaving you flooded with awe and inspiration. Hiking the Inca Trail is not a child's play, but it's a feat that will make you feel invincible and incredibly rewarded. The trail will lead you to unmatched and unparalleled pastures of breathtaking natural beauty. As you make your way high up in the Andes Mountains, you can experience the Mayan culture with local villages. Hikers can also enjoy adrenaline-pumping treks deep into the Inca Jungle and explore ancient Mayan ruins along the way. Ik Kil Cenote, Mexico Mexico's Yucatan peninsula is laden with rare gems of natural splendor, and Ik Kil Cenote is indeed the crown jewel. The Ik Kil Cenote is one of the most breathtaking natural pools globally, surrounded by crystal blue water. There's nothing more luxuriating than long, butterfly strokes in the 130-feet-deep natural pit of turquoise blue water. The natural swimming pool surrounds by vibrant vegetation, picturesque waterfalls, and exotic, threadlike vines. Also known as the Sacred Blue Cenote, Ik Kil Cenote held great significance in Mayan culture and ancient royalty. For centuries, this pool was reserved for Mayan royalty to relax in the crystal blue waters or perform religious rituals. Today, it is one of Mexico's most popular sites for water sports, diving, and archeological discoveries. Positano, Italy A city of romance, medieval charm, vibrant colors, and the best of Italian cuisine, you must visit Positano before dying. The town of Positano will take you to the southern end of Italy, alongside the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. It is a vibrant and romantic town brimming with charming medieval architecture and a beguiling culture of food, wine, and music. Constructed on a cliff, the city of Positano enjoys immense popularity amongst artists and writers. Walking around the idyllic streets lined with delightful pastel cottages is an enriching experience. Be prepared to climb up long flights of stairs, as it is the best way to explore all the attractions. Conclusion A destination that may seem attractive and intriguing to one person may not hold the same appeal for others. All travelers seek uniquely different experiences, and it's crucial to unravel your spiritual yearnings. But what do you desire the most as a traveler? Do you enjoy culturally rich experiences that introduce you to exciting cuisines, exotic wines, and unconventional traditions? Or do you find yourself yearning for the serenity and peace of the wilderness? All travelers must look within to identify the journeys and destinations that will complete their life's bucket list of must-have adventures. You will find your experience nestled deep within the cravings of your heart. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Lithuanias decision to quit China-CEEC 17+1 wont change fundamentals of platform Global Times) 11:01, May 24, 2021 The "China Post" CR Express 1st block train is unloading in Vilnius, Lithuania, April 14, 2020. Photo: Xinhua Other European countries are unlikely to follow suit after Lithuania announced over the weekend that it has withdrawn from the 17+1 cooperation mechanism between China and Central and Eastern Europe Countries (China-CEECs), as the country in the Baltic region, pressured by the US on security and ideology issues, has played an insignificant role in the China-CEEC mechanism, Chinese experts said on Sunday. Some experts also described Lithuanias decision to withdraw the mechanism as a chance of reducing negative assets in the cooperation mechanism, enabling the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism to become much sustainable in the long term. Lithuania has dropped out of the 17+1 cooperation mechanism for practical purposes, and it also urged other EU countries to abandon the initiative, Politico reported on Friday, citing the countrys foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. The official further elaborated that unity of the EU bloc is key to success, the media report said. The latest move is partially driven by Chinas latest countermeasures over EU accusations against Chinas Xinjiang policy. A member of parliament of Lithuanian was put on Beijings sanction list, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday. As the relations between China and the EU experienced hiccups over the latest freezing of the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), Lithuania, which is a relatively small market in the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism, took this occasion to stand up against China, Cui said. On the political and security issues, Lithuania has certain level of fear toward former Soviet Union and todays Russia. So when China and Russia are getting closer strategically, out of that fear, Lithuania has to keep certain distance from China, he said. Its clear that Lithuania is challenging China not only on trade and business but also on the questions concerning Beijings core interests. For instance, Lithuania's parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to describe Chinas treatment of Uygur as genocide and crimes against humanity. The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the move, calling it a gross interference in China's internal affairs. In March, Lithuania announced that it would open a trade representative office on the island to promote its relations with Taiwan, a region which China regards as an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. This also ignited the firm objection from China, which urged the Baltic nation to stay true to the one-China principle. Despite Lithuanias seemingly high-profile announcement of the withdrawal decision, Chinese experts said the withdrawal of the country from the mechanism wont have any significant impact on the China-CEEC cooperation. In fact, Lithuanias withdrawal will have no impact on the 17+1 cooperation, Liu Zuokui, a research fellow on European studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Sunday. To the contrary, the withdrawal can help reduce some negative assets from the mechanism, the expert said. China and the Central and Eastern European countries first held their summit in Poland in 2012, launching the 16+1 platform for boosting cooperation and trade. When Greece joined the platform in 2019, it was renamed 17+1 and became an important supplement to Chinas ties with the EU, according to media reports. However, Lithuania represents only a small fraction of Chinas trade with Central and Eastern European countries. According to Chinas Ministry of Commerce, Chinas trade with Lithuania was recorded at just $1.35 billion in 2019. As of the end of 2019, China is in the 22nd place as its export market, and 10th as its source of imports. By contrast, the trade between China and the Central and Eastern European countries has been booming in recent years. In 2020, Chinas trade with the 17 countries in Central and Eastern Europe in overall increased by 8.4 percent, reaching $100 billion for the first time. Quitting a certain cooperation platform or an international organization is a normal practice. While Lithuania has not contributed a lot to the 17+1, it has been damaging the mechanism by ganging up with other countries in the Baltic region to stir trouble, Liu said. The withdrawal of countries like Lithuania could also be the opportunity to improve China-CEEC cooperation mechanism, according to Chinese experts. The key part of the mechanism remains intact as the trade relationship with Visegrad Group, which accounts for half of the total in the platform, goes well, Liu noted. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Hongyu) Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: Dorsett Automotive Canton, GA (30114) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Arizona health director says it's OK to waste a little vaccine if more people get vaccinated A number of elderly persons in Tobago 60 years and older, who were not registered to be vaccinated, were turned away for a second day at the three health centres on the island. Proper implementation of land reform is the key to prosperity, in particular by ensuring continued growth in national GDP, World Bank Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Arup Banerji has said. He said this at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Land" on Monday, May 24, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. According to him, the opening of the market will allow an ordinary Ukrainian farmer to invest in his land, grow different crops and enjoy all possible benefits in Ukraine, Europe and the world. "We are talking about endless opportunities for Ukraine. But it also poses considerable dangers if the reform is implemented incorrectly. That is why I am glad that the law No. 2194 was signed and the parliamentarians passed the bill No. 2194. This gives access to the land market that is transparent, non-corrupt, where citizens and communities can monitor all land transactions. And the government will be responsible for them," Banerji said. He reminded that five weeks before the launch of the land market, Ukraine still has a lot to do. And the main thing, in his opinion, is to change the mentality of Ukrainians, who have not yet realized the opportunities offered by the reform. Among the practical steps to implement it, he called the adoption of the bill No. 3205-2, which will provide farmers with access to World Bank loans worth millions of dollars. Banerji confirmed the intention of Ukraine's international partners to provide EUR 50 million in grant aid. As a reminder, the bill No. 3205-2 On Partial Guarantee Fund in Agriculture is being prepared for the second reading. The document defines the key issues of the Fund's activity, namely the procedure for forming the authorized capital, the conditions for changing it, and the procedure for decision-making by the Fund's management bodies. The Fund is expected to acquire the status of a financial institution with a special license. ish Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announces a strategic partnership with Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) that will activate direct commercial flights from Ukraine to the Emirate from June 25, 2021, according to the airlines press service. The move will see Ras Al Khaimah welcome twice weekly flights from capital city Kyiv to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, opening up the Emirate to another key international market the largest all-European country as travel restrictions continue to ease. With flight frequency set to increase in the near future, UIA will be the first airline from Ukraine to fly into Ras Al Khaimah and the latest in a series of strategic aviation partnerships established by RAKTDA to drive growth into a dynamic and developing destination. Just a short five-hour flight from Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv, travellers will enjoy direct and seamless entry into the Emirate via Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. They will also receive complimentary return PCR testing a service that Ras Al Khaimah is extending to all international visitors. Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ish Charge d'Affaires of the United States in Ukraine Kristina Kvien considers the land reform in Ukraine to be quite successful, but some steps are needed to consolidate it. I would add that the work done was very important, very difficult, and quite successful in general. Now a few more steps need to be taken to cross the finish line this summer, Kvien said at the Forum "Ukraine 30. Land", an Ukrinform correspondent reports. According to her, the laws passed by the Verkhovna Rada last year were a real impetus to the adoption of market principles by giving owners the flexibility to use their property. The diplomat called the laws themselves the basis for a more transparent, competitive system of land relations which will lead to new opportunities and greater prosperity for Ukrainians. At the same time, the Charge d'Affaires drew attention to the steps that Ukraine needs to take to consolidate the reform. Much remains to be done to consolidate this success of land reform. The bill, which guarantees partial loan guarantees for small farmers, is still pending. This law will guarantee that every Ukrainian will be able to participate in farming, the diplomat emphasized. Kvien also stressed the importance of implementing anti-corruption safeguards. As we rapidly approach the opening of the land market, further management [of the land reform process] by all actors, including the international community, is crucial, she said. The U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine pointed out the importance of providing accurate information on the land market while many Ukrainians remain skeptical about the benefits of land reform. She added that the United States encouraged the Ukrainian government and the media to launch a media campaign to provide clear and accurate information about the reform. "Together with the EU and banks, the US is ready to support the Ukrainian government in implementing the land reform for the benefit of all Ukrainians," Kvien said. As reported, President Zelensky signed a law amending the Land Code and other legislative acts to improve the system of management and deregulation in the field of land relations. ol The European Commission welcomes the opening of the land market in Ukraine on 1 July this year and intends to continue to assist in all dimensions and further steps of land reform. "I want to congratulate the President and the entire leadership of Ukraine on the implementation of this courageous step. The opening of the land market is really an important moment, an important impetus for the whole of Ukraine. Despite all the emotions, all the disinformation around this issue, the reform will help, first of all, small farmers who work hard on the land," Katarina Mathernova, European Commission's Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, said at the Forum "Ukraine 30. Land", an Ukrinform correspondent reports. She noted that the European Commission continued to support land reform in Ukraine and worked closely with international partners such as the World Bank in this area. "We strongly support the benefits of these reforms. In fact, over the past two years, we have allocated EUR 15 million in grants to support farmers, especially small farmers, and to enable them to finance the purchase of land. These efforts go hand in hand with the need to develop a proper market system, the launch of reliable ways of long-term financing. We are happy to join these efforts at every stage It also means that all safeguards and monitoring mechanisms, in particular, in matters of land concentration must work," Mathernova said. She noted that the Verkhovna Rada had passed two critical laws on land reform over the past two weeks, one of which was signed today during the opening of the forum. Another law, which is also due to take effect shortly, concerns the provision of loan guarantees and should open access to financial support for farmers. "I congratulate you on this great step. European Union welcomes it greatly, and you can count on us. We will continue to support this process [land reform]," European Commission's Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations added. ol The decision to launch a land market on July 1 is an important achievement of the state, but for its successful operation, Ukraine's European and international partners expect compliance with certain organizational and legislative conditions. EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said this during his speech at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Land" in Kyiv on Monday, May 24, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. I welcome the roadmap that was just presented by Minister Leshchenko [Agrarian Policy Minister Roman Leshchenko]. There is both potential and ways to realize it, how to do it fairly and openly ... As part of this roadmap, we, along with other international partners such as the United States and the World Bank, see five key actions that are important to take, preferably by July 1. In the Ukrainian algorithm, this will help create a modern system and provide farmers with the necessary instruments and intelligent tools, the diplomat said. He called the adoption of three relevant resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers and the development of software for their implementation, including automatic verification of the established limit on the ownership of more than 100 hectares of land, the first of the necessary actions. The second important area, according to Maasikas, is the implementation of a comprehensive communication program in Ukraine, which will allow owners and users to learn about their rights and opportunities that are opening up thanks to land reform. The third principle is the development of a system of public monitoring of land sales and all related transactions. Such measures will create conditions for legal support and protection of owners, as well as increase public confidence in these processes. The fourth direction is to establish a clear anti-corruption audit of the state geocadastre, which is very important to prevent abuse. The benefits of land reform should go to those who deserve them and who work on this land. Finally, the fifth idea is to provide farmers with effective access to the credit market, creating incentives for agricultural producers to take advantage of such opportunities. He acknowledged that land reform in Ukraine has a strong emotional effect, given the traditional deep connection of the Ukrainian people with their own land. The ambassador noted that in the EU, land use issues are a matter of national competence, but all EU countries share common principles of agricultural policy. All EU countries have a developed and functional land market with open data and digital cadastre. We have seen with our own eyes the implementation of land reform, let it be an example of your success and practical achievements. You can continue to count on the support of the European Union, which will support all the reforms needed to create an efficient land market, Maasikas added. As Ukrinform reported, on March 31, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning the Circulation of Agricultural Land". On April 28, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law. The document stipulates that the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land, except for state-owned land, will be lifted from July 2021. Citizens of Ukraine, territorial communities, and the state may acquire the right of ownership of agricultural land plots. ish Land reform will increase Ukraine's gross domestic product by 1.5%, according to Tymofiy Mylovanov, an adviser to the head of the President's Office. He stated this at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Land" in Kyiv on Monday, May 24, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. "According to the calculations of the Kyiv School of Economics, the implementation of land reform will add about $2 billion to GDP, i.e. about 1.5%, in the next few years. And most importantly, it will allow landowners to receive funding secured by this land officially, rather than under gray schemes," Mylovanov said. He noted that this would help increase productivity on the land. In February 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched a series of 30 large-scale weekly forums in the format of a dialogue with the public on vital issues for the country. The forum "Ukraine 30. Land," dedicated to the launch of the land market in Ukraine, began on May 24 and will last until May 26, 2021. During his speech at the Ukraine 30. Zemlya forum, Zelensky signed a law amending the Land Code of Ukraine and other legislative acts to improve the system of management and deregulation in the field of land relations. A respective bill (No. 2194) was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on April 28. The implementation of all land laws, which were adopted at the first legislative stage of the land reform, is the most responsible part of it. "We have carried out only the legislative part of the land reform. But the most responsible part is the implementation of all adopted laws. We have a strategy for the development of land relations, which graphically spells out the entire regulatory framework necessary for the normal full-fledged launch of the land market," Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Roman Leshchenko said at the Forum "Ukraine 30. Land", an Ukrinform correspondent reports. As the minister noted, Ukraine adopted the most conservative version of land reform in Eastern Europe, and all of Ukraine's neighbors have much more liberal conditions for launching a land market. "We believe that this is absolutely justified, because society needs to make sure that it is about justice, about open data, about giving producers access to finance. This is about the sustainable development of the agricultural sector," he stressed. In addition to the land reform, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy sees the development of irrigation in Ukraine as its priority. Another important point, the official noted, is agricultural insurance, i.e., full support for farmers in case of force majeure. Particular attention will be paid to state support for small and medium-sized agricultural producers with targeted subsidies, appropriate digitization of all information about small and medium-sized agricultural businesses via the state agricultural register. To achieve this goal, a corresponding law on the state register was drafted, Leshchenko said. Another important priority is to boost the gross production of grain crops and oilseeds and increase the added value per unit of output. As part of the approved Agro-2030 strategy, we outlined a detailed road map. It was approved by the Cabinets resolution. And now we have everything for normal full-fledged work," Leshchenko summed up. ol The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has stated that the detention of Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich is yet another attack on freedom of expression by the authorities and demanded his immediate release. "More worrying news coming from Belarus as we learned Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich has been detained in Minsk. This is yet another attack on freedom of expression by Belarusian authorities. We demand his immediate release," Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko posted on Twitter. It is emphasized that the rights of the detainee must be upheld while in detention. On May 23, Belarusian security forces detained Roman Protasevich, founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, after an emergency landing of plane in Minsk. Over the past week, the website of the largest independent media outlet in Belarus, Tut.by, was blocked, and raids on homes of several of its editors were conducted. On May 21, a court sentenced a reporter, who had covered the searches, to 15 days in jail. The Belarusian Association of Journalists says that 27 media workers are currently behind bars, awaiting trial or serving sentences. ol Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has held a phone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press service has reported. "The Ukrainian foreign minister praised the peacekeeping efforts of Egypt and of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to promote a ceasefire between the Gaza Strip and Israel. He also expressed hope that civilian casualties would be halted, peace would prevail in the region, and the search for a formula of peaceful coexistence would continue," the report reads. According to the report, both parties paid special attention to the issue of evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the Gaza Strip through Egypt. Kuleba thanked the Egyptian side for its efforts to organize, together with the Ukrainian Embassy in Cairo, the necessary emergency security and logistics measures. Shoukry said the Egyptian authorities were aware of the urgency of Ukraine's request for evacuation and were making every effort to facilitate the successful evacuation of Ukrainians from the Gaza Strip. The foreign ministers discussed other topical issues in bilateral relations and agreed to exchange high-level visits. Shoukry informed Kuleba about the steps the Egyptian authorities are taking to ensure the safety of foreign tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, Kuleba noted that Egypt has always been and remains a comfortable destination for Ukrainian citizens. He said that the Ukrainian government would continue to welcome an increase in the number of Ukrainian tourists in Egypt. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expects soon to begin the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the conflict zone in the Gaza Strip. About 140 Ukrainians have expressed a desire to return home. op Kyiv wants to receive a timeframe for obtaining Membership Action Plan and NATO membership itself. We need to have a clear understanding of timeframe for obtaining Membership Action Plan and NATO membership itself. We need to get a clear prospect, and now is the best time to do so. Russia will always try to bargain with the West for Ukraine. Only NATOs clarity on Ukraine's future membership in the Alliance will make it possible to minimize the Russian threat in practice, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar said in an interview with Ukrinform. According to him, Kyiv is no longer satisfied with the story that NATO's door remains open to Ukraine. The aggravation on the front and the build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine have shown that Russia will menace us with force or continue to use force, as it daily happens on the front, until we become a NATO member, the Ukrainian diplomat said. Bodnar stressed that Ukraine should receive some practical guarantees of protection, and not just on paper, like the Budapest Memorandum. Such a guarantee, for example, could be the permanent presence of NATO Navies in the Black Sea region. ol Servant of the People MPs have supported the decision to expel Yevhen Shevchenko, who met with unrecognized Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in April, from the party's faction in parliament, the deputy head of the faction, Yevheniia Kravchuk, has told Ukrinform. "Yes, it's true," Kravchuk said, while answering questions from Ukrinform. She said 70% of MPs had voted for Shevchenko's exclusion from the faction. "It's about 170 [MPs]," she added. A respective statement about Shevchenko's expulsion from the faction was also published on the party's website. "Ukrainian MP Yevhen Shevchenko has been expelled from the Servant of the People faction. The relevant decision was adopted by a majority of votes. All the necessary signatures have been collected. The documents will soon be submitted to the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada and read out in the hall," the statement reads. Shevchenko wrote on Telegram on April 20, 2021 that he had arrived in Minsk. Photos and videos of Shevchenko's meeting with Lukashenko were published in the Telegram channel "Pul pervogo." Oleksandr Korniienko, chairman of the Servant of the People party, said that Shevchenko had not been delegated to hold any talks in Belarus. Photo: Yevhen Shevchenko / Facebook Representatives of the inter-faction association in the Verkhovna Rada "For Democratic Belarus" have demanded the severance of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Belarus, except for relations related to refugees and political prisoners. According to Ukrinform, a respective statement was published on Telegram by Oleksiy Honcharenko, an MP from the European Solidarity faction and the chairman of the association. "The inter-faction association of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine 'For Democratic Belarus' calls for the following. While dictator Alexander Lukashenko is holding power in Belarus by force, the Belarusian regime should be officially recognized as a threat to international security, all diplomatic contacts with the Belarusian regime should be terminated, except in matters of refugees and political prisoners, electricity imports from Belarus should be immediately stopped, and any air service with Belarus or over Belarus should be halted," the statement reads. In addition, representatives of the association demanded that a package of sanctions of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) against politicians of the Belarusian regime, including Lukashenko, should be prepared, that Lukashenko should be called "self-proclaimed President of Belarus" at the official level and that this definition should be used in official documents. "We call on representatives of the international community and all democracies to join these demands and support a tough response to the Lukashenko regime. This is the only way to make the Lukashenko regime free Roman Protasevich and other political prisoners," the statement reads. On Sunday, May 23, Belarusian security forces detained the founder of the Telegram channel Nexta, Roman Protasevich, after they forced a Ryanair plane, on which he was traveling from Athens to Vilnius, to land in Minsk. The Belarusian opposition said that in general, two Belarusian citizens and four Russian citizens did not fly to Vilnius after the plane landed in Minsk. Among them were Protasevich and his girlfriend. op Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar and Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal Ana Zacarias discussed preparations for the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform. According to Ukrinform, Bodnar announced this on Twitter. "I discussed with Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal Ana Zacarias the prospects for the development of bilateral dialogue, the security situation in the temporarily occupied territories and on Ukraine's border with Russia, as well as preparations for the Crimean Platform. A separate topic of the video meeting was interaction with Portugal during the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU 2021," Bodnar wrote. On January 1, 2021, Portugal took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from Germany. During a six-month period, Portugal will lead the work at all levels of the Council, building co-operation, agreement and solidarity between the member states. As a reminder, the Crimean Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to improve the efficiency of the international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, step up international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime and to achieve the de-occupation of Crimea. Ukraine actively invites other states to join this international initiative. The first Crimean Platform summit is scheduled for August 23, 2021. ish In 2021, Estonia will allocate EUR 1 million in humanitarian aid to help Ukraine deal with the humanitarian crisis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia reported this on Twitter. In 2021 Estonia is allocating 1 million in total to help Ukraine deal with the humanitarian crisis there. In recent years, nearly a third of Estonias humanitarian aid has been earmarked for Ukraine, and we will continue supporting the country to help those in need, the report reads. Some sources clarify that the funds will be sent to people living along the contact line in eastern Ukraine. As Ukrinform reported, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas paid a three-day visit to Ukraine on May 17-19. At a joint briefing with Kallas, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that Estonia provides assistance for more than EUR 1.4 million to Ukraine annually. ish The tourist season in Turkey has not yet fully begun. The largest number of Ukrainian tourists is expected in June-July. Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said this during a conversation with Ukrainian journalists in Antalya. Compared to last year, many more tourists from Ukraine come to Turkey. The number of guests from Ukraine is constantly growing, and I hope that we will receive many more tourists from Ukraine starting from June and July, the minister told an Ukrinform correspondent. He stressed that the amount of information in Ukrainian in hotels, prominent places, and various attractions is growing; in particular, the number of guides and information in Ukrainian in digital format is increasing. Many tourists from Ukraine visit Turkey and we try to make them happy, the minister added. According to him, the increase in tourist flow was also influenced by the fact that from May 15, the requirement to provide a negative PCR test result before the trip was canceled. As Ukrinform reported, Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko paid a working visit to Turkey on April 27. Following the meeting with Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the parties signed a joint declaration on strengthening cooperation in the field of tourism between the two countries. ish Accelerating vaccination, bringing medical reform back to forefront, continuing course for European integration and more The Verkhovna Rada has appointed Viktor Liashko, the former deputy health minister and chief sanitary doctor, as the new minister of health. Some 262 MPs voted for his candidacy, and he will be the fourth minister of health in the two years of Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency. Liashko said that his main task was to "overcome the epidemic of coronavirus disease and its consequences, which will accompany us for at least the first five years." In this context, he set a rather ambitious goal - to fully vaccinate five million people in his first hundred days in office. To achieve this goal, 50,000 vaccinations per day will be required. The near future will show whether such a promise by the minister is attainable or not, but so far it must be stated that within three months of the vaccination campaign in Ukraine less than one million citizens received the first dose of the vaccine. Liashko also promised to prepare the healthcare system for the next infectious challenges during the summer, when the morbidity is expected to decline. But of course, there are still many tasks facing the newly appointed minister, from continuing health care reform to developing health education. What do medical experts think about this? Pavlo Kovtoniuk In a comment to Ukrinform, Pavlo Kovtoniuk, a co-founder of the Ukrainian Public Health Center and deputy minister of health in 2016-2019, named the three highest priority challenges for the new minister. First, it is a difficult situation with COVID-19. "The last wave was very difficult, and the next one will be even harder. At the same time, vaccination did not start so normally. The very important task for the new minister is to make up for lost time in the vaccination campaign. This is the number one priority not only for the minister of health, but for the entire government and the entire country. But in addition to vaccination, we need to return to the development of the public health system now - to build the capacity to respond to subsequent pandemics. Now the priority is to put out the COVID-19 fire, but during this wave it is necessary to build a new system in parallel," Kovtoniuk said. Secondly, it is necessary to continue the reform, which was left out of the attention of the previous minister. According to him, now every medical institution solves its problems independently: someone uses its opportunities and things are going better there, but in most institutions, nothing changes. "This is because no one in the country is taking on the role of leader - the reform has been forgotten. In the previous composition of the Ministry of Health, there was not even a person who would be responsible for it. During this time, the National Health Service of Ukraine suffered greatly, which instead of developing and strengthening was forced to fight for survival and repel attacks by people who wanted to take control of the budget for the program of medical guarantees (UAH 130 billion). The new minister needs to do two things: invest heavily in the National Health Service of Ukraine, both financially and in terms of staff, and actively help communities to re-adjust their hospitals to the new system so that hospitals learn to be successful - this includes training, retraining, re-planning networks," Kovtoniuk said. In addition, in his opinion, it is necessary to expand the list of drugs in the program "Affordable Medicines," which has stopped developing. It is necessary to improve service packages of the program of medical guarantees, tariff formation approaches, further develop the eHealth system, and continue changes in medical education. "The only reform that has continued is the changes in transplantation. We see the first results, but so far this is not a systemic change, but an initiative of individual doctors and hospitals - there is still a lot to be done," Kovtoniuk said. Thirdly, the drug procurement system has also suffered under previous ministers. "The Medychni Zakupivli [Medical Procurement] state enterprise did not develop, but was engaged in repelling attacks and attempts to bring the purchase of drugs back to the Ministry of Health. Medychni Zakupivli must finally review and streamline all programs," the expert said. Yulia Brykulska, head of NGO Medical Leaders, emphasized that the minister's first task should be to create a strong team of deputy ministers and to attract new people - consultants, activists, volunteers working on one big idea. Yulia Brykulska She dwells on the issue of communication, which failed under the previous minister. "Maksym Stepanov's group of PR people worked very well, but they worked for him personally. I wouldn't say it was a well-thought-out communication campaign for the community. We also see a failed vaccination campaign, both purchasing and communication components. Therefore, these points need to be corrected in the first place," Brykulska said. She also emphasized the need to create a program to support hospitals. "These should not be stories about the Ministry of Health raising salaries, because within our health care system, the Ministry of Health has nothing to do with doctors' salaries. Do not deceive doctors, but determine where exactly the Ministry of Health can help. This may be communication with local authorities, the allocation of additional funds for the program of medical guarantees, assistance with the purchase of equipment. My colleagues and I also believe that the next minister should not come up with any know-how and look for 'his own way,' because it does not lead to anything. It is worth continuing the course for European integration, comparing the best practices implemented in Europe, in particular in the quality of medical services, medical education, in order to implement them successfully in Ukraine," the expert said. Yevhen Naishtetyk Yevhen Naishtetyk, the founder of the investment company in the field of medical and biological startups Lorton Investments, predicted what Mr. Liashko may or may not do as a minister. He believes that Liashko has a number of advantages compared to the last eight health ministers and acting health ministers. "First of all, his career took place in the Ukrainian health care system, and he worked with the Ministry of Health bureaucracy. He is energetic, young, intelligent, without a mania of greatness, and he is able to negotiate," Naishtetyk said. He believes that the new minister will most likely be able to move from the deadlock of digitization of medical records, however, significant improvements in health care should not be expected. "Conflicts with procurement agencies and international organizations will most likely disappear. Vaccination against COVID will most likely move from the deadlock. We will not see market tariffs, and doctors' salaries will not grow," he said. Yulia Horban, Kyiv UMass Dartmouth, along with partners Massasoit Community College and UMass School of Law, were awarded a $150,000 Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) grant from the Office of the Governor to research and gather evidence-based data toward the creation of a multi-campus curriculum for a Transformative Justice Certification Program. This initiative will help institutions of higher education implement training, certification, and workforce readiness for Transformative Justice Practitioners. The Massachusetts Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) seeds and supports innovations and proven practices in public higher education specifically aimed at advancing the Commonwealths overarching goal to significantly raise success outcomes among under-represented student populations. This most recent grant focused on funding projects that support initiatives and activities that adopt an equity lens designed to increase college-going and completion rates for minoritized students, specifically students of color and/or students from low-income and/or first-generation backgrounds. The goal is to create a data-driven Transformative Justice Practitioners Certificate that responds to the collective needs of our three campuses, and the communities our students represent. The program would allow Massasoit Community College, UMass Dartmouth, and UMass Law students to engage in a collaborative Transformative Justice principles and skills training certificate that will equip them to practice and create Transformative Justice Centers and Services in communities and campuses that seek these services and supports, said Professor Viviane Saleh-Hanna, Principal Investigator on the grant, and Chairperson of Crime and Justice Studies Department at UMass Dartmouth. We are amid the largest social movement in the history of the United States. Needs and demands for true justice are not going away. The Transformative Justice Practitioners Certificate would offer an innovative response that Higher Education in this region can contribute towards meeting those needs. The Transformative Justice Certification Program aims to alter methodologies historically utilized by the existing criminal justice system which are ineffective and inequitably punitive against this constituency group. The collaboration between UMass Dartmouth, Massasoit Community College, and UMass School of Law presents a unique opportunity to produce training and education opportunities that bring together new ideas within criminology, criminal justice, and justice studies research and researched based methodologies informed by transformative justice and harm-reduction studies. Its a privilege to be part of this innovative movement of Transformative Justice within the Massasoit and Brockton communities, as well as Massachusetts higher education, said Yolanda Dennis, chief diversity officer at Massasoit. This initiative aligns with the Massachusetts Equity Agenda and our commitment to social justice. It will create a new academic pathway and opportunities for our students while strengthening our partnership with UMass Dartmouth. UMass Law is honored to take part in this important initiative that will offer students practical skills and further our mission of advancing justice within and beyond the Commonwealth, said Eric Mitnick, Dean at UMass Law. As the only public Law school in Massachusetts, our students and faculty seek opportunities to better their communities through the power of their legal education. The Grants Program Coordinators are nationally recognized Transformative Justice Practitioners, Fatima Arain and Lisa Marie Alatorre. They are working closely with Dr. Saleh-Hanna and Crime and Justice Studies faculty to coordinate training, data-gathering, and curriculum building in partnership with faculty, students, and staff on all three campuses. The outcome of the project is to build a program and curriculum that integrates skills-based, data-driven, and theoretically rigorous training and certification for Transformative Justice Practitioners. This will allow graduates to introduce Transformative Justice within already existing services, or to found Transformative Justice centers in many settings. This includes but is not limited to educational settings and communities seeking a survivor-centered, harm-reduction, needs-based justice. Prince William loves his in-laws. The 38-year-old royal - who has Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three, with the Duchess of Cambridge - has a great relationship with his in-laws, even though he's struggled to spark conversation with them amid the coronavirus crisis. He explained: "The funny thing is, when I spoke to my family I found it so good to catch up but then you havent anything to catch up on because no one had done anything." William admitted that, unlike some people, he's always happy to see and to hear from his in-laws. Speaking to first responders and their families in Edinburgh, he joked: "Some people are quite happy they havent seen their in-laws for a year." But, William added: "I love my in-laws!" Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge recently admitted that Scotland is the source of his saddest and happiest memories. The prince still has a strong "connection" to the country and recalled being at the Queen's Balmoral home in 1997 when he was told of Princess Diana's death. In a speech to the Church of Scotland, he said: "Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also, my saddest. "I was at Balmoral [Castle] when I was told my mother had died. Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning. And in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep." Scotland is also where the Duke of Cambridge met his future wife, when they were both studying at the University of St Andrews. He said: "Alongside this painful memory, is one of great joy. Because it was here in Scotland, 20 ago this year, that I first met Catherine. "Needless to say, the town where you meet your future wife holds a very special place in your heart." Air passenger traffic to dip further in FY 2022: ICRA New Delhi, May 24 (UNI) Due to second wave of COVID-19 domestic air passenger traffic is expected to see a further dip this fiscal and will return to pre-COVID level not before FY 2023, investment information and credit rating agency ICRA said in a press release on Monday. ICRA has also changed its projection for passenger traffic growth. "Passenger traffic growth estimates revised downwards to 80-85 per cent year-on-year for FY2022 as compared to earlier estimates of 130-135 per cent," the agency said in a press release, adding that pace of mass vaccination programme remains critical for the recovery of the sector. The domestic passenger traffic witnessed a steady ramp up post resumption of airport operations from May 25, 2020, reaching 64 per cent of the previous year levels in February 2021. Due to second wave of the pandemic it has again suffered a setback. The spike in Covid-19 infections towards March-end and April 2021 has resulted in several state governments implementing fresh restrictions. As a result there was marginal de-growth of 0.7 per cent in traffic in March 2021 compared to February 2021. The average daily number of departing passengers during March 2021 stood at 2.49 lakh; and declined by 28 per cent in April 2021 to 1.79 lakh. There was a further dip of 56 per cent during 01 May to 16 May, compared to the average of April 2021. In addition to the passengers being apprehensive for air travel, increase in infections forced many state governments to implement strict covid-19 restrictions during last two months on air travel. The second wave of Covid-19 infections is likely to delay recovery in traffic. ICRA expects domestic air travel to recover back to pre-Covid levels by FY2023 and the international sector by FY2024, said Shubham Jain, Senior Vice President, Corporate Ratings, ICRA. The international traffic remains limited to countries with special flights under the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) rescue operation flights and bilateral Air Transport Bubble (ATB) agreements. Many countries like the US, the UK, Singapore, Kuwait, France, Canada, Australia, Iran, Indonesia and the UAE, which had ATB arrangements or under the VBM, have temporarily banned flights from India, citing the increasing coronavirus infections. The operating income is estimated to increase by around 50 per cent year-on-year with operating margins of 20 per cent as against losses in previous year. Slow ramp up in traffic would affect the cash flows available for debt servicing for airport operators adversely. However, the robust on-balance sheet liquidity of Rs 5,400 crore for the airports is strong to meet the debt obligations and support the sector in near-term, Mr Jain added. UNI AKJ SB 1543 Register for a FREE account to keep reading! Register now for a FREE account to keep reading. No cost and no credit card required! Access up to 5 articles per month when you register, or get unlimited access to all of our content online starting at $1.99 now! Already registered? Click the log in link below For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. KINGSTON Emily McLellan is excited about starting freshman year at the University of New Hampshire in the fall, but shes been worried that her aging 1996 Toyota Corolla might not be able to handle the regular commute. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit 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 Elmer Wayne Cruey, 77, passed away Sunday, May 9, 2021, at his home in Milledgeville. He was a native of Tazewell, Va. and resident in Milledgeville for the past 20 years. Wayne was preceded in death by his mother, Cordelia Pauley Cruey, and father, Charles Patterson Cruey; sisters, Mercedes Kyrgyzstan was forced to dump nearly 1,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine after a fridge in a state clinic was unplugged to charge a mobile phone, authorities in the impoverished Central Asian country said Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Kyrgyzstan was forced to dump nearly 1,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine after a fridge in a state clinic was unplugged to charge a mobile phone, authorities in the impoverished Central Asian country said. The spoilt vaccines were part of a package of 20,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine donated to ex-Soviet Kyrgyzstan by Russia. Kyrgyzstan began mass vaccinations in March using shots of the Sinopharm vaccine donated by China but online polls and queues at health clinics suggest that demand for the Russian vaccine is far higher. The health ministry has come under fire over the incident, which authorities disclosed this week but that occurred at a clinic in the capital Bishkek in April. Burul Asylbekova, an official at the Central State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, said the doses had to be written off after someone unplugged a fridge containing the vaccines in order to charge a phone. Health Minister Alimkadyr Beishenaliyev said it was possible a cleaner was responsible. Beishenaliyev was heavily criticised in April for championing a solution based on a poisonous root as a cure for the coronavirus. Beishenaliyev said the mixture containing the aconite root was concocted by President Sadyr Japarov and brewed in the presidential residence. Kyrgyzstan has recorded 101,878 cases and 1,735 deaths with the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, but authorities have admitted that official numbers do no capture the full toll of the disease. Health authorities said last week that more than 50,000 citizens have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine in the country of 6.5 million people. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 24th May, 2021) Emirates Global Aluminium today announced its newly-defined corporate purpose: Together, innovating aluminium to make modern life possible. By fulfilling its purpose in the years and decades to come, EGA will also achieve its new mission to generate value from mining to metal. EGA is the worlds largest producer of premium aluminium, with smelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, an alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi, and a bauxite mine and export facilities in the Republic of Guinea. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, EGAs Chief Executive Officer, said, "We sum up our new purpose in eight simple words: Together, innovating aluminium to make modern life possible. Fulfilling it over the decades ahead will require us to transform our operations and make step-changes in how we contribute to the world and the societies in which we operate, as well as for our people. Becoming an organisation united by a single purpose will enable us to further improve our performance and generate value for our shareholders. "We have a legacy of more than 40 years of success, and there is much more we can and must do. We are aiming to address some of the biggest opportunities and challenges our industry faces. This is not the work of a year or two; it is the work of a lifetime. And our purpose requires that we see it through. In the coming months, I look forward to detailing some of the bold aspirations for the future we have as a 7,000-strong team." EGA was founded as Dubai Aluminium in 1975 by His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum as part of an audacious ambition to transform the prospects of the people of Dubai, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan for the development of the UAE. In the generation since, EGA has taken the UAE from a country that produced no aluminium to the fifth largest aluminium-producing nation in the world. EGA, and the aluminium industry around it, today accounts for 1.4 per cent of the UAEs economy and 1-in-100 UAE jobs. In Guinea, EGAs Guinea Alumina Corporation was the largest greenfield mining investment in 40 years and in production it contributes some 5.5 per cent of Guineas economy. ROME , (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :- A mountaintop cable car plunged to the ground near Italy's northern city of Verbania on Sunday, killing 14 people, according to authorities. A 9-year-old child who was seriously injured in the accident and was taken to a hospital in the city of Turin but could not be saved, the National Corps for Mountain and Speleological Rescue said in a statement. There were 15 people reportedly in the cabin at the time of the incident and the treatment of a seriously injured 5-year-old child continues. Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Mario Draghi, European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President David Sassoli expressed their deep sorrow over the accident in their condolence messages. The Verbania Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the accident on the Stresa-Mottarone cable car line, according to local media reports. West Hartford (06107) Today Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :The European Union on Monday summoned the Belarusian ambassador to condemn the "inadmissible" forced landing of an airliner and detention of a critical journalist. "Ambassador (Aleksandr) Mikhnevich was informed of the firm condemnation by the EU institutions and EU Member States of the coercive act by which the Belarusian authorities have jeopardised the safety of passengers and crew," a statement said, ahead of a summit of EU leaders set to discuss sanctions. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Bissau, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th May, 2021 ) :Sixteen people died and 11 were injured in southern Guinea-Bissau after a speeding lorry crashed into village homes, Interior Minister Botche Cande told reporters on Monday. The driver had been going round a bend when he lost control of his vehicle on Sunday and careered into the small village of Cambesse, 180 kilometres (120 miles) south of the West African nation's capital Bissau. The initial death toll was put at 14 but Interior Minister Cande told local radio on Monday the toll had been revised to 16 people dead and 11 injured. "I offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in this tragic accident," he said. Guinea-Bissau is an impoverished former Portuguese colony of about two million people, where the state of roads is poor and accidents are frequent. The road south of the capital is often busy during the spring harvest of cashew nuts, the country's main export. Bamako, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :Mali's largest trade union launched a fresh strike on Monday, an AFP journalist said, slowing or paralysing government offices and banks in the unstable West African country. The move follows a similar strike last week, and comes amid growing frustration with the post-coup government in Mali. The National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM), which represents public servants and private-sector employees, called a second four-day strike after pay negotiations with Mali's interim government collapsed over the weekend. Hamadoun Bah, a union official, told AFP: "The government side only came with promises. And even these promises are backed up by other conditions". The strike comes as political tensions are on the rise in the war-torn nation of 19 million people. The former French colony is ruled by a transitional government installed after military officers deposed president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last August, after weeks of protests over his handling of Mali's jihadist insurgency as well as perceived corruption. Under the threat of international sanctions, the military later handed power to a caretaker government that pledged to reform the constitution and stage elections within 18 months. But figures with army links dominate this body, and anger is growing over their prominent role and the slow pace of reforms. Coup leader Assimi Goita is currently serving as interim vice president and the interim president, Bah Ndaw, is a retired army officer. This month, the M5 opposition movement -- which led anti-Keita protests in 2020 -- urged dissolving the transitional government in favour of a "more legitimate" body. Responding to growing criticism, the presidency said that interim Prime Minister Moctar Ouane would form a more inclusive cabinet. But M5 has already refused to participate in the new government. The question of the military's participation is particularly fraught. UNTM officials said last week that a delegation from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States had urged workers to delay the strike until a new government is formed. (@FahadShabbir) Rabat, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :Morocco warned Sunday that relations with Spain could deteriorate further after Madrid welcomed Brahim Ghali, head of the Polisario Front, the Western Saharan independence movement, into the country for medical treatment. Tensions between the two countries deepened this week after Moroccan authorities allowed some 10,000 migrants to cross the border from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta. Ghali, who leads the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, has been receiving treatment for Covid-19 at a hospital in Logrono in northern Spain since mid-April. Rabat said the 75-year-old had entered Spain with forged documents and demanded a "transparent" investigation into the affair. Judicial sources meanwhile told AFP that a Spanish court has reopened a probe into allegations of torture against Ghali. The accusations were filed by the Spain-based Sahrawi Association for the Defence of Human Rights, the sources said. The group alleges that dissident members of the Western Sahara independence movement were held in camps in Algeria where they underwent torture and in some cases were killed. To allow Ghali "to go home, to get around Spanish law and ignore the victims would be a call for a deterioration (in relations)," Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told AFP. The Polisario Front has long fought for Western Sahara's independence from Morocco. A desert region the size of Britain, it was a Spanish colony until 1975. Morocco has offered Western Sahara autonomy, but maintains the territory is a sovereign part of the kingdom. Analysts have said Rabat allowed the migrant crossings to pressure Madrid to recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. Bourita said the situation was a "test of the strategic partnership" between Spain and Morocco in the fight against clandestine migration. Ghali's presence in Spain had already led the country's high court to summon him to appear on June 1 to answer allegations of torture made by Polisario Front dissidents. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :The NATO allies will meet on Tuesday to discuss Belarus' forced diversion of a European passenger flight carrying an opposition activist. "Allies are consulting on the forcible landing of the Ryanair plane by Belarus and ambassadors will discuss it tomorrow," a NATO official told AFP Monday. Several NATO members have denounced Belarus' decision to force the Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land and to detain dissident journalist Roman Protasevich. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Vawda Monday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of Liaquat Hayat Khan, the elder brother of Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan. In a condolence message, he sympathized with the bereaved family, prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the family members for bearing the irreparable loss with equanimity. (@FahadShabbir) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2021) The European Union on Monday summoned Aleksandr Mikhnevich, the Belarusian ambassador to the EU, to express protest over the incident with the Ryanair plane emergency landing in Minsk, the European External Action Service (EEAS) said in a statement. "Upon request by High Representative Josep Borrell, the Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, Stefano Sannino, summoned the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the European Union, Aleksandr Mikhnevich, to condemn the inadmissible step of the Belarusian authorities, who forced a civilian plane to perform an emergency landing in Minsk and detained its passenger Mr Raman Pratasevich, an independent Belarusian journalist and activist," the EEAS said. According to the statement, the diplomat was informed about the "firm condemnation" of the incident by the EU member states, while Brussels called for the release of Protasevich. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2021) The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry on Monday recommended citizens to avoid travel to Belarus after the incident with the emergency landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk. "Lithuania's Foreign Ministry strongly recommends #Lithuanian citizens against all travel to the Republic of #Belarus and urges all Lithuanian citizens in Belarus to leave the country," the ministry tweeted. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2021) Lithuania will make effort in cooperation with its foreign partners to attain the closure of the Belarusian airspace for international flights following the emergency landing of the Ryanair aircraft, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Monday. "We will work with our international partners to close the Belarusian airspace for international flights," Simonyte said in a videoaddress. The Lithuanian prime minister qualified the incident as an attack against her country, and a signal to the European Union and international organizations. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2021) A rocket round has struck Ain Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq which houses American forces, no injuries have been reported, Spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) Col. Wayne Marotto said on Monday. "Initial report: At 1335 local time, Ain Al-Asad Air Base (AAAB) was attacked by one rocket round. No injuries reported. Damage is being assessed. The attack is under investigation, for more information see @SecMedCell or @IraqiSpoxMOD," Marotto said. "Each attack against the GoI, KRG and Coalition undermines the authority of Iraqi institutions, the rule of law and Iraqi national sovereignty." McCracken Relay For Life Meeting Thursday By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - The Relay For Life of McCracken County will hold its monthly committee and team captains meeting this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall at Heartland Worship Center.If you would like to participate in the American Cancer Society's biggest fundraiser of the year, please make plans to attend this meeting. More teams are needed, as well as those who can volunteer their time as a committee member.Pizza, soft drinks and dessert will be provided.This year's Relay will be held at McCracken County High School at a date to be determined.For additional information, contact Cindy Malray at 270-441-5325.On the Net: Belarusian air force chief Igor Golub said Monday the captain of the diverted Ryanair flight with an opposition activist on board independently made the decision to land in Minsk Minsk, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :Belarusian air force chief Igor Golub said Monday the captain of the diverted Ryanair flight with an opposition activist on board independently made the decision to land in Minsk. "The decision was made by the captain without outside interference," Golub said during a press briefing, adding that the aircraft could have also chosen to go to Ukraine or Poland. The Associated PressIn this April 18, 2018 photo, a variety of tools used to skim information from credit cards are displayed at the office of the New York Police Department's Financial Crimes Task Force. The U.S. Secret Service says more than a billion dollars is stolen from U.S. consumers each year by credit card skimmers, money that funds organized crime and which is usually passed back to consumers through higher fees. DRC refugees returning home after lava flows stopped Xinhua) 13:10, May 24, 2021 KINSHASA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of residents from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) seeking refuge in Rwanda are on their way back home after lava flows from the Mount Nyiragongo volcano stopped, Rwanda's Emergency Management Ministry said on Sunday. "This morning, after lava flows from Nyiragongo volcano have stopped, most of Congolese evacuated to Rabavu are returning back home. Rwanda received around 8,000 people last night," the ministry tweeted. Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said that at least 15 people were killed while fleeing the threats of lava. The DRC authorities have not yet released the assessed collateral damage caused by the eruption. Muyaya still urged residents to avoid non-essential activities while seismic activity in the area could still cause damage. Right after the volcano burst into activity at around 7 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Saturday, the country's eastern city of Goma, with a population of nearly 2 million, saw the night sky illuminated with orange flames. Electricity supply across much of the city was cut off. The lava flows stopped on the outskirts of Goma at around 4 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), after destroying about 600 homes and flattening five schools, the Norwegian Refugee Council estimated. Goma is home to two active volcanoes -- Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo. Nyiragongo's last major eruption in 2002 killed about 250 people and displaced thousands. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) Marshall Burglary Suspect Arrested in Graves Co. By West Kentucky Star Staff DUBLIN - A Mayfield man was arrested after an alleged burglary in Marshall County.The crime was reported by a homeowner on Wadesboro Road Saturday night.A Facebook post was circulated with a picture of the suspect's vehicle.On Sunday afternoon someone told the Graves County Sheriff's Office that the vehicle was parked at a home on Dublin Hill Road.Deputies located the vehicle, along with the owner at the home.Working with the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, a positive ID was made on the suspect, as well as the vehicle used during the alleged burglary.The suspect, 32-year-old Michael Scull, was also wanted on an outstanding Graves County Circuit Court warrant for possession of methamphetamine and felony theft.Scull was arrested on the warrant, and faces a burglary charge out of Marshall County.Scull was taken to a hospital for treatment of suspected significant methamphetamine ingestion prior to being taken to the McCracken County Regional Jail.Property stolen during the burglary has not yet been located. CELAM's 38th General Assembly ends with a letter to Pope Francis confirming full commitment to synodality. By Lisa Zengarini Meeting for its thirty-eighth General Assembly, the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) has approved with an overwhelming majority its organizational restructuring guidelines, which are expected to make its services more effective for the People of God in Latin America and the Caribbean. The renewal process started in 2019 involving CELAMs 22 member Episcopal Conferences with the aim of making the Church in the region more missionary, synodal and outgoing, as indicated by Pope Francis. To this end, the Assembly, which was held online from May 18 to May 21, ratified nine reorganization and renewal principles. These include synodality, collegiality, integral conversion, being a prophetic voice, having an integral vision, effectiveness, networking, promoting decentralization, welcoming and contributing to the Magisterium of the Church. A two-year process At the end of the Assembly, the bishops addressed a Letter to Pope Francis in which they present the new pastoral structure" of the body, saying it is the result of a tremendous work carried out over the past two years. Listening to the cry of the Earth and of the poor Noting that Latin-American bishops are fully aware of the great social inequalities the continent is experiencing, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CELAM reaffirms its commitment to "collegial and synodal discernment through listening to the Holy Spirit's inspiration which is present in the cry of the People of God. "As Shepherds of the People of God we want to listen both to the cry of the Earth and of the poor, knowing that everything is connected, and to the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, with the hope that we can overcome this crisis together and better, reads the letter, echoing Pope Franciss words that we are all in the same boat and no one is saved alone. Synodality as a way to overcome differences The message further remarks that, although they feel overwhelmed" by the many challenges they are confronted with, Latin American and Caribbean bishops confide in God who always surprises, renews, strengthens and inspires pastoral creativity the Church. With this in mind, the prelates express their desire to follow "the logic of overflowing", recalled by the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Querida Amazonia", in which Pope Francis stresses that authentic solutions to problems are found by transcending the contraposition that limits our vision and recognizing a greater gift that God is offering (QA 105) Indeed, it is the overflow of the Holy Spirit that allows overcoming in a creative manner conflicts and fierce contraposition and Pope Francis has encouraged this same overflow by the reviving the ancient practice of synodality, the message points out. Full support to the first Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean The prelates also confirm CELAMs active support to the first Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean, scheduled in November this year in Mexico City on the theme We are all outgoing missionary disciples. During this important event involving, for the first time, the entire People of God, participants will examine, reflect on and strengthen the outcome of the Fifth Episcopal Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean, of 2007, also known as the Conference of Aparecida. We have engaged in this process so it may serve as an apprenticeship of the practice of synodality that should be the mode and style of our ecclesial life in the present and future, the letter states. The four prophetic dreams for the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean Recalling the four prophetic dreams - "social, cultural, ecological and ecclesial - proposed by Pope Francis in Querida Amazonia, CELAM expresses the wish for a Church that encourages the continent to fight for the rights of the poorest and for a more just society; preserves its cultural heritage in an intercultural dialogue; "safeguards its natural beauty and the value of life" and for a Church in which Christian communities are able give clear witness to the Risen Lord while preserving its Latin American and Caribbean face. Gratitude to Pope Francis Finally, the prelates express their gratitude to Pope Francis for his witness and words, which - they say - have enlightened us in a special way in this time of pandemic. CELAM The Latin American Episcopal Council was established in 1955 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a body of communion and cooperation supporting Bishops Conferences in Latin America and the Caribbean. Based in Bogota (Colombia), after the Second Vatican Council (196265) it has extended its scope. CELAM meets every four years for its Ordinary Assembly in which the presidents of the 22 member Bishops Conferences outline its pastoral guidelines and elect its directive bodies. Periodically it also holds general conferences on major issues, the first of which was held in 1968 in Medellin, Colombia. The last one was the Aparecida Conference in which then-Archbishop Bergoglio played a central role. The online signing ceremony between AEON Mall Vietnam and Dong Nai People's Committee Cao Tien Dung, Chairman of Dong Nai People's Committee, signed an MoU with AEON Mall Vietnam (belonging to AEON Group of Japan) on researching and investing in AEON Mall trade centre in Bien Hoa city. According to the representative of AEON Mall Vietnam, this company aims to put into operation about 20 trade centres in the near future. Dong Nai province is considered by the company as a destination with great potential because of its large population with more than 3.1 million people. Plus, there are many projects of foreign-invested enterprises in the province. The project will likely be built on Hiep Hoa isle in Bien Hoa city with a scale of about 10 hectares. After coming into operation, the mall will give priority to using local labourers. Until now, AEON Mall Vietnam has invested in six trade centres which operating effectively in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Binh Duong, and Haiphong. Dung stated that Dong Nai is one of the provinces attracting many foreign-invested projects operating in many different industries. The province has invested in 45 countries and territories with 1,532 projects with a total registered capital of $31.8 billion. In this, Japan has 262 projects with a total investment of nearly $4.9 billion, ranking third among countries and territories investing in the province. "Foreign-invested projects investing in Dong Nai are mostly related to industrial production, agriculture, and services. There are only a few foreign investors in supermarkets and trade centres. Therefore, Dong Nai will support AEON Mall Vietnam to soon complete investment procedures, carry out the project construction and put it into operation," said Dung. Lychees from Thanh Ha district in Hai Duong province can now be found on Lazada, Photo: Dung Minh Lazada is the first e-commerce service to offer lychees from the northern province of Hai Duongs Thanh Ha district on its platform, starting this month. Thanh Ha lychees are now being sold within the framework of the National Trade Promotion Programme on Lazada, with preferential price and attractive delivery and support policies, thereby meeting the needs of consumers and opening an effective business channel for businesses and sellers. Our top goal is to accompany the Ministry of Industry and Trades Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) and support local businesses and sellers to promote Thanh Ha lychees on Lazada, said James Dong, general director of Lazada Vietnam. The e-commerce platform is expected to distribute Thanh Ha lychees with fast delivery options within four hours to consumers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring maximum freshness and typical flavour of this speciality. Making agricultural products on e-commerce platforms available can be an effective sales method, especially during the pandemic, and will create a more sustainable distribution channel for other local produce. However, opening a new sales channel requires the efforts of many stakeholders. Vu Ba Phu, general director of Vietrade, said that after completing the deal with Lazada, his agency has scheduled a meeting with Sendo to bring lychees and other typical agricultural products of Hai Duong also to its e-commerce platform. The agencys main role is to coordinate with e-commerce platforms to connect with supply chains, ensuring the logistics system meets business requirements. Hai Duong is located within the Red River Delta, a locality with strengths in agricultural development. Annually, the provinces agricultural products are consumed in very large quantities, with many kinds of products in specialised cultivation meant for domestic consumption and exports. The areas products include kohlrabi, zucchini, pumpkin, lychee, and guava, as well as livestock, poultry, and aquatic products. In recent years, the province has promoted agricultural production towards large-scale production, thereby increasing productivity, quality, and output for crops and livestock. From local specialities towards Vietnamese brands The trade promotion activities of Vietrade are part of the Vietnam Value Programme the unique, long-term trade promotion programme of the government. The scheme was approved by the prime minister and carried out by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and related ministries and branches, with products even reaching recognition at the National Assembly. Participating companies must go through a strict and transparent selection process according to the administrative procedures specified in the prime ministers Decision No.30/2019/QD-TTg from 2019 and the criteria system of the Minister of Industry and Trade. As the government agency implementing the Vietnam Value Programme, Vietrade will coordinate with the Intellectual Property Office under Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant ministries and agencies, as well as Hai Duong Peoples Committee, to support and guide lychee farmers in registering geographical indications in Vietnam as well as abroad. Besides this, Vietrade is going to raise awareness for Vietnams products, including Thanh Ha lychees, among international customers through channels such as e-commerce and trade promotion and diplomatic events abroad. Vietrade also providing technical assistance to lychee-exporting companies in building and developing their brands, thereby helping them to improve their branding capacity and competitiveness on domestic and international markets. Thanks to this, lychee companies in Hai Duong can meet the three criteria of the Vietnam Value Programme: quality, innovation, and leadership. Technical obstacles The hybrid conference to connect and promote the consumption of lychees and other agricultural products of Hai Duong was organised by Vietrade in collaboration with Hai Duong Peoples Committee last week. The conference saw the participation of dozens of foreign markets like the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Hong Kong, and the United States. Meanwhile, Vietnams participation in many free trade agreements (FTAs) with international partners such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the EU-Vietnam FTA, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the most recent UK-Vietnam FTA is creating many advantages in terms of tariffs for exports of agricultural products but also sets higher technical barriers such as requirements on quality, design, nutritional content, and other strict specifications. The outbreak of the pandemic last year forced Vietrade to temporarily halt promotional activities for Hai Duongs agricultural enterprises, as these could not directly participate in foreign market trade delegations and approach foreign companies and potential importers in countries like China, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates to introduce their products and connect with partners. At the end of February and the beginning of March, when Hai Duong was forced to implement a local lockdown, Vietrade organised many support activities and managed to distribute 102 tonnes of Hai Duongs agricultural products through both on- and offline sales channels. Vietrade cooperated with Sendo to launch a distribution scheme in which interested buyers could purchase 1kg of produce for just VND1,000 (4 US cents), without any limitation on the amount. This programme was implemented in March, focusing on customers from Hanoi and nearby provinces. Consequently, 26 tonnes of agricultural produce, including kohlrabi, cabbage, and tomatoes, from Hai Duong had been sold. Diverse connections Online shopping is becoming more popular on a global scale. We are rapidly shifting to conducting a variety of online connection activities with dozens of key and emerging markets for Vietnamese agricultural products as soon as the pandemic subsides, Phu stated. Some of Hai Duongs businesses have already participated in such programmes and have had good experiences with foreign importers. Vietrade has opened booths within the framework of the National Trade Promotion Programme to provide technical support and guide businesses to successfully join e-commerce platforms through the agencys presence. From the succeeding experiences from the common booths at trade fairs, training and guidance activities will be implemented synchronously to step-by-step enable businesses and cooperatives to operate their own booths online effectively. Vietrade has a long-term plan to support Hai Duong through promoting its products online and with direct cooperation, helping them to strengthen trade promotion, expand export partnerships, and develop and maintain new markets. A series of other activities are also coordinated by the government agency of Hai Duong, including the Department of Industry and Trade and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to support the province to develop its own brands, including for lychees. A training course on instructions on traceability and participation within the National Trade Promotion Programme on e-commerce platforms for 49 cooperatives, businesses, and business households in Hai Duong has brought unexpected results. At the course, the trainers focused on the correct understanding to effectively implement traceability activities for Thanh Has lychees and other agricultural products of Hai Duong. Vietrades staff has been guiding producers on how to input data for many months, ensuring transparency in the information. The agency also guides businesses and cooperatives to successfully participate in e-commerce activities and foster sales in the domestic and export markets. Besides Vietrades efforts, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Plant Protection Department has officially been authorised by Japanese authorities to supervise the process of disinfecting lychee batches for export to the Japanese market, instead of sending Japanese experts to Vietnam. The advantage for local producers is that they will not depend on foreign experts anymore to ensure compliance with Japanese regulations. In addition, shipping quantity can be increased while significantly reducing time, costs, and number of required shipments. Hai Duong currently has more than 9,000 hectares of lychee plantations, of which over 3,300ha are in Thanh Ha district and more than 3,500ha in Chi Linh district, both with a total output of about 55,000 tonnes. The province currently boasts 45 lychee farming areas with 450ha meeting GlobalGAP standards and 6,300ha planted according to VietGAP standards. Masan Group and Phuc Long will open Phuc Long Kiosks at VinMart+ stores Phuc Long Heritage owns the Phuc Long brand, one of the leading tea and coffee brands in Vietnam. The purchase price of the transaction is $15 million. As a part of the transaction, VinCommerce entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Phuc Long to jointly develop Phuc Long Kiosks through a network of more than 2,200 VinMart+ stores nationwide. These Phuc Long Kiosks at VinMart+ will not only brings fresh and delicious tea and coffee drinks to 100 million Vietnamese consumers but also play an important part in converting each of the VinMart+ stores into a destination that satisfies the daily essential needs of consumers of all ages. After 50 years of experience growing and developing the highest quality of tea leaves and coffee beans coupled with relentless innovation and strong passion, the Phuc Long team has created for consumers coffee and tea drinks with unrivalled quality. We are proud to have achieved important milestones in our first phase of development building a network of 82 stores and the Phuc Long brand that is trusted and loved by consumers, especially the youth. I believe that in partnering with Masan, Phuc Long will unlock the next phase of growth and continue to offer Vietnamese consumers high-quality products and delightful experiences in enjoying tea and coffee drinks while making Phuc Long a long-lasting brand for many generations, said Lam Boi Minh, founder of Phuc Long Heritage JSC. Currently, Vietnams tea and coffee market value is estimated at $2.3 billion and is expected to grow more than 10 per cent per annum. However, branded tea and coffee retail chains, including popular brands such as Highlands Coffee (over 300 stores), The Coffee House (over 150 stores), and Starbucks (over 70 stores), only account for 25 per cent of the market. Given a young consumer base looking to try innovative products and services, both Masan and Phuc Long believe that branded tea and coffee chains will explode in the next decade. With the pilot results of Phuc Long Kiosks in Ho Chi Minh deployed in the last three months, both parties are confident they can achieve the target of 1,000 Phuc Long Kiosks in the next 18-24 months. As two Vietnamese power brands who synergise their strengths, VinMart+ and Phuc Long are proud to serve Vietnamese people by uplifting their material and spiritual lives. Masan highly appreciates the achievements of Phuc Long, as well as the passion and enthusiasm of its founder, Lam Boi Minh. I believe that by combining the Phuc Long products and VinMart+ network of more than 2,200 stores today and 10,000 stores in the next five years, we will provide 100 million Vietnamese consumers with the opportunity to enjoy the freshest, most delicious tea and coffee drinks. With the goal of serving daily essential products that meet The Very Best of Fresh standards, we believe that each VinMart+ store will transform into a symbol of modern lifestyle, a destination for all ages, from the youth to housewives across Vietnam. In the near future, we hope to bring the Phuc Long tea and coffee brand to go global, contributing to spreading our cultural identity and promoting Vietnams signature drinks. At the same time, this partnership also accelerates Masans strategy to develop the Point of Life consumer ecosystem, said Truong Cong Thang, CEO of VinCommerce. According to the strategic cooperation agreement with VinCommerce, Phuc Long Kiosk will share 20 per cent of its revenue with VinMart+. Based on the results of the pilot model, this partnership will enhance the profit margin of the whole VinMart+ chain by more than 4 per cent compared to the current level. More than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, enterprises and labourers are struggling to survive despite efforts to optimise operations and the supporting policies from the government, ministries, and local authorities. After the difficulties of 2020, logistics is forecast to continue seeing challenges in 2021. Like others, Bee Logistics is seeking measures to cut costs, thus reducing prices for customers to maintain business activities. Challenges remain Logistics is one of the sectors facing hardships during COVID-19. According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the hardest-hit sectors remain tourism, retail, passenger transportation, manufacturing of motor vehicles, and beverage. As shown by the General Statistics Office (GSO), in the first quarter of 2021, the number of newly-established businesses reached 29,300, down 1.4 per cent on-year, while the number of those exiting the market hit 40,323, up 15.5 per cent on-year. On average, 13,400 enterprises exit the market each month. Economists said that this is the first time in the past decade that the number of businesses exiting the market is higher than those established, causing great concerns and demontrating the impact of the global health crisis. According to the report on COVID-19 impacts on Vietnamese businesses jointly announced by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the World Bank on March 12, the pandemic outbreak took its toll on the business community in Vietnam, as 87.2 per cent of them are suffering from mostly" or "completely negative" impacts. Not only domestic private companies but also foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) were adversely affected. Private companies rocked the most were in the garment and textile (97 per cent), ICT (96 per cent), and manufacturing of electrical equipment (94 per cent) sectors. Meanwhile, the hardest-hit FIEs were in the sectors of real estate (100 per cent), ICT (97 per cent), and agriculture/fishery (95 per cent). In addition, the number of working age people losing their jobs continued to rise, hitting nearly 1.1 million in the first quarter, rising by 12,000 from the same period last year, reflecting the continuous challenges in business. Stable tax policy essential for sustained growth According to economists, businesses are in urgent need of support to maintain operations. While preventing and fighting against the pandemic, it is necessary to continue reforming economic institutions and helping companies ease their difficulties. On April 19, the government issued Decree No.52/2021/ND-CP on extension of time limits for payment of VAT, corporate income tax (CIT), personal income tax, and land rental in 2021. The new decree covers a wide range of sectors and businesses, including small- and micro-sized enterprises, easing their challenges. Senior economist Tran Dinh Thien said in addition to the supporting policies, businesses need a stable policy environment. It should not increase taxes and fees this time. Dau Anh Tuan, head of the Legal Department under Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said the most common proposals from business community is not to increase taxes and fees. In this challenging period, any increase will be cause for concern. He went on to elaborate that the tax policy is the most important line of support the government can provide businesses. According to the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR), tax reforms should be made towards increasing efficiency of tax collection, instead of raising indirect tax lines. In fact, an increase in tax and fees not only affects businesses but also people. According to the VEPR, consumers with the lowest income consumers often suffering the most from special consumption tax, which make up about 3.47 per cent of their annual income. Vietnam is a lower-middle income nation. Therefore, any increase in tax and fees will impact all consumers, especially the poor who are already hit the worst by the pandemic. Increasing taxes and fees also negatively affect the purchasing power and revenue of businesses, thus leading to a decrease in revenue, redundancies, and a rise in unemployment. In the world, many countries have been offering preferential tax measures to help businesses weather the COVID-19 storm. For example, China provides value-added tax (VAT) exemption to providers of certain services, while extending time limits for CIT payment. Similarly, the US maintains preferential tax policies, including tax payment extensions, reductions, and other measures. Hong Sun, vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Business in Vietnam (KorCham), told VIR, Vietnams supporting policies are not as high as those in other countries like the US, the UK, Japan, or South Korea where the governments give direct support to small firms. Vietnam, instead, offers an extension of time limits for tax payment so that businesses can stay alive, stand firm, and recover, and then make tax payments. The COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to continue being a source of serious impacts globally. Ministries and relevant agencies should make further studies and then propose the government to maintain supporting policies for businesses to help them recover and then expand investment and business activities in 2021-2025. "This is not the right time to increase tax or apply a new tax policy. The country, instead, need to have long-term policies to grow more sustainably," he added. Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) CEO Brad Jenkins said, As the worlds largest annual beer competition judging both draught and packaged beer, the Australian International Beer Awards conducted by RASV is the pinnacle benchmarking opportunity for brewers from Australia and abroad. The awards has been filled with a joyous, heart-warming atmosphere with many in the industry not just reunited but fighting fit too little more than a year after many had feared for the industrys future due to the unexpected pandemic. The willingness to accept tough trials while sticking to a long term-vision are the main causes for success amid unprecedented hurdles thrown in the way of the beer industry by the COVID-19 pandemic. SABECO passed the challenge with flying colours to launch Bia Lac Viet and Bia Saigon Chill that went on to win these awards, along with its other traditional well-known products. US companies are concerned about the COVID-19 resurgence and vaccine availability in Vietnam The American Chamber of Commerce in Hanoi (AmCham) surveyed its members last Friday about the business impact of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in Vietnam. The survey focused on business operations, travel and activity restrictions, burdensome procedures for in-bound arrivals, and the availability of vaccines in Vietnam. Accordingly, over 90 per cent of AmCham members responding to the survey said the current outbreak has affected their business operations. The biggest challenges are a lack of available vaccines to protect their team members and not being able to bring necessary people into the country due to burdensome travel requirements and paperwork. Over 70 per cent of respondents say their company is currently restricting work travel in Vietnam. Around 90 per cent of AmCham members have cancelled work or personal travel due to the current outbreak that has found infections in 30 cities and provinces here. The health and safety of people in Vietnam should remain the governments No.1 priority. At the same time, it is important to recognise that in-bound travel brings in the foreign experts and business people necessary to facilitate new investment, efficient operations, key infrastructure, education of Vietnamese children, and more," AmCham's executive director Adam Sitkoff said. Survey results found that 81 per cent of members say their company would bring more people to Vietnam if the mandatory quarantine period was reduced from 21 days to seven days. "The pandemic will likely continue causing disruptions and lock people inside a room for many weeks which might seem like a good idea today, but Vietnamese policymakers need to think seriously about a safe and simple system of documentation that will facilitate international arrivals here. Vaccines have proven safe and effective. AmCham encourages authorities to implement less burdensome entry procedures for fully vaccinated business people, foreign experts, and maybe even tourists, Sitkoff added. In the survey responses, AmCham members repeatedly stressed the need to get more people vaccinated. In fact, 88 per cent of respondents said they or their company would pay money to receive a high-quality vaccine here. The AmCham executive director again offered to gather financial resources from companies if the government would guarantee quick vaccine availability for their team members. He added that vaccine availability is the top issue on the minds of AmCham members right now and that until many more people get jabbed in the arm, "we will likely see additional outbreaks and disruption from the virus here." Aung San Suu Kyi made her first in-person court appearance Monday since she was deposed as Myanmars de facto leader in the February 1 military takeover. Her lawyers told journalists in the capital Naypyitaw they were allowed to meet with Suu Kyi for 30 minutes before the hearing to discuss the case. They said the 75-year-old Nobel Peace laureate sounded and looked healthy, and wished the people of Myanmar good health. Suu Kyi also issued a defiant message about her National League for Democracy party, saying the people grew out of the people so it will exist as long as people support it. The lawyers also briefly met with ousted President Win Myint, who served in the government Suu Kyi led as state counsellor. Suu Kyi has been detained since the coup. She is facing multiple criminal charges, the most serious an allegation that she accepted $600,000 in illegal payments. She has also been charged with the possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies, violating COVID-19 restrictions, breaching telecommunication laws and incitement to cause public unrest. The civilian government was overthrown nearly three months after the NLD won parliamentary elections in a landslide. The junta has cited widespread electoral fraud in the November 8 election as a reason for the coup, an allegation the civilian electoral commission denied. The junta has threatened to dissolve the NLD over the allegations. The coup triggered a crisis in the Southeast Asian country that led to deadly anti-junta demonstrations and clashes between several armed ethnic groups and the ruling junta. In a campaign to quell the protests, the government has killed more than 800 protesters and bystanders since the takeover, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which tracks casualties and arrests. Police in London say Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson is in critical condition after being shot in the head in south London in the early hours of Sunday. Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene in the Peckham area of south London around 3 a.m. Sunday after gunshots were reported. They found a woman, later identified at Johnson, with gunshot wounds to the head. A close friend of Johnsons, Imarn Ayton, told the BBC in an interview that Johnson was at a gathering in the neighborhood when shots were fired from a passing car. The friend said she believe the shots were fired by a gang member who thought a rival was in the area at the time and that Johnson was not the intended target. Police also gave the same assessment of the incident and are urging witnesses to come forward. Johnson became well known last year for organizing anti-racism protests last year in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in police custody in the U.S. city of Minneapolis last year. The mother-of-two is also a member of the newly formed Taking the Initiative Party, which has been described as "Britain's first Black-led political party." The party issued a statement saying that Johnson has been the target of numerous death threats. Ayton said Johnson had undergone successful surgery in a south London hospital and her parents were with her. Mayfield Teen Jailed on Drug, Alcohol Charges By West Kentucky Star Staff gathering of vehicles in a business parking lot. According to police, beer cans were seen thrown on the ground in the lot. German Bartolo was placed under arrest and his vehicle was searched, where officers allegedly found an open case of beer and illegal drugs. Bartolo was jailed on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/substance, person 18-20 in possession of alcohol, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and operating on a suspended or revoked operators license. MAYFIELD - A Mayfield teen was arrested Friday on multiple drug and alcohol charges.The Mayfield Police Department said officers responded to a large A traditional chief has ordered former Zimbabwean First Lady, Grace Mugabe, to exhume her husbands remains at the family homestead in Mashonaland West and rebury them as he was laid to rest in a place violating the areas burial cultural norms. But the Mugabe family is breathing fire, saying they will defy Chief Zvimbas order as he has no jurisdiction over the matter. In a letter written by Chief Zvimba, whose agents delivered it at Mrs. Mugabes residence, the chief fined her five cattle and a goat for burying the late former president Robert Mugabe at his homestead instead of the familys cemetery in Kutama village. The late presidents nephew, Leo Mugabe, has fired back saying they will fight the case to the bitter end. Its a ruling against a widow and the wido has nothing to do with the burying of her husband This judgment is irrelevant, if you were to ask me, because in any case, Chief Zvimba does not preside over cases here. In an exclusive interview, Mugabe, who is the former presidents nephew, said Chief Zvimbas order would be taken to the highest court in Zimbabwe if the matter is not resolved at village level. There are the ones who were pushing for the Heroes Acre and the immediate family was saying no we must follow the late presidents wish. They wont bury him at the Heroes Acre against the late presidents wish. Thats where all this originates from. Chief Zvimba did not attend the funeral. So, he wants to be relevant by being seen to be attending to what he has always wanted. Its not going to happen. This case should have gone to the kraal head first. Its like taking a case to the Supreme Court at the first instance and after the Supreme Court it wont go anywhere. You have to follow the hierarchy of the courts. There should have gone to a kraal head and then to a headman and then Chief Peperere. That could have been the right thing to do. They didnt do that. Even if it was the chief to go to, his judgment is not final because there is the Magistrates Court, High Court and the Supreme Court. If it is a constitutional matter, which we think it is because he has no jurisdiction to handle the case, we would go to the Constitutional Court. This is far from over. We are ready to take him on. He dismissed reports that Mugabe was buried with a mystic scepter, which is wanted by some top government official. Thats all rumors, there is nothing like that. These are people that are just speculating that he had a tsvimbo (specter). Who would have given it to him? If he had been given a tsvimbo and they know who gave him, they must go to get another tsvimbo from the same person. This man was a Roman Catholic, was a Christian and did not believe in all these tsvimbos. He noted that Mrs. Mugabe is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness in Singapore where he husband died of cancer. Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa did not responded to questions sent by our correspondent regarding this issue. Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, was also not responding to calls on his mobile phone. The Zimbabwean government wanted Mugabe to be laid to rest at a special mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre but his family refused saying he wanted to be buried near the grave of his late mother, Bona. Relatives of the late former President Robert Mugabe say they will defy a village court order to exhume and rebury his remains in accordance with local traditions. In an exclusive interview, Leo Mugabe, who is the former presidents nephew, said Chief Zvimbas order would be taken to the highest court in Zimbabwe if the matter is not resolved at village level. There are the ones who were pushing for the Heroes Acre and the immediate family was saying no we must follow the late presidents wish. They wont bury him at the Heroes Acre against the late presidents wish. Thats where all this originates from. Chief Zvimba did not attend the funeral. So, he wants to be relevant by being seen to be attending to what he has always wanted. Its not going to happen. This case should have gone to the kraal head first. Its like taking a case to the Supreme Court at the first instance and after the Supreme Court it wont go anywhere. You have to follow the hierarchy of the courts. There should have gone to a kraal head and then to a headman and then Chief Peperere. That could have been the right thing to do. They didnt do that. Even if it was the chief to go to, his judgment is not final because there is the Magistrates Court, High Court and the Supreme Court. If it is a constitutional matter, which we think it is because he has no jurisdiction to handle the case, we would go to the Constitutional Court. This is far from over. We are ready to take him on. He dismissed reports that Mugabe was buried with a mystic scepter, which is wanted by some top government official. Thats all rumors, there is nothing like that. These are people that are just speculating that he had a tsvimbo (specter). Who would have given it to him? If he had been given a tsvimbo and they know who gave him, they must go to get another tsvimbo from the same person. This man was a Roman Catholic, was a Christian and did not believe in all these tsvimbos. He noted that Mrs. Mugabe is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness in Singapore where he husband died of cancer. Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa did not responded to questions sent by our correspondent regarding this issue. Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, was also not responding to calls on his mobile phone. The Zimbabwean government wanted Mugabe to be laid to rest at a special mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre but his family refused saying he wanted to be buried near the grave of his late mother, Bona. MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND CEREMONY ONE TO REMEMBER: On a beautiful day, May 31, Our Town watched the parade along Washington and attended a meaningful ceremony at city hall that honored our fallen heroes. The gathering was among the largest in memory for this important day in Our Town. First, Im happy Love Takes Hostages jumps right into Angelas story. Theres not much narrative tension around her actual surgery obviously, she makes it out okay, because weve seen her talking-head interviews filmed after the fact. But until now, her plot has mostly been about awkward encounters with her surgeon and Michaels devastation over losing her breasts, so getting to watch Angela, a woman who has always been so sure of herself and who she is, adapt to a new lifestyle post-surgery is a bit more interesting. The network of My 600-lb Life mostly knows how to handle a weight-loss-journey story. While it has focused a lot of attention on Michaels reaction and it felt weird that her doctor called her husband for his approval here, it let Angelas disappointment take center stage. Shes clearly disappointed in the results, and her breasts do look smaller than what she agreed to prior to surgery. I hate seeing Angela lose her agency in a situation that should be empowering for her. I think she will be happier with the results when she is further removed from the surgery, but the most frustrating part is Michael, who doesnt try to reassure Angela at all! Michael does truly love Angela, but I think he loves the status she provides him as a large, rich white American woman. With Angela losing one of those adjectives, Im actually beginning to question Michaels commitment. You know what I do not question? Daniels dedication to staying in America. Ronald has said every which way hed make Tiffany and Daniel move to South Africa if his visa were denied, and Daniel simply stated that would not be happening. Daniel really looked pressed that he had to tell his stepdad hed embrace divorce before moving. The thing is, Ronald seems way too ready to accept that reality too. He knows that if that visa is denied, he and Tiffany are done. He cant do long distance anymore, and I think Tiffany is just hoping he isnt allowed to come over so she can have a way out of the relationship. Theres just that whole thing about custody over their kid. The best part of 90 Day Fiance is watching people who believe in love more than planning, and Ronald and Tiffany do not disappoint here. For Kalani and Brandon, there is no easy out. I feel deeply for these two people who have now realized they are in way over their heads. Kalani is surprised her dad, Low, doesnt support the idea of divorce, but hes a really old-school guy. Frankly, he has never liked Asuelu, and I think he feels like Kalani should be punished for going on vacation, getting pregnant, and bringing him into their lives. Asuelu could eventually become the man Kalani needs I just dont know that she has a decade to wait around for him to grow up, not to mention Asuelu definitely cant support himself without Kalani, so hed probably end up back in Samoa if they divorce. Theres a real risk that her kids could lose their father, and I dont think Kalani has really considered those consequences. Maybe Low is just able to see the bigger picture. Brandon is in a similar situation. Hes definitely realizing Julia is not who he thought she was, and I dont think he is someone who would consider divorce. Julias jealousy issues arent normal; theyre incredibly toxic. She escalated that situation from zero to 100 so quickly! She really took the brewery menu as a personal act of aggression! These two arent teenagers, and Im honestly shocked shed act that immature. What hope do these two have when theyre out on their own? You cant deny Julias logic, though: If she is using Brandon for a green card, she wouldnt admit it! Im not as worried about Brandon and Julia as I am about Yara. Jovi has finally revealed he has to leave for work earlier than he thought. Jovi is just a really well-intentioned kid. Sure, he should be a father and an adult, but hes more like a teenager who woke up with a wife and a baby to take care of one day. Theyre my favorite couple, though, because Yara sees that in him and loves him anyway! Its so beautiful! But with Jovi gone and his mom irritating Yara, I dont think shell wait around in New Orleans for him to return. I think Yara might go visit her family and decide she doesnt like being a single mom most of the year. Still, stacked against the other fathers on the show, Jovi is beating out everyone except maybe Asuelu. At least hes making money for his kid, unlike Ronald. Then theres Mike and Natalie. In order to enjoy their story, Ive decided to believe these are two reptilians who have managed to find each other on planet Earth. Neither of them understands human rules, customs, or communication. But somehow they ended up on a reality show, and they have to convince the rest of us they are human. I do not know why Natalie goes on an extended rant about Ukrainian dishes only being made by Ukrainians, but its exactly what a reptilian would think a human Ukrainian woman would do. I do not understand her weird, robotic answers to Mikes moms questions. I also dont know why Mike enjoys pissing Natalie off, as though he feeds off her frustration. But if you imagine Natalie is from another planet and has never seen a pig before, suddenly her behavior makes sense. Same with Mikes oddly close relationship with his mommy. It isnt so weird when you realize theyre all they have from their home planet. From this perspective, I absolutely want Natalie and Mike to make it work. 90 Day Notes The stock music used when they introduced Libby and Andrei was hilarious. It was like a fake pop song about forgetting the haters. I think the producers love how tired we are of these two. I guess Andreis immigration-status story is a little more interesting than their constant arguing with her family. For some reason, when Andrei says he buried something, I believe him, though at least at this point in time. Jovi and Yaras uncomfortable sex story theyre the greatest romance of our time. Okay, that was a lot of pigs for one house. When Pastor James Kendall stepped on to the stage of his small church in Madera, California he knew that day's sermon was going to take him in a direction unlike most. He had seen some troubling Facebook posts from members of his congregation. God, he says, was telling him speak out and warn his flock. "I don't like to get off track and off the Bible," Kendall said during a sermon on March 7. "But as a pastor I do have to guard the flock." A false prophet was gaining a foothold in his church and churches across the country: A false prophet spouting lies and conspiracy theories. That false prophet was known simply as Q. And Kendall was about to warn his church about it. QAnon and Christianity 'run on parallel tracks' QAnon is a virtual cult that began in late 2017. According to the conspiracy theory, former President Donald Trump is secretly working to stop a group of child sex traffickers. And an anonymous government insider called "Q" is believed to have shared secret information about that fight via cryptic online posts. Q allegedly last posted online on December 8. Q's messaging tactics draw from many themes in Christianity. As Daniel Burke, CNN's former religion editor, wrote, "According to the religious view of QAnon, Q is a postmodern prophet, "Q drops" (aka his messages) are sacred texts and Trump is a messianic figure who will conjure "The Storm," an apocalyptic revelation exposing evildoers." Pastor Kendall said the two belief systems "run on parallel tracks." Conspiracy theories find believers in many faiths. But the QAnon conspiracy theory is more popular today among evangelicals than people of other religions, according to a study by the conservative American Enterprise Institute. For example, 27% of white evangelicals say that the idea that Donald Trump has been fighting a group of child sex traffickers, a theory that is central to Q's claims, is mostly or completely accurate according to AEI. "The Biblical worldview is that there's a God who's in control of the whole world. And one day Jesus is going to come back, he's going to judge the wicked," Kendall said. With QAnon, "there is a Q that knows everything, and Donald Trump is going to come back and judge the wicked, set up his rule, and his followers are going to live in their little Utopia... It's easier for Christians who already have that belief system to make that jump over into believing [QAnon]." Kendall has seen this play out in his Facebook feed. Members of his evangelical church were posting that even though Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election, his inauguration would be somehow thwarted. On January 20 Donald Trump would somehow come back and become president again. Kendall's not alone. Across the country, Pastor Ben Marsh in Winston-Salem, North Carolina has also seen some troubling posts online. "I have seen where people, most often unwittingly shared misinformation that came from a QAnon or a Q-adjacent source," Marsh told CNN Business. Kendall and Marsh are both competing with the online world for their congregants' attention. "I get an hour with people every week, versus the 167 hours that they have out on their own to do other things," Kendall said. "There's a lot more access out there that fights against what I'm trying to teach from the Bible." The conspiracy-theory-preaching pastors But members of the flock aren't the the only ones susceptible in church communities. Some Christian pastors are also preaching them. Pastor Joe Pedick of Huntington Beach, California spoke about popular conspiracy theories surrounding the inauguration of Joe Biden. "I'm being told that there is something big is going to happen before the 20th. Supposedly they're trying to arrest a lot of the people that are involved with a lot of the corruption that's been going on for a long time," he said during a sermon on January 10. A representative from his church told CNN Business he does not believe in conspiracy theories and was simply "conveying information he heard and did not know if those things would happen." In Mount Juliet, Tennessee, Pastor Greg Locke called Joe Biden a "fake president," who stole the election and said that Covid-19 is not a "real" pandemic. Locke's church told CNN Business that he is not a conspiracy theorist but a"realist." Pastor Mario Murillo said, "There is a demonic hedge of protection around Joe Biden," a theme popular among conspiracy theorists. Murillo, who is based in Reno, Nevada, did not respond to CNN Business' repeated requests for comment. During services in July, Rock Urban Church in Grandville, Michigan, played a discredited video that supports QAnon conspiracy theories. "The country is being torn apart by the biggest political hoax and coordinated mass media disinformation campaign in living history you may know it as Covid-19," the video says. The church did not respond to CNN Business's requests for comment. These conspiracy theory-preaching pastors, Kendall said, have been "deceived." He emphatically said Christianity is not compatible with QAnon. "True Christianity is that Jesus Christ is our ultimate hope, not Q, not Donald Trump, not any other person," Kendall said. 'I'm not sure Jesus would be welcomed in an American church today.' Conspiracy theories vary in how harmful they can be. While the belief in Bigfoot, for example, isn't generally tied to violence or aggression, the FBI has warned that Q-adherents are a domestic terrorism threat and warned that "fringe conspiracy theories very likely motivate some domestic extremists, wholly or in part, to commit criminal and sometimes violent activity." The real-life consequences of the baseless claims made by the false prophet "Q," have raised concerns from hundreds of evangelicals, including Jerushah Duford, the granddaughter of the late, famed evangelical pastor Billy Graham. "I think he would've spoken out against it. He was very true to God's word," Duford told CNN Business. "It was just Gospel and scripture. And you can't do that and believe in QAnon." QAnon ties back to the movement, known as Christian Nationalism, that seeks to declare America a Christian nation and privilege Christianity within it, according to Duford. Duford, along with more than 200 other prominent evangelicals signed a letter denouncing Christian Nationalism and the role it played in the attack on the capitol. "The term Christian nationalism, in and of itself, is ironic because there's nothing Christian about nationalism," Duford told CNN Business. "I hope that it will be looked at like an extreme portion of our faith. Not our faith as a whole." The rise in Christian nationalism and the spread of QAnon are partially due to churches being "extremely exclusive," Duford warned. "I think what you're finding from a lot of these people who are hardcore Q-Anon believers [is] this is somewhere where they fit in." "I'm not sure Jesus would be welcomed in an American church today." Protecting 'the sheep from the wolves' During the attack on January 6, video evidence showed that one of the rioters who entered the Senate Chamber carried a Christian flag -- a white flag with a blue square in the upper left corner that bears a cross. That imagery signaled to Pastor Ben Marsh, of First Alliance Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that he had to speak up because a Christian flag also sits on the stage that he delivers sermons from. "It was horrifying to me," Marsh told CNN Business. At his next sermon, Marsh took the flag down. In an impassioned speech, he told his congregation that the rioters had been led astray because "pastors had lied to them." Marsh is part of an online group of Christian Missionary Alliance pastors, an evangelical Protestant denomination, that also serves as a support group. In the group, Marsh says, pastors sometimes seek out advice on how to address the spread of QAnon in their churches. "There were pastors that were driven to their knees in prayer over and over again because they didn't know what to do," Marsh said. Kendall says he tried to have conversations with members of his church about QAnon, but they haven't gone far. "A lot of times they're not really open to hearing my side of things or explanations," Kendall said. Still, Kendall persists despite the risk of alienating members of his congregation who potentially believe in at least parts of the conspiracy theory. "The Bible tells us, there's always going to be false teachers in the church," Kendall said. "My job as a pastor is protect the sheep from the wolves, and to not just point them to the truth, but to warn them when these false teachers come in and try to take people away." Non-profit organizations across the country are making efforts to support all of our veterans, even years after they're discharged. Wounded Warriors Family Support presented a brand-new Ford F-150 to a veteran here in Northern Alabama. Some people might see the truck as just that: a truck. But, to Matthew Aikin, it means his goals of starting a small business will soon become a reality. Aikin plans to start a small business refurbishing boats. You look at all these boats that come through here, and I just think, Man, hopefully, hopefully Ill be out there soon,'" said Aikin. Aikin won it through the Wounded Warrior Family Support, "Mobility is Freedom" program. Wasnt holding my breath or anything like that," he said. "I havent won anything this big before in my life, so it was definitely a big surprise. While Aikin was deployed to Afghanistan in 2013, he was injured by an improvised explosive device (IED). The IED caused him to lose both his left leg and hand. Aikin then medically retired from the army and became a stay-at-home dad to his four young kids. With this new truck, he can sell his previous one and use that money to help out his new business. Now its time for me to concentrate on myself, I want to start a small business, some boat repair, refurbishing boats, and Im hoping to continue my days just fishing on Lake Guntersville and redoing old boats," said Aikin. He wants to remind other veterans that your injuries don't define you, and there are organizations out there wanting to help, no matter how long you've been out of service. It will come together and youll be able to move past whatevers happened to you. Like, I know I have, but I havent forgotten whats happened to me." He told us he's beyond thankful for the Wounded Warrior Family Support. As well as all the non-profits who help our veterans, like the EOD Warrior Foundation that was one of his biggest supporters when he overcame the injuries. A woman, man and child are injured after getting shot while driving in Birmingham. The shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Authorities said someone opened fire on a family while they were traveling. A man and woman were transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The child was shot twice in the backseat, but has non-life threatening injuries. Two other children were in the car, but are not hurt. Investigators believe someone drove up next to the vehicle and started firing shots. Investigators have not released if there was a motive. No arrests have been made. A Woodville man died in a two-vehicle crash Friday in Marshall County. Kar Kevin Provens, 32, was fatally injured when the 2007 motorcycle he was driving passed multiple vehicles and hit a 2017 Ford F-250, according to Alabama State Troopers. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash took place about 7:35 p.m. Friday on Marshall County 79 near Baker Mountain Road, about nine miles south of Guntersville. Troopers are still investigating the crash. Murray Crash Sends Two to Hospital By West Kentucky Star Staff MURRAY - A two vehicle crash in Murray Friday evening injured two people.Murray Police report that they responded to the crash at 9:44 pm on North 12th Street, between the stadium entrance and KY 121 North.At the scene, officers spoke with 27-year-old Albert Brasfield, of Dyersburg, who told officers his vehicle was struck when he was turning left into a parking lot.Officers also spoke with 19-year-old Kayla Frederick of Cadiz. Frederick stated that she struck Brasfield's vehicle when he turned in front of her.Two juveniles in Brasfield's vehicle were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Death toll rises to 13, with two children in serious condition, in cable car accident near Lake Maggiore. At least 13 people have died after a cable car near Italy's Lake Maggiore plunged to the ground on Sunday, according to emergency officials. Two children aged nine and five were airlifted from the scene of the crash - an inaccessible wooded area - to intensive care in a Turin hospital. The accident occurred at around midday on 23 May as the cable car transported at least 15 people from the resort of Stresa up the nearby Mottarone mountain, on the Piemonte side of Lake Maggiore. Reuters reports that the cable car fell from a height of 20 metres before rolling several times. A spokesman for the alpine rescue services told RAI News24 that the cable car was left "crumpled" from the impact of the fall which occurred about 300 metres from the mountain-side station. The accident happened on the highest part of the route which reaches an altitude of 1,491 metres and whose journey lasts about 20 minutes, according to news agency ANSA. Italian president Sergio Mattarella issed a statement saying that "all of Italy" joined the families and communities affected by the "tragic accident." Prime minister Mario Draghi expressed the condolences on behalf of the government "to the families of the victims, with a special thought for the seriously injured children and their families." The cable car service had recently reopened following the lifting of covid-19 restrictions last month. The cause of the accident remains unclear. Italian cities vie to host Eurovision 2022 after Italy's win in Rotterdam. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has proposed the Eternal City as the "perfect stage" to host the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, following Italy's triumph in the European competition on Saturday night. The victory by Rome alternative rock band Maneskin, with the song Zitti e buoni, means that Italy will host the Eurovision next year for the first time in three decades. But which Italian city will host the event? A call for tenders to host the 2022 edition will be launched soon and all cities will be able to submit their candidacy. Ahead of the official bidding process, several Italian cities have already proposed themselves as suitable candidates, notably Rome which hosted the last Italian Eurovision after the victory of Toto Cutugno in 1990. Mayor Raggi, who on taking office five years ago vetoed the city's bid for the 2024 Olympics , took to Twitter to praise Maneskin's "fantastic victory" before putting Rome forward as the "perfect stage to relaunch the challenge." The 1991 edition of the Eurovision was held in Rome's Cinecitta Film Studios while the only other time that Italy hosted the contest, following the victory of Gigliola Cinquetti in 1964, was at the Centro RAI in Naples. The proposal by Raggi, who is seeking a second term in office in elections this year, followed similar offers from Turin, Naples, Bologna, Milan and Pesaro. Turin mayor Chiara Appendino was quick to propose her city as a host for next year's Eurovision, assuring that her administration is already preparing the official bid. In its favour, Turin was already identified as a potential Eurovision venue in 2017 by state broadcaster RAI ahead of Italy's entry that year, bookies' favourite Francesco Gabbani, who failed to win in the end. Milan is also seen as a strong candidate, given its experience of hosting the Expo in 2015. In the meantime the four members of the victorious Maneskin returned on Sunday to their native city where they were greeted with applause on arrival in Fiumicino airport. Man Arrested Trying to Cut Power to Mayfield Home By West Kentucky Star Staff Blake was arrested and charged with violation of a Kentucky Emergency Protective Order/Domestic Violence Order and violation of conditions of release. He was lodged in the Christian County Jail. MAYFIELD - Police arrested a man Saturday who was trying to cut power to a Mayfield home.Officers learned that 34-year-old Dustin Blake had an active emergency protection order which prohibited him from being on that property and from being in contact with the resident. Xia Jie (R), Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, attends a celebration hosted by the Cuban Embassy in Beijing on March 12, 2021. [For Women of China] Xia Jie, Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), attended a celebration hosted by the Cuban Embassy in Beijing on March 12, 2021, to mark International Women's Day (March 8). Xia had cordial communications with Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernandez, Cuba's Ambassador to China, during the event. Xia spoke highly of the friendly relations between China and Cuba and between women of the two countries. She outlined the great progress achieved in Chinese women's development under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Both sides expressed their willingness to make efforts to enhance women's exchanges and cooperation between China and Cuba. On behalf of the ACWF, Xia accepted an honorary certificate and an emblem to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cuba. Xia Jie, Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, speaks at the event. [For Women of China] (Women of China) The All-China Women's Federation President Shen Yueyue on Saturday attended a ceremony in Beijing marking the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, alongside Andrei Denisov, the Russian ambassador to China. Shen, also Vice-Chairperson of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the nation's top legislative body, and Denisov participated in a space and aviation science popularization program with children from both countries and inaugurated a "China-Russia youth friendship wood". Shen said guided by leaders of the two countries, new achievements and heights are gained in the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era between them. Chinese and Russian women and children have carried out exchange programs in various forms with the aim to bolster bilateral friendship and win-win cooperation and to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state with concrete actions, she said. The exchanges will contribute to writing a new chapter of China-Russia good-neighborliness and friendship in the new era and building a community with a shared future for humanity, she added. (Source: chinadaily.com.cn) Brian Gregory Robling of Washington, 23, passed away Monday, June 7, 2021. Brian was born July 11, 1997, in Washington, to Amber (Robling) Whiteman and Michael Bernard. He graduated from Washington High School in 2016. Brian is survived by his parents; his son, Zyler Mehrer of Washington; da College student uses her own experiences with ASD to write series of books for children with autism An inspiring college student has written a series of books for children with autism. Amy Le Dain, from Buckley, created Autism and Sea following her own experiences with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and wants to help young people to better understand the condition. The 27 year-old is currently studying Sound Engineering and Music Production and has put together a short, animated book based on her first offering The Adventures of Finn, Ollie and Astrid for staff and students at Coleg Cambria Yale in Wrexham to enjoy from 1pm-5pm on Friday May 21. She plans to write more tales in the future having also released a second, I Shine Differently. I spent many years feeling different and not really fitting in anywhere, said Amy. Then I received my autism diagnosis and for the first time I understood, I understood why I reacted differently to other people and did the things I did. I want to help other people in that position and came up with these characters to portray the challenges autistic people especially children face every day. There wasnt a book like this when I was a kid, and I wish there had been. She added: Sometimes everyday life is an adventure and being seen as different should be celebrated. I hope the books help children to understand themselves, and for non-autistic children to understand better what it means to be autistic its for everybody to enjoy and learn from. The characters Finn, Ollie and Astrid all experience autism differently; we explain how and why for example, one of them is non-verbal and issues like gender stereotypes are also addressed. The stories are about real life, going to the school or the shops can be hard, and its ok to feel different. If the stories can help people to understand that Ill be so happy. The response has been amazing, so Im really pleased and thankful to everyone for their support. The animated version of the book will be shown at the new theatre at Yale, produced with voiceover artists. The whole idea came to me during lockdown, and the characters came before the concept, she said. At the time it was a way to keep busy and active, so to get to this point, having sold hundreds of copies with more books in the pipeline is just incredible. Josh Roberts, an ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) and Support Mentor at Cambria, praised Amy for the imagination and effort she has gone to in helping other people with autism. Amy is such an inspiration, the books are amazing and will be a valuable resource for families and Im sure primary schools and children for many years to come, he said. Visit www.autismandsea.com or follow @autism_sea on social media for more on Autism and Sea. For more on the wide range of courses available at Coleg Cambria, visit www.cambria.ac.uk Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. Moscow: The Belarusian president personally sent a fighter jet to escort a Ryanair plane that had been diverted by a false bomb alert, allowing authorities to detain an opposition-minded journalist on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody. Roman Protasevich, pictured here being detained at a protest in Minsk in 2017, is a well-known opposition activist. Credit:AP Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuanias Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: Ill get the death penalty here. The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 03:24:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Sunday reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian cause, while calling for fostering unity among Palestinian parties via dialogue. Iraqi leaders made the pledges during their meetings with visiting Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in Baghdad on Sunday, after a ceasefire ended the 11-day fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. A statement by the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said that al-Kadhimi told al-Maliki that "Iraq will not abandon the Palestinian cause, which enjoys popular, political, and official support." Al-Kadhimi also stressed the importance of holding Palestinian dialogue to unify the Palestinian parties, the statement said, adding that al-Kadhimi pledged to support Palestine through regional and international positions and contacts. Al-Maliki also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih to discuss the situation in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, as well as the recent Israeli attacks on the Palestinians in Gaza and Jerusalem, according to a statement issued by the presidency's office. The two sides also underlined the need to boost bilateral ties in a way that serves the aspirations of the two peoples, the statement said. Al-Maliki handed Salih a letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressing his appreciation for the Iraqi stance toward the events that took place in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories during the past days, it added. Al-Maliki also met with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, who stressed the need for Palestinian unity and for a dialogue among the Palestinians. At a joint press conference with al-Maliki following their meeting, Hussein said that "it is essential to unify the Palestinian ranks through an open dialogue between different Palestinian parties in a bid to strengthen the Palestinian Authority." Hussein warned of the danger of using the recent confrontation with Israel to weaken the Palestinian Authority. For his part, al-Maliki that his visit to Iraq "aimed at coordinating the upcoming positions." Al-Maliki arrived in Baghdad earlier in the day, on his first visit to an Arab country after a ceasefire was reached on Friday between Israel and the militant groups led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip. The 11-day clashes, the worst since 2014, have left at least 240 Palestinians killed and 1,910 others injured, while 12 Israelis have been killed and 300 others wounded. Enditem Lawmakers passed and Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed five new bills into law, consistently dismissing concerns that they discriminate against an already vulnerable population, that some of the laws are unworkable and that they could damage the states reputation. Prayer vigil held at Big Four Bridge in support of victims of Gaza violence Sgt. Kyle Adams with the Fern Creek Fire Department died Friday, May 21, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Fern Creek Fire Department) Reporter I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years. Police looking for suspects after man shot and killed in Newburg neighborhood Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 03:45:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close AMMAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The coral reefs should be protected as "rainforests of the sea," which support some 25 percent of all known marine species globally, a Jordanian marine scientist has said. Jordanian scientists are developing a toolbox to rescue coral reefs from potential threats of mass bleaching and erosion, and safeguard marine biodiversity, Fuad Horani, a Jordanian coral eco-physiology professor, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "There are millions of reef-associated organisms living within the coral reefs," said Horani. "Once we lose the hard corals, the main framework of coral reef ecosystems, then we will lose the whole ecosystem," he warned. Covering less than 1 percent of the ocean area, coral reefs are considered as "rainforests of the sea" which support some 25 percent of all known marine species globally, he said. However, the ongoing ocean warming and human activities such as industrial pollution have endangered corals, said Horani. As the founder of several coral research labs at the marine science station (MSS) of Aqaba, Horani is endeavoring to save corals starting from the Gulf of Aqaba. "The Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea is now considered as the 'world bank' of corals, which is a reserve for the rest of the world," Horani said, adding that the gulf is home to more than 150 species of hard corals. Based on the health and wide diversity of corals in the Gulf of Aqaba, Horani and his research team are conducting a wide range of coral research projects, one of which is freezing cells and tissues of corals in the "coral bank" which has stored some 80 species for future revival. In parallel, to propagate diverse corals and then send them to other regions of the world where reefs are dying, they are cultivating coral larva in lab nurseries, restoring damaged reefs with glued-on alive coral tissue, and developing artificial reefs, Horani said. "The keystone of coral protection is public awareness. If you are a tourist who knows the importance and fragility of coral reefs, you will take extreme care, rather than damage the reefs," he said. With almost 25 years' experience in coral research, Horani described corals as human beings. "When you are under the water, you see the beauty of the corals and how they suffer, how they work to live. It's just like any other human being," he said. People tend to understand the importance of rainforest protection, but know little about the "rainforests of the sea," said Maysoon Kteifan, a research assistant in Horani's team. Kteifan said that coral is a kind of "animal," rather than stones or plants, which "needs to be delicately preserved." Noting the coral reefs also serve as a major source of seafood and can boost coastal city's tourism, Horani called for joint responsibility to protect the ocean's sustainability. "It's a shared responsibility to protect the global fortune of coral reefs on the earth," Horani said. Enditem In perhaps the strongest evidence yet of an attempted cover-up in the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene, the ranking Louisiana State Police officer at the scene denied the existence of his own body camera video for nearly two years until the footage emerged last month Thank you for Reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Bill Burt and George Bremer discuss the NFL schedule and Tom Brady's return to New England; Elton Hayes and Kevin Brockway reflect on Coach K's retirement; and Clay Horning breaks down the worst defensive play in baseball in recent memory. Help us understand what you value in community conversations so we can make our digital offerings more useful. This survey will only take a few minutes to complete. By taking the survey, you'll be entered into a drawing for one of three $100 gift cards to your choice of the following businesses: Hooked on Toys and Sporting Goods, Safeway/Albertsons, FredMeyer and Target. Click here to take survey Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 05:49:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Airport staff members unload the first batch of Chinese Sinovac vaccine raw materials from a plane at the Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, May 21, 2021. Egypt has received the first batch of the raw materials to manufacture China's Sinovac vaccine, said the Chinese embassy in Egypt on Sunday. Along with the Sinovac raw materials, a new shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines also arrived at the Cairo International Airport on Friday, according to a Chinese embassy's statement. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) CAIRO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has received the first batch of the raw materials to manufacture China's Sinovac vaccine, said the Chinese embassy in Egypt on Sunday. Along with the Sinovac raw materials, a new shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines also arrived at the Cairo International Airport on Friday, according to a Chinese embassy's statement. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said on May 9 that Egypt will start locally producing Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in June, and the first 2 million doses will be produced at the plants of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA). The local end-product will be distributed to medical centers across Egypt in two months after being assessed by the Egyptian Drug Authority, said Zayed at a press conference at the airport. "VACSERA will produce more than 5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine in two months, and 40 million doses within a year," she said. Zayed hailed the arrival of a new shipment of Sinopharm and raw materials of Sinovac vaccine as ushering in "a new chapter of bilateral ties," and the best way to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. China has made remarkable contributions to Egypt's diversification of vaccine sources and promoting the country's economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, she stressed. After meeting Egypt's own needs, vaccines produced in Egypt will be exported to other countries in the Middle East and Africa to help fight the pandemic, said the Egyptian minister. Vaccine cooperation has laid a good foundation for Egypt and China to expand medical and health cooperation, Zayed said, adding that the two countries will boost cooperation in medical technology transfer and strive for more results to benefit the two peoples. The two countries' joint efforts in fighting COVID-19 have not only deepened the traditional friendship and political mutual trust, but also set an example for the international community, Zayed noted. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that, as Egypt receives the Sinovac vaccine raw materials, it becomes the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in producing the COVID-19 vaccines. "This is very important for the early prevail over the pandemic not only in Egypt, but also in the whole African continent and the Arab region," Liao said. China calls on the international community to lend more hands to Africa through providing epidemic prevention materials, medicines, technology and funds to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines, Liao said. He reiterated that China has always been a staunch supporter of Africa in fighting the pandemic, an active participant in the continent's development and revitalization, and a strong defender of peace and stability. Egypt started in late January vaccinating the medical staff of governmental hospitals with a COVID-19 vaccine made by another leading Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm, which is the first vaccine approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority. In early March, the most populous Arab country began to vaccinate elderly people and patients with chronic diseases against the highly infectious coronavirus. So far, Egypt has reported 252,690 COVID-19 cases, including 14,670 deaths and 186,223 recoveries. Enditem The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Farewell, Yuan Longping, father of hybrid rice Ecns.cn) 13:22, May 24, 2021 People line up to pay homage to deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," at the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center in Chinas Changsha City, a major workplace of the top scientist, May 23, 2021. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Huafeng) The globally renowned Chinese agronomist passed away at 13:07 BJT on Saturday at the age of 91. The top Chinese scientist, who had developed the first hybrid rice strain that pulled countless people out of hunger, died of illness in a hospital in Changsha, capital of central Chinas Hunan Province. Having spent over five decades in hybrid rice research, the academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering had helped China achieve a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total land. Yuan succeeded in cultivating the world's first high-yielding hybrid rice strain in 1973, which could reach a yield of over 500 kg per mu (about 0.067 hectares), increasing 200 kg per mu from the previous yield of 300 kg per mu. For the next four decades, he continued to research and upgrade hybrid rice, which has reached its third generation. In 2020, hybrid rice developed by Yuan's team achieved 1,500 kilograms per mu (about 22.5 tons per hectare) in two growing seasons,?setting a new world record. In China, where rice is the staple for the majority of the 1.4 billion population, the accumulated planting area of hybrid rice has exceeded 16 million hectares, or 57 percent of the total planting area of rice, helping feed an extra 80 million people a year. It has also been grown extensively in over 40 countries, including the U.S., Brazil, India, Vietnam, the Philippines and Madagascar. The total planting area of the hybrid rice has reached 8 million hectares overseas, according to Xinhua News Agency. On September 29, 2019, a day before the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Yuan was awarded the "Medal of the Republic," the highest honor in the country, for his outstanding contribution to China's food security, agricultural scientific development and world food supply. People bowed to deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," at the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center in Chinas Changsha City, a major workplace of the top scientist, May 23, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) A delivery man presents a bunch of flowers booked by customers to pay tribute to deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," at the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center in Chinas Changsha City, a major workplace of the top scientist, May 23, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) People are in a long queue at the front of the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 23, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) People are in a long queue at the front of the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 23, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) People are in a long queue at the front of the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 23, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) A girl carries a luggage in a line within the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 23, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) Citizens present flowers to pay homage to deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 22, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) Citizens present flowers to pay homage to deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 22, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) A middle school student arrives at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha to present flowers to pay homage to deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," May 22, 2021. (China News Service/Yang Huafeng) Students present flowers in front of a statue of Yuan Longping in Southwest University in southwest China's Chongqing, May 22, 2021.Yuan graduated from the Southwest Agricultural College (now the Southwest University) in 1953. (China News Service/He Penglei) Students present flowers in front of a statue of Yuan Longping in Southwest University in southwest China's Chongqing, May 22, 2021.Yuan graduated from the Southwest Agricultural College (now the Southwest University) in 1953. (China News Service/He Penglei) A student bowed to a statue of Yuan Longping in Southwest University in southwest China's Chongqing, May 22, 2021.Yuan graduated from the Southwest Agricultural College (now the Southwest University) in 1953. (China News Service/He Penglei) Flowers presented by teachers and students are placed surrounding a statue of Yuan Longping in Southwest University in southwest China's Chongqing, May 23, 2021.Yuan graduated from the Southwest Agricultural College (now the Southwest University) in 1953. (China News Service/Chen Chao) Flowers with notes are seen around a statue of Yuan Longping at Longping Square, located in Dean County, Jiujiang, east Chinas Jiangxi province, May 23, 2021. Dean County is the birthplace of deceased Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping. (China News Service/Liu Zhankun) (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 07:32:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A volunteer cleans ruins of destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip on May 23, 2021. An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement came into effect early on Friday between Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, ending the 11-day bloodshed. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) NEW CANAAN, CT (WFSB) - Monday marked two years since a mother from New Canaan disappeared. Jennifer Farber Dulos was last seen dropping her kids off at school on May 24, 2019. Feared dead, police believe her estranged husband Fotis Dulos killed her. Fotis Dulos' former girlfriend and attorney are also suspected to be involved. Michelle Troconis, Fotis Dulos' ex-girlfriend, is scheduled to appear virtually in court this week. With the courts starting to ease their pandemic restrictions, though, Jennifer Dulos' family hopes closure can finally come sometime this year. Domestic violence advocates, meanwhile, are hoping for changes in state law. The family said they're "moved by the continued interest" in her case. They released a statement to mark Monday's date. Although this past year has understandably slowed the process, the investigation into Jennifer's death and disappearance is ongoing. After the courts reopen, the two people charged with conspiracy to murder will stand trial. Those two people are Kent Mawhinney and Troconis. Friend, former attorney for Fotis Dulos faces a judge on Tuesday A suspect arrested in connection with the murder of a New Canaan mother is on the docket to face a judge on Wednesday. Both are out on bond. Mawhinney was back in court just last week trying to remove his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet. His next court date is in July. Troconis, who was last in court virtually in February, also tried to get her ankle bracelet removed. Her attorney argued against the state's plans to combine all of her charges, which includes tampering with evidence, into one case. "Look, you have one case where it's more gruesome and the others aren't. It's more likely a jury is going to say, 'Look at all these charges. You put these cases together.' If there is evidence of one, it's more likely going to convict of something just because of combining. That's the danger," Troconis' attorney Jon Schoenhorn stated. The Office of the Chief State's Attorney also commented saying, "At this time, the states cases against Michelle Troconis and Kent Mawhinney are in pretrial status. During the past year, numerous pretrial motions have been filed and heard before the court, both remotely and in person. As both cases work their way through the court process, the Stamford States Attorneys Office remains focused on prosecuting those responsible for the murder of Jennifer Farber Dulos and seeking justice for her family, as well as working with law enforcement on any and all leads regarding the location of Jennifers body." Outside the courtroom, Jennifer Dulos' case can be felt at the capitol, where the Senate recently passed Jennifers' Law, which is also in memory of Terryville mother Jennifer Magnano. Bill to strengthen existing domestic violence laws passes the Senate A bill to strengthen existing domestic violence laws passed through the Connecticut State Senate. If it becomes law, it would add coercive control to the state's domestic violence laws. Connecticut Protective Moms, an organization that helps families going through family court, called it vital. "Coercive control takes the entirety and the patterns of behavior, and looks at it all, so maybe these deaths could be absolutely be preventable," Sue Shatney of Connecticut Protective Moms said. Troconis' hearing is set for Tuesday at 10 a.m. A vote hasn't been set in the House yet for Jennifers' Law. For more information, click here. Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday applauded members of the Class of 2021 on their perseverance in earning their high school diplomas during the coronavirus pandemic, which upended classrooms and shuttered a number of extracurricular activities such as sports. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 09:04:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - CAIRO -- Egypt has received the first batch of the raw materials to manufacture China's Sinovac vaccine, said the Chinese embassy in Egypt on Sunday. Along with the Sinovac raw materials, a new shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines also arrived at the Cairo International Airport on Friday, according to a Chinese embassy's statement. - - - - HAVANA -- Cuba reported 1,221 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 133,053 infections, as well as 14 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 877, the Ministry of Public Health reported on Sunday. Francisco Duran, the ministry's director of hygiene and epidemiology, explained that of the total number of cases registered in the last day, 43 had been imported. - - - - BUENOS AIRES -- Argentina's Ministry of Health on Saturday reported another 32,171 cases of COVID-19, bringing the total caseload to 3,514,683. Additionally, another 297 deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 73,688. - - - - BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland on Saturday reported one new locally transmitted COVID-19 case in Anhui Province, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Sunday. The same day also saw 18 new imported cases on the mainland. Of them, four each were reported in Shanghai and Sichuan, three in Guangdong, two in Fujian, and one each in Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Zhejiang and Yunnan. - - - - SAO PAULO -- Brazil reported on Saturday 1,899 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the national count to 448,208, the Ministry of Health said. A total of 76,490 more infections were detected, raising the nationwide tally to 16,047,439, the ministry said. - - - - ADDIS ABABA -- Ethiopia has registered 381 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 268,901 as of Saturday evening, according to the country's Ministry of Health. The ministry said eight new deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 4,068. Enditem Quincy, IL (62301) Today Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 701-572-2165 Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 09:48:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Yosley Carrero HAVANA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Lazaro Campos, who works as a supervisor at Havana-based Camilo Cienfuegos electronics company, has changed his daily routine over the past few weeks as the island started manufacturing set-top boxes to meet local demand. "Cuba is moving from analog (TV) to digital TV. That is why we want to make sure people get access to the necessary equipment," he said. Campos told Xinhua that components used in the production process were imported from China, which is the island's second largest commercial partner and a main technical assistance provider. "We have received training from Chinese experts who have very much contributed to improving the quality of our work," he added. So far, technicians from the Cuban electronics company have already manufactured 90,000 of the 318,000 converter boxes expected to be produced by the end of the year. In parallel, over 32,000 TV sets will be manufactured by the company in 2021 to supply the country's stores as well as to support Cuba's education and tourism industries. Sitting on a black chair, Nayta Perez checked the quality of sound and image of 32-inch and 43-inch hybrid TV sets before they were packaged and sent to a warehouse. "It is a very time-consuming process, but very important," she said. "We have to guarantee the product meets all the requirements for people to have a comfortable digital TV viewing experience at home." The state-run electronic company is also boosting innovation and research on digital TV at a laboratory donated by China. "We have gained some expertise with analog TV, but the digital era has changed almost everything," said 48-year-old Camilo Varona, who has been working in the company since 1994. "China and Cuba have built a win-win relationship." Digital television rollout in the Caribbean country kicked off in 2013, with converter boxes donated by the Chinese government being part of the first test in the capital city of Havana. At present, more than 40 municipal, provincial and national TV channels in Cuba broadcast via analog and digital signals. According to local media, new digital television transmitters would be spotted at various corners of the country this year. Edel Gomez, director of the electronics company, told Xinhua that Cuba uses renewable energy sources and environmentally friendly technologies to produce set-top boxes and hybrid TV sets. "The outcome of joint work between Chinese companies and Cuba has been very positive. The digital TV with Chinese standards has shown its high quality of signal reception, sound, and image resolution," he said. "Things are going well." Enditem Viewed of Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period.Stay in touch with all of the news from Winchester, Frederick and Clarke. Sign up today for complete digital access to The Winchester Star. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) About 60% of applications for a pandemic rent relief program are still awaiting processing, nearly three months after the application deadline. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) About 60% of applications for a pandemic rent relief program are still awaiting processing, nearly three months after the application deadline. The pending applications are among 25,257 that cleared initial income and documentation hurdles for the program administered by the Alaska Housing Finance Corp, KTOO Public Media reported. The program is aimed at helping people who qualify by covering up to a year of rent and utility payments. The application deadline closed in early March. Given the high level of interest in a different relief program last year, the corporation built its paperwork and review process with speed in mind, officials said. Daniel Delfino, who directs the corporation's planning and program development department, said stopwatch tests were used to determine how quickly workers processed different versions of paperwork. Nonetheless, Delfino said it's no consolation for those awaiting the help "that were one of the fastest states in the country to get the money out the door if they cant pay their rent or their utility bill. The program receives about 600 to 800 phone calls daily, mostly from people asking about the status of their applications, Delfino said. A website status checker shows about 800 unique user visits a day. Karla Pineda, a single mother who settled in Juneau last year after coming to the city seasonally for years, said getting help through the program would be significant. She said she has managed to pay rent by working for a home cleaning company and as an on-call elder-care facility assistant aide, but cant really save money, citing the cost of living. The rentals are expensive, especially if you want to live in a secure place, especially with a kid, its not easy to find," she said. The program provides payments to landlords, property managers or utility providers. About $242 million in federal funds are available, a figure that includes the corporation's share and similar funds for Anchorage and 148 tribal entities that the corporation is administering the program for. So far, about $26 million has been paid out statewide on behalf of more than 10,000 households. Delfino said he doesn't see a challenge in exhausting the money. We received a massive response. Its, I believe, over 10% of our state are represented in the households that applied to this program, thats 78,000 and change, he said. BANGKOK (AP) An American journalist working for a news magazine in Myanmar was detained Monday by the authorities there, his employers said. BANGKOK (AP) An American journalist working for a news magazine in Myanmar was detained Monday by the authorities there, his employers said. Frontier Myanmar, which publishes in both English and Burmese and also online, said on Twitter that Danny Fenster, its managing editor, was detained at Yangon International Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It said the magazine did not know why Fenster was detained and had not been able to contact him, but it understood that he had been taken to Insein Prison in Yangon, which over decades has housed thousands of political prisoners. The junta that took power in February after the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi has arrested about 80 journalists, roughly half of whom remain detained awaiting charges or trial. Fenster is the fourth foreign journalist to be detained, after Kamayut Media editor-in-chief and fellow U.S. citizen Nathan Maung, who is detained at Insein Prison, and freelancers Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan, who were expelled. According to Myanmars Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which keeps a detailed tally of arrests and deaths since the military takeover, almost 4,300 people are in detention, including 95 who have already been sentenced. Fenster is a 37-year-old native of the Detroit area who joined Frontier Myanmar in August 2020. Deadline Detroit, a news website to which he was an occasional contributor, said he had been en route to see his family back home when he was detained. It said he has a master's degree in creative writing from Detroits Wayne State University, and had worked for a newspaper in Louisiana before moving to Southeast Asia. He has a fascination and passion for writing about folks who struggle and fight for social justice, brother Bryan Fenster in the Detroit area told The Associated Press. He was very interested in what was happening with Rohingya people there. It's a delicate, complex situation. ... We hope hes safe. Such a shame." Rohingya Muslims fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar for Bangladesh in 2017 during a major crackdown by the military. Frontier Myanmar is one of two established English-language media outlets in Myanmar still allowed to publish, along with The Irrawaddy. Two others, Myanmar Now and Mizzima, were banned but continue to operate underground. We dont have much to add beyond what we said in the statement, Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of Frontier Myanmar, told the AP. The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar was unable to provide details about any such incident because of privacy considerations, said its spokeswoman, Aryani Manning. This story has been updated to correct the name of the Detroit news site where Fenster was an occasional contributor, and to show that he's the fourth foreign to be journalist detained since February, not the third. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The authoritarian president of Belarus on Monday signed a law sharply restricting news media activities and allowing them to be shut down without a court hearing. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The authoritarian president of Belarus on Monday signed a law sharply restricting news media activities and allowing them to be shut down without a court hearing. The move by President Alexander Lukashenko came a day after the arrest of a prominent opposition journalist whose commercial flight was forcibly diverted to Belarus because of an alleged bomb threat. The arrest and flight diversion was condemned by Western countries and drew new attention to Belarus crackdown on media since widespread protests against Lukashenko arose last year. Under the new law, news media are banned from making live reports on unauthorized mass gatherings. It also allows the Information Ministry to order a media outlets closure; previously media closures required a court decision. Other strictures include prohibiting publication of the results of opinion polls that aren't authorized by the government. This is the most repressive media law in Europe, which turns the work of journalists in Belarus into a minefield," said Andrei Bastunets, president of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. Widespread protests rocked Belarus for weeks last year, following an allegedly fraudulent election that gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office. More than 30,000 people were arrested in the protests, many of them beaten by police. The country has steadily cracked down on journalists, including blocking several major news websites and declaring opposition-minded messaging app channels to be extremist. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden announced Monday that he's doubling U.S. emergency spending to help communities prepare for hurricanes and other extreme weather events, while launching a new effort at NASA to better understand and track the impact of climate change. President Joe Biden, with first lady Jill Biden, waves as they walk from Marine One upon arrival on the Ellipse at the White House, Sunday, May 23, 2021, in Washington. Biden is returning from Camp David. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden announced Monday that he's doubling U.S. emergency spending to help communities prepare for hurricanes and other extreme weather events, while launching a new effort at NASA to better understand and track the impact of climate change. The $1 billion in spending is a small fraction of what the U.S. spends on weather-related disasters. Last year alone, the nation endured 22 weather and climate-related disasters with losses greater than $1 billion each. The disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes and snowstorms, had a cumulative price tag of nearly $100 billion. 2021 has already had significant winter storms that caused a deadly blackout in Texas and other states, and officials expect an ongoing severe drought in the West to fuel another destructive summer of wildfires following one of the worst fire years on record in 2020. Forecasters predict a busy hurricane season along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, but perhaps not as severe as 2020s record-shattering year. "We all know that the storms are coming, and were going to be prepared," Biden said during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Washington headquarters. "We have to be ready." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said last week that the hurricane season, which runs from June through November, will likely see 13 to 20 named storms, including at least six that will become hurricanes and three to five categorized as major hurricanes with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kilometers per hour). Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator, and Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Hurricane Center, talk about preparations for the upcoming hurricane season, Thursday, May 13, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) Biden, during his visit to FEMA, received a briefing on this years outlook for the Atlantic hurricane season. As climate change threatens to bring more extreme events such as increased floods, sea level rise and intensifying droughts and wildfires, the White House said it is the government's responsibility to better prepare and support communities before disasters occur, rather than simply respond afterward. FEMA will provide $1 billion for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, or BRIC program, which helps states, local communities, tribes and territories to develop projects to prepare for and reduce risks from disasters and natural hazards. President Joe Biden participates in a briefing on the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, at FEMA headquarters, Monday, May 24, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "Were going to spare no expense, no effort, to keep Americans safe and respond to crises when they arise," Biden said. "And they certainly will." The White House also said it will develop a new NASA mission concept for an Earth System Observatory that will forecast and monitor natural disasters. The Earth System Observatory will deploy advanced technology in space to improve understanding of interactions between Earths atmosphere, land, ocean and ice, helping determine how climate change will play out in the near and long term. The steps announced Monday are part of Biden's pledge to elevate climate change as a major priority. Biden has set a target to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by up to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. He also has said he expects to adopt a clean energy standard that would make electricity carbon-free by 2035, along with the wider goal of net-zero carbon emissions economywide by 2050. President Joe Biden talks to employees at FEMA headquarters, Monday, May 24, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Just last week, Biden directed federal agencies to develop a comprehensive strategy to identify and manage financial risks to government and the private sector posed by climate change. An executive order he issued Thursday calls for concrete steps to mitigate climate risks and could result in new regulations on the banking, housing and agriculture sectors, among others. At the end of his visit to FEMA, Biden addressed agency employees and thanked them for their efforts in recent months. In addition to natural disasters, FEMA is playing a central role in the federal government's effort to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in hard-to-reach areas of the country. The agency in March was also called to help support the processing of the surge of unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S. southern border. "Ive asked you to do an awful lot since I became president," Biden said. Dan Kaniewski, who served as FEMAs deputy administrator for resilience during the Trump administration, hailed the funding announcement, which significantly expands a program begun under President Donald Trump. "BRIC was a shot in the arm for communities throughout the country, but this will be an early second dose, said Kaniewski, now a consultant at Marsh McLennan. The new funding should help more communities receive needed funding to build climate resilience, he said. AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 09:57:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 18 new COVID-19 cases, all of which were imported, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Monday. Of the cases, three each were reported in Shanghai, Guangdong and Sichuan, two in Shaanxi and one each in Tianjin, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, Hunan and Gansu. One new suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai. No new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported on Sunday. A total of 5,970 imported cases had been reported on the mainland by the end of Sunday. Among them, 5,676 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 294 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 90,991 by Sunday, including 325 patients still receiving treatment, three of whom were in severe condition. A total of 86,030 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus. There were three suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Sunday. A total of 22 asymptomatic cases were newly reported, and 18 of them arrived from outside the mainland. There were a total of 388 asymptomatic cases, of whom 363 were imported, under medical observation by Sunday. By the end of Sunday, 11,832 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 210 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 50 cases had been reported in the Macao SAR, and 4,322 cases, including 23 deaths, had been reported in Taiwan. A total of 11,553 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, while 49 had been discharged in the Macao SAR, and 1,133 had been discharged in Taiwan. Enditem BEIJING (AP) The Biden administrations solar power ambitions are colliding with complaints the global industry depends on Chinese raw materials that might be produced by forced labor. FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2021, file photo, an employee works at a solar panel and solar equipment factory in Jiujiang in central China's Jiangxi Province. The Biden administrations solar power ambitions are colliding with complaints the global industry depends on Chinese raw materials that might be produced by forced labor. (Chinatopix via AP, File) BEIJING (AP) The Biden administrations solar power ambitions are colliding with complaints the global industry depends on Chinese raw materials that might be produced by forced labor. A big hurdle is polysilicon, used to make photovoltaic cells for solar panels. The global industry gets 45% of its supply from Xinjiang, the northwestern region where the ruling Communist Party is accused of mass incarceration of minorities and other abuses. Other parts of China supply 35%. Only 20% comes from U.S. and other producers. Bidens climate envoy, John Kerry, says Washington is deciding whether to keep solar products from Xinjiang out of U.S. markets. That sets up a conflict with President Joe Bidens plans to cut climate-changing carbon emissions by promoting solar and other renewable energy while also reducing costs. In Xinjiang, more than 1 million Uyghurs and other members of predominantly Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into detention camps, according to foreign researchers and governments. Authorities are accused of forced sterilizations of minorities and of destroying mosques. Chinese officials reject accusations of abuse and say the camps are for job training aimed at economic development and deterring radicalism. U.S. and some Chinese solar vendors have pledged to avoid suppliers that might use forced labor. It isnt clear, however, whether they can meet rising demand without Xinjiang, where Beijing wont allow independent inspections of workplaces. The biggest manufacturers all use raw materials from Xinjiang and have a "high risk of forced labor in their supply chains, according to a May 14 report by researchers Laura T. Murphy and Nyrola Elima of Britains Sheffield Hallam University. The possibility of forced labor is a problem, Kerry told U.S. legislators last week. He cited solar panels that we believe in some cases are being produced by forced labor. Western governments have imposed travel and financial restrictions on Chinese officials blamed for abuses. The U.S. government has banned imports of cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang, citing concerns over forced labor. The administration was assessing whether to extend that ban to solar panels and raw materials from Xinjiang, Kerry said. He said he didn't know the status of that review. At issue is the government's labor transfer program, which places workers in Xinjiang with companies. Workers install solar panels at a photovoltaic power station in Hami in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Monday Aug. 22, 2011. The Biden administration's solar power ambitions are colliding with complaints the global industry depends on Chinese raw materials that might be produced by forced labor. One big hurdle is polysilicon from Xinjiang, commonly used to make photovoltaic cells for solar panels. (Chinatopix via AP) Chinese officials say it is voluntary, but Murphy and Elima argue it takes place in an environment of unprecedented coercion" and is "undergirded by the constant threat of re-education and internment. Many indigenous workers are unable to refuse or walk away from these jobs, their report says. It says the programs are tantamount to forcible transfer of populations and enslavement. Murphy and Elima said they found 11 companies engaged in forced labor transfers of Uyghurs and other minorities and 90 Chinese and foreign enterprises whose supply chains are affected. They said manufacturers need to make significant changes if they want to avoid suppliers that use forced labor. Murphy and Elima say the biggest global solar equipment manufacturers JinkoSolar Inc., LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Trina Solar Energy Co. and JA Solar Holdings Co. might have forced labor in their supply chains. Trina and JinkoSolar also have possible labor transfers in factories, while a JinkoSolar facility is in an industrial park that also has a prison, according to Murphy and Elima. JinkoSolar, LONGi, Trina and JA Solar didn't immediately respond to questions about the report. At the same time, a supply crunch as demand surges has boosted polysilicon prices more than 100% since January to a 9-year high. The market is already undersupplied, Johannes Bernreuter, head of Germanys Bernreuter Research, said in an email. China is both the biggest global market for solar equipment and the biggest producer. That reflects multibillion-dollar government spending over the past two decades to promote solar energy. The ruling party wants to curb reliance on imported oil and gas, which it sees as a security weakness, and take the lead in an emerging industry. A supply glut as hundreds of Chinese manufacturers rushed into the industry 15 years ago drove prices down. That hurt Western competitors but accelerated adoption of solar in the United States and Europe. Seven of the top 10 global producers are Chinese. Canadian Solar Inc. is registered in Canada but its production is in China. South Korea's Hanwha Q-Cells is No. 6. The only U.S. producer in the top 10, First Solar Inc., has no exposure to the Xinjiang polysilicon supply chain because the Tempe, Arizona, company uses thin film technology that requires no polysilicon. Vendors serving U.S. and European markets probably can get enough polysilicon outside Xinjiang, Bernreuter said. But he said supplies might be squeezed if other countries impose the same requirement. Potential non-Chinese suppliers include Germanys Wacker Chemie AG and the Malaysian arm of South Korea's OCI Co. However, those companies also might buy raw materials from Xinjiang's biggest supplier, Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., according to Murphy and Elima. They cited documents they said show Hoshine, also known as Hesheng, participates in labor transfer. Hoshine didn't immediately respond to questions about the report. U.S. solar equipment vendors have been trying since last year to overhaul supply chains to eliminate problem suppliers, according to their trade group, the Solar Energy Industries Association. In February, 175 companies including the U.S. arms of JinkoSolar, LONGi, Trina and JA Solar signed a pledge to oppose use of forced labor by their suppliers. Potential changes should be done by the end of June, according to the groups president, Abigail Ross Hopper. If their customers and the U.S. government are demanding it, they will need to move quickly, Ross Hopper told PV Magazine USA in February. Bernreuter warned the Chinese government might interfere with an overhaul, though there is no sign that has happened. ____ Sheffield Hallam University report: www.shu.ac.uk/helena-kennedy-centre-international-justice/research-and-projects/all-projects/in-broad-daylight Bernreuter Research: www.bernreuter.com Solar Energy Industries Association: www.seia.org BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union agreed Monday to impose sanctions on Belarus, including banning its airlines from using the airspace and airports of the 27-nation bloc, amid fury over the forced diversion of a passenger jet to arrest an opposition journalist. The Ryanair plane with registration number SP-RSM, carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich which was traveling from Athens to Vilnius and was diverted to Minsk after a bomb threat, lands at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, May 23, 2021. The presidential press service said President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich and traveling from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania to the airport in the capital Minsk. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis) BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union agreed Monday to impose sanctions on Belarus, including banning its airlines from using the airspace and airports of the 27-nation bloc, amid fury over the forced diversion of a passenger jet to arrest an opposition journalist. Reacting to what EU leaders called a brazen hijacking of the Ryanair jetliner flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday, they also demanded the immediate release of the journalist, Raman Pratasevich, a key foe of authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. We wont tolerate that one can try to play Russian roulette with the lives of innocent civilians, said EU Council chief Charles Michel, who presided over the EU meeting. A brief video clip of Pratasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that played a key role in helping organize huge protests against Lukashenko, was shown on Belarusian state television Monday night, a day after he was removed from the Ryanair flight. In this handout photo provided by the Lithuanian President's Office, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda, left, speaks to Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Lansbergis during their meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, May 23, 2021. A prominent opponent of Belarus' authoritarian president was arrested Sunday after the airliner in which he was traveling was diverted to the country after a bomb threat, in what the opposition is calling a hijacking operation by the government. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has claimed the plane was forced to land in Minsk and said Lukashenko's "regime is behind this." (Lithuanian President's Office via AP) Sitting at a table with his hands folded in front of him and speaking rapidly, Pratasevich said he was in satisfactory health and said his treatment in custody was maximally correct and according to law. He added that he was giving evidence to investigators about organizing mass disturbances. In their unusually swift action in Brussels, the EU leaders also urged all EU-based carriers to avoid flying over Belarus, decided to impose sanctions on officials linked to Sunday's flight diversion, and urged the International Civil Aviation Organization to start an investigation into what they viewed as an unprecedented move and what some said amounted to state terrorism or piracy. The leaders called on their council to adopt the necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines. In addition calling for the release of Pratasevich, they also urged authorities in Minsk to free his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was taken off the plane with him. The text was endorsed quickly by the leaders who were determined to respond with a strong reaction to the incident because of the serious endangering of aviation safety and passengers on board by Belarussian authorities, said an EU official with direct knowledge of the discussions who was not authorized to speak publicly about the private talks. At least one European airline already diverted a flight around Belarus. British Airways flight 3599, which on Saturday and Sunday crossed over Belarus, bypassed the country Monday by using Russian airspace instead, according to the website Flightradar24. A white-red-white flag, center, the emblem of Belarus' opposition, flies outside the hotel where the Belarusian hockey team is staying for the Ice Hockey World Championship in Riga, Latvia, Monday, May 24, 2021. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry ordered all Latvian diplomats out of the country after the Belarusian flag was replaced Monday with the white-red-and-white one used by the opposition at the world ice hockey championship in Riga, Latvia. (Martins Zilgalvis/F64 Agency via AP) Ryanair said Belarusian flight controllers told the crew there was a bomb threat against the plane as it was crossing through Belarus airspace Sunday and ordered it to land. A Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled to escort the plane in a brazen show of force by Lukashenko, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for over a quarter-century. Belarus authorities then arrested the 26-year-old activist, journalist and prominent Lukashenko critic. Pratasevich and his Russian girlfriend were taken off the plane shortly after it landed, and authorities haven't said where they're being held. Ryanair Flight FR4978, which began in Athens, Greece, was eventually allowed to continue on to Vilnius, Lithuania. This is an attack on democracy, said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the executive European Commission. This is an attack on freedom of expression. And this is an attack on European sovereignty. And this outrageous behavior needs a strong answer. Von der Leyen added that a 3 billion EU investment and economic package for Belarus will remain on hold until Belarus turns democratic. U.S. President Joe Biden said late Monday that he asked his team to develop appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible, in close coordination with the European Union, other allies and partners, and international organizations. In this handout photo released by European Radio for Belarus, Belarus journalist Raman Pratasevich poses for a photo in front of euroradio.fm sign in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019. Western outrage grew and the European Union threatened more sanctions Monday over the forced diversion of a plane to Belarus in order to arrest an opposition journalist. The dramatic gambit apparently ordered by the country's authoritarian president to suppress dissent was denounced as piracy, a hijacking and terrorism. (Euroradio via AP) This outrageous incident and the video Mr. Pratasevich appears to have made under duress are shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press. The United States joins countries around the world in calling for his release, as well as for the release of the hundreds of political prisoners who are being unjustly detained by the Lukashenka regime, Biden's statement said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier that National Security adviser Jake Sullivan raised the issue in a call with the secretary of the Russian Security Council. Two U.S. senators urged the Biden administration to prohibit U.S. airlines from entering Belarus airspace because of the incident. We must protect innocent passengers from despotic regimes and stand in solidarity with dissidents who are being targeted, Sens. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, and Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, said in a joint statement. EU leaders were particularly forceful in their condemnation of the arrest and the move against the plane, which was flying between two of the blocs member nations and was being operated by an airline based in Ireland, also a member. EU leaders have tried to bring Belarus closer to the bloc to encourage democratic reforms and reduce the influence of Russia but have failed so far. The Ryanair plane with registration number SP-RSM, carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich which was traveling from Athens to Vilnius and was diverted to Minsk after a bomb threat, lands at the International Airport outside Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, May 23, 2021. The presidential press service said President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the Ryanair plane carrying opposition figure Raman Pratasevich and traveling from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania to the airport in the capital Minsk. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis) British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he instructed the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe. He added he was suspending the permit allowing Belavia to operate in the U.K. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered officials to move to cut the air link with Belarus and ban Ukrainian flights via the neighbor's airspace. The U.S. and the EU have imposed sanctions on top Belarusian officials amid months of protests, which were triggered by Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term in an August 2020 vote that the opposition rejected as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since then, and thousands beaten. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry bristled at what it described as belligerent EU statements, insisting Minsk acted in full conformity with international rules. It ordered all Latvian diplomats out of the country after the Belarusian flag was replaced Monday with the white-and-red one used by the opposition at the world ice hockey championship in Riga, Latvia. The event was moved from Minsk amid the international outcry over the crackdown. Lufthansa said a flight from Minsk to Frankfurt with 51 people aboard was delayed Monday following a security warning. It was allowed to depart after the plane, passengers and cargo were searched. On Sunday, flight tracker sites indicated the Ryanair flight was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There were conflicting reports on what exactly happened. Belarusian transport ministry official Artem Sikorsky said the Minsk airport had received an email about the bomb threat from the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But Ryanair said in a statement that Belarusian air traffic control instructed the plane to divert to the capital. The plane was searched, and no bomb was found. Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary described the move as a case of state-sponsored hijacking state-sponsored piracy. Passengers described Pratasevich's shock when he realized the plane was going to Minsk. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said theres death penalty awaiting him there, passenger Marius Rutkauskas said after the plane finally arrived in Vilnius. Pratasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging apps Nexta channel, which played a prominent role in helping organize the anti-Lukashenko protests. Nearly 2 million Belarusians in the nation of 9.3 million people have followed the channel. Belarus authorities have labeled the channel extremist and charged Pratasevich in absentia of inciting mass riots and fanning social hatred. He could face 15 years in prison. Amid the international outrage, Moscow quickly offered a helping hand to its ally. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the episode needs to be investigated but that it couldnt be rushed. Moscow and Minsk have close political, economic and military ties, and Lukashenko has relied on Russian support amid Western sanctions. Associated Press writers raf Casert and Samuel Petrequin reported this story in Brussels and AP writer Vladimir Isachenkov reported from Moscow. AP writers Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sylvia Hui and Jill Lawless in London, David Koenig in Dallas, Alexandra Jaffe in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites, though it is not clear if it would pass constitutional muster because it might violate the First Amendment. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hold up the signed legislation that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites, inside Florida International University's MARC building in Miami on Monday, May 24, 2021. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites, though it is not clear if it would pass constitutional muster because it might violate the First Amendment. The new law will enable the state to fine large social media companies $250,000 a day if they remove an account of a statewide political candidate, and $25,000 a day if they remove an account of someone running for a local office. It takes effect July 1. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, gives his opening remarks flanked by local state delegation members prior to signing legislation that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites, inside Florida International University's MARC building in Miami on Monday, May 24, 2021. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP) Some of these massive, massive companies in Silicon Valley are exerting a power over our population that really has no precedent in American history, DeSantis said during a bill-signing ceremony at Florida International University in Miami. One of their major missions seems to be suppressing ideas. But its questionable whether Florida will be able to enforce it. Federal law prevents internet companies from being sued for removing posts and federal law trumps state law when there is a conflict. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act exempts websites from being sued for removing content deemed to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable as long as the companies are acting in good faith. DeSantis said big tech companies are controlling accounts to remove content that doesn't suit their ideology. Republicans have accused companies like Twitter and Facebook of censoring conservative thought. DeSantis pointed in particular to then-President Donald Trump being banned by Twitter while still allowing Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to maintain an account. When you de-platform the president of the United States but you let Ayatollah Khamenei talk about killing Jews, that is wrong, DeSantis said to thunderous applause. Twitter didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Facebook declined to comment. But the tech lobbying group NetChoice, which includes Twitter and Facebook as members, criticized the new law in a press release. By forcing websites to host speech, this bill takes us closer to a state-run internet where the government can cherry pick winners and losers, said NetChoice vice president and lawyer Carl Szabo. By carving out companies like Disney and Universal, Floridas legislature revealed its anti-tech fervor and true intent to punish social media for allegations of anti-conservative bias. The law will give Florida's attorney general authority to sue companies under the states Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. It will also allow individual Floridians to sue social media companies for up to $100,000 if they feel they've been treated unfairly. The bill targets social media platforms that have more than 100 million monthly users, which include online giants as Twitter and Facebook. But lawmakers carved out an exception for Disney and their apps by including that theme park owners wouldnt be subject to the law. The law will require large social media companies to publish standards on how it decides to censor, deplatform, and shadow ban. Regardless of the federal law, the new Florida law is constitutionally flawed, said Computer and Communications Industry Association President Matt Schruers. Gov. DeSantis says that this bill is about protecting free expression, but an internet service saying, We dont want to host Nazis and people encouraging self-harm' is exercising its own First Amendment rights and that is one of the critical infirmities of this bill, Schruers said. Democrats opposed the bill and defended the right of social media companies, as private entities, to control the flow of information on their platforms. Democratic Sen. Audrey Gibson said in a press release that the bill was passed in an effort to placate Trump. These enterprises take responsibility for what appears on their platforms and have the right to do so, Gibson said. Vulgarity and inciting violence are not their business model and our legislature should appreciate rather than legislate against such a concept. While similar bills have been filed in other states, DeSantis is the first governor to sign one into law. AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report. This story corrects the name of the Computer and Communications Industry Association. QUITO, Ecuador (AP) Former banker Guillermo Lasso was sworn in as president of Ecuador on Monday, saying he will escalate efforts to vaccinate people to protect them from COVID-19 and work to revive an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Ecuador's new President Guillermo Lasso wears the presidential sash after his inauguration ceremony outside the National Assembly in Quito, Ecuador, Monday, May 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa) QUITO, Ecuador (AP) Former banker Guillermo Lasso was sworn in as president of Ecuador on Monday, saying he will escalate efforts to vaccinate people to protect them from COVID-19 and work to revive an economy hit hard by the pandemic. So far, Ecuador has vaccinated just 3% of the total population of 17 million, and the country is struggling with high unemployment and debt levels. Lasso wants his new government to vaccinate nine million people in his first 100 days in office, and he has reached out to pharmaceutical companies in the United States, China and Russia in hopes of reaching that goal. It will not be a government that only promises, said 65-year-old Lasso, who was elected in April in his third run for the presidency, replacing President Lenin Moreno. As Ecuadorians, we all share the same destiny, it is everyones obligation to assume the challenges that the future imposes on us, enormous challenges that cannot be faced in isolation, Lasso said. Some analysts have described Lasso as a market-friendly figure who is likely to seek good relations with the International Monetary Fund and other global organizations, though he could encounter significant opposition to his policies in Ecuador's congress. In the runoff election, Lasso defeated Andres Arauz, a protege of former President Rafael Correa who governed Ecuador from 2007 through 2017. Correa increased spending and state intervention in the economy, oversaw a new constitution and grew increasingly authoritarian in the latter years of his presidency. He was sentenced in absentia to prison last year in a corruption scandal. His inauguration was attended by dignitaries including Spanish King Felipe VI, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moise. NEW DELHI (AP) India crossed another grim milestone Monday with more than 300,000 people lost to the coronavirus, while a devastating surge of infections appeared to be easing in big cities but was swamping the poorer countryside. An Indian health worker sets fire to discarded test kits and protective suits after performing COVID-19 tests on villagers in Burha Mayong village, Morigaon district of Assam, India, Saturday, May 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) NEW DELHI (AP) India crossed another grim milestone Monday with more than 300,000 people lost to the coronavirus, while a devastating surge of infections appeared to be easing in big cities but was swamping the poorer countryside. The milestone, as recorded by India's Health Ministry, comes as slowed vaccine deliveries have marred the country's fight against the pandemic, forcing many to miss their shots, and a rare but fatal fungal infection affecting COVID-19 patients has worried doctors. Indias death toll is the third-highest reported in the world after the U.S. and Brazil, accounting for 8.6% of the nearly 3.47 million coronavirus fatalities globally, though the true numbers are thought to be significantly greater. The Health Ministry on Monday reported 4,454 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing Indias total fatalities to 303,720. It also reported 222,315 new infections, which raised the overall total to nearly 27 million since the pandemic began. Both are almost certainly undercounts. From the remote Himalayan villages in the north, through the vast humid central plains and to the sandy beaches in the south, the pandemic has swamped India's underfunded health care system after spreading quickly across the country. Indian doctor B.P Tyagi performs extended functional endoscopic sinus surgery on a person suffering from mucormycosis at a hospital in Ghaziabad, outskirts of New Delhi, India, Sunday, May 23, 2021. Several cases of the black fungus infection is being reported in patients recovering from COVID-19 in many parts of India. (AP Photo/Amit Sharma) In the capital, New Delhi, residents have died at home with no oxygen as hospitals exhausted limited supplies. In Mumbai, COVID-19 patients have died in crowded hospital corridors. In rural villages, fever and breathlessness took people before they were even tested for coronavirus. While the megacities have seen signs of improvement in recent days, the virus isnt finished with India by any means. It appears to have already taken a ghastly toll in the countrys vast rural areas, where a majority of the people live and where health care is limited. In recent weeks, hundreds of bodies have washed up on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh state. Many others have been found buried in shallow graves along its sandy banks. It has prompted concerns that theyre the remains of COVID-19 victims. A health worker displays empty vials of COVAXIN at a vaccination center in Jammu, India, Monday, May 24, 2021. India crossed another grim milestone Monday of more than 300,000 people lost to the coronavirus as a devastating surge of infections appeared to be easing in big cities but was swamping the poorer countryside. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) Indias vaccination drive has also slowed recently, and many states say they dont have enough vaccines to administer. The worlds largest vaccine-producing nation has fully vaccinated just over 41.6 million people, or only 3.8% of its nearly 1.4 billion people. On Monday, the federal government enabled walk-in registration at government-run vaccination centers for those aged between 18 to 44 to minimize vaccine wastage." The first known COVID-19 death in India happened on March 12, 2020, in southern Karnataka state. It took seven months to reach the first 100,000 dead. The official toll hit 200,000 deaths in late April. The next 100,000 deaths were recorded in just 27 days after new infections tore through dense cities and rural areas alike and overwhelmed health care systems on the brink of collapse. Average daily deaths and cases have slightly decreased in the past few weeks and the government on Sunday said it is conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests, with more than 2.1 million samples tested in the previous 24 hours. This story has been corrected to show that there are nearly 3.47 million deaths globally, not 34.7 million. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A federal judge has ruled against a conservative legal group that sought an immediate halt to the priority status for restaurants and bars owned by women and certain minorities in President Joe Biden's COVID-19 relief package. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A federal judge has ruled against a conservative legal group that sought an immediate halt to the priority status for restaurants and bars owned by women and certain minorities in President Joe Biden's COVID-19 relief package. U.S. District Judge Travis McDonough in Knoxville, Tennessee, issued the opinion denying a temporary restraining order last week in the lawsuit brought by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. The group is appealing the decision. The judge wrote that Congress has gathered myriad evidence suggesting that small businesses owned by minorities ... have suffered more severely than other kinds of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the Governments early attempts at general economic stimulus ... disproportionately failed to help those businesses directly because of historical discrimination patterns. Similarly, McDonough said Congress had before it evidence showing that woman-owned businesses suffered historical discrimination that exposed them to greater risks from an economic shock like COVID-19, and that they received less benefit from earlier federal COVID-19 relief programs. The lawsuit targets the three-week period from May 3 until Monday during which the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund has only been processing and funding requests from businesses owned by women; veterans; or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Eligibility was slated to open broadly afterward. However, the Small Business Administration reported on May 18 that it had already received more than 303,000 applications representing over $69 billion, with nearly 38,000 applicants already approved for more than $6 billion. Of the applications, 57% came from women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners, who had already applied for $29 billion in the $28.6 billion program by May 12, the SBA has said. The application portal remained open through Monday because money set aside for establishments with 2019 annual revenue of not more than $50,000 was potentially still available. Plaintiff Antonio Vitolo, owner of Jakes Bar and Grill in Harriman, Tennessee, applied for aid on May 3 but doesn't qualify as a white male, according to the lawsuit, which argues white men are being pushed to the back of the line for aid for their eateries. The law says a business is required to have 51% ownership by someone in one of the priority groups to qualify for the early priority for aid. The program relies on a definition of socially disadvantaged that is limited to people subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Groups presumed to be socially disadvantaged include: Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians; Asian Pacific Americans; and Subcontinent Asian Americans. Attorneys for the federal government said people could also check a box on the application if they thought they met the broader definition of socially and economically disadvantaged, the judge wrote. The lawsuit said the limited funding put white male applicants at significant risk that, by the time their applications are processed, the money will be gone" an argument that did not sway the judge. While this is certainly unfortunate, Congress cannot reasonably have been expected to predict with precision the level of demand for funds nor how the demand would break down between priority and non-priority applications, the judge wrote. Under the Biden restaurant relief program, restaurants and bars can qualify for grants equal to their pandemic-related revenue losses, with a cap of $10 million per business and $5 million per location. BATH, Maine (AP) The Navy's speedy littoral combat ships had propulsion failures. The gun on its stealthy destroyer is a dud because of expensive ammo. Its newest aircraft carrier had problems with the system that launches aircraft. This photo provided by Bath Iron Works shows Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday touring General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, on May 10, 2021. The Navy is trying to get back on an even keel after shipbuilding problems and maintenance problems as the Biden administration prepares to release its budget. (Jared Morneau/Bath Iron Works via AP) BATH, Maine (AP) The Navy's speedy littoral combat ships had propulsion failures. The gun on its stealthy destroyer is a dud because of expensive ammo. Its newest aircraft carrier had problems with the system that launches aircraft. On top of that, embarrassing photos of rusty ships online have underscored delays in maintaining warships, made worse by the pandemic. The Navy's troubles have caused delays and cost billions of dollars. They come as tensions are growing in the South China Sea, Russia's navy is emboldened, and Iranian speedboats are harassing vessels in the Persian Gulf. Are we ready to meet the threat from China? No, said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lexington Institute. Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, insists the Navy is now on a positive trajectory but the Navy will have to rebuild confidence under congressional scrutiny as it prepares a new strategic plan thatll include another long-term investment: unmanned vehicles and hypersonic missiles. The Biden administration is readying a Navy budget proposal this week to send to lawmakers. The Navy fleet currently falls shy of 300 ships, despite a stated goal of 355 ships. The Chinese fleet now outnumbers the U.S. Navy. The Chinese are closer to our goal than we are, said Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who sits on the Appropriation Committee and wants to boost Navy spending. Democratic Sen. Jack Reed and Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe, chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, have criticized delays and cost overruns on lead ships, and urged the Navy to ensure technology is ready before putting it aboard. Members of Congress, who control the purse strings, say the Navy must also spend billions of dollars more in its public shipyards that maintain the ships. The Navy has got to get their derriere in gear, said Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican from Virginia, who described the Navy as at one of those crossroads. The Navy's problem, as Thompson sees it, is that leaders rushed ambitious new ship classes to production and started construction before designs were finalized and technology fully tested. It tried too hard to leap ahead technologically at the beginning of the last decade, Thompson said. As a result, every vessel that it started had severe problems. For example, the electric-drive Zumwalt, commissioned in 2016, was designed to get close to shore to bombard land targets. But its 155mm advanced gun system is being scrapped because each rocket-propelled, GPS-guided shell costs nearly as much as a cruise missile. Meanwhile, two versions of the speedy littoral combat ship were envisioned as chasing down pirate ships. One version had class-wide propulsion problems, and both were criticized as too lightly armored for open ocean combat. The Navy is already scrapping the first four of them. The most expensive ship in Navy history, meanwhile, is the newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, which has had problems with the system that launches jets and the elevators that move weapons. It was supposed to cost $10.5 billion but the price tag has risen to $13.3 billion, and the reliability of key systems is low," said Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma. Together, the costs on the first ships in each of those classes were 23% to 155% or about $5 billion higher than original estimates, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Congress has mandated the Navy not put the cart before the proverbial horse by requiring system integration between platforms and new technologies and fully testing prior to rolling out new programs, said Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawaii Democrat and chair of the Armed Services seapower subcommittee. Lawmakers have scrutinized the Navy's readiness and overextended crews since 17 sailors were killed in two separate collisions involving Navy destroyers in 2017. The Navys unceasing tempo continues to cause stress on ships and crew. Photos of the USS Stout, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, showed plentiful rust as it returned from a 210-day deployment last fall to Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia. The rust was cosmetic but underscored the toll of deferred maintenance and long deployments on ships and sailors, who made no port calls during the pandemic. Its wearing out the Navy, the crews, their personnel, their families, said Matt Caris, a defense analyst at Avascent, a consulting firm in Washington, who said investments are needed in sailors, maintenance and new ships. The Navy has acknowledged problems in the shipbuilding programs, while having success in others, including submarines. But aging ships 60% of todays fleet was commissioned in 2001 or before has caused maintenance and operation costs to grow at a time when the Navy wants to spend on new ships and research. It would take 4.1% in annual funding growth to boost the fleet to 355 ships within about a decade while meeting other obligations including investments in shipyards, Gilday said. Speaking at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works on a recent afternoon, Gilday insisted things are getting better. The length of time that ships were delayed has declined by 80% at public shipyards and 60% at private yards compared to where things were 18 months ago, Gilday said. And even those ships that suffered delays and cost overruns hold potential. The stealthy Zumwalt destroyer built at Bath Iron Works will be the first naval vessel equipped with hypersonic missiles, he said. Im not saying that were satisfied with where we are, Gilday said. What I will say is that I think that certainly the trends are headed in the right direction. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's government on Monday defied an injunction by the top European Union court that ordered the immediate closure of a major brown coal mine, with officials saying it would shake the nations energy system and lead to the layoff of thousands of employees. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's government on Monday defied an injunction by the top European Union court that ordered the immediate closure of a major brown coal mine, with officials saying it would shake the nations energy system and lead to the layoff of thousands of employees. Development Minister Jaroslaw Gowin said Poland wouldn't shut the lignite mine in Turow, on the border with Germany and the Czech Republic, but instead was engaged in very intensive diplomatic and law-related efforts, to secure undisturbed operation of the mine and connected power plant that generates some 7% of Poland's energy. The EUs Court of Justice on Friday ordered Poland to immediately stop operation of the mine, heeding Pragues complaints that it drained groundwater from Czech territory and that Poland recently extended its license without proper prior environmental assessment. It's a temporary measure, pending the court's full ruling. Gowin said he considers the court's decision scandalously incommensurate to the situation and one that would lead to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and very serious disturbances in Poland's energy system, cutting power to millions of households. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland will engage in negotiations with Prague and will also make new points before the EU court to clearly describe the situation to avoid a disaster. Later Monday, he was meeting with his Czech counterpart, Andrej Babis, before the EU summit in Brussels to discuss solutions to the spat. The court's decision is very dangerous from the point of view of potential threats to the ecology, but it is also dangerous for Poland's energy security and for the employment of some 5,000 people working at Turow, Morawiecki told reporters in Poland. He noted that both the Czech Republic and Germany are operating lignite mines and power plants close to Poland's borders. Czech Environment Minister Richard Brabec said senior Czech and Polish government representatives and other officials were already meeting to discuss the Turow situation. At the moment, we are introducing our ideas and proposals about what we would like the Polish side to do or what it should offer to us, he said. Were ready to negotiate. Weve said so for several years. Weve never received any clear written guarantees about how Poland would compensate the negative impact (the mine) has on the Czech citizens, Brabec said. In an effort to follow the EU's ambitious carbon dioxide reduction goals, Poland is gradually phasing out its main fuel, black coal, but still relies on lignite. Critics says the departure from coal and ushering clean energy is much too slow, amid traditional attention given to coal-mining. A recent energy plan says the last coal mine will be shut by 2049, but critics say it will happen sooner, because Poland's coal production is inefficient and generates enormous costs that are covered from the state budget. The EU wants at least 32% participation of renewable sources in the 27-nation bloc's electricity generation by 2030, but Poland's plan aims at some 23% participation of green energy, and still up to 56% participation of coal in its energy mix. Government authorities say they have been in talks with Prague a close political and economic partner over the Turow mine for years and believed an understanding had been reached. Critics and the opposition say it hasn't done enough, but all in Poland agree that closing the mine and the power plant is not possible. An unexpected automated outage last week at another PGE lignite power plant, in Belchatow, was felt across the European energy grid and made operators scramble to make up for the lost power. On Saturday, Belchatow plant's largest power unit was shut after coal being conveyed to the unit went on fire. A smaller, reserve unit was put to work in its place. The head of Poland's PSE power grid, Eryk Klossowski, told a meeting of the parliamentary energy security group Monday that it wouldn't be acceptable for the grid to lose Turow's input. He said the plant is connected to a power transmission station that is key for the southwestern region and for interconnection with east Germany. PGE deputy head, Pawel Sliwa, told an emergency meeting of a parliamentary commission that closing the mine would also entail closing the power plant that it supplies. He estimated the costs at around 13.5 billion zlotys ($3.6 billion or 3 billion euros), the layoff of thousands of employees and lost investment into filters and other pro-environment modernization. Coal makes up 65% of Polands energy sources, including 17% from lignite, while about 25% of the countrys energy comes from renewable sources and biofuels. Another 10% come from gas and other sources. Polands continuing heavy reliance on coal is a source of tension in the EU, which is seeking to meet ambitious goals to reduce the blocs greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming. Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions drew a massive police presence Monday in at least two cities in the sultanate, with protesters throwing stones at one point and police firing tear gas. Map locates protests. Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions have drawn a massive police presence in at least one city in the sultanate. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Scattered protests in Oman over layoffs and poor economic conditions drew a massive police presence Monday in at least two cities in the sultanate, with protesters throwing stones at one point and police firing tear gas. Videos posted to social media show several dozen Omanis in the city of Sohar trailed by a long line of riot police vehicles. Other images appear to show a line of dozens of officers in riot gear near a government labor office in the city, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Muscat. Other images appear to show Omanis fleeing smoking tear gas canisters and others being arrested by nightstick-wielding riot police. The images correspond to known landmarks around Sohar, the first major city people enter in the sultanate after crossing the border from neighboring United Arab Emirates. Other videos showed demonstrators in Salalah, a city some 850 kilometers (525 miles) southwest of Muscat. Similar scattered protests in Sohar on Sunday also brought a mass police presence, activists said online. That demonstration was acknowledged by Oman's Labor Ministry in a tweet, which said it was aware of people gathering there to try to find new job vacancies and to solve the problems of those who were fired. It was not immediately clear if there had been a major layoff in Sohar, which is home to a key port, as well as plants producing aluminum and steel. In 2011 during the Arab Spring, protesters in Sohar demanding higher pay, jobs for the unemployed and the sacking of government ministers set fire to a supermarket. Oil and gas remains a major industry in Oman. Its tourism sector has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and repeated lockdowns in the sultanate. Oman's state TV on Monday afternoon acknowledged that jobless people had been coming to Labor Ministry offices to expedite the treatment of their conditions." It also showed an image from one of the peaceful protests. The Royal Oman Police did not acknowledge making any arrests. Oman's Information Ministry and the Omani Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. The demonstrations mark the first major unrest for Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who took over in January 2020 after the death of the long-ruling Sultan Qaboos bin Said. State media on Monday referred to employment as among the most important priorities of Sultan Haitham. Oman faces billions in looming loan repayments, including from China, and needs even more money as its youthful population wants jobs and its government cannot afford the cradle-to-grave benefits given in other Gulf Arab nations. Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. VIENNA (AP) Iran and the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agreed Monday to a one-month extension to a deal on surveillance cameras at Tehran's atomic sites, buying more time for ongoing negotiations seeking to save the country's tattered nuclear deal with world powers. FILE - In this April 27, 2021 file photo, Director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi in front of a shelter construction which covers the exploded reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, in Chernobyl,Ukraine. Speaking at a news conference in Vienna Monday, May 24, 2021, Grossi said that Iran has agreed to a one-month extension to the deal on surveillance cameras at nuclear sites. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) VIENNA (AP) Iran and the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agreed Monday to a one-month extension to a deal on surveillance cameras at Tehran's atomic sites, buying more time for ongoing negotiations seeking to save the country's tattered nuclear deal with world powers. The last-minute discussions, including the International Atomic Energy Agency pushing back a statement planned for Sunday, further underscored the narrowing window for the U.S. and others to reach terms with Iran as it presses a tough stance with the international community over its atomic program. The Islamic Republic is already enriching and stockpiling uranium at levels far beyond those allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal. Speaking at a news conference Monday in Vienna, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi told journalists that came after a discussion with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's civilian nuclear program. He acknowledged that challenges remain, however, as the agency still can't access images taken by its cameras. The IAEA Headquarters is seen after Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi from Argentina, addressed the media regarding the agency's monitoring of Irans's nuclear energy program at the International Center in Vienna, Austria, Monday, May 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter) Id want to stress this is not ideal, Grossi said. "This is like an emergency device that we came up with in order for us to continue having these monitoring activities. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's representative to the IAEA, acknowledged the deal at the same time on Twitter. He said Tehran's civilian nuclear agency, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, would keep the material already recorded by the IAEA cameras. We recommend the negotiating countries to seize the extra opportunity provided by Iran in good faith for the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner, Gharibabadi wrote. Under a confidential agreement called an Additional Protocol with Iran, the IAEA collects and analyzes images from a series of surveillance cameras installed at Iranian nuclear sites. Those cameras helped it monitor Tehrans program to see if it is complying with the nuclear deal. Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi from Argentina, arrives before he addresses the media regarding the agency's monitoring of Irans's nuclear energy program at the International Center in Vienna, Austria, Monday, May 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter) Irans hard-line parliament in December approved a bill that would suspend part of U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories did not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions by February. The IAEA then struck a three-month deal with Iran in February to have it hold the surveillance images, with Tehran threatening to delete them afterward if no deal had been reached. Iran since has broken all the deal's limits after then-President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's civilian program, said Monday that Tehran had stockpiled 5 tons of uranium enriched up to 5% purity, 90 kilograms (198 pounds) enriched up to 20% and 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) up to 60%. That's still below weapons-grade levels of 90% purity. Iran long has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The West fears it could be used to help Tehran potentially obtain an atomic bomb, though U.S. intelligence agencies say they assess that Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities ... necessary to produce a nuclear device. Negotiations continue in Vienna to see if both the U.S. and Iran can re-enter the deal, which limited Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Iran and the U.S. aren't directly negotiating, however. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador to the IAEA, called Monday's agreement commendable. It will help maintain businesslike atmosphere at the Vienna talks on #JCPOA and facilitate a successful outcome of the diplomatic efforts to restore the nuclear deal, he wrote on Twitter, using an acronym for the deal. But if a deal isn't reached in a month's time, that footage again would be in jeopardy. Asked about that, Grossi simply said: We are going to discuss that when we get to that point. He also acknowledged Irans upcoming June 18 presidential election could mean new faces at the negotiating table. So far, Grossi has been dealing with the administration of the relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani, which clinched the nuclear deal. Analysts believe hard-liners have an edge going into the vote. We deal with Iran and the Iranian people will give itself its new government in the next elections," Grossi said. "So Im not worried and Im confident that whoever comes next will, of course, continue cooperating with the IAEA. I think it's in everybody's interests. Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 10:14:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese communists have accomplished great achievements in the country's development by living up to their all-for-the-people commitment, Jacques Cheminade, chairman of the French political party Solidarity and Progress, recently told Xinhua via video link. For the Communist Party of China (CPC), loving people is not only a political commitment, but also the source of strength, said Cheminade. In his view, a political party must know well about and be linked to the history of its own country, which is exactly what the CPC has been doing. "In China, there is a vision of the future nourished by the past, by the Chinese history," said the party leader, referring to the Belt and Road Initiative as a case in point. In 2019, Cheminade visited China for the first time and participated in the Euro-Asia Economic Forum in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. During the trip, he noticed that people's living standards in this country had been growing incredibly fast and that local people were more optimistic about their future compared with people in the West. Talking about relations between France and China, Cheminade expressed his hope that the two countries could forge a more rational and active link in safeguarding multilateralism. "It is by building multilateralism through different ways that we will achieve the same commitment to the development of all," he said. In March, Cheminade co-signed a declaration with experts from different countries, calling on the West to face up to China's development achievements and to strengthen cooperation with the Asian country. Denouncing the anti-China propaganda organized by some Western countries, Cheminade stressed that China has never imposed its own political system on other countries. In dealing with adverse situations created by the West, China has also been showing patience and good political will, he added, expressing appreciation for "the sense of common welfare" of the CPC and the Chinese people. Enditem Canada Post is urging Winnipeggers to keep their dogs secured after a spate of bites, attacks and even maulings, with the Crown corporation saying its trying to avoid family pets being euthanized for injuring staff. Canada Post is urging Winnipeggers to keep their dogs secured after a spate of bites, attacks and even maulings, with the Crown corporation saying its trying to avoid family pets being euthanized for injuring staff. "The dogs are far more aggressive this year than last year," said Kathy Dupuis, a local operations manager. She said injuries related to dogs have always been a risk for couriers, but recent attacks rival anything shes seen in her two decades at Canada Post. "In just the past two-and-a-half months, Winnipeg has seen over a dozen dog attacks. Half of them required medical attention, and some have been pretty severe," said Dupuis. The Crown corporation has flagged the same issue in different cities, which it chalks up to dogs spending more time with their owners during COVID-19, and perhaps instinctively becoming more protective, as a result. "We really hope the public can help us, so we can deliver the mail safely. We need them to keep their pets restrained," said Dupuis. In Winnipeg, the issue is primarily in older residential neighbourhoods, where people are letting their dogs wander unchained. But its also occurring in newer suburbs. Canada Post claims roughly 36 per cent of homes the agency serves have dogs, and letter carriers are trained to look for signs of such animals. Postal teams also share notes on riskier homes. But those strategies are no longer enough to keep safe. "What were seeing more now is unrestrained dogs, or dogs being more aggressive, or theyll actually pull loose from the leash," Dupuis said. Dupuis says when her colleagues get attacked, they can be taken off the job for months, adding more strain to an already busy year for the postal system. Those couriers have long-lasting psychological damage, which gets triggered when they knock on doors to drop off a parcel. Delivery agents are no longer collecting signatures, but if a homeowner opens the door and doesnt hold the dog back, it can bark and jump onto the courier, she said. In previous severe attacks, not involving postal couriers, Winnipegs Animal Services Agency has euthanized canines. "Its so terrible for an employee to get bit, but its also so sad if a family pet has to be taken away by animal services, and destroyed. We all just feel terrible about that," Dupuis said. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Rain, thunder and a set of strict pandemic restrictions banning outdoor gatherings made for a quiet May long weekend in Manitoba. Rain, thunder and a set of strict pandemic restrictions banning outdoor gatherings made for a quiet May long weekend in Manitoba. But despite the dreary circumstances, Birds Hill Park was still busy with campers and weekend warriors eager to enjoy some time away from home. Cheryl Hoium, her daughter Chanel and their dog Alli, sat snugly around a firepit in the cool damp Sunday morning, curled into lawn chairs near the awning of their new camper. Cheryl said her husband had always dreamed of owning a camper and restarting a childhood camping tradition. So the family purchased one for the first time this year and committed to getting away come hell or high water. "We own Aarons No Frills in Selkirk and this is his first day off since a year ago Good Friday," said Hoium. "It was much deserved therapy to get away, doesnt matter what the weathers like." Allen Cummer and his sons Dawson, centre, and Bentley took advantage of cancellations in order to get their camping spot at Birds Hill Park. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) Sitting more than the requisite six-feet away, the Hoiums neighbour, Cathy Cox, kicked back in her own lawn chair, chatting up the family next door. The two families who live in the same neighbourhood back in Selkirk had always planned to camp together. But when restrictions limited campsites to one household each, they had to get creative. "This actually works out very well, the sites are nice and big so we can sit here and entertain each other," said Cox. "Weve still been distancing but we can still talk so it works out for us," Chanel Hoium added. "I understand the restrictions, Im glad theyre in place, and I hope people are following them Ive still had a good time out here even with everything in place." In an effort to curb the high tides of Manitobas third COVID-19 wave and prevent social gatherings over the long weekend, new restrictions went into place Saturday banning outdoor gatherings outside household groups. In a Thursday press conference, the provinces top doctor, Brent Roussin, said that rule applied to campgrounds, too, with just one household unit allowed per site. Though the rules kiboshed some families long weekend plans, the freshly budded trees, damp earth and quiet campsites made for a peaceful weekend for those who could get away. "We tried to make the most of it. It poured the first night, lightning and thunder for a couple hours," said Kaitlan Knowles, who took a truck, two tents and two hammocks out to the wooded park for the first few nights of a week-long family staycation. Madeline, left, and Ginny Knowles swing in hammocks as their mom, Kaitlan Knowles, and her partner Steve Pratte pack up before departing Birds Hill Sunday. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) "Its just nice to get out of the house and enjoy the scenery." Kaitlan, her daughters Ginny and Madeline, and partner Steve Pratte plan to tackle a number of camping spots throughout the province this week. Originally they had all planned to stay another night in Birds Hill, but the rainy weather prompted them to head off early to the next stop at William Lake. "Its a little different without friends. We originally had a bunch of friends who were planning to camp with us this weekend so thats a bit of a downer for everybody," said Knowles. Pratte said camping under restrictions was a bit easier than usual the parks registration system allowed the family to sign up and reserve a site online before leaving, meaning no campsite lineups on the Friday night. Though the sites were booked up when registration opened weeks ago, just a handful of eager campers actually withstood the wind and rain to make their reservations. Those last-minute cancellations left room for Allen Cummer and his two sons Dawson and Bentley to snag a spot in the campground for a weekend getaway. Around noon Sunday, the family had just made it back to their camper after a three-hour bike around the nearby Bur Oak Trail. Josh Etcheverry prepares the campfire while his mother, Emily Etcheverry, along with their dog Buster, relax Sunday. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) "The rain doesnt stop us were from the country," the elder Cummer laughed as Bentley, the youngest, added wood to a small fire. Two abandoned tents, rain battered but still pitched, marked a campsite left behind in the storm next to the Cummers trailer. Cummer said the family gave up in the night and headed home, leaving a couple coolers, tents and grilling tools behind. But for the Cummer family, who will stay out one more night before heading back to their home in Carman and plan to camp again next weekend the rain couldnt stop them from enjoying each others company and the fresh outdoor air. "Were enjoying it. Its all we can do. You cant be cooped up inside and theres only so much you can do with the restrictions." julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government is floating the idea of offering prizes, free meals or payments of up to $100 to encourage people to get a COVID-19 vaccine. WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government is floating the idea of offering prizes, free meals or payments of up to $100 to encourage people to get a COVID-19 vaccine. An online survey issued by the government Monday asks respondents for their views on a variety of pandemic issues. One question asks people whether they would be concerned if incentives were offered to people who have been hesitant to get vaccinated. The possible incentives also include free admission to sporting events or museums. Premier Brian Pallister said last week he will soon outline new ways to encourage people to get vaccinated. The survey on COVID-19 vaccines also asks whether the respondent has received a vaccine, where they were vaccinated and their level of satisfaction with the experience. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2021. Writer Brenda Suderman and photographer Mike Deal continue to share stories and photos from inside the vaults and hidden corners of the citys community-run museums. Recently they visited Seven Oaks House Museum at 50 Mac St., located midway between Main and Scotia Streets in West Kildonan. Considered the oldest house in Winnipeg, the property was completed in 1853 for John and Mary Inkster and their children. The nine-room Georgian style house, known for its large porches, cedar-shingled roof and symmetrical appearance, housed family members until the death of daughter Mary in 1912, who willed the large property to the City of Winnipeg. The museum operates on donations and a grant from the City of Winnipeg, which also maintains the surrounding green space. Writer Brenda Suderman and photographer Mike Deal continue to share stories and photos from inside the vaults and hidden corners of the citys community-run museums. Recently they visited Seven Oaks House Museum at 50 Mac St., located midway between Main and Scotia Streets in West Kildonan. Considered the oldest house in Winnipeg, the property was completed in 1853 for John and Mary Inkster and their children. The nine-room Georgian style house, known for its large porches, cedar-shingled roof and symmetrical appearance, housed family members until the death of daughter Mary in 1912, who willed the large property to the City of Winnipeg. The museum operates on donations and a grant from the City of Winnipeg, which also maintains the surrounding green space. Hidden in plain sight for decades, a chance discovery inside a book at the citys oldest house provides some tiny and illustrative details about 19th-century life at Seven Oaks House. Last summer, a seasonal employee at the community-run museum was examining a theological book stored on the museums bookcase when she found tiny flowers pressed between the pages, probably by Harriet Inkster McMurray, daughter of the family who built the house 160 years ago. "As we were leafing through the book, we found little pieces of embroidery thread and dried flowers that were squished between the pages of the book," explained Eric Napier Strong, curator and manager of Seven Oaks House Museum. Eric Napier Strong, curator and manager of Seven Oaks House Museum, says the history of Winnipeg and Manitoba is all right here in this place. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) One of nine children of John and Mary Sinclair Inkster, Harriet attended a private girls school for daughters of the Selkirk settlers, where she was instructed in subjects such as music, drawing, and needlework. (The northern Alberta community of Fort McMurray was named after her husband William, a factor with the Hudsons Bay Company.) Because of their delicate nature, those tiny fragments of what is likely her homework wont ever be on display in the stately two-storey Georgian-style house, said Strong, but they do provide context for some other artifacts. Usually open from the May long weekend to Labour Day, the museum is currently closed due to provincial health orders. Seven Oaks House Museum is located at 50 Mac St. in West Kildonan. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) During their first pandemic summer, Strong and two seasonal staff prepared window displays on the main floor windows so visitors could see artifacts from the exterior, and also offered walking tours of the three-acre property, now run as a park by the City of Winnipeg. "As soon as it is possible to open, we will have people inside," said Strong about plans for 2021. Home to about 3,000 artifacts, some belonging to the Inkster family and others collected to represent the time period of the house, the museum is more than a collection of items. Each room is furnished to a different period, starting with the familys original 1820s era log cabin at the north end, repurposed to serve as the kitchen for the big house. A book of Harriet Inksters with a date of June 4, 1867, written on the inside cover. Pieces of embroidery thread and flowers were pressed between its pages. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "People often forget that the house itself is the biggest artifact and its the most important one and the hardest to take care of," Strong said, referring to the historically accurate paint and plaster finishes required to maintain the integrity of the provincial heritage site. Once inside, visitors can admire the 19th-century parlour, furnished with an imported piano, several chairs or lounges and a unique if uncomfortable looking buffalo horn chair sporting nine pairs of horns in graduated sizes. Walls are decorated with a variety of artwork, some likely made by the Inkster family or close relatives. Two framed wreaths of dried maple leaves and flowers, as well as black silk embroidered pillows lining the couch, date back to the same era as the tiny petals pressed inside Harriets book, said Strong. A bison horn chair believed to have been made around 1895-1905 on Piapot First Nation, Saskatchewan, was donated by a local resident to Seven Oaks House Museum. Embroidery patterns taught to Harriet and other 19th-century girls in the Red River Colony probably later translated into beadwork designs, said Strong of the connection between settler and Indigenous handwork. "They took these new designs and thats what created beadwork (designs)," he said. Those little details on the inside of the stately river-facing nine-room home, constructed from square-hewn logs, and featuring porches on three sides, speak to a more nuanced story of its earliest residents, said Strong. A flower and plant arrangement believed to have been made by Harriet Inkster. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "This house used to be presented as a white persons house and Metis and Indigenous history was not talked about," he said, referring to the family history of matriarch Mary Sinclair Inkster. She was born in Oxford House in 1804 to Hudson Bay Company trader William Sinclair and Nahoway (baptized Margaret Sinclair), a woman of Metis and Swampy Cree ancestry. Mary married John Inkster in 1826, two years after moving to the Red River Settlement, and the couple built a log cabin on the west side of the Red River. John Inkster, nicknamed Orkney Johnny, received a large land grant of 291 acres from HBC in 1835. The family moved into Seven Oaks House in 1853, splitting their previous log cabin into a kitchen for their new house and a general store/post office building, now located just south of the house. Cushions with beadwork that belonged to Harriet Inkster. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) Strong speculates Mary Inkster likely taught her daughters some traditional quillwork and beadwork and also encouraged their artistic pursuits. "At home, the women carry on the family tradition," he said, referring to floral patterns embroidered or beaded on everyday objects, including a watch pocket embroidered in silk on caribou hides. Son Colin Inkster literally carried that tradition as well, in the form of an embroidered caribou hide tobacco pouch trimmed with silk velvet and marked with his initials. Floral quillwork on that might have been used as a letter case. The vibrant colours are sensitive to light. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "You get the idea he wasnt ashamed of his heritage," said Strong of the longtime sheriff and founding member of the Manitoba Historical Society. "He carried an embroidered tobacco pouch every day of his life." Patriarch John Inkster left his mark on the house, employing his masonry skills learned in his native Orkney Islands to lay the stone foundation for the big house and building furnishings for it. The museum features four of his pieces: an armchair, day bed, an oak-framed upholstered sofa originally stuffed with horsehair and now in the process of being restored, and a tall breakfront for the dining room. Measuring 162 centimetres tall, Inkster built the piece from locally milled aspen and spruce and stained it to look like rosewood. A fire screen made with bead and wool embroidery from the late 19th century on display. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "That is the interesting part of this house," explained Strong. "We have the beadwork, we have the art the women in the family made, and we have the woodwork," Todays visitors may not be surprised to see a couch inside such a large and luxurious house, but that piece of furniture speaks to the familys wealth and status during the early days of European settlement in what is now Manitoba, said Strong. A leather tobacco pouch that belonged to Colin Inkster. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "The idea of having leisure time with your family is not common," Strong said of what is considered to be the oldest couch in Manitoba. "So it would only have been wealthy families who had something like that." Despite those pieces, Strong intends Seven Oaks House Museum to stand as more than a monument to a wealthy Scottish-born businessman, who originally signed on as a labourer for Hudsons Bay Company and went on to run a freight business, flour mill and general store. He would like the home to tell the story of Mary Sinclair Inkster and her children and the early days of what would become the City of Winnipeg. A beadworked tobacco pouch. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "For me, its really important to celebrate the whole story," he said of telling both the Indigenous and settler aspects to the family history. "Its not one or the other but making up for lost time and celebrating both." A recent archeological dig uncovered more of the Indigenous history, revealing decorated pre-contact Indigenous artifacts and discarded bison bones near a large tree in the front yard. That discovery adds another chapter to the story of Seven Oaks House, named for a nearby creek and a stand of long-gone oak trees, and near the site of an 1816 battle between two rival fur trading companies. Now located within a public green space for Winnipeg residents, the house is more than a museum piece, but a living part of the citys streetscape, said Strong. "In a lot of ways, that is the history of Manitoba, that is the history of the city and its all right here in this place." brenda@suderman.com Manitoba Public Insurance is bullying body shops by refusing to negotiate with the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association or the Automotive Trades Association, according to Loewen Body Shop general manager Jesse Loewen. Manitoba Public Insurance is bullying body shops by refusing to negotiate with the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association or the Automotive Trades Association, according to Loewen Body Shop general manager Jesse Loewen. MPI announced in mid-March, they would stop negotiating with the two groups after being unable to come to terms on a new compensation agreement. "MPI has determined that negotiations cannot proceed and, under the terms in the existing agreement, had provided a written 90-day notice terminating the current industry agreement with the automotive trades, including existing repair rates, effective June 13, 2021," they said in a press release. Referring to the compensation increases demanded by the associations, MPI said ratepayers would face "significant insurance rate increases". Thats simply untrue, according to Loewen. He said body shops in Manitoba are already paid the second lowest country wide, have not received an increase since 2017, even though MPI has increased their own salaries 13.4 percent in that time. The industry has asked for $65 per claim, which Loewen said would cover the cost of doing MPI estimates and the cost of training tools and equipment, required for the more advanced vehicles they encounter today. MPI stated they were committed to working directly with repair facilities under a new agreement rather than working with the associations, but Loewen said those are bully tactics. "Since 1937, over 84 years, we have been serving the citizens of Steinbach and the surrounding communities," Loewen said in a press release issued by both associations. "Now to have a government-owned monopoly walk away from negotiations, using bully tactics on our membership, and introduce a contract that could result in more closures of shops, loss of service and choice is disheartening and shameful and not the way to treat a business partner." In an interview with The Carillon Loewen said MPI claims are a large part of their business, approaching 95 percent of what they do. "Everybodys shop is different, but the vast majority of collision repair in the province is MPI work," he said. Loewen said theyre asking for MPI to resume negotiations and have been calling on the province to help. "People arent getting back to us," he said. Theyve asked for the appointment of an independent conciliator and a meeting with the MPI Board of Directors. Craig Dunn, the lead negotiator for the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association, said they dont expect to negotiate with the board, but only want to share their side of the story. "We are not asking for the board to negotiate," he said. "We want them to hear our story as we believe the MPI executive has not given them all the facts." Loewen doesnt feel this is too much to ask. "Really all were looking for is for them to start negotiating with us," he said. While the city had previously banned chokeholds, no statewide legislation followed Garners death. It wasnt until the Floyd killing that the New York Legislature passed a bill to effectively ban police use of chokeholds and make it a felony. The lawmaker who pushed the ban said a similar bill introduced in 2014, shortly after Garner died, failed to gain traction. When I came to the Senate, I came looking for this bill, state Sen. Brian Benjamin said of the legislation he introduced in 2019. But it wasnt until George Floyds murder occurred that the nationwide, global energy around Weve got to do something, really changed the dynamics in New York. When asked to speculate why the Legislature didnt act after the Garner death, Benjamin said there was room for detractors to give the officer the benefit of the doubt. He said what happened in Minneapolis was different. With the Floyd video, theres absolutely no wiggle room of any kind around the evilness of what was happening there, he said. The legislation related to chokeholds and neck restraints is part of a broader effort in many states to address police procedures, training and discipline since Floyd's death. The coin, a silver shilling with a portrait of King Charles I, was created by the royal mint in the Tower of London back in England at around the time the fort was settled in 1634, according to Travis Parno, the director of research and collections at the Historic St. Mary's City museum. Buffalo (the word Indigenous people traditionally use for bison) are returning home to their Native lands. We sit down with Wizipan Little Elk, CEO of the Rosebud Economic Development Corporation, who is leading the charge in establishing the largest Native-managed bison herd in the U.S. The regenerative Wolakota Buffalo Range is located on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, where the Lakota tribe is in the midst of a five-year project to restore the animal back to their once heavily populated home. We have a long and proud history of being buffalo people, and we find ourselves today facing some very big social economic challenges, but by leaning into our traditions, were going to forage a new path forward that will create opportunity and prosperity not only for our people, but for the entire region, Little Elk says. With a spiritual and cultural connection to the animal, Little Elk is hoping to merge tradition with modern times as they renew their relationship with the Tatanke Oyate (Buffalo Nation). Jimmy Doyle, range manager, says, I think one of the really neat things about this project is that its so multifaceted, it really hits on a lot of different target areas for us, doing that in a matter that is restoring land health, improving the ecosystem and biodiversity, and also making sure the human aspect of that is also being addressed, especially from the cultural standpoint of the relationship between the buffalo and the tribe. Weve been through a lot this last year, she said. I think we are in a really good spot. Automotion also had many free activities such as flower planting, balloon artists, entertainer TJ Howell and Gregs Speed Shop for the SWAP meet. The Kilbourn Fire Department was also there to show its fire trucks. For some car enthusiasts, it was their first time in the Mt. Olympus parking lot since the event was last held at Noahs Ark in 2019. This year was the second year Mt. Olympus hosted Automotion. One of the Dells areas biggest events came over one week after the Center for Disease Control announced those who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can participate in most activities without a mask. Dobbs said she hadnt heard of any complaints or concerns about COVID-19 at the first day of the event. The event still had some precautions in place, like hand sanitizing stations and sinks set up around the parking lot for people to utilize. To some attendees, like Karen Jungmann, a West Bend resident and member of the Kirchhayn Cruisers Car Club, the latest guidance was a comfort to get out of the house. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} We still kind of social distance but you feel a little freer, Jungmann said. The fine legal line between legitimate protest and criminality A protest which results in a shutdown and interference with the rights of others may delegitimise the cause and allow the government to escape accountability. The government is in the second phase of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out and citizens above the age of 60 have started receiving their jabs. In Mangaung in the Free State, seniors could not be vaccinated because of a shutdown over service delivery which resulted in the blockage of 15 roads. The disgruntled community members want the Mangaung council to be disbanded and the city manager to step down. In 2019 the Mangaung local municipality was placed under administration, a clear indication of its failure to ensure service delivery. The community has tried to engage the municipality on issues of service delivery, but to no avail hence the shutdown. A shutdown involves the blocking of roads with bricks, rocks, debris and burning tyres, regrettably negatively affecting those who are not part of the protest. Arguably, a shutdown disturbs public peace. During shutdowns, children are often hindered from going to school and workers are unable to go to work, affecting fundamental human rights. Equally, lack of service delivery constitutionally infringes on rights guaranteed under the Constitution. I do not suggest that shutdowns are by definition unlawful protest actions, because an unlawful protest is one that has been prohibited in terms of the provisions of section 5 of the Regulation of Gatherings Act. Rather, the question is whether shutdowns are afforded the protection under section 17 of the Constitution which guarantees and protects the right to protest in a manner that is peaceful and unarmed. This is a vital question, because when participants of a shutdown are arrested, they are often charged with the criminal offence of public violence, resulting from road blockages. We have seen this, for example, in the case of Ndela & Others v The State where 29 women were charged with public violence after they requested and caused a truck driver to block a road with his truck during a service delivery protest. The high court in Ndela & Others v The State found that any use of non-violent force or any protest action that invades the rights of others is capable, in principle, of constituting public violence. The Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the high court. The Socio-Economic Rights Institute (Seri) appealed to the Constitutional Court, but unfortunately the apex court dismissed Seris appeal application, thus confirming that a non-violent protest which affects the rights of others may lead to charges of public violence. Put differently, a non-violent road blockage during a protest is sufficient for a charge of public violence to be sustained. In the case of Fourways Mall (Pty) Ltd v South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union, the court found that the provisions of section 17 of the Constitution do not protect protest actions in which protesters intimidate the general public and interfere with the rights of other tenants of a shopping mall. A shutdown as a form of protest inevitably interferes with the rights of people. Unfortunately, a mere blockage of roads by protesters may result in the protest losing the protection of the Constitution through a charge of, and conviction for, public violence. Although a shutdown may be effective in getting the attention of those who are in power, a charge of public violence may easily be laid against protesters. Often, a shutdown is a matter of last resort by desperate and disgruntled protesters, especially in relation to service delivery protests. A protest which results in a shutdown and the interference with the rights of other people may, unfortunately, delegitimise the cause and allow the government to escape accountability for failure to provide basic services. This is because the government responds by arresting the protesters in the name of protecting the rights of other people, especially those who are not part of the protest. Instead of receiving basic services, protesters receive criminal records for public violence. Although criminal conduct must be punished, it is concerning that fighting for a fundamental human right can attract criminal sanctions. It must be noted that the legitimacy of the cause of the protest is not a justification for the offence of public violence, even though such an offence may result from a mere road blockage as a method of seeking accountability. Once other peoples rights are interfered with, the legitimacy of the cause of the protest plays an insignificant role in the criminal justice system, especially in terms of arrest and conviction. Municipalities are at the forefront of ensuring access to basic services. A number of municipalities are unable to fulfil their obligations, hence the large number of service delivery protests with those responsible seldom being held accountable. In the North West High Court recently, a judge ordered that the residents association, Kgetlengrivier Concerned Citizens, be allowed to take control of the areas sewage works, to be paid for by the local and provincial governments. The order followed the failure of the municipality to ensure service delivery. This shows that litigation is one of the ways of holding dysfunctional municipalities to account. The court even went as far as making an order for the imprisonment of the municipal manager. Due to the socioeconomic structures and levels of inequality in South Africa, not everyone can afford to pay for litigation to take municipalities to court, and public interest organisations face issues with capacity and funding. People must go back to the drawing board and strategise ways of holding their leaders accountable, as the last resort of protest through shutdowns may interfere with the rights of others and expose protesters to criminal sanctions. During shutdowns, people may also sustain serious bodily injuries and sometimes death at the hands of police officers and private security personnel during crowd management. Organisers of protests and participants must be cautious not to interfere with the rights of others during protests as that may lead to criminal charges which will most likely delegitimise the protest. Stanley Malematja is the attorney at the Right2Protest Project, based at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits University. This article was first published in Daily Maverick. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 11:15:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A sketch portrait of deceased scientist Yuan Longping is seen at Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge) CHANGSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday morning held a memorial service to bid farewell to Yuan Longping, known as the "father of hybrid rice," who passed away on Saturday. Despite being a busy work day, thousands of people dressed in black showed up and laid flowers at the site in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. The top rice scientist, who developed the first hybrid rice strain that relieved countless people of hunger, died of organ failure at 91 in Changsha. A driver was charged with driving while intoxicated following a Thruway crash that sent six people to the hospital Sunday evening. The crash happened around 5:40 p.m. near the Canastota exit. New York State Police say one person was transported to Upstate University Hospital with a head injury via helicopter, and five others were transported to either Upstate or Oneida Health Hospital for treatment. The name of the driver charged in the crash has not yet been released, but state police say the person was driving a red Honda Accord. The other vehicle involved in the crash was a gray minivan. According to the Canastota Fire Department, the van was on its passenger side in the median when first responders arrived. Three people were able to get out, but three were still stuck inside. The windshield, some of the seats and part of the roof had to be removed so firefighters could get the others out. The eastbound lane was closed for a period of time so the Mercy Flight could land in the roadway. Police have not yet released the conditions of any of the injured people, but NEWSChannel 2 has reached out for more information. PERU, Ind. (WLFI) A Brookston man was arrested Sunday for three counts of murder. According to Indiana State Police, 25-year-old Mitchell Page was being held in the Miami County Jail. ISP said on Friday, officers from the Miami County Sheriffs Office responded to a call for a welfare check at Woodland Hills Trailer Court in Peru. Officers discovered the bodies of 26-year-old Jessica Sizemore, 37-year-old Jessiah Hall, and four-year-old RaeLynn Sizemore, all three residents of the home. According to police, initial evidence indicates they were shot to death around May 16. An uninjured two-year-old boy was also found at the home. and was taken to Dukes Memorial Hospital and released. During the investigation, officers developed probable cause to arrest Page for three counts of murder. He was taken into custody at a relatives home in Lafayette. This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police by calling 765-473-6666 or the Miami County Sheriffs Office at 765-472-1322 New Jersey State Police are investigating reports of a shooting with multiple victims at a home in Cumberland County. Former ambassador Kelly Craft declines to say whether she's considering a run for Kentucky governor Less than 50-percent of Davidson county is vaccinated, so right now, more efforts are underway to get that number up. This Sunday you and your family can get vaccinated at the Nashville Zoo. News4s Alexandria Adams shares the details on what you can expect. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 12:08:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States should not decry China for lending to countries involved in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and should instead extend infrastructure lending to poor countries, according to The Diplomat magazine. "Rather than decrying China for lending to BRI countries, the United States should engage in infrastructure lending to poor countries, and/or make it easier for multilateral banks to lend for such projects, reducing bureaucratic requirements," said an article published Saturday. The BRI has repeatedly been labeled by someone as "a debt trap and a power grab," but this has been debunked by careful research, the article said. There is "no evidence that Chinese banks over-lend or invest in loss-making projects to obtain a foothold in those countries," Deborah Brautigam, director of the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, was quoted as saying by the article. "There is further evidence that China is not engaging in debt trap diplomacy," said the article. Other countries, not just impoverished countries, have chosen to join the BRI, it said. "The BRI has reached not only Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, but also East Asia and Europe." Meanwhile, the China-proposed BRI is not a threat to the United States, the article pointed out. Enditem Keeping people out of prisons and increasing public safety, that's what Governor Lee says he wants to do with two criminal justice reform bills. The Governor signed two new criminal justice reform bills this afternoon. News 4s Tosin Fakile was at the signing and has more details on the bill Last Thursday evening saw the first joint TV debate by the three candidates for chancellor from the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens in Septembers general election. Held at broadcaster ARDs Berlin studio, the remarks of the trioArmin Laschet (CDU), Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Annalena Baerbock (Greens)on foreign and European policy underscores why workers and young people must support and build the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP) in the election campaign. The candidates of the ruling class all stand for militarism and war. At the beginning of the discussion, in response to a question from the moderator, Laschet, Scholz and Baerbock, unanimously stated that for them, the US was the most important foreign policy partner. At the same time, however, they raised concerns that the America First course remained in place under the new President Joe Biden. This posed great security challenges for Germany and Europe. Germany's Green party co-leader Annalena Baerbock gives a speech during a digital announcement event in Berlin, Germany, where the party presented her as top candidate for chancellor for the upcoming federal election later this year, Monday, April 19, 2021. (Annegret Hilse/Pool via AP) The three candidates sought to outdo each other with their demands for an independent and more aggressive German-European foreign and defence policy. Laschet called for defence spending to be increased as quickly as possible to the so-called 2 percent target, which the grand coalition of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats had first committed to at the NATO summit in Wales in 2014. The Alliance has pledged to invest two percent of its gross domestic product, depending on the country and its size, in joint defence and joint security. And this statement stands and there is no reason for Germany to deviate from it now, unlike all the other countries. The grand coalition had repeatedly taken decisions that have moved closer to this goal. And that must continue in the coming years. This is tantamount to a declaration of war. Amid the pandemic and under conditions where the gulf between rich and poor is constantly widening, further vast sums are to flow into the military. Since 2014, Germany has already increased its defence budget from 32 billion to over 50 billion (about 1.5 percent of GDP). With projected economic growth, the envisaged 2 percent target means increasing the military budget to over 80 billion annually. Scholz boasted that as acting finance minister, he had pushed for the massive increases of recent years, which have been accompanied by brutal social attacks. I have made sure every year that the defence budget has been better funded than before. That is why we have come so far. As chancellor, he said, he wanted to continue on this course. I believe we have to continue to make progress on this, bit by bit, in the future. ... That we are spending more money on the Bundeswehr [Armed Forces] is right, and it was right to do so over the last few years. The Greens candidate Baerbock was the most aggressive. Her rhetorical distancing from the 2 percent target comes from the right. She suggested that an abstract fixation on 2 percent was not enough to ensure the necessary rearmament. You have lofty goals, but you dont meet them, she criticised. If we care about our own security, she said, we must first analyse what do we need. ... If we have cyberattacks, maybe we need more spending on our security. The problem with the 2 percent target, she said, was that you dont define it by the security interest. The 10 billion euros that the finance minister has made available in addition in recent years had not contributed to the security of the Bundeswehr, because soldiers still rightly complain that their protective materials are not safe. And we are still procuring new helicopters that do not fly. Baerbock also criticised the grand coalition from the right regarding the development of a German-European great power policy. In the last four years, where the Americans have completely dropped out, it would actually have been the moment when the Europeans said: we are now stepping up to the world policy level. We are becoming capable of world politics. Now, this had to happen quicklywith all the consequences. Europe must be capable of global politics and on an equal footing with the Americans. The choice of words alone underlines the reactionary and megalomaniac traditions to which the German ruling class once aspired. Weltpolitikworld politicswas the rallying cry with which the German Empire set its course at the end of the 19th century for an imperialist foreign and colonial policy that led to the mass slaughter of the First World War. Now, the infamous term, long considered taboo after Germanys crimes in two world wars, is being revived to once again drum up support for an aggressive foreign and great power policy. As in the first half of the 20th century, the offensive aims to bring Europe under German leadership, and it is directed primarily against Russia. All three candidates poured out declarations of solidarity with the right-wing, anti-Russian regimes in Eastern Europefirst and foremost Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraineand attacked Moscow. Laschet spoke out in favour of the completion of the Nordstream 2 pipeline for economic reasons but indirectly threatened the nuclear power Russia with NATOs nuclear arsenal. He said he did not know whether the Eastern European states would find it reassuring if, for example, we were no longer to contribute to NATOs nuclear safeguards in Germany and the weapons were to be withdrawn. In a world where nuclear threats are still there, Laschet concluded, Germany must also make a contribution. Exactly 80 years ago, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, murdered six million Jews and killed 27 million Soviet citizens in a terrible war of extermination. But that did not stop Baerbock from threatening Russia militarily. She said that one had to talk about the question of reinsurance and look conventionally at how we guarantee the security of our European and Eastern European neighbours. They felt particularly threatened, especially by the stationing of Russian missiles in Kaliningrad. Unlike Laschet and Scholz, Baerbock rejected Nordstream 2. All three candidates agreed to introduce majority voting at the EU level in order to act more quickly and more effectively, especially in foreign and defence policy. It was necessary to move away from the unanimity principle ... otherwise, we are not a good player in the world, Scholz explained. Whoever wants to be sovereign and strong, whoever wants to ensure that we are not pushed around in the world, must be able to speak with one voice and that presupposed majority decisions among the foreign ministers. With the statement, Israel has the right to defend itself, Laschet, Baerbock and Scholz backed Israels war against Gaza, which until Fridays ceasefire had cost the lives of at least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children. In doing so, they made it unmistakably clear that they are prepared to defend the economic and geostrategic interests of German imperialism with the most brutal force. The war offensive abroad goes hand in hand with a massive stepping up of the repressive powers of the state at home. At the end of the discussion, when it briefly turned to questions of immigration policy, the candidates argued along the lines of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for a strengthening of Fortress Europe. A free Europe needs a secure external border, Baerbock stressed. And Laschet added, Today, protecting the external border is already a European task. I think it must also be strengthened at the European level. The discussion must be understood as a warning. The next federal government will continue and intensify the right-wing policies of the grand coalition at all levelsregardless of which party ends up forming a coalition with which and who becomes chancellor. The contempt that all capitalist parties have for the lives of workers is especially evident in the pandemic. The murderous profits before lives policy has cost the lives of more than 87,000 people in Germany alone. Significantly, none of the candidates said a word about this. In the election, the SGP is the only party resolutely opposing the turn by the ruling class to militarism, war and dictatorship. While the Left Party courts an alliance with the SPD and Greensparties of war and austeritythe SGP is arming the growing opposition with a socialist programme. Thousands of workers and young people marched in downtown Chicago on Friday evening to oppose the brutal US-backed Israeli onslaught against the population of Gaza. Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands protested the actions of the Israel government across the globe from London to Paris to Australia. The protest in Chicago was organized by the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine. Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to those attending. Anwari, a young Palestinian American, came to the rally with his friends in Chicago to support his friends and family who are struggling against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Its not the Jewish people that are the problem, he said. Its not about religion. Its the government. There are also Jewish people in Palestine who are going through this, living side by side with Palestinians. They didnt just split the land 50-50. The Israeli government took the land, then gave Palestinians land with no transportation, and now theyre waging wars to get more and more. Ive been to Palestine and Ive seen firsthand the way the conditions are, by design. The military comes into the towns and flash bangs them. Its like Jim Crow laws in Palestine right now. They dont get water; they dont get electricity more than once a week. Theyre not getting education. Children are being killed. The Israeli government claims its fighting back. What are they talking about? Theyre the ones going into the towns and killing people. He said that he agreed that workers and young people should unite worldwide to expose and oppose the war crimes being carried out by Israel with the aid of the imperialist powers. The media is very one-sided. It doesnt show what Israeli is really doing. They arent bombing places where they claim Hamas is; theyre bombing schools, hospitals. We just want the world to know what were going through. Kulsoom attended the rally with her friends. She said, Theres just so much to say about this. Whats happening in Palestine is inhumane. The US gives so much money to Israel, and it needs to stop. Without this money from the US, they wouldnt be able to have these wars. When asked what she thought of the US providing billions of dollars for wars around the world each year, but no money for higher wages, free education, or any real efforts to stop the global pandemic, she said, Thats a really valid point and Ive been thinking about that for a while. I never really looked into socialism or talked about it with anyone outside of my friends and family, but I think its the way that Ive been thinking about these things. A paralegal worker in Chicago came to the rally with her family to voice her opposition to the war crimes of the Israeli government and the Biden administrations full-throated support for them. I just think its so unfair that the Palestinians in Israel are being treated the way they are, and that Israel thinks it can go in and take whatever land it wants. I disagree with the US supporting Israel in committing these crimes against the Palestinian people. Its pathetic! It shows what their priorities are, she added, in response to the fact that the ruling class has endless money for war, but no money for legitimate efforts to contain the global pandemic. Im a socialist, but I dont know about the groups like the Democratic Socialists of America, she continued. Its hard to call yourself a socialist when you support a capitalist party like the Democrats. I hate the Democrats as much as I hate the Republicans. Kleiber Kleiber, a Venezuelan immigrant, said Were here to support every kid who was killed, and all the kids who dont have water. Were from Venezuela, where there are a lot of Palestinians. This is something people need to see and open their eyes. People are dying, especially kids, and kids are losing their parents. We want to show our respect for Gazans. He agreed that internationalism is the way to fight back. An Arab-American student who did not want to give their name said: The US has funded billions to Israels government to oppress the Palestinian people. They have displaced thousands unfairly. Protests are a way to shed light on this for the whole world. People are getting knowledge and we will keep protesting. Many people are now aware of how the Nazis were oppressing the Jewish people, [and now] Zionists are the ones doing the oppressing. Palestine has had many ethnicities and religions. Anybody can coexist. Everybody has the right to live together. [Protesting] in America is crucial to the freedom of Palestinians because America is Israels strongest ally. People could still continue with protests. The ceasefire [brokered] with Egypt is just a way for them to stop right now, but over 200 people have been killed [in Gaza]. The Democratic Party is no exception. They [the US and Israeli governments] rely on each other since Israel formed, and weve yet to see a [US] president who has been pro-Palestine. The US must end its funding of Israel one demonstrator remarked, The US wants to keep its stronghold in the Middle East. A group of young demonstrators told our reporter, What is happening is unjust. Palestinian land has been stolen. Israel has just taken over a Palestinian neighborhood. During one of the holiest nights, they have attacked mosques. The young men continued, We want to voice our opinion here in the West where we can. We dont want people to be scared to face the US government. When asked their thoughts on the general strike by Palestinians, they strongly supported it, saying, A strike forces you to take action. This is a political issue, so there has to be a political solution. Speaking on the rally itself and all over the world, the demonstrators said, Its great to see international support. You dont have to be Palestinian to support their struggle. This is a human issue; at the end of the day, we are all people. Noor, a logistics worker, said, Im from Bethany in Palestine. I have a lot of family back home and Im doing this to free them. Its time to see my family be able to do what they want and have real human rights. Its time. Its been enough. My familyeverybody in the worlddeserves human rights. Noor (left) and Francesca (right) On the role of US imperialisms support for Israel, she added, Its absolutely horrible. My dad came here to give us a better life. Its hurtful. If I can stop it any way I could, I will. Im going to do what I can. Noor scoffed at the Democrats and said: Us people are going to get them free. I dont think our government is going to get them free. [The Israeli government] knows what they are doing. We all need to come together to stop this. Everybody deserves to be free. There shouldnt be any [country] taking over another country. Francesca, a licensed aesthetician, said: My sign says, President Biden, the blood of Palestinian children is on your hands! Our tax money for $735 million went to Israel. We just want peace and freedom. Im not even Palestinian. Im Mexican. My husband is Palestinian. He was born over there. He came over here when he was seven years old. My in-laws live over there. They cant do anything. We want our tax money to stop going there. It shouldnt even be a side where you pick and choose. The world should come together as one. In unity. What is going on is inhumane. Its not just the $735 million ... the Iron Dome was given to them by the US. Its very sad. This is to support a war. You shouldnt supply bombs and missiles and rockets like this. We need unity [of workers] to stop war everywhere. Not just Palestinians. All across the world. Terry Cook, a long-standing member of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) delivered this speech at the webinar Ten years after the Pike River mine disaster: Political lessons in the fight for truth about the deaths of 29 miners. The webinar was hosted by the Socialist Equality Group (New Zealand) to discuss the causes of the 2010 Pike River disaster and the efforts by successive New Zealand governments, abetted by the trade unions and the entire political establishment, to protect the corporate criminals responsible. Dear friends and comrades. When I first heard the news of the Pike River mine disaster, my mind raced back over the many similar deadly mining incidents in Australia that I have been assigned by the party to cover to establish the truth and alert the international working class. Terry Cook (Credit: WSWS Media) The April 20 statement for this meeting makes the salient point that the Pike River disaster was not a random accident but the outcome of deliberate decisions to place production ahead of workers safety. This is incontestable. It is certainly true of the string of fatalities and life-threatening incidents across the Australian coal mining sector that our party has investigated to expose the cover up attempts of the official inquires initiated by various governments in the wake of such disasters. Among the many tragedies, the one especially burned into my memory is the explosion at the BHP No.2 Mine on August 7, 1994 in Moura, Central Queensland, which claimed the lives of 11 workers. To this day, the bodies of these men remain entombed underground after the company sealed the mine in the wake of a second explosion. The 1994 disaster was one of three that occurred in Moura in less than 20 years resulting, collectively, in the deaths of 36 workers. The memory of 1994 remains so vivid because as part of our partys investigation I spent time in Moura, came to know the victims families and witnessed first-hand their heart-breaking anguish over the loss of their loved ones during the interviews that I conducted with them in their homes. However, this anguish was accompanied by growing anger over the utter contempt shown towards them by the company and the Queensland state Labor government of Premier Wayne Goss. In the wake of the disaster, Goss initiated a Mine Wardens Inquiry in a bid to contain the widespread outrage that erupted across mining communities. The purpose of this inquiry was not to establish the truth, but to whitewash the company and the government of responsibility. The families anger later extended to include the Construction Forestry and Mining Union (CFMEU). Its role in creating the conditions for the disaster became increasingly clear as miners began to speak out, encouraged to a large extent by our partys investigation and intervention. In the immediate wake of the Moura disaster, the union had rushed to shield BHP from criticism, portraying it in the media as a caring company. It backed the fraudulent inquiry and, in an attempt to give it legitimacy, the unions Queensland district secretary Peter Neilson served on its board. "Death Underground", a 1996 pamphlet collecting articles, statements and interviews from Workers News about the 1994 Moura mine disaster. The inquiry was forced to acknowledge that BHP was responsible for the miners deaths, having sent them underground to continue production while knowing a highly dangerous and unstable situation existed. But it still recommended that no charges be brought against the company or any of its managers or executives. I note that George Mason, who held management positions at the Moura mine during the disasters in 1986 and 1994, was recruited by Pike River Coal in 2010. In 1994, he had instructed his undermanager at Moura not to inform workers of the dangerous build-up of gas in a sealed panel next to where they were working. It also became clear that the CFMEU was fully aware of the dangerous conditions in the mine prior to the explosion, including the presence of explosive levels of methane, because the union had been informed by its own members. Criminally, it did nothing to prevent workers entering the mine. After the recommendation for no charges was announced, management and the union representatives at the inquiry shook hands and congratulated each on the outcome while the miners families looked on in utter dismay. I wrote at the time that this recommendation was a green light to the mining companies that they could continue to kill and maim, with impunity. Tragically, this prediction has been borne out by the plethora of mining deaths and shocking injuries that have occurred across the sector ever since. This included the deaths of four miners at the Wallsend Coal Companys Gretley mine in New South Wales in 1996. They drowned after the machine they were operating cut into an adjacent disused mine shaft releasing a powerful inrush of water. Terry Cook with Leanne Dullahide, Rosemary Hogarth and Rosemary's daughter Brandy and grandchild. Dullahide and Hogarth both lost their husbands in the 1994 Moura explosion. (Source: "Death Underground") Again, despite evidence that standard precautionary measures, such as forward drilling, were not undertaken by the company, because this would have cut into production time and profit, the state Labor governments judicial inquiry into the incident made no recommendation for criminal charges against the mines owners or operators. The mining union president at the time, John Maitland, cynically hailed this outcome as another very significant day in the history of health and safety in the mining industry. Over the past months, our party has been closely following the Board of Inquiry into the explosion at Anglo-Americans underground Grosvenor Mine in Central Queensland. This occurred on May 6 last year and left five workers with horrific injuries. The inquiry was initiated by the Queensland Labor government for the same reasons as the 1994 Moura inquiryto contain public anger that had already been generated by a spate of fatalities across the states mines and to gain time to organise a cover to get the government and company off the hook. This agenda became evident as early as last August when Anglo-American managers refused to testify to the inquiry on the grounds of self-incriminationa move that was supported by the state government. The inquirys chairman, retired district judge Terry Martin, admitted that Anglos refusal would seriously compromise the inquiry and its ability to ever establish the cause of the Grosvenor Mine disaster. The mining union, anxious to prevent any genuine probing of its own complicity in undermining safety across the industry, has backed this inquiry every step of the way, declaring last year that it was an opportunity for a thorough, wide-ranging and independent examination of the shocking events. In sharp contrast, injured miner Wayne Sellars, clearly determined that those responsible be held accountable, courageously gave evidence pointing to the extremely precarious conditions in the mine in the weeks leading up to the explosion, including the high presence of methane gas. To prevent further deaths and injuries, mine workers need to take matters into their own hands. This requires the establishment of rank and file committees completely independent of the corporatist trade unions to oversee and enforce workplace safety and to organise a unified industrial and political campaign in defence of workers conditions. The central lesson to be drawn from the years of bitter experiences is that the present system based on private ownership and profit is completely incompatible with even the most basic requirements of the health and safety of working people. This raises before miners and the entire working class the urgent need for economic life to be reorganised on entirely different prioritiesto meet social needs, not corporate profits. The mines and major industries must be placed under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class so that production can be organised on the basis of safe and rational planning. This is the socialist program that is fought for by our parties in Australia, New Zealand and internationally. On Sunday, over 2,100 National Guard troops ended their deployment to Washington D.C. after being camped out around the Capitol for over four months following Trumps attempted coup on January 6. Up to 25,000 National Guard soldiers were deployed to the Capitol following the January 6 attack, which was led by fascist militias such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and III Percenters, backed by thousands of Trump supporters. The far-right mob was allowed to breach the Capitol in an attempt to overthrow the election of Democrat Joe Biden following the deliberate security stand-down facilitated by high-ranking Trump loyalists within the Department of Defense, the police and intelligence agencies. Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Testifying to the ongoing fear within sections of the ruling class of another coup attempt, a seven-foot-high non-scalable security fence was installed around the perimeter of the Capitol complex and the US Capitol was transformed into a military camp surrounded by thousands of National Guard soldiers. Further demonstrating the ongoing high risk of violence even after Bidens inauguration, in March, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who previously announced a series of internal discussions throughout the military to deal with growing problem of extremism in the ranks, also announced that he had approved a 60- day extension of the National Guard deployment through May 23. The decision to keep the soldiers around the Capitol was made due to the ongoing threats of fascistic violence and warnings of an insider attack against President Joe Biden, which led to the delay of the State of the Union address until April. Some of those warnings collected by police and intelligence agencies were made public this month with the release of hacked data from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. The police files, which included intelligence and planning documents, were obtained by the hacker group Babuk at the end of April and passed on to the journalist collective Distributed Denial of Secrets, which has begun uploading the files online. The data shows that following the January 6 siege, the D.C. Metropolitan Police continued to receive specific, detailed, violent threats against Biden and other targets in Washington, leading up to the inauguration. The most serious threats concerned the far-right libertarian militia group the Boogaloo Bois. Like the other militia groups that participated in the assault on the Capitol, the Boogaloo Bois claim a high proportion of current and former military members. Throughout the last year, Boogaloo Bois have appeared at both anti-police-violence and anti-lockdown/pro-reopening protests with semi-automatic weapons, body armor, Hawaiian shirts and sometimes pipe bombs. Within the last year, members of the fanatical nationalist gun group have been charged in the kidnapping plot against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the murders of police officers (some of whom were viewed as a danger to the far right) as well as terrorism and arson charges. One of the intelligence documents compiled by the D.C. Metro Police with the assistance of the FBI, Business Insider first reported, was for a plan called Operation Stormbreaker which involved targeting landmarks, government buildings, power plants, and other civic institutions in D.C. on January 19. According to Insider, the police memo said January 19 was dubbed National Popcorn Day by the Boogaloo movement and QAnon adherents who were spreading the plans within their social media and encrypted communication circles. Police intelligence reports showed an alleged map that Boogaloo members had created with a list of targets in D.C. that included the White House, the US Treasury, the World Bank, the US Capitol and the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. The Guardian reported on a January 13 intelligence memo which concerned a group calling itself Patriot Action for America. The memo claimed that the group had been calling for others to join them in storming state, local, and federal government courthouse and administrative buildings in the event POTUS [Trump] is removed as president prior to inauguration day. The memo also mentioned the possibility of another suspect in the pipe bomb plot outside the Republican and Democratic National Centers in D.C. The possible second suspect was observed on video scouting taking photographs in advance of the placement and took a metro to the East Falls Church stop and took a Lyft from there. A January 22 document concerns a Pennsylvania man who was arrested after transmitting interstate threats to multiple US senators of the Democratic Party, including that he was going to D.C. to kill people and wanted to be killed by the police. The Guardian noted that when the man was apprehended by police he was in possession of a rifle, two handguns, and a large quantity of ammunition. In another leaked January 17 intelligence memo, police detailed Boogaloo activity on a website called Tree of Liberty, which has since been taken offline. The memo noted the filthy reactionary language common in police and military agencies throughout the country. Posts included anti-Semitic imagery, extolling Boogaloo Bois to attack Jews, described as lizards, while law enforcement was concerned with security around the Capitol. The memo also noted that multiple posts on the site upheld QAnon adherent Ashli Babbitt, a former National Guard soldier, who was killed in the assault on the Capitol as the martyr of their modern movement. Testifying to the fact that fascistic elements are being cultivated and elevated by the ruling class in order to blunt the growing socialist movement of workers and youth in opposition to the current social order, during a May 12 House hearing on the January 6 attack, Republican Arizona Representative Paul Gosar, a leading Stop the Steal organizer, claimed that a Babbit was simply a young lady, a veteran, wrapped in an American flag who was unjustly executed while attempting to storm the Capitol. Even after the inauguration of Biden, D.C. police continued to collate threats of fascist violence in the Capitol. The Guardian reported on a February bulletin which stated that an identified militia group member in Texas was claiming that if their operation failed at the US Capitol, there was a back-up plan involving the group detonating bombs at the US Capitol during the State of the Union. The unnamed group was described as a large organization allegedly with members from every state, which included individuals who were former military and law enforcement. A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad held for a third day on Sunday despite inflammatory threats by the Israeli government and police-backed fascistic attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians on the occupied West Bank. The Israeli provocations intensified as more residents in Gaza emerged from their homes on the weekend to survey the massive damage caused by the 11-day Israeli bombardment. The full extent of the destruction became clearer, even as Israeli drones buzzed incessantly overhead. The United Nations said nearly 450 buildings had been damaged, including six hospitals, 53 schools and 11 primary healthcare centres. More than 1,000 housing units in 258 buildings had been destroyed, and another 14,500 homes suffered damage. A crater full of water and sewage remains where the home of Ramez al-Masri was destroyed by an air-strike prior to the cease-fire, Sunday, May 23, 2021, in Beit Hanoun, the northern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) More than 100,000 people had been internally displaced, and about 10 times that numberhalf the population of the tiny Gaza Striphad little access to piped water because of the destruction of three major desalination plants, as well as power lines and sewage works. At least 248 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, and 1,948 others injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Health authorities in the West Bank separately confirmed 31 killed in that region, totalling 279 across all Palestinian territories, compared to 12 deaths in Israel. Under these conditions, dozens of Jewish settlers, flanked by heavily-armed Israeli special forces, entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem yesterday, further raising tensions hours after Palestinian worshippers were beaten and assaulted by the Israeli police. Citing witnesses, Palestinian news agency WAFA said Israeli police had earlier on Sunday assaulted Palestinians who were performing dawn prayers at the mosque and excessively beat them in order to make way for Israeli Jewish settlers to storm the compoundIslams third-holiest site. It was the violent police storming of the mosque two weeks ago, combined with moves to evict more Palestinians from their homes in the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, that triggered the 11-day conflict. Israeli police also attacked and dispersed a Palestinian protest against the potential evictions on Saturday evening in Sheikh Jarrah. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government stepped up its incitement of these racist layers, on which the caretaker coalition regime depends for its political survival. Finance Minister Yisrael Katz threatened to assassinate leaders of Hamas, which governs Gaza, over any rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. Speaking to the Reshet Bet local radio station, Katz said any rocket fire into southern Israel would be avenged by killing Hamas leaders, stressing that this policy was agreed by the Israeli security cabinet before approving the ceasefire on Friday. Netanyahu declared: If Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. Vowing to respond with a new level of force, he boasted that Israel had done daring and new things during the conflict without being dragged into unnecessary adventures. Netanyahu also claimed to have sought to minimise civilian casualties in Gaza, but that lie was exposed on Al-Wahda Street, where Israeli bombing caused three buildings to collapse in the middle of the night on May 16, killing more than 40 Palestinians. Among the dead was Dr. Ayman Abu Al-Aouf, head of internal medicine at Gaza Citys Al-Shifa Hospital. He was responsible for the hospitals COVID-19 ward. Israel said the aim of its attack on al-Wehda was to destroy a network of tunnels it called the Metro. The military denied it had intended to make the buildings collapse. Even before the latest major Israel assault, the Gaza Strips two million inhabitants already lived inside what they call the worlds largest prison, with more than 50 percent unemployment, an overwhelmed heathcare system, sometimes poisonous water and endless power cuts. The Zionist regime in Israel and the military dictatorship in Egypt have for 14 years enforced a blockade on Gaza, supposedly to restrict the flow of weapons and munitions to Hamas. The two countries restrict who and what can enter the enclave, and control much of its energy supply, while Israel controls its airspace, maritime fishing rights, birth registry and cellular data. UN and aid agencies on Saturday started distributing tents and mattresses for the thousands made homeless. Trucks bringing urgently needed medicine, food and fuel entered Gaza on Friday through border crossings previously blocked by Israel. More than 525 businesses were damaged or destroyed in the fighting, the Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor estimated. The toll included at least 50 factories, along with hundreds of small businesses, destroying the livelihoods of thousands of workers and proprietors. The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, launched a 30-day flash appeal for $US38 million to cover the most urgent needs of Gazans, as well as those living on the West Bank, who have suffered violent attacks. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said the funds would be used to house up to 50,000 people on the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, who are now residing in some 50 designated emergency shelters. Protests in Israel indicated revulsion and opposition within the country to the military offensive and the eruption of far-right violence against Israeli Palestinians. A pro-peace rally and march in central Tel Aviv on Saturday drew several thousand participants, calling for Jewish-Arab partnership and an end to the occupation of the West Bank, which Israel seized in 1967. Similar demonstrations had occurred in various parts of Israel during the previous week. On Saturday, hundreds of people had gathered outside the prime ministers residence in Jerusalem, calling on Netanyahu to resign, accusing him of deliberately extending the conflict for personal and political gain. About 200 people also marched through the mixed city of Jaffa, voicing support for coexistence between Arabs and Jews. Netanyahu has used the military operation to cling to office, despite facing an array of corruption charges. A mandate given to Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid to form a new government after four inconclusive elections in two years expires next week and seems unlikely to succeed after Naftali Bennett of the Yamina (New Right) party said such a move was now off the table. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the Biden administrations backing for Israel on ABC News on Sunday. He insisted that any aid to Gaza would not flow through the Hamas government and he defended the administrations latest $735 million package of weapons to Israel, which will continue to supply the Zionist state with the missiles it uses against the Palestinians. As last weeks World Socialist Web Site statement explained, the military assault on Gaza and the growing revolt within Israel itself pose with utmost urgency the struggle to unite the working class, Arab and Jewish, across all national and sectarian divides, in a common struggle for a Socialist Federation of the Middle East as part of the fight to put an end to capitalism all over the world. Late Friday night, UAW Local 699 posted a one-sentence announcement on its Facebook page stating that workers at Nexteers parts complex in Saginaw, Michigan had ratified a tentative contract in balloting conducted in the course of that day. Workers at the plant had voted down a previous tentative agreement by a margin of 85 percent to 15 percent in February. The nearly 2,500 workers at the plant had been working without a contract since the previous agreement expired in March 2020. Nexteer workers on strike in December 2015 Opposition to the new contract had been steadily mounting in response to the anti-democratic and bureaucratic procedures employed by the union to ram through the deal. The anger of the workers only increased when, just days before the ratification vote, the union published a three-page highlights designed to conceal the pro-company terms of the agreement, which nevertheless made clear that it failed to address any of the workers demands. When the actual 230-page document was posted by a Facebook group not officially aligned with the union, opposition increased. Many workers accessed the statements and analyses posted by the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter to get the truth about the contract. The day and time of the vote were announced by the UAW only three days in advance and limited to a 14-hour window that ended at 8 p.m. local time, before many workers got off from a 2 p.m.-10 p.m. shift. The Local 699 announcement of the results, posted within two hours of the end of voting, claimed that the second tentative contract had passed by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent. It provided no additional information. No actual numbers were given. There was no report on the turnout. The vote by the skilled trades workers was not given, nor was there any other breakdown by job classification or wage tier. As of this writing, the union has provided no further information on the ratification vote. Elsewhere, on a private Facebook group page, a rank-and-file worker reported that the skilled trades workers had voted down the contract by 54 percent to 46 percent. The agreement, worked out behind the backs of the workers between the company and its corporatist UAW partner, is another concessions deal dictated by Nexteer. The two parties agreed to increase the signing bonus in an attempt exploit the economic distress of the low-wage workforce, intensified by the pandemic, to help impose the agreement. The deal also includes an increased cash incentive to switch from PPO to HMO health coverage and a token reduction in points assessed for alleged violations of plant rules. On all of the vital issues concerning the workers, the contract either maintains the status quo or makes things worse: There is no restoration of wage cuts from previous contracts, particularly the 2010 and 2015 contracts. Wage increases stipulated over the course of the five-year contract will still leave the vast majority of workers at poverty-level wages. Most production workers will max out at $21.50 an hour in 2026. The number of temporary and part-time workers at the plant will increase, further pitting workers against each other and expanding a hyper-exploited layer of workers in the plant. The hated tiered-wage system will continue, with even more tiers added. Pressure will be increased to switch from the more flexible PPO health care program to the more restrictive HMO. Workers can either save costs by accepting more restricted access to health care or pay more out of pocket to keep the PPO. Managements option to impose a grueling Alternative Work Schedule or invoke Critical Plant Status is maintained, along with mandatory overtime, which have already destroyed the eight-hour day. Every section of the contract is loaded with corporatist language on the need for management flexibility, making a mockery of the entire agreement, since management is ceded the right to impose changes it deems necessary to maximize market share and profit. The only proviso is that the UAW, the direct agent of the company, sign off on the changes. Workers have every reason to question the vote and should consider the so-called contract illegitimate. What is necessary is that they take the initiative into their own hands and establish a rank-and-file committee independent of the pro-company union to serve as the genuine voice of the workers. The first item of business of this committee will be to demand an audit of the ratification vote count carried out under the supervision of rank-and-file workers. No contract negotiated behind closed doors between the company and its bought-off union stooges can be considered legitimate. Many workers have denounced the anti-democratic methods employed by the union and raised doubts about the legitimacy of the vote count on social media and in comments to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter. Ive been outspoken about it. I dont like the contract and I dont know if I can trust the vote results, one production worker told the WSWS. Ive been here nine years and things have gotten steadily worse. This contract gives back everything we gained in the last one, especially on part-timers. It allows them to expand the part-timers in order to divide us and force out the older workers. Another worker commented, I'd say it was 50/50.The way they did the roll-out was weird. It was very secretive. You can't trust the UAW. Anger at both the voting procedure and the contract itself were reflected on the Local 699 public Facebook page as the results were posted. I want a recount, commented one worker. [N]o way this passed. What a crock of s*** No different than working at McDonald's. Another worker commented, Bulls***. Didnt even give B-shift a chance to vote after work. I sure as hell wouldnt have been able to go before. Many workers said they could not even get down to the union hall to vote on Friday, adding that in most cases that they would have voted no. Yall going to regret voting yes to this contract was the most liked worker comment on the UAW Local 699 public Facebook page. Roll out meetings called by the union in advance of the vote were a total farce, held on the shop floor and divided by plant and classification. As reported earlier by the WSWS, at some of these meetings UAW committeemen shouted down and cursed at workers who asked questions. Workers could barely hear what was being said due to the noise from machines. Whatever was said was within earshot of management, potentially setting critical workers up for victimization. In many cases workers got to ask only three or four questions. Current and aspiring union officials who run the Saginaw union no holds bar Facebook page censored all postings by the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter and removed WSWS Labor Editor Jerry White from the page after he challenged the anti-democratic practice. On Friday, WSWS reporters distributing copies of the Autoworker Newsletter calling for a no vote on the contract were confronted by Local 699 President Tom Hurst, who at one point threatened to call police. A worker cited above also told the WSWS, If it passed, its because workers got tired after waiting over a year for a new contract. The union was not going to call a strike, so workers figured they would just have to live with it. There was no discussion of a strike by the UAW at any point before or during the contract negotiations, and workers are still angered by the Hollywood one-day strike called by the UAW in 2015, when workers were pressured into accepting a sellout contract almost as quickly as they were pulled off the picket line. Theres no union, the worker said. They are bought and paid for, in the companys pocket. Some workers said that the bargaining committee was getting paid for a twelve-hour day every day during contract negotiations. He added that what the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter said about the pro-company role of UAW Local 699 was spot on. It is critical that Nexteer workers take the lead from Volvo auto workers in Virginia, Faurecia auto parts workers in Indiana and Michigan, Amazon workers in Baltimore, and educators rank-and-file committees across the country and begin to form an independent committee as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). Workers, through their own committee, should formulate their own demands, based not on what the company says it can afford, but on their own needs. The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter suggests that these demands include: Restoration of all previous wage cuts and contract concessions, particularly in the 2010 and 2015 contracts. All temporary and part-time workers be hired as full-time workers at the same wages as all other workers. Further expansion of health care coverage at a reduced cost. And end to the tier system, the Alternative Work Schedule, and Critical Plant Status. We encourage all Nexteer workers who are interested in forming a rank-and-file committee at the plant to contact the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter by writing to autoworkers@wsws.org today. The World Socialist Web Site is re-posting a Facebook statement by Olivia Monk, whose brother Michael was one of 29 men who died in the November 2010 Pike River coal mine disaster in New Zealand. Andrew Little, the minister responsible for Pike River in Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns Labour Party-led government, has rejected a plan by mining experts, prepared on behalf of 23 of the 29 families, to fully investigate the underground mine and retrieve vital evidence that could lead to prosecutions. The government is preparing to permanently seal the mine, with the bodies entombed within, in order to protect the corporations, politicians, state agencies and union bureaucrats responsible for the unsafe conditions that caused it to explode. Since it was published on May 17, Olivia Monks post has received hundreds of comments, shares and likes, reflecting broad support in the working class for the Pike River families fight for a full investigation and for those responsible for the extremely unsafe conditions in the mine to be held accountable. The Socialist Equality Group in New Zealand is appealing for readers throughout the world to send statements of support for the Pike River Families Committees fight for justice. See: Justice for the 29 miners killed at New Zealands Pike River. My brother Michael was 23 years old when he was killed at work. He was a qualified carpenter who was working for a company that went into receivership, and needed a job. Thats when he started working at Pike River. As a builder, rather than a miner, he didnt have the knowledge that many others did underground, he relied on the miners, the managers, the board that ran the company to keep him safe. Little did he know that he was working in an absolute death trap that couldve blown at any time, and there were many who knew this and still put the men to work every day. Siblings Michael, Olivia and Alan Monk. (Source: Facebook) Unfortunately on Friday the 19th of November 2010 at 3.44pm, Pike River blew, and it killed my little brother, and 28 others. Our lives from that moment have been changed forever. For 10.5 years we have been fighting hard to find out the truth of what happened that day. We have a fairly good idea, but only because we have fought behind the scenes to bring the truth to light. Its taken so many experts who have given their time for free over the years, and sometimes its just taken luck, people giving us evidence they dont realise is important, and even sometimes its been stuff that has been leaked by people that know of the injustices. The police, several governments, politicians, Pike River Management have been so fixated on getting that mine sealed and locking away any evidence that would bring a conviction. They have even gone so far as to lock away all the evidence from the Royal Commission for 100 years, so that no one now will be alive when the embargo is lifted, a move that has never been done before. And why is that? We have produced a feasibility study that proves that going a tiny bit further to the fan inside the mine wont cost anywhere near what they are saying it will, and will hold the answers. Yet in 19 days time, the Recovery Agency is set to seal that mine. Minister Little stated the other day that he was more interested in focusing on the living, after years of using us as a political pawn to get himself and his party elected. Now I dont disagree that there are the living that need this money too. However, we found billions left over from COVID funds a couple of weeks ago, we managed to spend $12k on a funeral of a turtle, millions on a boat, so in the grand scheme of things, this figure isnt big bickies for a government. And lets just talk about the living, my brother WOULD BE LIVING if he hadnt been killed by greedy selfish people that knew what they were doing was wrong. Some people call that murder. And further on the living, why are we still sending living people to work in New Zealand and around 100 of them each year dont come home? NO ONE has been held accountable for 29 mens death, NO ONE has taken responsibility, NO ONE has learnt anything from this, and NO ONE has any consequence if this happens again, we just keep killing people at work. Now that to ME, seems to be a way we can be focussing on the living. I know a lot of you are tired of hearing all about this. Im tired of living it every day, but I dont get to escape it. Every day I think about the different scenarios of how Michael may have died. The fact that we have seen images of bodies slumped over sitting against the rib of the mine and self rescuers caches open make it very possible that Michael was alive for hours or days, waiting to be rescued, and no one came. Its a pretty hard pill to swallow, and something I think about daily. There are a lot of people very keen to stamp out these theories, but the fact is that there is evidence, and could be more if we are able to get into the mine. Why are these people keen to stamp out all the evidence, what have they got to hide, and who are they trying to protect? I would love to know the truth of what happened on that day, and the days after during the rescue and recovery. I would love to see people held to account for the murder of 29 men. I would love to be able to fall asleep every night knowing the answers to all my questions so I could have a decent sleep. I would love to see accountability shown and the lives of 29 brave men honoured. Stop the sealing of that mine, and let us get the answers! On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed its guidance on mask-wearing, urging vaccinated people to stop wearing masks and socially distancing in crowded areas. The World Socialist Web Site, in line with the statements of leading epidemiologists, warned that these guidelines would trigger businesses, states and municipalities to remove all masking and social distancing requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike. These warnings have been confirmed. Nearly every major retailer in the United States, including Walmart, Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Walgreens, abandoned nationwide masking requirements within days of the CDCs ruling, with no mechanism to verify whether those walking into their facilities are vaccinated or not. National Guard members assisting with processing COVID-19 deaths and placing them into temporary storage at LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner Office in Los Angeles, Jan. 12, 2021. (LA County Dept. of Medical Examiner-Coroner via AP) Epidemiologists and workplace safety experts have vocally condemned the CDCs action. Its such a mess! So many of us are really upset. It is incredibly frustrating! Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, Senior Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, told the World Socialist Web Site last week. Inevitably, now state after state and business after business is saying you dont need to wear your masks if you are vaccinated. From the beginning of the pandemic, workplaces have been a central source of transmission and broader outbreaks. The removal of any restrictions, under conditions in which nearly two-thirds of the population is not fully vaccinated, will lead to an increase in cases and deaths. Over 500 people continue to die every single day from the disease in the United States. This translates to a death rate of 15,000 every month, or 182,500 every year. The fact that hundreds of people are dying every single day from a disease that could be stopped through aggressive public health measures is treated as a non-event in the media. When the official US death toll crossed 600,000, the media simply ignored the milestone, just like it downplayed last weeks report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that the real death toll in the country is actually closer to one million. Globally, moreover, new cases remain at or near record highs, and epidemiologists are warning about the dangers posed by new variants of COVID-19 emerging as the pandemic surges throughout the world. Every day, 600,000 people test positive for the disease, a figure that vastly underestimates its spread. Daily deaths are at more than 12,000. In India, the total death toll has surged past 300,000. While the country is recording more than 4,000 deaths per day, given the scale of undercounting, the actual figure could be in the tens of thousands. In Brazil, the official death toll is approaching half a million, and the 65,000 daily new cases are just shy of records set in March. On Sunday, Germany banned travel from the UK as a new variant of COVID-19termed the B.1617.2 or Indian variantis spreading rapidly throughout the country. Dr. Feigl-Ding warned of the significant dangers posed by the new variant of the disease. Pay attention to rising #B16172 crisis in UKcrucial because [the] Indian variant affects us all, Feigl-Ding wrote on Twitter. It is now ~50% of all cases in England, surging fast, especially in kids. Hospital #COVID19 ward in Bolton filling up. He noted that the new variant is by leaps and bounds growing faster than any other variant. The previously fast #B117 is growing much much slower5x slower than B16172. He continued, Reinfections with #B16172 is also approximately ~4x more with B16172 versus #B117 if we compare the rates of reinfections / variant cases found. 4x ... is a lot. The rise of COVID-19 variants that are increasingly resistant to vaccines is reason for utmost vigilance. Government policy, however, is in exactly the opposite direction. The CDCs mask reversal has created the conditions for an even more dangerous move. The ending of mask requirements in schools, placing the lives of unvaccinated students as well as teachers in danger. On Tuesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott banned mask mandates in public schools, declaring that no student, teacher, parent or other staff member or visitor may be required to wear a face covering. On Thursday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds banned schools from requiring masks, and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster followed suit. These actions come despite extensive scientific evidence showing that masking significantly reduces the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Dr. Leana Wen, the former health commissioner of Baltimore, condemned these moves, noting that unvaccinated children need to stay masked around other unvaccinated people, including in schools. Nearly 1 in 4 new [COVID-19] infections are in kids. We need to help keep them safe. The reduction of COVID-19 cases in the United States is the outcome of mass vaccination that came about as a result of an unprecedented effort by scientists and academic institutions to create a whole new class of vaccines in record time. In a rational society, the reduction of COVID-19 cases would be used to strengthen protections ahead of what public health experts warn will be a new resurgence in the fall. But the Biden administration is squandering what health officials call a temporary reprieve to abandon measures to monitor and contain the disease. On May 1, the CDC ended its monitoring of breakthrough infections of COVID-19 in people who are fully vaccinated, unless the disease leads to hospitalization or death. Like the withdrawal of masking recommendations, the move has drawn condemnation from epidemiologists, who warned that it would leave the US blind to the effect of new COVID-19 variants. By the CDC not doing this level of monitoring, its very reminiscent to me about how I felt in the Trump era: Youre each on your own, Dr. Kavita Patel, a primary care physician and nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Washington Post. The Post paraphrased Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research in San Diego, as saying that the CDC should monitor those people, along with hospitalized and fatal cases, to determine whether and how virus variants might evade vaccine protection, help discover new variants and track how well certain vulnerable groups, such as the immunocompromised, are shielded by vaccines. The Biden White House, like the Trump White House before it, is seeking to convince the public to disregard the continued pandemicin many cases leading by example. The attitude inside the White House was summed up by a recent headline by NPR: How the Biden White House Learned to Drop the Masks and Stop Worrying. At the Biden White House, wrote NPR, its like 2019 all over again, with large and largely mask-free events in the East Room both Thursday and Friday. Asked whether the White House was even tracking whether those in attendance were vaccinated or not, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told NPR bluntly, Thats not the role were going to play. As with similar displays under Trump, such callous disregard for public health and safety has the direct intent of sending a message: The pandemic is over. There can no longer be any obstaclein the name of preserving public healthto the accumulation of private profit. The stance of the Biden administration channels the demands of major corporations, which see efforts to save lives from COVID-19 as an unacceptable impingement on the extraction of profits from the working class. If the response to the pandemic is left in the hands of this financial oligarchy, the disease that has already killed nearly a million people in US will take the lives of countless others. It is urgently necessary that workers take up the struggle against the pandemic into their own hands, both through the fight to create rank-and-file safety committees at workplaces and the political struggle against the capitalist system that subordinates human life to private profit. The World Socialist Web Site is publishing statements of support for the Pike River Families Committee, representing 23 of the 29 families of the men who died in the 2010 Pike River coal mine disaster in New Zealand. The families are fighting to overturn the Labour Party-led governments decision to end an underground forensic investigation of the mine. The government aims to prevent the recovery and examination of evidence that could be used in criminal prosecutions of those responsible for the disaster. A blockade of the road to Pike River mine, put in place in 2016 by families of the men who died in the 2010 disaster, to protest against the then-National Party government's moves to seal the mine. (Source: "Supporting the Recovery of our Pike 29" Facebook group) More than a decade after the explosions at Pike River, no one has been brought to justice. Successive governments, union bureaucrats, and state agencies have protected the companys executives and managers, whose negligence turned the mine into a death trap. The WSWS urges readers around the world to read and share our statement, Justice for the 29 miners killed at New Zealands Pike River!, and send messages of support for this crucial fight. Taryn, New Zealand: I support the push for the continued investigation into the mine to recover the truth and possibly any deceased. I believe it is important to know what happened to cause the explosion so this may be avoided in the future and better practices can be in place for future mining so this may never happen again. My partner worked underground at Pike and I know there were inadequate safety procedures and equipment and that incident reports were ignored and pushed aside. These people must be held accountable and not able to work in these positions again. I hope the mine is not sealed in these coming days and that we can get some answers. Vic Blair, New Zealand: Do the right thing. Continue the search inside the mine for the evidence, dont drill for it. Youre only going to collapse the roof on it. Stop paying lip service to health and safety. Show us you are the leaders you claim to be. Show us you have nothing to hide. Peter Petterson, New Zealand: All evidence obtained by the police and govt departments should be fully examined before any consideration is given to sealing the mine permanently. Karen Morton, New Zealand: I am very angry about this obvious cover up and want to see all criminals involved prosecuted. I feel so sorry for all families of the mine workers. Ellyse Mounsey, New Zealand: This needs to be resolved for the families and loved ones and someone needs to be held accountable. Lily Marr, New Zealand: Keep going guys. Youll always have our support xx John Thomson, Australia: I fully support the Pike River Families Committee investigation into the truth surrounding the death of 29 miners in the 2010 Pike River mine explosion. I also support the Pike River Families Committee's demand that the Labour Party-Greens government, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, overturn its decision to end the forensic investigation of the mine and seal it permanently, entombing the mens bodies and crucial evidence as to the cause of the disaster. By sealing the mine, the above said government is also sealing the investigation of those who must be held responsible for the explosion and subsequent deaths of the 29 miners. A royal commission of inquiry in 2012 established that the mine was a death trap because the atmosphere underground was in the explosive range on many occasions leading up to the first blast. The mine had no second means of egress and its main fan was installed underground and could have been the source of ignition for methane and coal dust. PRCs executives, directors and managers are being shielded by the authorities, and no one has been held accountable. The investigation must be allowed to continue. Lou Lander, Australia: Every time I read that Chief executive Peter Whittall was initially charged with health and safety breaches, but these were dropped by the Department of Labour in 2013, in exchange for a one-off payment to the 29 families. The regulatory department itself was complicit in the disaster: it knew about the dangerous conditions at Pike River but did not order the mine closed. Its backroom deal with Whittall was later ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, but the charges were not reinstated. While the disaster devastated entire communities, Whittall and others in PRCs senior leadership were able to move into comfortable positions in other companies around the world it makes me so angry. I implore this investigation to continue. Rebecca Burgan, Australia: For Michael. For Blair. For all those men that should be with their families. I support you. Warren Duzak, United States: To the people of New Zealand, The job of underground mining for many of us is beyond comprehension, going underground often before first light and not coming out until dark. Miners and their families deserve the utmost consideration and protection. The case of the New Zealand mine and deaths is outrageous and fills me with disgust. As an American US Army veteran, former journalist and the son of a New York City Fireman, I am proud to add my name to the list of those calling for justice for these dead miner/comrades and their families. Erik Schreiber, US: I wholeheartedly support the Pike River Families Committee and all those who lost loved ones in the Pike River disaster. I call on all workers to do the same. We must defend the dignity and value of workers' lives over corporate profits. A full investigation of the explosions is necessary. The Pike River Coal managers, union bureaucrats, and government officials who created the conditions for this disaster, along with those who attempted to cover it up and protect the perpetrators, must be identified and held accountable. The fight for the truth about this terrible crime must become part of a broader fight against capitalism and for socialism. Harvey Lichtman, US: As a teacher in New York City I support the Pike River Families Committees demand for a thorough investigation of the disaster and the prosecution of the company leaders who turned the mine into a death trap. In the US, as in the world, teachers who bring labor history to their students recognize that the struggle of miners for basic rights and decent work and living conditions has been at the forefront of the centuries-long struggle of the working class in every country. The details of the 2010 disaster are horrifying and the lessons of it must be publicly manifested, both by investigation of the facts and in bringing the perpetrators, both corporate and governmental, of a malign indifference to worker safety to justice. Furthermore, the global pandemic increases workers consciousness around the world for understanding the parallel and connected policies of the capitalist governments. As in the US, New Zealands ruling parties can make the effort and find funds to enrich the corporate elite with billions while dismissing workers health and safety needs. With the US, New Zealand is increasing its military presence in the Pacific, widening the danger in partnership with the US of war with nuclear China. Clearly the protection and safety of humanity is not a priority of the ruling classes whether in the mines or for world peace. I thank the World Socialist Web Site for supporting this campaign and informing its readers around the world of the need for workers to defend each other. Hector Cordon, US: I stand completely with the Pike River families in demanding that justice be done: that the Pike River mine not be sealed, that a full and transparent investigation of the explosion, and of those responsible for the tragic deaths of 29 miners and the subsequent cover-up is immediately begun. Peter, US: Most likely PRC management have a good idea about what caused the explosions. However, it is crucial to obtain the material evidence of the cause. Sealing the mine and ending the investigation is in effect saying that mine owners can continue with their unsafe methods of operating the mines and there will be no repercussions for the owners and their management. The working class all around the world is being run over roughshod by the elites, treating the workers as if they are of no consequence. This is furthest from the truth. The only way that the workers can gain power is by banding together across all national boundaries. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 12:44:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Yan Jie, Liu Kai MANILA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- "The Philippine farmers who plant hybrid rice all know the name of Chinese scientist Yuan Longping," Philippine businessman Henry Lim Bon Liong said. Lim described his twenty-four years friendship with Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice", as among the most precious memories in his life. "It has been two or three years since I last met Yuan. He is pretty easy-going all his life, enjoys eating spicy dishes, such as Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu, swimming and playing Mahjong," Lim, dubbed as the "hybrid-rice king of the Philippines", told Xinhua in an interview. Lim said it is Yuan who brings the hybrid rice to the Philippines, a Southeast Asian country which heavily relies on rice importation, to serve as a robust food source. Yuan, a household name in China, renowned for developing the first hybrid rice strain that relieved countless people of hunger, died of organ failure at 91 on Saturday. Yuan's pioneering research on hybrid rice began in 1964, and after nine years of painstaking research and intensive testing, his team successfully cultivated the world's first high-yield hybrid-rice strain in 1973. For Yuan, the Philippines, where he traveled for more than 30 times throughout his life, is a country of special significance. In 1979, he attended an international seminar in the Philippines, making the debut of his research on hybrid rice to the world. Three years later, when participating in another conference in the Philippines, Yuan was reputed as the "father of hybrid rice" by his peers around the world. The cross-generation friendship between Lim, then in his 50s, and Yuan, then in his 70s, dated back to 1997. "We felt like old friends at the first meeting," Lim recalled. "Yuan said he had fulfilled his task in pulling Chinese people out of hunger, but many people in the Southeast Asian countries still got not enough to eat. He told me he wanted to make a change staring from the Philippines." Bearing this aim, in cooperation with Lim, Yuan sent altogether 75 hybrid-rice strains to the Philippines for a trial plantation in a 5-hectare land. Having spent years of laborious research and constant testing, Lim and Yuan successfully cultivated the pioneer hybrid rice for tropics, which possesses high yielding potential, good grain quality and multiple resistance to diseases and pests. Hybrid rice for tropics was subsequently grown gradually in both northern and southern Philippines, and farmers reaped incredible output after switching to Yuan's hybrid varieties. Now its accumulated planting area in the Philippines has exceeded one million hectares, of which the output covers 30 percent or higher of the total rice production in the Philippines. "The hybrid rice developed by Yuan's team here now has achieved the highest yield of 15 tonnes per hectare, which is about three times higher than that of conventional rice strains in the Philippines," Lim said, adding that "Yuan, my teacher, should take all the credit." A Chinese calligraphy of Yuan is hanging on the wall of Lim's office in Makati City of Metro Manila, with English translation "knowledge, perspiration, inspiration and chance" written by Yuan correspondingly beneath each Chinese characters. "Yuan is so fluent in English that he could not only discuss academic topics at ease with his international counterparts, but also teach the Philippine farmers the hybrid rice plantation method, which garnered him a high level of respect from the latter," said Lim. Thumbing through an album, Lim showed Xinhua the photos that he took with Yuan. "He is indifferent to fame and wealth, living quite a simple life. Whenever making a visit to the Philippines, he could only accept my dried mongo or T-shirts as gifts and refused the other valuable ones," Lim said. The passing away of Yuan even set off mourning and remembrances among the Philippine farmers who plant hybrid rice. "They kept sending me short messages to express their condolences," said Lim, "They thought he could have lived to be a hundred." Regretting not being able to attend Yuan's memorial service in China due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lim concluded that he cherished the trust Yuan cast on him during all these years. "I hope to continue to pursue his lifelong dream, which is to constantly raise productivity and eradicate hunger globally," said Lim. Enditem In northeastern Quebec, 2,500 ArcelorMittal workers have been on strike since May 10. The strikers, who work in mines, port facilities, rail lines and offices belonging to the Luxembourg-based multinational, are represented by five locals of the United Steelworkers (USW/ Metallos) and are affiliated with the Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL), the largest labour organization in Quebec with more than 600,000 members. The strike follows workers unequivocal rejection of ArcelorMittals final and comprehensive offer. Workers voted against the companys May 7 offer by percentages ranging from 97 percent to 99 percent. Union bargaining committees had recommended that the offer be rejected. But that was only under pressure from rank-and-file members, who had overwhelmingly rejected a tentative agreement negotiated by the Steelworkers on May 1, just 10 days earlier. The USW had urged workers to accept the earlier offer even though it was inferior to the one massively rejected on May 10. Strikers picketing ArcelorMittal operations on Quebec's North Shore (USW/Metallos) Details of the companys offers have not been released. According to ArcelorMittal, the tentative agreement supported by the USW called for wage increases totalling 12 percent over four years, which at best would have amounted to a freeze in real wages given the increase in the cost of living. As for the union, it only said that the issues at stake in the contract negotiations include working conditions, pensions and insurance, bonuses and work schedules. In 2017, workers voted 83 percent in favor of a new four-year contract. That contract contained wage increases ranging from 2.2 to 3 percent per year and continued defined-benefit pension plans, although the employer had pressed for them to be transformed into defined-contribution plans (with no guaranteed pension amount upon retirement). USW regional coordinator Nicolas Lapierre called the 2017 agreement a major victory, Trust has been restored. Were back for four years. The tentative agreement is clearly satisfactory. Nowas workers anger demonstrates that the 2017 agreement was, in reality, no victorythe same USW bureaucrats are reduced to pleading that the workers poor conditions are the result of promises made [by ArcelorMittal] during the 2017 negotiations [that] went unfulfilled. The union, however, has not seen fit to explain why these promises were not written into the collective bargaining agreement, or if they were, why the union has not enforced their compliance, including through job action. ArcelorMittal workers must learn from these experiences. They will not be able to reverse the attacks on their working conditions by letting a pro-capitalist union beg for satisfactory crumbs on their behalf. The workforce at one of Quebecs most profitable production facilities have enormous potential power. Moreover, the objective conditions exist to broaden their struggle and make it the spearhead of a working class counteroffensive against the ever-widening big business-government assault on jobs, working conditions, workers social rights and public services. In 2016, the company cited iron ore prices of less than $60 per tonne to demand concessions, canceled planned investments and threatened to shut down its operations in northeastern Quebec 15 years earlier than planned. Today, iron ore is worth more than three times what it was then, reaching historic highs of more than $193 per tonne. But the company is still asking workers to be reasonable and not raise any demands that might impact on its profits. ArcelorMittalthe worlds second-largest steel producer and, according to Forbes magazines 2019 rankings, its 120th largest companyhas benefited massively from staggering increases in iron prices. The multinational company earned net profits of nearly US$2.3 billion in the first three months of 2021, an increase of more than $1 billion over the already large profit of $1.2 billion that it made in the last quarter of 2020. ArcelorMittal is about 40 percent controlled by Lakshmi Mittal, an Indian-born billionaire now living in England. He is the 196th richest person on earth, with an estimated fortune of US$9.7 billion, according to the 2020 Forbes ranking. Mittal is soon to be replaced by his son, Aditya Mittal, as CEO of ArcelorMittal, a position that earned him US$6.2 million in total compensation in 2019. The company announced that it has made share buybacks of $650 million in the first few months of 2021 and that $570 million will be used for the same purpose during the rest of the year. Share buybacks are a form of speculation in which the company buys back its own shares to push up the stock price, thereby benefiting shareholders. The company also intends to pay a dividend of $0.30 per share, which will funnel hundreds of millions of additional dollars into shareholders pockets. ArcelorMittals share value has jumped 168 percent in the past year. The ruling class is joining forces to put pressure on the striking workers. As soon as the strike began, Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet expressed concern that a long strike would have a major impact on the entire economy of North Shore Quebec and the province as a whole. In the first days of the strike, police issued hefty tickets to picketers, on the grounds that they had violated the provinces anti-COVID-19 curfew when they picketed at night to ensure management did not bring in scabs or otherwise violate Quebecs anti-scab law. Workers observed that in the weeks prior to the strike, the police and the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government had had no objections when ArcelorMittal made them work night shifts and overtime to increase its profit margins. In response to these provocations, Steelworker officials have simply repeated that they are ready to return to the bargaining table. They are thus playing the role assigned to the union apparatuses by the ruling classthat is, to contain and suppress rank-and-file opposition so it does not go beyond the pro-employer, state enforced collective bargaining framework. In 2018-19, the USW and QFL betrayed the courageous struggle of workers at the ABI aluminum smelter in Becancour, Quebec, who were locked out by the Alcoa-Rio Tinto Alcan joint venture for 18 months. The unions did everything they could to isolate the ABI workers anti-concessions struggle. They urged them to focus on making pathetic appeals to Alcoa and Rio Tinto shareholders and systematically divided them from Alcoa and Rio Tinto workers in Australia, Spain and the United States who were waging similar struggles against management attacks. Instead, as the Quebec union bureaucracy has done for decades, it peddled the poison of Quebec nationalism, claiming that Premier Francois Legault and his hard-right CAQ government were a potential ally of the workers that could be persuaded to come to their aid. Legault, a multimillionaire and former Air Transat CEO, responded by taking an openly pro-employer stance and publicly denouncing the workers fat salaries and their inflated demands. Isolated and exhausted, ABI workers finally reluctantly voted for a deal full of concessions, including pension cuts. To counter the USWs deliberate isolation of their struggle and demobilization tactics, ArcelorMittal workers must form a rank-and-file strike committee and elect trusted workers to it. This committee should demand that all negotiations between the Steelworkers and ArcelorMittal be held in public. In addition, since the union has already demonstrated that it is willing to negotiate tentative agreements that run counter to workers demands, the rank-and-file committee should demand that no future company offer or tentative agreement be submitted for a ratification vote without workers having at least two weeks to study it in advance. The committees most essential task must be to broaden support for the strike, by forging links with workers elsewhere in Quebec, Canada and internationally who are resisting the employer drive to squeeze greater profits from workers. Explicitly rejecting the unions reactionary Quebec nationalism, the ArcelorMittal strikers should make a special appeal to the 1,300 steelworkers at Allegheny Technologies in Pennsylvania and four other US states who have been on strike against company-demanded concessions for two months. They must also build solidarity with ArcelorMittal workers in Europe and the United States, who have also been exposed to ruthless attacks by the multinational giant during the pandemic. One example of this came last August, when the company announced the destruction of over 800 jobs at its US facilities. Everywhere, the COVID-19 pandemic has confronted workers with the irrationality of the capitalist system. The ruling elite has systematically prioritized profit over saving lives and is now exploiting the pandemics economic fallout to amplify their attacks on jobs, wages, pensions and working conditions in every country. This fact is expressed with particular clarity at multinational corporations like ArcelorMittal, which scour the globe for the cheapest and most productive labour power and exploit the rotten nationalist-corporatist politics of the unions in every country to pit miners and steelworkers against each other along national lines. Only in a unified political struggle with their class brothers and sisters across Canada, the US and overseas can the striking ArcelorMittal workers resist the companys global onslaught. In this way, their struggle can serve as a catalyst for an international worker-led counteroffensive against capitalist austerity and for a complete reorganization of the economy to place the social needs of working people and their families ahead of the corporate drive for ever greater profit. On May 4, the aerospace manufacturer Boeing announced it will donate $50 million to Virginia Tech to help launch the universitys new Innovation Campus located in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington D.C. The donation is the largest in the universitys history, and will support scholarships and financial aid, faculty hiring, as well as programs aimed at preparing students for undergraduate course study in tech-focused and computer science programs. The website for the Innovation Campus describes the gift as a multiyear commitment from Boeing to jump-start Virginia Techs effort to create the most diverse graduate technology campus in the United States. Located alongside Amazons HQ2, the Pentagon, and industry-related academic research centers such as George Mason Universitys Institute for Digital Innovation, Virginia Techs generously funded Innovation Campus will become a major locus for the state-military-intelligence apparatus in Northern Virginia. In a statement announcing the donation, Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said, We are extraordinarily grateful to Boeing for this extraordinarily generous show of support. Sands called the corporate gift a milestone moment in our universitys history. He enthused that the corporate donation will propel our work to help establish the greater Washington, D.C. area as the worlds next major tech hub. Virginia Tech (Credit: https://vt.edu) Virginia Tech is set to begin construction on its $1 billion Innovation Campus later this year, with the first building opening in 2024. Eventually, the goal for the Innovation Campus is to have close to 1,000 students in masters or doctoral level programs. Once completed, the Innovation Campus will be the focal point of a 65-acre area, just across the Potomac River from Washington, serving as an innovation district with labs, academic spaces and office space for startup and corporate partners. Boeing, a commercial airplane maker and defense contractor, has spent much of the past two years seeking to rehabilitate its image in the wake of the fatal crashes involving its 737 MAX. Despite the criminality of Boeings executives and US regulators, the aerospace giant received the legal equivalent of a slap on the wrist. The aerospace corporation is just one of several major companies investing in tech talent in the Washington region. Amazon, which is building its second corporate headquarters in Alexandria, also has connections to the future Innovation Campus. In wooing the company during its HQ2 competition of 2018-19, Virginia agreed to invest millions of dollars in the Innovation Campus as part of its larger $750 million sweetheart deal with the online retailer. Furthermore, in 2019, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced it will invest a total of $961.5 million over two decades in computer science and STEM programs at 11 of the states universities through the Tech Talent Investment Program. The goal of this program is to produce an additional 31,000 graduates in technology-focused fields over 20 years. These university-level programs at the undergraduate-through-postdoctoral levels complement initiatives by corporations to fund childhood education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Amazon, for instance, helps fund computer science education and scholarships through its Future Engineer program. Likewise, the Innovation Campus, Virginia Tech and other universities in the state will engage not only in advanced research but also in STEM education and outreach at the level of primary and secondary education, which will be partly supported by Boeings donation. In its statement, Virginia Tech itself said the Innovation Campus in Alexandria will not only be a large innovation district but serve as a nexus of government, industry, and research. In other words, Boeings gift serves to align further the corporate world with the US military and intelligence agencies. This entrenched alignment of corporate America and the interests of US imperialism was emphasized by Senator Mark Warner (Democrat from Virginia), himself a former venture capitalist, at an announcement ceremony attended by university officials. The US must maintain international leadership in advancing technology, and talent is our most critical resource, the senator declared. Warner continued, We are seeing in China an emerging competitive threat. This is one of the few remaining issues where there is wide bipartisan agreement. ... The competition of the 21st century will be military, but even more, technology-based. Warner also said developing a diverse pipeline of tech workers was the right moral thing to do but would also provide an optimal return on investment. In 2015, a report in Vice determined Virginia Tech, along with GMU and Northern Virginia Community College, were among the 20 most militarized college campuses in the US. The further integration of companies, universities, and government agencies through so-called STEM talent pipelines, as Calhoun called them, only serves to subordinate the possibilities of science, engineering and technology to the requirements of war and the surveillance state. In addition to the state and military implications of Boeings investments in Northern Virginia, the corporation also sought to dress up its alliance with Washington in the language of inclusion and diversity, signaling an appeal to middle-class advocates of racial and gender-based identity politics. Speaking on the donation, Boeing CEO Ed Calhoun stated, Virginia Tech has a bold and unique vision to unlock the power of diversity to solve the worlds most pressing problems through technology, and were proud to help make that vision a reality. Calhoun continued, Boeing is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion, both within our company and in our communities, and we look forward to partnering with Virginia Tech to build a robust and diverse STEM talent pipeline to drive the future of aerospace. Boeings use of such language in announcing its donation to the Innovation Campus becomes further evidence of the ruling class increasing reliance on identity politics and racialism to silence objections as it seeks to impose its militaristic policies on the population and suppress working class social opposition. A struggle on the basis of the international working class, regardless of gender or race, is the only way technology can be secured as a tool to improve the lives of billions of people around the world. 25 years ago: Peres ousted in Israeli general election Peres and Bill Clinton in 1996 On May 29, 1996, the Likud Party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, won a narrow victory in the Israeli general election, ousting Labors Shimon Peres. The election dealt a blow to illusions that the Jewish and Arab masses could achieve peace and social progress within the framework established by imperialism in the Middle East. The election took place under conditions of great tension, with polls indicating large swings in the popular mood in response to a series of traumatic events the previous months. Following the assassination of Peress predecessor, Yitzhak Rabin, the previous November, and the discrediting of the Zionist extreme right wing, Labor called early elections, its overwhelming victory seemingly assured. With the express purpose of sabotaging Peress chances, the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas staged a campaign of terrorist suicide bombings in February which killed 59 Israelis. Hamas believed that stepped-up repression in the occupied territories by a Likud government would strengthen its support among the Palestinian masses at the expense of Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In April, the Peres regime launched a 17-day military assault on southern Lebanon, which killed hundreds of civilians. For the first time, Israelis cast separate ballots for parliament and prime minister. The introduction of indirect voting was intended to promote more stable governments. The change resulted, however, in deeper political fragmentation. Many voters either chose Peres or Netanyahu for prime minister while voting for parliamentary candidates from the minority parties. In the vote for the 120-seat parliament, Labor and the Likud coalition each lost nine seats, from 44 to 35 and 40 to 31 respectively. The most powerful sections of the Israeli ruling class favored the return of Labor. A coalition of industrialists, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the countrys national output, openly endorsed Peres. Netanyahu campaigned on the basis of promises to pour Israeli troops back into the West Bank, slow down negotiations with the PLO, and reject any territorial concessions to Syria on the Golan Heights. 50 years ago: Charges against Black Panther leaders are dropped Courtroom sketch of Seale and Huggins On May 25, 1971, the frame-up charges against Black Panther leaders Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins for murder were dropped after a New Haven jury deliberated for six days and could not reach a verdict. The New Haven trial was part of a series of frame-ups against revolutionary organizations, in particular targeting the Black Panther Party. One week earlier, charges against 13 Panthers in New York were dropped after it was uncovered in the trial that all illegal activity had been either encouraged or conducted directly by undercover police agents. Similar questions were raised in the New Haven trial. Seale, Huggins, and three other Panthers, George Sams, Lonnie McLucas, and Warren Kimbro, had been accused of killing Black Panther member Alex Rackley on the suspicion that Rackley was an FBI informant. The court acquitted McLucas of the most serious charges; however, it found him guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced him to a minimum twelve years. Sams and Kimbro pled guilty to the crime in exchange for a reduced sentence of four years. The accusations against Seale and Huggins rested solely on the testimony of Sams, who claimed that Seale, as a representative of the Panthers national leadership, and Huggins, as the head of the New Haven chapter, had directly ordered the others to kill Rackley. This was not corroborated by either Kimbro or McLucas, who maintained that only Sams was the one to insist on carrying out Rackleys killing. George Sams was widely suspected of being the true police provocateur. The findings of the New York Panther trial and the recent exposure of the FBIs COINTELPRO program, which detailed the governments mass infiltration and disruption of revolutionary groups, provided reasonable doubt that the accused Panthers engaged in any criminal activity, but rather that the government conspired to infiltrate the Panthers and commit crimes in their name in order to discredit the organization and jail its leaders. While officially the jury was unable to reach a final decision, eleven of the twelve voted to acquit Seale and ten voted to acquit Huggins. The judge, Harold Mulvey, announced that the charges against the two would be dropped, saying, I find it impossible to believe that an unbiased jury could be selected without superhuman effortsefforts which this court, the state and these defendants should not be called upon either to make or to endure. Huggins was able to walk free out of the courthouse after having been jailed for two years awaiting the trial. Seale however, remained in custody awaiting a new trial for charges that stemmed from the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention. While those charges would also eventually be dropped, Seale remained imprisoned until 1972. 75 years ago: Truman threatens to deploy federal troops against striking rail workers Truman This week in May 1945, the Democratic Party administration of President Harry Truman escalated a crackdown against a militant wave of working-class struggles across the United States, threatening to deploy federal troops against separate strikes involving hundreds of thousands of railway workers and coal miners. On May 24, Truman delivered a nationwide radio address. Demanding an end to a nationwide railway stoppage that had begun the day before, he threatened: If sufficient workers to operate the trains have not returned, by 4 p.m. tomorrow, as head of our government, I have no alternative but to operate the trains by using every means within my power ... I shall ask our armed forces to furnish protection to every man who heeds the call of his country in this hour of need. The strike was launched after the rail corporations had refused demands for an increase to poverty-level wages and the removal of a series of punitive labor regulations. Truman, the companies and union officials had succeeded in postponing the strike for several weeks. The president had made clear that he would invoke Smith-Connally anti-strike laws, allowing the government to take over operations of the railways and break any strike, if it occurred. Despite the threats, almost 300,000 workers took part in the stoppage. They stayed out for 48 hours, including a full day after Trumans ultimatum. The Militant, then the newspaper of the American Trotskyist movement, noted the significance of the stand taken by a section of the working class that had traditionally been regarded as conservative. It explained that the union leaders of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen had based their strategy on seeking to come to an agreement with Truman and the rail barons. The result was that the officials ended the stoppage, despite widespread calls for a continuation of the strike, leading to contracts based on the demands of the rail companies for only a slight increase in wages and no improvement in conditions. Commenting on Trumans actions, the Militant stated: Never has the fusion of the capitalist government and the capitalist class been so nakedly revealed. Never has it been so clearly shown that the government is nothing but an executive committee for safeguarding the interests of the billionaire, monopolist ruling class. Days before the rail strike, Truman had also moved to take over the coal mines. Amid fears in the ruling elite over the prospect of a major confrontation, the coal companies granted a $1.85 a day wage increase and established a health and welfare fund to be administered by the government and the unions. 100 years ago: Communist Party of Canada founded Cover of the newspaper announcing the formation of the Communist Party of Canada On May 24, 1921, 21 Canadian and three international delegates met in a barn in Guelph, Ontario to found the Communist Party of Canada. The meeting was held secretly because of the reactionary War Measures Act, passed by Parliament in August 1914, which banned socialist organizations. The founding congress itself was infiltrated by an informant for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The movement for a Communist Party in Canada had been inspired by the Russian Revolution. The need to form a revolutionary and internationalist workers party had become by 1919 a topic of fierce debate among socialist-minded workers, particularly in the Socialist Party of Canada. The debate was particularly sharp in Winnipeg, the largest city in Manitoba, which had experienced a general strike in 1919. On January 1, 1921, the Socialist Party newspaper Western Clarion published the document, Twenty-one Conditions for Admission to the Communist International, and opened its pages to discussion on the question of affiliation to the Communist International. Soon, there were socialists in Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec who were working with the Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party (also based in the United States) which had both been founded in 1919 and were soon to unify. In March, the Communist International sent a representative to Canada to unite these various groups and prepare the conference of May 24. One of the main issues that concerned the party in its first months was the question of illegal and legal work, a real concern given the repression by the Canadian government. During the summer of 1921, the Third Congress of the Communist International, held in Moscow, urged the Canadian Communists to find ways of setting up legal organizations and publications. By August, the party launched a public newspaper, The Workers Guard, and in February 1922 set up a legal party called the Workers Party. Many members of the Socialist Party of Canada joined the Workers Party at its foundation. On Wednesday, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) held a rally in Sydney over the low wages and dangerous conditions faced by UberEats delivery drivers. Five of these highly-exploited workers were killed on Australian roads in just two months late last year. Workers at the protest (Credit:WSWS) Far from being part of a fight to improve the atrocious conditions, the rally was part of a campaign by the union to use the growing anger of delivery drivers to give the TWU a seat at the bargaining table with Uber. Called with just over a days notice and barely promoted by the union among delivery drivers, let alone the working class more broadly, the rally was attended by no more than 15 drivers. The small turnout was certainly not due to any lack of concern among workers about worsening pay and conditions in the industry. Drivers who spoke to the World Socialist Web Site described growing pressure to make deliveries and a sharp decline in their income. One bicycle rider said after expenses are considered, he makes an average of only $5 an hour. Another rider said he now makes $10 an hour during peak times, half of what he used to earn. Ady explained that when he started in 2017, he worked eight to nine hours a day, five days a week and earned over $1,000 a week from just one app. Ady (Credit: WSWS) Now I am on every app, he said. New ones keep coming and you just sign up hoping they will be better than the last, but they are all just getting worse. The riders are facing the impact of this. A driver will try to get as much work as he can in the busy hours to maximise his earnings, he doesnt have any option. If he doesnt do it then he may not get another order for the rest of the day. Just imagine the mental aspect of a person who is sitting in a car waiting for the next order to hit and if it is not coming then he is in a constant state of panic. It is getting worse and worse. Every passing day the rates are coming down. You could be online for a couple of hours and you wont get anything. Vamshidhar said he started on a bicycle but after two years on UberEats he had his access suddenly cancelled due to poor service according to an email from Uber, even though he delivered food in bad weather conditions, rainy days, very hot days, very busy days, sometimes with very late pickups and drop offs at night. The rally was addressed by Michael Kaine, national secretary of the TWU, who lauded Tuesdays decision by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) that former delivery driver Diego Franco was an employee of Deliveroo and that he had been unfairly dismissed by the company. Kaine presented the FWCs decision as a landmark ruling that made Ubers boardroom members panic. The ruling, however, was explicitly presented as a one-off case, without any immediate impact on the status of any other rider. Over the last four years the FWC has, on four separate occasions, ruled that delivery drivers are not employees, but independent contractors, with next to no legal rights or benefits. However, the Deliveroo ruling, as well as Ubers recent out-of-court settlement over the alleged unfair dismissal of Amita Gupta, and findings in the UK and elsewhere that delivery drivers are employees, have prompted Uber competitor Menulog to work closely with the TWU to ensure that any changes to riders legal status has minimal impact on profit. Kaine praised Menulog, which he claimed, had come forward to say that things have to change. The TWU is currently in negotiations with Menulog to establish the countrys first on-demand industry award, which would change the status of delivery drivers to employees while continuing their exploitation and formalising the role of the union in the growing sector. The new award is necessary because Menulog is unwilling to accept the minimum shift lengths required under existing awards. Menulog will soon begin a small trial in which delivery riders will be employed under the Miscellaneous Award, meaning workers will be paid the minimum casual wage of $24.80 per hour. The company says it will also provide an injury insurance plan that is as close as we can get to workers compensation. When asked at a recent NSW parliamentary inquiry if the changes would destroy Menulogs business, Menulog Australias managing director Morten Belling bluntly replied, No. Otherwise we wouldnt go down this path. Minimum wage and formal status as employees will not end the exploitation of delivery drivers. Indeed, it will create new opportunities for employers to exercise control over workers. The nature of gig-economy work, which requires workers to constantly run a GPS- and internet-connected smartphone app, allows employers unprecedented scope to enforce performance targets and demand speed-ups. Permanent employees will likely be unable to pick up rides from competitors, reducing their potential sources of income. The establishment of a permanent, low-paid workforce will also allow Menulog to reduce the number of riders on its books. Kaine sought to promote illusions in the Labor Party, who he said, has indicated what it will address the conditions of gig-economy workers, unlike the Liberal-National government. He called on Tony Sheldon, a New South Wales (NSW) Labor senator, who told workers you should all be allowed to ensure you get minimum wage. Tony Sheldon (Credit: alp.org.au) Sheldon directly appealed to the Coalition, stating, This is a real opportunity for the government to turn around and say lets have a bipartisan support for decent working conditions for everybody who works in this country. Sheldons posturing is bogus. It was the Labor governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, as well as the unions, that signed a series of accords with big business in the 80s and 90s, providing for the deregulation of the economy, the destruction of hundreds of thousands of permanent jobs and the elimination of entire industries. Since then, Labor and the unions have worked hand-in-hand with corporations to suppress the class struggle and enforce one enterprise agreement after another that undermined secure working conditions, paving the way for the gig-economy. As a result, about one-third of Australian workers are now in insecure casual or part-time work or are independent contractors. Sheldon played a central role in implementing this agenda in the transport and delivery sector. It was under his tenures as the TWUs NSW state secretary (19992008) and national secretary (20062019), that the gig-economy became predominant in the delivery industry, without the slightest opposition from the union. The already rapid growth of the Australian food delivery industrynow worth $2.6 billionwas accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic. Consumer spending in the sector has tripled since the beginning of 2020. Mass unemployment and the federal governments decision to exclude international students and overseas workers on temporary visas from any form of welfare during the pandemic, without opposition from Labor, helped ensure a ready supply of desperate riders and drivers for Uber and its competitors. According to a report commissioned by Uber, 59 percent of the companys delivery riders began work during the COVID-19 pandemic, 77 percent said they were ineligible for government support and 60 percent said they found it difficult to access traditional work. The TWU is desperate to expand its deal with Menulog to include other companies, such as Uber and Deliveroo. The establishment of delivery drivers as employees will potentially give the TWU access to a vast and untapped supply of membership dues. More than that, it will enable the TWU to extend its role as an industrial police force in a growing sector of the economy in Australia and internationally, which only exists due to the betrayals and defeats of the working class presided over by the unions over decades. None of the measures presented by either Kaine or Sheldon have anything to do with defending the rights and conditions of delivery drivers. Workers should reject with contempt the demands by the TWU and Labor that they accept the poverty-level minimum wage. Instead, all workers should be provided with permanency and a living wage that eliminates the need to risk their lives to complete jobs or make quotas. But that requires a head on assault on the wealth of the corporate and financial elite, which the unions and Labor oppose. The next step for delivery drivers is therefore to establish independent rank-and-file committees that can take forward a unified fight for wages and conditions. On Sunday night, Israels police force announced a programme of mass arrests of Israels Palestinian citizens for participating in recent demonstrations opposing the bombing of Gaza and evictions in East Jerusalem, as well as against Israeli security forces raids on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Codenamed Operation law and order, its purpose is to intimidate and penalise the Palestinians who took to the streets over the last two weeks. The police reported that they had already arrested around 1,550 Palestinians since May 9 and they intend to prosecute many more. It comes just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced Israels Palestinian citizens protesting decades of state-sponsored discrimination as terrorists. He pledged that Anyone who acts like a terrorist will be handled like one, adding, Arab law-breakers are attacking Jews, burning synagogues and Jewish homes. He naturally all but ignored the far greater violence perpetrated by the police and armed Jewish vigilantes to terrorise and force the Palestinians, who constitute 20 percent of Israels population, from their homes. Children walk among the rubble of a building that was destroyed by an airstrike prior to a cease-fire reached after an 11-day war between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel, Monday, May 24, 2021, in Magazzi, the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Police Minister Amir Ohana went further. Expressing outrage when the police arrested Jews suspected of murdering a Palestinian in the city of Lod, he and other senior politicians forced the police to release them and called for Jewish Israelis to act as a force multiplier for the police. The police said that thousands of security forces from all units, including border guards and reserve brigades, would be deployed to carry out raids in the towns and cities with a large Palestinian population. They will search homes and carry out investigations with a view to pressing charges and imposing prison sentences. It is expected that more than 500 Palestinian homes will be raided in the coming days. The provocative announcement made no mention of arresting the armed Jewish settlers that attacked Palestinians, their cars and homes, and whose shocking violence was captured in videos and pictures shared widely on social media. So far, 140 indictments have been brought against 230 people, all but a handful of whom are Palestinians, including minors, on charges of assaulting police officers, demonstrating, throwing stones and arson. Very few charges relate to the acts of violence against the Palestinians. The methods long used to terrorise the Palestinians in the occupied territories are now to be used against Israels own citizens. This flows inexorably from Israels 2018 Jewish supremacist nation state law that sanctions apartheid and ethnic cleansing. The Nation State law, which makes no mention of Israels non-Jewish citizens, democracy or equality, enshrines Israel as the national home of the Jewish people throughout the world who have automatic right to immigration and citizenship and proclaims Jerusalem complete and united as Israels capital. It lays the basis for the exclusion of Arabs from Jewish communities and demotes Arabic from its position as an official state language. This crackdown on the Palestinians comes in the wake of a provocation by dozens of far-right Jewish settlers who, with the protection of Israels special forces, entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem Sunday, hours after the police had beaten and assaulted worshippers praying in the Mosque, Islams third-holiest site. The police also increased restrictions at the gates leading to Al-Aqsa, stopping worshippers under the age of 45 from entering the Mosque. In the last few days, extremist groups have used social media to call on Jewish worshippers to enter the compound, where under an agreement confirmed in 1967 with Jordan whose Waqf Ministry is the legal custodian of the site, only Muslims can pray. These ultra-nationalist and religious groups who have visited the compound, known as the Temple Mount to Jews, in increasing numbers in recent years, are seeking to build the Third Jewish Temple and reinstate sacrifices on the grounds of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the site of the second Jewish Temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. This has made the Mosque a flashpoint in Israeli-Palestinian relations, as fears mount of an Israeli takeover of all or part of the site. There were several attempts by Jewish extremist groups to blow up the Islamic sites in the al-Aqsa compound in the 1980s. In 1990, riots erupted after the Temple Mount Faithful announced they were going to lay the cornerstone for a new Temple in the grounds, prompting the police to ban the group from entering the compound. The ban has been lifted as the power of these groups within official Israel politics has grown and successive governments have encouraged their efforts to pray at the site. These layers have grown ever more aggressive with the election of six members of the Religious Zionism-Jewish Power bloc to the Knesset in last Marchs election. Fears over al-Aqsa have grown in line with Israels repeated statements of its intention to retain control of East Jerusalem in perpetuity. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel has expropriated more than one-third of East Jerusalem for the construction of settlements, despite the ban under international humanitarian law on transferring civilians to occupied territory. Israel has zoned only 13 percent of East Jerusalemhome to 380,000 Palestiniansfor Palestinian construction, where Palestinians are officially allowed to obtain building permits that are in practice both expensive and difficult to obtain. As a result, much construction takes place illegally, providing the authorities with the pretext to demolish the buildings and evict the residents. On Saturday, Israeli police attacked a joint Palestinian/Jewish protest against the potential evictions of several families in Sheikh Jarrah, an East Jerusalem neighbourhood, to make way for settlers homes, dispersing them with torrents of foul-smelling skunk water. Their long-running case is shortly to be decided by the Supreme Court. The next day, security forces killed a Palestinian driver who crashed his car into a police roadblock, injuring six officers, while three or four soldiers guarded each home, threatening to beat up the residents if they went outside. The police have prevented Palestinianbut not Jewishnon-residents from entering the neighbourhood, cutting it off from the surrounding area and turning it into a military zone. Israels military forces also rounded up 41 Palestinians in raids on Sunday/Monday morning across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Prisoner Society said around 500 Palestinians had been arrested in the West Bank since mid-April. Israeli forces have killed at least 31 Palestinians, including four under the age of 18, in the West Bank since May 10. This has the full support of US imperialism. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking before he set off on Monday for Israel, the West Bank, Jordan and Egypt, reaffirmed the Biden administrations support for a two-state solutionas a longer-term goalso Israelis and Palestinians can live with equal measures of security, of peace and dignity. This was sheer hypocrisy, given that he had reiterated in an interview with This Week, the ABC news programme, Washingtons ironclad commitment to Israels security including giving Israel the means to defend itself. The Biden administration would replenish Israels Iron Dome missile defence system and see through its $735 million arms sale to Israel, he pledged. President Joe Biden insisted that Blinken would be talking to other key partners in the region on a range of issues, including the international effort to ensure some assistance reaches Gaza but without going through Hamas, which rules Gaza. This is in line with Israel Defense Forces chief Aviv Kochavis insistence that humanitarian funds are funneled through the Palestinian Authority. The intensive care nurse who looked after Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he was treated for COVID-19 has quit the National Health Service (NHS), denouncing conditions at her hospital as a cesspool of COVID and an absolute shitshow. Jenny McGee was one of the nurses praised by Johnson for keeping vigil over him when he was admitted gravely ill to St Thomas' hospital, London in April 2020. St Thomas Hospital in London where Boris Johnson was treated for COVID-19 (credit: Adrian Pingstone-Wikimedia Commons) The New Zealand-born nurse worked in intensive care at the large teaching hospital and major trauma centre, which is part of an academic health science centre. Johnson spent two nights in Intensive Care from April 5. On recovering, he said of McGee and another nurse, Luis Pitarma, The reason in the end my body did start to get enough oxygen was because for every second of the night, they were watching. McGee said she had quit over the government's lack of respect for NHS and healthcare workers. Lots of nurses felt that the government hadnt led very effectivelythe indecisiveness, so many mixed messages. It was just very upsetting. Her damning condemnation of conditions at a top London hospital prove that the BMJ (formerly, British Medical Journal) was on point with its description of the government's policy in the pandemic as social murder. Even though the deadly virus had been identified in January 2020, the Johnson governmentlike others internationallyrefused to take any action and publicly advocated a policy of herd immunity. It was only after having secured a massive bailout for the banks and major corporations in March, and facing rising public opposition, that a lockdown was implemented. Johnsonwho had made a point of shaking hands and refusing to wear a maskwas rushed to hospital on April 6, 2020, in the midst of the first wave of COVID-19 infections and deaths between March and May 2020. McGee revealed that Johnson's staff had attempted to co-opt her into a clap for the NHS photo-op in July, during what she had believed would be a private thank you visit to Downing Street. By that time, the first lockdown had been lifted and the Conservative government and the Labour Party were insistent that the economy had to be fully reopened. Demands to reopen schools were central to this effort, as the ruling elite sought to force parents into unsafe workplaces, with Labour's Sir Keir Starmer emphasising there could be No ifs, no buts about reopening educational settings. This homicidal indifference to workers' lives fuelled an even more deadly wave of the pandemic between December 2020 and February 2021. It is now known that Johnson was so bitterly opposed to a further lockdown that he thundered in October he would rather see bodies pile high in their thousands. People adding to the National Covid Memorial Wall. The wall is adjacent to Saint Thomas Hospital in London. Each heart represents one of the more than 150,000 people who have died of COVID-19 in Britain. (credit: WSWS media) The bodies did indeed pile high. McGee's description of a COVID cesspool and shitstorm at her hospital refers to this time. I dont know how to describe the horrendousness of what we were going through. We were desperate, she told Channel 4. Conditions at St Thomas' were replicated across the country. Official statistics presented by Julian Russell, on the NHS Providers blog, show that in England, at the peak of the first wave, daily infections were at 5,107, albeit significantly underreported due to lack of testing. In the second they reached 61,757 daily. Hospital admissions rose from a daily average of 1,500 in the first wave, to 2,500 in the second. In the month of January 2021, there were an average of 30,500 COVID-19 patients in hospital every day. On January 26 that year, the UK passed the tragic milestone of 100,000 deaths from the virus when looking at the government daily deaths data. In January 2021 alone, England recorded almost 30,000 COVID-19 deaths, approximately one-third of the country's total to date. The scale of suffering is criminal. But what the figures do not show is the numbers who caught COVID-19 in hospital, having been admitted for other illnesses. Public Health England estimated that more than 15 percent of COVID cases among patients had been acquired after admission. Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said, We think between 20 and 40 percent of the people who died from COVID across the country picked up the infection in their hospital. A Health Service Journal analysis of NHS England data in December found that the rate of hospital-acquired infection was over one in three in some areas. On Monday, the Guardian reported that Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid-19 while in hospital being treated for another medical problem. The report was based on freedom of information requests from 81 of Englands 126 acute hospital trusts, which found that almost three in 10 (27.1%) of those infected that way lost their lives within 28 days. A staggering 32,307 people have probably or definitely contracted the disease while in hospital since March 2020and 8,747 of them died, the newspaper reports. It is already known that elderly care homes have been a centre for the spread of the virus, with more than 50,000 residents estimated to have died. Together with the number of infections and deaths from hospital-acquired COVID, it means that tens of thousands of people were placed in mortal danger in settings where they should have been guaranteed safety and protection. In both areas, the underlying causes are the samelack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), the failure to track and trace infections, poor or non-existent sick pay, and staff overwhelmed by shortages and working under terrible pressure. More than a decade of austerity has seen the number of hospital beds in the UK collapse from 240,000 in 2000 to 163,900 in 2018, making it more difficult to implement social distancing measures. Healthcare workers and their families have suffered some of the highest rates of mortality. A recent BMJ study showed that patient-facing healthcare staff and their immediate families were three times as likely as the general population to be admitted to hospital with COVID. Between March and December 2020 alone, more than 850 healthcare workers are estimated to have died of COVID. The actual, up-to-date figure will be much higher. Still the government insists that NHS staff should receive just a 1 percent pay risean effective pay cutand, in England, has rejected even a one-off COVID bonus of 500 for healthcare workers. McGee's comments have subsequently been largely buried. Neither the government, nor the Labour and trade union bureaucracy want an examination of the policy of placing profits over lives that is responsible for the situation she describes. Especially when their combined efforts are geared towards the dismantling of even the limited restrictions still in place as they fully reopen the economy in the face of the spread of new and more infectious variants. The trade unions have used the pandemic to consolidate their corporatist relations with government and management, joining numerous taskforces while their members' health and lives are daily jeopardised. Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea (then Assistant General Secretary) was part of the governments Social Care Support COVID-19 Taskforce, established in June 2020. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Chair Professor Jane Cummings also attended. Such bodies were not created to give voice to the concerns of workers or users of these services, but to stifle them. Subsequently, in Scotland, Unison, the GMB and the Royal College of Midwives endorsed a single-year 4 percent pay deal, hailing it as an important advance on the miserly 1 percent on offer in England. Members of the RCN and GMB in Scotland overwhelmingly rejected the still derisory and divisive deal. But across the UK, the RCN has confined opposition to petitions and appeals to the government to see sense. Healthcare workers in the UK must look to their international class brothers and sisters for a way forward. Fierce opposition is growing across the globe among healthcare workers who are standing up for their rights, and those of patients and society at large. Strikes and protests have erupted from India, Israel and Japan to Bolivia, France and the US. Mass discontent must find a united political and industrial expression through the building of democratic workplace and hospital committees as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). Contact the WSWS today for assistance in building a rank-and-file committee in your area. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- The state of Indiana reported no new COVID-19 cases in Vigo County today. It's the first time since June of last year. One of the areas of concern for some has been the county jail. In December, a COVID-19 outbreak amplified overcrowding issues. Sheriff John Plasse said right now, there aren't any COVID-19 cases here. The spread of the virus was a concern with an over-populated jail. The sheriff has said there have been safety precautions in place like mask-wearing and quarantining. The overcrowding issue is the center of a federal lawsuit. Sheriff Plasse said he inherited the problem when he was elected in November of 2018. He said overcrowding and an outdated facility have been issues for many years, But COVID-19 brought the issue to the forefront again. Before the pandemic hit, there were simply too many inmates in one place. Many inmates and staff members contracted the virus because there was very little space for people. That lead to the virus spreading quickly in its early stages. Sheriff Plasse said, "A lot of times when inmates have symptoms they won't tell us. The state departments told us the reason they don't do that is because they don't want to be in quarantine. They want to be with everybody else they don't want to be isolated for two weeks." Right now the jail has designated classrooms and recreational rooms as quarantine zones. Each new person that gets admitted to the jail has to take a COVID-19 rapid test. Whatever the result, each new inmate is required to quarantine. This, along with vaccination efforts, has helped the jail mitigate the spread of COVID-19. However, the problem of having too many people in one place still is a concern. Sheriff Plasse said, "Usually when you have overcrowding, overcrowded conditions people are more around each other and tend to get more on each other's nerves and it tends to bring more fights. So if you have the population down with less and less people in the block you're going to have less of that." Plasse said right now the capacity at the current jail is set at 268. The jail is housing 300 people with 40 additional inmates housed at another location. The new jail will house up to 500 people at a time. He said, "As long as we have a bunch of people in jail, as long as we're overcrowded, if we would get something in there unknowingly it's going to spread like it did before. And that's why we're taking all these steps now to make sure it doesn't happen again." Plasse told News 10 the county is handling the federal lawsuit well. He said he reports to the judge monthly with updates on how the progress is going with the virus and the new jail. He told us the jail is still set to be complete by March of next year. WEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A weekend ATV crash in Vigo County ended with one man being airlifted. It happened on Sunday near Arms Place and Keegan Road in West Terre Haute. According to the crash report, Anthony McGill crashed into a pole. It says his arm was nearly amputated, he has possible cracked ribs, and both of his legs were broken or fractured. McGill was airlifted to the hospital. BRAZIL, Ind. (WTHI) -- A massive food giveaway is happening in Brazil. The Clay County Emergency Food Pantry is partnering with the city of Brazil in order to help its residents with food insecurity. The event took place at the First Christian Church. Through the use of grant money, the city of Brazil was able to work with The Clay County Emergency Food Pantry to fight food insecurity. Over $100,000 will be used for the next several months to make sure all residents of Clay County are being fed. Janet McClellan is the Planning and Zoning Administrator for the city of Brazil. She told News 10 that Clay County is considered one of the poorest counties in Indiana. She said food insecurity has always been a problem in this area. However, when you add the pandemic along with that, the problem increased. McClellan said, So, we do have a need. There is a huge need in this community and its our part to help feed people that are hungry, and thats why we do it. Mike Robinson is the CEO of the Clay County Emergency Food Pantry. He told News 10 his group wanted to target those who lost their jobs, have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, and the elderly population. Robinson said he wants everyone to know that the food pantry is here, and they want to help anyone who needs it. Robinson said, We want to welcome you here, or any type of food pantry because we know theyre sitting out there at home making a decision do I pay for my medicine and skip food? And we want to take care of those people. If they need food, hygiene products, whatever, were here. Robinson told us that many other food pantries, and other people, were also out lending their support. McClellan also added the event today wouldnt have been possible without the communitys support. She said, We have a great community here. If theres a need, our community answers the call to help. And all you have to do is put it out there, and theyll come. Looking ahead Robinson told News 10 this mass food pantry will be out here once a month until October. He said if you are looking to get involved and would like to volunteer you can. You can contact the city by clicking here, or contact the emergency food pantry by calling (812) 446-2293. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Indiana AFL-CIO is criticizing Gov. Eric Holcombs decision to withdraw the state from federal programs providing an extra $300 in weekly payments to unemployed workers and expanded jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The labor union said it cost the state nothing to remain in the programs, arguing that they have provided millions of dollars a week to families who could soon face having no income. Holcomb announced this past week that the Indiana would leave those federal programs effective June 19. Many businesses blame their difficulty filling job openings on the extra $300 weekly payment and programs that provide jobless aid to self-employed or gig workers and to people who have been unemployed for more than six months. Indiana AFL-CIO President Brett Voorhies said Holcomb was trying to coerce Hoosiers into low-paying jobs. If he really wants to get Hoosiers back to work, he should focus on making sure parents have affordable childcare, more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated, and the available jobs are good, union jobs that pay living wages and provide good benefits, Voorhies said. Choosing to eliminate financial aid to Hoosier families is cruel and unnecessary. The $300 payments have more than doubled Indianas average $280 weekly unemployment payment, which has a maximum of $390 a week, according to the state Department of Workforce Development. The changes taking effect June 19 could cut off or reduce unemployment benefits to more than 220,000 people in the state. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 13:52:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHICAGO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- With the passing of Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, "China and the world have lost one of the greatest agricultural scientists on our planet, and I have lost a great friend," Kenneth Quinn, president emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation, said. Quinn, also vice chairman of the Yuan Longping International Rice Development Forum, shared his memory of the "father of hybrid rice" in a written interview with Xinhua on Sunday. Yuan "greatly reduced hunger and provided farmers with surplus income" through his discovery of hybrid rice and the development of seeds that could triple and quadruple production during the early part of China's economic and agricultural transformation in the 1970s and 1980s, Quinn said. His creation and leadership over decades of a major research institution in China, the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province, have allowed several generations of Chinese and foreign scientists to develop enhanced expertise in rice production, Quinn said. "This achievement enabled his breakthrough research in hybrid rice to be spread far beyond China's borders to the benefit of millions," he added. Quinn first met Yuan in October 2004, when Yuan traveled to Des Moines in the U.S. state of Iowa to receive the World Food Prize. "As we walked out of the (airport) terminal and were about half way to our limousine, I received a call and stepped aside to speak." When Quinn turned back a minute or two later, he lost Yuan. "I had never before 'lost' a laureate," he said. After a desperate search, "I found Professor Yuan surrounded by a group of smiling Chinese agricultural scientists and graduate students from Iowa State University who so admired him that they wanted to take him off for a meal and conversation." During Yuan's stay at Des Moines, this happened time and again. "I had several of our interns follow behind him to prevent him being 'kidnapped,'" Quinn said. As president of the World Food Prize Foundation then, Quinn presided over the ceremony when Norman Borlaug, founder of the foundation and a famous U.S. agronomist, presented the laureate sculpture to Yuan. In Quinn's eyes, Yuan was incredibly humble, never seeking fame or adulation, and focused only on hard work and results that could help eradicate poverty and lift people out of hunger. "Yuan always maintained a 'down to earth' attitude." Quinn also admired Yuan as a teacher. "He always had time to answer questions and especially to speak with young scientists and students. The American high school students we sent to his research center each year always returned filled with knowledge and a deep desire to learn more." Quinn still remembers when he traveled to Sanya, China's Hainan Province, in 2016 to attend the first International Forum on Rice, he went to the area where Yuan made his initial breakthrough discovery regarding hybrid rice in the early 1970s. "It was deeply meaningful to stand at the very place where such an amazing breakthrough in food production had occurred," he said. Quinn said the most remarkable aspect of Yuan's life that he observed "was that everyone in China knew who he was and what he had done," stressing every person from servers in restaurants in Shenzhen, hotel staff in Shijiazhuang to refreshment purveyors on high-speed trains. "It is not for me to say, but it occurs to me that Yuan Longping may be the most important agricultural scientist in the history of China," Quinn said. "It was my great privilege to know him and become his friend." Learning of Yuan's passing away on Saturday, Quinn issued an immediate statement to send his deepest sympathy to Yuan's family and colleagues in China, as well as his admirers in China and across the world. "Professor Yuan Longping, who was truly beloved in his country and by all of us who knew him, will be greatly missed. His legacy will provide inspiration to generations far into the future, in China and across the world," Quinn said in the statement. Enditem TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- Many diseases havent stopped even though it seems like the world did when the pandemic first hit. In fact, many people are still getting cancer and undergoing treatments. One local woman is making sure cancer patients, and their families, know there are people out there thinking of them. Lorrine McCain is the founder of Stitch Pray and Crochet for Cancer. McCain hand makes blankets for those who are going through their journey battling cancer. She started this charity in March of 2019 in honor of her family members who were undergoing treatment. She said she knows exactly what its like for patients and their families to go through this tough journey. Thats why she wants to provide patients and families comfort as they battle through this disease. McCain said, There are so many people out there right now that just really need comfort, they need a hug, and since I cant hug them, I want to hug them like this. So far, McCain has made 100 blankets. Her 100th blanket was donated to the First Presbyterian Church of Farmersburg. McCain has partnered with her church in order to help her charity grow. She told News 10 that cancer touches home in her church because Pastor John Tuner has had cancer himself. In fact, Turner said his entire family has a history of cancer. Turner told us all the work McCain is doing is so important in keeping hope alive for those who are undergoing treatment. Turner said, Just having a comfort, and pulling on it like she said its like giving a hug back to you. Something to hold on to. People are afraid and they need comfort, and this is what these do. Once the blankets are complete the church prays on each blanket. Then the blankets get bagged up and sent to Union Hospital. McCain said she doesnt know who gets her blankets, but she does know they help touch the lives of the patients and their families that receive them. McCain said, One young lady passed away, and the family has kept the blanket as a memory, as a loving memory. And they cant tell me how much they appreciate all of my hard work and dedication. McCain said she will keep making blankets as long as she needs to. If you would like to help McCain in her journey to help others you can. You can send materials to her by sending them to this address: 2527 North 6 1/2 Street Terre Haute Indiana 47807. KNOX COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - A single-vehicle crash in Knox County has turned fatal. The crash happened Sunday night around 7:30 on State Road 61 near Mt. Zion Road in Knox County. Police say 55-year-old Paula Kordes, from Vincennes, has died. Kordes was initially taken to a Vincennes hospital but then later airlifted to a hospital in Evansville in critical condition. According to Indiana State Police, Kordes was driving, when for an unknown reason, her car left the road. That's when she hit a ditch, and her car overturned. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - We could see the next major step in Terre Haute's casino process on Tuesday. The Indiana Gaming Commission will meet on Tuesday afternoon. Members could give approval for casino construction to begin. The Terre Haute project will create up to 1,300 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs. Hard Rock says it will use local labor as often as possible. The casino is expected to be built on a plot of land on Terre Haute's east side, near I-70 and the State Road 46 interchange. Hard Rock's other Indiana casino Within the last couple of weeks, Hard Rock wrapped up its work on its casino in Gary, Indiana. News 10's Jon Swaner was there for the grand opening to catch a glimpse of what we might expect in Terre Haute. It will have a similar look. That casino took around 15 to 16 months to build. Local businessman Greg Gibson is involved with both the Gary and Terre Haute casinos. We will follow Tuesday's meeting and bring you updates as they become available. WASHINGTON, Ind. (WTHI) - A Washington, Indiana man will face charges after police say they found drugs and a gun in his vehicle. On Sunday, police pulled over 25-year-old Matthew Palmer-Coy. During the stop, police said a K9 alerted officers to the presence of drugs. During a vehicle search, police said they found around eight grams of meth, paraphernalia, and a handgun with an altered serial number. Palmer-Coy was charged with dealing meth, possession of paraphernalia, and obliterating identification marks on a handgun. TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Thousands of dollars in funding aim to improve early childhood education in Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties. The Toyota Wellspring Education Fund has committed $89,500 in grant funding annually over the next three years for this purpose. The eight school districts (listed below) in the three counties can request the funding. The goal is to better prepare incoming Kindergarten students. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Morgantown, WV (26505) Today Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Oakland, MD (21550) Today Cloudy skies during the evening with areas of fog developing after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 58F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies during the evening with areas of fog developing after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 58F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 14:28:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Philippine businessman Henry Lim Bon Liong described his 24-year-old friendship with late Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice", as among the most precious memories in his life. xhtxs.cn/fnC Charleston, WV (25311) Today Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Clarksburg, WV (26301) Today Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. The U.S. Capitol is seen as National Guard members pass by on Capitol Hill on Thursday, May 20. The House voted to create an independent commission on the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, sending the legislation to an uncertain future in the Senate. South Africa: O kae Molao operations nab 1070 suspects Gauteng police arrested more than 1070 suspects at the weekend during various operations, with 150 of them allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol. The suspects were arrested during O Kae Molao Operations, tracing of wanted suspects and routine police stop and search in various parts of the province between Friday and Sunday. Among the serious crimes committed were violent crimes such as rape, sexual assault, murder, car hijacking, attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, robbery, theft, fraud, possession of drugs, possession of suspected stolen property and possession of an unlicensed firearm. In addition, police arrested over 70 people for contravention of the National Disaster Management Act. Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela led the integrated law enforcement agencies in Kagiso, in the West Rand, joined by MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko. During this operation, police arrested more than 40 drunk drivers at a road block, 138 other suspects were arrested in the West Rand for crimes including possession of drugs, armed robbery, murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Crime combatting operations were also conducted in Soweto where more than 165 suspects were arrested for crime ranging from rape, murder, assault, theft, intimidation, pointing of firearm and robbery. In the Tshwane district over 310 suspects were nabbed by integrated law enforcement agencies made up of South African Police Service, Metro Police Department and Gauteng Traffic Police. These suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from assault, possession of suspected stolen property, reckless and negligent driving and dealing in drugs. Furthermore, Joint intelligence-driven operations were also effective and yielded positive results in the Ekurhuleni District where 363 suspects were arrested for crimes that include assault, robbery, and possession of suspected stolen property, rape, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm and possession of drugs. In Sedibeng, police arrested 58 suspects for committing offences that include murder, burglary at residential premises, theft, robbery and selling liquor without licence. The arrested suspects will appear in various Magistrates Courts in Gauteng in due course. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Reasons behind China's shrinking household size People's Daily Online) 13:54, May 24, 2021 Latest census results show that the household size in China has gradually shrunk over the past decade, with the average number of members in a family declining to 2.62 in 2020 from 3.1 in 2010. "Over the past 10 years or so, the size of local households has shrunk significantly," said Li Changxing, a 50-year-old neighborhood committee member who has been engaged in community work for nearly 20 years in Haidian district, Beijing. (Photo/Xinhua) Li noted that in the past, it was common for three, or even four generations to live together under the same roof. In stark contrast, nowadays, a household is frequently made up of a husband, a wife, and one or two children. Li added that now the most common type of family is made up of three members. Rural areas have also witnessed a drop in household size. "Nowadays, young people place more value on their own nuclear families. After working in cities, they will invariably obtain permanent urban residencies there," said Wang Lin, a senior citizen from a small village in east China's Anhui province. Wang added that his elder son and daughter have both obtained urban household registrations. "With my younger son working outside, my wife and I usually live alone," he noted. This change came about mainly due to the increasing mobility of the population, improved housing conditions, and the fact that young people live separately from their parents after marriage, according to Ning Jizhe, head of the National Bureau of Statistics. In recent years, cities in China have eased restrictions on permanent residency and improved housing market and support systems, providing favorable conditions for young people to settle down in cities. Now, it is much easier for people to get permanent residency in big cities. Among my classmates who graduated in the same year, many have settled down and started families in Shanghai, Shenzhen and other metropolises," revealed Yuan Ping, a young man from south Chinas Guangdong province who now works in Shanghai after graduating from a university in Beijing three years ago. Yuan has gained permanent residency in Shanghai and enjoys his family life in a public rental housing apartment. Another major reason is that the decline in the fertility rate has resulted in fewer newborns, said Chen Gong, head of the population research institute at Peking University. Some people see the shrinking household size as cause for optimism. "From my perspective, a shrinking household size means a more relaxing lifestyle and fewer burdens in housing, healthcare and childrens education," said Xu Tianxi, a post-90s man in Shanghai. However, the elderly invariably have mixed feelings about this trend. Yang, a retired man in Beijing, says he and his wife are able to enjoy their retirement life with stable pensions, but are concerned about their future old-age care since their only son lives in Shanghai. "Some of my friends visited some nursing homes for their future plans. We have also taken this option into consideration," Yang disclosed. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 14:52:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People bid farewell to deceased scientist Yuan Longping at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 24, 2021. China held a memorial service for Yuan Longping, known as the father of hybrid rice, Monday morning. The top rice scientist, who developed the first high-yield hybrid rice strain in 1973, died of organ failure at 91 last Saturday in Changsha. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge) CHANGSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday morning held a memorial service to bid farewell to Yuan Longping, known as the "father of hybrid rice," who passed away on Saturday. Despite being a busy work day, thousands of people dressed in black showed up and laid flowers at the site before the service began at 10 a.m. in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. The top rice scientist, who cultivated the first high-yield hybrid rice strain, died of organ failure at 91 in Changsha. The agronomist helped China work a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total arable land. He is deeply respected in China, where getting enough to eat was once a serious problem. In 2019, Yuan was awarded the Medal of the Republic, China's highest state honor. On Monday morning, the influx of mourners created a traffic gridlock miles long, prompting many to descend from their vehicles to walk to the memorial site inside a mortuary house. Some mourners arrived by train from other cities to "see Grandpa Yuan for the last time." "People from outside Hunan are coming to bid him farewell," said Liu Haohui, one of the taxi drivers who offered free rides to the mourners. "As a local taxi driver, we hope to do something to pay tribute to Yuan." Also among the huge crowd of mourners were couriers holding flowers that they said were ordered by distant buyers. Many florists in Changsha told Xinhua that their chrysanthemums had sold out. "Online orders kept flowing in. We worked overnight to prepare the flowers but still couldn't meet the demand," said florist Tan Lijuan. RICE HERO Yuan began his pioneering research on hybrid rice in 1964. After nine years of painstaking research and testing, his team successfully cultivated the hybrid-rice strain in 1973. Yuan spent the next four decades improving hybrid rice, which has now progressed to its third generation. In China, where rice is the staple food for the majority of its 1.4 billion population, the annual hybrid rice planting area has exceeded 16 million hectares, or 57 percent of the total rice planting area. That helps feed an extra 80 million people a year. Yuan's lifelong dedication to reducing hunger has made him a national hero and a household name in China. "We travelled all the way here to see him off. We farmers owe him gratitude," said Zhou Xiuying, 70, inside the memorial hall. "We must thank him for bringing us food," a woman was seen telling her young child at the site. In 1999, an asteroid discovered by the national astronomical observatories was named after Yuan. Enditem A digitized copy of a page from a handwritten 18th century diary by the Rev. Ebenezer Storer details a period of smallpox in Boston. An April 1764 entry includes a prayer Storer wrote weeks after arranging to have his own children inoculated. In the prayer, Storer gives thanks for the recovery of family members from the disease. George Jankowski, honored for perseverance in getting a degree from Laramie County Community College, poses for a photo on Wednesday, May 12, in Cheyenne. Tom Coulter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagles state government reporter. He can be reached at tcoulter@wyoming news.com or 307-633-3124. Follow him on Twitter at @tomcoulter_. Prison Architect: Going Green Tasks You With Building a Self-Sustaining Prison RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA -- General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the top U.S. general in the Middle East, visited Saudi Arabia Sunday and said the country is still asking for American military assistance to deter Iran, even as the possibility looms that the U.S. could reduce the number of troops in the region to pivot toward threats in Asia. The Biden administration is currently conducting a review of the U.S. military's assignments around the world amid the "near peer" threats posed by Russia and China. McKenzie did not speculate on what the review's potential outcome might be, but acknowledged that it is creating concerns in Saudi Arabia. MORE: Repatriating refugees at Syrian camp could stem ISIS resurgence: US general "I think they want reassurance that they're going to be helped if they're attacked by Iran, and they want help against the continuing attacks," McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, told ABC News and Associated Press reporters traveling with him this week to the Middle East. PHOTO: Gen. Frank McKenzie is interviewed by ABC News and the Associated Press during visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (ABC News) McKenzie said Sunday that that while the American military troop presence in the region has deterred Iranian aggression against Saudi Arabia, he believes that what is "far more important is sort of the broad spectrum of capabilities that we give them." He cited the linking of Saudi and American Patriot missile defense systems that provide an improved early warning system should Iran launch a missile strike at Saudi Arabia. "The point that I made today and we continue to make it all the time is: It's not actually the types of equipment that are here, it's maximizing the use of the more than 20 Patriot batteries that you do have the interoperable with us, maximizing those capabilities, so that if trouble occurred we can certainly come back in very quickly to help our Saudi friends," McKenzie said. "I believe our posture in the theater has prevented a state on state attack from Iran," he added. Story continues MORE: Top US general monitoring Israel-Hamas conflict in case it spreads to Lebanon But he also acknowledged his belief that the U.S. presence in the region has not stopped Iran's proxies from carrying out attacks. "They're under constant bombardment from Yemen, with a variety of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and small UAS (unmanned aerial systems) they're very concerned about . We want to help them with that," McKenzie said. MORE: Top US general monitoring Israel-Hamas conflict in case it spreads to Lebanon According to McKenzie, in the past three months Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen have fired about 100 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia. "They're proxies of Iran, so they're under constant bombardment, so they feel that they are under attack, and they are under attack," he said. U.S. efforts linking Saudi Patriot missile batteries with American batteries surged into Saudi Arabia have helped Saudi Arabian forces intercept a good number of the missiles launched from Yemen. McKenzie believes it's important to maximize the capabilities of American weapon systems in the region, and he is also aware that a reduction in troop numbers could lead to Iranian provocations. He believes the reduction of American troop levels in 2019 led to a cycle of Iranian escalatory provocations that culminated in Iran's rocket attack on Al Asad airbase in Iraq last January. That Iranian attack was triggered by a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad that killed Qassem Soleimani, a top leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. While it is possible that an American troop reduction in the region could create opportunities for Russia and China to fill the gap with potential weapons sales, McKenzie is not too concerned by that possibility. "I think we're still going to have a presence here. It might not look exactly like the presence it was five or seven years ago where we get hundreds and thousands of forces here, but I think we're going to play very smart games to leverage what we have," he said. "And it's not necessarily just a ship or just a submarine or just an aircraft carrier, it's the whole of U.S. government approach," McKenzie said. US military presence has deterred Iranian aggression on Saudi Arabia: General originally appeared on abcnews.go.com WASHINGTON A central figure in President Donald Trumps first impeachment filed a $1.8 million lawsuit Monday against former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for legal fees. Gordon Sondland, a hotel magnate who served as Trumps ambassador to the European Union, contends Pompeo assured him his legal fees would be covered when he was subpoenaed for testimony about Trumps dealings with Ukraine. After Pompeo learned what Ambassador Sondlands testimony was before Congress during the 2019 Impeachment Inquiry words that were entirely candid and truthful (but uncomfortable for the Trump Administration) Pompeo reneged on his promise, said the 21-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington. A Pompeo spokesman called the lawsuit ludicrous and said Pompeo is confident the court would agree. A spokesman for the Justice Department, which is also a defendant in the lawsuit, declined comment on the lawsuit. Gordon Sondland was removed from his position as ambassador to the European Union on Feb. 7, 2020. He testified during the first impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. During impeachment hearings, Sondland testified about Trump's attempts to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate unsubstantiated corruption allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter who was involved with a Ukrainian gas company. The House impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but the Senate acquitted him. America Talks Sondland said in the lawsuit that he had to hire private attorneys on short notice for the intense examination by congressional committees. He testified for 17 hours before the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight and Reform Committees, the lawsuit said. Sondland testified that he assured Ukrainian officials that a meeting would be arranged between Trump and Zelensky in exchange for investigations. Sondland testified there was a "quid pro quo" that Ukraine would receive military aid in response to investigating Biden, who was Trump's Democratic opponent in the presidential race. Trump said of Sondland: "I don't know him very well." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former CIA head Mike Pompeo sued for $1.8M over impeachment legal fees Dawn Wooten, left, a nurse at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, speaks at a news conference in Atlanta recently protesting conditions at the immigration jail. The Biden administration will no longer detain immigrants in two county jails in Georgia and Massachusetts amid claims of abuse and neglect. The move by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas drew praise from immigrant advocates, but they are right when they say this must be the beginning of a broader review of detention centers and agreements with local authorities. We have seen time and time again that the immigrant detention apparatus is fundamentally broken, Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said in a statement. Many of these facilities like Irwin are privately owned and have created a perverse profit incentive to keep more immigrants locked up. Grijalva hit the nail on the head. Its the whole system of privateering by keeping people locked up that must end. In this case, it wasnt just the privateers making a buck. It was the governments lack of proper supervision that has led to allegations of rampant abuse. A good first step to end mistreatment Mayorkas this week ordered ICE to stop using the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigrant Detention Facility in Massachusetts and end the 287(g) agreement, which allows local law enforcement to carry out some federal immigration enforcement duties, with the Bristol County Sheriffs Office. He also ordered ICE to sever as soon as legally possible a contract with the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia amid federal and state investigations into immigrant abuses. Most notorious is the allegation that folks at Irwin were performing hysterectomies on female detainees without their consent. In his memo to ICE, Mayorkas made clear he wants to continue reviewing concerns with other federal immigration detention centers. We have an obligation to make lasting improvements to our civil immigration detention system, Mayorkas said. This marks an important first step to realizing that goal. Thats a good step. But since allegations of abuse and mistreatment against migrant detainees arent new, Mayorkas must act faster to look at county jails and detention centers housing migrants. Story continues In Arizona, ICE lists six detention facilities located in Florence, Eloy and Phoenix. Here, too, the feds have reported shenanigans. Migrants seeking asylum disembark from an inflatable raft after crossing the Rio Grande River into the United States from Mexico on May 7, 2021 in Roma, Texas. For instance, at the privately owned and operated La Palma Correctional Center in Eloy, officers fired pepper balls, pepper spray and other chemicals at detainees to quell peaceful protests over the spread of COVID-19, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General. Former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano: Biden is making immigration moves that will pay off Enforcing immigration is and must remain strictly a federal responsibility. The feds must end the for-profit immigration jails and the 287(g) agreements that effectively turn local cops into immigration officers. Such agreements were expanded under former President Donald Trump, but they are nothing more than a pipeline to fill both private and government detention centers. Local officers can't solve migrant surge Remember Joe Arpaios immigration patrols that cost Maricopa County millions of dollars in taxpayer money in legal fees and other court-mandated compliance? He used a 287(g) agreement to justify work raids, traffic stops and migrant arrests. The feds in late 2011 revoked its 287(g) agreement with Arpaio, whos no longer sheriff thank the heavens and Maricopa County voters for that. But ICE still lists 71 such agreements in 21 states, including six in Arizona. The 287(g) agreements in Arizona are with the states Department of Corrections, the Mesa Police Department and the sheriffs offices of La Paz, Pinal and Yavapai counties. Help prevent crime: Get state, local law enforcement out of the immigration business These agreements represent a wasteful use of public funds, deter immigrant victims and witnesses from reporting crimes, and often lead to racial profiling, Daniel Pereira of the MIRA coalition, which advocates the end of all 287(g) agreements, said in a statement. I get that Biden is facing a huge logistical and political predicament with the surge of asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. But letting local officers act as immigration agents wont help solve the migrant surge one bit. It only serves to round up immigrants, which in turn also helps private companies make a profit. Elvia Diaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral, where this column first appeared. Follow her on Twitter: @elviadiaz1 You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Biden must end for-profit detention, local immigration enforcement With electrification, Nissan's Gupta sees new spark for Renault tie-up Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta poses with Ariya all-electric SUV after an interview with Reuters at its showroom in Yokohama By Eimi Yamamitsu and Maki Shiraki YOKOHAMA (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co will standardise and share electric-vehicle components with alliance partner Renault SA, the Japanese automaker's chief operating officer (COO) said, describing electrification as the partnership's new lynchpin. The Franco-Japanese alliance, which also includes junior member Mitsubishi Motors Corp, was strained in the aftermath of the arrest and ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has provided an impetus to rebuild the collaboration, and the companies have looked to standardise parts and platforms to cut costs. Nissan has already been sharing common platforms, powertrains and components with Renault and Mitsubishi, but those efforts have "reached the maximum we should do," Ashwani Gupta, Nissan's COO, told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "That's why we are shifting the gear of further synergies using electrification as the main pillar," he said. The focus will be on sharing batteries, electric powertrains and electronic architecture, he said, adding that adopting a uniform standard across the alliance would "contribute significantly" to economies of scale. Gupta said electrification would not pose a supply challenge because of Nissan's global sourcing of components. He said it had battery sourcing in China, Japan, Europe and the United States. Together the alliance sold more than 7.8 million cars last year, down about 23% from 2019 as the companies were hit by the pandemic. The push to share more of the work on electric vehicles (EVs) illustrates the scope of the challenge facing automakers everywhere, as the industry is being transformed by fast-moving technology. Ford has a strategic alliance with Volkswagen AG, under which Ford will use its German partner's MEB electric vehicle platform to build some models. Toyota Motor Corp has expanded ties with companies including Subaru Corp and Chinese battery and automaker BYD to jointly develop EVs, while Honda Motor Co and General Motors will introduce two jointly developed large-sized EV models using GM's Ultium batteries in 2024. Story continues BATTERY HURDLES Nissan, one of the world's first car makers to embrace fully EVs with its Leaf model, will share the platform of its upcoming all-electric Ariya SUV with Renault. Batteries are one of the costliest components of EVs, with raw materials accounting for the largest part of the cost. Yet battery development has been one of the weaker points of the more than 20-year alliance, with both Nissan and Renault sourcing batteries separately. Renault Chief Executive Luca de Meo said this month the two companies are in talks to collaborate more by using the same battery technology, and Gupta said on Friday they have agreed on the common specifications of batteries. Gupta also said that while keeping the distinctiveness of each brand was important in the alliance, the automakers would share "to eliminate the duplication of resources". Nissan, Japan's number three automaker by sales, has said it will electrify all new models in key markets by the early 2030s. It expects yearly sales of more than one million electrified vehicles by the end of fiscal 2023. (Reporting by Eimi Yamamitsu and Maki Shiraki; Additional reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu; Editing by David Dolan and Muralikumar Anantharaman) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 16:31:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has received the first batch of vaccine stock to manufacture China's Sinovac vaccine, said the Chinese embassy in Egypt on Sunday. Along with the Sinovac vaccine stock, a new shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines also arrived at the Cairo International Airport on Friday, according to a Chinese embassy's statement. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said on May 9 that Egypt will start locally producing Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in June, and the first 2 million doses will be produced at the plants of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA). The local end-product will be distributed to medical centers across Egypt in two months after being assessed by the Egyptian Drug Authority, said Zayed at a press conference at the airport. After meeting Egypt's own needs, vaccines produced in Egypt will be exported to other countries in the Middle East and Africa to help fight the pandemic, said the Egyptian minister. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that, as Egypt receives the bulk vaccines, it becomes the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in producing the COVID-19 vaccines. China calls on the international community to lend more hands to Africa through providing epidemic prevention materials, medicines, technology and funds to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines, Liao said. Egypt started in late January vaccinating the medical staff of governmental hospitals with a COVID-19 vaccine made by another leading Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm, which is the first vaccine approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority. In early March, the most populous Arab country began to vaccinate elderly people and patients with chronic diseases against the highly infectious coronavirus. So far, Egypt has reported 252,690 COVID-19 cases, including 14,670 deaths and 186,223 recoveries. Produced by Xinhua Global Service May 24MASHANTUCKET Both of her parents had diabetes. Her grandmother lost both legs to the disease. So, Heather Mars-Martins, a member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe and a longtime employee of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, grew up skinny, eating as naturally as possible, following what she called "an ancestral way of life." Mindful of the importance of fitness in keeping the disease at bay, she participated in track and field and cross country. "You think you're doing everything right ...," she said. But when Mars-Martins woke up one day in 2003, her vision was blurry. The eye doctor asked her how long she'd been diabetic. Her primary doctor ordered tests that confirmed she had type 2 diabetes. Among tribal populations, in particular, she is anything but alone. While it's been estimated that more than 10% of the U.S. population has diabetes, the prevalence among Native Americans American Indians and Alaska Natives is nearly 15%, twice what it is among whites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today, more than 17 years after she was diagnosed, the 55-year-old Mars-Martins, a North Stonington resident, has benefited from a virtual approach to treatment that's based on frequent communications with clinicians who remotely monitor her blood sugar level, blood pressure and other biomarkers and a "coach" who provides highly personalized feedback and advice on her diet and lifestyle choices. "Basically, it's an online diabetes clinic," said Dr. Jeff Stanley, medical director of Virta Health, the San Francisco-based start-up that Mashantucket-owned Pequot Health Care engaged to help improve tribal members' health and contain costs. Pequot Health Care manages the tribe's self-funded health care plan, which is available to tribal members and Foxwoods Resort Casino employees. It also manages plans for other tribes and other commercial enterprises. Mars-Martins is the administrative assistant to Pequot Health Care's president, Christopher Manzi. Story continues "Local economies spend hundreds of millions of dollars treating acute sickness," said Dr. Setu Vora, the Mashantuckets' chief medical officer. "We asked: How can we start moving upstream? How can we focus on disease prevention, on controlling disease or reversing it. Diabetes is a real crisis; we were looking for real solutions." Vora's search led him to Virta Health's diabetes-reversal program. Seventy-four type 2 diabetes patients initially enrolled in Virta's program. Eventually, the Mashantuckets, through Pequot Health Care, intend to add coverage of prediabetes and obesity treatments. After one year, 93% of Mashantucket enrollees in the program had reduced their blood sugar, as measured by A1c tests, while reducing by 78% the insulin and other diabetes-specific medications prescribed for them, Virta Health reported. Nearly 70% of patients lost more than 5% of their body weight. The tribe benefited, too, reducing its spending on medications by 50%, saving more than $3,800 per patient per year, according to Virta. "Usually, (a patient's) insulin increases year after year," Stanley said. "Once on insulin, you're on it for life. So, to see the opposite trajectory is unheard of ... If you're told you'll be on it for the rest of your life, and then you're told you don't need it, it can be one of the most impactful days of your life." Mars-Martins said she stopped taking fast-acting insulin injections prior to meals two months after starting the Virta Health program nearly two years ago, and has reduced the dosage of the long-acting insulin she takes once a day at bedtime. She said she has telemedicine visits with Virta Health doctors four times a year and otherwise communicates with Virta staff by text and video chat. And there's the monitor she wears on her abdomen at all times, transmitting data to Virta Health. "Telemedicine has really changed my ability to manage my disease," she said. "I haven't had a diabetic low or high in two years." Mars-Martins said the Virta Health program provided her with videos and other material that helped her better understand the science behind the treatment of her disease. "The idea is to see food as medicine, not poison," she said. "What I didn't know is which foods my body could break down and which it couldn't. It's not like going on a diet. It's not like I can reach a goal and stop. Certain foods my body doesn't know how to process. It's about a lifestyle change." Fortunately, indigenous foods are the ones Mars-Martins can process. She's gone back to nuts and berries, meat and seafood. New England clam chowder "family love," she calls it is OK, sans the potatoes she personally favors. Also fond of baked bread, she learned to forgo not-so-indigenous white flour for almond flour and coconut flour. She's shed the more than 30 pounds she had added over 17 years. In the first year of the Virta Health program, Mars-Martins communicated almost daily and sometimes multiple times a day with her Virta coach, Leah Wakefield. They texted back and forth and talked on video calls, the discussions ranging from why the patient's blood sugar was spiking to the effect of stressful events like the coronavirus pandemic or a relative's pregnancy. "Stress eating can be a problem, and so can lack of access to a gym," Wakefield said. She said Mars-Martins has succeeded so well because she's committed to the program. Wakefield, too, recalled that one of the first dishes Mars-Martins was concerned about was New England clam chowder. "Early on, we discussed her preparing it without the potatoes or how she could eat it before she added the potatoes for the rest of the family," Wakefield said. Such patient support is "the great differentiator" in treating diabetes, Stanley, the Virta Health medical director, said. "Decades of research showed us that with diabetes, limiting your sugar and carbohydrate intake can have a dramatic effect. But you need help navigating the food landscape," he said. "It wouldn't have been possible 10 years ago with a bricks-and-mortar clinic. Today's technology allows us to do it." "I've got my life back," Mars-Martins said. b.hallenbeck@theday.com ABC News The Views Meghan McCain derailed a discussion on GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes recent comparison of a House mask mandate to the Holocaust on Monday by demanding the show instead talk about Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omars supposedly insidious antisemitismequating pro-Palestinian activism with anti-Jewish hate. During an interview on a right-wing podcast last week, Greene attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for asking GOP House members to prove theyve been vaccinated before dropping the chambers mask mandate. You know, we can look back at a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany, the far-right congresswoman declared. And this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about. The QAnon-curious lawmakers remarks sparked intense backlash, including from some Republicans. At the same time, House Republican leadership has remained silentnaturally. Asked why Greene hasnt faced any repercussions for her latest inflammatory comments, McCain immediately changed the subject. She has been stripped of her committees; she has absolutely no legislative power in Congress whatsoever, she asserted during Mondays broadcast. It should juxtapose when Rep. Ilhan Omar said that Jewish people had hypnotized the world and it was all about the Benjamins. She is still on the Foreign Relations Committee and is still able to dictate foreign policy in the United States of America. McCain was referencing a handful of tweets for which Omar was widely condemned and criticized in 2019; tweets that McCain cried on-air over because they were scary and she took them personally because she has Jewish friends. At the time, Omarone of only two Muslim women in Congressapologized unequivocally, adding that Anti-Semitism is real and she was thankful to Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. Congress, however, never directly censured Omar over her remarks, instead passing two general measures condemning antisemitism. Story continues Mehdi Hasan and Ayman Mohyeldin Are Doing Something Radical for Cable TV: Presenting the Palestinian Side The conservative View host went on to highlight the recent spate of antisemitic attacks around the world in the wake of the violent conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, seemingly placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the political left. And she also suggested a media conspiracy was afoot to protect Omar and her progressive colleagues. I would love if the energy was putting on one crazy woman in Congressif she is the face of the Republicans, then the Squad is the face of the DemocratsI would love Democrats to put that same type of energy into whats happening on the left, she exclaimed. Quite frankly, this is how people get red-pilled. The media doesnt want the Squad to look bad. They just want Marjorie Taylor to look bad. Antisemitism is a huge problem everywhere. At this point, host Whoopi Goldberg had to throw the segment to a commercial break, prompting McCain to blow up as she felt she was being silenced. Why are you cutting me off? McCain shouted. I'm cutting you off because we have to go, Meghan! Why do you think Im cutting you off? Goldberg retorted as they faded off-screen. After the break, the tension was still high. And this time, McCains longtime sparring partner Joy Behar was roped into the action. In finishing her commentary, McCain said that while antisemitism of the right was easy to spot because it manifests itself in the form of crazy people and tiki torches, the lefts version of anti-Jewish hate is a lot more insidious and a lot more sinister. And then she directly equated pro-Palestinian sentiments to antisemitism. It matters who can make legislation, she said. And if you are for BDS and you are anti-Israel in the way that [Omar] is, it makes real power to make legislative change like weve seen this past week with The Squad! McCain further complained that the media has not done an adequate job calling out anti-Jewish hate crimes, resulting in a barb from Behar. Ive been talking about antisemitism for 25 freaking years, the liberal co-host yelled. Dont tell me what Im supposed to be saying, Meghan. You do your thing and we do ours. I know youve been here 25 years," McCain huffed in response. "Ive been here for four. Thats right. You should have some respect for that, Behar shot back. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Michael Conroy/AP/Shutterstock Mike Pence and Karen Pence Mike and Karen Pence are excited to be moving back to Indiana, after months of crashing with family and renting a home since leaving the White House. The former vice president, 61, and second lady, 64, both shared news on social media that they bought a home north of Indianapolis. USA Today first reported the news Monday morning. "So Good to be Back Home Again in Indiana!" Pence tweeted alongside emojis of a home and the American flag. "There's no place like home and Indiana is home," Mrs. Pence told the outlet, which reported the family was recently renting a home in Arlington, Va. The Pence's new two-story home "comes with some land and a pond," a spokesperson for the former second lady told the outlet. Mrs. Pence said in a statement the family is "looking forward to spending more time with our large extended family and reconnecting with friends we have known all our lives." Michael Conroy/AP/Shutterstock Mike Pence and his family return to Indiana on Jan. 20, 2021 Michael Conroy/AP/Shutterstock Mike Pence Pence was the governor of Indiana from 2013 until 2017, when he took office as vice president alongside former President Donald Trump. Prior to his time as governor, Pence represented the state in Congress from 2001 until 2013. RELATED: Mike Pence 'Expected to Fully Recover' After Successful Heart Surgery to Install Pacemaker Pence is widely considered a top candidate for the Republican Party's presidential nomination in 2024, although the former vice president hasn't formally announced a campaign yet. "It's a very popular parlor game in Indiana politics to guess what his next role will be," one Republican insider in Indiana told PEOPLE earlier this year. "But it's nearly unanimous out here that regardless of what his next move is, the world is his oyster." RELATED: Mike Pence Opens Post-White House Office and Announces New Roles in Conservative Politics Story continues Since leaving the White House, Pence signed a book deal, set up a post-White House office in Arlington, and announced several new positions with prominent conservative groups as a podcaster and lecturer. Pence's autobiography, about "the many pivotal moments of the administration," is expected to be released in 2023. In February, Pence had reportedly defended his "friendship" with Trump, 74 despite the U.S. Capitol riot, in which Trump's supporters chanted "Hang Mike Pence," and he and his family needed to be rushed to safety. Last month, Pence also had a successful heart surgery to install a pacemaker to steady his heart rhythm after experiencing a low heart rate for several weeks. RELATED: Mike Pence Is Writing an Autobiography About the 'Many Pivotal Moments' with Trump and More PEOPLE previously reported the Pence family was planning to move back to Indiana sometime this summer after misleading reports spread on social media that the former vice president was "homeless" and couch surfing. An Indiana GOP source clarified that the Pences were "staying with family as they figure out what their next steps are going to be" while house hunting for their new home in central Indiana. "It's not like Seinfeld," the source said. "I don't think Mike and Karen Pence are on somebody's pull-out couch with the bar that goes across the bed and all that stuff." Pandemic measures improved across the board on Monday, when Minnesota reported zero COVID-19 deaths, fewer hospitalizations and 10 straight days of fewer than 1,000 new coronavirus infections. The seven-day rolling average of new infections in Minnesota has dropped 61% since the start of May with only 469 more infections being reported in the state on Monday. The number of inpatient hospital beds filled with COVID-19 cases has dropped as well in Minnesota from 699 on April 14 at the peak of the latest pandemic wave to 378 on Sunday. State health officials have commended Minnesota's vaccination progress for reducing COVID-19 levels despite the presence of more infectious variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the respiratory disease. More than 2.8 million people have received at least a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and more than 2.5 million of them have completed the one- or two-dose series. The totals mean that 63.5% of Minnesotans 16 and older and more than 89% of the state's vulnerable senior citizens have received at least some COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 59,000 people 12 to 15 have received shots as well since the age eligibility for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was reduced from 16 to 12 two weeks ago. The pandemic overall has caused 7,370 COVID-19 deaths and 599,234 infections found through diagnostic testing in Minnesota. The progress comes ahead of Minnesota's scheduled removal on Friday of remaining capacity caps and social distancing requirements on indoor bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. A state mask mandate was lifted two weeks ago, though some businesses and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul require that they be worn in indoor public locations to reduce the threat of viral transmission. The state is reporting a decline as well in bar and restaurant outbreaks which are defined as infections involving seven customers from different households who only reported going to one establishment in the past month. Eight such outbreaks have been reported so far in the week ending May 22, and four were reported in the prior week. Fifty outbreaks were reported during the peak of the latest pandemic wave in the week ending April 10. Jeremy Olson 612-673-7744 Ethan Lindenberger grew up hearing vaccinations were dangerous but he didnt know why. It wasnt until he was 16 and researching that he realized he might not see eye-to-eye with his mother anymore. I got on the internet and realized there were thousands of people who disagreed with my mom, Lindenberger, now 20, told USA TODAY. Then I realized I needed to get vaccinated. I needed to do it not just for my community but for everyones safety. After his Reddit post seeking advice on how to vaccinated went viral two years ago, Lindenberger is now urging other teens to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Lindenberger, who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, said if someone is 18 or older they should just do it regardless of their parents opinion. However, for teens in states where parental consent is needed to get vaccinated, Lindenberger said its more difficult. If youre like me, at 16 and knowing your parent is against vaccines, Id just educate yourself and your parent on why its important for you, Lindenberger said. Talking is that first, best step. Parental consent is needed in most states except North Carolina, where all teenagers can receive vaccinations, in Tennessee and Alabama where those 14 and older dont need consent, and in Oregon where parental permission isn't required for those 15 and older. The rules are murkier in Iowa, where the outcome depends on your health care provider. Back to school shots: 'I feel safer' after school vaccination, says teen Popular among America's youth: Teens out in droves for coronavirus vaccinations While public health experts emphasize the importance of teens getting vaccinated, they also acknowledge the obstacles they may face. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told USA TODAY that from ages 12 to 18, it can be a tough time communicating with parents. Benjamin recommended teens approach the vaccination topic as any other conversation. Instead of approaching a parent during a stressful time or during work, do it at the dinner table or while on a walk. Story continues Despite the varying age of consent, some teens are advocating for the COVID-19 and general vaccines. Arin Parsa, founder of Teens for Vaccines, a group dedicated to reporting misinformation and advocating for vaccinations, is only 13 but said he knows vaccines save lives. After seeing some teens unable to obtain consent for vaccinations, Parsa told USA TODAY that he started the group to give teens a voice and platform. Arin Parsa, 13, is the founder of Teens For Vaccines Rue Soto said at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, her parents were against vaccines. Soto, who turned 18 last month, said she spent months and months social distancing and then in virtual school. Eventually, she grew "exhausted" and wanted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as a way back to normalcy. "In January when everyone was discussing the vaccines and were excited, me and my parents were fighting over it. They thought it could kill me while I thought it could save people's lives," Soto told USA TODAY. Here's what we know: CDC says it's investigating cases of heart inflammation in teens, young adults who got the COVID vaccine. It wasn't until Soto presented her parents with pages of information on the Moderna vaccine that they started "coming around." Soto said she continuously asked her parents to listen to why she wanted to be vaccinated until she convinced them it was the right step for the family. "I truly just talked and talked until they realized getting vaccinated was best, not just for me, but for the family," Soto said. Benjamin and Jill Roberts, associate professor at the University of South Floridas College of Public Health, agreed that teens should educate themselves on the science and importance of vaccinations before confronting their family. Its important for the teen to show their parents the vaccine is more than just getting back to normal. Explain its importance and how it helps others. Show them the facts, and maybe then theyll pay attention, Benjamin said. If a parent refuses to listen or is strictly against vaccinations, Roberts advises teens to pull their pediatrician into the conversation. The doctor can act as an intermediary and provide information to both the parent and teen on the topic, Roberts told USA TODAY. She also emphasized that peer advocacy would be ideal, if parents see other families opening up to vaccinations, they may also feel inclined to. Benjamin said he's heard dozens of cases where a teen will want to get vaccinated but one or two parents refuse. However, he said in some scenarios the teens' wishes are "impossible" until they are of age. "It's hard, these teens are young and don't have much legal say, but they can open up the doors for communication and understanding with their parents." Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vaccine for teens? How some minors are talking to anti-vax families With school closed and classes going completely virtual, fashion design students graduating from the Parsons School of Design this year did what no senior class had done before: create their thesis collections entirely at home. These designs are often seen as the gateway to a coveted design job and, in rare cases, a star-making order from an influential store. But without in-person critiques or the tangible support of their peers, students were forced to improvise and many of them refocused their collections on themes of personal significance many of those relating to family or the home. More from WWD Students also explored issues of timely importance, including a push for racial equality, sustainable production methods and challenging societal gender norms. Herein, WWD meets five members from Parsons class of 2021 who explain the concepts and inspirations behind their thesis designs, as well as their hopes for the future. Looks from Chu Shiao Michelle Han's thesis collection for Parsons. Name: Chu Shiao Michelle Han Hometown: New York Age: 22 Describe the concept behind your thesis collection: My thesis collection combines the science of Chinese traditional medicine and physical therapy to create fashion therapeutics. Accessories function as braces with acupressure and massage properties; garment seams map the body through the contrasting lines of anatomy and meridian channels; naturally dyed silk, wool and linen provide a sense of color therapy; nutritional clothing provides relief in the form of herbal pads and red bean weights; posture alignment and compression are incorporated into the silhouettes to aid certain lifestyles. In the process, I explore my Chinese-American heritage and strive to bring Eastern and Western medicine to a common understanding. What were some of the inspirations, concepts or important world events that helped lead your thesis work? One inspiration for my thesis is a major challenge I find the Chinese healing community is facing in America. Chinese traditional medicine is labeled under alternative medicine in the English language and with that, there is a lot of skepticism that surrounds the practice. Growing up with health difficulties, I experienced the benefits of Chinese traditional medicine firsthand, even before seeing the way it was communicated in popular culture. My thesis project strives to combat the stigma attached to Chinese traditional medicine and share the practices with those who may want to experience it. Story continues How has the pandemic affected your design aesthetic or process and the outcome of your thesis collection? Since my project was interlinked with the people around me and my community, it was affected by the pandemic as much as they were. I found that many of the pain points I was addressing were caused by working and being quarantined at home, being in unhealthy postures for extended periods of time. For me, the political side of the pandemic has also highlighted the conflicts between Eastern and Western medicine. The anti-Asian hate crimes that have resulted from stigmas attached to Asian culture have shown the gravity of the situation. What do you hope to accomplish most in your career as a fashion designer? Through my thesis, I decided that a marker for my success would be if my therapeutic wearables were integrated and regularly worn. I believe this will continue to be my utmost priority to be able to incorporate medicine into fashion products. Especially an application of medicine from a multicultural lens. I hope to use my experience growing up between two languages and outlooks on medicine to lessen the language barrier between Eastern and Western medicine. Ultimately, I feel motivated to accomplish my vision of bridging science into our everyday lives through art and design. What are your plans for after graduation? Im planning on working at my dads auto shop while I find a full-time position at preferably a company specializing in sportswear and/or innovative materials. Post-pandemic I dream of working at Ermenegildo Zegna in Italy and Issey Miyake in Japan. Making spacesuits at NASA or SpaceX is on the bucket list, too Somewhere in between, Id like to launch my brand and get my second degree in materials engineering. Juliane Iwerks Name: Juliane (Julz) Iwerks Hometown: Somerville, Mass. Age: 23 Describe the concept behind your thesis collection: My thesis, Fauxmobilia, is a series of sculptural yet wearable shoes that camouflage into the home and build upon systems of reuse. The collection is a response to the boom in the home market that I experienced firsthand, loading vintage furniture into the backs of the Ubers at the height of the pandemic. As a designer and student of psychology, I found it reassuring to watch people turn to design for comfort and stimulation in a time of global stress, especially a younger market. I believe that by utilizing home materials in fashion products, it is possible to change consumer behavior to promote more thoughtful purchases and make products that are treated with the same care, specialty and permanence as traditional furniture. What techniques are you most proud of in your thesis collection? Two of my designs are derived from broken seat backs of the most popular item in the NYC furniture resale market: the Cesca Chair by Marcel Breuer. The design is constructed with caning, which often breaks and requires replacement parts that yield waste. Other designs utilize trash-destined lampshades and resin for cantilever illusions. Has the pandemic changed your outlook on the fashion industry? If so, how? The pandemic has emphasized the importance of pause. We were already seeing major changes in the understanding of seasons but I believe this pause truly reinvigorated the industry. I am now even more excited to watch the runways. As a psychology-minded person, I also must mention the importance of sleep and the tradition of neglecting it. Were seeing an emphasis on self-care in the workplace and Im happy to see positive practices come out of this trying year. What are your plans for after graduation? I will continue my work in furniture resale, as well as explore my options in footwear design and psychological research. I plan to always work creatively and academically in some fashion. In the long run, my hope is to create a space that integrates a platform to share my designs, as well as those of other small designers; LGBTQIA-plus centric hospitality, specifically food and resale. Additionally, Im a glassblower and would love to find ways to incorporate it into my footwear. Kadeem Lamorell Name: Kadeem Lamorell Hometown: Brooklyn Age: 21 Describe the concept behind your thesis collection: Essentially, my thesis collection focuses on exploring the definition of masculinity through my experience growing up within both African American and Caribbean communities. I spent a lot of time observing the ways the two communities and cultures encompass and interpret masculinity when it comes to mannerisms, language, artistic expression and clothing choices. Through that, I looked into hip-hop culture and the imagery it created around masculinity. From that research, I examined queerness and homoerotic relationships in the Black community, while analyzing my connection to the Caribbean diaspora. What were some of the inspirations, concepts, or important world events that helped lead your thesis work? A lot of my work has been inspired by my family and just taking the time to look through our archives. This gave me the chance to see how they dressed and how its evolved over the years. Seeing the exhibition No Gyal Can Test by Akeem Smith was a major turning point in my collection development and pushed me into seeking more of a raw, sexy, and confident vibe in my aesthetic. I was also inspired by the budding conversations around gender that my generation has facilitated. A lot of us are confronting the societal norms behind gender and dismantling that and Im so happy to be a part of this reckoning. Where have you been studying from while school is closed? Do you have plans to move after the pandemic? Ive been studying from my family home in Flatbush. Its been amazing to have them around me as a support system throughout the whole thesis process. With their help and my school, I was able to set up my own little studio here and continually work on development. How has the pandemic affected your design aesthetic or process and the outcome of your thesis collection? The pandemic shifted the trajectory of my thesis a lot! Before it, I had plans to go back to Trinidad & Tobago, where all my family is from. I wanted to interview them, and film a little documentary about my familys stories and their relationship with gender. While I didnt get to do everything I planned, I feel the pandemic really caused me to look internally and reflect more deeply about my own experiences. I kept a journal thinking about all the times I was confronted with my perceived gender and how it changed me. Has the pandemic changed your outlook on the fashion industry? If so, how? Its definitely made me see fashion in a new light. Its such a fragile industry and weve seen it kind of collapse in on itself over the course of this pandemic. So many brands have closed or cut back leaving little room for growth. I was definitely left a little jaded and anxious about whether or not Id have a place in fashion after this. It pushed me to cultivate more creative relationships in my community and support smaller, local brands as theyre the ones most affected. What do you hope to see change or improve in the fashion industry in the future? I want the industry to start supporting more Black and brown designers. So many of us have spent years in the shadows. Theres so much talent and creativity within us and the industry often doesnt recognize us or give us the opportunities to grow. I hope to see more of us have prominent platforms and established businesses in the vein of Telfar or Christoper John Rogers. Patrick Taylor Name: Patrick Taylor Hometown: London Age: 21 Describe the concept behind your thesis collection: My work focuses on proportion and fit, with the intention of expanding the silhouette of mens wear. After finding out that smocking, a technique of gathering fabric commonly seen in childrens wear, was historically worn by farmers up until the 20th century, I began to question why certain techniques that create volume are gendered. The idea that smocking originated as a mens wear detail made me want to reintegrate these types of design details back into mens wear. I played with how mens wear fits the body, examining the mini-adult aesthetic of 1940s American childrens wear and its strong resemblance to English military uniforms. Where have you been studying from while school is closed? Do you have plans to move after the pandemic? I have been studying at home in London this past year, where I plan on staying for the foreseeable future. When we are allowed to travel, I hope to go back to New York. I would love to see all of my class and teachers, who I have been working with remotely throughout my senior year. How has the pandemic affected your design aesthetic or process and the outcome of your thesis collection? Studying online, at home, during lockdown meant I had limited options for fitting models. This affected the development and outcome of my thesis and led me to fit my samples on my 9-year-old brother. During these fittings I created an interplay between mens wear and childrens wear and was able to examine the fit and proportions of my designs in greater depth. The way that the designs translated and distorted when fitted on my brother influenced the silhouette and energy of my final collection, giving it a playful aesthetic. What do you hope to accomplish most in your career as a fashion designer? Id like to design garments that expand the current silhouette of mens wear by integrating design details that have long been associated with femininity. I would like to create garments which give more people a greater amount of choice and bridge the gap between what is considered masculine and feminine. What do you hope to see change or improve in the fashion industry in the future? Id like to see the fashion industry highlight brands that prioritize design, construction and materiality over high-output production of garments. I hope to see a greater focus on smaller businesses and a move away from fast fashion. I want to be part of the emerging young designers who care about the ethics behind their fabrics and production, focusing on the environmental impact of my garments, without comprising on design. What are your plans for after graduation? After graduation Id like to take some time to reflect on my collection. I hope to apply for an MA, but I think that I would benefit from working in the fashion industry and to learn from the creatives who have helped to inspire me. Id love the opportunity to work for a brand such as JW Anderson, who is known for his interplay between masculinity and femininity, or Molly Goddard, whose craftsmanship creates inspiring silhouettes. Both have created a new modern interpretation of mens and womens wear. Lily Xu Name: Lily Xu Hometown: Wenzhou, China Age: 22 Describe the concept behind your thesis collection: My collection, called Gen/tle/man, is a mens pearl accessories collection that represents the fluid energy between masculinity and femininity. The symbolism and history of pearls inspired me to challenge the traditional classism pearl represents and reimagine the possibility of pearl accessories. What techniques are you most proud of in your thesis collection? Im most proud of the way I beaded garment-scale jewelry pieces without any support of fabric. I then embroidered pearl flowers onto these garments as jewelry pieces, to let the body and skin form a direct relationship with the pearls. Where have you been studying from while school is closed? Do you have plans to move after the pandemic? I went back to my hometown Wenzhou, China, when school closed and Im interested in seeking further education in fashion so I am planning to move to London after the pandemic. Has the pandemic changed your outlook on the fashion industry? If so, how? Definitely it changed my view on the fashion industry and as a designer I dont believe in the system the industry has created in the past I dont think its necessary for everybody to do the same amount of fashion shows and collections every year. As the next-generation designers, we dont have to follow the system we can form our own schedule and work at our own pace. What do you hope to accomplish most in your career as a fashion designer? As an Asian fashion designer I want to support my people and my community. The racism toward the Asian community breaks my heart and I think designers have a responsibility to speak up because fashion is a powerful tool and we can use our power and voice to make a change. What do you hope to see change or improve in the fashion industry in the future? I hope to see change in racism and not just as a PR strategy but actually offer people jobs and opportunities in the industry. Who do you hope is reading this and what is your message to them? Timothee Chalamet, if you are reading this my message to you is the pearl robe will look good on you. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. No doubt the gig economy is still the rage and growing. But many freelancers, contractors and temporary workers who may be weary of all the hustling, the instability and the scant benefits are switching to more traditional jobs as the economy reopens after more than a year of COVID-19 shutdowns, federal data show. And with dire labor shortages gumming up the gears of commerce, there may never be a better time to shift to a less nomadic career. That's because companies are bumping up wages, sweetening benefits and letting many employees work from home after such remote setups went smoothly during the pandemic, blunting a key advantage of gig jobs. Permanent jobs rise as employers sweeten pay, benefits for gig workers amid labor shortages The number of Americans employed through temporary help services fell by 111,000 in April, the second most on records dating to 1990, Labor Department figures show. No. 1 was the loss of 948,000 temp workers as the pandemic upended the economy a year earlier. Unemployment is 'broken':Benefits are in need of reform, workers and lawmakers say 'We were all quarantining together':Multigenerational home sales up amid COVID While the reason for last month's decline isnt clear, it appears that many of the temps were converted to permanent staffers or left their gigs for permanent jobs, says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moodys Analytics. If (businesses) are feeling good about the future, theyre going to rely less on temporary help and more on full-time workers, Zandi says. Indeed, from February to April, the number of part-time workers also fell by 85,000 to 25.5 million while the ranks of full-time workers surged by 1.3 million to 125.6 million, according to Moodys and Labor Department figures. The rise in permanent and full-time workers amounted to a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing jobs report that tallied 266,000 payroll gains, well below the nearly 1 million projected. Economists mostly chalked up the modest advances to worker shortages, with many unemployed people preferring to stay on enhanced jobless benefits and others caring for children or ill relatives. In fact, the worker deficit likely also contributed to the drop in temporary workers, with many declining to accept short-term assignments, says Lori Gajdzik, branch manager of an Express Employment Professionals franchise in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Story continues The worker deficit likely also contributed to the drop in temporary workers, with many declining to accept short-term assignments. Last summer and early this year, the pool of temporary workers dispatched by staffing agencies surged by 100,000 or more per month in a sign that businesses were posting an increase in sales amid a reopening economy or rising vaccinations. Yet many were leery of bringing on full-time workers while the recoverys prospects were uncertain. Now that the nation is fast approaching herd immunity and expected to be fully reopened by July, more employers are seeking to hold onto qualified employees for the long term, especially when theyre facing severe labor shortages, staffing officials and economists say. 'Taking good talent where they see it' "Theyre clearly jumping at the opportunity to hire, Gajdzik says. Theyre taking good talent where they see it. So far this year, clients have converted 132 of the temporary workers placed by Express to their own permanent employees, up from 96 during the same period in 2019 and the most in recent memory, Gajdzik says. The rate at which employers are choosing to convert temporary workers to full time has accelerated at a pace I havent seen in years, says Amy Glaser, senior vice president of staffing firm Adecco. Many of the conversions are happening in manufacturing, warehouse, call center and administrative office jobs, Gajdzik and Glaser say. Ruben Alvarado, of Marengo, Illinois, lost his job making equipment for the oil and gas fracking industry 10 days ago when the manufacturer moved to Texas. I thought it would take some time to find another job and Id go through (temporary assignments), says Alvarado, 29. Instead, he worked as a temporary computerized factory machine operator at a forklift manufacturer for just a week before he was hired to do the same job as a permanent employee with a 15% bump in pay. Staffing Industry Analysts, a research firm, has estimated that as much as 30% of the labor force is made up of people who perform gig work at least some of the time. Just one week and I was hired on right away, he says. White-collar workers also are benefitting. An information technology company flipped about a quarter of its 500 or so contract workers to full-time, permanent staffers after other contractors left to take permanent jobs at rival companies, says Michael Smith, global CEO of Randstad Sourceright, a staffing company. Smith says its too early to declare that a longer-term shift from contingent to permanent workers is underway. Staffing Industry Analysts, a research firm, has estimated that as much as 30% of the labor force is made up of people who perform gig work at least some of the time. Labor has said the share of people who do contingent work as their main job is far lower at around 10%. After working as a marketing consultant for three years, Krista Canfield McNish of San Francisco took a permanent job late last year as a marketing and communications strategist for a venture capital company. She preferred the flexibility her consulting business offered, noting the benefits and steady paycheck of a permanent position didn't sway her. Theres the flexibility to say, I want to work these hours and not those hours. I want to take these projects and not those projects, she says. She also enjoyed taking your office wherever you happen to be, including Saudi Arabia. She took the job, she says, because she was excited to work with a diverse group of executives and the various startups in which her company invests. Bonuses, raises for permanent workers Still, employers, are going to greater lengths to attract permanent workers, with many offering sign-on bonuses to restaurant and retail employees. Total compensation for U.S. workers rose 0.9% in the first quarter, the largest gain in more than 13 years, according to Labors Employment Cost Index. Freelancers and contractors typically dont receive health, 401(k), vacation and other benefits. Temporary employees on the payrolls of staffing firms generally do receive such perks, though theyre often not as robust as the ones permanent staffers receive. Companies, meanwhile, are giving permanent workers more latitude, a selling point for millennials who may otherwise prefer gig jobs. A Gartner survey of HR leaders at 130 companies in December found that 90% plan to let employees work remotely at least some of the time even after much of the population is vaccinated. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Permanent work: Jobs shift to full-time for many part-time workers Bali has hosted all sorts of poorly behaved tourists and influencers during the pandemic. Now the island seems to have had enough. When countries were shutting down borders and sending foreign travelers home at the start of the pandemic, Indonesia allowed visitors to remain. Now, politicians are wondering if that was a terrible idea. Yes, the foreigner brings income for us. But their action will risk the local who works to serve them as well. Can they have a little empathy? Balinese politician and designer Niluh Djelantik told The Guardian. Related: Influencer slammed over 'high maintenance' first date advice Social media influencers have always been drawn to the island of Bali travel blogs and tourism sites have literally called it as Instagram candy. But since stricter rules were put in place because of the pandemic, tourists have generally failed to comply with new protocols. KOMPAS, an Indonesian news outlet, reported that there have been 346 tourists caught for violating rules, 60 of which ended up being deported from the island. Tourists are charged $70 for not obeying the rules 10 times more than locals because officials say they are more likely to misbehave. One high-profile deportation was that of Russian influencer Leia Se, who filmed a prank video where she painted on a blue mask and then walked through a supermarket. I made this video to entertain people because Im a content creator and it is my job to entertain people, Ses partner and co-star, Josh Paler Lin said. Even as influencers are causing trouble for Bali, the local economy still relies heavily on tourism. In 2020, the islands economy dropped 9.3 percent. Tiny kitchen? No problem. These are the best ways to maximize your small space! In The Know is now available on Apple News follow us here! If you enjoyed this story, read more about this Influencer who was slammed over her first date advice. More from In The Know: Influencer shuts down men mocking her during a photoshoot Story continues These trendy candles will liven up your home with bold scents and colors Board-certified gynecologist shares what to expect ahead of your first visit The Baby Yoda ColourPop eyeshadow palette is here and its adorable The post Popular travel destination begs influencers to behave appeared first on In The Know. 7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 17:46:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LAGOS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A group of unidentified gunmen on Sunday night attacked a village in north-central Nigeria's Plateau state, killing seven people, a police officer said Monday. Gabriel Ubah, a spokesperson for the police in Plateau, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Jos, the state capital, said the police received a distress call at about 8:00 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Sunday, reporting a gunmen attack on Dong village in Jos South local government area, which killed seven persons. "A combined team of policemen ... raced swiftly to the scene but the hoodlums had already fled back into the bush," Ubah said. He said an investigation is ongoing, with frantic efforts to arrest the gunmen at large. A series of armed attacks have taken place across the most populous Afrian country, leading to deaths of civilians and security operatives. Enditem Trump supporters storm the Capitol and halt a joint session of the 117th Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Greensboro, NC (27407) Today Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 69F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 69F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey and Sonora Governor Claudia Pavlovich capped their close, six-year professional relationship by signing an agreement to secure the neighboring states water future and expand collaboration to monitor air quality. Meeting for the last time before Governor Pavlovich leaves office in September, the Governors also participated in a fireside chat where they discussed economic growth, public safety and the importance of maintaining strong binational ties between Arizona and Sonora. It has been my honor to work with Governor Pavlovich over the past six years, and Im glad to call her a friend and a partner, Governor Ducey said. Thanks to her leadership, Arizona and Sonora have shown what can be achieved when you chart a course and lead with vision. The agreement signed by the Governors is the result of extensive negotiations between representatives of Arizona and Sonora serving on the Arizona-Mexico Commission (AMC), a cross-border non-profit organization aimed at strengthening the relationship between the neighboring states. Known as a Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement includes studying opportunities for desalination, the process to remove salt and other minerals from water so it can be made drinkable. The professional partnership forged between Governors Ducey and Pavlovich stretches back to their first meeting in July 2015, and has remained solid through multiple changes in leadership at the national level in both Washington and Mexico City. Its well known that opportunities are open and growing in the Arizona-Sonora region, and its thanks to the strong cross-border relationship and our common goal of economic prosperity, said Governor Ducey. Its our duty to lay groundwork for the generations of people that will live here after us. Im proud to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Governor Pavlovich today to do just that by protecting our water and air quality future. Governor Pavlovich, the first woman to serve as the leader of Sonora, echoed those sentiments. The strong relationship between Arizona and Sonora has created jobs, enhanced trade and improved public safety, said Governor Pavlovich. I am grateful to Governor Ducey for prioritizing this partnership, and for focusing on key issues that benefit both Arizona and Sonora. During todays meeting, the Governors also met with members of the AMC and its 16 binational committees to discuss innovative measures to tackle issues facing the region and upcoming projects. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey signed legislation Monday to exclude fentanyl testing products from the list of illegal drug paraphernalia, allowing those who use drugs or suffer from addiction to identify drugs that have been laced with the lethal narcotic. Drug use claims far too many lives each year, said Governor Ducey. We want everyone who is using drugs to seek professional treatment. But until someone is ready to get help, we need to make sure they have the tools necessary to prevent a lethal overdose. Senator Christine Marsh lost her son to an overdose last year, and she took the lead on todays legislation to protect those who are taking drugs from fentanyl overdoses. My heart goes out to her for her strength and commitment to protecting other Arizona families. Thank you, Senator Marsh. Deaths from fentanyl continue to rise, and it is now the drug implicated in the most overdose deaths in Arizona. It accounts for 522 of the 1,106 overdose deaths in the state in 2018. Senate Bill 1486 aims to combat this devastating trend by excluding narcotic drug testing products that are used to determine whether a controlled substance contains fentanyl or a fentanyl analog from the list of illegal drug paraphernalia. Even a very small amount of fentanyl can be deadly, and heroin and other drugs have been laced with fentanyl without the knowledge of the person using the drugs. Senator Marsh lost her son, Landon, one year ago to a fentanyl overdose. Since then, she has worked to ensure other families dont have to suffer the same loss. No one should have to suffer the loss of their loved one to addiction or accidental overdose, said Senator Marsh. Illegal drug use can be extremely dangerous, and with the prevalence of fentanyl being laced into other drugs, it can be deadly. We have to make sure families and young Arizonans have the resources needed to prevent a lethal fentanyl overdose, and this legislation will provide an additional tool. I am grateful to everyone who supported Senate Bill 1486. In 2016, Governor Ducey legislation signed allowing pharmacists to dispense Naloxone without a prescription to a person at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose, a family member or community member in a position to assist that person. This has led to more than 36,000 doses of this life-saving medication being administered in Arizona since June 2017. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Friday signed legislation allowing bars, liquor stores and restaurants to sell cocktails to-go, expanding opportunities for businesses across the state. Businesses owners have shown that offering to-go beverages can be done responsibly and safely, said Governor Ducey. House Bill 2773 will make sure restaurants and bars have the opportunity to expand operations and meet the needs of their customers, especially after weathering the effects of the pandemic. My thanks to Representative Jeff Weninger for sponsoring legislation that will help so many businesses. Governor Ducey in March 2020 issued an Executive Order restricting enforcement of regulations that prohibit sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages with the purchase of food to help mitigate financial consequences of the pandemic-related pause on certain business operations. House Bill 2773 permanently allows Arizona businesses the opportunity to offer to-go cocktails beyond the pandemic. Many businesses were hard hit by the pandemic, but smart policies like permitting to-go beverages helped keep many afloat, said Representative Weninger. House Bill 2773 will help bars, liquor stores and restaurants grow, and it will attract new businesses to our state. This is a major win for Arizonas food and beverage industry, and I thank Governor Ducey for signing this legislation. Governor Duceys signing of the legislation is being enthusiastically received by industry representatives and business owners. To-go beverages will be a game-changer for our business and our customers will love it, said Grant Krueger, owner of Union Hospitality Group in Tucson. The signing of House Bill 2773 will help us reach more patrons and expand and modernize operations. This legislation will help business across the state, and I thank Governor Ducey for his continued support. After seeing how successful to-go cocktails were last year, I am happy to see Governor Ducey sign House Bill 2773, said Lee Miller, Owner of JR's Bar in Sierra Vista. This bill will allow us to provide additional options to our customers and give businesses like mine new ways to earn additional revenue, which is sorely needed after last year. Restaurants, bars and liquor stores throughout the state will have the opportunity to drastically expand their operations thanks to the signing of House Bill 2773, said Steve Chucri, President and CEO of the Arizona Restaurant Association. To-go cocktails will help businesses bring in revenue and attract new customers, and it will draw new restaurants and bars to our state. My thanks to Representative Weninger for sponsoring the legislation, and to Governor Ducey for signing it." Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 17:48:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIYADH, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led military coalition involved in a war in Yemen on Monday foiled a bomb-laden boat attack launched by the Houthi militia in the southern Red Sea, local media reported. The attempt was part of a series of attacks in the Red Sea over the years, and most of them were foiled, according to Riyadh-based Al Ekhbariya TV channel. The coalition accused the Houthis of risking the international trade and violating the Stockholm Agreement -- a voluntary accord between the parties of the Yemeni conflict. Besides the attacks in the Red Sea, the coalition has destroyed drones and missiles launched by Houthis towards Saudi Arabia, especially its border areas. 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 recognized 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. Enditem Instanced Line Rendering Rye Terrell November 18, 2019 Native line rendering in WebGL leaves a lot to be desired. Theres inconsistency in the implementation, so you cant trust that the line width you want will be available to you, for example. Its also missing some pretty important features, like line joins and caps. For these reasons, quite a bit of work has been done to implement custom line rendering - summarized expertly by Matt Deslauriers in his excellent piece Drawing Lines is Hard. Still, theres one piece of the WebGL native line rendering that I rather like - the data structure. All you need to ship to the GPU are the vertices in your line segments or line strip - so one or two vertices per line segment. Its easy to reason about and efficient to create, ship to the GPU, and update. With that in mind Id like to present another line rendering technique for your consideration: instanced line rendering. Its not quite as simple as native line rendering, but its very close, its very fast, and its a lot more flexible and featureful. In this post, Im going to review native line rendering, then present a few implementations of instanced line rendering, including one implementation that allows you to render a line, complete with caps and joins, in a single draw call. TL;DR Native WebGL line rendering kinda sucks - its implementation isnt uniform and you dont get line joins or caps. Its nice in that the data format is simple - just give it vertices and go! We can get the best of both worlds with instanced line rendering. Native WebGL Lines Well start by taking a look at two primitives that can be used to draw lines natively in WebGL: GL_LINES and GL_LINE_STRIP . Given data of the form vertexData = [ x0 , y0 , x1 , y1 , x2 , y2 , ..., xn , yn ]; GL_LINES will render a set of independent line segments where each segment is each sequential pair of points in your data: The GL_LINES primitive. GL_LINE_STRIP , on the other hand, will render a line segment between every vertex and its neighbors: The GL_LINE_STRIP primitive. Ill be using my favorite WebGL library, regl, for all of the examples in this post. In regl, we define commands that wrap up all our shader code and render state into a single configurable function, called a draw command. Heres what writing a simple GL_LINES draw command might look like. First, well create our regl context: const REGL = require ( "regl" ); const regl = REGL ({ canvas : canvas }); Then the command - well start with simple vertex and fragment shaders: const glLines = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 position ; uniform mat4 projection ; void main () { gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( position , 0 , 1 ); } ` , frag : ` precision highp float ; uniform vec4 color ; void main () { gl_FragColor = color ; } ` , Then well bring in the position attribute: attributes : { position : regl . prop ( "position" ) }, And the color and projection uniforms: uniforms : { color : regl . prop ( "color" ), projection : regl . prop ( "projection" ) }, Well set the primitive to GL_LINES and the line width to a configurable property: primitive : "lines" , lineWidth : regl . prop ( "width" ), And finally define the number of vertices well be rendering and the viewport: count: regl.prop("count"), viewport: regl.prop("viewport") }); Next, we need to generate the data to send to our command (in the position prop). The example code has a convenience function for generating this data that I wont waste your time with here. Suffice it to say that the data is generated in the form described previously: const vertexData = [ x0 , y0 , x1 , y1 , x2 , y2 , ..., xn , yn ]; And then wrapped in a regl.buffer before being shipped off to the regl command: const buffer = regl . buffer ( vertexData ); Now we have everything we need to invoke our regl command and render our lines: glLines ({ position : buffer , count : vertexData . length , width : regl . limits . lineWidthDims [ 1 ], color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport }); Note that regl.limits.lineWidthDims[1] is the maximum line width supported by the clients browser. Heres the result (mouse over to animate): GL_LINES in action. Unfortunately, I dont really know what youre seeing right now! As mentioned above, I cant know (as I write this) what your implementation supports, for example, in terms of maximum line width. As of this writing, I see lines that are 10 pixels in width, which may or may not be what you see. With a simple change, we can use the same code to render our data as a line strip: primitive : "line strip" , Which results in the following (mouse over to animate): GL_LINE_STRIP in action. Basic instanced line rendering Lets start by reimplementing what WebGL already gives us - some simple line segments and strips with no caps or joins. Well take it a little bit farther and add line width support. In a nutshell, instancing is a technique you can use to render the same geometry lots of times, with slight variations to that geometry for each instance of it. So, if you wanted to render a million bunnies, each with their own color and rotation every frame, youd want to use instancing. If you didnt, youd need to either a) create a single million-bunny geometry and ship it to the GPU every frame or b) execute a million draw calls every frame. Neither of those options are going to perform well. Instead, youd create a single bunny geometry and a list of the colors and rotations for each bunny, each frame. Much, much faster. In order to render our instanced lines, were going to need two things - a WebGL context that supports instancing, and an instance geometry for each segment. Heres how we can create a regl context with the instancing extension: const regl = REGL ({ canvas : canvas , extensions : [ "ANGLE_instanced_arrays" ] }); Now the instance geometry - heres what it looks like: The instance geometry well use for a line segment. So, two triangles, six vertices, centered on the origin vertically, but shifted to the right one unit horizontally. The -component will represent distance along the length of our line segment, and the -component will represent a distance along its width. Lets go ahead and define it: const segmentInstanceGeometry = [ [ 0 , - 0.5 ], [ 1 , - 0.5 ], [ 1 , 0.5 ], [ 0 , - 0.5 ], [ 1 , 0.5 ], [ 0 , 0.5 ] ]; Lets work on replicating GL_LINES behavior. Well start with the command, vertex shader first: const interleavedSegments = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; uniform float width ; Well pass in three attributes: position is the position of the instance geometry vertex is the position of the instance geometry vertex pointA is the position of the first vertex of our line segment is the position of the first vertex of our line segment pointB is the position of the second vertex of our line segment attribute vec2 position , pointA , pointB ; And well pass in our projection matrix as a uniform: uniform mat4 projection ; Now the brass tacks. Lets start by calculating the vector from pointA to pointB : void main () { vec2 xBasis = pointB - pointA ; And then well calculate the (normalized) perpendicular direction: vec2 yBasis = normalize ( vec2 ( - xBasis . y , xBasis . x )); Recall that the -component of position is along the length of our line segment. Well take our pointA endpoint and add the vector from pointA to pointB multiplied by position.x . Since position.x will be either zero or one, well end up at either pointA or pointB . Then well do the same thing for position.y (which is along the width of our line segment), but using the width of the line and the perpendicular direction. Adding those two offsets leaves us at the appropriate point in space for this vertex. Transforming the instance geometry into the line segment. vec2 point = pointA + xBasis * position . x + yBasis * width * position . y ; And finally well apply the projection: gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , The vertex shader was one of the two interesting bits of this command. Defining our attributes is the other. First well add an attribute for our instanced geometry. Note that we set the divisor to zero, which indicates that this attribute is identical for every instance: attributes : { position : { buffer : regl . buffer ( segmentInstanceGeometry ), divisor : 0 }, Next well define the attributes for our line vertices. Theres a few things to note here. First, we set the divisor to one, which indicates that this attribute has one value per instance. Second, we set the offset and stride of each point attribute such that each instance receives the appropriate endpoints. Third, were using a single buffer for both attributes, with no unnecessarily duplicated data: Using different offsets and strides allow us to reuse the same set of data for different attributes. pointA : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 0 , stride : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 4 }, pointB : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 2 , stride : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 4 } }, Well pull in our width (which we can now precisely and confidently control), color , and projection uniforms: uniforms : { width : regl . prop ( "width" ), color : regl . prop ( "color" ), projection : regl . prop ( "projection" ) }, And define our vertex count which is the number of vertices in our instance geometry: count : segmentInstanceGeometry . length , Then well define how many instances we have, which is the number of segments: instances : regl . prop ( "segments" ), And finish up with the viewport: viewport : regl . prop ( "viewport" ) }); Now we can invoke our command: interleavedSegments ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length / 2 }); (Here weve named the command interleavedSegments because the and components of our data are interleaved into a single buffer. There are cases for which you would likely not want to organize your data this way - more on that in a bit.) Heres the result (mouse over to animate): GL_LINES replicated with instanced line rendering. Note that we now have full control over the width. With only a few minor changes, we can render line strips as well. Well make a new command with the more appropriate name interleavedStrip : const interleavedStrip = regl ({ ... and well change the offset and stride of the point attributes so that each instance is getting the appropriate endpoints: The attribute layout for line strips. attributes : { ... pointA : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 0 }, pointB : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 2 } }, Everything else about the command will remain the same, including the vertex and fragment shaders. Note that for the same data set, well be bumping the number of segments, since a line strip will give us line segments instead of the we got with our interleavedSegments command, where is the number of vertices: interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); GL_LINE_STRIP replicated with instanced line rendering. Line Caps and Joins Line joins are the shapes used to join to line segments where they meet, while caps are the shapes used at the ends of lines. Theres three common line joins - miter, round, and bevel, and three common line caps - butt, round, and square: The various common caps and joins. Note that we get butt caps for free, since thats what the ends of our line segments already look like! The strategy well use for rendering lines with joins and caps is to render the lines, joins, and caps with independent instanced draw calls, all using the same attribute buffer - no duplicate data. For example, if were rendering a line strip with four segments, well render The four segments in a single instanced draw call The three joins in a single instanced draw call The two caps in two draw calls Im employing this strategy for simplicity and consistency, but it may be possible to reduce the number of draw calls with vertex shaders more specific to your purpose. For example, you might be able to write a vertex shader that would render the segments and miter joins in a single draw call (though Im dubious about also fitting the caps into it except in the case of round caps and round joins, which well cover later). Round Joins For round joins, well create an instance geometry in the shape of a circle, using the GL_TRIANGLE_FAN primitive. Heres a simple function that generates the geometry buffer given a regl context and a resolution: function circleGeometry ( regl , resolution ) { const position = [[ 0 , 0 ]]; for ( wedge = 0 ; wedge <= resolution ; wedge ++ ) { const theta = ( 2 * Math . PI * wedge ) / resolution ; position . push ([ 0.5 * Math . cos ( theta ), 0.5 * Math . sin ( theta )]); } return { buffer : regl . buffer ( position ), count : position . length }; } Well call the circleGeometry function: const roundBuffer = circleGeometry ( regl , 16 ); Next well create the render command. The vertex shader is trivial - it scales the geometry by the width and positions it. The only subtle piece here is the offset for the points attribute. Well skip the first point (since its an endpoint), and when we call the command, well call it with instances, where is the number of vertices in the line. const roundJoin = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 position ; attribute vec2 point ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; void main () { gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( width * position + point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , ... attributes : { position : { buffer : roundBuffer . buffer , divisor : 0 }, point : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 2 } }, primitive : "triangle fan" , count : roundBuffer . count , instances : regl . prop ( "instances" ), }); Next well invoke the command to render the round joins: roundJoin ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , instances : vertexData . length - 2 }); And then well draw our line strip the usual way: interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); Heres the example in action (mouseover to animate, click to toggle join highlights): Instanced line strip and round joins. Miter Joins Miter join geometry. Well render two triangles for each miter join, as indicated by the highlighted area in the figure above. First well define our miter join instance geometry, which isnt so much a geometry as a set of coefficients well use to index our miter basis vectors (more on that in a moment): instanceMiterJoin = [ [ 0 , 0 , 0 ], [ 1 , 0 , 0 ], [ 0 , 1 , 0 ], [ 0 , 0 , 0 ], [ 0 , 1 , 0 ], [ 0 , 0 , 1 ] ]; Next well create our vertex shader. Well pass in the three vertices of the two neighboring line segments were considering, our instance geometry position, the line width, and the projection matrix: const miterJoin = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 pointA , pointB , pointC ; attribute vec3 position ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; Well calculate the miter vector: void main () { vec2 tangent = normalize ( normalize ( pointC - pointB ) + normalize ( pointB - pointA )); vec2 miter = vec2 ( - tangent . y , tangent . x ); Then well find the two perpendicular vectors for each line: vec2 ab = pointB - pointA ; vec2 cb = pointB - pointC ; vec2 abNorm = normalize ( vec2 ( - ab . y , ab . x )); vec2 cbNorm = - normalize ( vec2 ( - cb . y , cb . x )); Then well determine the direction of the bend: float sigma = sign ( dot ( ab + cb , miter )); And use it to calculate the basis vectors for the miter geometry: vec2 p0 = 0.5 * width * sigma * ( sigma < 0.0 ? abNorm : cbNorm ); vec2 p1 = 0.5 * miter * sigma * width / dot ( miter , abNorm ); vec2 p2 = 0.5 * width * sigma * ( sigma < 0.0 ? cbNorm : abNorm ); Finally we use the basis vectors and the position attribute coefficients to calculate the final vertex position: vec2 point = pointB + position . x * p0 + position . y * p1 + position . z * p2 ; gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , This time well pass in three different views, again to the same buffer: Reusing the line vertex buffer for rendering miter joins. attributes : { position : { buffer : regl . buffer ( instanceMiterJoin ), divisor : 0 }, pointA : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 0 }, pointB : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 2 }, pointC : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 4 } }, And well finish it off with the instance geometry count: count : instanceMiterJoin . length , }); The rest of the command is identical to what weve used previously. Finally well invoke the interleavedStrip and miterJoin commands to render our line: interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); miterJoin ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , instances : vertexData . length - 2 }); Heres the example in action (mouse over to animate, click to toggle join highlights): Instanced line strip and miter joins. Bevel Joins Bevel joins are very similar to miter joins - well be locating points and in the figure below and creating a triangle with the already-known point . First well create the instance geometry, which again is less a geometry and more a set of coefficients well use with our bevel basis vectors: Bevel join geometry. instanceBevelJoin = [[ 0 , 0 ], [ 1 , 0 ], [ 0 , 1 ]]; Next well start our bevel join command, which again will take the endpoints of the two segments as vertex attributes in the vertex shader: const bevelJoin = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 pointA , pointB , pointC ; attribute vec2 position ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; As before, well calculate a tangent vector and normal to it: void main () { vec2 tangent = normalize ( normalize ( pointC - pointB ) + normalize ( pointB - pointA )); vec2 normal = vec2 ( - tangent . y , tangent . x ); Then well calculate two perpendicular vectors for each segment: vec2 ab = pointB - pointA ; vec2 cb = pointB - pointC ; vec2 abn = normalize ( vec2 ( - ab . y , ab . x )); vec2 cbn = - normalize ( vec2 ( - cb . y , cb . x )); And the direction of the bend: float sigma = sign ( dot ( ab + cb , normal )); And finally calculate the basis vectors for the bevel geometry and the final vertex position: vec2 p0 = 0.5 * sigma * width * ( sigma < 0.0 ? abn : cbn ); vec2 p1 = 0.5 * sigma * width * ( sigma < 0.0 ? cbn : abn ); vec2 point = pointB + position . x * p0 + position . y * p1 ; gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , Everything else is the same as the miter join command, well just pass in the instanceBevelJoin geometry instead. Heres the example in action (mouse over to animate, click to toggle join highlights): Round Caps Well render solid circles for our round caps, and reuse the circle geometry from the round joins. The command is simple: const roundCap = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 position ; uniform vec2 point ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; void main () { gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( point + width * position , 0 , 1 ); } ` , frag : ` precision highp float ; uniform vec4 color ; void main () { gl_FragColor = color ; } ` , attributes : { position : { buffer : roundBuffer . buffer } }, uniforms : { point : regl . prop ( "point" ), width : regl . prop ( "width" ), color : regl . prop ( "color" ), projection : regl . prop ( "projection" ) }, primitive : "triangle fan" , count : roundBuffer . count , viewport : regl . prop ( "viewport" ) }); Were not even using instanced rendering here, just throwing circles on the screen with a single draw call each. The position of each cap is no longer an attribute, but rather stored in the point uniform. Lets render our caps first. Note that we pass the first and last vertex to the invocations of roundCap in the point uniform: roundCap ({ point : vertexData [ 0 ], width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport }); roundCap ({ point : vertexData [ vertexData . length - 1 ], width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport }); And finally well render the line strip and bevel join: interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); bevelJoin ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , instances : vertexData . length - 2 }); Since were rendering a full circle for the cap, theres going to be some overdraw. If youd like to avoid that, you can use a semicircle instead, just make sure you pass in information about the orientation of the semicircle as well. Heres what the round caps with bevel joins looks like (mouse over to animate, click to toggle cap highlights): Square Caps Next up is square caps. For these, we cant get away with not orienting them, so well need to pass in a little more data. For each cap, well pass in the line endpoint (beginning or end), and the point immediately after or before it on the line, depending on which cap were rendering: Square caps are oriented along the first and last line segments. Well reuse segmentInstanceGeometry since it is already prepared in the way we need. Lets take a look at the vertex shader. Well pass in the geometry position and points A and B: const squareCap = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 position ; uniform vec2 pointA , pointB ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; Then well calculate our basis vectors and multiply them by the width of the line and the geometry vertex position to recover the final vertex position: void main () { vec2 xBasis = normalize ( pointB - pointA ); vec2 yBasis = vec2 ( - xBasis . y , xBasis . x ); vec2 point = pointB + xBasis * 0.5 * width * position . x + yBasis * width * position . y ; gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , The rest of the command is as youd expect: frag : ` precision highp float ; uniform vec4 color ; void main () { gl_FragColor = color ; } ` , attributes : { position : { buffer : regl . buffer ( segmentInstanceGeometry ) } }, uniforms : { pointA : regl . prop ( "pointA" ), pointB : regl . prop ( "pointB" ), width : regl . prop ( "width" ), color : regl . prop ( "color" ), projection : regl . prop ( "projection" ) }, count : segmentInstanceGeometry . length , viewport : regl . prop ( "viewport" ) }); Now we can invoke our command, once for each cap: squareCap ({ pointA : vertexData [ 1 ], pointB : vertexData [ 0 ], width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport }); squareCap ({ pointA : vertexData [ vertexData . length - 2 ], pointB : vertexData [ vertexData . length - 1 ], width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport }); Heres what square caps with bevel joins looks like (mouse over to animate, click to toggle cap highlights): Special Case: Round Caps and Joins If we want to render round caps and joins, we can organize our geometry such that we can render the line strip, joins, and caps all in a single draw call. I find this particularly satisfying for three reasons: Its really simple to set up and invoke a single draw call. If youre draw call bound, this will minimize the number of draw calls you need to make per line strip. Its hard to beat lines with round caps and joins in terms of application flexibility. You dont need to worry about too-sharp angles as you do with miter joins. All points within the width of the line are rendered, and none without, unlike the bevel join and the butt and square caps. And since the joins are the same at any angle, you can join multiple segments at the same joint with no artifacts. The first thing well need is an instance geometry for each line segment. The approach well take is to include the rectangular piece of the segment and a semicircle on both ends. Where line segments join, the two semicircles will form the join with no gaps, and will serve as the round caps at the ends of our line strip. Instead of storing just an x- and y- component, well also use a z-component that will indicate which end of the line segment each vertex belongs to. If we move the vertices left and right according to the value of their z-component, the geometry will look like this: An instance geometry for rendering round caps and joins in a single draw call. Alright, lets take a look at the code for creating the geometry. Well write a function that takes our regl context and a semicircle resolution, and well return an attribute buffer and a vertex count. First well create the simple rectangular section of our geometry: function roundCapJoinGeometry ( regl , resolution ) { const instanceRoundRound = [ [ 0 , - 0.5 , 0 ], [ 0 , - 0.5 , 1 ], [ 0 , 0.5 , 1 ], [ 0 , - 0.5 , 0 ], [ 0 , 0.5 , 1 ], [ 0 , 0.5 , 0 ] ]; Note that each vertex is given three components instead of two. The third component describes which side of the line segment that vertex belongs to - zero for left, one for right. Im using left and right here, but the term really means proximity to the beginning of the data set. Then well add the vertices for the left semicircle (Note that the vertices define ): for ( let step = 0 ; step < resolution ; step ++ ) { const theta0 = Math . PI / 2 + (( step + 0 ) * Math . PI ) / resolution ; const theta1 = Math . PI / 2 + (( step + 1 ) * Math . PI ) / resolution ; instanceRoundRound . push ([ 0 , 0 , 0 ]); instanceRoundRound . push ([ 0.5 * Math . cos ( theta0 ), 0.5 * Math . sin ( theta0 ), 0 ]); instanceRoundRound . push ([ 0.5 * Math . cos ( theta1 ), 0.5 * Math . sin ( theta1 ), 0 ]); } And well do the same thing for the right semicircle (Note that the vertices define ): for ( let step = 0 ; step < resolution ; step ++ ) { const theta0 = ( 3 * Math . PI ) / 2 + (( step + 0 ) * Math . PI ) / resolution ; const theta1 = ( 3 * Math . PI ) / 2 + (( step + 1 ) * Math . PI ) / resolution ; instanceRoundRound . push ([ 0 , 0 , 1 ]); instanceRoundRound . push ([ 0.5 * Math . cos ( theta0 ), 0.5 * Math . sin ( theta0 ), 1 ]); instanceRoundRound . push ([ 0.5 * Math . cos ( theta1 ), 0.5 * Math . sin ( theta1 ), 1 ]); } Finally well create the attribute buffer and return it with the vertex count: return { buffer : regl . buffer ( instanceRoundRound ), count : instanceRoundRound . length }; } Now well invoke our roundCapJoinGeometry function to build our instance geometry: const roundCapJoin = roundCapJoinGeometry ( regl , 16 ); Then we can start on our command. Theres two pieces we need to look at - the vertex shader and the attributes. Lets start with the vertex shader. Well pass in the usual suspects - the instance geometry vertex position , and pointA and pointB of our line vertices: const interleavedStripRoundCapJoin = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec3 position ; attribute vec2 pointA , pointB ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; In the logic of our vertex shader, well calculate the normalized vector from pointA to pointB : void main () { vec2 xBasis = normalize ( pointB - pointA ); find a perpendicular vector to it: vec2 yBasis = vec2 ( - xBasis . y , xBasis . x ); Calculate the offset position from both pointA and pointB : vec2 offsetA = pointA + width * ( position . x * xBasis + position . y * yBasis ); vec2 offsetB = pointB + width * ( position . x * xBasis + position . y * yBasis ); And then select the correct offset using the third component of the instance geometry before reporting the final gl_Position : vec2 point = mix ( offsetA , offsetB , position . z ); gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , The attributes are as youd expect - zero divisor for the position attribute, one for the pointA and pointB attributes, and an appropriate offset for each: attributes : { position : { buffer : roundCapJoin . buffer , divisor : 0 }, pointA : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 0 }, pointB : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 2 } }, Now my favorite part, wherein we render an entire line, complete with caps and joins - with a single draw call: interleavedStripRoundCapJoin ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); Here it is in action (mouse over to animate, click to toggle cap & join highlights): Decorative Lines Now for something a little more colorful. With careful consideration of drawing order, width, and color, we can render some handy line effects. Outlines Outlines can be accomplished by rendering a thick line with a slimmer line on top, using the same data set for each. Render the thick line in the color you want the outline to be, and then the slimmer line with the interior color. For example, heres an orange line with a black outline rendered with two draw calls: interleavedStripRoundCapJoin ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); interleavedStripRoundCapJoin ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 36 , color : [ 1 , 0.25 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); Custom Points We can also render custom points on our lines at the joints and caps, an effect you may wish to use to highlight data points in a plot, for example. All we need is a simple command that can render our custom point geometry at our line joints: const customPoints = regl ({ vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec2 position ; attribute vec2 point ; uniform float width ; uniform mat4 projection ; void main () { gl_Position = projection * vec4 ( width * position + point , 0 , 1 ); } ` , frag : ` precision highp float ; uniform vec4 color ; void main () { gl_FragColor = color ; } ` , depth : { enable : false }, attributes : { position : { buffer : regl . prop ( "pointGeometry" ), divisor : 0 }, point : { buffer : regl . prop ( "points" ), divisor : 1 } }, uniforms : { width : regl . prop ( "width" ), color : regl . prop ( "color" ), projection : regl . prop ( "projection" ) }, primitive : regl . prop ( "pointPrimitive" ), count : regl . prop ( "pointCount" ), instances : regl . prop ( "instances" ), viewport : regl . prop ( "viewport" ) }); Well need a custom point instance geometry (here we create a diamond geometry): const diamond = regl . buffer ([ 0 , - 0.5 , 0.5 , 0 , 0 , 0.5 , 0 , - 0.5 , - 0.5 , 0 , 0 , 0.5 ]); Then we just need to call our commands - line strip first, custom points second. Note that we can get away with no caps or joins if the interior diameter of our custom point is greater than or equal to the width of our line: interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 36 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); customPoints ({ pointGeometry : diamond , pointCount : 6 , pointPrimitive : "triangles" , points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 1 , 0.25 , 0 , 1 ], projection :, viewport :, instances : vertexData . length }); Custom points and outlines And we can of course combine these effects: interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 36 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); interleavedStrip ({ points : buffer , width : 4 , color : [ 0 , 1 , 0.5 , 1 ], projection , viewport , segments : vertexData . length - 1 }); customPoints ({ pointGeometry : diamond , pointCount : 6 , pointPrimitive : "triangles" , points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 18 , color : [ 0 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], projection , viewport , instances : vertexData . length }); customPoints ({ pointGeometry : diamond , pointCount : 6 , pointPrimitive : "triangles" , points : buffer , width : canvas . width / 24 , color : [ 0 , 1 , 0.5 , 1 ], projection , viewport , instances : vertexData . length }); Case Study: Fast Interactive Plot For our first case study, well take a look at an interactive plot. In this example, instead of interleaving the x- and y- coordinates of our data into a single buffer, well separate them into an x-coordinate and one or more y-coordinate buffers. The reason we do this is because its nice to reuse the data for the x-coordinate instead of replicating it across multiple buffers, which would waste GPU memory and bandwidth. Previously our data looked like this: const data = [ x0 , y0 , x1 , y1 , x2 , y2 ...]; Were going to split it out and add more y-coordinate buffers: const dataX = [ x0 , x1 , x2 , ...]; const dataY0 = [ y0 , y1 , y2 , ...]; const dataY1 = [ y0 , y1 , y2 , ...]; This means well need to change our attribute definitions a bit: attributes : { ... ax : { buffer : regl . prop ( "dataX" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 0 }, ay : { buffer : regl . prop ( "dataY" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 0 }, bx : { buffer : regl . prop ( "dataX" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 1 }, by : { buffer : regl . prop ( "dataY" ), divisor : 1 , offset : Float32Array . BYTES_PER_ELEMENT * 1 } }, Well need to update our vertex shader in a couple of ways. First well combine the separated attributes defined above into two-dimensional points. Then well convert our data points from whatever domain and range they exist in to screen space. Lets take a look at both of those. Well pass in the usual data, but this time pointA and pointB will be separated into ax , ay , bx , and by : vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec3 position ; attribute float ax , ay , bx , by ; uniform float width ; uniform vec2 resolution ; uniform mat4 projection ; Well merge our separate components into a single point, and then apply the projection matrix to transform them to clip space: void main () { vec2 clipA = ( projection * vec4 ( ax , ay , 0 , 1 )). xy ; vec2 clipB = ( projection * vec4 ( bx , by , 0 , 1 )). xy ; Then well transform them to screen space: vec2 offsetA = resolution * ( 0.5 * clipA + 0.5 ); vec2 offsetB = resolution * ( 0.5 * clipB + 0.5 ); Then well perform the same operations we performed before to map the instance geometry onto our line segment: vec2 xBasis = normalize ( offsetB - offsetA ); vec2 yBasis = vec2 ( - xBasis . y , xBasis . x ); vec2 pointA = offsetA + width * ( position . x * xBasis + position . y * yBasis ); vec2 pointB = offsetB + width * ( position . x * xBasis + position . y * yBasis ); vec2 point = mix ( pointA , pointB , position . z ); Finally well convert our point back into clip space: gl_Position = vec4 ( 2.0 * point / resolution - 1.0 , 0 , 1 ); } ` , Well name our new command noninterleavedStripRoundCapJoin and invoke it, once per line on our plot: for ( let i = 0 ; i < nItems ; i ++ ) { noninterleavedStripRoundCapJoin ({ dataX , dataY : dataY [ i ], width : 3 , color : colors [ i ], projection , resolution : [ canvas . width , canvas . height ], viewport : { x : 0 , y : 0 , width : canvas . width , height : canvas . height }, segments : pointDataX . length - 1 }); } Heres the plot in action (left click and drag to translate, mouse wheel to zoom in and out): A 500,000 point interactive plot rendered with instanced lines. Theres five plot lines, each with 100,000 data points. Thats quite a bit of data, and theres a pretty good chance its performant on your machine - I chose that dataset size to run at interactive speeds on an old chromebook I have. Case Study: Fast Streaming Plot Heres another plotting example. Three hundred plot lines, each with 800 data points, with a new data point being added to each plot line each frame. Since we dont need to do anything special with our data to render it, its fast and easy to update each buffer and render the lines. Well keep track of time in the time variable: let time = 0 ; function renderLoop () { And increment it in our loop: time ++ ; Well shift the x-coordinate (time axis) data to the left one point, add the time to the end, and update the GPU buffer: pointDataX . copyWithin ( 0 , 1 ); pointDataX [ buffer - 1 ] = time ; dataX ( pointDataX ); Well do the same thing for each of our 300 plot lines, but well shift each one randomly up or down a bit each frame: for ( const dy of pointDataY ) { dy . array . copyWithin ( 0 , 1 ); let y = dy . array [ buffer - 2 ]; y += noise * ( 2 * Math . random () - 1 ); y = Math . min ( yMax , Math . max ( yMin , y )); dy . array [ buffer - 1 ] = y ; dy . data ( dy . array ); } Well set up our projection matrix to place the current time and canvas.width previous frames of data into view: const projection = mat4 . ortho ( mat4 . create (), time - canvas . width , time , yMin , yMax , 0 , - 1 ); Then well call our render command for each line: for ( let i = 0 ; i < nItems ; i ++ ) { noninterleavedStripRoundCapJoin ({ dataX , dataY : pointDataY [ i ]. data , width : 0.5 , color : colors [ i ], projection , resolution : [ canvas . width , canvas . height ], viewport : { x : 0 , y : 0 , width : canvas . width , height : canvas . height }, segments : buffer - 1 }); } requestAnimationFrame ( renderLoop ); } Mouse over the plot to observe the data stream in: Updating 300 lines per frame, rendering 800 points per line. Case Study: 3D Lines Finally well take a look at rendering lines in 3D. Nothing significant changes except some of the logic in our vertex shader. Lets take a look. Well pass in the usual attributes, but vec3 instead of vec2 for the line vertices this time. Well also add a per-vertex color for a bit more flair: vert : ` precision highp float ; attribute vec3 position ; attribute vec3 pointA , pointB ; attribute vec3 colorA , colorB ; The well be adding the model and view matrices: uniform float width ; uniform vec2 resolution ; uniform mat4 model , view , projection ; Were going to be interpolating color between vertices, so well create a varying for that: varying vec3 vColor ; Next well transform our vertices to clip space: void main () { vec4 clip0 = projection * view * model * vec4 ( pointA , 1.0 ); vec4 clip1 = projection * view * model * vec4 ( pointB , 1.0 ); Then transform them to screen space: vec2 screen0 = resolution * ( 0.5 * clip0 . xy / clip0 . w + 0.5 ); vec2 screen1 = resolution * ( 0.5 * clip1 . xy / clip1 . w + 0.5 ); Then well expand the line segment as usual: vec2 xBasis = normalize ( screen1 - screen0 ); vec2 yBasis = vec2 ( - xBasis . y , xBasis . x ); vec2 pt0 = screen0 + width * ( position . x * xBasis + position . y * yBasis ); vec2 pt1 = screen1 + width * ( position . x * xBasis + position . y * yBasis ); vec2 pt = mix ( pt0 , pt1 , position . z ); Well also interpolate our clip coordinates across position.z so that we can pull out interpolated z and w components. vec4 clip = mix ( clip0 , clip1 , position . z ); Now well recover our final position by converting our vertex back into clip space. Note were undoing the perspective divide we performed earlier: gl_Position = vec4 ( clip . w * (( 2.0 * pt ) / resolution - 1.0 ), clip . z , clip . w ); Finally well interpolate the color and ship it to the fragment shader: vColor = mix ( colorA , colorB , position . z ); } ` , Heres a simple N-body simulation to demonstrate 3D instanced lines in action (mouse over to animate, click to reset): 3D instanced lines used to plot an N-body simulation. Final notes New Delhi: Petrol and diesel prices were unchanged on Monday as oil marketing companies decided to pause fuel rates. Petrol price on Sunday was increased hiked by 17 paise and 27 paise, respectively, pushing rates across the country to record highs and that of petrol in Mumbai just 51 paise short of breaching Rs 100 a litre. The price of per litre petrol and diesel in the capital city is Rs 93.21 and Rs 84.07, respectively. In Mumbai, per litre is now selling at Rs 99.49 after a 17 paise hike. Diesel in the financial capital of India is retailing at Rs 91.30 per litre with a 29 paise hike. Here is looking at the price difference of diesel and petrol in four metro cities on May 24, 2021. City Petrol Diesel Delhi 93.21 84.07 Mumbai 99.49 91.30 Chennai 94.86 88.87 Kolkata 93.27 86.91 Rates had already crossed Rs 100-mark in several cities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and with the latest increase, price in Mumbai too was inching towards that level. Fuel prices differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT and freight charges. Rajasthan levies the highest value-added tax (VAT) on petrol in the country, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Since March last year when the government raised excise duty on fuel to an all-time high. Central and state taxes make up for 60 per cent of the retail selling price of petrol and over 54 per cent of diesel. The union government levies Rs 32.90 per litre of excise duty on petrol and Rs 31.80 on diesel. Live TV #mute Washington, July 14: US Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Reuben Jeffery will discuss with the Russian and French leadership a wide range of issues related to ensuring energy security, financial stability, transparency, maintenance of a favourable investment climate, trade and activities of the group of eight. The State Department press service announced yesterday that Jeffrey, who is also Deputy personal representative of the US President for G8 affairs, will stay in Moscow and Paris from July 16 to 20. He is expected to hold consultations with the political leaders and leaders of the private sector. In addition, the American emissary will hold meetings with representatives of the organisation for economic cooperation and development and the International Energy Agency. Bureau Report New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday (May 24, 2021) appealed to the Centre to import COVID-19 vaccines after Pfizer and Moderna refused to directly sell to the Delhi government. "We've spoken to Pfizer, Moderna for vaccines, and both the companies have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said that they will deal with the Government of India alone. Appeal to the Centre to import vaccines and distribute to the States," Kejriwal told ANI. Arvind Kejriwal in the past few days has urged the Centre to allow more companies in India to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines in view of the alleged shortage of vaccines in the national capital. He has also said that the Centre should formulate a national policy to vaccinate every person within the next few months by increasing the production. He said that not just two, but multiple companies should be engaged in vaccine production, and the Central Government should take the formula for producing the vaccine from these two companies and give it to all those companies which can safely make the vaccines. India is currently administering three vaccines - Serum Institute of India's COVISHIELD, Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN and Russia's Sputnik V. Earlier on Sunday, the Punjab government had said that Moderna has declined a request for a direct supply of vaccines. "One of a Covid vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send direct vaccination to Punjab government as according to their policy, they only deal with Government of India and not with any state government or private parties," said a statement issued by Punjab's Information and Public Relations Department. The statement further added, "It may be recalled that the state government was forced to stop vaccination for phase 1 and phase 2 categories in the last three days because of non-availability." According to ANI, the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus vaccines appear to protect against COVID-19 variants B.1.617 and B.1.618, which were first identified in India. Meanwhile, the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 19.60 crores on Monday morning, of which, over 1 crore shots have been to the 18-44 age group under Phase-3 of the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Live TV New Delhi: Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech has submitted an application to the World Health Organization for Emergency Use Listing(EUL), becoming the 2nd made in India vaccine to apply at the global body for authorization. Bharat Biotech had summitted its Expression of Interest (EOI) on the 19th of April with more information required according to documents on the WHO website. It will have to now go through 3 more stages--pre-submission meeting, dossier accepted for review and the final status of assessment. The Pre-submission meeting will take place later in May or in June. Last week, speaking to WION exclusively, Suchitra Ella Joint managing director of Bharat Biotech said, that the COVAXIN is "proved to be neutralizing all these variants including the double mutant, which has been observed in India" & it has an "edge" given it is inactivated virus vaccines produced in cell culture or Vero cell platform. The company plans to produce 1 billion vaccines via its 3 different facilities in 3 different states--from Hyderabad facility 200-250 million, Bangalore around 500 million doses and Ankleshwar, Gujarat to the tune of 200 million. A benefit of WHO listing will allow COVAXIN to get global approval for use, something that has other benefits like the easy movement of Indians who have been vaccinated by it. While when it comes to mutual recognition of vaccines by countries is still under progress, if and when it comes into effect--WHO-approved vaccines will give an automatic benefit. On 15th February, WHO gave emergency use approval to COVIDSHIELD vaccine produced by Serum Institute of India. So far 7 vaccines globally have been given approval by WHO for EUL, these are Pfizer's Comirnaty, AstraZeneca's AZD1222, Janssen's Ad26.COV2.S, Moderna's mRNA-1273 & Sinopharm's SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine. Russia's Sputnik, China's Sinovac and Cuba's have also applied for emergency approval. Live TV New Delhi: As uncertainty still prevails over conducting the CBSE Class 12 board exams, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has suggested that the exams can be conducted in the month of July if there is a significant decline in the coronavirus cases. Sharma also expressed confidence that the results of the CBSE Class 12 board exams can also be declared in a month time if the COVID-19 situation improves by July. The UP deputy CM made these remarks during a virtual meeting that was convened to decide on the Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance examinations that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/ad9Gf6ZwhM Dr Dinesh Sharma BJP (@drdineshbjp) May 23, 2021 The meeting was chaired by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday and attended by Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar and Sanjay Dhotre, besides education ministers and secretaries of several states and union territories. After the meeting, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank' said that there is a broad consensus among states about conducting Class 12 board exams and an informed, collaborative decision will be taken by June 1. However, states like Maharashtra said at the non-examination route for CBSE Class 12 students should be actively examined and Delhi and Kerala governments suggested vaccinating students before the exams. According to sources, the CBSE has proposed conducting exams between July 15 and August 26 and the result to be declared in September. The board also proposed two options: conducting regular exams for 19 major subjects at notified centres or conducting shorter duration exams at respective schools where students are enrolled. The ministry has sought detailed suggestions from states by May 25. Sources claimed that a majority of states were in favour of the second option while some wanted a mix of both options. The CBSE has already cancelled Class 10 board exams and announced an alternative marking policy. The April and May edition of the engineering entrance exam JEE-Mains were also postponed. The board exams, which are usually conducted in February-March every year, were scheduled to be held from May 4. After the deliberations, the Union Education Minister said, "The meeting was extremely fruitful as we received immensely valuable suggestions. I have requested the state governments to send me their detailed suggestions by May 25. I am confident we will be able to arrive at an informed, collaborative decision regarding the exams and remove the uncertainty among student's and parent's minds by informing them of our final decision at the earliest." "I want to reiterate that both students' and teachers' safety, security, and future are supremely important to us. While a broad consensus was there among the states and UTs about conducting the exams, they have been asked to examine the matter further and send their feedback," he added. According to sources, the first option proposed was conducting exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects. For minor subjects assessment can be based on performance in major subjects. This can be done if three months time period is clearly and safely available to the board. August could be a likely month for holding the exams and the whole process is likely to go on till September end, a source said. Elaborating on the second option, the source said, The exams can be conducted twice by the board depending upon the conducive situation. If a student is not able to appear due to any COVID related matter, he or she will be provided with another opportunity to sit for exams." The exams will be of 90 minutes duration instead of three hours and will be conducted in same schools where students are enrolled. The questions will be objective and very short answer type. Students will have to appear in one language and three elective subjects, the source added. The tentative timeline for this option is the first phase of exams from July 15 to August 1 and the second phase from August 8-26. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said his government is not in favour of the options being explored by CBSE to conduct the exams and going ahead with the process without vaccinating students will prove to be a big mistake. Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said the option for a non-examination route for class 12 students should be actively examined keeping in mind the projection that children are more vulnerable to new strains of coronavirus. The Tamil Nadu government proposed conducting the exams after COVID-19 situation subsides in the state. Karnataka state primary and secondary education minister S Suresh Kumar said it's important to conduct class 12 exams in the interest of students. Odisha Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the exams can either be conducted after the situation improves or can be cut short. Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said that during difficult times, the safety and security of students and teachers must be the priority of the government and every possible step should be taken in this regard. The minister suggested conducting exams of only three elective subjects. (With PTI inputs) Live TV New Delhi: As thousands of students across the country eagerly await a decision on conducting the Class 12 board examinations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has suggested two options for conducting the Class 12 board examinations amid the COVID-19 pandemic during a high-level virtual meeting held on Sunday. During the high-level meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the CBSE Board suggested two options first, to hold regular exams for only the major 19 subjects at notified centres. While the second option put forward by the board is to shorten the duration of the exam to hold 90-minute exams at the school where students are already enrolled. During the meeting, most states said that they are in favour of holding the board examinations and agreed to explore the options suggested by the Board. After the crucial meeting, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank' said that there is a broad consensus among states about conducting Class 12 board exams and an informed, collaborative decision will be taken by June 1. However, states like Maharashtra said that the non-examination route for CBSE Class 12 students should be actively examined and Delhi and Kerala governments suggested vaccinating students before the exams. The Education Ministry has sought detailed suggestions from states by May 25. Sources claimed that a majority of states were in favour of the second option while some wanted a mix of both options. The CBSE has already cancelled Class 10 board exams and announced an alternative marking policy. The April and May edition of the engineering entrance exam JEE-Mains were also postponed. The board exams, which are usually conducted in February-March every year, were scheduled to be held from May 4. What are the two options? According to sources, the first option proposed by the CBSE Board was conducting exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects. For minor subjects, assessment can be based on performance in major subjects. This can be done if three months of time period is clearly and safely available to the board. August could be a likely month for holding the exams and the whole process is likely to go on till September end. Elaborating on the second option, the exams can be conducted twice by the board depending upon the conducive situation. If a student is not able to appear due to any COVID related matter, he or she will be provided with another opportunity to sit for exams. The exams will be of 90 minutes duration instead of three hours and will be conducted in the same schools where students are enrolled. The questions will be objective and very short answer type. Students will have to appear in one language and three elective subjects. The tentative timeline for this option is the first phase of exams from July 15 to August 1 and the second phase from August 8-26. Exams can also be conducted on Sundays; it was also proposed by the Board. It may be noted that a large section of students and parents have been demanding cancellation of board exams. The hashtag #cancelboardexams also trended on Twitter as the meeting was underway. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said his government is not in favour of the options being explored by CBSE to conduct the exams and going ahead with the process without vaccinating students will prove to be a big mistake. Maharashtra Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said the option for the non-examination route for class 12 students should be actively examined keeping in mind the projection that children are more vulnerable to new strains of coronavirus. Tamil Nadu The Tamil Nadu government proposed conducting the exams after the COVID-19 situation subsides in the state. "Like other states, Tamil Nadu also wanted to conduct the Class 12 board exams as it plays an important role in deciding students career," school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told reporters after the meeting. Karnataka Karnataka state primary and secondary education minister S Suresh Kumar said it's important to conduct class 12 exams in the interest of students. Odisha Odisha Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the exams can either be conducted after the situation improves or can be cut short. State is also busy in preparation for ensuing cyclones, we will make a decision soon, he said. Punjab Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said that during difficult times, the safety and security of students and teachers must be the priority of the government and every possible step should be taken in this regard. The minister suggested conducting exams of only three elective subjects. Goa The Goa government cancelled Class 10 exams and said that a decision on Class 12 exams would be taken in the next two days. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that the decision has been taken to cancel the 10th standard (Secondary School Certificate) examinations due to the pandemic situation. Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has suggested that the exams can be conducted in the month of July if there is a significant decline in the coronavirus cases. Sharma also expressed confidence that the results of the CBSE Class 12 board exams can also be declared in a month time if the COVID-19 situation improves by July. The UP Deputy CM made these remarks during a virtual meeting that was convened to decide on the Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance examinations that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19. When a decision can be expected? After the deliberations on Sunday, the Union Education Minister said, "The meeting was extremely fruitful as we received immensely valuable suggestions. I have requested the state governments to send me their detailed suggestions by May 25. I am confident we will be able to arrive at an informed, collaborative decision regarding the exams and remove the uncertainty among student's and parent's minds by informing them of our final decision at the earliest." "I want to reiterate that both students' and teachers' safety, security, and future are supremely important to us. While a broad consensus was there among the states and UTs about conducting the exams, they have been asked to examine the matter further and send their feedback," he added. The minister said the decision will be taken by June 1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the crucial meeting which was convened to decide on the Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance examinations that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19. Union ministers Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar and Sanjay Dhotre also attended the meeting, besides education ministers and secretaries of several states and union territories. Live TV New Delhi: The central government on Monday (May 24) held a meeting with all stakeholders to discuss ways to address the issue of stability of edible oil prices. The discussion was aimed at coordinating efforts to ensure the availability of edible oils at reasonable prices. The meeting was attended by officials from the Department of Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Consumer Affairs and officials of states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Other stakeholders including producers of edible oil seeds, millers, stockists and wholesalers were also present. It was important to understand the issues that are contributing to price rise and discuss the same with all the stakeholders so that appropriate strategies can be formulated to address the issue of edible oil prices, said the Secretary of Food & Public Distribution Department. Notably, the production and domestic availability of oilseeds in India fall way short of the needs of the domestic demand for edible oil. A big volume of edible oil is imported each year. The central government said that they were concerned about more than a proportionate rise in the prices of edible oil in India as compared with the rise in international prices of edible oil during the last few months. The mission Atmanirbhar Bharat requires the country to be self-sufficient in edible oils. Dependency of almost 60% on imports is not appropriate to the growth of edible oil industry in India, the Secretary said. He added that the states and stakeholders from the business side must take all possible steps to soften the prices. Live TV Chennai: Two Lok Sabha members belonging to DMK have demanded a probe into the sexual harassment complaints against a teacher of the Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan School here. The Padma Seshadri group runs a clutch of schools and has notched up a good reputation. "The sexual harassment allegations against a commerce teacher in PSBB School, Chennai has been shocking. Inquiry should be conducted and action must be taken against those who are involved including school authorities who failed to act against the complaints from students," DMK`s Member of Parliament Kanimozhi tweeted. "As a parent, I`m extremely horrified by the reports of sexual harassment by a teacher in #PadmaSeshadriBalaBhavan school, Chennai. It`s of utmost importance to ensure a probe into the matter & accountability from the management to provide a safe environment for the children #PSBB," tweeted Dayanidhi Maran, another MP from the DMK. The MPs` demand followed social media posts by school students and alumni alleging the commerce teacher of indulging in sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour like appearing topless for an online class. The school management has said it is taking suo moto notice of the allegations and will take necessary steps to address the situation in a free, fair and transparent manner. Assuring the parents of its students, the school said it has zero tolerance towards any behaviour that adversely affects the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of the students. The school management also said these allegations were not brought to its notice earlier. Following the allegation against the teacher, the school alumni have written to the management to take action against the alleged offender and suspend him immediately pending probe. This is the second instance of sexual harassment complaint against a reputed educational institution here. The earlier one was Loyola College. Last year The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women ordered Chennai`s Loyola College to pay Rs 64,30,000 to a former staffer towards damages for sexual harassment, mental agony and in back wages. Live TV Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 18:46:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran by former U.S. President Donald Trump is Washington's "legal and moral obligation," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday morning, in response to remarks by his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken. Blinken said on Sunday in a TV interview that it is unclear if Tehran is willing to do "what is necessary to come back into compliance" with the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Responding to the U.S. secretary of state, Zarif warned that pressuring Tehran with sanctions to extract concessions "didn't work for Trump -- won't work for you." The sanctions imposed on Iran by Trump after he unilaterally pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear agreement in May 2018 are "not negotiating leverage," Zarif said. Meanwhile, he demanded Washington release billions of U.S. dollars in Iranian assets "held hostage abroad due to U.S. bullying." "Trump's legacy is past its expiration date," Zarif added, and he urged U.S. President Joe Biden to "drop it." On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran will continue to attend nuclear talks in Vienna until a final agreement is reached to revive the JCPOA. The JCPOA Joint Commission began to meet offline on April 6 in the Austrian capital of Vienna to continue discussions about bringing the United States and Iran to resume compliance with the nuclear deal. Enditem New Delhi: Despite a declining trend in the daily number of COVID-19 cases in India, several States and UTs have extended coronavirus-induced restrictions and lockdown to have a full control on the spread of the virus. The daily rise in coronavirus cases in India remained below the three lakh mark for the seventh consecutive day with the country witnessing over 2.40 fresh infections, besides 3,741 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday (May 23, 2021). There are now 28,05,399 active COVID-19 cases in India. Earlier on May 22, there were 2.57 lakh new cases in India, on May 21, there were 2.59 lakh case infections, whereas, on May 20, the country recorded a rise of 2.76 lakh cases. However, to rein in the spread of infection, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Puducherry have been the latest states and UTs to extend their COVID-induced restrictions for another one or two weeks. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced that the ongoing lockdown in the national capital will continue for another week and said the 'unlocking' process will begin from May 31 in a phased manner if the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline. He said if the lockdown is lifted now, the gains made in the last one month through a lot of struggles, hard work and sacrifice may be lost. Rajasthan also extended the coronavirus lockdown by 15 days till June 8 and said the state may allow some relaxations in commercial activities from June 1 in districts where the coronavirus situation will show significant improvement. Haryana has also extended the lockdown till May 31 and stated that the positivity and fatality rates have to be brought down further. However certain relaxations were given like standalone shops have been allowed to function during the day. The other shops, except in malls, are allowed to open from 7 AM to 12 PM on an odd-even basis. Following are the States and UTs that have coronavirus-induced restrictions/lockdown: * Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended the corona curfew till May 31 morning. * Uttarakhand has imposed a strict COVID curfew till May 25 morning. * Himachal Pradesh has extended the coronavirus-induced curfew in the state till May 26. * Delhi is under lockdown from April 19 till May 31. * Haryana, which was under lockdown from May 3, has extended it till May 31. * Chandigarh administration has imposed weekend curfew restrictions till May 25. * Punjab has extended all existing COVID restrictions in the state till May 31, including night curfew. * Uttar Pradesh had extended the partial coronavirus curfew till 7 AM on May 31. * Bihar on May 4 imposed a lockdown till May 15 which has now been extended till May 25. * Jharkhand had extended lockdown-like restrictions with stricter provisions till May 27. * Odisha is under lockdown till June 1. * West Bengal government announced a complete lockdown from May 16 till May 30. * Rajasthan has extended lockdown till June 8. * Madhya Pradesh has extended the 'corona curfew' in all 52 districts of the state for different durations up to May 31. * Gujarat has extended night curfew in 36 cities of the state till May 28. However, daytime restrictions were relaxed and shops, shopping malls, business establishments and other business activities were allowed between 9 AM to 3 PM. * Chhattisgarh government has asked authorities in all the 28 districts to extend the COVID-19 lockdown till May 31. * Kerala has extended the total lockdown, which was to end on May 23, till May 30. * Tamil Nadu has extended the lockdown, which was to end on May 24, by another week. * Puducherry has imposed lockdown till May 31. * Karnataka has announced an extension of lockdown for two weeks from May 24 to June 7. * Telangana has extended the lockdown till May 30. * Andhra Pradesh has extended the curfew till May 31. * Goa government has imposed curfew till May 31. * Maharashtra has extended the lockdown-like restrictions till June 1. * Assam on May 12 ordered shutting down of all offices, religious places and weekly markets for 15 days in urban and semi-urban areas of the state. It has stopped all inter-district transport services and movement of people across the state for 15 days with effect from May 21. * Nagaland has extended the lockdown till May 31. * Mizoram has extended the lockdown, which was imposed in Aizawl and other district headquarters, till May 31. * Arunachal Pradesh has imposed complete lockdown in Anjaw, Dibang Valley, Lower Subansiri, Lohit and Tawang districts and the Capital Complex Region till May 31. * Manipur government has imposed curfew in seven districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Kakching and Churachandpur till May 28. * Meghalaya extended lockdown in the worst-affected East Khasi Hills district till May 31. * Tripura has imposed a night curfew from May 19 till May 26. * Sikkim government decided to clamp a complete lockdown across the tiny Himalayan state from May 17 to May 24. (With inputs from PTI) New Delhi: The production of Russias COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V has begun in India, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the firm that markets it internationally, said on Monday (May 24). The vaccine is being manufactured by Indian biotech firm Panacea Biotec Limited. The first batch of the vaccine will be shipped to Gamaleya, the Moscow institute which developed the vaccine, for quality controls, RDIF said in a statement, Reuters reported. It added that full-scale production is expected to begin in the coming months. Last month, the company had said that Panacea Biotec will produce about 100 million doses of Sputnik V annually. Last week, Indian envoy to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma said that Sputnik V's production in India will begin in August this year. He stated that 850 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine will be produced in India by about September-October. Sputnik V, along with COVISHIELD and COVAXIN, are the only three COVID-19 vaccines that have been allowed for use in India. The Russian side has also proposed Sputnik Light for which the regulatory approvals are not completed. But once they are, they will be one more area of cooperation, Mr. Verma added. Live TV New Delhi: The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Monday (May 24) sent a notice to Twitter India in connection with the probe into a complaint about the alleged 'COVID toolkit', asking it to share information based on which it had classified a related tweet by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra as "manipulated media", officials said. Two police teams also descended on the microblogging site's offices in Lado Sarai in Delhi and in Gurgaon this evening. "The Delhi police team went to the Twitter office to serve a notice to Twitter as a part of a routine process. This was necessitated as we wanted to ascertain who is the right person to serve a notice, as replies by Twitter India MD have been very ambiguous," Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said. The BJP has accused Congress of creating a 'toolkit' that seeks to tarnish the image of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the handling of the COVID pandemic. However, Congress has denied the allegation and claimed that the BJP is propagating a fake 'toolkit' to defame it. Last week, Twitter labelled as "manipulated media" a tweet by Patra on the alleged 'toolkit'. Twitter says it "may label Tweets that include media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated". Biswal said the Delhi Police is inquiring into a complaint in the toolkit matter. "It appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us and on the basis of which they have classified it (Patra's tweet) as such. This information is relevant to the inquiry. The Special Cell, which is conducting the inquiry, wants to find out the truth. Twitter, which has claimed to know the underlying truth, should clarify," he said. The police, however, refused to divulge the contents of the complaint or the identity of the complainant. The notice sent earlier to Twitter India MD stated that "whereas a preliminary enquiry is being conducted pertaining to the 'Toolkit' which is allegedly released by the Indian National Congress and whereas during the course of the investigation, it has come to our knowledge that you are acquainted with the facts of the matter and are in possession of information with regard to the same." The police in the notice requested Twitter India MD to be present in the DCP office for the purpose of investigation with all the relevant documents on May 22 at 1 PM. Twitter, however, did not wish to offer any comment. The government had earlier asked Twitter to remove the 'manipulated media' tag as the matter is pending before law enforcement agency, and made it clear that the social media platform cannot pass judgment when the issue is under investigation. BJP leaders, including Patra, have posted numerous tweets to attack Congress over the purported 'toolkit'. On May 19, the Congress lodged a police complaint seeking registration of cases against BJP chief J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, BJP general secretary B L Santosh and Patra over the alleged forgery of documents. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress' students wing NSUI also lodged a complaint against Patra and former chief minister Raman Singh for allegedly "forging" the letterhead of the AICC Research Department and printing "false and fabricated" content on it. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been filed against Patra and Singh at the Civil Lines police station in Raipur. (inputs from agency) Live TV New Delhi: In view of Cyclone Yaas which is likely to hit the Eastern Coast on May 26, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has airlifted 950 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, while the Indian Railways has cancelled over 25 trains ahead of the cyclonic storm. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Sunday (May 23) informed that the Armed Forces have commenced preparations to mitigate the impact of Cyclone Yaas and that the IAF has also airlifted 70 tonnes of load from Jamnagar, Varanasi, Patna and Arakonnam to Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Port Blair in 15 Transport Aircraft. "Sixteen transport aircraft and 26 helicopters are on standby for immediate deployment. Indian Navy, fresh from Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and rescue operations on the Western Coast, has moved 10 HADR pallets to Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, while five HADR pallets are ready at Port Blair," the Ministry of Defence informed. #CycloneYaas Airlift of 21T of #HADR eqpt & 334 personnel of @NDRFHQ by 5xC-130 aircraft from Patna & Varanasi to Kolkata and Arakkonam to Port Blair is currently underway. #IAF has airlifted 606 personnel and 57T load of NDRF since 21 May, to mitigate the cyclone effect. pic.twitter.com/CrhmhJAwX3 Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 23, 2021 #CycloneYaas#IAF deployed 1xC17, 3xC130 and 2xAn-32 for transportation of @NDRFHQ personnel and load from Jamnagar to Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. Airlift by 3xC130 and 1xIL-76 from Jamnagar to the same destinations is under progress.#HarKaamDeshKeNaam pic.twitter.com/SG27L7KMlS Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 21, 2021 Eight ships of Eastern Naval Command and Andaman and Nicobar Command have also been embarked with HADR Bricks to provide succour to the people likely to be impacted. Besides this, four diving and 10 flood relief columns have also been pre-positioned at Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Chilika for rendering assistance to civil administration at short notice. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has also mobilised its assets in view of Cyclone Yaas and stated that all the ashore, afloat and aviation units are on high alert. The ICG ships and aircraft have been deployed in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman sea and the ICG Remote Operating Stations are relaying weather alert messages in local languages on MMB radio for the seafarers and fishermen. "Navtex warnings are being issued regularly and International safety Net (ISN) has been activated to alert the vessels in/transiting through the area. Ships at anchorage have also been advised to take shelter and Single Point Mooring (SPM) operators for necessary safety measures," the MoD said. The ICG has deployed 16 ships and three aircraft per day on average across the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal as well as off the coast of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. #CycloneYaas Port/shipping authorities, Oil rigs, fisheries association & local admin along East coast & #AndamanNicobar alerted & contingency measures being coordinated. #ICG Disaster Response Teams with boats & life saving gears standby @DefenceMinIndia @shipmin_india pic.twitter.com/vjGFbRPK01 Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 23, 2021 #Pre-emptive measures for CycloneYaas likely to form in Bay of Bengal. @IndiaCoastGuard ships at #AndamanNicobar relayed weather warning to mariners & fishermen urging them to return to shore or take shelter in nearest Port @DefenceMinIndia @shipmin_india pic.twitter.com/dOFLzHOeaV Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 21, 2021 #Pre-emptive measures for likely #CycloneYaas continues. @IndiaCoastGuard ships and aircraft on East coast relayed weather warning to mariners & fishermen at sea. Shipping, Ports, fisheries, Oil rigs and other shore authorities also informed about likelihood of cyclone. pic.twitter.com/c8bdoOVXS7 Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 21, 2021 In addition, 31 Coast Guard Disaster Relief Teams (DRTs) with inflatable boats, lifebuoys and lifejackets are on standby and medical teams and ambulances have also been kept on standby for swift mobilisation. The Eastern Railway on Sunday has also cancelled 25 trains between May 24 and May 29 due to Cyclone Yaas. The Railways shared the list of the trains that have been cancelled. Some Eastern coastal area bound train will remain cancelled in view of cyclone 'YAAS' as precautionary measure. pic.twitter.com/DeAC2BQDgY Eastern Railway (@EasternRailway) May 23, 2021 According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday (May 24) morning, depression over the East-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a Deep Depression and about 600 km north-northwest of Port Blair. It will intensify into a Cyclonic Storm by Monday morning and further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the subsequent 24 hours. Depression over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal intensified into a Deep Depression and about 600 km north-northwest of Port Blair. To intensify into a Cyclonic Storm by 24th May morning and further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the subsequent 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/khnZP3n67v India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 23, 2021 It is expected to cross West Bengal and north Odisha coasts on the evening of May 26 and the IMD has predicted the wind speed of the cyclone to be around 155-165 km per hour, gusting to 185 km per hour. Live TV New Delhi: In order to discuss COVID-related cooperation between the US and India, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Monday (May 24) is slated to begin his visit to America from May 24-May 28, to meet with senior United States officials, according to External Affairs Ministry. India is engaged in talks with various US entities involved in Covid vaccines production and is looking forward to procuring and subsequently producing these vaccines. The issue of vaccine procurement is expected to be a key agenda item during Jaishankar`s interaction with US leadership and other stakeholders, said an ANI report. The Foreign Minister is expected to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York and later he will hold discussions with his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC, the ministry said, adding that Jaishankar will also be meeting Cabinet members and senior Officials of the Administration dealing with the bilateral relationship. "External Affairs Minister will have two interactions with business forums on economic and COVID-related cooperation between India and the US," said the ministry statement. The US has already announced that it is going to distribute 80 million vaccines from its stockpile to countries in need. With India hit badly by the second Covid wave, efforts of New Delhi will focus on getting the maximum and also looking for tie-ups with vaccine developers to produce in India. US has a stockpile 60 million Astra Zeneca vaccine and also Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. US is playing a lead role in assisting India`s fight against the COVID-19 virus. It has already provided large oxygen plants, concentrators, critical medicines like Remdesivir and also raw materials for vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII), which is manufacturing Covishield. US is also backing India sponsored proposal on TRIPS waiver at the WTO. The TRIPS waiver aims to increase global vaccine production in order to take on the challenge of vaccinating the poorest of the poor and save lives. In October last year, India and South Africa, along with 57 members of WTO proposed a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS agreement for prevention, containment, and treatment of the coronavirus. In early May, EAM Jaishankar met his US counterpart Antony Blinken in London during G7 Foreign Minister`s meeting. (With Agency Inputs) New Delhi: In view of the rising COVID-19 cases, the Goa government on Sunday (May 23, 2021) cancelled Class 10 exams and said that a decision on Class 12 exams would be taken in the next two days. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that the decision has been taken to cancel the 10th standard (Secondary School Certificate) examinations due to the pandemic situation. "The decision was taken following the recommendation of the committee comprising of Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary School Education, State Department of Education, experts from educational field and others," Sawant stated. The promotion of Class 10 students to the next class would be based on the marks obtained in the internal assessment of the examinations held during the academic year 2020-21. However, those students who are failing in one or two subjects can appear for the Allowed To Keep Terms (ATKT) examination, Sawant said. The students who want to opt for Science and Diploma streams will have to undergo a one-day examination that will be conducted by the Goa Board. Such students will be informed 15 days in advance about the same examination. Speaking about the examinations for the 12th standard, Chief Minister Sawant said that the decision in that regard would be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday considering all the aspects. Meanwhile, the Goa government has also extended the coronavirus-induced curfew till May 31. It is in place in the state since May 9. The order said that all shops will remain shut except those selling essential times and medicines, which can conduct business from 7 AM to 1 PM. Restaurant kitchens can operate between 7 AM and 7 PM during the curfew period. This is to be noted that Goa currently has 18,243 COVID-19 active cases. New Delhi: Lockdown was extended in Bihar and Himachal Pradesh on Monday (May 24) till May end while Uttarakhand too decided to continue with the COVID-induced curfew, as several states said that the restrictions have led to an improvement in the pandemic situation. States and Union Territories started imposing restrictions from mid-April for varying periods as the deadly second wave of coronavirus hit the country and most of them have now extended the curbs till the end of this month to rein in the spread of infection and the mounting deaths which have crossed the three lakh mark. The Union Health Ministry on Monday said a steady decline in daily new COVID-19 cases has been observed since the last 17 days in India. Fresh COVID-19 infections in the country dipped to 2,22,315, the lowest in around 38 days, pushing the total tally of coronavirus cases to 2,67,52,447, while the death toll climbed to 3,03,720 with 4,454 fresh fatalities, according to Ministry data updated At 8 AM on Monday. India had registered 2,17,353 new infections on April 16. The active cases reduced to 27,20,716 comprising 10.17 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 88.69 percent. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,37,28,011, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.14 percent, the data stated. Bihar: The Nitish Kumar government extended till June 1 the lockdown that has been in force for nearly a month in Bihar. "The lockdown has had a good impact and there has been a decline in the corona contagion. Hence, a decision has been taken to continue with the lockdown till June 01", Chief Minister Nitish Kumar tweeted after chairing a high-level meeting convened to review the pandemic situation in the state. More than four lakh people have been infected and over 2,000 have lost their lives since April when the devastating second wave hit the state Uttarakhand: The Uttarakhand government extended the COVID-19 related curfew period, which was to end on Tuesday morning, till June 1. Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh government has extended the corona curfew in the state till May 31, an official spokesperson said. The decision to extend the curfew till six am on May 31 was taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister Jai Ram Thakur here on Monday, he added. Madhya Pradesh: With the COVID-19 positivity rate coming down to less than five percent in five districts of Madhya Pradesh, the state government has allowed "restricted relaxations" in the corona curfew in those districts from Monday, a senior official said. On the basis of the experience in these districts, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Khandwa, Burhanpur and Bhind, a strategy for implementing a graded unlocking process will be considered from June 1 onwards, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr Rajesh Rajora told PTI. The restricted relaxations have been allowed as the coronavirus positivity rate in these districts is less than five percent. The relaxations are applicable from May 24-31," he said. All government offices in these five districts will be allowed to operate with 100 percent strength of officers and 25 percent strength of other employees. Shops of essential commodities will be opened for the entire day in these districts. Chandigarh: The Chandigarh administration too decided to allow the opening of all shops, besides announcing to continue with night and weekend curfew in the city. "All shops will be allowed to remain open from 9 AM to 3 PM,? said an official statement here. The decision was taken in the wake of declining COVID-19 cases and the demand by traders and shopkeepers who were suffering due to the closure of their shops. Jharkhand: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that the daily infection rate has declined by 50 percent but till a single death takes place in the state, the war against the second wave will not be over. The government is making all efforts to save both "livelihood and life" and will soon decide on the lockdown which is scheduled to come to an end on May 27, he said. Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Sunday announced that the ongoing lockdown in the national capital will continue for another week and said the process of "unlock" will start from May 31 in a phased manner if the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline. Rajasthan: The Rajasthan government, which extended the coronavirus lockdown by 15 days till June 8, had also said the state may allow some relaxations in commercial activities from June 1 in districts where the COVID-19 situation will show significant improvement. Haryana: Extending the lockdown till May 31, the Haryana government said the positivity and fatality rates have to be brought down further, though it did allow some relaxations in the curbs. Here is a look at coronavirus-induced restrictions/lockdown imposed by states and union territories: Delhi is under lockdown from April 19 till May 31. Haryana, which was under lockdown from May 3, has extended it till May 31. Chandigarh administration has imposed night and weekend curfew restrictions till May 31. Punjab has extended all existing COVID restrictions in the state till May 31, including night curfew. Uttar Pradesh had extended the partial coronavirus curfew till 7 AM on May 31. Bihar on May 4 imposed a lockdown which has now been extended till June 1. Jharkhand had extended lockdown-like restrictions with stricter provisions till May 27. Odisha is under lockdown till June 1. West Bengal government announced a complete lockdown from May 16 till May 30. Rajasthan has extended lockdown till June 8. Madhya Pradesh has extended the 'corona curfew' in all 52 districts of the state for different durations up to May 31. Gujarat has extended night curfew in 36 cities of the state till May 28. However, daytime restrictions were relaxed and shops, shopping malls, business establishments and other business activities were allowed between 9 AM to 3 PM. Chhattisgarh government has asked authorities in all the 28 districts to extend the COVID-19 lockdown till May 31. Kerala has extended the total lockdown, which was to end on May 23, till May 30. Tamil Nadu has extended the lockdown, which was to end on May 24, by another week. Puducherry has imposed lockdown till May 31. Karnataka has announced an extension of lockdown for two weeks from May 24 to June 7. Telangana has extended the lockdown till May 30. Andhra Pradesh has extended the curfew till May 31. Goa government has imposed curfew till May 31. Maharashtra has extended the lockdown-like restrictions till June 1. Assam on May 12 ordered shutting down of all offices, religious places and weekly markets for 15 days in urban and semi-urban areas of the state. It has stopped all inter-district transport services and movement of people across the state for 15 days with effect from May 21. Nagaland has extended the lockdown till May 31. Mizoram has extended the lockdown, which was imposed in Aizawl and other district headquarters, till May 31. Arunachal Pradesh has imposed complete lockdown in Anjaw, Dibang Valley, Lower Subansiri, Lohit and Tawang districts and the Capital Complex Region till May 31. Manipur government has imposed curfew in seven districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Kakching and Churachandpur till May 28. Meghalaya extended lockdown in the worst-affected East Khasi Hills district till May 31. Tripura has imposed night curfew from May 19 till May 26. Sikkim government decided to clamp a complete lockdown across the tiny Himalayan state from May 17 to May 24. Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended the corona curfew till May 31 morning. Uttarakhand has imposed a strict COVID curfew till June 1. Himachal Pradesh has extended the coronavirus-induced curfew in the state till May 31. Live TV Mumbai: In a significant move, the Maharashtra government on Monday informed the Bombay High Court that it will treat all patients suffering from mucormycosis or black fungus at designated hospitals free of cost besides planning to cap the treatment rates in private hospitals. The treatment will be given at pre-identified hospitals and nursing homes in the state under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantra Jan Arogya Yojana. The government also informed a division bench at the Aurangabad Bench, comprising Justice R.V. Ghuge and Justice B.U. Debadwar that a GR to this effect has been issued on May 18. While 130 hospitals in the state are notified under these two schemes, another 1000 shall be empaneled and the medicines required for mucormycosis treatment shall be provided free of cost, it said. Given the high cost of treatment for the disease, the state is also planning to cap the treatment cost in private hospitals. "It is thus, apparent that the state of Maharashtra has come up with a specific policy to treat mucormycosis. Private hospitals too will be restrained from raising astronomical bills," the judges noted. It further said that it expects the state government to accord wide publicity to this policy so that the poorest of poor, the illiterate or semi-literate and persons in remotest or tribal areas become aware of the same. According to Health Minister Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra has till date witnessed over 1,500-plus mucormycosis cases and more than 100 deaths, both highest in the country, besides shortages of the drug Liposomal Amphotericin-B used to treat the disease. Live TV Mumbai: India has been witnessing the second wave of coronavirus. This wave is proving to be much more infectious and dangerous in comparison with the first one. Maharashtra remains to be the worst affected state in the country. In a recent development, the Maharashtra state government can give a waiver on the stringent restrictions imposed under "Break the Chain" across the state including Mumbai after Monday (May 31). According to the reports, these waivers given by the government can be initiated in multiple stages. Believe it or not, the government does not want to remove the lockdown in one go, but slowly it wants to minimize it. Cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government Vijay Vettiwar said that "the government will execute it in several stages, at least 3-4 stages. But there will not be any exemption in the red zone areas of the state. " "There are currently 14 District under the Red Zone in Maharashtra, there are more cases of coronavirus here than anywhere else. In such a situation, if we remove the restrictions then, it will be difficult. If you want to minimize it, we have to consider hot spots and create more containment zones, in such areas we will need to impose strict rules like lockdown. The government will reduce the restrictions in areas where the corona cases are decreasing rapidly," said Wadettiwar. Talking about the local train, Vijay Wadettiwar said that "it is not safe to start all the local trains as the trains carry a lot of crowd and there are very high chances of infections because of it. We will analyse the situation and take the decision accordingly." India's active caseload has decreased since its last peak on May 10 when it was 40,00,000. India's total active caseload came down to 27,20,716 on Monday. The country conducted a total of 19,28,127 Covid tests in the last 24 hours and cumulatively 33,05,36,064 tests have been done so far. The cumulative positivity rate was 8.09 per cent on Monday and the weekly positivity rate has also declined to 12.66 per cent. Ten states account for 72.23 per cent of the new recoveries with Kerala (37,316) on top followed by Karnataka (35,573), Maharashtra (29,177), Tamil Nadu (25,196), Andhra Pradesh (20,109), West Bengal (19,429)), Rajasthan (16,520), Uttar Pradesh (14,086), Odisha (11,627) and Haryana (9,480). Live TV New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)s senior leader and MLA Atishi presented the vaccination bulletin through a video address on Sunday and stated that after Monday no Covaxin available for second doses for those in 45+ category. She appealed to the Central Govt to provide Covaxin, otherwise, the first dose will be wasted for many. "Entire Immunisation of 18-44 in Delhi will be temporarily shut after tomorrow (May 24) due to shortage of vaccines, no vaccines to be injected from Monday. After tomorrow, the ENTIRE vaccination programme for 18-44 will be temporarily stopped in all government schools," she said. "50,85,703 vaccinated in Delhi, which proves that a large population has been inoculated because of Delhis high-speed vaccination programme, despite which, we are unable to further ramp it up because of shortage of vaccines," the AAP MLA said. "Humble appeal to the Centre to supply vaccines at the earliest to Delhi as it has faced the most hardships during the pandemic. For 45+, healthcare/frontline workers, Covaxins stock left for less than 1 day, and Covishields stock remaining for 7 days. 44,676 vaccines administered on Saturday in Delhi. Nearly 11,51,356 people were fully vaccinated with both doses," she added. Atishi said, Yesterday, on the 22nd of May, 64,214 vaccines were administered. Out of this, nearly 44,676 people got their first dose, and 19,538 were inoculated with their second dose. Hence, the total doses administered has increased to more than 50,85,703 doses. Out of these, nearly 11,51,356 people have received both their shots and are fully vaccinated. This is a huge number and proves that a large degree of the population in Delhi has been inoculated because of its high-speed vaccination programme. However, despite this high-speed drive, we will have to shut down the vaccination for 18-44 from tomorrow because of the shortage of vaccines. Now, only vaccination for those above 45, healthcare/frontline workers will be held. Citing the position of stocks in Delhi, she said, For those above 45 and healthcare/frontline workers, Covaxins stock is left for less than 1 day, and Covishields stock is remaining for 7 days. We have received 45,94,250 doses for this category, out of which, 43,79,070 have been utilised. This means, nearly 2,15,180 are still left with us. The stock for Covaxin remaining is only about 25,120 doses." "The latest stock for Covaxin received by the central government, has been used to inoculate people with the second dose since the past few days. First doses of Covaxin are not being immunised now. From tomorrow, second doses will also not be inoculated after tomorrow. This is a huge matter of concern, as those who were jabbed with the first dose a month back, are nearing the second dose. Supply for Covaxin has absolutely ended, and we dont know when the next installment will come." "The Centre has committed to a supply of Covaxin in the month of June, but we dont have any clarity on it as of yet. The efficacy of the vaccine remains only when the second dose is inoculated on a timely basis. Hence, it is a request to the Centre to supply Covaxin at the earliest," Atishi said. "Now, for youth between the 18-44 age bracket, we have been reiterating a number of times in the past few days that Covaxins stock is already over, and centres administering Covishield will be shut after tomorrow. We have received 8,17,690 doses for this segment, and out of which nearly 8,07,000 have been utilised," she said. According to her, As of now, only about 10,500 doses are remaining until today morning. This means, after tomorrow, the entire vaccination programme for 18-44 will be temporarily stopped in all government schools, meaning they won't be able to take the vaccines after today. The Centre must supply the vaccine quota for youth as soon as possible. "Delhi has faced a lot of adversities in these past couple of months because of Covid. The young lot has been affected a lot by COVID-19 in the second wave, have either been hospitalised in critical conditions or have even succumbed to the virus. Those who had gotten their vaccine shots had only mild infections. It is imperative to inoculate the youth. Not only that, we need to immunise our children as well and the centre must plan the vaccination for them at the earliest. We have observed in a number of states that children are getting infected in large numbers, Atishi said. It is a humble appeal to the central government to supply vaccines at the earliest to Delhi, for the 18-44 segment, and Covaxin for the 45+ category. Delhi has faced a lot of hardships in the entire course of pandemic till now, in all the waves. Hence, it becomes all the more necessary to send the supply to Delhi as soon as possible, she added. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:04:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The recent fighting between Israeli army and Gaza's ruler Hamas has caused damage at 1.2 billion new shekels (370 million U.S. dollars) to Israeli businesses, the Manufacturers Association of Israel (MAI) said in a statement on Monday. According to the MAI, the extensive damage from the fighting, which lasted from May 10 to May 21, was mainly due to the absence of workers in industrial companies, leading to significant declines in output, sales and revenue. About 35 percent of the employees in Israel's southern region, where most of the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip fell, did not go to work during the fighting. Meanwhile in central Israel, about 10 percent of workers did not report for work during the fighting. The MAI noted that the total amount does not include indirect damage such as reputation damage abroad, cancellation of deals, and non-compliance with schedules. In addition, 50 industrial companies suffered direct rocket strikes, causing millions of shekels in damage. Following the extensive financial damage, the Finance Committee of the Israeli parliament will discuss on Tuesday the formation of a compensation mechanism for the affected companies and employees. Enditem New Delhi: At a debate on the safety and security of UN peacekeepers at the United Nations Security Council or UNSC on Monday, India has said its "proud" of its "contribution", highlighting the recent role played by the Indian brigade in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption in DR Congo. Speaking at the debate, India's Deputy Permanent Representative Nagaraj Naidu said, "India is proud of its long and rich tradition of contribution to UN peacekeeping operations...Even as speak today, an Indian peacekeepers brigade stationed in Goma (DRC) are saving lives of civilians stranded in the aftermath of the Mount Nayargongo eruption in DRC." Indian forces part of the MONUSCO or United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo played a key role in safeguarding civilians and UN assets when the eruption took place. MONUSCO has 14000 Military personnel with India at 2200 + being the largest troop-contributing country to it. India has contributed in many ways to strengthen UN peacekeeping. Earlier this year it delivered 200,000 doses of Made In India COVID vaccines, which has helped vaccinate 140,000 field personnel. Nagraj Naidu said, "During the pandemic, India readily answered the Secretary Generals call by upgrading its hospitals in UNMISS or United Nations Mission in South Sudan and MONUSCO or United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo" India is also working with the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations for the development of a mobile tech platform UNITE AWARE, which, India's deputy envoy said will help "increase situational awareness and provides terrain-related information to peacekeepers." India has contributed $1.64 million towards it and will be launching it in August when it will be chair of the United Nations Security Council for that month. Indias Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK) set up in 2000 will be signing an MOU with C4ISR Academy for Peace Operations for new training modules for UN peacekeepers. It has also pledged a helicopter unit for MINUSMA or United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and upgraded its medical facilities at MONUSCO (Goma) and UNMISS (Juba) At the debate, India gave few suggestions to strengthen peacekeeping which involved pointing out that "Peacekeeping missions cannot be a long-term response to what are fundamentally political problems" and "it is for the Council to address these issues rather than burden peacekeeping missions beyond their mandate." The statement said, "The Security Council needs to authorize carefully thought-out mandates to peacekeepers in close consultation with troop-contributing countries since the protection of peacekeepers is as important as the protection of civilians.". India is one of the major troop-contributing countries to the UN's peacekeeping. It has contributed more than 250,000 troops in 49 UN peacekeeping Missions in which 175 of its peacekeepers laid down their lives. Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday (May 24) expressed hope that Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari would take serious cognisance of the Bombay High Court's observations on the delay in the nomination of 12 members to the Legislative Council under the governor's quota. Sena MP Sanjay Raut wondered what research was being done on the file that was sent by the state government to the governor in November last year recommending 12 names for nomination. "Is anybody doing a PhD on it?" he asked while talking to reporters here. The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to file a reply explaining why the governor was taking such a long time to decide on the nomination of members to the Legislative Council, despite the 12 names having been submitted on November 6 last year. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Monday said six months have passed since the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state cleared the 12 names. "It is better if the governor takes the court's observations seriously. Nobody should test Maharashtra's patience. The state has the culture of respecting its elders. If you are progressive and have patience, doesn't mean you are a coward," it said. The editorial said the governor has a lot of work to do if he wishes so. There is a shortage of vaccines against COVID-19 which he can follow up, it said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced Rs 1,000 crore as relief for Gujarat following cyclone Tauktae. The governor can ask "why injustice to Maharashtra", the Marathi daily said. The governor can seek Rs 1,500 crore (as cyclone relief) and win the hearts of Marathi people, it said. The editorial alleged that there was "politics" behind the delay in nomination of the 12 members to the Legislative Council. The delay in making the appointments "at the behest of higher-ups is an insult of the state, the Legislature and violation of the Constitution", it claimed. The editorial said the opposition is living in "false confidence" that it can topple in MVA government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) in the state, it said. "This confidence is not oxygen but carbon dioxide. You will get suffocated yourself in this process," it said. Vacancies in the Legislative Council have been kept pending to accommodate those who help the opposition to topple the MVA government, it further claimed, adding that there was no possibility for this "jugaad scheme" to become a reality. Meanwhile, reacting to BJP leader Ashish Shelar's comments that there was no time frame for the governor to nominate members of the Upper House, Raut said, "This doesn't mean you can keep the appointments pending forever." "Such illegal conduct is against the Constitution and does not suit a person holding high office," Raut said. He also said there were reports that the Raj Bhavan had replied to an RTI query that it did not have the file containing names of the 12 persons recommended by the MVA government. "If this is true, it is a very serious matter," the Rajya Sabha member said. To a question of yoga guru Ramdev's comments on allopathy, Raut said, "Had any opposition leader made such remarks, the BJP would have protested on streets." (inputs from agency) Live TV New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (May 24) pointed out that the Centre, despite promising all forms of assistance to combat Cyclone Yaas, has agreed to provide an advance of only Rs 400 crore, while smaller states such as Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are being given Rs 600 each. Centre discriminating with funds, keeping West Bengal deprived, claims Mamata Banerjee Mamata, following a meeting of Home Minister Amit Shah with Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bengal and the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said her state, which is more densely populated, was facing 'repeated discrimination'. "We had a meeting with Amit Shah-ji this morning. The Centre is providing more than Rs 600-crore each to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, and only Rs 400 crore-something to Bengal to fight Cyclone Yaas. This is money being paid in advance, something the states are supposed to get. This isn't extra... "At the meeting, I sought to know why Bengal, despite being a bigger state than Odisha and Andhra Pradesh -- both in terms of population density and number of districts -- is getting less? Why are we being deprived repeatedly?" she told reporters at the state secretariat. She said that Shah had promised to extend full cooperation, but when it came to announcing advance funds for the states, Bengal got less. "Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are my sister states. I do not have any problem with what the Centre is offering to them. That said, can you compare UP with Pondicherry? It depends on the population density, history, geography and the boundaries," she said. She added that that Amit Shah, on hearing her argument, stated that 'scientific views are taken into consideration' before arriving at such decisions. Deep depression over the East-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm: IMD Earlier today, the India Meteorological Department informed that the deep depression over the East-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm and it would further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours. In a tweet, IMD informed, "Deep Depression over East-central Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm `Yaas` and about 600 km of Port Blair. To intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 24 hours and into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during subsequent 24 hours."Keeping in view the approaching cyclone, the Eastern Railway on Sunday cancelled 25 trains between May 24 and May 29. The West Bengal government has opened control rooms at state secretariat Nabanna to monitor the cyclone and its fallout, an official said. The coastal districts of Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South and North 24 Parganas, along with Howrah and Hooghly will experience light to moderate rainfall in most places with heavy to very heavy downpour at one or two places from May 25 owing to the system, the weatherman said. On May 26, the spread and intensity of rain will increase with the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall in Jhargram, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata, according to the MeT Department. Live TV New Delhi: Pharmaceutical major Pfizer on Monday (May 24) said that it will supply COVID-19 vaccine only to central governments and supranational organisations. The company said that it is having discussions with the Indian government to start the supply of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the country. Pfizer will supply COVID-19 vaccine only to central governments and supranational organisations for deployment in national immunization programs. Allocation of doses and implementation plan within a country is a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidance, Pfizer was quoted as saying by ANI. Pfizers discussions with the Government of India are ongoing and we are hopeful to bring the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in the country, the company added. Pfizers statement comes after Punjab and Delhi governments claimed that they were refused the supply of vaccines by the company. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday appealed to the Centre to import COVID-19 vaccines after Pfizer and Moderna refused to directly sell to the Delhi government. "We've spoken to Pfizer, Moderna for vaccines, and both the companies have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said that they will deal with the Government of India alone. Appeal to the Centre to import vaccines and distribute to the States," Kejriwal said. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reiterated the statement saying the US companies have told them that they wont sell directly to Delhi. "We have spoken to Pfizer and Moderna for vaccines, and both the manufacturers have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said they will deal with the central government. We appeal to the Centre to import vaccines and distribute to the states," Sisodia said. This came a day after Punjab said Moderna has refused to sell vaccines to the state directly. The Punjab government had reached out to all such manufacturers, according to officials, looking for direct purchases. Live TV Mumbai: Dancer, choreographer and actor Raghav Juyal has been working hard to help people especially in rural Uttarakhand amid the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Opening up on what inspired him to take up this initiative, Raghav told IANS: "My acquaintances and I have been receiving distress calls from rural Uttarakhand for oxygen and life saving equipment for COVID-19 positive patients. We connected with some government officers to understand the situation and we were told that help from all quarters at this time is crucial. The government has also assured us to support us in Uttarakhand in all possible manner." The 29-year-old Dehradun boy expressed gratitude to those who have stood beside him in this noble cause. "My friends, acquaintances, followers, our volunteers, friends from the TV and film Industry, government officials, and donors from around the world -- I'm amazed and overwhelmed to see how everyone is standing with us in this initiative," he said. Quizzed on what Raghav and his team have done till now to help the common people in the state, he informed: "We were able to send some D Type cylinders to help Pauri Garhwal with the help of officers and field volunteers. This achievement motivated my team, and now we have many more oxygen cylinders, medicines and beds coming for hill districts to save lives of needy villagers in far flung hills of Himalayas. "At present over 130 volunteers, mostly from different parts of the country, are helping us to help patients find ambulances, oxygen beds, oxygen cylinders, ICU beds, blood donors, etc. People are also working on ground to manage logistics in more than 10 districts." Opening up on the problems he is facing in this initiative, the dancer said: "Availability of amenities, equipment, medicines, supplies etc in remote villages was an issue as was the non-availability of skilled technicians to operate oxygen cylinders and concentrators. Managing the logistics between different cities and villages in hills in an emergency situation is another challenge." Raghav also appeals for more fund to carry out his task. "So far we have exhausted all our aids and are in the process of raising more funds. We've started a fundraising campaign and need more people who can donate to us as we aim to cover approx 5000 villages." Working with COVID-19 affected people can pose a health risk for him, too. Asked about the same, Raghav informed: "My family and I have recovered from COVID recently. We couldn't get the time to rest as the second wave of COVID made its way into remote villages. We are following all the protocols like double mask, PPE kit for volunteers working on the ground and sanitisation of medical supply boxes etc." Quizzed if critics call his gesture a publicity stunt, what would he say in reply? Raghav smiled: "Critics will always have an opinion about anything and everything. I will do whatever it takes to help the people of Uttarakhand. I appeal to my friends, followers and critics to come together and create teams to adopt villages that need help. Any village in the country can be adopted, all we have to do is extend helping hands urgently." New Delhi: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan admitted to being the less successful Khan among his peers Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan but claims that it gave him more freedom to experiment as an actor in a recent interview. The 'Tandav' actor told Film Companion that he agrees with the fact that he didn't achieve the superstar status held by the 'Khan trinity' but he has no regrets about the same. In fact, he admits that it let him experiment with negative and experimental roles as he didn't have the pressure to be a superstar or hero in the mainstream audiences' eyes. He said, "Yes, absolutely. I have to say these guys - Shah Rukh, Salman, and Aamir - were kind of born somehow to be actors. I think it must have been a childhood ambition. Certainly, I know it was for two of them, not sure if it was Salmans ambition anyway but he was certainly built for it and made for the kind of success he saw. I joined movies at a time where you got to aim to either be a superstar or not bother. And theres a point there, I wonder why. It wasnt really about nuance, different kinds of characters...all that has happened now," he said. He also claimed it made him more interested in acting and he has understood it better over the course of time. The 'Race' actor also spoke about his symbiotic relationship with Akshay Kumar and complementing each other's personalities. He said, "If I was cute and fun in a lot of movies and I did a lot of work with Akshay Kumar, who perhaps lacked at that point, cute and fun, so we made a kind of super-person and found our way in the industry. I completed him and he completed me. I think thats why we are so fond of each other today. We realise we owe each other that, in a sense." Meanwhile, on the work front, Saif has an interesting line-up of work ahead with films like 'Adipurush', 'Bhoot Police' and 'Bunty Aur Bubli 2' in the pipeline. Mumbai: Actor Sumeet Vyas tweeted an open letter on Monday, addressed to District Magistrates (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Collectors and similar officials. In the letter, the actor urged authorities to accord respect and dignity to vegetable vendors and other sellers who are struggling to eke out a living amid the pandemic and its ensuing lockdown. At the same time, Sumeet questioned the lack of restraint on election rallies amid the pandemic. "Dms, Sdms, Collectors, Babusss, My dear employees in uniform. Don't cross the line, the citizens of this country including myself, don't pay you salaries and bribes to misbehave with us. People trying to sell vegetables, or run their shops for a little longer to earn a living Are not lesser individuals. They are entitled to as much or perhaps a little more respect than those criminals and goons running election rallies gathering lakhs of people. They are the real spreaders. They are the real murderers. Try whacking them for the camera once. (Losers)," Sumeet wrote on Twitter. Sumeet, who had tested positive for COVID-19 mid-April, shared a happy post on Instagram to announce his recovery towards the end of the month. Sharing a selfie on a sea beach with the setting sun making a beautiful backdrop, the actor wrote: "#negative End of quarantine. Thank God the #Sunset is still where I left it... (Mask came down for 3 seconds)." New Delhi: Bank of Baroda has recently issued a new notification for its customers regarding the stringent rules of cheque payment that is going kick in from the beginning of next month. Sharing the information from its official Twitter account, Bank of Baroda said that from June 1, the bank is going to make Positive Pay confirmation mandatory. Under this, if the payment of more than Rs 2 lakh is made through cheque, then the customer will have to confirm again. The transaction will be completed only when this process completes. Otherwise the cheque will be cancelled. We are committed to making your banking transactions secure. And with the Positive Pay System, we are here to offer you protection against cheque frauds. With #BankofBaroda, #StaySafeBankSafe pic.twitter.com/dkWkHz3RqU Bank of Baroda (@bankofbaroda) May 12, 2021 Cheque payment will have to be confirmed twice In the notification issued by the Bank of Baroda, it has been said that confirmation can be done by the bank for cheque worth more than Rs 50,000. Customers can give confirmation by net banking, mobile banking, branch phone or SMS on 8422009988. For this, it will be necessary to share the name of the beneficiary, the amount (in rupees), the date of the cheque when it was issued, the amount numbers, the account number and the cheque number. Decision aims to reduce check fraud cases In accordance with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) order, BOB introduced the Centralized Positive Pay System (CPPS) on 1 January 2021, to curb the fraudulent checks (Bank Check Fraud) that occur during check payments. Now the bank is going to implement it for the benefit of the customers. Therefore, the bank has appealed to the customers to inform it about the beneficiary in advance regarding the high value check transaction. With this, the bank will not take the customer's confirmation again at the time of clearing the cheque. Live TV #mute Delhi Police has finally raided the Twitter India office in Lado Sarai, Delhi and Gurgaon after sending a notice to it over a "manipulated media" tag used on tweets alleging a Congress "toolkit" against the Central government. Further details into the matter are awaited. Earlier in the day, Delhi Police sent a notice to Twitter, seeking an explanation from the microblogging site on what grounds it tagged BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra`s tweet on the alleged Congress toolkit designed to target the Central government as `manipulated media`. The Delhi Police Special Cell asked Twitter to explain the rationale and share all the information on how it described the toolkit as manipulated media. "The Delhi Police is enquiring into a complaint in which clarification is sought from Twitter on the classification of a tweet by Sambit Patra as `manipulative`. It appears that Twitter has some information that is not known to us on the basis of which they have classified it as such," the Police said in the notice sent to Twitter. "This information is relevant to the enquiry. The Special Cell, which is conducting the enquiry, wants to find out the truth. Twitter, which has claimed to know the underlying truth, should clarify," the notice added. Earlier, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had written to Twitter objecting to it tagging some of the posts on an alleged Congress "toolkit" against the Central government, as "manipulated media". It asked Twitter to remove the tag as the matter is pending investigation before a law enforcement agency.The BJP, on May 18, slammed Congress for an alleged "toolkit on COVID-19 pandemic". Addressing the media, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that the toolkit has instructions for social media volunteers of Congress to call the new COVID-19 mutant the "Indian strain" or "Modi strain" against the World Health Organization`s (WHO) instructions. However, the Congress denied the allegations and wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner seeking registration of FIR against BJP President JP Nadda, Union Minister Smriti Irani, party spokesperson Sambit Patra, party leader BL Santhosh and others for alleging that they had shared "forged and fabricated documents with the intent to create communal disharmony and civil unrest" and to "divert attention from Modi government`s failure in providing necessary aid to people amidst the current pandemic". The complaint was made after remarks by BJP leaders on social media with the hashtag #CongressToolkitExposed in which they accused Congress of spreading "false, negative news and stirring up discontent". Live TV #mute After Facebook-owned WhatsApp released its new privacy policy, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a warning to the messaging platform to take back its latest update in the privacy policy. Besides that, the Ministry has also warned of legal action if it does not get a satisfactory reply by May 25. WhatsApp earlier this year said users will have to review its updated terms by Feb. 8 but delayed the rollout of new business features to mid-May following a global user backlash over the company's data-sharing practices. What does this warning to WhatsApp mean? This is for the very first time, WhatsApp has been given a strict warning by challenging it with legal action from the government which if decoded means that the government of India will leave no stone unturned to pursue all legal actions at hand to protect to protect the sovereign rights of Indian citizens. How long has this exchange been going on? The exchange of talks started between WhatsApp and the IT Ministry started in January 2021 and the ministry sent a letter to Will Cathcart, the global Chief Executive Officer of WhatsApp on the privacy policies. After that, the ministry had again sent 14 questions to WhatsApp on the process with which it collects data, the permissions and consents it asks for, and how the data is shared to other Facebook-owned platforms. Options for WhatsApp in India now With repeated government warnings and impending court cases, WhatsApp is not in a very good position to implement the latest privacy policy, privacy experts told Indian Express. WhatsApp needs a clear answer for the governments sharp and pointed questions. With more than 500 million users in India, WhatsApp has big plans for the growing digital payments space, including selling health insurance via partners. But government pressure to withdraw the policy could create a new headache for the firm. WhatsApp's new privacy policy, which allows it to share limited user data with Facebook and its group firms, has also led to at least one legal battle in India where the anti-trust regulator has also ordered a probe into it. Live TV #mute Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:25:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua Writers Yao Yuan, Liu Fangzhou, Zhang Yujie and Chang Yuan CHANGSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday morning held a memorial service to bid farewell to Yuan Longping, known as the "father of hybrid rice," who passed away on Saturday. Despite being a busy work day, thousands of people dressed in black showed up and laid flowers at the site before the service began at 10 a.m. in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. The country's top rice scientist, who cultivated the first high-yield hybrid rice strain, died of organ failure at 91 in Changsha. The agronomist helped China work a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total arable land. He is deeply respected in China, where getting enough to eat was once a serious problem. In 2019, Yuan was awarded the Medal of the Republic, China's highest state honor. In a condolence message conveyed to Yuan's family, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of Yuan's contribution to China's food security, innovation in agricultural technology, and world grain development. On Monday morning, the influx of mourners created a traffic gridlock miles long, prompting many to descend from their vehicles to walk to the memorial site inside a mortuary house. Some mourners arrived by train from other cities to "see Grandpa Yuan for the last time." "People from outside Hunan are coming to bid him farewell," said Liu Haohui, one of the taxi drivers who offered free rides to the mourners. "As a local taxi driver, we hope to do something to pay tribute to Yuan." Also among the huge crowd of mourners were couriers holding flowers that they said were ordered by distant buyers. Many florists in Changsha told Xinhua that their chrysanthemums had sold out. "Online orders kept flowing in. We worked overnight to prepare the flowers but still couldn't meet the demand," said florist Tan Lijuan. RICE HERO Yuan began his pioneering research on hybrid rice in 1964. After nine years of painstaking research and testing, his team successfully cultivated the hybrid-rice strain in 1973. Yuan spent the next four decades improving hybrid rice, which has now progressed to its third generation. In China, the annual hybrid rice planting area has exceeded 16 million hectares, or 57 percent of the total rice planting area. The increased yield helps feed an extra 80 million people a year. His more recent achievements included developing varieties of saline-alkali tolerant rice. In January, his team said they planned to use the rice to transform 6.7 million hectares of saline-alkaline land in China over the next eight to 10 years. Yuan's lifelong dedication to reducing hunger has made him a national hero and a household name in China. "We travelled all the way here to see him off. We farmers owe him gratitude," said Zhou Xiuying, 70, inside the memorial hall. "We must thank him for bringing us food," a woman was seen telling her young child at the site. In 1999, an asteroid discovered by the national astronomical observatories was named after Yuan. He won the World Food Prize in 2004. LEGACY FOR WORLD Agronomists and officials outside China also joined in remembering Yuan, whose hybrid rice is credited with helping fend off hunger and reduce poverty on a global scale. Calling Yuan "a true food hero," the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on Saturday mourned his passing on Twitter, saying that he "saved millions of people from hunger." "He passed away today at 91 (due to illness) but his legacy and his mission to end hunger lives on," the tweet said. His hybrid rice has been grown in more than 60 countries, with a total growing area of 8 million hectares outside China, according to the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center where Yuan worked. Yuan's team has also conducted training courses in dozens of countries in Africa, the Americas and Asia since the 1980s, to provide a robust food source in areas with a high risk of famine. "Thank you very much Professor Yuan Longping and we hope that the whole world will remember you and continue to support the work that you and your colleagues have undertaken to improve agriculture in the world," Ramboasalama Arolalaina Ratsira, a hybrid rice expert of Madagascar, said in an interview with Xinhua. In 2010, Yuan's team went to the African country long troubled by insufficient rice production. With their assistance, a hybrid crop variety produced a harvest of 10.8 tonnes per hectare in Madagascar in 2019, far exceeding the yield of local rice. "It's a great loss for China and humanity," Madagascar's minister of agriculture, livestock and fisheries Fanomezantsoa Lucien Ranarivelo said on Yuan's passing. Ivo Mello, technical director of Rice Institute of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, said his institute has started adopting and promoting the hybrid rice technology through cooperation with Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center. "He has left a legacy that will certainly be remembered for many, many centuries," he said. Enditem (Lou Chen, Yuan Ruting and Zhou Mian have contributed to the story) Samsung and Apple have been rivals for quite some time and both the companies dont leave any opportunity to take potshots at each other. Samsung had once mocked the iPhone's massive notch and then Apple hit it back by releasing videos about slow Android phones and insecure app stores. Now the South Korean smartphone company has released two new videos to poke fun at iPhone 12 Pro Max cameras. SamMobile spotted the first video where the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is pitted against the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The camera is what captures the eye of the audience and it gives impetus to Samsung's current flagship smartphone. Meanwhile, the second video shows a close-up of a cheese sandwich clicked by a Galaxy S21 Ultra and an iPhone 12 Pro Max. The difference between both images is that the former seems to be sharper than iPhone one. Releasing these two videos, Samsung has added a slogan, Your phone upgrade shouldnt be a downgrade. Live TV #mute Three months back, the central government had issued comprehensive guidelines for social media and further asked companies like Facebook, Instagram, and other companies to comply with these rules before May 25. However, none of the top social media companies except Koo have reportedly adhered to the new rules. This raises a very serious question of whether these companies are not taking the government guidelines seriously or they are not willing to do it. The new rules come into effect on May 26, 2021, and according to the sources, if the social media companies do not comply, they are liable to lose their status and protections as intermediaries and criminal action can also be taken as per existing laws of India. The government sources said that these social media companies are coming up with several excuses like seeking more time, up to six months, for furnishing compliance whereas others have claimed that they are waiting for instruction from US headquarters. The sad part is that these companies earn profits in India but they await orders from the US for any grievance redressal and Twitter is one such platform that keeps their own fact-checkers which are anonymous to the government. Live TV #mute Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Monday launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar for ''directly transferring the Narada case to the CBI'' and urged the states residents to file a complaint against him. Banerjee said that the governors action was against the Constitution. Speaking to the media personnel on Sunday, Kalyan Banerjee said, West Bengal Governor directly transferred the case (Narada) to CBI which is against the Constitution. We know we can't file a criminal case against him. We're urging people to register a complaint against him. He's the butcher of the Indian Constitution. West Bengal Governor directly transferred the case (Narada) to CBI which is against the Constitution. We know we can't file a criminal case against him. We're urging people to register a complaint against him. He's the butcher of Indian Constitution: Kalyan Banerjee, TMC (23.5) pic.twitter.com/XqLD8u94mH ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021 Banerjee said once Dhankhar`s term as governor ends, he can be prosecuted on the basis of the complaints filed by the people and he will be sent to the same Presidency jail where the TMC MLAs have been lodged over the Narada scam. "Do not worry, after 2024 many BJP leaders will be going to prison. Tears of incompetent person who cannot handle the COVID situation, tears of incompetent person who was not able to administer the vaccine to 130 crore people will not bring him back to power in 2024. He has to go. Indians are now waiting to enjoy the second independence day," he said. Reacting to the remark of the TMC MLA, Dhankhar said he was left stunned. "He is senior functionary @AITCofficial @MamataOfficial. He is senior parliamentarian @LokSabhaSectt. He is senior advocate @barcouncilindia @barandbench. Just stunned but leave the matter to sound discretion of cultured people of West Bengal and media @PTI_News @IndEditorsGuild," the West Bengal governor tweeted. Last week, four TMC leaders Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, MLA Madan Mitra and Former Mayor Sovan Chatterjee were arrested by CBI in the Narada scam. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday approached the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Courts order directing house arrest for four Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders arrested by the central agency in connection with the Narada bribery case. The probe agency has sought adjournment of the hearing of the Narada case in front of a larger bench of the high court, scheduled to be held on Monday (May 24, 2021). According to the case, the sting operation was conducted by one Narada News in West Bengal, showing around 12 then TMC ministers, leaders and an IPS officer were allegedly caught accepting bribes. The stint operations tapes were released in the case to expose the accused persons before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. Live TV New Delhi: At least 115,000 health and care workers have died from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief said on Monday (May 24), calling for a dramatic scale-up of vaccination in all countries. At the opening of the World Health Organization's main annual assembly, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the sacrifices made by health workers around the world to battle the pandemic. "For almost 18 months, health and care workers all over the world have stood in the breach between life and death," WHO director-general Tedros said. "Many have themselves become infected, and while reporting is scant, we estimate that at least 115,000 health and care workers have paid the ultimate price in the service of others," he said. "The COVID-19 pandemic is being perpetuated by a scandalous inequity in vaccine distribution, the WHO chief said as he set new targets for protecting people in the poorest countries. He warned that no country should assume that it's 'out of the woods', no matter its vaccination rate, as long as the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants spread elsewhere. "The world remains in a very dangerous situation," Tedros told the opening of the annual assembly of health ministers from its 194 member states. "As of today, more cases have been reported so far this year than in the whole of 2020. On current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year`s total within the next three weeks. This is very tragic," he said. He said more than 75% of all vaccines had been administered in just 10 countries. "There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the worlds vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world." The COVAX facility, run by WHO and the GAVI vaccine alliance, has delivered 72 million vaccine doses to 125 countries and economies since February - barely sufficient for 1% of their populations, Tedros said. He urged countries to donate vaccine doses to COVAX to enable 10% of the populations of all countries to be inoculated by September and 30% by year-end. This meant vaccinating 250 million more people in just four months, he said. "This is crucial to stop disease and death, keep our healthcare workers safe, reopen our societies and economies," Tedros said. Tedros also called on vaccine manufacturers to give COVAX the first right of refusal on new volumes of vaccines, or to commit 50% of their volumes to COVAX this year. (With Reuters inputs) London: Two images of Sheikha Latifa, a daughter of the ruler of Dubai, have appeared on Instagram in recent days, three months after the BBC aired a video message in which she said she was being held captive in a barricaded villa. The images, if verified, would mark one of the few times Latifa has been photographed in public since shortly before she mounted a failed attempt three years ago to escape her father`s control by boarding a yacht to sail across the Indian Ocean. Since then, Latifa and her supporters claim she has been held against her will on the orders of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and a vice-president of the United Arab Emirates. The sheikh and the UAE categorically deny the accusations. In April, U.N. rights experts demanded that the United Arab Emirates show "proof of life" for and release Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, 35, after the video aired in February by the BBC`s investigative news programme Panorama. A source close to campaigners who have lobbied for her release said that the two pictures, posted on the Instagram account of Sioned Taylor, were genuine and had been taken recently. Reuters could not independently verify whether Latifa has freedom of movement. The UAE foreign ministry referred requests for comment on the Instagram images to the Dubai government`s media office, which did not respond when contacted by Reuters. When contacted by Reuters via Instagram, Taylor, whose profile identifies her as a teacher at a state-run Dubai school, did not respond. The first image, posted on Taylor`s account on Thursday (May 20), shows Latifa outside a movie theatre inside a Dubai mall. An advertisement for a film released in Dubai on May 13 can be seen in the background. The second image, posted on Taylor`s account on Saturday (May 22), shows Latifa sitting outside a restaurant with the Dubai Mall in the backdrop. After the video aired by the BBC in February, the UAE embassy in London issued a statement saying Latifa was being cared for at home by her family and medical professionals and that she would return to "public life at the appropriate time". Latifa drew international attention in 2018 when a human rights group released a video made by her in which she described an attempt to escape Dubai. She was captured off the coast of India by special forces and taken back to Dubai. In March 2020, a London High Court judge said he accepted as proved a series of allegations made by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum`s former wife, Princess Haya, in a legal battle, including that the sheikh ordered the abduction of Latifa. The sheikh`s lawyers rejected the allegations. In late 2018, Latifa`s family released photos of her sitting with Mary Robinson, a former Irish president and a United Nations high commissioner for human rights. Robinson subsequently told the BBC that she was "tricked" during the visit and never asked Latifa about her situation. ALSO READ: Pakistan Election Commission deletes tweet on EVMs after backlash from Imran Khan govt Brussels: The European Union has issued a statement warning the Myanmar military against the dissolution of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party that won the November elections, as such a decision would be a "blatant disregard" for the will of the people. This comes after military-appointed commission chairman Thein Soe announced on Friday (May 21) plans to dissolve the NLD, headed by former state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, for alleged vote fraud in general elections last year. "The EU reiterates that the elections in November faithfully represented the will of Myanmar`s people. This was confirmed by all independent domestic and international observers. No arbitrary decision by the military junta and their illegally-appointed members of the Electoral Commission can cancel that," a spokesperson for the EU external action service said in a statement on Sunday (May 23). The EU will continue to denounce all attempts to overturn the will of the Myanmar people and to alter the outcome of the last general elections, the statement said. "No repression or unfounded pseudo-legal proceedings can grant legitimacy to the junta`s illegal takeover of power. Only respecting the will of the people can bring Myanmar back onto its democratic path and deliver stability and sustainable development," it added. On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The military coup led to mass protests and was met by deadly violence, resulting in the killing of more than 700 people. Meanwhile, about 3,000 protesters have also been detained. Beijing: A former Muslim leader at China`s largest mosque in the Xinjiang region was incarcerated by Chinese authorities in 2017 on the charges of having "spread extremism", Kyodo News reported citing sources on Sunday (May 23). The revelation comes at a time when western countries have increased their criticism of the Chinese government for what they called "genocide" against the minorities in Xinjiang province. Several reports have revealed that the Chinese government has detained millions of Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang internment camps for opposing growing state surveillance under the re-education campaign. Meanwhile, China has denied all the allegations. President Xi Jinping`s leadership has consistently said its internment camps are vocational training centres established to combat terrorism and religious extremism preemptively, urging the United States not to interfere in its "internal affairs." In a report on Sunday, Kyodo News reported that the former imam at the Id Kah mosque was sentenced to 15 years in prison. In addition to him, several other religious leaders have been also detained. The current imam at the mosque, however, has denied religious oppression by the ruling Communist Party. China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination. Beijing, on the other hand, has vehemently denied that it is engaged in human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang while reports from journalists, NGOs and former detainees have surfaced, highlighting the Chinese Communist Party`s brutal crackdown on the ethnic community. Early this year, the United States became the first country in the world to declare the Chinese actions in Xinjiang as "genocide". In February, both the Canadian and Dutch parliaments adopted motions recognising the Uyghur crisis as genocide. The latter became the first parliament in Europe to do so. In April, the United Kingdom also declared China`s ongoing crackdown in Xinjiang a "genocide". WASHINGTON: Dr Anthony Fauci, Americas top health expert and the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has said that he is "not convinced" that the COVID-19 virus which affected millions across the globe developed naturally. Dr Fauci even called for an open investigation into the origin of the deadly virus. The top US health expert made these remarks during an event, United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking event. "Theres a lot of cloudiness around the origins of COVID-19 still, so I wanted to ask, are you still confident that it developed naturally?" he said. He said this in response to a question asked by PolitiFacts Katie Sanders. "I am not convinced about that, I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened," he said during the event, which was held earlier this month but overlooked by most media outlets. "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, thats the reason why I said Im perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," Dr Fauci said, according to Fox News. Senater Rand Paul had asked Dr Fauci during a Senate hearing last Tuesday to categorically say that the COVID-19 virus could not have occurred by serial passage in a laboratory?" Dr Fauci did not explicitly rule out such a possibility but said he was fully in favour of any further investigation of what went on in China. He repeated that the NIH and NIAID categorically have not funded gain of function research to be conducted in the Wuhan Institute of Virology." This comes in the light of claims made by Paul that funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had been funneled to the controversial Wuhan Institute of Virology -- the Chinese lab that is believed to have played a role in the initial outbreak of COVID-19. Paul specifically zeroed in on gain of function research - which works on making pathogens deadlier or more easily transmissible. He had alleged that a US virologist had been working with the Chinese institute on such research and said it was funded by the NIH. It may be noted that the Donald Trump administration officials and Republicans have long argued there is a high chance COVID-19 was the result of a lab leak in China. The World Health Organization (WHO) had last week declared the lab leak theory "extremely unlikely", but even Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief, has said the research teams assessment on whether the virus entered the human population following a laboratory incident was not "extensive enough" and requires further investigation. The White House has also joined calls for an independent investigation into Covid's origins. Press secretary Jen Psaki said this week the Biden administration has conveyed both publicly and privately that the Chinese government was "not transparent from the beginning". Live TV Washington: Three researchers from Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report. The newspaper said the report - which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits - may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory. The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization`s decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. A National Security Council spokeswoman had no comment on the Journal's report but said the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the People's Republic of China." She said the U.S. government was working with the WHO and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic`s origins "that is free from interference or politicization." "We`re not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we`ve been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts," she said. The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report`s supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed "further investigation and additional corroboration." The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak. Washington is keen to ensure greater cooperation and transparency by China, according to a source familiar with the effort. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. On Sunday, China`s foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute. "The U.S. continues to hype the lab leak theory," the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal. "Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?" The Trump administration had said it suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies. A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said "the U.S. government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses." It did not say how many researchers. China refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the teams investigators, Reuters reported in February, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:35:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANAA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Some 20,384 people have fled from fighting between the Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen's central province of Marib since February, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement on Monday. "Reports indicate that the figure could be higher, as IOM continues to record new arrivals across various (internally displacement camp) sites," the UN aid agency said. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels began in February a major offensive against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government army to capture the oil-rich province of Marib, which hosts over 2 million internally displaced people from across the country's northern provinces. The United Nations has warned that the assault on Marib could lead to a major humanitarian catastrophe. A recent UN-brokered 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 rebels seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. The more than six-year-long war has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of famine. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:38:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NICOSIA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus' health authorities reported on Monday the country's first case of death of a person who developed blood clotting after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19. Elena Panagiotopoulou, Deputy Director of the Health Ministry's Pharmaceutical Services, said that the 39-year-old British woman died in a Nicosia hospital. She was treated there after developing blood clotting 15 days after receiving the first AstraZeneca vaccine dose on May 6. Panagiotopoulou added that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be informed in detail on the case. On Sunday, Cyprus reported another thrombosis case related to a woman aged 40, who had also received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The woman is being treated in hospital in a stable condition, according to her doctors. Panagiotopoulou said that in addition to these two cases, three other cases of blood clotting are being investigated, but it is not yet clear whether they are connected to the COVID-19 vaccination. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:56:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Israeli rescue team members work at the scene of a stabbing incident in Jerusalem on May 24, 2021. A knife-wielding Palestinian injured an Israeli soldier and a civilian in Jerusalem on Monday before he was shot dead, according to an Israeli police statement. The police statement said the suspect stabbed a 21-year-old Israeli soldier and a 23-year-old man outside a light rail stop near the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out over the Israeli planned eviction of Palestinians from their homes. (Photo by Muammar Awad/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A knife-wielding Palestinian injured an Israeli soldier and a civilian in Jerusalem on Monday before he was shot dead, according to an Israeli police statement. The police statement said the suspect stabbed a 21-year-old Israeli soldier and a 23-year-old man outside a light rail stop near the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out over the Israeli planned eviction of Palestinians from their homes. The Palestinian suspect was shot by a border police officer and announced dead at the scene, according to statement. Israel annexed East Jerusalem shortly after it seized the land in the Middle East War in 1967, in a move not recognized by most of the international community. Enditem Navy vessels conduct actual combat training China Military Online) 15:45, May 24, 2021 Vessels attached to a naval landing ship flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Command change the formation pattern during acombattraining exercise inlate April, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by GuYagen) Vessels attached to a naval landing ship flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Commandperform simulated underway astern replenishment during a combat training exercise in late April, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Jinyu) Vessels attached to a naval landing ship flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Command conduct coordination training during an actual combat training exercise in late April, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by GuYagen) A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) attached to a naval landing ship flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Command approaches the well deck of the amphibious dock landing ship during a combat training exercise in late April, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Jinyu) Soldiers assigned toa naval landing ship flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Command lay a smokescreen during a combat training exercise in late April, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Jinyu) Soldiers assigned to a naval landing ship flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Commandoperate the equipment during a combat training exercise in late April, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Liu Jinyu) (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 20:03:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Hong, a 46-year-old visually impaired Chinese climber, became the first blind person from Asia to scale Mt. Qomolangma, the world's tallest peak, on Monday. Zhang reached the top of the highest mountain at 9am local time from the Nepali side along with three high-altitude guides, said the Asian Trekking of Nepal that is organizing his expedition. Jaya Bahadur Tamang, an official from the Asian Trekking, told Xinhua over the phone from the base camp of Mt. Qomolangma that Zhang and his team started to move up to the top of the peak on Sunday night from the South Col (7,900m) and summitted it on Monday morning. "Zhang is among the few climbers who dared to go to the top of Mt. Qomolangma despite strong winds in the mountain," Tamang said. There were six Chinese and six Sherpa guides in Zhang's team, but not all reached the top on Monday, according to the Asian Trekking. "As far as I know, Zhang is the only person of the Chinese expedition team to reach the top," said Bhuwan Limbu, another official from the trekking company. According to expedition companies, there had been strong winds on Mt. Qomolangma from Sunday evening and many had descended from the South Col to the base camp. Before Zhang's ascent, Erik Weihenmayer, an American mountaineer and Andy Holzer, an Austrian climber, both visually impaired, scaled Mt. Qomolangma in May 2001 and May 2017 respectively. In April, Dawa Steven Sherpa, chief executive officer of the Asian Trekking, told Xinhua that Zhang had been training hard for the last three years for his goal. He conquered Muztagh Ata, a 7,509-meter-high peak in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region two years ago. In January 2017, the Nepali government decided to ban double amputees, persons without arms and legs and blind persons from attempting the world's highest peak. But, in March the same year, Nepal's Supreme Court ordered not to implement the government's restriction on people with disabilities. Chinese climber Xia Boyu, who lost both legs to frostbite on Mt. Qomolangma over four decades before, reached the summit of the world's tallest mountain in May 2018. Nepal issued a record 408 permits for climbers for this spring, aiming for the 8848.86-meter-high Mt. Qomolangma straddling Nepal and China, whose Sherpa guides and other aides do not need such permits. According to Nepal's Department of Tourism, it has got information about around 350 climbers including Sherpa guides reaching the top of Mt. Qomolangma. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 20:18:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People rally to protest against anti-Asian hate crimes on Foley Square in New York, the United States, April 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A signed Chinese article urged certain U.S. politicians to face up to the United States' own problems, do more self-examination and rectification instead of using religious and human rights issues to interfere in other countries' internal affairs. The article, released on Monday, hit back on a recent report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The so-called commission, with its crooked and ill-intentioned nonsense about other countries' governance of religious affairs, is nothing but a handy tool crafted by a certain gang of U.S. politicians to interfere in other countries' internal affairs and satisfy their obsession for hegemony, it said. The article said the USCIRF's so-called latest report, like its previous ones, groundlessly attacked China's freedom of religious belief and its governance of religious affairs, turning a blind eye to China's huge achievements in governing Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. China has made tremendous progress in human rights protection since the founding of the People's Republic of China, particularly since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, winning acclaim both at home and abroad, the article said. By managing religious affairs in strict accordance with the law, and prudently handling the relations between human rights, religion and the rights to social and economic development and public health, China not only protects its citizens' freedom of religious belief, but also manages to motivate people with or without religious belief to jointly contribute to the country's development, the article said. The article noted the deterioration of the economic and social development, state governance and human rights protection in the United States over the past few years, which led to the Americans feeling increasingly unhappy, insecure and unrewarded. Protests and riots broke out one after another, it added. Social injustice, especially when it concerns non-white Americans, has become appalling in the United States, the article said, adding that at a time when the lives of Americans could not be saved from the onslaught of coronavirus, how could one talk about the protection of the Americans' religious freedom and human rights? "China's governance of religious affairs is getting better while your problems are growing day by day," the article said, urging the U.S. politicians to work with people around the world to do more in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, solving social injustice and promoting the human rights cause. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 20:22:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported Monday one new case of COVID-19, taking the tally in the financial hub to 11,833. The new patient was a domestic worker who returned to Hong Kong with the family of her employer from Pakistan in early April, the CHP said at a press conference. She at first tested negative for the virus after undergoing the quarantine but was found to have contracted the N501Y mutant strain through mandatory testing on May 22. A total of 266 cases involving the N501Y variant have been reported in Hong Kong. Despite the new N501Y case, the epidemic has largely remained under control thanks to effective anti-epidemic measures and an ongoing vaccination program. Hong Kong's schools and kindergartens on Monday resumed half-day in-person learning. School classes had been suspended multiple times since the epidemic outbreak in January 2020. Over 1.25 million residents have taken at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine since the inoculation started on Feb. 26, accounting for 19.1 percent of the population aged 16 or above, who are eligible for the vaccine. Some 891,800 people have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 13.6 percent of the eligible group. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau on Monday called on people to receive the jab and said getting the vaccine is a necessary requirement for Hong Kong residents to join travel programs amid the epidemic, including the air travel bubble. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 20:30:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Afghan army soldiers take part in a military operation against Taliban militants in Mehterlam, Laghman province, Afghanistan, on May 24, 2021. Taliban militants have seized three districts over the past weeks amid increasing militancy and counter-militancy in war-torn Afghanistan, local media reported. In its latest attempt to gain ground, the Taliban militants overrun Jalriz district in eastern Wardak province and Dawlat Shah district in Laghman province. The Taliban militants also captured Burka district in northern Baghlan province early in May in the wake of fierce fighting. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants have seized three districts over the past weeks amid increasing militancy and counter-militancy in war-torn Afghanistan, local media reported. In its latest attempt to gain ground, the Taliban militants overrun Jalriz district in eastern Wardak province and Dawlat Shah district in Laghman province. The Taliban militants also captured Burka district in northern Baghlan province early in May in the wake of fierce fighting. Security officials said that the security forces have made "tactical retreat" from the said areas. Spokesman for the Defense Ministry Rohullah Ahmadzai in talks with local media on Monday blamed the Taliban insurgents for using civilians as human shields and planting mines in the areas to slow down the security forces advance. Justifying the "tactical retreat" as part of war strategy, Ahmadzai said that the security forces are capable enough to evict the militants from the areas, noting protecting civilians and cleaning mines take time. Taliban militants have intensified activities in eastern Laghman and northern Baghlan provinces over the past weeks. They are attempting to tighten noose around important highways linking Kabul to the northern and eastern provinces. Chief of Army Staff General Mohammad Yasin Zia visited Laghman's provincial capital Mehterlam on Monday, saying the militants' attempts to gain ground had been foiled and the security situation there has been improved. More than 50 militants were killed and some 60 others injured during cleanup operations in Laghman, the provincial government said in a statement on Monday. Cleanup operation has also been continuing in northern Baghlan as some three dozen militants were killed and injured since Sunday in the restive province, an army statement confirmed. Taliban militants have intensified activities since the start of the U.S.-led forces withdrawal from Afghanistan on May 1. In the meantime, former Afghan spy chief Rahmatullah Nabil believes that the Taliban outfit has been attempting to take control of highways and tighten noose around Kabul before the completion of the foreign forces pullout, probably in July or September, to secure upper hand at any possible talks with the government. The intra-Afghan talks in Turkey under the auspices of the United Nations was scheduled in March. But it has been repeatedly postponed due to Taliban's reluctance to attend, according to Afghan officials. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 21:12:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TAIPEI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan on Monday reported 334 new local COVID-19 infections, 256 backlogged local cases and six deaths, the local disease monitoring agency said. This is the 10th consecutive day that the island's daily number of new local infections has exceeded 100. Of the new local infections, 157 were male and 177 were female, while their onset of symptoms ranged from May 10 to 23. Of the 256 backlogged cases, 157 were male and 99 were female, ranging from under five years of age to over 90 years old, the agency said. Monday was the third consecutive day that the agency has retroactively added cases to the past week's case count. The agency has said the backlog is being caused by a "bottleneck" in the reporting system due to the sudden rise in confirmed cases in recent days and cumbersome reporting procedures. The six dead include four men and two women, four of whom had suffered from chronic illnesses. Meanwhile, Taiwan on Monday recorded five new imported COVID-19 cases from the Philippines, India and Nepal. The total number of confirmed cases on the island since the epidemic began has risen to 4,917, including 29 deaths, the agency said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 21:46:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, May 24 (Xinhua) -- An alliance of Nepali opposition parties filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court on Monday, demanding a reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives. "The opposition alliance with the signature of 146 lawmakers has filed the writ petition against the decision to dissolve the house," Kishor Poudel, a communication expert at the Supreme Court, told Xinhua. "They have also demanded the court's order to appoint Deuba (Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba) as the prime minister." Those involved in the legal action include 61 lawmakers from the Nepali Congress, 49 from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), 23 from the Madhav Nepal-Jalanath Khanal faction of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist and Leninist), 12 from the Upendra Yadav-Baburam Bhattarai faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party and one from Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal. According to Poudel, other advocates have also registered 29 writ petitions against the move to dismiss the lower house. With support from 149 lawmakers from five parties, Deuba on Friday presented his claim for the premiership as demanded by President Bidya Devi Bhandari since Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli thought he could not garner a vote of trust in the lower house after he was renamed to head the government on May 13. Like Deuba, Oli also made a claim for heading the government, saying he had the support of 153 members of the lower house. Bhandari, however, rejected both claims and dissolved the house on Saturday for fresh elections. Bhandari, as recommended by Oli, dissolved the lower house on Dec. 20 last year, but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court on Feb. 23. The House of Representatives, which has 271 members, was formed in elections held in November and December in 2017 with a five-year mandate. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 22:08:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A Katyusha rocket hit on Monday an air base housing U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq's western province of Anbar, the Iraqi military said. "A Katyusha rocket landed about 1:50 p.m. local time (1050 GMT) at the edge of Ayn al-Asad Air Base in Anbar Province, without casualties," the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a brief statement. Wayne Marotto, spokesman of the international coalition forces in Iraq, said the damage is being assessed and the attack is under investigation. Ayn al-Asad Air Base, formerly known as al-Qadisiyah Air Base, is located some 190 km northwest of Iraq's capital Baghdad. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. The Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad have been frequently targeted by mortar and rocket attacks. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 22:33:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran said on Monday that it was waiting for a change in Saudi Arabia's behavior as the contacts between the two countries continue, official IRNA News Agency reported. "Saudi Arabia must decide whether to continue to use this boring rhetoric and discourse of the past and not to change its behavior, or to distance itself from expansionist and belligerent policies," Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, said in a weekly press briefing for journalists. Khatibzadeh's comments came when asked about the remarks of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on May 18 that he was hopeful for talks with Iran. Iran has always been ready for "regional dialogues and arrangements" and welcomed Saudi Arabia's presence in talks with Iranian representatives in Iraq, Khatibzadeh said. Talks in Iraq between the two countries continue and "it remains to be seen" if they will reach a good conclusion, he added. Iran's foreign ministry confirmed on May 10 that Iran and Saudi Arabia had been holding talks in Iraq to defuse tensions between the two rival countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 22:39:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, May 24 (Xinhua) -- As the current spring season draws to an end, climbers and expedition organizers report more COVID-19 infections on the world's tallest Mt. Qomolangma, while an official from the Nepali Department of Tourism said no written reports have been presented yet. Damian Browne, a former Irish professional rugby player who attempted Mt. Qomolangma, announced Saturday through his social media post that four climbers of his team, including himself were infected with the coronavirus. "Of the four-team members evacuated and sequestered, two including me have symptoms and two don't," he wrote. "For me, learning that I have COVID was in a way a relief and answered many questions I had, but for the guys showing no symptoms and feeling strong, this evacuation and quarantine must be unbelievably frustrating." Browne has set his sights on all the seven tallest peaks on the seven continents. Climbing the Seven Summits (CTSS), an expedition company was organizing the expedition of a team involving Browne. TAG Nepal, a local partner of CTSS, also confirmed the infections of four climbers. Sagar Poudel, director at TAG Nepal, told Xinhua on Monday that Browne and three others tested positive in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. "In fact, 11 members of the expedition team who were tested positive with rapid test kits, were brought to Kathmandu but only four of them tested positive in PCR examination," he said. A total of 39 climbers from the CTSS expedition came for Mt. Qomolangma. "So far, ten have already scaled the world's tallest peak, with at least one of them having tested positive in antigen test but later tested negative in PCR," said Poudel. Earlier, on May 15, Lukas Furtenbach, managing director of Furtenbach Adventures, an Austria-based mountaineering expedition company, announced that the company had canceled its current expedition to Mt. Qomolangma due to increasing coronavirus infections at the base camp of the world's tallest that straddles Nepal and China. Furtenbach, currently in Kathmandu, told Xinhua that he submitted the evidence of climbers infected with coronavirus at Mt. Qomolangma base camp to the Nepali authorities on Sunday. "I produced evidence of 10 infections to the Department of Tourism after I was asked to submit a full report including our evidence," he said. According to Furtenbach, at least 100 infections have been confirmed by doctors, insurance companies, expedition leaders and evacuated climbers themselves. Eight members of his team had contracted coronavirus as well. "In other teams, up to 30 people have been infected," he said. Furtenbach has 20 clients who attempted Mt. Qomolangma (8848.86m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516m), Mt. Lobuche (6,619m) and Mera Peak (6,476m), with four western guides, a team doctor, 18 climbing Sherpas and 12 kitchen staff in support of them. Although reports about COVID-19 infections at Mt. Qomolangma base camp have been making international headlines, neither Nepali authorities nor most expedition companies have spoken of the issue explicitly. Officials at Nepal's Tourism Department, which issues climbing permits to climbers, have continued to insist that they have not been officially informed about anybody being infected with the coronavirus. "We are also hearing about the infections but no expedition company or climber has given us a written notification about the infections so far," Mira Acharya, director at the department, told Xinhua on Monday. Some officials at the department told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that they were verbally notified about the issue but they were not sure about the number of infections. Norwegian climber Erlend Ness became the first to test positive for COVID-19 at Mt. Qomolangma base camp and was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu for treatment. He told the press last month that he tested positive on April 15. Despite concerns about the outbreak of coronavirus, a large number of climbers have remained on the mountains. "We have got reports about around 350 mountaineers reaching the top of Mt. Qomolangma so far since early May in the spring season," Acharya said. Officials at the Tourism Department said they allowed climbers to set for Mt. Qomolangma only after they tested negative in PCR tests in Kathmandu. Furtenbach believes, however, the rules were not enforced strictly. "There were no health protocols from the authorities for (Mt. Qomolangma) base camp. Only PCR test in Kathmandu and that was not enforced as many teams left Kathmandu to Khumbu (base of Mt. Qomolangma) without PCR," Furtenbach said while sharing a video footage of people singing and dancing in a group at the base camp. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 22:55:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANAA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday that it has increased food assistance in Yemen after new funds were confirmed. In April and May, WFP began increasing assistance to nearly 6 million people in nine governorates with the highest rates of "emergency" food insecurity in Yemen with the instillation of new funds, the aid agency said in a statement. In 2021, donors have so far stepped up with nearly 947 million U.S. dollars for WFP's famine prevention effort in Yemen, it added. However, the WFP noted that it still needs at least 1.9 billion dollars in 2021 to prevent famine in Yemen. WFP Country Director for Yemen Laurent Bukera warned that the ailing economy in Yemen, compounded by the food insecurity, has left the country vulnerable to worsening hunger and famine. About half of the Yemeni children under five are projected to face acute malnutrition in 2021, with nearly 400,000 expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and could die if they do not receive urgent treatment, according to the WFP. A recent UN-brokered 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 Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. The more than six-year-long war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million and pushed the country to the brink of famine. Enditem Suspects in attack on Maldives parliament speaker test positive for COVID-19 Xinhua) 16:26, May 24, 2021 MALE, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Four suspects who were arrested in connection to an attack on Speaker of Parliament and former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed have tested positive for COVID-19, local media citing Home Minister Imran Abdulla reported here Monday. Responding to a question by MP Ahmed Saleem during a ministerial session Monday morning, Abdulla said "Due to the pandemic, all four men arrested have tested positive. And a large number of officers in the team have tested positive." Abdulla said that he was satisfied with the progress of the investigations, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. He said that 450 police officers were involved in the operation as well as a special committee and special envoy. Nasheed and five others were injured by a remote controlled improvised explosive device on May 6. Nasheed received multiple life saving surgeries at the ADK Hospital in Male, after which he was transferred to Germany for recovery. Police have arrested four suspects in connection with the attack which is being treated as an act of terrorism. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:24:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- Yuan Longping, whose high-yield hybrid rice helped fend off hunger in the world's most populous country and beyond, died of illness on Saturday. -- His memorial service in the city of Changsha attracted tens of thousands of mourners, including many arriving from other cities to "see Grandpa Yuan for the last time." The mourning crowd stripped the city's florists bare of chrysanthemums. -- Condolences came from across the globe. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs called Yuan "a true food hero," praising him for saving millions of people from hunger. People lay flowers to pay their homage to deceased scientist Yuan Longping at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai) by Xinhua Writers Yao Yuan, Liu Fangzhou, Zhang Yujie and Chang Yuan CHANGSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday morning held a memorial service to bid farewell to Yuan Longping, known as the "father of hybrid rice," who passed away on Saturday. Despite being a busy workday, thousands of people dressed in black showed up and laid flowers at the site before the service began at 10 a.m. in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. The country's top rice scientist, who cultivated the first high-yield hybrid rice strain, died of organ failure at 91 in Changsha. The agronomist helped China work a great wonder -- feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total arable land. He is deeply respected in China, where getting enough to eat was once a serious problem. In 2019, Yuan was awarded the Medal of the Republic, China's highest state honor. In a condolence message conveyed to Yuan's family, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of Yuan's contribution to China's food security, innovation in agricultural technology, and world grain development. File photo taken on Aug. 19, 2013, shows Yuan Longping inspecting the trial plantation of hybrid rice in Guanyang County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) On Monday morning, the influx of mourners created a traffic gridlock miles long, prompting many to descend from their vehicles to walk to the memorial site inside a mortuary house. Some mourners arrived by train from other cities to "see Grandpa Yuan for the last time." "People from outside Hunan are coming to bid him farewell," said Liu Haohui, one of the taxi drivers who offered free rides to the mourners. "As a local taxi driver, we hope to do something to pay tribute to Yuan." Also among the huge crowd of mourners were couriers holding flowers that they said were ordered by distant buyers. Many florists in Changsha told Xinhua that their chrysanthemums had sold out. "Online orders kept flowing in. We worked overnight to prepare the flowers but still couldn't meet the demand," said florist Tan Lijuan. People are seen on their way to bid farewell to deceased scientist Yuan Longping at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) RICE HERO Yuan began his pioneering research on hybrid rice in 1964. After nine years of painstaking research and testing, his team successfully cultivated the hybrid-rice strain in 1973. Yuan spent the next four decades improving hybrid rice, which has now progressed to its third generation. In China, the annual hybrid rice planting area has exceeded 16 million hectares, or 57 percent of the total rice planting area. The increased yield helps feed an extra 80 million people a year. His more recent achievements included developing varieties of saline-alkali tolerant rice. In January, his team said they planned to use the rice to transform 6.7 million hectares of saline-alkaline land in China over the next eight to 10 years. Yuan's lifelong dedication to reducing hunger has made him a national hero and a household name in China. "We traveled all the way here to see him off. We farmers owe him gratitude," said Zhou Xiuying, 70, inside the memorial hall. "We must thank him for bringing us food," a woman was seen telling her young child at the site. In 1999, an asteroid discovered by the national astronomical observatories was named after Yuan. He won the World Food Prize in 2004. Deng Ze, wife of deceased scientist Yuan Longping, attends his funeral at the Mingyangshan funeral parlor in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, May 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge) LEGACY FOR WORLD Agronomists and officials outside China also joined in remembering Yuan, whose hybrid rice is credited with helping fend off hunger and reduce poverty on a global scale. Calling Yuan "a true food hero," the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on Saturday mourned his passing on Twitter, saying that he "saved millions of people from hunger." "He passed away today at 91 (due to illness) but his legacy and his mission to end hunger lives on," the tweet said. His hybrid rice has been grown in more than 60 countries, with a total growing area of 8 million hectares outside China, according to the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center where Yuan worked. Yuan's team has also conducted training courses in dozens of countries in Africa, the Americas and Asia since the 1980s, to provide a robust food source in areas with a high risk of famine. "Thank you very much Professor Yuan Longping and we hope that the whole world will remember you and continue to support the work that you and your colleagues have undertaken to improve agriculture in the world," Ramboasalama Arolalaina Ratsira, a hybrid rice expert of Madagascar, said in an interview with Xinhua. In 2010, Yuan's team went to the African country long troubled by insufficient rice production. With their assistance, a hybrid crop variety produced a harvest of 10.8 tonnes per hectare in Madagascar in 2019, far exceeding the yield of local rice. "It's a great loss for China and humanity," Madagascar's minister of agriculture, livestock and fisheries Fanomezantsoa Lucien Ranarivelo said on Yuan's passing. Ivo Mello, technical director of Rice Institute of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, said his institute has started adopting and promoting the hybrid rice technology through cooperation with Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center. "He has left a legacy that will certainly be remembered for many, many centuries," he said. Enditem (Lou Chen, Yuan Ruting and Zhou Mian have contributed to the story) (Video reporters: Ding Chunyu, Cheng Ji'an, Yao Yu, Li Ziwei, Liu Yu, Wen Hao, Zhou Shengping, Jiang Chao, Li Hao; Video editor: Peng Ying.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:28:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIEV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law an amendment to the Land Code of Ukraine, which allows for the transfer of agricultural land from the state to communities. Zelensky stressed that the law radically changes land management in the country and is in fact the "Land Constitution" of Ukraine. (Ukraine-Amendment-Agricultural Land) - - - - GENEVA -- The 74th World Health Assembly kicked off on Monday to stress the urgency of ending the current COVID-19 pandemic and preventing the next one by building a healthier, safer and fairer world. More than a year into the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cases worldwide have rose 40-fold to more than 160 million, while the number of deaths has increased 11 times to more than 3 million, according to World Health Organization statistics. (WHA-Coronavirus) - - - - TEHRAN -- Lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran by former U.S. President Donald Trump is Washington's "legal and moral obligation," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday morning, in response to remarks by his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken. Blinken said on Sunday in a TV interview that it is unclear if Tehran is willing to do "what is necessary to come back into compliance" with the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. (Iran-US-Nuclear Talks) - - - - LAGOS -- A group of unidentified gunmen on Sunday night attacked a village in north-central Nigeria's Plateau state, killing seven people, a police officer said Monday. Gabriel Ubah, a spokesperson for the police in Plateau, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Jos, the state capital, said the police received a distress call at about 8:00 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Sunday, reporting a gunmen attack on Dong village in Jos South local government area, which killed seven persons. (Nigeria-Gunmen-Attack) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:30:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Suspected Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels have killed an Ethiopian government official and six other people, state owned Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) reported on Monday. ENA reported the Head of Gelana locality Security Administration Bureau at West Guji zone of Ethiopia's Oromia regional state was killed along with six other people, during an ambush by suspected OLA rebels on Saturday early evening. ENA didn't specify the identity of the deceased Ethiopian government official, as well as the six other victims. "Suspected OLA gunmen ambushed Gelana locality officials who were inspecting development works in the area killing seven people" reported ENA. ENA further reported the suspected OLA attack left another five people injured. Security forces are currently carrying out a manhunt for the suspected OLA rebels who fled the scene soon after carrying out the ambush. OLA is a breakaway faction of an ex-rebel group Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). OLF is an opposition political party claiming to fight for the rights of ethnic Oromos who make up about 35 percent of Ethiopia's 110 million plus population. The OLF was designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian parliament in 2011. OLF was removed from the terror list in July 2018 to help facilitate negotiations and foster reconciliation. However, a breakaway faction of OLF estimated to have around nearly 3,000 fighters operates in the western and southern parts of Ethiopia's Oromia regional state, the principal homeland of ethnic Oromos. Earlier this month, the Ethiopian parliament voted to designate the OLA as a terrorist group. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:36:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Five people were injured after a bomb went off at a busy road in the capital city of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Monday, the spokesperson of the Balochistan government said. The blast happened when some unknown militants detonated an improvised explosive device planted at roadside, spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said. A vehicle of paramilitary troops Frontier Corps (FC) passing by the blast site might be the target of the explosion, Quetta police told local media. The injured people including an FC man were shifted to Civil Hospital, Quetta and the condition of all of them is stable. The police have cordoned off the area for investigations. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:54:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close FREETOWN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Sierra Leone's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamadi Gobeh Kamara said Monday that her government is appreciative of the support of China for the development of Sierra Leone. She made the remarks while receiving the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Hu Zhangliang. The deputy minister thanked China for the support provided to Sierra Leone in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that China was one of the first countries to provide such support. She assured Hu that the ministry will provide the necessary support needed to ensure a successful commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, while thanking the Chinese ambassador for his efforts in ensuring the speedy conclusion of the country's Diplomatic Academy project. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 00:06:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that China stands ready to make active efforts with Vietnam to build the two countries into a community with a shared future that bears strategic significance. He made the remarks in a telephone conversation with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and asked the latter to convey his sincere greetings to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong. China and Vietnam are linked by mountains and rivers, Xi said, pointing out that the traditional friendship of "camaraderie and brotherhood" is the common treasure of the two parties and countries and that good-neighborliness is the big picture of the development of relations between the two parties and countries. The Communist Party of China is about to celebrate its centenary, China has embarked on a new journey of fully building a modern socialist country, and Vietnam is also striving to achieve its two centenary goals, Xi noted. The two sides, he suggested, should view and grasp the relations between the two parties and countries from a strategic and long-term perspective and set the right direction for China-Vietnam relations to move forward. The Chinese party and government firmly adhere to a friendly policy towards Vietnam, and appreciate that the new leadership of Vietnam continues to give top priority to relations with China in its foreign policy, Xi said. He added that China is willing to work with Vietnam to stay true to the original aspiration of their traditional friendship, bear in mind the ideals and historical missions shared by the two sides, and continuously make their comprehensive strategic cooperation more relevant in the new era, so as to inject new impetus into the development of relations between the two parties and countries as well as their socialist causes. Xi stressed that the two sides should continue to leverage the special advantages of their inter-party exchanges to deepen experience sharing on state governance. They should give full play to the coordination role of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, and promote high-quality synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam's "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan, he added. Xi also called for concerted efforts to continuously expand bilateral trade, speed up infrastructure connection, and fully tap the cooperation potential of new business forms and new driving forces, so as to better serve the economic and social development of both countries. The two sides, Xi added, should strengthen people-to-people exchanges, accelerate the implementation of China-aided projects for public well-being in Vietnam, and bring more results of their win-win cooperation to people in both countries. They should also carry on the good tradition of unity and mutual support, join hands to effectively handle and control the COVID-19 pandemic, and substantively protect the people's lives and health, Xi said. China, he said, stands ready to continue to provide as much assistance as its capacity allows for Vietnam's fight against the pandemic. For his part, Phuc conveyed Trong's cordial greetings to Xi, and warmly congratulated the CPC on its upcoming centenary. He said that under the strong leadership of the CPC with Xi at the core, China has overcome the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, and achieved victory in the three major battles of fighting the pandemic, restoring the economy and reducing poverty, and that the life of the Chinese people has never been as happy as it is today. The Vietnamese side sincerely congratulates China on its successful great transformation from standing up to growing rich, and to becoming stronger, he said, adding that his country believes and wishes that China will accomplish even greater achievements on its journey towards the second centenary goal. Noting that Vietnam and China are brothers and close neighbors, he said the Vietnamese side always supports the socialist China in growing stronger, firmly pursues an independent foreign policy, and will continue to staunchly promote its friendship with China. Vietnam, he added, is ready to earnestly implement the high-level consensuses between the two countries, intensify political exchanges, strengthen solidarity and mutual trust, and deepen win-win cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, epidemic control, and youth and people-to-people exchanges, as well as at local levels. That will help lift the relations between the two parties and countries to new heights, and contribute to regional peace and the development of the socialist cause, he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 00:51:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Scientists on Monday called for reduced use of pesticides for the management of pests and diseases for sustainable livelihoods and food security in Africa at a virtual commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Stockholm Convention in Kenya's capital Nairobi. Invasive pests such as the fall armyworm on maize and the recent migratory swarms of locusts in East Africa have resulted in a significant increase in the use of synthetic pesticides, which are likely to pollute environments and emerge as a major threat to biodiversity. "The use of nature-based solutions from biodiversity can help mitigate against persistent pests and the effects of climate change," said Segenet Kelemu, director-general for the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). Kelemu cautioned that a lot of care is required in Africa since it is one of the major biodiversity reserves with eight out of the 36 biodiversity global hotspots. She said a rapid decline in food choices contributes to other diverse constraints including biodiversity loss, increasing system fragility due to global challenges such as climate change, invasive species, and soil degradation. Beatrice Khayota, the principal research scientist at the National Museums of Kenya, said Africa has the opportunity to coordinate and harmonize policies to foster the implementation of biodiversity projects, especially those that concern migratory species. Kyayota called on the African government to adopt innovative ways of funding biodiversity programs, as she isolated the use of carbon credits and payment for watersheds as some of them. Carlos Martin-Novella, deputy executive secretary Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention Secretariat, said that Stockholm Convention negotiations were initially unbelievable but looking back, a lot has been achieved following bans and elimination of the products by countries. He called on countries to adopt innovations and technologies that could help in the reduced use of chemicals that are detrimental to human health and the environment. The Stockholm Convention Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact for long periods and accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health and on the environment. It was adopted in May 2001 in Stockholm Sweden by the conference of parties to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants. ICIPE is a Stockholm convention regional center on nature-based solutions from biodiversity for mitigation of POPs. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 01:17:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said here Monday that his government accords the highest priority to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects for economic prosperity in the country. In a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, Khan reaffirmed the commitment to expeditiously complete CPEC projects, which will open up tremendous opportunities for increased economic growth and development in the region and beyond, according to the Prime Minister Office and the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. During the meeting, issues of mutual interest including Pakistan-China bilateral relations, the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, vaccine cooperation, and high-level bilateral exchanges were discussed. Pakistan appreciates the great achievements that China has made in the past decades under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Khan said, adding that Pakistan hopes to learn from China's experience in poverty alleviation and urbanization. Emphasizing the importance of the time-tested all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan's deep commitment to further enhance and broaden bilateral ties. On the occasion, the Chinese envoy said that China will continue to conduct vaccine cooperation with Pakistan and join hands with the country to promote the high quality development of the CPEC, forging a closer China-Pakistan community of shared future in the new era. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 01:21:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAKU, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Three people, including a woman were killed and six others injured in a crash involving a truck and a passenger car in a suburban area in Azerbaijan's capital city of Baku on Monday, the country's emergency authorities said. Rescuers discovered three bodies at the scene, while six passengers were hospitalized with different injuries. The vehicles collided on the airport highway. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 01:24:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Monday voiced his country's support to Sudan in achieving peace and making the transitional period successful. Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan received the visiting Qatari official at the presidential palace in Khartoum, said a statement of the sovereign council. Saying his visit to Sudan came as part of enhancing the fraternal ties between the two countries, Al Thani noted it was a good opportunity to review the cooperation between the two countries. In his meetings with Sudanese officials, the two sides also discussed regional issues, including the recent tension between Sudan and Ethiopia, as well as the situation in Libya and Chad, said Al Thani, expressing his hope that the issues would be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic communication. Al Thani also held meetings with Deputy Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu, Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi. Enditem To work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity 09:01, May 24, 2021 By He Yin ( People's Daily Online Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 21 delivered an important speech at the Global Health Summit via video in Beijing titled Working Together to Build a Global Community of Health for All. Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines aided by the Chinese government for Solomon Islands arrive in Honiara, capital of the country, April 11, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands) To seek better health for mankind and development for the world, he raised proposals to advance global cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic and announced measures to support global anti-pandemic cooperation, which was of great significance for revitalizing multilateralism, promoting international anti-pandemic cooperation and leading the reforms of global health governance system. COVID-19 is the most serious pandemic in a century, which is testing mankinds preparedness and capacity for coping with major public health emergencies. Since March 2020, President Xi has attended over 10 multilateral summits, including the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, at which he made profound explanation on building a global community of health for all and announced a series of major initiatives and measures. China has mounted a massive global humanitarian operation, practicing the philosophy of building a global community of health for all with concrete actions. Chinese philosophies and actions are demonstrating the strong power of solidarity and cooperation. At present, the world is seeing repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus. The situation still remains complicated and arduous. At the Global Health Summit, Present Xi said the world shall put people and their lives first, follow science-based policies and ensure a coordinated and systemic response, stick together and promote solidarity and cooperation, uphold fairness and equity as we strive to close the immunization gap, and address both the symptoms and root causes as it improves the governance system. His proposals were widely recognized. China-donated COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Equatorial Guinea, Feb. 10, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Equatorial Guinea) His remarks on putting people at the center, building on science and evidence-based policies and coordinating pandemic prevention and control and economic recovery were included in a declaration of the summit. China is always fulfilling its responsibilities. President Xi said that we must put peoples lives and health front and center, demonstrate a great sense of political responsibility and courage, and make extraordinary responses to an extraordinary challenge. He stressed that G20 members need to shoulder responsibilities in global cooperation against the virus, and adopt responsible macro-economic policies and step up coordination to keep the global industrial and supply chains safe and smooth. Besides, major vaccine-developing and producing countries need to take up their responsibility, he added. His remarks have hit the nail on the head in dealing with the pandemic today, and demonstrated a keen sense of responsibility for the world. Actions speak for themselves. China, the largest exporter of COVID-19 vaccines, has provided 300 million doses for the world. It has provided $2 billion in assistance for the COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic. A cooperation mechanism has been established for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 41 African hospitals, and construction for the China-assisted project of the Africa CDC headquarters officially started at the end of last year. All Chinas proposals are being implemented. Indonesian President Joko Widodo receives the COVID-19 vaccine shot developed by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech at Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 13, 2021. (Photo/Xinhua) At the Global Health Summit, President Xi announced new measures of China to support global anti-pandemic cooperation. The country will provide an additional $3 billion in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries. It will provide still more vaccines to the best of its ability. China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them. Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter. Besides, China proposes setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. As a responsible major country, China has played an important and constructive role at the critical moment, which has been widely hailed by the international community. To jointly advance international anti-pandemic cooperation, build a global community of health for all, and work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity remains the right approach to defeating the virus. China will keep working with the international community to deepen cooperation, and make new and greater contributions to the final victory over the virus, the promotion of global economic recovery, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 02:10:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita (R) and Mauritanian Foreign Minister Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed attend a press conference in Rabat, Morocco, on May 24, 2021. The two ministers decided to convene in the near future the High Joint Commission in order to develop economic ties on Monday, said official news agency MAP. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua) RABAT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's Prime Minister Saad Dine El Otmani received on Monday in Rabat Mauritanian Foreign Minister Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, with both sides pledging to foster cooperation and promote bilateral ties. Morocco will work with Mauritania to promote cooperation in such fields as education, economy, trade and investment, El Otmani told reporters after the talks, according to official news agency MAP. For his part, Ahmed expressed the hope that the High Joint Commission, chaired by the heads of government of both countries, will be held soon to push forward important cooperation projects. Ahmed was received earlier by his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. The two ministers decided to convene in the near future the High Joint Commission in order to develop economic ties, said MAP. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 02:22:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman receives the COVID-19 vaccine at a medial center in Beirut, Lebanon, on May 24, 2021. Lebanon launched on Monday the vaccination campaign for the public sector and foreign expatriates in the country. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) BEIRUT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon launched on Monday the vaccination campaign for the public sector and foreign expatriates in the country. "We should vaccinate people from all age groups especially those who are active in society," caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan said during his tour at the Lebanese University, where there are centers adopted by the government for vaccination. These centers have been using the Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, according to the minister. Lebanon's COVID-19 infections totaled 538,668 on Monday, up by 150 new cases, while the death toll reached 7,684 after seven deaths were registered. Hassan said approximately 12 percent of the population were vaccinated. "We call upon all residents to continue taking precautionary measures in parallel to the vaccination campaign as the fight against coronavirus has not ended yet," he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 03:37:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HAVANA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Cuba once again surpassed 1,000 new COVID-19 infections in one day, reporting 1,155 in the last 24 hours, for a total of 134,208 cases, as well as 13 more deaths, to a total of 890, the Ministry of Public Health said on Monday. In his daily report, the ministry's director of hygiene and epidemiology Francisco Duran reiterated the high-level alert of transmission in the 15 provinces of the Caribbean island. Havana continues to be the epicenter of the pandemic, with another 607 cases in the last day and an incidence rate of 441.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest in the country. Meanwhile, the health ministry has been carrying out a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in seven of the capital's municipalities for almost two weeks, which has been expanded to the western provinces of Pinar del Rio and Matanzas, as well as eastern Santiago de Cuba and the Special Municipality of the Isle of Youth. The most advanced Cuban vaccine candidates, Soberana-02 and Abdala, are being used, and the island has three others, Soberana-01 and Plus, as well as Mambisa, in different phases of clinical trials. So far, more than 770,000 Cubans in these areas and risk groups have been vaccinated. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 05:09:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TUNIS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian navy rescued on Monday 100 illegal immigrants off the country's southeast coast, who were on their way to the Italian coast aboard a makeshift boat, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. "The rescue operation took place off Zarzis coast in the province of Medenine, when a unit of the naval guard managed to rescue the illegal immigrants from a sinking boat sailing to the Italian coasts," said the statement. "These illegal immigrants included 82 men, ten women and eight infants," the statement added. According to the statement, the rescued said they sailed on Monday morning from Libya toward the Italian coast. They were transferred to the naval base in the city of Sfax and handed over to the National Guard in the region to receive legal procedures. The number of attempts of illegal immigration from the Tunisian coasts toward Italy has been increasing despite the strict measures taken by the Tunisian authorities to combat the problem. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 05:25:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN -- Iran is still enriching uranium at the purity of 60, 20 and 5 percent, and it has already accumulated over 90 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday. The official made the statement after a telephone conversation held around noon with Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian official IRNA News Agency reported. (Iran-IAEA-Nuclear Talks) ---- RIYADH -- Saudi Arabia extended on Monday the validity of residency permits for expatriates who are outside the kingdom, as well as exit and re-entry visas for visitors, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. The extension will be free of charge till June 2 as a part of ongoing efforts to deal with COVID-19. (Saudi-Visa-Extension) ---- JERUSALEM -- A knife-wielding Palestinian injured an Israeli soldier and a civilian in Jerusalem on Monday before he was shot dead, according to an Israeli police statement. The police statement said the suspect stabbed a 21-year-old Israeli soldier and a 23-year-old man outside a light rail stop near the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out over the Israeli planned eviction of Palestinians from their homes. (Israel-Palestinian-Stabbing) ---- SANAA -- Some 20,384 people have fled from fighting between the Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen's central province of Marib since February, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement on Monday. "Reports indicate that the figure could be higher, as IOM continues to record new arrivals across various (internally displacement camp) sites," the UN aid agency said. (Yemen-Displaced-Marib Fighting) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 05:36:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A medical worker displays a dose of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Kenitra, Morocco, May 20, 2021. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua) RABAT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Morocco announced on Thursday a gradual easing of the COVID-19 lockdown measures, as the epidemiological situation is improving, the government said in a statement. Starting from Friday, the night curfew will be imposed from 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. local time instead of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., the statement said. Shops, restaurants and cafes have to close at 11 p.m., and the previous health regulations banning large gatherings in cinemas, parties, funerals, and demonstrations will be maintained. Moroccan Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb announced on Thursday during the cabinet's weekly meeting that the COVID-19 epidemiological situation is experiencing a "gradual" improvement in light of the decreasing number of new cases and deaths. Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 516,091 on Thursday as 333 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. The country's coronavirus death toll rose to 9,109 with three new fatalities, while 193 people were in intensive care units. Meanwhile, 7,267,431 people have received so far the first vaccine shot against COVID-19 in the country, while 4,748,289 people have received the second dose. The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccines. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-23 23:33:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIGALI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Residents in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who fled to neighboring Rwanda following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo volcano started returning home on Sunday morning while some are still in Rwanda, a Rwandan official said. Their return was after they saw the flow of molten lava have lost intensity, said Gilbert Habyarimana, mayor of Rwanda's Rubavu district, on local radio. About 3,500 DRC residents sought refuge in the border town Rubavu following the eruption of Nyiragongo on Saturday, Rwandan Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management tweeted around Saturday midnight. Rwanda offered accommodation and emergency relief aid to the fleeing residents last night, and those still fearing to return home are free to stay until they are ready to go back, said Habyarimana. Some DRC nationals are still accommodated in Rubavu, according to him. Rwandan Minister of Local Government Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi and governor of Western Province Francois Habitegeko on Sunday morning visited DRC nationals who were hosted at a secondary school in Rubavu. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 00:23:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LAGOS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 64 people were injured following a petrol tanker explosion in north Nigeria's Kano state on Saturday, said a local official on Sunday. Fire service received a distress call on Saturday afternoon reporting a petrol tanker catching fire and exploding at a filling station in Sharada community in the Kano municipal area, said Saminu Abdullahi, spokesman for the fire service in Kano, in a statement. "We quickly dispatched our personnel and vehicle to the scene of the incident," Abdullahi said. Out of the 64 people who have sustained various degrees of injuries, eight were fire service personnel, the spokesman said, adding that no life was lost and the injured people were receiving treatment at local hospitals. He said the tanker was offloading petroleum products at the filling station when the incident occurred. He appealed to the public to always call the fire service immediately as they encounter any fire incident. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 17:51:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations envoy in South Sudan has condemned the brutal killing of an aid worker in Panyijiar County on Friday and urged the government to ensure safety and security of humanitarians in the country. "This is utterly unacceptable. Attacks against civilians and clearly-identified humanitarian assets constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law," Alain Noudehou, humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan, said in a statement issued on Sunday evening. Noudehou condemned the attack on a clearly marked humanitarian convoy, including an ambulance, a few kilometers away in a separate incident reported on the same day in Koch. In the first incident, the UN agency said, a South Sudanese doctor who was working for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) was killed inside a health facility in Ganyliel Payam. Almost at the same time, an IRC convoy, including an ambulance, carrying 10 aid workers, was shot at by unknown gunmen on the outskirts of Guol Village, southeast of Koch Town, Unity State, but the humanitarians managed to escape the attack. Noudehou said these two attacks come barely 10 days after another aid worker was killed in Budi, Eastern Equatoria, on May 12 amid an escalation of violence against humanitarians in recent weeks. He called on the authorities to investigate these crimes to bring the perpetrators to justice, stressing the humanitarians who are working hard to provide much-needed assistance to people in need must be respected and protected. According to the UN, two aid workers have been killed so far in South Sudan in 2021 and another nine in 2020. A total of 126 humanitarians, mostly South Sudanese, have lost their lives while providing critical assistance to people across the country since the conflict broke out in late 2013, the UN said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 21:12:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A faster rise in machinery and manufactured goods imports widened Kenya's trade deficit by 28 percent in the first quarter this year, according to the Central Bank of Kenya. The deficit rose to 317 billion shillings (2.93 billion U.S. dollars) in the period under review from 247.78 billion shillings in the first quarter last year. The value of imports in the period stood at 4.69 billion dollars, while exports at 1.76 billion dollars, said the Central Bank. The imports in the quarter surged 19 percent as exports rose by 6 percent. The value of machinery imports in the quarter stood at 1.09 billion shillings, a rise of 92.5 million dollars. The faster rise in machinery imports is attributed to various infrastructure projects the east African nation is undertaking, mainly in the transport sector. Kenya is building the Nairobi expressway, a 27 km road that is set to cut travel time from south of the capital to west from two hours to 20 minutes. On the other hand, the county is refurbishing its old meter-gauge railway to improve the transport network. Kenya's main exports include horticultural produce, tea and coffee, which have been slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic that has hurt international trade. Enditem When we think about timezones, we think about GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), the system that uses the meridian running through the Greenwich Royal Observatory as the line of demarcation between calendar days. This concept is so fixed in our consciousness that most English-speakers still use GMT to refer to the reference system of international timezones, even though it was effectively replaced by the UTC time standard in 1963. Heres the interesting thing, though. The abbreviation UTC doesnt actually mean anything. It is referred to in full as Coordinated Universal Time in English and Temps Universel Coordonne in French. It doesnt take a genius to figure out that neither of those phrases forms the initialism UTC. This initialism exists because global scientific and technology agencies such as the International Telecommunication Union and the International Astronomical Union wanted a single standard term that could be used across all languages for greater clarity. In order to pacify delegates from both English-speaking and French-speaking camps, and to reconcile the nationalist ego contest of CUT vs. TUC, the nonsensical formation UTC was eventually agreed upon. The worst kind of compromise ever, the kind where both parties feel that getting what they want is less important than making sure the other guy doesnt get what he wants. Based on this supremely rational execution of international cultural and geographical diplomacy, we have the system of time zones, 15 slices of the planet that are theoretically one hour apart in terms of solar progression. You would think that this naturally leads to the creation of 24 time zones. You would be wrong. There are currently 37 time zones in use, because some countries choose to implement 30-minute or 45-minute offsets instead of the full hour. I have not been able to ascertain if any of these countries contain a higher percentage of the type of people who will take ages in a crowded restaurant to customise their dinner order with special kitchen requests while everyone else just orders from the regular menu. But if theres anyone out there who would like to undertake this academic investigation, I think it would be a completely justifiable use of research dollars. On the other end of the spectrum from these extremely specific and precise time zones, we have countries so powerful that they are able to bend the fabric of spacetime, classifying entire landmasses in one time zone when they are physically located in another. My home country, Singapore, uses UTC+8 as local time despite being around 960km east from the longitude that would actually allow it to qualify for this time zone. Through sheer force of will (along with diplomatic and economic exigencies, perhaps), Singapore has placed itself in chronometric alignment with Beijing and Hong Kong, true-born natives of UTC+8. One might say that one hour doesnt make much difference one way or another. Countries who continue to use Daylight Savings Time certainly dont seem to mind if they arbitrarily lose or gain an hour overnight. More than that, however, and Im pretty sure things start to feel really bizarre. Despite its breathtaking size, China uses one single local time throughout all its territories. This means that Xinjiang, the westernmost part of China, which is longitudinally in line with Kazakhstan and Pakistan, has the same local time as Heilongjiang, the easternmost part of China, which shares a meridian with Australia and Papua New Guinea. Thats a five-time-zone range. At least China sticks to the assigned UTC system, though. You know how they say the Scandinavians are all about logic and systematic behaviour? You can throw that idea straight out of the window. Denmark never adopted UTC in the first place. They calculate time based strictly on Earths rotation, meaning theyre continually out of step with the rest of the world not by much, theres a margin of error of about one second. Returning to my restaurant analogy, Denmark is the guy who insists on Dominos Pizza when everyone else already agreed to go to Burger King. On top of that, Greenland occupies time zones UTC-1 to UTC-5, but uses UTC+1 (or more precisely, the Danish equivalent of UTC+1) because it is a Danish territory. Its enough to make you want to abandon Earth and go live in space. Time is what you make of it, or so the saying goes. It can be given an initialism that bears zero relation to the actual phrase it represents. It can have no link whatsoever to the scientifically established ways of determining your longitudinal position on Earth. It appears that time, as long as you have the right kind of authority behind you, can be whatever you want it to be. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 21:20:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GABORONE, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Botswana has been taking aggressive action to tackle threats to its biodiversity from climate change, land degradation, invasive species, pollution, and overexploitation of natural resources, according to authorities. Philda Kereng, the minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, said Sunday the five major threats to the country's biodiversity have motivated the government to spring into action. "Botswana has put in place policy measures to mitigate the threats include among others the Forestry Policy, Climate Change Policy, Climate Change National Adaptation Plan Framework and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan," said Kereng, highlighting Botswana's decision to declare 41 percent of its land cover as protected areas including parks, game and forest reserves, as well as sanctuaries. Botswana's increased biodiversity sustainability appetite comes as the world commemorates the protection of biology this year under the theme: We're Part Of Solution. Botswana remains committed to preserving its biodiversity and ensuring that future generations of Batswana will continue to benefit from the country's resources and related ecosystem services such as water, food, medicine, shelter and energy, said the official, noting that they would achieve the success of the effort through cooperation, partnership and involvement of all members of society. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 22:32:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, May 24 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has a potential to produce 433 million litres of aviation fuel per year, said South African Cane Growers Association (SA Canegrowers) on Monday. The association said their study titled "The Viability of South African Sugarcane as Feedstock for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production" showed potential in the diversification of the sugarcane sector. Chairperson of SA Canegrowers Rex Talmage said by diverting 50 percent of the 19 million tons of cane produced by growers each year towards ethanol production, the industry could produce approximately 700 million litres of low-carbon ethanol annually for local or international biofuel markets. The ethanol could then be converted into 433 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the aviation industry by local refineries. "Aviation biofuels as a potential value stream for cane growers will now be unpacked further by the task team. We look forward to working together with government and our industry counterparts to come up with a diversification strategy that addresses these current blockages and ensures the long-term sustainability and profitability of the industry," he said. He stated that liquid fuels would help the aviation sector to meet their decarbonization targets of carbon-neutral growth as of 2021, and halving its emissions by 2050 compared to 2005. "The research study also highlights what is required to enable successful diversification of sugarcane into the production of ethanol. These include creating an enabling regulatory framework, conducting proper impact assessments and ensuring internal administrative support at farm level," said SA Canegrowers spokesperson Thabi Ndhlovu. SA Canegrowers said the study shows that local South African demand for fuel ethanol alone could be approximately 2.4 billion litres annually. Ndlovu said SA Canegrowers are facing a downturn in the market for their goods locally and had to resort to loss- making export markets. She stated that diversification will help the industry to weather the storm. Enditem. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 22:36:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The next phase of the COVID-19 fight in Africa should place emphasis on enhanced surveillance and genomic sequencing to help identify new variants and limit the virus' transmission, scientists said Monday during a virtual forum in Nairobi. Uzma Alam, a senior program officer, Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science in Africa (DELTAS) said the continent's ability to flatten the COVID-19 curve hinges on better surveillance, diagnosis, contact tracing and vaccination. "There is a need to foster cooperation at national and regional levels to improve surveillance of coronavirus transmission trends, conduct testing, and measure impact on public health systems," said Alam. The Nairobi-based African Academy of Sciences (AAS) convened the virtual forum to discuss evidence-based interventions to boost COVID-19 response in the continent. Senior policymakers and researchers who participated in the forum said that Africa should improve on surveillance, diagnosis, and modeling to enhance understanding of the pandemic and its impact on the economy. Gordon Awandare, a Ghanaian researcher said that African countries should invest in high-end diagnostic equipment and training of health officers in order to improve reporting of COVID-19 caseload. According to Awandare, the continent required advanced laboratories combined with local manufacturing of diagnostic kits to help come up with an accurate number of positive cases and place them on treatment. Tobias Chirwa, a Malawian epidemiologist said that COVID-19 has reaffirmed the urgency for African countries to upgrade surveillance infrastructure and avert an implosion of infections that could overrun public health facilities. Kadondi Kasera, head of the public health emergency operations center at Kenya's Ministry of Health said that active surveillance is paramount to minimize community transmission of coronavirus. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:24:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government on Monday denounced the decision by the U.S. administration to impose visa restrictions on Ethiopian officials in connection with the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. On Sunday, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announced visa restrictions for any current or former Ethiopian or Eritrean government officials, members of the security forces, or other individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining resolution of the crisis in Tigray. The Ethiopian government said the decision came at a time when the Ethiopian government has been engaging positively and constructively with the U.S. administration on issues of common concern. It said the attempt by the U.S. administration to meddle in its internal affairs, is not only inappropriate but also completely unacceptable. "Ethiopia should not be told how to run and manage its internal affairs," the statement issued by the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs read. Noting that Ethiopia attaches great importance to its historic and friendly relationship with the U. S., the ministry stressed that the implications of the visa restrictions and other related measures taken earlier will seriously undermine the two countries' longstanding and important bilateral relations. The latest decision by the U.S. is said to be in addition to its previous decisions to restrict economic and security assistance to the East African country. The Ethiopian government further warned that such measures would affect the two countries' relations. "If such a resolve to meddle in our internal affairs and undermining the century-old bilateral ties continues unabated, the government of Ethiopia will be forced to reassess its relations with the United States, which might have implications beyond our bilateral relationship," the ministry stressed. It, however, stressed that it will not be deterred by the decision by the U.S. administration, and will continue its relentless efforts to overcome current challenges and lead the country on the path of lasting peace and prosperity. Fighting erupted in early November last year in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which used to rule the regional state, and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), causing immense impact on the region and the country. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 23:25:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A Tanzanian government senior official on Monday urged farmers living close to wildlife protected areas to fence their farms with chili peppers that will help keep stray elephants away. Mary Masanja, the deputy minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, also advised the farmers to engage in beehive fencing in their farms, saying elephants also dislike bees. She made the advice in the wake of reported wave of incidents of elephants straying from protected areas, including national parks, killing villagers and destroying farm crops in different parts of the country. "Elephants run away from disturbing bee sounds and they also have sensitive noses and are repelled by the smell of chili peppers," she told the parliament in the capital of Dodoma. On Sunday, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Damas Ndumbaro, issued a warning to villages adjacent to the Nyerere National Park, saying at least 200 elephants have strayed from the park. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 05:55:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed on Monday the recent developments of several regional issues of mutual interest. During a phone conversation, the two presidents tackled the Palestinian issue and ways to re-launch the peace process as well as boosting the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Bassam Rady, spokesperson of the Egyptian presidency, said in a statement. They also discussed the international efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip and provide humanitarian aid to the blockaded coastal enclave, Rady added. Biden, for his part, stressed his country's willingness to restore calm in the Palestinian territories in coordination with all international partners. Meanwhile, the two presidents agreed to work jointly to help restore the role of the Libya's national institutions, Rady said, adding that Biden appreciated the Egyptian efforts that reinforced the political process in the North African country. Sisi highly appreciated the U.S. efforts to reach a settlement over the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), stressing Cairo's adherence to reach a fair and binding agreement before the second filling of the dam. Rady revealed that both presidents agreed to boost joint diplomatic efforts in order to reach a deal that guarantees water rights of all parties. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 14:12:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Units of Special Forces stormed a Taliban hideout in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province and rescued eight security personnel from the armed group's detention center on Monday, an army statement said. The operation was launched early Monday in Omarkhil village of Baghlan-e-Markazi district, the statement said, adding the security forces destroyed the militants' hideout. Baghlan-e-Markazi district has been the scene of fierce fighting between government forces and the Taliban militants over the past three weeks. Taliban militants, who are in control of parts of Baghlan province with Pul-e-Khumri as its capital 160 km north of Kabul and stepped up activities since the U.S.-led forces started withdrawing from Afghanistan on May 1, haven't made comment on the government forces' operation. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 14:23:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WELLINGTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand's scholar has called on the public to learn more and better about China from "reputable sources" instead of groundless allegations based on manufactured information. Dave Bromwich, president of the New Zealand China Friendship Society (NZCFS), made the remarks on Sunday during the organization's annual conference in the northern country town of Havelock North. He suggested the New Zealand's public show respect and openness and hear China's voice. "Without that, we cannot have the full understanding of what China is," he said. Bromwich said many New Zealanders know little about China, and "mutual understanding is even more challenging in an era in which people receive news from fewer reputable sources and fake news populate the news feeds." For example, many reports of Western media over the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are based on manufactured evidence, Bromwich said. "The failure of the Western media will validate the stance they take," he added. In his view, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the increase of false news and information. "The narrative presented in Western media is based on allegation that is unsubstantiated by facts. The approach is to manufacture evidence on non-credible research, and then it becomes 'a body of evidence,'" he noted. Under that circumstances, Bromwich urged the people to "go back to the basis of fact rather than the allegation based on negative and manufactured evidence." The NZCFS has been working for decades to establish a sincere relationship with China and promote mutual understanding and friendship between people of the two countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 15:05:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Monday opened large-scale vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka with the state-backed facilities aimed at speeding up the country's sluggish COVID-19 vaccination rollout. With just two month to go until Tokyo is scheduled to host the summer Olympics and with the country's vaccination campaign the slowest among OECD countries, the government has enlisted Self-Defense Forces (SDF)' doctors and nurses to operate the facilities for three months. The SDF personnel will be administering jabs using the newly-approved Moderna Inc. COVID-19 vaccine, developed in the United States and formally approved here on Friday. Up until now Japan had only been using the vaccine developed by Pfizer, but also Friday approved the use of Britain's AstraZeneca Plc., although the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, may not be rolled out immediately amid concerns over extremely rare instances of blood clots occurring after the jabs were administered in some countries overseas. The government is hoping that the two mass vaccination centers will be able to compete administering the vaccinations to 36 million seniors aged 65 or older by the end of July. The centers will be accepting reservations for jabs from seniors living in prefectures neighboring those where the large-scale centers are located, the health ministry has said. "It did not hurt and was over quickly," said a 66-year-old woman, one of 30 or 40 elderly people who had began gathering from around 7:30 a.m. to receive their jabs at a government building in Tokyo's Otemachi business district. She said she decided to get a shot at the mass venue otherwise she would have had to wait until June to receive her shot under the regular prefectural system. "The government will continue to make all-out efforts so that as many people as possible can be inoculated as quickly as possible," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press briefing on the matter. Japan began inoculating its elderly population of about 36 million in mid-April, after its vaccination campaign for health care workers started in February. Japan has the lowest rate among OECD countries of administering COVID-19 vaccinations to its population of 126 million people and according to recent government data, Japan had administered at least one shot to around just 4 percent of its population. Meanwhile, multiple municipalities have said they expect to miss the government's end-of-July deadline to finish inoculating the elderly, due to a lack of healthcare workers available to administer the shots and reservation systems being plagued with technical issues. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 17:22:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), also known as the country's Central Bank, on Monday urged customers and retailers to make use of e-wallets and apps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Southeast Asian nation has been enduring the third wave of COVID-19 community transmission since Feb. 20. The country reported a daily record of 556 COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the national case tally to 25,761, with 179 deaths and 18,359 recoveries. "Using digital banking could help reduce the number of COVID-19 transmission by lessening the need for person-to-person transactions," the NBC said in a press statement. NBC is also encouraging the country's major banks and institutions to provide incentives to consumers and businesses who choose cashless transactions over those involving banknotes. "As the regulator in banking sector in Cambodia, it is vital that we work with the industry as part of our concerted national effort to battle the COVID-19 pandemic," NBC's director-general Chea Serey said. "This is why we are encouraging all Cambodians to use e-wallets and payment platforms such as Bakong because they minimize contact and risk," she added. The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged caution when handling banknotes and advises people to wash their hands thoroughly after handling money, especially when touching or eating food, the statement said. "While we realize that many Cambodians prefer to conduct their transactions in person and often in cash, we would like retailers and customers to become more used to a cashless life and for the payment platforms to do their best to educate and attract people to their apps," Serey said. "Digital transactions are now the new normal." Last year, the NBC launched Cambodia's only integrated payment system, Bakong, that allows customers to do everything-e-wallets, mobile payments, online banking and financial applications-all in one place. NBC's Bakong Pay App connects the country's 23 major financial institutions including banks and mobile payment service providers, allowing consumers and institutions far more flexibility and efficiency in their digital transactions. "With its mandate to promote financial inclusion throughout Cambodia, NBC has been at the forefront of the promotion of digital and electronic payment services," the statement said. "More than 59 percent of Cambodians currently conduct their payment transactions online." Serey said digital payment platforms are one of the country's most effective tools for ensuring that all segments of society have access to banks and banking. "Now, the safety of our population in the face of COVID-19 gives the NBC and other financial institutions another incentive to promote a cashless society," she said. Enditem Editor's Note: To celebrate the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China, we are launching the "100 CPC Stories in 100 Days" series, featuring foreigners who witnessed and participated in the CPC's history and helped the world better understand the CPC. The following is the sixth story of the series. In June 1944, Yan'an greeted a special group of guests a team of 21 Chinese and foreign reporters visiting China's northwest. They included foreign correspondents Gunther Stein, Israel Epstein, Harrison Forman, Maurice Votaw, Father Cormac Shanahan, as well as reporters from news agencies in the then Kuomintang-controlled areas. The isolated Yan'an, the mysterious CPC, and the little-known yet magnificent war of resistance against Japan behind enemy lines were unveiled to the world, through the eyes and writings of the reporters, in an objective and authentic manner. Group photo of Mao Zedong (first row, fourth from left) and the northwest China visiting team of Chinese and foreign reporters in Yan'an in June 1944. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Kuomintang (KMT) adopted a strict policy to block news coverage of Yan'an and the CPC's resistance against Japanese aggression. "Just what was happening behind the blockade? Were these Communists really as bad as they were painted by the Government authorities? Were they oppressing the people? Just what part do they, or can they, play in the war against Japan?" These questions were on the minds of foreign reporters. They believed that instead of relying merely on the KMT's side of the story, only by seeing with their own eyes and hearing with their own ears could they find the answers. Breaking various obstacles set by the Nanking Government, they eventually embarked on the journey. The CPC Central Committee attached great importance to the visit of Chinese and foreign reporters. Zhou Enlai personally took charge of the reception. He instructed all departments to prepare materials for a comprehensive overview of their work, and get ready to answer any questions from the reporters. Questions that fall within the portfolio of each department must be clearly and seriously answered. Evasion or vagueness would not be accepted. Presenting detailed materials and specific facts was the only way to win others' trust. Zhou also pointed out to the Yan'an Communications Department, which was responsible for the reception, "publicity should stay true to facts. While presenting our achievements, it is also necessary to admit our mistakes and shortcomings, and explain our solutions to overcome them. Never exaggerate or cheat." "In addition, we must be sincere and candid, and make friends with the reporters," said Zhou. It was in such an open, upright, aboveboard and confident attitude that the Communists received the Chinese and foreign reporters. Group photo of the northwest China visiting team of Chinese and foreign reporters, Zhu De (first row, middle) and Zhou Enlai (first row, third from right) at Wangjiaping, Yan'an in June 1944. On 9 June 1944, after a tortuous journey, the reporters finally arrived in Yan'an and were warmly welcomed by the leaders of the CPC and people from all walks of life. In more than a month, the Communications Department made arrangements for them to visit offices, schools and production facilities, attend gatherings, and interview heroes, role models, writers, artists and well-known figures of all social sectors. Foreign reporters were impressed by the open and aboveboard manner of the Communists. Stein wrote that he had complete freedom to carry out investigation and go wherever he wanted, and that no question was forbidden, no question was rejected. For reporters who previously had known nothing about the Liberated Areas, this trip opened a door to a new world. What they saw was completely different from what they had been told. Deeply impressed, they sent out a large number of reports. In June, they sent 30 telegraphs, recognizing the role of the CPC and its armed forces in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, and criticizing the KMT's anti-Communist policies. Dong Biwu mentioned in a report that a foreign reporter told him that before coming to Yan'an, he thought the CPC's publicity was a little exaggerated, but after his arrival, he thought it was far from sufficient. The northwest China visiting team of Chinese and foreign reporters were invited to a dinner at the Headquarters of the Eighth Route Army at the Wangjiaping Peach Orchard in June 1944. Since ancient times, the Chinese people have sought to look at the world with open eyes. Likewise, the trip to northwest China provided the world with an opportunity to look at China. In the Jinsui Anti-Japanese Base Area (in today's northwest Shanxi and Inner Mongolia), the Chinese and foreign reporters witnessed a fierce battle in which the Eighth Route Army (or Paluchun) removed a Japanese stronghold. They were amazed and called it a miracle that a well-protected fortress was taken down without aircraft or artillery. The rumor that the Eighth Route Army wandered aimlessly without launching attacks was thus dispelled. Foreign reporters whose eyes were opened wrote multiple articles about the heroic resistance of the Eighth Route Army against Japanese aggression. Stein wrote in an article for US newspaper The Christian Science Monitor that he was stunned when he found such a vibrant new society behind the blockade, that during his five-year stay in Chongqing, he had heard nothing but malicious slanders about the CPC, that facing what he found in Yan'an, he rubbed his eyes in surprise. Maurice Votaw, an adviser to the KMT's publicity department and an American reporter considered "politically reliable", also changed his mind after the Yan'an trip. He said at a joint press conference that he had opposed the CPC and the Eighth Route Army in the past, but the trip to Yan'an and northwest Shanxi proved him wrong. The battle behind the enemy lines was breathtaking, and the relationship between the army and the people was stirring. When the Eighth Route Army won a surprise attack in Fenyang, "a string of villagers was moving up the trail from the below. An old laopaishing came up, grinning. He was carrying a basket of eggs a present for the Paluchun heroes. They all had presents, ... wanted to prove how much they welcomed the fighting of Paluchun. They... carried baskets of fruit, bunches of vegetables, pumpkins, nuts, and chickens." The scene was so touching that the author Forman exclaimed that he had been in China for more than ten years, but he had never seen such a warm and vivid scene of military-civilian cooperation and of civilians expressing gratitude to the military. He was told in the past... that the people feared and hated the Paluchun, but these lies were debunked by what he saw. Chief of Staff Ye Jianying briefing the northwest China visiting team of Chinese and foreign reporters on the CPC's resistance against Japanese Aggression. The reporters were impressed by the little-known war of resistance against Japanese aggression behind enemy lines and awed by the sincerity of Mao Zedong. Mao took the reporters' visit very seriously. He met with them, answered their questions, and held talks with many of them. When Forman asked, "Why don't you change the name change it to 'Neo-Democracy,' or 'Democratism,' or some such anything but 'Communism'?" He shook his head. "It doesn't matter to us or to our consciences what we or others call our system. And if we were to change suddenly to some other name, there are those in China today and abroad, too who would make capital of it, would accuse us of trying to cover up something. No we cannot, we must not, change the name. Nor do we need to. It is the content and the practice that are important not the label!" Facts speak louder than words. True gold fears no fire. With such steadfastness and confidence, when Stein asked what they relied on to direct the government and the army, Mao replied that they relied on the trust of the people, the 86 million people currently governed by the new democratic governments at all levels. Chairman Mao's editorial on the Situation at Home and Abroad at the Meeting with the Chinese and Foreign Reporters, published on Jiefang Daily on 13 June 1944. Mao wrote in an editorial for Jiefang Daily that "most foreigners and the Chinese in the rear area still do not understand what the CPC really is." "But facts speak louder than words, and the truth will prevail. At the end of the day, both foreigners and Chinese will become clear-eyed. In fact they are now beginning to know more about us." The rooster has crowed and all under heaven is bright. Thanks to the fair reports of the Chinese and foreign reporters, all the smear campaigns against the Eighth Route Army have been shattered by facts, and the blockade will no longer work. The real CPC, with its sincerity, candor, openness and confidence, has dispelled the dark clouds and stepped into the world stage. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 17:55:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Fiji confirmed eight more positive cases of COVID-19 on Monday night, bringing the tally to 238 in the Pacific island nation. According to the Health Ministry, five cases are from Nasinu, a town near Fiji's capital city of Suva. Two others are from Suva while another one is from a catering company. A total of 90,325 COVID-19 laboratory tests have been conducted since Fiji started COVID-19 testing in early 2020. Fiji has registered 135 recoveries and four deaths since the island nation recorded its first confirmed case in March last year. Currently, Fiji's major cities including Lautoka, Nadi, Suva and Nausori have been under lockdown. Viti Levu, Fiji's main island where Suva is located, still maintains a curfew islandwide from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. every day. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 18:52:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson announced Monday its Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K. unit has filed for approval of its COVID-19 vaccine with Japan's Health Ministry. Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K. unit said that according to the results of a clinical trial held in Japan, its one-shot vaccine was safe to use. The vaccine, if approved, would be Japan's fourth along with vaccines from major U.S. pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, Britain's AstraZeneca Plc. and U.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna Inc. Johnson & Johnson's single-shot vaccine, which could be rolled out in Japan in early 2022, is hoped to help the government's COVID-19 vaccination campaign which has come under fire for its sluggish rollout compared to other developed countries. Japan began inoculating its 36-million elderly population in mid-April after its vaccination campaign for health care workers started in February. Japan, in the grip of a fourth wave of infections and third virus state of emergency, however, has the lowest rate among OECD countries of administering COVID-19 vaccinations and according to recent government data, Japan had administered at least one shot to just over 4 percent of its population. On Monday, mass vaccination centers were opened in Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture with the state-backed facilities aimed at helping to complete administering vaccinations of 36 million seniors, from a total population of 126 million, aged 65 or older by the end of July. Along with the AstraZeneca vaccine developed with the University of Oxford, concerns here have been raised about Johnson & Johnson's jab, following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announcing earlier this month that around 30 recipients of the jab had developed a rare blood clotting syndrome out of around 8.7 million people who had received the jab at the time. But in a statement, Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson, said that the firm's single-shot jab can help in the global fight against the pandemic. "As the global pandemic continues to devastate communities around the world, we believe a single-shot, easily transportable COVID-19 vaccine with demonstrated protection against multiple variants can help protect the health and safety of people everywhere," Stoffels said. "We will collaborate with health authorities around the world to educate healthcare professionals and the public to ensure this very rare event can be identified early and treated effectively," he added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:05:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Suzuki Motor announced it is planning to temporarily halt operations at some of its factories in Japan in June owing to a global shortage of semiconductors which is continuing to blight Japanese and foreign automakers alike, local media reported Monday. According to the Shizuoka-based automaker, three of its plants in the prefecture on central Honshu's Pacific coast could be shut down for up to nine days next month. This follows Suzuki being forced to suspend some operations at plants in April and May due to the global chip crunch. As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, demand for chips have far outstripped supply amid a surge in purchases and usage of consumer electronics as more people work and study from home and amid increased sales of automobiles. Other Japanese automakers have also been hit by the crunch, although officials at Suzuki have said that they are negotiating with suppliers so that their annual output is not overly affected. Last week, Toyota also announced plans to temporarily halt operations at two of its plants in Japan's northeast due to the chip crunch. Toyota said it will suspend operations at a plant in Iwate in June for up to eight days, while its Ohira plant in Miyagi Prefecture faces a three-day suspension. The plants being suspended are expected to affect production of up to 20,000 vehicles, Toyota, who has managed to keep its factories online despite the global chip crunch, said. Subaru, meanwhile, already suspended production at a plant in Japan's Gumma Prefecture for eight days as well as at a factory in the United States for 10 days. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:12:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Filipinos prefer Chinese drugmaker Sinovac Biotech's CoronaVac vaccine over other COVID-19 vaccines, according to an independent poll released on Monday. A nationwide survey, conducted by Social Weather Station (SWS) from April 28 to May 2, found that 39 percent of the 1,200 adult Filipinos said they prefer the COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech. The SWS said the respondents were provided with a list of 10 vaccines at random order and were allowed to choose more than one. "The survey found Sinovac Biotech and Pfizer-BioNTech topping the list of preferred brands at 39 percent and 33 percent, respectively," the SWS said in a statement, adding Oxford-AstraZeneca at 22 percent and Johnson & Johnson at 10 percent. Sinovac Biotech is the most preferred brand in Mindanao (44 percent) and the Visayas (44 percent). On the other hand, Sinovac Biotech and Pfizer-BioNTech are equally preferred in Metro Manila (both at 37 percent), added the statement. At the time of the survey, the Philippines has received over 7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in which most are Sinovac vaccines. China donated the first batch of Sinovac CoronaVac to the Philippines on Feb. 28, allowing the Southeast Asian country to kick off its vaccination drive on March 1. The Philippines reported a total of 1,184,706 COVID-19 cases as of Monday, including 19,983 deaths. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 20:41:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A COVID-19 patient receives medical treatment at a hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on May 24, 2021. A total of 628 new COVID-19 cases were registered in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, the highest daily increase this year, bringing the country's tally to 66,903, said a statement of Public Health Ministry on Monday. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua) KABUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A total of 628 new COVID-19 cases were registered in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, the highest daily increase this year, bringing the country's tally to 66,903, said a statement of Public Health Ministry on Monday. According to the statement, 24 patients died due to the disease in the country over the period, totaling the number of COVID-19 related deaths to 2,836. A total of 260 patients recovered over the past 24 hours, taking the total recoveries to 56,295. The number of new cases has been on the rise in the past several days, with 242 registered on Saturday and 457 on Sunday. Afghanistan Public Health Ministry urged citizens to follow the health guidelines and wear masks in public transportation and crowded areas. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 20:43:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded a fresh high of 61 single-day death toll from COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total deaths to 2,309, according to the Health Ministry. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that the victims reported on Monday ranged from 27 to 98 years old, with the majority of them suffering from existing health complications. Meanwhile, another 6,509 new COVID-19 infections were reported, of which 20 are imported and 6,489 are local transmissions, bringing the national total to 518,600. A resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country forced the government to impose a nationwide movement control order till June to curb the spread. Some 3,452 patients were released after recovery in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 456,273 or 88 percent of all cases. Of the remaining 60,018 active cases, a record high of 711 cases are being held in intensive care units and 369 of those are in need of assisted breathing. Enditem | 2021-05-23 20:42:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The European Union recommended on Thursday to open its external borders to non-essential travel into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.#GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 17:51:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISTANBUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained a suspected senior bomb expert of the Islamic State (IS) in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul, with plans to carry out terror attacks, the state-run TRT broadcaster reported Monday. An operation has been launched by the Istanbul Police Department's Counter-Terrorism Unit to capture the suspect, also wanted by the United States, the report noted. The bomber, born in Egypt in 1999, was apprehended during an operation conducted in the Esenyurt district on the European side of the city, it added. The suspect reportedly joined the IS in Syria, and came to be specialized in explosives, suicide belts, and handmade explosives. After leaving Syria, he has first gone to Egypt and then arrived in Turkey, teaching IS members bomb-making and chemistry over the Internet, according to the TRT. Turkish intelligence units have found out that he has been planning attacks against security forces and civilians in Istanbul and some institutions belonging to the United States, the broadcaster stated. Turkey's anti-terror teams have lately intensified their raids against the group members of the IS, which was blamed for a spate of deadly attacks in the country since 2015. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-25 06:20:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BRUSSELS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states on Monday agreed to cut the bloc's air links with Belarus following Sunday's Ryanair flight diversion incident. According to the conclusions of the special EU summit on Monday, the 27-member bloc strongly condemned the incident which endangered aviation safety and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to urgently investigate "this unprecedented and unacceptable incident." Leaders of the member states urged the European Council to adopt the necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines, prevent access to EU airports of Belarusian flights, and called on all EU-based carriers to avoid overflight of Belarus, according to the conclusions. Irish airline Ryanair said in a statement on Sunday that its flight FR4978 from Athens to Vilnius was notified by Belarusian authorities of "a potential security threat on board" and was "instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk." "Nothing untoward was found," it added. The flight later took off again and landed in the Lithuanian capital at 9:25 p.m. (1825 GMT) Sunday night after a seven-hour detour. In an updated statement on Monday, Ryanair "condemns the unlawful actions of Belarusian authorities," calling it "an act of aviation piracy." "This is now being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies & NATO. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them and we cannot comment further for security reasons," it informed. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 03:49:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of other men and women of color who lost their lives as a result of interactions with police in the 12 months since George Floyd's death have demonstrated the urgency of a social justice movement targeting police reform and systemic racism, reported USA Today on Sunday. Black man Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after being restrained for more than 9 minutes by Derek Chauvin, a white former police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, now a convicted murderer. While many Americans shouted Floyd's name in the wake of his killing, fewer know the names of those who have died since -- in 2020, 1,127 people were killed by police, according to data collected by Mapping Police Violence, a research collaborative that uses a variety of state and regional databases to determine the number and nature of most but not all police-involved deaths. According to the data, just under 50 percent of those killed were white people, a demographic that accounts for 68 percent of the nation's 330 million residents. In contrast, as COVID-19 disproportionately killed people of color, Black people represented 27 percent of all police deaths last year, although they are 13 percent of the population. Latinos comprised 21 percent of those killed and are 17 percent of the population. The database does not break out police deaths of Asian Americans and Native Americans. USA Today's reporters interviewed four American families, who, by sharing stories of outrage and grief, hoped bringing greater visibility to their cases might reform a police system that disproportionately harms people of color. "In some of the cases, officers face murder charges. In others, their actions have been deemed within the law. In every case, family members say their loved ones did not deserve to die. They vow to pursue accountability so that others can be spared the same fate," said the report. Law enforcement supporters said that while some reforms are necessary, citizens should not discount the value of quality policing and the relative infrequency of excessive use of force. Justice Department statistics for 2018 show that of some 61 million people older than 16 who had at least one contact with police, 1 percent had a gun pointed at them, said Jim Burch, president of the National Police Foundation, a non-profit focused on improving policing. "While no one can deny that excessive force is a problem and in 2020 we saw this first-hand with the murder of George Floyd and the deaths of others, the majority of officers encounter the public every day without the use of force and in response to requests for their assistance," Burch was quoted as saying. Enditem By An Puzhong and Yue Yutong BEIJING, May 24 -- A campaign soliciting future warfare concept and scenario ideas hosted by the Science and Technology Commission of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) wrapped up in Beijing on May 23. More than 80 representatives including researchers from local universities, scientific research institutions and military enthusiasts attended the award ceremony. The event aims to tap military intellectual resources and inspire innovative thinking about future warfare. Since the public announcement of the solicitation in August last year, more than 1,000 people have signed up and submitted creative ideas. After being reviewed, some outstanding works with future warfare foresight, cognition and scientific innovation have been commended and rewarded. Representatives of winners said that such a creative conception event provides a platform of display and communication for fans and social organizations who are willing and enthusiastic to participate in the research and discussion of future warfare issues. They hope that more efforts could be made to promote the event. It is learnt that the CMC Science and Technology Commission will continue to hold similar activities, improve and perfect related mechanisms, and actively explore valuable military theories and creative ideas. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 18:15:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A signed Chinese article urged certain U.S. politicians to face up to the United States' own problems, do more self-examination and rectification instead of using religious and human rights issues to interfere in other countries' internal affairs. The article, released on Monday, hit back on a recent report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The so-called commission, with its crooked and ill-intentioned nonsense about other countries' governance of religious affairs, is nothing but a handy tool crafted by a certain gang of U.S. politicians to interfere in other countries' internal affairs and satisfy their obsession for hegemony, it said. The article said the USCIRF's so-called latest report, like its previous ones, groundlessly attacked China's freedom of religious belief and its governance of religious affairs, turning a blind eye to China's huge achievements in governing Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. China has made tremendous progress in human rights protection since the founding of the People's Republic of China, particularly since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, winning acclaim both at home and abroad, the article said. By managing religious affairs in strict accordance with the law, and prudently handling the relations between human rights, religion and the rights to social and economic development and public health, China not only protects its citizens' freedom of religious belief, but also manages to motivate people with or without religious belief to jointly contribute to the country's development, the article said. The article noted the deterioration of the economic and social development, state governance and human rights protection in the United States over the past few years, which led to the Americans feeling increasingly unhappy, insecure and unrewarded. Protests and riots broke out one after another, it added. Social injustice, especially when it concerns non-white Americans, has become appalling in the United States, the article said, adding that at a time when the lives of Americans could not be saved from the onslaught of coronavirus, how could one talk about the protection of the Americans' religious freedom and human rights? "China's governance of religious affairs is getting better while your problems are growing day by day," the article said, urging the U.S. politicians to work with people around the world to do more in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, solving social injustice and promoting the human rights cause. Enditem by Michael Liss My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me. Benjamin Disraeli John Adams was not the kind of man who easily agreed, and it showed. Nor was he the kind of man who found others agreeable. Few have accomplished so much in life while gaining so little satisfaction from it. When you think about the Four Horsemen of Independence, its Washington in the lead, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and, last in the hearts of his countrymen, John Adams. You could add to that mix James Madison and even the intensely controversial Alexander Hamilton, and, once again, if you were counting fervent supporters, Adams would still bring up the rear. He was an exceptionally talented man, willing to take up unpopular causes, to assume enormous personal risks. He was also dedicated, patriotic, and just a royal (in the democratic sense of the word) pain. Of Adams, Franklin once said, I am persuaded however that he means well for his Country, is always an honest Man, often a Wise One, but sometimes and in some things, absolutely out of his Senses. Adams knew it as well. He understood both his flaws and his place in the firmament. He wrote to his friend Benjamin Rush: The Essence of the whole will be that Dr Franklins electrical Rod, Smote the Earth and out Spring General Washington. That Franklin electrified him with his Rodand thence forward these two conducted all the Policy Negotiations Legislation and War. Nevertheless, after eight years of being George Washingtons loyal (but largely unheeded) Vice President, he had just enough support to be elected to succeed him in 1796. As much as he wrestled with his own ego and even his insecurities, he (and Abigail) thought he had earned it, and he had. He was stepping into a monumental mess. Adams core problems coming into office were in some respects similar to any newly minted President. Like it or not, you inherit the issues the previous Administration couldnt resolve, and, in Adams case, George Washington had left a doozythe very real and constant threat of hostile acts of the two most powerful countries on Earth, England and France. Washington had a vision of an expanding America, one that would grow to dominate the continent. The reality, in 1796, was that the British and French (along with the Spanish) controlled large chunks of North America, and, more importantly, dominated the Atlantic Ocean. American ships were constant targets, and the feebleness of the American response wasnt as much a policy failure as it was an expression of the simple fact that we were a young nation with then-limited resources. Both parties had their (opposing) ideas on how to fix that (the Federalists aligning with the British, the Republicans with the French), but that didnt change the reality (or potency) of the foreign threat. Adams also inherited an unresolved and intensifying political issue: The Federalists and the Republicans didnt just pick a foreign partner as a tactical judgment. They also were expressing a preference for a form of government. Subsequent generations of politicians (to this day) ritualistically claim that their vision is the Founders vision, but that cant possibly be true: The Founders themselves lacked consensus as to the substance of what had been agreed. Moreover, as men sorted themselves out into Federalists and Republicans, the disagreements became more personal, more hostile, more poisonous. In a proto-democratic climate where a vocabulary for opposition hadnt been developed, it became an easy step for many to see even close former associates as now treasonous. Each could say the other had abandoned the ideals of the Revolution. In broad strokes, Jefferson and Madisons newly created Democratic-Republican Party rejected the Federalists and Washingtons concept of government. Washington (and Adams) understood the compact made in 1787 as one of consent of the governed (the people and the states). The public works within a framework of choice as to whom to lead, not the scope of leaderships authority after that choice is made. The next election, they may choose someone else, but the grant of authority is the same. Jeffersons vision, upon close inspection, not only views the initial consent of the governed to be an impermanent one (he proposed that each generation should review and renew the Constitution), but also seems to be more than a little situationalhe wanted a form of government that would advance his (and Virginias) interests. The problem with Washingtons approach was that it was more monarchal than the public was ready to support for any Presidentexcept for George Washington. The problem with Jeffersons (and Madisons) is something that remains relevant today: If one really does support the idea of diffused political power in most things (not just self-interested ones), how does a country move as one to meet a national challenge? Jeffersons implicit answer (demonstrated vividly later, during his own Presidency, when he imposed and enforced the massively unpopular Embargo Act) is, in its own way, very monarchal: When the issue interests him specifically, the grant of authority is always great enough to ensure that hes in charge. Its easy to look at the ambiguities and contradictions of both sides and ascribe them solely to political opportunism, but thats probably unfair. Jefferson really did believe that we threw off the British for greater freedom not just from King George III, but Kings everywhere. He admired the French Revolution for this very reasonordinary people upsetting the traditional order to assert their individual liberties. Washington and, like him, Adams believed that their monarchical tendencies were benigna President should float above petty political disputes and do whats best for the country. Since Washington was the physical embodiment of personal sacrifice and leadership, most of the citizenry trusted in his intentions even when they did not agree with his policies. Neither Adams, nor anyone else, could possibly pull that off. Even Jefferson acknowledged that succeeding Washington might be the most thankless job in the world. You cant replace Babe Ruth. All that being said, Adams was peculiarly unsuited to the moment. He was, in one critical way, an 18th Century man, where Jefferson was a modern one. Presidents who lacked the awesomeness of a Washington needed a political party behind themthe infrastructure, the legislative support, the critical mass of ideas and talents willing to serve. From Jeffersons time on to today, Presidents are both heads of political parties, and creatures of them. Adams didnt get it, and wouldnt have wanted it. Contrast this with Jefferson, who resigned as Washingtons Secretary of State to form, with Madison, an opposition political party. In doing so, he was playing the long game, on the one hand retiring to his beloved Monticello and pretending to be above it all, on the other, constantly (privately) scheming with Madison to build a potent political organization. Jefferson was also quite the behind-the-scenes gossip, particularly in using others to peddle derogatory material about Washington himself. It was a quintessentially modern move, and one as to which its hard not to be at least a little cynical. On the one hand, given his political differences with Washington, Jeffersons resignation might be seen as an act of conscience. On the other, his ambitions were limitless, and its altogether possible that, by 1793, he saw time slipping away: Washington would serve at least another three years, his favorite was the hated Hamilton, and Adams was Vice President and would surely have a strong claim to the Presidency. We love to see Jefferson as a romantic (Joseph Ellis, in his biography American Sphinx, calls him light, inspiring, optimistic). That he was does not preclude the possibility that he also every inch the politician, with a thirst for the top spot. Staying within the Washington orbit probably would have blocked his path, whereas he was the undisputed political leader of the Republicans. So, when Washington dropped his Farewell Address bomb in September 1796 (only 10 weeks before the Election!), Jefferson cashed in his bet. As always, he affected a disinterest, claimed to be completely content with his bucolic-yet-enlightened life at Monticello, and accepted the nomination. The short sprint to the Presidency ensued (with neither man campaigningthe custom of the time was that it was too crass) and Adams edging Jefferson by just three Electoral Votes. John Adams had reached the pinnacle, and it was all downhill from here. First, fate dealt him a bad handthe original text of Article 2, Section I of the Constitution instructed the Electors to cast two votes for President, then In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. John Adams was to be President. Thomas Jefferson, his former friend, now fierce political and ideological opponent, his Vice President. To our contemporary eyes, this seems insane. Imagine a Trump-Clinton Administration or a Biden-Trump. Its fairly clear the drafters of the Constitution didnt quite grasp the possibilities of political parties, and, if you contextualize it that way, it makes a certain amount of sense. The Electors would look for sane, competent men (at least initially from the Revolutionary generation), and why not have the runner up (not unlike in a beauty pageant) serve out a Presidential term if the President were unable? The fact is that the Framers worried about partisanship, but had not yet fully grasped that it would be delivered through political parties. This created almost insuperable difficulties for Adams. While no one had a better idea of the limitations of the Vice Presidency than he, he was stuck with Jefferson in a different way than Washington had been. Jefferson was no foolhe was now a heartbeat away from the Presidency, did not serve at the pleasure of the President, and there was absolutely no reason for him to resign or support the Administration. They were stuck together (or, more accurately, Adams was stuck with Jefferson). Adams being Adams, and remembering the old days, when the two were close friends, then made a remarkable suggestion: He let it be known that he planned to send a delegation to France (not England) to see if a peace treaty could be worked out. And, he wanted it to be a bipartisan delegation. Would Madison and Jefferson head it up? You cant help but admire Adams for making this gesture, which went against the advice of and even enraged much of the rest of his Cabinet. Not only was he inviting in the enemy, he wanted to talk to the French instead of continuing the Federalists Anglo-centric policy. Whatever its generosity and even bravery, it was doomed to fail. Adams still didnt understand partisanship and didnt quite grasp that Madison and particularly Jefferson were now party leaders. As too many politicians have demonstrated down through the years, the pursuit of power often causes one to make the decision to keep an issue alive, rather than participate in its solution. Madison said no; Jefferson, in his more circuitous way, the same. All Adams had accomplished was irritating his own side. There would be more rejections for Adams in the weeks to come. For some reason, perhaps out of misplaced loyalty to Washington, perhaps because of familiarity, he failed to pick his own men for his Cabinet. What he did not know, and wouldnt come to realize for two years, is that those old hands did not see themselves as members of his team. Rather, they worked for, and took their orders from, the retired Alexander Hamilton. Their advice to Adams would be directed by Hamilton. That did not, automatically, render it incorrect, but, since Hamilton had different motivations than Adams, it often reflected Hamiltons priorities instead of Adams. Spurned by Jefferson and Madison, held at arms-length by the very people upon whom he should have been able to rely for support and advice, Adams found himself in no-mans land. One of the great mysteries of the first few months after his election was why he didnt move decisively to change this. The answer may lie partially in his background: for all his accomplishments, as an advocate, a representative, a negotiator, a political theorist, he had never actually led. He had no executive experience, either in war or peace. But the rest was surely his temperament. He ranted privately, to Abigail, to John Quincy, to a handful of friends, but accepted it. It was a fateful decision. As Adams prepared to face the twin and even existential threats of a foreign policy crisis and a political one, he was in a singular place for an American President, mostly alone. This created opportunities, but would, in the long term, leave him a man without a home, and with few moments for joy. He had been warned, by Washington himself, on Inauguration Day: Ay! I am fairly out and you fairly in! See which one of us will be happiest! We will pick that one up next month. by Bill Benzon riverrun, past Eve and Adams, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs so began James Joyces (infamous) Finnegans Wake. That line is but the completion of the books last sentence, A lone a last a loved a long the, You can, of course, stitch the two halves together in order simply by reading first this string and then that one. Joyce was a notorious jokester. One of the jokes embedded in that first and final sentence is a pun on the name of a scholar who straddled the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Giambattista Vico. Vicus puns on the Latin for village, street, or quarter of a city and Giambattistas last name. Just why Joyce did that has prompted endless learned commentary, none of which is within the compass of this essay, though, be forewarned, well return to the Wake at the end. Neither, for that matter, is Vico, not exactly. He had an epistemological principle: Verum esse ipsum factum, often abbreviated as verum factum. It meant, What is true is precisely what is made. In this he opposed Descartes, who believed that truth is verified through observation. Descartes, which his cogito ergo sum and his mind/matter dualism, is at the headwaters of the main tradition in Western thinking while Vico went underground but never disappeared, as Finnegans Wake bears witness. Perhaps this century will see our Viconian legacy eclipse the Cartesian in the study of the mind. With that in mind, lets consider Grace Lindsays excellent Models of the Mind. What, you might ask, what kind of book is it? It could be a highly technical mid-career summary and synthesis, which would certainly be welcome. But no, its not that. It could be a text book for an advanced undergraduate or a graduate level course in neuroscience. Its not that either. There are few footnotes, but each chapter has a reasonable bibliography at the back of the book. No, Models of the Mind is intended for the sophisticated and educated reader who is interested in how physics, engineering, and mathematics have shaped our understanding of the brain, to reprise the books subtitle. And thats just the right audience if we want to pull off a paradigm change, from Cartesian to Viconian, in how we understand the mind. It is intended for you, gentle reader. The mind, so the saying goes, is what the brain does. But without (mathematical) models that saying collapses into a string of words without intellectual substance. Whats a model? My cousin, Erik Ronnberg, Jr., makes ship models, a craft he learned from his father. Most are models of sailing ships, some are large, some are small, but no one would mistake such a model for a real ship. They are too small and few, if any, would sail, even in a small protected pond. But they must look like a real ship. Thus in researching a project Erik will seek out the plans for the ship he is modeling and make his own plans accordingly. One of his clients was a marine artist. Erik would build the model and then the artist would pose it in shallow box filled with sand I believe at an angle appropriate for his painting. The model had to resemble a real ship so closely that a marine artist could use it the way another artist would pose the subject of a portrait, or, for that matter, work from an artists model a real person being posed for study purposes or as a subject in, for example, a historical tableau. The ship model is like the real thing only in physical appearance, shape primarily, but then color but what color, when new and freshly painted or when weathered from years at sea? It is much smaller than a real ship and does not have an interior construction like a real ship. Most models have hulls carved from a single piece of wood, though more elaborate ones having planking over ribs attached to a keel, but even those models do not have interior decks, and so forth. The mind, alas, is not a physical thing like a ship, though the brain is. And brain processes are not amenable to direct observation in the way we can observe the movements of the planets, or little animalcules wriggling in water. Figuring out what the brain does is like trying to understand how an automobile engine works by listening to engine noises. Yes, there are correlations between those noises and the operation of engine mechanisms, but there are many ways of producing such noises. Which ones are actually used in the engine? Fortunately we can open up the hood and take a look. Heck, we could consult the engineers who designed the engines. Alas, the engineer or engineers who designed the brain are either beyond our reach or are mere fictions. While we can open the hood as it were neuroscientists have devoted a lot of time and effort into figuring out various ways of doing that the processes that most interest us cannot be directly observed. We must infer them indirectly, by building models. How do you model what the brain does? Heres what Lindsay says in her opening chapter: Mathematical models are a way to describe a theory about how a biological system works precisely enough to communicate it to others. If this theory is a good one, the model can also be used to predict the outcomes of future experiments and to synthesise results from the past. And by running these equations on a computer, models provide a virtual laboratory, a way to quickly and easily plug in different values to see how different scenarios may turn out and even perform experiments not yet feasible in the physical world. By working through scenarios and hypotheses digitally this way, models help scientists determine what parts of a system are important to its function and, importantly, which are not. We have three things: 1) experiments and observation, 2) computer simulations, and 3) mathematics. We use mathematics both to analyze the data and to specify the design of a simulation. Mathematics thus closes the circuit of inquiry so that the process is one of Viconian making, and not merely Cartesian observing. Though Models of the Mind is very much about mathematics, you dont need much math to understand it. If youre hungry for equations, theyre in an appendix, but the main text is relatively free of math, though it does have helpful diagrams and illustrations. Lindsay also traces the history of the various models and techniques she discusses, often back into the 19th and even 18th centuries. Just what, youre asking, does she discuss? Why dont I list the title headings? Boring, I know, but it gives you an idea of the books range. And, bonus points, its a very Joycean thing to do. Melville would approve as well. Chapters: 1) Spherical Cows, 2) How Neurons Get Their Spike, 3) Learning to Compute, 4) Making and Maintaining Memories, 5) Excitation and Inhibition, 6) Stages of Sight, 7) Cracking the Neural Code, 8) Movement in Low Dimensions, 9) From Structure to Function, 10) Making Rational Decisions, and 12) Grand Unified Theories of the Brain. Concerning those grand unified theories, after discussing the tango physicists have danced with their GUTs (Grand Unified Theories) Lindsay discusses Karl Fristons free energy principle, Jeff Hawkins Thousand Brains Theory (which sounds a bit like AI maven Marvin Minskys society of mind idea), and the integrated information theory (IIT) of Giulio Tononi. Shes skeptical, noting: Nervous systems evolved over eons to suit the needs of a series of specific animals in specific locations facing specific challenges. When studying such a product of natural selection, scientists arent entitled to simplicity. Biology took whatever route it needed to create functioning organisms, without regard to how understandable any part of them would be. It should be no surprise, then, to find that the brain is a mere hodgepodge of different components and mechanisms. Thats all it needs to be to function. In total, there is no guarantee and maybe not even any compelling reasons to expect that the brain can be described by simple laws. I agree. Now lets examine a few specific cases. In 1943 Warren McCulloch, one of the Grand Old Men of neuroscience, and Walter Pitts, a young protege, published a paper with the sobering title, A logical calculus of the ideas immanent in nervous activity (were in Chapter 3: Learning to Compute). Working from what little was known about the structure and connectivity of neurons, McCulloch and Pitts figured out how they could perform basic logical operations. Lindsay notes: The radical story that McCulloch and Pitts told with their model that neurons were performing a logical calculus was the first attempt to use the principles of computation to turn the mindbody problem into a mindbody connection. Networks of neurons were now imbued with all the power of a formal logical system. [] With this step in their research, McCulloch and Pitts advanced the study of human thought and, at the same time, kicked it off its throne. The mind lost its status as mysterious and ethereal once it was brought down to solid ground that is, once its grand abilities were reduced to the firing of neurons. To adapt a quote from Lettvin, the brain could now be thought of as a machine, meaty and miraculous, but still a machine. She goes on to note that neuroscientists ignored the paper, perhaps because of its technical nature, and perhaps because it didnt obviously lead to experiments. But the idea was taken up by the pioneers of artificial intelligence. We now know that the conception McCulloch and Pitts and, for that matter, pretty much everyone else at the time had of neurons was way too simple. If we are to think of each neuron as a computing device, then its a complex electro-chemical computer rather than a simple logic circuit. But the damage had been done. The good ship Descartes had been hit below the waterline. That the brain is a thinking machine was now both a thinkable and a sensible idea. A decade and a half after McCulloch and Pitts broke the mind-matter barrier Frank Rosenblatt figured out how a machine could learn. He called his device a Perceptron. It was a relatively simple network of artificial neurons implemented in a mass of switches, plugboards, and gas tubes. Objects were presented to it on a 2020 grid of light sensors which were connected to an array of a thousand association units which were in turn connected to response units. The machine would guess what the object was based on the connections among those association units. If its guess was wrong, then connections from the association units are modified. If its guess was correct, nothing happened. The process would continue until the Perceptron stopped making errors. This procedure for learning was, in many ways, the most remarkable part of the Perceptron. It was the conceptual key that could open all doors. Rather than needing to tell a computer exactly how to solve a problem, you need only show it some examples of that problem solved. This had the potential to revolutionise computing and Rosenblatt was not shy in saying so. He told the New York Times that Perceptrons would be able to recognise people and call out their names and to hear speech in one language and instantly translate it to speech or writing in another language. Alas, Rosenblatt was ahead of himself, way ahead. It would be years, decades in fact, and many ideas later, not to mention vastly more powerful machines, before computers could do either of those things reasonably well, as they now can, at least for some purposes. Moreover, as Lindsay notes: The power of learning, however, came with a price. Letting the system decide its own connectivity effectively divorced these connections from the concept of Boolean operators. The network could learn the connectivity that McCulloch and Pitts had identified as required for and, or, etc. But there was no requirement that it does, nor any need to understand the system in this light. [] Compared with the crisp and clear logic of the McCulloch-Pitts networks, the Perceptron was an uninterpretable mess. But it worked. Interpretability was sacrificed for ability. And that remains true today. The most powerful AI engines can do remarkable things, but just how they do them, that is something of a mystery. In that respect they are dismayingly like the operations of the human brain. While it has long been a cliche that computers only do what theyre programmed to do, that is not true of these learning engines. We program them to learn, which they do. After that, though, they seem to have an agency, however minimal, of their own. Lets consider one more example. One of Pitts colleagues in McCullochs laboratory was a man named Jerome Lettvin (were in Chapter 6: Stages of Sight). He investigated the response properties of cells in a frogs retina. In fact, in a 1959 paper What the frogs eye tells the frogs brain he and his co-authors describe four different types of ganglion cells that each responded to a different simple pattern. Some responded to swift large movements, others to when light turned to dark and still others to curved objects that jittered about. These different categories of responses proved that the ganglion cells were specifically built to detect different elementary patterns. Not only did these findings align with Selfridges notions of low-level feature detectors, but they also supported the idea that these features are specific to the type of objects the system needs to detect. That paper quickly became a classic in the neuroscience of vision. A bit over twenty years later a British neuroscientist, Nicholas Humphrey, published a paper entitled What the Frogs Eye Tells the Monkeys Brain.[1] He had been doing experiments where he destroyed the visual cortex a higher visual center of monkeys brains and discovered that the monkeys retained some visual ability. When present in humans this phenomenon came to be called blindsight. How could that be? The mammalian cerebral cortex is a structure thats lacking in amphibians and reptiles. But the mammalian visual system is not entirely located in the cortex. It has subcortical structures that correspond with structures in the frogs brain. Humphrey hypothesized that those structures remain active in these monkeys thus affording them some measure of visual ability. Amphibians are evolutionarily older than mammals. The evolutionary process doesnt necessarily discard structures when new ones develop. The old ones remain, perhaps serving a different function. Thus, we return to a passage weve already quoted, one where Lindsay notes, the brain is a hodgepodge of different components and mechanisms. That recapitulation, that recursus, in turn suggests another, one that will take us back to where we began, to the opening sentence of James Joyces Finnegans Wake. A couple years ago Adam Roberts, a British jokester, punster, and writer of speculative fiction, decided that Finnegans Wake just had to be translated into Latin. It makes a kind of weird sense, doesnt it? We take a book that no one reads, though they may claim to do so, and translate it into a language that is no longer spoken, Latin. The result: Pervigilium Finneganis: Finnegans Wake translated into Latin.[2] As Roberts explains in his helpful introduction, though he has some knowledge of Latin, he doesnt have enough to undertake such a project. What does he do? He turns to Google Translate. Google Translate is the fruit, one of many, of Rosenblatts Perceptron. Roberts had to clean things up here and there before feeding Joyces text to the machine 5000 characters at a time, and he did some post-editing as well. It was tedious and time consuming, but not so tedious and time consuming as doing a full-fledged human translation would have been. So, let us end this essay where we began, only in Latin: flumenflue, transitum Eva et Adae, declinationem ab litore ad flectere lauri, commodius ab nobis facit Houuthi vicus de castro et recirculus ad circumstant. Thank you, Adam. And thank you, Grace Lindsay. References [1] Nicholas Humphrey, What the Frogs Eye Tells the Monkeys Brain, Brain Behavior and Evolution 3(1):324-37, February 1970 DOI: 10.1159/000125480 [2] Adam Roberts. Pervigilium Finneganis: Finnegans Wake translated into Latin. Ancaster Books. Kindle Edition. Note: You may wish to listen to my 3QD colleague Ashutosh Jogalekar interview Lindsay. A total of 225 members of the 16th Chinese Peacekeeping Engineer Contingent to Darfur, Sudan, are awarded the UN peace medals and commendations by the UNAMID on May 20, 2021. By Ma Yichong and Li Hui KHARTOUM, May 24 -- A total of 225 members of the 16th Chinese Peacekeeping Engineer Contingent to Darfur, Sudan, were awarded the UN peace medals and commendations by the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on May 20, 2021. The honor conferring ceremony was held in the Chinese camp of the UNAMID Super Camp in El Fasher, North Darfur. Commander Xiao Wei read out to all peacekeepers a congratulatory message sent by acting force commander Major General Henry on behalf of the UNAMID, in which he hailed that: I am very grateful to the Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent to Darfur for its outstanding dedication to the UNAMID and the people of Darfur. You have made great contributions to the realization of peace and stability here, and successfully completed all the tasks assigned by the UNAMID with outstanding professional skills and high efficiency. Id like to take this opportunity to express my sincere respect to you all on behalf of the UNAMID. As the only engineering support force of the UNAMID, the Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent has been constantly facing security threats in field construction. However, they have overcome difficulties and completed various UN-assigned tasks with high standards. It is understood that since China sent the first engineer contingent to Darfur, Sudan in 2007, there have been 15 rotations as of now, which has been mainly responsible for road repairing, site leveling, airport maintenance, fortification construction, and environmental cleanup in the various commands under the UNAMID regiment. According to the decision made by the UN Security Council, the UNAMID completed its mandate on 31 December 2020, with existing peacekeepers withdrawing in batches within 6 months. This marks the end of the 14-year peacekeeping operations of the Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingents to Darfur in Sudan. In other words, the 16th Chinese Peacekeeping Engineer Contingent will gradually evacuate Darfur. A total of 225 members of the 16th Chinese Peacekeeping Engineer Contingent to Darfur, Sudan, are awarded the UN peace medals and commendations by the UNAMID on May 20, 2021. By Li Chenyan On May 22, 2021, Former Vice President of the Chinese PLA Naval Medical University Rear Admiral Wu Mengchao, world-famous Chinese hepatobiliary surgery scientist and surgeon, also an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, passed away in Shanghai at the age of 99. Known as Father of Chinese Hepatobiliary Surgery, Wu Mengchao, during his 70-plus-year medical career, made more than 30 significant medical achievements, laid the theoretical foundation for Chinas liver and gallbladder surgery, and operated over 16,000 major liver surgeries, including the countrys first mesohepatectomy. He drastically improved Chinas diagnostic accuracy rate, surgical success rate and post-surgery survival rate for liver cancer, which now reached a world-leading level. Liver cancer patients can live another 45 years at most after surgery. From a youth to a gray-haired old man, Wu has never forgotten his original aspiration to conquer liver cancer and advance Chinas liver surgery to a new height. Wu was born in the summer of 1922 in a poor family in Minqing County, Fujian Province, and migrated to Malaysia with his family when he was five years old. Although far away from his motherland, he always cherished the dream of becoming a doctor and saving the country. In 1943, he came back to China and was admitted by Tongji University School of Medicine in Shanghai , studying from Qiu Fazu, father of surgery in China. Young Wu Mengchao In the early 1950s, China had a high incidence of liver cancer, but prevention against this disease was almost a blank in the country. In an unbelievably primitive research environment, Wu Mengchao, Zhang Xiaohua and Hu Hongkai formed a team in 1958 and began their research on liver surgery. In 1959, Wus team created the classical liver anatomy theory of "five lobes and four segments", laying the theoretical foundation for Chinas liver surgery. In 1960, he performed the countrys first hepatectomy, and invented the Normo-thermic intermittent liver inflow occlusion to stop bleeding during liver surgery. In 1963, he performed the worlds first mesohepatectomy and pushed China to the forefront of liver and gallbladder surgery in the world. Just in seven years, Wu and his team achieved significant breakthroughs in basic theoretical research and clinical treatment on liver surgery. In 2005, as the pioneer and trailblazer of Chinas hepatobiliary surgery, Wu Mengchao was awarded the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, Chinas highest academic accolade. When people thought he had reached the peak of his career, Wu continued pioneering in his field. After donating all the 6 million yuan awarded by the state and the military, he, along with six other famed academicians, submitted to Chinas State Council a proposal to study in an integrative way the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and liver cancer, which was listed as a key national sci-tech project. Wu Mengchao was studying a liver model. After that, Wu, well in his eighties, took the lead in creating the national liver cancer science center. He travelled around with his team to choose a site and prepare for the establishment of the center, and witnessed the completion of the 30,000-sq-m modern building in 2017. Today, the two hospitals named after Wu Mengchao and specialized in hepatobiliary surgery, and Wus students working across the country, are continuing to push China forward in this field, carrying on his commitment to serving the people whole-heartedly. In January 2019, the 97-year-old Wu retired in honor and glory, in response to the national call for reforming the academician system. For Wu, liver cancer is his lifelong arch rival, operation room is his battlefield, and keep fighting is his motto. Over his professional career lasting more than 70 years, he saved tens of thousands of patients from the brink of death; in his 90s, Wu insisted on performing operations if he was not on business trip. This might sound miraculous for others, but he thought it so natural because I feel unsure if Im away from the operation room for ten days. Wu Mengchao in his 90s was still working in the operation room Up till two or three years before he passed away, Wu still performed at least three operations a week, standing by the operation table for hours at a time something that would fatigue many young doctors, but he always completed the operations in perfection. In August 2018, the 96-year-old master cut off a 10cm liver tumor for a patient. As long as Im breathing, Id fight liver cancer. Itd be my greatest satisfaction if I died by the operation table one day, said Wu Mengchao. By Guo Yuandan and Liu Xuanzun Some US officials recently accused China of rebuffing the US Defense Department's requests for high-level military talks amid tensions in the Taiwan Straits and the South China Sea, but it is the US that violated diplomatic etiquette - first by asking for unequal talks, and now by attempting to shift the blame to China, Chinese experts said on Sunday. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made three requests to speak to Xu Qiliang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, but China has refused to engage, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing three unidentified US officials. The report claimed that the Biden administration thinks such talks are important due to increasing tensions between the two countries' militaries, particularly in the South China Sea and near the island of Taiwan. Reuters ran a similar report on Saturday, claiming that US defense officials have been seeking communication with their Chinese counterparts to deal with potential emergency situations or accidents. However, many Chinese military experts reached by the Global Times on Sunday pointed out that if Austin, as the US Defense Secretary, wants to speak to his Chinese counterpart, that person should be Wei Fenghe, who is a Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister, and not CMC Vice Chairman Xu. "This is not on an equal basis and exceeds the demand of diplomatic etiquette. The Pentagon cannot and is not qualified to have this extravagant hope or request," one expert who asked to remain anonymous told the Global Times. By breaking this diplomatic tacit understanding and revealing it to the media via unidentified officials, the Pentagon is attempting to use microphone diplomacy to pressure China, and this will not succeed, experts said. In March at the China-US Alaska high-level meeting, the US unjustifiably attacked China's domestic and foreign policies, and seriously prolonged its opening remarks, which was met by the remarks of Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs. "We thought too well of the US; we thought the US would follow the necessary diplomatic protocol In front of the Chinese side, the US side is not qualified to speak to China from a position of strength," Yang said at that time. The Chinese military has always hoped to hold sincere, meaningful talks with the US military, including between defense ministers, but does the US want the same thing? Is it meeting China halfway, or does it want to shift the blame? Chinese experts asked. The US wants to create a public perception that China is to blame for the China-US military tensions, and the US is playing a thief crying "Stop thief!" which creates chaos and is very treacherous, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday. China and the US need military talks, but this requires sincerity and needs to build real mutual trust, Li said, noting that the US cannot have constructive results when it violates China's dignity and interests while yelling for talks at the same time. South Africa: President Ramaphosa calls for equitable vaccination access President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for equitable vaccine access as poorer countries lag behind in their COVID-19 inoculation drive. Speaking during the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA), President Ramaphosa said this weeks assembly was taking place in one of the critical periods in recent history as countries grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. At this years World Health Assembly, were urged to end this pandemic, prevent the next one and build a healthier, safer and fairer world, he said on Monday. To achieve this years agenda, President Ramaphosa has called on world leaders to urgently address the huge divide in the provision of lifesaving jabs. Millions of people in wealthier nations have been vaccinated, while billions of people in poorer countries still wait and are still vulnerable to infection, disease and to death. He believes that all leaders need to work together to remedy the situation. This is not only a moral imperative. Effective and comprehensive global vaccination is vital to ending the pandemic. None of us can hope to be safe unless were all safe all over the world. The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) attended by all Member States. Increase vaccine production President Ramaphosa, who co-chairs the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, has also pleaded with the global leaders to continue to support the initiative to raise US$18.5 billion. ACT Accelerator is a global collaboration accelerating the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. We must urgently increase vaccine production across the world, including in low-and middle-income countries. He also shone the spotlight on the limited waiver on intellectual property rights as a mechanism to promote rapid, equitable access. According to the President, this will allow countries to allow the use of intellectual property, share technologies to produce vaccines and therapeutics, lower prices and expedite distribution to everyone across the globe. As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, we need to build more robust pandemic response systems. He told delegates that countries must invest in national health systems, as they are crucial to the health of people and the sustainability of economies. While the pandemic has exposed some of the weaknesses in our respective health systems, it has also required decisive measures to strengthen them. Meanwhile, the President said he believes that building healthier, safer and fairer lives is also about delivering integrated services for HIV, tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases and maternal, newborn and child services. He paid tribute to the contribution of the millions of health workers and other frontline personnel who have demonstrated amazing courage and dedication. He also thanked the WHOs Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, and his staff for the excellent job done in managing this pandemic. Vaccine crisis Director-General Ghebreyesus also shared President Ramaphosa's sentiments. He said the ongoing vaccine crisis is a "scandalous" inequity that is perpetuating the Coronavirus pandemic. According to Ghebreyesus, over 75% of all vaccines have been administered in just 10 countries. There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the worlds vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world, Ghebreyesus added. In addition, he said the number of vaccine doses administered globally so far would have been enough to cover all healthcare workers and the elderly, had they been distributed equally. "But right now, there is not enough supply. Countries that vaccinate children and other low-risk groups now do so at the expense of healthcare workers and high-risk groups in other countries." Ghebreyesus said since the assembly started on Monday, almost 1 000 people have lost their lives to COVID-19. And in the time it takes me to make these remarks, a further 400 will die. The 74th World Health Assembly, which kicked off on Monday under the theme Ending this pandemic, preventing the next: building together a healthier, safer and fairer world, will conclude on 1 June 2021. SAnews.go.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Cao Yi | China Daily The New York Times ran a scaremongering piece on Sunday speculating about the nefarious intentions of China's growing media presence across the world. Titled "When Covid Hit, China Was Ready To Tell Its Version Of The Story", the article is partly based on an upcoming report to be released this Wednesday by the International Federation of Journalists about this topic. According to the NYT, it'll accuse China of "spreading disinformation" and imply it attaches strings to cooperation on key challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Hypocritically, however, the NYT sprinkles its own disinformation into the article by parroting debunked claims about the situations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang while portraying China's media presence in a negative light. The purpose of such an article isn't to inform the targeted audience, but to push a political narrative intended to trigger a paranoid reaction from its readers. The NYT mentions several times in its piece how China seems to be taking its soft power more seriously than the US. Quite predictably, the average person who reads that piece without any additional knowledge or context might be left with a bad impression about Chinese media, perhaps even wondering why the US isn't doing more to counter it, which seems to be the reaction the NYT hopes to provoke. The US is waging a hybrid war on China, which relies on disinformation to discredit its so-called "peer competitor". One of the sneakiest methods that's been employed is to reverse the roles of the US and Chinese media by presenting the former as more trustworthy than the latter. In reality, however, American media has been known to lie about practically every political issue at home and abroad. Regarding the domestic front, few Americans have full faith in their media after the past four years of conspiracy theorizing between Democrats and Republicans. When it comes to foreign topics, everyone remembers how the US media spread lies about Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction" to provoke war. There are countless other examples, but everyone should get the point that's being made. By contrast, Chinese media hasn't ever been caught red-handed lying to the world like the US media has. Nor, for that matter, does it participate in regime change operations such as the ones its American counterparts actively led in West Asia (particularly Egypt, Libya, and Syria from 2011) and Eastern Europe (Yugoslavia in 2000, Ukraine in 2013-2014, and Belarus from last year onward), among many others. Objectively speaking, the only "legitimate critique" that can be made about Chinese media is the facts and arguments it presents are "politically inconvenient" to the disinformation-driven Western narrative. In other words, an ironic reversal of perceptions has actually taken place. The average Westerner had long thought their part of the world has the honor of hosting the most reliable, professional and transparent media in the world, presumably due to its self-described "democratic" system of governance they believed made it superior to non-Western democracies like China's. In truth, however, the oligarchic nature of Western democracy has irredeemably corrupted the so-called "fourth estate" to the point where it's little more than a perception management tool by self-interested elites. It no longer serves to educate and inform, but to mislead and indoctrinate. It's why some Westerners are confused whenever they consume information from non-Western media such as China's. Many of them have never heard the facts and arguments presented therein, which sometimes trigger cognitive dissonance due to decades of indoctrination. Increasingly, however, many Westerners are actively seeking out non-Western sources of news and analysis because of how much they've recently come to distrust their own media. This emerging trend strikes fear in the hearts of the Western elite because they belatedly realize they've lost their former narrative monopoly due to their own dishonesty. This explains the desperate push by the NYT and others to discredit Chinese media, to cling to their fading narrative monopoly for just a little bit longer. It's an exercise in vain, however, since the wheels of history are turning and the West's former control of the world is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Nowhere is this more visible than by the rising popularity of Chinese and other non-Western media outlets. While many Westerners might still live in an "information bubble", bombarded on a daily basis by disinformation from their own media, more and more are choosing to liberate their minds by seeking out alternative sources of information. Try as they might, the NYT and those like it cannot reverse this inevitable trend. Andrew Korybko is a Moscow-based American political analyst. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website. U.S. President Joe Biden is due to meet Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Moon is only the second world leader Biden has hosted since taking office in January. The visit may be Moon's final trip to the United States as head of state and the last chance to fulfill campaign pledges before his term ends. The discussions between the two leaders are set to occur just a few weeks after the Biden administration finalized its months-long review of North Korea policy, one that signals a departure from previous administrations by pursuing a "calibrated, practical approach," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. This shift in rhetoric -- one that strays from the Obama-era "strategic patience," while refraining from making flashy deals -- has yielded a "sense of calm" as Moon and Biden prepare to engage in talks, said Jean Lee, director of the Korea program at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. "When you use that rhetoric, that fire and fury, it gives North Korea the justification to test, and when they have that, it means the arsenal gets that much stronger," Lee said. "The steadiness consistently being exuded by the Biden administration is designed to avoid this escalation of tensions we saw in the early parts of the Trump presidency." Moon welcomed this open-ended approach in a nationally televised speech marking his four-year anniversary on May 10. Issuing a call to action to restore inter-Korean dialogue, he vowed to do everything he could to "restart the clock of peace." "I will consider the remaining one year of my term to be the last opportunity to move from an incomplete peace toward one that is irreversible," Moon said. North Korea is expected to be near the top of the meeting agenda. But while the two leaders have mutually vowed to work toward the ultimate goal of achieving a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, experts say Biden's incremental approach may potentially frustrate Moon in achieving his promised goal of securing a peace regime. Despite these variances in timelines, upholding the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea will remain the top priority, said Kim Heung-kyu, who teaches political science at Ajou University in South Korea and is the director of the China Policy Institute. The Wilson Center's Lee echoed these observations, adding that North Korea will be closely watching the summit and that the joint meeting will "send a signal to the North that Moon has Biden's ear, which is a position of strength that Moon is keen to establish." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is investigating reports that young people have developed myocarditis, or heart inflammation, after being inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine. The agency's vaccine safety group said in a recent report that there have been "relatively few reports" of the heart inflammation, but most tended to occur in male teenagers and young adults, usually after a second vaccine dose. "Most cases appear to be mild, and follow-up of cases is ongoing," the safety group said. In another development, two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca are about as effective against the coronavirus variant first found in India as they are against the variant first found in England, according to a study by Public Health England announced Saturday. The study found that Pfizer's vaccine is 88-percent effective against B.1.617.2, or the Indian variant, and 93-percent effective against B.1.1.7, now known as the Kent variant. AstraZeneca's vaccine is 60 percent against the Indian variant and 66-percent effective against the English variant. In both cases, the effectiveness was measured two weeks after the second shot and against symptomatic disease. The Kent variant is the dominant strain in England but health officials fear the Indian strain may outpace it. In England, health authorities have stretched the time between the two doses to as much as three months in order to get more people vaccinated and stop the coronavirus in its tracks. Against the variants, though, two shots are better than one, so for clinically vulnerable people or those older than 50, the period between the two shots will be cut to eight weeks. "I'm increasingly confident that we're on track for the road map [to reopening], because this data shows that the vaccine, after two doses, works just as effectively [against the Indian variant]," Health Secretary Matt Hancock told broadcasters. Kaiser Health News reported that during the pandemic many older people have become "physically and cognitively debilitated and less able to take care of themselves." While no large-scale study has recorded the extent of the problem, Kaiser said doctors and physical therapists are reporting that seniors are losing muscle mass and strength, resulting in problems with mobility and balance. "What I'd love to see is a national effort, maybe by the CDC, focused on helping older people overcome these kinds of impairments," Linda Teodosio, a physical therapist and division rehabilitation manager in Bayada Home Healthcare's Towson, Maryland, office told Kaiser. At least 14 people were killed Sunday in Italy when a cable car popular among tourists fell 20 meters to the ground. Among them was a child who died in the hospital after suffering two cardiac arrests. A second child was seriously injured but conscious and speaking, according to the hospital. Authorities said that foreign nationals were among the dead but have not released further details. The Stresa-Mottarone funicular travels between the town of Lake Maggiore to the top of Mottarone mountain of Italy's Piedmont region. The trip takes roughly 20 minutes. A memorial service on Sunday marked the 12th anniversary of the suicide of former President Roh Moo-hyun. It was held in Roh's hometown of Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, where he jumped off a cliff in 2009 when a corruption investigation closed in. It was attended by high-profile political figures like the former leader of the ruling Minjoo Party Lee Nak-yon and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. They pledged technological and economic cooperation in semiconductors, 5G telecom networks and coronavirus vaccines, and Biden even agreed to send a special envoy to North Korea so Moon can save face in his desperate attempts to engage the North. President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden gave all the appearance of harmony last week in their first meeting since Biden took office, with each side throwing generous sops to the other to strengthen the historic alliance between their countries. They stressed cooperation in the areas of semiconductors, electric car batteries, nuclear energy and pharmaceuticals. They also agreed to establish a "global vaccine partnership to strengthen joint response capabilities for infectious disease through international vaccine cooperation." "With the technological landscape rapidly changing, we agree to strengthen our partnership on critical and emerging technologies to promote our shared security and prosperity," the two leaders said in a statement after talks last week. South Korea did not commit itself to joining the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad but signaled some support for the informal anti-China alliance headed by Washington with Australia, India and Japan. Biden highlighted a combined investment plan of W44 trillion promised by LG Energy Solution, Samsung, SK Hynix and SK Innovation and asked their executives to stand up as he thanked them three times (US$1=W1,129). The two presidents also signed a joint statement about cooperation in the Straits of Taiwan and South China Sea, which are part of Biden's strategy to keep China in check. And while they said they will insist on the "full implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions by the international community" against North Korea, Moon's biggest coup was to persuade Biden to appoint a special envoy to North Korea, the veteran point man Sung Kim. He convinced the U.S. to agree in principle to "previous inter-Korean and U.S.-[North Korea] commitments" made in 2018 after talks with North Korea. The U.S. also lifted any restrictions on South Korean missiles for the first time in 42 years to bolster the alliance. But Biden distanced himself from his predecessor Donald Trump's fruitless charm offensives toward North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "What I never do is I never make a judgment what a man or woman is going to do or not do based on what they said. We'll see. If he made any commitment, then I would meet with him," he told reporters at their joint press conference. "I'd have to know specifics." Talks were by all accounts amiable and ran over time, with Biden saying they enjoyed themselves so much that they lost track of the clock. Moon wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that it was the "best visit and best meeting," and government officials here said the outcome "fully satisfied expectations." LG will produce a few hundred Rollable smartphones before it winds up its phone business altogether. "We reached consensus to wrap up 26 years of our smartphone business with an innovative product," an executive said Sunday, "so we'll produce several hundred Rollables." LG had been developing the gadget with Chinese display maker BOE since last year, and a prototype was unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. The phone in the promotional video had a 6.8-inch screen that can expand to 7.4 inches. LG decided last month to close down its smartphone business as its cumulative losses surpassed W5 trillion (US$1=W1,129). An LG staffer said, "The product had already been developed before the decision to withdraw from the business." The phone will not be sold but given away as gifts to people who took part in its development and other high-profile guests. President Moon Jae-in was disappointed in hopes of securing substantial amounts of coronavirus vaccines from his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden over the weekend, but Biden promised to send enough to vaccinate Korean soldiers who work with the U.S. Forces Korea. He made the announcement during a joint press conference with Moon after their summit at the White House last Friday. "There are 550,000 Korean soldiers, sailors, airmen who work in close contact with the American forces in Korea," Biden said. "We'll provide full vaccinations for all 550,000 of those Korean forces engaging with American forces on a regular basis, both for their sake, as well as the sake of the American forces." But Vice Health Minister Kang Do-tae said Sunday more discussion is needed which vaccine they will get. Presumably they will be given the same Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines as the USFK. "We expect that a detailed decision will be made in the near future," a Defense Ministry spokesman said Sunday Vaccination of some 110,000 Korean soldiers and civilian military employees over 30 who agreed to take the AstraZeneca vaccine is nearly complete. Pfizer and other vaccines will be given to another 420,000 soldiers under 30 soon. That would clear soldiers for joint field maneuvers with American troops. On Sunday, Moon called Kim's appointment a "surprise present." "We expect that this will bring North Korea to the negotiation table," a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said. Biden made the surprise announcement at a joint press conference with Moon at the White House last Friday. Moon welcomed it as an expression of Washington's "strong will" to have dialogue with Pyongyang. President Moon Je-in has expressed delight at the appointment of veteran point man Sung Kim as U.S. President Joe Biden's special envoy to North Korea. However, Kim will continue to serve as U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, so the post seems to be largely symbolic and thrown to Moon as a friendly sop in return for massive Korean investment in the U.S. "He reminds me of Stephen Bosworth, who was a part-time special envoy as he served both as the dean of a college and special representative for North Korea policy during the Obama administration," a former senior diplomat said. The post had been vacant for four months, which prompted speculation that North Korea is low on the Biden administration's list of priorities. The Seoul-born diplomat has served as chief U.S. nuclear negotiator and ambassador to Seoul. He met North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the border truce village of Panmunjom in May 2018 to work out a draft agreement ahead of the first U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore the following month. President Moon Jae-in has agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden to expand cooperation in exporting nuclear power plants to other countries. At present, Russia and China dominate the global market -- Russia alone has received 29 orders from 12 countries. The U.S. wants to cooperate with Korea to regain dominance in the market because Korea now has world-class technology, spurred by the dispatch of a team of researchers to the U.S. in the mid-1980s, and the ability to build plants cheaply and reliably. Together, the two countries could grab a significant slice of the market. Nuclear power plants are extremely lucrative exports. In 2009, Korea won an order from the UAE to build the Barakah nuclear power plant, which is estimated to bring Korea more than W70 trillion worth of direct and indirect benefits over a 60-year period (US$1=W1,129). But Moon announced a nuclear phase-out policy four years ago, giving rise to significant doubts about the country's whole nuclear ecosystem. "If the Korean nuclear plants are shut down and the companies that know how to run and service them die, what will happen to their overseas projects? If Korea has no confidence in its own nuclear plants, why should we?" That is the thinking among potential clients. The Moon administration distorted economic feasibility studies on the Wolseong-1 nuclear reactor in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province in order to shut it down, and it halted construction of two new reactors in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. Plans to construct new nuclear power plants in Samcheok, Gangwon Province and Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsnag Province were scrapped. Yet Moon brazenly pitched nuclear power plant exports to the Czech Republic, telling it at a 2018 summit that Korea has not experienced a single nuclear accident. Common sense dictates that Moon should put his money where his mouth is and restart construction of the reactors in Uljin to resuscitate Korea's sputtering industry. It is simply self-contradictory of him to pitch nuclear power plant exports, while deeming them too dangerous to construct at home. This only reaffirms Moon's two-faced nature. South Africa: New forum to detect, prevent corruption in infrastructure sector A newly established forum to monitor infrastructure projects more effectively and put systems in place to detect and prevent corruption has been launched in Cape Town. Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) Minister, Patricia de Lille, and Head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Advocate Andy Mothibi, launched the Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum (IBACF) on Monday, an initiative by the Anti-Corruption Task Team, government and civil society, together with the built environment sector. De Lille said the initiative comes at a time when South Africa has embarked on the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, approved by Cabinet in May 2020. The plan forms an integral part of the countrys Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP). Cabinet has also approved the establishment of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) as the administrative arm responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment Plan which is made up of projects from all three spheres of government, state-owned enterprises and the private sector. It is against this background, that the Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum has been initiated as a strategy to detect and prevent corruption in the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment Plan because this plan cannot be derailed or affected by corruption in any way, said de Lille. The establishment of this forum is also in line with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), approved by Cabinet in November 2020, to help step up the fight against corruption and fraud in the country. The NACS pillar 6 puts emphasis on protection of vulnerable sectors, which direct that strategic interventions should be implemented in those sectors that are more prone and vulnerable to the incidents of fraud and corruption. [The] infrastructure and/or construction sector is one of the sectors that have been prioritised. The forum also aligns with one of the seven key priorities of the 6th administration, which is to build a capable, ethical and developmental state, the Minister said. She said corruption within the built environment has run rampant for too long. While the state has structures in place, government cannot do this work alone, de Lille said. That is why the private sector, public entities and civil society have been brought together in a forum to work together in more effective ways to detect, prevent and act against corruption. Our people need better roads, hospitals, schools and generally better infrastructure for better services. We need better and more government buildings. We cannot allow the crooks to continue to steal billions meant for infrastructure. People, no matter who they are, cannot be allowed to continue to steal and stifle progress at the expense of the most vulnerable in our country. Anyone involved in corrupt activities and found guilty of such must face consequences; they must face the full might of the law. We must work together to put an end to this scourge because corruption steals from the poor. We also need a clear path to delivering quality infrastructure to create the crowding in effect of more investment by the private sector, De Lille said. Construction sector vulnerable to price fixing Advocate Mothibi said that based on the SIU investigations under various proclamations over the years totalling over R10 billion to date, the construction sector is vulnerable to price fixing, high Construction Industry Development Board grading issued to non-deserving contractors, and issuing of illegal environmental permits for large developers to develop in sensitive environmental areas. There is also an issue of defrauding the state through the usage of sub-standard construction material to make more profit and facilitation fees, bribery and kickbacks, amongst others. The Infrastructure Build Anti-Corruption Forum will galvanise all stakeholders into action and ensure that Infrastructure Built Projects are monitored more effectively and put measures and systems in place to fight against fraud and corruption, identify areas of co-operation to enhance prevention, detection, civil litigation and prosecution of fraud and corruption in the Infrastructure Build Sector, Mothibi said Head of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA), Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, said that ISA has in the last year, upon request, worked with the SIU on some cases, and has a well-established and good working relationship with the SIU. The official launch of this forum can only cement our working relations further to ensure greater transparency and accountability as we implement the countrys infrastructure build programme, Ramokgopa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Judge Brad Henley Honored With Hall Of Fame Award The Greater Hubbard Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently selected Judge Bradford (Brad) L. Henley as its 2020 and 2021 Hall of Fame honoree. He was awarded at the chamber's annual banquet held this month. A longtime Hill County resident, Henley was recognized for being active in various area endeavors and continually striving to make Hill County a better place to live. He was born October 21, 1940, in Malone to H. F. and Rosella Henley. He attended Malone Elementary School and transferred to Hubbard High School, graduating in 1958. After graduation, he attended Angelo State College in San Angelo from 1958 to 1960. While there, he loved to rodeo and ride bulls in addition to studying. He also met the love of his life, and he and his wife Patsy were married on October 2, 1960, in Sonora. It was during this chapter in his life that Henley made an important career decision as he has always been a cowboy at heart and embraced the cowboy way of life. He left Angelo State College and enrolled in the Ft. Smith School of Auctioneering and became a gifted auctioneer. For 35 years, he owned and operated Waco Auction Company. In 1991, Henley established the R&B Cattle Company, selling bucking bulls all over Central Texas. He also sold some of his bulls at the NFR Bucking Bull Sale in Las Vegas. Every weekend, he would supply bucking bulls for Billy Bobs Rodeo in Fort Worth. Later, he would work for eight years for the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office. Community service is important to the honoree. In 1985, the Hubbard FFA honored Henley as an honorary member in recognition of his support for their program. The childrens hospital in Abilene also recognized him for his support. On January 1, 2011, Henley was sworn in as Justice of the Peace for Precinct 3 in Hill County, a position he continues to hold. As Judge Henley, he is concerned about the overall betterment of his beloved Hill County and strives to be a conscientious public servant. On October 12, 2012, his hometown recognized his many accomplishments and inducted him into its Malone Community Homecoming Hall of Fame. Judge Henley has been a member of the Hubbard Masonic Lodge No. 530 since 1970 and received his 50-year pin last year. He was recognized with the lodges prestigious Golden Trowel Award on March 31, 2017, in recognition of his outstanding and exemplary service in the community. Judge Henley is a supporter of the Hubbard Chamber of Commerce, the Hubbard Rodeo Association and other civic and social organizations in the Hubbard community as well as in Hill County. Henley and his wife are active members of the Malone Baptist Church, where he has been a member since 1951. He serves as a church deacon and trustee and is a member of its Men of Ministry. The Henleys have three childrenDixie, Leddy and Rodeand six grandchildren. They love their country life and share it with their family and many friends and neighbors. June Election To Decide Covington ISD Board Seat Covington Independent School District has announced that it will hold an election Saturday, June 5, to break a tie between two candidates in the May election. The district had three school board positions on its ballot this year, and four candidates were seeking a spot. Incumbent Kevin Ray won a seat with 63 votes and Cody Nickell received 56 votes to secure another seat. Candidates Joe Reitz and David Shane Johnson each received 36 votes. The Texas Election Code allows ties to be handled in one of several ways, including a second election, casting lots or one candidate voluntarily withdrawing from the race. With both candidates opting to stay in the race, an election has been scheduled. Early voting will be conducted each weekday at Covington City Hall, located at 402 Gathings, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. beginning May 24 and ending June 1. Extended early voting hours will be available on May 26 and June 1 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. On election day, Saturday, June 5, voting will be at Covington City Hall from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Woburn, MA (01801) Today Rain. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Hong Kong: Cruise travel queries answered Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau said exceptional measures would need to be taken, by both cruise operators as well as patrons, before cruise travel can resume. Mr Yau made the remarks while fielding questions about taking cruises to nowhere and incentives for COVID-19 vaccination at a media session after attending a Legislative Council meeting today. He said: Given the global pandemic situation and some unhappy incidents where outbreaks happened in cruise lines, I think the public or the operators will be exceptionally cautious in resuming any form of cruise travel. But having said that, there are examples of cruises departing from the port, going out to the high seas and returning without calling on any ports, thereby eliminating any chance of getting the virus from another place. Mr Yau explained that while the cruise to nowhere idea is an area of compromise, extraordinary arrangements would need to be carried out beforehand to ensure the safety of everyone involved. There are exceptional measures that would need to be taken both by the operators as well as the patrons to make sure that this is a safe journey worth taking, as we are also aware that the public have been stranded for quite a long time in the case of outbreaks. Some people say this kind of short cruise resembles staycations where people stay in hotels. If sufficient precautions are taken and if crew members fulfil all the quarantine, testing as well as vaccination requirements, would it be a safe start for selected few to have this limited short cruise? Of course, there should be extra protections for patrons, they also need to do the vaccination, which, as I said, is becoming a new norm for any resumption of travelling in the long term. Lets start preparing ourselves. Mr Yau added that the Government would welcome incentives proposed by the private or commercial sectors to boost vaccination. Vaccination does provide a very strong protection for individuals and the community at large, minimising a public health hazard. The Government will be happy to see any incentives by individuals or enterprises to help this campaign of making people realise that it is for the good of all the community. This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 19:26 | Lima, May. 23. Since the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines in Peru , police agents have provided protection during the transfer and distribution of the doses to various areas across the country even by air on the institution's airplanes which has contributed to the immunization process without a hitch. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Aivazian held a meeting with the Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri on May 24. Issues of regional security and peace were in the focus of the meeting, the foreign ministry said in a readout. The situation as a result of Azerbaijans provocations carried out in Armenias border provinces was touched upon. [FM Aivazian] underscored the imperative of an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces who penetrated into Armenian sovereign territory. The interlocutors exchanged ideas over a number of items on the Armenian-Iranian agenda and specially touched upon the high-level visits which are taking place recently and the course of implementation of the agreements that have been reached as a result. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of emergency situations reports that roads are passable across Armenia. The Georgian side informed that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia has released the list of persons who are going to vote online in the upcoming snap parliamentary elections. The list includes 650 persons. Citizens of Armenia who are entitled to vote from abroad are diplomats and their family members, military servicemen stationed abroad and their family members, employees of representations of legal persons registered in Armenia and their family members. The electronic voting will kick off on June 11, at 08:00 Yerevan time and will end on June 13 at 20:00. The results of the electronic voting will be summed up and the protocol on the voting results will be published on the voting day, it means on June 20 after 20:00. Armenia will hold snap parliamentary elections on June 20, 2021. The pre-election campaign will launch on June 7 and will end on June 18. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has no doubt that the Armenian-Russian relations will continue developing in accordance with the spirit of mutual trust, strategic and allied partnership. Our country is always ready to provide help to the brotherly Armenian people. The evidence of this are the mediation efforts of Russia, President Vladimir Putin personally thanks to which it became possible to stop the military operations in Nagorno Karabakh in autumn 2020 and launch a process of settling the situation in the region. Today it can be said that the trilateral agreements of the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, which have been achieved in the 2020 November 9 and 2021 January 11 statements, overall are successfully being implemented. It, in particular, relates to the elimination of the humanitarian and socio-economic consequences of the conflict, the unblocking of transportation and economic communications in South Caucasus. The Russian support is highly appreciated by Armenian friends, the Russian FM said during an interview to Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, asked whether Russia managed to keep the warm relations with Armenia given the latters unfavorable outcome in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Mr. Lavrov said the relations between Russia and Armenia are not limited to the Karabakh conflict. He said there is unprecedented active and reliable political dialogue between the two countries at the highest and other levels. Only this year our leaders have met twice, have held numerous telephone conversations. I visited Yerevan early May. Inter-parliamentary mutual visits are taking place. Amid fighting the coronavirus pandemic Russia has supplied several tens of thousands of doses of Sputnik V vaccine to Armenia. We are discussing the issue of further support. We are successfully developing the trade and economic ties, which is also contributed by the regular meetings held by the chairmen of the Armenian-Russian inter-governmental commission, he said. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Two foreign nationals were apprehended by Armenian law enforcement agencies pursuant to arrest warrants issued by Georgian authorities in 2019. The two fugitives, men aged 29 and 31, were apprehended on Garegin Nzhdeh Street in Yerevan and booked at the Shengavit police precinct and later placed under arrest. The fugitives are wanted by Georgia on charges of aggravated murder and illegal possession of firearms. The Georgian authorities were notified on the arrest, the Armenian police said. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian received today Ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin (Russia), Jonathan Lacote (France) and Lynne Tracy (US), the foreign ministry told Armenpress. The meeting touched upon the broad context of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and regional security and peace-related issues. The talk in particular focused on the current situation in Armenias border provinces caused by the recent incursion of the Azerbaijani armed forces into Armenias sovereign territory. The caretaker FM introduced the Ambassadors on the latest developments, reaffirming Armenias readiness to solve the issue through political-diplomatic means. Ara Aivazian said any encroachment against Armenias sovereign territory is impermissible and stressed the imperative of immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Azerbaijani troops from the Armenian territory to avoid further escalation of the situation. The meeting sides also exchanged views on the actions being taken in such situation. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian received Head of the European Unions Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, the Presidents Office told Armenpress. The post-war problems in Armenia and in particular, the current border situation were discussed during the meeting. The Armenian President and the EU Ambassador exchanged views also on the possibilities of deepening the partnership and expanding the cooperation with the EU in a number of areas. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, 24 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 24 May, USD exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 520.58 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.73 drams to 635.73 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 7.07 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 4.11 drams to 735.79 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 37.76 drams to 31397 drams. Silver price up by 1.04 drams to 465.29 drams. Platinum price down by 15.19 drams to 20050.97 drams. Lou Altobelli is known for doing things the right way or not at all. Whether as the former owner of four lucrative auto body shops in three co Diverted flight passengers saw Belarus activist 'panicking' Dozens of Belarusian opposition supporters came to Vilnius airport in a show of support for Protasevich Passengers on Ryanair flight FR4978 described the anxious minutes for opposition blogger Roman Protasevich after he realised that the plane was being diverted to Minsk, where he was later detained. "He started panicking and saying this was because of him," Monika Simkiene, a 40-year-old Lithuanian, told AFP after the plane finally landed in Vilnius several hours later than its scheduled arrival time. "He just turned to people and said he was facing the death penalty," she said, adding that once Protasevich understood that he was about to be detained after the plane had landed, he looked "very calm". Another passenger, Mantas, who declined to give his surname, also said that Protasevich was "nervous at first, but later when he understood he can't change anything, he calmed down and accepted it". Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte came to Vilnius Airport for the plane's arrival, as did dozens of Belarusian opposition supporters. Some were draped in the flags used by the opposition, while others held up signs supporting him, including one that read "Ryanair, Where is Roman?!". "We have to show our solidarity in order to avoid being broken one by one," said one of the opposition supporters, 36-year-old Aleksandr Glachkov. He called the detention of Protasevich a "crime". - 'He would have jumped out' - Belarus forced the Athens-to-Vilnius plane to land in Minsk and detained Protasevich, who is wanted on various charges in connection with his activism against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. He lives in Poland, where he previously worked as an editor of Nexta, a highly influential Belarusian opposition channel on the Telegram messaging app. The incident has triggered international outrage and EU threats of further sanctions on Belarus, which has been shaken by unprecedented mass protests since a disputed election last year. Several passengers remembered seeing the 26-year-old Protasevich rifle through his bags and hand some items to his girlfriend after it became clear that the plane would be landing in Belarus. Story continues Edvinas Dimsa, 37, said he was "not screaming, but it was clear that he was very much afraid. "It looked like if the window had been open, he would have jumped out of it," he said. Arthur Six, 25, a Frenchman, said he saw Protasevich appearing to complain to an air steward. Initially Six also thought Protasevich was "panicking, but after that he became calm again". saj/dt/kjl Airlines are shunning Belarus's air space and Belarusian planes could soon be banned from Europe, potentially isolating the country apart from its border with Russia after it forced down a jetliner and arrested a dissident journalist. A video released overnight showed 26-year-old Roman Protasevich confessing to having organised anti-government demonstrations. On Sunday he was pulled off the passenger plane that was forced to land in the Belarusian capital Minsk. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the video left no doubt that Protasevich had been tortured. "He said that he was treated lawfully, but he's clearly beaten and under pressure. There is no doubt that he was tortured. He was taken hostage," she told a news conference in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Tuesday. Protasevich and a 23-year-old student travelling with him were arrested after their Ryanair flight was escorted by a Belarusian warplane while flying from Greece to Lithuania. Western powers have widely condemned the incident, which NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg described on Tuesday as a "state hijacking". Belarusian state media have reported that President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered the flight to be intercepted. Belarus says it was responding to a bomb scare that later proved to be a false alarm. The UN agency ICAO has said the incident may have violated the foundational treaty governing international civil aviation, the 1944 Chicago Convention. At least three other people disembarked the flight in Minsk, assumed by Western countries to have been spies who had helped coordinate an operation to capture Protasevich. One Lithuanian official told Reuters that the three passengers who disembarked included two Belarusian citizens and one Greek citizen. Belarusian state TV on Monday broadcast interviews with the trio. European Union leaders at a summit on Monday called for airlines based in the 27-member bloc to halt flights over Belarusian air space, which is along a major corridor connecting Europe and Asia and earns hard currency from overflight rights. Story continues Lufthansa, KLM, SAS, Air France, LOT and Singapore Airlines were among carriers that announced they would stop flying over Belarus. The EU leaders also directed officials to draw up unspecified new sanctions against Belarus, and to work out a way to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc's skies. If all such measures are fully implemented, flights may soon be able to reach Belarus only by passing over its eastern border with its close ally Russia. Lukashenko, whose security services crushed months of pro-democracy demonstrations last year after an election opponents said was rigged, has so far shrugged off Western sanctions, which mostly consist of blacklists barring various officials from travelling or doing business in the United States and EU. Politicians in the West have called for tougher measures that might isolate the country from the international financial system or bar its exports. But they have failed to influence the behaviour of Lukashenko, who enjoys unwavering financial and security support from Russia, which considers the Belarusian frontier with NATO its first line of defence. Russia has denied involvement in the plane incident and has accused Western countries of hypocrisy, noting that a Bolivian presidential plane was diverted to Austria in 2013 after reports it was carrying US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden. In the video released overnight, Protasevich can be seen seated at a desk in a dark hooded sweatshirt. "I can state that I don't have any health issues, including diseases of the heart or any other organs. Police officers are treating me properly and according to the law," he says. "Also, I now continue to cooperate with the investigation and have confessed to organising mass protests in Minsk." A mass shooting at a party has left two people dead and more than 12 injured. Police were called to a party in Fairfield, in the US state of New Jersey, on Saturday about 11.50pm (local time). "When troopers arrived, they discovered that a 30-year-old man and 25-year-old woman sustained fatal gunshot wounds, and 12 other adult victims were also shot and were already transported to area hospitals with various injuries," police said. Two people were fatally shot during a house party in New Jersey. Source: 6ABC "At this time, one of the confirmed 12 victims sustained serious injuries and is in critical condition. "No arrests have been made, and the motive and incident remain under investigation." More than 100 people were at the party. John Fuqua, of the anti-violence Life Worth Living organisation, told 6ABC his nephew's friend was running for his life. He got on the ground, he had to crawl," Mr Fuqua told 6ABC. "It wasn't a shooting gallery, it wasn't a hunting expedition, it was a party and a few bad apples chose to turn it into something else." Photos show overturned pop-up party tents, tables and chairs, and debris throughout the homes yard. A long driveway was still filled with cars late on Sunday morning. Two cousins who live in the area of the shooting said they heard music from the party until after midnight, then a series of shots at least 15 of them over a few minutes. Police at the scene of the shooting on Sunday morning in Fairfield. Source: AAP Joeron Pierce and James Pierce, who live in homes next to each other, said there was chaos after that. Partygoers ran through their yards and asked to come into their houses. They said cars ran into one another trying to speed away. Michael Keene, of Trinity AME Church across the street, told CNN he first thought fireworks were going off but it was gunshots, nine in succession. "If you're going to a party, why do you need to take a gun?" he said. Story continues Fairfield Township Mayor Benjamin Byrd Sr, who was at the scene on Sunday, said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy offered his support and help. "Nobody knows when someone's going to come out of the woods with a gun," Mr Byrd said. He did not have any further details about the shooting. Investigators works the scene of a shooting in New Jersey. Source: AAP Mr Murphy called the shooting "horrific". "This despicable and cowardly act of gun violence only steels our commitment to ensuring New Jersey leads the nation in passing and enforcing strong and common-sense gun safety laws," Mr Murphy said in a statement. "No community should ever experience what occurred... in Fairfield." with The Associated Press Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Groups of Omanis have gathered to protest against unemployment in at least two cities, authorities and activists say, in the first show of dissent since the new sultan acceded the throne. Videos and photos posted on social media showed protesters gathering in Salalah, in the south, and Sohar in the north. A heavy presence of security forces, with convoys of military and police vehicles, could be seen on the videos, including where police forces fired tear gas and arrested demonstrators. The protests are the first to take place under Sultan Haitham, who took power in January 2020 after the death of long-ruling Sultan Qaboos. The coronavirus crisis and low oil prices have battered state coffers. Oman has long had plans to reform its economy, diversify revenues and introduces sensitive tax and subsidies reform but these dragged under the late Sultan Qaboos. His successor, Sultan Haitham, has introduced a series of reforms to try and make government finances sustainable. Oman had demonstrations in early 2011 following the outbreak of revolts in the region. But unlike in Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain, protests in the sultanate focused on jobs and alleged corruption rather than political change. Oman's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. State media reported on the protests on Monday, saying university graduates were calling on the government to provide jobs. The labour issue is "one of the most important priorities" for the country's ruler, state-run Oman News said. In Sohar, protesters could be seen outside a regional office of the Labour Ministry and in the surrounding areas, holding up signs calling for civil rights and chanting. Some videos showed people throwing stones at police cars while security forces fired tear gas canisters at the protesters. "Your majesty Sultan Haitham, who the unemployed and fired citizens would look at, after God, if it's not you ?" read one of the signs. Story continues Small protests also took place in Sohar on Sunday, which also drew a large police response. In a tweet, the country's labour ministry acknowledged Sunday's protests and said the protesters' demands of employment and complaints of lay-offs "were heard". Oman's former minister of state for foreign affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah said in an interview with Oman state TV last month that the region was close to another Arab Spring. For cemeteries at other proposed sites, they could take more than a year to build and construction costs would be significant. Because Sampson was built in accordance with National Cemetery Administration standards, there wouldn't be any construction costs. The cemetery's initial plan is to use 15 acres for 6,000 gravesites. More sections can be developed "at a minimal cost," according to the state Division of Veterans' Service's report. The 162-acre site has the capacity for approximately 80,000 gravesites. Joel Evans, the acting director of the state Division of Veterans' Service, noted that the report issued by his agency was "advisory in nature." The final decision rested with the selection committee, which first met last week. There was little discussion during the 22-minute meeting on Monday. Bob Becker, a Schenectady resident and Marine Corps veteran who was appointed to the committee, relayed questions about Sampson he received from a veterans group in Binghamton. The questions included whether Sampson is open (it is already operating), who will oversee operations (Seneca County would transfer ownership to the state) and who it would serve (it would be limited to veterans and their spouses). Before the selection committee's vote on Monday, Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery was considered the front-runner. The state Division of Veterans' Services received 11 responses to its request for information that was issued in February. Ten of the responses were reviewed and the agency published a report that was provided to the committee. In its report, the division recommended Sampson to be the first state veterans cemetery. There were many factors in its favor, including that it's already operating as a veterans cemetery. There wouldn't be any construction costs associated with the project if Sampson was selected, the report found, and there wouldn't be a waiting period before the cemetery could host burials. "We were very mindful from the beginning to be sure that the planning, design and construction of the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery were done in strict compliance with the (National Cemetery Administration) standards," Rowe said. "Today is a ratification of those efforts." Its wearing out the Navy, the crews, their personnel, their families, said Matt Caris, a defense analyst at Avascent, a consulting firm in Washington, who said investments are needed in sailors, maintenance and new ships. The Navy has acknowledged problems in the shipbuilding programs, while having success in others, including submarines. But aging ships 60% of todays fleet was commissioned in 2001 or before has caused maintenance and operation costs to grow at a time when the Navy wants to spend on new ships and research. It would take 4.1% in annual funding growth to boost the fleet to 355 ships within about a decade while meeting other obligations including investments in shipyards, Gilday said. Speaking at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works on a recent afternoon, Gilday insisted things are getting better. The length of time that ships were delayed has declined by 80% at public shipyards and 60% at private yards compared to where things were 18 months ago, Gilday said. And even those ships that suffered delays and cost overruns hold potential. The stealthy Zumwalt destroyer built at Bath Iron Works will be the first naval vessel equipped with hypersonic missiles, he said. Im not saying that were satisfied with where we are, Gilday said. What I will say is that I think that certainly the trends are headed in the right direction. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Tied to your party's platform. Tied to your party's primary voters. Tied to your party's donors. Tied to your party's leaders. And, of course, tied to your consultants so you can get re-elected. Our politicians come with a lot of strings attached. Even the most fervent good-governance advocates, such as Stacey Abrams, fall short of acknowledging that even with full voter participation, our system binds and biases politicians from being truly free to represent their constituents. Closed primaries, for instance, bind politicians to prioritize their partisan primary voters above all other voices. The typical U.S. House member has to be especially attentive to this audience because every two years their job is in the hands of these ideologically extreme individuals. Good-governance advocates could champion open primaries and/or independent redistricting commissions as a means to increase the "value" of votes from the general electorate. However, such reforms would diminish the power of the two major parties and not even people like Abrams dare cross their party's influence. Nissan Motor Co will standardise and share electric-vehicle components with alliance partner Renault SA, the Japanese automaker's chief operating officer (COO) said, describing electrification as the partnership's new lynchpin. The Franco-Japanese alliance, which also includes junior member Mitsubishi Motors Corp, was strained in the aftermath of the arrest and ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has provided an impetus to rebuild the collaboration, and the companies have looked to standardise parts and platforms to cut costs. (Also read - Carlos Ghosn hid scale of Nissan salary, fearing removal from Renault: Report) Nissan has already been sharing common platforms, powertrains and components with Renault and Mitsubishi, but those efforts have "reached the maximum we should do," Ashwani Gupta, Nissan's COO, told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "That's why we are shifting the gear of further synergies using electrification as the main pillar," he said. The focus will be on sharing batteries, electric powertrains and electronic architecture, he said, adding that adopting a uniform standard across the alliance would "contribute significantly" to economies of scale. Gupta said electrification would not pose a supply challenge because of Nissan's global sourcing of components. He said it had battery sourcing in China, Japan, Europe and the United States. Together the alliance sold more than 7.8 million cars last year, down about 23% from 2019 as the companies were hit by the pandemic. The push to share more of the work on electric vehicles (EVs) illustrates the scope of the challenge facing automakers everywhere, as the industry is being transformed by fast-moving technology. Ford has a strategic alliance with Volkswagen AG , under which Ford will use its German partner's MEB electric vehicle platform to build some models. Toyota Motor Corp has expanded ties with companies including Subaru Corp and Chinese battery and automaker BYD to jointly develop EVs, while Honda Motor Co and General Motors will introduce two jointly developed large-sized EV models using GM's Ultium batteries in 2024. BATTERY HURDLES File photo of Nissan Ariya. Nissan, one of the world's first car makers to embrace fully EVs with its Leaf model, will share the platform of its upcoming all-electric Ariya SUV with Renault. Batteries are one of the costliest components of EVs, with raw materials accounting for the largest part of the cost. Yet battery development has been one of the weaker points of the more than 20-year alliance, with both Nissan and Renault sourcing batteries separately. Renault Chief Executive Luca de Meo said this month the two companies are in talks to collaborate more by using the same battery technology, and Gupta said on Friday they have agreed on the common specifications of batteries. Gupta also said that while keeping the distinctiveness of each brand was important in the alliance, the automakers would share "to eliminate the duplication of resources". Nissan, Japan's number three automaker by sales, has said it will electrify all new models in key markets by the early 2030s. It expects yearly sales of more than one million electrified vehicles by the end of fiscal 2023. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. LOS ANGELESEntrenue is helping adult retailers prepare for a sexy summer season with new styles and updates from Bristols 6, a Hollywood go-to brand of innovative undergarments and fit-perfecting fashion fixes. Among the releases are Nippies Restyle, new reusable versions of the original high-quality, high-style nipple cover; popular Nippies Skin in new sizes; and Nippies Basics in more colors and sizes. The company says Nipples Restyle pasties are "the ultimate alternative to wearing a bra," providing support and coverage underneath skin-baring outfits. These nipple covers are made with real fabrics and a gentle, hypoallergenic silicone adhesive that clings onto the skin during the summers hottest nights and remains sticky through multiple wears. The adhesive is gentle enough even for users with sensitive skin. New Nippies Restyle items include Rosey Gold Hearts, Grey Maneater Crosses and Night Fever Crosses Lame. Each Nippies Restyle package includes one pair of reusable nipple covers and a mini patch test. Bristols 6 also has a growing assortment of colors, styles and sizes available to U.S. adult retailers via Entrenue, including the addition of Nippies Skin nipple covers in a new size option. Nippes Skin feature ultra-thin matte Invisifeel silicone and come in three semi-transparent colors that are now available in in two sizes. Nippies Basics are made with breathable Soft-Stretch technology, are waterproof, and are now available in new Black and Creme colors with additional sizes. Available at a new lower price point, Nippies Style will now include a single pair of the brands original fashion nipple cover. Made of the companys exclusive Soft-Stretch adhesive technology, these nipple covers offer the most comfortable coverage possible. Nippies brand nipple covers are a mainstay for our customers, and were excited about the addition of new skin tones and colors, more sizes, and new pricing, Entrenue CEOwner Joe Casella said. Its great to see Bristols 6 expanding its range of skin tones to serve more shoppers who seek quality and stylish solutions like this, and we love working with their team. Entrenue is dedicated to supporting progressive woman-owned businesses like Bristols 6, and we are thrilled to ship their latest offerings as their exclusive U.S. adult distributor. To view the latest from Bristols 6 and the rest of Entrenues catalog, please log into your account at entrenue.com to start browsing. To place an order, please call (800) 368-7268, email [email protected] or visit Entrenue.com. AMSTERDAMInteractive sex toy brand Kiiroo has enjoyed tremendous success this Spring with the release of its "Feel Star" collection of intimate molds to pair with its best-selling KEON male stroker, the company reports. We have had a very enjoyable first month of launch! Kiiroo CEO Toon Timmermans said. The last month has been a new adventure where we have been able to get closer to our customers through social media and other X-rated platforms, and reach an audience of people who we never had before. According to Timmermans, customer response to the customized molds of the Feel StarsBritney Amber, Natalia Starr, Apolonia Lapiedra and Kenzie Taylorhas surpassed Kiiroos expectations, and the company expects the same for the next four models who will be released just before June 2021. We have hosted a number of AMAs for the Feel Stars individually and together, and the questions, answers and all-around enthusiasm for the project has been fantastic," Timmermans said. "Weve been receiving interest from other models who would like to get molded and have their content made interactive as well. Timmermans notes that new customers are really enjoying the interactivity, and also the content aspect. We have a lot of customers who are creating 'funscripts' to control their Keon and Feel Star Strokers too ... the fact that each stroker comes to life with Keon has made the entire experience whole! What makes the Feel Stars different from previous Kiiroo launches is that this is the first time we have released products that are not battery powered, and also the first time we have molded models and worked so closely with models/influencers to create a big launch campaign," Timmermans explained. "The entire project has been filled with firsts and has definitely been an adventure!" POMPANO BEACH, Fla.M.D. Science Lab, makers of the Swiss Navy brand, has begun fulfilling orders for its newest offering, hygienic Toy & Body Cleaner Wipes. These wipes are designed for intimate hygienic cleaning and come boxed in a set of six individual packages. The box is conducive to serving as an in-store sales display, while the handy package design is very convenient for end-consumers. We are excited to be expanding our Swiss Navy line, said Briana Watkins, M.D. Science Labs vice president of sales and marketing. When we considered the feedback weve been receiving from our customers over the past year, we realized that everyone is needing additional options for personal cleanliness. These intimate wipes are ideal for bodies and pleasure products, and specifically meet the needs of our customers. The formula for the wipes is dermatologically-tested, and includes tea tree oil and lavender oil. Research has found tea tree oil to be a topical antiseptic and can serve as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral treatment. Swiss Navys Toy & Body Cleaner Wipes also include lavender oil, which provides an arousing scent and has been found to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Our development team does extensive research to find the best clinical options for our new products, Watkins said. We know consumers are looking for functional solutions using the best ingredients. We strive to pack as many benefits as possible into our products, and our new toy and body cleaner wipes are an effective combination of health and expertise. According to Deloitte Business Consulting, 84 percent of consumers rank personal cleanliness as very important, while sales of personal sanitization products are up 30 percent from last year. Consumers view cleaning products as essential and appreciate the added convenience of a wipe. Swiss Navy assured that it continues to take every possible measure to ensure shipments are safely fulfilled as the world adapts to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. To order Swiss Navys Toy & Body Cleaner Wipes, contact your Swiss Navy representative. To view the latest from Swiss Navy, visit swissnavy.com. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes The movie Hi, Mom was a hit in 2021 and I had a chance to watch it recently on PanziTV. The theme of the movie fits well with the May theme of MYSJ, as it is about the love between mother and daughter, so I'd like to submit this essay as my assignment. This is a story about a daughter (Jia Xiaoling) who has been so ordinary that she has never had a chance to make her mother (Li Huanying) be proud of her even once in her entire 18 years of life and would never be able to do so as her mother was dying. Crying beside her mother's bed in hospital, Xiaoling travelled back to 1981 when her mother was not married. She was determined to change her mother's fate in order to make her happy and proud. She managed to make her mother the first one in her factory to purchase a TV set and tried very hard to hook her mother with the son of the factory chief -even if it meant that she would never have come to this world. Her match-making effort turned in vain and her mother still chose to marry with her dad an ordinary factory worker with an ordinary appearance. Up to this point, the movie felt like all about snobbish expectations prevailing in the Chinese society. Then, the movie took a drastic turn: the travelling to the past was indeed initiated by Xiaoling's dying mother, who wanted to use this journey tell Xiaoling that she never considered her an embarrassment" despite the all the incidents and was proud of her achievements no matter how small they are. Most importantly, she would still choose to have Xiaoling as a daughter even if she could live her life once more. The story is based on the life of the mother of the actress, Jia Ling - also a famous comedian in China. She made this movie to pay tributes to her mom, whose life stopped at the age of 48, and she did not have the opportunity to sit beside her mother's hospital bed then. I believe she made this movie for herself and people who consider themselves too ordinary to live up to the expectations of their parents. In this movie, Xiaoling's mom never said "I love you" orI am proud of you", but her choice is louder than words: she would not want another daughter who is prettier, richer and more successful, because Xiaoling is perfect for her with her love. Many of us including me are ordinary people with an ordinary life. However, love from people around us has made us special. Those people are our family and friends, those people could be strangers we met on the street, or people we never met in real life: such as the lovely people on MYSJ. So, thank you all, especially our beloved head: Beautiful Wind. I know I am perfect in MYSJ because of your love, and please be reassured that you are perfect with our love. A 34-year-old man accused of assaulting a toddler has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Willie Antoine Redd, 34, pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and failure to register as a violent offender in Yellowstone County District Court on Monday. Redds bail was set at $300,000. The defense could argue for a reduction at a later date. Redd, who was arrested while staying at a Motel 6 in Billings, allegedly beat a 3-year-old girl so severely she needed lifesaving surgery at a Denver hospital. The childs mother left her in Redds care in early February, according to court documents, and within a day he took the girl to the Billings Clinic. Her injuries included head trauma, bruising all over her body and internal bleeding. Redds explanation of the girls injuries to the girls mother could not have accounted for her condition, doctors in Denver said, according to charges. Redd said the girl was hurt from being thrown around inside his vehicle as he sped away from being shot at in a fast food restaurant parking lot, charges state. Below are the arrests for May 21 to 23. All listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Sheila Browning, 50, was arrested on May 22 at 6:39 p.m. at 2802 N. Waugh St. She was charged with a warrant for petition to revoke and a warrant for pretrial release violation. Timothy Coulbern, 28, was arrested on May 21 at 10:29 p.m. at 2601 N. Washington St. He was charged with a warrant for failure to appear and a warrant for petition to revoke. Segial Davis, 33, was arrested on May 22 at 2:45 a.m. at North Main Street and East Markland Avenue. He was charged with public intoxication. Terance Davis, 38, was arrested on May 22 at 4:09 a.m. at East Center Road and Albright Road. He was charged with possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor), possession of paraphernalia (class C misdemeanor), operating while intoxicated (class A misdemeanor), and operating while intoxicated (level 6 felony). Michael Doty, 45, was arrested on May 22 at 6 p.m. at 300 South and South Park Road. He was charged with possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor) and operating while intoxicated (level 6 felony). Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Shautae Franklin, 42, was arrested on May 23 at 10:24 p.m. at 1812 N. Morrison St. She was charged with hit and skip (class B misdemeanor), hit and skip (class A misdemeanor), and operating while intoxicated (class A misdemeanor). Daiquan Haith, 28, was arrested on May 21 at 8:19 p.m. at West Jefferson Street and South Washington Street. He was charged with never obtaining a license (class A misdemeanor). Christopher Jackson, 28, was arrested on May 21 at 8:19 p.m. at 714 N. Union St. He was charged with resisting law enforcement (class A misdemeanor) and escape (level 6 felony). Mark Seifert, 44, was arrested on May 23 at 3:30 a.m. at 519 S. Indiana St. He was charged with domestic battery (class A misdemeanor) and strangulation (level 6 felony). Jason Van Haecke, 20, was arrested on May 21 at 8:54 p.m. at 1419 S. Main St. He was charged with a warrant for petition to revoke. Andre Peoples, 34, was arrested on May 21 at 1212 Imperial Drive. He was charged with a warrant for dealing marijuana, a warrant for hit and skip, a warrant for petition to revoke, and a warrant for failure to appear. Janet Pressdee, 37, was arrested on May 21 at 396 South and 00 East-West. She was charged with possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor), possession of methamphetamine (level 6 felony), and possession of paraphernalia (class C misdemeanor). Hayes has been teaching community college for 20 years, and said shes seen so many students get defeated, internalize their failure and not come back. But George never gave up. In addition to finding his stride academically, Jankowski put a lot of energy into making the campus community a place where everyone can thrive. He was a member of the academic honor society Phi Theta Kappa, the student veterans group and Safe Zone, which is a campus program designed to foster inclusivity for the LGBTQIA community. He identifies as a straight male, but said one of his personal mantras is to spread the love and stop the hate. LCCCs campus and the larger community need more people with that mindset, said Hayes, who co-founded Safe Zone. One of the hardest things has been getting over the perception of Safe as the gay club, Hayes said. Having a straight dude come be the president of the club and not be afraid to say Yeah, Im an ally, makes a huge difference. It definitely helped get more people involved in it. Hayes, who has gotten to know Jankowski very well over the past four years, added that hes generous with his time hes organized multiple fundraisers for various causes and never expects anything in return. The Sioux Ranger District in the southeastern corner of Montana and northwestern South Dakota is rescinding early season fire restrictions after receiving significant moisture over the weekend. The area around Camp Crook, Ekalaka and far southeastern Montana and northwestern South Dakota has been significantly drier than normal with little moisture over the winter months," said Kurt Hansen, Sioux District Ranger. With the total rain and moisture received over the past several days well see some green-up of the grasses and shrubs in the area for a bit and are able to rescind those fire restrictions at this time. It is important to note that the Sioux Ranger District is drier over the long-term than normal; and warmer, drier weather over the summer season may cause the return of fire restrictions at a later date. With the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend and an unofficial start to the typical summer camping season, forest visitors are being asked to practice proper campfire safety such as: Build fires in established fire rings. Keep fires small and close to the ground. Keep water, a shovel and/or extinguishing tool close at hand. CODY, Wyo. After one ski season under his belt, Sleeping Giant Ski Area owner Nick Piazza is looking to get ahead of the curve by further investing in his mountain this summer. "In my businesses I know things are running well if we're not talking about things for tomorrow or next week, but we're talking about things for two months from now," he said. Piazza is forgoing the summer zip line season in order to focus on construction efforts for the mountain. Although the zip line has traditionally been the mountain's biggest money-maker, he said it only makes sense to take a season off and come back in 2022 in a more prepared state. "It never really got big enough to really solve the issues of the ski season," he said of the zip line. "So we had to make kind of a bet, and our bet was we really care about the ski season, so why don't we try to make that the best it can be rather than operate a whole other business and try to learn that again." The latest North Dakota coronavirus news: child care, college masks and more. Child care aid North Dakota families who participate in the Child Care Assistance Program are benefiting from additional federal funding authorized late last year in response to the pandemic. Congress in December approved $10 billion in supplemental funding in the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The North Dakota Department of Human Services is waiving participating families co-payments. The effort began in April, for care provided in March. Assistance generally is available to North Dakota families earning up to 60% of the state median income, which is $4,233 a month for a family of three. Family co-payments average about $150 per month. The program pays for child care provided while parents work or attend school or training. Effective March 1 of this year through September 2022, it also will pay for up to three months of child care provided while parents are involved in job searching. We just cannot accept this as it is, Carol Heckman, an attorney for Prairie Band, said in a court hearing last week. We're happy to keep talking about it, but Treasury would have to sweeten the pie. The Miccosukee Tribe amended its lawsuit Wednesday to reflect the latest arguments. The Treasury Department will avoid much of the problems it encountered with CARES Act funding in the distribution of the $20 billion for tribes under the American Rescue Plan Act. The department said it will use tribally certified enrollment figures to pay out $12.35 billion and tribal employment data for $6.65 billion. Another $1 billion will be divided equally among eligible tribal governments, the Treasury Department said. Alaska Native corporations, which own much of the Native land in Alaska under a 1971 settlement, aren't eligible for any of the $20 billion in funding. The U.S. Supreme Court is deciding whether the corporations will get a slice of the CARES Act money. The Treasury Department set a Monday deadline for tribal governments to submit their enrollment information online for the American Rescue Plan funding. It acknowledged that no formula perfectly can capture the needs of tribes, which have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic. Ellen Chaffee, who helped lead the 2018 citizen-initiated measure, saw lawmakers mostly work well with the Ethics Commission, but "the hard part was the budget." She was pleased to see bipartisan lawmakers collaborate in a House-Senate conference committee to advance "a sufficient budget." Goodman is glad for the board to be able to issue "vitally important" public advisory opinions to state elected officials, lawmakers, lobbyists and candidates, who are under the panel's purview. The requestor will not be penalized if he or she acts in good faith and in accordance with an advisory opinion under the context described. Thiele said "ethics isn't always black and white, and this allows people to say, 'You know what, here's the factual scenario, is this OK or not?'" Klemin said advisory opinions are "an excellent thing to do," modeled after attorney organizations, which issue advisory opinions. Lawmakers also delved into the board's complaint procedures, allowing only complaints by North Dakota residents and prohibiting the Ethics Commission from accepting or acting on anonymous or nonresident complaints. Anonymous complaints may be referred to law enforcement if they contain "documentary or real evidence of possible criminal conduct." Boasbergs ruling allowing Dakota Access to continue operating came as a relief to North Dakotas oil industry, as the line has the capacity to carry about half of the states daily oil output to market. State officials were thrilled with that part of the ruling. They feared a shutdown would have led to job losses in the Bakken oil patch and a hit to tax revenue collected from oil production. We think the judge got it right, Seibel said. Were very pleased with the result. North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem cited those economic factors in April when he made a pitch to Boasberg to allow the state to intervene. The state argued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had abandoned its previously vigorous defense of the pipeline and could no longer represent North Dakotas interest in keeping the line operating. The Corps is tasked with permitting the lines Missouri River crossing just upstream of the Standing Rock Reservation. A memorial run/walk held Friday was a fitting tribute to Tom Regan, a Bismarck man who overcame addiction and dedicated his life to helping others. Regan, who died in February, was the former executive director of Missouri Slope Areawide United Way. He went back to school to become an addiction counselor and grief counselor for Heartview Foundation. He was an effective fundraiser for both organizations, raising over $17 million. The run/walk in his honor was sponsored by Heartview and Runners Against Destructive Decisions. Down The Bis-Man Community Food Co-op needs more community support or its in danger of closing. The co-ops average monthly sales have dropped from $250,000 to less than $130,000, due in part to national competitors such as Natural Grocers and Costco as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. The co-op survived the past year in part due to the Paycheck Protection Program, a form of federal coronavirus aid, and panic buying that occurred early in the pandemic. The business supports local farmers, selling products supplied by more than 70 North Dakota producers with 60% of a sale going back to the producer. Now the co-op is asking for the publics help to keep the model going. I disagree with the opinion piece, dated 5/17/21 titled Balance is needed in ND government. It states, ND government, and by implication the North Dakota voter, is increasingly despotic and at times fanatical. According to this writer, North Dakotas Republicans are slaves to the gun lobby, right to life and the fossil fuel industry. He claims that they are racist homophobes that cling to their guns and religion. Does this sound familiar? I have always believed that North Dakotans are generally fair and level-headed. Does the writer seriously believe that our leaders and the states electorate are racist radicals? We only need to look east to see what is radical. Much of Minnesota now embodies left-wing radical politics rioting, looting, and burning cities. This is the type of thinking that most in our state rejects. Such concepts as critical race theory, cancel culture and the Green New Deal are foreign to the thinking of most North Dakotans. Our ND elected officials may not be perfect but compare them to Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Maxine Waters, or Governor Andrew Cuomo and I am confident that you will find our local leaders far superior. Lets continue to elect conservative politicians that have our best interests at heart. Thats the Balance we want. Since March, I was plagued by an adductor pain self-diagnosed (with help from my friend L) as abdominal tendinopathy. I skipped a race in May and was down on running, squating, and even surya namaskar. From what I read, I'd better let time work its magic. The Chinese folk wisdom says it could take more than three months. Two months passed and it showed no sign of relenting. It was particularly frustrating to me because, in the wake of daily street attacks on Asians, I was eager to go back to martial arts. The adductor pain, however, made me feel like an invalid. L, who was nursing the same injury a few months before me, switched to mountain-biking. I instead did some research and decided to ruck. I read about rucking from Mark Rifkind's (aka Rif) blog years back. It sounded nothing special: one simply loads on his back some poundage and marches, as done in the military. Rif must have done it for a reason, I thought. Maybe he couldn't run due to injury or he didn't own a car to get to the trails. I was attracted to the idea at the time but was too busy running and recovering. Well, things changed. I needed an alternative for cardio. I used to swim, but swimming felt inpractical in a pandemic. In a haste, I threw frugality out of the window and ordered a ruck sack and 40 lbs of plates. Two plates of 20 lbs arrived the last week of Apr. The afternoon of the same day, I stuffed them in my backpack and loaded it on Tim. "Let's go for a walk." We both noticed the huge difference between swinging a 20lbs kettlebell and carrying the same amount of weight on the back. The latter felt much more stressful on the shoulders. The kid took to it well, however. Since then, We've been rucking almost everyday. [Recently, I was inspired by some amazing mushroom hunters in north-east China. At a body weight of 120 lbs, one could carry 100+ lbs of goods for three hours through the mountains.] Sunday morning, I revisited the podcast where Pavel talked with Tim Ferriss about strength training. I relearnt of Plutarch's observation that the training of a soldier and that of an athlete are radically different. The athlete has the luxury of a pampered lifestyle and the soldier doesn't. I should've realized that a long time ago. The point sounds obvious once pointed out but I wonder how often do we reflect on its truth, let alone acting it out with practice. Fri May 14, 2021, the 64-year-old Rifkind recorded 45lb ruck 5 laps 3 miles 45 min BW 177.6 BF 13.7 Sun, May 16, 2021, I carried 40lbs for about 70 minutes over four miles. I sweated but afterwards the muscles felt no burn at all. I guess the kettlebell swings and running up Mission Peak prepared me well for rucking. WATCH NOW: Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops: Monitoring LaPorte with Specialist Justin Dyer PARK FOREST A Hobart man who died after crashing a motorcycle late Sunday was the vehicle's sole occupant, police said. The driver was identified as James Johnson, who was 70 years old. Why nocturnal tornadoes are more dangerous Johnson was found unresponsive when Park Forest police and firefighters responded about 9:45 p.m. on Western Avenue near Cedar Street, police said. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Johnson was taken to Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, where he was declared dead at 10:22 p.m., Cook County medical examiner records show. Police released limited details Monday but said there were no obvious signs of impairment. The South Suburban Major Accident Reconstruction Team assisted in an investigation. The Park Forest Police Department offered its condolences to the friends and family of Johnson. Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail A parasite on the Democratic Party is how journalist Edward Isaac Dovere describes former President Obama in his forthcoming tell-all book Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats\' Campaign to Defeat Trump In a chapter entitled Benign Neglect, Dovere writes that the sections namesake is how Obama aides privately described his abandonment of the Democratic Party once in the White House. Negligence might be more accurate, Dovere, writer for The Atlantic and former chief Washington correspondent for Politico, writes.? Brian Klock, M&T Bank's next head of markets and investor relations, needs no introduction to the bank. The Grand Island native and Niagara University graduate worked for M&T from 1994 to 2004. And he has tracked M&T's growth while working for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, most recently as its managing director and head of large regional U.S. bank research. Klock, 52, has joined M&T as a senior vice president and will transition into the role of head of investor relations at the start of 2022, when Don MacLeod retires from the position. MacLeod has served as head of investor relations for 17 years. "There's so much going on in the banking industry now," Klock said. "Banks have a huge impact on what's going on in the community and everything that's digital today. I want to be part of that. I want to take the skills that I've learned and actually add value." Klock returns to M&T at a time when the bank is about to grow substantially through its planned acquisition of People's United Financial, and is moving into its $58 million tech hub at Seneca One tower. He will remain based in Boston, Mass. When meeting potential dining companions, the process of deciding where well go for the night involves a brief interrogation to identify the gaps in their repertoire. Certain deficits I feel duty-bound to repair at the earliest practicable moment. On a recent evening, faced with individuals whose lives had been devoid of Korean barbecue, I got a table at Woo Chon Korea House, stat. If you dig meat, and have never had Korean barbecue, youre in luck. For nearly 30 years, the Evans Street restaurant has given this corner of Western New York access to one of the worlds outstanding set meals. Fine dining serves up sleek subtlety, cool and classy. Korean barbecue is more primal, providing action, urgency and autonomy. Diners can select their own choice morsels of marinated ribeye or spicy pork, conveyed mouthward with unbeatable speed, getting the sizzle and the steak in every bite. To reserve a barbecue table, you must commit to two plates of grillables, at least. This has never been a problem, personally, just know the commitment level. Monday's news conference outside the downtown offices of Community Services for Every1 was sponsored by the Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York, which represents 40 human-services agencies across New York's 18 westernmost counties. The agencies' employees bathe, dress and feed clients with disabilities, drive them to appointments and provide other badly needed services, whether in a group-home setting or for clients who live with their families or on their own. The workers, three-quarters of whom are women and 42% of whom are people of color, have seen their wages stagnate, said Jeff Paterson, an alliance board member. There are about 110,000 direct support professionals, or DSPs, across the state. +3 30 years later, celebrating law that opened doors, erased barriers Without the the Americans With Disabilities Act, signed into law July 26, 1990, "it would be a lot harder to be a contributing member of society," says Kaylin Corbran. Since 2009, the state has cut $2.6 billion from the disability services system, including $238 million this year, he said. In 2005, for example, the average DSP wage was 33% higher than the state's minimum wage, Paterson said, while today it is less than 2% above the minimum wage. The agencies have trouble recruiting and retaining workers because, as Candyce Adams, a manager in a large residential home, said, "They can go to McDonald's and make more money." The police work didn't stop when City of Tonawanda officers found a 15-year-old runaway on a bus in January 2018. She told officers she was headed to California to visit family, claiming that her uncle purchased the bus ticket for her. The investigation, however, revealed she had been communicating on an internet app with a registered sex offender who had been released on parole from prison in 2016. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara sentenced Carlos Francisco Lopez, 32, of Los Angeles, to 147 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release on his conviction of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempting to transport a minor across state lines to engage in sexual activity, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, said the girl had met an unknown individual, with the username playfulchaos, on the internet application Kik in a group for runaway youth. In addition to discussing the victim running away, the two also discussed having sex, according to prosecutors. The girl told authorities that the two continued to communicate on the internet application Text Free, making plans for her to travel to California. A Muslim boarding school in Buffalo is accused in a lawsuit filed last week of allowing a teacher to sexually abuse a student in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The former student, now 33 and living in Ontario, Canada, alleged that he was teased by other students because they knew he was being molested and the school, Darul-Uloom Al-Madania, did not stop it. The plaintiff was between the ages of 11 and 13 when the abuse occurred on multiple occasions, starting with an incident in the bathroom of a mosque affiliated with the school, according to the Child Victims Act lawsuit filed Wednesday by New York City attorney Andrew M. Stengel. The alleged perpetrator of the abuse is not named in the complaint, which identifies him only as Teacher Doe who was head of the boys dormitory. The plaintiff was the target of teasing and bullying by his own classmates for the abuse he suffered at the hands of the head of the dorm, Stengel said. The plaintiff also was physically abused by others at the school, according to court papers. Independent Health and UPS are looking to hire. Independent Health and an affiliate company, Nova Healthcare Administrators, are filling a combined 57 full-time customer service positions by late May or June. And UPS plans to hire for more than 100 permanent, part-time package handling positions in Buffalo at its James E. Casey Drive facility in Lovejoy. +6 As pandemic eases, Buffalo Niagara employers face new challenge: bringing workers back Our goal going forward is to keep whats great, what weve learned about remote working, but then how do we build back in some of the stuff that weve missed? said Dwight Gram, a Rich Products spokesman. Both companies are trying to hire at a time when the region's unemployment rate is 7.3%, but many employers say they are struggling to find people to fill positions. The region still has about 33,000 fewer jobs than it had in February 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic caused widespread job losses last spring. Independent Health is filling 32 customer service representative positions, and Nova is hiring 25 health care navigators, including for some bilingual positions. The jobs start at $17 per hour. UPS says its starting hourly pay is also $17 depending on location, shift and position and includes annual raises. The company says that the part-time positions are frequently a pathway to full-time jobs: UPS said over 56% of its current drivers and management staff were originally hired for part-time package handler jobs. " "We have to take advantage of situations like this," Stevens said. "The section between Wilson and Olcott should be pretty popular." Bicyclists already ride Route 18 to enjoy those lake views, but the new trail will be much safer, Stevens said. The trail will pass within a few feet of the rebuilt pier, where work, which includes new parking and a restroom, is expected to be complete by the end of October. "Reopening the pier will benefit the residents of the village, the town, as well as the Niagara region," said Chris Bauer, revitalization specialist for the New York Department of State. The pier project, Lawson said, will help deal with lake water levels that can be "unpredictable." This year, the water levels are at their lowest point in the last few years. "In 2017 we were caught by surprise," Lawson said. "2018 was OK but in 2019 we were hit even harder." Niagara County Legislator David E. Godfrey of Wilson said he asked the Sheriff's Office marine patrol to install warning lights on the submerged pier to keep boaters from crashing into it. In May and June, The Buffalo News will tell the stories of some of Western New Yorks veterans who served in the armed services in World War II and beyond. Know of a veteran's story we should tell? Let us know by calling 849-4444, emailing citydesk@buffnews.com or submitting a name at buffalonews.com/news-tip/. *** During his time as a communications officer in the 3rd Infantry Division during World War II, U.S. Army Sgt. Arthur P. Miller of Buffalo cultivated a broad range of memories from triumphant to tragic. As he sat under a gazebo on the grounds of the Brothers of Mercy campus in Clarence more than 75 years later, surrounded by his medals and memorabilia, it was the happier moments about which Miller chose to reminisce. They included sharing a bottle of scotch with a couple of U.S. citizens who were stranded in Rome prior to the liberation of Italy by Allied forces; sharing a 200-pound wheel of Limburger cheese with an entire village in Austria; and sharing a poignant encounter with a German soldier in which they both managed to avoid killing or getting killed. Miller's youngest son, Paul, who now lives in Houston, said his father has been brimming with these long-ago memories in recent years. "That's his whole life now. He never talked about it for years, but that's the biggest part of his life now," said Paul Miller. His father was eager to share and genuinely humbled by those taking an interest in his stories, including staff at the Brothers of Mercy Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where the 96-year-old veteran has been a permanent resident for three years. Miller was born on June 28, 1924, in Buffalo, and grew up on the East Side. He attended St. Stanislaus Catholic Elementary School and was a 1939 graduate of Seneca Vocational High School before he was drafted into the Army in 1941. As a result of his background in radio and telephone technology, Miller said he requested that service be in communications. "I told them I wanted to be in electronics. So I wound up being in charge of telephone and telegraph," he said. Miller said that did not spare him service on the battle lines, though. He served in North Africa, Italy, France, Austria and Germany. Miller joined his men on the Appian Way to Rome in May 1945 for the liberation of Italy. Miller said he and his Jeep driver, Pablo Garcia, encountered an American husband and wife in Rome who had been trapped in the city since the start of the war and were grateful to see him. "The nice part about it was that the woman had a big, American flag. She wrapped it around me," said Miller. "Naturally, I was crying and she was crying," he said, dabbing his eyes with a tissue. The husband broke out a bottle of Haig & Haig scotch that the couple had been saving, vowing not to open it until Italy was liberated. "So we all had a little drink out of that bottle, and they welcomed us and I welcomed them ... So, that was a happy day," Miller said. He even found something pleasant to remember in dealing with one of the enemy, during a chance encounter in Germany, in which either of them could have wound up dead. "I made friends with people who were ready to kill me," Miller said. How did he manage that? "Very easily. I just talked them out of doing it," he said. "He was the same age I was. We were both 19 or 20, and he carried a rifle, and I said, "I don't like you carrying that rifle. Why don't you put it on the ground? And he said 'why?' And I said, 'because it's making me nervous.' And so he finally laid it down,'" Miller said. Miller spoke to the German soldier half in German and half in English, and asked him: " 'Why do we want to kill each other?' I said, 'why don't we go home. You're as old as I am. You probably have a girlfriend or a wife. You can have a family. You can raise your family and forget about the war,' " Miller said. The two men saluted each other and walked away. "There's only one thing I feel bad about and that's I didn't get his name," Miller said. He recalled the time a German air force officer surrendered to him in Austria near the end of the war. "We were taking German prisoners down the road, a back road, and I noticed this little white thing coming out of the forest. So I told Pablo, my driver, 'why don't you stop.' It looked like someone was waving a little white flag. So he stopped .... and I waved him on and he came in," Miller said of the German officer. "He was the sharpest soldier I ever saw in my life," Miller recalled, describing his long chamois leather coat and boots. "The only thing he could see is that I had a .45 on my side and a .38 on my shoulder holster," said Miller. In the midst of war, Miller still marveled at the beauty of Austria. "I stayed there with my men for a whole month, and we ate a lot of Limburger cheese, Swiss cheese and drank a lot of beer. And it was very easy because ... we found out after a few days, hey, there's a little brewery here, and a little cheese factory," Miller said. "Now, the only way I could buy the cheese was in a 200-pound wheel that they made," he added. "We gave the people that lived in this town the cheese. They did a lot of stuff for us. They became our family and we became their family. It was wonderful." After 3 years of service, Miller was discharged in 1945. He earned the Bronze Star, and during a 2011 ceremony in New York City, Miller was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honor from the president of France for his participation in the liberation of France. Miller cherishes a framed black-and-white photograph he took of Allied soldiers in the shadow outside the Eagle's Nest in Anzio, Italy. He married the former Madeline Marie Bokowski in 1950. They had three children, now in their 60s: Gretchen; Timothy, a retired New York City-based actor; and Paul. The couple had two grandchildren. They were married for 65 years until her death in 2015. Miller was a mechanical engineer for the Sylvania Company in Batavia for 30 years. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Statement of Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on the 4th anniversary of the Marawi Siege On this day, four years ago, we bear witness to the destruction of Marawi City; the lost of innocent lives caught in the crossfirea day that we wish that never happened but nonetheless forever etched in the pages of history. As the current chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation, let me assure our countrymen, most especially the people of Marawihindi po kayo nalilimutan ng ating pamahalaan. Let us all stand in solidarity with the people of Marawi and help them in our own little way to overcome the lingering nightmare of the siege that still haunts them today. Through our government's efforts, we continue to struggle and share their dreams of one day waking up to a new day full of hope and normalcy The idea is simple. The group targets neighborhoods, mostly Black and Latino, with low vaccination rates, such as Boston's Roxbury neighborhood. It works with a local church to host a pop-up site on, for instance, a Friday, which opens later in the day after most people are working and at home. It can be daunting to go to a big facility," Martin said for some. Once the neighborhood and vaccine location is worked out, then the campaign tools are brought out. Using voter rolls and other information through a platform called EveryAction, volunteers on a Monday before a Friday pop-up call everyone on that list in a targeted neighborhood. If a caller reaches someone already vaccinated, they are urged to contact 3 people they know in a peer-to-peer approach that is often among the most successful methods to convincing people to get a vaccine. By Wednesday, text blasts go out to all the cellphones of neighborhood residents that have been obtained by the efforts political teams. Then, on Thursdays, the day before a pop-up site opens, everyone on the list who lives within about six blocks of the site is visited at their homes by volunteer health care workers. Some are assigned to work in lobbies of large housing projects. Hassan Slaieh, a freelance journalist in Gaza whose WhatsApp account is blocked, said he thinks his account might have been targeted because he was on a group called Hamas Media. This has affected my work and my income because I lost conversations with sources and people, Slaieh said. Al Jazeeras chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael al-Dahdouh, said his access to WhatsApp was blocked around dawn on Friday before it was reinstated Monday. He said journalists subscribe to Hamas groups only to get information needed to do journalistic work. A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company bans accounts to comply with its policies to prevent harm as well as applicable law. The company said it has been in touch with media outlets over the last week about its practices. We will reinstate journalists if any were impacted, the company said. Al Jazeera said that when it sought information regarding its four journalists in Gaza impacted by the blockage, they were told by Facebook that the company had blocked the numbers of groups based out of Gaza and consequently the cell phone numbers of Al Jazeera journalists were part of the groups they had blocked. The first question I am asked is always the same: are you taking lessons? And my answer is: no I have YouTube. Whatever it is you are trying to do you have at your disposal only God knows how many musicians out there with a YouTube channel and very happy to share their phenomenal expertise gratis. Also you have the software Synthesia that eliminates the inconvenience of reading music. Here is the keyboard and now the notes cascading down to light up the keys for you to play at various speeds according to your level. Musically, my tastes are eclectic. I can think of maybe two musical styles that turn my ears to stone: Hawaiian and mariachi. George Orwell said the secret to torture was to discover the one thing the person was unable to tolerate. With Orwell it was rats. With me it is mariachi. Lock me in a room and crank up the mariachi and I would turn in my grandmother. Otherwise I am a relic of the sixties: Dylan, the Stones, Creedence, etc. The first tune I learned was "Fortunate Son" with four chords: C, D, F, G. It took me an hour to learn the chords and six months to call it music. Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images With restrictions on weddings set to be lifted on 21 June, many engaged couples are busy planning their post-lockdown nuptials, and the UK Prime Minister is no different. Boris Johnson and fiancee Carrie Symonds have set their wedding date for summer 2022, it's been reported. According to The Sun, the couple have sent save-the-date cards to family and friends for an event to "celebrate their wedding" on Saturday 30 July of next year. The paper said details of where the pair will marry remained a secret and suggested they had delayed the wedding until 2022 to ensure it was not disrupted by Covid restrictions. As it stands due to the pandemic, a maximum of 30 people are allowed to attend a wedding ceremony or reception in England. In Wales, wedding receptions can have up to 30 people indoors and 50 people outdoors, while a limit of 50 applies in Scotland to weddings and receptions. In Northern Ireland, there is no limit on the numbers for wedding ceremonies but venues must decide how many people they can safely welcome; receptions are not currently permitted. Photo credit: Rob Pinney - Getty Images The Prime Minister and Carrie announced their engagement along with the news they were expecting their first child together in February last year. Their son, Wilfred, was born a few months later in April 2020. Just hours after her son was born, Carrie took to Twitter to make her first public comment. She wrote: "Clapping again for our tremendous carers tonight," referencing the previous Thursday night tradition of clapping to thank NHS and care workers for all they do. Making special mention of her new motherhood, Carrie added: "I also have another wonderful reason to thank the NHS this week too. Thank you so, so much!" The PM's wedding to Carrie will be his third marriage, having finalised his divorce from his second wife Marina Wheeler in 2020, and he'll become only the second UK Prime Minister to marry while in office - an event which hasn't happened since 1822. Story continues Cosmopolitan UK's current issue is out now and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE. Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Follow Megan on Twitter You Might Also Like Company Announces Two New Albacore Longline Fishery Assessments Spanning Multiple Nations, Three Oceans and Three Tuna Species The Bumble Bee Seafood Company and parent company FCF CO., LTD. (FCF), today announced that it will be entering two new Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) longline fishery assessments. These assessments come as a result of two years of implementation of Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) action plans led by Bumble Bee, non-profit organization Ocean Outcomes and FCF jointly, which work to protect the abundance of tuna stocks, mitigate fishing impact on other species, and ensure that fisheries are monitored and well-managed. Once certified, these longline vessels will begin supplying MSC certified albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna in 2023. Last year, Bumble Bee debuted the first annual Seafood Future Report, renewing the companys commitment and response to sustainability and social responsibility and setting bold goals for the future. Together with FCF, Bumble Bee committed to ensuring that all seafood sourced would be externally recognized as sustainable or in a formal program moving toward certification by 2025. Now, less than one year later, Bumble Bee and FCF have truly become stronger together and are proud to announce the two new longline assessments which will span multiple nations including Taiwan, Fiji, Vanuatu, and others three oceans, three tuna species and more than 250 longline vessels with a goal of completion by the end of 2022. The longline fishery assessments cover predominantly albacore tuna and represent approximately 50 percent of the entire albacore tuna production for The Bumble Bee Seafood Company. "Our purpose is simple, important and two-fold. We want to help feed the world and protect our oceans and we cant do the first without focusing on the second," said Jan Tharp, President and CEO, The Bumble Bee Seafood Company. "MSC certification is a key pathway to achieving this and with FCF as our partner, we have been able to accelerate our certification efforts and move more quickly and efficiently toward meeting the goals we set last year." Story continues The two longline fishery assessments will be certified against the three core principles and 28 scoring indicators set out in the MSC Fisheries Standard by conformity assessment body, Control Union. The three core principals are: sustainable fish stocks, minimizing environmental impact, and effective fishery management. MSC is the only global wild-capture fisheries certification program that simultaneously meets best practice requirements set by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) and International Social and Environmental. MSC sets the Fishery Standard but is not involved in the full assessment being conducted by the independent assessor. "This is a big step forward for Bumble Bee and FCF," said Max Chou, President, FCF CO., LTD. "But it is just one step in our continued commitment to unwavering focus on restoring and protecting the health of oceans." ABOUT THE BUMBLE BEE SEAFOOD COMPANY The Bumble Bee Seafood Company is passionately pursuing its purpose of feeding peoples lives through the power of the ocean. The iconic 120-year-old fishing company consistently aims to deliver delicious, healthy, and affordable food to consumers while working hard to find new ways to protect the ocean and those that rely on it. Bumble Bee is firmly anchored in a commitment to connect the world to the ocean by re-defining sourcing, producing, and enjoying products from and inspired by the ocean. Bumble Bees full line of seafood and specialty protein products are marketed in the U.S., Canada and over 50 markets globally under leading brands including Bumble Bee, Brunswick, Clover Leaf, Snows, Wild Selections and Beach Cliff. For more information about the company, visit TheBumbleBeeCompany.com. For product information, visit www.BumbleBee.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210524005493/en/ Contacts Liz Conant Liz.conant@fleishman.com Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi By Sushil Batra New Delhi [India], May 25 (ANI): Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who is wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), has gone missing in Antigua and Barbuda. For the first time, Choksi's counsel advocate Vijay Aggarwal, confirmed that he is missing in the island nation. In an exclusive statement to ANI, his lawyer said, "Mr Mehul Choksi is missing. His family members are worried and anxious and had called me to discuss. Antigua police is investigating. Family is in the dark and worried about his safety." There were media reports in Antigua that the police have launched a manhunt for Mehul Choksi. It was reported that Choksi left his home last evening to go for dinner at a well-known restaurant in the southern part of the island and was never seen again. His vehicle was discovered in Jolly Harbour later in the evening, but no sign of him, reported Antiguan newsroom. Choksi has been involved in a legal battle to stop his extradition back to India to answer fraud charges against him. Police are yet to issue a statement on the matter, reported Antiguan newsroom. Earlier, on the media reports regarding his citizenship revocation issue, advocate Vijay Aggarwal had citizenship by an Antiguan civil court, his Advocate Vijay Aggarwal had clarified that "My client Mehul Choksi has clarified that he is very much an Antiguan citizen. His citizenship has not been revoked." Earlier, Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne had said, the citizenship of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, an accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank scam, will be revoked and he will be extradited to India once all his legal options are exhausted. Choksi, 61-year-old is an Indian-born businessman, residing in Antigua and Barbuda and wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Earlier, Choksi in an interview with ANI had claimed that he is innocent and all allegations against him are false, baseless and motivated by political expediency. Choksi holds Antiguan citizenship and is the owner of Gitanjali Group, a retail jewellery company. An arrest warrant for Choksi has been issued in connection with the alleged Punjab National Bank fraud case. He was allegedly involved in stock market manipulation in 2013. Recently Nirav Modi, nephew of Choksi was ordered to be extradited to India from the United Kingdom to face charges of conspiring to defraud PNB of more than a billion dollars, a UK judge ruled. (ANI) (Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Japan opens mass vaccination sites for elderly Japan opened mass inoculation centres on Monday as the country races to vaccinate most of its elderly population against COVID-19 before the start of the Tokyo Olympics. The centres in Tokyo and Osaka will vaccinate thousands of people every day, giving a boost to Japan's sluggish inoculation drive as officials battle a fourth wave of infections. Hospitals in Osaka are buckling, running out of beds and ventilators as exhausted doctors warn of a "system collapse" and advise against holding the Olympics. Taiwan considering extending alert level Taiwan is considering extending its second highest COVID-19 alert that was due to expire at the end of the week, the health minister said on Monday, as he reported a further increase in domestic cases despite tighter social restrictions. However, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung also said an infection peak was registered last Monday and should continue to decline. "Judging from the trend of confirmed cases, it seems that the peak has reached a certain point," Chen said. Israel to end COVID-19 restrictions Israel will end local COVID-19 restrictions after a successful vaccine rollout that has nearly stamped out new infections, its Health Ministry said on Sunday. With the majority of the population having received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and about 92% of those 50 and older inoculated or recovered, Israel has been gradually reopening its economy after three lockdowns. The country reported just 12 new virus cases on Saturday, down from a daily peak of more than 10,000 in January. Singapore provisionally approves 60-second breathalyser test Singapore authorities have provisionally approved a COVID-19 breathalyser test that aims to show whether someone is infected with the coronavirus in under a minute, according to the local startup that developed the product. Story continues Breathonix, a spin-off company from the National University of Singapore, said it is now working with the health ministry to run a deployment trial of the technology at one of the city-state's border points with Malaysia. The breath analysis will be carried out alongside the current compulsory COVID-19 antigen rapid test. Bio-detection dogs sniff out COVID-19 Sniffer dogs trained using smelly socks worn by people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus could soon be used at airports or mass gathering venues to pick up the "corona odour" of COVID-19-infected people, British scientists said on Monday. Working in teams of two, the COVID-trained dogs could screen a line of several hundred people coming off a plane within half an hour, for example, and detect with up to 94.3% sensitivity those infected, the scientists said. Presenting results of an early stage study - which involved some 3,500 odour samples donated in the form of unwashed socks or T-shirts worn by members of the public and health workers - the researchers said the dogs were even able to sniff out asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 cases, as well as cases caused by a mutant variant that emerged in the UK late last year. (Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Spain has lifted its restrictions on travellers from the UK in a bid to boost its economy. But the country is still on the UK government's amber list, meaning people should not go unless it is for essential family or business reasons. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world If tourists do decide to go to Spain, they will need to quarantine for 10 days and get tested twice after their return to the UK. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said last week: "Spain will be delighted, very delighted to welcome all British tourists". "They are welcome to our country without restrictions and without health requirements." He said travellers from countries including New Zealand, South Korea, and China would also be welcome for non-essential travel. Vaccinated travellers from non-European countries, including the US, will be welcome from June. Spain's nationwide State of Emergency, declared by the government in October last year, came to an end on 9 May. Watch: Spain to allow visitors from UK for holidays from Monday - but British govt still says don't go Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker Some restrictions and curfews remain in force and rules may vary between regions. Face coverings continue to be mandatory for anyone over the age of six on all forms of public transport and in many other indoor and outdoor public spaces, while people are expected to socially distance at 1.5 metres. Holidaymakers keen to visit countries on the government's amber list such as Spain, France, Greece and Italy have been urged by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps not to go and have "more patience". Those returning to England from nations on the green list will need to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test and also a post-arrival test, but they will not need to self-isolate. People coming from countries on the amber list will have to take a pre-departure test, and tests on day two and day eight of their arrival. Story continues They will also be required to self-isolate for 10 days, unless they receive a negative result from an optional private test on day five of their arrival, under the test to release scheme, and can end their quarantine early. Business minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan told Sky News on Monday: "The prime minister has been clear that, for now, amber means please don't go unless there is an urgent family reason and so on. "Because we are still trying to slowly move through our roadmap to being able to open up on 21 June and we want to do that in a steady and careful way." Meanwhile, Britons are now barred from entering Germany after the country's health authorities designated the UK as a virus variant area of concern. From today, people coming from Great Britain and Northern Ireland can only enter Germany if they are German citizens or residents. Spouses and children under 18 of a German citizen or resident can also enter, as long as the household are travelling together. Those with an urgent humanitarian reason such as an immediate family bereavement are also able to enter, however anyone entering the country from the UK must quarantine for two weeks on arrival, even if they test negative for the coronavirus. Transit is allowed but passengers must not leave the airport transit area. Watch: Is it OK to book a holiday to an amber list country? Mandalika certainly looks like a place worth going Think of pristine waters, endless beaches, lined with palm trees and lush green mountains as a glorious backdrop. With travel for many a distant memory during the current Covid pandemic, it sounds like a tourist's dream come true. And that's exactly what the Indonesian government is going for with Mandalika, a new tourist area touted as the next Bali. But a massive government-backed programme to develop it as a luxury travel destination has run into allegations of numerous human rights violations at the site. Mandalika is a key investment project for Indonesia, and it also has international investment, amongst others from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). It's a coastal stretch on the island of Lombok, just to the east of Bali, and there's no question that it's beautiful. To maximise its tourism potential, the government wants to attract five star global hoteliers like Pullman, Paramount and Club Med. There's also already a Grand Prix motorcycle circuit being built at the site - not exactly what many might associate with beach holidays in the tropics. 'Threats and intimidation of locals' But in late March, UN experts denounced the mega project as "trampling on human rights". It said the locals had been "subjected to threats and intimidation" and were "forcibly evicted from their land without compensation," according to a joint statement by a whole panel of UN specialists. The harsh criticism also took direct aim at the AIIB and French group VINCI which is the largest investor, in charge of the racing circuit, several hotels and a hospital. The first races are scheduled for later this year But regional authorities and police have denied accusations of land grabbing and forced evictions, with Indonesia's mission at the UN even accusing the experts of coming up with a "false narrative". The AIIB has also stressed that it adheres to environmental and social guidelines and responds "quickly" to complaints that arise. Story continues "The final report found no evidence of alleged coercion, use of direct force, and intimidation related to land acquisition and resettlement," an AIIB statement said. When reporters from the BBC's Indonesian Service went to Mandalika to see for themselves, the experiences of the locals varied widely. Dozens of families with their livestock are still holding out in Kuta village while the large equipment for the construction of the motorcycle circuit can be seen from behind the coconut trees. The situation is complicated by the fact that not all of the villagers had documentation that they owned the land they live on. Out of several hundred households, about 180 don't have any proof of ownership and can't contest their eviction in court. One of the residents still holding out says she has not moved because she believes her family has never actually sold the land to the government. Meanwhile, other residents in the same area have been told their land already belonged to the state. This woman remained in Kuta village despite the construction going on nearby Many of those without proof of land ownership have already been relocated to an area about two kilometres away from the village of Kuta. But Olivier De Schutter, UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, told the BBC Indonesian Service that those who had not been relocated were now forced to live alongside a construction site. "What is really troubling is that the work on building these hotels and the Moto Grand Prix circuit has started without the family being actually relocated and resettled in an adequate condition," he said. The 2.5 hectare relocation site Mr De Schutter adds that the government was not doing enough by simply picking villagers up and relocating them - adding that many of them were reliant on their old village for their livelihood. "Having a roof, water, electricity, and food, is not enough," he said. "You need to have the ability to make a livelihood. Otherwise, these communities will be in a desperate situation." Simply receiving monetary compensation, he said, was not enough of a substitute. Damar sold his land only because he had to Damar is one such villager who did receive compensation from the government - but says it was not enough. One of the former residents of Kuta, he grew up less than 500 metres from the circuit construction site and owned a large area of about 3.3 hectares - for which he had proof of ownership. "I still remember the first meeting in 2019; they immediately said, in August, the land must be vacated," he told the BBC. "So we were confused, there has been no socialisation, no deliberation, and no agreement from the two parties." According to Damar, his land was assessed by an independent appraisal team and he got paid for it. But he says the money doesn't match the pain to start a new life and the sadness of leaving the community he had been trying to build for years. "We took the compensation money because we had no other choice." A question of sustainable development There has also been criticism as to whether such mega projects are still timely in the 21st century. Bali's southern luxury enclave of Nusa Dua was in fact also developed by a state-owned corporation. In that case it did work to transform Bali to an international dream destination. But that was in the 1970s, when there wasn't much tourism in the region and arguably without state backing no luxury resorts would have come to the island. Today however, experts argue that it is a different story. "Large-scale tourism development that tramples on human rights is fundamentally incompatible with the concept of sustainable development," said the statement by UN specialists. "The time has passed for racing circuits and massive transnational tourism infrastructure projects that benefit a handful of economic actors rather than the population as a whole. Post-Covid economies should focus on empowering local communities, enhancing their livelihoods and participation in decision-making." Meanwhile, the work on the projects continues. The motorcycle circuit is largely finished and scheduled for completion by July this year. A World Superbike event is already scheduled in November while a World Moto GP is planned for next year. Locals will have little to no chance of staying in the area. Press Release May 24, 2021 Unfazed despite continued unjust detention, De Lima takes courage from ordinary people for vindication Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima's political persecution by the Duterte administration may be relentless but she maintained that it only further bolstered her determination and resolve to fight her ongoing battle for freedom and vindication. In a memoir she wrote for the recently-concluded online event called "Free the Word!" organized by the Philippine Center of International PEN, De Lima shared that she takes courage from the ordinary people for vindication from all the trumped-up drug charges filed against her. "My faith has never faltered. As I always remind my staff and my family, surrendering our fears, our doubts, our anger to God does not mean consenting to the abuse and suffering. No. Never. Rather, it's accepting the painful struggle in the promise that nothing lasts forever, and that good will always prevail. And indeed, it is," she said. "Last February 17, a few days before the 4th year of my detention, I was acquitted by the Muntinlupa trial court in one of the 3 conspiracy to commit drug trading charges. But more than this acquittal and the crumbling of fabricated evidence against me, it is the courage of ordinary people that inspires me to believe that vindication is near," she added. It may be recalled that Judge Liezel Aquiatan of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 205 granted De Lima's Demurrer to Evidence in Case Number 17-166, which is tantamount to her acquittal, in one of her trumped-up drug cases. "To be acquitted even in just one case, in the time of Duterte, is a moral victory," De Lima said after the acquittal. Drawing inspiration from the courage of ordinary people to keep fighting the good fight, De Lima cited the case of a Filipino mother who, despite losing her child to extrajudicial killings, reminded her to never give up amid times of injustice and adversity. "I remember the mother who just lost her child to the drug war, telling me how she felt the hands of her only son slowly grew cold as he lay on the bloodied pavement. She said she knew her son wasn't going to make it but she wanted to soothe his son's pain, like she always did when he was little and had fever," De Lima said. "We were there in the receiving area of the detention center, with only the monotonous hum of the electric fan to break the silence between us, two mothers, both longing for their sons. I will never forget when she said: 'We will fight, Sen. Leila, we will fight'," the lady Senator added. While she has always considered herself as a strong-willed person, De Lima said it wasn't until she became a victim herself that she learned and experienced first-hand "just how immensely, and potentially soul-crushingly difficult it is to continue fighting for myself against the most overwhelming of odds." "And yet, that, too, has been a gift of opportunity. For it is only when we ourselves are experiencing personal troubles that we can only ever prove that it is possible to fight for yourself without surrendering the commitment to continue fighting for others. It is only then that we truly know the depth and power of collective struggle," she said. "I first saw this in the women who first came to my rescue when I was being publicly shamed in Congress, in the relatives of EJK victims who vow to seek justice not only for their kin but for other victims, in the messages of hope young people sent to me, their maturity and courage defying their youthful scribbles," she added. Considering all these, De Lima said she believes that her story now belongs to a greater narrative of the struggle of ordinary people against social injustice. "I can say now that I am learning life's greatest lessons from them. And as we fight together, we also wait in anticipation for the day when we will all be vindicated and freed," she said. De Lima is still currently facing two bogus drug charges and has consistently maintained her innocence of all these cases. (Watch Sen. Leila M. de Lima's memoir for the PEN Congress as delivered by Ms. Angel Aquino, here: https://www.facebook.com/leiladelimaofficial/posts/3021408861422982) features An Independent Mind Legal scholar Jonathan Adler pursues principles above politics and is a go-to expert for lawmakers, academics and the media Law professor Jonathan Adler has earned a reputation for eagerly pursuing dialogue, debate and, if possible, common ground with those who disagree with him. Testifying before a U.S. Senate Judiciary subcommittee by Zoom in March, Case Western Reserve professor Jonathan H. Adler disputed allegations that Supreme Court Justices were pursuing a right-wing, pro-corporate agenda. "What's driving the justices is not fealty to a team, but their best efforts to get the answer right," Adler, JD, the Johan Verheij Memorial Professor of Law, told his audience. He could have been talking about himself. Typically described as conservative or libertarian, Adler has spent years trying to get things rightregardless of the politics. Weeks before he defended a conservative court before a Democrat-led Senate subcommittee, he argued before the world that former President Donald J. Trump could and should be impeached a second time. Democratic impeachment managers from the U.S. House of Representatives cited Adler when they urged that Trump be impeached for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Adler himself made the case on CNN, and his face was plastered across screens worldwide when he joined a bipartisan group of legal scholars who contended the Senate had the authority to try former officials. That kind of media exposure is typical for Adler, who is a recognized authority on constitutional, administrative and environmental law and a highly visible public intellectual. As a scholar, Adler has an uncommon gift for interpreting statutes, dissecting legal arguments and parsing judicial decisions. Jonathan Adler testifying before a U.S. Senate Judiciary subcommittee by Zoom in March. When not teaching or running the School of Law's Burke Center for Environmental Law, he usually can be found offering what he calls a "limited-government, free-market worldview" in blog posts, academic articles and book projects. He also frequently appears in local, national and international media as a conservative legal expert expounding on a trending topic. In January alone, Adler was quoted more than two dozen times by news outlets from National Public Radio to The New York Times on everything from the Capitol riot to President Joseph R. Biden's environmental policies. "His name is in the paper almost every day," said Jessie Hill, JD, the law school's Judge Ben C. Green Professor of Law and associate dean for research and faculty development. (Hillwho considers Adler a good friendoften appears with him on panels and in the media: "Hes the reasonable conservative, and Im the reasonable liberal," she said.) Despite his prominence as a right-leaning thinker and media pundit, however, Adler has earned a reputation among colleagues across the political spectrum for pursuing principle above politics; refusing to bow to pressure or conventional thinking from any direction; and eagerly pursuing dialogue, debate and, if possible, common ground with those who disagree with him. Hes a conservative who helped co-found Checks & Balances, a group of attorneys who consistently castigated Trump for abusing his office and violating the Constitution. And he's a libertarian who supports government intervention on climate change. "He's important as an example of intellectual integrity," said Daniel Farber, JD, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law who represents the liberal opposite to Adler's libertarian stance on environmental policy. "We need models like that in the academyand elsewhere." Nothing if Not Nuanced That integrity was on full display during Adler's highly public engagement with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare and created to make health insurance more widely available. Not long after Congress passed the ACA in 2010, Adler enraged liberals by laying the legal foundation for a challenge to the law that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court (King v. Burwell) in 2015. It didn't prevail. Several years later, however, Adler denounced the legal basis of yet another challenge to Obamacare as "bananas" and joined a bipartisan group of legal scholars in filing a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court. Among his co-authors was Abbe Gluck, JD, a Yale University law professor who argued against Adler's reasoning in Burwell and now serves in the Biden administration. "He's one of the most-cited legal scholars in the country." Jessica Berg, co-dean of CWRUs School of Law In both cases, Adler followed his analysis of the underlying statute, his understanding of the Constitution and his knowledge of settled laweven if, in the second case, that meant joining a former legal adversary in defending a piece of legislation under which he had previously built a fire. "Jonathan is nothing if not nuanced," said Kristin Hickman, JD, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School who has known Adler since the two clerked for the same federal judge 20 years ago. Adler also draws a hard line between his work as a scholar and pundit and his role as a teacher, which involves training his students to "think like lawyers" rather than persuading them to share his views. Just a day after his image was televised during the February impeachment proceedings in the Senate, for example, Adler could be found on Zoom introducing 130 first-year law students to the kind of fine linguistic distinction upon which many a lawsuit has hinged. "So," Adler asked his remote class, "is the Snuggie blanket because it can be used as a blanket, or a garment because it has sleeves?" A slide appeared onscreen of a woman ensconced in a Snuggie, a wearable blanket with sleeves and one-time pop-culture favorite. The students chuckled, but Adler was making a serious point: In law, words matter. As he explained, garments are subject to higher tariffs than blanketswhich is why the company that imports the Snuggie from China sued the government for classifying it as a garment. Like the rest of his lecture, it was funny, insightful and free from even the faintest hint of ideological bias. Yet a review of the available evidence gives little indication that Adler would have become known as someone who scrupulously avoids imposing his opinions on othersmuch less someone who, in our highly polarized era, seeks to bridge what often appears to be a gaping chasm between opposing political camps. Just the opposite: Earlier in his career, Adler spent nearly 10 years doing what he calls "aggressive policy work" at a staunchly libertarian think tank in Washington, D.C. So how exactly did he get where he is today? "Accidents," he said. "Lots and lots of them." Free Market Environmentalist Adler traces his roots as an environmentalist to his childhood in Philadelphia. He attended an experimental school that allowed him to spend one day a week on a farm, and he camped, fished and hunted on family trips to New Hampshire. "I wanted to be an oceanographer or a zoologist," he said. (In more recent years, Adler has regularly taken his wife, Christina, and their two daughters hiking in Montana, where he is a senior fellow at a libertarian environmental think tank.) Image: Courtesy of Jonathan Adler Because he works with a think tank in Montana, Jonathan Adler takes family trips to the state, hiking in national parks and forests with his wife, Christina, and their daughters, Madeline (pictured), now in middle school, and Ellen, a CWRU nursing student. As an undergraduate at Yale, Adler developed an interest in conservative political philosophy that seemed at odds with his nascent environmentalism. But then a summer internship at the Cato Institute showed him that there were at least some libertarians interested in environmental policy. Soon afterward, a friend recommended him for a job at another libertarian policy shop in Washington, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). "Well, D.C. is fun," Adler remembers thinking. "Maybe I'll try it." As director of CEI's environmental studies program, Adler wrote hundreds of op-eds and grew adept at digesting academic studies for the press and the general publicskills he still applies as an educator and media commentator. Yet the tribal nature of D.C. eventually became intellectually constraining. "I wanted to engage with nuance that the red team-blue team stuff didnt allow or acknowledge," he recalled. Night classes at George Mason University School of Law led to a clerkship with a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, and, in 2001, Adler joined the faculty at Case Western Reserve. Interested in Intersections Adler brought to campus the media savvy and connections he acquired at CEI that have helped keep him in the public eye. He also brought the reputational baggage that came from his former environmental positions, which included downplaying the significance of global warming. "I look back on some of it and I shudder a little bit," said Adler, who has since embraced the idea of a government-imposed carbon tax and suggested market-based incentives to encourage development of alternative energy sources. Still, he said, "you can't un-ring that bell." It was certainly still ringing for Andre Monette, JD (LAW '06), when he came to the law school in 2003. A committed environmentalist, Monettenow managing partner of Best Best & Krieger LLP's Washington, D.C. office, where he works in the firm's Environment and Natural Resources practicearrived expecting Adler to promote big business at the expense of the environment. Instead, he found a teacher dedicated to helping his students understand the legal framework surrounding complex issues so they could, as Adler said, become "the best environmental lawyer of the sort that they want to be." "He really opened my mind," Monette said. He has that effect on a lot of people. On one hand, said Farber, Adlers ideological bona fides help him reach conservatives and libertarians who might not otherwise care about environmental issues. On the other, said Hickman, he brings intellectual diversity to a legal academy that tends to skew liberal and progressive. His outlier status and legal erudition have made Adler unusually influential. "He's one of the most-cited legal scholars in the country," said Jessica Berg, JD, co-dean at the law school and the Tom J.E. and Bette Lou Walker Professor of Law. And by providing a minority view within the academy on matters ranging from health care policy to the Endangered Species Act, his colleagues say, Adler has improved the quality of legal scholarship at large. "We all benefit from having people with different viewpoints challenge our preconceived notions," Hickman said. Adler obviously agrees. His approach as director of the Burke Center has been determinedly ecumenical. For the center's inaugural symposium in 2019, Adler invited then-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler, JD (WRC '87), along with former agency officials from the Obama, Clinton and both Bush administrations. Now that the Biden administration is making climate change a priority, Adler is co-sponsoring a series of programs to explore how libertarian and conservative political theory can address the problem. "I'm interested in creating intersections that we might not otherwise get," Adler said, adding that his own heterodox perspective opens up opportunities for research and dialogue that may not exist elsewhere. He's talking about the center. But at this point, it's pretty much the story of his life. Alexander Gelfand The Faithful America petition asking La Crosse Bishop William Callahan to fire Fr. James Altman for spreading deadly vaccine misinformation and breaking COVID-19 protocols gathered more than 10,000 signatures in its first 24 hours, the group said. Nathan Empsall, executive director of the grassroots Christian organization, said the signatures (11,137 as of this morning) have been emailed to Callahan's office. He said many petition signers left personal comments for the bishop along with their names, but did not want their names public. Among the comments he shared: Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} River Falls, WI: I used to live in the Diocese of La Crosse. My mother is 71 years old and [still sings in a La Crosse-area Catholic choir]. This is unacceptable - this priest needs to be disciplined. He puts my mothers life on the line with his falsehoods and arrogance. Time for Father Altman to practice the Beatitudes and volunteer at Place of Grace Catholic Worker House. . Leeds, MA: "As a physician who has lost patients to COVID, I am horrified that this man would abuse his position as a priest and endanger the lives of his parishioners and those they come in contact with." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) The government will still step in to review the multimillion-dollar deal between Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy and Shell Petroleum N.V. for the acquisition of a majority stake in the giant Malampaya gas field, the energy chief said Monday. Uy has moved to double his company's controlling stake to 90% in the offshore gas facility, baring last Thursday the agreement of his Malampaya Energy for the purchase of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V.'s 45% operating interest. Following the transaction, the government's Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation will be left with the remaining 10%. READ: Davao's Dennis Uy acquires Shell's Malampaya stake In a statement, Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the agency was not involved in the selling, the bidding, or negotiations of Shell's stake in Petroleum Service Contract No. 38 (SC38). However, the deal will still have to secure the DOE's approval in accordance with Presidential Decree No.87 otherwise known as the Oil Exploration and Development Act of 1972. "Once the transaction has been completed at the consortium level, it will still be submitted to the DOE for its review and approval," Cusi said. "For its part, the DOE will, accordingly and judiciously, evaluate the legal, financial, and technical aspects of the transaction, and its impact to the obligations of the consortium to the Philippine government according to the terms of SC38 and PD87," he added. The base consideration for the acquisition is set at $380 million, Shell Petroleum said in an earlier statement, noting that Malampaya Energy may have to shell out an additional $80 million "between 2022 and 2024 contingent on asset performance and commodity prices." The transaction is being eyed for completion by end-2021. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) The Department of Justice ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the alleged selling of COVID-19 shots and vaccine slots. The NBI through Officer-in-Charge Eric B. Distor, is hereby directed and granted authority to conduct an investigation on the alleged illegal sale of COVID-19 vaccines and/or sale of vaccination slots, read Department Order No. 120. If evidence warrants, to file the appropriate charges against all persons involved and found responsible for any unlawful act in connection therewith, it added. The DOJ order also directs Distor to submit reports on the progress of the investigation to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra within ten days and periodically thereafter. Local governments in Metro Manila are warning the public against individuals or groups behind the alleged scheme. Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Benhur Abalos and his wife Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos appeared before the NBI on Monday to seek assistance in going after individuals behind the reported scheme. The city governments of San Juan and Mandaluyong have earlier launched their own probe into the issue. Viral reports on social media claim slots have been sold for 8,000 to 15,000, depending on the brand. The Mandaluyong mayor said current leads point to at least one person behind the scheme in their city alone. "Meron na kaming lead. Meron na kaming nakikitang tao kung sino 'yung supposed to be bibili and at the same time 'yung nagbebentang 'yan," she said. [Translation: We already have a lead. We are already looking at one person who could be the supposed buyer and at the same time, to catch the seller.] MMDA chair Abalos, on the other hand, said that over 50 agents from the NBI will investigate the case. The city governments of San Juan and Mandaluyong have earlier launched their own probe into the issue. Viral reports on social media claim slots have been sold for 8,000 to 15,000, depending on the brand. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora told CNN Philippines' The Source that he is "confident" about the integrity of the San Juan local government employees, and that he has already coordinated with PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III about the reported scheme circulating in his city. "I am confident with my city hall employees, with my city health office staff. I have coordinated also with our city health officer. In fact, we have spoken thoroughly about this," Zamora said. "What we have here in San Juan is an organized vaccination procedure." Zamora said he himself has been "micromanaging" the procedures, and potential vaccinees for the day cannot enter the vaccination site without any confirmatory text message about their schedule or proof of the category that they belong to. "Its clear that its a scam because supply is very scarce and many people want to get vaccinated. These scammers want to make money," Zamora said. Meanwhile, Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso announced in a briefing that he signed an ordinance on Monday which prohibits any sale, distribution or administration of COVID-19 vaccines while under emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration. There has been no report of "vaccine for sale" scheme in Manila to date, but Moreno expressed hope that this ordinance will be a "big deterrent" for such a ploy to take place in the city. Those caught illegally selling COVID-19 vaccines or vaccination slots will face a 5,000 fine, up to 6 months jail sentence, revocation of business license, and a ban in doing business in the city of Manila. Even businesses in Manila will not be allowed to deduct from employees' salaries or charge them for their COVID-19 shots, Moreno said. READ: Illegal sellers of COVID-19 vaccine slots warned of jail time COVID-19 vaccines are only approved for emergency use and cannot be sold commercially. The Health Department earlier warned that those caught selling vaccination slots will be penalized under the law. CNN Philippines' Melissa Lopez contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) Malacanang believes President Rodrigo Duterte will be able to fulfill his promise of completely rebuilding Marawi City before his term ends next year. "I think the target can be met," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media briefing on Monday. "Ang pangako po ng Presidente, babangon muli po ang Marawi, at ang pangako po niya ay sa kanyang termino [The President promised Marawi will rise again within his term]," he said. RELATED: Duterte vows to bring Marawi City back to former glory, but says it 'may take some time' It has been four years since Islamic State-linked fighters stormed the capital of Lanao del Sur on May 23, 2017, launching a siege that lasted for five months. Duterte declared the liberation of Marawi in October 2017, but the Marawi Advocacy Accompaniment, a network of civil society groups in Mindanao, said rehabilitation has been "very slow." The President's promises remain unfulfilled, it said in a statement last week, including the provision of just compensation for damages to livelihood and properties and immediate return to the city of displaced families. It added that the delays "contribute further not only to the trauma still being endured by the bakwits [evacuees] of the siege but also to the century-old narrative of marginalization, discrimination and exclusion and social deprivation." According to Roque, the government plans to hold a press briefing in Marawi "probably in June" to show the rest of the country the progress in the reconstruction efforts. The country's housing czar and Task Force Bangon Marawi chief Eduardo del Rosario earlier said they eye completion of the rehabilitation by December this year. READ: Remembering the Marawi crisis Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) Longtime Mindanao peace advocate Eliseo "Jun" Mercado Jr. passed away on Sunday, according to his congregation Philippine Province of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). He was 72. OMI said Fr. Mercado was admitted to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center on May 8, where he was confirmed to have COVID-19. He recovered and yielded a negative test result on May 22. The following day, he suffered a heart attack, which was the cause of his death. "Things seemed to go well and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the CRMC to complete his recovery when suddenly around 3:20PM today, May 23, his heart stopped due to heart attack," it said in a statement. The Catholic priest actively participated in the peace process in Mindanao. A recognized expert on the role of Islam in Southeast Asia and the Philippines, he played a major role in brokering the ceasefire between the Estrada administration and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) back in 2000. He was also involved with the Mindanao Task Force on Poverty Alleviation, the Social Reform Agenda Council for Central Mindanao, and the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor for Central Mindanao from 1995 to 1998. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) The construction of the mega vaccination site in Nayong Pilipino has started and is expected to be completed in a month or two, testing czar Vince Dizon said. Speaking to CNN Philippines The Final Word, Dizon said the facility can inoculate up to 10,000 persons per day, which will greatly contribute to the governments efforts to accelerate its COVID-19 immunization program. It will contribute a lot in our efforts to ramp up vaccinations as we move into the end of the second quarter and into the third quarter of 2021, he said. I think its important to know that based on the successful experiences of other countries, mega vaccination sites that can generate many vaccinations per day are really the most efficient ways of ramping up vaccinations. The vaccination facility earlier drew criticism after advocates raised environmental concerns regarding its construction that will involve cutting of hundreds of trees. They also said the planned hub puts people with limited access and mobility options at a disadvantage, and that vaccination will only focus on one company that controls one site that would need to be accessed by hundreds of thousands of people. But Dizon defended the proposal, saying mega vaccination hubs are essential as more COVID-19 doses start coming in and as immunization expands to cover more members of the population. He also pointed out that the country does not have enough hubs to boost the immunization program since many facilities are already being used for quarantine and isolation and are still needed in case another surge occurs. Earlier, the government approved the inclusion of more sectors under the A4 priority group in the list of COVID-19 vaccine beneficiaries. It also said the immunization of essential workers under this category and the indigent population will start after May. Currently, the country has received over 7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, of which around 4 million doses have already been administered. The government targets to inoculate up to 70 million Filipinos by end of the year to achieve herd immunity. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) - Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday stood by the effectiveness of the countrys bilateral talks with China in helping resolve issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea. Hindi po totoo na hindi gumagana ang ating bilateral approach to the West Philippine Sea, dahil matapos ang halos limang taon na termino ng Presidente, wala po tayong nawalang teritoryo sa Tsina, wala po tayong hidwaan sa Tsina, Roque said in a Palace briefing. [Translation: It is not true that the bilateral approach to the West Philippine Sea is not working, because after nearly five years under President Rodrigo Dutertes term, we have lost no new territory to China, and we have had no conflict with them.] This was in response to Vice President Leni Robredo comments on Sunday backing experts pushing for a multilateral approach in settling the sea row. In a radio show, Robredo said working with other nations involved in the dispute to resist Chinas sweeping claims would be a better strategy for the Philippines. 'Yung tingin natin ma-i-equalize lang yung footing 'pag meron tayong mga kakampi na pareho yung pinaglalaban sa atin, Robredo had said. Pag bilateral kasi, parang nagne-negotiate ka sa isang inferior na posisyon dahil maliit ka. [Translation: We believe well only be able to equalize the footing if we have allies fighting the same battle. Thats because in a bilateral approach, its like youre negotiating from an inferior position because youre a smaller country.] Roque, however, disagreed, saying "the present policy has been working for the past five years." In late March, Chinese vessels sent radio challenges to a Philippine military aircraft patrolling the West Philippine Sea, asking it to leave immediately." The demand was reciprocated by both the Department of National Defense and the Department of Foreign Affairs, which issued strongly worded statements against China for amassing its ships in Philippine waters. Despite these issues, Roque has maintained there is no tension between Manila and Beijing and that the conflict is only being exaggerated by government critics. [LINK: Roque: No PH-China tension over West Philippine Sea] On Friday, both countries met to discuss the territorial dispute during its sixth bilateral consultation mechanism, a forum established by Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016. The Department of Foreign Affairs said both sides had friendly and candid exchanges, as the Philippines reiterated its long-standing call for China's full adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award, which invalidated its "nine-dash line" claim. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) Talks between the Philippines and the United States are ongoing to help the country distribute and eventually develop vaccines here amid the health crisis, an envoy to the US bared on Monday. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez told CNN Philippines that both countries are in the "early stages" of negotiation for a co-manufacturing agreement with some Western vaccine brands. "As far back as October last year, I have already been encouraging Moderna specifically. Weve been talking since July of last year to look at the Philippines as a place where they could at least start the distribution point, then after that to start developing vaccines here," said Romualdez. "The other manufacturer we were also trying to get to work in the Philippines is Novovax. We were trying to put them together with [United Laboratories, Inc.] and also to be able to manufacture the vaccines," he added. Romualdez expressed hope that these talks would eventually come to fruition, since the Philippines has already included in its vaccine development and manufacturing roadmap the creation of the first Virology Science and Technology Institute in New Clark City. Romualdez added that the presence of logistics operator FedEx in the area would also be a good "come-on" for both the Philippines and the United States in terms of global distribution of vaccines and other supplies. "This would be exciting for the country. Not only would it be good for health but also on our economy," Romualdez said. The US government will deliver millions of vaccines to the Philippines next month to help the country achieve its goal of reaching herd immunity by yearend. Up to 70 million Filipinos must be vaccinated by then to achieve herd immunity and protect the population against rising COVID-19 cases and even faster-spreading variants. RELATED: More Western vaccines coming this June - envoy Press Release May 24, 2021 Senate oks 7 bills renaming, converting schools The Senate today adopted on third and final reading seven local bills that seek to rename State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) as well as convert state colleges into state universities. Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Committee on Higher and Technical-Vocational Education, expressed his gratitude to the body for the swift passage of the seven bills, saying these measures would uplift the academic communities in the various SUCs. "The passage on third reading of these local bills renaming our SUCs and converting colleges into state universities in the middle of the pandemic is timely, relevant and also uplifting to the communities who will stand to benefit from these developments. This is definitely a good news for our people in Abra Agusan del Sur, Basilan, Camarines Sur, Davao de Oro, Occidental Mindoro, and Surigao del Sur," Villanueva said. "Last week, May 18, we celebrated the first National Higher Education Day as mandated by Republic Act No. 11522, a law that we passed last August 2020. There were, of course, virtual celebrations led by CHED but the emphasis was placed on really trying to understand the effects of this pandemic on higher education, finding inspirations to move forward and discovering new ways to increase the value proposition of higher education in the post-COVID Filipino society," the lawmaker added. Adopted were House Bill No. 6596, renaming the Compostela Valley State College into the Davao De Oro State College; House Bill No. 6842, taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1698, renaming the Surigao Del Sur State University to North Eastern Mindanao State University; House Bill No. 6858, taking into consideration Senate Bill Nos. 1755 and 1756, converting the Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology into a State University to be known as the Southeast Asian University of Technology; House Bill No. 7030 taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1733, converting the Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology in Lagangilang and Bangued into a State University to be known as the University of Abra; House Bill No. 7019, taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1689, Converting the Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology into a State University to be known as the Agusan Del Sur State University; House Bill No. 7566, Converting the Occidental Mindoro State College into a State University to be known as the Occidental Mindoro State University; House Bill No. 7697, taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1936, converting the Basilan State College in Isabela into a State University to be known as the Basilan State University. Villanueva said during an online consultation last May 7, all 112 SUCs presidents expressed their gratitude to the Senate for the support it has been giving to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 to the higher education sector and for the passage of the seven bills on third reading. "Converting these State Colleges into State Universities will empower them to expand curricular offerings to include medical and allied courses in line with the implementation of the 'Doktor Para sa Bayan Act' as well as programs in response to the present public health emergencies, as well as many other essential economic and national growth and development areas of concern," Villanueva stressed. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) The Philippine National Police said Monday it has identified at least one person who has offered to sell vaccines, as it warned those behind the alleged scheme will be dealt with the full force of the law. Initial investigation found an individual made use of a social media messaging app to offer coronavirus shots priced from 12,000 to 15,500, PNP chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said. "We have already identified at least one person who offered his high school friend two brands of vaccines...," he said in an issued statement. The man claimed that he has contacts with officials from San Juan and Mandaluyong, giving him access to the vaccines and providing guaranteed slots for the vaccination. "Our CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) and ACG (Anti-Cybercrime Group) investigators are now zeroing in on this person, although he has already deactivated all his social media accounts, and we assure the public that he will face the full force of the law for this kind of illegal activity," Eleazar said. MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos told CNN Philippines that Metro Manila mayors would meet on Monday with officials of the PNP and National Bureau of Investigation to discuss the next course of action on the COVID-19 vaccine scheme. "Sa mga manloloko, they are scammers, they are promising something not true, they are liable in the law. If this is true and there are persons involved, we will make sure that the full weight of the law will be applied to them. Ipapakulong talaga namin ito," he told CNN Philippines. [Translation: The scammers are promising something that is not true. They are liable in the law. We will put you in jail.] In a separate briefing, Abalos said those who sell COVID-19 shots and vaccination slots as well as those who buy them will be liable. He said they will be liable for "at least three crimes," including estafa and direct bribery. They may also be penalized under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which states that persons who spread "false information" on social media and other platforms may face two months imprisonment or a fine of not less than 10,000. Court may also impose a fine of up to 1 million. Abalos further urged individuals involved in this scheme to not stain the "good performance" of the government's vaccination drive. The city governments of San Juan and Mandaluyong have launched their own probe into the alleged scheme. Viral reports on social media claim slots have been sold for P8,000 to P15,000, depending on the brand. COVID-19 vaccines are only approved for emergency use and cannot be sold commercially. The government's vaccination program is currently reserved for healthcare workers, seniors, and people with comorbidities due to limited supply. Department of Health Spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said those caught selling COVID-19 vaccination slots will be penalized under the law. She also explained that Filipinos shouldn't be charged for the doses that were procured by the government or received through donations. Both Abalos and Eleazar urged those with knowledge on the illegal sale of vaccines and slots to come forward to authorities before posting them on social media. "I am pleading to anyone, if you know any of these people, just call us immediately. Call the attention of local authorities so we can entrap these people," Abalos said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 24) The Department of Science and Technology will study how the COVID-19 vaccine made by Chinese firm Sinovac works with other brands, with June as the target start, its chief said on Monday. In the trial, around 3,000 participants who received Sinovac's CoronaVac will be given another brand to complete their second dose. The study, to be funded by DOST, aims to find the safety and immunogenicity of "mixing-and-matching" different brands. "Combinations of Sinovac vaccine with other vaccine brand will be the main aim of the study due to it being the most stable vaccine supply in the country," Secretary Fortunato dela Pena said in a statement. Aside from Sinovac, the Philippines has granted emergency use authorization to AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Moderna, Pfizer, Covaxin, and single dose Johnson&Johnson. DOST's trial is slated on June 2021 to November 2022. The official, however, clarified that DOST has yet to receive the go-signal for the study from the Food and Drug Administration and the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board. The proposed study sites are Antipolo or Marikina City, Manila, Pasig City, Makati or Pasay City, Muntinlupa City, Quezon City, Cebu, and Davao. There is an ongoing major trial in the United Kingdom to examine whether different coronavirus vaccines can safely be used for two-dose regimens. The Philippines and China agree to seek resolution to a maritime incident in the West Philippine sea nearly two years ago. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra says officials will meet with the Chinese counterparts on June 2 and 7 to discuss the compensation for Filipino fishermen in the Gem-Ver allision. In this report, we speak the former captain of the boat. (CNN) -- Myanmar's ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi attended a court hearing Monday, her first appearance in person since the military seized power on February 1, her defense team said. Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the coup, held a face-to-face meeting with her legal team for about 30 minutes before the hearing in the capital, Naypyidaw, her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said. "We discussed the cases (and) what line of defense we should take," Khin Maung Zaw said. "She wished the people good health and prosperity." Prior to the hearing, Suu Kyi had only been permitted to speak with lawyers via a video link in the presence of security personnel. Suu Kyi faces a range of charges, from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating the official secrets act -- the most serious charge which carries a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years. The ousted civilian leader, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party won a landslide in November 2020 elections, has not been seen in public since her detention. According to Khin Maung Zaw, Suu Kyi had complained that 30 minutes was not sufficient to discuss all the cases against her, and urged her legal team to ask the judge to permit another meeting. The lawyers also met with ousted President Win Myint, who was detained on February 1 alongside Suu Kyi, and is facing charges. Last week, Myanmar's junta-appointed election commission said it would dissolve the NLD because of what it claims was election fraud. The military overthrew the NLD government alleging mass voter fraud, though the electoral commission at the time rejected the army's complaints. According to Khin Maung Zaw, Suu Kyi said of the NLD: "Our party grew out of the people so it will exist as long as people support it." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Myanmar ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi appears in court in person for first time since coup" The injury to her left arm was so horrific, doctors still dont want her to push-off with the arm, put any pressure on the arm or put any weight on the arm. Her humerus broke, her elbow completely busted out and the ulna had four to six different breaks. Shes rod, pinned, screwed, all the way up her left arm, Deanna said. So far, Sam can go all the way out and touch her head, but theres other things she cant do, like bring a bottle to her mouth to take a drink. The physical therapy hasnt started on her [left] arm yet. Deanna said doctors expect Samantha will be back to her normal self by January. She still needs to have the operation to repair the ligaments in her knee and will have to do annual checkups with her neurosurgeon to make sure none of the hardware has moved around. Although the recovery process has been difficult for Samantha, she still found the time to continue her college classes at Eastern Wyoming College and was able to graduate with her associates degree on May 14. She plans to be done with therapy and cleared to drive again on her own by the beginning of August. She will attend Chadron State College and wants to pursue a degree in education to become a middle school teacher. Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency. SP Sotto on WPS exploration SENATE President Vicente Sotto III today called on Malacanang to consider economic options as an alternative response to the continuing conflict between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Sotto suggested that government leaders look at the feasibility of jumpstarting oil exploration studies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone to underscore the country's arbitral victory at the United Nations and affirm our resolute claim over the contested area. "The public discourse over the WPS boils down to one thing: While the United Nations ruled in our favor, the ruling cannot be put in force because of the absence of an international body that would enforce it. But we can use this arbitral victory to our advantage," the Senate President said. He said the Department of Energy can pursue proposals to conduct exploration activities in the contested waters and open the initiative to private investors and even other nations on a 60-40 joint agreement. "Hindi naman tayo pwedeng pagbawalan ng China kung gusto nating i-explore ang natural and mineral resources sa ating EEZ dahil atin iyon, pagmamay-ari natin iyon. Kung interesado ang China, pwede naman silang maging joint partner natin pero 60-40 ang hatian dahil tayo ang may-ari nung area," Sotto said. "Huwag nating sayangin ang economic opportunity na available sa atin. Our government leaders should start scouting for investors who are willing to pour in funds to explore the rich aquatic resources in the area, there are oil and gas reserves and other natural resources in the depths of these waters," he added. He also said: "It is time that we set aside our political differences. Unahin natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan, maghanap tayo ng paraan na magamit ang ating panalo sa UN para magkaroon ng karagdagang kita ang ating gobyerno na magagamit nito para mapagbuti ang social services." ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) The last time we saw trucker Don Cook, his career odometer had just rolled over to 3 million miles. He hadnt had an accident in all that time, and his company, YRC Freight, gave him a truck cab with his name on it and a leather jacket with a patch reading Three Million Miles Safe Driving. That was nine years ago. Cook was 70 then, and it stood to reason he would retire before long. But here he was at the YRC terminal in Bethlehem Township on Friday, about nine months shy of 80, wearing a new leather jacket with a patch reading Hall of Fame. He has been enshrined among the trucking legends there because he has, since 2012, racked up an additional million flawless miles. Four million miles and not so much as a fender-bender. He attributes this to skill and patience You have to have your wits about you, he said but also to luck. Drowsy drivers, drunk drivers, distracted drivers all have kept out of his way over the years, and nature has spared him its worst. Cook plans to keep rolling, too. His eyes and reflexes are sharp, and his love of the road burns as bright now as it did when he started trucking professionally 47 years ago. Im not retiring, he said. Im still a young pup. And my wife would drive me crazy. "Theres a law that protects these people that allows them to (call for help). If thered been 10 pounds of fentanyl in there, if theyd called 911 and said she overdosed, theres nothing we can do. The Good Samaritan Law in Missouri allows this to happen." Legislation was put in place for opiate usersfor abusers of fentanyl, heroin, pain medicineprotecting those who call 911 in case someone overdosed in their presence, and preventing their subsequent arrest because they helped in the preservation of life. Jacobsen said the investigation is ongoing. Jones was reported missing on May 7 and was reportedly last seen late May 4 or early the morning of May 5. Sources say she was last seen at a residence in the area of Belgrade. Her cell phone had reportedly been off since Tuesday, and authorities were able to ping the phone, confirming the device was last turned on in Belgrade. On Friday, in a statement, her mother, Stacie Jones, said, "Our lives have changed forever. As a parent there is no way to prepare for the unbearable feeling that comes with a tragedy like this. So as you move on to the next chapter of life, there's no doubt you're going to be wrestling with that question, he continued. As they go off in search of that answer, he gave them two pieces of advice: Surround yourself with people who want the best for you and find what brings you order in the midst of chaos in life. Make no mistake, each of you were put here for a reason, King said. And there is absolutely purpose to each and every life in this room. Valedictorian Alexia Droege and salutatorian Hunter Grebe gave their traditional addresses. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Droege tugged at the heart strings, highlighting the teachers, family members, and friends that have helped her to this point. To my fellow classmates sitting here in front of me, I want to congratulate you all, she said. I'm so honored to have grown with all of you over the years and Im excited to see what the future has in store for us. I stand here before you looking back on four years of memories we made together: from play days outside, from assemblies, from sporting events, senior Six Flags trips, senior pranks. Hello everyone, thank you for coming to see my graduation, Constien said. I know youre really here to see all of the graduates who have reached this monumental milestone. I am honored to be valedictorian of St. Paul High Schools class of 2021. Sorry Lane. Falch and Constiens grade point averages were approximately 1/4,000th of a point different from each other. As Constien continued, he spoke of transferring to St. Paul three years ago as a sophomore. He said that he had no aspiration of becoming class valedictorian at the time, but in the second semester of that year he became friends with Falch and their competition kicked off. It has been a fun challenge between the two of us and I am glad weve managed to stay friends throughout, Constien said. So thank you, Lane, for being such a great friend and not disputing the final results of our competition, or storming the stage with your supporters. Constien also commented on the size of his graduating class and the fact that there were only a total of seven students. To all seven of us, at least we can always be able to say, I finished in the top seven of my class, as long as you dont give anymore context beyond that, Constien said. No one has to know. Australia High Commissioner, Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Training and New Zealand High Commissioner digs the soil to mark the launching. Photo: MoET Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE MP Assang during the opening ceremony of the First Ordinary Session of Parliament this week. One of the settlements which will be evicted The job increases arent enough, even in industries that saw growth, such as hospitality. And labor shortages, along with an increase in the minimum wage in Virginia from $7.25 to $9.50 an hour this month, are driving some employers to offer higher pay in order to recruit workers. Employers in Virginia have recovered about 58% of the roughly 480,000 jobs that were lost during the worst of the pandemics economic downturn a year ago, but the recovery also has slowed since last October. The labor force participation rate a measure of how many people are either employed or actively seeking work was down to about 62.7% in April, a historic low since that data started being collected. The labor force participation rate had reached almost 67% before the pandemic hit. A slowdown in the jobs recovery was always expected as businesses most affected by the pandemic struggled to get customers and workers back, said Renee Haltom, a vice president and regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. That includes the hospitality and tourism sector of the economy. Some of the latest sectors to recover are those that rely on things like business travel, Haltom said. At the same time, businesses are facing an increase in the cost of raw materials and other goods to run their operations. Press Release May 24, 2021 Villanueva musters support for DOFIL bill as labor committee chair looks at sponsoring measure this week The bill creating the Department of Overseas Filipinos is set to be sponsored within the next session days this week as Senator Joel Villanueva mustered support from lawmakers on Monday morning regarding the consolidated measure. Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, said the committee report would only need to "undergo some more finetuning" before it is brought to the Senate floor for debates this week. Villanueva on Monday convened members of the committees on labor, foreign relations, finance, and civil service in executive session, where they reached consensus on the proposed committee report. Villanueva described the meeting as a "productive discussion centering on proposed good and innovative features." "Instead of introducing these on the floor, the decision was to make them part of the committee report to expedite the process. We expect to sponsor the measure in the plenary within this week," Villanueva said. "We are grateful for the valuable inputs that our colleagues raised, and the points they raised will form part of our report to the plenary." "Tinalakay po natin ang mga proposed amendments ng ating mga kasamahan sa pulong kanina para mas mapabilis po ang proseso. If kinks can be ironed out early, then the faster the bill can move towards approval," he said. Villanueva admitted that there are complex issues to the creation of a new agency whose proposed mandates are being shouldered at present by multiple agencies. "May birth pains po, at mahirap ang maging midwife nito," said Villanueva, who will defend the measure in plenary as Senate labor committee chair. "But once the committee report has been finalized, we will sponsor it in plenary immediately." "Ang gusto po natin na committee report ay yung tumataguyod sa interes ng mga kababayang OFWs at lahat ng Pilipino sa labas ng bansa," he added. The bill echoes the voices of OFWs and overseas Filipinos who were constantly consulted throughout the different stages of the process, he also pointed out. "Malinaw po ang ating panukalang departamento ang magiging unang takbuhan ng ating mga kababayan, at nais nating wakasan na ang karanasan na pinagpapasa-pasahan ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno," he said. "Ever since we started our hearing the bill last September 2018, our goal remains the same: to establish the department not to encourage migration-for-work, but to address the plight of overseas Filipinos, especially our OFWs," Villanueva said. Bringing students back full time to an overcrowded Mountain View Elementary could entail moving fifth-graders to Walton Middle School, parents recently learned. Otherwise, Mountain View would need to use the art room, music room, library and an outdoor trailer that doesnt have running water to accommodate all students from preschool to fifth grade, Principal Cyndi Wells said at a virtual community meeting last week. This is complex; this is not easy, Wells told families. This is challenging, but I have confidence that we can figure this out together. Every change weve had this year through each of the stages has seemed impossible, and we did it and we did it together. About 60 fifth-graders have in-person classes at Walton this year following the Albemarle County school divisions move to Stage Four in mid-March, though they still have access to all of the same classes and teachers as they would at Mountain View. Walton is about a 10-minute drive from the elementary school. The people that are low income, that are disproportionately Black and brown families in our community, were the first ones to be impacted economically by the impacts of COVID, Respeto said. And so, if we look at the demographics for example, by and large, 47% of individuals that have received funding are African American. In Charlottesville specifically, its 68%. Those numbers tell you pretty clearly whos been impacted. Respeto said the United Way does not provide funds, but rather disperses funds that have been allocated through grants, the City Council, the Board of Supervisors and city and county staff. We dont make decisions about what funding will be provided to the Pathways Program, Respeto said. United Way itself doesnt get involved in any of that. Our task is simply dispersing funds to the families that have been approved. The City Council allocated $150,000 from CARES Act funds to the program following a presentation from Respeto about the program. Mayor Nikuyah Walker encouraged providing additional funding to the program after she learned how many people needed assistance and how low the funds were. Skateboards have complicated shapes, Stinson said. Theyre not just flat. Theyre bent, laminated pieces of wood, and they have graphics, so kids learn how graphics catch the eyes of skaters. Theyre not only building skateboards, but creating a project with an art association. There are also business and marketing applications for the skateboard project, Stinson said. No one is going to go into business selling birdhouses, but this could be a possible business, he said. Stinson is in his first year teaching, after transitioning from an active-duty military career. All summer, he said, he worried about how he would be able to teach a hands-on skill like manufacturing to students in a virtual environmentnot to mention how he would be able to connect with and inspire them from a distance. I was fretting, thinking, what am I going to do? What am I going to do? Stinson said. The skateboard project is also a product of many local connections and community partners. The lingering backlog provoked a handful of applicants to file suit against the employment commission. Their plight prompted a judge earlier this month to order the agency to respond promptly to the lawsuits claims. This ... demands immediate attention, Judge Henry Hudson said. State lawmakers also had expressed their frustration with the agency, including powerful members of the Senate Finance Committee. That meant the VEC was facing pressure from all branches of government legislative, executive, and judicial. The agency and the plaintiffs reached a settlement at roughly the same time that the governor announced his directive. Northam said his order was not timed to the settlement, but as of this writing it is expected that the judge may use the order to help benchmark the settlement. The order instructed the VEC to increase the number of reviews being processed from 5,700 per week to 10,000 by June 30 and to 20,000 by July 31. The agency was ordered to finalize a $5 million contract to hire 300 new employees to conduct these reviews. Other state agencies are being canvassed to determine who might be available to move temporarily to the VEC to fill some of these needs. World News: Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) and the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) release joint statement in advance of the 25th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission May 24,2021 | Source: International Pole and Line Foundation Yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean is overfished and subject to continued overfishing, with scientists warning that the stock could collapse within the next five years if fishing pressure is not reduced. A stock rebuilding plan was put in place by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in 2016 to significantly reduce catches, based on 2014 catch levels. However, this has proved ineffective, with catches increasing by over 10% between 2014 and 2019, according to new catch figures. A Special Session of the Commission was held in March to deal specifically with the sustainability of the yellowfin tuna fishery. However, an unwillingness to negotiate, primarily on the part of the EU and other distant water fishing nations, resulted in the meeting ending without the adoption of an updated rebuilding plan for the overfished stock. The 25th Session of the IOTC is being held virtually from 7-11 June 2021 and two proposals on an interim plan for rebuilding the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna stock have been tabled one submitted by the EU and another submitted collectively by Maldives, Kenya, South Africa and Comoros. There is also an urgent need to improve the management of fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Indian Ocean, primarily to reduce catches of juvenile tropical tunas, but also to help mitigate the other ecological impacts associated with drifting FADs, including marine plastic pollution, ghost fishing and the bycatch of turtles, sharks and marine mammals. To this end, a proposal on the management of FADs in the IOTC area of competence has been submitted by Kenya, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mozambique, Pakistan, Somalia, South Africa, Indonesia, and Tanzania. Recommendations Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) and the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) hereby confirm their support for the following two conservation and management measure (CMM) proposals: IOTC-2021-S25-PropF On an interim plan for rebuilding the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna stock in the IOTC area of competence, submitted by Maldives et al.; and IOTC-2021-S25-PropE On management of fish aggregating devices in the IOTC area of competence, submitted by Kenya et al. It should be noted that the fishing mortality of yellowfin tuna in 2017 was 20% above the target reference point, and that the spawning biomass was 17% lower than the target. The proposal tabled by Maldives et al. acknowledges this and correctly notes that a reduction in catch of 16.7% compared to 2017 levels is required to ensure the timely recovery of the stock. This would necessitate a catch limit of roughly 341,000t. BLUE and IPNLF agree with this reduction and support this catch limit. However, having tried and failed to ensure that a yellowfin catch limit of 346,438t was adopted at the Special Session of the Commission earlier this year, Maldives have submitted a new proposal with a new, higher total allowable catch (TAC) of 383,000t. In addition, the Maldives proposal provides a significant catch buffer of over 20,000t, by assigning 2,000t catch limits to IOTC members who have fished very little or not at all in the past. Given the uncertainty and ambiguity contained within the IOTC Scientific Committees most recent report , and the failure of the Scientific Committee to provide adequate advice to IOTC members at the Special Session of the Commission in March, there is a clear risk of no new stock rebuilding plan being adopted at the upcoming Commission meeting. The proposal put forward by Maldives and its co-sponsors is equitable, removes all exemptions, is gear type neutral and takes into account the needs of developing coastal states and small island developing states. Importantly, it would bring about the IOTCs first formal TAC for yellowfin tuna, and an almost 15% reduction from 2019 catch levels. Therefore, while acknowledging that a lower catch limit more closely in line with the 16.7% reduction from 2017 levels should be a priority, BLUE and IPNLF support the proposal tabled by Maldives. As the most ambitious proposal tabled, we encourage all IOTC members to use this as a starting point for negotiations at the upcoming Commission meeting. In contrast, the proposal tabled by the EU is based heavily on the joint proposal IOTC-2021-SS4-PropE tabled at the IOTC Special Session in March and, given that this proposal was rejected at the Special Session, BLUE and IPNLF encourage the EU to withdraw its current proposal and support the more ambitious proposal put forward by Maldives. Similarly, although the EU did not provide a catch limit within its CMM proposal, our simulations estimate it to be roughly 395,000t significantly higher than that of the Maldives proposal. The proposal tabled by Kenya and its co-sponsors aims to reduce the number of drifting FADs per vessel from 300 to 150, calls for greater transparency in how these FADs are deployed, tracked and retrieved, and further calls for a three-month ban on fishing around drifting FADS and a phasing out of supply vessels. BLUE and IPNLF recognise the importance of improved FAD management in the region and therefore support the proposal tabled by Kenya. Lastly, BLUE and IPNLF would like to emphasise that the 25th Session of the IOTC represents IOTC members last chance to adopt an interim yellowfin tuna stock rebuilding plan for 2022 that is both equitable and in line with IOTC Resolution 12/01 on the implementation of the precautionary approach. IOTC member states especially distant water fishing nations need to step up and solve this problem that they have created in the Indian Ocean. We cannot allow another Commission meeting to conclude without the adoption of a yellowfin tuna recovery plan that will put an end to the overfishing of this globally important stock. Charles Clover, Executive Director, Blue Marine Foundation Drastic action is required to rebuild Indian Ocean yellowfin stocks. Since the stock was declared overfished in 2015, foreign-owned industrial purse seine fleets have continued to increase their catches by relying on the irresponsible use of drifting FADs. Not only has this inflicted damage on the yellowfin stock through the disproportionate catch of more than 90 million juvenile tuna over the last 5 years, it has also inflicted broader ecosystem damage that will remain for many years to come. Improved management of these FADs is therefore a key part of the solution. The future of millions of coastal livelihoods depends on a concerted effort by all parties, while responsible seafood businesses must also play their part by only sourcing from fleets than can be held to account. Martin Purves, Managing Director, IPNLF 2021 IPNLF. World News: Asia, the hub of modern slavery by Rock Ronald Rozario May 24,2021 | Source: Union of Catholic Asian News No other living beings enslave and abuse their own species, but the tragic story of human slavery continues unabated and spans both centuries and generations. The world has more slaves today than ever before thanks to various state and non-state actors and factors that reap economic and non-economic benefits by forcing fellow humans into slavery and denying them freedom, dignity and all opportunities for development. The British parliaments Slavery Abolition Act in 1833 and the US governments 13th amendment to the constitution in 1865 were pivotal moments in world history. But slavery was never abolished in the true sense; it just morphed into various forms to plague the lives of millions. Some 40 million people or one in every 200 people are languishing in slavery across the globe, according to the International Labor Organization. This might well be a conservative figure as many forms of slavery are invisible and largely unreported. Yet the figure is more than three times higher than the roughly 13 million people captured and sold as slaves between the 16th and 19th centuries in the transatlantic slave trade. About 70 percent of slaves are women and girls, while children account for 25 percent or 10 million slaves worldwide, according to the global slavery index. It is no secret that slavery is a highly lucrative business in the modern world that generates as much as US$150 billion in profits every year. There is no universally accepted definition of slavery. In broad terms, slavery is a condition or practice that people accept against their will, ranging from forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage and human trafficking to the commercial sex industry. Asia, the hub of modern slavery Asia has become the worlds emerging economic engine room with powerful economies like China, Japan and South Korea alongside rising economies like India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Gulf countries. The home of about 60 percent of the global population, the Asia-Pacific region is also the largest hub of slavery as it accounts for about 24.9 million men, women and children living in slavery, according to Walk Free Foundation. Most of the 10 countries with the highest levels of modern-day slavery are in Asia. China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines and Russia account for more than half of the worlds population and comprise 60 percent of modern-day slaves. Why does Asia-Pacific have such high numbers of people in slavery or slave-like conditions? Endemic poverty, unsafe migration, weak governance and abuses of cultural practices, are all blamed for fuelling slavery in Asian nations. But a major driving force is a lack of anti-slavery legislation in many countries, which means one cannot be prosecuted and punished in a criminal court for putting another human being into slavery. Some 94 out 193 member states didnt pass laws prohibiting slavery despite the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which calls on member states to abolish slavery. Most of these countries are in Asia. Most Asian nations have anti-trafficking and labor laws but such legislation does not necessarily address slavery. Discriminatory social and cultural practices in many of these countries have validated slavery in the public psyche. Source and destination of trafficking Asia is both a source and a destination of human trafficking, one of the many forms of slavery. Global supply chains for agriculture, construction, fishing, clothing, fashion, beauty and the sex industry are feeding grounds for trafficking. The global sex industry has some 4.5 million women and girls trapped in perpetual slavery and about two-thirds of them are in the Asia-Pacific. Every year, tens of thousands of poor young girls and women from relatively impoverished regions like South Asia are trafficked and sold into the sex industry in well-off countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East and even Europe. Sex trafficking can often be insidious as the victims are coerced and trafficked from poorer districts by organized crime syndicates and forced into commercial sex services in wealthy areas. From the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia to Myanmar, China and India, many young girls and women end up as sex slaves in glittering bars, brothels and other facilities, both in their home countries and abroad. Other forms might vary from country to country in Asia but modern-day slavery can be categorized into child slavery, forced labor, bonded labor, forced marriage and descent-based or ancestral slavery handed down from ancestors. India is home to the largest numbers of slaves, ranging from 14 to 18 million with women and girls making up the majority. The nation of more than 1.3 billion is a major source country for sex trafficking to Southeast and East Asia and a prime destination of sex trafficking from other South Asian countries. According to a 2017 study, India has around 16 million sex workers and about 37 percent are minors. Sex slavery is common in other South Asian countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Prostitution is technically illegal in religiously conservative Pakistan and Bangladesh, but they have brothels with most workers being victims of sex trafficking, forced and unequal child marriages, rape and sexual abuse, and a handful inherited the profession from their mothers who lived and died in brothels. Decades of a one-child policy created a massive gender imbalance in China and many young women from Asian countries are trafficked to the communist state in the guise of marriage where they are treated as sex slaves, not to mention those trafficked into the sex industry. Slaves, not workers A common and cruel form of modern-day slavery in South Asia is debt bondage. Under this unlawful and humiliating system, men, women, children and even entire families are enslaved by the debt holder to repay debts through endless labor. The debt holder often squeezes laborers with psychological pressure and physical violence, denies freedom of movement and offers a lump-sum amount that is never enough for survival. A bonded worker remains enslaved until death. Debt bondage is still prevalent in agriculture, brick kilns, construction sites, rice mills, embroidery and garment factories, stone quarries and even private houses. Pakistan has an estimated 2.1 million bonded laborers out of 3.1 million people living in slavery. The bonded labor system still exists in agriculture, brick making, carpet weaving, mining, fishing, domestic work and handicraft production, where a significant number of laborers are children. Another aspect of slavery in Pakistan is forced child labor. According to the Asian Human Rights Commission, some 20,000 disabled children are forced into begging on the streets by crime rackets. About 152 million children, or one in every 10 children in the world, are forced to work against their will in various sectors including hazardous industries, says Fishing industries in Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia have thousands of unpaid slave workers including children who are victims of domestic and In conflict-torn countries like Myanmar, ethnic rebel groups are often accused of recruiting children as soldiers through tough training and forcing them into fatal wars with the military. Even the military is also accused of using child soldiers. In the Philippines, many poor children are used as carriers for illegal drug trafficking, largely because children cannot be prosecuted or punished as per the law of the land. Thus, children often become the collateral damage of gang wars, while President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly anti-drug war also saw the killing of children accused of drug trafficking. In tea plantation hubs in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, an extreme form of ancestral slavery has been highly prevalent since British rule when commercial tea cultivation started. The British tea planters brought in thousands of poor laborers from British India by coercing them with better jobs and lives. Tea workers get an unfair daily wage for back-breaking long hours 500 rupees (US$2.50) in Sri Lanka and 102 and 120 taka (US$1.4) in Bangladesh, which are among the lowest in the world. Slavery and the Church Catholic and Protestant Churches including church-based social action organizations like Caritas have joined with rights groups and the government in the battle against some forms of slavery in the past decades. The Churchs efforts mostly addressed human trafficking, which Pope Francis described as a crime against humanity. Other forms of slavery the Church is tackling are bonded labor, child labor and exploitation of migrant workers in rural and urban areas. Among the major global and regional Catholic anti-trafficking alliances are the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) and Talitha Kum, a Vatican-sponsored internal anti-trafficking network. The groups have linked with the Catholic Church and charities in Asia to tackle trafficking through campaigns of prayer, prevention, protection, prosecution, policy and partnership. The Anglican Alliance is also a major anti-trafficking body of Protestant churches covering the Asia-Pacific region. Despite such forums and activities, the Churchs efforts in tackling modern-day slavery in Asia have yielded little fruit, largely because Christians are a minority in most parts of Asia and the Churchs organizational strength is too little compared to the overwhelming number of people living in slavery. Yet the Church and church groups must make anti-slavery campaigns an eternal priority to make people aware and vocal against all forms of modern-day slavery. Governments should stop turning a blind eye to slavery and must put in place necessary mechanisms including legislation to eradicate practices that enslave people. It might be too much to expect the businesses that reap profits from slave labor to let it go. But consumers can play a role. They should be made aware how global supply chains keep enslaving people and boycott businesses where slaves make clothes and food or catch fish and offer services. As long as slavery exists in the world and unfortunate people remain trapped in the vicious cycle, we too are complicit in this crime against humanity. 2021, Union of Catholic Asian News Limited. Greater Albany Public Schools offers free grab-and-go sack breakfasts and lunches for all children ages 1 to 18: 11:15 to 11:45 a.m., Memorial Middle School, 1050 SW Queen Ave. (drive-through available); 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Lafayette Elementary School, 3122 SE Madison St.; 10:30 to 11 a.m., Oak Elementary School, 3610 Oak St. SE; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Periwinkle Elementary School, 2196 21st Ave. SE; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Sunrise Elementary School, 730 SE 19th Ave.; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Takena Elementary School, 1210 SW 12th Ave.; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tangent Elementary School, 32100 Old Oak Drive; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Waverly Elementary School, 425 SE Columbus St.; 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Meadow Ridge Elementary School, 385 Timber Ridge St. NE; noon to 12:30 p.m., South Albany High School, 3705 SE Columbus St. (drive-through available). Children need not be present at meal pick-up. Denton, TX (76205) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. RTHK: Belarus activist from diverted flight says confessing Arrested Belarusian opposition blogger Roman Protasevich, who was on the diverted Ryanair flight, says he is cooperating and admitting to charges of organising protests in a video circulated by state TV channels on Monday. The passenger flight from Athens to Vilnius was diverted while in Belarusian airspace on Sunday over a supposed bomb threat, prompting a global outcry to Minsk's forced landing of the aircraft. "I am in Detention Centre no 1 in Minsk. I can say that I have no health problems, including with my heart or any other organs," Protasevich said in the clip that appears to have been filmed on a phone camera. The 26-year-old is wearing a black hoodie and sits behind a table in a non-descript room with a pack of cigarettes by his side. He fidgets with his hands as he makes the statement and some dark markings are visible on his forehead. "The attitude of employees towards me is as correct as possible and according to the law. I continue cooperating with investigators and am confessing to having organised mass unrest in the city of Minsk," he said. Earlier, the Belarus Interior Ministry said Protasevich was being held in Minsk and dismissed unconfirmed reports he was hospitalised with a heart condition. "The administration of the institution has not received any complaints about his health," the ministry said on its Telegram channel. Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo, Protasevich until recently ran the Nexta telegram channels that helped mobilise protesters during the demonstrations that gripped ex-Soviet Belarus for months after a disputed election last August. Protesters demanded the resignation of strongman Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for over two decades and in secured a landslide victory in an election his opponents say was rigged. The authorities unleashed a violent crackdown on protesters, detaining thousands, many of whom reported torture and abuse in custody. Several people died in the unrest. Exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who ran against Lukashenko in the election, also appeared in a similar video published by state media, urging her supporters not to protest. Her allies said the video was made under pressure and that Tikhanovskaya was threatened into recording it. She soon fled to neighbouring EU member Lithuania. "This is how Roman looks under physical and moral pressure," Tikhanovskaya said on Twitter on Monday, commenting on the video, and called for his "immediate" release. Protasevich and Putilo - who both fled to Europe - were last year added to Belarus's list of "individuals involved in terrorist activity". In Minsk, they face charges of causing mass unrest, an offence punishable by up to 15 years in jail. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Press Release May 24, 2021 Villar Farm Schools Help Promote New Breed of Filipino Farmers Two legislations authored by Sen. Villar spur farm school's growth in the PH Villar SIPAG has four farm schools established one after the other since 2015. The first is located in the boundary of Las Pinas City and Bacoor city that cater to farmers in NCR, Southern Luzon, and Bicol. The farm in San Jose del Monte City opened in July 2016.. It also offers free training programs for farmers in Northern and Central Luzon and the Cordilleras. Both Villar SIPAG farms schools are venues of the training program on Agri-Crops production in partnership with East West Seeds Foundation- program that is open to everyone who wants to learn urban agriculture, Training on Farm Business School, Production of High Quality Inbred Rice Seeds and Farm Mechanization, Workshop on Farm Machinery Operation, Management and Enterprise and Training on the Operation and Maintenance of Rice Machinery. All these in partnerships with Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Philmech, Philrice and TESDA. It also provides location for training on Freshwater Aquaculture and Training on Native Animal Production and Management together with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). It also holds training in cacao production, intercropping of coconut with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). On January 20, 2020, Villar inaugurated the Villar SIPAG Farm School in San Miguel, Iloilo to serve the Visayas Region. The main training program offered here is the two-week Training of Trainors on Rice Mechanization and Inbred Rice Seeds Production. The Philippine Carabao Center also conducts training in Villar SIpag Farm such as Training on Bull handling and Dairy and Bufallo Fattening. It became a venue for TESDA courses like Construction, Painting and Masonry. In addition, the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Davao City was established also in 2020 to provide training to farmers and others who want to avail of agriculture-related training in Mindanao. Trainings at the Villar Farm Schools are financed by the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG). The Villar SIPAG Farm Schools have welcomed thousands of trainees and hosted hundreds of training sessions on agriculture-related courses for free. To date, there are 2,367 accredited farm schools all over the country that serve as learning sites for farmers and plant enthusiasts who are given the opportunity to train for free on the ways of modern farming. The farm schools once accredited with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) or by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) they can avail of government support and scholarship grants as a learning site. The chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food promote the increase of farm schools nationwide for agriculture-related training to help remove the barriers that prevent Filipino farmers and fisher folk from being competitive and profitable, including the lack of technology, mechanization and financial literacy, how to operate the farm as a business and inability to access cheap credit. The growth of farm schools all over the country was attributed to two pieces of legislation that Senator Villar principally authored: Republic Act 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016, which encourages the conversion of farms into tourist farms and learning sites; and Republic Act 11203 or the law that created the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund which mandated a special role for farm schools as venues of extension services program. Ethiopias telecommunications regulator awarded one operating license to a consortium led by Kenyas Safaricom Vodafone, Japans Sumitomo Brook Taye, and UK finance agency CDC Group. "The Council of Ministers has unanimously made a historic decision today allowing Ethiopian Communications Authority to grant a new nationwide telecom license to the Global Partnership for Ethiopia which offered the highest licensing fee and a very solid investment case," Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said through his Twitter handle on Saturday. East Africas mobile telecommunication giant Safaricom owns 56 percent, Japans Sumitomo 25 percent, CDC 10 percent, Vodacom 6 percent, and the rest is owned by the UK sovereign investment fund in the global partnership for Ethiopia consortium. According to local media reports, which quoted Brook Taye, a senior adviser at the Ethiopian finance ministry, the Consortium paid $850 million for the licence, beating South Africas MTN, which had also bid for a licence with an offer of US$600 Million. The consortium paid US$850 million for the licence, he said. However, the amount bid by Safaricom and MTN Group is expected to be disclosed officially soon. Safaricoms chances of winning one of the licences increased exponentially after nine other firms dropped out of the bidding process. The firms that dropped out of the bidding process are Orange, Etisalat, Telkom SA, Snail Mobile, Axian, Liquid Telecom, Electromecha International Projects, and Kandu Global Communications. The Safaricom consortia are expected to invest over $8billion (Sh864 billion) over the next decade, the PM hoped. "With over $8 billion total investment, this will be the single largest FDI into Ethiopia to date, said the Prime Minister noting that the process was competitive and above board. Ethiopia, considered Africas second-most populous country, aims to open up its vast and unexplored telecoms market, creating millions of online jobs. UAE operator Etisalat has announced further expansion plans for its SmartHub ecosystem of interconnected communities with the planned launch of a new facility. This new wholesale data centre Etisalats third is to open in Kalba, offering a state-of-the-art Tier 3 data centre facility addressing growing demand and enhancing geographical diversity. Kalba is in the emirate of Sharjah on the Gulf of Oman coast, north of Oman. The company says that the new facility leverages its partner ecosystem to enable scalable and agile infrastructure. With the new SmartHub ecosystem, Etisalat says that businesses can now manage their data in the most cost-effective way by making use of the companys digital infrastructure and harnessing interconnection capabilities. The opening of Etisalats third wholesale data centre follows the launch of facilities in Fujairah and Dubai last year. According to the Gulf News website, the new data centre will offer a geo-redundant ecosystem for global players to expand their regional presence. Importantly, the new facility is also to be the landing place for Africa-1, the new subsea telecom system connecting Africa, the Middle East and Europe. This, says Etisalat, will give SmartHub Kalba a pivotal role in facilitating faster connectivity to various global partners. The new facility is scheduled to be operational by the first quarter of 2022, providing what is described as a robust data centre infrastructure evolving to meet future demands including, of course, the arrival of a new generation of submarine cables. It will also becoming a disaster recovery hub for Etisalats customers in the Fujairah SmartHub. 22 days ago, forces from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) broke into the home of activist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, who was on a hunger and thirst strike, and confined him to the General Calixto Garcia University Hospital, where he is still being held. On that day hospital management published an information note concluding: "At this time the patient's condition is stable. The corresponding medical actions are being continued by the group of specialists. He is being kept under observation for the reasons cited, which led to his arrival at the institution." With this note the Calixto Garcia Hospital took responsibility for the patient and, at the same time, its complicity in his abduction. The facilitys authorities issued a clinical alibi allowing the MININT to operate, and its deputy director of surgery, Dr. Ifran Martinez Galvez, was complicit in the disinformation campaign surrounding the case. The latest images released of Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara show how much his health has deteriorated in these past 20 days. Part of the responsibility for his decline rests with the authorities at the Calixto Garcia Hospital and the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), which have placed their facilities and specialized personnel at the disposal of the forces of political repression. Cuban activists, inside and outside the country, would do well to publicly denounce the MINSAP, the Calixto Garcia Hospital and Dr. Martinez Galvez, health authorities all collaborating with the political police in the repression and torture of those who think differently from them. ADELPHI, Maryland Zachary Clay Dansby of Eufaula earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). The university held a virtual stateside commencement on May 15 for more than 5,500 graduates of the Class of 2021. University of Maryland Global Campus (formerly University of Maryland University College) is a world leader in innovative educational models, with award-winning online programs in disciplines including biotechnology, cybersecurity, data analytics and information technology that are in high demand in todays increasingly technical, global workplace. With an enrollment of some 90,000 students, UMGC offers open access with a global footprint and a specific mission-to meet the learning needs of students whose responsibilities may include jobs, family, and military service. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, including doctoral programs. A pioneer in distance education since 1947, UMGC today is harnessing the power of learning science and technology to deliver high quality, low cost, accessible higher education. In 1949, UMGC became the first institution to send faculty overseas to teach active-duty military personnel at installations in Europe. The university expanded overseas operations to Asia in 1956 and to the Middle East in 2005. UMGC faculty have taught in the war zones of Vietnam, Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. Oh, gosh, so many things, he says. The way the honeybees communicate, how they go about their daily business, what makes them go to this flower as opposed to that flower? Just learning about that is a lot of fun. After he experimented for a few years, a lightbulb went off in his head -- It was a dim one, I can assure you, he deadpans -- and he decided he could do this for a living. It just seemed like there was an opportunity there, he says. Ive always been very curious about making that a livelihood. Hill launched his business in 2011, and he named it Eastaboga Bee Company in honor of the little community that is his home. And because he liked the way the name rolled off his tongue: EAST-uh-BO-guh. It helps me when salespeople call me and they cant pronounce Eastaboga, he says. I just tell them Im not interested. If you cant pronounce the name of my company correctly, I dont want to do business with you. A ONE-MAN OPERATION Although Hill does hire a few part-time employees, finding people who want to work around bees has proven difficult, he says. Press Release May 24, 2021 Zubiri to IATF: Stricter COVID Measures Needed in Northern Mindanao Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has expressed concern over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Northern Mindanao, and is calling on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for their help in controlling the situation. "As a resident of Northern Mindanao, I am very alarmed by the recent surge of COVID-19 cases across the region," said Zubiri. "Two weeks ago, our regional IATF already reported a 300 percent rise in cases in Lanao del Norte. And this weekend, CDO reported that their numbers have risen to 962, from just 100-plus in March. In Bukidnon, our medical frontliners are struggling to deal with the sudden surge of COVID-19 patients. "Our hospitals are already filling up. I know that Bukidnon Provincial Medical Hospital (BPMH) is full, along with some of our private hospitals. And Northern Mindanao Medical Center has already raised its status to Code Red, with 50 percent of their operating capacity taken up by COVID cases. "I am appealing to the IATF to impose stricter measures in Northern Mindanao to control the rise of cases, and to instruct the regional IATF to enforce these measures now before the outbreak gets worse. "The region might benefit from a change in our quarantine classification, as well as localized lockdowns in areas with particularly alarming surges. We might also need to reinstitute the negative COVID-19 test requirement for inbound travellers. I hope the IATF can assess the situation and enforce the necessary measures as quickly as possible. We must act now before it gets out of hand." The proposal, being studied by the municipal Department of Transport, suggests increasing the number of buses in Hanoi by 90 percent to 3,400-3,800 by 2025, and to have 15-20 percent of these operate on electricity and compressed natural gas. The proposal, which targets reduced emissions and air pollution in the city, expects over 25 percent of buses in Hanoi to run on clean energy by 2030. The plan is to open 90-100 new bus routes in the next five years, of which 10 routes will serve students and workers. The city will have up to 230 bus routes by 2025. The proposal estimates the citys average bus subsidies during the 2020-2025 period at VND2.5-3 trillion ($108-130 million) per year. Towards further development of the public transportation system, Transerco says that the city needs 13 new bus priority lanes with a total length of 60.8 kilometers. Its proposal includes setting up 1,500-2000 bus stops and 30-40 bus terminals to serve the new bus routes. Hanoi currently has 126 normal bus routes and seven others that use buses fueled by compressed natural gas. An electric bus service was launched in the city recently by VinBus Transport Service Co., a subsidiary of Vingroup, Vietnam's largest private conglomerate. The service now runs in an urban area of Gia Lam District and is waiting for the completion of procedures to connect with the citys public transport network. Food photography is neglected in Vietnam and not utilized for tourism promotion though any entries from the country win honors in international competitions. With his entry "Bua Sang O Cho Phien" (Breakfast at a Rural Market), Nguyen Huu Thong won first prize in the Food at the Table category in the 2021 Pink Lady Food Photography competition (U.K.) and 2018 Smithsonian Annual Photo Contest (US), two of the world's leading awards recognizing the art and diversity of food photography. He shot the photo in a morning mountain market in Ha Giang during the 2017 Lunar New Year. He woke up early and spent hours in a pho stall so he could observe and capture the best moment. It was cold, and locals came to eat hot bowls of pho. Thong considers food photography a perfect medium to capture culture and ambience. Echoing Thong's opinion, Nguyen Thu Thuy from the Faculty of Tourism, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, told Thanh Nien newspaper: "We need to rethink our culinary strategy, including the use of food photography, otherwise it (the cuisine) would be wasted." Girls enjoy che (sweet soup) in Hoi An, Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo by Viet Van Tran. At this year's Pink Lady Food Photography contest famous photographer Tran Viet Van won first prize in the Street food category with a work titled "Enjoy" that shows people in Hoi An enjoying che (Vietnamese sweet soup). He said: "I took this photo on December 30th, 2020, a lovely moment during the Covid-19 epidemic, when people were enjoying che on the street. "In Hoi An, besides famous dishes such as cao lau (Vietnamese thick noodles), and Phuong bread, there is also very good che. The che shops in Hoi An are very simple and peaceful." Van had also won the Pink Lady Food Photography award in 2019 for his The Butcher's Breakfast. Vietnamese cuisine has become better known in the world over the past few years, with international chefs and prestigious food magazines praising several national dishes. Tourism promotion In 2019, CNN named Vietnam's pho among the world's 50 best dishes. Bun cha was also included on National Geographic's list of best street food in the world. In 2016, photos of former U.S. President Barack Obama having bun cha, a popular Hanoi dish of white rice noodles, herbs and grilled pork, at a local restaurant in Hanoi went viral, helping the eatery attract hundreds of daily patrons as a result. Recently, a study released by New York-based foodie magazine Chef's Pencil showed Vietnamese cuisine was the world's ninth most popular on Instagram in 2020, reaffirming its rising popularity among food lovers. A total 2.84 million #Vietnamesefood tags were posted on Instagram, the worlds largest photo-sharing network, during that year alone. This shows photos could be a good envoy for popularizing Vietnamese cuisine and culture across the globe. Although food photographers have won a number of international honors and introduce Vietnamese cuisine and culture to the world through their works, "there is no food photography contest in Vietnam," Van said. "Bua Sang O Cho Phien" (Breakfast at a Rural Market). Photo courtesy of Nguyen Huu Thong. Food photography can be used to promote tourism, especially since many localities in the country want to make cuisine a tourism product. In March, authorities in Khanh Hoa Province approved a night-time food street comprising 20 mobile trucks along a beach in Nha Trang, a top tourist attraction. Previously, Saigon authorities decided to open a food street on Ho Thi Ky in District 10, home to the citys largest flower market. The southern metropolis has many food hubs like Bui Vien Street in District 1, Phan Xich Long Street in Phu Nhuan District, Vinh Vien Street in District 10, and Ha Ton Quyen Street in District 11. Competitions to attract local photographers have been organized, though food photography has yet to come under the spotlight. Last year, the Vietnam Photographic Artists Association and the National Administration of Tourism organized a travel photo contest. It received tens of thousands of entries, but only around two dozen food photographs were on display. "It's true that there is a lot of potential for a separate food photography contest, but if we organize one, I do not think many works will be submitted," Vu Quoc Khanh, one of the organizers, said. But Le Huy, a photographer who has won many international photography awards, said: "In fact, there are lots of good food photographs and good food photographers." In the aforementioned tourist photo contest, food photography was not mentioned at all. Dr Nguyen Thu Thuy said she supports the use of culinary elements to promote Vietnam's tourism. "Food and food photography deserve to belong as a culinary heritage to promote the Vietnam travel industry. Furthermore, food photography leaves a strong visual impression." Nguyen Manh Quan at his home in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Hang. A Hanoi 12th grader has become the first Vietnamese to achieve the highest score at Asian Physics Olympiad. Vietnam sent a team of eight students to the 21st Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO), with six scooping medals. Nguyen Manh Quan and Tran Quang Vinh, both 12th graders from Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, pocketed golds. Quan scored the highest among all contestants, becoming the first Vietnamese student to achieve such a feat at an APhO event. Among the remaining contestants, 12th grader Bui Thanh Tan from Phan Boi Chau Gifted Senior High School in central Nghe An Province brought home the silver while the other three, Nguyen Trong Thuan, 12th grader at Lam Son High School for the Gifted in central Thanh Hoa Province, Le Minh Hoang, 11th grader at the High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi University of Science (HUS), Vietnam National University, and Nguyen Hoang Nam, also a 12th grader from Hanoi Amsterdam, earned bronze. Trang Dao Cong Minh, 12th grader from the HUS High School for Gifted Students and Nguyen Dac Tien, 12th grader at Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted, received the certificates of merit. The eight Vietnamese students that joined the 21st Asian Physics Olympiad. Photo by Ministry of Education and Training. Hosted by Taiwan, the 2021 APhO was originally scheduled to be held last year but due to Covid-19, it was postponed to this year and eventually took place online. The event attracted 181 students from 23 countries and territories. In Vietnam, it was held online at the Hanoi National University of Education from May 16 to 24, during which contestants must complete theory and practical examinations. Last year, Quan snatched the gold medal and also scored the highest at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics aside from getting another gold at the European Physics Olympiad. Last March, he won a college scholarship of $260,000 to study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Religious freedom, like every human right, is universal, declared U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the release of the annual State Department International Religious Freedom Report. All people, everywhere, are entitled to it no matter where they live, what they believe, or what they dont believe. . . . .Religious freedom cant be fully realized unless other human rights are respected, and when governments violate their peoples right to believe and worship freely, it jeopardizes all the others. For many people around the world, religious freedom is still out of reach. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, 56 countries have high or severe restrictions on religious freedom. The Iranian regime continues to intimidate, harass, and arrest members of minority faith groups, including Bahais, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Sunni and Sufi Muslims. In Burma, the military coup leaders are among those responsible for ethnic cleansing and other atrocities against Muslim Rohingya. In Russia, authorities continue to harass, detain, and seize property of Jehovahs Witnesses as well as members of Muslim minority groups on the pretense of alleged extremism. Saudi Arabia remains the only country in the world without a Christian church, though there are more than a million Christians living in Saudi Arabia. And the Peoples Republic of China broadly criminalizes religious expression and continues to commit crimes against humanity and genocide against Muslim Uighurs and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang. Some countries are taking steps toward increasing respect for religious freedom, said Secretary Blinken: Last year, the civilian-led transitional government in Sudan repealed apostasy and public order laws that had been used to harass members of religious minority groups. Uzbekistans government released hundreds of people who have been imprisoned because of their beliefs. . . .Turkmenistan released 16 Jehovahs Witnesses who are conscientious objectors and refused to serve in the military. We will maintain Americas longstanding leadership on religious freedom, said Secretary Blinken, and continue to work with human rights advocates and religious communities to combat all forms of religiously motivated hatred and discrimination. ELKO Anyone who has made the 116-mile trip between Jackpot and Elko knows it can be a long drive, especially if you failed to make a pit stop beforehand. An Idaho woman was booked May 15 on a felony bribery charge after wanting to be let out of a patrol car that she eventually urinated in, according to an Elko County Sheriffs deputy report. The deputy was called to a Jackpot casino that Saturday morning on a report that Amanda Stewart, 32, of Mountain Home and her husband had been asked to leave but refused. They agreed to leave but then got into an argument, and the deputy said Stewart started yelling at him so he placed her in handcuffs and escorted her to his patrol vehicle. He said he gave her another chance to leave the casinos property but she refused to say if she would, and she resisted being searched. On the drive to the county jail, the deputy said Stewart repeatedly removed her seatbelt and kept complaining about needing to pee. At one point she allegedly offered the deputy $1,000 to pull over and let her out. The deputy said he told her several times to hold it and that he was not allowed to stop. At some point she intentionally urinated on the floor of the patrol unit, according to the deputy. University of Utah SALT LAKE CITY The University of Utah congratulates more than 8,700 students who were named to the Spring 2021 Deans List. To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher in at least 12 graded credit hours during any one term. Local students named to the Spring 2021 Deans List include: Caden Jangard of Spring Creek, whose major is listed as Psychology BS Josh Jonas of Elko, whose major is listed as Mathematics HBS and Philosophy BS Natalie Kump of Elko, whose major is listed as Chemistry BS Alex Mardini of Elko, whose major is listed as Accounting BS Andrew Mardini of Elko, whose major is listed as Psychology BS Colleen Piacitelli of Elko, whose major is listed as Social Work BSW Jordan Pollard of Elko, whose major is listed as Biology BS Kevin Shi of Elko, whose major is listed as Business Administration BS Jasmine Yadeskie of Spring Creek, whose major is listed as Health and Kinesiology BS The thing about child fatality data is that its often very far behind, because there are a lot of involved parties when something gets this serious including law enforcement, medical examiners, the coroner, Kathryn Roose, deputy Child and Family Services administrator, told the Review-Journal. We cant actually put a data point in a category until all of those things are resolved. The data gap can make it difficult for experts to study what could lead someone to abuse a partners child, said Liz Ortenburger, CEO of SafeNest, Nevadas largest nonprofit providing crisis services to victims of domestic violence. She blamed the slow pace of investigations and the criminal justice system. The data we have now is nearly five years old, Ortenburger said. Whats frustrating for those of us who work in this field is that we arent able to come to the table much earlier to discuss child fatalities Because of the complexity of fatal child abuse or neglect cases, coroners investigations and rulings often remain pending for many months even years in some instances. In the justice system, that can translate to delays in arrests because investigators and prosecutors may wait for autopsy results to pursue charges. A lot of people that wouldnt ordinarily do it, a lot of guys, they said, they came here because its Hustler, his wife Harper said. To take away the stodginess of it, to make it Hustler, its very clever. Nothing says vaccinations like a stripper pole, said the couples friend George Stoecklin, who joined them to get his shot. Myers, 70, said he was reluctant to get the shot and worried about how fast it had been available. But he noted his age and said he was concerned about his ability to spread the virus and infect others, including his wife. Myers said he was disappointed there were no dancers on the stage while he got his shot but said, at least I got the scope of it. More than 46% of the states population age 12 and over has received at least one shot of the vaccine, but Nevada health officials said this week that a steep drop-off in demand for shots may make it impossible for the state to reach a goal of vaccinating 75% of the eligible population. Nevada officials have been increasingly turning to pop-up clinics in places like churches, schools and senior centers -- and now strip clubs -- to try to get more shots in arms. The thing about child fatality data is that its often very far behind, because there are a lot of involved parties when something gets this serious including law enforcement, medical examiners, the coroner, Kathryn Roose, deputy Child and Family Services administrator, told the Review-Journal. We cant actually put a data point in a category until all of those things are resolved. The data gap can make it difficult for experts to study what could lead someone to abuse a partners child, said Liz Ortenburger, CEO of SafeNest, Nevadas largest nonprofit providing crisis services to victims of domestic violence. She blamed the slow pace of investigations and the criminal justice system. The data we have now is nearly five years old, Ortenburger said. Whats frustrating for those of us who work in this field is that we arent able to come to the table much earlier to discuss child fatalities Because of the complexity of fatal child abuse or neglect cases, coroners' investigations and rulings often remain pending for many months even years in some instances. In the justice system, that can translate to delays in arrests because investigators and prosecutors may wait for autopsy results to pursue charges. It only reopened a few weeks ago after Italys wintertime coronavirus lockdowns lifted, and officials hypothesized that families were taking advantage of a sunny Sunday to visit the peak and take in the view. The mayor declared a day of mourning for Stresa, which like tourist destinations around the country had suffered from COVID-19 lockdowns that not only slashed foreign tourism but cut local day-trip visits by Italians. Giovannini acknowledged the community was at a moment of rebirth" with the tourist season just beginning. It has been particularly struck by this event and has already shown a great sense of responsibility" in sharing in the pain of the families, he said. The Israeli foreign ministry identified the five Israelis killed as Eitan's parents, Amit Biran and Tal Peleg-Biran, an Israeli-born couple studying and working in Pavia. Birans Facebook page identifies him as a medical student at the University of Pavia. Their 2-year-old son, Tom Biran, was killed at the scene, as were Peleg-Birans grandparents, Barbara and Yitzhak Cohen. The ministry said they had arrived in Italy on May 19 to visit their granddaughter and great-grandchildren. In what was, so far, the best baseball game of the week, the Jaguars pulled their 33rd win out of the fire and salvaged a gem of a start from their star pitcher. LAS VEGAS -- NVGOP Chairman Michael J. McDonald released the following statement Friday in regard to pending litigation against the Clark County Republican Central Committee and the Nevada Republican Party: On May 20th, prospective members of the Clark County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) filed suit against the Clark County Republican Central Committee and the Nevada Republican Party. The Nevada Republican Party had no involvement in any of the alleged conduct, and denies any wrongdoing on its part. The Plaintiffs have made serious allegations of discrimination against the Clark County Republican Party. These allegations include claims that the CCRCC has proposed resolutions to restrict membership based on arbitrary and discriminatory designations. These are serious allegations, and the Nevada Republican Party does not take them lightly. The Nevada Republican Party welcomes all people. Discrimination in any form is not welcome in the Nevada Republican Party, and runs counter to the ideals this country was founded upon and which we as Republicans seek to practice on a daily basis. Any member of the CCRCC engaging in discrimination should immediately step down. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the Pfizer & BioNTech vaccine for those between the ages of twelve and fifteen in mid-May. A few short weeks later, the CDC is looking into possible cardiac-related issues in teenagers and young adults after vaccination. The CDC announced on 17 May that they were investigated several cases of myocarditis in some patients who had received a covid-19 vaccine. To date, the experts have not linked these issues to vaccination and the relationship is solely circumstantial. Additionally, many public health experts are warning against speaking out against vaccines until more data is collected. In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Celine Gounder an infectious disease specialist at Bellevue Hospital Center said that Its more likely for something like that to happen by chance, because so many people are getting vaccinated right now. The US health authority released details on the patient profile of those who have been impacted. In most cases the issues presented in male adolescents and young adults, and usually symptoms presented after the second dose within four days of vaccination. What is myocarditis? Myocarditis is inflammation in the heart that can limit the hearts ability to pump blood through the body and cause an abnormal heartbeat. The issue is normally caused after a viral, parasitic, bacterial, or fungal infection and can signal heart failure or a heart attack. What are the symptoms? According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms to look out for include, chest pain, rapid or abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath, fluid retention with swelling, and fatigue. Symptoms in children present a bit differently and can include fainting and fever, in addition to those in adults. While severe side effects from the virus tend to cause hesitancy, one risks much more severe health impacts from being infected with covid-19. In more recent weeks, more research has been released on long-covid -- those who suffer deliberating effects for an extended period of time after testing positive for the virus. Symptoms of long-covid according to the CDC include fast beating or pounding heart, difficulty thinking or concentrating, depression or anxiety, and many other issues. These issues are being faced by people of all ages, even if the illness was mild, or they had no symptoms. With its ratification steadily advancing, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement is likely to come into force next year, shoring up regional development and injecting strong growth impetus into the global economy, experts and industry insiders said. Signed by China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in November 2020, the agreement has created the world's largest free trade bloc. It will enter into force 60 days after being ratified by six of the ASEAN members and three non-ASEAN countries. Thailand, Singapore, China and Japan have already ratified the RCEP. And the Ministry of Commerce has said that all the signatory states have expressed their intention to ratify the deal within the year so that it can come into force on Jan 1,2022. Zhang Jianping, director-general of the Beijing-based China Center for Regional Economic Cooperation, said closer ties among the RCEP signatory countries will have a far-reaching impact on regional trade, investment, and market integration. This will help the recovery of the global economy, which is smarting from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing rising trade protectionism. The cooperation among the participating countries leveraging on each other's advantages will greatly boost regional trade and investment, adding new energy to regional development and providing strong support for global economic recovery, Zhang said. The RCEP is designed to cut tariffs by as much as 90 percent on goods traded between the signatory states in the 20 years since coming into effect. In the common rule of origin established by the RCEP, only 40 percent of regional content is required for goods to be considered of RCEP origin, much lower than the thresholds of other free trade agreements. The agreement promises to extensively boost the regional economy, by facilitating trade and investment, accelerating the flow factors of production, furthering the integration and coordination of industrial and supply chains, and promoting the development of new industries and businesses including cross-border e-commerce. According to Da Hongfei, CEO of Onchain, a blockchain tech start-up, the RCEP promises a huge and thriving market for innovation-oriented companies, such as fintech start-ups, thanks to intensified regional cooperation. He also said the RCEP agreement shows its signatory economies have confidence in and firmly support globalization at a time when globalization faces many challenges. A report released on Sunday during the RCEP Media & Think Tank Forum held online and offline in Haikou, Hainan province, estimated the RCEP could help increase member states' exports, foreign investment stocks and GDP by 10.4 percent, 2.6 percent, and 1.8 percent respectively by 2025. The forum was jointly organized by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Hainan Provincial Committee, China Daily, Hainan-based China Institute for Reform and Development, and the China Institute for Free Trade Ports with Chinese Characteristics. The report also said the RCEP could boost global GDP growth by $186 billion a year. And Credit insurer Euler Hermes predicted that the common rule of origin could increase intra-regional trade by $90 billion annually, and the RCEP's less restrictive rules, compared with other FTAs, imply fewer impediments for trade in the region. The common rule of origin will also attract manufacturers seeking to optimize the comparative advantages of individual markets, according to Jia Jingwei, vice-chairman of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions' China branch. The RCEP will drive the growth of regional investment in the medium to long term, Jia said, adding that he expects higher demand for cargo, transport and credit insurance. According to Deutsche Bank's Kenny Khoo, who recently moved from Shanghai to Singapore to set up the bank's China-ASEAN desk, Chinese corporations are paying more attention to ASEAN since the signing of the RCEP. Tu Xinquan, dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said the RCEP economies, despite having different levels of development and resource endowment, have strong economic and trade complementarity, and deeper economic and trade cooperation among them means better utilization of resources and higher levels of efficiency in production. The RCEP also provides a valuable opportunity for lower-income economies to further integrate into the global industrial and trade and investment networks, he said. "For the world economy, the RCEP promises not only more exporters of quality goods and services, but also expanding markets with increasingly deep-pocketed consumers," Tu said. As the RECP region, the world's manufacturing powerhouse, also promotes innovation, it will unleash the innovation potential of the Asia-Pacific and therefore create more business opportunities for both regional and non-regional businesses, greatly contributing to global economic recovery, Tu added. George Yong-Boon Yeo, Singapore's former minister for Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs, and senior adviser to Kuok Group and Kerry Logistics Network, said at the forum that the RCEP must never turn inwards. An inclusive RCEP will encourage others to liberalize too, and oppose the ill wind of decoupling and trade war, he said. China and Iran signed a joint statement on Saturday on cooperation in conservation of cultural heritage on Saturday, echoing a commitment to better take care of relics through cross-border efforts in Asia. Through a livestreaming platform, Li Qun, director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, signed the bilateral cooperation document for the Asian Initiative for Cultural Heritage Conservation with Mohammad Hassan Talebian, deputy Iranian minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts. President Xi Jinping first proposed the Asian Initiative for Cultural Heritage Conservation in his keynote speech at the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilization in Beijing in May 2019. Iran is the third country that has signed joint statements with China within the framework of the initiative. On May 11, China co-released such statements with Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is the first bilateral intergovernmental agreement specifically on cultural heritage between China and Iran in almost a decade. According to the joint agreement, China and Iran will have a series of joint projects on archaeology, conservation of cultural heritage, management of UNESCO World Heritage sites, the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property and expertise training among other fields. Li said the joint statement marked Sino-Iranian cooperation on cultural heritage entering a new epoch, and is a milestone, and it will bring strong impetus to promote people-to-people connectivity, as well as communication and mutual learning echoing the Belt and Road Initiative. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (R) meets with his visiting Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan, on May 23, 2021. Jordan and Palestine on Sunday called for intensifying international efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) AMMAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and Palestine on Sunday called for intensifying international efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. The call was made at a meeting between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his visiting Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki in Amman, where both based a just peace in the region on resolving the Palestinian cause and meeting all the legitimate rights of the Palestinians. During their meeting, the two ministers urged continued coordination and consultation in mobilizing an effective international stance to end the occupation and achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution in accordance with international law and the Arab Peace Initiative. Safadi highlighted the success of the international and regional efforts in stopping the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and achieving a cease-fire. Al-Maliki praised Jordan's efforts to stop the Israeli attacks and violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Gaza Strip, Jordan's role in supporting Palestinians and their rights, and its humanitarian and medical assistance. Enditem [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] People visit the 10th China Flower Expo in east China's Shanghai, May 21, 2021. The 10th China Flower Expo opened here on Friday, welcoming over 20,000 visitors on its first day. The expo, held to showcase the development of China's flower industry, will last until July 2. A total of 180 outdoor exhibition zones and 64 indoor areas have been set up at the expo park in the city's Chongming District. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Photo taken on May 20, 2021 shows cultural activities themed on traditional Chinese medicine held on campus of a primary school in central China's city of Zhengzhou. During the activities, students were instructed to experience and learn about TCM culture in an easily acceptable and interesting way. (Liu Shuting/Guangming Picuture) 3 1 [ Editor: WXL ] U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine Kristina Kvien has urged the Ukrainian authorities to pass additional bylaws to provide anti-corruption guarantees for land reform. As the country is quickly approaching the opening day of the farmland market, the continued leadership of all participants, including the international community, is important, Kvien said at the Ukraine 30 Land All-Ukrainian forum held in Kyiv on Monday. She said that the adoption of the law to lift the ban on the sale of farmland last year was an important step towards the adoption of market principles, which will give land owners more flexibility in using the property they own. The United States applauds the Ukrainian President's dedication to this important reform and looks forward to seeing it accomplish after years of stalemate, she added. Kvien welcomed the adoption of laws that are important for the implementation of land reform by the Verkhovna Rada in the past weeks of two. At the same time, she said, more needs to be done to ensure the success of land reform, including fair implementation. A law creating partial loan guarantees for small farmers should be passed, as this law will ensure that every Ukrainian has the opportunity of participating in the farming business, she said. Kvien also drew attention to the fact that, unfortunately, due to conflicting reports, many Ukrainians remain skeptical that the land reform will provide them with benefits. It is vital that land and community owners know their rights and how to protect them. The United States urges the Ukrainian government and the media to initiate a public awareness campaign to provide clear, accurate information, she said. She said that the United States, together with the European Union and partners from the World Bank, are ready to support the Ukrainian government in the implementation of land reform, which will meet the interests of all Ukrainians. The anti-corruption audit of the state geocadastre is important in order to prevent abuse in the framework of land reform, said head of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas. Maasikas said at the Ukraine 30. Land all-Ukrainian forum in Kyiv on Monday that an anti-corruption audit of the state geocadastre is important to prevent abuse and ensure that the reform benefits the right people. He noted that this is one of five key actions that need to be implemented as part of the land reform roadmap by July 1. The first is the adoption of three resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers and the development of software for their implementation, including automatic verification of the 100 hectare ownership limit. The second is a comprehensive communication campaign to inform land owners and users of their rights and opportunities. Third, the development of a public monitoring system for land sales, transaction list and requests for legal support related to land issues - all in order to increase public confidence, Maasikas said. The ambassador also added that farmers should have access to credit services from the very start of the land market. The diplomat stressed that the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was critical to achieving the opening of the land market on July 1. He added that Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Roman Leshchenko was another significant driving force behind this important reform. The ambassador said that Ukraine had made impressive progress on this difficult path of reform, which was even more difficult due to the ongoing aggression and provocations of Russia, as well as the serious economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that despite these difficulties, Ukraine had shown outstanding resilience and dedication, and land reform is a prime example of this. He added that a successful land reform, first of all, would open up huge additional potential for the Ukrainian economy. The EU ambassador said that Ukraine has the best soil in the world, and that we could feed the whole of Europe. According to him, a well-functioning agricultural land market will make this possible. In addition, he said, this reform would transform many sectors in Ukraine, bring benefits, in particular to small farmers, lead to investment in agriculture and contribute to the diversification of agricultural products. It will also help to further develop the credit market and strengthen local governance, he added. Ex-chief editor of NEXTA and editor of Belarus of the Brain, another Telegram channel Roman Protasevich was detained by the Belarusian authorities in Minsk, where the Ryanair flight on which he was traveling from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) said. "Roman Protasevich has been detained. He was traveling from Athens to Vilnius on board a Ryanair flight. The plane made an emergency landing at the Minsk airport," BAJ said on Telegram on Sunday. A Ryanair plane traveling from Athens to Vilnius made an emergency landing at the Minsk airport after a bomb alert in the afternoon of May 23. Military engineers boarded the plane to inspect it. Passengers were to pass a security control at the airport. According to the Pool of the First Telegram channel, which is believed to be close Alexander Lukashenko, it was the Belarusian president's personal decision to make the plane land in Minsk. At Lukashenko's request, a MiG-29 fighter jet was reportedly scrambled to escort the passenger plane. The MiG-29 is waiting at the airport until necessary inspections and checks are finished in order to accompany the airliner to the border with Lithuania, it said. As reported earlier, Roman Protasevich, former chief editor of NEXTA and editor of Belarus of the Brain, the Telegram channels that are both recognized extremist in Belarus, was placed on the international wanted list. In November 2020, the Belarusian Prosecutor General's Office requested the Polish Justice Ministry to put Protasevich in custody and extradite him so that he could be prosecuted in a mass riots case in Belarus. One of the two women members of the Sovereign Council the body that is leading the transition in the country has resigned. Aisha Moussa El Saeed denounced the sidelining of civilians within the institutions. Sudans 14-member sovereign council both civilian and military is headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Its members were sworn in in August 2019. Aisha Moussa Saeed, an English teacher and activist, has been among the most critical of the military regime led by General al-Burhan. At a press conference this weekend, she said she tendered her resignation after two protesters died on May 11, ten days ago They were commemorating the bloody dispersal of a rally that led to the fall of former president Omar al-Bashir two years ago. The crackdown also left around thirty people injured. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok denounced the crackdown on the rally. We believed that I and my colleagues could redress the situation and heal the deep wounds of an exhausted people; that we could resolve the differences between the parties and continue to call for change in earnest. But we can no longer ignore the fact that our views are being ignored and our prerogatives violated. At all levels of power our presence as civilians has been reduced to mere execution. We do not participate in the decision-making process and only implement decisions that have already been made in advance. Aisha Musa regrets that the investigation into the dispersal of this sit in (of May 11, 2019) has not been finalized: 130 demonstrators died during this violence according to human rights organizations. And General Hemeti, number two of the transition, is implicated in the repression At a meeting on Sunday, May 23, the Supreme Court canceled the protocol of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC) dated May 19, 2021 on the establishment of the results of the midterm elections of Ukrainian parliamentarians in district No. 87 and the recognition of Vasyl Virastyuk as an elected deputy. "In addition, by this resolution, the court canceled paragraphs 1 and 2 of the CEC resolution of May 19, which invalidated voting in six problem areas, where, when recounting ballots, fewer votes were found for Oleksandr Shevchenko than in the primary protocols of precinct election commissions," the civic network OPORA said. The decision was taken by the Supreme Court as a court of first instance. If the CEC or Virastyuk's team files an appeal, the case will be reviewed by the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, and its decision will be final. As reported, representative of the Servant of the People party Vasyl Virastyuk won the parliamentary by-election in constituency No. 87 with 31.25% of the votes. His rivals, representative of the For the Future party Oleksandr Shevchenko and representative of the All-Ukrainian Association Svoboda Ruslan Koshulynsky gained 29.69% and, accordingly, 28.86%. The Central Election Commission of Ukraine at a meeting on April 5 recognized the elections in the constituency as valid. Zelensky signs bill no. 2194 on transfer of farmland from state to communal property into law in public President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed bill No. 2194 into law, which amends the Land Code and other laws to improve the system of management and deregulation in the field of land relations, which he called the Land Constitution. "Bill No. 2194, which fundamentally changes the land management of our state and which is called the Land Constitution. This bill, which takes away the function of registering the right to land, which an official in his office has never even seen in his life, from him," the head of state said, opening at the all-Ukrainian forum Ukraine 30. Land held on Monday in Kyiv. Zelensky said that this document finally returns the right to use their land to communities. "The law, which clearly stipulates that only Ukrainians can buy and sell land," the President of Ukraine said. He recalled that in addition to bill No. 2194, the Verkhovna Rada also approved the second important bill for the full start of a transparent land market bill No. 2195, which introduces electronic auctions for the purchase and sale of land. According to it, this is a guarantee of filling local budgets and the opportunity for every Ukrainian to take part in an auction and start his own farm. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is launching flights from Boryspil International Airport (Kyiv) to Ras al-Khaimah (the United Arab Emirates) from June 25, 2021, the airline's press service said on Monday. "UIA will become the first Ukrainian airline to operate direct flights to Ras al-Khaimah and one of the main strategic aviation partners for the Emirate, which is currently developing dynamically," the UIA said. The airline said that it will take five hours to fly from Kyiv to Ras al-Khaimah international airport. Upon arrival, all tourists undergo mandatory PCR testing at the airport. In addition, they can also undergo free PCR testing before returning to Ukraine. According to UIA, Ras al-Khaimah received safety certifications from the world leader in the inspection and certification services Bureau Veritas, as well as from the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC). "Ukraine is a fast growing and important market for the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, and our partnership with Ukraine International Airlines is another step in the strategy of increasing tourist flow through introducing direct flights... This is a key step in the restoration of international tourism on our broad strategy of exploring new routes through main, secondary and emerging markets thanks to charter and scheduled flights," CEO at Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority Raki Phillips was quoted as saying. In turn, UIA CEO Yevhen Dykhne said that the airline plans to increase the frequency of flights to Ras al-Khaimah, given the expected high demand, especially in summer. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Ukrainian government to draft a decision on the termination of flights between Ukraine and Belarus due to the events that took place at Minsk airport on May 23, the presidential press service said on Monday. "The president instructed the government to work out a decision on the termination of direct flights between Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus and the closure of the airspace of Belarus for flights from Ukraine and to our country," the office said. It is noted that Zelensky gave the relevant order during the Monday meeting. It was attended by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov and Deputy Heads of the President's Office Yulia Svyrydenko and Kyrylo Tymoshenko. During the meeting, its participants analyzed the events around Ryanair passenger plane, which on May 23 made an emergency landing at Minsk airport. The imposition of new sanctions against the Belarusian regime and its Russian patrons should be an adequate response to Lukashenko's gross violations of the principles of democracy, fifth President of Ukraine, leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko said. "Personal sanctions should be imposed against the masterminds and perpetrators of the kidnapping crime. Air flights over the territory of Belarus should be stopped. A ban on flights of Belavia aircraft to Ukrainian airports should be imposed. The import of Belarusian electricity to Ukraine should be stopped immediately. Strengthen the work of the Ukrainian special services to neutralize threats to the life and health of opponents of the Belarusian tyranny who have found refuge in Ukraine," Poroshenko said on Facebook. He called on the European Union, the United States and other partners to impose similar sanctions against Belarus, and the Ukrainian authorities to immediately impose these sanctions and further synchronize them with international ones. Poroshenko also condemned the methods of struggle of Lukashenko regime with the democratic opposition. "Raman Protasevich, like other political prisoners, must be immediately and unconditionally released. The rights of the Belarusian opposition must be ensured. Back in August last year, I said that only by holding new presidential elections in accordance with high OSCE standards, Belarus can return to the path stable democratic development. Now it is obvious that Lukashenko himself can no longer take part in such elections," he said. "I stress that the new crime of the Belarusian regime in no way means that Russian spies in the Ukrainian government should not be punished for leaking secret information to the Russians about the special operation to detain occupation fighters from the Russian private Wagner army, implemented jointly with the intelligence services of one of the leading NATO countries," Poroshenko said. He said the arrest of Protasevich in Belarus and the special operation to arrest the "Wagner members" have fundamentally different goals. "Do not confuse the sinful with the righteous. Lukashenko illegally detained the oppositionist, and the Ukrainian special operation was aimed at bringing to justice dozens of Russian war criminals who killed people in Ukraine and other countries of the world. Therefore, any parallels between the disrupted operation of our special services, the purpose of which was to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression, and the abduction of the opposition leader on the instructions of the Belarusian dictator," Poroshenko said. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal is convening an extraordinary session of the government on Tuesday, May 25 to consider the issue of a complete cessation of air traffic with Belarus. Shmyhal made the relevant statement in his Telegram channel on Monday. "On behalf of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, on Tuesday, May 25, I am convening an extraordinary session of the government, where the issue of air traffic between Ukraine and Belarus will be considered," he said. It notes that the Foreign Ministry and the Infrastructure Ministry are already preparing a package of relevant decisions. "Ukraine will properly respond to the situation of the forced landing of Ryanair passenger plane at Minsk airport," Shmyhal said. Egypt has offered to cut compensation claims from the owner of the impounded Ever Given vessel, which blocked the Suez Canal for six days in March, to $550 million to settle the current judicial dispute, with the mega-ship to be allowed to leave if nearly 40 percent of the sum is paid in cash. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) reduced the claims for compensation from $600 million to $550 million after being informed of the actual cost of the cargo containers loaded on board, Osama Rabie, the SCA head, said on TV on Sunday. Rabie added that the SCA had first set an initial estimation of the overall cost of the ship's cargo at more than $3 billion, but according to the ship owner the cargo is worth $775 million. The skyscraper-sized ship will be allowed to sail anew, said Rabie, if a $200-million instalment of the required compensation is paid in cash and a guarantee letter from an Egyptian bank is submitted to ensure that the remaining sum will be paid later. This is the second discount the SCA has offered after it had first demanded $916 in compensation for the losses incurred from the six-day blockage of the strategic waterway. The 400-metre-long ship had run aground across the canal on 23 March and was refloated on 29 March by a fleet of Egyptian tug boats and diggers, with the assistance of the tide. The vessel has since been anchored in a lake between two sections of the canal. In April, an Egyptian court ordered the mega ship be impounded after Shoei Kisen, the Japanese ship owner, refused to pay the required sum. Rabie's statement came after an Egyptian court refused on Sunday an appeal filed by the ship owner against the order issued in April, allowing the SCA to keep the vessel impounded. The SCA said the sum only covers the losses incurred by the six-day blockage and the cost of refloating attempts. He pointed out that an Egyptian engineer lost his life during the dislodging attempts. Shoei Kisen argued that the SCA had been at fault for allowing the ship to enter the waterway during the bad weather, one of the lawyers representing the ship owner's legal team told Reuters. It also said the dislodging efforts are part of the SCA's duties, claiming $100,000 in initial compensation for losses due to the impounding order. Rabie refuted the claims, stressing that the canal has experienced harsher weather conditions without accidents. "Assessing the weather conditions falls within the responsibilities of the ship's captain," he said. Short link: Egypt will not allow a water crisis to occur due to Ethiopia's intention to go ahead with the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in July, Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Aty said on Sunday. Nor will Cairo accept a unilateral move on the part of Ethiopia, Abdel-Ati told the satellite channel ON E, adding that there are measures it can adopt, revealing no further details. However, he assured the people they will not feel the impact of the second filling of the dam due to the states readiness to face the water shortage. Ethiopia plans to hold 13.5 billion cubic metres of water during the second filling in the GERD reservoir in July, according to earlier statements by the minister, despite the objections of downstream countries Egypt and Sudan over the move in the absence of a legally binding instrument. I assure the citizens that they will not feel an emerging crisis if Ethiopia proceeds with the filling, he said, urging the people to rationalise their consumption of water amid the rapid population growth. At present, water is being filtered more than four times to face the water shortage in Egypt, he said, adding that some 120 water mixing stations are being built to make up for the shortage. Water held in the Aswan High Dam reservoir will be used only in cases of drought, he added. The minister tackled the stalled negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan over the dam. Ethiopias rejection of several proposals by Egypt and Sudan on the negotiation mechanism, which includes an international quartet mediation, has led to the collapse of the Kinshasa talks sponsored by the African Union in April. The three countries have resorted to diplomacy in the past weeks, briefing regional and international counterparts on their stances and developments on the latest deadlock in negotiations. Abdel-Ati said negotiations are still at an impasse despite the efforts of the Chairman of the African Union, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, and the US Envoy to the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman to break the stalemate. Tripartite cooperation and data sharing are needed to ensure the downstream countries will not be harmed by GERD, he noted. Abdel-Aty said Tshisekedi is trying to come up with a proposal to resolve the deadlock in talks between the three countries, adding that the US has not presented any proposals to resolve the dispute. His statements come days after Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Ethiopia's second filling of GERD will constitute a violation of international law and the 2015 Declaration of Principles that was signed by Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt. Shoukry warned that the second filling will lead to tensions in the region and a quarrelling relation and will cause instability in East African and the Horn of Africa. Egypts 100 million-plus population depends on the Nile for over 95 percent of its fresh water. Sudan fears the GERD will put the operation of its Roseires dam and the lives of 20 million Sudanese citizens at a very high risk if an agreement regulating the operation and filling of GERD is not reached before the second filling. It warned that it will take legal action if Ethiopia moved forward with the second filling of the GERD in July without first signing a legally binding agreement. Egypt fears that the massive $4.8 billion Ethiopian hydropower project will significantly diminish its crucial water supply, which is already below scarcity level. Short link: The new US administration has acknowledged the necessity of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in the Jordanian capital Amman on Monday. Shoukry's visit focused on building on the recent Cairo-brokered ceasefire in Gaza. In a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, Shoukry said the US administration led by Joe Biden has recognised the importance of a two-state solution and working on achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The appropriate mechanisms should be in place to ensure that this objective is achieved and to move forward through cooperation with international partners towards this goal, he said. Shoukry stressed that cooperation between Egypt and Jordan over the Palestinian issue is indispensable. We are working through our regional and international ties with our partners, especially the US, on determining prospects for a lasting and fair solution for the Palestinian issue. Otherwise, violence and the suffering of the Palestinian people would recur, he said. Shoukry is in Amman for talks about building on a Cairo-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the 11-day fighting has been deemed the most vicious since 2014. The foreign minister's visit is focused on pinpointing the necessary measures to stabilise the situation in Palestine, a permanent de-escalation in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and creating a climate conducive to the urgent revival of peace negotiations. Shoukry underscored the necessity of maintaining Jerusalems identity through the Hashemite custodianship over the citys holy sites and preventing repeated assaults on the city. He said violence in Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah district was a breach of international law, adding that such practices have led to escalations and a military action between Israel and Hamas. Safadi said Egypt has exerted intensive efforts and achieved a major accomplishment in reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and ceasing Israeli violations. He added that Egypts role will always remain vital in efforts to end the conflict and achieve fair peace that addresses the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The Egyptian and Jordanian governments are currently working on ensuring that the ceasefire in Gaza holds and that Israeli violations that have led to the latest escalations are not repeated, he said. Egypt and Jordan are also working on preventing violations at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the latest fighting, he said. In a visit to the West Bank on Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas the importance of reviving the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians as the ceasefire continues. Shoukry landed in Ramallah on Monday for a visit meant to build on the recent Cairo-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which ended an 11-day Israeli bombing campaign in Gaza. The FM asserted that all acts that undermine chances for peace and renew escalation, including in East Jerusalem, should be stopped, according to a statement by foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez. The hoped-for negotiation track, according to Shouky, should be "serious" and lead to a "comprehensive and just peace" that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Hafez added that Shoukrys visit aims to support the Palestinians and continue to firm up the ceasefire to achieve "comprehensive and sustainable calm." Shoukry asserted that reviving the peace negotiation is the only way out to reach the two-state solution and achieve peace. The visit also focused on continued coordination on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and providing developmental support for the Palestinian territories. Egypt has allocated $500 million as part of an initiative for the reconstruction of the strip, whose infrastructure was devastated by the Israeli airstrikes. The Palestinian president expressed thanks and appreciation for the Egyptian initiative as well as Egypt's efforts to de-escalate the situation in the Gaza strip. "These [moves] reflect Egypt's significance at the Arab, regional and international levels, as well as its historical role in support of the Palestinian cause and as defender of Arab rights," he added. Shoukrys visit to Ramallah comes hours after he had discussed with Jordans King Abdullah II in Amman stabilising a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions and creating a climate conducive to the urgent revival of the peace negotiations to reach a comprehensive political settlement for the Palestinian crisis. The foreign minister's visit comes as an Egypt-sponsored ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions since Friday continues to hold. Egyptian mediators were dispatched to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire. The 11-day fighting was deemed the most vicious since 2014 as Israel upped aggression on Gaza with artillery and airstrikes in response to rocket attacks on Israeli towns from the Strip, which is controlled by Hamas. Some 248 people were killed in Gaza, while the death toll in Israel stood at 13. Short link: Qatar Sunday expressed support to Libyas interim and unity government tasked to lead the oil-rich African country to democratic elections scheduled in December. Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatars top diplomat and deputy Prime Minister met with Libyan authorities following arrival in capital Tripoli. We support the UN-sponsored political process in the hope that it preserves the territorial integrity of Libya and prevents foreign interference in its affairs, told media during a joint press conference with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Mangoush. Our exchanges were fruitful, in particular on support for the transition process in Libya Qatars position is firm, he added. The visit is the first by the Qatari foreign minister since the establishment of the unity government led by AbdulHamid Dbeibah. Qatar is a major player in Libya as it supported the bygone Government of National Accord (GNA) birthed UN-backed Libyan dialogue of December 2015. Dbeibahs Government of National Unity replaced the GNA in March following a new rounds of inter Libyan talks; Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, aimed at ending years of the civil war funded by foreign countries. Aside from Qatar several countries have also thrown their support behind the GNU and re-opened their foreign mission in the war ravaged African country. Egypts Assistant Interior Minister Tareq Marzouq said on Monday that almost all inmates in Egyptian prisons have been given the first dose of coronavirus vaccines. Egypt's prisons are free of COVID-19 infections, Marzouq told MENA. The vaccination campaign started two weeks ago in all prisons across the nation, Marzouq said. Short link: Egyptian MPs approved on Monday a new law aimed at establishing an investment fund for charitable endowments (Wakf). Head of parliament's religious affairs committee Ali Gomaa said the law goes in line with Article 90 of the constitution, which states that the government shall sponsor scientific, cultural, and health institutions. "All the Wakf money will be collected by this fund to establish service and development projects," said Gomaa, indicating that "the fund's money will also be used to spend on infrastructure projects, will improve living conditions in slum areas as well as contribute to eliminating the phenomenon of street children." Article 4 of the law states that a board will be created to manage the fund's affairs. "The board will be in charge of selecting an executive director to be responsible for the fund's activities," says Article 4, which also indicates that "a periodical report will be prepared on the fund's performance in a year." The board of the charitable Wakf fund will be headed by the prime minister and include a number of economic, financial, and judicial experts to be selected by the ministries of endowments, justice and finance. Article 8 states that the fund's money will come from cash grants and donations and returns on existing Wakf projects. Short link: The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development announced the winners of the 16th Sawiris Cultural Award on Friday. This Edition is considered the largest in the history of the award in terms of the number of submitted works. A total of 1263 literary works were submitted to various fields of the award. This year, 12 young and established writers received awards for their distinguished work in the fields including novel, short story, screenplay, playwriting, and literary criticism. Dr. Iman Yahya won the best novel award - under the established writers contest - for her novel 'Al-Zawga Al-Mexicia' (The Mexican Wife), published by Dar Al-Shorouk. Meanwhile, the award for best short story collection, written by an established writer, went to Samir El-Fil for his collection 'Autobis 77' (Bus Line 77) that was published by the Egyptian General Book Authority. The award for best novel written by a young writer went to Ahmed Al-Fakharany for his novel 'Bayasat Al-Shawam' published by Dar Al-Ain. The same novel also won the translation award, which was added to the awards branches this year in an attempt to encourage contemporary literary excellence and introduce creative young writers to readers outside the borders of the Arab region. The literary award includes translating the winning novel into English, covering all contracting costs with a publishing house for the translation, printing and the publishing of the novel. As for second-place in the young writers novel contest, the award went to Ahmed Al-Morsi for his novel 'What Remains of the Sun' published by Dar Al-Bashir. The first-place prize for best short story collection made by a young writer went to Gilan Al-Shamsi for her short story collection 'As if the story is missing' published by Al-Ain Publishing House. In second-place, Muhammad Faraj won with his short story collection 'Long Term Plans' published by Dar Al-Ain. Regarding the best screenplay award, established writer Samar Taher won for her screenplay of the movie 'Al-Nazeel' (The Inmate), while Paula Tadros Thabet won the young writers' contest for his screenplay of 'Abdullah'. In the field of playwriting, the first-place award went to Faisal Rizk for his play 'Hakawy Al-Aragouz' (Tales of the puppet), while second-place went to Mina Bebbawy for his play 'Bernatanya'. As for the award for best submitted work in the field of literary criticism, it was awarded ex aequo to Sameh Fayez for his book 'Stories about Reading' published by the Egyptian-Lebanese House and to Professor Abdel-Nasser Hilal for his book 'The Visual Turn - from Text to Speech published by the Egyptian General Book Authority. In order to encourage young writers, financial rewards are also granted for the shortlisted nominated work. Granted in the novel contest: 'Random Arrangements' by Dunya Kamal Al-Qalash, 'Ahmar Larang' (Blood Oranges) by Charles Akl, and 'Camelia's Ghosts' By Nora Naji. With regard to the short story collection, the grants went to: 'Sleep Thieves' by Amjad Al-Sabban, 'Visions of the Holy City' by Omaima Subhy, and 'A Report on Al-Refaeia' by Muhammad Al-Fuly. In the screenplay category: 'The Ghazala who fled the schoolyard' by Ahmed Ihab Abdel-Warith, 'Where Did Shaker Abaza Go?' by Mahmoud Hassan Abdel-Alim, 'Hamlet' by Al-Sayed Abdel-Nabi, 'Kilo 35' by Mahmoud Ahmed Abd-Rahman. This year, six jury committees of prominent writers; filmmakers; critics and drama professors in Egypt participated in the evaluation of the work that was submitted and selection of the winners. Literature Jury (Section One - Established Writers): Prof. Rania Fathy (Committee Rapporteur), Prof. Hussein Hammouda, Writer and Novelist Subhi Moussa, Writer and Journalist Karima Kamal, as well as Writer and Novelist Mansoura Ezz El-Din. Literature Jury (Section Two - Young Writers): Prof. Hala Kamal (Committee Rapporteur), Writer and Novelist Reem Bassiouni, Writer and Novelist Sahar Al-Moji, Writer and Journalist Muhammad Shair along with Writer and Journalist Hisham Aslan. Screenplay Jury (First Branch - Senior Writers): Director and Producer Marianne Khoury (Committee Rapporteur), Film Director Dr. Ahmed Maher, Film Director Dr. Hassan Issa, Prof. Salma Mubarak, and Film Critic Issam Zakaria. Screenplay Jury (Second branch - Young Writers): Film Director Hala Jalal (Committee Rapporteur), Film Director Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, Prof. Ashraf Rajeh, Film Director Amir Ramses, and screenwriter Maryam Naoum. Playwriting Jury: Theatre Director Hassan Al-Greetly (Committee Rapporteur), Prof. Amal Mazhar, Prof. Dalia Al-Shayal, Professor Dina Amin, and Theatre Director Tariq Al-Douairi. Literary Criticism Jury: Prof. Faten Morsi (Committee Rapporteur), Prof. Sahar Abdel-Hakim, Prof. Mohamed Badawy, Prof. Hoda Ayyad, and Prof. Walid Al-Hamamsy. Short link: A leader of Sudan's infamous Janjaweed militia personally committed murders in Darfur, prosecutors said Monday as he became the first to face charges at the International Criminal Court over the conflict. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known by the nom du guerre Ali Kushayb, was in court for a hearing to decide if there is enough evidence for a full trial on 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Prosecutors told the court in The Hague that Abd-Al-Rahman, an ally of deposed Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, was an "energetic perpetrator" of murders in the Darfur war in 2003-04. The 70-year-old suspect, who handed himself in last year after more than a decade on the run, denies the charges. "Feared and revered in equal measure as the colonel of colonels, he was a senior leader of the infamous Janjaweed militia," ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the court in The Hague. "The evidence shows Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was a knowing, willing and energetic perpetrator of these crimes. He played a crucial role, leading attacks, committing murders and ordering other murders." The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were displaced in the Darfur conflict. Fighting broke out in 2003 when ethnic African rebels, complaining of systematic discrimination, took up arms against Bashir's government. Khartoum responded by unleashing a notorious Arab-dominated militia known as the Janjaweed, recruited from among the region's nomadic tribes. ICC prosecutors said Abd-Al-Rahman, backed by Sudanese government forces, was responsible for attacks on villages in the Wadi Salih area of Darfur in August 2003. "Civilians were attacked, raped and murdered, their homes and villages were destroyed, thousands were forcibly displaced," Bensouda said. Many people fled to larger towns in the Mukjar and Delij areas seeking sanctuary, but "rather than finding protection, civilians were rounded up, arrested and detained" in early 2004, the prosecutor said. "Men were loaded onto vehicles, taken a short distance away and executed in cold blood. Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was present at and directly participated in these callous crimes." Bashir, who ruled Sudan with an iron fist for three decades, was deposed in April 2019 following months of protests in Sudan, and is wanted by the ICC for genocide. Abd-Al-Rahman fled to the Central African Republic in February 2020 when the new Sudanese government announced its intention to cooperate with the ICC's investigation. Sudan's transitional administration is still in talks with the ICC about options for trying Bashir and his aides. Short link: Israeli police have launched a mass arrest campaign against Palestinians overnight on Monday, according to the Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA). Thousands of Israeli border police officers and reserve brigades started a large-scale detention campaign where they arrested over 500 young Palestinians. The arrests, dubbed Operation Law and Order, target Palestinians who participated in protests against Israels colonial policies, including the forced displacement of residents in Sheikh Jarrah, encroachments upon Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and settler mob violence. Hasan Jabarin, the director of the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), slammed the arrest campaign as a declaration of war against Palestinian protestors, political activists and minors to take revenge against them for their recent political and national positions, according to WAFA. While Israel has described the campaign as intended to restore order and serve as a deterrence against rioters and criminals involved in attacks against Jews over the past two weeks, critics have described it as a retaliatory measure against protests. On the other hand, no arrests have been made against Israeli Jews involved in attacks against Arab Israeli citizens, including the murder of a Palestinian in the central mixed city of Lydda (Lod). Over 1,550 Palestinian citizens of Israel have been arrested since 9 May, including at least 200 people who will be charged. The arrests came a week after some 1.6 million Palestinian Israeli citizens participated in a general strike observed by Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, Jerusalem, Gaza and worldwide, heeding the call of the Arab High Follow-up Committee, which coordinates between political parties in Israel. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas held for a third day on Sunday as mediators spoke to all sides about extending the period of calm after the worst outbreak of fighting in years. The recent Israeli assault on Gaza, which lasted for 11 days, killed 243 Palestinians, displaced thousands from their homes and ravaged key infrastructure, according to the health ministry. Officials have said that Egyptian mediators have conferred with both sides on securing a longer-term calm. Short link: A single rocket struck close to a military base hosting US troops in western Iraq on Monday without causing any injuries, a spokesman for the US-led coalition said. The rocket struck near Ain al-Asad air base, a sprawling complex in Anbar province, at 1:35 p.m., Col. Wayne Marotto said on Twitter. He said damages were being assessed and an investigation was launched. An Iraqi security official said the rocket struck close to a village outside the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Rocket and missile attacks against US installations have been frequent since a Washington-directed strike against top Iranian general Qassim Soleimani outside Baghdad airport last year. That operation also killed powerful Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The attacks have continued since US President Joe Biden assumed office this year. No one claimed responsibility for Monday's attack, but US officials have previously blamed Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups for assaults against the US Embassy in Baghdad and other military bases hosting American forces. Recent attacks have been more sophisticated with the use of drones. Earlier this month, a drone targeted Ain al-Asad base causing minor damage. The killing of Soleimani on Iraqi soil sparked the anger of mostly Shia lawmakers who passed a non-binding resolution calling for the ousting of US forces from the country. The future of the US 's military presence in Iraq has been the focus of strategic talks between Baghdad and Washington, with Shia militia groups insisting on a timeline for withdrawal. Short link: Israel's military campaign on Gaza Strip have further complicated efforts to form a government, raising the spectre of yet another general election, experts say. That could be a political boon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose best hope of extending his record 12 straight years in office could hang on what would be the fifth Israeli election since April 2019. But the ideologically divided anti-Netanyahu camp still has a narrow window to reach a deal that would oust the hawkish premier: centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid's 28-day mandate to form a government expires on June 3. "Most analysts regard a fifth election as the most probable outcome," said Toby Greene, a political scientist at Bar Ilan University. "But we have 10 days left, and that's a very long time in Israeli politics." It was widely expected that any deal reached by Lapid would have to bring on board both Naftali Bennett's right-wing Jewish nationalist Yamina party, and at least some pro-Palestinian and non-Zionist Arab lawmakers. But hopes for any such deal were dealt a severe blow this month as militants in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza launched rockets into Israel amid the latter's crackdown on Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem. That forced Bennett to "reconsider his choice to form a government together with Arab-supported parties," said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute think-tank. Before Israel's offensive on Gaza started on May 10, Netanyahu's political future looked precarious. On trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, the premier had failed in a March 23 vote to secure enough seats with his allies to build a majority in Israel's 120-seat parliament. His mandate to form a government expired on May 4, handing Lapid a chance to try. But Yonatan Freeman, a political scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said it was in Israel's "political DNA to support the incumbent" when conflict flares. As Israel ramped up its air strikes in Gaza, Netanyahu made joint appearances with his bitter political enemy, Defence Minister Benny Gantz -- uneasy bedfellows in a coalition that turned sour. Crisis leadership, experts say, may have helped Netanyahu reinforce an image that has helped him endure in politics for decades: the security focused statesman who defends Israel against external threats. The crisis also "caused a fissure among the opposing camp," Plesner said. Lapid's best, and possibly only, hope of forming a government involved a prospective deal with Bennett's Yamina party. Bennett and Lapid are ideological opponents, but both have prioritised averting a fifth election and ending the divisive Netanyahu era. A deal would have seen Bennett serving as prime minister in a rotation, an arrangement that could harm his standing among some right-wing supporters. But at the same time, it would constitute a "huge opportunity for Bennett to present himself as prime ministerial material" as part of his efforts to become Netanyahu's successor, Greene said. And without Bennett, centrist former television anchor Lapid has little space to make a deal to unite the splintered anti-Netanyahu camp. After the Gaza crisis, "it's unlikely, but not impossible," Plesner said. Plesner said that Netanyahu, "as Israel's most seasoned politician," may be now able to coax rivals into his camp. He listed Gantz, a centrist, and Gideon Saar, a right-winger who defected from Netanyahu's Likud last year, as possible collaborators. But with all blocs struggling to build a coalition, "the most likely outcome at this point is that Israel is headed to a fifth election," Plesner said. After Israel agreed a mutual ceasefire with Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the crackdown has been reduced, Lapid's Yesh Atid party announced coalition talks would resume Monday, without Bennett's Yamina. Opening his party session, Lapid said: "I'll do everything to form a government... our negotiating teams are meeting and trying" to achieve that goal. "The chances might not be high but while there is a chance, however small, we will leave nstone unturned," he added. Yet Freeman of the Hebrew University said the crisis could actually drive momentum towards a unity government. He suggested that the imperative to offer Arab lawmakers a role in the government as a gesture of unity could create an incentive for political compromise in the days ahead. But, Freeman said, "people are looking for ways to mitigate against this violence happening again. Bringing more Arab politicians into the fold could be a way of doing that". *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: A senior Belarus transport official said Monday that the country had received a bomb threat claiming to be from Hamas ahead of the diversion of a Ryanair passenger flight carrying a dissident. Artem Sikorsky, the head of the aviation department at the transport and communications ministry, read out a letter to journalists that said: "We, the soldiers of Hamas, demand that Israel cease fire in the Gaza Strip. We demand that the European Union renounces its support for Israel in this war... A bomb is planted on this flight. If you do not fulfil our demands, the bomb will explode over Vilnius on May 23." Short link: A leader of Sudan's infamous Janjaweed militia personally committed murders in Darfur, prosecutors said Monday as he became the first to face charges at the International Criminal Court over the conflict. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known by the nom du guerre Ali Kushayb, was in court for a hearing to decide if there is enough evidence for a full trial on 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Prosecutors told the court in The Hague that Abd-Al-Rahman, an ally of deposed Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, was an 'energetic perpetrator' of murders in the Darfur war in 2003-04. The 70-year-old suspect, who handed himself in last year after more than a decade on the run, denies the charges. 'The victims of the suspect's crimes are countless and their suffering immense. The pain inflicted on the victims of these crimes persists,' ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the court. 'Feared and revered in equal measure as the colonel of colonels, he was a senior leader of the infamous Janjaweed militia,' she added. 'The evidence shows Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was a knowing, willing and energetic perpetrator of these crimes. He played a crucial role, leading attacks, committing murders and ordering other murders.' The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were displaced in the Darfur conflict. Fighting broke out in 2003 when black African rebels, complaining of systematic discrimination, took up arms against Bashir's Arab-dominated regime. Khartoum responded by unleashing a notorious militia known as the Janjaweed, recruited from among the region's nomadic tribes. 'Executed in cold blood' ICC prosecutors said Abd-Al-Rahman, backed by Sudanese government forces, was responsible for attacks on villages in the Wadi Salih area of Darfur in August 2003. 'Civilians were attacked, raped and murdered, their homes and villages were destroyed, thousands were forcibly displaced,' Bensouda said. Many people fled to larger towns in the Mukjar and Delij areas, but 'rather than finding protection, civilians were rounded up, arrested and detained' in early 2004, the prosecutor said. 'Men were loaded onto vehicles, taken a short distance away and executed in cold blood. Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was present at and directly participated in these callous crimes.' Abd-Al-Rahman personally killed up to three of these male detainees with a 'stick or axe-like object', according to the ICC charge sheet. Bashir, who ruled Sudan with an iron fist for three decades, was deposed in April 2019 following months of protests in Sudan, and is wanted by the ICC for genocide. Abd-Al-Rahman fled to the Central African Republic in February 2020 when the new Sudanese government announced its intention to cooperate with the ICC's investigation. Sudan's transitional administration is still in talks with the ICC about options for trying Bashir and his aides. Bensouda, who steps down in June, paid tribute to victims of the Darfur conflict 'who have waited so long for this day to arrive'. 'In this, perhaps my last court appearance as prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, it is my great privilege to be present here today when finally one of the suspects in the Darfur situation is before this Court to face independent and impartial justice,' she said. Short link: Iraqi President Barham Salih has revealed he has introduced a bill in the parliament to recuperate nearly $150 billion he believes has been smuggled out of the country since 2003. Salih in a televised speech Saturday said Government and international statistics and data estimate that Iraqs financial revenues from oil since 2003 are close to $1 trillion, reports say. These illegal funds were enough to put the country in a better place, he added. Iraq has launched a war on financial and administrative corruption. Salih added that he has submitted a bill to the legislature to help recover stolen funds, hold the corrupt accountable and bring them to justice. The bill also includes support for financial and oversight institutions and activating their tools, the President said. Iraq has witnessed bloody demonstrations in recent years as citizens decried corruption of public officials. Salih during the address also indicated that corruption has disrupted the peoples will to progress. The Middle East country ranked 160th over 180 countries in 2020 on the Transparency International Corruption Index. Surveying the charred remains of his Gaza furniture factory, destroyed by Israeli bombs last week, its owner Eyad Sawafiri confronts a dilemma familiar to many business owners in the Palestinian enclave. 'After what has happened, I'm scared to rebuild,' he said. 'If I do, how do I know it won't all be destroyed in the next war?' Israeli air strikes and artillery fire in response to Hamas rockets killed more than 240 people in the Gaza Strip, but also set back any dreams of economic revival in the poverty-stricken coastal territory. In the final hours of the latest, 11-day military escalation, Israeli artillery fire Thursday rained down on an industrial zone outside Gaza City. Factories in Gaza have long produced furniture, plastic pipes for water and sewage networks, soft drinks and sweet tea biscuits. Some plants remained intact, others were damaged, some completely destroyed among them Sawafiri's furniture workshop where he and his brother Nehad employed 70 people. 'We thought setting up our factory in this international industrial zone, next to UN refugee agency warehouses, would shield us,' said Sawafiri, 45. 'We used to be the largest furniture factory in Gaza, but everything has melted the machines, the metal structure holding up the factory.' Looking at some still red-hot embers in the rubble, he said his brother still could not bring himself to come and see how their business had been reduced to ashes. Burnt plastic Friday's ceasefire ended the fourth major Israel-Gaza military clash since 2008. It claimed 248 lives in Gaza, including 66 children, the local health ministry says. The death toll in Israel reached 12, including one child and an Arab-Israeli teenager, an Israeli soldier, one Indian and two Thai nationals, medics say. On the Gaza side, the conflict did major economic damage, bringing down entire office blocks, cratering roads and flattening factories. The devastation spells another hurdle for the enclave of two million where more than half of the working-age population is unemployed. Its residents rarely received electricity for more than 12 hours a day, ever before the latest round of air raids further pummelled the grid. Only three percent of drinking water meets international safety standards. The densely crowded Mediterranean enclave has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007. It does not control its maritime borders, and its Hamas-run government needs permission from the Jewish state to export its produce or bring in any supplies. Because Hamas has turned metal components into rockets, Israel has insisted that international donors only fund projects that use plastic piping. But in the latest conflict even a family-run Gaza factory that made plastic pipes was hit, on the last day of fighting. 'When Israel stopped certain metal pipes from entering Gaza, we decided to start producing plastic ones,' said its owner Naeem al-Siksik, standing next to the scorched pipes. 'But right now around 150 tonnes of plastic has been burnt.' 'Endless cycle' Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said Gaza's reconstruction should go hand in hand with efforts to address the conflict's 'root causes'. Only this could halt an endless cycle of destruction and reconstruction, he said. US President Joe Biden said Thursday his country was committed to helping provide humanitarian relief and supporting reconstruction in Gaza 'in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal'. Under a 2018 truce brokered by UN and Egyptian officials, a development roadmap was laid out for the strip's crumbling infrastructure. The gas-rich Gulf emirate of Qatar has since been providing fuel for electricity, salaries and assistance for needy families in the strip. But the overall plan did not include Western donors who are wary of working with Hamas, which the United States and European Union have designated as a 'terrorist' organisation, and progress has been slow. Gaza-based analyst Omar Shaaban argued that Western countries must realise they cannot work without Hamas. 'Does the international community really want to end this cycle of destruction or not?' he asked. 'Gaza is under Hamas' control, so how can you possibly rebuild without them? Hamas is everywhere -- it runs the municipalities, water and electricity. 'The only option is to include them.' Short link: An endless list of activists, bloggers, artists and even politicians on social media have been recently comparing Israels artillery and aerial offensive on the Gazans and the crackdown which Israeli settlers have been involved in with apartheid in South Africa. The aim is to convince the international community to consider boycotting Israel. Yes its good that @IlhanMN is talking about Israel's crimes. But it's not enough. It's too incremental. Let's see these progressives using their massive platforms to call on Americans to support BDS, just like people boycotted South Africa. If not now, when?, Ali Abunimah a Palestinian blogger tweeted on Monday. Mariam Barghouthi, a writer and researcher, also tweeted on Monday that Israel is employing economic violence against Palestinians and designating the most absurd amounts of bail like $7,400 for being at a protest. Theyre not only punishing Palestinians but using legal violence so Palestinians sustain their apartheid. As a matter of fact, this perception has been circulating on social media since Israels offensive on the coastal enclave began on 10 May. For example, Mark Ruffalo an American actor and producer said that Israel should face sanctions. 1,500 Palestinians face expulsion in #Jerusalem. 200 protesters have been injured. 9 children have been killed. Sanctions on South Africa helped free its black people - its time for sanctions on Israel to free Palestinians. Join the call. #SheikhJarrah, Ruffalo wrote on Twitter one day after Israel began to bombard Gaza. Authorities in Belarus on Monday insisted they acted legally when they diverted a passenger plane carrying an opposition activist, accusing the West of making unfounded claims for political reasons. The government of strongman Alexander Lukashenko provoked global fury on Sunday by pulling Ryanair flight FR4978 from its Athens-to-Vilnius route and arresting one of the passengers, opposition journalist and blogger Roman Protasevich, in Minsk. Western leaders called it an "act of state terrorism" and the EU is expected to toughen sanctions against Belarus on Monday. Ireland described the forced diversion of the flight operated by an Irish airline as a state-sponsored act of "aviation piracy". "There is no doubt that the actions of our competent authorities... fully met established international rules," Belarusian foreign ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said, accusing the West of "politicising" the situation. "Unfounded accusations are being made," he said in a statement, accusing the West of not wanting to be objective and threatening to slap new sanctions on Belarus. Glaz said it was "sad" that the passengers of the Ryanair flight "faced some inconvenience". "However the rules of aviation security are an absolute priority," he added. Belarus authorities said the plane had to make an emergency landing in Minsk following a bomb scare that turned out to be false. Belarus state media has defended the use of a MiG-29 jet to divert the passenger plane, claiming authorities had no other choice. Protasevich, 26, is a Belarusian journalist and activist. Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo he until recently ran the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised and directed huge protests against Lukashenko's disputed re-election to a sixth term in August 2020. Last year, Protasevich and Putilo were accused by Belarusian authorities of a number of crimes including organising mass riots. Protasevich left the Nexta project last year. Short link: . The NATO allies will meet on Tuesday to discuss Belarus' forced diversion of a European passenger flight carrying an opposition activist "Allies are consulting on the forcible landing of the Ryanair plane by Belarus and ambassadors will discuss it tomorrow," a NATO official told AFP Monday. Several NATO members have denounced Belarus' decision to force the Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land and to detain dissident journalist Roman Protasevich. EU leaders, most of whose governments are also NATO allies, were to meet later Monday to discuss imposing tougher sanctions on Alexander Lukashenko's regime. On Sunday, NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg denounced the diversion as a "serious and dangerous incident." Some member states have gone so far as to call the action a "state hijacking" and Belarus' neighbour Poland called in an "act of state terrorism." But Belarus' main ally Russia has dismissed Western concerns, and argued that it is for international aviation authorities to evaluate the incident. Short link: . Lithuania on Monday said it would not authorise any departing or arriving flights that cross Belarusian airspace, a day after Belarus forced a Vilnius-bound plane to land and arrested a journalist on board "Any flights to or from Lithuanian airports via Belarusian airspace are prohibited" from Tuesday, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis told a government meeting in the capital Vilnius. Lithuania's government said it was proposing to the EU that Belarusian airspace should be closed for all international flights by EU-based airlines. It also said it wanted a ban on Belarusian airlines flying to EU member states and sanctions against the national flag carrier Belavia, as well as "all people and organisations responsible" for Sunday's incident. "Lithuania has the opportunity to take certain actions on its own, but the main response we hope for must be international," Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told a press conference after the meeting. Regional carrier airBaltic, which is based in Latvia, earlier on Monday said it would avoid Belarusian airspace until further notice. Lithuania and Latvia both share a border with Belarus. In Poland, which also borders Belarus, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he too would urge the EU to ban all flights to and from Belarus. He termed Sunday's incident "unprecedented state terrorism on the part of the Republic of Belarus". Short link: The White House and the Kremlin are working to arrange a summit next month between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Switzerland, according to officials. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is meeting with his Russian counterpart in Geneva, the proposed host city, this week to finalize details, according to one official familiar with the preliminary planning but not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly. Geneva is now expected to be the choice for Biden first face-to-face meeting with Putin as president, according to a second official. An official announcement was expected in the coming days. The summit would come at the end of Biden's first foreign trip as president, a week-long swing through Europe that includes a stop in the United Kingdom for a Group of Seven summit of leaders of the world's richest nations, and then a visit to the Brussels headquarters of NATO, the longstanding military alliance built as a bulwark to Russian aggression. A spokeswoman for the National Security Council declined to comment on the summit logistics. But, in a statement, the NSC said this week's meeting between Sullivan and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, ``was an important step in the preparation for a planned U.S.-Russia summit'' and deemed the discussions ``constructive'' despite ``outstanding differences.'' The Biden first administration called for the summit last month after Russia engaged in a series of confrontational actions: temporarily amassing troops on the Ukrainian border, the SolarWinds hacking, reports of bounties placed on U.S. troops in Afghanistan and the poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Short link: An illegal migrant from Guinea who survived a brutal assault earlier this month but faced deportation from Italy has killed himself, his lawyer said Monday. Mosua Balde, 23, was attacked by three men on May 9 in Ventimiglia, a seaside town near the French border, while reportedly begging near a supermarket. The incident caused nationwide consternation, as footage of the beating was posted on the internet and widely shared on social media. The next day, police identified the three assailants, reporting them for prosecution but stopping short of arresting them, and also acted against Balde. After being treated in hospital, the migrant was given an expulsion order and taken to a detention centre in Turin, as he was found to have no legal residency papers. 'It all happened in less than 24 hours,' his lawyer Gianluca Vitale said. Balde, who was in solitary confinement for unspecified 'medical reasons', was found dead in his room on Sunday morning, Vitale said, adding that he had killed himself. The migrant was a failed asylum seeker who had been living in Italy near the French border for some time, and previously also spent some time in France, Vitale said. The lawyer, who last met him on Friday, said he was trying to see whether there were grounds to stop his expulsion order and help him re-apply for asylum. 'Unfortunately, we didn't have time to do it', he said. Italy is often the first port of call for African migrants seeking a better life in the European Union. Many of them seek to travel on to wealthier countries in northern Europe. Short link: Egypt was ranked 15th in the latest Kearney report Global Services Location Index (GSLI) 2021, recording 5.62 percent in the index and retaining its top spot in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITDA) announced on Monday. The report themed Toward a Global Network of Digital Hubs, showed that Egypt was the only country in the MEA to make it to the top 20, with the UAE ranking 25th and Turkey 26th. The index put Egypt before some European service locations such as Germany, Portugal, and Bulgaria, and competing against Poland (14th), Colombia (13th), and Estonia (12th). India, China, and Malaysia continue to retain the top three positions. The GSLI report helps companies decide on the location of their offshore operations, as the index examines companies complex and shifting choices through an analysis of more than 60 countries. The index analyses 47 metrics across four main categories, including financial attractiveness (35 percent), people skills and availability (25 percent), business environment (25 percent), and digital resonance (15 percent), while the relative weights of each metric are based on their importance to the location decision that is derived from client experience and industry surveys. For Egypts performance in these four categories, the countrys financial attractiveness attained 2.75, while India's stood at 2.83, the Philippines 2.82, and Indonesia 2.78. On people skills, Egypt attained 1.05, followed by Indonesia 1.26, the Philippines 1.32, Turkey 1.41, and India 2.18. In business environment, Egypt scored 1.15, followed by the Philippines 1.15, India 1.17, and Kenya 1.29. Regarding digital resonance, Egypt attained 0.67, followed by Mexico 0.67, the Philippines 0.67, Vietnam 0.68, and Brazil 0.68. The report noted that Egypt is considered a unique location due to its financial attractiveness, offering competitive compensation and infrastructure costs. It also highlighted Egypts progress in developing the ICT sector. The Egyptian government is ramping up its Digital Egypt initiative, which has yielded such gains as an Ericsson digital hub in Cairo to produce cognitive software for global markets, the report said. We are very excited to maintain our leading position in the global business services arena both regionally and globally that surely adds impetus to Egypt as an IT export destination. Egypt has been hailed as an attractive offshoring destination for the multiple competitive advantages it offers and the resilient performance of the IT sector. The offshoring industrys response to COVID-19 pandemic was seamless owing to business continuity measures enabled by strong ICT infrastructure, said Amr Mahfouz, ITIDAs CEO. The authors of the GSLI report predict that cost competitiveness will not constitute a priority factor for choosing/favouring a BPO location. However, digital resonance will represent a key priority for business leaders and decision-makers. Accordingly, the 2021 index introduced the digital resonance metric that grades countries based on the digital skills in the market, digital outputs, the amount of corporate activity, and legal protections of intellectual property. The report highlighted the shift towards favouring WFH and highly adaptable business models, which increased the demand for digital skills. The 60 countries in the 2021 GSLI were selected based on corporate input, current remote services activity, and government initiatives to promote the sector. The metrics used to evaluate location attractiveness were determined from responses to Kearney surveys, other industry questionnaires, and knowledge obtained through client engagements over the past five years. Search Keywords: Short link: An Egyptian-sponsored ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and the Palestinian factions to end an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip. The "simultaneous and mutual ceasefire" will come into effect as of Friday 21 May at 2am (23:00 GMT) Palestinian time. Egypt will send two security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire and to negotiate measures to ensure the stability of the situation permanently as per directives issued by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. The Egyptian efforts were praised and welcomed by various regional and Arab countries. Over the past several days, Egypt sent a delegation to Ramallah city in the central West Bank and Tel Aviv more than once to mediate an immediate ceasefire. US President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed a ceasefire announced by Israel and Hamas as a "genuine opportunity" for peace after 11 days of bombing and rocket strikes. "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working toward it," Biden said at the White House, highlighting Egypt's role in brokering the truce. He said he had spoken Thursday with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Biden had notable words of thanks for President El-Sisi. "I extend my sincere gratitude to President El-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who have played such a critical role in this diplomacy," Biden said. The Israeli bombing of Gaza has claimed over 250 Palestinian lives, including many women and children, while over 8,000 have been wounded. The recent escalation was sparked on 10 May when Israel cracked down on Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israels plan to forcibly expel Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem. Short link: Egypt will not allow water crisis to occur due to Ethiopia's 2nd filling of GERD: Irrigation minister Menna Alaa El-Din, , Monday 24 May 2021 Egypt will not accept an Ethiopian unilateral move, Abdel-Ati said Egypt will not allow a water crisis to occur due to Ethiopia's intention to go ahead with the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in July, Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Aty said on Sunday. Nor will Cairo accept a unilateral move on the part of Ethiopia, Abdel-Ati told the satellite channel ON E,adding that there are measures it can adopt,revealing no further details. However, he assured the people they will not feel the impact of the second filling of the dam due to the states readiness to face the water shortage. Ethiopia plans to hold 13.5 billion cubic metres of water during the second filling in the GERD reservoir in July, according to earlier statements by the minister, despite the objections of downstream countries Egypt and Sudan over the move in the absence of a legally binding instrument. I assure the citizens that they will not feel an emerging crisis if Ethiopia proceeds with the filling, he said, urging the people to rationalise their consumption of water amid the rapid population growth. At present, water is being filtered more than four times to face the water shortage in Egypt, he said, adding that some 120 water mixing stations are being built to make up for the shortage. Water held in the Aswan High Dam reservoir will be used only in cases of drought, he added. The minister tackled the stalled negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan over the dam. Ethiopias rejection of several proposals by Egypt and Sudan on the negotiation mechanism, which includes an international quartet mediation, has led to the collapse of the Kinshasa talks sponsored by the African Union in April. The three countries have resorted to diplomacy in the past weeks, briefing regional and international counterparts on their stances and developments on the latest deadlock in negotiations. Abdel-Ati said negotiations are still at an impasse despite the efforts of the Chairman of the African Union, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, and the US Envoy to the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman tobreak the stalemate. Tripartite cooperation and data sharing are needed to ensure the downstream countries will not be harmed by GERD, he noted. Abdel-Aty said Tshisekediis trying to come up with a proposal to resolve the deadlock in talks between the three countries, adding that the US has not presented any proposals to resolve the dispute. His statements come days after Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Ethiopia's second filling of GERD will constitute a violation of international law and the 2015 Declaration of Principles that was signed by Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt. Shoukry warned that the second filling will lead to tensions in the region and a quarrelling relation and will cause instability in East African and the Horn of Africa. Egypts 100 million-plus population depends on the Nile for over 95 percent of its fresh water. Sudan fears the GERD will put the operation of its Roseires dam and the lives of 20 million Sudanese citizens at a very high risk if an agreement regulating the operation and filling of GERD is not reached before the second filling. It warned that it will take legal action if Ethiopia moved forward with the second filling of the GERD in July without first signing a legally binding agreement. Egypt fears that the massive $4.8 billion Ethiopian hydropower project will significantly diminish its crucial water supply, which is already below scarcity level. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/412736.aspx Germany and Egypt have signed a cooperation agreement worth 57.7 million for the financing of six development projects to be implemented in the Arab Republic. The projects, per the agreement, cover several sectors namely energy efficiency, renewable energy, technical education and vocational training, private sector support, administrative reform, water support, and sanitation, Daily News Egypt reports. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypts Minister of International Cooperation inked the agreement with German Ambassador in Cairo Cyrill Nunn late last week. The agreement is line with the 2019 Financial and Technical Cooperation deals signed between the two sides. Germany according al-Mashat has so far funded 30 projects in Egypt to a value of 1.7 billion either through loans or technical and financial grants. The European country is also funding development project through the Debt Swap Program. It has so far released 240 million in three tranches for the implementation of dozens of projects spanning education, clean water and sanitation, energy, infrastructure, and promoting employment. South Africa FA vows 'harshest penalty' against those who directed insults at 'proud ambassador' Mosimane Ahram Online, , Monday 24 May 2021 Ahly's bus was stopped by angry Sundowns fans while en route to the stadium before the quarter final second-leg clash in Pretoria, with supporters holding aloft placards emblazoned with obscenities against Mosimane The South Africa Football Association (SAFA) announced late on Sunday that it is prepared to hand out the harshest of penalties to the perpetrators of the abuse directed towards former Mamelodi Sundowns coach and current tactician of Egypt's Ahly Pitso Mosimane. The SAFA boss Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe confirmed in a statement that an investigation has been opened to determine the identity of the abusers, and that SAFA considers coach Mosimane its proud ambassador. Ahly's bus was stopped by angry Sundowns fans while en route to the stadium before the quarter final second-leg clash in Pretoria, with supporters holding up placards emblazoned with obscenities against Mosimane. "These individuals have not only humiliated coach Pitso Mosimane, they have brought the name of the country into disrepute, and as SAFA we will leave no stone unturned in identifying these individuals and hand out harshest of penalties against the perpetrators," Motlanthe was quoted as saying on the SAFA official website. "We have requested for an urgent report from the security and police at the stadium and we will also await a report from the club. We are treating this matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves. We cannot tolerate this; Mosimane is our proud ambassador and what these people did needs to be condemned by all civilised society, Motlanthe concluded. The 56-year-old coach Mosimane led Sundowns to a host of titles during a highly-successful eight-year reign before taking charge of Ahly in October last year. Meanwhile, South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns issued an apology to Ahly and coach Mosimane for "the improper conduct" of some of their supporters before their Champions League game on Saturday. Mosimane himself said after the game against Mamelodi Sundowns that he did not deserve the ill-treatment he received from a section of fans as the Egyptian giants qualified for the African Champions League semi-final at the expense of his ex-club on Saturday. Ahly eliminated Sundowns from the CAF Champions League quarterfinals after beating them 3-1 on aggregate and will face Esperance of Tunisia in the semis next June. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter [email protected]_Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports.) https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/412739.aspx Italian Super Cup will return to Saudi Arabia next season AFP, , Monday 24 May 2021 The decision to hold those two matches in Saudi Arabia provoked protests in Italy over human rights and women's rights The Italian Super Cup will return to Saudi Arabia next season when champions Inter Milan face cup winners Juventus, the Italian League announced on Monday. "The next Super Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, with fans, as stipulated in our contract," league president Paolo Dal Pino told Italian radio. The 2017-18 Super Cup was played in Jeddah in January 2019 and the following season was held in Riyadh in December 2019, before being staged in Reggio Emilia this season. The decision to hold those two matches in Saudi Arabia provoked protests in Italy over human rights and women's rights. "It's a contract signed two or three years ago, when I was not in office," Dal Pino said. "There is a relationship of intense collaboration between our federation and that of Saudi Arabia, with discussions on women's football, there have been several meetings with them, precisely to move in a direction of openness to human rights," he said adding that he did not wish to "go into this subject further". No date has yet been set, but the Super Cup could take place in January 2022, according to Italian media reports. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter [email protected]_Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports.) https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/412752.aspx 'Feared' Darfur war crimes suspect committed murders: Prosecutors AFP, , Monday 24 May 2021 A leader of Sudan's infamous Janjaweed militia personally committed murders in Darfur, prosecutors said as he became the first to face charges at the ICC over the conflict A leader of Sudan's infamous Janjaweed militia personally committed murders in Darfur, prosecutors said Monday as he became the first to face charges at the International Criminal Court over the conflict. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known by the nom du guerre Ali Kushayb, was in court for a hearing to decide if there is enough evidence for a full trial on 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Prosecutors told the court in The Hague that Abd-Al-Rahman, an ally of deposed Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, was an "energetic perpetrator" of murders in the Darfur war in 2003-04. The 70-year-old suspect, who handed himself in last year after more than a decade on the run, denies the charges. "Feared and revered in equal measure as the colonel of colonels, he was a senior leader of the infamous Janjaweed militia," ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the court in The Hague. "The evidence shows Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was a knowing, willing and energetic perpetrator of these crimes. He played a crucial role, leading attacks, committing murders and ordering other murders." The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were displaced in the Darfur conflict. Fighting broke out in 2003 when ethnic African rebels, complaining of systematic discrimination, took up arms against Bashir's government. Khartoum responded by unleashing a notorious Arab-dominated militia known as the Janjaweed, recruited from among the region's nomadic tribes. ICC prosecutors said Abd-Al-Rahman, backed by Sudanese government forces, was responsible for attacks on villages in the Wadi Salih area of Darfur in August 2003. "Civilians were attacked, raped and murdered, their homes and villages were destroyed, thousands were forcibly displaced," Bensouda said. Many people fled to larger towns in the Mukjar and Delij areas seeking sanctuary, but "rather than finding protection, civilians were rounded up, arrested and detained" in early 2004, the prosecutor said. "Men were loaded onto vehicles, taken a short distance away and executed in cold blood. Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was present at and directly participated in these callous crimes." Bashir, who ruled Sudan with an iron fist for three decades, was deposed in April 2019 following months of protests in Sudan, and is wanted by the ICC for genocide. Abd-Al-Rahman fled to the Central African Republic in February 2020 when the new Sudanese government announced its intention to cooperate with the ICC's investigation. Sudan's transitional administration is still in talks with the ICC about options for trying Bashir and his aides. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/412753.aspx Kremlin, White House aim for Biden-Putin summit in Geneva AP, , Monday 24 May 2021 An official announcement was expected in the coming days The White House and the Kremlin are working to arrange a summit next month between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Switzerland, according to officials. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is meeting with his Russian counterpart in Geneva, the proposed host city, this week to finalize details, according to one official familiar with the preliminary planning but not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly. Geneva is now expected to be the choice for Biden first face-to-face meeting with Putin as president, according to a second official. An official announcement was expected in the coming days. The summit would come at the end of Biden's first foreign trip as president, a week-long swing through Europe that includes a stop in the United Kingdom for a Group of Seven summit of leaders of the world's richest nations, and then a visit to the Brussels headquarters of NATO, the longstanding military alliance built as a bulwark to Russian aggression. A spokeswoman for the National Security Council declined to comment on the summit logistics. But, in a statement, the NSC said this week's meeting between Sullivan and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, ``was an important step in the preparation for a planned U.S.-Russia summit'' and deemed the discussions ``constructive'' despite ``outstanding differences.'' The Biden first administration called for the summit last month after Russia engaged in a series of confrontational actions: temporarily amassing troops on the Ukrainian border, the SolarWinds hacking, reports of bounties placed on U.S. troops in Afghanistan and the poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/412769.aspx Sisi, Biden discuss developments in Palestine, GERD and Libya Ahram Online , Tuesday 25 May 2021 This is the second call between Sisi and Biden in a less than a week Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Monday the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and Libya in a telephone call with US President Joe Biden, the Egyptian presidency said. According to the Egyptian presidency, Biden and El-Sisi discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and ways to revive the peace process after the recent developments, as well as stabilising the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions, which was brokered by Egypt with US support. The two presidents also discussed the international effort to reconstruct Gaza and the humanitarian aid it needs. President Biden said his country is ready to coordinate efforts with all international partners to support the Palestinian Authority and reconstruct Gaza. Biden also expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian efforts in securing the ceasefire, adding that he is looking forward to continuing coordinating and consultation on this matter. The Egyptian president also spoke about the latest developments concerning the GERD, where he welcomed the continuing US efforts in this issue. El-Sisi affirmed Egypts stance on protecting its water rights through reaching a fair and binding legal agreement between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan that includes clear terms and rules for the filling and operation of the GERD. President Biden said that Washington completely understands the extreme importance of such an issue to the Egyptian people, indicating that more efforts will be exerted to ensure the water security of Egypt. The two presidents agreed to boost diplomatic efforts in the upcoming period to reach an agreement that protects the water and development rights of all parties. They also discussed the latest situation in Libya and the importance of restoring the stability of the Libyan state and its institutions as well as the upcoming elections by the end of the year. The US president praised the Egyptian efforts in Libya which support the political process. Biden and El-Sisi also spoke about Iraq and the latest developments there. The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations between the United States and Egypt and ways to boost those relations. They also discussed the issue of human rights, with the two leaders agreeing that the US and Egypt will be committed to joining a transparent dialogue concerning human rights. The Egyptian president praised the strength of Egyptian-US strategic relations, adding that Egypt has continued to boost these relations within a framework of mutual interest and respect, the Egyptian presidency said. President Biden said his administration looks forward to boosting bilateral relations in all fields, especially given Egypts pivotal role regionally and internationally and its role in supporting security and stability in the Middle East. This is the second call between El-Sisi and Biden in a less than a week. The first was on Thursday following the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian factions in Gaza, which Egypt brokered. Following the telephone call, President El-Sisi issued a small statement on his social media account, where he said their conversation was characterized by understanding, honesty and transparency in all the issues that concern the two countries and the region. The Egyptian president also said that President Biden has an insightful vision and distinguished experience characterised by realism regarding all files, including the file of bilateral relations. El-Sisi added that Biden, with his sophistication and experience, is able to find radical solutions to all problems and challenges around the world and in the region. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/412796.aspx KYODO NEWS - May 23, 2021 - 19:15 | All, World, Japan The Soviet Union sought to settle a territorial dispute with Japan in 1972 by handing over two of four disputed islands off Hokkaido in response to improving China-Japan relations, declassified documents obtained by Kyodo News showed Sunday. It is the first time it has come to light that the Soviet Union's wariness about the normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan prompted Moscow to seek resolution of the territorial dispute with Tokyo and thus the conclusion of a postwar peace treaty, according to experts in Japan and Russia. A series of formerly classified documents, including a draft peace treaty, were drawn up when the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union discussed measures to improve relations with Japan on Aug. 3, 1972. However, Japan and the Soviet Union did not come to a compromise due to Tokyo's insistence on the return of all four islands. The draft peace treaty was not presented during a visit by then Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka to Moscow in October 1973, either. The decades-long row over the islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, has prevented the two countries from signing a post-World War II peace treaty. The 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly affirmed remains valid, says Russia will hand over Shikotan and the Habomai islet group after concluding a peace treaty with Japan. According to the documents, the Soviet Foreign Ministry, the KGB state security agency and the Defense Ministry warned of China's intention to complicate any improvement of relations between Japan and the Soviet Union as Beijing rushed to normalize diplomatic ties with Tokyo. The Politburo, seeing the signing of a peace treaty with Japan as one of the top priorities of its diplomatic agenda, adopted a negotiation strategy on the basis of a return of the two smaller islets. The Politburo, however, agreed it would reject a Japanese demand for the return of two larger islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu. The documents showed the Soviet Union clearly recognized the need to demarcate a border with Japan through a peace treaty. Staying vigilant of the Japan-U.S. alliance, the Soviets demanded a guarantee from Japan and U.S. forces stationed in the country that they will not attack in return for handing over Shikotan and the Habomais. Moscow also attached importance to winning economic cooperation from Tokyo. The draft peace treaty prohibited both parties from intimidation by actual use of force, as well as letting others use their territories for acts that would cause military damage to either. The draft demanded that Japan permanently demilitarize the two islands once returned, and that the two sides make no more claims on each other's territories in the future. The Politburo, however, hardened its stance two months before Tanaka's 1973 trip to Moscow. In a meeting on Aug. 16 that year, the Politburo discussed plans for Tanaka's visit and the Foreign Ministry reported that Japan's stance on the return of the four islands had not changed. During Tanaka's visit, the Soviet Union did not present the two-island settlement plan, nor even acknowledge the existence of the territorial dispute. KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2021 - 12:57 | All, Japan A threatening letter has been sent to an immigration facility in central Japan over the death of a Sri Lankan woman while being held there, investigative sources said Monday. Police received a complaint from the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau in Aichi Prefecture on May 14 and have launched an investigation over the anonymous letter, which protested the 33-year-old woman's death and threatened to harm the facility's head, they said. Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali, who came to Japan in 2017 on a student visa, was taken to the facility in Nagoya in August 2020 after it was found her visa had expired. She died on March 6 this year after complaining of stomach pain and other symptoms from January. Her death, which activists blamed on a failure to provide appropriate medical attention, led to the government's decision last week to withdraw a bill revising rules on the asylum system and how to handle foreigners facing deportation. Her bereaved family and opposition parties have been demanding the Justice Ministry get to the bottom of her death and release video footage showing Wishma as her condition deteriorated. But the ministry, which has yet to determine the cause of her death, has turned down the request, citing security reasons. Related coverage: Gov't drops immigration bill with Sri Lankan's death in spotlight Kin of dead Sri Lankan woman unconvinced by Japan immigration account FOCUS: Sri Lankan's death in spotlight as Japan debates immigration bill KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2021 - 20:26 | All, Japan, Coronavirus State-run mass COVID-19 vaccination centers opened Monday in Tokyo and Osaka, as Japan seeks to accelerate its inoculation program that has lagged far behind other developed countries with just two months until the Summer Olympics. The centers, staffed by Self-Defense Forces doctors and nurses, will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for three months, including weekends and national holidays. They will use the two-dose vaccine developed by U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna Inc., which was approved by the government on Friday. Japan hopes the venues, aiming to inoculate up to 10,000 people a day in Tokyo and 5,000 in Osaka, will help meet its target to complete vaccinations by the end of July of people aged 65 or older, along with those turning 65 in the current fiscal year. The two populous areas, hit by a resurgence of infections, have been under a state of emergency since late April along with several other prefectures. While new coronavirus cases reported in Osaka totaled 216 on Monday, down from 382 a week earlier, hospitals continued to be under strain. Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura will formally decide Tuesday to ask the central government to extend the emergency beyond its end date of May 31, sources said, while Hyogo Gov. Toshizo Ido also suggested at a press conference that an extension is necessary. Infections in Tokyo, where the Olympics are set to begin July 23, stood at 340, down from 419 a week earlier. Elderly people living in the capital and the neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa as well as in Osaka and nearby Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures are eligible for inoculations at the state-run centers, provided they have not already received a vaccine shot elsewhere. But to avoid the reservation system becoming overwhelmed, the first week of vaccinations at the centers is restricted to residents of Tokyo's 23 wards and the city of Osaka. At a government building in the Otemachi business district in Tokyo, 30 to 40 elderly people began gathering from around 7:30 a.m. for vaccinations. "It did not hurt and was over quickly," said a 66-year-old woman from Suginami Ward in Tokyo. She said she decided to get a shot at the mass venue because she did not want to wait until her initially reserved first shot scheduled for late June. Visiting the venue in the afternoon, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he was "relieved" to see the operation running smoothly and vowed to continue ramping up Japan's vaccine rollout. "It is the government's responsibility to ensure every Japanese person is inoculated as soon as possible and to protect their lives and health," he told reporters. At the Osaka International Convention Center, 69-year-old Takashi Deguchi said he chose to be inoculated after becoming tired of being tense in his daily life. "I am worried about (side effects) but it can't be helped. I received the shot just like getting an influenza vaccine," he said. The slots -- 49,000 at the Tokyo site and 24,500 at the Osaka venue -- were quickly filled after the Defense Ministry started accepting reservations on May 17 on its website and via the Line messaging app. Online bookings for elderly people living in the rest of Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture also started Monday for slots in the week through June 6. Reservations for all 35,000 slots at the Osaka center filled up roughly 30 minutes after the booking process began at 1 p.m., while 24,000 of the 70,000 available slots at the Tokyo venue were taken in the six hours after the process opened at 11 a.m. Some local governments plan to set up their own large vaccination sites for elderly people. The prefectures of Aichi, Gunma and Miyagi opened their venues Monday, aiming to inoculate each day up to 3,000, 1,000 and 2,100 people, respectively. Baseball stadiums are also being floated as potential venues. Yomiuri Giants owner Toshikazu Yamaguchi on Sunday briefed Suga on a plan to use Tokyo Dome from August, while Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura told a press conference on Monday he may take up an offer to utilize Vantelin Dome Nagoya. Japan's vaccination program started in February with health care workers and later expanded to the elderly, the latter group totaling about 36 million people. But only around 4 percent of the country's population of 126 million has received at least one dose. The inoculations have been conducted by local governments using the two-dose vaccine developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE. U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Monday one of its units has filed for approval from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for its one-dose vaccine, with possible delivery in early 2022. Some SDF doctors and nurses as well as private nurses who run the vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka became the first recipients of Moderna shots in Japan on Sunday, the Defense Ministry said. Even if the two state-run venues operate at full capacity for the scheduled three months, only 900,000 in Tokyo and 450,000 in Osaka will be able to complete vaccinations, around 10 percent of the targeted elderly population. KYODO NEWS - May 23, 2021 - 11:11 | All, Coronavirus, Japan Over half of nurses working at coronavirus hospital wards have thought about quitting their jobs, a recent survey has found, highlighting the increasing strain on the country's medical system due to an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 patients. A total of 118 nurses, or 51.3 percent of the 230 respondents, said they had either "always" or "sometimes" considered leaving, citing too-high levels of stress and concerns about possible infections, a survey conducted in January and February by the Japan National Hospital Workers' Union showed. January was when a second state of emergency was declared for Tokyo and several other prefectures. A third state of emergency is currently in place again in areas including the capital. Of the respondents to the survey who are thinking about quitting, some mentioned fatigue, continued overtime and low income. One was concerned that only nurses may bear the brunt of criticism in the event of any incident. According to the survey, 79 nurses, or 34.3 percent of the respondents, said they had experienced discrimination and harassment due to their work in treating COVID-19 patients at hospitals, with one saying a "family member was told to telework because I am a nurse." Related coverage: 28 local Japanese governments considering mass vaccination sites Japan mulls letting pharmacists administer COVID-19 vaccines 395 apply for 200 Tokyo Games sports doctor slots The survey also found that 128 nurses, or 55.7 percent, had experienced irregularities in their physical or psychological conditions such as being "stressed and tired all the time" and "dehydrated from wearing protective gear against the virus." As the country grapples with a fourth wave of infections triggered by highly contagious variants of the virus, hospitals across Japan have been witnessing a high bed occupancy rate for COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms. On top of treating the patients, nurses are also required to inoculate elderly people against the coronavirus. All the governors of Japan's 47 prefectures said in an online meeting last Monday that they lacked medical staff for the country's vaccination program, posing a challenge to achieving the target of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government of completing vaccinations of the elderly by the end of July. Jamshedpur: A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by an unidentified person in Jharkhand's steel city Jamshedpur on Sunday. The girl had gone out of her house in the morning to attend nature's call when she was allegedly raped by the person, the police said. The locals found her lying unconscious in a field near her house. She also had injury marks on her face, the police said. She was rushed to Telco Main Hospital and latershifted to state-run M G M Hospital. A case has been registered at Govindpur policestation under relevant India Penal Code (IPC) sections and POSCO Act. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Delhi: A day after Delhi Medical Association (DMA) wrote to Chief Minister seeking the withdrawal of the order cancelling the license of Max Super Specialty Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, Arvind Kejriwal said he admires work of the doctors but saddened with the way corporate owned private hospitals exploit them. Kejriwal on Sunday during a program at Delhis Mundka said, Delhi government is not against private hospitals and is full aware of their importance. The Delhi chief minister added, Max Shalimar Bagh left us with no option other than to take action. Our conscience would have pricked us had we remained silent on such inhuman criminal negligence. Arvind Kejriwal further stated that the doctors are saviours and he salutes their work. We admire their work but it is sad the way corporate owned private hospitals exploit them, said the Delhi chief minister. Also read| Delhi govt won't hesitate to act against erring pvt hospitals: Arvind Kejriwal Delhi Medical Council (DMC) on Saturday in its letter marked to Arvind Kejriwal and state Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that the government should wait for the report of the on the issue which is expected in a few days. The DMA has opposed the Delhi governments order and had said that it would give a call for strike, if needed. Also read: Withdraw order cancelling Max Hospital's license, says Delhi Medical Association The Delhi government had cancelled the license of the hospital for an alleged medical negligence in multiple instances including the twins case in which one of the babies was found alive after being declared dead by the doctors. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Saturday provided Rs 5 lakh compensation to the family of the Muslim labourer from West Bengal who was hacked and burnt to death by a man, who could be seen in a video of the crime ranting against "love jihad". Rajsamand SDM Rajendra Prasad Agarwal provided a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the wife of Mohammad Afrazul, 48, who was killed on Wednesday allegedly by Shambhu Lal Raigir in the district. In a video of the crime, Rajgir could be seen raving against "love jihad", a term used by sections of Hindu activists to describe marriages between Hindu women and Muslim men, who are accused of seeking to propagate Islam. Raigir was later arrested. On Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee announced Rs 3 lakh compensation for the kin of the deceased and assured a government job for one of his family members. Earlier today, Rajasthan DGP O P Galhotra visited Rajsamand and met the victim's family. He also discussed the case elaborately with senior police officials. Also Read| Rajasthan hacking: Police rule out 'love jihad' behind West Bengal migrant labourer's killing Galhotra later told reporters that Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was serious about the case and monitoring the progress of investigation in the matter. "It is a heinous crime and investigation is being done thoroughly. Scientific and forensic evidences were collected and strict action will be taken," Galhotra said. He said the police department was making efforts to present the case charge sheet in the court within a month. Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria has ordered a probe by an Special Investigation Team in the matter. Human rights groups have demanded the resignation of Raje and Kataria, accusing them of protecting those behind targeted attacks on Muslims. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Centre has refuted in the Supreme Court the allegations by an NGO that there was a delay on its part in releasing funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) scheme for drought-hit farmers. The issue was raised before the top court by the NGO, the petitioner in the matter, which claimed that there was a high percentage of delay over payment under MGNREGA made from the time when fund transfer order was made till the time the payment was actually given to the beneficiaries. A bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and N V Ramana asked Attorney General K K Venugopal, representing the Centre, to file an affidavit within four weeks in this regard after the government disputed these facts. The bench has posted the matter for hearing on January 18 next year. NGO Swaraj Abhiyan also claimed before the top court that there was an enormous delay on the Centres part in releasing the funds under the scheme even after receipt of fund transfer order. Only for the purpose of verification of the averments and the allegations made on the basis of these two charts (given in the affidavit filed by the petitioner), we require an affidavit to be filed by the central government, the bench said in its order. The court had earlier said that state food commissions, as mandated under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013, should be set up even in states not hit by drought. The petitioner had earlier claimed that implementation of the NFSA still remained a major challenge and adequate work under the MNREGA was not being given by the state governments. The plea had alleged that parts of 12 statesUttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chhattisgarhwere hit by drought and authorities were not providing adequate relief. The plea sought relief measures in drought-hit states in the country. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday termed the Congress party's Gujarat poll manifesto as 'constitutionally and financially impossible' and said the promises like quota to Patidar and farm loan waiver can never be fulfilled. On the day Gujarat went in for the first phase of polling, Jaitley said, "Having no model of development, the Congress party's manifesto is one of fiscal impossibility. The total revenue earned by the state is about Rs 90,000 crore per annum. The Congress promises a tax waiver of Rs 20,000crore." This will bring down the effective revenue income of the state to Rs 70,000 crore, he said in a long Facebook post. "To this may be added the Central devolution and the borrowings which under the FRBM Act have a three per cent cap. All these constitute the committed liabilities of salaries, pensions, social and developmental expenditure. There is no surplus money left after this committed expenditure," he said. He further said, the Congress manifesto promises an additional bonanza of Rs 1,21,000 crore in terms of populist programmes and it doubles the expenditure while reducing the income, which is a fiscal nightmare. "The two important limbs of the Congress manifesto comprise of one - a constitutional impossibility and the other a fiscal impossibility. The Congress party can well afford this risk since its victory is a political improbability," he said. The next important limb of the Congress campaign, the finance minister said, is a promise of reservations over and above 49 per cent. Citing the Supreme Court order, he said, it has repeatedly emphasised that the net total of all reservations cannot exceed 50 per cent since 1992 and states which have attempted to breach this cap have faced constitutional resistance. "A promise of reservations beyond 50 percent has been made by the Congress and the PAAS to the people of Gujarat. This act of self-deception is a constitutional impossibility which will never be judicially permissible," he said. Taking on Congress' claim that Gujarat model of development does not exist, Jaitley said, this claim has been conclusively demolished by the recent data that Gujarat is the only state in India whose GSDP grew by 10 percent during the period 2012-2017. "Gujarat grew at least two percent faster than the nearest growing state i.e. Madhya Pradesh. A double-digit growth rate is unheard during the period of economic downturn. Even the Chinese new normal during this period has been 6.5 percent," he said. The fact that this growth rate has been sustained for five years in a row is an evidence of the success of the Gujarat model, which the Congress wants to wish away, he said. Another distinct aspect of the Congress party's campaign, the finance minister said without naming its allies, is that it has clearly demolished its own state-level leadership and outsourced both its leadership and issues to those who had conventionally nothing to do with the party. There is not a single state leader who is touring the state for the campaign, he said, adding the party has disconnected the traditional issues on which it has been campaigning since 2002 and opted for a divisive agenda of social repolarisation. "The state paid a heavy price for such misadventures in the 1980s and would be very reluctant to repeat this experiment after having liberated itself from caste wars," he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Vadodara: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contestant from Dabhoi Assembly seat in Gujarat, Shailesh Sotta today courted controversy by allegedly saying that the population of "topi and dadhiwalas", an apparent reference to Muslims, should be "reduced". He also said that he came to Dabhoi to "instill fear" and that if sporadic communal clashes were not stopped a "befitting reply" would be given. "If any 'topi, daadhiwala' (anybody wearing a cap and sporting beard) is sitting here (in the crowd), then pardon me, but there is a need to reduce their population. Many leaders asked me not to say this, as it may go against me, but if 90 per cent of people are supporting me, then why shall I stop speaking about the 10 per cent people?" Sotta purportedly said at what appeared to be a small gathering in Dabhoi town in Vadodara district. The video of the speech he made in Gujarati has gone viral. "(They say) don't talk about the community in which you are born (Hindu), and if you want to talk about that (the community), then don't contest election. But I will fight election for the religion in which I am born," Sotta purportedly said. Sotta, a Vadodara councillor who is contesting Assembly polls for the first time, said they (Muslims) will have to stop sporadic clashes (communal incidents) or they will get 'eent ka jawab pathhar se (tit for tat response). Dabhoi is going to polls in the second phase on December 14. "There was a meeting of a peace committee in which a 'tadipaar' (externed criminal) said that he is scared of the BJP candidate (Sotta). There is nothing wrong in this," he said. He said he came to Dabhoi to "scare people" and not the other way round. "I came here to scare people. I am here not to get frightened, but to make others frightened. And if anti-social elements remain scared, then it is required for this place," he said. Sotta could not be contacted on phone for his reaction. He is pitted against senior Congress leader Siddharth Patel. After Sotta's video was aired by some news channels, Ahmedabad-based social worker Nishant Varma filed a complaint with the State Election Commission against Sotta over his "highly communal and instigating" comments against the Muslim community and for "violating the poll code". Also read: BJP leader Vinay Katiyar claims Delhis Jama Masjid was originally Jamuna Devi temple "He (Sotta) is clearly heard saying that Muslim population must be reduced in the area, and that Muslims will face 'eent ka jawab pathhar se'. He is saying all this to appease 90 per cent (Hindu) voters and not the rest 10 per cent," Varma said in his complaint. Also read|Gujarat polls 2017: PM Modi to address over 10000 BJP's SC-ST members on last day of campaigning "He (Sotta) is referring to Muslims as 'topi and daadhiwala' which is completely unacceptable and a clear violation of the model code of conduct as well as various provisions of the CrPC and IPC," he said. Mohali: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Saturday that Sanjay Leela Bhansalis film Padmavati, which is mired in a major controversy, would not be barred from screening in his state. But at the same time, it is the responsibility of the producers of Padmavati to ensure that history is projected in the correct perspective, Singh said. Anything can be shown in Punjab as long as it does not hurt religious sentiments, he said adding that the Punjab government favoured a level playing field for all organisations. While different historical perspectives can be there, any attempt to completely falsify historical facts cannot be tolerated, he added. This, he said, becomes even more necessary in the current age when children acquire knowledge through the audio-visual medium rather than by reading alone. Terming the threats by fringe groups against the makers of Padmavati as wrong, Singh said the concerned state government should have acted against those issuing such statements. Such people should have been locked up, he said. Its a free country, with free business opportunity for all, Singh said. Speaking at an event, he said his government did not believe in media censorship and was totally against it. Asking journalists to discharge their duties fearlessly, with utmost sincerity and without bias, he said his government would immediately clear the formalities for any media organisation wishing to operate in the state. We want competition to grow so people get news as they should be getting it, he said, according to an official release. Citing the progress made in the media over the years, the chief minister said its role and importance had grown manifold and it was their responsibility to ensure that information and news is disseminated to the people in a fair manner. Underlining the need for the media to present the governments case in the right perspective, Singh expressed the hope that they would understand and appreciate Punjabs problems and paint a correct picture for their readers and audiences. Singh also spoke about the challenges faced by the media as a result of the emergence of the social media. Also Read| Padmavati row: We all need to stick together, says Kangana Ranaut Padmavati has been mired in a major controversy with allegations that history is distorted in the Bhansali flick. Many groups have been protesting amid rumours that there was a romantic dream sequence between Rajput queen Padmini and Allauddin Khilji. However, Bhansali said in an appeal that there was no dream sequence and it was all a rumour. Historians are divided on whether Padmini actually existed. She finds mention in the 16th century epic poem Padmavat. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Raipur: Constable Sanath Kumar Yadav, who was arrested for allegedly killing four colleagues including two seniors on Saturday evening at Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district, on Sunday claimed himself to be innocent. Kumar told media, I am innocent and being framed in the fratricidal killing case. He added, After completing my duty hours, I returned to my barrack. Around 5pm on hearing bullet firing I took position. Kumar further told the media that after firing was stopped, company commander along with other colleagues took me in custody. I dont know, who opened fire and who all were killed or injured in the firing incident. The weapon used in the killing is another not mine, added the constable. Kumar further told the media, We work together. Small disputes do tend to happen. It does not mean I or anyone will go on a killing spree. I am hear to earn bread and butter for my family, so are my colleagues. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dantewada range) Sundarraj P on Saturday had said, A fatal incident of fratricide took place after a brawl in the camp. Also read: CRPF jawan opens fire at colleagues, 4 dead, 1 injured He had then said that in their initial investigation they have learnt that constable Sanath Kumar had allegedly opened fire with his service weapon, an AK 47 rifle, leaving four personnel dead including two sub-inspectors on the spot and another injured. Also read: CPI-Maoist central committee decides to involve women in all fronts Other senior officials said that Kumar was overpowered and apprehended by other colleagues who were present in the camp. The CRPF is deployed in Chhattisgarh to support state police in countering CPI-Maoist cadres. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Human rights have generally been chartered out for protection of human life and liberty, to preserve the dignity of people, promote brotherhood and maintain equality etc. Our very own Indian Constitution endorses the same rights for all citizens of the country. Every citizen of India has been granted six fundamental rights to live his life with full dignity and earn respect in society irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion or sex. The fundamental rights are namely - right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, and finally, the right to constitutional remedies. After 70 years of independence our motherland stands on the brink of being labelled a fully developed nation. We might have made giant leaps economically, rapid technological advancements but when it comes to our social progress we still are pretty backward as we havent reformed socially and the age old taboos do certainly haunt our progressive mind-set. India has witnessed some major cases of human rights violation which led to a lot of bloodshed due to violent clashes between religious groups, ethnic clans and social groups. The United Nations adopted a charter of Human Rights for the respect of people and on 1948, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the protection of Human Rights. India was a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but case of human rights violations are very much prevalent. So let us recall some of the gruesome incidents of human rights violations in our country which left the country in a state of distress. MASS EXODUS OF KASHMIRI PUNDITS FROM VALLEY Terrorism forced the Hindus, a large majority of whom were Kashmiri Pandits, to flee from their homes in the Kashmir valley in the early part of 1990. According to Asia Watch, the militant organisations forced the Hindus residing in the Kashmir valley to flee and become refugees in Delhi-NCR and Jammu. Ethnic cleansing continued till a vast majority of the Kashmiri Pandits were evicted out of the valley after having suffered numerous acts of violence, including sexual assault on women, arson, mental torture and extortion of property. HINDU SIKH RIOTS IN DELHI - 1984 In the early 1980s, Sikh separatists in Punjab demanding separate state Khalistan committed serious human rights abuses, massacring civilians, attacking Hindu minorities, and carried out bomb attacks in crowded places. In June 1984, the government deployed security forces to flush out the militants who had occupied the holiest of Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The military campaign inflicted serious damage to the shrine and killed hundreds, including pilgrims, militants, and security personnel. On , Indira Gandhi was murdered in an act of revenge by two of her Sikh bodyguards. Following the assassination, mobs, reportedly instigated by political leaders, went on a rampage against Sikhs in Delhi and other cities. Over three days, over 2500 Sikhs were killed, robbed of their belongings and and destroyed. Many women were raped in the national capital. Hundreds of Sikhs were massacred elsewhere in the country. The authorities quickly blamed every incident of mass communal violence on a spontaneous public reaction. DEATH OF ROHITH VEMULA, A Dalit Phd Student The age old clashes between the so called upper class and the underprivileged lot is not something new in Indias social set up. The suicide of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit PhD student at the Hyderabad Central University, was just one example of many such avoidable clashes which involved Dalit students. The inhumane treatment handed out to members of the Dalit community finally reached the masses. In some of these cases, Dalits were being stripped and beaten by vigilante groups, some even being urinated upon. CHILD LABOUR DEPRIVES MANY IGNITED MINDS OF A BRIGHT FUTURE Child labour is one of the biggest menaces which grips many bright children and spoils their promising futures. Children belonging to the poorer or economically weaker sections of the society often fall prey to child labour. For want of money, their parents force them to take on petty jobs at a very tender age and make huge compromise with their education. According to Human Rights Watch, two out of five children in India drop out of school before completing their eighth standard. Hence, a large number of children in our country are robbed of their fundamental right to free and compulsory education. Security forces carrying out operations against Maoist insurgents were accused of serious human rights violations like sexual harassment and killing of innocent tribal villagers. According to a report given by National Commission of Scheduled Tribe, security forces deployed in Odisha killed five tribal villagers including children and claimed that they were killed during anti-Maoist operations. Hisar: A six-year-old girl was raped and killed in Haryana's Hisar. Police said, the victim was abducted from her residence by unidentified men and allegedly gangraped. Her body was recovered from a deserted street in Uklana with wooden stick inserted in her private part. The victim's body was cremated on Sunday amid tight security, as the agitated locals protested over the gruesome crime. Police said that some unidentified men had allegedly abducted the girl on Friday night when she was sleeping with her sister and mother in their home in a slum area. The men then raped and killed her, the police said. The doctors of Civil Hospital who conducted the post-mortem examination said that the accused inserted a wooden stick into the girl's private parts, which ruptured her intestine. "When the body was handed over to us it was soaked inblood," a kin of the girl told reporters here. Angered over the incident, the opposition parties, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Congress and the local residents demonstrated against the Manohar Lal Khattar led government, on the cremation ground. "The Khattar government is sleeping while incidents ofrape and murder take place every other day," senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while demanding an immediate arrest of the accused, said such barbaric incidents showed that law and order machinery in the state under the BJP government had collapsed. Things have come to such a pass that children were neither safe in their schools nor at homes, Hooda said. The barbaric incident was a chilling reminder of theDecember 16 gangrape case in Delhi in 2012 involving a youngwoman, he said. Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala and party's Hisar MLAKamal Gupta and other leaders were also present there. A case under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including murder, rape, kidnapping, besides, under the provisions of the POCSO Act has been registered. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been formed to probe the incident. However, no arrest has been made in the case, said a police spokesman. The police is checking CCTV footage of the area togather clues, he said. The incident came to light yesterday when passers by noticed the body of the girl on a deserted street, the police said. The victim's family, who work as labourers, belong to the Sapera community hailing from Tohana town in Fatehabad district. They were living near railway lines in Uklana forthe last couple of years. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is holding a meeting with the Chief Ministers of the states today to deal with the cyclone Yaas in the Bay of Bengal. Amit Shah will review the meeting with the Lieutenant Governor of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands through video conferencing and preparations for cyclone Yaqs, but according to prior information, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was unlikely to attend the meeting, but Mamata Banerjee has attended the meeting putting an end to all speculations. Let us tell you that the central government is preparing on a war footing to deal with cyclone Yaas. PM Narendra Modi had an emergency meeting with the disaster management office on Sunday. Officials from various central offices were also present. Officials from the Department of Telecommunications and Power were also present. Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gowda has already held a meeting with the National Disaster Management Committee. He directed that all preparations be made before the disaster. The meeting asked people from low-lying areas to consider how to evacuate quickly so that there is no shortage of food, water, medicine and other essentials. However, the administration is giving utmost importance to ensure that covid centres, safe homes and hospitals do not face any problem in the event of corona. State that 75 teams of National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in West Bengal and Orissa. There are 20 more teams. BSF has banned the movement of ships in Bangladesh. The Army, Navy and Coast Guard have also been kept ready. On-site Regn, appointment has now been enabled for the 18-44 years age group Uttarakhand govt extended lockdown till June 1 SputnikV vaccine: Panacea Biotec starts producing Russia's SputnikV vaccine EU, US Ambassadors to Georgia send a joint open letter to victims of June 2019 protests By Veronika Malinboym The Ambassador of the US to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, and the EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell have sent a joint letter to the activists who were injured during the June 2019 protests in Tbilisi. The letter came as a response to the open letter sent by civil activists on May 14, in which they expressed their protest over the law which provides amnesty to all those charged with violations and convictions related to June 19-21, 2019 protests in Tbilisi, including the violations conducted by law enforcement agents.In their letter, Ambassadors Degnan and Hartzell thanked the signatories for their letter and reinstated that as Georgian partners, they have worked to end the political crisis which erupted in the country following October 2020 Parliamentary elections:The 19 April Agreement was a compromise brokered through a challenging mediation process and its contents are fully owned by Georgias political leaders. Under its first article, the agreement outlines a commitment to address cases of perceived politicized justice, the joint statement reads.Ambassadors also noted that the amnesty law referenced in the April 19 agreement pertains to a painful episode of the Georgian history, not only for the victims but also because of the challenges that it posed to the countrys democratic institutions:The amnesty law referenced in the Agreement pertains to a painful episode in Georgias history, not only for the victims of the events of 19-21 June 2019 but also because of the challenges the events posed to Georgias democratic institutions. In such a polarized environment, an inclusive process in Parliament is needed to foster reforms that will prevent a recurrence of such tragic events and bring greater transparency and accountability.The joint letter also underscored the importance of all stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the agreement:Following the Agreements conclusion, it is now vital that all stakeholders ensure its successful implementation in the interest of ending Georgias paralyzing political crisis. This allows all parties to work to further Georgias democratic consolidation and pursue Justice and accountability through strengthened democratic institutions, the letter concluded. The Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Sunday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has asked to host the Conference of Parties (COP28) international conference on climate change in 2023. The annual Conference of Parties COP is the decision-making body responsible for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UAE exports oil and hosts the International Renewable Energy Agency's (IRENA) headquarters. The UAE has established itself as a natural host for high-level large format international events focused on climate action and sustainable development. "The UAE has demonstrated a proven track record in progressive climate action and multilateral cooperation that makes it an ideal convener for COP 28," Sheikh Abdullah adding that "The UAE has invested around USD17 billion in commercial renewable energy projects on six continents and provided over USD1 billion of grants and soft loans for renewable energy power plants." The British government will host the next summit, COP 26, in Glasgow in November. Wuhan lab theory: US Dr Fauci says not convinced" COVID-19 developed naturally UAE bans passengers coming from India till June 14 General information: Which state will set up multipurpose seaweed parks in the coming years? New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned entry of passengers from India till June 14. The UAE had banned entry of Indian passengers from April 25 following the second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic. Dubai's Airlines Emirates said in a statement that passenger flights from India have been cancelled till June 14, 2021. Passengers passing through India in the last 14 days will not be accepted to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from any other point. However, citizens of UAE, UAE golden visa holders and members of diplomatic missions who follow the revised Corona Protocol will be given concessions. Flights between the two countries will continue to allow transfer of exempted groups from India to UAE applying for transportation and discounts of passengers in India from UAE. The citizens of UAE, on diplomatic missions recognized by both countries, including official delegations, those travelling by commercial aircraft and golden visa holders, will be accepted as a precautionary measure, including 10-day warranty and PCR tests at the airport. At the same time, the required PCR test period before the journey has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours and all tests should be administered by accredited labs, which issue results with a QR code. Also Read This foreign actress feel blessed to learn a lot of things from India Mika Singh distributing food to poor, video goes viral MP: DRDO 2DG dose becomes 'Sanjeevani' for Corona infected woman The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has severely hit many parts of Nepal and Karnali, area-wise the largest province of the country, is no exception. Around 1,000 new Covid-19 cases are confirmed and about 10 deaths are reported daily in the province. There is a shortage of oxygen and beds even in the capital of the province, Birendranagar, and urban areas of Surkhet. This has worsened the crisis there. This is not it. In Birendranagar, there is also a spike in the number of referral patients from other districts of the province. Likewise, the Covid-19 Special Hospital run by the provincial government is overwhelmed with critically ill Covid-19 patients. While all these well-facilitated urban areas of the province are struggling to combat the pandemic, the hospital of the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS) in Jumla, one of the remotest parts of the province as well the country, having strong infrastructures and sufficient human resources, has become a ray of hope for the people of rural Karnali, arguably the remotest province of the country. Hope spread across villages During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the KAHS established a Chinese Wuhan-model unit action team, also known as the Karnali March. The team sent teams of specialist doctors to villages and controlled the first wave. And, it is doing the same this year as well. The team works in the Covid-19-affected areas in coordination with the district health workers through the local governments for the treatment of the isolated Covid-19 patients and prevention of this infection, Dr Ramesh Raj Bhattarai, the KAHS spokesperson, explains, They also make the public aware of the pandemic. And, they only return from the villages after the pandemic is controlled. For doing so, 17 doctors and their teams are deployed in Jumla, Kalikot, Humla, Mugu, Dolpa and Rukum (West), informs Bhattarai. Besides these six remote districts, the KAHS has also provided support to the Covid-19 ward of the Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj with a separate six-member team including doctors and health workers led by Dr Prabin Giri, the chief of the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of the KAHS. The academy decided so realising the acute shortage of human resources there, according to Bishwo Raj Kafle, registrar of the academy. Village-bound for treatment Lately, many Covid-19 patients have rushed to the KAHS Teaching Hospital in Jumla after not getting beds and oxygen in the hospitals of Surkhet, Nepalgunj and other urban areas in and around the province. Govinda Khatri of Birendranagar shares, We came to Jumla for my critically ill mothers treatment after we could not get bed and oxygen in the hospitals of Surkhet even after waiting for three days. Khatri, who has returned from Jumla last week only confirms that his mother is doing well now. Similarly, another Covid-19 patient from Surkhet also reached Jumla on an ambulance on Friday. And, the flow is increasing. Resourceful rural facility Dr Mangal Rawal, the vice-chancellor of the KAHS, claims that the academy has been strengthening itself and has reached the stage of solving the health crisis of Karnali province lately. Further, Rawal adds that the academy has about 250 health workers including 70 doctors. Even while operating in the full capacity of the hospital, about 50 doctors and health workers can be mobilised in other districts. File: A village in Mugu district The teaching hospital of the academy has become the strongest hospital in the country in terms of human resources and technology. It will be the ray of hope and trust of the people of Karnali during this pandemic, boasts Rawal. In addition, Bhattarai reports the hospital currently has 300 beds, including 10 ICU beds, 25 HDU beds and 13 beds with ventilators. Oxygen is currently being supplied to 35 beds from its own oxygen plant. According to Bhattarai, the hospital has allocated 100 beds for regular patients and 200 beds for Covid-19 patients. Currently, the oxygen plant is in operation. We can also supply oxygen from the cylinders. There are enough human resources. Therefore, there is no problem or crisis here as of now, informs Bhattarai Kathmandu, May 24 Once again, the government of Nepal has requested the United States government to support the countrys Covid-19 response, by providing vaccines for prevention. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Monday held a telephone conversation with Wendy Sherman, the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America, and requested her to accord due priority to Nepal during the distribution of surplus vaccines among the developing nations. In response, Sherman assured that the US government would continue to extend cooperation in Nepals socioeconomic sector, including the recent fight against the pandemic, the ministry says. Appreciating the friendship the two countries have enjoyed over the decades, she hoped that key projects in the pipeline under US cooperation would open up further avenues of prosperity for Nepal. Around two weeks ago, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel had also requested US Ambassador to Nepal, Randy Berry, to provide the vaccine assistance. The calls come at a time when a group of Nepalis in Nepal and the United States have launched a petition campaign to demand vaccines for Nepal after the US government announced the distribution of 60 million vaccines among various countries in the world. Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali had said the government had launched efforts to bring some vaccines from the US. URBANA, Ill. - Women's ability to work as entrepreneurs can help alleviate poverty and malnutrition in developing countries. As local governments and development organizations aim to encourage business opportunities, it's important to identify projects suited for women's lives in rural households. The soy kit, which includes common household items such as a pot, spoon, thermometer, and cheese cloth, enables entrepreneurs to create value-added products from soy in small-scale household settings. The kit has potential to improve the economic conditions of Malawi women in a sustainable way, a University of Illinois study concludes. "The larger issue is about adding value to agricultural products in the developing world as a means of raising incomes," says Pete Goldsmith, director of the Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL) at Illinois and corresponding author on the study, published in Food and Nutrition Bulletin. "Women are often the ones taking care of children and elders, and holding the household unit together, so if they have access to more money and better nutrition that's a critical component for improving the standard of living in developing countries," he explains. "Not all agricultural technologies are consistent with women's skill sets, time constraints, and complementary resources. A food-based business such as the soy kit appears to be appropriate for women entrepreneurs but we had to test it to learn if that held up in practice," Goldsmith says. Malnutrition Matters, a Canadian non-government organization (NGO), developed the soy kit. The USAID-funded Feed the Future Malawi Agriculture Diversification Activity distributed the kit to more than 200 households over a period of 18 months. The SIL researchers assisted with the rollout and helped train the women in bookkeeping so they could collect data on the project's economic feasibility. The women entrepreneurs use the kit to process the soybeans and extract milk, from which they can make products such as flavored beverages, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. The process also yields a co-product, okara, a high-protein pulp used for animal feed or as an ingredient in baking or food preparation. The soy kit is a viable alternative to the soy cow, a popular technology widely implemented throughout Africa. The soy cow also extracts milk from soybeans to create value-added products. While it does so well, it is an expensive piece of equipment that produces large quantities of milk, requiring dedicated space, electricity, and access to refrigeration, Goldsmith explains. The soy kit is a much more nimble tool, appropriate for individual households and easily adapted to local markets. "The products have a shelf life for a couple hours, and you only make as much as you think you can sell. You don't need cold storage such as a refrigerator or freezer. You can put the products in sachets with some ice and take them to sell at fairs and by the roadside," Goldsmith says. "The women know what people like, how to price the products, and where to find their customers. The project can leverage women's intrinsic knowledge of the marketplace," he notes. Goldsmith and co-author Chungman Kim, an undergraduate student in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) who worked on the research for an independent study project, collected and analyzed the women's bookkeeping data to track the economics of using the kit. To learn more about undergraduate student research opportunities, visit the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences website. The Canadian soy kit costs about $200, but entrepreneurs can assemble a similar kit with locally sourced materials for about $80. The women may already have some of the items, and they can use them for other purposes, adding to the kit's versatility. Even if the women had to take out a small loan to acquire the kit without donor assistance, it would quickly pay off, Goldsmith says. He and Kim calculated the income generation from the soy kit, estimating gross margins after subtracting production costs such as soybean, water, flavorings, sachets, and plastic bags. There are no capital investments in addition to the kit itself, since the women work from their own home, and the project requires no special storage or cooling facilities. The researchers found gross margins averaged 56%, and implicit wages - a means to estimate the value of labor - equaled $2 per hour. While that is a significant amount in rural Malawi, it doesn't mean the women can work eight hours a day at this wage. They need to adapt their production level to marketplace demands and time constraints. Still, the soy kit provides a good source of income that aligns with the greater goals of alleviating poverty and malnutrition in Malawi, Goldsmith concludes. SIL is a USAID-funded initiative comprising an international team of soybean researchers, currently operating at 120 locations in 26 countries. "We provide technical support to development organizations addressing poverty and malnutrition. We can serve as the technical backstop, helping to determine appropriate ways to solve problems. This is what SIL and the University of Illinois do really well," Goldsmith explains. He also credits Maggie Mzungu, Charity Kambani, and Elizabeth Venable of the Feed the Future Malawi Agriculture Diversification Activity with helping to roll out the soy kit project and collect data on the ground in Malawi. ### The Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab (SIL) and the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics are housed in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois. FCW Perspectives Connecting and supporting the post-pandemic workforce The government's emergency pivot to telework in 2020, while impressive in both speed and scale, was in many ways a tactical scramble for stopgap solutions. Now, with a year of experience and the prospect of post-pandemic operations on the horizon, IT leaders are reshaping their agencies' plans for secure connectivity going forward. FCW recently gathered a group of IT leaders to explore how they are approaching both the workforce and IT infrastructure challenges. The discussion was on the record but not for individual attribution (see sidebar for the full list of participants), and the quotes have been edited for length and clarity. Here's what the group had to say. Collaboration is key A full 12 months into maximum telework when the mission allows, the participants agreed that structuring most systems to be location-agnostic was no longer the issue and that a solid foundation was in place. Several said the emphasis now is on supporting better collaboration among far-flung team members. "If you begin with the assumption that there's more work that's going to be done remotely," one official said, "the other piece of the roadmap that we're looking at a lot more carefully is how collaboration occurs particularly if you're assuming that there's always going to be a remote presence in that collaboration." Participants Michael Anthony CIO, National Transportation Safety Board Donald Bauer CTO, Global Talent Management, Human Resources Executive Branch, Department of State Sean Connelly Trusted Internet Connections Program Manager and Senior Cybersecurity Architect, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency John Coyle Telecommunications Branch Chief, Defense Information Systems Agency Edward Dowgiallo Senior Technical Advisor, Department of Transportation Conrad Jalali Portfolio Manager, CDM DEFEND, CISA Robert Leahy Deputy CIO for Operations, Internal Revenue Service Patrick MeLampy Juniper Fellow, Juniper Networks Howard Spira CIO, Export-Import Bank of the United States Don Troshynski CTO, 128 Technology, Juniper Networks Note: FCW Editor-in-Chief Troy K. Schneider led the roundtable discussion. The April 13 gathering was underwritten by Juniper Networks' 128 Technology, but both the substance of the discussion and the recap on these pages are strictly editorial products. Neither the sponsor nor any of the roundtable participants had input beyond their April 13 comments. Another raised the "pedestrian" but important question of "how do we equip our conference rooms on site to allow people who are working remotely to feel part of the meeting, to feel totally engaged? It seems pretty straightforward, but we're finding that it's not. It's actually going to be quite expensive." A third participant said hybrid collaboration "also affects document management strategies, including workflow and a lot of interactions that with a physical presence are handled one way but require a technology approach that's a little bit different when you have that remote assumption." Although several participants said their organizations' adoption of Microsoft Office 365, Teams and other platforms had proved invaluable, the human habits were still a work in progress. "How you engage with the tools and how you behave in a collaborative context can have a big knock-on effect on how your colleagues experience the collaboration," one noted. "If we don't pay attention to behaviors, oftentimes we can be very suboptimal with the use of the tool. So another thing we're thinking about is a lot more outreach and proactive evangelism about how we want to see people interact with the technology." Finally, the group agreed, the variety of platforms being used continues to pose challenges. "Our entire environment in our building is locked down," one official said. "So it's been quite challenging when people pop up and say, 'Oh, here's the Zoom meeting. Here's a this meeting. Here's a that meeting.' If you're on site in some cases we do have a lot of on-site presence we couldn't even participate in some of these collaborations." When it came to individual work, one surprisingly persistent question was how much hardware to provide for remote workspaces. Although computers and mobile devices have largely been provisioned, employees are increasingly asking for "the same things they had in the office," one participant said. "They started saying things like 'I want three monitors to plug in at home,' or 'How about an office chair?' So we've been dealing with policy stuff and trying to formulate what we should be providing and what we should not." Employees at that agency have been given headsets, "and they've also been able to go to the office and take their wireless keyboard and mouse home and things like that," the official said. "But when you look at the private sector, they've been giving stipends and providing funding to build your own office." Another official said: "It's really fine-tuning what telework means, not only from the standpoint of does your position allow you to work full-time from home but then what are the additional tools that you need?" No telework without telecom Another unresolved challenge is secure and sufficient connectivity. "The only pain point we had when we had everybody go remote was the bandwidth," one official said. "Because of the Trusted Internet Connections program, everybody had to go to our cloud through our trusted internet connection. And we had to really scale it up." FCW Insider: May 24, 2021 New marching orders for agencies and technology vendors in the Biden administration's new cybersecurity policy need to be supported in the budget, industry reps say. FedRAMP's standards go a long way toward the security goals the White House just set -- but smaller firms must be able to afford the authorization process. Many records housed in a St. Louis facility are critical to veterans' benefits applications but can't be accessed remotely. The White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force is incorporating recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates on COVID protocols into their guidance for agencies looking to accommodate vaccinated workers. Quick Hits *** The General Services Administration is scheduled to take the wraps off its integrated Systems for Award Management online acquisition web platform at 9 a.m. on Monday. The new version brings together components of the system that have been hosted on a beta website with other elements of the SAM.gov ecosystem. *** The Department of Homeland Security's Office of State and Local Law Enforcement is using virtual reality simulation to collect data, including biometrics, that could be relevant to understanding police shootings and other use-of-force incidents. GCN has more on this story. GUELPH, ON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian Solar Inc. ("Canadian Solar" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CSIQ) today announced it has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Axpo Italia for the purchase of energy produced by two solar power plants under development totaling 12 MWp near Ragusa and Enna, in Sicily, Italy. Axpo Italia is the third largest operator in the free energy market in Italy. Under the agreement, Axpo Italia will purchase renewable energy and their associated guarantees of origin from the two solar plants. The agreement includes a guaranteed fixed electricity price for ten years starting from April 2022 and will provide stable cash flows to the projects. Construction of the two solar power plants will begin by the end of 2021 and will use Canadian Solar's high-efficiency modules. Once the projects are commissioned, they will have an overall capacity of 12 MWp with an estimated annual production of approximately 22 GWh. The electricity produced can power approximately 8,460 households, equivalent to displacing 6,860 mt of CO2-equivalent emissions or taking 5,300 cars off the road. "We are pleased to sign this PPA with Axpo Italia as we execute on the first of many more collaboration opportunities in Italy," said Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. "The growth of renewable energy sources in Italy is critical to achieving the country's clean energy transition objectives. We are honored to work with Axpo with whom we share the same vision on the energy transition, and work together to meet renewable energy goals by utilizing our solar technology and development expertise. Italy is also one of Canadian Solar's key markets in the Europe, Middle East and Africa, or EMEA region, as we execute on a solar pipeline in excess of 1.3 GWp in the country." This PPA is one of the first private PPAs signed in the Italian market. It is also part of a broader framework agreement signed between Canadian Solar and Axpo Italia in November 2020 for the execution of up to 300 MWp of similar PPAs in the country. Story continues "Over the past years, renewable energy sources have often been associated with the concept of state incentives, which is no longer the case today," commented Simone Demarchi, CEO at Axpo Italia. "Agreements such as long-term PPAs finally allow the market and all the actors involved to definitively exit the incentive logic, making the plants financially sustainable, programmable from the development point of view and advantageous for all the stakeholders involved. The hope is that this trend, which is already well established in Europe, will soon achieve stability in Italy as well. Today we find in Canadian Solar a new partner able to understand and appreciate the potential and advantages of this tool." About Axpo Italia For over 100 years, the Axpo Group has been producing and supplying energy with the expertise of a leader in energy trading to over 3 million people and thousands of companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1914, Axpo is now present in over 30 countries in Europe, the United States and Asia and employs 5,000 people who combine expertise in sustainable electricity generation and the ability to innovate through research. Sustainability and reliability are Axpo's founding values for the development of innovative solutions and services along the entire energy supply chain, from production to supply for the end customer. Axpo Italia, part of the Axpo Group, was founded in 2000 during the transition to the free market and is today one of the major players with a presence along the entire energy chain, third in Italy in the free market. Axpo Italia brings the international experience of the Axpo group into the local market, creating value for the entire Italian energy supply chain and is convinced of the fundamental role played by the supply of energy in determining the competitiveness of a company. Axpo has been involved for years in the development of green solutions tailored to companies that decide to reduce their impact on the environment and in the evolution of city electric mobility. Through climate-friendly electricity production and the provision of innovative services such as PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements), Axpo plays a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Axpo Italia has its headquarters in Genoa, and commercial and representative offices in Milan and Rome. About Canadian Solar Inc. Canadian Solar was founded in 2001 in Canada and is one of the world's largest solar technology and renewable energy companies. It is a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules, provider of solar energy and battery storage solutions, and developer of utility-scale solar power and battery storage projects with a geographically diversified pipeline in various stages of development. Over the past 20 years, Canadian Solar has successfully delivered over 53 GW of premium-quality, solar photovoltaic modules to customers in over 150 countries. Likewise, since entering the solar project development business in 2010, Canadian Solar has developed, built and connected over 5.7 GWp in over 20 countries across the world. Currently, the Company has around 500 MWp of projects in operation, nearly 6 GWp of projects under construction or in backlog (late-stage), and an additional 15 GWp of projects in pipeline (mid- to early- stage). Additionally, Canadian Solar has 1.2 GWh of battery storage projects under construction, and nearly 16 GWh of battery storage projects in backlog or pipeline. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006. For additional information about the Company, follow Canadian Solar on LinkedIn or visit www.canadiansolar.com. Canadian Solar's Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include general business and economic conditions and the state of the solar industry; governmental support for the deployment of solar power; future available supplies of high-purity silicon; demand for end-use products by consumers and inventory levels of such products in the supply chain; changes in demand from significant customers; changes in demand from major markets such as Japan, the U.S., India and China; changes in customer order patterns; changes in product mix; capacity utilization; level of competition; pricing pressure and declines in average selling prices; delays in new product introduction; delays in utility-scale project approval process; delays in utility-scale project construction; delays in the completion of project sales; delays in the process of qualifying to list the CSI Solar subsidiary in the PRC; continued success in technological innovations and delivery of products with the features customers demand; shortage in supply of materials or capacity requirements; availability of financing; exchange rate fluctuations; litigation and other risks as described in the Company's SEC filings, including its annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 19, 2021. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today's date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canadian-solar-signs-one-of-the-first-private-ppas-in-the-italian-market-with-axpo-italia-301297560.html SOURCE Canadian Solar Inc. Company's Highest Honor Presented to Top Hotels in Domestic and International Portfolio for Excellence in Guest Satisfaction ROCKVILLE, Md., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, today announced the hotels named as "Best of Choice" award winners. One hotel was selected from each Choice brand in the domestic (and international portfolio where available) for their commitment to superior guest service and operational excellence. The properties rank among the top in Choice Hotels' system for achieving high performance scores and exceptional guest ratings. Best of Choice 2021 award winners "During a year unlike any other in our industry, I am especially proud of the collective response, dedication and resilience of our franchise owners and their hotel staff for everything they've done for our guests and the communities they've impacted," said Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels. "I want to sincerely thank and congratulate this year's Best of Choice winners for truly going above and beyond to live up to our brand promise of making guests feel welcome, wanted and respected every time, despite facing challenging circumstances." Below is the full list of the 2021 U.S. and international Choice Hotels "Best of Choice" award winners: All Choice-branded hotels are participating in Commitment to Clean, an initiative that builds upon the strong foundation of franchisees' longstanding dedication to cleanliness with enhanced training and best practices for cleaning, disinfecting and social distancing. For more information on Commitment to Clean, visit https://www.choicehotels.com/about/commitment-to-clean-hotels. Story continues For more information, or to make your reservation at any of these award-winning hotels, visit www.choicehotels.com. About Choice Hotels Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. With more than 7,100 hotels, representing nearly 600,000 rooms, in over 40 countries and territories as of March 31, 2021, the Choice family of hotel brands provides business and leisure travelers with a range of high-quality lodging options from limited service to full-service hotels in the upscale, midscale, extended-stay and economy segments. The award-winning Choice Privileges loyalty program offers members benefits ranging from everyday rewards to exceptional experiences. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com. 2021 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved. Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-announces-2021-best-of-choice-award-winners-301297816.html SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc. To get a roundup of TechCrunchs biggest and most important stories delivered to your inbox every day at 3 p.m. PDT, subscribe here. Welcome back to Daily Crunch. Its Monday, May 24, and all I can think about is how much I want a Surface Duo now that it can do two-screen gaming. And one of those new iMacs. I dont need either, of course, but that doesnt stop my coveting both of the gadgets. Alas. Regardless, it was a super busy start to the week, with lots of startup funding rounds, more in the long-running saga of governments trying to control social media platforms, even more IPO news and the latest troubles with Tesla. Lets cut the chatter and dive in. -- Alex The TechCrunch Top 3 Governments vs. Tech: Indian police tied to the central government showed up at two different Twitter offices today, in what appeared to be an intimidation effort following Twitters decision to not unlabel a tweet from a member of the current ruling party as manipulated media. A few things here. First, India is not alone in trying to force social media companies to behave as local governments want them to. That said, what the current Indian government is doing is particularly egregious and doesnt bode well for the countrys tech ecosystem as a whole. Tesla owes Norway: American electric car darling Tesla appears to be in hot water with Norway after a Norwegian conciliation council ordered the company to pay $16,000 each to thousands of Model S owners after it found that a software update led to longer charging times. Ouch. Tesla will have to sell lots of American regulatory credits to cover that loss. Norway is a key market for EVs. U.S. cities buy abuse-linked tech: From the you should read this files, the latest report from our own Zack Whittaker and IPVM states that at least a hundred U.S. counties, towns and cities have bought Chinese-made surveillance systems that the U.S. government has linked to human rights abuses. Not good. Startups and VC Story continues As always were picking and choosing the best rounds from the day, so feel free to scrounge around the blog if you need even more! Solidus Labs raises $20M for crypto-snooping: As the value of cryptocurrencies rose in the past year, so too did business at Solidus Labs, which detects volume and price manipulation among bitcoin and its brethren. Per its CEO, Asaf Meir, his company saw a 400% increase in inbound demand over 2020. That sounds about right. Also, Solidus should drop a monthly report on the level of manipulation on every exchange and crypto. That would rule. Fireflies.ai raises $14M to record, transcribe and connect your meetings: Former Acceleprise company Fireflies is building software that will record and transcribe your meetings, and then connect the text -- and perhaps the embedded tasks -- to other bits of software. Its interesting, and growing like a weed. So Khosla helped put $14 million into it. Mono raises $2M to power African fintech: From building the Plaid for Africa to power the internet economy in Africa, Mono is not short on vision. And now it has had its accounts refreshed to pursue its plans to [streamline] various financial data in a single API for companies and third-party developers. APIs are cool. Fintech is cool. Fintech APIs are extra cool. Thats our take. Flat6Labs raises $13.2M to fund Egyptian startups: This is fund news, but its small enough that it fits inside the startup section today. In short, since 2011 Flat6Labs has been an accelerator in Egypt and Tunisia. And now it has a new checkbook to play with. Inside Zeta Globals IPO: Finally from the startup world today, Zeta Global is going public. Its an offering that could set the tone for the martech world for some time to come. So, we dug into its numbers a bit tardily to figure out just what Zeta has that public investors might want. When to walk away from a VC who wants to invest in your startup Ofri Ben-Porat flew from London to NYC to meet potential investors, but at the last minute, one canceled, claiming illness. Moments later, he received a DocSend push notification informing him that said VC had just opened the pitch deck he'd sent days before. Undeterred, he showed up anyway and pretended he hadn't received their email. The discussion went well; after he flew home, the VCs offered pre-terms and due diligence, "but ultimately, I didnt feel right taking money from them," says Ben-Porat. Securing the right amount of funding at the right moment can make or break a startup, but founders who can't identify red flags or worse, ignore them will live to regret it. (Extra Crunch is our membership program, which helps founders and startup teams get ahead. You can sign up here.) Big Tech Inc. What has a zillion hands and likes to copy its friends? Facebook! This time, however, Facebook could be doing something interesting. TechCrunch dug through some creator-friendly feature work that Big Blue is putting into its TikTok clone. So its still running the copy machine at full tilt, just with a few upgrades. Turning back to Apple, not everything is M1 chips and purple iPhones. Some things are less good at the Cupertino-based technology leviathan. Today TechCrunch reported on a few different macOS vulnerabilities that, frankly, dont sound good. Whats the old adage? Buy a PC; they just work? In happier Apple news, the company has a pile of new software updates for your enjoyment, especially if you are an iPhone or iPad user. Dont fret, Microsoft fans, we have something for you as well. Namely a review of the new Surface Laptop 4. Its pretty darn good, keeping all its predecessors weaknesses and strengths, with new guts. Wrapping, ByteDance has another chart-topping app; Airbnb is doubling down on guest flexibility, though we have questions; SiriusXM is partnering with TikTok on a new channel; and SensorTower is making sure that there is at least some M&A to report on. TechCrunch Experts: Email Marketing Intellect illustration Image Credits: Getty Images TechCrunch Experts is still collecting survey responses to help us identify the top email marketers in tech! At this time, were not looking for self-nominations -- were only seeking nominations from clients. We want to hear all about your experience and how you found the right expert for your needs. Fill out the survey here. Were excited to move this project forward. Visit techcrunch.com/experts to find out more! TC Eventful Last year, we held our first dedicated space startup event, TC Sessions: Space, featuring some of the industry's top founders and leaders, including Rocket Lab's Peter Beck, Lockheed Martin's Lisa Callahan, Amazon's Dave Limp, NASA's Kathy Lueders and many more. This year, we're excited to announce we're doing it again with TC Sessions: Space 2021, happening virtually December 14-15. TC Sessions: Mobility 2021 is right around the corner of your calendar (June 9). If you want to place your ground-breaking, edge-cutting, envelope-pushing (no extra charge for cliches) early-stage startup in front of the worlds leading mobility movers, shakers and makers you gotta hustle. You have just one week left to buy one of our remaining three Startup Exhibitor Packages. Anna Dolidze, former non-judge member of the High Council of Justice launches political party For People By Veronika Malinboym Former non-judge member of the High Council of Justice has launched a new political party For People. Dolidze stated that the party will act as a counter-force between the ruling Georgian Dream and the opposition United National Movement party. Dolidze also noted that the partys main values are unity, solidarity, and social justice:We choose a way of governing where social equality is the main driving force of the state, where hunger will not be the main challenge of the country and caring for each family will be not a duty but a thoughtful responsibility, Dolidze said.Dolidze stated that in the nearest future, the party will decide whether it will appoint its own mayoral candidate, noting that the United National Movements decision to appoint the candidacy of Nika Melia was a mistake, which might, in the long run, facilitate another victory of the Georgian Dream.Following her resignation from the High Council of Justice, Dolidze has become the chairperson of the For People political platform. She has also joined the October 2020 Parliamentary Elections as a majoritarian candidate from the Didube-Chugureti district in Tbilisi.Earlier this year, Dolidze has been calling on the Ombudsman of Georgia to hold an immediate investigation into the fact of possible illegal surveillance against her. The calls came shortly after the controversial interview with a former employee of the State Security Service. In this interview, Vano Gulashvili confessed to allegedly damaging the projector belonging to the opposition during the June 20 rallies, as well as illegally installing several surveillance devices in the homes of some of Georgias top-ranking officials, including Anna Dolidze, upon the request of the former Deputy Interior Minister, Kakhaber Sabanadze. Delhi police, controlled by India's central government, on Monday evening visited two offices of Twitter -- in the national capital state of Delhi and Gurgaon, in the neighboring state of Haryana -- to seek more information about Twitter's rationale to label one of the tweets by ruling partly BJP spokesperson as "manipulated media." An hour into the search attempt, Delhi Police Special Cell team, which investigates terrorism and other crimes, vacated Twitter's offices because they were closed and there were no Twitter employees to engage with at the premises, according to live broadcast by several local news channels. A Twitter spokesperson declined to comment. India, the world's second-largest internet market, is a key overseas region for Twitter and many other American technology firms. New Delhi sent a notice to Twitter last week after the social network labeled a tweet from Sambit Patra, the spokesperson of Indias ruling party BJP, as manipulated media. In the tweet, Patra had claimed that Congress, the leading opposition party in India, was using a so-called toolkit to derail the Indian governments efforts against the coronavirus pandemic. Alt News, a leading fact-checking organization in India, had debunked Patras claim. Delhi police said it had received a complaint about the classification of Patra's tweet, which it said it was investigating, and visited the offices to serve Twitter India's head a notice of the inquiry. In a statement, the police said Twitter India's managing director's replies on the subject had been "very ambiguous." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "Delhi Police is enquiring into a complaint in which clarification is sought from Twitter regarding the classification of a tweet by Shri Sambit Patra (BJP spokesman) as 'manipulative'. It appears that Twitter has some information which is not known to us on the basis of which they have classified it as such," Delhi Police said in an earlier statement to local TV channels and other journalists. Story continues "This information is relevant to the enquiry. Special Cell which is conducting the enquiry wants to find out the truth. Twitter which has claimed to know the underlying truth should clarify," it added. In a follow-up statement, it disputed the characterization of today's event as "raiding." Several policy executives and the like questioned Delhi Police's motives. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The move also comes at a time when Twitter and Facebook are inching closer to the deadline to comply with India's new guidelines to regulate social media. In a new notice to both the firms, New Delhi warned that "failure to comply with IT rules could lead to loss of status and protections as intermediaries." Today's development is the latest headache for the American firm, which has been struggling to maintain peace with the Indian government for several months. After briefly complying with a New Delhi order early this year, the company faced heat from the government for restoring accounts that had posted tweets critical of the Indian governments policy or the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two faced off again publicly last month after New Delhi ordered Twitter and Facebook to take down posts that were critical of the governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The story was updated throughout with additional details. RADNOR, Pa., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP reminds investors of Canoo Inc. (NASDAQ: GOEV; GOEVW) ("Canoo") f/k/a Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. IV (NASDAQ: HCAC; HCACW; HCACU) ("Hennessy Capital") that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of those who purchased or acquired Canoo securities between August 18, 2020 and March 29, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). KTMC Logo (PRNewsfoto/Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP) Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 1, 2021 Website: https://www.ktmc.com/canoo-class-action-lawsuit?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Link&utm_campaign=Canoo Contact: James Maro, Esq. (484) 270-1453 Adrienne Bell, Esq. (484) 270-1435 Toll free (844) 887-9500 Canoo Holdings Ltd. ("Canoo Holdings") was an electric vehicle company that touted a "unique business model that defies traditional ownership to put customers first." On or about December 21, 2020, Canoo Holdings became a public entity via merger with Hennessy Capital, with the surviving entity named Canoo. The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, the defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Canoo had decreased its focus on its plan to sell vehicles to consumers through a subscription model; (2) Canoo would deemphasize its engineering services business; (3) contrary to prior statements, Canoo did not have partnerships with original equipment manufacturers and no longer engaged in the previously announced partnership with Hyundai; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, the defendants' positive statements about Canoo's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Canoo investors may, no later than June 1, 2021 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed as a lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Story continues Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country involving securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of state and federal law. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP is a driving force behind corporate governance reform, and has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of institutional and individual investors from the United States and around the world. The firm represents investors, consumers and whistleblowers (private citizens who report fraudulent practices against the government and share in the recovery of government dollars). The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP James Maro, Jr., Esq. Adrienne Bell, Esq. 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 (844) 887-9500 (toll free) info@ktmc.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goev-investor-reminder--kessler-topaz-meltzer--check-llp-announces-deadline-in-securities-fraud-class-action-lawsuit-against-canoo-inc-301296781.html SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP OTTAWA, ON, May 24, 2021 /CNW/ - Throughout the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has worked closely with the provinces and territories and continues to provide significant support to ensure that the health and safety of Canadians is protected. Today, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Bill Blair; the Minister of Health, the Honourable Patty Hajdu; and the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, confirmed that the Government of Canada will be providing a range of supports to Manitoba in anticipation of a Request for Federal Assistance to support the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government Operations Centre is working to coordinate the federal response to the situation in Manitoba and Canadians can be assured that all orders of government are working together to deliver the required help. In anticipation of this Request for Federal Assistance, the Government of Canada is preparing a number of actions: It will deploy federal health human resources, deploy medical staff through the Canadian Red Cross; and, provide support from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The Government of Canada is also prepared to deploy epidemiologists, public health capacity, laboratory technicians and increased testing capacity from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Health Canada (HC) to respond to needs identified by Manitoba. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS) has responded to all 17 Requests for Federal Assistance from Manitoba. The NESS has allocated over 37 million units of personal protective equipment, vaccine ancillary supplies and other medical equipment to Manitoba, including nitrile gloves, disposable gowns, face shields, N95 respirators and surgical masks. Manitoba is expected to request additional biomedical equipment which the NESS expects to be able to supply. Quotes "Protecting the health and safety of Canadians during the pandemic continues to be the government's top priority. A critical part of our fight against COVID-19 is the support we have provided to provinces and territories. Today, departments and agencies across the federal government have again come together to support our fellow citizens in Manitoba. I would like to thank front-line workers, and all Canadians alike, for their ongoing work to keep each other safe." Story continues - The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness "The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with Manitoba, and all provinces and territories, to provide the support needed to help protect the health of Canadians. The human and health equipment resources we are providing will help to reduce the impact of this third wave of COVID-19 in Manitoba." - The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health "The Canadian Armed Forces is there to provide support to Canadians when it is needed most. Throughout the pandemic we have worked alongside provincial government partners to help contain the spread of COVID-19. Our people in uniform have always answered the call and stand ready to do so for Manitobans." - The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence Quick Facts Statistics Canada is providing an additional 50 interviewers to the province of Manitoba, for a total of up to 120 employees, to help trace people who've been in contact with someone who's tested positive for COVID-19. The Canadian Armed Forces continue to support vaccine rollout in up to 23 on-reserve Indigenous communities in Manitoba until the end of June. Since last fall, the Canadian Armed Force were also regularly deployed in eight Manitoba First Nations communities through various requests for assistance. A Request for Federal Assistance (RFA) is how a province or territory formally requests support from the federal government in their emergency response efforts. An RFA is initiated when an emergency event overwhelms or threatens to overwhelm the resources of a province or territory and federal government help is needed to effectively support the impacted region. The province or territory submits a formal RFA to describe what they would need in federal government support for a successful emergency response as well as the termination criteria. Since March 2020, the Government of Canada has supported 78 Requests for Federal Assistance from provinces and territories. In November 2020, Manitoba requested federal support to assist in the COVID-19 response in long term care homes. The federal government approved this request, and Red Cross support was originally provided until January 15, 2021. The estimated cost is $2.1M. The Government of Canada has extended this arrangement to June 30, 2021. As of May 2021, approximately $137.6 million of the up to $170 million available for Canadian Red Cross support has been committed towards capacity building projects and supporting assistance to provinces and territories. This includes investments made to help the Red Cross build capacity ($64.3 million) to ensure readiness to deploy. Public Safety Canada has funded Canadian Red Cross projects that support Provinces and Territories following a request made for federal assistance, including $4.23M for Manitoba. Associated Links COVID-19 Support to Provinces and Territories Statistics Canada and contact tracing SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2021/24/c1218.html By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's government said on Monday it had signed a deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google for a more than $1 billion project to provide cloud services for the country's public sector and military. A month ago, AWS and Google won a tender, beating out Microsoft, Oracle and IBM for the four phase project known as "Nimbus". Finance Ministry officials said they expected to start moving data to the cloud in about two months, but it will not be a centralised system since there are two providers, while some data will not be on the cloud. The four phases of the project include acquisition and construction of cloud infrastructure, formulating government policy for migrating to the cloud, integration and migration, and control and optimisation of cloud activity. Nimbus is a multi-year project intended to provide a comprehensive solution for the provision of cloud services to the government, the defence system and other groups in the economy, the ministry said. It noted that the availability of cloud services in Israel will allow significant transfer of government services to capitalise on the technological advantages in the cloud to improve services to citizens and increase economic efficiency. It will also help promote Israel's innovation and encourage the creation of an eco-system in cloud technologies, it added. Under the deal, Google and Amazon are committed to making reciprocal purchases and industrial cooperation in Israel equivalent to 20% of the value of the contract. Another tender process is under way to address the third part of the project, in which dozens of local suppliers will be selected to assist in the migration of government systems to the cloud and the development of systems in the cloud environment. (Reporting by Steven Scheer. Editing by Mark Potter) ATLANTA, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackson Healthcare, a family of highly specialized healthcare staffing, search and technology companies, today announced the appointment of David Robertson to the position of senior vice president of risk management. In this role, Robertson will oversee all corporate risk management functions, as well as the deployment of risk management across the Jackson Healthcare family of companies, including risk transfer, insurance procurement, claims litigation management, captive management, acquisition due diligence and compliance. Named a 2012 Healthcare Power Broker by Risk and Insurance magazine, Robertson was most recently executive vice president at Harden, where he served as the healthcare practice leader. Prior to that, he was a managing director at USI Insurance and a managing director of insurance services at Wells Fargo Insurance. . He is a former regional partner at Willis Group Holdings and senior vice president at Marsh, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies. "David brings deep subject matter expertise and experience in risk management and insurance programs with a focus in healthcare to our Jackson Healthcare family of companies," said Leslie Kurtz, chief financial officer at Jackson Healthcare. "We are pleased to welcome him to our team and believe his collaborative, mission-driven leadership approach will be a great asset to our clients, our company and our culture." Robertson has a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Georgia, received his MBA from Georgia State University and holds a master's degree in Health Policy and Management from Emory University. About Jackson Healthcare Jackson Healthcare is a family of highly specialized healthcare staffing, search and technology companies. With a mission to improve the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone it touches, it helps healthcare facilities across the country serve more than 10 million patients each year. Backed by more than 1,500 associates and with over $1.4 billion in annual revenue, Jackson Healthcare is a top three U.S. healthcare staffing firm. In addition to being Great Place to Work certified, it is consistently named an employer of choice, having been nationally recognized as a best workplace in healthcare, a best workplace for women and a best workplace for millennials, as well as being named one of 2020's Healthiest Employers by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Learn more at www.jacksonhealthcare.com. Story continues Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jackson-healthcare-appoints-david-robertson-as-senior-vice-president-of-risk-management-301296822.html SOURCE Jackson Healthcare Uber and Lyft have officially started to offer free rides to anyone traveling to get a COVID-19 vaccine, two weeks after the ride-hailing companies announced an agreement with the White House to offer the program. The free rides will last through July 4, the date when President Joe Biden wants 70% of U.S. adults to be vaccinated. Lyft and Uber have previously told TechCrunch the companies will cover the costs of the rides. The White House advised on the development and launch of the product. The White House also shared data on the more than 80,000 vaccination sites in the country, an Uber spokesperson told TechCrunch. Uber is giving riders four one-way rides up to $25 off each. Each of these two round trips must be three weeks apart between Monday and July 4, Uber said in a blog post. Riders can access the program by opening the Uber app and tapping "vaccine" and then "get your free ride." The free rides are offered between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Riders must enter the ZIP code of their appointment to find the location they are going to or coming from. The rider then selects the provider location and the ride option. Lyft Vaccine Rides Gif Image Credits: Lyft Lyft is offering two roundtrip rides up to $15 each trip. Lyft said if either ride costs more than $15 or if the rider tips their driver, those additional charges will hit their personal form of payment. Lyft is also requiring these free rides be three weeks apart. The vaccine access program follows efforts by both companies to provide free and discounted rides to underserved communities as well as roll out features to make it easier to access vaccine information and point-of-distribution sites. Uber first rolled out a COVID-relief program in March to offer free rides and deliveries. In December, the company said it would give an additional 10 million free or discounted rides. Uber announced in April that it was launching more than a half-dozen new features, including one that will let users book vaccine appointments at Walgreens and reserve a ride to get their jab. Lyft kicked off in December a universal vaccine access campaign, a coalition of partners that includes JPMorgan Chase, Anthem and United Way, to provide 60 million rides to and from vaccination sites for low-income, uninsured and at-risk communities. NOIDA, India, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A comprehensive overview of the Medical Tricorder Market is recently added by UnivDatos Market Insights to its humongous database. The Medical Tricorder Market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data of various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the Medical Tricorder Market. The Medical Tricorder Market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the Medical Tricorder Market at the global and regional levels. Medical Tricorder Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2021-2027 to reach US$ 4.1 billion by 2027. UnivDatos Logo Market Overview Medical Tricorder is the distribution of medical diagnosis and monitoring facilities, in the form of handheld electronic devices. Growth in medical conditions is a common scenario throughout the world and especially in the United States. Statistics say 133 million individuals in the United States are affected by some form of chronic illness like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, stroke, mental illness, pulmonary conditions, etc. Currently, the economic impact of chronic illnesses is US$ 3.8 trillion annually. As the number of patients suffering from chronic illnesses increases due to the changes in lifestyle choices, there is a need for quicker healthcare. To address this issue, technical healthcare tools are offering the potential to scale up the treatment and decrease the cost of treatment for patients. 30% of Indian citizens lack access to proper healthcare, the same numbers are seen in other developing countries, these can be changed by the introduction of Tricorders. As chronic diseases are increasing, so is the need to self-diagnose and monitor your conditions, Tricorders make self-diagnosis easier and thus the high market growth expectation. These trends are showing an upsurge in R&D in many bid companies like Qualcomm, Quantu, Scanadu, Cloud DX, etc. The total U.S. medical health R&D investment in 2017 was US$ 182.3 billion and in 2018 has gone up to US$ 194.2 billion. Story continues Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://univdatos.com/report/medical-tricorder-market-current-analysis-and-forecast-2021-2027 COVID-19 Impact The MedTech responsible for the innovations of Tricorders is put in the center stage during the coronavirus pandemic. They are pressured with unparalleled demands for PPE kits, ventilators, diagnostic tests, and other critical medical supplies. Extraordinary efforts are being applied to ramp up manufacturing capabilities, and MedTech leaders must go beyond their boundaries to explore solutions to minimize the supply needs. Due to this many medical procedures and experiments are being postponed as hospitals are needed for COVID-19 patients. McKinsey predicted a 60-80% decline in elective markets for Europe in Q2 of 2020 and a 40-50% decline in Q3, 2020 for the US. Another concern is when the recovery begins, it could put a strain on companies for demand for both delayed elective and essential procedures. MedTech companies need to consider additional imperatives for the next 3-9 months, to strengthen crisis resilience and recovery. Ask for Price & Discounts @ https://univdatos.com/report/medical-tricorder-market-current-analysis-and-forecast-2021-2027 Medical Tricorder Market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated. By Type, the market is primarily segmented into USB Camera Fiber Optics Camera Wireless Corded Others In 2019, out of all these segments, the wireless tricorders had the largest share in the market. In the 2017 Qualcomm XPRIZE, two teams with wireless tricorders won the prize. By Application, the market is primarily segmented into Diagnosis Monitoring Others In the 2020 market, the diagnosis had the largest share. The reason is probably that these devices can diagnose diseases like Covid-19, asthma, cancer, tuberculosis, diabetes, HIV-AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, stroke, dementia, and others. By End-user, the market is primarily segmented into Hospitals Clinics Others In 2019, the highest end-user was the hospitals. This may be due to the greater number of services available in the hospitals with its numerous helping staffs, and different medical centers. Medical Tricorder Market Geographical Segmentation Includes: North America (the United States, Canada, and Rest of North America) Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, and Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, and Rest of Asia-Pacific) Rest of the World Based on the estimation, North America constitutes a major market for the Medical Tricorder industry and generated maximum revenue in 2020 owing to the advanced healthcare infrastructure and increased number of key market players in the region. Ask for Report Customization @ https://univdatos.com/report/medical-tricorder-market-current-analysis-and-forecast-2021-2027 The major players targeting the market includes Scanadu Quantu MDx Group Ltd. Ibis Bioscience Ionis Pharmaceutical Cloud DX Qualcomm Technologies Inc. Basil Leaf Technologies LLC Welfo Fiber Optics Fujikura Ltd. Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Competitive Landscape The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the Medical Tricorder Market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition. Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include: What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the Medical Tricorder Market? Which factors are influencing the Medical Tricorder Market over the forecast period? What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the Medical Tricorder Market? Which factors are propelling and restraining the Medical Tricorder Market? What are the demanding global regions of the Medical Tricorder Market? What will be the global market size in the upcoming years? What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies? We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature and geography. Please let us know If you have any custom needs. For more informative information, please visit us @ https://univdatos.com/report/medical-tricorder-market-current-analysis-and-forecast-2021-2027 About UnivDatos Market Insights UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients. Contact UnivDatos Market Insights Pawnendra Pawan Client Development Lead Ph: +91-7838604911 Email: pawnendra@univdatos.com Website: https://univdatos.com/ Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medical-tricorder-market-to-exceed-usd-4-12-billion-by-2027-globally--cagr-5-41--univdatos-market-insights-301297698.html SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights A statement following the May 24 meeting at Hillsdale College's D.C. campus WASHINGTON, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, May 24, The 1776 Commission met at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. campus to discuss civic education curricula, state civic education reform efforts, pending federal legislation and executive actions, and future activity of the Commission. The 1776 Commission met at Hillsdale College's D.C. campus to discuss civic education and the future of the Commission. Following the meeting, The 1776 Commission issued the following statement (PDF here): We are grateful for the widespread support of the work of The President's Advisory 1776 Commission, and we commend the many efforts, some new and many long established, underway to advance the principles and address the concerns voiced in The 1776 Report. The restoration of American education can only be grounded in a history of America and its principles that is accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling. This decades-long restoration will only succeed through the great efforts of the millions of good-willed, intelligent, and patriotic Americans, who long, as all human beings long, to know the truth. There is no more powerful force than parents' love for their children, and this restoration will depend on mothers and fathers demanding that their children are no longer taught false narratives or fed hateful lies about our country. We affirm, as a bulwark for the protection of American principles, the core constitutional principle that parents have the natural right to direct the education of their children. All those concerned about education in America should organize and run for school board and vote in school board elections. Through that and other means they can restore the natural sovereignty in education of the school, the place where students, parents, and teachers are united in the sublime work of helping children to grow. Story continues Parents and local school boards will be strengthened in this effort by greater choice and variety in curriculum at the state and local levels. We reaffirm the role of the states and localities in overseeing the nation's K-12 public educational system, and commend those states and localities that have reformed or are considering reforming their curricula to sustain our common principles and teach our true history to America's children. We are concerned that the U.S. Department of Education's Proposed Rule defining priorities for the American History and Civics Education programs, whether as Critical Race Theory or under the misleading name of "anti- racism," actually encourages and seeks to direct federal funds to the teaching of racial discrimination in America's elementary and secondary school systems. This Proposed Rule should be withdrawn, and individual states should oppose any such race-based pedagogy as part of their curricula, especially if that curricula is imposed by the federal government. The Constitution leaves education to the states and localities and denies the federal government any authority to impose national curriculum standards. The federal government should not circumvent this obstacle by using federal funding to entice states and localities to adopt what it wants taught in the nation's schools. We learned from the failed Common Core experiment that one-size-fits-all national models are a blueprint for trivializing and mechanizing learning. Instead, we encourage a genuine civics education that will rebuild our common bonds, our mutual friendship, and our civic devotion and eagerly look forward to the forthcoming release of curricula designed in the true spirit of 1776. Lastly, recalling the long history of citizen participation in our civic life, we call on states, counties, and local communities to form their own 1776 Commissions to advance this great work of American renewal as we prepare for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026. The meeting was hosted by Chair Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College; Vice Chair Carol Swain, retired professor of law at Vanderbilt University; and Executive Director Matthew Spalding, vice president for Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. operations and dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government. "History is complete and cannot be changed," said Arnn. "These controversies about history can only be resolved by looking at the facts. To help the young know this history is the work of the commission, and its importance has not diminished since inauguration day." All media inquiries go to Emily Stack Davis, Hillsdale College, at pr@hillsdale.edu. A PDF of The 1776 Commission's May 24 statement can be found here. Photos from the meeting can be found here. Headshots of commission members can be found here. The 1776 Commission's letter to the Department of Education can be found here. About The 1776 Commission The 1776 Commission was established in 2020 to prepare for the 250-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and to combat false narratives about the American Founding, like those proposed by the "1619 Project." Its first overview document, The 1776 Report, was submitted to the President and released as a public document on January 18, 2021. The President's Advisory 1776 Commission was abolished by an Executive Order of the next President on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2021. The 1776 Report, which was removed from the White House website on inauguration day, can be downloaded here. About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 5.6 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu. CONTACT: Emily Stack Davis 517-803-3745 PR@hillsdale.edu Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meeting-of-the-1776-commission-301298063.html SOURCE Hillsdale College Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Net Asset Value Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Middlefield Canadian Income - GBP PC (a protected cell company incorporated in Jersey with registration number 93546) Legal Entity Identifier: 2138007ENW3JEJXC8658 Net Asset Value As at the close of business on 21 May 2021 the estimated unaudited Net Asset Value per share was 122.86 pence (including accrued income). Investments in the Companys portfolio have been valued on a closing price basis. Enquiries: JTC Fund Solutions (Jersey) Limited 01534 700 000